Enter Blue

The jingle of a bell welcomes you into the local PokeMart. It’s a small store, for a small town, but that doesn’t mean its stock is lacking. The shelves are neatly lined with all a trainer could want; antidotes, potions, revives, the list goes on. You look to the counter, and notice the shopkeeper is absent—instead straightening a shelf of escape ropes nearby. He turns as the bell chimes and gives a curt nod before returning to his stock. Not the talkative type.

You approach a shelf with several coloured potions, not letting the gruff keeper’s lack of hospitality perturb you, and grab a small green one marked $500. *Overpriced*, you think, but you expected about as much. Pallet Town hasn’t always had a store, but the demand caused this one to prop up recently. You guess it’s that same demand that justifies extorting customers. Makes sense why Blue needs the cash.

You walk to the counter and make a show of placing the potion down, hoping the shopkeeper notices. His dead eyes don't leave the shelf, but the low grunt of his raspy voice skulks beneath the hum of the fridges. “That’s $500, leave it on the counter.”. You oblige, all too confused by his trusting nature. But that’s not your business, you figure, as the jingle of a bell welcomes you into the streets of Pallet. With a potion in your bag ready for your trip to Viridian, you make your way back home.

Different ways of spending the evening with Blue begin to circle your mind as you walk back. You invited him on a whim, because you saw an opportunity, but beyond that, you haven't any plans. The battle in the forest resurfaces in your head, and the aftermath. You remember his abs, toned yet not overly large. He is hot, you think. And his confidence. You like confidence in a man. How he was so forward with you... how he wholeheartedly... planned to rape you. How he would’ve if he won. How Bulbasaur saved you. How it felt to be in control of his dick—how it felt to be in control of him. You think about how if you lost that battle, you wouldn’t even be able to afford this potion in your hand. It’s not fair such an idiot has a rich family to back him, when you and your mother barely get by. You clench your fist around the potion, propelled by the injustice that is the dynamic between the two of you. Perhaps it’s time to set things right, you think mischievously.

6PM is announced by a quick rap on the front door, and you get up to answer it. You take a look through the peep-hole as you put your hand on the doorknob—sure enough, it’s Blue. You force a smile on your face (admittedly with little effort) and open the door wide, greeting your rival inside. Blue’s eyes awkwardly track your face as he follows you inside. You gesture towards the kitchen where your mother is making tea, and take a seat at the table, relaxing against the hard backrest. Blue looks at you, then the chair opposite, then your mother’s back, and back at you once more, silently. “Well go on,” you urge, noting that he indeed doesn’t want to bring the subject up around your mother. You hold back a smirk.

“You take sugar, Blue?”, your mother asks, placing a stout teapot upon the table carefully, turning to grab some cups.

Blue takes a beat to clock the question, before hastily responding “Yes, um, no, thank you Auntie.”

She places a cup before you and Blue, before turning to grab some biscuits from the cupboard.

Blue leans forward, eying your mother cautiously, whispers “Amber, can we just get this over with? Where’s the money?”, his voice hushed.

You relax back into your chair, rocking it ever so slightly as you turn your head to your mother. "Why are you so impatient, Blue?" you start, each word delicately laced with feigned innocence, "Relax... There's no rush, is there?" you continue, turning to Blue, leaning forward and twirling a curl of your hair placidly as your mother sets a dish of coconut rings on the table before returning to the counter. "What kind of guest just snatches what they came for and runs anyway?", you eye, tone slightly accusatory yet still feigning innocence. "Besides, Blue, you came begging for my money", you sigh, "The least you could do is show a little gratitude"

"Bu-" Blue begins, eyes darting at your mother as she places a chopping board, but you interrupt him, head tilted, raising a finger to your cheek as if to contemplate your options. "Or... do you really not want my help?" you say, cutting him off. You continue playing with your hair, "I mean, I'm not exactly rich like you, Blue. It's a lot you're asking me for."

Blue's eyes flicker desperately to your mother once more. "Can we at least go talk about this in your room?".

You take a sip of your tea before responding "Wow Blue! So bold. Asking a girl to take you to her bedroom on the first date?".

He interjects "Wha- No, that's not wha-" but you refuse to let him justify it.

"Well, what did you mean, Blue? What's wrong with here? Mum's made a lovely cup of tea", you add, sipping once more, relishing in the slow pace. "Besides, you know my mum, right? My business is her business. If you have something to ask for", you say, a smirk curling on your lips behind the porcelain teacup held delicately in front of you, "just ask!"

Blue sighs, and settles into his chair for the first time. He seems to have given up on getting the privacy from your mother. He takes a sip of his tea, and sets it back down on the table. "Thanks, Auntie Maddy, this tea is amazing!"

"Anytime, Blue", she says, not turning from her chopping board.

Blue leans forward, and continues "So Amber, only reason I'm here is because I was wondering when you're going to give me that 200 you owe me? I ca—"

"Amber owes you money?" your mother interrupts, setting her knife down and turning to the conversation at hand. "How much?". Her eyes are filled with concern.

"$200, Auntie Maddy"

So that's how he wants to play it. You shrug, before speaking up "Why do I owe you $200? I was under the impression you were asking me for a favour, Blue?".

His fist clenches, his eyes staring daggers into yours. "Because you borrowed some from me in the forest, earlier, remember?", auburn eyes flashing, burning as if to signal to you a message, as if to say 'Go along with me'.

But you won't let him, you think. You won fair and square, after all, and you had a lot on the line. "Borrowed?" you scoff, leaning forward, head resting on your knuckles. "We seem to remember it differently, Blue. Cos' from what I remember," you begin to curl your hair again, out of habit more than anything. "you basically tried to rape me, but bit off more than you could chew." You put a finger forward, stroking Blue's clenched fist, "You challenged me, and you lost. I didn't borrow anything, I just did to you what you'd have done to me."

Your mum pitches in, relieved. "That was a bit rude of you, Blue. You could've given my daughter a little bit of time to train before forcing her into such a risky battle."

Blue's face betrays his name, his clenched hand stuck firmly to the table as you stroke it teasingly with his finger. "But mum, it wasn't even really a close battle...", you continue, as Blue's jaw tenses under the embarrassment. "If he gave me time to train, he'd have no chance."

Blue retorts, "You only won because my stupid Charman—",*Smack*

You find yourself raised from your chair, standing over blue imperiously. You hear your mother gasp to your right, but you ignore her.

"I don't care what happened in the forest", you say, all signs of innocence dissipated. "Your loss was your fault, Blue. Don't blame your Pokémon, or you don't deserve to have one."

You settle back into your chair, anger still coarsing through you as Blue's face sits in shock. "You lost the battle in the forest because of your own ineptitude, Blue. Don't you dare blame your Pokémon for your incompetence. You literally had a type advantage."

"You should not have done that, Amber!" your mother cries, after you sit down.

"Sorry, Mum", you plead, sincerely. "But you know how I get when people disrespect Pokémon.". You look at Blue, anger finally residing, replaced with contempt. "Do that again, and you'll be leaving with nothing, Blue.". You feel like even that is too generous for scum like him at this point.

Your mother sighs exasperatedly, and brings a wet cloth to Blue's cheek. "Still, Amber. You can't just slap someone. I daresay if I wasn't here, Blue wouldn't have responded so... respectfully.". She sits in between you both, before saying to Blue "She's not wrong, though. Pokémon are only as strong as their trainers".

Blue clicks his tongue as he takes the cloth from your mother. The air around you remains charged for a few seconds, your arms crossed stubbornly, your mother contemplating how to fix the mood, and Blue's face filled with embarrassment and anger both.

Finally, your mother shatters the tension. "So, you two had a battle. What did you learn?". Both you and Blue look at your mother a little confused, before she continues enthusiastically "A good trainer finds a lesson in every Pokémon Battle, *especially* trainer battles!". You suppose she's right. "So, since you won, Amber, you go first! What did you learn?". Ah shit, nothing comes to mind. "Can't Blue go first? After all, it is easier to learn from your mistakes", you say with a gloating smirk, as you watch Blue's frustration build, but your mother won't have it. "Exactly, and that's why you as the winner must strive to learn from it, otherwise it'll be you learning from *your* mistakes, dear!"

You sigh. You know she's right, she's always right, damn it. "Hmm.." you say, truly contemplating the battle earlier. "Though I had a plan, I don't think I could've pulled it off if I didn't have complete faith in my Bulbasaur." you start, remembering the flames surrounding your Pokémon back in the forest... "Bulbasaur had a type disadvantage, so the trust between us was very important. I really hope we can learn more about each other and win future battles."

"Yes, trust in your Pokémon is important. If a Pokémon feels you don't fully trust them, they won't trust you. Good job Amber!", your mother replies, clapping her hands together enthusiastically, before turning to Blue. "And so, Blue? What did you learn."

His tongue clicks again, and his eyes flicker from your mother and you. He hesitates, before sighing and responding "I should've been more aware of Charmander's surroundings. Having it use Headbutt with a rock behind your Bulbasaur was careless. I should've considered for the worst and avoided it."

"Being aware of your Pokémon's surroundings is very important. All decent trainers need to be mindful of such, but the best learn how to manipulate the terrain to their will." your mother concludes, hands gleefully clasped once more. It's evident where your care for Pokémon came from, you think to yourself with a smirk. Your mother looks at the clock. "Oh my, it's past 8 already? I've got to go to bed you two", she says, quickly putting the vegetables she was chopping in the fridge. She leans over and gives you a kiss on the cheek. "There's some food on the top shelf of the fridge if you want, you two. Don't stay up too late!" she says, as she exits the kitchen.

"Goodnight, Auntie Maddy", Blue calls behind as her footsteps creek up the stairs. He watches the doorway until the sound of her ascent is no more, before turning to you, anger visible "Enough of this bullshit, Amber. Are you giving me the $200 or what?"

You take a deliberately long sip of your cold tea, never dropping eye contact with Blue's rage-filled ones. "You know, Blue", you begin with a false, saccharine, mockingly sympathetic tone... "It's getting late, but I'm not entirely sure you've earnt that money yet.".

"What the hell do y—" he starts, but you just talk louder, over him.

"I mean, I won this money fair and square, and I need supplies too. Plus, money is harder to come by for a female trainer, I really need to be careful with every penny. Is it worth my time and money to give you this $200?"

Blue gets up and tucks the chair under the table. "If you're not going to give me the money, I'm just going to leave," he says, voice full of contempt.

As he goes to open the front door, you get up and look his way. "Do you really want to traverse to Viridian without a potion, Blue? You already lost to me because of some silly mistake, do you really want to try your luck out there?"

"Better than messing around here with a vixen like you, bitch!" he retorts, barely controlling his breath as he opens the door.

You curl your hair as you approach Blue on the door, and start "I said you haven't earnt this money, but that doesn't mean you can't earn it", you wink, as you put your hand on his groin. His breath hitches, he looks confused for a second, as you release your grip, and turn your back on him. "You know where to find me, Blue.", you say, a tone of finality within your voice. The stairs creek faintly beneath your feet as you climb, your smirk widening with every step. You quietly enter your room and leave the door ajar, listening intently as you release your Bulbasaur and settle silently onto the covers of your bed. You set the Pokéball down by your yellow Pikachu clock, which reads 8:47 PM.