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Aspertia City was unusually quiet tonight. Night had fallen on the town and the town streets were largely empty. A young woman sat on a bench in a park, staring up at the starry sky. She had a lot on her mind tonight, so she’d slipped out of the house. She had no intent of returning. The moon was waxing near-full, and lit up her surroundings nearly as well as the streetlights. She welcomed the bright evening, it helped settle her thoughts somewhat. This would be the last time she’d see this city for a long while. In fact, if she never returned, it wouldn’t have bothered her. She had no real sentimentality towards Aspertia. The only thing she missed about this place was Leo, and he was working in Floccesy as a ranch hand. There was nothing left for her here in town. Tonight, she’d decided, was going to be the night she left this place for good.
Amber knew she was ill-suited for being on her own. Even though she was fifteen, she hadn’t much experience outside of town. Her backpack was empty of money and supplies; she’d left with nothing but her clothes and her determination. Amber was a bit scared to be doing this. Part of her wavered, wondering if she should just sneak back home and pretend this was just a flight of fancy. She shook off the hesitation as soon as it came. She’d made up her mind. No turning back.
Besides, it wasn’t like her family would miss her. Her mother was absent for most of Amber’s life, working at some job far away in Sinnoh. Her father wouldn’t care if she left. All he ever cared about was how much money he was making. Amber wondered to herself if he’d even notice her departure. Then again, he rarely seemed concerned with her to begin with. When she’d mentioned several times how much she’d wanted to train Pokémon, he’d scoffed and told her to pick a career that actually made money. Amber’s mind drifted to the argument she had earlier this evening. Her father had given her an ultimatum: either leave Unova and go to a far-off university he’d selected for her in Kanto, or leave the house and not come back. Amber chose the latter, though she hadn’t told him as much.
Amber brushed a red-violet lock of hair back behind her ear, pulling her jean jacket a bit tighter around herself. She was as ready as she’d get. She looked back over a shoulder, back at the only home she’d known. Doubt weighed heavily on her mind as her green eyes welled up. Maybe it was a bad idea to go without telling her father… and as soon as the thought came, she’d shook it off again. There was nothing left for her here. Maybe she’d write a letter later, but not now. She wanted to get to Floccesy as soon as she could and leave these rotten thoughts behind her. Amber turned away from her house for the last time and towards the park. She settled her backpack on her shoulders and walked down the path, her first steps toward her dreams. Exactly what those dreams were, she wasn’t sure. She just knew she didn’t want to be a slave to her father’s ambitions.
She was so focused on her thoughts that she tripped on something, landing face-first on the grass. She could only lay there in a daze for a moment before she got her wits back enough to pull herself upright. She glared behind her at what tripped her up. To her surprise, it seemed to be an Egg of some kind. Curiosity quickly replaced annoyance as she approached it. This was a strange-looking egg. The size seemed about right for a Pokémon egg, but the color was off. It was a dark gray color which darkened to almost-black at the bottom. Amber picked up the Egg, finding it heavy for its size. Cradling it in both hands, she looked back and forth, wondering who left this here. There wasn’t a soul in the park; the moonlight gave her a good view of the surroundings. Amber decided she’d ask whoever she came across about this Egg, and put it in her backpack for safekeeping. On second thought, she kinda hoped nobody would claim the Egg. Amber didn’t have a Pokémon to her name, and she was a bit nervous about that. Once the baby hatches, she’d have a partner of her own. She let herself smile about that. What species the Egg held didn’t matter to Amber, she was just happy that maybe she’d have a Pokémon to protect her. She’d still have to make it to Floccesy first, but that didn’t seem nearly so daunting now. As Amber continued towards Route 19, she kept an eye out for anyone who might’ve dropped that Egg. Then again, maybe it was a wild Egg. Some kinds of Pokémon like Rattata and Pidove nest in human settlements sometimes, so that was a possibility as well. Maybe Leo knew what this Egg was. He was working as a breeder’s aide so he’d definitely know about that kind of thing.
As she came to a sign noting the city limits, Amber couldn’t help pausing one more time. Route 19 was a typical route with neatly-trimmed paths meandering through taller, wild patches of grass. A light breeze was blowing sakura blossoms across the way, and the moonlit scene made her smile a bit. It was as if the spring blossoms were giving her their blessing to leave. Now in a light-hearted mood, she followed the manicured trail, taking care to avoid making excessive noise. It wouldn’t do to get attacked right out the gate like this. Getting hurt would mean having to go home, and that wasn’t an option anymore. Amber could hear Pokèmon cries from all around her as she carefully picked her way through. Several tense, long minutes passed as she kept her vigil. Then she found what she was looking for: a sign that indicated the Floccesy Town breeding center.
Amber smiled to herself. She’d made it to her destination without a hitch. Maybe she was overthinking the danger. It wouldn’t be the first time she’d been a worrywart over things that later worked out. Relieved, she opened the entry gate just long enough to get through, shutting it behind her. Immediately, she set about looking for Leo. She knew him well. Up until a few months ago they’d been next door neighbors and friends since they were toddlers. He was three years her elder, and he always treated her like a little sister. In fact, Amber felt far closer to Leo than her own family. He could be kind of moody, but she knew Leo had a kind heart. It didn’t take too long to find him. His scruffy, blue hair had a bit of hay in it, and the moonlight was making his sweaty, tan skin glisten. He was up on a ladder, trying to shove a hay bale up into the loft of the barn he was tending to.
“Leo!”
Amber’s call made him turn his green eyes to her. He turned around too quickly and nearly lost his balance. In his haste to steady himself, he dropped the hay bale, which burst open on the ground below. Amber put a hand to her face in embarrassment. She didn’t mean to surprise him!
Leo shot her a brief look of anger before softening to surprise. “Amber?” he asked as he clambered down the ladder, “What’re you doing here?”
Amber started helping him gather up the hay. “Sorry about that. Didn’t mean to scare ya. I’m finally going to start training Pokémon!”
“Oh yeah? I thought your old man was all against that.” Leo said as he rebundled the bale.
“He is. I’m running away.”
Leo dropped the hay again as he made eye contact. “You’re kidding, right?” When Amber shook her head in response, Leo blinked a few times in incredulous disbelief. “But you know he’s not going to just accept that! You know how he gets when it comes to your future...”
“He can’t tell me what to do forever!” Amber protested, “I don’t want some boring overseas job! I want to train Pokémon! I’m of age so he can’t stop me!”
“Listen to you. You don’t even have a Pokémon to train! Just how do you plan on remedying that, huh?” Leo wiped his brow and folded his arms, “Look, I’m behind you all the way, you know that. It’s just that…”
“It’s just that what?” Amber parroted, “I’ll figure something out. Dad wants me to move all the way to Kanto for higher education!
Kanto!
It’s bad enough he’s fixated on me becoming a lawyer, but going overseas for it?!” Amber shook her head, more to shake off tears of frustration than anything, “I don’t want to leave, Leo! Unova’s all I know…”
“Amber,” Leo sighed, “c’mon now don’t cry. I bet that’s what you came to me for, right? For a partner?”
Amber nodded with a sniffle. “Yeah. I was hoping to care for a baby that’s easy to raise. Do the breeders have any spare Eggs?”
“Funny you should ask. Lemme finish putting up this hay and I’ll show you something.”
“I’ll help!” Amber helpfully handed Leo the hay as he once again ascended the ladder. This time, he was able to put it away successfully. Leo put the ladder in a closet nearby and led Amber to one of the nearby meadows. Amber could make out the silhouettes of several Pokémon in the field.
“So, here in this field’s where the unwanted Pokémon breeders drop off are. See that list over here?” Leo gestured to a note nailed to a fencepost, “That’s the current roster. I can set you up with any Pokémon from the list. I really think it’s a bad idea to take an older one, so stick to the hatchlings here.” Leo was pointing to a section taped to the bottom of the note. Amber nodded in agreement and began scanning the note. Pidove…nah. Basculin…pass. Purrloin…maybe. Riolu…what’s a Riolu? Amber decided to ask as much.
“I see a ‘Riolu’ here. What’s a Riolu?”
“Interested in that one? It’s a Fighting type that resembles a puppy. Want me to go fetch it?”
“Yes please! A puppy sounds cute!” Amber couldn’t help grinning as she imagined what this could be.
“Should’ve known you’d be into a puppy. Lemme get it.” Leo entered the gated field and walked off into the darkness somewhere. A few minutes later, he returned, a Poké Ball in hand. “Ready? Here’s Riolu.” Leo let out the Pokémon. What emerged from the ball was unlike anything Amber was familiar with. This bipedal canine was looking up at her with its shining, red eyes. The black, floppy ears were just begging to be pet, but the blue hound was giving her an unreadable look. Amber got a big grin on her face. Just looking at this adorable Pokémon, she knew she was meant to have it as her partner.
“I like it! I wanna pick Riolu!” Amber said excitedly.
Leo chuckled at her, “Then she’s yours. Go on, take her ball.” Amber looked to find Leo holding out the Poké Ball.
She gladly took the ball, turning back to Riolu. “I hope we get along, little one.” Riolu tipped her head at Amber, still expressionless. Amber wasn’t sure what to make of that reaction. Maybe she just didn’t know how to act? They only just met, so that makes sense. Amber looked back at Leo, “Thank you, Leo! I was worried about how I’d get a Pokémon to train.”
Leo shrugged, “Don’t thank me, thank whoever left Riolu here. Can’t say I agree with the practice of abandoning Pokémon, but it worked out for you.”
Amber recalled Riolu. “Well, thanks for introducing me to her. This’ll be a big help! Now, I gotta get to Floccesy before midnight…”
“All by yourself?” Leo shook his head, “How reckless can you be? First you just take off without telling anybody, then you decide to just hike it to Floccesy without any money or anything?”
Amber was taken aback. “How’d you know I didn’t have any money?”
Leo just gave her a look. “How long have we known each other, Amber? I know you’re too impulsive to have thought this out
that
well.”
Amber lowered her head sheepishly. “Yeah, you got me there. What should I do?”
“Well, I know what I’m gonna do.” Leo was walking back to the front of the fields, so Amber followed him. “I’m gonna let the boss know I’m taking off.”
“You’re quitting? Why?”
Leo kept walking as he talked, “To accompany you, of course! I’d never be able to sleep knowing you were alone without someone to give you a hand. Besides, it’s bad manners to leave a friend in a lurch.”
Amber got another smile on her face. She didn’t expect Leo to come along, but she was very grateful for it. Now she’d have Leo with her, and that reassured any lingering doubts about leaving Aspertia. With renewed determination, she followed Leo. She was ready for her journey as a Pokémon Trainer to begin.
Amber was in a good mood as she and Leo left the ranch. She was so relieved Leo agreed to come with her. She was kinda resigned to beginning her adventure all alone. Though she tried to swallow it, Amber was secretly afraid of being alone. That she’d have her best and only friend with her felt like a precious treasure. Amber looked over her back, adjusting her backpack more securely over a shoulder. Leo had his Growlithe out. This would be the first time Amber met her. She decided it was probably a good idea to get to know Riolu too, so she released her. The blue hound appeared at her side.
“Hey there, Riolu,” Amber greeted the pup, “Feel like a stroll?”
“Lu?” she yipped, looking up at Amber with her big, ruby eyes. Amber was still unsure how to read her reply. She decided to take the stare as curiosity. Come to think of it, this little Pokémon could use a name. Amber burst out into a grin as inspiration hit her.
“I got it! I’ll name you Lulu! Let’s get along, ok little Lulu?” Amber bent down and smiled brightly.
“Rio!” Amber still wasn’t sure how to read her reaction. It was almost as if she was staring through her. Amber sighed, slightly crestfallen. Did Lulu dislike her or something?
Leo must have noticed her lagging behind. He doubled back and came up to Amber, his Growlithe weaving around his legs excitedly. “What’s wrong Amber? Is it something about Riolu?”
Amber nodded once, standing upright, “I’m not sure Lulu likes me…”
“Lulu huh?” Leo smiled slightly at the Riolu, then eyed his own canine companion and hummed thoughtfully. “Come to think of it, Growlithe doesn’t have a name. What do you think, should I name her, Amber? I’m crap at names…”
“But what about Lulu?” Amber pouted, “Is she upset at me or something? I don’t know what she’s thinking.”
“Don’t worry so much. Growithe and I don’t know each other either. It’ll take time for us to understand each other. Same thing for you and Lulu.” Leo snapped his fingers, making Growlithe bark. “How about Woof-Woof? Does that sound good?”
Growlithe growled flatly, snorted out smoke, “Lith,” and gave Leo a sour look.
“Not a fan, huh. Um… Fluffy?”
“Lith!” Another unamused look.
“Wiggles?”
“Growlithe!” She shook her head and snorted embers.
“What, do you have a better idea?!” Leo seemed to be losing patience, “I
said
I suck at this! Amber, give me a hand will ya?”
“Um…?” Amber made eye contact with Growlithe. She returned her gaze, yipping happily. When she yapped, a small flare of flame curled from her lips. Amber got an idea.
“Flare.”
“Arf!” Growlithe wagged her fluffy tail happily.
“How about that?” Leo chuckled and put his hands on his knees, “I think she accepted that! C’mere Flare.”
“Lithe~!” Flare trotted over to Leo and sat on her haunches, a pup’s grin on her face.
“Lu-lu!” Lulu seemed happy for them, judging by how she was wringing her paws by the side of her head. Amber couldn’t hold back a giggle of her own. Seeing Lulu happy made her happy too, and for the first time, she saw Lulu smile back at her. Maybe they were starting to become friends after all.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Amber was in an excellent mood. For the first time, she felt like someone other than Leo had accepted her. Sure, the one in question was a Pokémon
, but who cares? It felt great, and that was good enough for her. Lulu was trotting alongside Amber and she seemed to be sharing Amber’s good mood. Leo had taken the lead, and Flare kept getting distracted chasing small bugs around. Amber giggled a bit at the silly dog’s antics. It was great to see everyone so cheerful.
Amber noticed that Leo was staring at the horizon. “We don’t have a lot of time before sunset. Why don’t you get some training in?” She cast a look at the sun in surprise. Sunset already? It was early morning when they left the ranch. Time flies!
Wait, training?
Amber blinked, caught off-guard by his comment, “Training? Now? But I have no idea how to battle…”
“Wait, seriously?” Leo turned to Amber and put his forehead in his palm, “You mean to say you ran off with no money, no
Pok
èmon, no gear, and now you’re telling me you’re so green you can’t fight? Hoo, boy…” Leo shook his head and sighed. “Okay, okay. Watch how I do things, Amber.”
Amber nodded once, a bit embarrassed at getting called-out by Leo, “Sure. C’mon Lulu, don’t get left behind!” Amber was feeling self-conscious, so she busied herself with gathering up Lulu, who yipped in surprise at the manhandling. She seemed to tolerate it though. Flare, meanwhile, had wandered off again. Amber could only see her tail tip peeking out of a patch of tall grass.
Leo noticed this at the same time. “What are you doing?”
“Arooooooof!” Suddenly, Flare bolted out of the grass, a wild-eyed look of terror on her face. She had a small cut on her snout, red seeping through her fur.
“Flare? What happened? You’re hurt!” Amber crouched down, “Is something in the grass?” Amber peered into the bushes, trying to look for any sign of movement.
“Amber, get back!” Leo grabbed Amber by her shoulder, making her stumble. She gave Leo a look, but he only pointed into the grass. Flare’s fur bristled when he pointed, but remained by Amber’s front.
“Lu! Rioooo!”
Lulu wriggled free from Amber’s arms and landed nimbly on the ground. She looked at Flare, then glared at the grass briefly. Before anyone could react, a blur of green and dark red lashed out from the grass, grazing Amber’s leg. Lulu reacted with lightning reflexes, deflecting the ball-shaped object with a high-kick. Amber cried out and jumped as the thing careened into a tree stump and unrolled itself. A rather irate Venipede was glaring at Lulu.
“Grrrrrr!” Lulu started cracking her knuckles at it in an attempt to intimidate the enemy. Venipede just screeched and bristled its body in response.
“Luuuuu!” Lulu let out a battle-cry and charged. She leaped at Venipede with a flying tackle. This hit the bug head-on, making it screech again.
Leo was first to recover from the shock of what just happened in the span of only seconds. “Amber, get away from there!” Amber back-stepped several paces as Leo gave her a sharp look. “Are you alright?! You’re bleeding!”
“I am?” Amber looked down at her leg. A slash cut into her jeans. Sure enough, a little blood was visible on the denim. It didn’t even hurt, and Amber was grateful for that at least. “It’s a scratch. Doesn’t hurt.”
Leo’s eyes showed a quiet rage, almost as if a fire had ignited behind them. Amber had never seen that look on his face before. He spun around to the still-shaking Flare, “Flare! Kick its ass! Go!!” Flare snapped herself out of her stupor and rushed the Venipede. She blew embers at the enemy. Lulu and it were wrestling one another, and the fire almost hit Lulu.
“Bite it, bite that damn bug!” Leo ordered.
Amber was the one stunned this time, both by the scene before her and by Leo’s sudden shift in attitude. She’d never seen him so…intense before! Flare howled and darted into the pair. She sank her teeth into Venipede’s tail. That turned out to be a mistake. It arched its back, stingers oozing a green fluid. Flare couldn’t react in time, and the insect stung her on the sides in a pincer attack. She howled in pain at the stab. Lulu kicked Venipede in the face, sending it tumbling head-over tail into a bush.
“Ri-ri!!” Lulu roared, squaring up her stance and glaring. Rustling that grew fainter signaled the bug’s retreat. “Lu!” She bobbed her head at the fleeing
Pokémon
triumphantly, seeming satisfied.
Amber let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding. “I think it ran away…” she quipped, sitting heavily down in relief. She flinched when she moved her leg. Now that the rush had worn off, Amber was feeling her injury more. Maybe it was a bit worse than she first thought. Lulu promptly returned to Amber’s side, pawing at her leg near where she’d been cut. Lulu made eye-contact again. Amber felt like maybe Lulu was worried, and she smiled reassuringly at the pup.
In spite of the victory, Leo didn’t seem very happy. “Are you alright Amber? Can you stand?” He extended a hand to her. Amber hesitated. He still had that look on his face: a stern anger that Amber was glad wasn’t directed at her. Taking the hand, Amber pulled herself up with Leo’s help.
She stumbled a bit when she put weight on her leg. “Owww… It hurts more than before.”
Leo glanced toward the sky. Following his gaze, Amber could see the sun was setting. There was no way they’d make it to Virbank by nightfall. “We’ll never get to the city before dark. Looks like we have to rough it tonight.”
Amber’s eyes went wide. Did he mean what she thought he meant? “Rough it? You mean we’re camping? Here?! Right where we just fought that
Pok
èmon!?!”
“Not here exactly,” Leo gave her a small smile that didn’t reach his eyes, “Let’s go more in the open where it’s safer. Lean on me if you need to.”
“I can walk…” Amber wasn’t too sure about her own words. The cut was throbbing now, and it intensified every time she took a step.
Leo seemed to notice this. “Sit here and let me see it.” He grabbed her under an arm and directed her to a big rock a few yards off the path. Amber sat down, wincing as Leo gently examined her calf.
“Damn poison bugs,” he muttered, “It got you hard, didn’t it. Good thing Venipede poison isn’t that dangerous to humans.” He slowly stood up, “Stay right there, Amber. Moving’s gonna worsen the poison.” He turned his head to Lulu, who was staring up at him with big eyes. “Lulu. Guard her, got it? Don’t even let a Patrat through.” Lulu nodded with a “Lu!” and clambered up on top of the rock beside Amber, already vigilant.
Leo sure was taking this mess seriously, she thought. In all honesty, Amber was more upset with herself than she was in pain. Leo didn’t seem to notice her staring at him as he began setting up the campsite. She was actually a tiny bit afraid of Leo in that fierce mood, so she sat meekly and watched the sunset. Tonight was gonna be a long night…
Amber sat on the rock with her arms around her knees, watching Leo prep their campsite. It bothered her more than a little bit to be doing nothing while he toiled away, but he’d insisted he was fine with it. Amber scowled at her wound, which had turned an unpleasant purple. Stupid poison. Stupid bug. She fumed as she glared down at nothing in particular. This was a terrible way to start her journey of self-discovery.
Plus, wasting time camping would give her father time to maybe catch up. That’s assuming he even knew she was gone. It had been two days since she ran away, and he hadn’t even given her a phone call. Jerk. Between her pain, blaming herself for the delay, and her father’s apparent apathy, she was in a mood.
“Rio…?” Lulu scurried into Amber’s lap. She looked down to find the
Pokémon staring up at her with big, ruby eyes. They locked eyes for several seconds as she felt her sour mood melt. Amber smiled. Lulu probably knew making puppy-faces at her made her smile, the clever dog. Obligingly, she petted Lulu’s ears, which made her coo happily. This got a chuckle out of Amber. She felt like she was starting to learn Lulu’s quirks, as well as the Riolu learning hers.
“We’re all settled.” Amber looked up at Leo’s voice, still ruffling Lulu’s fur. He’d set up a small fire and two sleeping bags. A modest pile of tinder sat between the sleeping bags.
Amber gave him a small smile. “Thank you, Leo.”
“It’s nothing. Now let’s see that leg again.”
“Again? Really…” Amber protested, but extended her hurt leg down for him to examine. Come to think of it, it wasn’t that bad of a wound, so why did he keep wanting to examine it? Leo had told her earlier that Venipede were venomous, but not very dangerous to humans. Why was he fussing?
Leo frowned and looked up at her. “Looks like it’s getting worse huh. I’d at least put a bandage on that, but I didn’t think we’d get attacked like that so soon... I have no medical supplies.” Leo growled a curse softly. “If only Rojo was here. Then I could send her for help. Flare almost had her tail handed to her by a Venipede. A Venipede! I clearly need to train her better before I can send her anywhere solo…”
Amber fell quiet, unsure how to answer. Rojo was an Arcanine; a gift from Leo’s parents when he first set out to become a ranch hand. The two were nearly inseparable. One day, Rojo laid an Egg, which Leo had treasured dearly. But not long after, Rojo vanished without a trace. All he had left of his prized Pokèmon was a single egg. An unnamed Growlithe, now with the name Flare, was the baby. Amber felt for him, but she didn’t want to open old scars. It’d only been a year since Rojo’s disappearance, and the wounds were still fresh. Besides, she did
not
want to see him get all freaked out and mad again.
“Um… can I come down now?” Amber tried to change the subject.
Leo gave her a mischievous gleam, “I’ll do one better!” He scooped Amber up, laughing when she yelped in surprise. He set her down by a sleeping bag. Blinking, she sat there stunned for a moment.
“Um…” Leo broke eye contact again, “I… sorry. I was just trying to lighten the mood.”
Amber shook her head, “Oh no, don’t apologize! I was just kinda startled, that’s all. Thanks for looking after me."
Leo sheepishly pulled at his ear, “Oh, it’s nothing. I’m just glad you aren’t upset.” He sat down and began poking the fire with a twig pointedly. “You really aren’t mad at me?” Amber shook her head no, earning a sigh of relief from Leo. “Good. Go and get some rest, ok? I’m gonna be up for a bit longer.”
Amber tilted her head, unsure why he was suddenly acting all weird. Maybe it was a good idea to get some sleep, like Leo said. Amber snuggled herself into the sleeping bag, minding her injured leg, and wiggled to settle in.
“Riolu!” Lulu took the opportunity to sit right by Amber’s head. She kept looking around, as if on alert. Amber smiled. It was cute how Lulu was already being protective of her. This reassurance relaxed her, and Amber was soon sound asleep.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Amber awakened some time later, but she had no idea how much later. It wasn’t morning yet and Amber didn’t know what time it was. The waning moon was setting and she couldn’t see very well. Lulu was fast asleep, her arms drawn across her knees. She’d fallen asleep mid-watch. Amber almost giggled, but bit her lip. She didn’t want to wake Leo and Flare.
Apparently, she didn’t need to worry about waking Leo up; he was tending the campfire. Flare was curled up surprisingly close to the fire, puffing smoke as she breathed. Amber smiled. She must really like the fire to be that close.
Leo noticed Amber just now. “You can’t sleep either?”
Amber shook her head, “I slept a little bit, I think. It’s hard to do on the ground.” Amber noticed his gaze linger on her for several seconds. She tilted her head at this, which made him abruptly turn away and start poking at the fire again. Amber grinned a bit and chuckled softly. His awkwardness was so unlike him in a cute way!
“How’s your leg, Amber?” he asked without taking his eyes from the campfire.
Amber flexed her leg experimentally, “Lots better. It isn’t all nasty looking anymore and it almost doesn’t hurt.”
“Almost?” Leo narrowed his eyes slightly.
“Leo, I’m fine,” Amber chided feeling rather coddled, “I’m tougher than I look you know!”
That made Leo smile. “Good. Glad you’re better. Can I talk to you for a bit? There’s something I need to get off my chest.”
“Of course!” Amber got up out of the sleeping bag, whose rustling woke up Lulu. The puppy followed Amber as she sat down across from Leo. “What did you wanna talk about?”
“Well…” Leo faltered, fidgeting. Amber tilted her head, and then he continued, “I think I owe you an apology.”
Amber furrowed her brow. “Why? You didn’t do anything!”
“That’s part of the problem.” Leo took a deep breath and set the stick down. “I’m really sorry I didn’t protect you from that bug earlier. I should’ve told you to stay away from the grass and let Lulu take point. I-”
Amber cut him off, “Was that what you’ve been acting all funny for?”
Leo broke eye contact again, nodding once as he stared into the campfire. “Yeah. When I saw you were hurt, I was so pissed I saw red. I wasn’t even thinking straight. I should’ve had Flare fry that thing to a crisp.” He stood up, balling his hands. “She had the type-advantage for Arceus’ sake! Not only did I screw up the battle, you got hurt. All because of me!” He kicked a rock into the fire with surprising anger.
“Yip!” Embers from the fire landed on Flare, who shook her head in surprise and looked accusingly at Leo.
Amber just stared, her mouth wide open. He really thought he was responsible? No way! If anything, it was his guidance that kept her from gawking like a fool the whole time. She didn’t know what to say or do for Leo, so she froze up.
Leo sighed, staring down at his feet. “I’m sorry Amber. Can you forgive me?”
She finally knew what to say, “Depends on what you’re sorry for. If you’re sorry for scaring me earlier, then I forgive you. But the battle…” She stood up and came to Leo’s side putting a hand on his shoulder, “You didn’t poison me, it was a wild Pokémon! I was the one who messed up. How can I forgive you for something you didn’t do?”
“Amber…” Leo lifted his head and met Amber’s eyes. He was trying to play stoic again, but his shining eyes gave away the truth. “T-thank you. You have no idea what that means to me.”
“Actually, I don’t think I thanked you. You reacted so quickly while I looked like a gaping fish! And then you took care of me too. Thanks, you’re my hero!” She playfully flopped her head on his shoulder and gave him a silly smile. Lulu wasn’t the only one who knew being cute made people grin!
“Lu! Riolu!!” Lulu started pawing at Amber. She looked down to find her anxiously pointing to where Flare was earlier. Flare was no longer there. Amber wondered where Flare went.
“Lulu, did you see where Flare went?” Amber asked as she got off Leo’s shoulder.
“Lu…” Lulu shook her head, making a worried expression at Leo and Amber.
Just then, Amber heard some barking and snarling coming from somewhere nearby. She recognized Flare, but there was another voice she didn’t recognize at all. It sounded like a fight was going on! Leo had to have noticed it too, he’d pulled a flashlight from his pocket and shined it into the nearby grass. Amber’s eyes went wide. Flare was tussling with a Pokèmon that really shouldn’t be here: a Houndour! Amber turned to tell Leo, but he was already taking off.
“Wait!” Amber’s call fell on deaf ears; Leo was well ahead of her. She glanced at Lulu, who barked and slapped a hand into a fist. She seemed ready for a fight. Amber raced after Leo, and what she saw next shocked her.
She was right about one thing, Flare was fighting a Houndour all by herself! Blood dribbled from her mouth as she snarled at her foe. Several gashes and burns ran across her body. She was wounded pretty badly! Amber then noticed Flare had torn into the opponent’s ear. It was dripping down its owner’s face. This made the feral sneer on its lips all that much more sinister looking as its own blood dripped across its teeth. Amber gasped and back-stepped away, placing a hand on her mouth. Flare barked at the other dog, sending something flying out of her mouth.
It was a piece of ear.
Amber shook her head at the gruesome scene. She wasn’t about to freeze up like a Sawsbuck in the headlights again! She tore her eyes from the sight and instead looked at Lulu.
Leo shouted, “Flare, come back girl!” he brandished his Poké Ball at the Pokémon, recalling her. Amber tried not to notice the fearful look in Leo’s eyes. She decided to act this time, and not let her emotions get in the way again.
“Go get ‘em, Lulu!” Amber called.
“Ri! Lu!!” Lulu happily charged forth.
Lulu’s first attack was meeting the Houndour with a flying high-kick. Houndour retaliated with a plume of fire. Lulu’s kick continued through the flames, striking Houndour directly in the jaw. It yipped and fell backwards a few steps. Next, it sat back on its rump and howled up at the sky. Another howl answered, much deeper than Houndour’s. Lulu provided her own answer: another high-kick, followed by a roundhouse. The crack of bone echoed like a bell through the field, or so it sounded to Amber. The double attack hit Houndour hard. It wobbled on its feet, whining pitifully. It growled, shaking its head and making blood fly in all directions. Houndour leaped at Lulu, biting her hard on the torso. Without letting go, it shook its head viciously, then threw Lulu into the grass some distance away.
Amber fell back on her heels, her eyes wide. With Lulu nowhere in sight and Flare critically injured, now Amber and Leo were sitting Duckletts. Amber gasped again, spun on her heel, and ran back towards the campsite in a fright. Houndour’s paws crunched in the dirt behind her, getting closer and closer still. Her injured leg still hurt, and the distraction sent her tripping over a twig. Amber landed face-down in the grass. She spun around and started Krabby-walking away in sheer panic. Houndour licked its chops at her menacingly. It crouched low, readying itself to strike. Amber shut her eyes; she didn’t want to watch this part. A cacophony of snarls and yipping met her ears as Amber held her breath and braced herself.
Amber heard a familiar, victorious howl next. She started to shake in terror. A wet tongue slurped across her face, surprising Amber. She reluctantly opened her eyes, astonished that she was still unharmed. Flare was at her side. The concerned pup was licking her face enthusiastically, and behind Flare was the defeated Houndour. Leo stood a few yards away, a snarl pasted on his face. Amber sighed and hugged the Growlithe, who responded by licking her ear.
“Amber!” Leo recalled Flare for a second time. “Thank Arceus you’re okay!”
Amber sat up straighter and nodded. “I’m not hurt, thanks to you and Flare. But have you seen-?”
Lulu came stumbling out of the grass just then. She had a nasty bite across her chest. She bounded over to Amber, sniffing her and examining her all over. Satisfied, she climbed up into Amber’s lap and flexed victoriously. That made Amber laugh, and she ruffled Lulu’s fur.
The brief lull went bleak in a second. A huge shape suddenly came up behind Leo. Or rather, it leaped on him blindsiding him! The large dog Pokémon held its horned head low, embers erupting from its nostrils. Amber couldn’t hold back a scream this time.
The new foe was a female Houndoom. Amber knew she was in extreme danger. And now Leo was struggling beneath her. He shoved his flashlight between the mother Pokémon’s jaws and kicked wildly. Leo just managed to get free as Houndoom spat the flashlight out, sending crazy shadows across the camp. Leo dashed to Amber, yanking her up rather roughly.
“We’re in some deep shit,” Leo growled, “Flare’s too hurt to fight. What’re we gonna-?”
Lu-lu! Rio!!!” Lulu broke free from Amber and squared her stance at Houndoom as they exchanged growls.
“You gotta be kidding me! How the hell does she think she’s gonna fight in her condition?!” Leo barked. Amber had no words. All she could do was hope Lulu could help them escape this mother’s wrath.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chapter 4
Amber promised herself she wouldn’t get scared, but that was
before
she found herself facing a furious mother Houndoom. She was shaking and near-tears. That Houndoom looked strong. Strong and super angry. But Lulu wasn’t scared one bit—or if she was, she wasn’t showing it one bit. Amber knew bravery wasn’t gonna win this fight. They needed to run, but how?
Lulu didn’t hesitate to tackle Houndoom, but her strike bounced off the dog’s bony chest armor. Lulu rolled across the grass, slightly stunned. She stood back up though, and she growled at Houndoom again. Houndoom snorted embers. She seemed absolutely unimpressed with Lulu’s tackle and ignored the blustering. Houndoom began approaching again, smirking at the trio evilly.
“Riolu!!” Lulu pounced on Houndoom’s face with her body against her eyes, blinding her foe.
“Aroof?!” Houndoom threw her weight around as the pair whirled around wildly.
“Amber! Recall Lulu and run for it! She doesn’t stand a chance against an adult Pokémon!”
Amber dug around her pockets for the ball. By the time she’d found it, Lulu still wouldn’t let go of Houndoom’s face! She started punching Houndoom in the back of the head. Houndoom retaliated with a stream of fire, which hit poor Lulu point-blank! Lulu collapsed in pain. Despite her wounds, Lulu wobbled back to her feet in defiance. It was clear that she was struggling. Lulu was wavering on her feet weakly. Houndoom snapped her jaws in anticipation.
That was when something hit the mother Pokémon in the back. Houndoom yipped and whipped around to the culprit. Amber looked over to see Leo with an intense look on his face, “You leave Lulu alone! Amber, do something! Lulu’s gonna get herself killed!”
Leo’s command snapped Amber out of her shock again. She recalled a protesting Lulu. Lulu and Flare were both out of the fight. With nothing to protect her, she couldn’t pretend to be brave anymore. “W-what should we d-do!?” she sputtered, “We-we’re not gonna m-make it…!”
“I know, but I’m not gonna just lie down and die. I have only one choice…” Leo said bravely, with Houndoom now focused on him. He waved his arms and squared up at the barely injured Pokémon, “That’s right, bitch! Come get some! I’ll knock your teeth in!!”
“No, Leo, no!! Don’t do it! You can’t win!” Amber begged, “We gotta-!”
“I’m not stupid, Amber! I only have to buy us a moment-!” Whatever else Leo was about to say was drowned out by Houndoom’s howl of victory. Amber back-stepped in complete terror. She was no fool. She knew exactly what Leo wanted her to do: run away and leave him.
That was not about to happen!
Amber grabbed a big stick from the tinder pile and lit it aflame. Houndoom crouched low, ready to pounce. She had only one shot at this. Amber blindsided the dog, swinging the flaming branch at Houndoom. It hit home, right on an unarmored part of Houndoom’s back. The smell of singed fur filled the air as Houndoom squealed and rolled in the dirt in an attempt to put out the flames.
“What the…?!” Leo turned to Amber, eyes wide in fear, “We have our chance! Move, MOVE!!”
Amber didn’t need to be told twice! She spun on her heel and bolted as fast as she possibly could. The still burning Houndoom rushed after her, snarling in rage. Amber willed herself to go faster, but a sinking feeling clawed at her. She couldn’t possibly outrun this predator.
“LU!!!” Lulu suddenly burst from her Poké Ball, already in position for a high-kick. This hit the surprised Houndoom hard, sending her yelping aside. Lulu landed nimbly in the grass with one fist down like some kind of superhero. As she stood to her full height, Lulu puffed up and flexed at Houndoom. It seemed like she was trying to taunt her foe.
“Shit!” Leo spat, “Back Lulu up, Flare!” Leo let out Flare again.
“Leo! What should I do?!” Amber brandished the flaming branch in front of her, her hands locked in a white-knuckled grip.
“If we can’t run, then we fight! To the death, if it comes to it.” Leo’s expression grew dark.
“It doesn’t look very good for us, does it? Both of our Pokémon are injured…”
“I know. If we do nothing, we’re dog kibble! Flare, get ‘er!” Flare whined in protest, but took a battle-stance all the same. Lulu meanwhile, was looking rather winded, but her glare never faltered. Houndoom arrogantly snorted smoke at her foes again, seeming to ignore the fire across her back for now. Flare charged Houndoom, jumping into a tackle again as Lulu followed-up with one of her signature high-kicks. A yelp from Houndoom meant she had to have felt that one! Just as Houndoom breathed in for another stream of fire, Leo threw a rock again. This time, the stone beaned Houndoom right between the eyes. She growled and shook her head. She backed up a few steps and leaped high. Houndoom flew right over the Pokémons’ heads. Amber only had enough time to be astonished when the blazing hound crashed into Leo!
“Leo!!” Amber shrieked. Flare was the first to react, clamping her powerful jaws on Houndoom’s long tail. Lulu threw a punch again, this time aiming for the haunches.
Houndoom seemed not to notice the two Pokémon on her rear, instead sinking her ivory fangs into Leo’s shoulder. Leo blurted a curse of pain. Amber was so shocked, she almost dropped the branch. Seeing her best friend in trouble brought out a rather unfamiliar emotion. She was scared of course, but on top of that now she was mad. Steaming mad. So scared and so mad!
Amber screamed and charged Houndoom. Houndoom paid her no heed and shook her head, causing her bite to clamp down harder on Leo. Leo punched Houndoom in the throat just as Amber closed in. Houndoom barked in pain, giving Leo the chance to scurry out from under her. Amber wailed out a battle-cry, frantic with fear and fury, and slammed the branch on Houndoom’s head as hard as she could. This snapped the twig clean in two. The flaming portion dropped to the ground beside Houndoom, leaving Amber with a stub.
Houndoom swung her rear, flinging both Pokémon off and into the grass. This time, she seemed to have had enough. She growled menacingly, but turned tail and bolted, embers trailing from her smoldering back. Amber was left panting, hands shaking from adrenaline. She couldn’t believe what she’d just done!
“Lith!!!” Flare raced to where Leo now was, whining and licking his face worriedly. Amber threw the stick away and ran to his side.
“Leo! Are you alright!?” Amber put a hand under Leo to help him to a seated position.
“Damn…” he growled, clutching his shoulder, “She got me…bad.”
Amber started to cry from a whirlwind of emotions, “Y-you’re…” Leo struggled to get up, but collapsed again when he put weight on his bad arm by mistake. Amber put herself under his arm and helped Leo to his feet.
“That was the craziest thing I’ve ever seen, Amber!” Leo gave her a half-smile, “I didn’t know you had it in ya!”
“Who, me?” Amber blinked in disbelief.
“Of course I mean you. You’ve got balls. What a badass move that was, Bouffalant-rushing that Houndoom like you’d just seen red! You’re something else, y’know?”
She shook her head, “No, I’m a coward. I was just so freaked out. I wasn’t thinking straight. Now you’re injured…”
Leo was quiet for a few long moments. “You know what?” he finally said, “I’d’ve been Pokémon chow by now if it weren’t for that move with the stick! What made you think to do that, anyway?” He shook his head, “Never mind. We gotta call for help. All of us are in rough shape. You got your cell phone, right?”
“Already calling.” Amber dialed rescue services with trembling hands. She almost couldn’t push the numbers because she was so shaky. All the same, she was so relieved this mess was over. Well, the battle anyway. What were Houndour and Houndoom doing over here anyway? They’d nearly died! These questions gnawed at her frazzled mind as she called for help.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Amber was silent, much too stunned to talk. A rescue vehicle had come and picked both of them up. Amber was in one of the passenger seats. Leo was shirtless in the back part of the treatment bay, sitting on a small bench. He had bandages all across his upper shoulder and left side. Flare was asleep in his lap, snoring loudly. Amber couldn’t bear to look at Leo for long, and guiltily returned her gaze to the path.She was numb with disbelief. She logically knew she should be feeling something—maybe even crying about it-–but nothing came. That bothered her more than a little. What kind of monster can’t feel anything for a friend?“Hey. You okay?” Amber heard Leo ask from behind her, “You look kinda pale.”Yeah, maybe she was feeling kinda out of it. Leo couldn’t know how she was feeling though. He’d had more than enough today without her adding to it. “I’m fine. Just thinking.”“You’re not a very good liar, Amber,” Leo chided. “You aren’t ‘fine’, are you?”“It’s nothing compared to your injuries,” Amber turned further away and stared out the side window of the car instead, “I’ll manage…”“Amber…” The way he said her name made her feel even worse. And then Leo said, “Hey guys, can you keep an eye on her ‘till Virbank? I’m as ok as I can get, but Amber’s really worrying me. You guys don’t think she’s in shock or something?”“We’ll have her checked out too, just in case,” one of the medics replied.Amber’s mood sank further. Now she had Leo and the medics worried. Great. Was she just making things worse somehow? It seemed like no matter what she did, Amber was just not helping matters at all.“Riolu…” Amber suddenly snapped her attention from the road and looked down. Lulu was at her side, staring Amber right in the eyes expressionlessly.“Oh, Lulu. Am I worrying you too?” She scooped the pup up.“Lu-lu!” Lulu gleamed at Amber, making cute puppy-eyes at Amber.Amber couldn’t help hugging Lulu, a growing smile finally breaking through, “You’re tough stuff you know that? You and Flare saved us. Thank you.”“Riolu~!” Lulu burst into a grin and flexed at Amber, this time making her chuckle.Leo started laughing, waking up Flare. “Y’know, I heard once that Riolu are very sensitive to emotions and intent. She’s really got your number, huh Amber?”Amber nodded, petting Lulu’s favorite spot on her ears. “Yeah, that’d explain it. Thanks again. I feel a bit better already.”“Rio!” Lulu hopped down from Amber’s arms and trotted off to the back of the van, seeming to check on Leo next. Leo just smiled at her reassuringly, which seemed to satisfy the concerned Pokémon. She parked herself right between the two of them, arms folded across her knees.Amber looked up from the puppy, now in a slightly better mood. It’d be a lie to claim she wasn’t still feeling numb and disconnected. Lulu seemed to notice, and she wouldn’t break eye-contact. Amber returned to staring at the road, this time trying to make out the approaching cityscape in the evening twilight. She soon became so focused on the road that she didn’t even notice Leo staring worriedly after her.“Am I really ready to become a trainer? Maybe Dad was right after all…”“Second guessing yourself again, Amber?” Leo’s reply made Amber realize she’d spoken out loud. She could only sputter before Leo cut her off, “Nobody could have foreseen what happened last night. Helluva way to start off, sure, but I know you wouldn’t be satisfied being a lawyer. No way your old man’s right.”Amber gave him a half-smile. “Yeah, you're right about that!”Leo nodded, grinning at her encouragingly, “Atta girl. That’s more like it.” He shifted in his seat and pointed ahead, “Look, I think we’re almost to Virbank. We can figure out what’s next after a good nap. I dunno about you, but I slept like crap last night.”Amber tried her best to smile genuinely. Hearing Leo cheer her on made her feel a lot better. He’s right, she thought, it’d be better to think about this after a nap. Truth be told, she doubted she could sleep like this. All she could focus on was the view out the window. Tomorrow, she will become stronger. For both of their sakes. She made a promise to herself that night, that no matter what, she’d never look back: always move forward. After all, the only thing awaiting her back in Aspertia was her overbearing, uncaring, money-obsessed father.Returning to him, even after all this… Now that was out of the question!-0-0-0-0-Amber left the hospital, alone with nothing but her thoughts. The doctors discharged her after only a few hours, but Leo had to stay until the morning. The doctors wouldn’t tell her much, and that irked her. Just who did they think she was anyway, a stranger!? Sighing to herself, she knew better than to argue. As for napping, fat chance that’d happen. She was much too wired after the night’s events. Amber decided to go out and toughen up. There was only one way to not have last night happen again, and that was to become stronger.Virbank was a much larger city than Aspertia; Amber was in awe of the vibrant night-life here. Her gaze fell to one neon light after another in wonder. To her continued amazement, she could even hear what sounded like a concert coming from the local gym. Perhaps she’d go and see a show when Leo was out of the hospital. Amber was very distracted by all the new sights here. She soon made her way to the edge of town. Amber shifted her backpack anxiously. This would be her first time training alone. She recalled how the Pokémon seemed to mostly know how to fight on their own. They just needed some guidance and strategizing every now and again.That was it, right?The cool evening air blew by gently, seeming to encourage Amber. She smiled lightly and proceeded to a grassy hill. Leo was gonna be in for a surprise when he saw how much she’d improved! She found a likely sparring partner not too far away. She recognized it as a Purrloin. The purple cat was grooming itself with a paw, looking her way with a smug smirk on its lips. Lulu started squirming in her Pokéball excitedly. Amber nodded confidently at her partner.“Let’s go, Lulu!” No sooner than she drew out the ball did Lulu pop out, already in a fighting stance. The eager pup was bouncing from foot to foot, fists up. Lulu sprang into action, walloping Purrloin with a flying kick. This knocked the cat silly, and it wobbled awkwardly towards Lulu. She easily dodged a swat from a forepaw, then countered with a roundhouse. The defeated cat ran away at full tilt, yowling into the grass as Lulu turned and beamed at Amber.She shared her Pokémon’s pleasure with a triumphant nod. “Atta girl! Let’s keep it up and really surprise Leo!”“Rio, Riolu!” Lulu seemed to be still full of energy.Amber sighed in relief. This was going along well. Several hours passed in a similar fashion. Lulu wasn’t taking much damage, in fact, she seemed to be having a very easy time with the Patrat and Purrloin in the area. By the time Lulu started to tire, so did Amber. She had no idea what time it was, but it had to be close to dawn. She decided to call it a night.As Amber made her way back to Virbank, another rustle from the grass got her attention. She froze and looked its way. Something pink was crouched low, staring back at her. Amber burst into a big grin. This had to be an Audino! She’d heard they were a shy species that didn’t show itself often. Amber’s hand lingered on Lulu’s ball before she let it drop. She didn’t have any spare balls to catch this rare Pokémon. Just beating it up seemed pointless and unnecessary. With a resigned sigh, she turned away from the watching Pokémon.She wasn’t watching where she was walking. Amber stepped on something that shrieked at her in anger. Startled, she reeled back to find a Venipede in a foul mood. Amber froze in place, a cold sweat running down her face. She remembered her last encounter with one of these, and she did not want a repeat! Next time she might not be so lucky. Amber balled her fists and swallowed hard. Lulu was much stronger now. She unleashed her partner, resolved not to let this Venipede get the better of her this time!She did have a type-advantage, right?Before she could react further than that, Venipede rolled itself into a ball. Amber was a bit perplexed. It wasn’t fighting back? Lulu didn’t give its hesitation a second thought, booting the bug in the face with a roundhouse. It rolled to a stop, injured but not defeated. Venipede retaliated by revving up like a wheel and rolling at Lulu at speed! Lulu was caught off guard and knocked off her feet. Lulu wobbled to her feet, shaking off the ram and growling. Lulu kicked it again, but Venipede ricocheted off a rock adeptly and rushed Lulu again.“LU!!” Lulu tried to kick the balled-up bug again, but missed and whirled off-balance. She landed on her back, winded. Venipede uncoiled itself and loomed overhead with its stingers oozing venom. Amber couldn’t restrain a gasp. Maybe she’d pushed her Pokémon too hard. However, Lulu wasn’t ready to give up just yet. She rallied, and rolled out of Venipede’s reach just as it descended for a sting. Amber watched in amazement as Lulu gave it one final kick to the side, knocking out the bug.“Yeah!” Amber cheered as Lulu posed at her happily, “That’s it girl!”It felt so good to finally kick some butt. Lulu beat that Venipede good! Leo was gonna be so impressed! Now in a lighthearted mood, she turned and left for Virbank, a tired but happy Lulu trailing her. Now that she’d worked off her anxiety, she felt good about the future. At this rate, she’d become a trainer that even her dad could be proud of. She rode high on that idea for the rest of the short night as she made for the Pokémon Center, a perkiness to her stride and a smile on her lips.