A red sunset lengthened shadows over Gateon Port when the new Trainers reached the outskirts. Amber was used to walking. She often joined her parents and their Hiker friend Herman on long hikes. Her friends were not. Their feet were covered in painful, splattering blisters. Exhausted, they boarded the first local bus they saw into the city centre.
Approaching the tacky hotel, Wingull Lodge, Cassia froze. The van was in the parking lot. She hesitated. Then she grabbed her keys, stabbing the button to unlock the doors. Tyrunt charged after her. She yanked the back doors open.
'That's my van, you little shits! Don't even think about driving!'
Her father's Flygon was curled up inside. It blinked bewilderedly.
'What are you...?'
A familiar voice laughed. Raihan was talking to Abbey on the sidewalk. Cassia's eyes widened.
'What... happened?'
'We almost got blown up and owe the rental company P1,000,000, but we got your van back.'
He nudged her tense shoulder. 'Lock it next time, will you?'
'Who stole it?!'
'A pair of opportunists. And then...'
Abbey trudged over. 'So glad you're all safe. Well... you mustn't tell Leon, because he doesn't need the stress, but... remember when we moved from our flat, Amber? And we had all the curtains shut?'
'Yeah?'
Zane flopped down onto the curb. Everyone grimaced when he removed his dusty trainers and socks to admire his blisters.
'Well, it was partly because this woman moved in over the road. Your dad went out with her for a couple of months, like, 23 years ago and she kidnapped him when he ended it.'
'What? Why?!'
It was utterly bizarre to Amber that anyone, let alone so many people, fancied her dad.
'Well, we thought she was long gone, but she was taking pictures of us yesterday. Then she followed us, blew up our rental car and stole the van we'd just got back. She thought your dad owned it.'
Raihan nodded. 'Yet another person disappointed I wasn't Leon. Story of my life!'
'So, anyway, she's still out there. Her name is April. She's a sociology lecturer at the University of Wyndon. She isn't much of a Trainer, but she's got a pet Purrloin and bought some Electrode. Please be careful.'
'Not to worry!' Zane announced, 'No-one will get past me! Hey, check out my new partners!'
Abbey was glad for the distraction. She went to her room to fetch him a Sun Stone. Weary Cassia checked in. The receptionist watched a little worriedly as Zane excitedly had Sunkern evolve into Sunflora in the lobby. Then its petals closed up and it fell asleep. He was disappointed. Amber turned down the evolution stones her mother offered. She wanted to do all of this herself.
Zane rushed to plug in his phone charger by one of their room's two double beds. He impatiently waited for Pokémon news to load.
'Big-Head Bianka has already got her Machine Badge...'
'Of course she has.'
Amber thought she was merely annoyed by remembering Bianka, but when her voice came out as an uncertain, shaky squeak and Cassia asked if she was alright, she wasn't sure. She felt suddenly sick.
'I think I'm tired.'
She set an alarm, because Zane would probably forget. Before her turn in the shower came, she fell asleep where her head rested beside Eevee on the stained headboard. The alarm went off at 8AM. Amber found Cassia had gently nudged her onto the pillow. She was already awake, feeding the Pokémon. Sunflora was glued to the light seeping around the curtains.
'That Bidoof just won't stop eating...'
Seth wearily rubbed his eyes. 'Morning.'
'Morning. Give Zane a shake, will you? He'll snore into the afternoon if no-one wakes him...'
Zane sat bolt upright upon being nudged, as if he'd never been asleep or tired at all.
'It's the big day!'
He leapt out of bed, rashly returning his Pokémon and replacing camping supplies in his backpack with battle items. A stack of League Cards spilled onto the floor. Trainer Cards were now used in Orre, but that didn't stop Zane printing the Galarian souvenirs before he left. He tore the curtains open.
'Hello, world! It's your Orre League Champion, Zane! Soon to be World Champion!'
Shaking her head, Amber smiled. 'You might be putting the cart before the Rapidash, mate...'
'Hurry up, you lot! We've got a Machine Badge to win!'
Seth emerged from the bathroom yawning. 'Not me. I need to train more or those Electric-types will take out my Vaporeon.'
'Well, you do you. I'm off!'
The door rocked behind him. It clicked shut. Amber giggled.
'D'you think he will win?'
'By talking Emili's ear off, maybe? I should probably train, too.'
'Yeah,' Seth said, 'But I'm gonna watch Zane's match first. Get a good look at Emili's team and battle style.'
The morning air was salty. Wingull squawked. Waves crashed against the harbour's walls. Tourists tossed coins to a singing sailor. More sailors loitered around docks and stalls selling battered fish. Past stacks of crates and the shiny silver frontage of the Machine Parts Shop, revolving bridges carried cars, bikes and pedestrians to Gateon Colosseum. The dome's glass roof gracefully resembled colliding waves. When opened for events, it was as if the tide changed.
A grin illuminated Amber's face. It finally felt real. They stopped to take a selfie with the colosseum behind them before squeezing through impatient crowds across the bridge. Traffic police blew whistles. Inside, voices mingled with background music. The lobby, decorated with machine parts and sunshine yellow carpets, was packed with Gym Challengers. They weren't so late after all. Zane, already in his uniform, was at the front of a crowd clamouring for Michael's attention.
'My uncle Michael is the greatest Champion ever – but I'm going to beat him!'
Amber's wandering eyes found Leon talking to a tall, athletic boy in red. He was #11. A Cubone clung to his curly hair. Leon looked so relieved to see his daughter safe, she didn't have the heart to ignore him.
'Oh, Trip, have you met my daughter?'
The boy turned to face her. His confident eyes were blue as the ocean outside. He offered a hand.
'I heard about her from Bianka. Amber, right?'
Heard about me from Bianka? Oh, great. Though his genuine smile implied whatever he heard wasn't so bad. Amber shook his hand.
'Yeah.'
'This is Trip. He's a new Trainer, too.'
A whistle blew. Trip shook their hands again.
'Thanks for the tips, Leon. And nice to meet you, too, Amber. I'm first up today, so...'
He jogged to the locker room. Leon smiled distantly after him.
'Nice lad. Are you lot battling? Registration's closing any minute now.'
'No. Just watching. How do we get in?'
'Come with me. Don't worry! You won't have to sit with your old dad. I'm refereeing.'
He unlocked glass doors to lead them up dimly-lit, metal-scented stairs. They reached stands protected by thick glass. Seats were shiny yellow. Flags bearing the Machine Badge hung from the ceiling and stands above. They shimmered amidst glass tubes sizzling with colourful electricity. Neon lights circled the silver battlefield. The colosseum's interior was designed to appear as an upturned storm over the waves of its roof.
Leon left the kids in the stand reserved for family. They didn't recognise the few parents present, but one had to be Trip's mother, because she was preparing to wield a banner reading 'TRIUMPHANT TRIP.' Catching Amber's eye, she asked if she was a new Trainer, too.
'Yeah. We just met your son outside. He seems nice!'
'Oh, Trip's not my son. I'm his grandma!'
Beaming proudly, she didn't look old enough. For once, though she must have known, she didn't mention Leon, or Raihan or Wes when she shook hands with their kids.
'I'm a Trainer, too. I took the Gym Challenge as soon as it came to Orre. I got past the Elite Four, but I just couldn't beat Michael.'
The door creaked. A boy, blending into the shadows in grey, quietly took a seat above. Trip's grandma leaned in to whisper.
'Between you and me – there are some shady people on this Gym Challenge. Or rather, a shady person...'