An awkward silence stretched between us as I wrestled with what to do. After what seemed like forever, Paul took a step as if to leave me and my hand whipped out like a Seviper and snagged the bottom of his jacket, pulling him to a stop. He turned and leveled the most intimidating glare I had ever seen towards me, making me gulp, but I steeled my nerves and plunged forward.

"Will you come with me after we finish the gym challenge?" I asked, my words coming out rushed and jumbled from my nervousness. Paul blinked slowly, seeming to process what I had said before his nose wrinkled in a look of disdain.

"Come again?" he growled out, but I had already stuck my neck out this far so I decided to see it through.

"I promise I won't talk or do anything to annoy you. Just... just please let me go through the woods with you." My grip on Paul's jacket tightened as I tried to figure out what I could offer him to make him stay with me. Although the more I thought of it the more I wondered if fear had made me go insane.

This is the guy that thinks I have no business being a trainer... why would I even WANT to travel with him? I thought to myself and my grip slowly slackened on his jacket. Just when I was about to let go completely though, I heard a harsh sigh coming from Paul and I blinked up at him to see him frowning heavily at me.

"I won't wait for you," Paul said with a stern expression and I blinked, feeling my hopes become crushed under the weight of his uncaring expression.

What else did I expect? I thought to myself, letting my fingers slip from the hem of his jacket. Before I could nod my understanding though, Paul continued speaking.

"You do the gym challenge first. If you lose, then I'm leaving you behind," Paul said with a grunt, sounding like it was almost painful for him to get the words out. I blinked in shock and jerked my head up to look at him once again.

"Wait... so..." I said in disbelief. Paul scowled at me and jerked his thumb towards the pokemon center.

"Go heal up your pokemon and get to the gym, already. Before I change my mind," Paul growled with annoyance and relief flooded my entire body.

"Right!" I agreed excitedly, not believing that Paul was actually going to escort me through the forest.

We both healed up our pokemon and I was a little shocked when Paul followed me to the gym. It was still early afternoon, even though the town seemed shrouded in perpetual darkness because of the tall trees shading everything from the sun. The townspeople seemed cheerful though, and I had to admit that the glowing mushrooms placed around the town gave it a charming feel. Although it was all just a little bit on the creepy side for me.

"Hey, pretty lady!"

I yelped as something clutched at my wrist. With my heart pounding, I turned around to see a mischievous little boy looking up at me excitedly with one tooth missing from his wide smile. A snigger from behind me made me glare over at Paul. Seeing that he was giving me a mocking grin I stuck my tongue out at him swiftly before turning back to the little boy.

"Can I help you?" I asked, trying to get my racing heartbeat to calm down.

"Will you come with me? My friends are doing a scavenger hunt and we have to bring something pretty. Will you be my something pretty?" The little boy's eyes shimmered with youthful adulation and I felt myself blushing slightly. Paul sniggered even louder in a non-verbal cue of what HE thought of this development and I scowled over at him briefly before smiling down at the boy.

"I'd be happy to. But I have to go challenge the gym right after, so we'll have to be fast."

"But Grammy Opal isn't at the gym today," the little boy said with a frown and I blinked in confusion.

"Opal the gym leader?" Paul interrupted, losing the look of mirth in his eyes as it hardened into a look of disapproval. "Why wouldn't she be at the gym?"

"She went out scouting for her successor. Grammy said she would be back by tomorrow though," the little boy said, clutching my hand a little tighter as Paul glowered down at him.

"Tch. What a pain," Paul muttered darkly. Without thinking I whapped him lightly on the shoulder, glaring up at him as he gave me an affronted look.

"Stop that, you're scaring the kid," I hissed under my breath.

"So?" he responded blandly, not seeming at all repentant. I rolled my eyes and turned my back on him.

"I guess I have some free time then. Do you need help with any of the other scavenger hunt items?" I asked, kneeling down so I could look the little boy in the eye.

"Yay!" He exclaimed delightedly, then pulled on my hand. "Let's go, pretty lady!"

"She actually goes by Dimwit," Paul's deep voice said in a mocking tone from behind me. My cheeks heated up with anger and I stood up to glare at him, wishing I was taller so I could be at his eye level and he couldn't grin down from above me all arrogant and cocky-like.

"No, I don't," I snapped angrily, before turning my back on him and smiling down at the little boy. "My name is Sayuri."

"I'm Quartz!" the little boy said with a grin and I blinked.

"Quartz?" I repeated, allowing him to drag me along behind him and leaving the surly Paul behind.

"Well, my real name is Rose Quartz, but that's too long. We have to find a leaf the size of your foot next. Come on, let's go look, Sayuri!" Quartz said exuberantly.

I chuckled at his enthusiasm and followed him, a little warily, to the edge of the forest. Luckily we found a large fallen leaf without bumping into any ghost type pokemon and I spent the rest of the afternoon scampering around the small town finding everything on the list.

When we finally met up with his other friends everyone was shocked when Quartz proudly presented me as his "something pretty". Once everyone found out that I was a pokemon trainer, they immediately forgot about their game and begged to see my pokemon. I was happy to oblige and released the five pokemon that I was traveling with. All of the kids gasped when they saw my Chesnaught and Simisear since they were not from the Galar region, but I was happy when they seemed just as excited to play with my Drednaw, Alcremie, and of course Cufant.

It had been a long time since I had hung out with kids that were too young to be trainers, and I had to admit I was having a blast. As they were playing around with my pokemon, one little girl peeled off from the group and asked me what it was like to be a trainer. I admitted that at first, I had wanted to be a pokemon performer, and she begged me to tell her stories of my travels.

Like Combee's attracted to honey, all of the kids gathered around almost immediately after I had started telling my first story. I found myself telling all of my best stories, and the kids were soon roaring with laughter as I explained all of my spectacular failures on my journey from being a performer to a coordinator to a breeder. I was surprised at how interested they all were when I started explaining my journey through Unova, and I wondered if all of these little ones were hoping to become pokemon trainers themselves one day.

"So, you got all eight gym badges, right? Did you end up competing in the Unova League?" Quartz interjected after I had explained how I had won the final gym battle in Unova. I flinched at that question and tried my best to put on a natural smile.

"Something came up and I couldn't make it to the league," I said quietly, and all of the kids let out "Ahh's" of disappointment. "But that's why I decided to come here. I'm going to do everything I can to win the Qualifier's cup after I beat the Galar Gym Challenge," I said with a confident grin.

"Can we come watch you battle Miss Opal tomorrow?" the first little girl that had approached me asked.

"Don't get your hopes up too high," a familiar deep voice interjected and I looked up in surprise to see Paul standing a few feet back from the group of kids that were gathered around me. "Fairy type pokemon aren't exactly a challenge," Paul said with a sniff. Quartz leaped to his feet and gripped his little hands into angry fists as he glared at Paul.

"You're wrong! Grammy Opal's pokemon are SUPER SUPER strong! Her Alcremie can even Gingantamax!" Quartz yelled defensively at the prickly trainer. Paul quirked an unconvinced eyebrow at the little man but just shrugged, apparently unconcerned.

"Whatever," he said dismissively. His gaze moved to meet mine though and I blinked in surprise when he pointed to me. "Dimwit, play time's over."

I felt my mouth drop open in shock and could feel my cheeks heating up from anger. "Excuse you? Since when did you become my manager?" I snapped angrily at him, and an evil glint came into his eyes as he smiled coldly at me.

"Didn't you say you'd do whatever I asked?" he said icily and I gulped.

"I did not..." I started to argue and he turned to the side, placing his hands on his hips.

"Fine, then I guess you don't need me to go back with you," he said with an unconcerned shrug. I hated it, but I immediately jumped to my feet in a panic and held out my hand towards him.

"Wait! Wait! Fine, what do you want?" I yelled after him in a panic and I ground my teeth together when I saw him smirking victoriously as he turned back to look at me.

"Since the gym leader is gone I want to get in some practice battles. You'll be my opponent," Paul said in his high-handed manner. I blinked, surprised at this request.

"You should have just said that in the first place," I griped, thoroughly annoyed, and then gave an apologetic smile to the kids looking between Paul and I with wide eyes. "Sorry kiddos. Thanks for letting me play with you all."

"Hey, Sayuri, can you use your Alcremie against the scary trainer?" Quartz asked, bounding through his group of friends and coming to hold onto my forearm with both his hands.

"Sorry?" I asked in surprise as he gazed up at me with a fierce determination.

"He said that fairy types are weak! But if you beat him with your fairy type then he'll see how strong they are!" Quartz said with a pleading look in his eyes.

Blinking over at Paul, it looked like confidence was practically oozing from his arrogant smirk and I grimaced slightly. I had caught a Milcery and evolved her into an Alcremie within a week, and she had done well under my training. She was probably the only reason I had been able to beat the fighting type gym when it came down to crunch time... but she was still a new pokemon and she probably wouldn't have even a tenth of the experience that Paul would have her up against.

Choice A: Have a one-on-one battle with Alcremie

Choice B: Suggest a three-on-three battle

A/N Man I can't believe there are only two more episodes! I hope you're enjoying the story so far :)