THE WHOLE CHAPTER IS FROM OTHER VIEWPOINTS!! Happy 100th!

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Naomi

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At least this tourist trap hotel has Arceus blessed coffee. I haven’t had a cup this good in months.

Another alert pops up on my tablet from Gabby. It’s a local broadcast plan.

Citro is next to me on the couch, getting his quiet time in while watching the travel channel. Every day since we left Alola he’s opened up a bit more. It’s been nice having someone my age around, and it's so wild how his life feels like a weird mirror of mine.

When he finishes his bite of ramen I tap his shoulder, “Can you turn the channel to the Rookie Highlights? They’re showing us.”

Giving a thumbs up rather than talking with a mouthful, he swaps the station.

Lisia’s annoying voice grates my ears, “of the team was out early. Last year’s top contenders were out in force to give the Rebels an ego check.”

This bitch.

Scene shifting from each of our knock outs to Kurt’s smirk, “That tricky bodyguard wasn’t so quick to fall back down the canyon however.”

A flash montage of Sandslash’s Drill Run, his Shiny Galvantula exploding with Pin Missile, black sand in the shape of a dragon skull crashing into a Nidoqueen, that monster Carracosta absolutely thrashing a poor Talonflame, then Blue’s fire dance.

“The storm hit fast, but that just brought us to a fantastic final match in the canyon. Kurt versus everyone’s bet to take it all this year, Alloy Stone!”

A flash screen of her team, Metang, Mawile, Skarmory, Aggron, Magneton, Scizor. The slice with Scizor enlarges showing her square off against Kurt’s monster bat. Shak’s howl is scary no matter how many times I’ve heard it.

The camera barely catches Scizor deflecting the blitz. Next is a shot of the arial back and forth along the canyon walls. Then ending with a flash of red as that Psycho Cut lights up the canyon walls.

“Monsters truly collide this year on the rookie circuit! Miss Stone is already set to face the skies of the Fortree Gym tonight!

As it shows the iconic tower over the trees I poke Citro, “That’s enough.”

He turns it off and looks over at my tablet, “So, how long before everyone has something to say about us back in the canyon?”

“Do you want the nice stuff or the Mankeys?” Well, maybe he can ignore the mean junk.

Shrugging, “I wouldn’t mind any legit criticism out there.”

Huh, “Okay, one sec.”

Most of the posts about the Canyon King tourney are just nobodies trying to stand on hills for their favorite pro… Aside from my own, that girl Blake has a lot of fans.

“Here we go,” Finding the first bit of intelligent thought, “That green haired kid should try teaching his Whiscash Stockpile and Spit up, to power up a Mud Shot combination.’ and below that another comment says, ‘why stop there, go for Jaw Lock and Fishious Rend!’”

Citro raises a brow, “Can she really learn those?”

“No idea dude, I train fairies, not fish.” Reading some more crap, “Here’s one for Jane I see all the time, “Doesn’t this B* have any other pokemon? It's that Onix and croc every time!’ Jane gets called a one trick pretty often.”

He scowls, “Rude, can I see?”

Well, not like he couldn’t look it up himself, “I guess.”

Taking my tablet, its barely ten seconds before I see the rare anger in his expression, “These people are disgusting!”

He probably saw one of the many posts suggesting inappropriate things about our team. “I’ve learned to ignore most of it. Kind of knew what would happen when I hired Kurt, my father and grandpa warned me. Just hit the report button.”

Seeing that gloomy face, “Hey, hand it back let me show you something.”

Good old, RookieMistakes.pok/Hoenn.

Oh man, “Look, someone caught a clip of when jane ate it getting out the jeep yesterday.”

He smirks and points to the next post, “Wait, that can actually happen?!”

The photo is a boy strung up a tree by a swarm of wurmples. A dozen of the bugs are in the back of the image while a familiar gym trainer from Petalburg cuts him down.

Links go to more Petalburg incidents, including those Fallarbor jerks getting wrecked by Max.

Citro points, “Hey there’s one of Kurt! Wow, that's a lot of views.”

It’s dated before the season officially started. While the page loads, “Where is he this morning anyway?”

“He said he was going to give Professor Oak a call.”

“Gary!?”

I stop as the clip starts to play with the words, “I think I heard something!”

A shaky cam is pointed towards a dark forest lit up by a campfire. Thunderous sounds of breaking wood shatter the peaceful night.

Some woman’s voice, “Why are you recording?!”

“It could be a rare Pokémon!” I think that was one of the Petalburg gym trainers.

There's a pause in sound while a pair of zigzagoon escape the brush and actually hide behind the woman… who really needs to zip her jacket more or find a shirt. Does she know this made it online?!

Another earth shaking boom, this time closer, much closer.

Both trainers send out pokemon, a Zangoose and a Delcatty.

“Shit,” The male voice shouts, “I can see someone running!”

“It’s a raging Trevenant!” She turns and shoos along the scared wild Zigzagoon, “Head for town little ones!”

You can just make out a red glow pursuing a man desperately hopping over bushes and roots.

"Goon, use Shadow Claw!"

"Delca, use Shadow Ball!"

While the two pokemon harass the large tree pokemon, the camera follows a fairly beat up man in a familiar outfit as he slides to the ground between the gym trainers. The video ends with Kurt highlighted with a link to bring up his trainer profile. There's another link about warning trainers from wandering the Petalburg woods unprepared.

Citro sits back in his chair, “I guess that was when he caught his Phantump”

“Just another day for the old man.” Jane scoffs from behind me, making me hop in my seat a little.

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The Pike Queen

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“Janie, what are you looking at?” My niece is leaning over the back of her couch commenting on something the Wattson girl is watching.

She plops back down in front of the camera, she’s looking so much like Lina now that it hurts. I wish my sister could see her little girl growing up.

“Kurt angered a big Trevenant when he caught his Phantump.” Fiddling with her stubborn red hair, “Is that happening more often? When we stopped in Petalburg there was a team that got pretty roughed up.”

Ya, that problem is a bit too open of a secret at this point. The suspected culprit, Leader Ourboro, is trying to bully Max in a Hoenn league video meeting I have muted.

I can’t believe I used to think Ourboro was cute. Every once of charm that man has is just a lie.

“Fallarbor is not happy about that.” I can’t help smirking as Max just holds a stare so level you’d think his camera froze.

Jane snorts, “Ya, they got beat down pretty quick.”

Max pushes up his glasses and I catch that ghost of a smirk. “Gottago Go Janie Super Important leagestuff love you bye!”

My niece just waves with a smile before hanging up, knowing I wasn’t supposed to be talking to her right now. I unmute the League meeting.

Ourboro scowls, “What are you smiling about Brat?”

“Well,” Max’s glasses reflect the screen of all the Gym Leaders and Tower Masters, “I’m just considering that this means you’ll back my push to raise the minimum age for rookies next year.”

Red eyes behind white bangs narrow, “... Assuming we can raise the difficulty across the entire circuit.”

Chairman Stone speaks up, “A fine compromise. Cast your votes.”

While the Fallarbor Gym Leader looks livid about his entire rant being ignored, a poll pops into the message channel. Clicking my answer in favor, the votes are tallied live.

While no one has voted against, a few still haven’t voted.

Wallace lays down his view as Contest Chairmen, “I’m not changing anything for Contests. However, we will strongly advise chaperones for our younger participants.”

Roxy boulders in with the bigger picture, “And what are we to tell next years would be rookies? What are we going to do with dozens of children no longer able to set off next spring? What about my graduates this year? What do we do with the reserved eggs from the breeders that Will hatch regardless of us changing the schedule?”

Norman speaks up, rare since he joined the elite four, “Travel Restrictions, during this transition year. Let them receive their starters as scheduled. Limit their range to the local wilds, allow them to challenge the local gyms.”

One of the Wattson twins calls out from their couch, “This won’t work for Mauville’s Mosh. We account for a significant portion of the increased revenue our city and region has gained since we started. No one is going to tune in for a full year of the same rookies banging their heads against the electric wall and the few regional challengers.”

Shauna, no longer our newest leader, “I’m pretty sure that goes the same for Dewford. Those casino owners will knock down the door if they hear how much less visitors we can expect for a full year.”

Torch hasn’t felt like he has any right to speak yet but I can see the sudden nervousness in his eyes, realizing Lavaridge is in the same boat.

It’s becoming clear that the larger cities cannot afford to take a slow year.

Liza of Mossdeep sighs into her mic, “Then we put this off another year so we can figure out the disparity. Maybe do it one town at a time.”

Winona agrees, “One town at a time and promote more regional challengers to visit Hoenn.”

A thought strikes me, “Let’s double down on the Mentorship idea. That will boost the local participants to fill in the numbers.”

Wattson Senior chimes in from the board members, “Like the lad Kurt, and Norman’s girl. I’m in favor!”

His grandsons don’t hesitate, “Absolutely! Stronger locals are great for the mosh.”

Brendan looks slightly embarrassed over his wife’s impulsive idea being used politically.

Wally finally speaks, sitting up in his wheelchair, “Then we agree on that direction. What is with that Kurt fellow anyway?”

The familiar voice of Anabel, once one of our Tower Masters, now an Interpol agent, interrupts despite not having a camera on screen, “Subject Kurt is Code UW.”

Jane told me, but I still try to act surprised like the majority of the league.

Mt. Pyre’s young Gym Leader, Nohime, gives a loud squeal as she tumbles away from her camera in a flurry of black priestess robes. Dawn of Sinnoh shifts the camera to herself, “Are you fucking kidding me?!”

Well that's a security breach.

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Edgar Wikstrom

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Miss Dawn totally just shoved Gym Leader Nohime away from her laptop and started yelling at the screen. I didn’t catch what it was about but that was still extremely rude. The other Hoenn league officials seemed to cut her from the call anyway.

Offering a hand to Miss Nohime, her pure white fingers gently take mine.

She brushes her dark hair from her captivatingly purple eyes. I catch the scent of some floral shrine incense.

“Thank you Edgar… um, you can let go now.”

Ah!

“Sorry!” Taking a step back and turning away, “Right, you said our challenge was to collect a weed?”

Glancing back I catch her lips pout, “No, Reeds! Small, black, bamboo reeds that grow on the mountain. You’ll find them just past the base so no need to wander beyond the sight of the village. Seriously, Do Not head up into the fog.” Looks over to make sure Tommy is listening while packing snacks in his bag, “Keep the lanterns of the gym in sight.”

Recalling each home on the floating village having black windchimes at their front door. Out the window, light from the village only goes a short ways up the mountain before the perpetual fog shrouds everything.

I get her warning, I do, but this is why I came to Hoenn! I Know the mountain holds secrets to raising powerful ghost pokemon.

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