Chapter Text
Hop, an old Pokemon Professor that was once a trainer with so much potential, on his deathbed with many regrets about his life choices
Having chosen research as an escape from the shadow of his once Unbeatable Champion brother and The One To Beat The Unbeatable Champion Champion childhood best friend and rival
Despite really loving research and learning about Pokemon, he never loved it as much as he did Pokemon battles
Hop closes his eyes one last time... or so he thinks
He opens his eyes to see... his childhood bedroom
He takes a moment to figure out what's happening before pinching himself hard to make sure this isn't some weird dream, and then checking his phone after making sure it's real
It's a month before he starts his journey with MC, he doesn't have <insert final Galar starter Evolution here> yet. Dubwool isn't even a Dubwool yet.
Hop takes his first few days back to adjust to being back in the past, not as freaked out as most people would because time travel is very real and as a researcher in another life he knows that well
Once Hop's adjusted, he's out and about, not as impatient with the wisdom beyond his years (very literally too) exploring the familiar routes of his home town and it's neighbour town. Simply enjoying in nostalgia of being back in the past
Hop doesn't take into account that people will notice he's acting off. His family and MC certainly noticed how much calmer and humble Hop suddenly became. It also doesn't help when Hop came home with a Rookidee one day ( his Rookidee, from the first timeline. He will never forget who the Pokemon closest to his heart are)
It seems none of his Pokemon remember, despite Rookidee approaching him instead of the other way around, neither it nor Wooloo remember the things he talks about when he asks about the future
Hop focuses on a few things after getting stuck in the past
1. train himself physically to wield a sword/shield because he knows him and MC will be regularly wielding them in the future
2. write up all he remembers learning during his time as a professor, but only stuff that he can "accidentally" rediscover and tell Sonia about
3. don't try and mimic Lee if you want to be out of his shadow. don't mimic MC either. we're in it to win this time3. figure out why and how he came back in time, so that probably includes going out of Galar
Upon meeting Rose in this timeline, Hop has had years of experience in hiding how he really feels. He keeps that the same when Lee comes home, Hop's mum reminds him and is shocked to find that Hop didn't even remember. Because he's always remembered when his brother was coming to visit next since he rarely saw him the night before Lee comes home, after Hop is reminded of it. He contemplates if he should go into the Weald with him and MC tomorrow. Because that event was the catalyst to so many things, like Sonia going on out and not backing down in her passion for research. Its when Zacian and Zamazenta chose him and MC as their next chosen. It's what gave him the idea of going in to find the two during the Darkest Day...
When Leon comes to town, he can immediately tell that something's very very different with Hop, but he doesn't voice it [later he asks his mom about it when Hop's asleep, and she doesnt know either. Hop just woke up one day and was completely out of it, he was polite and complied to requests they gave him. He apologized for something, and it was genuine.]
Leon offers Hop and MC starters, and Hop hopes that MC doesn't chose his starter
MC sees how that... you know what I'm giving Hop a confirmed starter and dog for the sake of easy writing for me
MC sees how Hop eyes Sobble, and how the Sobble looks at him. MC picks another one and Hop picks Sobble without hesitation
Leon's surprised when Hop brings out a Rookidee to join Wooloo in greeting the newest addition to the team
When Hop and MC go to the latter's house to tell their mother, Hop tells MC to go ahead while he gets that Wooloo out of the forest
MC, the hero they always are, follows him
Hop was expecting to meet Zacian, MC's Legendary, but instead they're faced with both of them
They try to fight them off, but nothing happens. But when MC passes out, Hop... doesn't
Hop: What do you want?
Zacian and Zamazenta use Legendary Telepathy to speak to him
The Legendary doggos tell Hop something before they knock him out
"You know the future. You are from it. We know not how you got here. But others will come to help and inform you. You cannot return to your own timeline, because that is not how time travel works here. All we request is that you change the future for the better."
When Hop awakens to a worried Leon, Hop doesn't sass him. Because he remembers Lee waking him up after nightmares about Eternatus so that instinct has long since faded
(There will be times where he acts his physical age, because his brain isn't as developed so his reactions are going to be more emotion based in much higher stress situations)
Hop simply places a hand on his brother's arm, "We're fine, Lee. We encountered two strange Pokemon while trying to save a Wooloo that wandered into the forest. Our attacks didn't go through them. We're not hurt though. Those things didn't even attack us."
Leon, stunned by his brother's calm response and wise choice of words, simply mutters, "Okay."
Things continue on as smoothly as they can, what with the small alterations Hop has made by simply just being here
Here's a thing I forgot to mention: Pokemon battles in this AU (because applying game logic and rules when making fanfiction is not Fun) act like how they are in the anime
And, MC and Hop's first battle was a battle between the starters they just chose. So it would be a fair fight between them. Hop lost but took it in stride
Their second battle however…
MC catches two other Pokemon before that battle, and so the two use their teams of three
Hop wins, and the child-like part of him plus the part that's always wanted to win is ecstatic at beating MC. Thankfully he doesn't say anything that would give him away, but he celebrates and runs up to hug the Pokemon that got the final knock out. And Leon and MC release a sigh they've been holding for too long after Hop travelled back
That small victory reignites the ember that was put out by multiple defeats and hits to his self-esteem as a trainer. That ember blazes back into a passion that died when MC beat him in the Champion Cup
Hop's sheer energy spreads to MC and then... their wishing stars fall
Hop continues on, the child part of his being taking over until he and MC are in the wild area
He stops for a moment after Sonia speaks to the two, thinking of what he should do first the Opening Ceremony isn't for a while, so he has time to explore
Hop goes around the areas near or on the way to the Motostoke Gate, catching a few new friends to add to his team. Due to the weather being an overcast, with rain being coming soon. Hop catches a Ralts (he knows he's lucky to have befriended one since they are rare), a Budew, and
Hop also underestimates the weather and it turns out to be a thunderstorm when it happens he runs to the gate, seeing that MC gets there before him so that's good that they're safe when he gets there, the League Official there points out the Joltik that's stuck itself on him. He tries to place the joltik back into the grass but it just leaps back onto his hand
Hop catches that one as well
So upon arriving at Motostoke Hop has: Wooloo, Sobble, Rookidee, Ralts, Budew, and Joltik
He and MC stay in the Pokemon Centre for the night, Hop staying up to continue adding more to his journal.
He considers if he should catch all the other Pokemon he had on his team the first time, then he remembers that he gave most of them away or simply released them back into the wild
Even his Snorlax and Pincuchin looked happier at the schools he gave them too the only pokemon that wanted to stay with him were Dubwool, Inteleon, Corviknight, and Zamazenta
When Hop and MC register, Hop takes a moment to pick a number. 189, the nat dex number for Jumpluff and goroawase for "leaping" in reference to his name. Or should he go with something different? Something that tells not only himself but others that he isn't exactly the same Hop
okay so since I cant figure a different number out
Hop keeps 189, because despite everything he is still Hop. Whether he's Hop the Gym Challengers, brother of the Champion, Rival of the Champion, Pokemon Professor, or whatever. He is still Hop
This time around, instead of trying to calm his nerves before he goes out onto the pitch, he finally notices the trainers around him were as nervous (and maybe even more so) than he was. Even Bede looks jittery.
When it's time to step out onto the pitch. He remembers in the first timeline none of them moved until some League Official told them too. This time, Hop is the first to walk forward, head held high, and the MC immediately follows his pace as the two lead the other Challengers to the pitch
The cheers of the crowd take him back... it brings up so many unpleasant memories, despite some good ones they're filled with regret
But Hop remembers how the crowd was cheering his name during his battle with MC in the semi-finals
The fire in him burns brighter, ready to blaze his own path instead of succumbing and becoming one with it
When Lee introduces them to Chairman Rose, Hop is reminded of what that man has done or rather what he will do. He can't do anything about that now, he's just a kid, except smile and act as if he knows nothing
Hop asks for a battle with MC, and at this point both of them have full teams. The battle is close, but Hop somehow pulls out a win. After that, Hop wonders what he's doing differently?
Is it the fact that he technically has more experience? Is it the fact that he's more focused on the actual battle than the finer details? Did he accidentally train Wooloo more during the month he first came back?
Hop briefly ponders it as he makes his way through Galar Mine 1
Until he bumps into...
A) Bede
B) MC after fighting Bede
C) MC who's about to fight Bede
D) MC who just encountered Bede
A/N: Some crack ass shit happens when I did this so expect this to be the only time
I'm going with D so Hop hears the shit Bede says and THEN they go kick his ass together
I'm also adding an Espurr to his team so he has four Pokemon to fite the two with
A/N: Bede gets an Espurr, not Hop
Hop's Joltik destroys Bede's team
He and MC high five after Bede leaves after his ass whooping
The two get to Turrfield together and are ushered by Sonia's Yamper so they can talk Lore
Hop holds his tongue with revealing too much, but once MC is done with their suggestion, he expands upon it the Geoglyph shows both the Darkest Day AND Dynamax, the darkest day by the clearing storm cloud but Dynamax by that giant Pokemon, the cloud, and the much smaller Pokemon around the giant
Hop has to stop himself there before Sonia and MC get suspicious, but Sonia gets distracted by the realization of what he said (she'll touch on it later with Leon and the MC)
OH and when Sonia tells Hop and MC the story of the statue, Hop barely listens as he eyes the statue and starts to pick apart the flaws in it. It looks too new. Too clean. Too undamaged by time. And why is it in a hotel of all places?
Hop goes and does the Gym Challenge first thing in the morning once the Gym Opens to accept challengers. He uses years upon years of herding Wooloo and several dozen kinds of Pokemon to herd not only the Wooloo but the Yamper as well to make him a path.
He uses Joltik and Rookidee to beat Milo and obtain the Grass Badge (Rookidee evolves not long after or during the battle)
Hop makes a point to watch MC's battle because regardless of what happened in the first timeline, MC is still his friend and THIS MC hasn't left him behind
What Happened?
Technically speaking, canon happened in the timeline. MC kept going higher and higher to the point that the gap between them and Hop was too big (Hop says it himself that there is an undeniable gap between you and him). So it's only natural Hop would feel like he was left behind
Hop goes ahead to Hulbury City to find that the Gym isn't open to Challengers just yet (this is to prevent from one insane Challenger from beating all the Gyms in a month)
So Hop goes to train, Sobble, Ralts, and Budew all evolve. Hop decides to add more diversity to his team by going back to the Wild Area
He goes to an area with slightly stronger Pokemon (which is a pretty dumb idea, the adult part of his brain says) and a Litwick and Noibat join his team
Hop temporarily switches out Pokemon on his team to make sure Litwick and Noibat get caught up in terms of training
Then he's back in Hulbury and challenges the MC to another rival battle
MC wins the battle, evening up their match ratio to 2-2 each
MC takes on Nessa before he does, but Hop's Roselia is the real MVP for that fight and Kirlia's Magical Leaf comes in clutch
when he steps outside, MC is there to invite him to lunch with Chairman Rose. Not wanting to leave his friend (and Sonia if he remembers correctly) with the Chairman and Oleana, he goes with them
but then the chairman leaves not even five minutes into the meeting
He's wearing sweat pants that's like teal with white spots (basically the colour scheme of the dumbass shorts he wore)
Hop and MC are ahead of the pack once more, so the two go off to train again
Hop's team so far: Wooloo, Drizzle, Corvisquire, Joltik, Litwick, Roselia, Kirlia, Noibat
Hop considers if he should catch Pokemon he caught before, but many of them never really connected with him outside of four. And catching the same species again but it not being the exact one would just be... strange to him
Hop catches a Skorupi, and gets a few evolutionary stones from the digging bros
then Hop encounters a shiny Eevee
he almost faints because he's never encountered a shiny in the wild, only ones already owned by trainers
(that trainer being MC usually)
Hop catches the Eevee after he's done freaking out
but then he notices they look malnourished and very injured
he takes it to the Pokemon Centre to get it's wounds treated and slowly begins to nurse it back to health, his team now being down a Pokemon because he can't leave Eevee in the PC because he needs to take of it
The gap between the opening of Motostoke Gym is much bigger than the one between Turrfield and Hulbury so that Kabu can properly destroy those who do make it to him
The week before Motostoke accepts Challengers is when Hop and MC go back to the city and stay there until the day comes. MC observes and helps Hop nurse Eevee back to health, when the day arrives Eevee can easily move and run, but not yet battle.
Hop's Drizzle solos the Gym before getting knocked out by Kabu's Centiskorch
Hop brings out Noibat to fight the G-Max Centiskorch
He wins but spends some time to let his two aces of the battle rest before going back out to find that MC has also finished. Kabu, Nessa, and Milo cheer them on
Hop and MC encounter Bede again, and Bede goes on and on and on about Chairman Rose this Champion that blah blah blah
neither Hop nor MC are even flaunting Leon's name in this timeline, if anyone's flaunting it's Bede
Marnie joins them (since I forgot about her battle w/ the MC) and it becomes a Hop & MC VS Marnie & Bede
Hop's Litwick does great against Bede's psychic types, but quickly falls to Marnie's dark types. And it seems Bede has created a counter for Joltik, so Hop brings out Skorupi and him and MC win the battle (MC's Pokemon are left vague because I would be too tempted to make my team)
Hop doesn't catch anything new, he continues training, Litwick evolves (let's pretend it doesn't evolve at level 41 because that's wtf)
Eevee's starting to be able to use attacks (he's considering on having it registered as a Companion Pokemon so he can have a full team again and so Eevee's legally not allowed to battle)
(he does so Eevee can now just be cute and accidentally almost becomes Hop's mascot to his fans until they see Hop get flocked by a dozen Wooloo)