Soon, Eddie was greeted by a young woman wearing a Fuecoco Sygna Suit that looked more like cozy pajamas. “Hi, I’m Andrea, the Gym Leader! Are you ready to prove that you’re worthy of the Monster Badge?” She beamed, leading him to the testing grounds.

A picnic table with a wide assortment of ingredients had been set up in advance. An actual Fuecoco sitting on top of the table waved its tiny hand at the approaching challenger. “Your task is simple: Make a sandwich with five ingredients of your choice.” Andrea explained. “You can use anything here. I’ve already cut the bread for you. Your Pokémon can help too!”

Following the breakdown of this challenge, the onesie-clad girl stared at Eddie with a curious look, tilting her head to the side. “By the way, have we met before? You look kinda familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.”

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉

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The gym leader's disarmingly comfy-looking pajamas and her bright smile were enough to dispel most of Eddie's initial concern. He grinned right back as they walked to the testing grounds, [break][break]

“Hell yeah! Me and my buds are ready to go!” [break][break]

And his grin just grew wider as they approached the picnic table and the huge spread of ingredients they had to work with. He offered a little wave back to the Fuecoco as he appraised the ingredients on offer, [break][break]

“You got it,” Eddie acknowledged with a thumbs up, and he approached the table with his Pokemon to begin their work. [break][break]

First things first, he had to get this bread toasted. What kind of psychopath would he be if he ate his sandwich on untoasted bread? Eddie reached over to grab a couple of thoughtfully prepared slices and was delighted to find some aluminum foil on a far corner of the table. Grabbing a length of it, he carefully folded the foil around the slices and handed the little metallic package to Blanche, [break][break]

“Now you gotta be gentle, alright? No eatin' the foil, either.” [break][break]

The Growlithe's tail wagged faster than Eddie thought he had ever seen it as she took the foil package into her mouth. Her maw suddenly erupted into a plume of cinders as she unleashed a FIRE FANG, aiming to apply just enough heat to toast the slices in their package. [break][break]

Eddie suddenly looked up, realizing that he was being watched. Oh, uh, right; somehow he hadn't expected the gym leader to recognize him, too. He bashfully rubbed the back of his neck, [break][break]

“Not exactly,” Eddie admittedly, a little sheepish, “But I'm pretty sure we saw each other in passing, durin' that whole 'spaceship prison shitshow'. Name's Eddie; you, uh, mighta seen me bawlin' like a kid at some point.” [break][break]

He moved to take the foil-wrapped bread slices from Blanche's mouth, only to realize that the little bundle was still really hot. Eddie realized that he probably should have considered that before using the dog's mouth as a makeshift toaster oven. [break][break]

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[attr="class","bottom"]action: blanche uses fire fang to toast the bread slices [break]
Andrea Vaneau
[break]

Blanche using her fiery fangs to toast the bread elicited a clap from the weirdly-dressed Gym Leader. “Ooooh, very nice! I’ve gotta teach Chomper how to do that too!” Meanwhile, Eddie needed to teach himself that hot things were hot.

As an explanation was given for her déjà vu, Andrea became dejected. “Oh that… I don’t actually remember much of what happened.” She lied. She remembered everything down to the last detail, but wished she didn’t.

The young woman tucked a lock of orange hair behind her ear, nervously. “A-anyway, let’s continue!” She strained her face into a smiling expression. “I’m gonna count the toasted bread as an ingredient, so that leaves you with four more ingredients!”

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉

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Ah shit, here he was being a buzzkill. Eddie carefully took the now-cooled foil packet and unwrapped it to reveal the toasted bread, [break][break]

“Hah, me either,” he also lied as he set the slices onto what little empty space he could find on the table, “Alright, one down, four to go; what do you guys think we should add next?” [break][break]

Eddie's eyes immediately went to some of the condiments until Stella nudged him roughly with her trunk, [break][break]

“What is it, girlie?” [break][break]

The pachyderm's coal-black eyes drifted to some of the veggies on offer, [break][break]

“You sure about that?” Eddie probed, a little hopeful as he reached past a head of lettuce to go for a jar of sauerkraut, “I was thinkin' we could make a reuban, or some-” [break][break]

Stella suddenly made a loud, indignant trumpeting sort of noise in protest. Eddie winced, ears ringing from his proximity to the Steel-type's opinionated cry, [break][break]

“It is too a vegetable!” he insisted. [break][break]

Stella rumbled threateningly, and Eddie suddenly became acutely aware of how large she loomed over him. Coal-black eyes narrowed judgmentally as he drew his hand back, [break][break]

“I, uh, didn't know that bit about all the sodium.” [break][break]

The Copperajah nodded slowly as his hand instead drifted to some leaves of butter leaf lettuce, taking a few pieces and layering them with some slices of tomato. Eddie looked back up at Andrea with some nervousness, [break][break]

“Does this count as one ingredient, or two? Wasn't sure if you'd be goin' by category or by item.” [break][break]

Because if Stella had her druthers, this would likely shape up to be an entirely vegetarian meal. Eddie's stomach growled loudly in protest.[break][break]

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[attr="class","bottom"]action: stella browbeats eddie into eating his veggies helps pick out ingredients for the sandwich [break]
Andrea Vaneau
[break]

Lost in her own thoughts, Andrea scooped her beloved Fuecoco up in her arms and hugged him tightly. She hardly paid attention to the back-and-forth between the Paldean immigrant and his blocky elephant, only mentally there to hear the tail end of it.

“Oh… Yeah, it counts as one ingredient.” The Minor Gym Leader replied, while leaning over the table in order to inspect their handiwork. “I like your choice of vegetables. Very nicely done! Let’s consider the tomato a bonus!” She ruled.

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉

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“Thanks!” [break][break]

Eddie smiled at that, and at the little Fire Croc Pokemon cradled in Andrea's arms, [break][break]

“Your little buddy's real cute.” A genuine observation, though Eddie hoped it wouldn't come across like he was trying to butter up the judge of his gym challenge, “Don't think I've seen one'a them since I left home. What's his name?” [break][break]

Blanche suddenly nudged his leg with an insistent paw, [break][break]

“Oh, you wanna pick next?” Eddie offered as he was pulled away from his line of inquiry. [break][break]

The dog barked in affirmation and rose to place her paws on the table's edge. She sniffed around a little, and her tail started wagging with incredible fervor as her nose neared a selection of meats, [break][break]

“You want this?” [break][break]

Eddie moved to grab some slices of turkey when Blanche's head suddenly whipped around toward him. It was hard to think of the little Fire-type as anything but cute, but her expression had quickly darkened into something quite fierce and dour. Even if her eyes were shrouded by that tuft of fur on her head and her round face was normally alight with playful glee, Blanche's INTIMIDATEing stare clearly communicated her displeasure with Eddie's lack of understanding. [break][break]

Her trainer moved his hand just a little to the left to hover over some slices of bacon, and all of that judgmental fury evaporated in an instant. Blanche barked happily as Eddie added the bacon to the sandwich, [break][break]

“So, uh, that's the next ingredient down.” [break][break]

Eddie looked to the gym leader for her judgment.

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[attr="class","bottom"]action: blanche INTIMIDATES eddie into adding bacon to the sando [break]
Andrea Vaneau
[break]

The Paldean starter hardly even blinked its beady eyes at the big man’s compliment, seemingly immune to--or perhaps Unaware of--all forms of flattery.

“Why, thank you! His name is Jalapeño. and he’s my son!” The crocodile’s trainer responded on its behalf, her face beaming with joy. “He’s also my assistant, so he’s gonna be judging you, same as I am!”

Not that there was much to judge. Eddie was excelling in his challenge thus far, the addition of bacon to his sandwich crowned with another success. They could still fumble it near the finish line, though.

For now, both Andrea and her ‘son’ nodded in approval.

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉

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“Well, I hope your son ain't a picky eater,” Eddie laughed as he reached for the next ingredient, “Because my next pick might be a controversial one.” [break][break]

Okay, maybe Eddie's selection wouldn't be that contentious, but he would still have to get both Blanche's and Stella's approval. Reaching past some of the other produce, Eddie grabbed an avocado and held it up for his Pokemon to inspect. Blanche sniffed at the skin of the fruit and tried to take the whole thing into her mouth. Her trainer pulled it back with a grin; one down, one more to go. [break][break]

Stella eyed the avocado curiously as Eddie held it up for the Copperajah's inspection, [break][break]

“Solid protein, no cholesterol, healthy fats; whaddya think, girl?” [break][break]

The elephant gave a short trumpet of approval, and Eddie set to work slicing the fruit on a nearby cutting board, [break][break]

“Alright, so that just leaves one more item, right?” Eddie confirmed as he carefully laid the slices on top of his other sandwich fixin's.

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[attr="class","bottom"]action: eddie adds some sliced avocado [break]
Andrea Vaneau
[break]

“It’s not controversial at all. Who doesn’t like avocado sauce?” Andrea remarked. Little did she know that the man planned to use the entire avocado.

“Oh… I see.” She winced upon realizing what he was up to, but nonetheless allowed Eddie to figuratively and literally cook. “That’s certainly unique. What do you think, Jalapeño?”

“Coco!” The Fire Croc Pokémon approved. Perhaps it had something to do with the fact avocado was also known as the ‘alligator pear’.

When the challenger sought confirmation, the woman nodded. “Yep, one more to go. Make it count!” Given his performance thus far, she was certain he would.

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉

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Even if Andrea didn't seem entirely on board with the avocado inclusion, Jalapeño certainly did, and as far as Eddie was concerned, that was a win in his book. [break][break]

Or at least it would be once they added their final ingredient. Eddie was (mostly) convinced that he had this in the bag, but he was also acutely aware that it would be so easy to fumble the ball when he was this close to the end-zone, [break][break]

“Well, alright then! Moment'a truth.” [break][break]

He swept his arms out wide and beamed at his two Pokemon, [break][break]

“What do you guys think we oughta add last?” [break][break]

Man and Pokemon collectively eyed the condiments. Eddie nodded sagely; it wouldn't be a proper sandwich without some kind of sauce, [break][break]

“I'm veto-ing the ketchup, for starters,” he insisted, watching Blanche nose a red bottle with some interest. The dog huffed a sigh but immediately preoccupied herself with inspecting some of the other items for consideration. [break][break]

Stella, meanwhile, began to reach her large trunk over to a jar of something almost offensively green, until Eddie gently reached an arm out to stop her, [break][break]

“I uh, don't know if a green goddess dressin' is the right call, either,” Eddie assured her, even as the Copperajah gave him the mother of all death glares. [break][break]

After a final few moments of consideration, Blanche suddenly barked and reached over to gently take a white bottle from near the center of the table, carefully holding it in her mouth as she presented it to her trainer. Eddie grimaced as he wiped off some of the Growlithe spit before appraising the label, [break][break]

“Mayo, huh?” [break][break]

Stella was about to voice her protest until her trainer gave her a reassuring grin, [break][break]

“This is that good stuff from Johto, though!” he insisted, holding up the bottle for the Steel-type to inspect the red label, “And I promise I ain't gonna go nuts with it. Just enough to keep the sandwich from bein' dryer than the Asado Desert, yanno?” [break][break]

It was enough justification to get the elephant to finally relent, so with a practiced hand, Eddie applied the condiment and closed the sandwich with a triumphant look of pride. With a flourish, he presented it to Andrea, [break][break]

“And there ya have it! Eddie and co's BLAT sando!” [break][break]

After a beat and a confused tilt of Blanche's head, Eddie clarified, [break][break]

“BLAT stands for 'bacon, lettuce, avocado, and tomato', just so yanno.”

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[attr="class","bottom"]action: blanche and stella help pick the final ingredient! [break]
Andrea Vaneau
[break]

“Mayo? Oh dear…” To an astute observer and sandwich connoisseur like Andrea, the misalignment of that condiment was clear as day. He should’ve gone with the ketchup.

No take-backsies. Eduardo Hisakawa would have to live with the consequences of his decision. It was time for a sandwich review.

“Let’s see… The veggies and avocado beautifully complement the bacon--a marriage of nutrition and pleasure. The name BLAT gets bonus points for creativity. However, the ingredients are unevenly portioned, which interferes with the theme of duality. Overall, I’ll give this a modest rating of 61 out of 100.”

After the verdict had been passed, the costumed Gym Leader set three plates onto the table, along with napkins and a kitchen knife. “Now comes the final stage of the challenge. You and your Pokémon made this sandwich together, so you should eat it together.”

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉

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Eddie acknowledged the feedback with a nod, mentally taking notes for future sandwich compositions (he just knew that he had probably gone too heavy-handed with the avocado). But now came the part that Eddie was most excited for; the taste test! [break][break]

“Oh hell yeah!” he beamed as he took the plates and began to divvy up the sandwich into smaller portions. [break][break]

Blanche's came first, because she, a little like her trainer, was prone to food aggression. Eddie carefully set her plate on the ground and the Growlithe descended up on it like she was dying of starvation. The next plate went to Stella, and the Copperajah managed to pick up her portion of sandwich with a surprisingly delicate touch. She chewed thoughtfully and slowly, and Eddie was almost positive that she was probably trying to figure out how mad she should be about the bacon inclusion. [break][break]

And finally, it was time for Eddie to chow down! He excitedly took his own bite out of the sandwich, and immediately decided that this whole venture had been worth it. Uneven ingredients or no, the fresh veggies, creamy avocado, crunchy bacon, and savory mayo was a winning combination, even more so on that perfectly toasted bread. He was practically on cloud nine, almost entirely forgetting that this was part of the gym challenge, until a thought suddenly occurred to him. [break][break]

Taking one painful moment of separation from his sandwich, Eddie offered two final portions to the gym leader and her son, [break][break]

“You guys wanna try some too?”

[attr="class","bottom"]Andrea Vaneau
[break]

“For us?” Andrea and Jalapeño tilted their heads in joint confusion. Like the bond between a Kangaskhan and its baby, the two of them were in perfect sync even when the woman’s Sygna Suit was inactive.

The crocodilian cosplayer gladly took the remaining pieces of the sandwich, handing one to her Fuecoco. Taking a bite, she moaned. “Mmmm, yummy~ What do you think, Jalapeño?”

“Coco!” The Fire Croc Pokémon crooned happily.

“Oh, by the way, you pass. Here’s your Monster Badge.” The Minor Gym Leader presented the challenger with a handcrafted badge shaped like a nondescript creature’s head.

Unlike the polished, metallic badges of the major league, hers was made out of cardboard, crayons and a dream, but she treasured it nonetheless, and hopefully Eddie would treasure it too.

“The point of the challenge was never to make the perfect sandwich.” Andrea explained. “It was to test your bond with your Pokémon. Your Growlithe and Copperajah are very lucky to have you as a trainer! Congratulations!”

Eduardo Hisakawa

☉