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Rain lashed against the ground with such force that Poe could barely hear the grumbling thunder overhead. His cheap boots sunk into the grass and water seeped through the worn faux-suede to his socks. He didn’t care.
“Use Flame Charge!”
Talonflame cocked her head to one side, as though she hadn’t quite made out the instruction over the storm. Poe opened his mouth to shout again, but before he could the bird let out an almighty cry and became encased in a glowing orange fire. It charged forward, picking up speed. Poe ran beside her as best he could, though against the wind he was less aerodynamic than his companion. He almost laughed as wind whipped past his ears and stinging rain beat against his face. It had been far too long since he’d been able to stretch his legs like this.
Lightning flashed.
“That’s great!” he yelled. Talonflame trilled in agreement.
They reached the edge of the clearing and Talonflame tilted it’s body, following the curve of the treeline that surrounded the Pokemon League HQ grounds like a protective barrier. Poe followed, his breathing coming out in sharp gasps and his calves beginning to ache.
Despite the rain, the fire around Talonflame burned brighter. A beacon through the blinding sheets of rain.
“That’s it!” said Poe. “You’re getting it!”
Cold water trickled down the back of his neck as he ploughed forward, falling further and further behind. Talonflame streaked across the sky like a shining comet through a sea of faded stars.
This was it. They were going to nail their first battle as an Elite Four member. If this was what Talonflame was bringing to the table now, Poe could scarcely imagine the power she could bring when the odds weren’t stacked against her. If his face hadn’t already become numb from the cold, his cheeks would have ached from the satisfied smile plastered there.
And then he fell.
His shoulder hit the ground with enough force to leave a dent and he slid across the sodden grass before coming to an abrupt and ungainly halt. For a moment he lay there, blinking up against the rain that battered his face. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Talonflame slow and loop back towards him.
The shock wore off and pain began to radiate from his shoulder. He let out a huff of breath. Oh well. At least nobody was around to see that.
Then - “Poe Dameron, what in the hell do you think you’re doing!”
Shit.
He sat up, ignoring the flare of pain that came with the movement. Nothing broken, he thought with only some relief. If he’d broken something at least Leia might have been inclined to show pity.
She stalked towards him, Espeon scampering at her side and projecting some kind of rain-proof forcefield around the two. While Poe was a dirty, soggy mess, Leia had not a hair out of place. It was funny how often that seemed to be the case.
“Get up, idiot,” she said, when she was finally close enough to speak to him without shouting.
He grinned up at her and accepted the hand she held out. She pulled him to his feet. Sort of. He did most of the work himself.
“Just getting some training in, Champ,” he said. Leia’s eyes narrowed. “What? I thought you’d be happy I’m taking my job seriously.”
She crooked a finger at him and begrudgingly he began to follow her back to the towering building the Elite Four, Champion and League staff lived in during the tournament season. Talonflame hovered overhead looking vaguely mournful. Poe held out a Pokeball and recalled her.
“You’re lucky you haven’t been electrocuted,” said Leia. She pointed upwards and, as if on cue, forked lightning flashed across the clouded sky.
Poe pulled a face. If he’d tried something like that the sky would have immediately cleared of clouds out of sheer spite.
“Hey, can I-” He gestured to the bubble protecting Leia and her Pokemon from the elements.
“No.”
“Right,” said Poe. He’d just stand in the rain. And the wind. That was fine.
It was only when he stepped into the warmth of the building that Poe realised how cold he was. His whole body shivered and water dripped down from his curls and into his eyes. He brushed the rain from his face with aching fingers. Worth it, he thought.
Leia returned Espeon to his Pokeball with a quiet thank you.
“Well,” she said, turning to him. “I didn’t think I’d have to give you the lecture about responsibility so soon after the last time.”
“How about we don’t and just say we did?” said Poe. Leia raised an eyebrow. “Come on, Leia. In the rain is the perfect time to train fire Pokemon.”
“In the rain,” said Leia, “is not ‘in the middle of the worst thunderstorm the region has seen all year’.”
“Isn’t it though?” said Poe.
Leia levelled with a stare up at him that would have had most trainers quaking in terror; Poe knew her well enough to only feel chilled by the experience.
“Sorry,” he said, though not because he meant it. Leia raised an eyebrow. “I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?” Leia prompted, throwing Poe’s mind back to a time when he was barely into double digits and being scolded by his father for far worse crimes.
“For…uh.”
He was saved from answering, unfortunately, by Poe’s least favourite person living in the League headquarters. Her feet fell heavily against the floor in what Poe could only describe as a militant and entirely unnecessary fashion, as though she expected everybody in her wake to spring to attention the second she was within twenty feet. She’d be waiting a long time for that one.
“He’s back I see,” said Phasma. She stopped in front of them and looked down her nose. Admittedly, given their height differences she had little choice in the matter. “Without getting struck by lightning.” The more’s the pity went unspoken, and yet rang loud enough that both Poe and Leia heard it.
“Yeah thanks for your concern,” said Poe, heroically not rolling his eyes.
Phasma ignored him, already half way down the corridor. Her platinum blonde hair shone silver under the harsh lighting of the hallway and he blinked before turning back to Leia.
“You know she’s definitely working for-”
“Where Phasma’s allegiances lie is a problem for another day,” she said.
“Maybe it should be moved up the agenda.”
Leia pinched the bridge of her nose. “One problem at a time, Poe. At least right now she’s somewhere that we can keep an eye on her.”
“Which means she’s somewhere she can keep an eye on us,” Poe pointed out.
It wasn’t fair to put this on Leia now and even as he argued he knew it. Phasma had earned her place in the Elite Four and it would take something more substantial than a few suspicions that she was part of an overzealous political party to justify taking away her position. Especially when they couldn’t prove that the First Order had done anything illegal. Yet. Her being there looming over them all like a disapproving gargoyle just really pissed him off.
“Maybe,” said Leia. “But it’s another problem for another day.” A day that would come sooner rather than later, Poe feared. “Now go get cleaned up. Time’s marching on and it’s your turn to make dinner.”
“Oh but-”
“Now.”