Thankfully, Zoey needn’t have worried. Forrest had been more chagrined than he had been angry. Apparently, the Gym had been warned by the Oaks that one of the Lab Trainers may be displaying new moves. It was, in fact, why he’d opened with a stronger pokémon than usual and pushed through with Tyrunt as well. His reaction there, he’d admitted freely, had been borderline enough that 2B would have almost certainly received her badge even if she’d lost.
With another Trainer, that might not have been the case, those ‘Ace’ pokémon that were a few levels higher were kept on call for a reason. There were always some people that tried to cheat the system by using transferred pokémon trained by a professional to coast through the early badges. With Professor Oak, of all people, being able to verify that such wasn’t the case with 2B, using that ‘Ace’ pokémon was a little over the line. The fact that 2B had won anyway had, in fact, caused Forrest to give out one of the rare TMs they saved for particularly promising battlers.
Zoey had earned one too, as it happened, which was something she was immensely proud of.
Apparently, at least at the Pewter Gym, each Gym Leader chose a favorite move to give out that way. Brock’s had been Bide, Flint’s had been Rock Tomb, but Forrest’s? It was Dig. Which was such an immensely useful TM that it was honestly often hard to come by, and Zoey and 2B had both been quite pleased to receive copies. They were single-use versions, sadly. But it was still a nice extra, and getting them at all was a satisfying recognition that went beyond just their first Kanto Badges.
They had also, as Zoey predicted, needed to fend off a few dozen questions from the crowd. By sheer luck, there hadn’t been any pokédexes, even the consumer model, in the crowd. Though, that was perhaps only half luck. With the sheer deluge of First Badge challenges in Pewter at this time of year, the crowds weren’t dense for any specific match. Not unless the match was for a local who had plenty of friends and family to fill in the stands.
Despite that, there had been enough knowledgeable people in the crowd to want to quiz 2B on the moves she’d used, and Zoey was virtually certain 2B’s challenge would break the usual mold and show up on Battlecast, despite only being a First Badge challenge. It would after that aired, with the professional commentors on the Battlecast stream unable to identify some of the moves, that the real hubbub had the potential to spring up. Something which would take at least a day or two, even once Forrest put the video up on the Gym’s own ’interesting highlights’ page. Which he’d said wouldn’t be updated until tomorrow morning.
Hopefully, that meant they had at least two to three days to get out of town.
Of course, now, as their pokémon all indulged in well-earned premium food and Pewter Crunchies, Zoey needed to fulfil a promise to herself. One which, as a once-more casually dressed 2B adorably sipped a milkshake, Zoey was working up her nerve to do. It wasn’t something that she normally needed to do, working up her nerve that was. No one had ever accused her of a lack of boldness. Yet, 2B was so…unpredictable, that she’d found she needed an unusual amount of effort to get the words out. For that matter, she’d needed an embarrassingly long time to figure out which words.
Ultimately, reviewing her limited understanding of 2B, she’d decided blunt honesty was the way to go.
“So, I waited until after the challenge so this wouldn’t be a distraction for either of us, but I would very much like to go on a date with you, 2B. If you’re interested, that is?”
Whew. She’d gotten it out without stuttering! So what if her palms were sweaty and she could barely taste her spaghetti. No one needed to know that! 2B, instead of answering immediately, cocked her head in that cute way she did when confused. Before Zoey could worry about that, she asked a question that threw Zoey for a loop.
“Have we not already done that? You are attracted to me, and we went to the Pewter Museum together. Relationships are confusing. Is there something else we need to do, to make it a date?”
Zoey blinked, mind stuttering in confusion for a moment as she tried to figure out how to answer that. Yes, she’d had a similar thought, in that she’d considered the museum visit something of a pseudo-date. Yet, there was context missing, and she abruptly realized that it was exactly the sort of Common Sense context that 2B was bad at. Pursing her lips, she scrambled to find a way to contextualize it for her friend…hopefully to soon be a little bit more than just a friend.
“…Many activities that can be done by friends, are also done as dates. That much is true. I guess, the main difference is in intent? That and formal recognition of that intent. In admitting that you’re both attracted to each other, the intent changes, and simply getting to know a friend becomes getting to know a possible lover? Though, for a first date, it’s really only exploring compatibility, I guess?”
Seeing 2B was still confused, Zoey struggled to find a comparison 2B would be familiar with. Eventually, she mentally stumbled upon one that might work, though hopefully 2B didn’t dig into it too deeply. It was a bit of a problematic comparison if you took it too far.
“Consider it like the difference between playing with a wild pokémon and caring for your own. Both can be fun, but the bond you’re attempting to build with your companion is meant to be deeper. It doesn’t always work out, just as a pokémon and Trainer sometimes find they have different life priorities and part ways amicably. But it’s an exploration in attempting to find out if that deeper compatibility exists. To see if someone might become a permanent companion instead of a passing friend.”
The explanation was imperfect, Zoey knew. Only when trying to explain it from the outside did she properly realize just how much social and cultural context was tied up in the idea of dating or courtship. With 2B somehow not having a lot of the same context that everyone took for granted, it must be hard to sort out the blurry line. Still, she could see when 2B’s eyes, thankfully not covered by her visor at the moment, gained the light of at least partial understanding. Her heart thrummed painfully in her chest as 2B hummed and nodded.
“I think I get it. Yes, I would like to try ‘dating’ with you. I find you highly attractive and have noticed you certainly find me the same. I believe we might have that compatibility.”
Zoey’s heart soared, even as 2B’s blunt statement caused a small blush to form on her face. It wasn’t exactly poetic prose declaring her beauty, but the simple matter-of-fact way 2B said she found her ‘highly attractive’ was so ridiculously blunt that it couldn’t be anything but honest. It was refreshing, in a way, compared to the flowery ways that many of her fellow Coordinators regularly complimented her. Often without there being any actual substance behind the empty statements.
“U-um, good! Yes! Ah, I was thinking we could hike up to the local Observatory? According to a pamphlet I snagged from the Museum, they have an amateur viewing night once a week, and it happens to be tonight. We just need to bring a blanket and any food we want, and they provide decent telescopes and someone who can recommend interesting things to see in the night sky…”
2B perked up, much to Zoey’s satisfaction. She hadn’t been entirely sure on what the other girl was interested in other than pokémon, but she had shown a decent amount of interest in the Kanto space program at the museum. She’d hope that it meant 2B was at least casually interested in space. Which seemed, in fact, to be correct.
“I would like that. I’ve been quite interested in observing the differences in the cosmos as seen from here rather than my home.”
Zoey blinked. There was something a little odd about that comment, but she couldn’t quite put her mental finger on it. Oh well, for now it meant she’d picked a good ‘First Date’ activity. A small picnic of sorts, under the stars, with something the girl she was interested in was, herself, interested in. The fact Zoey herself had always enjoyed stargazing, though not for any focused reason like 2B seemed to have, was only the cherry on top.
“Excellent! It’s a date, then…”
… … …
Zoey was happy, snuggled into 2B’s side for warmth as the other girl panned the telescope they’d been assigned with a controller. Much to both of their delight, the Pewter Observatory was much more high-tech than she’d expected. The ‘provided telescopes’ weren’t the truly amateur setups, where you had to lean over and stare into a tiny scope. Instead, they were thick, mounted cylinders that streamed to a screen, which acted as both viewer and controller. Apparently, high end models sometimes had a Rotom in them to help manage focusing and guide you to where to look, though these weren’t quite that nice.
2B liked it, as it was a far more precise way to scan the night sky. Being able to punch in exact movements for the telescope, based on the guide’s advice, meant a lot less time staring at fuzzy blurs and trying to make out if it was what you were supposed to be looking at or not. Zoey liked it because it meant 2B was content to rest on the blanket with her, leaned against a giant poof that 2B had pulled from what Zoey was already thinking of as The Storage Bracer of Infinite Possibilities. Due, it had to be said, to how many weird things 2B had thought to pack in it.
It made for the perfect position for cuddles, and she had been delighted to discover that 2B was in no way adverse to said cuddles. Still, conversation had to be made as well, now that the guide had largely left everyone to their own devices and 2B was idly investigating random stellar objects.
“Hmmm 2B, do you think there are other worlds with pokémon out there? Or are they something unique to our world?”
2B stirred, shifting more attention to Zoey as her lips quirked.
“It is almost certain there are. After all, there are several species here on the planet that we either know for sure, or otherwise suspect, have extra-terrestrial origins. It is not overly common knowledge, but it is why virtually every region that can afford such has a space program. It is thought that there may be many more types of pokémon out there. Either on other worlds, or that reside within the void of space itself somehow.”
Zoey blinked, doing a double take.
“Wait. What? There are confirmed alien pokémon?!”
2B nodded calmly, though there was a fascinated quality to her voice as she explained.
“Yes. Lunatone and Solrock are known to have come from a crashed meteorite originally, about 40 years ago. Those and Ultra Beasts, which are extra-dimensional rather than extra-terrestrial, are the only ones truly confirmed. A number of others are strongly suspected within scientific communities, however. The Cleffa-Clefable line are only found around meteor impact sites. The Staryu-Starmie line broadcast radio frequencies toward space for unknown reasons. Gothorita arrange pebbles into the shape of constellations by instinct, though that one is less informative. Elgyem and Beheeyem are also believed to come from a UFO crash site, though that one is unconfirmed.”
Zoey stared at 2B in shock. Not only had that been far more words than 2B normally strung together, but the topic was…a bit mind-blowing. Sure, she’d heard the rumors about the Clefairy line. Who hadn’t? But rumors and legends were a long way from confirmation, which apparently existed for at least two species?!
“Um, so Clefairy really come from the moon, then?”
2B’s lips quirked into a smile as she glanced away from the telescope output to focus on Zoey.
“Possibly! Logically, that shouldn’t be possible. There shouldn’t be air up there, and Clefairy need to breathe. Yet, their association with ‘moonstone,’ which is really meteorite rock of a specific type, is undeniable. Part of the reason many regions want to reach space is a burning curiosity about the how, if they are from there. Not to mention how many pokémon have effects that seem related to the moon and its cycles. Getting up there to study it seems to be the only way to get proper answers!”
A bit blown away, but enjoying how animated 2B was about the discussion, Zoey decided that snuggling deeper into 2B’s side was the only logical thing to do. She could puzzle over existential questions later.
“Actually, I have a bit of a theory that humans may not be native to this planet either. Of all the species on it, we are perhaps the most out of place. Though, it’s just as likely that humans are native, along with the many non-pokémon animals, and the pokémon invaded in some fashion, long in the past. I am very curious as to know which it is!”
Yep. Putting those existential questions firmly out of her mind for now. Just bask in 2B’s delight, and count this as a successful date idea, Zoey. That’s the way to go…
… … …
2B hummed to herself as she lay in the comfortable bed of her hotel suite, the quiet noise a behavior that had become less and less strange to her since her first arrival in this world. It shouldn’t do anything, yet somehow she felt it helped her think, to focus.
Daisy had claimed a lot of people had little quirks like that. Some humans had to be constantly in motion to think properly, for example, with a foot tapping away or fingers drumming on some surface or another. Others needed to verbalize their thought process, talking to themselves, a pokémon, or even just a stuffed animal they kept for that purpose. Daisy claimed to know a programmer who swore by talking to a rubber Psyduck, though 2B wasn’t entirely sure she believed her.
In 2B’s case, serious thought seemed to bring an instinctive half-tuneless hum she’d taken an embarrassingly long time to realize matched the modulation of the YoRHa carrier signal she used to be constantly connected to. Its absence was, she supposed, still alien enough to her that she unconsciously mimicked it at times she might have called on the YoRHa servers for extra processing power in the past.
She’d certainly like having that extra processing power now, as she tried very hard to sort through her feelings after her ‘first date’ with Zoey. It had been…pleasant. That was too weak a word, really. Yet 2B was all too aware that she lacked the experience or context to properly label everything she had felt. Zoey’s warmth tucked into 2B’s side had been almost addictive, their conversation stimulating but not really even needed. Just being in the other girl’s presence had been very nice, different somehow from how they were around each other at other times. Even at the museum. Though 2B couldn’t define at all what the difference had been.
She would need to think on this a great deal more, as well as test additional dates to try sorting her emotions out better from the tangle. One way or another, she rather thought she liked ‘dating,’ so far, even if she didn’t fully understand it yet…
... ... ... ... ... ... ...
A/N 1: Sadly, I decided to hold off on showing an immediate public reaction to 2B's moves until next update. I didn't want to get them tied down dealing with that reaction, instead preferring to show it in an aside from someone like Daisy first. That meant I needed to get them moving quickly. I'll likely show Daisy or the Professor watching the Battlcast coverage at some point.
A/N 2: Zoey's explanation on dating was actually a bit of an interesting challenge, as I had to step back from my own understanding of 'dating,' and try to figure out how to explain it to someone without the right cultural or social context. Once you take that step to an outsider perspective, you quickly realize the difference is VERY hard to define without that context. Hence Zoey's struggle directly mirrored my own in this case, in her attempt to convey the difference to 2B. Who has an intellectual understanding of the concept only, with little-to-no cultural, social, or emotional grasp on the difference.
A/N 3: I was legitimately surprised to discover just how many alien or alien-adjacent pokémon there are O.O. But it made for a good reason 2B is interested in Space, alongside her own curiosity of just where she is in the cosmos. She would be familiar with EARTH's stars, but I don't think the pokémon world has ever been identified as an alternate Earth...