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While I stand with Brendan and Roxane, their Claydol and Solrock are rescuing kids that fall ‘victim’ to the playful stampede of pokemon. Roxane is smiling with her porcelain complexion in the direction of the kids tripping over each other to get away. Really she almost looks like a living doll… I’m almost creeped out but at least she’s still in the spectrum of unnatural beauty and not quite out there in the uncanny valley.

Brendan, who’s more interested in my Sandslash, seems perfectly normal.

“So Mister Big Shot,” I toss out a snack for Rusty, “What made you pick Ground types? Steven was mentioning monotype side effects earlier. Is there a reason the Elite Four still works like that?”

He stands up with a stretch to his back, “Well, yes and no, they had justification for it, but their leading argument has been losing weight with more recent studies.”

Roxane speaks up without looking away from the kids as one girl starts to cry and is gently lifted by psychic powers out of the way of the gym leader’s rolling Golem. “The original argument was that the energy extended a master trainer’s life span and bolstered their natural health. The idea being that better results were generated by purity over mixing energies.”

Brendan nods, “Now it's understood that as far as those points are concerned, as long as your pokemon reach a certain strength, the ambient energy will proliferate no matter the so called ‘Purity.’ So it won’t be long before you start seeing the next generation of Elite Four mixing it up more. However there are still the type specific effects that many master tier trainers… Claydol, grab out that brat pushing others out of his way.”

The lady in charge pouts, “I’ll talk to him later. Don’t think I haven’t noticed the glances by the way Kurt, yes, my skin is a long term effect of Rock type specialization.” she giggles, “Some of the jealous women around town call me Statue Girl.”

To each their own, of course I won't tell her I think it's off putting, not that she hasn’t already guessed that, “So back to my question, why Ground, and what do you expect out of it?”

He actually looks embarrassed, chuckling while raking his hair, “Half my main team were ground types, so ya. I also could have picked dragon buuut, Latios isn’t competition legal and there is already Zinnia.” Scratching his chin, “I don’t actually know any other Ground Specialists to compare.”

Rox sighs, “Rough skin, abrasive personalities… I think Unova calls them Cowboys? Ground specialists seem very sturdy in both body and mentally. Able to always weather any trouble, they just dust themselves off and keep going.”

Sounds like a horoscope to me.

I glance back to see Steven Stone going over talking points with Citro for their class after this with the 1st years. When I texted him yesterday I asked for help setting this kid on solid footing here in Hoenn, and life from now on. Hopefully he’ll have some feedback for me at dinner.

Marble roars in glee as she tail whips a gust of dust to absolutely cover a group of girls.

Her trainer is also prepping her lesson with her aunt. Naomi is chatting with Cindy and my fiance.

Brendon let's a Drilbur out of a ball to play with Rusty, “Ya considering Monotype specialising yourself, Kurt?”

“Nah,” it all sounds a bit too strange to me, “I’m not going to worry about it for now. I guess we’ll just see down the road.”

Roxane giggles, “Anyone taking an eyeful of those back muscles will think you’re already a fighting type specialist.”

Pretty sure this gal is teasing me, right? I’m certain she is just as old as Steven, she’s probably got at least a decade on me.

Watching Lucy’s Arbok gently constrict a particularly tubby boy, like a precious new pet, “Think the kids have had enough?”

“Oh, I suppose.” She takes out a whistle and blows it.

The pokemon roar in disappointment. Most of the kids drop to the dirt in exhaustion, when did that boy start riding the Rhyhorn?

“Alright students, break off to hit the locker rooms and get to your next classes.” She’s got this headmistress thing down.

Citro and Steven head for the first year class room while Jane and Lacy head for the second years’ to talk about pokemon related crime in the region. I would follow Naomi but, “Hey Brendan, you can handle keeping Watts safe for an hour better than me right?”

Shrugging, “She’ll be fine man, I won't jinx anything, but I promise not to leave her on the roof with a sign saying ‘Ransom Me’.”

The next hour I spend listening in on Citro’s lesson, Steven helps him hit all the relevant local data. Apparently there were over 30 suicides in Hoenn last year. The league is making a priority of moderating social media and cracking down on cyberbullying.

I did step across the hall to Jane’s class and happen to catch her and Lucy regaling the kids of our run in with pirates. These rowdy ladies might be romanticising fighting crime a bit too much.

Meanwhile Naomi and Brendan actually have a slideshow with product comparisons running for the third year kids. I can spot most of the brats are actually taking frantic notes as the duo cover which pokemon food brand gives the most quality for your hard earned money and the three runners up for cheaper options.

What really catches my attention however, next door are the newly hatched starters of the third year students. In something akin to a doggy daycare while their trainers have lessons.

In an indoor park with a high atrium ceiling, pokemon from every region frolic on the grass or the shallow pool and the rocks behind it. A couple immediately catch my eye and what's really neat, tapping the glass window from the hall pulls up a transparent touch menu to identify the pokemon and it’s donor.

With brilliant golden feathers, a Shiny Pidgy donated by Grace Ketchum is flying in pursuit of a Murkrow, donated by the Bird Keeper Guild, with one of those golden feathers in its beak. There's one I think is a dragon, yup, Axew. Donated by Professor Juniper in the name of Tommy from Aspertia City. Looking up the evolution, I may want one of these badasses.

“Oh, I wonder what Ed boy’s family donated? He said he’s from Kalos.”

A handy search option points me towards a Chespin napping under a small oak tree.

“That’s a big chipmunk. Who’s next?”

Seems the Royals didn't rely on thier families. Iris donated a Staryu, Crystal donated the Bounsweet, and Dawn handed over a Piplup from her Empoleon.

Finding the Wattson family name is a surprise, it being a Mareep is not. Her aunt from Dewford donated an Abra under the Dewford Gambling Commission's name. Steven donates an Aron every year apparently. The fossil lab sent over a Tyrunt.

A yorkie puppy barks excitedly through the window at me.

“That can’t be right, ah, Lillipup, Donated by Norman of the Hoenn Elite four. Do they each donate a pokemon?”

Turns out yes. Zinnia… There it is, a Trapinch is digging over by the rocks. Brendon and Sidney donated a Sandile together… I don’t see it.

“Oh there's a note, ‘Hatched early, forwarded to Hoenn National Laboratory for the current league season. Chosen by Jane of Larousse City.’ No shit? That’s cool.”

Next is Phoebe, it would be a Rowlet. Last we have Champion Wally, and it’s the Ralts building a stick fort with something called a Sewaddle.

“Hey Kurt,” Lacy is walking over with a large brown paper sack, “Let's get lunch in the quad with the others. I see you found the starters. My father donates an egg every year, there, the Seedot sneaking up on that Chespin. Oh, it ended up being Shiny!”

A black acorn with legs and a tiny red leaf sprouting from its stem is positioning itself just above the snoozing chipmunk.

Chespin shouts when the coconut sized pokemon lands on its belly.

“Let me guess, that bit of silliness counted as a move on the dex.”

Seems the fancy window has voice command capability because a list of Seedot’s known moves came up with Payback highlighted. “Ya, okay.”

Down in the quad, red brick walls framing planters of trees just the right height to double as benches, everyone digs into their food.

Naomi suddenly stands up looking at her phone, “Kurt!”

Mimicking her tone, “Naomi!”

She swats in my direction but I dodge, “No serious, I just got a message from Misty!”

Brendon talks with his mouth full, “Wha she whant?”

“Hey Jane, ya know Crooky was donated by Brendan here?”

“What!?” Jane stands up.

Mister Elite Four swallows his food, “You got my egg?!”

While those two gush over how awesome the now out and preening reptile is, Naomi shows me the message on her phone.

‘Saw you have a Shiny Clauncher you haven’t fielded yet, interested in a trade?’

“She wants Ruby?”

Naomi obviously isn’t too broken up about the idea of losing a pokemon she’s never had time to really spend on.

Which might be good for Ruby actually, hanging out at the Cerulean Gym with a bunch more pokemon instead of on a very sparse bench at the Mauville Aquarium. I know my Nessie actually likes peace and quiet.

“Well, trading is a fuzzy subject to me, is there even something she has to offer that you’d like?”

Naomi pulls up her dex app on her tablet, it shows all the pokemon living at Cerulean Gym, including most of Misty’s publicly known collection.

She laughs, “Geez, she has a lot of red shiny water pokemon. I get why she asked… Ruby was originally yours Kurt, what do you think?”

I give it a second of thought, “I need help relocating a Mega Sharpedo nest and capturing a Dhelmise that may be over 100 years old.”

Steven chuckles, “Smart, I can hardly think of better help for that task.”

Naomi grins, “Awesome I’ll let her know!”

“Hold on kid. Not that I’m not stoked, but what about you?”

Quick as a whip, “A top quality Ice stone for my Vulpix.”

Just like that the deal is set, Misty will visit tomorrow to hash out details and deliver Naomi’s Ice Stone.

I walk over to Citro, “How’d your talk go kid?”

“Um,” he puts down his sandwich, “Good I think, at least with Mr. Stone there all the kids were too scared to not listen. Hopefully the message stuck.”

Mr. Stone smirks, “You did just fine Citro, I think every chance to get the message out is another chance someone makes it to another year.”

Looking at the pair from Larousse, “What about you two?”

Lucy seems to look at the clouds in embarrassment while Jane sighs, “We totally got carried away. I think it was more of a story time than actually teaching anything important.”

The Pike sighs, “If anything I’m worried we filled their head with ideas like ‘hunting down incompitent bad guys is a fun way to spend the afternoon,’ or something.”

Roxane enters the quad with a blindingly bright smile, “Alright folks, let's head to the battle gymnasium. I need each of you to pick a pokemon to use against your challenger.”

Jane speaks up first, “I’m using my Venipede.”

Citro hiccups out, “My Salandit.”

Roxane’s brow twitches, “Now please don’t all use poison, let's get some variance.”

Naomi pulls a ball from her belt, “My Ralts is so close to evolution, so she's battling today.”

Why do I feel on the spot here? Actually, I like Naomi’s idea.

“I’ll be using my Joltik, especially since I won’t get to let her fight in our gym battle later.”

Brendan throws out a reply, “Drilbur.”

What what?

Steven chuckles, “Ferroseed.”

The Pike Queen hops up, “Dunsparce!”

Jane groans, “Give it up Auntie.”

“I’m telling you, It must have an evolution!” the woman practically shouts to the sky.

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