"Again!" Mades shouts.
Ellise grunts and quickly dashes towards her trainer, who is wearing a training gear with really big gloves to cushion majority of the Sentret's attacks, like now.
"Again!" the young female trainer shouts as the normal-type scurries back in position, readies itself, and dashes towards her trainer again.
"Quick Attack," Justin says as he and Saur sits under the shade of a tree.
The four are in one of the city's many parks, training under the mid-morning cloudless sky.
"It's Ellise's idea," Justin explains. "If she can take down Whitney's first two Pokémon, then I should be in top-shape to deal with the Miltank."
Saur nods. That does sound like a good strategy.
The Cyndaquil chuckles. "Heh... I still can't believe she thought of that. And here I thought I was the strategist." He smiles as the two witness the trainer stumbling a bit after blocking the Sentret's attacks. "And either she's making progress—"
"Again!"
"—or our dear trainer's getting tired."
Minutes fly by, with the two males quietly watching the females train, until—
"Yo! Mades!" a loud and young male voice calls out.
Ellise skids to a stop, huffs, and turns to the source, and so do the other three.
They see a young male trainer running towards them, waving a hand.
"Ugh," Ellise grunts, rolling her eyes. "Looks like he's back."
"Now, now, Elise," Mades says with a forced smile as she takes off her gloves. "Behave yourself."
"Hmp!" the Sentret hmp's and walks away as the newcomer arrives.
"Long time no see!" the male says with a wide grin. "Ellise still hates me, huh?"
"Eehhh," Mades shrugs. "you know how she is. So how's Galar?"
Saur leans close and whispers, "so who's he?"
"Burke," Justin whispers back, and grunts as Ellise lies on his back. "And get off. I'm not your bed."
"Shhhhnooooooooooorrrrzzz..." Ellise 'snores', grinning.
"A new Pokémon?" Mades asks, sounding really interested.
Burke grins. "Heh, I knew you'd be interested." He pulls out a Pokéball from his pocket and throws it in the air. "Say hello to Rei-El!"
The ball snaps open, and out comes a small, bipedal rabbit-like creature, looking up at Mades and quickly skips and hides behind its trainer's feet.
Burke's smile falters. "Um... S-she's a Scorbunny, and a little shy."
"I'll say," Mades says as she kneels down to get a better look at the nervous rabbit. "She looks really cute. Hello there," she greets her with a wave of a hand, but it scares the Scorbunny even more.
The male trainer scratches his head. "Okay, I lied. She's extremely shy." He picks her up and the two trainers continue talking to each other.
Meanwhile...
"—so in short, he and her live in New Bark, started their journeys together, and consider each other as rivals," Justin finishes his explanation.
Saur nods his head.
The Cyndaquil continues: "But a month ago, Burke went to another region. I forgot why, but I think it was something about his grandparents?"
"And he already defeated Whitney before he went there," Ellise adds, glaring at the talking trainers. "We'll show him! We'll defeat Whitney tomorrow!"
Saur blinks. "...wait. A month?"
Ellise glares at the grass-type. "We've been stuck in this city for a month because of that rolling bitch. Got a problem with that?"
Saur blinks at her.
Justin glares at the Sentret. "Calm down."
Ellise crosses her arms over her fluffy chest and turns away.
Justin sighs and turns to the grass-type. "I'm sorry about her. She, uh, hates him."
Saur nods his head.
"—but I mean, wow, Mades..." Burke chuckles. "I've been away for a month and you still didn't win against her?"
"We're doing our best, okay? So hush!" Mades crosses her arms and looks away, making Saur chuckle.
Like trainer, like Pokémon.
"Tomorrow, huh?" Burke asks, smiling. "I wanted to battle you, but perhaps later once you beat her." He shrugs. "Oh, and I hope you wouldn't mind if I watch your match tomorrow," he says, and finishes it with a wink, infuriating her even more.
As the two trainers continue their exchange, the white and nervous rabbit, still wrapped around her trainer's arms, wishes that she can return inside her Pokéball already, before she dies of a heart attack.