Summary: New companions! Human and Pokémon Alike!

Warning! Chapters 8-12 were all posted back-to-back, make sure you don't miss any of them!

Chapter 9 – Route 26

2B hummed, satisfied with her plan's progress, as she hopped off the happy Lapras that had found her halfway between Route 1 and Route 26. The friendly pokémon had felt the aura 2B had been giving off to ward away any idea of being an easy snack. Curious about the human radiating high levels of aura, it had investigated the anomaly. When it had found her, it had been happy enough to give her a ride, while she held a fascinating conversation about Ice Type energy with the old pokémon. Well, conversation wasn't quite the right word. Via aura use she could get the gist of what a pokémon meant, though. Even if she wasn't familiar with the specific pokémon.

Between that and demonstrations, they'd gotten by well enough. The apparently very old Lapras, which she'd made sure to get scans of for Professor Oak, had been a great source in helping her improve her understanding of Type Energy. She'd been attempting to learn about the Ice typing specifically since first gaining Vulpix for her team, but there hadn't been very many Ice Types at the ranch. It simply wasn't a suitable climate for them, and most such that belonged to Oak's lab-sponsored trainers were held at separate facilities owned by Professor Oak. Including Vulpix's mother, in point of fact. Apparently, the Kanto Ninetales her mother was mated to was perfectly comfortable in the snow, so the high-altitude mountain facility they used to house Ice Types was where the pair lived.

"Lapras! La-Lap-Apris."

2B happily patted the gentle giant on the nose, feeding him a handful of berries she'd pulled out of her storage bracer. He made pleased noises, likely rarely getting them as a treat since he spent most of his time out on the water. He nuzzled her hair for a moment, then calmly retreated back out to sea, singing a pleasing note of farewell.

2B smiled, then paused to consider her clothing. Hmm, she was still rather wet, and she was here for possible water pokémon anyway. Nodding decisively, she decided not to change fully again. Instead she merely retrieved a sturdy pair of waterproof boots and a towel to wipe her feet down with before putting them on. In less than a minute, she had the boots on and cocked her head at her pokéball belt for a moment. A few seconds of consideration later, she pulled Vulpix's ball off and deployed it. The blue fox pokémon came out looking alert and ready, but calmed as soon as she sent him a pulse of warmth along their still-somewhat-limited bond.

"No threats, yet. But you can start practicing a bit of what Lapras told you as we walk, and as I fish."

Vulpix looked back at her, thought for a moment, then nodded happily and moved to her side. She'd brought Vulpix out to listen to the old Lapras's instruction about Ice Aura/Type Energy. But her starter hadn't enjoyed the water much and had asked to go back into her ball after they'd started talking theory that was a bit too deep for such a young pokémon. Still, even just the few little tips that her newest partner had understood would undoubtably help refine her usage of her native typing. Pleased as she sensed her Vulpix start to fiddle with her type energy, she scooped her partner up and started up toward the path. She could at least give Vulpix a ride so she could properly concentrate.

Now, time to look for a promising spot to go fishing…

... ...

2B was capable of great patience. Which was, she thought, a good thing given how long she'd been at this. Of course, there was a reason she'd gotten no bites so far. She was looking for something, or someone in a way, specific. In light of that, she was attempting something entirely new in the effort to get a match. A theory that she wanted to see if it worked out. Specifically, she'd formed her entire fishing pole and line as an Aura Construct, then infused the hook itself with as clear of intent as she could manage.

There was enough aura in it that no random Magikarp was going to come near it by sheer instinct, and the intent she'd laced the Aura Lure with was that of desire for a worthy partner. It was half challenge and half offer, a lure that would repulse pokémon with timid natures, but would attract those who were looking for a chance to become something more. 2B was a firm believer in the Oak family's findings on bonds, and she was looking for a compatriot to grow strong with, not a minion to order around.

So far, nothing had taken the bait. But that was okay. She could wait out the experiment for a few days, if she needed to. She was quite certain the local pokémon themselves would spread word about the oddity, so she didn't even need to leave her quiet little fishing nook. Though, the fact that the location was so out of the way certainly made her blink as she realized she was faintly hearing someone approach through the bushes and trees.

Cocking her head, she quickly came to the conclusion whoever was coming was human and heading roughly for her. Staring at the spot they would emerge, she was unsurprised when they did so. Though the girl, who looked perhaps a year or two older than 2B's current body, looked surprised herself to have hit the deep stream 2B was fishing in. 2B used that moment of surprise to take the young woman in.

Quite striking, hair so red it was closer to orange, cut short in a pixie cut. Healthy bust, a bit bigger than 2B's own, despite the oddity that was having her own grow over the last year. Despite a rather nice hourglass figure, there was a tomboyish air to the girl, who was wearing worn looking blue jeans and a maroon top, covered by a dark half-jacket. A pair of sunglasses rested in her hair, pushed up and out of the way in the relative shade 2B had found for her 'fishing.'

The older girl didn't take more than a few moments to adjust to abruptly encountering the stream…and her gaze quickly looked straight towards 2B. Then, the relatively confident expression on the redhead's face vanished into a surprised jaw-drop as she saw 2B's 'fishing line.' Hmm, 2B couldn't be blamed for someone else stumbling on her breaking the Common Sense List, right? No, she was certain Daisy had said that most of the list was for dealing with people in public. This certainly wasn't a public setting. Nodding to reassure herself she was still obeying the Checklist, she spoke to the newcomer.

"Hello. Did you get lost?"

It was the most likely scenario, given the girl clearly hadn't known this little bend in the stream 2B was using was here. To her mild surprise, the girl shook herself out of her own surprise and shook her head in denial a moment later.

"No. I was following the feel of someone using aura nearby. I knew a trainer who could do a few small tricks with it. Given he's from Kanto and we're so close by, I had wondered if it might be him. Sorry if I've bothered you…though if you don't mind me asking, just what are you doing?"

There was some incredulity in the girl's voice as she stared at 2B's aura fishing pole, but that was understandable. Daisy had impressed on 2B just how unusual it was for humans to be able to utilize aura at all, let alone in a way that wasn't a duplication of a pokémon move. Actually, if this girl knew an aura user from Kanto…

"Fishing for a new partner. Was the trainer Ash Ketchum?"

The redhead blinked, seemingly nonplused at 2B's clear answer. She seemed to get derailed by the name a moment later, though.

"Uh…yes, actually. Do you know him?"

2B shook her head gently.

"Not very well. Though he visited his pokémon at Professor Oak's ranch for a few weeks over the break between Leagues, and I did speak to him several times to compared notes on aura. I spent the last year working as an assistant at the lab, researching the subject, so that much was inevitable. Professor Oak's daughter, Daisy Oak, is doing research on aura and its effects. I have been helping her for the last year, since I can produce it naturally and do so in unusually large amounts. Comparing notes with Mr. Ketchum helped both of us refined our usage of the energy, and I was able to help him put his experiences into words for Daisy."

The woman blinked, seeming to absorb that.

"Huh. Small world. But I guess that makes sense. Oh! I'm Zoey, by the way. I met and competed with Ash several times while he was in the Sinnoh region a couple of years ago. Though only during contests."

2B noted that Zoey still seemed a bit distracted by her Aura Construct fishing gear. But she was certain the girl would get over it. Ah, and she'd introduced herself. That meant 2B was supposed to do the same!

"My name is 2B, a new trainer this year intending to do the Kanto Circuit."

Something about that comment seemed to finally draw Zoey away from staring at the Aura Construct, though her expression seemed no less confused.

"Wait. If you were working for Oak, shouldn't you have started in Pallet Town? How did you even get into Johto? I mean, I'm headed over, but that's because I have a pass to head through to compete in the Kanto Circuit this year."

2B blinked, noting down that this woman would be a possible rival then. She still wasn't sure how rivalries worked. Humans seemed to develop them very easily, very often, and they all seemed to be different. Very confusing. Hopefully, if she was a rival, she would be one of the 'friendly' varieties.

"I swam. Well, technically a Lapras gave me a lift halfway. But that was only luck and a bit of curiosity on its part. Also, this is technically part of Kanto already, even if it's on the wrong side of the Reception Gate for most to consider it as such."

Odd. This Zoey woman was developing some of the same strange facial twitches that Daisy had gotten near the beginning of their friendship. Though her friend had mostly grown out of them. Was 2B carrying some disease from her home Earth that made people's faces twitch? She hoped not! Hmmm, Professor Oak didn't seem to have that issue, so surely not? Oh, wait! She was probably confused how 2B had the stamina for the swim! Well, she could clear it up. That might help?

"Aura helps with stamina. I called on it to help me get across. So long as you don't go through the Gate, there's no rule against coming to this part of Kanto for Division 1 Circuit Captures."

Oddly, the woman still looked a little incredulous as she moved to…sit down on the bank. Rather abruptly.

"You…used aura to cross, and you still have enough left to…"

Zoey waved in the direction of the fishing pole construct.

"Yes. I did say I naturally have a lot of…oh!"

2B quickly reprioritized as there was a firm tug on the fishing pole. She tugged firmly, but not roughly back, and nodded in satisfaction as the Pokémon simply clung to the line for a ride up. Not really 'caught' as you would with a normal fishing rod. Instead, answering the call of the aura challenge/invitation she'd put into the lure.

The pokémon in question had a round, blue body with yellow eyes and pupils like plus signs. Stubby feet and two teardrop shaped glowing orbs on the ends of arching antennae completed the picture. Surprised, but pleased, as this was the less likely of the two pokémon she'd thought to look for, she quickly activated her visor's link to her Pokédex. A chime sounded from her pocket, and she had to suppress a scowl. She still couldn't figure out why it was doing that. Professor Oak's original code for the pokédex was a mess! Still, it at least didn't speak as it displayed the pokémon's data for her.

… … … … …

Chinchou

Chinchou is a small, piscine Pokémon. Normally found in the depths of the ocean, when young it is sometimes found in rivers and streams instead, where its usual predators are quite rare. It communicates under water by flashing its lights and can both defend and attack with discharges of electricity.

Gender: Male

Type: Water/Electric

Ability: Volt Absorb

Suspected Moves: Bubble, Supersonic, Electro Ball, Thunderwave, Water Gun, Bubble Beam, Confuse Ray

… … … … …

Very nice. Assuming it was compatible with her. Dismissing her fishing rod construct, 2B held out a hand with her raw aura in it. The pokémon stiffened, then sent a flash of emotion through its own aura. It wanted to know she was strong, first. Sending a nod its way, she stood and pulsed her aura in an invitation to fight. It seemed confused for a moment, as it looked to where Vulpix was lying and doing nothing. But the challenge had been issued in a way that a wild pokémon understood, so it shook off any confusion and fired a Water Gun at her.

Smoothly sliding to one side of the attack, 2B darted forward. The little pokémon squeaked in shock at how fast she moved, trying to spark a Thunderwave as a wide-area counter. She jumped, tucking into a ball and shifting her momentum to roll forward as she let the weak wave of electricity, all it had managed to gather in its hurry, pass below her. She landed in a handstand, spinning and kicking out with both legs a moment later. She'd put only a tiny among of aura into the move, but combined with her momentum and the whipcrack power of her body, the Chinchou was sent flying clear across the stream and into a tree. She waited to see if it would get up.

When it did not, she shrugged and threw a pokéball at it with flawless accuracy. They would have to work on his ability to take a hit. She jumped after it once it dinged with the successful capture, retrieving the ball and clipping it to her belt. When she turned back, she spotted her visitor gaping at her. Oh dear, she'd been rude by cutting off their conversation, hadn't she? She quickly lept back over the stream and made a small bow of apology.

"My apologies, Miss Zoey. I had been waiting for some time for a pokémon to respond to the desires I put into the Aura Lure. But I still shouldn't have cut the conversation short like that. Would you like some tea as an apology?"

The girl blinked, seeming utterly bemused for reasons that 2B didn't quite understand?

"Uh…sure. And…maybe you could explain what just happened? I don't think I've ever seen a pokémon captured like that before. Or heard of, what did you call it, an Aura Lure?"

2B nodded and pulled a small table and full ceremonial tea set from her bracer. Certainly, after being so rude, she owed the woman some answers. So long as she didn't ask about any of Daisy's not-yet-published research! And the formal tea would be a good way to apologize, particularly as this woman had just come from Johto!

... ...

Zoey half wondered if the tea she was drinking was spiked with something. If not for the fact that the weird things she'd seen had all come before the tea, she'd have certainly believed it. As it was, she was fairly certain that the extremely odd girl across from her was both real and incredibly interesting. She hadn't even gotten to Kanto proper yet, just the outskirts, and the weirdness had already started! Maybe Ash was actually normal by the standards of people from Kanto? That was a little bit of a horrifying thought, really. But she'd withhold judgement for now. It might just be everyone associated with Professor Oak. He was known to be a bit odd himself, after all. Brilliant, but odd.

The girl, a year or so younger than Zoey herself, she thought, was at least extremely polite. She'd made very good tea, too, despite the conditions. Though the fact that she had one of those new storage bracers that were coming out of Kanto had certainly helped with that. Likely a perk of being both a lab sponsored trainer of Professor Oak and apparently still an assistant for one of his lab's research projects?

"So, you decided that the simplest way to fix a problem with your early line up for the 'traditional Kanto circuit' was to swim over to Route 26 and catch a suitable water pokémon. None of the pokémon that are on Route 1 or 2 being particularly good matches for what you were looking for?"

The girl, whose name was just as odd as the rest of her, nodded.

"Yes. I am quite pleased to have encountered an interested Chinchou. I would have happily settled for a Wooper. But Chinchou is a nearly perfect option to expand my team, as he will be quite excellent for the Cerulean Gym as well as the Pewter Gym."

That was, perhaps, the first logical thing the other girl had said. Swimming across deep ocean water, apparently inventing an entirely new trick with aura just to help her find a compatible pokémon for her team, then personally fighting that pokémon herself in a battle so fast Zoey had barely had time to register what was going on. All well apparently blindfolded?! Actually, what was up with that?

"Um…I hope this isn't impolite. But are you…blind?"

The white-haired girl tilted her head in an utterly adorable expression of confusion. Something which only made the fact the odd beauty was wearing just a swimsuit and boots more devastatingly distracting. No! Bad Zoey. Focus on the many mysteries first, before trying to get the girl's number.

"No. Why would…oh, right. Daisy did say some people might think my tactical visor looked like a blindfold. Here."

2B reached behind her head and untied what was clearly a blindfold, whatever she called it, and pulled it off. Zoey was momentarily so distracted by the most gorgeous set of blue eyes that she'd ever seen that she nearly missed the girl handing her the blindfold. Accepting it by reflex, she blinked as she noted it wasn't entirely cloth the way she'd thought. Holding it up to look at it properly…she gaped like an idiot again as she realized there was some sort of display on the inside.

Quickly moving it up to her eyes, she looked through the blindfold, seeing the world augmented by several highlighted bits of information. Abruptly remembering the familiar sound of a pokédex having occurred earlier, she shifted her attention to the adorable ball of fluff leaning against 2B's thigh. Doing her best to focus on the pokémon she didn't recognize instead of that glorious expanse of bare thigh, she was satisfied that her hunch was proven right as soon as she focused properly on it. There was the ding of a pokédex from 2B's belt, and a description appeared before her eyes.

… … …

Alolan Variant Vulpix

Type: Ice

Ability: Snow Warning

Moves Known: Powder Snow, Tail Whip, Disable, Ice Shard, Hypnosis, Error – Unknown Move

… … …

Fuck. She wanted one of these yesterday. Even if it meant wearing a blindfold around! Also, that was a Vulpix variant? She'd read up on Kanto pokémon since deciding to come to the region. But she hadn't recognized this one due to the completely different coloration. Where had the ever-growing-pile-of-mystery in front of her gotten an Alolan Vulpix? Shaking her head, noting the 'unknown move' as an additional curiosity, she slowly removed the 'tactical visor' and handed it back to the very strange-but-intriguing girl across from her.

"Is that something new coming out of Kanto, like the Sliph Co Storage Bracers?"

To her surprise, the girl shook her head.

"It is a personal creation I haven't marketed yet. The bracers were much easier to make, since most of the technology already existed. I only improved it and passed it on to Sliph Co."

Wait. Hold up a second.

"You made that. Wait, and that sounds like you worked on the bracers, too!"

The girl, who was starting to give Zoey the first inferiority complex she'd had in years, just nodded.

"The tactical visor was adapted from other technology. But I haven't made a commercially viable design from off-the-shelf parts yet. As I said, making the bracers was much simpler, as item storage technology already existed. It just had extremely poor implementation and efficiency. Clever, but crude. I only refined it."

Okay, that was it. There was way too much here to digest. Time to take a cue from the Ash Ketchum guidebook for world travel. She'd never traveled with companions before. But she'd never done a Gym Circuit properly either, her attempt last year to do both Gyms and Contests in Johto having had…mixed results.

"Well, I need to get moving, but you seem interesting 2B! Why don't we travel together? Though I don't think I can swim across the ocean…"

How did Ash randomly end up with traveling companions again? How was this supposed to work? Did she just ask like this? Zoey sweated just a bit as the other girl seemed to consider.

"Hmmm, Daisy did say it was common to travel with people, and that I needed to socialize more? I should be able to just go over the Gate building. Few people ever look up. Which is silly, given the number of flying and ambush pokémon."

Zoey sweat dropped for an entirely different set of reasons. This…might be a mistake. But at least it would be an interesting one. Right?

"Ah…well, we can figure that out as we come to it. For now, why don't we get moving? I'm sure you want to get Chinchou looked at too, even if you did catch her in a heal ball."

For good or ill, the white-haired girl nodded agreeably and started packing up the full ceremonial tea set she'd brought out. Apparently, Zoey had a traveling companion now. A very weird one with a bunch of mysteries and a rear that Zoey was having trouble tearing her eyes away from as she cleaned things up. This hadn't been her plan…but she couldn't say she hated it.

Not yet, at least.

She'd see if that was still true after she figured out some of those mysteries…

... ... ... ...

A/N: Who's that girl! So, who the heck is Zoey? For those (like me) who haven't actually watched much of the anime/cartoon, Zoey is Dawn's primary rival in the Diamond and Pearl seasons. Unlike most of Ash's rivals, who tend to me enormous assholes, Zoey was actually friendly to Dawn. To the point of helping train her at times. Originally, I had intended to use Dawn herself. I'd never actually seen Diamond and Pearl, though, so I figured out where I could watch them online and started doing so...only to quit pretty quickly because they are horrifically bad. Seriously, the show (at least those seasons) is painful to watch. Someone needs to take 90% of the VAs out back and beat emotions into them, just for one thing. I watched JUST enough, and read through the Wiki on Dawn enough, to realize she was actually a terrible fit for what I wanted. Which caused me to look around for someone else from generally the same time period. Zoey is who I settled on. Why? Because she actually DOES fit pretty well, has a reasonably defined story/personality, and there was a legitimately logical way I could tie her in as being in Kanto doing the Gym Circuit there.

One note. If you look her up? Yeah, she doesn't look much like her canon counterpart. Those characters are 10, whereas I upped the average starting age to 15 for Pokémon Journey's and she's 17-almost-18 now. Also, whoever was in charge of fashion for the characters of those seasons needs to be taken out, shot, cremated, then shot into orbit on a path out of the solar system to rid us of the horror that is their fashion sense. I mostly work with 3D assets, but I've still needed to develop a decent sense of basic fashion over the years so that my characters don' t look like clowns. The Diamond and Pearl characters don't just look like clowns. They look WORSE. Holy mother of fashion and style, I couldn't have come up with color combinations that hideous when I was SIX. Who the fuck hired those people and let them design characters that actually aired on TV?! I'll try to find a better redhead for you to imagine her by at some point. Because I refuse to inflict what I was forced to see with my own eyeballs on all of you.