Tia tests out Nest Balls while Kit questions her about her love life.
“Hey,” Kit said conspiratorially, “I heard you met someone!”
Tia stopped in her tracks, dropping her Nest Ball on the ground. She picked it up and stared at her. “What?”
“Don’t act stupid,” Kit said, elbowing her. “What’s his name, what’s he like?”
“How did you know about Aidan?”
“Oh, so his name is Aidan!” Kit said excitedly, ignoring her.
“I only told my mom about him!”
“Yeah, she told me!”
Tia blinked. “Since when do you talk to each other?” she asked, bewildered.
“Oh, come on,” Kit answered, “We’re researchers. When do we not talk to each other?”
“But not about me!” Tia answered, mortified.
“No, not about you. Your mom was just so excited when she heard, she let it slip the last time we talked!” She stared at Tia for a moment. “Well?”
Tia turned away from her and continued walking down the path. She spotted a Hoppip and threw the Nest Ball at it.
“I’m waiting,” Kit said.
Tia sighed. “He’s a Trainer, and he travels around and does research on Pokemon legends.”
Kit nodded. “And?”
“That’s it.” Tia threw another Nest Ball at a passing Sentret.
“There’s gotta be more than that!” Kit prodded, “How did you guys meet?”
“At the Pokemon Center. We talked about Poke Balls and unusually colored Pokemon.” Tia saw a Rattata from the corner of her eye and tossed another Nest Ball. “We met again in Viridian Forest and got chased by a horde of Beedrills.”
Kit laughed. “The ultimate meet-cute: being chased around by angry Beedrills!”
“You wouldn’t be laughing if it happened to you!” Tia threw another Nest Ball.
“True. Then what happened?”
“Then he asked for my number.”
Kit’s jaw dropped. “Just like that? Wow, he’s bold. And you gave it to him?”
“He said he wanted to hear about my research!”
“Tia.” Kit shook her head. “Think. I know you’re not stupid.”
“We’re just friends!” Tia emphasized the last word with a violent Nest Ball throw toward a wandering Rattata.
“Hmm. All right then. If you insist.” Kit frowned. “Why are you so defensive about it? You should be over the moon!”
“It’s embarrassing.”
They paused, finally reaching Cherrygrove City. Tia pulled out her Pokedex and tapped a button. Ten Nest Balls teleported back to her. She nodded. Ten out of ten Pokemon caught. Perfect.
She turned around and started walking back to New Bark Town, with Kit continuing to needle her along the way.
When they returned to Professor Elm’s lab, Tia gathered the Nest Balls together and meticulously plugged them in for capture data.
Hoppip x 5, Sentret x 3, Rattata x 2
Levels 2-4
Gender: Male/Female
Average Capture Rate: 2.96
“You must be almost done with your research now,” Kit mused, “When are you writing up?”
“Soon,” Tia answered, “I would have started next week, but…”
Kit perked up. “But what?”
“Uh…” Tia turned red. “Aidan invited me to go with him to the Sevii Islands next week.”
“Just the two of you?” Kit asked excitedly, “Alone?”
Tia nodded.
Kit let out a cheer. “I like his style! He’s moving the two of you forward!”
Tia sighed. She wasn’t going to argue anymore.