There’d been many times when Ethan had found himself somewhere where he’d never expected to be. Unlike some other notable times where this event happened, this time he kinda-sorta knew what he was getting himself into.

  The battle-fields next to the Pokemon Center were exactly the kind of places where the name matched the ongoing events. Battles, mostly lower level from what he could glean, were happening all about the small enclosed chain link fenced in fields. Inside the fields, one-on-one battles were either ongoing, ending, or in the process of starting in a seemingly never-ending cycle. Trainers came and went, entering and exiting with smiles or frowns. There was even a Nurse Joy—a proper one, with the pink hair and all—overlooking the proceedings from a windowed booth connected to the side of the center itself.

  While only six battles could be ongoing at a time, many more people were around hanging out, chatting, and socializing with one another as they waited their turns or scouted out someone they wanted to battle.

  Ethan stood out like a sore thumb, not because of his attire this time, but from his age. Being twenty-nine, well over a decade older than many of those around, tended to draw some looks. They weren’t malicious, more rather trending toward cautious or mildly surprised.

  Seeing an open spot at a nearby bench next to a woman taking pictures, who was not much younger than him, he made his way over. By her feet, a… very fluffy, odd looking growlithe(?) laid on its back and panted with its tongue lolled out the side of its mouth—It wanted some belly rubs, for sure.

  The woman didn’t acknowledge his presence as he sat, but Ralts was head over heels at all of the excitement and socialization happening around her. She grabbed a strand of his hair (much to his displeasure) and eagerly hopped and pointed around. “Ethan! Ethan! Ethan!!! Look!”

  He looked over to see a Buizel smash a Sudowoodo in the side with a Water Gun, causing the tree pokemon to fall over in pain. “I can see, Ralts.” Ethan winced.

  “I shall show my supreme skills in the art of combat here today!” Ralts proclaimed, a self-assured nod following not long after.

  “You gotta have a trainer for that. These are all sanctioned and logged.” He deadpanned, throwing a wrench into her plans.

  Like the petulant child she was, Ralts harumphed and sat down on his shoulder, arms crossed and pouty. “Party-pooper.”

  “Arc!”

  Ethan glanced down to the belly showing Growlithe by his feet. The pokemon had noticed him, obviously showing what it wanted. Ethan spared a glance toward its trainer, who was too busy taking a photo with her very expensive looking camera to notice. Shrugging, he bent down and gave the very warm pokemon some belly rubs, much to its pleasure.

  Midway through giving the fire dog what he wanted, the woman finally noticed her begging dog. “Oh, c’mon, Bud.” She said exasperated.

  The Growlithe ignored her, indulging in its rubs.

  “Sorry about him. He’s going to do that to everyone who sits there.” The woman sat her camera by her side and reached down to pick up her friend. Carried from beneath its armpits, the Growlithe was content to be placed in her lap.

  “Not a problem. One of my friends has a Growlithe. Although, yours is much fluffier?” He asked, leading the conversation.

  “Ahh! That’s because this little guy is a Hissuian Growlithe.”

  Ethan had a vague recollection about Hissuian pokemon, but it was very vague. He knew they existed and were from Hissui… which was… ancient Sinnoh? Besides that, he was basically clueless. They weren’t in the games he played.

  Not knowing what to say to that, he just said the first thing that came to mind. “Neat. You’re a photographer, I assume?”

  The expensive camera said enough about her occupation, but she was also very stylish. She had medium length dark navy blue hair that wrapped the right side of her face, leaving only a strand that fell in front of her face. The tips of her navy blue hair transitioned into a shade of green that ended in blonde. Her clothing was much too revealing for this time of year, and Ethan assumed she’d be much too cold with what she had on—A short gray top that ended just below her chest, snug and conforming. Beneath that, she wore a cropped white t-shirt that connected to her arms, skipping her shoulders. Her midriff was completely bare.

  Her Growlithe was resting on her sky-blue jeans which had some stylish holes and rips throughout. The color of the jeans seemed faded on her knees, dulling to a near white. Finishing off her attire, she had large combat looking boots, which were actually large sneakers.

  She glanced at him with her brown eyes and took in his appearance in return. She stuck out a hand. “Perrin, Pokemon Photographer.”

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Ethan, Pokemon Breeder and Move Tutor.”

  Introductions finished, Ethan decided to get some information about how the battling process worked around here. “So… I’ve never actually been to a place like this.” He gestured all about. “Do you know how to go about finding some battles? I have some very inexperienced young pokemon.”

  “Oh yeah, I’d head over to field number one over there. That’s where the new trainers hang about. These over here are more of the experienced types. Like, third or forth badge levels. Nobody truly strong shows up here. They usually have training partners or train in the wild.”

  With a sense of direction, Ethan felt much better about finding appropriate matches for his younger pokemon. “Thanks a lot.” He stood to leave with a goodbye nod to her and Growlithe.

  “No problem, partner.” She waved him goodbye and picked up her camera to continue to take pictures. Her Growlithe lay lazily on her lap.

  After finding the appropriate field for newbies, Ethan tried his best to talk to those nearby and find someone to battle. He was awkward, out of place, and obviously didn’t know the proper cultural etiquette for these things, so many people brushed him off. Eventually, someone must have taken pity on him, seeing as he was off to the side and kinda alone.

  “Yo! You wanna battle? My pokemon will smash your little Ralts!”

  Ethan turned towards the voice… and saw nobody.

  “Down here! You boomer!”

  Craning his head down, Ethan spotted… a very short child. The kid couldn’t have been older than ten and wore a bright red ball cap. “Uhh…”

  The kid, not hearing a no, strolled up close and leaned in conspiratorially, hand held up to the side of his face whispering. His other hand, in a pretty well done flourish, whipped out a small yellow trainer card. “Youngster license… I’m kinda a big deal…”

  Ethan snorted at the kids' antics. Youngster licenses were a thing, but they weren’t for sending kids off on their journeys early. They were for kids who owned a pokemon of their own and showed that they could care for them adequately. From his research, they were fairly commonly given out because parents oftentimes gifted their children pokemon for either a birthday or as a type of pet for teaching responsibility.

  “Now now! I know what you’re thinking! Karl’s got his moms house-skitty? No, sir!!! I got my bestie the old fashioned way! I raised him myself through hardship and love!” The kid, Karl, said.

  Glancing around, the other trainers seemed to laugh at Karl’s expense. They obviously knew who he was… He must have been a regular.

  Ethan guessed that Karl picked him out because he was new and was unaware of his… reputation. “Well, first things first.” Ethan started, his voice serious. “The pokemon I’ll be using are very young and have never battled before. Is that going to be a problem for you and your pokemon? If you go overboard...”

  Karl, to his credit, easily nodded his understanding. “Not a problem! I’m somewhat of an expert for my age!” He eagerly stuck out his youngsters license, noticing that the previous battle had ended.

  Seeing as he hadn’t had much luck with the others around. Maybe a display of… competence? Or maybe easy pickings would have others come knocking? Ethan whipped out his trainer card lanyard and tapped it with Karl’s. They both whipped out their phones and set-up their battle.

  A one-on-one, single pokemon battle. Nothing special or extra added. No bets, as Karl was unallowed as he wasn’t a trainer…

  This was the kiddy pool of battles.

  “Move! Make way! Karl has himself a match!” The kid yelled, immediately running into the battlefield. The other trainers around laughed at him… and it wasn’t kind.

  Ethan took up his side of the field and ran his hand along his pokeballs. He’d talked with his pokemon about who wanted to battle, and all but Skiddo said they’d be willing. Seeing as Karl was a literal child and was probably the closest to ‘bottom of the barrel’ as he was going to get, he grabbed one of his most inexperienced and youngest pokemon.

  “Ready?” Karl yelled. “One! Two!... THREE!”

  Then, they both threw their balls into the field.

  Both pokemon materialized at the exact same time. Karl’s pokemon was all too familiar to him, as he lived in Eterna Forest and were a dime a dozen. Wiggling around with spunk, a Caterpie was ready for battle. On his side, Tinkatink looked around confused at her location and the appearance of so many people paying attention to her. His pink fairy had one of her hands up toward her mouth with a little bit of anxiety as her other wielded her hammer.

  “Tinkatink!” Ethan hollered out, catching her attention. “Bonk time.”

  With eyes of crinkled joy, Tinkatink’s demeanor turned a complete one-eighty. Swiftly, she turned around and sprinted straight toward the opposing Caterpie, hammer held high in a battle cry. “TINKAAAAAAAHHH!!!”

  “I thought you were gonna use your Ralts!!!” Karl screamed in fury. “Deceiver!” He cut his arm across like some anime protagonist as he gave his command. “Cappie! Web that thing!”

  Picking up what Karl was putting down, Caterpie spat a white string out of his mouth, aiming at the still sprinting Tinkatink. The String shot hit its mark, splattering Tinkatink right on her chest and slowing her down… slightly. Tinkatink completely ignored it and still ran screaming her name to the heavens, sprinting in for her infamous bonk. “TINKAHHH!”

  Caterpie wasn’t a very strong pokemon… Actually, it was very weak. Although it was a caterpillar, it only had four tiny suction-cupped legs to carry it about. From what he remembered, they didn’t even learn more than three moves before they naturally evolved into a Metapod. Even after slowing down Tinkatink a tad by the String Shot, there was a zero percent chance that it was going to outmaneuver Tinkatink.

  Caterpie tried to dodge away from the oncoming pink train, but as expected, it just wasn’t fast enough. Tinkatink sprinted right up close and bonked the silly bug on its noggin, quick and swift. Caterpie reeled back from the blow, and Tinkatink waited a breath to see if another mighty non-move bonk was needed.

  It was.

  *Bonk*

  …

  *Bonk Bonk*

  …..

  *Bonk Bonk Bonk*

  After around ten seconds of bonks and pauses, Caterpie fell onto its side and was out for the count. Tinkatink, seeing her foe bested, dropped onto her knees and held up her hammer reverently. “TINKA-TIIIIIINK!”

  After her display, she stood and wandered back towards Ethan, who scooped her up in a twirl with a smile. “You won! Good job!”

  “Tinka! Ba-ba!!!”

  https://discord.gg/T6AD3E2qVR Feel free to join!