26-27

Chapter 26: The Iron Maiden

Thad wasn't one to get nervous. He'd trained and competed against some of the best athletes in his collegiate career and liked to consider himself a part of that elite group.

Yet standing across the grass field from all of Jasmine's diminutive frame gave him pause. Body language in any competition gave a lot away about a person, and there wasn't a shred of worry or doubt in her stance. She radiated confidence as she pulled forth a Pokeball, holding it out with a straight arm.

The softness in her facial features had vanished. Her thin eyebrows were scrunched up, her mouth forming a thin line, and her chin lifted ever so slightly. Thad took a moment to appreciate how even her posture had improved with her joining workouts with him and the rest of his crew. They had taught each other something uniquely different to better themselves, which only fueled Thad's competitiveness.

"Don't tell me you're nervous, Thad."

Thad chuckled, taking out his own Pokeball. "Nah, just prepared. Ready to pop off."

Jasmine knew what he liked to lead with better than anyone. She was the one who had suggested many strategies to him, and probably had made adjustments in anticipation. Metagaming was half the battle in many strategy games, after all. It was like studying tape to know your enemy.

You always have two options, Thad hurled his lead Pokemon, Either change your gameplan completely or introduce a bunch of dummy calls. And I ain't got time to make a new plan, so time to throw her off.

Keto appeared in an orb of red light, blissfully sticking his tongue out to taste the fragrant air. Jasmine followed suit, unleashing a very petite Mawile that shivered as a breeze rolled through the field.

"Ahuh. So that's how we gonna start things off," Thad said. He unrolled his playbook sheet from his back, holding it in front of his mouth. "Well, Keto is ready to rumble. Go ahead and let loose some liquid!"

"Steady, Kya! Just like we've been practicing!" Jasmine shouted. "Iron Defense!"

The Quagsire lumbered forward, using the momentum of their hefty upper body to carry their stubby legs at a surprising pace. Kya the Mawile instinctively hopped to the side, but Keto flopped his body to the side and began to spin on the ground like a top. Water whipped around the Quagsire, ensnaring the Mawile's limbs and false mouth. Despite the glossy sheen from the Mawile's hardening technique, the constant barrage of water knocked the petite Pokemon off balance.

"Keto does work in close range too! Now you're stuck against someone above your weight class!" Thad said, pumping a fist in the air. He looked back at his playbook, muttering a few of his next lines to himself. "Now, let's go for—"

"Kya, use Grass Knot!"

Thad blinked. "The heck?"

Blades of grass rose and began slapping against Keto's sides and mouth. He let out a high-pitched moan and flailed around; the water vortex dragging in the animated leaf blades as Kya tried to pry herself free.

"Alright, Keto time to go for gold. Do it for the protein bar!"

Keto flopped his lumpy body to the side and began to flail. His stubby arms and legs kicked wildly as the ground began to shake with each plop. No disregard and completely unaware that he'd snagged the wide-eyed Mawile in a binding whirlpool. Thad even bent his knees to maintain standing, noticing how flocks of Pidgey and Spearow fled from nearby treetops.

"Alright, time to finish them off with a—"

Kya the Mawile disappeared with a faint bloop and a puff of smoke. Not a second later, Jasmine's Steelix materialized in the space that Kya had occupied and let out a triumphant roar.

"Right. Of course, she'd Houdini the giant metal snake into the battle somehow."

"Show 'em what a real earthquake looks like, Rusty!" Jasmine pointed at the floppy water/ground Pokemon. Keto's tongue draped from his maw with a trail of slime following as he arched his head to look up at the Steelix. "Full power ahead!"

Thad hummed lowly under his breath. "Ah, shit. My boy is about to get clapped, and not in the fun way."

While the earth rumbled mightily underneath Keto's prowess, managing to jostle the young Mawile, it didn't compare to the majesty and practiced technique of a true subterranean earth dweller. Under Jasmine's keen tutelage, an earthquake was a tried and true technique that had carried her through many gym battles against foes that dared not use levitation or Flying-Type Pokemon. Keto had front-row seats to the rolling waves of grassland, flipping him into the air and knocking him around like a parcel without handling insurance.

The effects of Steelix's tremors were swift as Keto rolled onto his back and closed his eyes. His chest heaved up and down as the metal terror loomed over him, sniffing around the slimy creature.

"Looks like I've scored the first knockout," Jasmine said. She gave a small golf clap and flashed a smug smile at Thad. "I think now is a good time to say that I might have held out on you when it comes to some of the more advanced techniques."

"I've learned some stuff too, Jazzy. Mostly when you would sleep in at the Pokemon Center and I would use the internet." Thad drew out his next Pokeball. He tapped the side of his head and waggled his playbook sheet. "I know a relay move when I see one. It's the ole' baton pass trick."

Jasmine blinked, almost stunned by Thad's analysis. Her befuddlement quickly transformed into a feral excitement as she haughtily threw her hair back. "Okay, now I won't feel bad when I beat you. At least you know what's coming."

"Don't count your chickens, er, Pidgeys before the hatch. You still haven't witnessed maximum protein output."

Thad tossed his next Pokemon into the battlefield, revealing his trusty Machoke, Chad. He struck a traditional bodybuilder pose that highlighted his massive pectoral muscles and well-defined biceps.

"Alright, just like in the simulations, Chad! And don't be afraid to add in some extra spice!"

Chad looked over his shoulder and gave Thad a hearty thumbs up. "Macho!"

And now it's on. Jazzy loves that metal lizard a lot and has bragged a bunch. But, Thad hid his smile with the playsheet, she also forgot there is tape online of some of her matches. And a good student of the game always does their homework. Plus, she looks hella cute when she's in the zone.

Chad leaped into action, shouting loudly as he came nearly face-to-face with Jasmine's prized Pokemon. The Steelix whipped its tail around, aiming for the center of his torso. Chad tried to rotate his body midair, but the tail glowed a dull silver and collided with a harsh, meaty thud; he rocketed toward the ground at lightning-fast speed.

"Finish 'em off, Rusty!"

Steelix dove forward head first toward Chad, not letting the dust settle. Both trainers heard a triumphant roar from the metalloid snake, a moment of silence, and then a harsh clang. Thad and Jasmine winced, covering their ears as the reverberation threatened to tear their eardrums.

Did he do it? That waved away the dirt from his face, taking a few steps forward. C'mon… take it and dish it right back.

"But how!" Jasmine squeaked as the dust settled. "T-that's a—"

Chad held Jasmine's Steelix in place with his two arms, barely keeping the mandible from swallowing him whole with a nasty crunch of their iron teeth. A wide smile was plastered across Thad's face. The top of his power belt had become unhooked, leaving him solely in the strange black speedo that his species adorned. Lastly, an extra set of arms had sprouted from his back, one of which glowed a fiery red aura.

"You thought he would choke? He's a champ now, Jazzy," Thad said, confidently. "Nah, he's more of a champ. No need for fancy names as this one is pretty fitting. Counter!"

"Machooooo!" Chad's battle cry blasted across the surrounding area of Mt. Silver; a declaration of pure strength to any and all contenders that he stood alone in the vast world of protein and muscles amongst those of his kind. He shifted his hips and leaned into the blow that sent the Steelix airborne, flailing around helplessly.

Jasmine reluctantly recalled her prized Pokemon back into their respective Pokeball. She took a moment to compose herself as she gently placed the Pokeball back in her pack. She pulled out another Pokeball and tossed it into the arena, revealing a large mole with a large drill-like horn protruding from its forehead.

"You got me with that last maneuver. Counter is highly unusual on such a Pokemon. But it's still early, Thad." Jasmine folded her arms across her chest. "Don't think you'll be able to get away with gimmick tactics for an entire match. Now, Wilbur, use Drill Run!"

The drill-headed mole dug its forearms into the ground and launched itself forward. Chad dug his heels into the ground and braced himself for the attack, all four arms out at the ready like a grappler.

"Burrow quickly!"

Wilbur the Excadrill took a sharp u-turn into the loamy earth and slipped seamlessly beneath the surface. Thad hummed under his breath as he scanned the landscape for any abnormal bumps or disturbances.

"He's a quick one, that's for sure," Thad muttered. "Chad! Focus your energy and wait for the right time. Feel with your feet!"

Chad gave Thad two thumbs up with his upper pair of arms, while his lower pair of arms came together in a meditative pose. The Machamp took deep, steady breaths as the wind stilled across the battlefield. Jasmine waited patiently, eying any twitches or subtle movement from the now serene Fighting-type.

It took nearly thirty seconds of serenity before Thad felt a rumble under his feet. He felt his words get caught in his throat as he cupped his hands around his mouth to mimic a megaphone. Luckily, Chad leaped upward, dodging a large fissure opening up in the ground beneath him.

Jasmine let out a sigh of relief and smiled. "Good dodge. But we've practiced for that one. Wilbur, use Sand Tomb and trap them in the fissure!"

Thad held his right arm up, patting his elbow. "People's elbow! Let 'em have it!"

Chad tucked both his right side elbow and let himself fall toward the Excadrill clinging to the side of the newly opened trench. The bottom was nearly thirty meters deep and about five meters long and wide. Trails of sand coiled upward like serpents, wrapping the grainy tendrils around Chad's limbs. Chad's momentum slowed, but he still managed to crash into Wilbur, rousing forth a great plume of dust and sand.

"Gutsy play, but finish 'em off! Feel 'em out!"

"Wilbur, use Earthquake!" Jasmine began to pace slowly, her eyes narrowing. "You know the drill. Just like we've practiced."

The ground shook violently; edges of the newly formed trench began to fall away and the dust cloud whipped around haphazardly. Thad squinted his eyes and pulled his elbow up to cover his mouth and nose as he found himself downwind from the ruckus.

C'mon buddy. Don't make a mountain outta a molehill. We got a feel for the game, and ain't no angry gopher gonna slap us.

A loud clap boomed across the air as the dust began to settle. Both trainers looked on with awe as Chad and Wilbur were locked across from each other; Wilbur on all fours trying to drill into Chad as all four arms bore down on their head to stop the sharpened horn. Veins of sand were still wrapped around Chad's ankles and waist, lashing out and pulling on him, trying to knock him off balance.

Tricky. Looks like the mole guy has a low center of gravity and lots of torque. Too risky to try and punch without getting pulverized. Plan B time, baby.

"Chad! Go for the submission! Hold 'em down!"

"Rapid spin out!" Jasmine shouted. "Then, place—"

"Punch the fool!"

As Chad tried to get a better grip, the Excadrill retreated by whirling its body around in a corkscrew fashion. Chad's left arm glowed with vibrant orange energy and glistened with a sheen of sweat as he let out a warcry and launched himself for a monstrous and familiar strike.

Except the punch went wide right, just scraping over the top of Wilbur's head drill.

Wilbur seized the opportunity and delivered a bone-crunching headbutt into Chad's ribs. Jasmine let out a holler of appraisal as Wilbur stayed in the thick of the battle, launching himself for another strike, nailing Chad in the ribs again. Thad bit back a hiss of pain for his companion, watching Chad follow up with a sneaky low kick, tripping up the nimble mole.

Both trainers leaned forward as their respective Pokemon grappled with their new set of bruises. Wilbur and Chad locked eyes for a moment, and as they froze and gave each other the subtlest of nods. Their muscles clenched and they launched toward each other one more, exchanging another vicious headbutt and haymaker. Then again, each weaving around the other's strikes in a flurry of punches, feints, and protective measures.

The sand trying to restrain Chad finally lost its wordless will and fell limp on the ground. He immediately brought up a knee, managing to deliver a crushing blow that could break bricks. Wilbur retorted by coating his body in a metallic sheen, his drill horn glowing white, and ramming it back into Chad's torso. The cost of such an attack was catching another stray karate chop from the many armed combatant.

Both Pokemon breathed heavily as their movements began to slow down. Scrapes and bruises are evident on both and each grit their teeth to bear the damage. Another headbutt. Another supercharged fist.

And then, both competitors stilled. They smiled at each other before they flopped over onto their faces in sync. Both were unconscious before they hit the ground.

"Now, that," Thad said, recalling Chad back into his Pokeball, "was a battle. Our dudes went ham."

Jasmine nodded along. "I couldn't agree more. Wilbur has always been competitive and eager to trade blows. Seems they've both met their match, and now we are tied at two a piece." Jasmine recalled Wilbur and tossed out her next Pokemon; a familiar face as Mawile returned to the battlefield. "We shall try this once more."

Tricky setup dude. Gotta go fast and hard before Jasmine pulls out those strats. Thad slung forth his next Pokemon from their ball. Let's keep the action rolling.

"Lucha!" Nacho bellowed as the bombastic bird struck a pose with his wings extended and beak pointed skyward. "Haaaaa!"

"Get in there and suplex 'em!"

Kya's eyes went wide as saucers as the luchador bird rocketed up into the sky. Their small silhouette blocked the sun for a brief moment before careening toward the ground like a heat-seeking missile. The air began to whistle around Nacho as he stretched his arms out for a flying body press. Kya shivered and held their faux maw in front of their face.

Nacho collided with Kya, but a prompt 'doink' echoed through the air as Nacho bounced off a bubble of air. He scrambled to regain his composure mid-flight as Kya's maw began to glow a bright silver sheen, and then their stout legs propelled them forward into the air toward Nacho.

"A little too flashy, Thad. Remember, Protect is handy on nearly any Pokemon," Jasmine said. "Now, Kya hit them with Iron Tail!"

The maw collided with Nacho's face, sending the bird right into a nearby stump. Nacho shook off the damage, brushing some of the dirt out of his ruffled feathers. He looked to Thad who demonstrated a slow clap, and Nacho let out a shrill squawk and began to copy their trainer's motions.

Kya's maw began to glow silver once again and the little Mawile began to charge once more at Nacho. Jasmine's jaw dropped, but she quickly composed herself as she gave Thad a look of commendation for his unique choice of move.

"I know it's cliche, but everyone likes an encore, so let's run that back!" Thad grinned wildly. "Nacho, you're faster than them so clean house with some super bird action."

"Haaawwwh!" Nacho kept low to the ground as he flapped his wings furiously to meet Kya head-on. He dipped underneath the cumbersome Iron Tail maneuver and drove his beak directly into Kya's core. "Luchhhaaaa!"

Kya squeaked out in pain as she rolled out of the way, sporting a large bruise. Nacho's face looked a bit worse for wear, but the Fighting-type relished the trade of blows with a flourish of his vibrant wings. Is neck feathers ruffled a bit as he readied another dive-bomb attempt on the wobbly Mawile.

"Kya, use Protect!"

"Time to fake 'em out, but not that one, the other one!"

Kya's body shook as they held their arms out, maintaining a thin energy barrier around their body. Nacho's flight ground to a screeching halt as he landed right before Kya, and flexed his wings outward, just enough to coax out a flinch from the Steel-type. He followed up with a quick peck into Kya's face, sending her stumbling back onto her back.

"And that's a knockout, baby!" Thad pumped his fist in the air. "That's how we roll. Three down, three more to go!"

"Let's not get too ahead ourselves, Thad," Jasmine gently warned. She released her next Pokemon, her Skarmory standing tall and proud. "Let's see if your aerial game is up to the challenge."

The mist near Mt. Silver was near suffocating as Marley trudged carefully forward. Her trusty Arcanine dutifully followed beside her, taking a break from dashing through the craggy foothills. The way through New Bark town didn't appeal to her, and many trainers enjoyed the challenge of climbing toward Mt. Silver from Johto. Marley simply did it for efficiency.

Marley's foray into the Dark Cave system had proven fortuitous enough; a few battles sprinkled in between trainers and wild Pokemon. Even watching her Golbat evolve into a Crobat proved the trip to be great enough by itself.

Yet the final challenge loomed overhead, and while she could petition for a ticket to Sinnoh's world tournament in Olivine, there was a shorter yet more adaptable path: talk to Jasmine to bring her along from Indigo Plateau. It would also mean tolerating a familiar meathead, but many had made greater sacrifices for less. Sometimes tough decisions had to be made, as any well-seasoned trainer knew.

Sounds of battle echoed throughout the ravine. The stony earth had slowly transitioned to muddy grasslands. Mt. Silver wasn't for the faint of heart, and the prospect of battle was rife for the wild Pokemon or trainers wishing to test their mettle.

Yet that… does not sound native.

Marley held up a finger to her lips as she glanced toward her Arcanine, and then crept further into the dense fog. Besides a few Poliwag bobbing up in down in a few puddles, the local Pokemon population seemed thin. Or at least retreated for the moment.

A squawk ricocheted through the fog; a familiar one at that. Hawluchas weren't native to Mt. Silver by any stretch, and a name immediately floated to the forefront of her mind, followed by a heavy sigh.

Thad.

Weaving through the jagged treeline, Marley stumbled upon the opening of a large clearing with a small pond on the far side. The mist had been blasted away from a whirlwind by her old Hawlucha that remained perched on Thad's beefy shoulder. Across the field stood Jasmine with her petite Mawile flopped on the ground face down; a Pokeball's red light absorbed them back into their metallic home.

Looks like he's having fun. Always was a bit too much energy for me. Marley's hand drifted toward her waist, tapping Trouble's Pokeball. And you're coming along. Just tempering out all those bad habits of yours. Naughty little thing you are, but I suppose that's just in your nature, isn't it?

Marley settled in, leaning against her floofy Arcanine as Thad conversed with Jasmine for a moment. Despite the late summer chill beginning to settle into the mountains, each of them had opted for prime summer ware: Thad once again wearing compression bike shorts and a mysteriously misplaced shirt while Jasmine donned a high collared sleeveless steel-colored summer dress that came down just to her mid-thigh.

The sun threatened to dip below the horizon as Jasmine tossed out her next Pokemon; her Skarmory, Ceris, who flexed out their sharpened wings and let out a sharp squawk at the opposing bird Pokemon. Nacho, her former Pokemon, ruffled his feathers at the apparent taunt.

Neither is leading with their heavy hitters. Or perhaps I simply have arrived too late. Marley took note of the thick plastic sheet Thad held in front of his face, obscuring his lips as he belted out commands. He's focused that's for sure.

Marley felt her Arcanine shift underneath her, letting out a soft growl.

"Easy there, it's just a trainer battle. We can watch from here," Marley said. Arcanine let out a meek growl and settled back down, letting his tail swish side to side. "There, there. Just relax. We've been walking for a long while."

The clash between the two trainers followed suit with an aerial assault of razor-sharp winds clipping through the treetops mixed with an assortment of rolls and dives of the most acrobatic in nature. Each team's participant regarded each other warily after a few passes and exchanging a few glancing blows. Marley furrowed her brow as watched Thad exercise patience despite the lack of experience in Flying-type combat.

He's come a long way from the heaviest attack first, literally anything else later. Marley smiled as Jasmine's Skarmory landed a beak-led Brave Bird right into attack into Nacho's core; the flamboyant bird trying to be a bit too fancy with their acrobatics and jukes. Can't say I'll miss his showboating, and Jasmine is one of the best trainers in the Johto region. To face any gym leader at full strength is much different than a standard gym battle. No room for blatant error.

Marley felt a pang in her chest as Nacho landed a Flying Press into Ceris' left wing. The great metal bird warbled a bit from the blow and used the momentum to reset its flight path and create some distance. Watching the self-proclaimed beefcake hold his ground against a seasoned professional gave her a mix of hope and dread. Hope in that the gym leaders weren't so untouchable when in a normal battle, that they too were mortal.

Dread in that it was Thad who was leading the charge, and the annoying implications if he managed to win. Marley found herself rooting for Jasmine, but only ever so slightly. To show that the gap was but a river, and not an ocean's width difference of skill.

Steelix uprooted underneath Thad's companion, rocketing him into the air and left flailing around. Marley found herself smirking, but only for a moment as Chad replied in kind with a revenge strike that planted the steel behemoth firmly into the soft, loamy earth.

Is that a Tyranitar?! When did he obtain something like that, let alone tame it? Marley blinked and recomposed herself, leaning back into the fluffy canine. Or he hasn't tamed it at all. Probably bribed it with the promise of meat or something. Barbaricabic and yet expected.

Jasmine remained confident in the face of the new threat as she withdrew her Skarmory and unveiled her Magneton. Thad titled his head, seemingly puzzled by the switch but pressed on with his lumbering titan. Marley shook her head and cracked a wry smirk as a small sandstorm began to churn across the battlefield.

"She's going to make him pay for using something slower. There's only one reason she'd switch in Magneton," Marley drawled. She ran her fingers through Arcanine's fur, pulling out the knots in his mane. "It's a bit more advanced, but Thad needs his Tyranitar to be faster, which I doubt it is."

Tyranitar let out an earthshaking roar and lifted its left leg. Jasmine appeared unphased by the incoming earthquake and muttered something out to her Magneton. The Electric-type glowed brightly, nearly becoming perfectly silver for a moment. Finally, a great beam of electromagnetic energy poured out from the Magneton nearly fast as an excited Jolteon, blasting through the Tyranitar's chest and continuing into the shrouded wood for a moment.

The air tasted vaguely metallic and Marley felt the latent current dance across her hair, making it frizz up. Tyranitar fell to the ground with a few choice words from Thad, namely 'what the hell was that' among some other bro-jargon before recalling his newly acquired partner. Jasmine shrugged, but even Marley could see the wry grin on the gym leader's face. Jasmine was enjoying the little display, and by commanding her Magneton to use Steel Beam of all moves, it wasn't purely a casual match.

I figured she'd get heavy damage with Flash Cannon… but to KO them outright?

Thad eagerly sent in his Golem, and Marley couldn't help but frown. "It's like he's daring her to use another Steel Beam."

As predicted, Magneton fired off another vibrant ray of metallic energy at Dwayne. Air felt more static once again, but sturdy boulder Pokemon remained standing, albeit barely. He rolled quickly forward as the Magneton sagged in the air, exhausted from charging two beams of significant energy.

And then an explosion erupted from the center of the battlefield, deepening the crater that had been formed between the two trainers. Marley braced herself and buried her face into Arcanine's fur as dust kicked up and blew into the tree line. She waited for the gust to abate before turning back to the action.

That crazy beef lunatic knew Golem would take a hit and then sent him in for an explosion… not what I would have done, but it's respectable. Considering how flexible Magneton is for Jasmine's team and not to mention the prospect of maybe knocking out Golem too… a hard choice.

"It's the fourth quarter, but this is our time to shine!" Thad tossed out his next Pokemon; Buzzwole appeared at the edge of the cratered area flexing its impressively large biceps. "Get ready Jazzy, 'cause we be going beast mode!"

The Buzzwole, King, charged forward at the Skarmory who immediately shot into the sky to create distance. The mosquito beak of King scrunched up a bit, sucking a nearby piece of loose rubble up to its snout like a vacuum. King's abdomen expanded, and then a sharp blast of air ejected from their mouth shooting the rock at Skarmory almost too fast for Marley to track.

The piece of rubble clipped Skarmory in the right wing, sending them careening toward the ground, barely stopping themselves from a crash landing as they skid across the loose grass.

"I told you the smackdown was coming, Jazz. I was just being literal there," Thad said. "Now, go and give 'em the good ole' suck 'n punch!"

Does he mean Drain Punch or Sucker Punch? Or something different? So hard to tell with Thad…

Marley shook her head as King strode up to Ceris, weaving past a flurry of Drill Peck attacks. A few landed against the tight red skin of the ultra beast, but with no escape to the skies, King found his mark with a vicious right hook clocking Ceris across the chin. Energy sapped into King's bicep, engorging it with more power as they struck again, choosing now to absorb the defensive pecks in favor of landing a clean blow.

Before Ceris could slump to the ground, Jasmine recalled her prized Flying-type and stared down the Buzzwole with a dissecting glare. Thad had crossed his arms and smirked at the display, giving Jasmine a nonchalant shrug.

"All tied up at five a piece, Jazzy. What's the play?"

Jasmine smiled, holding her final Pokeball. "The play? I've got you right where I want you. Allow me to reintroduce you to Meta."

Jasmine unfurled her Pokeball high into the air, letting the red beam of light summon her Metagross, Meta, a few yards from King. Their metallic-pronged limbs dug into the lopsided earth as it let out a screech-like battle cry akin to chimes blowing in the wind.

"You think the Meta can defeat me?" Thad scoffed. "Anything is possible with enough protein and gains."

"We shall see, but I have the type advantage here, not to mention something else you've never encountered." Jasmine tapped the side of her head. "One of the perks of having a Psychic-type."

Marley hummed lightly as she watched the two juggernaut Pokemon circle each other, sizing one another up. Psychic-types are fantastic for precise coordination. Even if everyone talks about Stephen's being the strongest one, Jasmine isn't too far behind.

Each Pokemon paused for a moment, a calm washing over the battlefield as Jasmine remained composed and didn't move a muscle. Thad gripped his playsheet tightly, covering all below his eyes. He took a deep breath and pointed outward.

"Deep fade route, followed by an over-under!"

King sprung into action, angrily dooting from his proboscis. Metagross solidified its position, wedging its limbs into the soil, tracking King's blistering movement with careful scrutiny. King came within an inch of Meta's plated face before they froze in place. Marley heard Thad curse something under his breath as King gently floated upward with a faint pinkish aura around him, and then get flung across the battleground. King tumbled a few times before clamping down with his four legs.

Psychic against a hulking monster like that is what I would have chosen too. Thad can't get close enough without risking getting redirected.

"Figured we'd try that… alright, new plan King. From the top ropes!"

"Go ahead, Thad. I've got you pinned. Doesn't matter how strong you are if you can't get close enough to land a hit," Jasmine said.

King bent its legs and sprung back into the air, except arcing toward Meta, they disappeared into the cloud cover of the dusky sky. Jasmine and Meta both looked up, the gym leader raising a hand to shield her eyes from the sliver of light left in the sky from the sun.

Marley sighed and nestled herself deeper into her Arcanine's lush fur. Of course, he'd teach it Bounce. Didn't even know it could do that. One way to get around a straightforward attack, but what goes up… must come down.

Both trainers held their breath in anticipation for King to come screaming back down from the heavens, but ten seconds passed and nothing happened. Then thirty passed. Jasmine began tapping her foot and whistling once the forty-five-second mark passed. Even Thad placed his hands on his hips and tilted his head toward the sky.

"Uh, Thad, how high did you tell King to jump?"

"As high as he could. It's called 'the top rope' for a reason, Jazzy." Thad's mouth opened in an 'o' and he proceeded to facepalm. "Ah, crap. Do you think King shot himself into space? He is pretty beefy."

Jasmine blinked, her face skeptical as she opened her mouth, paused, and then cleared her throat. "It's possible… I think? We practiced it a few times but never at full power. Maybe that was a mistake, because if big dude doesn't come down—"

"DOOOT!"

King blasted through the overcast cloud head first with his proboscis cleaving through the air. Meta tilted their body upward slightly, and their body began to glow a soft grey right before King crashed into them with a chunky thud. Dirt plumed up from the collision, and Thad and Jasmine covered their faces as they waited for the dust to settle. Marley even buried her face into Arcanine's fur to not get hit by the shockwave of filth that spread past the treeline.

No sounds of battle emanated from the location once the dust settled. Meta slowly maneuvered themselves from their trench; a large scuff atop their metal-plated body. Further down the crater, King lay in an unconscious stupor with a dark red bruise atop their skull.

Time to get moving. Marley crawled to her feet and dusted off her dress. Arcanine rose in turn and she hopped onto his back, giving him two firm pats to begin approaching.

Thad shook his head as he returned King back to their Pokeball. He was still smiling and cheery, yet his stiff body language betrayed his feelings about the battle. It was one thing to be outdone by another's skill, but every trainer has at one point experienced the melancholy of thinking too outside the box with a particular strategy and having to come to bite them back.

Jasmine caught sight of Marley first and gave her a small wave before jogging around the cratered battlefield to meet Thad.

"I believe that's the match," Jasmine noted, recalling Meta back to their Pokeball. "You perhaps went a little too hard. Still, I believe it would have been a viable strategy."

"Yeah, I get you," Thad grumbled. "Never did I think that gains would betray me like that."

"Think of it this way," Jasmine offered, gesturing to their destructive aftermath, "you have been at this for a very brief time, and pushed me to the brink. You just need a bit more time, and those mistakes will disappear."

"Aye, that do be true. The grind never ends." Thad turned around, looking first at Arcanine and then up to Marley. "Sup. I thought you got lost back at Blackberry City or something."

"I was training, thank you very much," Marley retorted. "But now I'm on my way to Indigo Plateau. I know that both of you are traveling to the Worlds tournament soon, and company could be worse."

Thad rolled his eyes. "You are just a bucket of sunshine. But I won't stop ya. Got some chitchat to do with some Bruno dude. He's 'spectin me."

"We're happy to travel again," Jasmine shot an expectant look toward both Marley and Thad, "that is what we agreed upon at Blackthorn. Besides, Sinnoh is quite beautiful this time of year. It'd be a shame to miss out. Most of the other competitors from Kanto and Johto will be at Indigo Plateau to travel as well. It's always… interesting."

"Dope. Then let's get rolling and—"

"Ahem." Jasmine cleared her throat. She clasped her hands in front of her waist, rotating back and forth with a large grin on her face. "Aren't we forgetting something before we leave? Tea time?"

"Right… tea." Thad scratched at his chin. "And a funny hat, right?"

Marley stepped down from Arcanine, trying her best to hide her bewilderment. Wait, that battle was over wearing a funny hat, and not a gym badge?!

"Only the funniest. I was thinking of putting berries on your head to lure a wild Hoppip and let that be your hat."

"Sure, that sounds fun. As long as they don't have no weird tongue or something." Thad shrugged, moving toward the camp. "Also, what kind of tea ya got? Anything with Tauros meat?"

Marley leaned near Jasmine, whispering into her ear, "I don't believe Thad knows what tea or a Hoppip is."

"Doesn't matter," Jasmine kindly responded. "He's a good sport about it. You can tell he's frustrated about how the battle turned out, but in truth, I think he may have won. He's going to be a force at the tournament this year."

Marley nodded as she watched Thad smear Oran berries in his hands and then coat the top of his shaved head with the bluish juice. He raised his hands at the sky, beckoning the 'almighty Hoppip to get some of his delicious juices'.

A Hoot-Hoot swooped down from the treeline and plopped its singular foot on Thad's head. It pecked at the smeared juice, causing Thad to try and shoo the hungry owl away to no avail.

"You were right Jasmine," Marley chuckled. "Funny hat was very worth it."

Chapter 27: Shadow of the Flexolossus

Indigo Plateau was vast as it was empty. The whole wide-open area reminded Thad of an airport in between flights. With no official league matches scheduled in the bordering final destination of many Kanto and Johto based trainers, all the vendor booths were closed up, leaving only a small market and the Pokemon Center in operation. It was the only checkpoint between the two regions, but anyone that wasn't a well-seasoned trainer would always opt to take the bullet train or sail around.

Yet, this was the place that Chuck said Bruno would be. The man to shed some light on Thad's peculiar case of vanishing due to a shroom trip. The jock had half-considered that it was maybe all a dream, but that theory had faded over time into obscurity. Everything felt real enough, so who was to deny it? Besides, the reports of other strange wormholes opening up offered a semblance of an answer too.

These statues though. Reminds me of going to Rome. Thad stood in front of one of the many Nidoking statues outside the main gates to the Indigo Plateau. He could nearly see his reflection in the carved marble, taking the opportunity to check his teeth for any bits of meat that may be hiding from breakfast. Still looking damn good. Nice.

Soft pitter-patter echoed from the marbled steps leading up to the greater atrium. Thad looked away from his reflection to see Jasmine descending; the sun shining down on her brown pony-tailed hair. She adorned a darker metallic summer dress this time, but the chilly mountain region had encouraged her to pair it with a pair of matching leggings.

"Still admiring the landscape?"

Thad let out a short burst of laughter and pat the statue on the side. "Pretty much. This place is dope. Reminds me a lot of the big venues I'd play at back in the day." Thad felt a lump rise in his throat, but he swallowed quickly and fought it down. "Just didn't think my pro debut would be as a coach. Always figured I'd be in the decathlon, doing rugby, or pole vaulting in the Olympics."

"Life has a way of surprising us." Jasmine saddled up beside Thad, looking at the Nidoking statue. "I became a gym leader to avoid board meetings for my family's steel industry. Throwing everything I had into training eventually led to, well, the results you see now."

Thad wrapped an arm around Jasmine's shoulders, pulling her closer. He chuckled as her head barely reached his pec. "It's about drive and power, and Jazzy, we came and devoured."

Jasmine sunk deeper into Thad's hug. "I suppose you're right. Granted, this test ahead will be like none you've ever experienced. Trainers from all across the world will be gathering in Sinnoh soon. A lot more than egos are at stake."

"You mean sponsorships?"

"H-how did you," Jasmine looked up with wide eyes, and then settled back down, "yes, to put it bluntly. It's not just for a fancy trophy. Lots of business and advertising hinges on how strong a region is perceived."

So it's like March Madness had a baby with the Superbowl… nice.

"So, what're the deets of the tournament? One and done, or is it more complex?"

"Double elimination, but with different rules throughout the rounds. The people like variety, and part of being a great trainer is adaptability."

Thad hummed. "I getcha. How many people are on the chopping block?"

"One hundred and twenty-eight," Jasmine recited. "Most are from the major regions like Johto, Sinnoh, or Kalos. Minor regions without official leagues like Fiore also have a couple of representatives, but they've never won in the past. I'll show you the rules later on the trip. The only thing of real note is the seeding is random. Sometimes it's a bloodbath in the early rounds, other times not so much. Anything is possible."

"So we might meet in the finals you say?" Thad playfully added.

Jasmine blushed and untangled herself from Thad's hug. "Only if you're good enough. I've gotten close before, and I don't plan to lose. Plus… we will have some time to train before the tournament starts. It's in about a month, and it'll take about two weeks to arrive. Maybe enough time to bolster your roster before entering."

"Now you're talking my game, Jazz. Training and gains are what I live for!"

"Great," Jasmine said, "now one last question before we get you introduced to the others inside."

"What was the plan with King in our battle?"

Thad rubbed the back of his head and shrugged. "Had to avoid the psychic stuff somehow, so figured bouncing into a Hammer Arm from above would have been cool. Was gonna shout 'I dropped the hammer on ya' and everything. Next time it'll work, trust me. I don't mess up a move like that twice."

"I look forward to it," Jasmine said. "Now, let's go. No need to keep Bruno waiting any longer."

Much like the man himself, Bruno's quarters inside the Pokemon League were sculpted, rugged, and oozed machismo. Thad inhaled the smell of dried chalk and salt as Jasmine led him into the arid arena. A few sandstone blocks and boulders lay on the sides; obstacles for trainers during matches, but all pushed to the side.

Bruno sat cross-legged atop one of the boulders, his eyes closed and head tilted down as he breathed slowly and deeply. Shirtless with a pair of torn-up, loose, white pants the man was nearly as large as the boulder he rested atop. His messy hair ruffled from a faint current exiting a nearby air conditioning vent.

Thad placed a hand on Jasmine's shoulder, leaning down to her ear. "Let me handle this."

"I know Bruno, I don't know what you—" Jasmine caught herself and quickly became tight-lipped. She let out an exasperated sigh and shrugged. "I suppose I'll never really understand Fighting-type specialists."

Thad carefully stepped up to the boulder where Bruno sat. He placed a hand against the smooth exterior, letting the roughness of the stone brush up against the calluses on his hand.

Bruno peeked an eye open and let out a gruff exhale. His chest puffed up as he raised a hand, bringing it down in front of him. Cracks permeated throughout the boulder until one final loud pop echoed out and the boulder split in two, allowing Bruno to drop down to ground level with Thad.

I actually have to look up to this dude. Dude is massive!

Bruno stood nearly a head taller than Thad, his steely gaze meeting Thad's indomitable pose. Ever unphased by the dust from the boulder cracking and the mammoth of a trainer standing before him, Thad stood proud, chin raised ever so slightly with hands on his hips.

Both trainers locked eyes for several moments before they extended their right arms in sync, grasping each other into a tight upright handshake. Both the men's biceps and forearms flexed, knees bent, and the tension in the air thick as a Snorlax.

Jasmine watched with a mix of awe and confusion as both men continued to hold the pose for nearly a minute before separating. They both again stood across from each other for what felt like ages before each offered a slight bow before Bruno took a seat and Thad turned back to Jasmine and walked over.

"Hey," Jasmine quickly waved Thad over in a hushed tone, "what was that? You guys stared at each other, shook hands, and then looked at each other again for almost five minutes. I thought you were going to ask questions."

"We did. We talked in our native language: strength," Thad replied, casting a glance over his shoulder at Bruno who had returned to a meditative state. "Homie is built like a shitbrick house on the roids, but he's all-natural. He's what we call in the business, OBM."

"OBM?"

"One big motherfucker," Thad clarified. "But, yeah. Super chill dude. Kinda funny too. He said," Thad caught himself and bit down on his words, "nevermind, you wouldn't get it. Keep training and I'll let you in on the secrets of our language."

"O-okay… so what's the news? Are you able to return home?"

"Oh, I'm like super stuck here, Jazzy. Totally shit outta luck as far as the big man knows. Said maybe some scientist from Aloha or whatever might know. I was gonna tell him they're actually called Hawaiians, but he was on a roll. He did say though as long as there are gains to be made, doesn't really matter where we are. The heart is a muscle we gotta train. His words, not mine, but it kinda hit me deep."

"Are you gonna be okay?" Jasmine whispered. "I know that a lot of, this," she gestured to the arena, "has been a healthy distraction for you. Still, it's normal to have to unpack that at some point."

"Yeah, I getcha. But, let's give Bruno some space here." Thad grabbed Jasmine's hand and began to lead her deeper into the Pokemon League arenas. "This place is dope and I want to fully check the place out."

Jasmine lightened up and bounded alongside Thad as they weaved in an out of the trial areas. Only Koga's poison-themed room filled with numerous bug and grass Pokemon, live trees, and even a murky swamp was a bit too much due to the noise and humidity. Lorelei's room smelt of cold ocean tides that highlighted a floating arena connected with a series of bridges. Will's room was covered in velvety purple drapes, low light, and crimson carpeting.

As they reached Karen's arena, highlighted by the silhouette of an Umbreon's markings around the tunnel door, Thad paused. His feet planted like roots, almost jerking Jasmine backward.

"Is there a problem?" Jasmine looked at Thad's perplexed expression, and then at the decor. "It's not a Ghost-type arena, if you were wondering."

"It's not that. Was just wondering why it's called the Elite Four if there are more than four of them, ya know? I mean, look," Thad placed a hand on his chest, "I'll be the first to admit that numbers ain't my bag if it's not directly related to a sports stat, but this is def more than four. What gives?"

"Oh! I'm sorry for not explaining. The Indigo Plateau is the final destination for Johto and Kanto, so there is technically two Elite Four present with their respective champions."

Thad snapped his fingers. "Gotcha. Makes sense. So which one is Bruno a part of?"

"Uh, technically he does double duty. He's ranked for both."

"Why?"

Jasmine gave Thad a knowing look. "Would you want to be the one to tell Bruno that he can't be in both leagues?"

"Hmmmm. Yeah, that makes sense. Don't want to disrupt a homie's workout routine."

Jasmine blinked and forced out a smile. "Uh, sure. Let's go with that—"

"Have you thought about applying? Like what's the process?"

"That's a bit complicated."

"So Thadify it for me."

Jasmine's face became tense as she tried not to roll her eyes. "It's… basically a job application. They look at your experience, but not always. You can be appointed by a champion or voted in by the league itself or the regional-" Jasmine caught herself delving into the details once more, and cleared her throat, "basically, if you're strong enough, you get in by having a talk with the champion."

"Nice. So where's the champ? I'd like to have that talk."

"Wait, what?"

Thad smirked and stretched out his arms. "That talk. I wanna see the boss person in charge. Flex on 'em a bit, and bag the gig."

Jasmine felt herself sputtering to get the right words out, her mouth unbearably dry. "B-b-but that's not how it works! Not even close!"

"You just said that's how it works!" Thad laughed. "Jazzy, if you all can't talk Bruno, then y'all's sure as heck need a better HR or something. I dunno if that's true or not… and you know I don't business that hard, but I do know that I could probably flex a bit and have a chance. Flash the ole abs and glutes, then bing, bang, boom. Elite Four, baby."

Jasmine's eyes were wide as saucers, burrowing into Thad's wry grin. With a twinkle in his eye, Thad skipped ahead laughing. Jasmine set her jaw and trudged behind, mulling over her decision to divulge the information to Thad.

Letting someone like Thad understand the inner workings of a complex organization was a tricky notion. Pokemon Leagues were directly linked to business and politics all the same and played a vital role in maintaining conservation efforts. Thad had plenty of capacity to obtain the job and do the part, but Jasmine quietly worried about the implications of his responsibility to the potential position.

That, and Jasmine smothered her seething anger over a conflict of interest. She balled up her knuckles and marched back beside Thad, holding his hand as she took him through Karen's shady arena.

The dreams of grandeur Jasmine held to have a similar place of her own still burned inside her heart. What was once an escape, now evolved into something so much more than she'd ever conceived. As much as she liked Thad, and perhaps was even enamored, he'd still have to pry the job from her iron-clad grip. Not that Thad would be averse to competition by any stretch of the imagination.

"Yo, I think we finished the tour, yeah?"

Jasmine snapped out of her stupor and looked up at Thad, feeling herself smiling at the bronze adonis' cheerful face. "It would seem so. Would you like to get dinner before we prepare to board? It's a quick flight to Cinnabar Island, and then it'll be a ship ride. The Pokemon League has registered rooms on the boat, so it's best to get there and settle in soon."

"How far away is it?"

"If we fly, maybe half a day. Little less with good weather. I'll be riding Ceris as you can use Hawlucha. It's another HM technique that I can show you."

Thad narrowed his eyes but nodded along. "Ahuh. So you think Nacho can support my massive bod for hours on end? I mean, the little guy's got spirit, but, uh, you sure about that?"

"That's why HM techniques are useful. It relies on the aura, rather than raw physicality."

"I see… could a person have that power?" Jasmine raised an eyebrow and Thad immediately began gesturing and took a step back. "Like, in theory or whatever. If I, I dunno, thought about whatever birds think about, could I fly?"

"Hypothetically? I suppose…" Jasmine rested her chin underneath her fist. "It'd require the person to be a natural reservoir of aura, which isn't completely unheard of. Just very rare, and it's a whole other factor to actually use it effectively."

Thad shrugged and perched his hands behind his head, flexing his biceps a bit. "Was worth a shot. We want to get rolling?"

"Yes," Jasmine said, "Marley should be waiting out near the north end of the plateau. Usually, it's a training ground for the Elite Four members, but it's a good place to learn the Fly HM and get your bearings."

"Dope. Lead the way!"

Jasmine walked ahead, turning down a swath of dimly lit corridors. The main path through the Elite Four rooms was a straight shot, but the side passages for employees to fix the arenas were more like maintenance tunnels than any true hallway. After a dizzying amount of weaving through the complex, Jasmine pushed through a large set of double doors and sunlight graced Thad's eyes.

Thad blinked a few times as he stepped into the courtyard. Old paved brick covered the Pokeball-shaped area with large bushes skirting around the sides that smelt. A pungent, soggy mushroom mixed with a delicate floral scent dominated the winds, tickling Thad's nose. Almost enough to make him sneeze.

Mountains loomed from all directions, creating a hidden sanctuary where the most elite trainers could relax with their Pokemon in peace away from the packed arenas filled with the heat of competitions and the jeers of fans. Despite the raw humidity that seemed to be trapped in between the rock edifice, Thad felt at peace.

Marley swooped down, sitting cross legged atop her purple, quad-winged Pokemon. Thad let out a low-toned, appreciative whistle. "Well, if it ain't the Batman, himself."

"It's pronounced Crobat." Marley stepped down and gave the large purple blob a pat on the head, and then dug out a small yellow poffin from her dress pocket. The Crobat let out an excited screech and scarfed the treat down. "Jasmine said you might be late, so I was just getting some practice. There's a reason why most regions require a minimum amount of badges before letting people access the Fly HM."

"Makes sense. Practicing high-level tech shouldn't be left to the rookies," Thad acknowledged. He rubbed his hands together eagerly, turning toward Jasmine. "So, time for Nacho to eat that weird disk, yeah?"

"Nacho already knows Fly," Marley commented. "He's known since before we traded."

"Oh. Then, uh, why not tell me?"

Marley rolled her eyes. "I thought you knew, honestly. After a while though, I figured you would stumble upon it naturally. Any halfway decent trainer goes through and catalogs their Pokemon's move list."

"Bruh. Like half of Nacho's moves are 'fly around and do a thing'. C'mon, you know that ain't fair."

Jasmine stepped between the bickering trainers and raised her hands up to diffuse the situation. Marley slumped back, folding her arms across her chest and upturning her nose while Thad shook his head and began digging through his bag for Nacho's Pokeball.

"Let's not get too agitated, yes? We're all on the same team," Jasmine gently said. She turned to Thad and placed a hand on his well-sculpted shoulder. "Go ahead and let Nacho out. Ask him to transport you with Fly."

"Fo' Sho'."

Nacho barreled out of his Pokeball's red light, striking a pose with his wings spread out wide and plumage ruffled. Thad slid next to his partner and struck a quick dab, then fist-bumped Nacho. Marley let out a muffled sound of disapproval while Jasmine covered her mouth, poorly hiding her amusement and dip in composure.

"Alright, we are ready. Nacho," Nacho's head quickly tilted, looking up at Thad, "I need you to use Fly. Yeah, just that. You gonna carry me around."

"Lucchhhaaa!"

Nacho crouched forward and spread his wings out as a faint gray glow washed over his body. Thad tentatively stepped onto Nacho's back like he would a surfboard, holding his hands out for support. Nacho flapped his wings a few times and then leaped into the air, carrying Thad along with no visible effort.

Thad kept his knees bent as he surfed the air currents atop Nacho. "Reminds me of surfing in Cali! This is sweet!"

"That's good!" Jasmine cupped her hands around her mouth. "Just make sure you follow Marley and me to Cinnabar. Skies should be clear, so try not to get distracted."

"Dope!" Thad called out while doing a sick mid-air barrel roll. "Start flapping and I'll start tracking!"

Jasmine released Ceris from their Pokeball and gave Thad a thumbs up. Ceris dipped their head low and let Jasmine settle on top of their metallic body with care. Jasmine gave Ceris two soft pats on the side of their chest, and she lifted off, racing ahead of Marley and Thad toward the opening in between the crested mountain tops.

Marley lifted off the ground once more, trailing behind Thad as Jasmine took the lead. They sailed into the cloudless blue sky; small wisps of Flying-type aura brushing away the blasting headwinds. Thad hummed a tune from his home under his breath as he soared through the sky, taking note of how small the treeline seemed from their height and the hordes of other bird-like Pokemon.

It's like a whole new world up here.

The salty aroma of the open seas immediately reminded Thad of the beaches of his homeland. The sun had begun to dip below the horizon by the time Cinnabar came into view and they landed near the northern docks. Marley immediately departed to head for the Pokemon Center for some rest; her ruffled hair and dark circles under her eyes were notion enough to Thad that she didn't prefer to fly.

Jasmine seemed rather fine in contrast, only taking a few moments to smooth out her summer dress and thank Ceris for the smooth trip with a few chin scratches and a red poffin. Thad mimicked the gesture by giving Nacho a protein bar, to which he scarfed down the delicious nutrients with incredible haste.

"So, an evening on the docks, eh?" Thad mused.

"We've got to get to the ship. It'll be departing in a day or so," Jasmine replied as she recalled Ceris to their Pokeball. Thad did the same for Nacho as he observed some of the civilians meander around the docks with various Pokemon trailing behind some of them. "Rooms should be assigned by the league, but since you're covering for Chuck, I'm not sure where they've placed you. Might as well get settled in while you can. It'll be almost two weeks on the open waters."

"You coming with?"

"Sorry, but I've actually made plans," Jasmine said with an apologetic smile. "I made a few calls at Indigo Plateau and Whitney wanted to get dinner to catch up. Figure you can manage on your own?" She pointed toward the East side of the port town. "Just look for the banner of the Pokemon League, and tell the shipping attendant who you are. It should be simple. I'll probably be out late, so we can catch up tomorrow."

"I gotchu fam, no biggie," Thad said, pounding his fist against his pec twice. "I'll catch you later, Jazzy. Figure I'll get in a late-night workout after checking out the ship's protein stock."

Jasmine waved goodbye as she strolled deeper into the dusky town center. Thad lingered for a moment, watching as her lithe form disappeared down the street.

Well, time to get crackin'.

Thad popped Chad out of his Pokeball and began to saunter across the coastline with his prized homie. Chad held his upper arms behind his head while his lower second set of arms placed firmly on his hips. Thad gave a few thumbs up and appreciative nods to a few people's flamboyant beachwear.

By the time Thad and Chad arrived at the eastern docks, the moon had overtaken the sun in the sky as an orange glow peeked beyond the horizon and the stars made the sea sparkle. The Pokemon League cruise ship was a relatively large luxury yacht, complete with two men watching the on-boarding steps. Thad rolled his shoulders and walked up to the men dressed in orange safety jackets.

"My dudes, I'm here to board up," Thad announced, jabbing a thumb toward Chad. "I'm the dude that's filling in for Chuck. Name's Thad."

The older of the two gentlemen with short graying hair scratched at his beard, humming in a deep tone as he absorbed Thad's surfer-bro jargon. The younger man whipped out a clipboard and began to flip through several papers, looking up occasionally with a suspicious glance. Thad and Chad gave him a few different bodybuilder poses, primarily focusing on his back muscles and legs before the younger man let out an irritated huff.

"It's all here. You've been assigned to room six. Here," the younger man held out a thin blue card, "this is your room key."

Thad snatched the key card and stuffed it into the waistband of his compression shorts. "Dope. See y'all on the flip side dudes."

The lights on the ship lined the docks with a shimmer of starlight; only upon Thad squinting a bit closer he noticed that small purple and red Bug-type Pokemon floated around through the various areas, stopping by the tactically placed potted plants at the corners of entryways. They continued on their set pathway, seemingly unaware or uninterested in Thad's presence on the silent ship.

They must be on shift or something. Firefly kinda guys. I can dig it.

Thad found his room with relative ease, but only after asking one of the Volbeat for directions who buzzed a bit while letting their tail glow light a path. He swiped his key card through the reader beside the door and stepped inside to the spacious cabin quarters; a bathroom to his immediate right while straight ahead there was a divide in the living space, leading to two separated bedroom sections.

"Looks like we are rooming it up," Thad said over his shoulder to Chad. "Let's see if the other person is here, unload our crap, and then get in a circuit before we protein up."

"Champ."

Thad lumbered his way to the left side; sliding his hand across the wall in search of a light switch. Man, I should really get me one of those fire dudes. Thad blinked and paused as he felt his hand land on something wet and cold.

"What the hell, someone leave a slime surprise?."

"Gengaaa!"

Thad squeezed down on the cold part he felt, but his grip slipped and he felt himself lurch forward. He braced himself against the wall and quickly recomposed himself, looking around wildly for the intruder.

"Macho?" Chad was already using foresight; using two of his hands to look like makeshift goggles over his eyes as he scanned the room. "Machoooo!"

Ambient light from the other side room flickered on. Thad prepped himself to throw hand, dropping into a low stance as he listened for the soft footsteps to get closer to the opening. He braced himself, tightening his glutes and core.

With a vicious case of bedhead, Morty stepped out into the open. He wore a simple purple t-shirt and sweats combination with a large green scarf messily wrapped around his torso. He rubbed his eyes and wearily waved to Thad.

"Good morning, there. My snoring didn't wake you, did it?"

"It be night, broski."

"Well," Morty cleared his throat, "my morning to be specific. Nocturnal sleeping schedule is best for me and my work. I was wondering when you'd arrive."

"The guards told you?"

"I asked for the room ledger when I arrived yesterday. Despite it being a luxury cruise, there's only so much space for two regions' worth of competitors." Morty rubbed his eyes more, and blinked a few times to get his bearings. "Did something startle you?"

"Uh, something wet and slimy. You ain't keeping, uh-"

"Whatever you are about to imply, it's not that. I let my Gengar wander about while I'm asleep. They're to wake me up if anything happens in the meantime," Morty clarified. He smiled toward a shadowy corner of Thad's room. "Excellent job, friend."

Thad wiped off his damp hand on a nearby blanket and forced out a tight smile. "Yup. Accidentally deep-throating a ghosty boy is exactly how I like to be greeted."

"Hold the sarcasm until I've gotten my coffee at least," Morty lazily replied. He began to turn back to his side of the room, but paused mid step and raised a finger. "But… since you are here, I've been wondering about asking you for your help with something. Someone of your unique capabilities."

"If you want me to teach you shadow boxing, it won't turn you into a ghost."

"No, no… but you aren't too far off, incidentally. I would like you to shadow box for me on the top deck. From what I've heard and observed, I think you have just the unique qualities I've been searching for in a person to attract a certain Pokemon."

"Really now," Thad drawled. Curiosity got the better of him and he leaned in. "I just, what exactly, pretend to fight the air? Summon the ghost of Tae-Bo? Phantom of P90X? The warrior spirit?"

Morty let out a dry laugh. "Maybe. One way to find out. Follow me and Gengar to the top of the ship. It should be empty around this hour, which is the perfect place for this exercise."

Thad tossed his bags into the room while Morty slipped on a pair of sandals. Gengar slipped across the floor as a darkened shadow, sliding beside Morty on the wall. Thad eyed the Pokemon with a heavy dose of skepticism. He'd never trust anything he couldn't suplex at will, and the concept of ghosts alone sent a shiver down his spine.

Nevertheless, Thad pressed onward to the top deck behind Morty and his ghastly companion. Chad trailed behind, covering Thad's flank in case of any other sneaky ghouls. Foresight or not, anyone or anything jumping out of the shadows would get a slap powerful enough to knock out the most sturdy of foes.

The uppermost deck of the ship had a small wooden cabana with a bar setup, although closed with empty shelves at the moment. A few lanterns remained lit and illuminated a slick wooden dance floor. The salty ocean breeze rolled onto the whip in fragrant waves, tickling Thad's nose with long lost memories of delicious Californian sushi. Only a small chest high barrier encircled the area to prevent people from getting thrown overboard, but not so much a deterrent to keep any boozed up patron from trying to take a dive into the warm waters.

But we ain't here to booze and cruise. Not yet, at least. Scarf master said I'm the only one who can attract some Pokedude, so I'mma see what this is all about.

Thad took in a deep breath through his nose, savoring the evening air. "So, Capt. Scarf, whatcha need me to do exactly? Does Chad need to do anything?"

Chad looked over to Morty skeptically, then down to the ground where his shadow stretched across the floor with another bulkier shadow beside it. "Mach?"

"Nothing from you Machamp, but he's welcome to observe. We may have use if this proves successful." Morty took a seat on the hardwood floor in a cross-legged position, hands resting on his thighs. "Gengar here will be monitoring for spiritual activity, using their Mean Look technique to ensnare our elusive quarry. What I need you to do is simply go through one of your exercise routines until I give you a signal."

"Eh, I'll need all the focus I can get, sorry buddy," Thad recalled Chad to his Pokeball, and hooked it back onto his waistband. "Also, what kind of signal?"

"I'll knock on the floor twice, like so," Morty rapped his knuckles against the floor softly, "and then that's when you'll break from your routine and act. It must be swift and concise with no wasted movements. As fast as you possibly can. You must catch your own shadow."

Thad began to laugh, but clammed up as Morty's stony expression didn't shift. "Wait. You're serious? This ain't some kind of riddle or something, yeah?"

"No tricks, Thad. Just choose a martial arts routine and we'll proceed."

Well, alrighty then. I'll chug a protein drink to that, my dude.

Thad swung his legs a few times, stretched his arms out, and rolled various joints with a few satisfactory pops. He settled quickly after into a kickboxing aerobic workout he'd seared into his memory from one of his many college classes. It was a simple workout for him. A heavy emphasis on proper form of jabs with a slow crescendo leading up to spinning back-fists, crosses, and working in alternating uppercuts. Even a few flip kicks and roundhouse kicks mixed in just to have some fun and work through his range of motion.

Sweat began to drop from Thad's chiseled body after nearly an hour on the boat. Distant lights in the island town began to dim or snuff out completely, the moon shining like a cream colored coin in the sky, and the soft murmurs of roaming herds of Dewgong wafted out in the distance. Thad felt a subtle harmony with the movements, letting each repetition meld into a majestic dance of protein enriched machismo.

Two taps rang through the air, and Thad was sprung from his trance. He whirled around mid kick and spun on his left heel. He could feel the salty air rip past his ear drums as he dove toward his shadow. The edges of his vision began to blur as he reached forward; feeling a strange churning inside his chest not too unlike when he'd focused on the forbidden drink of the most basic of bitches to chop down a tree.

Something soft and pliable filled Thad's fingers as he drove his hand through the wooden deck. He had punched a hole through the ship, but he'd grabbed something. He ripped his hand upward, showing his prize for all the world to see, bringing his shadow into the soft light of the cabana lanterns.

"MAAA!?"

Morty stood up quickly, his eyes wide and jaw dropped. "Y-you actually did it. That's a Marshadow!"

"I don't care if it's my mom or dad's shadow, there ain't no free rides in this dojo!"

The small shadowy humanoid barely reached about two feet tall, with their smokey horn firmly gripped by Thad. It's stubby arms and legs flailed helplessly as Thad brought the creature face to face, peering into its astonished orange and yellow eyes.

"It's a very rare Pokemon, Thad. It's the only known Fighting-Ghost-type hybrid," Morty rattled off. Gengar stood beside him, its eyes glowing a bright blue. "You continue to surprise me more, I didn't think that one would show. Actually, it may have been with you for quite some time."

Thad raised an eyebrow. "Oh really, now." He gave the Marshadow a little shake, focusing its attention back on him and not an escape route. "How long you been stalking me?"

"Mash."

"Right." Thad's expression fell as he turned to Morty. "I need a translator. I don't speak ghost or Pokemon."

"A moment," Morty dug into his pants pocket and unfurled a portable spirit board on the ground. The Marshadow turned their head over toward the Ghost-type specialist. "Go ahead and tell us," Morty warmly replied.

The letters began to glow in rapid succession. Thad shrugged as he kept a firm grip on the shadowy stowaway as Morty pieced together the Pokemon's rebuttal.

"They say that they've been following you since Sprout Tower."

"The damn vegans?"

"It appears so," Morty paused as more letters lit up, "They were looking for martial art techniques from the monk… yes, yes…. And they decided to follow you. Very enamored in your protein slathered ways."

"Bruh. That means this little dude was there when we had our rematch!" Thad said. "Did you not know, or was this just a hunch?"

Morty shrugged. "I was in the dark at the time and suspected nothing. Marshadow are well renowned for being elusive, even among Ghost-specialists. I'd heard a rumor from a trainer who'd spent time in Alola recently, but it was all very partial data. I thought this would be a good test to get any activity, not actually find one."

"Soooo… what do we do now?" Thad asked, eyeing the Marshadow. "I can't say I feel comfortable with some dude literally living in my shadow. I mean, I'm flattered, but it's a bit weird."

The spirit board lit up once again. "They apologize," Morty translated.

"Accepted. Water under the bridge. You've got good taste at least," Thad said with a grin. "Say… you want to train for real? Not just like me, but with me? I'm usually not one for the spooky crew, but a warrior spirit dude sounds dope as hell."

The Marshadow raised its stubby arms and smiled. "Shaaaa!"

Morty leaned over to the spirit board, but Thad waved him off. "Don't need translating that," he set the Marshadow down beside him, "welcome to the big leagues, my dude. But first, before you meet the crew we gotta do two things."

Morty began to roll up the spirit board as The Marshadow tilted its head and brought one of its arms to their chin.

"We gotta finish our workout," Thad raised one finger, "and then we gotta get you a nickname. And I know just the one. Shadow boxing got me thinking of some of the greats, so I'mma think you could go by Ali."

The Marshadow leaned forward into a firm bow and the pact was sealed. Morty chuckled as he and his Gengar slipped away into the shadows. Thad and Ali took a wide stance on the top deck, arms raised and ready to strike.

"Just follow me, little dude. Champions in the making, right here, right now. Let's go! From the top!"

They made sure to avoid the hole in the dance floor as they flowed through their nightly exercise. That was a problem for tomorrow that could be easily explained by the League not Thad-proofing the cruise ship. An honest mistake, but a mistake nonetheless.