How Wonderful (Pokemon) (2015 PKMN Watty Awards)

Chapter 18- "Were You Expecting This Surprise?"

Walking from the Gym, Runner and I depart in despair. "We best get to a Pokemon Center," Runner tells me. 

I nod slightly. "Yeah. I guess so." 

We continue to trug down the grass hill and into the anarchy of Mauville City. Eventually, we reach the Pokemon Center. Runner and I pass through the sliding doors and go to the front counter. The Nurse up front has her back turned to us, flipping through papers on a clipboard. Runner rings the bell and says, "Excuse me?"

Nurse Joy looks up and smiles. "I'm sorry!" She puts down the clipboard and walks over. "How can I help you?" 

I put Litwick's and Shuppet's pokeballs on the counter and tell the Nurse, "I need to have my Pokemon healed, it that's okay." Nurse Joy grins and takes the capsules.. She gives me a look that says, 'Not a problem at all.' 

She brings them back away from the counter, enters through a door and into a concealed room in the back. She comes back out and returns to us. "It should take 5 minutes at least," she tells us. "Feel free to have a seat." She points to some chairs and a pair of couches at the corner of the room where two boys already sit. Runner takes me to the second couch and we sit down.

I sit forward and sigh. We may have fought hard, but the lost against Aura still managed to get me down. I realize now that this is the first loss I've had since I embarked on this journey. I never knew what it was like to lose to a battle before now. But I guess I know now. "Hey," Runner says. "Just because you lost a battle doesn't mean you're a bad Pokemon trainer."

"Ha!" 

I look up and see one of the boys on the other couch looking at us with a devious grin. One had a blue cap turned back words with a light blue vest. He had shorts reaching just below his knees and two gloves. On his shoulder was a small Pokemon the color of navy blue. Its wings were matching and its beak was small. I instantly recognize the Pokemon. It's a Tailow, Flying/Normal. I saw one battling another Pokemon on TV when I was watching a documentary on the Pokemon when my Dad wasn't...nevermind. 

The other boy had sloppy brown hair and a tight black buttoned up shirt. He wore a scarf that slid across his neck and down below. The one with the scarf says, "'Doesn't mean your a bad Pokemon trainer?' Ha! Your Pokemon were pathetic!"

"And who, exactly, are you?" I say in a disgusted tone. The truth of the matter is, now is not my best time to be made fun of. The losing my first battle thing really has me ticked off.

"A better trainer than you." He stands up and walks over. His friend stands up, crossing his arms and smirks. "I watched your battle against Aura. And it made me sick at how bad a single trainer could be. Aura squished you as if you were the size of a Joltik." 

I jolt up, snarling at him. "Oh yeah? And like you can do any better?" 

"You know it." His friend pats him on the back. "I could squish you even further."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Ha!" I look back to Runner and shrug my shoulders with a grin. My frustration of the battle with Aura soon morphs into a cocky tone. I honestly don't know why, but the loss has me motivated to battle; increase the expierence of my Pokemon and I. It'll help us grow in bond.

"Callin' my bluff?"

I return my gaze to him. "Yeah. I'm calling your bluff." 

"Alright then. How 'bout you and me have a battle. When I beat you, you have my permission to weep as long as you please." 

Turning back to Runner, I nod. He returns a nod. I figure that after I lost my first battle, this would give me a great opportunity to get back on track. To redeem myself, of sorts. "Done. We'll have a battle."