Pascalia awoke flat on her back in the middle of an unfamiliar field, and narrowed her eyes against the rising sun. She sat up slowly and pressed her fingers to her temples in an attempt to calm her raging headache. She looked around slowly and frowned as she realised she wasn't aware of her surroundings. Cursing inwardly she stood and arranged her cape so that it covered her lithe frame properly.
The field she was standing in was a little way outside of a town, and Pascalia angrily made her way towards it.
"Stupid girl," she muttered to herself. It wasn't that she wasn't strong enough to handle the powers of the Draco Silicis, she knew that she was, in her veins ran the blood of the noble Dragon Tamers…it was simply a lack of food that rendered her weak. Yes, that was all.
-o-
"Look! What's that?" Rose asked excitedly as they approached Lovage Town. The town was filled with brightly coloured tents, and the aroma of candy-floss and popcorn filled the warm, sultry air.
Tripp only shrugged, but Rose pretended that she found nothing strange in his response. They approached a battered, wooden sign that had been tied to a fence outside the Pokémart.
"Lovage Town Fair; 21st -31st of August," Rose read, turning to her friend excitedly, "isn't this cool?!" she asked, beaming.
Tripp shrugged again, before realising that he was behaving miserably, "Pretty cool I suppose…"
Rose looked at him expectantly, "Well…did you want to explore?"
"Yeah I guess," Tripp tried to smile, but only managed a pained grimace.
Rose sighed inwardly.
At least he's trying…
-o-
Tripp appeared to have cheered up after they had bought a toffee apple each, and after Golduck won him both a Dragon Scale and a Fire Stone by shooting clay pots off a stand using his uncannily accurate Water Gun.
"Look!" he managed through a mouthful of toffee apple, "A fortune teller's tent!"
Rose rolled her eyes in disdain.
"Really?" she asked.
"What?" Tripp asked defensively.
"Surely you don't believe in that rubbish?" Rose asked laughing.
Just then a young woman walked gracefully out of the tent, smoothing her burgundy cape before she made her way towards the edge of town.
The teenagers followed her with their eyes.
"Did you see -" Rose started, but Tripp cut across her.
"She's…beautiful."
He had never seen anybody quite like her; her frame was tall and willowy, and she moved with unusual grace. Her hair was long and lilac in colour; slightly iridescent in the light of the setting sun and luxurious and thick, completely straight with a centre parting that framed her exquisite face.
"She was…" Rose agreed, "but did you see her eyes?"
Tripp frowned.
"No, why?"
Rose furrowed her brow as she thought, watching the young woman's back as she made her way out of the town's boundaries towards the road.
"Well, maybe it was a trick of the light…"
"What?!" Tripp asked impatiently, his toffee apple forgotten.
"Her pupils," Rose said simply, "they were slitted."
"Huh?"
"You know…like cat Pokémon have, or… or Dragon Pokémon."
Tripp considered this.
"You sure Ro? She looked human to me…"
Rose allowed herself a laugh.
"You're right I suppose, fancy a coffee?"
-o-
Stupid woman, Pascalia thought savagely to herself as she wandered down the road towards Rue Town. She pulled her cloak more tightly around her; she was cold, despite the fact it was late August.
She scowled to herself once more as she regarded the incident with the fortune teller. She had entered the small circular tent with the hood of her cape covering her face. The little old woman had stood suddenly when she entered, and looked at her fearfully. Pascalia had recoiled in disgust as she noticed just how many piercings the woman had on her face; pain of any kind was abhorrent to her. The woman had closed her eyes and spoken in a strange language, holding her palms up to the young woman, as though holding her back.
"Puterea de cristal, mă schimb..."
Pascalia had frowned, and lowered her hood so as to see more clearly. The tent was dark, and smelt overwhelmingly of incense. Pascalia, despite her recent change in body temperature, grew too hot…
-o-
Afina gasped as the young woman lowered her hood. She was stunningly beautiful, there was no denying that. Her perfect features complimented each other, and her pale lilac hair was thick and strong, glowing orange in the firelight. But despite the perfect shape of her almond, cat-like eyes, they terrified Afina more than she had ever been terrified in all her seventy years of reading futures. There was no white to her eyes. They were a sinister golden yellow, and her pupils were slitted - like a Dragon's.
Afina was no fool, she had sensed the overwhelming power of the blue crystal as it entered the tent with the young woman, but she had no idea just how enchanted the young woman had become by it.
It was all true then. Afina closed her eyes in horror; the old legend was coming true.
-o-
"Who was she I wonder?" Rose asked as she stirred her coffee.
"Pipi!" Pichu squeaked as he happily tucked into a poffin.
All of the other Pokémon agreed with the little electric mouse.
"I suppose you're right," Tripp said, slurping his cappuccino, "I've never seen anybody from around here dress like that."
"I still think she's a Dragon Tamer."
Tripp laughed, "Where's the proof in that?"
"Well, she had a cape! And her eyes…"
"Rose, will you forget about her eyes? Even if they were slitted (which I highly doubt) that doesn't mean she's a Dragon Tamer! I know they're weird people, but they don't look like Dragons!"
Rose sulked as she finished her coffee.
"Shall we train?" Tripp asked tactfully.
"Good plan!" Rose smiled, "I want to train Vulpix more, and I know Horsea's getting closer to evolving!"
Dispute forgotten, they made their way into the fields outside Lovage Town.
-o-
Night was falling, and Pascalia still hadn't reached Rue Town, despite the fact that it should have taken her no more than an hour to walk the road. In her anger at the fortune teller, she had forgotten to buy food in Lovage Town. She was now stranded between Lovage and Rue, without the energy to either go back or go on. Although the evening was warm, her hands felt like ice, and she shivered uncontrollably in her burgundy cape.
She had been sat on the side of the road for more than two hours when she heard footsteps. A young girl was walking determinedly down the road, her eyes straight ahead; she hadn't noticed Pascalia.
"Excuse me!" she called. The girl started, and frowned into the gloom, where she saw Pascalia, sat alone on the side of the road. Her voice was harsh and cold, and Chelsea was unsure what to do.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to frighten you…"
Pascalia smiled and Chelsea relaxed. The woman was so pretty; surely she couldn't be a threat.
She took a step closer to the Dragon Tamer.
"Are you all right? Have you hurt yourself?"
"No, thank you dear," the word slipped off her tongue awkwardly, but she needed this girl's trust, "I'm just rather hungry, do you have anything to eat?"
Chelsea sat beside the young woman, and offered her the provisions she had bought in Lovage.
As Pascalia devoured the crisps and bottle of water, she decided she should act more politely. Chelsea's bag, she noticed, was adorned with ribbons that she had presumably won in contests.
"Do you participate in Pokémon contests?" Pascalia asked.
"Yes," Chelsea exclaimed, and her face lit up, "I'm not sure which I want to make my career, battling or performing."
Pascalia looked up, and Chelsea gasped as their eyes locked; she couldn't bring herself to look away from the horrific sight.
"Pick whichever career will make you more powerful," she whispered seductively.
"I'd like to be powerful," Chelsea repeated, entranced.
"I could offer you a job," Pascalia continued to whisper, "a career that would make you incredibly powerful…"
-o-
Rose had a hard time rousing Tripp the following morning. They had trained until almost midnight and their Pokémon were growing ever stronger. Early on in the training session, Rose managed to catch herself an Oddish. Weedle once again attempted to evolve, and much to his disappointment, Tripp had once again prevented it.
"C'mon Tripp!" Rose yelled impatiently. It was quarter to nine, and he hadn't left his tent. They were normally packed up and on the road by half past eight. Early morning trainers had started to walk past their camp, and Rose was becoming self-conscious.
"I've prepared breakfast and everything! All you need to do is eat it and I'll pack away your tent for you!"
Tripp finally emerged, bleary eyed and tousle haired.
"Morning," Rose grinned, "sleeping beauty…" she added as she took in his appearance.
Tripp didn't even smile at the jibe, nor did he say anything as he sat down and began to eat his bread rolls. Rose supressed the urge to slap him and she moved to pack away his tent and sleeping bag.
He's bound to be disappointed, she thought, but I can't deny I'm going to get pissed off if it carries on much longer…
-o-
Tripp had said all of about ten words when they left the Pokémon Centre, and these had been all but forced from him by Rose.
I just need to distract him again; she thought tiredly, he was better yesterday when we had the fair to talk about…
Unfortunately it was the first of September, and the fair was being packed away. The tents were collapsed and the food stands wheeled into lorries, in preparation to travel to the next region.
Rose groaned to herself as she anticipated the hour long walk to Rue Town which, with a silent companion, was going to be undoubtedly tedious.
"Did you fancy training again on the way?" Tripp asked, surprising Rose, but also irritating her.
So it's all right to talk when you fancy it, is it? She though mutinously.
"I'd like to, yeah," she replied. Fortunately, Tripp didn't realise that her tight smile was rather forced.
-o-
Over an hour later, eyes wide, Rose and Tripp watched in fascination as Horsea, after an exhilarating battle with a Weepinbell, started to evolve.
The little seahorse Pokémon was bathed in blinding light, before he started to contort strangely, growing first bigger, then smaller, wider, and then narrower. Again and again this happened, with increased speed until at last the light faded, and before them was Seadra, now almost as tall as his trainer, and looking rather shell-shocked.
Rose ran forward to embrace her Pokémon, tears of happiness in her brown eyes.
"Hor- I mean Seadra! Look at you!"
"Draaa!" he replied, happy now he realised what had just happened.
Pichu, Weedle and Geodude looked upon Seadra with awe, before realising that he was still their friend Horsea. With that, they too rushed forward and embraced the newly evolved Pokémon.
"A lot bigger than Horsea isn't he?" Tripp stammered, gobsmacked.
"I know!" Rose exclaimed, her eyes still wide from shock.
"Well…I guess we should…get going?" Tripp suggested.
"Not so fast!" a strange voice called.
Rose and Tripp looked up to see who had spoken. Tripp thought that he recognised the girl, but he couldn't think where on earth from.
"Rose isn't it?" she asked, a Pokéball in her hand.
"Yes…" Rose's frown suddenly disappeared, as though she had realised something. Tripp wished she would share it, he was rather confused.
"I just saw your little evolution," she sneered, "let's hope you're better at battling than you are at performing!" she laughed mockingly, "I choose you! Shinx!"
"You're on Chelsea," Rose snarled, "Go Seadra! Twister!" she commanded.
Tripp stood back to let the battle commence; he knew Rose well enough to know he didn't want to be anywhere near her firing line when she was this angry. And the girl, Chelsea, he remembered now - she had won the Pokémon contest in Jimbu with her Shinx. She was the girl that had been wearing the ridiculous frilly dress. It was no wonder he didn't recognise her, she looked almost normal in her jeans and t-shirt. Except for the ridiculous pink bows she still wore in her long blond hair.
"Thundershock Shinx!"
The attack hit Seadra squarely, but having just evolved, it barely affected him, despite the type disadvantage.
"Bubblebeam Seadra!"
Before Shinx had righted itself, Rose ordered him to use Twister once again, and Shinx fainted.
Chelsea growled, "Think you're clever do you? I choose you! Snubbull!"
Tripp blinked; he had genuinely never seen such an ugly looking Pokémon. Short, stout, and sickly pink, it suited Chelsea perfectly, he thought.
She caught his stare and mistook his disgust for admiration.
"I see you like my Pokémon - rare isn't he?" she grinned smugly, "Snubbull! Use Thunderfang!"
Seadra reeled in pain from the attack; Snubbull was clearly a higher level than Shinx.
"Again Snubbull!"
"Dodge it Seadra! Show it your speed!"
The attack missed, once, twice, three times, and Snubbull grew weary.
"Now Seadra! Water Gun!"
"Tackle it Snubbull!"
Seadra was too quick however, and Snubbull staggered, exhausted.
"One more Water Gun!"
And Snubbull fainted at last. Chelsea's eyes bulged in shock now that two of her Pokémon had been defeated.
Rose watched Seadra with concern. He was tiring fast, even before Chelsea's Pokémon they had been training for about an hour, he was close to fainting.
"Go! Smoochum!"
Tripp couldn't help but laugh at the little Pokémon; even Rose allowed herself a smile, it did look rather ridiculous with its oversized lips and blond hair.
"Come back Seadra! Go! Vulpix!"
"Use Confusion!"
Vulpix jumped backwards and managed to avoid the attack.
"Flamethrower Vulpix!"
The attack hit Smoochum critically, and to Chelsea's fury, being part ice type, Smoochum fainted in one.
"Whoa!" Tripp yelled, "Go Vulpix!"
Chelsea threw him a look of pure hatred, before turning back to the battle.
"See how easily you can deal with Staryu!"
"Come back Vulpix! Go! Oddish!"
Oddish jumped from foot to foot, eager to participate in her first battle.
"Use Mega Drain!"
The attack hit, but to Rose and Tripp's astonishment Chelsea smiled smugly.
"Recover Staryu!" the starfish Pokémon glowed an array of colours, before righting itself, fully healed.
"Now use Bubblebeam!"
"Don't give in Oddish! Use Absorb!"
Staryu was too quick however, and the attack missed.
"Show it your Water Gun Staryu!"
"Petal Dance!"
Once more Staryu managed to dodge the attack, and Oddish, unused to battling, began to weaken.
"Use Rapid Spin Staryu!"
Rose gasped in shock as Oddish faltered and fell, unable to withstand the attacks of the higher level water type Pokémon.
Chelsea shrieked in delight as Rose was forced to return the weed Pokémon to her Pokéball.
"Stupid bitch," Tripp muttered to his friend, "you've taken down three of her Pokémon, yet she almost wets herself in delight because her stupid starfish managed to dodge a few attacks…"
Rose allowed herself a small smile, touched by Tripp's loyalty.
"Let's see how she copes when we really get started," she whispered to him, "let's do it Pichu!"
Chelsea smirked when she saw her new opponent.
"A Pichu?" she laughed.
Pichu's cheeks fizzled with angry electricity.
"You think your electric rat's gonna beat my Staryu?"
"Probably," Rose grinned nonchalantly.
Chelsea scowled at the response, and sprang into action.
"Use Rapid Spin!"
"Show it your Agility Pichu!"
Pichu whizzed out of sight, much to Staryu's confusion.
"Bubblebeam Staryu!"
"Pichu! Use Pound!"
Chelsea shrieked with laughter.
"Too much of a baby to know any electric type moves Pichu?" she sneered.
"Yeah, that's right!" Rose called casually, "Pichu! Use Sweet Kiss!"
"Dodge it Staryu! Use Water Gun!"
"Use Agility!"
"Use Rapid Spin!"
"Pichu! Pound!"
"Staryu! Recover!"
Rose smiled, she had been waiting for this.
"Okay Pichu! Enough playing around! Use Thunderbolt!"
Chelsea raised her eyebrows in disbelief, but her disbelief only lasted a split second.
"Chuuuuuu!"
Pichu squeezed his eyes shut in intense concentration, and Chelsea's mouth fell open. Even Rose was taken aback; she had never known Pichu's Thunderbolt to be so powerful.
There was no hope for Staryu, who lay motionless in the road. Chelsea didn't even appear to notice; she just stared, astounded, at the tiny electric Pokémon before returning Staryu wordlessly to its Pokéball. She blinked rapidly, before lifting up her rucksack and running as quickly as she could towards Rue Town.
-o-
When Rose and Tripp eventually reached Rue Town themselves, they made their way straight to the Pokémon Centre for a reviving cup of coffee and a sandwich.
"Who did she think she was?" Tripp exclaimed angrily, as the pair sat down.
Rose laughed cheerily, "I don't know why you care so much – I thrashed her."
"I know but still! She was so…"
"Stupid?" Rose offered.
Tripp chuckled, "I can't deny that."
-o-
"I'm getting bored of towns," Tripp sighed, "I want to challenge another Gym!"
"I know what you mean," Rose agreed, picking at her ice-cream.
Despite the fact that they had only eaten lunch a couple of hours ago, Rose and Tripp, in their boredom, found themselves sat in the sun outside an ice cream Parlour. Tripp, cramming the last of his chocolate sundae into his mouth looked over at Rose.
"Another?"
"We've already had two each!"
"…So?"
"Toffee please," she grinned.
-o-
"If only my mum could see me now," Tripp groaned.
Rose giggled; Tripp's mother was incredibly healthy, so much so that she had become a vegan in the last couple of years, much to Tripp's disgust.
"You've got chocolate all around your mouth," Rose tutted, leaning across the table to dab at it with her napkin. Tripp eyed her shrewdly.
"Well everyone knows that's the oldest trick in the book."
Rose tilted her head questioningly.
"What is?"
"You know…" Tripp grinned cheekily.
"I really don't," Rose replied shortly; she reckoned she knew where this was heading.
"I know you just wanna get closer to me," Tripp laughed, raising his eyebrows suggestively. However, he adopted a look of guilt when he saw the fury rising in Rose's eyes.
She opened her mouth to argue, when she was interrupted by a large crack.
Tripp yelped in fright and Rose jumped backwards in alarm. The tables outside the ice cream parlour were deserted, but the crack was incredibly loud, and far too close for comfort.
"W-what was that?" Rose stammered, looking around her.
Before Tripp could answer, there was another resounding crack.
"Look!" Tripp gasped, pointing to where their rucksacks lay discarded on the ground, "they're…moving."
Both teenagers hurried to unzip their bags where they found, to their excitement, that both of their eggs had cracked down the centre, and the baby Pokémon inside were struggling to free themselves.
"Let's put them on the table," Rose whispered, her brown eyes wide.
Tripp nodded in agreement, and the teenagers watched in wonder as little by little, small fragments of shell fell away from the pinkish-white eggs.
After fifteen tense minutes, their Pokémon finally emerged. They were identical, and stood shakily on their tiny legs, shaking their heads and causing their long ears to flap, as though disorientated. Each baby Pokémon turned to gaze at their new trainer, before squeaking simultaneously:
"Eevee?"
"Wow," Rose grinned.
"They're so cute!" Tripp squealed, surprising himself.
Rose laughed before picking up the tiny fox-like Pokémon and nestling it to her cheek.
"They're so warm! And soft!" she crooned.
Tripp began to laugh as his Eevee licked his nose in earnest. Rose's Eevee squirmed until it was placed on the table top, where it began to lick the remnants of toffee ice cream.
"Pichu!"
Pichu jumped from Rose's shoulder onto the table top, where he made his acquaintance with the two new Pokémon.
"Eevee's pretty rare, isn't it?" Tripp asked.
"I think so!" Rose answered.
"And it can evolve into three different types!"
"Something like that," Rose agreed, giggling as Eevee nibbled her fingers.
"Wouldn't you feel criminal training them? They're so teeny!"
"I know…I suppose we have to start somewhere though…"
"Rose!" Trip yelled in shock, his blue eyes wide, "I won a Fire Stone at the fair! I could have a Flareon!"
Rose bit her lip worriedly.
"But you just caught a Houndour…maybe you should wait?"
The excitement faded from Tripp's eyes.
"I suppose…what other types can it evolve into?"
Rose frowned in concentration.
"Well, definitely water, fire and electric…"
"What do you mean 'definitely'?"
"Well, there are rumours that Eevee can evolve in other different ways…but I don't know how true that is…"
"Wow," Tripp blinked, "that'd be pretty cool."
"I'm not sure it's true…and God only knows how it'd be achieved…"
Tripp shrugged
"Well, maybe we should look into it at some point…shall we get dinner?"
"Now?!"
"Well, it's six o'clock?"
"We just had three ice cream sundaes each!"
"I know, but I don't want to break our routine!" Rose laughed.
Tripp rolled his eyes, but gathered Eevee and his rucksack in his arms, and followed her nonetheless.
-o-
As they were setting up their tents that night Tripp, to Rose's irritation, had become quiet and sullen once more. She couldn't see why, as during the day he'd acted perfectly normally. It annoyed her, as she knew it was about the fact she wouldn't force herself to like him as he had done, and so felt they couldn't talk about it. It was therefore rather huffily that she unzipped her tent and wriggled into her sleeping bag.
"What's the matter?" Tripp asked, confused.
"Nothing!" Rose sang in a falsely cheery voice, rolling her eyes.
"What is it?" he asked, propping himself up on his elbow so as to see into her tent better.
"It's nothing Tripp."
"Please tell me?"
"It doesn't matter."
Tripp flinched; her tone was uncharacteristically harsh.
"Well now you're worrying me."
"I'm just tired."
She sat up and pulled her hair into a ponytail.
"…What?" she asked; Tripp was looking at her most strangely.
He smiled slightly.
"Nothing," he said, before lying down.
"Tripp…" Rose started warningly.
"What?"
"Just tell me!"
"Tell you what?"
Rose started to reply, but caught herself in time. Exactly, she thought, what? 'Why were you looking at me funnily Tripp?' No, I can't say that…what if he wasn't? Then I look stupid…
"Well?"
"You're right," she smiled falsely, "it's nothing."
-o-
"Right," Rose said the next morning, after all their things were packed, "the plan is, we have breakfast, and we get to Sage City as soon as we can."
"Deal, I'm dying for a proper battle."
"And I've thought about training our Eevees."
"Oh?"
"Well, we'll release Eevee first, but before they can be attacked, we'll switch them for our other Pokémon, and that way, Eevee will gain the experience but without getting hurt!"
Tripp gazed at Rose in awe.
"Genius."
"Ooh, be quiet!" she scowled, but Tripp saw her blush and smiled to himself.
-o-
After half an hour on the road, the Eevees were looking less frail, and they sat down for a water break.
"Shaping up aren't they?" Rose said, tickling her Eevee under the chin.
"Hey! We don't even know if they're male or female!" Tripp realised.
"Oh yeah…" Rose frowned, "I guess we can ask at the Pokémon Centre?"
"You could just check yourself?"
"What? No! That's weird!"
"Why?"
"I dunno…I don't wanna go…fiddling around with them!"
Tripp burst into laughter.
"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes.
"Funny is it?" Rose asked smirking, "Why don't you have a look?"
"No! Gross!"
"Thank you" she said smugly, standing up and leaving Tripp to sulk.
-o-
After two attempted evolutions from Weedle, they were in sight of Sage City.
"There it is!" Tripp said, pointing.
"I cannot wait to get inside the Gym," Rose said, her eyes glinting.
"Me neither," Tripp smiled, "feels like it's been an age."
The teenagers continued towards the city, but after about ten yards or so Rose stopped and looked back.
"Vulpix!" she called, "what are you doing?"
The fire type Pokémon appeared to be digging for something.
"What is it? What've you found?" Rose asked, approaching her Pokémon.
Vulpix buried her pointed face into the ground, and with an almighty tug, wrenched something from the earth with her teeth. Righting herself, she trotted over to Rose, and deposited her treasure into her trainer's hands.
"Is that…a Thunder Stone?" Tripp asked, looking over Rose's shoulder.
"I think so…" Rose said, turning it over in her hands. It was a green crystal, rather jagged with a small, yellow lightning bolt on one side.
"Does this mean…Pichu can become Pikachu?"
"I…I don't know. I suppose so?"
Pichu was eyeing the Thunderstone with awe.
"You wanna try it Pichu?" Rose asked; she was torn, she loved Pichu, but couldn't deny that the prospect of him evolving excited her.
Pichu nodded determinedly.
"Pi pi!"
"They just have to hold it," Tripp whispered.
Rose silently handed the Thunder Stone to Pichu, who took it in his tiny paws.
Everyone held their breath – but nothing happened.
"Pichu?"
"I don't know…" Rose frowned, "are you sure that's all you're meant to do?" she asked Tripp.
"Positive," he said, "I've seen my parents use stones a few times…"
Rose tried not to look disappointed.
"Maybe it's not real?" she said, "…another question for the Pokémon Centre I guess!"
She turned to Vulpix who was sat at her feet, looking up expectantly.
"Well done Vulpix," she smiled, "good spot!"
Vulpix closed her eyes happily and nuzzled Rose's leg, before going back into her Pokéball.
-o-
Sage City was the largest city they had come across so far. Buildings seemed to stretch upwards unendingly, and the swarm of people on the streets was overwhelming compared to the stillness of Lovage and Rue.
"Apparently the Pokémon Centre here is massive," Rose told Tripp, "my aunt and uncle live here, you know – Mona's parents."
The Pokémon Centre was indeed the largest the pair had laid eyes upon. Instead of one nurse at the desk, there were three desks, each with its own nurse.
"Wow…this place is huge!" Tripp said, his mouth agape.
Rose made her way to the desk.
"Hello, can we please heal our Pokémon?"
"Certainly!" the nurse smiled, "how many are there?"
"Well I have I have four, and you have?"
"Four too," Tripp said.
"If you'll just pass your Pokéballs to me…"
"I was also wondering if anyone could help us," Rose asked, "we've each just had an Eevee hatch, and we'd like to know their sexes?"
"Oh! Joy!" the nurse called, turning to the door behind her.
"Yes?" a faint voice answered.
"Two trainers here! Each have a baby Eevee!"
Nurse Joy appeared in the doorway; more senior than the other nurses, her uniform was blue instead of white.
"Oh, I just love baby – Rose!" she exclaimed, her hand over her heart.
"Aunty Joy!" Rose laughed, running past the desk to hug her mother's sister.
"Look at you! Look how you've grown! Why – the last time I saw you, you must have been…"
"Thirteen!"
"And now look at you!" Joy kissed Rose on the top of her head.
"How's Mona doing, do you know? And your mother did mention that you would be starting a journey, but I didn't realise you'd get here so soon! And who is this handsome chap?" she asked, gesturing towards Tripp, who stood to the side awkwardly, growing increasingly more red.
Rose laughed brightly.
"Aunty Joy, this is my best friend Tripp, Tripp, my mum's sister – Joy."
"Pleased to meet you," Tripp stammered.
"Now let's go and see to these Eevees, plenty of time to talk later!"
-o-
"Now this one here…is a boy!" Joy announced, handing Tripp his Eevee, "and yours Rose…is a girl! How fitting!"
"A girl…"
"Most certainly!" Joy beamed, "do you two have plans for this evening?"
Rose and Tripp looked at one another before shrugging.
"No, we're free!"
"Well then you must come to my house for dinner!"
"Why thanks Aunty Joy!" Rose beamed.
"Thanks very much Nurse Joy."
"Tripp, Tripp! Call me Joy! You may stay the night too if you wish?" Joy spoke incredibly quickly, and always had an air of being incredibly flustered.
"It's fine Aunty Joy, we have sleeping bags."
"I'll not hear of it! You'll stay at my house, in proper beds!"
"Thank you! Only if it isn't any trouble…"
"None at all! I finish work at six, and I live just next to the bakery in case you've forgotten?"
"We'll find it!"
"Good, good! Now off with you! Plenty more patients to treat I'm afraid!"
-o-
"I completely forgot she worked at the Pokémon Centre!" Rose laughed as they strolled round Sage City.
"You'd never guess she was your mum's sister…"
"Why not?" Rose asked, puzzled.
"Well, apart from the fact that they look pretty similar, they're completely different! Your mum's so calm, and Joy…"
"She's crazy isn't she?" Rose said, grinning.
"Yes," Tripp laughed, "didn't want to say it myself."
"Oh you would have realised soon enough, just wait until you see her house!"
They found the Gym fairly easily; a colossal white building with giant wooden doors that stood slightly ajar.
"It looks like a castle or something," Tripp said, craning his neck to see the top of the building.
"I wonder why it's so high?"
"No idea," Tripp replied.
"There's a sign, look!"
"'Englebert; far from Normal himself."
"What?!" said Rose, "What's that supposed to mean?"
"Well, the 'N' is capitalised…so I assume he trains normal types?"
"Oh…" Rose said in comprehension, "I suppose you're right…"
"Did you wanna go in?"
Rose shrugged nervously.
"I guess so."
AN:
Just how will they fare in their next Gym battle? Let me hear any thoughts! (or complaints :P)
Also, to let you all know I'm going away for three weeks and won't be updating until then (hence giving you two chapters today!) if you ever want the next installment…you'll have to review ;)
Love A x
