Undying Devotion

[4] Registration

 I was woken up in the morning by Hop frantically packing the camp up. "What? What's going on?" I pushed myself into an upright sitting position, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.

He was sweating profusely, and he jabbed a finger in the direction of Motostoke. "I need to hurry. I need to get registered for the Gym Challenge!" He shoved the rest of the stuff in the bag he had. "If you'd like to come along, you can."

"Me? Come along? Why?"

Hop shrugged. He still seemed angry about our conversation from last night, but he was too focused on getting his stuff together. "You seem like a cool dude, and Leon would probably prefer it if I had some form of a chaperone. Besides, I think you'll think the Gym Challenge is cool, once you get a look at it."

I narrowed my eyes. "If you're trying to get ME to enroll in the Gym Challenge, there's no shot."

Hop shook his head. "I just want you to see it. If you see it, maybe you'll like it." he gathered his bags up and agitatedly glanced around. "Leo, do you think that maybe we could ride Arcanine there?"

I stuffed my stuff into my bags. "I mean, yeah. She's asleep right now, so if you need to leave now-"

"YES! NOW!" Hop groaned. "I was supposed to be in the stupid inn last night!"

I stared at him, mouth slightly agape. "You were supposed to-" I smacked my face with my hand. "You're an absolute MORON, Hop."

"I know!" Hop was now bouncing from one foot to the other. "Now wake her up, let's go right now!"

I shook Arcanine, and she pushed herself to her paws, her eyes narrowed. "Grrh." she gave Hop and I a sour look.

"Hey, Arcanine. We need to get over there, to Motostoke. As quickly as you can, alright?"

Despite how annoyed she was, Arcanine was a good-natured Pokemon. She nodded, exaggerating a yawn. "Here, I can help you up." I said to Hop.

He nodded, and I hoisted him up onto Arcanine's back. I fastened our luggage onto Arcanine's sides so that it wouldn't fall off. "Get ready, she goes fast."

Hop scoffed. "Surely she doesn't go as fast as-"

He was cut off when Arcanine began trotting, and then quickly picking up speed. The force of the wind snatched his voice away, but I could hear bits of screaming, laughing, and "Woa-ho-hoh!"

We made it to the stairs of Motostoke, Arcanine skittering to a stop and kicking up a (very inconvenient) cloud of dust.

I waved it away from my face, coughing. "Kff.. Thanks, Arcanine." I returned her to her Pokeball, watching as our bags dropped to the ground. "Hop, grab your stuff. Rush over to the Motostoke gym and do whatever you need to do."

Hop turned to me, struggling to sling his bags on. "C'mon, Leo! We don't have much time for standing around!" He paused, then continued with, "This whole thing isn't like what you think of it. It's fun for the competitors AND the spectators! The sponsors are just a bonus- and most of it goes to charities!"

Why is this kid so dang pushy? "I mean, I could." I replied hesitantly. "B-but, wouldn't I need tickets for it..?"

Hop shrugged. "Watch from the T.V. screens! It's airing everywhere across Galar.

I bit my lip, messing with my hat agitatedly. "I mean, I guess-"

Hop huffed, and started up the stairs. "C'mon! I don't have much time, and I think it'd do you good to experience some proper Galarian excitement!"

Still slightly hesitant, I followed Hop up the stairs and into the city, still apprehensive. Hop's enthusiasm was, for the most part, contagious. But, right now, his enthusiasm gave me a weird feeling of dread. This kid, whom I'd barely met sixteen hours ago, was dragging me along this weird journey of his.