Hard Enough - Chapter 449 - The Wedding - Part one (Patreon)

The day of my wedding dawned like any other. I deliberately made sure to keep my routine the same as normal.

I rose early, jogged to a field where I released my pokemon and then began to train with them.

Sadly, the rest of the world didn’t seem to get the memo that normality was the goal for the morning.

Journalists, camera crews, and reporters who’d set up around the chateau had jogged after me. When I’d released my pokemon, instead of moving away, they had drawn in closer.

Lemmings, absolute lemmings is what they were, I thought to myself as I sent out a command to stop all warm-ups. My pokemon did so, and then we slowly turned towards the spectators.

If I was hoping they’d get the message, I was sadly disappointed when they instead moved closer.

Damn, they thought that was an invitation, not a demand for more space.

I could have teleported away, I realised. But they were rather annoying, and I wanted them to learn from this moment.

So instead of returning my pokemon and vanishing with Selene I drew upon my Aura and manifested the dark mountain.

My pokemon must have been feeling the same way, as a few of them began to exude their own aura of annoyance.

The spectators, with their microphones and cameras raised, froze perfectly, as Pryce had suddenly swept over them with an Icy Wind.

Their eyes widened as their breaths hitched.

The trainers who were spread throughout had their hands drop to their pokeballs but they stiffened up as instincts warned them of the very powerful pokemon that were staring them down. 

They didn’t take their hands off their pokeballs, but they knew better than to release them.

“Leave,” I ordered, projecting my annoyance and will into the command.

People found themselves backtracking before they were even consciously aware of following the order.

More than a few shot me surprised looks, and a slight murmur arose from some that my ears caught as they vanished over a hill. “Since when has Brock been psychic? Is this… no… what was that?” 

I snorted. That would be an amusing rumour to deal with later.

I turned, still rather worked up by the intrusion upon something I considered private. I took a long, slow, bracing breath of Rota highland air, enjoying the way the chill filled my chest, before exhaling it all out and opening my eyes.

“Shall we resume?” I asked of my friends.

They grinned and nodded, with Titan stepping to the front to lead us out on a jog into the forested slopes. I made sure to stay near Selene and Sanchez as we jogged along.

Our jogging might have caused a small landslide with the weight of my pokemon and how energetic they became when the “finish line” was in sight.

More than a few flying types took off, and when they rounded on us I was amused to watch several decide their fury was better aimed elsewhere.

One Pidgeot didn’t know better, however and attempted to attack us, only to become target practice for my pokemon.

When it hit the ground, I had Titan intercept the rocks that would have pushed it past the point of no return.

Once that had settled, Titan made to step away, only for me to order him back to intercept another late shot.

Everyone stopped. Then, as one, they turned towards Don, who had a terrible look of fake innocence on his features.

“Yeah, I saw that coming from ages off Don, go do some Wing Attack practice battles with Orion while standing on top of a small rock,” I ordered.

In response to this, Don shrieked in protest, but I ignored him as I approached the downed Pidgeot and fed it a Hyper Potion.

When I stood, I found that Don was still pouting at me. I stepped in close to him and grabbed him around the snout, clamping it shut as I locked eyes with him.

“Always gotta push don’t you?” I said idly. “Good thing I always have the answer for you. Bertha, swap out for Orion. Orion, you can train with Gabite,” I suggested.

A muffled squawk of outrage tried to escape Don’s clamped mouth, but I held it back until Bertha jogged up and grabbed Don under her arm like a little doll.

Then he began to howl his protests, only for Bertha not to care as she smashed a rock into shape and deposited him in position. He had all of a moment to reorient himself before she was on him.

I shook my head at his antics. “Not even on my wedding day can he give it a rest,” I muttered. 

With that done, I turned towards Gabite, my literal dragon pokemon who was happily exchanging blows with Orion.

“Shot into near misses!” I barked, deciding to change things up for Orion. "Gabite, I want you to watch how Orion does it. He’s fully evolved, so this is good training for him. Later, I want you to work on endurance and bodily awareness with slow-movement training. We’ll have to repeat it when you’re fully evolved and grown, but until then it’s good to know what is coming!” I ordered.

From there, the rest of the training session flew by as I added my own workout mix. It wasn’t anything too crazy; I kept it to bodyweight exercises, but even if it wouldn’t change anything physically, I knew it would make me feel better.

When it was all said and done, I returned my pokemon and happily jogged back to the chateau serving as my family’s home for the duration of the wedding and a few days afterwards.

I walked into chaos.

“Muuuuuuum! Where is my dolly?” screamed Tilly as she stood imperiously in the middle of the 

“Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad! Dad!” Billy shouted as he knocked at the toilet door, showing precisely where Flint was at the moment.

A shriek from an older voice followed by, “You’re so dead!” resulted in a chase between Cindy and Tommy as they fought over…. something.

A long sigh announced that Flint had given up on his moment of peace. “Yes Billy?” came Flint’s voice.

“What are you doing?” Billy asked with a tone that I couldn’t decide was innocence or so purely gremlin that he deserved a chore.

Hmmmmm, it could be both.

“Billy, I need you to check the garden for weeds and get Munchlax to eat them if they are there!” I called, making him perk up at the idea of getting to boss a pokemon around.

“Tilly, I think your doll is where you left it… which would be…” I said leadingly.

“In Sylveon’s bed?” she replied. 

“Go check,” I suggested as I worked my way through the home, dispensing pointers that soon had the chaos settling down. When Cindy and Tommy ran past, I merely nudged Tommy so he had to adjust and run out the front door and into the garden, taking the chase outside.

And just like that, there was some peace.

If you ignored the shouts and screams coming from outside now.

I strode up to my room, where I prepared to take a shower, only to find Suzie standing in front of my mirror with a small clutch of flowers. “... is it like this?” she murmured to herself, either ignorant of my arrival or uncaring. “Or like this?” she asked as she adjusted her hands.

Beneath her, Togepi peered up at her. “Pi?” called the little egg pokemon in clear confusion.

“What’cha doing Suzie?” I asked as I sat on the edge of the bed to take my shoes off.

“Practising for my job as flower girl. I did good yesterday, but today I need to be perfect!” she declared with the solemnity that only a child can muster.

"Perfect, eh?” I repeated.

She nodded. “Yes! Everyone is counting on me to make a good entrance so everything goes perfectly from there! I don’t want to stumble like that one time in practice!”

“It was fine. No one will begrudge you if you do stumble, Suzie.” I knelt and got down so I was eye level with her. She stayed looking straight ahead, so I looked into the mirror to catch her gaze. 

“You’re a pretty girl with a great heart, and that’s what people care about, you know that, right Suzie?” I repeated carefully.

She nodded quickly. “Yeah?” she questioned in the fragile way that only children can. Honestly, the entire thing was rather trivial to me, but to Suzie, it was massive. She might not remember this conversation in a decade’s time when she is on her journey or something like that but she would remember my actions.

“Yeah,” I said, putting a hand on her shoulder. “And don’t worry. You just need to hold the flowers like you are now and walk down the aisle. You’ll do amazing.”

“... what if I don't, though?” she asked again nervously. “Will I ruin your wedding?”

I could have said something glib there, like it would take a monumental screw-up of catastrophic proportions to see the wedding ruined, but I didn’t. 

Instead, I just smiled. “No, you won’t. You just focus on you, alright? And don’t worry about it; if anything, I’d prefer you to just have fun with this. That would be more memorable, especially for me and Sabrina, you know?”

Her face scrunched up in thought. “How do you have fun with flower girl duties?”

“Well, I have just the person to show you how!” I declared as I released Bertha.

She appeared only for the chateau to start groaning in protest at the sudden increase stress on the supports. I hurriedly recalled her before I broke a floorboard or… well, the entire floor.

“Actually, you know what? You take her outside and ask her to show you how to make it fun? That sounds good?” I asked, handing over Bertha’s pokeball to a delighted Suzie. 

“Thanks, Brock!” she called as she scooped Togepi up and sprinted outside. 

I chuckled and shut the door to have a cool-down shower. I’d need another when it was time to head up to the castle to suit up, but until then I’d just sit back and relax in my room.

For my sanity, I stayed put in the shower when a small battle sounded like it was breaking out in the garden. I didn’t want to know, and I was sure hoping that it wouldn’t be my circus and my monkeys out there causing trouble.

When I was steaming it up, I sauntered out with only my underwear and a bathrobe on. A quick check outside showed that Munchlax was off to the side, pretending to nurse his injured stomach as Billy commiserated with him over a ‘terrible loss’ to Bertha and Suzie.

Suzie was using Bertha to dig up some flowers to practise her flower girl duties… which was a form of initiative, certainly.

Flowers were getting thrown about, roots and all, to the point that even where I was on the second storey of the chateau, I had to duck to evade a hurled hydrangea.

Hmmm, I was going to have to get Erika to fix the place up after the family left, wasn’t I?

I was so going to have to get that girl something nice when this was all said and done.

Girls like megastones, right?

Yeah… so long as I just shipped it via courier, that should be fine. I didn’t need any confusion from the Crushers with me gifting Mega stones around.

Shutting the window and ignoring the world outside my room, I turned on the television and tuned in to Battlecast to see what was happening.

Interestingly enough, it seemed like today’s battle was happening in a small park with… huh, is that Drasna from Kalos fighting against Wallace of Hoenn?

Neat.

I kicked my feet up and decided to watch what should be an amusing fight. I straight away wondered if the punches that would obviously be pulled initially would continue when one side started to feel the pressure.

When Wallace started schooling Drasna without using a single Ice-type move and instead relying on his pokemon’s mastery of evasion and clever defence with pokemon moves, I felt like it was certain to change.

Drasna’s Dragalge had just fallen, and she was getting a pinched expression as people started cheering for Wallace when the position at the centre of the field shifted slightly.

People made way as Cynthia appeared, flicking her hair coolly as she sat down pointedly between the Hoenn Champion and Kalosian Elite Four. Behind her, her Garchomp stood, looming over her like a shadow, that had people stepping further away from her.

Heh, if that wasn’t the epitome of talking quietly while carrying a big stick to make people stay polite, I wasn’t sure what was. 

Oh, I just had a thought! I quickly messaged the band that I knew that were part of the castle’s entertainment. Which… I paused to run that thought back through my head. Damn, being royalty was kind of crazy. They had literal bands on call.

Still, they were precisely what I needed. "Hey, I have a song I need made up it sort of goes like this,” I said, knowing I was throwing them a curveball but unable to stop myself.

On the television, Drasna spent a long moment observing the new spectator before exhaling slowly. 

Wallace on the other hand, smiled, knowing the tighter control would work in his favour for deflections.

Sure enough, he won the match handily, with Drasna having to accept a three-to-one loss in their friendly.

There was barely a segment for some talking heads to discuss what they’d just seen before the next match began, with Cynthia stepping forward only for Wallace to retain his position on the field.

He bowed gallantly and twisted another pokeball into his hand.

I settled in for a fun watch.

By the time two more friendly matches had played out, the sun had risen higher in the sky, and I was dressed casually. An alarm went off, and I sighed as I turned off the television.

Right time to walk to the castle and… I glanced out the window, only to sigh.

The reporters and camera crews were well set up to stalk my every step to the castle.

Right, looks like I was Teleporting.

I poked my head out of my room to find that the house was in chaos.

“Cindy! I said ten minutes in the shower tops!” Flint called through a door. “There are three other people needing to shower!”

A muffled call from within revealed that Cindy would probably be another five despite Flint’s best efforts.

“Tell her that Suzie’s going through her cupboard looking for something. That’ll get her out quickly,” I suggested to Flint. “I’m going to Teleport up to the castle to avoid the camera crews.”

“Oh?” Flint asked, as he leaned to the side to look through a nearby window, only to grimace. “Yeah, that makes sense. Will they bother us?”

“Not with the children,” I told him. “If they do, then Lawrence will happily slap them with some cease-and-desist letters, if not straight-up lawsuit them into playing nice.”

“Oh,” Flint murmured. His face flickered through a handful of emotions before settling into a small smile. “Good.”

Clapping him on the shoulder, I sought out Salvadore, who had already showered and dressed. He was struggling in front of a mirror, and I stepped in to help him with the tie.

“Here, windsor knot,” I told him.

“I wanted to learn it,” he grumbled.

“Hmmm, alright, pull this part,” I told him and he did so, unravelling it. I typed up something on his Xtransceiver to show off how to do various ties and smirked as he set to work. I gave his Xtransceiver a concerned look. His was just as worn as mine.

Heh, any transceiver collectors would have conniptions that the only Xtransceivers that Silph Co ever made weren't in someone’s collection. 

Salvadore noticed my smirk. “What?” he asked.

"Nothing, just proud you’re looking to learn new things,” I commented. “You look good dressed up formally.” I clapped him on the shoulder and told him of my departure plans before finding Lola, who was helping to wrangle the youngest into outfits.

“I’m off to the castle; don’t stab anyone,” I stated.

“No promises~!” she replied with a glint in her eyes.

I stared right back into them. “No, that is the entire point of me asking. No stabbing anyone. If someone tries something, just punch them or beat them up with your pokemon. Alright?”

“Fiiiiiine, no stabbings!” she huffed.

“You stab people?” asked Tommy while Timmy stared up with wide eyes.

“Sure did!” Lola announced far too proudly, only to wince at the glare I was levelling at her. “The worst sorts of people only, though!” she added.

I held off face-palming and instead shook my head. “Riiiiight, you and Flint can deal with this,” I stated. Then I released Selene and nodded. “Selene, let’s bounce.”

Selene bumped into me happily before flashing away into a Teleport.

I reappeared in the set of rooms that had been put aside for my groomsmen and me. Selene immediately hovered away to do something of her own.

Straight away I knew that Surge had gotten here first, as I had to catch a beer that was being thrown at my head.

“Good to see you too, Surge,” I said as I tossed the beer back at him. Only for him to catch and open it in one smooth action. He followed this by taking a long pull.

“Sup! Ready to get locked in for life?” he teased.

I rolled my eyes at him. “Hahaha, real funny. That old cliche?”

“It’s a cliché because it is so true!” Surge refuted.

I shook my head and looked towards Rocko, Dennis and Lance. “Deep thinker of shallow topics, hey?” 

The others nodded along seriously while Surge tilted his head. “I’m not seeing the issue?”

“Course you wouldn’t. You are all ready to stand around and be my plus-ones?” I teased.

Rocko shot me a thumbs-up while Dennis smirked and nodded. Lance just looked aside, and I shot him a look. “You’re loving that you’re going to be up the front aren’t you?” I asked. 

“It will do wonders for my reputation considering how we clashed last year,” Lance replied with an easy shrug. “Also, I look damn good in the groomsmen suit.”

“It’s gonna make lots of women think about having you in the groom suit,” Surge suggested with a leer.

Lance chuckled. “I know. But I think I have a full enough dance card tonight.”

Surge whistled. “Nice we got ourselves a proper player! What about you two?” Surge asked, gaze turning around to Dennis and Rocko.

“Not interested,” stated Rocko.

“... I literally spent the last half an hour talking about my family to you…” Dennis said with a concerned look, like Surge was worrying him.

“Yeah, I heard that. So are you going for kid number… four, or was it five tonight with the missus?” Surge asked, causing Dennis to splutter.

“I kid you not! In nine months there is going to be a SURGE of kids!” he bragged as he winked at us all.

That drew a laugh from the others as I rounded to sit on the lounge while Selene floated around me.

“So, have any of you been watching the battlecast channel?” I asked. “Been some interesting small friendlies going on in the parks,” I said.

Surge snorted. “Like those mean anything! Those were no better than kiddy fights, meant to entertain and wow the crowds.”

I shrugged. “Wallace has certainly been using them to get his name out there. If nothing else, he’s been savvy with who and how he fights.”

Lance nodded along. “They also showed off some very interesting pokemon.”

“Like that poison-dragon did you?” I said knowingly. As I tossed my pokedex towards him. Lance snatched it out of the air and started toggling the various buttons to get a look at what sort of data had been captured from the fights.

“Hmmm, Oak’s aides are doing good work, getting this assembled and distributed so quickly,” he murmured as he switched to the data on Garchomp. On this pokemon his gaze narrowed. “Still can’t believe your luck in taking that Gible from the raid.”

“Eh, you thought it was a ground-rock type pokemon. It was on you. Gabite is doing great these days,” I said before shrugging. “It’s not like other opportunities haven’t come up for you recently either,’ I pointed out, reminding him of the Tyrunt he’d been given recently along with the chance of there being a dragoninite stone coming his way.

“You nerds are going to kill the fun!” Surge complained as he slapped a hand on the coffee table between us. “What’s say we break out for an hour or two and get some—”

“DON’T,” projected a powerful voice directly into our heads.

Dennis and Rocko shook their heads while Lance twitched.

“I think Sabrina wouldn’t like that,” I stated.

Surge raised a hand and made a whip-cracking gesture towards me. “It was nice knowing you man, but a real shame we ain’t gonna be seeing you around after today!” he said with mock solemnity.

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, you say that like we’re not going to be hosting a housewarming in a few weeks,” I reminded him.

“Oh, yeah! Tell me you have a games room lined up yeah?”

“Yes, it’s rated for fighting type pokemon use up to Machoke at least, so it should be able to handle some of my pokemon getting rowdy.”

“Ooooooh, that’s fancy!” murmured Rocko.

“Got a security expert to look it over?” Surge asked seemingly out of the blue. It took me a moment to register that this was his way of making sure Sabrina and I’s home would be safe.

“Jessie, James, and Meowth recommended me several systems along with how there is going to be a constant pokemon presence on the estate,” I reminded him.

He nodded, his gaze still locked on me. 

“If you’d like you could look it over?” I suggested.

“Hmph, sure, I’ll test your ‘systems’ and see what they’re worth,” he announced with a huff.

“...just the systems? Remember there will be poke—”

“Yeh, yeah I’m sure the little Growlithe that will be roaming the perimeter will scare off some girl scouts with their barks,” Surge refuted. “You need something with some—”

“It’s probably going to be a pack of Lairon as well as Cradily, Gravler, and whatever Sabrina decides to bring to the table.”

“Hmmm psychic defenses… that’ll be tricky to deal with,” Surge muttered. “But yeah, I’ll test it twice, once with just the systems, then again with the pokemon in place. Can’t have you put out little terrors of Indigo without making sure the crib is safe.”

“Careful there Surge, you make it sound like you care,” I teased.

“Course I care! Just imagine.. Little Brock’s and Sabrina’s are going to be hellions! I can’t wait to corrupt them!” Surge replied with a cackle.

“Pyrha and I would have no problem baby sitting your kids when you do have them,” Dennis loyally said, cutting into the conversation.

Rocko chuckled. “I’m alright at dealing with older kids, but babies? Yeah… hard pass for me Brock.” He gave me a look. “What are you going to do if they’re natural psychics?” he asked.

That caused everyone to straighten up and I snorted. “Love them, obviously,” I replied.

That earned a thoughtful nod from the others only for another alarm to go off.

“Hmmm time for another shower before make-up and a hair stylist arrive,” I stated, turning and unhooking the suit that had been hanging off to the side in a fabric carry case.

Surge grinned. “Time to see what all your money bought!” 

I rolled my eyes and set about my task of seeing to my final shower before the wedding. 

Then, with a careful shave and towel down, I donned my suit for the first time officially.

I’d gotten the chance earlier in the week with Monique making sure everything sat perfectly on me.

Back then it had felt perfect.

Now, it felt like someone had draped me in style and power.

As the suit slid over my shoulders, small goosebumps formed along my neck as the seams massaged my arms.

When both arms were in I rolled my shoulders and found my suit settling into place further if that was somehow possible, I glanced at my lapel and sleeves, giving them both a small tug.

The fabric felt good under my fingers. Strong and rich, like a finely woven piece.

I could feel the care that Monqiue had pressed into this suit.

Wearing it felt like a statement and somehow easy at the same time.

The weight of it was reassuring, with it offering a gentle support to my back and shoulders while accentuating my youthful frame.

Damn, I kind of wanted to turn up to a pokemon battle in this suit just to have the same confidence.

Was this what Giovanni experienced with his pokemon battles? He was rather notorious for wearing suits to fights.

Hmmm, probably not the best example I could draw from, but the only other fashion-conscious trainers I could think of right now were Wallace, and he didn’t wear suits so much as silk and see-through fabric.

I stepped out of the bathroom and smiled at my groomsmen.

“So? How do I look?” 

“Daaaaaaamn!” Surge crowed. “With you looking that good we’re all getting some serious pus—” Lance elbowed him hard and he grunted as he shut up.

I just rolled my eyes and raised my tie to start tying it off only for Surge to step forward with a serious expression.

“Let me get that for you,” he muttered and before I could blink he had it done. When I glanced in the mirror, I found myself with a perfectly even tie formed.

“Oh, thanks.”

“Eh, armed service, you learn a few things,” he replied easily.

Before I could say anything, a knock heralded the stylist and photographer.

“Ready for the pre-wedding shots lads?” he asked, giving us a wink.

Surge answered by cracking open a beer. “We’re a bunch of handsome lads! Fucking A, we are!” he called back.

I found myself in a small chair in front of a mirror, hair being cut into a net yet stylish look as another man stared at my skin. “Hmmmm, lovely complexion, I won’t have to do much,” he murmured as he set to work.

By the time they were done, I looked like me, except with a filter on that made me glow a little more.

When I rose and took off the small smock that protected my shirt, I redonned my jacket and smirked at myself.

Damn, I really did look like a million pokedollars.

The others were fussed over but weren’t given anywhere near as much attention, and before long it was time for us to head to the hall where the wedding would take place.

I walked at the front, and thanks to the hallways of the castle being so wide, my groomsmen could walk two on either side easily. The photographer made sure to hurry to the end of the hall and catch us as we stalked forward.

When we reached the hall where the wedding would be held, I entered and instantly had hundreds of eyes on me.

Instead of tensing up, I began sweeping my gaze about the room, nodding and waving as I advanced up the central aisle. A few people I stopped to shake hands with, like Samuel Oak, or Steven Stone.

“I hope you didn’t misunderstand my gesture the other day,” Steven whispered in my ear as we shook hands.

“It was bad timing and a bit much, but was it to give people watching on a figure to attach to the gift I’d given her?” I whispered back.

He nodded. “Precisely so, enjoy my gift,” he said as he released me, and I found myself wondering what it would be. 

When I reached the pews where my family would sit, I felt a small pang of worry at finding them empty, only for the doors to open and the boys, except for Forrest, along with Flint, Lola, Munchlax, Sylveon, and Nanny Grav to be admitted.

I sighed in relief and nodded towards them as they swept up to us.

“Sorry! Had to make sure the girls were all sorted for their jobs!” Flint whispered as he shook my hand. “You look amazing!”

Lola stared at me, only to begin tearing up. “My baby!” she wailed.

I grimaced. “Thanks for seeing to the girls,” I replied, ignoring Lola’s antics and nodding towards the pew which had them sitting at the front with the Crusher Tribesman, who, due to Flint’s genetics, were able to sit behind them as part of my side.

On the other side, Sandra sat with a notable gap next to her where Saul would sit once he’d walked Sabrian down the aisle.

I made sure to approach her and give her a moment of my time.

“I’m looking forward to the wedding cake,” I said casually.

She beamed at me proudly. “That’s kind of you to say. You look so handsome!” she gushed.

I winked and patted her hands, thankful that one of the mothers wasn’t tearing up. Perhaps that would come later?

Then I marched up to the top of the stairs where the ceremony would take place, my heart beating a little louder as I did so. I released Titan to stand off to the side and he nodded at me with a smirk firmly in place.

His amusement made me huff at him as I turned and took in the hundreds of faces staring at me.

The celebrant smiled at me widely. “Nervous?” they asked.

“A little,” I admitted freely.

Before I could blink, they offered me a flask right as Surge and Lance offered me their own flasks. Each of them shared a look, and I burst out laughing.

Surge took the other two flasks and sipped them only to give Lance a look. "Really? Chateau Romani?”

“It’s a good drink!” Lance defended, and Surge gave a begrudging grumble before handing it back.

“Thanks, that helped a lot,” I said with a chuckle as I wiped my eyes and settled in for a bit of a wait.

It felt both like an eternity and not that long before the doors shut, and the organ that dominated the side of the stairs came to life.

I turned towards the slowly opening doors of the Rota cathedral. “And here we go,” I murmured as my left hand slid up to where the bracer with Titan’s megastone was.

It was time to put on a show everyone would remember. I began to draw upon my aura as I glanced towards Titan.

He nodded, and I smiled.

Now wasn’t our moment, but soon we’d show the world just what we were.

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A.N.

Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

It also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!