Part 1
NebulaDreams
Ace Trainer
- Partners
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Hi, everyone! This is something I wrote as a departure from a lot of my typical fic fare. I've dabbled with romantic elements in the past (I've even written an urban fantasy romance novel that might come out some time this year), but this is the first Pokemon fic that exclusively focuses on romance. And not only that, this is meant to be a light-hearted palate cleanser after diving into a lot of dark themes in my stories, so I make no bones about it being light on plot. If you like fics about sapient Pokemon, cute Pokemon doing cute things, and/or LGBTQ+ romance, this should be right up your alley.
Summary: Casey the Kadabra is in a pickle. Her trainer's got a gym battle, but Casey also has a date with this super nice Hypno at the same time. So she tries teleporting between the two to please both parties. This is going to be a warp in the park for her, right? Right?
Notes: This is a standalone story, but you might recognise Jeanne and the Hypno gang from my other fic The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. If you like this one, I encourage you to check that out as it goes deeper into the problems of the Hypno dwelling and what goes on within their society.
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But today was special as she was walking alongside a Hypno… to a far away place… in an undisclosed location… near a scary mine… No! Casey was being silly, it would be fine! And this Hypno was none other than Jeanne, her date for today.
This walk through Route 18 could’ve been easier, though. It wasn’t hilly, but there was so much ground to cover, and it was grittier and rockier than what Casey was used to. After walking for an hour, she had to stop to rest her feet. She sat by a river bank, watching the other side of the stream.
“C’mon,” Jeanne called, “keep up! It’s not much further from here.”
“I know.” Casey cradled her knees. “I’m not used to long hikes like you are.”
“To be fair, if I could whizz from place to place in a blink of an eye, I would.” Jeanne sat alongside her and smiled. “Who needs buses when we have Abra?”
“I mean, if it makes your life easier, I would swap powers.”
“Nah, nah, it’s no problem. It’s good exercise anyway.”
Casey only hummed in reply. She took a spoon out of her backpack and looked at her own warped reflection in it. Did she look like a nice, smart Kadabra? Was there such a thing as makeup for her species? Did her moustache look alright? There was no way she could compare to Jeanne, who looked so finely groomed.
“Oh, so this is your spoon?” Jeanne asked, popping her head over to see her reflection too. “Nice. D’you eat from that as well?”
“Ew, no, why would I do that?”
“In case a Vanilluxe ever pops up and ambushes you. And also, why does it have to be a spoon? Why can’t it be a knife or a fork, or heck, even a spork?”
“No, it has to be a spoon.” Casey shoved it back into her bag. “A spork just sounds... wrong. Like sacrilege or something.”
The thought of touching those tiny, jagged prongs sent shivers down her spine.
“I know, I’m just teasin’. I mean, I read somewhere that Kadabra would often test their powers by bending whatever objects they could find, particularly metal, and they would scavenge for spoons in particular because it was easy to find in urban areas.”
Casey squinted at her date. “I’m not some animal.”
“Ah, sorry.” Jeanne held her flushed cheek. “You know how nerdy I can get sometimes.”
Even though Jeanne went into a lot of tangents, that was what Casey liked about her to begin with; someone to share her rants with. Even if it was a long hike, it was tolerable with Jeanne. This date was turning out to be a huge success–
Her watch beeped, with a text saying ‘where r u?’. Of course, her trainer had to ruin the moment. But hopefully, this wouldn’t take long. She typed on the touchscreen, texting ‘I’m busy, studying’. It was a lie, but Casey didn’t know how her trainer would’ve reacted if she found out she was dating. Hopefully, that would be the end of it.
“Sorry,” Casey said, “it’s just my trainer. You know, because of the whole teleport thing, I don’t have to follow her around too much.”
“Now I definitely wanna trade powers,” Jeanne said. “If I knew that, then I woulda gone anywhere and still had a trainer to come back to.”
"Right.” Sometimes, the fact that Jeanne was trainerless slipped her mind. Technically a ‘wild’ Pokemon, but she didn’t like that term as it implied Jeanne was feral. She was anything but. “Anyway, let’s get–”
Casey got another text, saying ‘WTF i told u gym fights today!!!’
“Gym fight…” she whispered, then she shouted “oh no!”
“Oh no?” Jeanne parroted.
“Crap, I’m sorry, I’ll be two minutes! Stay there!”
“Wait, where are you going?” Jeanne stood up.
“I’m sorting something out with my trainer.” Casey took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I need to focus, I promise, I’ll be back in five or so minutes.”
“Ah, right. Teleporting. Got it.”
Casey inhaled and exhaled, focusing her mind. She had never stepped foot in that gym before, so where was the next closest location? Right, the trainer’s circle in Shalour City.
Right, focus. No distractions. Casey had to be like water – to let the waves carry her through the invisible fields, through the air, and through different points in time and space. She pictured the place in her mind: seaside city, sandy beaches, great big showoff tower, lots of people and Pokemon strolling, lots of buildings, cobblestone pavements, cyclists parking their bikes, Murkrow roosting atop the power lines…
Before she knew it, the wind changed. She opened her eyes, and there she was. Casey had no time to soak in the scene. She ran, despite having the running legs of a Slowpoke. She ignored the odd looks she got and the people she accidentally bumped into along the way. Once she saw the gym, she cut through the line of a dozen or so trainers, burst through the doors and found her trainer, Colette, sitting in the lobby. Her trainer caught sight of her and stood.
“Casey.” She tapped her watch. “It’s about time.”
Casey stopped to catch her breath. It was good to gather her energy before she used telepathy, since it required making a mental link.
I’m sorry, I totally forgot! she spoke in Colette’s mind.
“Well, okay, fair enough, but…” Colette’s shoulders slumped. “I told you this was important. I thought you would’ve remembered seeing how you’re–”
I can teleport and pick stuff up with my mind, I don’t magically remember things!
“Right, gotcha.” She sighed. “Anyway, I’m glad you could make it.”
Now Casey relaxed, she saw that this Gym… was literally a gym. There were treadmills and dumbells as far as the eye could see past the reception, with loads of people and fighting types alike using them. Lots of trainers like Colette stood near the reception, waiting for their next turn. And as expected, it smelled like a locker room here.
“We should be starting in five minutes, by the way,” Colette said.
Five minutes?!
“Yeah, sorry. You can do your studies later, can’t you?”
Well, I, yes, I can! But this really can’t wait, I’m studying for… an exam! Even though she didn’t speak, Casey gesticulated nonetheless, punctuating her urgency. An exam, yeah, for psychics and junk!
“For psychics and junk? I don’t remember you signing up for any course, though I know you were interested in that poetry one.”
Poetry, that’s the one! She rapidly nodded her head. I’ve got this assignment and I need to finish it in a couple of hours!
“I mean, I wish the best for you and all, but I’ve been planning this for weeks. If you’re not there, I either might not be in the best spot, or I might have to cancel, and it could take me up to a month to get another slot!”
Ughhhhh. Casey flashed her puppy dog eyes, hoping it would work. Please? This is really important to… She blinked. Wait, there must’ve been another way. Okay, hear me out. What if I do my thing at the library, then if you need me in a fight, I can teleport back to you?
“Casey, that’s not…” Colette raised a finger, then stopped, putting it to her chin. “Well, I don’t wanna make you wait around in a Pokeball or with me the whole time. It’s gonna be a team switching thing so I don’t need you for every match.”
Okay, cool!
“Wait, I was gonna say–”
Casey closed her eyes, then teleported to the same place she was before the trip to the gym. But along the way, something whipped her face, like getting blasted by a jet turbine for a split second. When Casey got back to Jeanne, her head throbbed, and she doubled over in pain.
“You alright?” Jeanne asked, cupping her chrome dome.
“Yeah. I just teleported back too fast.” She grasped Jeanne’s hand. “This power can be a little risky sometimes.”
“I’ve read teleportation can be like that.” Jeanne’s tone changed like it usually did when she recited one of her facts. “I’ve heard cases where Abra who aren’t too careful or can’t control their powers teleport to random places. There was one rumour that an Abra teleported into the sea and got gobbled up by a Gyarados.”
“Wait, what?!” Casey backed away. “Don’t scare me like that!”
“Sorry! I just heard stories, that’s all!”
“Yup, and it’s not going to happen to me, okay?” Casey clenched her teeth and stood up, braving the mini-headache. “Anyway, it’s fine, I’ve got it taken care of. My trainer’s not going to bother me–”
Another text: ‘DONT TELEPORT WHILE IM TALKING ASDFOIAGURG’
She rolled her eyes and typed in ‘Okay, mom’.
Colette sent an upside down smiley emoji in response.
“Anyway,” Casey said, putting the phone away, “she won’t bother me unless she needs help.”
“With what, exactly?” Jeanne crossed her arms. “Is this gonna get in the way of our date?”
“No,” she lied. “It’s just… she’s studying for some trainer exam and might need my help.”
“Why doesn’t she just text you for advice?”
“She can’t, it’s, well, a theory test, so she has to show me stuff too.”
Jeanne stared at her for a moment. Did she know she was lying? Oh, Casey really stuck her foot in it this time. Why did she say she’d come along to this fight?
Right. Because she still wanted to maintain a bond with her trainer. Colette was not only her chaperone and safety net, she was also a good friend, despite her split priorities. She didn’t want to bail on a promise, but…
“Oh well.” Jeanne shrugged. “Come on, let’s go.”
Right. It would be fine. Casey wouldn’t miss this date for the world. And Jeanne’s dwelling apparently had a cook. She wondered what Hypno food tasted like. Attending both a fight and a date. Casey was a genius. Totally.
Thankfully, as Jeanne promised, the rest of the walk was brief. Despite the creepy trek through the abandoned mines to the ruined building, the insides weren’t too shabby. Although the walls and floors were full of holes, Hypno and Drowzee alike happily dozed off in makeshift beds, so it felt like a lived-in place. One Hypno in particular snored like, well, a Snorlax, lying rear over teakettle.
“Don’t mind Moony,” Jeanne said, “she’s always a loud snorer.”
“You haven’t heard my trainer yet,” Casey replied.
“Zing.”
Aside from the beds, there was furniture, shelves filled with books and board games, and even an old Hypno who used his psychic powers to sweep the floors with his mind. Once he saw the two, he dropped the broom he had held with his kinesis.
“Ah, hello. So you’re the mon Jeanne was talking to me about.” He gestured to the front room, which swam with dust. “Well, Jeanne told me to spruce up the place, so I hope it looks somewhat presentable.”
She had been in trainer hostels and camps that looked worse than this. “Ah, no, sir, it’s fine.”
“Sir?” The old Hypno chuckled and brushed his beard, which made him look like an old-timey prospector. “It’s been a while since someone’s called me that. But just Hoothoot is fine.”
“Like the owl, Hoothoot?”
“Yes, and believe me, that’s something I have to explain to everyone I meet.” He stepped in closer and eyed Casey, a bit too close for comfort. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen a Kadabra with my old eyes. Dare I say, your moustache is bigger than mine.”
“Could you, er, maybe see just a little further away?”
“Ah, right, sorry. I’m a little near-sighted, you see.” He stepped back and bowed. “I hope you enjoy your time with Jeanne.”
“I’m sure I will.” Hopefully, if her trainer didn’t interrupt her.
After the old man left, Jeanne took Casey’s claws. “I’m sorry, it looks like a bomb’s gone off in here.”
“It’s really no problem, I swear.” She unbuckled her backpack, laying it down on the floor. “I know you guys don’t have a load of options.”
“Yeah, but I wanna try and make it as homey as possible, y’know.” Jeanne looked to the other sleeping Hypno. “Not just for you, but for everyone livin’ here as well.”
“Any way I can help?”
“Nah, you don’t need to. Anyway, wanna see my book collection?”
Jeanne had talked a big game when they had their library chats since she claimed to read everything from historical tomes to literary classics. Although her shelf was small and looked like a breeze would knock it down, it had a good collection of the books she described. Even some first edition ones there, which must’ve gone for a fortune.
“And you haven’t thought about selling those?” Casey asked.
“What do I need money for?” Jeanne tilted her head. “I just find books wherever. Sometimes I borrow ‘em from the library, sometimes I steal ‘em from someplace else.”
Casey stepped back. “Steal them? Well, I’m sure you have a good reason, but…”
“It’s a victimless crime, so what? These authors are either millionaires, dead, or both.”
Casey didn’t entirely agree with that, but she wouldn’t judge. “Then again, if I had a copy like this–”she gently brushed the first-edition cover of The Five Towers that featured a staff-wielding Alakazam standing atop a mountain–”you’d have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.”
“Funny what random junk you can find in a place like this.” Jeanne absent-mindedly flicked through the pages, which also featured old illustrations of scenes from the book. One featured the main character as a Kadabra, vowing vengeance against his human oppressors as he stood in a burned-down village. The scene was so detailed despite being printed in black and white ink that she could see the craters of the moon in a tiny dot on the page.
“Woah.” Casey held a hand to her mouth. “Awesome. You can’t get stuff like that anymore. My trainer bought me a copy and there weren’t any pictures in it, and this cover was so boring. Like black text on a white background with a tower on it.”
“The covers you get nowadays are so lame.”
As Jeanne returned the book to the shelf, Casey’s belly rumbled. She had skipped lunch since she had that walk with Jeanne, and she wanted to save her appetite for the main part of the date.
“Well,” Jeanne said, “I better wake Brie up and make him open his lil’ bistro.”
“He owns a bistro?”
“No, I’m joking, all we’ve got is an old stove.”
“Oh.” Casey hated not picking up on sarcasm.
“He pines about opening one someday, though. I guess you could say that makes it a Briestro.”
Jeanne laughed at her own joke, but Casey wasn’t impressed. Puns were her second biggest weakness next to Ghost moves.
“Anyway–” Jeanne headed towards one of the other rooms–”we better get started, feel free to join me in the kitchen.” She disappeared, then poked her head out of the door. “Oh, and don’t be too much of a food critic. Brie doesn’t have much to work with.”
That didn’t sound promising, but Casey smiled nonetheless, trying to appear enthusiastic. She was about to follow after Jeanne, but then her watch buzzed. She was surprised it got any signal here.
‘Yo, 1st match, guy with three machoke here can u come in’
Okay, that didn’t sound too bad. And that would kill some time while Brie prepared the entrees. Casey closed her eyes and imagined herself in that gym. Vending machines and treadmills, bodies glistening with sweat, trainers tapping away at their phones in the reception, dance music thumping in the background…
Casey appeared in the lobby alone, with Colette nowhere to be seen. Wait, where was–
Casey ran to the receptionist who was in the middle of talking to another trainer – he squealed as she bashed her hand on his desk.
Where’s the gym battle room? she asked.
“Dance studio on the right, geez! You can’t enter without a trainer– hey, where are you going?!”
Casey bolted through the double doors to the studio, and indeed, the gym battle was about to start. To the left was her team, including Colette, her trainer, Spirou, the Quilladin, and Macaroon, the Jigglypuff, who all waved as she entered. The referee was in the middle. To her right were three Machoke who either passed the time by lifting weights, flexing their muscles, or doing both at the same time.
Hope I wasn’t late, Casey said to Colette.
“Nah, right on time,” she said back. “Where are you teleporting from anyway?”
Route 18.
“Woah, that’s quite far away. Anyway, we’re about to start, so you know the drill. You’re up first.”
Right. Casey could do this. Dealing with these three chumps would be a warp in the park for her. She stood before the first Machoke, who tossed his dumbbell aside, getting into a battle stance.
“So, what can you do, Miss Kadabra?” he asked with a smug grin.
“Um, I can teleport to random places… and stuff.”
“Am I supposed to be impressed?” He cracked his knuckles, and she mimicked him. Casey knew it was all in good fun, as official as gym fights sounded in theory. “Whatever, just don’t bore me with this fight.”
“I won’t. And, uh…” Casey was about to get her spoon from her backpack but...
She had no backpack. Crap, where was it?!
“Is everything alright?” Colette asked.
My spoon is– Wait, she knew where it was. Wait just a sec, I’ll be right back.
“Casey! Where are you–”
Too late. Casey teleported back to the lounge room of the Hypno dwelling. Her bag was still where she had left it. She rummaged through it quickly, ignoring the headache the quick teleportation brought, and found what she was looking for. Just as soon as she came, she teleported back to the gym.
Everyone in the dance studio stared at her.
“What are you gonna do with that spoon?” the Machoke asked. “Beat me to death with it?”
“N-no.” Casey scoffed. How long would that even take?
“Is this going to be a problem?” Colette asked.
No, not at all! See? She held out her trusty dessert spoon.
“If you wanted that, you could’ve asked for a replacement.” Colette unzipped her rucksack, revealing a couple of tablespoons.
But I like this spoon much better!
“Alright.” She shrugged, then waved to the referee. “Sorry, now we’re ready to start.”
Casey got back to her original position before she teleported, facing off against the Machoke. They waited for the referee to blow her whistle, then once it started, it was practically child’s play. This Machoke thought he could punch a psychic type to exhaustion, but a couple of teleports and a confusion spell was enough for Casey to knock him down a peg. He wore himself out trying to punch Casey in his stupor, then fell to the floor.
1-0. So far so good.
The next opponent was even dumber than the last. Sure, she worked up a sweat, and even though their punches and kicks didn’t do much, it still kept Casey on her toes. Knocking out the second Machoke was way too easy, though she enjoyed wrestling a female Machoke. By the time she was up against her last opponent, she was convinced that victory was in her hands.
“Say,” the third Machoke said, holding out his arms, “I’m in the mood for some aerobics. Wanna do thirty laps?”
“Um,” Casey said, holding out her spoon, “no?”
“Too bad!” He sprinted towards her, chasing her around the studio. Definitely a fast runner! Not even Casey’s quick teleports threw him off in such a cramped space as this. As soon as she warped behind him, he dodged out of the way and started tailing her again.
“Casey!” Colette shouted. “What are you doing? Just use Confusion like you did last time!”
“Keep wearing her out!” the Machoke’s trainer yelled.
Of course he was doing this on purpose. Casey stopped to raise her spoon, but she had to catch her breath. Damn, if hiking wasn’t her forte, then running was even less of her forte. Before she could cast a confusion ray, the Machoke grappled her, pinning her to the floor. He socked her in the stomach once, trying to wind her. He was about to punch her a second time when she grabbed his hand. No time to think.
Casey teleported again, but she wasn’t in the dance studio – she was outside at Shalour’s plaza. And not only that, she brought the Machoke along with her.
“Wait, what?” he yelled. “Why are we here?!”
“Wait a sec!”
She tried to teleport again, only to end up back at Jeanne’s place. The Machoke saw the sleeping Hypno and screamed like a little Machop.
“No no no!” he screeched, shielding his eyes. “Stay away from me, don’t hypnotise me, I—”
Casey covered his mouth and teleported again. They managed to get back to the gym, but not totally unscathed. Casey’s head throbbed, but the Machoke was worse for wear, throwing up and falling to the floor.
Casey looked at her trainer, whose jaw practically touched her toes. She was going to be in so much trouble. Or… maybe not? The referee blew his whistle and declared Colette’s team as the victors. They weren’t in a celebratory mood, however. The other trainer approached the referee.
“Okay, can you explain what the hell just happened?”
Colette shot Casey a glare. She tried not to show her nervousness as she straightened her posture. It would take extra effort to perform telepathy across three humans as she had to quickly make mental links with them, but she concentrated hard enough that she bridged the gap.
Teleportation makes Pokemon feel sick. I just used that against him. Is that within the ruleset?
The referee blinked. “Well, it doesn’t happen very often, but psychics have used that as an attack before here, so I don’t see why it would be a problem.” He hummed, stroking his stubble. “However, you also left the room, so for all I know, you could’ve used items or weapons against that Machoke.”
Casey glanced at the Machoke who had curled up in a ball at the corner, nursing a carton of Oran juice. Oh crap, what would she say now? Would she just come clean? No, she had to play it cool. Like a frozen bowl of chilli.
It was an accident – I overshot my range and we both ended up somewhere else. I assure you that I did not do anything else to him – ask him yourself.
“Did she do anything else to you, mate?” the trainer called. The Machoke looked at his trainer, then looked at Casey, then back to his trainer again and shook his head.
“Well, no harm, no foul, I suppose.” The referee stared at Casey. “Your team still gets the victory, but next time, please don’t warp anywhere else during a match. You can still teleport, but I want to make sure that this is all a fair fight.”
As the other team slunk out of the gym and the janitor came in to wipe up the puke puddle, Colette’s team stomped towards Casey.
“Wow,” Colette said, rubbing her forehead, “I mean, I guess you won the match, so there’s that.”
Casey expected a ‘but’ to follow, but there was none. Please don’t be mad.
“Why would I be mad? I never knew you could do that to a Pokemon by teleporting, so if anything, it’s just a new tactic we can use!”
Casey breathed a sigh of relief. Does that mean I’m free to go now?
“Yeah, sure, whatever, but remember you’re the anchor. I’ll need you for the last fight.”
She looked to the rest of her team. “What about you guys?”
“We’ve got it from here!” Macaroon cheered.
“Yeah,” Spirou said, but in a less excited tone. Just as Casey was about to teleport again, he tugged on her leg.
“What’s up?”
Spirou fiddled with one of his stray quills, then narrowed his eyes at Casey. “How long are you going to keep this a secret from Colette?”
“Whaaaaaat? No, I’m not keeping it a secret or anything, it’s just…” She glanced at Colette who poked Macaroon’s belly, making that Jigglypuff laugh. “Well, maybe I am.”
“I thought we talked about this last time.” He looked up at her with pleading eyes. “You’re not abandoning her if you’re dating someone, so why keep it from her?”
“Spirou…” Casey turned away. “I don’t wanna talk about this here.”
“She’ll find out eventually. I don’t know why you’re making it harder for yourself when I’m sure she’d understand. She’ll—“
Casey teleported again, this time somewhere completely random. A furnished study room. As soon as her feet touched the ground, something crinkled beneath her, as the floor was covered with loose sheets of various writings. They must’ve sacrificed a whole forest to supply this much paper. She recognised this–
Oh dear, not this place. Not now. This wasn’t the gym or the ruins, but the Alakazam dwelling she used to be a part of before she joined Colette. And standing around her was her dad and her two siblings, who all stared at her.
Casey! her father, an Alakazam, said in her mind, eyes as wide as the moon, look who’s come gallivanting back into my establishment! Please elaborate further!
Still writing those lame lovey dovey poems? her brother, an Abra, said at the same time.
Will you help with my thesis? her other brother, a Kadabra, said. It’s all about the mating habits of Trubbish!
Ugh, why did she end up back here? How did she end up in this dump, anyway?
Right, of course. Because she panicked and teleported without thinking again.
Summary: Casey the Kadabra is in a pickle. Her trainer's got a gym battle, but Casey also has a date with this super nice Hypno at the same time. So she tries teleporting between the two to please both parties. This is going to be a warp in the park for her, right? Right?
Notes: This is a standalone story, but you might recognise Jeanne and the Hypno gang from my other fic The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. If you like this one, I encourage you to check that out as it goes deeper into the problems of the Hypno dwelling and what goes on within their society.
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Teleport-A-Loo
Part 1
It was a pain in the ass to walk when you could teleport. That’s how Casey mostly got around, especially going back and forth between her trainer and the library she frequented. Nothing like spending the day at her favourite place in the world, then coming back for dinner at the camp.Part 1
But today was special as she was walking alongside a Hypno… to a far away place… in an undisclosed location… near a scary mine… No! Casey was being silly, it would be fine! And this Hypno was none other than Jeanne, her date for today.
This walk through Route 18 could’ve been easier, though. It wasn’t hilly, but there was so much ground to cover, and it was grittier and rockier than what Casey was used to. After walking for an hour, she had to stop to rest her feet. She sat by a river bank, watching the other side of the stream.
“C’mon,” Jeanne called, “keep up! It’s not much further from here.”
“I know.” Casey cradled her knees. “I’m not used to long hikes like you are.”
“To be fair, if I could whizz from place to place in a blink of an eye, I would.” Jeanne sat alongside her and smiled. “Who needs buses when we have Abra?”
“I mean, if it makes your life easier, I would swap powers.”
“Nah, nah, it’s no problem. It’s good exercise anyway.”
Casey only hummed in reply. She took a spoon out of her backpack and looked at her own warped reflection in it. Did she look like a nice, smart Kadabra? Was there such a thing as makeup for her species? Did her moustache look alright? There was no way she could compare to Jeanne, who looked so finely groomed.
“Oh, so this is your spoon?” Jeanne asked, popping her head over to see her reflection too. “Nice. D’you eat from that as well?”
“Ew, no, why would I do that?”
“In case a Vanilluxe ever pops up and ambushes you. And also, why does it have to be a spoon? Why can’t it be a knife or a fork, or heck, even a spork?”
“No, it has to be a spoon.” Casey shoved it back into her bag. “A spork just sounds... wrong. Like sacrilege or something.”
The thought of touching those tiny, jagged prongs sent shivers down her spine.
“I know, I’m just teasin’. I mean, I read somewhere that Kadabra would often test their powers by bending whatever objects they could find, particularly metal, and they would scavenge for spoons in particular because it was easy to find in urban areas.”
Casey squinted at her date. “I’m not some animal.”
“Ah, sorry.” Jeanne held her flushed cheek. “You know how nerdy I can get sometimes.”
Even though Jeanne went into a lot of tangents, that was what Casey liked about her to begin with; someone to share her rants with. Even if it was a long hike, it was tolerable with Jeanne. This date was turning out to be a huge success–
Her watch beeped, with a text saying ‘where r u?’. Of course, her trainer had to ruin the moment. But hopefully, this wouldn’t take long. She typed on the touchscreen, texting ‘I’m busy, studying’. It was a lie, but Casey didn’t know how her trainer would’ve reacted if she found out she was dating. Hopefully, that would be the end of it.
“Sorry,” Casey said, “it’s just my trainer. You know, because of the whole teleport thing, I don’t have to follow her around too much.”
“Now I definitely wanna trade powers,” Jeanne said. “If I knew that, then I woulda gone anywhere and still had a trainer to come back to.”
"Right.” Sometimes, the fact that Jeanne was trainerless slipped her mind. Technically a ‘wild’ Pokemon, but she didn’t like that term as it implied Jeanne was feral. She was anything but. “Anyway, let’s get–”
Casey got another text, saying ‘WTF i told u gym fights today!!!’
“Gym fight…” she whispered, then she shouted “oh no!”
“Oh no?” Jeanne parroted.
“Crap, I’m sorry, I’ll be two minutes! Stay there!”
“Wait, where are you going?” Jeanne stood up.
“I’m sorting something out with my trainer.” Casey took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “I need to focus, I promise, I’ll be back in five or so minutes.”
“Ah, right. Teleporting. Got it.”
Casey inhaled and exhaled, focusing her mind. She had never stepped foot in that gym before, so where was the next closest location? Right, the trainer’s circle in Shalour City.
Right, focus. No distractions. Casey had to be like water – to let the waves carry her through the invisible fields, through the air, and through different points in time and space. She pictured the place in her mind: seaside city, sandy beaches, great big showoff tower, lots of people and Pokemon strolling, lots of buildings, cobblestone pavements, cyclists parking their bikes, Murkrow roosting atop the power lines…
Before she knew it, the wind changed. She opened her eyes, and there she was. Casey had no time to soak in the scene. She ran, despite having the running legs of a Slowpoke. She ignored the odd looks she got and the people she accidentally bumped into along the way. Once she saw the gym, she cut through the line of a dozen or so trainers, burst through the doors and found her trainer, Colette, sitting in the lobby. Her trainer caught sight of her and stood.
“Casey.” She tapped her watch. “It’s about time.”
Casey stopped to catch her breath. It was good to gather her energy before she used telepathy, since it required making a mental link.
I’m sorry, I totally forgot! she spoke in Colette’s mind.
“Well, okay, fair enough, but…” Colette’s shoulders slumped. “I told you this was important. I thought you would’ve remembered seeing how you’re–”
I can teleport and pick stuff up with my mind, I don’t magically remember things!
“Right, gotcha.” She sighed. “Anyway, I’m glad you could make it.”
Now Casey relaxed, she saw that this Gym… was literally a gym. There were treadmills and dumbells as far as the eye could see past the reception, with loads of people and fighting types alike using them. Lots of trainers like Colette stood near the reception, waiting for their next turn. And as expected, it smelled like a locker room here.
“We should be starting in five minutes, by the way,” Colette said.
Five minutes?!
“Yeah, sorry. You can do your studies later, can’t you?”
Well, I, yes, I can! But this really can’t wait, I’m studying for… an exam! Even though she didn’t speak, Casey gesticulated nonetheless, punctuating her urgency. An exam, yeah, for psychics and junk!
“For psychics and junk? I don’t remember you signing up for any course, though I know you were interested in that poetry one.”
Poetry, that’s the one! She rapidly nodded her head. I’ve got this assignment and I need to finish it in a couple of hours!
“I mean, I wish the best for you and all, but I’ve been planning this for weeks. If you’re not there, I either might not be in the best spot, or I might have to cancel, and it could take me up to a month to get another slot!”
Ughhhhh. Casey flashed her puppy dog eyes, hoping it would work. Please? This is really important to… She blinked. Wait, there must’ve been another way. Okay, hear me out. What if I do my thing at the library, then if you need me in a fight, I can teleport back to you?
“Casey, that’s not…” Colette raised a finger, then stopped, putting it to her chin. “Well, I don’t wanna make you wait around in a Pokeball or with me the whole time. It’s gonna be a team switching thing so I don’t need you for every match.”
Okay, cool!
“Wait, I was gonna say–”
Casey closed her eyes, then teleported to the same place she was before the trip to the gym. But along the way, something whipped her face, like getting blasted by a jet turbine for a split second. When Casey got back to Jeanne, her head throbbed, and she doubled over in pain.
“You alright?” Jeanne asked, cupping her chrome dome.
“Yeah. I just teleported back too fast.” She grasped Jeanne’s hand. “This power can be a little risky sometimes.”
“I’ve read teleportation can be like that.” Jeanne’s tone changed like it usually did when she recited one of her facts. “I’ve heard cases where Abra who aren’t too careful or can’t control their powers teleport to random places. There was one rumour that an Abra teleported into the sea and got gobbled up by a Gyarados.”
“Wait, what?!” Casey backed away. “Don’t scare me like that!”
“Sorry! I just heard stories, that’s all!”
“Yup, and it’s not going to happen to me, okay?” Casey clenched her teeth and stood up, braving the mini-headache. “Anyway, it’s fine, I’ve got it taken care of. My trainer’s not going to bother me–”
Another text: ‘DONT TELEPORT WHILE IM TALKING ASDFOIAGURG’
She rolled her eyes and typed in ‘Okay, mom’.
Colette sent an upside down smiley emoji in response.
“Anyway,” Casey said, putting the phone away, “she won’t bother me unless she needs help.”
“With what, exactly?” Jeanne crossed her arms. “Is this gonna get in the way of our date?”
“No,” she lied. “It’s just… she’s studying for some trainer exam and might need my help.”
“Why doesn’t she just text you for advice?”
“She can’t, it’s, well, a theory test, so she has to show me stuff too.”
Jeanne stared at her for a moment. Did she know she was lying? Oh, Casey really stuck her foot in it this time. Why did she say she’d come along to this fight?
Right. Because she still wanted to maintain a bond with her trainer. Colette was not only her chaperone and safety net, she was also a good friend, despite her split priorities. She didn’t want to bail on a promise, but…
“Oh well.” Jeanne shrugged. “Come on, let’s go.”
Right. It would be fine. Casey wouldn’t miss this date for the world. And Jeanne’s dwelling apparently had a cook. She wondered what Hypno food tasted like. Attending both a fight and a date. Casey was a genius. Totally.
Thankfully, as Jeanne promised, the rest of the walk was brief. Despite the creepy trek through the abandoned mines to the ruined building, the insides weren’t too shabby. Although the walls and floors were full of holes, Hypno and Drowzee alike happily dozed off in makeshift beds, so it felt like a lived-in place. One Hypno in particular snored like, well, a Snorlax, lying rear over teakettle.
“Don’t mind Moony,” Jeanne said, “she’s always a loud snorer.”
“You haven’t heard my trainer yet,” Casey replied.
“Zing.”
Aside from the beds, there was furniture, shelves filled with books and board games, and even an old Hypno who used his psychic powers to sweep the floors with his mind. Once he saw the two, he dropped the broom he had held with his kinesis.
“Ah, hello. So you’re the mon Jeanne was talking to me about.” He gestured to the front room, which swam with dust. “Well, Jeanne told me to spruce up the place, so I hope it looks somewhat presentable.”
She had been in trainer hostels and camps that looked worse than this. “Ah, no, sir, it’s fine.”
“Sir?” The old Hypno chuckled and brushed his beard, which made him look like an old-timey prospector. “It’s been a while since someone’s called me that. But just Hoothoot is fine.”
“Like the owl, Hoothoot?”
“Yes, and believe me, that’s something I have to explain to everyone I meet.” He stepped in closer and eyed Casey, a bit too close for comfort. “It’s been ages since I’ve seen a Kadabra with my old eyes. Dare I say, your moustache is bigger than mine.”
“Could you, er, maybe see just a little further away?”
“Ah, right, sorry. I’m a little near-sighted, you see.” He stepped back and bowed. “I hope you enjoy your time with Jeanne.”
“I’m sure I will.” Hopefully, if her trainer didn’t interrupt her.
After the old man left, Jeanne took Casey’s claws. “I’m sorry, it looks like a bomb’s gone off in here.”
“It’s really no problem, I swear.” She unbuckled her backpack, laying it down on the floor. “I know you guys don’t have a load of options.”
“Yeah, but I wanna try and make it as homey as possible, y’know.” Jeanne looked to the other sleeping Hypno. “Not just for you, but for everyone livin’ here as well.”
“Any way I can help?”
“Nah, you don’t need to. Anyway, wanna see my book collection?”
Jeanne had talked a big game when they had their library chats since she claimed to read everything from historical tomes to literary classics. Although her shelf was small and looked like a breeze would knock it down, it had a good collection of the books she described. Even some first edition ones there, which must’ve gone for a fortune.
“And you haven’t thought about selling those?” Casey asked.
“What do I need money for?” Jeanne tilted her head. “I just find books wherever. Sometimes I borrow ‘em from the library, sometimes I steal ‘em from someplace else.”
Casey stepped back. “Steal them? Well, I’m sure you have a good reason, but…”
“It’s a victimless crime, so what? These authors are either millionaires, dead, or both.”
Casey didn’t entirely agree with that, but she wouldn’t judge. “Then again, if I had a copy like this–”she gently brushed the first-edition cover of The Five Towers that featured a staff-wielding Alakazam standing atop a mountain–”you’d have to pry it from my cold, dead hands.”
“Funny what random junk you can find in a place like this.” Jeanne absent-mindedly flicked through the pages, which also featured old illustrations of scenes from the book. One featured the main character as a Kadabra, vowing vengeance against his human oppressors as he stood in a burned-down village. The scene was so detailed despite being printed in black and white ink that she could see the craters of the moon in a tiny dot on the page.
“Woah.” Casey held a hand to her mouth. “Awesome. You can’t get stuff like that anymore. My trainer bought me a copy and there weren’t any pictures in it, and this cover was so boring. Like black text on a white background with a tower on it.”
“The covers you get nowadays are so lame.”
As Jeanne returned the book to the shelf, Casey’s belly rumbled. She had skipped lunch since she had that walk with Jeanne, and she wanted to save her appetite for the main part of the date.
“Well,” Jeanne said, “I better wake Brie up and make him open his lil’ bistro.”
“He owns a bistro?”
“No, I’m joking, all we’ve got is an old stove.”
“Oh.” Casey hated not picking up on sarcasm.
“He pines about opening one someday, though. I guess you could say that makes it a Briestro.”
Jeanne laughed at her own joke, but Casey wasn’t impressed. Puns were her second biggest weakness next to Ghost moves.
“Anyway–” Jeanne headed towards one of the other rooms–”we better get started, feel free to join me in the kitchen.” She disappeared, then poked her head out of the door. “Oh, and don’t be too much of a food critic. Brie doesn’t have much to work with.”
That didn’t sound promising, but Casey smiled nonetheless, trying to appear enthusiastic. She was about to follow after Jeanne, but then her watch buzzed. She was surprised it got any signal here.
‘Yo, 1st match, guy with three machoke here can u come in’
Okay, that didn’t sound too bad. And that would kill some time while Brie prepared the entrees. Casey closed her eyes and imagined herself in that gym. Vending machines and treadmills, bodies glistening with sweat, trainers tapping away at their phones in the reception, dance music thumping in the background…
Casey appeared in the lobby alone, with Colette nowhere to be seen. Wait, where was–
Casey ran to the receptionist who was in the middle of talking to another trainer – he squealed as she bashed her hand on his desk.
Where’s the gym battle room? she asked.
“Dance studio on the right, geez! You can’t enter without a trainer– hey, where are you going?!”
Casey bolted through the double doors to the studio, and indeed, the gym battle was about to start. To the left was her team, including Colette, her trainer, Spirou, the Quilladin, and Macaroon, the Jigglypuff, who all waved as she entered. The referee was in the middle. To her right were three Machoke who either passed the time by lifting weights, flexing their muscles, or doing both at the same time.
Hope I wasn’t late, Casey said to Colette.
“Nah, right on time,” she said back. “Where are you teleporting from anyway?”
Route 18.
“Woah, that’s quite far away. Anyway, we’re about to start, so you know the drill. You’re up first.”
Right. Casey could do this. Dealing with these three chumps would be a warp in the park for her. She stood before the first Machoke, who tossed his dumbbell aside, getting into a battle stance.
“So, what can you do, Miss Kadabra?” he asked with a smug grin.
“Um, I can teleport to random places… and stuff.”
“Am I supposed to be impressed?” He cracked his knuckles, and she mimicked him. Casey knew it was all in good fun, as official as gym fights sounded in theory. “Whatever, just don’t bore me with this fight.”
“I won’t. And, uh…” Casey was about to get her spoon from her backpack but...
She had no backpack. Crap, where was it?!
“Is everything alright?” Colette asked.
My spoon is– Wait, she knew where it was. Wait just a sec, I’ll be right back.
“Casey! Where are you–”
Too late. Casey teleported back to the lounge room of the Hypno dwelling. Her bag was still where she had left it. She rummaged through it quickly, ignoring the headache the quick teleportation brought, and found what she was looking for. Just as soon as she came, she teleported back to the gym.
Everyone in the dance studio stared at her.
“What are you gonna do with that spoon?” the Machoke asked. “Beat me to death with it?”
“N-no.” Casey scoffed. How long would that even take?
“Is this going to be a problem?” Colette asked.
No, not at all! See? She held out her trusty dessert spoon.
“If you wanted that, you could’ve asked for a replacement.” Colette unzipped her rucksack, revealing a couple of tablespoons.
But I like this spoon much better!
“Alright.” She shrugged, then waved to the referee. “Sorry, now we’re ready to start.”
Casey got back to her original position before she teleported, facing off against the Machoke. They waited for the referee to blow her whistle, then once it started, it was practically child’s play. This Machoke thought he could punch a psychic type to exhaustion, but a couple of teleports and a confusion spell was enough for Casey to knock him down a peg. He wore himself out trying to punch Casey in his stupor, then fell to the floor.
1-0. So far so good.
The next opponent was even dumber than the last. Sure, she worked up a sweat, and even though their punches and kicks didn’t do much, it still kept Casey on her toes. Knocking out the second Machoke was way too easy, though she enjoyed wrestling a female Machoke. By the time she was up against her last opponent, she was convinced that victory was in her hands.
“Say,” the third Machoke said, holding out his arms, “I’m in the mood for some aerobics. Wanna do thirty laps?”
“Um,” Casey said, holding out her spoon, “no?”
“Too bad!” He sprinted towards her, chasing her around the studio. Definitely a fast runner! Not even Casey’s quick teleports threw him off in such a cramped space as this. As soon as she warped behind him, he dodged out of the way and started tailing her again.
“Casey!” Colette shouted. “What are you doing? Just use Confusion like you did last time!”
“Keep wearing her out!” the Machoke’s trainer yelled.
Of course he was doing this on purpose. Casey stopped to raise her spoon, but she had to catch her breath. Damn, if hiking wasn’t her forte, then running was even less of her forte. Before she could cast a confusion ray, the Machoke grappled her, pinning her to the floor. He socked her in the stomach once, trying to wind her. He was about to punch her a second time when she grabbed his hand. No time to think.
Casey teleported again, but she wasn’t in the dance studio – she was outside at Shalour’s plaza. And not only that, she brought the Machoke along with her.
“Wait, what?” he yelled. “Why are we here?!”
“Wait a sec!”
She tried to teleport again, only to end up back at Jeanne’s place. The Machoke saw the sleeping Hypno and screamed like a little Machop.
“No no no!” he screeched, shielding his eyes. “Stay away from me, don’t hypnotise me, I—”
Casey covered his mouth and teleported again. They managed to get back to the gym, but not totally unscathed. Casey’s head throbbed, but the Machoke was worse for wear, throwing up and falling to the floor.
Casey looked at her trainer, whose jaw practically touched her toes. She was going to be in so much trouble. Or… maybe not? The referee blew his whistle and declared Colette’s team as the victors. They weren’t in a celebratory mood, however. The other trainer approached the referee.
“Okay, can you explain what the hell just happened?”
Colette shot Casey a glare. She tried not to show her nervousness as she straightened her posture. It would take extra effort to perform telepathy across three humans as she had to quickly make mental links with them, but she concentrated hard enough that she bridged the gap.
Teleportation makes Pokemon feel sick. I just used that against him. Is that within the ruleset?
The referee blinked. “Well, it doesn’t happen very often, but psychics have used that as an attack before here, so I don’t see why it would be a problem.” He hummed, stroking his stubble. “However, you also left the room, so for all I know, you could’ve used items or weapons against that Machoke.”
Casey glanced at the Machoke who had curled up in a ball at the corner, nursing a carton of Oran juice. Oh crap, what would she say now? Would she just come clean? No, she had to play it cool. Like a frozen bowl of chilli.
It was an accident – I overshot my range and we both ended up somewhere else. I assure you that I did not do anything else to him – ask him yourself.
“Did she do anything else to you, mate?” the trainer called. The Machoke looked at his trainer, then looked at Casey, then back to his trainer again and shook his head.
“Well, no harm, no foul, I suppose.” The referee stared at Casey. “Your team still gets the victory, but next time, please don’t warp anywhere else during a match. You can still teleport, but I want to make sure that this is all a fair fight.”
As the other team slunk out of the gym and the janitor came in to wipe up the puke puddle, Colette’s team stomped towards Casey.
“Wow,” Colette said, rubbing her forehead, “I mean, I guess you won the match, so there’s that.”
Casey expected a ‘but’ to follow, but there was none. Please don’t be mad.
“Why would I be mad? I never knew you could do that to a Pokemon by teleporting, so if anything, it’s just a new tactic we can use!”
Casey breathed a sigh of relief. Does that mean I’m free to go now?
“Yeah, sure, whatever, but remember you’re the anchor. I’ll need you for the last fight.”
She looked to the rest of her team. “What about you guys?”
“We’ve got it from here!” Macaroon cheered.
“Yeah,” Spirou said, but in a less excited tone. Just as Casey was about to teleport again, he tugged on her leg.
“What’s up?”
Spirou fiddled with one of his stray quills, then narrowed his eyes at Casey. “How long are you going to keep this a secret from Colette?”
“Whaaaaaat? No, I’m not keeping it a secret or anything, it’s just…” She glanced at Colette who poked Macaroon’s belly, making that Jigglypuff laugh. “Well, maybe I am.”
“I thought we talked about this last time.” He looked up at her with pleading eyes. “You’re not abandoning her if you’re dating someone, so why keep it from her?”
“Spirou…” Casey turned away. “I don’t wanna talk about this here.”
“She’ll find out eventually. I don’t know why you’re making it harder for yourself when I’m sure she’d understand. She’ll—“
Casey teleported again, this time somewhere completely random. A furnished study room. As soon as her feet touched the ground, something crinkled beneath her, as the floor was covered with loose sheets of various writings. They must’ve sacrificed a whole forest to supply this much paper. She recognised this–
Oh dear, not this place. Not now. This wasn’t the gym or the ruins, but the Alakazam dwelling she used to be a part of before she joined Colette. And standing around her was her dad and her two siblings, who all stared at her.
Casey! her father, an Alakazam, said in her mind, eyes as wide as the moon, look who’s come gallivanting back into my establishment! Please elaborate further!
Still writing those lame lovey dovey poems? her brother, an Abra, said at the same time.
Will you help with my thesis? her other brother, a Kadabra, said. It’s all about the mating habits of Trubbish!
Ugh, why did she end up back here? How did she end up in this dump, anyway?
Right, of course. Because she panicked and teleported without thinking again.
