The day had finally begun to break away, the sun taking its leave, and allowing the moon passage to take over its own shift. The light still battled on, spurring travellers forward, knowing they could make it further without the darkness coming to surround them too soon. Travellers such as two young, up and coming trainers, still riding the high of their journey's first day.

  "Scratch!"

  Lucas thrust his arm outwards as he shouted. Just as he'd seen those on TV do, commanding with dramatic flare. Torchic nodded along with the command, spurring itself across the battlefield. It kicked off to an explosive start, breezing through the tall grass, surging towards its opponent. Which just so happened to be the first Pokemon that Lucas could find.

  A stray Wurmple, minding its own business, completely unaware of that it had been thrust into a battle until Torchic was already rocketing towards it. No time to check Pokedex entries, for either his partner or the bug type it was matched against. Lucas couldn't wait for that, not when a prime opportunity for a battle was around.

  Torchic stuck its foot out, talons sharpening. Wurmple's head tilted, then went stiff. Its body jerked suddenly, wiggling out of the way of the attack, Torchic going surging past. Its talons found hard dirt, rather than the slimy body of a Wurmple. Lucas pouted, seeing the dirt kick up from the source of the collision, but noticing Wurmple far away from Torchic's talons.

  "Scratch again!" Lucas cried out. Torchic nodded once more, its soft eyes narrowing and focusing on Wurmple. It shifted its body, building up momentum, then diving across the battlefield again. It stuck out its talon, and Wurmple stared down the Fire type. Lucas clenched his fist, anticipation seeping into his bones, waiting for the attack to hit.

  Wurmple looked to Torchic's leg. An opportunity sprouted for the Bug type. Taking in a deep breath. Then, a large exhale, spitting out white silk. The white silk tensed and firmed up with exposure to the open air, while still retaining a gooey texture. It made a wet slap against Torchic's leg, the Chick Pokemon's eyes widening.

  Wurmple raised its head to the sky, tracking the twinkling of a star just up ahead. Then, without an ounce of hesitation, it thrust its head down. The silk string strained under the sudden, jerky movement, snapping instantly. But, not before the momentum carried over to Torchic's leg, sending the Fire type tumbling down into the tall grass.

  "Torchic!" Lucas ran over to meet his Pokemon, wincing and trapped within the tall grass. Wurmple glanced to Torchic and its trainer, seeing Lucas armed with a Pokeball. Instantly, its body gave a squirm. Bug eyes darted in alarm from tree to tree. It scanned for firm branches, finding one that would suit the Bug type well enough. It spit out of its mouth once more, spewing a shot of string at the branch. It stuck on, and Wurmple leapt into the air.

  The string held firm, carrying its weight and letting Wurmple continue its momentum. This momentum continued, swinging to the next branch. Then, the next. Lucas reached into his backpack for an empty Pokeball, having only clasped Torchic's before. But, by the time he had retrieved one, the Wurmple had already retreated far out of sight.

  Lucas sighed, lying back in the ground. But, a weak cry from Torchic snapped him back to reality quicker than a speeding Rapidash. Glancing over at his starter, he found a small mark where the string had stuck to the Chick Pokemon's yellow legs. He pressed the mark gently, and Torchic winced again.

  "A little help?" Lucas called back to his new travelling companion, who stood watching from a distance. Insisting on going ahead and taking the fight, Ellie hadn't decided to step in until asked. But, as soon as Lucas requested thus, she was there, looking over Torchic. She shrugged at the sight, reaching into Lucas' bag. In her hand returned a Potion, spraying over the mark. Instantly, the pain seemed to disappear, Torchic bouncing to its feet and chirping brightly. Like the pain it felt was a memory from some days ago.

  "There. Not so hard." Ellie smiled. She handed the remainder of the Potion to Lucas, explaining, "Even if it looks bad, Potions are never a bad choice."

  "I didn't assume they could fix injuries so easily though!"

  "Oh, they can struggle to fix every injury. Some are too deep. That's what Pokemon Centres are for. But, Torchic was just being a little overdramatic," Ellie explained, watching Lucas' Pokemon begin to run around the terrain, so full of energy. Lucas chuckled, sighing and running after his Pokemon. Torchic tried its best to outpace its trainer, but Lucas soon dived to the ground, blocking Torchic's path.

  Torchic grinded to a halt, its yellow legs kicking trying to go in the other direction. But, Lucas' outstretched arms grabbed the chick, bringing the warm Fire type into his arms. He chuckled, and Torchic did too, content in losing the game of cat and mouse as long as it was rewarded with head pats afterwards. It took its accustomed post on Lucas' shoulder, and the two trainers took an unspoken pact to keep walking.

  A lot went unspoken during that time. Ellie fidgeted with the silent button on her Rotom Phone, ironically trying to avoid the silence that plagued the air. But, it was as if Lucas didn't notice it. His attention remained focused on Torchic during that long moment of silence, continuing to play with it, even while walking. Despite some close calls and almost certain collision course with a set of trees, Lucas kept pushing Torchic's buttons, and the Fire type responding by pushing Lucas's. Ellie smirked, watching Lucas mess with Torchic's neatly arranged feather on its head. So, Torchic took revenge by diving onto Lucas' hair, making it an even larger mess than it always was.

  "Ow, I'm not even concerned about the hair, your talons are just sharp!" Lucas whined, grabbing Torchic off the top of his head. Torchic stuck out its tongue. And, just like that, all was forgiven, with Lucas giggling and immediately forgetting why he was even mad in the first place.

  "You're adjusting well," Ellie spoke, looking to the two of them. Lucas blinked, turning to her and nodding with a flutter of his hands.

  "Of course! After all, it was destiny that me and Torchic would be partners together!" Lucas loudly declared, Torchic chirping in affirmation, a proud smirk slapping over both their faces. Ellie wasn't sure if the chick chirped because it understood what Lucas was blabbering on about, or if it just heard Lucas's tone and assumed it must've been something good happening. Either way, Ellie wasn't entirely convinced.

  "I-Is that so?" Ellie asked, trying her best to remain polite, while still keeping her suspicions in tact, dripping in the tone of every word.

  "Well, I've always wanted a Torchic since the first time I saw one!" Lucas explained, completely ignoring Ellie's obvious suspicions about something as silly as destiny weaving into their adventure. "Some documentary about fire types on TV that I was watching with my mom. Then, bam! Torchic came into my life!" Lucas sighed, muttering, "I tried finding the documentary later online, but it was like it disappeared off of the face of the Earth. So, maybe it was just a dream. But, I still had to find out somewhere, right?"

  "And, have you seen much more of Torchic since then?"

  "Oh, only all the videos you can think of!" Lucas excitedly loaded up a phone, scrolling through TubeTube, finding a small channel dedicated to posting videos of the creatures. "Have you seen these before? They're just videos of them being the cutest things ever! Running around, eating, they're all so cute!"

  "O-Oh, maybe once?" Ellie answered, now wishing she just accepted it being destiny rather than dragging the conversation further into the depths of Torchic-mania. Lucas scrolled through the channel again, chuckling at a video of a Torchic chasing after a yarn ball and tripping, then slipping away his phone.

  "I suppose I don't really need a channel like that, now that I got my own partner by my side!" Lucas continued to chatter, booping his partner on the nose, much to its delight and amusement. Lucas giggled again, giddy as could be. Then, his brain finally tracked to the other Pokemon amongst them, looking down at Mudkip. It waddled proudly between the two, its feet making a squelch against the floor, even in spite of the dry conditions they were surrounded by. "Now, you've gotta tell me about your partner. Surely your story's like mine!"

  "Not at all, really," Ellie commented, taking a break to crouch down to her partner. She rubbed Mudkip on the head, then gently picked it up, letting the Water type take a rest in her arms. "I only vaguely knew of its existence before I met Mudkip."

  "Seriously? Then, how long have you had Mudkip?"

  Ellie scratched the side of her head, thinking for a second, then turning her gaze towards Lucas. "Maybe a year?"

  "A year?!?" Lucas exclaimed, upsetting a Taillow trying to sleep in the trees. Quietly apologizing under his breath, he returned to the matter at hand. "How come you're only going on your adventure now? Since you got your starter with last years batch of starters?"

  "Oh, well I-" Ellie took a break between her sentences, thinking for a moment. "I just...wasn't confident enough to set out in the world yet. I wanted to wait until I was a little older. And, until I worked on me and Mudkip a little more."

  "Well, you must be really strong now with all that experience!"

  "Oh, the year long gap makes it sound like we're super strong. But, we've only undertaken a few battles yet. I'm sure you'll catch up to us soon."

  "That's the goal! Battle until we're good enough to take on the world!" Lucas exclaimed, his eyes darting for another challenge on the horizon. Another Wurmple reared its head from out of the grass, glancing around, then freezing upon the sight of Lucas and Torchic. Especially when Lucas' mouth made an O shape, pointing out at Wurmple.

  Torchic pointed with its feet too, but ended up falling off balance, wobbling down to the ground. But, it quickly picked itself up, ready and raring to battle. Mudkip scoffed, turning a blind eye to the ensuing battle. But, Ellie kept it watching, her own curiosity mixing with Mudkip's indifference.

  "Scratch!" Lucas called out once more. But, much akin to the first battle, Wurmple slithered out of the way of the attack, no matter how well Torchic scaled the distance between it and the Bug type. "Scratch again!"

  Lucas remained undeterred in his strategy of scratching until Wurmple kissed the dirt. Thankfully for him, however, this Wurmple didn't have the foresight to properly interrupt Lucas' attack, opting for its own survival instead, and dodging around the blow. The game of prey and predator continued for some time. Torchic looking to ground Wurmple beneath its heel, but never quite getting its talons on the elusive Bug type. Lucas pouted, trying to claw his brain for any different moves or attacks. But, his brain drew blanks.

  "Use the Pokedex!" Ellie cupped her hands around her mouth, calling out to Lucas. Normally, she wouldn't intervene. But, there was only so much of the game of cat and mouse she could watch before she grew irritated with how obvious the answer was. Lucas snapped his fingers, a spark jolting his mind away. He dived into his backpack, letting Torchic continue to chase the terrified Wurmple. Beneath the Pokeballs and Potions, his finger rubbed against a Pokeball shaped notch. Bringing the device out of his bag, he began to scan the two, starting with Wurmple.

  Wurmple, the Worm Pokemon.

  Using the spikes on its rear end, Wurmple peels the bark off trees and feeds on the sap that oozes out. This Pokémon's feet are tipped with suction pads that allow it to cling to glass without slipping.

  Glancing up for a moment, his eyes tracked Wurmple's movements through the grass. Landing on the tips of its feet, sticking to the ground. Then, the tension from the suction caps releasing as soon as it made another movement through the grass.

  Lucas struggled to capture his own Pokemon in a clear shot of the Pokedex. It just refused to sit still for even a minute, its eyes firmly fixed on Wurmple. But, Lucas couldn't complain about its eagerness to battle. So, he just waited until Torchic sat still for long enough that he just managed to snipe a clear shot, and register it to the Pokedex.

  Torchic, the Chick Pokemon.

  Torchic has a place inside its body where it keeps its flame. Give it a hug, it will be glowing with warmth. This Pokémon is covered all over by a fluffy coat of down.

  Then, from underneath the entry in its data, Lucas scrolled through to find a variety of moves assigned to the critter. That is to say, there were three moves. The names suddenly hit Lucas like a truck, nearly slapping himself silly for forgetting them. Especially when he commanded an Ember earlier in the day vs Poochyena. But, it was as good a time as ever to put Torchic through the sharpshooting phase again.

  "Torchic, Ember!" Lucas cried, finally using a different move. Torchic smirked, seeming to have waited long for the moment where it could use its Ember on Wurmple. The constant dodging had grown to aggravate the Chick, who was more than happy to finally let its fiery side show. Taking in a big breath, Torchic felt the flames burning deep inside its body build up. They rose through its throat, before bursting out of its beak, ripping through the air like a speeding bullet. The flames grew brighter as the oxygen fanned the flames. Wurmple's eyes widened upon seeing the Ember, wiggling its body. The attack hit without a hitch, and Lucas smirked. Then, that smirk dropped.

  Wurmple flew back. Way further than Lucas had expected. Or, perhaps anyone in the vicinity. A charred texture overcame the red and white colour its skin usually took, sliding to the ground. Lucas ran over, Torchic soon following after. Wurmple sat, unmoving in the grass.

  "Oh Arceus..." Lucas gasped, his hands covering his mouth.

  "Did I kill it?!?"

  "No, it's just fainted," Ellie sighed, ever the voice of reason, checking the Wurmple's condition. Her hands gently traced the source of the collision, the ash rubbing from the Wurmple's body onto the end of her pale finger. Then, she rubbed the ash against the earth. Reaching into her duffel bag, she retrieved a Burn Heal, spraying a little over the Wurmple. Then, a small amount of Potion, and a small chunk of a strange yellow diamond that she kept in her bag. After a small bite of the diamond, Wurmple's eyes fluttered from swirls to solid irises with a couple blinks. It glanced around to both Lucas and Ellie. Then, it shot a wad of sticky string at Lucas' nose, before wiggling back into the tall grass.

  "Ugh..." Lucas groaned, ripping the string off of his face, dumping it back into the tall grass. Ellie politely stifled a laugh, helping pick off a little of the residue that had remained from Wurmple's attack. Groaning, Lucas rose to his feet, Torchic leaping onto his shoulder. "So, it's either I struggle to hit it with Scratch, or I make it faint with no effort if I use Ember. That's no way to train!"

  "Well, it seems like your Torchic's Ember is just powerful to start. But, its other attributes haven't caught up yet. So, you could always try and train without using Ember."

  "Or..." Lucas' eyes glanced down to Mudkip. The two locked eyes instantly, and nodded to each other. "We could have a battle. Right here, right now."

  "You sure?" Ellie glanced back to stare up at the skies. Now it had approached the time of day where light was a scarcity, darkness replacing and beating out the sun's forces. That wasn't her main objection to the battle, but its the one that she wished to blame first before it came to anything else. "It's getting pretty late, and its been a long day for the both of us."

  "Oh, come on, don't give me that! Mudkip's looking forward to a battle, I can tell from the look in it's eyes."

  Ellie glanced down at her partner, who nodded with affirmation in Lucas' words. Ellie sighed, knowing Mudkip well enough to know it wouldn't back down. Not when there was a declration of battle. Placing Mudkip down on the ground, she scavenged for a long stick, then turned back to Lucas, "We'll draw the battlefield out with these sticks. Then, we'll have a battle."

  "Awesome!" Lucas exclaimed, Torchic chirping and leaping off of Lucas' shoulder. What it could actually do to help assemble the outline for the battlefield left a lot to be desired. But, with its talons, it still contributed about as much as Mudkip did, who was forced to trail behind Ellie with a stick in its mouth, angled towards the ground so that the pointed edge ran through the crust of the ground. A rather crude battlefield, misshapen ever so slightly (with most of the imperfections coming from Lucas' side). But, it was good enough for a small battle between friends. Standing at either end, with their Pokemon by their side, they did their introductions.

  "Torchic, I choose you!"

  "Mudkip, let's show them what we can do!"

  Mudkip trodded onto the battlefield, letting out a small Water Gun into the air, erupting into a fountain that bathed its side of the battlefield in clear, running water. Torchic, ever eager not to get shown up, shot an Ember into the air. But, it would soon regret it, hastily dodging out the way when the flames returned to the earth faster than Torchic had sent them up. Lucas chuckled, watching Torchic hurriedly stepping on the flame to prevent it burning the tall grass.

  "You can have the first attack," Ellie offered, letting Torchic get its bearings. Or, at least, that was the thought behind it. Lucas instead took it as invitation to dive into the battle. Not a moment wasted, not even to talk big or thank Ellie.

  "Ember!" he called out, Torchic taking a huge breath in. Despite the power of the attack, the wind up to use such a move remained quite large. Clearly, Torchic hadn't quite handled the flames tickling the back of its throat and rising quickly. So, Ellie had some time to anticipate it before it breezed across the battlefield.

  "Water Gun, Mudkip!" the girl commanded. Mudkip immediately leapt into action, swerving its head, then coming out with a stream of water much faster than Torchic sent out the Ember. In fact, Water Gun had gotten its start before the Ember had escaped Torchic's throat. But, the trajectory of the projectile stood sluggish compared to Ember's bullet-like speed.

  Torchic soon released the Fire attack, colliding directly with Water Gun. It shot through for a moment. Lucas hoped it would pierce through the stream like a bullet through paper. But, the building rush of the water soon reduced that idea, and Torchic's Ember, down to cinders. Then, the stream continued onwards, past just beating out the Ember.

  "CHIC!" the Fire type cried out, as the Water Gun struck its torso solidly, sending the Pokemon flying back. Lucas gritted his teeth, looking forward at Mudkip. Torchic had expected to rest. But, quickly found itself mistaken.

  "Tackle!" Ellie called out her next attack quick, not chancing with Torchic taking the time to recover. The Chick Pokemon did eventually stumble back to its feet, awaiting Lucas' command. But, that command never came. It chirped, as if beckoning Lucas out of his thoughts to say something. But, Lucas' entire body froze, his eyes faintly tracing Mudkip's movements. Then, when he finally decided to open his mouth-

  "S-"

  "CHIC-"

  Tackle slammed into Torchic's side, knocking the Fire type to the very edges of the battlefield. It tumbled between the tall grass, rolling before coming to a stop, dirt and debris covering its coat of down.

  "Torchic? You doing good, buddy?" Lucas asked, his fist clenching, remembering his body freezing up at the first sight of danger. But, in spite of that, Torchic still seemed ready to go. Leaving Lucas with a burning desire to redeem himself. He couldn't let his precious Torchic go down without a fight, especially knowing the fault fell solely on him.

  "We can call it off now, if you so desire," Ellie suggested, reading Lucas' dire expression as that of one nearing a forfeit. But, she couldn't have read it more wrong.

  "Not gonna happen! Torchic, Scratch!" Lucas cried, looking to his partner. Torchic nodded, then turned its attention towards Mudkip. Its small yellow legs dug into the dirt, boosting off and carrying itself across the makeshift battlefield. Ellie watched for a moment, deciding what to do, dwelling on it while Torchic took its time in moving towards Mudkip. Her ultimate decision? She didn't want to end the battle right then and there.

  "Dodge it!" she cried. Mudkip didn't give so much as a nod. Rather, it took on Ellie's command through its actions. Torchic swung its first leg forwards, its talons sharp. But, the mud fish swerved out of the way, just in the nick of time to avoid Torchic's sharp attacks. But, Torchic would keep on going, cheered on by Lucas in the background. But, Mudkip grew bored of the engagement rather quickly.

  Every move could be dodged the same way. Torchic would swing forward with a kick from the side, and Mudkip would step backwards to avoid it. Yet, Torchic never seemed to change its strategy. Neither did Lucas. Ellie watched, thinking for a moment, then calling out, "Tackle, meet Torchic head on!"

  Mudkip barged in suddenly, while Torchic had thrust itself off balance from another one of its wide swings. The tiny chick was launched across the battlefield, its fluffy coat once again scraping against the crust of the Earth. Lucas grimaced, looking down at his weakening Torchic.

  "Ember!" he cried in a panic. Ellie sighed. She thrust her arm forwards, hanging limply in the air, with just enough strength to point forwards at Torchic.

  "Finish this, Mudkip. Water Pulse," she commanded with a tone dipped in frost. Mudkip took another deep breath, much akin to Lucas' own attack. This time, Torchic struck first. Lucas' eyes lit up, watching the flames flicker across the battlefield. But, just as he hoped it would hit, it came into contact with a large sphere of water. Swallowing the flames instantly, not even taking a moment for the Ember's fire to be submerged in icy water. Then, the attack surged across the length of the battlefield in only a moment, rivalling Torchic's Ember in speed. And, it eclipsed it in power.

  Torchic didn't even have the time to let out a cry before it was thrust back, thudding against Lucas' chest. The boy fumbled with his arms, barely managing to keep Torchic from dropping down onto the ground. Turning the creature slightly in his arms, he marked the swirls in its eyes. It had fainted. Yet, the glow in its body was still felt through the layer of water dripping from its coat of feathers. Lucas dropped his knees to the ground, gently placing Torchic on the floor. Ellie soon wandered over, Mudkip trudging by her side. She crouched down to inspect Torchic too, wincing as she looked at Torchic's wet coat.

  "Sorry, might've went a little too far," she whispered her admission of guilt, patting Torchic dry with a flannel. She went to retrieve a Potion, but Lucas stopped her, dipping into his own backpack.

  "No need to apologise, I was the one who insisted we go on." Lucas put Ellie's guilt to rest. Not that he was sure she really held the guilt in her heart. Maybe she was just apologising out of politeness. Or, a way to seem like she was putting her all into it, which is why the match had ended in such a disaster for Lucas. Either way, his emotions came first, and Lucas appreciated it. Even as he cleaned out the scuffs and marks from where Torchic's coat roughed up against the floor, ever a reminder of his failures. Ellie stood up from the floor, tapping the sides of her legs, looking around before awkwardly muttering,

  "I-I'm gonna set up my tent now, if that's alright with you? I can help you with building yours too, if you'd like?"

  "I'll be fine," Lucas responded with a weak smile, making eye contact for a moment then glancing back down to his partner, spraying the last bit of potion over the marks. A gentle palm swept over its coat too, the dirt falling back onto the ground. Then, more Potion. Lucas sprayed it over every area. It wasn't so much about thoroughness as much as it was doing it mindlessly, so he could focus on the thoughts that plagued his mind. The forefront thought stayed constant, however.

  Why couldn't he have done something?

  Lucas knew he was better than to blame this loss on Torchic. Of course it wasn't Torchic's fault. Really, it was Torchic's strength that was winning him any battles at all. Torchic's silver bullet, that Ember. It made light work of those Poochyenas that attacked Brendan, then torched the Wurmple who he had struggled with before. But, as soon as that silver bullet was ripped from Lucas' magazine, stuffed out by the crashing waves of the Water type, Lucas was left floundering. Relying on Ember, even in spite of its uselessness against the Water type. Freezing during the fight too.

  He could accept the loss. The loss remained the easiest part to swallow. As much as Torchic was not the one at fault for the battle, no amount of blame shifting would change the facts that Water was strong against Fire. Even Lucas knew that. And, Ellie carried with her experience with Mudkip by her side. Lucas had a couple battles, but none that would truly test him and Torchic. Really, this was his first test. And, he couldn't help but feel he was walking away with a massive F branded right onto his back. Not for failing. But for doing nothing.

  "Hey, I'm done setting up my tent. Is Torchic doing okay?"

  Lucas glanced up at Ellie, finally breaking from his thoughts. He answered with a nod, not entirely sure if it was true that Torchic would be alright. But, Lucas justified the lack of progress as Torchic adjusting to its surroundings, and conserving its energy for when it eventually came back to life. After all, its first real battle was likely to take some wind out of its sails.

  "Could you hold Torchic for me, please?" Lucas's hands shook, holding Torchic out. Ellie nodded, cradling Torchic gently from side to side, while watching Lucas retrieve the tent kit from inside his backpack. Mudkip huddled into her side, nuzzling into her leg, wanting some of the attention for itself. Ellie soon dropped to the floor, watching as Lucas unpacked the kit, fumbling with the instructions. Soon, her suspicions would be confirmed.

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  Lucas had no idea what he was doing.

  Even more embarrassing than losing so badly in battle, not even being able to build a tent. His mom had taught him to build a tent a long while ago. But, Lucas didn't trust that he even listened back then, let alone had a clue what to do now. Glancing to the instructions, he tried to make sense of the diagrams. All of those different pictures and diagrams went in one ear and out the other. He was going to have to ask for help again, wasn't he? He hated how much his mom was right about him needing someone else to help him across Hoenn.

  "Need a hand?" Ellie asked, peeping over Lucas' shoulder. Lucas sighed, knowing that it would be more embarrassing to keep struggling in spite of how very obviously he didn't know how to handle himself.

  "Yup, I may do." Lucas sheepishly handed the instruction set to Ellie. But, she had no need for it. She simply pushed past, picking up the bag and dropping the parts onto the floor with a metallic thud. Mudkip jumped into action, scurrying amongst the discarded parts and pushing them back to Ellie.

  Slowly but surely, she began to assemble the tent, explaining every single part of the process. The name of the part, what it was used for, and how it slotted into the overall building of the tent. Lucas listened along, her explanation even garnering a small amount of fascination. Mostly in the way that she could talk so much about a random topic. Partway through the assembly of the tent, which had devolved into some ramblings not related at all to a tent, Lucas stopped to ask,

  "How do you know all of this about tents of all things?"

  "Oh, well, when you live with two professors, you tend to learn a lot. Even to the point of it being arbitrary," Ellie said as she put up another pole, Mudkip securing it with a swing of its body weight down onto one of the pegs. Her explanation continued, not skipping a beat, nor losing track of where she was in the process. Mudkip stomped down onto the final peg, and the two took their hands (or paws) off of the tent. They watched for stability, letting the wind breeze by. The tent stood steady. Ellie glanced back, smiling and asking,

  "Any more questions?"

  "No...I think that's all." Lucas answered, scooping Torchic back up into his arms, taking the Fire type into the tent. Then, he returned outside, grabbing his backpack and slinging it inside. Lucas then turned to Ellie, bowing his head, "Thank you so much. You've done a lot for me."

  "No need for that. If you need help with anything, all you've gotta do is let me know. Ok?"

  "Got it. I'll see you in the morning." Lucas waved at Ellie, slinking into his tent. Ellie waved him off, before turning on her heel, grabbing Mudkip and dipping into her own tent. Lucas let out a sigh, bringing his sleeping bag out of his backpack. He got changed into his pajamas, letting his clothes hang by the other side of the tent. Then, his head collapsed onto the head of the sleeping bag, phone planted just next to his head. A long stare at the tent ceiling followed. Ten minute intervals of thinking, broken up by a glance at his phone, then back up at the ceiling.

  Time slipped through his fingers, fluttering by. Lucas should've fallen asleep by now. But, he couldn't quite bring his brain to rest. Not just yet. The phone served only as a reminder of the time fluttering through. It occasionally pinged with a message from Harry, responding to a video Lucas had sent him about five days earlier. Eventually, it ended in a conversation between the two, asking where Harry had wound up. Just like Lucas and Ellie, he wound up deep into Route 101. However, he found himself on the opposite side of the route, meaning they were a while from meeting up. Lucas sighed, putting his phone down, and finally silencing it.

  "No more phone." he thought, trying to finally return to sleep. Ellie was probably already asleep. So, he'd have to get some sleep too. He couldn't be a zombie in the morning when she was full of energy and ready to continue trudging through the Route. So, he shut his eyes, resting his breathing. The thoughts couldn't affect him now. He just had to focus on returning to slumberland.

  The tent rustled ever so slightly.

  Jumping up, his eyelids ripped open. Torchic had finally come to its senses. Of course, just as he had a single thought about settling off to bed. Torchic glanced around, letting out a small chirp, before its eyes locked onto its trainer. It waddled up the bed, taking a seat right on Lucas' lap. Sitting further upright, his hand gently brushed over his partner's now dry, warm coat.

  "I guess I can stay up a little longer." he muttered, continuing to run his hand along the stuck up feathers. Torchic let out a soft chirp, eating up all the attention and admiration Lucas could give. But, it couldn't help but mark Lucas' down expression. An expression that Torchic wouldn't do with. Shuffling up, the fire chick gently tickled Lucas' cheeks with the ends of its feathers. Lucas quietly chuckled, brushing Torchic's head again.

  "Your feathers are quite ticklish..." he muttered in a low voice, trying not to break into a full laugh, keen not to disturb his new friend. Torchic smirked in pride, content in its mission to turn Lucas' frown upside down. A gesture that Lucas didn't mind in the slightest. But, despite that smile, he still felt something held within his chest. He dragged Torchic further up his body, combing its coat again, muttering, "I'm sorry for how I did in our first trainer battle. I should've done better. But, I promise, I'll get better."

  Torchic tilted its head, then nodded. Lucas expected the Pokemon to settle in satisfaction after Lucas' apology. But, it bounced to its feet, landing on the tent floor. Then, it ran to the exit of the tent. Lucas tilted his head, watching as Torchic aggressively gestured its head towards the zipped up entrance.

  Lucas crawled to the zip, gently lowering it. Instantly, Torchic bounded outside, the faintest glow emitting from its body, lighting up the night. But, darkness remained a problem. Especially as Lucas found himself losing his starter to the sunless stretch of land.

  "Psst! You can't be out this late!" Lucas muttered as loudly as he possibly could, while still whispering. But, Torchic seemed not to care what Lucas thought. Glancing at Ellie's tent, noticing the dim lights, he snuck outside, still dressed in his pajamas. Torchic remained barely in sight. Lucas expected it to be a chasing game. But, Torchic would soon come running back to him, bouncing atop his shoulder, and gesturing forward with its foot.

  "Where are we going?" Lucas asked, Torchic sitting with a face most unamused. Looking to the ground, the Chick Pokemon inhaled. Then, Lucas felt its temperature rise. But, before he could so much as get out of the way, Torchic let a massive Ember rip on the ground, lighting the tall grass aflame. Lucas jumped onto the fire, stamping it until it was nothing but ashes. Torchic fell from his shoulder, waddling around as if nothing ever happened.

  "What on Earth was that?!?" Lucas whispered as loud as he could, before it just turned into speaking. Torchic groaned again. It inhaled again, but was stopped from exhaling, Lucas placing a hand over its beak. "Ok, no more Embers! This place is really flammable. I'll just...list off things that you want."

  Torchic nodded.

  "You wanna take me somewhere?"

  ...

  "You're...hungry?"

  ...

  "Do you wanna battle?"

  Torchic fiercely nodded. That was the answer Lucas needed. And, one that Lucas was rather pleased with. A redemption run. Working in the dead of the night, without having to disturb Ellie. Just pure battling and training. But, with one caveat.

  "Alright. But, you can only use Ember to light this torch," Lucas warned, grabbing a girthy enough stick to act as a torch. Thinking on it, Torchic agreed, firing off a flame at the end of the stick. Flickering in the cold breeze of the night, lighting the way well enough to suit the two of them. Lucas smiled, clambering to his feet. Torchic mounted his shoulder. "Ellie was right about needing to work on everything else, other than Ember. So, we'll do just that. No Embers in battle. To work on the basics."

  And because Lucas didn't want to start a forest fire. That part went unspoken though.

  They moved through the forest with swiftness and precision. But, the first problem with a late night training session revealed itself quickly. The lack of activity. They were already struggling to come across Pokemon at the latter end of the day. So, now, even deeper into the blackness of the night, finding Pokemon became near impossible. Lucas now needed every sense to guide him through the route. Not just his sight. His hearing, listening out for the rustling of tall grass. Or, the touch of a strand of sticky string as Lucas' fingertips breezed against the bark of the trees.

  A rustle soon appeared. Lucas turned in alarm, and Torchic readied itself for battle. Holding the torch further forward, Lucas' eyes tried to track whatever lay underneath. Cautiously, he moved further forward. He'd feel bad about disturbing the peace of the Pokemon so late at night. But, there was always the chance the Pokemon would attack him first. But, if it was hiding, then maybe it was better left alone.

  Lucas was attacked by a Zigzagoon the next second.

  The Normal type leapt for him, Lucas stumbling back to avoid its Tackle. Torchic leapt off of Lucas' shoulder, diving into the tall grass, squaring off against the angry Zigzagoon. Lucas fumbled for a Pokedex to record the Pokemon's data. But, only then did he realize that he had left all of his stuff in the tent. Not that it bothered him much. This was about his and Torchic's improvement. Pokedex data wouldn't bode that well for improvement.

  The Zigzagoon growled. Like, it really growled. Enough to start planting some doubts inside of Torchic's mind. But, Lucas had to be strong when Torchic's confidence faltered. And, it wasn't like Zigzagoon was alone in having a menacing growl.

  "Show it a real Growl!" Lucas responded. Torchic nodded, planting its feet and letting out a more highly pitched growl. Zigzagoon began to cower, hearing the growl echo through the trees. Its tail wagged, and its paws shook. Torchic stood, a proud expression on its face. But, the intimidation wouldn't last long. Despite its confidence wavering, Zigzagoon still burned for a fight. It burst forwards, waddling from side to side, going in for a Tackle. Lucas watched Zigzagoon. Torchic waited. But, once more, Lucas struggled to come up with a command until it was too late.

  Torchic cried out, reeling from the impact of the Tackle, stumbling into the tall grass. Lucas' fist tensed, growling himself. His brain screamed at his body, telling himself that he needed to act just as Torchic did. Zigzagoon smirked at the two, shaking its tail, taunting them. Lucas wouldn't allow such a thing.

  "Scratch it!" he cried. Torchic nodded, running across and diving forward. But, just like every other battle, Torchic ended up missing the Scratch. Zigzagoon's body just pivoted, letting the attack sail past. Lucas gritted his teeth, especially as Zigzagoon came running in afterwards. Lucas' fist tensed, the oxygen leaving his lungs suddenly.

  "Dodge it!"

  Torchic's eyes glanced back to the rushing Zigzagoon. It wasn't sure if it could manage to dodge it in time. But, it had to try. Its eyes tensed, and focused.

  It backflipped over the Zigzagoon. The Normal type's eyes widened, seeing its attack completely whiff. With all its body weight flung forward, Zigzagoon came crashing to its knees, skidding against the Earth. Lucas smirked, yelling,

  "Now, you got it! Scratch!"

  Torchic burst forwards, its sharp talons finally ripping through a target. The Zigzagoon cried out, wiggling under the scraping claws of Torchic. Fur coated the grass, Torchic's talons digging deep. But, eventually, the Normal type struggled free. Lucas and Torchic stood at the ready, anticipating another attack. But, one glance at those sharp talons gave the Zigzagoon cold feet. It pounced back into the tall grass, running off with the rustle of the grass behind. But, Lucas wasn't steady to chase. That was a win in his books.

  "Great work, buddy!" Lucas reached down, scooping Torchic up in his arms. The Fire type chirped with pride, then cooed as it was rewarded with head pats for a hard fought battle. But, it wasn't the time for all its rewards just yet. The chick took its perch on Lucas' shoulder, its head gesturing further into the forest. Lucas smirked, running through the forest, the glow of the torch's flame lighting their way...

  Dawn broke just over the horizon, the sign of a new day just beginning. Mudkip was the first to awaken, the sun darting into the tent, seeping into the Water type's closed eyes. It trilled softly, rolling around on Ellie's lap, where it had decided to make its bed. A lazy paw stretched up to block the sunlight from entering through, but futile an attempt it was to stop the light passing through. Mudkip was already wide awake. Yet, Ellie lay encased in her dreams, snoring without a care in the world. Mudkip rolled around on her lap some more, hoping that it would help to wake her up gently. But, the only response it elicited was an ever so slight jerking of her leg, before her body settled down again.

  The Mud Fish Pokemon pouted. It rolled from her lap, stretching its limbs. It shook its lightly coloured tail fin from side to side, then shook its head, it's other blue fin that sat atop its head wobbling in tandem with the rest of its head. The Pokemon crouched, squishing itself down to the ground. Then, with a cry, it leapt into the air.

  MUD!

  Ellie stirred at the sound of Mudkip, her eyes slowly fluttering open, her fingers twitching ever so slightly.

  KIP!

  Ellie bolted upright, Mudkip pouncing down onto her chest. It couldn't have chosen to awaken her in a ruder way if the little terror had tried. She hacked and coughed, slamming her fist against her chest, breathing more steadily. Big gulps of air, followed by a slow pan of her eyes down to the sudden force that had awoken her. Mudkip, sticking its tongue out. Ellie groaned, collapsing back onto the sleeping bag pillow.

  "Just when I thought I was gonna get some good sleep too..." she whined, grabbing Mudkip and giving the creature a small noogie. Mudkip whined, scrambling to get let free, as Ellie laughed. "This is revenge. Best served cold."

  A little splash of Mudkip's Water Gun soon got Ellie to release her starter, pouting and flopping down onto the floor. Ellie took no notice of its attitude, however, stretching her limbs and beginning to get dressed for the day ahead. Out of her pajamas and back into her usual clothes. Mudkip trodded up to her side, but stubbornly rejected Ellie's offer to hold it in her arms.

  "Come on, stop being a pain, it was a joke!" she told Mudkip, but her Pokemon wouldn't budge. So, Ellie gave up. It would come around eventually. It always did.

  Unzipping the tent, she returned to the outdoor world. A light trace of fire and ash trailed the tall grass, of which Ellie took little notice. It must've been residue from their earlier battle. After all, they had decided to camp out on the battlefield they had drawn out. So, Ellie continued with her day as she planned.

  That started with unpacking the tent, a task that Mudkip had stubbornly little interest in. Ellie considered giving Mudkip another noogie, watching it pout, collapsed to the floor. But, she didn't want her Water type running off so early in the morning. The last thing she wanted was a chase around the forest.

  Unrooting the last peg from the crust of the dirt, Ellie's eyes glanced to Lucas' tent. Remarkably still. She would've expected him to be up bright and early. Or, waiting for her outside the tent. But, a scan of the surrounding area revealed that he must've been sleeping in his tent. So, Ellie posted up outside, dropping down her duffel bag and using it as a (very uncomfy) headrest. Mudkip laid down just two metres away, continuing to pout, despite still eagerly wandering after Ellie. The young girl rolled her eyes.

  Mudkip's fin wagged from side to side. It suddenly darted to its feet. Ellie tracked her partner, slowly wandering towards Lucas' tent. Its paws scratched against the entrance of the tent. Then, its paw went straight through. Without a semblance of resistance. Ellie crawled over to the entrance, peaking inside the tent. It wasn't zipped up. Lucas must've just forgotten, right?

  Backpack, check. Sleeping bag, check. Trainer outfit, check.

  Person or Pokemon? Negative.

  Ellie's heart thundered in her chest. She dove into the tent, as if passage into the place would grant her the ability to see Lucas and Torchic sleeping there peacefully. But, they were nowhere to be found. Bumping Mudkip out of the way, her eyes glanced back at the surrounding area once more. Lucas wasn't here.

  With her duffel bag hanging over her shoulder, she bounded to her feet, gesturing for Mudkip to follow as she rushed into the forest.

  "Lucas?!?" Ellie shouted, grabbing her Rotom Phone to call him. But, she couldn't call a contact she didn't know! Cursing herself for not asking the question immediately after they agreed to travel together, she continued to press through the forest. Mudkip's pace outmatched Ellie, calling attention to a trail of ash. Disorganised and terribly messy. But, surely a trail left behind by a Fire type. And, if her memory served her correctly, there were no type of Fire types native to the route. Of course, there was the off chance that a Pokemon like that Poochyena could learn a Fire type move. But, with a missing Fire type, and Fire type trainer, it was most likely the trail of ash would lead to them. It was the only real clue she had, anyways.

  Could they have been kidnapped? Unlikely, considering they would've stolen Lucas' other goods and belongings. And, Ellie surely would've heard it during the middle of the night. But, how did she not notice them sneaking out? Surely they would've made some sort of noise, and Ellie would've been perceptive enough to notice. She sighed, steadying her breathing, continuing to run after the trail. Whatever it was that took him from his tent, he wasn't here now. So, he could be in danger. And, that was enough motivation for Ellie to move past her tiredness, and the shortness of breath she found inflicting her lungs.

  The trail of ash finally ran to its end. It lead to a single, burnt looking stick, thrown out and discarded on the floor. Just beside the stick, lay two figures. One snoring orange chick, and cuddled into it, a young, dirt covered boy in his pajamas.

  "Jump on his chest." Ellie commanded Mudkip. Mudkip instantly forgave Ellie for her earlier noogies. With a running start, the Water type leapt into the air, then squashed its weight right onto Lucas' chest.

  Something of a similar reaction came out from Lucas. Coughing, gasping, then a slow pan of his eyes down to Mudkip. Then, an even slower pan up to meet Ellie's cutting stare.

  "G-Good morn-"

  "What on earth are you doing out here?" Ellie exclaimed, her volume managing to disturb Torchic from its slumber. Lucas groaned, lifting himself up to his feet. Then, he bent down, scooping up Torchic's sleepy head in his arms. Ellie sighed, pinching the bridge between her eyes."You know how scary it is to look in a tent and realize someone is just gone?"

  "Sorry, sorry, must've just tired myself out."

  "Yeah, no kidding. And, why were you out here again?"

  "Me and Torchic decided to train ourselves up, since neither of us could sleep."

  "Arceus, give me strength..." Ellie muttered, walking over to Lucas and dragging him by the ear, trailing the path of ash back to the tents. "Now, you're gonna get some proper sleep! Not the 'I look like I'm the victim of a murder scene' type of sleep, some actual sleep! On a place meant for sleeping! As Arceus intended!"

  "Wait, ow-ow-ow-" Lucas broke from Ellie's ear hold, Torchic jumping onto his shoulder. "I'll do it. After I get my rematch with you."

  "Seriously? That's what you're concerned about?" Ellie let off steam in an understandable holler.

  "I am! I wanna test out the results of our training!" Lucas exclaimed, Torchic chirping in agreement, ignoring the yawn that it so desperately wanted to release. Mudkip looked up to Ellie, eager as ever to battle.

  "You're in no condition to fight," Ellie retorted, folding her arms.

  "I've had at least two hours of sleep, I'll be fine for a single battle." Lucas answered. Ellie looked down at her partner again, who had went back to its usual ways of sulking, in spite of Ellie supposedly being forgiven earlier. It scratched against her leg, pointing a paw at Lucas and Torchic. It was obvious what it wanted. She groaned, gesturing for Lucas to follow.

  "I'll make it quick. So you can go to sleep," Ellie muttered, Mudkip happily trodding by her side, on their way back to the site of the battlefield. Lucas clenched his fist, rubbing Torchic on the head.

  "You might struggle more than you think, me and Torchic are stronger now!"

  "I hope so. I don't want the struggle of me finding you looking like a corpse to be for nowt."

  The trail of ash wound back to where they started, where their battlefield had been taken over by the tents. The two resorted to drawing more lines in the dirt, before they were left with a comparable looking battlefield. Just, this time, Lucas' tent wouldn't get caught in the crossfire of battle. Ellie and Lucas took their accustomed sides of the battlefield, and their Pokemon leapt onto the battlefield wordlessly. They didn't need to exchange their flamboyant entrances. Now, it was just about the battle before them.

  "Your move first," Ellie told Lucas.

  "Alright, Torchic, let's start running!"

  Ellie'd expected a Scratch or an Ember to start off the battle, just as before. But, to her shock, it wasn't that at all. He didn't call for any move. Rather, just a command to run. Torchic nodded. Clearly they hadn't worked out the part of the battle where you didn't need to respond to know what to do. But, not immediately rushing in for a move was a step in the right direction.

  Torchic put one foot forward, and slammed on the gas, moving through the tall grass, its sharp talons cutting through the blades of green, quickly making ground on the Water type. Ellie, eager to keep her distance, called out, "Water Gun!"

  Mudkip planted its feet, its head swerving around, the water swishing from its throat into its mouth. Then, it cocked its head, aiming the stream of water straight at Torchic. Lucas froze for a moment, watching the water surge towards his partner, as the Fire type continued to run. But, he couldn't freeze up now! He'd been working on that! And, the best way back into a battle was a good shake of the head.

  "Dodge it!" Lucas finally blurted out, taking the time to free himself of the freezing. Torchic watched the Water Gun surge towards it, throwing itself to the rough and course earth to dodge it. But, the dodge was successful, even if it was haphazard at best.

  "Good going, Torchic!" Lucas called out, smiling with eagerness. Torchic climbed back to its feet, trilling with delight. Ellie watched with a small smile, snapping her fingers, pointing to Torchic,

  "Don't get too proud of yourselves now!"

  Mudkip's eyes darted over to where Ellie's finger pointed. And, as its vision changed, so did the trajectory of its Water Gun. Torchic soon found itself at the mercy of yet another Water Gun, one that it was slower to react to. A blast of the water, and Torchic was sent surging across the battlefield. Lucas gasped.

  "Torchic, you ok?" he cried. Torchic stood up from the floor, shaking its feathery coat free of all the water, then stomping on the ground again. Lucas giggled, seeing his Torchic get worked up in the spirit of battle. But, the truth is, he was getting just as swept up in the battle as his partner! It felt great to put all of his heart into it. Especially now that he felt he had a minute understanding of what it felt like to be a trainer.

  "Is that it, or are you gonna come at me again?" Ellie asked, her hand gesturing for Lucas and Torchic to bring it on. That would be her strategy. Sit in her side of the battlefield, firing off Water attacks whenever Torchic tried to come close. Lucas couldn't blame her for adopting the strategy. After all, whatever Embers Lucas and Torchic wanted to launch at Mudkip would most certainly be beaten out by the Water type's attacks. So, their only strategy was to play right in her hands, and get in on Mudkip, without it managing to keep Torchic out. Lucas made eye contact with Ellie, shouting.

  "We're just getting started! Torchic, let's keep on running!"

  Torchic planted its feet, then bolted off the ground once more. Ellie smiled again. She would've done the same if she was caught in the same situation. Even if it felt a little repetitive to call out for the same thing, Ellie wouldn't change her strategy merely because of boredom. If Water Gun won her the fight, then she'd rely on it. Simple as that. "Water Gun!"

  Mudkip spewed out another stream of water, surging towards Torchic. Lucas was quicker to react this time. "Dodge it!" he cried, Torchic having plenty of time to safely run to the side of the blow, managing to keep its balance while avoiding the stream of water.

  "Don't let Torchic out of your sight, Mudkip!"

  "Just keep moving, Torchic!"

  Their commands came one after another. Mudkip, ever eager to keep Torchic out, tracked its movements with keen eyes. Its Water Gun spewed with just as much ferocity, coming close to clipping Torchic's rear feathers numerous times. But, Torchic just managed to keep clear of the attacks every time. However, in its attempts to run, Ellie had noticed that which Lucas had not.

  Torchic was beginning to corner itself.

  Dodging remained a fine enough strategy, especially when there sat plenty of space to utilize. But, their makeshift battlefield wasn't what Ellie would call spacious. So, all that running meant Torchic was sharp running out of space to use. Lucas noticed at the last moment, just as Torchic's talons skidded to the edge of the beaten edges of the battlefield. It was trapped. Stuck between the battlefield, and the rush of Mudkip's Water Gun. Ellie watched Torchic, her eyes occasionally glancing to soak up Lucas's terrified expression. 'What'll it be?' she felt like muttering, but her better half prevented her from beating a man who was already down.

  "Jump over it!"

  Ellie's eyes widened, turning to Lucas. His expression was far from the terror she thought it was filled with at a glance. His body hunched forward, fist clenched, and eyes shining. That previous look hadn't been terror. Rather, it had been a blank face, one while he was thinking. Now, his true colours shone as a rainbow.

  Excitement at the forefront. Eager as ever to see Torchic prevail, despite the overwhelming odds. Torchic didn't quite nod in response. It finally dawned on the chick that certain actions did more than others. And, its energy was better spent on the battlefield. With its legs compressing down, Torchic bounced into the air.

  The air breezed past, whisking through the coat of down, Torchic breathing through its beak, taking in the fresh air of the surrounding area. It opened its eyes, glancing at the battlefield. Everyone stood in shock. Even Torchic, once it saw how far it had jumped into the air!

  "Awesome!" Lucas cried, his eyes dazzling as Torchic stood in the air. Then, it began to sink like a rock, and Lucas was suddenly thrust back into the heat of battle. "Straighten your body!" he cried, beginning to second guess how on earth he was meant to tell someone to soften a landing. But, just like the feathers on its body, Torchic dropped down to the ground lightly, only stumbling slightly. Ellie, hearing the thud of Torchic against the earth, called out,

  "Water Gun, now!"

  "Oh, dodge!" Lucas shouted. Torchic managed to catch its balance just in time for a haphazard dodge out of the way of the Water Gun, thrusting itself to the ground again. But, it was routine by this time for Mudkip to follow Torchic's trajectory, its eyes scanning for which way it dodge, then its Water Gun angling that way.

  "Jump up!" Lucas cried again, trying his luck twice, seeing if he couldn't help himself out of the spot. Bouncing back to its feet, Torchic sprung up into the air. Not quite as high as it did before. But, a good enough distance that it had both Pokemon and trainer in sight. "Ember, quick!" Lucas blurted out, eager to take advantage of their high ground as soon as possible. Torchic huffed up, firing off a small spot of flames, dragging through the air. It was much quicker than before, trading its previous power for a much speedier blast. A blast that would land on Mudkip without a hitch, stopping the Water Gun in its tracks.

  "Alright! Nicely done, Torchic!" Lucas celebrated with his Pokemon, Torchic trilling in happiness as it came to a soft landing. Ellie smiled, finally seeing them land the hit they had been looking for. A mark of their improvement. But, she knew in her heart that Mudkip would emerge from the smoke just as strong as before. And, emerge strongly it did, firing off another Water Gun. Torchic, too proud of its moment of prowess, didn't have the time to dodge, getting blasted the full length of the battlefield away again. It skidded against the floor, feathers caught onto the blades of grass. Mudkip emerged, growling at the opposition.

  "It's gonna take more than that, so come on!" Ellie cried out, beginning to find herself lost in the thrill of the fight too. Torchic struggled to claw back to its feet, whole body shaking with the cold of the freezing water. Lucas walked onto the battlefield, gently wiping his Pokemon, picking the pieces of dirt stuck to its coat. Torchic dried up quickly, using the warm glow of its body to bring its temperature back up to snuff. It was technically breaking the rules for Lucas to intervene and help Torchic warm up, but Ellie didn't mind. If it helped bring Torchic back into the fight, then who cares? She wouldn't lose, regardless.

  "We'll keep going, Ember while running!"

  A combination of the two attacks. Ellie smiled. Torchic began to pounce across the battlefield, its body humming with the firepower of the Ember. It spat out an Ember, Mudkip getting suddenly struck by the attack, before Ellie had much time at all to react.

  "Water Pulse!" Ellie fired back, finally deciding to switch off of her Water Gun. For every Ember, Mudkip would launch a Water Pulse. Roughly even in speed, but Water Pulse always prevailing in power. Type advantage or not. But, at the last second, Torchic would slip out the way. Sidestep, run away, jump over it. Either way, the Fire type kept running after, and wouldn't stop for the world.

  It was burning energy, but as was Mudkip. Those long, sustained Water Guns wouldn't bode well for its stamina. And, asking it to use Water Pulse at such a rapid rate didn't too. But, Torchic burned through just as much stamina with its running and gunning. It was just a question of how well the two would do once they were out of energy.

  Torchic reached the other end, where Mudkip stood. Ellie hesitated to call out for another Water Pulse, knowing this was the range where a Scratch would certainly hit, should Mudkip miss. Now was the time to handle Torchic using hand to hand combat. Easily Mudkip's worst attribute. Even with the species being suited for cramped combat, Mudkip hated doing getting close. But, when Torchic pressed forward, it was forced to.

  "Scratch!"

  "Tackle!"

  The commands came only moments after one another. Torchic leapt forwards, its talons sharp. Mudkip started running, its head lowered while charging. The two attacks clashed, and neither Pokemon came out on top in that collision. They'd need a clean shot.

  "Jump then Scratch!" Lucas cried, ever as eager to get back into the swing of things. And, what better way than to make use of Torchic's new jumping ability? Torchic crouched down, its legs buckling and tensing. Then, it sprung into the air, flipping forward then coming down at Mudkip with its talons sharp and firm. Ellie smiled.

  "Water Pulse!" the trainer cried, Lucas only now realizing how much Torchic was a sitting duck in the air. Mudkip swirled the water around its mouth, deep breaths inhaling and taking in the air around. Then, a rounded blue orb, swirling with water in the centre, came barrelling out of its mouth. It spiralled in the air, drops of water coating the grass underneath, surging towards the Fire type. Torchic wouldn't let it go down without a fight, its talons ripping into the sphere's shape. But, the Scratch only caused the sphere to burst, splashing water all over the Fire type.

  "Torchic!" Lucas cried, jumping onto the battlefield, his arms extended to catch his starter as it fell. Luckily, his coordination didn't fail him, smoothly catching Torchic before it could come to a rough landing. Swirls in its eyes. But, Lucas couldn't complain about it. The smile couldn't be faked. Even if he lost, Torchic did amazing.

  "That was much better. Much, much better." Ellie wandered to the two with a proud smile, avoiding Lucas' gaze when she said, "I enjoyed it. Felt less like I was battling a toddler."

  "Hey! Could you give a more backhanded compliment?" Lucas pouted, and Ellie giggled, setting herself down on the floor, helping to dry off Torchic's coat.

  "Sorry, it's just my way of saying you're far more competent than our first battle. You must've went through a few battles, hm?"

  "I can't remember the number, nor can I remember most of them." Lucas laughed, knocking his brain with the knuckle end of his fist. "Tiredness doesn't really bode well for me."

  "I can tell." Ellie muttered back, clearing up Torchic's marks with a small dosage of Potion, then handing the Chick back into Lucas' hands. She settled her hands at her side, taking a deep breath. Then, she steered Lucas in the other direction, pushing him by his shoulders back to his tent. "Now's the time to make up for that tiredness. By getting some proper sleep!"

  "Hm? But, I'm not ti-"

  "You're not five, I shouldn't have to explain the concept of good sleep to you," Ellie answered. Lucas groaned, retiring to his tent.

  "Fine..." Lucas muttered, heading back into his tent. His head hit the pillow, and into dreamland he soared. Ellie poked him in the cheek, but no cigar for waking him again.

  "'I'm not tired!' he says...honestly..." she pinched the bridge between her nose, then carefully Torchic's body right to his side, the two cuddling together, even in spite of them both being left unconscious. Then, she left the tent, Mudkip still trudging by her side. It was a weird feeling.

  "Despite the headache of getting him back, training like that does sound like fun..." Ellie muttered, thinking to herself for a moment. But, Mudkip did all the thinking for her, pouncing forward, beginning to run off into the plains.

  "Hey, wait up!" she shouted at her partner, but her partner didn't take her advice. It just moved further, and faster into the depths of the wilderness. Ellie couldn't believe its gall. But, with a hearty smile, she chased after her partner, onto another battle...