A Twisted Ankle

When you told Blue that you intended to walk non-stop until you left Viridian Forest and reached Pewter City there were a few things you hadn't counted on. The first one being how quickly you would tire. You had set out without even grabbing something for breakfast from the packs, combined with how badly you slept yesterday, and how sore you still are, and you found yourself struggling to stay on your feet after only a few hours of walking. Blue's constant pleas to take a break weren't helping either.

"Amber, can we stop for five minuets? We haven't eaten since yesterday."

You don't bother to turn your head to respond to Blue, gritting your teeth as your **** yourself to put one foot in front of the other. "You don't think I'm tired Blue. But we ARE going to reach Pewter City and your complaining isn't helping!"

"And as I KEEP TELLING YOU!" Blue's frustration was clear now "We need to conserve our strength. The last thing you want to is to be too weak to run if we run into a Pokemon hoard, or to tired to fight if we run into a Pokemon Trainer and get challenged."

"And I keep telling you that we aren't going to run into any delays Blue!"

As you say this, you slip and fall flat on your face. For a moment you just lie there stunned, and then you feel the pain in your ankle, causing you to cry out in pain "FUCK!"

Before you can start trying to stand you feel Blue grab onto your torso and helps you stand. In a surprising show of empathy, Blue doesn't make any smart ass comments. He simply tosses one of your arms over his shoulder and helps you hobble to a fallen tree for your to sit down on.

After helping you sit down Blue asks the stupid question of "Are you alright?"

"No I'm not alright!" You snap. "I think I twisted my fucking ankle!"

You see a small flash of anger in Blue's face, but he doesn't yell back at you. Instead he simply starts taking off your shoe and sock "Well what did you expect?" Looking at your ankle you can see it has already started to swell. He not to gently pokes your ankle which has already started to swell. "I told you we should take a break, but you refused to listen."

"Don't move, I'm pretty sure I have something in the pack" He lets go of your ankle and starts looking through the pack. "Here it is!" Pulling out a small plastic box with First Aid written on the side. You sit in painful silence as Blue opens the box and pulls some medical wrapping and a box of Icy Hot. Before doing anything Blue looks at you and gives you a warning "This is going to sting a little."

"Just do it." With a silent shrug Blue places a pad on your swollen ankle causing you to wince as you feel the icy cold pad touch your swollen ankle. Ignoring your discomfort Blue quickly wraps your leg up in some kind of medical bandage, securing the pad to your ankle while also restricting the movement of your foot

As you feel the cold numb the pain in your leg you silently watch Blue put the First Aid Kit back into the bag and pulling out some bottles of water and a few snack bars. "You aren't going to be moving for a while, so you might as well eat something."

You take Blue's offering with a quite "Thanks" Blue simply shrugs and sits next to you on the log and for a few moments the two of you simply sit in silence. But eventually you ask a question "Blue, how did you think to bring a first aid kit? I'll admit that hadn't crossed my mind."

"It was part of the advice my grandpa gave me." You sit in silence as you wait for him to continue "He used to tell me that while the Pokemon Battles get all of the attention, the battles themselves are only the end result of what comes before. Take the Champion Lance for example." Blue Pauses to take a gulp of water. "Where do you think he got three Dragonites? By walking around a safe and well traveled route? No! He went somewhere that few other people went and FOUND them!"

For some reason this causes you to laugh a bit. "Ok, but what does that have to do with my question Blue?"

"I'm getting to that Amber! My point is that the hardest part of Pokemon Training isn't battling. It's finding good Pokemon in the First Place! The rarer stronger Pokemon are often in places that are dangerous." His enthusiasm dies down for a bit as he makes his last point. "Amber, do you know how few trainers actually complete their journey?"

Blue's question honestly surprises you. Sure your parents hadn't finished their journey, because your mom got pregnant with you. Not wanting to think about how you very well might end up like your MOM you quickly answer Blue's question. "I don't know, half?" You honestly have no idea what the answer should be.

"No, Amber. About half of first year Pokemon Trainers get their 4th badge. Most trainers also quite after their first season." Blue's tone becomes more somber as he continues "Only about one in ten manage to get all 8 badges."

"Well, that's... Depressing" You mutter, not really knowing what else to say.

"But do you know why Amber?" Blue asks you as he takes another swig of water.

Thinking about it you aren't really sure, so you mutter something non-committal "I mean, I'm sure there are a lot of reasons...?" You know why your parents quite traveling but you are hoping that isn't a common reason. Or do you? Maybe knowing your situation is a common outcome will lessen the blow if the worst happens.

"Officially, it is because they go missing. Which is honestly just a nice way of saying that nobody found the body." Ok, that put a damper on your mood. Not waiting for a reply from you Blue continues. "Every year, about a dozen people are noted as 'disappeared'" Blue holds up his hands and does a sarcastic air quotes when he says disappear. "in Viridian Forest alone, in Mount Moon dozens of people also disappear every year. Most of these people are Pokemon Trainers." Blue lets the information sink in for a bit before continuing "That is why I have a first aid kit, and that is why I was telling you to slow down. I don't want you to become another 'disappeared' statistic."

For a moment you can do little but look at Blue, it almost sounds like he is concerned about you. No that can't be it. Blue is possessive of you, but he isn't genuinely worried about you as a person. That would be ridiculous. But as you look into his eyes you feels your heart beat start to quicken and your face start to flush. You turn your head to break eye contact before answering him "Fine, I get the point. I'll be more careful." You take a moment to swallow your pride before apologizing . "I'm sorry I didn't listen."

Blue doesn't acknowledge your apology, but he doesn't mock you either. Simply nodding before standing up and stretching. "We will rest for an hour. By that point you should be able to at least walk. Just try to keep it slow. We should be able to get a few more miles in before night fall."

"Wait, why do we have to stop then? Can't we push on through the night?"

"Amber, you twisted your ankle walking during the day? Now imagine how worse that could of been if it had been dark out and you can't see where your feet are going?" You have to admit that was a good point. But now you have to wonder, how much longer will it take you to get to Pewter City now?

Author's Notes: Looks like poor Amber isn't getting to Pewter City nearly as soon as she was hopping. And what is this, an actual emotional connection between them? What the heck did I just write? All jokes aside this was fun. Now the question is to Fast Forward to Pewter City, or spend MORE time in Viridian Forest?