Time to find Blue.

9:14 AM is what your Pokédex tells you the time is as you check it while running through the streets of Viridian City. Perfect. Once you find Blue, you can challenge her right away! Your heartbeat quickens as you start on the road that heads west out of town. Route 22 leads to the Pokémon League gatehouse, which connects to the Indigo Plateau and Johto region.

As Gabriel had said, the Route is empty as you arrive. Most people travel through the use of Teleport or Fly, either with their own Pokémon or hired service Pokémon. So, this area is usually clear of people until the time of the Pokémon League Tournament, when some use it to travel to the plateau. Occasional travelers from Johto region do come by foot, as you had discovered earlier this morning, but those are rare.

Looking around the entrance to the Route, you don’t see Blue immediately. She must be further in, and if she’s training, she may be off the beaten path. You begin walking down the paved road, carefully scanning both sides of the Route for any sign of your rival. It takes about fifteen minutes, but you do finally find her, seated on a fallen log about thirty feet off the stone road.

Blue is holding a pastry of some sort, happily munching away at the red jam-topped baked good. She hasn’t noticed you yet, so you take a minute to observe her. “Mm.” She hums to herself after taking another large bite, a cute smile adorning her face. It’s rare for her to act happy around you, so you never really get to see this side of her.

Her outfit for today is slightly different; a navy-blue t-shirt and a light gray skirt that hangs down to her mid-thigh. Her sandy hair flows freely around her cheerful face as she eats. As you focus on that face, she pops the last of her breakfast into her mouth. After swallowing it, she takes several gulps of water from her canteen and stands, brushing crumbs off of her skirt.

Now is the time. “Good morning, Blue.” You step forward and make yourself known, hoping she’ll think you had just walked up.

She turns to you, her face briefly surprised, before scowling at you. “Oh, great. Just who I wanted to see.” Sarcasm drips from her every word.

“Glad to see you made it to Viridian safely.” You say politely, hoping in vain to have a not-so-hostile conversation.

She rolls her eyes though, uninterested in pleasantries. “Yeah, yeah. Look, do you need something? ‘Cause if you don’t, fuck off!” She smiles venomously.

Well, so much for small talk. “I wanted to challenge you to another battle, Blue. See how much we’ve each grown.” Even though it’s only been a day. She understands what you’re really after, you’re sure.

A flash of concern crosses her face for an instant, swiftly being replaced by a mask of irritation. “H-has it even been 24 hour, dipshit? You c-“

“It has.” You cut her off. “Our first battle was around 9:00 AM yesterday. It’s-“ you check your Pokédex “- 9:41 AM now.”

“Oh, been counting the minutes, have you?” She sneers at you, but you can see the poorly masked nerves behind it. “Fine then. But like I said yesterday, that was the only time you’re ever beating me. I hope you’re ready to lose!” The faint fear in her eyes is replaced by fire, and she seems totally ready to get **** on you for her previous loss.

“Great. How many Pokémon each? A two on two sound good?” You only have two Pokémon, so that’s the max you could do. Though, has she caught any more?

“Sounds fine to me.” Apparently she has. Alright then, it’s time!

You square up across from the busty girl, preparing for your second ever battle against another trainer, and against her. You have a guess as to Blue’s strategy, at least vaguely, and you’ve come up with your best response. You each grip your chosen starting Pokémon’s ball, then release them at the same time.

“Charmander, I choose you!” Your starter emerges, ready and waiting.

“Go, Spearow!” Blue’s newest Pokémon, a small black and brown bird, appears and screeches out its arrival.

A rare, small smirk plays across your lips. Like you had thought, Blue is saving Squirtle for last. If Charmander can overwhelm her Spearow and put at least some damage on Squirtle, Pidgey should be able to finish the job. At least, you hope that’s how it’ll go.

“Charmander, Ember!” You call out, and your partner lets out a small burst of flame in the bird’s direction. Caught off guard by the sudden attack, the bird Pokémon takes a direct hit, suffering heavy damage almost immediately.

“Spearow, dive in and out with Peck!” Blue commands. Her Pokémon obliges, and far faster than you were expecting, launched itself beak-first at Charmander. It scrapes past your lizard companion with its beak, then takes to the sky.

“Ember again!” But the bird is ready this time, nimbly dodging the flames and diving back down to Peck again, before flying up out of reach. You see where this is going, and you can’t let it continue.

“Ember!” The flames miss their target again, but you were anticipating that. “Now Scratch!” As the Spearow dives in again after the flames, Charmander takes the hit, but Scratches its opponent at the same time. The already damaged bird collapses to the ground, while your partner breathes heavily, still stamding.

“Return, Spearow. Nice try.” Oh, she can be nice. “Squirtle, time for vengeance!” Her blue turtle Pokémon takes to the field, ready for battle. “Bubble!” Blue calls instantly, and her partner unleashes a spray of swift-moving water bubbles from it’s mouth.

“Dodge through them buddy!” With his superior speed, Charmander easily dodges the projectiles, weaving in and out as he approaches his foe. “Scratch, Charmander!” Your command is quickly heeded, as Charmander lands a solid blow across Squirtles chest.

Blue smirks. “Bubble.” Her quiet order causes her Pokémon to launch its bubbles once again and, at point blank range, Charmander fails to dodge. The little bursts of water are devastating for your fire type, and he falls to the ground ****.

“You did great pal, come on back.” Recalling your spent starter, you reach for your only other option. All according to plan so far. “Pidgey, finish this!” Your own bird soars onto the field, and Blue wastes no time calling her next attack.

“Bubble Squirtle! Fill the air!” Her Squirtle does its best to oblige, releasing wave after wave of translucent orbs into the air. This could work.

“Pidgey, blow them back with Gust!” Your newer team member begins beating his wings rapidly down toward Squirtle, causing the bubbles to fly back into its face. They don’t do all that much to the water type, but their are so many of them that it is quickly getting overwhelmed, and the wind is buffeting it as well.

“While it’s recovering, Tackle!” Your Pidgey dive-bombs straight toward Blue’s Pokémon.

“Meet it head on Squirtle! Tackle!” She calls. The tiny turtle leaps up, its head slamming into your brown and white bird’s. There’s a loud crash of skull against skull, and both Pokémon fall to the ground. For a tense moment, you think this may have been a double knockout… before one Pokémon begins to stir.