Settling Out
May was ready to leave before the moving truck was out of sight. Littleroot Town, Hoenn, was a perfectly nice place, but town it wasn't. Twenty cabins peppered on a sloped meadow encroached by unruly jungle, qualified it more of an outpost than a town. There wasn't even a grocery store, townsfolk used the one convivence store with its one gas pump.
The only other public building was a massive, modern laboratory sitting at the bottom of the hill.
May quietly descended the narrow stairs from her converted attic room, an unnecessary accommodation since she would be traveling with her dual type pokémon, Staineth. It had been the only pokémon she had kept when releasing the other twenty she had owned.
The teenager had gone on the typical journey most ten-year-olds undertook, with her parents providing the funds. She had participated in catching sprees like everyone else, and like everyone else had been unable to maintain her pokémon as feeding them alone had taken up her monthly budget. May had lasted longer than others by storing them in the PC, but actually training any took exclusive dedication, especially the potentially super-powered ones.
It had prevented May from traveling and ground her journey to a halt.
Her parents had called her home to regroup, as most parents did, and eventually coaxed her into Plan B: working at the resident gym. They encouraged her to release any pokémon she couldn't easily support in the city. A bit traumatized, May had gone to the end of the care spectrum, responsibly choosing to keep only her magnemite.
The twelve-inch-diameter ball of steel consumed electricity which was available free-choice from the city's power lines, and was a tax the citizens already paid for. May, as most washed-out trainers do, started working and saved most of her money for taking on the League Challenge again, but the move from Johto to Hoenn had postponed her plans.
"May!" her mother called, turning the short nickname into two syllables. "Come get this last bag, the movers must have overlooked it." The woman huffed as she tried to shift the bag. "What's in here, stones? We might need to let Staineth out."
"The movers didn't forget. I put it there because I'm leaving tomorrow."
"Maybelline Maple," Caroline enunciated, alerting her six-year-old son that she was sufficiently distracted for him to sneak a cookie. "We are going to talk about this when your father gets home this weekend and that's final." Her face flushed in agitation at having to repeat herself for the millionth time.
"Mom, it'll just be a waste of time. I have my own money and I'm leaving tomorrow," the mini version of the woman said, almost matching the inflections.
"Drop the tone." The brunette puffed up, but her eyes showed hurt. Her husband was so far away, she didn't want to worry about her daughter too. "Hoenn is not like Johto - it's in complete upheaval," Caroline began again, unable to help herself. "You are not going to be wandering around until everything settles down. Got it?" She scrutinizing her daughter's face when she only got a short nod.
"Why don't you go introduce yourself to Professor Birch, so you can have something to write your friends about," she suggested after a deep breath. Calmer now she picked up on her son's actions with her peripheral vision. "Max!" The child replica of her husband froze with his hand covering the mouth he had just crammed a cookie into. "Before lunch, really?"
May walked out and released Staineth, who wasn't allowed in the house as the physical phenomenon of its magnetism would interfere with all the electronics, magnets and ceramics. Its magnetic pull spanned three hundred feet, causing a handful of items to slam into the closed door, as hanging keys and other light, metallic items reacted to the draw.
May glanced over at Staineth who hovered companionably over her shoulder by electromagnetic levitation. "We're only humoring her with this. We leave tomorrow."
The short walk down the slope had her sweating, the humidity made it feel hotter than the temperature read. Several people sat on their porches, sipping iced tea as they read or painted. Their doors and gates stood wide open, something very foreign to May who'd lived in a rowhouse off a main street in Olivine City. They waved friendly hellos as she walked passed their graded ledges.
She flicked her hand at them reluctantly but quickened her pace to avoid any pointless conversations.
After returning Staineth to its pokéball, she walked into the giant, corrugated-metal and concrete laboratory. She sighed as delicious air conditioning blasted her when she walked in. Towers of machinery stood as substitutes for any interior decorating, and hurricane evacuation signs pointed her to dormitories, a cafeteria and a clinic.
May guessed the professor would be in the lab part of the building, and turned down a corridor, stopping at the first doorway she encountered. Huge glass display cabinets and more towers of blinking machines filled the room. She stared, figuring some of these white coats lived on base or drove into town everyday, otherwise the whole town was made up of scientist.
"Hello, I'm looking for Professor Birch," she addressed the nearest person holding a clipboard.
"Oh," the ebony skinned woman remarked, glancing over. "You must be Norman's girl." She tucked a pen into the floral headband holding back her poofy, purple curls. "He's not usually here, the professor is hands on, but I'm Marva," she said, offering a hand in introduction. "I can answer any questions you have."
"Thanks." The teenager returned the handshake awkwardly Well, I tried, she thought.
"It's nice to see new faces around here, and you're a trainer!" Marva smiled and cocked a hip as if settling in for a long conversation.
"Heh...well I'm going to go look for him. Nice meeting you," May said hastily.
"Likewise, don't be a stranger now." The woman's coffee-brown eyes twinkled in understanding as May retreated out the doorway.
Anticipating the bright sunlight outside, May squinted as she pushed the heavy, metal doors and almost smacked a lanky young man who'd been reaching for the handles.
"My bad!"
"Sorry," the young man replied automatically. "You're the new neighbor."
"Yep." She was about to walk around him since he didn't step aside, but stopped short when two red-tipped wings extended from behind his shoulders.
"I'm Brendan," he said, offering a friendly hand. Two grey, clawed appendages appeared on either side of his neck, and with a flutter of grey wings, a bug's face appeared on top of his head.
"Um..." May hummed, missing his hand as she stared at the pokémon's peering, red eyes.
"This is Lightning," Brendan said, jerking a thumb over his shoulder. The wasp screeched happily, causing May to flinch.
"O-okay. I'm gonna go," she stuttered and rushed around him, cringing as the ninjask screeched again.
"Sorry," the tall boy said again, jogging effortlessly with her. "Didn't know you'd be afraid of bugs." His footsteps were silent on the spongy ground.
May pulled a face but just continued running up the hill. She was in shape but the heat kicked her butt, she was breathing hard when she got to the top of the ledge. Brendan stood with her, embarrassing her with his regular breathing. She glanced around for the ninjask and happened to see his belt.
"You have a full team," she noted, then spied the pins on his floppy white hat. They were six badges.
"Just got the Heat Badge," he boasted, noting her lingering gaze.
"Huh, nice." Envy surged through her, followed by a frustrating shame. I should have all eight of Johto's by now.
"Thanks. I just have the flying and electric gym to go, haven't found a way around those..." He trailed off for a second, but knew exactly what would regain her attention. "But training bug types is going to have its challenges." He grinned, enjoying her horrified expression.
"That's crazy," she finally managed.
"They're fun," he countered. "Who do you have there?"
"Just a magnemite at the moment. Wait, aren't you missing my dad's badge?"
"Nope, the grass gym your dad took over was my first badge. Unfortunately the gyms had a change up before I could challenge them, and now there's a flying gym to worry about...I'm still training Thunder to face Wattson, but I've had to stop until I find an everstone. Learned that lesson with Lightning." He tapped his belt. "You're going to want a water type as soon as possible, otherwise you'll be relying on ferries." He smiled. "Do you plan on challenging gyms?"
May's brows furrowed as she considered the information. She'd been researching Hoenn pokémon once she realized she wouldn't be staying in Johto when her family moved, but still wasn't familiar with them. Facing gyms that used strange pokémon was going to be near impossible. "Uh, yeah, but I thought the region was screwed up still?" She finally said, the silence cuing her back into the conversation.
"Nah, there was a change up in the Elite Four after the terrorist threat and everything is fine now."
"Huh. Cool. See ya." She walked away abruptly, too anxious to study to care about being rude.
May's oversized, hiking backpack had a cast-iron skillet right at the top to allow Staineth a hold. The electromagnetic pulses it exerted to levitate created an anti-gravity scone around each curved magnet. It held the long bag with both units, almost entirely encompassing the load. It left May to walk unencumbered with just her fanny-pack around her waist and a water canteen across her chest.
The sun was just rising, but the sticky heat hadn't gone anywhere in the night and now teamed up with all the plants' transpiration to dampen May's clothes. Even these preliminary rays were hot. Ugh, and this is just the beginning, she thought, grimacing apologetically to Staineth who hovered over her shoulder with the length of the backpack acting as a sunshield.
The polished splendor of its steel bounced a ray right in her eye before she walked into the shady foliage.
Route 101 started on the regular dirt road used by vehicles, then veered off under true canopy that turned the bright day into evening dimness. She spotted a black SUV parked on the narrow, unkempt road right where the trail turned. Her approach, as she walked around the car to start the trail, triggered a low growl and taps on the windshield as clipboards, mugs and pens tried reaching Staineth.
"Whoa, who's there?" asked a deep voice. May froze for a second, the low growl continued uninterrupted. Then a burly man stepped around the car with a scruffy cub at his unclad heels. The big man was wearing faded-green cargo shorts, sandals, and a nondescript shirt with a grey lab coat over the ensemble. May thought she could see a rifle pressed against the tinted, back window of the vehicle.
"A trainer? Stand down," he spoke to the red-eyed poochyena. "It's a good morning to be out early. You must be Norman's girl since we haven't met before. I'm Professor Birch," he said conversationally.
"Good morning. It's nice to meet you Professor, I'm May," she said, impersonating someone mature. The broad-shouldered man nodded his shaggy head, confirming his assumption. Interestingly, he kept a trimmed beard, May guessed it was his wife's doing since the rest of him was rugged.
"This is Darkfriend, a friendly wild pokémon I've known for a while. Who do you have there?" he asked, eyes shining as he looked at the magnemite.
"Staineth from the Brass Tower." She'd noticed the Hoenn way of introducing pokémon as if they were people. It fit her philosophy so she thought to try it out, with a twist of course. The magnemite would get a kick out of the title.
"Ah, Ecruteak City," Professor Birch said, impressed. "Hang back a bit," he said to the hyena pup as he walked up for a closer look. "You must have seen some things there, little friend. What a handy pokémon you are," he praised, putting both pokémon and trainer at ease with his easy charisma. The pull from his many-compartment shorts drew his attention.
"Oh, ferritic? I think that's the word, I'm not very well versed with steel types." He sounded apologetic. "You're ferritic steel, right?" he asked, patting a rising flask back into one of the pockets and velcroing it shut.
"Yeah, that's right," May said impressed despite herself.
"Interesting." Professor Birch smiled at Staineth and included May with a friendly glance. "You might want some waterproofing, I have a can of spray paint in the trunk if you want." He went to turn around but stopped when May declined.
"No, I have an epoxy polymer on it, so it'll keep for a while." The hairy man was quickly gaining esteem with her.
"Oh, good! And you give it free rein, like Professor Elm advises?" He was as interested in Staineth's bobbed reply as with May's.
"As much as I can, yeah."
"I believe he has it right. It's a trend that's catching on here with trainers and owners alike. May I?" he asked, walking up to Staineth. The magnemite bobbed consent. Unsure of what he wanted, but trusting him already May translated, granting him permission. The man smoothly took hold of a strap on the bag, he was curious to see how much weight the tiny sphere was holding.
Staineth hovered in place, as docile as a kitten.
"Wow," the professor remarked, testing the weight with one strong arm. "This has to be a hundred pounds." He looked at May for confirmation but only got a slight shrug. "No small feat," he praised Staineth. "You could probably carry your trainer, wouldn't you say?" He was beyond impressed and was going to call Wattson in Mauville City to ask him.
"I'm hoping once it evolves it'll be able to but, um, I think I should go before it gets any hotter." It wasn't a lie, although she could probably talk to the man all day regardless of the sweat snaking down her back, but she was thinking of her mother waking up.
"Sure." He held the bulging bag for Staineth to retake with both hands now. "Stay frosty," he said with a smile, winking at May.
"Thanks." The teenager threw one last glance at the overgrown fangs on the canine, and headed into the trees.
The jungle was hot and infested with bug types. The darkness didn't help ease her nerves, neither did the constant trailing of sweat down her back and arms that her paranoid mind mistook for crawling insects. Scattered showers reached her as mere drops from overhead leaves, but they turned the steamy jungle floor into a misty maze.
Light items were being picked up by Staineth's magnetic pull: a ring, a potion, pens, someone's glasses, and random pieces of twisted wire. May didn't bother picking them off as she didn't want to hold any of it, and if she tossed anything it would just fly back.
Staineth zapped any pokémon that got too curious and tried jumping out at them, it was mostly wurmple and zigzagoon. May kept waiting to stop in a patch of sunlight but the next one always seemed brighter. She finally stopped and kneeled to get off her aching feet, looking around nervously. There's just so many bugs, she thought and decided to quicken her pace as much as possible.
The magnemite hovered next to her as a bodyguard.
They didn't make it to Oldale Town until nightfall, which meant she had walked in almost pitch darkness for several hours on the forest floor. Staineth had taken the lead, illuminating the path with its eye. The drawback was it attracted all types of insects, but May couldn't afford to walk blindly. By the time they walked into the city the magnemite was running on fumes. It dropped the bag in front of the pokécenter as May instructed, and zipped over to the nearest breaker box to eat with the handful of other magnemite.
"Thanks," she mumbled to Staineth, out of energy herself. She didn't notice in the darkening light that it was the only steel ball with debris on it. Nearing exhaustion she briefly considered leaving her bag on the stoop when she tried to move it. She had to dig deep to drag the load, it got easier once inside on linoleum.
She was sore in the morning and embarrassed by it. From just walking? she mocked herself and forced her legs down the beautiful town's flower-filled boulevards. It turned out Oldale Town was just a big phytotoxicology center where researchers studied plant poisons.
The town was overflowing with gardens and nectar-drunk beautifly, that May admired but gave a wide berth to. The business avenue had many glass-fronted laboratories filled with casually-dressed researchers, and beautiful murals adorned most buildings, featuring grass type evolutions.
She poked through some inviting outlets once she reached the 'district center,' and found some great books. Now this was a proper town, small enough to be cozy but big enough for an actual life. The townsfolk seemed as serene as the flowers with conservative smiles and peaceful energy.
Finally she pressed the pokéball, silently calling for Staineth. When it hovered down to her, she realized no other magnemite had a magnetic pull, and wondered how they were all diamagnetic. She cleared off its round body, finding more glasses, four antidotes, plant trimmers, a bottle of vitamins, and a small staryu-core necklace. She polished Staineth with a microfiber cloth and dish soap, following the grain as it cowlicked until the magnemite shone brightly.
Then withdrew it, afraid it would pick up a lot more stuff at ground level.
The brunette headed up Route 103 for the only real tourist attraction in the town, the Ruins. She found the entrance but there seemed to be an event going on because the way was blocked. May figured it was a school fieldtrip or something because everyone she saw was wearing green. It's for the best since I should be getting ready to leave before mom shows up, she thought even though her dad had the car.
The next morning, she entered the dark and hot jungle route, and immediately found it as bug-infested as Route 101. Most of the trainers used poochyena, zigzagoon, and marill on this trail because of the readily available bugs they could feed them. Staineth defeated them all, allowing May to make her sweaty way through the steamy jungle, occasionally having to return items lifted from some trainer's open backpacks.
She noticed berry bushes, and after digging out her edible plant book decided to snack on them, missing the dairy products that usually made up her diet. She had kept her meals as familiar as possible not wanting to risk indigestion. It was a good thing she liked fruit and fish because it seemed the staple diet of the region.
May loaded up on the wild food, not worried Staineth would be bothered since the anti-gravity waves it used rendered most of the bag weightless. She wished it would evolve already so it could give her rides, but then wondered if she would still be able to have it out at all with an upgraded magnetic field.
The usual afternoon rain shower didn't surprise her, but its duration did. She didn't make it to Petalburg City until well after midnight, as she refused to stop any longer than necessary. The promise of a dry, indoor bed kept her resolve strong, but the sprinkling precipitation never stopped fully.
She ended up dragging the swollen pack down the streets of the city, since Staineth had refused to carry it and faint from exhaustion, leaving her without defense. It kept an eye on her as it fed on the powerlines with dozens of other magnemite.
She finally made it to her dad's apartment building an hour after entering the city, only after remembering she could use a phone since Staineth wasn't with her. Norman parked the mini van and called out his kangaskhan to carry the ridiculously large pack.
"You'll have to face her sometime, and you know with your mother sooner is better than later," he continued mildly, referring to her escapade. May stayed silent, counting herself lucky that a short car-ride-lecture was all she was in for with her dad. "Did you even unpack? This has to be everything in your room," he commented once they stood inside his home-away-from-home.
May looked up at her tall, wiry dad who was unusually disheveled. "Just a couple extra things," she said with a tired smile.
He shook his head, bemused. "Go take a hot shower while I warm up some take-out. I'm guessing you won't be coming to the gym with me in the morning."
"Ha!" May agreed on her way into the bedroom.
She woke up to the sound of a blender. "Ugh." The health nut was making his morning smoothie. "Dad!"
"I made breakfast!"
"No, no you didn't," she grumbled, turning over in her bunk bed, the bottom one, since her brother had claimed the top before they'd even gotten them. Minutes later rustling woke her up, she lifted her groggy head, mumbling nonsense.
"Take these, drink this."
"Ugh." She cracked her eyes open to the sight of shiny pills resting in an open palm. She couldn't afford to get sick so she took her vitamins, and washed them down with a smelly, celery smoothie.
Her dad chuckled when she gagged. "You'll get use to it."
"No I won't," May said, with her nose pinched shut. She unwrinkled one eye halfway, but shut it quick against the light. "Where's Staineth?"
"Not in its pokéball?" he guessed, instantly serious. Anything to do with pokémon flipped the Gym Leader switch.
May rubbed at her eyes, trying to open them fully. "It wouldn't come down. Wanted to eat I guess," she lied. Better to hear a lecture about proper training than be accused of neglect.
"That's unacceptable. If you can't control it you don't deserve that badge." He rubbed a hand over his face, asking for patience. How could be make her understand? "In fact, give it here, you're starting new anyway."
"What?"
"Give it here. It's obvious you need a refresher course." The idea was impulsive but he ran with it. If she insisted on venturing out, she needed to take things seriously.
"No! It listens just fine. I didn't recall it, that's all," she insisted, panicking.
"That's almost worse. That steel type can't be out in this weather. You shouldn't of had it out unless you needed to battle. It'll get it sick if you keep it up." He crossed his arms, mirroring the stern slant of his black eyebrows. "Badge now."
She was fully awake now, although she had to keep her eyes squinted so they wouldn't sting. They stared each other down for a full minute. "You're sabotaging me," May croaked pasted the smoothie pulp still stuck to her throat.
"No, I'm making sure you can actually handle that magnemite. That first badge only covers pokémon ranked at threat level 20. If you've trained it past that you'll need recertification. I'd like to do it myself but to be fair we'll go with an outside party.
"You want me to fail."
"May, of course not."
"Then why are you revoking my badge? Now I have to start over from scratch." Her eyes were watering from forcing them open as she spoke, and made it look like she was crying. She wiped at her eyes with a vengeance. She wasn't weak, and she'd be damned if her own father thought so.
"I'm not letting you travel the region if you can't earn a badge here. I'm still waiting, don't make me ask again."
"Take it then, I'm not handing it over. Top pocket." She jerked her chin toward the hiker's pack resting against the wall.
"I'm helping you," he said, ignoring her scoff. "Just prove it listens to you, get recertified, and you'll have a badge. A Hoenn one."
"I don't want you're help. I know how to battle with Staineth, it listens to me just fine, and whatever badge I earned next would have been my second."
"So a handicap? If you're taking the League Challenge and plan on challenging the Gyms, why not beat them all?"
"Because it takes to long!"
"How? Getting your first badge again should be easy with a highly trained pokémon. You could probably earn the first two with that magnemite with as much training as you've put into it.
May couldn't answer without uncovering the lie she kept. In truth she hadn't cut it at Jasmine's Gym, and been let go early on. She had earned the money as a server at a bistro, that's why it had taken so long to stockpile enough to even think about another journey.
"In fact get dressed, you're coming with me to the gym."
"What for!? This is my journey, I make the rules!" she argued back.
"Because I'm watching you make the same mistakes. You can't take days off from pokémon training, that's how you run out of money. Rule number one."
"No, I don't need your help!"
"Rule number two, don't carry excess weight," he continued, nudging her pack lightly with his foot.
"No! No rules."
"Rule number three, and this one I thought you'd have down pat, no tiring out your pokémon. They need to stay as rested as possible outside of training and battling. You won't succeed otherwise."
"That's not what the experts say," May rounded on him immediately, but backtracked to stay on point, "and anyway, I'll do what I want. It's not your money I'm wasting anymore, it's mine."
"Wasting?" Norman narrowed his eyes as he studied his daughter's face. "You didn't waste a thing. I'd gladly pay for everything again, just like I'll do for Max when it's his turn, but I need to know you'll be safe. Now let's go."
Minutes later they were standing in the outdoor corridor between building blocks. May called Staineth down, seething when the magnemite protested. "Get down here right now."
Y It signed out in blinks.
"I can't explain right now just come," she spoke through her teeth into the pokéball's tiny microphone. Staineth buzzed a deliberating hum, eyeballing Norman who stood with his arms loosely crossed.
. . .
"Don't give me that shit, just come down now. This isn't time for jokes."
"I don't ever what to hear you curse at a pokémon again, May. I don't care how friendly you think it is." Norman broke his damning silence, voice grim.
May turned around, frowning. "Staineth would never hurt me, and we are friends, and that's how I talk to my friends."
"I meant how friendly you think it sounds, and no May, you are pokémon and master first. This is why you're having this problem." She opened her mouth to defend herself, but Norman kept speaking. "You sound like an owner with a disobedient pet."
Staineth suddenly buzzed down, stealing the pen in Norman's shirt pocket, and with a focused magnetic pull disrupted the door knockers and windchimes of neighboring apartment units. May knew what Staineth was doing and ran with it.
"No, dad. Staineth just knows better than to come close to houses. We'll be lucky if you don't end up owing people TVs. Let's go." She snatched the pen back and quickly pressed the sequence on the pokéball to suck Staineth in.
Fat clouds covered the city, muting the brightness of sunrise as they drove out of the urban, southwest part of town into the touristy downtown. They took one of the freeways, it reminded May of Olivine, as did the car exhaust and hints of ocean in the air.
They walked in to a buffet being setup in chafing dishes for Norman's snorlax, who would be battling today. May snagged a breakfast wrap as she followed her dad into the office, fully prepared to gulp it down if chided about eating in there.
"We'll have to battle right now, there's no other time to squeeze it in," Norman said, flipping through his schedule book.
"This was your idea," May reminded him.
"Let's go." He led her down large hallways, through different arenas until they reached the Gym Leader's Room. "I want to test that friendship you're talking about."
He called forth a spinda and commanded Teeter Dance. The swaying teddy bear lurched forward as if it had tripped, then fell to the side, dangerously close to crashing. Then threw itself backwards, flailing its fuzzy arms, but throughout its dance one stubby foot always caught it at the last second.
May couldn't take her eyes away from the strange little thing, waiting for it to fall. The pokémon's eyes were disturbingly hypnotic spirals, acting as lures. "Okay creepy spice, let's dance. Staineth, Thunderwave!"
The magnemite actualized from the pokéball, sending a pulse shuddering through the air. It broke against the spinda, paralyzing its erratic limbs, but between the spinning eyes and the dizzying movements, Staineth found itself confused. May wasn't too worried since the spinda couldn't attack now, and Staineth knew to tread air until the confusion passed.
"Skill Swap!" Norman called. May watched the overhead lights reach for the bear as the magnetic pull changed direction. The magnemite was dragged through the air and slammed against the spinda, causing damage.
May smirked.
The spotted bear struggled through the paralysis to perform a Façade attack. It landed since Staineth was oblivious in its confusion. The 'ding' of each blow chipped the smile off the girl's face.
Thinking fast, she decided Mirror Shot would be best and spoke into the pokéball. Another Façade was thwarted by the paralysis before Staineth found its mind again and responded.
It gathered and bent light beams, concentrating them into a laser pointer right in the spinda's face. The magnemite struggled to lift away as the furry pokémon reacted to the attack, but it was stuck, like a magnet.
"Hypnosis!" The spinda dropped its head to Staineth's, blocking out all other views except its swirly eyes.
"Mirror Shot!" The refracted light blinded them both, preventing the magic of the spinda's spirals to take affect. "Metal Sound!" A shriek grated out of the magnemite, jarring everyone in the room. Desperate for the torture to stop the spinda executed another Façade and Staineth fainted. When the piercing soundwave ceased, the spinda reversed the Skill Swap and let the steel ball drop off.
The harsh clang of its landing echoed through the expansive arena.
"Rule number four, have more than one pokémon ready for battle."
"I want a rematch. If I'd known what that thing was I would have been prepared. Thanks for making my point." May snapped.
"There's a tone that's not going to fly. You should avoid getting it hit-"
"I want a rematch. I know Staineth can't face-tank, I know how to battle with it."
Norman checked his wrist for the time. "And how are you going to get around Skill Swap?"
"Do you have time for a rematch or not?"
"No. Now stop with the lip. I've taught you better," he warned, walking away to the far door.
"Now that I know that thing has no speed and relies on status conditions, I'd have Staineth come out with Mirror Shot. Which-"
"And the spinda would use Skill Swap."
"It wouldn't matter because Staineth wouldn't be confused and it's keeping accuracy down," May replied.
"It wouldn't matter for Façade, it would land hits in such close proximity. It's a bad trade."
"No, Mirror Shot does damage and distorts sight, so if any hits from Façade land -which yeah with Staineth glued to the side some would- they wouldn't be heavy because the spinda wouldn't be paralyzed."
Norman glanced sideway as they walked down the hall. "And if the spinda used Teeter Dance?"
"Metal Sound. It's distracting enough to lower defenses, and sets Staineth up for Electro Ball."
"What if I call for Encore, then you're stuck confused, which leaves the spinda openings for Façade. It wouldn't even need Hypnosis."
"Staineth has faster speed-"
"Exactly. Speed with lower energy reserves, equal don't get hit. Come out with Electro Ball and deal free damage before the spinda can work its status attacks," Norman instructed, rendering May speechless.
They walked in silence through the large entrance room, where employees and their pokémon were eating, into Norman's office. He placed his spinda's ball into a depression on a machine plate and waited for May to add the magnemite.
"You always say to prep for longer battles, and not take big risks," May finally said.
"Normal types need the footwork and the prep. Electric types typically have the speed to afford risks. How much are you risking by not paralyzing the spinda on first chance?"
"That's what I'm saying! If I'd known-"
"The answer is 'little' because the magnemite can shoot out a Thunderwave immediately. Four years at an electric gym and you're making rookie mistakes."
That stung. "I'm tired, dad. I know how to battle," May said, ashamed of the lie.
"And do you have the money to pay out every time you're tired?" Norman asked severely.
"If I'm tired I won't be up and about, accepting battles. Kind of how I didn't want to come and battle today," she snarked. "Anyway I proved Staineth listens to me, so there."
"Mhm...with how you battled I suggest you try training a normal type," he said with mock innocence, satisfied now that he saw the magnemite listen with his own eyes.
"Aha."
"You know, you could always work here. Why don't I introduce you to the team?" Norman said, growing excited as he spoke. He tried wrapping an arm around his daughter's shoulders, but she ducked away and flicked her hands at him.
"Why are you and mom trying to keep me in town so bad?"
Norman's brow puckered in confusion. "Are we?" he mused, but took the opportunity to warn her again. "You aren't leaving with a group this time, and law enforcement is still looking for gang activity. I expect you to call us at every pokécenter."
"No micromanaging. Anyway, aren't these 'gangs' fighting for the environment or something?"
"Uh, something about marine life...? It should be fine, but check in at every center or I'll bring you back. Deal?"
It's my fricking money and my fricking journey, she thought, but knew how to play the game. "Deal."
Challengers were lining up to see her dad, so she decided to take a nap in his office. The thought of calling her mother crossed her mind, but she didn't. Her dad's blessing carried more weight, and if Caroline wanted to bitch she could hash it out with him. May was finally doing this, and she was going to win. She would not be overwhelmed like last time.
She would not be a failure, she'd already been feeling less of one until this last battle.
It would help if people butted the hell out of her business, well wishes and all. 'Something to write your friends about,' she scoffed, remembering her mother's words. There were no friends anymore, not really. Those that were successful got too busy, and those that washed out got too distracted. She was living proof.
After releasing her pokémon, May had thrown herself at anything. Getting herself fired from Jasmine's gym had been the final wake up call; she'd better buckle down or this would become her life. May would not be a loser. Not that anyone had said it, but she knew how the world worked.
Trainees ran in the office to heal her dad's pokémon after every match, inevitably keeping her up. The interruptions gave May chances to taste the local cuisine as people dropped off dishes for snorlax.
The whole city was smitten with her dad for coming 'back home' and taking up the gym, their donated meals were like offerings to a king. Snorlax sat in the main hall when not battling, eating and greeting people happily. Every time May moseyed over to the food it eyeballed her as if to say 'again?'
It was late when Norman finished for the day and refocused on May, he waited until they were on their way home to say anything.
"I have something I want you to see."
"No."
"It's adaptive, low maintenance-"
"No."
"Just take a look-"
"Is it a normal type?"
"Of cour-" he began, then decided to play coy. "Yes, it so happens."
"No normal types, dad. I need my own thing," May insisted.
"Well you need a second pokémon before you go anywhere, that magnemite won't make it long outside of town."
Her paranoid mind mistook the advice for criticism, like her dad was doubting her. He was right, but it put her on defense. "Staineth does just fine."
They turned off at their exit, exposing swathes of glittery cityscape. May had always enjoyed the sight of a lit up city. A little less trees, and a lighthouse and I might like it here.
"Not against western Hoenn gyms. You'll be facing fighting or rock, then electric or fire depending on which way you go."
May didn't speak, but if looks could kill...
"You can still get badges easy, there's plenty of pokémon to pick from and the magnemite will come in handy for the harder gyms inland," Norman said, not feeling guilty in the least. "But I was thinking, maybe a small alternator and battery could feed Staineth when you're on the trail-"
May glanced over, suspicious, but unable to ignore a good idea. "Since when do you tinker?"
"-Maybe from an electric scooter, or something. Well, we can search online," he suggested, determined to stay positive.
"Nah, if I'm going to spend money it'll be on a generator, not something questionable we rigged up. I take batteries for when it needs a boost. We'll be fine."
There was really nothing to worry about if May stayed on the marked trails, but he'd feel better if she had a reliable pokémon. He didn't think much of the magnemite, but knew better than to make suggestions. The teenage rebellion phase was in full throttle, had been ever since she'd come home from the first journey.
May kept to her habitual polishing of the steel type, hunting up cleaning powder and a sponge to gently buff out the shallow blemishes the pokémon on Route 102 and the spinda had marked on the steel. She halved her backpack, unloading unnecessary things as she didn't want to get stuck hauling it all if Staineth didn't make the trip.
The map showed Route 104 as long and multi-trailed through the forest, then longer through farmland and finally long again over delta and the rural outskirts of the city.
She decided on Rustboro City over Dewford Town, thinking it'd be easier to find and train a simple grass type. Or whatever else is out here, she thought, irritated she wasn't sure what her options were. She dug out her Hoenn pokémon book again and fell asleep studying.
"Why won't you wait a couple days? You can find something to train here, and give your mother a chance to see you off," Norman said.
"I don't want to lose momentum." It was an obvious lie, but he didn't push.
Norman sighed. "Take this with you, send it back if you end up not using it."
May glanced back into the car. "No."
"It's not optional," he warned, sick of the backtalk.
"If you're handing out handicaps, I want my badge." She was leaning on the car door, eyeing the pokéball in his hand.
They stared each other down another second before he dropped his hand. "Call as soon as you get to a center."
"I know," she rolled her eyes, and shut the door.
"Not so fast," Norman called through the open window. "I have a list, I promised your mother I'd check it off with you." It was May's turn to sigh. "If the soap isn't lathering, it's not...?"
"Cleaning," May responded, bored and annoyed. She stared across the dashboard, out her dad's window, at the beachhouses and touristy shops overlooking the ocean.
"If the grease isn't clear the meat's not...?"
"Cooked."
"If the fish isn't flaking, it's not...?"
"Done," she said, exasperated.
"If the-"
"I know all these already! Bye."
She walked out of the fenced, dirt-parking lot to the trailhead, looking back only when she reached the trail marker. Her dad waved, she waved back and hurried into the trees of Route 104.
This area of jungle was called Petalburg Forest. She cursed as it started to rain, she hadn't expected it in the morning. It ruined Staineth's carefully nurtured shine. The canopy smothered the rain to a drizzle but made the lowest jungle layer muggy. It irritated her and reminded her that Staineth would need frequent applications of some type of moisture-cure urethane.
The trails hosted many bug-enthusiast trainers which May easily defeated, but the sound of nincada freaked her out. The jungle floor was dark and creepy enough without the ominous clicking. In the mist, she mistook an older man as a trainer and challenged him.
"Oh, no – I'm no trainer. I was looking for shroomish, they like to come out when it's raining like this to eat."
"You just had to fuck around in this shithole all morning, didn't you? I'm tired of waiting for you! Hand over the papers and nobody gets hurt," a youth threatened.
May's eyes grew round as saucers in disbelief.
"I don't have anything on me! Help me, trainer. He's part of a radical group that's been trying to steal our work," the man said, sliding behind May as if she were his pokémon.
"Fine, we'll do this the hard way. Nobody messes with Team Magma!" the grunt exclaimed throwing out a poochyena. The red-eyed beast bared large fangs. "Huntress, Sand Attack!" The cub immediately turned and started scooping clouds of dirt into the air.
"Staineth!" May called out, alarmed. The civilian retreated in step with her, making sure he was out of the way of any attacks. The magnemite dropped the bag and glared, producing a threatening metal sound. The harsh, intimidating vibrations felt like a physical barrier pressing into their heads, making the canine quiver and hesitate. "Take it out!" The young lady was too frazzled to use the regular commands but her pokémon understood.
A sizzling ball of electricity sparked into existence above Staineth. It crackled in the seconds it took to bend the arching strands of energy into a closed circuit, then it shot hungrily through the air to shatter on the poochyena. It only took that one shot.
"No way, it K-Oed me!" the grunt scrambled to retract his pokemon.
"Staineth, Thunder Wave!" May said, composed now. The ball of steel didn't pause, shooting a static wave that hummed through the air to freeze the young man in place. The Grunt's shocked expression froze into place as the energy hissed around him. The move caught him unbalanced and he tipped forward on his face.
"You got him! Finally, some justice. These fanatics have been after our research for weeks."
"Looks too heavy to carry," the girl remarked, thinking of actual justice.
"Oh, I'll wait here for the police. I'll call them now. It might take some time though, how long will he stay down?" the man asked, gripping the phone tighter as it tried leaping onto Staineth.
May was silent as she considered their options, finally she shrugged. "Tie him." She took off her bandana and handed it over, hoping the phone hadn't been fried.
The man knelled and gingerly touched the stunned grunt. "Oh! I can feel the charge, but it doesn't hurt." He secured the boy's wrists. "Thank you…ah, what's your name?" May shook her head, knowing how stupid it'd be to say her name.
She could lose her trainer license for attacking a human.
"It's okay, you can remain anonymous, but I want to thank you properly. Here," he said, producing an invention from his pocket. "I have two for work." The brunette smoothed the hair that had mused under the removed head piece, unsure if she should take anything from a stranger. "It's a gearball," the man explained. "It stores items in one dimension, same concept as a pokéball."
Intrigued, May took the unpainted ball. Being able to carry a comfortable tent would get her out of the rain. She smiled at the thought. "This'll help me a lot. Thank you."
"You're welcome. I'm Arnold." The man smiled back, reaching out to shake the young lady's hand. "Devon Crops owns the Pokémarts and is always researching new ideas to responsibly fill shelves," he spieled unintentionally. "These won't be out for a while yet, but I know Mr. Stone won't mind. In fact, you should stop by the office when you get to Rustboro City, he'll want to thank you personally."
May smiled vaguely, considering the possibilities. It faded when she felt the drizzle start up again. "Good luck with him," she said, starting down the dark trail.
She reached the edge of the gloomy jungle only to encounter a cloaked sky and undiluted rain.
The intensity of the unrestricted deluge contained the sticky fog to the shelter of the trees, providing visibility to the open vista of misty farmlands. May stood with a lowly Staineth under the moderate cover of the canopy, considering what she should do.
Resigning herself to her first night outside she trotted to the only building in sight, and sent out a grateful prayer at not getting electrocuted once she reached the fabric covered pergola. If she squeezed up against the flower shop's door she would be missed by most of the rain. Staineth dropped the load near her and flew around to the back of the building where it sensed a meter box.
The inky sky was quickly darkening into the black of night. May peeled off the wet shorts, leggings, rain coat, tank top and underwear to wrapped herself in the crinkly thermal blanket. It was an incredibly vulnerable feeling being naked in public, but she knew it would like the first time she'd relieved herself outdoors - scary at first then liberating.
She'd released her hair from the coiled braid so it could dry, and trusting the magnemite to keep her safe, drifted into an uncomfortable sleep.
Within the hour she was awakened by the familiar sound of sizzling electricity. May sat up to see what Staineth was doing but it was pitch black. Her first reaction was to panic, having been raised in a city left her unprepared for the true dark of the country.
It hadn't stopped raining yet, but it had softened to a light sprinkle. It wasn't until the magnemite's thunder wave illuminated the area nearby that she was able to make out the hordes of oddish roaming the rolling grassland.
The trainer got up and shimmied into her backup set of clothes, black leggings and another spaghetti-strap tank. She was too paranoid about the poison types to sleep so she put away the soaked clothes into her laundry drawstring bag, folded up the thermal blanket, and rolled up the damp sleeping pad to stuff into the bigger pack.
Staineth tried escorting May through the rambling dual types, using thunder wave to keep her far enough away from any shaken spores, but there were too many to escape without a fight. After defeating several waves of oddish it occurred to May to catch one, despite the phytotoxins she'd learned about in Oldale Town.
"Staineth, pick out your new team member, a strong one." She surveyed the stunned dual types all over the ground. The magnemite took the decision seriously, remembering past experiences of being part of a team, and all the previous conversations May and it had had.
It also knew how important this choice would be to its trainer's success, and fragile confidence. This new team member would need to cover Staineth's shortcomings, and pull its own weight to meet the minimal requirements.
It chose the hidden nuzleaf who'd been directing the onslaught of young oddish. It lay stunned thanks to the oddish's afflictions.
This one. It blinked out in Morse code with its bright eye, and indicated where May should throw the pokéball with an Electro Ball. The attack broke over the intoxicated nuzleaf, who was trying to crawl away through the spore-drenched grass. The nuzleaf struggled onto his back to face them, and took an Electro Ball to the face.
The trainer made it to the bridge that spanned the wide delta.
Zigzagoon fished at the water's edge and zubats swooped and spiraled all over the place. May didn't mind them as they were culling the bugs. Before the halfway-mark across the broad boardwalk, Rustboro's lights came into view. The brightness of the city pushed against the night sky, creating a haze that arched high over the buildings.
It surprised her that the city allowed lights when they lived surrounded by bug-infested jungle. It was morning when she made it into the city and witnessed the towering streetlights flash-frying lured insects. Ah, civilization, she thought, watching Staineth drop her bag and zoom over to a powerline. Most of the other magnemite had been mercifully coated in spray paint – a protection against deadly rust and corrosion in such a humid place.
Rewrite of my first fic ever :) The pace is a little fast but beginnings are so boring. There's six huge chapters already written, just have to be edited. Enjoy.