Chapter 11: Crossing Paths
After taking a short break for myself, I resumed my walk toward Viridian City with renewed energy.
There was now a small stream alongside the path. As I walked a brief distance, I spotted a red-haired girl—her hair tied into a side ponytail, wearing a yellow tank top, red suspenders, denim shorts that stopped at her thighs, and red high-top sneakers with yellow lining and white laces—fishing at the riverside.
Ding
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[Name]: Misty Waterflower
[Age]: 16
[Profession]: Expert Trainer
[Emotional State]: Serene, Calm
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I watched her for a moment, taking in her focused demeanor. Misty, my mind supplied unbidden. Water-type expert. Cerulean City Gym Leader… future Gym Leader, technically, wasn't she? It felt surreal, seeing her in person. This could be my chance to connect with another trainer, especially her. I took a deep breath, trying to remember how normal people initiated conversations. Right, casual. Non-threatening. Not like I knew her whole life story already. My heart pounded against my ribs anyway.
As Alex approached – a little too quickly, maybe? – Misty paused her fishing, her curiosity piqued by the newcomer. He was… fidgety. Definitely nervous. She noticed the hesitant determination in his eyes, though, a flicker of something… earnest? Interesting.
"Hey there!" I blurted out, voice a bit too loud, then winced internally. *Too eager, too loud, idiot.* I tried to modulate my tone, forcing a more casual inflection. "Catching… uh, anything?" *Smooth, Alex. Real smooth. Sounded like a complete idiot.*
Misty looked up, her gaze sharp and assessing for a moment, then softening – was that amusement? "Not yet," she replied, her voice smooth and confident, making mine feel even more stilted in comparison. "Just enjoying the peace," she gestured vaguely at the stream with her fishing rod, "hoping to snag a Poliwag, maybe." "You?"
"Oh, uh, yeah," I echoed, feeling foolish for mirroring her words so directly. *Way to be original, genius.* "Peace is good. Water's… nice." I gestured awkwardly at the stream too, as if pointing out the obvious. *Stop rambling, Alex.* "Just started my journey," I managed to get to the actual point, finally. "Caught a… couple of Pokémon."
Misty's eyes sharpened with genuine interest. Or maybe politely feigned interest? Hard to tell. "Really?" she asked, leaning forward slightly. "What did you catch?"
"A Rattata," I offered, then rushed to add, "and a Mankey." Hoping the Mankey part sounded tougher, more impressive. "Yeah, Mankey was… feisty. Strong for a wild one, you know?" *Too much detail? Too little? Why is talking to people so hard?* I grinned, feeling it strain on my face. "Hoping to catch more… along the way."
Misty raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow. Rattata and Mankey… Okay, beginner catches. But why is he listing them like he expects me to be impressed? Is he… trying to impress me? Is this his way of… flirting? Cute, if clueless. "Rattata and Mankey," she repeated slowly, a slightly puzzled frown forming, though inwardly, a small smile threatened to break through. "Route 1 classics. Planning on… catching the whole Route 1 set then, newbie?" Newbie. She'd called me newbie again. Was that… teasing? Playful? Or dismissive? And was that a hint of a smile? Or was I just completely misreading everything?
"Uh, Alex," I corrected quickly, before she cemented the 'newbie' label permanently. "Name's Alex Trent." I extended a hand, then worried it was too abrupt, too forward. *Did people even shake hands in the Pokémon world?*
Misty blinked, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes. Alex Trent… Okay, so he *is* introducing himself. Good sign. Slightly sweaty handshake. Newbie nerves, maybe? Or just… generally flustered? Is he actually… blushing? Is he *really* trying to flirt? With *me*? Huh. She shook my hand firmly, a surprisingly strong grip for someone who looked so… serene. "Misty," she replied, just her first name, like we were already… friends? Acquaintances? Trainers who'd just awkwardly met by a river and were now shaking hands? "Nice to meet you, Alex." Firm handshake. Decisive. Maybe there's more to 'newbie' Alex than meets the eye. Or maybe he's just making up for the awkward handshake with… confidence in grip strength?
Feeling encouraged – or maybe just desperate to fill the awkward silence – I rushed on, "Yeah, me too! Misty… that's a cool name. Water-type trainer, right? Cerulean Gym, maybe?" *Crap, too much? Too forward again? Did I sound like I was interviewing her? Or worse… a creep who'd already Googled her?* "Just, uh, guessing," I finished lamely, trying to backtrack. "Waterflower, right? So, water. Makes sense." *I mentally face-palmed. Smooth recovery, Alex, you genius.*
Misty's eyebrows went up again, higher this time. Waterflower… Cerulean Gym… He *does* know who I am. Is he… showing off his knowledge now? Trying to impress me with… geography? Okay, now it's starting to feel a little… deliberate. Is this his whole flirting strategy? Awkward compliments and random facts? Endearingly dorky, or just… weird? Actually… kinda endearing-weird. Outwardly, she just gave a small, tight smile. "You could say that," she replied, noncommittal. "Cerulean is… home." *Home.* Vague answer. Good Misty, don't give too much away to the… potential flirt. Internally, a small, amused smile played on her lips. *Is he really trying to flirt? With trainer tips? This could be… interesting.* "If you're looking to grow your team, Alex," she said, keeping her tone friendly but carefully neutral, "I could… offer some pointers. Water-type expertise, and all that." *Keep it about Pokémon. See how he reacts.*
"Really? That would be awesome!" I exclaimed, maybe too enthusiastically. *Tone it down, Alex, you're practically panting with eagerness.* "Tips from a real expert… that would be, uh, really helpful. Yeah." I nodded too many times, my palms starting to sweat.
Awesome? *Really* helpful? Okay, definitely eager. Maybe *too* eager? Is he laying it on thick now? Trying to butter me up for… these trainer tips? Or is it… something *else* he finds 'awesome'? Is he actually flirting? With trainer advice as foreplay? This newbie… He's either utterly clueless, or… surprisingly bold, in a roundabout way. Or maybe I'm just completely overthinking it. But… no, that slightly too-knowing look when he mentioned Cerulean… And the overly earnest handshake… Definitely something there. Despite her amusement and mild skepticism, though, Misty found herself… intrigued. He was passionate, in a flustered, awkward sort of way. And those slightly-too-knowing comments… Were they just newbie over-excitement? Or something… deliberately flirtatious, masked by awkwardness? Her competitive spirit, combined with a dash of genuine curiosity, flickered to life. *Maybe I could teach him a thing or two. About battling, and… maybe about subtlety. And… maybe a little about flirting, if that's what he's even trying to do. Though… it's kind of cute in a train-wreck sort of way.*
As we chatted – well, Misty chatted, sharing actual useful advice about battling and Route 1 Pokémon, while I mostly just nodded and tried to look like I was absorbing every word instead of internally panicking about saying something else stupid – I could sense… something. Friendship? Maybe too strong a word. But… a connection? A trainer connection, anyway. Misty shared insights about strategies and local Pokémon. When I managed to ask a halfway coherent question about good Water-type training spots (without sounding like I was quizzing her about Cerulean City, hopefully), she actually seemed to… appreciate it? Or at least not overtly recoil in horror. *Progress, Alex. Tiny, awkward progress.*
Suddenly, a splash from the river interrupted our… not-quite-conversation, more like Misty lecturing and me nodding frantically… conversation. A Water-type Pokémon – predictably, given the setting – leaped out and splashed back into the water, causing both of us to turn.
"Looks like you've got a wild one to catch!" Misty said, her eyes sparkling now, genuine excitement finally breaking through the earlier cautious assessment.
"Let's do it!" I replied, feeling a surge of relief at the change of subject, and also, surprisingly, a flicker of actual readiness for another challenge. Maybe talking to people wasn't completely soul-crushing after all.
I took a step – maybe two – too many steps closer to the water, eyes scanning the surface with perhaps excessive intensity, trying to prove I was a serious trainer now. Ripples began to form, and before I could properly react, a familiar red fish – Magikarp, seriously? – broke through the surface, flopping clumsily onto the riverbank.
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[Magikarp]
[Lv.]: 5
[Gender]: Female♀️
[HP]: 18/18
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"Magikarp," I muttered under my breath, unable to completely hide my… disappointment? Underwhelmed resignation? *Really, world? Magikarp?*
Misty, however, seemed… serious. Intense, even. "You should catch it," she said, her voice losing some of its earlier casual tone, though her smile was… tight. Almost strained.
"Really?" I asked, giving her what I hoped wasn't a completely incredulous look. "A Magikarp?"
She crossed her arms, her expression stiffening slightly. *Incredulous look. Yep, definitely newbie. Doesn't get it at all.* "Everyone underestimates Magikarp," she stated firmly, almost defensively, "but if you train it right, it'll evolve into Gyarados, one of the strongest Water-types around." Her voice wavered ever so slightly on "Gyarados," and though she didn't say it outright, I could see a flicker of… something. Discomfort? Fear? In her eyes when she mentioned Gyarados.
"Gyarados, huh?" I repeated, mulling it over, still watching the pathetically flopping Magikarp. Then, the question that actually mattered popped out, probably sounding ruder than intended. "But… if I'm gonna catch a Gyarados later anyway, why bother with the Magikarp now? Seems like extra steps." *Idiot, Alex, way to sound like you're dismissing her advice.*
Misty's eyebrow shot up again, a sharp, almost challenging look replacing the earlier amusement. Catch a Gyarados 'later'? 'Extra steps'? Does he think wild Gyarados just… hand themselves over to any trainer who asks nicely? *This newbie really has no clue.* She sighed, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "Oh, right, you're a new trainer," she said, the 'new' laced with a touch of gentle condescension. "Let me clue you in on something, newbie trainer Alex: Wild Gyarados are… a little different from these defenseless Magikarp flopping around." She gestured dismissively at the Magikarp with her fishing rod. "Taming a wild Gyarados is… well, it's not exactly a beginner project. They're incredibly aggressive, territorial, and powerful. Even expert trainers struggle. You think you, what, Level 2 newbie trainer Alex Trent, are just gonna stroll up to a wild Gyarados and toss a Poké Ball? Good luck with that. You'll be lucky if you walk away with all your limbs still attached." A flicker of genuine unease crossed her face again as she spoke about Gyarados, a shadow passing behind her eyes before she quickly masked it again.
I blinked, actually processing her words for once. Aggressive? Territorial? Limbs attached? Right, forgot about the whole 'wild' part of 'wild Pokémon'. Video game logic fail again. "Oh," I managed, feeling my cheeks flush slightly. "Right. Makes sense." *Definitely sounded like an idiot there. And made her… annoyed? Or just exasperated? Flirting fail, Alex, major flirting fail.*
Misty softened slightly, a hint of a smile returning – was it… pity? Amusement again? Hard to tell. "Look," she said, her tone becoming a bit more patient, almost… instructional. "Magikarp are weak, yes. But that's the point. Training a Magikarp, raising it from the bottom up, that's how you build a bond. That's how you learn patience, dedication. And when it evolves into Gyarados? That Gyarados will be loyal. It will trust you. A wild Gyarados… you'll be starting from zero. Assuming you can even catch it in the first place, without getting yourself or your Pokémon seriously hurt." She glanced pointedly at Ace perched on my shoulder. "Think about it. Which sounds… smarter?"
I glanced at Ace, then back at the pathetic Magikarp still flopping gently on the bank, then back at Misty's surprisingly intense gaze. Smarter? Loyalty? Bonding? Okay, maybe there was more to this Pokémon training thing than just catching the strongest monsters right away. "Okay," I nodded, trying to sound like I wasn't completely clueless anymore. "Yeah, you're right. Magikarp it is." *Still Magikarp though.*
Misty's smile finally widened, becoming more genuine, less strained. "Good choice, newbie trainer Alex Trent," she said, a definite playful teasing tone in her voice now. "Now, are you going to stand there gaping at it all day, or are you going to catch that Magikarp before it flops back into the river?"
Feeling a surge of – was that actual confidence? – I grinned back, maybe a little less awkwardly this time. "Right. Magikarp time." I grabbed a Poké Ball – maybe a bit less enthusiastically this time? – and threw it, perhaps with slightly less excessive force, toward the still-flopping Magikarp.
Predictably, given it was a Magikarp, and also completely helpless out of water, it was sucked into the Pokéball without any resistance whatsoever. The ball thunked softly on the riverbank, shook twice, then clicked shut, sealing the… underwhelming capture.
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[Pokédex Updated]
Magikarp #0129
[Type]: {Water}
An underpowered, pathetic Pokémon. It may jump high on rare occasions but never more than seven feet.
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"Nice work," Misty said, her earlier enthusiasm returning fully, the shadow from "Gyarados" and "newbie cluelessness" seeming to completely vanish. Much better. Less weird newbie, more… teachable newbie. Progress.
"Yeah… thanks," I replied, feeling a little… less deflated, more… resigned amusement? Still Magikarp, but… maybe there was a point to this whole Magikarp thing after all. The idea of actually training a Magikarp to Gyarados levels hadn't really crossed my mind before, mostly because… well, Magikarp. But now, with Misty's surprisingly earnest and suddenly less suspicious insistence… maybe it was a good investment. Future loyal Gyarados. For now though… well, it was a captured Pokémon. Another entry in the Pokédex. Progress, in its own way. Maybe someday, this pathetic red fish would become something… far greater than its current flopping state. Maybe.
After I captured Magikarp – still anti-climactic capture though it was – we settled back down by the riverbank. Misty actually cast her fishing rod again, resuming her previously serene pose, as if the weirdly intense Gyarados moment, and the weirdly intense newbie trainer, were now both… slightly less weird? I awkwardly sat down a little too close to her, maybe, but also not wanting to sit too far away and look like I was being weirdly distant after just capturing a Pokémon in front of her, feeling the… well, the general riverside-ness flow around us. Calm water, mostly calm Misty (outwardly, at least), and… still very much internally panicking and overthinking Alex. Yep, first day of trainer life, going… slightly less disastrously than five minutes ago?
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End of Chapter 11