“And if you’ve just tuned in I don’t know what to tell you! This might just be the match of the century! It’s got everything! Hot-blooded fighting! Tactics! Hot bods! And POOOOOOWAAAAAAAH!” screamed Beatrice the announcer as Bruno and Marshall locked eyes.

The referee raised his flags. “The match is now five to five! Both trainers must send out their last pokemon!”

Beatrice clutched at the microphone, giddy and more than a little light-headed from all the shouting they’d been doing.

At their side, another announcer, Chad, signalled they wanted to get a word in, and Beatrice allowed it so she could get her breath back.

“Good golly Miss Molly! This was not the match we were expecting to get when it was announced that both Marshall and Bruno were fighting types! Neither were actually slated to fight each other but damn am I glad they got put in the same room cause they’re delivering tonight! Chad roared.

“No one suspected Throh versus Hitmonchan to be such an intense fight! We then followed it up with Hitmonlee versus Sawk! I don’t know about you, but we just received more fuel for the eternal ‘which fighting style is the best’ debate with judo and karate seriously coming from left field where boxing and kickboxing have dominated!”

Beatrice calmed her racing heart. “Double knockouts in both have set the pace, and we have not slowed down since then. Despite the shock reveal of Mienshao taking Marshall out to a three-to-two lead, it was quickly silenced by Bruno sending out a gigantic Onix!”

“Breloom slammed Onix in turn only to get hammered which led into an Explosion to take them both out!”

“Only to then have Poliwrath against Toxicroak, with Poliwrath seemingly taking the fight and falling a moment later due to poison!”

“All of that and more heated moments have led to this! The final clash! Buckle up people. We’re in for a climatic final cause we all know Bruno still has his Ace!”

Bruno pounded his chest with his fists like a wild Slaking and across from him Marshal dropped into a fighting stance. “ARGH!” they both shouted before snatching at their pokeballs and sending them out.

“FIGHT MACHAMP/CONKELDURR!” Both men roared, and two powerhouse pokemon slammed into the destroyed field.

Both pokemon were pinnacles of their species.

Machamp clapped its hands together as it settled into a fighting stance and any stray dust was blasted away from the resulting shockwave of air pressure.

Across from it, Conkeldurr was raising a pillar of stone before slamming it into the ground. It then raised the other and slammed it in a slow tempo that boomed through the arena.

A deep grunt emerged in time with the slamming like Conkeldurr was almost singing.

Both pokemon advanced rather than throwing moves from a distance. As they marched both began to tense and swell as blood rushed around their bodies. Bulk Up went into effect over and over again as they drew closer and closer with each step.

The very ground rumbled and cratered more and more with each step from the repressed power that each pokemon contained.

Psychic pokemon began appearing around the edges of the arena to reinforce the barriers preemptively.

When each pokemon was roughly five metres apart, both trainers twitched.

Machamp ducked low and came in fast, while Conkeldurr raised the stone pillars and attempted to slam them down on Machamp, only for Machamp to catch the pillars and push back.

“OVER POWER THEM MACHAMP!” Roared Bruno.

“CRUSH THEM CONKELDURR!” Shouted Marshal.

Both pokemon strained, and the ground underneath them buckled before caving in as both pokemon dug in, refusing to give even an inch.

“USE YOUR SECONDARY ARMS! HAMMER YOUR FOE INTO SUBMISSION!” Bruno shouted as his pokemon lined up twin strikes, only for Conkeldurr to twist and spin both pokemon to the side.

Machamp’s grip on the pillars slipped and Conkeldurr struck, slamming them into Machamp as Machamp rocketed back and forth.

Both pokemon clenched against each other and began to throw blow after blow into each other.

There was no style now. Both pokemon merely began to exert power and strength to the absolute.

Rocks and sections of the field went flying, causing the barriers to fluctuate from the constant blows that were sent their way, rocketing into them.

Both pokemon eventually landed heavy blows on the other and were knocked back a step, only for them to clench through their cores and drag themselves back into the fight.

When the metallic base level of the arena was revealed, a shudder went through the entire stadium, and the blows suddenly began to be transmitted into the support structure.

The crowd gasped and screamed in fear, realising just how much danger they were in before klaxons blared as more pokemon appeared and moved to bleed off the shockwaves.

Out of sight beneath the stadium, technicians used Woobuffet to tank the blows before transmitting them into a bleed off system as the battle raged overhead.

The metal sheet began to groan as both Conkeldurr and Machamp dug their feet in.

Marshal and Bruno, barely able to see their pokemon, both sensed weakness in the other though and each gave their final command. Their voices were lost in the shockwaves and klaxons but both Machamp and Conkeldurr drew back their fists for a single final blow.

Machamp bet it all on Focus Blast.

Conkeldurr unleashed his all with Focus Punch.

Neither pokemon tried to evade the other.

Neither pokemon flinched.

Both attacks slammed into the other and sent them back, embedding them into the wall of rock they’d dug for themselves.

For a long moment, no noises but the klaxons rang through the stadium only for them to vanish a few moments later.

The fans shuddered as they dragged the dust out of the air and slowly the field was revealed.

In the epicentre of the field, both pokemon were revealed, standing tall with their eyes locked on the other.

Machamp and Conkeldurr both nodded once only to then shut their eyes and tense up, locking their bodies into standing positions.

The referee blinked in shock and leaned right over the edge of his podium to get a better look at both pokemon.

When he straightened, both flags shot into the air. “Both pokemon are unable to battle! The match is therefore a draw!”

Marshall and Bruno jumped from their podiums and slid down into the hole, where they inspected their pokemon.

“You did well Machamp,” congratulated Bruno as he clapped his pokemon on the shoulder. He returned it a moment later.

Marshall bowed to his Conkeldurr. “You fought marvellously!” he declared to his pokemon as he matched Bruno with returning his pokemon.

Beatrice drew in a shuddering breath. She wet her lips and coughed as she remembered that she was supposed to be talking “W-well, there you have it folks! The first Indigo versus Unova battle in decades ends in a tie with the two fighting type masters throwing down and coming up with nothing between them! I think everyone will remember this for a long, long time!”

Chad nodded. “R-right you are Beatrice! I think we’re in for a bright future here! And now the two trainers are approaching each other for the traditional post-match handshake! What great sportsmanship between these two!”

On the field, Bruno and Marshall approached each other. Bruno towered over Marshall, but Marshal was undaunted by the height advantage and met Bruno’s gaze defiantly.

“That was a damn good match,” Bruno said.

“I have to agree. Best one I’ve had in years,” Marshall stated, only to incline his head to the side. “And yet…”

“Your heart still thunders?” Bruno said slowly as a fanged grin stole across his face.

Marshal matched it with a much more controlled but no less eager smile. “My fists twitch and legs shudder with anticipation.”

Bruno and Marshall both continued to stare at each other. Then Bruno raised a fist straight out.

Marshal nodded, reaching out and tapping his own fist to it.

Then they took one step towards each other and both punched each other in the face.

In the announcer’s booth, Chad flinched. “Eh? Uhm, where’s the handshake? What’s going on? Should we stop them? Can we stop them?”

“No!” Beatrice screamed as her heart began to stir at the sight of two trainers throwing down.

“Let them fight!” she urged, clutching the microphone close to her lips. “Bruno goes for a tackle to bring Marshal to the ground only for Marshal to counter with a disengaging kick!”

Chad blinked. He tapped a side button to get his producer on the line. “Can we get a shot of Lance and Alder? Aren’t they in the Champion’s watching booth? Eh? They’re both laughing?”

Chad considered that before shaking his head and shrugging. He keyed his own microphone back to the announcement channel and stepped in to give Beatrice a chance to breathe. “Looks like we’ve got a brawl on our hands folks! Bruno slams a heavy headbutt into Marshal that staggers the smaller man, but Marshall is fighting back with some jabs that are ringing Bruno’s bell!”

Beatrice grinned. “Bruno turtles up with his shoulders tanking most of the blows! Marshall’s going to have to work hard to bring down Bruno!”

In the stands people rose and began to chant. “Bruno! Bruno! Bruno!” While others took up the chant for Marshall with both combatants digging in.

Both men grinned at the other as their hearts spoke through their fists and they kept going until neither could fight any more.

When both were laying on the ground, chests heaving and bodies aching from bruises and small scuff marks, they shared a look. “Don’t be a stranger to Indigo!”

“Heh! More like you should come to Unova!” replied Marshall.

As the Nurses sprinted out to attend to the trainers the crowd rose and gave standing ovations which were led by Lance and Alder.

Beatrice grinned. She was sure that wasn’t how most diplomacy missions went but damn if Unova didn’t just endear itself to all of Indigo!

Beatrice reached out and grabbed at Chad. “I got some tension to work out,” she growled.

“Be gentle!” pleaded Chad.

“Not on your life!” laughed Beatrice as she darkened the windows and locked the door.

Malva clicked her tongue. “Well, if that doesn’t spark some boy-on-boy erotica, I don’t know what will,” she said as she watched Marshal and Bruno fight without their pokemon.

Across the table from her, Diantha choked on her tea.

Malva smiled. Good, die you pompous bitch, she thought to herself.

Diantha sadly regathered herself and wiped at her mouth with a napkin. “Malva, that’s not something you should be saying! You’re a Marchioness of Kalos! Behave with some decorum!”

Malva grinned as she leaned back in her chair and threw her feet on the table. “Eh, fuck that.”

She gave Diantha a shit-eating grin as the woman stared at the feet on the table. “Think about it! Two men pounding on each other and growing more and more desperate to reach the finish!”

She got to enjoy Diantha twitching for a few seconds before her feet were clamped in a psychic grip and pushed back to the ground.

“Alright, don’t get your panties all twisted up!” she said as she waved at Diantha’s Gardevoir to relax.

The psychic fairy didn’t deign to reply, merely continuing to sip from her own teacup.

Malva grumbled and sat up. Things had not gone as she’d hoped. Team Flare had given her a mission to investigate and potentially disrupt the negotiations.

It should have been all too easy. Kalos and Indigo had a history with each other after all, with Kalosian expansion being stymied by what had once been Johto.

To hear that Johto and Kanto of all nations had united? That had sent the Leader of Team Flare into a tizzy. The sheer scale of resources they must have.

When they’d gotten close, it had been all too easy to get Lola, the airheaded watery bitch, to do so in a manner that stirred tensions.

And yet, despite all of her efforts needling Diantha to get her in a horrible mood anytime the Champion left the ship, nothing had happened.

Not even the follow-up convoy caused a break in talks. People had simply accepted it and worked towards a ‘brighter’ future. It was so sickeningly sweet that it made Malva want to gag!

Malva couldn’t even enjoy watching that Hoenn asshole getting smacked around because all it did was raise the prestige of Cynthia who’d been a thorn in Malva and other interested parties' sides for a while.

For all the woman played the fool she was more than capable of disrupting criminal organisations and black market deals.

The woman had a knack for just wandering into the wrong place at the wrong time with a silly little smile on her face. Malva wasn’t deceived, the woman must have a hidden support network.

Team Flare was one of the few organisations that made sure to keep tabs on the woman, but it was a tough ask, as Cynthia disappeared for days at a time in ruins only to pop up elsewhere thanks to some hidden passageway!

“So, you enjoying watching those two sweet men slam into each other?” Malva said.

Diantha blushed prettily, “I will have you know I prefer a more refined man.”

“Oooooh got eyes on being a homewrecker then? You went to that Pebbletown Gym Leader’s house twice, no?” Malva needled.

Diantha gave her a flat expression, and Malva chuckled. “Arceus you’re too easy sometimes. Lighten up! Or you know? Go get laid, maybe? Seriously, it’s like the Kalosian way.”

“I have no idea what you’re on about,” Diantha said only to raise a hand. “Nor do I wish to hear what you have to say. Drivel is only entertaining in small amounts.”

Malva chuckled and shook her head. Trust the prissy bitch to ignore the fun numbers like how Kalos had the highest rates of infidelity between couples. Malva herself had three booty calls on her phone when she felt a need to scratch the itch, but Diantha struck her as a virgin waiting for her true love.

Malva leaned against the table and gave her tea a dismissive sneer as she drew out a beer. She popped the top and took a long pull. “Ah! That’s the stuff! So, what’s up with the G-men thingie that Lance was talking about today?”

Diantha looked at Malva pointedly. “If you’d paid any attention, you would know it is an organisation that will be allowed to operate internationally. Indigo and the Archipelago islands have had a great degree of success with it.”

“It should be obvious that it’s a suckers’ bet, especially if Hoenn didn’t sign on,” Malva pointed, knowing that she needed to delay or destroy any talk of such an organisation forming.

Diantha set her teacup down. “It is something that we see a need for. Criminals have been moving about the Trinity nations with too much ease. We are not going to allow them greater movement throughout the world without someone that can crack down on them.”

“Still think it’s a mistake.”

Diantha laced her fingers and assumed lecturing pose number five. Malva almost went to sleep right then and there. This woman had been trained from birth to have the perfect poise and temperament.

Diantha could sit through the driest lecture on some obscure technical details and still politely thank the speaker without falling asleep! The girl was disgustingly good at it as well.

It's a shame she was obviously a fake with how she was an actress on the side of being Champion.

“Malva,” Diantha began. “It might seem like we’ve only encountered two major nations of worth with this expedition, but you must remember that for all intents and purposes, Indigo is two nations. During the war, Kalos struggled with just Johto while Kanto fought with others.”

“They also fought each other,” Malva pointed out.

“Which makes their unification of Kanto and Johto all the more remarkable. We have probed throughout our talks about their bond, and I have to admit that I am impressed with the nation they have forged. It is a juggernaut of a nation just waiting to be roused. Keeping Indigo happy is therefore important for international politics. If we don’t, we will be crushed through the economic might they can wield.”

Diantha ticked her fingers. “Indigo has more cities, more pokemon trainers, and more mid to high-ranked trainers ready to step up than any other nation.”

Diantha set a finger on the table. “We must return to Kalos to stabilize our nation and ensure that it is ready to handle the shocks that will come from their inclusion onto the world stage. If the adoption of the G-men is their price for good trade deals, then we will be getting off lightly.”

Malva mentally squirmed as she grunted and gave a nod of acceptance. The boss wasn’t going to like this at all.

Malva gave the stack of papers proposing the G-men’s uses and who could apply an idle flip through.

She frowned at one section. “What the hell are Hero units?” she asked.

Lance swept through the prison corridors, his aura blaring outwards and silencing the inmates that saw him.

The facility was odd in that it housed some of Indigo's roughest and hardest criminals.

Yes it had most of the captured Rockets, barring, of course, the Executives, who were housed in separate black sites where they were still accessible while being under watch from a rotating group of loyal guards.

It chafed at Lance that someone like Giovanni didn’t exist behind bars, but with the information they had been able to drag from him, he’d proven some degree of worth.

Lance wished he could lock the man up somewhere instead, but no. Giovanni got a cabin atop a mountain that was only accessible by select people who knew of the site.

It was another oddity that the Rangers held it, but it made sense. For all the Rangers had been infiltrated by Team Rocket, there were still more good people in there than not.

This book was originally published on novelbuddy. Check it out there for the real experience.

Lance approached the door and waited for the guard to open it.

A buzz rang out, warning of the door opening up.

When it was drawn back, Lance stepped into the wing that served as solitary confinement.

Lance stopped in front of a specific cell.

“You look like shit,” Lance said as he stood over a form that was lounging in a cot.

The giant form was spread out so much that his legs hung off the edge of the bed.

Lt. Surge cracked open a single eye and stared at Lance. “Fuck you and the Dragonite you rode in on. There were ten of them, and I fucked them up worse than they did me,” Surge said.

Lance sighed. “You realise we could have moved you to a safer facility.”

“Nah, fuck that. That’d be rewarding those assholes. Way I see it, I’m rehabilitating them and making sure they know to stay on the straight and narrow.”

“By beating them up occasionally?” Lance said.

Surge stood up, and his form loomed over Lance, but Lance didn’t back up; he merely looked straight up into the towering behemoth before him.

Surge put his forearm across the bars and smirked. “Gotta make sure they don’t enjoy themselves too much in here.”

Lance frowned. “It’s prison. What’s there to like? Your friends, family, and life are outside.”

Surge chuckled. “Spoken like a man that’s never spent any time in the brig. In the army things were rough. You couldn’t enjoy it. Here? You got a warm bed, food, entertainment, and for those Rocket assholes? Well, all their friends are here with them. Prison ain’t much of a punishment if it becomes like their exclusive little clubhouse. You ain’t breaking them from crime so much as you are hardening them to it.”

Lance narrowed his eyes in thought. He nodded slowly. “Beating them won’t solve much then, but I get your point. We need to break their habits, not make this… a school to better criminals,” he said slowly.

Surge nodded. “Heh, suppose you’re thinking of ways to make them sing cumbaya huh?”

“That’s not how it’s pronounced,” Lance replied only to shake his head. “That’s not why I came here.” He pointed at Surge. “You’re wasted here. I need someone who knows how to fight and isn’t afraid of tough situations. I can get your sentence expedited if you join a special unit I’m putting together.”

“Ho? Wow, that’s new. I've never heard that before,” Surge replied flatly only to sneer. “Pull the other one. I must look like a right sucker to you! I ain’t been born yesterday. I ain’t joining your hit squad Dragonboy!”

Lance reeled back. “Hit squad? What? No! I want you to join the G-men! Become a member of the international policing force!”

Surge blinked. “You want me… a guy convicted of aiding and abetting to join the police?”

Surge stared at Lance. “Man, you think that up yourself or do you got another trained Mankey whispering shit in your ears?”

“You’re not publicly known to be in prison so it won’t create backlash.”

“And for the people that do know?”

Lance shrugged. “We can manage them and delay them finding out.”

“How would you pull that off?”

Lance pulled a mask out from behind his back. “Ever hear of the Hero unit we used to perform strikes on Team Rocket and other Criminal organisations? They’re very popular. We even have funding for them thanks to strong toy sales.”

Surge stared at the mask for a while before smirking. “Two questions!” He shot two fingers out and in front of Lance’s face. “Who runs this operation and do you have one that comes in black?” he replied.

Lance smiled. “You’ll answer to Hero Gold ostensibly, but I will be the overall commander of this organisation. And I don’t think the current Hero Black will mind sharing his colour with you?”

“Heh! There’s already a Hero Black? Dude’s got good taste!”

Lance shot Surge a confused look. “You… do know who the current Hero Black is, don’t you?”

Surge grinned. “I might, or I might not,” teased the taller man.

Lance shook his head. “I’m not sure what I expected, but… welcome to the G-men organisation, Hero Division,” Lance said, offering Surge a hand as the door buzzed open.

Surge stepped out. “Heh, sure beats kicking around here.” He shot Lance a smirk. “What’s the pay by the way or am I billing everything I spend to the government.”

Lance almost gave a glib reply but paused when he caught sight of the eagerness in Surge’s eyes. If he gave this man an inch, he’d find ways to stretch it to cover the entire world.

“We’ll pay you according to your success against the damages you cause. Do a good job, and we’ll see,” Lance said, hedging his bets.

Surge just grinned and Lance had a serious moment where he reconsidered the wisdom of recruiting someone like Surge.

He shook it off. He needed someone strong that could be sent far as a semi-deniable asset.

The world was changing, and that meant sometimes the methods of combating crime needed to change with them.

“I’m gonna pull so much puss with this gig,” Surge chuckled to himself. “Damn, I knew my plan was gonna work good but like this? Oh man I’m so good I’m bad!”

Lance stared at the taller man as they departed the prison. “Your plan?”

Surge nodded, reaching into his orange shirt and withdrawing a stack of papers with the words ‘master plan’ scrawled across them.

Lance flipped through it. “These are drawings of you beating people up until you get money to stop… You drew them in crayon,” he said, his disbelief growing.

Surge pulled out a crayon from his top pocket and took a bite without breaking eye contact with Lance. “Cherry-flavoured,” he said as he chewed and swallowed.

Lance wondered if it was too late to put Surge back in the cell.

“OH MY ARCEUS!” squealed Erika as Sabrina presented the keystone ring to her.

Around the table Janine, Visquez, Sophia, Flannery, Roxanne, Violet, Daisy, and Lily all stared at Sabrina in shock.

They’d all received an invitation to lunch except it had basically been a summons with the Psychic type appearing with the rather fancy card inviting them to a private establishment in Saffron city.

It wasn’t like Erika would have said no, but the method lent it a certain mystique that was unusual for her typically blunt friend.

This was outside the norm and therefore worth the abrupt invitation.

Sabrina smiled as she continued to hold out her ring to everyone but Erika believed in her heart of heart that Sabrina had it closer to her than anyone else.

The rest of the ladies in the party began to join in Erika’s squeals with Violet and her sisters hitting relatively high notes in their giddy delight.

Everyone raced in to see the rock apart from Visquez who grinned and sat back. Erika bounced on the spot at the centre, manic energy taking hold.

“Oh my goodness! Sabrina, you’re going to get married! That is amazing! Have you decided anything?”

“No shut up Erika! Sabrina! First tell us how he proposed! Was it romantic? Or was he an idiot and he just rolled out of bed and handed you the ring?”

Sabrina smiled. “We went for a scenic destination overlooking a sight in the desert where we both captured some pokemon during our journey. We had a wonderful heart to heart and Brock proposed to me. And I accepted!”

“Oh! Did he ask your daddy’s permission?” asked Sophia.

Sabrina shot the minor gym leader a confused look. “No? Why would he?”

Erika coughed. “It’s an old-fashioned thing… but it doesn’t matter!”

Erika vibrated. “Please let me do the flowers! Oh no! Please tell me you’re going to have a big wedding! With a chapel and church bells and a garden reception! Oh oh! I can provide the Bellossom and Vileplume for the event! And Sunflora and some Roselia and and… just all the grass types that make weddings so special!”

Sabrina giggled. “I think you’re more excited for this than I am,” she said.

Erika flapped her hands about, sending her long sleeves swishing through the air. She might have slapped a few of the other ladies but she ignored their squawks of protest. “You should be excited! This is one of, if not the big day of your life and you’re like the most famous woman in Indigo right now! People will want to know what you do, who you invite, what you wear! All of it!”

“Please let me be your maid of honour!” Erika begged shamelessly. In her mind her thoughts blended into a blur of Pleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.

Visquez leaned forward and clamped her hands around Erika before uprooting her from her spot. “Alright, now that’s enough hogging Sabrina for yourself, give the girl some space.” She deposited Erika at the back before stepping past the other girls herself to give Sabrina’s rock a look over.

“Phew, that is a beauty. I thought Brock gave that to you ages ago though?”

Erika stiffened. Wait! That was right! “Brock re-gifted his gift to you as a wedding present?”

Sabrina just shook her head. “I like to think he gave me the ring before he understood his own feelings on the matter. I just needed to… nudge him along a little,” she demurred.

Visquez guffawed at this while Erika held back giggles. That was so like them.

Erika held back from ambushing Sabrina with any more questions, but she couldn’t stop a slight fidget that came over her as the desire to help out and take part came over her.

Visquez noticed this and planted herself next to Sabrina so Erika had to talk around the larger woman.

When she started getting too animated during the rest of the lunch or talking about wedding plans Visquez quietened her down by putting a hand firmly on her shoulder… or directly on her forehead where she gently pushed Erika back.

“Easy there little petal. I might have to call you sparky with how jittery you’re being.”

Erika huffed. It seemed no one understood the importance of Sabrina’s announcement but her. She wouldn’t usually say it, but a fire was lit within her, and she was determined to help out her friend.

She may also be more than willing to throw down if anyone decided to try and take the position that she felt was rightfully hers as Maid of Honour.

Sabrina glanced in her direction and smiled.

Oh dear… she’d forgotten that Sabrina could hear loud thoughts like that.

Sabrina just giggled. “Alright, I think I best ask before she explodes or challenges everyone here to a duel to prove herself. Erika? Will you be my Maid of Honour?”

“Yes!” Erika shouted, leaping at the offer as a giddy smile broke over her face. She lunged past Visquez and wrapped Sabrina in a hug, unconcerned about how she was basically draped across Visquez’s lap now. “Oh this is going to be amazing! You are going to have such an amazing wedding!” She couldn’t wait to start planning it with her friend!

Visquez coughed. “Hey uh Sabrina? Do you mind if I wear a suit to the wedding?”

Erika rolled and twisted so she was sitting on Visquez’s lap. She stared into the taller woman’s eyes. After all the etiquette and grace lessons Erika had imparted on her, and here she was saying something like that? “Visquez no! You’d look amazing in a dress!”

Visquez shot her an amused look. “But I’d look even better in a suit, trust me!”

Erika grumbled. Erika resigned herself to keep working on Visquez, mentally assigning it as one of her Maid of Honour duties but for now she’d focus on the positives.

Sabrina was marrying Brock and she, Erika, was the Maid of Honour! She gave the surrounding group of Sabrina’s friends a smug look.

Janine coughed. “Are you going to get off her lap anytime soon?”

Erika eeped and hopped back into her seat which earned a laugh from everyone. Erika blushed but allowed herself a giggle.

She couldn’t wait to start planning things out with Sabrina!

Forrest stared glumly at the television as Roxanne faced off against Brawly for the afternoon match.

There was a steely glint in the girl’s eyes while Brawly had a slightly worried look.

“Roxy please don’t do what—”

“Explosion!” Roxanne shouted manically.

Her Golem threw a fist into the air in salute before light erupted from it.

“Protect!” Brawly shouted desperately, but Forrest just shook his head. He and everyone else knew that his Hariyama was done.

With this Roxanne had just traded up. Her Golem surprised everyone with a shock entrance of Fissure, smashing aside Brawly’s Machamp before drawing out another Protect when Roxanne baited Brawly into using Protect earlier.

Fifty-fifty. That was the odds of Brawly’s Protect working and saving his pokemon.

The explosion left debris and dust wafting through the air, which was quickly extracted thanks to the fans on the side of the arena.

Slowly, everyone gained a clearer picture of the field.

Hariyama stood tall with its chest puffed out only to exhale a plume of smoke and collapse to one knee.

“Argh! Hariyama no!” Brawly called only for his pokemon to be unable to rise. Brawly sighed and returned his pokemon. When he was done praising his pokemon he looked up and locked eyes with Roxanne.

“That’s dirty pool,” he muttered.

Roxanne sniffed. “I’m not so hung up on that as I once was. It is a valid tactic that sets me up to be able to defeat your pokemon. I’m not walking my Rock types face first into your fighting types after all,” she said with a sniff.

Brawly sighed. “Damn, and I thought I was going all the way…” he muttered as he enlarged a pokeball. “Well, I’m not just giving up on my dreams of hoisting that trophy,” he stated pointing towards where the pokécup for the Indigo League stood.

“Hope you’re ready for a fight!” he called. “Let’s go! Medicham!”

“Come on out! Aggron!” she shouted, and Forrest perked up.

He wanted that Pokemon on his roster. He opened a note app on his transceiver and began jotting down his observations.

The fight was intense with Roxanne playing keep away with a pokemon that had a huge weakness to Brawly’s fighting type but she managed it well with Dig, Protect, and clever uses of Rock Throw to disrupt Medicham’s movements.

When both pokemon fell Forrest leaned forward starting to see a desperation enter Brawly’s eyes while Roxanne looked more and more comfortable.

“Go Wailord!” “Go Probopass!” shouted the two only for Brawly to do a quick about-face and return his pokemon as Roxanne swept her hand and a Sandstorm claimed the field.

Heh, Roxanne was playing this well. She just needed to keep controlling the tempo, and she had this.

Just as Brawly was about to send out his next pokemon the television went blank. “Hey! What gives?” he shouted whirling around expecting to see one of his sisters with the remote.

“Up young man! We need to spring clean!” declared his mother.

Forrest gaped at her. “What? It’s practically winter! The snow is going to come in soon, and we’ll see seasonal ice types floating around! It’s another three months before it's time for spring cleaning!”

“Well, there’s too much negative energy in this room!” His mum said as she put her fingers into a rectangle and surveyed the room. “I think we need to shift things around to make them more cozy! I’m thinking we start with a refurbishment of the carpets! We can also add a water feature or two!”

“What will those be for? Drinking from?” Forrest said thinking that she meant a water fountain.

“What? No! They will be for our pets and water pokemon!” Mum said with a disbelieving shake of her head.

Forrest gaped at her. “You do realise anything that big will not be possible in the house right? It won’t be safe for the little kids.” What did she mean by pets?

Mum waved her hand dismissively. “That’s why there will always be a pokemon ready to fish them out when they tire themselves out.”

Forrest stared at her as she hummed and drew out a measuring tape. He hadn’t wanted to start thinking badly of her.

It wasn’t her fault she should have gotten up right before the most crucial match of his life so far, which disrupted his focus. That was on him. He should have been able to recentre himself and not get thrown off.

And yet… part of him kind of felt annoyed. He should have had that match, but he’d been sloppy. His orders were on point but he’d been slow in giving them eyes drifting towards the cameras, wondering if she was watching.

Now, he realised it didn’t matter as much as she could have sat through a replay, but at the time it had nagged at him… only for him to falter before reaching the pool stage.

He’d watched from the sidelines as his friends rose above him with Misty going the furthest before falling out in the top thirty two trainers, while Ash bombed out in the top sixty four.

Thankfully for him so had Gary but that meant little to Forrest.

That could have… or rather should have—been him up there experiencing hard fights and rising to the occasion.

Now he was back home, and things were… weird.

Brock was only ever at home for breakfast and dinner. He seemed to be avoiding the place as much as possible except for when everyone else in the family was around.

Lola or mum… she was different than he remembered. They’d hugged and she’d peppered him with kisses when he walked in the door like he thought she would, but something about it just felt off.

It wasn’t until he sat down and thought about it that he realised that Mum… maybe hadn’t changed all that much and it was him that had changed.

Mum was treating him like she did when he was seven.

He was twelve now, and he’d gone on his journey. It was up to him whether he continued it, but he felt like he was at a bit of a loss for the correct choice right now.

Where was he supposed to go? What did he want to do?

It nagged at him and he felt like he needed to talk to someone about it. He glanced up at Mum as she began flipping through a magazine with different colour pallets.

“Hmmm pastel pink? No… Aquatic blue perhaps? Ooooooh neon yellow is nice!”

Forrest felt his eyes hurt just looking at the sample strip. If she seriously tried to paint the loungeroom in that, his eyes would leak out of his skull.

“Uhmmm are you allowed to do any remodelling?” he asked carefully. “This is kind of… Brock’s house legally right?”

“Oh! Don’t let that worry you! A mother always needs to touch up the nest in her family’s home!” she said, flipping to another page and holding up a much calmer colour tone. “Hmmmm.”

Forrest opened his mouth. That sort of sounded right but at the same time… it wasn’t like he would want Mum coming in and remodelling his room and she was making plans for the house by the sounds of it.

Forrest didn’t know much about construction but a water feature that could house a Starmie and a Cloyster at the same time… didn’t sound like a small addition.

“I’m going to go see what Dad’s up to,” he said, moving out of the room. His desire to watch the last few matches of the Indigo Cup now thoroughly out of mind. He scuttled out into the hallway before darting around in search of Dad.

He found only Nanny Gran and Munchlax in the kitchen, the pair making bread rolls together. Munchlax had a bowl of vegetables next to him to help him stay focused.

“Seen Dad?” Forrest asked.

Munchlax pointed into the garden while Nanny Grav pointed towards the laundry.

Forrest decided to peek out of the window, and he was surprised when it turned out Munchlax was right. “Thanks,” he called as he ducked outside to find Dad checking the grill that covered the water feature in the front yard.

“Lileep, let go of the grill for a second, and I’ll let you back in the water!” Dad muttered as he wrestled with the grass type as it tried to keep its roots in the water.

“Hey uhmmm dad? Mum’s talking about remodelling the loungeroom,” he said.

Dad stiffened. “Oohhh Lola, noo. Not again!” he said standing. “Thanks for the heads up, I’ll give her something else to do.”

Forrest opened his mouth, about to ask Dad for some advice, only to miss his chance. Forrest slumped and stared at the ground as the sounds of a… disagreement started to build up within the house.

Forrest pursed his lips. Well, he certainly wasn’t going back in the house now. He shifted. What was he supposed to do now?

He must have stared for too long as a gentle nudge alerted him to the fact that the Lileep had crept up on him and started prodding him.

“Hey, I’m fine just… heavy thoughts,” he muttered, giving the pokemon a few pats before making his way towards the reserve. At least there he could work up a sweat or think a bit more without the sound of his parent’s arguing.

It was weird hearing them argue… even if it was just his Mum making loud dramatic noises in protest to Flint simply stating things to her.

He could never quite hear what his dad said but it may as well have been grand announcements or rejections sometimes with how Mum acted.

Or was that wrong?

Forrest wasn’t sure. He was honestly worried and a bit anxious and… he kind of wanted to stay away from the house until things settled down.

Except he wasn’t sure how long that would take.

Forrest paused. Was that why Brock was staying away so much?

Forrest rubbed at his head. This was all so screwed up!

Forrest kept walking, only for a familiar rumble to make him stiffen. He turned to look behind him just in time to see Backpack the Geodude leaping at him with her arms extended wide.

“No! It’s not training time!” he shouted only for Backpack to lock onto him and clinch her arms.

“Geo Geo Dude!” she shouted, nudging him with her body and urging him to run.

“Backpack no!” he said, trying to wrest her off his shoulders.

Sadly, he didn’t manage it. He sighed, and more for old-time sake than any actual desire, he started jogging.

It was… weirdly easier than he remembered. “Have you lost weight?” he asked only for Backpack to gasp in shock and thump him like he’d offended her. “What? I’m just saying you feel lighter than usual!”

Geodude looked at him like he was stupid only for Forrest to scoff and ignore it. The joke was on her! He was used to getting such looks from Pikachu and Misty… alright now that he thought about it, it wasn’t that good of a brag.

Thank goodness he hadn’t said it out loud.

Forrest was just starting to pat himself on the back when Sabrina walked around the corner from the plateau. She gave Forrest a bemused smile and Forrest stiffened.

Oh no. Had she?

Sabrina nodded.

They stared at each other for a moment and then she kept walking, leaving Forrest to despair.

She absolutely had heard that.

“I did,” she called over her shoulder.

“You could have said you didn’t!” he turned to shout back at her. Sabrina just laughed.

“Huh? Forrest? What brings you out here?” Brock said from up above.

Forrest glanced up and found Brock to be sitting on the ledge of the plateau rather than in the training area.

“Oh, uh, hey Brock?” he said nervously.

Brock hummed and looked Forrest over, which caused Forrest to straighten up a little. “You look like you’re carrying Backpack pretty easily there. You must have gotten stronger.”

Forrest blinked. “Oh… you think?” he asked, glancing back at the Geodude on his shoulders.

“Yup! I’ve been having Backpack do some training to have her as a reserve for Izumi. She’s doing good work and has put on about five kilograms or so of muscle.”

“Oh.” Now it made sense why she’d been upset when Forrest had asked if she’d lost weight.

Brock patted the ledge next to him. “Want to come up?”

Forrest nodded. He took a moment to map out the good hand holds before he launched himself off the ground, scrambling up.

When he was sitting next to Brock he got a look from his older brother. “You know I was going to suggest Selene levitates you up, but it seems you’ve gotten better at climbing as well,” he said.

“Huh. I must have,” Forrest said, realising how last year he would have struggled with a climb like that, especially with Backpack still holding onto him. Or he would have insisted on wearing a safety harness.

“I… huh weird.” Forrest stared at his hands only to look up and out over the reserve. “I don’t feel any different.”

“Eh, that’s how most things change. Slowly at a natural rate so much so that you don’t notice them.” Brock clapped Forrest on the shoulder. “We’ll do a session with Trixie and compare times and lifts from last time you were here. Trust me, you’ll be surprised.”

“Huh,” Forrest had to admit he was almost looking forward to it now. “I kept up your training plan you sent me… along with the meditation practice.”

“Good work, been able to link up with any of your pokemon just yet?”

“Not yet but I can feel something with them… sometimes. I’m not like Ash or Misty.”

“Eh, run your own race little brother,” Brock said with a shrug. “You’re doing it faster than I managed.”

Forrest blinked. “Really?”

Brock just nodded. Forrest played with that thought for a while before remembering why he’d come out here. “Mum was being…”

“A handful and a half?” Brock prompted, causing Forrest to nod.

“Yeah. Is that why you stay out so often?”

Brock sighed. “Yeah. She’s… difficult to deal with. I’m hoping she’ll calm down a bit but she’s very… erratic with her moods.”

“She was thinking about renovating the loungeroom.”

Brock drew in a deep breath only to let it out explosively. “Of course she was. I should go check on that.”

“Dad’s got it handled,” Forrest replied, causing Brock to frown for a moment.

“Hmmm, I’ll trust him to handle it then. Best I check in with him later though,” mused Brock.

Forrest nodded slowly. “Hey, Brock… What did you do when you lost your first tournament?”

“Hmmm? Oh, well I did that during my journey so I had plans in place to keep me moving. Even when I lost in the Indigo Cup, I had plans to go straight into the Orange Island League, so I just didn’t let myself stop and dwell on it too much. I only got to attempt one tournament in Hoenn before coming back here and then… well busy is an understatement to that time.”

“Think I should do that? Keep moving?” Forrest said.

Brock shrugged. “Don’t know, but it’s up to you. If you want a break, take a break. If you want to keep going, then keep going. Work out what you want.”

“What I want?” Forrest repeated to himself.

Brock just nodded, and for the next twenty minutes they sat in companionable silence.

It wasn’t until later that he started messaging Ash and Misty that he decided he’d join them on their trip around the Orange Islands. Ash was hoping to wrap that up as most people who had taken part in the Indigo Cup were heading towards the new Battle Frontier, which meant the Orange League would be more accessible.

Forrest liked that idea. He even suggested they check out the Shamouti festival in a month, before Ash asked him who he thought was going to win the final of the Indigo cup.

It was Roxanne against a guy called Gio.