The Professor's Secret

27. Formidable Rivals

The windy east region of Kalos had been struck with particularly bad weather of late: A cold front moved in from the sea, bringing thunderstorms, hail, and occasionally even snow to delay my training and pin me down to a window seat where I idly watched the cold showers descend. It was a good obligatory pause, yet one I didn't indulge for long - upon noticing the weather wasn't getting better any time soon, I decided to resume my travels regardless.

After two weeks of wet training, the storms finally gave out – the previous night was one of heavy rain, the last the season should see. I watched as Charizard and Greninja opposed each other, practicing the last tricks I had taught them, under a dark drizzly twilight on a meadow, when the mud got too sticky and the raindrops, too cold. We rushed away in the dark, and since the way ahead of me was unknown, I sought refuge in the nearest town I could find: it was Couriway. There I slept a tired, half-feverish sleep disturbed by the noisy wind shaking the windows of my room and the rain crashing against the roof. After a few hours, it ceased...

The day dawned with a bright sun shining moderately through the few remaining clouds that drifted like foam through a clear sky. A gentle breeze blew through the alps surrounding me, bringing back the smell of wet land and the memories of the rain, and birds sang on the trees, certain there would be no more of it.

I had a delicate breakfast prepared to me in one of the local cafes, then went out to greet the town under that serene, clean glow. I soon found myself leaned over the parapet of the docks watching the waterfalls' fury subside into the river - The constant murmur of the water lulled me into a break I had denied myself thus far, the almost invisible gleam of a rainbow descended with the fall, the vapors perfumed the air... That was a pleasant place to enjoy a pleasant day! If possible, I could even feel my Pokémon's tranquility through their pokeballs.

"Excuse-me, ma'am!" a voice called me. Though it sounded utterly intrusive and inconvenient, I had been there for more than an hour in my numb meditation - the time to move on neared.

"Hmm?!" I turned around.

A scientist lady bowed respectfully:

"Pardon the interruption, but I was asked to deliver a message to you."

I did not answer, and she moved on to deliver it:

"It's from a fellow trainer - he wishes to challenge you!"

I guess she could see the shadow of disinterest blur my eyes, for she soon added:

"He guarantees he's in level with the champion, and wishes to test your skills in a 'fervent battle like you never had before'..."

"And who is this trainer?" I raised an eyebrow, suspicious.

"I'm afraid I don't have that kind of information: he only asked that I would be so kind as to convey the message. He says he will be waiting eagerly inside the old train station."

I nodded, accepting the challenge almost unwillingly, and the woman followed her way. I lingered a little longer, then sought my own.

The station was a shadowy, empty place that made me doubt whether it was still in use. Eager or not, I found no trainer waiting there for me, just a set of empty benches facing the mountain tops. The platform was high enough to be in level with the starting point of the restless waterfall, bringing the comforting vapors to my reach just as much as down by the docks, so waiting became a pleasant consequence.

Also... I was curious to know who this mysterious trainer would be, and how much of a challenge he could offer me at this point. As an arrogant anticipating smile crossed my face, I compared the feelings from now and before, and there was a great disparity between them: How much fear of defeat used to stress me away from battles... and how I craved for a trainer that was good enough to challenge and entertain my party now... and how little I hoped this would be one of those rare cases!