A Soul Of Steel

by CeroAjax

The dream of a lifetime was finally achieved by one attempting the Galar Region Gym Challenge: a trainer named Haru. However what is life afterwards for someone unsure of how to handle being Champion? What, if anything, lies next? Does he persist in his new busy life or move to something else? This story explores one such trainer.

3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Ruby and Sapphire

"You know, they did say it was a party, but I can't help but think I should actually try to dress up a bit tonight, you know?" Haru would say, looking in the mirror he had in the bathroom as Masako was standing outside of it with her arms folded over each other. At the moment he was wearing his clothes from the night before as he was planning to shower up before the night just to be extra presentable. There was no specific 'type' of party and since it was amongst fellow Gym Leaders it didn't have to mean it would be a suit-and-tie, but still Haru wanted to change things up a bit. He walked with Masako, his Gardevoir, over his walk-in closet and the two would look over all the tops he had that would be considered nice enough amongst close friends but not too 'preppy'. She'd pick one out, hold it against him, and shook her head a few times.

Haru would usually leave the decision to her and when he saw her do a double take, he asked "Did you find a good one?" and she turned back to him. Holding it up against his chest it was a silver dress shirt with maroon red strips alongside the bottom left part that would go upwards. It was asymmetrical in design, had a nice look that said 'Haru' on appearance alone, but was nice enough for such an occasion. The two would return to the mirror and an eyebrow raised. "Masako ya did good. Now just to get prepped for the evening since this took so darn long!" giving her a hug as she happily returned the affection.

While in the shower he'd get a few texts that he wouldn't see until getting out.

[ LEON: Hey bud, a few of us are here so if you want to head over you totally should! ]

[ KABU: Haru, it has been awhile but I hope you'll be over soon. The curry will take a bit to prep but should be ready when you're here. ]

[ BEDE: Don't think I haven't forgotten our rematch: tonight isn't for that so be thankful I'm sparing you!]

When Haru got out he saw the messages he would briefly look them over but not bother to waste time responding. He was already heading over a bit late, as by the time he'd get there it would most likely be a bit after 7. A few minutes later, he'd be fully dressed, combing his hair and applying deodorant, and took his Rotom phone out. A mere fraction of a second later and he would have simply told Milo, who he knew was already there, that he would be on his way but got a text from Nessa.

[ NESSA: Hey Haru, Allister just came in, you almost here? There isn't gonna be any appetizers left if you arrive too late 'hero'! ]

It made him smirk, but he wasted no time. This time there would be no need for security cuz he would be amongst several other friends...though he did decide last minute on taking Nora, his Glaceon. He promised to pay her back for the household help she gave and figured he didn't need Goji, his Cinderace, with him. If anything, it'd make Melony happy to see her again.

- - - Stow-On-Side - - -

- - - 'VIP Room', Penthouse - - -

"You laugh honestly but I think I could take him!" would be the familiar, arrogant tone of the Fairy Gym Leader, Bede, who was sharing a drink with his fellow Gym Leaders as Raihan, the Dragon Gym Leader, and Milo were sitting with him too. They had set up a card game and were all playing to kill time until Haru arrived.

"Don't take it the wrong way, Bede, but methinks you just need to not be so wound tightly as you are..." Milo interjected, drawing a card. Raihan looked over, and took a selfie for the occasion. Bede clicks his tongue in annoyance. "I'm just fine as is: you all are just too loose and unfocused; you can't see what I can do!"

"Oh we all saw allright, but tonight don't go trying to sabotage anything like you did during the League okay?" Nessa came, holding a plate she got for herself of some scones that Milo brought in.

"Yeah we don't need any sudden tournaments popping off out of nowhere. Just relax okay? Maybe leave the fighting to =actual= professionals." Bea said rather smugly, coming around the side and poking Bede on the forehead.

Leon was leaning against a counter watching everyone but checked the clock. It was 19:21. Haru was late, which was something he usually wasn't, even for a party.

/Did he back out at the last second and didn't tell anyone?/ came a thought to Leon.

"Hey Leon, you okay chap? Looking rather long in the face." Gordie would say, taking a notice and putting a hand on the ex-champ's shoulder.

"Yeah it's not usually like you." came another voice from the opposite of him: the gothic looking rocker Gym Leader of Dark Types, Piers.

"Just curious if Haru is fine. The guy is usually punctual. Hope nothing came up." the spiky purple haired master would say, as a few overheard and pondered.

"OHOOOO!" Kabu is heard shouting from the kitchen. Everyone immediately reacts thinking he spilled something. There's a pause and he's heard sighing contently. "It's finished!"

"Oh good, because I could use a good meal right about now..." came another voice from the door where the entrance to this event would be held. It was Haru: wearing the aforementioned shirt, stark black dress pants, a silver-yellow hat with a flaming red Moltres logo on the center, and his Glaceon right next to him.

"Hey!"

"Haru!"

"Hey Champion!"

"You!"

"Hey you're here!"

"There's the star guest!"

...said several of them all at once and would go over. Milo being the first to greet with a big bear hug. "Owww...hey Milo it's good to see you too big guy." Haru winces, having been effortlessly picked up off the ground as all the others came. "Wow you ALL are here...even you guys!" looking at Melony, Gordie, Bea, and Leon. He didn't expect Piers to show up considering what he knew he was last doing but was surprised all the same.

"We pretty much traveled the world together at some point to handle what would have been a global issue, so showing up to some party to help YOU out would be no big feat for someone like me." Piers comments in his usual way he spoke. Marnie appeared as well beside Piers since she was the new Dark Gym Leader and nodded in agreement of her brother's statement. "I would have bugged him to come along had he refused, so I got your back, Haru." Leon comes and gives Haru a big slap on the back. "Like I said, we champions have to look out for each other and I told you to call me right?"

"Yes you did. But I just was unsure how to go about it...admittedly."

"Any road...let's not worry so much on the details tonight" he insisted.

"We were all told about this get-together would be a way to help you with some issues you're having: so how could we NOT all show up? It'd only be proper..." Melony had said with that tender expression of hers. Haru smiled when she gave him a big hug too: he already had a caring mother but having another mom-like figure was always reassuring. When she let go he looked past them and saw Bede still sitting at the table.

"Too busy playing something to say hi, Bede?" Haru asked, not being able to help but act a little smug.

"Don't think I didn't notice you here. I'm glad you're here." the pouty fluffy haired man said looking back at Haru with an intense rivalry in his eyes. The two mixed just about as well as oil and orange juice, but Haru couldn't help but retaliate a little bit after becoming Champion. Just a bit.

"Awwww you actually CARE about me, Bede. I'm touched." Haru joked. Nessa came up and smirked, finally being able to greet him. "Glad you're here! You look nice!" she said giving him a hug, and him back. She was wearing a dress similar to the floral patterned shirt Haru saw her wear when he came to chat with her at the lighthouse in front of her gym, and heels to match the outfit. "Same to you! Actually, gosh it's so good to see you all: ALL of you look great! Er..." scanning the room, Haru looks a little confused. Nora has wandered off around, her forefront paws up on the table looking at several of the dishes they had spread out, and was near Bede who just winces with it around.

Allister asks. "M...r..H..aru? What's wrong?"

"Where's Kabu? I see you all here, and I heard Leon but I don't-"

"SIR! HARU, you are FINALLY HERE and with YOU here we can get this whole shindig going: behold; my family recipe for the spiciest curry that has been passed down from several generations!" the man seeming very proud of his creation that he's brought.

Haru got a fire in his eyes, clenching a fist and looking to his fellow friends and comrades. "Sweet. No need to wait anymore on my account then!"

"Don't think too much, just take a bite, it'll be fine. Nessa has informed me you enjoy hot foods, so I made this especially hot for you." Kabu comments, as they're sitting at one of the tables as Haru takes a look at the meal he set up for himself. To go with the curry he had set aside several scones, lactose-free milk, and a cup of some hot cauliflower, broccoli and mustard soup.

At the table Nessa sat across from him, Bede next to him, Leon next to Nessa, and Kabu on the other side of Haru, all already eating but eager to see how he'd react. One thing Haru didn't let slide too much in public was his way of 'reacting' to things often was what the others would look forward to because he was either a big critic or just hilarious otherwise due to any rapid-burst response.

"Y-yeah...I should be fine." the champion said looking at his bowl and taking a spoonful. Slowly bringing to his lips he hesitates, getting a new whiff of it closer-up.

/Will O Wisp peppers, Centi-Reap-Skorchers...and...several other extremely hot peppers are in here...Mum if I don't live through this..please don't check my phone history.../ he thinks to himself.

"Come on, Haru, don't be yellow. Do it!" said Bede in a challenging manner. "I dare you to down the whole spoonful in ONE-" he would begin to say as Haru did just that, tilting his head back causing those at the table to gasp.

Across from them, Milo, Raihan, Gordie, and Bea at their table would take notice cuz the other table got quiet, and as Allister was serving himself another plate one could almost make out an expression behind his mask. Piers was getting himself a hard drink and before he could take a shot, saw what the others were looking at. "Bloody hell he did it." Bede responded. Marnie goes over to where Haru was sitting and starts snapping her fingers. "Hey...! Haru, you okay?"

"It's good." Haru said in a much higher pitched voice like he was straining just to hold onto consciousness, then exhaled slowly. Within mere seconds he was turning red from the spiciness of the peppers and sweating. The table where he sat cheered him on. "See, it may have been very hot but I made sure to mix a lot of good flavors as well. I made two flavors of curry just in case that was too much for you." Kabu comments as he was very proud of the reaction.

"...Haru?" Bede tilted his head.

Haru was just sitting there smiling with the spoon still in hand but it looked like he was using all of his energy just to prevent himself from combusting. "Hey...hey: eat, man! Use your milk or something!" Leon interjects.

/Sweet Arceus I haven't felt so much intense pain in my entire life...and I've rubbed my eyes one time accidentally after having hot food like this before! I've slammed my fingers accidentally into a doorframe, and scraped my knees while biking as a child. But this?! This is insane! How do people actually enjoy heat this high?! Is this man's family even normal? No mortal person could possibly withstand this!/ Haru said, with his eyes watering, mouth quivering, and just sitting there completely mute while trying to just deal with the raw pain of the heat.

Admittedly despite his torture he was enduring Bede was enjoying it rather openly, and Nessa couldn't help but laugh. Leon just leaned forward on the table. "You know it's okay to quit while you're ahead man. No need to prove anyth-"

"I'm not about to stop now and insult this man's family or his legacy while I sit here as your Galarian Region Champion!" Haru spoke up finally and would finish the whole bowl.

...eventually.

The rest of the dinner period would be mostly Haru taking spoonfuls of the curry, going completely mute for a bit, trying to calm the heat with whatever he could eat or drink, and Bede eventually trying to outdo him only to fail after the first bite in. Haru's Glaceon, Nora would attempt to help him as well providing ice for him to have in his time of need.

At the end of dinnertime, Piers calls out from across the room. "Who's up for karaoke?"

Haru shouts out loudly, fire seemingly still breathing from his throat like he was a Charizard. "IIIIIIiiiiiiii AMMM!"

Marnie looked at her fellow ex-Gym-Challenger-turned-Champion friend with a bit of a bemused look. She had never seen him so rustled up.

"Haru, please dear, at least take something to drink first.." Melony said, coming up to him with something she brought that may have helped.

In one of the corners of the room, Milo, Bea and Melony were chatting together as Haru had finally been in a manner to be able to sing karaoke with Piers. He's heard chatting with him.

"Bugger does this thing have any GOOD music?" Haru is heard, not irritable but definitely 'fired up'.

"What're you on about, this IS good music!" Piers says, insisting as they go through the whole menu on the large projection screen.

The Galar Region Champ would mutter a bit to himself as him and Piers go on for a small second about bands they like; turns out Haru was a bit of a music nonbinary fan as he would jump any second from edm to hard rock to punk to heavy metal. As they keep talking Haru's eyes scanned the screen then lasered in on one such song.

"Actually, let's start something heavy first. Do you know this one?" Haru asks Piers when he highlights something. A brief info reel of the performer and where the music made its debut would scroll via a marquee on the screen. The selection causes Piers to go full wide eye and step back but he elbows Haru's side. "Tch. I had no idea you were into this!" Haru would just give a smug look and point to him "Not many do. Just follow my lead when it loads. You can do the more growl-y parts. Can you manage that?" and the black-and-white hair patterned singer tossed his mic into the other hand and grinned widely. "You know who you're talking to, right?"

"Well he seems better now, yeah?" Bea said, chuckling and having an obviously good time.

"Yeah...that bit earlier gave me a might scare though." Nessa commented.

"I wouldn't worry about him. We've seen how tough he is...and he's got us. He knows that now." Milo commented as the karaoke setup would have something VERY loud start up and play. Despite there being no instruments but microphones, Haru and Piers start headbanging a bit and pretending they have guitars in hand, Haru already animated like he's into the moment. 'Motivated' as he said the other night. EVERYONE looks at the scene surprised instantly at what they hear.

"? I know who I am

The moonlit lake told me

"This is who you are"

My fangs are so long

My nails are sharper than ice

That is me

I wonder what that will prove? "

Haru turns, facing Piers and is swinging his arms as if he were a performer right alongside him.

" That is bullshit!

Blazing!

Still my heart is blazing!

If the "words" killed me

I dont need a new world order

You...soon you will know

We already know the smell of the game "

"Holy moly..." Leon said to himself. It was a big shock because despite all the very long years he has known Haru not once has he ever seen him sing whether it be around him, his little brother Hop, or anyone else. Raihan's foot tapping to go with the beat of the rock tune, throwing up the devil horns with one hand using his other to record a bit with his phone because -of course- he has to do it for that occasion.

Haru turned to everyone else and pointed at them while standing at a slight angle.

"Do you know who you are?

When you speak your words

Don't sound like your own

You're trapped in a dark cell created by this world

"That is who you are"

Norms, standards, rules and guidelines must be kept

So time to wake up!

Gravity keeps us on the ground"

Him and Piers pose together, as Piers is completely in the moment as if he was in a concert of his own making. It helps that the karaoke setup has lights strobing in sync to the music.

" That is bullshit!

Blazing!

Still my heart is blazing!

If I lose my wings

I dont need a new world order

You can't feel a thing

We already know the smell of game

Remember you are blazing!

Still your heart is blazing!

If the "words" made you

I dont need a new world order

You... soon you will know

We already know the smell of the game "

Haru would hang onto the last note of 'game' with an outstretched arm and fist.

The one who was seemingly the most surprised or outright encapsulated on the scene from the audience was Nessa. This sort of music wasn't something she was big on herself; she enjoyed it, but seeing the person she saw not long ago worried about how to handle himself being Champion so effortlessly control the whole room with such blazing confidence was something she couldn't pull her attention away from at all. During the whole thing, it wouldn't be as obvious but Haru would find that the karaoke was one thing he definitely knew he needed and was happy Piers decided to pitch in for it. Haru and Piers had been singing together in sync; instantly harmonized for the whole thing. Everyone saw that Haru was definitely belting his heart out.

" What am I? (repeat infinitum)

Mankind knew that they cannot change society

So instead of reflecting on themselves, they blamed the beasts

But they found beauty in the lives of beasts

And couldn't lie to themselves about it

I'm just a small part of the world...

But no one could break me!:

Haru and Piers resume headbanging with arms pretending to do guitars.

" Can't you see I'm blazing?

Still my heart is blazing

If the "words" killed me

I dont need a new world order

You... my tribe is my world

Your "words" will never make me disappear "

" That is bullshit!

Blazing!

Still my heart is blazing!

If the "words" killed me

I dont need a new world order

You... soon you will know

We already know the smell of the-

Know the smell of the-

Know the smell of the-

Know the smell of the game "

As it was finished, there was small applause from the others here, both Haru and Piers bowing going 'Thank you, Thank you'. Haru's face was red with blush having performed like that in front of everyone else but was grinning from ear to ear. He was riding high off of adrenaline. Piers taps him on the shoulder from the side and gives him a high five: both marking out a little at how well they did together on that song.

"Did you know he could sing?" Leon said, walking to the group where Milo was at as the others shook their head.

'You got this?'

'Yeah I love this song. It's not even the same genre but do you mind if I take this one by myself?'

'Lead away champ.'

/Who...IS this..?/ Nessa would think to herself. Deep down something was changing, and it was causing her heart to race.

"?Calling the world from isolation

'Cause right now, that's the ball where we be chained

And if you're coming back to find me

You'd better have good aim

Shoot it true

I need you in the picture

That's why I'm calling you (calling you)

I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

Reset myself and get back on track

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

Haru ends up jiving a bit, trying to imitate the music video in which the song came from.

" Callin' the hunter with a rifle

'Cause right now that's the ball where we be chained

Shoot it true

I want you in the picture

That's why I'm calling you (calling you) "

"Nessa..?" Bea called to her friend, noticing she was quiet.

The Water Gym Leader was completely focused on watching Haru sing for some reason. Her eyes were widened, hand on her drink she was holding but hadn't even took a sip for a bit now, and barely even blinked. Her face looked a little flush, be it from the drink she had, or something else.

"Yeah.."

"Hey Nessa...hello?" Marnie now tries waving a bit to Nessa's peripheral vision cone.

"Mmhmm."

"Nessa."

"AH! Yes! What? What happened?" blinking to Bea and Marnie, jumping a bit from where she was and looked at her friends, as the silver haired fighter narrowed her eyes a bit. "Leon was chatting with us and then askin' if any of us knew Haru could sing. I didn't. Did you?" as Nessa shook her head and then turned back to look at Haru still singing his heart out, wondering if the lyrics had any connection to what he was feeling. Or something else she hadn't considered.

" I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

Reset myself and get back on track

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

If I pick it up when I know that it's broken

Do I put it back?

Or do I head out on to the lonesome track and let you go?

I'm the lonely twin, the left hand

I don't want this isolation

See the state I'm in now?

If I pick it up when I know that it's broken

Do I put it back?

Or do I head out on to the lonesome track and let you go?

Haru takes another bow as more applause is heard. Bede is heard shouting. "Sing Clint Eastwood!"

"Sing it yourself! I need a drink!" Haru replied, challengingly, stepping away from the microphone.

*th-thump. th-thump*

/I had no idea this was ever inside him all along.../ a certain water gym leader thought to herself, before looking away and noticing just how red she got. "Ah..uhm. Be right back!" telling her friends before jolting to the bathroom. "Guessin' she's drank too much?" Allister asked the group as she dashed right by him, almost making his mask fly off of his face. Bea kept her glance in the trail where her friend ran to with her gears turning a bit.

"..and did you what, stop there? You were caught at that point." Haru asked, snickering as he took down a drink of some canned beverage with a silver/white label and a large "M" on the side.

"No no no okay...so the stupid thing is I figured 'I've already gotten this far so screw it' and just ran down the hall without the outfit entirely!" Gordie said, explaining a prank he ended up doing and failing causing Haru and some others to burst out laughing.

"Okay so now YOU have to answer one, Haru." Allister perked up, pointing to him.

"Hmm? Oh, the stupidest thing I did?" Haru said, grinning and thinking about it with his eyes looking up at the ceiling in thought.

"Ain't nobody here gonna rat ya out if you say it here so just say it!" Bea egged him on, a half eaten sandwich on her plate she had at the point.

"Ok ok...so...this was a few years back. Best friend and I were seeing a movie and it's this dumb movie about a bunch of weirdos. Completely lost the plot, stupid, it's a DUMB movie. But we laugh the whole time because I get to pay admission to see some stupid twat use a crane to pull up his friend in a port-a-potty. JUST because he could! Okay so-oh you guys know the movie I'm talking about?" Haru stopped himself briefly, snickering and looked at everyone, and they nodded. Nessa is munching on some chips and Leon takes a swig of another drink. Haru sips his "M" drink before continuing. "So anyway...it's way early in the morning when the movie lets out and I see some wanker has parked his car near my friend's. And it's the brand of car I absolutely HATE due to the people that drive it, because it's made it hard for my friend to get in the driver side without scratching it. I quickly say 'oh hold on I forgot somethin' while we were inside and since this twat did this I got something for him.' "

He paused causing those at the table to slightly lean forward. A single crunch is heard from one of the Gym Leaders chomping on something.

"So I piss on the other guy's door handle to his car and we quickly leave." Haru said slightly hiding his face remembering it as he gets mixed reactions of shock, laughter, and otherwise. But nobody berates him for it all the same.

Marnie ended up having to halfway hide her face from laughing too much. "Don't rightly know if that counts as much as Gordie's story but goodness..."

"I can't believe YOU of all people did that!" Melony said, shocked. It turns out only she was the one who berated him. But only just a little.

"Yeah well...I was feeling the spirit of the stupid movie, I had to do it to 'em, my friend had been so rudely had someone else park way too close, so I figured 'I'm too knackered to go inside for the loo, so this ass-hat is getting it instead.'"Haru explains, laughing to a point that he coughs. "It was bad enough he was laughing too so we got in his car and he drove off before anyone saw us!" explaining that final bit of detail, albeit to more laughing on his own part.

"I 'aven't done stuff like that since then of course." He'd say, before getting up to stretch.

"Heading out?" Kabu said, looking up from his seat.

"Nah...just gonna go out to get some fresh air. 'scuse me guys." the ruby haired champ said, moving from his seat to head outside to the patio.

Outside the night skies of Galar were clear so the stars were easily seen. Haru would just make out the silhouettes of some nocturnal Pokemon flying as he leaned over the railing to look over the cities below. Speaking of that memory brought back a lot of laughter but it reminded him of someone very special to him...and needed a moment to himself. The whole night had been amazing for his mental health. Singing with Piers,catching up with Marnie as she was the newer Dark Gym Leader, having Kabu's home cooked curry, playing Darts with Allister, talking to Melony, sharing dumb jokes and prank stories with Gordie, having a few drinks with Nessa, even so far as arm wrestling with Bea...and failing miserably. A small smile spread across his face and he looked up to the skies.

"I hope you're okay where you're at, man. I miss you. But I figured I'd tell the others about that night. Still stupid, but I loved that memory." He'd say to nobody.

A few minutes pass and he'd hear the glass sliding door open. It was Nessa.

"Needed a minute away from the others, too I imagine?" Haru said, smirking as he turned to face the water master herself.

"A bit. Bede is now trying to outdo you in arm wrestling and your score on Darts with Allister. Again." she says, sighing, joining him near the railing.

"Good thing the weather out here is nice. Otherwise I'd worry it would be cold for ya." Haru points out.

"Yeah...say..." Nessa began, pulling part of her hair back.

"Hmm?" his eyebrow raised and turned to her.

"Earlier. I uh...I gotta say I really loved hearing you sing." she said, turning to him.

"Thank you. Admittedly I was a bit rusty since I haven't done those songs in a long while. Okay except that first one: it is rather new and I absolutely love it." Haru would reply, now turning to have his back lean on the railing to face her more directly.

"It's not even my kind of favorite music but you're rather exceptional at it. It's stunning. How have you never tried to capitalize on that?" she asked.

"Pardon?"

"I know people in entertainment. Your voice sounding like that definitely needs to be heard more by other people. A little help from some people in the music industry, a voice coach to keep you in top shape and improve...you'd be amazing! Well, okay more than you showed tonight that you were but you get my point I hope." she said, making a fist and letting it rest on her abs.

Haru widened his eyes but then smirked, looking down at the floor. "I appreciate it, but...I don't think I would be a good singer. It's not my thing."

"Why not? When I heard the song choice I wondered if the lyrics in that last song was somehow linked to, well, recent events. That, of course, on top of how profoundly you sang!" her gaze narrowed a bit more on him; focused.

His head would raise back up at her and had a half smirk. "Tch. Guess you caught that huh? You are truly and absolutely amazing Nessa."

There was a small pause between them, as she settled both hands down with them clasping each other over her stomach. Haru sighs a bit but in a way that he was found out. "I don't really like telling people that I do that because I often do it in my home. To be honest I was rather nervous but I just let the adrenaline hit me and go past the anxiety of everyone hearing me do that for the first time. Not even Leon knew I did that...I doubt Hop knows as well." stopping for a second to see if that were true, then turning back to her. "Yeah, not even he knows. I sing for my Pokemon sometimes, and because I like it. I sang to some of my Pokemon when they were little or otherwise in their first forms. I sang my Goji to sleep when he was a Scorbunny and had to camp while dealing with bad weather. Same for Nora, and Masako...until she ended up singing herself. Heh. Feel like if I went and got into that sort of business I would lose the passion for it. Maybe. It's not often that I do it anyway because like I said, it has been awhile."

"I think I understand a little. I'm a bit of the same way when it comes to modelling." she would say, now leaning against the railing with him but on her side facing him.

"I suppose we have more in common than one would think." as he smiles wide, and her face softened up, smiling with him too.

"If it's not too much trouble, it would be really nice to hear you sing again sometime. It doesn't have to be tonight, or even tomorrow or next week. Just whenever you feel comfortable. I understand it took a lot for you to be okay doing that, and it was very pleasant to hear." Nessa would said while fidgeting a bit with her hands over each other.

That took him by surprise but it made him feel like he could open up to her a bit more. "Sure. But, nobody else: just you. How's that sound?" giving a thumbs up and grin.

Nessa looked at him and gave back a giddy expression. "Yes that'd be great!"

There was another pause and they were standing adjacent of each other, looking at the skies still. "One day, Nessa, I'm going to pay you back 10 times over for all this immense help you've been to me." he said, causing her to look at him with some shock and blush. But then turned it to a sly grin. "If it weren't for that initial conversation we had, I don't know if I would have come to this same spot I'm in now as fast as I did. Feels like I can be myself again."

"You can 'help' me by letting me beat you next time!" she grinned widely.

He ended up stifling a laugh. "hahahaha ohhhh no I could never do that, not so easily. Not even someone like -you- gets a free pass on that! Not even you." Haru said in a challenging tone. She laughs but kept that fiery expression. "One day this raging wave is going to completely steal your thunder, Champion, and you'll be flooded!"

"Ohhh will I?"

"Yeah!"

He stood an inch away from the railing crossing his arms while he met her challenging aura. "Yeah? Hmm. How's that going for you so far against me? 0 - 2?"

She got up closer with teeth clenched and a fist in both hands. "I-I'm working on it! Just you wait!"

- - Inside - -

"Leon"

"Yeah?"

Leon and Raihan were talking together about some errands they were going to have to do together and had been looking outside, watching Nessa and Haru talking together. Raihan turned to his rival and best friend with an inquisitive look. A hand of his gestured outside with his shot glass towards the two outside: it seemed whatever Haru said got Nessa rather animated and they saw both laughing.

The Dragon master asked him "What do you make of that?"

Leon put a long hard stare into the direction of the two and seemed to be pondering about the scene. "What, the Champ and Nessa? What about them?"

His fang toothed friend could barely believe he was being so obtuse. "I thought it would be obvious to someone like you. Aren't you and Sonia...?"

"What do you mean?"

Raihan just looked at Leon with a completely dumbfounded expression and sighed. "You're hopeless, man. Lost when it comes to directions AND women..." Leon had no clue what he was referring to and just scratched the back of his head.

It would turn out the night ended without a single hitch, and Haru would return to his home with Nora having had her fill for the night too. The little canine-like Pokemon asleep in his lap on the Air Taxi over and carried her inside his home. Returning inside he didn't want to shout 'I'm home' to wake Nora again so he just merely waved to the Pokemon of his that saw him, gesturing he would be heading straight to bed.

- - - - Next Morning, 0830 - - - -

- - - - Hulbury - - - -

- - - - Water Gym, Staff Prep Rooms - - - -

"You're beautiful." Nessa said, hands on the shoulders of one of her trainers, looking her in the eyes.

"I'm beautiful." the blonde trainer nods, trying to believe in it.

"You're great"

"I'm great"

"...and you're a winner."

"-I'M A WINNER!"

"YAY! That's the spirit!" Nessa said with a wide smile, hugging her friend.

Nessa is giving pep talk to several of her trainers leading up to opening hours of the Gym, making sure everybody is doing fine. Sometimes taking a moment to counsel them if needed, hear their troubles, worries, thoughts, etc, as well as going over her large array of water Pokemon she had for possible teams. The last few rounds she battled in the Gym she was changing things up, and thought back to the other night.

/"Yeah? Hmm. How's that going for you so far against me? 0 - 2?"/ she thought back to the other night when she was chatting with Haru. He was certainly right; his level of foresight and overall skill outweighed her own. To a point it made her feel a little detached on the idea of possibly beating him one day, but refused to let herself give into the negative thoughts. Nessa refused to feel sad or downtrodden and give into the idea she wouldn't win against him. She looked at a mirror while doing her stretches on the floor to stay flexible; always to make sure she was in physical form for battling and in general.

"You'll see. You may have done so well to become Champion..." talking out loud with no inner monologue to put herself in a zen-like state. The dark skinned woman would breathe in slowly and exhale slowly. "I'm beautiful. I'm great. I'm a winner." she would tell herself, remembering the other fights she had prior to that moment with him. Parts of her thoughts, however, were interrupted entirely by everything that wasn't one of the two battles she had against him. The time she spoke in-between the battles. The day he came to help her Gym with the Dynamax Pokemon. Several other instances when he decided to just show up and talk to her for advice on catching water Pokemon: having told her he was really bad at taming the ones he had. He even succumbed one day to seeking advice on better clothes for guys since one day he was told to get a 'better variety and would rather not talk to his own mom about it'. The mere idea of it caused her to laugh loudly that day but she went along with it, giving him a professional model's opinion. The day they spoke in front of the lighthouse. Seeing him nearly hurt outside in a public mall, and how that scene alone sparked a great fury within her, as Bea was there to help her out too.

"No, focus Nessa...c'mon. The victory. Think about the victory you're going to have against him..!" shaking her head and doing some more stretches, patting her cheeks.

More random imagery invaded her mind. Like all the funny faces he made at the party, him cutting up with the boys at the table, hearing him sing and seeing him own his confidence completely. Then his face as he was smiling talking to her, and him looking at her while dressed up.

Her face goes dark pink/red. She did the same thing when she would lose a battle and ran her hands through her hair with her teeth grit, and slaps her cheeks to refocus again. "I'm beautiful. I'm great...and I'm a winner!" telling her reflection that, getting up closer as if to combat that inner negativity. Pointing her finger to the mirror almost smudging it "Just you wait Haru, I'm going to take you down and you'll see my worth as the Water Gym Master!" backing up then throwing out the pose she would when holding a Dive Ball containing her first Pokemon in battle. A few trainers would overhear her talking to herself and poked their noses to see. She was huffing a bit and then could hear someone nearly trip over themselves from nearby.

"Shit, busted!" one of the girls said as they all ran off.

"Tch...get back to work girls!" Nessa ordered, then looking back at the mirror. She was huffing a bit in annoyance at herself.

*th-thump. th-thump. th-thump*

- - - Wedgehurst, 0940 - - -

"ha, didn't figure on seeing you, Champ!" came a cheerful voice from an orange hair, side ponytail woman.

"Sonia you can just call me Haru. Please. I don't need you to give me that nickname too." he replied with a half annoyed look. Masako was by Haru's side today, which meant the other Pokemon were at the house to themselves, as he had a reason for visiting the small town where Hop and Leon grew up. After the other night Haru's mood had finally gone back to normalcy and was fired up again in his passion for being Champion. However now he actually wanted to try pursuing one of the goals that was suggested to him: Shiny Pokemon. The little Yamper that was known to follow Sonia came by to greet him, happily yipping at his ankles, making Haru bend down to give him a pat.

"So what brings you here? I got some time for you no matter how busy I am!" Sonia would say, stepping down from a ladder with two books in hand and walking to one side of her desk. Hop wouldn't be in just yet for the day, so he wasn't around at the moment.

"I'm hoping you can help me on something I want to accomplish as the newly crowned Champion. Well...relatively new anyway. For some time now some people have suggested a whole slew of objectives I can pursue now. One of them was...'Shiny' Pokemon?" he began to say, turning to his Gardevoir. "Did I remember that right?" he asks, and Masako nods in confirmation.

"Ah...Shinies huh? That's...going to be a helluva task. Do you have any currently?" She would ask, looking up at him from her seat.

He extended an arm to his back to scratch it, confused. "How can I know if I have any?"

Sonia had an slightly confused look right back at him. "Huh? You don't know? Well...the short and sweet explanation is that a 'Shiny' Pokemon is one with an incredibly rare coloration that gives a 'shine' to it when you see it in almost any light at all. Seeing one appear in the wild will usually give a shine as you see one. Hang on.." she explained, thumbing through one of the books she had at the ready. "Okay okay...Fossil Pokemon...no..Legendaries...no...Mythicals..no...Ultra Beasts? Gosh no. Is it the next secti-aha! Shinies!" It would take a small minute but as she found the section she pointed it out to him: Shiny Magikarps, Shiny Eevees, and even a Shiny Gardevoir were shown as examples.

"Huh. So I could have had an aqua-colored Masako here? Huh. That's...neat. What else makes them different?" He asks. Sonia folded the book and sighed with one hand gestured to the side.

"Honestly? Nothing. Just their color and rarity. It's however even better if their individual statistics, or 'IVs' as you trainers call it, are all high because that's an exceptionally rare one to get at all. You already know how to boost the ones yourself because you've trained all of the ones you use in battle often. Now just imagine if you had, say, another team but they're all 'Shiny' Pokemon. You'd not only be the envy of everyone being Champion alone but having a full team of them would make you crazy well known." Sonia would so eloquently explain, part of her hair bouncing as she nodded while doing just that alone.

"Well that sounds fantastic! But how do I find them?!" He would ask, both hands on her desk. Sonia made a tense face and looked down at her desk. "I'm not sure you want to know the answer to that question."

"C'mon Sonia, what do I have to lose? I got all the time in the world. Okay...so say I go -right now- to hunt for these things: what are my chances an expert like myself can find one?" Haru inquired, getting out his Rotom phone to take notes.

"1 in 4,096." she said flatly, looking at him as her hands were clasped over each other. Haru's face had frozen solid in the excited face he had prior to asking the question.

There was dead silence for a few seconds. Outside of her lab some bird Pokemon are heard chirping.

"1 in 4,096." she repeated.

"I heard you the first time BUT ARE YOU SERIOUS?! I haven't even -SEEN- that many Pokemon in the wild, much less during battle! 4,096?! That's just for -ONE- Shiny Pokemon?!" he yelled a bit frantically, causing Masako to instinctively wince at his temper, one paw going to her head.

"Yyyyyyup. Admittedly you can increase those odds in your favor if you constantly keep encountering the same exact Pokemon, or just breed them. A lot. But you know...there's also the Shiny Charm. It exponentially puts the odds in your favor but is still a big number. 1 in 1365.33, to be exact." she points at him with her pointer finger. Haru is heard grumbling and crossing his arms, as his forehead has a pulsating vein that he puts a hand to hide a bit.

"Okay okay...so that really sucks but I suppose that Shiny Charm would help a lot. How do I get -that- then? Do I just spend an obscene amount of time in the Battle Tower, or does it come from a store and it's just really expensive otherwise that costs regular money and not Battle Points?" He asked. Sonia looks to the side again, silent.

"...well? What's the secret?" he insisted.

"You...you have to fill out your Pokedex." Sonia answered him.

"Well I'm already doing th-"

"Completely. Every single one has to be registered."

Somewhere outside there's a Pidgeot that's heard cawing loudly, and the winds outside pick up a bit. It's quiet inside. Someone hears the mailman come by the next door neighbor's house and drop in the mail as a slot is heard opening and close.

Haru just slowly sinks to the floor slowly and lowers himself past the point where she can't even see his face but the top of his head because he sat on the floor. "Sweet Fanny Adams...You've got to be kidding me..."

"Hey, language!" She chastises him, flicking the top of his skull after leaning over her desk.

"Ow!" Haru rubs his head, then gets up. Masako then joins Sonia and does the exact same right afterwards. "Hey! Not you too!" causing the Gardevoir to laugh a bit. Haru turns back to Sonia, looking exasperated. "So you're telling me that when people suggested or talked about 'oh why not go Shiny hunting' and 'fill out my PokeDex' that they're directly tied to each other and they're so insane that the odds of doing so are that high?"

"Either you go the full monty or don't." Sonia said with a bit of a frown, knowing how excited he was when he came here, only to be leaving frustrated. Haru looked at the ground. It seemed like all the buildup he had gotten lately to figure out his post-Pokemon-League life would reset itself. His face had become crestfallen. "Such is life. Well...thank you Sonia."

"Is there anything else I can offer you while you're here?" tilting her head a bit and looking at him with a big sister aura of concern. Haru would pause for a moment and shook his head. "Nah. I...I either go on with this or try to figure out something else on what to do with my new livelihood. Thank you either way Sonia. Tell Hop I said hi. I'll be sending you, him and his mom some stuff that I got lately but forgot today. Collectibles. It's the least I can do."

She waved to him as he was leaving, as Hop entered at about the same time. Haru wouldn't stay though and just walked by him with a "Hey Hop, sorry but I'm heading out, chat later" comment. Hop entered the lab and looked at Sonia. "Hey do you know what's up with Haru?"

She sighed and would go back to open up the two books she brought back down from the shelves originally earlier. "Life of a champion just got another speed bump, from the looks of it..."

- - - - 4 days later - - - -

- - - - Wyndon - - - -

- - - - Front of the Pokemon League Stadium - - - -

Some time has passed since Haru went to go meet Sonia at her lab and he was going through the motions. However big of a shock the incident was to realizing how grind-heavy it is to hunt for Shiny Pokemon wouldn't permanently taint his outlook. He refused to let it get him down and would remember what everyone at the party reminded him; he had a strong support network to lean on for help and would go to them if he needed to at any point. For the immediate moment however, it was a meet-and-greet day between himself and all the leaders of every gym. It would be several lines for all the tables where people could shake hands, talk to the Gym Leaders and get autographs if they so wished to do so. Haru would take this moment to relax and talk to new fans and old, posing with those that wanted pictures and giving tips if they wanted any. Of course, the giving out of League Cards was a definite must-have for those that collected the memorabilia of him, as well as the others. All the trainers would have some level of fame for each: some fans going well out of their way to showcase their love and support. The biggest indication that made Haru's heart melt was seeing a little girl dressed up as him who wore a tiny wig to imitate the hair he has.

"Awww you're so darn cute! What's your name little girl?" as he knelt down to her level, moving away from his table.

She seemed to be about 6 years old, with her mother right next to her. The little girl was a bit shy at first meeting him but spoke up after a second to break out of her shyness. "M..my name is Donna."

"Well hello Donna." he smiled wide. "What can I do for you today? I hope you're doing okay having traveled up north here."

What he didn't count on was that she just walked up to him and hugged him without asking. For a second his nearby security guard was about to speak but Haru just smiled wide. His eyes go to the mother briefly hoping it was okay to hug back, and when she gave a signal, he hugged her back. "Awww..what's that for? Thank you. That was such a nice warm hug. What did I do to get that?"

"You're my hero! Be..because you never let anyone tell you that you couldn't win just because th-they say you don't always use the best Pokemon. You found wh-a way to win!" as the little girl Donna swayed a bit from side to side looking at him with innocence.

"Aww well I appreciate that Donna. But I remember to take care of and love my Pokemon and in turn they love me back: you see how far love can take you with them don't you?"

"Mmhmm. And...knowing that one day even someone like me can be a Pokemon Champion!" she squeaked a bit, as her hair 'shifted'. Haru looked at it a bit perceptively and understood it was a wig. But it was a wig that covered up her medical condition. Only a few years old and this little girl was so inspired by him that she was willing to beat all the odds and wasn't going through life defeated. As a cartoon special put it, 'his heart grew 3 sizes that day'.

"No, little Donna, -you're- the hero. One day you and I are probably going to do battle, and I think you'll probably beat me. Don't ever lose your focus, okay?" he said, not calling attention to the wig malfunction, cuz Donna readjusted it, and she bounced in place. "Thank you, I won't! Can I have a picture?"

"Absolutely." he agreed, and would take a photo with the little fan of his, and handing her not just his regular league card but his rare one as well. "Donna I had such a good time talking to you, that I want you to have these okay? I believe in you."

Moments like that one made the entire meet-and-greet several levels higher in quality than the ones he did before. Kabu was presented earlier with some hand-knit scarves that some fans made in the pattern of his Gym colors, Nessa got some bracelets made by some little girls who only wanted to give them to her because they reminded them of 'a princess', and Allister did his best trying to socialize while there. He was improving at the very least. Bede was actually uncharacteristically very nice and positive to almost everyone he met; no doubt a different persona he had to put on for the sake of good PR.

"Hey Champ, tired yet? Haven't even seen you break for lunch!" called out Raihan from across his table as he got some food delivered to him while his line had a break.

"A bit, but I'll be fine. I got my 'energy' right here!" Haru said as he raised a familiar silver canned beverage. Nessa chastised him from across her table. "You shouldn't get addicted to drinking long-term you know, because it could be bad for your health!"

Haru narrowed his eyes but smirked in an understanding manner. "Only if you go to obscene lengths to drink it. One lad I heard drank roughly 5 cans a day. That's nuts. I can't even drink that in two days, much less 3 sometimes!"

Some of the other Gym leaders whistled, having heard about that. But they would go about their business like normal, Nessa puffing her cheeks hoping Haru didn't just write off her advice.

/I'll have to scold him later.../ she thought to herself.

"Hey... , Champ? Can I get an autograph?" came a voice from another fan approaching Haru's table. He was facing away and turned back in his chair to face the new fan. "Oh certainly! What's your na-...!" he began to say before freezing solid.

/I...it's not possible..!/ He began to think. Or at least he attempted to think, but his body took over. The young man that stood before him extended a small electronic device forward, it was his PokeDex and he seemed somewhat taller than Haru, long brown hair pulled back into a ponytail, solid build.

Haru's heart races quickly.

"hw..wha..uh.. 's your..name?" Haru says trying to get out the words, as his pen starts shaking. But it falters from his hand.

"Mr. Champ are you okay..?" the man asks.

"H..eh...I'..I'm fine.." He lied, as he was obviously not fine. Suddenly profusely sweating, and his pulse racing. Something was...wrong. Milo is the first to notice and he stops what he's doing, signalling quietly to some of the others near him, tilting his hat a bit. Haru looks at the man again and then gets up.

" ...me...I need...to leave.." he says in a very shaky voice and almost falls over himself mid-standing-up. League Cards flutter from his table and he almost meets face-to-pavement looking like he was suddenly intoxicated.

"H..hey!" the man begins to say something but the guard stops him, unsure what's happening but is right on Haru like rain to an umbrella. "Sir! Are you okay? Did this gentleman do anything?"

Nessa had stopped doing what she was entirely, having written her autograph on a league card for someone when she saw Haru seemingly have trouble getting back up while clinging to his table and acting strange. "I'm sorry..everyone...!" and he ran off away to hide, and fast.

"Haru! Wait!" Melony calls out to him. "Won't somebody please check on him?" she said, to which someone did. Nessa's face goes pale when she sees him bolt and still have trouble keeping his balance while running. She tosses a Dive Ball out and lets Cloyster take the stand. "Cammie, guard my table! I'll be back okay? Something is wrong..!" she said and would run right after Haru to the direction he went.

- - - - Wyndon - - - -

- - - - Behind A Tree - - - -

- - - - ? - - - -

"Haru! Hey..!" Nessa was able to keep up easily and as she caught up to him saw a sight she wasn't counting on. He was knelt down, clutching his chest like he was in pain and breathing heavily.

"Hey hey hey hey hey what is it? What's wrong? Does it hurt? Should we call help?" going to his side and kneeling down. She noticed his left hand was on his chest near his heart and had started thinking that her advice earlier on his energy drink was in poor taste; already regretting having said anything.

" ...huu..I can'...I can't..." he barely gets out the words, changing his position until he's sitting and leaning against a tree he came upon.

"Haru, look at me. Talk to me..." putting her hands on his cheeks. He looked so panicked. Afraid. Tense. Fragile. That's something he never appears as, at all. Something was happening. Was it a heart attack? Organ failure? Something else? Haru was shaking and audibly trying hard to control his breathing. She put one of her hands on his chest. "Is it here? C'mon...it's me. I'm here. Nobody else. Focus on me okay?" she tried again to soothe whatever was ailing him.

"h...I..I thought I saw him..." finally able to put solid words, Haru put a hand on one of Nessa's wrists. Tears started forming.

"!" Nessa blinked at him.

Haru looked to the side, then back her again because she told him to focus on her and it helped to do so immensely at this point. "When...when I looked at him, I could have sworn I saw...someone who shouldn't be alive. Who -hasn't- been alive." Haru ended up saying, as the tears budding from the corners of his eyes finally fell down and he started crying openly. The sound of pure hurt and pain that no medicine could cure. Inner turmoil.

Her face went soft and realized a horrible truth of what this all was: anxiety attack, and a rather severe one from a trigger. Anxiety attacks can attack without warning, and usually immediately require mental strength to try and refocus the body's instinct that's going off like it's in danger when it isn't. For Haru, he thought he saw the exact person of his dead best friend in the fan whose only crime was merely looking exactly like him. Sounding exactly like him. But it wasn't him.

"I..I'm sorry...I shouldn't be like this..." he said, as Nessa held him close and Haru's face just looked at the grass between them and buckled feeling her warmth holding him close. "I miss him so much..."

"No no no no...no Haru. You didn't-you didn't do anything wrong. It's not your fault." She had said rubbing his back. Nessa worked with trainers under her guidance at her gym and had seen all sorts of things. It takes a lot to perform in front of others, much less thousands upon thousands of adoring fans daily. Some couldn't handle it, and her job required her to stay and consistently do that. On top of that, she was a model who put herself out there in ways the Pokemon League didn't ask of her because of her beauty. Haru had experienced similar things when it came to performing...as a Pokemon League Champion, but she found out another fact about him that week and this time felt bad she didn't know, even if it wasn't her fault. The fact that behind every smile he ever gave and every confident speech he gave, he was hiding the immense pain of losing someone very close to him.

Someone that Haru knew named 'Hiro'.

"Why'd he have to die...?" was all he would say for awhile, and Nessa kept holding onto him.

The meet-and-greet was cancelled in order to be rescheduled at another time, and the leaders were informed eventually of what happened. Haru would be excused of course, and Nessa insisted on staying with him due to her personal experience of seeing this type of reaction up close before.

- - - - Motostoke - - - -

- - - - Haru's Backyard - - - -

"It was a severe heart attack, overnight. I didn't know, and was talking to him over the phone the night prior..I think I stayed up until 2 AM. It was something we commonly did. Loved to chat about nothing. He was the kind of friend you could do that to you know?" Haru was explaining, wearing an Ice Gym sweat-jacket that day and was outside with Nessa in the backyard. They were standing in front of a tiny tree that was planted. It had a small gravestone with the name 'Hiro' on it, and a rock with a painting of some wings for personal flair.

"The day after it happened, I got contacted by some of his friends wondering if I heard from him. I said I didn't and proceeded to blow up his phone because he was supposed to meet up with them for some tabletop games. It was one of those games that's narrative-intensive that I personally never got into but I knew he loved. That was one of his things he was amazing at doing because he knew just the right type of details to zero-in on. When nobody else could hear from him I started saying things like 'aye where the hell are you wake up already it's 2pm'. It was something common where I would hear from him waking up late because he was either playing games or writing something. You know. Then evening came and it was scary that none of us heard from him at all. I started to panic. His friends went to his home and then asked neighbors and..." Haru said, turning to Nessa. "They said they found out that police were at the house earlier and left with a body. I immediately stopped doing what I was doing once I heard that and traveled to meet up with his friends."

The wind picked up and Nessa just kept her somber expression: herself wearing the same sweat-jacket she wore when they met up at the outdoor mall in Hammerlocke. Haru would sit down next to the tree, and Nessa joined him. "When I heard what happened, I didn't want to believe it was even reality. That I was just dreaming. I told my mom, and Hop. He told his mom, and...yeah. His family couldn't afford a funeral so his body was cremated. My mom and I instead held our own private funeral and planted this tree in his memory."

"Hmm..." Nessa responded, looking at him. She hadn't experienced the pain of losing a loved one just yet, and hoped it wouldn't come for a long time at least. Death was inevitable for all living things. We could only hope to elongate it and keep it away as much as we could. For Haru's best friend, it was before he even hit the age of 40.

"So...there you have it. Hiro is the reason I chose my Pokemon League number. Why I decided to become a Pokemon Champion. It's why I had that reaction earlier. It's why I fight every day to figure out what to do next now that I'm -here-, in this moment, the Champion. So now you know..." Haru said, hugging his knees a bit. Nessa leaned forward while on her knees and on the grass still with him and hugged him. "I'm so sorry you went through this alone, Haru. Just know that if you need anything I'm here okay? He seemed like an amazing person."

Haru quietly nodded and hugged her back. His face was dry with the tears he shed earlier and had calmed down quite considerably, but the pain was still fierce and would most likely not go away anytime soon. Or ever. "He would've liked you a lot too, Nessa."

She let go and smiled.

"I like to think sometimes he's at peace somehow. That he's probably just shaking his head wishing he could tell me 'Dude it's fine, I can float now' or something. He was the type who would zero in on some detail like that. " The other 7 Pokemon that lived with Haru were all inside the house but looking outside to see Nessa with Haru. Nobody but them, Hop, and other close family and friends knew about this because Haru never spoke of it to anyone. He never let it slip even once in a single interview about this because he was so afraid of everyone's imagery of how strong he was as a champion would be destroyed.

"Haru you are so much stronger than you think you are, and moreso for keeping this in you and still having as much of the positive strength you exude daily. There have been trainers I've worked with who break apart before they even go to compete." Nessa would say, extending a comforting hand to one of his, as he nodded, listening to her.

"I want you to know though, that I don't want you to keep stuff like this from me. I can't take away that pain but you can lean on me for it. Okay? It's fine to lean on someone. If you need official help, I'll even assist you with that. Promise." patting the top of his hand. Haru just smiled a little, and got up. She joined him in standing.

"Thank you, Nessa. I think my anxiety attack has subsided entirely now. Even now it was still there, but I think it's gone." He said putting a hand to his chest, breathing in deep, and exhaling deep.

"Good. Let's go back inside and have some tea." she suggested.

"Sure thing. What'll you have?" beginning to walk inside. Inside all of the Pokemon scrambled away from the window so they wouldn't be noticed peeping on the scene outside, pretending to be going about their business as normal.

"What do you got?" she said with a perky smile.

When they got inside Haru let Nessa in first and followed, seeing a strange sight as all 7 of his Pokemon were at random spots being abnormally quiet. He looked around slowly and as such, Mirukon, his Lucario, waved to him. Haru's eyes narrowed.

"If what I think is happening IS happening...it better NOT be." he said sternly. That caused everyone to then just 'casually' disperse except for Nora who is merely just going to sleep early.

" So you know how you were trying to figure out a way to pay me back 10 times over?" Nessa surmised, holding a cup of black tea Haru had made for her, as he was drinking some with her at the same point.

"Yeah, what about it?" he asked.

"A one-on-one battle. You and I. But!" she held up a hand with a pointed finger. "In my stadium. After-hours."

He looked down, snorting a bit, unsure where she was getting at with this.

"Today has made me think that what else would be good is we not only have our rematch but, well, maybe without the eyes of untold numbers of fans judging us every waking second. We can battle our hearts out." she explained, then taking a sip of the tea.

"What're your restrictions, then? Sure you don't wanna do anything specific?" The Ruby hair colored man said with a confident smirk.

"Oho, what you afraid you won't win this time and that I'll finally de-throne you in private?" she laughed confidently.

"Nothing of the sort. I dare you." giving back the same competitive glare.

"One Pokemon. No Recovery Items. Any tier allowed. That includes any legendary you may be having on you." tapping her finger on the table.

"Ohoooo I'll beat you again and not even take one with me. Won't even be a contest." leaning forward on the table.

"Hmm. My, confident are we? Let's do it a week from now. I'll let you in as our doors close around 2300. So arrive a short bit beforehand. How's that sound?" raising her eyebrow and leaning forward too with a confident head wag.

"Another victory before bedtime? Hmm. Interesting way for me to end my routine that day." grinning widely as he took the challenge.

"You won't even have time to realize you were taken out." she said firing back the same level of competitiveness.

"Deal?" she extended a hand.

Haru shakes it twice. "Deal. Count it Nessa; gonna go 0-3."

She just laughs with him and leans back in the chair at the dining room table, drinking more of the tea. The two would chew the scene a bit more before Haru saw her out the door and thanked her again for the immense help. She reminded him to look back at the contacts he has on his Rotom phone and to remember she's there for him. Haru waved her off as she began to head back but before going back inside and as he opened his door again, took another look to watch her walking away. Taking into account a certain view of how shapely she appeared walking away.

He closed the door softly as he went back inside and sank slowly to the floor. He exhaled slowly. Haru's Tsareena, Leafa, was standing there. There was some awkward silence as they met eyes, considering he was caught red-handed, and he was pointed out to have been blushing before he closed the door.

*th-thump. th-thump. th-thump*

His mind briefly flashed back to Nessa's features on her face and every single time she smiled. It went through every recent situation where they were talking and how often he found himself looking into her eyes, and having just reviewed mentally the fact he was slowly finding himself noticing her other features as well. Looking back at his Tsareena, he then hid his face in his knees.

"Shit. I think I really -have- fallen for her, Leafa." he's heard finally admitting out loud. The Tsareena has a confused face and leans forward like she didn't hear him. In actuality she did, but she wanted to hear him say it again. "I said I think I REALLY HAVE FALLEN FOR HER." he said clearly now having lifted his head from his knees.

*th-thump-th-thump-thump*

Leafa nodded confidently, giving her trainer a comforting head-pat then walking away.

"...guess I have to have that conversation with Mom now."

- - - - Fairy Gym - - - -

- - - - At that same moment - - - -

"I can't believe it...that was in record time..." Bede said, in complete disbelief, withdrawing his final Pokemon in front of the large crowd who came to see him duke it out against new trainers that day. As usual the crowd loves it, with huge displays across the stands lining saying "MATCH OVER". The trainer across from him withdrew hers and would meet him back in the circle. He did his best to keep a straight face that was professional, but would be internally shook at the speed at which he was shut down. It was scary; limitations of the badges one held up to this point be damned. Almost as if impatient, she was the first to have gone back to the center and looked at him unimpressed. She had this air of one who was bored having fought him.

"Well you certainly showed me the full spirit of your team. For that and your victory I give you this; the Fairy Badge." he said congratulating her and handing the badge. The girl took it and smirked confidently.

"Thanks. Maybe when I see you in the League, IF I SEE YOU, you'll actually be worth remembering then." was all she said back the entire time of the fight, before adding it to her collection then walking off. Bede clicks his tongue in immediate annoyance.

As she made her exit, his irritated look would disappear having made a glance at the display on the jumbotron.

/'Syra', huh. What a very scary trainer.../ He thought to himself.

- - - - Circhester, Grocery Store - - - -

- - - - Next morning - - - -

To change things up and have a little 'girl outing' Nessa asked some of the others to join her with some errands. Mostly for company but also to catch up with one of them whom she hadn't seen in awhile, Sonia. It ends up being herself, Bea, Sonia, Melony with plenty of time to themselves. Going through the town of ice, they go browsing through multiple shops while getting an arrangement of nutrients to train up one Pokemon Nessa was going to use in her rematch against Haru. There would also be time to get new clothes: no way were they leaving without something new.

"...at this point I had figured if there's one way to do this it's gotta be a one on one. No Dynamaxing either. Just a strict regular battle of wits during after hours with just the two of us." Nessa said browsing in an aisle looking through brands of protein supplements, calcium, and the like for the chosen attacker in her battle. It was time, they all figured, to break the ice of the conversation to Nessa too on what they were all thinking.

"Bloody hell where's the Iron supplements that this brand carries? Can't ALL be out..." she's heard grumbling. Refusing to pay for a generic brand despite that seemingly being the only one that was on the store shelves.

"So when are you going to ask him out?" Bea asks bluntly, causing Nessa to stumble forward a bit in shock. An employee nearby jumps thinking someone just fell over, and from the entrance door some beeps are heard indicating some people are either exiting or entering. She nearly hits her head on the shopping aisle tower.

"Wh-hw-h-wwh-what the hell sort of a question is that, Bea?" with her face immediately going pink and on the defense.

Bea rolls her eyes so hard into the back of her head that she physically appears annoyed. "Don't give us that. I think since the party from a short bit ago it's gotten obvious you have a thing going on."

Sonia, who was briefly having her nose going through a magazine and walking with them at the same time, perked up immediately. "Oohhhoh what's all this then? Are we talking about a crush someone has~?"

Melony would answer before Nessa could even gesture a 'hold on' with her fingers. "Bea is speaking up for us girls who were at the party in wondering if she's going to ask out Haru."

"It-it's not like that! Why would you even suggest that?! Come on he's the Champion, and I'm a Gym Leader we don't have -time- for 'people' like that! That's stupid! You're all being stupid!" as the water trainer began playfully hitting Bea, who nonchalantly parries every single fake punch. Some people stop in their tracks to look, before continuing to walk as they would be if nothing happened.

"So why are you having a private rematch with him at almost midnight?" looking at her with half lidded eyes. Nessa stops in her assault and confidently sticks out her chest with a big smile, and hand to her chin in thought. "Well if you MUST know it has to do with a strategy I'm coming up with to defeat him. See, I finally thought up of the perfect Pokemon to take him out and-"

- - - - 2 minutes later - - - -

The 3 other girls all actually were surprised at how prepared Nessa had an answer for such a question because it was a legitimate one. It was a real Gym Leader level pre-battle strategy that may shake Haru's line of thinking up and give her a win. However Sonia would be the first to speak up, going "I suppose if your plan goes through and he hasn't thought that far ahead...you could actually have a chance?"

"Yeah, see? Sonia gets it!" Nessa goes, with fists clenched, then putting some supplements in the cart. She wanted to swim away from this conversation. Melony speaks up instead of Bea this time. "But that doesn't deter away from what some of us have been noticing."

"!" Nessa is heard audibly stopping in her tracks, and turning back to them. "What do you mean?"

Bea shows some understanding and decides to stop ribbing on her for once in awhile and goes up to her. She drops the aggressive tone in her voice. "Ness', the entire time when we had that gettogether? You couldn't stop smiling while looking at him at the table. Hell, you arranged that privately and -then- you got us all involved. When he got up for karaoke, you, out of everyone there in the whole room, looked absolutely -smitten-, unable to speak proper full sentences. A few of us noticed too how you 'look' when you're talking to him too."

"There's also that he was able to rely on you when, y'know, -that- happened recently. You insisted on staying with him despite knowing full well how it would look to other people and your first response was 'I don't give a damn!' " Melony explained, covering another point in time and having imitated her voice when re-enacting Nessa's commentary.

"There's also how caring you were not just in that moment, but remember at the mall?" Bea tilted her head. Nessa had gone completely quiet, looking at everyone. "I may have been submitting some jerk but don't think I didn't notice. " Sonia was only now hearing about all of this and didn't really have a ball in this court, but she did catch on how Nessa was reacting to this line of questioning. There's a short pause, and they resume shopping without saying anything until a few minutes later, Nessa is in the middle of grabbing something off a shelf. While she puts it in her cart and looks at them.

"Nessa. Talk to us." Sonia said, starting to worry they went too hard in interrogating her, putting a hand on her shoulder since Nessa had the physical look of someone who was cornered.

Her pink blush came back fiercely like before but her guard went down finally. There wasn't any quip she could fire that would detract from the topic at hand. Nessa looked at all of them. "..i...is it -that- obvious?" making all 3 gasp loudly.

"Oh. My. Goodness. You DO have a crush on him!" the orange haired professor said with a rather surprised look. Nessa's glance met all of them and it had slowly formed upwards into a smile. "..I haven't been sure what to do. It's not like I've felt like this, either."

- - - - Motostoke - - - -

- - - - Haru's Home, Kitchen - - - -

- - - - At that exact same time - - - -

Haru had invited his mother over simply saying he needed to talk to her about something important, and was rather restless both in terms of needing sleep and his ability to focus straight. Not once in his life had he ever gone through these things and needed some guidance from someone who was not only experienced but much older than him. When his mother came he explained what occurred the other day since not a bit of news ever came out of it and the Pokemon League officially had cancelled the event due to what happened to him. He went over how he got over it and would include every detail on how Nessa was there for him, talked to him and made him feel safe and comfortable. Ending on the statement, for now, that.

"...I haven't been sure what to do. It's not like I've felt like this, either." fidgeting with some orange juice in his glass, looking to his mom. "We're business partners. We're supposed to be close. I'm really bad at being upfront sometimes, but with her I've been able to open up about so much. She makes me feel safe."

"Him and I are business partners. We're supposed to be close, sure." Nessa stopped shopping for a bit to find a nearby bench that shoppers could use to relax during their visit and looked at her friends. "I'm so focused on my modelling and Gym Leader career and I'm headstrong. He knows that, and I put up this combative spirit. But when I'm with him I've been able to open up about so much. I don't feel like I have to put on an 'act'. He makes me feel like I can be myself openly without being judged." she explained, leaning her head on her hands as her elbows propped up off of her knees.

"I'm so focused on being Champion and making sure nothing distracts me, especially after my promise to Hiro to become Champion one day. She knows that. Everybody does. I've always put up this positive, happy-go-lucky spirit. But when I'm with her I find myself able to feel like the world around us doesn't even exist. I can get lost in those eyes of hers and she makes me feel like I don't have to be Champion around her." Haru explained, as one of his legs was bouncing up and down, but his mother looked intently without making a sound until he was done.

"I can get lost in those eyes of his and he makes me feel like I don't -have- to be a model, or a Gym Leader or what-have-you around him. I think what I like most about Haru..." Nessa would try to explain.

"I think what I like most about Nessa..." Haru began to say.

"Is that with him around and it's just us? I can be ME. For the first time in a long time. I like that a lot...but is that okay to feel that way about him?" she frowned, looking at the floor.

"If it's with her around and it's just us? I'm allowed to be ME and not some 'hero'. I'm just some red haired dork who managed to become Champion. I love that so much about her...but is that okay to feel this way about her?" Haru said, putting his head in his hands and setting the drink down. "Am I in the wrong here?"

"Am I in the wrong here for feeling this way? You know what people say about those who get hooked up with someone else. They aren't 'pure' anymore..." sounding worried on her swirling emotions, Nessa sounded completely lovestruck but also perhaps too in thought about the reactions of others. The 3 girls looked down at Nessa smiling as she poured herself out so openly like that: allowing them to finally see her be honest amongst them. Bea, Sonia, and Melony all joined in on a hug because while she did this they could all tell how conflicted she became. But they also could see just how much she actually did have strong feelings for him.

"I think if you're honest with him the next time you see him, and don't hold back, you're going to find the reaction will be better than what you think it will be, okay? You won't even care anymore about what 'will happe'." Bea said, putting both hands on Nessa's shoulders and having her best friend look at her in the eyes. "Moreso, if anyone gives you crap for this I'll beat them up." making a fist. Nessa smiles widely and hugged them all back. "Thank you girls."

They would pause for a bit, and she got back up. "Now. Let's keep going. I still have more stuff to do to make sure I kick his ass on that fight."

"NOW you're talking!" Sonia would say while her smile beamed at her friend.

Haru's mother looked at him and got out of her seat and walked to him giving him a big hug. "Haru, honey, I'm glad you came to me to talk about this. It's very obvious you've been trying your best to be professional about this instead of leading yourself strictly by your feelings alone."

"Is it? Because sometimes I worry I've been -too- focused on the career side of this." as he sighed and held onto his Mom before she let go and went back to her seat.

"Well...at the very least you're being smart about it. You've never been the son who ended up doing drugs or getting into crime. You have always been steadfast in your goal. But, if I may make a suggestion: don't let your heart waver on this for too long. If you feel it deep down that you feel like this and THIS strongly for that girl you like, you can't have any regrets talking to her. Don't sit on this. You may find the reaction she gives you the next time she sees you will be better than you think." sipping her drink, putting on her smiley face cap she brought.

"You think so?" he asked.

"I know so. Besides, I have a 'feeling'. Had a feeling." looking back at him from across the table. The look said it all: she knew he had some sort of feeling for her the second she came across the scene that one day.

"Thanks Mom. I appreciate the chin wag."

"Think nothing of it! Just glad I could see my kid again. Now, with that out of the way, you said you were preparing for a Pokemon fight against her right? Do you have enough money on you to get supplies?" as she began reaching into her purse.

"Wh-..wha? Mom, yes. I'm doing fin-" he began to protest.

"How much do you have on you now?" not looking back up at him, she was fiddling through her wallet.

"Mom please, I'm taken care o-"

"HOW MUCH?" now eyeing daggers a bit at him.

Haru sighs. /Women can be really scary.../ he thinks. "Only a few thousand, but much more in the bank."

"Then take some of this so you have a bit more on you for the week okay? Let me know how that battle goes. I have to go pick up my Pokemon from the caretaker. Chat later okay? Love you." going to him and kissing his cheek.

"Love you too Ma." he said with a bit of the usual mannerism he would when bidding his mom goodbye for the moment. He saw her out then shut the door. There was a lot to think about from that conversation, and now in 6 more days he would have his fated rematch against her. What Pokemon to use in the fight, however? One glance over his picture he had hanging up of the Hall of Fame told him everything he needed for another victory.

"She's gonna feel bad when I make her get that third loss!" he says confidently out loud, before going to find the Pokemon and start training it.

- - - - - The Day of The Fated Rematch - - - - -

- - - - - Hulbury - - - - -

- - - - - Water Gym, 2230 - - - - -

Haru saw a crowd leaving the Gym as the last battle of the evening had concluded a few minutes ago and staff was helping them exit. Knowing who he was on a first glance, they see Haru and let him in through the doors as all the attendees were leaving. As promised, he came with just a single Pokemon, as shown by the Timer Ball attached to his waist. Having barely any foot traffic through the stadium made for an interesting experience as he saw a lot of the janitorial staff cleaning up trash, and some trainers left in the field. It was fun to hear how everything was echoing when there wasn't thousands of people in the stands.

"Ah you're here, Champ! Nessa's waiting for you, and says she'll be out in 30." came a voice of one of the trainers he saw; the same one who told him that one day she wasn't available.

"Oh yes, thank you! I remember you, you're...?" Haru would say, trying to recall her name and felt bad admittedly.

"Yuli. It's fine. We've only met a few times so it's okay you don't have it memorized." she said, beaming a bit. "Anyways, she told me to tell you to meet her out in the field so please be ready, and I hope you do well!" as she walked off, having clocked out and made her exit. Haru took a glance at the stadium and how big and empty it felt without all the people there. When there was no staff around it felt like nobody should actually own anything this spacious.

- 29 minutes later -

Haru is heard humming quietly to himself while tossing his Timer Ball in his hands. He would look around, knowing any second Nessa would just appear.

" Yeah yeah yeah

I'll pay when tomorrow

tomorrow comes today "

He paused, sighing and looked back up to the lights that were still on. Even with everyone gone, it was an eery feeling to be able to be in such a spot with nobody else there but all the lights on as if preparing for another event. "Man...I'm just meeting her for a rematch but I can't relax."

*ththththump ththththump*

/My heart is racing like mad.../ His mind goes, thinking on just the mere idea of meeting her was causing his heart to go faster than some kid with high midichlorian counts.

"Hey there, Champ!" came the ever familiar voice of Nessa, entering from the side with the usual confident stride. She had a face full of confidence and was really happy he was there: making good on his promise to be there. They met in the center, and since Haru was tossing the Timer Ball in hand he stopped doing so and looked at her. "Ready for another loss? I've been training for this moment." he said challengingly.

But Nessa had a brand new layer of spirit as she spoke in a lower tone. "Bring. It." before walking away, catching Haru off guard by the way she said it.

/What was that...?/ He thought wide-eyed to himself before walking away. Nessa would fold her arms and look back, focused.

"As you know, the rules are simple. No recovery items. One Pokemon each. Any tier. This also won't be a dynamax battle either. I'm sure you're fine with that, right?" she explained.

Nessa brings out her Dive Ball for the chosen Pokemon and eyes him with a new look that makes him get adrenaline from seeing it. "Hold nothing back, Ruby haired Champion."

"Won't even need the added boost of it to take down a Sapphire haired master like yourself." he said, reeling his arm back.

Both throw their balls forward and out pops their chosen fighters for this once-in-a-lifetime match. Haru has brought out Leafa, his Tsareena, fully charged from some vigorous training. On Nessa's side, a Pokemon he's not familiar with, Toxapex. This was going to be a rough battle that would either go on for a long while, or end very quickly. Despite the immediate advantage of Grass vs Water, Haru is taken back by this Pokemon he's not too familiar with; quietly cursing the fact he hadn't filled his 'Dex completely to study them all.

Haru holds out 3 fingers. "Allright, Nessa. I'm going to end this in 3 turns. Count 'em. Leafa, no need to worry about it too much: use your Trop Kick!"

Nessa's seen grinning, never breaking eye contact. "I'll end this match in TWO. Time to pay up, Haru! Toxapex, Baneful Bunker!" just in the knick of time as he orders his move. The Leafa lunges forward to do the move, almost missing but then hits right on target with a loud 'thwack!'. Hit points are taken off of the Toxapex, but not as much as Haru had hoped. It seemed this Pokemon he was unaware about had some major defense he wasn't account for at all. Leafa then stumbles forward a little, shaking her head. "w...Leafa what's wrong?"

Nessa's heard laughing confidently and points to him. "GOTCHA! I had a feeling that in the case you were going to use Leafa for this battle that this is going to end up a few ways. One: That because she's a Grass Pokemon she, of course, would have the type advantage, however, Two: that with the right Pokemon I could merely wait out any move you throw for at least one turn and retaliate immediately! Baneful Bunker, in addition to protecting the user from attacks this move also poisons any attacker that makes direct contact. Sure you got me with Trop Kick and the speed and accuracy you trained her in, but it doesn't matter since not only are you poisoned, but let me guess she doesn't have that one ability Tsareena's do in order for this to be nullified, does she?"

"!" Haru's eyes widened. He sweats a bit, then realizes something horribly wrong. His Tsareena had the ability Leaf Guard, but realized the true double genius in asking to fight her late at night. This would have helped him earlier in the daytime, but not at night. He chuckles a little bit, one fist clenched. "Amazing, Nessa. Well then, no time like the present Leafa: let's end this before things get ugly! Use Facade!"

Nessa looks shocked; him throwing out such a move to counter HER counter. For the attack it appears Tsareena is seen attacking the Toxapex which causes damage. Haru was hoping with the doubled power that came with such a move it would be enough. But now he's gone on another turn with more poison damage, and unfortunately his Tsareena wasn't best on defense: he often only used her to take out opponents quickly. It didn't help that her health wasn't the largest in terms of raw health points.

"Toxapex let's end things with Pin Missile while she's slowed down!" throwing out a hand gesture, with the Tsareena now having to hop around like she was a cowgirl dodging gunfire. Alas, instead Nessa gets the hard hits she wants. Five full Bug Attack hits, and with that, Leafa stumbles from the move and then faints.

"..." Haru blinks.

Nessa takes a second to breathe, before she explains. "Merciless. An ability my Toxapex had; its attacks become critical if the target is poisoned. Yours was poisoned on the very first turn, and that Pin Missile became your downfall."

/I lost...? I...I can't believe it..!/ Haru thinks to himself, in disbelief and shock. Nessa finally lets the victory affect her and she jumps up and down in place all happy with herself. Haru looks at the Timer Ball that contained Leafa and set it back on his hip. In a legitimate one on one match Nessa outdid him by pure strategy and taught him a new way to battle. Had this been a League match she would be the new Champion. They both meet in the middle, and Haru laughs a bit weakly.

"I can't believe you did it. Yo...you actually did what you set out to do. I'm completely gobsmacked. Wow.." despite losing the match he was happy. Nessa felt really good about herself and all the prep work she did prior to the match and nodded.

"Yep I sure did! How do you like that, Haru? Wait, what're you doin-" she stopped herself after asking him that and saw he was beginning to pull out his wallet.

Prize money.

"Well you did win and even if this isn't official you DID put out a lot of time and effort to do this. You should be rewarded for it, no matter how big or small the victory. That's how Pokemon training and battling is, right? That's what makes moments like these worth it." pulling out a few bills of cash. Her face blushed, not expecting him to do this part and go that far for her, and the conversations of days ago came flooding back. Her feelings, too. Now that they were this close and her guard was a bit down, something told her to act.

/Even in something unofficial and selfish like this, he's still thinking about the other person. Still thinking about me.../ She thought to herself. Nessa shakes her head and pushed his hand away. "No, Haru. Please. I can't accept this."

"What? Nessa, you WON. You deserve a prize." pushing his hand back towards her. She pushes it back, guiding it back to his wallet.

"No, not like this, please." with her face softened up and looking at him. Haru wouldn't argue anymore but then he noticed something.

Her hand was gripping his own by the wrist.

"...uh..?" as his eyes met hers and looked at her. Her eyes went to his hand and then back to him.

*ththump thththump*

"I don't want a monetary prize. Not that kind of prize." she said softly, as the grip on his wrists tightened.

"Nessa what-" he would say but then Nessa pulled him forward towards her with enough force to get him to stumble when he wasn't expecting it. She pushed her face forward, closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his softly while keeping the grip on his wrist. Time stood completely still for a moment as his eyes go wide, then eventually shut. His face turns red with a fierce blush. Her lips were so incredibly, unbelievably, legendarily soft. He felt her lips make contact and felt every single part of her lips on him. They had never been this physically close before, and he was almost wondering if it was even happening at all. His head was swirling. Her face was dark pink/red and then slowly let go, looking at him with a new level of unguarded softness. Haru looked back into her eyes and saw she was smiling at him with an earnest expression of affection.

"THAT. Is the kind of prize I wanted. Not money." She spoke up, one hand going to her hair and readjusting so part of it would be out of her face. He had never appeared more flustered and just kept looking back at her.

He fell to the ground while in sensory overload.

- 1 minute later -

Haru opened his eyes and he just sees the dark skies of space and feels his center of gravity completely different to how it was mere seconds ago. His head was propped up and he sees that Nessa is sitting on the grass with him, as she's on her knees and has his head in her lap looking down at him.

"Haru? Hey...are you awake? Are you okay?"

"Oh. That...gosh I just ruined that moment didn't I?" he said, now embarrassed that even happened. But she shook her head and understood completely, one of her hands around his head.

"No. Not at all. It was cute. I never seen you get so red and speechless before."

He looked back at her as he noticed his hands were resting on his sides, with one on his stomach. It felt so comfortable to have his head on her lap like this and wondered if this is what Heaven was like. "Your lips are really soft. I haven't ever felt my heart leap out of my chest before now."

The black-and-aqua haired water gym master trainer would smile affectionately. "So are yours. I feel like my heart is pounding really hard right now."

"Heh. I suppose, we should both be a bit more open from now on. At the very least, I owe it to you for having outsmarted me. You know how to get into my head. In a few more ways than one." as she saw his eyes look back up at her.

"Is your head okay?" with one of her hands combing through his hair. The simple sensation of feeling another petting them was so unbelievably relaxing and intimate that he was still having trouble processing that it was happening. That someone was being like -this- with him.

"Yes, but, is it okay if I just stay like this for a minute before I head out?" he asked her, to which the gorgeous woman who was by his side smiled wider and nodded. "Absolutely."

She'd interject briefly, looking down at him. "You know, we keep jokingly calling each other by our haircolors and multiple other things, but if you think about it, it does pair up nicely. Imagine if we were in a 2 vs 2 trainer battle against two others and the announcer has to call us in a battle..."

"Yeah you're right. We'd be completely unstoppable together. Hmm. What do you suppose our 'team name' would be?" Haru inquired, finding what he sees is a Wishing Star shooting through the skies. Hopefully it falls near a trainer and picks it up. Nessa smiled and confidently answered his query with an answer.

"'Ruby and Sapphire'."

- - - - - END CHAPTER 3 - - - - -