Monday, June 19th, 1978, 1600

Route 11

This is so awkward. She's fine around Mare but completely clams up when it's just us. I don't even know what to say to get things moving.

Ellie trailed slightly behind Dani as they wandered around the grassy space, looking for an appropriate match. She only had Anabelle and Petal out at the moment. Petal looked around excitedly at the many prospective opponents, whereas Anabelle clung tightly to her hand.

Not that I could return Belle to a pokéball that doesn't exist. I haven't even caught her. Still, who would've known that pokemon get sweaty hands. Yuck.

Ellie resisted the urge to free her hand and wipe the sweat off. She didn't want to hurt Belle's feelings. The healing pokemon was overly sensitive and prone to blubbering at the slightest disruptions, of which breaking their well-established tradition of hand holding definitely qualified.

Willow and River were resting comfortably in their spherical homes at the moment. River had been overwhelmed by the crowd of trainers, even from a distance. Mare had strongly suggested she wait until a more private setting to reveal that she owned a Dratini, Chansey, Bulbasaur, and a Totodile.

When she questioned why that was a big deal, her serious friend's eyes practically bulged out of their sockets! He went on to inform her in his classic lecturing tone—which she hated—that most trainers, especially early on in the circuit, were lucky to have one or two pokemon, and most of them were just local pokemon like Pidgey, Caterpie, or Rattata.

Rarer pokemon were mainly given out by wealthy families to their spoiled offspring or by local gyms to children who demonstrated a particular aptitude for training. She had been warned to expect some strong electric pokemon in this area since that was apparently what Vermilion specialized in.

According to Mare, it was beyond unheard of for a beginning trainer like herself to have four pokemon, and rare ones at that. Especially the Dratini.

She hadn't realized the draconic pokemon was such a big deal, but Mare had made it seem like whipping out a Dratini around this mass of trainers was asking for the wrong kinds of attention. He made her promise not to use Willow unless she absolutely needed to in case of danger.

As her thoughts wandered, she glanced at Dani, who was a few meters ahead, her longer legs carrying her far faster than Ellie could keep up with easily.

Stupid tall girls and their long legs. At least her feet are a nasty mess of callouses. No boy wants that.

The other girl seemed laser-focused on something, but Ellie couldn't tell what she was looking for. Chausette floated behind her like an ominous caricature of a child holding a giant red balloon they were excited about. They had been walking for nearly fifteen minutes without stopping, and Ellie was growing annoyed.

Weak pokemon? A trainer who's on a losing streak? Is she just randomly walking around to fuck with me? I swear, if this girl is searching for a strong trainer for me to lose to, I'm totally going to lose it!

Ellie took a quiet breath to quell the impatience she felt rising in her chest. Her nerves were wearing thin, and it was growing more difficult to maintain the air of benevolent nonchalance she preferred.

For all the false confidence she could muster, the thought of willingly engaging in battle was something she dreaded. Mare and Dani, not to mention Adrien, had created a dark cloud of fear in her mind.

They had already passed several crying trainers who had apparently taken a tough loss, yet Dani seemed uninterested.

Ellie was shocked at the diversity; there were teens their age, kids who somehow looked even younger, and plenty of trainers who looked nearly in their twenties. Their outfits ranged from classic camping gear to fancy kimonos, which appalled her. Who would wear such a lovely garment out in the dirt like this? She was pretty sure she saw a few kids wearing lab coats, of all things.

Fucking wackjobs. People really are crazy for battle, here.

Training in Johto was much different from what she had seen. Everything had a slowness, with respectful intentionality, giving it unmatched elegance, at least in her opinion.

Not like these fanatics who have no regard for how they present to the world.

In contrast, this whole area seemed filled with frantic energy as the new trainers sprinted forward as fast as possible.

I'm glad Mare and Dani are at least subdued. I don't know what I would do if they screamed and cried like this.

Her impatience soon got the better of her, and she skipped forward to land beside Dani, sending up a cloud of reddish dust. Belle's stubby legs barely managed to keep up, and she had to catch the pokemon before she tripped. Belle looked at her accusatorily, but she just shrugged, turning her attention to Dani, who was looking at her with a creased brow.

"Sooooo… care to share what you're looking for? There are, like, tons of kids that seem pretty weak here. Can I just battle one of them? If I have to, of course. We can always just say we did and just head to Vermilion."

Ellie put on her most winning smile. She had many facial expressions for different situations; this one was meant to relax other people and make them like her more. It usually worked wonders on both boys and girls. Especially boys.

It worked like a charm on Mare, so she knew she hadn't lost her touch. On the first day of their journey, she knew he was privately pissed that she got the pokemon he was promised, even if he tried to hide it. He was far too transparent, though.

I still can't believe he started crying like that in front of everyone! I would die.

So, she had used the smile liberally, breaking out the beaming look as often as possible. Sure enough, after just a few minutes of hanging out together, Mare had already softened, even going so far as to go into a long-winded monologue about how he would help her figure things out as a new trainer. He really was such a sweet boy, even if he had a stick up his ass about everything.

Easy stuff, really. It wasn't like Ellie meant anything bad by it, either. It just helped to not have anyone mad at her. She hated it when people were angry at her. It was easy to sense when they were, and it drove her crazy until she inevitably figured out how to make peace with them. It had always worked in the past.

But today, her streak was breaking.

The older trainer frowned, looking more than a little unimpressed with Ellie's best smile. The new scar on Dani's face gave the woman a distinctly rugged look that told anybody who saw her she meant business. The experienced trainer had seemed hard before, but now she felt downright menacing! The nasty burns on her hands didn't help, either.

Ellie's face twitched, the corners of her mouth threatening to droop into a scowl as she took in her companion's nonplussed response.

What do I need to do to make you like me? You're not like an ordinary girl. Nothing works. I even painted your nails! You should be thanking me for somehow turning your disgusting, calloused feet into a thing of beauty!

"I'm looking for a good pokemon to challenge Petal. Mare said she looked like she was close to evolving, and from what I know of Petal, she'll relish a good challenge. She's a grass-type with a bit of poison. I'm trying to find a pokemon that doesn't look too weak or too strong," explained Dani with a look of frustration, surprising Ellie.

Dani looked around appraisingly. "Something like a Mankey or Machop would be perfect, but I haven't spotted anything yet. There was a Primeape back there, but I'm not trying to get any of your pokemon too beat up."

Ellie noticed Dani was tapping her foot restlessly.

Maybe I'm not the only one feeling impatient?

"Oh," she said. "That's really thoughtful! I was beginning to think you were just wandering around without a plan at all. Thanks for being so considerate of me!"

Dani tsked, making a face of distaste as if she couldn't believe Ellie would dare question her motives. "Please. I know better than that. I'd like to get your three matches done so I can find a good challenge for Chausette. This is simply the best solution."

Oh. So my matches are just an inconvenience. Figures.

Ellie kept the fake smile plastered on her face, ignoring her disappointment after mistakenly believing Dani was earnestly thinking of her.

"I'm sorry! I could just go challenge someone and be done with it. After all, there's no pressure to force an evolution right now. We have plenty of time. Isn't that right, Petal?"

Ellie directed a pointed look at her pokemon, hoping for a nod of agreement.

Just nod, please. I don't want to see you get hurt.

Much to her disappointment, Petal gave them a skeptical look, shaking her head back and forth resolutely.

"See? She wants to fight. I told you so," Dani said. "Stay here. I'm going to go have a look around. Belle looks like she's getting tired. I'll be right back." She turned to leave but stopped as if she had forgotten something important.

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Turning to Ellie, she looked at her seriously. "Don't get into trouble. I promised Mare I would look after you while he's gone."

Ellie could only nod woodenly as the other trainer walked away, still processing the interaction.

For anyone else, an ‘I told you so’ was supposed to be delivered smugly, where the speaker used the opportunity to poke fun at the person being 'told so.' It was an unspoken rule that every human, regardless of gender or race, knew.

Hell, even babies probably know it right out of the womb.

However, the other trainer simply issued the statement in the same clinical tone she now used for everything. Ellie hated it.

The tone never changed. Talking about the weather was delivered the same way she informed them of her melted hands.

It was too placid. Controlled. Cold.

Something about her companion had changed after her experience at The Golden Dream, and Ellie was still puzzling over what had gone wrong.

When Ellie first met Dani, she was impressed by the confidence and poise the older trainer displayed. However, as she spent more time with her, she realized Dani harbored far more insecurity than was evident at first glance and that the overt displays actually covered a lack of self-esteem.

She had first noticed it when Dani changed how she spoke. Initially, the woman had said things confidently, conveying a firm belief in whatever she was saying. It paired well with Mare's know-it-all personality and, more importantly, kept him in check.

Ellie knew Mare was knowledgeable, but he constantly toed the line between helpful and patronizing, often slipping over the edge until someone reeled him back, usually Dani. She had appreciated Dani's firm rebukes, and she knew Mare did too, for whatever reason.

Such an odd boy. Probably a fucking masochist with that family of his. I can't blame him, honestly. Teenagers are not supposed to have that many scars. If these two are the norm for trainers, something is seriously wrong with Kanto.

However, it soon began to shift. Gone was the confidence, replaced by a steadily growing sense of inferiority that was immediately obvious to someone as emotionally sensitive as herself.

Statements became questions, and Dani began consistently deferring to Mare's apparent 'wisdom' in things she would've customarily contested or at least forced a discussion until she was satisfied.

That had gone until they had all nearly been killed with the run-in with the city slickers. Now, Dani was more confident than ever. Every statement was filled with a calm sense of certainty, leaving no room for doubt.

It was inspiring. Sort of.

Or it would be if there wasn't such a palpable sense of detachment that set her nerves ill at ease whenever she was alone with Dani.

Ellie couldn't help but feel as if her friend was gone and some robot had stepped in for her. It knew all the correct answers, made all the logical decisions, and didn't cry when things went south. Reliable? Yes. The most reliable. Fun to hang out with? Not even a little bit.

It scared her if she was being honest with herself.

Ellie wanted to gossip about boys, or repaint their nails, or talk about their dreams for the future. She wanted to subtly probe the woman about Mare, to see if she realized just how enamored the boy was of her.

She didn't know how to talk to Dani anymore. Any looks of concern she offered were met with expressions of confusion or outright annoyance. If she asked Dani if she was okay, the trainer would give her some logical reply about how she was 'adequately sustained.'

"You! Battle me!"

Ellie nearly jumped as the high-pitched bitchy sounding voice interrupted her internal musings.

I must have been staring off into space. I probably look like a good target.

Ellie turned towards the voice, already putting on the disarming expression she used for other girls her age. It was a shy smile, telling the viewer she was insecure to lessen the chance they viewed her as a threat.

"Oh, a battle? With me?" Ellie asked, taking in her apparent first opponent; the young woman wore a pair of blue shorts with a white t-shirt. She gave off a solid tom-boy energy with dark hair styled in twintails that bounced as she approached. The girl looked confident.

Ellie couldn't tell if she was actually good or if it was a front like Mare suggested.

Oh! I wonder what I should be like? She wondered, remembering Mare's ridiculous persona when he first battled Dani. Relaxed and graceful, or boisterous and fun?

"Yup. I saw you a while back but wanted to wait until your scary friend left. Has anyone ever told her she has the worst case of resting bitch face I've ever seen?"

Ellie couldn't help but giggle. "No, I don't think they have! Would you like to be the first?"

She leaned in conspiratorially and whispered, "Rumor has it she's killed people. I'd be careful if I were you."

The other girl paled, crossing her arms defensively in front of her as if to ward off evil spirits. "No way. Let's just get this done before she gets back. Let's do a two-on-two. Fifty dollars to the victor. Chansey is one of my favorite pokemon, so I really want to see one in action!"

Ellie paused, realizing the other trainer hadn't given her an option.

Oh, right! I can't refuse. Kanto really is crazy.

Mare had told her about an antiquated rule that prevented trainers from backing down from a battle. Not all cities enforced it, but the Vermilion Gym Leader did within his jurisdiction, which stretched all the way to Route 12. You could be fined a ton of money if you refused a trainer battle.

Shrugging, she knelt down and placed a hand on Petal, who looked up at her in surprise. "Hey, girl. Are you ready to do this? You can always say no. A future of beautiful pokemon contests could still be yours if you want!"

The tiny poison toad rolled her eyes, ambling forward to stand in a ready position before Ellie.

She sighed, resigning herself to the fact that she had at least one pokemon dedicated to battling.

Oh well. Worth a shot.

"Okay! Let's do this. Do you have a spot in mind, or are we just about to duke it out right here? This is my first official battle for money," Ellie confided.

The still unnamed trainer scoffed. "You can't be from here; of course, we're just going to duke it out right here! It's the law. Unless you're in a dedicated arena at one of the local tournaments, the law states that trainers are required to battle within ten meters of their initial meeting. Just imagine a big circle around us, and walk to the edge of it so our pokemon can fight. Nobody will mess with us; it's against the rules to disrupt a trainer match."

"Okay, like, my bad. What's your name, anyway?" asked Ellie as she headed toward the edge of the imaginary circle, still deciding on her battle persona.

"Tassia! And don't forget it. I'll be winning the Vermillion Trainer Challenge next week. This is just a handy warmup. You're not even a local, so this should be easy money."

Easy money, huh?

Ellie hadn't felt motivated to battle, but the flippant remark sparked something in her. Suddenly, Mare's excitement to prove himself made a lot more sense.

Ellie maintained her shy smile and said, "We'll see about that! How do we start?"

Rolling her eyes, Tassia explained, "I'll just pick up a rock and throw it. When it hits the ground, we start. When a pokemon falls unconscious or is too injured to continue, we call it. There's a pokemon center nearby, so as long as you don't kill your opponent's pokemon, anything should be okay. I'll try not to hurt your precious 'Petal' too badly."

Tassia reached down to her belt, pulled out a pokéball, and clicked it. In a flash of light, a small, light purple pokemon emerged. It was covered in nasty-looking spikes and pawed at the ground as it stared down Petal with burning eyes.

"Ran, Nido!" It bellowed in a clear challenge.

Ellie gulped. The pokemon across from them was nearly twice as big as her cute grass-type!

However, Petal seemed undaunted, staring her opponent down without flinching.

"You ready?" grinned Tassia as she held up a pebble, tossing it in her hand up and down gently.

"You betcha! Go get em', Petal!" cried out Ellie, having settled on an enthusiastic and earnest persona. Hating those kinds of people was hard, so it seemed like a safe choice.

With a nod, Tassia threw the rock in a wide arc above the rust-colored makeshift arena.

Time seemed to slow as it fell, the instant stretching out as Ellie settled on her first command.

The rock landed in a puff of dust, and the two trainers sprang into action.

"Petal, use Razor Leaf and try to stay out of its reach; mow it down when it tries to get closer," called out Ellie, just as Tassia issued her own orders, their voices clamoring for dominance in the already crowded air.

She couldn't even hear what her opponent ordered over her voice, so she simply watched with bated breath as the two pokemon broke into motion.

You got this baby.

Seemingly from nowhere, a series of half-moon discs of hardened grass type-energy shot out in a line toward the Nidorino. The slicing pieces let out a whistling sound as they cut through the air.

Undeterred, the spiky pokemon juked to the left, attempting to close ground on Petal in a relatively slow and lumbering gait.

With unerring accuracy, Ellie's pokemon simply altered the trajectory, following the pokemon with an incessant wave of blades.

When it realized it couldn't avoid the attack, the poison-type braced, trying to cover any vital areas. Many of the grass bolts bounced off the multitude of spikes covering it, but several managed to cut through, and blood arced out in a fine mist, spraying Tassia's shirt.

"Saur," called Petal in triumph, but she had to cut off her attack to avoid draining her energy reserves too quickly.

"Use Peck, just run straight at her before she can get off another attack," commanded Tassia, who appeared unperturbed at the garish polka-dots her t-shirt now sported.

Okay, that's badass. I would definitely not be that calm if my favorite shirt got covered in blood.

The wounded pokemon once again began bounding towards Petal, who could not respond in time. She cried out in pain as the Nidorino made contact, ruthlessly jabbing into Petal's bulb with a silver shroud of flying type-energy.

"Don't panic! Wrap your vines around him and use absorb until he faints. I know you're tougher than him. Think of Eon! I know you look up to her!"

With gritted teeth, her pokemon nodded. Dark vines shot up, wrapping around the violet-colored pokemon in a tight embrace. Green energy bulbs began filtering their way from the vines back into the grass-type, whose wounds began to close rapidly even as the Nidorino appeared just a tiny bit worse for wear.

"Use Fury Attack! You're in the perfect position to shred her," ordered Tassia. "Don't stop until she collapses."

The spiky pokemon began to shake, flailing about as much as possible within the grassy bindings. The sharp spines easily tore through the relatively soft grass type-energy, and the battle quickly devolved into a battle of attrition.

Thick gobs of blood began to pool on the sandy ground below. The pokemon shuffled back and forth awkwardly, becoming less stable as time dragged on.

Wait. I can't do anything.

Ten seconds went by.

What am I even supposed to be doing?

Thirty seconds passed, and by now, their movements slowed as they began to lose steam. Heavy breathing was audible, and both pokémon's eyes looked glazed over from exhaustion and pain.

Ellie looked over at Tassia; the trainer stood with her arms crossed, seemingly unconcerned at the carnage.

"Bulba," whined Petal before collapsing in a heap of shredded vines and strips of bloody flesh.

"Nido! Nido!" The victor bellowed before dropping like a puppet with its strings cut.

"Awww, shucks. I was hoping he could tough it out for a little bit longer. Looks like it's time to see your Chansey," said Tassia as she returned her downed pokemon in a flash of red light.

Ignoring her, Ellie bolted forward in horror, pulling her injured starter into her lap. "Are you okay, sweety? You worked so hard and did so, so good."

The unresponsive pokemon didn't respond, as was characteristic of pokemon who were knocked out in battle. Obviously.

Get it together, dummy. Of course, she didn't respond. It's because you just stared as she got ripped to pieces by a fucking poison ball of a pokemon.

Ellie scrambled to pull a potion out of her pack, spraying the entire thing over Petal before reluctantly returning her.

"Chans?" Anabelle asked as she gestured with a flipper-like arm toward herself.

"No," Ellie said with a shake of her head. "It's Willow's turn now. I promised I wouldn't make you battle unless you wanted to."

The pokemon sighed in relief. “Chansey-chans, sey.”

Does she mean she was worried? It's hard to tell sometimes.

Tassia groaned, getting fed up with the wait. "Wait. You're not even going to use your Chansey? What a waste. I should've just picked someone who knew the rules. What else do you have? A Bellsprout? Maybe a cute little Rattata? Let's just get this over with."

Mare be damned. I gotta' put this bitch into her place.

Ellie grabbed Willow's ball, releasing the serpentine pokemon into the center of the arena, eliciting a gasp of what could only be awe from her opponent.

Willow is pretty fucking impressive. Tassia should be gasping in awe!

The dragon had grown significantly in the last week and now stretched nearly two and a half meters from head to tail. She looked over at Tassia curiously, cocking her head as if unsure what to do.

"Okay! I'm ready now," Ellie said with a bright smile, oblivious to the crowd of onlookers who now found their fight much more interesting.