The clearing was quiet, save for the hum of cicadas and the low rustle of leaves swaying above. My spot. The one place that felt like it belonged to me.
I lowered myself onto the familiar patch of dirt, stretching my legs out in front of me. Caesar padded in a slow circle before sitting at my side, nostrils flaring as he snorted a thin wisp of smoke into the air. He looked bigger even in the fading light tusks catching the sun, shoulders solid where once they'd been narrow.
It was strange, seeing him like that. A week ago, he'd been smaller, scrappier. Now he moved with more weight in every step, more intent behind each motion.
I let my hands rest on my knees and drew in a slow breath. That rhythm was etched into me now. Morning work on the farm, lifting baskets until my arms ached. Midday training here in the clearing, drills until both of us were sweating. Evening meditation, trying to strip the noise from my head until there was only breath and silence.
Farm. Training. Meditation.
Day after day.
A cycle.
And it was working.
Caesar was proof of it. The proud tilt of his head, the way his claws dug lines in the dirt like he was daring the world to test him. He'd grown, not just in body but in something deeper that quiet reserve of strength that only came from sweat and struggle.
I watched him settle into his breathing, chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. At first, he'd been restless, always twitching, always snorting little sparks of smoke like the stillness might smother him. But now… now he sank into it quicker than I did, like he understood this was more than resting. Like he knew what it was shaping him into.
"You're really growing into it, huh?" I murmured, half-smiling as he cracked one golden eye at me. "Stronger every day."
He chuffed, dragging a leg across the dirt in satisfaction.
But the truth pressed in like a weight I couldn't ignore: we hadn't fought a real battle. Not yet. Chasing off Caterpie or puffing smoke at a Rattata wasn't the same. Those weren't opponents who trained, who pushed back, who wanted to win.
And as much as Caesar was growing, I knew we wouldn't stay safe in this little cycle forever.
And then, as if the world had heard my thoughts, voices drifted down the path toward the clearing.
I stiffened, rising slowly from where I'd been crouched beside Caesar. The sound of crunching twigs reached me first then two figures emerged through the trees.
They were older. That much was obvious immediately, and my stomach tightened.
The first was a girl, maybe sixteen, taller than me by more than a head. Her hair, a glossy dark brown, was tied neatly into a braid that brushed her shoulder, and the sunlight filtering through the leaves caught the bronze of her skin.
She wore a sleeveless white shirt and faded shorts, hiking boots dusted with soil, and a small pack slung casually at her hip. She had the kind of ease in her posture that spoke of long hours on the road. When her eyes landed on me, they softened, warm, curious, though there was something else there too, a flicker of surprise, maybe even concern.
The boy beside her was harder to miss, though for different reasons. He was wiry, almost thin to the point of looking underfed, with messy dark hair that stuck out in uneven tufts like he hadn't bothered with it in days.
A scrawny frame hidden under a light jacket and a worn t-shirt, he carried himself with a restless edge, hands shoved in his pockets, jaw set tight, shoulders drawn in like he was chewing on a frustration that never went away. Even from a distance, the energy rolling off him was sharp, prickling.
"Didn't expect to see anyone out here," the girl said first. Her voice was light, but steady, carrying the kind of calm that drew your guard down without realizing it.
Then her gaze dropped to Caesar, who had stepped forward to stand squarely between me and them, tusks bared in silent warning. Her eyes widened. "Oh! You have a Pokémon already?"
I froze, caught between instinct and truth. Most kids my age weren't supposed to have Pokémon at all, not outside of Special school programs, not without the League's blessing. But Caesar was right there, his small but solid frame tense at my side, daring me to deny him.
"Yeah," I said at last, laying a hand on his head. His scales were warm beneath my palm. "This is Caesar. He's… technically my aunt's, but she left him with me. She's a ranger."
The girl blinked, taken aback, before her smile returned. Brighter, but tempered with something else, maybe respect. "A ranger's Pokémon," she repeated softly. "That explains it. Still, you're… young. Be careful, okay? Even with a Pokémon, the routes aren't safe for kids."
Her words were kind, but they still sank like stones in my stomach.
The boy scoffed, a sharp sound that made Caesar bristle. "Figures."
I glanced at him. "Figures?"
He sneered, though it looked more defensive than anything. "That you're just some hand-me-down kid. Nepo baby with a ranger's Pokémon. Explains why you're playing trainer before you even hit twelve."
My jaw tightened. Caesar bristled, claws digging into the dirt.
The girl shot the boy a sharp look. "Ren. Don't start."
But he just shrugged, eyes narrowing at Caesar. "Look at it. That thing's strong. Stronger than anything a kid your age should be handling. And you expect me to believe you've actually trained it yourself?"
Heat rose in my chest, but I forced my voice steady. "We've been working. Every day. Training, pushing harder."
Ren smirked like he'd caught me out. "Sure, you have. Funny thing is, I just came to Vermilion for the gym match while she " he jerked a thumb at the girl "had hers. I'm scheduled for next week but maybe you'd be a good warm-up before the match."
The girl frowned, shifting uneasily. "Ren, he's just…. "
"No," I cut in. The words were out before I could second-guess them. "We'll battle."
Rens's smirk twisted into something sharper. "Good. Let's see if the little ranger's boy can back it up."
The forest clearing seemed to shrink, the air crackling with tension as the boy unclipped a Pokéball from his belt.
Our first battle was about to begin.
Caesar stepped forward, claws flexing, tusks glinting in the dappled light. A low growl thrummed in his chest, not just a warning but a challenge. This was what we'd been training for.
The clearing seemed to shrink, the world narrowing until it was just the two of us.
Ren flicked a Pokéball from his belt with a practiced motion, the red-and-white shell bursting open in a flash of white light. The shape that materialized was compact but coiled with raw energy -
A Mankey. Its wiry frame twitched restlessly, fists clenched so tight its knuckles popped, while its scruffy fur bristled in the summer air. Beady eyes locked onto us, burning with a fierce, reckless focus. The Pokémon let out a harsh cry that split through the trees, a jagged sound that sent birds scattering from the branches overhead.
My heart skipped. It's strong. We can't let it set the pace, we need to act first.
"Caesar Dragon Breath!" I commanded.
My Axew planted his feet firmly, eyes narrowing, the little tusks at the edge of his jaw glinting in the light. He inhaled, chest swelling, scales along his throat glowing faintly green. Then he exhaled hard. A thin but steady stream of emerald blue energy hissed through the air, shimmering with heat, the beam cutting forward like a burning lance.
It struck Mankey square in the chest. A crackle, a hiss, and the fighting-type was blasted backward, smoke curling from its singed fur. The shock of dragonfire lit up its features, eyes widening in pure surprise.
"What the .. ?" Ren muttered, eyebrows shooting up. The smirk faltered for the first time, surprise flashing across his face. "Dragon-type…?"
But he recovered quickly, barking his command. "Shake it off! Low Kick!"
Mankey snarled, fury sparking in its gaze. Its body blurred forward, all twitching aggression compressed into sudden speed. I barely had time to process it before it was already on Caesar, leaping low, leg cocked back. Its foot glowed faintly, power surging through the strike, and then ...
Crack!
The blow swept low across Caesar's legs, knocking them clean out from under him. The world tilted as my partner let out a grunt, his small body crashing onto his side, dirt scattering from the impact.
My fists clenched. "Caesar!"