When Lightning Strikes

Past: Here and Gone

"So you're a runaway then?"

She sunk into her chair. "I don't want to be found out please, just call me a trainer."

"Trainers battle and take on the Island Challenge. Not battle and live in a boat."

"Sailors have to battle pokemon threatening their ship and lives, so... you're point?"

Pidg didn't know how to respond to that.

Reeda sighed and got up. "I need to head back to my place. If you want to battle ask me when it gets dark."

"I don't want to battle you," Pidg snapped. He followed her out of the restaurant.

"Then what the hell do you want?"

Pidg stopped, uncertain of what he wanted to say.

"Yeah, thought so." She continued walking with her pokemon, waving a backhanded goodbye.

Pidg didn't see her the rest of the day, but he came back that night he found her at the edge of the dock sitting by herself. Her coat was halfway off, exposing her shoulders and upper arms that were covered in scars. She was digging into one of them with a Razor Claw as he watched her, speechless.

He ran and grabbed her arm before she could dig into herself again. She yelled, trying to throw him in the water but he grabbed the Razor Claw out of her hand and tossed it away from them on the deck.

"I need that!" she yelled. He was now holding her tight to him. "You don't understand my brother gave that to me! I need that!"

She fought and fought until she was still, crying in outrage. Pidg sighed, picking her up in his arms. She fought again, breaking free this time and going back to retrieve her Razor Claw. She stared back at him, angry tears running down her face.

"... Fine." Pidg said. "Keep it. Just let me help you."

Reeda didn't say anything. Not when he came back over to her, picked her up and carried her inside her boat home, or when he treated her cuts. It was cluttered in her house, but cool. The floors were covered in old blankets, pillows, and sheets. There was a shelf holding boxes, a radio, and a strange souvenir that tourists would buy sometimes. Apart from that though, there wasn't much else. Squeak and Fang were in their pokeballs, resting on a pillow on Reeda's bed.

When Pidg had finished treating her cuts, he asked questions about her. Reeda answered them, explaining why she'd come here, how she bought the house boat and paid for it though battling, how she started hurting herself, and how little money she had to eat and keep clean. Pidg told her that he could help, but she was obstinate towards him about that. "Reeda, you can't live like this. Think of your pokemon."

"We've been okay so far, Pidg," she replied. "This isn't the worst that's happened to us. Trust me."

They talked for a while before, both tired and warm, fell asleep in her boat. Pidg's arm around Reeda, and her head resting on his shoulder.

After that, they were distant for a long time. Reeda's battles kept her busy, and Pidg's work with the herbalist kept him away. They would still visit here and there, and every time Pidg came to her boat he would bring food for her and her pokemon. He'd even take care of her cuts and stay with her the night he visited so she wouldn't hurt herself or feel alone. It made him feel better that she wouldn't hurt herself around him, but it also hurt him because—without a doubt—she would keep doing the same when he was gone.

Then, one day, she had vanished. Pidg had asked everyone in town where she had gone to but no one could say specifically. Only that she had been taken away by someone.