Pokémon Centers have accommodations for traveling trainers. Or, I should say, most will have hostel-style accommodations for traveling trainers. Up to a week per three-month period is allowed to encourage traveling trainers to keep traveling the region, with exceptions at the discretion of Nurse Joy running the center for any special events that may result in longer stays.
While getting set up for the night, I talked with Nurse Joy at the Viridian City Center. She mentioned that some centers were emergency outposts without any real space for such accommodations, but that any of the centers in major cities, especially the ones with gyms, would have the room. Well, unless the city was big enough for multiple Pokémon Centers, then you must have a primary center for the traveling trainers and smaller centers focused more on caring for the local trainers and their Pokémon.
With that information, Misty and Ash decided to travel with me for a bit. Misty decided to follow Ash until her bike was replaced, and Ash decided to follow me because we were on similar journeys and going in the same direction.
We find ourselves outside the Viridian City Gym, which Is currently closed for renovations and has a large amount of construction equipment and crew working.
"Well, guess we aren't doing this gym yet," I said with a sigh and a shake of my head.
"Wow, that is some bad timing," Misty said.
Ash groaned, "Now what?"
"I'm going to get some new clothes," I said, turning and starting towards the shops. "Then start heading to Pewter City. "
"Shopping?" Ash groaned.
"Unlike you two, I don't have a good travel bag and just have all my things in my pockets within these robes," I said, not stopping. "And while I do not mind the witch look, it is time for a change. You can look for a new mask for me if you want."
"Speaking of masks," Misty spoke up, keeping up with me and seeming more excited about a quick shopping trip. "Why do you wear the mask?"
"Skin condition."
"Skin condition?"
"Skin condition." I was not going to elaborate, and they would have to deal with my non-answer as I was not going to explain in the middle of a crowded city that I was a Pokemon with inhuman skin. "Do try to find one that can fully cover my face, please."
"Fine, fine," Ash said, starting to wander off.
"We will meet back up at the Pokemon Center in two hours," I called over to him.
"So, what kind of clothes are you looking for?" Misty asked, starting to look at the different shop windows.
"Something full coverage. Probably a new hat to match with a nice wide brim," I said, stopping as I came across a toddler clothing store. Unfortunately, my height meant that even children's clothing would likely be too large for me. Thankfully, no one seemed willing to treat me as a child when I began talking and acting as the adult I have been multiple times over. Likely due to how there were humans with psychic abilities, including small children, among many other oddities within humans.
Regardless of why I was being taken seriously despite my small size, Misty and the shop clerk were able to help me find an outfit I would be comfortable traveling in. A pair of khaki pants with nice roomy cargo pockets going down the sides, a soft shirt covered by a black turtleneck with long sleeves, and a black fedora with a nice, wide brim. To finish off the outfit, I also got a pair of trainer gloves meant to help with catching and throwing pokeballs, which would also aid me in hiding my less-than-human hands. It was somewhat surprising that the store had such items available, but the cargo pants and the gloves were apparently meant to get toddlers used to wearing such for whenever they start on their Pokemon Journeys at a young age.
I also got a round red bag that had two round pockets on either side of the bag. Both Misty and the store clerk were rather insistent I get at least one thing that was colorful and a red bag would be easy to locate if I ever needed to find it for some reason.
With an outfit set, along with extra shirts and a spare pair of pants, Misty and I met up with Ash who had found a festival mask with fox-like features. It was white and the details were carved in, but not painted.
"Where did you find this?" I asked, appreciating Ash's find.
"There is an old man who makes masks for festivals. After I told him about you, he was willing to sell that one."
"Hmm." A festival mask? Made sense. I turned away for a moment to switch masks and looked at the two children. "How do I look?"
"Good, I guess. Can we get going now? You and Gary already caught your first Pokémon and I need to catch up," Ash said.
"You aren't suppose to just dismiss a lady like that! You are suppose to tell her she is cute or beautiful," Misty yelled at Ash. I placed a hand lightly on her arm to calm her down.
"It is fine. I was just making sure it was not clashing too much with the rest of the outfit." Seeing Misty take a deep breath and calm down before nodding to me, I turn northward and begin leading the way. "Now Pewter City is on the other side of the forest north of here. I would say if we don't dawdle too much, we should only need to camp one night, but we would be getting there late. If we take our time, we can get there camping twice and still get there around lunchtime and after we eat, we can do the gym challenge."
"What's with the gym challenge anyways?" Ash asked.
"In order to enter the Pokémon League Challenge, you need to have eight Gym Badges," Misty answered.
"The Pokémon League is a tournament held in the fall of each year of the best trainers in the region. We probably can't make this year's, but next year's, if we train hard and have a full team, should be doable."
"Why can't we make this year's?" Ash asked.
"Three months is a rather quick turnaround time for catching and training up five Pokémon, traveling the entire region to hit up the different gyms, and making sure our teams are ready for the league. I would estimate our best timeline would be about six months."
"What do you mean by five Pokémon?"
"A trainer may only have with them up to six Pokémon. Any excess will automatically be sent to a care facility. As you and I are registered to Pallet Town, Professor Oak will receive them. Which is likely one of the better options as many will wind up at Pokémon Centers in crowded cities instead of a lab with a large pasture for the Pokémon to run around in."
Ash grew quiet after that, probably in thought. A lot of this should have been information he should have been given before he started on his journey, but he was a kid so it might have just not stuck.
Viridian City was an aptly named city as there was a lot of greenery around. Trees were visible everywhere, plenty of flower beds, even the buildings were more often than not painted in some shade of green. A city that felt like it was part of the natural environment more than humans forcing their will upon the land. I don't know who managed to achieve this for the city, but it left the city, even with some skyscrapers and traffic, feeling comfortable and peaceful instead of the fast paced mania of a big city.
Maybe it was just getting to old age twice over, but the slower pace of Viridian City appealed to me. I was still very much a city person at heart, the convenience of everything being within a quick jog and maybe a train ride from my home would always be desirable to me. But there was also a lot to be said about taking it slow and watching the world turn.
"Eeeee~!" Misty squealed, snapping me out of my contemplation. "Get it away!"
"A caterpie!" Ash said, turning his hat around and pulling out a ball. "I'm going to catch it."
With a throw, Ash tossed the ball and the small green worm entered the ball. After a few shakes, the ball chimed, indicating it was caught.
"Yes! I did it!" Ash cried out with a laugh and posing in a rather silly manner. "I did it! I got Caterpie! I did it all by myself. I caught my first Pokémon! This is the first step on my way to becoming the number one Pokémon Master in the whole world."
I gave him a polite golf clap. "Congrats. It would seem you found a Pokémon that was wanting to accompany a trainer."
"Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean that if that caterpie did not want to join you, it would have broken out of that ball. There are three ways to catch a Pokémon. The first is to find one that wants to join any trainer or to join you specifically for some reason. That is your caterpie." I pulled out Ginger's ball and sent her out. "The second is to convince a Pokémon to join you. In the case of Ginger, she wanted to fight and grow strong and I had to convince her I was the right trainer for the job. We sparred and after she proved her willingness to keep going in the face of adversity I let her choose if she wanted to come with me. The last way is to force a catch by beating up a Pokémon in a fight until they have no choice but to be caught in the ball."
"Huh," Ash looked at the ball in his hand for a moment before turning to Pikachu with a grin. "Did you hear that? Caterpie wanted to join us!"
"That doesn't mean," Misty started before being interrupted by Ash.
"Caterpie, come on out!"
"Eeeeee~!" Misty ran and cowered behind a tree.
I chuckled to myself at the childish reaction. Misty may dress and act in a Tomboy manner mostly, but the shopping trip and this silly reaction to bugs was showing that Misty had a lot of stereotypically girly qualities to her.
I released Yini as I approached Misty. "So, you don't like bugs?" I asked in a casual manner.
"Bugs are one of the three most disgusting things in the world!" Misty said with authority.
I nodded my head. I don't really agree, but I had spent a century as a teacher and learned how to help students through issues, especially fears, since that was a major aspect of third-year lessons.
"Even butterflies? Personally I find butterflies to have a certain beauty to them as they dance in the air around flowers."
"I suppose butterflies aren't too bad," Misty carefully admitted.
I smiled, though I doubted Misty would be able to tell. "Well, caterpie are a caterpillar Pokémon that will eventually change into a beautiful butterfly. So while it may look creepy or ugly to you now, just remember that someday soon it will blossom into something wonderful." I gave a chuckle. I was aiming for a life akin to a rockstar, yet here I was in teacher mode imparting wisdom. "In some ways, we all are just a caterpillar waiting to mature into our own butterflies."
"Maybe," Misty agreed. She looked over to where Ash was with his Pokémon before shuddering. "I still don't want that thing near me!"
I patted her on the arm. "It will be alright. It isn't going to hurt you. Just take a deep breath and think about how it will change."
Turning back, I saw the little bug seemingly charging towards where Misty and I were. I moved quickly and scooped the big bug up. It was nearly half my size and it began wiggling in my arms instantly.
"Ash, please try to keep Caterpie away from Misty," I said, bringing the bug over to him.
"Sorry, I don't know why Caterpie rushed at you two like that," He said, taking the bug from me.
"It is fine. Misty does not like bugs and it would be rather impolite to force her to deal with them without fair warning."
"Oh, she doesn't?" Ash asked, getting a look I had seen many a troublemaker get in my time.
"Correct. In fact, it would be so rude to discomfort her like that, I would be obligated to find an appropriate punishment for you if you did that." Ash paused and looked down at me as I stared up at him. "I would highly advise you to not test me on this."
Ash gulped as he took me seriously despite the rather obvious height difference. I nodded once, "Good" I said before turning and continuing our trek into the forest. Ash talking to his Pokémon and Misty giving him a wide berth as he had Caterpie out.
Yini and Ginger kept up with me for a time, but Ginger had to jog to keep up and eventually tired her out, so I ended up carrying her.
"We will need to work on your stamina and speed," I told the plant creature.
"Dish," she said in my arms.
"You need to be able to avoid hits."
"Odd. Oddish-odd!"
"I don't care if you can absorb energy from your opponent. If you are getting hit and can't land your hit on them, it doesn't matter if you have a way to siphon off their health. Or are you forgetting our fight?"
"O~dd," Ginger said grumpily.
"Wow, you must have a really good connection with your Pokémon to understand her like that," Misty said.
"Not really. I am mostly just getting concepts She is trying to say. Yini I can fully understand."
"Really?" Misty said, surprised.
"Open your ears and pay attention, and you may learn to understand what Pokémon say. At least, the ones capable of saying something."
"I had heard that Pokémon were smart and that there are people trying to make devices to understand what they are saying, but not too many people can just understand Pokémon like that."
"Not many people have learned as many languages as I have either. Taking time to learn is never a bad thing."
The conversation continued for a bit before dying off until the sky between the trees began changing colors.
"We should make camp," I said. "Either of you have much experience?"
"Yeah," Misty said.
"No," Ash said.
I nodded. "Ash, look for dry wood. Sticks and branches on the ground that are dry and not rotten. Misty, start making a firepit. I will forage up something to eat."
"Right!" "Ok."
I headed into the woods along with Yini and Ginger. The options weren't too great at first. I could try my luck with some of the Pokémon in the area, but I wasn't sure if Misty or Ash would be comfortable watching me bring back and prepare an animal in front of them.
Children could be rather squeamish about where their food comes from if they have been sheltered from the truth and I didn't know if Misty or Ash had ever even fished for dinner.
I did end up finding several edible berry bushes and collected enough to make a couple of meals out of. Probably would be worthwhile to get a few field rations for the road when we got to town.
Returning, I saw that Misty had not only gotten a rock circle setup, but that she had already gotten a fire going with the wood Ash found.
I passed out the fruit and we had a simple conversation over dinner before I suggested a Pokémon battle to Ash before bed.
"I caught Ginger yesterday and you got Caterpie today and it would be good experience for them."
"Alright," Ash said, hopping up, excited.
"Are you sure about that?" Misty asked me. "Bugs eat plants. You would be at a disadvantage."
"Maybe, but my team will not always find themselves in an advantageous position." I stretched out a bit. "Besides, this is just a friendly little training battle. We aren't even going to put any money on it, right Ash?"
"Huh? What do you mean?" Ash asked as we got into position far enough from the fire to not worry about putting it out by a stray attack.
"Normally, when two trainers decide to battle they would be agreeing to also put up a bit of cash on the fight. A friendly little wager on the outcome. I'm saying that we aren't going all out to win, just one versus one, so no need to put money on it this time."
"Alright. Caterpie, let's show them what we got!"
"Ginger, take position." I turned to Misty. "Please referee the match."
"Oh, sure," Misty agreed, going to the makeshift sideline. "Ready? Go!"
Caterpie began rushing towards Ginger right away as ginger infused herself with a green light that made her grow bigger. It seemed there was a way to use the magic of this world to become larger and stronger, though the size change may be limited to plant based creatures.
Though the size increase did nothing to help Ginger move out of the way of Caterpie's tackle as the small bug rammed itself into Ginger.
"Keep an eye on your opponent and keep moving while you power yourself up," I whisper into Ginger's ear.
"Dish!" She calls out with a nod before beginning to try running a circle around Caterpie, face scrunched up in focus as the green energy returned, making the bulb even larger.
"That's it Caterpie!" Ash cried out in excitement. "Now Stringshot! Stick her in place!"
Ginger was already moving, but the spray of web was wide enough and Ginger was unable to get out of the way, getting stuck in place.
"Odd!" Ginger cried out, struggling.
"Stop struggling," I whispered to her. "You can attack at range."
I had already seen her use that red beam attack that was ranged, so as long as she could aim, she could attack.
"Dish!" She nodded before puffing up. I raised an eyebrow as I expected her to gather a red beam for an attack. "Odd-DISH!" She cried out as she spat out a stream of purple goo at the bug.
"Caterpie!" Ash cried out a warning, but it was too late as the goo hit the bug and began sizzling.
Hmm, some sort of acidic attack? Interesting.
"Counter attack, Caterpie!"
I watched as the bug rushed in for another tackle, slamming into Ginger.
"Dish!"
I sighed and shook my head. "Until the referee calls it, press the attack," I told her.
"Dish!" She nodded, beginning to gather up the red energy.
"Caterpie! Hit her again!"
Caterpie went in for another hit. Ginger was about to unleash her attack.
"Enough!" I called out, causing the attack to sputter out and everyone to look at me. "I've seen enough."
"What? But I was just about to win!" Ash said.
"Maybe. Maybe not," I said heading over to help Ginger out of the webs. They were very sickly indeed. "Regardless, I think that is enough for one night and this has shown me clear places for Ginger to improve."
"She might have done better if you had given her any orders," Misty said.
I looked at her with a raised eyebrow. I suppose I had given my commands softly enough she couldn't hear them from the sideline.
"I did," I said from behind her.
Misty yelled and spun around before turning back around at me where I chuckled, Ash joining me with a laugh of his own.
"How did you do that?" Misty asked, pointing at me.
I lifted my web covered fingers and wiggled them. "Magic." It was very easy to use some of this world's magic to speak and while I had it originate from myself usually, I was not bound by such limitations.
Looking at Ash and Caterpie, I shrugged. "If you want to consider this your win, go ahead. I basically forfeited."
"You hear that Caterpie? We won," Ash excitedly said, picking up his bug and laughing. "My first ever battle and we won!"
"Pee!" Caterpie cried out happily before it started to glow.
"Caterpie?" Ash asked, setting the bug down.
"It's evolving?" Misty said in shock.
After a moment, the bug was in a cocoon, sitting still.
"Metapod, Caterpie's next stage," Ash's Pokédex spoke up. "It has encased its body in a hard shell. This specimen reached this stage faster than any previously discovered Pokémon of this variety."
"Maybe that means it can keep on changing and go to the next stage right away!" Ash said excitedly, picking up the cocoon and hugging it.
"Whatever, it is still a bug," Misty said from where she stood.
"Misty, please keep such comments to yourself," I chided the girl before shaking my head. "Congrats, Caterpie, on evolving. Now let's get to bed."
"Aww, but this is so exciting," Ash said with a grin.
"Maybe, but it is dark out and, if possible, I would like to be in a bed tomorrow night," I said, pulling out my robes. They were still useful for doubling as a blanket while camping. Ash and Misty pulled out sleeping bags that looked to have some cushion to them. I would need to see about getting one for myself at some point.
For now though, Ginger and I laid our heads on Yini's side while she rested her head on my belly, the three of us comfortably snuggled up. Ash was hugging his newly evolved Metapod while Pikachu was laying against him and Misty was laying by herself. "Goodnight," I called out as I closed my eyes.
"Night!" "Goodnight."
—
Misty thought she was the first to wake up, shivering at the sight of Ash still cuddling his Metapod, until she saw Tanya give her a wave.
"Good morning," Tanya said, still partially buried under her sleeping pokèmon.
"Morning," Misty said with a yawn, stretching before beginning to put away her sleeping bag.
"You mind waking Ash up?" Tanya said as she began nudging her team awake.
Misty looked at Ash and his Metapod again, shuddered before taking a deep breath. "Fine. I guess I can." Misty stepped over to Ash and took a deep breath. "Ash! Time to get up!"
Misty could practically feel Tanya rolling her eyes as Ash yelled and began to look around fretfully.
"Huh what? What's going on?" He asked.
"Really now?" Tanya asked sarcastically as Yini and Ginger woke up enough from Tanya's prodding and the yelling to groggily move around. "I could have done that myself if I had wanted to make a loud spectacle of things. I'm sure nearly everyone nearby heard that."
Misty simply crossed her arms and raised her nose in the air. "Hmph, well maybe next time you can do the wakeup call."
"Maybe I will," Tanya said before turning to Ash. "My apologies for the rude awakening. I did not think Misty would choose to be so loud."
"Huh? It's fine," Ash said. "It isn't like you can control an ill tempered barbarian like her."
Tanya sighed and rubbed the bridge of her mask's nose as Ash and Misty began bickering until the flapping of wings and a bird pokèmon swooping in interrupted them.
"A Pidgeotto," Ash said, pulling out his Pokèdex as the bird began eating the worm it had caught.
"Pidgeotto, an evolved form of the Pidgey," his Pokèdex started. "It is armed with sharp claws and dives from the sky to capture its prey. Unlike the more gentle Pidgey, Pidgeotto can be dangerous. Approach with extreme caution."
"Hm, a flying Pokèmon?" Tanya asked as she stepped forwards, excitement in her voice as she dropped the robes she slept in to the ground. "You want to show me what you got? Prove you are worth joining me?"
"Hey!" Ash said, Pokèball already in hand. "I want to catch it."
Tanya turned to Ash and gave a shrug. "I offered it a chance first." She then stepped up to the bird that was noticeably taller than her. "Now, what say you? Show me your moves, prove yourself capable, and join me? Or try to find your own way to reach your potential? If you even want to reach what you could be."
"What are you doing?" Misty cried out as Ginger and Yini took positions to watch.
Pidgeotto screeched and took flight, going in to attack Tanya who easily side-stepped the attack. "Proving that I know a thing or two about fighting so that my team will respect me," Tanya said as she watched the bird turn in the air, coming in for another attack. Tanya waited till the last moment before sidestepping the attack and chopping down at Pidgeotto's neck.
The bird crashed to the ground and it took a moment to get up, shaking itself off. It turned and glared at Tanya. It began flapping its wings at the small girl, sending a gust of air at her.
Tanya simply crossed her arms in front of herself, taking the brunt of the attack before the bird was off once again, flying fast straight at the girl.
"Heh," a small chuckle from Tanya. "Telegraphed."
Pidgeotto was on target to strike Tanya hard, shrieking out a victorious cry. A preemptive victory cry as Tanya thrust a palm right into Pidgeotto's face, stopping it hard in its tracks before grabbing one of its wings and tossing it into a tree.
Pidgeotto gave a warbling caw as it tried to stand back up, favoring one side as it winced as it tried to move the wing Tanya had grabbed.
"Not bad," Tanya said, pulling out a pokèball and bringing it to full size before rolling it in front of the bird. "You need some work. Your movements are telegraphed and you could do with learning a bit of discipline, but you got a spark in your eye I like and I could feel the power in your strikes. I am willing to train you if you are willing to join my team."
"That isn't how you catch a pokèmon!" Misty called from the sidelines.
"What's wrong?" Ash asked. "She's just asking if Pidgeotto wants to join her team. I think that is a great way to make friends with your team."
"You are supposed to weaken the pokèmon and then throw the ball, not talk it into…" Misty shut up as she watched the Pidgeotto peck at the ball and let itself just be caught without more of a fight.
"You were saying?" Ash smugly asked.
"Whatever," Misty said, huffing.
"As I said yesterday, there are three ways to catch a pokèmon," Tanya told Misty. "You seem to be focused on the 'forcefully making them part of your team' method. Maybe it will always work out well for you, but I prefer freedom of choice. Everyone on my team will be there willingly and can choose to part ways with me whenever they so choose."
Ash nodded with a grin. "And so will my team," he declared strongly.
A woman's laugh rang out.
"How precious," a man said.
"That voice," Ash started as everyone turned towards the source of the laugh.
"To protect the world from devastation," the long haired woman said from the path towards Pewter City, lit from behind by the sun.
"To unite all people within our nation," the man said, silhouetted next to the long haired woman, far enough to see the cat Pokèmon between the two.
"To denounce the evil of truth and love."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie!"
"James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!" The woman, Jessie said, striking a dynamic pose.
"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" The man, James said, joining in on the posing.
"Meowth, that's right!" The cat said between the pair.
Colorful explosions went off behind the trio.
"Look, we're kinda busy," Ash started to say.
"Quiet little boy," Jessie said. "We aren't here to listen to you. We are here for your Pokèmon."
"Hand over that masked one and her Dratini," James said as both Jessie and James pointed at Tanya.
"'Huh?'" Ash and Misty said in confusion at the same time.
"Is it my height?" Tanya asked. "Was that what gave it away?"
"'What?!'" Ash and Misty both yelled in shock as they looked at Tanya.
"And that fire punch you hit me with," Meowth said.
Tanya huffed a laugh. "Guess there is no point in trying to convince you it was magic," she said, getting into a fighting position. "Now, you already know I can beat you, so kindly get out of our way and I won't send you home black and blue."
"Hmph," James huffed. "You got lucky last time."
"This time we are prepared for you," Jessie said.
"I'll take that as a 'please kick my butt three ways to sunday and show us how frightening you are'," Tanya said before falling backwards and sinking into her own shadow.
"What? Where she go?" Meowth asked.
"Behind you," Tanya said, jumping out of a tree's shadow and grabbing Jessie's hair, pulling her backwards.
"Ow!Ow!Ow! Let go you brat!" Jessie yelled out before a fist came in from the side.
"Last time I was attempting to hide what I was."
"And you did a horrible job," Meowth said, claws at the ready.
"So I did," Tanya agreed before lifting up a palm and gathering energy into a yellow speckled blue ball in front of her. "I will need to be more careful in the future."
Meowth gulped and tried jumping out of the way, but was still sent sprawling as the ball swiftly moved towards him and pounded against his side.
"You leave me no choice," James says, pokèball in hand. Tanya reached out with a clawed hand and twisted. "Wha-?" James was confused as the ball in his hand was moving to Tanya's control before it began slamming into his groin, crumpling the man to the ground.
The three would-be thieves were huddled together on the ground, staring up as Tanya stepped up to them. "I am being nice today," she said, reaching up to her mask. "But next time I may be hungry." She removed her mask as she stared down the trio who went pale as they witnessed what was under the fox mask. "Do not anger me, do not reveal what I am, and maybe I will remain nice to you."
Tanya put the mask back on as she began to walk past the trio. "Let's go!" She called back to Ash, Misty, and the group's Pokèmon.
"Right!" Misty called out, gathering up Tanya's things as she hurried to follow along with Ash.
After they were a bit away from Team Rocket, Ash broke the silence. "So, you are a Pokèmon?"
"No. I am a three hundred foot tall statue," Tanya said sarcastically before she stopped and turned to the two humans she had been traveling with. She took a sigh. "My apologies, I shouldn't take my frustrations out on you. I was just hoping not to reveal that until I felt I had garnered enough fame as a trainer to not worry about anyone attempting to capture me."
Ash and Misty looked at each other for a moment. "I guess I can understand that," Ash said.
"Is that why you are so adamant about asking pokèmon if they want to join you," Misty asked.
"One of them," Tanya agreed with a nod. "There is also the fact that I can understand most Pokèmon and being able to hold a conversation with someone makes it rather tricky to want to enslave them. At least, I find it difficult to find any logical justification for slavery in an enlightened world when mutually beneficial agreements can be made instead."
After a few more steps, Tanya stopped and turned towards Ash and Misty. "You both seem like good enough kids, so I'm going to ask you not to go sharing this with others. I already messed up enough with those thieves figuring it out, but I would prefer it be my own choices and mistakes that reveal it over others spreading it around."
"No problem."
"I won't."
"Thank you," Tanya told the two with a slight bow before continuing on their path through the forest.
"So, what kind of Pokémon are you?" Ash asked.
"I do not know."
"Huh?"
"What do you mean you don't know?" Misty asked.
"I have not met another Pokémon that looks like me," Tanya said before pulling back a sleeve of her turtle neck to reveal her coal black skin. "And my skin is not normal. It seems to be more akin to shadow given form than something more organic."
"If you haven't met another of you, and the Pokédex tried and failed to identify you, then whatever you are must be incredibly rare."
"I may be the only one," Tanya said with a shrug. "Or the circumstances of my birth are so uncommon that there are only a handful of what I am around the world."
The conversation continued with Ash and Misty asking questions of the talking Pokémon they were traveling with, Ash having returned Metapod to its Pokèball while Yini and Ginger followed closely behind.
"HIIIYAH!" A boy in a samurai costume jumped out from the treeline with a drawn katana, chopping down at the group. Tanya and Yini already poised to strike with Ginger puffing itself up as well. "Greetings. Are you the ones from Pallet?"
"Depends on what you mean," Tanya said. "Why do you ask?"
"I seek to challenge the trainers from Pallet," the samurai kid answered, trying very hard to sound grown up and mature.
"And you think striking at every random person in the forest is a smart way to do that?" Tanya huffed. "Instead of swinging that thing around, next time just ask."
"Yeah!" Ash agreed. "I would be happy to give you a Pokèmon battle."
"You are the one from Pallet?" The kid asked, turning to Ash specifically.
"Yeah. I'm from Pallet."
The samurai kid put away his sword and pulled out a Pokèball. "Then let us have a match."
"I'll referee that match," Tanya said. "Do you have two Pokèmon?"
"Yes."
"Ok. Then this will be a two on two match. I want this to be quick, so if you have to switch out a Pokèmon for any reason, they are considered knocked out. If I say a Pokèmon is unable to continue, then both of you are to stop until the Pokèmon in question is removed from the battle. If a Pokèmon is knocked outside the ring for any reason, they are considered knocked out. Am I clear?"
"Yes." Samurai said.
"Uh, what ring?" Ash asked, looking around.
"Yini, go!"
With a swipe of her tail, Yini sent out a pair of twisters that arced out in a wide circle before crashing into each other and canceling themselves out, carving a quick circular ring into the forest path.
"Oh, that ring."
"Any other questions?"
"No."
"I'm good."
"Then send out your first Pokèmon and wait for my signal."
Misty was waiting at the edge of the arena when the Samurai sent out his first Pokèball, revealing a massive bug with large spiked horns on its head.
"Pikachu! Let's go!" Ash said.
Pikachu chose to get comfortable in a futon for a nap instead.
"Ha ha! You must truly be a novice for your Pokémon to be unwilling to battle!" The samurai boy said.
"The match has begun, Pikachu is unwilling to battle!" Tanya declared. "Send out your last Pokémon."
"Wha-? But …"
"I am well aware that this may seem harsh, Ash, but you attempted to send out a Pokémon that did not want to battle. It is on you as a trainer to know how your team is feeling and what they are capable of. Now, send out your last Pokémon."
"Right," Ash scowled as he pulled out a Pokéball. "Metapod! Go!"
In a flash, his green cocoon Pokémon was in the ring.
"Pincer! Crush that Metapod," Samurboy said, his Pinser quickly picking up the immobile Pokémon up to squeeze it.
"Metapod! No!" Ash said, clearly imagining what would happen if he did nothing. "Use harden!"
Metapod glowed green as the Pincer tried squeezing it between its pincers, only for the barbs along the pincers to shatter under the pressure of trying to crush Metapod in half.
"Pincer, return!" The cosplaying boy called out upon seeing his Pokémon injured. "Go Pokéball!"
Across the ring from Ash's Metapod, another Metapod emerged from the red light to stand.
What followed was an intense match of willpower, mental fortitude, and strategy as these titans of big might stared off against each other. Their bodies hardening under the intense scrutiny as they fought for any edge.
"Neither Pokémon is able to do anything! As both are the final Pokémon of the match, this match is a tie!" Tanya called out.
"What?'" Both boys cried out at once.
"You two have been staring at each other for a minute only telling your Pokémon to use harden. This match is not progressing in any meaningful way, so you two tie. I am not standing here watching you two waste a day in a match that will not end."
"Thank you," Misty said, relieved that she was not going to be stuck watching a pair of icky bugs sitting there doing nothing.
Tanya gathered up her things and started heading north. "Now if you don't mind, I think we can still make it to Pewter City in time for dinner if we hurry."
"How can you be so certain, tiny maiden?" The armored kid asked.
"Not my first time in this forest." Tanya answered.
"If you have been here before, how do I not recognize you?"
"I am capable of traveling with great stealth."
Misty giggled a little at Tanya's joke, knowing what she meant by stealth travel, having just seen first hand how stealthy she was.
"Very well, for now, we shall part, but Ash, next time we cross paths, we will have a rematch. And it will not end in a draw."
Ash grinned and shook the samurai kid's hand. "You can count on it."
And with that bright note, the four broke off and headed their separate ways. Ash and Tanya off to Pewter City for their first gym battle, Misty tagging along for her bike, and the bug loving samurai kid into the woods to train for the eventual rematch.
