"Sucker Punch!" I order Decidueye.
I have a distinct strategy for this battle. It's quite different than what I normally do but I've seen how it can work. In training these last few weeks it has been nearly flawless but none of the trainers I battled in that time match the expertise of Steven.
Metagross takes the significant attack but looks pretty unfazed. Steven orders it to use Zen Headbutt.
"Dodge it and use Razor Leaf!" Decidueye successfully follows orders and is able to get the Razor Leaf attack off. However, Metagross uses Physic to send the attack back. As Decidueye braces for the attack Metagross charges with another Zen Headbutt. In a 1,2 attack Decidueye is stunned.
And angry.
Decidueye quickly charges at Metagross by flying at a low-altitude with it's wings tucked. Steven tries to get Metagross to use Physic but it is too late. The contact hurts both Pokemon significantly but they are fine.
Steven smirks. "Shadow Ball!"
"Shadow Ball, Decidueye."
Both Pokemon use and get hit by the other's Shadow Ball. Decidueye slowly arises from the ground after taking the hit. Meanwhile, Metagross looks to be in better shape. Decidueye, breathing heavily uses razor leaf. Metagross dodges and connect with a Meteor Mash attack.
I can feel the battle getting away from me but I'm not going to be deterred. "Aerial Ace!"
Decidueye takes flight when Steven orders Metagross to use Zen Headbutt.
"Stop! Use Shadow Ball!" I yell. Decidueye makes a full stop and lets loose a Shadow Ball attack that hits Metagross causing it to be stopped in it's tracks.
"Tackle!" I yell. Steven again tells Metagross to attack this time with it's own Shadow Ball. I then tell Decidueye to stop and slide to the left and use another Shadow Ball. Metagross is now looking weary as the crowd lets out a few gasps of shock.
I look over at Caleb and Carl. Carl has an intense look on the battle while Caleb is smiling. I also notice that Carl's family is here in its entirety.
As Metagross shakes off the damage that has been done to it I look over to Steven. He's smiling. He's enjoying this battle and, well, so am I. This is a good battle. I'm holding my own and my bait and switch tactic is working.
I get a little cute when I try the tactic again. I order Decidueye to use Aerial Ace. Steven told Metagross to use Physic. The attack causes Decidueye to be stuck in one spot in it's flying position.
"Zen Headbutt!" Steven yells.
The attack is devastating. Decidueye is lying on the ground with it's face in the dirt and grass. The crowd is silent.
A few moments pass as everyone watches the battlefield. Metagross is standing while Decidueye is still on the ground. Just as the match is to be declared over Decidueye begins struggle to his feet. If there is one thing he doesn't lack it is fight.
As Decidueye labors to stand Steven tells Metagross to use Zen Headbutt one more time. Metagross levitates off the ground and charges towards Decidueye.
"Decidueye, watch out!" I yell.
He looks up and spots Metagross and in an instant Metagross stops the attack. No. It's stuck in motion. An aura surrounds Decidueye as it charges Metagross. To the left of Metagross is it's shadow. There is something that appears to be holding the shadow in place and in turn is keeping Metagross in place.
I have no clue what attack Decidueye is using but it hits Metagross hard.
Decidueye is huffing and puffing, struggling to stand as Metagross struggles to regain itself after the blow.
"Shadow Ball one more time Decidueye!"
The attack misses as Metagross dodges and hits Decidueye with a Psyshock attack. I tell Decidueye to dodge but it can't. Instead it faints to the ground just before Metagross' attack lands.
Decidueye is done.
I walk up to it and tell it that it did a wonderful job. I then recall it back to its Pokeball so it can heal.
I stand up when Steven walks over and congratulates me on a battle well fought. I tell him that I enjoyed it very much.
"You are definitely your father's son. You should be proud of how well you and your Decidueye battled."
"I am," I responded to Steven.
"HA!" someone yelled from afar.
I turned around and saw this young boy with a bright yellow hair stroll in with his Absol. He was joined with a couple other kids that I recognized.
Astor Pines.
He strutted towards us with a stupid smirk on his face and scoffed at me.
"You're the son of the great Gregory Alistar. What a disgrace."
A lot of the townspeople gasped in horror of his words.
"Excuse me?" I say.
"You are a novice. You shouldn't be proud of how you battled. You lost. Your Decidueye was weak. Just like you. That's why you ran away."
"Watch it, asshole." Carl took a few steps forward and got close to Astor. Meanwhile, a few people from the crowd began to yell at the audacious boy.
"Or what?" Astor asked trying to bait Carl.
Steven reprimanded Carl and Astor for their language and attitude. He implored for Carl to back off and for Astor to leave and show some respect. Astor wasn't exactly one to show respect to anyone who doesn't show respect first. Even then he may not even show you respect.
I place my hand on Carl's shoulder and tell him to relax. I step in front of him and look at Astor.
"Fine, I'm weak. I've never admitted to being strong. I hope you never have to deal with the loss of a parent in your immature mental state. Take it for me, it sucks."
I turn around and grab Carl's arm so he doesn't get caught up anymore in Astor's nonsense. I walk towards Caleb and wink at him. "Let's go," I whisper towards him.
"There you go, running away again. This time with his boyfriend Carl," Astor says with a chuckle.
"That's enough Astor or I will be forced to talk with the council about your behavior. I will make sure you don't see the Tournament if you keep talking with such disrespect."
Astor scoffed at the threat from Steven.
I took a deep breath and turn around. "You're wrong, Astor." I then grabbed Caleb and pulled him in for a quick kiss. "This is my boyfriend."
We left to a roar from the crowd that was leftover from the battle. I didn't look back to see where Astor was or what he was doing. I didn't care. He'll get his comeuppance eventually. Carl brings us back to his home where we are joined by his family.
They mix in their displeasure with Astor in with their joy of me being here as we settle down.
"As he always been an ass?" Caleb asked.
"Yes," Carl and I say simultaneously.
Steven then walks in and looks frustrated.
"That kid and his mouth. It's a shame he the top ranked trainer in Hoenn. I know I shouldn't say this, but I hope someone finally beats him in this Tournament."
Astor has never lost a Pokemon Battle.
"I'll beat him," Carl says confidently.
I smiled as I took a swig of my water.
After a few moments we all relaxed and went on to different topics. Carl's parents wanted to know how Alola was. They promised to come over the summer. Then Carl said that the Alolan Championship was in July. So his parents said they were coming in July.
Steven left soon after saying he in needed to go to Rustboro for a meeting. He thanked me again for the battle and told me to keep my head up.
Carl's parents offered us to stay in their spare bedroom, which we graciously accepted. I just had to cancel the reservations at the hotel in Rustboro.
...
Later that evening Carl walked in on Caleb and me watching some battles from the Kanto League Tournament where Amy Lars won the championship with her Clefable.
He looked a little nervous as he stood in the door way.
"Do you want to go to the cemetery?" he asked.
I took a couple breaths as I thought about it. The idea of going to see where my dad is buried always hovered in my mind but I never focus on it. It was one of those thoughts that come up but then you try to stifle it because of how it makes you feel. I said sure to Carl because it makes no sense to put it off.
So Caleb, Carl and I went to the cemetery. Carl and Caleb were a bit more silent than I would've hoped. The brief conversations kept awkwardly falling off.
When we entered the cemetery, there wasn't a soul there. It was fair late but not too late to expect nobody to be here. We walk further into the cemetery to where my father's gravestone sat.
I walked up to it as Carl and Caleb stood behind and rubbed the top of the stone. I did not weep. I did not cry. I did not fall to my knees in pain. I smiled, my heart calmly beating, pumping warm blood throughout my body.
Caleb walked up next to me and asked if I was okay. He was a little stunned to see me smiling when I turned to him.
"Yeah, I'm fine. He may have died last year but so much has happened. So much good. I'm in a new chapter of my life," I turned and looked at Carl, "And I have you two to thank for that."
Just as we were about to leave I heard a rustling in the bushes nearby. We turned to see what it was when a Sceptile stepped out. It had a red armband on it's left arm. It stared at me with it's tired glaze and walked away, back into the bushes. I went to go follow it but when I got to the bushes it was gone. He was gone.
"That was strange." Caleb said quizzically.
Carl and I didn't say anything.
"Guys?" Caleb asked as he walked closer to me.
I turned around and grabbed the necklace Caleb got for me. I trace the outline of the amulet hanging from it. "That was my dad's Sceptile."
A whispered "Oh" came out of Caleb's mouth.
"I wonder how often he comes here," I say out loud.
"I've seen him a couple times but I guess he comes frequently. Kinda sad, no?" Carl responds.
It was sad. I look towards the back of the cemetery where a small path led to the Pokemon cemetery of Petalburg City. I walked over to it and took a deep breath. I didn't look behind me to see where Carl and Caleb were, I just kept walking.
In front of me was the stone that belonged to Rocky, my Dad's Mightyena. Mightyena didn't die from the landslide. He died weeks later from being heartbreak. My dad was close to Sceptile, but Mightyena and him had a special bond. My dad saved him when he was a Poochyena from Team Magma. He was a young adult, maybe 22. It was before Team Magma became the powerhouse it was a decade or so ago. Mightyena passed away in front of my dad's gravestone. My dad never battled with Mightyena, feeling the Pokemon had already battled enough under the rough conditions with Team Magma. It was a 1,2 punch for me really. I have many pictures and videos of riding and playing with Mightyena.
"Where are his other Pokemon?" Caleb asked.
"Most of them are in the hands of Professor Birch or scattered around Hoenn to help. I couldn't point them out if I tried," I answered.
"What about his main team?"
"Well, Medicham is in Dewford Town, Gardevoir is with Professor Birch, Wailord is out in the Sea near Sootopolis City, Absol is at Evergrande City and, uh, Aggron is missing."
"Missing?" Caleb asked.
"Mhm. It and Sceptile were given to my uncle. One day Aggron just left. He was never chipped with a GPS sensor so we have no clue where it is."
We stood there in silence for a couple minutes and then went back home. It has been a really long day and I was ready to pass out. Tomorrow, the plan was to go see my uncle who has likely heard of my arrival by now.