Elyssia and Caitlin had met in Jhoto while they challenged the Jhoto League Gym Circuit, a series of 8 different Gyms that challenge a trainer to tough Pokémon battles. If a trainer succeeds in earning all 8 gym badges, they are eligible to participate in the Silver Conference, the annual championship tournament.

 

They had decided to travel together and had been close friends for the last 5 years. After travelling around Jhoto, they parted ways to continue towards their dreams, Elyssia had moved on to Kanto while Caitlin went to Sinnoh and ended up learning under Cynthia.

 

After arriving in Unova last year, Elyssia had occasionally stayed with Caitlin when she did not need to travel, similar to the present, and now had her own room in the villa. Caitlin was not always around as she usually had a busy schedule. She was a member of the Unova Region’s Elite 4, and the last year has had various issues with the terrorist organisation, Team Plasma, and if rumours are to be believed, 2 members of Team Rocket who have been causing trouble all over the region.

 

As a member of the Elite 4, Caitlin had been tasked alongside her colleagues to deal with this problem, especially given how large team plasma had become.

 

The two sat eating their simple breakfast, before Caitlin let out a sudden scream. Elyssia reflexively stood up and reached for her waist, looking around to see what had caused Caitlin to scream. Elyssia found a plain white mask with only eye holes containing blue eyes staring through the large floor to ceiling glass windows, floating, upside down, attached to a thick red neck.

 

Sighing in relief, Elyssia brought her hand to her face, shaking her head in exasperation.

 

“Ghosts…”

 

Following Elyssia’s comment, the masked Pokémon suddenly dropped head first onto the patio, whatever force holding him where he was no longer present, followed by gleeful cackling as a purple witches hat and head popped through the ceiling nearby.

 

It became abundantly clear that Morgana, the Mismagius currently relishing in Caitlin’s reaction and the masked Pokémons indignant roar, was the instigator. She was Elyssia’s fourth Pokémon and the main source of all mischief that occurred anywhere in their surroundings.

 

The white masked Pokémon, Smaug, was a Charizard, who was Elyssia’s eighth Pokémon and had hatched from an egg she found while travelling in Jhoto, south of Violet City. He had taken a while to hatch, finally entering the world when Elyssia was training on the slopes of Mt Ember in the Sevii Islands. The large dragon occasionally liked to participate in the ghost’s pranks, particularly enjoying those that made people jump.

 

“Honestly Elyssia, why did you have to make today a prank day, I did enjoy my time in Sinnoh just for this reason alone!”

 

Hearing Caitlin’s complaints, Elyssia burst out laughing, along with Morgana who started floating around Caitlin giggling.

 

Letting out a snort of both derision and indignation, Smaug proudly stomped off into the garden, no doubt to regal the other Pokémon in the team of their successful prank, followed swiftly by Morgana who was happily looping around in the air.

 

“Well, that’s the first prank of the day. We will probably be safer if we head out into town, after all, I would prefer to keep the mayhem to a minimum.”

 

Letting out a defeated sigh, Caitlin nodded in agreement.

 

“You are absolutely correct. How about we go shopping? It’s been a while.”

 

With a finger on her chin, Elyssia gave the idea some thought.

 

“Sure, why not? I have only really bought new clothes for travelling and competitions, all my old casual wear is too small now.”

 

Gesturing to her chest, Elyssia tried to nonchalantly shrug her shoulders looking slightly embarrassed.

 

“Well, in that case, let’s get ready!”

 

Watching Caitlin jump up with a lot of enthusiasm, her sleepy state apparently scared off by an attempted Michael Myers themed Smaug, Elyssia followed, returning to her room. Seeing the rest of her Pokémon up, she quickly prepared their food while getting herself ready with the help of Guinevere who made swift work of neatening her hair and styling it into a half up Dutch crown braid.

 

Picking a pair of white high heeled sandals, Elyssia grabbed her 3 white belts with gold stitching that held all her pokè balls, positioning them so all the pokè balls were on her right hip. Each belt held up to 6 pokè balls, which was enough to fit her entire team of 16 Pokémon.

 

Elyssia’s team was unusually large, however, that was due to a number of reasons. The governing authority over the various regional leagues, the Pokémon World League, or PWL for short, placed restrictions that were agreed upon by all member regions to help ensure the safety of both trainers and Pokémon alike. Due to the inexperience of new trainers and the potential conflicts that can arise between Pokémon within a team, the PWL restricted new trainers to 6 Pokémon, a number that allows for relatively safe travel, as well as reducing the number of Pokémon a trainer will need to monitor and care for.

 

This number can be raised by applying for an Increased Carrying Capacity Licence, or ICCL. After obtaining 8 badges, a trainer may apply for an ICCL allowing for 2 more Pokémon, and if they make it to the top 64 in a Pokémon leagues conference, they can apply to be allowed a further 2. These licences can be applied for achieving one of these requirements, however, the applicant would need to go through strict testing and examinations.

 

However, there are exceptions to these restrictions, those being the 8 gym leaders, the Elite 4, the champion, or anyone able to win one of the Champions Leagues, and Elyssia was one of those exceptions.

 

The dangers of the wild places Elyssia had trained in forced her to increase the size of her team or she would have almost certainly lost her life, no matter how strong her Pokémon were. Those dangers sadly also extend to other trainers as well, as every society has its dark side, and every region has its problems.

 

Nodding in contentment at her reflection in her dresser, Elyssia picked up her white, wide brim sun hat and aviator glasses, then recalled her team, with the exception of Guinevere and Stella who followed her outside. Walking to the outside building which housed the larger members of her team, she greeted them and informed them where they were going. Letting the ghosts dive into her shadow and recalling the rest, Elyssia made her way out to meet Caitlin, who was now wearing jeans and a blue blouse. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail kept together by hairbands down its length which were barely holding on, vastly altering her appearance from normal.

 

“You really do look like a different person with your hair up like that Caitlin.”

 

Smiling wryly, Elyssia let out a small laugh.

 

“Well, of course I do! You know it took both Gothitelle and Musharna to get my hair into all these hairbands! Honestly, the lengths I have to go to in order to have a day out with nobody recognising me!”

 

Caitlin stomped the ground with an annoyed huff, a hint of her younger self’s fiery temperament showing. Thinking about her own situation, Elyssia could only shake her head with a sly smile.

 

“Well, with great power comes great responsibility, and with great fame comes great simps. It’s the price we fair maidens have to pay.”

 

Elyssia’s joke sent Caitlin into a bout of laughter before she commented.

 

“Well, you are not wrong, you are lucky at least that your hair doesn’t have a mind of its own and fills up so much space! It’s hard to be missed with such unique hair!”

 

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Caitlin smiled.

 

“Did you know that some of the other gym leaders are now using your ‘simp’ term? Elisa is always using it when we talk, and I can understand why given her fame, but even Skyla has taken to using it. It’s become sort of a joke between us.”

 

Letting out a quiet giggle, Elyssia dismissively waved her hand.

 

“What can I say, I am a fountain of ingenuity. Anyway, are we walking or teleporting?”

 

Giving a hum in thought, Caitlin gave her decision.

 

“Let’s walk, the weather is nice, and the exercise will help counter some of the mountain of confectionery we are bound to eat.”

 

Letting out a laugh, Elyssia started making her way towards the market street in the town centre, taking in the view of the historic town.

 

Elyssia had visited the town after completing her 8th gym badge of the Unova gym circuit while waiting for the conference, so didn’t spend much time exploring much to her disappointment. However, she now had the time to appreciate the old architecture, and bustling streets filled with people and Pokémon alike, all going about their morning business. She noticed that the streets held more tourists than in her last visit, no doubt due to the Pokémon World Coronation Series that had just ended, being held in Unova this time. Why travel so far and not get the full Unova experience, right?