Chapter 23

"Wherever it's going, I'm gonna chase it,What's left of this moment, I'm not gonna waste it, Stranded together, our worlds have collided, This won't be forever, so why try to fight it?"-Beautiful Now by Zedd ft Jon Bellion

I don't know what's made me so adamant, but I've trained a little more since beating Skyla and finally got Poe to evolve into a Lampent. All I gotta do now is find a Dusk Stone and those don't come cheap. I'm currently trying to save my salary so I can do so, which I already spend on taking care of my other Pokémon. Chandelures are quite formidable opponents and I know Poe will be a powerful ally to the team once she fully evolves so it'll be well-worth the sacrifice.

I wake up realizing I forgot something important, but I can't remember what.

When I go downstairs to make myself breakfast (in my pajama top and bottoms, no less), I'm treated to a somewhat surprising scene: Dad, mom, Professor Juniper, Cedric, Mrs. White, Cheren's parents, and White herself are all there. I'm taken aback and momentarily stay in a stasis of shock.

"Wha—"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" everyone says all at once.

That's today?!

Realization dawns at me when White gives me a hug and I'm quick to hug her back.

There's a cake waiting in the middle of the table and a couple of gifts. The cake is filled with white frosting and says "Happy Birthday, Bianca" in green letters with two orange candles labeled as 19 on them. Wow, I'm nineteen now. My last year as a teenager.

Cheren's parents are the first to give me their present, which turns out to be a letter from Cheren himself.

"He's in deep training," his mother tells me. "He writes to us now, even though he doesn't really have the time to do it, since it's really rigorous."

"We're still proud of him," his father says, pushing up his glasses in the same manner his son does. I don't read the letter straight away, as it would be rude to in front of everyone. Instead, I open the other presents. Juniper's given me five Full Revives (which I'll save for the E4, no doubt); Dad's given me money (which I'll save for that aforementioned Dusk Stone); and last, mom's gift is in a large orange box-shape with Tepigs emblazoned on it. I don't want to tear up the paper since its so adorable.

I carefully take the wrapping paper out and see something I didn't quite expect: it's a hat. A plain green beret with a simple, but elegant bow at the right side. The hat's quality astounds me, as the material is sturdy. Much sturdier than my current hat, which has unfortunately seen all sorts of damage happen to it and has worn itself out due to overuse.

"Thank you all so much!"

After we cut the cake, White stays a little bit longer while her mom, Cheren's parents, and Professor Juniper leave. Mom leaves to go to the market while dad goes upstairs to his room.

"I haven't seen you in so long." I finally say to her.

White gives me a smirk, which reminds me of our pre-journey White so much. "I got your message the other day. I see you're coming for me. I'd like to see you challenge me before Cheren does. That'd be a nice, yet unexpected thing to happen, you know." I wouldn't be late for once.

"It may have taken me much longer to get my badges, but my goal is all the same."

I've figured out what my ultimate goal as a trainer is. "And that is...?"

"It's to be formidable. To have respect and honor. Being the best that ever was isn't going to cut it for me, that's not realistic. I want to make the top twenty if I can. Truth is, it's not just for my own self-worth. I thought it was at first, since I wanted to be different than my birth mom, but seeing her at the Celestial Tower made me realize that this is also about my Pokémon and their value and worth overall. They're everything to me. They're my best friends and partners and I've realized that working together will get us this far." I don't tell her how I wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't make it through the Elite 4. The one I'm worried about the most is Shauntal.

White smiles at me. "I'll see you then." She gets up out of her seat.

"Hey! Where are you going?"

"I've got to go back to my station. Can't leave for long periods of time without proper sanctioning. It sucks, but that's what being Champion's all about and as much as I'd like to make the rules, I have to set an example." White says this with some remorse in her eyes, as though this part of being Champion is kind of a burden. "But it makes some sweet, sweet cash so I shouldn't complain." She says this with a smile, but the look on her eyes tell me something more.

I walk out with White and see her summon Zekrom. It doesn't scare me as much as it did all that time ago and when she flies away, being a small, black speck in the sky, I realize that I'll be seeing her soon again. I know it.

Dear Bianca, I recite Cheren's letter in my head. I've read it so much that I've memorized the contents of it.

"How many Pokémon do you plan on using?" The officiator says. It's my seventh Gym Battle and there's cameras watching my every move. It's overwhelming, but I have to pretend that they're not there. That's all there is to it. If White and Cheren and every other person who has gotten this far has been able to do this, then this shouldn't be a problem.

"I'm using three," I say.

"And you, Gym Leader Brycen?"

"Three," he says curtly. I just now realize why he's always wearing that mask. He doesn't like how the camera tends to do all of the focus on him. It's relieving for me, but I feel bad for him.

I'm sorry for being so uncommunicative. It's just...kind of happened.

Without uttering a word, Brycen summons a Vanillish while I release Sheik from her Pokéball. This is her very first Gym battle and I know in my heart that she is strong enough to battle and win against all of Brycen's Pokémon. My other two are just for show.

If Brycen's nervous, then he isn't showing it. "You know what to do."

I've come to respect Alder and have since stopped blindly worshiping him as I've realized he's got his flaws. The man gives stellar advice, but has trouble practicing it on his own.

The Vanillish spews some kind of Poison attack from its cone, but it doesn't do anything to Sheik.

"Use Return!"

Shiek makes her signature fighting stance and jumps around as stealthily as a Mienfoo can. The attack doesn't do much, since I haven't forged a friendship as strong as my older Pokémon, but it's sufficient.

He told me that when Brycen faced that debilitating injury, he trained in the ice caves and got to understand the importance of Ice-Types. As for me, I guess you can say I'm doing the same. I'm in a cave, far, far away from people, places, and things. I can't see much, but I think that was my problem. I saw too much and wanted more than I knew I wanted.

"Acid Armour."

"Drain Punch!" A part of me feels slightly dejected that Sheik won't gain any health, but that's the way it goes as the Vanillish falls flat on the ground. I wasn't expecting Brycen to be this easy.

"And Vanillish is down. Trainer Bianca is winning with her Pokémon in perfect health. What will Brycen do?" The announcer says above us (well, I think he's above us. I don't want to look).

He summon a snowflake-like Pokémon. A Cryogonal. He's again at a severe disadvantage against Sheik, who has gained confidence in her ability to fight. I've trained her somewhat hard since my birthday passed because I know she can go at it on her own and give a no-holds-barred beatdown.

I don't know when I'll see you or White again. I'll challenge White when I'm ready and I'm sending this to my parents for the purpose of wishing you a happy birthday.

"Use Reflect," Brycen commands.

Is he not going to attack?

"Use Drain Punch again, Sheik!"

Sheik makes her stance and fast approaches the Cryogonal, knocking him out with her powerful punch.

What's funny is that I had trouble seeing your point-of-view during your journey and I realized just how important it is to have a purpose and while I thought I had one and I was dead set on accomplishing it, I realized it might not be what I thought it would have been.

"Ooooh! Another one down! What's Brycen going to do now that he's on his last Pokémon?"

He quietly summons a Beartic and it lets out a deafening roar. Sheik is unfazed by it, but doesn't let her pride show (or what I think is her pride).

"We've got this, Sheik! Use Drain Punch!"

I have a feeling that you're currently finishing up your League Challenge and will no doubt go up against White. I don't know if you'll beat her or not, but right now, my mind is going towards that first day all the way back in Route 1 when we challenged ourselves to catch as many Pokémon as we could.

"Use Swagger," Brycen says. The Beartic claps his hands and Sheik is hit with a dizzying noise that hits her with confusion. Uh-oh.

With this, she lands a punch to herself, giving herself quite a substantial damage due to the increased attack.

"Use Icicle Clash."

"Return!"

Sheik does more damage to herself plus the damage of Brycen's attack doesn't help her case. She's in the orange, hovering straight towards red if she attacks herself one more time.

"You've got one chance, Sheik! Use Drain Punch!"

"Use Brine and finish it." And just as she shakes off her confusion, she does something I forgot about: she eats the berry in her hand and her health is somewhat restored.

Right now I'm going to challenge you again with this: Don't let me beat you to challenging White.

There's hope now that I can sweep Brycen, as Sheik's quickness manages to evade the Brine attack and finish her opponent. As it falls to the ground, a white light envelops Sheik and when it fades, she's taller, elegant, and much more beautiful than I anticipated, her short and harsh yellow and pink fur now a pure white and lilac lines on key parts of her body. She's a Mienshao now. Sheik bows down at the camera that has watched her evolve and walks up to me, her arms extended as she takes her hand with mine, her face smiling for the first time. We bow together at the camera and Brycen wordlessly hands me my badge.

Don't be late. I know you can do this because at the end of the day, I admire you and I wish the best for you and for White as well.

Even though I'm not with my best friends, I have six other ones that I can tend to. And now that I've won over my most recent friend, anything is possible.

I'm not one for sentimentality, but I truly care about you— and White— and I wish you a happy birthday. May all of your wishes come true this year.

"BREAKING NEWS!" An app on my Xtransceiver buzzes on my phone while I take a nap on my day off, which happens to be a few days after I decimated Brycen's team. It's a holiday here in Unova but it doesn't feel that way since it hasn't been snowing this year.

And it isn't just any app that's currently buzzing. It's the app exclusive to registered Trainers that are currently doing the Gym Challenge. I click on an article with the red, boldfaced headline reading: Shakeup! and a video pops up.

"It seems that the rumors surrounding the return to Brycen on the big-screen have been true! In the beginning of next year, Gym Leader Brycen has confirmed that he is stepping down from his position to go back into making movies. It seems that he wants to now see if the bonds between Pokémon and humans can be extended towards the silver screen. In other news, Co-Gym Leader Iris is stepping down from her position in order to compete in the League Challenge for herself. This one isn't arguably a shakeup, but could very well be in the future, as Iris is known to many in the Pokémon Stadium World as a prodigy in the making. We'll have to keep a close eye on her. While Drayden will now be a full-time Gym Leader, replacements for Brycen are currently being looked at. It is now strongly advised for trainers who have started their journey prior to Autumn to make their final preparations before the badges are reset."

I didn't know what I was expecting.

I get the text from Roxie almost instantaneously. Hey did you hear that?

Yes! I'm just one badge away! I respond. Last time I spoke to Roxie, she was at her second attempt at trying to battle the Elite Four. I got numerous, rather explicit texts about how some...witch with a capital B with long blonde hair beats her team while she sleeps. Literally.

We need to hurry it up, then! Because there's no way I'll get the League's attention by not having won against the Elite 4!

The year is almost at a close. Typically, Gym Leaders are contracted for a twelve month timeframe. I don't know how the specifics work, but usually in late November/Early December, they do a bait-and-switch (there are exceptions, though, but again, I don't know the specifics). I think the last time this happened was with the Striaton Brothers three years ago when they were chosen to represent Striaton.

And right now, it's about a week and a half into February so I need to pick up the pace.

I've heard about what happens when the League does a Badge Update. When there's just one, that Badge will be considered obsolete for when you enter Victory Road. When there's more than one, then the process will have to start all over again. Either way, Unova's map might change, as it could be a town like Undella, Lentimas, or even Accumula that get a new Gym, if it comes to that. And if it goes to Lentimas, I'd have to take a plane and that I do not want to do that anytime soon.

I need to battle Iris and I need to do this quickly.

As I make my way towards Opelucid City on the bus a few days later, I hear rumors swirl about the new potential Gym Leader, as it's the talk of the town. I know that as I take my bus ride north, Roxie is currently duking it out with the Elite 4 for the fifth time. I applaud her persistence and tenacity, especially since she's going with a Poison heavy team here.

I still haven't evolved Poe, who is my final Pokémon who has yet to achieve her final evolution. After this happens, my entire team will be all grown up. This makes me tear up a little, but I have to be strong for them, just as they need to be strong for me.

I've saved up enough money to go to the mall in front of Opelucid City. I ignore all of the trinkets and baubles and clothes lined up ahead of me and I head straight towards The Stone Shop, where I spend almost all of my money on the Dusk Stone for Poe.

"Well, here goes nothing," I tell Poe when we're just outside Opelucid City.

"Pent?"

I place the stone in front of her and the energy from her ghostly light radiates in my hand. Poe's fire feeds off of the Dusk Stone and a purple-orange light envelops her, growing bigger and brighter and more radiant each second. For a moment, I wonder if the light is going to just go into a crescendo and blind me, but I realize some of it stays, showing a purple-blue color in it's place.

It's Poe, who is now a Chandelure.

"Lure!" She says, twirling around the field.

I can see why Shauntal keeps one around. There's something romantic about the way the sway and the odd light that comes out of their candles.

"Cool," some says from a distance. When I look up, I see it's Iris coming from the mall's entrance. "Hey Bianca, didn't think I'd see you here." Iris has grown up a little since the last time I saw her. She's still wearing the same outfit, but the way she carries herself is a lot more confident.

"Iris!" She moves closer to me and gives me a one armed hug. She's also grown a little taller since I saw her last, too.

"Coming to challenge Unova's future champion for one last time before she leaves?" Iris crosses her arms. She's really confident.

"Uh, yeah. I'm down to get my last Gym Badge from here." I literally have no strategy with my match against Iris or Drayden other than spamming Ice-type attacks with Madge, who is the only Pokémon I have other than Sheik and Munny that doesn't have a weakness to Dragon. Then I realize my mistake. "Actually, I'm up here, since you know, this place is north of where I live and stuff." We begin to walk to the Center together with Poe tagging along.

"Haha, don't sweat it! Grandpa made me come to the mall because he got one of the seamstresses to fashion me some journey clothes." She stiffens. "And my champion outfit. It's...dramatic." I remember how Cedric Juniper told me that Drayden adopted one of Unova's ancient tribe's descendant and how Iris looks different than the average Unovan. On behalf of the Junipers, I want to ask her about these things, but something holds me back.

"Remember when I was your bodyguard?"

How couldn't I? It was one of the worst days of my life. Assaulted and traumatized by a team of people with contradictory goals? I still get the occasional nightmare about it. I nod.

"You looked so different then. Probably like how I must look different to you. I see you and I see someone who can challenge me and Grandpa Drayden and win. Though if you beat Hilda White for Champion, I'm gunning for you next and there won't be any rules holding me back! Anyway, see you soon!" With that, Iris skips along and runs to her house, leaving me and Poe confused.

I go into the Gym the next morning after it opens and wait in line as I answer some basic questions by the reporters as whoever is leading is battling with what I'm assuming is a beginner.

"Bianca Bel, how does it feel to be following in your mother's footsteps?" he asks me, the camera in my face. This reporter is something of a veteran and I remember him saying he was going to retire after this shakeup. Auditions for hip and younger idols for the camera have been announced. I have no interest in seeking that as my purpose, especially now that the camera is in my face.

"Uh, I don't know. I don't really know her." I shift awkwardly in my seat as I see my unsteady handwriting labeled with "Stoutland, Musharna, and Meinfoo" listed as my battle partners for my final badge.

"Ah yes. I remember Wendy. She looks quite like you. Was part of something of a love dodecahedron with Drayden and some other trainers. She was offered a spot on the Elite Four but famously rejected the position in the name of love."

Wait, what?

No, that doesn't make any sense.

Then again, I don't like to look up her story, especially knowing how sensationalized accounts can be. But Drayden? Isn't he too old?

"Would you sacrifice in the name of love?"

I feel my ears redden at his statement. "Uhhhh, ummm. I don't know." Why go back to my mother? Why can't reporters latch onto my job with Professor Juniper? I'd be able to answer questions on that. "To be honest, I don't really study my mom. All I know is that our starters were Fire-types. I'm just Champion White's childhood friend and Aurea Juniper's assistant. Sometime in the coming months, she will speak again at Castelia University on her research for the Klink line. I won't be battling anyone this time around, but you can look forward to it!"

I just made a complete fool of myself, didn't I? The reporter looks entirely dismissive.

"What do you know of Trainer Cheren? He hasn't been seen in months and it looks as though he is entirely off the grid."

"I don't know much except he wrote me a letter on my birthday and we might see him again. I don't know when though." There's wayyyy too many "I don't knows".

"Do you and Trainer Cheren have any other history? Does Champion White and Cheren?" He wiggles his eyes in a fashion that makes me squirm.

I shake my head. "Definitely n—"

"Bianca, you're up next!" One of the Gym's PR people says. I quickly get up out of my seat and hand her my clipboard.

"Thank you!"

She sighs. "Oh, it's no problem. I'm so glad he's retiring after this season. A sensationalist, that one. Always looking to dramatize Trainer's stories and make them intense. Once in a while there is a trainer with a story so good, but most of you are regular people." White comes to mind when I think of a "good story".

"Okay, Ms. Bel. You're gonna enter through this side and Drayden will come from there." I nod. "Okay, in three, two, one."

Drayden appears from the other side and I come in. "Welcome. Thank you for coming. I am Opelucid Pokémon Gym's Leader, Drayden. As the mayor, I've given everything to developing the city. As a Trainer, I've simply been pursuing greater strength. But what I'm searching for now is a young Trainer who can show me a bright future. Perhaps you can show me that future, the way Iris has?"

I weakly nod and send Munny from her Pokéball. Drayden releases a Fraxure. I can do this.

The Fraxure is eager to battle, his body shifting from side to side and I ignore the noise, but the feel of the camera and spotlight on me is staggering.

"Musharna," I find myself calling Munny by her species' name and it feels foreign to me. "Yawn." She lets out a loud Yawn. All I have to do is wait when she does it and I'm patient. Except Drayden crosses his arms, his face neutral.

"Use Assurance." The Fraxure is quick to act and lands a blow on Munny that hits way harder than I expected. Assurance. Assurance. That's Normal type, right? Then why is it hitting hard? I need my moveset app! Why isn't technology readily available during Gym Battles? It's like taking a class final.

It'll be fine. I know the Fraxure will fall asleep for at least two rounds and if I'm lucky, until it faints.

The Fraxure then drops to the ground as Munny haphazardly floats in the air. Her HP is in the lower orange area according to the screen. "Use Dream Eater!" Munny hovers nearby her opponent and releases a white light into his sleeping mind, sapping his HP.

Unfortunately, it isn't as much as I hoped it would be. Munny barely makes it to the green area.

Worse yet, the Fraxure moves and attacks Munny with whatever Assurance is, causing her HP to dramatically lower. One more hit and she's done. I have to get desperate.

"Use Return!" Munny charges from her position and body slams into the Fraxure, hitting him decently enough.

"Assurance!" Drayden says, and the Fraxure happily strikes at Munny, her body quickly falling into the ground like a tossed brick.

Oh no! I gotta step up my game!

"Madge, you're up next!"

Madge comes out, barking at the Fraxure. I won't hold back anymore. "Use Ice Fang! You can do it!" Madge barks and an icy wind comes from her fur to the Fraxure's cold-blooded body, causing the result I needed.

Okay, so now we're tied and I have the type advantage. I can breathe easier now.

"Druddigon, it's your turn!" A gigantic, draconian looking Pokémon towers the other side of the battleground, eyeing Munny with rage. "Avenge your fallen comrade." The Druddigon flaps its wings and flies into the air with one of it's legs positioned in a kicking motion.

Oh no.

No.

An ultra-powerful Fighting type move that I triggered on my own.

How...

Madge takes the beating quite awfully and falls to the ground with no hope of coming back to battle. She doesn't even hold out for a Full Restore.

I'm in trouble. Huge trouble.

"Sheik! Let's do this!" I say, trying to not let my voice waver. I can see the camera flashing in my direction as defeat is imminent. I wasn't planning on losing! I mean, who is? But no! "Fake out!"

The Druddigon flinches and stops moving for a moment. Okay, I have a slight advantage over this Pokémon now. "Good job! Now use Return!" Sheik flips over to where her opponent hovers and her fist collides with its underbelly. It doesn't do enough damage, but it's a start.

"Use Dragon Tail," Drayden says. The Druddigon turns around and slams its tail at Sheik, who can barely sidestep away from it. The damage it does to Sheik isn't much, but if I don't watch her, it could get me in trouble.

The attacks go that way for the next two rounds and I feel myself growing steady. Sheik manages to edge out the Druddigon by performing a spectacular Return move that deals a critical hit. I was lucky that she was faster than the Druddigon, through because otherwise, it'd have been over by now.

Drayden summons a Haxorus, which I honestly kind of expected. The screen says its at level 43, which is only made possible due to the capping system the Gyms use. I know Fraxures evolve at a later level, but I don't remember which.

I give Sheik a Full Restore and the Haxorus doesn't attack her, instead opting to do this oddly elegant dance.

Sheik chips away at the Haxorus with Returns and Drain Punches, but the Haxorus does nothing but dance. The announcer says it's doing a dragon dance of some kind, but I choose to ignore him because I need to think of how I need to win this battle.

"Use Dragon Tail," Drayden says, crossing his arms once more. The Haxorus turns around and I notice his tail is glowing a purple-blue light. Oh.

Oh.

The attack hits Sheik and her HP sinks down to just 8.

What to do, what to do? Do I attack and hope the next move causes Haxorus to faint? Or do I give Sheik a full restore and allow the overpowered Haxorus to hit her again? I'm cornered. I'm absolutely cornered.

"Use Return, Sheik," I say, my voice barely audible to the audience.

The attack doesn't cause the Haxorus to faint.

I know what comes next. An overpowered Dragon Tail that pushes Sheik over the edge and finishes her off.

I dig into my wallet and hand Drayden the rest of my funds and the announcers make some more commentary as I proceed to do the custom loss procedures you see on TV. Luckily I have three more Pokémon so I don't have to worry about my systems crashing and going black, but losing feels so terrible. I can't let it consume, though. It's just a loss.

I go to the Center and dial Juniper's number on the computer. She quickly picks up.

"Hey Bianca," she says.

"Hi there." I shouldn't let it get to me. I lost against Clay and I was able to bounce back. I'll be able to bounce back with Drayden, too. Problem is that I can't just go home and make the return trip back. I need to be to the point with Juniper and I need to make a back-up plan starting now.

"I need to take some time off from the lab. Can you tell my mom and dad that I'll be off finishing my League Training? Is that okay?"

Juniper is taken aback by it. "Uhh, sure. It's no problem. We'll all miss you, but we'll understand." Good, because there's still hope yet. There will always be hope.