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Whozawhatcha March 29th, 2016 8:18 PM

Silver Linings (a randomizer nuzlocke)
 
Hey all! This is my first written nuzlocke!

Nuzlocke Rules

1. If a pokemon faints, it is dead and is permanently boxed.

2. All pokemon must be nicknamed.

3. No duplicate pokemon or evolutionary line duplicates.

4. No legendaries or extra starter pokemon.

5. Gift pokemon, in-game trades, eggs, and fossils cannot be used.

6. No using the Pokemon Amie, Super Training, Experience Share, or O-Powers.

7. No grinding in grind spots such as Restaurant Le Nah or the Battle Chateau.

8. No Lucky Egg.

9. No buying items; no abusing portable pokemon center people like Nurses. (Theoretically, I might have one use of them because they automatically heal your pokemon when you beat them. I think. Basically I’m trying not to use those perfectly convenient little nurses scattered everywhere.)

This is a Randomizer Nuzlocke run, slightly modified since I'm not using a rom. I used randompokemon.com/ to generate a pokemon for each region (with my brothers or friends as witnesses to the pokemon I got so I wouldn't cheat. And yes, I used an Action Replay to generate them, which was a pain in the ass because Hidden Power). My only restriction with the random generator was no legendaries or extra starters. If I got the second or third evolution of a pokemon, I defaulted it to the base form (aka, if I got Charizard, I defaulted it back to Charmander) just to make things a little more difficult.

For this written run, trainers can only understand their own pokemon and not others.

Here we go!



PROLOGUE

Spoiler:

He hated this forest. If he could, this would be the first place he would wipe off the map of Kalos.

It was pointless to use an umbrella when the rain poured through the patchy forest canopy, and Lysandre cursed whoever had called Laverre’s forest a nature trail. The manmade trail every pokemon trainer took hardly counted. Until you were slogging knee deep through the muddy swamp with the naked branches clawing at your clothes, you never truly understood the bane of the dense woods.

“Sir!” Lysander didn’t even turn his head from the tracker in his hands, watching the needle flipping erratically to the side. One of his admins, his white suit stained hopelessly brown from the mud, struggled forward. “Sir, are we still heading the right way?”

Lysandre’s lips pressed in annoyance, and he flicked the idle contraption. The needle began responding again. Its reception seemed spotty at best, as if the dark wood was trying to keep him from his prize.

Could he have left his underlings to do this for him? Of course, but Lysandre was no man’s fool. If he wanted this done right, he had to do it himself, whether or not his suit was so wet it clung like a second skin. In retrospect, boots would have been a better choice of footwear, but Lysandre was far from caring. He just couldn’t believe how . . . disappointing the world was. He couldn’t believe he’d been pushed to this.

“Sir? Maybe it’s not here. Maybe we should turn back!”

He ignored them. His Murkrow darted overhead in the trees, cawing every few minutes or so. After sloughing through the muck and thunderstorm for several pregnant minutes, the Murkrow flitted back down and landed on his shoulder. He gave a delicate shudder of his wings.

“It is here,” he croaked lowly, his faint Russian accent a near purr. His eyes gleamed beneath the brim of his crest. “Your technology will pick it up shortly.”

“Where?” Lysander asked, his heart straining with pained hope.

The dark bird cocked his head, and his wings rustled nervously again. “Everywhere,” he breathed. “Can you not feel it? It is . . . like living thing, yet not. Like death breathes into the trees. There are no wild pokemon here. Only darkness, and an end that devours all.”

A chill ran up Lysandre’s spin that had nothing to do with the bitter air. He looked behind him to see his men struggling forward with him, their faces overshadowed with fear and doubt. Even through a sheet of relentless rain, it was apparent they felt the presence of death. He shifted uncomfortably when his crow took flight again, but he steeled his wavering heart.

It was here.

Ignoring all else, Lysandre trudged forward with near obsessive purpose. Lightning flashed overhead, and thunder cracked and rolled in the night. This was it. Here, he could finally put this world out of its slow-burning misery. He’d seen enough torment in his lifetime and had tried to combat it the way he was taught. He had tried to bring so much good into the world, and yet it was always outstripped by evil and hardship. Too many suffered. And if he had to look to extreme ends to stop this suffering, he would.

His mind was set, but his heart shook when he looked up at his Murkrow flying lithely through the trees. He was always so beautiful in the night, agile and free, livened and joyous. The darkness suited him in a comely way, bringing out his best and leaving his checkered and lamentable past where it belonged—in the past.

Lysander looked ahead into the darkness, refusing to think where his Murkrow’s future lied.

Soon, he finally found the results he was searching for. The needle sprang to life, picking up on an ancient energy that webbed through the dead trees, their raw limbs cutting into the rainy sky. Lightning flashed and illuminated the skeletal forest briefly, like an ebbing heartbeat. The needle waved erratically—it finally dipped and rested at nothing.

Lifting his head, Lysandre peered into the opaque darkness that their flashlights couldn’t penetrate. It was here. They were so close he could practically taste it. The fruits of his labor would not be wasted. Deep in the heart of Laverre’s ominous forest, Lysandre threw away the tracking mechanism and bore ahead, feeling the weight of oblivion pressing on his shoulders. The foreboding stillness of the forest grew more and more vacant, devoid of life between gnarled wooden trunks. His Murkrow returned to his shoulder, this time firmly planting there as the forsaken wood stirred, like an uncomfortable slither in the dark.

When he saw it, his heart leapt. Lysandre stumbled over the knotted roots burrowed in the mud, and he seized his triumph with a glint of madness in his eyes. The larvae state was unmistakable. The black egg was so bleak it swallowed the area around it, and by shining his flashlight against its hide, Lysandre could see the distinctive diamond markings lining it. Claws clamped tightly shut, refusing to unleash oblivion until prodded from its sleep.

A feral smile lit Lysandre’s face. He reached out his hand, placing it against the surprisingly soft down of the cocoon. He had done it. He had finally found the legendary destruction pokemon.

Thunder cracked and lightning whipped. A man whimpered.

Under Lysandre’s hand, death rolled in its grave.



CHAPTER 1

Spoiler:

“I don’t need you to hold my hand! I have Vaska. I can handle this on my own.”

Ivanna set her jaw stubbornly at the man across from her who merely gave one small laugh. His lips turned up arrogantly, and he replied in perfect Russian, “Tush, Ivanna. I’m here to protect you when things get out of hand.”

“Yuliy sent you, didn’t he?”
she snapped angrily, blue eyes spitting fire in the small hotel room. Behind her, every crease on the bed was immaculate and nothing had been moved one inch from where it had originally stood. The room seemed as if no one had lived in it. Their Russian mother-tongue fired back and forth, Ivanna responding with, “He’s always underestimated me. And you know it’s because I’m a girl! He’s too old-fashioned to see that I can take care of myself!”

Stormy grey eyes pinned to her. “Actually, it was Madam Klava who sent me.”

Ivanna’s angry flush ebbed a little. “Babushka?” she whispered.

He nodded, the morning sunshine leaking between the blinds and falling across his sharp features. “Actually, she sent both me and Yuliy,” he told her. “Don’t take it too hard. She’s just worried. You’re the last Klava once she’s gone, and no one wants to see that name die.” He paused, and his dark brows met in thought. “She said not to underestimate Lysandre.”

“I know not to,” Ivanna replied, looking away from him. Unease clenched at her stomach, but her back was made of steel. “I know exactly what he’s capable of.”

The silence pressed, heavy and pregnant, but Ivanna shook it off by situating her hat and skirt again. “So, how do I look?” she asked in partially broken English this time, flaring her red skirt out and holding the pink purse under her arm. “Innocent enough? Do I look like tourist and trainer?”

He just smirked at her, saying in much better English, “Of course. You look beautiful in everything you wear.”

Ivanna rolled her eyes in exasperation, saying, “Flattery vill only get you so far vith me, Dimitri.”

She pushed past him, and he followed her closely, saying, “You should hope everyone you talk to speaks English. Your English might be passable at best, but your French is horrible.”

“Thank you for informing me of vhat I already know,” Ivanna said, hiking her chin up and not allowing him to get under her skin. Him and his I’m-so-fluent-in-three-languages attitude.

They piled into the elevator together, and Dimitri was prompted to encourage her with, “Vaska will take care of you.”

“I know,” she replied crisply again. The elevator dinged for the bottom floor. “Now I am going to receive my beginner pokemon, so do not follow me. You vill attract too much attention.”

Ivanna brushed out of the elevator with her head held high and strode out of the hotel and into the late summer’s day. Aquacorde Town was far too warm for her taste, and she took her shades off her hat and put them on, shielding her eyes from the sun. She headed off down the street, looking for the café she was supposed to meet the other kids at. Her pink heels clicked on the pavement.

“Ivanna? Ivanna Moisey?”

If not for her first name, Ivanna might not have responded to the sound of her fake name. At a table outside of said coffee shop, a girl in pink was waving, surrounded by three other boys. Ivanna approached, and she barely had managed to sit before the boy with black hair said, “Здравствуйте,” in surprisingly good Russian.

“Доброе утро,” Ivanna replied. Just to test how much he knew, she asked, “Как Вас зовут?”

He seemed to be concentrating hard, but he nodded, responding clearly, “Меня зовут Салем. Вы говорите по-английски? Я плохо говорю по-русски.”

Giving a laugh, actually amused, she responded in English, “No, your Russian is very good. My English is only acceptable.”

The girl across from her dropped her jaw, gasping, “Whoa, that was so cool! I didn’t know you knew Russian, Calem!”

Calem shook his head, saying, “I don’t. But when I heard Professor Sycamore had given the last sponsorship to her, I decided to see if I could learn some.”

The girl put her hand across the table, saying, “Hi! My name’s Shauna! Nice to meet you!”

Ivanna took her hand, and before she could properly introduce herself, Shauna continued by pointing to the other two boys, saying, “This is Tierno and Trevor! Tierno’s the best dancer on this side of the ocean, and Trevor already has a scholarship to study in the Professor’s lab!”

Ivanna nodded at the two boys, the younger of the two slouching under her look since she didn’t smile at them. Shauna leaned on the table, saying, “Well, we’re all here now! Come on, Tierno! Let’s see the pokemon!”

The bigger boy grinned, and he said, “It was the best feeling when Trevor and I first met our pokemon, so I hope it’s the same for you guys!”

As he pulled the pokeballs out, Calem piped in, “I think Ivanna should get the first pick.”

Surprised, Ivanna shook her head, declining politely with, “You two can pick first. I do not care vhich pokemon I get.”

Tierno released the pokemon, and it was a good thing Ivanna had said that. The first thing that happened was the Chespin took one look at Shauna, squealed, and launched himself at her.

Shauna laughed in delight, saying, “Aw, it looks like the starter chose me! You can come with me!”

Clearly, Calem had in mind which pokemon he had wanted, because he immediately looked at Froakie and said, “How about it? Will you be my pokemon?” The frog’s answer must have been positive, because Calem smiled and said, “Thank you. Because of you, I can be a real pokemon trainer.”

That left the Fennekin. “I guess that makes you stuck vith me,” Ivanna said, picking him up by the scruff of his neck and putting him in the crook of her arm.

“I guess so,” he said to her, looking up with young, sparkling eyes. He practically wiggled in her arms he was so excited. “We’re going to have loads of fun, aren’t we?”

Ivanna hiked a brow up at the little fox, saying evasively, “Ve vill see,” and stood from the table, taking his pokeball.

“Hey—Wait, where are you going?” Shauna exclaimed.

“I am heading out now,” Ivanna told her, not wanting to dawdle any longer.

“Wait,” Trevor piped up suddenly, frantically reaching into his pack. “You can’t leave without this! It’s the Pokedex. Professor Sycamore wanted you to fill the pages, remember?”

“Right,” Ivanna said, pocketing the device in her purse.

“Wait!” Shauna cried, hopping up from her seat when Ivanna began to walk off. “Let’s at least have a pokemon battle! Right?”

Ivanna looked down at the Fennekin in her arms, and his ears flattened nervously. “Already?” he practically squeaked.

Huh. Scardy cat. “Yes, already,” she said, and she picked him up by his scruff and dropped him on the ground. Shauna brightened a little, taking her position with her Chespin across from them. “Use Ember!”

Her Fennekin’s tail frizzed up, from aggression or fear, Ivanna wasn’t sure, but his Ember hit cleanly. Shauna cried, “Oh no! Chespin, use Tackle!”

The pokemon ran up and threw its shoulder into the small red fox. Ivanna’s Fennekin yelped and backed away, tail between his legs, and she frowned, saying, “Calm down and use Ember again!”

He responded but missed wildly and suffered another Tackle. He tumbled on the cobblestone, shaking, and Ivanna wrinkled her nose. “One more Ember, and hit this time!”

This time, her Fennekin slowed down enough to aim and hit his mark. The Chespin collapsed back with a low groan, refusing to move. One of his quills was smoking a little alarmingly, and Shauna rushed up to him, bursting, “Oh, I’m so sorry we lost, Chespin!” She scooped up the pokemon, saying, “Wow, Ivanna, you’re really good at this!”

“It vas mostly type matching,” Ivanna told her, and she picked the Fennekin up by the scruff of his neck again. He sat demurely in her arm as Ivanna again excused herself, saying, “I vill be on my way now.”

“Well, okay then,” Shauna said, a put-off tone coloring her voice. “Bye!”

Ivanna left the teenagers, sighing in relief. She was going to be twenty in less than a month, though her trainer ID said she was seventeen, as per the rules of Sycamore’s trainer sponsorship. He only gave them to kids, so even if Ivanna lied about being a legal adult, just as long as no one found out, she would be fine.

Ivanna mostly ignored the people in town that waved and called out first journey encouragement, telling her to have a good trip and wishing her luck. The children and/or teenagers Sycamore sponsored typically started in Aquacorde Town, so it was natural for them to see kids heading out on journeys every fall and spring. Ivanna walked out into route 2 and headed for some time before finding a quiet spot and depositing her Fennekin on the ground again.

She stared at him critically for a moment before asking, “So? Do you have name?”

He shook his head, telling her, “No. Starter pokemon are bred for new trainers, and we aren’t given names so our trainer can name us.”

“Hm. Okay, I vill call you Vinko.” She pulled out her other ball, a dusk ball, and tossed it up. From its light, a Murkrow formed. “Vinko, this is Vaska. Vaska, this is first recruit.”

Vaska looked at him even more critically than Ivanna had, and he eventually sniffed his beak up, saying with an equally deep Russian accent, “He does not look like much.”

Vinko’s large ears dipped down, prompting Ivanna to defend him a little with, “He von his first battle. He is promising enough.”

Vaska fluffed his dark feathers and turned his head away from the bright sun. “Fine. But he better carry own veight. Ve can’t coddle anyone.”

“I take it this isn’t going to be much fun, is it?” Vinko finally muttered, swiping his paw through the dirt.

Ivanna hesitated. How much could she trust him with? Hm, likely not much, but she could at least give him enough so he wouldn’t pout. She squatted down carefully so she wouldn’t flash anyone and said, “I have mission, Vinko. I need you to be strong to fight for me.”

He looked warily up at her. “A mission? What is it?”

She pursed her lips. “I’m righting a wrong,” she struggled to say, staying as evasive as possible. “It vill be dangerous, so I have to have strong pokemon vith me.”

Vinko’s tail swished nervously behind him, and he pawed at the dirt a little more. “So,” he finally asked, “are we not doing the gym challenge?”

“Ve are,” she told him. “It is part of agreement with Professor and HDP.” And, it was the best and fastest way to get strong.

His ears flicked up. “What’s HDP?”

Ivanna pursed her lips up, and she stood back up, commenting with a small amount of annoyance, “You ask lots of questions.”

“Should I not?”

Ivanna’s gaze searched the distance. She could see the Santalune Forest ahead. She took a deep breath and released it through her nose, saying, “Probably not. Just do as I say. Now come. Ve need to train.”

*

It was a forest full of bug types and grass types, she told him. It should be easy for you, she told him. How then, was her Fennekin making this hard?

Using a Potion on him and combining it with an Antidote, Ivanna pressed her lips together against any negative words. Vinko was nervous and ashamed as it was with the amount of tongue-lashings he got from Vaska who was a far more experienced battler. From words like, “Stop running away! Fire vill kill them!” and “You are absolutely incompetent!” and “I vill not help you this time. Fight or die,” and Ivanna was having a hard time keeping her Fennekin’s spirits up enough to even fight.

She scratched under Vinko’s chin, noting the fox’s dejected posture even though he had improved greatly from where they started. “Ve are almost through,” Ivanna told him in what she hoped was a supportive voice. She looked up at her Murkrow flying above and told Vinko, “Maybe only few battles more before ve find city.”

She nudged his butt forward with her foot so he would take the lead and repel the wild pokemon away with his Ember. Vinko slinked along unwillingly, and when he was a little distance away, Ivanna motioned for Vaska. The dark bird landed on her shoulder, and Ivanna said lowly, “Ve need to talk.”

“Ve do,” he agreed. “Quite frankly, I don’t understand how you vill fight Lysandre when you have HIM,” and he gestured to the fox yelping when a pokemon hopped out at him, “and that ridiculous agreement vith HDP.”

“I had to get into region somehow,” Ivanna muttered. “And that little fox is exactly vhat I vant to talk about. I’m sure you mean vell to coach him, but I need you to stop.”

She watched as his Ember took down the territorial bug, leaving it charred for a bird to eat later. Vinko didn’t even look back for encouragement, he just carefully kept picking his way along, large ears perked for the sound of danger and his back fur frizzed up with stress.

“Vhat for?” Vaska said with a sniff. “He is veak.”

“He is CHILD,” Ivanna stressed to him. “He takes vhat you say, but he has no confidence. And vithout it, he vill stay like this,” and she gestured to him skittering away from a rustling bush that didn’t attack him.

Vaska fluffed his feathers. “I learned, so I don’t see vhy he von’t.”

Ivanna smirked and knuckled his beak, saying, “That’s because you are hard ass.”

He pecked playfully at her, but he sobered almost immediately, saying, “Vinko aside, this vill be uphill battle, Ivanna. I dislike agreeing vith Yuliy after he has been ass, but you should have bided time. You don’t even know if you vill get pokemon able to battle from HDP.”

“I’ll take my chances, Vaska,” she said to him. “Vorst that happens is I illegally catch pokemon.”

“And get kicked out of region even faster,” Vaska muttered. He lifted his head, saying, “Forest’s edge.” Then, he gave a dark chuckle at Vinko, saying, “I bet kid is relieved. City is close.”

Despite several trainers milling about the edge of Santalune Forest, no one stopped Ivanna and her team for a battle. Perhaps all the new trainers and their pokemon were tuckered out after the forest—except for Vaska, of course. He was raring to go and challenging people with glares. Still, after picking a bit of turf from her heels, Ivanna strode her way proudly into Santalune City, apparently the first of her group of trainers. She was sure Shauna or Calem would have tried to talk to her had they been in the city.

Ivanna entered the Pokemon Center and dropped off Vinko with the nurse. Vinko collapsed tiredly, huffing as he finally got to relax after she had used him so heavily in the forest. Vaska denied the chance, preferring to stay perched on her shoulder as she approached the corner where a man stood behind a counter. Curiously, the mailroom was vacant of trainers getting care packages from their mothers.

“Hello,” the man said, “how can I help you?”

She put her trainer ID down on the counter with a click. “My name is Ivanna Moisey. I am here to pick up package.”

He smiled broadly then, saying, “Ah, Miss Moisey! Your package came in just this morning!” He hurried into the back, and Ivanna could see several shelves lined with packages for the pokemon center and the passing trainers. “I think it’s just great what you’re doing,” he called out to her as he searched. “I used to battle once upon a time, and I had a Hitmonlee that I had to give up when he got a leg injury. Sadly, I didn’t make it that far through the league, I crashed and burned at the fourth gym,” and he was suddenly back with a square box, “which was a real shame. If I had been thinking ahead, I would have kept my Hitmonlee regardless of his injury. I still wonder whatever happened to him. Anyways, if you’ll just sign right here.”

Ivanna could only blink uncomfortably at his torrent of words, and she shifted under his undeserved praise of her. She signed for the package and said, “Thank you,” intending on beating a hasty retreat, but his voice followed her with, “We need more trainers like you in the world! Thank you!”

Ivanna did her best to ignore him as well as Vaska’s sideways glance. Instead, she walked to the back of the Pokemon Center and found a vacant table. Sitting down, Ivanna took out a pocket knife and cut the tape on the cardboard. Vaska hopped onto the table, cocking his head curiously as she revealed two pokeballs, two folders, and an extensive note on top complete with a card attached to it. She unfolded the paper first, and it said:


Dear Ivanna Moisey,
Thank you for choosing to participate with Homes for Disabled Pokemon! HDP is a program devoted to finding homes for unwanted or disadvantaged pokemon that have been handicapped through birth, trainer battling or other causes.
Enclosed are your HDP associate card and the pokeballs of the first two pokemon of your new journey. Clear information and instructions are provided for the history and future care of your pokemon. If any pokemon require medication, HDP will provide the cost as sponsorship. If there are further questions, please call 75-388-67 or contact us at
[email protected] for more information.
Sincerely,
Homes for Disabled Pokemon
President Dashi



Peeling the HDP ID from the page, Ivanna added it to her billfold without a word and picked up the two folders. She flipped them open, and her eyes skimmed past the Snubbull and instead landed greedily on the other pokemon.

“And Axew?” she breathed in shock. Who in the world wouldn’t want an Axew? Knowing her luck, it would be brain dead or incompetent. Flipping the folder open, Vaska leaning over with interest in the dragon type, she began to read.

Her blue eyes widened like planets. It was a SHINY Axew! Why in the world wouldn’t someone want this pokemon? Even if it couldn’t battle, shinies were known to be able to hop into the world of acting with nothing more than a flash of their abnormal color. People PAID for shinies, and they paid very well for shinies.

Ivanna read quickly. Mischievous and unable to be controlled . . . she could handle whatever bad personality it had. And, ah, she was a wild pokemon that had been presumably mauled by the mother. Shinies never lasted long in the wild because of the instinct for mothers to kill the falsely colored child. A shiny color meant they couldn’t hide from predators. Shinies brought danger upon themselves in the wild.

Mauled . . . The Axew was lopsided. One of her tusks had been ripped out completely. Her right tusk had been clawed off as well as her right hand, and a substantial amount of her scales. Ivanna considered this. Even if she was lopsided and theoretically had a blind spot on her right, the Axew was absolutely capable of battling.

“I can’t believe ve lucked up like this,” Ivanna said to Vaska, pushing the folder his way. She glanced over the Snubbull in the meantime. Mildred the Snubbull, used to have a family that couldn’t deal with her and gave her up to HDP . . . Extreme social anxiety and panic attacks. Lovely.

Vaska hummed lowly in appreciation. “Dragon is perfect. She’ll have to vatch right side, but dragon is dragon. Vhat is other?”

“Snubbull,” she told him. She arched a brow. “Anxiety and panic attacks. Try not to look at her.”

Vaska reared his head back in amusement at her jibe, but offered up nothing in his defense. Releasing both pokemon so she could see them, they formed from the red light in drastically different postures—the Axew looked her right in the eye while the Snubbull shrank as small as possible.

The Axew didn’t look good. It was easy to see why no one wanted her. The larges claw mark started at the crown of her head, roped over her right eye—that seemed to have no sight impairment—and clawed down her neck and shoulder and over her back. It was so deep it had ripped most of her pale green scales out, and they hadn’t grown back. She was missing her right tusk and a chunk of her lip, and her right arm ended in a stump, but the second she saw Ivanna, her purple eyes widened.

She gaped. “Are you a trainer?” she asked.

Ivanna nodded, saying, “Yes—” and before anything else could be said, the Axew roared in triumph, pumping both arms into the air.

“Yes! Yes! That’s right! Who said I wouldn’t make it? Eat that, Samuel!”

The Snubbull shied away, seeming to flush a weird shade of pink, and she crossed her arms, taking deep breaths. Ivanna cast her a glance before going one at a time. “I take it you are excited to battle?”

“Of course I am!” she burst. “I’ve been wanting this all my life! Who cares about acting? Besides, if I wasn’t pretty enough for them, then I’d definitely rather be able to beat people up who talk shit about me.”

Ivanna’s lips twitched. Pleased at what luck had served up to her on a silver platter, she said, “At least I can see vhere your bad behavior comes from.”

“What? No,” and the shiny Axew waved both hand and stump at her. “I just did that because they kept wanting to push me onto rich people that wanted to buy me for my hide! That, and if those prissy people think I can’t act, of course I was going to break a few things.” She tossed her head and paused thoughtfully. “Actually, that one little old lady was very nice, but I was afraid she was going to try to adopt me, so I peed on her.”

Ivanna leaned forward and lifted a brow at her. “So how are you going to behave for me?” she asked.

“Oh, I’ll be an absolute dear,” the Axew told her with a nod. “I caused a ruckus so they couldn’t give me to anyone other than a trainer, see? And now I’ve got one! What’s your name? Do you have any badges yet? I’ve got Dual Chop, so I can ruin a few pokemon for you!”

At that, she finally laughed, saying, “Don’t vorry, there vill be plenty of pokemon for you to fight. My name is Ivanna, and I am your new trainer. Do you have name?”

The Axew paused in thought before she admitted, “Not officially. A lot of people called me menace, firecracker, and Satan, but that’s just rude. You can call me Roxana. That little lady was very nice, but I just couldn’t handle being a lap pet for the rest of my life.” She looked up at Vaska, and she wiggled her brows, asking, “So who’s dark and handsome?”

Vaska hopped off the table, sending the quiet Snubbull skittering far to the side when he approached Roxana. He lifted one claw and took her hand, dipping his head. “My name is Vaska,” he told her courteously, clearly having taken a shine to the scrappy Axew.

“Ooh, you both have that Russian accent; that’s so attractive!”

Ivanna rolled her eyes at Roxana’s antics, and she turned towards the forgotten Snubbull who was almost hiding behind her chair at this point. “Hello,” she said carefully, “I am Ivanna, and I’m your new trainer.” The Snubbull peeked up at her, took a deep breath, and trembled a bit more. Ivanna cocked her head much like Vaska would, and asked, “Vhat’s your name?”

“M-M-Mildred,” she stuttered out, and she closed her eyes taking one deep breath. She looked nervously up at Ivanna, asking, “A-Are you going to battle with me too?”

“That is plan,” Ivanna told her. Mildred shuddered visibly and her ears flattened to her skull. “I need strong battlers, and Snubbull are strong. You have very good attacking strength.”

She trembled like a leaf in the wind. “I-I don’t know,” she rasped. “It sounds scary. Pokemon die in battle, don’t they?”

Ivanna crossed a leg, telling her, “Not always,” while Roxana made herself a general menace to Vaska who looked to have had enough of her already. “I vill take care of you. I am good battler.”

Mildred looked her in the eye, and she seemed to like something there because her trembling stopped even though she was still an off shade of pink. Wondering how in the world she was going to get the anxious pokemon to battle competently, she looked up in surprise to see Vinko already scampering out of the back of the center doors. He paused shortly in surprise, and he approached, little feet pattering on the floor.

“Hello? We have new teammates already?”

Ivanna nodded as Vinko padded up, and she said, “Mildred, Roxana, this is Vinko and Vaska. You two, Mildred and Roxana.”

Vinko looked warily at them, and he said, “Hello,” and tried not to stare at Roxana’s scars.

Roxana waved, chipper. “Hi, kid. Fire starter. Those always grow up strong.”

“He is only starter in name,” Vaska cut in haughtily, puffing out his chest.

Ivanna let Vaska defend his right as starter pokemon. He technically was even though it said Vinko on her ID.

An idea struck her as she looked at tiny Vinko, and she got up, picking him up by his scruff. "Vinko, this is Mildred," she told him, plopping him in front of her. They both shrank instinctively from each other. "She has social anxiety and panics little, so I'm putting you in charge of her."

Vinko gaped, his large ears pressing back. "Me? Why me?"

Ivanna smirked. "Because if Vaska is in charge of you two, you'll both give up before ve start."

"Vaska can be in charge of me," Roxana said suggestively, sidling up to him. Vaska didn't bat an eye, but batted his wings and flew up and landed on Ivanna's shoulder. Roxana just laughed, and Vinko swished his tail nervously.

"Um, hi. I'm Vinko."

As Ivanna and Vaska dealt with Roxana to get some space, Mildred waved a little back at him. "H-Hi," she stuttered. "I'm, um, I'm Mildred." She looked frightfully up at Vaska, and she lowered her voice to a whisper, admitting, "I . . . I'm really afraid of that Murkrow."

Vinko's nose lifted as he found a kindred spirit, and he moved a little closer, whispering back, "It's okay. I'm a little scared of him too." He giggled, and Mildred hid a smile behind her hands.

Ivanna discreetly looked over her shoulder at them. That's right. Now hopefully those two weaklings would bond and toughen each other up. Still, now that she had a decent team behind her, the real work was about to begin. They would rest tonight, and in the morning they would get down to business.

Whozawhatcha April 2nd, 2016 5:38 AM

CHAPTER 2
Spoiler:
“Hey! Miss Moisey! Would you have time for a brief interview?”

New day, new outfit. A ruffled pink shirt was paired with a black high-waisted skirt, black thigh highs, and the same pink heels she had worn the previous day. Ivanna straightened her hat absently and clutched her pink purse, lifting a brow.

“Vhat?”

The lady and her cameraman approached eagerly at the doors of the Pokemon Center that morning. Clearly, they had planted themselves there to catch leaving trainers, and the woman said, “Every year Sycamore sponsors new trainers, and we like to get a small interview with them every year. But you’re a special case this year, Miss Moisey since you’re his first international sponsorship. And, you’ve also signed up with Homes for Disabled Pokemon! Could you tell me why Sycamore chose you and why you chose to sign up with HDP?”

Ivanna straightened her spine, annoyed with the woman, but playing along. This was what was expected of her, even if she had to grind her teeth . . . “Professor Sycamore vanted to reach out to internationals like me,” she nearly recited, “who vanted to see new country and improve English and French. I did not have battle scholarship like Calem, so HDP vas vay to apply for Professor’s scholarship.”

“Have you had experience with disabled pokemon before this?” the lady asked. The camera zoomed in on her face.

“No,” Ivanna said bluntly.

“And how will you care for such pokemon,” the reporter asked, “much less have these hurt pokemon battle for you?”

Ivanna reared her head. Did she think she was inept? “I can take care of them,” she said without room for argument. “And I vill play to their strengths. No pokemon is helpless.”

“You sound confident,” the reporter said with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. Her eyebrow seemed to twitch at Ivanna’s frank words. “As per HDP’s policy, you should have received two pokemon for the first routes, and if you beat the gym leader of this city, you will receive one more for the next. What pokemon have joined your team?”

“I have mauled Axew and socially impaired Snubbull,” Ivanna said shortly. “I am off to train them. Goodbye,” and she began to walk down the street, leaving the woman to finish her interview alone. Those were answers enough, and Ivanna didn’t have time to waste.

Ivanna swept past the gym and instead headed out route 22. Detourner Way was grassy and open and full of new trainers catching and training pokemon. She let out her pokemon, and the four of them looked up expectantly, Mildred shying away from Vaska. Ivanna crossed her arms and looked down on them.

“All right,” she decided, “Vaska and Roxana, you vill take lead today.” Roxana hooted. “Vinko, you vork with Mildred. Both of you, practice your attacks and vatch our battles to learn. And if you slack off, I vill have Vaska help train you. Understand?”

They seemed to shudder and blanch of all color, both immediately looking to where Vaska loomed threateningly. “Yes ma’am!” Vinko squeaked. His tail whapped Mildred’s back, saying, “Let’s go!” and scampering off. After a brief second of scared indecision, Mildred all but sprinted after him.

Roxana grinned. “Now do I get to beat other pokemon up?”

Ivanna’s lips twitched. “Now ve beat up other pokemon.”

With Scratch, Leer, Assurance, and Dual Chop, Roxana was a wild menace. She was a little reckless in battle, but at this point in the game, she could afford it. She was as sturdy as she was brutal, so any attack she shrugged off and plowed right into the other pokemon, no holds barred—literally.

“Dual Chop!”

Running forward, her one tusk glowing brightly, Roxana gleefully swung her head, clocking a Psyduck across the face before swinging back and absolutely bowling the pokemon over. She drew blood again she was so powerful, and the girl across from her squeaked, yanking out her pokeball quickly.

“Psyduck, return!”

Ivanna cocked her head. As nice as her rough battling was, sheer force would only carry her so far. As the trainer sent out a Litleo, Ivanna said, “Roxana, come here.” If anything, Roxana needed some technique.

The shiny Axew came back, saying, “What? I’m doing good, aren’t I? Oh please don’t put Vaska in again, I LIKE this!”

Ivanna chuckled and shook her head. “No. I have question. Can you use Dual Chop vith your claws?”

She shrugged. “Sure. I just don’t, because, you know,” and she lifted her right arm, “stumpy.”

She waved her hand. “I don’t care. Can you use it vith both left claw and left tusk? That vay, you hit twice immediately and don’t leave self open to counter attack.”

Her eyes widened as if she’d been given the Holy Grail. “I can do that!” she burst.

Ivanna stood back, saying, “Okay, then Dual Chop!”

The girl across from her didn’t have the chance to fight back. Roxana ran across the small field and with a mighty yell, leapt high up, tusk and claws glowing green, and crashed the left side of her body into the Litleo in a ferocious body slam. She rolled off, and the Litleo meowed pitifully, not moving.

“Oh no! Litleo!”

The girl hurried to her pokemon, and Ivanna’s eyes widened when the little bleeding lion . . . still . . . didn’t move. It was yowling in clear pain though, and Ivanna hurried forward, saying, “Vait! Don’t move him!”

“Don’t move him?” the lass exclaimed in anger, but she didn’t move the pokemon. “He’s hurt!”

“If ve accidentally broke rib,” Ivanna explained, “moving him vill only hurt vorse. Return him straight to ball and take him to Pokemon Center.”

Nervously, the girl did as told. She cast Roxana a glance though, saying, “I was worried about battling her because she’s hurt, but she’s really strong! You should be more careful!”

She ran off towards Santalune City, leaving the two girls standing in the afternoon sun. Ivanna glanced down at Roxana, and Roxana glanced hopefully up at Ivanna. She lifted an impressed brow and said, “Nice.”

Roxana grinned then, pleased with herself. With Vaska out hunting somewhere for lunch, Ivanna turned towards the two behind her, asking, “Did you see that?”

Vinko nodded enthusiastically while Mildred looked curiously green. “That was really cool,” Vinko said in awe. The compliment only made Roxana puff out her chest more, cocky to say the least. “I hope I’ll be that strong.”

“Oh, sure you will,” Roxana said, walking up to the two of them. “Fire types are always nice and strong. Great attack, speedy, you’ll be able to smoke the competition. Literally!” and she laughed at her own joke.

“Seems like someone is getting along nicely.”

Ivanna stiffened briefly in surprise before turning around crossly, saying, “Dimitri! Vhat are you doing here?” Then, her eyes widened. “Vait—is that Eevee?”

He smirked at her, the Eevee sitting comfortably on his shoulder, and he stuck his thumbs cockily in his belt loops. “I just happened to be around the area,” he said. He nodded his head back the opposite way. “All the kids around here think I am from Victory Road way. And it pleases me to no end to tell them that I am. Ol’ Catawampus has a few fans.”

“No one asked about your Abomasnow,” she said in annoyance as the Eevee stared at her pokemon, ears flicking. “The Eevee?”

“Oh, this gal?” he drawled, and Ivanna rolled her eyes. “I was down route 21 way. You know, checking out the Snowbelle Gym and all, I like it. Then I come to pass Victory Road to check on you, and I meet a trainer with an Umbreon who’s giving away an Eevee to whoever can win her in a fight. We took it outside and,” he grinned, “Catawampus put the hurt on him.”

Ivanna stared greedily at the rare pokemon, her own pokemon collecting around her feet. Dimitri shrugged and scratched his chin thoughtfully, saying, “And well, since I know your birthday is coming up in three weeks, and you’ll finally be twenty . . .”

Her blue eyes rounded. “You’re giving me Eevee?” she asked.

He grinned. “Of course not!” and Ivanna’s face pinched as he laughed at her. He reached up to scratch the Eevee’s chin, cheekily rubbing noses with her. “This is my girl,” he told her. “Meet Snowflake.”

“Original,” Ivanna deadpanned, put off that he was holding out a good pokemon on her.

“I’m here to tell you for the next week you’ll have to go on without me,” he told her, sitting back on his heels again. “I’m headed east, up the mountains. I have to look for a way to evolve this lovely lady as soon as possible.”

“It’s going to be SO difficult vithout you,” she muttered dryly.

Failing to hear her sarcasm—or, more likely, choosing to ignore it—Dimitri reached up to her chin, saying, “Tush, I won’t be gone that long, Ivashka.” She jerked her chin a little too angrily away from him and his little nickname for her. He stuck his thumbs in his snug jeans again, this time saying, “Of course, since I won’t be here to look after you, that means Yuliy will.”

Ivanna groaned then, shoulders slumping. “Ov course,” she groaned.

Dimitri chuckled. “My company is looking pretty good, isn’t it?”

At that, Ivanna had to point a finger at him, saying, “Don’t get bigger head or your sissy spine von’t be able to hold it up.”

Giving a bear laugh at that, Dimitri shook his head and looked down at her Axew. “Ah, you’ll be fine, Ivanna. Besides, your little Axew seems to be a tough one.”

Roxana tossed her head, immediately saying, “Please tell him that it doesn’t matter how little I am, I can still break his ribs.”

Ivanna nearly snorted in the effort to hold back her laugh. “She says her name is Roxana,” she told him instead when he gave her a questioning look.

“Huh,” and he began to back away, teasing, “Original.”

“Hey, I chose my name!” Roxana barked, making Mildred jump.

“She chose her own name,” Ivanna called to him as he began to saunter along.

He looked back then, shrugged, and said, “And it’s a beautiful name!” and began to whistle as he went, his Eevee snug on his shoulder.

Ivanna pressed her lips up and she watched him with fiery eyes until he was out of sight. “Mu’dak!” she cursed under her breath.

She straightened her cap as Vinko looked up at her, asking, “What does mu’dak mean?”

“Nothing,” she said.

Promptly, Vaska looked over at the young kit and said, “Asshole.”

Ivanna nudged him with her foot until he took off, taking a swipe at her. “Mu’dak,” she accused him in a much more affectionate tone. “No one asked you.”

“If he’s old enough to ask, he’s old enough to know,” Vaska intoned.

“Hey! Ivanna!”

She looked up, and she groaned lightly. “Calem.” After another brief interlude where he tried to improve his Russian, he finally said, “Actually, I came out for a battle. I’m challenging the gym tomorrow, and I wanted to make sure we’re at the top of our game.”

Ivanna considered this, and she glanced down at her pokemon. A challenge was a challenge. “All right. You’re on.”

“How about a two on two? That’s how the gym battle goes.”

“Sounds good to me,” Ivanna told him.

Calem smiled then, saying, “All right. I’m using my Froakie and Fletchling!”

Ivanna looked back on her pokemon who all waited expectantly—some a little more expectantly than others. Cocking her head thoughtfully as Calem took his place across from her, Ivanna decided to pick her two opposites.

“I think I’ll use my Axew and Snubbull.”

Mildred squeaked, ears flattening to her head, and she stuttered, “M-Me?”

“It vill be good practice for you,” Ivanna told her confidently. “Calem vill make good first battle. Trust me.”

She waved the little Snubbull out, and Mildred moved out onto the field as if iron balls were chained to her feet. To her credit, Roxana shouted, “You can do it, Mildred! Just bite them in half!”

Well, she tried to be helpful. Apparently the thought of biting someone in half made Mildred turn that strange green color again, and she pressed her paws together to steady herself.

Calem’s Fletchling trilled across the field. “All right, Mistral, use Agility!”

Mildred stared with apparent terror as the small bird’s wings shivered and glowed, amplifying its speed greatly. “Easy, Mildred,” Ivanna said, trying to soothe the nervous pokemon. “Use Scary Face.”

Mildred took a deep breath, ducked her head, and then with a surprisingly scary face, managed to scare the bird’s speed away. It reeled back, and Calem wrinkled his nose, saying instead, “Quick Attack!”

With impeccable speed, the Fletchling sped forward like a dive bomber and struck Mildred so fast the bulldog didn’t yelp in shock until after she’d been hit. She cowered away, squeaking, “Ivanna, it’s still very fast!”

“Easy! Use Scary Face again!”

Leveling her snarl back at the bird, it slowed yet again, chirping at Calem. The teenager was focused on the battle though, and he said, “Peck!”

“Tackle!”

Somehow, even with its speed lowered so much, it still managed to get to Mildred first, pecking her sharply on the head. Mildred yelped and cowered, flinching low.

“Tackle!”

“Quick Attack!”

Ivanna felt her frustration rise when the attack they should have been able to get off was stopped short with that darned bird swooping in like a bullet. Mildred took her third hit strong, and before Ivanna could do anything more, Mildred suddenly lunged instinctively, her jaws clamping down on the bird. It squalled in pain, and as if suddenly aware of her reaction, Mildred dropped it, letting it escape.

“No, no!” Roxana hollered on the sidelines. “You had it, Mildred! That was right!”

Ivanna’s eyes widened. That was Bite! That was much better than Tackle! “Mistral, Peck!” However, Calem’s speedy Fletchling dove for another strike, this time drawing blood and causing Mildred to cry out, falling on the ground.

“Mildred!” Ivanna called, “come back! That vas good!”

The Snubbull ran back as if escaping for her life, nursing the wound on her head. She ran straight for Vinko’s side, and he leaned up on his paws, licking her face, saying, “You did great, Mildred. You learned Bite! You did really good!”

“Oh, she did just fine,” Roxana said, “but she could do better. You’re not mean enough, Mildred! Watch this!” and she ran out on the field, ready to rumble.

“Mistral! Quick Attack!”

Ivanna couldn’t stop a grin. This was going to get ugly quickly. “Dual Chop!”

The bird was on top of Roxana in a second, but the small dragon ducked her head and let the bird collide with her glowing tusk head on. Unceremoniously, the Fletchling flopped on its back on the ground, completely knocked out.

“Yeah! Like this, Mildred! That’s how you knock a little birdy out!”

Ivanna shook her head at Roxana, amused as Calem returned his pokemon. “Man, she’s really strong,” he said as he pulled out his next pokeball. “You got her from HDP?”

“What!” Roxana shouted, waving her stump of an arm. “You think because I’m DISABLED that I’m weak? Oooh, you’re gonna regret that!”

“I did,” Ivanna said, choosing to ignore Roxana’s angry shouts.

She seemed to have gotten her point across to Calem, because he lifted a guilty hand, saying, “I’m just impressed with her strength. Even for an Axew, her attack power is strong.”

“Just you wait and see how strong,” Roxana muttered, watching for her next prey.

“Go! Sunil!” The Froakie formed, looking just as tough as the Fletchling had. Not very tough but . . . probably tough enough to take on the first gym leader. “Water Pulse!”

“Dual Chop!”

Roxana ran right through the Water Pulse while squinting her eyes, and she flung her entire body, glowing tusk and claw and all against the Froakie in a body slam. As the dust settled, she pushed herself off with a roar of triumph. The Froakie groaned on the ground, taken out in one hit. Well, two, with the consecutive two attacks Dual Chop allowed.

Calem’s voice quivered in shock. “Sunil, return!” He walked across the way, looking at Ivanna in a different light this time, saying to her, “That was a good battle. Your Axew is really strong.”

Roxana puffed her chest out and tossed her head, and Ivanna rolled her eyes at her. “If you think she is strong, you should fight my Murkrow.”

Calem rocked back on his heels. “Is he? I guess you’ll be using him in the gym then, since it’s a bug type gym.”

Ivanna nodded. “Yes, but I vill mostly be using my Fennekin.”

Said Fennekin squeaked. “Me?”

“Yes you,” she said, glancing down at the nervous fox. Vinko’s ears dipped and his round eyes stared up at her almost pleadingly. “I am not vorried. I have type advantage. She vill be breeze.”

“I’ll say,” Calem said. He hesitated, looking at her once more. Ivanna lifted a brow to him, but he chose instead not to say whatever he was thinking, saying, “Are you going to watch my battle? It would at least let you see what you’re going to be up against.”

Did she care one tiny bit about the gym leader? No, but she happened to glance down at Vinko who was looking very, very small, and she sighed inwardly, rolling her eyes. “Sounds like good idea,” she told him. “I’ll be there.”

He broke into a grin and nodded, saying, “Sweet. It’s tomorrow at ten. Thanks for cheering me on.”

Ivanna nodded, and he waved, hurrying off to the Pokemon Center to let his pokemon rest fully for his battle in the morning. Ivanna glanced up when she saw a dark bird hovering above. Satisfied to know Vaska was back, she jerked her thumb down the route. “Let’s go, Vinko. You need practice.”

*

Ivanna drew looks the second she walked into the Santalune Gym. Maybe it was because she looked so much older than most of the young trainers there trying to pick apart Viola’s battling style. Maybe it was because she had on a mini skirt and blouse that was really too revealing for her supposed age. Or maybe it was just because her heels clicked on the shiny floor and no one thought that heels were a good shoe choice for a pokemon trainer.

Regardless, with Vaska on her shoulder and Vinko in her arms, Ivanna sat with one leg crossed at the edge of the stands, letting the more eager trainers get up in the front rows. The gym was a little empty since it was full of mostly only novice trainers. Ivanna sat primly, thinking the gym must have so many novice challengers that it really wasn’t worth the city going to see every one of the gym battles.

A voice rocketed out of the loud speakers. “And the gym battle between Calem from Vaniville Town and Viola the Santalune gym leader is about to begin! And here are our battlers!”

A general cheer went up from the crowd. Vaska barely lifted his head, uninterested in the battle even though Ivanna was planning to use him as her second. Her first, sitting in her lap, had his eyes pinned on the battlefield.

“Each side will have the use of two pokemon, and the battle with be over when either trainer’s pokemon are unable to continue! Only the challenger will be able to substitute pokemon! And what pokemon will our battlers choose?”

Viola grinned, clearly loving her position. “Go, Surskit!”

Calem frowned, his fingers brushing one ball and then choosing the other. “Go! Mistral!”

Ivanna glanced over at the rest of the novice trainers gathered. Almost all of them had a Fletchling. There were a few Pidgey and Litleo scattered here and there, but Fletchling was obviously the most available choice, especially suited for the gym as a flying type that would eventually gain a fire typing. Ivanna snorted to herself. First gyms were always a joke. They basically set them up for the challenger to win if the trainer had any sort of brains to play their cards right.

“Now! Battle begin!”

“Surskit, use Quick Attack!”

“Mistral, you use Quick Attack!”

The two pokemon collided head on. Calem pressed the attack with his speedy bird, calling, “Peck!”

“Bubble!”

Somehow, despite the Surskit’s speed, Calem’s Fletchling swiveled around and was on top of the bug instantly. Ivanna’s brow rose as she realized belatedly it had one of the rare hidden abilities, Gale Wings. That certainly explained why Mildred couldn’t get a leg up on the bird with all of its priority moves. It struck the Surskit hard, taking a sizable chunk out of the pokemon that squalled loudly in pain. Vinko’s claws sank nervously into her thighs as the Surskit pulled itself to its feet, attacking with the asked-for Bubble, and it spattered near-harmlessly against Calem’s Fletchling.

“Quick Attack!”

“Surskit, Quick Attack!”

They collided again, Calem’s Fletchling still a hair faster, and the Surskit tumbled and toppled, shaking and bleeding on the ground until it decided not to get up.

The referee dropped her flag in Viola’s direction. “Surskit is unable to battle!” she called, her microphone amplifying her voice. “Fletchling is the winner!”

As Viola returned her Surskit, Ivanna glanced down at Vinko’s wide eyes. “See?” she said to him. “Easy.” Maybe Calem would even win without switching pokemon.

“Go! Vivillon!”

The butterfly formed with a bright pink print on its wings. The referee waited one pregnant moment to see if Calem would switch, and when he didn’t, raised and dropped both flags. “Battle, begin!”

“Vivillon, use Infestation!”

“Peck!”

His Fletchling swooped in hard and fast and hit the butterfly for a good deal of damage that had it resetting its flight pattern. Still, with glowing green eyes, the Infestation struck home, little green writhing forms like bugs digging around Calem’s Fletchling. It shrieked and flapped its wings from the additional damage before the attack relented.

Calem suddenly switched tactics, calling, “Agility!” as if he didn’t have enough speed yet with every move being priority. “Vivillon, Tackle!” With his extra speed, the attack missed wildly while his Fletchling dodged out of reach. The Infestation came back, seizing up the small bird momentarily before Calem shouted, “Mistral, Peck!”

It hit hard again. The Vivillon fluttered roughly, bleeding from somewhere Ivanna couldn’t see, and Calem seemed to successfully have Viola on the run. She called, “Harden!” as the Infestation sapped his Fletchling’s strength. It panted, landing briefly so it wouldn’t crash, trying to shake off the after effects.

Calem’s fingers brushed at his pokeballs. So, he was itching to return his Fletchling, but Infestation locked it to the field? Ivanna pressed her lips together. He might as well go out with a bang. He almost had her. He just couldn’t let up.

“Quick Attack!”

The Fletchling sped forward, nearly knocking the Vivillon out of the sky. Viola cried, “Infestation!” and it hit him again, making sure to lock his pokemon on the field long enough that if the battle drew on any longer, his Fletchling wasn’t going to make it. His Fletchling cried out and crashed to the ground, shaking hard. Another hit and he was a goner.

Calem’s jaw ground. “Just one more time! Peck!”

With a harsh chirp, the bird managed to get up and speedily strike the Vivillon like a fighter jet. It ripped away a small chunk of its pink wings, and the Vivillon fell to the ground with a dull thump, refusing to move. Calem’s Fletchling landed on his side of the field, shaking with exhaustion, but its defeat of the Vivillon was a mercy that spared it of the extra effects of the Infestation, securing his win.

“Vivillon is unable to battle!” the referee called loudly. “Which means the victor is Calem and his Fletchling from Vaniville Town!”

Ivanna watched him sigh in relief at the close battle. Ivanna’s lips pressed. He was lucky her Tackle had missed. If not, he would have already been down one pokemon for his journey. He seemed to realize it too, reaching down to scoop his Fletchling safely into his arms. Ivanna got up, taking her pokemon with her as the other trainers cheered for Calem.

They stepped into the foyer. “See?” she told Vinko. “Easy. He did not even need his backup pokemon.”

Vinko didn’t really respond, but his ears flicked restlessly when she approached the desk. She placed her trainer card on the desk. “I am here to challenge gym,” she told the receptionist. “Vhen is Viola next available to battle?”

“Let’s see,” the lady said, typing on her computer. She moved the mouse, scrolling as she said, “Tomorrow is booked, but she has an opening on Sunday if you’d like it.”

“I’ll take it,” Ivanna told her.

“All right, one second please.” Ivanna waited impatiently as the woman ran her trainer card and subconsciously she held her breath, hoping that if her fake ID could get her into the region it wouldn’t for some reason give her up now. Her worry was for naught as the lady asked, “I suspect you’ll be using your Fennekin and Murkrow?”

“Yes.”

She typed a little more and handed back her trainer ID. “All right, you’re all set Miss Moisey. Your battle will be Sunday at noon. Please review the gym’s policy regarding the dangers of pokemon battling and come prepared. We’ll see you Sunday.”

“Thank you,” Ivanna said, all but ignoring the gentle reminder that pokemon could die in battle. That was for novice trainers. She knew how this worked. She was going to make a quick retreat, but before she could, she heard Calem call out, “Ivanna!”

She tried not to make a face, and she turned around to the young man. His Fletchling was safe in its ball now, and she was forever grateful that he wasn’t one of those kids that had to show everyone his shiny new badge. “Did you register to battle Viola?” he asked.

Ivanna nodded. “Sunday at noon.”

“I’ll be there,” he said with a nod. “Thanks for cheering me on. I’m sure you’ll be able to beat her if you wiped the floor with me so easily.”

“Thanks,” she said, not sure what more he wanted from her.

She was saved of any more small talk when he waved, saying, “I’ll see you Sunday,” and left for the Pokemon Center.

As Ivanna left the gym, Vinko finally mustered up, “Her Surskit has Bubble.”

“Yes it does,” Ivanna said. Sensing his hesitation, Ivanna turned back to Detourner Way, saying, “Ve have today and tomorrow to train you more. Let’s go pick fight with some Psyduck.”

Vaska took off, circling like a vulture. Vinko shrank in her arms at the sight of him hovering above like the judgmental bird he was, trembling.

He didn’t think he could do this.


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