A Trail we Blaze - A Trainer X Cinderace story

Chapter III

Cringe warning lol. I hope you enjoy!

Ruby wanted to kick that jerk's face into next week. She remembered him now; he was the guy who was always bullying Max at school. Some days, Max would come home with a fake smile on his face, but Ruby saw past it and knew that this guy was the reason he was upset. He picked on him for no reason, calling him weak and useless. Once, he even nearly broke her leg with a chair when she tried to stop him. And one thing was for sure, she hated bullies.

But she was stronger now. She'd evolved since the last time they'd seen him. She wasn't afraid anymore; she was going to fight him off to protect Max.

"Well well well," Griffin sneered, "never thought I'd see you again." He turned his attention to Ruby. "Your midget of a Raboot evolved? Ha! You two probably get along because of how stupid you both are."

"CINDER!" Ruby yelled, telling him to back off, and stood in front of Max, raising her arms in defense. "CINDERACE, CIND CINDER!!"

"Aw, you've got a little girl protecting you," Griffin mocked. "I bet she's just as weak as you."

Max began to feel Ruby's anger. Griffin could pick on him all he wanted, but no one messes with Ruby. Sometimes, Griffin used to toy with him by threatening to hurt her if he didn't do as he said. It used to make him scared; now it made him furious.

"She's not weak," he insisted, walking up next to her and taking her paw in his hand. Ruby kept her glare locked on the bully, but subtly squeezed his hand and moved closer to him. Her face was determined, but he could feel her increasing heart rate.

Griffin seemed a little shocked that Max fought back, but he quickly recovered and smirked. "Oh yeah? Prove it."

"Maybe I will," Max huffed, feeling a little arrogant.

Griffin stared at him as if he just said he'd prove that Dugtrio can fly. "Are you...challenging me to a Pokémon battle?"

"W-What...? I..."

"Cin-derace!" Ruby quipped and stepped forward with before Max could say no. She looked back at him and whispered, "Max, please, h-he can't do this to you."

Max sighed and found himself staring into her eyes. Of course, he was still scared, but being next to Ruby like this, he felt a boost of strength, like she was passing some of her fire to him. His brain was screaming at him to just run away, but his body wouldn't respond.

"All right, I trust you," Max finally whispered back. "Yeah, let's have a Pokémon battle!" he said to Griffin.

"Are you serious?" Griffin sniggered. "You really think you could beat me in a battle?" Seeing that Max was indeed serious, he sighed and took out a Pokéball from his belt before walking over to a clearing in the park. Max warily followed until they reached a battlefield that was dug up and surrounded by a rock wall. Some trainers used it from time to time, but it was usually an area for while Pokémon to just play. When they got there, a couple of Mankey were play fighting in the field.

"Beat it," Griffin growled, earning some angry snorts from the Mankey before they fled. He went on one side and grinned. "All right, you think you're really strong enough to battle me? Let's see about that."

Max gulped and went onto the other side of the field. He had basically zero experience in Pokémon battles. Sometimes he and his mom would watch the Pokémon league, and he had a couple battles with some of the kids at school, but the different moves and strategies trainers battling in the league used were confusing, and he always lost when he battled others.

No backing out now though...

"'Kay Ruby, let's go," he said nervously. Ruby nodded and walked forward onto the field, but Max grabbed her arm first and whispered, "please be careful." Ruby nodded and strode out onto the battlefield before going into a fighting stance.