Disclaimer: I do not own any copyrighted material appearing in the story.
*BZZT* BZZT*
A phone vibrated on the bedside table as steps stumbled across, as a hand grabbed the phone.
*BZZT* BZZT*
She then swiped on the screen before holding it up to her ear.
"Hello?" Trevor's mother asked. "Hi! Hi!~" she greeted.
She grabbed a set of keys, sliding them into her pocket as she held her phone to her ear with her right shoulder.
"I'm just getting ready, don't worry!"
She informs as she ties her hair, dropping her tie-end onto her shoulder.
"Wait, what!?"
She gasped as she closed the front door.
"It's starting?!" she asked as she grabbed her keys from her pocket, "...Did you have to scare me like that!?"
She sighed in relief as she turned the key, locking the door as she spun around.
"Well I hope you're happy with yourself!" she joked as a pair of Budew waved at her, "Yeah, well anyway," she skipped down the steps, "See you there!" she said as she ended the call, sliding her phone into her pocket.
Meanwhile, a bush by the entrance to the Weald rustles as-
"POPPYCOCK!" a voice cursed aloud, surprising the pair of Budew nearby.
~Insert BGM: "Kefka" from "Final Fantasy VI"~
By the entrance to the weald sat a man in a fancy red suit with an odd hairstyle, slamming his fist at the ground.
"How the bloody hell do we keep coming back to THIS DAMN SPOT!" he wailed, lying on his back.
"GET A GRIP, YOU BUFFOON!" scolded a blue-suited man, also with a weird hairstyle, walking towards him as leaves and twigs fall from his head. "'Tis clear we are missing something of importance for this weald to allow us into its abode!" he explains.
"But what could that be, big brother?" the red-suited man asked, sitting up straight.
"Hm..." he hummed, rubbing his chin, "I do not know!" he states, pointing his finger upward, "But perhaps if we were put our heads together, and walk in a circle parallel to each other, a solution for this ordeal may appear!" he states.
"Genius brother, Genius!" the red-suited man praised as he stood up, clapping.
"Come along, brother!" the blue-suited one declared, walking in a circle repeating the words, "What to do? What to do?"
Eventually, the red one stood up, following his brother, parallel to each other until-
*SNAP!*
A twig broke, flinching the two brothers as they turned to Trevor's mother, walking away from the two.
"Look there, brother!" he pointed at Trevor's mother, "Perhaps that woman there knows the solution?!"
The blue man turned, spotting her standing. "Hm..." he mused, turning to his left, seeing her house, "She does seem to live near the weald..." he observed, "Very well! Tally ho, my brother!"
"Tally ho!" he proclaimed as they simultaneously run to her.
As she strolled across the bridge, humming to herself passing by a pair of Wooloo, she felt a tap on her shoulder.
"Excuse us, madam?" the voice asked.
She spun around, seeing the two standing beside each other, "Yes?"
"Are you perhaps the one who lives at that house?" the red one asked, gesturing towards her home near the weald.
"...Y-Yes...?" she answered, raising her left lower eyelid.
"In that case..." he stated as the two brothers posed together.
"Allow us to introduce ourselves!" both brothers began.
"I am Sordward!" the blue-suited man with a sword-shaped hair gestured introducing himself
"And I am Shieldbert!" the red-suited man with a shield-shaped hair added, following his brother.
"And together," they state in unison, "We are the descendants of the firsts hero, the Sword and Shield brothers!" they finish, bowing extravagantly.
...
A gust of wind blew behind her as a single Wooloo tumbled across the bridge.
"...U-um-"
"We have graced you with our presence-" Sordward proclaimed, straightening himself while placing his hand on his chest.
"To take a few moments of your time!" Shieldbert added, following his older brother.
"...Okay...?" she responded, raising her eyebrow.
"Firstly..." Sordward begins, pointing toward the house by the weald, "Is that your house right there? By the Slumbering Weald?"
"Um... Yes?"
"Good!" Shieldbert exclaimed, confronting her, "Now, tell us how we can get through the weald!" he demanded, jabbing his forefinger at her face.
"I... don't?" she answered.
"What?" Shieldbert blurted, limping his finger.
"I don't." she repeated, "No one in town is allowed to enter the weald." she explained, "Granted, there were some who did enter but they came with... nothing."
Shieldbert began, ruffling his hair, constantly stomping his foot to the ground, "Oh for- Wretching trout pigging son of a-"
"Cease your whining you fool!" Sordward scolded, smacking his brother's head. "Remember we, Royalty, must present ourselves at all times!"
Rising while rubbing his head, he nodded, "Yes, brother!"
"Although..." she mumbled to herself, covering her mouth as she turned slightly.
Sordward's ear twitch, overhearing her mumble.
"Is there more, woman?" He demanded, stepping ahead of his brother, staring down at the mother.
"W-Well..." she stutters, rubbing her chin, "It might be a joke but... My son told me he and his friend saw some strange Pokemon in the weald," she informs giggling slightly.
"Strange?" Sordward repeated with his eyebrow raised.
She coughed before continuing, "A blue wolf and a red wolf in the fog."
Shieldbert, wide-eyed, tugs his brother's coat, "B-B-B-Brother! T-T-That's-"
"Indeed it is!" Sordward proclaimed, "Our search nears its conclusion!" he declared smiling as Shieldbert skipped in joy. "Now..." he cleared his throat before leaning toward her as Shieldbert followed.
In unison, they ask, leaning toward her face,
"Where are they?"
"..." she gulped, blinking as she tells, "At the moment, at Motostoke for the Gym Challenge."
"Gym... challenge?" Sordward mused, cupping his chin.
"The competition!" Shieldbert states, pounding his fist as he turns to him, "What the commoners have been gossiping brother! If we hurry, we'll be able to find those two scoundrels and-"
"-use them to get us into the weald!" Sordward finished, snapping his finger to his brother, "Genius, Shieldbert! Genius!"
Said brother squealed at the praise, "Oh, thank you, brother!"
"Then let us make haste my brother!" Sordward proclaimed, "For our heritage!" he proclaimed screaming.
"As descendants of the first heroes!" Shieldbert followed, dashing with his brother across the hills.
~End BGM: "Kefka" from "Final Fantasy VI"~
"..." she blinked as the two ran off, muttering the words, "First... Hero?"
"YEAH!" yelled a wide opened mouth of a man raising his fist in the air as the crowd around him follow suit.
Their screams of excitement filled the stadium. Some waved small colored flags, some sound off horns and noisemakers as they watched the field.
At the field...
"What?" Trevor, with his mouth full, asked.
"We will begin the opening battle!" Chairman Rose declared as a Rotom camera flew in for a head shot, "After the break!" he winked at the camera as the screen above him cut to a commercial.
As the crowd's cheers soften and the camera flies away, Rose loosens his tie as he walks between the gym leaders and challengers.
"Didn't take you for one to make surprises, Chairman." Raihan mused, mimicking a surprised face as his Rotom phone took a photo of himself with Kabu, "So what's the deal?" he asked as he holds his hands behind his head.
"Well..." he chuckled in response, eyes closed, "It'd be nice for a change of pace now, wouldn't it?" he shrugged, smirking. "Besides..."
He glances at Trevor, still eating from his bag.
"It'd be best to take this opportunity to finish, wouldn't you agree?" he chuckled, spinning towards Trevor's direction.
"...Hm?" he asked, pausing with his mouthful looking up to the Chairman.
He blinks twice before turning his head to his hands with one holding the bag, and the other, a bagel sandwich.
"...Carp!" he cursed as he wolfed down the sandwich in hand, grabbing one after another from the bag.
"Trevor stop, you're gonna choke!" Hop warned, reaching out to him.
Right on cue-
"Hrrrk!" he froze, causing the bag to slip onto the ground.
Then began pounding his chest with his fist.
"What did I just-!?" he facepalmed.
"Water!" Trevor gasped, holding his throat with his left hand, "Water!" gasping more as he pounded his chest.
Immediately, the Water-type Gym leader, Nessa, ran over to him, pulling out a bottle of water from-
"Here!" she hurriedly offered the bottle as Trevor grasped the air.
He snatched the bottle from her grasp, opening the bottle as he chugged it down, raising the bottle above his head.
All the contents went till empty, popping the bottle out with the bottle in hand.
"HAAAAHHHHH!" he sighed in relief, gripping his knees, "There we go!" he pants as he keeps the bottle into his bag before turning to Nessa, "Thanks," he responded as she nodded.
"Glad you're alright!" Chairman Rose clapped as Trevor and the others turned to him, "Perhaps you're ready for battle then?" he smiled as Bede and Marnie walked to the bleachers while the gym leaders left the field.
Before Nessa could leave,
"Wait a sec!" he called as she paused, turning to him holding the bag of bagels, "Can you finish these?" he asks, handing her the bag of bagels. "I guess I bought too much."
"Uh... sure." she nods as she takes the bag.
She arrives at the viewing room as she stood next to Bea, who turned to her.
"What's in the bag?" she asks.
"Bagels," she answers as she held out five bagel sandwiches before eyeing her, "You-"
"Yes," Bea quickly answers as she snatches the bag as the other four gym leaders sneak a bagel or two.
Horns blared throughout the stadium, turning the heads of the gym leaders towards the monitor above.
"On behalf of Macro Cosmos and the Pokemon League, we thank you for your patience our dear audience!" Chairman Rose smiled on camera, "Now without further ado, here are the rules!" he decreed, as the monitor shifted to two headshots of Trevor and Hop, divided by a line, splitting their backgrounds in blue and red respectively.
He began as the two trainers stood opposite of each other, "As you know, both trainers send out Pokemon from their team!" he explains as rows of Pokeballs roll above their pictures.
Trevor, holding four Pokeballs; a normal Pokeball, a Heavy Ball, an Ultra Ball, and a Pokeball.
Hop, holding three Pokeballs; all normal Pokeballs.
"Each Pokemon that are defeated, will be replaced by the next in line." he added, "Therefore, the first trainer to have at least one Pokemon remaining, is determined the winner!" he concluded as the camera shifted once more to Chairman Rose, "And with that... let us begin!"
He declared as the audience roared. He exited the field, leaving the two trainers to remain in the open field.
Hop rolls his neck, jumping in place, as he stretches his arms left and right.
Trevor holds his nape with his left hand, rolling his neck while he stuffs his pocket with his right hand.
[Trainers!]
a Rotom monitor hovered between the two trainers.
[Get ready!]
it began, smirking as a counter appeared on its monitor.
[3]
Trevor pulls out a Pokeball from his right Pocket, rolling his wrist while doing so.
[2]
Hop rolled his shoulder, colliding a Pokeball in his right hand with his left palm.
[1]
Both Trainers enter their throwing stances.
Hop reeled his right arm while aiming with his left.
Trevor tosses his Pokeball into the air, catching it with his right hand.
[GO!]
~Insert BGM: "Hills of Radiant Wind" from "Nier"~
Both Trainers throw their balls into the field, releasing a quick flash of light.
From that flash of light, emerged two Pokemon.
As the light faded, revealing Eri the Eevee and Wooloo, clashing their heads against the other, exerting their force before sending themselves off.
Eri landed in front of her trainer, shaking off the trauma, gritting her teeth, then charged head-on, leaving a blurred trail to the center field.
Wooloo's legs dragged across the field's center before lifting his head and charged toward his opponent with haste.
"Let's go, Wooloo!" Hop cheered, pumping his fist in the air.
"Don't lose focus, Eri!" Trevor advised, amplifying his voice with his hand before placing it in his pocket.
As Wooloo drew close, Eri hastened herself towards the opponent, who braced himself for impact.
Eri jumps onto Wooloo's head before launching herself into the air, stunning him to a skid.
The Rotom camera focuses on the airborne Eri, who faces downward at the dizzy Wooloo as she whips her tail, releasing a rain of stars from above.
"Dodge them!" Hop signaled as Wooloo nods acknowledgment.
He ran to one end of the field, halting as a ray of stars landed ahead of him before turning to his right, halting once more before turning.
Each star landed, causing Wooloo to turn, zigzag, and drift before finding himself surrounded by a field of sharp stars.
"EEEEEVOOOOOII!" Eri screamed as she fell from the sky, opening her jaw, exposing her teeth.
"Beh!" Wooloo baaed as he curled into a wool ball, hiding his face and legs within the fluff.
Eri crashed onto the ball of fluff, sinking her teeth into the wool.
She lifted her head to release her bite but was pulled to the wool.
Within the ball, strands of wool entangle themselves around the teeth, preventing her jaw's movement from closing its gap.
As she continued to tug her teeth out of the wool, a pair of eyes flashed within the ball.
Before she knew what happened, a blunt force strikes her face, launching her back into the air before crashing down toward the wool, revealing an open leg, sticking out of the wool.
"Okay..." huffed Trevor before sitting in a squat, leaving his hands dangle from his thighs as he watched ahead.
With her vision blurred, Eri struggled to whip her tail once more as she closed in, only for a second leg to kick her left cheek, one that was strong enough to send her flying, bouncing to her trainer as she crashed to the ground in front of him.
Eri growled as she got up, struggling to balance herself.
She lowered her head, entering her battle position until a hand pats her head.
She turned behind, finding her trainer smiling with half-opened eyes.
"That's good enough," he said slightly chuckling before pulling out a Pokeball.
"Yeh...Voi..." she muttered before dropping to the ground as Trevor returned her to her Pokeball.
[Eevee (Eri): is unable to battle.]
The monitor announced as Trevor lifted himself before stuffing his hand in his pocket.
"First blood," Raihan smirked, biting his bagel as the other gym leaders watched with intent. "It ended too quick though." he sighed with his mouth full, waving the bagel in hand. "I was hoping there'd be more or something." he chewed.
"Is that all, dear Raihan?" asked a woman at Raihan's right, revealing Opal, sitting while drinking a cup of tea. "I suppose one with patience as short as yours is rather predictable to assume that," she comments as her eyes close while sipping the cup.
"Huh!?" Raihan blared, letting small chunks of food drop from his mouth, "What's that supposed to mean?!"
She places the teacup on the saucer but is cut off as Raihan felt a tug on his open hand
He looked down, seeing Alister holding his hand, "U-Uhm..." he stutters as he shakily points to the field stating,
~End BGM: "Hills of Radiant Wind" from "Nier"~
"I-It's starting."
"Close one." Hop sighs in relief as Wooloo hopped towards him. He squats as he places his hand on the sheep's head, petting as Wooloo shook itself before returning to the field.
Trevor, after a small sigh, pulls out a box of banana-flavored Pocky and bites a stick, letting it hang in his mouth.
Seeing the Box widens Hops eyes as fast as he clenches his fist, he inhales deeply before screaming,
"Wooloo, Cotton guard-"
A burst of wind flows past Trevor's right, blowing his bangs to his face as a knee slam into Wooloo's face, blasting him to his trainer.
Hop jumps, catching Wooloo against his body as he rolled across the ground.
[Wooloo: is unable to battle.]
The smoke dissipates from the field, revealing Creed, standing in the center field.
"Foul Play!" one from the crowd shouts, causing many others to boo at Trevor and Creed.
A Rotom camera flew toward Hop, getting up with Wooloo as he stared across the field.
"Meh?"
~Insert BGM: "Unreleased" from "Jujutsu Kaisen"~
Trevor brushed up his bangs, revealing his face as strands of hair lightly touch his forehead.
"Gotta show off now."
On the monitor, Hop's mouth gaped as the Rotom camera zoomed closer to him.
Before his mouth shifted to a grin.
Suddenly three large embers flew towards Creed as he steps side to side before turning to a kick on the third.
A leg came from below, widening his eyes as he bent his leg, colliding with the one from below as an ember grazed his right cheek as he kept his eyes on Kouta.
Creed slammed his leg on the ground, grabbing Kouta's leg, throwing him to the ground.
Kouta stopped the impact via hand-standing, then swings his right leg counter-clockwise, releasing himself from Creed's grip as he blocks the kick with his forearm before standing on his two feet.
He proceeded to barrage Creed, striking him left and with each kick increasing power as he blocks blow for blow with both arms.
Creed threw a straight punch, forcing Kouta to counter with a straight kick as they parry blows.
Starting front then back.
Right to left.
Up or down.
Till the seventh parry, the impact pushed them back from each other as they stood back up.
Creed lifts his arms, his fists raising to his head-level.
Kouta slides his foot across the ground, leaving a scorched trail across the grass before sprinting towards Creed, allowing each step to burn a foot of grass.
Creed drags his foot, standing tall with his fists up.
Nearing his opponent, Kouta slid across the grass with each blade burning in his wake.
A glint of light flashed in Creed's eye, as he ran forward before vaulting over the burning bunny into the air, turning himself upside down.
In mid-air, Creed glances at Kouta, breaking his slide, dashing towards Creed as he looked towards his airborne opponent.
Pumping his fist as a blue-grey feather floats into view.
Creed looked below, spotting a winged figure with blood-red eyes, staring into him with its wings spread wide open.
Its wings folded as it flew towards Creed with intense speed as he widened his eyes.
Then a blue tail extends, wrapping itself around Creed's leg before flipping over, allowing Creed to interlock his hands, smashing the winged figure as it crashed to the ground.
Smoke covers the field as Creed stood strong as a camouflaged Gex revealed itself before Creed.
Kouta on the other hand, drifted to a stop as the smoke around him blew away as a winged crow-like Pokemon flapped its wings behind him.
Chairman Rose chuckled, cupping his hand to his mouth, watching the battle unfold.
"Chairman," the tall blonde taps his shoulder, holding a tablet in her hands, "I have the staff placed on standby. I'll have the both of them-"
"No need, Oleana." he interrupted, smiling as he answered, "It'd be rude to end the show now so abruptly." he turned to the field, smiling.
"Understood." she nodded, turning to the field.
"Lancelot evolved?" Trevor asked, raising his eyebrow.
Hop smirked, rolling his arm.
"Yep!" he answered before colliding his fist with his palm.
Creed's paw collided against Kouta's foot, exchanging blows between the two.
With a flap of his wings, Lancelot fired a blade of wind towards Creed, forcing him to step away from Kouta as Gex puffed his mouth, firing a shot of water towards the bird.
He dodged the shot, swooping below, closing the distance between himself and the ground.
Creed charged toward the bird, as Lancelot flapped his wings, sending barrages of wind blades toward the combatant as he dodged, stepping side to side without halting his momentum.
Kouta gave chase to his ally but is interrupted by a blast of water striking his side, he rolled before getting back up, finding Gex, his mouth puffed before turning invisible.
He jumped, spinning horizontally, back flipping, and dodging the storm of water shots and tail cracks before eyeing a tuft of grass flattened, kicking an ember at the hidden lizard.
Gex, his eyes widened, fired a quick shot at the projectile.
The blast, uncontrolled, caused a burst of steam, covering the two Pokemon in fog.
As Creed landed an uppercut on Lancelot's beak, he pulled his head back toward his opponent before a sudden blow struck below his beak, spinning him in reverse while mid-air before flapping his right-wing, sending a wind blade to Creed, stepping back, regaining their balance.
Sounds of rushing water and ignited fire roared within the fog before it blew away, revealing the two "new" Pokemon.
Gex, taller than his former size, shoves a ball of water with his green palm as the steam blows his three "hair" strands.
Kouta, now wearing "pants," holds off his blazing foot against Gex's palm as embers reach to his lopped grey ears as a red balaclava of sorts covers his mouth.
The ball explodes, throwing Gex back as he drags his palms along the grass, slapping patches of ground, backflipping as he threw water balls at his target.
Kouta dashes toward Gex, each step erupting in a burst of water, showering the ground as he sidestepped, somersaulted, and Naruto-ran his way, leaping into a high kick as he neared the lizard.
He slammed his palm on the ground, emerging a giant water balloon before exploding into waves, shoving Kouta as he washed up on the ground as Gex remained airborne.
Lancelot dodged Creed's attacks, strafing left and right, avoiding his fists as his eyes darted in multiple directions, till an ominous shadow was seen below before looking behind, spotting a blue reptilian figure descending from above.
Performing an aileron roll, he narrowly avoided the collision as he rebalanced himself as he turned behind, finding Gex chucking a water balloon in his direction before he landed on the ground in front of his trainer.
Or so it appeared.
It zoomed past himself as Lancelot swerved his head, finding a compact water ball right behind him.
Then the balloon hit the ball, causing a massive water explosion, incapacitating the bird mid-air.
As he fell, his eyes remained open as his fall was trajected toward Creed, holding what seemed like his fist behind him.
Flurries of wind surrounded Creed as a faint blue light glowed slowly behind him.
He threw his punch, right in his gut as he was launched back into the air.
Then after a few inches have passed, a blue flash fire surged into the strike Creed punched.
The impact sent him soaring across the field, crashing in front of his trainer, Hop.
~End BGM: "Unreleased" from "Jujutsu Kaisen"~
Lancelot struggled to rise as Kouta followed, but were stopped as,
"Heh." their trainer giggled, before looking up with a smile, "You two did your best..." he complimented before taking out two Pokeballs from his pocket.
Lancelot sighed before laying down as the ball opened, returning him inside as the ball closed.
"Bih..." Kouta growled as he stood, stumbling as he tried to walk back into the field until Hop lays his hand on the Pokemon.
The two looked at each other before the bunny fell, sitting as he rested his arm on his left knee before returning to his ball.
[GAME!]
The Rotom monitor announced, folding out a small flag facing the trainer.
[The winner is...]
Drums rolled as confetti rained on the trainer,
[Trevor!]
The Rotom monitor proclaimed as the audience cheered, roaring throughout the entire stadium.
Creed sighed before falling on his butt, panting as Gex got back up, brushing the strands of hair away from his face.
"Good job you two." Trevor congratulated, crouching to their level.
"Hihi..." Creed responded with an exhausted thumbs up.
"Hmph," Gex smirked, crossing his arms.
He pulled out their respective balls, returning them inside as he got up and began to walk to the center of the stadium, finding Hop standing there as well.
He stopped in front of him, rubbing his hand against his nape, "Good battle!" he smiled.
Hop raised his right hand, chopping his head.
*CHOP!*
"Ow!" he blurted, rubbing his head.
"What the hell was that!?" Hop argued, "You don't send out a Pokemon from your team to just knee one in the face!"
"Well I did say I was going to show off." he smiled. "Besides, you did the same thing with Kouta." he pointed out.
"Well who did it first?!" he scolded, raising his voice as he rambled while Trevor just smiled with his dumb face.
"Ha ha ha!" laughed Chairman Rose as he walked to the center field, "I must say, that was quite the spectacle, wasn't it?"
He turned to the audience as the Rotom cameras focused on him while the two bickered.
"But, this is only the beginning, dear audience!" he began, "Because now, I, Rose, chairman of the Pokemon League, am proud to declare the Gym Challenge..." he smiled, spreading his arms.
"...To commence!"
He declared as the audience cheered throughout the stadium, blowing their horns, screaming, and all.
Bede, sitting with Hatenna on his lap, leered into the field, gazing at both Trevor and Hop as the two bickered, clicking his tongue as Hatenna looked up before he stood, stuffing his pockets, hiding a golden wristwatch.
He heads to the exit, followed by the calm Pokemon as they walk past a certain punk girl.
Marnie, holding Morpeko with both arms, clenches her hands, squeezing the attention of the hamster.
"Ura?" he mumbled as she looked above, finding her trainer dazed, her eyes widened, remaining glued to the field as she stared down at the two trainers, mainly one with a dumb face.
"ALRIGHT!" Raihan roared within the viewing room, catching the attention of a few Gym Leaders, "That riled me up REAL GOOD! 'Guess I now know why the chairman kept it from us!" he grinned, raising his arms before holding them behind his neck.
"Would it kill you to pipe down, Dragon-head?!" Nessa complained, releasing her fingers from her ears.
"As if I'd ever, drama-queen!" he barked back.
"What did you call me!?"
"Oh, you heard me...!"
"Could you two just NOT!" Gordie argued as the two continued their bickering, feigning ignorance to the other leaders in the room.
Melony drank tea as she conversed with Opal as Kabu jogged out of the room, followed by Milo, walking normally past the trash bin with the paper bag inside.
Allister followed but paused as he turned back, finding Bea staring into the field.
He crept close to her, his arms held close as he peeked past her, shivering as his eyes widened.
Dark, Vantablack tendrils waving, cracking, reaching their surroundings, stemming from a dark humanoid figure.
Its right arm, crystalline, glows an ominous red light like a slowly beating heart-
Allister rapidly blinked, shaking his head, finding the figure non-existent.
Replaced by a smiling trainer in a green vest.
He turned to Bea, clenching her fist as she stared intently at the trainer that stood in the field, conversing with the champion's brother as she muttered.
(-_-)
"What are you?