——————

The restaurant bar is a gaudy mashup of industrial, tropical, and glam. Potted ferns frame a long counter in front of a brick wall lined with shelves of alcohol and a tv showing the Hoenn League gym highlights for the week. Low hanging crystal chandeliers cast a brightness that I find ill suited for drinking away your problems.

Vivienne taps the counter, “Two Old Ambers and a Mint Lemonade please.”

While I pull out a seat for Lacy, “Mint Lemonade?”

“It’s like a Sprite,” she sits at Lacy’s side opposite me, “I presume the good doctor is abstaining from alcohol.”

“Ofcour…se,” Lacy quickly looks my way with wide eyes.

…. Oh… OH.

Our blonde agent of chaos snorts while grinning like the Cheshire cat, “Figured, never takes him long, and I’ll bet all the gold in Hoenn it’s a girl. His first born always is. Apparently it's some super complicated genetics meets cosmic due.”

Lacy whips back around, “This is absurd!”

Viv almost spills the drink she was just handed in a fit of giggles, her accent even slips into some degree of scottish, “Sorry,” shaking her hand dry, “We binged Loki last night, fantastic show. Too bad the namesake is a right prick.”

Taking a deep breath, “I doubt you’re here to ruin surprises or are you always this annoying?”

Smirking over her glass the blonde winks, “Ah gee Boss, you just bring out the best in me.”

While I resist the urge to just walk away, Lacy stares down this lunatic, “Why are you here?”

Taking in half the glass in one go, Vivienne holds up two fingers. She then moans inappropriately just for kicks, “Delicious, first,” pointing at me, “Everything was his idea, he just won’t remember it till he’s dead.”

Well that’s morbid, and by the recoil I think my fiance agrees.

“Second,” she opens her phone to an article about the terrorist attack on the Alola Battle Tower, “After the tower, while resting in the hospital, Boss had a visit by Ash Ketchum’s Gengar in his sleep. This resulted in a surprise visit home and a very bitchy call from my coworker with her corset strapped too tight.”

Lacy looks back to me, “You got hit with Dream Eater again?”

“Did I not mention that?” Oh look, I haven’t touched my drink.

Viv smirks but seems to enter something akin to business mode, “Let out your Phantump please.”

I do so, Blue appears, still looking like a chibi wooden knight. I can already picture the mischievous wheels running in his head as the little ghost surveys the fancy restaurant.

“Looking good there Blue,” Viv opens her back pack to pull out an absurdly detailed, carved stick. While probably only a foot long, it looks like a shrunken wooden spear. “Next time Boss is in trouble, just make one of these big enough for him.”

Next she hands me a usb stick, a TM.

“That’s everything youll need for the little guy to learn Dream Eater himself. Let me see your Miracle Seed buddy.”

As the woman cups the golden acorn in her hands, Lacy can’t help but question, “As interesting as a spear sounds, what does that have to do with Dream Eater, or Blue learning it for that matter?”

“Nothing,” she practically sings, “Now before you both get all surly on me, I’ll get to the main point.”

She gets up from her chair, hands a now glowing green acorn to Blue, and stands before me.

“Boss… Kurt, no matter the scale, you are part of an existence that holds unimaginable authority in powers that the so-called Ghosts and Fairies of this world can manipulate. Psychics and Dark types are practically in the same category. If you don’t allow them, they can NOT affect you.”

Another smirk and she skips back to her seat to finish off her drink as I hear an annoying number of phones going off in the restaurant.

Lacy seems confused by Viv’s little speech, “That’s it?”

“Oh yes. Some of the other energies are more of a coin flip but feel free to experiment.” the blonde suggesting I electrocute myself puts down her empty glass, “He simply needed to be aware. Hence why my coworker rightly claims it’s my fault it happened at all. But I’ll never admit that to her.”

I think I’m annoyed, but it’s a lot to take in. A part of me is still stuck on the revelation that my fiance is pregnant, “Anything else I should know?”

“Oh yes, but it seems Stevie boy is on his way to inform you. Come on Nyxy, let's get moving. I want to visit that mysterious dragon village before calling it a night.”

The black fox stops whispering in Blue’s ear with what I’d call a menacing chuckle. Both Vivienne and the fox wave as they pass Steven on his way up to the bar.

Our bartender is a bit too eager, his voice cracking, “What can I get you Mr. Stone?”

His sharp features locked in a scowl, “Turn up the television.”

As the fella scurries off to find a remote I ask the Hoenn League Chairman, “Something happened?”

Just as the bartender carefully balances on a stool to turn up the tv, the broadcast gets cut mid battle.

A blonde man is in front of a raging inferno, “I’m coming to you live from the Lavaridge Gym. You'll be relieved to hear that while Gym Leader Flannery is in critical condition, the doctors have assured us that she’ll recover. No one else is in as serious condition at this time, the blast emanating from the Gymleader’s side of the field. The gym’s Solrocks prevented further damage or injury if only just barely. While no league statement has been made official, social media posts by Flannery’s husband are at this point being considered an admission of guilt and intent.”

“Oh Shit.”

“Indeed,” Steven reaches over the counter and takes a bottle of whiskey and a glass to pour himself a drink.

The reporter continues, as does the fire behind him, “Police, Rangers, and Gym Aces are hunting for Mr. Hodge but have yet to disclose any leads.”

In the background a woman in a glittering black suit with long white hair steps forward with a pokeball. A Blastoise appears and begins to spray a torrent of water at the fire.

“Gym Leader Electra is here!”

The Sootopolis gym leader tips the balance in favor of the fire fighters.

Steven looks at another message on his phone and sighs, “Flannery’s son will be put forward to hold gym battles for the next three months. Flannery can’t be killed by fire at this stage of her career… her husband was a fool.”

In spite of everything personal tonight I can't help wondering, “Why though, why would he try to kill her?”

Actually pouring himself another drink, “The less of that topic mentioned the better. I’ll need to be present in Ever Grande within the hour.” looking at us, “It’s been a fine day up till this. Kurt, I expect great things from my Goddaughter. With your help this year I doubt I’ll be dissapointed. Keep up the exceptional work and stop by anytime. Good evening Doctor Cutter.”

With that, the older gentleman exits the restaurant, I catch the flash of a pokeball from the front window quickly followed by another silver flash. I assume he teleported away. I’ll admit that’s a very cool way to make an exit.

More importantly, “So, Pregnant?”

Lacy almost sprays the ‘Not Sprite’, “Um, I was checking in the clinic after we got back from Alola. I’m not showing any signs yet but the blood work doesn’t lie.”

That's fancy futuristic equipment for ya. “Well… I look forward to meeting her.”

Her head falls against my chest, “She’ll be due in the new year… I want a summer wedding, before I turn into a Drifblim.”

Chuckling, I pull her tighter, “Sure.”

“Kurt,” her golden eyes search mine, “what are you? Will our child be normal or… something else?”

Like I know, that’s the whole point right?

Smirking, “Of Course no child of ours could be so unlucky to be considered normal.”

That adorable pout, “Totally not what I meant. Fine, we’ll find out together then.”

“Kurt!” Naomi waves us back to the table.

I return Blue just as he's finished fixing the glowing seed to the stick like a magic staff. I guess he’s swapping class from knight to wizard, or druid I suppose would be more appropriate. He’s always been more special attack focused anyway.

“Shall we?” I hold my arm out for Lacy as we head back to my team.

The Pike is frowning at her phone, “I assume Steven told you the news? The gyms are a separate branch of the league but I’m sure we’ll be having a meeting about this in the Tower.”

“Are you able to teleport back?”

Rolling her eyes, “No, I never bothered,” she lets out a sigh, “But I’m not getting any younger am I. If I rush back I can be in Larousse within two hours. I’ll just be sore the rest of the week from riding my Gyarados that fast.”

Pulling up the dex app, “I’m sure you’ve thought about it?”

“That’s the thing,” she puts a pearl colored ball on the table, “Cynthia told me my Milotic could pull it off but never said how.”

Checking out the mermaid fish on the app, “It's probably water dependent like that guy from Kanto and his shadow hopping. Guzma also mentioned certain items can help pokemon better attune to their energies.”

I can only guess what Vivienne did to that acorn. We split all those Z crystal shards amongst the team. I let Citro’s Thwackey have the Grassium. I’d wager whatever Blue just scored is in an entire league above that.

The Pike finishes off her drink and stands up, stretching her lanky frame, “I’ll message Misty tomorrow and annoy her for anything more specific. Gyarados trainers unite!”

It's a quiet night, everyone lost in their own thoughts. The morning however, strategy meeting time!

Citro starts us off, “With my Thwackey and Whiscash I’m fairly confident I’ll pass.”

Naomi takes notes on her tablet, “Your positive Whiscash doesn’t need more water? I know the gym field has a few puddles but they’re nothing to rely on.”

“She can spend hours on land and still fire off water guns.” He must be confident because I’ve rarely heard him so certain.

Of Course the grimace on his face while staring at his four pokeballs reminds me he isn’t exactly spoiled for choice. He’s lucky he even has two with type advantage. This is also probably a good example of what normal rookies have to work with by their third gym challenge.

Naomi goes next, “Roxanne has been favoring Tyrunt this year to promote the Fossil lab’s latest breakthrough. So my Florges is a must, doubles are what we’ve been training for up till now. But I’d like to go first to practically guarantee the match up.”

She looks at us hopefully and neither Citro, Jane or I have reason to object.

Jane asks the tough question, “Soo who’s your second?”

Watts smirks and opens a pokeball designed like a bulb of golden leaves. A small red ram with a beach ball sized, golden afro appears.

“My Cottonee soaked up the energy from our pirate loot, sun stone like it was a rare candy! Meet my Whimsicott! I haven’t quite picked a name yet.”

“Male or Female?” I ask.

“Male actually, you have an idea?”

Well she has kind of a greek theme, “Argo. It was the name of a ship in a story about a hero’s quest for a magical golden sheep.”

“That's great! Do you like it Whimsicott?”

The mini afro ram preens and gives a slight nod before hopping up Lacy’s tree to catch a few rays from the morning sun.

I look at our redhead, “Jane, you’re up.”

“Why me next?!” She seems a bit on edge this morning, “Of Course it’s Crooky and Marble.”

Naomi sighs, “At least use your Aerodactyl if Roxanne uses the bug fossil.”

Jane reluctantly nods.

That just leaves me facing some expectant kids.

“It’s a surprise.”

“””Booo!”””

Laughing I point over to the sandbox, “Kidding, I’m kidding. Blue and Kona got this covered.”

My druidic haunted stump and pile of living black sand are in the process of recreating Wela Volcano Park.

Lacy comes out the back door, “Kurt, did you use my candle lighter?”

Looking back I notice smoke starting to exit the tiny volcano.

--------------