Even though she is dressed beautifully, I couldn't help noticing her flushed, sweaty face, the way her smile didn't reach ear to ear like it did when I splinted her sprained ankle.

"Where are your crutches?" I forced myself to ask it in an innocent fashion instead of being accusatory. Maybe she doesn't like being seen as weak so she would prefer to force herself through the pain.

"Oh? That? It isn't as bad as the medic made it out to be. All it needed was the ointment and a good night's rest."

She sat at the table across from me, the smell of her perfume floating across to me - a subtle scent of coconut and vanilla with a faint bit of musk behind it. It was intoxicating, and I had to fight the urge to lose myself in the scent.

"Right, well, that's good then…" I cleared my throat as I looked away in time to see two Sentrets playing close to the pond. They were tossing colorful balls at each other to entertain a group of kids that gathered around them. The whole atmosphere brought a smile to my face.

"I see that you're enjoying yourself here. I'm glad and honestly relieved," Meredith said as she followed my gaze to the pond.

"Do you like kids?"

"Sort of. Not really something I've thought of. Kind of forced to like them, ya know? Being a trainer and all, you meet a bunch of them who get conscripted to start their journey young."

The Sentrets start using their tails as baseball bats to send the balls flying towards the Poliwags standing on lily pads who capture the balls using Bubble attacks. The bubbles fly up, carrying the balls in them almost like floating targets. That's when it dawns on me; the balls are color-coordinated. Low-powered Flamethrowers, Ice Beams, Thunderbolts, Seed Bombs, and Water Pulses cross the area above the pond in a beautiful display of marksmanship and control, popping all the bubbles and dropping the balls down for the kids to catch.

"Don't you ever wish things were different?" she asked me quietly. I could feel her eyes on me, staring intently, which made me shift uncomfortably.

"What do you mean by different? This is how it's always been ever since they enacted the Harmony Pact between all the regions. Even if we have the promise of peace right now, it's not guaranteed that another war won't happen."

I remember bits of that lesson from trainer school before I ultimately decided to join the Team Rocket organization. The Harmony Pact was more a truce than anything else. All the regions had been at war with each other at some point or another to gain more territory and settle cultural disputes. Kanto with Johto in order to claim the vast plots of agricultural farmland they own. Sinnoh with Hoenn over the same reason, considering that Sinnoh consisted mainly of rough and mountainous regions.

There has always been an unsteady alliance between the great regions until the united fronts of the evil team organizations started to systematically cause issues internally. It had brought everyone close to the brink of a great war for survival and resources. However, the Champions of each region got together and formed the Harmony Pact as a way to get ahead of the problem.

The Pact was more of a cease and desist order from each region's respective League organization, but it did get the job done. It brought balance, commerce, trade, and an industrial boom for the last decade or so.

Still…

I looked at the giggling kids who were now throwing their balls at the Sentrets so they could see the show again and noticed that each one was close to the ripe age of twelve. Each one would be conscripted into the league, given their four years of trainer academia, and either enlisted as some form of League trainer or kicked back out into the real world to get some form of civilian education. Either way, only the truly fortunate and fortuitous were able to get out of the enlistment. I had to have my death faked.

"Even if that is true, children shouldn't be forced into a decision like that against their will. They don't need to learn how to kill a Pokémon, let alone another person.”

I could hear the tremor of passion in her voice even if I made sure to block her face out with my blind side. I could imagine a fiery confidence burning in those gorgeous green eyes of hers.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

The back of my mind kept repeating that step one in winning someone over is talking about a touchy subject and giving an impassioned speech about it. It wouldn't work on me, not anymore.

Although…

I turned to get a good look at her with my right eye. I could see the glint of anger, even her body language reflects the intensity of her dislike for the topic she brought up.

"Why are we discussing this?"

It was such a random topic to broach, but I could see it. The hesitation, the betrayal of her lip quivering as her hands clasped and unclasped. She looks away from me and to the children who were now cheering the Sentrets on as they clashed against each other with their tails like swords.

"My younger sister turns twelve soon. I couldn't help but think about her. She's a sweetheart, takes after my mother who absolutely loves water types. She has a tiny Azurill. I can't imagine those two going through…”

She trails off, tears forming in the corner of her eyes. Sincerely, I wasn't sure if she was faking it or not. If she was, she was a damn good actor. Still, why the show? The act? It wasn't necessary. I wanted to call her out on it, but the persona I fed her wouldn't react in that manner.

"It's alright. I'm sure your sister is going to do fine in the academy. If she's lucky enough, she'll wash out in the first year and be done with it."

She looked into my eye, gave a small smile and nodded. With a sniff and a wipe of her tears, she perked back up.

"I'm sorry about that, I know it's a touchy subject but it's something I can't help thinking or talking about when I see kids. Anyway, I brought you out here because I have a favor to ask of you."

Her hands went back to clenching and unclenching, sweaty. It dawned on me. She's nervous. She's nervous about what she's going to ask me and used her sister's ploy as a sentimental heart-to-heart tug. Oh, she's good. I'm thoroughly impressed.

"Go on…" I told her after she stayed quiet, apparently needing some kind of push. A blush ran across her face, her eyes moving to look anywhere but mine.

"I was hoping that maybe we could travel together? I mean, I know it's super sudden and everything, but…"

Taking a deep breath, she steadies herself and looks me dead in the eye.

"I'll start from the beginning. When I was growing up, my mom would always tell me these stories about how she was a traveling trainer. This was back when Pallet City was still a town, mind you. Anyway, she had been on the outskirts of Pallet Town when some random trainer stole her bike and torched it. Being the wonderful person that she is, she politely asked him to pay her back for it and when she realized that he was broke and a new trainer, she decided to help him out in his journey by joining him."

I continued to stare at her as she told me the story with a straight face. I highly doubt she stayed with the guy out of the kindness of her heart.

"So they travel together and eventually pick up a third, and the three of them have a bunch of amazing adventures from seeing giant animatronic Pokémon to seeing a Crystal Onix and even coming across an island full of pink Pokémon. Anyway! I was really hoping that we could travel together because it feels like Arceus had put us in each other's path, like we are fated to do this together!"

She takes a deep breath after hurriedly finishing the last bit of it. A look of relief on her face, which I'm sure is from getting this off of her chest, but then it immediately changes to one of regret, then embarrassment, and finally, anxiety. I was hard-pressed to believe any of it was an act, but the way her tone shifted so naturally, her body language was jittery but seamless, there was a genuine hint of truth to it and didn't play out as if she had practiced it.

"Why would you want to travel with me? We barely even know each other. Yeah, I may have saved your life but what if I had ulterior motives or worse?”

What is wrong with this girl? She would have to be highly impulsive, which could be potentially disastrous out on the road.

Yet…

I nod at her with a heavy sigh leaving my lips.

"I know I'll come to regret this, but we can give it a try from here until we get to Pewter City."

She immediately jumps up and down excitedly in her chair.

"Oh thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I promise you, you won't regret it! I'll be on my best behavior!"

She gets up and runs over to hug me, which I immediately lift up my hand to stop her.

“Three conditions you must keep. One, you carry your weight in responsibilities when we make camp. Two, no dead weight. Lastly, before we set out, I expect you to have some kind of weapon to defend yourself with.”

Her demeanor changes when I mention the weapon portion as her arms cross her chest, and her eyebrows furrow.

“Why would I need a weapon, especially in these parts? Viridian and Pewter are supposed to be the more highly-patrolled areas of Kanto.”

“There is no room for negotiating. Either you carry a weapon on you, or we part ways. The world is dangerous, and regardless of where we might be, danger might be around the corner.”

She bites her lip but slowly nods her head.

“Fine, I'll get one. I would much rather not use it, but I understand.”

Good, now we can settle for the next bit that needs doing. I pull off the Pokéball from my belt that I had separated from Champ's and Beca’s side and place the ball on the table. She looks at me confused.

“I managed to catch a Pineco when I was saving you from that mess you got yourself into. The center checked him out and gave him a clean bill of health. Lucky for you, he doesn't want to go back to his nest.”

While I roll the Pokéball on the table, her eyes never leave it. Excellent, I have her hooked.

“Seeing as how I remember you wanting one of these, and I have no particular need for a Pineco, I'm willing to give him to you for free.”

She blinks a few times as she processes what I'm saying before sitting down next to me.

“You're sure about this? I mean, Pineco is a powerful tank, especially when they evolve. I would understand if you want to keep him—”

I raise my hand up again to cut her off. She does have a point, but I don't want him. I already have a Pokémon in mind for that role in the group.

“I'm sure. I'd rather he go to someone who will take great care of him, and from what I've seen of your Surskit, I have a gut feeling you'll do.”

She beams at me, excitement coming off her body in an almost palpable aura. This close, I can smell her perfume even more strongly, and I notice that she has a splash of freckles running across the bridge of her nose. Something in me starts to stir, but I quickly cut it off and discard it. There's no need for those kinds of stirrings or feelings.

I nudge the ball so it rolls over to her, which she quickly snatches up to place on her phone for registration. This should earn me some good faith with her and smooth things out for the long run. I give her a big grin and clasp my hands together.

I have a good feeling about this, overall. Sure, she seems weird, but having an extra hand on the road is going to be helpful.

“Well then! With that settled, why don't I call over that pretty pink Bulbasaur and get us something to eat?”