Route 117: A path to raise Pokémon. Comfortably nestled between Mauville and Verdanturf, this lovely green route holds home to Hoenn's Pokémon Day Care. Many wild Pokémon blend right in with nature.
Benedict sprinted onto one of the paths. The soft grass brushed up against his pant legs, keeping his eyes peeled for any signs of civilization.
"Come on, y'all!" he hollered as he leaped over several flat rocks.
"What's the hurry?!" Tank yelled. He stumbled in his tracks; yikes, gnarled roots big enough to break an ankle on!
Kidd glanced over his shoulder; huh, that was a beautiful display of flowers. The red and blue roses fluttered in the calming wind, with pastel pink petals dancing on top. Pale green crowns poked out between the flowers, as large pink clouds of perfume spewed from the roses' pistils. He walked up to the field of roses; the scent was relaxing and left him…drowsy? One of the pink clouds swallowed him whole, leaving small blue spores that dug into his clothing.
Tank turned around and ran towards him. "Kidd?! Dude, what are you doing?!" he yelled. "We've gotta go after Benedict!"
Kidd swayed in his spot as the spores dug deeper into his fur. "Such pretty flowers…" he yawned as he reached out for one of the roses.
"Um, I don't think these are just flowers" Tank dragged him away from the field. The boys held onto each others' hooves, backing away from the supposed plants.
The flower display rustled in its spot. Slowly but carefully, the roses grew higher and untwined from each other. Petals faded away into nothing, replaced with larger green spores.
The boys gasped upon realizing something; these weren't only pretty flowers, they were a horde of wild Roselia! Counting by how many roses there were, there had to be at least a dozen.
Tank grabbed a Poké Ball and hurled it through the air. "Shiitake, come on out!"
"Kinoooo!" The Shroomish chirruped as he landed on one foot.
"Really? You named him Shiitake?" Kidd asked as he placed a hoof on his hip, pointing right at Tank's Poké Ball.
"Well, yeah" Tank snorted. "I wasn't gonna name him after a mushroom you can't eat!"
Kidd tried not to laugh. He rummaged through his messenger bag and grabbed a Poké Ball. "Libra, it's on"
"KaDABRA!" Libra shouted as she tossed her silver spoon into the air. Her mustache flowed in the wind as she caught her spoon in one hand, twirling it between her fingers.
The wild Roselia spun like ballerinas, then linked their arms to form an elegant blockade. They aimed their roses like cannons on the battlefield. Green orbs glowed from their pistils, growing larger with the shining sun.
Tank threw a punch in the air "Shiitake! Use Headbutt!"
Kidd took a step backwards and yelled "Libra, lift Shiitake up and throw him!"
"Kada!" Libra's eyes and spoon glowed pink. She lifted Shiitake up in the air and threw him like a softball.
"SHROOMIIIIIISH!" Shiitake cried out as he headbutted a Roselia in the torso.
"Ro-se!" The Roselia flinched from the impact, wobbling backwards and trying to stay upright.
"Hey, I see what you're up to!" Tank smiled and winked.
Kidd flipped some of his hair back "Well Libra didn't win a cleverness contest for nothing!"
As if on cue, a pair of Roselia blasted a flurry of leaves from their roses. The razor-sharp plants sliced through the air like nothing, aiming directly for Libra's spoon.
Kidd pointed in the air "Libra, use Psybeam!"
Libra tossed her spoon in the air and caught it. She aimed her spoon at the wild Pokemon, then blasted a blinding pink ray of light. The pink ray formed into thin hoops, dissolving the leaves into fine powder that fell to the ground.
A trio of Roselia fell down from the explosion, their bodies twitching as they refused to get up.
The largest Roselia stepped forward. Glowing purple thorns formed on its body, while thick black goop dripped from its hands.
Tank gulped. That had to be Poison Point at work. Shiitake would be screwed six ways from Sunday if he stayed out! If he remembered correctly, Shiitake had Effect Spore as his ability, and it didn't work on other grass types…
Kidd stepped forward "Tank, I've got this! Go find Benedict while I take care of this"
"Right!" Tank nodded. He returned Shiitake to his ball, then whipped out his Rotom Phone.
The wild Roselia whipped its arms around in the air, two blobs of purple sludge forming above its roses. Chunks of goop splattered through the field, the rank smell floating into the air.
Kidd sniffed the air, cringed then pulled his scarf over his nose. "Libra! Psybeam again!"
"KaDABRA!"
Libra barked as she blasted another beam of pink circles. This time, she aimed for the face. The psychic type grinned at her trainer as she blasted Psybeam again and again, knocking out the remaining Roselia.
She sighed in relief once the last Roselia scuttled back into the grass.
"Perfect job, Libra," Kidd assured his Pokemon. He nodded in confidence as he returned her to safety.
"So, any word on Benedict?"
"No, not yet" Tank frowned as he looked down at his phone; the dial tone slowly rang. He sat down on a rock, bouncing one of his legs in anticipation
"Come on…"
Benedict panted as he finished climbing up a small hill. The wind blew through his hair as he looked on in awe. From this spot, he could see mountains towering against the skies, thick canopies of forests and something rather bizarre.
Somewhere in the sky, there was a strange black cloud with yellow sparks flying out of it. Something in him resonated with the clouds; maybe there was a Unova Pokémon inside?
His phone buzzed in his pocket. Huh, wonder who's calling?
Benedict pulled his phone out and answered the call "Howdy!"
"Benedict! Just where the heck did you run off to?!" Tank hollered on the phone. "Please tell me you're still on Route 117!"
"Yes, Tank, I'm still here" Benedict rolled his eyes. "I didn't ditch y'all to run off with another guy"
"Well I hope not!" Tank started laughing. "So, where exactly are you at?"
Benedict looked up ahead, still watching the black cloud "I'm on a hill," he explained. "Look for the one with one of 'em Pinap trees at the base. If y'all don't find me, I'll head out and find you myself!"
"No, just stay put, dude" Tank told him. "We'll be there soon!"
The Pokémon Day Care: Raising Pokemon for greatness. This business raises other trainers' Pokemon, whether it be for a day or a month. The owners also help beginning trainers find the perfect Pokemon to start with.
The building's interior was dark brown, with a cozy atmosphere. A pink and green incense was placed on the counter, releasing a mild floral scent through the building. A brown wooden rack stood near the doorway, holding Pokemon Eggs of different colors. A framed photograph stood next to the incense, showing a raccoon in a tuxedo and a hedgehog in a wedding dress and veil. The two mammals were smiling and holding hands, showing off the brilliantly shining rings on their fingers.
A brown hedgehog strolled through the building, sweeping dust off the floor. She wore a maxi-length pinstripe dress, a gingham apron, and loose black slip-on shoes. Her quills were tied back with a scrunchie that matched her apron.
The doorbell rang.
"Come on in!" she called out.
A pink cow pushed the door open. She wore her hair in two dark brown braids, a white blouse, beige cropped pants, brown flats and a blue plaid scarf around her neck.
"I hope we're not here too early, Mrs. Sable" she adjusted her round glasses.
A dozen small children followed the cow. The young animals all wore yellow bucket hats, blue collared shirts, black shorts and grey sneakers. Some of the children whispered to each other while others looked around in awe.
"No, no, no," Sable assured everyone. "You came in at the perfect time, Miss Calpico"
"Oh, you can just call me Norma, sugar"
The cow pressed her hooves together. "Our trip from Petalburg wasn't bad at all"
"Well I'm glad to hear that"
Sable smiled.
"Now, before we start our tour."
She kneeled down to the eye level of the children.
"Does anyone's family own a Pokemon of their own?"
The young animals looked at each other. Nobody knew who to go first.
"Aww, come on" Sable eased them in. "I'm sure somebody has a Pokemon Trainer in their family"
An orange and bear cub spoke up
"Ooh, ooh. Miss Sable!" he pointed at one of his classmates "Dolly's daddy is a gym leader! Sometimes we watch him during gym battles!"
The brown and white puppy barked
"Poko! Now she's gonna call on me for all the Pokemon questions!"
"Is this true, Dolly?" Sable asked her.
Dolly crossed her arms and pouted
"Yes, ma'am. My dad's a gym leader. He's never home though and I wish he'd do something else"
Sable chuckled with an amused smile on her face
"Trust me Dolly. Most animals would love to have a father like yours"
She opened the doors and led everyone outside to the pen.
Most of the kindergartners looked on in awe.
Countless Pokemon were scattered through the large field. A Plusle and Minun frolicked together in a small puddle, throwing dirty water at each others' faces. Two Zigzagoon chased each other in tandem, while a Taillow and Marill played catch with a watermelon-print beach ball. A Kecleon and a Pikachu climbed up a tree together, their tails touching and faces blushing.
In another spot, a group of larger Pokemon were close together, chowing down on their meals. A Hariyama scarfed down entire fistfuls of berries, while a Garchomp took its sweet time finishing a fatty portion of Octillery tentacles. A Vileplume sat down, munching happily on Sitrus Berries and spitting the seeds into the air.
A Stantler strutted around the field, with a Rufflet perching right between its antlers. The two Pokémon looked at the visitors, then walked away in a huff, minding their own business.
One of the children, a pastel pink tiger cub, raised her hand "Miss Sable?"
"Yes, Lola?" the hedgehog asked.
"Do you have any Gyarados in your daycare?" Lola squeaked out.
"I'm sorry, but I don't," Sable shook her head. "Why do you ask?"
"Because I was watching TV with my big sis," Lola explained, waving her paws in the air. "She showed me a gym battle, and this one guy, he had a BIG red Gyarados!"
"Nuh-uh!" Poko shouted. "Gyarados are blue! They can't be red!"
"Yeah-huh!" Lola shoved Poko. "This Gyarados was red AND it was really strong! My big sister said so!"
Sable chuckled as she watched the kindergartners argue over Pokemon. She remembered her own days as a schoolgirl; play fighting with her friends over who knows what.
Norma smiled
"I actually know which trainer they're talking about"
"You do?" Sable asked.
"Yes," Norma explained. She pulled up several drawings on her phone, some of them showing a red headed bird facing down other animals
"Benedict Sussex. A few trainers posted gym battle videos online, and his Lavaridge battle went viral. The kids are big fans of him in particular"
"Interesting" Sable noted. "Y'know, that name does sound familiar"
"Oh?" Norma crossed her arms. "How so?"
Sable led the group to a row of trees. A Taillow perched in one of the branches, while a Pidgeot and Staraptor nuzzled each others' beaks.
"See," Sable explained as she pointed up at one of the trees "My husband gives out starter Pokemon to potential trainers, and Benedict happened to be one of those trainers. Tom says he's a bit of a hothead, but that's expected of most Unovans"
Two of the kindergartners continued shouting, throwing fists at each other.
"Yeah, well, I bet Benedict could beat your dad!" Poko shouted.
"No he won't!" Dolly snapped. "My dad could beat anybody. Now can we stop talking about stupid gym battles already!"
Norma sighed and pushed one of her braids behind her shoulder
"Kids will be kids"
"Yes, they will," Sable assured her. "In fact it makes me forward to having my own"
The hedgehog placed a paw on her own stomach.
A loud yell echoed from the daycare pen. "Oh, pardon me for a sec"
Sable jolted up. She walked over to the commotion; an orange mouse Pokemon was arguing with a blue bipedal Pokemon.
"Rai rai rai, CHU!" the mouse Pokemon hollered, waving an empty white food bowl in the other Pokemon's face.
"Ploud? Ex-PLOUD!" the blue Pokemon shook its head no, then swatted the bowl away.
Sable held her paws behind her back "Exploud? Did you take Raichu's food?"
Exploud shook its head again, obvious that it had nothing to do with any food theft.
"Well then" Sable held her paw out. "Hand me the bowl"
Raichu rolled its eyes. The mouse Pokemon picked up the bowl, then handed it to Sable.
"Thank you"
Sable carried the bowl in one hand, crumbs falling onto the ground as she headed back to the group.
"Sorry about the wait. Now, does anyone have more questions?" Sable asked. "Yes, you had your hand up"
A lion cub lowered his paw
"Do most Pokemon fight like that?"
He pointed at a scuffle behind her.
"Fight like–"
Sable turned around and screamed. Her quills flared out, her scrunchie flinging onto the ground.
An Azumarill shouted and swatted its paws at a Crobat, trying to get the bat Pokemon away.
The Crobat hissed, then used Air Slash to fling the rabbit Pokemon away.
"Azu, azu!" Azumarill shouted as it landed into a deep puddle. Mud splashed through the air, pelting a nearby Geodude. The aqua rabbit Pokemon flailed its arms around, challenging the other Pokemon to a fight.
Sable's eyes darted around the field. Her heart pounded like she drank six energy drinks in one sitting. This was supposed to be an ordinary field trip, and the world fell apart around her.
Raichu crawled up into the trees, then blasted Pidgeot with a surprise Thunderbolt. The bird Pokemon screeched and smacked Raichu out of the tree, then repeatedly pecked it on the head.
Exploud snuck up behind Garchomp and used Ice Punch to catch it off guard. The mach Pokemon shouted, slashing at Exploud as Hariyama snuck off with more food.
Norma gulped
"Um, kids? We're going back inside"
"Aww do we have to, Miss Calpico?!" Poko complaned. "I wanna see the Pokemon battle! Pleaaaase"
"Well it's not safe though" Norma explained as she led the children back inside. "Remember, none of us have any Pokemon"
Most of the kindergartners groaned, following their teacher back inside.
While the other kids weren't looking, Dolly sighed in relief. The chaos outside reminded her too much of her dad's dreaded gym battles.
Tank and Kidd panted once they reached the top of the hill, ready to pass out on the hill.
"So"
Tank groaned. "What was it you wanted to show us?"
"Just look!"
Benedict pointed at the strange cloud. More and more sparks flew out like a tornado. Countless wild Pokemon flew away out of safety.
"That's odd"
Tank took a picture, then placed a hoof on his chin. "I haven't seen anything like this before"
"Really?" Kidd snapped. "We climbed ALL the way up here just for a cloud?!"
Benedict facepalmed "It's not just that! I found a quicker way to Verdanturf!"
He pointed at one of the paths on the east
"See," he yelled. "If we went straight ahead, we'd have to deal with that lake over there! And before y'all ask, no, Asuka's too big to swim through it!"
Kidd crossed his arms "Yeah, I guess we could go this way"
A pair of loud voices caught the boys off guard.
"Octillery, use Octazooka!"
A loud splashing sound rumbled, then a heavy thud slamming against the base of the hill.
"Graveler! Rock Slide!"
A ferocious roar echoed through the hill. The ground began to quake, boulders falling over and leaves falling off small bushes.
Tank jolted up "Rock Slide?! We're screwed"
A wave of rocks slid down the hill, trapping the boys like a pit of quicksand. Countless boulders slipped down the mud, crumbling into pebbles as they reached the smooth grass.
Benedict tried to climb out of the landslide, but slipped on a wet boulder. He grabbed Tank by his shirt sleeve, holding on as he tried to stay upright.
"Just stay by my side, dude!" Tank yelled as he tried to keep steady.
Kidd grabbed onto Tank's upper arm, gripping hard enough to leave a bruise.
"Just where are we even going?!"
"If I knew THAT" Tank snapped back. "we wouldn't be in this mess!"
The boys screamed as they slid down the steep hill, dirt flying into their faces and branches slapping against their bodies. A large cloud of dust formed behind them, flying into the wild Pokemon living on the hill.
After finally reaching the base of the hill, everyone stood back up and looked around. They landed near a large field of grass. Wooden fences framed the field, cracks and splinters forming at the base.
Benedict looked over the fence; several Pokemon were fighting each other. It didn't look right at all; some of the Pokemon were covered in bruises.
Kidd grabbed him by the arm
"Shouldn't we get going?"
"No way!" Benedict shook his head. "Somethin' is up with those Pokemon"
He jumped over the fence and waved to everyone else. "Come on, guys!"
Kidd and Tank looked at each other in disbelief; just what in the world was Benedict thinking?!
They followed him to a large rock, then ducked behind it.
"I don't see it?" Kidd whispered.
Benedict nudged him and pointed to a large clearing in the field.
Footsteps echoed behind the group as they looked at the patch of grass.
A large group of Pokemon were all fighting each other, with no signs of stopping. An Azumarill used Play Rough to catch a Pidgeot off guard, while the Pidgeot relentlessly pecked at Exploud's jaws. A towering Hariyama snuck up and used Bullet Punch to stun Azumarill.
"Yeah, I think we should get out of here"
Kidd pointed out. "I mean, look at the chaos!"
"No way" Benedict shook his head. "I know a good Pokemon battle, and this ain't it. We're stoppin' this"
"Um, guys?" Tank tried to stop them.
"Yeah because I'm ready to get killed by another trainer's Pokemon" Kidd snarked. "I'm not letting myself die, and neither are you!"
"We ain't gonna die," Benedict rolled his eyes. "We just need a good Pokemon that can stun 'em!"
He pulled out a Poke Ball "Like Freiza! I could get 'im to use Thunder Wave, an' then they'll stop!"
Kidd facepalmed "Tank, will you back me up?"
"I would, but" Tank gulped. He looked extremely uncomfortable.
"But what?" Kidd scoffed.
"Dude, just look up," Tank pointed ahead.
The boys looked up and jolted up.
A Garchomp towered over them, glaring down with murderous intentions. Dull scratches and fresh bruises trailed its body. The Pokemon growled, pulled its arms back and repeatedly swiped its opponents. Without any effort, its swipes were sharp enough to tear through clothing and skin.
The boys backed away as the dragon Pokemon slashed through the air. Tank glared as he flinched from the cold air stinging his fresh wounds. He wiped some blood off his nose, then pointed to the right.
"Kidd!" he barked out his orders. "Hide behind that rock. Benedict, climb up that tree. I'll go in the grass!"
The two boys looked at each other and nodded. Kidd jumped to the left and tumbled behind a large boulder. Tank did a backflip and rolled into a thick patch of grass, ducking into an army crawl position. He parted the grass, careful not to let his horns poke out.
Benedict ran to the nearest tree and effortlessly climbed up to the highest branch. He looked down at his view; several Pokemon still fought, while the dragon Pokemon looked around in confusion.
He pulled out a Poke Ball and pelted it at the back of Garchomp's neck.
Makoto popped out and floated to the ground. He curtsied and shouted at his opponent
"Kir, KIR!"
Garchomp turned around and growled. What was this puny little fairy going to do against it?
Makoto turned his head up and flipped his hair. Despite the dragon type's massive size, he felt self assured about the battle.
His body glowed pink as he gradually stepped backwards, using Calm Mind to prepare himself for a tough battle.
Garchomp took a deep breath in and roared across the fields. For a split second, the other Pokemon stopped fighting.
The mach Pokemon pulled its claws back and slashed multiple times through the air, trying to land a hit on its opponent.
Makoto leaped and twirled through the air, narrowly avoiding every single hit. He landed on a rock and blasted a flurry of leaves into Garchomp's face.
Garchomp yelped as the colorful leaves slashed across its face, swatting them away to no avail.
Once the last leaf dissolved into fine powder, Garchomp charged through the air, its head glowing grey.
Makoto jumped off the rock and tried to avoid his opponents' next move. Unfortunately for him, Garchomp outsped him and used Iron Head to catapult him across the field.
"KIRLIAAAAAAA!" Makoto screamed as he crashed against a tree. He groaned from the impact, but forced himself to stand back up. It was too early to give up, he thought to himself as he used Calm Mind.
"Makoto!" Benedict yelled from the treetops. "Are y'all sure you wanna keep goin'?"
Makoto looked up and saluted him
"Kir, kir!"
"You don't have to overwork yourself!" Benedict tried to convince his Pokemon. "Last time y'all did that, you lost to that Vulpix!"
Makoto shook his head and shouted in defiance. Beating this Garchomp would show him!
"Are you sure about that?!" Benedict hollered.
Makoto crossed his arms and nodded.
"Kir-kir!"
Benedict nodded in approval. Maybe…. Makoto was on the edge of evolving and wanted to prove it!
"Well let's get 'em then!"
"Kirrrr-lia!" Makoto sang in joy. Everything was looking up for him!
He charged towards the middle of the field, sliding across a puddle of mud to get closer. The psychic type jumped behind a bush and looked on in anticipation; Garchomp had moved onto other opponents.
Two Pokemon, an Exploud and a Hariyama, threw flurries of punches. Garchomp nimbly dodged each punch, then used Dragon Claw to knock back Hariyama.
Makoto's mouth glowed light pink as he kissed the tip of his hand. He blew the light pink ball of energy across the air, staying still as he watched it float closer to Garchomp.
Hariyama looked across its shoulder; that pink ball….it looked important. The arm thrust Pokemon thought quickly. Move it to Garchomp!
It used Whirlwind to blow the energy ball closer, then slapped it onto Garchomp's right arm.
The mach Pokemon screeched as it tried to claw the pink mark off its body. Despite the scratches, the pink ball dug deeper, slowly absorbing energy out of its body.
Makoto confidently nodded; he felt himself grow stronger by the second. With more energy flowing through his body, he jumped away from the bush and landed near the other three Pokemon.
"Gar, CHOMP?!" Garchomp roared in surprise; this puny ballerina refused to quit!
All eyes were on Makoto. Several other Pokemon looked on; could a Pokemon like him still keep battling a brute like Garchomp?"
"Kir…."
Makoto trembled as he stood in front of Exploud and Hariyama. His hair and skirt billowed in the wind, while his eyes glowed a burning shade of magenta. His heart raced as memories flooded his mind and soul. Meeting Benedict and Jojo for the first time, evolving inside the Dewford Gym, facing off countless opponents in battle, everything about Dawn Stones.
But this was no time for a Dawn Stone.
It was time to be the best Makoto he could be!
He took a deep breath in and screamed "LIAAAAAA!"
A blinding pink and green aura enveloped his body, forming a small tornado around his entire form.
The aura glowed brighter under the burning sun, light blue streaks swirling around before the aura exploded into the air.
The light slowly faded away, revealing a taller and more elegant Makoto. His hair was curled closer to his chin, hovering above his shoulders. His skirt was now billowed out into a flowing dress, while his antennae were completely gone. Instead, a red horn had formed in his chest.
"Garde?" Makoto asked himself. He looked down in joy; yes, he evolved, just when he wanted to!
Garchomp took a step backwards and snarled, baring its scarred fangs and clawing the air.
Makoto calmly looked at the other Pokemon. His eyes glowed bright pink as he formed a blue and purple orb in his hands.
"Garde-" he threw the orb over his head and screamed. "VOIRRRRRRRRRR!"
A malicious glare glowed in his eyes as he hurled the psychic energy at Garchomp. The mach Pokemon flung through the air and crashed onto the field.
Garchomp groaned pathetically, unable to get up from the crater formed underneath.
Makoto blinked twice. He couldn't believe it; that wretched beast was finally defeated! The fairy type looked around the field; countless Pokemon looked at him. Was… was Garchomp the reason everyone was fighting?! It felt like something out of a dream.
"Makoto!"
The Gardevoir jumped up. Was that his trainer?! He sprinted to the tree like his life depended on it. He skidded across the grass, stopping right under the tree.
Benedict looked down from the tree and lit up in delight
"Makoto! Y'all evolved!"
Makoto squealed in joy. This was what he wanted from that battle; his trainer to be proud of him!
"Garde?"
"Huh?" Benedict asked. "Um, why are y'all holdin' your arms out?"
Makoto pointed to himself. "Garde-voir!"
"Ohhh!" Benedict gasped. "You want me to jump down so I can catch you? Alright!"
He stood up on the branch, then jumped down from the tree. To his surprise, Makoto used Psychic to catch him, then hoisted him up piggyback style.
"Garde!" Makoto chirped.
"So" Benedict asked his Pokemon. "Where are we goin' now?"
Makoto stood completely still and whistled as loud as he could. The coast was clear, guys!
Tank climbed out of the grass, while Kidd popped up from behind the boulder. They looked up in awe; Makoto was much more powerful.
"So, what do you guys think?" Benedict asked.
Tank looked up and smiled "Well I'm glad Makoto evolved when he wanted to"
"Same here" Kidd shook his head and chuckled. "Honestly I couldn't imagine Makoto as a Gallade"
Makoto was tickled pink. Everything felt just right; nobody questioning him for his evolution, saving other Pokemon from danger. It was like Arceus himself smiled down upon him.
The group walked through the field and looked around. A Vileplume waddled around the area, using Sleep Powder on as many Pokemon as possible. None of the Pokemon were fighting anymore, instead, they were back to normal and playing with each other. They headed closer to a brown building.
A brown hedgehog walked up to the group. "Is that?" she gasped in surprise.
Makoto waved to her "Garde, gard!" he chirped out.
The hedgehog turned around. She hollered at the door "Everything's safe, Norma! You can let them out!"
The door creaked open. A dozen young animals ran up to the group and crowded around Makoto. Their eyes sparkled in joy as they squealed like fangirls at a concert.
Benedict looked down in confusion "Can someone tell me what's goin' on?"
A pink cow walked out and waved "Oh, hello!" she greeted him before yelling to the students. "Kids, remember your manners!"
A brown and white puppy stood behind her teacher, looking like she wanted to be anywhere else.
"We will, Miss Calpico!" a bear cub yelled. He looked up and waved
"Mister Benedict! Can we see your other Pokemon?"
Benedict hopped down from his Pokemon
"Other Pokemon? Um, how do y'all know who I am?"
Norma chuckled before clarifying
"Oh, my apologies. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm a teacher at Petalburg Elementary, and most of my students like watching gym battles online"
"Huh" Benedict shrugged. "I had no idea gym battles were put online"
A tiger cub tugged on his pant leg
"Please! We wanna see them all!"
Benedict looked over at Tank and Kidd. He whispered
"Should I?"
Tank winked and nudged him "Of course, dude. It'll make their day"
"Well, alright" Benedict stepped away from the flock of students. "But I want you kids to be gentle, alright?"
The children nodded in understanding, several of them bouncing on their toes.
He grabbed the rest of his Poke Balls and tossed them in the air, releasing the rest of his party.
Freiza howled as he landed on the grass, Jojo cawed and shadow boxed the air, Asuka roared and fanned herself with her tail, and Kenshiro chirped in joy as he climbed onto a boulder.
The children looked up in excitement; so many strong Pokemon! They spent the next hour playing with all five Pokemon. Freiza and Asuka let the kids ride atop them, while Kenshiro and Jojo broke some rocks to show off their strength. Makoto used Psychic to lift a few children off the ground, nodding to himself as they shouted in glee.
"I hope this won't be too much to ask, but" Norma pulled out a camera. "Would it be okay if we got some pictures?"
"Sure, go ahead!" Benedict gave her a thumbs-up.
While Norma grabbed some pictures, the dog snuck back inside. She sighed as she sat down on a bench. She wanted everyone to hurry up so they could get back home before it was dark.
The door creaked open. Tank and Kidd walked inside, whispering to each other as they looked around the area.
"Hey kiddo" Tank waved to her. "Are you okay?"
The dog crossed her arms and huffed
"No. I want to go home already"
"Guessing you don't really like Pokemon much?" Kidd asked.
"Not really" she pouted. "Okay, well, I like Pokemon, but I don't like Pokemon Gyms. My dad's a gym leader and it's the only thing anyone ever talks about" she turned her nose up. "It's always 'Hey Dolly, can we see your dad battle!' or 'Dolly are you gonna be a gym leader too? What Pokemon do you wanna use?"
She snapped
"It's so annoying! My dad's always busy with the stupid gym, so he never spends any time with me! I wish he'd just do anything else!"
The two boys looked at each other in concern.
"Don't you think that's a little mean?" Kidd asked. "I'm sure Butch is trying his best"
"Yeah, right" Dolly rolled her eyes. "I have the worst dad ever"
Kidd snapped, but tried to stay gentle
"Okay, stop right there"
Dolly gulped and sunk down in her spot. This felt just like the time she knocked over her mom's favorite vase.
Kidd sat down next to her and looked her in the eye
"Trust me. My parents are the absolute worst"
"Are you sure?" Dolly asked. "Um..."
Kidd explained, in the best way he could to a six year old
"Dolly, I'm not trying to be mean, but you're being a little ungrateful. Trust me. I'm sure your dad's doing his best"
Dolly thought to herself. Wait a minute. She lived in a nice place, her parents did everything they could for her. Heck, Butch closed his gym for a whole week just to celebrate her birthday! She missed her dad, but he took time when he could for her. She asked
"Um, are your parents the worst?"
Kidd looked away and gulped. He looked back at her
"Yeah. By a long shot. Yelling at each other all the time, blaming me for their own mistakes. They never even said they loved me."
He cringed just thinking about life in Lumiose City. Constant fighting, throwing empty bottles at the wall, blaming him for every little thing they did wrong. What did he do to deserve parents like those two?!
Dolly gulped and frowned
"That's just wrong. I wouldn't even talk to my mom or dad if they did that"
"See what I mean?" Kidd finished explaining.
"Yeah. Yeah, I do!"
Dolly nodded. "My dad's doing his best, and I can't blame him or Pokemon for that!"
Half an hour later, the Petalburg Elementary class left to go home.
Benedict walked into into the building
"So, what was up with that one girl?"
Kidd assured him
"She just needed someone to talk to. Trust me, she wasn't mad at you at all"
"Oh thank Arceus"
Benedict sighed in relief. "I was worried I had somethin' to do with that"
"Nope, not at all"
Tank waved to him.
Sable walked up to the boys, looking on in concern
"So, where were you boys headed next?"
"Well, we planned on going to Verdanturf Town," Kidd explained. He looked down at his arms and frowned; cuts trailed across his arms and his coat sleeves were torn up. The cuts were no longer bleeding, but they stung like hell. "And I can't wait to leave and get cut up more"
Tank elbowed his upper arm "Kidd, can you please lay off the sarcasm?"
Kidd stuck his tongue out. "Okay, okay" he shrugged his shoulders. "Could we please spend the night here?"
Sable looked up and down at the boys; it would be an understatement to say they were exhausted from the day. Their clothes were torn up, showing cuts and bruises.
"Of course," she smiled as she tied her quills into a ponytail. "Anyone who's a friend of Tom is a friend of mine"
The boys looked at each other. She knew Tom Nook?
"Do you mean Professor Nook?" Tank asked. "Wait a minute..."
He looked at her paws; she wore a lovely silver ring on her left hand. A yellow topaz glimmered underneath the harsh lighting. Tank remembered seeing Professor Nook wear a ring with a green emerald in the middle.
"Well, most animals call him professor, but" Sable twitched her nose. "Tom and I go way back. I met him at university years ago. So how'd you boys meet him?"
Tank explained
"We lived in Littleroot Town at the same time, and he gave us a Pokemon so we could be trainers"
"Oh that makes sense," Sable nodded. "He told me a little bit about you three, but only through email."
She led the boys to another door
"Oh, by the way, my house is connected to the Day Care center. I should've explained that earlier"
The group walked into the cozy living room, taking their shoes off at the entrance. The walls were decorated with countless photographs; some of them showed Tom Nook and another tanuki his age, while others showed three female hedgehogs. A kotatsu was set in the middle, trimmed with a pink gingham pattern. Several green cushions were placed next to the kotatsu.
Sable sniffed the air. She grabbed a lighter and used it to light up a white incense on the counter. The room smelled more comfortable, like all negative energy was wiped away with the wisp of smoke.
She looked over at the boys; looking at their torn up clothes made her feel uncomfortable. How was she going to ask for this favor without sounding like a creep. Wait a minute...
"You know, boys" she looked over her shoulder. "I have this remedy for cuts like yours"
"You do?" Kidd asked.
"See, if I get a lot of cuts" she grabbed a jar off a shelf. The jar was filled with pink and white salt and had lavender petals resting on top.
Sable showed them the jar
"I pour this mix into my furo, rest for an hour, and I feel better once I step out"
Kidd looked at the jar. He could smell the floral scent, even with the jar closed shut.
"What is this really about?"
Sable handed him the jar. Wow was he clever, he saw right through her plan!
"Honestly? I don't like looking at torn up clothes, and if you three weren't wearing them, I'd fix them up for you"
Kidd sighed in relief. So that's why she brought up the furo!
"Oh, that's it? Thank you"
"It's no problem" Sable assured the group. "I have some of Tom's old clothes if you're worried about something to wear. I'm sure you'll all fit just fine"
"So why don't you like torn up clothes again?"
Benedict asked this time.
Sable shrugged
"It's personal. I did a lot of sewing in high school, so it's a sixth sense for me"
Twenty minutes later, the boys relaxed in the nice warm furo. Steam delicately rose above the bathtub, and flower petals floated on the surface. The gentle lavender and salts helped with their wounds.
The door was completely shut; a white laundry basket blocked the way, filled up with clothing.
Sable picked up the basket with one handle, then knocked.
"Is everything alright in there?" she hollered.
"Yeah, it feels great!"
Tank yelled back. He pressed his shoulders against the wall of the bathtub. "You were right about the lavender!
"I'm glad you boys like it!" Sable said as she picked up the bin. "Just give me a holler if it's too much!"
She headed into her bedroom, set the bin down and grabbed a large sewing kit from the nightside table. Spools tumbled onto the floor as she opened up the kit. She set the kit down and walked to her stereo. She pressed 'play' and hummed along to the energetic song.
"Every night, I see you walk, walking by. Walking by!"
Without any hesitation, she got to work. Fortunately, she had countless types of thread to work with.
Kidd sunk down deeper, the warm water brushing against his collarbones. He watched as some flower petals floated closer to him
"Huh"
Tank looked over; his shoulders still pressed against the furo's wall. Benedict tied his hair back into a loose bun.
"I'm surprised we can all fit in here," Kidd pointed out.
He chuckled a little "I thought it was going to be a tight squeeze"
Tank shrugged
"I mean, there's a chance she got it for cleaning Pokemon too"
"That would actually make sense" Kidd picked up one of the flower petals. It was the same shade as his fur. He chuckled again before looking at Benedict "I'm also surprised you're not complaining!"
Benedict tensed up, only enough to make the water ripple a little. His cheeks glowed pink
"Well, that's 'cause this feels different from that hot spring we went to! I mean, here it's just the three of us. Oh, and nobody offerin' any booze, Kidd"
Kidd burst out laughing.
He did have a good point...
Sable finally finished sewing the last hole shut. She set the scarf down on the pile of clothes, then walked to a dresser. She opened one of the drawers; the one with a Pikachu sticker next to the handle.
A new song came on as she pulled out an armful of clothing. She set the pile down and rummaged through; so many clothes she hadn't seen Tom wear since his college years! Graphic print sweaters, plaid-print sweats, boxy t-shirts with outdated logos. The fabric was ridiculously soft, and Sable was sure the boys could fit into these. Her stomach growled as she dug through the pile.
After sorting through everything, she placed the best clothes in another bin, took the bin to the bathroom door and gently set it down.
"Boys!" she called out. "I'm starting dinner! I put some clothes out near the door!"
"Thank you Sable!" Tank yelled back. "We'll be out soon!"
Sable scurried into the kitchen. She grabbed a bowl and mixed in a flurry of ingredients; freshly sliced cabbage, diced Mt. Silver yam, Chansey eggs, Spoink belly slices, shredded Remoraid flakes and crunchy nori. Next, she heated up the stovetop, grabbed a pan and greased it up with sesame oil. The rich scent of sesame flooded the kitchen, overpowering even the living room incense.
Twenty minutes later, the group was eating their dinner. The boys were surprised at how delicious the okonomiyaki was. The thin sauce went well with the thick batter and rich savory ingredients. Benedict even went for thirds; he couldn't even taste the egg under all the Spoink fat and salty nori.
Tank said in between bites.
"This is amazing, Sable!"
"Aw, thank you," Sable smiled. "Tom always goes on about how I make okonomiyaki better than anyone he knows, so I've made it countless times"
"So I assume he's Johtonian,"
Tank asked before taking a few more bites.
"Yes. Goldenrod born and raised" Sable explained. "I'm from Slateport originally, but rent was awful. That's why I started my business here, and so I could be closer to my sisters. Well, one of them anyways"
"Sisters?" Kidd tilted his head. "Is there a chance one of them has a store in Mauville?"
"Why, yes" Sable's face lit up. "That's Mabel. I was worried she wouldn't do well in Mauville, but she told me things would be fine, and they are. At least she's doing better than Label"
She shook her head in disgust "That's my other sister. She ran off to collaborate with some influencer named Gracie Goodvibes, and I haven't talked to her since then"
The boys looked at each other. While none of them were familiar with Gracie Goodvibes, the look on Sable's face told them to watch out.
Benedict quickly changed the topic
"So do y'all have your own Pokemon outside of the Day Care?"
"Yes, I actually do," Sable said as she poured more tea into her cup. "A Vileplume. She's an outdoor Pokemon, so she prefers staying at the Day Care field. She's not much of a battler, but the other Pokemon like her a lot.
"I did see a Vileplume outside," Tank noted. "They're pretty nice Pokemon"
"I agree," Sable nodded. "In fact, Tom's first Pokemon was an Oddish. She's a Bellossom now. In fact I was the one who gifted him the Sun Stone"
"That's..." Kidd tried to pick up the okonomiyaki with his chopsticks. The bites he did have were delicious, but it kept falling apart on the plate. Must've had the most sauce poured on top.
"adorable"
Sable was tickled pink.
A few hours had passed; the boys were fast asleep in the guest bed, bundled up together like a flock of Wooloo. Several pillows were scattered on the floor, while one of the covers dangled off the foot of the bed.
Sable sighed in content as she walked through the hallway. She closed the door and walked to her bedroom, one of her paws still on her stomach. "Just a few more months…" she thought to herself.
She comfortably sat down at her desk and opened her laptop to check her emails. Ultrasound appointment, new furniture shipping next week. A notification popped up; a call came in. There was only one animal she knew would call this late at night. Sable clicked 'accept call'.
"Hello hello!" Professor Nook waved from the screen. He wore dark green pajamas with a light green leaf pattern. "So, how's our little Nookling going?"
"Going wonderful,"
Sable smiled fondly. Tom always had a way with nicknames. "How's the nephews?"
"Doing well, yes yes" Nook explained. "I watched their baseball game this week and their team won, so I took them out for ice cream"
"Well I'm glad someone is looking out for them"
Sable chuckled before turning serious. "She's still in prison, right?"
Tom Nook grimaced. Just thinking about his sister-in-law made him nauseous.
"Yes, Kim's still locked up. And I still haven't heard from Tony" he covered up his mouth. The tanuki shook his head clear
"So, is there anything new in the world of Sable?"
"Actually, yes"
Sable pointed at something away from the screen. "I have some guests in for the night"
"Guests?" Tom Nook raised an eyebrow. "Who's staying the night?"
"Just a researcher and his little friends," Sable explained. "They were such a big help today. A few of the Pokemon started fighting, and the three of them helped calm things down"
"A researcher?" Tom Nook asked before realizing. "Oh, you mean Tank Pepper! Yes yes, last I talked with him, he told me he was in Mauville City. He's such a great help" He laughed as a Poochyena jumped onto his lap.
"Yes, he's a very nice young man" Sable tried not to laugh as she saw other Pokemon crowd around him. "Yknow, Tom? Having some guests over made me think"
She placed a hand on her stomach, feeling a soft kick under her paw.
"How does Pepper sound for a name?"Tom Nook thought it over.
"Pepper Nook, huh? Yes yes, I think it sounds nice. But I think we should wait until the doctors' tomorrow"
"How so?"Sable asked.
"Well" Nook gulped. "Twins run a lot in my family, so we'll have to make a list of names"
"I see" Sable nodded. She looked at the time and frowned. "Well Tom, I'd love to talk more, but I do have to open the daycare at eight thirty"
She smiled "You're still coming for my appointment, right?"
Tom Nook chuckled "Of course. I want to know how my Nooklings are coming. In fact, I'll have Kabosu fly me there tomorrow"