Chapter 2: Locked Down
I finished eating and had another drink on Grimsley's tab, and I ordered Hilda a dessert before I decided I was ready to call it a night. Not that I really had anything better to do… laundry maybe, and a few recorded Alolan Battle Royals to catch up on. But I couldn't sit drinking all night- complaints be damned, I still had a job to do at my Gym in the morning.
I didn't go straight home, though. Instead, Hilda and I went back the way we had come, back towards my Gym. Don't get me wrong, Hilda was my best friend but she wasn't a great roommate; an Ursaring just couldn't fit comfortably in my apartment. Hilda much preferred spreading out on the floor of the Gym, where her snoring wouldn't bother anybody and where she could stretch her legs without worrying about accidently putting her foot through the drywall.
It was fine by me; as long as she was around I knew I would never have to worry about anybody breaking into my Gym after hours. Ever heard the expression 'don't poke the sleeping bear?'
We got to the Gym and Hilda nuzzled me goodnight, and I let her in and locked the glass doors behind her. But don't worry, if she really had to get out those doors wouldn't have stopped her.
The sun had already set by the time I started for home- they say Castelia City never sleeps, but the decent people in it sure do. The city was somehow as noisy as ever, with the sounds of cars and machinery and industry all blending together, but I didn't encounter many people on the streets as I strolled back to my apartment.
That is, until I cut down my favorite alley.
Castelia had a plethora of sidestreets and alleys nestled in between the buildings that most tourists didn't know about and most locals tended to avoid. The consequences of those kinds of quirks in the city's planning were twofold; sometimes you'd find a hidden gem, a bar or a club or an art gallery hidden away from the world. And sometimes you'd find trouble.
Based on what you know about me so far, can you guess which one I stumbled into?
I think I saw him before he saw me- a man wearing all black leaned with his arms crossed against the brick wall, halfway up the alley, smoking a cigarette. A Sneasel sat next to him on top of a metal trash can, merrily beating its feet against its seat in a steady rhythm.
I wrinkled my nose as I approached and caught a whiff of the smoke. He looked up at me as I passed, and then he looked me down, and then he looked me up again.
"Those things will kill you," I said, not looking at him.
The alley was only dimly lit, by whatever stars could shine down and whatever light could make its way in from the streets at either end. Shadows stretched through the long alley, and, as far as I could tell, there was nobody else around… a dangerous situation to be sure. But my life was a string of dangerous situations.
…And remember: do as I say, not as I do.
"That's not very friendly of you," the man said as I passed. His voice was deadpan; his Sneasel snickered.
I ignored him, looking straight ahead. I didn't stop walking, but I heard a rustle behind me.
"Hey, Sweetheart. I'm talking to you."
I didn't turn, but I could tell he had begun following me.
"Sneasel," said the man… and I stopped short.
Behind me, I heard him snap his fingers.
"Bingo."
I tried to keep my expression as neutral as possible. Dealing with creeps was just part of life in the big city- especially if you made a habit of taking shortcuts down alleys- but Castelia's creeps usually didn't have Pokémon out, ready to start trouble. Sure, if it came to a real battle then I would kick him up and down the alley… but that Sneasel lurking behind me made the situation a lot more complicated.
If the man and his Pokémon actually had malicious intent… I shuddered as I imagined what that Sneasel's claws must have felt like.
So I did the only thing I could do; I listened, and I heard the man walk closer and closer, until he was right behind me.
"What's your story, Blondie?" he said, slowly. "Are you new to this city? Or just a little slow? Don't you know better than to creep around places like this after dark?"
I felt a touch on the back of my neck, and I tensed as the man ran a finger through my hair. My hand went to touch the single Poké Ball at my waist…
"That's enough of that," the man said.
I frowned, but I forced down my frustration and raised my hands placatingly.
"Listen, do we have to do this?" I said.
The man's hand slid down to my shoulders, and then to my lower back where it lingered for a minute… it was all I could do to keep my cool. After a moment, he walked around to look me in the face.
The man's face was largely unremarkable. He must have been a little younger than me; I placed him in his early twenties. Acne scars aside he had probably once been good looking, but his face had a gaunt character to it. His head was shaved, his clothes were shabby, and I couldn't believe how hard his eyes were. When was the last time the man had smiled?
"Say… you look familiar," he said.
"You don't," I said. "Say, are you much of a Trainer?"
The man blinked, and took a step back.
"Hands off the Poké Ball!" he said. "My Sneasel is behind you, he'll hit you with an Ice Shard before you send out that Ursaring. You're the Gym Leader, right? Krista Strauss?"
I winked at him, and I took a step forward and placed both of my hands on the man, gently.
"I'm glad to meet an adoring fan," I said. "I never got your name."
The man's eyes were wary, but he didn't recoil from my touch.
"Derek," he said, quietly.
"Derek…" I dug in with both hands until I had a grip on his clothing. Confusion creased his face but he did not try to stop me…
"Mitzi, now!" I yelled.
The man's eyes widened and I threw all of my weight forwards, rolling as I did. He outweighed me, and he was certainly stronger than me, but forward is the one direction he must not have expected me to lunge; it was enough to put him halfway between me and the threat of his Sneasel's Ice Shard attacks.
He started to say something, or perhaps to command his Pokémon to attack, but his sentence gave way to a cry of pain as a black blur rushed at him from the shadows and clamped its jaws around his arm.
I took a step backwards and watched as Mitzi, my Umbreon, wrestled with Derek.
"Sneasel, give me a hand!" Derek yelled, and Mitzi released his arm and leaped back to stand at the ready in front of me.
The Sneasel rushed forward and did the same, getting in between his trainer and my Pokémon and I couldn't help it; I grinned.
"So what's it gonna be, Derek? Are you going to give me half of your money now? Or do you think you have what it takes? I'll give you a Badge if you win…"
Cradling his bleeding arm, Derek cursed.
"What gives with the Umbreon? Aren't you supposed to be a Normal type Leader?"
I shrugged.
"She started out as a Normal type. Then she evolved," I said. "Mitzi, let them have it."
The gold rings along the Umbreon's body began to glow ominously, and Mitzi rushed forward with a cry at the opposing Sneasel. I could tell by the way it moved that the Sneasel was fast; Mitzi was better.
She slammed into the Sneasel, sending it skidding backwards, and she deftly ducked under a retaliating claw.
"Sneasel, use Slash!" yelled Derek, uselessly, after his Pokémon had already begun attacking. I shook my head.
Mitzi knew what to do even without any commands. I watched as she ducked another claw and nipped at the Sneasel's outstretched arm, batted down a third claw attack, and then leaped back. It was almost like art in motion; pride welled up in me as I recognized the exact maneuvers that we had spent hours and hours practicing.
The combination was working, and I could see the Sneasel visibly becoming more and more frustrated… but then a flash of light erupted from a little further down in the alley. I looked up at Derek, and saw another Poké Ball in his hand.
"Mitzi, look out!" I yelled, taking a step back myself, and Mitzi ducked out of the way as a lightning-fast blade of ice lanced through the space where she had just been standing.
Another Sneasel darted out from under Derek's legs and lunged at Mitzi, its claws flailing…
"Two on one isn't fair," I muttered. "Mitzi, are you okay?"
The Umbreon looked back at me and the rings on her fur glowed a little brighter- she would be fine. My hand went to the other Poké Ball on my waist, just to make sure it was still there, but I understood the look in Mitzi's eyes: 'Not if I can help it.'
"I trust you… In that case, use Feint Attack," I said, my voice low.
The two Sneasels ran in opposite directions as Mitzi seemingly faded into the shadows- this was the reason I could walk down any alley in Castelia City without fear. Mitzi was truly in her element. Always in the shadows, always close behind, ready to strike at anybody who dared harass her Trainer…
As quickly as she had disappeared, Mitzi reappeared right behind the first Sneasel. I wanted to look away but couldn't- the Umbreon locked her jaws around the smaller Pokémon's throat, shook it around violently, and then let it fly. The Sneasel crashed into the brick wall and collapsed in a heap.
But Mitzi was not done. She dashed straight towards the second Sneasel, who stood staring stunned at its companion, and Mitzi's fur bristled… a second later, the Sneasel let out a scream and covered its eyes. It fell to the ground, writhing frantically, and Mitzi stood above it, watching it as impassionately as an exterminator might watch a Rattata in a trap. After a second, she looked back at me for directions.
I pointed at Derek, who looked unsure of what to do.
"Come on, Mitzi, you have one more. Go easy on him."
Mitzi mewled in acknowledgement and rushed at Derek, leaped, and body slammed him square in his chest, with enough force to bring the man down to the ground. Mitzi was heavier than she looked; almost sixty pounds of muscle and teeth. I watched as her fur bristled again and Derek groaned as a faint cloud of mist enveloped his face.
"That stuff burns, right? Did you know Umbreon secrete poison when they're agitated?" I said. "Derek, you agitated my Umbreon. Why did you do that?"
Derek said nothing. In his face, besides the tears streaming from his eyes on account of the poison, was that… shame?
"Go get your Pokémon to the Center. If you're lucky the nurse might treat you too." I paused. "If you go now then you probably won't go blind."
Mitzi hopped off of Derek's supine form and she somehow faded back into the shadows. Even though I knew exactly what I was looking for, I truly couldn't see her… but she was there, watching my back.
I turned to continue walking.
"Wait," said Derek, weakly. "I lost a battle to a Gym Leader. Don't I owe you money?"
"Keep your money. This alley is mine now," I said.
And with that, I went back to my apartment, unmolested, to do my laundry and watch my recorded Battle Royal videos. I'm not sure if it's coincidence, but from that day forward I never again ran into trouble in my favorite alley.