He walked outside. Triumphant, Ryan stood at Turffield Gym's entrance. His back facing the doors, a giddy smile broke his "calm" expression. "Guess what?" Ryan asked loosely. The tall boy's movement towards his traveling partner was flimsy as caught up, placing a hand on his shoulder. "What?" Kyle asked, playing to Ryan's amusement.

"Which pair have two badges already?"

Kyle sighed. "Who?"

Ryan's arm dove into Kyle's bag, rustling it. "Bre!"

"Us of cour-AH!" His arm retracted from the satchel, the exaggerated fake slurring from Ryan broken off. An angry Umbreon had her head out, biting on his hand. "I miss when I could tease her…"

Kyle let out a chuckle. "Then you shouldn't have done that. Let's go to Hulbury already." The satchel-wearer took a long breath to mess with the blonde boy more. "But I guess you're stuck with me and Umbreon."

"Yippee," grumbled Ryan.

* * *

"Okay, can you get her to stop now?" asked Ryan. There was a tone of annoyance this time as the pair continued through Route 5. "You have Greninja, don't you?" countered Kyle.

"You know how that'll go."

Ryan glanced back at the Pokemon biting his hand. An innocent smile, she made awfully loud purrs. He exhaled from his nose in return. 'You better help this time.' Lightly tossing a Pokeball, Ryan's Pokemon was released. "Can you help me?"

Staring blankly at his trainer, then to the Umbreon, Greninja had a grin on him and already Ryan knew what was coming. The frog had stifled laughing as Ryan rolled his eyes. "You can laugh."

"Gren-"

"If you want to get fried by Heliolisk again."

That shut him up but Greninja found amusement in it, still as they went to the bridge. It was beautiful. Clean and wide, the bridge was historic yet at the same time welcoming. The wind blew mildly strong too, Eldegoss after Eldegoss drifting the opposite direction our heroes walked.

Reaching for his belt, Ryan pulled out a Pokeball as he readied himself. This was going to be the first Pokemon he's catching in this region. Strong throw towards the passing horde the Pokeball flew when suddenly, it popped.

A blue beam shot out the ball, landing on the ground in front of the group. Now in view, a tiny spider, fuzzy and yellow in its appearance stood. "Joltik!"

Ryan, too astonished, didn't dare talk, Kyle just as surprised too. Even Greninja and Umbreon had their attention at it, although the latter didn't let go of her bite. "Looks like you did catch a Pokemon at Route 4," said Kyle.

"Uh huh." Ryan nodded. Shortly, his shock quickly transformed to excitement, as the beanie wearing lad ran for the Pokemon. "Hey bu-OW!" Behind him, Ryan realized he had forgotten about a certain Dark-Type. The laughing from a tongue-scarfed frog reminded him more than the biter. "Can you stop that?!"

The Umbreon shook her head. Greninja sounded like he was wheezing now as the trainer returned him and the new Pokemon back in their Pokeballs. Peace and quiet awkwardly forced its way in right as he did so. "Let's just get to Hulbury." "Umbreon!"

* * *

Hulbury, or more easily known as the seaside town of Galar. By the time Kyle and Ryan arrived, the town was dark. Only the street lights illuminated it. A few Wingulls slept by the docks as the waters lay still. "Gah!" Ryan shouted, scratching his head.

"There's no need to rush," said Kyle. His friend sighed. "Yeah. And it is better to be refreshed." Then Ryan went whining. "But I was so pumped!"

"Yeah, yeah. Let's just sleep in tonight."

"Sure…"

Through the doors the pair walked inside the Pokemon Center to check in, listening to what their room was, and finally entering it like robots. "I'm so tired!" said Ryan. "Your voice says otherwise," Kyle replied, taking the bottom of a bunk bed. Ryan climbed to the top. "Tomorrow, I'll get you quiet from that sass."

"Sure, sure."

"Well, good night."

"Good night."

Then silence came in alongside the noises of bug Pokemon active tonight but instead of going to sleep, Ryan waited. Not for consciousness to disappear, but to make sure Kyle was asleep. Pokeball beside him, Ryan clicked it, releasing the fuzzy bug. "Hey bud," He spoke softly. The electric type tilted its head. "Tik?" It was met with soft chuckles from Ryan who rolled back when his body touched another. "Helio…" It muttered. 'Huh?'

"Looks like we have someone else here." His eyes still remained on the Joltik. "Can you use Flash?" It nodded, using the move right away which in turn, confirmed that someone was with Ryan. A Heliolisk snored soundly on the mattress. How did Ryan not notice this? But if there was a Pokemon here then…

The boy turned to look at the right and lo and behold, a familiar trainer slept on the top bunk of the other bunk bed. 'Oh.'