The Furfur and the Marchosias

by Fairyfoxtale

After witnessing Leon lose, Joshua decides to get his revenge on the winner of the battle. Going on a journey to obtain strong Pokemon to counter the new Champion's team, he meets some new friends. But, as he continues on, he finds his future is being torn in three ways, and Joshua has to decide what is more important. His humanity, his friends, or the world's order? [SYOC]

6. Chapter 5: New Friends!

Joshua's Team:

Nickit [Name: Purswipe] [Gender: Female] [Description: She has a lighter red fur, closer to that of a Growlithe or Arcanine, than most of her species, as well as slightly fluffier fur] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Howl/ Mild nature/ Unburden ability

Affray's Team:

Clobbopus [Name: Rhubarb] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball] – Knows moves up to level 5 + Power-Up Punch and Sucker Punch/ Adamant nature/ Technician ability

Noiritta's Team:

Dreepy [Name: Flitter] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball]– Knows moves up to level 5 + Dragon Tail and Sucker Punch/ Modest nature/ Clear Body ability

Daphne's Team:

Hatenna [Name: Buttercup] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Premier Ball]– Knows moves up to level 5 + Nuzzle/ Quite nature/ Magic Bounce ability

A/N: This took such a long time to write! I hope I have the next chapter up in a timelier manner, but considering it's going to be over the course of four days, with another major event, I doubt it. Anywho, I appreciate the people who submitted their character, and I will do my best to stay true to the characters submitted. ^_^ Thank you so much! I'm still accepting people's characters, if you want to send them in.

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Chapter 5: New Friends!

Joshua watched as Nurse Joy talked to Raihan at the counter. He sat down on a Poké Ball shaped couch in the waiting room as Raihan was signing him up for his supplementary classes. Daphne sat quietly beside him since Raihan had promised to both teach them how to catch Pokémon. After the battle, Raihan had taken her and Joshua to the Pokémon Center so Joshua could heal his Pokémon, and so they could meet up with Melissa. Of course, they all still had to go back to the lab for Sonia's gifts and to make plans for tomorrow.

While Joshua was preoccupied with his thoughts, Purswipe was sniffing around the Pokémon Center, hoping to find a friend. It twitched its ears and swished its tail as it attempted to see if there was another Pokémon besides Buttercup around. Giving a groan of annoyance, Joshua crossed his arms and pouted slightly. He was sick of waiting!

"You don't be so down on yourself, Joshua. I know it's hard to lose your first battle, but, I'm sure you'll win soon. After all, with a Pokémon like Purswipe, it's impossible for you two to keep losing. You two share a really close bond," Daphne said as she tried to cheer up Joshua.

"Huh?" Joshua blinked and turned to her. "I wasn't being down on myself. I was just irritated that Raihan is taking so long to sign me up for my supplementary classes! I want to catch Pokémon! Besides, that battle was a fluke. I'll win the next battle with my new Pokémon to help out Purswipe."

Daphne gave a supportive smile, before glancing down at Buttercup. Buttercup was taking a nap on Daphne's foot, enjoying the lack of excitement in the Pokémon Center. There was no one in the Center today, mainly because there weren't many reasons to come to this town. Besides meeting Eugene and visiting the lab, there was nothing really to do here. The only way to get here was to walk through a dense forest for miles, or by train. And even when you got here, there was nothing important in the town. It was a perfect place to get away from people, and to just focus on your studies.

"Oh, yeah! I wanted to see what that exclamation mark was about on the Pokédex app!" Daphne suddenly said, as she took out her phone. Looking over her shoulder, Joshua saw her phone had her Hatenna's stats up. The dam sprite was a Hatterene and the sire sprite was a Raichu. Beside both were the exclamation mark that Joshua had seen for his Nickit's sire.

Daphne clicked on the Raichu sprite, and the screen shifted over to a picture of a Raichu sleeping in a spacious flower field. Above the picture were tabs labeled: "Bio" "Dietary Habits" "Health and Battle History" and "Notes". The "Bio" tab was already selected. Below the picture was the name Honest in italics, and the whole tab suggested that this was a description about this specific individual. Clicking the sound button next to the name, the phone began to rattle off the information below the picture.

Nickname: Honest

Species: Raichu

Owner: Eugene

Gender: Male

Nature: Modest

Mark: None

Ribbon(s): None

Last Held Item: Everstone

Current Location: In the Day Care Center

Bio: Honest was caught in Rolling Fields by Eugene on January 20th. While not a main part of Eugene's Champion team, he was a Pokémon he often sent out to do Poké Jobs. Honest has a laid-back temperament, and he loves to nap on rocks that are exposed to the sunlight. Eugene evolved Honest with a Thunder Stone on June 9th.

"Oh, so, the Pokédex app keeps track of the mother and the father Pokémon, and who they belong to. I guess the reason why Nickit's mom didn't have a notice by her name was because she had no information on record," Joshua said.

"Yeah! I wonder if I can see what Buttercup's Dietary Habits are," Daphne mused as she went back to her own Pokémon profile. Joshua now noticed the same tabs were above the profile picture of Daphne's Hatenna. He clearly wasn't paying attention to the top portion of the app during the battle.

Daphne tapped on the "Dietary Habit" tab, and a picture of Pokéfood was displayed, along with some information below. Instead of allowing the phone to read the information, Daphne read through the info herself.

"Let's see… Buttercup prefers dry foods due to her Quite nature. She currently has no favorite food recorded, and the Hatenna species needs a lot of berries that help promote strong psychic abilities. Sitrus, Tamato, Payapa, and Staf Berries are commonly recommended, but Pokéfood with similar compounds or made with those berries will meet the recommendation. When making Pokéfood yourself, use fruit and berries that have a high tannin concentration. Stores sell tannin extract, so mix it into any Pokéfood you either buy or make. Buying Hatenna food mix is recommended when you first attempt to make Pokéfood. When pre-made Pokéfood is bought, make sure it's Hatenna evolution line specific, or a mix of Psychic-type and Fairy-type Pokéfood. Feed your Hatenna specialized food at least once a week. Recommended for pre-made brands are Paws-and-Claws, Mandy Maverick's Pokéfood, and Roavy. Pokémon Center have classes on how to make Pokéfood every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 10:00 AM, 2:00 PM, and 5:00 PM," Daphne murmured to herself.

"Today is Saturday and..." Joshua glanced up at the clock, "it looks to be around 2:30ish, so maybe if we get back from catching Pokémon around 5, we can take the class, and then go to dinner with Noiritta, Gordie, Raihan, and Lilac."

"Well, that sounds like a good idea. I'll text Affray and see if he wants to come. If he does, he can bring Noiritta and we can all attend classes together. Oh, if we do this, we should download the Pokémon Center App. When we came in, there was a sign talking about it and how it has a full schedule of all upcoming classes and events. For each event you do, you get points added to your Pokémon Center App that can be redeemed for prizes. I heard that top prize might be a rare and powerful Pokémon," Daphne said as she closed out the Pokédex app to download the Pokémon Center app.

It made sense to Joshua that people who were active in Pokémon Center classes would get rare and powerful Pokémon. After all, if you were committed to the well-being of your Pokémon, you deserved a rare Pokémon. Besides, trainers sometimes bred excess rare Pokémon and surrendered them to the Pokémon Center, instead of releasing them into the wild, which was good.

It was harder for a Pokémon to find food and to know what food was good if it was raised by a human its whole life. Some Pokémon have been known to starve because of a lack of food. And it wasn't uncommon for social Pokémon to be unable to find a social group to join, especially if those Pokémon accepted family members only. It was dangerous to release Pokémon born in captivity, so the Pokémon Center had a program to teach captive-born Pokémon how to live in the wild before release. During this time, those Pokémon can be adopted from the Pokémon Center since they're also being socialized so they don't attack humans.

Joshua followed Daphne's lead and downloaded the Pokémon Center app. As the app began to download, Joshua heard heavy footsteps coming towards the pair. Looking up, Joshua saw that the footsteps belonged to Raihan. He was giving his usual sunny smile and waved lazily at the two. Joshua returned the wave.

"Yo, Raihan, are we done here?" Joshua asked as he picked up Purswipe, who was trying to squeeze herself under the waiting couch. Whimpering in defiance, Purswipe tucked her paws in and laid limp, which let Joshua carry her around more easily.

"Yeah, Melissa texted me and she should be here in about five minutes. She went to the train station to pick up Leon, who decided to drop by today." Raihan rolled his eyes at the end of his sentence. "Sometimes, I think he does things just to irritate me. He knows I like Melissa, yet instead of visiting his brother Hop, he decides to tag along with me to help me catch Melissa's first Pokémon. He doesn't need to come. He can do any number of things in Wedgehurst, but no, he decides to tag along to 'help' me."

"Leon is coming over?" Joshua asked, not even bothering to contain the excitement in his voice. Raihan gave him a sharp glare, but it didn't deter Joshua from smiling.

"Can my cousin please side with me over Leon for something?! Come on Joshua, I'm much cooler than Leon and I'm your cousin! You never get this excited to see me," Raihan bemoaned.

"Sorry, but you're not the second strongest person in the world! At the age of ten, Leon became the Champion and held onto the title for eleven years! Sure, you nearly beat him, but for eleven years, you just kept losing. What was the score? 11-0? Officially? Unofficially, it's more like, 50-0? Yeah, Leon is much cooler than you Raihan, no doubt about it."

"Yeah, well winning isn't everything. Sometimes, the cooler person can take losing in stride. Besides, I'm strong enough to be a Champion in another region, so there's that. Anyone not named Leon has no chance of beating me."

Daphne couldn't help but pipe up, puffing her chest out a bit.

"Actually, I bet my oldest brother, Gordie, can beat you. He is a person who is up and coming in the spotlight. His fashion is top-notch, and he has way more fans than you. Not to mention, everyone thinks he can become a top trainer if he actually put his mind to it. And seeing him battle my mom, there's no way I can imagine him losing to you."

Before Raihan could retort, a new voice entered the conversation.

"You know Daphne, I wouldn't be so sure. Raihan is an excellent battler, and I bet he would certainly be able to give Gordie a run for his money. After all, Raihan isn't exactly a slouch when it comes to giving me an entertaining battle. On multiple occasions, he has gotten me down to my second to last Pokémon in a full six-on-six battle, and he once almost tied with me during a one-on-one battle. Raihan is just as skilled as I am, even if he does lose to me all the time."

Gasping in surprise, Joshua turned to see Leon with Melissa standing beside him. Melissa was slightly shorter than Leon, and she wore blue, square glasses. Her bright green eyes peered out from behind the clear, smooth glass while her long, black hair fell neatly on her shoulders and down her back. She wore a simple white sundress decorated with a sunflower pattern and it had decorative red ribbon that tied around her waist. She was also wearing a big sunhat that had a giant, fake sunflower decorating the top.

"They're here! Hey Leon! Hey Melissa!" Joshua yelled as he rushed over and gave Melissa a big hug. "Hey, Melissa, did you graduate yet?"

"No, I'm researching for my capstone. I have to do field work in the Wild Area, examine a ton of books, and talk to a lot of experts. In fact, because I'm going to be traveling a lot, I need a Pokémon, and because I never was a Pokémon Trainer, I have to get my very first one today," Melissa explained.

"Right, that's going to be Raihan's job. I'm going to teach the kids how to catch their first Pokémon. But, before that, I ran into Sonia and the others before getting here. She said to give Joshua and Daphne these," Leon said as he reached into his pocket and took out two shrunken Poké Ball. One was a light pink Poké Ball with darker shade of pink on top and a splash of wavy purple on the bottom. The next one was a dark pink and white Poké Ball with a light pink heart that had a white line in the middle. "These are the Dream Ball and Love Ball. Sonia thought you might want to keep your Pokémon in different kinds of Poké Balls, and so she got everyone special Poké Balls. These two are yours."

Shift Purswipe to one arm, Joshua took the Dream Ball while Daphne took the Love Ball. Purswipe looked at it curiously, twitching her nose as it investigated the ball as Joshua held it in his tiny hands.

"Our new friend is going to be living in this Dream Ball. We're going out to get a new one," Joshua said, putting the Dream Ball away and placing Purswipe on the floor so it could follow him.

"Okay, Buttercup, we're leaving now!" Daphne called. The Hatenna stirred a little and rose to its feet. Her hair drooped and she shuffled away from Daphne's foot as Daphne rose. The little Pokemon yawned softy, and Joshua noticed that Daphne flinched. Even though she picked it, she still seemed a bit fearful of the Pokémon. Even so, Daphne gave Buttercup a look of sympathy, before returning the little Pokémon to its Premier Ball.

!*~*~*~*!

The group had finally arrived at Route 2, with Raihan leading with a quick trot. As Raihan lead them up the steep hill, Joshua observed his surroundings. On either side of the group, close rows of trees surrounded them and kept them from seeing more than a few inches into the dense undergrowth. The babbling of a brook filled the normally peaceful air, as the noisy chatters of a large group of Rookidee joined it in a clamorous chorus; both seemingly trying to compete to see who could be the loudest. The heat of summer wasn't too bad thanks to the nearby shade, but it was still causing Joshua to feel uncomfortable.

Nearby, ground dwelling Pokémon shifted through the earth in hopes to turning up some delicious fallen berries. Near the shelter of the trees and tall grass, Zigzagoon, Skwovet, and Nickit were scuttling about as they tried to find some tasty berries to munch on. They were totally oblivious to the nearby humans.

"Okay, this looks like a good place to find Melissa a Pokémon! Pick your Pokémon, and I'll help you catch it Melissa," Raihan announced as he swept his hand across the air to showcase the variety of Pokémon that were milling about.

To Raihan chagrin, it was Leon who spoke up before Melissa.

"Actually, I think you two should go further in. There are more unique Pokémon further in the trees and grass. I think one those Pokémon might make better starters than any of these ones," Leon commented, earning a growl of disapproval from Purswipe. With a small smile of apology, Leon quickly amended his comment. "Not that Nickit aren't great starters! They're fantastic starter! One of the best! But, I think another Pokémon would suit Melissa better. One that can sniff out important things, fetch items, and is a really good partner to have in the field."

"Oh, I see what you mean. Yeah, that's probably the best starter for field work, besides Growlithe. Come on Melissa, let's go get you your first Pokémon. Then, we can take a selfie to commemorate it!" Raihan said as he walked deeper into the wooded area.

"Aw, but I wanted Leon to come with us. But, since he's going to be helping the kids, it probably is best that we split up," Melissa said as she trailed after him.

Joshua watched as the two disappeared into the dark shelter of the trees, before turning to Leon who was giving a friendly grin. He did his Champion pose before making a show of looking where to where the Pokémon milled about.

"Alright you two, I'm going to give you an in-depth lesson on how to pick out the right Pokémon and capture it. First, you need to pick out your target. Easier said than done," Leon said as he dramatically pointed at a wild Skwovet that had just crawled out from the shelter of the nearby tall grass. The Skwovet glanced at them with a dopey look before yawning and scratching its ear with its hindleg. Stretching a little, it continued on its merry search for berries.

Joshua was captivated by Leon's every move. His red eyes made sure to take in everything Leon did or said. After all, it wasn't everyday your idol taught you something as important as how to capture a Pokémon. Daphne, on the other hand, was more focused on the cute Skwovet; her eyes were wide with adoration as Skwovet twitched its fluffy tail.

"Next, you send out your Pokémon, and if the other Pokémon accepts, you will have a battle. I made sure prepared an extra special Pokémon to assist me today in teaching you how to catch a Pokémon." Leon said as he unlatched a Poké Ball from his belt. In a smooth movement, he tossed it a short way into the air and caught it before launching it fully into the air. The ball opened in mid-air, and a white light arched from the Poké Ball and onto the ground. In a matter of seconds, a fully realized Minccino was standing before them. "This is Minccino!"

"Oh, it's so cute Pokémon! I've never seen one before!" Daphne exclaimed as she whipped out her phone and pointed it at Leon's Pokemon.

Minccino. The Chinchilla Pokémon. The way it brushes away grime with its tail can be helpful when cleaning. But its focus on spotlessness can make cleaning more of a hassle. They pet each other with their tails as a form of greeting. Of the two, the one whose tail is fluffier is a bit more boastful.

Shifting her phone over slightly, Daphne checked out the Skwovet.

Skwovet. The Cheeky Pokémon. Found throughout the Galar region, this Pokémon becomes uneasy if its cheeks are ever completely empty of berries. It eats berries nonstop—a habit that has made it more resilient than it looks. It'll show up on farms, searching for yet more berries.

"Yes, he is cute! But, do you notice anything different about the Skowvet?" Leon prompted.

Looking closely at Skwovet, Joshua saw it was giving a different vibe than before. Now, it was giving a low growl, and was down on all fours. It rapidly swished its tail and kept its eyes trained on the Minccino.

Minccino narrowed its own eyes and returned the growl. The fur on the back of its back was raised as it let out an audible growl.

Purswipe looked between the two, her eyes wide with curiosity. This must be the first time that she has seen a Pokemon battle before. She had already participated in two, one with the Dubwool and one with Clobbopus, but since she was relatively young and cared for by a Dubwool for most of her life, she probably has never seen a proper, fun battle.

"It's in a battle stance. It has accepted the terms of the battle, right?" Daphne asked.

"Correct! Skwovet is ready for a battle and has decided to test your skill as a trainer. Sometimes a Pokémon will attack you out of the blue or will accept your challenge by standing its ground. If those two things happen, it will accept you as a trainer if you best it, no matter what. If it runs away, and you capture it, you'll find it will be difficult to train and it will not trust you at all. A wild Pokémon has a better chance of surviving with a trainer than without a trainer, so a lot of wild Pokémon are looking for good trainers that fit them. When battling, you need to be extra careful that you're not rushed by another Pokémon while battling," Leon warned, his eyes shifting ever so slightly.

Joshua and Purswipe scanned their surroundings to see if there was a close by threat. To their amazement, local Pokémon were gathering around. They all seemed to be on high alert, with perked up ears and erect tails, and the previously forging Pokémon, were now wearily watching the two Pokémon stare each other down. One Zigzagoon in particular stood on its hind legs. Unlike the others, it seemed like it was ready to jump into the fray with its sinister grin and rapidly swishing tail. Joshua could even see it twitch its nose, as it licked its face slowly.

"Goon!" the Zigzagoon cried.

With a snap of his fingers, Leon drew both Joshua and Purswipe's attention back.

"Okay, now watch this carefully! In order to capture a Pokémon, you need to weaken it first! Minccino is stronger than any Pokémon here, so that shouldn't be too difficult for him. Minccino, start with Echoed Voice," Leon ordered.

In a flash, Minccino got on all fours and let out a cry so loud, rings formed in the air and headed straight for the Skwovet. The sound waves blasted dirt up as it headed towards the Skwovet. Wasting no time, the Skwovet hoped out the way of the attack and made a charged towards Minccino.

"Skwovet!" it cried, its incisors growing to a dagger-like point and glowing silver.

Minccino allowed the Skwovet to get close to him before he hopped out of the way of the attack. As Skwovet missed the attack, the eagerness and force it put behind the attack, caused it to tumble forward. Leon decided to take the opening.

"Use Pound," Leon ordered and Minccino used his stiff tail to hit Skwovet in the side, sending it tumbling a short distance away. The Skwovet laid in the grass, stunned and dazed, but not fainted. "Okay, now it's weakened. Weaker, more common Pokémon, and Pokémon that have been caught before are more likely to be successfully captured. No one knows the reason why, but extensive research has been done to prove this. The current leading theory is that this is a survival technique and it helps expands the carrying capacity of natural environments. But, those aren't the only factor in how easy a Pokémon. Statuses also help. Do you two know what those are?"

"Yeah, Pokémon can have a few statuses. Burn, freeze, paralysis, poison, and sleep," Joshua answered.

"Oh, you're forgetting three. Infatuation, confusion, and curse. But, I guess these would be secondary statuses? The primary statuses can't happen simultaneously of each other, unlike these three," Daphne said.

As the group was talking, Skwovet took this time to recover. It shook its head and rose to its paw. It gave a challenging squeak.

Nodding, Leon unhooked a Dream Ball from his waist. "Good guess, Daphne. Those statuses don't work like the other ones. The main ones actually help make Pokémon easier to capture, and some Poké Balls have an increase catch rate, like this one. Dream Ball works better on Pokémon that are asleep. Minccino, care to help with a Sing?"

Skwovet turned to Minccino and rose its head, preparing for an attack. Instead of preparing to retaliate with a damaging attack, Minccino took a deep breath and began to sing a comforting lullaby. From Minccino's mouth, colorful musical notes appeared as Minccino continued to sing it soft melody and the notes gently floated towards the Skwovet.

Looking around, Joshua noticed that the nearby Pokémon began to become less alert and were beginning to slump over. Skwovet glared at the notes wearily, but when they hit the little Pokémon, it slowly blinked and yawned. Trying to rub its eyes, Skwovet fell to all four paws, before it slumped onto the ground, a soft snoring could be hard from its throat.

As soon as Skwovet was sound asleep, Leon tossed the Dream Ball he was holding, and it hit the sleeping Pokémon. Soon, the dozing Skwovet was withdrawn into the confines of the ball in a bright pink light. The Dream Ball fell to ground lightly and shook three time.

After is stopped shaking, a familiar hollow sound echoed throughout the clearing and the light glowed green. Minccino purred in delight, before it picked up the Poké Ball in his mouth and brought it over to Leon. Taking the Dream Ball from its partner, Leon proudly showed the two children the Dream Ball. Both Joshua and Daphne stood and looked at it in wide eyed amazement.

"And that's how you catch a Pokémon. Now, you two try. Daphne, you can go first," Leon encouraged.

Daphne did a double take and just stared at Leon. Her mouth flapped about as she tried to spit out the words to refute but found none. Shaking her head, she finally found her words again.

"B-but, I've never had a battle before! You expect me to just have a battle and capture a new Pokémon? I mean, you made it look easy, but you're a Champion! I can't do that!" Daphne insisted, as her eyes darted around, not daring to focus on one thing.

Around her the sleepiness of the other Pokémon was beginning to wear off and they were beginning to become more active and alert. The Zigzagoon from before was hopping up and down, its tail raised as it darted from one spot to another, ready for a fight. The other Pokémon steered clear of it, and Purswipe watched as it put on its war dance.

Purswipe tilted its head and crouched before trying to mimic the Zigzagoon's movement. She squeaked when she knocked into Joshua's leg after she could stop herself in time. Shaking herself off, she huffed and just quietly began to groom her chest fur. Joshua let out a little chuckle at Purswipe curiosity, and failure to mimic the hyper Zigzagoon.

"Well, there's no better time to learn than now. Just call out your Hatenna, and I'll walk you through the battle. Now, what's the first step, Daphne?"

"U-uh, I-I pick a Pokémon..." Daphne stuttered, as she shakily unhooked her Premier Ball. Glancing around, Joshua followed her gaze to a Pokémon that looked fairly non-threatening. It was an unassuming Skwovet that had finished watching the festivities and was now digging in the dirt slowly.

Aiming her Premier Ball, she pressed the button and the top flew open. A bright yellow light released Buttercup, who was looking around at her surroundings through her thick hair. Trying to see what her trainer was focusing on, Buttercup followed Daphne's gaze, and saw that she was staring at a Skwovet. Immediately understanding, it crouched down low, and got into a battle stance.

Even Buttercup is ready to battle. I guess battles are just so ingrained in Pokémon, that even a sweet Pokemon like Buttercup wants to battle… Joshua figured. Purswipe narrowed its eyes at Skwovet, getting into a crouched position and shaking its hindquarters. It apparently wanted to battle as well.

"Hatt..." Buttercup grumbled, showing it was prepared, as its laser focused in on the Pokémon. Without any further encouragement, it began to charge at the Skwovet. But, much to everyone's surprise, even Leon's, the Zigzagoon from before dashed in front of Buttercup. Buttercup came to a stop and tilted her head in confusion.

"Goon!" it challenged, hopping up and down in a threat display. Apparently, it wanted to battle and see what the lone Hatenna could do. Much to Daphne's dismay, the Skwovet finally noticed the commotion, and it darted off away from the soon to be violent scene. All the other Pokémon wandered as well, which caught Joshua off-guard.

"Umm, Leon, why did the other Pokémon leave? There's no danger here," Joshua asked. Even Purswipe seemed to show disinterest in the battle now as she sat down and scratched her ear with her hind foot.

"Well, I think it might be because all the Pokemon sees Daphne is inexperienced. Pokémon can be picky about who they challenge and who they will risk being captured by. It's easy to see Daphne is inexperienced, and thus, might not be the best trainer for them."

"You know, I can hear you! I know I'm inexperienced," Daphne yelled indignantly, "but I'm going try my best to get this Pokémon."

Although Daphne still seemed somewhat nervous, she was staring at the Zigzagoon down while it dashed from one spot to the next in a short line, kicking up all sorts of dirt. Joshua could see her determination shine through in her eyes.

"Okay, this Pokémon doesn't seem like it's going to make the first move, Buttercup. Let's start with a Confusion," Daphne ordered.

"Hatenna!" Buttercup cried and leapt up into the air. Seeing the battle was starting, Zigzagoon simply stood in place and hunkered down. A bright blue outline could be seen to manifest around Buttercup as well as the Zigzagoon. But, instead of flinching in pain or even squeaking, the black-and-white creature simply yawned and shook its fur. The Zigzagoon even began to groom itself through the attack!

Daphne's face began to become red as Buttercup landed on the ground, confused by the turn of events.

"Zigzagoon is a Dark-type. It's unaffected by Psychic attacks, for the most part. A really powerful Confusion or Psychic might be able to lift it, but that's it. Its HP will stay the same, and all a powerful throw will do is stun it. On a side note, status moves that are labeled as Psychic-type will affect it, such as Hypnosis. Status moves usually don't follow the 'doesn't affect' a Pokémon rule, except Thunder Wave." Leon explained.

Sticking its tongue out, the Zigzagoon turned around and shook its tail in a taunt. This just served to anger the usually calm Buttercup even more and it made a dash for it. Zigzagoon easily jumped over all its attempts to just headbutt it, getting the Hatenna even more aggravated.

"Alright, I've had enough of this little show! Nuzzle!" Daphne ordered, her frustration getting the better of her.

Electricity began to appear around Hatenna as it shuffled its feet cutely. Letting its guard down, the Zigzagoon began to laugh and point at her, thinking she was conceding the fight. As Zigzagoon laughed, Hatenna rubbed herself up close to Zigzagoon, causing it to screech in surprise and fall onto it back. Its limbs twitched slightly as visible yellow electricity appeared to be coursing through its fur. The Zigzagoon's moth was open, and it was beginning to foam as it was unable to move.

"Great, now throw a Poké Ball and it should be caught. Any Poké Ball will realistically do." Leon said.

Unhooking the new Love Ball Leon had given her earlier, she tossed it at the paralyzed Zigzagoon and it was absorbed into the capsule with pink energy surrounded by hearts. The Love Ball hit the ground and began to wiggle around rapidly. Daphne and Buttercup watched it eagerly. Soon, the ball stopped moving and the middle button lit up green to signify a capture.

Daphne cautiously picked it up, and as she did, the ball popped open and surprised everyone. The ball released a pink energy with heart and materialized into the Zigzagoon. It was standing on its hind legs with its big pink tongue hanging out.

Daphne was absolutely flabbergasted as she yelped in surprise.

"Don't worry, I think it just wants to say hello to its trainer," Leon said as he bent down to rub the creature's head. It grumbled a bit, electricity from its earlier paralysis still visible. Although it wasn't completely stunned right now, it was still having trouble moving. "I guess this is a good time as any to talk about how to cure-"

Before he could finish, Daphne decided to interject.

"I can explain that. Paralysis can be healed through Paralyze Heal or a Cheri Berry. Burn Heals, Yago Berries, and Rawst Berries can heal burns. Awakenings and Chesto Berries will cure sleep. Antidotes, Pecha Berries, and Drach Berries will cure poison. And finally, Aspear Berries, Pumkin Berries, and Ice Heals will cure the frozen status."

"Right, and I just happen to have a few extra Paralysis Heals right here," Leon said as he took out a shrunken yellow bottle from his pocket. It soon expanded, and he lightly sprayed the yellow liquid on the Zigzagoon.

"Goon?" it questioned, flicking its tail experimentally. Realizing it was free from the electricity that was plaguing its body, it smiled and began to zigzag all over the place in excitement. "Zig! Zig zag zig!"

Daphne took out her phone and pointed it at the Zigzagoon. Its stats came up and the phone began to say its species description.

Galarian Zigzagoon. The Tiny Raccoon Pokémon. Thought to be the oldest form of Zigzagoon, it moves in zigzags and wreaks havoc upon its surroundings. Its restlessness has it constantly running around. If it sees another Pokémon, it will purposely run into them in order to start a fight.

"Let's see… it's a female, so I'll call her Keiko," Daphne announced, bending down petting the giddy Zigzagoon's head.

"Alright, now it's time for me to get a new Pokémon!" Joshua declared, his Nickit huffing in readiness.

"Okay, well, what Pokémon are you going to capture? There's more Pokémon in the tall grass if you want to try your luck there," Leon suggested as he rose and walked over to Joshua.

"No, I heard the Pokémon I wanted around here earlier. Hey, Purswipe, do you think you can flush it out?" Joshua asked. Nodding her head, Purswipe darted deep into the undergrowth and began to rub herself against a large patch of dense brush. As she did, the little pup kept her mouth open and made a breathy, toothy snarl as she head swiped the surrounding area.

From Case Study, Joshua understood that Purswipe was demonstrating her specie's threat display. Since an injury for a Pokémon could put it at risk for infection or cause it problems in finding food, most Pokémon would heed threat displays as a true advertising of power, and steer clear of a Pokémon who was showcasing them. Not many Pokémon wanted to risk injury in the wild, even if the reward was getting stronger, so it was best to avoid any Pokémon look to show off its strength. Although, some Pokémon were just too territorial for their own good and would accept the threat display as a challenge, no matter how strong the Pokémon seemed to be.

One such Pokémon to do this was Rookidee. They were known to blatantly ignore warnings, and in fact, they actively sought them out. To them, getting stronger vastly outweighed the potential issue of injury. It might be because they were smart and were able to remember what berry healed what.

"Rookidee!" a loud cry came from above Purswipe. Stopping her scent marking, Purswipe glanced up and spotted the culprit. It was a Rookidee swooping down from its perch. It gave Purswipe a sharp glare and fastened its claws tightly against the branch. Purswipe's mouth hung open as it showed its sharp row of teeth and gave a sharp hiss.

Undeterred, the little Rookidee flew forward without warning, it beak growing and glowing a bright silver.

"Quick Attack!" Joshua yelled, and Purswipe quickly charged at the Rookidee with a white aura coating it.

Neither one backed down and the two little Pokémon collided, sending both skidding backwards. Rookidee furiously tweeted and took to the skies for an aerial advantage. It flapped its wings rapidly as it tilted its head to get a good visual on the Nickit underneath it.

Purwipe bunched her body up as she monitored the Rookidee soaring above her head; a single fang showing from her curled lip. Preparing to strike again, Rookidee hovered in mid-air and Joshua took the opening.

"Okay, launch!"

With a loud cry, Purswipe startled Rookidee and surrounding itself in the same white aura, it bounded into the air and landed a solid hit square into the Rookidee's chest. The Rookidee let out a pained squawk as Purswipe unretracted its claws tiny claws and clung onto the bird with its pin sharp teeth. Flipping it over mid-air, Purswipe position Rookidee underneath so that when she landed, she landed directly on Rookidee, knocking the wind out of it.

Jumping off, Purswipe allowed for the Rookidee to stumble away from it. Dazed, but not completely deterred, it faced the Nickit. It whistled loudly as it nodded its head, trying to look intimidating. Growling, Purswipe hit the Pokémon with a lighting fast, yet powerful, strike with its paw, knocking the little bird completely off balance. Shifting her gaze over to Joshua, she singled him to throw the Poké Ball.

"Okay, let's go Dream Ball!" Joshua yelled, barely able to contain his excitement as he unhooked his new Dream Ball. He was grinning wildly at the prospect of catching a new Pokémon.

Lining it up, he chucked the ball towards Rookidee and it hit the bird directly on its noggin. Soon, the little bird was absorbed in a bright pink light. The Poké Ball hit the ground with a light thud and wiggled rapidly for a while. After a few moments, the hollow sound played, and a green light appeared on the ball to signify capture. Walking over to pick it up, Joshua held the Dream Ball in his hands, his eyes growing wide as he picked up. He gently rubbed the top of it and rubbed the ball against his face.

"Good job, Joshua! That was one fancy plan, worthy of someone who has the chance to become a Champion," Leon praised.

Joshua felt a special sort of warm radiate throughout his body. He was so proud of the fact his idol complimented him on his battle. Purswipe rubbed herself up against Joshua's leg, and reached down to pet her on a job well done. Without her, he couldn't have had his new partner.

"Zigzag?" Keiko questioned as it sniffed Joshua.

"Okay, well let's go find Raihan. I finished teaching you everything here, so hopefully he caught the new Pokémon for Melissa. Although, considering what it is, I highly doubt it," Leon said, giving a good-nature smile.

"Oh, wait! I want to find a Brilliant Pokémon, Leon. Specifically, a Chewtle! How does one find a Brilliant Pokémon?" Joshua asked.

"Oh, Affray told me all about this! He said that they are stronger than most Pokémon, and the Rotophone will automatically get an alert if one is around. That's because most people can't see the aura directly. Some people are able to see the aura, like Eugene. That was how he found his Greedent, after all." Daphne recounted.

"So, if I wander around for a bit, I might be able to find one?"

"Yes, if you wander around, you could potential find a Brilliant Chewtle. So, since we're just going to wander aimlessly trying to find it, let's go to Raihan and see what he's doing for now. We might see it there, or on the way back."

"Sounds like a plan. Alright, Leon, let's go."

Leon lead the two children and three Pokémon towards where Raihan disappeared to. It wasn't long before Joshua heard the familiar, jovial sounds of Raihan voice. But, this time, it seems like he was having a little bit of a problem, and he could hear Melissa doubling over in laughter.

"Listen you little scamp, just hold still and get in the Poké Ball!"

"Raihan, I don't think it wants to listen to you!"

"Yamper! Yamp amp! Yamper!"

Joshua held back his laughter as he cracked into a smile instead.

For some reason, Electric-type Pokémon were the bane of Raihan's existence as a trainer. He could get along fine with them, but once it came to catching or training them, all bets were off. They all insisted on misbehaving and leading him around in a game of tag. Raihan had always expressed gratitude on the fact the world had no "permanent" Electric and Dragon-type Pokémon to train. Besides Zekrom and Mega Ampharos, last time Joshua checked, no Pokémon of that type combination existed.

"No, no, don't you dare you fluffy little- ARGH!"

Joshua shook his head. Just from the sound alone, Joshua could tell Raihan got paralyzed. "He got paralyzed again. You think he'd be immune again with how often this happen! Or, at the very least, just carry a Paralyze Heal all the time."

Zigzagoon lolled its tongue in amusement at the scream. Joshua peered through the tree, and he spotted Raihan leaned up against the tree, a scowl on his face as the Yamper wagged its tail at him and let Melissa pet it. From the electricity flying all about him, it was clear to see that he was paralyzed. As Melissa pet the Yamper, it gave a little bark and jumped into Melissa's arms. It jovially began to lick her face, causing her to laugh even more.

"Aw, he's so cute Raihan, and I think he wants to be my starter. Your personality must really shine through if even wild Pokémon trust you."

"Oh, I missed you wrangling Melissa's first Pokémon. That must have been a sight to behold. I'm sure you're eager to take a selfie with her to commemorate her first Pokémon, but let me heal you first," Leon said as he appeared from the trees with Keiko trotting alongside him. Joshua and Daphne followed after him, their starters happily bounding around their feet.

"Heh, thanks Leon! Raihan managed to convince the Yamper to join me without battling it. He sure has a way with Pokémon. Although, I think Yamper got a little too excited and when he rubbed up against him, he must have released too much electricity and paralyzed poor Raihan," Melissa said as she shot Raihan a sympathetic look.

Oh, that was no accident. Anytime he has to train Electric-type Pokémon, they will find a way to paralyze him. They think it's funny, and I can see why. Joshua thought as he smiled at Raihan's misfortune. He loved his cousin, but sometimes, he couldn't help, but find his pain funny.

"Well, don't worry. This happens quite often, so I always carry a supply of Paralyze Heal," Leon commented as he bent down and took out a shrunken Paralyze Heal. Growing it full size and with a teasing grin, Leon sprayed Raihan in the face with the spray.

"Poor Raihan can't catch a break. Leon knew having him catch a Yamper was going to result and this, yet he suggested it for his own amusement," Daphne whispered to Joshua.

"They've always been like this. Raihan won't back down from Leon's suggestions, even when he knows something bad will happen, and Leon takes advantage of it. That's just their friendship. Besides, Raihan has also been known to get Leon lost, so they get even with each other," Joshua whispered back.

"Hey, Leon, I always thought that only Poké Balls shrunk. Why is the Paralysis Heal shrinking?" Melissa asked.

"Oh, it's the newest technology. Galar scientists have been working to create a better way to carry a lot of items that doesn't involve infinite energy. So, instead of teleporting it into a personal holding place in the PC, they came up with the strategy to shrink the items. So, you can carry a huge bike or fishing rod with you," Leon explained. "Oh, and don't you two worry. Hop will set up the technology for you."

"Great, well since I feel better, let's take that selfie together Melissa and show off your accomplishment! Then we can get back and meet up with everyone!" Raihan exclaimed, much to Joshua's dismay. He didn't get to find a Chewtle yet.

As Joshua was about to lose hope in having the chance to find one today, Leon bend down and whispered in his ear. "You know, you could go look for Chewtle now. Just be back in thirty minutes, and I'll make sure we're still waiting for you."

Shooting Leon, a grateful look, Joshua rushed off while Raihan was busy getting his phone out to take a selfie. Purswipe followed after him, having to sprint to keep up with the overexcited boy. Joshua decided he would only stop running once his phone buzzed, and not long after leaving the group, it buzzed in his pocket. Coming to a complete stop with Purswipe, Joshua took out his Rotophone, and saw the alert about a nearby Brilliant Pokémon. The alert even had the species: Chewtle.

Joshua counted himself lucky to find a Brilliant Pokémon of the species he wanted. There were quite a few Pokémon that made their home here, and Brilliant Pokémon were the result of powerful Pokémon migrating and having their offspring in different place. Female Drednaw would sometimes come from the Wild Area and lay their clutch on routes like Route 2.

Looking around, Joshua found himself next to a pool of water that lacked tall grass. The trees had thinned out, and there was a surprising lack of cover for the nearby Pokémon. It might explain why the pool was so empty though. Only a Lotad was floating in the middle of the water, and a few Seedot lounged beside the bank. A little further away the brush continue, and Pokémon were happily milling about in it.

"Okay, I need you, Rookidee!" Joshua yelled as he tossed his Dream Ball. From pink smoke, a small blue and yellow bird materialized and landed on the grass-less ground. It looked up at Joshua, titling it head.

Quickly taking out his phone, Joshua pointed it at the Rookidee. Its information came up on his phone.

Rookidee. The Tiny Bird Pokémon. Jumping nimbly about, this small-bodied Pokémon takes advantage of even the slightest opportunity to disorient larger opponents. It will bravely challenge any opponent, no matter how powerful. This Pokémon benefits from every battle—even a defeat increases its strength a bit.

Hmm, so it's a female… Joshua mused as he looked at her profile.

"I didn't give you a nickname earlier, so I'll do it now. Areadbhar, sounds good. That's the name of the spear of the mythical god, Lugh. When he lived during the time of Zacian and Zamazenta, he helped the pair dispatch giants that threatened Galar. Oh, but the spear he had was abnormal. The spear was alive. And it had a thirst for blood. The spear would light itself on fire, and fight everything by itself, never satisfied, no matter how many battles it won. Of course, this is all myths, so this is just a story, but I feel like you're going to as scrappy as that sword," Joshua observed.

"Rook? Dee?" Areadbhar tweeted.

"Right, well I need you to find a Chewtle. I want to capture one to complete my team," Joshua ordered.

With a nod, the little Pokémon took to the skies and glided through the light breeze with ease. She was clearly an experienced flier. Her head twitched a little as she scanned the undergrowth, until it locked in place. She began to glide over one specific spot, but she made sure to be quiet.

"Okay, Purswipe, flush it out!"

Without a second of hesitation, Purswipe dove into the untamed bush and headed straight for where Areadbhar was hovering. After a few moments, Purswipe broke from the cover, a Chewtle in hot pursuit after her. A Nickit was only slightly faster than Chewtle, so even though Purswipe seemed to have the lead, Chewtle might be able to close the gap.

Aiming his Rotophone at the Chewtle, its profile appeared, and the phone began to rattle off its species information.

Chewtle. The Snapping Pokémon. It starts off battles by attacking with its rock-hard horn, but as soon as the opponent flinches, this Pokémon bites down and never lets go. Apparently the itch of its teething impels it to snap its jaws at anything in front of it.

Alright, let's see its move set. Tackle, Water Gun, Bite, and Skull Bash. Skull Bash is a move it doesn't normally learn, so yeah, this is the Brilliant Pokémon. Joshua thought.

"Niii!" Purswipe cried in fear as Chewtle began to close the gap. Out of panic, Joshua whistled to get the Chewtle's attention, stopping it dead in its tracks. Slowly, it turned towards Joshua and watched him curiously. To Joshua's surprise, instead of aggravating the creature, this member of its species seemed to like it.

Purswipe took this time to scuttle over to Joshua and hide behind him. So much for being my protector… Joshua thought as he whistled again, this time to entice Chewtle over. The Water-type Pokémon opened its mouth and snapped. Areadbhar landed on Chewtle's back and began to whistle a song, curiously. Instead of snapping at it, Chewtle just snapped it teeth in time with the whistle.

Whistling again, Chewtle grinned and walked over to Joshua. It reared up on its hind legs, causing Areadbhar to fly off and land a short distance away. It smiled and snapped its teeth at him. Gently, he reached down and patted it on the head. Giving a low grumble, Chewtle rubbed it giant head against his hand.

"Hey, Chewtle, would you like to join me on my journey? Uh, sorry for disturbing you. I thought you might have only wanted a battle for me to prove myself to you," Joshua said.

"Chew!" Chewtle cried, chewing on Joshua's pant leg happily.

"I guess that's a yes…?" Unhooking a plain Poké Ball from his waist and tossed it at Chewtle's head. A bright red light absorbed it into the Poké Ball, and within a few moments, the Chewtle was caught. "Well, that weird and a little anti-climactic… I was hoping for a big battle with her. But, I guess there's more than one way to catch a Pokémon."

Picking up the Poké Ball, Joshua clicked the button in the middle of the Poké Ball and released Chewtle. "Now, you need a name… How about Gungnir? It's the name of the spear that the mythical god Odin gained from Xerneas after he bested her in a game of knowledge. During Ragnarok, the end of the world, he is going to take on the giant Fenrir, who is thought to be an extremely large Zygard 10% forme."

"Tle? Ew! Chewtle!" Chewtle said, headbutting Joshua's leg, causing him to recoil. A sharp lighting like pain shot up through his leg, almost like he hit his funny bone.

"Okay, I assume that means you like it. Well, let's get back to the others now." Joshua recalled all his Pokémon and headed back to the others.

When he met back up with them, Raihan was still taking a selfie with Melissa and the Yamper she was holding. This time, he stayed on the opposite side of where Yamper was.

Hm, I should take a selfie when I get up and post it. I want my parents to see how good I'm doing already. Joshua thought as he walked over to Leon. "Okay, I caught it."

"That was quick! Let me guess, you didn't even need to battle it?" Leon guessed.

"Yup! It joined my team when I whistled. Is that normal, or is this Chewtle a little weird… I don't know how whistling would convince a Pokémon," Joshua said.

"A lot of things can make a Pokémon want to join you. Battling is always an obvious way. Sometimes helping them will make them want to join you. Feeding them is another popular way to entice them to join you, and the most foolproof way. Whistling usually draws a Pokémon's attention, but it's not unheard of for a Pokémon to like your whistling. Yamper are known to follow people who whistle, and some wild Pokémon love music. Although, I've never heard of a Chewtle liking music. They tend to be a bit more… fighting inclined." Leon explained.

"I guess I just have a weird Chewtle… I wonder how she'll interact with my other Pokémon." Joshua mused.

Daphne finally noticed Joshua was back, and she quickly walked over to him.

"Welcome back. Did you get the Chewtle?" Daphne asked.

"Yep! My permanent team now has a Rookidee and a Chewtle! They should cover Grass-types and Fire-Type, which means it a good match-up for Rillaboom and Centiskorch. Nickit is good against Indeedee. Which leaves Dracovish, Greedent, and Grimmsnarl to plan against. Dracovish is the hardest one since only Dragon-type and Fairy-type are effective..." Joshua mused.

"So, Affray was right about you wanting to beat Eugene…" Daphne muttered.

Before Joshua could ask what she meant, Raihan called for their attention.

"Okay, it's time to go back to the lab. It's 4:45 PM, and I promised to meet Sonia back at the lab by about 6:00 PM. Leon, are you coming over to have dinner with us as well? Please, say no," Raihan joked.

"I'd love to join you and Melissa for dinner! I can even bring Hop!" Leon replied.

With a sigh and a shake of his head, Raihan lead the group back to the lab.

!*~*~*~*!

"Raihan, how many times have I told you not to bother wild Yamper? They're overly playful and like to use Nuzzle on anything that move." Sonia scolded. Everyone was sitting around a table in the lab to enjoy some relaxing tea and to trade stories about what they did today.

Affray had been training for a majority of the time and only took a break to catch a Wooloo, while Noiritta went shopping for Dreepy's food. Sonia was preparing for the trip tomorrow with Hop, and Hop was doing some last-minute tidying up of the lab for the new aide to take over. Lilac had decided to hang around the lab and play with Yamper while Raihan took Joshua out. Freya and Eugene ended up touring around town and engaging in conversations with the locals.

While the adults talked, Joshua and the other kids were having their own side discussion.

"Affray won the bet, Joshua. He guessed you would catch a Rookidee and Chewtle," Daphne announced.

"What?!" Joshua screamed, abruptly standing up. "How would he possibly know I wanted two Pokémon?"

"Elementary. I overheard my dad talking to Raihan about you during a party to celebrate the opening of a ship, and honestly, those two Pokémon just fit you goal. Raihan told my dad your goals and how you wanted to beat Eugene. Your cousin brags about you like you're his child. He said you were determined to show Eugene up, even with all your handicaps and terrible math grades. Raihan thought it was something to be proud of, to be st-"

Raihan interrupted Affray before he could finish.

"Joshua has got just as much grit as you do, Affray. You can be born talented, or average, and achieve wonderful things. But, in order to do that, you have to have grit, which you have. You can't be a prodigy to your degree without hard work. Joshua isn't born with a natural ability with numbers, sure, but he works hard to overcome that challenge. And I believe, that he will go off to do wonderful thing. So, no, Joshua isn't stupid. He's hardworking and smart. You're just too set in your idea of intelligence to see how smart he really is," Raihan said.

Joshua couldn't help but be silent as Raihan talked. He had never heard Raihan actually stand up for him. He had only heard him bemoan the fact that he had to take supplemental classes. To heard Raihan stand up for him made Joshua happier than he could ever imagine.

"You can't be serious, sir. With all due respect, sir, Joshua is a joke. He thinks his Dark-type can win against a naturally powerful Fighting-type, he almost got held back in almost all of his years due to math, he is reckless and can't follow orders, and he has nothing to offer outside of gusto. In my humble opinion, I don't think he's earned a letter of recommendation. To give him one would be allowing someone to sully your reputation. Since this is the minor leagues, anyone can compete, recommendation or no. So, don't risk your name being tarnished," Affray declared.

But, it only earned him a glare and retort from Hop.

"Reputation? Joshua is not attached to Raihan's name. He is his own person and can only represent himself. I once beat myself over sullying Lee's name, and I was so lost and distraught, I didn't know what to do. I even almost abandoned the promise I made to my Dubwool to make my brother proud… but, they were all empty attempts. Nothing could hurt me, except thinking I was dragging my big brother's name down. I worshiped and loved my big brother so much, that to think I was hurting him made me want to give up. But, I decided to live my own life and know that trying my best, would make my brother and I happier than if I lived trying to please the masses to make my bro's reputation better," Hop said as he gave a bitter, yet vicious, smile.

Leon glanced over Hop, his eyes filled with grief and surprise.

"Was that what happened that time you looked so down? Hop, if you had told me, I could have said not to worry about it. You're the best little brother I could ask for, and you never need to be ashamed of being you. If anyone ever says you're dragging me down, they're wrong. You could never drag me down, because you're more than me and you're one amazing brother. Besides, you ended up catching a Legendary Pokémon, saving the world, and starting your training to be a professor. I'd say you're more amazing than me, little bro," Leon said with a loving smile.

Hop began to blush a little from the kind words of his brother.

"So, Affray, reputations don't matter. Joshua isn't going to drag Raihan's name through the mud, so stop suggesting he will. Besides, why does reputation even matter to you?" Hop asked.

"As the son of a baron, my reputation is my bond. I live and die by it. In order to be worth anything, I have to make a good impression for my family and father. Even if my grandmother has disinherited me from the title of baron because my mother is from Unova, I still represent the Audley name and that comes with hefty burdens. To suggest it doesn't matter is naive at best. My life revolves around my brother and my reputation," Affray affirmed.

Joshua couldn't help pitying Affray.

That actually sounds pretty sad… To think that he can't make a mistake or his family's reputation might be put on the line is pitiable. I can see why he dislikes me, but it's not my fault his life is like that. Since he's already disowned, he can just make himself a new life away from his overbearing family. Living by their name will just make him miserable. I guess, all I can do is count my blessings that I'm not a royal, Joshua thought as he sipped his tea.

"Sound pretty sad," Noiritta leaned over to Joshua and whispered, "and I'm sure he's hurting a lot from being disowned because he was born to the wrong person. But, don't worry, I don't believe you're stupid Joshua. I'm sure you'll win the next battle you have with him, and then, he'll have to respect you."

"I don't need his respect. I've lived my life up to here without it, and I can live the rest of my life without it too. If he wants to act like a prince, he can act like a prince. I'm just not giving him the time of day to ruin my life. Daffodil and you are the only one of my peers at this table that I care about," Joshua hissed back.

"Her name is Daphne, not Daffodil. And I think you two should try to get along. Who knows? You two might turn out to be the best of friends."

"Oh, I highly doubt that. He's too annoying for us to ever be friends. Besides, I can't stand people like him."

Shrugging it off, Noiritta went back to drinking her tea. Finally, Sonia decided to speak.

"Oh, right, I called you all back here for a reason. I'm supposed to give you your gifts. I know Leon gave Daphne and Joshua half of theirs, but I still want to make sure I give everyone their gifts. The final part of being a trainer is knowing how to use TMs. Does everyone know how to use TMs?" Sonia questioned.

"Yes, they're disks that give Pokémon moves. TRs break after one use, but TMs last forever. In order to teach a TM or TR, you need to put a Pokéball in a special device and insert the disk into the device. It will automatically teach the Pokémon the basis of the move, and the Pokémon has to work to master it. Is that correct?" Noiritta asked.

"Correct! I guess your schools did teach you a lot about the rules of the Pokémon World. Anyways, I have the devices for you, as well as the Pokémon Box Link. And, each of you will be getting a free TM, just so we can make sure the devices all work correctly," Sonia said as she got up from the table and stepped away for a few moments. A couple of heartbeats later, she reappeared with a bag full of the electronics.

She then began to hand out the TM learning devices, giving Joshua one first. Joshua took his time to examine the little cube first. It was a gray cube that had a CD slot on a Poké Ball-like icon at the top. Turning it upside down, Joshua saw an opening that was just large enough to fit a shrunken Poké Ball but was big enough to accommodate a fully grown Poké Ball. Not wasting time, he placed his Premier Ball inside the device, the button facing where the disk would go, and it grew to its full size.

Joshua could see that everyone else had done the same with their starter Pokémon Poké Balls.

"Alright, it seems you already knew how to orientation the Poké Balls. Now, for the TMs!" Sonia said, as she handed out a case with a CD in it. On Joshua's case, his stated that it was "TM 40" and below the label was the word "Swift".

Inserting it into the slot, the device gave a little chime, before it began to give a soft whirl as it worked. In a matter of seconds, it let off another soft chime before becoming quiet.

"The TM for Swift was learned. Congratulations." the device said, before shrinking the Poké Ball, and spiting it back into Joshua's hand.

"The TM for Round was learned. Congratulations."

"The TM for Ice Punch was learned. Congratulations."

"The TM for Mystical Fire was learned. Congratulations."

Noiritta's, Affray's, and Daphne's devices announced what their Pokémon had learned, and they all took their Poké Balls out of their devices.

"Next up, I'll give Noiritta and Affray their special Poké Ball and the Pokémon Box Link. The Pokémon Box Link links to a personal PC storage space that every trainer gets when they obtain their Trainer ID and is a portable way to send and receive Pokémon. Some people hire Breeders to look after all their Pokémon in the PC, so everyone will be fighting fit when they need them, and so that they get a quality meal. A Pokémon can survive indefinitely in a Poké Ball since it's in a suspended state of animation, though they are still conscious and respond to stimulus outside the Poké Ball. You can also use the system to trade Pokémon with others. Isn't technology like this convenient?" Sonia chimed.

"You're forgetting to mention that they can't use it during the Gym Challenges. And you also forgot to show them how to use it," Hop quipped.

"Hop, they learned how to use it in school! It was in their curriculum," Sonia argued.

"Then why did you explain what it was? If they learned about, surely they know what Box Link does."

Sonia began to get a little flustered as she answered.

"Well, I didn't explain what it was per say. I just was giving extraneous information. You know, like factoids."

"Ah, don't worry about its Sonia. I was just messing with you! You're doing a great job."

Shaking her head in disbelief, Sonia turned her focus towards the kids.

"Any questions?"

The kids simply shook their heads.

"Great! So, let me give you the devices and let me give Affray and Noiritta their specialized Poké Balls," Sonia exclaimed.

Sonia handed out the Pokémon Box Links and she handed Affray a Friend Ball and Noiritta a Moon Ball.

"We should probably get to dinner with Gordie now. It was nice seeing you Sonia," Melissa said, giving a relaxed and welcoming smile.

"Likewise, Melissa. You're always welcomed to drop by anytime. And everyone, we'll be meeting up at the train station a little before 9:00 AM. Remember, it's supposed to go all the way to Motostoke without stopping, so we're not going to the Wild Area. Even though we planned four days into the schedule, because, you know, you can never trust Wooloo not to block the train," Sonia announced.

"Yeah, I agree with Sonia! Oh, and Joshua, before you leave, I'm giving this back to you. We might get separated, so I want you to keep this close to you. Gran said to let Raiju see this, and when we get to the pitch, I'll point him out. But, before that, don't let anyone take it away from you. Understand?" Hop asked, as he took off a necklace he was keeping hidden under his lab coat.

Feeling the gravity of the situation, Joshua simply nodded and took the necklace. It was a sturdy piece of clear lanyard that was fastened tightly around the feather Joshua had found. Putting it around his neck, Joshua quickly made sure his shirt hid it from view. It's scientific evidence. Of course, he would want this to be kept safe. It's unusual, but not special. Joshua tried to convince himself as tried to calm himself. Just the idea that he couldn't have the feather taken from him frightened him. Was someone going to come after him just for it?

To his surprise, Daphne was the one to speak up.

"Joshua, I think Hop just doesn't want you to lose it. No one will be chasing after you. After all, realistically, how many problems can one little feather cause?"

Nodding, Joshua packed the new items into his bag. After saying their goodbyes, Raihan, Joshua, Lilac, Daphne, Melissa, Leon, Hop, and Noiritta all left to have their dinner.

!*~*~*~*!

Joshua, Daphne, Hop, Lilac, and Noiritta walked ahead of the adult, as they talked about Gordie becoming a Gym Leader. They walked down the paved red brick road, passing the shops as they closed up for the night. Joshua took noticed of some of the restaurant owners leaving out scraps for the wild Pokémon that were waiting around. From the looks of it, the wild Pokémon always came around to eat the scraps.

"It's really cool that Pokémon and humans can be together. Kristopher would be proud if he was still alive," Joshua noted.

"Yeah, he would be proud of you too. You believe in your Pokémon, which is what he advocated for. Without him, who knows where this world would be," Hop responded.

"I want to be just like him when I grow up! I mean, sure, it sucks the he died young, but I'll take it if I could create something half as amazing as the Pokémon League! I want to do something that bring Pokémon and humans even closer together," Joshua beamed.

"Create something like the Pokémon League? Joshua, that's impossible! The Pokémon League is super important to everyone. How could you create something so significant?" Daphne exclaimed.

"Well, it wouldn't be the Pokémon League per say. Maybe something new! A variation on Contests or Battle competitions. There's a lot more to Pokémon than just attacks. What about a universal agility contest? We don't have one of those," Joshua offered.

Rolling her eyes, Daphne just walked a little ahead of the group. "There's a reason why. It would lock so many Pokémon out of it. A poor Slowpoke can't compete with something like a Boltund. In order to be fair, it would have to have a lot of different speed classes to even be considered fair. If you really want to bring Pokémon and their trainer together, you'll need something special."

Shrugging, Joshua caught up to Daphne as she stopped in front of the restaurant. The awning had the name "Kitty and Bunny" written in loopy cursive and plastered on the window were Nickit stickers. There was a sticker of a picture of a Nickit sitting down at a table with a cute, little girl in a yellow dress feeding the Pokémon from across the table with a spoon. Another was of a Nickit show off its ability to shake its paw for its trainer. And another featured a Nickit hiding under a large leaf from the rain.

"Oh, wow, so it's Nickit theme! Maybe your Nickit will be able to make a new friend!" Noiritta cooed.

Giving a nod of acknowledgment, Joshua opened the door and entered the restaurant. Even though it was usually a cafe for lunch or breakfast, the restaurant was quite full. The podium where the person who was supposed to seat them was empty. Looking into the restaurant, Joshua spotted some Nickit roaming around and shaking their paws in a greeting. Some of the patrons actually reached down and shook their paws. As he was watching, he felt a tug on his pants leg that startled him. Looking down, he saw that a Nickit was waiting by his side, its tail swishing from side to side.

"Oh, you must be here to seat us, right?" Joshua inquired.

"Kit!" Nickit said as it nodded it head and began to walk off. Joshua and everyone else followed the little critter. It led them to a large empty booth. The plush booth chairs were a dark red with a black, wavy bottom, the same color scheme as a Nickit. The normal chairs that sat at the table were a dark red colors and had Nickit ears on the back, and the legs of the chair were replaced with Nickit tail shaped chairs. The white walls had a black wavy pattern on the bottom, and they were covered with various posters of Nickit in cute poses.

If there was one thing Kitty and Bunnydid right was that they worked to make sure each location was unique. Each one had unique furniture, and a different feel to them. As the group sat down, the Nickit from before padded off and disappeared around a corner. The soft, ambient sound of background chatter filled the air. Joshua found his seat next to Noiritta and Daphne.

"Gordie, what would make you decide to be a Gym Leader? I mean, sure, you won that battle with your mom, but you just refused to take over the gym. The Gym Trainers have been bemoaning how tough your mother is on them. And, everyone thinks you'll be on par with Raihan, so I think being a Gym Leader would suit you," Melissa said, continuing the conversation from before.

"Well, it would be a waste of my time. I'm more into my fashion and fans than battling. Being a Gym Leader as well would take away from my time. Although, I might reconsider if I have a battle that brings others together. My mom and I divided the town with our last fight. I don't want to be a part of something that divides people. I want to do something that will bring people together." Gordie said.

"That's too bad. I hope someone can give you such a battle. To have one of my favorite trainers follow a dream that fits him, and he would to achieve would just make my heart soar," Melissa sighed.

Joshua and Daphne both gave each other a knowing look, while Noiritta looked at the pair curiously. Leaning over, Joshua whispered into Noiritta's ear.

"Raihan is going to volunteer. He's crazy 'bout Melissa."

Right on cue, Raihan spoke up.

"Oh, we can have a battle Gordie! I can show you how fun it can really be with the crowd roaring their support! People get so pumped up for a battle, that their energy becomes almost intoxicating! No ideology, just the fans getting super energized as they watch us, and our Pokémon try our hardest! I can almost hear my partner crying out for a good battle just thinking about it!" Raihan cried.

Leon began to laugh. "Raihan, you really do love battling. I can respect that. After all, most people at this table do share a passion for battles."

Noiritta whispered back to Joshua.

"Does he always get like this when it involves Melissa?"

"Always. The instant he thinks he can impress her, he becomes enthusiastic. But, this might also be a mix of him genuinely wanting a battle."

Gordie seemed to be pondering his options for a moment, before giving a challenging smile.

"A battle with you, Raihan? I can't think of a better way to see if this is my style. After all, we should be evenly matched, and I bet a lot of people anticipate it. Alright, a battle will be perfect," Gordie said, making Melissa clap happily.

"Oh, I can't wait to see you battle! I bet it will be an event for the century! I know you two will have such great fun, and I can already see that Raihan is particularly riled up for this!" Melissa said. "With that decided, kids, what are you planning to do tomorrow? Especially if we get stuck in the Wild Area?"

Before Joshua could answer, a teenage girl with bright blonde hair and deep red eyes came up to them with a notepad. She wore a red and black maid's outfit and had Nickit ears and tail that was swishing all over the place. Joshua never understood how they moved, but his classmates guessed that it was a device that read either their heartbeat or brainwaves and moved accordingly. The girl's ears were fully erect, as she seemed to be listening for something.

"Welcome to Kitty and Bunny, a home to all! The name is Patricia, and I'll be taking your order today," she said as she laid out the tableware. The gold tableware shone brightly in the white napkin blanket. Because gold never tarnished, all tableware was made out of gold.

After handing out the tableware, she gave the group their menus before walking away again to serve other people. Joshua quickly scoured through the menu before he found what he wanted for dinner. It was a grilled Berry salad, with the juices from sweet Berries glazed on top. When the group all ordered their dinner, Melissa turned her attention back to the kids.

"Now, about my question..."

"Well, I want to go check out Motostoke before the big event, but if we do end up getting stuck in the Wild Area, I want to pair up with Noiritta and explore it a little bit. Not too much, because, just walking in a straight line apparently takes about four days, according to Freya," Joshua said.

"Yeah, it's 151 miles from what I've heard. I'm not as smart as Affray, or I just never learned that math yet, so I didn't do the exact maths, but people say it's a little over four days, if you plan correctly. Affray is the king of planning for things with math, but I don't know why he was trying to figure out travel speed and then thought the route would help. No matter what, the most ideal route is the most ideal route. Knowing your travel speed will only help you know how many hours you have to get to the place, and how long your break can be, not which route is most ideal," Noiritta said.

"Hmm, if you're going with Joshua, Norry, I'll go with Affray. Even though he can be a little obnoxious, I don't think he'll be able to get too far without a schedule. He's planned for everything, except for how long and when his breaks should be. If Affray is the king at the big details, I'm the queen at planning the little details. But, it would be nice if we had some adult supervision..." Daphne sighed.

"Well, I'll tag along with Joshua and Noiritta. Hop, do you mind escorting Affray and Daphne if we have to go through the Wild Area? I know you went through it on your own, but it would be nice if the kids had some experienced guides," Melissa asked.

With a nod, Hop smiled.

"Leave it to me. I'll make sure the two of them get to Motostoke safely."

The group continued their idle chatter as they order their food and began to eat their meal once it arrived. Halfway through the meal, Noiritta turned to Joshua.

"Joshua, can I see your feather? I didn't get a real good look at it. Besides, Hop's Fylgja said it was really intriguing and he hasn't seen it before," Noiritta said.

"Sure! But, now I'm kind of curious what Hop's Fylgja is," Joshua said as he took the feather from around his neck and allowed Noiritta to look at it. Curiously, Daphne looked over to examine it as well.

"Hop's Fylgja is a Goodra. She's really friendly, just like an actual Goodra. Mmmhhh, this feather has fur at the bottom. That's unusual," Noiritta whispered before speaking to Melissa. "Hey, Melissa, do you think we can visit the Stone of Destiny? It's by the Watchtower Ruins, so it'll be easy to get to."

Melissa blinked, blindsided by the sudden question.

"Ahhh, sure Noiritta. But, why do you want to go there? The stone has nothing to special about it anymore. It used to sing when there was a true king in its presence, but Calyrex isn't around right now. It has been quite for centuries at this point." Melissa explained.

"Yes, but I heard that Wishing Stars land near there and Joshua and I still need our Dynamax Bands. If we can find four stones, we can get one for everyone. Although, it is a little strange that the Wishing Stars land over there. I wonder what draws it over there."

"Oh, I guess I wasn't thinking clearly. I was thinking you would – Oh, I spend too much time in my classes. A few semesters back, I chose to write a paper on why the stone might never sing again. And with what Sonia told me with those two false princes that harassed her and endangered everyone, the stone will probably forever remain quiet. That's why I thought it would be pointless to visit it. But, yes, you are correct, the Wishing Stars are there."

"Oh, speaking of papers," Raihan interrupted, "what is yours going to be about? You never said the topic."

"The topic? Well, I don't have a very stable topic right now, since it's before the semester starts. I already talked to the head of my department, and he gave me the go ahead to start researching early and gave me the guidelines. For now, my topic will be on how myths, specifically those about demons, shaped the region of Galar. So, Raiju is one expert I can visit since he dedicated his life to these kinds of myths. Professor Sonia is defiantly a person of interest, because she rediscovered a story that was long forgotten. And visiting The Gateway Lake, the Stone of Destiny, and Demon Cave is on the top of my list. The Gateway Lake is said to be a gateway to all sorts of places like the Ghost World and the fae world, the place where the Fylgja reside, the Stone of Destiny was supposedly created in the fae world and would sing in the presence of a true king, and the Demon Cave is a cave the supposedly connects to, well, the demon world, and was the location of a historic battle in myth." Melissa effused.

After a while, Joshua began to tune out her rambled after a certain point. She was going on to explain how the fae world and demon world were somehow linked to each other in mythology, but he was more interested in his feather.

Raihan, on the other hand, was listening to everything she was saying with an intense look on his face. Leon and Gordie seemed to be half-listening as well, while Lilac and Hop had broken off from the whole conversation to play patty-cake.

"Hey, guys, when we get to Motostoke, do you two want to team up and travel together? You have to go to Route 3, the Galar Mine, and Route 4 to get to Turffield. I can't speak for Affray, but I'll text him to see if he's willing. Personally, I think it's better to travel as a group than alone. Especially when searching for Pokémon Dens." Daphne suggested.

"Pokémon Dens?" Joshua echoed.

"Did you actually check out the Y-comm app? Pokémon Dens are where you find Dynamax Pokémon. There needs to be a total of four trainers to take it on. Oh, but there's a rumor that if you don't have enough people, mirage trainers manifest. Of course, I know they're not really mirage trainers, but just people who were hired to work in the Pokémon Dens. If there aren't four trainers in a den, an alert is sent out to the officials in charge of this, and a Natu or Ralts send over a specialized trainer to help. But… I don't know why four trainers are needed… My mom never explained that part. All she said is that if I'm Braviary eyed, I would understand."

"Oh, interesting! I would love to travel with you two! Although, I want to make a little detour in the Wild Area before that. The Y-comm said that Den 37, the Dragon-type den, is all the way near the Meetup Spot. Since I want to be a dragon tamer, it's important that I go there! My dad gave me a special gem that only works in the Watchtower Ruins. I wonder why that is..." Noiritta chimed in.

"Ah, it doesn't matter! I'll happily go on the detour with you, Noiritta! So, even if Affray refuses to travel with us, which I secretly hope he does, the three of us can travel together, and we can find some other fourth member. It's going to be great to have some camping buddies!" Joshua exclaimed as a wide grin spread across his face. He was ready for whatever grand adventure the three of them could find together.

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Joshua's new Pokémon:

Rookidee [Name: Areadbhar] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Dream Ball] [Sire: Hoothoot] [Dam: Rookidee] – Knows moves up to level 6 / Impish nature/ Keen Eye ability

Chewtle [Name: Gungnir] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Avalugg] [Dam: Drednaw] – Knows moves up to level 7 + Skull Bash/ Adamant nature/ Strong Jaw ability

Daphne's new Pokémon:

Zigzagoon [Name: Keiko] [Gender: Female] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Love Ball] [Sire: Zigzagoon] [Dam: Zigzagoon] – Knows moves up to level 6 / Hardy nature/ Gluttony ability

Affray's new Pokémon:

Wooloo [Name: N/A] [Gender: Male] [Description: Looks normal] [Poké Ball: Poké Ball] [Sire: Wooloo] [Dam: Wooloo] – Knows moves up to level 5 / Docile nature/ Run Away ability

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Additional Tidbit: The Stone of Destiny is a mash up of two famous rocks in the UK. The Stone of Scone, which a replica of resides near Edinburgh, the place Motostoke is based off, and the Coronation Stone of Tara, which is in Ireland and will cry out beneath the king who took the throne in Ireland. In this universe, it sings in the presence of a true king, so it's usually associated with Calyrex awakening. The stone has been quite for centuries, so now it's assumed that only Calyrex can cause it to sing, but there hasn't been a 'true' king in Galar for centuries, so no one knows if it'll only sing for Calyrex. There are rumors that fly about that if the king or queen of the fae race, a race who supposedly made the stone, appears before it, the stone will sing.