"Laaaaateeeeeeer"

Venam waved her hand energetically as her purple hair blew in the wind atop her crobat Vali's back. Michael and I return her wave as she quickly becomes a dot in the sky.

"So that woman in the glasses was a messenger from the league?"

I turn my question to Michael beside me as we begin walking towards the pokemon center. Enzo flew above us his blade like wings spread wide, a flock of taillow playfully flew all around him with a motherly swellow watching contently nearby. Michael takes a moment to observe the view above our heads before turning his head to glance at me, "yeah gym leaders get called away pretty often which is why you are more likely to meet a gym trainer or the substitute instead of the real thing."

"i see...so what does she have to do anyways?"

Michael didn't answer but just gave me a look that said everything. I raised my hands in a sign of acquiesence and we continued our walk back in silence. When we arrived a few minutes later Enzo did one last loop in the air before giving a loud screech goodbye to the energetic taillow and dropping into a perfect nose dive, pulling to a stop beside me at the last second. He looked at me with his beak held high as if to say "yeah loser I did that."

"Show off," Michael muttered just loud enough to be heard. I being the more eloquent between the two of us simply smiled charmingly at my partner...and proceeded to flip him off, truly masterful social skills whoever my Ma was she taught me well.

Enzo just raised his beak higher as if our actions were beneath his notice. Michael chuckled in his usual fashion as we made our way inside the pokemon center where a cute blonde nurse was waiting for us with a cheery looking chansey smiling at us behind her. The blonde nurse stepped forward still wearing her sweet smile as she opened her mouth.

"Danny it's good to finally see you off your lazy ass!"

...Despite her sweet appearence i'd learned never to underestimate this girls mouth, she could make a sailor blush and I mean that literally, once a sailor who was handing over his water pokemon for some healing got a little to friendly, she cussed to the other side of town before sweetly reminding him to come pick up is pokemon in the morning when her shift was over, I swear I saw his corphish laughing. 

I shook myself from my reverie to smirk at her as we approached closer. The chancey behind her who was already long used to her trainers personality met us halfway and began inspecting my healing shoulder despite there still being my shirt and bandages in the way. A soft glow lit Chanceys fingerless hands as she used healing bell to speed up the wounds healing.

When she was done she patted me on the back in a motherly way and returned to her trainers side. 

"Nice going there girl I think Danny is all healed up now!"

The cheery nurse gave her Chancey a fist bump that was totally at odds with her earlier motherly persona.

"Not that I'm not grateful or anything but why couoldn't you have just healed me the moment I got here, you know aside from the beedril poison?"

The nurse sighed and walked in front of me to pat my head like a confused child I would have been annoyed if she didn't have to stand on her tiptoes to do this giving me a clear view of her...nametag. Apparently this did not escape her notice as she suddenly wrenched my ear painfully to the side until my head was level with hers.

"And where do you think you're looking mister?"

The smile that was not a smile on her face spoke of imminent danger to my wellbeing of I didn't answer to her liking. Putting on my best smile I said to her, "why i'm just admiring the beautiful golden color of your lovely name Ashley."

BANG

The sound of a tray hitting my head resounded throughout the pokemon center taking the notice of several relaxing trainers as I crouched while holding my aching head. Chancey smiled innocently behind me with a dented tray in her hands. 

I glared at Ashley while rubbing my head, annoyed and agrieved I said, "what kind of nurse harms her patients?"

Ashley just smiled innocently with big doe eyes and said, "why I didn't hit you Mary did, your nose looked a little to long so we decided that a good smack to the head would fix that right up, didn't we Mary?"

Mary the chancey nodded with her usual bright smile on her face. Michael was laughing off to the side with Enzo obviously enjoying themselves at my expense.

"But to answer your earlier question it's because the human body's healing process can only be sped up, trying to heal it all at once would only make it worse."

I nodded my head in understanding but really I was just trying to get her to keep talking before she decided one smack to the head wasn't enough. Michael finally finished laughing and walked up to us placing a hand on my shoulder as he did so.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"Well I think it's about time I showed you where you'll be staying, i've got tons of room at my house so you can crash there for now."

Michael and I bid farewell to Ashley and Mary as we began walking down the street towards the small residential area. I've asked Michael before about the layout of the small town we're in but he says he lost his map. Enzo was walking along besides us the scar on his right eye especially obvious with the sun reflecting off it.

Iwas curious about the story behind that especially considering how surprised Michael and Venam were when they saw it but I decided not to pry, besides it's not like he'd be able to tell me about it anyways.

As we walk the midday sun sits high in the sky leaving behind some lingering summer heat. Michael seems interested in a nearby hide and seek game between two floette in a flower garden when he suddenly turns to me as if he just realized something.

"Hey i've been meaning to ask you this but what do you plan on doing for your first job as a mercenary trainer, I mean with a strong flying type like Enzo you could probably fly down to Spinel town in a day and visit the mercenary guild branch in the pokemon center."

I continue watching the two floette play as I ponder how to answer his question. Finally after severzl moments of silence I answer him.

"...I don't really know, right now I guess i'm just trying to adjust to everything you know?"

Michael nodded his head in understanding and we continued our walk in contemplative silence. The truth is I was very interested in going out and seeing the world but...well i'd never admit this but obviously i'm scared I mean I almost died within my first day. I realize that pokemon aren't all as bad as my first encounters but I also realize that they aren't quite as gentle and caring as my old world made them out to be and I never wanted to feel the pain of a beedrill stabbing me ever again.

Still I couldn't stay here forever I needed to ge out and se the world if at least to get some experience under my belt. My musings were suddenly cut short by the suspicious sight of two shady looking muscular guys standing in front of a conspicuously dark alley. I decided to mind my own business however, I had intentions of getting shanked by some grunt in a gang.

Michael seemed to agree and we continued on our way...that is, we were going to but I suddenly noticed that a conspicuous metal bird was not with us. I turned just in time to see the two punks get knocked on their backsides as Enzo rushed past them.

"Enzo!"

I sprinted after my partner Michael hot on my heels, we rushed past the still dazed punks and sprinted into the alley in time to witness a disturbing scene Enzo was standing menacingly in front of two intimidating looking people but that's not what caught my eye, what drew my attention was the badly bruised form of a shiny treeko huddled in the corner a menacing rhyhorn towering over it.

Both men then noticed our arrival and I finally took a moment to study them, one was short and skinny with torn black clothes and way to many piercings in his face two rattata sat on each of his shoulders hissing menacingly at us. The other one was the exact opposite with neat and simple blue jeans and white t-shirt over a muscular frame a plain face with menacing green eyes stared me straight in the eyes. The first to break the silence was the muscular man.

"Well it seems those two dipshits really are good for nothing but whatever it's fine I guess, now then friends as you can see we have a very rare pokemon here and i'd rather not let things turn ugly so if you could just turn back the way you came and-"

Enzo cut him off with a swing of his blade like wings, the man stepped back fearfully, losing his composure for a moment. The rhyhorn didn't seem to appreciate that as it ran in between its trainer and Enzo growling low in its throat menacingly. The skinny one suddenly stepped forward indignation written across his face.

"How dare you the boss was just being polite and you so rudely attack him like that!" The incensed lackey went on a rant but I wasn't listening I was staring intently at the shiny treeko but I wasn't seeing it, I was seeing another image one of a little girl covered in bruises backed up against a tree three older boys grinning menacingly as the heavy rain drenches them.

The girls brathing is ragged and her left eye is swollen shut but the defiance never leaves her eyes for a moment her fists are still raised ready to take on all three of her opponents despite being outmatched. The memory and reality begin to distort until I can't seperate one from the other.

I step forward a heaviness in my step that wasn't there before. As I draw closer the no name lackey finally notices me and begins spewing abuse at me.

"And where do you think you're going oal, what you think just 'cause all I got are two rattatas I can't take you 'c ause if you do then-"

He never got to finishes as I walk within arms reach, suddenly I raise my fist, all I can see are those three menacing smiles and the girl with her fists still raised. My fist descends in a perfect right hook landing squarely on the lackeys jaw. A loud crack resounds throughout the alleyway as the lackey goes flying throwing his two rattata off his shoulders and landing in a heap in front of the surprised gang leader.

I ignore all of them and just keep on walking forward closing the distance between me and the half conscious treeko. Suddenly the rhyhorn blocks my path with heavy footsteps a menacing growl in its throat. For the first time I stop, a look of arrogance flashes in the rhyhorns eyes. Suddenly I move my eyes away from the treeko and for the first time look the rhyhorn in the eyes. 

The large pokemons eyes widen for reasons unknown to it as a chill descends on its body like a thousand icy cold hands. I take in a breath as my heartbeat fills my ears after a moment I break the silence with a single word.

"MOVE"

That one word seems to fill the entire alley way echoing against the walls like a dark premonition, all defiance flees the rhyhorn as fear fills its eyes, without even glancing at its trainer the rhyhorn bolts in the other direction instinct driving it to run far far way, the man calls out to his fleeing pokemon demanding it to return. I ignore all of this and simply keep moving forward until finally I stand before the hurt treeko, but in my eyes I see two overlapping images, one of a defiant young girl glaring with anger the other of a badly hurt treeko only half conscious but that gleam of defiance still bright in its eyes.

Slowly I bend down until I am able to touch it, but I don't instead I smile calmly my hands at my sides.

"You're okay now you can rest, you've definitely earned it."

The little treeko raises its head to look me squarely in the eye before finally letting its head drrop succumbing to the embrace of unconciousness