"Okay," Lila Hargreaves took a deep breath, planting her hands on her son's shoulders. "One more time. Tent?"
"Check."
"Clothes?"
"Check."
"Food?"
"Check."
"Protection?"
Cassius faltered. "Protection?"
"In case you meet any cute girls."
"Mom, are you serious?" The young man inched away in disgust. "Not the time."
"I know, I know, it's just..." Lila sighed. "I won't be able to joke with you in person for who knows how long. Let your mother have this."
It was still weird to see. His mother, normally so collected and put together, struggling to keep herself in check. Though, he supposed the circumstances were fitting.
Even he was struggling to actually believe his own appearance—the clothes were still normal, his traditional windbreaker and joggers, but everything else was new. Hiking boots, a travel bag, and plenty more. Most of it was his dad's, back when he was his age.
"Never thought they'd actually come in handy," William Hargreaves admired his old travel gear from beside his wife. "Though, I must say, you certainly look the part." That was an important thing to note. He hoped it would apply to more people than just his parents.
"Okay, okay," Lila gave Cassius what was probably her millionth look-over. "Let's go over it all again, just to be sure—"
"Mom, please," Cassius pleaded. He wasn't particularly eager to leave, but his mom seemed determined to change that. "I've gotta go. Like, now."
"Okay, alright," Lila took another deep breath, taking a few careful steps away from her only child. "Gosh, I can't believe this is happening. My son, about to embark on a gym challenge."
William sighed. "That makes two of us."
"Three of us, actually," Cassius added. "I'll be fine. Hop and Gloria know what they're doing. I'll be back before you guys know it." He had a little trouble believing that himself, but for his parents' sake, he had to at least try to act a little confident. Even if they knew he wasn't.
"You better not be lying, boy," his mother tried her best at a stern tone, but it fell a little flat. "Don't go doing anything stupid out there."
"I won't, mom."
"And don't talk to strangers. Especially older ones."
"Yes, mom."
"And I'm expecting a call later tonight! And every week afterwards! I want to hear about everything."
William, thankfully, intervened before Lila could get any more emotional. "Lila, he has to go." The woman shook her head, trying to convince herself of the same thing. "I know, I know."
She pulled her son into one last hug. "I love you, Cassius. More than anything. Promise me you'll be safe." Cassius hugged her back. He didn't know when he'd get the chance to do so again. "I love you too. And I will."
"If you're ever in trouble, don't keep it to yourself. Let me and your father know. We'll do whatever we can to help."
"Thanks, I will." The youngest Hargreaves shuffled to his father, and hugged him next. The older man offered a smile, but the tears forming in the corner of his eyes were hard to miss. "Knock 'em dead, kiddo. Love you."
"Love you too." Cassius took a step back, and gave his parents one last look. The only two people who didn't judge him for what he was. And what he wasn't. Who loved him unconditionally, no matter what.
His eyes fell to the lone Poké Ball. Well, make that two of the three people.
"I'm heading out. I'll call you guys later tonight." He opened the door, and offered a smile. "Try not to burn the house down while I'm gone, 'kay?"
With tears in her eyes, Lila responded with a small laugh. "We'll do our best." The door closed behind him, but the tears did not fade.
For the second day in a row, Hop Dande was waiting for Cassius Hargreaves. This time, Gloria Victoria was waiting along with him, the two standing at the intersection that split the town in two.
"'Bout time you showed up," the girl scoffed upon his arrival. "Was thinkin' you'd gone into hidin' somewhere."
Cassius rolled his eyes. "You two would probably hunt me down if I did that."
"So the boy's got some smart in him after all." Gloria seemed genuinely surprised, which only served to irk Cassius more.
"Come on you two, lighten up a little!" As usual, Hop was as peachy and happy as could be. "Our first steps to becoming the greatest trainers Galar's ever seen starts now! Let's get excited!" His smile didn't falter, even when he was met with complete silence.
"So, where to first?" Gloria got down to business, hand on her hip. Hop began walking, his two companions falling into step behind him. "Lee told us to visit Professor Magnolia's first. Said she had something for us there."
Joy, Cassius thought. Another "gift" waiting to reject and embarrass him. Maybe this time it would be an actual person this time, instead of a Pokémon.
"Professor Magnolia's?" Gloria inquired curiously. She was silent for a moment, before speaking again. "Think she's givin' us a Pokédex?"
"I'd bet my Wooloo on it."
So it'd be a machine that would be rejecting him this time. Cassius had enough heart to mumble a faint, "Awesome. Can't wait."
Ignoring the distasteful look on Gloria's face, Hop made to explain. "Professor Magnolia's this region's Pokémon expert. She's been at the forefront of Pokémon Dynamax research for a really long time. She's a miracle worker!"
Cassius only understood about half of what Hop had just said. "Dynamax?"
"We'd be here forever if we tried explainin' everythin' to you right now," Gloria cut in. "In simple terms, Professor Magnolia's a smart lady. You've got one of those back in Unova, don't you?"
He was pretty sure they did. "Uh, yeah. Her last name's... a tree, I think?"
"All their last names are trees, you dope. And it's Juniper." She turned to Hop. "Why're we givin' this muppet a Pokédex again?"
Cassius was getting tired of the slander. "Hope this Pokédex thing doesn't operate through verbal commands. No machine in the world could understand that stupid accent of yours."
"Hope this Pokédex doesn't operate through dick commands. No machine in the world could see that stupid microknob'a yours."
"Oh, I didn't know we were all twelve years old. You come up with that really mature dick joke yourself, or did someone write it out for you?"
"That's enough," Hop quickly intervened before things could get violent. They hadn't even left Postwick yet, and things were already tense. "Gloria, I told you to be nice. Cassius is new to all this. If we're gonna make this work, we're gonna need to help him. You know what'll happen if we don't."
Gloria didn't seem very intent on stopping. "No amount of teachin' in the world could make him any less of a git. I say we leave him."
"That's the smartest thing that's come out of your mouth in the past twenty-four hours," Cassius agreed. "Not that the bar was very high."
"No one's leaving anyone," Hop interrupted, his voice beginning to raise in anger. "Gloria, we can't have you fighting Cassius every five minutes. If we're gonna make this work, we're gonna have to work together. As a team. Understand?" A few tension-filled seconds passed, before Gloria finally seemed to relent with a huff. With that crisis averted, Hop rounded on Cassius. "Look, Cassius. It's a lot that you're gonna need to learn before we start traveling for real. And I mean a lot. We're probably gonna be giving you a crash course on something every day. You're gonna need to learn and retain this stuff on the fly, or you're not gonna fool anyone. Got it?"
At least he didn't bother sugarcoating the entire process with something that sounded fun. Hop had actually bothered telling him the truth. Learning multiple years' worth of battling knowledge and strategies in the span of a couple months was going to be grueling work. Like studying a foreign language—except he would receive far worse than a gentle chiding if he failed.
He would have to start somewhere, eventually. If it was any consolation, having two people who knew what they were doing would help. "Got it." Hop looked extremely grateful that he had decided to be agreeable.
In the midst of their arguing, the group had reached the edge of Postwick. A sign marked Route 1 stood before them. Much to Cassius' relief, the path was free of any Wooloo.
Hop stopped walking, and Gloria and Cassius almost ran into him. Gloria shot her childhood friend a wary eye. "Hop?" The young man took a deep breath, before turning back to the two with his familiar smile.
"Twenty-fifth of August."
Cassius and Gloria actually shared a confused look, before the latter spoke up once more. "Hop, you alright?"
"That's the date today," Hop elaborated. "Twenty-fifth of August. The day we started our journey to become champions. Remember this day forever, you two."
Gloria rolled her eyes, but she didn't seem particularly annoyed. "Bit sentimental, wouldn't you say?"
"Maybe. But I've been waiting for this for a long, long time. I know you have too." His eyes fell on Cassius. "And I know things seem bleak right now, Cassius, but you'll look back on this fondly too. I know you will. You might have come to Postwick as a normal person, but today, you're leaving as a future legendary trainer."
Well, perhaps he'd been a little quick in assuming Hop wouldn't try to make the whole situation sound fun. "Save that for after we try to convince the entire continent that I'm the second coming of Alder."
"Will do." Hop's attention turned back to Route 1. "You guys ready?"
Gloria scoffed. "Why bother askin'?"
Cassius sighed. "As ready as I'll ever be, I guess."
"That'll do." Hop stepped onto the route, Gloria and Cassius not too far behind, and the journey officially began.
The journey came to a screeching halt not more than five minutes and a few hundred feet later.
"Woah," Cassius mumbled. The building the three had stopped in front of was massive. It was only two stories high, but it felt a ton bigger than that. Maybe it was because of how accustomed he was to smaller buildings, or maybe it was because of the striking color of purple the building was painted in, but either way he felt smaller before the building.
"Well, first stop," Hop noted aloud. "Galar's Pokémon Research Lab, workplace of the famous Professor Magnolia."
This was a laboratory? The sight didn't fit the image of a lab Cassius pictured in his head. A white block of clean concrete came to mind, like that big Alolan complex he'd seen in a magazine once. This looked more like someone's mansion, complete with a welcome mat and random potted plants scattered about.
Hop knocked on the door, and stepped back and waited. Time passed, yet there wasn't any immediate sign of activity inside. Gloria stifled a yawn, while Cassius found a particular spot of grass that he found interesting.
"Think she's in?" Hop asked no one in particular. Cassius offered him an uncertain look. "Does this professor of yours have a habit of running off somewhere?"
"She doesn't have a habit of running anywhere," Gloria answered. "The professor's, like, seventy or somethin'."
"Seventy?" Cassius was honestly surprised. He figured most professors were older folks, but seventy? That was a lot of time spent crunching numbers and submitting theories. Or whatever it was that Pokémon researchers did.
"That's why she's the best! Nobody smarter, or nicer," Hop smiled with pride. "She helped me take care of my Wooloo, back when I first caught him. I'd just about trust her with anything."
"Including our little secret?" Cassius prompted with a lower tone. Hop seemed slightly startled, observing their surroundings for eavesdroppers before answering. "Well, maybe not that..."
"What's the plan with that, by the way?" Cassius prodded further. "Are we keeping that between us three, or is there anyone else you plan on telling?"
Hop thought for a moment. "Well... I didn't really think much about it, but—"
"You didn't think much about the one thing that could ruin your brother's career?"
"Look, I—" the sound of crashing sounded from within the laboratory, cutting off whatever answer Hop might have had. He straightened his posture, refacing the door. "We'll talk about it later, okay? Pokédex first."
A timely excuse, but Cassius would bear with it for now. In all fairness, he hadn't thought much about it either, partially due to how unlikely it was he would tell anyone. Ideally, only he, Hop, Gloria, and his parents would be privy to that knowledge. He could trust those other four (to an extent) to keep the secret, well, secret, in part due to their own interests in either him or Leon. Anyone else was an unknown.
But Hop had filled in Gloria, who hadn't previously been aware of the circumstances. That much he could understand—Gloria would be traveling with them, and would be in near constant close contact. Having to keep up the act around her would have been exhausting. Plus, she idolized Leon enough to provide an incentive in helping him maintain the act, and in turn Leon's reputation.
Any further thoughts were shut down by another crash inside. Whoever this Professor Magnolia was, she must have been exceedingly clumsy. 'A clumsy professor. Huh. Didn't think that trope was a real thing.'
One final thump, until the sound of footsteps sounded from inside. They grew louder, until a silhouette appeared behind the door's slits. The jingling of locks sounded, and with a click, the door finally opened.
Cassius imagined an old, wrinkled elderly lady when the professor had been described to him. The woman at the door was perhaps the complete opposite of that description—a young, wrinkle-free face poked out of the door, with skin a milky white and free of blemishes. Green eyes blinked blearily, and a hand with similarly-colored nails attempted to stifle a yawn.
"Hop? Izzat you?" A decidedly feminine tone inquired tiredly. She looked like she had just woken up, from how her long orange hair was sticking up at odd angles. "Goodness, you're early. I wasn't expecting you so soon in the day."
'She looks good for seventy,' Cassius thought to himself.
"Oh, hey Sonia," Hop smiled cordially. "Yeah, figured we'd get a move on sooner than later. Sorry about the inconvenience." He peered behind her. "Is the professor in?"
"Nope, just me today," the stranger answered. Her eyes landed on Gloria, and a smile broke out. "There's my favorite girl. Figures that Hop wouldn't get lost with at least one sensible head with him." She moved to give her a quick hug, which Gloria returned. "Doin' good?"
"Suppose so. Ask me again in a few days."
"Will do," and then the attention was on him. Another stranger who didn't know who he was. "Wanna introduce me to your friend, Hop?"
"Guess I should." Hop placed a hand on Cassius' shoulder. The action unnerved the Unovan slightly. "Sonia, this is Cassius Hargreaves. Recent transfer from Unova, and the third recipient of Lee's endorsement."
He gestured to the woman. "Cassius, this is Sonia Magnolia. Former traveling buddy of my brother, research assistant, and overall know-it-all. She's Professor Magnolia's granddaughter."
A soft punch landed on Hop's shoulder. "Coulda done without that third label, brat." She seemed substantially more awake now, alert and lively. That energy was currently trained on him. "So you're Cassius. I've heard plenty about you already. Nice to finally meet you."
She extended a hand, and Cassius shook it. Her eyes were locked onto his. Normally, Cassius wouldn't have minded the undivided attention from a pretty girl, but the look in Sonia's eyes hardly seemed admiring. More appraising—calculating.
He was almost thankful when she finally let go, a cheery expression returning to her face. "Well, I suppose it's better to be able to knock this out now! I certainly don't mind the initiative on your part—that's a good trait to have as trainers." She opened the door fully behind her, walking back into the lab. "Come on in, you three."
Complying, Cassius was immediately impressed with the lab. Rows of bookshelves stacked upon themselves near the back, far too many books for him to count by eyeballing. Wedged between the shelves was what looked to be a greenhouse. A dining table sat to his immediate left, directly across a winding row of counters that held various tools and appliances. The place oozed professionalism, in Cassius' view.
"Gotta hand it to ya," Hop admired from in front of him, placing his travel bags on the floor. "I'm always impressed when I see this place."
"Bow wark!" A call sounded from behind the reception desk, and seconds later a figure darted from behind it. It was small, pudgy, and yellow, canine in figure. Beady eyes blinked at the three, while a pink tongue hung loosely.
"Heya, Yamper," Hop smiled and bent down, petting the creature. It yapped in appreciation, rolling on its back and allowing Hop to pet its underside.
"So spoiled for attention," Sonia sighed with a smile. She turned to Gloria. "Not gonna show him any love?"
"Nah," the girl quickly declined. "I'm good." Cassius noticed the way her hand clenched and unclenched as she said that. 'Nervous tick, maybe?' He didn't think that a girl like her had anything to be nervous about, but he'd been wrong about people before.
His musings left him in a slight trance, which was why the sudden contact around his shin made him jump slightly. Looking down, he saw the Pokémon—Yamper, right?—curiously nudging his leg, looking up at him with that blank expression. He was panting, and his tail was wagging.
He realized he had very little to fear from a Pokémon as friendly and docile as this one. This Yamper was, for all intents and purposes, harmless at the moment. Still, it was a Pokémon nonetheless, fully capable of frying him to next week if it so desired. There was plenty more to it than that tiny body.
Cassius took a nervous step back—which he immediately recognized was a mistake. Experienced trainers didn't show fear in the face of friendly Pokémon.
It was a mistake that, unfortunately, Sonia picked up on. "Rather jumpy, aren't you? Don't worry, he doesn't bite."
Cassius gulped, attempting to push down his fear. "O-Oh. Yeah, I got it. It's just..." What was a plausible excuse in this situation? "... I've never seen a lot of Pokémon in this region before. I'm a bit unfamiliar with it all."
"Nice save," Hop whispered under his breath. Sonia took a moment, before nodding. "Yeah, guess that makes sense. Leon mentioned you moved in a few days ago, so I guess plenty of things are new to you."
Her smile returned, but something about it seemed off to Cassius. "Well, if Leon picked you, I'm sure you're plenty capable. I trust his judgement. I did travel with him when we first started our challenge, after all."
Cassius didn't bother prying, though he was thankful for the change in topic. He'd have to be careful around this Sonia woman—she seemed intuitive and aware. Though, she did seem to have close ties with Leon. Unless there was some secret grudge he was unaware of, she didn't seem likely to rat to Leon if she ever found out.
Still, it was better off not to risk it, Cassius decided. Keep the circle as small as possible, and go from there. Besides, there would be plenty of people after Sonia who would expect him to act in a more trainer-ish manner. In that sense, this was good practice.
"All reminiscing aside," Hop cut in, thankfully. "Leon told me that the professor had something for us here. A gift, I think he said."
"Leon would be right then. I do have something for you. Though, I've no idea why Leon thinks me to be his little errand girl. You all own Rotom Phones, yes?" All three heads nodded in affirmation. She extended a palm. "Great. Your phones then, if you would."
After she received three phones, she walked over to one of the computers and began typing. "This'll only take a few minutes. Feel free to make yourselves at home at the dining table while you wait. There's still some tea, if you fancy a cup."
The three rookie trainers took their respective seats at the table, Gloria and Hop each pouring themselves a cup from the kettle. "It's cold," Gloria grumbled softly.
"Way to think on your feet earlier," Hop whispered to Cassius. "Though, you're gonna have to learn to act natural around Pokémon. Can't have you looking scared during every encounter."
"I know, I know," Cassius mumbled back. "I wasn't prepared."
"We'll work on it," Hop promised, returning to his cup. "I'd recommend not being too uptight around Sonia, either. Don't let her looks fool you—she's as smart as they come. Certainly takes after the professor in that regard."
Cassius didn't need to be told twice. Sonia looked like the queen of every popular girl he had ever met in his life, but there was a feeling of something more to her. Earlier, when she'd been talking to him, it felt like she'd been carefully prodding into his actions, looking for even the smallest slip-up or inconsistency. Tip-toeing the line between cordial and interrogative.
He wasn't an idiot. She was obviously suspicious of him, and for good reason. She didn't seem to want a full-on confrontation—for now, anyway—but things could always change. He would need to be prepared for that if or when the time came. "What's her relationship with Leon?"
"More than I know," Hop answered, shooting the woman in question a look as she tinkered away on the computer. "She told you earlier that she started traveling with Leon, back when he had first started his Gym Challenge. That much is true, and they go back way before even then. They've known each other since nappies."
Cassius nodded. "Are they on bad terms now?"
"Not that I know of. They've remained pretty good friends for as long as I can remember—though, they never finished their challenge together, now that I think about it." His face scrunched together in thought, as if trying to remember the finer details. "Sonia dropped out while they were traveling together. I think around the time Leon really started picking up steam as a potential future champion."
"But they're fine with each other now, aren't they?"
"I mean, I'm pretty sure? I don't know why you're—oh." Hop seemed to connect the dots in his head. "I see what you're playing at. Maybe... at the very least, it'd be one less person we'd have to worry about slipping up in front of. And one more person to help cover for us, if need be."
"We don't know that," Gloria joined in. "She cares for Leon plenty, but she's always been someone to hold him accountable. She might not want something like that weighing on her or Leon's conscience." She turned to Cassius. "And she might think she's doin' you a favor by keepin' you from gettin' yourself killed."
She'd be doing the right thing, but Cassius decided to keep that thought to himself. Hop nodded in agreement with Gloria. "Good point. Let's just keep her out of it for now. It might not be the end of the world if she finds out, but we play it safe for the time being. Sound good?" Two nods, and the matter was settled.
Just in time, too. "And that's that," Sonia placed the three phones on the tabletop, an accomplished smile on her face. She eyed the three. "So, what're we whispering about all secret-like over here?"
"Placing wagers on what this super-secret gift you got for us is," Hop replied, grinning. "Gloria's got her money on a hidden camera app she can use to spy on me through walls."
"Oi, prick!"
"All the better to make sure you don't accidentally walk yourself into a Beartic's cave," Sonia laughed. "But no, not quite. Congratulations, you three—you're all the proudest new owners of the latest and greatest Galarian Pokédex."
"I knew it!" Hop jumped up in joy, snatching his phone and typing furiously. His eyes lit up, and he nosedived into Sonia. "Ah, this is amazing! You're the best, Sonia!"
"Easy, kiddo. No need to remind me," she rustled the younger man's hair. "Though, it's my gran you need to be thanking—she's the one who got it all ready for you. I'm just the one who installed it."
Hop returned to his seat, and Sonia took her own, her voice taking on a more authoritative tone as she did so. "Alright, listen up. I'm sure you already have a general idea of how these work, but I'll explain anyway. A Pokédex is, essentially, the most valuable tool any trainer could have. It provides detailed, concise data on all non-legendary Pokémon to date. This obviously comes in handy when you're exploring, battling, or anything else Pokémon-related. If you're at all curious about anything regarding a certain Pokémon, it's almost a guarantee that this Pokédex will have an answer."
"Additionally, a Pokédex is invaluable for gauging specifics about Pokémon, especially ones that you catch. Upon catching a Pokémon, a quick scan from the Pokédex will tell you everything you need to know about it—moves, ability, gender, anything. This comes especially in handy when you're training your Pokémon up, and looking for how to best optimize and tailor your Pokémon's capabilities to your style of battling."
Sonia took a breath before continuing. "You want to find a particular Pokémon's habitat? See if your Pokémon can use a certain move? Check on how many damned souls a Dusknoir eats for supper? The Pokédex has you covered. Any questions?"
"Just one," it was Gloria who spoke up first. "How do we change the interface? Red's an ugly color."
"Any actual questions?"
"Does everyone have one of these?" Cassius chanced. He remembered the trainers on Route 12 always fussing over the things, and celebrating when they got their hands on one. They made them out to be a rarity.
"Yes and no. Naturally, all trainers want a Pokédex. And there are plenty of people willing to sell them. But all Pokédexes aren't created equal," she explained. "These things are expensive, to make and to buy. Since not everyone can afford a top-of-the-line Pokédex, there are cheaper alternatives, at the cost of some of the premium features. Most are their own machine as opposed to an application you can download on your phone, like what I've done for you. Some are a pain to lug around, some don't operate well far away from civilization, and some aren't even waterproof."
She allowed herself a smug smile. "You three, however, are lucky. There are very few folks who have what you have. I'm talking only the Gym Leaders and higher-ups in the Gym Challenge. Not to mention Leon. Your Pokédexes are the very best Galar has to offer—approved by Professor Magnolia herself."
The best? Cassius eyed the app on his phone. It seemed so mundane, the icon sitting next to the app he checked the weather with. But its importance had been clarified, and the application would likely be crucial in his ability to act the part of a seasoned trainer.
A pretty good gift, in all honesty. He wondered what those passing trainers near his home would say if they knew he had one of these. He'd tinker with it later and try to get a better feel for it. "Got it. Thanks."
"Not a problem," Sonia smiled. "In any case, I've a favor to ask of you three. Nothing serious, just something quick before you all leave Wedgehurst."
"Sure," Hop obliged. Gloria shot him a look—she seemed eager to get a move on to the actual journeying. "Whaddya need?"
"Would you mind stopping by my gran's just to let her know you got the Pokédexes? I told her you got it, but you know her, always wanting to confirm things herself." Her expression turned apologetic, her smile turning sheepish. "Sorry to take you off-course, but it'll be quick. She might even give you all something as a reward for your troubles."
"Not a problem!" Hop agreed instantly. "Been a while since I've last seen her. I'd like to thank her for the Pokédex, too. What say you two?"
Though her expression conveyed displeasure, her words conveyed acceptance. "Sure, whatever." Cassius concurred, not particularly eager to begin traveling the region. "Fine with me."
"Thanks a bunch, you three. Tell you what, as thanks for doing this," Sonia rose from her seat and moved to a nearby cabinet and opened it, grabbing something. She returned with plenty—Poké Balls, and what looked like purple sprays. "Here, for your troubles. Fifteen balls, and nine potions. Plenty for all three of you to divvy up!"
"What's got you actin' so charitable?" Gloria asked, not without a quick word of thanks. Sonia laughed softly to herself. "Oh, nothing really. I just remember when I first left for my Gym Challenge. I was so excited, so nervous. But I remember thinking how nice it was to have someone rooting for me—so, I figured I'd pass on the feeling."
"So you weren't rooting for us until you gave us these items?" Hop's joke was met with a playful swat from Sonia. "Cheeky as ever, Hopsicle. I don't remember Leon being as mouthy as you."
"Hopsicle?" Cassius whispered.
"We'd best get goin' then," Gloria stood up for her seat and made for the door. Hop made to follow, Cassius not too far behind him. "Thanks for everything, Sonia," Hop called as he lugged his travel bag onto his back. "When should we expect to see you again?"
"No problem, Hop. And who knows?" The woman shrugged. "Though, I'll be in Hulbury not too long from now. Keep from embarrassing yourselves until then, and maybe we'll cross each other."
"Count on it." Hop waved farewell as he opened the door. "Well, we're off!"
"Tell my gran I said hi!" Hop and Gloria disappeared out of the door. Cassius was about to do the same before Sonia's voice froze him. "Oh, and Cassius?"
'So close,' Cassius lamented silently as his hand lingered on the doorknob. Taking a quick breath to calm himself, he turned toward the pretty woman with all the composure he could muster. "Uh, yes?"
"Do look out for those two, would you?" That smile of hers had returned. Friendly-looking, but not quite reaching her eyes. Her eyes bored into him as she spoke. "They're like siblings to me. They're plenty strong and smart, but they have their faults." The smile fell slightly. "As does everyone."
His expression remained stony, but his stomach felt like it was folding in on itself. "I'll... keep that in mind."
"Thank you. Don't let my little request stop you from having fun on your journey too, okay?" A well-maintained finger started playing with the end of her orange side-tail. "I'm sure you've plenty of things to accomplish on your own."
The twiddling stopped. "Best of luck, Cassius Hargreaves. I'll be watching."
The thumping of his heart almost drowned out every other noise. He barely heard his own voice as he answered her. "Thank you, ma'am." The last thing he saw was Sonia's smiling face as he closed the door behind him, perhaps a little too quickly.
"So, Route 2 it is," Hop decided as the group traversed through town. The sun was beginning to reach its apex in the sky. "Man, I can't wait to try out this new Pokédex! Oh, all the things I'll learn..."
"Careful not to let that app become a crutch," Gloria warned, hands on her head as she walked. "Use it too much, and before you know it you're spendin' every battle tryin' to analyze your opponent to death."
Hop snorted. "Oh, come off it Gloria. Think of all the applications! The uses! We can battle, train and explore in the most efficient way possible! That can only be a good thing going forward!"
He turned to the third member of their little group. "And this bodes well for you too, Cassius. This will greatly expedite the process of getting you up to snuff on everything you need to know. Pretty neat, huh?"
"Huh?" Cassius replied, eyes coming into focus. "Oh, right. Yeah, that'll help."
Hop frowned. Cassius had seemed a little off and been a little more quiet since they'd left the lab. Well, quieter than he'd normally been. Had Sonia said something to him on the way out that spooked him?
"Well, in any case, Route 2's a bit of a walk. Plenty to do—and see." Hop's smile returned as he put a careful hand on Cassius' shoulder. "That means it's a prime opportunity to get some teaching done on the way."
Cassius' frown deepened. "What kind of teaching?"
"The only kind that's actually worth a damn."
Gloria's brow raised. "You're gonna teach him to shotgun a beer?"
"Better," Hop grinned. Cassius was starting to dislike that look of his. He disliked it even more when he finished speaking.
"Cassius, my friend, you're gonna catch yourself a Pokémon."
A shape loomed overhead.
It was quiet, careful. Observing with nary a sound, so as to not give itself away. It would not flee if presented with confrontation, but it would be better to remain in hiding. For now.
Its perch remained unnoticed by the three others it was watching. They moved, sounds all around them, heading to the trees and grass. Likely to encounter others—likely to fight.
Red eyes gleamed. A fight would come. They would be there, and so would she. Her strength tested, she would prevail, for she was the strongest. The strongest in all the lands. Such was her strength.
The rampage—the rustling of the other creatures. From the place of many trees. It had seen it, and seen the other one prevail. Such was strength—but it was not her own. The other had prevailed, not her.
Anger. She was the strongest. She was, she was, she was. It would be proven. Through battle she would fight—and through battle she would be the strongest. In the trees and grass, she would battle the other. She would be strength.
A fight would come. Yes, it would come.
The shape rustled, and it was gone.
