Chloe's Pov
Today had been exhausting.
First, she had to do a school project on Pokémon—something she wasn't particularly thrilled about. Then, to make things worse, Goh, her childhood friend who had promised to help, had suddenly run off chasing some Pokémon, leaving her alone.
Typical.
Chloe sighed, crouching down to pet Yamper, her ever-loyal companion. Now what are we gonna do? she thought, running her fingers through his warm fur.
"Yamp!" he barked, tail wagging enthusiastically.
She let out a small chuckle. "Yeah… Maybe asking him was a bad idea."
"Yamp." Yamper nodded as if agreeing, making her shake her head in exasperation.
Honestly, she should've known better. The moment Goh saw a Pokémon, everything else just vanished from his brain.
Just as she was about to leave, Yamper barked again—this time, before dashing off at full speed.
"Yamper, wait!" Chloe shouted, immediately taking off after him.
Her legs burned as she ran, her breath coming in short gasps. This really isn't my day… No matter how much she called out, Yamper kept going, his tiny paws carrying him farther ahead. Why is he running so fast?! What did he even see?!
After what felt like forever, she finally reached the docks—only to see Yamper circling around someone.
A boy.
He had a Pikachu perched on his shoulder, watching the excited Yamper with an unreadable yet calm expression. Pikachu, seemingly amused, jumped down and joined in, the two Pokémon playfully chasing each other in circles.
"Yamper!" Chloe called again, exasperated. As she approached, the boy turned to face her—and for some reason, she found herself hesitating.
He was… kind of handsome.
The thought caught her completely off guard. Where did that come from?! She quickly shook her head, pushing the ridiculous thought away, but she could feel her face heating up slightly.
She bent forward, hands on her knees, still gasping for air. The boy continued to watch her, his expression neutral.
What's with that look? Can't he see I just ran a marathon?
The silence stretched between them, making her feel oddly self-conscious.
Is he judging me right now?
Finally, he spoke. "Are you alright?"
Chloe straightened up, brushing some hair behind her ear, trying to regain composure. "I'm fine," she replied, a little too quickly.
Yamper, completely oblivious to her frustration, barked happily and wagged his tail, clearly proud of himself.
Great. At least one of them was having fun.
What started as an annoying day of chasing after Yamper had somehow led her here—to an island where Dragonite soared overhead.
And now, here she was.
Sitting under a tree, watching that same boy help a small Dratini learn Rain Dance.
She exhaled softly, staring at the scene before her.
How did I even get here?
Yesterday, she had been stressing over a boring school project. Today, she was on an actual island full of Dragonite. And the craziest part?
It somehow felt… normal to him.
Her gaze shifted back to the boy. He was patient, focused, and surprisingly gentle, offering quiet words of encouragement to the little Dratini.
But no matter how hard Dratini tried, she just couldn't get the move right.
Chloe expected him to try something else, maybe call out another Pokémon to help. And when he reached for a Poké Ball, she assumed it would be a Water-type—something to demonstrate the move properly.
But nothing could've prepared her for what actually emerged.
With a flash of red light, a massive, crimson figure erupted from the Poké Ball. The air seemed to shift, growing heavy under the sheer presence of the Pokémon now looming before them. Its fierce, serpentine body coiled, and with a bone-rattling roar, Gyarados announced its presence.
The sheer force of its cry sent ripples across the water, making the Dratini—and every other Dratini nearby—immediately dive beneath the surface, terrified.
Chloe, wide-eyed. What the—?!
Before she could even react, the boy sighed and crossed his arms. "Gyarados."
His voice was firm, yet calm.
The massive serpent—who had been utterly terrifying a second ago—suddenly slumped, looking guilty.
Chloe blinked. Did he just… lecture a Gyarados?
Slowly, the Dratini peeked out from the water, curious but still wary. The boy crouched near the shore, speaking to her gently, reassuring her before turning back to Gyarados.
Then, with a simple command, Gyarados began to move.
It lifted its head, eyes focused, and with a smooth, practiced motion, summoned dark clouds overhead. The air grew thick with humidity, and within moments, raindrops began to fall, cool against Chloe's skin. The gentle droplets created small ripples in the water, distorting the reflections of the curious Dratini watching from below.
Chloe watched in awe, Who even is this guy?
Some time had passed, and after more training, the little Dratini finally succeeded in performing Rain Dance. The sky darkened slightly as droplets of rain gently fell around them, creating tiny ripples in the water.
Seeing this, the boy smiled. "Good job," he said warmly, celebrating with Dratini as she twirled happily in the rain.
With her lesson learned, the boy recalled Gyarados back into its Poké Ball. He was about to ask Dratini what she wanted to do next when, to his surprise, the little dragon slithered onto his arm. Without hesitation, she climbed up his sleeve, making her way to his back, where she nudged an empty Poké Ball hanging from his belt.
Before he could react, the Poké Ball popped open, pulling Dratini inside. A soft click signaled the successful capture.
The boy blinked, momentarily stunned. Then, a small smile spread across his face. He glanced at his partner. "Looks like we got ourselves a Dratini, Pikachu."
"Pika pi!" Pikachu chirped, hopping onto his shoulder with excitement.
With his newest companion now secured, he made his way back toward Chloe, who had been watching everything unfold. As he approached, he said calmly, "It's time to go."
Chloe, still processing everything she had just witnessed, blinked. "Wait… So, are we going to fly back?" she asked.
He shook his head. "No."
Before she could question him further, he suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her into an embrace.
"W-What are you—?!" She barely had time to protest before the world around her shifted.
A strange sensation washed over her—like being gently pulled through space itself. The next thing she knew, they were no longer on the island. Instead, they stood at the docks of Vermilion City.
The boy released her just as quickly as he had grabbed her.
Finally free, Chloe stumbled back, her face warm. She turned to him, her brows furrowed. "Why did you do that?!"
"It was easier this way," he replied, as if teleporting someone across distances was completely normal.
She opened her mouth to press him further, but before she could, a familiar voice shouted behind her.
"Chloe!"
She turned to see her childhood friend, Goh, running toward her, breathless.
"Where were you?! I was searching everywhere for you!" He grabbed her hand, relieved. "Come on, let's go finish the project!"
Chloe hesitated before sighing. "I already finished it."
Goh froze. "Wait, what?! You already completed it? How?"
She glanced over her shoulder, ready to explain—only to realize the boy was gone.
Just like that.
Vanished.
Goh followed her gaze. "Who are you looking for?"
She paused for a moment before shaking her head. "No one. Let's just go home."
As they walked back, Goh excitedly rambled about missing yet another opportunity to catch a rare Pokémon. But Chloe's mind was elsewhere.
Through all of it—flying to Dragonite island, watching him train Dratini, and even teleporting back—she had never once thought to ask him his name.
And now, he was gone.