Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon. I own my OCs.

Year 3, Age 9

Another prosperous year in Sinnoh has ended and another begins anew. The League's developments have been diligently carried out steadily, under Elite Lucian's guidance the region has undergone the biggest economic boom in decades. Champion Cynthia's decision to change the official trainer license age from 10 to 15 went over more smoothly than expected due to the events in recent years having brought attention to how dangerous journeys can be. A great deal of strides have been taken to ensure the region's safety and those that inhabit it.

Topaz though is elated. He has one more year left till he can become a Pokemon trainer. Alongside his best friend Jade they study and practice everything they can to be the best trainers they can be. They must savor their last moments as innocent children, unconnected to the dangerous world Volkner wishes to shield them from. All he can do is keep working to ensure they've got the best chance they've got.

~~Spring~~

Topaz Heart

Location: Book Store

"Thank you sir!" I said to the bookshop clerk.

"My pleasure young lad. Anything for a lad so eager to learn. If only your friends were so willing to read as much as you."

I wouldn't call them my friends per say, sans Jade, but he loves artbooks.

"Maybe one day! Anyway, got to go!" I ran out of the store with my new book Sinnoh Underground for Dummies vol 1. It's been a few days since I had found my mother's journal and fiddled with the solar panels. Unfortunately my mother had difficulty proceeding in her research due to the sheer danger of the Underground so they felt it was safest to leave, but I still had questions.

As for my solar panel plan, Volkner actually liked my idea and looked super proud when he was talking about it. Well, as proud as his face allows, but it still meant a lot! There were some parts he was going to fix up, but he said he expected a lot. A new electricity food resource went a bit above and beyond even that. Hopefully we can add it in soon, but until then my focus was solely on my new book.

The Sinnoh Underground fascinated me. An entire subterranean system the size of Sinnoh lurking under our feet fascinated me beyond words. While we can access it easily enough it does not follow the same laws as our world.

Distances are skewed, minerals can be planted and grow at phenomenal rates, entire sub-cultures living their lives, fossils from all over the world have been unearthed there. There was so much that I didn't understand and it just made me love it more!

I found myself in the rustic district of town. It was still too cold for the beach, but it was nice enough to peacefully sit outside. I found a table and bench by one of the shrines underneath a sakura blossom tree.

It was usually pretty isolated and very quiet, an ideal place for me. In the distance I could see a Regigigas and Heatran figurine I assume having been placed as an offering.

Regigigas and Heatran are often used as symbolism for the Underground as it's said that Regigigas moved the continents meanwhile Heatran is the embodiment of the Earth's molten core. I was curious if either had anything to do with the Underground's current condition, but hopefully the brush upon it in this volume as I began to read.

I stayed like that for a good while, eating up every word so I could use it for future reference. A lot of it pertained to trainers and how to get started on the underground and while this was a bit early for me to be reading, I had to admit it was satisfying to read nonetheless.

I've never swung a pickaxe before in my life, but I'm sure it can't be that hard. Surely it can't be so easy to make entire walls fall over little chinks in the wall. What if they found a fossil!? If it collapsed I'm definitely going back in with my Pokemon.

After reading for a good while without stopping I got the overwhelming need to stretch and grab a snack from a vending machine before continuing. My desire for fruit snacks prevailed over my ability to focus.

"Enjoying your book?"

I open my eyes to see a teenager with long blonde hair and a pitch black outfit greet me casually from across the table. In the background I spied a magnificent Milotic socializing with a gorgeous Roserade. After my brain processed what the heck was happening I managed to find my words.

"C-Cynthia?"

Despite my flustered state I managed to wave at Aphrodite the Milotic and Idun the Roserade respectively, Cynthia's companions. They gave a calm wave and tail flick back. "How long have you all been here exactly?"

Did I really not notice the champion, a walking rose and a giant sea serpent slither in?

She shrugged. "Oh, about an hour. I had some reports to look through and plans to make, so you needn't worry. You've not kept me from anything. I just figured I'd say hello, since I needed to talk to Volkner. He said you'd gone out, and I find you reading up on the Underground. I'd ask if you find it intriguing, but. Well, I did come flying in on Reginleif and you simply looked annoyed that the table had shook a bit."

I looked at the table and did notice it had shifted a bit, but I also remember scowling and moving over.

So this is why Volkner says I need a chaperone. Am I okay? How low does your awareness need to be for you to be committed? Questions for later.

"I vaguely remember ignoring that. Sorry," I sheepishly apologized. "Volkner says I run on my own terms when I've got a good book in my hands. I just keep reading till I get inspired. Guess he was not kidding at all."

She just laughed and waved her hand a bit. "You've nothing to worry about. I'd recommend waiting until you're at home to do something like that personally, but I'm not exactly in a position to judge. My family keeps telling me to try and sleep in my bed and not on my desk, but I have a habit of forgetting humans need sleep when I'm pouring over myths."

"Usually one of Volkner's Pokemon follows me around, but they were all busy so I decided to just head out on my own. I'm nearly 10 so soon I'll be able to do it all the time!... but next time I'll read with wary company."

She nodded, satisfied, before glancing at the book I was reading. "Oh! I have a fun idea. How would you like to come to the Underground with me? Nothing special, just the upper layers for now. You're clearly interested, so why not show you some of it along with where I spend… probably too much time."

Before she could say another word I was on the table, the book stashed back into my bag ready to depart. "I'm good to go!"

She smiled brightly. "Then come, day doesn't last forever!" She took my hand and walked over to a more deserted part of the city, bordering on not being in the city anymore. "No one should mind here. Reginleif?"
Her gargantuan Garchomp burst out, though with a bit of a smile. She gave a gentle rumbling before blasting into the ground, quickly making an angled tunnel as Cynthia looked to me. "So, would you like to go first or should I?"

"Wait, I thought Sunyshore City had its own Underground entrance?" I asked. "Is digging here really okay? Can we just dig anywhere?" This time I asked with excitement.

"No," she elaborated, "you can't just dig anywhere. However, I know you're not the biggest fan of people and I'd prefer to not be set on by loads of people at the moment. Reginleif is wonderful at filling holes back in and leaving little to no signs of it having ever been dug, and I made sure to ask her to dig in a place no one will mind. Besides," as a grin spread across her face, "Where's the fun in not having a little bit of adventure?"

Sounds fair game to me.

I peered down the hole. "Wow, she really is good at digging holes. How far did she- no nevermind, we can find out!" I took a cautious step in testing the incline before affirming it was safe and then jogged a few steps down before I called out to Cynthia. "It's dark!"

"You get used to it. For now though? First lesson," as she pulled out a lantern, "you always want one of these on you. Or someone who can make a light source. Or if you've got some gadget or really any way to make sure you can see where you're going."

She held the lantern up, illuminating the tunnel down. It sloped fairly gently, with various rocks having been pulverized on the way down. There was a faint blue light ahead though, and as we walked it got brighter. Soon enough we were in the tunnels themselves.

Taking the chance of the opportunity I decided to ask Cynthia a more personal question.

"So where were you before you came to Sunyshore? The League?"

She glanced over before smiling. "Simply spending some time with Caitlyn. She's aspirations of becoming part of the Unovan elite four, and she's quite close to that goal. She wanted to know if I had any tips I hadn't told her, given I'm a champion and all."

"Hey… isn't she a Frontier Brain? I thought they were already super strong. That's what the news says anyway."

I dunno much about the Frontier Brains, but this piques my interest.

"They are," she continued while making sure I kept my footing, "But she's a bit of a special case. She rarely actually fought herself, and felt it wasn't right for her to simply inherit a position. So especially after Helheim she wanted to prove herself in her own right. Not to mention getting a better grasp of her abilities. We journeyed together, talked and she eventually decided she'd like to be part of the elite four in Unova." A smile crossed her face. "But she's doing better now, and that's what's important."

I took a close look at Cynthia's face and her smile was a bit different than usual. As though she was thinking of very fond memories.

Is she… blushing?

"So you two are really close huh?"

She chuckled awkwardly. "I suppose we are, aren't we?"

Oh wow, is this what being smitten looks like? Jade would eat this up if he knew… so I'll keep it a secret. Plus, it's none of our business.

We continued down through the tunnels till we arrived at large steel supports. They were pretty big, with riveted steel supports holding them open and the occasional support beam up top. Otherwise, the ground was well worn and dusty. The walls had rocks poking out of them, some shining just a tad. The air was a bit staler down here than above, but you could still smell the sea and near the vents were wall sconces with sparking blue crystals glowing with an azure light.

As I was taking it all in, along with the huge Garchomp looking quite pleased with herself, Cynthia put a hardhat on my head. "Nearly forgot, but you should have that on."

I touched the hat and giggled with glee. "I'm a real miner!" I properly took in our surroundings before landing on the lights. "Are those lanterns illuminated with electric stones? What Pokemon are down here? Where should we go next? What do you plan on mining? Is it really as hard as they say? Where's your helmet?" I turned to Reginleif. "Thanks for the drill down Reginleif! You're fast in the sky and ground!"

She gave a pleased roar while Cynthia shook her head smiling. "You never run out of questions and I wouldn't have it any other way. The lanterns are electric stones. They're found deeper down, but we won't be going there today. Perhaps you can find them on your own though, there should be some on the levels you're allowed to go before going on your journey. We're going to stay in this general area, since it's far enough away from the communal entrance to have some interesting tidbits scattered about. I plan on mining… whatever catches our eyes, really. I highly doubt we'll come across anything like a fossil or evolutionary stone this high up, but I'm sure there'll be learning experiences. It can be quite hard, but you get better as you go. All sorts of Pokemon can be down here, but at this level you're gonna be hard pressed to find anything besides a Geodude, Zubat or Bronzor. Sometimes a Hippopotas too, but they show up more lower down. And as for where my hat is…" she gave a bit of an awkward chuckle.

"You have it. I forget about it unless I'm going to be sitting in one spot for a while. I've faith in my team and myself to be able to handle the odd falling rock. But more importantly…" she smiled. "What are you hoping to find on this excursion?"

That's a good question. Frankly I'm just glad to be here, but… "I just want to enjoy the experience. And swinging a pickaxe! It can't be that hard right? An entire wall can't collapse after a little kid hitting it? Right?"

She hesitated slightly, moving her hand back and forth just a bit. "Aah, I'd say that maybe that's for later. After I show you how. Depending on how hard you hit it… yeah, a fair bit of wall can collapse. There's different types of pickaxe, different rocks to hit, different densities of dirt, and you of course always need to be gentle enough to not full on break what you're trying to find. And you'd be surprised what a little kid with a hard object can do." She glanced around, before her eyes zeroed in on one specific section of wall. That looked just like all the rest. "Perfect!"
Reginleif followed as we walked over to the wall she'd decided was special. "Can you tell me anything about this wall, Topaz?"

I took a step back to observe the entire corridor from end to end. Either my sight is going with my sense of awareness or I'm missing something. "I can tell you… it's a wall. But I am going to assume there's something there."

Books can only teach you so much before you have head out into the field and actually work things out.

She nodded before running her hand along a specific section of wall. A bit of dirt brushed away easily. "There's a bulge here, but more than that. You see how the dirt is looser here? That means something pushed it out of the way. Buried stones and ores grow in the Sinnoh underground, so that's a telltale sign. Others of the like are glinting if it's poking out from the wall, how worn the floor is, if when there's a lot of hard rocks there seems to be an abnormal pattern and so on. I can't go into it all, but seeing and understanding the differences is a major step forward in navigating the Underground."

"I see…" I placed my hand on the wall. I brushed my hand against it and I immediately found the differences between where the stones were and what was just a normal wall. I had totally missed it.

Maybe I should get glasses.

"Oh yeah," I turned to Cynthia. "I heard about these things called Secret Bases. Ya know like in spy movies. The book said they've got them in Hoenn too, but to create them you've got to use this move called Secret Power. Does that work here?"

She tilted her head a bit. "Yes, but the Sinnoh method is a bit different. We can't rely on our Pokemon partners for everything after all." And then she pulled out a drill the size of her head from her pack. "Now using this is when I like to have my hard hat on."

"Oooh, can I try?"

She quickly put it back in her pack. "No. Not what we're here for, and that's something you need a bunch more practice for. Besides, you wouldn't want to make a secret base where loads of people pass by would you? Isn't much of a secret then."

"True," I was tempted to ask her about her own Secret Base, but like she said, it's secret for a reason. "Do you find them often? There's this whole flag system and you gain perks when you steal them right?"

She sighed contentedly. "Yes, that's a whole thing. Me and Byron have been setting traps and getting into the other's base for a while now. It's quite fun." She gestured to a wall behind her. "And while there's a secret base there, there's a reason I don't go after newer miners. It's no fun if everyone's just taking your flag when you're still trying to find bases. But back to this wall." She pulled out a pickaxe, a smaller pickaxe and a hammer. "These are the primary tools you use. A pickaxe to venture deeper, the smaller one for more precise poking around and a hammer for less precise poking around. Of course there's plenty of other tools, but these are the main ones."

I nodded carefully overlooking the tools. They looked quite a bit different than the tools in the book, but it's not surprising that the champion and experienced miner would have only the best tools. I could tell they'd been used countless times, but they were no worse for wear even sporting ornate designs in the metal.

While I wanted to discuss more about Secret Bases, it was time to get back on track. "So, from what I understand once you find your mining spot you begin to work at it right? Right here," I pointed at a particularly thick cluster. "That's where you'd use a hammer, I think. Meanwhile over here," I moved my hand to a much lighter, softer rock. "Is where the pickaxe would be useful."

"Yes and no," she said, holding up the smaller pickaxe, "but you're not wrong. The softer rock is what you want to use the smaller pickaxe on. And the harder cluster would require the hammer if we intended to get through it. However, in clusters like this it's always worth carving them out before splitting them apart. Most of the time you'll find more rocks, but sometimes you find something more special. And I'd say that being gentler all the time and finding something some of the time is better than hammering away all the time and finding nothing."

She then went to chipping away around the cluster, along with the part of the wall she'd highlighted earlier. There was a glimmer in her eyes not unlike the glimmer that met them when she uncovered a small, slightly jagged yellow gem. She then quickly broke the cluster into fragments, finding nothing but a few flecks of ore which she put back in the wall with the dirt.

Then she turned to me excitedly. "Can you tell me what this is?"

It took only a glance for me to realize. "Topaz!" I leaned over to get a closer look. I had noticed that she placed some shards back in for them to regrow later which is also a smart habit I ought to remember, but this grabbed my attention.

"Lucky! My parents named me Topaz after my eyes! That's what my grandparents in Alola said anyway. I've always loved them because of it." I marvelled at the raw topaz for a few moments longer having never actually seen one outside of a museum.

She held it out for me to see. For something just taken out of a wall, it was pretty clean. Maybe that comes from being good at mining? Whatever, it was shimmering and had the occasional spark run across it. "Would you like to have it?"

"Can I?" I noticed it spark again. Can rocks feel my emotions now or is that just a coincidence?

"If you want it," she said warmly. "This is an excursion for your sake after all, it's only right that you should have a memento."

After I finished nodding vigorously and I think I jumped for joy a bit, but I calmed myself down to give her a resounding yes. She then gladly handed it over, leaving me to look at it while she rummaged for something in her pack.

Within the topaz gem I could see it spark every so often, the electricity of Sunyshore coursing through it. I figure it's due to the high concentration of electric types in the area that has affected even the Earth all the way down here which also explains the glowing rocks. It fit my aesthetic perfectly too.

Even though I wasn't a super strong trainer like Volkner and Cynthia was the super busy champion she still made time for me. It… it felt really nice. Volkner of course makes time for me too, but we're family. He's got no obligation and I get that, but it must've made things easier.

Cynthia and I aren't related yet she also stops by for a chat. She's a genuine person who wants to make the region a much better place, so she's got a lot on her shoulders. Yet here she is, happily mining away with me just to give me the experience. I may not act out like Jade in class, but I still want someone to pay attention to me sometimes.

My thoughts moved me before I could even realize and I was hugging Cynthia tightly. Water brushed against my cheek and I touched it in confusion thinking there must've been a leak somewhere. Indeed there was and it was straight from my eyes. I didn't know how or why this happened, but my chest was tight.

It pained me. I couldn't remember the last time I hugged someone, not even a Pokemon, it was a foreign feeling yet I needed it so badly. She looked down in surprise, but quickly hugged me back and just gently rubbed my back.

"It's alright. I'm not going anywhere."

Whatever words I wanted to say couldn't escape my mouth. Instead my tears began to flow as free as a waterfall as I began to cry. Whatever emotional dam within me burst at this moment and I couldn't stop it. Memories flooded back to the day when my mother dragged me through the rain. The dizzy spells and confusion. The promises she made before she abandoned me alone at my grandparents' front door like I was an abandoned Rockruff.

The sheer isolation and loneliness I felt until I could finally go back to school and meet Jade. All these years… it had become too much. And now Cynthia was just here, hugging me back. There was a soft noise from Reginleif as she patted my head a bit with one of her claws. More calming than you'd think.

"It's alright Topaz. You've been through a lot. You're strong. You have so much life to live ahead of you. I know it's hard right now, and it's been hard for a while. But I promise you there's a light waiting for you at the end." She put a hand on my head and smiled warmly. "And I'm certain that light is being shone in part by you."

Her words resonated with me more than anything I had ever heard before. She did not merely say this as comfort, but she stated it as though it was absolute fact. A guaranteed. The promise she made to me… it was different from my mother's. This one didn't give me any feelings of hesitation or anxiety.

It was reassuring, calming. I could trust her words, guaranteed. Even from Reginleif I got a strange feeling of warmth as though I were sitting by a hearth warmed by a dragon's flame. I can't explain why it felt that way, but it did. I muffled my thanks to the both of them and just held on.

"Topaz, do you want to know something I've learned from everything that's happened recently? I knew it before, but I think it's important for you to know too."

I nodded silently.

She looked at me genuinely, holding me close. "Your family isn't something that anyone but you can define. And just because a family member isn't around doesn't mean they're gone, so long as you remember them. But you aren't alone. And you won't be. Volkner, Roland, everyone is there for you. But you have to be the one to decide they're family. You're like my little brother, and I want to make sure you're okay. So if you need to talk to me like this, or just need me to say hi, or a hug or anything? Let me know. I'll be there for you. And I don't plan on going anywhere anytime soon."

I nodded again. I believe her. I believe in her and her words. That was enough for me. She just stayed there with me for a while, not letting go before I was ready. And ruffled my hair a bit. "You know, Volkner should have some tools around. Something you get used to as a miner is making your own tools and equipment with what you find. Your first thing you make could be something with that topaz."

I looked at the topaz curiously before an idea came to light. "I think I've already got an idea," I looked down demurely. "You two are good at this. I don't think I've ever vented like that before. Hope I didn't mess up your coat or anything."

She shook her head. "Not at all. And I have had quite a bit of practice. But just know? You're not alone. You won't be again. And soon? You're gonna meet a lifelong partner. I just hope they can keep a lookout for you when you zone out."

I sighed. "I'll work on that. Anyway, um, that was a good cry. Can we keep going or do you have to go now? It's cool if you do, I feel way better now."

"I can stay a while longer," she said gently, "it's still light aboveground. Not for too much longer, but you're safe here. Just tell me when you're ready."

"Got it!" I nodded happily at her and Reginleif. "Onward then!"

We spent some more time underground, Cynthia showing me some orbs and how weirdly shaped they can get. It was nice. Eventually though she walked me back up when the sun was setting, and when I looked back the hole Reginleif made was just some loose dirt. She took me home, some people looking at the Champion and why a kid was with her but she didn't care. She simply said hello and made sure I got home okay.

"Thanks again Cynthia, Reginleif. I feel… exponentially better. Today was a lot of fun!"

Reginleif gave a happy roar while Cynthia just ruffled my hair. "I'm glad you enjoyed that so much. Maybe when you're experienced with mining we could end up running into each other. Hopefully just not running away from a cave-in."

"Awww, that sounds like the best part!" I joked. "Trainers live for life threatening situations!"

She chuckled. "Not intentionally we usually don't, but you have a point. Enjoy your dinner Topaz. And go say hi to your family here."

"I will. You two get home safe! Thanks again for everything!" I gave Cynthia and Reginleif each a proper bow. They deserve that. "When I become a trainer I'll do Sinnoh proud! I promise you that!"

She smiled brightly. "I know you will." She gave me another quick hug before she hopped aboard Reginleif, the two waved and then were off into the sky with the wind whistling in their wake.

I watched them fly away a bit before heading inside. I walked in to see Volkner cooking his signature pasta and meatballs. Roland was sitting patiently at the table, Froberge was relaxing on the couch while Marsil was juggling the ingredients. All gave me a quick greeting which I returned in kind, but then they all began to look at me a bit differently.

"Hey Topaz, you were gone for a while. How ya been?" Volkner paused mid stir. "You look different… it suits you. What happened?"

I chuckled a bit to myself and gave him my sincerest smile. "I got a hug."

Volkner raised an eyebrow in confusion and surprise. "Oh? Good on ya? I assume you're hungry though, so wash your hands and sit at the table. Dinner is nearly done."

"Okay Uncle!" I ran off to the bathroom to wash my hands. I looked into the mirror good and proper. My expression truly was different. My eyes were brighter, illuminated. Cynthia had shone me the light and now I've got to follow it to be the best trainer I can be.

~~Summer~~

Volkner Beacon

Location: Sunyshore Silph Co. Building

I leaned against a wall checking my pokenav for the time. Past midnight. Sunyshore is a busy place, especially during the summer, but most people are at their homes relaxing or sleeping by now. Froberge was with me, lurking in the shadows adeptly, scanning our surroundings. I had elected to wear a hoodie tonight in order to somewhat conceal my identity, I basically have a mop of blonde hair on my head which anyone could recognize me with.

We had gotten reports from some concerned citizens of a suspicious individual scoping out the building. While usually I'd brush this off, there have been reports in other cities of tech company buildings being stolen from so if this was the same culprit I ought to stake it out. Somehow the thieves are able evade law enforcement each time and sometimes even overpower them so I had some of my fellow gym trainers with me on this one. We communicated via Zachery's, my right hand, Medicham and his telepathy. Trained especially for missions like this.

Froberge caught my attention as his eyes began to glow even brighter. I took out my night vision goggles to better see in the dark to see someone escaping with a bag with what I believe was a Lopunny along with them.

"This is Volkner, the thief was already inside and is leaving through the rear window. They've got a Lopunny with them. Pursue!"

I quickly placed a portable saddle onto Froberge and hopped on as he made his mad dash. Judging by how Froberge is acting there don't seem to be any allies of theirs closeby so they must've stolen from the building alone. In the distance I noticed them quickly jump out of the window and onto a nearby roof before dashing ahead.

There was no need to direct Froberge as he was right on their tails, with a great heave jumped onto the building to resume chase. In the distance they were making good headway, but I had complete faith in Froberge to catch up.

Unlike me the thief wasn't using any Pokemon to ride on, simply using their innate athleticism to jump from building to building with an deftness I would've expected from a gymnast. Froberge had their scent trail and could easily spot them atop the rooves. We had trained so he wouldn't be distracted by unnecessary targets so this was childplay's.

"Froberge and I are pursuing on the rooftops. Keep up if you can."

There were a bevy of responses, but I was only focused on what was ahead of me. The thief and Lopunny had obviously done this many times before and Froberge wasn't exactly an expert on roof jumping, but he got the gist fairly quick. We were gaining on them due to his large strides and superior night sight, but the Lopunny turned around to fire at Ice Beam at us while we were in midair.

"Cut through with Night Slash!" Riding electric types often hindered them from their full capabilities as most electric moves emerge from the body and it would be difficult to maneuver ourselves in the air, so barreling through was a fine option. Froberge's paw became coated in darkness as he cleaved through the Ice Beam before landing on the roof. Lopunny and the trainer hadn't stayed to watch us fall, so we kept up our pursuit.

Judging by the direction they were going they weren't leaving by water and the only land route nearby is Route 222. I can work with this. I took out my pokenav and called the Sunyshore Ranger base conveniently located by Route 222.

"This is Leader Volkner, I'm chasing a thief and their Lopunny through Sunyshore City heading your way, I'm sending you my location. Track it, I'm right on their tail," I spoke into the nav holding onto Froberge as best I could with one hand. They understood I wasn't exactly in a convenient position and went in to move out.

Eventually they ran out of roof to jump and came into the western mountainous area of the city. I finally got a good look at the thief: a woman. She was wearing a mask and dark blue clothing as camouflage in the night unfortunately, so that was everything discernable I could speak of.

She quickly sent out a Noctowl, but rather than fly on top of her, she instead elected to slide down the mountain alongside her Lopunny and Noctowl.

Smart. Flying through the air against an electric trainer wouldn't end well.

Froberge caught up and began hopping down the mountain on any steady platforms he could find. It wasn't necessarily a comfy ride, but we had trained for moments like these.

I reached towards my belt for a capsule I was hoping I wouldn't have to use, the advanced stun gun I had developed. It wasn't anything special in my opinion and I had no intention of making any more, but it was useful for subduing targets. Unfortunately it has a cooldown so I have to make every shot count.

Essentially it shoots a lance of electricity at the opponent akin to a Thunder Wave in order to paralyze them, so it's shaped like a rifle though I can fire it with one hand. Albeit it'll be a challenge doing so while tactfully jumping down a moment, aiming at a moving target in the dark, but I was never one to shy away from challenges. When I had proper line of sight and a good idea where she would land next I pulled out my stun gun and shot where she would be going midjump. Unfortunately, Lopunny deflected it easily with a swift Ice Beam covering the mountain's surface in ice.

Shit.

Froberge landed uncomfortably slipping onto several unfavorable platforms sending us off course.

"Magnet Rise," I ordered and before Froberge plummeted down the mountain he used magnetic energy to allow himself to Levitate, before he began to dive down the mountain as well. In the distance I could see the thief swinging through the forest with her Pokemon in hot pursuit. I pulled out Marsil's Pokeball and began to speak to it. "Pursue the woman, Lopunny and Noctowl through the trees."

After relaying her orders I tossed the Pokeball into the forest in the general direction of where they were all going. After a few seconds the Pokeball rebounded back into my hand as always.

Pokeballs are almost too convenient.

Froberge continued to soar through the sky, but it wasn't as effective at this distance from the ground. Pokemon using the move could levitate off the ground sure, but the higher you go from the ground the more difficult it becomes to move. He began to descend steadily till he could find proper footing and continue the chase. In the distance I could see several sparks flash through the sky.

It took a few more strides to get through the woods, but I managed to spot how the thief got through the forest so quickly. If there wasn't a nearby branch, she'd simply grab her Noctowl's legs and swing from them. Mixed with her never ending pool of energy, she was fast.

Unfortunately too fast, as she had escaped into a deep hole I can only assume leads to the Underground with her Pokemon. Another problem was the giant Tyranitar standing in our way. Marsil looked like she had been sucker punched in the face, but she simply wiped the dirt off her face and squared off. I leapt off Froberge who took on a battle stance as well, still able to fight.

A yawning sigh suddenly cut through the tension. Froberge barked at the shadows from where a young man, looking around a few years older than me stepped into the moonlight. Though it was dark, I could more easily see his appearance. He had darker skin complexion akin to Topaz except he had grayish black hair, his face mostly hidden by the fedora on his head. What really weirded me out was how he was wearing Pancham pajamas with sneakers.

The man tilted his head and I could see the coal dust smeared across his face and his hazel brown eyes were far too relaxed, as though he'd just woken up. Upon closer inspection I noticed vertical scars over both of his eyes as well.

What am I looking at here?

I eyed the hole he stood in front of, but with a simple stomp the Tyranitar filled it up. It looked like a Sand Tomb to me, but the way it was so casually executed made me cautious.

The mystery man stretched, yawning again. I pulled out my league badge and showed it to him. The loss of the thief angered me, but this was the first time anyone has seen her accomplice. I had to make this count. "I am a member of the Sinnoh League. You just aided in the escape of a criminal, so you can either come quietly or resist. Same end result, but I'll let you choose."

He squinted at the badge before looking me over. "Aha! You're the Sunyshore Gym Leader. Sparky right?" He stroked his chin. "They say you're the strongest gym leader in the region. You could've been a member of the Elite Four, right? Come on and admit it, you couldn't be bothered. We lazy guys like to save our energy."

"I wish you could save me some time and tell me what the hell you think you're doing. How about that?" My hand was still firmly clenched around my stun gun. The man rubbed his chin once again before turning to the Tyranitar. "Hey buddy, think we should tell him what we're doing?"

The Tyranitar simply huffed, not deigning the question with a verbal answer he wouldn't even understand. "Sorry Sparky, you heard the big guy. That was absolutely a 'fuck off' huff huff."

Arceus is he annoying, but luckily Froberge had snuck into the shadows early in this conversation. Albeit I'm not sure if he was actually unnoticed by the actual dark type in front of us. Nonetheless he took his chance and attempted to leap upon the human, but he swiftly ducked and the Tyranitar took a big swing at Froberge. Seizing the chance he gave me I fired another shot straight at the guy, but a small Stone Edge shield protected him.

"Someone is hasty. Hey Leader, it's pretty late, are you sure you don't want to go to sleep in your bed rather than be unconscious in the middle of a field?" The man said fixing the hat on his head while I dashed forward swinging the stun gun right at his head. From out of nowhere he pulled out a cane and blocked my strike before it reached my head. "Someone's aggressive tonight."

I knew my Pokemon could handle the fight on their own, it was time for me to put in some work as well. The criminal pulled back his cane and swung at my face forcing me to dodge with one handed backflip. He continued the assault with several swings from his cane that I easily dodged before I grabbed his swinging arm and hit him in the stomach with the butt of my stun gun.

"Oof, that smarts. So you do know how to fight. That's good, makes this less boring," The man said as he rubbed his belly before we crossed weapons once more. I attempted a low kick, but he simply jumped up before going with a downward strike. In order to dodge I rolled out of the way pointing my gun at him.

Thinking I was going to shoot he immediately dodged to the left allowing me to tackle him to the ground. Unfortunately I underestimated his strength as he pulled my shirt and flipped me off him. Before I could recover he kicked me in the stomach causing me to roll away as he chased, but I pushed down the pain and kicked him in the shin causing him to trip up, falling into the dirt.

We each scrambled to our feet before a blast from the Pokemon battle caused us to recoil.

Marsil was assaulting Tyranitar with a Power Up Punch barrage, but he kept blocking with skillfully placed Stone Edges. Meanwhile Froberge would fire a Thunderbolt into his blind spots that he'd swipe away with a Sand Tomb shield. Tyranitar bit into Marsil's tails with a wicked Crunch and swung her straight into Froberge causing both of them to topple over.

Damn it, they are both skilled.

Before I could fully recover from the stray blast the criminal ran over and punched me in the face. Crashing into the ground, I rolled to regain my balance and pointed my stun gun at him. This time he didn't flinch as he came running, but this time it was for real. I fired and the lance of electricity was sent flying straight at him. Amazingly the man barely shifted his body in order to dodge the head on strike, but it still seemed to graze him as I saw him twitch when the lance scraped by his abdomen.

I couldn't falter as I ran up to swing the butt of my gun at his head. The man couldn't dodge this time but he managed to block the strike. Still went falling down. Before I could pursue I noticed the Tyranitar preparing to throw a rock at me. Unlike the trainer, I could not take any chances with that as I dove out of the way before turning to the trainer who had quickly recovered, dusting himself off.

"First I had to wake up for this and now my favorite pajamas are all messed up. This night sucks and now you've got me all awake now, jerk," The man tugged at his clothes observing all his new tears.

"Leader Volkner!" Running up to me was Zachery along with his Medicham and several rangers. "That's the culprit?"

"An accomplice, but we don't know his whole role here, be careful." I warned my crew as I watched the guy as his Tyranitar backed up into him. While he didn't look too visibly pained it's apparent that damage was done by Froberge and Marsil.

"Yeesh, more? I can only entertain so many people this late," The man complained. "Buddy, it's time to split. This was fun Sparky, I can see why people say you're the best. Next time you wanna pick a fight, try earlier in the day."

"Who are you, asshole!?" I was beyond done with this shit, at the very least I could get a name.

The man actually considered it before replying. "We're Dispetto. Rulers of the Underground."

Before I could respond Tyranitar did a short hop that shook the ground using Earthquake. As we all attempted to avoid the cracks of ground energy rapidly approaching us Tyranitar created another exceedingly deep hole for the mystery man to jump into. Before he could escape he turned to me and gave a simple 'tata' wave and fled, hopping down the hole feet first with barely any jump. Tyranitar quickly followed once he was sure that all of us were too shaken to follow.

Damn ground type attacks.

Marsil recovered first and made her way to the hole, but somehow Tyrantitar had already managed to plug it all up. I made my way over to her and Froberge checked to see how they were doing.

"You two were amazing. Froberge, you've gotten way faster. Your skill with Magnet Rise has improved a lot lately," I complimented my Pokemon before taking out my pokenav searching for Lucian's number to call him. It didn't take long for him to respond.

I swear he doesn't sleep.

"Volkner? Is there a problem?"
"I'm trying to figure out if there is. The thief struck Sunyshore Silph Co. She has a Lopunny and Noctowl and an accomplice with a skilled Tyranitar."

"I see, but at the very least you were able to garner that. Anything else?"

"Yeah," I began to look at the moon. "What do our resources have on the group known as 'Dispetto?"

~~Autumn~~

Location: Deep within Route 222.

Grubbin patrolled the multicolored forest floor of Route 222. It was deep into fall and the scenery was a beautiful red, orange and yellow as far as the eye could see. There was a chill in the air that Grubbin wasn't especially fond of, but he had grown accustomed to it. Unfortunately he realized he'd have to go into hibernation soon as even he had difficulty finding food during the cold, snowy months that he experienced for the first time last winter.

After spending several weeks in the forest seeing Pokemon he had never seen before it had become clear that he was absolutely nowhere near Alola anymore. In fact according to the locals he was in a region named Sinnoh known for its cold climates and mountainous ranges. It did not perturb him even an iota as there still seemed to be birds for him to fend off from his newfound fellows.

Despite the colder climate he easily toughed it out and quite literally grew thicker skin just to cope with it. It confused him why the other species were not as easily able to cope in the cold when he came from a tropical island. Other than that he was considered an oddity even here. For one thing he was the only Grubbin within the area and also his unique mindset pertained even now.

The Grubbin patrolled the route daily in search of threats and bugs in need of shaping up. He had actually managed to gain a bit of rapport with the local Wurmple and Burmy for fending off hungry Chatot and Staravia. He even volunteered to train them as his own personal militia.

It was quite fulfilling although it was quite difficult, these Pokemon did not have the same level of fortitude as him and most preferred to live close to the electric types until they had evolved safely. Grubbin wasn't particularly fond of that idea, but everyone has their method and he won't deny it was effective and a familiar strategy of his former brethren in Alola.

"H-Help me!" A voice cried out in the distance garnering Grubbin's full attention.

I know that voice! I am coming, little one!

Grubbin dashed as fast as his little legs could carry him to a small clearing where a Burmy was cornered by a hungry looking Chatot.

If you want food, find a berry bush, flying rapscallion!

Grubbin locked on and fired a String Shot at the Chatot binding them in string. Before they could realize what was happening Grubbin's vicious Vice Grip connected restricting the little bird's movements.

In their panic they kept squawking trying to break out of his grip, but he refused to let go. "Let me go or I'll scream!" Chatot threatened, but Grubbin did not believe this was cause for concern. He was wrong.

"Fine, you asked for it! And I was like baby, baby, baby oooooooh, like baby, baby, baby noOoooO!"

Grubbin instantly recoiled in pain, forced to let go his enemy in fear of losing his mind. Even the little Burmy he saved was scared of the Chatot opening their mouth once again.

What has he been through to learn such cruel torture methods?

The Chatot opened his mouth once again, but this time Grubbin was ready. He shot a String Shot directly into Chatot's mouth silencing him. Rather than push this issue any further, the bird decided to cut their losses and flee before the weird bug did something else. Grubbin fired a few more String Shots, but the Chatot had flown away too quickly. He sighed and turned to his Burmy compatriot.

"Are you alright, citizen?"

"Citi-nevermind, I'm okay now. Thanks… but could you turn the other way quickly? I'm a bit… underdressed," Burmy pleaded. After looking properly Grubbin did notice that Burmy wasn't in any of the usual coats they wear, but there were leaves scattered about. As a respectful soldier he allowed the young maiden to adorn herself once again. Grubbin was not a soldier ruled by vices, he was respectful, honorable and diligent. Not lecherous.

"Okay, I'm all dressed now. Does it still look okay? I spent all day yesterday getting everything just right."

Grubbin could not salute so he merely clenched his pincers. "You look stunning, ma'am. Would you like me to escort you back to your home tree?"

"Um, sure thanks!" Burmy wasn't quite sure what to make of this bug Pokemon. They didn't look strong, yet they fought without fear. She wondered if that was out of bravery or recklessness, but mainly how he has survived for so long. Nonetheless, she accepted his offer and was safely delivered to her tree. As thanks she offered him some tree sap which he quickly devoured in order to heal his wounds from the super effective Chatter.

"Well I'll be on my way then as you seem to be alright now," Grubbin nodded as he began to make his way down the tree.

"Wait!" Burmy called, causing Grubbin to stop. "The Chatot mentioned before he tried to eat me that some Starly would be migrating over Route 222 soon and they'll be hungry. He said he wanted to eat me before they came by, that is until you got in his way."

Grubbin became uncharacteristically excited. Usually he has a permanent scowl on his face, but this was a war he refused to lose! "Do you know how many there will be?"

"Chatot said there wouldn't be too many as they are a younger flock, but I'll be hiding that day for sure. I don't wanna be involved with all of that!"

"No worries citizen, my militia and I will take care of it," Grubbin snapped his pincers once more. "It will be a true warzone, take care until the day of reckoning!"

Burmy, a little confused, decided to just heed his advice and thank him for helping anyway. Grubbin on the other hand made his way to his secret base. During his time in Sinnoh Grubbin has saved his fair share of bugs, but most would simply give him a treat before moving on with their simple lives. Three special bugs were not so simple, these were Grubbin's soldiers. His allies against evil, his militia!

It took a bit of crawling, but he finally arrived at their base of operations. A small clearing with fallen logs and a giant slightly electrically charged boulder. Lying in a dirt patch was a sand cloak male Burmy. Sleeping in the shade was a male Wurmple. Smelling some nearby flowers was a female Combee named Clover. Grubbin's militia. He snapped his pincers thrice to gather their attention. As soon as they heard them they all crawled or flew over swiftly to address their lieutenant.

"Sir!" They all saluted… the best they physically could.

"Attention bugs! We've received a new report of a few stray Starly that'll be coming to Route 222 in a few days. Those vicious ebon sky blockers will not stop till they have even every bug alive on the route! Not unless we stop them!"

Wurmple spoke up first. "Permission to speak, Sir!?"

"Permission granted, Corporal Wurmple."

"What would you have us do to prepare, Sir!?"

"Training! More training! We need to get back into it, bugs! We have to be ready to fend them off or innocent lives will be lost! We don't have much time, so don't try to learn anything too complex. Just work together as a unit and we'll beat their feathered ass back to whatever hell nest they fell out of! You all hearin' me!?"

"Sir yes sir!" They all shouted.

"I can't hear you!"

"SIR YES SIR!" They all shouted proper.

Grubbin nodded content with their ferocity.

"Good going maggots (a much more endearing term for bugs). Let's get to work."

They didn't have to work long as the Starly came the very next day, around the afternoon. The size of their flock was greatly exaggerated as there were only 3, one of whom was mostly looking for a nice trainer to settle with so they could stop hunting, while the others just wanted some food. No ill will amongst the three of them and honestly they preferred berries over bugs as food. If only our overeager fighting friends were aware of this information.

The Starly were flying low through the forest looking for food when Grubbin struck. Clover used her gust to blow all 3 Starly off course and before they could each right themselves, Burmy and Wurmple scored tackles on their targets while Grubbin nailed an excellent Vice Grip dragging his Starly to the forest floor.

They all took battle positions as the two airborne Starly began to recover somewhat while the grounded one quite dazed turned to Grubbin. "What is your damage? Why did you just attack us?"

Grubbin scoffed. "As if we need to explain our reasons to the enemy! Clover now!"

Clover flew in swiftly and launched an overwhelming Sweet Scent to daze all three bird Pokemon making flight more difficult and in turn easier targets. Burmy tackled one of the aerial Starly into the other sending all 3 into a disoriented pile. Wurmple let loose a bevy of Poison Stings to deal even more damage, causing at least one of them to be poisoned.

Furious, an overzealous Starly launched a Quick Attack straight for Grubbin. Burmy jumped in front shielding him with Protect causing the Starly to splatter against the shield awkwardly. Grubbin seized the moment to use Bug Bite on the poor bird before spitting him out.

Meanwhile another Starly had managed to tackle Clover out of the sky and before they could begin their Pluck assault a frantic Struggle Bug caught them off guard allowing Wurmple to cover her with an excellently timed Poison Sting tackle attack. Judging by their sickly expression, they had been inflicted with poison as well.

Two of the Starly were poisoned, one of which was injured by Grubbin's Bug Bite. They had no backup and were incredibly hungry. It was time to go.

"Retreat!" The Starly really wishing they had a trainer called out.

"Heck no, we can take them!" Said one foolish Starly, but after Grubbin gave them a furious scowl, they changed their mind and scrambled away in fear. The last one barely dodged another Poison Sting before following suit.

The Starly who truly wanted a trainer looked back at the proud Grubbin one last time. "When I get a trainer you'll be sorry, bug!"

"And if you dare come back here you'll be sorry! Wurmple, take aim. They are still in range," Grubbin threatened. Before Wurmple could take a shot the Starly realizing the danger they were in flew away even faster to the nearest ranger base where the nice humans would feed and take care of them.

As they watched the birds fly off Grubbin turned to his militia with a proud expression. "Mission accomplished!"

"Hoorah!" They all cheered. While this battle was unnecessary and totally avoidable as the Starly were just a few wingbeats away from finding an Oran berry bush, they all felt good about this win.

"Perfectly executed by everyone! It couldn't have gone any better than this, the fear in those birds' eyes soothed this old soul. We have protected our kin and secured the forest's safety without the need of a single electric type. Let us rejoice in this victory with a feast!"

"Sir yes sir!"

The militia bugs made their way over to the nearby Oran berry bush that the Starly had intended to go to and discussed future strategies they'd like to employ. Today was a good day for Lieutenant Grubbin.

~~A New Spring~~

Location: Sunyshore Gym Resting Area

The sunrose high into the sky on a beautiful spring day. Cherry blossoms flew through the air, Starly and Chatot sang their beautiful songs and flowers blossomed along the coastside. From within the Sunyshore Gym a small Pokemon stirred from their slumber as the light shone in their eye. They slowly opened their eyes before rising to stretch, long before any of their fellow electric types had woken up.

Today was the day one of them would choose the trainer they would spend the rest of their lives with as partners. The Pokemon rubbed their eyes to stir out the sleepiness. They had heard good things from the gym trainers, so they were curious, but they doubted they'd want them as a Pokemon.

Something poked them in the back of their mind though. The Pokemon wasn't sure if it was from the strange dream they had or if it was something else entirely. Hope? They weren't exactly brimming with it. The Pokemon yawned and made their way to the water bowls. They could choose not to show up if they wanted, they didn't have to choose any trainer, but… they think they'll go out today to see who drops by.

~~Arc 1 - New World Order Fin~~

Author's Note

This marks the end of Arc 1, essentially the Prologue. Initially it was only going to be one chapter, but we didn't feel comfortable sticking 3 years of regional development in one chapter.

From now it'll be more focused on Topaz and his pokemon team and training!

Please leave a review and tell your friends! They really boost morale! Have a great day!