Clair: A Pokémon Story
After Clair defeated Lt. Surge for her 3rd Gym badge, she travels over to Route 9 as she battles more trainers. After she spots and captures a Jolteon, she is then ambushed by Team Rocket. The Team Rocket member who Clair beat in Cerulean City was seen leading the ambush.
Clair, being dangerously outnumbered, tried to fight off Team Rocket, but it was too much, as one by one her Pokémon were taken. She tried to take them back by force, but it was no use as one of the Rocket members pushed her off the cliff where she had captured Jolteon. The Rocket members continued to chase after her, as Clair had no choice but to run away, back to Cerulean City.
She escaped into the nearest Pokémon Center, where she told the officer inside what happened. As the Rockets saw the police officer scouting out the city, they decided to retreat with the Pokémon they had taken. Clair, stricken with fear, was later escorted home by the police. As her mother opened the door, her mother gasped in shock, seeing Clair hurt with tears in her eyes.
Later after she cleaned herself up, Clair opened to her mother about what happened on Route 9. She decided she would never go on another journey again and stay with her mother. Her mother did not say a word, as she could not question her daughter's decision. A week later, during a visit to the Viridian City's PokeMart, Clair had to do one more thing.
She currently could not trust herself to keep both herself and her Pokémon safe from Team Rocket. She snuck off and went into her PC and decided to release her remaining Pokémon that she had caught during her short journey. As she was trying so hard to fight back tears, she didn't realize that her mother was looking out of the window watching.
Clair's mother decided a change of scenery was needed. She told Clair that they were moving to a small town called Postwick in the Galar Region in a couple weeks. Surprised by the recent announcement, she didn't know what to say.
Her mother confided in her, that moving is what they both need in order to get through this tough time, regardless of how long it takes. She wanted her daughter to be happy and safe. What she didn't tell her that she wants Clair to trust herself again and hopes to see her start her Pokémon Journey over.
Four years have passed, and Clair is now 14 years old; more confident in herself, which her mother had noticed the past year. Her new friend, Hop, always comes over to talk about how amazing his brother is. She met him the day after they moved into Postwick, as Hop and her mother introduced themselves.
Clair was very shy, considering the traumatic experience she had with Team Rocket, and even Hop's cheerful, bouncy personality didn't cheer her up. Hop never understood why she was so shy, until Clair's mother told his mother, who relayed the message to her son.
Clair's mother managed to befriend and catch a couple Pokémon to keep them company at home. Munchlax would be there for Clair when she would have her crying spells if her mom was not there and Bedew to graze in the grass in the backyard and help her tend to the garden out front. She slowly began to show a faint smile around them.
Hop understood that he could not get in the way of Clair's recovery, but knew that he just needed to be his usual, upbeat and cheery self around her for Clair to heal. Finally, he had an idea of what might get her over the hump. One day, Hop came over to show Clair his brother, Leon, a new challenger of the Galar Region's Gym Challenge.
In that moment, Clair was glued on to the screen. She watched most, if not all, of the Gym battles that were broadcasted, especially Leon's. She wanted to figure out how Leon and the other trainers are such successful and confident people, let alone Pokémon Trainers.
Fast-forward to present day. Clair finally saw and understood what it meant to be a confident, strong Pokémon Trainer. It wasn't winning the battles or trusting your Pokémon. It was believing and trusting in yourself, and that true strength came from believing in anything, no matter how bleak things get; to never give up.
After meeting up with Leon after his most recent victory as Champion, Hop and Clair were offered a Pokémon by Leon; Grookey, Sobble, and Scorbunny. She loved how adorable each Pokémon looked, and that she wanted one for herself.
Clair stopped herself for a moment, realizing what she had just said. In that moment, she had flashbacks from her previous journey in Kanto four years ago; from her happiest memories to the traumatic experience with Team Rocket, remembering she would never go on another journey ever again.
Every time she had remembered these events, she would stop herself from going on another journey. This time, however, she was more confident than she ever was, and she decided to break that four-year-old promise. She not only wanted a Pokémon, but a friend. A partner.
Hop was so happy to hear what Clair said that he wanted her to pick first. It took a few moments for Clair, but she finally decided on Grookey, while Hop picked Sobble. She greeted Grookey, who was delighted to meet her, and they instantly bonded.
Hop decided to have a Pokémon battle to celebrate. Clair without realizing it readied her Pokeball. She stopped herself again, finally realizing what she was doing. She realized that she had that fire of a competitor again, and with that, came confidence and most importantly, full trust in herself.
In the distance, watching all these events unfold was Clair's mother. She was crying, but in happiness. She had finally saw her daughter believe in herself again. Not her old daughter, but a new daughter of somebody who has grown so much over the past four years, reclaim herself from four years ago.
After their battle and the events in the Slumbering Weald, Clair returned home with her mother washing the dishes from lunch. Clair talked to her mother and opened up about her starting over her Pokémon Journey. Her mother said yes and told her how very proud she was of Clair, but with joyful tears in their eyes.
Clair was given some money and leftover Pokeballs her mother received from capturing Munchlax and Bedew. They both gave one last hug but promised they would stay in touch often. Clair was ready to restart her Pokémon Journey.
Clair took a deep breath and went off toward Wedgehurst, this time as a Pokémon Trainer. With her newfound confidence, she went off on a journey that she would never forget.