Mt Moon, and a Step Forward!

The snooty girls' words struck at Miku, who felt a twinge in her chest. She couldn't stand people like this when she didn't have to interact with them. A few years back, her brother had always been there to defend her. Now she was on her own though.

"You challenged me, you snotty little...brats!" Miku forced out, trying her best not to trip over her own tongue. Miku knew her Pokemon were beautiful, each and every one of them. "Your superficial faces will one day melt away and you'll be left alone and unhappy! All my Pokemon are beautiful, and watch closely because they're about to wipe yours out!" A moment of eloquence from Miku was rare, but this one seemed to be fueled by anger.

"Go Slowpoke, use Zen Headbutt on Nidoran. Clefairy, get that Jigglypuff!" The two Pokemon seemed to switch their targets, the slow and steady Slowpoke headed for the sleeping poison type. He reared back as he began to glow, then lunged forward with his attack. Clefairy bounded over toward Jigglypuff, still mad about her Pound enslaught from earlier. She attacked with her Double Slap attack once more.

"Really? Because I was going to say the same about you and your...questionable taste of fashion," a mysterious voice said as the girls started to walk away. Leaning against a nearby tree, a pretty young girl bearing a striking resemblance to Miku smirked. She was wearing a fashionable purple kimono, cut to modern tastes. "Tsk, and those Pokemon. What pathetic excuses for trainers the two of you make."

The girl was obviously full of herself, but with apparently good reason. She was the kind of girl who could land just about any guy she wanted. She was pretty, her black hair pulled up in fashion to frame her face and show off her gorgeous blue eyes. Her petite frame was like a models, long and slender. The only catch was...this was no girl. Miku snarled at the sight of him.

"Mako...why are you here?!" She barked, scowling at her brother. She could have lived a lifetime not knowing where he was, and would have considered it a success. Clefairy went about the field in the meantime, picking up the money that had been carelessly tossed.

"Come on now, is that any way to greet me? I missed you, Miku-chan! You're my little sister, after all, and family needs to stick together!" Mako pleaded with pouty lips. He was a few inches taller than Miku, but was way more effeminate. He brought his fists together cutely, twisting from side to side, "Come on, Miku-chan! I haven't seen you in a year!"

"We're the same age!" Miku snapped back. It had apparently quickly degenerated from Mako 'standing up' for his sister, to just plain sibling rivalry. Miku had good cause, though she dare not speak it aloud. As much spite as she held, she wouldn't want her brother arrested for his heinous acts. "Now I'm not going to say this again, Mako. Leave. Me. Alone!" Miku turned away, storming off toward Pewter City with her two Pokemon following, Clefairy's paws full of cash.

"Hmm, well," Mako said, voice turning from cute to smooth and sly. His eyes sharpened, turning to the two girls. "You think it's funny to pick on my sister?" A flash of red light, and a small but aggressive looking fire puppy was by Mako's side. "Growly, what do you say we teach these girls to play nice?"

Mako's smirk was wiped clean off his face, "Tsk," he clicked his tongue in an aggravated fashion. "I'll teach these little skanks," Mako hissed, looking down to Growly the Growlithe. He plucked another pokeball from his waist, opening it to reveal a gorgeous male Vulpix at his side. He preened his fur only for a moment. "Aditya, those girls think they're prettier than you. They said my Pokemon are mutts, are you going to let that happen?" Mako taunted, pointing at the girls in the distance.

The fox's fur began to bristle, flabbergasted by the words he was hearing. There was no way a human could be more beautiful than the great Aditya! "Right then, the two of you need to teach them a lesson. Be careful though, we don't need any trouble after we just found Miku, right?" The feminine boy cooed, gently stroking the Pokemons' heads. The two nodded, rushing off to quickly set fire to the area surrounding the two girls. It ought to take fast, there was a great deal of dry grass and foliage to catch.

"Whoopsy~" Mako chimed, returning his Pokemon before vacating the area.

Meanwhile, back in Pewter City...

Miku glanced back for only a moment, her brother seemed distracted talking to those snooty girls. Good, it gave her a chance to get far out of his sight. "Whew, that was close...but what was he doing there in the first place?" Miku wondered, only momentarily. She collected the money from Clefairy, placing it in her pocketbook before returning both Pokemon to their balls. "Sorry guys, it's easier to go shopping without you out," the girl said, heading for the market place.

Miku found herself drooling over an abundance of food, both shelved and refrigerated. Her stomach growled, but that would have to wait. She was on a budget, and had to get non perishables first. Staples like rice would last the longest, as well as meats to smoke. She put some supplies in her basket, along with a few Pokeballs and Potions before checking out. It felt good to have food on-hand again. She just had to make sure to only carry what she needed, in case of something like the cave happening again. She'd been lucky to catch a free meal at the Center.

Back at the town's Pokemon Center, which a boy was kind enough to show her the way to, Miku could rest her aching feet. She'd been on them for the better part of the day and were rather tired. She brought her Pokeballs to the cheery Nurse to have her Pokemon rested up for the training and fights ahead, then went into the dining hall to catch another meal before more training was to be done.

Miku, though still a bit distressed after her encounter with her brother, was now beginning to relax some. It had been a stressful couple of days and for once she was slightly relieved to be around other people. Still, she was socially awkward and didn't want to draw attention to herself. Unfortunately, the hall was packed. Unlike the one en route, this center was in the heart of the city and bustling with trainers moving through or aiming to challenge the gym.

There were no truly empty tables, but her eyes fell on one in particular that was mostly empty. The hipster looking artist was at the very least seemingly quiet, averting his gaze from the loud chatty trainers around him. This would be her best bet. After all, she paid for it when she ran away from someone last time.

She took a seat relatively quiet aside from the small squeak of the chair sliding out. She sat her tray down, trying momentarily to get a better look at the boy before she began to eat. It was a simple meal, but hot and thus better than most of what she ate while traveling. She quickly became absorbed, thinking how she might have been better off with the photographer.

The Raichu began ranting, clearly trying to get the attention of either of them. Pokémon were commonly more social creatures, so it was understandable that it wanted its master to be so as well. Unfortunately, Miku didn't have any of her partners with her to make her feel safer. She tried to continue eating as if nothing had happened, that is until he spoke up.

Now she was in a tight spot, she had already glanced up. He knew she heard him but she stared with blank eyes like a deerling in headlights. It was now a forced interaction, a social requirement (or so she had been told). Else she would be dubbed rude, and potentially attacked later on. She had a grim outlook of the world, and thought of worst case scenarios far too often for her own good.

She looked to the Raichu, unknowing how to respond to the compliments. "That looks like a healthy Raichu. I've never seen one in person," she managed to change the subject. Pokémon was something she knew how to talk to, so maybe she could manage to talk about them. At least for the currently awkward moment. Her face would have gone pale, if that was even possible for her. She brought up a spoonful as she slunk down into her seat embarrassedly. 

It was an unfortunate predicament the two found themselves in. Between self esteem issues, and overall social awkwardness it was bound to be a difficult process of a conversation. Still, Miku couldn't refuse the opportunity to pet the Raichu. She smiled faintly, reaching out to stroke the large orange rodent's head. 

"I'm Miku. Hamasaki," Miku offered her name in return, that's what people did, right? She returned to her food, finishing the bottom of the bowl before moving on to her meats and drink. She tried not to eat to fast, as she thought it would make her seem eager to leave. Not that she wasn't.

Miku lost herself only for a moment in the other trainer's Pokémon. He was adorable and soft as well as sociable. Basically everything Miku saw as not her. She then turned to Rokas as he inquired about her purposes.

"I was just traveling, but I was debating challenging the gym leader. My Pokémon have proven themselves so far against a few trainers, I think with a little more training they could handle it." She then began wondering about the local museum. She knew there were some fossils in there of ancient sea creatures. That might be interesting to take a look at.

"To tell you the truth, I don't have much of a plan. I just let life take me where I need to be. I don't have much of a choice, anyway-" Miku cut the last word short. She almost gave away her story to a complete stranger. She had to find something else to talk about. "What about you?" She attempted to change the subject abruptly.

Miku was surprised the boy let out a ramble of information. It was like he'd been holding it inside just waiting to pour it on someone. Apparently Miku was that someone. It didn't help that Raichu seemed to be doing everything in his power to keep Miku from finishing her food. Still, she supposed it was good to have a change of pace and talk to a real person now and then.

"My Pokémon?" Somehow the conversation had turned back on her. "Uhm... Well, they're mostly water types. I have a Clefairy and Sandshrew as well, but I don't think Sandshrew likes me much," she explained, looking to his Raichu. "Without him I'm pretty sure your Raichu would kick my team's butt, but I think we'd give you a run for your money. My Slowpoke is pretty tough, after all." She thought back to the cave, and how Slowpoke continued fighting for her even when she could no longer command him.

"You seem to know an awful lot about the gyms," Miku spouted, the guy looked like he was into books but he must really do his homework. "I never grew up with too much of an interest in it myself, but I know how to battle effectively. I used to watch Misty back home-" Damn, there she was again, giving away personal information.

"Anyway. Yeah, I guess I have a sort of affinity for water types. Most of mine are pretty goofy though. My Psyduck really likes to dance, it looks pretty ridiculous sometimes." Otherwise she had her fish, which she still wasn't sure what to do with at the moment.

"No water types?" Miku was surprised, but just barely. From her knowledge her brother didn't have any either. "They're really useful, I believe everyone should have at least one on their team."

"I can understand that, I guess," Miku acknowledged. "It's not like I went out looking for water types, I think they're just drawn to me. I guess it makes sense, growing up on the water like that..." She was able to take the last few bites of her food against Raichu's efforts. 

"I never travelled too far from home when I was little. My mom was sick, so usually it was just my dad and brother who went to other cities," she drank the last bit in her cup, letting out a satisfied sigh. "But I should go and check on my Pokémon at the desk now, they should be healed by now. It was good to meet you, Rokas." Miku surprised herself, she somewhat meant that statement. 

"Uhm...it wasn't that hard," Miku said quietly, knowing she hadn't really had a choice in leaving home. She didn't have a home, not anymore. But in this world a person even her age can make it with nothing more than a Pokémon by her side and sheer strength of will. "Maybe I'll see you around," Miku said with what smile she could muster up. She gathered her bag, and headed for the lobby.

Once her Pokémon had been collected, she made her way outside and toward the south of town. She just wanted to train Slowpoke before getting too far. As far as she was concerned, Slowpoke was her ace in the hole for the gym leader especially now that she knew he was weak to her water types. She did a few quick exercises with him to limber up, before heading to the large Gym near the center of town. 

As soon as Miku saw it, she completely understood why her water Pokémon had the advantage. "Rock type," she said, looking over the modeled building. She assumed there was going to be a cave like theme inside, since Misty's was a pool. "Brock,the rock-hard trainer. We'll see," Miku spoke quietly to herself as she read the sign outside.

She opened the large doors, heavy as they were, and stepped inside with Slowpoke beside her. "Hello?" She called, her steps echoing in the arena. "I-I'm here to take the gym challenge!" She stuttered, though she couldn't yet see people.

Miku flinched when the boy stepped from the shadows. Still, she tried her best to hold her ground and look serious. "I'll take those odds," Miku stated, looking to her partner. "AlrightSlowpoke, you're up!" The dopey Pokémon nodded with a slow drawl of his name as he stepped forward. Was he grinning at his foe? They could be infuriating things, being so impossible to read the expressions.

"I guess we're starting then, huh? I'll go first then, Slowpoke use Curse!" It seemed to be her signature move. Slowpoke began to glow, lowering his speed in favor of other stats. He was buffed up now, ready to battle. Well, at least it seemed he was ready though the grin remained.