Route 11 is humid- As to be expected given the climate of the rest of Alola, save for the snowy mountain peaks. Dew still clings to the grass and bamboo, slowly drying out as the sun continues to heighten itself in the sky. Malie City isn’t quite bustling just yet, leaving Atty free of any long lines when she goes to get her own little treat to start the day. Nothing big- just a breakfast sandwich, the wrapper finding itself thrown away before she even steps out of the city. She wastes no time getting back out into the wilderness, staying on the path as to not attract any wild Pokemon just yet.
“Alright, lessee…” Ruby hops off her shoulders and she takes her bag off, a light thump as she sets it on the ground. Five balls are pulled out. A Regular Pokeball, two Ultra Balls, a Net ball, a and a Sport Ball- A manufactured specialty of Johto. The balls are set to the side for now, rummaging further until she pulls out a couple cases of what look like leftovers, the kind you would see sitting in the fridge. Ruby darts for the one she knows is hers before Atty suddenly pipes up, scolding the weasel. “Hey, hey! Wait for everyone else, alright?”
There’s a grumble from the Pokemon, and she slowly lowers the lid before plopping herself down on the ground. With things finally organized, her trainer picks up the Pokeballs, releasing her team onto the Route. Thankfully, not many people are out yet, so the possibility of attracting attention and unwanted battles isn’t too high. As the light fades, her Pokemon shake off their grogginess, slowly awakening to the sights and smells of being outside.
The first to come to her senses is her Scizor- Dakota. She already knows the drill, stepping up to Atty and getting her morning meal. The rest of the team follows as well. Ariel the Primarina, Jeanne the Tsareena, Bayonetta the Salazzle, and… Wait.
Atty counts her Pokemon off as they eat breakfast, only to pause when she realizes she’s one short. Her head darts around, hair tossing as she quickly looks around. Thankfully, a Pokemon of her sort of size isn’t hard to find. “Flower!” The brunette calls when she spots the Golisopod nearby, hunched over in front of a blossoming bush. The isopod chitters, curiously turning back to attention when she’s called. “C’mon! Breakfast is ready, ya big baby.” Even through her Pokemon’s tendency to get easily distracted, she can’t help but love her all the same. It had been that way with everyone on her team, all each with their own different stories on how both human and Pokemon came to befriend and accept one another. It’s especially true for Ruby and Dakota, two Pokemon that had been with her for almost the entirety of her career as a trainer. Ruby even moreso, considering she was Atty’s first Pokemon.
It was during a holiday trip back in Unova, years ago when she was only about six years old. Lancuosa Town, during the winter specifically. While the walls of the town protected travelers and residents from the beasts of generation-old fairytales, there were still a handful of Pokemon that would manage to sneak in. Of course, Weaviles and Sneasels were the most common. In their childish innocence, however, both Atty and Ruby had failed to realize they were from two very different worlds. Ruby enjoyed the affection and attention, not to mention the scraps and snacks the girl would sneak to her. After hours of begging, the adults finally caved in, and in the instance with only a single Pokeball, both of their lives changed. And it had been that way ever since, for the past 14 years.
Atty gets snapped out of her thoughts when she feels a familiar tugging at her shorts. Ruby stands there, empty container in hand, looking almost like a toddler would. “Thank you, Rubes,” Atty smiles, taking it back from the weasel and giving her dark fur a light ruffle. She gets a soft mewl in response, and then goes to collect everyone else’s empty boxes, stacking them back into her bag. With the food now gone, it’s considerably lighter. “Alright,” The young woman breathes out, wiping her hands on her exposed thighs. It’s beginning to get warmer and warmer with each passing minute, and she can feel the light slickness of sweat on her skin. “Next order of business… It’s a training day, so we’re gonna head down over to the southern end of the island, alright? It’ll take about an hour to cross the next route over because of the landscaping, but trust me, it’ll be worth it,” She grins, watching her team as they stand at attention and listen. “There’s a desert down there, it’ll be good for the three of you- Ariel, Flower, Jeanne. Bayo, you on the other hand… We can try the base of Lanakila, alright? It’s a little further from the desert, but it’s alright if it means getting you some training in.” Another breath let out, and her team seems to nod in agreement, save for Ruby and Dakota. Considering they have years of experience, it was definitely time for the newer members of the team to get some experience in. Everyone is returned, including her Weavile this time. With the temperature slowly rising, it’s not yet worth to bring her out if all Atty is going to be doing is traveling.
Within about ten minutes, the landscaping changes from lush and green, filled with bamboo and the soft chirps of bird Pokemon, to more rugged and uneven. The dirt and rocks are rich and red, the grasses yellowing and drying out under the heat and exposure to the sun. Atty flips her ride pager open, scrolling through the list of available Pokemon until her eyes rest on Mudsdale. With a quick wipe to her damp forehead, she selects the Ride Pokemon, feeling the device softly vibrate. The Pokemon is transferred over, and she releases the equine from the specialized ball attached to the pager. It huffs out a low snort, stomping a hoof on the rough earth, dark eyes resting on the girl. Atty tenses for a moment, before moving over towards the Mudsdale and rubbing her hands along it’s coarse hair. “Easy now. Just gonna ask you to help get me over Blush Mountain and Route 12, okay?” She grunts as she hoists herself up onto the Mudsdale’s sattle, but thankfully it’s seemed to have calmed down. With a little bit more shifting, Atty gets herself comfortable for the upcoming bumpy ride, gripping onto the handles of the Pokemon’s harness.
--
Unfortunately, the ride is rougher than Atty actually expected. Combined with the heat and the sweat, she nearly falls off when the Mudsdale hits a bumpy area. While it would be a decently smart idea to tell the Pokemon to slow down, she’s rather stubborn about getting down to the south coast, not wanting to waste any time when there’s plenty of training to be done. She can see the path smoothing out ahead and the grass slowly regains its color the further the Mudsdale treks. It takes only a couple more minutes before she can safely get off the Pokemon, giving it a “Thanks,” before tucking it back inside it’s ball and sending the equine back wherever it came from.
There’s a couple trainers out and about, but most of them are heading down over to her left. Sand covers the coastline, sticking out from the rocky, wet walls of the previous route. Many people come there with their surfboards looking for action, since the waves out by Ula’Ula tend to be a bit rougher than the calm waters of Akala or Melemele. Although some time to relax and take a quick dip sounds very inviting, Atty pushes on ahead, running a hand through her warm hair. Despite the area being a bit more full of life than Route 12, the ground that surrounds her is still heavily earthen and covered with exposed dirt. Taking her eyes off of the beachgoers, the woman spies a motel up ahead. It would possibly be worth stopping there to get a quick drink or snack, if not solely for the fact of adding the location into her pager. It would definitely make future trips easier if she could take a Charizard rather than calling up a Mudsdale each time. Her feet find themselves moving before her mind finishes it’s train of thought, likely the heat causing her to become a bit dazed.
The motel itself seems to be rather vacant, but when she steps in, the cool blast of air conditioning instantly hits her and relaxes her. The woman at the desk simply nods when Atty explains she’s only stopping for a quick break, understanding that not many folks end up staying overnight when they trek down here. “Besides,” The older woman adds on, causing Atty to peel her eyes away from the vending machine in front of her. “There’s that trailer park right nearby. Most kids that come down here, if they plan on sticking around, usually have a friend or two over there that they stay with.”
Stepping back out into the sun, with her head now cleared, it turns out the woman inside was correct. Off to the right, there’s an expanse of trailer homes strewn about, an oasis dotting the middle. It doesn’t seem too active at first glance- Until she spots a decently sized group of people possibly around her age, give or take. Almost all of them are wearing black clothing, and Atty can feel herself starting to melt just looking at them. While her closet was a good amount filled with darker clothing, it was always things like shorts or crop tops. But these guys… They look like some sort of dance troupe. Wearing all the same kind of stuff, nearly every kid looking like they had dyed hair… She rises, giving them one last look over before swinging around to put her water back into her bag. She’d be heading over in their direction anyways, she might as well get all her looking out while she could.
When she walks over their way, she can just barely make out what’s being said. It looks like one of the girls there seems to be leading things, giving the younger kids a rundown, all too similar of how Atty was talking to her Pokemon earlier. Despite her promise to keep her eyes off and her business to herself, brown orbs find themselves watching anyways. Atty has no idea how this chick can stand to be in anything longer than a pair of shorts, but she has some of the prettiest hair she’s ever seen. Silky hair pulled into quad pigtails, divided by color. A bright, lemony yellow and an attractive pink. Her mind wanders for a minute, wondering what it would look like if this other woman took off that bandana and let her hair down, but her eyes suddenly snap back onto the road in front of her. She’s extremely close to the desert, seeing the lighter sand begin to merge with the dark dirt. However, what she isn’t expecting is to also see a gate situated there, along with a guide special to the Island Challenge. The mint colored tshirt is a dead giveaway before she can even get close, and the guide already has her eyes on Atty before the trainer can speak up.
“Mind if I see your Z-Crystals?” Although her arms are crossed, she doesn’t look too annoyed yet with Atty.
“Yeah, uh, sure…” She swallows, mouth suddenly dry again. It takes a minute of looking through her bag, but she finally pulls out the case containing her Z-Crystals. She clicks it open, the gems catching the sunlight and glittering magnificently. They’re all there- From her Normalium Z up to the two she was gifted just last week. There’s a heavy silence for a minute, the guide quietly counting and going over her collection.
“It looks like you still don’t have the Ghostium Z yet, right? From Acerola’s trial? Sorry, I’m going to have keep you out of Haina Des-”
Before she can finish, Atty is up again, trying to defend herself. “Wait! It’s fine, trust me. I was just going to train in there, promise. I have badges, did you want to see those? All eight from Unova, a-and even more from other regions-” She gives a slight stutter, the dryness of the air attacking her throat. The guide doesn’t look all as pleased.
“I’m sorry, but no.” Her voice sounds much more stern this time, not moving her position from the barricade. “The Ruins of Abundance are past here in the desert, and it’s strict rule not to let anyone in that isn’t qualified! We can’t take badges either, I’m sorry. I’m not about to give up this position anytime soon either if someone else catches you hopping over.”
She’s about to open her mouth to argue more- To say something, to back herself up, to explain in any way that she’s 20 years old and an experienced trainer and doesn’t need to be babied, but the words fail to come out. She stares for a moment, before storing away her crystals and picking up her bag. “...Alright. Sorry, I’ll come back later.” It hurts when she’s forced to walk away. Coming out all the way out here just to be turned down by a single requirement she can’t meet, despite being fully capable being responsible and defending herself. There’s a sickening knot in her stomach, formed out of annoyance and displeasure, figuring her only option left would be to travel a bit further to Route 14 or 15, somewhere along the base of the mountain where she had promised to train Bayonetta. It was the least she could do, although her mind was yelling at her just to give up and call it a day already. She delves deeper and deeper into that mindset, only to end up feeling worse and harder on herself, until that knot in her stomach suddenly snaps. Out of the blue, a voice calls her, cutting through her moody silence like a knife.
“Hey, you! Tie-dye!”
Atty suddenly turns, ready to give flak to whoever thought it would be funny to bother her, but quickly freezes in place when she looks at who it is. The girl from before, pink and yellow hair still neatly tied up. Her eyes are a soft gold, heavy with dark liner and shadow, and the brunette can feel herself nearly shrivel up in the presence of the other woman. “...Me? Y-Yeah?” Her throat still hurts, and she probably sounds like an idiot, but it’s all she can muster.
“Yeah, who else around here is wearing tie-dye?” She crosses her arms, but unlike the guide, there doesn’t seem to be any extra annoyance to her tone despite her choice of words. Atty’s heart nearly jumps when she spies black nails, smoothly polished and manicured, but she’s quick to looking back to her slim face. “Couldn’t help but hear that little argument you had over there, sorry,” She cooly shrugs, not actually looking apologetic in the slightest, but Atty still can’t sense any malicious intent in the woman. “You said you were gonna train, right? Until you got blocked off like that?” Atty can only nod in response, feeling eyes looking up and down her. “...Show me those badges you mentioned.”
She’s scrambling for her bag again, though far more eager this time than previously. “Is- Is there any region in specific you wanted to see? I have Unova, uh… Johto, Kanto-”
“Whatever’s got the most.” She’s blunt and to the point, wasting no time with the little brunette.
With another silent nod, she pulls out one of her badge cases, clicking it open without hesitation. All eight Unova League badges shine, safely tucked in black velvet casing. Atty watches her the same way as she did with the guide, though there’s a slight hint of approval on her tanned features.
“Huh,” She finally speaks up, a hand going to her hip. “Didn’t actually expect a full eight.”
“Thanks…?” The young woman really isn’t sure what to say at this point, but it doesn’t take much for the other to suddenly get friendly.
“Name’s Plumeria. Listen, you seem pretty tough, and you were looking forward to getting some training in today, right? I wanna ask you a favor, then. I got this friend, you might’ve heard him, you might’ve not- Whatever. Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I need him to get off his ass once in a while and actually do some battles.” She rolls her eyes, shifting back into an arms-crossed posed. “I’m not gonna force you, but I’m thinking it would be a good idea if you came over and maybe had a battle or two with us.” She jerks a thumb over her shoulder, back over into the trailer park.
Behind Plumeria, Atty can see more of the kids from before- the ones in black. Though some of them are talking amongst themselves, there’s a couple now watching the two women talk. She scans each of them, trying to find whatever lazy guy Plumeria might be hinting at. Although there are some sitting around relaxing for the time being, it doesn’t look like anything to the extent she was talking about. Her attention shifts back onto the other, brown eyes meeting gold. “Yeah, that’s… That’d be fine. I’ll battle. Where’s the guy you were talking about?”
Her tinted lips curve up into a small smile, and Atty can feel her face grow warm, not just from the heat. “Follow me,” She picks up her feet, dirty white sneakers crunching the pebbles and dirt as she walks. Surprisingly, she leads Atty completely past the group of teens, instead heading straight for a trailer. Her fist collides with the less-than-sturdy door, it’s frame rattling as when she heavily knocks. “Yo, G! Get your ass up already!” The sudden noise from the woman slightly startles Atty, but what happens next she’s definitely not prepared for.
Plumeria is about to knock again, hand raised, when suddenly the door slams open. A man- At least 6ft, probably more around 6 and a half- is standing there, taking up almost all of the space in the doorway. He drags a large hand down his face, looking like he just woke up. His white hair is tousled and messy, not to mention his choice of attire. Sweats and a tanktop- And Atty feels her breath hitch when her eyes make contact with his toned arms, continuing to feel herself grow warmer as her line of sight meets his chest. He’s… Big. Strong, broad, sturdy- All words that were more than fitting for whoever this man was. She struggles to tear her eyes away from the way his tanktop practically clings to him, though looking at his actual face doesn’t seem to improve much for the poor girl. Everything about him is strong-looking, though not to the extent of a bodybuilder or anything similar. Judging by the way his face is angled and the strong looking jaw he has, it seems to be his natural body type. His voice finally snaps Atty out of her gawking, more focused on Plumeria than her, thankfully. “Jesus, don’t gotta be so damn loud…” He grumbles, voice low and heavy, dripping with bass. “The hell you want, Plumes? I already told ya, I-”
“Would you stop being a baby for once? Come on, I got someone to battle you.” Plumeria suddenly stepped to the side, revealing Atty. She gives a light tug to her arm, pulling her in closer to the action. “Should be entertaining. I got this girl here- Uh- Shit, what’s your name?”
She knows it’s not just the temperature making her overheated now. Her sight shifts from Plumeria, onto the other man, meeting his eyes, and she can once again feel her blood go cold. His eyes are dark like the other woman’s, though she’s not sure if it’s actual makeup or lack of sleep. His pupils are a cool, steely grey, all of his hard features capturing her gaze. Without a clear sense of thinking, she blurts out her name before she realizes she’s taking too long to respond. “Atlas- But just Atty is fine.”
There’s a pause from all three of them. The air feels heavy and tense to the brunette, head suddenly swimming with overwhelming thoughts. She’s brought to the surface again when she hears the low rumble of his voice. “...Fine. Lemme get my shit,” And as soon as he had shown, he was gone again, the door closing in both of the woman’s faces.
“...Just give him a minute. He’ll be out again soon.”
“Alright, lessee…” Ruby hops off her shoulders and she takes her bag off, a light thump as she sets it on the ground. Five balls are pulled out. A Regular Pokeball, two Ultra Balls, a Net ball, a and a Sport Ball- A manufactured specialty of Johto. The balls are set to the side for now, rummaging further until she pulls out a couple cases of what look like leftovers, the kind you would see sitting in the fridge. Ruby darts for the one she knows is hers before Atty suddenly pipes up, scolding the weasel. “Hey, hey! Wait for everyone else, alright?”
There’s a grumble from the Pokemon, and she slowly lowers the lid before plopping herself down on the ground. With things finally organized, her trainer picks up the Pokeballs, releasing her team onto the Route. Thankfully, not many people are out yet, so the possibility of attracting attention and unwanted battles isn’t too high. As the light fades, her Pokemon shake off their grogginess, slowly awakening to the sights and smells of being outside.
The first to come to her senses is her Scizor- Dakota. She already knows the drill, stepping up to Atty and getting her morning meal. The rest of the team follows as well. Ariel the Primarina, Jeanne the Tsareena, Bayonetta the Salazzle, and… Wait.
Atty counts her Pokemon off as they eat breakfast, only to pause when she realizes she’s one short. Her head darts around, hair tossing as she quickly looks around. Thankfully, a Pokemon of her sort of size isn’t hard to find. “Flower!” The brunette calls when she spots the Golisopod nearby, hunched over in front of a blossoming bush. The isopod chitters, curiously turning back to attention when she’s called. “C’mon! Breakfast is ready, ya big baby.” Even through her Pokemon’s tendency to get easily distracted, she can’t help but love her all the same. It had been that way with everyone on her team, all each with their own different stories on how both human and Pokemon came to befriend and accept one another. It’s especially true for Ruby and Dakota, two Pokemon that had been with her for almost the entirety of her career as a trainer. Ruby even moreso, considering she was Atty’s first Pokemon.
It was during a holiday trip back in Unova, years ago when she was only about six years old. Lancuosa Town, during the winter specifically. While the walls of the town protected travelers and residents from the beasts of generation-old fairytales, there were still a handful of Pokemon that would manage to sneak in. Of course, Weaviles and Sneasels were the most common. In their childish innocence, however, both Atty and Ruby had failed to realize they were from two very different worlds. Ruby enjoyed the affection and attention, not to mention the scraps and snacks the girl would sneak to her. After hours of begging, the adults finally caved in, and in the instance with only a single Pokeball, both of their lives changed. And it had been that way ever since, for the past 14 years.
Atty gets snapped out of her thoughts when she feels a familiar tugging at her shorts. Ruby stands there, empty container in hand, looking almost like a toddler would. “Thank you, Rubes,” Atty smiles, taking it back from the weasel and giving her dark fur a light ruffle. She gets a soft mewl in response, and then goes to collect everyone else’s empty boxes, stacking them back into her bag. With the food now gone, it’s considerably lighter. “Alright,” The young woman breathes out, wiping her hands on her exposed thighs. It’s beginning to get warmer and warmer with each passing minute, and she can feel the light slickness of sweat on her skin. “Next order of business… It’s a training day, so we’re gonna head down over to the southern end of the island, alright? It’ll take about an hour to cross the next route over because of the landscaping, but trust me, it’ll be worth it,” She grins, watching her team as they stand at attention and listen. “There’s a desert down there, it’ll be good for the three of you- Ariel, Flower, Jeanne. Bayo, you on the other hand… We can try the base of Lanakila, alright? It’s a little further from the desert, but it’s alright if it means getting you some training in.” Another breath let out, and her team seems to nod in agreement, save for Ruby and Dakota. Considering they have years of experience, it was definitely time for the newer members of the team to get some experience in. Everyone is returned, including her Weavile this time. With the temperature slowly rising, it’s not yet worth to bring her out if all Atty is going to be doing is traveling.
Within about ten minutes, the landscaping changes from lush and green, filled with bamboo and the soft chirps of bird Pokemon, to more rugged and uneven. The dirt and rocks are rich and red, the grasses yellowing and drying out under the heat and exposure to the sun. Atty flips her ride pager open, scrolling through the list of available Pokemon until her eyes rest on Mudsdale. With a quick wipe to her damp forehead, she selects the Ride Pokemon, feeling the device softly vibrate. The Pokemon is transferred over, and she releases the equine from the specialized ball attached to the pager. It huffs out a low snort, stomping a hoof on the rough earth, dark eyes resting on the girl. Atty tenses for a moment, before moving over towards the Mudsdale and rubbing her hands along it’s coarse hair. “Easy now. Just gonna ask you to help get me over Blush Mountain and Route 12, okay?” She grunts as she hoists herself up onto the Mudsdale’s sattle, but thankfully it’s seemed to have calmed down. With a little bit more shifting, Atty gets herself comfortable for the upcoming bumpy ride, gripping onto the handles of the Pokemon’s harness.
--
Unfortunately, the ride is rougher than Atty actually expected. Combined with the heat and the sweat, she nearly falls off when the Mudsdale hits a bumpy area. While it would be a decently smart idea to tell the Pokemon to slow down, she’s rather stubborn about getting down to the south coast, not wanting to waste any time when there’s plenty of training to be done. She can see the path smoothing out ahead and the grass slowly regains its color the further the Mudsdale treks. It takes only a couple more minutes before she can safely get off the Pokemon, giving it a “Thanks,” before tucking it back inside it’s ball and sending the equine back wherever it came from.
There’s a couple trainers out and about, but most of them are heading down over to her left. Sand covers the coastline, sticking out from the rocky, wet walls of the previous route. Many people come there with their surfboards looking for action, since the waves out by Ula’Ula tend to be a bit rougher than the calm waters of Akala or Melemele. Although some time to relax and take a quick dip sounds very inviting, Atty pushes on ahead, running a hand through her warm hair. Despite the area being a bit more full of life than Route 12, the ground that surrounds her is still heavily earthen and covered with exposed dirt. Taking her eyes off of the beachgoers, the woman spies a motel up ahead. It would possibly be worth stopping there to get a quick drink or snack, if not solely for the fact of adding the location into her pager. It would definitely make future trips easier if she could take a Charizard rather than calling up a Mudsdale each time. Her feet find themselves moving before her mind finishes it’s train of thought, likely the heat causing her to become a bit dazed.
The motel itself seems to be rather vacant, but when she steps in, the cool blast of air conditioning instantly hits her and relaxes her. The woman at the desk simply nods when Atty explains she’s only stopping for a quick break, understanding that not many folks end up staying overnight when they trek down here. “Besides,” The older woman adds on, causing Atty to peel her eyes away from the vending machine in front of her. “There’s that trailer park right nearby. Most kids that come down here, if they plan on sticking around, usually have a friend or two over there that they stay with.”
Stepping back out into the sun, with her head now cleared, it turns out the woman inside was correct. Off to the right, there’s an expanse of trailer homes strewn about, an oasis dotting the middle. It doesn’t seem too active at first glance- Until she spots a decently sized group of people possibly around her age, give or take. Almost all of them are wearing black clothing, and Atty can feel herself starting to melt just looking at them. While her closet was a good amount filled with darker clothing, it was always things like shorts or crop tops. But these guys… They look like some sort of dance troupe. Wearing all the same kind of stuff, nearly every kid looking like they had dyed hair… She rises, giving them one last look over before swinging around to put her water back into her bag. She’d be heading over in their direction anyways, she might as well get all her looking out while she could.
When she walks over their way, she can just barely make out what’s being said. It looks like one of the girls there seems to be leading things, giving the younger kids a rundown, all too similar of how Atty was talking to her Pokemon earlier. Despite her promise to keep her eyes off and her business to herself, brown orbs find themselves watching anyways. Atty has no idea how this chick can stand to be in anything longer than a pair of shorts, but she has some of the prettiest hair she’s ever seen. Silky hair pulled into quad pigtails, divided by color. A bright, lemony yellow and an attractive pink. Her mind wanders for a minute, wondering what it would look like if this other woman took off that bandana and let her hair down, but her eyes suddenly snap back onto the road in front of her. She’s extremely close to the desert, seeing the lighter sand begin to merge with the dark dirt. However, what she isn’t expecting is to also see a gate situated there, along with a guide special to the Island Challenge. The mint colored tshirt is a dead giveaway before she can even get close, and the guide already has her eyes on Atty before the trainer can speak up.
“Mind if I see your Z-Crystals?” Although her arms are crossed, she doesn’t look too annoyed yet with Atty.
“Yeah, uh, sure…” She swallows, mouth suddenly dry again. It takes a minute of looking through her bag, but she finally pulls out the case containing her Z-Crystals. She clicks it open, the gems catching the sunlight and glittering magnificently. They’re all there- From her Normalium Z up to the two she was gifted just last week. There’s a heavy silence for a minute, the guide quietly counting and going over her collection.
“It looks like you still don’t have the Ghostium Z yet, right? From Acerola’s trial? Sorry, I’m going to have keep you out of Haina Des-”
Before she can finish, Atty is up again, trying to defend herself. “Wait! It’s fine, trust me. I was just going to train in there, promise. I have badges, did you want to see those? All eight from Unova, a-and even more from other regions-” She gives a slight stutter, the dryness of the air attacking her throat. The guide doesn’t look all as pleased.
“I’m sorry, but no.” Her voice sounds much more stern this time, not moving her position from the barricade. “The Ruins of Abundance are past here in the desert, and it’s strict rule not to let anyone in that isn’t qualified! We can’t take badges either, I’m sorry. I’m not about to give up this position anytime soon either if someone else catches you hopping over.”
She’s about to open her mouth to argue more- To say something, to back herself up, to explain in any way that she’s 20 years old and an experienced trainer and doesn’t need to be babied, but the words fail to come out. She stares for a moment, before storing away her crystals and picking up her bag. “...Alright. Sorry, I’ll come back later.” It hurts when she’s forced to walk away. Coming out all the way out here just to be turned down by a single requirement she can’t meet, despite being fully capable being responsible and defending herself. There’s a sickening knot in her stomach, formed out of annoyance and displeasure, figuring her only option left would be to travel a bit further to Route 14 or 15, somewhere along the base of the mountain where she had promised to train Bayonetta. It was the least she could do, although her mind was yelling at her just to give up and call it a day already. She delves deeper and deeper into that mindset, only to end up feeling worse and harder on herself, until that knot in her stomach suddenly snaps. Out of the blue, a voice calls her, cutting through her moody silence like a knife.
“Hey, you! Tie-dye!”
Atty suddenly turns, ready to give flak to whoever thought it would be funny to bother her, but quickly freezes in place when she looks at who it is. The girl from before, pink and yellow hair still neatly tied up. Her eyes are a soft gold, heavy with dark liner and shadow, and the brunette can feel herself nearly shrivel up in the presence of the other woman. “...Me? Y-Yeah?” Her throat still hurts, and she probably sounds like an idiot, but it’s all she can muster.
“Yeah, who else around here is wearing tie-dye?” She crosses her arms, but unlike the guide, there doesn’t seem to be any extra annoyance to her tone despite her choice of words. Atty’s heart nearly jumps when she spies black nails, smoothly polished and manicured, but she’s quick to looking back to her slim face. “Couldn’t help but hear that little argument you had over there, sorry,” She cooly shrugs, not actually looking apologetic in the slightest, but Atty still can’t sense any malicious intent in the woman. “You said you were gonna train, right? Until you got blocked off like that?” Atty can only nod in response, feeling eyes looking up and down her. “...Show me those badges you mentioned.”
She’s scrambling for her bag again, though far more eager this time than previously. “Is- Is there any region in specific you wanted to see? I have Unova, uh… Johto, Kanto-”
“Whatever’s got the most.” She’s blunt and to the point, wasting no time with the little brunette.
With another silent nod, she pulls out one of her badge cases, clicking it open without hesitation. All eight Unova League badges shine, safely tucked in black velvet casing. Atty watches her the same way as she did with the guide, though there’s a slight hint of approval on her tanned features.
“Huh,” She finally speaks up, a hand going to her hip. “Didn’t actually expect a full eight.”
“Thanks…?” The young woman really isn’t sure what to say at this point, but it doesn’t take much for the other to suddenly get friendly.
“Name’s Plumeria. Listen, you seem pretty tough, and you were looking forward to getting some training in today, right? I wanna ask you a favor, then. I got this friend, you might’ve heard him, you might’ve not- Whatever. Doesn’t matter. What matters is that I need him to get off his ass once in a while and actually do some battles.” She rolls her eyes, shifting back into an arms-crossed posed. “I’m not gonna force you, but I’m thinking it would be a good idea if you came over and maybe had a battle or two with us.” She jerks a thumb over her shoulder, back over into the trailer park.
Behind Plumeria, Atty can see more of the kids from before- the ones in black. Though some of them are talking amongst themselves, there’s a couple now watching the two women talk. She scans each of them, trying to find whatever lazy guy Plumeria might be hinting at. Although there are some sitting around relaxing for the time being, it doesn’t look like anything to the extent she was talking about. Her attention shifts back onto the other, brown eyes meeting gold. “Yeah, that’s… That’d be fine. I’ll battle. Where’s the guy you were talking about?”
Her tinted lips curve up into a small smile, and Atty can feel her face grow warm, not just from the heat. “Follow me,” She picks up her feet, dirty white sneakers crunching the pebbles and dirt as she walks. Surprisingly, she leads Atty completely past the group of teens, instead heading straight for a trailer. Her fist collides with the less-than-sturdy door, it’s frame rattling as when she heavily knocks. “Yo, G! Get your ass up already!” The sudden noise from the woman slightly startles Atty, but what happens next she’s definitely not prepared for.
Plumeria is about to knock again, hand raised, when suddenly the door slams open. A man- At least 6ft, probably more around 6 and a half- is standing there, taking up almost all of the space in the doorway. He drags a large hand down his face, looking like he just woke up. His white hair is tousled and messy, not to mention his choice of attire. Sweats and a tanktop- And Atty feels her breath hitch when her eyes make contact with his toned arms, continuing to feel herself grow warmer as her line of sight meets his chest. He’s… Big. Strong, broad, sturdy- All words that were more than fitting for whoever this man was. She struggles to tear her eyes away from the way his tanktop practically clings to him, though looking at his actual face doesn’t seem to improve much for the poor girl. Everything about him is strong-looking, though not to the extent of a bodybuilder or anything similar. Judging by the way his face is angled and the strong looking jaw he has, it seems to be his natural body type. His voice finally snaps Atty out of her gawking, more focused on Plumeria than her, thankfully. “Jesus, don’t gotta be so damn loud…” He grumbles, voice low and heavy, dripping with bass. “The hell you want, Plumes? I already told ya, I-”
“Would you stop being a baby for once? Come on, I got someone to battle you.” Plumeria suddenly stepped to the side, revealing Atty. She gives a light tug to her arm, pulling her in closer to the action. “Should be entertaining. I got this girl here- Uh- Shit, what’s your name?”
She knows it’s not just the temperature making her overheated now. Her sight shifts from Plumeria, onto the other man, meeting his eyes, and she can once again feel her blood go cold. His eyes are dark like the other woman’s, though she’s not sure if it’s actual makeup or lack of sleep. His pupils are a cool, steely grey, all of his hard features capturing her gaze. Without a clear sense of thinking, she blurts out her name before she realizes she’s taking too long to respond. “Atlas- But just Atty is fine.”
There’s a pause from all three of them. The air feels heavy and tense to the brunette, head suddenly swimming with overwhelming thoughts. She’s brought to the surface again when she hears the low rumble of his voice. “...Fine. Lemme get my shit,” And as soon as he had shown, he was gone again, the door closing in both of the woman’s faces.
“...Just give him a minute. He’ll be out again soon.”
