Rank 0 - Training

-Okay, who are you people and why am I tied up?- I inquired with a curious smile while I stared at the three people in front of me. All three of them stared back. –Why are you all dressed up in the same clothes?- I added. Suddenly it clicked. –It’s a birthday party!- I gasped as my smile widened. –Oh I love parties! Who’s birthday is it?- I asked. One of the men in front of me looked at his companions whilst facepalming very slowly. –You know, I recon we could just let her go. She seems dumb enough to forget everything she’s seen here.- He proposed with a tired voice. –No way, we can’t risk it. She was following us and I want to know why.- Answered the third man. –I was following the handsome guy.- -Excuse me?- -Yeah, that tall blonde man in the black outfit. He was dressed just like you guys.- I explained. Suddenly all three of them started laughing. –Don’t tell me you hopped into the Team Viper secret hideout because you were following the commander.- They couldn’t stop giggling. I nodded and smiled. –Team Viper? Is that what this party is called?- -No, that’s the name of our organisation.- -You idiot! Don’t tell her that! No she can report us to the polic…- -I want to join!- As soon as I’d said that the men stopped arguing and faced me again. –If that commander guy lives here then I want to join the party. I have to trigger a fateful encounter with him somehow, right?- The members of the gang stared at me with unbelieving eyes. –I’ll go and fetch the boss.- Suggested one of them before running away and disappearing through the only door in the room.

A few minutes later the same guy reappeared, but this time in company of a woman. She stared at me for a few seconds as if she was analysing me. I held her gaze the entire time, trying to figure out if she had some kind of connection the the handsome commander. –Girl, do you own any pokemon?- I nodded with an excited smile and tried to grab the pokeball that was attached to my belt. Unfortunately my arms wouldn’t budge because I was still tied up to the chair. The woman found that quite amusing and even mustered a smile. –If she passes the physical test you may let her join. She made it all the way here on her own: she will probably be useful in the future.- She broke eye contact with me and left the room as swiftly as she entered. –What is that physical test thing? Is the commander going to be there?- I asked excitedly as one of the gang grunts started untying me. Sadly I never found out the answer to that question: the three men simply dragged me out of the room, through a long corridor and into a different, much larger one. This room had a basic gym composed of a few machines. –Can you run?- -Uh… I guess. I'd rather not.- -Okay, how good is your strength?- -I don’t know, I can lift a fishbowl. Oh! Oh! And a pokeball. And my body in the mornings.- -That’s enough, shut up. How’s your aim?- -I still want to meet the commander, if that’s what you mean.- I answered happily whilst misunderstanding the question. The man who was interrogating me sighed and walked away. –Just give her the uniform. We’ll tell the boss she passed the test, I can’t deal with her any longer.- Rude as his comment was, I appreciated the fact that I wouldn’t have to get sweaty. What would sexy commander think of me if he saw me in such a disgusting state? That would have been unacceptable!