Chapter Fourteen - Self Defense
"You charmed a biker gang?"
Rosa shrugged helplessly as she surveyed her Pokemon's progress in the desert sand. Anna and Zaveid battled each other with a ferocity she wouldn't have expected, but apparently, her warning to take the challenge seriously had registered. Both were dripping with sweat that glistened against the sun's rays, and as her otter pumped water in Anna's direction, the Lucario sidestepped and tossed her weight onto one foot to counter with force palm.
She halfway smiled as Zaveid was blasted in the face. Anna was more than a match for that punk. "I didn't mean too, Curtis, it just sort of happened. Sal needed help finding his Pokémon, and I was willing. He would have had to climb a cliff by himself - Zaveid, knock that off, you little cheater! – and if he'd fallen off and died, I'd have felt guilty. Besides, I don't mind having people to travel with. I thought it would bother me, since I have a strict schedule to keep, but the company's actually been nice."
Curtis snorted, clearly amused by her outlandish story, and Rosa couldn't help but chuckle along with him. She'd be lying if she didn't admit to thinking the circumstances a bit . . . unusual.
The first few days of having Sal's biker gang follow her around had been more than uncomfortable. Quite honestly, she was proud of herself for sticking it out the first night. She'd kept her camp in the alcove of rock near a hill's base, so the gang just set up their site in a half-circle around the opening. Each rugged member spaced themselves evenly around her cave, forming a human wall of protection from whatever dangers may approach. Sal had claimed the spot closest to her, perhaps thinking she'd be most comfortable with him, but she'd spent the evening tossing and turning, wishing they would go away. After all, she'd spent two weeks by herself and hadn't had a problem. Why did she need babysitters now?
They mostly left her to follow her routine during the day, but Sal always sent bodyguards to keep her company. The burly men were forced to run with her, eat meals with her, and watch her Pokémon battle for hours. For the most part she ignored them, but after several days of the men saying nothing, Rosa grew tired of ghosts haunting her and her Pokémon.
Sal had been surprised by her demand to either behave like friends or leave, but she didn't need other people taking care of her, and she certainly didn't want sentries watching her every move.
Sal chose to stay.
Things had been better since then. Sal kept to her routine, but accompanied her himself and spent most of the time chatting with her. He'd asked a lot about her life, and she'd learned a bit about him as well.
"You'd probably be surprised by how normal he is." Rosa said, running her hand through her sand-specked hair as she watched Zaveid advance on Anna wielding his razor shells. "Sal's from Kanto, and he joined the navy at eighteen to escape his controlling mother. I don't know what the woman did, exactly, but it turned out to be a good thing. Sal's wife Sara lived in Alola at the time, near where he'd been stationed. It's kind of cute when he talks about her - Sara's always Sal's favorite topic."
Although Sal would never admit it, Rosa was starting to suspect Sara had made a gentleman out of her unruly husband. He had an astonishing – and oftentimes unnecessary – concern for her well-being. It was usually little things, like fretting over whether Rosa was too hot, or if she'd eaten enough for breakfast, or if she was homesick and missing her family. Sometimes he'd badger her about pushing herself too hard, and he once even made an extended trip to Nimbasa to pick her up supplies because he worried she wasn't "eating properly".
At first she'd shrugged his actions off as mildly annoying, but then she realized it had probably been a while since Sal felt the need to care for anyone. His gang didn't have any women, and Gwyneth certainly didn't need attending.
If he wanted to fuss over her, she'd let him.
Anna twisted her heels in the sand, temporarily blinding Zaveid with a spray of dirt. Energy gathered in the palms of her hands, and as it was released, Rosa's otter was launched across the desert like a rag doll. He landed in a pile of gravel with a grunt, but in a flash, he was back on his feet and at it again.
Curtis still sounded like he was enjoying her story too much as he said, "Of all the people you could be friends with, you chose a biker gang. I don't know why I'm even surprised. Where is Sal now that he can't hear you gossiping about him?"
"Adventuring. Nature calls us all. How's work going for you? Still keeping busy?"
He sighed. "Do you even have to ask? But if I ever get a vacation, I swear I'll spend it picking up my Xtransceiver from you. You're eager to meet me, aren't 'ya Rosa?"
"Eager for you to take your crap back."
"So that's a yes?"
"Shut up, Curtis."
"Don't worry," Curtis continued, chuckling, "It'll be a while before that happens. My bosses are sending me out on assignment soon. There's work to be done in the Sinnoh region, and they asked me to take it."
He was leaving the region?
Jealousy and enthusiasm rushed through Rosa's veins and warmed her face, but she immediately quelled the more unwelcome of the two emotions and tossed it aside. It would do her no good to be envious of her friend's travels. She was determined to experience the wonders of the world for herself, but she was content enough for now exploring Unova. "Are they seriously? You get to go to Sinnoh?"
"Yeah. They haven't given me the details of when exactly I'll be leaving, but I've got my passport ready. I'm hoping they'll send me near Lake Verity – it's the last lake in Sinnoh I haven't seen."
She nodded and tugged at the ends of her long hair. Anna was standing on top of Zaveid now, smugly grinding her foot into his chest.
Rosa turned away from them, pretending she hadn't seen. "This was all a plot, wasn't it? I'm going to be hanging onto your Xtransceiver until I'm dead."
"Took you long enough to catch on. But I have to make friends somehow."
A bubble of laughter burst from her chest, and with that, the ugly blanket of envy fell away. "Alright, I'll admit, I'm happy for you. I'd give my left foot to travel to Sinnoh, but since you're the one going, you'd better enjoy it for me."
"I'd take you with me, if I could."
"Kid?"
Rosa attention fell away from her Xtransceiver when Sal's gruff voice resounded across the sandy landscape. She wiped the sweat from her brow and turned to search for him, but stopped when she remembered he was likely passing over the rise of the hill and was not yet visible. "Down by the river, Sal!"
Curtis cut in. "Is that the gang leader you were telling me about?"
"Yup. You wanna meet him?"
"Temping, but I've actually got to get back to work. They've already called for me three times, and I'm kind of surprised they haven't come to take my Xtransceiver away. Try not to befriend anymore thugs, Rosa."
As Sal's enormous form appeared at the peak of the hill, Rosa said goodbye and disconnected. A scowl fell over the biker's face as their eyes met, and then he was lumbering down the sandy hill with purposeful steps.
"How's the training going?" He grunted, gently hitting her back with his elbow when he neared her.
Rosa shrugged. "It's going. I don't know if my team is ready to take on the Nimbasa City gym leader just yet, but they're coming along."
"You've been working 'em all afternoon. I thought for sure that Growlithe of yours was gonna pass out."
"He's tougher than you think. He can handle it."
"And Team Plasma? Can he handle them too?"
She hesitated. It had been a spur of the moment decision to tell Sal and his gang about Team Plasma, but she'd wanted to know if he had any information regarding them. Being the desert dweller he was, neither he nor his companions knew anything about them, but she hadn't expected differently. Most of the details she kept to herself, but she'd still done her best to emphasize the danger they posed to people and Pokémon. If any of their members were crawling around the desert, she wanted to make sure Sal and his gang were safe.
"It's hard to say. The grunts I've fought in the past haven't been much of a challenge, but I was nearly trashed the last time I tried battling one of their higher-ups. Their teams all seem to be at different levels. All we can do is get stronger, and hope for the best."
The scowl Sal wore grew deeper at her statement, and he cupped his chin in his hand and scratched at the brown stubble growing there. His troubled expression sent jitters of anxiety flooding through Rosa's spine, so she looked away and settled her attention on her sparring Pokémon. Anna had basically won at this point, but Rosa was proud of the two for continuing their match without instruction.
A warm hand fell on her arm, and she reluctantly turned back. Sal's blue-tinted eyes were tight with fear and trepidation. "Kid, I know your Pokémon do their best to take care of you, and I don't doubt their abilities, but I'm worried about you getting tangled up with this Team Plasma bunch. You rely on your team for everything. Remember the day we met? As soon as they saw me, your team swarmed around you and wouldn't move until you made them. What's happens if you one day don't have your Pokémon around to protect you? You're weak as a worm – you'll be crushed."
She blinked rapidly and wrinkled her brows. What brought this on? It had been over a week since she'd spoken to him about Plasma, so why was he thinking about this now?
"I've never really thought about that." Rosa admitted sheepishly. "I guess it's true that I depend on my Pokémon a lot, but I don't ever plan to be without them."
He interrupted. "You may not always have control over that."
"So what are you saying, Sal? That I'm holding back my team?"
Shaking his head, Sal removed an apple-colored bandana from his pants pocket and wrapped the cloth around his head to tie the sweaty strands of hair back. As he did so, he said, "I've been talking to my gang a lot about this, and we've all agreed to teach you self-defense."
"Get up, kid. We're not done yet."
Rosa groaned as she curled into a ball on the sand and wrapped a protective arm around the now sensitive bruise on her stomach. She'd endured a full afternoon of Sal's "lessons" on how to defend herself, but so far, all she had to show for it was an army of sore spots and burning lungs.
It was day three of her new training, and she was already having second thoughts about not leaving the desert sooner. Thankfully Sal had started with the basics: how to breathe in patterns that would help to keep herself calm, body mechanics that allowed maximum speed and power, and the importance of maintaining her focus. The hours were tedious, but at least they hadn't been painful.
For her third class, however, Sal caught her off guard by beginning the physical aspects of instruction. There wasn't enough time to learn specific techniques, so he'd settled for a broad overview of basic concepts. She'd optimistically believed the techniques would be simple to apply to a real situation, but her 'opponent' turned out to be one of Sal's muscled companions.
Now she was starting to wonder how she'd ever survived without her Pokémon.
"Come on, Sal." Elliot – one of Sal's gang members, and the only man willing to stand up to him – protested in a pleading voice. He'd become one of Rosa's favorite members when he'd picked her a bouquet of desert flowers as apology for irritating her so much. "Rosa's been at it for hours. Give her a break."
"She's not going to be in the desert for much longer. We must make the most of the time we've got with her. Back on your feet, kid."
Although her muscles were screaming for relief, Rosa forced herself into a sitting position, then shakily hauled herself up. Every joint ached, and the yellowish bruise on her stomach burned in protest when her abs stretched. It was like she'd been jerked around by a rabid dog for several hours.
Elliot wasn't ready to give up. "Sal, she's exhausted. There's no point helping her defend herself if you kill her. Let's just call it a day and let her rest. We can start again tomorrow."
"I'm okay." She whispered through ragged breathes. From her experience, Sal wouldn't push her so hard if he didn't think it important. It really sucked, but it would suck more if she was caught in a Plasma net without any way to free herself. Besides, she pushed her team to their limits all the time. It was only fair for her to take a turn. "I want to continue."
"See?" Sal said, gesturing to her. "She's fine and wants to continue. Back into basic stance, Rosa."
Elliot grumbled discontentedly, but Rosa complied and dropped back into position. Bits of sand and dust clung to her exposed skin and shimmered in the sunshine like crystal fragments.
Popping his knuckles, Sal continued his lesson. "You're worrying too much about throwing punches and kicking the crap out of things when you should be using your weight to your advantage. You're tiny. Elliot's not. Strategic, targeted moves are your best bet. You already know the most vulnerable parts of the body. Injure your opponent, and the moment they're caught off guard, run. Let's go again."
Exhaling heavily, Rosa watched Elliot as he dropped into position opposite of her. The reluctance in his brown eyes indicated he wasn't any more enthusiastic about fighting than she was, but at least he had the advantage.
"Where is he most vulnerable, kid? You have no advantage other than your intelligence. Use it."
Without further warning, Elliot broke into a run and charged at her like a football player coming in for a tackle. Raw panic clawed its way through her throat, and Rosa let out a yelp before she instinctively sidestepped to avoid being flattened. Her sore muscles throbbed at the jerky movement, but she disregarded the message.
Elliot was prepared for her evasive action. Following her movements, he stopped his pursuit and extended his massive arms to catch her around the waist. Rosa twisted to avoid him, but she stumbled in the slippery landscape and felt his hands fall around her waist. She was forcefully yanked into his stomach, and within seconds, was trapped in an iron grip against his chiseled abdominal.
Despite knowing she was safe, her heart squeezed with terror.
Adrenaline poured through her, clouding her senses. She could distantly hear Sal's voice shouting commands at her, but the blood roaring in her ears prevented her hearing them. Every cell in her body screamed at her to get away. Fight. Run. Do anything. But Elliot's grip on her felt like chains.
Without thinking, Rosa threw her head back against his stomach with every ounce of energy she had left. The man was strong enough he hardly flinched, but she immediately pulled her legs up towards her diaphragm and forced the biker to support her.
Caught off guard from suddenly having to carry all her weight, Elliot stumbled forward. Rosa squirmed against his grip like Zavied would against hers, and as soon as one elbow was free, she drove it into his side.
His arms around her slackened. She broke free and dropped to the ground, uncertain as her legs fought to find register in the sand. Elliot grunted, and Rosa writhed when his fingers touched the small of her back.
She whipped around and slammed her foot squarely into his left knee. There was a sickening crack as her shoe crunched his kneecap, and as Rosa scrambled away, Elliot screamed and dropped to the ground like a rock.
"Whoa there, hang on!" Sal shouted, snatching Rosa around her upper arm as she tried to run. She yanked it away, still in a frenzy, heart pounding as Sal met her panicked gaze. His intense, penetrating eyes burned into hers, forcing her to remain still. The adrenaline coursing through her system begged her to move, but Rosa didn't. They remained there, breathing in sync, gaze unwavering, until at last her muscles relaxed and the river of fear slowed to a stream.
Finally, Sal released his grip on her and rushed over to examine the fallen biker.
Elliot hadn't moved from his place in the sand. A single strand of water flowed from his chocolate-colored eyes, and Rosa gasped when her gaze fell to the damage she'd done to his knee.
"Elliot, I'm so sorry!"
She dropped to her knees and touched his broad shoulder, horrified. The area around his kneecap had already swollen like a balloon, and there was a footprint-shaped bruise forming against his tanned skin. He groaned painfully as he clutched it, and beside them, Sal clucked his tongue.
"Well, I think you've got more bite than we thought. Looks like she blew your knee, Elliot."
Rosa covered her mouth with her hands. "Are you serious?"
"It's okay." Elliot panted, pulling one of his hands from his injury to take Rosa's. He clutched her fingers and forced a small smile, and Rosa's heart lurched. "That was awesome, Rosa."
"Awesome? I broke your knee!"
"Well yeah, but I'll survive."
"Alright, that's enough." Sal grunted, waving Rosa away. "Kid, go get the rest of the gang so we can haul his sorry butt out of here. I hope you've got a clear schedule, Elliot, 'cause you're spending the night in a hospital."