Chapter 9: Before the Decisive Battle

I sighed and played with Dust's Poké Ball hanging from the chain around my neck. Why did I agree to this again? I can't even talk to my mother without it turning into a big deal. How am I supposed to talk to a bunch of kids? And what do I say to them? “Hi, kids. Don't fuck up like I did!"

            I leaned against the wall and tried to push the thoughts away. I was in this mess like it or not. I could've just not shown up, but my pride wouldn't allow it. I broke enough promises over the years; I couldn't stand to add another to the list.

            The youth center was the same as it was when I was a kid which said a lot because I hadn't been in here since I was eight. The place even had the same old-building smell. An odd sorta rotting smell of something past its prime but not quite dead. No one even bothered to at least paint the walls a different color. I wondered if they left the door unlocked. Probably since there wasn't anything in here worth stealing.

            To the left of the entrance there was a wall that had the name and handprint of every kid who had been there. Underneath our name, we wrote our dreams. Since most of us wanted to be Pokémon trainers, the word “Champion" came up a lot. It didn't take long to find my handprint. It was badly faded but still readable. Over my name and Champion, someone had scribbled “tras" in all caps. I remembered the day it happened. Everyone was pretty pissed, especially my parents. No one ever admitted to doing it although we all knew who did. I cried the whole day, and I never came inside the youth center again.

            I felt Tyrese behind me before he spoke. “I remember when Jaiden wrote that. I thought it was taking things too far. I should've said something, but seeing the way our parents reacted I was too scared to. I also remember the day you saw it and cried."

            “Didn't stop you from teasing me. Looks like someone tried to clean it off."

            “I did that. But when I saw I would erase your name, I gave up."

            “How nice of you," I said tonelessly. I turned away from the wall and faced him. “I assume you didn't call me here to redo my handprint."

            Tyrese stood there, playing with his hands as if he didn't quite know what to do with them. “I really appreciate you coming today, Maya. I honestly thought you were gonna stand me up."

            I shrugged. “I said I'd be here didn't I?"

            Tyrese chuckled nervously. “True. Growing up, you always were true to your word."

            “So where are the kids?" I asked, eager to change the subject. The past was the past. I hadn't come here to talk about what we did when we were dumb kids. I had enough shit to deal with.

            “Oh, right. They're inside the auditorium." He led me down the hall. Once we reached the door, he turned to me. “Just a quick word of warning, they already know you're coming."

            “What does that matter?" I asked as I stepped inside.

            Turned out it did matter.

            The auditorium was packed with people, most I assumed to be trainers, and a lot of them weren't even close to being a little kid. At first, I thought they were just the kids' parents, but some of them didn't look old enough to have kids. I recognized a few of them as my old neighbors. They noticed me standing there and erupted into cheers and applause.

            I slowly turned to Tyrese. “What the hell is this? You said a few kids."

            Tyrese chuckled weakly again. “I told the kids the Champion was coming, and I guess word got around."

            “I spoke to you yesterday."

“C'mon, Maya, you know how fast word spreads around here. How often do you think a Champion comes by a place like this?"

            I sighed and went inside. The crowd started cheering louder. It was just a few feet from the door to the front of the room, but it felt like miles. The screaming of the crowd sounded distant. The mic sitting at the front of the room looked like a metallic noose.

            Look at them all, my conscience said. Cheering you on. Treating you like some kind of hero. Kinda makes you wonder if anyone would be cheering for you like this if you weren't a Champion.

            Fuck you, I thought. I didn't want to have this conversation with myself, especially now. If I broke down and did something stupid, I would never hear the end of it.

            But why do you care? Are you that afraid of finding out that Tyrese and his friends were right? That you really are just trash who has no right being a trainer? You say it doesn't bother you, but I think, deep down, you still give a damn.

            I turned to the crowd, put on the biggest fake smile I could, and I dug my nails into my palm and hid my hands behind my back. “ 'Sup everybody. My name is Maya Martin, which you already know. I was told that there would only be a few kids here." I threw a nasty look at Tyrese and got a few laughs. “But I guess, I can talk to a larger crowd. I was supposed to give a few would-be trainers some advice. Honestly this can apply to some of you veterans, too."

            I felt the walls press in on me. I took a deep breath, but it didn't help. I had planned on sharing something personal. Since they were little kids and total strangers, I didn't think it was a big deal. Instead the crowd was bigger, some of them people I knew, but I didn't have anything else planned.

            Nothing else to do but to jump. I pointed at a little girl sitting in the front row. “You want to be a trainer right? Maybe one day become League Champion?"

            The little girl smiled wide enough to split her head in half. The other kids sitting near her gave her jealous looks. “Yeah. I want to be a trainer."

            “Why do you wanna become Champion?" I asked.

            The girl's smile faded a little. “I don't know. That's what trainers do."

            I nodded and pointed at an older man this time. He looked to be maybe in his late thirties. “I assume you're a trainer, sir?"

            It was clear in the man's face he was trying not to smile. The people standing next to him didn't hide their annoyance at not being singled out. “That I am. I'm still training to become Champion. If you want to know why, it's because I want to prove I'm the strongest trainer in the region."

            “Yeah, I wanna be the strongest trainer in the world!" a little boy shouted. A lot of people clapped and cheered.

            “Well, I might as well tell you now: You can forget it, kid," I said.

            The whole room quieted, and I was faced with a sea of confused looks. The walls pressed in further.

            Too deep to back out now. “Look, Pokémon battling is about more than just being stronger than your opponent. You won't get very far if you're only doing it to prove you were strong. I…My friends and I promised we would become Champions together. It was that promise that pushed me and kept me on the path. Even after…we stopped being friends"—I gripped Aqua's Poké Ball—“I wanted to keep that promise. It's what pushed me to continue on no matter what.

“It's fine to want to be strong, but why do you want to be strong? What happens when you face someone stronger than you? What about your Pokémon? Will you abandon them if they're not strong enough?"

The kid puffed out his bottom lip. “I-I don't know."

“No, I'm not talking to you," I said quickly. “I'm just saying wanting to be strong isn't enough."

“It's worked pretty well for me," the man replied, his annoyance clear.

“How long have you been a trainer?" I asked cooly. When the man blushed and turned away, I addressed the crowd. “Just wanting to be strong puts pressure on your Pokémon. You want them to be strong. They want to be strong. But what makes them strong? Why would they want to be stronger? If you can't answer that, you'll never make it far as a trainer. Pokémon training isn't about being rich and famous."

A murmur moved through the crowd. There was no clapping, no cheering, no booing, no questions. I had said what I came to say, so I walked out. When I got to the hallway, I opened my hand. There was a little blood on my palm. It wasn't anything serious, but my hand would hurt every time I used it. I walked toward the exit thinking about how my mom was going to have a fit if she saw my hand.

Tyrese appeared next to me. I avoided looking at him because I already knew he was probably pissed. “What the hell was that, Maya? I thought you were just gonna say a few things about being nice to Pokémon or at least something that wouldn't crush their dreams."

“Oh please. 'Be kind to your Pokémon' is said so often it's a damn cliché," I said. “You said those kids want to become trainers. They need to know now they need a better reason than 'being the strongest' or else they won't make it. There is more to Pokémon training and being Champion than just strength and skill. I'm not the ideal trainer, but I at least know that much."

Tyrese just stared, slack-jawed. I turned and walked out before he could think of something to say.

Cassandra, Taylor, and my mother were outside.

I raised a brow. “Uh, what are you doing here?"

“I saw the clothes you packed, and I can't let you battle the Champion with those clothes," my mom said. “Maya, I taught you better than that."

I wanted to say something, but I decided to keep my mouth shut. If my mom saw what I wore the day I battled Diantha, she would probably have a heart attack.

“Honestly, I thought my aunt had a better fashion sense," Taylor said.

“Did you do any research when you looked me up?" I asked. “Anyone who knows me knows I don't give a shit about my appearance."

“Which is why we're going clothes shopping," my mom said. She started pushing me toward the car. “The boys are having a 'guys day', so it's just us girls. We'll pick out some lovely outfits for you and your Pokémon."

I waited until we were all in the car and my mom was driving us down the street to ask, “Wait, my Pokémon are getting new clothes, too?"

“No, we're picking out new clothing ideas for your Pokémon," Cassandra answered. “I told your mom and Taylor about the fashion show."

“I think it's just the best idea ever!" Taylor squealed.

I rolled my eyes. “You are such a girl."

“I am a girl."

“Doesn't mean you need to act like one."

“Well someone in this family needs to act like a girl," my mom admonished.

“Aren't you a girl?" I asked.

Taylor snorted into her hand, and Cassandra smiled and looked out the window. My mom clenched her jaw.

“I am not a girl. I am a woman. Taylor is only thirteen, and if she wants to act like a stereotype, that's her choice."

“Thank you, Ms.—wait, what?"

I laughed. Taylor pouted the rest of the ride.

My mom drove us to Santalune City. From the boutique she parked in front of, there was a great view of the city square. I looked at the giant fountain again and thought about my battle royale with those trainers.

What the hell did those guys hope to gain from challenging me? Even if they had beaten me, three-on-one is hardly worth bragging about. If anything, they would've looked like assholes for pushing so hard for me to battle them. I froze as a thought crossed my mind. “That lying bitch!"

Everyone turned to me. “Maya, what's going on?" my mom asked.

I turned away from the square. “Nothing. Let's pick out my outfit." I felt their eyes on me as I walked past, but my mind was elsewhere. Gwendoline had set me up. I couldn't believe it took so long for me to figure it out. Those three trainers challenging me was an assassination, something I was familiar with. I was so focused on them talking shit I didn't see it.

To gain an advantage in a battle, trainers started performing what they called “assassinations." They would pay someone to challenge their rival beforehand and seriously injure a particular Pokémon so the rival couldn't use it later. It wasn't illegal since it was so hard to prove, but the League frowned strongly on it. I had been hired to perform assassinations myself, but I never resorted to it in my own battles. I thought it was odd for Gwendoline to push me battling someone so close to my match against Sharon, but now it made sense. She hoped to hurt one of my team badly enough that I wouldn't be able to use them in the upcoming battle. I doubted Sharon was in on it, but she didn't strike me as the type to be against that kind of tactic.

While my mom and Taylor poured over clothes and which one would suit me best, I planned out my battle strategy against Sharon. Before, I just wanted to win because she called me out. Now, I wasn't going to lose to her, period.

Someone who was willing to resort to such a dirty trick didn't deserve to be a Champion.

****

Neil leaned back in his seat and stretched. He had no idea what to do with his newfound free time, and he was getting bored. With Noxis on probation and Garden recovering, he would be out of the battling circuit for a while. Unfortunately, training wasn't really an option either. Until Noxis was more acquainted with him and the rest of the team, there was no point in trying to train her, and Garden had done more than enough training for a while. He still helped Claire with her training, but it was still only for a few hours each day.

The problem was Neil didn't want to disappear from the training world entirely during his hiatus. He needed to keep up appearances but in a way that didn't result in a ton of turned down battle invitations. He also wanted to get his Pokémon acquainted with each other. Garden already knew most of Neil's team from her time as Patrick's Pokémon, so it was easy. Noxis was still having a hard time. She spent most of her time in her Poké Ball. When she did come out, she treated the others with suspicion except for Ember. Neil wasn't sure why, but he decided to give the Salazzle some space.

            Thankfully, he had privacy and space because Claire convinced him to stay in his parents' house while they were in Aquacorde. At first, he was against it because he didn't want Claire to stumble across any family photo albums, but he preferred that over someone getting wind of Noxis' past.

            Claire had gotten very comfortable. She spent most of the last few days exploring the town her boyfriend grew up in. Neil wished he could show her around himself, but he worried about people figuring out they were a couple. Everyone in town knew about Claire and her Articuno, Glaciel. He hadn't heard word of anyone making a big deal of them staying together, so he assumed it was under wraps. For now. The last thing Neil wanted for Claire to have to deal with some drama just before the major League Tournament, so he spent his free time indoors planning out strategies for her and her team. He went out a few times to catch up with old friends, but the town hadn't really changed much since he left. Also, he was sick of the constant reminders of Maya. Everyone was so proud of her and what she had done. Everywhere he went it was Maya this and Maya that. People treated her like some kind of hero, but they had no idea what she truly capable of.

            Sometimes Neil considered shoving the picture of the Sylveon in their faces and shouting, “See? This is your Champion!" But if he did that, the League would catch heat for it. Besides, most people probably wouldn't believe him anyway. It wasn't his job to make people see Maya for what she truly was. Tomorrow, Sharon would defeat Maya in a battle and then everyone will forget all about Maya.

            Neil looked up and saw Garden training in the yard again. Both his and Claire's Pokémon sat out there with the Breloom, watching her. With a heavy sigh, he got up and went outside. “Garden, what part of take it easy are you not understanding?"

            Garden froze and turned to her trainer. The other Pokémon suddenly became interested in the clouds.

            “Look, I know you wanna get stronger, but you'll wear yourself out. A few days of taking it easy won't kill you."

            Garden grumbled under her breath and sat in the shade of the house. Neil decided to move his research outside to better keep an eye on his Pokémon. As he went inside to gather his things, there was a knock at the door.

            Neil opened the door to be immediately assaulted by a shorter, female version of himself. “M-Mom!"

            “Hi, sweetie, we're home."

            “That's enough, you're smothering the boy," Neil's father said. “How're you doing, Neil?"

            “I-I'm fine, Dad. What are you doing here?"

            “Well, we kinda live here. What's your excuse?"

            “I mean, you're early. I came to see Mrs. Knowling about something."

            “Oh, we know. She called us. We heard about Maya's battle against Sharon and decided to come home and cheer her on," Neil's mom said. “She's like the daughter we never had; we couldn't miss this."

            If she's the daughter you never had, I'm glad to be an only child, Neil thought.

            “You seem awfully nervous. Is everything okay?" Neil's father asked.

            Before Neil could respond, Claire appeared. “Neil what's going…?" Her jaw dropped at the sight of Neil's parents. Neil wished he could crawl under a rock.

            Is it too late to ask Ember or Pyrus to set me on fire? “Claire, these are my parents, Samuel and Jocelyne Léonide. Mom, Dad, this is Claire Bedford, my…girlfriend." Neil braced himself for his mother's reaction.

            And she did not disappoint as she let out an excited squeal. “My little Neil finally has a girlfriend!"

            The heat rushed through Neil's entire face. “Mom!"

            “Okay, I think you've embarrassed him enough," Samuel said. “Neil, can you help me bring the rest of the bags in?"

            “Sure thing," Neil said quickly. He avoided eye-contact with Claire who gave him a pleading look as his mother was already dragging her away.

            Outside, Samuel said. “She's cute. Since you brought her home, I assume it's serious. If she survives your mother's interrogation, I'd consider keeping her. Have you been treating her right?"

“Yes, sir."

“And you're Pokémon are doing well?"

“Yep. Ember's actually grown a little more. Pretty soon she'll be the size of a Dragonite." Neil quickly looked around in case his Charizard was in earshot. “Don't tell her I said that. She's been a little sensitive about her weight."

Samuel laughed. “I had the same problem when Blaze started growing. Every time I told her she was making too big a deal out of nothing, your mother would tell me I was being insensitive. But back to you and your girlfriend. I assume you've been taking the necessary 'precautions', right?"

            Neil's cheeks burned again. “C'mon, Dad. I remember everything you taught me."

            “I'm just saying to be careful, Neil; it only takes one time to get a girl pregnant. So how'd you meet?"

            “I met her in a Pokémon Center," Neil said. “We were both having our Pokémon treated, and we just started talking to pass the time."

There weren't nearly as many bags as Neil thought there would be. It seemed his parents had only packed one bag each. Old habits of being a trainer, I guess. Neil pulled the bags out of the car and noticed a book sitting in the back seat. He would have ignored it, but the title caught his eyes, Rules of a Trainer: A Handbook to Being a Better Pokémon Trainer.

            “Aren't you a little too…experienced for books like this?" Neil said chuckling. “Besides, half the crap they write is impractical."

            Samuel didn't share his son's amusement. “Actually, Neil, we don't keep that book for reading. Technically, it's yours."

            “What are you talking about? I've never seen this book before."

            “That's because it's based on that old notebook you and your friends carried around as kids."

            Neil felt as if he had been punched in the gut. “What? You took the book I wrote as a kid and published it? Why haven't I heard about it until now?"

            “Probably because it hasn't been released yet," Samuel said. “That book is one of the first copies. We brought ones for Veronica and Cadence, too. It doesn't officially come out until next month. We wanted to tell you ourselves."

            Neil pinched the bridge of his nose. Just trying to wrap his head around the situation was giving him a headache. “Hold on, Dad. Are you saying you were just looking through my stuff and decided to publish the journal I kept as a kid?"

            Samuel sighed. “Let's get in the house and I'll explain."

            Neil grabbed the suitcases and carried them into the house. From by the stairs, there was a clear view of the sliding glass door which led into the yard. He peered through the back door and saw Claire and his mother sitting outside. Light was laying in his mother's lap, enjoying a belly rub. Ember and Garden also looked happy to see Jocelyne, but Sentinel clearly felt like a third wheel. Claire looked like she'd rather take another ride on Sentinel than to talk to Jocelyne.

            “C'mon, Neil. We'll take the bags upstairs," Samuel said.

            Neil turned away and followed his father, wishing he could save Claire. His father started unpacking the moment they entered the bedroom.

            “Cadence came to us one day with the notebook shortly after Veronica's son died. She said since Patrick helped work on it, Veronica might want it as a keepsake," Samuel explained. “Veronica said she wanted other trainers to live up to the ideals you listed. I won't lie, Neil, some of the things you and your friends wrote down is a little childish, but a lot of it is pretty good advice. At first we were just showing it to the younger trainers in the neighborhood. Then Veronica got the idea to publish it. Spread the word to trainers everywhere."

            “I don't get it, Dad, why were you keeping it a secret from me? I just spoke to Mrs. Knowling only a few days ago, and she never mentioned it either."

            “We weren't hiding it, Neil. We know how much that book means to you. We were gonna tell you when we saw you again. I just didn't want to get your hopes up in case the book was a flop."

            “Two trainers from well-known trainer families and a former Champion wrote a book together. Trainers would line up to buy it," Neil said.

            “You know how Veronica is. She puts her pride before anything else. She wants her son's book to stand on its own merit, not because of the name on the cover. She'll never admit it, but she's scared."

            Neil thought back to when he asked her to borrow Garden. For a brief moment he saw her true emotions. He saw her as a grieving mother, not the tough trainer and no-nonsense mother everyone knew her to be. He wondered which one was the true her and if she hid her emotions to protect her image. If I were in her situation, what would I do? “So, does Maya know about it?"

            “Not to my knowledge. Cadence recommended we not say anything. There's a mention to her son Bryce in the book. We thought it would be best to wait until the book sold before we brought it up."

            Neil sat down on the bed. A book deal may not be such a bad idea. It could be what he needed to stand out from his family; none of them had ever written a book. If the book did well, he could use it to improve his image. Let's see people talk shit after they find out I wrote the book they base their training ideals on.

            A thought crossed Neil's mind. He and his friends had written the book because they believed in being the ideal trainer. If other people read this book, would they follow the same rules?

            “So, how's your plan to become Champion going?"

            Neil snapped out of his thoughts. “Oh, I actually gave up on that. I didn't want to compete with Claire, y'know?" It was only half the truth. He also didn't want to have to battle Maya for the title. Since she stepped down, there was little chance of that happening, but he couldn't stand the idea of following in her footsteps.

            Samuel paused in removing some folded shirts from the suitcase. “You must have strong feelings for this girl." He raised a brow at his son. “It was your idea, right?"

            “Yes, Dad. It was my idea. I just feel like there is more I could be doing as a trainer. Being Champion isn't the only thing in the world. Look at you and Mom. Neither of you became Champion, but you still have successful training careers."

            “So what is your plan if not to be Champion?"

            “Uh, well there are a few titles besides Champion. I figured I could try for one of those."

            For a moment there was silence. Eventually, Samuel said, “Something besides Champion? You mean like becoming Gym Leader?"

            “I was thinking more like becoming one of The Nine."

“One of The Nine? I like you have ambitions and all, but don't you think you're setting your sights a little high?"

            “What, you don't think I can do it?"

            “It's not that I don't think you can do it, Neil. It's just that challenging someone considered one of the most powerful trainers in the world isn't easy."

            “Challenging someone considered the strongest trainer in the region isn't easy, either," Neil replied, his voice rising.

            Samuel sighed and sat on the edge of the bed. He gave Neil a firm but compassionate look. Neil hated it when his father looked that way; it always made Neil feel like child. “Neil, the League challenge helps pace trainers and get them ready to deal with the high pressures of battling competitively. A lot of people can't handle the pressure of going to the top." When Neil opened his mouth to protest, Samuel quickly added, “Now I'm not saying you can't handle it. I'm saying you need to be prepared. I've lost a few friends over the years because they couldn't handle the pressure. Going to the top, staying there, it puts an enormous burden on your shoulders, and you find yourself doing things out of desperation."

            “So you're saying I'm going to crack and do something stupid. You forget, I'm your son. You really think I would break that easy?"

            Samuel sighed. He looked tired like someone who had been doing the same thing for too long. “Neil, I said the same thing to my father right before I cracked and did something stupid. I was in a tournament once. I wanted to win that tournament to impress your mother. It was the semi-finals and my opponent was pushing me and my Pokémon to our limits. But I refused to surrender. I kept pushing and pushing. No matter how many times my Pokémon were knocked down, I told them to get up and keep going. I honestly thought I was going to lose, but then the guy forfeited and let me win."

            “So your hard work paid off. I'm not sure what the problem is."

            “Let me finish," Samuel said gently. “The point is, I tracked him down afterward and asked why he forfeited when he was so close to winning. He told me that if the battle continued any longer, he might accidently kill one of my Pokémon and that wasn't worth winning a lousy tournament. After he told me, I dropped out of the competition."

            “Hold on, you dropped out after all you went through to win?" Neil asked.

            Samuel nodded, a small smile on his face. “Yes, I did. I realized that I was putting my Pokémon in danger just to impress a girl. How could I do something like that and call myself a trainer?"

            Neil smiled back. “Well, Dad, I'm not trying to impress Claire. And to be honest, if I did do something like that, she would be real quick to call me on it, so—"

            “Neil, you're missing the point," Samuel said firmly. Neil stopped smiling. Whenever Samuel took that tone, it was something serious. “The point is, it is real easy to not know when you've made a bad decision until the consequences are biting you in the ass." He picked up the book from the bed and put it in Neil's hands. “You wrote this as a child, and I believe these rules are what any trainer should follow. I don't care how famous you become so long as you take pride in the man you become."

            “Don't worry, Dad. I promise you will be proud of me."

            Neil headed downstairs. Jocelyne and Claire were still sitting outside. This time, Claire's Articuno had joined them and clearly had become the center of attention. Light sulked next to them. Ember, Sentinel, and Disaster sat in the far corner of the yard. Claire's Sandslash, Sandy, and her Serperior, Noble, had also joined the group. Neil took a deep breath and went to rescue his girlfriend.

His mother noticed him immediately. “Oh, Neil, there you are. You didn't tell me Claire had such a collection of rare Pokémon. A Suicune and an Articuno? How has this not been big news?"

Neil shrugged. “We don't make a point of showing off our Pokémon. Have you been being nice, Mom?"

Jocelyne placed a hand on her chest in mock offense. “I have manners. What kind of hostess would I be if I were rude to my guests?"

“Actually, I think you're more worried about what kind of mother you would be if you didn't look out for your son," Neil said.

“Neil, your mom and I have just been having a conversation," Claire said.

“You don't need to stand up for me, Claire. I've been grilling you ruthlessly, but you've stayed polite and answered all of my questions."

            Claire pointed to the book under Neil's arm. “You catching up on some reading?"

            “This is a book my parents had published," Neil said. Not wanting to sound ungrateful, he left out the part about it being done without his permission.

            “You never told me your parents wrote a book."

            “We didn't. Technically Neil did."

            Claire whirled on Neil. “You never told me you wrote a book."

            “Whoa, I didn't say anything because up until now I didn't even know the book existed."

“It's true," Jocelyne added. “Neil didn't know anything. I am surprised Samuel told you. We agreed to tell you together."

Claire snatched the book from Neil. “So what kind of book is it?" She read the cover aloud. “Rules of a Trainer. You wrote a guide to Pokémon training and I don't get a first edition copy?"

“Come on, Claire. I just told you I didn't know they were gonna publish it."

“But you still wrote it."

“When I was nine!"

“Looks like you two need some time to work through this," Jocelyne said. She gave Neil a sly smile before disappearing into the house. Light quickly followed, likely hoping to be spoiled some more.

Neil stood there, unsure of how to progress their conversation.

Claire spoke first. “I'm sorry I overreacted. It's just for a moment, I thought you didn't trust me."

“Why would you think I don't trust you?"

“We've been in your hometown for how many days now, and you still haven't shown me around?"

“Claire, I don't want anyone to know—"

“That we're a couple?" Claire finished bitterly. “Honestly, Neil, it makes me wonder if I'm your girl on the side."

“Look, I promise you there are no other girls. It's just you."

Before Claire could respond, there was a loud scream from the house. Neil and Claire ran inside. They ran into the living room to see Jocelyne cowering in her husband's arms, her face buried in his chest. Samuel stood protectively over his wife, glaring at something on the sofa. A large spider-like Pokémon sat on the sofa just a few feet away. Its red body stood out against the auburn cushions, but Neil still had to focus to be able to see it. It took two steps on its purple and yellow striped legs, looked up at Neil with its small purple eyes and clicked its mandibles as if in greeting.

Neil's first thought was how an Ariados got into the house undetected. His second thought was why it didn't seem shocked at its reception.

“Get rid of it!" Jocelyne shrieked over and over again.

“Wait, wait! That's Hunter. He's mine," Claire said. She recalled Hunter to his Poké Ball.

“Yours?" Neil asked. “What happened to your Scolipede?"

“Oh, my mom said she needed her for something, so I sent her home. My mom sent over Hunter instead. I thought I told you." To Neil's parents, she added. “I'm real sorry if he scared you. Hunter is actually really friendly, but he doesn't understand that bug-types aren't the most popular Pokémon."

Jocelyne straightened her clothes and faced Claire, but her hands were still shaking. “Don't worry about it. I can usually handle myself around bug-types. I just didn't expect to see one in my home. I'm going to lie down for a minute." She wobbled upstairs.

“My mom got attacked by a wild Pinsir when she was a little girl," Neil explained. “Ever since then, she has a bad reaction to bug-types. If you thought that was bad, you should've been there the day I told her I wanted a Volcarona on my team."

“You're never going to let that go are you?" Samuel asked.

“I really am sorry," Claire repeated. “If I had known—"

“No, Claire. I should've said something," Neil said. “I was so surprised to see my parents home early, I forgot. At least she didn't run into your Scolipede. That would've been a lot uglier."

“It really is fine, Claire. Don't worry too much about it," Samuel added before following Jocelyne upstairs.

Claire dropped onto the sofa. “Well, your mother officially hates me."

Neil sat down next to her and put his arm around her. “She doesn't hate you. Hunter maybe, but not you."

“That doesn't make me feel better. But you know what would? There's a bakery in town that makes the best almond cookies."

“Um, Claire, do you really think stuffing your face with cook—" Upon seeing the dark look Claire was giving him, he knew it was best not to finish his sentence. “A bakery, right? I know just the one. I'll go get them for you." He jumped up, snatched his jacket off the back of the sofa, and headed out the door.

He had just made it to the sidewalk when Sentinel appeared at his side, looking very cross. Neil chose not to ask how she even knew he was leaving the house. “Jeez, Sentinel, it's just a quick trip into town for some cookies. I don't need a bodyguard."

Sentinel continued to stare at him and refused to budge.

Neil sighed and started walking. She was going to follow no matter what he said. He wasn't sure why she bothered. Aquacorde was one of the most boring towns in the region. The worst thing to happen in the last ten years was a bad bout of food poisoning.

Neil was surprised to find Noxis' Poké Ball still in its holster. He decided to let the Salazzle out to get some fresh air. “Don't worry. We're just going for a walk," he explained to the confused Pokémon. It calmed her down a little. She stayed so close by, he tripped over her on several occasions. The problem was it made Sentinel growl which made Noxis shrink closer to her trainer. Having the Salazzle at his side did draw more attention than he was expecting. No one approached him directly although it could be contributed to the protective Dragonite looming over him.

He liked the attention. For once people were seeing him, and he wasn't seeing animosity in their eyes. It wouldn't take long before word about the trainer with the rare Pokémon got around. Eventually, trainers would start looking for him, and maybe challenge him to battles. It could be the first step toward building his reputation. “Maybe I should take you out for walks more often," he told Noxis.

The bakery was owned by the Morgans, long-time neighbors of Neil's. The place was packed with people. Neil didn't want to go home empty-handed, so he had Sentinel wait outside and stood at the back of the line. Noxis sniffed at the air and looked around.

“Hey, we're only here to get some cookies for Claire, and maybe something for my mom," Neil said as gently as he could. “We'll eat when we get home." Even with the gentle tone, Noxis dropped her head like a reproached child.

The man in front of them looked back and his eyes widened. “Is that a Salazzle?"

“Yeah, it is," Neil said. “You are…?"

“Oh, sorry. Where are my manners?" the man held out his hand. “The name's Doctor Walter Bradshaw. Pleased to meet you."

Neil shook Walter's hand. “Neil Léonide. So, you're a doctor?"

“I have a Ph.D in Pokémon studies, but that's about it. There's an official name for it that's long and hard to remember, so I just call it Pokémon studies since that's what it amounts to. I'm surprised to see anyone in this region with a Salazzle. They're incredibly rare. Did you travel here from Alola?"

“No, born and raised right here," Neil said proudly. “I found Noxis roaming the streets. She was…abandoned by her last trainer."

“Oh. Sorry to hear that. Some people can be so cruel to Pokémon. She's lucky to have a trainer like you. If it's not too much to ask, may you allow me to examine your Salazzle?"

Noxis warbled worriedly and hugged Neil's leg. Neil positioned himself between the Salazzle and the doctor. “What? Why?"

“Don't misunderstand. My research involves working with poison-type Pokémon. I theorized that poison-types create their own poison."

Neil relaxed a little. He didn't like the idea of this guy researching poison. “Of course they do. Why wouldn't they?"

“No, no. What I mean is they create a unique blend of poison almost like a toxic fingerprint. No two poison-types create the same blend it's why different perfumes have such exotic scents depending on the poison used."

“Wait a minute. People use poison to make perfume?"

“Yes, pure Roserade poison is highly sought after. People have been trying to refine Salazzle poison into a perfume for years, but no one has succeeded. That's what makes Salazzle so unique. They break all the rules we have for poison-types."

“There are rules?"

“Well, not 'rules,' but poison-types share a common physiology. You see, much like a fire-type, a poison-type has to safeguard its body from itself or else they'll get sick from the very toxins they generate. We believe this is why they are immune to poisoning."

“But if a Salazzle can poison a poison-type, then why don't they get themselves sick?" Neil asked.

“Exactly!" Several people looked back at them. Noxis cowered behind Neil. Walter didn't seem to notice. “A Salazzle never gets sick from its own poison, but they can poison other Salazzle. Some researchers theorize that a Salazzle somehow generates an antidote in its body, but no one has been able to prove it."

Walter went into a long and detailed explanation of exactly how poison control works in a Pokémon's body. Even for non-poison-types who could produce venom, there were safeguards in the body keeping them from getting themselves sick. Neil didn't really understand of what the man said. He just smiled and feigned interest to pass the time. Eventually, other customers began to notice Noxis and took interest in her, and soon Neil was bombarded with questions about the Salazzle. Neil answered as best he could, of course leaving out the details of her abuse and running loose in Lumiose City for months. Walter tried to jump in with a few detailed explanations and theories, but it was clear most of what he said went over everyone's heads. Several trainers offered battle invitations, but Neil declined saying Noxis was recovering from an injury. “The nurse said she had to take it easy for a few days," he explained. He hated having to turn down so many chances to boost his reputation, but he needed to know which moves Noxis knew before he could even consider using her in a battle.

The only time Neil got any sort of reprieve was when his turn came to order something. He ordered the last of the cookies Claire wanted and bought some sweets for Noxis and Sentinel then forced his way through the crowd outside.

Neil was surprised to find Walter standing outside. “Hey, Doc. What're you still doing here?"

Walter bowed his head. “Neil, I know we've just met, and it may be a lot to ask, but could you please bring your Salazzle by my lab someday? Salazzle are so rare, and poison of their toxicity, getting the permits to have one brought here from Alola is downright impossible. I assure you, your contribution could be a huge leap forward in the understanding of Pokémon physiology."

“Uh, I'm not sure…"

Walter lifted his head, his face full of panic. “Oh no, no. You don't need to answer right this minute." He pulled a business card out of his breast pocket and handed it to Neil or rather shoved it into his hands. “That has the address of my lab in Lumiose City. Feel free to stop by at any time. I look forward to your arrival." Walter walked through the crowd leaving Neil to wonder what happened.

Neil sighed, put the card in his back pocket, convinced the rest of the crowd he had somewhere important to be, and then headed home.

The entire walk, Neil wore a large smile on his face. No one cared that he was a Léonide. He didn't have to put up with nasty looks or snide comments. He was free to be himself.

Neil had almost forgotten the reason he came home when he walked in. His parents had returned to the living room. His mother seemed calmer.

“Neil, there you are. I was wondering where you went," Samuel said. “And is that a Salazzle? Where in the world did you find her?"

“It's a long story," Neil said. He prayed Claire took the hint and didn't add anything extra. He really didn't want his parents to know Noxis' past just yet. If they found out he was being investigated, it would break their hearts, his mother's especially. “Claire, I brought the cookies you asked for." He placed the bag of sweets in Claire's lap and sat down beside her. “So how are you feeling, Mom?"

“I'm better now, thank you for asking. I was just apologizing to Claire for overreacting."

“You didn't overreact," Claire said. “I know a lot of people with a fear of bug-types. It's perfectly okay. Once, this guy had—"

“Neil, is your Salazzle okay?" Jocelyne asked.

Neil turned to Noxis, wondering what his mom was talking about. He found Noxis sitting huddled in the corner, eyes wide, trembling as if she were freezing. Neil leapt out of his seat and rushed to his Pokémon. “Hey, what's going on? Are you okay?"

Noxis didn't respond or even acknowledge he was talking to her. Neil recalled Noxis to her Poké Ball.

“Is everything okay?" Samuel asked.

“Yeah, she's fine. She just had a long day from the walk and everything. I just caught her a few days ago, so I haven't a chance to get her back in shape." He put on his most charming smile, waiting for everyone to respond. They all looked at him skeptically, especially Claire. “Really, it's fine."

No one seemed convinced. As if sensing the tension in the air, Pyrus jumped into Claire's lap and began sniffing her bag of cookies.

Claire pushed the Flareon away. “Pyrus, I love you and all, but back off."

“Maybe it's time we fed the Pokémon," Jocelyne offered. “Neil, could you help me, please?"

Neil groaned and followed his mother and Pyrus into the kitchen. It's okay. Maybe she doesn't want to talk about Noxis having an episode in the middle of the living room. Just remember the rule: Don't ask, don't tell. I just need to come up with a good excuse in case she does ask.

Jocelyne went to the pantry and dragged out a large bag of Pokémon food. “I hope this is enough to feed all of them. With four trainers in this house, that's a lot of Pokémon."

“Right. I'll grab some bowls." Neil grabbed all the bowls reserved for Pokémon out of the lower cabinet. There weren't enough for all their Pokémon, so he grabbed some of extra large bowls from the upper cabinets.

Between the four of them, there were twenty-two Pokémon to take care of. Jocelyne lined up the bowls while Neil followed behind, filling each one. The Pokémon worked out who eat from which bowl. Neil didn't understand it, but if no one was fighting over eating first, he wasn't going to complain.

“Aren't you going to feed your Salazzle?" Jocelyne asked.

“Um, she already ate while we were out. Sentinel, too," Neil said quickly. After the way Noxis acted the first time he tried to feed her, he didn't dare risk feeding her around such a large crowd.

Sentinel gave a surprised warble. She had a small treat while they were out , but it was nowhere near enough to feed a hungry Dragonite.

“Please, just go along with this for me," Neil whispered. “I promise, I'll feed you later and I'll even bring something special, just for you, okay?"

Sentinel grunted and leaned against the back of the house. Neil took that to mean yes and continued filling the food bowls. He was going to owe Sentinel big for this one.

            “So, Neil, how long have you and Claire been dating?" Jocelyne asked.

            Neil's brow rose. “Uh, didn't you talking to Claire?"

            “I did, but I want to hear it from you," Jocelyne said, smiling sweetly.

            Neil froze. He knew that tone. “You don't like Claire, do you?"

            Jocelyne's mom fell open in fake surprise. “Actually, I like her very much. Your Pokémon clearly trust her, but she's obviously hiding something. How much do you really know about her?"

            Neil rolled his eyes. This was exactly why he feared Claire meeting his parents. “I know enough, Mom. I think you're being unfair. She just met you. Of course she's not gonna just tell you her life story."

            Ember trilled softly, reminding the humans to continue feeding them. Neil chuckled and got back to work.

            “I know Claire won't just tell me her whole life," Jocelyne said. “But if she's hiding something it's because she's afraid of the reaction which is never a good thing."

            “You mean like how you tried to hide book deal," Neil said quickly, eager to change the subject.

            His tactic wasn't lost on his mother, but thankfully she chose to acquiesce. “We figured it seemed like a good idea. To be honest, I don't like it."

            “You were? Why?"

            “Don't get me wrong. I love your ideas; I think it's a great set of guidelines for any trainer to follow. I just feel like the decision to publish the book should've been yours and Maya's. Instead, we made that decision for you. It wasn't as if you had a book idea you wanted published, but were afraid to. This was your personal journal that we just put out there for the world to see."

            Neil hadn't thought of it that way. Sure he was a little miffed at first, but after hearing the reason behind it, he thought it was a good idea. “Mom, don't sweat it. I like the idea."

            Jocelyne sighed, which struck Neil as odd. “You are such a nice young man. I'm really proud of you, but would it honestly kill you to grow a pair?"

            Sentinel made a odd coughing sound. Neil assumed she was stifling a laugh and shot her a dirty look. He also noticed his Pokémon were too into their dinner to be considered natural. He turned back to his mom and said, “I don't understand."

            “Neil, your parents went behind your back and published your personal journal and you're just okay with it? I said before I like the book, but I'm telling you Veronica has an agenda. Her son's been dead for years. Cadence carries the journal around like it's religious testament. If Veronica really wanted to publish that thing, she's had plenty of opportunities. Now, don't get me wrong, Veronica cared deeply for her son, but this book isn't just about honoring his memory."

            Neil swallowed thickly. Sometimes his mom could be real scary at times. He wanted to tell her she was wrong, but he couldn't deny there was truth to her story. The journal was no secret; he and his friends carried it everywhere and talked about it all the time. Patrick's been gone for almost 8 years. So why bring the journal up now, and why keep it a secret? The scarier part was wondering what anyone could hope to gain from this. Veronica was never a glory seeker, and she was a well-known trainer in her own right.

            “I don't get it. She let me borrow one of Patrick's Pokémon. Why would she do that if she has a plan?" Neil asked.

            “Neil, you may be afraid to admit this, but Veronica doesn't take a piss without planning for it beforehand. For whatever reason she gave you that Pokémon, she did that for a reason, too." She sighed heavily. “Doesn't that woman understand it's that constant worry about upholding the family name that drove her daughter away?"

            Neil remembered what Veronica said about Garden's behavior reminded her of Cassandra. Given what Neil heard about Cassandra's relationship with her parents, Veronica was likely glad to be done with the Breloom.

            He turned to Garden. She showed no signs of listening to them talk about her previous caretaker, and that bothered him. Garden had likely heard many times how her defiance would not be tolerated.

            They finished filling all of the bowls. They sat in the lawn chairs rather than go back inside since they would need to collect the bowls once the Pokémon were done with them.

            “Okay, Mom, but what do you want me to do about it?" Neil asked. “If you were so worried about her having a plan, why didn't you stop it?"

            “Because Cadence wanted the book to happen to honor her son's memory. I couldn't stop it if I wanted to. Veronica isn't a sneaky person, but I guarantee you what she wants from this book isn't closure. I just hope it doesn't come back to bite all of us in the ass."

            Neil chose to let the conversation end. The whole prospect of Mrs. Knowling using her son's memory to further some agenda left a bad taste in his mouth. A lot had just been thrown at him. The book didn't bother him before, but now he couldn't help but wonder what the repercussions would be.

            I suppose I could go ask the source. It's not like I have anything better to do, Neil thought. He decided not to. Confronting Veronica would not end well, and there was nothing to gain from it even if she did tell him. Whatever she was planning, it couldn't be detrimental. He would just have to put his faith in that.

            They sat in silence until the Pokémon finished eating then collected the empty bowls and brought everything into the house. Claire and Samuel offered to do the dishes. While they did that, Jocelyne told Claire and Neil about their vacation. There was nothing noteworthy to mention, but Neil didn't care so long as the conversation was steered away from him.

            They were all surprised by someone knocking at the door. Neil answered it.

            Seymour greeted him with a big smile. “Yo, what's up, cuz?" He peered over Neil's shoulder and shouted, “Hi, Aunt Jocelyne, Uncle Samuel, and…who is that?"

            Claire walked over, wearing a large smile. “Hi, I'm Claire, Neil's girlfriend."

            “Girlfriend?" He looked Claire over and nodded. “She's not unattractive in anyway, so I don't see why Neil was hiding you."

            Neil loudly cleared his throat. “Hello, Seymour. What brings you here?" he said through clenched teeth.

            “No reason. I was just in the neighborhood and wanted to stop by. Figured we could take a walk and maybe grab some beers."

            Neil knew Seymour didn't just happen to be in the neighborhood, but he was more surprised by how his cousin knew he was here. He avoided his mother's analytical gaze as he grabbed his jacket and joined Seymour outside. “Sure, I could go for a drink. I'll be back everyone, don't wait up."

            Neil waited until they were far enough away from the house that no one would overhear them. “Seymour, what's going on? It's too soon to be following-up on me."

“Oh, no. I just wanted to let you know that my boss has given me the go-ahead to handle your case."

            “Really? He's not worried about you looking the other way?" Neil asked smiling. “With my very own inside man in the Abuse Division, I can finally complete my plans for world domination."

            Seymour wasn't smiling. “Course not. If I find you did anything, I'll nail your ass to the wall myself. You would be a disgrace not only as a trainer, but the family as well; I won't stand for that. But that's also why my boss is giving me the lead on your case. Let the family deal with family problems."

            “Well, if anyone's gonna take me down, I'm glad it's you."

            “But I won't take you down because I know you didn't do anything wrong. You are one of the most passionate trainers I know."

            “I really appreciate you saying that, Seymour." Neil's smile dropped. “Now why are you buttering me up?"

            “Dude, can't you take a compliment?" Seymour gave Neil a big, disarming smile. When Neil didn't smile back, Seymour added, “I just don't want to see a good man get dragged down over something he had nothing to do with. My boss can be a real hardass sometimes. He has a strict no-tolerance policy when it comes to abuse. 'There's no such thing as accidental abuse,' he says. I kinda agree with him, but it's just not always that cut and dry."

            Neil thought about Maya and the Sylveon. What if Maya hadn't deliberately attacked it, but things simply got out of hand? It wasn't unheard of for Pokémon to lose control in the heat of the moment, especially during an intense battle. No. It's not the same. When you're battling at the Champion level, you have better control over your Pokémon and you know which ones are high-risk. She likely used it anyway and just didn't care.

            Seymour tapped Neil on the arm, snapping him out of his thoughts. “Don't sweat it, cuz. As long as you keep your head down and don't overstimulate the new Pokémon, she should open up to you eventually. Speaking of, everything going okay with you're newest member?"

            Neil thought back to all the attention he received today just from walking around with Noxis. If the Salazzle was getting that much attention just from being seen, he could only imagine what would happen when she showed off her skill in battle. Seymour said not overstimulate her, but she handled today pretty well. She was probably just tired from all the excitement. “Don't worry, Seymour. Everything's fine."