Hair tucked under a baseball cap, torso adorned with a simple blue hoodie, and legs sporting green shorts, Tanya felt confident in her appearance as your everyday beginner trainer.

The pack on her back lent itself to that, as most aspiring newcomers sported one.

She was even still wearing her boots, confident that the lack of treads would now prevent her from being linked to any of her previous activities. It would be far from damming evidence against her, but with the police specifically taking note of it, she'd be a fool not to take some precautions.

There was one small hitch in her disguise.

"Stop it," she harshly whispered at her unwanted traveling companion. "You're attracting attention."

In Gabite's defense, it was difficult for the dragon-type Pokemon not to draw some eyes.

In Tanya's defense, if she had her way, the Pokemon would be heading back home to Garchomp.

Confronted with such a ludicrous request, Tanya had naturally tried to talk reason to the dragon.

That was her first mistake.

The words dragon and reason were not often used with each other. At least, not in the sense she would prefer.

Her second mistake was thinking that extracting a promise for Gabite to be on her best behavior was an acceptable compromise.

'Best', as she should have known, was entirely subjective.

The only good thing to come out of it was having a pack mule for the extra bags.

"Bit, gab," the Pokemon responded, her eyes still darting back and forth. "Gab…"

Tanya followed her gaze.

Arriving at the city itself had been, thankfully, a dull affair. They'd taken Flygon up until they were within visual range and then made the rest of the journey on foot.

Bypassing the official entrance had proven trivial; it functioned more as a rest stop than anything. They'd simply kept walking until they hit civilization.

The street they'd found themselves on was wide and straight. It was made of well-maintained brick and had sidewalks on either side. Streetlights were placed evenly, which would provide a degree of security for anyone traveling at that time of day.

Most of the buildings they passed looked to be of mixed-use, with commercial properties on the ground floor and residential above. The area they were in now looked to favor eateries, as she'd passed several cafes and bakeries.

As for what Gabite was currently growling at? That would be one of the couples enjoying breakfast at some tables set up outside of a cafe. More specifically, it would be the Swinub resting at their feet.

It was snoring away and clearly unconcerned at their presence.

"Ignore it," Tanya muttered with annoyance, keeping her voice low while looking ahead. "It's not a threat."

That wasn't strictly correct. Every Pokemon could pose a threat. However, through her time in Coumarine, she was beginning to get a sense of how to judge them. Size remained unimportant, but evolution lines were telling. While a first stage evolution could pose problems, she was confident in her personal ability to deal with most of them if it came down to it.

"Bite, ga," Gabite relented while offering her thoughts.

Tanya was beaten to a response by the Pokemon by her side.

"Ra, alts, ralts," Ralts spoke definitively, raising her voice more than Tanya thought necessary.

Fortunately, the target of her derisive comments hadn't budged.

She looked down at the green-haired Pokemon whose hand she held. Ralts' other hand was holding Mimikyu for now.

Pink eyes strayed up to her, not needing confirmation and yet seeking it all the same.

"That's right," Tanya responded in a more sedate tone. "But be mindful of who can overhear us."

She finished, squeezing the hand for a second as a rebuke to the careless comments.

Ralts squeezed back, a feeling of contentment coming off her.

Tanya didn't push it any further. She wasn't sure if Swinub deserved it, but in general, Ralts was correct.

Pokemon had great potential, and most of them were content to waste it. Personally? At this point, she was grateful for their laziness. She would not want to live in a world where every Pokemon struggled to reach their full strength; that sounded far too dangerous for her taste.

Gabite's head snapped behind them. Tanya once again checked what had attracted the Pokemon's interest, only to see it was a taxi this time.

Taking a wild Pokemon into the city—really, what the hell was she thinking?

"It's a car. Calm down," she ordered, more exasperated than she should be.

Tanya's eyes moved to Ralts. The Pokemon was taking even steps; her eyes held straight forward. It wasn't the first time today she'd noticed that Ralts seemed to be having an off-and-on sidebar with the dragon Pokemon. The feeling was fleeting and difficult to place, but with their hands joined, she noticed the slight shift every time it happened.

What they were discussing was a mystery to her, but whatever it was seemed to mollify the dragon.

With that potential incident averted, Tanya pulled out her phone, double-checking their progress. She gave a silent message of thanks to the designers of this metropolis. As far as city shapes went, you couldn't do much better than a circle.

It was the most efficient use of space, and dividing it up neatly into grids made navigating it child's play.

They approached the 'end' of the street. It was only the end for cars that were forced to turn right. The path for pedestrians could continue through the lush park ahead.

Tanya directed her group left, keeping on the sidewalk. With the corner turned, most of the cafes were left by the wayside, and replaced with a variety of shops.

She made mental notes of what they passed, but none of it was of particular interest. Her nose crinkled as they trodded forward.

"Bite," the Pokemon huffed, exhaling sharply through her nose while shaking her head. "Gab."

The Pokemon clawed at her face, and Tanya rolled her eyes at the overreaction.

"It's garbage. Get over it."

That they only now ran into it spoke well of the trash collection service.

Tanya glanced at the sidewalk ahead of them and reached down, hoisting Ralts up so that she was secured by her left arm. Tiny arms wrapped around her to secure the Pokemon's place.

"Watch your step," she warned without slowing.

Gum, cigarette butts, and puddles of questionable origin were scattered ahead.

Gabite's lips pulled back, but inanimate objects were not so easily threatened.

Ignoring the Pokemon's reluctance, Tanya trudged on. They turned down another street, and she was questioning the validity of these directions when she spotted a signpost overhead.

'Melody's Remedies,' it read.

Good, so it was still here. Their online presence was almost nonexistent, so she couldn't be sure.

She sped up slightly and came to a stop in front of the storefront. Compared to the ones she passed along the way, it was rather imposing. Its wood facade jutted out into the sidewalk, looking like an M with the entrance in the depressed middle. It was painted dark green. Parts of it were flaking, but she noticed several spots where it had been reapplied, indicating some level of maintenance. Through the glass panels, she could see all manner of pots and vases.

What she did not see was customers, which sent her guard up. Tanya glanced around the street, noticing multiple shuttered fronts in the area. Perhaps they were late openers? Maybe they were bars and such.

There were some vans and work trucks that had rolled on by, but none of them had stopped here.

A look at their sidewalks painted a stronger picture, as they were littered with the same trash she'd seen along the way and had overgrown weeds peaking through the cracks.

The only exception to that was the bit she was standing on, having very clearly been pressure-washed recently.

"Don't touch anything," Tanya sent a warning towards Gabite before setting Ralts down. "Let me know if there's any trouble."

With a breath, she pushed the door open, eliciting a small ding.

The smell hit her first, being reminiscent of fresh grass clippings. Her eyes scanned the interior.

Cramped was the first thought that came to mind. It meant it would be difficult to maneuver if needed.

Four long wooden tables stretched the length of the shop. The two on the outskirts were laden with plants of all shapes and sizes, some stretching toward the ceiling and others barely cresting their pot rim. The other tables had boxes and pots placed side by side; she spotted place cards indicating what was held inside.

Looking up, she could see a number of planters hanging above. The more concerning thing was the Butterfree hovering there, watching them with its compact eyes.

There was movement along the leftmost table, and she soon realized one of the 'plants' was a Vileplume. A dangerous oversight.

"Plume?" It questioned with a tilt of its head before yelling toward the back. "Vile, vile!"

Tanya spotted a counter back there, with a door leading further inside. There was the shuffling of feet and a clacking sound. A puff of white hair appeared. She tracked it as it neared, not being able to see the owner due to the tables blocking her line of sight.

"Oh, hello, dearie," an old yet cheery voice sounded.

Soon she laid eyes on who she presumed was the shopkeeper. It was a woman at an advanced age, being barely taller than Tanya on account of her hunched back. Her skin was tan and saggy, sporting several liver spots. She wore a white blouse with a long green skirt that dragged along the wooden floor.

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In her hand was a cane, the source of the clacking.

"And who do we have here?" Tanya didn't get a chance to respond, the woman's pallid blue eyes moving to Ralts. "Well, aren't you just the cutest little thing?"

Ralts bristled, her hold tightening.

'Danger.' Her voice echoed in Tanya's head.

She looked down at the Pokemon, seeing the wary look on her face.

"I could just pinch those little cheeks; oh yes, I could," the woman said in a babying tone.

Her thin fingers reached out in a pinching motion.

'Mama, danger.' Ralts conveyed with a sense of urgency, despite holding her ground.

"Please excuse Ralts," Tanya interjected, taking a step forward. "She is young and easily frightened by new people."

Tanya ignored the indignation coming over. She didn't think the Pokemon would be scared about overly affectionate old people, but that was what the facts pointed to.

"No worries, dearie." She pulled back, resting both hands on the cane. "I must have come on too strong. I couldn't help myself; she looks so precious carrying around that cute doll of hers."

That doll could eviscerate everyone in this room, dragon included.

Said dragon was having a staring contest with Vileplume.

"And look at our big, strong dragon here, escorting these little cuties for your trainer today. I'm sure they would be proud of how well you're protecting them."

What?

Protect her? Tanya was the one babysitting.

She bit back an instant correction. It was an acceptable cover.

"That's right," Tanya lied seamlessly. "Gabite here belongs to an aunt of mine; she's helping me do my shopping today. She's well-behaved." Tanya stressed that last word, trying to remind the Pokemon of her promise. "But she's not great at listening to anyone besides Auntie."

Tanya thought it was a smooth explanation. She'd have to remind herself to tell it to Gabite, who seemed lost in a world where only she and Vileplume existed.

"How nice," the old lady nodded congenially. "Now, what are we looking for today?"

She smoothed her skirt, and to Tanya's relief, took on a more professional demeanor

"Healing tonics, specifically for a Rock Type Pokemon, but I'm interested in more general solutions as well."

Herbal medicine was not her preference, but Gurkinn had shown they were effective.

"Hmm," the woman turned and started walking toward a section of the table on her right. "What type of injuries are we looking at today?"

That was a jump of logic on her part, but she supposed it was a reasonable one.

"Cracks," Tanya stated. "I applied a standard potion, but its effects were lackluster."

The woman tutted, her hand hovering over a box before shaking her head and moving toward another.

"Silly hooey those things are. In my time, everything you needed could be found between these walls." She settled on a box and slid it off the table. "It brings warmth to this old heart that some of you young people still appreciate the original remedies."

Tanya appreciated that they were not regulated. It was a double-edged sword really, as the lack of accreditation meant it might not be a quality product.

But then again, she didn't exactly trust the government to set appropriate standards.

The woman opened the box, and one of the foulest smells she'd ever experienced wafted out.

"This here will fix your friend up. Melody's guarantee," she said with a smile.

In spite of the smell, Tanya leaned forward. The box was small, only a few inches in diameter. Inside was a powder of some sort.

There was a bang behind her, and to her horror, she saw Gabite had backed up into one of the tables, knocking many of its contents on the ground.

"Outside," Tanya yelled, pointing to the door. "Leave the sack and wait outside."

The Pokemon was still waving its snout around when her words registered, and she had the gall to look offended.

"Gab-"

"Don't give me that," Tanya interrupted. "Look at the mess you made." She waved a hand toward the ground, now littered with upturned boxes and cracked porcelain. She saw an argument building and ended it preemptively. "Ralts here didn't budge at the smell."

The Pokemon's head swung between both of them before leaving in a huff.

Tanya looked at the damage; it looked expensive.

A melodic laugh filled the store.

"Vileplume, be a dear and see to that, please," the woman ordered her Pokemon, who hopped down without complaint, beginning to sort through the items on the floor. "Don't trouble yourself over that, deerie. Pottery is cheap, and my herbs are not the fragile specimens you'd find in a florist shop; they can take a beating."

That was generous. Perhaps too much so, she cautiously accepted the out for now.

"Thank you for your understanding," Tanay said before going back to the matter at hand. "Do you mind if I sample a piece?"

She gestured toward the box the woman still held.

"Go right ahead, dearie."

With her permission, Tanya released Carbink.

"Bink?" The Pokemon questioned, turning slowly. "Bin, car, bin."

He sent hellos to all the strangers before turning to her curiously.

Tanya frowned at the cracks and fissures adorning his body; they didn't look right.

She took a finger and carefully scooped some of the powder. drawing a line on one of the shallow scuffs on him.

Nothing changed visually, but that was expected. Medicine wasn't a miracle; it took time to take effect.

Tanya placed a hand on Carbink, pretending she was comforting him. Her aura brushed up against him, and for a moment she felt something more.

It was faint, ethereal. Every time she tried to grab hold of the feeling, it slipped away.

She met Carbink's crystal eyes. Blue beads blinked back at her, and she found herself wondering how much was actually going on behind them.

Just when she was about to pass off the effects of the powder as inconclusive, her breath hitched as she felt a sharp pain in her side. Accustomed to such things, she stopped herself from any further reactions.

Her eyes flicked to Ralts for a moment, whose horn was glowing.

If her guess was right, the Pokemon had just formed a bridge between them, allowing more than just thoughts to pass through.

Tanya focused on the pain that was not hers. For all his failings, Carbink was a tough one. She'd known many others who would buckle under this level of discomfort.

The connection was severed, and Ralts seemed to struggle to remain standing. She held up Mimikyu to Tanya, who took him before returning the Pokemon.

That must have been taxing. However, it did allow her to determine the medicine was aiding the healing process.

"Bedtime already?" The woman asked with a knowing tone. "The little one stayed up late? Didn't she?"

Strange. Tanya expected her subtle use of aura to go undetected, but Ralts had clearly done something there.

It dawned on her a moment later. The woman had called Mimikyu cute. She must have rather poor eyesight.

"Yes, she's rather adamant about staying up with me," Tanya acknowledged, sprinkling some truth.

Her eyes went to the box again, noticing the lack of prices. A premium was expected, given the handcrafted nature of them. That being said, she hoped to not be completely drained here.

"Something wrong, dearie?" She asked in a kindly tone.

Gabite, despite being a clumsy oaf, did present a ready explanation for what came next.

"Are you open to bartering?"

Strictly speaking, a direct exchange of goods without currency being involved tended to be disadvantageous. More often than not, it led to inefficiencies and hampered the transfer of goods, stalling economic progress.

However, current circumstances dictated she attempt to participate in this practice. It was a temporary thing. One day she'd be able to do her dealings legally and in the open.

"Open? Why I dare say it is my preferred way of doing business." That did further to explain why the shop was doing so poorly. Had she been successful, she would have relocated to a more prosperous local. "What do you have in mind? Did you discover some rare herbs in your travels?"

Tanya paced over to the burlap sack she had Gabite leave behind. She angled the lip of it to hide the majority of its contents and took a handful of the scales. She returned and displayed them to the woman.

They weren't the true Dragon Scales, those she'd take more care into peddling.

"I'm told these can be used in the production of medicine."

The woman set the box back on the counter and put her open palm out.

"May I?" Tanya obliged, depositing them by tilting her hand over the woman's. "I should have known with that Gabite here. Still, quite a find, quite a find."

She muttered the last, her other hand sorting them in her palm.

"Are they acceptable?" Tanya asked after a period of silence.

The woman's eyes flicked up at her, and then to the bag.

Tanya did not like that and held Mimikyu close.

"Their quality has large variations; it's almost as if they each come from a separate Pokemon." Did that mean they were no good? "But if we boil them in a big pot, that will even out the discrepancies."

That made some amount of sense.

"If possible, are you willing to let me observe its processing?"

Asking that was a risk, as it was her understanding that tradespeople liked to guard their secrets. However, one of her goals was self-sufficiency, and she was amenable to paying for it.

"Willing?" The woman tapped her cane against the ground, a beaming and disconcerting smile on her face. "I'd like nothing more than to share my craft. Too many these days rely on what PokeMarts peddle. Why, when I was a young girl, every trainer knew the basic formula for energy powder."

Promising words, yet the withered face turned crestfallen.

"Sadly, I happen to be missing one of the key ingredients for these." Her face perked up, a bit too quickly for Tanya's liking. "But they grow on Route 5, you wouldn't be willing to take a trip down there and pick them for me, would you?"

That sounded artificial, too set up.

By now, multiple alarm bells had been rung in Tanya's head. Something about this woman wasn't right.

The question was if she was worth whatever hassle she brought.

A tentative yes was formed. She could deal with some eccentricities if it meant her objectives were met.

"I might be, although I will need the medicine already discussed prior."

If the woman noticed what Tanya was doing, she didn't give any indication, and she nodded enthusiastically.

"Of course, of course, sweetie. We want your team in full health after all." She pushed the box towards her, along with the scales Tanya had lent her for examination. "Now stay right here, and I'll be right back."

The woman hurried away, far quicker than she had been when first arriving.

Tanya's eyes strayed toward the door. Had she been a criminal, she would have walked out right there, never to return.

"Watch her closely," she whispered to Mimikyu.

Not content to wait idle, she applied the rest of the powder to Carbink, who took it without complaint.

She held out the ball again, seeing his ears sag.

"Rest for now. It's for the best until you're fully healed."

"Bin," his disagreement was noted but discarded, and he was recalled shortly after.

Now alone aside from Mimikyu, Tanya inspected the other Pokemon again. Vileplum was happily cleaning away, humming a tune while doing it. As for Butterfree? She'd almost forgotten about it. Its presence was faint, and it blended into the scenery.

They both seemed well trained.

"Sorry, deary," the woman called, returning with a tome of some kind. "It took some digging."

A part of the table was roughly cleared aside, proving her early assertion on the hardiness of her goods, and the book landed with a thump.

"Let's see here." She opened it with a creak, flipping through yellow pages. "Ah, here we are."

She beckoned Tanya, who kept a respectable distance while peering at the page.

It was a picture of a purple daisy. The text claimed it was a Bugwort.

"You have one of those fancy new phones, right? Take a picture then, sweetie; this tells you all about how to find them."

The nicknames were getting tiresome, but she obliged and snapped a photo of the page.

"Is that all?"

It sounded like a simple enough task, even if she was in no rush to complete it.

"Young people, always in a hurry," the woman shook her head, the gray hair bouncing about. "Yes, that's all I need. This is an older recipe, and so an older ingredient is needed."

Some of that was lost on her, but Tanya was all too willing to leave for now.

"Understood, thank you." She gave the required platitudes and hauled the sack up with one hand, carrying it toward the door. "I'll be going now."

The woman gave her a gentle wave, and Tanya stepped out into the street.

The door shut behind her, and it took a second for her to process.

"Where in the hell is that stupid dragon?" Her grip on the sack tightened. She looked down one end and then the other, confirming Gabite's disappearance. "If she ran away with my loot, I'm going to have Mawile beat her to an inch of her life."

She wasn't a tracker and the only one in her team that could be was tired. Should she take Ralts back out and try her luck?

Mimikyu shifted in her grasp and then leaped out. Without a word, he sped down the street. He was halfway down it when he turned to look at her expectantly.

Come to think of it, the Pokemon had followed them back to the cave. He must have a way of finding her.

Tanya jogged after him. He gave a small leap before turning down a hallway. She sped up, not liking losing sight of him.

Her gear jostled as she ran, making it difficult to maintain her balance.

Turning corner after corner, she finally caught up. She slowed and entered the dingy alley. Mimikyu lay prone on the floor.

There was no dragon.

"Did you lose her?" She asked while picking him up, brushing off the loose gravel that stuck to doll form.

"Mimi, kyu," the Pokemon said in a low voice, earning a look of confusion.

"We passed her? Why didn't you say so then?"

A purple eye peaked out of one of the slits, winking at her.

Tanya decided that could mean nothing good and abruptly turned on her heel, ready to make sure she got as far as possible from here.

"Look what we got here, Lillian." A young man, maybe even a teen, swaggered to the mouth of the alley.

His steps were exaggerated, lifting each leg too high. Hands were in his ripped jeans, and a black leather jacket hung loosely over him. On his head was a ridiculous blue patch of hair. Not quite a mohawk but the intention seemed similar.

"Seems like a snot-nosed brat doesn't know whose territory they're sniffling on."

A woman of a similar age responded. She wore boots with large heels and yellow stockings. Her short shorts were frayed jeans and fastened with a belt. Black gloves adorned her hands, and she had a matching top, only it was smaller than Tanya thought it should be. Her Pokeball was attached to her neck, functioning as some sort of choker.

It was an odd choice, but given her hair was as ridiculous as her companions, it didn't surprise her.

Seriously, that pink hair was a liability. It was divided into four braids, a pair hanging off of each side of her head. It arched as was well, held up by some ridiculous amount of product, no doubt.

The only saving grace was that it wasn't red.

"Ha, damn straight." He pointed towards her and made a shooing motion. "Tell you what, kid, drop the bags and we'll let you out of here in one piece."

Tanya looked at Mimikyu, her eye twitching.

Did he have to pick now to pull this shit?

"You're fixing this," she demanded of the doll, who remained silent. Although she could feel a sense of amusement from him.

"Aww, look at that Faust," Lillian jeered, addressing her partner. "The little baby is asking her doll for help."

"Ha, ha," Faust responded. "I bet she'll start bawling any second now."

"Yeah, just like this."

The woman balled her fists, shaking them in front of her eyes and miming tears for a few seconds before doubling over laughing.

She was soon joined by her compatriot.

Were these idiots serious?