It was easy for him to say that he always kept his eyes peeled in a bustling place like Goldenrod City; one could never know what was waiting for them around the corner of a shady alleyway, or whether the person they passed was a pickpocket. Silver hadn't even stuck his hand in the fire willingly, yet he was burned so intensely in the past that his observatory nature was only sharpened... A few people who had managed to grow closer and pry him open a little more considered such behavior to be bordering paranoia. It was understandable, but it wasn't like he expected anyone else to understand his thought process.
His senses were drowned out by the sights and sounds of the urban area: People passing by in large packs, car engines and horns, the cries of tamed pokemon following their trainers. It was almost as if he had unintentionally let his guard down for a rare moment... However, Silver could feel himself snap to attention like a loaded spring when he felt something touch his shoulder; a hand had emerged from the dim alleyway he was passing, pulling him back and causing him to stumble. The red-haired trainer immediately responded by jabbing his elbow blindly at the stranger. He was relieved when they released them and regained his balance, turning to face his attacker. "If you're going to fight me, why don't you face me instead of hiding in the shadows like a coward?" His threat came in the form of a low growl, silver eyes narrowed as they focused on the shape that emerged a moment later.
Immediately, he recognized the woman that stood before him; her arm was wrapped around her upper midsection, and she grunted a bit from the pain of her newest injury. It was obvious to Silver that his action of defense was not the first. Her right shoulder was darkened from heavy bruising, visible from her loose cold shoulder top, and he could have sworn that he caught the color of blood on her hand. "Please, quiet down. You never know who's listening..."
"Ellie, what are you doing? What happened and why did you feel the need to grab me like that?" While Silver's expression had softened into something that could be considered less hostile, one could easily assume that he couldn't care less about the situation. In truth, he was somewhat concerned even if he didn't want to be. It had been about three months since he had last seen Ellie. He remembered quite clearly that she asked directions to a used bookstore, claimed that she could find it herself, and then had left without any further traces of her presence. Silver just assumed that she had done what she had come to Johto to accomplish and left, but it was obvious that the situation was more... Complex. He reminded himself that things were almost never what they seemed, and that assuming that the situation was black and white was a foolish move.
"Shhhh, she'll hear you... And find me." The sandy brunette's tone was quiet and grim, tilting her head upward to look the redhead directly in the eyes... He had never seen eyes as pale as his before he encountered this girl. There was always a quality about her gaze that just made him feel pierced when they focused on him; before, the gray was pleasantly cool and somewhat refreshing. Silver didn't feel the same way as before, and her gaze could be compared to cold metal- much like a sharp knife. It seemed like Ellie was always better at conveying her feelings through her eyes, and the slight chill that he experienced when retaining eye contact was not coincidental "I-I... I'm in trouble. I can't go to the police either, and I have no clue what to do. She's just too good. I saw you walking by, and..."
The taller trainer raised an eyebrow in befuddlement. What kind of 'trouble' could someone like Ellie find herself in? From what he knew of her, she appeared to be pretty normal; Silver perceived her as nothing more than a 'pretty-skilled', insecure yet sarcastic trainer with a slight coffee addiction. It was like she had nothing to hide... Or, she was just that good at hiding things from other people. Silver considered himself to be decently skilled at breaking people open, observing their mannerisms and paying attention to their words; he always wanted to get to the bottom of things and stay two steps ahead. If he couldn't find a hint of anything beyond this typical Kalosian girl, then how many layers did this particular trainer have? However, he found himself growing rather impatient with her hesitation. "Can you just get to the point? Who is 'she?' And what do you think I can do to solver whatever problem you have?"
"Honestly, if I had other options then I wouldn't even bother getting you involved... But you know, I know literally no one else in Johto well enough to ask," the woman replied shakily, "I know this is really sudden and we've only spent a few times together... But, I really need your help. I have someone after me, and I can't handle her by myself. She's too strong, and I'm... I-I'm honestly scared... I'm throwing away my dignity and practically begging you, Silver... Please..."