Capture My Heart

Curry?

"So you twirl a baton and make friends with wild pokemon?" The dark man leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. I began to regret accepting his idea to "camp". After finding a nice open spot by some trees and a lake, Raihan quickly set up a small tent and a couple lawn chairs so we didn't have to sit on the ground. How he was able to fit all of that in his backpack, or why he had all of this stuff with him in the first place I will never know. But the Pokemon seemed to be enjoying it. Scizor was zooming through the trees enjoying the large field while Empoleon decided to go for a swim in the lake nearby.

"It's NOT a baton and I don't twirl," I grumbled. "I use a Guardian Styler," I explained, pointing to my wrist at the watch looking device. Not many rangers had adopted this technology when I left, as the device was still being tested, and I was one of Professor Hastings' test subjects. "This little circle thing, called a capture disc, loops around the wild pokemon and allows me to gain their trust so they can help me."

"So you brainwash them so you can use them," he smirked. I pinched the bridge of my nose in frustration, not even wanting to argue anymore. He let out a chuckle before changing the subject."You know, you can let your pokemon out. I'm gonna make some curry, and I'm sure they're hungry and restless."

"I have food for my pokemon. I'm not feeding them something a stranger made," I muttered.He feigned being hurt before picking up his bag. I noticed my bag wiggle and sighed. He was right about letting them out though. They had been cooped up for way too long, but I needed to be more cautious after what happened by the coffee shop.

"Duraludon, Goodra, Flygon, Torkoal, Gigalith, let's go!" Raihan tossed five pokeballs into the air, releasing the rest of his team. Turtonator had decided to take a nap by a nearby tree, but perked up when he heard the rest of the pokemon. I observed each of them, and couldn't help but be impressed by the power they resonated. I recognized Flygon and Torkoal, but the rest of them must be unique to Galar.

I turned my eyes to Raihan, who was playing a very one-sided game of tag with his pokemon. I smiled at seeing the relationship he had with them. You could tell they were really close and trusted each other like a family. Being a Pokemon Ranger was fun and all, but I really missed having my whole team by my side.

"Stare any longer and I'm gonna have to charge you sweetheart," Raihan teased, snapping me out of my thoughts. I hadn't noticed they had stopped playing and were staring at me. I quickly turned away so he wouldn't see my cheeks flush with embarrassment. To think I almost considered him a decent person.

Glancing at my bag once more, I made up my mind. As deplorable as Raihan could be sometimes, I did trust him with my pokemon. He would also be able to tell me which pokemon he didn't recognize. Reaching in, I grabbed the four pokeballs and released them. I laughed as Dratini immediately curled around my neck and snuggled my cheek, and Riolu jumped into my lap, almost sending me backwards in the chair. Ninetales stretched out slowly, her tails flowing gently behind her while Gardevoir glanced around taking in the new surroundings.

"Alright, now you've got me even more intrigued about who you are," Raihan said with a smile as he plopped into his chair slightly out of breath from running around.

"How about this, in exchange for telling you about myself, you tell me about Galar and answer my questions."

"Deal," he grinned widely, sticking out his hand for me to shake it. Riolu, Dratini, Gardevoir, and Ninetales stiffened at the sudden movement towards me with their eyes locked on Raihan, ready to pounce if he tried anything. I motioned for them to stand down, and reached over to lightly grasp his hand. It was much larger than mine and rough. I felt a slight flutter in my stomach at the physical contact, but immediately pushed it down in annoyance. He may be attractive, but his attitude was a fat no, and I literally JUST got here. "Let me get started on that curry and get everyone fed before we start," he said, standing up from his chair and heading towards the small stove he set up earlier.