The next morning, Eliana woke up with the sun, packed her things, and checked out. The morning air was crisp and carried the scent of pine and damp earth. After releasing Staryu and telling it to get into the basket, it bounced along for a few seconds before agreeing, and with Ralts perched on her shoulder, she pedaled out of Stone Town, heading south.
The road to Fuchsia City was a winding ribbon of asphalt cut through dense, ancient forest. The trees were giants, their thick branches forming a canopy so dense that the sunlight struggled to pierce through, painting the road in shifting patterns of light and shadow. It was quiet, the only sounds the whir of her bike's tires and the distant chirping of unseen Pokémon.
About an hour into her journey, she heard the rustling in the undergrowth beside the road. She slowed, coming to a stop. She didn't need her psychic senses to know it was an ambush. The way the silence suddenly became too heavy, the way the shadows seemed to deepen and coalesce. It was a feeling she knew well.
Three figures stepped out from behind the trees, blocking the road. They were dressed in dirty clothes scowls on their faces.
"We've finally caught up to you," The one in the middle, obviously the leader snapped out.
Eliana gave a confused look, tilting her head, "Do I know you?"
The man on the right sputtered in disbelief, "Do you know us?!" He pointed a finger at Elaina, shaking in rage, "You slaughter our crew and you don't even remember!"
Eliana scratched her head in a dismissive way, "You're going to have to be more specific, I've wiped out more than one gang,"
The middle made cried out angrily, "You killed my older brother, Leader Kaz! You'll pay for that!"
"Oh him? He didn't put up much of a fight… hopefully you'll do better!" Eliana chirped, finely remembering who they're talking about.
The man that had been completely silent up to this point finally spoke up, "We're going to take you out here and now."
The three men through out their PokéBalls, an Electabuzz, a Rhydon, and a Raticate appeared and lunged at the girl still sitting on her bike.
Eliana let out a soft snicker, her eye glowed blue holding all the mean and their Pokémon in place. She snapped her fingers, snapping the three men in half before throwing them back into the brush. She brought the three discarded PokéBalls to her and then turned back to the three Pokémon. I could also sell these guys eventually… well maybe not the Raticate but the other two should go for some good money!
Eliana knocked out the Electabuzz personally and returned it to its PokéBall, storing it in her phone.
(๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧ Ralts preened on her shoulder, ready for another fight.
Eliana commanded, not moving from her spot on the bike.
Ralts vanished from her shoulder in a shimmer of light. A split second later, he reappeared directly behind the Raticate, its long tail twitching nervously. Before it could even turn, Ralts unleashed a stream of glittering screeching. The attack wasn't just pretty; it was corrosive. The fairy energy ate away at the Raticate's fur and flesh, causing it to let out a bloodcurdling screech as it dissolved into nothingness.
Eliana blinked curiously at the empty spot where Raticate had been standing beforehand, I didn't know Disarming Voice could do all that.
The Rhydon froze, its single horn aimed at Eliana, but it didn't move. The species wasn't that smart and now that its trainer was dead it didn't really know what to do.
Staryu let out a gentle breath, and a swirling vortex of frosty air billowed towards the Rhydon. The ice-type energy clung to its thick, rocky hide, forming a layer of shimmering frost. The Rhydon shuddered, its movements becoming sluggish, heavy. It tried to take a step, its leg scraping against the asphalt with a laborious groan.
Staryu's core began to glow a bright pink before it let out a Psybeam that slammed into the Rhydon's chest. The Pokémon stumbled back, its eyes rolling back in its head before it crashed to the ground with a ground-shaking thud, unconscious.
"Good job, Staryu," Eliana praised, returning the Rhydon to its PokéBall and adding it to her collection. Golem, Cloyster, Electabuzz, and Rhydon, all Pokémon that should fetch for a nice price. Even if they weren't trained properly they were raw enough.
Now that all the Pokémon were taken care of, it was time to actually deal with the bodies. She went over to the brush she had thrown them in and ordered Ralts to use Confusion and Magical Leaf to hide them. The combination of psychic force and razor-sharp leaves tore through the undergrowth, digging a shallow grave in seconds. She didn't bother with any ceremony. They were just obstacles, and now they were gone.
With another flick of her wrist, she moved a large fallen log over the disturbed earth, a final, casual touch to erase the scene. As if nothing had happened.
This group was only slightly more memorable than the original Kaz, because at least she got some cool things to sell later on. All she got from the first group was property damage on behalf of the Jones.
She hopped back on her bike, the incident already fading from her mind. Roadside nuisances, that's all they were. She pedaled on, the forest closing in around her again, the scent of blood and violence quickly swallowed by the damp earth.
The rest of the day passed in a monotonous blur of green and grey. As the sun began to set, casting long, eerie shadows across the road, the trees thinned out, revealing the sprawling silhouette of Fuchsia City. The city was a strange mix of old and new, with traditional pagoda-style rooftops nestled alongside sleek, modern buildings. The air was warmer here, carrying the salty tang of the sea from the nearby coast.
Eliana's destination was clear, the Safari Zone, she might not catch anything but it was too good of an opportunity to miss out on. But a loud grumble from her stomach reminded her of more immediate needs. First checking in at the Pokémon Center and then food.