Chapter 8: Awkward Homecoming

Being back in the town I grew up in felt strange. Aquacorde didn't have a Pokémon gym and neither did Vaniville, the neighboring town. It was always quiet here because trainers had no reason to come here. Santalune having a gym and one of the most well-known trainer schools, Aquacorde was just a small quiet place filled with would-be trainers.

            That was before. Now, I barely recognized the place. The street was as packed as any boulevard in Lumiose City. Trainers and battling fans could be seen everywhere with their Pokémon.

Cassandra stood by the gas pump, refilling the tank. Taylor was next to her rambling about something she saw on the drive over that was apparently the most amazing thing ever. Sitting next to her was her Absol. Abby looked at me with a blank look then turned back to whatever she was staring at. Ian was in the store, “collecting supplies" as he claimed. I stayed in the car, tapping my foot to a rock song playing on the radio with Sparks in the back seat.

            Taylor appeared at the window. “Hey, Aunt Maya, did you really grow up here?"

            I stretched as best I could in the car seat. Even after sitting  there for so long, I didn't feel sore. I guess I was just used to sleeping in odd positions after so long sleeping in cars, cramped tents, and crappy hotel beds. “Don't call me that. And what are you talking about?"

            “But you are my aunt. Whatever. You just don't seem like a 'small-town' kind of girl."

            “Yeah, because at thirteen you know sooo much about people."

            Taylor gave me a sour look and went back to Cassandra. “What's her problem? She's been like this since we left."

            “Just ignore her," Cassandra said. “Maya tends to get…prickly when she's in a bad mood."

            “Would it kill her to at least smile?" Taylor grumbled. “She got to meet her long, lost niece. I thought she'd be happier."

            “Maya hasn't had a lot of reasons to smile the last couple of years. First her brother disappears, then her parents get divorced, then she loses her closest friends. Honestly, becoming Champion and founding Beacon are the only two good things in her life."

            Sparks barked and stuck his head out of the window.

            “Sorry, Sparks," Cassandra said. “You're a good thing in her life, too. But, really, you're trainer needs a shrink."

I sighed and got out the car. “You do know I can hear you?"

            “So?" Cassandra said. “Anyway, you seem to be in a nastier mood than usual. What's on your mind?"

“I haven't been home in 10 years, and I guess I'm a little nervous."

            “Why would you be nervous?" Taylor asked.

            I sighed. There was no getting around it, so she might as well hear it now. “I promised I was never coming home until I found Bryce. After I put the search on hold—I don't know, I guess I was just embarrassed. I couldn't go home empty-handed." I was also worried about Taylor. She reminded me too much of me; young and naïve. She had her hopes up thinking she was going to find the other half of herself and get the answers she wanted. I just hoped she didn't get rejected and have her whole world crash around her.

            “You became the Pokémon League Champion," Cassandra said. “I think your mom would be proud of you."

            “You forget my mom didn't want me to be a trainer in the first place."

            At that moment, Ian came back carrying bags stuffed with potato chips, candybars and other sweets. “Since someone"—he shot a disapproving look at Cassandra—“forgot to pack snacks for the road trip. I decided to do prepare for the trip back. I think I went a bit overboard." He dropped the bags in the back seat. Taylor immediately began digging through them. “I can't believe I get to see your hometown, Sensei."

            “What is it with everyone calling me things I don't like?" I asked.

            “I can think of other things they can call you," Cassandra replied, grinning.

            I gave her the finger and turned to Ian. “You've traveled most of the region and you've never been to Aquacorde?"

Ian shrugged. “There's no gym or trainer school, and the closest town to it is Vaniville which is where people go to retire. There's no reason to go to Aquacorde."

I turned to Taylor. “Speaking of going, why didn't you just go to Aquacorde? It can't be that hard to find out where Bryce came from."

Taylor stuck her head out of the window, a piece of licorice sticking out of her mouth. “After my grandfather called my mom a slut, I didn't think they'd tell me if I showed up and asked."

Cassandra finished filling the tank and replaced the nozzle. “Okay everyone, the tank is full, so now that Maya is out of reasons to stall, we'll be going to her mother's. But first, I have to pee."

I watched Cassandra walk away to find a place with a bathroom. I started walking around the car to stretch my legs.

       After a while, Taylor got out of the car and joined me. “Huh, when you told me you were from, like, a quiet town I thought it would be…quieter," she said.

            “I haven't been back here in ten years," I said, shrugging. “Things change." It explained at lot, but even if business had picked up, it didn't explain why this many trainers would come to a place that had nothing in it.

            I stopped a trainer, a girl with short brown hair, who was walking past. “Excuse me, is there a convention or something happening?"

            The trainer looked confused at first, but then her eyes widened. “Ohmigosh! You're Maya Martin, aren't you?"

            “Sorry. My name is Maya Brown. But don't worry about it; I get confused with the Champion a lot." It wasn't a complete lie. Brown was my mother's maiden name, but I hoped this trainer didn't know that. Already people were stopping and staring and whispering to each other. The last thing I needed was for a mob of people to make a big deal out of this.

            The trainer looked disappointed. “B-But you have a Manectric."

            “A lot of people use Manectric. And I'm not a trainer; he's just a pet." I felt the look Sparks gave me at being called a pet. Since he was retired, he kinda was a pet now.

            “That's true. I'm sorry; you just really look like her," her voice sounded drained like a child who found out they weren't getting dessert. “Anyway, there's no convention or anything. I just found out that Champion Maya grew up here and wanted to check it out. I think a lot of people are here hoping to meet her."

            I looked at Ian who shrugged. My stomach knotted. Knowing about me being Champion was one thing, but where I grew up was not public record. I turned back to the trainer. “Why do you care so much where the Champion lived? She's a nobody."

            The trainer looked at me as if I just slapped her. “Maya Martin is not a nobody! She rose up from nothing to became one of the most powerful trainers in the region. It's because of her that I didn't give up being a trainer."

            Ian jumped in before I could say anything. “So, Champion Maya inspired you to keep training?"

            “People say a lot of things about her, but it never slowed her down," the trainer said smiling. “She's a total badass. I saw that video of her battling three Pokémon at once and totally holding her own. Unbelievable."

            “I know!" Taylor added. She threw a sly smile my way. “I really hope I can become as good a trainer as her one day."

            “Anyway, thank you for your time," I said, pushing Taylor away. It wasn't until the trainer walked away that I finally relaxed.

            “That was kinda rude," Taylor said. “You couldn't let her think she met the Champion?"

            “Ex-Champion," I corrected. “And you saw how many people were out there. That crowd would've swarmed us." I turned to Ian. “When the hell did I become so popular?"

            “Probably when Sharon challenged you on TV," Cassandra replied. I had no idea when she came back, but she scared the shit outta me. “Since you're so secretive about everything, it's made trainers want to know even more about you."

            “And after I battle her it's only going to get worse," I sighed.

            Cassandra shrugged. “That's the price you pay to become Champion."

            “Well, I think it's awesome," Taylor said proudly. “My aunt is not only the League Champion, but she's an inspiration to trainers like me."

            I rolled my eyes and didn't comment. This wasn't what I had in mind when I chose to become Champion. I just wanted to prove I was the strongest, not become anyone's hero. We got back into the car and drove the few extra blocks to my mom's apartment. I quickly walked inside before anyone else could recognize me.

            My mom's apartment was on the first floor. I reached to knock on the door and hesitated. “Hey, Taylor, no matter what happens, I want you to know that I'm glad I met you."  

            “Ugh. Now you're getting sappy on me? I think I liked you better when you were mean."

            I smiled and knocked on the door of my mom's apartment on the first floor. The door opened and a man I'd never seen before appeared. He was slightly muscular from either trying to get back in shape or starting to let go. He had a kind face but strong brown eyes. He had the air of a trainer about him, but he also struck me as the wise old man who sat on his porch and gave everyone free advice.

            The man's eyes lit up at the sight of me. “Champion Maya Martin? I'm so glad to finally be meeting you. I've heard so much about you."

            Ex-Champion. “Actually, I'm not the Champion. I just look like her," I said slowly. “I'm looking for Cadence Brown, but I seem to have the wrong apartment. Sorry to bother you."

            “No, you have the right place." The man held out his hand. “My name is Greg. It's a pleasure to meet you. You're here to see your mother, Cadence, right? She talks about you all the time. Not a lot of people know she's the Champion's mother. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone. I understand the need to keep a low profile. Things have suddenly became crazy these last few days."

            I shook Greg's hand more out of reflex than actual politeness. “Right. Uh, Greg, is my mother home?"

            Greg stepped to the side to let us in. “Oh, right. So sorry about that. Yes, come in."

            I walked inside. The place definitely had a cozy feel to it. Even though I never been here before, the place felt like home. I half-expected to see something of Bryce's sitting somewhere almost like a makeshift memorial, but there was nothing.

            “Hi, I'm Cassandra, that's Ian, this is Taylor, and the Manectric is Sparks," Cassandra said as we came in.

            “Cassandra, huh? You wouldn't happen to be Cassandra Knowling, would you?"

            “Yes, I am. I'm surprised you know that. I guess you heard about me from my folks?" Cassandra was polite, but there was tension in her voice.

            Greg didn't react. “I never met your parents, but I do know a lot about The Nine. Every trainer who wants be someone knows about Cassandra and the Copycat Lucario."

Taylor grabbed me and shook me. “Hold on. Are you saying that she's the Cassandra? I just thought she had the same name. I never thought they were the same person! OMG! I cannot believe this! I know two of the, like, most famous trainers in the region!"

            “Then get it put on a t-shirt and let go of me!" I said, prying myself from Taylor's deathgrip. I turned to Ian and saw he had a big grin on his face. “What're you smiling at?"

            “I'm just grateful two bigshots found time for a nobody like me," Ian said.

            “Dude, you are not a nobody," I said firmly. “And don't let anyone try to tell you otherwise."

Ian nodded and turned to Gred. “So, Greg, you're a fan of Pokémon battling?" Ian was a little tense. He probably feared Greg would recognize him as Vance's son. On the drive over, Ian told us how is dad was the famous “Flash of Kalos" famous for his unbelievably fast Pokémon. I was still surprised I didn't see it when I first saw him.

            “I'm more than a fan. I'm a trainer," Greg said proudly.

            I spun around so fast, it made my neck hurt. “What? You're a trainer?" Seriously, Mom? After all that shit you gave me about being a Pokémon trainer, you go out and date one?

            “I've been happily training Pokémon for over twenty years," Greg said. “I would love it if we could spar some time. It's not everyday you get a chance to face-off against a Champion."

            Before I could respond, I heard my mother's voice from the other room. “Greg, who are you talking to?" She walked in and froze. She looked exactly as I remembered her although a little older. She had some wrinkles and a little grey in her brown hair, but she still had that same confident air about her whenever she entered a room.

            “Hi, Mom," I said.

            My mom rushed toward me with a huge smile on her face. I braced myself for the crushing hug coming. I was pretty sure I heard one of my ribs break as she wrapped her arms around me. “Maya, it's really you," she whispered, her voice breaking.

            “Yes, it's me. I'm sorry I haven't come by sooner."

            Mom let go so I could breathe again. “Don't worry about it. I know Pokémon trainers need to travel and all that." She looked over my shoulder at Cassandra and Taylor. “Cassandra? I haven't seen you in so long. How are you?"

            “I'm good, Ms. Brown," Cassandra said. “You holding up okay?"

            “I'm fine. Thank you for asking. Who're your friends?"

            Ian waved. “Hello, Ms. Brown. I'm Ian Doyle."

Taylor was half-hidden behind Cassandra, looking ready to run at any moment. I sighed and walked over to them and pulled Taylor out into the open.

            “This is Taylor. She's—" Taylor gripped my arm and gave me a pleading look. “—She's a friend."

            “It's nice to meet you Taylor," Mom said. “And it's nice to meet you, too, Ian. So how long have you and Maya been dating?"

I ignored Cassandra laughing into her hand behind me and said, “Ian's not my boyfriend. He's my student."

“Oh. Sorry about that." It was clear in her voice she was disappointed. She turned to Sparks. “And I didn't forget you Sparks. Has Maya treated you well?"

            Sparks barked happily in response. Mom scractch under his chin and turned to me.

            “I would love to see Dust whenever you have a moment. I bet he's gotten much bigger now." She turned to Greg, and I tried to keep my face neutral. “What did you say he would evolve into again?"

            “They're called Flygon," Greg said. “They're a ground-and-dragon-type that's very popular with trainers, especially since they know it's the chosen Pokémon of a Champion." He turned to Ian. “You said your last name is Doyle?"

            Ian had a look on his face like he was caught sneaking desert before dinner. “I…yes, sir. My father is Vance Doyle."

            Greg laughed. “Just 'Greg' is fine. You know, I actually knew you're old man. We used to spar together, but we lost touch over the years. I can't believe he had a kid. How is he?"

            “He's fine," Ian said tonelessly.

Greg took the hint and dropped the subject. Taylor stared at everyone, her eyes wide and bright. I rolled my eyes at her. We all sat down in the living room. I sat closest to Taylor so I could talk to her.

            “What's up with you?" I whispered. “I thought the whole point of this was to meet your family."

            “I just want to kinda ease into it," Taylor whispered back. “You can't just drop a bomb on your mom like that."

            I rolled my eyes. “Fine, I'll tell her when the time comes." Turning to my mom, I asked, “So how did you two meet? The last time we spoke, you didn't mention a boyfriend."

            “And I'm sure you've had plenty of dates I don't know about," Mom replied. She smiled and took Greg's hand. “As for how we met, well, it's because of you actually."

            “What did I do? I haven't been back here in years."

            “I know. It's just that when you told me you became Champion, I told everyone who would listen, and the whole town just got so excited. Once word got around that the Champion came from Aquacorde, trainers started swarming this place."

            “That's what drew me here, and how I met Cadence," Greg added. “Everywhere you go in town, people are like 'Champion Maya used to shop here,' or 'This is where she used to eat.' It's gotten a lot more vibrant the last few days. Probably due to your upcoming match against Sharon."

            “So, I turned the town into a tourist site?" I groaned.

            “Don't be like that," Mom said. “You saved a lot of businesses. The Morgans were going to close their restaurant if it weren't for you."

            I got she was trying to make me feel better, but it wasn't working. My life growing up wasn't terrible (other than the neighborhood kids teasing me about not being a legacy), but I was a nobody. Just another kid running around with ideas of being a bigshot trainer. There were plenty of other kids who were way more popular and probably grew up to be someone important. The idea of people leeching off my success just didn't sit well with me. They didn't help me with the thousands of hours of training or the late nights of planning strategies, so why should they get the benefits?

            “Although I'm surprised you never mentioned you know the Knowlings, Cadence," Greg said. “Your daughter is the League Champion, and you know the most powerful fighting-type trainers in the region. You did really good for a woman who can't even throw a Poké Ball."

            Mom smiled and playfully pushed him. “You're never going to let me live that down, are you?" I recognized that smile. She had this sort of strained, overly-polite smile whenever she was nervous. “Is anyone thirsty? You girls had to drive a long way to get here, right?" She headed for the kitchen before anyone could answer.

Greg turned to me with a  confused look. “Did I say something wrong?"

“Our families have been friends for a long time," Cassandra explained. “Veronica helped Ms. Brown cope with the divorce and Bryce disappearing. Then Ms. Brown helped her after my brother died, but since Veronica blames Maya, things between them have been awkward."

“Who's Bryce?"Greg asked.

Cassandra snapped her mouth closed and turned to me. I didn't know what to tell her. I didn't even know Greg existed until this morning. Sparks sat stiffly on the floor. Ian and Taylor became interested in their nails.

Mom came back in, carrying several glasses filled with what I assumed was soda. She passed out the glasses then sat down. “Okay, so where—why's everyone so quiet?"

We all sat there, holding our glasses and refusing to look at her.

Greg spoke first. “Cadence, who is Bryce?"

Mom looked at me. I quickly pointed at Cassandra who slapped my hand away.

Mom sighed and sat her glass on the table. “Bryce was my son. He was a trainer, too. One day he left, and we never heard from him again."

“I'm so sorry," Greg said. He placed a hand on her knee. “No one likes to talk about it, but sometimes Pokémon training can be dangerous."

“I tried explaining that to Maya, but she just wouldn't give up the idea her brother was still alive."

I gripped my glass. Don't react. Just let it go. “Someone had to do what you wouldn't," I mumbled.

“I never gave up on Bryce," Mom snapped. “But I had another child to think about."

I laughed although I didn't find anything funny. “Really? You were thinking of me? I guess the arguing, and the divorce, and banning me from my dream were for my benefit?"

“You really thought I would be okay with you running off to who knows where?" Mom half-shouted. “I lost your father and your brother, and you thought I would be okay with losing you too?"

I was on my feet. Change the subject. This isn't why you came here. “You weren't losing anyone! I left to bring Bryce back!"

“That is why I didn't want you to go!" Mom was on her feet now. “Anything could've happened to you, but you couldn't accept that your brother was gone!"

“Hey, maybe we should—" Cassandra began.

“The rangers weren't looking for him!" I cried. “You and Dad knew it, but you just accepted it and moved on!"

“What were they supposed to do? They didn't even know where to look!"

Greg stepped between us. “Cadence, please."

Mom stepped around him, still glaring daggers at me. “You say it like you could've done a better job, but you never found anything, either!"

Sparks licked and nuzzled my hand, and I pushed him away. “At least I tried! I didn't just sit on my ass and drink myself into a hole!"

My mom's face was turning red. “Would that have made you feel better? If I just abandoned you and ran off to go look my son?"

“Might as well have. You weren't paying much attention to me anyway."

I saw in my mother's face my response hit a sore spot. I wanted to feel happy knowing I got in a good one, but instead I wished I had just kept my mouth shut.

Cassandra stepped between us. “Okay, you've gotten some things off your chests, but let's not forget that this is supposed to be a happy moment." She turned to me with a strained smile. “You haven't seen your mom in years. Do you really wanna do this now?"

I turned and headed for the door. “Coming here was a mistake." I pushed past her toward the door. When I reached the doorway, I stopped and added, “Oh, and Taylor is Bryce's daughter. Unlike you, I'm not ready to throw my family away and get a new one."

I left the apartment. Sparks followed, but no one else did. My mind felt hazy as I walked down the street. People and buildings seemed to glide past me. I didn't want to think about the fight, but it kept replaying in my mind. What I said was harsh, and uncalled for. Mom held on the longest. She even tried to get back with Dad once, but it didn't work.

I wandered the streets until my feet started to hurt then I found a place to sit down. I realized my rest stop was the same little café I used to visit when I was a kid. Sometimes Bryce would bring me here for ice cream then it became my hideaway when my parents got into one of their nastier arguments. I had to smile at how I wandered back here.

“Maya, is that you?" a voice said.

That voice sounded familiar and yet it wasn't. I sighed and put my head on the table. Can I just go five fucking minutes without someone recognizing me? I turned around to see a tall man standing behind me. I didn't recognize him, but I did recognize the Raichu he had with him. It was the same Raichu from Tyrese's mother's days as a contest idol. The dark-orange fur on the rodent-like Pokémon seemed to shine from the amount of care spent on it although now it looked a little rougher. Tyrese's mother called the Raichu Sparkles (which he seemed to hate), but we all called him Volt behind her back. Volt smiled at me and waved its thin tail with a ligtning bolt on the end.

            “Tyrese?" I asked. Obviously he looked a lot older since I hadn't seen him since we were eleven. His face was hidden behind a thin beard which was why I didn't recognize him at first. He was a lot taller, too. He would tower over me even if I was standing up. When we were kids, he had this smug air about him. Now, he was more mellowed out, but he still carried himself with confidence.

            Tyrese smiled. “Yep, it's me! Hey, Maya. You look good. How's it been?"

            Great. Of all the people to run into out here. “I've been busy," I said flatly.

            “Yeah, I bet. Being Champion and all."

            “Ex-Champion."

            “Not according to Sharon. Anyway, you remember my mom's Raichu? Well, actually, he's my Raichu now." He patted the Raichu's head. “He decided to join me when I started my League Challenge."

            I raised a brow at him. “Your mom actually let you use her prized Raichu for battling?"

            “She didn't have much of a choice," Tyrese replied with a small chuckle. “When we used to battle as kids, it turned out Volt here really liked it. He started refusing to do contests and challenging other Pokémon in the neighborhood to battle. He especially took a liking to Mrs. Knowling's Lucario. It's a shame she kept kicking his ass. When I left for my League Challenge, he followed me and wouldn't take no for an answer."

            “I bet your mom took that news well."

            Tyrese chuckled. “She's still pissed about it. Not that anyone cares anymore." He pulled up a seat and sat down. I did my best not to look annoyed. “So how are things with you? I hear you started a Pokémon sanctuary."

            “I didn't realize people knew about that," I said in the same flat tone. I was trying not be bitter, but I couldn't help it. Tyrese and I were never friends. He and his friends called me names, made fun of Dust, and kept challenging me to unfair battles. Most of our interactions ended in punches thrown and someone running home crying. And I wasn't in the mood to talk to begin with.

            Tyrese chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head. Volt and Sparks were picking up on the vibe because they refused to look our way.

“Hey, Maya, I just wanna say I'm sorry for what an asshole I was when we were kids," Tyrese said. “I was dealing with my own problems—and I know it's no excuse—but it was just easier to take it out on you. I'm really sorry about that."

            I shrugged and looked away. “Is that supposed to make me feel better?"

            “I know 'sorry' isn't really good enough, but I was just a kid."

            “And so was I," I snapped. “Growing up, I hated you. You made me feel like I was nothing, like I didn't belong. And now because I became Champion and the town is vibrant and happy, suddenly knowing Maya's okay."

            “You being Champion has nothing to do with my apology," Tyrese said firmly. “I mean it. I was angry because my mom was paying more attention to Volt than me. Taking my frustrations out on you was not okay. I just wanted you to know that."

            I refused to look at him or respond. I had stopped caring about Tyrese and his friends picking on me. All their taunts about me being trash and never becoming a good trainer, and I became the Champion.

            “Well, whatever. Like you said, we were kids," I said before walking away.

Tyrese jogged up next to me. “So, how long are you going to be in town for? Maybe we could catch up if you have some free time. Y'know, start over and maybe be friends?"

I stopped and looked at him. “Are you seriously hitting on me?"

“No, no, I just wanted to make up for being a dick all those years ago. I won't lie: you are attractive, but I kinda shot any chance I might've had a long time ago."

“You got that right. But why do you have to be friends with me? Isn't the apology good enough?"

Tyrese started playing with his hands. “Damn. You've gotten real paranoid over the years. But now that you mention it, I kinda run a small youth outreach program. Y'know teach trainers-to-be the ins and outs of Pokémon training before they get their license. They would love a chance to hear some advice from a Champion." He then quickly added. “But that has nothing to do with my apology. I really am sorry."

“Ex-Champion. And I'll think about it. I got a lot on my plate right now." I had no intention of going. I wasn't about to pass on my bad habits to the next generation.

“Yeah, I saw the current Champ challenge you on TV. Look, whenever you get a moment, just give me a call."

I half-listened while Tyrese gave me his number before walking away with Sparks. Is there anywhere I can go now where I can be left alone? When I came here, I didn't expect to be reminded of all the things I hated. Just for a little bit, I want to pretend my life the past couple years didn't suck.

There was hill on the outskirts of town, just before reaching Route 3. Patrick, Neil, and I used to go there and have practice battles. Our parents hated when we went up there because it bordered on the Santalune woods and some of the older kids who didn't become trainers would go there to drink.

The hill was abandoned like I'd hoped. The ground had recovered a bit from our practice matches. The fake battlefield we had created was overgrown with grass. The grass had grown long and wasn't trambled meaning no one had been here in months, maybe longer. Sparks sniffed at the ground and looked around.

Suddenly, I felt something was wrong. I turned just in time to see a torrent of water heading our way from the forest. I leapt to the side avoiding the attack and scraping my knee on the ground. Sparks jumped in front of me, growling and facing our unseen attacker.

A young woman looking about my age came running toward us through the trees. She had short dark hair that was still curly despite being wet. “Are you okay? I'm so, so sorry. I was training with my Pokémon, and I didn't see you until you walked up."

I wanted to tell the woman I was fine, but I was too busy staring at the Pokémon behind her. It was a large canine Pokémon with sky-blue fur and large purple mane. A large, deep blue crystal in the shape of a hexagon sat in the middle of its forehead. It had proud red eyes that looked at me apologetically. The Pokémon had to be a legendary Suicune, but I only ever saw artists' drawings of them. It was still amazing how accurate the drawings were. Sparks even stopped growling and stared.

The woman looked back at the Suicune then back at me and smiled. “Yeah, that's a Suicune. His name's North." She offered to help me up. “My name's Claire. And I'm really sorry about the whole 'almost hitting you' thing."

I took Claire's hand and pulled myself up. “Don't worry about it. It's not like you were aiming for me. My name's Maya, and this is Sparks."

Claire tightened her grip. “Maya, huh?"

“Before you say it, no, I'm not that Maya. I get confused with her a lot."

Claire studied my face as if deciding whether to believe me or not then eyes moved to Dust's Poké Ball around my neck. Finally, she shrugged and said, “I guess I should consider myself lucky then. I heard Champion Maya can be pretty nasty."

“I don't think anyone would be pissed about almost being drowned by a Suicune," I said jokingly. “So what were you doing in the woods anyway?"

“Practicing using North in a closed space. He uses mostly long-ranged attacks, so I need him to practice in a place where there isn't a lot of open space."

“That's pretty smart. Anyone who tries to get in close will be caught off-guard."

“Yeah, that's what I thought. My boyfriend told me not a lot of people come up this way, so I figured I could just let loose." She sighed and kicked at the grass. “I should've been paying more attention this close to city limits."

“You're not gonna stop apologizing for that are you?"

“If could've been really bad if you got hit."

“But I wasn't hit, and I'm not holding a grudge." My knee hurt from scraping it on the ground, but I figured it was better not to mention it. “Anyway, I was just looking for a place to think for a moment, so I'll let you get back to training."

“Actually, I was about to take a break anyway and have lunch. You can join me if you want; I have more than enough."

“And in return, you want me to keep my mouth shut about today's accident, right?" I asked smiling.

Claire smiled back. “If you don't mind."

Claire already had a spot set up under a tree. We sat down and started eating. She had sandwiches made and treats for her Pokémon. I didn't have much of an appetite, but I ate anyway or else Claire would think I was upset with her. Claire didn't release the rest of her team and neither did I.

Claire did most of the talking. I learned a lot about her. Her family was from Kanto and she was the first in her family to become a trainer.  Her family were mostly breeders, but she wanted to train Pokémon instead. She wanted to become the Champion in as many regions as possible and was saving her home region for last. I was curious about how she captured a Suicune, but it never came up.

Finally, I couldn't hold back anymore. “Seriously, where did you find a Suicune?"

Claire smiled. “So you do talk. I was starting to feel like I was the only one speaking."

I laughed, too. “I don't really talk much, and the last few conversations I had didn't end well. Now stop avoiding my question."

“Wow, you're a bossy one." Claire petted North's snout. He closed his eyes and leaned into her hand. “I found him in the woods badly hurt. I bandaged him up and kept bringing him food until he was strong enough to move again. But I am a trainer, and I couldn't just let this chance slip by. So, I asked him to join my team and he did."

I chewed my food and nodded in silence. She was lying. That was the same as the story I read all the time as a kid. A young trainer found a Suicune injured in the woods and nursed it back to health. The Suicune learned to trust humans again and the two became friends. Most trainers would jump at the opportunity to brag about a rare Pokémon they found. If Claire wasn't telling, it meant she found North by doing something other people couldn't know about. But if she were a poacher, she would've sold it. A rare Pokémon like Suicune was worth too much not to.

“Okay, I think we've talked about me enough," Claire said. “Now it's your turn. How'd you get your Manectric?"

“Fair enough. Sparks was my uncle's Pokémon. He's been in the family for a long time. After my uncle retired, he gave Sparks to me. Said he'd feel better knowing someone was looking out for me."

“Tell me about it. Traveling alone is rough sometimes. No one likes to admit it, but any number of things can happen to us out there. Like the trainers disappearing lately has everyone on edge."

“Wait, what?"

“You didn't know? Well, it hasn't made the news, but everyone's talking about it. It's been six trainers in the last two months. People are saying there's some kind of trainer stalker out there."

“Do you believe that?"

Claire shrugged. “No. I think these trainers just went out for training or something. The League Tournament is in a few weeks. They probably went to train somewhere in secret."

I nodded and played with Dust's Poké Ball. If someone really is going after trainers, could that be what happened to Bryce? But I never heard anything about a trainer stalker when I was looking for him. And how could anyone be taking down trainers without anyone hearing about it?

Claire's voice snapped me out of my thoughts. “That's a cool Poké Ball. I feel like I've seen it somewhere before. Where'd you get it?"

“It was a gift from my brother. I don't know where he got it, but I heard the Poké Ball emporium in Lumiose City does custom jobs."

“Yeah, my boyfriend bought custom balls for my whole team." She held up a Poké Ball with a wavy blue design on it.

“You have a nice boyfriend. You leave him back in Kanto?"

“He's from Kalos actually. He's a great guy, but sometimes I feel like he's only trying to compensate for making us keep our relationship a secret."

I raised a brow at her. “Are you sure you're his only girlfriend?" I was joking. Kinda.

Claire laughed. “He's not that kinda guy. The reason is because his family is pretty famous, and he doesn't want it to affect me."

“And how is acting like you're having an affair supposed to help?"

“You know how other trainers are. They'll start saying shit like I only got as far as I did because of his family's connections. I've seen how other people react to him. That's why I went along with it."

“People are gonna talk shit anyway. When you choose to reveal your relationship isn't gonna make a difference. Sounds to me like your boyfriend's doing it for himself."

“No offense, Maya, but you don't know him." Anger was creeping into her voice. Our Pokémon lifted their heads from their bowls.

“I know enough," I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral. “He's so afraid of what people will think, he can't admit he's in a relationship."

“People can be real assholes," Claire stated.

“Which is why you shouldn't give a fuck," I said firmly. “People will find a reason to talk shit about you, so why base everything you do around how other people will react? You don't need to advertise it, but you shouldn't be hiding it either. Who you date is your business."

Claire folded her arms across her chest. “You an expert on love now?"

I looked at her with a straight face. “I just won't let anyone tell me what I do and don't deserve."

Claire dropped her arms and her expression softened. “Sounds like you've had to deal with that a lot."

“No offense, but I barely know you. I'm not about to start rambling on about my feelings to a perfect stranger."

“It ever occur to you that maybe talking to a stranger is easier?" Claire asked. “Sometimes it's easier to talk to someone who doesn't have a clear opinion of you."

Sparks nuzzled my hand. It was clear he was urging me to talk to her. I sighed and patted his muzzle. “Fine. I came home for the first time in years, and I barely recognize the place. Everyone treats me like some sort of hero, but I'm not. I'm selfish, I take my anger out on people, and I can't seem to do anything right. I wanted to give my mom some peace of mind, and instead I…I said some hurtful things."

“Family reunion gone wrong, huh? Well, you'll make up with her eventually."

I tilted my head. “Wait, that's the only advice you got for me?"

North licked his trainer's hand. Claire scratched him under the chin. “My grandfather used to be a criminal. He used to run a breeding scam on trainers and even smuggled Pokémon. Every chance he gets, he tells us stories about all the illegal things he did. He would say: 'I'm telling you what I did wrong, so you'll get it right.' I used to wonder why my dad even still talked to him after all the things his father's done."

“Lemme guess: your father told you to always put family first no matter what?"

“No. He said anyone who regrets their actions is someone worth forgiving. I try to stand by that. My grandfather was telling me about the things he'd done so I wouldn't go down the same road he did."

“I'm not getting the moral of this story."

Claire laughed. “The point is nobody's perfect, and you shouldn't expect them to be. I'm pretty sure your mom knows you trying to do the right thing. She might be a little angry at you now, but she'll talk to you again."

I nodded and looked up at the sky. The sun was setting and painted the sky a violent orange color. The bright redness of the sky clashing with darkness of night always created a sense of calmness for me. As long as it comes from a place of love, all will be forgiven? But what if someone crosses a line they can't come back from, even if it's from a place of love? “Thanks for the advice, and the meal," I said. “Listen, it's gonna get dark soon, then the bug-types will start coming out. I'm gonna back into town."

Claire stood up and brushed off her jeans. “Yeah, I might as well get back, too. Want a lift? North can carry two. I just a minute to pack up."

“I appreciate the offer, but I think I'll walk back. I want to think some more. You need any help cleaning up?"

Claire waved me away. “Don't worry about it. Go, and think. Hope you work things out with your mom."

“Well, it was nice meeting you. You, too, North." I started the long walk home. It was dark by the time I got back home. The streets were a little quieter now. No one gave me a second glance. I thought about a lot of things on the way. Mainly what Claire had said about her grandfather. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if anyone knew about my past.

No one gave me a second glance. When I got to the building, I recalled Sparks to his Poké Ball and went inside.

            I stood in front of my mom's apartment, thinking of the best way to apologize. I reached up to knock when the door opened. Mom stood on the other side of the doorway. Her face was still wet from crying and her eyes were puffy.

            “Mom, I—"

            She wrapped her arms around me. “Maya, I am so sorry. Cassandra told me everything. You were still holding on to everything all this time. You were so strong I just assumed you had moved on."

            I returned the hug. “I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean what I said."

            We went inside and went to the kitchen, passing by Ian asleep on the couch.

“Cassandra and Taylor are in the spare room," Mom whispered. “They wanted to wait until you got back, but I think they were all tired after such a long drive. We set up a cot for you in the other room when you're ready."

In the kitchen I sat at the table while my mom got us glasses of water. It wasn't until I sat down that I realized how tired I was. Sitting in the middle of the table was an old book. I almost laughed when I saw that same ugly Purrloin-shaped clock on the wall. It was the only thing in the apartment that came from the house. It was then I realized that she had been burying her feelings too.

I looked at the book on the table. Most of the pages had turned yellow with age and were falling out. The faded words Rules of a Trainer were written on the cover.

            I groaned at the sight of the old book. “You still have that?"

            Mom touched the cover, staring at it like it were priceless. “Of course. I remember how you and your friends were always carrying this thing around. I was surprised you left it behind."

            “I didn't want it to get messed up." I was shocked I could say that with a straight face.

            “Well, I used to read it when I was wondering if you were okay. The things you and your friends wrote in this book. It showed me just how much being a trainer meant to you."

            It was supposed to make me feel better, but it was more of a gut punch. I wondered how she would react if she knew about how I acted during the early years of training or why I stepped down from being Champion.

            “Listen, can we finish this in the morning?" I asked, hoping to avoid another awkward conversation. “It was a long drive here, and I'm pretty tired."

            “Sure. We can talk in the morning. The guest room is the second door on the right."

            “Got it. I'll finish drinking this and head to bed. Good night."

The moment Mom left, I started leafing through the book. We were just kids when we made up half of those rules, but I agreed with some of them. It sounded like what the ideal trainer should be. Always being kind to Pokémon, always remembering they were friends, always enjoying Pokémon battles. Looking back, I wondered how many of those rules I actually followed over the years. I feared there were times I crossed the line with my Pokémon but always talked about the kind of trainer I didn't want to be. Was I actually being that trainer, or was it just self-righteous bullshit? I thought back to my first reaction to seeing Sharon on TV. What right did I have to decide what kind of trainer she was based on her appearance? She didn't act like a trainer, but I couldn't tell someone how to look like one.

            I looked up when I heard someone walking in and saw Cassandra. I looked at the Purrloin-clock on the wall and noticed I had been up all night.

            “Hey, Maya, I just wanted to say I'm real sorry for yesterday," Cassandra said.

            I closed the book and slid it off the table into my lap. “Don't be. We're were gonna wind up arguing anyway. I inherited my mom's stubbornness. Even when I was young, we butted heads a lot. I guess I sometimes forget it's coming from a place of love."

            “Doesn't it always?" Cassandra went to the fridge and pulled out a jug filled with tea. She poured herself a glass then sat down at the table. “If your parents tell you what not to do, it means they care what happens to you." She leaned back in her seat and looked at the wall. “I don't remember seeing you go to bed. You were up all night?"

            “Been thinking about stuff. Y'know, I have about two days before my match with Sharon. I could use a sparring partner to make sure my team is in-shape."

            Cassandra nodded. “I can do that. So you're really going through with it?"

            “I kinda have to. You saw what it's like here. Everyone is so proud of me. If I turn down a battle request from a Champion, they'll think I'm stuck up. But I still don't care if I win or lose. I'll give it everything I got, but I'm done treating every battle as if my life depends on it."

            “I was actually talking about all that you stuff you said before about challenging The Nine and accepting the invitation to the Battle Chateau. League Champion, Grand Duchess, one of The Nine. You do realize holding all three of those titles will make you the most powerful trainer in the region? You sure you can handle that kind of weight?"

            I shrugged. “What weight? I just wanna battle the strongest trainers; I don't care about the titles."

            Cassandra leaned back in her seat, her face serious. “Y'know, I said the same thing when I decided to travel the world and challenge the most powerful fighting-type trainers. I was only doing it to piss off my parents. Next thing I knew, people were saying I was one of The Nine and I was getting so much attention."

            “Is that why you choose to hide yourself in the middle of the woods?" I asked. “I know you care about Beacon, but I can tell you're bored."

            “I realized that once you stand at the top, there's always going to be someone wanting to knock you off. I just wanted to prove to Veronica that I was a good trainer, and Lucien wasn't a mistake. I realized I shouldn't take the crown if I didn't want to wear it. Now I'm stuck with a title and a reputation I never wanted. Lucien doesn't even like battling. He only did it because I wanted to."

            She leaned forward and looked me in the eye. “You should think about what you're battling for and why you're doing it. What will you do when you become the strongest?"

            I never thought about it. Becoming Champion was about fulfilling a promise. Every time I battled it was because I had something to prove or something to earn. Whoever challenged me always had a reason. No one battled just for fun anymore. I was always told Pokémon were friends and not tools, but was battling just to further an agenda any different than treating them like tools?

            I ran my hand over the worn cover of the book in my lap. What are my Pokémon to me? I stood up and went to grab my Poké Balls. “Cassandra, can you come with me?"

            Cassandra quietly followed me outside. I wanted to go back to the hill, but it was too far away so I found a quiet side street and released my whole team. They looked around confused and turned to me.

            “I want to ask you all something. All these years we've been battling, I've pushed you to your limits and made you travel with me. But I wasn't battling for fun; I was doing it for my own selfish reasons. I know I haven't been the nicest trainer—"

            “Or friend," Cassandra added.

            I sighed and gave her a you're-not-helping look. “—or friend, but I'm done asking you to battle for me instead of with me. I want to continue to battle and push our limits and see how far we can go, but I don't want to do it for fame. I want to do it because it's fun. That sound good?"

            My team looked at each other, looking more confused than ever. They spoke to each other, and although I couldn't understand what they were saying, it didn't sound good.

            “They're saying—" Cassandra began.

            I held up a hand to stop her. I didn't bring Cassandra to translate. I needed to hear their voices myself.

            Dust was the first one to answer me. He walked up to me and stopped. For a moment, we just stared at each other. I tried to figure out what he was thinking, but his eyes were blank.

            Finally, he reached out and carefully removed his Poké Ball from its chain around my neck. He turned it over in his claws then pressed the button in the center. The ball opened and pulled him inside and fell to the ground with a loud clatter.

            The others stared with the same blank expression. I lined up the remaining balls on the ground next to Dust's.

            Sunny flew over, said something to me in Pokémon, then pressed the button her ball. Maude came over and smiled at me with that wicked grin of hers then pressed the button on her ball. Abor walked up, followed by Aqua. They both barked excitedly before pressing the button on their balls. Sparks walked up, giving a look as if saying “Did you really need to ask?" then pressed the button on his ball.

            I turned to Dorian. He still stood there, staring. I stared back. Dorian wasn't caught until after I became Champion, so I wasn't too sure how he felt about me. After that incident with the Sylveon, I hadn't really used him in a battle, and when I did, the battles were always short.

            He walked up and sat down in front of his Poké Ball. The look in his eyes was the same one the day he first joined my team.

            “I didn't forget my promise," I told him. “And your answer won't change a thing."

            Dorian tapped the button on his Poké Ball and it pulled him inside. I smiled and started collecting my team.

“You got my back on all of this, right?" I asked.

            “Maya, you're like a little sister to me, and if I stood by you all this time, why would I leave now?" Cassandra said. “By the way, what did you promise Dorian?"

            I picked up his Poké Ball and clipped it to my belt next to the others. After making sure I wasn't crying, I faced Cassandra. “I promised I wouldn't abandon him. I wouldn't abandon any of them."

            “What would you've done if they said no?"

            I shrugged. “Can't battle without a full team."

            “So you really just based the future of your battling career on whether or not your Pokémon agreed to come with you?" I raised a brow at her and she quickly added, “I'm not judging. I would do the same thing. What I don't get is why you did it."

            I thought of the book I left in the kitchen. “I…I needed to know I earned the right to be a trainer. My Pokémon are with me because they want to be."

            “Well, I think you got your answer," Cassandra said.