Chapter 308 - My OC Stash #8 - Alola Galar by Paulzies (Pokemon)

-Just a chill, stress-relief Pokemon fic~ Props to the author for writing in best girl Nessa, cannot wait for the ship to sail!

Synopsis: Being Champion just wasn't his thing. That was why he left Alola. He'd always been an adventurer at heart, and now he was taking his first few steps in what felt like a completely different world. But he wasn't alone. He had his team with him.

Rated: T

Words: 24K

Posted on: fanfiction.net/s/13446637/2/Alola-Galar (Paulzies)

PS: If you're not able to copy/paste the link, you have everything in here to find it, by simply searching the author and the story title. It sucks that you can't copy links on mobile (´ー｀)

-I'll be putting the chapter ones of all the fanfics mentioned, to give you guys a sample if you wan't more please do go to the website and support the author! (And maybe even convince them to start uploading chapters in here as well!)

Chapter 0+1

A/N: For all my fellow Trainers that are spaghetti-upsetti about the incomplete Pokedex in Sword and Shield, the lack of Mega-Evolutions and Z-Moves, this fic's for you.

He wondered if Hau had forgiven him yet.

He never intended to hurt him.

He thought Hau would be happy being Champion.

But even now, months since he'd last seen his best friend—and he was reluctantly forced to wonder if that still held true—the look of betrayal on Hau's face continued to haunt him.

The smile melts. Thick eyebrows scrunch together, like Caterpies worming on his forehead, and Hau's lips twist into a frown.

Hau's face, which has always been tan, darkens several shades, and he can't help but take a step back when the new Champion of Alola glares at him.

"You…you lost on purpose, didn't you?"

He gulps.

The six Pokeballs on his belt, holding his fainted team, feel like they suddenly weigh a ton each. He's tempted to lie. But he has a feeling that things will only become worse if he does.

"Being Champion was always your dream, Hau," he says. "It's your turn."

Hau's hands ball into tight fists.

Incineroar, Hau's partner, looks nervously at his trainer. He still remembers the day when he received Primarina—back then, she was still a Popplio—and Hau, clueless about the type advantages, had proudly proclaimed that Litten, being Fire-type, was the strongest.

His lips twitch when he recalls his first victorious Pokemon battle. It was also Hau's first loss.

"Forty-two times," Hau says with a trembling voice. "That's the number of times we've battled before today. FORTY-TWO TIMES!"

That's a lot, he realizes. But he hasn't been keeping count.

"I've lost every single one of them."

"You won this one," he says softly.

"Did I?" Hau sneers.

He's taken aback by the venom in his rival-slash-friend's voice.

"Do you honestly think that I have no chance of ever beating you in a fair fight? Is that why you let me win? Because you PITY me?"

It isn't pity. It's acknowledgement. Hau's been training hard. He knows about the late nights in the gyms, the hours spent in the libraries, the heated sessions with the Kahunas and the Elite Four. Hau deserves to be Champion.

He tries to tell this to him, but what comes out of his mouth is something completely different.

"I let you win because I don't want to be Champion anymore."

Hau looks as if he's been slapped.

He doesn't know why he said it. But it's true, anyway. The experiences with Necrozma and the Ultra Beasts made him realize something. He doesn't like being Champion. Not with all the expectations and responsibilities that come with the title of being The Strongest.

He just wants a fresh start.

He wanted to explore again. To see new Pokemon and meet new people. To venture into the unknown. To go on another adventure. The Champion's throne had only chained him down, shackled him, and every time he saw reports and infographics about the other regions, a sense of longing to break free from Alola would always emerge.

"You're the only one I trust to take my place, Hau," he says. "While I'm gone."

He sees Hau bite his lips.

That's one reason why he's always liked him; Hau always wore his emotions openly.

He could see the inner conflict in his rival as clear as day.

"I'm not as strong as a Trainer as you, though," Hau says, looking down.

He has a strong feeling that the anger he hears isn't directed at him.

He smiles. "You don't have to be the strongest Trainer to be Champion. You just need to be strong enough."

"Am I though?"

"Yes."

"It sounds as if you're just trying to comfort me."

"That's because I am," he says, "but that doesn't make it any less true."

Hau sighs. What little anger that remained leaves his body with that small exhalation. That's another reason why he likes Hau. He never stays angry for long.

"You're really leaving?" Hau asks.

He nods.

"Where are you going?"

He pauses. "I haven't decided yet. Somewhere far away, probably."

"Will you come back?"

"Of course."

That seems to raise Hau's spirits.

His friend straightens. "Then it's not over yet." Hau levels a finger at him. "I refuse to accept this win."

He expected this.

"But you accept the role of Champion?" he asks.

"Just until you come back," Hau says, grudgingly. "We'll have a rematch. And next time, I'll show you that I don't need your pity."

"Thank you, Hau."

"You better come back, Elio."

He knew he'd chosen correctly when he stepped off the boat and nobody paid a second glance to him. Here, he wasn't Elio, Champion of the Alola Region.

In Galar, he was just an ordinary Pokemon Trainer.

And he was ready to start his new adventure.

Chapter 1

The ferry had brought him to the port city of Hulbury.

It reminded him a little of Konikoni City, especially with the lighthouse that stood markedly near the outskirt of town. But unlike Konikoni, Hulbury was built on a hill, and terraced houses lined the streets that winded up its slopes. And at the base of the it, a giant blue dome was seated, its support pillars giving it the look of a very large spider that sparkled with decorative lights.

So this was one of Galar's famous Gym stadiums.

He'd read, on the pamphlets in the ferry, that Galar—like all the other regions—had Gyms. He remembered Kanto's gyms. They were small buildings, no bigger than a school gymnasium, nothing like the massive stadium before him, and he wondered just how different it was from Alola's unique Island Trials system.

The symbol above the entrance, shaped like a water droplet, caught his eye. So this was the Water-type Gym?

Ninetails, with Freeze-dry, would be doing most of the work, then.

He paused. Was it right for him to use his team in the first place? They were powerful, well-trained, worthy of the title of champions. It wouldn't be right to use them for a Gym challenge, would it?

In the first place…wasn't he here because he wanted to start a new adventure?

He'd get to know the new Pokemon here, make a new team, and see how things went.

That was the joy exploring—he loved venturing into the unknown.

XxXxXxXxX

Despite the hustle and bustle in the market, the scream for help was extremely clear to him.

He dropped his dinner, weaved through the throngs of shoppers, and ran towards the harbor where the scream had come from.

A small crowd had gathered at the railings, pointing towards the open sea.

He followed their fingers.

At first he did not know what he was supposed to be looking at. Then he saw the arm break through the surface of the water, flailing desperately, before being immediately swallowed by the sweeping waves again. Cries of alarm rippled through the crowd.

"His boat overturned!"

"He's going to drown!"

He could see a group of men in sailor uniforms working to unmoor a speedboat tied to the docks.

They would not make it in time.

He unlatched a Pokeball from his belt. Keeping it close to his body, he clicked the release button.

"Go."

A flash of red light and the sound of a released Pokeball later, an orange blur shot to the sky.

It had not gone unnoticed.

"That's a Charizard!"

"The Champion! He's here!"

For a moment, he was confused when the crowd heaved a collective sigh of relief. How did they know?

"Thank goodness, Leon's here! I'd recognize that Charizard anywhere! He'll save the day, I'm sure of it."

He frowned. Were they thinking of someone else?

Charizard roared.

The sea was rough today. The waves were as tall as a man and combing through the sea at a worrying pace. The man would be swept away soon.

If he didn't drown first.

"There!"

He saw the hand shoot into the air again, waving frantically. This time it was accompanied by a head. It was too far away, and it only surfaced for a brief instant before the man was pulled back down.

His gaze drifted to a nearby sign.

Dangerous currents. Do not swim.

Too late.

But Charizard had seen the man as well, and the winged lizard dived down, hurtling down towards the earth like a comet. And orange streak was drawn through the air, and the subsequent splash created a plume of water as tall as a house.

The crowd fell silent.

A few seconds later, when nothing happened, a tiny knot of worry formed in his chest.

Charizards…were not aquatic creatures. And even if he had trained his to be particularly sturdy against water attacks, he hadn't actually taught it to swim. Its powerful muscles and great wings might not be enough to fight against the unseen and unyielding currents of the deep.

He rubbed the Keystone in his Mega-Ring nervously. Maybe he should have Mega-Evolved it.

But he believed in it. Charizard would never let him down, and it was the only one in his party that could have traversed the great distance of water to save the drowning man quick enough.

The crowd gasped when it burst out of the sea, its leathery wings unfurled and spanned out to their majestic lengths. The gasps turned into cheers when they saw the man hanging by his collar, which was locked in the maws of his savior.

He smiled.

Attaboy.

His Pokemon's return was graceful. Careful, even, with clawed arms supporting the man like a princess.

Great wings beat the air down towards the crowd and they parted, forming a giant clearing in front of him. Very quickly, he was walled in by the ever-increasing number of awed and fascinated onlookers.

Wet, but otherwise no worse for wear, Charizard descended onto the ground, the flame on its tail burning as brightly as ever. Like a mother cat carrying its kitten, it released its toothed grip on the man's shirt and gently laid him down.

When the man coughed, people whooped with joy.

Charizard roared deafeningly, and slightly startled, the crowd faltered and took several steps back.

It was only him and Charizard now.

It lumbered towards him, baring its teeth. He had to look up to meet the towering Pokemon's lizard-like eyes.

"Sorry for making you go into the water," he said sheepishly.

Charizard grunted.

"I'll make it up to you."

He'd already prepared Charizard's reward. From his pocket, he pulled out a Rainbow Bean.

The Pokemon's eyes lit up excitedly, and it lowered its snout all the way down to his outstretched hand and sniffed the multi-colored snack several times.

It looked up to him expectantly.

"Don't forget to chew," he reminded.

The Rainbow Bean vanished into draconian jaws, and within seconds, Charizard swallowed and let out a satisfied huff.

"Good boy," he said, tiptoeing and stroking its snout.

It nuzzled itself into his palm. Its warm breath tickled his fingers.

Only when he returned Charizard into its Pokeball did he realize just how silent the entire town had become. Even the man he had rescued was now sitting up and staring at him, eyes wide and mouth agape.

A lone voice shattered the silence.

"Make way!"

A pair of brown arms sliced through the crowds and a woman broke through the human wall to stare him down.

"Leon!" she declared, "fight me! Today's the day…"

She trailed off, her voice weakening and her raised arm deflating.

She blinked at him with eyes that had long and curved lashes, dark blue eyeshadows, and turquoise irises that sparkled like the sea.

She had tanned-colored skin. It wasn't very different from the residents of Alola, who soaked up sunlight every day. Short shorts and a small crop top exposed much of her skin, and the assortment of accessories she wore around her waist and shoulders complemented her toned and lean body. Long, dark blue hair, reminiscent of a waterfall, cascaded down her back.

She was, he couldn't help but admit, very pretty. And judging from the respectful looks she was getting from everyone else, someone important else well.

"You're not Leon," she finally said, after giving him a onceover.

"No," he said, "I am not."

Her gaze turned curious. "Was that your Charizard?"

He nodded.

"I don't recall ever seeing you around before."

"I just arrived," he pointed to the dock that the ferry was still moored at.

"Oh," she said, "a tourist?"

He smiled. "Something like that."

"Where are you from?"

He hesitated.

"Kanto," he said. It wasn't a lie, technically. He'd been born and raised there, even if he had only started his Pokemon journey for real when he'd moved to Alola.

"Ah," she nodded in understanding. "No wonder the Charizard."

She stepped forward and offered a hand.

"I'm Nessa," she said. "I'm Hulbury's Gym Leader."

He stared at Nessa's long and slender fingers. Then he stretched out and shook hands.

"Elios," was all he said in return.

XxXxXxXxX

Nessa said it was her duty as Gym Leader to thank him for saving one her residents, and so she offered to treat him to a meal at the town's top seafood restaurant.

His stomach had grumbled in agreement, and only briefly he had mourned the wastage of the half-eaten sandwich he'd dropped in his haste to save the drowning man.

"You're a Trainer, I assume," she said, once they had ordered their food.

"I am." He couldn't deny that, nor did he want to.

"A very good one."

"You flatter me."

"Really?" she said. "I think it's pretty difficult to convince a Charizard to dive into the ocean."

"Not as difficult as becoming a Gym Leader," he pointed out.

"That's true," she laughed.

"They say Gym Leaders are only second to the Elite Four and the Champion."

"We don't have an Elite Four here."

"Oh."

"We're a little different from other regions," she said, apparently amused by his disappointment. "We do have a Champion though. His name's Leon. He hasn't lost a single match since he became Champion."

"He must be a very strong trainer."

"He is," she agreed, almost reluctantly. "I've battled him twelve times and I've lost all twelve of them. And it's even more frustrating because I keep losing to his Charizard."

So that was what the misunderstandings at harbor were about.

Nessa must have mistaken his silence as confusion. "You know, because I specialize in Water Types."

"Ah," he said, pretending to be enlightened. "He wouldn't be a very good Champion if he didn't consider Type disadvantages in his strategy."

"You're right about that," she said with a sigh.

"And you?" she then asked. "Do you want to take part in the Tournament?"

He tilted his head. "Tournament?"

"It's Galar's special version of a Pokemon League. Trainers who've managed to clear the Gym Challenge can enter a tournament to earn the right to challenge the Champion. If they win," she clenched her fists determinedly, "they become the new Champion."

"You look like you want to be Champion quite badly," he remarked.

"Who wouldn't? It's nice to be the strongest."

"Maybe not for everyone," he said softly.

She looked at him curiously. She had a habit of scrunching up her nose slightly when she did that, he noticed.

"You don't want to be strong?" she asked.

"I never said that," he said, "but that's not why I came here anyway. I just wanted to explore the other regions. See other Pokemon—"

"Battle other Trainers," she finished with a sly smile.

He replied with a smile of his own, "if the opportunity arises."

She leaned forward. She smelled like an ocean breeze.

"Say, Elios…do you want to battle me?"

"Are you sure?" he asked. "I have a Charizard. I thought you had trouble against them?"

She frowned. "Are you making fun of me?"

"Only a little bit."

"You aren't Leon. You try bringing your Charizard into our fight and I'll wipe the floor with you."

He laughed. He also wouldn't be a very good Champion if he didn't take Type disadvantages into account in his strategies.

"But in all seriousness," Nessa said, "you should take part in the Gym Challenge. You need at least three badges to enter some parts of the Wild Area."

"The Wild Area?"

She nodded. "A large part of Galar's undeveloped. We call it the Wild Area, and Pokemon roam free in it, and some places are more dangerous than the others. Trainers might sometimes be all alone in the Wild Area, so we have that rule in place for safety reasons."

"I see," he said. Alola had something similar, he recalled, though it had been a few years since he'd been a participant in the Island Trials. Becoming Champion had let him go wherever he pleased, and the safety regulations had become somewhat fuzzy to him because of that.

"So?" Nessa said, "how about it? You want to battle?"

His eyes narrowed. "Now?"

She burst into laughter. "Aren't you an eager one?" She shook her head. "No, not now. I'm a busy person, you know? You need to schedule a battle with me. Specifically, through the Gym Challenge."

"I'll think about it."

"Come to the stadium tomorrow. I have a few matches you can watch. I think that'll help you make up your mind. And," she grinned, "if you do decide to enter the Gym Challenge, I'll give you my endors.e.m.e.nt."

XxXxXxXxX

Nessa was down to her last Pokemon.

So was her opponent.

He did not think any less of her because of this. He had learned a long time ago, after being Champion, that the Kahunas and Trial Captains had to lower their strength in battle against challengers. If they used their best Pokemon and strategies from the start…then no one would have ever passed the island trials.

He imagined the same thing applied for Gym Leaders.

Nessa had a Drednaw in front of her. It was his first time seeing the Turtle-like Pokemon. His Rotom-Dex had helpfully informed him that it was Rock and Water Type.

Her opponent, an excited looking man, had a Mudbray in front of him.

The Mudbray's Ground Type would be strong against the Drednaw's Rock, but Drednaw's Water Type gave it the same advantage against its opponent.

It was down to the individual parameters of the Pokemon, then. And the strategies of their Trainers.

He saw Nessa looking into the crowd, raising her arms up repeatedly, trying to rile them up. His eyes met hers. A flash of white told her she'd broken into a smile as the crowd's cheering suddenly climaxed.

The mic attached to her amplified her voice.

"Flood the stadium and make it our ocean! Drednaw, time to Dynamax!"

Dynamax?

His eyes flicked to the monitors, which showed a zoomed-in image of Nessa. A confident grin adorned her face, but what drew his attention was the bracelet on her right hand.

That hadn't been there yesterday.

He narrowed his eyes in concentration when red arcs of energy lashed out from it, whipping through the air angrily and, seemingly, uncontrollably.

She raised her arm and Drednaw was recalled back into the Pokeball that was held within it.

He furrowed his brows in confusion.

They reached his hairline when the Pokeball expanded, almost instantly, as if it were a balloon that had been inflated with a massive blast of air, until it became several times its original size. It looked as if Nessa was holding a giant beach ball.

She lobbed it into the air.

At the peak of its trajectory, it cracked open, and out from the giant Pokeball burst forth a gargantuan Drednaw, this time standing on its two hind legs, and its head, which he had to crane his neck to see, was almost reaching the ceiling of the stadium.

The crowd roared in excited approval. He was almost certain his jaw had dislocated from how low it dropped.

What in Solgaleo's name is THAT?

XxXxXxXxX

A/N: As always, do follow/fav if you like this. I really appreciate it, and it goes a long way as encouragement.