I entered the private training area in the Pokemon Center, having rented out the whole square for myself and my team. The automatic doors slid shut behind me, sealing the outside world on the other side.

  The training field had an open roof. and was a combination of a rocky plain dotted with massive boulders across the barren terrain, and a lush forest that surrounded the open space, and at the heart of it all was a small lake for Water types to train in.

  I exhaled and wiped a hand across my face trying to scrub away the exhaustion I still had. Sleep had refused to come to me last night. Every time I shut my eyes, I went back to that exact moment at the Gym, and the shock of that close call jolted me awake.

  So I spent the whole of the evening tossing and turning, staring at the ceiling, and by the time I did open my eyes after passing out, it felt like I hadn’t slept at all.

  “Well, let’s get to work.” I said, gazing down on the assortment of seven different Poke balls attached to my belt. My partners, my family. I had retrieved them from Nurse Joy after a night in the medical ward. ‘There’s no better distraction than hard work.’ I thought to myself. “Come on out!”

  First out from his beloved Dive ball was Scorpio the Toxapex. He was caught off the coast of Cianwood City in my first year of being a Trainer. Even as a Mareanie he stood out from the rest of his kind. The starfish-like Pokemon was always brimming with energy, a large contrast to the normally unmoving walls of his species, he was easily excitable, and often kept pace with Lyra.

  Speaking of the little troublemaker, releasing herself out of her Heal ball was the devilish imp, Lyra the Sneasler. I caught her as a spirited Sneasel during my hike up Mt. Mortar in my second year on the circuit. She chirped happily at her Poison-Water type brother, playfully fistbumping with one of Scorpio’s limbs.

  A gust of wind announced the arrival of the fastest, and arguably laziest, member of the family. We all looked up and smiled. Out of his Great ball emerged Kite the Crobat. I had caught him as an annoyingly persistent Zubat in Union Cave during my first year. He clicked a greeting to Scorpio and Lyra before gliding to the nearest branch, where he hung upside down to wait for orders.

  “How absolutely riveting a day it is for training.” A voice chimed inside my head, coming from the Pokemon behind me. Slowly waddling his way toward the group with his stubby legs, out of his admittedly ironic Quick ball came Cassian the Slowking. I had first caught him as a sickly Slowpoke in the famed Slowpoke well during my first year, and continued exposure to the family’s Poison type-energy during training had evolved him into a Psychic-Poison type variant of the classic Slowking’s Water-Psychic type after making contact with a King’s Rock.

  Cassian briefly greeted Sneasler and Toxapex before shuffling under the shade to engage Kite in conversation.

  Cooing softly under the gentle morning sun was Magnolia the Vileplume. Soaking in the rays of sunlight her Love ball could not grant her. I befriended her as a small Oddish in the lush Ilex Forest during my first year. She basked quietly in the sun, when small, hurried footsteps approached her. The little ones eager grunts to be carried, caused a warm motherly smile to appear on her face.

  The only non-battler of our family, Twerp the Trubbish. Who had joined us at the start of this year, after my brief return to the slums of Goldenrod City. She adored her strong brothers and sisters, often cheering for them during battles from the comfort of her lovely Friend ball. A true breath of fresh air, Twerp had pulled us from a slump after the whole family was depressed at losing at the seventh gym the last circuit, and I could never thank the Legendaries enough for the day she quite literally fell in our arms.

  Now, she squealed happily, being tossed in the air by Magnolia, who had declared herself the Trubbish’s mother.

  I shook my head in amusement at the sight, when I felt the familiar brush of a tail curl around my leg. The first member of this eccentric family was here.

  Scylla the Dragalge, I had rescued her as a young Skrelp, bruised and bullied in the slums of Goldenrod City, and we’ve been inseparable ever since. Together we’ve weathered the toughest of challenges, the hardest of battles, and the harshest trials. And, after three years of saving up, our unbreakable bond is finally signified by the beautiful violet stone affixed on her collar. A symbol of our decade long partnership, and a trump card of sorts.

  She nuzzles her head against my cheek, and I lifted a hand to gently stroke her scales in return. A silent message exchanged between the both of us as the rest of the family interacted. ‘This time for sure. We’ll make our dream come true.’

  I clapped my hands together, the sound echoing through the training grounds and drawing every eye to me. Lyra and Scorpio froze mid–water fight at the lake’s edge. Kite detached himself lazily from his branch while Cassian toddled over beside him. Magnolia set Twerp gently on the ground before waddling closer with a soft hum.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Alright, everyone.” My gaze swept across each member of my family. “A week from now is our battle against… Clair.” Even saying her name caused a stir inside me. “It will be our toughest challenge yet. Who knew, right?” I quipped. A chorus of giggles, clicks, chirps, and an amused huff rippled through the group.

  I continued shoulders slumping down. “There is no plan that guarantees victory, no strategy safe and enough to take in all the variables. She’s just too powerful. They’re just too strong.” I said flatly, there were a few uneasy glances, nervous shuffling and dropping expressions.

  Letting the silence sit for a beat, I took a deep breath before continuing.

  “But has that ever stopped us before!?” I boomed, voice breaking the tension.

  Lyra’s loud yell in the negative set off the rest of the team like fireworks. Cheers, cries and excitement filled the air of the private training field.

  “That’s right!” I shouted over all of their voices. “Trust in me, as I trust in you and I’ll guide us to victory. Let’s show those pompous nobles just how strong our poison is!” The cheers doubled over, echoing even further around us. ‘I’ll show them all– I’ll show you…’

  “Let us begin.”

  The incessant shouting of many different people was starting to grate on her nerves.

  Clair Blackthorn sits idly, arms folded over her chest, eyes closed, trying– and failing– to tune out the many overlapping voices echoing through the Dragon’s Den’s Inner Sanctum. The elders of the Blackthorn Clan were at it again, their arguments ricocheting off the walls of the wooden structure. Each of their voices were testing her limits in patience.

  Then, a loud thud cracked like thunder throughout the room. Loud enough to stop every tongue mid-argument. Clair’s eyes opened slowly just as the echo fades away. The Eldest had arrived, his presence as heavy as the Dragonite’s that stood behind him. His cane was still pressed on the wooden floor where he had struck.

  He made his way to the head of the table, toward the empty seat, slowly and deliberately. When he finally reached his seat next to Clair, that’s when the other elders deemed it safe to breathe again.

  “Let us begin.” He intoned, his voice calm and ironclad.

  The silence is shattered, this time not into chaotic fighting. The elders controlled their volume in the presence of the Eldest as they resumed their debate and propositions to the head of the table. Clair exhaled quietly, ready to let the elders’ voices fade into an ignorable hum, when the call of her name cut through the chamber.

  “Clair.” The Eldest called from next to her.

  Her spine tightened in an instant, as all the eyes shifted toward her. The air felt heavier on her back all of a sudden.

  “When will you choose a spouse?” The Eldest asks.

  The words struck her like a Draco Meteor, as they always had when The Eldest had posed the same question when she became of age to marry. Her jaw and her arms tightened further, her shoulders threatened to come down at the weight of expectation.

  “Why must I be the one to be wed?” She demanded softly, her voice calm but laced with hidden steel. A few incredulous stares met her audacity for daring to question the Eldest. “Why can’t Lance be the one chosen instead?”

  A few elders swallowed nervously at the mention of her cousin and the current Champion of the Indigo Pokemon League.

  The Eldest hummed amusedly at her protest. “Wataru,” He said wistfully, Clair’s eyes narrowed at the use of Lance’s true Blackthorn name. “He has a duty to serve Indigo.” He continued, tone measured. “As the champion of two regions, he is exempt from clan obligations.”

  She had to bite back a scoff. It was the same justification he had given every time she had challenged him. She already understood.

  The Blackthorn Clan, by tradition, was a patriarchal clan. Every leader of the Blackthorn Gym before her had been a man, stretching back to the very first Gym Leader who had set precedent.

  Clair had only been granted the reins because no male heir from any of the Blackthorn families could challenge her, except for Lance, who had ascended to the Elite Four years ago and now held the title of Champion.

  Her fingers curled into a tight fist at the unmistakable disrespect to her strength. No matter that she was the reigning Gym leader of Blackthorn, not even when she had the power to rival even Elite Four members. Her achievements, her strength will never be acknowledged.

  Her gaze swept across the other elders, their power hungry stares prickling her skin like needles. She knew exactly what they were thinking. ‘If their son was to be chosen to be her husband, they could usurp power from under her, and restore glory to the Blackthorn name.’ Her teeth clicked in rage as she stood.

  “I’ll grant you an answer when one I deem worthy appears” She said, every word dripping with venom, before turning sharply and striding toward the exit.

  She ignored the harsh words and indignant protests as she closed the large wooden door behind her. Her Dragonair releases itself from her Ultra ball to coil protectively around her.

  “We’ll show them.” She said, her voice icy and unwavering. She walked deliberately to exit the cave of the Dragon’s Den, back to ‘Her’ Gym. She had a Gym challenger to prepare for.

  Give a warm welcome to Loki’s Family! How did you feel about his Pokemon? You may wonder how he has a Sneasler and a Galarian Slowking. Well, I used Hisuian Sneasel’s Pokedex Entry for her origin and Galarian Slowking’s Sword Dex entry as an explanation for his evolution to the regional form.

  How did you feel about his family?

  Finally, some insights on how I view how the Blackthorn clan operates if they were an actual noble family.

  How did you feel about Clair’s family?

  Comments, suggestions and corrections are much appreciated.

  Pokemon mentioned in the chapter:

  Toxapex

  Mareanie

  Sneasler

  Sneasel

  Crobat

  Zubat

  Slowking

  Slowpoke

  Vileplume

  Oddish

  Trubbish

  Dragalge

  Skrelp

  Dragonite

  Dragonair