Ranma pulled the vine loose, still laughing as Ukyou tried to regain what was left of her dignity. Shaking her head lightly, she giggled a bit, getting back up to her feet after a moment. "[So, sugar,]" she said, rising back up. "[Now what?]"
"Back to the road I guess." Ranma shrugged, picking himself up. "Shame we didn't catch that little critter, whatever it was."
A soft chitter came from a nearby bush, a noise that Ranma somehow interpreted as the clearing of a throat. Both Trainer and Pokémon whirled at the noise to see...a small brown furry creature.
"[Ah.]" Ukyou said dismissively. "It's just a Rattata. That's not what you were chasing, was it? They can be horrible teases.]
Ranma shook his head. "Nah. It had stripes. Looked sorta like a raccoon, really."
"[A what?]" Ukyou asked.
The Rattata watched this exchange with an appraising eye that measured Ranma with a look that he hadn't seen since, well, since the last time he needed to borrow money. "[He really understands you, doesn't he? I mean, the actual words. He's not just observant and guessing well?] The voice was sharp, with a note of cunning in it.
Ranma, though the question wasn't directed at him, felt the need to answer. "And you as well. What's it to ya?" He eyed the little rodent, backing toward the path of broken branches and charred bark that they had made charging through the thick brush, and hand gently moving in front of Ukyou.
"[Jeez. You don't have a clue, do you? Protecting one Pokémon from another. What're you from, another world?]" The Rattata threw up it's eyes in exasperation.
Ranma blushed. "Well...actually..."
"[Not that it matters, really. Are you supposed to be some kind of trainer? Why didn't you send Miss Flame-for-brain in after it to battle? That's what trainers are supposed to do, after all.]
Ukyou's tail flared up a little, warming up a little as Ranma frowned. "[I suppose you know all about trainers then?]" the Ponyta asked, pointedly.
"[Of course.]" The Rattata whisked her tail lightly, and Ranma somehow understood this to be the equivalent of a shrug. "[I hang close to town. More food there. More opportunities. Though he...he interests me.]"
Ukyou was in front of Ranma before he knew what she was doing. "[Back off, floozy. That's my trainer you're talking about.]"
The Rattata looked unconcerned. "[Do you really want me to gnaw a few legs off you so you can fall over all the time? Back off, flamebrain, I'm trying to offer my services here.]"
Ukyou stamped, sending a spark up. "[Like we need your services anyway. I think you'd be better used as target practice.]"
"Erm...excuse me?" Ranma tried to put in.
"[You stay out of this!]" came the answer in stereo, and Ranma shook his head. This was not wholly unfamiliar.
"[So you know all about how trainers are supposed to act, and the formal code of fighting, and where you could get in a bit of practice before getting thrown out into the sea of the world like so much Magikarp for Seels?]"
"[We can learn just fine without a nasty little guide like you.]"
Ranma sighed, and leaned back against a tree, taking off his pack. This, he suspected, might take a while.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Will McDuff
(Posted Fri, 30 Jan 2004 08:21)
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