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Strange monsters...

Mysterious relics...

Glorious fame...

Vast fortunes...

Ancient lands...

Olden legends...

There are many kinds of people attracted to these words.

But they are better known as,

Trainers.

Once a year, the Pokemon League issues an examination throughout their respective regions.

This examination is commonly called,

The Gym Challenge.

In Galar, trainers from all towns and cities are given a chance to participate once they have arrived at the provided location.

After registering, they will make their way throughout the region, challenging gyms and their respective leaders.

Once a leader has faced defeat, the trainer will acquire a badge to signify victory.

Collect a total of eight badges from eight gyms, and they will earn the right to challenge strong individuals before facing off against the strongest trainer ruling the region:

The Champion.

However...

Those who enter the challenge would soon find their numbers cut by half, eventually leaving only a few who would remain past the first half of the challenge.

Those who fail the challenge, return to their homes and wait to try the following year again.

That is if they choose to try again.

After collecting a certain number of badges, trainers would be given the option to continue their path to reach the champion or use what power they achieved for their desired purposes.

Some would use their power to hunt criminal organizations on their own or join the Pokemon Interpol, traveling worldwide under orders to investigate cases given by the leaders of the Pokemon Interpol.

Defeating a gym leader would grant them influence over that town and earn the favor of the citizens should they be selected to become the next gym leader or another path of their choosing.

But that's not all, with their newfound influence, they can invest their reputation in starting businesses once they select a market of their choice.

Whether to station their location in well-known locals such as the populous trademark of Galar Wyndon to the historical metropolis of Hammerlocke to the steampunk city of Motostoke, to exotic locations much like the chilling stony grounds of Circhester or the mysterious but enchanting forest of Ballonlea.

But for those who choose to continue forward into the challenge.

Take heed.

For once you take that step...

You can only move forward.


"They drilled those into our heads back when we took the challenge," Leon remembered as he and Sonia rode Charizard.

"I know. Those last words are the same thing Gam-Gam said to me." Sonia agreed as she sat in front of Leon, holding onto Charizard's back as they zoomed through the woods.

"If you knew that, then what were you thinking!?" Leon shouted, ducking from a branch. "Those two are just kids, they'll be going out alone!"

"Well, you did the same, and look at you now "Mr. Unbeatable Champion!" Sonia bickered.

"Oh, here we go again!" Leon ranted, "You become the regional champion at the age of TEN, remain one for over a DECADE then suddenly people start calling you the Unbeatable Champion!"

"It does sound like a mouthful."

"THAT'S WHAT I KEEP SAYING!" he exasperated, "And then there's the whole "greatest champion in all of Galar," shtick. Like seriously, how the hell am I the GREATEST!?"

"Your constant win streak? Or maybe your decade-ish long reign?"

"I mean have you SEEN my TEAM!? They'd be massacred if I went against Sinnoh's champion!"

"Don't you have Aegislash to counter Togekiss?"

"You're forgetting that Garchomp of hers."

"Oh right..." Sonia remembered.

"Yeah, there's a reason why Raihan fears her."

"The devil of Sinnoh."

"Yep, especially with- hey don't change the subject!"

"Look who's talking."

"Agh!" Leon groaned, rearing his head back as he grabbed his side hair unknowingly dodging a branch. "That doesn't change the fact you encouraged two kids to go on their own throughout the region with the possibility they could die out there!"

"Which is why I thought of giving them an upper hand with some starter Pokemon. We know how versatile they'll become as trainers if they own them while still young."

"So why would you go this far!?

"You think I didn't ask myself that first!?"

"Then why?!"

"Cause it's pointless!" Sonia shouts while gripping Charizard's back. "No matter what I tell them, no matter how many times I ask them, it's always the same answer... They're that determined, Leon..."

"..."

Leon remained silent, processing her words to formulate the right response as he stared at Sonia with her hair waving against the wind.

But before he could respond, she jerked her head to her left.

"There they are!" Sonia exclaimed, pointing her left arm below, directing Leon's attention.

Charizard growled as he carefully landed near the bodies of the two trainers before Sonia got off to check on their injuries.

Trevor laid on his back against his unscathed green jacket on the ground with his right arm extended to his now destroyed pipe revealing light patches of purple along his arms, knuckles, and elbows.

Beside him were the unconscious Sobble and Creed, his soon-to-be Riolu, covered in bruises and cuts from head to toe.

While Hop who laid on his chest with now tattered shoes and brunt pants revealed burns above his ankles and bruises on his shins as his upper body suffered similar wounds.

His Scorbunny, Kouta, was covered in burns that focused on his soles and scorch marks across the wool of Wooly.

"They're out cold, but they're alright," Sonia states, relieving Leon. "Mostly minor injuries across their bodies."

"We should take them to my place. We can treat them better over there." Leon suggested.

"Good idea. I'll call Trevor's mom and Gam-gam to come over." She adds, examining Trevor's body closely.

"Wait, why his-"

*SNAP!*

The three dart their heads to the sound finding a lone Wooloo pausing like a deer staring at headlights before running away.

"Charizard, after him!" Leon orders as the fire lizard spread its wings and takes flight with his trainer on his tail.

Sonia turned back to Trevor, examining his wounds until she spotted his right hand.

Upon looking closer, her face was struck with fear forcing her to grab her cell phone and dial a call to two people.


Mustering the strength to open his eyelids, Hop sits up to find himself in his dim-lit room in a purple shirt and black shorts with his legs heavily covered in bandages. After confirming his location, he heard voices behind the door.

Getting off his bed he walks to quietly open his door as the voices grow louder by the staircase.

As he stops by the handrail, the door to his right creaks open to reveal Trevor rubbing his eyes as he slowly walks out of Leon's room sporting a pair of grey jogging pants with his jacket wrapped around his waist like a belt and a green shirt with bandages wrapped around both his arms.

"Hop?" Trevor squints at his friend. "What are you-"

"Shh!" Hop shushed him before motioning his hand to follow quietly.

The two tiptoed down the stairs finding Leon's cape hung on the coat hanger as the dining room lights reached the end of the doorway. As they peeked from the wall, they could hear the voices of Sonia talking with Leon and Hop's mother.

"Can you hear anything?" Trevor asked in a quiet tone, focusing his eyes on the room.

"Not yet," he responded. "How's your end?"

Trevor briefly closed his eyes before turning his head to their left.

"Our Pokemon are in the living room," he answers while opening his eyes. "They're alright at least."

Hop nods as he closes his eyes, listening to the conversation in the dining room.


"That's all I gathered," Sonia informed. "They'll be up and ready by tomorrow morning."

"How do you know?" Leon questions.

"It became the norm." Hop's mother answered. "Things have been like this since they were five."

"Wait, you knew!?" Leon gasped.

"Well, I AM his mother, aren't I? As am I to you," she answered back to Leon.

"But they're still too young!" Leon pleaded.

"Young man you started your journey five years younger than they are now, and look where it got to you when I did the same thing you're doing." his mother chuckled as she laid her hand on her cheek with her eyes looking distant. "Why it's almost like that time they helped a cabbie."

"A cabbie?"

"When both Hop and Trevor were six, a cabbie crashed onto Bramble's field. Hop helped the cabbie walk to the Pokemon Center while Trevor carried his Corviknight." Hop's mother chuckled.

"With his bare hands?" Leon questioned.

"Hehe, that's what I asked."

Leon remained silent as he took a deep breath before talking.

"What about you, ma'am?" Leon asks another resident of the room.

A sigh could be heard as a familiar voice spoke.

"Did you find anything in Trevor's wounds? Anything unusual?" the voice of Trevor's mother asked.

"Well..." Sonia pondered as the sound of a mug was heard being placed on a table. "I... thought I saw his arm moving on its own. No, more like something was moving inside of it... maybe my mind was making me see things."

No one spoke, leaving only silence before the sound of a chair screeched followed by the sound of footsteps as a shadow moved

"Where are you going?" Sonia asks.

"To check on my son."


"Oh, balls..." Hop's eyes widen as he sweats.

"You just cursed, what happened?" Trevor asks innocently.

"Other than the need to get our asses upstairs, your mom's coming to check on you," Hop answers as he steps past Trevor.

"Oh." he replied as he focused on his right arm, "You think they saw the..."

"Yes," Hop answered without looking. "Which is why, we need to go, now!"

"That's gonna be a problem." Trevor's eyes widen as he looks ahead of himself.

"Oh really?" Hop sarcastically asks while raising his eyebrow as he looked behind, "And why is-"

Hop's question was silenced as they found the front door wide open.

Standing at the door was what told the boys that it was at this moment, that they knew...

They screwed up.

"Hold it!"


Trevor's mother paused before turning to the champion who dons a frown.

"Yes?" she asks, unfazed by his tone.

"Before you check on your son, ma'am, something has been bothering me." Leon crosses his arms. "What do you know about his arms?"

The room's occupants quietly turn to the speaker, save for the mother.

"Leon..." worried Sonia as she reached out to the champion.

"Ever since I returned to town years ago, your son's been showing skills and abilities that are dare I say, inhuman." His arms are an obvious question since they were able to expand and stretch beyond human capabilities. Now, while I commend his sense of urgency during the incident, I couldn't help but be disturbed by how calm Trevor was during the whole scenario. His actions seemed calculated as he worked with Hop to reach the forest whereas other times he acts like a normal child."

Trevor's mother remained silent as the light in the room casts a shadow over her face.

"What I'm asking here is... What is he?" Leon glared at the mother.

No one spoke a word as Sonia turned to her along with Leon's mother who sported a concerned frown.

Before long, she spoke as her glasses flashed.

"...Notch Coat."

"What?"

She walked toward the champion as her eyes focused on him. "A unique coating of a crystalline alloy he creates as natural armor that encases his limbs. The metal is dense but flexible, taking the form of armor platings, giving him control of his arms without much worry of possible blind spots. This cannot be said however when his arms extend shifting the plates on his hands to become makeshift hooks, exposing energy acting as connective tissue within the gaps. Additionally, the energy beneath the plates seems to consume any foreign presence that comes into contact, usually objects ranging from bullets to sticks, or what simply jams itself into the slits."

She stood beside Leon as her eyes gazed down at the champion, returning with a leer.

"This is a talent my son developed on his own. Making use of his gift through trial and error."

Even if he never asked for it.

"Wait, what do you-"

"Apologies for my tardiness." A resounding voice interrupts the champion, gaining the room's attention to the speaker. A brown-haired woman wearing a purple headband stands by the doorway in her white lab coat over her yellow dress, holding her Corviknight-shaped cane with her elderly hands. Her green eyes scan the room behind her glasses as her necklace shines from the dining room's light.

"Professor!"

"Magnolia!"

"Gam-Gam!"

The three women stand as they greet Galar's professor.

"Good evening, ladies." She nods to the women before greeting the sole male in the room. "Leon."

"M-Ma'am." he nods as Prof. Magnolia's gaze turns to her granddaughter.

"Sonia, dearie," Magnolia called. "The boys were out-cold when they were brought here, correct?

"Yes, they were. Why-"

"Achoo!"

A sneeze came from behind the professor as she stepped aside to reveal a familiar pair.

Hop rubbed his arm as his eyes turned away under the gazes as Trevor rubbed his left hand against his sniffling nose.

"Frickin' allergies..." he removed his hand from his reddened nose.

"Trevor!"

"Hop!"

Sonia and Leon rushed over to the two and inspected them from toe to head.

"You shouldn't be up yet!" Sonia stretched Trevor's face as she checked his eyes.

"And what were you thinking young man!?" Leon demanded as he grasped Hop's shoulders. "Do you have any idea how worried Sonia and I were?!"

"But we had to make sure that Wooloo was safe!" Hop answered back.

"What happened to that Wooloo anyway?" Trevor inquired.

"He's back with his trainer by the time we brought you in," Leon answered.

"That's a relief." Trevor expressed. "Oh yeah, what happened to the dog?"

"Trevor, that is not a nice name to call Creed." Sonia scolded.

"No, not him. The two dog Pokemon in the forest."

Sonia blinked toward Leon as they looked back at the room's occupants before she asked. "What dog Pokemon?"

"The red and blue dogs," Trevor answered.

"They usually appear in the forest for some reason," Hop added.

"Usually?" Leon tensed.

"Yeah, they only seem to appear when we're within. One was a red dog that was huge with tough fur while the blue one was fast and had a sword in its mouth." Hop described as Trevor nods.

"It felt weird to be around them though," Trevor adds, stuffing his hands in his pockets as he looked off. "My body starts acting weird whenever they were near."

"Could you describe it?" Trevor turned to his mother who Sonia lets through. "What you felt?"

A tingling feel crawls up his right arm like insects writhing under his skin as he pulls it out of his pocket.

"It felt like my body wanted to run. Almost as if it was telling me I'll die if I fought them. I wanted to get away as fast as I could. But at the same time," he smiles as he closes his shaking hand, "I wanted to face them head-on."

A bright gleam shines from her son's eyes as he turned to his mother. Sweat forms from her palm, clenching as she bit her lip before releasing a deep breath she'd been holding.

She reaches out toward her son's arm but freezes as a hand reaches her shoulder.

"Theresa." The mother turns to Magnolia giving a motherly smile.

"Okay." she quiets down as Magnolia goes up to Theresa's son.

"Now, Trevor," Prof. Magnolia began, "You shouldn't be so reckless when it comes to Pokemon or others. Wanting to face challenges that you fear is admirable, but it would be worrying for those close to you. Why look at Sonia and Leon, they ran straight into the weald to make sure you and Hop weren't harmed."

Trevor lowers his arm as he nods to the professor. "Sorry, granny Magnolia."

"I'm not the one you owe an apology to." she turns to Leon, perplexed by the sudden attention.

"I'm sorry for worrying you and Sis, Lee." he apologized to Leon. "And for forgetting you."

"Well... apology accepted." he briefly coughed before regaining his composure. "But I still can't let you and Hop enter the gym challenge."

"Lee," Sonia grumbled.

"I have a valid reason, Sonia." Leon defended as he turned back to Trevor. "Even if you two showed your bravery, you still need to have definite proof you're ready. Anyone could say they rescued a Pokemon anywhere anyhow and they still wouldn't be granted endorsements. So if you want to prove you're ready, you need to do something no one could pull off to convince me otherwise."

Trevor blinked as he and Hop looked at each other as the latter ran upstairs before he turned back to Leon.

"Is that it?"

"Unless you have proof of that accomplishment then yes."

"Well, that's easy."

"What?"

"I got 'em! I've been wondering when we'd get to show them off." Hop answers as he enters the dining room reaching into a small pouch as he pulls out-

"Are those Wishing Stones?!" Sonia gasped. "How long have you had them?!"

"Oh, for ten years in a box," Magnolia answered.

"Wait, Gam-gam you knew?!"

"I never said that," she replied as she sipped her tea.

"So we got our proof, Lee!" Hop states as he and Trevor face the champion. "Time to keep your end of the deal!"

Looking back and for at the boys' faces, Leon turns to the professor calmly enjoying a cup of Earl Grey tea.

"You said so yourself, young Leon. Now those Wishing Stones aren't going to polish themselves, you know." she turned to the boys, "I should have your Dynamax bands ready by the end of the week."

"We better buy those tickets, Bonnie," Theresa informs Hop's mother who nods.

With a weary sigh, Leon holds out two envelopes from his pocket to the boys who swipe them from his hands with glee.

"Why don't you sleep over for the night, Trevor?" Bonnie offers as he and Hop high-five.

"Lemme fix my room!" Hop informed as he ran upstairs.

"I'll get my stuff!" Trevor grinned as he dashed to the door.

Leon's lips pursed as Sonia touched his shoulder.

"It'll be alright." she hugs the champion who embraces her hold as his shoulders relax.

The door opened with Trevor peeking out.

"By the way Lee, I found your p&$% stash," he informed before closing the door.

"S%$#!"


The conductor makes his way to the engine as the staff prepares for their nearing departure to Motostoke.

The townsfolk flock toward Trevor and Hop. They each bring parting gifts and offered good luck as they happily accept.

Sonia watched the two as Theresa stood by her.

"Are you sure about this, Sonia?" she asked.

"I am. I'll have to leave home sooner or later if I want to complete my research." Sonia admits.

"Just be careful. The Galar Royal Family only offers level 1 information to the public. If you dive deeper, you may end up data breaching level 2 or 3."

"Yep, it'll be dangerous. I mean," Sonia informs Theresa as she shrugs toward the two, "it already is with those two."

"Aren't you scared though?" Theresa asked as she spies Trevor receiving a basket of freshly baked meat pies from the town butcher and his wife. He and Hop devour the pies as white wristbands dangle from their wrist. "The fact you'll be leaving again after 11 years with Leon..."

"Theresa," Sonia calls as she puts her hand on Theresa's shoulder. "You and I know how much Trevor wanted to see the rest of Galar. The way he sees it, this is the perfect opportunity for him."

"Leon already left for the ceremony two days ago, right?"

"Yep. His position lets him travel a lot so it makes sense why Trevor wants to... you know."

"True..." Theresa agrees, spotting Bonnie saying her goodbyes to Hop as Trevor appears and suddenly hugs her.

"I'll be going now, mom..." he embraces her as she hugs back.

"Yes, you are..." she holds his shoulders as he released his hug. "You know I worry about you, right?"

"You do," he answers with a smile "That's why you keep asking questions whenever you're nervous."


Steam exhausts from the train's chimney as its cranks turn the wheels on the track and departs toward Motostoke as the townsfolk wave from the station platform.

"Bye, mom!" Trevor waves from the window of the railroad car. "When we return, you'll see a pair of certified trainers and a champion!"

He continued to wave as the crowd and station grew farther into the distance.

Murmurs reached Hop's ears as he looked away from Trevor.

"Champion? Isn't that impossible for a kid like him?"

"'probably he's got it in the bag."

"Hundreds of trainers from all over the region are planning to take on the gym challenge, and only around half can make it in."

"Even if he makes it in, there's always a chance the gym challenge will be his first and last attempt in his life."

"Don't get cocky now, kid."

The murmurs continue as Trevor sits across from Hop before turning to Sonia's eyes drifting behind him.

When Hop turns, he sees a member of the staff escorting a family to a different railroad car.

"Guess it's already starting," Sonia pulls out her phone while muttering, letting words linger in both Trevor's and Hop's minds as the train chugs along the tracks across the mountainous range as many bird Pokemon fly across the skies.


Three months... not much of a good start, huh?

Then again, college knows how to take up one's time. But at least I'm learning what to prioritize to do what has to be done. Even at the cost of messing up my sleep schedule...

May that rest in peace.

Anywho, as you can see, this chapter was exposition-heavy. But next chapter I'll try to make things interesting, as all stories should provide.

And with that, let's move on to the SEQ-ments!

Q: You should realize Trevor is an OC name. Already exists in anime Pokémon XY Has a Mega Charizard Y - Guest

A: Oh, for sure I'm aware of that. why else would I type specifically the Galarian one instead of the Kalosian one in the story's description? Though in hindsight, I probably should've addressed this first.

I'm aware that there is a Trevor in Gen VI but did not know who his name was in all fairness. The only other traits I know about him are that he's a photographer and has a football helmet (I know that's his hair) and is remembered like stale bread. Except in the anime where he has a Mega Charizard Y, but that's in the anime as you said.

But this isn't the anime so... yeah.

But. to avoid confusion, the Kalosian's name would be Trovato (his French name) while the one in Galar would be Trevor.

Q: Okay, so while I do like this, there's something that bugs me. Where did Trevor's metal arms come from? I feel like that needs to be addressed because it feels like it came out of nowhere, like where did it even come from? I had to scroll back up to make sure I didn't miss anything.

Anywho, good story so far! - Nan. The Keyblade Master

A: Well thanks for the support, Nan. And for the question too. Despite Theresa stating that it's a technique he developed on his own, let's just say that rabbit hole has yet to be dug through.

Q: I have a question or should it be two? Anyway, what are Trevor and Hop's powers/abilities? Can you maybe make a segment on their powers/abilities? That way the readers can understand your explanation. - Megan Romero

A: For question one, my lips are sealed. For the second one... I don't think I will. One reason is the immersion in the story which will play a role later on. The second reason is that they'll need to come up with them when the time is right. Trust me, you'll know what I mean.

Once again, thank you all for the support you've given to RTG. Have a good day!