Hey everyone! How are you? I hope you're doing well. This next chapter of the story is my personal favorite, and I hope you'll see why. Well then, let's get on to it. Here's the second part of this chapter!

I'll see you at the bottom!

...

Maverick's Sinnoh Adventure
Arc 1: The Roar of Time & The Spacial Rend

Chapter 8: A Rough Encounter (Part 2)

...

To say Maverick Anderson was dismayed would be an understatement. He certainly didn't expect his Pokédex to be broken and in need of a replacement already. However, in the event of his clumsiness, he almost felt ashamed to be worried about his device compared to the pain of losing sight. His hand unconsciously squeezed Sabrina's as he led her, and his two annoying companions, to the good professor's laboratory.

It was the late afternoon now, with the sun beginning to sink towards the western shores of Iron Island. Despite the trek of going from Twinleaf to Sandgem taking a good chunk of their day, there was still the evening to worry about. It made Maverick wonder about what activities he could do in the town before nightfall - luckily for him, though, Alex seemed to have an idea as they passed by the noodle shop, one idea that had the boy intrigued.

A catching contest.

"Alright, you got me interested. How will this work?" he asked his blonde friend over a bowl of noodles. The sun beat down on the group as they ate, with Chimchar slurping his up quickly. Alex swallowed his lunch, placing his empty bowl in front of him. The girls chewed their food, casting a glance at Alex as he stood up. The wind gently blew on their outside setup.

"'Kay, so," he started, clearing his throat and smiling. "You know how we'll need more Pokémon down the line, right? This will be a good way to start off team building. I looked in the Pokédex, and there's a lot of Pokémon here. I thought it'd be a good idea to put those Pokéballs to use! So, first to capture three Pokémon before Jubilife City, wins."

"...First to three?" Maverick asked more to himself than Alex. "I haven't even thought of any more Pokémon to catch beyond Turtwig- I mean, maybe I have...okay, a lot, but not any specific Pokémon, at least not in this area."

"It sounds like fun, but I can't see, so I can't participate. Sorry Alex," echoed the easy-going voice of Sabrina. Her dirty blonde hair swayed in the wind, and Alex shook his head.

"Nah, you're good. How about you, Rika?"

"Well," she started, stirring her noodles with her fork. "I mean, maybe? I think I'd just like to stick with Chimchar for now. He's all I need for the moment." Her eyes slid over to her Pokémon rubbing his belly, who then smiled at her in return.

Maverick contemplated for a bit longer. He'll need more Pokémon for Gym Battles, sure, but can he raise two Pokémon at the same time? He shrugged, and looked to Alex with a nod. "Meh, count me in."

"Cool! So, it's you and me. You're at a disadvantage since your Pokédex is broken, but who cares? Not like you'll win anyway."

"...What the- "

"Anyway," Alex flippantly continued, cutting him off. Rika giggled and Maverick simply rolled his eyes with a huff in return. "First to three. Shouldn't be too hard, right?"

"Mm, I guess. I'll get to three first before you, and then I'll use those three Pokémon to win Oldest Sibling back from Rika. Sounds like a plan," Maverick voiced indignantly, casting a glare at his sister. The two laughed at his thought, but Maverick chose not to care. His own thoughts began to wander while the other three conversed.

...Seriously though, who could he catch? Eventually, he'll need a team of six Pokémon for the League Challenge, right? Perhaps he could take a page from the Champion and raise a Garchomp? Or, maybe take one from his favorite Trainer and get his own Pikachu... or maybe he should go with the flow and cross that bridge when he gets there?

Eventually, they finished their lunch and returned their bowls to the shop owner, gearing up to continue to their destination. Grabbing onto Sabrina's hand once again, Maverick made to lead them, that was, until Alex entertained the idea of starting right then and there.

"Wait, now? But, we have to reach the professor's lab, remember?" Rika voiced to Alex, who jogged ahead of the group with Piplup. Maverick saw a wide grin stretched upon Alex's face as he bounced on his toes. As a response, felt his eyes roll, and his own grin begin to form.

"Yes, now. We still have some time to enjoy ourselves before nighttime. Well then, Maverick, ready to start?"

Considering the day's events so far, everything wasn't in his favor, but Maverick felt the undying need to win something in order to become emotionally stable. A broken Pokédex wouldn't stop him...or so he hoped. He looked to Turtwig and nodded, and the Pokémon trotted forward faithfully. "Yeah, let's go!"

The second he moved forward he heard a dissatisfied groan emit from Rika.

"Rika, it'll be fine. Give us an hour, okay? Let's meet up in front of the lab. Piplup, let's go!" Before she could get a word out, Alex had already headed off, leaving the rest of them behind. She sighed loudly, muttering a few things about not sitting still.

"I swear, the second he gets his mind on something, he's always set to do it..."

"That's Alex for you," Maverick chuckled, beginning to follow his best friend's footsteps. A yelp sounded from Sabrina the moment he did so. It didn't occur to him that he moved a bit too quickly, and that she was still attached to him. "Oh, sorry, I forgot I was- "

"It's okay, Maverick. Let's go together."

"Huh? With me?" he asked, eyes wide. Isn't leading a near blind girl into the woods considered a safety hazard? "I don't think that's a good idea, considering you can't see..." She rejected his thought with a shake of her head, gripping his hand tighter.

"I'm sure I'll be fine. What's the worst that could happen, and plus, you're my guide, remember?"

"Oh, well...if you say so," he replied, still a bit unsure about that. "Tagging along, Rika?"

The girl in question shook her head, thumbing towards the general direction of the Pokémon Center. "I'll stay back. I need to plan out how you'll lose your next battle with me, brother. In any case, one hour. Got it?" she said, voice growing stern towards the end.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever you say," he flippantly replied. He looked down at Turtwig and grinned at him. "Ready to get our next team member, buddy?" Turtwig happily nodded, and he subconsciously squeezed Sabrina's hand. He certainly didn't think he'd look for a second Pokémon so soon, but all Trainers had to start somewhere, right?

He waved at his sister and took off towards Route 201. 'Better to start in familiar territory'.

...

"...Are they always that mean to you?" asked the curious voice of his new blonde companion, making small talk along the way while Turtwig sat on Maverick's shoulder. The boy in question chuckled, rolling his eyes as he did so.

"Yeah, but you get used to it after a while. It's annoying, but I don't hate 'em for it. I like to think we live to piss each other off."

"That's an interesting dynamic," she giggled softly. "So, what's the deal with this older sibling thing?"

"Oh that, haha. Her and I were born on the same day, minutes apart. Since then, me and her would try to find out who's older than the other. Our parents are no help, since they wouldn't give us our birth certificates," he sighed amusingly. "Only my grandparents know, but they're in Unova."

"It's no wonder Rika's so rude to you. Apparently she's older than you?"

"Yeah, no. Just for today," he responded flatly, disgusted at the notion. His tone made the girl giggle, and Maverick had to shake his head. "I'm gonna win that title back from her if it's the last thing I do!"

"I sure hope so!"

It was his turn to laugh lightly. The sound of their footsteps turned into soft crunches as they stepped onto grass lands of the route's forests, just off of the paved roads. Here, the wild Pokémon were amazingly abundant. Maverick saw Pokémon like Bidoof, Bibarel, Chatot, and Wurmple mill around and go about their business. To him, all of them were choices. So many choices, but who to go for first? Turtwig seemed to look around too, catching his Trainer's attention when he spotted something up in the trees.

"Turt!"

"What is it?" Sabrina asked, feeling him stop. Maverick answered her as Turtwig jumped off his shoulder to go investigate.

"I don't know... I think my Pokémon saw something interesting?"

Turtwig trotted up to a nearby tree, looking up before calling him. Confusion swept over Maverick, leading Sabrina to the base of the tree. He looked up, and glaring back at him was a greyish-black Pokémon. He titled his head, trying to get a better look at it. The Pokémon mirrored him, much to his astonishment.

"It's a Starly..." Maverick breathed. Turtwig tapped his Trainer's foot with his head and motioned towards the Pokémon up above. Starly was another choice among the great many, Maverick considered. A Flying Type Pokémon could come in handy in the near future... "Want to battle it?" he asked his partner. The Tiny Leaf Pokémon nodded, and Maverick felt a surge of excitement run through him.

"Okay...hey, Starly! My Pokémon wants to battle you. Is that okay?" he asked. The Pokémon stood in the trees a little bit longer, staring at them. For a while, Maverick began to believe Starly wasn't interested. It was when he turned away that the Pokémon shot out of the tree and rested some distance ahead of them. Maverick was unsure of what it was doing, considering Starly hadn't said a word, but when the Pokémon tensed up, he received his answer. "Hm... Sabrina, stay right here a minute."

"Wh- wait..." she started, "you're leaving me?"

"I'll just be slightly ahead of you, don't worry," he replied, guiding her to the base of the tree. He then gave a look to the Pokémon in front of him before he set his bag down near Sabrina. Turtwig trotted forward, leaving space for the upcoming battle. To Maverick's surprise, some of the other Pokémon in the area gathered around to hide in trees and bushes, but they appeared to watch carefully, ready to flee at a moment's notice. Their behavior confused him, but Turtwig gave Maverick a reassuring sound, and that was the push he needed to start things off.

It's battle time!

"Okay, Turtwig, start off with Tackle!"

"Turrrrt...wig!" the Pokémon cried as he tensed up and shot off. Maverick had to smile at Turtwig's speed and compliance. The Starly saw this coming, flapping its dark wings on the ground to boost itself in the air, avoiding Turtwig's attack. "Turt!" his starter called, looking up.

Starly hovered for a bit, before it swooped down to hit Turtwig with what seemed to be its version of Tackle. The other Pokémon watching were quick to voice their concerns. Without an order, Turtwig narrowly dodged to the right, causing the bird Pokémon to swoop past him. Maverick watched the Starly as it went back into the air to hover. "You don't know any ranged attacks, right? Just wait there for a chance to-!"

"Starrrly!"

"Ah! Counter!" Maverick called out. He heard Sabrina gasp behind him as the wind from Starly's descent blew passed her and Maverick. Turtwig steeled himself, waiting for the bird to get in range. With speed, the two Pokémon shot off and collided with each other in the middle. They both shook off their attacks, with Turtwig returning in front of his Trainer. He didn't seem hurt too bad, Maverick noted, but never too bad of an idea to make sure.

"Try using Withdraw!"

Turtwig immediately retreated into his shell, seemingly glowing red for all but a second. Starly took this moment to rush in with a what appeared to be a faster version of Tackle. With no time to give a command, Maverick was shocked, seeing the bird crash into his starter's shell. Turtwig spun towards his Trainer as a result, Maverick catching him to hold him steady.

"I think that was Quick Attack. Turtwig, you okay?"

"...Turtwig, turt!"

He narrowed his eyes at the bird in front of him. So far, it was Tackle and Quick Attack, but Starly had the advantage of flight. With no ranged attacks to clip the bird Pokémon, what could they possibly do...? Sabrina voiced her concerns to Maverick, who replied in the negative. "Tch, gotta think of something...!"

"Ly!" the bird called, grabbing their attention. It seemed to breathe in, before a terrible sound emitted from its gaping orange beak. Turtwig seemed to shudder, using another Withdraw to block the noise without command. Maverick didn't fault him.

Barely hearing Sabrina cry out, Maverick called for another Tackle while covering his ears, and Turtwig responded by hitting the black bird square in the face. The horrid sound stopped soon after. With a big sigh of relief, Maverick seized the moment to grab a Pokéball from his belt and throw it.

"Alright, go, Pokéball!"

The red and white ball soared through the air, seemingly heading towards the bird. Starly quickly righted itself, using Quick Attack to get away. The ball flew passed it, causing Maverick to grimace. "Ugh, I missed..."

Starly once again swooped in for a Tackle, but this time, one of its wings began to glow. Maverick's surprise at Starly's speed caused his words to get caught in his throat, unfortunately leaving Turtwig on his own. The turtle tried to get away, but the Wing Attack sent him reeling towards bushes containing the watching wild Pokémon. They cried out, avoiding the tumbling Pokémon with speed. A weird, sickening feeling bubbled within the Trainer, seeing his Pokémon thrown so violently. With a cry, the Starly continued its assault with a Quick Attack, causing the Tiny Leaf Pokémon to hurriedly run up a tree out of panic.

Maverick could only watch as words failed him, rooted to his spot, and paralyzed from worry. He silently commanded Turtwig through his eyes, hoping he wouldn't get hurt too bad. The turtle skittered through the trees, jumping over leaves, and branches, while avoiding the screaming black bird. Maverick saw that his Pokémon gained a lot of momentum, bouncing off tree trunks. When the bird zipped past the turtle and was wide open, Turtwig bounced off one final trunk, shooting towards the bird with an improvised Quick Attack.

"LYY!" the bird cried out. It shot towards the ground, Turtwig still attached to him. Maverick's eyes grew wide and his feet moved on its own, running to catch his Pokémon. He jumped, with the green turtle landing in his arms. When his black and green sneakers touched the ground, Turtwig made a desperate sound, motioning towards the fallen Starly.

"O-oh, right!" he hastily responded. Maverick clumsily picked up his missed Pokéball and tried again, this time throwing it quickly. "Pokéball!"

Starly was down and out by the time the ball got anywhere near it, however, wind suddenly erupted behind Starly. It had enough force to throw the device off course, causing it to pathetically bounce on the ground. Maverick was borderline confused as his jacket and hair flapped around. He covered his eyes, shielding both his face and Turtwig from the wind that rustled the trees and bushes.

A loud sound erupted from the depths of the forest, and chaos ensued.

Every Pokémon that gathered around to watch hastily deserted the area, earning a worried cry from Sabrina. "Maverick! Are you there?! What was that?!"

"I- I don't know, I just-!" he began, before being cut off by a loud screech. Turtwig, despite his weakened state, went hysterical in Maverick's arms, shying away from the source of the chaos. It took a second before the bright sun lighting the area had darkened. A shadow loomed above the clearing, and Maverick looked up, seeing a large, dark Pokémon racing towards him.

Maverick desperately scrambled to his feet and ran away, while the dark Pokémon's claws dug into the ground on the very spot he was seconds before. When he turned around, the Pokémon's face was twisted in anger, red eyes flashing. Maverick's breath caught in his throat once again, as the Pokémon spread out its wide wings, screeching out its name.

"STARAPTOR!"

Paralyzed with fear, the only thing on Maverick's mind was scarily simple.

Run.

...and run fast.

He scooped up his green Pokémon and bolted towards Sabrina, grabbing her hand again, before almost sending her to the ground a third time. "M-Maverick! What's going—!"

"No time to explain! Just...come on!" he yelled, gasping as he looked around. Masses of Starly, and its evolutionary forms scoured the area, scaring away any other Pokémon resting there.

"What did you do?!"

"W-we gotta get outta here now!"

"RAPTOR!"

The Pokémon Trainer felt Turtwig leap from his arms to bark at him, motioning towards his bag. Maverick shook his head, hearing the angry bird screech again. Adrenaline pumped through his veins, and he chose to run, literally dragging the poor blind girl against her will. "No, no, Turtwig, just- forget the bag, just come on!"

Turtwig didn't need to be told twice. He ran alongside his Trainer and bolted as fast as his little legs could carry him. They made a small distance before Maverick was thrust forwards, himself and his companion harshly tumbling on the ground. Wind eclipsed the area again. Maverick groaned, feeling his fleeting headache return full force. Sabrina made an unintelligible sound, alerting Maverick who quickly looked back. The large bird headed towards them at full speed, leveling a few trees with a move Maverick couldn't recognize.

Maverick felt Sabrina try to stand up, and his heartrate skyrocketed. "Quick, Sabrina! Get down!" he barked, pulling her close. The Staraptor flew over them, whipping up grass and dust in its wake. His Pokémon hid in his shell, before running ahead of them to face the large bird. Maverick gasped out in horror, as the Staraptor's glowing wings flapped violently against the air. The bird rocketed towards his turtle, who mistakenly picked a fight too large for him.

"Turtwig, NO!"

It happened in a blink of an eye. The bird crashed into his Pokémon, and, the sound Turtwig made as he crashed into trees and rocks, propelled by the bird made Maverick turn white. He felt scared, really scared, as he saw the sight that lied before him. The Staraptor, using its glowing wings and legs beat up the turtle relentlessly, causing Maverick to cry out.

The teen ignored Sabrina's groans as he bolted towards the one-sided battle, pushing against the raging bird to quit hitting his Pokémon. He couldn't allow this to happen, no...not again.

"Stop! Stop!" he desperately cried, tears beginning to form. "Enough, stop hurting him! I'm sorry, I—I-!"

"Ah, Sh-Shinx! I need you!" he heard Sabrina's voice croak out. "Spark!"

Maverick couldn't focus on Sabrina, since his Pokémon was getting beat up, but quick flashes of light stunned the raging birds, causing much of the ruckus to die down.

It took a while, but the Staraptor slowly ceased, grabbing his Pokémon by the shell and tossing him towards Maverick. The bird glared harshly at the Trainer, before squalling in his face. The scared Trainer understood perfectly in that moment, what it was there for. He shook his head, tears still falling, and weakly bent down to pick up his Pokémon.

"...I'm sorry...I'm sorry Turtwig. I'm so, so sorry..."

He proceeded to turn and run out of there with slight hesitation, making sure to pick up a very confused and scared Sabrina. Her Shinx followed, but Maverick didn't pay any attention to it. He felt Sabrina trip a couple times, but they never once looked back. They didn't catch the Staraptor, seemingly the leader of the flock, cease its manic growling, to turn towards its only child, beaten on the ground and unconscious.

...

Huff...huff....huff...

Maverick's lungs burned as he ran through the Pokémon Center's doors. He saw that there were less people compared to earlier, wasting no time making a bee line towards the nurse. Along the way, he cradled his unconscious partner in his arms, feeling Turtwig shaking weakly. Sabrina left his grasp the moment he handed his wounded Pokémon to Joy, the nurse surprised at his return.

"Oh my, what happened?" she asked quickly, taking Turtwig and examining him intensely. Maverick felt as a loss. Words failed him the moment he thought back to that event.

"...Please heal him..." he said, voice dropping to a near whisper. His vision was cloudy with tears threatening to fall out, barely registering how tight he clenched his hands that rested on the counter. A warm sensation became apparent on his back, and he stiffened. "Something horrible happened."

"It's okay, I'll take care of him. Please wait out here in the lobby. I'll give you an update in due time, alright?" Nurse Joy said carefully. He bobbed his head in understanding, inching away from the counter. The sensation on his back was revealed to be Sabrina's hand. Either to make sure he was there, or to comfort him, he wasn't sure. Maverick saw that she was also panting, dirtied from the run. He avoided her gaze, until she put her hand around his, and lead him to a corner away from other travelers with the help of her Pokémon.

For a while, they both sat in silence, with Sabrina holding Shinx, and Maverick not sure what to say. First, he dragged her down a flight of stairs, breaking her glasses and his Pokédex in the process. Then he took her to Route 201, injuring her even further. On top of that, his own Pokémon that he received a mere two days ago, laid injured to an unknown degree.

Was every day going to be like this?

Was every day going to be this stressful, this painful, and this emotionally taxing? He didn't sign up for this. He thought his journey would be without pain and worry, himself and his Pokémon working their way to the top. He quietly sighed, feeling guilty, ashamed, and powerless.

And...he most likely lost his trust with Turtwig, and he was sure Sabrina, who he barely knew, was miffed at him. All of this on day one. 'Some guide I am...'

"...Hi," she squeaked, turning to look at him. He flinched, darting his eyes to the side. There's no way he could face her. He gulped, scratching his cheek, which he was sure was bruised at this point.

"Hey..." his voice croaked, "...I, uh..."

What did he want to say? That he was sorry? That he felt bad for what he did to her? He shook a little, searching for words. Unease settled into his heart, tears leaked out of his eyes, his mouth quivered. "Um, I... I just wanted- um, to uh, say..."

"It's okay..."

"...What?"

"You're beating yourself up. A little too much. I'm not mad at you, you know."

Her words caught him off guard to the point he had to do a double take. "...But after all of that, how are you not...?"

"I can't blame you for running. I would've run too. That's not the point, though. But really, it's okay," she told him softly. She petted her Pokémon as she said that, and he mewled in content.

"What are you- "

"...I can feel you shaking, Maverick. I know you're feeling guilty about a lot of things, aren't you?" Sabrina's eyes squinted when she said that, and Maverick had to lean back at her tone. It wasn't biting, or mean. It was stern, and deceptive, but it carried some sort of kindness that he couldn't decipher. "My hands held yours for a while. I could tell when you were happy, because you always squeezed mine. But when we came back, you were shaking, shaking so much that I nearly lost my grip."

"O-oh..." he mouthed, now aware of just how much his body was moving.

"I felt your back, too. You were crying. You care a lot about Turtwig, I know that much, and, I'm sure he cares a lot about you, too. I think he turned around and fought that Staraptor, because he wanted to protect you, just as much as you did him.

"So, don't feel bad because of what happened. We can't help the unknown."

"...Huh?"

She gave a soft giggle, shaking her head. "I don't have glasses, remember? I can't see anything in front of me. Despite that, I put all my trust in you as you led me. Sure, something bad happened, but I'm still here. I'm still safe- maybe a little dirty, with a pounding headache to boot, but I'm here, with you, perfectly fine."

"I..." he started, now staring at Sabrina. She gave him a warm smile, and it was his turn to squint his eyes, this time out of confusion. "I'm not sure what you're getting at..."

"...It's just your first day as a Trainer, right? What's racing through your head is what's to come. You don't know what will happen in the future, but each day, you get closer and closer. What's ahead of you will be blurry, however, if you trust in yourself, despite what happens, I'm sure you'll end up just fine. So, don't worry about your journey. Don't worry about rough encounters. Just trust in your Pokémon, and they'll trust in you," she grabbed his hands, and held it up. She gently squeezed them.

"And..." she continued, "I'll trust in you also. After all, you're my guide, remember?"

He felt her touch, and like magic, it felt like all the worries in his heart left him. He didn't know what it was about her, but Sabrina was strange to him. She was able to tell all of that, by just touching him? How perceptive is she? He looked at her eyes, now clear of any tears. She was still squinting, but they were kind. They held no inner turmoil. As he stared, it felt like he looked deep within her. Her eyes reflected his visage, and he felt something warm begin to bud inside his heart.

She was right. You can't help the unknown, but, you have to face it and trust in your resources. When you do, you'll be just fine.

He shook his head, now renewed with vigor, and gave her a gentle squeeze in return. "Right..."

"Maverick?" his sister's voice echoed. It grabbed his attention, and their hands dropped. Maverick almost missed the warm sensation immediately after. Rika came along with the nurse, pointing at him.

"Oh, yes?" he replied, standing up. He wiped his face and regarded the nurse with seriousness in his eye. "How is he?"

"Your Turtwig suffered a few injuries, but ultimately, he'll be fine. He's just bruised and will need rest for a few hours, is all."

Another weight had been lifted off his shoulders. "Oh, thank Arceus..." he sighed.

"Hm? Mind telling me what happened?" his sister asked suspiciously. He looked at her before explaining. Throughout it all, he saw her face change, one from suspicion, to confusion, and then worry, and finally, relief. "You gotta be a little more careful. Are they still out there?"

"The Staraptor? Yeah...though, I think we went to their territory. Maybe that's why Starly was glaring at us..." he breathed, gripping his head. So much for trying to catch a Pokémon. "Can I see my Pokémon, or is it too much?"

"Oh, heavens, no. Any Trainer is allowed to see their Pokémon. Please, come this way," the nurse said, leading him to the back room. He began to march on, but he turned to look at Rika before he left.

"Hey, Rika... take care of her," he mentioned softly, looking at his new friend and her Pokémon. "She's a little dirty and has a headache. Make sure she gets some rest, 'kay?"

"Sure..." she replied, trailing off, seemingly bewildered. "Are you okay?"

"I am now."

"Right this way," Nurse Joy instructed, leading Maverick down the Center's back corridor. This looked more traditional: white walls, lights embedded into the ceiling, somewhat minimalistic design, but it resembled the hospitals he's seen on television. Nurse Joy's pink hair swayed as she walked, and Maverick stuck his hands into his pockets. "I'm surprised to hear that happened to you, Maverick. Starly, Staravia, and Staraptor are commonplace on these routes. Their territories are usually deeper into the forests, so, as you go to Route 202, don't go too far down the line, okay?"

Maverick heard her tone. It reminded him of his mother whenever she worried about him. He nodded his head as they turned right, reaching a door with a red plus above it. "Okay. I wasn't thinking so much back there."

"You're still a new Trainer, yes? Don't fault yourself too much. It's all a learning experience the first time around. Remember that." She unlocked the door and allowed him in, the teen's eyes growing wider at the sight of how many injured Pokémon there were in the room. Maverick's secret concern had been answered, seeing other nurses, both male and female, roaming around to tend to them. She led him towards his Pokémon, stopping along the way to greet and care for others. A few other Trainers were in the vicinity, but he didn't pay them much mind.

His sole concern was Turtwig.

The sight had Maverick sick to his stomach. Turtwig lied there, an IV attached to one of his legs. Along with that, a few bandages were wrapped around his head and shell. His poor shell had been damaged, seeing the soil disheveled and dry, not moist as it should have been. One of the leaves upon his head was cut off as well, and drooping. He was thirsty.

"Hey, Turtwig..." he whispered, kneeling down to look at his partner. Said Pokémon opened an eye, and gave him a somewhat happy sound at his presence. He attempted to move, but he cringed, the sole leaf on his head shuddering. "Don't move, just, stay there..."

He obeyed silently.

"Listen, I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't know that would happen, but I'm so glad you're okay! Nurse Joy told me that you'll need rest for a few hours. Isn't that great?" he spoke softly, resisting the urge to stroke his shell. Turtwig nodded happily, sharing his sentiment. "I'm glad you think so."

They stayed in each other's company for a while, a million thoughts racing through Maverick's head. "Y'know, you were really great back there!" he said, voice still quiet. "You really surprised me with your speed, and with how you improvised a Quick Attack of your own. Adrenaline is a weird thing, huh?"

Yeah, it was weird, he thought. He used adrenaline to run away back there, away from Staraptor while Turtwig chose to fight it. It puzzled him. Turtwig was a small Pokémon. Why did he challenge something five or six times his size?

"You really were great back there Turtwig...but, why did you do that? What...what were you trying to accomplish?"

Poor wording. Turtwig flinched.

"Oh, sorry, I meant, um, yikes..." he scrambled for words. "I mean, I'm really proud of you that you did that, but I was just confused. Your old Trainer, what was he like? He abandoned you, and you ended up like this at a Center, right?"

Turtwig merely nodded, wearily looking at him. Maverick shook his head; he knew it was a touchy subject for his partner. "I'm not gonna abandon you, don't worry. Though...if you did that to impress me, that's not gonna fly."

Turtwig looked at him, surprised at his words. Maverick looked at his Pokémon in a way he remembered his father would when he was young. "I'm not your old Trainer. You don't have to get scared of me after every battle, or throw yourself in danger for my approval. Turtwig, we're still strangers to each other, so, just treat me like you would anybody else.

"We'll make this work, okay?"

He reached out a finger, and touched it upon Turtwig's little foot. Like Sabrina earlier, Maverick made to understand him and send his words to his Pokémon through touch. He used the connection he made with her, and used it on his Pokémon. Turtwig understood his sincerity, and smiled.

They were both dealing with something that ate them up inside, and through each other, they'll find solace. Maverick made sure of that.

"Too bad we didn't get Starly back there, but we'll try again eventually. Now then, my bag is still out there, huh? I might have to go back out and get it... rest up here, okay?" he said, now standing on two feet. Turtwig objected, obviously, but Maverick made sure to assure him. "I'll go with Rika, and Sabrina will stay here. You'll be fine with her, okay? She has a Shinx you can play with..."

Reluctantly, Turtwig nodded, and Maverick gave him a thumbs up in return. "Get well soon, okay? I'll be back to get you before tonight." With that, he gave Turtwig a small hug, before thanked the nurses for their patronage, and leaving the room.

Still, his mind wandered back to Sabrina's words. "Trust in your Pokémon, and they'll trust in you too."Maverick stopped and scratched his cheek as the warm feeling returned to his heart. It was a fire. A fire ignited by reassurance, hope, and...something else that was unfamiliar to him, but he liked the feeling.

'It's okay,' he thought, putting a hand to his heart. 'Everything will be alright...'

.

.

.

To be continued.

...

Hey there! XDiamondX90 here! I hope you enjoyed that chapter. The "A Rough Encounter" series of chapters took a bit of ironing out, but I'm happy to say that I have a product I'm happy with. Now then, a lot happened in this chapter, one subject of which I'll leave up into interpretation, haha.

This story is still continuing on, and I hope you, and the rest of my readers, will continue to support me. You can follow me on Twitter (XDiamondX90) for news, updates, and art regarding Maverick's Sinnoh Adventure, and other stories as well.

Please review and tell me your thoughts if you enjoyed the chapter. Every review helps out a ton. Now then, that's two parts down. The next chapter will wrap up this series! Thank you, dearly, for reading and reviewing.

Live long and Shine on!
~XDiamondX90