One word not two

“I know that you think I’m… not improving!”

“Ah. Is that all? Hows that so important that you had to drag me out here?”

“I want to show you… something.”

Sue gave her an odd look and leaned forward. “Go on.”

“Every few days I… come out here with Tanga and we…” She looked back at the Victreebel, which shook its head. “No, more like just me. I come out here and train.”

Sue’s eyes widened. “Can you repeat that?”

“I train! As in for battles, I always have.” She felt herself start to shake, but she managed to suppress it. “You m-might not think so but I don’t l-like being like this.” She paused for a moment and expected a response. She stared at the Typhosion and he stared back. “I… want things to go back to the way they were as much as you do.” The two stood quietly across from one another. Tanga looked between the two Pokemon and made an annoyed grunt. She hopped next to ThighHighs, tapped her and made a pushing motion at the Typhlosion.

“Ummhm.” She cleared her throat. “Aren’t you… going to say anything?”

He stared at her for a few more seconds before giving a response. “Why are you training?”

ThighHighs blinked and tilted her head. “Didn’t I just tell you?”

He huffed. “I know there is more to it than that. Out with it.”

“Well…” She remembered something she had been asked. “Keeping… my figure is another reason I guess.” She turned her head, suddenly feeling bashful.

“Keeping your…” Sue burst out in laughter, earning him and irritated glare from Tanga. “Aha ha… females…” He muttered.

A vine shot out from under one of the Victreebel’s leaves and wrapped around Sue’s midsection. His laughter stopped as he was roughly pulled forward.

He landed on his belly with a thump, a grin still on his face. He got up and dusted himself off as he turned to ThighHighs.“Yeah yeah, lead the way then.”

She took in a breath of fresh air and turned towards the park. “Okay, lets go.”

Another hour of walking got the trio to their destination, a small river deep in the forest surrounding the National Park, far enough away that not even the cheers from the Pokeathlon Dome could reach them. The sun had gotten high enough for wild Pokemon to awaken. ThighHighs, Tanga, and Sue were greeted with the chirps of wild bird Pokemon as they pushed through the last few bushes.

"Whoa, nice place." Sue stared to look around but a loud thud right next to his foot made him jump back. Tanga made a trilling noise, earning her a sneer from the Typhlosion. He looked down and noticed it was the bag that had nearly crushed his foot. "What the? What do you have in that thing?"

"Don't you remember?" ThighHighs asked. Tanga opened the bag using her vines and removed a black vest. Sue tilted his head, not recognizing it at first. He then noticed several zippers and raised pockets as Tanga slipped it over ThighHighs' head and back. She grunted uncomfortably and adjusted to the new weight as Tanga pulled the straps tight.

"Ah, the harness... haven't really needed to use that." Sue said, waving his hand dismissively. Tanga turned to him and poked at his belly with one of her vines. "... Are you calling me fat you overgrown squash?" The two were about the get into a glaring match before ThighHighs cleared her throat. Sue growled at the grass-type before turning his gaze to ThighHighs.

"I wish you two would get along already." She looked disapprovingly at the two Pokemon as she stretched out her hind legs, one after the other. She bowed, stretched her back and tails then lied down. "Okay..."

Sue and ThighHighs stared at each other for a few seconds. "... Okay?"

"I um... Right!" She got back up and trotted over the the river's edge and stopped. "I... don't usually have someone watching me."

"Well what about..." Sue pointed next to him, but found that Tanga was gone. He turned around, looked over his shoulder, and scratched his head. "Where did she go?"

"She usually comes back in an hour or two." ThighHighs called behind her. She stood still near the river as Sue watched, another moment passed before he spoke up again.

"Would it help if I closed my eyes?"

"No no! I can do this." She took a deep breath and faced the river upstream. "Hopefully." She said to herself.

ThighHighs jogged slowly along the edge of the river at first, getting herself readjusted to the extra weight of the harness. She reached a small tree on the river bank and moved slightly into the river. The slow current pushed against her and offered more resistance.

Sue steeped up the the edge of the river and gazed in the direction she set off. "What is she doing? Water is going to tire her out faster." He watched her reach another, much taller, tree near the river bank. ThighHighs sprang out of the water and onto one of its low branches. She jumped up to another that stretched over the river, ran across it and leaped to the ground on the other side of the water. "Or... not." Sue blinked in surprise as she came sprinting back toward him, and then past him; water flying off her and sparking in the morning sun.

She made her way across the river, jumping on a large rock in the water then to the other side. As she faced back to where Sue had been standing, she found he on all four of his paws facing her. She came running past him and he ran along side her.

"W-what are you doing?" She managed to pant out, trying to keep focus.

He glanced at her with a toothy grin. "Can't handle a little competition, Sparkles? You can tell Tanga how fat I am after I beat ya!" He sped past her and ran around the small tree near the river bank.

"Hey that is c-cheating!" She yelled while running against the current.

Sue jumped onto the tree trunk and used his claws to reach the branch going over the river. "I prefer to call it winning!" He reached the other side of the river just as she managed to jump onto the first branch of the tree. "Better keep up." He looked over his shoulder, but didn't see her. He slowed down and felt water drip onto him from above. He glanced up just in time to see ThighHighs jumping branch to branch above him. "How did she!" He growled under his breath.

ThighHighs soon ran out of reachable branched that could support her and hopped to the ground, still a good distance in front of Sue. She assumed as much, she didn't waste time or focus looking back to see where he was. She reached the rock again and easily made it across, she almost started another lap before hearing "Oh fuc-" followed by a splash behind her. She turned around to see the Typhlosion crawling back onto the river rock.

"Hey, y-you okay?" She came jogging back while Sue made his way to the water's edge on the other side.

He held up a paw to her while doubled over on the sandy bank."Lets... call this a tie, yeah?"

She stared at him, pouting. "That's not fair, I have always been faster that you!"

"Then how about a tie breaker!" He stood up on his hind legs, steam coming from the back of his neck quickly followed by fire flaring up from the red spots. "Fire verses fire!"

"U-u-ummm..." ThighHighs stammered and lowered her head, this time unable to stop herself from shaking. She really wanted to blame it on the water clinging to her fur and the harness.

"Hey don't start freaking out, you brought me out here to show me you made progress!" Sue pointed at her and breathed out a small plume of fire. "So show me! And no Calm Mind!"

"It's not a battle. It's not a battle." She repeated in her head, breathing slower to calm herself. She stooped shaking and raise her head to look back at Sue. "... Alright."

He stared back her, and brought his paw back to cover his mouth. He looked like he was rubbing water away, but it was really to hide a smile. "On the count of three then!"

ThighHighs took in a deep breath, feeling a warmness in her chest.

"One!"

Another deep breath, her chest grew hot.

"Two!"

She exhaled, the familiar feeling of fire danced across her tongue. She took in another breath.

"Three!"

She opened her mouth and released a red and orange stream of fire. It met a similar attack from Sue right in the middle of the river. The water went from steaming to boiling in seconds. ThighHighs could see that the fireball from the two flamethrowers was steadily getting closer to her. She breathed in through her nose and felt her chest burn. Her fire pushed back against the Typhlosion's. Seeing this, the fire around Sue's neck raised in temperature, turning yellow and orange. He closed his mouth slightly and let the fire build up within himself, also letting the competing fire get closer to him. He let out a burst of fire against the stream, sending it surging toward ThighHighs.

She closed her eyes and flinched, almost choking on the fire coming from her mouth. The combined flamethrower hit her head on, but it didn't hurt her. She felt her body temperature spike as the water in her fur dried instantly. White hot fire blasted the stream back across the river, vaporizing a portion of the water and turned the sand clear. It hit the Typhlosion and sent him backward off his feet. ThighHighs snapped her jaws shut before the fire could reach the forest. She was left panting and staring across the boiling river, chunks of glass breaking off from the floor and carried downstream.

"Are y-you okay!" She made a move to jump across the river, but found the rock had been melted by the fire. "Pantsu-"

"Don't... call me that..." He groaned and sat up with a and over his chest. Luckily his fireproof fur and only been slightly burned away. "I'm... alive. And I guess that you win. Aha ha... ha ha ha." He fell back and started laughing to himself.

"What is s-so funny!" She shouted, pacing back and forth until the riving stopped boiling. She yelped in surprise as the harness fell off her, the straps had been melted off by her special ability.

"I can't believe... you attacked me. Really are improving." He said to himself, staring up at the sky.

The river finally stopped boiling but was still left steaming. ThighHighs sat once she felt her temperature return to normal. "What!? Are you sure you're okay!"

"I said... I hope there aren't any water Pokemon in this river."

“Hmm?” Richard turned around. “Something wrong?” ThighHighs glanced at the Repeat Ball in his hand. “Ah… like I said I would explain it… later.” He walked back and patted her on the head. “I don’t want you to have another one of your episodes. Uh… sorry, you know what I mean.” As he walked toward the door and switched off the light, ThighHighs wished she could communicate with him better. “Lock up after I leave okay?”

The door closed and he was gone. She flopped onto her side and sighed. “It isn’t fair.” She looked over at the locks on the door, her eyes turned to a shimmering golden colour and all the locks snapped into place at once. “Maybe it isn’t that big of a deal, but why can’t he say that? What does he have to explain to me?” ThighHighs closed her eyes and tried to collect her thoughts. She knew the two human males were the same ones that usually come to the door before Richard went out to Pokemon battles. She realized that she was always in the other room or out of their sight, as her trainer never full opened the door to them or let them in from the hall. “He is… hiding me from them?” She thought to herself. It did explain why he tried to pretend not own her.

“But why?” She went back into her thoughts. Richard seemed intimidated by the other two humans. They didn’t look all that special and she didn’t have any memory of meeting them when she and the team traveled around Johto. But they had all her teammates 'registered’ for something and she wasn’t on it. ThighHighs hummed in annoyance, mostly aimed at herself. “They are just battles and he doesn’t want me in them because…” Her thoughts drifted again.

A Furret, her body bent at a sickening angle on a Gym’s floor, glossy eyes fixed on the ceiling. A large purple stain on a cave’s wall where a Gengar had been crushed between it an a Steelix. A Nidoqueen’s body pounded into the arena’s ground, her torso caved in; blood still trickling from her gaping mouth. The horrible screeching of a Pidgeot as its flaming body fell out of the sky and collided with the sea. The top half of a Raticate embedded into the trunk of a thick tree, its tail and feet still twitched. An unrecognizable mass of smoldering purple and blue flesh that was once a Tentacruel. Her friends…

ThighHighs didn’t realized she had started to sob and tremble. The sounds, the images, even the smells were still so fresh to her no matter how long she kept them buried away. She gritted her teeth and tried to stifle her whimpers, completely forgotten were her thoughts before. Something outside the window behind her had brought her attention back to reality, but she was far from interested in it now. With some concentration she managed to use Calm Mind and her past faded from her again.

“It isn’t fair.” She thought again as her eyes closed.

Earlier…

Outside the building waited three Pokemon, a tall Dragonite; both of it’s antennae completely gone along with the small horn usually between them. The end half of it’s tail looked to have much lighter and newer looking scales compared to the other half. This also appeared over various spots in it’s orange scales as small cuts, the scales around it’s forearms looked to be the most heavily scared. Fewer scares appeared on it’s cream-colored underbelly, though they were pink in colour. 

A Typhlosion stood a few feet across from the dragon, much shorter by comparison to the other Pokemon. It’s oddly fluffy fur seemed to cover whatever scars it may have. The only visible one seemed to be on the left side of it’s muzzle, where it’s top and bottom lip were split in four places as if cut by four claws. Faint jagged black markings also appeared in places on it’s fur, a similar look to a certain canine-like Pokemon.

Between the two floated Tights, the Mismagius that ThighHighs considered to be her best friend. A large scar fan from the middle of her neck, over her permanently closed left eye and ended at a missing chunk in the brim of her ‘hat’. Her right tendril appeared to have been torn in half. Only a small part of the right gem that sat on her chest remained, with the center one cracked slightly.

Tights and the Dragonite both had their gazes fixed on the Typhlosion as if they knew at some point it was going to speak.

“She is faking it.” The Typhlosion stated, their arms crossed . “You guys know that right.”

Tights rolled her one good eye. “Come on 'Sue, not this again.”

“So what if she is?” The Dragonite shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me.”

“I think he is angry because she spends more time with me than she does with him.” Tights whispered to the Dragonite and both of them snickered.

“Seriously you two!” He growled at the other two Pokemon. “We go out there and risk out lives, she sits up there and mopes around. Doesn’t that frustrate you? Bloom, you were talking about how much you hated that 'Highs gets pampered and you just get a pat on the back! And Tights, you were complaining about how she is impossible to be around sometimes.”

Bloom sighed, “Got over it, no point in staying angry.”

Tights waved dismissively. “I don’t fight that often, plus I like her company. You’re impossible to be around at times as well 'Sue.”

“What would we do anyway, drag her with us and throw her into a fight?” Bloom glared at Sue. “Think that would help her?”

“It might help.” Sue growled back.

“She would just roll over and take the beating.” Tights giggled quietly.

Bloom glanced at the ghost. “Did you say something?”

“Hmm? No. Anyway, yes 'Highs can be insufferable but she is trying to get better.” Tights looked between Bloom and Sue. “And you two should be helping her in-”

“And you’re helping her?” Sue cut her off. “Should I tell her about your little secret? I’m sure if it wasn’t for you she would be fine.”

Bloom blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about? What is he talking about?”

“Honestly I don’t know.” Tights tilted her head in Sue’s direction. “Like I said, he must just be jealous.”

“Her claiming to have nightmares, being scared all the time. Mismagius feed of fear.” Sue gestured to Tights and looked at Bloom. “You see where I’m going with this right?”

“That is ridiculous.” Bloom shook his head. “Is it really so hard for you to believe 'Highs just needs time that you’re making things up?”

“She has had time! It has been two years! She needs to get the hell over it already!”

“We all go our own pace.” Tights glared at the Typhlosion.

“She is going too damn slow if you ask me.” He shot back.

“Good thing no one asked you then.”

The sound of a door shutting caused the three Pokemon to noticed their Trainer walking out from the apartment complex. “What’re you three being so loud about? More disagreements?” He walked over and ruffled the fur on Sue’s head. “Gonna have to stow you all away for a bit.” He pulled two Poke balls and a Love ball out of his pocket, returned the three and removed the Repeat ball from his other pocket. “Alright, come on out.”

He tossed the ball onto the ground and it popped open; with a small flash of light an Abra appeared in front of him.