Disclaimer: I own nothing of the properties within this story. All rights go to the creators and companies of said properties.
Beta by Slothful, Demonoid, and Old man of the mountain
Chapter 7: To Z Mines
{Adam's P.O.V.}
"Piplup! Use Bubblebeam!" Irida shouted, throwing out her arm with a Mega Bracelet and Z-Ring, ordering the tiny blue and white Penguin Pokemon I had given her. Like Marnie, I had given Irida a Grass/Water/Fire starter trio composed of Piplup, Sprigatito, and Fennekin. Irida and Gloria have several mock battles to help Irida get used to her new Pokemon.
However, it isn't like Gloria had gained nothing to gain from all those battles.
"Sobble! Use the Water Counter Shield!" Gloria commands as her tiny blue lizard spins his body like a breakdancer, firing a Water Gun simultaneously, making a water barrier that counters Piplup's Bubblebeam.
"I would have never thought you could Water Gun like that before. It's quite a genuine strategy, Adam." Sonia compliments while Marnie watches Sobble intently.
"Thank you, but I stole that move from a trainer I encountered while traveling the Sinnoh Region. When I first saw him use that move, I admitted it was too good not to take." I shamelessly reveal.
"Even so, this technique will be a great addition for any nimble Pokemon who can't afford to take a hit, like Gloria's Sobble." Sonia added.
"Indeed, but we can't deny how impressive Gloria's training skills or Sobble's ability to adapt so quickly to use the Counter Shield technique so fast. It still needs improvement, but I can see them mastering it in a few days with enough practice." A part of me wants to chalk that fact up because Gloria is the Sword and Shield female protagonist, but I will keep that to myself. I also taught Marnie the move, but she and her Pokemon need a little more practice before she can use it in battle.
"Piplup! Use Agile Style Peck!" Irida yells as Piplup dashes towards Sobble, impacting the Counter Shield, but unaffected, as the shield is a thin casting of water, which is Piplup's type. The tiny penguin Pokemon unleashes a flurry of beck pecks. However, the pecks aren't very damaging because Piplup focused on speed over power.
"I still don't understand why Irida uses those Styles of hers." Marnie comments. "I can understand the appeal of using Strong Styles, as the power of the move increases, but the Pokemon becomes a sitting Ducklett."
"Strong Style does more than that." I chuckle. "If you use a Strong Style with a move with a secondary effect, like confusion or burn, then the chance of those effects happening increases. It isn't like that Agile Style doesn't have any merits. You can use Agile Style to quickly use a health recovery move like Recover or Rest, saving your Pokemon from being knocked out. There is another benefit to using Agile Style that you shouldn't underestimate." I told Marnie.
"And that is?"
"It can fuck up with your rhythm," I answered, ignoring the slap to the shoulder by Sonia for my language. "Most people tend to forget that Pokemon Battles are a battle, a fight. Setting your pace is one of the most critical things in a fight. A pace that affects a fight immensely, as it influences not only the physical state of the battle but also the mental state. If you are leading the fight, you can psychologically pressure your opponent and their Pokemon. If your opponent realizes you are leading the battle, they might panic and make mistakes: Mistakes you can take advantage of."
Marnie ponders what I said. "I understand your reasoning, but I still don't see any real benefit from using Styles. If there was, wouldn't we still be using them?"
"That's a Valid argument, but continue watching Irida and Gloria's battle. I'm confident you will grasp the importance of Agile and Strong Styles from this fight," I answered.
Marnie gives me an unconvinced look but says nothing as she watches the two girls and their Pokemon battle.
However, I will admit that the battle isn't in Gloria's favor. The cap-wearing flinches whenever Sobble lets out a pain-filled yelp.
Being close to your Pokemon is a double-edged sword. Building a solid bond between you and your Pokemon is an excellent power source. Mega Evolution and Z-Moves require a solid bond between the trainer and their Pokemon to pull off. Even in-game Pokemon can stop themselves from fainting because it would make the Player Character sad if they did, among dodging attacks, getting critical hits, and even breaking through status effects. The Power of Friendship is a genuine thing in this world.
However, that bond can also mess with a trainer's mental state.
Trainers probably see their Pokemon more like family than pets because of what they go through together, so seeing them seriously hurt or frustrated from a loss would severely harm the Trainer's mental health. And that mental damage is worse for beginning trainers like Gloria.
Gloria's panicked expression continues before her eyes widen. Does she just have an idea of how to reverse this situation?
"Sobble! Use Growl! Strong Style!" Gloria commands.
I raise a brow at the command for one reason.
Neither Irida nor I had taught Gloria how to use Agile or Strong Style.
The small blue lizard inhaled, trying to ignore the pecks raining down on him. As Piplup is about to make another peck attack, Sobble screams directly at Piplup's face, shocking the penguin Pokemon as his body gains a red aura.
"Sobble! Spin like when you did the Counter Shield, but use Pound!" Gloria quickly orders, taking full advantage of the opening Sobble's Grow has made.
Sobble didn't need to be ordered twice, already spinning his little body like he did the Counter Shield, but instead of spraying water, Sobble slaps Piplup across the face with his tail. After the third tail slap, Sobble sent the blue-and-white penguin flying, landing on the ground, and doing several backrolls.
"Sobble! Agile Style Swift!" Gloria commands Sobble to unleash dozens of tiny stars made of energy, hit Piplup, and cause his roll to continue.
Wait. Swift? Sobble has used Water Gun, Pulse, Growl, Pound, and Swift—five different moves. Can Pokemon learn more than four moves in this world? Something I need to check up on because that changes a lot of things. Even if Pokemon here can only learn up to five moves, that opens so many possibilities. Maybe it is time to teach Marnie and Gloria's Pokemon the most powerful move in the game series: Protect. Maybe even pivoting.
"Piplup! Are you okay?!" Irida asks her Pokemon, who jumps right up and unleashes a squeal of rage as he tries rushing at Sobble. "Piplup?!"
"Sobble! Use Water Pulse on the ground!" Gloria shouts, to which Sobble complies, shooting a ball of water at the ground, causing a large splash of mud to shoot up, hitting and blinding Piplup. The penguin Pokemon shakes his head and wipes his eyes to remove the dirt. However, once Piplup could see correctly again, Sobble was gone.
"Where did Sobble go?!" Irida questions while Piplup squeaks in panic, looking for his foe.
"He's right there!" Gloria answers with a grin. "Sobble! Use Bind!" Piplup lets out another squeak, a mixture of surprise, confusion, and pain. The tiny penguin begins rising from the ground. Piplup's head looks around in a panic, trying to understand what is happening to him. However, the answer made himself clear as Sobble dropped the camouflage, revealing himself with his tail tightly wrapped around the penguin. "Sobble! Launch yourself into the air with Strong Style Water Gun!" Sobble shoots a powerful stream of water from his mouth, taking him and the frightened Piplup into the air. "Throw him!" Sobble spins in the air, throwing Piplup towards the ground, the penguin making a fearful cry as he rapidly descends. Thankfully for Piplup, the Strong Water Gun softens the ground, making a decent-sized mud puddle, which Piplup landed in, again dirtying the Pokemon. Unfortunately, Sobble landed on Piplup's stomach, knocking the wind out of the poor Pokemon.
"Piplup!" Irida yells out in concern.
"Okay. I think that is enough." I said, ending the mock battle. "Nice fight, you two. Especially you, Gloria. You did an excellent job using Sobble's camouflage to your advantage." I lightly praise. I quickly noticed Irida appeared a little down. "You're doing fantastic as well, Irida. Pokemon Battles aren't as standard in your time, so you have been doing quite well with keeping up with Marnie and Gloria. And you are already bonding with Fennekin and Sprigatito."
"And what about Piplup?" Irida asks with a slightly depressed tone as she glances down at the dirty Pokemon, who huffs and turns away from Irida's gaze.
"Piplups are prideful Pokemon. So, his behavior is quite normal for his species. Besides, this isn't the worst interaction between a trainer and their Piplup I have seen." I chuckled slightly.
"Really? What was it?" Marnie asks, getting up from her seat.
"A Piplup told its trainer to fight an Onix instead of itself," I answered.
"Oh, what happened after that? Did the two argue while fleeing?" Sonia giggles, probably picturing a raging Onix chasing after a trainer and his Pokemon.
"No. The trainer agreed to fight the Onix instead, with Piplup taking the trainer role. He jumped at the Onix like a rocket to headbutt it, only to creak open his head in the process." I answered. The girls gave me a dry stare at my answer.
"If that is the worst interaction you have seen, then I guess I'm doing pretty well." Irida lets out a dry laugh.
"What kind of people do you encounter on your journey?" Marnie asks, her voice being as dry as her stare.
"To be fair, the kid grew up in the wild alongside its Pokemon. So, common sense wasn't a thing for the young boy." I said, laughing at the memory of Hareta's journey. "But yeah, just keep doing what you have been doing; understand Piplup might want some space sometimes, especially after a loss, and remember not to be afraid to remind the little guy that you two are partners," I said, with Irida nodding.
"Well, I'm just glad Sobble isn't like that," Gloria said, picking up the lizard Pokemon, snuggling, and rubbing his cheek against hers. However, Sobble begins to glow white as his body changes shape and grows. "W-W-What is happening?!" Gloria yells in panic.
"Calm down. Sobble is simply just evolving." I told Gloria, whose eyes widened at the news.
The white cocoon of energy encasing Sobble breaks, with Sobble evolving into Drizzile.
"Sobble! You evolved!" Gloria cheers as she sets the newly evolved Pokemon down.
"Looks like we need to hold back on Drizzile's training for a while," I said, getting a nod from Sonia while Marnie, Irida, and Gloria gave me a confused expression.
"Why should we pause Sob- Drizzile's training?" Gloria corrected herself, not used to her partner's new name.
"When a Pokemon evolves, not only does their power increase but often so does their weight and height. And some Pokemon need time to get used to their new weight and limb length before they are ready to battle again. I had seen a Turtwig who used to fight by relying on its speed and trim body, only to evolve mid-fight and struggle to adapt to its sharp weight and size increase." I explained. As if to prove my point, Drizzile tries walking, only to trip over his own two feet.
Gloria tries to help her partner Pokemon up, but Drizzile only ignores the help and gets up himself. Gloria froze in place, clearly stunned by Drizzile's change in attitude.
"Don't worry. Drizzile is just going through his brooding phase." I said, giving Gloria a pat on the back.
"Yeah. It is a common thing when Pokemon evolve." Sonia agrees. "Some researchers theorize a Pokemon's attitude change could be due to their bodies' sudden change. It's like a child becoming a teenager in seconds rather than years. As Adam said, give Drizzile some time, give him space, and be understanding, and Drizzile is bound to open up again. Be warned, Drizziles are like teenagers who don't want to do anything unless they have to. Maybe leave him outside of his Pokeball for a while to give him a chance to get used to his new body."
Gloria could only nod at the advice. That's all we really can do: give advice and help Gloria through this new dynamic between herself and her partner, Pokemon.
"I think it is time to pick up and make way to Galar Mine. If possible, I want us to reach Turffield by the end of the day." I said.
"But it would take us two days to reach Turffield on foot." Gloria comments.
"Oh. What a shame. It isn't like we have a vehicle to help us get there faster." I tease Gloria, patting the side of the RV while giving Gloria a smirk.
"Oh, right." Gloria awkwardly chuckles, rubbing the back of her head.
"The only downside is you wouldn't be able to catch any Pokemon, as the RV will scare them away, but there are plenty of spots to catch Pokemon before we reach Turffield. Besides, with Drizzile's recent evolution, maybe catching a new Pokemon isn't the best idea. There is no need to add additional stress." I said, to which Gloria agreed.
Gloria, Sonia, and Irida stepped into the RV, and as I was about to enter, Marnie tapped my shoulder, getting my attention.
"Do you think driving the RV is a good idea?" Marnie asks.
"Yeah? Why would there be a problem?"
"Irida." Marnie simply said.
Ah. That's what Marnie is getting at.
"Your concerns are valid. However, I think it shouldn't be too bad if I go slow, which I need to do anyway, as the road is far from even, and I need to be careful of any wild Pokemon or trainer suddenly popping out of nowhere." I said. "But if you think Irida might panic when we start moving, we can explain that it is like a carriage, but it doesn't need a Pokemon to pull it. And I have some Pokemon Irida could cuddle with. Nothing is more calming than hugging an Eevee or any cute Pokemon."
Marnie rolls her eyes at me, but I can see the corners of her lips turn upright, making a tiny smile. "I guess that's true, and even if something happens, Gloria, Sonia, and I can handle it," Marnie said.
"That would be great. Thank you for being so open-minded about Irida's situation." I said.
"It's no problem. Irida didn't ask for this. The least I can do is be understanding." Marnie shrugs.
"Yes. Many can say that, but very few can do it. I'm just glad Irida has a great friend to rely on." I compliment Marnie, whose cheeks turn slightly red.
After Marnie quickly dashes into the van, I follow her and take the driver's seat.
It's time to hit the road.
{Marnie's P.O.V.}
"Woah. We really are moving." Irida said in amazement, gazing out of the window. Irida has been taking the ride better than I give her credit for. She did jump a little when Adam turned on the engine, but besides that, Irida was too busy being enticed by the moving scenery to care.
"If you think that is amazing, wait until I show you Adam's movie collection. I never thought there were so many good foreign films until I started watching them. I could have lived without some of them talking in strange languages." Gloria said.
"Almost all of those have no Pokemon, so it makes sense they might use some made-up language to sell the whole 'different world' vibe," I said. "And if we are going to introduce Irida to movies, we should not show her anything too violent." Just remembering some of Adam's horror movies sent shivers down my spine.
"So, kid-friendly only?"
"I wouldn't go that far," I said to Gloria. "Just nothing too extreme."
"People might think you two are married based on your conversation." Adam teases.
I rolled my eyes at the comment. "Just keep your eyes on the road, Adam. We don't want a wreck because you aren't watching where you're going." I said.
"Don't worry. I only wrecked a car once. Sure, it was the day after I got my driver's license, but that's in the past." Adam said.
"Funny joke, Adam." Sonia, who is in the passenger seat, laughs lightly.
"I wasn't joking," Adam bluntly said, continuing to drive. Oh, the mines are nearby," Adam said, slowing the RV to a stop. We should continue on foot, as I'm betting the mines are swarming with trainers."
We all step out of the RV (maybe a little faster than usual, but after Adam tells us about his wreck, can you blame me?), and once Adam steps out, the RV disappears as if it was never there. It is still strange to see, but I'm not complaining. You can't exactly drive an RV through a mine.
As we approached the Galar Mine, we spotted a large crowd forming at the cave's entrance. As we get closer to the crowd, my ears pick up large amounts of yelling and questioning. What the heck is going on?
Gloria, being more of a people person than me, approaches one of the yelling trainers.
"Excuse me, but can you tell me what is happening?" Gloria asks.
"They are not letting us into the cave!" the trainer shouted angrily.
"What? Why? Was there a cave-in or something?" Gloria asks, her voice slightly concerned.
"No." The trainer answers, seemingly calming down enough to explain what is happening. "Some trainer was severely hurt while in the cave. I don't know the details, but I heard he encountered a wild Pokemon that broke several of their bones. Some rumors even say they needed to send Rescue Team members to bring the injured trainer to a hospital because he needed emergency surgery. Some doubt it was a wild Pokemon and that it was a criminal who attacked the trainer, and the League is trying to cover it up. But the main thing is that the League decided to close down the mines until they dealt with whatever was the cause of the attack. Until then, all of us must wait until some League-approved Ace Trainer comes and deals with this mess. However, as you can see, several don't like waiting as most of us didn't buy enough supplies to camp out for days, if not weeks, before the mine opens again. It might not be so bad if the League gave us some free supplies or accommodations, but they are stingy right now."
Well, that's annoying. It isn't ideal, but I understand why the League needs to prevent people from entering the mines for multiple reasons. If a criminal were in the mines, then who knows how many newbie trainers would be hurt. And it was a Pokemon behind all of this. I can see some idiot trainers will try to catch it because when they hear it is dangerous, they interpret it as strong instead.
"Can't you use the Flying Taxi service?" Adam questions as he walks up to the trainer in question. "Sorry for eavesdropping, but everyone could use the Flying Taxi to reach Turffield instead of going through the mine. You will lose out on catching some potential Pokemon that could help them in their battle against Milo, like Rolycoly, Woobat, and, in rare cases, Carkol., but Route 3 has plenty of Fire, Flying, and Poison Type Pokemon, so why wait?" Adam points out.
"Because all of the Flying Taxis are already in use," the trainer answers. We aren't the first group to learn that the League temporarily shut down the mine, and when they realized it wasn't reopening anytime soon, they decided to take the Flying Taxi like you thought. However, there is a massive backlog with so many people ordering rides. The next opening isn't available for another eight hours!"
"Ouch. Looks like we aren't making it to Turffield today, gang." Adam grimaced.
"Wait. Why don't you do something about it, Adam? You are a strong trainer!" Gloria suggests.
"As much as I would like to help, I doubt they will allow me to handle the situation. I'm not associated with Galar's Pokemon League. Therefore, I shouldn't stick my nose into their business. If I do, I could get into some big trouble, and I doubt the situation is as simple as 'get rid of the dangerous Pokemon' as it appears to be. Besides, I'm confident that a trainer with ties with Galar's League will show up in a day or two. You can use that time to train, catch Pokemon, or even battle or trade tips and tricks with your fellow trainers. You have to be a special type of person if you can't wait two days-"
"Get out of my way!" A male teen with a pink coat and curly hair rudely pushes through us. Jerk.
"Ah, excellent. It's that guy again." The trainer groans as we watch the young teen part the sea of trainers and force his way to the front.
"What's his deal?" I ask the trainer while watching the teen yelling at the League officials blocking the mine's entrance, flashing them a piece of paper.
"His name is Bede, and he is a trainer endorsed by Chairman Rose. I should know. He doesn't even bother to try hiding it." The trainer answers. "And we were told we couldn't enter the mines. Bede didn't take it well. He even tried to start a fight with one of the League staff members when they refused to let him in. Some people debated calling the police but were worried that they would be the ones who would end up in trouble if they called the cops on a trainer sponsored by Chairman Rose since the last trainer the Chairman sponsored was Leon."
First, I encountered two guys who Leon endorsed. Now, a trainer endorsed by the Chairman of Galar's Pokemon League is only a few feet away from me.
I turn to Gloria. "Hey, Gloria, who is your endorsement?" I asked.
"Professor Magnolia."
Why am I constantly encountering trainers whose endorsements are from big names? Sure. My brother is my endorser and a Gym Leader, but compared to the Chairman, the undefeated Champion, and Galar's Pokemon Professor, it isn't anything special.
The League official reads the paper Bede has given to him, sighs, and moves out of the way. "Very well. You may enter."
"Oh! They must be opening the mine again." Gloria said, but she was swiftly proven wrong as another trainer tried entering the mine, only for the League officials to bar them from entry.
"Sorry. But you can't enter the mines at this moment."
And with that one sentence, a fresh wave of outrage has overtaken the tried and impatient trainers.
"Oh, come on!"
"Why is he allowed in?! That's a load of Tauros shit!"
"I have been waiting for hours! It isn't fair!"
Several other trainers voice their frustrations at the officials.
"I'm sorry! But Gym Challenger Bede has given us a signed document by the Chairman himself saying he can enter the mines! Our hands are tied up here!" The official confesses.
The trainers begin to glare at Bede, but the teen doesn't seem to care. He is even smirking at their frustrations. However, none of them says a word as Bede turns around and enters the mine.
"I guess the Chairman's sense of quality trainers has diminished," Adam said, causing Bede to stop.
Bede turns around, shooting Adam a heated glare.
"What was that?" Bede asks with a snap in his tone.
"I'm simply saying what everyone here is thinking," Adam answers. "You knew you could wait until the League-approved trainer or one of the Flying Taxis to show up. You might be waiting for a few days, but instead of staying with your fellow trainers, you decided to call the Chairman and get special treatment from him just because he endorsed you." Bede's glares intensified, but Adam wasn't bothered by it. "I hope you realize that your actions also reflect on the Chairman. The Chairman might see potential in you as a Pokemon Trainer, but your current behavior will do nothing but negatively impact Rose's reputation."
"Who the hell do you think you are?" Bede asks, speed-walking up to Adam. Bede tries to act intimidatingly when he gets close to Adam, but because Adam is a head taller than Bede, it isn't very effective.
"Adam Gustav. Just your everyday tourist." Adam answers, giving Bede a carefree smile. "And again, I'm just saying what everyone here is thinking. They are simply holding their tongues. After all, they fear you might whine to the Chairman because someone hurts your feelings. However, since I'm not participating in the Gym Challenge, I can speak my mind without fear. Besides, why should I be concerned about someone relying on the Pokemon League Chairman's power to get his way."
Bede's face begins to turn red, and he balls his fists. The air between the two thickens as they stare at each other.
"Cut it out, Adam. You are the elder between the two. Act like it." Sonia said, trying to defuse the tension.
Adam stares at Sonia for a second before sighing. "You are right, Sonia. I shouldn't be acting like that," Adam says, to which Bede's smirk returns, thinking he had won their fight. "After all, when a child throws a temper tantrum, it's to ignore them until they get it out of their system."
Sonia was about to say something, but it was too late, as the damage had been done. Bede spins around, his temper flaring again, pulling out a Pokeball.
"We are having a battle." Bede declares.
"Sure." Adam smiles. "I meant to teach my students what my other gift does, but I didn't want to bully some poor, wild Pokemon. So, thank you for volunteering." Adam pulls out what appears to be a crystal, snapping it into the white bracelet, then pulls out a Pokeball of his own.
Again, Bede was annoyed by Adam's attitude toward him but then smirked. "How about we make things interesting?"
"Oh? And what would that be?"
"A wager. When I win, you will give me your Dynamax Band," Bede said. Several trainers were shocked by Bede's demand, and their eyes turned towards Adam, expecting him to refuse.
"Sure. If I win, you must wait with the rest of us." Bede raises an eye at Adam's request but says nothing. "However, if we are doing this, we must make this fair match."
"And how will we make it fair?" Bede questions.
Adam tosses his Pokeball in the air, catching it. "Three versus one."
Bede's smirk turns into a cocky smile. "You're right. That is fair. After all, you need every advantage you can get if you want a chance at winning." Bede chuckles.
"I'm afraid that you are mistaken. You'll be using the one using three Pokemon against my one. Oh. And I will use only one attack. And if any of your Pokemon remain standing, you win." Adam clarify.
I can practically hear peoples' eyes popping out at Adam's words.
"Fighting three at once and only attacking once? He's betting his Dynamax Band here."
"Is this guy sane?"
"He is going to lose."
Gloria, Sonia, Irida, and I are probably the only people who don't think Adam is an idiot. After all, Gloria and I had seen Adam battle against Victor once (if we can call that a battle), and Sonia and Irida knew Adam's Pokemon were abnormally strong.
Bede appears as if he is about to explode but calms down. "Sure. I will accept your conditions. Just don't complain when giving me your Dynamax Band," Bede said, pulling out two more Pokeballs. Go! Solosis! Gothita! Hatenna!" Bede yells, letting out his three Pokemon. All Psychic types? Talk about unbalanced. Then again, I shouldn't be talking. Before meeting Adam, most of my Pokemon were Dark-Type.
"Let's go, Mimikyu," Adam said, releasing the Ghost/Fairy Pokemon from his Pokeball.
"Solosis! Use Confusion! Gothita! Psybeam! Hatenna! Confusion!" Bede commands. Instead of telling Mimikyu to avoid the attacks (though I highly doubt they would even hurt it, considering it is Adam's Pokemon), Adam turns around to ignore the battle and face Irida, Gloria, and me.
"This bracelet is called a Z-Ring, and it is one of two things needed to perform a Z-Move. The other is a Z-Crystal." Adam explains, removing the crystal and giving us a closer look. Using these two items, you can use Z-Power to perform Z-Moves. If you want a more straightforward explanation, think of Z-Moves as Mega Evolutions, but for Pokemon Attacks instead. However, Z-Moves is pretty draining, so you often can only use a Z-Move once per battle."
"A-Adam… Shouldn't you be focusing on your battle?" Gloria asks, unsure how to react in a situation like this. However, I doubt anyone knows how to respond to this situation.
"Oh, another thing you need to know about Z-Moves and, by extension, Z-Crystals is that there are two types. One group focuses on types, and the Pokemon must have a move with the same type as the Z-Crystal to use a Z-Move. If you want to use the Z-Move, Inferno Overdrive, your Pokemon must know a Fire-Type attack with you having the Firium Z Crystal in your Z-Ring. The second group gives particular Pokemon that know certain moves an exclusive Z-Move. And Mimikyu is one of them."
"I don't even think they are damaging it," Irida said, watching the 'battle'.
It is almost comical in a twisted way. Bede's Pokemon are firing continuous attacks, and Mimikyu isn't bothering to dodge. The attacks roll off Mimikyu like water on a Psyduck's back. And all the while, Bede's annoyance and frustrations continue to grow.
"I don't envy being in Bede's position right now," I said.
"Now then, it is time for the visual part of the lesson," Adam said, crossing his arms in front of his face. Adam breaks the arms cross to…
Did Adam just do a hand-heart? After the hand-heart, Mimikyu jumps in as the two snuggle while spinning around.
"Mimikyu. Let's Snuggle Forever."
"A-Adam. Can you take the battle a little more seriously?" Sonia asks, her cheeks red from second-hand embarrassment. Gloria was the same, and no doubt mine too.
Bede, on the other hand, breaks out into full-on laughter. "Are you an idiot? Why did you do that?" Bede asks through his laughter.
"Um… Why is Mimikyu glowing?" Irida asks, snapping me out to see that Irida is correct. Mimikyu was glowing a golden aura, hopping out of Adam's arms, glancing back, and for the life of me, a little pink heart appeared out of nowhere before Mimikyu moved at surprising speed.
"Holy crap! That Pokemon is fast!"
"It's moving like a Zubat out of hell!"
"I'm surprised that the grass isn't on fire with how fast it's moving!"
While the on-lookers talk about Mimikyu's sudden increase in speed, I noticed that Bede's Pokemon begin to break out in a nervous sweat, as if they sense something is about to happen.
And it did.
Mimikyu appears from the crowd of people (when did it sneak out in there?!), jumping in the air as two long shadowy arms reach out from the bottom of the rag; a red glint from its eyes shines as it quickly grabs all three of Bede's Pokemon and pulling them under Mimikyu's rag. We could look at the Mimikyu's rag, which somehow expanded in size, appearing several times bigger than it was. Adam gives a thumbs-up with a broad smile as several thudding sounds echo out from under the rag. While the pummeling was going on, Gothita managed to escape from under the rag, only to be dragged back in, clawing into the dirt as its futility tried to escape.
Mimikyu spits out all three Pokemon from under its robe, with all three of Bede's Pokemon unconscious.
Everyone glances at Adam, who has a cheek-splitting smile.
"Well, it looks like I won."
What the hell just happened?
{Bonus Scene - Hop's P.O.V.}
"What do you mean you are returning to Postwick?!" I asked Victor, who was busy packing his bag. Victor has been down in the dumps, staying in the Budew Drop Inn, since his battle against Adam, but I wasn't expecting this.
"It means exactly that. I'm dropping out of the Gym Challenge and returning home. Mum could use extra hands to help around the house and farm. After all, farm work is hard on a single mother." Victor somberly said.
My eyes widened in shock at what Victor said. Dropping out?!
"Mate! Don't be so hasty! Sure. Your battle against Adam wasn't the best, but that's no reason to throw in the towel! Everyone loses a battle or two!" Well, except my brother, that is.
"It isn't the loss that's making me quit. Well, it sort of is. But not in the way you are thinking, Hop." Victor sighs, looking quite tired.
"What do you mean?"
Instead of saying anything, Victor pulls out a Pokeball, releasing the Pokemon inside to reveal it was Victor's Scorbunny. However, instead of acting his usual hyperactive self, Scorbunny is holding his knees close to his chest, shaking like a leaf, and his eyes dart at every shadow in the room.
"He has been like this since the battle." Victor has spoken up after seeing my reaction. "I think this was what Adam meant before we fought. It isn't just me taking part in the Gym Challenge; my Pokemon are also. However, because I was too proud of myself, I ended up hurting my partner in ways I would have never thought of." Victor said with a solemn expression as he looked at his starter Pokemon. "I tried battling some wild Pokemon in the Wild Area, but whenever Scorbunny comes out, he turns tail and runs."
Victor pulls down his cap to cover his eyes, a habit he had since he was a kid to hide whenever he is hurting.
"I royally fucked up, Hop. I broke my partner. How the fuck can I justify to myself in continuing when I did this to my partner?" Victor asks, desperate for an answer. But only silence answers us.
Part of me wants to say it was Adam's fault for this, but as Victor said, this situation wouldn't have happened if Victor had swallowed his pride. But Victor didn't, and he is paying the price for his actions.
However, I can't accept Victor calling it quits. He is my rival, someone who helps push me to go beyond my limits! And besides that, Victor is my buddy, and you should help your buds in times like these!
I reach into my bag, pulling out a slip of paper Leon gave me when we last met at the Professor's house.
"Here, Victor, take this," I said, handing Victor the paper slip. Victor lifted his hat, took the slip, and read it.
"A train ticket?" Victor questions.
"A ticket to the Isle of Armor," I said. "Lee had given me this ticket when we last met, telling me about a dojo that he said had played a major factor in making him Champion." Victor's eyes widened, realizing what I was getting at. "Don't throw in the towel just yet. Go to the Isle, join the dojo, and get stronger. Both for you and your partner. If you still want to quit after doing this, I will understand. But you shouldn't quit when there is plenty of time to bounce back up." I said, grabbing my bag, ready to leave. I left the room, leaving Victor and his partner Pokemon behind. I will help them as much as possible, but only Victor and Scorbunny can take the first step now.
Author's Note
I know you need a Z-Power Ring to use Let's Snuggle Forever, but let's be honest. A Z-Power Ring exists because Nintendo/Game Freak can make us spend more money on plastic toys. So, I ignore that minor detail, as only a few Z-Moves need a Power Ring.
I'm also part of the SGO server, so if you want to join and chat, here is a link
/wd3tUYWVCd
I also started my server for anyone who wants to ask me about my fics or to hang out.
/DYqC3uNfbt