Rock Hard - Chapter 8 - Rival reveal! (Patreon)

“Congratulations on evolving Terra,” A.J. said as they reached a suitable location to fight.

Yolanda paused. “Ah, you’ve been keeping track of my pokemon roster?” she asked.

A.J. nodded. “Of course. You’re one of the trainers that I know will go far this year.” His gaze slid to where Greta and Crystal were seated. “Unlike some people.”

“The hell does that mean asshole?” Crystal roared, rising to her feet with her fist clenched. “Keep that attitude up and damn the result of our rock-paper-scissors, I’ll beat your ass right now!”

Yolanda held back a giggle as the usual interaction between A.J. and Crystal played out. One would bait the other and they’d start arguing. 

She had almost been tempted to let Crystal take the first fight, but she did truly want to see how she stacked up against the more experienced trainer that she and the other girls had previously had to tag team in pokemon fights.

A.J. had been the first to leave the Gym with Greta ducking in and out to visit her family before coming back for her rostered work and training regimes. 

Crystal was a bit more fair-weather with just wanting to hang out when she came around but that was just how she was. 

“I have to admit, you catching a Dragonair is news to me,” Yolanda admitted, having not been tracking A.J., which was apparently something of a mistake with them encountering him so early. She’d been hoping to run into him at one of the smaller Journey tournaments that various cities and towns ran to entice trainers to come and stay for a few days.

Instead, she was having to face him barely a week into her Journey.

It was a bit of a shock and rather exciting to encounter someone you could call a rival while out in the wilds.

With her heart beating loudly Yolanda raised her first pokeball. 

“Shall we?” she asked.

A.J. drew himself up and locked eyes with her, his game with Crystal forgotten as he grew serious. “I’m ready,” he replied, selecting his own pokeball.

In a way A.J. had been kind by approaching them with his team already on display. He could have returned them and left them clueless as to what he had after studying their teams. Instead he evened the playing field.

Slightly.

But it was still something.

“Go Flapper!” Yolanda released her Pidgeotto into the air, taking the high ground as it were.

“Raticate you’re up!” announced A.J. as the first of his Raticate took to the field.

Having fought Mia a few times while in Pewter and at the training camp, Yolanda knew better than to dismiss his first selection. In fact, it made her more concerned.

“Q double A!!” barked Yolanda to get things started. 

“Detain,” replied A.J. mildly as his pokemon stood its ground while Flapper shot towards it like a rocket.

A moment before Flapper made contact, Raticate sparked up only for Flapper to suddenly snap its wings and shoot into the air over Raticate.

A wave of electricity washed outwards and Yolanda nodded to herself. “I thought that was going to be the case! You were trying to bait me in!”

A.J. merely inclined his head. “Well if you’re not willing to close the gap for me, I’ll have to change it up myself! Raticate Rain Dance!”

Raticate began to dance around causing the rather sunny day to shift as small cloud overtook the area.

“Damn it A.J.!” screeched Crystal from the hill as raindrops caused her to scurry for her raincoat. Greta on the other hand merely released her Venusaur and rolled under one of his fronds.

Rather than getting drawn in A.J. stayed focused on Yolanda, or rather her pokemon, who’d begun to twirl and twist.

 A moment later a mighty Hurricane erupted on the field cutting into the rain and creating a patch where there wasn’t any rainfall.

“Hmmmm, so only an empowerment then? Alright! Surf!” ordered A.J. as the Hurricane began grinding towards Raticate.

A towering wave of water sloshed over the area, ramming into the Hurricane and causing Raticate to be lifted up into the swirling maelstrom.

Yolanda felt her breath hitch. 

A mistake. A.J. had made a mistake!

“Air Slash!” Yolanda commanded and while unable to see it due to the hurricane, she knew that her pokemon was sitting back on high and lashing Raticate with powerful slices of wind.

“Shockwave,” ordered A.J. in response, causing an orb of lighting to expand outwards. A shrill screech from Flapper caused Yolanda to grimace and to sigh as the hurricane began to fade.

When it was done, the field was sodden, Raticate was ruffled and stiff from the hits he’d taken, but he was still standing triumphant over Flapper’s unconscious form.

Damn it, She’d been drawn in with the Hurricane thinking it was a mistake but it had kept Flapper close enough to be unable to escape from Shock Wave.

Yolanda rubbed her forehead. Damn, she’d thought she’d have done better with Flapper having evolved along with all the recent training and battling they’d done together.

“Urgh!” she grimaced as she returned her pokemon, eying Raticate only for A.J. to return his pokemon.

“What sort of training have you been doing?” Yolanda asked. 

A.J. grinned. “The sort that would allow me to face Sabrina confidently,” he replied with a smirk. “But I already asked and she stated that I should wait another four weeks. She’s got my number apparently.”

That caused Yolanda to raise an eyebrow. “How so?”

“She sent me the opening moves I’d make and the pokemon team I was going to bring against her along with the changes I’d have made with adding some Technical Machine moves.” he licked his lips. “She… had me down to a T. I’ll get to face her just before her wedding which suits my purposes of being ahead of the rest of the contenders this circuit but…” he shook his head. “She really is something else,” he remarked.

Yolanda nodded. That did sound like big sis.

“I hadn’t considered the impact that her wedding and honeymoon would have for the circuit,” she murmured.

“Not many will have," A.J. offered with a small nod, and Yolanda realised that was his way of helping them.

They’d have to either make bookings for later, or rush their teams to fight earlier… which… she might be able to do with Terra and Slash, but Sabrina wasn’t to be taken lightly.

Enlarging her next pokeball she raised it high. The field was muddy still from the Surf which made sending Terra out a poor choice.

So, her only play right now was to send out— “Go Spot!” she commanded.

Across from her Dragonair took to the field, sliding into the mud much like Bertha might have. A.J. clicked his tongue and Dragonair stopped mucking about and locked onto Spot.

Yolanda considered the field, the pokemon that she knew A.J. had, along with what she could do.

And in that moment she realised something. 

She wasn’t going to win this fight.

Still, she took a breath and settled herself. Just because she wasn’t going to win the fight didn’t mean she couldn’t gain other victories, or come out ahead eventually.

“Flame Charge!” she barked.

Spot threw himself forward, a spark from his body igniting into an outright blaze.

“Aqua Tail,” responded A.J. as his pokemon twirled and swung its tail down.

“Tuck and roll!” Yolanda ordered at the last moment and Spot didn’t question her, tucking his legs in and rolling along the mud, causing the Aqua Tail to just miss while the Flame Charge was snuffed out in the mud.

“Crunch and hang on!” Yolanda ordered, knowing that there were good odds of this Dragonair having Thunderwave.

Spot proved to be the faster pokemon latching onto his foe close to the neck and biting down hard. 

Dragonair screamed in shock only to spark up as A.J. for a Thunderwave.

The effect washed over Spot but rather than fall off Spot locked in with the paralysis effect making his bite all the stronger.

“Swat it off with your tail!” commanded A.J. and a moment later Dragonair’s long tail whipped around and smacked Spot away.

 He yelped but hung on, eyes blazing even as he endured hit after hit.

Only after the third hit did Yolanda raise his pokeball and return him. “I withdraw him!” she announced.

On the other side of the field, A.J. glowered back while Dragonair shuddered and rubbed its tail along its neck where Spot had Crunched down hard.

A.J. snorted and took a deep breath, causing Yolanda to twitch in amusement. He really was a student of Brock.

“You know you can't win,” he declared. “You know it as well.”

“Yeah, you did,” Yolanda said as she patted Spot’s pokeball. “But that doesn’t mean I should give up. Today we can’t beat you,” she declared as she selected her next pokeball. Slash came out and swiped his claws through the air with a grin while Dragonair flinched back at the dark-ice type arrival.

“But that doesn’t mean we won’t one day.”

“You’re fighting to keep your pokemon’s spirits up,” A.J. mused. “Hmmm, I’ll look forward to our fights at the end of the circuit.,” he replied before raising a hand. “Don’t fear that Sneasel Dragonair. It doesn’t know any Ice moves.”

Yolanda stared across at A.J.. shit, he had done his research! He knew that his Dragonair was safe!

“Throat Chop!” she ordered and Slash sprinted in for a direct attack on the hardened mud.

Only for Dragonair to slither and lay itself flat to the mud, making a Throat Chop impossible.

“Aqua Tail,” A.J. intoned as Slash tried to readjust and cut under the hardened mud to get at Dragonair’s head.

The tail swept around and hammered Slash down into the ground, causing Slash to buckle. A moment later Dragonair wiggled and launched itself out of the mud and into Slash, bowling him over with Slam.

From there both pokemon began attacking each other, Dragonair with glee at the supposed weakened Ice type before it while Slash dug deep.

He chopped and kicked as hard as he could, giving as good as he got until finally both pokemon were knocked clear. 

They both shot to their feet and glowered at each other only for them both to collapse.

“Hmm, you’ve trained your Sneasel well, despite not leaning into its ice typing,” A.J remarked.

Yolanda clenched her fists, annoyed at herself for not keeping such a move as part of Slash’s movepool. A.J. had known… damn it.

Returning her pokemon she brought Slash’s pokeball up to her lips. “Sorry Slash. You did amazing,” she whispered to him. She doubted he’d hear it, with being unconscious, but she knew it was still important to say it.

Reaching for her last pokeball she blinked in surprise when A.J.’s Sandslash took to the field.

Glancing up she found A.J. had shifted into a serious expression. “I know Terra is strong, so I’m making sure to bring only my best,” he said to the unasked question.

That got a small nod from Yolanda, pleased that she was being recognised for this at least.

“Terra! Let’s fight!” she announced as she sent forth her last pokemon and her best hope for turning this fight around.

“Earthquake!” she snapped out straight away.

“Match it!” called A.J. in response, and both Sandslash and Terra detonated the ground around them. Most of it was just mud, but the earlier patch that Spot had hardened thanks to Flame Charge splintered and fractured.

Yolanda smiled as she snapped her hand forward. “Stone Edge!” she barked as even as she bent and rode out the shaking earth.

Terra, rather than attempting to stand, allowed herself to tumble around, only to twitch at the new order and send rocks hurtling down field.

“Evasion and counterstrike!” A.J. commanded as Sandslash tucked and rolled along the thin strip of hardened earth.

“Knock it back!” Yolanda ordered as Sandslash raced forward.

Terra attempted to blow Sandslash away with a barrage of Stone edge only for it to weave side to side in a clinical display of evasion.

Before Yolanda could even blink, Sandslash slammed into Terra and sent her rolling backwards.

“Sandstorm!” ordered Yolanda, deciding to roll the dice with a low visibility match with Terra’ natural ability. She might be able to sneak a Giga Impact if she played this right…

It wouldn't effect Sandslash with a constant biting pain due to it being ground type but it could still play into Terra’s favour.

“Focus Blast it’s last location!” A.J. ordered loudly, and Yolanda grimaced, knowing that her pokemon’s propulsion method of mobility had caught her out.

“Protect!” she roared, knowing it was her only hope.

The shield formed and she felt, through the forming bond with Terra the sudden heavy impact of the Focus Blast.

“Hmph, you’re delaying,” A.J. called. 

“No, we’re fighting on!” Yolanda replied, snapping her hand forward and giving a final command that she hoped would see her winning this exchange. “GO!” she ordered suddenly. 

Terra exploded into action. With A.J’s earlier Focus Blast they had a good idea where Sandslash was.

It turned out they were on the money with Terra smashing into Sandslash and carrying him into a nearby tree that exploded into splinters at the impact of two strong pokemon.

Terra toppled back from the Giga Impact like a spinning top and Yolanda stared through the Sandstorm, hoping that…

Sandslash limped out of the dust, but still had a glint of satisfaction. It reached Terra’s exhausted form and tapped her shell lightly with his claws.

“This is where I call Fissure,” A.J. calmly stated, and Yoladna bowed her head. 

“I withdraw Terra,” she replied, the words feeling tasting foul in her mouth.

Putting words to action she returned her pokemon, acknowledging her defeat.

Damn, A.J. really had put his head down and gotten stronger, she thought to herself. He’d also made sure to apply all of Brock’s teachings. He knew Yolanda’s team and her pokemon movepool before their fight.

This fight… no, it almost felt like an ambush.

“You’ve gotten stronger,” A.J. remarked, cutting through Yolanda’s thoughts.

“Oh… thank you, you have as well. That… was impressive. Where did you get your Dragonair if you mind me asking? It wasn’t part of your team a few days ago when I checked on your profile.”

“Vermilion, if you can believe it. I was training my team near the beach and this pokemon… joined in,” he commented with a tone that all but said he still didn’t believe it himself.

“Wow, that’s crazy lucky,” Yolanda murmured.

“I know,” A.J. replied with a smile. “I think my luck really has turned around since last year!” he chuckled, and for a moment, Yolanda couldn’t help but notice that A.J., when he smiled, was kind of handsome.

She smiled back, glad that he was in such a better state. She recalled that he’d been very abrasive and stubborn when he first came to Brock.

Sighing, she shook her head. “Guess that just means we’re going to have a harder fight at the end of the year,” she commented.

“Yeah, you will,” he replied before offering a nod which she returned.

Yolanda got out of the way as a rather subdued Crystal stalked down to face off against A.J..

“Don’t worry, I’ll make this quick,” he said by way of greeting.

Crystal twitched. “You!” she snarled as she enlarged her pokeball and flicked out her first pokemon.

Her eevee took to the field and lowered itself into a fighting position.

Yolanda climbed up the slope and sat next to Greta. 

“He’s gotten stronger,” Yolanda offered.

“Yeah, he has,” agreed Greta as they watched A.J. make short work of Crystal’s Eevee with another of his Raticate.

On a whim, Yolanda opened her transceiver and began looking through A.J.’s trainer record.

“Oh, he has six badges now,” she murmured.

“Huh?” Greta’s head snapped around to stare at the screen. “Oh, he got three minor Gym badges along with Vermilion’s Gym badge, that makes a lot more sense,” she muttered. 

Scrolling down Yolanda hummed as she spotted his typical lineup with Beedrill, Butterfree, Sandslash, five Raticate… and a Dragonair.

“Why did he get five Raticate?” she asked. “That’s so weird. The only reason he’d have them is for…”

“Yeah,” Greta nodded. “I think he’s got them all learning different moves. If you face a team of them and they all have similar enough moves you won’t be able to guess his pokemon movepool or who he’s specced for. I know some of the rookie crushers and other trainers will be scoping people out on their trainer profiles so we’re going to have to be more active on there going forward.”

“It sure seems that way,” Yolanda muttered. Still, it did give her a few ideas. If she expanded her pokemon team, or had a few aces up her sleeve with a Technical Machine or two ready to be used with some of her pokemon, she could probably catch A.J. and others out.

It would be like what Forrest did with his pokemon evolving before coming to face Brock. Brock had expected a far weaker pokemon.

Yeah… that was a trap that she could set up. Maybe not for next time, but for a tournament perhaps it would be worth pursuing.

“I’m going to have to expand my team,” Yolanda sighed, knowing it was going to have to happen soon. 

“Lave Plume!” roared Crystal from on the field, causing Yolanda to blink and realise that Crystal, rather than being knocked out quickly, had actually been putting up a fight.

Sandslash, who’d been underground at the time with Dig erupted out of the earth, and rolled as globules of super hot magma stuck to his form.

“Tuck and roll! Stay on the move!” ordered A.J. as Cyndaquil began lashing the field with a powerful Flamethrower.

On a whim, Yolanda raised her pokedex towards Cyndaquil. “Huh, Lava Plume is a pretty advanced move for it to know… It says here that it’s well past the point of normal evolution for most of its species. Actually, so is Flamethrower… if she’s not buying Technical Machines then her Starter is almost comparable to ours.”

“Really?” Greta asked, glancing over to see that Yolanda was right. “Oh, she has been working a lot harder than I thought she had.”

“Think she’s going to—” Sandslash slammed into Cyndaquil, sending it flying backwards only for it to skid to a stop in front of Crystal, who whispered something to her pokemon only for it to nod and rise up to keep fighting.

“She’s holding off on evolving it deliberately,” Yolanda murmured. “Clever girl, she’s making it seem like she’s a lot weaker than she actually is.”

Greta nodded. 

The match dragged on another two exchanges before Cyndaquil finally went down, but not before burning Sandslash, causing A.J. to grimace and return his pokemon.

The final match of Butterfree against Mankey was over in the blink of an eye with Butterfree unleashing a potent Confusion that had Mankey punching itself in the face until it passed out.

Crystal slumped but gave A.J. a short nod. “Next time you won’t be so lucky,” she growled as she returned her pokemon and staggered back up the slope.

A.J. smirked only to blink when Greta dusted off her hands and rose with a smirk.

“Avenge us!” called Yolanda with a smirk.

“Yeah! Beat him up! Teach him that ambushing us isn’t a good idea!” called Crystal. 

“Ah… I suddenly realised I have something I need to—” A.J. tried to say only for Greta to shake her head.

“Oh, you’re not going anywhere,” Greta replied as she enlarged a pokeball.

Gastly took to the field, and A.J. perked up, sensing a chance to take a victory.

Yolanda side-eyed her friend. “So, when are you going to evolve your Cyndaquil?”

Crystal twitched. “Huh? What? Whatever gives you that idea?”

Yolanda gave her friend a look. “I haven’t inspected your starter in a while but he has an everstone on him, doesn’t he? You’re waiting to learn all the strong moves first right?”

“I could just be using technical machines to boost him up, you know?” Crystal attempted.

Yolanda directed a highly unimpressed look at her friend. “You play around a lot, but you’re responsible when you need to be. Like with money. Your mother wouldn’t have let you have pokemon like eevee and Cyndaquil otherwise.”

“Urgh! Seen through like the cheap crystal glass that I am!” Crystal joked and Yolanda giggled at the confession.

“Is this why you’ve been making sure to train away from Greta and me?” 

“Have I?” 

“You’ve been making sure to fight with your new pokemon more than Cyndaquil and Eevee. Most of the time you wake up late but I also think you’re staying out later than us which leads to you not showing off your team against us. So what, are you trying to trick us?”

“A little bit…” Crystal curled into herself a little at the admission. “I was hoping to lull you all in with the idea that I was just slacking off. Urgh, stupid A.J. one match where I want to hold my own, and he makes me reveal my trick to you girls.”

“Don’t discount him. I think he might have worked it out as well. Also, I don’t mind being your rival, but you’re my friend first, Crystal. You don’t have to hide your strength from me,” Yolanda offered as on the field, Gastly caught Butterfree in a Hypnosis.

“... thanks, Yol,” Crystal replied from her curled-up position.

“You holding out for Eruption?” Yolanda asked, and Crystal nodded. 

“Yah, are you making any changes after this match to your plan?” 

“Probably going to expand my team a lot more. Get that Poliwag I was toying with earlier. There’s a creek nearby, so I’ll get that. But I’m also going to get that fossil looked at and into my team as soon as it’s ready,” Yolanda answered.

“Heh, A.J is going to be so jealous when he learns we’ve all got fossil pokemon!” Crystal giggled.

Yolanda joined her only to glance at A.J as his Butterfree finally collapsed, and he was forced to send out his Dragonair. “I think he’s plenty happy with the team he has at the moment.”

“Yeah, probably. Urgh! A freaking Dragonair! That thing is going to be a nightmare to deal with later this year!”

“Not like we don’t know how to handle it,” Yolanda smirked.

On the field, Gastly continued to fight against A.J.’s pokemon, with Greta pushing for Hypnosis, only for A.J. to counter with Thunderwave.

Both pokemon stiffened as the other move connected.

Draognair slumped to the ground and began snoring with its tail twitching back and forth while Gastly’s gaseous form spasmed.

The two pokemon remained in their positions, spasming and snoring.

Crystal cupped her hands over her mouth. “Boooo! Boring! Booo I say!”

Yolanda lightly swatted her friend. “Don’t boo them.”

“Am I wrong that this is boring to watch?” Crystal demanded, rounding on Yolanda who suddenly found the clouds very interesting.

Eventually, Gastly shifted forward, just in time to Lick Dragonair as it woke up.

The long tongue of Gastly extended out and swept up Dragonair’s serpentine body.

Crystal and Yolanda tilted their heads and shared a look only to look away.

Too much pokenet, they both thought at the same time.

Dragonair went from drowsy and half asleep to paralysed and twitching, which allowed Greta to finish off the dangerous dragon.

“That’s it! Gastly!” she cheered and something in Gastly sparked at that and it twisted in on itself only for a familiar light to shine forth.

Instantly, everyone’s pokedexs were out to record the moment from multiple angles. Even A.J..

When the newly evolved Haunter revealed itself, it cackled manically and extended its tongue only to grab at its face and pull down an eyelid far past any anatomically possible distance.

“Hau Hau haunter!” it laughed, causing a chill to run through Yolanda. 

“Brrrr, that’s not a nice feeling,” she murmured.

Haunter looked around with a huge grin, and A.J. worked his jaw back and forth. “... Let's go, Raticate!” he commanded as he sent out his third and final Raticate to fight the ghost.

“Not a bad idea,” Crystal murmured as she rubbed at her arms like she was cold. “But it’s not going to be enough.”

She was quickly proven right as Greta mercilessly went for Hypnosis into Dark Pulse rather than rely on moves like Lick or Night Shade.

When his third pokemon went down A.J. held up a hand. “Im not going to drag out this fight and cause myself to White out,” he declared. “My pokemon are tired. This is your win Greta.”

Greta nodded. “Thanks for the great match. You pushed Gastly into evolving so for that I’m really thankful! Also, maybe next time don’t try and come in for the sweep.”

“Maybe next time I’ll face you first so I can achieve it,” he countered.

Greta snorted. “Yeah, that’s not going to happen,” she declared with a fire in her eyes.

A.J. narrowed his and sighed. “Shall I make up dinner for everyone?”

Yolanda glanced at the sky and saw that it was starting to darken. “If you could, that would be nice.” She patted Crystal on the shoulder. “Can you—”

Crystal caught Yolanda’s hand. “You’re not wandering off with your pokemon so tired. This isn’t like the Gym where all the pokemon are friendly, remember. You have to rest.” Crystal’s eyes bore into hers. “Please Yolanda, just sit down and relax. Nothing bad is going to happen.”

Yolanda blinked, realising that she had been about to throw herself into a rather bad position. “Oh… alright then. I was going to try and entice a Poliwag or another water type to join me by singing by the water’s edge rather than fighting…” she explained. 

Crystal stared at Yolanda for a long moment. “Is it important you do it now?”

Yolanda lowered her head. “No, no… you’re right, thanks Crystal.” 

In response, Crystal squeezed Yolanda’s hand. “It’s alright. Come on, help me with my tent please?” 

Unable to stop herself, Yolanda snorted, recalling how Crystal’s attempt at setting up her tent last time had gone.

“Sure thing,” she replied.

That night as she sat around the campfire, enjoying a curry that A.J. had made for them all she glanced around at her friends and rivals for this year’s tournament.

She hadn’t achieved everything she’d set out to do today.

And that was alright.

It… it still gnawed at her and she felt like she should get up and go do something but at the same time… she knew it was best to stay here and relax.

Licking her lips she opened her schedule.

It was jam packed with various activities and dates that she needed to reach certain deadlines. 

Perhaps… perhaps, just maybe she’d been trying to do too much.

Her mind conjured up the trip to the cove and the mystery cave. Both events that she’d thoroughly enjoyed but hadn’t accounted for.

As it was, she had skipped out on a few things that Cerulean had to offer, like the Cerulean Gym Leaders' water show they put on twice a week.

That… she should have attended that. It was one of the big things… in Kanto to check out and instead she’d ground away at tasks and her pokemon.

Yolanda looked at her schedule again and slowly started ticking off certain items and specific milestones. She also pushed back her deadline of having every Gym badge within four months with every Battle Club symbol by six.

She didn’t need to rush…

She took a breath and felt better for giving herself space.

When morning rolled around, her pokemon were recovered from the hearty meal and able to join her on her walk to the creek.

There she sat on the water’s edge and began to sing. It wasn’t one of her rock songs, or anything she’d perform. It was closer to home.

Brock had sung it often enough when lulling their siblings to sleep.”

“Little bird, little bird, fly through my window, little bird little bird, fly through my window! Find molasses candy!~” 

She felt a smile forming on her face and before long, she had her guitar out as she rocked back and forth, singing a silly little song about a bird flying through her window.

She sang about Pidgey, Spearow, Hoot-hoot, Wingull, Zapdos, Articuno, Moltres, and Delibird.

She got so caught up in the song that she forgot what she’d meant to do when she came here and it was only when she felt her body growing warm on one side while cold on the other that she realised she’d caused her pokemon to fall asleep leaning up against her.

On her shoulder, Flapper twitched, and she held in a giggle.

“Krabby!” said a voice from the water.

Glancing down Yolanda blinked in surprise as she found no less than three dozen eyes looking up at her. 

In the water there were Krabby, Goldeen, Psyduck, Magikarp, Poliwag, Poliwhirl and even a Vaporeon.

The last pokemon drew a long look from her. A vaporeon… in the wild like this? What were the chances? Had it run off or… she was practically salivating at the idea of getting such a pokemon on her team.

Movement in the branches above had her looking up to find more pokemon staring back.

Pidgey, Pidgeotto, Spearow, Hoot-hoot, and even some bug pokemon.

“Hello there,” she whispered quietly. “Did you like my song?” she asked.

Every pokemon in sight nodded, only to stiffen as their eyes snapped to the side.

Yolanda turned her head, expecting to see one of her friends approaching with a pokeball or perhaps another trainer.

Instead, she saw white fur and a beautiful dark face.

“Sol,” barked the Absol as it gave Yolanda a measured look before nodding once. Then it turned and dashed away.

Did that mean she was in danger… or she was fine? What… what was that?

Thoroughly confused, Yolanda turned back to the crowd of pokemon only for her movement to jostle Spot, who snorted and kicked her lightly in his sleep.

“Urgh,” she grunted. “Did anyone want another song?” she offered.

Again, the crowd of Pokémon nodded, and she smiled.

She sang another song she’d picked up from Brock that helped soothe young children. This one a silly song about a lion pokemon sleeping in the jungle.

Then she sang one of her own about the love of a good family.

When she was done with the final chord, she let the music fade and gave the crowd of pokemon another look. 

“Hello everyone, my name is Yolanda, and these are Flapper, Spot, Slash, and Terra, they’re my companions. I’m hoping to expand my friends and companions… I like singing and my family…” She licked her lips. “I always want to grow as strong as I can with my friends… would any of you like to come with me?” she asked.

Instantly, dozens of pokemon bowed their heads and departed. Yolanda was saddened to see the Vaporeon depart among them.

Others surprised Yolanda by tossing her berries, and other little items. 

She smiled at the ‘payment’ for the songs. There were broken watches, pokeballs that were probably registered to others…and even half a Luxury ball.

“Krabby,” chirped a pokemon from close by.

Yolanda looked up, hope rising only to find Krabby waving goodbye to her; all the others had left. 

"Oh…" she blinked in surprise. That… she’d been hoping that at least one of them…

She’d failed? Was this a failure? What… what was this?

For a long minute she sat and considered that.

There had been so many pokemon and none of them had wanted to join her? That…

Had she done something wrong? Had she not sung well enough? Why hadn’t they wanted to stay? Was it her fault they left?

This felt…

Oh…

She looked up, watching as a pokemon winged its way overhead as her vision suddenly blurred and she sniffled.

This… this was what the therapist had talked about. 

She hadn’t done anything wrong, and in this instance, neither had the pokemon.

And that was alright.

She took a breath and accepted that. She didn’t like it, but… she almost felt lighter having failed at this and… nothing bad had happened. 

That was good.

She allowed herself a few more minutes of just sitting there and taking things in. Then she started singing again, because… who knows, maybe there’d be someone else out there who’d want to join her?

And if not, singing could be its own reward.

When she returned to camp, it was to Crystal waving her arms about and waving her transceiver about. “Yolanda! The pokenet is out!”

Yolanda shook her head. “We’re out of the city, Crystal.”

“No! See the pokenet system was something that was introduced with Champion Pryce and he went overboard with the system! There’s like only a few spots that don’t have access to it!”

Yolanda blinked and glanced to Greta for confirmation. When she got a slow nod Yolanda turned back to Crystal who was no performing an odd dance with her wrist raised towards the sky.

“I’m sure it’s just an outage, nothing major,” Yolanda replied with a wave of her hand before clapping her hands. “Now! Who’s up for breakfast?" she declared, feeling more upbeat than she had been.

Today was going to be a great day!

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A.N. Thanks go to my patreons for your continued support!

It also goes to Twmmy for proofreading this chapter!