The automatic glass doors of Professor Oak's laboratory slid shut behind Kian with a soft hiss. He stepped out onto the gravel path, taking a deep breath of the fresh air. He didn't need to check his pockets to know the weight was there—the sleek red Pokédex and the official League ID card were tucked safely away.
He raised his arms high above his head, stretching until his back cracked satisfyingly. It was done.He was officially a Trainer.
"Finally," Kian muttered, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Time to get off the leash."
He didn't bother walking. The adrenaline pumping through his veins demanded movement. He broke into a jog, his boots pounding against the dirt road leading out of Pallet Town. The quaint little houses and the smell of domestic life faded behind him as the trees grew taller and the grass grew wilder.
Route 1.
It was the beginner's zone, the place where every kid from Pallet started their journey catching Pidgeys and Rattatas. But for Kian, it was a hunting ground.
He slowed to a walk as the path narrowed, flanked by tall, swaying grass that rustled with the movement of unseen creatures. He kept his hand near his belt, his fingers brushing the cool metal of Gardevoir's Pokéball. Knowing he had a Level 21 psychic powerhouse in his pocket while walking through a zone of Level 3 rodents felt like carrying a loaded gun to a knife fight.
He was scanning the tree line, wondering if he should let Gardevoir out for a stretch, when a voice cut through the quiet humming of the wind.
"Hey! You there! Freezing time!"
Kian stopped and turned slowly.
Standing in the middle of the path, blocking his way with a stance that was meant to be intimidating but looked entirely too cute, was a girl.
She couldn't have been much older than eighteen, dressed in the standard attire of a "Lass" trainer—a short, pleated blue skirt that fluttered dangerously high in the breeze, knee-high white socks, and a tight fitted vest over a white shirt. Her brown hair was tied back in twin tails that bounced as she pointed a finger accusingly at him.
"Our eyes met!" she declared, puffing out her chest. "That's the rule of the road! You're a trainer, right? I saw you coming from the Lab!"
Kian looked her over, his gaze leisurely traveling from her scuffed sneakers, up the expanse of her pale thighs exposed by the gap between her socks and skirt, and finally resting on her determined, flushed face.
"I am," Kian replied, his voice smooth and deep. He didn't step back; he stepped forward, closing the distance just enough to make her blink. "And you are?"
"I'm Haley!" she announced, grabbing a Pokéball from her belt. "And I challenge you to a battle! No refusing!"
Kian chuckled darkly. It was almost adorable. She probably had a Rattata or a level 5 Bulbasaur. She thought this was going to be a friendly spar to test their starters.
He thumbed the release button on his belt, detaching Gardevoir's ball. He tossed it lightly in his hand, feeling the weight.
"You've got guts, Haley," Kian said, his eyes locking onto hers. "But are you sure about this? I don't go easy on beginners. Losing to me... it might cost you more than just prize money."
Haley hesitated for a split second, confused by his tone. It was too heavy, too suggestive.
"I-I'm not a beginner! I've been training all morning!" she stammered, gripping her ball tighter. "Stop trying to scare me. Let's go! One on one!"
Kian's grin widened, showing teeth.
"Alright, Haley," Kian said, enlarging the Pokéball in his hand with a click. "I accept."
He looked at the red and white sphere, imagining Gardevoir inside, waiting for his command. He was going to crush this girl. He was going to obliterate her team so thoroughly that she would have no choice but to look up at him in awe—and submission.
"Don't cry when it's over," Kian warned softly.
"Just bring it on!" Haley yelled, throwing her arm back to release her Pokémon.