Meant to Be Friends Chapter 3

Chapter 3: The Bleeding Heart Method

I left the Pokemon Center first thing in the morning heading straight to the town gym noticing that all the Slowpokes were back in town.  I raised my eyebrow over hearing some of the conversations.

"We have to thank that Trainer for saving our Slowpoke from that group," a man was saying to a woman.

The woman nodded saying, "Yeah what was that group called anyway?  Team Rocket or something?"

My eyes went wide as I looked down muttering, "They can't have returned, they just can't.  If they have I will take them out myself."

I walked to the gym all the while thinking of Team Rocket.  I battled through the trainers at the gym taking them out with ease the anger in my eyes obvious.  When I got to the gym leader I didn't hesitate to call out my Quilava to face his bug types.  I was more then ready for this battle as it began.

It only took a few minuets for Bugsy, the gym leader, to be down to just his Scyther.  I looked at my Quilava who had taken down Metapod and Kakuna with ease using Ember and Quick Attack.  I smirked calling out, "Let's finish this, Use Quick Attack and once close range use Ember."

I knew Quick Attack would allow my already fast Quilava to catch up speed wise to Bugsy's Scyther and Ember would hit without him being able to dodge.  With the flame's hit Scyther was knocked out with ease and I had won my second gym battle.  

"Alright you win," Bugsy said pulling out a badge and another TM CD for me holding them out, "Take your badge and this TM.  The TM is U-turn."

I grabbed the badge and the TM putting them away turning without saying anything calling back Quilava heading out of the gym noticing the pigtail girl was coming around the gym.  I quickly ran to the alleyway pulling out a potion spraying the pokeball that contained Quilava healing him fully as I climbed onto a trashcan peering into the gym to watch the girl battle curious what Pokemon she had now as well as to ensure myself she was alright.

I watched as she went through the trainers as easily as I did but what was different is how she praised her Pokemon after each battle.  I shook my head knowing that would be her downfall.  You couldn't be a bleeding heart and praise your Pokemon for every battle you won, true strength came from them relying on themselves and not on the trainer.  

I continued watching as she defeated the gym leader with her Flaffy with ease.  I had figured she wouldn't have used her Chikorita in this battle since it would have been weak against the bug types though the fact her Flaffy could easily deal with the bugs without any problems was quite impressive even if I would never admit that to her.  I climbed down from the trashcan heading out of the alley waiting until she left the gym and had walked off as I went around the gym following her to the entrance of Ilex Forest wanting to challenge her.

I came up to her asking as she turned to me having heard my footsteps behind her, "Is it true did Team Rocket really return?"

She simply nodded as I decided to continue, "Is it also true some weakling trainer defeated them?"

"I'm not weak," she said quickly glaring at me with a frown her pigtails blowing in the wind.

"Wait you defeated them, you and your weakling Pokemon don't make me laugh," I responded it was obvious by my eyes though that I was shocked to hear that she had really battled Team Rocket alone not that she had defeated them because I was pretty sure anyone could defeat that weak organization.

"My Pokemon and I aren't weak, Silver," she said again making sure she said my name her eyes had a sadness that I didn't think possible.

I shook my head ignoring her eyes as best as I could placing my hand on my Ghastly's pokeball saying, "Fine then prove it, battle me."

She nodded smiling now as she called out her Flaffy first and I responded with my Ghastly.  The battle was on.  Her Flaffy took out all 3 of my pokemon with ease especially my Zubat who only could take one Thundershock from her before it was knocked out.

"I still couldn't defeat you...." I said in anger as I glared at my pokeballs as I turned to leave not wanting to hear her voice since I was pissed she had defeated me once again.  I wasn't paying attention as a Farfetched flew by us then a boy running after them hit me as he passed knocking me down as I had been turning to leave which meant I was knocked right into Lyra.  I blinked staring down at her soft brown eyes which were wide in surprise.  I found the smell of strawberries and cherries meeting my nose as I looked  down at her my chest against hers.  It took me a few seconds to regain my senses as I quickly rolled off her breathing hard my heart beating rapidly.  I pushed myself onto my feet running away as quickly as I could as I heard her call after me.

"See ya, Silver," she called as I ran away toward the Pokemon Center trying to stop my beating heart.

I could still smell the strawberries and cherries that I figured was her shampoo.  I swore under my breath as I leaned against the wall of the building next to the Pokemon Center.  I looked down as my breath and heart finally slowed down.  I couldn't believe my body was acting like this just from being close to her soft.... wait I couldn't think of her like that she was nothing more then a rival trainer.  I headed into the Pokemon Center cursing my hormones as I had my Pokemon all revived so I could get out of this damn town.

I took my pokeballs back once they were healed as I headed out of the town straight into Ilex Forest.  I walked past the boy and his Farfetch as they headed back toward the entrance of the forest deciding against saying anything to the boy about watching where he ran.  I just shook my head as I walked through the forest looking up as I felt a raindrop fall onto my head.  I started to run hoping to get to the other side before it started to pour since I wasn't a fan of rain storms.  I blinked seeing Lyra in the distance taking cover in a small shrine from the rain.  Her Bayleef was laying on the ground in front of her seeming to enjoy the rain very much.  She looked up seeing me with a smile calling out, "Silver, your getting all wet why don't you take cover with me?"

I glared at her asking, "Why would I do that when I could just keep running and get to an actual building, girly?"

"Because it's about to pour," she said running over grabbing my hand pulling me under the shrine with her.

"Ugh fine," I muttered as it did in fact start to pour so I just sat down on the floor of the shrine glancing up at her noticing her pigtails were droopy from being wet from the rain.  I quickly looked away back out into the rain feeling her sit down beside me.  It was only a few seconds more as I felt her head on my shoulder I looked over at her in surprise noticing she was fast asleep.  I couldn't help but smile at her calm serene face.  What was wrong with me?  I wasn't like this around people normally but she was different.  I slowly wrapped my arm around her holding her close to keep her warm as I leaned against the shrine watching the rain fall around us.  I could leave before she woke up but for now I just wanted to sleep.  I closed my eyes drifting off feeling her shallow breathing against me.  I could figure out what this feeling was later.