LuckyBlackCat

Pokemon Spiral

Sophia Danvers

Was this the third time she'd walked past that windmill? Clutching her forehead, Sophia stumbled back along the path. How difficult could the Pokemon centre be to find? She'd only recently been there. This was ridiculous. She could only hope none of the group happened to be nearby to see her wandering around, hopelessly lost. Having any of them lead her back would just be humiliating.

By the time the familiar building came into view, Sophia felt ready to keel over. Still, she carried herself as tall as she could. She put away the parasol and entered the building to see most of the group gathered there. "Hey, everyone," she called, trying to stride over and tottering instead. She grasped the Pokeball and held it up. "I did it! Can any of you say the same?"

She scowled. Everyone's attention was directed elsewhere. Spread across the wall was a poster of a red-haired woman whose face she was sure she'd seen somewhere before. "Hmph... Who's that?" Sophia grumbled to the nurse, handing over her Pokemon.

"You haven't heard of her?" the nurse asked in surprise. "Mistress Hollow's a celebrity coordinator."

"Coordinator?" Sophia repeated. She'd vaguely heard of contests over the Internet, but they'd never caught on in Unova. She remembered Oscar's mention of them earlier. "Ah, yes... Of course I know about her," she lied in a poor attempt to mask her ignorance. "Contests... So they're a big thing here, huh?" She glanced at the picture again. A wave of dizziness sent the room lurching, and she hunched over with both hands pressed against the counter, ringlets hanging in her face.

"Are you ok?" the nurse asked. "Do you need to take a seat?"

"Ugh... Everything's fine." Sophia stood up straight, but her eyes were still half-closed. The light was like a pressure squeezing in on her head. "Just tired from catching Pokemon." She staggered over to a chair and sank down into it, waiting for her Pokemon to be healed.

Pokemon Spiral

@Heckno12 She'll still get her taste of reality that way. If the Gym leader uses a Bug/Flying type, she's so screwed with her current team.

So... Is getting a Staryu possible at all at this point? Once Sophia's starting to feel better, of course.

@fer1323 Well, with all the contests he's seen, it makes sense - he's somewhat more experienced than some of the others. And at times it seems like he's just trying to sound wise, which works for someone his age.

Pokemon Spiral

Yay, I got a Purrloin ^_^ Sophia still thinks she's the first one to catch another Pokemon.

@Heckno12 Seeing as we're near a port, any chance of getting a Staryu any time soon? Also, I think I'm going to have Sophia be underprepared for the Flying type gym. I kind of want her to lose a battle. Especially an important one.

Pokemon Spiral

Sophia Danvers

The comment was like a slap in the face. "What's that even supposed to mean?" Sophia shouted after Oscar. "Is that supposed to be deep and meaningful somehow? And what do you know, anyway? Last I checked, you were just starting out too." Oscar didn't answer. Sophia gritted her teeth as she watched him walk away, another shudder running through her. The sight of him disappearing brought an unexpected sense of missed opportunity. Just then... She'd almost had a friend.

It didn't matter. He could suit himself. Besides, as she'd been told over and over, she was more than average. More than these people. She didn't need them. With a huff, she set off.

Her head pounded from the unrelenting sunlight. Groaning, she took out her parasol and opened it the conventional way. No fancy tricks this time. Swaying a little as she walked, she peered around the streets. She'd show them. She'd be the first to catch a Pokemon... She had to... She staggered, leaning against a tree. The shade from the parasol wasn't enough. She had no choice but to rest. As she slumped down onto a tree stump next to a patch of grass, Gothita stared, alarmed. "Go-thi?" The Pokemon ran over to her.

Sophia managed a weak smile. "Hey. There's nothing to worry about. I'll be fine," she said. At least this Pokemon was her friend. She could take comfort in that.

Gothita's attention switched to something at Sophia's feet. "Huh?" Sophia looked down. "Hey!" A Pokemon was rolling around on the ground, pawing at one of the ribbons on her skirt. It jumped up and scurried away in a purple blur, leaping into a shrub and looking out at her with slitted green eyes.

She knew what it was. She'd seen many of them in Unova. Even so, once she'd re-tied the ribbon, she tried out her Pokedex.

"Purrloin, the Devious Pokemon. Their cute act is a ruse. They trick people and steal their valuables just to see the looks on their faces."

As Sophia checked to make sure everything valuable she had with her was still there, Gothita approached the Purrloin. With a rustling sound, it left the shrub and faced Gothita as if challenging her.

This was Sophia's chance... Almost calling Confusion, she remembered what her mother had said about Psychic-type attacks having no effect against Dark types. "Gothita, use Pound!" she called instead. Before Gothita could move in, the Purrloin lashed out with its claws. Gothita stumbled, but steadied herself and slapped the Dark-type Pokemon. "Now, Pound again!" The second scratch from the Purrloin further weakened Gothita, but she remained standing and responded with another slap. Sophia grabbed a Pokeball, throwing it at the wild Pokemon. The Purrloin vanished into the ball, which rocked a few times and stopped moving.

"Yes!" The success slightly lifted the trainer's spirits as she picked up the Pokeball and clipped it to her belt. "You ok, Gothita?" Gothita nodded, albeit wearily. Returning Gothita to her Pokeball, Sophia retraced her steps to the Pokemon Centre to heal up both her companions. Both of them... Her feeling of accomplishment was starting to return. She truly could do this.

Pokemon Spiral

@fer1323 Finally, someone called Sophia out. It needed to happen. Yeah, she has a lot of growing up to do.

Pokemon Spiral

@fer1323 I'm still imagining Oscar and Sophia becoming friends eventually. This puts the high standards thing in a new light... Oscar has no idea.

Pokemon Spiral

@Noxx Yeah, they're in/around the Pokecentre.

Pokemon Spiral

@OtomostheCrazy That music gave me the chills. Yeah, I can definitely picture it.

Pokemon Spiral

Posted. Yes, I know Nyxx already has a second Pokemon, but Sophia doesn't know that. Wow, this is a completely different side to her...

Sophia's theme, possibly?

Pokemon Spiral

Sophia Danvers

@Heckno12 @fer1323 @OtomostheCrazy

"Yeah..." Sophia replied. "It-It's nothing. I'm fine." It was a relief that Rheese hadn't inquired further, at least... or found the episode off-putting. And he'd congratulated her on the victory. "Like I said, that fight was almost dull, it was so easy." Somehow, Rheese's words didn't bring as much reassurance as they should have.

She squinted against the glaring lights in the Pokemon centre. Between the jet lag, the showing off and the conversation just now, her headache had flared up. No! I have to get stronger! she chided herself. She knew she just needed a good night's sleep, but still... Getting tired this quickly? Some of the people back home would laugh.

Oh, so now Oscar seemed to think himself quite the philosopher... Sophia shook her head as she listened to him. Once more, she remembered his stinging comment about the party trick. She could only imagine what her mother would say about her failure to impress people. After all, according to her family, Sophia was more than average. Much, much more. And she'd have to make sure people recognised that. They'd have expectations. "Oh, give it a rest, Oscar," she snapped. The comment came out even harsher than she'd meant it to. She looked around at the other trainers.

"Come on. Let's see who can be the first to get another Pokemon!" Surely it would be her. She could do this. She could do this easily. As she headed to leave, though, the room spun, and she found herself leaning against the wall for support. No, she wasn't going to rest now, and risk being the last of the group to get a second Pokemon. First things first. She just hoped nobody had already beaten her to it.