Shadowed Over Fairy Dust

4

Over The Hill and Through The Grass:

To Grandmother's House, We Go!

A/N: This Fan Fiction is based on the Galar region and games (Sword/Shield) featuring CanonXOC

After have had their ears burned out from yet another scolding from the boys's mother,-she went spare once she found out what had happened- they did finally manage to make it to the Poke'mon lab in Wedgehurst, where Leon stood waiting to greet them.

"Well I say you two did a far sight better than I did my firt time!" Leon laughed.

"Of course we did!" teased Hop,"You're hopless with directions."

"Yeah, all right, in we go then." he chuckled as he opened the door for the Trainers to be. The place was stacked floor to cieling with books.

"Leave it to Professor Magnolia..." he chuckled,"Everything here looks facinating~!"

It really was impressive.

The shelves were as high as the walls, fully stocked with books...It could almost be a Library.

"I've never seen so many books in my life." said Anani.

"To think all of these books are used for the sake of research of Poke'mon!" Hop grinned. A small Yamper dawdled at their feet and greeted them cutely.

"What is it for you today then, Leon?" a female voice asked from a flight of stairs above them. A ginger haired beauty with a side pony looked down upon them from above. She had her ponytail decked out in little heart charms and the splashes of blue green she wore brought out the very color from her eyes as she wandered down to greet them.

"Anani...this is Sonia, the trainer of that Yamper there." he chuckled as the young girl knelt down to play with the puppy-like creature.

"Sonia is the Professor's gradaughter." Hop explained,"She's the one giving us our poke'dex, right Sonia!?" he beamed.

"Hm? A Poke'dex?" she blinked,"That's what you're after?"

"Aye." said Leon,"You remember my brother, Hop?" he blinked,"Well this is his mate here, Anani." he stated.

"Right..." said Sonia,"The Sleeping Beauty of the Slumbering Weald."

"SERIOUSLY, LEE!?" Hop huffed blushing as he shook his head into his palm and the lab filled with laughter.

"Come now, Hop, I mean REALLY!" Anani laughed," I'm hardly a beauty as it is!"

"POSH on, you!" he argued back.

"What does that even mean anyway?" Anani chuckled.

"What?" Hop blinked.

" Posh on you?" she questioned.

"It means hush!" Hop snickered with a playful nudge of his fist into her shoulder.

Leon chuckled and shook his head.

"One way of putting it is like calling hogwash on a statement" said Leon.

"Like when you claim you're not a beauty..." said Hop,"THAT'S Posh!" Hop laughed as a blushing Anani took a brutal swing at him in a silencing yet playful manner.

"HeHehe, Well these two are right rivals aren't they?" Sonia giggled, "They sort of remind me of you and me when we were rivals on our own Gym Challenge starting out."

"These two aim to be new trainers in the Poke'mon Gym challenge." Leon stated,"I brought them here so you could set them up right..."he blinked, "Would you?"

"What do you think I am?" she sighed. Though she didn't deny this request.

"Come on, please!?" Hop beamed.

"Right, very well." she chuckled, "Then I'll need your rotom phones."

It didn't take her long to update the Poke'dex into the system before she returned them.

"Just so you know, the Poke'dex is a gift from my Gran." she explained,"You will need to go to her and let her know that you received it."

"Bang, on!" Hop grinned,"Come on Anani follow me!" he exclaimed,"Professor Magnolia lives just down the way!"

XXXXX

The trek onto Route 2 was a small adventure of its own. Professor Magnolia lived on the outskirts of Wedgehurst. So it's not that she was far away persay, as the building of her home could be seen through the windows of the lab, but it was still a bit of a walk to get there.

"Say, Anani...you want to participate in the Gym Challenge too, Aye?" asked Hop as the two walked together down the road to Professor Magnolia's home on Route 2.

"That's a silly question." she blinked,"You know my answer is of course!" she clenched her fists,"After all, Piers is one of the Gym leaders right? If I participate in the Gym Challenge, that means I'll have a chance to meet him!" she beamed,"Not to mention face him in battle!" she squealed,"That goes for the Champion too~"

"Aye, so we have the same goals in regards to wanting to battle the champion!" Hop laughed,"That makes us right rivals!" he heaved a heavy sigh, "Although...we can't join the Gym Challenge without an Endorsement..." he blinked,"Lee is being so cautious and wary!" he sighed,"I reckon maybe we can talk to the Professor about it." he said,"See if she can convince him to change his mind."

"Well...if you think that will work." she smiled. Her green eyes flashed ahead as the roof of the home the journeyed to made its way onto the Hoirizon."Say, Hop...that's the place isn't it?"

"That's right...Bang on, Anani!" he grinned,"Come on then...I'll race you there!"

XXXXX

The Professor stood at her door with Leon. They seemed deep in conversation. He was asking her about Dynamax as Hop and Anani stumbled over each other for first place.

"Dear me..." the Professor chuckled.

Professor Magnolia was an older Professor who's choice of study was Dynamax. A phenomenon unique only to the Galar region so far, where for a temporary moment of battle the creatures can grow and come off gigantic. A real-time clash of the titans. She walked over to greet her two young guests guided by cane and she smile.

"Welcome, young trainers." she said kindly,"Now come along...come in then." she chuckled and led the way inside. They were led to a cozy little dining area and treated to some fresh tea as the Professor began to speak once again.

"Why, Hop dear, I see that Wooloo has made some new friends." she chuckled,"And it seems you have too..." her gaze rested fixedly on Anani.

"Aye, he sure did!" Hop grinned,"And this here is my good mate, Anani."

"Ah, yes..." she smiled,"The Sleeping Beauty of the Slumbering Weald."

"Ahh pots, not you too!" Hop slouched with his head down hiding his face in playful shame from a blushing Anani who would give him a right good bop in the shoulder everytime someone used that reference. As many times as it had occured so far- he ought to have a pretty good bruise building up.

"Well that's what happens when you come up with silly ways to describe something!" she huffed, and he laughed shielding his shoulder from another bruise to add to the current one's growth.

Professor Magnolia chuckled and even Leon tried hard to stifle his snickers.

"I trust that you two have received the Poke'dex from Sonia, then?" Magnolia asked. They both nodded.

"Oi, Professor, do us a favor, would you?" Hop said, gathering up the woman's attention.

"Oh aye?" she blinked curiously, "What can I do for you, dear?"

"Help me convince Lee that he should endorse us for the Gym Challenge!"

"Ah! Yes, please!?" Anani beamed.

The two young trainers clasped their hands together and gave a begging expression.

"Oh, Leon!" the Professor gave,"Why wouldn't you endorse them!?" she asked.

"W-Well...because!" Leon gulped,"Hop and Anani only just started out as Poke'mon Trainers, and..." he scratched his cheek awkwardly,"I mean, there's still so much they don't know yet!"

"And?" Magnolia blinked,"What better way to learn, then!?" she smiled,"Dearie, I seem to recall that your own dream is to have everyone in the Galar region become strong trainers, is it not?"

"Aye..." Leon blinked awkwardly and sighed,"Well...yeah. You're not wrong..." he pondered,"It was for that goal that I gave them both Poke'mon, in fact." he blinked a few more times and slid his gaze to two eager young trainers who looked upon them with fire in their eyes, and he couldn't help but smile.

"Right, then." he said, placing his hand to his hip,"Let's see if you two can show me a brilliant enough battle...that I'll be left with no choice but to endorse you!"

Relief washed over them, along side a wave of excitement as they exchanged determined gaze.

"Right, then!" Hop beamed,"Let's go, Anani!" he declared,"I'll be waiting for you outside!" and like just that, like the wind- Hop was gone once again. Awaiting her for their first proper match as rivals.

To Be Continued