Savoir-faire – To Know and To Do

III: Attendre – To Wait

Day 3: Have narrowed down potentials to two; a girl and a boy. The girl, Serena, tends towards overpowering her opponents, though she does give consideration to strategy. The boy shows more promise, but a definite inexperience, I diagnose as because of his inexperience.

Kalos Trainers of the XXI century tend to follow the core tenets as set by Professor Samuel Oak of Kanto; that Pokémon are humanity's friends, and should always be treated as such. The implications are that Pokémon are natural disasters and should be accommodated, at its most extreme the phenomenon known as 'Poképhilia'. This paradoxical approach towards the dangers of Pokémon training as begun by ten years of age, as has become the custom of relatively safe Kanto, has also led to countless deaths; particularly in the case of the Sinnoh region, where the ineffective Sinnoh League required much reform after the threat of Team Galactic and the subsequent political upheaval.

Though cultural spillover from Kanto may be regarded as inevitable, Kalos should nonetheless strive to develop a semi-rational approach to Pokémon, recognising the true dangers as well as benefits that Pokémon has brought, rather than follow the blinkered, lax view of Pokémon as companions without recognising that Pokémon abilities and moves could turn against the inexperienced Trainer...

The proud arrangement of horns lowered, glowing with the colours of the rainbow, but predominantly green. I recognised the move as Megahorn. It was going to hit Deneb.

My Venusaur bellowed in defiance, but could not move within the vortex created by the Solar Beam it was about to fire. Around it was the mangled remnants of some of the Flares' Pokémon, Delphi amongst them. She had been the first hit when I freed the Legendary.

"Deneb!" I screamed, swinging out. I stumbled, landing in front of the charging deer. The horn stabbed through my spine and came out in the other end. looked straight, into Deneb's dying face where the pointed end of the horn had breached his skull. There was time. "Fire!"

The Legendary Pokémon tried to move, but I was so tired and angry and spiteful, that even if it shrugged it off I was going to make sure it remembered taking Deneb's Solar Beam straight up. It was the humans at fault, the humans who had trapped its sleeping form there. Why kill the Pokémon? Why kill Delphi? What kind of Legendary Pokémon would share eternal life, and yet deprive its own kind of the very thing it represented?

I hate it. I hate them all. As I died, I spoke a Curse-

I awoke. The dream was horrible; I needed to consider getting a Drowzee, or teach one of the trio Dream Eater. I needed to replace a Psychic, anyway.

Altair stared in concern. A mug was already in hand, filled with water. The mystery of how he did so without opposable thumbs was solved when I spotted Aegis wave, gingerly balancing his Blade Forme.

"Nightmare," I gasped once I finished the water. "W- What happened?"

Altair hung his head. It is ten years to the day.

I nodded, still sick. Ten years to the day, I had expected to fall with them. Delphi, Deneb, Sealeo and Banette... instead, I awoke to unchanging life and the awful truth that my team of six had lost four. "I miss them."

We have honoured them. They stand as the first Pokémon of an experienced Trainer. Even the Life Pokémon had seen fit that they be immortalised in you.

"But none of you will be," I told it. "You know that, right, Altair?"

I have long guessed it. Pokémon have no need of personal glory. It is the way it is.

I relented; Altair was clearly waiting for an appropriate response. "I think a walk in the Santalune Forest would be good for everyone."

It was coming to daybreak when I entered, but day and night made no difference to the Forest's deep canopy. I stayed to the well-worn paths, wary of strange Pokémon. As I passed, I spotted sleepy would-be Trainers and their partners stream towards a blocky building I interpreted to be the Trainers' School, and from there I got a rough demographic of the paths.

Altair lingered as I found a lake, checked and found an Oran berry tree, and released everyone. Jelly dived for the lake, and I heard a few murmurs that sounded like unfortunate Pokémon being eaten. I frowned as Jelly flew out, but then she flew back in to do battle with the Milotic there. It was clearly old and powerful, sleek and deadly; no experienced Trainer would have it easy catching it, never mind novices.

Altair gave me a boost up to the low boughs, where I leaned my back against the trunk. A passing Caterpie paused, almost considering as a stench released from its osmeterium. I gave it a branch of leaves, and it left.

I had no idea how long passed in complete silence. Altair and I were masters of the trance, and during that trance I had decided on a course of action, down to choosing a subject, getting the subject through Viola and back on the road. It was not hard, on reflection. It would be Camphrier Town next, where I would drop by the Shabboneau Castle, maybe discuss the local fauna, and consider adopting a stray Pokémon from the Day Care or catching one at the Connecting Cave...

They have taken your words to heart.

I looked up from the berries I picked to see both Donar and Serena walking along the paths. They were making noise, too much that the nearby birds would have long escaped. I leaned back; they were going to train.

I had trained Delphi here, once upon a time. I ignored that pang of pain. Even Legendaries had a right to life, no matter how unfair they were.

After Dr du Bois's Lucario took down the blue Vivillon, we made it through the Santalune Forest for the Pokémon Centre. The day after that, Serena went back to the forest.

"I need another Pokémon," she stressed, dragging me along. "Dr du Bois is right, I need to train Elmo and get another Pokémon, as backup."

"He was scaring you," I sighed. Zachary had apologised, especially after Dr du Bois hinted at lodging a complaint to the Pokémon League regarding the Santalune Gym. "You don't actually have to win against the Gym Leader, you just have to prove yourself worthy!"

"That's the point!" Serena shortly replied.

"Anyway," she said after a deep breath that expressed exasperation far more than any bodily injury ever could. "I'm thinking of getting a Flying Pokémon."

"Then why am I here?"

"That..." Serena paused, her eyes widening. "I'm going to beat you at the League, so you need to shape up, of course!"

I could have argued about the lack of logic with regards to that, but what came out of my mouth was, instead: "What about Dr du Bois?"

Serena stopped. "What about her?"

"Where is she?" I frowned.

"Dunno. Her Lucario was around, I guess she went to study the Pokémon around?" Serena shrugged.

We found the curiously youthful-looking professor by a Berry tree in a clearing, picking at the blue fruits hanging from the low boughs. Her Lucario stood by, clearly meditating in the tree's shade.

"Oran Berries?" I asked.

"Yes," Dr du Bois replied quietly. She was slim, rather petite, but more solid and real than even Serena. I guess it was a Trainer's maturity and a professor's intellect in one body, but it was mysterious anyway. "These Oran Berries are first harvested by students of the Santalune Trainers' School, obviously to compensate for a lack of pocket money for potions. This also leads me to conclude that a large majority of graduates would have as a starter or second Pokémon a Scatterbug, Caterpie, Weedle, Bunnelby, Fletchling, Pidgey or one of the elemental monkeys, with the occasional Pikachu."

"Erm... course," I swallowed. The good doctor was surprisingly prescient in summarising the demographics of the Pokémon at the Trainer's School compound we just passed.

"You guessed that, didn't you?" Serena stared at her. "How?"

"Barely any ripe berries from a tree of this size indicates that a man-made agency, and one unaccustomed to rationing, has been taking them," Dr du Bois waved to the low bough of green, unripe buds. "Pokémon tend to leave some berries, since these have mild healing properties; ergo, humans. Oran Berries grow fast in a pot, so why take all of the ripe Berries? Someone can't afford a pot to grow them, or soil, or time to care for the plant. Hence coming out here to take them from the tree. Now, this is a comparatively sleepy part of Kalos, so which Trainer would take the trouble to get the cheap Oran Berries of low quality? A Trainer who can't afford it, and has Pokémon who want them. That includes students, right there. And Pokémon who want Oran Berries tend to have tasted them before, ergo, they were caught in the Forest itself or within Avance Trail. Panpour, Pansage and Pansear markings can be found around the trunk –" here she pointed to scratches in the bark, "and I saw the distinctive scorches of electricity by a horde of Pikachu."

"That's amazing," I admitted.

Her lips twitched.

"Anyway, I need them," Serena walked over to one of the low boughs, plucking a handful. "And I'm going to catch a Pokémon!"

"Good luck," Dr du Bois dreamily replied once more.

I lingered as Serena left. "Do you think I have a chance at the Badge?"

"Not if you don't get used to your Froakie."

Point taken, I released Froakie and got it started on Water Gun. "I think I might have gotten lost if I walked through alone."

"It's a straight line."

I shrugged as I got soaked. "Good job, Froakie! But let's work on your aim."

The amphibian hopped, head-butted me, and stuck at the nearest tree. It blew a raspberry.

I sighed, looking around. "Fine, let's set you against a Weedle and see how you match."

I found a Caterpie on the Oran Berry tree and set Froakie on it. Froakie tried to eat it, but the caterpillar's String Shot tied it up. Dr du Bois just stared as I put Froakie through the motions, pieced together strategies with the help of the PokéDex, and I had the feeling of being assessed as a test subject or something.

"Altair," I heard Dr du Bois say.

The Lucario suddenly dived, whacking behind me. Earth and soil threw up into the air where the Lucario's fist impacted, forming something like a small crater.

"Are you insane?!" I yelled, panting. "I could have died! Why the hell did you do that?!"

She pointed down. My eyes followed her finger towards the fainted Weedle there. "So? So what?"

"You would have died," she tonelessly replied.

"Come on, it's a caterpillar," I grumbled.

She didn't answer, but I got the feeling of being vaguely disapproved of. "What?"

"Check your PokéDex."

I got out the thing, flipping it to the Weedle entry. "Yeah, Weedle, Hairy Bug, found in forests and grasslands, has a two-inch... toxic barb on its head..."

I deflated, suddenly realising that if the Lucario hadn't moved so quickly, I'd have been dragged to the Pokémon Centre screaming bloody poison right now. Instead, I had just gotten a fright. I had assumed that Kalos was harmless, that there wasn't a predator around.

I hadn't recalled that all Pokémon were dangerous. Some were just more obvious about it.

"Weedle were used by the criminal organisations of Kanto as silent assassination tools," Dr du Bois continued. "Those were fully grown men, their usual victims."

"S- Sorry, Doc," I mumbled, wiping a strand of my brown locks away from my face. Froakie croaked, in what I would term as concern. "Thanks, Altair."

The Lucario huffed. I hope you are.

It took a moment, but then I jumped back and away from the talking jackal-like beast. "Y- You talked?!" I stared at Dr du Bois. "He talks!"

Dr du Bois made a sign with her hand, towards the PokéDex. I looked for the Lucario entry, pausing. "Oh, it reads auras... understands human speech... reported to communicate via telepathy. Seriously?"

I am communicating with you. I think we have gone beyond the realm of possibility and into fact.

"A Lucario with a smart mouth..." I muttered, before my interminable curiosity poked at me. "Erm... Dr du Bois?"

The professor stared at me.

"Why are Lucario in such high demand at the Indigo League?" I hoped Altair wasn't going to punch me. "I mean... it's a Fighting-type, right? They have weaknesses too."

"Lucario are a dual-type Steel/Fighting Pokémon, able to communicate telepathically due to their knowledge of auras," Dr du Bois answered after a pause. "The weaknesses of the Fighting-type are balanced out in the Steel-type, and the weaknesses of Steel are covered in Fighting-type. Not only is it well-balanced, silent communication between Trainer and Pokémon becomes possible, and Lucario are amongst the most loyal, if proud, of known Pokémon species. To be able to command a Lucario means a lot amongst Trainers, to put things delicately."

"O- Oh," I awkwardly replied. "Erm... could you help me train for the Gym battle?"

"No."

Well, at least I asked. "Why?"

"Because I must see if Serena will win against Viola, and thus decide upon the individual subject at hand that I shall study. Until then, I shall influence neither subject."

"But until then, you're free. So why not?"

"You will not be able to handle any of my partners."

I opened my mouth, but she inclined her head towards Altair, who wordlessly raised his claw. I suddenly remembered the fate of the partially dismembered Vivillon, and decided that Froakie needed to go for the Little Leagues before the high leagues. "A- About yesterday..."

"Hmm?"

"The Pokémon battle," I clarified, more firmly than I truly felt. "Y- You didn't have to tear the Vivillon apart. That Trainer, Zachary... he's irritating, but what you called... that was just cruel."

"He knew the risks," Dr du Bois replied. "All battles bring the possibility of injury. Training is merely to decrease the chances of debilitating injury."

"Professor Sycamore-"

"-has never known war," Dr du Bois replied.

"There can't be war here." I said, though I felt unconvinced myself.

"I saw the fight against Team Flare, you know." Green eyes studied me. "Living in Kanto, you should be familiar with the Rockets. I can tell you that the Flares and the Rockets, while they hold different aims, employed much of the same methods."

"F- Fine," I admitted. "But that guy wasn't a Rocket or a Flare."

"He was a Gym trainer, a representative of Viola," Dr du Bois pointed out. "His Vivillon was prepared to poison and drain the life out of Serena's Fennekin. Does it matter? All that was different was speed."

"The Vivillon didn't deserve it."

"No, it didn't," she agreed. "Flash Cannon was just the most expedient way to go about handling the situation without subjecting the Vivillon to further dilemma. It cannot battle under an unscrupulous trainer if it is injured, after all."

I wanted to yell at her, that it was wrong, but then I was distantly aware that she'd turned off from the conversation immediately. Sure, it was cruel and unusual punishment... but it had taken Zachary down a peg...

"Jelly," I heard Dr du Bois order for a moment.

I spotted the pink spectral menace staring at a nearly red-plumed bird with a sort of expression universal to the Pokémon world; hunger. It, apparently named Jelly, floated, stalking the tiny Pokémon so quietly that it was freaking eerie.

The bird blinked, also still before it tried to dash for it. A cold wind blew from the menace of the seas, sending the bird careening over. The monster would have made a snack if I hadn't flung what I had on hand in time.

The Pokéball bounced, capturing the bird as it let out a terrified squeak, aware that the menace would have eaten it. It blinked, shook once, twice, thrice...

… and I heard a click.

"Congratulations," Dr du Bois absently replied. "That's your second Pokémon, that you caught yourself. Apparently by accident. A Fletchling would be a valuable addition."

I scowled, scrolling my PokéDex for the information about Fletchling and its evolutionary lines. "It evolves into a dual-type Fire/Flying..."

"Talonflame, the final evolution of Fletchling, and the second largest predatory bird of the Kalos region."

"What's the first?"

"Pidgeot, of course." Dr du Bois replied, still dreamily. "Jelly, no eating the wild Pokémon."

The Jellicent relented, bristling before Dr du Bois gave it some berries.

I let the Fletchling out, the terrified bird giving a squawk as it spotted the murderous Jellicent.

"It's safe," I told it and my rather surly Froakie. "Erm... I accidentally caught you while saving you from death by stomach, I'm very sorry-"

It pecked me.

"Prone to be physically abused by own Pokémon," I made notes, watching the boy, Donar, get pecked by the Fletchling he tried to save from Jelly. "Attributed to lack of control at current stage, especially this early in the Trainer journey, when he has yet to bond with his own starter much."

If you told Jelly to stalk that Fletchling right in front of the boy, it shall not be amusing, Altair communicated.

Crystal floated past, hissing as her flames grew slightly. Jelly just burbled back, chewing on its berries thoughtfully.

Shriik. Shriik.

Donar jumped, and the Fletchling squealed again as he turned around, spotting Aegis performing another attempt at self-sharpening. "W- What's that, a freaking sword?"

"He is Aegis," I replied. "My partner Aegislash, also known as the Royal Sword Pokémon. Dual-type Ghost/Steel. A fascinating species evolved from Duoblade with a Dusk Stone, native to the region. The Sycamore research laboratory places its origin along the time when the AZ Empire ruled Kalos."

"Does it have to do... that?!" Donar pointed as Aegis slammed its shield against its main body with the purple appendages it used for arms.

"Metal Sound unnerves the opponents that listen to it," I answered. "Aegislash is suited uniquely for battle, thus it needs to sharpen itself."

Donar scowled, but left instead of picking a fight.

"Still exhibits a modicum of sense," I whispered. "Aegis. Shadow Sneak."

I did not have a Psychic on hand – note to self; look into a Pokémon with Teleport – and hiding in the shadows were the domain of ghosts. A move that even the fearsome Gengar could not do had established the dominance of these unique Dual-Types from Gastlys and Haunters. It was little trouble to spot the boy training his Froakie and, apparently, Fletchling. Then again, Fletchling were simple creatures; it was the Fletchinder and the Talonflame that made them a credible threat. The Fletchling on the whole was a small creature, without the ferocity of Taillow or the hardiness of Pidgey, but they deferred their power to the likes of their later evolutions.

I watched the simple creature try its Peck against a passing Caterpie. It avoided the resultant String Shot and hit well enough.

"A flier," I murmured in approval. "It will be powerful. Against Viola...?"

The Fletchling pecked him once more, but Donar just sighed and talked to it, cooing quietly. I suppose he realised that the Fletchling was female, after all. It looked like he had training under way.

"Hi!" Serena came back. She was not alone; behind her trailed one of the Pikachu, its tail flicking and a happy smile on its face. Most Trainers liked the Electric Mouse Pokémon, but they were a pest this close to Santalune. "How's training, Don?"

"Fine," Donar shortly replied. "I caught my second Pokémon. Well, I technically saved it from our dear professor's murderous Pokémon, but it counts."

Serena looked up, just as Aegis made a particularly grating screech. She took in Crystal blowing smoke rings, Jelly lingered by the berry tree, and Aegis obliviously sharpening its sword. Just then, one of Aegis's hands swung its main body in a vaguely threatening gesture.

She screamed, of course.

"I kind of imagined my journey with less Ghosts," I stated once Dr du Bois had recalled her Ghosts to within her Pokéballs and we walked to the Santalune Gym. It was a surprisingly elegant building. "You know, I thought it'd be more... natural."

"It is, inside," Dr du Bois replied. Beside her, Altair lingered like some protective, silent bodyguard, but the Professor looked more animated than she had been yesterday. "Viola is a photographer by trade, after all. She has an excellent eye for lighting, especially since the building faces south."

"Can we get this over with?" Serena murmured, grouchy. "I want to start training my Pika!"

"You already named it?" I muttered.

We walked to the bored receptionist and presented our requests, and were duly shown within, where it felt like we stepped into a different geological epoch. The entirety of the interior resembled a jungle clearing; two elevated wooden platforms faced each other, while below them extended a treacherous net of spider-web, presumably done by an Ariados. I was impressed.

Viola herself was there, a camera slung around her neck. She was blonde with dark green eyes, her bangs curled inwards at the ends like antennae. She wore a white vest and dark green corduroy jeans, and sneakers. Serena left us to stand opposite of Viola, as the referee read the rules out.

"This will be a two-on-two battle. Each Trainer may use one Pokémon at each time. The battle lasts until one forfeits or both Pokémon are knocked out."

Viola raised her arms to form a frame around Serena's face. "That determined expression… That glint in your eye that says you're up to the challenge… It's fantastic! Just fantastic! Is this your first time challenging a Gym?"

"She does have a way with people," Dr du Bois murmured. I agreed.

"Now come at me!" Viola cried, choosing a Pokéball. "My lens is always focused on victory – I won't let anything ruin this shot!"

"Elmo, I choose you!" Serena called, as Elmo hit the field.

"A Fennekin, then?" Viola squinted at the tiny fox. "Well, I'm quite aware that this Gym has one glaring weakness... but I'm prepared! Go, Surskit!"

I blinked as the blue water-skater thing appeared, dancing on the field of web. "That's..."

"Surskit, a Pokémon native to the Hoenn region." Dr du Bois supplied. "Most of the Surskit in Kalos are descendants of the Masquerain that ended up here after the last tussle of Kyogre and Groundon in the Hoenn region. They are also the only known Bug/Water Pokémon within the six regions."

I turned the choked laugh into a hacking cough; no wonder she had advised for Flying-Types.

The Surskit opened with Quick Attack, and being able to dance over the webs, it was fast. Elmo shot an Ember at command, but couldn't make it in time as the Surskit slammed into it and then hopped back. Water spouted from the tip of its hat-thing.

"Water Sport," Dr du Bois murmured.

One Bubble and Quick Attack later, Elmo was down, and Serena pulled out Pika, which took the Surskit down with Nuzzle and Quick Attack.

"Well, my Surskit is down," Viola recalled it into its ball and then picked another. "but I have one more! Go, Vivillon!"

This Vivillon bore pink wings with blue spots, and seemed much larger than the one Altair nearly decimated. It kicked off with Infestation, a move that had Pikachu running from a swarm of insects. So distracted was Pika that it didn't notice the Vivillon tackling it off of the platform and onto the sticky web until it was stuck.

I gaped, wondering at the strength of those two Pokémon, and then I realised... there was no way I was ready for this. No, absolutely not.

"Oh god, I need help," I muttered.

"Why?" Dr du Bois asked.

"I want to beat Viola, and to do that I gotta train my Pokémon," I replied, confused.

"So why do you want to beat Viola?" she dreamily asked.

"I want to be a good Trainer," I replied, feeling the rush of something that, under all of that cynicism and fear and loathing, kept there. "I'm not saying... I'm not saying that I want to be Champion. But... I'm tired, I guess. I just want to connect deeply in the rush of ambition. I want to make this unforgettable, to make something of my life. So... I will take Froakie and Fletchling to the Pokémon League, I will battle the Elite Four, and the Champion, so that my Pokémon... my friends, now, and I, we will finally find a purpose."

"So you are aimless," Dr du Bois murmured. "Why not aim for the Pokémon League? That is your reasoning?"

"Lady, I'm thirteen. I don't plan that far ahead."

She paused, considering as Viola patted Serena and escorted her off with advice. "Trainers with new Pokémon challenge Gym and gain rude awakening in their first Gym battle. I suppose this calls for further observation of the results of failure."

I groaned. "Dr du Bois..."

"Yes?"

"Will you please train me?"

"Why should I? You are the Trainer, not I."

"I'm an inexperienced Trainer," I explained. "So shouldn't I get some help here?"

"The Gym Leaders exist to provide help."

"I need help on birds, not bugs," I groaned quietly.

"That is the first mistake. Thinking that the answer shall be given so easily," Dr du Bois murmured. "Do you know the secret behind those who succeed?"

"Erm... guts?"

"No," a small smile played around her lips. "Partly, yes, but no. Guts do not help Trainers survive Victory Road, nor the Elite Four, nor to face Diantha. It is something all Pokémon have, that your Pokémon feel that you lack, that children substitute as blind faith in the omnipresent and omnipotent Arceus, that they will reach the stars of the Pokémon world."

"That is..." I reflected. "Deeply philosophical."

"...Yes," she replied faintly. "And it is a philosophy only you can answer."

Beginning Trainers feel confused; part of them realise, perhaps unconsciously, sooner or later, that not everyone will make the Kalos League. Fewer still will make the requirements, trek through Victory Road, much less collect the eight badges necessary. Their Pokémon feel that confusion, that uncertainty, and rebel.

It takes much more than just setting out on a journey to find it successful; to start on a quest, you must first be finding something. Then, and only then, will the journey of a thousand miles begin.

– Marguerite Linden du Bois

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