Cletus's Country Store was the place to be in New Bark Town. If you wanted to sit down and eat some lukewarm hotdogs and breakfast biscuits, you went there. If you needed groceries that weren't all that healthy but were plenty cheap, you went there. And if you wanted to spread news around the town, you went there too. And as Kris walked into the store, Loaf waiting on the sidewalk outside as one of the neighborhood kids pet him, she was met with the familiar sight of Ol' Cletus himself.

Wearing his signature grease-stained wife beater and torn up pants, Ol' Cletus didn't really give much of a shit about anything. His hair was withered and grey, his eyes half-lidded from the moonshine he kept just beneath the counter, and he smelt like two-day old bacon and sausages. Luckily, his lack of giving a shit meant he didn't care much about her, unlike most of New Bark Town. Even now, she could spot an elderly couple out of the corner of her eye staring at her like she was an ugly Caterpie that had managed to wander in.

Kris would admit, it was…disheartening, but she would show them! One day, they would be thanking her for being such an amazing Gym Leader and making New Bark Town into the new hotness! She just needed more money…and more pokemon…and more experience…and damn did she need a lot of shit!

"Hey," Kris watched as the country store cashier lazily looked up from his newspaper, one eye slowly moving to the right as he stared at her, mimicking his scar-covered Kecleon that sat on the counter. She coughed into her hand, giving Ol' Cletus a nervous smile. "Do you, uh…do you mind if I place these on the counter?"

She held up one of the dozens of flyers Ethan had printed out for her. Plastered across the front were the words "New Bark Town Tournament!" in bold, followed by a picture of her holding up her fingers in a peace sign as Loaf laid at her feet, just above the terms and conditions of the tournament.

Ol' Cletus grunted as he nodded, leaning back in his chair as he continued to read the news. Laying a small stack on the counter, she muttered a quick "thank you" as she walked out the door, the small bell ringing behind her.

"One place down, only a few more to go." Kris sighed. Next up was Bubba's Autoshop, Millie's Repair Store, Ken's liquor store, and her father's lab. Just three more stops and three more places for people to give her those awful looks. A part of her wondered if her parents would even notice her arrival. She turned towards her Dunsparce. "You ready Loaf?"

Splayed out on his back as a small group of children had gathered around to pet him, he rolled back onto his back and let out a joyful hiss. One of the little brats pointed at Kris, whispering to his friends about "Airhead Kris", before the group erupted into giggles. Tempting as it was to set Loaf on them, her reputation was already in the dumps and doing that wouldn't make it any better.

Course, she didn't need to say anything as Loaf rolled back around and flung some dirt at them with his tail, hissing at them as they all ran away screaming from the land-snake. Reaching down, she scratched the back of his neck, Loaf letting out an affectionate hiss as he leaned towards her hand.

"Thanks Loaf," Kris said. "Now, c'mon, let's mosey."

xXx

Having been born and raised in Violet City, Ol' Cletus saw a lot of things, especially with his time in the military. The Johto-Kanto War, the Battle of the Three Dogs, even Lance's victory over Samuel Oak, bringing the war to an end. He'd retired to New Bark Town, wanting some peace and quiet after two decades of fighting, and he'd gotten it in the quaint little town.

That said, there was some occasional idiocy that livened things up a little. A suspicious character here and there, a smuggling operation in the nearby woods, an Ursaring or Tyranitar that managed to wander down from the mountains. Elm usually drove those off with that team of his, but they could still cause some damage.

And there was of course, his daughter. Damn did the oran berry fall far from the bush. How the hell did two people, who were recognized across the Johto-Kanto region for their study in breeding and evolution, produce…that?

Arceus must be laughing at them from the heavens, because all Ol' Cletus could think was that the Poke-God must be playing some prank.

Their little brat was always scheming and plotting. After several years of little results, you'd think she would have given up, but no, she went right back to it again and again instead of getting a job like honest folk did! Really, the nerve on that young'un! Were he to act that way when he was a kid, his ma would've given him ten of her best with a switch!

And the way she dressed! Booty shorts and a tube top with ridiculous puffed-up jacket, like she was trying to be some Goldenrod City slicker! Couple of the older folks didn't much appreciate it, though Ol' Cletus could admit she was easy on the eyes. Shame her attitude trampled over any beauty she had.

Though he did have to give her credit, she kept trying. When one scheme failed, she'd move onto the next. Pokemon Lab Assistant, Farm Worker, and that…what was it the kids called it…streamer? Something like Live TV, but over the world wide web? Whatever, apparently it was some type of work.

Now, she was onto her next one.

Leaning forward, he yanked one of the flyers off the counter and took a good long look at it since he'd barely been paying attention before. A pokemon competition? From the girl who couldn't even earn a single gym badge?! Ol' Cletus couldn't help it as a chuckle spilled from his lips as he shook his head. His Kecleon, battle-hardened from years of fighting, could probably turn that fat Dunsparce of hers into paste, let alone her whole team! But there were plenty of youngsters who would be willing to take her up on the challenge for the prize money.

Five thousand pokedollars weren't much, but with a hop over to Cherrygrove City, you could have some fun at the arcades or eat at one of those fancy restaurants of theirs. Or even get yourself a girl for the evening…or a Jynx if the rumors he'd heard were true. He was sure half the young'uns around New Bark wouldn't care much either way, save for the fact they'd some money in their pockets and something pretty to hold on their arm.

Were he younger, he'd have tried his luck to get that cash. But he liked his old quiet life, and he wasn't about to make his aging Kecleon do any more battles. The old lizard deserved to rest.

Still, he'd wish her all the best. Maybe she could actually earn a real living instead of just being a public nuisance.

And as his customers took flyer after flyer, he wondered if she'd be able to handle all the battles coming her way, folks eager to smack her down after all the years of annoying stunts. If she couldn't well, that was a her problem.

But if she could?

Well, he'd be there to see it. After all, win or lose, he was sure that watching the brat battle would be some good entertainment!