Hard Enough by Viva01

1

I didn't get to instantly understand all the memories of my first life upon my insertion.I didn't get to meet any almighty being, or anything randomly omnipotent. Which, considering my new circumstances, would have been wild. Arceus as a god was crazy to consider.Instead, I slowly formed into an overly mature child. That didn't stop me from being caught in the wonder though. Being reborn into a world of pokemon will do that. There was a romance and a vibrancy to this world. Pokemon themselves made up the largest part but the people themselves were more upbeat. The simplest of things had more to them.I'd easily spent vast amounts of my previous life engaged in the pokemon media. I wasn't a diehard by any metric; but I was a fan for sure. Enough so that I knew things about the world. I'd had to test certain things at the start, such as which iteration of the pokemon world I was in. There was after all a world of difference between the various anime alone, then the games, and finally the manga.An equivalent of the anime was perhaps the best outcome for all involved, ergo, me.It did leave me with questions. Lots and lots of questions. Some of which I'm not sure I wanted asked, let alone answered.I wanted some sleeping Entei to just keep slumbering. I wanted to live my second life for all that it was worth. That… had been possible with the occasional hitch. Thankfully I'd been able to put my knowledge of the pokemon world to great use.In the past, I had another name and another life. Another world that, while mundane, was engaging, enjoyable, and mine. This second life I would treat as an extension with a new name much like a new situation. It would be no different than going to college and getting a new name that others knew me by assigned to me. That's at least the way I rationalized it to myself.These days, I went by Brock.Brock as in the Leader of the Pewter City gym. "Go Graveler!" I shouted. Pokeball discharging my chosen partner for this match."Go Nidorino!" shouted the challenger. The small rabbit-like rhino came down with a shake of its head that sent the overly large ears flapping. I let a small grin come out. It always amused me seeing pokemon that I once prized on my team with the game used against me."Graveler! Rollout into an Earthquake!" I called. I might have favored the pokemon originally but that was never a reason for me to go easy on them."Leap up Nidorino!" called my opponent with grit teeth. I braced myself as Graveller ended his first attack to slam both palms into the ground, calling out his name as he did so to cause the arena to shake. In the wild it wasn't uncommon to be walking around and lose your footing. Dampeners around the arena stopped it from affecting the watching crowd. I considered it money well spent, and the crowds that frequented the gym since I installed them, judging by the steadily growing number of regulars, agreed. I had even started making decent money selling tickets for some of the pre-booked matches.In my old world pokemon fights were often compared to cockfighting. A cruel sport marketed as pitting two animals against each other. This was incorrect. Perhaps in some other universe it was true in a grimdark world where everything was… Well I'd know if things were that bad.Perhaps it was Arceus in this universe, or something else, but actual 'blood' occurring in most fighting was rare. It still happened and was more a sign of a pokemon being pushed to their limits. Death during a match was extremely rare. You had to be careful of course, as most incidents of this were typically from people that threw out top tier pokemon against rookies. Something that was extremely frowned upon, if not outright punished if found. Most pokemon had good enough instincts to know when to get out of a fight either by ignoring a trainer's orders against a more powerful pokemon, or by staying down when they hit the ground.The exception to this rule was typically in the wild with untrained pokemon, or with criminal organizations.Criminals aren't big on following rules and social norms. Funny that."Nidorino! Use swift!" Called out the trainer I had largely been ignoring.I refocused on the task at hand. I could admit to myself I was coasting in this fight. It was only a fourth badge standard match instead of anything exotic. It was the end of the circuit and this trainer wouldn't be able to make it for this round of the league unless he had a pokemon well versed in teleport, along with having already gone to the places he needed to earn the Indigo qualified gyms. So far the trainer wasn't impressing me enough that I could see them passing."Defense curl," I finally answered after taking a moment to recall which moves this Graveller had."Thunder!" came the reply from the trainer, unknowingly sinking his chances of me passing him.I stoically stare as the thunderbolt descends upon Graveller, who earths it by digging his feet into the ground slightly. When the flash vanishes, my pokemon is revealed unphased by the light show."Eh?! It was ineffective!?""Dig," I say, ignoring the antics of my foe. Talking isn't a free action after all. My opponent is flustered and compounds his earlier mistake. "Nidorino focus! When it pops up near you, go for Poison Sting!"The pokemon dutifully nods before bracing. I huff in amusement. Leaping and using Swift would have been a better move, which would have shown more understanding of his pokemon's strengths rather than bracing. Then again the fact that swift is a move that will never miss unless very specific moves are used is not as well known, I have found. Having some knowledge of the moves from the games has been a rather large boon.Graveller's fist shot out of the ground right under Nidorino, launching it into the air. "Jump after it and Seismic Toss it!" I push for the finish and the other trainer can only watch on as his pokemon is knocked unconscious.The next fight of the challenge went even quicker with his Pidgeotto being a poorer choice for my gym. "Rock Throw," I said to end it.His pokemon fell from the sky and just like that, the match ended. He raised a pokeball withdrawing the downed pokemon as each of the raised dias we were standing upon sank back flush with the floor. I marched up to Graveller and checked her over.The other pokemon trainer slouched up to me, "So… how'd I do?"I gave him a look and shook my head. Then I employed one of the best things that I had been taught. Instead of me telling him, I started our fight review with, "You tell me what you think you did well, and then bad?"He wasn't getting a Boulder badge from me today, but maybe next year he might have another run at the league circuit. The badges won each had a two-year validity for the end of circuit tournament after all. I stretched and checked over the rest of the schedule. No other trainers had come in to challenge me but that was to be expected.I waved to the crowd as they began to filter out. They knew no one else was scheduled in. The previous trainer had booked his time a few days ahead. I weighed up doing some talks with the crowd versus gym duties. I spotted a familiar face, covered in a beard with a hobo beanie. I almost thought I could smell them from where I was standing but shook the thought off. I considered talking to them for half a second. A roiling of emotions played out in my gut. Instead, I let my body turn me to the training area. I didn't want to deal with… that, right now. Too many issues. Instead I wanted to focus on something else.The lighter intensity and more sporadic trainer battles meant more time available for some of the dedicated staff or the people that had signed on with us.It wasn't just pokemon that needed to grow in this world. Another lesson trainers learnt as they progressed. It also helped to have locked in employment in a field they had experience in. Also warm, clean beds for those that lived in the gym's housing were extremely nice. For people that had spent a year or two on the road, that was a pretty nice draw. I'd checked each gym's facilities when I'd been a trainer myself to get an idea of what was offered. Most of them were the traditional apartment blocks of Japanese urban cities, and those were considered good. I prided myself on having a bit more than that and it showed in how I typically always had at least four employed trainers. If they weren't employed by me then they were 'sponsored', which implied more mentoring and less me delegating tasks to them.I entered the door to a more ruggedised gym that was broken into different training areas. It was part training facility for humans and part environment training space. I had a small pool along with a moat that ran along the edge of the room. Some pokemon bobbed around and tried to swim against the current while others simply bobbed along. In the middle pokemon traded pointers and lifted weights. Others dashed about or used their abilities against training dummies.Further back I had an area for an open plan office with a conference room along with my own room for paperwork. Most of the time I spent I tried to keep out of the office however as trainers all preferred to be interacting with pokemon. That or training themselves.The trainers I employed worked with some of the gym's pokemon about the training area. Coaching them in the required moves that would allow them to be effective for certain badge level matches. There also needed to be a good deal of mentoring and counselling. It wasn't good for the pokemon to simply use them for low-level fights and ditch them. That created resentment and bad blood with pokemon growing more aggressive.Typically those ones faced a much more skewed win-loss ratio. Good pokemon at this level didn't stay low level for long. You needed a certain type, and those needed care still as the ratio still applied to them. Rare was the pokemon that didn't care about losing.I nodded to the ironically named 'Rocko', a local trainer that had been one of the first to apply when I'd taken over the gym. He was laid back enough to be an easy hand with the low-level pokemon that stayed there. He waved back languidly before patting the head of a Geodude that bumped into him for attention.I instead turned to one of the trainers that weren't employed but rather 'sponsored' by the gym. Celia was a local that had garnered my interest and then the gym's sponsorship with her showing at a local 'little league' where pokemon of a certain level were loaned out to fight. She'd accepted the prize of having her female nidoran from the tournament become her starter. She'd completed her circuit and now was in training for the Indigo League that wasn't far off. I think she had good prospects.She waved before tilting her head towards her pokemon. I waved her off and nodded to a side room where the computers were set up. "Let's do some match review and scouting for your opponents." That got a more fanged grin. She likely was dreaming of the day that would soon come where she would be 'off the leash' so to speak. Having completed her circuit rather quickly she had been hanging around Pewter for a month now. The Level of trainers here that could actually challenge her were few and far between. So most days she trained with her pokemon and came up with strategies. One of the things only recently implemented was the tracking of all trainers' pokemon that they use along with movesets. This allowed for a much more competitive level of scouting if people were willing to put the time in.Typically not something you could do when you were on the road, but in a gym with computers? It was more than easy enough. Celia already had a good understanding of most of her rivals' teams and strategies from previous sessions.Before I could leave the room another of the Gym's trainers entered. "Leader! Finished your match already sir?" Dennis asked as he marched up to me.I nodded, "Yeah, the kid made too many mistakes for me to let him through." I gave his dusty pants and shirt a look over, "Did you clean up the path for me tomorrow?""All taken care of Leader!" He said, doing everything but saluting at me as I dismissed him. The guy really would fit better with Surge, but I doubt his wife wanted to move. Turning back to Celia I caught her giving me a pleased look."What?""Nothing, I just think it's sweet you're taking time off to go hiking with your brother! I wish I had a big brother like you!"I rolled my eyes, "Instead you've got me as a boss. Which is probably better. You get paid you know?" She nodded happily and skipped ahead, her skirt frill flapping with each hop. She winked when she noticed me watching her. I rolled my eyes at her again before gesturing at the computer. We both settled in for some work. She'd have it pretty easy from now on for any duties required of her. I was pretty much coasting now that the circuit was coming to a close, and wouldn't be asking too much of her.Soon I'd have what could almost be called a holiday with the 'slow' period of the less flashy gym duties for four months. I'd quickly learnt that being a gym leader wasn't a job, it was a way of life. I surprisingly enjoyed it. There was a constant level of work that was both exhilarating but tiring. There was a level of respect and recognition throughout the community I'd only associated with famous actors, athletes or politicians in my past life. I really liked it.It made me wonder what I'd do when Ash Ketchum came around.I knew that was close timeline-wise. It was something that, along with a few other things would need to be discussed with Forrest tomorrow. For today I focussed on the task before me that I could handle. Tomorrow I'd hike up Mt Moon and show Forrest —my younger brother — one of the secrets at the top.Turns out it wasn't just a meteorite and fairies using it in ritualistic evolution ceremonies that made Mt Moon special.

2

Rocks bit into my hands as I climbed to the summit. Forrest trailed me, his face was almost planted into the rockface as we ascended Mt Moon."Brock! Why are we doing this again?""Climbing mountains builds character!" I shouted back."Ever-ever notice building character means hard work?!""Ha! That's how you know it's working!" I chuckled. We continued to struggle upwards, the sun slowly dropping closer to the horizon. The final leg of the climb was completed just in time for me to pull my brother up the mountain with a locked grip.Forrest heaved in air while bent over, prompting me to nudge him. "Straighten up. You'll get more air standing upright. We're pretty high up so it's important to get as much as you can with each breath."Forrest waved me away, "I'm good, I just need a second."I held in more pointed instructions. I've told him enough times now that he should be doing it. At twelve, going on thirteen, he's probably at that phase where he won't listen just to spite me. I considered that while selecting a particularly good looking rock to lounge on as the sun continues to dip lower."So we came up here for th—" He straightened up finally, taking a deeper lungful of air, "Oh hey that h-helps." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. With how I looked, no one typically ever noticed. I had found that I typically had to work to not let my face rest idly. "What're you smiling about?" Forrest said as I watched him slowly regather himself."Heh, nothing, just smiling I guess."Forrest considered that for a moment with suspicion before selecting his own rock to perch on. "It's actually a nice view.""You thought I would have dragged you up here for no reason?" I asked.Forrest huffed, "No Gym Leader Brock." I huffed back at him, settling back while ignoring the need to return his sass with some of my own. The sun slowly dipped under the horizon and pokemon that had been at flight began to roost, creating a wonderful shimmer across the valley that we had spent the day trekking through.Pokemon that only liked to operate in the brief window of twilight emerged and acted rapidly. Hunting prey or darting through trees for forage. Other pokemon of the night slowly roused. It made for a wonderful atmosphere, something my younger brother seemed to agree with.Before the sun set fully, I stood, dusting my hands before opening up the backpack to begin setting out the tent that practically unfurled itself. "What're you feeling like for dinner?" I said."Roast meat with a side of gravy baked vegetables," said my all too clever brother.I merely nodded, "Right, stew it is!" Forrest rolled his eyes but didn't offer a complaint. I filled the quiet by talking through my process, more for my own recollection than to actually teach Forrest how to cook. I paused with a ladle of stew close to my nose. Then again maybe it would be important for Forrest to cook with how Dad had been last time he was left to look after us. I chewed my lip in thought before sighing and pushing the thoughts away. The food needed my attention. I'd have to make some plans for our family. I marked that in my 'future Brock concerns'. There wasn't a lot I could do, nor should I do it now. This was supposed to be for Forrest."You've been sighing a lot lately," Forrest said languidly. His body propped up on a rock, "Seriously, is something wrong?"I tapped my fingers together. I'd long ago decided to not tell others about my previous life. I'd probably end up in a mental hospital if I told anyone for one. Then again Pokemon was a Japanese concept. I snorted at the oft-repeated joke regarding mental health and the Japanese never bringing it up before pushing it aside. It was a bad joke."Forrest… what do you want to do in the future?" I said."Me? Well, be a trainer at the gym! I'll work for you!" He replied without any doubt that this would be the way things went. I merely nodded and served up the stew."Right, right… Say… If I… If I wasn't gym leader anymore, what then?"Forrest went still, his bowl raised slightly to slurp from. He didn't say anything. Huh, never thought of that possibility did you? Forrest licked his lips, "Are… are you at risk of being...audited bro?"I snorted at the obvious fear of the thought that the Pewter city gym would face an audit of all things. Then again big companies in my old world would likely have the same reaction if such was hinted at. Then some words would have been spoken in select ears… I shook my head to alleviate his fears and get back on track. "Nah nothing like that. It's just," I searched around for something that would make sense, "I spotted Dad skirting around the city. He's been coming and going every few weeks now. Checking in on us from afar. Apparently some of the teachers from school spotted him as well and mentioned it." Forrest frowned but didn't say anything. I let the quiet linger. Around us, some pokemon shifted and the sound echoed but it wasn't unpleasant. Eventually, I prompted the conversation, "I think he might be looking to come back home."Forrest clenched his hands tightly and scowled into his bowl, as if it had suddenly become a Muk instead of a tasty stew. "He'll try and oust you as gym leader?"I shrugged, "He might." I was mostly working off the Anime, with how it played out. Things were supposed to be alls well that ends well weren't they? I had to push down the voice the niggled at me though."You're better at it than he ever was," Forrest muttered, not eying me. Part of me from my past life knew what he was doing. Some 'guys' didn't like to look each other in the eye when showing emotion or talking about sensitive topics. The older me might have allowed it, but the older brother in me made me do what I did next."Hey," Forrest looked up so I smiled and looked straight in his eyes, "Thanks bro, that means a lot." Forrest blushed, shooting his eyes back into his bowl.I held in the chuckle, not wanting to undo something positive. Old memories certainly came with advantages. Being older mentally than people expected me to be had huge payoffs. Wishing that you had the knowledge of thirty or forty year old you as a twenty-year-old was a common thing. Getting that chance? I'd abused it for all it was worth. This was doubly true for me knowing where certain pokemon were. Where certain environments were. Or even how pokemon evolved.Not all of it translated perfectly. Trading a Graveller or a Haunter for example wasn't what was required. It gave me an idea into the process though. Still, my experiences allowed me to be better prepared for certain things. I remember falling apart the first time I faced an angry woman as a teenager. I'd had to do that more than a few times after rejecting trainers 'their hard-won badge despite losing'. 'Tiger Mums' and 'Karens' were a universal experience it would seem.The point of this, was that I think I had a better relationship with Forrest. Heck, I put in a lot of effort with all my siblings. I liked to think I was treating them as well as, if not better than my canonical counterpart. I just had to balance being a successful gym leader. I'm not sure Dad ever had that first appellation to his title. That would have made things worse I suppose."Is it wrong if…" Forrest said haltingly. "I don't want Dad to be Gym leader?"I hummed at that. "He doesn't have to be." I decided not to say anything about not taking him back.Forrest relaxed at that. "Oh, good, yeah that's good. You'll be the leader and he can…" He grimaced. "Look after our younger siblings?" I shared his grimace at that idea. "How would Tilly and Billy even recognise him?"I shook my head. Forrest had pretty much hit a huge issue on the head. I didn't have a good way of just, following Ash. I'm not sure if Brock was ever aware of the issues with leaving his family to his father, but again, Anime knowledge didn't focus on those glossed over problems. I found myself… Not really wanting to go despite knowing that I was supposed to. Ash was… Well, I couldn't say he was a hero of mine growing up. It was more a story I liked tuning in for. I didn't identify with him, so much as finding him entertaining and occasionally frustrating. Again, Anime versus real life though."Are you going to be alright with Dad back?" Forrest asked. He said it so quietly I almost didn't hear him over the crackle of the fire we had between us. I frowned. He sounded so… unsure of himself, just saying the words. Like he was treading on something delicate.I had to really focus then. How did I think of our… father?I laced my fingers together and hid the grimace as best I could behind them. I couldn't really be objective and I… didn't really want to be. Whenever the kids had asked about Dad after he'd initially ditched us. I'd tried to be casual. Telling them that everything was fine. But I knew I'd been edgy. How long had it been before they'd stopped asking about him at all? I didn't know. It was only a few months ago that Tilly and Billy had called me 'Dad', forcing me to correct them.A glow from a nearby crater shook me from my maudlin thoughts. This hadn't gone how I'd thought it would. I'd need to approach the topic of letting Forrest take over the gym another time. Just like I'd need to also push the topic of our father to later."Hey Forrest come on let's go! The thing I wanted to show you is starting up!""Huh?! Where?" He whipped his head around and squinted. I coughed sheepishly."Oh right sorry! Forgot you needed more light to see." I pulled out a flashlight and gestured him towards the crater. It took about five minutes to walk there carefully and by the halfway point Forrest was practically vibrating in excitement."Okay, now keep quiet, they're used to me coming up here but you don't want to call out and startle them. They're going to do their thing and then go. We're just here to watch alright?"Forrest nodded and I led him up to the ledge for the first secret of Mt Moon to be revealed to him.

3

Beneath us, Clefairy frolicked. They swarmed out into the crater and bounced around with leaps that arced too much. They acted as if for them gravity was a suggestion. Like they were on the moon instead. What was most striking though, was that there weren't just a few dozen as shown in the anime. No, tonight there were at least two hundred of the small fluff balls bouncing around with their signature cries. They poured out of tiny crevices that should have been too small for even them."How do they fit?" I was happy that Forrest hadn't forgotten to keep his voice down."Pokemon moves aren't just useful for battling or for contests you know?" Forrest nodded so I continued, "Pokemon like Clefairy have an honestly diverse set of moves. They also can learn some of them, very very early on into their life cycle. Sing, Sweet Kiss, Disarming Voice, they're all useful moves. Minimize though, that's what's happening here. The Clefairy use it to get around the cracks and even escape predators. Clefairy are really quite shy. Most wouldn't come out if we got too close.""The girls would love them." He looked at me, "Wait hasn't Yolanda been up here with you before? How come you never caught one for them?"I chuckled. "Lots of people would like a Clefairy Forrest. They'd pay lots of money for them. If I was really looking to profit off them, I could almost set this up as a preserve and farm them." I had to admit that the temptation had been there in the early days.Forrest shifted, looking away from me. "Sometimes you think of things that just wouldn't occur to me. I was talking about just catching one for Tilly.""That's a good thing." He looked back frowning, so I elaborated, "Not being too greedy. I sometimes think too far, I guess you could say. Just because you have a tool or a piece of knowledge. It doesn't mean it should be used." I gestured to the Clefairy as they began to bounce into each other doing what I'd learnt was a greeting ritual. Apparently, they only came out on nights with clear skies and full moons. "They shouldn't be used like that."I watched them as they continued to bounce around seemingly without a care in the world. Forrest didn't have any questions seemingly content to watch them. It took a while but eventually the crater was full of Clefairy."Then again, people trying it wouldn't find them as easy targets. For all that they look cute and adorable," I state without commenting anymore. People of this world had no trouble understanding that small and fluffy did not mean weak. For all that, t they had Fairy in their name and typing. None of the pokemon down there were 'weak'. It still created a mindset that they would be gentle. Tourists had had the same issue with the 'Fairy penguins' of my first life. I recalled a few articles warning people off from touching them and how other tourists had been mauled by the animals in fact.Forrest made a curious noise but I waved him off. He merely rolled his eyes at me before ignoring me for the show the Clefiary were now putting on.They drifted into loose spirals each layer rotating around a seemingly random boulder. They began to drift back and forth slowly. One foot, then the other, slowly and simply. They continued the swaying motion for a good minute until another pokemon emerged from cracks in the crater. This pokemon was their larger, more evolved form. "Clefable!" it cried out, raising a hand and beginning to conduct the crowd around it. The Clefairy slowly began to match movements. Their names cried out as one to a steady metronome.I noted Forrest swaying in time with the back and forth gesture of the Clefable. I tapped his shoulder. "Don't get too caught up in it little brother.""Huh!? " He startled, blinking rapidly."If you're not used to it, or not watchful, Pokemon moves will catch you out." He nodded at that. I turned back to the swaying dance. The Clefairy had begun to work in concert. Swaying back and forth and weaving in and out of each other. Threading gaps so close together that I knew they just had to be using Minimize to make it work. It made for a simplistic but nevertheless elegant dance.Each Clefairy had a chance of passing in close to the meteor. The singing continued and slowly the light of the moon collected on the stone. It was a gradual process. Like the Clefairy had been filling a tub of water with little more than a child's shovel. The meteor continued to steadily grow brighter in luminosity.Eventually, at some point, it must have passed a threshold, as some of the Clefairy began to glow as evolution took hold. Each time this occurred a bright corona of light shot out from within them. Prior to leaving on my own journey, I'd learnt this was due to aura swell. During the light show, their body shifted and grew. This was considered a 'rule' for all pokemon evolution.Forrest and I watched on as one or two Clefairy at a time evolved. Not all of the assembled Clefairy did though. In total, only two dozen of the two hundred evolved into Clefables. The dance continued though and each had their chance close to the meteor before it lost its glow.When the meteor faded, I had a moment of disconnect before I blinked and my vision returned. "Woah, that was crazy," said Forrest from next to me."Yeah, this happens most clear full moons.""Only then?""The Clefairy need meteors or 'Moon Stone' to do their ritual. I know some Pokemarts will condense rocks like that into single-use items that certain pokemon like Clefairy use to evolve but this is one of the more natural ways.""Huh, cool." He was quiet for a moment, "I can't see anything. Are they going to leave before I get my night sight back?"I considered that as I watched the Clefairy congratulate the Clefable. "Probably bro. And it's night vision.""You ever going to teach me how you're able to see so well at night?""Perks of being the eldest.""Ha ha, very funny.""Would you believe in healthy living and carrots?" That only got another disbelieving snort."You're going to have to tell me one day.""Not until you get on my level.""Urgh! What does that even mean!?"I faked a sage-like tone of voice, "In good time young master, you will understand if you contemplate on my words!""I'm going to back up and turn a light on. See you back at camp."I waited a moment, listening to him trudge off. Beneath us, the Fairy pokemon slipped into the cracks in the cave system. The last Clefable atop the meteor looked in my direction and waved. I waved back before glancing towards my brother. "You know camp is the other way right?"His cursing was like music to my ears.I grimaced as rocks broke off and my brother slipped slightly. Cursing as he did so."Make sure of each hold little brother!""Couldn't we have hiked down?""Didn't you want to be home before lunch?" I asked. If I looked up I would have been able to see him, but my brother only had a bit of the light from the just rising sun to use."What if I fall?""You'll make a big crater and I'll have to use Titan to dig you out!""Brock!" He cried shrilly."Forrest! Trust me, alright. I wouldn't bring you this way if I didn't have… oh dear.""BROCK!? What was that?!""Nothing! Nothing. I just remembered that I left Zephyr at home.""So who'll catch me if I fall?""... How about just don't look down?!""BROCK!" He screamed."Okay, okay! Sorry! I still have Selene and Quirina!" This announcement was met with Forrest kicking rocks at me. "Hey! Don't be that guy! You've already caused enough avalanches with your voice!" A few more rocks came my way but they weren't really ever a threat. Forrest still muttered at me darkly for the next ten minutes it took to descend to the bottom of the rock face.From there was a simple enough hike back to the base of Mt Moon and then on towards Pewter city. On the way, I observed the area. There were a good enough showing of Ratata, Geodudes, Pidgey, Pidgeotto and more if you keep an eye out for them. Forrest only had eyes for the mountain we just scaled."Huh, it's pretty big isn't it?" I glanced back at the towering landscape that I knew was only a point of the range that lead north before branching east and west into a longer ranges that separate the Kanto region from the Indigo Plateau, Kingdom of Rota and other regions further. You could hike it if you wanted and people often did but it is a journey assigned months on foot. Most sail around it. You could even fly around it faster still.But never over it. Never, over it.I nodded at what Forrest was talking about. "Yup, in truth it was about thirty minutes of climbing up it along with the two-hour hike. Going down it took us a lot less and we'll be home by—" I juggle some numbers, "—maybe nine?""Woah…""That training you do with me and my pokemon pays off no?" I nudged him as we shared a grin. He bumped me back. A rustle of bushes didn't make us snap to attention but it did stop us from roughhousing. He relaxed a little more when a man breached the thick hedge and strides out onto the path leading to Pewter."Ha! Oh but that was a good trek through the wild!" The man was just as wild as the forest he likely came from, with leaves littering his thick black beard and his clothes being rather dirty. He either was a bit of a slob with his camping set up or had been out of touch with civilization for a while now.He rolled his shoulders and looked both ways. He stopped when he saw us watching him. "Oh ho! This is perfect! I return from my communion with nature and find the perfect test! Pokemon trainers! I challenge you! What say you!?"I nudged my brother forward and stepped to the side to act as a judge. His glare is deflected with a shrug. "What? I'm on holiday since yesterday, I plan to enjoy it. You show me your stuff little bro!" I smiled at the hiker, "Name?""Bron!""Trainer Bron as a challenger you release your pokemon first! Trainer Forrest the wager is league standard unless you want to alter it?"Forrest considered Bron for a moment before shaking his head. I hid a smile. It was the right call. League standard was really only a hundred poke dollars but if the guy had been out for longer he might not have much. He would need his money to reequip if not."Go! Carebear!" Bron shouted, releasing an Ursaring that roared before settling into a ready stance. I gave it a quick look, observing the small details that gave away how powerful some pokemon were. Things like the luster of the coat. The gleam in the eyes. The size of the pokemon. Even the way it sat back spoke of a well-trained pokemon. It wasn't everything but a suspicion began to build as to how this match would go.I looked to Forrest, and saw him considering his options."Go Onix!" I held in the sigh and instead kept my face neutral.Analysing a Rock-type was a slightly more nuanced affair. You typically had to look over the coarseness of their bodies. Sometimes rougher edges were preferred to impart scratch or smoother bodies were required for speedy pokemon. These were things that were determined through the types of training that pokemon were put through. Care from the trainer also factored in a lot more. Rock-types should also have a weight to them that forces the ground to buckle slightly as they show that they have a greater density compared to their surroundings.Lots of these features were lacking in Forrest's Onix."Pokemon and trainers, ready?" I waited for their nods, then slashed my hand downwards. "Fight!""Onix use—" "Hammer arm!" roared Bron. His Ursaring shot forward and slammed into Onix send it flying into the earth with a dull roar. I continued to watch, saying nothing, but checking Onix over as it rose and resumed a fighting pose."Dig Onix!""Carebear brace for payback!" called Bron. His bear settled into a stance that had its legs slightly shifted. Perfect for a quick evasion. I watched carefully as Forrest ignored the signs."Go Onix!"The smallest shift of pebbles announced Onix's eruption. It was still enough to have 'Carebear' launch to the side and swipe with their claw rending Onix and sending him tumbling. I glanced at the small graze Carebear had suffered. It was as good a trade as I expected might happen. Onix struggled to rise."Onix!" called Forrest. Onix tried to rouse only to slump down as unconsciousness overtook it. I raised a hand toward Bron and the man nodded, his Ursaring standing down. "Onix is unable to battle. The winner is Carebear and Trainer Bron!""Nicely done!" Bron high fived his pokemon while my brother withdrew Onix. I gave my brother a pat on the shoulder."Better luck next time little bro." I then nudged him over to pay the man using the transfer feature of the pokewatch. When he came back, he looked a bit glum. At first, I didn't say anything knowing that it never felt good to lose, but this wasn't the first time so he'd be used to it and bounce back soon enough. When his mood didn't pick up by the time we reached the outskirts of Pewter, I nudged him again and shot a questioning look his way."Uh yeah, I'm alright. Can't believe I just lost like that though. I should have been able to put up more of a fight."I waved it off, "Eh, no worries. You've still got a lot to learn." Even as I said it, I realized how true it was. Forrest was likely in a better position with being an assistant for me. But the gym was also bigger now. Not that it had ever been exactly small, but the point stood out in my mind. He had it better than his canonical contemporary. That didn't mean he was going to just be able to step in as Gym leader if I left though.He still had a lot more to learn. I considered that for a bit before shrugging and offering some advice. "It wasn't really an issue. That Pokemon was way stronger than I think you realized—" Forrest perked up as I began to talk him through some pointers. He might not be ready today but there was still plenty of time. In fact, I had an entire end of circuit split to spend with my family. I planned to make good use of it. Training would still be there. But I had a lot of plans to spend my break with my family.Tomorrow would come soon enough. Today? Today I was just going to be the best big brother I could.4"—ning listeners! It's a wonderful fifteen degrees to start the day here in Pewter city! We've got chances of clouds coming later in the afternoon! If you're looking for a picnic I'd suggest going early before the autumn storms roll in!" The rest of the radio host's announcement was lost as I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes. I felt around in the dark for some clothing and tugged them on. Then, half hoping and half knowing, I reached back into the bed and found an empty spot.I huffed and shook my head. I should know better by now. I stood to shake out my limbs. I bustled through the still dark house and into the entryway where shoes were stacked in mountains despite the wall of shelving I'd invested in. I kicked on my own shoes while my hands worked through the pile, sorting them quickly as had become a habit."Arceus forbid Cindy loses her shoes again," I muttered as the last set of shoes was assigned their slot. I straightened, ignoring the voice of reason that pointed out I'd need to do it all over again by lunchtime.For my morning workout, I ran to one corner of the land we owned, a line of Geodudes, the ones I had mentally marked down as future four badge fighters, woke up and came after me. It was an interesting situation as a gym leader. You needed to find a balance for the number of pokemon you held, and you needed to hold a number of pokemon for all stages and types of challenges that you could face.It was an Arceus-sent-blessing when you could find a pokemon that was content with their current level or that wanted to hold where they were. Pokemon, I'd found, innately wanted to fight and grow as strong as they could. Both trainers and pokemon had come to understand very early in our shared existence that working together resulted in better growth. Rare was the pokemon that could grow strong without a dedicated trainer. Most only reached what was known as third badge strength. A blessing, as that meant, in game terms, pokemon rarely got over level twenty-five.I sprinted through the small avalanche of Geodudes and skipped over a pair of Onix that were slowly rousing to begin their steady circuit. A Graveler that had been awake since the back door opened grinned at me and raised her top arms in defiance. I dove low and tackled her before beginning the other part of my morning workout.Wrestling.I rolled the Graveller over only to cop a number of punches to the abdominals, forcing me to tense up before I twisted to break the hold. I grabbed the lower arms, bracing with my legs. "Oryah!" I shouted as I threw the Graveler over my head.The ground rumbled as the hundred-kilogram pokemon was flipped. I felt the strain but grinned, backing off to let my sparring partner right herself. Then we went straight back to it. The Geodudes caught up, breaking into their own sparring matches while I tumbled with their evolved form. Other pokemon slowly trickled in. After another toss of the Graveler, I raised my arms and shouted a victory/challenge shout that had a number of my other pokemon perk up.A Rhydon stepped in with a glint in his eyes. This time I let him charge me. I didn't catch him in a hold but instead dodged, knowing full well the difference in power that came from Rhyhorn's secondary evolution. I closed and worked the body, my knuckles thumping into the side with dull impacts that weren't going to win me the match, but obviously stung Rhydon's pride in having me make the blows. Its arms swung ponderously at me. I ducked, dodged, dipped, dove and dodged as I had practised. A laugh at the thought of the old movie quote made me almost take a punch to the shoulder.I dug deep though, fighting on. Rock type pokemon didn't lack fighting spirit after all. As the Leader of the Pewter City gym, I just needed to bring it out.A yawn from a young-sounding voice made me nearly take another hit. "Huh, he almost got you Brock," mumbled a sleepy sounding voice."Morning Forrest, which workout are you doing today?" I asked my younger brother. He shrugged and gestured to the perimeter where three Onix were slowly making their loop. I grunted and landed another one-two combo in an earlier hit spot. "Need to keep the elbows in close and lean into some hits a bit more Rhydon." I said to my Sparring partner before shouting out to Forrest, "Alright, but take 'backpack' with you. You need more than intensity in your training."Forrest didn't have enough time to voice a protest as 'Backpack' leapt from where she had been fighting off an Aron to drape herself like a scarf over Forrest's shoulders. He came awake at that as his body buckled."Broooooock!" He groaned before his eyes widened as I gestured to a number of lazying Aron. He took off running as they nipped at his heels. "Brock!!"I ignored him, rolling under a punch before spotting an opening in my current opponent. "You're mine Rhydon!" I shouted as I rose into an uppercut that landed right on the pokemon's lowered chin. The punch rocked the bipedal rhino back and then it tumbled. I smirked and raised another fist in silent victory. This time not announcing my victory.With my body heaving, sweat dripping down my form, and the knowledge that I'd inflate some pokemon's opinion of themselves if they got to be the one to lay me out, I decided discretion was better than valour, so I walked off. While the Rock typing wasn't known for pride like the Dragon typing, you still needed to manage them. A task that grows in scope when you go from your usual team of six to a small army of pokemon that each gym is expected to have on hand. I settled back and watched Forrest outsprint the chasing Aron. The Rhydon that I'd beat settled in next to me."Right Rhydon, that was a good match up but I think I need to work on you with—" Living in the Pokemon world with the Pokemon cartoon-like physics enforced by passive aura had some definite perks.Being able to throw living boulders, carry pokemon that you outright shouldn't, outrun professional sprinters in my old world, all while having the stamina to do it for over an hour were just a few that came to mind. People, in general, were more durable. I chalked it up to Arceus after poking at the question for a while when I'd been growing up for the second time. I found that you still needed to be smart about it though. You couldn't just 'believe', you needed to work at things. The belief that you could do something helped a fraction, but I'd found that aura certainly played its part.Most people didn't think it was so literal when people mentioned 'growing' alongside their pokemon but there was a link. Not just in being better as a person but also in becoming stronger in various ways. It all depended on how a person worked at it. Which led to the last part of my training. I left the battling pokemon to it while assigning the strongest to be the referees. A concept that held no small amount of prestige as it allowed others to acknowledge that they had the power to end most fights easily.Tomorrow, I'd spend more time watching for bad habits developing in my pokemon's fighting methods. Today though, I finished out my workout by entering the cave at the center of the property.The cave was dark as all unlit caves are. There was still a glimmer and sparkle here and there of various gems, crystals and growths that I had shoved into the walls after having the place made up. In a few hours, these gems would work to spread light through the cave but even then darkness would continue to pervade it. I walked past some still slumbering pokemon, patting the living mountains as I did.In another section of the cave sparks arced about, dancing down geodes before flashing back, highlighting the warning markers that I had installed into the area. This was my special project that even I didn't walk into without care.Forrest and the rest of my siblings had been amazed when I'd shown them how electricity could benefit certain Rock types. But it was not these pokemon I was here for. Just as I ignored the stairs that went up to the peak of the plateau I'd made or the depths I'd carved out. Instead, I went to the deepest chamber and settled in to meditate. The area was large but already occupied.

I could just make out the towering form of Titan, my starter pokemon. I patted him, finding him already awake and kneeling in contemplation. "Tyranitar?" he said in greeting.

I knelt next to him, joining him in meditation. "Morning Titan." It was a slow process of developing my Aura strength. But most paths to strength, without noticeable negatives, had that issue of time being the biggest factor.I felt for the energy within myself and settled in. I'd known from day one of my awareness fully returning, that Aura could be used by people. I just had needed to find a method to train and control it. In the end, I had copied another cartoon by emulating the beings that were already using it.I'm sure Toph would have called me 'punk', or some such name, but been mildly pleased with how she'd inspired another rock user. That being said, I didn't settle for just rock aligned energy.After all my starter was a dual-type. So why couldn't I be the same?Rock-type energy was easy to pull on.Dark-type energy was different though. You needed to feel for it. I'd struggled with more than a metaphorical handful initially. I'd plateaued for years, making me doubt my method entirely.Then I'd returned from my journey and it had become all too easy.I had gone on a pokemon journey like so many others. It was considered something of a rite of passage. A coming of age that forces you to fend for yourself. Growing up is both the result, and the process. It was an ancient custom that seemed to span all the world in which many people have dedicated their lives to understanding a social phenomenon where a tradition was close to universal. Only very small out of the way places don't push for it. Most of them were island nations where the chain of islands saw you able to pop in and out of home only if you had the right pokemon. The whole point of heading out into the wild had been to grow and mature.I think I had been forced to grow more mature from my return home. Then again, the freedom of the journey compared to a position as a pseudo-parent had been a harsh contrast.I went on my Pokemon adventure when I turned ten and had gotten to experience the wonders and joy that came with that journey. It had been tough back then, but I'd known and prepared for it. Just as part of me had known, feared and prepared myself for what I knew would eventually happen.My parents leaving had stung… My mother walking off had been a critical strike as there had been no reference for when it occurred. I had a rough estimate for Flint. He'd been around to at least give Brock his Onix in the cartoon. That had given me time to form a plan. I'd planned to use the two years I'd bargained for from Flint as insurance and preparation.My adventure would see me traveling for longer than the average trainer. It had seen me range further afield than most as well. This had resulted in me being able to lay claim to a lot of more rare types that I happened to know the location of. The foreknowledge that wouldn't have been relevant for another six to ten years had been capitalized on, and now I could lay claim to a truly powerful team with some depth.I'd taken part in the Kanto conference, the Orange league and then gotten half of the Hoenn region circuit. I'd loved every moment of it. My old world had nothing that could compare to the freedom of going on a journey with friends in the form of pokemon or others that you made during your trip. Each day was a different challenge. A pokemon journey was rite of passage and a year-long hike, then add in with something like a gap year and you'd still fall short.As a trainer, you experienced complete control of your life for the first time. I had seen others fall into the traps this brought but my experience in organising and managing going on holidays in a variety of different climates had been put to great use. You could go to sleep exhausted from having hiked too far to wake up the next morning in a clearing of grass types, or overlooking an ocean teeming with water-types.And then I'd been called home. I had asked for more time initially. I'd argued the closeness of the Hoenn conference with how strong my team was. I hadn't won the Indigo conference but recent battles had all cumulated in a streak of wins. I'd been riding high on those with the caution of training tempering my team. Flint had been adamant in needing me back. I'd known this was potentially coming and dreaded it. I still agreed to return. I had raced home, slightly bitter at calling my journey short from the planned two years to just shy of a year and three months.I returned to find him haggard. I also found out he was almost giving away badges. That had been the first argument we'd had. Then I'd returned home and found a number of worrying signs that indicated that things had not been going well there either.Beer bottles stacked up around the bin. Dirty little brothers and sisters. Empty fridges with ready-made meals, at most. Dirty dishes stacked up around the sink. It told me a worrying tale without words.Forrest had learned how to cook and go to the shops.I'd settled in as quick as I could before setting to work cleaning the house and my family. I'd gotten them to an acceptable level before rounding back on Flint. He'd been cagey throughout the talk. I'd tried being objective with him, but seeing Tilly and Billy so small had been scary. Flint hadn't seemed to notice or listen when I'd pointed this out. He'd instead gotten a faraway look.Sure enough within five days of my return, he vanished into the night. A letter of apology with the contact details of support services was all he left behind.I had always known how things would end up.It had still stung. I tried to help out where I could but part of me hadn't been sympathetic to his plight. If you have ten kids, it was going to be hard work. I could see that he wasn't coping when I left. That didn't mean I was going to forgive him so easily. The guy had support with neighbors and friends who were aware of the situation. While I had been there I had pitched in where I could, but he had totally taken advantage of this by leaning on me more and more with each visit home.And now? I had to run everything. I'd prepared for it, but still been caught unaware of how tough it would be. Suzie and Timmy, now four years old, had been in nappies. Forrest hadn't been ready to leave for his journey and could really only provide the barest of support. Yolanda had known something was wrong but had been too young to help out but in the smallest of ways.I'd done everything but call support services. I didn't want to risk the chance they'd take away the youngest and find them foster homes, or as was more common I had since learnt, spend their lives growing up in an orphanage.I had overcome the issue."Ty! Tyran!" Titan poked me as he felt my Aura surge. I got it back under control and nodded to my guru. He nodded at me before gesturing to the gemstone that now held small flickers of light, indicating that it was time for me to head out and see to my family. I went through some cool-down exercises. Mentally pushing the heavy feelings I had drawn back down and repeating to myself that everything was fine now.When I was settled and I was feeling light in mind and body, I rose up to stretch out. Titan patted me on the head before I left reminding me, in his own way, that everything was fine. I chuckled but gave the giant lizard a hug for his efforts. Then I departed the cave system to see to the rest of my morning's chores.I worked the frying pan. Behind me, the sounds of slowly rising siblings filled the house. Some had already been drawn in by the smells of the kitchen, only for me to send them back out to wash up or collect another sibling. As the oldest, I had to set the rules. Only the youngest of our family of ten was allowed to remain at the table after the third and fourth eldest, Yolanda and Salvadore had deposited them."Brock! Suzie's got my toy!" "No! It's my toy!" screamed two of my sisters. I merely continued to work at the grill. "Brock! Tell her to let go!""Suzie! Now's not the time for toys! Just put it in the toybox and come for breakfast! Same goes for you Cindy!" In true childish fashion, the both of them ignored me and instead raced into the kitchen. "No running in the house!" I called out with an increased firmness. That made them slow up but then they danced around me. A sizzle and spit of oil made them leap back, remembering the last time they'd been stung by the stove.I turned and levelled my best big brother look on them. "Do I need to call Graveler in here?" I asked. They both shook their heads and sat down, where they continued to tug at a toy. "Hey! Toy! Hand it over, you both don't get to have it. I've already had to stitch Mr Muggins twice this week. If I have to do it a third time I'll put him away." I made sure to only have a firmness with my tone when I scolded them directly. Kids were sensitive to raised or growly voices.My announcement did not get obedience. Instead, it got some tears and screeches. I merely remained strong and deposited the toy on the counter. "You'll get him back after breakfast, now let's eat." I settled in and started hoeing into the eggs with some spinach on the side. Around me the others had small bits of toast with their meals.I didn't glance to the empty seats that sat to the side of the dining room. I had built the gym with enough room for a family of twelve when I'd planned it out. It had gotten too depressing having the extra empty chairs at the table though so I had them moved to the lounge room where the kids piled toys or books on them.A clatter of cutlery broke me from my thoughts. I glanced about to see most of my siblings were finished which meant it was on to the next task. "Alright! So we're going to school now! I packed all the lunches last night!" I reached into the fridge and frowned as I saw that we were way down on groceries.I ran that back through my mind before turning to the two youngest. "Have you been feeding the Munchlax that comes around again?"Tilly nodded her head while Billy shook it. They then swapped roles with Tilly shaking her head while Billy nodded. I sighed not at all surprised. Munchlax were pretty cute and very docile when offered food. Small children like Tilly and Billy… or indeed any of my siblings would attract them for the leftovers and scraps they would get following them around. I paused as another suspicion formed before a thought occurred to me. "Is the Munchlax in the house right now?"Both nodded slowly. I sighed and looked at the rest of the family. "Does anyone want to catch it for themselves?" Salvadore raised his hand hesitantly."Does this count as a starter pokemon?""Not unless you want it to. I think it'll be more of a family pokemon. Depends where it wants to be when your journey rolls around." He nodded and then glanced between myself and Forrest."Can I have a pokeball?" Forrest handed him one and the twins shot up to lead him to the future cuddle companion. I dished out the lunches for the day. I now had to add grocery shopping to the list. Just another chore for later in the day.5"Yoo-hoo Mr Gym leader! Good morning!" "Brock!" "Pewter city rocks!!"I waved as I walked down the streets of my city, acknowledging the various people that called out to me as I went. I was a well-known face and there had been a lot of community uproar when my dad had left.There had been lots of wagging tongues back then. Lots of people had doubted me. Lots of well-meaning people who 'just wanted what was best for me and my family' had leaked out of the woodwork. So, so, so many critics. The people that actually knew me and helped could thankfully be counted on two hands but it had been a frustrating time in my life. Hard work along with a solid performance record meant I had been able to retain the position while holding onto our house. Taking care of my family was still a challenge as with Dad gone, I was the only one my little siblings could look to.I didn't even want to touch the issue of my mother.Right now, I was looking to pick up some of them from school after getting groceries. Which now included Munchlax chow. A whole three bags full. I smiled when I got to the usual pick up point. The usual crowd were all there with many of the mothers smiling and waving. The fathers nodded in greeting and the few stray people my age gave shy smiles. I merely nodded, ignoring the giggles that my huge hiking pack I was carrying garnered. It was a now typical sight that the residents of Pewter had gotten used to.Just because I could carry the various groceries my small tribe of a family needed didn't make it easy. Unless you played it smart. It looked dorky as hell but it worked. One man had once commented on it only for me to shut him up by asking him to hold it while I tied up my shoe. His nearly being crushed by something that I carried with ease had shut them up that day.I thankfully didn't have the 'Brock' habit of swooning and throwing myself at women like he did in the cartoon. I certainly appreciated them more in this life; as they all also stayed very fit even with office jobs. It was rare to see overweight people in the pokemon world and most of the time it was more a 'muscled look' than actual flab."Brock, nice to see you! Johnny was telling—" said one woman as a group approached me.Women approaching me and talking about pokemon or getting 'tutoring' for their kids wasn't unusual in my city. I was all too happy to help. Heck, I still coached the little league baseball team, so that only gave parents twice the opportunities and number of reasons to seek me out. Thankfully Baseball season was run only in the off circuit timetable, and really only took up two and a bit afternoons. In truth, all sports ran at the same time,, making it a tough market to be in, but baseball was one of the most popular. It was something I'd have to look into in a few months time once the conference was over."Hey Brock who do you think is going to win in tonight's match up?" asked a dad that was glancing at a newspaper. He likely had the odds section opened judging by the numbers that were being shown along with the pictures of various Ponyta, Rapidash, Growlithe and Arcanine littered across the page."Who's fighting?""Bruno and Agatha!" announced the man. This led to a mutter being picked up as people began talking about the implications of the match. I merely leaned back, happy to not comment. Honestly, I think the man was more looking to strike up a conversation than actually asking for my take.I picked up my bevy of little sisters and brothers from the school and waved them to their friends and the mothers. Then it was off to the nursery where the youngest twins were, then a short walk home accompanied the entire way by the tirade of noise that comes with having small children being forced to remain within close contact."Nuh-uh! I'm not touching you!" said Tommy as he faked moving at Cindy before pulling back."Brock!""Stand on the other side away from him Cindy. Tommy stop harassing her, show me how fast you are instead by running to that Ratata and back."Tommy sprinted off, happy to show off while the Ratata that had been going through one of our neighbour's garbage bins shrieked in surprise before dashing away. The rest of the kids laughed before they began telling me of their day and what they learned. I made sure to compliment and praise good behaviour as the parenting guide had suggested. I made them dinner and set them to work on their homework before going through with my own gym paperwork. The day spent at school and the more serious air letting all but the youngest settle down. Each of us was in the same room with our work while a Geodude rolled around and played with the youngest kids. The newly acquired Munchlax happily devoured snacks thrown his way.My own 'homework' such that it was, was both mundane, interesting, and boring at the same time. I rushed through the tedious paysheet for trainers that were working for the Gym, most of them currently on holiday with the circuit winding down. I only had three of them on instead of the eight that I could. Two of whom I'd be expecting to finish up with at the end of this season.I had some plans for how things would play out in the future. There was a big question looming in my mind though, of if I should let canon play out. I had already changed tons of things, both in major and minor ways. I'd exploited the knowledge I had to set my family up in a better position.You only had to look at the state of the art gym that I'd had designed and created which my family now lived in. I wouldn't ever feel guilty about this but it certainly would add some possible wrinkles. I'd only have felt guilty if I hadn't used the knowledge I possessed. I wouldn't ignore that I also wanted to be in a stronger position than the canonical Brock but regardless, I wouldn't have been able to look myself in the mirror if I hadn't made myself as strong as possible."Mind If I put on the League channel tonight Brock?" asked ForrestI grunted from atop the paperwork, "You know you're supposed to be taking over some of this if you want to be training to take my position one day right?"Forrest squirmed in place before looking away. "Well yeah, but… It's still a way off right?"I nodded, my thoughts on this still undecided. Yolanda glanced up from her homework. Part of me wanted to stay but part of me urged myself to take off. Another part despised that part. That'd make me sorta like Dad and… her. Instead of voicing the fluctuating turmoil, I instead nodded and settled in for the rostered match. "What's scheduled? Any matches?" I felt an earlier memory tickle at my thoughts but Forrest was quicker."Bruno is challenging Agatha for the fourth spot in the new champ's roster instead of being third!" he said in a rush.That got a hum from me. "Hmmm, Lance is letting them fight?" Forrest nodded as he turned on the TV showing the team roster for each. I eyed the pokemon that were being displayed along with who would be most likely to come out first from each. From what I knew, Bruno would go in strong and fast. Honestly, Agatha was a terrible matchup for him. The two Gengars stood out to me and I huffed before returning to my work, "Agatha wins, three K.O's to six and those three against her only because of fatigue."Forrest of course voiced his own thoughts. This sparked some discussion from Yolanda and Salvadore who both had their own opinions."Hey, don't argue!" I off handly said when they got a bit too excited. That only made them quieten down until the match started. Then they called out the moves they'd order along with cheering on their respective 'team'.I glanced up at the start to watch Machamp take the stage. It made for an impressive pokemon. Sadly it was k.o'd fast by Agatha's first Gengar. I returned to my work absently glancing up occasionally. Yolanda nudged me just as I was about to finish the last few sheets of paperwork. "Bro! You were right!"I glanced at the clock in the corner and snorted, "Nah, I expected it to take longer despite the score. Was Agatha's Gengar that strong?"Yolanda nodded smugly, pleased by the showing of female prowess that let her lady it over her brothers. I let it play out, amused by her antics. I was just about to announce that it was bedtime only for a new announcer to appear."And now a word from the newest and hottest Champion in recent years! The Dragon master Lance!" said the far too excitable caster.The new darling of the League made an entrance to a table for an obviously planned post-match news release. Set in front of him a small pod of reporters bristled with paper, pen, microphones and recorders locked onto the champ. I'd seen a gossip magazine at the supermarket that announced him as the latest 'most eligible bachelor' in Indigo, as the joint Kanto-Johto region was known. Johto loved him while Kanto merely appreciated his strength. He'd knocked off the previous champ who'd also been a Johto champ. There hadn't been another Kanto champion for the region since one Samuel Oak retired after holding the position for fifteen years. An eternity in the pokemon world.People thought Lance would be the man to do that. They even tipped him as a heavy contender for the next World Championship which would be held in four years' time. So far only five regions had linked up reliably but there were rumours of another region being reliably secured in the next year or so. Hoenn was slated as the next region to host the championships regardless. Having not been nominated to participate in the tournament, I hadn't had to worry about the last one despite being a gym leader for it. The Sevii islands had run a pretty great tournament from what I had seen. There was talk of Kanto putting in a bid while others talked up the Organe being the next site for the championship matches. I knew to be on the lookout for either a man named Steven Stone, or a woman named Cynthia.Laughter from the room at large reminded me that the rest of the family was still watching the tv. I'd only missed some joke that apparently wasn't that funny judging by the look on the male host's face. The female was all but swooning with Lance smiling charmingly at her."Well, I suppose it's time for me to get to the crux of tonight's announcement. While Agatha and Bruno's match was a wonderful showing, I thought I'd make the announcement that come the end of the current conference, I will be hosting a few exhibition matches!"The crowd of reporters was suitably excited about this. "Champion Lance Who's going to feature in these matches!?" "Will you be fighting for auditions into your Elite Four?" "Is it true you're evicting Agatha and Lorelei!?"Lance gave them a self-assured smile before continuing, "For these, gym leaders from the major sixteen gyms from our joint regions will be on offer, with some smaller gyms being on the table. Others might also win the chance if the public show enough interest in watching me match up against them."I hummed at that. It wasn't something shown in the games and only touched on lightly but it was possible to earn four badges from the 'Big Eight' while earning the other four from smaller gyms. That would then allow you to qualify for the League at the end of the circuit.The fighting gym in Saffron was currently like this but there was lots of pride on the line if you wanted to be taken seriously. Elitists liked to gain all twelve if they could. It was interesting that Lance was allowing smaller gyms to earn more recognition for themselves. There were also potential ramifications for it.A wheel divided into twenty-four segments was brought onto the stage by some Machops and Lance smiled at the camera. I could see all the major gyms on show alongside the smaller less familiar gyms. My own boulder symbol stood out to my eye."Oh, oh! Brock, you might get a chance to fight the champ!" said Forrest excitedly. The rest of my family all sat up and voiced their own excitement with more than a few asking for autographs that I said I'd get regardless. As a Gym Leader, I had a seat at the conference that I could use if I wanted."And spin!" shouted the male host with the best game show host voice I'd heard in a while. Lance grabbed the wheel with both hands and gave it a toss that saw it blur into a spinning mess. The man tilted his head before laughing, "Well that looks like it will take a while to handle so let's have a word from our sponsors!"Small icons flashed across the bottom of the screen talking up pokefood and Silph Co, who had sponsored the man. Lance couldn't stop the look of distaste flashing across his face momentarily. I chuckled, that'd teach him for not simply letting the wheel spin once or twice before settling; instead of showing off his aura enhanced physique."—for when you need more than a flashlight you need Flash! A pokemon technical move provided for you by the scientists of Silph Co.!" The man glanced away from the camera to Lance who had a distinctly blank expression. "And it looks like we're slowing down now!"Around me, the vibrating, bouncing children stilled in anticipation. I saw the March Badge get ticked over along with the Volcano badge. I can already see where it will likely finish and my eyes are wide as I lean forward. The wheel came to a stop and the Boulder badge rested under the pointer."YOU GET TO FIGHT LANCE!" immediately my brothers and sisters explode as though an Exploud was among them. I chuckle and decide to just let them have the moment to celebrate. They'd have a lot of energy now but they were kids moments like this were pretty big. Even I was feeling a bit caught up in the good cheer—"Tch!"The sound from the tv cut through our celebrations. As one we returned our attention and found the hosts caught in surprise as Lance showed an expression as if he'd just stepped in Snubbull dung. The hosts both had expressions of shock but the man recovered quicker."Ah? Champion Lance, are you not happy with having the Pewter city gym as your first match?""My thoughts are that I don't want to waste the viewers at home or in the stadium's time with such a match. If I wasn't at least willing to let the weaker gyms have a shot I might reroll but in fairness, this will be good for Pewter I suppose."The host flapped his mouth open and shut a few times before nodding. "So you think the Pewter gym isn't worth the fight?""Please, 'Rock Types'? They wouldn't be able to last against my Dragons. I have pokemon in my arsenal that could clean sweep that gym alone. Give me Saffron, or Cinnabar island." Beside him the woman that was supposed to be a 'Co-host' swooned."Well you heard it here folks Lance, Champion of the Indigo region is vowing to clean sweep the Pewter Gym! As for the redraw Lance I'm sorry but that's the luck of the draw I'm afraid. Now that date for this will be in a month's time—" I switched the tv off.The room was outright silent now with none of the previous energy that the kids had been showing. Their fires doused with the careless arrogance Lance had shown. I didn't remember this from him in the anime. I could probably conjure up a mountain worth of excuses for him but found myself not wanting to."So looks like I'm going to have to beat the champ hmmm?" I said to the room. This caused a stir, but the kids merely smiled before saying that they'd get ready for bed.A part of my pride felt a sting that forced me to sit up and watch as my family slunk out of the room.None of the kids wanted stories that night. I tried to keep things ticking over like normal. Stories of my journey or mythic pokemon were offered and rejected as the kids stayed quiet.I departed for bed myself only to find myself not tired. I turned my mind towards the tasks I'd have to do tomorrow. It didn't help. My mind kept coming back to how quiet the room had been when he'd clicked his tongue.That moment, so casually given. So… Callously given.I think that was the poorly placed footstep that would see the first pebbles rumbling down the mountain. My mind shifted as I started to plan how I'd dump an avalanche onto Lance.