Mystery Tent

You spend a long moment thinking. If there's a trainer in there, it could be a man; if it's a man, he's probably high level. He could hardly be lower than you, really. Do you really want to lose another challenge, this early in your career?

...Yes, you decide. Yes, actually you do. This morning was great; if you can find someone less awful than Blue Oak to forfeit to, you're sure it will be even better.

Besides, you became a trainer to meet people, and you can't do that if you're always hiding. And anyone who's pitched their tent somewhere hidden, on Route One of all places, probably isn't that awful.

You stride up to their tent, ready to knock... and your nerve fails you.

You lay out your bedroll next to his tent. Or her tent. You'll meet him-or-her in the morning.

Sleep doesn't come.

Even in summer, Route One is chilly at night; you lie awake in your bedroll, thinking about what happened today and what's going to happen tomorrow. Blue figures prominently in your thoughts. And who's in the tent? Is it a boy, and you're going to wake up to a challenge for your body? Is it a girl, and she's more scared of you than you are of her? Maybe it's a researcher, someone working for Professor Oak? Maybe it's actually just Blue in there again?

Also, even in the bedroll, you're just a little bit too cold to sleep properly.

...Fine. You crawl naked out of bed, pull on a robe, and go meet the other trainer after all.

You unzip the tent, just a little, and peer in. It's a man, barely older than you; you don't recognize him. He's curled up under his blankets, drooling softly in his sleep. He looks cold.

You smile. You have a great solution which will definitely cause no social awkwardness later. You crawl into the other trainer's tent, and you slide under his blankets, and you snuggle up against him. Ahh. Warmth!

His eyes jolt open for a moment. "Whuh?" he asks sleepily.

"Shh," you whisper, putting a finger over his lips. "Sleep now. Introductions later."

"'Kay," he mumbles, and he wraps you in his arms and goes back to sleep.

Success!

It's dark here, and quiet, and it smells like man. The blankets are soft, and his arms around you are warm.

Sleep comes quickly.