{Approx. 8 years ago}

That night, we ate in groups around Sensei's new camp site. He wasn't present, likely thinking of new ways to negotiate with Behemoth. Blindswipe ate with Bellsprout, Wooper, Alolan Rattata, and Treecko. Bounsweet tended to stay away from meal times like this. Didn't help her feel comfortable when we ate spoiled food in front of what looked like a large ripe fruit. Oshawott ate alone in a corner, nibbling as ferociously as her typical demeanor. Zemblance and Warwulf were listening to something Chimchar was talking about. That left Nightraider, Astra, Crest, Knave, Primrose, and Gardna eating with me.

Crest was feeling better, but like the rest of us he made faces as he stomached each bite. Although our numbers still dwindled since Machop and the others were snatched, our berry supply was nearly wiped by giving most to Behemoth's side. Leaving us the more foul-tasting leftovers. And the berries we could find safely were no better anyway.

Primrose requested another scratch on her back, so I put my berry down beside me to do so. She lay on my lap, sighing heavenly. [Oh, Will! What would I do without you?]

[Probably scratch yourself with your foot?] I smirked.

[But you give just the right touch,] she cooed.

When I finished, I reached for my berry without looking and took another bite. The texture felt different. And it was much spicier. "Hot!" I jumped to my feet. Primrose yelped as she fell to the ground. I ran over to our water containers I built over the months. I gulped down much more water than I expected. Relieved, I turned back to our group. Chimchar was howling with laughter around where I sat. Also nearby was the berry I ate. A red coloring different from the green one I was eating earlier.

Primrose was on her feet and held back by Astra and Gardna before she could attack the Chimp Pokémon. But that didn't stop her from berating him. [You maniac! Non-Fire-type Pokemon can't eat those! Much less humans! You hurt poor Will!]

Chimchar said something back between his laughs.

Whatever he said got Primrose's face as red as the berry I just bit. [I-I hope to Arceus you never say or said that to Will! He's n-not my boyf…]

"Say what?" I said as I stood by my seat.

[Eep!] She froze in place, though Astra and Gardna still kept a hold on her. [N-nothing! Nothing serious, I swear! Just…don't eat Tamato Berries.]

I picked up the Tamato Berry. It had other bites into it besides my own. I looked to Chimchar, who gave me a cheeky grin as he held the berry I was originally eating. I held the red berry to him, saying seriously, "Trade back. Now."

Chimchar kept his sheepish grin, but held the green berry up to me. We exchanged out berries and sat back down. Chimchar was joining us, apparently, sitting next to me. In response, Primrose sat opposite of us. She turned her nose up with a huff when Chimchar looked back to her.

I took another bite from my green berry. The spicy taste was still in my mouth, and mixed with the bitter taste of the green berry really put my tongue in knots. I threw the berry to the ground in frustration. "Yugh! I can't stand this! I want to eat something good!"

Chimchar snickered, [Hehe, the look in your face!]

I turned to the Chimp Pokémon. [Well, nice to hear your thoughts.]

Primrose, among the others who could hear my thoughts, grew tense when she heard me think that to Chimchar.

[Sweet! So, I can hear everyone's thoughts now?] said Chimchar, darting his eyes to everyone around us.

[No, just mine,] I said. [I can hear your thoughts, and some of the others, all at once. But you can't hear each other's thoughts but my own. Just kind of how it works from what I know.]

Chimchar thought for a few moments. Then a wide grin stretched across his face. [Well! Then I got some things I can tell you exclusively!]

I raised an eyebrow. [Like what?]

He leaned toward me. [Did you know Zemblance misses your shoes?]

[I figured. He'll need to swim for that around Dhelmise.]

[And that Primrose actually doesn't tidy herself that often? She mainly does it around y…]

A fireball shot at his face. It also burned the Tamato Berry he was holding. Primrose glared at him. [I'm right here!]

[Well, I can definitely see how you don't get along so easily with the others,] I acknowledged to Chimchar.

He inspected his berry, which looked mostly charred and shriveled. [I thought you said my thoughts to you weren't heard by anyone else?]

[I think she just knew you were talking about her.]

She turned her head away again. [You make that face when it's about me, even when you're lips aren't moving,] she thought, leaving that bit open to just me.

[I am so glad Primrose and I are over it,] sighed Nightraider.

Chimchar bit into his berry, but his expression was one of dissatisfaction. [Hey, this tastes different now.] He handed it to me. [I don't want it anymore.]

I grimaced, [But you've bitten it a few times already. And it's fricken spicy!]

[I'm not sick. And it doesn't feel that way anymore. You'll live. And what have you told us about 'wasting'?]

[Alright, alright…] I begrudging took the berry and took another bite. To my surprise, it wasn't so spicy. In fact, it was nearly flavorless. Still relatively horrible to taste, but the berry must had been so charred that the flavor was burned out of it. [Hm, your're right. I wonder…could I alter the flavors of these berries so they're better?] Then I gasped, [Oh! Chimchar, I haven't given you a nickname yet. Want one?]

[Yeah! Give me a cool one, like…like…]

[Call him Heartbreaker,] Crest interrupted.

[Jackass,] muttered Primrose.

[Rockhead,] said Astra.

[Conversation-Raider,] said Nightraider.

[Foolhardy,] Knave smirked.

[Monkeybone?] said Gardna, slightly confused.

Chimchar looked unenthused. [Bravo. Look how clever you all are.]

[How about Bravado?] I added.

Chimchar smiled again. [Yes! See? I have no idea what that means, but it sounds cool to me anyway!]

Bravado lived up to the demeanor his name implied. I always saw how he barged into others' conversations but act like he knew more than he let on without a hitch. Sometimes that worked, while some gave zero tolerance. He knew well enough to tread his words carefully around the likes of Sensei. But he reveled in poking fun at others' misfortune. Primrose was his favorite target. He knew just how to tick her off in a way that flustered her or got her chasing him in comedic fashion. He tried many times to spill her insecurities to me, but I purposely cut off our telepathic connection out of respect to Primrose.

However, he was very useful at picking up tidbits of info. He, Treecko, Knave, and Nightraider were among the best at scouting out the patterns of the flying Pokémon. Maybe not the most disciplined scout, but at least his snooping was directed at something useful. I also found out he was from the Sinnoh region. Tricked by the same poacher as the others. He admitted it wasn't one of his proudest moments, but at least he had company during and after their captivity.

Sensei gave Bravado the most discipline of the five. He had a fair moveset of Ember, Leer, Taunt, and Fury Swipes, but poorly used them. A few weeks of rigorous training made him as formidable a fighter as almost anyone else in the group. Primrose was visibly smug when she watched Bravado get roasted by Sensei and his regiments. She even learned Flame Charge and Psybeam during her own training to have alongside Scratch and Magic Coat. Not to be outdone, Bravado learned Flame Wheel to replace his Leer. If there was anyone that made him take things just a little more seriously, it was Primrose.