It was still dark when David got up.

He had slept overnight. The Pokemon cries were just as loud and he’d been disturbed by one more visitor brushing against the tent but he had slept. Exhaustion dragged him to the depths of unconsciousness in the end.

David was up too early, several hours before Pidgey’s ball would shake, and not entirely by choice. A pained yowl had woken him, but even shivering a little from the cold and tiredness, he wasn’t too upset. He needed time to plan before the sun was up.

140 Poke. 2 Flying type food sachets. 2 Aspear berries and 2 Razz in the crate. A lost ring. Various toiletries. A pen and notebook with scribbled thoughts on food and Pidgey’s training. The League’s pamphlets on the common 11. His backpack and tent. The foraging manual, trowel, headtorch, fire starting kit, cooking pot, cutlery set, spool of thin rope, microfibre towel and warm layers. A Trainer’s license.

Everything he had.

5 days until the league started. 2 months and 5 days left on his license. 2 months and 5 days to earn two badges or lose Pidgey.

David rubbed his eyes and let out a yawn. They hadn’t even won a battle yet. They’d fought three so far and lost two. It might have even been three losses if he hadn’t interfered during Pidgey’s scrap with the wild Pidgey. It wasn’t a great record.

When Pidgey was healthy again they needed to go all in on the training. More fights with wild Pokemon. More matches against Fred.

David counted his Poke again. 140P with another 70P if the Razz berries sold. More battles would result in more injuries. A Potion cost 300P, the poultice style medicine half as much.

His eyes shifted to the ring. He didn’t know if he would receive anything from turning it in, but hopefully there was still a reward and one large enough to buy both types of Medicine.

He needed to go into the city today. It was a risk, Team Rocket could still be around and that terrified him but if he was quick..

He could be in the city before sunrise, sell the berries when Benny arrived, visit the Route 7 Ranger’s office to hand in the ring and arrive at the Pokemart just after it opened.

David set to packing up his tent. He would need to be quick

 

-.-

 

“David!”

David clutched the tent spike in his pocket as he whirled around to face the direction of the shout. The main street was dark, but it was growing brighter with every minute. He’d thought he was safe with how quiet the road was but had he only made himself open to danger?

It dawned on him now that quiet meant no witnesses.

One jogger had passed him by earlier after a disappointing visit to the empty Ranger’s office. Had they been a Rocket? An informer?

“Good morning!” Fred panted out. Machop ran unsteadily down the side street behind him.

David’s hand unclenched. He was just twitchy. The jogger was just a jogger.

“Morning.”

“Where’ve you been?” Fred asked, his voice reproachful, as he straightened. “I haven’t seen you around Route 7 over the past few days. Machop’s been so disappointed.”

David opened his mouth but he couldn’t think where to start.

As if to emphasize Fred’s rebuke, Machop arrived with a happy bark.

“Mach-op.”

Machop leaned forward with one fist held in its other palm. It held the position steady, but its wagging tail and wide eyes gave away its eagerness.

“Sorry Machop. Pidgey isn’t well enough to battle right now,” David said. His face grew tight. Machop was older than Pidgey, and he knew that the Pokemon weren’t human, and didn’t function the same, but at times like this they seemed so young.

“Everything alright David?” Fred asked. The reproachful tone had turned to concern.

“No,” David answered after a sharp inhale. He began to explain.

If Team Rocket went after him they could go for Fred.

-.-

 

“That’s not right,” Fred said darkly when David had finished. “What did the police say?”

“That they couldn’t help,” David replied hoarsely. “There was no proof that the challenge broke the rules.”

Fred smacked his fist against his palm. “Tauroshit!” 

The sound was echoed a second later as Machop copied the motion. The Pokemon’s eagerness had fallen off as Fred and his discussion had grown more serious, but Machop still watched them closely.

David shrugged at Fred’s anger. He hadn’t been able to be angry over the last few days. Fear and worry for Pidgey hadn’t left much room for anything else.

Fred’s anger did make him feel better though.

“Come by the dojo later,” Fred said abruptly, having come to some kind of decision. “It’s not the city’s gym but the masters have influence. They will be able to help.”

David smiled at him. Fred was a good person, but he doubted that sharing the story or getting a few self defense tips would change anything. If the police weren’t able to help, what could the dojo do? Some of its members might even be a part of Team Rocket. All that going there would accomplish would be dragging Fred into his problems.

“Fred, Team Rocket..” He had trouble figuring out just how to say this. “They’re dangerous and I’m not talking about what happened to Pidgey and I. I’ve warned the police and now I’m going to stay out of sight until the league starts and I can challenge the gym for a badge. Forget about it and be careful where in the city you go.”

Fred grimaced and his brows furrowed in anger.

“No.”

“What do you mean no?” David asked tiredly when Fred didn’t continue. Denying something didn’t make it any less true. Any less real.

“If you don’t want to come, that's fine, but I will be passing on your story.” Fred reached forward to lightly grip David’s shoulder. “Something needs to be done or they’ll attack more people.”

“No, Fred, you don’t understand. They could come for you,” David said and looked at the Pokemon watching their conversation. Team Rocket stole Pokemon. Fred had said that Machop were rare. “And Machop.”

“And we’ll be ready,” Fred answered confidently, letting David’s shoulder go. “We can hang around the dojo and they won’t be able to do a thing.”

Fred nodded at Machop and turned to jog down the road.

“I’ll tell them after lunch!” Fred shouted as he ran away and Machop followed slower behind him.

David watched them run away in shock. This was not where he expected the conversation to go. His relief from telling the story was gone and he was back to worry and fear. It sounded like Fred was dead set on making himself a target for Team Rocket. A target for an organisation that the teen was not taking seriously at all.

“Fuck.”

 

-.-

 

David diverted off the main street to the market when he saw a blue and silver sign.

His visit to the Route 7 Ranger’s office had revealed that the ring request was still active, and that it could be handed in at the always empty Ranger’s station, or the police stations in Saffron and Celadon.

When he reached the police station, he spent a moment scanning the surrounding streets before entering. It felt silly, but it made sense that Team Rocket would be watching the police station. Likely not for him, but in general. Criminals would want to keep an eye on what the police were up to.

Thankfully he spent less time than expected inside the station. There was only one tired officer behind the counter inside, and it was an officer that David didn’t recognise. While there had been a tense minute after he handed over his trainer’s license, the officer made no mention of Team Rocket or his report yesterday. Instead they thanked him and handed over 500 Poke.

500 Poke. 500 for the one ring.

The officer informed him that the reward was higher than usual due to the request maker’s contribution, but David didn’t care. 500 Poke was enough for both kinds of medicine and more. He left in high spirits.

 

A stall caught his eye as he walked into the market.

Most of the other booths were still empty, but this one was mid setup. David walked over and started to examine the hats and scarfs. He picked up a red baseball cap. He couldn't shake the feeling that he recognised it from somewhere. On its front was a white pokeball symbol - the same one that marked Pokemarts and Pokecenters. The cap was made of a sturdy material that had a slightly slick feel to it.

“It’s waterproof.”

The stall owner smiled as David looked away from the cap and over at them. “The White Pokeball is never a bad choice. All proceeds go to the organization.”

David looked at the cap again. Another thing to look up. He placed the cap back on the table. It wasn’t for him. Right now he needed to hide.

His eyes strayed across the table until they stopped on a wide brimmed beige sun hat. He couldn’t help but chuckle as he picked it up. He just needed one more thing.

“Arceus!” Benny exclaimed as he turned to see David. His eyes narrowed and he raised a hand to start scolding whoever had scared him. Then Benny paused and squinted.

“David? I can barely recognise you with.. that.. on.”

David wasn’t surprised. The red baggy scarf covered up half his face, and the wide brimmed hat nearly covered the rest leaving only his eyes and nose visible. It was 100 Poke well spent.

He reached up and tugged the scarf below his mouth.

“Good. I ran into some trouble over the past few days.”

Benny raised an eyebrow and David winced. Telling Fred the story hadn’t gone as expected. It wasn’t something he wanted to risk again, but.. he had been ambushed near the market.

Benny had been good to him. He deserved a warning.

David cast a quick glance around them for anyone who might listen in, but the market was still quiet and no one was near. He began to recite the story again.

 

-.-

 

“You’re doing the right thing,” Benny said finally.

David’s shoulders relaxed. After a minute of silence he had feared the worst.

Benny smoothed his trousers at the knees. He’d abandoned the set up of his stall mid way through the story and sat down while David talked. “You reported it to the authorities. They will put the pieces together even if it takes time. In the meantime, stay hidden. Never be ashamed to hide or run away, you hear. Some Pokemon, some people, aren’t for just anyone to fight.”

David nodded at the man. Benny was the first to take his warning seriously. He placed the crate of berries on the table.

“I might not be around in the next few days. I’ll be camping out and avoiding the city.”

Benny pushed himself up slowly, looking older than ever. He pulled David’s crate towards him. “Let me know if you need somewhere to hide out.”

David looked at the man in surprise.

“I may be old but one or two of my team still have their claws. My wife’s team fared better. ” Benny said, disgruntled at David’s reaction. “Only for a day or two mind you.”

“Thanks,” David said softly. David didn’t doubt that Benny knew what he was offering if he was talking about his Pokemon team. He’d known the elderly stall owner for a little over a week. They were strangers but Benny offered anyway. “I’ll let you know.”

“Well. This doesn’t change the fact I won’t be buying these Aspears. 70P for both Razz berries.”

“That’s fine,” David said with a nod. “Pidgey doesn’t like them but they make my meals interesting.”

Benny stilled. “She doesn’t?”

He abandoned the Razz berries and dug into a box behind him. A second later Benny fished out a piece of paper and turning to David, began to run a finger down it.

“Aha! Lonely.”

“Sorry?” David asked, unsure if he heard the man right.

“Your Pidgey has a Lonely Nature. She likes spicy food and dislikes sour.”

David recalled an earlier conversation with Benny about Pokemon’s Natures and natural energy but he wasn’t making the connection.

“Why does her taste make her Lonely?”

“Not that kind of Lonely.” Benny scoffed with a shake of his head. “Lonely is a label for the Nature. Your Pidgey likes the taste of minerals that make food spicy and dislikes the minerals that make food taste sour. The label’s not important. Those Spicy minerals can strengthen her beak and talons but she’ll lack the minerals that help strengthen her skin and bones.”

“You’re saying that Pidgey will be more fragile than usual?”

Benny scoffed.

“Not fragile, she’s a Pokemon, but more easily hurt, yes.”

“Right. Right,” David replied absently. Well that was horrifying news. He was worried enough about Pidgey to not need to know that she would be more likely to break bones and get hurt.

“Here.” Benny said as he handed over the sheet of paper. “It might come in handy. She’ll take hits worse, but hit all the harder for it.”

David took the paper and ran his eyes over a long list of natures. He looked back up at Benny and picked up the crate.

“Thank you. For everything.”

Benny gave him a nod before gesturing away. “Now go on. And be careful.”

With a wave, David pulled up his scarf and left. He needed to feed Pidgey and do some shopping before he could go find Fred.