Trials of a Champion - Kanto [Pokemon x OC]

51 Approached by a Poacher

When I woke up, my fingers were laced in something soft and fluffy. It took me a moment to process the strange feeling. As soon as I did, my eyes flung open.

"Please don't be...!"

I jolted up, only to be greeted by a dog determined to lick my face.

"Growlithe? Ah, pleh! Fur in my mouth... What, what are you doing here?"

He barked and settled in my lap. Luxio aggressively replaced him.

As the two bickered, I pet them both and looked around. Pikachu slept in a ball on Paul's pillow, and a pile of tiny Pokémon snoozed near the sofa. However, no signs of Paul or his Eevee anywhere in the room.

"Where's Paul?"

Luxio explained that he went to grab some breakfast, and that he'd return soon.

"Wow. I didn't even notice him leave. I must've been sleeping like a rock. What time is it?" I plucked my Pokétch off the nightstand. Upon turning it on, my eyes caught sight of a new application loaded on the screen. "Huh? This wasn't here yesterday. Did it get a software update overnight?"

"Sort of."

Paul entered the room with a drink carrier in one hand and a brown bag in the other.

"I worked on it this morning while you were sleeping."

"Really?" I checked the time. "But it's barely seven o'clock. What time did you get up?"

"Doesn't really matter, does it?"

"Yes! It absolutely—" A donut suddenly appeared in front of my face. "Ooh! Sweets for breakfast? You're a bad influence." I swiped the donut and nibbled on it like a very hungry Pikachu.

"Just focus on eating. The sooner we head out, the better."

"And off to the mountains, we go!"

He nodded, handed me an orange juice, then sat down on the sofa with Eevee. He avoided the topic of him waking up at all costs. She doesn't need to know. It won't kill her, he thought to himself as he exchanged looks with Eevee.

She wanted to snitch, but since Paul let her snack on sweets, her mouth remained shut.

After finishing breakfast, Paul and I got dressed for the day, packed our things, recalled our Pokémon, and left our temporary residence. We walked to the edge of town with the three brothers as our guides. They marked a route on our map to follow.

"It'll lead you straight to the mountains," Rainer said. "That rest stop Nurse Joy told you about should be somewhere around the base."

"Rosa, this is for you." Pyro handed me a small notebook filled with scraps of paper.

"Is this a cookbook?"

"A ton of spicy recipes I've tried over the years. I had a feeling you'd enjoy them."

"I will! Thank you!"

"Just don't go crazy on the ghost peppers, alright?" grumbled Paul.

"Oh, you'll get used to them. Don't worry."

Jolteon stepped over to say goodbye to Eevee.

However, she scooted back to be closer to Luxio.

Thus, the world came crashing down around the Lightning Pokémon.

"Sorry, pal," Sparky said as he patted his Pokémon's back. "I think Eevee was already spoken for before you even met her."

"Don't give up hope, 'k, Jolteon?" I said.