Monday, June 19th, 1978, 1500

Route 11

I worked through a variety of upper-body stretches, testing my mobility to see how far I could push before the still-knitting flesh on my abdomen felt like it would rip. Today was the best yet; I could nearly stretch my arms completely overhead before the familiar stinging pain set in.

Relenting, I relaxed my tortured frame, settling into a comfortable position as we hiked. I couldn't help but nod in satisfaction; my mobility was nearly wholly restored less than two weeks after the initial injury.

Although, I'm afraid I will end up looking like Koga. People are going to think I actively look for trouble.

I glanced behind me, checking on Ellie and Dani. Ellie was staring around us with wide eyes.

Not that I can blame her; this is quite the sight. If this is what we missed by trekking through the woods, I'll count myself fortunate.

We were on the final approach to Vermilion City after painstakingly working our way through the rest of Route 13. The grassy plain spread before us was teeming with trainers, nearly as far as the eye could see. They milled about like pods of minnows, bouncing from spot to spot to find the next best meal. Only, in this case, the meals were battles.

Cracking rocks and whooshing flames rang out from at least five nearby matches in crudely chalked-out arenas. Groans of defeat and cheers of triumph abounded from the crowd of excited young trainers.

Ellie caught my eye, giving me an encouraging smile and a thumbs up. Her eyes asked an unspoken question: Are you alright?

I waved her concern away with a friendly eye roll, and she gave a cheerful nod before looking intently forward again, eyes darting amok at the trainers around us.

Since the run-in with Adrien, she had been caretaking me like crazy. Mare, can I get you something? Mare, don't worry about making dinner. Mare, don't push yourself. Mare, let me make the green tea.

Not that I could blame her; I knew she felt bad for sleeping through the worst of it. Although Anabelle and Ellie managed to piece me back together through a combination of teenage sewing skills and healing energy, I struggled to keep the wound closed after departing The Golden Dream.

She had fretted to no end about how it was somehow her fault, even though Dani and I had reassured her over and over again that there was nothing she could have done.

Well-intentioned, overly responsible child of divorced parents, much? It saddened me to think about Ellie running to and fro, trying to fix her parent's broken relationship. I'm glad she's away from that kind of thing now.

A twinge of pain flared atop my stomach as I took a step down a slight drop. It seemed like everything was too much for my tender flesh to bear. A deep breath. Too sharp a movement. Any bracing at all, and the wound neatly tore itself open. The frost damage from the attack made the flesh surrounding the wound brittle and prone to easily cracking. All my dark tunics now sported a slightly darker spot that was impossible to miss.

Fortunately, we found a solution while passing through Route 12 on our way to Vermilion. It wasn't a full-on town, per se, but the ostensibly titled 'Fisherman's Village' exceeded all expectations. The friendly folks there had taken one look at our bedraggled, blood-stained, and burnt group before offering us their finest hospitality with looks of pity on their faces. After two nights there, we departed in vastly better condition despite the lack of modern medical technology.

Pokemon centers were great, but I was confident the squadrons of pink-haired nurses I had heard about in central Kanto had nothing on the decidedly unsanitary medical care I received in the village.

Their solution to my wound was to send us off with jars of what they simply called 'fish goop.' The oily substance was made by skinning off the finest fatty lining from Magikarp or Goldeen after they were caught. The mass of ground-up adipose tissue was then mashed together, filtered, and blended with herbs I didn't know the first thing about.

It worked wonders. Due to the frost damage, I doubted the wound would've closed on its own. The only problem? It smelled like fish guts left out in the hot sun for a week too long. However, rather than the scent airing out, it was contained in a small vessel to fully concentrate its potent pungency.

Hence, rather than wading through the crowd of teenagers, dodging elbows, knees, and the scent of unwashed bodies, we enjoyed a wide berth as no one wanted to be within twenty meters. We certainly received more than our fair share of curious looks.

I'm unsure if fish guts are better than body odor, though.

"Mare, do you seriously have to keep using that stuff? No one will challenge us as long as you smell like that," Dani complained from behind me. She had thrown herself all in training the last week, and I knew she was excited to get back into the swing of the regular circuit training she was used to from the previous year.

I shrugged. "It's not like I have much choice here. I'm already out of shirts and don't want to risk bleeding all over the place until I'm sure it's completely healed. I assure you, I'm not any happier about the smell."

Looking back at her with my best unimpressed expression, I added, "Besides, don't you want to get Geralt and Scyther fixed up officially in one of the Vermillion centers before you run into a fight? Just look at it this way: I'm helping you."

Rolling her eyes, she said, "Tauros shit, Mare. You know as well as I do that this is a perfect opportunity to get into some matches. Route 13 is one of the most popular training spots in all of Kanto! It's been weeks of practicing with just each other. I know Larvitar is raring to take down some local trainers."

The pokemon in question looked away, abashed at being called out so directly. In the last ten days, Larvitar had put on at least another twenty kilos and had gained several centimeters in height. I felt guilty; I still had yet to name him and knew it made him feel like less of a team member. Nothing seemed to fit. All the names I thought of were either ridiculous or seemed far too dramatic.

I may have lucked out that Eon and Nana's names were chosen for them. I wonder if the whole reason Kiriel implemented that system was because we Seiichi aren't very creative?

I was proud of him but nervous about how he would be received now that we were in a significant population center and not in the middle of nowhere. His species was rare enough that it wasn't widely known, but anyone who did recognize it would be in for a shock.

And that wasn't all; our host in the village, Priscilla, had told us that Kiriel had explicitly mentioned we were traveling through the peninsula on national television. She refused to tell me what Kiriel had said, but the look of pity on her grandmotherly features had said enough.

Kiriel probably said something disparaging about me on TV. At this point, nothing would surprise me.

A frown made itself known as my thoughts spiraled negatively toward the onslaught of unavoidable attention awaiting me in Vermilion. I knew Kiriel was proud, but I was still surprised at how much she seemed to have mishandled the political situation from what I had heard so far.

Dani chuckled, correctly interpreting my reaction. She had grown skilled in understanding the various scowls and sighs that made up my usual vernacular. "See? I know you're wary, but you'll be center stage soon enough. You heard what Priscilla said about Kiriel being on TV and all. You probably won't have much peace for a bit once we arrive in the city proper. Take advantage of it while you can."

I sighed. "As if I needed reminding. But still, you're probably right. Think I need to go wash this disgusting gunk off, or do you think someone will accept a match as is?"

Dani was the only other person I knew who respected my decision to call Kiriel by name rather than 'mom,' and I appreciated it far more than words could convey.

Sniffing the air thoughtfully, she crinkled her nose. "That's rank, Mare. I can't smell it if I don't pay attention, but the space around us speaks for itself. How about we just use you to clear a space for me to have a match with Chausette?"

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"Ha-ha. Very funny. With that thing around, you probably don't need me to scare anybody away! I doubt anyone here even knows what species it is," I remarked.

I looked at the creature consideringly. Chausette the Shuppet was the 'staff' that Ona had sent with us. It had taken a liking to Dani after following her around the garden the first night, feeding off her apparently delicious emotions.

The species wasn't native to Kanto, but Hoenn was close enough that it wasn't beyond reason to see a rare species like Shuppet. Pure ghost-types were known to occasionally travel thousands of kilometers as they floated capriciously wherever the winds might take them.

The pokémon's large purple-blue eyes stared back at me, giving away nothing. I had yet to hear it make a single noise, but it could communicate via what I could only describe as raw empathic impulses.

If it was hungry, a wave of hunger washed over you. If it was mad, your body temperature increased commensurately. If it was sad, it was all I could do to avoid breaking down in tears. Mostly, it just watched and followed Dani around at all times, without exception. She didn't seem to mind, but it gave Ellie and me the creeps.

I was slightly concerned that the pure ghost-type might not know that matches were just that: matches. Dani and I had discussed the issue before, and she was convinced it wouldn't be a problem, assuring me she could control it.

However, this was also coming from the woman who had looked on impassively as her pokemon executed two civilians in cold blood, so I was justifiably cautious.

Not to mention, she didn't bat an eye as her starter was killed right in front of her.

We had yet to really talk about what happened. Dani hadn't said anything, and I wasn't sure how to broach the conversation or if I even needed to. It was odd; if anything, she seemed happier now than before.

It was as if she found something that made her sure of herself. Either way, she had proven imminently reliable in any situation.

However, I only seemed to be getting more tongue-tied around her as she grew in confidence. At least I'm not blushing all the time now. And she might like me back. It's a remote possibility, at least.

"It'll be fine, Mare. Just give her a chance. I promise I won't let you down," Dani pleaded, her grey eyes melting any remaining resistance.

Not fair. Also, her?

As far as I could tell, Chausette was completely genderless. She didn't have any form of external genitalia, so I wasn't sure how Dani could tell.

Some type of telepathy, perhaps?

"Fine," I relented. "But you need to take Ellie with you. She needs experience more than anyone here. And three matches each, tops. I'd like to get into Vermilion and find lodgings. I need new clothes as soon as possible."

Ellie groaned as she heard my comment. "Seriously, Mare? Can't I just wait until tomorrow, at least? Pretty-pretty, please, with a pineapple on top?"

I shook my head. "Nope. You've been avoiding this for too long, and it's getting ridiculous. Willow and Petal are more than ready for some normal matches. It'll be good for them; I think Petal is also decently close to evolving. And maybe River can finally develop some confidence if you find some beginning trainers."

"Ugh. Fine," Ellie pouted. She waltzed back towards Dani, giving her a boisterous clap on the shoulder. "Let's do this!"

"Huzzah," cheered Dani weakly with a wry smile.

Looks like they still feel weird around each other. That's unfortunate. I need to move things along.

"On second thought, how about I make my way into Vermilion to arrange our lodgings? I'll wait at the nearest pokemon center for you two. It'll be a fun time," I suggested. "There's a spot we always stayed when passing through Vermilion that will have a few rooms for us. There's a nice bath and restaurant, as well."

Dani nodded immediately, her eyes lighting up. "Thank Arceus. I doubt anything less than a full bath would be enough to rid you of that rotten scent! I'll take good care of Ellie. See you in a few hours?"

"Sounds like a plan to me!" I confirmed.

"But like, Mare, that's so unfair! I want to take a bath, too," groaned Ellie. "And I want, like, ice cream. Is there an ice cream spot in Vermillion?"

"There has to be, although I've never personally been to an ice cream parlor here. How about this? You participate in a few battles today, and I'll treat you to ice cream this evening. Deal?"

Ellie stuck her hand in my face with a determined expression. "You promise? Even if I lose, you'll still take us out?"

"I promise, even if you lose. Cross my heart and hope to die." I grimaced as the words came out, realizing the timing was still too soon when I saw Ellie blanch. "I'm going to be fine; sorry I said that. Eon and Nana will make sure I'm safe."

“Tar! Larvitar,” Larvitar interjected. I looked down at him; his cheeks were puffed out cutely, and he held his arms over his head in apparent outrage. Eon chortled from her position ahead of us.

My starter had taken to her new form with gusto. Her matte fur seemed to hungrily consume the rays of light beaming down on us from overhead, and she flitted in and out of visibility like a shadow playing tricks on you.

Although she looked like she might be soft, her weight had increased by a factor of twenty, putting her several times heavier than Nana, even though they were close to the same size. Her coat was now simultaneously harder than rock yet still springy enough to better absorb force.

Now, she actually has the power to back up her will. I don't see any losses in her future.

Ellie laughed, quickly moving past the careless remark. "He's upset you don't trust him to protect you! He did save your life, after all. From what Dani told me, you'd probably be dead if he didn't take that dude out."

That's a good point. He pulled through when it really mattered.

I coughed. "I misspoke. My apologies. Eon, Nana, and Larvitar will make sure I'm safe."

Below me, Larvitar crossed his arms, and a smug expression blossomed on his cute little face. "Tar. Larvitar," he said proudly.

"Ready to go see your first real city?" I asked.

"Larviii," he trilled, excited, even though I knew he didn't know what the word meant.

"Anyway," I said, turning back to the girls. "I'm out of here. See you guys in a few hours! Are you sure you don't want me to leave Nana with you just in case?"

"We're fine, Mare. I know you still have this whole idea in your head that you need to protect me, but if you recall, I was protecting you when it mattered," Dani pointed out. "You need to relax a bit. This is just normal trainer stuff now. I'm in my element and know how to do this thing better than you."

I held my hands up defensively. "Sorry! Sorry. You're right; I still feel on edge. I do trust you. More than you know. My bad, Dani."

She smiled understandably. We had come a long way from when she had verbally dressed me down for my unintentionally patronizing attitude during our beach 'date' almost three weeks ago.

"It's okay. Just trust me. I'll find a few matches and ensure we get some good trainers for Ellie to gain more experience. She's probably just traumatized because she has never had a match against another completely brand-new trainer. Anyone would be scared in her position."

Ellie nodded tentatively. "Yeah… the only match I've really ever had was against Mare the first night, and then spars against you two. You guys are nice and all, but it's hard not to feel like a pathetic loser when I'm so far behind. You really think you can find me some people I can beat?"

"For sure. Once Mare leaves, let's just walk around and look for a good trainer to challenge. There should definitely be plenty of new trainers. Realistically, most people only get three or four badges on their first journey. It's only a few weeks into the season, so I'm sure we can find some people without any badges at all," explained Dani patiently. "It's going to be great, Ellie. Nothing to fret over."

It was weird to think of Dani as someone's big sister most of the time since all I had was Sula as a reference, but she seemed to do better when she was in a position of responsibility.

"Okay! Let's go do this! I'm feeling fired up now! Ice-cream awaits!" cheered Ellie as she stomped on ahead of us. Eon gave her a fond shoulder check as she passed by.

"See you in a bit, Mare," said Dani with a shy smile, holding her hand in a wave goodbye. "Make sure you get us a nice place, yes?"

Her hair was done in a thick braid, hanging over her shoulder heavily. After the incident, she acquired a few scars on her face from the shattered glass exploding when Larvitar killed the guard. A distinctive silvery-pink blemish on her cheekbone gave her a rugged look I found irresistible. It was like the most beautiful of beauty marks that were so popular for models or actors.

I felt the smile I usually wore around Dani falter as I took in the state of her hand. In her hurry to reach the garden in time, she had apparently put both of her hands on super-heated embers from Geralt's Flame Blitz.

The damage was… extensive, to say the least. Gone was the previously well-calloused flesh; the skin on the upper part of her palm and most of her fingers had slaked off, leaving her with masses of dark, reddish-black tissue devoid almost entirely of sensation.

She had borne the injury remarkably well, not even flinching when Priscilla debrided the dead flesh, even as Ellie and I struggled to keep our unruly stomachs in line. They weren't anywhere close to fully healed, so we were primarily focused on avoiding infection, the primary risk with wounds like these.

Once again displaying her perceptiveness, Dani frowned at my reaction, directing an intimidating glare in my direction. "Moping isn't going to make them any better, you know? It's over and done. They might not work as well as they used to, but losing most of the sensation isn't the end of the world. Hell, if I get blisters, I won't even need to worry about it! There are plenty of perks."

Her voice softened, and she continued in a gentler tone, "I don't regret what I did. Not even a little bit, so neither should you."

"I don't. I'm beyond grateful. I just wish it didn't have to be such a permanent injury. I'll be fine in a few weeks and probably won't notice the scars in a few months. Your hands, though? That's for life," I said somberly.

Dani shrugged. "Yeah, well, if it was my hands for a life, then that's a good deal. Or do you disagree? Is your life not worth a little nerve damage? It's not like I can't use my hands at all," she said while slowly clenching and unclenching her blackened hand as if to show me I was overreacting.

It was not persuasive; even if she could move her hands, the audible crackling of the tortured skin just made the injury seem worse.

I smiled awkwardly. "No. Not at all. I'd do the same thing for you in a heartbeat. Let's hope it never comes to that. See you in a bit! I hope you and Ellie have a good time training! Please, please, don't let Chausette kill anything. This journey has already been stressful enough. Let's have some normalcy for at least a few weeks."

"You say that like it's my fault! You're the magnet for trouble here, and don't pretend otherwise! Now stop stalling, and let us do our thing. Ellie and I are going to have a great time! Enjoy some solitude, for once. I know you're sick of her babying you even if you don't say anything," Dani said.

"Fine, fine. I'm out. See you in Vermillion," I replied as I took off toward civilization, this time for real.

And Kuon. Hopefully, he's better in person than last I saw him. I do NOT look like my sister, and he'll need to acknowledge that, or I'll take my business elsewhere, clan traditions be damned.