Chapter 15

The Zephyr Badge

Travel Journal — Day 20

Gym Battle today.

Apparently spending almost three weeks insisting I was only doing one Gym does not make the first one less intimidating.

Cinder is ready.
Owlbert is ready.

Victor claims he was born ready, died ready, and remains ready in defiance of natural law.

I am choosing not to examine that statement.

Falkner is… I'll finish this entry later. Probably.

- - - - -

Owlbert woke her at seven.

Exactly seven, not six fifty-nine or seven-oh-one. Seven.

Ravina opened one eye and spotted Owlbert on the bedpost.

Hoot.

“Morning, Owly.”

His feathers settled as Ravina stretched. Then felt something cold drifted across her forehead.

She opened the other eye. Victor was floating upside down directly above her.

“Good morning.”

Ravina stared. “Why?”

“I wished to observe the champion awakening before battle.”

“I haven't won anything yet.”

“Then the prospective champion.”

“No.”

“The courageous challenger.”

“Victor.”

“The tiny warrior.”

A warm weight shifted beside her as Cinder raised his head and Victor immediately corrected himself. “The tiny warrior and her enormous fiery lover.”

Ravina scratched Cinder beneath the jaw. “Morning, my Fireball.”

A low, sleepy trill answered her and she smiled. That sound was still new.

Deeper than his old Cyndaquil chirps, but familiar enough now that Ravina no longer had to consciously connect it to him.

Cinder stretched, long forelegs first, then shoulders, then the entire considerable length of Quilava behind them.

He stepped out of the bed without tangling himself in the blanket, turned and did not hit the chair.

Ravina pointed. “Look at that.” Cinder glanced back. 

“A corner.” He looked offended. “A successful corner.” That improved matters.

Owlbert hooted and Ravina moved her gaze to him. “You've got your own job today.”

His head tilted. 

“You're not getting forgotten.” Hoot. “I promise.”

Victor descended until he hovered beside the bed. “And I?”

Ravina sat up, becoming aware that her shirt had disappeared in the night again, the warmth of Cinder in her bed had her shedding clothes in the middle of the night as of late.  “You're spectating.”

Victor recoiled. “Spectating?”

“You joined the team four days ago.”

“I have improved dramatically.”

“You've learned not to whisper in people's ears during drills.”

“A triumph.”

“And this is our first Gym.”

Victor narrowed his eyes. “You distrust my ability.”

“I trust your ability.” Ravina climbed out of bed and adjusted her panties. “I distrust your relationship with instructions.”

Victor considered that as he watched her walk to the bathroom from behind. “Fair.”

- - - - -

Breakfast was quieter than Victor preferred, but Ravina wanted it that way.

Cinder ate more than he had as a Cyndaquil, significantly more. The Center had already adjusted the recommended portions on his care record, but Ravina still found herself watching him finish one bowl and look hopefully toward the second.

“You're going to eat us into poverty.” Cinder kept eating. 

“I'm serious.” No response.

And Ravina eventually sighed “My Fireball.” His ears twitched as Ravina smiled and pushed the rest of his breakfast closer.

Owlbert ate with considerably more restraint and Victor did not need breakfast, but that had not stopped him from accepting half a berry.

He suspended it inside his gas as the fruit slowly disappeared.

Ravina watched despite herself and Victor noticed. “You continue to stare.”

“You continue to dissolve food.”

“Efficient.”

Owlbert watched the berry vanish.

Hoot.

Ravina nodded. “Still weird.”

Victor's gas briefly took on a faint reddish tint. “Philistines.”

- - - - -

The Gym stood taller than Ravina remembered. That seemed unreasonable to her, buildings did not become taller because someone had decided to battle inside them. Probably.

Violet's morning wind tugged at her jacket as she stood outside with the boys, The Gym's roofline rose above the surrounding traditional buildings, blue-and-white banners stirring beneath the eaves.

Flying-type symbols, open windows, high walkways visible through the upper structure.

Ravina looked up and Victor followed her gaze.

“Ah.”

“hmm?.”

“I said nothing.”

“You made an ‘ah.’”

“It was appreciative.”

Cinder stood against her leg as Ravina rested a hand between his ears. “You good?”

He looked up, bright eyes, alert and ready.

Ravina smiled. “Me too.”

That might even become true if she kept saying it.

Owlbert landed on her shoulder and Ravina touched two fingers lightly beneath his beak. “And you?”

Hoot.

“Thought so.”

Victor drifted around them. “A stirring tableau.”

Ravina opened the door. “Come on.”

- - - - -

The receptionist recognized her, which was becoming an unfortunate theme in Violet, as she didn't know if it was her own fame from the pavilion or… association to another.

“Shales.”

Ravina stopped. “Yes.”

The woman looked down at her terminal, and then back up. “Related to Ito?”

Ravina closed her eyes. “Hmm.” A pause. “…Technically.”

The receptionist's expression suggested this had answered nothing and Ravina sighed. “Whatever she did, I apologize.”

The woman stared at her, then slowly smiled. “That is an unusually useful thing to say in advance.”

Victor emerged beside Ravina. “Who is Ito?”

“A friend.”

“My curiosity burns.”

“It shouldn't. You're a Gastly.”

“Metaphorically… mostly”

The receptionist looked between them and then at the screen. “Sprout Tower clearance is recorded.”

Ravina presented her Trainer Card and The woman checked it. “Challenge format is two Pokémon.”

Ravina nodded. Cinder and Owlbert. Exactly as she'd planned.

“Substitution only between knockouts unless the Leader authorizes otherwise. Recall is permitted for safety at any time, but voluntary withdrawal forfeits that round.”

“Understood.”

“Standard League safety rules. No deliberate attacks on trainers. Battle ends on surrender, incapacity, or referee call.”

“Got it.”

The receptionist looked toward Victor. “Spectators remain behind the marked barrier.”

Victor bowed. “I shall restrain my passions.”

Ravina looked at him. “You will remain behind the barrier.”

“That too.”

The receptionist tapped one final field. “Falkner is ready when you are.”

That did not help Ravina's stomach. “Great.”