A yawn slips out as I head toward the entrance of Route 201, casting one last glance at the familiar sights of Twinleaf, the quaint little farm town I’ve called home for so long. I won’t be seeing it again for a while. The sun had just risen, bathing everything in a soft, golden hue. Dahlia clung to my right arm, her gaze fixed on the ghostly pale skin, as if still fascinated by the strange mark Art had left behind.

  Said Pokémon was hovering around my parents as they walked with me. They wanted to see us off. We’d meet Morgan at the start of the route.

  Mom was talking my ear off, lecturing me about the dos and don'ts of traveling. I got the gist, of course, no one scores top marks at Trainer School without having that stuff engraved in their brain. “ - Also, don’t forget to call once you get a Pokétch.” She reminded.

  "Of course," I agreed. They had planned to give me the trainer essential, phone-like watch at the start of my journey, but my earlier reluctance threw those plans off. And the journey I’m setting out on now happened too suddenly for them to prepare for. “I’ll purchase one in Sandgem.”

  Dad tried to keep a stoic face, but it was obvious he was both giddy and nervous. He couldn’t keep himself to a steady pace, constantly shifting between brisk steps and little pauses.

  "Marlon, compose yourself," Mom chided gently, eliciting laughs from Dahlia and me.

  “Sorry, dear. It’s just… our boy’s growing up now.” He spoke while looking at me with such pride that it made Mom turn to me with the warmest smile. Then his gaze shifted to Dahlia. "Don’t grow up too fast now," he added, causing her to nod vigorously. I could only shake my head at their antics.

  As we approached Route 201, I saw Morgan deep in conversation with a woman. She looked like an older, shorter version of her. The same dirty blonde hair now touched with gray, and the same weary green eyes that seemed so tired. She had to be her mother.

  Morgan waved happily as she noticed us nearing.

  “There ya’ are.” She exclaims. ‘Panpour!’ Pan yells out excitedly. Art glides to them, startling the woman beside Morgan, greeting our friends with his customary ‘Swing.’

  "You must be Morgan," My mother greeted with a warm smile. "Mallory, it’s so good to see you. Marlon, say hello." The pleasantries quickly turned into a full-on conversation. It was the kind of moment I’d have been content to just sit back and watch. Until Morgan’s mother asked to speak with me. Alone.

  "Tristan," she murmured, careful not to draw Morgan’s attention, who was busy playing with our Pokémon and Dahlia. “I know she can be a handful, but please… take care of her” she said, eyes glistening with tears. "I was reluctant to let her go at first, she’s just like her father," she admitted softly. "I’m glad she has you to lean on."

  "You won’t have to worry, ma’am," I said reassuringly. "She’s got my back, and I’ve got hers.”

  That seemed to bring her some comfort. She let out a deep sigh, like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders, and smiled. "You can call me Mallory." A smile tugs at my lips.

  "Hey, Mommy! You better not be embarrassing me!" we heard Morgan call out. We both laughed, and I made my way back to my family to say my farewells.

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  Dad stepped forward, dropping a firm hand on my shoulder. "I know you’ll do wonders, little comet. We’ll be watching you." The nickname caught me off guard, he hadn’t used since I was a wild, unruly kid. I laughed and gave him a solid fist bump.

  Mom then pulled me into one of her warm, enveloping hugs. “Just be safe out there.”

  “I will,” I promised, wrapping her in a tight hug of my own.

  And finally, Dahlia jumped into my arms, giving me the tightest hug she could muster. "Become king, big bro!" she shouted. "So I can be a pretty princess!"

  I laughed, holding her close. "You’ve got it, Your Highness." She giggled, clearly satisfied with my answer, and I knew I’d be carrying that sound with me for a long time. Mom and Dad stepped in, wrapping us both in one big family hug.

  I waited nearby while Morgan and Mallory finished their goodbyes. Morgan was getting the same kind of lecture I’d gotten earlier. And then we were off. We looked back at our families, waving as we walked away, calling out repeated choruses of “Goodbye!”s and “See you later!”s. Until it was just the two of us.

  We followed the dirt road of Route 201 for what felt like two hours before finally stopping for a break. The path had remained calm and quiet, other than the occasional wild Pokémon attack. A few Bidoof and Starly had tried to confront us, but Art and Pan made quick work of them. With my partner holding a steady vanguard and Pan and Morgan providing support, we were already proving to be a solid team.

  "Hey, Tris. I got a question for ya.” Morgan’s voice cut through my focus as I scanned the area, Art was scanning the area alongside me, ever watchful, while Morgan and Pan sat together on a flat rock nearby. "Do you have a set team planned?"

  I gave a small shake of my head. "Not really. Haven’t given it much thought. What about you?" I shot the question back at her.

  She placed a finger on her chin. “Hmm.” Thinking about it for a moment. “Well, there’re a lot of Pokémon out there, you really can’t be sure.” She admitted. “But, we gotta make sure they’re Champion Material.”

  "Champion?" I echoed, a bit flustered by how big she was dreaming. "Getting a little ahead of yourself, aren’t you, Morgan?" I added with a smirk.

  She laughed. "So what? A girl can’t dream big?" she said proudly, chin tilted up like she was already halfway to the title.

  I laughed with her. "Dream as big as you want," I said. "But compared to Champion Cynthia, we’re like babies taking their first steps."

  Morgan only stuck her tongue out in protest, clearly unbothered by my reality check.

  Champion Cynthia was the longest-reigning Champion in Sinnoh’s history, holding the title for over twenty-three years. She and her Pokémon had steam rolled through her rookie year at the Gym Challenge, dominated the Pokémon League Conference, and taken down the Elite Four and former Champion with decisive skill. Her rise had pushed the region into a new era of reform and strength, and at just thirty-eight years old, she wasn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

  To many, she was considered the strongest Trainer alive. And if we ever hoped to challenge her, we’d have to start from the base of the tallest mountain. Not unlike Mount Coronet, the highest peak in the world, looming silently over Sinnoh.

  “The Gym Challenge kicks off in a few days,” Morgan said with a grin. “We’re gonna beat them all, just like Champion Cynthia!” She threw a fist in the air, and Pan let out an enthusiastic cheer beside her.

  "Don’t get too excited now," I said, half-chiding, half-amused.

  Still, I couldn’t help but feel fired up right along with her. But even with that fire burning, the looming question of Cyrus, and the uncertainty of the road ahead. It left a knot of fear in my chest. ‘It’s a strange kind of thrill, but I’ve never wanted anything more.’