The Ereri Project (#2)

Trainer (Pokémon)

Petra returned bright and early the next morning with a smile on her face.

"Alright little lady," Eren says. "Before I can train you, Levi here is going to help you find a Pokémon. He's the best person I know for matching up trainers with Pokémon that'll be good for them."

"Okay," Petra says, nodding. She turns to Levi and holds out her hand. "I'm sorry for everything my father put you all through," she says. "I'm Petra."

Levi nods and shakes her hand. "I need to test you before I can pick a Pokémon for you, are you ready to work?"

"Yes sir!" she nods with determination.

"Good," Levi says, handing her a list. "I'll be overseeing, but I'm expecting you to do all this."

She jaw drops a bit at the length of the list but she nods. "Alright," she says.

"All the Pokémon are in that building over there," he says, gesturing to the sleeping place of the adoptable Pokémon. "Go ahead and get started, I have to talk to Eren for a minute."

Petra goes to start waking up all the Pokémon and leads them outside to play while she gets their breakfast.

She watching as Eren leaves the farm with his Sylveon and Levi comes back out to watch her.

She spend her entire day doing Levi work and wondering which of the Pokémon she's been working with all day will be hers.

After breakfast, the furry Pokémon all need baths, then she has to clean out the water types' play pool, then she had to clean up all the rooms where they sleep, then she has to feed them lunch.

After lunch, she has to bath all of the non-furry Pokémon, then bring out some toys so they have some variety instead of just the playground, then she has to put all the baby Pokémon down for naps.

After that, she's already exhausted but she has to prepare dinner and Eren isn't even back yet.

One of the Eevee and one of the Vulpix get into another fight and she snaps, stomping in between them.

"I have had enough of you two today! If you do not stop fighting both of you are going to bed without dinner! Are we clear?"

Both of them cower but still look defiant as they wander off away from each other. Petra feels her frustration start to waver when she hears a chuckle coming from behind her.

Levi is sitting on the porch, doubled over laughing. "What?" she asks, tired and annoyed.

"I've never seen anyone get so frustrated without even once asking for help, you're funny."

She scowls and walks over to him. "What's all this work even for? I feel like you've just been making me do this you don't have to work today."

"Well," Levi says casually. "That is part of it."

Petra swells up with anger and almost starts shouting.

"But," Levi adds when he sees the frustration in her eyes sharpen. "It also shows me that you're determined and independent. I like that in a new trainer. If you were as much of a simpering little waif as you look I would've told Eren to forget about it and send you home."

Her eyebrows furrow at that. "Is that really what I look like?"

"That's what all newbies look like before they get their first Pokémon. But I like you," he says. "Not just anyone can get that particular Eevee to back off from a fight without physically doing it for him."

"I'm back!" Eren calls.

In his tow is a tall woman Petra recognizes as the Shiganshina Professor, Zoe Hanji.

Eren walks over. "Professor Hanji brought the Pokémon you'll be picking from."

Petra's eyes widen. "But I thought–"

"I needed to give Levi time to test you," Eren says. "Besides, I think Hanji has Pokémon you'll like more than Levi does."

Hanji clears her throat and sits crossed-legged on the grass. "Sit with me," she says with a smile.

Petra does and Eren takes a seat beside Levi, Sylveon taking her place on his lap.

"Do you like Ghost types?" Hanji asks, looking through the balls in her bag.

"Maybe?" Petra replies. "I've never met one."

Hanji smiles and picks up a ball. "This is Gastly, he's a bit of a trickster but he's nice once he warms up to you."

Hanji releases him from his ball and Petra stares, unable to see his face. She cocks her head and almost says something when suddenly it turns and shouts, startling her. "Ah!" she shrieks, diving back on the grass.

The Pokémon laughs and she sits back up with a frown, wagging a finger at him. "That is very, very mean," she says. "You shouldn't spook people like that."

He sticks his tongue out at her and Hanji returns him to his ball. "He's not the one," she says, taking out another ball. "This one is Mareep, an electric type."

When the fluffy, sheep-like Pokémon is released, it mews at Petra happily. She grins back and goes to put it. "Wait –" Eren says, but it's too late.

Petra's hand it shocked by its wool and she jumps back. "Ouch," she says, shaking her hand. "My hand is all tingly now."

"That should go away in a few minutes," Hanji replies.

Mareep looks at her with worry. "I'm alright," Petra says with a smile. "I just need to be careful next time."

Mareep decides to sit with Petra instead of returning to her ball while Hanji takes out another. "This is Geodude," Hanji says. "He's a Rock/Ground type."

Out of the ball pops a little boulder with arms and a face who greets Petra with a hug.

She chuckles. "I usually don't think rocks are cute but you're pretty sweet."

"Well these two both seem to like you," Hanji says. "What do you think?"

Petra looks between the Geodude on her lap and the Mareep looking up at her hopefully. "Well," she says, scratching the non-wooly part of Mareep's head. "I can't really decide."

Levi shrugs. "You don't mind if she takes two, do you Hanji?" he asks.

Hanji grins. "Not at all, I wanted to bring all the Pokémon I've got in this bag to you anyway."

Petra grins. "Really? I can train them both?"

Hanji smiles and nods. "Have fun."

Petra hugs Geodude and almost hugs Mareep again when she remembers and settled for scratching her nose. "We're gonna be best friends, the three of us," she says. "Okay?"

Both Pokémon cheer happily.

Eren doesn't start teaching Petra that night, instead deciding to send her home to get better acquainted with her new Pokémon.

"This should be interesting," Levi says as they watch her walk out of the farm again.

"How so?" Eren asks.

Levi smirks. "I think she'll be the one to beat you eventually."

"Good," Eren says. "I'll be glad if it's someone like her and not like some of those arrogant little pricks that manage to make it through the League. Gotta beat the pride out of some of them so they know they can't just go through battle after battle without ever getting to know the Pokémon they're fighting with."

Levi leans up on his toes to kiss Eren. "Alright, let's go make dinner, I'm starving."

Eren smiles. "Sure thing."