TRAINER ID
Name: Daniel Ingram
Badges: 2
Account: 12,615 credits
Location: Lavaridge Town

DANIEL'S TEAM
Ralts (Apollo) - Male
Corphish (Duran) - Male
Eevee (Orion) - Male
Trapinch - Female

OWEN'S TEAM
Makuhita (Bronson) - Male
Graveler (Roxy) - Female
Shroomish (Misha) - Female
Slakoth (Omar) - Male
Machop (Bruno) - Male

"I'm proud of you dude, you pushed through to the end this time," Owen said with a huge grin as he clasped my shoulder, speaking steadily despite his fairly labored breathing.

Panting heavily and dripping sweat, I finally allowed my legs to give out as I collapsed to the ground. As promised, I'd woken up early to join Owen for a morning exercise, even if I would have loved to sleep in.

But there were a few reasons I was feeling extra motivated. The first was that I'd gotten a cheap cup of coffee dispensed from a vending machine in the Pokécenter, which wasn't as bad as I would have thought and helped me easily overcome my lingering exhaustion, though I had come to realize that coffee and meditation didn't mesh well together, not that Owen did much better even without coffee. He was naturally restless, and seemed to struggle with focusing his thoughts inwards for prolonged periods, but he seemed to be making some progress.

Another reason was that it gave me an excuse to leave Lavaridge, which would drastically reduce my chances of running into Preston again. We'd ventured a short distance into the trees just outside of town, but since we weren't on any established route the chances of us running into him were almost nonexistent.

Yet another motivating factor was that Sammy's contest was later; if she could come off a week of journeying and immediately launch herself head-first into something so demanding, then I could muster the energy to keep to my training routine. I hadn't skipped out on our training the night before despite being in a bad mood and exhausted, and I sure wasn't about to disappoint Owen after getting a good night of sleep in a comfy bed.

But by far the biggest reason I wanted to make sure I got up for morning training was to give my team a proper training session, or at least one with more guidance. Though I'd technically held one the night before, it was severely lacking in creativity and effort, focusing on much the same as the previous session. Duran worked on his Mud Shot, Trapinch practiced Protect, and Orion went out with Apollo again to try to get a better feel for Bite by fighting wild Pokémon, since he still hadn't figured out the move enough to practice on his ball. I'd given him all the advice I could on starting his telekinesis training, but he wasn't able to dedicate much focus to it while overseeing Orion.

After we finished training, we had returned to the Pokécenter where I was able to give Orion a proper bath, grooming, and trim his fur to be more even with the patches that had been seared. It resulted in his fur feeling a little more bristly than normal, but he looked much better and it did wonders to restore his confidence. Not only that, but doing so gave Apollo time to give serious attempts at levitating a leaf we had brought for him to practice on.

He swore that he got it to nudge a couple of times, but I never saw it personally. All I saw was him alternating between using Calm Mind and focusing intently on the leaf, though his horn occasionally glowing indicated to me that he was indeed channeling a substantial amount of psychic energy to it. On his last attempt of the night, the leaf even had a faint glow around it, which I took as indicative of his lack of control and understanding, since whenever I saw Stella levitate objects there was no such glow.

Still, he was adamant that he'd managed to move it a couple of times. As much as I wanted to believe him, deep down I couldn't help but think it was the air conditioner that was pumping into the room. Apollo picked up on my skepticism of course, but it only made him even more determined to figure it out in our upcoming sessions.

Like the one we were about to have, as soon as I was able to catch my breath.

"By the way, why hasn't Trapinch been joining our workouts?" Owen asked as he took a seat beside me and allowed Omar to climb off his back. "It's great for building camaraderie, just look at our teams."

I glanced up to see that he was right; with the exception of Omar, all of our team members were cooling off in the shade and largely socializing, seemingly in high spirits despite being tired. There were of course exceptions, such as Omar and Duran, as well as subgroups, but there wasn't nearly the obvious divide that had once been abundantly obvious

"I just didn't want to risk her distracting us," I managed to get out between breaths as I wiped the sweat from my brow on my sleeve.

"Haven't things been going better? She's been joining training sessions, right?"

"Only technically. She's been content practicing Protect on her own since it's new to her, but I haven't gotten the chance to work closely with her or make sure she won't snap at the rest of my team. Things are still very up in the air."

"Dude, you've gotta get on that. We'll be back at the desert in a few days if everything goes well, you're running out of time to integrate her."

I raised a brow, "A few days? We haven't even scheduled our gym battle yet. That alone might take a few days, and it's not like it's a quick journey back to the desert."

Owen smirked, "We're in Lavaridge, there won't be a long wait like in Mauville. I'd bet we could challenge the gym today if we wanted. I also didn't wanna say anything before, but now that we aren't keeping a lookout for potential team members and you've started to work out… You travel really slowly, dude. We could make way better time by incorporating some jogs and sprints into our travels."

"You… run through routes?" I asked confusedly. "Where's the fun in that?"

"In spurts, sure. I don't rush through routes or anything like that, but let's pretend that walking for days doesn't get mundane. I still make sure to check out anything interesting and enjoy the journey of course, but if you can cut down the time it takes to travel and get in a good workout at the same time, why not right?"

I grimaced at the thought of exerting myself throughout the day after the already grueling morning workouts, but I could see his point.

"I guess. Maybe occasionally, but I tend to enjoy my leisurely strolls through the countryside. It's hard to take in how beautiful Hoenn can be when you're focused on keeping a certain pace or not tripping."

"That's fair. Don't get me wrong – I don't mind walking, I just sometimes get the urge to get a good run in. Random spurts of energy and restlessness I guess, just one of the many perks of keeping your body active and healthy."

He stood with a stretch, glancing at me with a considering look. "I'm glad you're chill today. You weren't exactly in the best mood yesterday, at least after we reached town. I get that running into Preston rubbed you the wrong way, but you really shouldn't argue with Nurse Joys like that."

I sighed, "I didn't mean to argue, and sorry for dragging you into it. That whole 'restricted species' thing just really rubbed me the wrong way – I probably would have taken it better if Preston hadn't put me in a bad mood, but I'm not sure. I just hate the idea of the League separating trainers from their Pokémon unless they've done something really wrong. To do it just because a Pokémon evolved, or just because it's the same species as others who cause more trouble than normal… I dunno, it's wrong."

Owen rubbed the back of his head, "I get what you mean, but it's not like she makes the rules, ya know? And does it really matter if you can pass the certification? I'm pretty sure it isn't that hard to do, especially if the Pokémon evolved under your care and you already have their respect."

I shrugged, deciding I didn't want to argue about it. He wasn't wrong, and it wasn't hard to see how identifying the most dangerous species and ensuring their trainers had the ability to keep them under control would keep people safe. I still didn't like it in principle for quite a few reasons, but I decided it wasn't worth debating, especially when there wasn't anything to be done about it.

Owen picked up Omar and placed him on his back to hang from. "Anyways, I'm going to go train with my team. Things are going to get a little rowdy with what I have planned, so we're going to go further away from town to make sure we don't cause a disturbance. Wanna meet up at noon in front of the gym?"

"Sounds good to me. Not so sure I'm ready to challenge Flannery today, but it would be good to get it scheduled."

"If she's free, we've gotta do it today. You said Sammy is competing in her contest later, right? Wouldn't it be awesome to earn your badge the same day your sister earns her ribbon? It'll also mean your pal Preston probably won't have time to check the schedule so he can watch and annoy you after your match, and we can leave sooner to get away from him."

I found that to be a truly appealing pitch, even if I wanted more time to train Orion in preparation. I really wanted him to do well, but his current focus was Bite and I didn't expect his proficiency with the move would be what decided the battle.

Apart from a few things I wanted to do, such as checking for any local jobs Apollo and I could do and making a trip to the Pokémart, my schedule was technically wide open, especially since it turned out that I had no feasible way of watching Sammy's contest live. I'd probably be able to see some clips of her performance online after the fact, but it turns out that the only reason the Pokécenter in Verdanturf had the contest playing on the lobby's television was because the contest hall paid for the subscription needed to watch them.

Although endorsed by the League, the Pokémon Activities Committee was a separate entity entirely. Nurse Joy had informed me that the committee tended to pay the subscription to their channel for local Pokécenters as a way to try to coax trainers into going to the Contest Hall to buy a ticket, but they didn't pay the subscription for all Pokecenters. Since there was no Contest Hall in Lavaridge they didn't have the subscription, and Nurse Joy said that purchasing it was out of the question, even after I offered to pay it.

It sucked, and it only made me feel even worse about missing Sammy's first contest victory after getting myself kicked out.

"Maybe you're right," I said as Owen beckoned his team to him. "I would like to put some distance between me and Preston as soon as possible."

"Flannery might not even be free today, but let's try to be ready in case she is. I think we're more than ready," Owen remarked with a confident grin. "See you at noon."

Owen took his team further into the trees as he walked away from town, and I stood with a stretch and released Trapinch as my team gathered around me. My team gave Trapinch a wide berth as she took in our surroundings before sauntering over and joining what was clearly a group huddle, and although there was some unmistakable awkwardness in the air I was determined to push through and focus on the task at hand.

I clapped my hands to get their attention and break the building tensions, "Alright team, let's get a good training session in. Start by doing drills of what you've been practicing recently, I'll be visiting and working with each of you individually. Just don't overexert yourselves, we might be challenging the gym today."

The comment sparked enthusiasm from both Duran and Apollo as well as a curious look from Trapinch, but I could tell it made Orion nervous. I knelt down to pet him reassuringly, "It might not happen, but you're ready even if it does. You're strong, I think you know that. I'm sure you'll be faster than your opponent as well, so we'll use that to our advantage. Remember your battle with the Growlithe and don't be afraid to improvise or make your own decisions. I'm just here to provide guidance, you have the final say on the battlefield. Just do your best, I know you'll do great."

That seemed to help, as I saw his nervousness get replaced with determination. I turned to the rest of my team, "That goes for all of you. If you ever get inspired to do something different or unique in battle, don't hesitate to do it. Battles move fast and I can't always keep up, so let your battle instincts guide you. This gym is full of fire-type Pokémon, just like what we battled in Fiery Path. Try not to get burnt if you can help it, and be mindful that most fire-types spew flames from their mouth. Use that knowledge to your advantage and I'm sure we'll do great. Now split up and start your drills, I'll come coach each of you individually. This might be our last training session before the gym, so let's make it count."

After starting their drills, I decided to check on Apollo first and watched closely as he alternated between using Calm Mind and trying his best to get a singular leaf to float in the air, attempting to see what he promised was the occasional successful nudge. Thankfully it wasn't very windy, and the hollowed-out side of a rotten tree trunk served as a good windshield to ensure Apollo's experimentation wasn't accidentally tainted by a false positive.

I tried to talk him through it, reminding him that visualization was the key and that he needed to imagine exactly what he wanted the leaf to do while truly believing that he had the power to make it happen with nothing but his mind. Helping him was tricky though, as I didn't want to talk to him too much to break his concentration. I mostly wanted to make sure he wasn't getting frustrated after trying for so long the night before, and I wanted to see if I could catch a glimpse of him succeeding as he claimed he occasionally did.

Though the leaf did in fact rock or flip over a couple of times during my time watching over him, I still couldn't find myself fully convinced that I'd witnessed him using telekinesis. Nevertheless I voiced my support and praise, though I could tell he sensed my doubt. It only seemed to motivate him even more, though.

Unlike the night before, he was no longer interested in proving to me that he was the one responsible for the random and subtle movements the leaf occasionally did. He was fully dedicated to figuring out how to better control it, and unfortunately there wasn't much I could do to help him more than I already had. He was fighting an uphill battle since telekinesis didn't come naturally to him, but I knew he surely had enough psychic power to make it work. He just needed more practice to familiarize himself with the sensation and fine-tune his control, so I left him to it and moved on to Orion.

Carefully observing Orion as he repeatedly pounced and bit into his ball with surprising viciousness, I couldn't confidently say whether Orion was using Bite correctly or not. If nothing else he seemed to be growing much more familiar with the idea of using his teeth as a weapon, and the way he would thrash his head after latching on made me think it was likely his instincts kicking in, since predators would often shake and tear to ensure a quick kill.

I sat down with Orion and talked to him about not doing that motion under normal battling circumstances, explaining that it was one thing to Bite an opponent and another entirely to tear at their flesh like that. I also reinforced the fact that he should avoid things like the face, ears, and neck when using the attack, although I did permit him to grab onto the back of the neck if he could manage it, explaining how Duran had historically taken advantage of a similar approach.

With that out of the way, I had him Bite his ball and hold still with his teeth bared so I could get a closer look to see if there was any miasma. When I didn't see any, I reminded him of Trapinch's advice and instructed him to imagine that the ball had threatened to harm our family, which resulted in him growling and biting with renewed fervor. It was extremely difficult to tell, but after that change of mindset I was barely able to see the faintest traces of miasma seeping from his fangs, and told him to remember that feeling. Considering the fact that even Trapinch's Bite didn't result in much miasma when compared to Crunch, I considered it a success and challenged him to produce enough miasma to see it himself before moving on to Trapinch.

Trapinch had started to get the hang of Protect, and although I doubted she was up to the task of withstanding a serious attack she was finally able to hold the barrier consistently. After expressing how impressed I was with her progress, I assigned her the new objective of getting more proficient with using Dig on solid ground, challenging her to come up in specific spots I marked by sticking a branch into the ground. Not only was she slow at using the move, but I quickly realized that she had difficulty judging where to come up if her target wasn't moving, leading me to conclude she relied heavily on vibrations in the ground from a foe's movement to determine where to surface.

There was also the fact that she simply wasn't used to using Dig in that manner. She was used to making pits and waiting patiently for prey, but that would never work in a true battle. Before I moved on to help my next team member, I stuck a bunch of sticks in the ground in random locations and told her to keep practicing by picking a target, getting there as fast as she could, and trying to surface as close as possible.

Though we weren't exactly on the best terms, she was surprisingly cooperative and seemed to be taking my suggestions seriously. I got the sense that she still wasn't fully convinced that joining us in our travels was preferable to returning to her sandy paradise, but at least she seemed open to giving me a chance. I strongly suspected that it was a mixture of teaching her Protect and the gut-wrenching realization of just how weak she was that was keeping her in line, and I decided that I should try to include her more with the rest of my team, such as for our morning workouts. I didn't want to have to constantly keep an eye on her, but we were never going to progress if I continued to keep her at a distance. With our days together growing increasingly limited, I couldn't afford to approach things with her as slowly and safely as I had been.

Last up was Duran, who I could instantly tell had made big improvements with Mud Shot. With practiced expertise he could quickly alternate claws, scooping and firing off globs of mud with surprising accuracy and power. The only guidance I could think to give him was to follow through on shots he knew would hit with Water Gun, allowing for an initial heavy impact of mud only to be instantly blasted by a steady and high-powered stream of water. He was technically already using the move to propel the mud, so the only adjustment that took was holding the stream rather than performing a quick burst.

I decided to name the combo Mud Gun, and explained to him that it wasn't always going to be ideal to use. I was sure it would come in handy for our upcoming gym battle, but had we used it in Mauville's gym I could easily see him receiving a nasty shock when blasting an electric type. It was also slower and more stamina-intensive than rapid, consecutive uses of Mud Shot, and would obviously drain his internal water reserves more.

Not that I was particularly worried about that. I'd made a habit of dousing him in water after every intense training session, and he usually soaked in water during the morning or evening when he wasn't scavenging. I'd only ever seen him get dehydrated once before due to my own negligence, and never in the heat of battle.

Before I knew it, our training session was up and it was time for me to meet Owen at the gym. I began to get a bit nervous at the thought that I might not be going there to schedule my match, but to actually have it. But I had faith in my team, and even if I would have greatly preferred to have more time to prepare, I was willing to rise to the challenge and take on Flannery today if that's what it came to.

Sitting in a chair in the far corner of the Lavaridge Gym lobby as I waited for Owen, I flipped through my phone to try to get an idea of what Pokémon and tactics Flannery might use.

With one hand in my pocket scratching behind Orion's ear as he purred in contentment, I found myself wishing I was as calm as he seemed to be. I'd already texted Owen that I would be waiting in the lobby, wanting to reduce the risk of catching Preston's eye by standing outside, and he'd responded that he was running a few minutes late but would see me soon. But between him still having not shown up after waiting for over ten minutes, and the fact that I kept reading about how aggressive and overwhelming Flannery tended to be in gym battles, I was starting to feel more uneasy.

Flannery had quite an impressive list of Pokémon she was known to battle with, and it was hard to estimate what she might plan to use against me since I only had two badges. She seemed to greatly favor using the species that could be found around Mount Chimney and in Fiery Path, likely as a way to promote their use by aspiring trainers, but she did have more exotic species that she would occasionally pull out for special circumstances. Thankfully most of her roster seemed to be on the slow side, although they more than made up for it with power and stamina.

By my best estimation, she was very likely to use a Torkoal against me, as well as either a Magcargo or Camerupt. Call it wishful thinking, but I'd like to think that a trainer with two badges and no evolved Pokémon didn't merit pulling a Camerupt out, so my guess was that a Magcargo was more likely.

Numel, Torkoal, and Magcargo. That was what I concluded the most likely opponents and order would be, although it was entirely possible that she could send out a Growlithe or Ponyta if she wanted to challenge me with something that had more speed. She was used to being the slowest on the battlefield though, and tended to make up for it by using wide-arcing ranged attacks that gave little room for evasion.

I had a sneaking suspicion that for this gym in particular, using Protect at key moments was going to be vital. It made me immensely grateful that I'd taken the time to teach it to my team.

With the only ones in the dead silent lobby being myself and the receptionist on the other side of the room who seemed to be reading something on the computer, the sudden sound of a door swinging open was hard to miss. Yet it wasn't the sliding double-doors at the front of the gym like I had been patiently waiting for, but a sturdy metal door behind the reception desk that I knew from personal experience at other gyms led to the gym leader's office.

Stepping out of the room were two women who appeared to be enthralled in a deep conversation, or were at least wrapping one up. The long-haired brunette was about my age, while the other was likely in her late twenties or early thirties and sported extremely bright red hair that was tied up, though it did little to restrain it. While the front of her hair was tame, the back was unruly and seemed to defy gravity, jetting off in various directions. Both were dressed in what I would consider casual clothes, had very respectable tans, and were clearly trainers based on the multiple Pokéballs I was able to spot.

Between the respectful bow the receptionist gave them, the room they came out of, and the fact that the older woman's aesthetic was primarily red accented by black, my guess was that the redhead was likely Flannery. I entertained the thought that the brunette had challenged the gym and just finished a post-battle meeting of sorts, similar to the one I'd had with Wattson, but somehow the overall dynamic between them gave me the impression that wasn't quite right.

The way Flannery animatedly and appreciatively escorted her toward the gym's exit contrasted greatly with the brunette's more calm and reserved demeanor. The only things particularly noteworthy about the girl were her exceptionally long hair that reached her lower back and a satchel draped across her that held Pokéballs and was clearly designed with trainers in mind. Apart from that she struck me as a perfectly normal and unassuming girl; she wore jeans, ankle boots, and a summer cardigan that wouldn't be strange to wear for a day of traveling, although based on the size of her bag and the condition of her clothes I suspected she wasn't journeying.

There was also the fact that there was nobody else to be seen. Even in a smaller town like Lavaridge, I would have expected between a few and a dozen people to watch a gym battle if that's what had recently happened, yet I'd been sitting in the lobby for at least ten minutes and hadn't seen anybody leaving.

"I'll keep my ear to the ground for you," I heard Flannery say as they got within hearing range. "Thank you so much for stopping by, most would visit nearly any other gym over mine."

"Your gym serves an important role, Flannery. It's far enough into the circuit that many who visit are serious trainers with the potential to go far, so naturally I thought of you when I started searching for promising trainers. I'll confess that the hot springs played a role though, I'll never pass up an opportunity to visit them."

Just as they were reaching the front door, they paused and took a step back just before it burst open, both girls looking surprised and amused as Owen stepped in looking disheveled and rushed.

"Speaking of promising trainers," Flannery said as Owen took notice of them and immediately straightened himself, looking embarrassed and undoubtedly recognizing who was standing in front of him.

"Flannery?! I'm so sorry, I almost hit you with the door," he apologized sincerely before holding his hand out and adopting his usual friendly persona.

"It's so great to finally meet you, I'm–"

"Owen Adler, right?" Flannery said as she accepted his hand and quickly shook it before taking a step back and looking him over with interest as Owen gave her a questioning look. "Brawly told me about you. I've been expecting you. He told me you were quite spirited, but I didn't expect you to be this eager."

Owen flushed, and I could feel his second-hand embarrassment all the way from where I sat. "Really sorry about that, guess I didn't make for a very good first impression."

"It's honestly rather fitting, based on what I know about you," Flannery said playfully before turning to the brunette and gesturing to Owen. "Owen here aspires to become the Dewford gym leader someday, and from what I've heard he has no lack of talent or drive to make it happen. Georgia and Wattson both spoke highly of him, but none more so than Brawly. Though I seriously doubt he's likely to retire anytime soon, Brawly seems to be of the opinion that Owen is most likely to take his spot. If you're looking for rising stars, look no further than Owen here."

I watched in surprise and awe as a gym leader Owen had never even met before showered him with high praise, and was once again reminded of what I'd been told by Wattson that gym leaders tended to talk and gossip about young trainers in the circuit. It was a little surreal to hear Georgia being brought up, but Owen had beaten her before her fall from grace.

Owen's eyes lit up at Flannery's words and he beamed, but his expression quickly faded and he looked around the room before landing on me, clearly remembering that I was waiting for him.

"Danny, over here! Sorry I kept you waiting dude," he waved me over as everyone's attention suddenly shifted to me. I'd been sitting quietly in the corner with my hood up, trying to minimize my chances of an impromptu run-in with Preston at all costs, and I guess I'd been quiet enough that neither of the girls had noticed me until Owen pointed me out.

I stifled my desire to let out a pained groan but did my best to smile as I reluctantly got to my feet and walked over, resigning myself to the fact that I was once again going to be a familiar face when I inevitably challenged the gym. Though I was curious about what Flannery and the brunette were talking about, I would have been perfectly content to stay quiet and be a random nobody when challenging Flannery.

But considering she seemed to know Owen, chances were decent that she knew me as well. This was proven true quickly enough, and I began to accept the fact that there was simply no way of going through the gym circuit without most gym leaders keeping tabs on your progress.

"Daniel Ingram," Flannery said as she extended a hand for a handshake, which I accepted with a silent nod. "I've been especially looking forward to the day you'd show up in my gym."

Tempted as I was to ask her what she meant, I decided against it and instead stuffed my hands into my pocket, nervously running my fingers through Orion's fur as he napped peacefully.

"Rising stars indeed," the brunette said with a knowing nod as she glanced between Owen and myself. "I'm actually quite familiar with both of you, my talent scouts brought you to my attention just a few days ago and recommended we reach out, we just haven't made any moves yet. How fortunate that I'd catch you both at the same time, it seems fate is smiling upon me today."

Owen and I both bore the same confused look, and she must have picked up on it because she covered her mouth and gave a dainty giggle before clasping her hands and giving us a slight bow.

"How rude of me, I've forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Anastasia Stern, but please, just call me Ana. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I'd love the opportunity to discuss something with you two if you'd be open to hearing me out."

Owen and I must have been staring at her in disbelief as we processed that this was not only Preston's fiance, but also heiress to Slateport's famous Stern family.

Though she seemed nice enough and Samantha had said she was 'one of the good ones', I couldn't help but find myself deeply skeptical of her. I had to give her credit for not flaunting her family name as Preston had, and I wouldn't have guessed that she was a filthy rich social elite based on how she presented herself. Despite all that, I found my paranoia spiking as questions flooded my mind.

Where was Preston, why was his fiance looking for me, and is this really all one giant interwoven coincidence? Preston himself had said that our chance encounter was because 'the stars aligned', but I found myself increasingly suspicious that everything that was happening was somehow manufactured.

"Oh my… It's not at all unusual for people to recognize the last name, yet I must admit I've never received that reaction," she said with clear concern.

I couldn't guess what expression I'd had on my face before correcting it, and when I glanced at Owen he had already reverted back to his friendly smile, though I could tell it was strained.

"Sorry, I just hadn't expected to hear that," Owen apologized with an awkward chuckle. "We know the name of course, but we ran into your fiance Preston on our way into town yesterday, and I just now connected the dots."

I watched as her look of concern grew deeper, "Odd, he hadn't mentioned running into anybody after returning from Jagged Pass. Preston isn't involved in our recruitment, but I suppose he might have taken some liberties and initiative if he thought you'd be a good fit. I apologize if he said anything that came across incorrectly, there's a reason I'm the face for these sorts of things. He's much better suited for dealing with logistics and financing, it's where he shines. I'd love the opportunity to clear up any misconceptions or reservations you might have. Most trainers want to hold out in the hopes of receiving an offer from Devon, but my sources tell me they haven't signed a single trainer all season, and historically they target trainers with at least six badges. We may not have the same weight behind our name, but I can assure you that our offer is very competitive."

"I can vouch for everything she's saying," Flannery chimed in cheerfully as Owen and I stared blankly, completely lost at what was going on. "Flagship might be fighting an uphill battle to ever rise to the level of Devon, but in a year or two after they get more established it won't be unreasonable to compare the two, I'm sure of it. If anyone could pull it off, it's the Stern family."

An awkward silence lingered in the air for a moment as Owen and I tried to figure out what was going on and how we should respond, but it didn't take long for Owen to cut right to the heart of the matter.

"If I'm being honest, I have no clue what we're talking about right now," Owen blurted out.

"Ditto," I agreed.

Another awkward silence followed, this time with Ana stumped for words. Flannery on the other hand found it incredibly amusing, and after doing her best to hold it in she burst out laughing like a maniac.

"Flagship Enterprises – our goal is to provide Pokémon-related goods and services that serve as a viable alternative to what Devon offers. Where we can, in any case. It'll take some time for us to be truly competitive, but we're confident we can get there and we've made some great strides already. Preston didn't talk to you about this?" Ana asked confusedly.

"No, it was more of a… friendly conversation. This is the first we're hearing about it," Owen said, which surprised me. Owen was usually quite well-informed, so I took it as a poor reflection on the company that Owen was completely unaware of it, although it could just be too new for him to have encountered it.

"Oh, well we… Pardon, but I have to ask, why did you both look like I kicked your starters when I gave my name? Do you have a poor impression of the Stern family for some reason? Reputation is everything to us, and you two are the first I've ever met who seem to have an unfavorable opinion of us, at least to such a degree. Please be brutally honest, it's important to me to understand why two promising trainers I've never even met would have an aversion to my family, especially if we're going to be focusing on helping trainers such as yourselves."

Her eyes were sincere as she pleaded with us to understand, her hands quite literally clasped together and her face filled with genuine concern. Part of me wondered if she was just putting on an act of some sort, because I had a hard time believing that she could be completely in the dark about why an association with Preston might be cause for concern. Yet she hadn't seemed to understand that our reaction was due to Preston instead of her, and she had said that Preston never mentioned running into us the previous day, so it wasn't entirely out of the question that she could be clueless about our reservations.

I would have thought that Flannery had pieced together what was going on, but she seemed to have taken a back seat to the conversation and was watching with a mixture of amusement and curiosity. Though she undoubtedly knew the general reason that Georgia had been let go, it was also possible that she had no idea Preston was at all involved. In fact, she might not even be aware of who he was considering he hadn't joined Ana in meeting her for one reason or another.

As tempted as I was to blurt out what I truly thought of Preston and clear up the confusion, I didn't exactly feel like making the already tense and awkward conversation spiral, particularly with the gym leader I planned on challenging standing right there. Thankfully, Owen spoke up with much more tact than I likely would have been able to muster.

"I think we just got taken by surprise, that's all. I have nothing but respect and admiration for the Stern family, and I'm sure Danny feels the same way. I've admittedly never heard of Flagship Enterprises, but if it's backed by the Sterns I'm sure it has great potential."

I nodded silently in agreement, hoping that we could just move past all of this. She seemed apprehensive and didn't seem to be fully put at ease, but accepted the explanation and forced a smile.

"I see, that's regretable, although I suppose I shouldn't be surprised. Flagship isn't exactly a household name yet since we are still relatively new, but I can assure you we will be in time. In any case, I'd love to discuss a potential sponsorship with you two, if not now then before I leave town tomorrow. Preston could join us if you'd prefer, since you already seem to be acquainted."

Owen gaped in awe, in clear disbelief that he was being seriously considered for a sponsorship, but for me that just seemed all the more suspicious.

"I can understand Owen, but I only have two badges. Why on earth would you consider me for a sponsorship?" I asked.

"Three, if your battle with Flannery goes as well as I suspect it might. Badges aren't everything either; you both have quite a bit of buzz online, and I'm sure you've realized you're getting some fans. Most sponsorships get offered to trainers who are already bound to succeed on their own, but we're trying a new approach from the way most sponsors would normally do it. We want to be part of that success story and help trainers reach their potential, not piggyback off their success when they've got things figured out and are most of the way done with the circuit. Based on everything we found about you two, we're certain you both have what it takes to go the distance."

"So you did your research on me, yet you still think I'd be a good fit?" I asked with skepticism, realizing that she surely should have seen my battle with Preston on my profile.

"Why is that so hard to believe? If my memory serves me correctly, you have quite the interesting roster, a very impressive battle record, and have never lost a gym battle. We can get that note about low wagers cleared up in no time, and we'd kindly ask you to cut back on the foul language you tend to mutter to yourself during battles – those lapel mics pick it up, in case you didn't know."

Owen snorted in amusement, and I found myself a little taken aback, having never really realized that I did that but not doubting it. Yet she pressed on almost immediately.

"That sort of thing is far from a deal breaker though when you have so much going for you. I hope you'll forgive me for saying so, but on top of having never attended a trainer school, you're an orphan. You started from nothing, and in such a short time you've already seen more success than many trainers with a formal education will after months, sometimes years, and there's no doubt you'll accomplish more than most ever will at the rate you're going. Someone even noted on your profile that you battled Team Rocket, yet here you stand. Is that true, by the way?"

I nodded absently, unable to fully come to terms with just how odd this conversation continued to be.

"Yet you continue to defy all odds and persevere, despite facing obstacles most couldn't dream of. Corrupt gym leaders, Rockets, lack of a trainer's education, no support system or financial backing – you haven't let any of it slow you down. The better question is, why wouldn't a sponsor be interested in you? You're an inspiration and extremely marketable with a few subtle adjustments and some light guidance."

Before I could prod her mention of 'corrupt gym leaders', she turned to Owen. "And don't even get me started on you. Talented trainers from Dewford are in short supply, and you also never received a formal education before becoming a trainer. You're likable, energetic, confident, and everyone loves a trainer who's just the right amount of cocky when they've got the skill to back it up. You very publicly proclaim that you'll be the future gym leader of Dewford, and you have none other than Brawly's support to do so. No camera has ever caught you swearing, sulking, angry, or doing anything that could be perceived as negative. You wouldn't even need to meet with our any of our coaches or advisors, we could just slap a logo on you and send you out into the world and I know you'd do us proud. Not that my team would let me, but that's neither here nor there. Point is, you're everything a sponsor could want and more, so of course we'd be interested in you."

Owen looked like he was going to wilt away from the praise, but my curiosity and paranoia were killing me and I needed to try to get to the bottom of how she could possibly know all that yet not understand the role Preston played.

"You've clearly done your research, so surely you must know why I might find it hard to believe that this is being offered in good faith."

The awkwardness returned to the group, and Ana furrowed her brow in deep concentration for a moment before answering carefully.

"If you're referring to your gym battle in Rustboro, I can assure you that I have no ties to Georgia and have absolutely zero reason to hold resentment toward you. Though I certainly don't have all the details, I've heard rumors that your… unusually intense battle with her played some role in her departure, but from where I'm sitting it only serves as proof of your perseverance and talent. Keep in mind that I'm not a Rustboro native, I only attend school there. I would never dream of approaching you with anything but the best intentions. Like I said before, reputation is everything to me, and I don't engage in business that I don't firmly believe is mutually beneficial."

I was beginning to get a headache with how confusing all of this was, and how she could possibly be acting ignorant to the multiple mentions of Preston on my profile. I flipped open my phone and pulled my profile up, which was undoubtedly rude to do in the middle of a conversation but was the only way to figure out what was really going on.

I quickly scrolled past a surprising amount of new comments, no doubt a result of so many people having been in attendance at my gym battle in Mauville. It took a moment for reality to set in, but my eyes widened as my suspicions were confirmed – every reference to Preston on my profile had been removed. I recalled there being multiple comments and even a video of our battle, yet they were nowhere to be found.

"What's up?" Owen asked as everyone watched me with a mixture of intrigue and confusion.

"Nothing… I'll tell you later," I muttered before turning to Ana, deciding in that moment that I was officially over the conversation. Ana seemed nice enough, and with both Sammy and Flannery vouching for her I wanted to assume she had good intentions. But I couldn't look past Preston's role in what was happening, and there was no way I was going to walk into what I felt like was very likely an elaborate trap he was setting. Though I knew I was likely being overly cautious and paranoid, and it was entirely possible that I would be ruining a life-changing opportunity, my instincts left no doubt of what I needed to do.

"It was very nice meeting you Ana, but I have to be completely honest… I'm not really in the market for a sponsorship right now. I'm flattered you would consider me, but I don't think it's a good fit," I said apologetically, slightly bowing my head.

The truth was that a sponsorship was extremely appealing. It would completely change my financial situation, and likely allow me to acquire things I might never be able to otherwise. I really wanted a space-tech backpack, and Orion was likely to need an evolution stone sooner or later. But alarm bells were ringing in the back of my head, and if I had the option between continuing as I was or getting in bed with Preston, I would happily remain a borderline-impoverished free agent.

I was about to tell Owen that he was better suited for it and should hear her out, but to my surprise he chimed in before I got the chance.

"I'm with Danny. I'm honored by the offer, but this is too sudden for me and I hadn't even imagined this as a possibility yet, so I'd need to give it some thought and do some research before I seriously considered it. You have a card or anything like that?"

Ana's mouth threatened to pull into a frown, but she forced a smile and nodded, reaching into her satchel and handing us each a card, which seemed to be a personal business card with no mention of the company or her position in it apart from a stylized flag embossed into the corner. Then again, I had to admit that it was very clean and minimalistic, and considering I had no experience with business cards I wouldn't have been surprised if that were the norm.

"If you do have a change of heart or have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to me directly. I hate to admit it, but it seems our chance encounter did more harm than good," she said with clear regret and a hint of disappointment. "I won't keep you any longer, and I wish you both the best in your upcoming challenge against Flannery. I'll be returning to Rustboro around noon tomorrow, but if you change your mind before then or would like to discuss your reservations in more detail, I'd love to meet for coffee or something. I'm quite confident that if we took the time to talk through any of your concerns, I could put them at ease."

Owen and I gave a slight bow as Ana bid a mystified Flannery one last farewell and left, her head noticeably lower than before as she appeared to be deep in thought and bothered by how things had gone.

Though there was a chance she was part of some elaborate scheme with Preston, I was beginning to believe she was truly in the dark and had good intentions. As much as I would have liked to be completely blunt and honest, telling her what a scumbag her future husband was and outing his role in Georgia's downfall felt like a recipe for disaster, particularly considering the massive variable that was Flannery.

It wasn't so long ago that I would have done so without hesitation. A month ago I would have gladly burned bridges and thrown people under the bus for my own self-righteous gratification. But doing so was selfish – I was no longer traveling alone, and the ones who were most likely to suffer from doing so would be Owen and our teams.

It wasn't ideal, but the best option was clearly just to gracefully try to move on without causing a stir.

"Well, that was something! I can't remember the last time I felt so amused, awkward, and confused all at the same time," Flannery joked good-naturedly, gesturing for us to follow her.

To my surprise she was ushering us toward her office, but as we stepped behind the receptionist's desk the woman spoke up.

"Miss Flannery, a moment please," the girl requested with a sense of urgency and concern.

The girl leaned over and whispered something in Flannery's ear, and whatever it was she had been told instantly made her look mortified. She turned to us and gave a deep, apologetic bow.

"I'm so sorry! I didn't even think of it, but it was extremely improper for me to have potential sponsors approaching you in my gym, and it's especially bad that I helped facilitate it. Gah, I'm such a Dunsparce sometimes! If my grandfather were here, he'd throttle me… I really didn't mean any harm, forgive me."

The thought hadn't even occurred to me, yet put that way I could easily see how that would be frowned upon. Owen and I waved it off, assuring her it wasn't a big deal.

"If you could keep this between us, I'd really appreciate it," she all but pleaded, "The League has been rather on edge lately, and I'd rather avoid the ire of their disciplinary committee. It won't ever happen again, gym leader's honor! Now then, let's get acquainted in my office. I have some free time, and I'd love the chance to chat before we face off."

And that's how Owen and I found ourselves in an impromptu meet-and-greet with Flannery, and soon learned that we would indeed be challenging her gym that very day.

A/N: At long last, we meet Preston's fabled love interest. It's been a long time coming, since she was mentioned before Daniel even got his first badge, and I must say I really like how she turned out as a character. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter, hopefully you enjoyed. See you next week!

Shoutout to Feanix for beta-reading this chapter.

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