Hi again.
So, okay, I sort of lied without meaning to, we're still not completely back to normal. A couple new things to chew on while I set the plot up to finally explain part of an earlier oddity.
Advice
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Well beyond the city, Elliot decided to try going west again, his curiosity piqued. The Jenny had warned him that it wasn't safe, but Elliot didn't take that too seriously. Why would one place be more dangerous than another? Besides, Johto should be on the other side. It wasn't like he was going into unknown, untraveled territory.
Elliot found the way impassible. It wasn't blocked exactly the way it had been at Viridian, but there were thick hedges cropping up on his path, and, after failing to find a way around them, Elliot gave up and continued south.
It grew late, and Elliot stopped and set up his camp. He released his pokemon to feed them. Caw beat his wings to catch his balance, creating a slight breeze that ruffled the fur of the other pokemon and sent Discord tumbling.
"Jiggly puff!" he cried, his tiny arms grabbing the ground as he rolled to stop himself.
Prowler's ears perked. ((So that's your name.))
((Yeah,)) said Discord. ((Didn't you ever see one before?
((I have, but you are not common where I was. And we did not usually hunt you.)) Hours spent stalking, careful of every breath, knowing any sound, any warning, would not only let him escape but mean her own death. He had to be killed perfectly, the skin unpunctured. ((I never heard one speak before it died.))
((I always thought there were a lot of us,)) Discord said. ((Where I was there were.))
((Perhaps because there are so few strong pokemon here, it is easier for things like you.))
((Why eat them?)) Caw asked scornfully. ((You're just telling another story. No large pokemon eats jigglypuff. They're mostly air.))
Held underwater as air slid out of dead lungs. ((There's fat in them,)) Prowler said. ((And soft meat.))
((Nothing would go through so much trouble for a delicacy eaten in one bite.))
((They aren't one,)) Prowler said.
((Then you don't eat them, then you don't hunt them, and you're just making it all up.))
Hot and puffed, a claw slicing through one side. Blood and grease and juice dripping onto a flat rock. ((Whoever said I was the one who ate it?))
Elliot had missed the conversation, but he did notice the glare Caw was giving and Prowler's calm, almost automatic return stare.
"Anything wrong, guys?" he asked.
Prowler didn't respond. Caw turned to Elliot. ((The persian is a liar,)) he said.
"Oh?"
((You shouldn't believe what she says. None of it's true.))
((What would you know, Bird,)) Prowler said, voice lazy.
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Elliot couldn't have been walking for more than an hour before he came upon a trainer. At his approach, she jumped up.
"Hey," she said. "You want to fight?" Next to her, a tauros snorted intimidating.
"Okay," Elliot replied automatically, even though she looked much older than him and he should have remembered Michael's battles, and even though Gabrielle had warned him about trainers that age. The experience of battling an adult gym leader and winning, and of catching a special pokemon, had pulled him firmly back into his original mindset. He pulled off a pokeball at random. It was Sono's. Elliot tossed it.
Sono fluttered her short wings once, then landed on the dirt road. She cheeped questioningly.
"Take down!" the girl yelled.
"Fly up and dive!"
The two collided headfirst. The bull tossed his head easily, unfazed, but Sono fell down unconscious.
"Return, Sono," Elliot said, then handed money over to the girl. "How'd your tauros get to be so strong?"
"That's simple," she said. "I train with him every day. I even have him attack me to build our bond. That makes him stronger than an ordinary pokemon."
"Oh," Elliot said. He remembered he'd seen a show about a pokemon master where the boy had done that. It made sense.
And just like being able to talk to pokemon, he wanted to be like that.
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"Prowler," Elliot said, "I want you to use slash on me."
In stories, the responses of pokemon varied. Some were shocked, some impressed. Others, out of their deep love for the trainer, at first refused.
However, they never stared impassively at their trainer as if he was a tree or rock. Prowler's gaze was unnerving. Elliot's self-confidence wavered a moment before recovering.
"Prowler," he whined. "Why won't you do what I say?"
Prowler yawned.
"Why won't you? I'm a good trainer. Tell me what's wrong."
Prowler looked at him like he was an idiot, then slashed the turf.
Elliot stared at the gash. "Oh," he said after a moment.
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Hours later, Elliot stopped for lunch. After feeding his pokemon, he decided let them stay out for a while. Caw obediently returned to his pokeball, but the reawakened Sono wanted to stay out. She perched on Elliot's shoulder as he walked, singing.
After walking for some time, Din began to whine softly, nuzzling Prowler. She stopped abruptly.
((Din is hungry,)) she announced.
"We'll eat more soon," Elliot said, feeling slightly hurt that she wouldn't talk to him earlier but would for Din.
((Din is hungry,)) Prowler repeated clearly. ((Din needs to eat food.))
Elliot sighed in resignation and started to get out the pokemon food.
((That is not good food,)) Prowler said, keeping her speech simple enough for him to understand.
"What's wrong with it?"
((That is food for older ones who do not do much. Din is young and Din is active. It is bad food for her.))
"I don't have anything else."
((I will get Din food. You continue. I will catch up with you before it is dark.)) Without waiting for his agreement, she loped off, Din following.
"Wait! How are you going to find me?"
Prowler glanced over her shoulder. ((Do not worry. You are easy to find.))
Yeah, short chapter. Sorry, I'll have another one done soon.
Next chapter: Insults are traded, Prowler's origins are called into question, and you won't even notice that because of the bombshell that'll be dropped before the end.