09:33 - October 10th, 2007

Connor's first night away from home was quite a pleasant one, as things turned out.

After a fairly decent dinner from the Center's room service, he managed to locate some old copies of Masked Ranger episodes to watch with Reyes as the pair settled down on separate bunks. It came as quite a surprise to the Sinnohan that his new friend had never heard of it - the show only managed to develop a cult following in Hoenn, due in no small part to the decidedly cheesy dubbing - but nevertheless, a very good time was had by all, with Reyes quickly becoming enamoured by action and over-the-top dialogue. The show was bright enough to keep even his Pokémon entertained, with Garra staying up to make excited grunts and squeaks towards the array of colours on screen before eventually dozing off at about ten; Reyes followed suit around an hour later, with his alarm set for half past seven in the morning.

"Connor," began a mildly concerned Reyes over a glass of water about two hours after waking up, "are you sure you aren't tired? What time did you even go to sleep last night?"

"One in the morning," replied Connor, a little groggy as he held back a yawn, the two chestnut forelocks that usually stood like antennae now drooping over his face.

"Geez! That isn't healthy! You need to get eight hours every night, man! Do you do that a lot?"

"Go to bed late? Mmm… I guess… I'm just not good at sleep schedules. Most of the time it's not too big a deal, but I'm not really a morning person, haha... but I'm good, though, anyways! How are you?"

"Wh- I mean, I'm fine, but don't worry about me, Connor! You've got to get more rest next time!"

"Oh, trust me, I'm used to it by now," said Connor, giving a smile to reassure his partner before continuing. "Besides, you never know when you'll get attacked by a nightmare demon."

"...a- are nightmare demons common in Sinnoh?" enquired Reyes, his companion's phrasing raising a few doubts.

"Hm? Well, not common, no, but… y'know."

"I do?"

"I, uh… that was a joke, but there's at least one," offered Connor in a sheepish fashion.

"Ah, well, that's not very many - and that means it's no excuse to miss out on your eight hours!"

Reyes' somewhat jovial finger-wagging was cut short by an unrecognisable mess of light brown and frizzy hair, wearing an off-white top and torn jeans, approaching the two trainers at the table in the Center and taking a seat in between them, prompting Connor to fall silent, beginning to nibble at one of his thumbnails, trying to avoid staring for fear of coming off rude.

"...Hello?" asked a confused Reyes, awkwardly offering a grin.

"Mm? Ah," the figure grunted, swatting it out of her face to reveal a familiar pair of sapphire eyes.

"Oh, Florence, hey!"

"G'day," mumbled the off-duty nurse, holding her cup of coffee in a vice-like grip as she blankly took a sip from it.

Quietness filled the air as the conversation found itself at an impasse, before Reyes took the initiative to speak. "...So, how are you?"

"Fuckin' tired, mate. You?"

"I am good! Connor, here, showed me this show last night about this guy who dresses up as a Bisharp and beat bad guys up. Have you ever seen it?"

"Nah. Too busy studying medicine and treating Pokémon to watch blokes in cosplay have a scrap."

"I recommend it, but... may I also recommend getting more sleep? I was just saying; it's important and it keeps stress at bay."

"I'll sleep when I'm dead, thanks very much."

Florence took another sip from her coffee as she continued to look onwards. Silence filled the air as both of the trainers at the table only offered perplexed looks.

"Um… is… is everything alright?" asked a hesitant Connor, careful so as to not invoke the nurse's wrath.

"No," grumbled Florence in reply, firmness present in her voice.

"O-oh. Do, uh… do you wanna tell us the problem?"

"No."

"Right, s-sorry," stammered Connor, wincing a little.

Weary, the nurse paused for a moment before the top half of her torso seemed to deflate, shoulders dropping back and a sigh escaping her lungs.

"It's no worries, little fella, it's just… work is a bitch, y'know?"

"I, uh… I don't, no," said Connor, swiftly coming to regret his complete sincerity after earning himself a displeased look.

It was at this point that Reyes offered a welcome reprieve by re-entering the conversation himself. "Look, you can tell us what's wrong, and we won't judge you for it - right, Connor?" he began, to which Connor offered a quick nod. "Besides, it isn't healthy to bottle up your feelings. You've got to let them out."

"Do I look healthy to you?" shot back Florence.

"...Yes?"

"Wrong answer. But since you two won't stop askin'... I'm still an apprentice here, you see - I'm about the same age as you two, and that's apparently not old enough to be working as a proper, full-blown nurse 'ere. Which is fair enough - I mean, no offence, Reyes, but you're older than me and I wouldn't trust ya to save a Word document, let alone a life - but according to the boss, I gotta get a year or two out in the field with trainers before I can do proper dinkum surgery, because apparently I'm "inexperienced" and "don't know enough about Pokémon to be a full-time nurse" and "not well-equipped enough to handle trainers" - and in my defence, I'm a damn nurse! Do you know how many dipsticks come in here because they tried to make toast with the toaster plugged into an Electivire, or who decided to put Charmander in the bathtub?"

"Mmm, that sounds… challenging, to say the least," replied Reyes, brushing off the thinly-veiled insult. "Do you have anyone to travel with?"

"Nah, 'course not."

"Then I have a proposition! How would you feel about traveling with us?" the trainer declared with gusto in his voice, confidence radiating from his body like a lighthouse.

"No."

"Well, then it's settl- wait, you said no?"

"Aye. Don't get me wrong, you seem like nice blokes, but you're… how can I put this without bein' a dingus… you sorta managed to make your Pokémon's entire body hurt and then went out and got gassed the other day, Connor. I'm sure you'll be a good trainer one day, but… I'd sorta prefer something safer for now, y'know?"

"...Oh," said Connor, trying his best to hide his disappointment (and failing quite miserably).

"Hey!" butted in a more assertive Reyes. "Leave him out of this! He knows what he's doing, trust me! If anything, I'm the one to blame for that whole ordeal - but Connor here's a good boy!"

"I'm sure he is, but if you're in charge here, and you still got the fella gassed, that just makes you look like a damn idiot, y'know?"

"Hmph. Is there anything I can do to change your mind, then?"

"...You really are a persistent bugger, aren't you?"

"Correct!"

Florence thought about this for a moment, her baggy eyes deep in thought, before a grin twisted itself across her tired face.

"Alright, then I'll make you boys a little wager. It's the 10th today, isn't it?"

"Yep!"

"If either one of you fellas can beat the Oreburgh Gym and show me the Coal Badge by the 25th, I'll come along."

Connor raised a finger, on the verge of objecting before a smiling Reyes made his boast. "Pah! I'll have it to you by the 20th!"

"That's nice, but I explicitly said the 25th. If you come to me with all of your Pokémon knocked out, I will kill you."

"In any case, you have a deal! What happens if we don't get the badge by then?"

"Jack-shit, that's what," grunted Florence.

"Come on, you can do better than that!" replied Reyes, smirking.

"Don't push your luck, mate."

"Or what?"

This response worried Connor, who at this point had resigned himself to holding his head in his hands, his hazel eyes staring in disbelief at his new companion. He was on the verge of breaking point and would have long since told him to stop for fear of his Pokémon's safety, were it not for the fact that it may have come off a little rude to someone who only meant well. Nevertheless, he was not a fan of where this conversation was headed.

"...Alright," said the nurse as she turned her attention back to her coffee, "I'd think of something, but my coffee's going cold. Now, if you pick up any minor scrapes and you need a doc, I'll still be here, and that goes for needing a room; otherwise, good luck with that gym thing. Now, lemme have my coffee in peace, if you boys wouldn't mind."

Connor felt himself exhale in relief as Reyes stood up. "Well, I suppose we'll be leaving then. Connor, are you coming with?" he asked, to which his companion nodded and followed suit, his rucksack on his back, with the duo making their exit.

The noon sun shone down through the thick foliage of Route 203 and onto the two trainers, with the silhouette of many a Starly soaring through the air. After applying lotion to the still-aching Ronnie for the second time that day, Connor reckoned that the Aron, who was currently curled up and resting in a patch of grass next to him, would probably be fit to battle in two or three days. This was far from ideal, to be out of commission for so long and so soon after starting, but at the very least, it allowed him to watch and study Reyes' fights.

For one, Connor noticed that he took the approach of alternating between his Pokémon in between fights instead of spending long stretches of time with a specific one. This allowed him to meet Reyes' Bagon, who had been so eloquently named "Baggo' - "Listen, I'm not very good at names, okay?" insisted his trainer - and get an idea of what the species was like. For one, Baggo seemed a lot more aggressive and hyperactive than Garra, making up for the level deficit (a mere level ten, one level behind Ronnie and five behind Garra) and less impressive attacking skills with sheer fervour and hunger to fight. He didn't seem to take too kindly to Connor, either, which led him to believe it would perhaps be best to spectate from afar.

As for Reyes' fighting style, Connor noticed a surprising amount of strategy went into his moves for such a low level of combat - from what he could deduce, both of his Pokémon were physical attackers, and so both prioritised getting into close range. Baggo was the faster of the two, and utilised this speed to harass opponents into inescapable nooks and crannies, beating them down from there with Bites and Rage attacks; conversely, Garra had more bulk, leading to a calmer and more defensive style that favoured moves such as Sandstorm and Take Down.

All of this made Connor think about whether or not he needed to expand his team. There didn't seem to be any downsides, but just to be safe...

"Reyes?" he asked, shortly after Reyes and Baggo had just defeated a particularly stubborn Starly.

"Yes, Connor?"

"How is it having two Pokémon?"

Reyes thought about this for a moment before replying. "What do you mean?"

"Well, I was thinkin'... when Ronnie's not fit to fight, I'll sorta need someone to fall back on, won't I? But, like… I don't know if I'm ready for it just yet. I'm not sure; I think I've gotta make sure I'm, y'know, 100% with Ronnie first and I can look after him properly first, before I catch someone else. Right?"

"Oh, don't worry about it, bud! Of all people, you've got the skill to train two Pokémon at the same time. I mean… I don't know nothing about Pokémon, and yet I'm training two Dragon-types at the same time and I still have my arms on!" said Reyes triumphantly, before remembering the bite marks he'd picked up from Garra. " ...Well, barely, but that's irrelevant!"

"...Mmm," replied Connor, a little unsure about the quality of this advice as he tilted his head slightly before turning his attention back to Ronnie, scratching the back of the cooing Steel-type's head. "Well, uh… thank you, anyway!"

"No problemo, friendo!"

It was at this moment that Connor happened to notice a familiar crimson-haired asshole walking down the route, the sound of each thudding step on the ground slowly filling him with dread as he drew nearer and nearer.

"Connor? Are you alright?" asked Reyes, noticing the sudden shift in his expression. "Is something the matter?"

"I'd… um, it's, uh, i- it's nothing, Reyes," came the reply, with Connor's voice going quieter, trying not to look as Hawley approached.

Concerned, Reyes couldn't help but have a look at the problem. The sight that greeted him was that of a trainer clad in a pea green jacket and black t-shirt who looked far too pleased with himself, a swagger in his step that didn't really help him look intimidating as it did weird.

"Oh, you're scared of that guy? Psssh, come on, he's no biggie," he replied, jovial in his tone as he made sure he was out of earshot. "I'm sure he won't notice you, and if he does… you don't worry about it."

"Mmm, I wouldn't say 'scared,'" squeaked a Connor who was, in fact, quite noticeably scared, "I just… I don't really, how can I, uh… I just don't want to get involved, that's all."

"Connor, it'll be fine, trust me. If it comes to it, I'll handle it, buddy."

The pair fell silent as Hawley came nearer and nearer, not seeming to pay them any heed as the mostly unaffected look on his face remained constant. A sigh of relief almost escaped Connor's lungs as he began to gnaw on one of his jittery fingernails, when the crimson haired child turned around and lit up in glee, a smirk etched upon his face.

"Wasn't I clear enough the first time, dickweed?" he growled, smelling blood and lurching towards Connor as he reached into his belt.

"H-hey, Hawley," said Connor.

"Silence! Don't make me kick your ass again!" bellowed Hawley, stabbing a finger into his adversary's jaw. "Now, let me repeat myself: don't try and surpass me, you little shit! Do you understand me?!"

"Ah, I see Mr. Perfectly Normal Human has arrived," remarked Reyes, shooting him an unimpressed glance.

"...Hm?"

"Connor, come on, you're really scared of this weirdo? He's as edgy as a damn spoon!"

Hawley raised an eyebrow at Reyes, considering his options. Connor did seem adequately terrified, and he did have his sole Pokémon out injured - which presented a dilemma to him: whilst it would have been an effective method of showing his rival that he was boss, that he meant business... something felt a little off about it. It would have been unfair to attack someone who was completely unable to defend themselves. What was more, someone had dared to get snarky with him? Such insolence, such disrespect - this would not stand! Nobody mocked the Wilkins family and got away with it unscathed! No, as much as he would have liked to beat some sense into his rival before him, he had more pressing concerns.

Connor felt himself exhale, relaxing his very stiff body and wiping the sweat off his brow as Hawley removed his finger from his jaw and turned to face Reyes, shooting said finger at him with a deadpan look.

"And who may you be?"

"I'll have you know you're speaking to the great Reyes Vasquez, of the Hoenn region."

"Hah, save your posturing-"

"Mmmmsave your posturing," replied Reyes in a mocking tone, gesturing a mouth opening and shutting as he looked straight at Hawley.

"Don't interrupt me."

"Mmmmmdon't interrupt ME."

"Are you mocking me?!"

"MMMMMMMMare you mocking me?!"

Hawley gritted his teeth in anger, clenching his fist as he scowled at the grinning Reyes - who would have been lying if he had said he hadn't found this incredibly amusing. So angered was he at this, as a matter of fact, that he had taken a few steps away from a Connor who was trying incredibly hard not to laugh for fear of a foot to the crotch.

"Now, listen here, bucko-"

"Now listen here, bucko."

"I-"

"I-"

"If you really think such immature tricks are going to anger me-"

"I'm right?"

"Hah! I can assure you I'm not mad-"

"You are, though-"

"Stop doing that-"

"No, you stop."

Connor only watched in amazement as the two bickered. It was blatantly obvious Reyes was trying to be as petty and immature as possible to get Hawley riled up, and, quite hilariously, it was working - perhaps he was wrong to think Hawley was as tough and menacing as he did if he went as red as his hair over having someone repeat him. It was completely ridiculous to watch, sure, but there was something deeply satisfying about watching him squirm over something so absurd.

This feeling was not shared by Hawley, who felt himself growl through jaws clenched so hard his teeth could have snapped at any moment. He tried desperately to mask his shaking arm as he opened the Pokéball in his hand, his Croagunk forming a few feet to the right of Reyes.

"If you insist on being a child, then Tomyris here and I will beat you like one!"

"Oof, you hit children? That's pretty bad, man," tutted Reyes.

"You get what I meant!"

"You just said you'd beat me like a child…?"

"...Shut up!" yelled Hawley, his voice breaking into an enraged falsetto. "Tomyris, fill him with poison!"

"Baggo, go!"

The newly-nicknamed Croagunk rushed at Reyes with spiked, deep purple middle fingers just as his Bagon emerged from the light, rushing at Tomyris to halt her charge with a gaping mouth. Connor, having parked himself back on the ground to check on Ronnie - who was, thankfully, still resting - focused his attention on the developing battle, absent-mindedly rubbing his Steel-type partner's head.

Fortunately for Hawley, meanwhile, Tomyris just about managed to outspeed Baggo, propelling herself towards the Bagon with an outstretched and poison-tipped hand. Unfortunately for Hawley, the mighty jaws of the Dragon-type did not have to move much to counter this, clamping down on the Poison Sting attack with a bite of his own and trapping the Croagunk's arm in his mouth.

The tremendous impact of the bite prompted Tomyris to recoil and screech in agony as Baggo made his second move - a fire briefly ignited in the lungs of the Dragon-type, travelling up his throat and into his mouth and exposing Tomyris to burning embers. It took all of Tomyris' might to yank her arm from his mouth, every nerve in the limb in screeching pain as she fell to the ground for a moment, visibly bitter.

"Wh-what?!" exclaimed Hawley in an ambivalence of rage and shock. "How did you - agh, dammit! Tomyris, hit 'em back!"

"CROA!"

Baggo was rattled by Tomyris' sudden and splitting cry just long enough for the Croagunk to land a good hit on his chest, the sharp pangs around his ribs forcing him to grab at his chest in pain. Nevertheless, the wounded Dragon-type's rebuttal swiftly came in the form of a leer that oozed fury, and one that unnerved his opponent into dropping her defences a little.

"Trying to spook my Pokémon with underhanded tactics, are we?" spat a furious Hawley, accusatory in his tone as Tomyris proceeded to goad Baggo on in a taunting manner. "Fight like a man!"

"I, uh, I don't mean to butt in," called out a hesitant Connor, "but isn't your Croagunk female?"

"Silence, fuckface!"

Connor's interruption had bought Reyes just enough time to pick up on the fact that Tomyris was directly between Baggo and a tree stump - one that was about as tall as the Croagunk's back, which gave him an idea. His smile exuding conviction, he leant back against the tree behind him and spoke.

"Well, I'm not sure you want to do that, but if you insist. Baggo, Dragon Rush!"

The couple of seconds that Baggo, who was now charged and glowing a bright blue, spent preparing to spring himself forwards was not enough for Tomyris to dodge out of the way, and with all the might that his body could offer, his powerful neck muscles propelled his head directly into the Croagunk's stomach whilst imbued with draconic energy. The force of the impact was enough to send the Poison-type flying into the stump, smashing her back off it and rendering her unconscious in an instant.

"Guh-"

"You see… Hawley, wasn't it?" said Reyes, quite clearly pleased with himself. "Baggo here's quite a feisty boy, with a bit of Hydreigon in him, too. I would suggest perhaps not getting ahead of yourself next time, mmkay, friendo?"

Hawley flared his nostrils at him before chuckling at his opponent. "Hmm… well, you're clearly leagues ahead of your idiot friend, there, I'll give you that. But that doesn't make you better than me!"

Reyes took a glance towards Baggo, who was clearly not in the best shape despite his victory - as a matter of fact, it seemed as though the Croagunk's first attack had poisoned him, and his head was beginning to droop a little. "I think it does... but at the very least, can I switch my Pokémon before we keep doing this? The guy's exhausted."

"If you wish, but I don't see what difference it'll make when I kick-"

"Cool, thank you. Garra!" replied Reyes, as Baggo was swiftly replaced by his bluer and rounder colleague, who let out a battle cry as he looked at Hawley with beady black eyes.

"Clausewitz!" declared Hawley in rebuttal, opening another Pokéball picked from his belt to reveal a fuzzy Shinx, staring down his Dragon-type adversary with a fierce glare.

This development… it startled Connor a little. He'd already been lagging behind his rival quite significantly since yesterday, and now he already had a second Pokémon? He needed to up his game fast if he was to keep up, let alone get ahead of him.

"Interesting. Connor, correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that an Electric-type?"

Connor nodded.

"And aren't they, you know, not very good against Ground-types?"

Connor nodded.

"Oof," said Reyes as he winced a little at the grumbling Hawley, "bad move. Garra, create a sandstorm!"

"Tackle him!"

Letting out a guttural hiss, Clausewitz ran at his foe as Garra began digging into the ground, throwing up vast amounts of earth with enough force for the wind to create a miniature storm of mud. The Electric-type, being worn down somewhat by the pelting of mud, smacked his head into Garra's jaw, leaving him irritated but not particularly hurt - however, it did leave Reyes with a grin on his face as he prepared his next move.

"Use the hole in the ground to create a Sand Tomb!"

With that, Garra barged into the Shinx opposing him, knocking him into the hole in the ground with a thud. A pained squeal came from the bottom of the hole, accompanied by the sound of electric crackling, before the Gible dug its stubby arms into the earth. Quickly, he pelted great balls of mud down the hole, each one hitting Clausewitz and sending him back to the bottom of the hole with pained grunts.

"Dammit, Clausewitz! You can do this!" called out a frustrated Hawley as he rushed towards the hole, his jacket being stained brown from the mud storm pelting him.

By the time he'd managed to claw his way out of the hole, though, the onslaught had left him covered in mud and almost completely exhausted - and as he twisted his body back to face Garra, the storm of mud pelting him, it was clear that the battle was not one Clausewitz was fit to participate in any longer. Letting out a frustrated groan, he aimed his Pokéball's recall mechanism at the battered Electric-type, arcs of electricity seemingly uncontrollably shooting out of him.

Connor could only watch on in amazement as an apparently completely subdued Reyes, leaning against a tree and out of reach of the mud storm, gestured Garra back over.

"Calling it quits, are you?" he called out, his Dragon-type partner standing at his feet.

Hawley looked at him for a moment, the corners of his mouth curved downwards in an exasperated frown, before he sighed in defeat. Much to Reyes' thinly veiled delight, he returned Clausewitz to his ball.

"Alright, Connor, I think we're about done here," said Reyes, deciding against holding a now very muddy Garra for the time being. "Shall we go?"

"...Wait," muttered Hawley, giving his opponent a subdued smile as he approached.

"Hm?"

"Listen, that was a good battle, and I think we might've gotten off on the wrong foot earlier."

Reyes was caught a little off-guard by this sudden compliment, beaming a little. "Oh, thank you, but-"

"I can assure you, you can do much better than hanging out with that dweeb. What say you ditch him, and I'll give you a more… competent companion, shall we say?" interjected Hawley, holding out a hand.

The look on Reyes' face shifted into one of brief contemplation, before he spoke again. "I can't do that, unfortunately, but I can offer you some advice?"

"Hm. That's a shame, but… go on."

A silence filled the air for a brief moment before Reyes' fist slammed straight into Hawley's nose with all the torque his arm could muster, making a cracking noise as he turned away.

"GAH!" screamed Hawley, melting onto the ground in a fetal puddle as he put his hand over his bleeding nose, his deep voice transforming into a mumbling whimper. "What the fuck?!"

"Pick on someone your own size, trash. Connor, we're leaving."

Connor could only watch in an astonished mix of horror and awe as Hawley found his way back onto his feet, humiliated and crying as blood ran from his slightly misshapen nose down his hand as he stumbled away, giving only a furious look back at the pair. He couldn't help but feel a little guilty for being partly responsible for this - sure, he had been a bit of an ass, but his ego had been so emphatically shattered right in front of him, and the person he'd viewed as a formidable threat was now little more than a whimpering mess.

"Connor?"

"Hm? Oh, right."

He managed to tear away his eyes away from Hawley and began to walk away, returning Ronnie to his ball for the time being.

The rest of the pair's training was, for the most part, uneventful, and Reyes eventually decided to call it a day and return to the Pokémon Center. Connor, meanwhile, had been keeping tabs on Ronnie for most of the day; the Aron had spent a lot of this time resting, which was very good to see - Connor estimated that late the next day would be a good time to start easing him back into battling.

However, as the pair walked back - with Reyes making sure to keep a steady pace after the events of the previous day - Connor thought about some things that had been bothering him, deciding that perhaps it'd be best to get them off his chest.

"Hey, Reyes?"

"What is it, friendo?"

"...Were we a bit too harsh on Hawley earlier? I, uh, I know he was being a bit of an ass, but…"

"What? No, screw that guy! Why were you taking it, anyway? You can do better than taking crap from him."

Connor's demeanour turned more hesitant as he thought of a response. "It's… a pretty long story, but the gist of it is that… I just didn't want any trouble, y'know? And I dunno, I just feel a little bad we upset him like that."

"That's an admirable attitude, Connor, but the world can be a harsh place; sometimes you need to stand up to people like that. If someone's trying to hurt me and they're not listening to reason, then what can I do except hurt them back, y'know?"

"I suppose you're right… I just wish there was a way we could solve things by… like, beating him in a battle, without having to break his nose."

Reyes considered this for a moment before turning to face Connor in reply. "Hey, if it's any consolation, it wasn't 'we' - you didn't play any part in getting him so upset, I promise. I'm sorry that I didn't run it by you first."

"Oh, n-no, don't apologise - well, uh, not to me, anyway. I just hope we don't have to do that again, is all."

"So do I, but… sometimes, you don't have much of a choice. Besides, you are a Pokémon trainer now - you're not going to be best friends with everyone in this world and, unless you're a doormat, making rivals, or enemies, is inevitable in this profession. Fighting sort of has to be one of your strong points, especially when you don't have Pokémon on hand."

"I… guess that makes sense. Thanks, Reyes," replied Connor, smiling softly at his companion.

"No problemo, friend! Besides, I've a question of my own for you: have you thought of what you'd like for a second Pokémon?"

"Hmm… you know, I'm not actually sure yet."

Connor had been thinking about this, and indeed, he hadn't come to a decision. Every Pokémon around these parts had merits and disadvantages, and, truth be told, it felt a little off to turn away a new member of his party because of their species.

"Well," offered Reyes, "if it's any help, I'm sure whatever you pick will fit right into your team!"

"I hope so."

"Well, it's not a particularly bad break," said the nurse as she rooted around her desk, "but I'm still going to have to prescribe you with ibuprofen for the next three weeks or so. Take three doses of two tablets a day until you run out. Whilst you're still healing, try to avoid any strenuous exercise for the next two weeks - so take it easy on the training, okay?"

"But-"

"No buts. You're blessed to look so much like your father, and you'll thank me when your nose isn't permanently bent."

Hawley grumbled in frustration. Letting up on the training was far from ideal - any time not spent training was time that both of those shitbags had on him. Time that he wasn't spending trying to become the best. Time that he spent being weak, being stagnant. Time that was wasted. And what would Dad say if he knew his son was slacking? He couldn't afford a moment's rest if he wanted to challenge the League any time soon, to get some damn respect - respect he considered he was damn deserving of.

"Oh, and I'd leave that tape on until the swelling's gone down. As for your Pokémon, they've all been rested and recovered, but I would perhaps let your Croagunk… what's her name, again?"

"Tomyris."

"Tomyris - I'd give her tomorrow off. Whatever happened there, it really took the wind out of her sails."

"...I see," replied a noticeably concerned Hawley, taking back his two Pokéballs.

"Is there anything else you need?"

"No."

"Well, you know where to find us! Have a good evening!"

Hawley nodded before turning to walk out of the Centre and into the evening sunlight that engulfed Jubilife - a place that he very much did not want to be at that moment. Were it not for his humiliating defeat earlier, he would have already gotten to Oreburgh and been on his way to challenging the gym. Instead, he was still stuck about six or seven hours down the road and in the same place as his two rivals - and those damn Pokétch clowns, too. It seemed like a shitty business model as a whole, honestly - give away free stuff and paying people to humiliate themselves? Who would fund that? Besides, he'd much rather have paid full price for a watch than have to put up with that nonsense.

It was with a weary sigh that he trundled through the streets of Jubilife, before finding the nearest bench and sinking into it, his thoughts beginning to bounce around in his brain.

I can't afford to let up now. I can't afford to slow down, not while Connor's out there with that Reyes. You're better than him, Hawley, and you damn well know it - no Wilkins would ever fall beneath such trash, or they're not fit to wear the name!

His look had morphed into a frown, his fist clenching.

No, I need to kick it up a notch, work harder than ever. I can't get complacent now - I have to earn my strength, or I'm unfit to call myself a Wilkins. Without strength, you don't get respect - and I have to work for respect, just like my father… and I will, even if it kills me! With hard work and raw strength, I'll rise to the top!

He gritted his teeth and arched his eyebrows, glaring at nothing in particular with burning fury.

I'll show them! I'll show those two chucklefucks, those damn gym leaders, the Elite Four, I'll show 'em all! Nobody makes a mockery of the son of the Sinnoh League Champion and gets away with it!

Pokémon Stats - Bagon (nicknamed "Baggo")

- Trainer: Reyes Vasquez

- Male

- Type: Dragon

- Ability: Rock Head

- Level: 10

HP: D (45)

Attack: C (75)

Defence: D (60)

Special Attack: E (40)

Special Defence: E (30)

Speed: D (50)

"Bagon is a species native to the Hoenn region, and is remarkable for its exceptionally strong skull. This species often makes its home in rocky environments and specimens have been observed leaping off cliffs in what can only be described as attempts at flight. Whilst obviously failing at this stage in their evolutionary cycle, they are remarkably resilient and due to the thickness of their skulls, they often survive - although this requires extraordinary strength in the neck muscles. Bagon are very territorial and aggressive species, and whilst this temperament makes them ideal for combat, it also leads to them becoming quite difficult for novices to tame."