"I'm only here because I was lucky enough to meet Oleana and Sonia, and they pulled me into Macro Cosmos."
Nessa turned her head, her eyes drifting past the layers of buildings and walls toward the hidden fishing settlement beneath Hulbury.
"Lina has her father, the Gym Leader of Hulbury. And me—"
Before she could finish, Shiro cut in, "Nessa, I see things completely differently from you."
She froze for a moment, then listened as he said, "You are a genius, a trainer more talented than any of us."
When she looked ready to deny that, he pressed on. "You didn't rely on anyone. No mentors, no family to prop you up. You fought Nathan's daughter for Pokémon, earned the company's recognition, and made it this far. Allister and Marvin had teachers, Lina had her father... but you, you climbed all the way to Gym-level entirely on your own."
Her lips parted, and after a pause she whispered, "Like you?"
He shook his head lightly.
He didn't belong to this world. His rise came from more than courage and skill. He carried knowledge and experience far ahead of the locals, and... something else he couldn't quite name. Fate, maybe.
Nessa, on the other hand, was the true prodigy. Born a fisherman's daughter, rising to the status of a Gym Leader through her own strength. Even if he had never existed, she would still be able to fight her way to the Champion Cup and claim a gym of her own.
"I also have advantages that others don't," Shiro admitted with a small smile. "And they weren't earned solely by myself."
Whatever hardships his start had held, he was still someone who had crossed over from another world. For all he knew, he might even be the protagonist of some Pokémon fanfiction.
Seeing the doubt still clouding her expression, he glanced at the time, then added, "If things get tough, you can lean on Allister, Marvin, Granny Shae, or Edgar. Or go to Oleana directly. Ask her about Lina's real strength and trump cards. You're with the company now, so use that to your advantage. Gathering a bit of intel isn't hard, and for them, it's nothing."
What mattered most was, once someone understood their opponent's power and the unknown became known, fear and hesitation lost their hold.
Her gaze cleared as if she'd found direction again.
"Right?" he said with a smile, extending his hand.
She hesitated, then slowly raised hers. The moment her hand moved, he clasped it firmly, gripping from the base of her thumb. It was the handshake of comrades, a gesture of encouragement.
"Good luck."
He let go and headed toward the inn.
Nessa stood there in silence, lost in thought.
* * *
When he stepped inside, Shiro noticed Ryan and the others watching him with curious, eager eyes.
"Get back to whatever you were doing." He waved them off, then went to the front desk to check in before heading upstairs.
Defeating Lina, reaching the Champion Cup, and claiming the title of Gym Leader; besides the roadblock battle, whether Nessa could take her rightful place also hinged on his challenge tomorrow.
Like a butterfly that kept growing, Shiro had already changed the course of many lives. From saving Marvin during his escape to Hammerlocke, his presence had shifted events enough that Hulbury's Gym Leader and Oleana had forged their own secret deal.
If he lost tomorrow and was eliminated from the Gym Challenge, Oleana could have him arrested ahead of time and keep her promise to let Lina succeed the Hulbury Gym.
At that point, whether or not Nessa managed to pass her roadblock battle wouldn't matter. The company's will could not be changed.
To them, it made no difference who held the title. As long as the Gym Leader was obedient, they were nothing more than a dog on a leash.
'How exactly will the company and Nathan try to bring me down?' Shiro wondered, but no clear answer came.
Nathan specialized in Water-types. Whatever else happened, he would have to use water Pokémon. Could the company really have an Elite-level water trainer on hand to lend him Pokémon?
If not through his team, then what? By making the challenge itself unfair?
But that had already been tried by Melony back in Circhester, and tomorrow would see a crowd of challengers gathering here. If Nathan tried to tamper with the trials now, even if it worked against Shiro, every other challenger would be affected. That was not something he could afford to risk.
Walking into his room, Shiro let Unown A scan the place before sitting on the bedside to think.
No matter what, he had to defeat Nathan. Best if he could crush him outright, leaving his Pokémon half-crippled. With that man's strength, without cheating or hiding behind tricks, there was no way he could stand in his way.
"Hopefully tomorrow's gym match will at least be entertaining."
He pulled out his communicator and dialed Professor Rowan. He still needed the details about the ship and the exact procedures for tomorrow.
* * *
The next morning.
Before Hulbury Gym even opened, the company's vehicles and League staff had already gathered. This wasn't like any ordinary day. Six challengers would take the stage, and all the scattered crews had converged here, cameras mounted, ready to broadcast live.
It helped that Hulbury's streets were nearly empty and spotless. Perfect for filming.
Throughout the region, radios and television sets crackled on in unison.
"All eyes are here! Get ready for a spectacle! Today Hulbury will host a feast of battles! Welcome to the Gym Challenge broadcast, coming to you from the beautiful seaside and the clean, shining port town of Hulbury!"
Overhead, two Flying Taxis flew in from the north, circling before landing near the gym.
The second the cabins steadied, a cluster of company staff rushed over, scrambling to open the doors.
Leon and Raihan stepped out, each from their own cabin. It looked like they had crossed paths along the way and arrived together.
Their eyes met briefly, but neither spoke. Surrounded by their own entourages, they headed off in separate directions.
Right then, Hulbury Gym's doors creaked open. Nathan, the Gym Leader, filled the entrance. He was so large he nearly blocked it entirely.
At exactly 8:30, more than a dozen cameras locked onto his freshly shaved face, his beaming smile transmitted across all of Galar.
"Respected trainers of Galar, dear viewers of the Gym Challenge... I am grateful for your visit to Hulbury Gym. This is my privilege, and the honor of our whole town…"
Meanwhile, on a street not far away, Marvin walked with his hands behind his head, Allister at his side.
Shae and Edgar trailed behind, watching quietly without joining them.
**
**
**
Thank you for reading! If you'd like access to extra chapters and want to support my work, you can visit my P@treon:
P@treon/SilverShark769
Vote with Power Stones for Bonus Chapters!
Your support means a lot, thank you!