A/N: Hey, everyone! Sorry this chapter was late! If you've been following my profile updates, you'll know that I've been given some new responsibilities after the office that I work in had a worker shuffle. I've been busy with training on those new responsibilities for the past couple of weeks. And before that, things have just been busy for me in general, both at home and at my work. It's just been a joyride all around. :/
Anyway, I finally managed to finish this chapter. I was originally planning to post this yesterday, but I got sidetracked by some personal stuff and didn't have enough time to put the finishing touches before I decided to go to sleep. I won't be making any promises on when the next chapter will be coming out, but I do already have some material prepared for it. It's just a matter of balancing my daily schedule again in the wake of the changes at my job, my plans for future projects (both "Pokémon"-related and non-"Pokémon"), and Daylight Savings Time coming to an end yet again, thereby screwing up my sleeping patterns.
Alright, that's enough rambling! On with the chapter. ENJOY!
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-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.
Rose of the Rondelands, Wyndon
Yancy stared at herself in the mirror and took a deep breath of apprehension while she held her signature panama hat in her hands. With every passing second where she looked into her own reflection, the teenager found herself disliking how she looked, disregarding the fact that she was wearing her usual attire and had only been looking at herself in the mirror for about ten seconds.
But she knew there was no avoiding this. Today was a very special day, one that her family celebrated every year. Even if he was the renowned Tower Knight of the Kalos Elite Four, her father, Ash Ketchum, was always one to seek out as much Pokémon battles and challenges as he possibly could. The World Coronation Series was one of them, and every year, he always managed to secure a spot in the Masters Eight. Moreover, it wasn't just any spot in the Masters Eight; it was the highly coveted spot of Monarch.
Therefore, her family would always be staying in Wyndon, the location of the famed Masters Eight Tournament, for about a week. And whenever they stayed there, her family would always precede the Masters Eight Tournament with a massive get-together with all of the family friends and their own families. A joyous get-together that Yancy never looked forward to, every time.
It wasn't as if Yancy hated or even remotely disliked her parents' friends. After all, she'd known them since she was little, and they had always been present in her life. But to have all of them in one place, not to mention their children, was just something she was strongly uncomfortable with, for personal reasons that she kept close to her heart. Above all else, she just never was one for get-togethers with lots of people invited and lots of festivities celebrated. This was an opinion that she dearly held for any kind of social gathering.
Of course, she couldn't tell her parents that. They always looked forward to those kinds of get-togethers, and she did not want to disappoint them.
"Yancy? Hey Yancy, are you ready in there?"
The gentle knocking brought Yancy back to reality. She turned around and gave her visitor a soft smile.
"H-Hi, Mom..."
The honey-blonde walked up to Yancy with the regality and elegance of a queen. It did not matter if she was wearing the most casual clothing imaginable; Yancy always believed her mother was the most beautiful person on the planet, and her very presence was assuaging down to the very core. Everything about her was absolutely unmatched. Outside of clothing choices, there was also a brilliant, warm aura of gentle kindness that radiated from the woman, an aura that Yancy never failed to catch on and feel comforted by.
Right now, that aura was amplified by the way Serena proudly beamed at her, which made Yancy less likely to voice her concerns about the get-together.
"Oh, wow," the pink-haired girl commented, blushing faintly at the sight of Serena's attire. "You...You look great, Mom."
Serena simply smiled, walked up to Yancy, and stroked her hair the only way a mother could.
"And you look great yourself, dear," she replied.
The honey-blonde woman then proceeded to scan her daughter from head to toe. Her sapphire-blue eyes were narrowed slightly in attentive focus, and Yancy knew exactly what her mother was thinking in that moment. After a few seconds of this, Serena started fiddling with Yancy's clothing while humming a soft, jubilant tune to herself, and the teenager simply accepted her mother's adjustments without protest.
It didn't take long for Serena to get done with her adjustments, and once she was was, she took Yancy's panama hat and put it on the top of her daughter's head. Then, she took a single step back, formed an invisible camera with her thumbs and index fingers, and peered through it.
"There we go!" she cried with an approving smile. "There's my little Performer!"
Yancy could only blush and look down to the floor with embarrassment, actions that did not go unnoticed. A sympathetic Serena gave her a low hum and patted her back while escorting her out of the room.
"Ohhhhh, it's alright, Yancy," she continued. "I know how you feel."
Yancy couldn't help but dryly chuckle. No matter how many times her mother genuinely attempted to empathize with her social struggles, the pink-haired girl could never imagine the likes of Serena Ketchum being camera-shy or averse to the smallest of crowds, even. It was like getting a Snorlax to stop eating so much and start working out. It was impossible.
Even so, she allowed Serena to continue speaking. She knew she was only trying to help, after all.
"Remember," the honey-blonde said, as the two females strolled through the open door and entered the hallway, "when I was younger, I hated going to my family get-togethers. There was always so many people there, and yet I could never fit in with anyone outside of your Uncle Calem. But do you know how I got over my insecurities?"
"You met Dad again after so long," Yancy replied, trying her best to sound interested. "I know, I know, Mom."
"Well, my point is that you should never lose faith in yourself." Serena sweetly smiled down at her daughter. "Life can be bleak and full of all sorts of pressure, but you should never give up. Always believe in yourself, and be on the lookout for that special someone who'll give you the push you need. And it doesn't have to be someone like Dad! It may be someone closer to home."
"I doubt it, though..." the girl deadpanned.
Serena's eyes softened, but she continued with a passionate voice, "Just remember what your dad always says, Yancy."
"Never give up till the end. I know, I know..." Yancy heaved out a sullen sigh. "I just wonder..."
Her voice trailed off, prompting Serena to ask, "You just wonder what, honey?"
The adolescent sighed, shrugged off her mother's gentle grasp, and walked away from her.
"Nothing... Let's go..."
"Let's get this meeting started, shall we?"
Ash was seated in his darkened private office, with no one to accompany him in the shadows but Pikachu. Seated on his usual perch upon his good friend's right shoulder, the Mouse Pokémon joined him in observing the slightly large, high-end split-screen TV set. A videoconference was underway, with seven others in attendance. Some of the members were older and weathered, while others were more around Ash's age and more attentive. Despite this, all seven guests were united in the fact that they regarded Ash's presence with unconditional respect and admiration.
And all nine attendants were united underneath the serious, concerning nature of the meeting's topic. It hung over all of their heads like a dark storm-cloud.
"I assume we all know why we're here," Ash said.
"Yeah," Jack Walker replied with a wrinkled brow. "We had a pretty close call three months ago."
"Pretty close?" Tedesco asked with widening eyes. "We were just a centimeter away from total disaster in Unova! It is an Arceus-damn miracle that Iris was there to intervene when she did!"
"Speaking of which," Looker said, "I notice she hasn't joined the meeting. Where is she, Ash?"
"I've been told she's still en route to Wyndon," replied Ash. "I will get the full details from her when I see her later today. But...in the meantime..." He leaned closer to the screen, his auburn eyes glimmering with intrigue. "I hear Iris had help taking down Teams Ebony and Ivory. Help that the news organizations apparently weren't made aware of. Anyone care to explain?"
"Benga?" Emma asked, giving the corner of her screen a curious side-glance like she was trying to physically look at the colleague next to her. "Your the Sector Supervisor. What're you hearing on the ground?"
The redheaded young man rubbed his forehead in exasperation. "Way to throw me under the bus, Em..."
"It's not like I'm mad at you or anything, Benga," Ash advised compassionately. "Clearly whoever helped out was able to get a handle on the situation. But still, we all know the Guardians' top policy. No civilian involvement in crises."
"You're one to talk about no civilian involvement, Ash," Lance replied dryly.
The corners of the Tower Knight's lips twitched. "Hardy har har."
"Pika..." Pikachu squeaked with a swear-drop of embarrassment.
Then, Ash steeled himself again. "But what happened at Opelucid City was very dangerous. We're lucky that civilian was able to get out of there alive. And what I'm interested to know is how that civilian was able to engage Kyurem, one of the strongest Legendary Pokémon alive, and snap it out of Team Ivory's control. So I was hoping you'd have some info about that for me, Benga."
"Indeed," Archer said. His teal eyes were narrowed, and his sharp face was leaning closer to his screen with interest. "To accomplish all of that in one day, presumably with no foreknowledge of Kyurem's strength and abilities, is indicative of a strong Trainer with strong Pokémon. He or she could be a very valuable asset to the Guardians in the future."
"Well..." Benga replied, "I can't say that Iris was fully forthcoming with me in her report. I had to get my intel elsewhere, and I must say, it's a bit limited."
"We'll take what we can get, Benga," said Ash.
"Gosh, I dunno where to even begin here..." The redheaded man's brow became wrinkled in focus, and he resembled his grandfather Alder in that moment. "From what my agents have relayed to me, there was a group of young Trainers who seemed to be quite familiar with what was happening when it started happening... As if they had encounters with Teams Ebony and Ivory before."
"Any descriptions of the Trainers?" Jack asked.
"No, unfortunately..." Then, Benga's eyes grew wide in remembrance. "Oh! But one of my agents mentioned something a bit strange in her report!"
"A bit strange?" Archer repeated derisively. "Care to elaborate?"
"She wrote that she thought she saw one of the Trainers later on with a blue Emboar!"
This piqued Ash's attention immediately. "Hold on. A blue Emboar?"
Benga nodded vigorously. "Yeah! A blue Emboar...with a strange hairdo."
"A blue Emboar with a strange hairdo..." Looker repeated with a rub of his chin. "You mean like a Shiny Emboar? They're blue-"
"No! Like a-a completely blue Emboar! You know, kinda like one of Charizard's Mega Evolved forms?!"
"Heh," Archer grunted while mockingly rolling his eyes and idly resting his cheek on his palm. "The cold must've gotten to your agent's head, Benga. There is no such thing as a completely blue Emboar. And a...a strange hairdo? Either it was an optical illusion that was induced by the cold temperatures, or that Trainer was one of the worst groomers on the planet."
Benga scowled disapprovingly at his colleague's cold response. "Well, that report was sworn under the penalty of perjury, Archer. I don't see any reason for my agent to share such nonsensical details if she knew she may have been just seeing things. I'll go find the report and see what-"
"That won't be necessary, Benga," Ash interrupted.
"Hm?" Lance arched an eyebrow. "You believe that report, Ash?"
The raven-haired man smiled confidently. "Ah, just keeping an open mind, that's all. Besides, there is still a lot yet to be discovered in the world of Pokémon. I'll confirm the details with Iris once I see her. But..." His smile faded away, and his auburn eyes darkened. "We cannot afford to lower our guard, everyone. I know that it's been years since we took down Team Rocket and Giovanni – a momentous occasion for us, might I add – but historically low crime rates and our hunt for the Eight-Headed Seviper can't distract us from any and all other potential dilemmas.
"There'll always be people who wish to impose their wills upon this beautiful world of ours, and people who'll follow them without a second thought. These two new criminal organizations are proof of that, and we're so lucky that the Guardians and a few Good Samaritans had the willpower and wherewithal to act. Do you understand?"
"Understood completely, Ash," replied Tedesco.
"Ain't no way we're gonna let any criminals get the better of us!" Jack exclaimed with an enthusiastic thumbs-up.
"We're the Guardians, after all," Emma said. "The people and Pokémon of this world are always our top priority."
"Excellent," Ash responded with a proud smile. "I knew I could count on all of you guys."
Just then, a beeping noise filled Ash's room, surprising everyone. The raven-haired man took a swift glance at his ancient yet futuristic wristwatch. As soon as he saw what the alarm was for, he smiled.
"Oh. Looks like my other duty calls." He looked back at his screen. "Gotta go now. Keep up the good work, everyone."
"And you as well, Ash," Lance replied with a smile and a nod. "We'll be watching you on TV."
"I won't," Archer interjected with a bored voice. "I know how it's already gonna turn out, anyway. Have fun, though."
Ash chuckled. "I appreciate the support, Archer, as always. Alright, Ash signing off. And remember-" He lightly beat a fist over his heart. "The Aura-"
"Is with all of us," the others chorused in unison.
With that, all seven members of the videoconference signed out, one by one, eventually leaving Ash and Pikachu alone. Taking a deep breath, the auburn-eyed man took a remote and pressed a button, allowing light to finally flood his office. Once the entire room was illuminated, Ash turned to face Pikachu.
"A blue Emboar," he whispered, almost to himself. "That's so weird." Then, he spoke aloud. "What do you think it means, buddy?"
Pikachu shrugged. "Pikachu." Then, he crossed his arms. "Pika-pikachu, Pikapi."
Ash smiled at the Electric-type. "Yeah, you're right. I shouldn't get myself all wound up today. 'Cause today, we meet up with all our friends." He stood up from his chair and allowed Pikachu to scurry up to his right shoulder. "So let's leave all of this Guardian business here and have some fun, alright?"
"Pika! Pika-CHU!"
"How do I look, Mommy?! How do I look?!"
With a wide, beaming smile, Selene spun around in excitement, her yellow-and-red-polka-dotted sundress flowing along with her. Yancy smiled down at her younger sister with absolute adoration, almost forgetting how the mischievous rascal chose to wake her up. As for Serena, she knelt before her youngest child and patted her on the top of her head, causing the little girl to coo happily. Right now, the mother and daughters were standing in the middle of the living room of their seasonal penthouse apartment, illuminated by the warm morning Sun that shone through the surrounding windows.
"You look great as always, Selene," the honey-blonde woman said. "Like a little Pichu princess."
"Hee hee hee!" Selene looked down upon her Pichu, who was looking back up at her with a cute smile. "Whaddaya think, Pichu? Do I look like a princess of the Pichu Kingdom?!"
"Pichu pichu-pi!" Pichu squeaked in agreement.
"Syl sylvie," Sylveon crooned beside Yancy's leg.
"Well, every princess needs a crown, sweetie," Serena advised. Then, she unfurled her hands from behind her back. "And I think I have the perfect crown for you."
Yancy blinked at the simple straw hat in her mother's hands. It had a pink ribbon wrapped around its top and tied into an adorable bow, reminding her of Sylveon's feeler. Selene's eyes widened to the size of saucers, her jaw dropped open, and her pupils glittered at the sight of it.
"It's more than perfect, Mommy!" she squealed. "It's the bestest of the best!"
The little girl seized the hat from her mother's hands and placed it upon her own head. However, the force that she used was enough to cover her face with the hat's brim, obscuring her vision. When Selene hummed and moaned with childish confusion, Serena merely giggled and started adjusting the hat for her. Yancy could only watch this moment from just a couple of feet away, and as she did, she felt a surge of nostalgia coursing through her heart at the sight.
And then, while she continued to watch her mother make the finishing touches to her sister's look, the image triggered a deep-seated memory from the confines of her brain...
"Yancy, we're here! Come on!"
A seven-year-old Yancy merely moaned in response as the limousine pulled up next to the roaring crowd of fans and paparazzi, illuminated by the flashing of cameras and cellphones. Beside her, Serena smiled a tiny smile while she reached towards the backseat and picked up a straw hat with a pink bow on it.
"Here, honey," she said as she placed the hat on her daughter's head. As Yancy looked at her, she examined her, and her grin widened in pride and joy. "You look adorable, Yancy! Like a little Performer!"
Yancy blushed. "Th-Thank you, Mommy..."
Crrrrreeeee...
A creak interrupted Yancy's memory, and she looked over her shoulder. Ash had strolled into the living room with Pikachu sitting atop his right shoulder as always, looking extremely excited about the upcoming get-together. A mere split-second later, Yancy and Serena fell to the floor like knocked-over piles of bricks, mortified by his current appearance. Selene and Pichu looked at them in confusion, but to Yancy and Serena, good appearances were absolutely vital for an occasion such as the get-together.
And there was just no way that Ash's disheveled, casual, laidback appearance counted as "good" in any measure. He was wearing the same dull T-shirt that he always wore in bed, white save for the occasional food-stain. In addition, he wore a pair of charcoal-gray cargo pants, worn-out red sandals, and a white hat with a black Poké Ball symbol, perhaps the only thing that made him look even remotely presentable in his current attire.
"Oh, honey..." Serena moaned in exasperation. "Why do you always do this?"
"H-Huh?!" Ash exclaimed in disbelief. "You told me last night that it wasn't like we were gonna go to some banquet!"
Serena shook her head. "Even so, it doesn't justify your half-ass-" Her eyes quickly flitted to Selene in remembrance; the little girl was looking up at her mother in curiosity. "Ahem, half-baked effort to dress up decently. If you call that dressing up decently." She put her hands on her hips and made a hum of annoyance. "Please tell me you didn't go to the Guardian videoconference dressed in that slob of a getup."
...
...
...
The woman sighed. "You did, didn't you?"
"I had the lights off," Ash protested meekly.
"Ohhhhhhh, for Arceus's sake, Ash! Our friends and their families are traveling here to watch you compete in the Masters Eight Tournament, some of them from half across the world! The least you could do for them is make yourself look more presentable."
Ash chuckled sheepishly. "Well, you know me. Presentation isn't one of my stronger suits."
"Fortunately, it's one of mine." The honey-blonde started walking over to one of the nearby sofas. "And more fortunately, I know better than to not anticipate this."
Yancy watched as her mother retrieved some items from the sofa. In one of her hands was one of her father's signature uniforms, smoothly draped over a hanger. It consisted of a black skintight undershirt, a white button-up dress shirt with a slightly large collar, and a mahogany light jacket. Resting upon her other hand was a pair of black fingerless gloves with cuffs as mahogany as the light jacket.
"Ta-da!" she announced.
Ash's auburn eyes immediately glittered in delight at his wife's astounding prescience. He proceeded to take off his shirt while Serena walked up to him with the hanger of clothes and the gloves in hand.
"What am I gonna do without you, sweetie?" he asked dreamily. He removed his cap, took the black undershirt, and put it on, with Pikachu having to hop off his shoulder and onto the couch to allow him to do so.
"Indeed," Serena replied with a coy grin. "What are you gonna do when I am gone for another shoot or voiceover? You're not ten; you know that, right?"
Ash flashed her a clever grin once he was done putting on the undershirt. "Well, if you're gone, Serena, then I've always got Yancy to help me out with my clothes." He quickly snatched the white button-up shirt and started putting it on. "Not to mention the food."
Pikachu sighed and shook his head in disappointment. "Pikapi..."
"Wow. A father relying on his own children to take care of him. How mature of you, Ash Ketchum. How mature, indeed..." Serena gave him a brief but adorable pout of faux-disappointment. "And what if Yancy decides to leave the house and go on her own Pokémon journey? What'll happen then?"
"Like that's gonna happen..." Yancy mumbled, though she could tell that both Ash and Serena heard her.
"Then I can always have Selene help me out!" Ash suggested as he finished with the last of his buttons.
"Selene?" Serena asked incredulously. "You know as well as I do that she takes after you when it comes to fashion sense and cooking sense. Which is just MgRonald's and Kalosian Fried Combusken and hand-me-downs."
"Hand-me-downs?" Ash immediately gave his wife a fake childish pout as he took the mahogany jacket and put it on. "All my old journeying uniforms have heard your insult and are crying in my closet right now. How could you?"
The honey-blonde beauty rolled her eyes with a fleeting sigh. "Honey, red, white, and blue are so five years ago. You are wearing a set of clothes, not a flag."
"But I feel free wearing those colors, sweetie!"
"Pika, pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked in agreement.
"Well, I think it's time for you to free yourself from nostalgia and start thinking about the future. It's what you like to say, now isn't that right?"
At that point, Ash had finished putting on his shirts. He took his gloves from Serena's gentle hand and put them on, then he took his cap and put it back on. Serena smiled, stepped forward to tenderly adjust Ash's collars, and then clapped her hands together in pride over her handiwork.
"There we go! Now you look good!"
"No thanks to you, honey," Ash replied.
"Pika!" Pikachu squeaked upon returning to his usual perch on Ash's right shoulder.
"You look awesome, Daddy!" Selene exclaimed with a giddy, energetic hop. "You look ready to kick some butt today!"
"Pichu-pi!" chirped an equally excited Pichu.
"Y-Yeah," Yancy added bashfully. "You look great, Dad."
"Sylvie, syl," Sylveon barked softly.
"Ah, thanks everyone," responded Ash. He then humbly rubbed the back of his head. "Man, if only Red was here to round out the compliments. I seriously couldn't have asked for a better family."
DING DONG!
The chime of the doorbell echoed throughout the penthouse apartment, piquing everyone's attention. Ash's and Serena's faces lit up simultaneously, and the two strolled out of the living room.
"That must be Clemont, Korrina, Bonnie, Max, and the kids!" Serena exclaimed.
"Coming!" Ash hollered.
"Yippee!" With another enlivened jump, Selene trailed after her parents with the speed of Pikachu's Quick Attack. "I can't wait to show Allie and Maddie my new Pawmi plushie!"
Soon, Ash, Serena, and Selene all departed from the living room, leaving just Yancy and Sylveon standing there, silence steadily falling upon the atmosphere. With the newfound solitude, Yancy started delving into her thoughts.
"And what if Yancy finally decides to leave the house and go out on her own journey?"
"Now why would I wanna go on a Pokémon journey, Mom?" she thought sullenly. "It's not like there's anything that I can do to define me, to make me stand out..." She unfurled her hand and looked down at her exposed palm. "I am just a girl who can only communicate with Fairy-type Pokémon. Fairy-type Pokémon! What kind of career is out there in the world that could accommodate this...this ability of mine? It's not like Fairy-types are the most remarkable or strongest of types out there! That title goes to Dragon-types."
"Hey, everyone!"
Ash's voice brought Yancy back to reality. Shaking her head to alleviate it of her musings, she forced a smile on her face and finally followed her parents and younger sister to the front door, all while feeling Sylveon's soothing presence beside her as always. At the doorway, she saw them greeting Clemont, Korrina, Bonnie, Max, and four children: two adolescent boys who were around Yancy's age, and younger twin girls who were almost physically identical to Bonnie as a child, with the exception of their mirrored hairstyles.
"Hi, everyone!" Selene greeted. She ran up to the four adults with a wide, excited smile that stretched all the way up to her ears. "Welcome to my home! My summer home, that is!"
"Pichu-pi!" a hopping Pichu greeted.
"Dedenne!" squeaked the exceptionally groomed Dedenne on Bonnie's right shoulder.
"Hi, Selene!" Clemont, Korrina, and Max chorused, almost in unison.
"Why, hi there, Selene!" Bonnie replied in a gushing voice. She knelt before the girl and started pinching her cheeks with an overly fond smile. "How's my little Dedenne doing? Is she behaving well, like a good little girl?!"
"Mm-hm!" Selene vocalized joyfully. Then, she caught sight of the twin girls and beamed brighter than ever before. "Allie, Maddie!"
"Hi there, Selene!" Allie or Maddie chirped.
"Let's play!" suggested Maddie or Allie.
"Yes! But first..." Selene broke away from Bonnie and grabbed each of the twins' hands with her own. "Come with me! I wanna show you something that my mommy bought me in Paldea!"
"Pichu-pichu!" Pichu squeaked in agreement.
Dedenne immediately scurried off of Bonnie's shoulder and onto Allie's or Maddie's, just before Selene started guiding the twins away. They sprinted past Yancy in unison, giggling and whispering the entire time. Yancy watched them go for just a moment before focusing on her parents as they approached Clemont, Korrina, and Max. As she did, she overheard Max heave out a quiet sigh of immense relief upon Allie's and Maddie's departures.
"Well, there go the girls, as always," Ash said with a bright smile. "Anyway, long time, no see, guys."
"Oh, Ash," Clemont replied. With a chuckle, he gave his longtime friend a brief but tight hug that was reciprocated. "The last time we met up was a couple of weeks ago!"
The raven-haired man chuckled sheepishly. "Ah well, you know me. I can never be away from my friends for more than a couple of days nowadays!"
"Pika, pikachu!" Pikachu squeaked in agreement.
"He's just saying that because he doesn't wanna keep dealing with me and my doting over his personal hygiene," Serena joked.
Ash's face immediately turned red in embarrassment. "H-Hey!"
"It's true!"
"Yeah, Ash!" Bonnie chirped. "Don't forget all the times you avoided brushing your teeth just because you wanted to get going with your next Gym challenge!"
"Yeah," Max added with a smile and a sigh. "That sounds like Ash, alright."
Everyone else started laughing, while the Tower Knight softly cleared his throat in embarrassment.
"Glad to see the gang's back together again..." he commented sullenly.
Then, Ash looked at Korrina and the two teenage boys who were standing on either side of her. One of them had tanned skin, cream-blond hair, and gray eyes that were very much like Korrina's, shining with an insatiable energy that was only indicative of his fighting spirit. The other had chin-length, wavy, ash-blond hair and hazel eyes that were hidden behind a pair of glasses like Clemont's, though they were half-moon-shaped; this boy had been silent for the entire time as he was tinkering with a wildly futuristic-looking wristwatch.
"Hey, Dash!" he greeted. "How's your studies going?"
"Great!" the cream-blond boy exclaimed with a raised fist of enthusiasm. "I won my tenth battle against a Mega Evolved Pokémon last week!"
"Ten?! Wow! That's, what, the fifth in the past two weeks?!" Ash looked at Korrina with awe as he hugged her. "Ya better watch out, Korrina! I think your son's gonna usurp you as Successor pretty soon!"
"Ohhhhh, I doubt that," Korrina replied. The Gym Leader looked down at Dash, her eye glinting slyly. "Dash still has a lot to learn, and Grandfather still has a bunch of tricks up his sleeve."
"What Great-Grandfather throws at me can't hurt me and Lucario at this point!" Dash proclaimed boldly. Then, he glared at Ash again, his eyes shining even brighter. "Hey, Uncle Ash! When we have the chance, I wanna battle you! My Lucario against your Lucario, both Mega Evolved, both at the pinnacle of their strength! Whaddaya say?!"
Ash crooked an eyebrow at the adolescent, impressed. "A-Are you sure about that, Dash? My Lucario and I have defeated over a hundred Mega Evolved Pokémon. That's a bigger record than just ten. And don't forget about all the Z-Moves and Gigantamaxed Pokémon that Lucario has gone up against as well!"
"But I wanna take my strength to the next level, and my Lucario's too! A battle with you is just what we need for that to happen!" Dash tightly clasped his hands together and screwed his eyes shut before his honorary uncle. "Pleeease, Uncle Ash?! Please, please, please?!"
"Weeeeell...only if I have your parents' permission." Ash looked at Clemont and Korrina, and he suddenly clasped his own hands together in the same vein as Dash. "Can I battle your son?! Please, please, please?!"
"Okay, okay!" Korrina cried in alarm. "Arceus, you two act like I'm gonna turn that challenge down or something. It's not like I have any other choice in the matter, do I?"
Meanwhile, Clemont chuckled and then nodded in amused approval. "Of course you guys can have a battle."
"YES!"
Ash and Dash immediately gave each a powerful high-five, the echo of its impact resonating through the doorway. With a roll of his eyes, Max stepped forward and cleared his throat, catching Ash's attention.
"Typical Ash Ketchum," the bespectacled young man said. "Your head's always stuck on the topic of Pokémon battles, so much so that you're not even going to ask how I'm doing?"
Ash cracked a smile and hugged him. "Max. How are you doing?"
Max chuckled hollowly, and the wrinkles in his face and the bags under his eyes became noticeable for the first time.
"Ahhh, well," he replied, "aside from the triple terrors that are my wife and kids, I've never been better."
"Love you too, babe," Bonnie replied dryly.
"Oh, hey!" The Tower Knight's eyes grew large in remembrance. "I read that paper you submitted to the Institute, about how Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza's battle twenty years ago had a lasting impact on the migratory patterns of all the Water-type and Flying-type Pokémon!"
"W-Wait, y-you read that?!" Max's face became a sheepish scarlet. "I still can't believe it's making all the rounds. I mean, I wrote a majority of that half-asleep!" He then glared at Bonnie. "All thanks to a certain someone."
Bonnie playfully stuck out her tongue. "Glad I could be of assistance, sweetie!"
Max glowered at her for a moment longer, but his exasperated expression quickly faltered. With an irritated sigh, he gave her a quick but fond peck on the cheek and looked away while blushing intensely. Serena could not help but giggle at the display before looking towards Bonnie, taking quick notice of her slightly tanned skin.
"I see Petalburg's treating you well, Bonnie," the honey-blonde said.
Bonnie nodded eagerly. "Mm-hm! It may be a lot more humid than Kalos, but being Gym Leader beats any heat and any rain! And as long as I can be with my Maxie-Waxie, then it'll be alright for me!"
Max swiftly buried his face in his palms. "Grrrrraaaaagggggh, pleeeeeaaaaase stop calling me that, Bonnie..."
She looked at him, feigning childish confusion. "Why not, Maxie-Waxie?"
"Because it's so embarrassing!"
"It's so adorable!"
"We're not kids anymore, Bonnie!"
"Awwww!" Bonnie yanked Max's palms away and, in the same vein as what she did to Selene, started to pinch his cheeks with a cheeky smile. "Is my Maxie-Waxie upset? Does he want me to call his big sister to cheer him up?"
"Booooonnnnniiiiie!" Max moaned in a slightly garbled voice.
The others simply started laughing, with Yancy following along hollowly to keep up appearances. At that moment, Korrina took notice of Yancy and smiled warmly at her.
"Oh, hi Yancy!" the Shalour Gym Leader greeted. "I'm sorry, are we leaving you out?"
"No, not at all," Yancy replied in a slightly stiff voice. Nevertheless, she smiled and gave the creamy-blond woman a hug. "It's good to see you again, Auntie Korrina. And you too, Uncle Clemont."
Clemont smiled at the teenage girl. "My, my, Yancy, you're looking more like your mother every day."
The pink-haired girl nodded bashfully. "Thank you..."
"Oh, speaking of which!" With a strangely sly smile, Clemont nudged the elbow of the ash-blond, eyeglasses-wearing boy as he continued to tinker with his weird-looking wristwatch. "Finn, why don't you show Yancy the thing that you've been working on lately?"
"N-Not yet, Dad..." the boy grumbled, a pink tinge blossoming on his cheeks as he continued his careful administrations. "I-I still need to conduct some field-tests."
"Well, when you're ready with that," Ash said, "you're perfectly free to conduct that test in the practice battlefield."
This quickly caught Finn's attention. "The practice battlefield? Why test it out there?"
"Just in case your watch thingamajig decides to become a terrible hairdresser, of course," deadpanned Bonnie.
Despite the obvious joke, Finn didn't seem to take his aunt's words too well. He tightly pursed his lips, and with a low but indignant huff, he looked back down at his wristwatch with narrowed eyes. Yancy immediately felt a pang of sympathy for him, for she knew the look on his face all too well.
"It won't," he said tersely.
"O-Okay..." Ash stammered. He nervously looked at Clemont and Korrina, both of whom quickly gave him shakes of their heads. "W-Well...o-once you're done with perfecting your invention, Finn, I'd sure love to see a demonstration of it! Wha-Whatever it is supposed to be..."
Finn didn't raise his head again and just continued with his tinkering. "Mm-hm."
An awkward tension suddenly fell over the entire group, which only grew when Clemont shot Bonnie a reproachful glare that she quickly took notice of. Realizing what was happening, Serena, who had been quiet and observant for the entire exchange, clapped her hands, catching most of the others' attention.
"Well, now that we're all here," the honey-blonde said encouragingly, "why don't we get the tables set up? Where are the food and drinks?"
"Out in the hallway, Serena," Max replied. Then, he glared at Bonnie and Korrina. "Please, you two, help us out with all of the bags."
"Uh, uh, uh, nope!" Shrugging off the embers of Clemont's earlier stare, Bonnie tauntingly wagged an index finger in her husband's face. "A true gentleman must carry the weight for the wife!"
"Serena sure rubbed off on you, did she?" Ash asked sardonically while giving the younger woman a raised eyebrow.
"I heard that," Serena replied in an ominously flat voice.
As the adults began to pour out of the apartment, Yancy turned to face Dash and Finn. Dash was looking around, while a highly focused Finn was still preoccupied with his wristwatch.
"Hey, so where's Red?" Dash asked.
"Not here yet," Yancy replied softly. "But my dad said he'll be arriving soon. He's probably still in the air with Plat."
"Platinum." The tanned boy shook his head and tutted in amusement. "I still don't know what he sees in that girl." Then, he shrugged. "Well, guess I'll just go check out the practice battlefield while I wait..." He lightly punched Finn's shoulder. "What about you, bro? Wanna come see it?"
"Why?" Finn grumbled without looking up. "You think my invention's gonna explode too?"
Dash's smile vanished. "I didn't say that, man-"
"But you certainly were thinking about it."
Dash's eyes narrowed slightly. "Dude, you know Auntie Bonnie. She was just joking around. It's not like she was trying to talk down on you or anything like that."
Finn simply gave his brother a noncommittal grumble. At that moment, Dash uttered something that Yancy knew, deep in her heart, the older boy hadn't planned out thoroughly.
"But honestly, after what happened last month-"
"I'm good, Dash," the bespectacled teenager interrupted. "Thank you."
The awkward tension returned in the air just as quickly as it left. The three teenagers stood near the front doorway, with the noises of the adults retrieving the bags in the background. As Dash looked down at Finn in concern, Yancy decided to intervene before things could get any worse.
"Why don't you go on ahead, Dash?" she asked. "I'll stay behind and help Finn out. With...stuff."
Dash didn't say anything. Instead, he continued to look at his brother in concern. Eventually, he patted Finn's shoulder in consolation, then he turned on his heel and walked away. Once he rounded a corner and went out of sight, Yancy sighed and looked at Finn, just in time to hear a grunt and a cracking noise. She then saw a couple of minuscule gears fall out of the wristwatch and onto the floor.
"Agh!" A frustrated Finn immediately tore off the wristwatch and prepared to throw it. "Damn it!"
"S-Stop, Finn!"
Yancy sprung forward and grabbed the boy's wrist, stopping him in his tracks. Meanwhile, a familiar feeler wrapped itself around Finn's other wrist, followed by Sylveon's gentle coo. Yancy heard him issue a gasp of embarrassment and felt him stiffen up. Even so, she knew that her friend was far from okay.
"It's okay!" she exclaimed, sounding like her mother in that moment. "I-It's okay, it's okay. Let's...Let's just...calm down a-and go out to th-the balcony."
"Sylveon, sylvie," added the Intertwining Pokémon.
Within a few seconds, the pink-haired girl felt her friend's body relax and his grip lessen around his damaged contraption.
"O-Okay..." he mumbled softly.
Leon Park, Wyndon
"Whoa, just look at that, Piplup!"
"Piplup, piplup!"
Dawn ran from one of the main city sidewalks with her longtime friend and starter Pokémon Piplup tucked into her arms. She followed a bricked pathway leading straight into the bustling premises, passing by many pedestrians and Pokémon in the process. Once she entered a clearing, the blue-haired woman's eyes, as sapphire as her hair, widened with awe over the sight.
Indeed, the park in front of them was magnificent. It was expansive and completely green, with blades of grass and tiny dandelions swaying back and forth, as if they were softly waving to her in the breeze. Lining the clearing's perimeter was a few rows of mid-sized trees, all of them stocked to the margin with healthy, fluttering spring leaves; along with shrubs of flowers and berries, all well-trimmed. In the background, Wyndon's trademark skyline towered over the park, but at a safe distance that didn't make any of the buildings come off as oppressive. Children frolicked in the greenery while their parents watched, and Trainers young and old had some areas reserved for their battles and other forms of training. Brick pathways like the one Dawn was standing on slithered across the park and led to one common destination.
Dawn and Piplup decided to follow one of the pathways that were winding across the park. Soon, they found themselves approaching the fountain at the center of the greenery, Leon Park's renowned centerpiece. It was gigantic, well-sculpted, overflowing with clear and shimmering water, and had sculptures of nine trios of starter Pokémon. They were Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle of Kanto; Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile of Johto; Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip of Hoenn; Turtwig, Chimchar, and Piplup of Sinnoh; Snivy, Tepig, and Oshawott of Unova; Chespin, Fennekin, and Froakie of Kalos; Rowlet, Litten, and Popplio of Alola; Grookey, Scorbunny, and Sobble of Galar; and, of course, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly of Paldea.
Amazed by all of the peaceful sights and sounds, Piplup hopped out of Dawn's arms and dashed up to the fountain as fast as he could. There, he admired the sculptures of the nine starter Pokémon trios before looking into the water. Inside were Feebas, Clamperl, Luvdisc, Finneon, Lumineon, Alomomola, and Clauncher.
"Pip-piplup!" the astounded Penguin Pokémon exclaimed as he leaned closer to the water.
"Piplup!" Dawn called, like a mother calling out to her distant child. "Come over here!"
"Piplup!" Piplup hopped off the seat of the fountain and ran back to his Trainer, hopping back into her arms.
"Come on now. We need to get to the Rose of the Rondelands."
With that, the blue-haired woman walked away from the great, gushing fountain and ventured directly through Leon Park some more. She took brief moments to stop and admiringly observe a pair of Trainers using their Ursaring and Yanmega in a battle; and three Coordinators teaming up with another trio of Performers to stage practice performances with their Magby, Onix, Beautifly, Rowlet, Pharaoh Trim Furfrou, and Meadow Pattern Vivillon.
Eventually, Dawn decided that she had enough sightseeing and began walking out of the park. As she did, she suddenly heard a voice call out to her.
"Oh my Arceus, DAWN!"
Dawn felt her heart skip a beat at the voice's familiarity, and she turned around with a twirl of her hair. One of the people milling around in the park had apparently spotted her and begun running up to her. The woman had to narrow her eyes a little to see who it was, and when she drank in this person's visual features, she released an audible gasp.
"Zoey?!"
The redheaded woman caught up to her and flashed her a toothy smile. "In the flesh."
Dawn blinked incredulously. "W-Wow. I-I didn't think that you'd be here." She scanned her old rival from head to toe. "It has been a while."
Zoey had definitely changed since Dawn last saw her. Her vermilion-red hair had grown longer, to the point where it was now reaching the length of her chin, thereby giving her a slightly more feminine look compared to her former tomboyish look. She was wearing an orange T-shirt; a pair of skintight, black jogging pants; and a plain black waist-coat. All of her clothes seemed to accentuate her slim, voluptuous body, further betraying the tomboyish appearance she used to sport. However, Zoey still had the pair of ovular black sunglasses perched upon her head and the small, golden jewel necklace, which were really what helped Dawn identify her friend in the first place.
"I-Indeed!" Dawn set Piplup down on the ground and then hugged her fellow Coordinator. "W-We really need to catch up! First off, you gotta tell me all about your world tour! With the way you were unavailable ninety percent of the time I tried to call you, I feel like you've been ghosting me for two years or something!"
Immediately, Dawn could have sworn she saw a muscle twitch in Zoey's forehead in response. However, despite the small observation, her rival's mood didn't sour even in the slightest, so she chose to ignore it when Zoey responded.
"Y-Yeah..." The redhead patted Dawn's shoulder, her smile still etched in place. "I'm sooo, so sorry about that, girl. Being Top Coordinator is pretty serious business, I gotta tell ya."
"Yeah..." Dawn stomached the brief stab of immense disappointment that was inflicted in her gut. "I-I figured as much..."
At that moment, Zoey's eyes lit up. "Oh, speaking of Top Coordinators!" By that point, she seemed to be looking straight over Dawn's shoulder. "Hey, girls!"
"DAWN!"
Gasping, Dawn turned around, recognizing the new voice in an instant. But before she could see her newest visitor, a blur of red and brown almost tackled Dawn in a tight, giddy hug. It took her a moment longer to gather herself and grin while returning said hug.
"It's good to see you too, May," she said.
The brunette woman parted, allowing Dawn to behold her fellow Coordinator. Even though she talked to her often on the phone and via videoconference, it still stunned her how much May looked like her mother nowadays, with all her beauty and grace and maternal wiles. Even so, she never truly did let go of the flashy red color scheme that was predominant in her clothing style. Not to mention there were certain assets that remained the center of Dawn's subconscious envy, and she still struggled momentarily to keep her eyes from drifting a few inches downward.
"Well, first thing's first!" May exclaimed in a chipper voice. "The offer we've been talking about. Last opportunity, take it or leave it! Guest appearance at the Wallace Cup Diamond Jubilee."
Dawn crooked an eyebrow in both exasperation and amusement. "Uhhhhh...really, May? You want to start off our annual get-together with that?"
"But the Pokémon Contest Committee is on my ass about a special appearance by you at the event! All the other current and former Top Coordinators agreed to one! Marina, Zoey, and so on and so forth." May clasped Dawn's hands and gazed into her eyes with a pleading expression befitting a hungry Growlithe. "Come on, Dawn! You're the only holdout here now and I'd prefer if we get a hundred percent in our deluxe slate-"
"Alright, now," a familiar voice interrupted, speaking in an authoritative, maternal tone. "Easy does it, May. I think I hear Drew calling for you."
May's eyes widened in horror. "Drew?! Ohhhhh, if he dropped that rotisserie Combusken, I'm sooooo gonna-"
Dawn didn't hear the rest of the threatening sentence, for the brunette Coordinator had run off to attend to her husband. She released a soft sigh of relief and then faced her savior, who held out her arms. The woman giggled and accepted her invitation for a hug.
"Thanks for the save, Chloe," she said, once she broke away from her friend.
"Anytime, girl," the maroon-haired woman replied with a soft, ever-comforting smile. Then, she looked over her shoulder to observe May while she and a green-haired, meat-carrying man started trading banter in the short distance. "You know May. Always working hard and beyond for the sake of the Pokémon Contest Committee."
Dawn followed Chloe's gaze and cracked a smile at the scene. "She needs a vacation for sure. A real one, I mean." Then, she looked back at her sister figure, just as another newcomer was approaching with a familiar Grookey perched upon his left shoulder. "And she's not the only one. Hey, Goh! I am so glad to see that you made it! I see Rota's been treating you well."
"It sure has!" Goh exclaimed as soon as he caught up with the three women. As he did, he adjusted his trademark gray-and-red, lab-coat-like jacket over what Dawn could tell was a slightly chiseled frame. "The Tree of Beginning has provided Project Mew with a ton of data! If this research project pans out just as planned, then we might be looking at a long gap of history in this world being filled up with years and years of new information!"
"Grookey, grookey!" cried the Chimp Pokémon.
"Yeah," Zoey said, struggling to keep herself from sounding disinterested. "Just like you told me throughout the flight..."
"But when was the last time you've had some quality downtime?" asked Dawn. "Or some decent sleep, even? You know, Chloe and I have been talking about you being away from home all the time lately!"
"Awwww, come on!" Goh cried defensively. He looked at his wife with an apologetic yet betrayed look. "You know as well as I do how big the ramifications of this project are, Chlo!"
"Grookey, groo!" Grookey chirped.
"I know, honey," Chloe replied. "But you're over at that stupid tree more than you're home at this point. And when you're here, you're more or less at the lab! You are an even bigger workaholic than my dad at this point! I mean, when was the last time that the two of us have had s-"
"WHOA, WHOA, WHOA!" The scientist covered Chloe's mouth and frantically looked over his shoulder. "N-N-Not in front of the kids!"
"Oh relax, Dad," yet another new voice said.
Two teenagers approached the quartet. One of them was a short, slim, fair-skinned girl with chin-length brown hair that had a long strand on the left side, along with brown eyes. She wore a light-gray hoodie over a magenta button-up dress, tartan green socks, and brown boots with lighter brown laces. She also wore a pair of black modesty shorts and a green-and-white tam-o'-shanter on the top of her head.
"We're old enough to know all about your guys' sex life," the girl said.
"HUH?!" Goh flitted his head at the girl, his eyes wider than Ultra Balls. "Gl-Gloria-!"
"Why're you acting so surprised? I'm not five anymore, Dad, jeez!" The girl rolled her chocolate-brown eyes with a huff. "You're so embarrassing."
"B-But how'd you know about-?!"
"I figured it out from all the classes you made me take on Pokémon breeding. It's a natural thing, Dad. You shouldn't act like I have to be protected from-"
"Please tell me Brendan hasn't been filling your head with crazy ideas!" The scientist glared at the other teenager, a boy with slightly tanned skin who was wearing a spiky white beanie. "Are you, Brendan?! Hm?! Are you?!"
"Grookey, groo!" Grookey squeaked, but this time, it was looking at its Trainer in alarm.
"N-N-N-N-No, s-s-sir!" the boy stammered, his skin crawling even as he stood rigid with paralyzing terror. "I-I'm not, I-I-I promise!"
"Aaaaannnnnd you're picking on Brendan, as always. I should've guessed it..." With another exasperated roll of her eyes, Gloria took Brendan's hand and started to guide him away from the adults. "Come on, babe. Let's get over to Uncle Ash's quickly before I lose my mind."
The two teenagers passed Dawn and Zoey, and Dawn could have sworn that she heard Gloria mutter to her in the midst of her irritation, "Hey, Auntie Dawn."
"Gl-Gloria!" Goh cried, his eyes boggling again with realization. "Wait, I'm sorry, I didn't mean-"
But before he could continue, he was interrupted by a sigh from Chloe.
"And as usual, you've overreacted, sweetie. Good going there."
"Ohhhhhhhhhh..." The scientist hunched over in dismay. "She was so sweet as a kid... Now she's gone and started dating May and Drew's son? She's growing up so fast, and I'm missing every second of it..."
"Groo-groo..." Grookey cooed, lifting a paw to pat its Trainer's head in consolation.
"Well," Chloe replied, "consider that another reason why you need to be at home more often, Goh. Seriously, how in the world could you complain about missing out on Gloria's life when you're out there doing your research?!"
Goh buried his face in his palms and moaned out loud, making his dismay known to everyone within earshot. Dawn acted quickly, hoping to steer the discussion away from the awkward topic.
"I-I-I guess Gloria and Brendan's relationship is still going strong," she commented. "I still remember when they used to hate each other's guts." She gazed across her shoulder at the departing teenage couple go, and she suddenly felt a brief feeling of nostalgia hit her. "Yeah, still going strong indeed..."
"Please don't remind me..." Goh mumbled, his voice almost inaudible in his grief.
Shaking her head, Dawn then looked back at Goh and Chloe. "Hey, where's Victor? Isn't he coming to the party too?"
"He's en route," Chloe replied. She then checked her wristwatch and peered at the time. "I think his flight's about to land any minute now. We'll be meeting up with him at the party."
"Ah, alright. You know, I'd love to talk with him!" The blue-haired woman raised a clenched fist of enthusiasm. "I saw his performance in the Nimbasa City Pokémon Contest! It was so amazing! And his victory speech was so heartfelt too!"
Chloe quickly forced a finger to her own lips. "Sh, sh, sh!"
But it was apparently too late. At the corner of her eye, Dawn saw Goh hunch over even further with another moan.
"Why did you mention your mom but not me, Victor?" Goh asked between sniffles. "Am I really not good enough of a dad to warrant an honorable mention?!"
At that moment, a young girl ran over to Goh and hugged his leg. She looked very much like May when she was younger, with sapphire-blue eyes and sleek brown hair that had twin locks flowing down both sides of her head. She even wore an extremely familiar bandanna, but it was colored blue.
"Don't wowwy, Unkie Goh!" the girl cried. "I'm hewe to make your sadness go away!"
In an instant, Goh looked like he was about to cry from the girl's overwhelming affection. "Ohhh, Sapphire!"
"Alright now!" May cried. She returned to the group with Drew in tow; he was carrying all of the bags of food and drinks, much to his distress. "Let's get going to Ash's before the food spoils! Can't afford to have Brock and Cilan cook with all of that, now can we?!"
"No, we can't, honey," Drew grumbled to himself. He briefly spotted Dawn and gave her a swift nod of acknowledgment.
May and Drew started walking first, following Gloria and Brendan to the Rose of the Rondelands while Drew continued to struggle with his payload. Then, Chloe and Sapphire trailed after the couple, having to half-drag a miserable Goh along. This left Dawn and Zoey standing by themselves in Leon Park, momentarily watching their friends go.
"Can't believe a lot's changed since I last saw you guys," remarked Zoey. "May's and Goh's kids have grown up, Brendan and Gloria are actually dating... Who knows what else I'm going to learn once more people show up for the get-together? And in the meantime, I'm still where I was two years ago, hopelessly single."
"What, you haven't had any guys try to woo you?" Dawn asked, giving her formal rival a sly side-glance. "I've seen all of the comments in the forums and gossip sites. You're around so many hotties on the stage, not to mention you've got so many guys at their homes wrapped around your finger. I bet guys have flirted with you from left and right."
"Yeah, they have, but I have not met a man out there that would truly catch my interest." Then, Zoey gave a nonchalant shrug while she and Dawn started to follow the others. "Anyway, enough about my love life. How about you, Dawn? Have you gotten together with someone since we last met?"
The blue-haired woman shook her head. "No, not since..."
Her voice trailed off, and that brought a wrinkle to Zoey's fair forehead. The redhead looked at her in concern.
"You...do know that he's gonna be there, right Dawn?"
Dawn nodded stiffly. "Yeah."
"And that she's gonna be there with him."
She nodded again. "Mm-hm..." Then, a mere second later, her face lit up, and she gave her old rival her signature bright smile. "No need to worry, though, Zoey! It's like I've always told you, that was years ago! The two of us have buried the hatchet. He's moved on, I've moved on, and we're both happy."
Zoey nodded doubtfully. "Okay..."
Dawn giggled optimistically at her. Then, she looked down and saw Piplup still waddling beside her ankle. She bent down, picked the Penguin Pokémon up, and cradled him in her arms again. As she did ao, Dawn heard Zoey speak to her again, though her voice seemed strangely low.
"And...are you still...?"
Zoey's voice trailed off, prompting Dawn to look at her quizzically.
"Am I still what, Zoey?" the blue-haired woman asked.
"Oh, nothing," Zoey replied, stiffly and almost furtively. "It's nothing."
"Okaaaaay..."
Even so, a cold, awkward air swept over the redheaded woman. Somewhat startled, Dawn opened her mouth, hoping to voice her concern, but she found herself closing it just as quickly as she opened it. A voice, born from an impulse hidden deep within her soul, was telling her not to ruin what was supposed to be a fun, joyful get-together with old friends.
There was no need to worry, after all.
"That is, except..."
A brief image of a certain raven-haired man beside a certain honey-blonde woman flashed through Dawn's mind. Even as she shook her head to liberate it of intrusive thoughts, she tenderly lifted a hand and placed it directly over her throbbing heart...
Eastern Wyndon
The nicely-paved asphalt streets and the smooth cobblestone sidewalks of Wyndon had always been busy. That had been an attestable fact for years. But with news of the impending Masters Eight Tournament, they became even more crowded with vehicles and pedestrians. A large number of those people were visiting from many different regions from all around the world. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, Alola, Paldea, even lower-profile regions like Orre, the list was just endless and expansive. But just like with any other World Coronation Series season, Wyndon was totally prepared for the tremendous boost in both tourism and general population.
However, the presence of innumerable people in the streets had its disadvantages as well. For example, a suspicious man was mingling in the sometimes dense crowd, taking advantage of their great numbers to blend in and appear normal. But he was already unsuccessful at that due to his large hat, face-mask, pink wig, and brown trench-coat. It was this strange taste of clothing that attracted more than a few curious eyes on him, human and Pokémon alike. This substandard effort at concealment stood in stark contrast to the seemingly regular Black Belt Trainer walking beside him, large and muscle-bound but otherwise unremarkable in his specialty in Fighting-type Pokémon.
"I told you that disguises don't work that way, Dalton," the Black Belt Trainer grumbled unhappily.
"Hey, don't blame a guy for trying!" the poorly-disguised man hissed harshly. "I'm a member of the Masters Eight! If any of these people know who I am, we're gonna get swarmed in no time! And I know you don't wanna get caught, don't ya, Parker?!"
The large man sighed and subtly shook his head in disapproval. "Just tell me when we've reached your hotel..."
"I can do you one better."
Dalton then pointed towards an approaching building. Parker followed his client's finger and saw that the building was an L-shaped building with three floors and rows of rectangular windows lining the walls. A sign towered over the pair from a few feet away, which Parker read attentively.
"Ah, a Snorlax's Den," he said with an arched eyebrow. "Good taste in hotels. I guess that's gonna be your saving grace."
Dalton heaved out a sullen sigh. "I'm not completely dumb, ya know. I know how to budget my Poké Dollars."
The two men entered the Snorlax's Den through the lobby, easily passing by the front desk and the lazy secretary as she watched a live news report of the Masters Eight Tournament. Dalton briefly glanced over his shoulder to watch the news coverage as well before guiding Parker up the lone set of stairs. Once the two reached the third floor and began walking down the hallway, Parker looked around to see if anyone was watching or following. Then, he lifted a finger and pressed down on the frame of his sunglasses, deactivating his Black Belt disguise and surprising Dalton in the process.
"H-Holy whoa!" the Trainer exclaimed as he watched the Black Belt illusion flicker away and reveal the Pokémon poacher underneath. "That's sooooo cool!"
"Yes," Parker replied flatly. "After all, the whole point of a disguise is so it wouldn't attract any attention."
Dalton slouched sadly. "You're not gonna let this one go, are you...?"
"Well, that kind of happens when a client calls me back to help him retrieve a bounty that they somehow lost."
"I didn't lose Victini," Dalton growled insistently. "It ran away from me. Big difference."
"Ah yes, it ran away from you. But if you are unable to catch up with it and take it back before it goes out of sight, that's losing it, now would it?"
Dalton didn't say anything further. By that point, the two men approached one of the doors, and Dalton unlocked it with a dark-blue-and-white keycard. He then opened it up, granting the both of them entry into his hotel room. After closing the door and locking it behind him, Dalton followed his benefactor into the living room, where they found a man seated on a sofa, tinkering with unknown objects on the adjacent glass table. Parker froze on the spot, but he noticed how his client didn't even flinch at the sight of the newcomer. He was an older man, with a balding head, silver hair on his temples, and green eyes; he wore a red blazer, a yellow dress undershirt, a red-and-green-striped tie, and equally red dress pants.
"Who is this, Dalton?" Parker asked, a tinge of fury in his voice.
But Dalton ignored him and approached the older man, who noticed his presence and regarded him with narrowing eyes. He scanned him from head to toe, taking in the disguise that he was still wearing.
"What in heaven's name are you wearing?" he asked.
"S-S-Some s-stuff I b-b-bo-bought a-at t-th-the s-s-store..." stuttered Dalton.
"Really. And how much did this stuff cost?"
The Trainer hung his head in shame. "27,000 Poké Dollars..."
The older man raised an eyebrow. "So basically your entire wallet." He pursed his lips. "Take that damn thing off now."
Dalton wordlessly obeyed and began stripping himself of his disguise, revealing a flashy uniform underneath. It consisted of a red-and-yellow striped jacket that was open, a white skintight shirt, red shorts, and black fingerless gloves.
"So much for knowing how to budget your Poké Dollars..." muttered Parker.
This comment earned the poacher a glance from the older man. Unlike with Dalton, Parker couldn't help but stand firmly at attention. There was something about him that commanded respect, even as he evidently began to size him up like he was a rival predator intruding on his territory.
"So, you're the poacher with the Eight-Headed Seviper," the man said. "The one who helped my son capture that Victini."
"That I am." Parker quirked an eyebrow. "Dalton never informed me that he had a father..." He shot Dalton a bitter glare that the Trainer recoiled under. "Let alone one who was made aware of the whole affair with Victini."
"You need not worry, poacher. I was the one who connected him with your organization."
"You?" Parker blinked once. "There are very, very few ways to get in contact with us."
"Yes, yes, I know. I have some associates who have participated in the black market auctions that your organization has provided Pokémon for. One of them highly recommended you and your associates for the job."
"I see..." Parker glanced at Dalton again. "That explains a lot."
"So then," the old man said, "will you help my son retrieve Victini?"
"Yes. But just so you know, I only agreed to do it under the condition that the original bounty be tripled."
"Tripled?" But the old man watched Parker's eyes narrow, and he sighed in disappointment. "Very well. I'll pay for it. You may consider it...compensation for my son's utter incompetence."
Dalton could only hang his head in shame.
"However, sir-" began Parker.
"Call me Mr. A," interrupted the old man.
Parker blinked again before curtly nodding. "Mr. A. Your son failed to attach the tracking device that I provided to him per my handling instructions. That Victini could be anywhere. Even as we speak, it could've found its way out of Galar!"
"Victini will not have gotten far," Mr. A replied confidently. "I've done my own research on Victini, poacher, and it has told me that it is drawn to competitive sporting events...especially those with strong participants involved. The Masters Eight Tournament is later this afternoon. The eight strongest Trainers will be in attendance, my son included. Victini will turn to any of the other seven for their protection."
"With all due respect, Mr. A," Parker commented, "what makes you think that'll happen? I've done my research too, and I am under the impression that what you describe is mere legend."
Mr. A smirked malevolently. "And that is the keyword right there, poacher. 'Legend'. Completely different from a myth, in that such a thing has happened before. And it can happen again. I know it, because I have seen it become drawn to the news reports about the rest of the Masters Eight, every time my son was training with the TV on."
"Did it now?" Parker started rubbing his chin in intrigue. "Interesting..."
"Of course, we can't allow it to make contact with any of the other Masters Eight. They are all moral, uptight, upstanding pillars of society. They will not tolerate what my son and I are doing."
Parker suddenly realized where this was leading. "Which is why we're going to observe the Masters Eight Tournament for any sign of Victini. Once we see it, we snatch it before it makes contact."
"Yes..." Mr. A looked at his son, who shivered underneath his intimidating gaze. "In the meantime, son, I want you to act naturally whenever you're out and about. It's your day, after all. The Masters Eight Tournament will begin later on today, and if the press catches you in a moment of weakness, I can only imagine the shame this will bring to our lineage."
The boy nodded meekly. "Y-Yes, F-Father..."
The old man smirked. "Good boy..." Then, he stood up. "Soon, very soon, we're going to receive the trophy of our lives!"
Dalton's head perked up. "I love prizes!" he exclaimed, giggling with delight.
"And once we get that trophy," Mr. A continued, "we will rise back to glory and prominence! No one'll forget our names!"
"I love prominence!"
Mr. A then clenched his left fist in determination. "And hopefully, while we are at it, I could probably find that foolish little girl and her stupid little Piplup!" His lips curved into a malevolent, almost maniacal grin. "And then, then, I'll get my well-deserved revenge!"
"I love revenge!"
In the background, Parker continued to observe the two males while still rubbing his chin.
A/N: And that just about marks the end of this chapter! We get introduced to the major players of Ash's side of the story and we also learn more about Dalton's scheme to retrieve Victini. Looks like we are getting some hints as to what kind of conflict Dawn is going to bring to the story as well! It looks like this going to provide some tense, juicy drama! Keep your fingers crossed for more!
Also, don't worry, we shall be seeing the rest of Ash's friends very soon down the road. I was originally planning to have them all introduced here, but I immediately could tell that it would make the chapter way too congested with characters for its own good, so I desisted from that and saved the idea for the following chapters. We're also going to have a look at how Nate and company are doing in the meantime. And we ARE going to actually see this Victini, and maybe some other Legendary Pokémon while we're still at it...? ;D ;D ;D
Oh, and if you remember anything about "The Way We Will Be", then Ash's videoconference is going to be very important when it comes to Nate's storyline down the line. ;D
Anyway, I'd like to thank the following people for reviewing:
-All New Me: Thanks, but would you mind elaborating more in your next review? Is there anything that you liked about the fic so far? Anything you might have disliked? Any questions or other comments? It'd be greatly appreciated!
-Jake (guest reviewer): Same as the above reviewer.
Well, hope you enjoyed this late chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!