In which Rosa gets another mission.
It took about two days and a hundred wild battles for Rosa to gather up the courage to battle Cheren again. Through it all, Nate had his camera at the ready, preparing to document each and every step to his friend becoming the Champion, and was right behind her as she prepared to enter the building and seal her fate once more. The school seemed to have gotten a few visiting challengers since then, but Cheren was waiting for the rematch with his first-ever challenger. Rosa knew she probably couldn't make it to Virbank City without a Basic Badge, but she'd caught an Azurill on a revisit to Flocessy Ranch. Perhaps she could win with three Pokémon instead of two...
"Are you sure you don't want to borrow Riolu?" Nate asked as they walked up to the school. "He's got the type advantage -"
"But traded Pokémon don't obey until their new trainer has enough badges," Rosa pointed out. "Come on, let's go before I lose my nerve."
Nate watched her disappear into the school building, and spoke to Toby and Riolu. "She's braver than she thinks she is, isn't she?"
Toby and Riolu both agreed.
"Why aren't you guys here?" Rosa's voice wailed from inside, and Nate quickly recalled his Pokémon to join her. The Gym Leader was nowhere in sight, but Bianca was sitting happily on the battle platform.
"Cheren will be here in a little while," she said, swinging her feet over the side. "He gave me permission to play referee in this match, since I wanted to cheer you both on so badly."
Rosa had other things on her mind, none of which were important. "Where have you been sleeping these past few days?"
"With the Gym Leader," Bianca answered immediately, oblivious to everything outside her own head. "I suppose Professor Juniper will need me soon, but I didn't want to leave my friend so soon after we met again."
Anything else they may have said was cut off by a very tired-looking Cheren. He was holding a cup of coffee as if it were his life source, muttering a string of words that probably shouldn't have been said on school grounds.
"Is this a bad time?" Rosa asked quietly, getting his attention.
"No," Cheren said, shooing Bianca off the platform so she could stand as referee. "I just don't like the cold."
"And yet, your Gym is outside, in a town known for cold winters."
Cheren glared at her over his coffee cup. "Don't question my bad decisions," he ordered, and Rosa felt her fear increase as he pulled out a Pokeball. "All right. I'll use Patrat and Lillipup, same as the first time. You are free to use any Pokémon you have, even if it's more than my two. Are you ready?"
No. No, I'm not, but I have to pretend.
Rosa pulled out a ball of her own. "Azurill, let's go!"
The little mouse squeaked as she took her place on the field, ready to battle. Bianca squealed at its cuteness while Cheren released Patrat, before she seemed to remember what she was supposed to be doing.
"Ready?" Bianca called as Nate turned on his camera. "Battle begin!"
"And victory goes to the challenger!" Bianca declared twenty minutes later, as Rosa and a worn-out Greg collapsed in relief. Mareep and Azurill were both down, but Greg had made it with six health points to spare. Rosa hoped she'd never have to fight another Normal-type specialist ever again.
Nate turned the camera off before rushing over to congratulate her, while Cheren pulled her off the ground and placed a small purple rectangle in her hand.
"It's the Basic Badge," he explained, noticing her confusion. "You defeated me, so you've earned it. Am I making sense, or do you need further explanation?"
"Cheren," Bianca scolded, lightly smacking her friend on the shoulder. "Be nice." She turned to Nate and Rosa, before asking to borrow Rosa's transceiver.
Rosa removed the device from her wrist almost unconsciously, handing it over with just one word: "Why?"
"I figured we should all have each other," Bianca explained as she fiddled with it, "so Cheren and I won't lose touch again, and you can contact us any time you want to." She took a bit longer than Rosa had expected, but she gave it back. "I also added Professor Juniper to yours."
Speaking of, Bianca's communication device went off, signaling her own incoming call. No sooner had Bianca turned it on than a woman's voice cut through the air.
"Bianca? Where are you?"
"I'm, uh, still in Aspertia City," Bianca admitted. "I gave Rosa her Pokémon, but then I ran into Cheren and...I got a bit sidetracked."
"Oh, that's right! I heard Cheren was the new Gym Leader over there. How is it, Cheren?"
Cheren seemed to know the woman enough to not be startled by the question, and even smiled a little as he answered. "Well, it would be better if I could use my regular team, but it's all right."
"And I gave your number to Rosa," Bianca added. "I can get her to talk to you, if that's ok."
Bianca showed Rosa her transceiver, where the new trainer saw the face of the mysterious Professor Juniper for the first time. She didn't look like a criminal mastermind that enjoyed tormenting people, just a normal woman with a lab coat. "Are you enjoying your journey so far, Rosa?" she asked, and Rosa struggled to find words.
An honest answer was the best answer. "Other than my best friend going borderline bipolar, being stalked by a kid with hair like a palm tree, and several close encounters with Sewaddles, I'm loving it." She picked up Greg and waved his stubby little front leg at the watch. "I chose the Tepig, see?"
"Well, I hope you can still continue. You can call me at any time, and I'm sure Cheren and Bianca will give you advice, as well." She frowned suddenly. "Bianca?"
Bianca turned the transceiver back on herself. "Yes, Professor?"
"You're falling behind on your assignment. Research is all about dedication."
Bianca turned bright red and hung her head in shame. "I'm sorry, Professor. I'll get right on that."
"It's not that it wasn't expected," Juniper laughed. "But honestly, all three of you have jobs to do. I don't want any of you losing focus completely."
And she signed off. Bianca, still red, muttered an apology to the other three and started out the door, but was cut off by Hugh's arrival.
"All right, Gym Leader!" he huffed, standing across from a startled Cheren. "Battle me now! I'm on a tight schedule!"
Bianca giggled as her friend set down his coffee in preparation. "I guess being a Gym Leader is tougher than I thought," she said, before shrugging and leading the others away. "Come on, Rosa. I think your mom wants to talk to you."
Bianca had gone ahead to continue her research for the professor, leaving Nate to head home to explain to his parents that he was, in fact, running off with some girl and going beyond Virbank. Rosa's mother healed her Pokémon completely, then turned very serious.
"You'll be a great trainer, Rosa," she said with a smile, but Rosa could tell there was something else she wanted to say. "There's just something you should be concerned with."
"Team Plasma's back," Rosa stated, cuddling Azurill.
Her mother froze. "How did you -"
"I found one of them in Flocessy Ranch," Rosa admitted. "How did you know?"
Her mother looked ashamed. "Professor Juniper heard a rumor, and I wanted to warn you to be careful. I didn't know the rumor was true. Are you sure you can handle it?"
"I'm sure Nate can. That's something, right?" Rosa tried to smile, but couldn't quite manage it, and stood up, carrying Azurill with her. "Later, Mom. I'll come back if I survive."
She was halfway out the door when she heard her mother's voice again. "Rosa?"
"Yeah?"
"Keep an eye on Hugh, won't you?"
Rosa couldn't help but laugh. "You think Hugh would join Team Plasma?" She hadn't paid that much attention to the news two years earlier, but from what she'd heard from Hugh, he was the least likely person to put on the weird costume the man in Flocessy Ranch had been wearing.
Her mother, apparently, agreed. "I don't believe that, no...but I do believe that he might get himself hurt if he tries to take them down himself. You've held the boy's leash for so long, I thought he might listen to you now and then. I don't want to explain to his parents that their son died doing something stupid."
"Do you know why he might want to take them down himself?"
"I was never told. But, promise me you'll take care of yourself, too."
"You know me," Rosa said with a grin. "I'm a pretty fast runner, especially in a direction marked 'away.' I'll be fine."
The moment was interrupted by Rosa's transceiver going off. It was Nate, and he was anxious to move on.
"Come on, then," he whined when Rosa told him she was just heading out. "I'll be waiting just outside of town. Hurry up - Virbank City has a Gym and Pokestar Studios."
"Virbank City's just on the other side of Flocessy Town," Nate said when Rosa had joined him. "Think you can handle all the Sewaddles until we get there?"
Rosa just laughed, creeping out her new friend just a bit. "You mean you're the one who will handle the Sewaddles. I'll send Greg out to be my bodyguard."
Nate grabbed on to her hand, paying no attention. "Well, then," he said, a wide smile spreading across his face, "take a deep breath, count your shadows, and let's go!"
Rosa groaned. What have I agreed to?