17 Shining Gold (2/3)

[}-{]

"Aurora, I'm telling you, it's okay. Nobody got hurt." He told her for what felt like the tenth time. "Well, besides Vulpix, but she'll be fine soon enough."

It was funny watching her personality drastically change while she felt apologetic, but hearing someone whine was always annoying. Apologizing or not.

Izan and Aurora were lounging about in the Pokemon Center, waiting for Nurse Joy to finish working on their Pokemon. The injuries sustained apparently weren't that bad on both sides.

Luckily, Vulpix's tail was a clean break. Something that wouldn't take any time at all when you had magical healing energy.

"I know, I know. I just…" She trailed off, her tapping on the table stopping. "It's a part of me that I find very ugly." She muttered, a look of revulsion on her face.

He frowned. 'Anger issues, perhaps? Still, it's not that serious.'

Seriously, he didn't get it. With Serebyi, he was only angry at her because she did absolutely nothing. She just watched him as he struggled and got his Pokemon almost killed.

Especially since she said she'd be there to help if things got out of hand. And they did, quickly at that.

And then she had the gall to apologize after that. Like, what did she expect?

But with Aurora, it was just a battle. Injuries were to be expected. Sure, Glaceon could've hurt Sandshrew badly with that last attack, but it wasn't like it was unwarranted.

The only real damage Sandshrew had taken beforehand was minimal. If Sandshrew had more stamina, then that attack would've been necessary for her to win.

Plus, being angry after your Pokemon was injured was better than nothing, in his opinion. It could be excessive sometimes, but it showed you care.

"Well, if you really wanna make it up to me, you still haven't paid me for the battle…" He suggested, trying to push the conversation forward.

She looked surprised, and then her cheeks began reddening. "Ah, right. Yeah, I'll do that. Give me a second." Reaching into her pocket, she took out what looked like an upgraded version of the Pokenav.

"What's with that reaction? You alright?" He bluntly asked. That was a weird thing to blush at.

Biting her lip, she looked uncomfortable before letting out a sigh. "Admittedly, I was planning on scamming you. You should really be careful with what contracts you sign."

"Eh?"

"The contract only stated that I was obligated to pay an additional amount for each Pokemon you defeat. Technically speaking, that means I could've paid you a single cent each for defeating Snorunt and Vulpix." She explained hurriedly, trying to bulldoze past it.

'Oh.'

He snorted and then chuckled. "Yeah, I probably should've read it better. I was only really making sure I wouldn't become your henchman or something."

She looked at him like he had three heads, but shook her head. "Anyway, is there really nothing else? I'm gonna pay you the normal amount now either way."

He looked up in thought. 'Anything else? I could ask for more money but considering she thought to scam me, she probably isn't using money from her family. What would a shonen protagonist ask for…?'

He scratched his cheek, averting his eyes. "Well, how about your number, then?"

Aurora's voice became monotone and her lips thinned. "You remember how I called you unsightly? That wasn't a joke, I don't date-"

He lightly flicked her on the forehead. "Oi, shuddup. I just don't have any friends."

"Oh." The blank face melted away. "Really? You don't seem that antisocial."

Izan offered no explanation, and she shrugged her curiosity off, rattling her number for him. He just sent her a text in return.

Then, inexplicably, her personality went back to what he would now dub 'business mode'. "Now that we're officially friends, I have a favor to ask."

Imitating her, Izan leaned back in his seat and touched his fingertips together, as if he was about to offer her a deal she couldn't refuse. "I'm listening."

She expertly ignored his teasing. "I would like to watch one of your training sessions, if possible."

He blinked. "Why?"

"Although I have theoretical knowledge on Pokemon, I've never been taught how to actually train them. Also, I'm a visual learner."

'It's not like I'm doing any secret training method or something. At most I've been doing simple bodyweight workouts.'

"That's fine, I don't mind. Though only once." He wanted to do a bit of experimenting with moves. He realized Pokemon moves were an untapped well of potential.

Some of them had recorded the battle and uploaded it with his permission and a blurred face. When he asked why they said they'd never seen a [Rollout] that explosive from an F-Class trainer before.

So he didn't want her butting into his move experiments and learning all his secrets. She could watch him work out though.

"We can go right after Sandshrew is done being healed. She should be good to go in a little bit."

As if on time, a ding echoed from his Pokegear informing him that she was ready to be picked up already.

"Ah, speak of the Devil."

"Who are you calling a devil?" She leaned over, looking at his Pokegear. "Nurse Joy? She's a lovely woman."

"No, like, Speak of the… Giratina?" He tried.

"Gira- what?"

He dragged his hand down his face, standing up. "Nevermind, let's… let's just go."

[}-{]

Being book smart was very different from being street smart.

Green didn't understand what that meant before. She felt like she was getting it now, though.

Because for the first time in a long time, she felt stupid.

Why did she think it was a good idea to try and walk through Diglett's Cave with just a Squirtle, a Bellsprout, and traveling gear?

She had outdoor experience, but she was completely out of her element walking in the cave that seemed to span for days.

It probably did span for days. And that was considering she'd gone the wrong way a ton of times.

Contrary to popular belief, Diglett's Cave was in fact not just a glorified long tunnel.

It had twists and turns, random dead ends, impossibly deep holes that seemed to be there for no reason other than a Diglett getting curious about how far it could go.

She was pretty sure she was on the right path, but that was only a small comfort. What would be a better comfort was a shower. Now that would be heavenly.

…Maybe there was a reason people didn't venture through the cave often.

A sound behind made her jerk the flashlight she was holding in that direction, pointed wildly, including up.

Digletts liked to get the jump on her by attacking from the ceiling sometimes. There was still mud in her hair from the first time they did it.

What she didn't expect was to see two people and a yellow Pokemon she couldn't bother identifying in between them. One had green hair and the other was blonde. The moment the spotlight was on them, they started… singing? Rehearsing?

"Prepare for trouble…" The blonde woman started.

"…And make it double!" The green-haired guy finished.

"Here's our mission, so you better listen!" They said together. She stared blankly at them, wondering if they were an illusion or if she was dreaming.

There was no way these people could be real. They even had matching uniforms.

"To infect the world with devastation!"

"To blight all people in every nation!"

She pinched herself. The fact that it hurt caused her faith in humanity to drop.

"To denounce the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend our wrath to the stars above!"

"Cassi-"

Green clapped twice, interrupting them. "Shut. The fuck. Up. I do not care. Good day." She turned, about to walk away.

But the blonde one scowled at the interruption, barking an order to her Pokemon. "[Hypnosis], Drowzee."

Her eyes rolled back into her head, and like a puppet without strings, she collapsed onto the cold hard ground.

Green fell fast asleep.

---

->Random Question: Now that I know your favorite type, what's your favorite Pokemon?

The most commented type was dark and steel. I sorta expected dark but I'm genuinely surprised about steel. Then I thought about it and realized there's legit only like one trash-tier steel type IMO. (It's Wormadam. If you prefer Wormadam over Mothim you're just wrong.)

If anyone's wondering if my questions have some hidden purpose, they don't. I'm just curious.

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