During her preparations for the Hoenn League, Summer returned to Slateport City to have a practice battle against the Gym Leader, Charmaine. It was a tough double battle, but Charmaine was able to defeat Summer despite having a type disadvantage. Afterwards, she gave the younger Trainer some advice on the league, and the latter took it to heart. Soon, Summer and Weldon are heading over to the site of the tournament. Which rivals will she encounter, and what will be her first test in this league?

P.S.- Don't forget to vote in the current poll regarding a new proposal for how future stories will be published! :)

Chapter 56- A Baneful Beginning to the League

After another month of preparation, keeping Charmaine's advice in mind, Weldon and I took the Tropius Taxi to Ever Grande City, the location of the Hoenn League.

"I'm so nervous!" I exclaimed, fidgeting in my seat. "It's already time."

Weldon chuckled. "I'm a little nervous too, even though I'm not the one battling. But I know you'll be fine; your Pokémon are much stronger than they were two months ago."

"That's right!" Lightning added. "I've made so many wreaths, I can do a Grass Knot in my sleep. Plus, I'm saving the rest of the Lava Cookies Weldon got me so I can eat them after we win the league!"

Laughing, I petted her head. "That's a nice thing to look forward to, but even if we lose, you can still enjoy them then."

Weldon leaned back and crossed his arms. "How come you think you won't win this year, Summer?"

"Well… We may be stronger now, but I'm sure everyone else participating will be strong too. Especially Andy and Viola."

"Yeah…I did check their profiles earlier, and they're going to be there. But you shouldn't care about them being batfams. Andy and Viola are still Trainers in the end, and they can be beaten. I know that for sure. Besides, what was the point of me coming here if you already accepted that outcome?"

The last sentence would've irked me at the beginning of this journey, but now, I could tell he was joking. "You're right, Weldon. I'll try to be more optimistic this time around. Speaking of batfams, are you sure you want to be at a highly publicized competition? I know it's been a while since the Batfam Convention, but still…"

His smile made my heart skip. "I appreciate you worrying about me, Summer, I really do. But I'm fine, better than how I felt back then. That just shows me taking a hiatus was the correct choice."

"You're right again," I replied, feeling better. "Anyway, I'm glad Trin and Aster are coming to watch. Too bad Harry has a surfing tournament in Johto, otherwise he would've come."

"Actually, I invited Trin and Aster to help you train, but they wanted to spend the two months getting a head start on writing the record of the recent Legendary Pokémon conflict."

"Oh yeah," I acknowledged with a grin. "And they said they'll send a copy to Teeni in Ecruteak City for the Kimono Girls' records. I texted Trin earlier about meeting us at the Pokémon Center later today."

Weldon read something on his Pokégear. "I'm surprised they're no hotels for the participants, like in Kanto and Johto."

"The hotels are mainly for tourists and other visitors during this time of the year. Due to the limited space on the island, the PLA constructed dormitories for the participants so that more visitors can come."

Then, we received the announcement that we were approaching the island where Ever Grande City is. We landed on the landing platform in front of a large lake, the setting for the Hoenn League. To the east was the actual city, filled with skyscrapers and other tall buildings. There was a long line in front of the Pokémon Center, so Weldon decided to take a look at the league facilities while Lightning and I waited. After about thirty minutes, I arrived at the registration table. A blonde-haired woman with blue eyes smiled at me. She was wearing a nurse's uniform and a gold Luvdisc hairpin on her cap.

"Hello there, I'm Nurse Saiyu. Welcome to the Hoenn League. May I get your Trainer ID and badge case?"

"O-Of course. Sorry, I didn't expect you to help out with the registrations, Nurse Saiyu."

Chuckling, she replied as she accepted the items, "Don't worry, I've been getting that a lot today. I'm happy to help out whenever I can during the tournament period."

After scanning the ID and case and checking the records on a laptop, she handed them back to me.

"All right, you're all set, Summer." The nurse then gave me a green bag with red and blue trim. "You'll find a map of the dormitories, Trainer facilities, and the city. There's a list of restaurants that are free for you and up to three people with your Trainer ID as well as some free samples of snacks and drinks that will be available later for purchase during the tournament. If you'd like, up to three people are welcome to stay in the dormitory with you, Summer."

"Oh? I thought the dormitories are only for participants."

"Under normal circumstances, that would be the case. But due to the shortened timeframe, there aren't as many participants this year, even with the three divisions. So we are offering more options to companions associated with the participants."

"I see. Thanks, Nurse Saiyu. I'll let them know."

"Excellent; you will be in Dormitory 3C, which is towards the northern edge of the lake. The opening ceremony will begin at the stadium at 11am, with a free lunch for all participants and their companions at 12pm. Please arrive there at 10:30am to check in."

After thanking her, reuniting with Weldon, and sending Trin the new meeting location, we headed to our living quarters by following the center bridge over the lake and past the large stadium. On the sturdy platform were three medium-sized wooden structures and a bed of beautiful flowers surrounding their walls. Several tri-colored roses sparked my excitement.

"Oh! Hoennian roses!"

"Hoennian roses?" Weldon asked, kneeling down to examine them. "This is my first time seeing this kind of flower. What kind of flower are they?"

"They're roses that can only be cultivated in the Hoenn Region due to the humidity and salinity needed for them to grow. They also have a floral and slightly briny scent, which symbolizes the land and ocean; this makes the Hoennian rose the regional flower. The orange, red, and purple coloring also symbolize the sunrise and sunset, so they are very popular as bouquets for couples."

"Really? Does that mean the number of roses in the bouquet also have a meaning?"

Laughing, I knelt next to him. "Seems like someone's been researching the language of flowers."

"Maybe…" He cleared his throat. "Anyway, continue, Summer."

"Sure. Two roses mean the start of a budding friendship or romantic relationship, four roses mean the couple will be together until death, and eight roses mean the couple will be together forever."

"Um…four and eight seem like they have the same meaning."

"Kind of, but the main difference is that 'together forever' applies to both during life and after death, so it'll last longer than the four roses." Realizing I talked on for so long, I sheepishly grinned. "Sorry if that was a long, and kind of geeky, explanation."

"No, it wasn't. Thanks for telling me this." I thought I saw a glint in his eyes, but it could've been the sunlight blinding me.

"Summer, Weldon!"

"Trin, Aster!" I greeted the women with a side hug. "I'm glad you two could make it! I hope I'm not pulling you away from your work."

The Lorekeeper chuckled. "Not at all. We needed a break, especially from Loki's antics."

The Togepi swatted his Trainer's hair from her hood, making Trin sigh. "Why must you keep doing this to me, Loki?"

"Because I missed out on all the fun, Trin!" he argued. "I can't believe Morpheus and Munin got to battle two Legendary Pokémon, and I didn't!"

"Look, Loki. I told you I'm sorry I didn't let you out during the Legendary Pokémon fight. You could've been swept away by the water or fallen into a large crevice."

"I would've been able to save myself! Still…it was nice of you to worry about me. Guess I forgive you, Trin."

After they hugged, I looked at my Pokégear. "Oh, I have to get to the stadium for the opening ceremony. I'll see you guys later!"

We quickly dropped off our things in our dormitory, and Lightning and I walked towards the center of the lake. As we got closer to the stadium, my heart pounded louder. After showing my Trainer ID to the security outside, a volunteer guided me to the waiting room. There were a lot of Trainers there, both new and experienced. I didn't see anyone I recognized right away, so I just waited until we were called to enter the battlefield arena. All of us headed through the doors to the arena, where cheers and applause greeted us.

Once again, the PLA chairman, a short man with a red and blue striped cap with a matching shirt and khaki shorts, headed to a podium and shouted, "Welcome everyone, to the opening speech for the 2006 Hoenn League! Thank you for your patience in the delay of the tournament due to unforeseen events. Which is becoming a trend lately throughout the four main regions." After pausing to let the crowd laugh, he continued, "I see new and familiar faces, but all of you share one thing in common: you have defeated our Gym Leaders to reach this moment in competitive battling. That means we are expecting exciting battles in all our divisions.

Similar to the previous years, you will have to battle one of our Elite Four members to proceed to the Top 64. Each of you can choose which Elite Four member to battle and the time. As usual, these battles will be one on one singles format, and the battle will end either after 5 minutes or until one Pokémon is unable to battle. Winning does not matter, but rather your skill as a Trainer. Each member will grade you based on your skills and the flow of battle. This grading will decide who continues to the preliminaries. Due to our shortened timeframe, the Top 64 to Top 8 battles in each division will be in the two on two double battles to expedite the matches. We apologize for all these changes, again, but don't let this discourage your time here on Ever Grande Island. Elite Four challenge signups will begin after the lunch for our wonderful participants and their guests. Signups will be at the Pokémon Center by the stadium from 2pm until midnight, so please do not go to the Pokémon Center in the city. They will not accept the signups there. The Elite Four entry matches at their special battlefields will begin tomorrow morning. Your challenge time will be texted to you later today or the day after, depending on your time slot. If you lose, you're welcome to stay and partake in the fun until the tournament's over. Thank you for coming, and we wish you all luck here in the Hoenn League!"

We were then shuffled towards the Ever Grande Hotel in the downtown area, where the buffet lunch was being held. Once I reunited with my friends, we entered the enormous banquet room filled with white linen tables and three rows of prepared dishes. After getting a wide variety of food, Lightning and Loki found a table by the window overlooking the bustling streets. We enjoyed the delicious meal as the Pokémon feasted on some homemade Pokémon food.

"This food is excellent," Aster praised as she sampled everything before settling on the fried chicken.

Trin grinned. "And these veggies aren't bad either. There really are good cooks in Hoenn."

After getting our drinks from a server, I replied, "We've had a lot of great food around the region, haven't we, Weldon?"

He nodded as he ate some fruit salad. "And it seems a lot fresher this time. I guess that means spring is in full swing."

"Yeah. Now that I think about it, isn't your birthday coming up?"

Weldon hid his disappointment. "It is, but I don't celebrate it as much as I used to, with the academy and traveling."

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Leland and Scorcher, my vixen."

"It is, my jack. How…delightful…"

Andy Ackbar and Viola Voss walked over, both of them not even trying to hide their disdain.

Still, I tried to be polite. "Hey, Andy and Viola. Weldon said you'd be here."

"Obviously." Andy glanced around the room. "What a low bar for this competition. Looks like we'll dominate this region, won't we, Viola?"

She giggled. "Of course, Andy. Though I won't make it easy on you in the finals."

Their obnoxious laugh made me roll my eyes. "You know, I did beat you, Andy."

"And so did I," Weldon added with a smirk. "Though, it's too bad I'm not competing, huh?"

"Watch your mouth, Leland!" his academy rival hissed, placing his hands on the table. "Just be lucky the ability dampening device is still in effect outside of the league area. Otherwise I would've embarrassed you here in front of everyone!"

"Don't worry, Summer will do the same when she beats you," the Kantonian said bluntly as he drank his water.

"Why you-!"

"So Summer Scorcher's here too."

I hid my annoyance as Huánglóng joined the conversation.

"Who're you, normie?" Andy inquired.

The arrogant yellow-loving Trainer snickered. "I'm surprised you don't know my name by now, batfam. I'm Huánglóng, the Trainer who'll win the Senior Division."

"Pfft… That's hilarious. If we meet on the battlefield, I'll destroy you so badly, you'll never battle again."

"Come on, we all know my Sceptile will destroy your Blastoise."

"Why you!"

The two continued to bicker, forcing Viola to drag them away.

"That was…surprisingly nice of her," I noted as I slowly ate more pasta.

My coach shrugged. "She likely wanted to not draw any more attention than they already had."

I glanced at the other participants looking at us, some of them whispering amongst themselves. "That makes sense."

"Such fierce competition already, Summer," Trin said with a grin. "And the tournament hasn't even started yet."

"Don't remind me, Trin. Those three are really good Trainers. And I know another good one who should also be here, but I don't see her."

"Perhaps you will see her when you register for your Elite Four entry match," Aster replied.

I checked the clock on the wall. "Maybe. And the registration's about to start soon. I should head to the Pokémon Center now."

Weldon nodded. "We'll explore the city in the meantime. You can let us know when you're done so we can strategize over dinner."

"Great. See you later!"

Lightning and I left the hotel and ran back to the tournament grounds. In front of the Pokémon Center were four lines that were starting to get long. I had to make a decision quickly.

The Raichu looked at the four banners that showed each of the Elite Four members and their type specialties. "Who are they again, Summer?"

I explained them to her, pointing at each banner. "That's Sidney, an ex-delinquent who bettered himself to become a top Trainer. He's a Dark type user whose ace Pokémon is an Absol. That one's Phoebe, an Alolan native who specializes in Ghost types. She's the one we met back on Mt. Pyre, and she has a pretty strong Dusclops. Glacia is an Ice type user, and she's originally from the Galar Region. Her strongest Pokémon is a Walrein. Lastly, that's Drake, a former sea captain who trains Dragon types. His Salamence is the most feared Pokémon compared to the others."

"Wow, those sound like really strong Trainers. But who are you going to choose, Summer?"

I stroked my chin. "To be honest, I've already made my choice a while ago."

"You did? Who did you pick?"

I walked over to Phoebe's line. "Are you surprised, Lightning?"

She laughed as she joined me. "No. I had a feeling it was her since we met earlier."

We then completed the registration process, which took about one hour total. Our match was scheduled for tomorrow at 10am, so I still had some time to prepare.

Just as we were about to leave for the city, I heard someone call my name. I turned around and saw Marisa running over.

"Marisa! You did make it! I was worried when I didn't see you at the opening ceremony or the lunch earlier."

She chuckled, wiping her brow. "I'm sorry, Summer. I was there at both events, but I couldn't stay too long. Saenchai's been training in the woods since we got here, and I can't leave him alone due to his personality. Sigh…he still isn't making it easy for me."

"Oh. Is he still disobedient?"

"Yes, and no. He's been listening to my commands during battle, but he still prefers to train without the rest of my Pokémon. We have been going to the training clearing closest to our dormitory on the west side of the lake to avoid running into the other Trainers."

Sensing Lightning's apprehension, I nodded. "Thanks for the heads up, Marisa. Which Elite Four member are you going to challenge?"

"Sidney," she replied without hesitation. "But if his slots are full, then Glacia's my second option."

I glanced at the lines. "You should probably get in line now before it's too late."

"Oh, gosh, you're right! Thanks, Summer! Good luck with the Elite Four test."

"You too! Let's meet up later for lunch or dinner."

"Sounds good. You have my number."

Seeing all my rivals on the first day made me feel uneasy, but I stayed calm, remembering Weldon's earlier words. I waved goodbye to my friend, and we spent the rest of the day with Weldon, Trin, and Aster.

The next day…

I was escorted by a volunteer to Phoebe's battlefield room in the Hoenn Elite Four building. Once inside, a slight chill made me shiver. It was a simple purple room with blue walls, but the two holes partially blocked by stone bricks along the west and east sides likely contributed to the cold. A large timer with the numbers "5:00" was hanging over the east gap.

After making my way to the challenger box, Phoebe entered the room, a big smile on her face.

"Finally, the challenger I've been waiting for the most! It's good to see you again, Summer!"

"You too, Phoebe," I replied with a grin. "Are your grandparents okay after that incident with Team Magma and Team Aqua?"

"Aww…thanks for asking. They are, especially when the leaders returned the Blue and Red Orbs to their resting place. That being said…" Her smile became serious. "I hope you don't disappoint me, Summer. Let's see how you fare against my lovely Dusclops, 'Uhane!"

She twirled around, releasing the Ultra Ball from her right hand. A tall Pokémon wrapped in gray bandages appeared, with light gray hands and growths from her shoulders and head. But the most defining feature was her single red eye.

[Dusclops, the Beckon Pokémon and the evolved form of Duskull. It is thought that its body is hollow with only a spectral ball of fire burning inside. However, no one has been able to confirm this theory as fact.]

That Dusclops looks really strong. Like Weldon said last night, I need to take advantage of the type matchups. "Go, Errol!"

The Noctowl flew over us, eyeing the Ghost type warily.

The Elite Four member giggled. "I had a feeling you'd choose Errol. All right then, let's start the clock!"

As soon as the "5:00" on the clock ticked down, I shouted, "Errol, use Air Slash!"

He formed the swirling orb of air and fired it at the Beckon Pokémon.

"'Uhane, dodge with Faint Attack!" her Trainer commanded with a twirl.

She disappeared into the floor as a dark amorphous shadow, evading the move. Then she rematerialized and struck Errol from behind, causing him to falter.

"Now use Disable!"

The Dusclops surrounded Errol with a yellow aura, and his wing feathers slightly tightened.

I gritted my teeth. Now Errol can't use Air Slash for a while. "We can't let that Disable stop us, Errol! Psychic!"

"Use Psychic as well, 'Uhane!"

Both Pokémon were surrounded with blue energy, grappling each other on a mental level. Then Errol's concentration started to slip.

Phoebe seized her chance. "Now, 'Uhane, Will-o-Wisp!"

Releasing her control, she fired several orange wisps at the Noctowl.

"Errol, dodge and use Hypnosis!"

He darted around the room, making the flames collide into each other before shooting the hypnotic rings at his foe.

The Elite Four member grinned. "That's some fancy flying, Errol, but that won't be enough! Dodge the Hypnosis with Faint Attack!"

The Ghost type vanished into the floor, and the rings missed their target. She struck the Owl Pokémon again, making me clench my fists.

I have to find a way to make 'Uhane stop using Faint Attack… I thought as she returned to her side of the field. Then, I noticed a small gust of air around Errol's wings. That's it!

"Errol, Air Slash!"

Feeling the air swirl around his wings again, he smirked.

Phoebe was surprised. "The Disable should have lasted longer than that. No matter, 'Uhane, dodge again with Faint Attack!"

I had a feeling she'd do that, I thought as the air hit only the floor. As soon as the Dusclops began to reappear to Errol's left, I shouted, "Errol, Hypnosis!"

'Uhane was unable to evade the move, and the rings hit their mark. She hit the floor and plopped on her back, asleep.

"'Uhane! Please wake up!" her Trainer called. But there was no response.

Seeing there was not much time left, I had to move quickly. "Air Slash!"

The orb finally made contact, but the impact made 'Uhane wake up. It was unfortunate, but I couldn't back down now.

"Will-o-Wisp!"

"Heat Wave!"

The fire-based moves collided for a few seconds. Then, the Owl Pokémon flapped harder, creating more embers from his wings. This overpowered the wisps and struck 'Uhane. Though she blocked most of the damage with her arms, she winced as red burns appeared over them.

"Psychic!" we both shouted as the clock ticked down the remaining seconds.

Both Pokémon mentally grappled once more; this time, 'Uhane struggled to maintain control due to her burns. But as Errol began to overpower her, the timer went off.

He returned to me, disappointed. "I apologize for not winning, Ms. Summer. If the timer had not sounded…"

"It's okay, Errol," I reassured with a head pat. "That clock never seems to let anyone win outright."

"You'd be surprised how often matches end early, Summer." Phoebe approached us, a big smile on her face. "The previous challengers didn't even make it to the five-minute mark; 'Uhane defeated them quite handily."

"Oh. Well, I guess that's good to know. That means you did really well, Errol."

"You certainly have." The Elite Four member petted the Noctowl. "You both have. I'm happy I got to battle you, Summer. Though, I wish we got to battle you at our fullest potential."

"What do you mean, Phoebe?"

She motioned her partner over. "This will be 'Uhane's last battles as a Dusclops. Once this year's league event's over, she'll become a brand new Dusknoir."

"Oh yeah, she can evolve further. But doesn't she need a Reaper Cloth and a trade to do so?"

"That's right. I have a friend in the Sinnoh Region who's helping me with this. She's a Ghost type Gym Leader, so we try to spend time learning from each other. If you travel to the Sinnoh Region, maybe you'll battle her."

Laughing, I replied, "I'm not sure if I have time to go to Sinnoh, but if I do, I'll see if I can meet her."

"Great! Oh, it looks like I need to heal 'Uhane before our next battle. Don't worry about the Elite Four entry match results, Summer; you've obviously passed. Good luck with the rest of the tournament. I'll be rooting for you!"

Thanking the Elite Four member, I returned Errol and reunited with Weldon, Trin, and Aster at the Pokémon Center. Seeing Loki was getting bored, I let Lightning play with him. While discussing the earlier battle with them, I saw the latest Elite Four match updates appear on the television screen above the reception desk.

Weldon noticed my attention shifted and looked at the screen too. "So Andy and Viola finished their matches too. And they chose the stronger Elite Four members, Drake and Glacia."

"So did Huánglóng with Drake. I can't tell if it's a personal choice, or another way to compete with Andy."

"I only just met them yesterday, and judging by their attitudes, it's most likely the latter," Trin bluntly replied.

"Oh, Trin," Aster said with a snicker.

I then scanned the upcoming matches list. "Oh, it looks like Marisa is battling Sidney right now. Guess she got her first choice after all."

"What do you think her chances are, Summer?" Weldon asked.

His gaze told me he wanted an unbiased response. "If she uses Saenchai, then her odds are pretty good. But I know she has other Fighting type Pokémon in case he's not cooperating. Either way, I know I also can't underestimate them during the tournament; Blaze has been reminding me that during the last two months."

Then, I saw Marisa's photo move from "Upcoming Matches" to "Results". "It looks like she passed as well." That means they all made it… I hope I don't battle any of them right away.

Seeing my nervousness, Weldon got up and stretched. "Well then. Let's go get lunch."

"I agree," Aster added. "We should celebrate Summer's first victory. Where would you like to go, Summer?"

"Well…I heard Pie Place is having a Hoenn League special during lunch hours. Let's go there."

"Sounds good to me." Trin said as she scooped up Loki.

Lightning returned to my side, and we headed to the restaurant. It was hard to not think about who my first opponent will be in the tournament, but with everyone else's help, I was able to relax and enjoy the tournament atmosphere. After all, I would find out eventually.

Summer's Pokémon:

Blaze (Blaziken, male): Brave Nature, Blaze Ability, moves: Fire Punch, Flamethrower, Blaze Kick, Sky Uppercut

Errol (Noctowl, male): Rash Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Psychic, Hypnosis, Air Slash, Heat Wave

Aurora (Dewgong, female): Calm Nature, Thick Fat Ability, moves: Water Pulse, Ice Beam, Aqua Tail, Signal Beam

Lightning (Raichu, female): Adamant Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunderbolt, Iron Tail, Thunder Punch, Grass Knot

Rocky (Steelix, male): Lonely Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Stone Edge, Crunch, Dragonbreath, Iron Tail

Olive (Grovyle, female): Timid Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Fury Cutter, Double Team, Leaf Blade, Quick Attack

Weldon's Pokémon:

Venusaur (male): Serious Nature, Overgrow Ability, moves: Razor Leaf, Earthquake, Sludge Bomb, Vine Whip; in rotation- Solarbeam, Body Slam

Fearow (male): Adamant Nature, Keen Eye Ability, moves: Heat Wave, Steel Wing, Fury Attack, Aerial Ace; in rotation- Drill Peck

Golem (male): Bold Nature, Rock Head Ability, moves: Rock Slide, Earthquake, Rollout, Double Edge

Gyarados (male): Sassy Nature, Intimidate Ability, moves: Surf, Ice Fang, Payback, Waterfall

Arcanine (male): Naughty Nature, Flash Fire Ability, moves: Hyper Beam, Extremespeed, Flare Blitz, Fire Blast

Electabuzz (male): Rash Nature, Static Ability, moves: Thunder, Ice Punch, Brick Break, Shock Wave; in rotation- Mega Kick, Thunder Punch

Questions for the Chapter:

What did you think of this year's Hoenn League?

What did you think of Summer's rivals for the Hoenn League?

What did you think of Summer's Elite Four entry match against Phoebe?

Which rival will Summer face first during the tournament?