The Regeneration Effect

Chapter Six - Stars and Studios

Rosa had never been a fan of construction zones, but then again, most of them weren't filled with Pokémon to battle. The Virbank Complex was built on the coastline near the city, and it was surrounded by enormous concrete walls that prevented the entrance of forest Pokémon on one side and flooding from seawater on the other. The unpleasant smell of salt water and rust clinging to warehouses made Rosa's nose wrinkle. The construction crew working at the site were likely used to the odor, but she didn't intend on staying long enough to grow desensitized.

There wasn't a lot of grass to wander around in, but Rosa made due. Her gym battle against Virbank's rock star heartthrob Roxie had gone smoother than expected, but she was still determined to put another training session behind her before leaving the city. Zaveid and Anna hadn't argued against the idea.

Well, not much anyway.

Workers passing by shot her strange looks as she wandered up and down the complex, and she even heard a few joke to each other about calling wildlife services to handle the "enraged monster" that had gotten loose. Rosa rolled her shoulders and ignored them. There was no telling how strong the trainers on the mainland would be, and she wanted to be prepared to face them.

Somewhere along the stretch of hours training, Rosa realized she'd picked up another shadow. The pair of eyes burrowing into her back weren't threatening, but each time she tossed a glance over her shoulder to meet them, the puppy Pokémon following her would scurry away.

It was obvious Growlithe's presence was bothering Zaveid. Her Dewott's body was stiff as he finished off another Magby with a spray of his water gun, but the distinct scrambling of pawed feet padding behind them was suddenly too much. Whirling on his heels like a child's top, Zaveid let loose a powerful jet of water. His impatience made the movement clumsy, however, so rather than hitting the bothersome Growlithe, the blast of liquid soaked Rosa's leggings and shoes.

"Hey, watch it!" She complained as she skipped sideways. Zaveid's water tantrum halted, but he crossed his arms against his chest and chattered sullenly. Rosa rolled her eyes. "Good grief, there's no need to get huffy Zaveid. He's not hurting anything. If all the training is getting to you, then just tell me so we can take a break. Maybe you'll feel better with some food in you."

Rosa lifted one leg to wring out the bottom hem of her pants, then did the same for the other. Frigid water gushed between her fingertips and dripped onto the grass, and when she pressed her foot down, her shoes made squishing sounds. She heaved a sigh. Her clothes were going to be wet for a while.

It was a different experience to picnic in a construction site. Rosa sat cross-legged on the lawn between two warehouses and offered pokeblocks to Anna and Zaveid, who both tucked into their meals enthusiastically.

The breeze stirring the salty air was pleasant, despite the smell. She pulled a berry sandwich from her backpack, and while she ate, Rosa watched Virbank's massive steel crane move cargo boxes onto ships. "So what do you think, guys?" She swallowed the bite of bread and jam and cleared her throat. "We don't really have a reason to stay in Virbank, but we can do a bit of exploring if you'd like. I've heard Pokestar Studios is located just north of here. It's supposedly one of the largest film producers in Unova. Not that you guys care about movies, but it would be a break from training."

Zaveid grunted, but Anna looked up from her food to nod and grin. Her cheery gaze fell past Rosa to gaze over her shoulder, however, and her eyebrows knit in concern.

"What is it Anna?"

Growlithe was back. The latte-colored tuft of fur on his head stuck out every which way, and his gray eyes were fixed on the food in Rosa's hand. The hungry look in his eye reminded her of Zaveid, and Rosa chuckled.