Chapter Four: An Unexpected Encounter

Many days passed since Isaac left his home on his own journey of life. He managed to make his way from his homes snowy local of Route 217, to the forest like Route 215. However, as he looked back on the time spent away from his home, he remembered that his birthday was in eleven days.

"These greener routes are a lot better looking than the snowy ones back home." Isaac admitted to himself, continuing down the beaten path that he suspects trainers normally walk. "But the only thing that is bothering me right now is that my birthday is less than a fortnight away..." He continued, sighing as he tries to think of something to do for the celebration of his birth.

As he reaches a certain part of Route 215 where trees are more abundant, he notices a Pokemon sat underneath the shade of an Oran berry tree. "I'm sure that pokemon is just resting. Best I not disturb it, less I risk hostility" He said, paying the othen no attention as he walked past the tree and the Pokemon. But when he got closer, Isaac began to hear crying. He looked at the Pokemon and realised that it was a lopunny, female from the sounds of things.

'Remember Ignitus, even though you may be reluctant at first to help others in need, you will find out that the effects your company may have on other Pokemon will be greater than you'd expect.' Sensei Ronins words echoed throughout Isaacs mind, reminding him of the training in companionship he took with the hitmon brothers.

As he continued to look at the lopunny, he started to agree with Ronins words and was honestly willing to want to helping out a Pokemon in need, but the lopunny had looked up and seen him. Isaac froze. It seemed that she had been previously experiencing an outburst of anger because she stood up quickly with anger in her eyes.

"D-don't you dare come near me!" She shouted, still ridden with tears as her voice was still shakey from her crying. Isaac raised his hands in defence, trying to think of a way to not aggravate the lopunny even more.

"Please miss, just listen to me. I've only just come through this route and have no intentions of harming you." Isaac tried being truthful, but it seemed to not work as well as he'd hoped.

"Oh yeah? H-how do I know that as soon as I let you near me you won't take advantage of me?" She questioned, still angry. The lopunny quickly placed her hands together, slowly bring them apart to create a water pulse. Isaac needed to be extremely careful with what he did at this point.

Taking a moment to think of a plan, Isaac did not make a move to advance. He simply kept his hands where the lopunny could see them. "Please miss, you must have me mistaken. I promise you I am not like the mindless brutes that roam the land. My Sensei taught me enough on how to treat others and how to look after them." Isaac tried being truthful once again, it seemed to work as the lopunny let her guard down only just.

She didn't have anything to say to his remark, the lopunny simply gave up the fight and slumped down against the tree again, her water pulse dissolving as she placed her face in her paws which muffled her sobs. Isaac took this opportunity to move towards the lopunny as carefully as possible. However, when she looked at him, he kept his hands in the air. She didn't move or try to attack him, and when Isaac finally reached her, he crouched down to her height. "Would you mind if I joined you miss?"

The lopunny shifted herself over a little, allowing Isaac to sit down beside her with his legs and arms folded. "Please, don't call me miss. My name is Laura." She introduced herself, extending her paw.

"My name is Isaac, a pleasure to meet you Laura." Isaac introduced himself as well, taking her paw in his hand and shaking it gently for a moment before letting go.

"So, what brings you here?" Laura asked sniffling, still trying to calm herself down from her crying.

"I left my home to start my own journey, as cliche as it sounds. My Sensei had willingly let me leave when I turned eighteen." Isaac explained, facing forward towards the expanse of forest.

Laura looked at Isaac, still feeling a little off towards him and on edge after what had happened a moment before his arrival, but she put it aside for now. "Really? Sounds like this Sensei of yours was a good man." She said, looking towards the wilderness as well.

"He was. Sensei Ronin was like a father to me. Raised me and trained me since I was little. And his assistants taught me about compassion and friendship." Isaac explained, looking back on his time at the dojo. Laura's gaze was again taken from the emptiness of the forest to Isaac, wondering why he's telling her this.

She was still looking at him, but the question of, "Why are you telling me this Isaac?" had slipped out from her mind into words, earning a thoughtful sigh from Isaac. "The reason I'm telling you a portion of my life at the dojo is because my Sensei's assistants told me that revealing parts of your history can shape other people's opinions on yourself." Isaac explained, still looking towards the forest.

It was that explanation that had set something off inside Laura. She could not explain it, but this monferno, Isaac, was being honest with her, showing a degree of kindness by simply being in her company, introducing himself and telling her a little bit about himself. She realised it may not have been from 'the goodness of his heart', but the fact that he willingly approached her after such a harsh first impression proves to her that Isaac is the type of Pokemon that tries to make bonds with others, even if he doesn't know or realise it himself.

"Now then Laura, enough about me. Would you mind telling me a little bit about yourself?" The question was something she expected, but the mannerism caught her off guard. He wanted to ensure he wasn't getting into anything he shouldn't, giving her the chance to tell him.

"No, I wouldn't mind. My life was a simple one, walk around the earlier routes of sinnoh, avoiding trainers and successfully fending them off if they tried catching me." She started, but her head slumped down, a look of regret.

"Then I evolved... The trainers left me a alone so I moved on to some of the later routes, but the other Pokemon would try taking advantage of me and my new form. Luckily I was able to beat them, but they kept getting harder to beat..." She continued as more tears began run down her face from the bad memories. Isaac looked at her, shocked at her story and angry at the cold hearted lowlifes that would dare treat a woman with such disrespect.

"So... I stopped here, decided to sit under this Oran berry tree and try to forget the past events of my life... Then an electabuzz came and I just snapped. I used focus punch and sent the sorry sod flying, literally." She said, sniffing as she tried to fight back the urge to cry again.

Isaac didn't know what to do, he had never been in this situation with a girl, ever. He simply sat there, his arms now across his lap and his gaze still on the sniffling lopunny. What she did next made Isaac freeze on the spot. Laura slowly placed her head on Isaacs shoulder, but when the side of her head touched his shoulder, she could feel the heat radiating from him, but she could also feel him tense up at the contact.

Laura giggled a little, but the heat Isaac was radiating had calmed her down from her crying, so she lifted her head from his shoulder, only to see him sat stiff, looking forward.

"W-will you excuse me Laura? I think it was about time I left." Isaac said in a hurry, his words almost moulding together at how quickly he spoke. He was about to walk off when he felt a paw grab his tail. He looked back at Laura, confused.

"W-wait. Your the first Pokemon that has ever been nice to me." She admitted, standing up as well. She let go of his tail and looked at the ground, placing her paws behind her back. "C-can I come with you Isaac?" She asked timidly. Isaac turned around and looked at Laura, noticing a faint pink colouring to her muzzle. Clearly she was embarrassed at the question, but he couldn't just leave her after what had happened.

"Alright Laura, you can join me." Isaac said, smiling a little. What he got though in return, was not at all what he expected. Laura had ran up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck, hugging him very tightly. Almost to the point of suffocation.