A/N: This story takes place after the events of Black and White, occurring around three months after the end of the games.
Flare had only been on his journey for two hours, and he was already certain that some higher power had it out for him. It was normal to see only a few pokemon in the area, due to the younger trainers catching every pokemon they came across. It was not normal to see zero pokemon, wild or trained. The younger trainers had caught everything, only to be driven away by the veteran trainers searching for the hero that lived in the area.
Due to this, Flare had no way to judge Hunter's strength. He knew his partner could handle himself in a pinch, but he had zero battle experience. His partner could be in the top percentage of Patrat, or he could be the weakest of his species. Well, it didn't matter. Natural strength only meant so much. With training, Flare was certain his partner could take on even the legendary dragons. Still, a battle would have been good to calm Hunter's restlessness.
"Hey, bud. You don't have to be so watchful anymore. We don't have to worry about my dad finding out about you when we're out here."
His partner nodded, but Flare could tell he was still scanning the area. Well, more than a Patrat normally would. Flare was worried that the new surroundings were making his friend nervous.
"Why don't we stop for a little? It'll give us a chance to eat something, and if we get lucky, we might even see a pokemon while we wait. Besides, we're making good time. At this rate, we'll reach Striaton City long before sunset."
Before his partner had a chance to answer, the sky responded to his suggestion with a low rumble, culminating in a flash of lightning from the distance. A storm. A rare occurrence in this area. Definitely not normal. Instead of waiting for the rain to drive them to shelter, Flare and Hunter rushed to the edge of the path, ducking under a nearby tree.
"Guess that's our answer, huh?"
His partner's glare made it clear that his sarcasm was unwanted in this situation.
"Heh. Sorry bud. Tell you what; to make it up to you, I'll be your lookout while you eat."
His partner perked up at this. He nodded excitedly at this deal. Flare made a mental note to help his friend break his habit, but right now, he'd indulge him.
"Alright then. I'm gonna work on making shelter before the rain picks up. Can you keep watch while I'm working? Just call out if something comes up, kay?"
His partner answered him with a short, "Pat," turning to face the path they'd left. Flare could already see his tail stiffening up, ready to signal any danger, although Flare wouldn't know what the signal would mean. Luckily, his partner was quite loud when it came to signaling, so he wasn't worried.
Setting his bag down, Flare took the moment to check what gear his father had packed. He noted that there were several empty pouches for any future acquisitions. The main pouch held a change of clothes, a small tarp, a flashlight, and a plastic bag, likely containing his lunch. Taking the tarp and the lunch, Flare took note of the red hair dye at the bottom of the bag, the first thing packed. With a heavy sigh, Flare closed his bag. With a cursory glance, he quickly noted that the best spot for his tarp would be resting upon some of the tree's lower branches.
"I'm gonna put this tarp up in the branches. If I fall, you'll catch me, right bud?"
His partner only glanced towards him before shaking his head and returning to his lookout duty.
Flare chuckled before beginning his climb up the tree. It only took him a few seconds to reach a suitable height for his tarp. He draped the tarp over the branches, making a rough estimate of the tarp's size for future reference. Once he was finished, he took a moment to reflect on his current predicament. With no training, he stood a poor chance against the Striaton Gym. Even if he could train in the nearby Dreamyard, with only Hunter, he'd be unlikely to win. His best bet was to find more pokemon, but that wasn't an option at the moment.
"Hmm…maybe if I train Tepig, he can handle one-"
His train of thought was derailed by a loud, "Patrat!" from below him. Deep in his thoughts, he'd completely forgotten about his partner, and it was clear that something had happened while he was gone. He quickly moved to descend the tree, his mind racing. Although Team Plasma was stopped recently, rouge members were still trying to steal pokemon. There was also the possibility that someone had wanted to steal from his bag. Regardless of why, he knew he'd owe his partner for leaving him alone for this long, assuming they got out of this predicament.
Dropping from the lowest branch, Flare was surprised at what he saw. Standing across from his partner was a Pansear, looking tired, but well prepared for a fight. Behind the Pansear was a girl, wearing clothes clearly meant for a colder climate. In his information gathering rush, Flare only briefly noted that her hair was dyed, as the roots of her hair still showed their natural caramel hue. He also noticed that she jumped when he descended. She must have thought that Hunter was a wild pokemon, meaning she was a trainer looking for a new pokemon. Flare almost felt excited. Finally, something normal.
Flare briefly allowed himself the hopeful thought that this is where his normal journey would start.
The girl was the first to break the silence, asking normal questions, such as, "Who are you?" and, "Is this your pokemon?"
Flare quickly responded, "Yes, he is my pokemon. Are you a trainer?"
Like an angel of normalcy, she answered, "Yes, I am."
Flare could hardly contain his excitement. His prayers had been answered. He'd met a normal trainer, in a normal situation. He let his excitement take him with his next question.
"Wanna battle?"
The girl's expression shifted from apprehension to a small smile. This was it. Flare could already tell that she'd accept. He'd have his first battle. A normal battle.
The girl responded, "Very well. I will indulge in a battle. But know this; the ashes of this battle will join the others upon my head."
Flare's excitement faded quickly, and he couldn't stop himself from letting out a quiet, "No."
"I'm afraid it is far too late to decline, sir. Fate has already decided that we must fight, and that you must burn."
"Please tell me this is a joke."
"I never tell jokes. We are beginning now. Behold, and watch in awe, as my partner brings forth a grand flame. Flame King, unleash your Ember!"
The Pansear, or as the devil had called him, Flame King, shot out a few small flames, which fizzled out long before reaching Hunter.
"If you're going to say something that stupid, at least pay attention to what's happening around you. You'll never win when it's raining."
The girl scoffed, "My partner could never lose. He is simply waiting to see what you do before unleashing his true power. Go on, and try to strike him. I'll pay my respects to your ashes soon."
Flare glanced at Hunter, who seemed equally annoyed with their guests. Flare sighed, and uttered a simple command.
"Hunter, Tackle."
With a cry, his partner rushed forward, slamming into the opposing Pansear, knocking him to the ground. The girl gasped, almost alarmed at how easily her partner had been hit. Flare, however, was more excited than surprised. Unless this girl was vastly overestimating her pokemon, Hunter had just gotten a hit on a powerful foe. Unfortunately, Flare's unlucky streak held up.
"Flame King, return now and rest."
The girl held up a pokeball, returning the defeated monkey to it. She sighed, and walked towards Flare before kneeling in front of him.
"You have defeated me. I will not ask you to spare my life, but I will humbly request a quick death."
"What? What do you think this is, the middle ages? Listen, I just want my winnings and then-"
Flare was interrupted by the sound of thunder, which made both Hunter and the crazy woman jump. The girl took this opportunity to respond, stating meekly, "I have no money, and therefore, I shall pay with my life."
"Then I'd prefer if you just leave," Flare continued, ignoring the girl's insane logic.
"Of course. This rain is nothing compared to bathing in ashes."
As if laughing at her, the rain began to pour harder than before.
Flare begin to feel guilty, but he couldn't risk his normal journey to help one girl. He quickly responded, "If the rain is nothing, then you should leave. Fast."
The rain started pouring even harder.
"Yes, I will leave. I humbly thank you for sparing me."
The downpour was nearly indistinguishable from the ocean at this point. Regardless, the girl stood up to leave. Flare watched her walk away. He felt like it would have been more merciful to kill her. Perhaps it was this feeling that led him to make a decision he knew he'd regret.
"Hey," he called to her, "Why don't you stay here until the rain stops?"
Flare hated everything about this girl, but he couldn't let her walk into the rain. It wouldn't be normal.