A/N: *sighs* Hey, everyone, and welcome to this story.
Yes, yes, I know. I need to get my sorry, lazy lil' butt back in high gear and update "The Way We Will Be", or at the very least any one of my other "Pokémon" fics. Not post YET ANOTHER "Pokémon" fic that'll wind up holding me back in taking care of the other ones. But unfortunately, that's where we're at right now. But fortunately, I can explain my predicament.
Obviously, I'm sure you all know about the latest developments in the anime. No more Ash Ketchum. No more Pikachu as a mascot. There are brand-new protagonists debuting in April. After 25 years of adventures and misadventures with Ash and Pikachu, we are finally seeing a true change in the anime formula...and honestly, it's left me pretty shook.
Ever since that announcement, I've suffered from burnout when it comes to writing "Pokémon" fanfics. Previous efforts to overcome that burnout have proven ineffective for the most part, and I found that my priorities have slowly but strongly shifted towards writing non-"Pokémon" fics. My creative writing reserves when it came to this fandom were depleted and essentially running on fumes. I just COULDN'T believe that we were going to be saying goodbye to Ash and Pikachu soon. In my opinion, they should've had Ash bow out in either DP or XY. Those two sagas seemed like the perfect opportunities to end Ash's journey, then and there. 25 years is way too long to finally change up the formula. It makes people like me too attached, goddamn it! DX
Fortunately, I'm getting over it now. How? Well (and consider this my personal advice to fanfiction writers suffering from writer's block), after months of this slump, I started listening to some "Pokémon"-related music on a seeming whim, and that was when I fell deep into the rabbit-hole and never came back. In a good way, that is.
So why write yet another "Pokémon" fic instead of updating any of the existing ones, you ask? Let alone write one that's billing itself as a sequel/prequel/soft reboot to "The Way We Will Be", which is not even finished yet? Well, the answer to that is very simple. I've decided to take a step back from "The Way We Will Be" and tackle another story within the same continuity. I've always wanted to tell this story after I got done with "The Way We Will Be", but frankly, at the pace I am going, I wanted to get ahead of the curve on that.
Anyway, I've got more that I want to say about this story in particular, but I'm going to save that for the ending Author's Note. I don't want to bore you all with a wall of text that's nothing but out-of-story exposition. But let's just say that you will see why I'm considering this fic a soft reboot of "The Way We Will Be". Don't worry, though, none of this will serve as a major effect on "The Way We Will Be"!
Alright, I think I'm done rambling for now. Let's get on with the chapter! ENJOY!
P.S. #1: For all FF users reading this who are unaware (and this is VERY IMPORTANT), there's a new account feature for this site called "Email Opt-in". It controls the site's ability to send out email notifications to you. It is disabled by default, so you need to go to your account settings and enable it by clicking "Yes". The site will disable the opt-in by default again after 90 days of activation; in other words, you'll need to return to your account settings about EVERY THREE MONTHS to manually reset it. Without the opt-in, you WILL NOT be getting email notifications on whether any of your favorite stories have been updated or not, or whether an author that you are following has posted a new story or not. Please heed these instructions! FictionPress announced this new feature on their Twitter account, but I doubt news of this has reached everyone!
P.S. #2: For any updates regarding progress on my writing and just life in general, please check out my profile! I try to update it as often as I possibly can with any status update!
P.S. #3: Due to the slowly improving situation regarding the coronavirus outbreak, I am going to have to remind you all about the basic steps you should take if you want to stay healthy, courtesy of my university's reminder emails:
-Wash hands often with soap and water for 20-30 seconds at a time, and/or use hand sanitizer
-Avoid close contact with people who are sick
-Keep your hands away from nose, eyes, and mouth (I can't imagine how difficult this part is probably going to be)
-Eat well, get adequate rest, and exercise regularly
-Get a flu shot if you haven't already and are able to
-Stay informed on the COVID-19 vaccines, get shots if you're able to, and try to get a booster shot if you're eligible
And if you ARE sick (I hope you get better if you are), please be a good sport and save other folks the trouble of getting sick. You can do this by:
-Covering your mouth and nose with your sleeve, elbow, or a tissue whenever you sneeze or cough
-Not sharing food and drinks with others
-Avoiding touching your mouth, nose, and eyes (Again, I understand this is probably going to be difficult)
-Avoiding close contact with others
-Cleaning and disinfecting surfaces and objects
-Staying at home if you're unwell (PRIORITY NUMBER ONE!)
-Staying calm and keeping yourself well-informed (My personal advice)
If you already know this, then great! If you didn't know any of this beforehand, please keep that information in mind as we all go through this trying time. It's a realm of unknowns at this point, and I wish myself and all of humanity well.
Disclaimer: All forms of "Pokémon" DO NOT belong to me in any way! My only right to ownership shall go to this specific fic. All rights of ownership instantly go to Satoshi Tajiri, Nintendo, Game Freak, and Pokémon Company International!
"Gooooooooood morning, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls! It's Gettin' the Buzz with Mandy Buzzington, and I am here in the Galar region's finest, most beautiful city Wyndon to deliver you the latest on the highly anticipated Masters Tournament!
"As you all know, the latest season of the World Coronation Series has come to a close, but with it, we have rounded out this year's Masters Eight! And my, oh my, it's quite a fascinating and powerful roster that we've gotten ourselves for this year!
"First, we have Verity, the Champion of Sinnoh! With her trusty Pokémon, her strongest Pokémon Empoleon, she proves, once again, that she truly is the daughter of the famed Cynthia. I can only imagine her mother at home, praying to Arceus for her success. But can her power, proven only for a few years on Sinnoh's throne, withstand the might of her seven colleagues? Only time will tell!
"Next, there's Steven, the seasoned Hoenn Champion! This marks the seventh time in a row he has appeared in this tournament, and the tenth time overall! Many rumors are abound that he is preparing to retire and is on the hunt for a successor to his mantle. Will Steven be able to secure this one last, greatest victory on his belt before that time comes?!
"And then we've got none other than Astrid, our very own Champion of Kalos! It has been twenty-plus years since we were first introduced to her, and now we've gotten to watch her grow into one of the strongest and most formidable Trainers that Kalos has to offer! Hopefully she'll be able to prove her strength this year and win the Master Tournament for all of us Kalosians!
"And now we've got...someone who's not a Champion in this Masters Eight roster: Veilstone City Gym Leader Paul! Ooh, well, will you look at that?! His cold, stern gaze is so piercing! I feel like I'm already being judged just by looking at that profile pic! Will his Pokémon, who have hides tougher than steel, bring him to victory this year?! Let's see!
"Then, there's Iris, Unova's beloved Champion! She attracted big headlines recently after her participation in the Opelucid City crisis involving Teams Ivory and Ebony. Rumors still persist to this very day that she could summon the Legendary Pokémon Zekrom with a mere gesture! There has been no proof of this yet, but with her ranking on the line, perhaps this year's Masters Tournament will provide all the confirmation we need!
"Next, we've got Melemele Island's favorite son Lei, a three-time World Coronation Series participant who'd very recently attempted to usurp his own father, Professor Kukui, as Alola Champion! Alola Champion, a title that has, to this very day, been only held by two people throughout the short but increasingly storied history of the archipelago's Pokémon League! Both of them members of his family, mind you. Perhaps he couldn't do it then, but could Lei step out of his family's shadow and prove here that he is an Alolan force to be reckoned with on his own?!
"And then...ooh, what do we have here? There's somebody new on the Masters Eight roster! He goes by the name of Dalton, and according to his bio, he's been a Pokémon Trainer since he came of age. Yet he's never notched any high-profile titles or victories under his belt till he started participating in the World Coronation Series! Very fascinating. Sounds like somebody we've gotta keep a closer eye on!
"And last but certainly not least, we've got the Pride of Pallet, fifty-plus-time – hold on, is it really fifty-plus times? – w-world savior, founder of the Guardians, former Alola Champion, current Kalos Frontier Brain, the Tower Knight, need I say anymore Arceus-darn titles, the one and only Ash Ketchum! A household name that requires no further explanation for all of you, and certainly one that we're not surprised to see in this roster!
"All together, these eight individuals form this year's Master Eight, the eight strongest Trainers in existence! And now, they are about to duke it out in a competition to determine which among them is the strongest of all, the one worthy to claim the title of Monarch! Now, who will it be?
"The Sinnoh Champion following the path carved by her mother's legacy?
"The veteran Hoenn Champion whose final curtain may be within reach in a few years?
"The young Kalos Champion still determined to go beyond her limits to prove herself?
"The Unova Champion who holds the keys to the true power and might of Dragon-types?
"The Gym Leader with a steely resolve to demonstrate the power of his Pokémon?
"The longtime Pokémon Trainer seeking to make a name for himself on the world stage?
"The newbie Pokémon Trainer hoping to cap off a glorious winning streak?
"The tried-and-true Tower Knight whose true power, heart, and soul just knows no bounds?
"Stay tuned to find out on Gettin' the Buzz with Mandy Buzzington! I'm Mandy Buzzington, and now, here is a word from our sponsors!"
Rose of the Rondelands, Wyndon
"Sylvie."
"Sylveon, could you please wake Yancy up for me?"
The Intertwining Pokémon looked up at her longtime friend and Trainer. The honey-blonde woman sat on a luxury chair in front of a large mirror, almost absentmindedly brushing her sleek, shining locks of hair while the large TV set behind her blared the latest news announcements. Sylveon was well off as well, resting idly beside her Trainer in a small, pink luxury bed tailored specifically for her size. Beside her was a yellow bed of a similar size, which was occupied by a Pikachu.
"It's a big day today," Serena Ketchum said with slight concern, "and I don't want her to miss out on it."
"Sylvie!"
Sylveon nodded and sauntered out of the bedroom. As she did, something stirred in the giant luxury bed beside Serena.
"Uuuggghhh..." a voice moaned from underneath the pillows and blankets. "Ohhhhh, let her sleep some more, Serena... It's not like it's that big of a day today..."
"Hmph!"
Pouting, Serena stood up from her chair, grabbed one of the pillows, and lightly struck the stirring mound underneath the blankets. The mound simply recoiled and groaned in slight irritation, but otherwise, there was no disturbance to be seen. The Pikachu didn't react to the display and simply hopped onto the bed to examine the mound.
"For your information," Serena said, "it is a big day today. It's your day, after all. The Masters Tournament is gonna begin later today, and if the press catches you, the Tower Knight, still lazing about in bed, I can only imagine the headlines will look like! Not to mention all of our friends will be here soon."
"Pika, pika, Pikapi," Pikachu added.
"Ugh, tell them to postpone till tomorrow..." the voice groaned drowsily.
Serena's scowl became more pronounced, and she grabbed the blanket. "Ash Ketchum, this is exactly why I told you not to stay up late enjoying that all-you-can-eat buffet!"
With that, the honey-blonde woman yanked the blanket off its owner, revealing a young man with unkempt, raven-black hair and distinctive Z-shaped marks on his cheeks. The man sighed and then moaned while he forced himself to rub his eyes open.
"But they had such a wide variety of delicacies, honey..." he groaned in protest.
"Pika..." Pikachu moaned with a disapproving shake of his head.
As for Serena, she initially continued to scowl at him for his childish response. But it didn't take long for the scowl to fade away and be replaced with a fond, loving grin. With a chuckle, the honey-blonde leaned over him and kissed him on the cheek, which caused the corners of Ash's lips to twitch into a faint but bright smile.
"Always a doofus," she commented. "Even when you're the father of three children and a Kalos Frontier Brain. But...that is what I love about you, Ash."
"Heh heh heh..." Ash gave her a dashing smile and chuckled. "Well, I always aim to please my biggest fan."
Meanwhile, once she left Ash and Serena's private bedroom, Sylveon dashed through the expansive penthouse suite and reached another room, which had pictures and stickers of various Fairy-type Pokémon on the door. Knowing that she was at the right place, the Intertwining Pokémon prepared to make entry when she heard footsteps in the hallway. Looking to the side, she saw a little girl with chin-length hair as black as Ash's, waddling down the hall with a Pichu beside her. Once the girl laid eyes on Sylveon, her face beamed with overflowing positivity.
"Good morning, Sylveon!" she greeted.
"Sylvie!" Sylveon replied happily.
"Are you gonna wake up Yancy?" The girl glanced at the decorated door. "Can I help you? Please?!"
"Pichu-pi!" Pichu squeaked in excitement.
"Syl!" Sylveon replied with a nod.
The affirmative response sent the girl jumping in the air with delight. "Yippee!"
With that, the girl and the Intertwining Pokémon quietly tiptoed towards the doorway. The girl slowly, gently pushed the door open and peered inside it. Though it was a little darkened by the drawn curtains, the room exuded femininity, what with its predominant pink color scheme, from the walls to the decorations to the bed-sheets.
"Big Sis Yancy?" the girl called.
"Sylvie?" Sylveon crooned softly.
"Pichu-piiiii!" Pichu squeaked enthusiastically.
There was no response from anyone, so Sylveon and the girl walked over to the bed, which had someone sleeping on it, judging by the mound underneath the bed-sheets.
"Sylvie?" Sylveon called again.
"Yaaaaancyyyyy," the girl said, deliberately and teasingly elongating her call. She promptly poked the mound thrice with a cheeky smile.
"Mmmmmhhhhhmmmmm..."
The mound stirred for a moment, but then, it became still again. Knowing that the girl didn't produce the results that she wanted, Sylveon promptly extended her feelers towards the mound, took it in their grasp, and gently shook it.
"Sylvie, sylvie, syl," she crooned.
"Not now, Sylvie..." a voice moaned from the mound.
Sylveon frowned with disappointment. Then, she prepared to hop onto the bed itself, but the girl motioned her to stop.
"Wait, Sylveon!" she whispered with a toothy grin. "I know what'll wake her up!"
"Syl?" Then, the Intertwining Pokémon quickly realized what the girl wanted to do, and she shook her head in vehement disagreement. "Sylvie, syl."
"What? It works every time!" The girl looked at her Pichu. "Alright, Pichu! Use Thunder Shock!"
"Pi-chu!" the Tiny Mouse Pokémon squeaked in excitement.
With that, it hopped off of its unofficial owner's shoulder and gently landed upon the bed's occupant, a teenage girl who strongly resembled her mother, although her hair was as pink as Sylveon's fur. The girl stirred slightly, but otherwise, she did not seem to grasp the nature of what was about to happen.
"Piiiii-CHUUUUU!"
The Tiny Mouse Pokémon promptly delivered a Thunder Shock upon the teenage girl, electrocuting her. As expected, this garnered the reaction she needed in a matter of milliseconds.
"A-A-A-A-A-G-G-G-G-G-H-H-H-H-H!"
The pink-haired girl shot up on her bed, her jaws chattering from the volts of electricity while her body was relentlessly bombarded. Fortunately for her, the electricity stopped flowing from Pichu's body in a matter of seconds, leaving her in a smoky, roasted, dumbfounded state. Groaning, she rubbed her eyes, relieving them of ash, and then swept her stunned gaze around the room.
"W-Wha...?" Quickly, the teenage girl's gaze met that of her younger sister, who was grinning naughtily at her. "Ugh! I've told you a million times not to wake me up like that, Selene!"
"But you don't wake up any other way, Yancy!" Selene replied innocently, with her grin still in place. "Hee hee hee!"
Then, the Thunder Shock's effects dawned on Yancy, and she began wildly groping her unkempt, fizzled hair.
"And now my hair's all ruined!" she whined.
"I think you look good!" Selene chirped obliviously. "You're like a...uhhhhh...a Bouffalant!"
"Pichu, pichu!" Pichu squeaked in agreement.
"Syl..." Sylveon crooned, using a feeler to sympathetically pat Yancy's wrist.
Yancy simply scowled at Selene in frustration. Then, she lunged at the younger girl with her arms stretched out as widely as possible. But Selene effortlessly stepped aside, leaving her older sister to clumsily, anticlimactically fall out of her bed and land on her face.
"OOF!" A groaning, grumbling Yancy lifted her face from the soft, light-pink carpet, just in time for Pichu to hop on top of her head. "Agh!"
"Pichu!" the Tiny Mouse Pokémon squeaked in triumph.
Before the pink-haired girl could respond, a familiar female voice called out, "Yancy, Selene! Time to get dressed up! Our get-together's gonna happen in an hour!"
"YAAAY!" Selene yelled while scooping Pichu up in her arms and twirling around. "I can't wait to see Auntie Bonnie, Uncle Clemont, and all the others!"
"Pichu, pichu!" Pichu chirped.
"Right!" an exasperated Yancy called. As Selene and Pichu exited her bedroom in a dash, the pink-haired girl groaned in exhaustion and stood up. "Same thing every year..."
"Sylveon, sylvie," Sylveon crooned softly. "Sylvie-syl-sylvie. Sylvie, syl."
But the girl heard Sylveon's voice as something else entirely.
"It's alright, Yancy. You get through it every year, so you'll get through this one too."
Yancy simply sighed in doubt while she approached her curtains. Lifting her hands, she took the soft fabric and drew the curtains to the sides, bathing herself and her room with bright sunlight. At first, there was a homely, nostalgic glint in her sapphire-blue eyes, but as her eyesight became focused and adjusted to the light, she seemed to realize where she truly was.
"Good morning, Wyndon," she said, almost to herself. "Another day, another Masters Tournament."
She promptly opened up the window, rejoiced in the cool breeze that flowed into her room, and then stared out into the bustling city. She could easily see the civilians and Pokémon of Wyndon going about their day, while the voice of a certain reporter covering the Masters Tournament echoed in the distance. Several flocks of Flying-type Pokémon soared through the skies, squawking jubilantly.
Yancy took a deep breath, taking in the fresh summer air, while Sylveon hopped on the windowsill and sat beside her, the Intertwining Pokémon's blue eyes glittering. Then, as she continued to take in the sights and sounds of Wyndon, the girl stretched out her arms in contentment. Once she lowered them, she expressed what was on her mind in that moment.
"Hope today's interesting."
The future. A true mystery of time that is both dreaded for its unknowns and anticipated for all its potential. That potential being the next generation and all that it has to offer to the world.
Our heroes may have grown up and left their memories and adventures behind, but there is always someone new to take up the mantle. And there'll always be new memories to make and new adventures to have. And will you just look at that? Perhaps a new hero has arrived in Wyndon, seeking out brand-new memories and brand-new adventures...in the world of Pokémon!
Wyndon Interregional Airport
"Alright! We're finally here, Hugh! Wyndon!"
"Well, what the heck are we waiting for?! Let's get going!"
Two teenage boys ran off of the private passenger jet as soon as it opened its doors, literally almost jumping out of it in their enthusiasm.
The one who had spoken had pale skin that was weathered from years of journeying, spiky and unkempt brown hair, and equally brown eyes that shone with youthful excitement. He also wore a crimson tennis visor with a black-and-white Poké Ball logo; a cobalt-blue, short-sleeved jacket with what appeared to be a black-and-turquoise wet-suit underneath; beige knee-length shorts; and red-and-black sneakers.
The other boy had spiky indigo hair that almost resembled a Qwilfish and red eyes that gleamed with a deadly fierceness. He wore a scarlet training suit with a tall white collar and a single white stripe running down each long sleeve, along with dark-blue riding pants, a pair of black finger-less gloves, and red shoes with black stripes.
"Oh, for Arceus's sake, wait UP, Nate! Slow down, Hugh! Jeez! Those boys!"
"Heh heh heh, those two will never change."
Two females stepped out of the passenger jet after the two teenage boys. One of them scowled impatiently at the pair of departing boys, while the other simply smiled at them in nostalgic aloofness.
The impatient-looking female was a slim teenage girl with very long, dark-brown hair tied into two large sock-buns above her ears, with two long twin-tail locks hanging loose to her waist. She also had smooth, fair skin and dark-blue eyes. Like the brown-haired boy, she was wearing a tennis visor, although it was pink-and-white. In addition, she wore a white shirt with long, ice-blue sleeves and a pink Poké Ball logo on the chest; a salmon-pink, halter-neck tank-top underneath, tied together with a bow around the back of her neck; frilly, flared, yellow shorts over black lycra leggings; and ice-blue-and-white high-top shoes.
The aloof female was an older woman who resembled the teenage girl, though the shade of her brown hair matched that of the brown-haired boy. Her hair also did not have the stylish twin-tails that the girl had and was simply arranged into a bun on the top of her head. Additionally, she wore simpler clothing consisting of a short-sleeved, baby-blue shirt with two orange stripes, an orange skirt, and blue jeans underneath.
"Mooooom!" whined the teenage girl in exasperation. "Stop laughing and get those two dummies back here, or else we're gonna lose 'em!"
"Relaaaaax, Rosa," the older woman replied calmly. She then called out to the two boys in her trademark maternal tone, "Nate, Hugh, slow down over there!" She crossed her arms with an amused smile. "Wyndon and the Masters Tournament aren't going anywhere, you know!"
The two boys obliged, but the brown-haired boy looked disappointed.
"Awww, come ON, Mom!" the brown-haired boy called back. "I'm not five anymore! Don't you forget!" He flashed the red Xtransceiver for the woman and her daughter to see. "I've got my Xtransceiver with me! Even if you can't see me, you're not gonna lose track of me!"
"Well, not if you remove it, Nate!" Rosa retorted as she marched up to him and his blue-haired friend. "And I know you're gonna do it as soon as we look away! You always did have a knack for getting yourself in all sorts of trouble, after all!"
"And you always did have a knack for being a nosy, bratty little sister..." Nate then smirked tauntingly at her. "Rooooosie- AGH! OW! OW, OW, OW! STOP IT!"
Rosa refused, instead continuing to whip the boy in the face with her own twin-tails and glowering at him with the white-hot ferocity of an Entei.
"DON'T CALL ME ROSIE, DUMMY!" she screamed.
"OW, OW, OW! Okay, Rosa, I give, I give!"
Rosa finally ceased her torturous whipping, allowing Nate to rub his reddening face, flinching in pain from the needle-like stinging sensation. The twin-tailed girl merely held her head high and marched back to their mother with an emphasized huff. As for the mother in question, she sighed and shook her head.
"Things just never change," she commented. Then, she looked over her shoulder. "Do they, Leah?"
A woman strolled out of the passenger jet, her pinkish-brown hair, tied in a ponytail with a yellow band and accentuated with a yellow hairclip, swaying with the wind while she held the hand of her seven-year-old daughter. She wore a simple pink, long-sleeved shirt and blue jeans.
"No doubt about it, Whitley," the woman replied with a wide, nostalgic smile. "Seventeen years old and they still act like they're ten. Or seven, for that matter."
"You do know I'm standing in front of you, right Mom?" the blue-haired boy asked.
Leah made a dismissive wave with her unoccupied hand. "Yeah, yeah, I know, Hugh. I'm going to act like I never heard your obsessive ramblings about Ash Ketchum for the past week-"
"MOM!"
"Oh, but it's true, Hugh!" chirped the girl holding Leah's hand; she closely resembled her mother. "You kept talking about how you're gonna take notes on Ask Ketchup and use them to beat you-"
"It's Ash Ketchum, not Ask Ketchup, Lia!" Hugh interrupted with a higher voice of concern. Then, he caught himself in his outburst, cleared his throat, and spoke again in a more serious and composed voice. "But I admit that it'd be very useful to take advantage of this opportunity. After all, observing the eight strongest Trainers in the world would teach you a lot about how to get stronger yourself."
"Heh, you said it, Hugh!" Nate exclaimed in agreement. "I can't wait to see their battling styles from the stands!" At that moment, his eyes started to shine brighter with admiration. "Especially Ash Ketchum's!"
"Aaand there they go again," Whitley commented with an amused shake of her head. "Those two truly are really excited about this tournament."
"Yeah, tell me about it, Whitley," Leah replied while also shaking her head and smiling. "But who can blame them? After all, Ash Ketchum's a hero to them."
"Mm-hm." Whitley proceeded to look up at the vast, blue, cloudless sea. "To all of us."
"That's right..."
Just then, Rosa's agitated voice pierced the air again. "You know, you two are sooo distracted by the Masters Tournament that you've both forgotten to thank the one person who is responsible for this trip in the first place."
"Oh yeah, that's right!" the brown-haired boy exclaimed. He then looked at the private passenger jet, just as the two last passengers emerged from it. "Thanks for giving us this opportunity, Iris! You're awesome!"
The dark-skinned woman with brown eyes and thick purple hair chuckled as she basked in the cool Galarian sunlight. Her hair was tied up in a small bun and ponytail with large spike-like designs, two rounded ringlets on each sides of her head, and a yellow bow. She also wore a set of royal garments similar to a princess's; they consisted of a white-and-pink, long-sleeved gown with flowing ribbons, frilly ends, and a huge pink bow on her waist; a small, golden crown on her head with two emeralds; and a pair of white sandals with a green gem encrusted into the center of each.
"You're very welcome, Nate," she replied earnestly. "You and your friends are the ones who helped me out with the Team Ebony and Ivory situation, after all. And after that tough Vertress Conference, I thought you three deserved a break."
"They sure do," another voice piped up beside her.
Nate directed his attention to the passenger trailing Iris. He was a tall, slender man with pale skin and a mat of jet-black hair with a small tuft sticking up from the top of his head. He also wore a light-blue waistcoat, a white dress-shirt with an orange necktie, black dress pants, and half-moon-shaped glasses with orange rims. His eyes were closed, although Nate knew that it was from anything but drowsiness.
"They have been magnets for trouble ever since the first day of their journeys," the man continued. Then, he opened his eyes, revealing cool, dark-gray pupils that flitted over to Nate's direction. "Especially you, Nate. I strongly hope that the Masters Tournament will at least be relatively peaceful. For all of us. Because..." He rubbed his wrinkled forehead with his fingers. "If I get one more headache from your heroics, I swear to Arceus, I'm gonna die."
Nate could only chuckle in embarrassment, while Rosa puffed her cheeks at him in disapproval and the corner of Hugh's lips twitched into a small smirk. Just then, Lia spoke up again, hopping up and down on her heels while pointing towards the sky.
"Ooh, Mommy, Hughie!" she squealed. "Look at that!"
Everyone else followed the direction of the little girl's index finger and saw a pair of Spritzee flying overhead. They were happily chirping and playfully flying circles around each other like they were engaged in some sort of aerial dance.
"Whoooooa!" Rosa cried with shining eyes of adoration. "It's a couple of Spritzee!"
"I've never seen that Pokémon at home before!" Lia exclaimed in awe.
"Yeah," replied Hugh. "Spritzee don't live in Unova, after all." He then knelt beside his younger sister and patted her head in brotherly affection. "And don't worry, Lia. There are gonna be lots and lots of new Pokémon to see in Wyndon."
The encouraging response sent the girl hopping in the air with delight. "Yippee!"
"Well, let's go, everyone!" Nate hollered as he started to run ahead of the others again. "We're not gonna see any brand-new Pokémon by standing around like this!"
"Are you serious, Nate?!" Rosa snapped. "You're just gonna- Aaaaand he's running off again." She slumped her shoulders in defeat. "I can't believe that doofus is my brother sometimes. What a kid."
"What a kid, alright..." Iris replied, though her eyes were trained on Nate's retreating form with nostalgia. "What a kid..."
Elsewhere at Wyndon Interregional Airport, a man stepped off the escalator and swept his gaze through the large, often-dense crowd of travelers in search of someone. He had a muscular build; sharp, beady eyes; and blond hair that was cut in a buzz-cut. He also wore military-style clothing consisting of a tight-fitting, white tank-top; a light, jungle-camouflage jacket; jungle-camouflage pants that held on to his waist with a thick brown belt; dark-brown combat boots; and a pair of dark sunglasses that were on top of his head at the moment. His peculiar choice of clothing, which was more befitting of a trek through a jungle than the city, attracted many stares of fright from nearby travelers.
However, he was undaunted by the attention he was receiving. His primary concern was reaching finding the person who had summoned him in the first place. With a soft, derisive snort, the man took a fleeting glance at his Pokétch, looking at the time. His contact was late.
The man eventually stood next to a concrete column underneath a balcony, away from the warmth of the shining sunlight and the sounds of the bustling crowd. As soon as he walked into the arms of shade, he looked up.
Four TV sets were positioned high on a pillar at the center of the airport, affording numerous travelers in all directions an unobstructed, clear view of the same live news report. The Masters Tournament was naturally the topic of the report, and it commanded everyone's undivided attention and admiration, all due to the eight people whose battling prowess will be showcased there.
The man scoffed and rolled his eyes as he observed a big group of overexcited, hyperactive tourists while they frantically took pictures of themselves in the airport, watching the news report as it displayed a montage of the eight participants in the throes of battle. The civilians worshiped the likes of Ash Ketchum and other powerful Trainers from head to toe, as if they themselves were Legendary Pokémon. It just made him laugh, the way people "honored" those people.
After all, they would talk about the potential of Pokémon on the battlefield, when it was crystal-clear to him that the true potential of any given Pokémon came from something else...
"There you are."
The man averted his gaze from the TV sets and spotted the person he had been looking for. He did not look anything like the person he once spent weeks talking to via Holo Caster, but given who he was now dealing with, it was quite logical to the man. His visitor wore clothing that was blatantly chosen to conceal his own identity, consisting of a brown hat with a large brim; a face-mask; a conspicuous pink wig that flowed out of the hat; and a large, brown, buttoned-up trench-coat that hid much of his finer features.
"I'm so sorry I had to call you in like this-" began the trench-coat-wearing man.
"You're late," the other man snapped gruffly. "What were you doing, admiring yourself on that TV?"
"N-No!" Then, the trench-coat-wearing man flinched underneath the piercing, judgmental gaze of his colleague. "Yes..."
The muscular man sighed and shook his head. "Just get to the point, Dalton."
The trench-coat-wearing man gagged and immediately tore off his hat, face-mask, and wig, revealing a young but stern face with black hair, including a tuft over his forehead that was smoothly combed to the side.
"What the?!" the man snapped. "Don't use my real name out in public like that, man!"
The muscular man snorted in slight amusement. "Says the client using a ridiculous disguise like that. What are you, ten? Disguises don't work that way, you know."
"Y-Yo-You're one to talk, P-Parker!" Dalton pointed an accusatory finger at his colleague. "L-Look at you out in public like that! A-Aren't you still wanted or something?!"
Parker smirked and tapped the frames of his sunglasses. Dalton couldn't help but notice how there seemed to be a light-blue light that emanated from them every time the muscular man's fingers made contact with the frames.
"Courtesy of my associate Inezia," Parker replied. "To anyone and everyone who looks at my face, I'm just your average Fighting-type specialist. That is exactly why I instructed you to wear those contact lenses I sent you."
Dalton's eyes widened in realization, and in that moment, the light reflected off the plastic on his pupils.
"Ohhhhh..." he said. "I see..."
Parker pursed his lips and held back another frustrated sigh. "Now...what's this about you losing the mark I worked long, hard weeks to capture for you?"
"L-Look, it wasn't my fault, man!" Dalton protested. "I was doing some rehearsals with it and my Pokémon, when all of a sudden, it gets all tired! Then, when I have my Pokémon encourage it, it uses this big Fire-type attack on us and bails on us-!"
"Please tell me you attached the tracking device that we gave to you on it," Parker interrupted while rubbing his forehead in exasperation.
"Tr-Tracking device...?"
Parker blinked with increasing dismay. "You know... That little green beacon that I put in your hand when I delivered the target to you...?"
"O-Oh..." Dalton blinked dumbly. "I thought it was just some cool thingy you use to light up stuff."
Parker's eyelid twitched nastily. "I...I told you that it was a tracking device. In plain English. I-!" He stopped himself and instinctively flexed his fingers. "No wonder you needed that Vic-"
"Hey, look! I'm sorry, alright?!"
"Sorry doesn't even come close to cutting it, Dalton," Parker interrupted harshly. His thin lips mechanically curved into a disappointed frown, which he directed at his client. "Just so you know, Dalton, us members of the Eight-Headed Seviper, we have absolutely no patience for clients who will squander the jobs we complete for them at a hefty price and wind up coming back to ask for refunds-"
"H-Hold on there!" Dalton cried. "I-I'm not here to ask for a refund!"
Parker narrowed his eyes with suspicion. "You did not let me finish. What I was also going to say...was that we also don't appreciate being contracted to help clean up messes that you, the client, might cause through any use or...misuse of the Pokémon we hunt down and capture for you. Due to our...shall I say, notoriety, we prefer our jobs to be one-time affairs that are open and shut. No revisits, no redoes, nothing."
"B-Bu-But no mess has been made, I-I swear! A-And this is no revisit or redo! I-I'm only asking you t-to help recapture it before the Masters Tournament begins!"
Parker sardonically arched an eyebrow. "Oh, really? To me, that sounds a lot like I'm cleaning up your mess, Dalton..."
"Look, the Masters Tournament's tomorrow! If I start tanking then, people might get suspicious! And you guys, yo-you're among the best Pokémon poachers there are in the business!" When Parker furrowed his brow even further, Dalton then started waving his hands in frantic desperation. "L-Look, I-I don't have it right now, b-but I'll pay you double what I gave you when you first brought me V-"
"Triple it."
Parker's voice silenced Dalton for a moment. Then, a single word came out of the trench-coat-wearing man's mouth.
"What?"
"Triple the original bounty. That's my condition, Dalton. It's final. Nonnegotiable. Especially since this job's going to be in close proximity of the rest of the Masters Eight."
Dalton blinked and sighed with realization. His shoulders fell limp with defeat as he uttered another single word.
"Fine."
The corners of Parker's lips twitched with satisfaction. "Excellent. Now...let's go catch ourselves a Victini."
Wyndon Stadium, Wyndon
Underneath the shade of Wyndon Stadium, a blond, handsome man strode down the local pier with a strut of confidence. His blond hair was swept to one side, with a particularly long lock covering the left side of his face. His dark trench-coat flowed smoothly in the salty breeze like a cape. Despite his conspicuous appearance, the man didn't attract much stares from the residents out on their daily walks and the tourists admiring the colossal structure.
Not that it mattered to the blond man. His main concern was reaching the place where he was instructed to go, with the express intent of receiving further instructions. As soon as he stopped at his intended destination, at the secluded end of the stadium where a few restrooms were docked, the man took a fleeting downward glance at his Pokétch, looking at the time. He was late.
The breeze grew slightly colder as he stepped away from the sunlight and into the arms of shadow. He looked up.
Wyndon Stadium looked like just about any other stadium in the world, towering and imposing with the glowing splendor of sportsmanship. Even so, all the civilians and tourists held it in particularly higher regard, due to it being the location of the Masters Eight Tournament, where the eight strongest Trainers gathered to vie for the title of Monarch. The blond man scoffed and rolled his eyes at the thought. To think that people were so obsessed with trivial matters such as strength in a sport and willingly blind to the everlasting problems that surrounded them. It sometimes made him laugh.
"You're late."
The man lazily looked towards a ramp leading away from the restrooms and to the park, full swaying and slightly bucking trees. Five people were standing right beside it, all of them wearing identical black business suits. A pile of gym bags was crumpled at their feet. One of those people, an average-looking man with graying brown hair, was leaning against one of the trees; his arms were crossed, and a disapproving expression was etched on his face.
"Five minutes late," the brown-haired man finished.
"I experienced some delays back at the marketplace," the blond man explained bitterly while stepping forward. "Arceus-damned tourists and their silly plushies-"
"The Boss gave you a damn order, Corvin," the bald man interrupted suddenly, his scowl mechanically moving to become more pronounced. "We've got a strict timetable here, and we're supposed to stick to it without any hiccups. Our ability to execute the rest of the operation hinges on this mission's success."
"Well, I'm here, aren't I, Roland?" Corvin replied with muted hostility. "A five-minute delay is better than a fifteen-minute one."
"Five minutes can make all the difference, just as much as fifteen."
Corvin rolled his eyes like an exasperated teenager. "Just gimme the damn orders."
Roland's scowl deepened further, but he explained with an unchanged composure, "The Boss wants us to do some secret surveillance. We have every reason to believe that the targets we've been seeking will be in attendance at this event." He meaningfully pointed towards the stadium. "Our research has yet to fail us."
Corvin followed Roland's finger. "Even the local hillbilly and his mother know that they'd be here..." He looked back at his colleague. "You really believe now is the perfect time to start making our moves?"
Roland nodded firmly with confidence. "Yes, I do. Our intel says the Professor has been restless lately. It won't be long till he does what we anticipate him to do. And when he does, that will be our time to strike, our time to show the world that the ideals of our boss have not been forgotten so easily!"
"Strike?" Corvin furrowed his brow with uncertainty. "It'll be danger close. Lots of powerful Trainers will be here later on. There are other places in the world where we can do this-"
"But you know just as well as I do that there is only one such location to do this: here." With that, Roland picked up one of the gym bags and tossed it at Corvin, who caught it with ease. "Now go get dressed up. The shift change ends in a few more minutes. We can't be noticed."
A/N: And that's officially a wrap for this first chapter! What'd you guys think?
And yes, you can already see that the major differentiating factor in the timeline of this fic and the one I posited in "The Way We Will Be" is that I'm incorporating elements of the SM and Journeys sagas of the anime into this fic. For those of you who don't remember the kind of future I briefly presented in "The Way We Will Be" (and I'd imagine that is going to be all of you), I didn't really throw those two sagas into the mix, especially Journeys since it obviously hadn't even been conceived by the time I started writing that fanfic out. But I decided to say "The hell with it" and get flexible and even a little contradictory with the timeline.
I mean, if the anime wants to be weird with its timeline, then why can't I be weird with mine? At least my efforts aren't doing all that much harm to the continuity of "The Way We Will Be". (I may not have confirmed SM and Journeys' roles in the timeline, but I didn't exactly debunk their roles either.)
As for why I chose to throw Journeys into the mix, it's because I've heard a lot about the Masters Tournament arc. While I've heard more controversy than praise, I'm actually super-hyped on how it's panned out, mostly because it's brought a bunch of powerful figures, put Alolan Champion Ash on their level, and thrown them into a specialized tournament where they duke it out with one another.
Plus, I started watching select episodes of Journeys recently, and to my surprise, I'm actually hooked. At first, I was NOT the biggest fan of its premise since it was a humongous departure from the usual format that the anime took all the way up to XY, a format that I'd gotten accustomed to. I would've liked to see Galar get all the focus, especially to alleviate the big, nasty Dexit controversy that I witnessed exploding all over the Internet. (I guess "Pokémon: Twilight Wings" decided to take care of that angle for the main series, but I digress.) Then, as the years passed and I heard that older characters were being reintroduced while other video game characters that had yet to be introduced were actually being introduced, my intrigue started to rise. Then, I heard about the Masters Tournament, and I suddenly felt giving the show a chance to satiate my own curiosity, if nothing else. And now, here we are.
So, long story short, the Journeys format is taking front and center stage in this fanfic. Hopefully I can make it a lot more interesting and less contested than with the anime. It'll be fun!
(And yes, I'm going a little meta with all the narrator's talk about new generations and new adventures.)
Well, hope you enjoyed this first chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!