Sugarcube

Chapter 81 - Teacher's Pet

Chapter 81 – Teacher’s Pet

Walter’s tour was nearing its end. The man had shown me nearly all of the school’s facilities and amenities. Thoroughly convincing me that if I ever had kids I’d be wanting them to get their primary education in this place. The only point of contention between the school’s practices and myself was that the rental Pokémon they were responsible for spent an awful lot of time inside their poké balls. The only time my Pokémon were forced to b...

Chapter 80 – Teachable Moment

Chapter 80 – Teachable Moment

“That was an amazing last performance! Not just singing you also had the choreography down pat!”

“Jiggly! Jiggly!”

Halfway through the first song Jaiden could no longer keep his composure humming along to the melodious tunes completely forgetting that I was sitting right next to him. The Jigglypuffs’ concert captivated our entire group which included my own team of Pokémon. The one team member who seemed to appreciate listeni...

Chapter 79 - Interlude Presenting a Letter

Chapter 79 –  Interlude Presenting a Letter

“Happy Birthday Zinnia!!”

“Gooon!” “Gooom!” “Seaa!”

Mommy walked inside the living room carrying my super special birthday cake with nine candles lit on top. Everyone I liked in the village was here to celebrate with me. Big sis Aster, Dray, Dray’s parents, my second Grandma and of course all of our Pokémon friends. Seeing the bright rainbow-colored cake, I couldn’t wait to dig in after blowing ou...

Chapter 78 - Meeting New Faces

Chapter 78 – Meeting New Faces

The following day I awoke to the sounds of my dorm room neighbors waking up early. Rustboro city was packed, and the center’s crowded accommodations reflected that fact. We were forced to room with three other trainers partly because I didn’t have the foresight to book a single room in advance. I just thanked my lucky Jirachi that not a single trainer that I had to room with suffered from sleep apnea. All of my Pokémon had to stay inside thei...

Chapter 77 - Rustboro City

Chapter 77 – Rustboro City

Not having the same service available on my Xtransceiver was a large disappointment. Which necessitated me using the center’s computer to book a flight capable Pokémon. I’ve come to find out that trainers who own flight capable Pokémon can put up their partner’s services in a pokégear app called Pokéride. People looking to purchase such a service could use the app to locate trainers living nearest to them capable of delivering such services. Now, L...

Chapter 76 - Settling Gym Affairs

Chapter 76 – Settling Gym Affairs

“Egon! Breakfast’s ready!”

The nostalgic sound of Grandma calling me out of bed for breakfast confirmed for me on a deeper level that I was back home. The only thing that was missing was the sound of a younger sister watching cartoons on the big tv downstairs. The rest of my team was out and about Halo had really taken to the sun basking training and was currently halfway hanging out of my bedroom window enjoying the morning’s rays with ...

Chapter 75 - Catching Up

Chapter 75 - Catching Up

Here I was, back home. The place where I spent most of my childhood. The house wasn’t as dreary looking compared to the last time we came here. My grandparents’ distress from having Zinnia taken away had started to wane and with the shop’s business booming they had little time to think about something they couldn’t control. The first thing I did was release my partners from their balls, having been stuck inside them for most of the day, I was sure...

Chapter 74 - Fossil Party

Chapter 74 – Fossil Party

The three of us made our way inside the hardened sand tower expecting to see a ground floor free of occupants due to the tower’s transitory nature but we came to find out that was not the case. The entire base floor was covered in shades of red and orange as the squatters who managed to sneak inside before us were busy animatedly celebrating for one reason or another.

“Egon…”

“Vi! Vi?!” “My powers are all weird! I can’t levitate?!�...

Chapter 73 - Rocky Conclusion

Chapter 73 – Rocky Conclusion

With Mr. Moore leading the conversation we congregated into a circle to discuss our plan for dealing with an ancient, isolated Pokémon who had good reason to hate humans.

“I propose we capture and relocate Regirock into a more controlled environment for further study. Celadon University has multiple secure facilities suited for rock type Pokémon.”

Dusty’s bias towards his own place of work notwithstanding, I sincerely doubted a ...

Chapter 72 - Stone Titan

Chapter 72 – Stone Titan

“That’s… awful.”

“Indeed, a most unfortunate situation.”

“We have to save that Pokémon!!”

The reactions upon hearing that a Pokémon who had been helping humans got imprisoned for a span of most likely over a thousand years garnered much sympathy from every member of our group. Even our Pokémon partners became unsettled upon hearing that such a kind Pokémon had been sealed on nothing more than th...

Chapter 71 - Secret Message

Chapter 71 – Secret Message

The teleportation went off without a hitch and the three of us found ourselves overlooking the family farm of the battle loving Winstrate family. It was still early in the morning but not early enough to not see father Victor and grandmother Vicky already working the field. The grandmother was the first to notice us.

‘As expected, farmers start their days early. Tini get in my backpack for now, we’ll just stay long enough to be polite.�...

Chapter 70 - Sinking Feeling p2

Chapter 70 - Sinking Feeling p2

Having Dinner with Juan was a nerve-wracking experience. I expected that at any time I would get accused of stealing gym secrets even though I was technically innocent. Juan and by extension Wallace were influential enough to have the rest of my circuit run become very tedious. Marlon had my complete trust but I had no idea if his Milotic could keep mum under the curious gazes of the other water type Pokémon living here. Juan’s focus was mos...

Chapter 69 – Sinking Feeling

Chapter 69 – Sinking Feeling

I woke up in my dorm room bed ready for another day. We went to bed early last night because training Solar Beam was near impossible without the sun’s rays being there for my Pokémon to absorb. Which also meant I had little excuse not to get up early to catch the early morning light. My smaller Pokémon were spread all across the room while Numsy and Glove were resting in their respective balls, Rena’s tails being playfully used as body pil...

Chapter 68 - Friendly Encounter

Chapter 68 – Friendly Encounter

After finishing my phone calls with the professors, I saw Mr. Briney’s Pokémon fly by. Just the sight of the majestic Wingull drove me to spend some time observing her and likewise the little bird reciprocated my noble intentions by engaging in a game of tag with me across the ship’s deck, completely of her own volition with not a single misinterpretation involved.

“Win Gull!”

“Just a single photograph! I’ll give you ...

Chapter 67 - Playtime Calls

Chapter 67 – Playtime Calls 

“Just do it!”

“Birch is the Hoenn region’s most renowned professor, it’s only natural to get the jitters!”

Me and the team were relaxing on deck of the S.S. Tidal sunbathing, when I remembered the fact that Joshua the lab assistant gave us the Professor’s number. For me personally this meant very little since I was still contracted to Professor Juniper which prevented me from seeking sponsorship fr...

Chapter 66 - Mind your Manners

Chapter 66 – Mind your Manners

Both of the twins were up in their room after finishing dinner and brushing their teeth. Naturally, due to all the excitement of meeting Pokémon the two have never seen before it was a tad difficult to get them asleep. To pass the time I told them of my time at the academy near the Celestial Tower.

“That’s how their species came to crash landed on earth. Beheeyem was a total bro and the psychic academy in Unova is an interesting pla...

Chapter 65 - Sitting for Battle

Chapter 65 – Sitting for Battle

“So, this is the Mossdeep City gym? Kind of swanky that they turned an old observatory into a battling facility.”

“Wy!”

After our shopping spree, where I managed to restock most of our dwindling supplies, we got to reserving a bunk room at a local Pokémon center. While there Victini and Wynaut managed to link up with the rest of our party. The little blue blob excited at the prospect of finding a partner of his own. I alr...

Chapter 64 - Old but New

Chapter 64 – Old but New

The next day we woke up early to catch the morning ferry. Not wanting to wake up my Pokémon I quietly recalled them into their balls. The ferry was set to leave at seven AM one hour earlier than their usual waking time. As I was attempting to return Orin the ghost type hopped out of the way from the red beam. 

“Lit. Wick…”

“You want to keep me company? Of course you can.”

I extended my arm so the little candle could...

Chapter 63 - Treating Ourselves

Chapter 63 – Treating Ourselves

After beating Violet and earning ourselves a fourth Hoenn badge we opted to make our way back to the Lilycove city gym but not before Violet got a chance to interact with her now adoring fans. The woman was basking in the attention acting like a proud prinplup. Signing autographs and doing all she could to promote the gym. Eventually I got fed up with the situation and took the time to hand over my now battle-weary Pokémon to the nurse Joy o...

Chapter 62 - Weather Battle

Chapter 62 – Weather Battle

It was the following morning after having ourselves a scrumptious breakfast at the Pokémon center, me and the team made our way towards the Lilycove city gym with the objective of earning our fourth Hoenn gym badge. I wasn’t expecting to have a difficult time even at the sixth badge level due to the overwhelming advantage I held as a fire type specialist. Victini wasn’t particularly worried about our chances of success so she was off on one ...

Chapter 61 - Lilycove Superstar

Chapter 61 – Lilycove Superstar

“Is this your home? It looks like a Pokéblock store.”

“That’s because it is. We sell high quality Pokéblock for coordinators on the go.”

“Wait?! How can you afford to take the day off like this and to go to the beach with your daughter?”

“I make large batches of specialty Pokéblock in the morning and when that sells out the store is closed for the rest of day. We are also contracted with a handful of the m...

Chapter 60 - Promised Evolution

Chapter 60 – Promised Evolution

We were back at the castle. It was still a ways off before dinnertime and me and the team were spending our remaining time just laying about at the castle’s training grounds. After intense training sessions like that I usually spend the remainder of my free time grooming my Pokémon. Trimming their fur coats, cleaning their ears  brushing out any tangles as a fire type specialist I was spared from doing any dental cleaning. A fire type...

Chapter 59 - Ability Power

Chapter 59 – Ability Power

After successfully scheduling a reservation at the Lilycove city gym me and the gang resolved to make our way back to Mt. Pyre but before leaving we first had to make sure that Victini acclimated herself to a point of return. Teleporters have to at least spend some amount of time in places they intend to anchor themselves to. In our case we had a perfectly serviceable lighthouse which was located right next to the gym. Victini, having grown up ins...

Chapter 58 - Scared Straight

Chapter 58 – Scared Straight

The first thing I did after earning myself the Feather badge was to have my Pokémon checked in at the Pokémon center. All of them took a severe walloping during their respective battles especially so in the case of little Orin. After picking up a tray and filling its empty holes with three of my seven poké balls. I walked up to the counter where a younger looking Nurse Joy was waiting for me already anticipating my need for a health professio...

Chapter 57 - Feathery Showdown

Chapter 57 - Feathery Showdown

After saying our goodbyes to the kecleon group and their fledgling new business me and Victini walked into the direction of the gym. Since we’d been here before I had no problem navigating Fortree City’s jungle of shoots and ladders. Victini floating behind me while invisible. It was still early in the morning and a thick fog enveloped the city giving us the freedom to talk openly without much scrutiny.

“So... what places do you visi...

Chapter 56 - Training Blues

Chapter 56 – Training Blues

“What am I looking at?”

The diminutive blue figure seemed to be in a state of bliss as it was eating Victini’s very last custap berry with its earlike fingerless arms. I recognized the Pokémon, but I always figured the species could only be found on the elusive mirage island. 

“Ahem excuse me there Wynaut. I don’t remember there being any custap trees growing on this mountain. Where did you manage to find such an exoti...

Chapter 55 - Evolution Solution

Chapter 55 – Evolution Solution

“Waaaaah! Good morning, everyone! Best sleep ever!”

I was feeling great. Making it through the whole night without being victimized by Misdreavus left me enough time to enjoy a full night’s rest. Judging by the amount of sunlight falling in through the windowpanes I figured it was almost time to get out of bed and get started with my first task of the day picking up Rena at her mother’s.  

Most of my team was sca...

Chapter 54 - Familial Antics

Chapter 54 – Familial Antics

“Victini looks so normal… not what one would expect from a Legendary Pokémon. It’s also missing that distinct aura that puts one on edge when faced with a powerful being. However… Yes, I do sense the vastness of its aura. It's way beyond any ordinary Pokémon.” 

“Vi! Vi!” “I am strong! Bring me more candied fruit peels!”

That bout of adorableness was rewarded with a copious amount of head pats...

Chapter 53 - Warm Welcome

Chapter 53 – Warm Welcome

“Woooow! Her house is bigger than grandpa’s gym!”

Phoebe’s home was indeed of an impressive size being an ancient castle which could double as a defensible strategic asset during war times and has probably been used as such in ancient times. The mansion rested comfortably underneath a solid stone foundation centered around a large field which was nowadays being used to practice battling. Having visited this place in the past hadn’t ...

Chapter 52 - Back Again Mt. Pyre

Chapter 52 – Back Again Mt. Pyre

Xatu are an interesting species of Pokémon. Their precognitive abilities trumped those of any other psychic type. They had the ability to see past and future events with amazing clarity. Naturally all of them without a single exception completely refused to share any of their findings, not even to their trainers. Though the species as a whole agreed to loosen up some of their self-imposed rules for benign things like weather forecasting and...