"Hey, Sushil." Koume said, as the two eat the dinner together in the prior's room.
"Yeah?" He responded, picking his head up from what was left from his barely baked toasts.
"Do you remember about a promise from earlier?" She asked, ending the eating of her omelette with pasta and beef.
"Sure I do, wanna hear it now?" He asked in response with slight satisfaction in his voice.
"Yes please."
Sure then, so listen up." Sushil grunted, taking both of their plates to the dishwasher. "Once upon a time, as a younger snot, I was a minor worker at the group called Team Galactic."
"Who?"
"You know, the crime, or maybe I should say evil groups in our pokemon cultural sphere given the lack of better term are called teams. And each region has at least one of those, from which Sinnoh, a region we are both in right now, has Team Galactic." He paused, turning around to face her with sturn face." Mine job there was to move things around. You know, typical low-pay physical work in the magazines while the big boys go out to mind control what is essentialy two regional Gods and swallow our universe with a new one they open with the help of two controled Legendary Pokemon, or Gods as you might call it."
"... And they were stopped?" Koume asked, sweat dropples going down her face.
"Yes they were, luckly I left before the climax happened so I was outside of the massive arrest action after their plans failed and leader called Cyrus was the only one to jump into alternative world." Sushil paused again, allowing her to process all information. "But in a meanwhile of doing so, I also seen trainers who either geniuenly care for their pokemon or treat them as tools, which got me wondering on who is there to care about mistreated pokemon. And the answer was so bad that I decided to act."
"So rescued pokemon build and then began upkeeping this place?"
"Precisely. We all know our roles and the roles of the others on top of their importance and necessity for everything else to function properly." Sushil smiled, his eyes gaining a positive shine for a brief moment. "But the point is, being a member of this group did make me to hold back with being a trainer and resorting to having a small business commune in here."
"And you want me to brawl in your name?" Koume asked, standing up from the chair and walking up to him.
"Not in my name, but in name of what I created in here." He responded decisively, making a face as if he felt insulted. "I wouldn't be permitten in any big tournament because of being a Team Galactic grunt and being called names for that. That's why I stay here as a guy that lives in peace and allows others to become someone big." He explained with calm attitude and slightly relaxed face. "For example, you."
"And how can I do it?" Koume asked again, slightly unsure about the whole situation.
"For example by joining into the incoming World Coronation Series or other minor tournaments." Sushil responded, taking his phone and showing her the online website of Pokemon Leauge. "In case you didn't know, these guys are in top of every official, organised and international Pokemon event, much like MEXT is to schools in Japan." He continued, pressing the menu button in the top right corner and then going to the tournament section. "Here you have all tournaments of all kind with filtering options to find just a thing you want."
"Oh, thanks." Koume responded, taking her Rotom-phone and beginning to browse the options. "What do you think I should choose?"
"Something you know how to do of course." Sushil responded, spreading his arms widely. "I won't throw my pal into a deep water just like that."
"... I know how to battle with them and official rules can be learned." Koume told herself as she adjusted the research criteria and kept scrolling up and down. "Pokemon Leauge Winner Championship?"
"If you want so, then go for it." Sushil responded, taking his own look at the said tournament.
"Hmm... Each region sends their best available perticipant of the last held leauge. Eight region already have their contestants, few still don't and... Three places are for outsiders to qualify in pre-eliminations? Weird."
"Yeah. It isn't the constant table shuffle like World Coronation Series that will soon end and stop absorbing the very best trainers of the world." Sushil sighed, looking at the available regions specifically. "Apparently region of Paldea didn't even started their own leauges yet and Johto region left the Indigo Leauge held alongside Kanto to start their own now. And while I don't understand the second decision I do believe that these two are the best options for this tournament. Especially since the two start relatively late so you can still obtain your eight gym badges mandatory to enter."
"I see... I think I go with Johto leauge." Koume responded, her face changing to a determined one. "But first I need a transport and training to know what my team can do."
"Nothing we couldn't do." Sushil smiled, giving her a thumb up as the two finally left the room and went to the outside where Koume's pokemon endes their own meal and cheered happly upon seeing their trainer. "Feel free to ask others for training or set them up against eachother. Everyone knows their limits." He added, taking the bowl with the barely seen leftovers from the ground and bringing them back under Koume's room for the washing.
"Alright then!" Koume said with excitement, looking down at her crew. "Who is ready for a training before departure?"
(Ten minutes later)
"Alright then, Buneary and Eevee go first." Koume commanded, both of her pokemon walking onto the opposite ends of the white-lined rectangle placed on a floor made out of orange asphalt with many other pokemon including her other ones watching. "No commands, no interfierence until you go overboard, just show me all you can and know." She added before her hand made a chopping arm movement down. "Now go!"
"Hayah!" Eevee roared, rushing forward with his Iron Tail and barely giving time for Buneary to dodge it and then jump away from two next slashes.
"Hmph." Buneary responded, leapibg forward with straight legs and kicking him twice in the head before bouncing back and realising with fear that he just shrugged it off.
"Hreeegh." Eevee growled, running forward with weirdly sharpened teeth and anger in his eyes.
"... Mrr?" Buneary tilted her head, making Baby-doll eyes and managing to have him hide teeth insmto him mouth in favor of lack luster headbutt that bounced off of her frontal belly fur and landed flat on the ground.
"Akhee!" Eevee coughed with spiteful hiss, standing up and then proceeding to growl like a maniac.
"Hm!" Buneary narrowed her eyes, unamused by the approach he took and running forward with her Quick Attack to strike him down.
"So far so good, they both seem to be physical attackers." Koume thought just as Eevee had a spark of passion in his eyes and striked unprepared Buneary with Last Resort, sending both of them into the corner of the arena with Eevee coming out as a narrow winner. "Great display you two, now go get some rest." She spoke up, giving Spheal and Sandshrew a hand signal to come forth for a second round.
"Ack, ack!" Spheal cried out with happiness while Sandshrew only exhaled with disappointment.
"Go!" Koume commanded, the round instantly opening by Spheal using Rollout and spinning forward at the Aloan reginal variant, who opted for a quick scratching attack which resulted in the two coliding with eachother and flying a bit away from eachother while also sustaining some damage. "This one seems to be a bit more equal." Koume though, looking at the battlefield where Spheal began to shoot his Water Gun in all directions while Sandshrew dodged it left and right, but remaining unable to make an approach. "But I don't think it will go this way for too long..."
"Graaah!" Sandshrew cried out with frustration before the claws on his hands began to glow with green light.
"Whoa, what is happening?" Koume said, astonished by the sudden change of situation.
"He just learned Fury Cutter." Sushil explained, joining her as secondary judge. "Watch and learn." He added as new green blades slashed incoming water left and right before reaching Spheal and being bumped away with another Rollout.
"He spreaded water attack away but wasn't able to defend from a bump?" Koume asked herself out loud, looking at Sandshrew suffering three progressive hits from Spheal's chunky belly before another Water Gun send him all the way to the edge of the arena. "And why he isn't using his Ice moves?"
"Spheal is also partially a Ice type, so he resists those attacks." Sushil explained calmly, seeing Sandshrew returning to blocking another Water Gun with his claws. "He doesn't have other way to break from defense than a charge forward."
"A charge that then gets countered by a Rollout." Koume added her part, seeing Spheal setting up an Aqua Ring. "I do wonder why he expects an attack here."
"He's just enjoying the control of the situation... Or he doesn't want to go forward and make a risky finish." Sushil theorized, ending just in the moment where Aloan Sandshrew was pushed out of the white line and rendered as defeated by leaving the battlefield. "Also, may I take Sandshrew while Trapinch and Ducklett have their last training match?"
"Emm, sure thing." Koume responded positively as the two battling pokemon left the arena and allowed the last pair to have their fight.
"Here mate, I'll give you something for the ranged combat." Sushil said to the tired Sandshrew, taking in the arms and walking away towards the storage rooms.
"Alright then guys, show me what you can." Koume said to Trapinch and Ducklett as they took their stances. "Now go!"
"Kraaak!" Trapinch screamed in astonishing way, running forward with the shining teeth.
"Kwaaa!" Ducklett quacked in panic before running away from charging ant, which quickly turned into running in circles around the arena.
"Oh, right, he doesn't believe in himself." Koume thought, looking at the duck being chased by ant with oversized head. Not something she expected the day or two. But hey, such was the place she was in. "But what to do?"
"Kwak!" Ducklett screeched in fear as he suddenly tripped over and fell flat onto the ground, instantly turning around and backing away from incoming Trapinch who already prepared his teeth for a bite.
"I believe in you!" Koume suddenly shouted, making Ducklett use his Steel Wing out of shock and make Trapinch use Bite on the solid steel. Needless to say that the latter backed away with toothache before being blown away by a Water Gun.
"Ghraaaak!" Trapinch screeched with anger, his eyes glowing with red stars inside of it.
"I know I was not supposed to intervene in your fight, but look waht great thing you can do!" Koume shaked her hands, giving Ducklett her motivational speech. "Now go and do this again!" She added, to which the duck pokemon responded by a decisive nod followed up by a run to face off against Trapinch with Steel Wing being activated once again.
"Kreee!" Trapinch screeched again as he also run forward with astonishing exposure of teeth before the two collided so hard that a car-sized explosion threw them both away and onto the ground.
"Are you two alright?" Koume asked, running forward into the middle of the arena and checking the two.
"Meeeeep!" Trapinch squeaked before rolling upside down and wiggling his legs like a yo-yo.
"Quaaaaa..." Ducklett said with a drag before fainting and flalling down on the ground with rolled eyes.
"Oh, Ducklett..." Koume sighed, taking him into her arms which suprisingly enough was enough for him to wake up and look her in the eyes.
"Kwaaa..."
"It's okay, you did your best., She added, cuddling him tightly. "I'll promise that I make you stronger."
"Alright guys! I am back with TM's!" Sushil shouted, destroying the mood over the situation as he came back with Aloan Sandshrew and several cassetes in hand. "Since Buneary and Eevee are strong enough to go on a journey without further bulk up, I decided to give others some so they won't fall behind." He added, just as Sandshrew spread out his arms and made several chunks of ice and snow fall around him. "Sandshrew got Avalanche to replace Scratch, Spheal gets Rock Smash, Trapinch gets Solar Beam and Ducklett gets Toxic." He said taking out three cassetes as three pokemon in question walked up to them. "We learn it, pack your stuff, do Koume's online paperwork and off you go for an adventure!"
(Half an hour later)
"That took weirdly little time, didn't it?" Sushil asked, as he escorted fully prepared Koume towards the cruise ship back at the port they came into Sinnoh.
"Yeah, I'm sure lucky to have such a good pack of friends with you." She responded, blushing slightly.
"Don't sweat it, you'll be needing it back at the gym challenge and in the leauge, you talented trainer."
"Eh, thank you." Koume responded, wabing her hand in a gesture know as 'shrug it off, would you?'. "I'll be sure to contact you from time to time."
"Glad to hear it. Just, stay safe and remember that your team's got your back."
"I will." She concluded decisively as she finally walked throu the footbridge onto the ship's deck and waved him her goodbyes before walking deeper into the ship.
But while her journey has just began, a peculiar short, sleepy girl with black hair thought her own journey has came to the end with the expulsion notice being handed to her...
