The azure waves of the Great Ocean stretched out toward the horizon, shimmering under a sun that felt significantly more forgiving than the biting winds of the north. Cutting through the water was a magnificent luxury cruise ship, its white hull gleaming like a pearl against the deep blue.
On the upper deck, away from the bustling buffet lines and the swimming pools, Julian was finally living his best life. He was stretched out shirtless on a mahogany sun lounger, sporting a pair of loud, Alola-style floral shorts and oversized sunglasses. A wide-brimmed hat covered most of his black hair, completing the "tourist who definitely doesn't want to be found" look.
"Man… this is the stuff," Julian sighed, sinking deeper into the cushion. "I think my bones were actually starting to turn into icicles back in Snowpoint. If I never see another snowflake again, it'll be too soon."
"Woof-woof! (Don't give me that,) " Leander barked from the lounger right next to him. The Growlithe was also sprawled out, his orange fur soaking up the heat like a solar panel. "Woof-woof-woof! (If you hated the cold so much, why did we spend three days trekking through the mud and slush on foot? There's a perfectly good ferry port in Snowpoint City. We could have been on a boat in an hour, but nooo, someone wanted to 'commune with nature.')"
Julian didn't even move his head. His gaze remained hidden behind the dark tint of his glasses, but his jaw tightened slightly. "Well... I might have had a temporary lapse in memory. Maps are confusing, okay?"
Growlithe rolled his eyes, a classic ( ￢ _ ￢ ) expression settling on his furry face. He gave Julian a look that clearly said You just wanted an excuse to carry me through the deep snow like a plushie.
"Florges-voice... (He's not wrong, you know...)" Floette chimed in. She was reclining in a tiny, custom-made lounge chair on the side table, daintily sipping nectar from a hollowed-out berry. "Fly-fly-voice... (He definitely just wanted to squeeze the life out of Growlithe under the guise of 'saving' him from the cold. I saw the way you were burying your face in his ruff every five minutes.)"
Julian shot upright, his sunglasses sliding down the bridge of his nose as he glared at the tiny fairy. "You talk way too much for someone currently living off my berry stash. Speaking of which, how's the new batch of PokéBlocks? Your appetite has been weirdly low lately, so I tried a different blend."
Floette's food intake had finally started to stabilize, dropping from 'bottomless pit' levels back toward something a bit more normal for her species, though she still ate enough to bankrupt a smaller trainer.
Floette chewed a block thoughtfully, tilting her head toward the sky. "Fly-fly... (It's better. The texture is consistent, and the berry notes are vibrant... but it lacks that certain zing the one Julian made for me last month had. Could use a bit more 'love' in the mixing process.)"
Julian flopped back down with a groan. "Everyone's a critic. I'll see if I can tweak the recipe later, but for now, the only thing I'm mixing is my own relaxation."
"Togekiss-jia-gei? (So, Julian, what's the actual plan?) " Togetic chirped from a soft silk cushion nearby, her wings spread wide to catch the breeze. "Jia-gei-jia? (Where are we docking?)"
Julian reached out with his left hand, buried it deep in Growlithe's warm fur, and used his right hand to stroke Sylveon's ribbons. The Fairy-type was draped across his legs, her feelers wrapped around his arm like velvet handcuffs.
"Our destination is Pastoria City," Julian explained, a small, confident smirk forming. "It's the home of the Great Marsh and the Wetland Gym. It's a Water-type stronghold, run by a guy who's basically a professional wrestler in a mask. Very high energy, very wet."
"Sylveon-voice! (Finally!)" Sylveon chirped, narrowing her eyes in bliss as Julian scratched the sweet spot behind her ears. "Fly-fly! (You benched me last time in Snowpoint, even though there was a spare slot. You owe me a good fight!)"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Julian chuckled, scratching her chin. "You're definitely in the starting lineup this time. I need your ribbons to stay sharp."
Sylveon let out a high-pitched, pink purr of satisfaction. Julian's technique with the chin-scratches had clearly reached a master-tier level.
"Woof-woof? (If it's a Water-type Gym, does that mean I'm sitting this one out?)" Growlithe asked, his tail giving a hopeful wag. He hated getting his fur wet more than anything—it took hours to blow-dry and made him smell like a damp carpet.
"Actually," Julian said, his voice dropping into that mischievous tone that always signaled trouble. "You're going in, too. The only one taking a break this time is Floette."
He leaned over and, in a sudden burst of affection, pressed his face into Leander's tail, inhaling the scent of warm fur and charcoal.
"Woof-woof! (Hey! Watch the tail!)" Growlithe snarled, though there was no heat in it. He quickly retracted his tail and left a playful, muddy-looking paw print on Julian's tanned forearm. "Woof-woof-woof! (Are you the dog here or am I? Stop sniffing me!)"
Julian spat out a stray hair and laughed. "I can't help it! You smell like sunshine and bad decisions. It's addictive."
"Woof-woof? (But seriously, why bench Floette?)" Leander asked, getting back to business.
"Because she's reached the Gym Leader level," Julian explained, his expression turning serious for a moment. "She's at a point where her raw power is a bit too much for a seventh gym challenge. If I let her loose with Grass-type moves in a Water-type gym, it wouldn't be a battle—it would be a massacre. It's a waste of a training opportunity. She needs time to sit back and adjust to the new energy she's carrying."
He looked at Floette, who was nodding in agreement. "Plus, I want the rest of you to learn how to fight through a species disadvantage. If you can beat a Water-type on their own turf, Leander, then you're truly ready for the Elite circuit."
"Mishi-mishi? (What about me?)" Carbink floated over, his diamond forehead gleaming. "Mishi-mishi! (Can I join the party this time?)"
Julian sighed, looking at the little rock with genuine regret. "I'm sorry, Carbink. This is our seventh gym. The rules are strict: three-on-three. Since you're still at the entry-level in terms of raw power, I can't risk you against a Gym Leader's veteran team. It wouldn't be fair to you."
Carbink's bunny-like ears drooped, his glow dimming slightly.
"Hey, don't give me that look," Julian said, reaching out to pat the diamond on his head. "You had that incredible three-match streak at the Academy, remember? You're a legend in Snowpoint now."
Carbink's ears perked up at the memory. He did a little somersault in the air. "Mishi! (That's true! I did crush them, didn't I?)"
"Exactly," Julian encouraged. "Keep training with Sylveon. If you can master those next two moves we talked about, I might just have a spot for you in the eighth gym. That one is the big league."
"Mishi! (I'm on it! I'll start right now!)" Carbink began to glow, preparing to summon a rock, but Julian quickly waved him down.
"Whoa, easy there, little diamond! Not on the deck of a million-dollar cruise ship! Take your time. We've got five days of sailing left. Learn from Sylveon's ribbon control first."
Julian took a long, refreshing sip of his iced lemon tea, the condensation dripping down the glass. The salt air, the warmth, and the sound of his team bickering—it was the perfect prelude to the chaos that undoubtedly awaited them in Pastoria.
"Togekiss-jia-gei? (So it's Leander, Sylveon, and... who's the third?)"
"Just the three of them," Julian confirmed. "And I'm thinking of letting Leander take the lead."
Growlithe fur practically stood on end. He glared at Julian, his eyes wide. "Woof-woof! (You little brat! You know I hate the water! You're doing this on purpose because I stepped on your face, aren't you?)"
Julian just smiled, a look of pure, unadulterated mischief on his face. "It's for your own good, buddy. You'll thank me when we're champions. Besides... are you telling me the mighty Leander is scared of a little splashing?"
( ￣ _, ￣ ) Julian stared at him with exaggerated contempt.
Growlithe hackles rose. He let out a loud, defiant bark that drew glances from the other passengers. "Woof-woof-woof! (Scared? Of a few fish? Please! I'll turn that gym into a sauna before they even know what hit them! If I'm going first, I'm going first! Let's do this!)"