Oh it’s so beautiful outside, today. It really is amazing that the world can keep turning after time and time again, even though humanity causes problems for the rest of the creatures living on this wonderful planet. I am actually surprised we humans haven’t already destroyed it. Maybe it’s thanks to the heroes that have disappeared.

I really don’t know why Master had me sit outside this small city for someone from Team Rocket. They are a washed up old has been still desiring world domination. I mean, after the fiasco in Hoenn, we of Team Aqua and Team Magma put aside our petty differences and started to work together protect this planet. That’s not something Team Rocket wants. They just want money.

It feels really good just sitting here basking in the sun. But the moment ends all too soon as some large and short young man walks up.

He carries himself with confidence but he needs to work on portion control. He reminds me of what Admin Tabitha used to look like from the pictures I saw during their hay day. Well, if Tabitha had red hair. I think Tabitha's weight gain had something to do with Team Aqua’s Admin Shelly leaving. I don’t know the reason for this guy’s belt line.

But Tabitha was a nice guy. This guy just leers at me making me uncomfortable. After he noticed I’m a girl, he just sizes me up. Gross. He doesn’t even look like he cares about anything else but himself. Is he really a good idea for this mission? He keeps mumbling under his breath about me being really pretty. Does he realize he is talking out loud? Ugh.

“Do you know how hard this mission will be?”

Hmm? I didn’t expect him to ask a question first.

“Decently.”

“Okay. My name is Cole. What about yours?”

“Esther.”

“What a pretty name. Now, what is this mission supposed to be? Old man Petrel didn’t really specify.”

“We are going to save some Pokémon that Team Mystic has captured. They are undergoing forced evolution.”

“Finally, something more than one word. Okay, where is this happening?”

“West.”

“Right. Lead the way, Esther.”

Maybe I was wrong. He seems nice enough. But that’s probably because I am a girl. He doesn’t look all that attached to things. He just drops them after he’s done, probably. Hmm, maybe I’ll know more about him from his Pokémon.

“Pokémon.”

“Where? Hmm? What do you mean?”

Cole begins to look around frantically, pulling out his poképal and trying to find any nearby Pokémon.

“Yours.”

I really don’t want to waste my time with him.

“Oh, well then. Here.”

He summons six Pokémon, all of them looking tired and sad. They don’t look oppressed, which is good. But they are bored and neglected. These Pokémon are indeed meant for battle, but they aren’t seeing enough of it. They look more like pieces of a collection, rather than a team.

“You need to spend more time with your Pokémon and training with them. Like this, they won’t see their full potential. I must say, your Pokémon all indeed look impressive, but they are just above average. Unless used by a sufficient trainer, that is. You treat this like a game, don’t you? You’re just pretending you’re a trainer.”

He stops and thinks with a surprised look on his face. I decide to continue walking to the rendezvous point established prior to me meeting Cole. I hear a lot of noises. I turn around to see Cole releasing almost all of his Pokémon!

The Pokémon all give him a sad look, which confuses me, and then run off into the woods. He summons six Pokémon again, but this time the roster changed. Golbat, Raticate, Ekans, Koffing, Spearow, and Gastly. Why these? Seeing my confusion, Cole says,

“I decided to focus on the main ones. Unfortunately, I need to travel to capture Murkrow, Houndour, and Sneasel.”

“Why?”

“Because I like dark type Pokémon.”

I don’t know what to say. He picks his Pokémon for such a weird reason? Wouldn’t this mean that he has no idea what he wants to accomplish? He just wants the Pokémon he thinks are cool! I turn in frustration and continue walking to the extraction point.

I did notice the Golbat riding on his arm, now. It looks a little pleased.

We finally arrived after another ten minutes of walking. We can’t have a Team Magma armored vehicle in plain sight, right?

The ride should take about thirty minutes, but being in the same place as Cole for so long might make me sick. How can I like a person who releases all his Pokémon just because they weren’t cool enough? There’s no attachment! I would never get rid of Baxter and Clementine so quickly! Speaking of, I summon Baxter, my Growlithe, from my poképal.

He has an incredibly fuzzy tail that just makes me forget all about my worries. I hope I can find a fire stone soon enough to make him big and strong so he never has to get hurt again.

===========

POV CHANGE

===========

Wow, she really is pretty. Candela was hot, the Mystic girl was a beauty, and the Bulbasaur girl was cute. But this girl was pretty. She just shines in an adorable way. The clerk girl? She was sexy. But Esther’s face as she is petting her Growlithe is one of extreme happiness…

This entire time she never cracked a grin. She was distant and cold. She probably even hates me. Do I truly want to be a trainer? Or…not…

Petrel’s words are getting muddled together with Esther’s. I look at the Golbat that was my very first Pokémon I caught. He had Bite, Ominous Wind, Screech, and Poison Fang. He was just dozing off, attached to my shoulder. I feel his heaviness riding on me as I begin to ponder.

I caught Golbat. I trained Golbat. I battled using Golbat. I USED Golbat. But what does Golbat want? I always complain to the restaurant owners about how we humans must be Pokémon, too, but what if it’s the other way around? I absentmindedly start to pet Golbat, mimicking Esther’s movements.

Chomp!

“Ow!”

Oops, Golbat bit me in his sleep. I surprised Esther and her Growlithe and Golbat wakes up with my finger in his teeth. He didn’t cut or break my finger off, which was nice, but he did draw blood. Upon seeing what he did, Golbat begins to freak out, flapping his wings and crying out from fear.

I put my wounded right index finger in my mouth to suck the blood so it doesn’t make a mess everywhere. With my other hand, I bring it up and begin to slowly pat his back, working my way up and start scratching his ears. He calms down immediately and looks right at me.

Or my mouth, currently filled with my bleeding finger. I get handed a bandage from one of the other Team Magma guys inside the ATV. You know, these guys feel like military. What is going on in this world?

I think Golbat wants to lick it better, but doesn’t realize his saliva allows blood to flow easier. His kind do feed on the life force of others, after all. Well, sometimes. They eat Pokémon food just as much as the other Pokémon.

Before we knew it, we were at Fumere City, which was located a little north west from my city, Mastid City. It’s a good thing this mission still took place in the Balktic Region. Otherwise, I would need a passport. Pretty difficult, getting one of those.

With Golbat still riding my shoulder, we walk into the city.