The road’s well-trodden gray gravel let out a satisfying crunch underneath Maeve Kaede’s sneaker as she skipped along the path, whistling a merry tune. Two pokeballs were in her brown knapsack, which was slung over her back. One of the pokeballs was empty, while the other one was home to her Froakie.

Said Froakie was currently perched on Maeve’s shoulder, gazing out into the forest with wide, alert golden eyes. Unlike a normal Froakie’s playful nature, Blue was uncharacteristically serious. Blue could probably also beat a grandmaster at chess with his deep, calculating gaze.

Maeve grabbed Blue off her shoulder and cupped him in both her hands before hugging him to her chest. She couldn’t stop herself from emitting a squeal of delight.

A proud girl at the age of twelve, Maeve should really be above things like squealing with delight, but she couldn’t help it. Yesterday had been her birthday, which meant Maeve was finally old enough to be eligible for the Sinnoh Gym Circuit! Sure, it was halfway through the year already, but it was better to start late than never at all. And since the initial rush of glory-hungry Pokémon trainers had faded already, it meant less waiting in line for Maeve.

Still squished against her chest, Blue huffed and easily pulled himself back to her shoulder with a flex of his muscles. Pokémon and their ridiculous strength.

Maeve didn’t even react as he blew her a Frubble, used to it by now.

Even Maeve’s most ferocious hug couldn’t do anything more than annoy Blue.

Gary, a farmer who tended to his crops a couple streets down from Maeve’s house, gave Maeve a friendly smile as he rode past on his Rapidash, Lady Firestomper the Second, or Stomper for short. Stomper was just as grouchy as her parents, Lady Firestomper the First and Sir Blazingmane the Sixth. The air warmed as Stomper snorted, head held regally in the air, as expected of a Rapidash noble.

Under normal circumstances, a pure-bred Ponyta filly with powerful parents like Stomper never would’ve been sold to a farmer like Gary, but Stomper had such a temper the rich kids with their fragile egos couldn’t stand the fact there was a Pokémon who rejected them.

Stomper was given to the ‘peasants’, and she had lived happily ever since.

The rest of the way through the forest passed without any notable events. Soon, reaching a familiar destination, Maeve stopped.

Carefully sweeping some ferns to the side, Maeve stepped onto an overgrown trail leading deeper into the forest. Blue perked up on her shoulder as Maeve stepped over a twig and strolled through the trail, keeping a watchful eye out for hostile Pokémon. A Fletchinder lived nearby, one that liked to drop rocks on intruders.

The Fletchinder was nowhere to be seen, however, and Maeve stepped into a small meadow with a little blue pond.

Colorful rocks lined the pond’s shore. Maeve had made it a personal tradition to paint a new one every year.

With a cheerful “croak”, Blue pushed off Maeve’s shoulder and dove into the pond.

A second later, the frog Pokémon leaped out of the water, croaking furiously.

Two forms burst out of the water a second later. A large blue Squirtle and a hissing black Salandit with orange markings.

The Squirtle fled, bleeding from a cut on its belly, and the Salandit turned to face Maeve and Blue. The lizard’s tail lashed against the ground threateningly.

Blue let out a protective croak, muscles tensing.

The Salandit let out a hiss, releasing a dark mist into the air. Poison gas.

Maeve scrambled backwards, away from the gas, as Blue dove into the mist, eyes glinting. A spray of water jetted out of the mist, connecting with Salandit with a screech. The dark gray lizard was thrown against a tree’s bark with a yelp. In moments, Blue was upon the lizard Pokémon, a faint white aura glowing with Pound.

The Salandit crumpled to the ground, unconscious. The exhaustion of two battles in a row had taken its toll on the lizard Pokémon.

There was the gentle buzz of wings as a Combee approached, probably scouting for its hive. Maeve glanced at the Salandit, unsure. Unconscious Pokémon in a forest spelled near-certain death, especially for weak ones such as the Salandit.

Maeve couldn’t let that happen.

Grabbing her empty pokeball, Maeve tossed it towards the Salandit. The pokeball opened, capturing the Salandit in a burst of white light.

Hurrying forward, Maeve scooped the Salandit’s pokeball up. Blue leaped onto her shoulder, still energized even after the fight, and let out an inquisitive warble, blowing Maeve some Frubbles.

“I couldn’t let Salandit get thrown to the dangers of the forest, Blue,” Maeve explained. “Salandit’s too cute for that.”

Blue huffed, and Maeve had a feeling he was rolling his eyes at her.

“Roll your eyes all you want,” Maeve hmphed. Then she added brightly, “At least you have a Pokémon friend!”

Blue made an exasperated noise. Maeve could practically hear him say, I wouldn’t call the lizard a friend.

“What do you mean, not your friend?” Maeve teased, pretending she could hear him speak.

I mean, not my friend. This time, the voice was real, mature but young.

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Maeve choked and tripped in shock. “I’m not hallucinating, and I’m not pretending. B-Blue, what was—”

Maeve’s eyes widened in delight. “You can talk!”

What is she—

“What is she!” Maeve recited. She grabbed Blue off her shoulder. The frog’s eyes were as wide as her own.

How—

“How!” Maeve squealed. “This is amazing!”

Oh, no, the human’s going to— Blue panicked. He let out a loud “CROAK”.

“You can give me advice about all the best things!” Maeve beamed. “I can finally talk in a two-sided conversation! And you can be my translator with Salandit!”

This time, Blue was the one who choked, spewing a stream of wordless bubbles from his mouth. That lizard! I’ve known her for all of five seconds, and she’s cursed more words than you’ve ever said in your entire—

Maeve gasped. “Salandit’s a she?! I have to start thinking of names!”

Blue let out a mournful “CROAK”. I thought you had left your childish behavior behind when you were ten! You’re supposed to be in your moody teenage stage right now!

“Nope,” Maeve grinned. “Sorry to disappoint you.”

If I did not like you, I would despise you.

Maeve smiled brighter. “That makes absolutely no sense.”

Blue sniffed haughtily. You’re the only nonsensical one here.

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Salandit was a female, rare among her kind. The males worshiped her! Their food was hers with a single thought. Then she had snuck onto a large… what did they call it? Ah, yes. A human boat. She had been chased around by a playful Vaporeon before arriving at this… place. Sinnoh.

Salandit had always been particularly prideful, quickly establishing her own little place in the forest she had wandered into. Then she’d caught the scent of a Squirtle intruding on her territory. Hers!

Unacceptable.

Naturally, Salandit had chased the turtle out. In the ensuing battle, Salandit and the Squirtle had traveled a long distance away from her den. They had eventually battled it out into a small pond. And Arceus, she had not thought that an unusually strong Froakie would dive in.

Thus, Salandit had not thought she would be in her current predicament. Trapped in the uncomfortably small space of a human pokeball, listening to the conversation between the human girl and the frog.

On one claw, the human girl’s bright optimism was a pain to Salandit’s ears. On the other, however, it caused her to grow just the slightest bit…

Attached.

Her Froakie, this Blue, however, was far too smart for a mere Froakie. A Froakie of all things! Froakies were supposed to be playful. They were not supposed to have the calm, calculating nature this Blue possessed. Salandit would never have been bested by a regular Froakie.

Though… perhaps it was because the frog was owned by a human. Salandit had spied on a human ‘trainer’ for a few days at one point in her life. The human’s Pokémon utilized strange techniques to fight, easily besting any wild Pokémon in their way. To Salandit’s mind, it seemed strange that such a squishy creature could have such an effect on Pokémon, but now she started to do something she rarely did.

Salandit put aside her pride and her instincts, and she started to think.

Eventually, she managed to form a simple theory.

Human+Pokémon=better Pokémon.

Salandit frowned at the simple theory. It looked too… beastly.

She refined it.

Human trains Pokémon. Pokémon becomes better.

Not good enough. To Salandit’s pride, it looked like a hatchling’s attempt at diplomacy.

With a faint growl, Salandit set to work vigorously training her literacy. Up until this point, she had only ever bothered to learn curses from the grumpy Fletchinder that occasionally stopped on a nearby tree. The rest of the forest critters talked about such mundane things it almost bore her to death. How many berries the Buneary had eaten that day, how many Combees the Budew had seen, and so on.

Suddenly, her pokeball opened with a burst of light, and Salandit quickly muffled her surprised yelp as she materialized on the ground.

Maeve beamed as the Salandit appeared on the ground, violet eyes snapping to her instantly. They were in Maeve’s room. Maeve’s father was at work and her mother was taking their family Stoutland, Teddrick, for a walk, so the house was empty. “I’ve thought of a name!”

Rejoice, Blue sighed dryly before giving the Salandit a warning glare. He didn’t say anything, but the frog Pokémon’s intention was clear.

“Would you like to be called Lizzetta, or Lizzie for short?” Maeve asked, crouching down to meet the Salandit’s eyes. The lizard seemed to think for a while before nodding majestically.

“Great! Lizzetta it is!” Maeve cheered.

I worry about your naming sense, Blue grumbled with a low “ribbit”. Maeve stalwartly ignored him. She was amazing at names! Blue for a blue frog, Lizzie for a lizard.

Blue let out another croak, reminding Maeve of why she had let Lizzie out of her pokeball.

“Alright, Lizzie,” Maeve said, turning serious. “So, here’s the question. I’m setting out on my Pokémon journey in a couple of days, and you’re invited. Basically, we go around, battle other Pokémon, win, lose, and try our best. If we win, we might even become the Champion!”

Lizzie was silent, violet eyes closed. Quite honestly, Maeve didn’t know the Salandits, Pokémon famous for their pride, could be so thoughtful. That was fine, though. Maeve loved unusual things.

Lizzetta’s eyes snapped open, violet slits blazing with a determined fire. “Hiss,” the Salandit declared grandly.

That’s a… yes, Blue said, sounding a little surprised.

Lizzie let out a panicked shriek as Maeve scooped her up into a hug.

Hmm… I could get used to not being tormented NOO—

Maeve grabbed him, too, for a group hug.