scripted

Maya sat in front of a glowing computer screen. Her Cyndaquil lay curled up in her lap, a ball of yellow and black. Her brow was furrowed as she tapped at the desktop impatiently, faced with a completely blank word document.

"What are you doing?"

Blue, who had snuck into the room quietly, suddenly spoke up. From right behind her chair. Maya jumped in surprise and Cyndaquil tumbled to the floor. Flames erupted from its back and lit up a pile of half-finished drawings littering the floor. Maya spent the next five minutes batting it out with a frilly cushion.

"I'm TRYING to write something epic for Terra," she finally said, throwing the pillow back onto her bed as if nothing happened. Various other items in her room had been charred by the starter she had received only days earlier, and while the first time was quite a shock, the tenth time, not so much. "It's her birthday soon, you know."

"I see!" Blue's nose crinkled at the burnt smell. "Why not catch her a Pokemon? I'm sure she'd love a new-- I don't know-- Bidoof or something. You girls seem to love silly creatures like that."

"I would, but I haven't quite perfected my catching skills," Maya said. "I threw a million Pokeballs at a Pidgey after chasing it around for an hour. In the end I just gave up." She pushed the rolly-chair away from the desk and spun around to pick up Cyndaquil. It promptly resumed napping on her lap. "And I hate Bidoof! They're so creepy."

"But not as creepy as Bibarel."

"I know right!" Maya started to grin, then stopped. "Wait a minute. Why are you being so friendly? Are you here to ask me a favour?"

"I don't ask for favours," Blue said matter-of-factly.

"Oh." She stroked Cyndaquil, rubbing at the spots on its back. "Are you here expecting me to give you a favour then?"

He spun her chair around and leaned over so that they faced each other. "Maybe!"

"Eww! Personal space, please!" Maya shoved Cyndaquil between them. He backed up about two inches.

"How about this. If you help me with one small task, I'll help you catch an amazing Pokemon for your friend Terra. Is it a deal?"

"Do I get to choose what it is?"

"No."

"Aww, but she really likes Lugia !"

Blue sighed. "Are all little girls so hard to deal with?"

"I'm not a little girl, okay. So don't call me that!" She crossed her arms sternly. "What do you need help with, anyway?"

"Well, I have a gym battle scheduled for tomorrow."

"Why? Aren't you supposed to be watching me or something?"

Maya knew her mother was out in some Hoenn region, visiting an old friend. She had refused to go, stating that all third-generation Pokemon were ugly pieces of crap and that she wanted nothing to do with them. Her mother was always going off to other lands to visit people. It was amazing how many friends she knew throughout the country. Maya guessed it was because her mother used to be quite the Trainer too, back in the days of Professor Oak and stuff

...Eww, Professor Oak...

Anyway, her mom wouldn't be back for a couple days. Why the Viridian Gym leader was chosen to babysit her was a mystery, but it was Sunday night, so maybe he was the only available candidate.

At least it wasn't Chuck again, Maya thought to herself. That had been the most boring time of her life, sitting in the gym while he sat under a waterfall for 72 hours straight. Well, at least his wife was kind enough to offer her Staryu-shaped cookies...

"-- hello? Are you even listening to me?" Blue rapped her on the head with his knuckles.

"Oww! You're so mean!" Maya rubbed at her skull. "What?"

He crossed his arms. "I said, you'll just have to come with me to Kanto."

"What the hell! Do you even know how far that is from here? In case you didn't know, I live in New Bark Town, the town all second-generation newbies start out in! And Kanto's like, the other side of the world or something."

"It's not my fault I'm popular, I get a lot of worthy challengers." Blue seemed to beam with pride. "I worked really hard to get where I am now. And it just so happens, a particular Trainer I've been itching to battle has agreed to meet with me tomorrow evening."

"But I don't waaant to go. Why can't you go yourself?" Maya started to whine. It always worked with her mom. Unluckily for her, Blue was something else.

"Don't be stupid. I can't leave you here alone, what are you? 12? You're gonna get assaulted by some Maniac or Hiker."

"Oh yeah. This is the Pokemon franchise, after all. I forgot I was an insanely young age." Maya stared at Cyndaquil. "How about it, should we follow Blue to Kanto?"

Cyndaquil nodded, wriggling around excitedly. Yeah!

Of course you'd want to, you're this level5 newb! Maya rolled her eyes, but a decision was a decision. She didn't want no Hikers harassing her. And besides, she still had nothing to present to Terra. Maybe she could catch some amazing Kanto Pokemon or something.

"Okay, fine. But you have to promise you'll help me catch something cool for Terra's birthday."

"Deal!" Blue grinned in satisfaction. "Meet you outside in five. Gotta find my jacket. I think I left it on the couch."

He flashed his V-sign and left. Maya watched him go. When she was sure he had gone downstairs, she glanced at the crumpled black mass shoved beneath her bed. Yes, that was Blue's leather jacket. Slightly charred sleeves and all. Sigh. She knew she shouldn't have let Cyndaquil participate in that couch-jumping contest with Ethan and his Marill. Now others would be the ones to smell him later.