Katsu Hikkomori

“Aaaand done.” He groaned as he stretched out. The lead up to the yearly conference was always a rush of activity.

He looked up and his office at this time of the year was a mess of memorabilia that had to be approved. Stall permits, building inspections, Pokemon Ranger requests to clear the roads and ensure that none of the wild pokemon in the Silver Mountain Range would be close enough to the Stadium to hear the battle and try to interfere.

That had only happened once with a wild Tyranitar to change the way both regions prepared for the Conference.

Paperwork on paperwork, work on work.

“Boss! Holy Arceus It’s… Impossible!!” A voice called out and Katsu groaned.

“What is it Hino?” He demanded, the woman was an incredible video editor. She was meticulous, and had a bit of a reputation for her works on the yearly Trainer Battle videos.

She was also…

He looked up and took in her appearance. Her hair was a mess, her glasses were slightly askew, and it still hurt just to look at them. They were so thick. Her clothing was a mess, and if it wasn’t for her being a total airhead, he might have asked if she wanted to go drink some nights.

The fact he was her boss had stopped him, that and he had seen how clumsy she was even at the normal events and getting soaked in cheap beer was a recurring issue for anyone sitting near her.

“What is it Hino?”“S-s-s-ixteen!?” She stuttered and he just stared at her until she would start making more sense. She seemed to realize after a minute that he had no idea what she meant, and continued. “S-sixteen star badges!” She called out and he frowned.

That was incredibly low, impossibly low. Was this just the worst group of new trainers ever? “That’s it?” He asked, rubbing at his chin. “Is that still enough to make a full video?” He asked, he needed to focus on the job. Get this stuff edited and in production to sell at the Conference opening.“N-No! It’s not that! There were lots of Star Badge victories! B-but… S-sixteen!!” She said again and he just gave her another look.

Please start being actually clear Hino, I don’t have time to try and figure out what you are hyper focusing on today.

Finally she flopped a bunch of papers on his desk. He’d be cleaning that up later he knew. And started rifling through it, before she grabbed one paper and nearly plastered it across his face.

Taking it from her before she made him eat it, he looked it over.

The last months registry for Star Badges? He looked through it. Not seeing anything unusual until he got to the end.

Victoria Ferrous: Zephyr Badge (Star) 11/28

Victoria Ferrous: Hive Badge (Star) 11/28

Victoria Ferrous: Fog Badge (Star) 11/29

And on it went. He felt his jaw dropping. One kid in less than a week had swept through every Major Johto Gym, including the Blackthorn?

“Tell me we have this girl's battles recorded!” he demanded as he looked up and then took another paper Hino had found in her stack. He took it and looked through it. She wasn’t always clear on what the issue was, but Hino had never come to him like this when it wasn’t serious.

Victoria Ferrous, again. She had fought Koga in Fuschia too!? Then he looked up and Hino had another paper.

Suddenly he had a feeling.

“Sixteen?” He asked, and she stopped trying to shove the paper at him and nodded.

“All of them?”“All of them. The Major Gyms. Kanto and J-Johto.”

“You have the video?”“A-all of them that were recorded!”“Pull it. All of it. I need to make some calls! Hino! Get Fuu in here, I need her advice!” He demanded and grabbed for his phone. Who was he even supposed to call about this? There were methods for exceptional trainers. Sometimes great achievements would be added into the yearly trainer videos. Usually it was for those that had already passed their first year. Ace and Elite Trainers that had gone out and saved some ecological disaster.

But this was something else. She was ten, this was her first year! They might have to reach out to the kids parents because it was very likely she’d be getting her own personal highlight video.

He didn’t know who Victoria Ferrous was, but she was about to be famous.

“And Hino! Good job!” He called out to the woman that was creeping out of his office nervously. She jumped and yelped, dropping the papers she had collected from his desk, most probably his own paperwork, but Hino was like that.

—--

Ivy Vinewood

“Okay Ivy. You got this. You just… Have to get ready to stand in front of every person in Kanto and battle, and make a complete fool of yourself!” She slumped, putting her head in her palms as she looked away from the mirror.

She couldn’t do this! What if she messed up? What if she… What if she fought Vicky in the first round?

She cringed at the knowledge that it would be a short battle.

Vicky was the one that originally gave her the idea for most of her tactics. And Vicky was a freak when it came to battling.

“Ivy? Are you ready?”

“I don’t know!” She moaned out dejected. Looking up to see her mother looking sympathetic towards her.

“Ivy, dearest flower. You can do this. You don’t have to worry! It’s your first conference. No one is expecting you to win. You just have to compete proving you grew on your journey, which you did.” Her mother stepped in and pulled her into a hug that smelled like Venusaur's pollen.

Ivy relaxed. It had always been a soothing scent.

“Besides! All of your friends will be there, including little Vicky, and you both went on a journey outside the region! No one else can hope to compare to that. Your new friends mean you are set for the competition.”

“Mom. You know most of them aren’t ready for a battle like the conference. Phantump is still a baby.”

Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.“I think you’d be surprised Flower. Phantump has taken to your training very well. Besides, not all of your pokemon are babies. What about Fomantis?”

“Foo-mi is progressing well.” Ivy defended. Sure, she was very lazy and getting the Grass Type to do anything during the day was a struggle. Not that she was going to tell her mother that.

Admitted she was struggling with that one would be too embarrassing.

Her mother of course seemed to just know as she sent her a little smirk, that Ivy refused to acknowledge. It was probably Venusaur tattling on her again.

“Are you finished getting ready?” Her mom asked, a reminder that she didn’t have time to sit here and stew.

“Not… Not yet.” Ivy admitted. There was one more place she had to visit before she left for the Indigo Conference. The thought of it once more made her stomach queasy, but she got up and headed for her closet.

She felt dread and swallowed it down as she opened it up.

“Sew?”

“Hi Sewaddle.” She greeted and winced as the pokemon started looking over her outfit with an eye to destroying it. But she had learned how to cut him off. “Sewaddle, can I have my hat?” She asked and suddenly he was distracted, chirping happily as he jumped a few times and pulled down a cute little beret. Of course it had been green, but now it was covered in leaves.

Sewaddle loved being involved with Ivy’s outfits for the day, and he had slowly grown more used to not sewing leaves into everything. She took the hat and placed it on her head and smiled down at her pokemon. “How is it?”“Sew-Sewaddle!” He cheered, bouncing around and she relaxed. She had enough leaves in her outfit that he wasn’t going to try and sew in more…

Of course she looked like some mono-type trainer…

Stupid Vicky! She could train other types! Look at Tauros!

“It looks cute Ivy.” Her mother said, and Ivy flushed a little as she stood up and let her see the outfit in full.

“I… I don’t know if I’m ready. But I’m ready to try.”

—-

Zelos Bia

“Oh how ethnic!” Mother said as she looked out the window of the car. Zelos wanted to sigh at her mothers statement. It had been over a year since they moved to Kanto. Yet mother still treated everything Kantonese as ‘quaint’ and cute. Rather than just their culture.

Zelos would never admit it, but she sorta liked the atmosphere that could be found here. Sure Unova was just better, but people were nicer in crowds in Kanto, and festivals here were pretty fun.

“Oh look Zelos! They’re selling cute little videos of the gym battles! Honey! We’ll need to find out if our Zelos is in one.”

“Hah! I’m sure she is! Rare pokemon always attract attention and our Zellos has a few pokemon that aren’t common here!” Father said, smiling a bit from the passenger seat, but they drove past. Zellos wasn’t sure she would be in one. Sure her pokemon were rare, but she had only fought in the minor gyms except for a few of the major ones early on.

“The yearly videos are usually sold in a few formats. The highlights will likely have at least one of Miss Bia’s battles because of her rare pokemon.” Mr. Hikase their driver said and Zelos nodded. Mother would likely pick one up then.

But Zelos ignored that for now and focused out the window. The smattering of stalls and shops set up off the road was a good visual distraction as she considered what was to come.

All she had to do was do well, and Father had already agreed she could have her second year Journey back in Unova. Despite the difficulty of travel it was all she wanted. Home.

Kanto wasn’t… Terrible. It had grown on her a bit. But it wasn’t home. The styles were different, the people were different.

The Cheeseburgers weren’t the same.

She wondered how all of her old friends were doing? Some of them were still in contact sometimes, but the timezones meant they weren’t talking a lot. And so they had drifted apart.

The car moved through the traffic. Even at this early stage, the whole place was like a festival and people were everywhere.

Zelos was thankful that Father was important enough to have a room reserved because she had been told most of the hotels near the Conference were booked years in advance, but they’d still be staying in a nice room that wasn’t a bunk house.

Idly she wondered how she’d do. She knew she could do well, she’d earned her badges without difficulty and her pokemon were well trained… And well fed.

A deep breath in and out and Zelos let out the frustration at her own mistakes. She had learned, been taught and that was fine. That of course made her wonder how Victoria would do, and that made her glare out the window.

That blonde farm girl was… Wrong. As a battler it was just too overwhelming. Even in their training matches that she had convinced Zelos into…

It had been worth it, despite the embarrassment. She had only managed to win against Victoria's new pokemon. To only earn victory against baby pokemon was… Well she took a breath. Her team had improved. If there was one thing that fluff head was good at, it was acting as a whetstone.

She might not win against her, but against any average trainer she had a feeling she might put up a shockingly good fight.

Kanto… She had to admit. While it was still a backwater, even worse than she had thought at first considering its rivalry with Johto kept the region locked into a rivalry that just weakened both regions.

At least that was what her father said.

It had grown on her. She knew she’d likely never return once she went back to Unova. Her Unovan Journey would take another year, and Zelos knew she would want to take part in it a few times, doing as best she could.

By the time she’d be satisfied it was likely that Father would be recalled to Unova and another ambassador would take his place, if it was decided it was needed.

That’s the thing. Kanto was such a backwater that Unova was still considering if an ambassador was even needed.

Zelos sighed. She’d fight in this Conference. Learn what she could, and do as best as she could and then take it back to Unova to show up all the arrogant girls that thought Zelos wouldn’t be ready for battle after being gone so long.

Well at least once this was over and she was back in Unova, she’d be the best again, and would never have to see an annoying farm girl with nothing but fluff in her head again.

—--

“C’mon Vicky! We have to go!” Papa called out and I nodded at the call, grabbing the last of my stuff. I was in my new winter outfit, and it was time to head to the Conference grounds.

The battles weren’t starting today, but the signup and the Moltres flame delivery would happen.

Finally I looked at my final piece. I ran my hands over it. Mimikyu had done an amazing job. It turned out Elizabeth had taken him to the craft store, and he had picked up all sorts of things with her help.

I grabbed it and swung it over my shoulders. I had meant to use it as a joke to mess with Lance some more, but since the Master had officially given the title it might be taken as me copying Lance un-ironically.

Which was a shame. Capes weren’t official dragon trainer clothing after all. It was because of Lance that later Dragon Trainers would wear them. I guess I was just getting in on the ground floor.

The little hook that locked it in place connected and I whipped my right hand down and it flared the cape.

I definitely hadn’t practiced that in the mirror a dozen times to get it right.

The cape was a purplish blue, the color of Dragon Types. It was shorter than Lances or Clair’s cape. It only just covered my butt, but I think mine was definitely the best. Because mine had Milotic scales sewn into the collar. Not the Prism Scales, but the much larger tail scales, and it gave the collar a spiked appearance.

It kinda reminded me of Zinnia from the games. Except her cape had dark scales around her collar.

I wasn’t sure why Mimikyu had chosen this style, even the color hadn’t been something we discussed.

He just… Made it.

Maybe it was a pokemon thing? I’d have to ask him sometime, but for now I gave my image in the mirror a heavy nod and turned, once more flaring the cape a bit as I headed out of the room.

Of course the moment I stepped outside to the flash of a camera I turned around and pushed my face against the wall.

“Noooooo!” I moaned in horror at everyones looks. Gram Gram was here too!?

“Vicky, you're about to stand in front of the entire region. If we embarrass you…” Papa offered, but I shook my head.

“It’s because it’s you!” I moaned and then shook it off. Now wasn’t the time!

I spun flaring my cape.

“Dragon Master Vicky won’t be stopped! To the conference! To Victory!” I demanded pointing and despite my face flushing red I held the pose as Gram Gram took pictures between her cackling. Papa was laughing with her, but Mama was being supportive, or sarcastic and was clapping.

“Pfeh! Should be a Cat Master.” Gram Gram grumbled at me. She hadn’t stopped teasing me about it since we got confirmation from the Pokemon League.

They had sent a little certificate confirming I had the title.

Also apparently it came with some responsibilities, but I was lucky. Since Lance was the Champion and a Dragon Master, any issues with Dragon Types went through him first!

“Alright. Enough teasing, and enough showing off.” Papa said first looking to Gram Gram, and then to me, but he was smiling. “We have to leave or we’ll be late.”

“Pfeh. They will wait for a Sixteen Star Badge Trainer.” Gram Gram grumbled, but I felt my smile go a little brittle.

I knew it was going to come out no matter what I did, but it still felt weird knowing that I was about to become sort of famous, in the child prodigy way.

At least Koga had treated me normally when I went to visit and tell him what happened in Johto.

Stupid ninja traps. I had dodged the newly installed trap door that got me last time, but they got me with the Psychic invisible wall. It didn't take me long to figure out that a Venomoth was doing it, but it was still embarrassing to keep walking into invisible walls Koga! My nose still hurt!

Shaking that off I headed out the door. Idly patting my pokeballs. I can’t believe it was time. I can’t believe it was happening.

“Come one Vicky.” Mama whispered into my ear as she pulled me into a hug from behind a bit awkwardly with my cape. “We’re proud of you. No matter what happens. Win or lose in the first match and we would never think less of you.”

“I wouldn’t.” I grumbled, the idea that I would get beaten so quickly wasn’t going to be allowed. But it was seriously unfair to hit me with the ‘Proud of you.’ Speech right now! It was impossible to resist something like that!

—--

Kiba Garou

“Huh!? C’mon! I made it into the conference! At least tell me you’re proud of me!”

“Of course I’m proud of you brat. Now hurry up and get in the damn car!” His Mom yelled as he continued to dig through the piles of clothes in his room.

Where was it!?

“Kiba I’m going to be proud of you upside your ass if you don’t move!”

“Hold on you hag! I’m trying to find my jacket!”

“You little shit-” Kiba yelped as he was pulled right off his feet by the back of his collar. “We are leaving!”

“My Jacket!”“You’ll lose more than your Jacket if you don’t move your ass!” She snapped back.

Damn hag! How was he supposed to show off without his jacket!?

“Might! Might!” Mightyena came barreling past him and…

“Dammit that’s my jacket!” He roared as he kicked to try and chase after his Mom’s partner, but she didn’t let him go!

“In the car you brat! I’ll get the damn jacket!”

Just another day in the Garou household.