Prologue

An exhausted sigh floated through the air, unheard due to the thousands of cheering fans. Yet another Pokémon League Championship competition was underway. The final match of the final battle, actually. All five of the two trainers Pokémon had been knocked out, leaving them with one each. A Plusle and a Minun, actually.

The Hoenn League Champion was watching with a slight boredom. The match had been going on for a good hour by this point – the two electric types countering each other’s moves.

After gaining the title from her predecessor – Daniel – the new Champion was required to sit through every competition. It was fun, sure. But sometimes, even she grew bored.

Barely anyone challenged her for the title. And when they did, they were easily beat with just a single one of her Pokémon. Sometimes she just felt like finding someone to take over her title that way she could go off to a new region or something. So she could have some adventure.

She hasn’t had time, however, due to the responsibilities thrust onto her due to her position as the strongest trainer in the region. That was only partially true, anyway. Her predecessor Daniel and even his predecessor – Axel – were in the region. They’ve both held the title she now holds, and they were subjugated to the responsibilities she was. Their time had already passed.

Coming out of her stupor, she was rewarded with seeing the trainer’s Plusle finally get knocked out, leaving the Minun trainer the winner of the competition. The young man ran up to his tired electric type, spinning it around happily.

Frowning, the Champion got up from her seat so that she could watch as the boy was rewarded with trophy.

“Mommy, look! It’s the Champion and her Furret!” She suddenly heard, making her eyes drift to the side. A purple-haired girl was hugging a Sentret while pointing towards her. The woman beside her smiled sweetly at the girl, nodding her head.

“It’s been so long since I was so small.” The Champion observed, her trusted Furret wrapped around her neck almost like a scarf. The normal type was usually her starting Pokémon when it came to battling. Only three people had knocked him out before having their team destroyed by her second Pokémon – her Ampharos.

No one had ever seen the rest of her team – only four Pokémon had been revealed. Against her battle with Daniel, she had managed to defeat most of his Pokémon with her Furret and Ampharos alone. When it came to the man’s Salamence and Gyarados, however, she had to of used to more of her Pokémon than normal.

That battle seems like it was just yesterday. It’s been so long since I’ve been that fired up. The Champion thought, retreating back into the shadows of her spectator box.

Unlike most Champions, she kept to herself. Living on the island that held the Pokémon League and was surrounded by desert usually made someone seek solitude. It was horrible when the Pokémon League competition came around – she couldn’t stroll down the street without being crowded by star struck children and trainers.

She didn’t dislike the younger ones – she simply didn’t like interacting with other humans. She had always had Pokémon as her companions, and that was all she would ever need.

“Keeping to the shadows, huh?”

Eyes drifting to the side, the Champion smirked at the sight of the silver-haired former Champion of the Hoenn Region.

“Steven, what brings you here?”

“The Ninobi Region has some rare stones, I’ve heard.” He answered, his blue-green eyes sparkling in amusement.

“That’s ‘cause I told you it did, ya fool.” Rolling her eyes, the Champion stuck her tongue out at her friend before sitting in her chair.

“You’ve grown bored, haven’t you?” Steven questioned, his expression turning serious as he took in the woman’s actions. Sighing, the Champion shrugged.

“There’s no one good to battle anymore. No one’s a challenge.”

“Should I be offended?” The man questioned, sticking his hands into the black slacks he wore. Glaring over at the stupid former Champion, she snorted.

“If you wish.”

Smirking, the man glanced over at the battle field where all the participants were lined up for a final word from the judges. Pushing away memories of the Hoenn League, Steven turned to the woman who was absentmindedly scratching her Furret behind the ears.

“So, what will you do?”

Their eyes met and the Champion smiled tiredly. “Wait for a worthy challenge, I suppose.”