Pokémon Homecoming | A Galar Fanfiction

Chapter 8: Strange Challengers

'I've been trying to get hold of you all day!'

Sonia's excitable voice crackled from Hop's phone. He and Abbey sat around a Gigantamax pizza on his hotel room floor.

'The Power Spot Detector went mad earlier! You've gone and done it, haven't you?!'

Hop beamed. 'We sure have! Thanks to Lee.'

Sonia paused. 'I guess there's no harm in him knowing.'

'Of course there's not! I know him better than anyone. He only wants the best for Galar.'

I'm not sure anyone really knows him, Abbey thought, including himself. But I agree. I doubt he'd ever hurt anyone on purpose.

'Well, we're still working on actually holding the energy. Let alone transferring it.'

'There must be a way. I mean – the smugglers obviously think so.'

Hop yawned. 'I'm so tired. Can we lie in tomorrow?'

'Well, you can, but Leon wants me in at 6AM.'

Sonia giggled. 'What? Why is Abbey following Leon's orders?'

'I said I'd help his Trainers. He did prove me right, after all.'

***

Abbey walked to the monorail station alone that morning. Red buses whooshing past advertised her destination alongside Leon's face. She looked away. I'd like some respite from those eyes for a bit, thanks. With tourists still in bed, the carriages dotted with weary commuters were eerily quiet. Only two Trainers disembarked at the Battle Tower. They nodded in acknowledgement, for only people training with Leon arrived that early. Why am I doing this again? She followed Trainers through staff doors. Emerging into a locker room, they were greeted by their coach and fellow Trainers. The enthusiastic smile Abbey remembered had lost none of its innocence. That's why. Because I remember a 10 year-old who just loved Pokémon.

'Abbey! You actually came.'

She took his outstretched hand. 'I keep my word.'

Once his last mentees trailed in, looking a little dead inside, he introduced his friend.

'Abbey and me were on the Gym Challenge together. She's kindly agreed to train with us because she hasn't just seen Mega Evolution and Z-Moves – she's used them.'

Abbey folded her arms. 'I've given Leon a Key Stone. I hope he can use it, because my Garchomp isn't patient.'

She knew she was putting him on the spot, but her sideways glance was met with a smile reminiscent of their forgotten rivalry. Just like old times, eh? The Trainers trooped obediently into a battle room. Abbey quizzed them on recognising Z-Rings and Key Stones. Leon trained them well in that regard, but she found his expertise ended there when she released Garchomp to frightened faces. Pressing two fingers to the Key Stone on her Z-Ring, she held it high over her head. Purple light erupted from the stone to envelop Garchomp. It burst like a shattering vase to reveal its Mega Evolution. Its razor-sharp scythes gleamed. Abbey surveyed her students.

'So... who'll be our first opponent? No Dynamaxing.'

There were no volunteers. Leon stepped up. He sent out Haxorus. They yelled the same command – Outrage. Garchomp was faster. Haxorus was knocked to the floor. Though it dealt significant damage, Garchomp knocked it out on the next turn. Abbey addressed the students as Leon sprayed his revived Pokémon's wounds with a Full Restore.

'Right. In this case, my opponent knew my Mega Evolution was Garchomp. He knew he'd send out Haxorus to deal with it. What could Leon have done differently?'

There was silence. Only Leon's hand shot up like an over-eager schoolchild.

'Other than him.'

She jabbed her finger at a startled Pokémon Breeder. 'You. What would you have done?'

'I, uh, Leon could've sent out Mr. Rime.'

'I asked about Haxorus.'

'Choice Band?' a Schoolboy timidly suggested.

'Yes!'

Abbey clapped. 'In this specific situation, yes. Will you demonstrate, Leon?'

He sprang to his feet to fetch his backpack. The threadbare canvas was covered in faded iron-on patches. Abbey remembered trading her Charizard patch for his Cinderace one at a café in Motostoke. He fixed the Choice Band to Haxorus, heightening its Attack stat at the cost of locking it in to one move. Abbey dabbed at Garchomp with a Max Potion.

'Ready? Garchomp, use Outrage!'

'Haxorus, Outrage!'

Haxorus narrowly took the blow. Then it knocked out Garchomp in one hit. Abbey returned it to its Poké Ball.

'See? That wasn't so hard. Dynamaxing would've been unnecessary. You can't always predict your opponent's Mega Evolution, but when you can...'

As confidence spread, volunteers lined up. Leon watched intently from a bench. Though Abbey projected all her confidence outwards, she too was nervous... but he was a good coach. His encouragement dissolved nerves. 

The lesson ended at 9AM. Abbey returned to the locker room to meet Hop. There was no sign of him. Tutting, she stood to tap Leon on the shoulder.

'Oi. Leon.'

'Everything OK?'

'Are you free? Hop's overslept and I need to get on with our work.'

'Oh! Oh, yes, of course.'

He followed her into the lift. Abbey was startled by a generic announcement from a crackling radio.

'Challenger. Doubles.'

'Excuse me, Abbey.'

Leon plucked the radio from his belt under his tailcoat. 'Leon for reception. Who's the challenger?'

The response sounded as startled as Abbey to hear Leon's voice.

'A man. Registered as Karb.'

'Badges?'

'No. Mt. Battle ribbons.'

'Copy. Thanks. Over.'

It was Abbey's turn to curiously watch Leon. 'And I thought my Alolan stamps were unique.'

Leon looked down at his radio as if something smelled. 'They are.'

'My boyfriend's done Mt. Battle. He asked me to be an Area Leader, actually. I told him to fuck off.'

Leon smiled distractedly. The lift pinged. Doors opened. Abbey, seeing his eyes absently scan the corridor, took the lead. The experiment room's floor was slightly charred. Equipment was still set up from the previous day. Abbey hesitated before switching it on.

'While we're here...'

She rummaged in her bag for a pouch that sounded as if it was full of clinking marbles. Leon, stowing his radio away, watched her expectantly. She pondered over two stones. One was sunshine orange with a deep red centre. The other was iridescent blue, its swirling centre flecked with grey. Her lips curled into a smile as she selected the blue. It wasn't the logical choice, but she first pictured her old friend at 10 before glancing up at the 30 year-old man, who was probably too lost and tired to find any wonder anywhere. She placed it into his palm and closed his fingers around it.

'Let's practice Mega Evolution.'