Trainer Andrew ♂, Day 49: Companions

Alright, so Viridian City is very interesting and everything.  Not important.  What is important is who I just became friends with: Lance!  That’s correct, Dragon Trainer Lance of the ELITE FOUR!  I’m giddy like a little schoolgirl!  Lance has been a hero of mine for years; I absolutely idolized the man when I was younger. 

Here’s what happened.  Because of my newfound resolve for training, I visited the Pokémon Academy to brush up on all the latest poké-business and whatnot.  Surprisingly, even with the opening ceremonies being just tomorrow, there was hardly a soul there.  One would think that all the trainers would be brushing up on their abilities with the impending tournament, but no, nearly empty.

Anyhow, I was in one of the rooms, sitting on a bed (not sure why they are there) and flipping through a rather fascinating read on the reproductive systems of Chanseys, when I hear another person come in.  Of course, I don’t look up from my book, but I hear an odd swishing sound.  It strikes me as rather odd, and I look up.  Guess who it was?  Lance!

I let out a small yelp when I saw him, and he turned to me, a big smirk on his face, his cape fluttering in the non-existent wind. 

“A fan?”  His voice tingled in my ears.

I managed to stammer out, “I’m Trainer Andrew ♂, and YES!”  Were he not so used to people with my reaction I would have been seen as a crazy person. 

“I’ve been waiting for you. Trainer Andrew ♂, I knew that you, with your skills, would eventually reach me here!”

A Croagunk lodged itself in my throat.  “Were you really!?”

He laughed.  “No, I say that to everyone.  Competing in the tournament?”  Just as if he owned the place, he crashed down on the bed next to me and put his feet up. 

“Me?  No.  I- I wasn’t really a trainer until recently…”

Another smirk.  “That’s fine, I’m sure I’ll see you on the field next year.  Say, I’m parched,” Before I could react, he grabbed up my pack from the floor “you got anything to drink in here?”

I tried to whip my bag away from him before he found them, but his trained hands moved quickly, and he had the thing opened before I could make a move. 

A grave look came over his face, and he stared cold death at me. 

“Are these…?”  His voice was low and serious.

“It’s not what you think!”  I cried.

Closing the bag back up, he looked at the opposite wall for a long time. 

“I should report you.”

“Please, don’t!  I was going to get rid of them!  I swear!”

“But-” he interrupted, “I realize that won’t be enough.  You can’t just treat the symptoms, you’ve got to attack the problem.  So, Andrew ♂, I’m offering you a deal.  Come under my wing and I’ll help you get clean.  You’ll have to do everything I say, and must follow my orders exactly, got it?  If you don’t, I’ll be forced to report you to the Jennys, and your punishment will be much more severe.”

I spat out that I would go with him, throwing myself to his feet.  With a slap on the back, he raised me up and laughed a hearty laugh. 

“I like you Trainer Andrew ♂, I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship!  Drop by my place tomorrow, we’ll get you started on the path to wellness!  I’ll just take this with me.”  On that note, he picked up my bag and trounced out of the room, head held high.

Surely, I stood there for a full half-hour with my jaw on the floor.  Had Lance, the Lance, really just asked me to be his friend?  But it was true, and I don’t think I’ll sleep tonight in anticipation!

LANCE!
Trainer Andrew ♂