Morning came as par usual, Hikari was laying, well cuddling, with Zoah in bed snuggling close.
Zoah stirs slightly, feeling her warmth against him. Shinx is curled up at the foot of the bed, and Chimchar is sleeping on the other bed. The morning light filters through the window.
As Zoah wakes up and takes a glance over, he sees her sighing lightly. "She really needs to stop coming into my bed and sleeping with me like this..." He mutters.
Hikari mumbles something in her sleep, unconsciously nuzzling closer. Her hair falls across her face as she breathes softly.
The pokémon remain quiet, letting their trainers sleep in for a bit longer.
He carefully tries to move without waking her, but her arm tightens around him slightly, making it difficult.
The clock shows it's 7:30am. Breakfast starts serving soon.
"Hikari?...Hikari? Please get up." Zoah whispers to her.
She groans softly, her eyes fluttering open at his voice. She blinks sleepily, still holding onto him.
"Mmm... five more minutes..." She mumbles, not fully awake yet.
He sighs again, knowing she'll be stubborn about this, "We need to get ready. Breakfast and then we have to keep moving."
Shinx lifts its head, yawning and stretching. Chimchar also wakes up, stretching its little arms. Hikari finally opens her eyes fully, looking at Zoah with a sleepy expression.
"But it's comfy..." She protests weakly, not letting go.
He gives her a look, "Comfy or not, we have a schedule. Plus, the pokémon center will get busy soon with other trainers."
He gently tries to sit up, still stuck in her hold. She pouts, reluctantly loosening her grip a bit. But she still doesn't fully release him.
"Fine... but you're warm." She mumbles, finally sitting up herself, hair messy from sleep.
He runs a hand through his own hair, trying to fix it. The bed sheets are now slightly disheveled from their positions.
"Let's get dressed and eat. Then we can head out after." He stands up, stretching his remaining arm.
Hikari yawns again, reaching for her beach hat that was on the nightstand. She puts it on her head and stands as well, still looking a bit drowsy.
Shinx hops off the bed, ready for breakfast food.
They gather their things and head downstairs to the café area. Other trainers are already there, eating and chatting. The smell of fresh breakfast foods fills the room.
They pick up their food plus for their pokemon as they sit down and begin to eat. As they eat, some trainers, who look about eleven or twelve glance over at the two, but mostly at Hikari.
One speaks up in a hushed tone, "She's cute...hope she's single."
Zoah notices the glances and the comment, his expression becoming slightly protective. He keeps eating, but his eye narrows slightly at the younger trainers.
Hikari is oblivious to the attention, focused on her food and occasionally stealing glances at Zoah instead of them.
"Should we try to hit on her?" One whispers to another.
The other whispers back. "Maybe after breakfast. She looks friendly enough."
Zoah catches snippets of their conversation, his grip on his fork tightening slightly. He pretends not to hear, but his remaining eye watches them warily.
The two boys finish eating and stand up, gathering courage. They start walking toward Hikari's table, trying to appear casual.
Hikari looks up as they approach, finally noticing them. She tilts her head curiously.
"Hey there! Mind if we sit with you?" One asks with a smile, trying to sound friendly and confident.
Zoah tenses up slightly, setting his fork down. Hikari looks at Zoah briefly, then back at them.
"Um, sure... I guess?" She says, a bit confused by the sudden interest.
The boys sit down across from her, trying to act natural. The first one introduces himself.
"I'm Kai. This is my friend Akira." He gestures to the other. "We're from a nearby town. First time here at this center."
Akira waves awkwardly, stealing glances at her dress. Hikari nods politely.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Hikari. This is Zoah." She points to him, then continues eating her food.
Kai leans forward slightly, "So, where are you two headed after this?"
"Sapphire Town. We're on our way there from Professor Kishi's lab." Zoah answers shortly, his tone neutral but guarded.
Kai nods, trying to keep the conversation going, "Oh, the Water Tower town. That's a cool place. Have you battled any trainers yet?"
Akira finally speaks up, "And... do you have a boyfriend Hikari?" He asks directly, ignoring Zoah's presence.
Hikari blinks at the sudden personal question, caught off guard. She glances at Zoah again, then back at Akira with a small smile.
"No, I don't. Why do you ask?"
Zoah's eye narrows further at Akira's forwardness.
Akira grins, encouraged by her answer, "Just curious. You seem nice and you're pretty."
Kai elbows him slightly, trying to keep him from being too obvious.
"Thank you for the comment, but I have someone in mind...and it ain't any of you two twelve year olds. Plus, you boys are too young to go looking and hitting on girls." Hikari is taking a hint on where this is going.
Both boys' faces fall slightly at the rejection, especially Akira. Kai looks embarrassed now.
"We're not that young..." Akira mumbles, but he backs off a bit.
Zoah smirks slightly, satisfied with her response.
Kai quickly changes the subject, sensing the tension, "So, uh, what pokémon do you have with you? We have a Pikachu and a Snivy."
Akira pouts but stays quiet now.
"I have a Chimchar and Zoah here has a Shinx." Hikari says
Their eyes widen at the mention of Shinx.
"A Shinx? That's rare! We've only seen Pikachu and Snivy mostly." Kai says, impressed.
Akira looks at Shinx with interest, though still a bit put off from being rejected.
Shinx notices the attention and gives a small spark, showing off slightly. Chimchar sits proudly beside Hikari. Zoah watches them carefully, still on guard for any more attempts at flirting.
Kai reaches out slightly, wanting to pet Shinx but stopping himself.
"Can we see it up close?"
Hikari looks at Zoah for permission, knowing he's protective of his pokémon.
"Go ahead." Zoah gives permission.
Kai gently extends his hand, letting Shinx sniff it first. The electric pokémon sniffs curiously, then allows the touch.
"Whoa, it's soft... and warm."
"Are those your only pokemon?" Kai asked
"They are as of right now." Zoah says
"Oh I know! Let's have a battle. Kai and I versus You two, a team battle." Akira says
Hikari looks at Zoah again, this time with excitement in her eyes. She's ready for a battle, "That could be fun. What do you think Zoah?"
Zoah considers it, then nods slowly, "Fine. But we won't go easy on you."
"Great, awesome. There's a battlefield out in the back." Akira says as he's thinking of another way to impress Hikari and try to flirt again to win her over.
They all finish their breakfast and head outside to the battlefield. It's a standard field with markers for the battle zones.
Kai sends out his Pikachu, while Akira releases his Snivy. Both pokémon look eager to battle.
Hikari stands ready with Chimchar, while Zoah stands beside her with Shinx. The pokémon take their positions on the field.
"Ready when you are." Kai calls out, confident in their teamwork.
Akira smirks again, eyeing Hikari specifically.
"Let's start with Pikachu using Quick Attack!"
Pikachu dashes forward quickly toward Chimchar, aiming to test their reaction time.
Chimchar dodges to the side smoothly, flames flickering on its tail. Hikari calls out.
"Chimchar, use Ember!"
The fire-type pokémon shoots small embers toward Pikachu, creating a small wall of flames.
Pikachu jumps over the embers, but gets slightly singed. Kai frowns.
"Pikachu, Iron Tail!"
The mouse pokémon's tail glows iron-like, attempting to hit Chimchar with a metal tail attack from above.
"Shinx, tackle Pikachu now!" Zoah commands
"I don't think so! Snivy, grab it with Vine whip and slam it down!" Kai says in interference
"Chimchar dodge then turn to target Snivy and use Ember!" Hikari says
Shinx rushes in to tackle Pikachu while Snivy extends vines to grab Shinx. Chimchar swiftly avoids the vines and fires another round of embers at Snivy instead, aiming for its face.
Snivy tries to shield its face but takes some damage. Akira growls in frustration.
"Snivy, use Leaf Tornado! Blow those embers away!"
The snake pokémon creates a spinning tornado of leaves, attempting to counter the embers and push Shinx back.
"Shinx, go at Pikachu and bite its tail and throw it into the Leaf Tornado!" Zoah says tactically
Shinx quickly changes targets, biting Pikachu's tail hard. The electric mouse yelps in pain as it's thrown into the Leaf Tornado, getting caught in the spinning leaves.
Kai looks shocked at the strategy.
"Pikachu! Damn it Kai! Watch where your aiming!" Akira says
"I was aiming! It's not my fault Shinx is fast!" Kai defends, trying to help Pikachu escape the tornado.
Pikachu is spinning wildly, unable to break free from the leaves and Shinx's grip.
"Hikari!" Zoah looked at Hikari as she nods with arms extended out as Shinx is back next to Chimchar facing their opponents
"Thundershock/Ember!" Both Hikari and Zoah say
Chimchar and Shinx both attack simultaneously - Chimchar with a powerful Ember and Shinx with a crackling Thundershock. The combined attack hits both Pikachu and Snivy, causing a double electric-fire impact.
Both pokémon cry out in pain, their attacks combined into a fiery electrical explosion. Pikachu falls to the ground, paralyzed and scorched from the shock.
Snivy stumbles back, badly damaged but still standing.
"No way... that was a perfect combo!" Akira exclaims, clearly impressed despite the situation.
Hikari grins widely, pleased with their teamwork, "That's how it's done!"
Zoah maintains his focus, watching Snivy's next move carefully.
"Battle ain't done Hikari. Celebrate after, but good job." Zoah says with a soft smirk.
She nods again, composing herself, "Right. Snivy looks weakened. Chimchar, stay alert."
Snivy shakes off the damage, preparing for another attack despite its condition. Akira had to call back Pikachu since it was knocked out as it's all on Kai and his Snivy.
Kai looks worried now, seeing his only pokémon down. He glances at Akira for support.
"This isn't good... Snivy, use Leaf Blade!"
Snivy charges with a blade of leaves on its tail, aiming for Chimchar again.
"Chimchar, dodge and scratch it!" Hikari says
"Knock it back towards Chimchar with Tackle." Zoah says towards Shinx
"Then follow up with another Scratch Chimchar!" Hikari says
Chimchar dodges the Leaf Blade and scratches Snivy's side. Snivy hisses in pain but is pushed back by Shinx's tackle. The snake pokémon tries to recover, but Chimchar is already in position for another scratch attack.
The scratch connects, causing more damage. Snivy's movements are becoming slower from exhaustion and the repeated attacks. It casually falls down hitting the ground unconscious.
*Kai facepalms, defeated.*
"We lost... That was brutal."
Akira looks frustrated and angry at the loss, especially since they were trying to impress Hikari. The battle ends with Zoah and Hikari's victory.
"Our first team battle and we did good." Zoah says
Hikari beams with pride, high-fiving Zoah, "Yeah! That was awesome. They didn't stand a chance against our coordination."
Kai recalls his Snivy and sighs, while Akira glares at them both. Akira mutters something under his breath, clearly not happy about being shown up by two older trainers.
He turns to Kai, "Let's go. This was a waste of time."
Kai nods and they walk away, but not before Akira shoots one last look at Hikari with a hint of resentment.
Hikari watches them leave, then shrugs, "What a sore loser. He was probably hoping to impress me with that battle."
Zoah chuckles, "Looks like it backfired. Let's get our pokémon healed up and head out. We've got a mountain pass to cross."
Hikari smiles with a chuckle and literally jumps up at Zoah as he catches.
"Hikari!" Zoah looks at her face about to give her a scold, but just softens when she's all acting childish towards Zoah.
She giggles, hanging onto him like a koala, "What? I'm celebrating our win!"
The pokémon watch the interaction, Shinx tilting its head curiously at their playful dynamic.
Akira and Kai were still in the area about to enter the back entrance when they saw how playful she is towards Zoah.
Akira stops and stares, his eyes narrowing at the scene. He whispers to Kai.
"She's way too comfortable with him... and she rejected us."
Kai looks back too, noticing how Hikari clings to Zoah without hesitation.
"We had no chance with her anyway....she chose him .. probably have been for a good long time." Kai says back stuffing his hands in his pockets and turned to walk into the pokemon center.
"Tch... whatever. Let's just forget about her. There are other girls." Akira says bitterly, but his pride is bruised by the sight of their closeness.
They enter the center, leaving Hikari and Zoah outside with their pokémon.
Inside, Kai heads to the healing machine while Akira slumps into a chair, still grumpy. The nurse notices their mood but says nothing, used to young trainers losing battles.
"Gah! This is stupid! We've been trainers for a month and these two rookies who just recently started and are older than us, beat us! Damn it!" Akira seethes
The nurse finally speaks up gently, "Young man, losing is part of learning. Sometimes experience matters more than time spent training."
Kai nods in agreement, having more maturity about it, "She had a good team strategy. We rushed in too fast with our moves."
"They're both sixteen and just started their journey while Kai and I are twelve and have a month into experience." Akira says
"Age doesn't always determine skill. It's how you use your experience and adapt." The nurse explains.
"Yeah, but it's still annoying. They act like they've been doing this forever." Akira crosses his arms, still frustrated with their confidence.
Kai sighs, having had this conversation before with Akira, "They probably just trained their pokémon well. We need to work on ours more."
The nurse smiles kindly, "That's the spirit. Consistency is key. And maybe learn some new tactics."
"I'm done Kai! I'm done being your travel partner!" Akira gets up and storms out of the Pokemon Center.
Kai watches him go, shaking his head. He looks tired of Akira's tantrums.
"There he goes again..." He sighs. "Thanks for the advice, Nurse Joy."
He finishes healing his pokémon and leaves too, deciding to find another trainer to team up with.
Meanwhile, outside, Zoah finally sets Hikari down properly after her jumping.
"You're going to make me drop you one day." He says with a mix of amusement and exasperation.
She laughs, completely unfazed by the warning, "Nah, you'd catch me. You always do."
Shinx jumps around their feet, excited to continue their journey now that they're healed.
Zoah rolls his remaining eye, "That's because you give me no choice. Come on, let's get going before those boys come back."
He checks his map app to check the route again, showing the mountain pass path ahead.
As they cut around from the back of the pokemon center where the battlefield was, they come up to the front to see Akira storming out seething in anger down the path to the mountain trail to the pass.
Hikari notices Akira and watches him storm off, then looks at Zoah with a raised eyebrow.
"Looks like he's really mad. Did we upset him that much?"
"Probably his ego took a hit. He was too focused on trying to impress you, not the battle." Zoah says
They start walking toward the mountain trail, keeping a distance from Akira's angry pace ahead.
Kai walks out of the pokemon center and spots the two. He gently bites his lip in contemplation as he then runs up to them.
"Hey, wait a minute could you?" Kai comes up from behind as Zoah and Hikari stop then turn to see him.
Zoah turns around, slightly guarded again but less hostile than before, "What is it?"
Kai catches his breath from running, "I... I want to ask you something. Privately."
He glances at Hikari, then back at Zoah, seeming nervous but determined.
"You can ask in front of Hikari too." Zoah says
Kai nods, gathering courage. "Okay... I was wondering if... if you'd consider letting me travel with you both. As a third member. Akira and I split up."
"Just temporarily. There's a pokemon guild in Sapphire Town that I need to get back too...so is it okay?" Kai asked
"A pokemon guild? That's a first time I ever heard that." Zoah says looking at Hikari.
"First for me too." Hikari says
Kai explains; "Yeah, it's a place where trainers can earn money and take on missions. They have special missions for trainers like us. I need to do some missions to help support my family."
He looks hopeful but still respectful of their decision.
"There are other guilds. One for each town." Kai adds.
"I see. That could be useful. We could use the extra funds." Zoah considers the practicality of it.
Hikari thinks for a moment, "But why us specifically? There are other trainers you could team up with."
"Because of the mission Akari and I were on was successful...but now...since he quit being my partner...I only get half payment. And this mission required two bronze rank trainers." Kai further explains.
"The mission was completed and then...we stumbled upon you guys inside the pokemon center and Akira with the flirting towards Hikari and then one thing led another.....yeah..." Kai sighs
Hikari blushes slightly at the mention of the flirting, but also feels a bit sorry for Kai's predicament.
"That explains why he was so persistent."
"I know we're twelve. We've both started a month ago and such and... he's been, such a jerk lately. He thinks that with a title, he can be entitled to get away with anything he wants. He was set and stone to ask you out Hikari. I apologize for his actions. I should have not encouraged him." Kai acknowledged his wrongs.
Zoah nods, appreciating the apology.
"You're more mature than him. At least you know when to stop."
Hikari looks at Kai with a bit more warmth now, seeing that he's different from Akira.
"Thank you. So...can I travel with you guys?" Kai asks again, holding his breath.
"Just to Sapphire Town to drop you off at the guild. That's it." Zoah says
Kai smiles with relief, "That's all I need. I promise I won't be a bother. I'll help with battles and whatever else you need."
He looks at Chimchar and Shinx too, ready to meet them properly.
Chimchar gives a small wave, while Shinx seems curious about the new addition. Hikari smiles and introduces them.
"This is Chimchar and Shinx. And I'm Hikari, as you know. And this is Zoah." Zoah nods in acknowledgment.
With that, the three set off down the path to the mountains pass through the trail ahead.
The trail winds upwards, getting steeper as they climb. The mountain air becomes cooler and thinner. Kai walks beside them, keeping pace.
"The pass should take about a day or two to get through. There are some caves along the way too."
The trail winds upwards, getting steeper as they climb. The mountain air becomes cooler and thinner. Kai walks beside them, keeping pace.