Hop noticed that the apparent bane of Cassius Hargreaves' existence was currently making no move to kill him during dinner. "When did you two hash things out?"

"Huh?" Cassius looked up from his meal with a grunt. Following Hop's gaze to Rookidee and himself, he connected the dots. "Oh. We came to an agreement, I guess."

"An agreement?" Gloria asked, eyebrow quirked. "What, you have a heart-to-heart over an afternoon cuppa?"

Cassius turned to his Rookidee. "Maybe not a heart-to-heart, but we're not at each other's throats anymore. Which is good, right? I figure we're all a little tired of having to patch me up after every encounter we have with wild Pokémon."

"You're tellin' me," Gloria snorted, shoveling a spoonful of curry into her mouth. The Rookidee chirped her own displeasure, though she nonetheless kept to her bowl of Poké-chow. Hyla had positioned herself between Rookidee and Cassius, just to be on the safe side. Sizzlipede didn't seem particularly worried, far too engaged in the jerky she was ripping to shreds.

Hop, for his part, was pleased. "I honestly didn't expect you to be so on the ball about that. Good on you for taking the initiative and setting your differences aside."

"Don't get too excited," Cassius quickly cut off. "It's not set in stone, yet. Our agreement came with a stipulation."

"Stipulation?"

"I'll tell you about it later."

Hop would hold him to that. In the meantime, however... "Since we're all here, what's say we go over what we know about our gym battle?"

That got Gloria's attention. "Finally. Was thinkin' we'd never get a run-through." Her Scorbunny and Yamper seemed similarly engaged at the mention of a battle plan.

"Suppose we should," Cassius agreed.

It was almost enough to bring a tear to Hop's eye. "We're finally movin' like a team. A real, cohesive unit of trainers. It's beautiful."

Gloria gagged. "Quit your yappin' and get on with it."

Maybe not cohesive yet, but it was a start. "Alright, alright. Got the film prepped on my phone, sharing it with you now."

"Film?" Cassius asked, a ping sounding on his phone. Opening his messages, he saw a string of videos attached. "What, like entire videos of matches?"

"Nothin' that extensive," Hop answered. "More like highlights, clips of moves and maneuvers and the like. Everything we need to know, basically."

Hop raised a finger, conveying the importance of what he was saying. "Got this tip straight from Leon, so take this advice as a freebie from the champ himself. The first thing you should do before any important battle—study. Go over the film, review their tactics, find flaws, plan a counter."

That didn't surprise Cassius. "Got it. And this is all easily accessible for us?"

"You bet," Hop replied. "Trainer databases are free, and public. Backed by the league, too. For this, I just pulled clips from social media, but if you're ever looking for a deep dive on a particular match or trainer, there are sites that have entire matches free for extensive perusing."

Good to know. "I'll keep that in mind, thanks."

"Anytime. Now then," Hop began. "Let's get a look at what we're up against, yeah?"

Hop tapped his screen a few times, before running over a series of notes. "Milo Yarrow, Grass-type gym leader. Not much in the way of complicated strategy on his part, as expected for the first gym leader in the circuit. A bit of set-up here and there, some environmental tactics, but mostly a straight-up brawler with an inclination toward defense."

Cassius felt a small wave of relief wash over him. Considering his team's overall lack of defense, an attack-heavy opponent this early would have proven more than troublesome. If Milo was as defense-oriented as Hop suggested, that would at least give him a chance to scheme something.

Hop continued. "Currently, Milo is running a three-man team—a shakeup from his traditional two. Historically, he's run with a Gossifleur and an Eldegoss as his only Pokémon, but he's added a Flapple to the mix this year."

"Any reason as to why?" Gloria asked.

Hop shook his head. "No clue. Maybe the league asked him to, maybe it was a personal decision. Personally, I'd bet on the former—Milo's had a habit of going easy on trainers, and one can figure the league wanted him to pose more of a challenge this go 'round."

Cassius pursed his lips. It was just his luck that he'd go up against a tough gym leader a year removed from taking it easy on opponents.

"Whatever the motivator was, the results have been drastic," Hop frowned. "Milo, skilled as he is, has an all-time win percentage of around forty percent. Any guesses as to what that percentage is so far in this year's circuit?"

"Fifty percent?" Gloria guessed.

"Try sixty," Hop answered, drawing concerned looks from Gloria and Cassius both. "His wins are one-sided, and his losses are narrow. Maybe it's the lesser-known endorsed trainers not posing much in the way of a challenge to him, but he's steamrolled most of his opponents from what I've seen."

"And this... Flapple is the reason?" Cassius guessed.

Hop gestured to his phone. "See for yourself. Check the first clip I sent." The two other trainers clicked play on their respective phone screens, watching what looked like a recent clip of a battle between Milo and a challenger. Flapple was out on the pitch, flapping furiously as it dueled against a small, fiery Pokémon that Cassius was able to recognize from his native region—a Pansear.

"Watch closely," Hop urged. Keeping itself just out of the Pansear's range, the Flapple weaved behind an errant swipe and angled itself toward its opponent's backside. "Acid Spray!" Milo shouted, and a burst of acidic sludge surged from the tiny Dragon-type and onto the unsuspecting Pansear. The attack was plenty effective, as the Pansear shrieked in pain upon contact.

Then, Milo issued another command. "Twister!" Quickly flapping its wings, the Flapple conjured a small yet vicious tornado, which crashed into the still recovering Pansear at full-strength. The Fire-type had no chance, as it was quickly engulfed by the tornado and sent high into the air, before crashing back down to the ground with a painful thud. There was no confirmation needed, but the official still offered the courtesy of announcing the Pansear as having fainted.

"Shit," Gloria muttered. "Thing ain't no joke."

"That Pansear was at full health," Hop added with a grim look. "Granted, it was a critical, but the point still stands. Poor guy probably thought the Pansear would be a huge type advantage to have throughout the entire match. Instead, it got taken out in two hits."

"I can see the bit of set-up you mentioned," Gloria commented, a hand on her chin and inquisitive an glint in her eye. "Acid Spray not only deals decent damage, but lowers special defense by a good chunk, too. One or two clean hits o' that, followed by a STAB Twister, and you give an already high-attack Pokémon a pretty easy means of weedin' through the rabble."

There were a few terms in Gloria's explanation that Cassius would need to look up later, but for now, he settled on moving the conversation along. "So, what's the counter to it?"

"Flapple's a dual-type, Dragon and Grass," Hop explained. "Meanin' Ice-types offer the best option, in terms of a hard counter. The Flapple doesn't offer much in the way of dealin' with em, too—it's other two moves are Wing Attack and Leech Seed. Flying and Poison'll get the job done, too. Dragon, Fairy and Bug-types apply as well, but at your own risk, considering Flapple's moveset."

Gloria nodded. "Can see why the damn thing's givin' the common folk so much trouble. The vets in the challenge might have been 'round the block long enough to have an Ice-type on hand, but the challengers our age that ain't from Circhester or Freezington are probably havin' to settle for Flyin' an' Bug-types to fight back." Her eyes narrowed. "I get the need to make Milo more intimidatin' an' such, but a Dragon-type in the first gym feels like overkill."

Hop shrugged. "Nothing we can do about it. We'll have to deal, just like everyone before us that managed a win. On the plus side, we have the benefit of the tape to help us point out advantages."

More tapping on Hop's phone screen. "Another helpful nugget is his team's order. Apparently, he's stuck to the same sequence for each of his battles so far, with no exceptions. Leads off with Flapple, then goes with Gossifleur, and if opponents manage to get far enough, he closes with a Dynamax Eldegoss."

"Doesn't sound like something a person that wanted to pose a serious challenge would do," Gloria noted. "Makes me think it's definitely the league that's makin' him run out a Flapple."

"I mean, does it matter?" Cassius interjected as he dabbed a napkin around Hyla's mouth for crumbs. "Nothing we can really do to change it. We just gotta beat it."

More than that, the idea of confronting the league and calling foul play was a very unappealing thought to Cassius. They'd only recently avoided embroiling themselves in a major conspiracy in the Galar Mine—the last thing he wanted to do was throw himself into another one.

"Sure, the reasoning doesn't matter for us, but it's still weird," Gloria continued. "It's in the league's best interest to have as many trainers stay in the challenge for as long as possible. More matches means more positive publicity, and naturally means more quid. Them making their first gym so tough's a blow to the business model or whatever."

Since when was she so well-versed in the business practices of the Pokémon League? Was there more that went on in that head of hers than concocting creative insults and thinking of ways to brutalize her opponents?

"But yeah, muppet's right," Gloria eventually conceded. "No use wonderin' about it now. Just another nuisance standin' in my way."

Cassius rolled his eyes. "Glad you agree."

"Cassius," Hop interrupted, ending that line of conversation. "How far along are you with Hyla regarding Bite?"

He gave a look to the Dragon-type, who wilted a little at the mention of the move. There had been marginal progress, and Cassius honestly felt like a breakthrough was close, but she still hadn't mastered it yet. "She's almost got it, I think, but not yet."

"When's the earliest you think you could get her to learn Dragon Breath?"

Cassius grimaced. "Not before the gym battle, that's for sure." He hadn't even broached her about the move. With how long it was taking her to learn Bite, it would have been too great an undertaking with so little time before his scheduled bout.

Hop nodded. "And does your Sizzlipede know any Bug-type moves?"

Recalling her moveset, Cassius shook his head. "No."

Hop frowned, but nodded again. "Unfortunate, but understandable. I ask because out of all of us, your team is the most well-equipped to handle the Flapple, but also probably the most vulnerable. Your Rookidee stands a really good chance, but Hyla and Sizzlipede are both weak to at least one of its moves. With super-effective attacks of their own, the risk would have been somewhat mitigated, but I suppose you'll have to do without it."

Cassius hummed in acknowledgment, eyeing both of the other members of his fledgling team. The Rookidee would be raring for the chance to fight a strong opponent, going off what little he knew about her. For some reason, he wasn't particularly worried about Sizzlipede—she had shown she was more than capable of fending for herself in a fight, even at a disadvantage. He'd yet to go over a plan with her yet, but something told him she'd play a big role in the upcoming fight.

The concern over Hyla, however, was more than warranted. Her defenses were lackluster, and with super-effectives moves in play, she'd be playing a dangerous game against a more experienced opponent.

He thought back to the conversation he and Hop had a few weeks ago. "Do you think we did the right thing?"

Hop gave him a quizzical look. "What do you mean?"

"When we decided how to train Hyla," Cassius elaborated. "We went with getting her acclimated to battling over trying to bank on her offense and teaching her new moves." With what he was hearing now, it sounded like Hyla could have really benefited from knowing a Dragon-type move. "Should we have gone with honing her offense instead?"

Hop shrugged. "I'll echo what you just said—does it matter? It's already done, and really, any kind of training is a benefit for a Pokémon. Sitting around thinking about it's just gonna drive us both mad."

It probably wasn't the answer Cassius wanted to hear, if his frown was any indication, but if he had any retorts ready he didn't voice them. Hop moved on. "Any other questions or concerns?"

Gloria provided neither, instead asking Hop a question. "How are you gonna manage?"

"Me?"

"Obviously, you. You've only got a Grass-type and a Normal-type. Not really doin' yourself any favors with those typings."

Hop shook his head with a knowing grin. "Tsk tsk, Gloria. You make me sound so simple—give me a smidge of credit, wouldja? I've got Wooloo, the greatest tank in the world, and Grookey, a top-tier Pokémon! What's there for me to fear?"

"The fact that the Flapple could down that top-tier chimp o' yours with two Wing Attacks, and the fact that your Wooloo hits as hard a pillow," Gloria snorted. The two Pokémon in question didn't take well to her assessment of them—Wooloo bleated angrily, while Grookey growled and slowly moved his hand to grip the stick atop its head.

Even so, the smile on Hop's face conveyed he wasn't worried. "We'll be fine. Nothin' to worry yourself over."

Gloria turned away with a huff. "Who says I'm worried?"

"Oh, so my best friend of countless years doesn't care if I crash and burn in my first gym battle?"

"Eat a dick," Gloria spat, though it was hard to convince anyone that there was any real vitriol in her retort with the healthy shade of red her face was sporting. "I'll fookin' kill ya if you botch your first gym fight."

"You've nothin' to fear," Hop reassured with a grin. "With my budding team, and the support of my best mates in the stands, I'm afraid Milo won't even know what hit 'em." He pumped a fist. "Just imagine Lee's gob-smacked expression when he watches the highlights on the telly after my win!"

He settled himself down, returning to his seat. "But yeah, I'll be fine. Just like how you'll be fine, Gloria, sportin' your Scorbunny and Yamper." He turned to Cassius. "And just like Cassius'll be fine with his team. We're all gonna win, and before long we'll be celebratin' the way champion contenders should."

Gloria grunted, muttering something that was probably very unflattering, but otherwise kept silent. Cassius didn't reply either, though not out of some sense of annoyance. He actually appreciated Hop's enthusiasm.

With how eager and honest Hop sounded in his declaration, Cassius was almost able to convince himself that everything would work out.

When Hop found Cassius in the Unovan's own tent later that night, he was surprised when he stumbled in on him watching something on his phone. For a moment, he panicked and thought he had walked in on Cassius indulging in... less than family-friendly content on the device (Hop wouldn't blame him if that was the case—Cassius was probably stressed, and it was a healthy way to take the edge off), but his fears were alleviated when he saw no headphones connected, and the familiar sounds of Pokémon battling blaring from the phone's speakers.

Cassius looked up, probably surprised to see him, but kept the video playing as he greeted him. "Oh. Hey, Hop."

"Heya, Cassius," Hop waved from outside the tent. "Mind if I join you for a spell?"

The Unovan didn't seem to expect company tonight, but he relented after a brief pause. "Yeah, sure. Sit wherever, I guess."

Hop did just that, peeking over at Cassius' phone as he did so. "Whatcha watching?"

"More film. Found one of those database websites you were telling me about earlier, figured I'd give some a watch. This was a recent battle from a few days ago."

Hop saw he'd arrived at the tail-end of the fight, watching as Milo Dynamaxed his Eldegoss. The now massive Grass-type loomed over the battlefield, a deep cry booming throughout the stadium.

He felt the tension from Cassius as the Unovan spoke. "Do they always get that big?"

"Pretty much," Hop confirmed. "Some Gigantamax Pokémon get even bigger with their unique transformations."

Cassius seemed to remember that conversation, long ago as it was. "But only certain Pokémon can do that, right? I'm guessing Eldegoss isn't one of them."

"You'd be correct."

Cassius took a moment to answer, thinking briefly. "I didn't think about how to deal with giant Pokémon. I'll have to plan for that."

"You certainly will," Hop said, stretching with a relaxed sigh. "But I'm sure we'll think of somethin'. We're all smart."

A noncommittal hum, and Cassius was reengaged with the battle film on his phone. Hop let his back touch the ground, putting his hands behind his head as he looked up at the tent's ceiling.

The sounds of Pokémon battling filled the silence between them briefly, before Hop spoke again. "What's the first thing you'll do when you win?"

Cassius must have been too engrossed to hear him the first time. "Huh?"

"When you win. Is there anything you want to do right after?"

The foreigner looked genuinely confused by the question. Like it was the first time he had even considered it. "When I win...?"

Hop figured he'd get the ball rolling. "I've thought a bit about it. Gloria wants me to drink with her after she wins, but knowing her, a few drinks often means more than I can probably handle. And her fight's the day before mine, so I definitely don't wanna be hungover before my first gym fight ever."

Cassius seemed to nod in understanding as Hop continued. "I asked Lee what he did when he won, but he just said he went to sleep in his hotel room after calling our mum and I." He shook his head, incredulous. "Can you believe it? The future champion of Galar, not even bothering to go out and celebrate after his first win in the Gym Challenge."

Despite his disbelief, Hop grinned. "But whatever, that's him. Only my big bro could treat something so monumental as business as usual."

"What do you wanna do?" Cassius asked.

Hop paused briefly before answering. "Supposedly, there's a really good surf and turf place in Turffield. Kinda surprised me, 'cause Turffield isn't really known for their seafood—suppose that's more Hulbury's thing—but from what I've heard, it's to die for. There's a discount for gym challengers too, apparently!"

He turned to Cassius. "We could all go, when I wrap up my battle. Or we could wait a little and go when you finish your battle. A little celebratory dinner for the champ's trainers. Sounds good, don't it?"

Cassius hummed a response, though his eyes seemed distant. It wasn't lost on Hop, who angled his gaze toward him. "Somethin' wrong?"

After a moment, Cassius replied. "How do you do it?"

Hop hadn't expected that. "How do I what?"

"Your whole... you," Cassius gestured to the entirety of Hop's person. "Are you not nervous?"

"About the battle?"

"About everything. We're celebrities now. Thousands of people are gonna be watching us fight live, and probably a million more on television. Every little thing we do—every mistake—will be broadcasted and recorded forever."

"Goes both ways," Hop reminded Cassius. "Every clever trick, and every triumph of ours will be remembered, too."

Cassius still seemed somewhat antsy. "Still... how do you deal with it? Every time I think about it, I freak out, and we still have, like, a week and a half to go before we fight."

Hop got the sentiment. "I mean, it's not like I'm not nervous," Hop clarified. "I mean, if I wasn't nervous, I don't think I'd be treating the fight with nearly the amount of seriousness it deserves. Make no mistake, the first battle of the circuit is arguably the most important—it sets the tone for the rest of the challenge, and in our case, introduces us to the majority of the public for the first time."

His eyes landed on Cassius. "I wanna be clear, mate, bein' nervous is a totally natural feeling, and in my opinion, a good one. The trick is turning those nerves into excitement." Hop smiled. "I smile all the time, man. I smile when I'm happy, I smile when I'm surprised, and I really smile a lot when I'm nervous. I think it's a bit of a tick—Lee says he's never had that happen to him before."

"You should maybe get that checked out," Cassius offered.

"Worked for me so far. No point messin' with a good thing," Hop shrugged, before refocusing. "Point is, Pokémon battling is supposed to be fun. Enjoy it, mate. There are folks who dream of taking their Pokémon onto the biggest stage and battling in front of millions. And getting paid for it, no less! We're one of those extremely lucky few."

He gave Cassius a playful punch on the shoulder. "Hey, you'll be fine. Just go out there, trust your Pokémon, and have fun. I promise that if you do that, you'll win. Guaranteed."

Hop hoped that it would be enough to assuage any lingering doubts in Cassius' mind. Knowing him, probably not entirely, but any encouragement that would help him would prove beneficial.

Cassius scoffed, but not without a tiny smile on his face. "Just go have fun," he repeated. "When you say it like that, it sounds so simple."

"'Cause it is."

"Even after all that talk about the grind? About champion training? The key to success is just... having fun?"

"Well, that's obviously important too, but having fun is what makes it worth all that training, yeah?" Hop offered. "I mean, what's the point in doing everything you've done so far for the sake of something you hate?"

He offered his most reassuring smile. "Maybe you didn't love training and battling when we first set out. Maybe you still don't love it fully, even after choosing to commit yourself to it. But something tells me you wouldn't have stuck out with this as long as you have if you didn't think you'd find some kind of joy in it."

Cassius didn't have an immediate response. Granted, he'd provided Cassius with a heap to consider about the Unovan's own personal motivations (that Hop admittedly didn't even know all that well, beyond him wanting to prove himself), so he would let him think it over for as long as he needed to.

After a moment, however, his words seemed to have the intended effect. "... I guess you're right."

Hop's smile grew. "That's the spirit."

"I don't know about smiling when I'm nervous and all that," Cassius quickly clarified. "But... if I'm gonna be a nervous wreck regardless, I might as well try and enjoy myself a little while I'm at it."

Cassius seemed to have loosened himself up a bit with his admission. "... going back to what you were talking about earlier, I'm gonna be completely honest, I have no idea what I'd do after winning."

"You can call your parents," Hop suggested, recalling Lee's first postgame celebration.

"I mean, I was gonna do that regardless, but I guess that could be the first thing I do," Cassius admitted. Hop thought on it for a moment longer, before a devious idea crossed his mind.

"Tell ya what. We'll get a few drinks in you, and have you hit up that one girl." His grin was knowing, and his eyebrows wriggled suggestively. "The one you defended during the ceremony presser. Marnie."

Cassius groaned, more than tired with this particular topic. "Seriously, why does everyone think I have a thing for her? I don't! That was literally just some made-up fantasy Bede cooked up in his head!"

"Dunno. The way you're reacting, there might be some truth to what he was sayin'," Hop snickered. "The young man doth protest too much, methinks."

The Unovan sent him what was an attempt at a withering glare. "And here I thought Gloria was the only one in this group allowed to make fun of me."

Hop's grin didn't budge. "Hey, I just wanna see my best buddy win. On and off the pitch."

"You're insufferable."

He was well aware. But if it would help him relax a little, it would be more than worth it. "What are brothers for?"

"Okay," Cassius sat down in the middle of the clearing, eyeing the three Pokémon that constituted his audience. "Now that we're all on board, here's what we're gonna be doing today."

He pointed at Hyla. "You're gonna keep at it with Bite. We're close, I can feel it. We just need one extra push to get it down." Her bites had been garnering a bit more force behind them in recent attempts, but it still wasn't comparable to the strength behind the Bites he'd seen trained Pokémon achieve. "I'll stick with you for a bit to start, and I'll keep an eye on anything I see."

Turning to Sizzlipede, he continued. "For you, we're gonna experiment a little. Once I'm done with Hyla, I'll explain the plan I have in mind. Get your Flame Wheel ready, you're gonna need it." That seemed to rev up the Fire-type, as she ticked excitedly.

Finally, he angled himself toward Rookidee. "I'm gonna ask you a question. Can you fly?"

He was met with a sharp look from the Flying-type. She didn't seem to appreciate the question. Turning, she flexed her now fully-healed wings, before going airborne with a strong flap and a leap—however, instead of taking to the skies, she only managed to hover and glide momentarily, before landing back on the ground.

So she couldn't fly. That presented a few problems, but it also painted a clearer picture of how she went about battling. "Okay... I think I get how you use your wings now."

Cassius had remembered something upon reflecting on his first meeting with the Flying-type. The Rookidee didn't really fly—in reality, she had propelled herself. She could briefly hover for a few seconds, glide around and quickly change directions, and speed toward opponents with well-timed flaps, but she couldn't use her wings to soar above her opponents. She'd acted in a similar manner during her fight against the Zigzagoon. Her inability to fly when asked confirmed his working theory.

She was still plenty fast, and more than strong. But he'd have to rework his strategy with how he planned to employ her during battle. It was weird that a Flying-type couldn't actually fly (and hadn't he seen a flock of Rookidee flying during his first few days in Galar?), but there was no point in whining about it this late in the game.

"We're gonna see if we can't get you up and flying during these next few days," Cassius spoke, realizing that the Rookidee probably wanted an explanation for the exercise she'd performed. Never mind that he was essentially going to have to teach a bird to fly from scratch. "If not, then we're gonna see how long you can hover and glide. I do know that you're mobile, but I wanna see to what extent."

Surprising, the Rookidee seemed okay with his decision, this time muttering only a small chirp in assent. Cassius couldn't help the curiosity that briefly overtook him—was she really taking to his training that quickly? Or had her lack of flight been something she'd been planning to work on anyway?

It didn't matter. Cassius nodded. "Good. Seems we're all set, then. Let's get to work." The group broke, and Cassius followed Hyla over to a spot in the clearing he had prepared for her beforehand.

Hyla had graduated from chewtoys to large wooden branches. Following along Hop's reasoning, it seemed that Hyla had finally begun getting comfortable with the notion of using her teeth as a weapon. As she dashed toward the first branch and bit into it with all the force she could muster, it snapped after a moment of exertion. Still not enough to qualify as an actual attack, but that she'd managed to break it was good. She wouldn't have been able to manage even that much a week or so ago.

But, also to Hop's point, she still seemed to lack the mentality required to really buy into the aggression needed to consistently perform the move. She had the strength, but was lacking the will. The issue was getting her into that mindset in any capacity.

Time passed, and Hyla still wasn't generating enough power. After roughly an hour, he called for a break. "Take five and rest up." He placed a bowl of water for her to recuperate. "I'm gonna take a quick leak and be right back." As he left, he noticed Sizzlipede skittering up beside Hyla, but chalked it up to Sizzlipede being companionable.

The two had seemingly become fast friends, he noted as he found an isolated spot to do his business. It seemed to be in the Fire-type's nature. She had directly sought him out when they'd first met, and had stubbornly followed him afterward. Like she'd been determined to join Cassius, no matter what.

He thought back to what Leon had told him back in Postwick. "Some Pokémon happen to pick their trainer before the trainer picks them!" The introduction of Sizzlipede into his life seemed to be one such instance.

But could he argue with the results so far? She was strong, from what he'd seen firsthand. She'd been a friendly and engaged member of his team. And she'd taken to Hyla like a long lost friend. Really, she'd become Hyla's very first Pokémon friend.

Thinking that brought a smile to Cassius' face. She was a bit of a loose cannon, sure, but she meant well. And if she was a positive influence on his longtime partner, then who was he to get in the way of that? Hyla could definitely use a friend that wasn't him, in any case. So long as she was happy.

Applying a liberal amount of portable hand soap, Cassius wrapped up and returned to the clearing. Friends pushed themselves to be better—Hop and Gloria were a very immediate example of that truth. Sizzlipede would push Hyla to be better. And maybe, if the Rookidee ever came around, they could all really—

The sound of combat jarred him from his thoughts. Frowning, Cassius quickly dashed back to the clearing, worry pooling in his gut. Had something happened? Had a wild Pokémon entered the clearing while he'd been gone?

He was met with something else entirely upon returning. Hyla was locked in a fight, dodging attacks from an opponent that wasn't a wild Pokémon—rather, it was Sizzlipede.

"Hey!" Cassius called out. "What's going on? What happened?" He was promptly ignored, however, as the Sizzlipede curled up into a familiar stance and lit itself on fire—Flame Wheel. Launching itself, it tore through the ground as it sped toward Hyla, who only barely managed to dodge out of the way in time.

Hyla barked, though she sounded alarmed and confused. That only made Cassius more on edge. It seemed Hyla hadn't started this fight. But then, why had Sizzlipede?

The Fire-type wheeled itself back around, disengaging from its Flame Wheel and instead opting for a familiar move—Bite. With sharp fangs, Sizzlipede closed in on Hyla with intent to harm. Hyla looked conflicted, as though she wanted to retaliate, but was held back by something.

Whether it was fear of the fight, or fear of hurting her new friend, it didn't matter. Sizzlipede landed the attack, clamping down on Hyla. She shrieked in pain, quickly jarring the Radiator Pokémon from her body. She wasn't bleeding, but it was clear that the attack left a painful mark.

Cassius was still confused, but it was clear he had to do something. The Rookidee would clearly be of no help—she was watching the battle closely from a safe distance. For some reason, she seemed composed, as if this sudden turn hadn't surprised her. Ignoring her weird behavior, Cassius prepared himself to recall Sizzlipede.

Before he could though, something drew his eye. It was a growl from Hyla, unlike any he'd ever heard before.

For as long as he'd known Hyla, she wasn't one that had been quick to anger. Much like him, she had always opted for being composed, if a bit quiet. It was how he'd raised her, after all. Now, however, she was snarling with an expression that briefly took Cassius aback. There was malice in her tone as she bared her fangs.

With a dash, she took off toward Sizzlipede, who had suddenly stopped moving. With a shout, she opened her mouth, preparing for a bite of her own. Then, Cassius saw something different. Her maw opened with a snap, revealing her teeth. They had always been sharp, and a source of fear for people who didn't know how sweet Hyla was, but Hyla had always done her part in concealing them for the most part. As Hyla neared her target, however, they gleamed beneath the afternoon sun with a menacing ferocity that Cassius had never seen before.

At the last possible moment, Sizzlipede slithered out of the way, just barely avoiding the chomp. Then, almost casually, she skittered to beside Cassius, who had been thus far too stunned to move. Crawling atop his frame, she settled her head atop his own.

Hyla approached him, and though she'd seemed upset, she clearly hadn't lost herself to the emotion. Her expression returned to normal, though she panted with exertion. Then, realization seemed to dawn on her too, as she opened her mouth and flexed her jaw experimentally.

"That..." Cassius whispered. "That was Bite." Sizzlipede squirmed above him, and she briefly entered his field of vision while snapping her own mouth, as if confirming his speculation. For all the aggression she'd exhibited before, she seemed to be her usual self now.

Things had gotten hectic in his brief absence, but now that the battle had seemingly ended, Cassius had to confirm his suspicions. Taking slow steps, Cassius kneeled down beside his lifelong partner. "Hyla... could you try and use Bite for me?"

Hyla nodded after a moment, still confused by what had happened but willing to humor his curiosity. Turning toward the clearing, she took a stance, amping herself with a small growl. She then dashed in the direction of one of the large tree branches Cassius had set aside for her to practice on. At first, it looked like nothing more than her usual stamina training—Hyla even decided to zig and zag, mimicking the mid-battle dodges she would be executing during an actual battle.

Her steps seemed heavier, and her approach seemed more intimidating. Her maw opened once more, that snapping sound returning. With another leap, she fell upon the branch like a small missile.

The piece of tree never stood a chance—it snapped upon being bitten by Hyla. Not only in two, but into little splinters from where Hyla made contact. There was an audible crack when Hyla closed her jaw, one that made Cassius flinch slightly.

That was it. That wasn't a simple bite. That was Bite. "Hyla..." Cassius breathed out, shocked.

Hyla turned toward him, suddenly sheepish beneath his surprised gaze. There was a brief silence that overtook the clearing, as the reality of what had happened had set in.

Then, Cassius raised his arms, and his voice. "Hyla... you freaking did it!"

He all but sprinted toward his Deino, engulfing her in a quick hug. Hyla barked in surprise, before yelping again when she realized that Cassius had picked her up and begun swinging her around. He hadn't done that since she was little.

"You did it! You learned your first move!" Cassius was overjoyed. "Holy shit, that was insane! You demolished that tree branch!" Out of context, the achievement seemed a little underwhelming, but Cassius didn't care. This was a major stepping stone, for both of them.

Hyla seemed to finally give into the excitement, licking Cassius' face in shared jubilation before he finally set her down. Still, Cassius wasn't done gushing. "I'm just... wow. Hyla, this is massive for us! With your ability, and the same-type attack bonus thing, and Focus Energy... this changes everything for you!" For all that was touted about her reputation as a Dragon-type, and for as offensively gifted as she was... she finally had something to back up all the hype. A move that could deal substantial damage during a battle.

He wouldn't get completely ahead of himself, but there was no denying this was a good thing. Hyla didn't just stand a chance now—she could win.

There were plenty of questions he wanted to ask, but he went with the first one that popped into his head. "But how? What finally clicked for you?"

A familiar tick answered before Hyla could. Sizzlipede wriggled over quickly, abandoning her spot on Cassius and instead choosing to crawl atop Hyla's frame. She angled herself upright, as if Hyla was a loyal steed beneath her. Hyla, though hesitant at first, didn't seem to mind the extra weight. In fact, she barked amicably upon realizing that Sizzlipede seemed done with her random attacks against her.

"You were attacking her when I came back," Cassius recounted. "I didn't know why at first, but I think I'm starting to get it. You did it to help Hyla, not hurt her."

It felt almost too genius of an idea for a Pokémon to think of. Hyla had battled before, but she hadn't been able to put her all into it in her previous bouts. Not like she had today, anyway. Being thrown into a battle out of nowhere, in what she thought was a safe environment, against someone she considered a friend, had likely prompted a primal urge to defend herself. And somehow, Sizzlipede had known all that, and used that to her advantage to give Hyla the mental push she needed.

He'd let Sizzlipede out of her ball to do her own thing while he decided to dedicate his afternoon to Hyla, but apparently, she had been willing to go out of her way to help the Dragon-type learn a move she had already mastered. Whatever mental block had been in the way, she had helped her get through it.

Friends pushed themselves to be better. She had helped her teammate, and the result was Hyla finally getting the move down.

He couldn't help but think back on what Hop had told him the previous night. "Trust your Pokémon."

Cassius allowed a smile to overtake his face once more. "Thanks for the assist, Sizzlipede. I'm sorry for doubting you."

The Fire-type preened beneath the compliment, writhing excitedly with an almost smug gleam in her insect eyes. He wasn't sure what affectionate gestures her species preferred, so he settled for stroking the top of her flat head. She seemed to appreciate the contact, nuzzling into his hand while ensuring her flaming whiskers didn't light him on fire.

Cassius still had a lot he wanted to ask, and even more to think about, but his first thought was of an idea he had concocted for when Hyla finally learned Bite. The questions could wait—now was a time to celebrate.

"Wait here." Dashing to his travel pack, he pulled out a familiar item that had served as a great source of ire for Hyla so far in their journey—the chewtoy that she had been forced to practice Bite on.

"I told you that it would go in the trash when you learned Bite," Cassius started. "But, with how much you hated the thing, I figured you'd wanna get rid of it yourself." He set the toy on the ground, backing away for good measure. "The honor is yours."

Hyla looked disbelieving, as if the offer was too good to be true. But when her partner made no move to yank the toy away, an excited growl escaped her throat. Sizzlipede quickly removed herself from atop Hyla, skittering away to watch beside Cassius, though she seemed intent on getting a front-row view of the carnage about to unfold. Even the Rookidee finally swooped down from her perch to get a better look at her self-proclaimed rival and her new move, trying and failing to look uninterested in the proceedings.

Cassius nodded, giving Hyla the go-ahead. Hyla charged forward, adding a few zig-zags to her warpath, as had been ingrained in her training. With a great leap, she built momentum toward the chewtoy, opening her mouth with a snap as she prepared to bite down with every bit of hate she could muster toward the toy.

To Cassius, the sound of meaningful progress was a loud popping of inflated rubber. And nothing had ever sounded so sweet.

I wanted to get this chapter out before Christmas, but wouldn't you know, the end of the semester and the holiday season keeps a guy busy. So, as a belated Christmas gift, here's a longer chapter than usual. With a new move for Hyla, to boot!

Here's another gift, in the form of a tidbit for the road—the gang heads to Turffield next chapter. Just around thirty chapters and 150k words, and we're *finally* ramping up toward the first gym battle. I'm excited to share what I have in store with you all—the game makes these battles out to be massive spectacles for the public, and I fully intend on conveying as much during the battles to come.

On the topic of adding Flapple to Milo's team; I get that the first gym of every game is supposed to not be very challenging for the sake of the literal babies that play these games, but Milo's gym was almost painfully easy. Yes, I get that it's technically part of his character, but it still bothered me. I remember being a kid and having Roark's Cranidos kick my Chimchar's ass constantly in Gen 4. That, to me, is what Pokémon should be—a trial by fire (or rocks, in my case). So, Milo gets a Dragon-type forcibly added to his team, at the behest of the Galar League. Are the Champion's trainers prepared for such an early obstacle? And what's the Galar League's real reasoning for such a move?

As always, thanks for sticking with my story, for those who have made it this far. And a thanks for everyone who's dropped a favorite, follow, or review. Seeing folks engage with a story of mine always brings a smile to my face. Happy belated Holidays, and a Happy New Year to you all as well.

~Slalem