I Wanna Be The Very Best

No idea how much time had passed, but soon, a deep, resonant chime echoed through the air.

DONG—

The town's great bell tolled again.

DONG—

It rang at the same times every day—6 in the morning, 12 at noon, and 6 in the evening.

DONG—

Three chimes to honor the three sovereigns—the first and only one, and the two almighty beings of Sinnoh.

DONG—

Rise with the first chime, rest with the third. The people lived their lives by the rhythm of this bell.

DONG—

Six times in total, six chimes reverberated throughout the town.

DONG—

The midday sun blazed high above Celestic Town, its heat pressing against the earth. Yet the crisp mountain air carried just enough coolness to keep it from becoming unbearable. The warmth of the sun mixed with the ever-present chill of the high-altitude breeze, creating a distinct contrast—a reminder of the unique climate that shaped life in this quiet, mountaintop village.

The morning bell signaled the start of the day, the noon bell reminded people to pause their work, and the evening bell bid farewell to the sun.

Right now, its chimes still hung in the air. DONG—

About a minute after the last echo faded, Allen opened his eyes and stood up. His heartbeat had quickened, but to his surprise, he felt somewhat uplifted.

She had come—a worthy opponent, his rival.

"Alleeeen, I've come to play~"

Celestic Town was an old place, and it showed. In its houses, its antique shrines, its people. At least, until recently. With the events at Spear Pillar, the town's ancient legends were starting to attract renewed interest.

At the heart of Celestic Town stood the shrine, surrounded by a bustling cluster of small shops, inns, and family-run businesses catering to both locals and visitors alike.

This was the liveliest part of town. Traditional crafts, handmade souvenirs, fresh produce, and warm home-cooked meals filled the market stalls, welcoming tourists who came to admire the town's history.

Through the wooden gates, a little girl twirled in, her shoulder-length golden hair bouncing with each step, her gray eyes sparkling like stars.

She wore a light teal dress, almost like a little princess, and atop her head perched a tiny golden bell, jingling with a cheerful TRING, trying its best to mimic the grand chimes of the shrine.

Cynthia had been coming to play ever since their legendary first meeting last year—when Professor Carolina had introduced them.

At the time, Allen hadn't realized this wasn't just a casual visit. Cynthia wasn't just here to play—she had been assigned a playmate.

Professor Carolina often traveled between Celestic Town and Eterna City, and she couldn't always bring Cynthia along, especially during early mornings or late nights. So, she had asked Drayton and Dracelia to help care for her granddaughter, and Allen became her companion.

Cynthia moved into their little house, adding one more spoon to their meals. Grandpa Drayton and Grandma Dracelia welcomed her warmly—now they had two grandchildren to fuss over.

Last month, when Professor Carolina's project in Eterna City finally concluded, she reclaimed Cynthia before she could be "stolen away." Yet, without fail, Cynthia would come running to Allen's house every day as soon as the bell rang.

Judging by how quickly she arrived, she probably started running the moment the chime sounded.

Celestic Town was steeped in tradition, and children weren't usually allowed to wander outside alone. But because peace had lasted so long in Sinnoh, the current mayor had relaxed the rules. Kids could play outside after the noon bell rang, but they had to return home by the evening bell.

And now, the clock had just struck noon.

"Right, she might become your bride one day, so you better get along with her!"

Allen's mouth twitched every time he heard that line. He could predict it before they even said it—especially when it came from his Grandma or the nosy aunts in town. They had a talent for turning every little thing into wedding talk.

He sighed. "Hello, Cynthia. You're as energetic as ever. What do you want to play today?"

"Geez, Allen, of course it's 'I Wanna Be the Very Best'!" Cynthia puffed her cheeks in a pout, as if scolding him for even asking.

"Alright, that means a mock battle, right? Let's head over there. This tree's kind of in the way," Allen suggested, pointing to a clearer spot.

"No, no!" Cynthia shook her head furiously, her little bell jingling as if sensing her anxious emotions. "It's 'I Wanna Be the Very Best,' not a mock battle!" She stomped her foot, determination shining in her eyes.

Allen rubbed his temples. "Yes, yes, I know. 'I Wanna Be the Very Best.' Shall we go over there?"

"Yup!" Cynthia beamed, twirling excitedly as she imagined the battle ahead.

Allen knew he had to be careful—if they destroyed Grandma's precious garden, it would be game over before the match even began. He picked a bigger, more open space, perfect for their battle.

On the uneven, dusty road, two children stood, their eyes sharp with focus. Tiny Pokémon stood proudly in front of them—Chingling vs. Buneary.

"Then, let's go~! My name is Trainer Cynthia! Chingling, I choose you!"

"Ching~ling!" Chingling struck a proud pose, perfectly in sync with its little owner.

"Allen, now it's your turn!" Cynthia urged.

"Alright."

"No, not 'alright!' You have to introduce yourself too! And your Pokémon!" Cynthia huffed anxiously.

Allen sighed at this. If you started your journey at ten with this kind of mentality, you'd better be prepared—hesitate for even a second, and your opponent might wipe you out before you could even finish your introduction.

After making sure no one was watching, he finally relented—but not without adding a special touch.

"My name is Trainer Allen! Come at me! Bun, Quick Attack!" he declared very fast.

Satisfied with his introduction, Cynthia was caught off guard however. "A-Allen, that's not fair! Ching, dodge and hit back with Astonish!"

Chingling let out a horrible bell noise, sending red waves of energy toward Buneary, who dashed forward, disappearing and reappearing mid-run.

Buneary managed to dodge the Astonish attack, but just as it was about to land a hit, Chingling cleverly floated out of reach, keeping its distance.

Realizing Chingling's strategy, Buneary skidded to a stop, crossed its tiny arms, and let out a frustrated scold.

"Buneary~ Buneary~!" it whined, ears twitching in annoyance.

"Chingling~ Ching~" Chingling rang its bell in response, almost as if taunting its opponent.

Allen exhaled, watching their "epic battle" turn into a playful argument. With only short breaks in between, this "fight" lasted nearly an hour.

Finally, Cynthia stormed over, wearing her signature pout. "Allen, you're cheating!"

Allen raised his hands in surrender. "Fine, fine. This round goes to you, okay?"

Her pout instantly vanished. "Yay! That's more like it!"

She eagerly flipped open her notebook, scribbling a tally next to her previous wins. "Let's see… that's one more for me!"

Allen chuckled. "You're going to need a bigger notebook at this rate."

Cynthia looked up, a cheeky grin on her face. "I'll fill it up with wins against you, just you wait!"

Not long after, Grandma Dracelia arrived, and Allen let out a sigh of relief—his rescue had finally arrived.

"Oh my, Cynthia dear, you came to play today as well?"

"Yup! I was playing 'I Wanna Be the Very Best' with Allen!" Cynthia declared proudly.

Grandma Dracelia smiled warmly as she watched Allen and Cynthia joyfully playing with her Buneary and Professor Carolina's Chingling.

"That's wonderful! Well, it's time for lunch. Would you like to join us, dear?"

At the mention of lunch, Cynthia's eyes sparkled, but she quickly put on a pitiful expression, dramatically patting her tummy.

"Yup, Grandma! I'm so hungry!" she whined playfully.

Grandma Dracelia chuckled at her antics. "Alright then, let's head inside. Grandma made curry."

The moment the word "curry" was mentioned, both Allen's and Cynthia's eyes lit up like stars.

The table was always filled with fresh, delicious food, but nothing could compare to Grandma's famous curry.

Allen could already imagine the rich, savory aroma filling the house, just like it did every time she made it. Sometimes, there would even be sandwiches, and if Aunt Drasna came over for a visit, she would bring Alolan malasadas as a special treat.

For now, all battles were forgotten—nothing was more important than enjoying Grandma's delicious cooking.