[hider]It was that time of year again. The westward breeze was cool and comfortable. It gently brushed through the soft grass and mimicked the waves of the bay nearby. The sun made the sky a deep blue and invigorated the skin. It was the best time to be in Hoenn and its natural beauty. More importantly, the Pokemon Championship would be starting soon.

Flygon crashed into Forrest with all the speed he could muster over a short distance. Forrest met Flygon’s claws with his hands and kept Flygon from pushing him back.  Flygon bent his neck to headbutt the man but was met with the stony resilience of the man’s skull. Forrest released his left hand from Flygon’s and crashed it’s fist into the dragon’s face. Flygon responded by slapping Forrest with the full force of his thick wing.

They had been going on like this, wrestling, for over two hours, and this was after Forrest raced Shiftry through the surrounding forest for an hour and sparred with Breloom for a few hours before that. And this was the warm-up to practicing and refining new techniques. They were all awake at sunrise and on Route 103 to begin preparing for the Championship that they participated in every year since acquiring all 18 badges and defeating the Pokemon League. 

Banette was working on her stealth skills at the edge of the forest. Masquerain was playing by the water’s edge and practicing her Bubblebeam techniques to see how varied she could make it appear. Shiftry sparred with Breloom, however half-heartedly. Medicham was meditating and keeping all of them connected in their minds.

[i]”Your mother’s coming,”[/i] Medicham telepathized to Forrest as he was being thrown to the ground by Flygon’s superior strength. Flygon received this message as well and didn’t pounce on his trainer in an attempt to keep Forrest on the ground. 

“Forrest, honey!” a loud yet comforting voice shouted from a distance. “Lunch is almost ready!”

She was wearing a simple flowy dress to match the season. Her hair was done up in a tight bun considering she was probably helping Mrs. Honnings in her gardens, since it was a Saturday and she refused to hold classes on the weekends. 

When she saw the sight of Forrest, she couldn’t help but gasp. Forrest just chuckled slightly and shook his head, knowing this wasn’t the first time she’d seen him covered in red welts, scrapes, and dirt and grass stains. She knew well what his training methods were like, but could never fully understand or appreciate them. Still, she couldn’t argue considering the accomplishments he’d made throughout his young life. Of course, this could be blamed on being a mother and caring for the well-being of her child. “Don’t think you’re sitting at the table like that,” she said and pointed a finger and followed his body up and down in a disapproving manner. “And, yes, we’re sitting at a table,” she made a jab at his lifestyle when away from home.

“Alright, everyone. You heard the woman,” Forrest bellowed out for all of his Pokemon to hear. Barbara huffed with a giggle as her child emulated the attitude of his father.

It wasn’t long until they were all at his side. “And don’t worry. There’s room for everyone,” she added, knowing Forrest wouldn’t return his Pokemon to their Pokeballs. 

Forrest gave a half-smile at this, which was the full extent of his showing appreciation. Masquerain then began to perform a small Water Gun over her trainer, soaking him in a cool and refreshing stream in order to clean off the sweat and grime. He aided the process by scrubbing off what he could with his shirt before ringing it out and tossing it over his shoulder. He tucked his hair, which had fallen out of place, back behind his ear. His large hand then pat Masquerain’s head in thanks to his longest Pokemon companion.

Masquerain quickly showered the rest of her team so they could feel refreshed before eating with their Trainer’s family. Flygon responded by shooting up in the air to air-dry as well as feel the breeze across his body. He felt it was took long since being up in the air. Breloom and Shiftry allowed the water to soak into their spongy and barky skin, respectively. Banette just allowed it to pass through her since she enjoyed imitating what non-ghost types did.

Forrest’s bare feet walked through the fresh grass and then onto dirt roads of Oldale. He walked over to Mrs. Honnings to greet her, but noticed she was having trouble with a wheelbarrow she filled with soil she was spreading around the town. Forrest rushed behind her and firmly grasped the handle the old woman couldn’t keep up. She looked up at the looming figure over her and met the grin of Forrest with her own wide smile. She released the barrow and allowed Forrest to follow her. He insisted on emptying the barrow and refilling it a few more times, much to the protest of Mrs. Honnings herself. “Your family is waiting for you, sweetheart,” she told him while putting a small hand upon his now-sweating shoulder as if this gesture was going to stop him. “They came all the way from Johto, you know,” she added, as if he didn’t know where his own family originated.

He rose from his hunched position and turned to face Mrs. Honnings. He stood almost twice as tall as the elder lady, but she knew how sweet the young man was to her and could only smile at his efforts to help her. Shiftry, Breloom, and Masquerain then surrounded Forrest, gesturing and chirping that they would continue to help the woman and that he should go join his family. He could only agree that the force of four was greater than the force of one. He exhaled a single chuckle with his short smirk and relented. Masquerain, once again, showered Forrest with her Water Gun. “Make sure you watch over them,” Forrest told Masquerain who, in response, smiled wryly.

Forrest hung up his shirt on a clothesline just outside the picnic area his family was having their lunch. He approached them, half-naked, wet, and with only three of his Pokemon. There were some teenagers running around with some Pokemon while the adults and older Pokemon sat and chatted at the two tables. It’d been a couple years since he’d seen his extended family, but he recognized them all as was glad he could visit with them the few weeks they’d be here during the summer. 

“Forrest!” one of the boys shouted out and raised his hand to a wave. It was clear he was more excited than most others to hang out with Forrest. It may also have been the fact he was one of the younger cousins. 

“Hey Ches,” Forrest spoke over the noise of the luncheon. He raised his hand halfway and performed a short wave with his smiling eyes. 

Forrest’s brows dug into his eyes at the sight of the boy rushing toward him, as if to tackle the much larger man to the ground. Forrest smirked and braced himself. He bent down into a horse stance then bowed his head to get Ches’ waist to bend over his shoulder. Forrest trapped both his legs with his left arm, preventing the boy from kicking him in the face. Wes could only giggle with glee and remained over his shoulder to enjoy the ride to the tables.

“Hey, Uncle Harold,” Forrest greeted as he bent over his uncle’s shoulder to reach for a handful of raw vegetables. “I think this is yours,” he said and then fit a carrot into his mouth and began to chew loudly on it. 

“Ha ha! Forrest, my boy!” the older man shouted, much like Forrest’s father. It only made sense since they were brothers. 

Harold got up from the table and took Forrest’s hand into a firm, hand-crushing handshake that was custom with Forrest’s father’s side of the family. They then embraced for an awkward hug around Wes’ legs, which Forrest still held onto. “All the blood is rushing to my head!” the boy cried out and bent his body around Forrest by clinging to Forrest’s arm.

Indeed, his face was red, and Harold chuckled heartily at his foolish son. “Sorry,” Forrest said with some apathy and released the boy’s legs, making his drop to the ground with a thud. “Hey!” Ches whined and rubbed the back of his head. 

“Oh, you fool,” a figured woman said with a softness and a smile to approach Forrest for a hug. “Hi, Auntie Ash,” Forrest said low with some kind of embarrassment but a shameless smirk. The woman didn’t care about the dampness of Forrest’s skin and only cared to receive the love from her eldest nephew. “What took you so long to get here? Barb got you an hour ago,” she complained.

“I was just helping Mrs. Honnings for a bit. Shiftry, Breloom, and Masquerain are with her now, though.”

“Oh, well, of course you were,” she said, praising the helpfulness and chivalry of her kin. She took his strong jaw into her small hands and pulled him down so she could give him a kiss on the cheek. 

“Why can’t you be more like that with your own mother?” she almost screeched and lightly slapped the back of Ches’ head where he’d fallen just moments ago. He whined and his mother just shooed him away.

Forrest grabbed another handful of vegetables to continue greeting his aunts and uncles. His Uncle Phil handed him a beer and his Aunt Char prepared him a heaping plate of food. Forrest kept an eye on his Flygon, which was giving short rides to his cousins Jewels, Brad, and Ches. The others were playing soccer or Frisbee. Medicham remained meditative and Banette was surprising the what kids she could. 

“So, where are your babies?” Aunt Adelynn asked. 

“They’re with their mother. Katherine’s father had to go on a trip so she’s manning the Gym while he’s away. Stevie wanted to see what it was like to work in a Gym and she agreed to take Elizabeth for the day while I trained. George should be around here somewhere, though,” he said and looked around him as he chewed on a piece of steak. 

“I put him down for a nap, sweetheart,” his mother said, overhearing the conversation.

“How old are they now?” Aunt Adelynn continued.

“Stephen is four now and George just turned two. Elizabeth is almost two months.”

“I hear they all have their own Pokemon already,” Uncle Hershall added.

“Oh, really?” Aunt Addi added.

“My father spoils them,” Forrest admitted to which Herbert bellowed out in laughter. 

“Well, you only had one kid,” Harold chastised his older brother and hit him on the shoulder with the back of his hand. 

“And that’s all I needed,” he said with great pride and gestured toward Forrest. “Plus, I have grandchildren, now!”

“Where’s Mimi and Papa, anyway? And Gran and Gramp?” Forrest asked.

“They’ll be here tomorrow. They said something about getting something together before catching their flight.”

Uncle Timothy came back from retrieving something from the Academy, where they all were staying for the summer. “Your Aunt Charolette and I made these for your kids,” he said with a hand on Forrest’s shoulder. Forrest turned around to see what his children were being gifted.

Tim handed Forrest a wooden sword stained in a deep red that would fit the size of a four year old, or so Tim thought. Another was an intricately decorated forest green staff that George would have to grow into. The last was a golden-yellow Rapidash, infinitely more intricate than the other two. Each were beautifully crafted and unique to each of his children. Forrest lit up with joy at the sight of the immensely-thoughtful gifts. “I thought it might make up for the years we haven’t been around. We’ve only gotten to see them through holograms until now.”

Forrest rose from his seat and shook his uncle’s hand with vigor and then embraced him in a firm hug. “Thank you,” Forrest said with his eyes watering. “I’ve missed you all so much,” he confessed as he turned to the rest of them. They all returned the sentiment in their own way.

[i]”George is awake,”[/i] Medicham telepathized to Forrest. 

“Oh, it looks like George is awake,” he vocalized to the rest of them. “I’ll go get him,” he said with a smile still across his face. He put the gifts in a closet before fetching his son.

“Daddy,” George said when his father entered the room. “Who’s here?” His slight lisp always comforted Forrest in a strange manner.

“Your family’s come to visit for the summer,” he said in his rumbling voice as he picked up the child.

“Oo!” he squealed with excitement. “Is Auntie Faith here?”

“Yes, sweetie,” he said with a slight smile in a hushed rumble. 

George pushed on Forrest’s hairy chest to get a better angle out the window. “And Uncle Brady’s here!” he screamed. “Let’s go, let’s go!” he continued and began to jump on Forrest’s arm.

Forrest let out a short chuckle. “All right, hon.”

When George was presented to the family, he was met with oo’s and ah’s. The little boy blushed and kept silent. He’d seen them on hologram plenty of times, but was overwhelmed by the excitement and warmth of his extended family. George then made the rounds by himself with the rest of the cousins. Charles and Sebastian played with the little boy, teaching him how to kick a soccer ball. The rest of them soon fell back into the rhythm of mingling. 

“So, are you still in that cabin in the forest?” Uncle Tim asked Forrest.

“Oh, yeah,” Forrest said before swallowing a mouthful of food. “I promised I’d have you take a look at it.”

Being a skilled carpenter and woodworker, Timothy was the best person to instruct Forrest how to construct a log cabin for a comfortable home. It was difficult since they had to do it over hologram, but both parties were sure it came out fine. 

Valoria, Caleb, with George sitting on his shoulders, Sommer, and Scarlet wandered to the picnic tables as they finished playing with the younger children. Caleb handed each of girls a beer before popping one open for himself, and they all took a seat at the end of the table at which Forrest sat. George eventually found his way onto his father’s lap. “George is fucking cute,” Valoria confessed after watching the boy squirm and fall over the adults. 

“Valoria!” her mother exhaled. Auntie Em was always concerned about her daughter’s manners, about which Valoria seemed to care little. Valoria just waved off her mother.

“We gotta go camping sometime, bro,” Caleb interjected. 

Forrest and Caleb were the closest in age amongst the cousins, save for Sebastian, Chesley, and Lewis being born within the same month. Being only a year apart, they were the closest between all the cousins, which often made Lewis jealous. All the girls were between seventeen and twenty, but they didn’t have a bond like Forrest and Caleb. They were rivals, comrades, and best friends. They considered each other more like brothers than anything else. They looked very much like brothers, too. They both had wavy brown hair, though Caleb’s was cut short. They’re faces were oddly similar. Caleb was a few inches shorter, but had the same physicality. They both shared much of the same mannerisms as well. Strangers could also confuse them as twins. Forrest nodded as he finished the food in his mouth. 

“Just the boys?” he asked. Forrest wanted to have all the male cousins join them. 

“Even Charlie and Sabby?” he asked incredulously. They weren’t the most nature-loving among the family but they weren’t quite black sheep. They all got along well enough, but they usually interacted with each other more than with the others.

“Yeah,” he said and then swallowed another mouthful of food. “It’d be a great way to catch up and not have them distracted by their tech.”

“Hah, you’re right,” Caleb said and cheered Forrest. They both took a big gulp of beer before continuing their plans.

“Should I bring my boys?” Forrest asked.

“Fuck yeah!” he shouted, which brought much less attention compared to Valoria’s use of the word. Caleb then paused and thought about it. “Although, would it best?”

“I don’t think so,” Forrest admitted. He planned to take them off Route 115, since that was his favorite place to camp. That wasn’t the best trek to make with small children.

Two hours passed before the rest of Forrest’s Pokemon arrived. Masquerain loved the attention but Breloom and Shiftry just wanted to eat their full. Forrest played some cribbage and spades with the adults before turning to the kids and playing an aggressive game of soccer. Forrest and Caleb were captains and the teams matched up well with each other. They consciously made sure the teams were as even as possible between the two, since they didn’t want it to be “who could pick the best team” but, rather, “who was the best player” between themselves. However, it was only even because Sebastian wanted to work on a project rather than play with his cousins. 

Due to Forrest’s “warm-up” that morning, he was able to push Caleb around like rag-doll. Caleb just laughed each time he was sent to the ground. It wasn’t long until the girls gave up, seeing how their captains were behaving, and it just became a session of half-naked men kicking a ball and ramming into each other as hard as they could. However, as they usually did, it eventually devolved into a wrestling match between Forrest and Caleb. 

When Forrest had Caleb pinned, Caleb pulled his arm with brute strength and decked Forrest in the eye. Forrest returned the blow with a punch to the gut, felling Caleb to the ground. “Daddy! Stop fighting!” his child called out with deep concern. Forrest looked over to see the tears welling up in George’s eyes. He was, then, tackled to the ground and pinned himself. Masquerain intervened and performed a strong Water Gun which pushed them off each other and caused them both pain. Masquerain then hovered to the child in order to comfort him.

“Fuck,” Caleb groaned as he turned himself around into a sitting position with his feet out in front of him and his elbows resting on his knees. “Your Masquerain is a bitch,” he said with a tired chuckle.

“Fuck you,” Forrest said when he noticed his Masquerain preparing to attack the insult. “You would know, bitch. You sure fight like one,” he added and looked over as he wiped his mouth of phantom blood and showed Caleb a teasing smile.

Caleb let out a scoff and then pushed himself to a stand. He stepped toward Forrest and lent him a hand to help his brother up. They kept their hands clasped firmly around each other’s and then swung their free hands around each other. “Daddy, you’re silly,” George commented which made everyone erupt into laughter. The child didn’t understand and just kept a firm, almost displeasing look on his face.

“Babe, really?” a soft yet firm voice reprimanded. He looked over to see Katherine with Stephen walking next to a stroller with Elizabeth inside. “You couldn’t stay civilized for a few hours with Caleb?” It was now she saw a black eye forming under Forrest’s right eye and a bruise surfacing on Caleb’s left cheek. “You’re both barbaric,” she said as she rolled her eyes and pushed the stroller to Forrest to get close enough so they could embrace. 

“I missed you,” she said as their lips released. 

“I missed you,” he said.

Katherine let go of Forrest and walked to the stroller. “Yeah, right,” she scoffed and rolled her eyes again. “You couldn’t have missed me while rough-housing like a child.”

George ran over to tell her mother an exaggerated story about the two men. Katherine encouraged the feelings of concern and sadness and made sure to develop a new one, disappointment. She knew it probably wouldn’t last long, but she wanted her boys to be well-behaved and not have to throw their weight around like mindless creatures. 

Forrest had Masquerain Water Gun him and Caleb down before he made his way over the rest of the family at the tables. Forrest stole Stephen from the ground and propped him up on his left arm. Forrest pecked Stephen on the check before walking toward Katherine to interrupt her with a kiss. Stephen flung his arms around his father’s neck to support the position. “There are presents for the kids inside,” his voice rumbled quietly in her ear. “They’re from Uncle Tim,” he specified. 

She knew what the presents must have been and her eyes brightened with excitement for her children. “Oo, let me see!” she said with excitement.

He kept Stephen on his arm and took Katherine’s hand in his. “We’ll be right back,” he alerted the group. Elizabeth was with her grandparents and was behaving herself. George was being passed around by the older cousins. Both knew their children were in good company.

“How was the Gym?” Forrest asked as they made their way toward the entrance of the Academy.

“It was fine. There was a challenger today and Stephen couldn’t have been more excited,” she said and tugged on the boy’s hand.

“Yeah! He used a Hariyama! I hope my Makuhita gets that strong someday!” he confessed his dream. Forrest chuckled and Katherine beamed. 

“Did they get it?” Forrest continued?

“I decided against it because they weren’t really serene, since that’s what I’ve decided the Gym should exemplify,” she explained. “He was clumsy with his Pokemon and they weren’t, at all, in sync.”

“How many badges did he have?”

“Just two.”

“And he already had a Hariyama?”

“That’s all he had.”

“And they weren’t ‘serene’?” He was truly intrigued by this.

“They were too reactive and he panicked too frequently. Hariyama got the win, not both of them together.”

“Is he going to challenge you again?” he said as he opened the door for his wife.

“I said he could stop by tomorrow around 10.”

“You should take Stephen again, then. I’m sure he’d get a lot out of seeing his mother’s battling style.”

“She’s so passionate,” Stephen expressed. “She gets into it.”

Katherine smiled and stroked his face softly. “You two are so different,” he realized.

“Everyone’s different, babe,” Forrest added.

They reached the closet where Forrest had put the toys. “This one’s for you, Stevie,” he said as he reached for the top shelf and brought down the red-stained sword. Katherine oo’ed and watched how Stephen interacted with it. He swung it a couple times, the last one hitting the closet door. Forrest quickly took hold of the blade to stop the boy’s flailing. “You’re not allowed to do that,” he said with his eyes fiercely peering into Stephen’s. “Sorry,” the boy said with a frown and clearly upset for disappointing his father. “Now just hold onto it nicely for now. You can play with it outside away from others.”

The boy just nodded and Forrest acknowledged the nod. He then reached up and took down the elegant staff with intricate carvings. “This one’s for George.”

Katherine took it gently into her hand and felt the workmanship throughout the piece of wood. Her face remained glowing in appreciation for the consideration of the children’s difference in taste. “And this one’s for Eli.”

Katherine looked up to see a delicately carved Rapidash that was shaded in golden yellows. She was surprised by how heavy it was when she took it into her hands. As her fingers moved over it, she realized how sturdy it was, as well.

“These are beautiful,” she exhaled slowly. “He did such a wonderful job,” she continued and looked up to her husband. Her eyes shifted toward Stehpen who was above her, since he was sitting on Forrest’s arm. “Do you like it?” she asked the boy who was just looking over the sword.

“Yeah! It’s so cool!” he almost shouted without taking his eyes off it. 

George was just as fascinated with the staff as Katherine was with mouthing her Rapidash. Stephen was off to the side swinging around his sword and pretending to stab and slash at a ghostly enemy that was Banette. Katherine profusely thanked Timothy for the gifts.

Forrest noticed Charles and Sebastian leave with his father. He figured the group would be graduating to other activities as it was now late-afternoon. He then noticed three of his cousins approach him. “You got time for a quick battle?” Valoria asked.

“Hey, I was first,” Scarlet said and tried to move in front of Valoria.

“Me too, when you have the chance,” Lewis mentioned rather meekly.

“I can battle you all at once,” he said as he continued to bounce Katherine on his knee. “We’ve gotta get home soon and get them to bed.”

They all looked at each other in astonishment. Would he really take all three of them on at the same time? “Hold on, bro,” Caleb interrupted by slapping his hand onto Forrest’s shoulder. “Let’s take ‘em on together. ‘Been a while since we battled together,” he explained while glaring at his cousins with a wry smile.

When they took to Route 103, the entire cleared area next to the bay was monopolized by the battle. They all agreed to use their first Pokemon in this battle. It was Forrest’s Masquerain and Caleb’s Typhlosion against Lewis’ Espeon, Scarlet’s Jumpluff, and Valoria’s Ninetales. The battle was epic and loud, but Forrest made sure it didn’t last very long since he wanted his children back home at a reasonable time. 

When a victor was declared, they returned to Oldale Town for dinner before Caleb decided to have his Houndoom create a bonfire. Most of the cousins stayed up, but Forrest and Katherine needed to get back home for the sake of their children. Everyone urged them not to go, but a little yawn from George and Stephen’s growing grumpiness showed the rest of them their need for sleep.

Their children were fast asleep by 9 and both Forrest and Katherine decided to star gaze before going to bed, themselves. Forrest took out a cigar, which he usually did before going to sleep. Katherine used to hate it, but allowed him his physical pleasures since she got plenty of her own. 

“Brother, you still up?” a voice called out in a whisper from the darkness of the woods.

“What’s up?” Forrest allowed his voice to boom softly through the trees. He was glad that Medicham was actually asleep, since she was often surveying the area throughout the night.

“We just wanted to take a walk,” Valoria teased through the darkness.

“We felt bad you couldn’t stay for the fire,” Caleb said as he emerged from the darkness. Valoria, Chesley, and Scarlet seemed to have joined him. 

Forrest chuckled to himself. He took another drag of his cigar before putting it out. “There’s a pit behind the house. Katherine,” he said with a pause, “show ‘em where, I’ll be right there.”

He rose quickly and entered the house. He hoped no one could see his lack of clothing in the darkness. Katherine brought them around the house and to the large fire pit Forrest had created the day the cabin was finished. Caleb’s Houndoom started the fire after wood was gathered and placed into the pit.

Forrest joined them in only boxer shorts soon after they found seats. He sat wide, which eventually defeated the purpose of “covering up” but they were all more interested in talking about participating in the Championship. Forrest explained how 18 badges were required to challenge the Elite Four, which would give approval in competing in the Championship. Caleb and Valoria had all the badges they could ever get, but Chesley and Scarlet would need to do some ground work. Still, Forrest went further in detail about the Elite Four, themselves, and the usual trainers who participated in the Hoenn Championship.

Katherine interrupted at one point to retreat to bed. Forrest walked her in, but mostly to return to the fire with whiskey and cigarettes, since he didn’t want to commit to another cigar. They continued to talk about their training methods and the Pokemon they had acquired since seeing each other last. They were then interrupted again, but this time by naked Stephen.

“Daddy, I can’t sleep,” he whined while rubbing his eye with the back of his hand and forearm. The rest of them fell silent at the sight of the child.

Forrest chuckled and rose from his log seat. The others had to restrain themselves from the boy’s physical state, although they couldn’t be too surprised considering who his father was. “Oh, sweetheart,” his voice graveled softly as he approached his boy that was standing still. “What’s keeping you up?” he asked with the boy sitting on his arm.

“I don’t know,” he whined again. 

“Are you excited?”

“Mm hm,” the boy said with a shy smile.

“About working with mumma in the Gym again?” He finished his question.

Stephen nodded his head in a tired yet exaggerated manner. 

“Do you want to see that Hariyama again? Watch it use Arm Thrust and Vital Throw and Low Kick,” he said, trying to paint a picture that would lull the child into a sleep. 

The boy responded by rubbing his cheek against Forrest’s furry breast and snuggled deeper into comfort. Forrest responded by bringing his hand up and his fingers through the boy’s hair and gently across his scalp. Forrest had seen Stephen fall quickly into comforted sleep after watching Katherine doing the same thing. 

Forrest continued to paint a picture of what could be and the boy was soon dead weight across his torso and lap. With the cousins remaining silent, Forrest brought the boy back to his room. When he returned, Forrest had with him another flask of whiskey and a cigar in his mouth, having changed his mind after seeing his son.

The next few weeks saw a busyness in the cousins as they traveled around the regions, either collecting badges or just sightseeing. Forrest worked with local trainers in preparation for the Championship while he worked hard himself so he and his Pokemon could compete at a reasonable level. He knew most of the winners of the Hoenn Championship were those from other regions, since they had greater experience with every type of trainer and different battling styles. Someone like Forrest was seen as predictable, since he never had different Pokemon. Regardless, most trainers would have his style in mind since he was still considered one of the top trainers in the competition.

Caleb and Valoria wished to enter the Championship with Forrest while Charles and Sebastian wanted to intern at the Pokemon Laboratory in Littleroot. Scarlet, Julia, and Faith entered all the Coordinator events they could while Chesley and Bradley followed Forrest and Caleb around. Sommer and Lewis weren’t competitive by nature and remained around Oldale Town for most of their stay, traveling to other towns with their parents or aunts and uncles for supplies when necessary. They also looked after Forrest’s children when they wished, but usually with the aunts and uncles since Forrest was busy with training and Katherine continued to work as the temporary Gym Leader for Petalburg. 

The week before the Championship was when Caleb and Forrest decided to take the boys camping. The girls decided they would spend the week in Lilycove city for the beach and shopping. Charles and Sebastian was okay with the change in pace from the Laboratory and the others just wanted to spend time away from their parents. They traveled by foot to Route 115, just west of Meteor Falls. Forrest knew a place that was entirely secluded where they could do what they wanted without worrying about strangers interrupting. Caleb suggested there be no technology, and, surprisingly, all were for it. Forrest suggested they only need to bring one of their Pokemon with them, where Forrest would bring two since Flygon was best at transportation and Medicham would be their link to their parents in the case of emergencies.

“Alright, boys. Time for a swim,” Forrest said as he stripped off his pants and stuffed them into his rucksack that lay mostly empty on the ground next to the tent situated between two others. 

He knew they were far enough away for it to not be an issue. However, he knew some of them, namely Charles and Sebastian, would have a problem with such carefree behavior, regardless. Caleb and Bradley seemed to have little issue with the idea and were soon running to the small beach just outside their site. Forrest stood there, showing off his lack of tan-lines, to assure Chesley and Lewis that it was okay and that they were all family. Both couldn’t help but blush, but they relented and were soon in the water themselves. 

“Are you two going to stay here and watch over my Flygon?” he asked the remaining two.

Since they all brought a Pokemon with them, there was really no need to watch other each other’s Pokemon. But Forrest wanted to make sure they were included to some degree, even if it sounded patronizing.  Caleb brought his beast of a Houndoom to make sure there was always a reliable source of fire. Charles brought his Crobat, who was a good scout and as smart as his trainer. Bradley brought his Teddiursa for comfort while Sebastian brought his Ampharos for light and protection against storms. Chesley had his Machoke for hard labor and Lewis his Noctowl for scouting and keeping a barrier around them.

The water off the west coast of Hoenn was particularly warm during the summer. The boys and some of the Pokemon played in the water, raced, and sunbathed for hours on their first day.  Machoke played with Teddiursa in the shallow end of the water. Noctowl took a short bath before napping on one of Houndoom’s horns, who was sunbathing amid the ado.

As the sun began to set, the boys and their Pokemon began to create a large campfire and prepare what dinner they could. Forrest and Caleb encouraged everyone to drink beers while they had brought some whiskey and bourbon for themselves. It was something they bonded over quickly when Sebastian began to slur and wobble on his stump and Lewis grew giggly only after a single bottle. Forrest also shared his stash of cigars with the boys and frequently had a cigarette in his mouth, as did Caleb. Without the worries of parents and, in Forrest’s case, children, they were free to consume all they liked.

There was a grove of berries nearby that they’d forage every day to their stomach’s content. The fertile soil around Meteor Falls allowed for the production of all the berries anyone could ever need. Charles and Sebastian were discontent with this as first, but they eventually learned the majesty of nature and they all began to open up to each other about training, their adventures, and even more intimate topics. It was a time where they could philosophize about being men of the world but also, more importantly, what it meant to live in this world. 

Forrest usually remained clothesless when camping and performed various exercises when he felt he was growing too cold. Caleb took this as a challenge and decided to see how long he could go. Most of these exercises were body-weight training exercises and stretches, but he would occasionally have Medicham pull on a branch or even a stick with her mind while also preventing it from breaking. She’d done it so often with him that it became a challenge for both of them. Medicham also had no problem in doing this for Caleb and the other boys as well. She would also help him with other needs, which he tried to keep hidden for the first day, but they proved too frequent and strong for him to continue caring who saw.

They were out there until the day before the championship, so Forrest got the rest of the boys to pack up that day so they could make it to Ever Grande City by the evening. By the time they reached Rustboro, Medicham decided to reveal something she’d learned a couple days ago when she reached her mind toward that area.

[i]”The PokeStation was powered down a few days ago. It seems they still haven’t been able to repair.”[/i]

[i]”Hm, that’s odd,”[/i] he thought back. Usually the Devon Corporation was quick with their repairs, being that it wasn’t often their technologies broke down or malfunctioned. [i]”Is everyone okay?”[/i]

[i]”Yes. No one knows how it occurred, however. Even the engineers and technologists don’t understand what occurred and why they cannot repair it.”[/i]

Forrest didn’t question any further since he didn’t much care for the situation itself. To him, it was insignificant and he was much more concerned with getting back home and seeing his family before taking them across the region to watch him battle. 

“What’s up?” Caleb asked, understanding the look Forrest had on his face when communicating with Medicham.

“The PokeStation in Oldale broke,” he misquoted matter-of-factly.

“Huh,” he said, clearly not caring much himself. Not only that, he didn’t have the context Forrest had and couldn’t make connections that may or may not have been.

Forrest, Caleb, and Chesley remained topless through Rustboro and Petalburg. The three were more tanned than the others and it was clear what some of them did most of the time compared to others. The three of them were especially lean from such a short period of changing their diet and lifestyle. They were more than prepared for the Championship and would look good, if nothing else, when competing. 

Forrest stopped to speak with Katherine’s father, Robert. He waved the rest of the boys to continue on. Forrest wished to stop by his cabin before reuniting with his family. He hoped to re-pack for the trip and also to see his wife and children before the rest of his family.

“Did you have a good trip, son?” Robert asked in his bellowing, joyful voice and slapped Forrest on the back of his shoulder.

“It was nice to get away for a while,” he affirmed and took Robert’s hand and firmly gripped it with a single shake. “How was your trip?”

“Fuckin’ boring as all hell,” he said with a fist against his chest. “Just another round of useless court proceedings,” he shrugged.

“How are the kids?” Forrest asked ironically. He glanced up to watch Flygon fly across the sky between trees with Medicham on his back.

“Oh, they’re perfect,” the father-in-law fawned. “That Stephen of yours is just a spitting image of you.” His smile made the skin next to eyes wrinkle with fondness. It was clear he was proud of his daughter and son-in-law.

“They didn’t get into trouble, did they?” Forrest asked with a raised brow, as if the man was hiding something.

“No, never,” he scoffed incredulously at the accusation. Forrest chuckled with a short smile. “Kate should be home,” he added, placing a heavy hand onto Forrest’s shoulder.

Forrest looked in the direction of the path they had made from Petalburg to their cabin just north of Route 102. “I hope you make it to the Championship with us. You should take a vacation,” Forrest suggested, taking Robert’s hand in a similar fashion as his greeting. 

“I’ll certainly consider it, my boy,” he said with his big smile. 

Forrest also appreciated how joyful a man who lost his wife in such a tragic manner could remain so diligent and positive. He knew Katherine had a lot to do with it, and now that his only daughter started her own family, he couldn’t have been happier, if only to live vicariously. Forrest attempted to smile back in an equal manner, but it was difficult to out-smile Robert.

He was surprised his body odor didn’t attract Katherine before his large body wrapped around hers in a big hug. At first, she squealed and then complained about the stench, but couldn’t help but kiss her man passionately after being apart for such a long time. She shooed him away to take a shower, which he tried to take her with him. But with so much packing for the five of them, she couldn’t take time away from organizing clothes, food, and diapers. 

Since Forrest didn’t use soap on a regular basis, he didn’t smell like anything when he exited the shower. “The kids with the family?” Forrest asked as he threw his towel from his waist and into a hamper. He went up to his wife and wrapped his arms around her gently with the soft pressure of his toned body against her. 

“Yes,” she giggled as she continued to fold small shirts and pants.

“Hm,” Forrest hummed in her ear with his deep voice. The vibrations made her shiver. “So we’re alone?”

Katherine just hummed a confirmation of the assumption and bit her bottom lip. Her folding slowed but she closed her eyes, trying to keep herself focused. “Baby, we don’t have time. We gotta get going.” Her voice was clearly trying not to shake.

“We’ve got plenty of time, babe,” he said, and caressed her body slowly.[/hider]

They met up with his family a bit later than expected, but they all rushed through the small road connecting Oldale to Slateport so they could make their ship to Ever Grande City. Forrest had all his Pokemon in their Pokeballs, which was unusual for any other time of the year. But he spent this time to have his sons crawl over him or feed his daughter and cradle her to sleep. The five of them together looked like the perfect family.

There were many trainers who wanted to challenge Forrest specifically, but he turned them all down and passed them off to his cousins. At this point in his life, and the level on which his Pokemon competed, he didn’t need to “test the waters” or “keep his team in shape.” It was his regular routine to keep his team in the best condition possible at all times. He felt they should always be ready for a tough battle at any time, so he always trained with his Pokemon himself. 

It looked odd for Forrest to have his sleeveless hoodie on, even if it barely covered much of his body. That, with six Pokeballs around his belt and the rucksack and luggage bags around him, he looked over-encumbered from his usual travelling equipment when most of the family left for the lunch banquet sponsored by the Elite Four and current Champion. He looked almost clumsy as he shifted or walked around. But he took this time to start on a cigar while his kids were away. He wasn’t used to being around so many people, considering his hermitic tendencies. 

“You gotta light?” a stranger approached him. The man was clearly seasoned, but Forrest couldn’t immediately tell if he was there to compete in the Championship or if he was traveling with others. Instead of prying, he just fetched a matchbook from his pocket and handed it to the man. “You’re Forrest Johnson, right?” he said with a cigarette in his mouth.

Forrest just nodded in response. Just as he had, a younger girl approached with excitement. She was just another competitor wishing to get a feel for the competition. He had to redirect her to Chesley, which she seemed just as excited since he was a foreigner from Johto. 

“Why don’t you indulge her,” he said with smoke in his lungs. “I’ve been watching you turning down everyone who challenges you,” the man admitted as the smoke drifted from his mouth.

“I don’t like to, and my Pokemon don’t care for the lack of battling space.”

The man looked around. The port was larger than a standard battlefield and he was clearly confused. How much space did one need to battle? “Their battle styles require a clear field,” Forrest interpreted the man’s look.

The man looked around once more to note how many trainers were around, littering the bow of the ship. He just nodded and turned to sit next to Forrest. Just as he had, Forrest smothered his cigar and put it back into its case. The man looked up to see a woman with three small children with her walking toward them.

George hid behind his mother while Stephen approached the two with an odd sense of confidence. “Who’s this?” the boy asked with hands on his hips.

The man raised his brow, impressed by the boy’s frankness. “Elijah,” he said with a small smile and extended his hand to shake the boy’s.

Stephen just crossed his arms in denial of the greeting. “What do you want with my dad?” he asked.

“We were just chatting, hon,” Forrest interrupted and waved him to come to his lap. He chuckled slightly in knowing he was responsible for his child’s behavior. 

Elijah visited for a bit before returning to his own daughter who was competing in the competition. They learned he came from Sinnoh and was there only for the sake of his daughter. This being the highlight of the voyage, Forrest was glad to get off the ship at Ever Grande and find their room at the immense inn. Chesley, Caleb, and Valoria had their own rooms which were fitted to house their families as well. The rest of his family were easily housed as well in spite of the hundreds of competitors this year’s events had gathered. 

Forrest remained in his room to meditate. Katherine took the children to play with the rest of their family. She knew not to force him into socialization since she could never make him do more than with what he was comfortable. Still, he couldn’t shake a nervous unease from his body. It was unusual from all other times he’d competed in the Championship. However, it was the first time in four years since he had, considering the demands of his family. But he committed to placing in the Championship once more before he would give up competing.

The next day consisted of qualifying rounds. Forrest had little trouble making it to the quarter-finals, but the challenges lasted all day and took their toll on his and his Pokemon’s stamina. But just as the quarterfinalists were to be presented on the large stadium screens, all the power was cut off and the event was to be postponed before advancing forward.