Road Tripping
I lay on my bed in the Pokemon hostel and stared at the ceiling. Maki and Snuggles were playing ball in the corner, throwing a tennis ball at each other, Ozmos, Florion or anyone that got in their way. Florion was curled up, head on his paws, having a rather desultory conversation with Kameron's Flareon whilst Ozmos sat on the windowsill, grooming her long fish-like tail in the sunlight. The place was full of Pokemon, since I hated leaving mine in their Pokeballs and the habit was starting to rub off on Kameron. It had been several months since we had both been shot in Grymtown, several months in which we had delivered the fossil to Siryntown's Natural History museum. Several months since Kameron had recovered from his injured lung (although he still had problems breathing when he over-exerted himself), and we had a new mission.
I had been attending some of Doctor Warwick's lectures, and reading lots about Pokemon ecology. If it were not for all the jargon (aka gibberish), I would have probably learnt enough to upstage all the students, but I could not understand some of the terms. Doctor Warwick had gone to the Natural History Museum and talked the curator into helping me seek out the Pokemon jungle and Maki's wild relatives, and hopefully to study them. It all seemed quite exciting, much better than wandering from city to city collecting badges so that I could fight professionally. The grant had given us everything we needed to spend several weeks in the jungle – food, insect repellent, more insect repellent, an emergency radio, a new tent (mine had been lost in Grymtown, it had just vanished from the park), mosquito netting, water purification tablets, first aid kit, sheets to sleep under… the list went on. But the best thing, was the Pokedex.
Several of the Trainers I had met in my travels had a Pokedex, which told them information about the Pokemon they met. Apparently cousin Ash and Professor Oak's grandson, Gary, had been collecting data for the device. I was to collect data too, this machine would store absolutely everything on Makimur I cared to tell it. Not only that, but we hoped to find Maki's evolutions. It was with great excitement that we set off, on the long van trip to the outskirts of the jungle. Travelling with us, was Gary himself, he was the one who had found Maki in the first place. And we were leaving in the morning. That was why I was giving my Pokemon exercise, as was Kameron. I looked across at Florion and Flareon, deep in conversation. Although I could only understand a little Pokemonish, this is what they were saying:
Florion cast his eyes downwards, licking his foot.
"You like her don't you?" Flareon said, noting his companion's discomfit.
Florion lifted up his head and stared at the fire eeveelution. "Maybe, what does it matter to you?"
"Nothing, nothing, but I don't think a fine vaporeon like her would ever be interested in a freak like you."
"I am not a freak. Kataryna likes me."
"Yeah? Well, you're still a freak. Do you think there are any other Florions out there, aye?"
"I don't know…"
"Well, if there aren't anymore like you, then you must be a freak. I don't mean it as an insult, I'm just stating a fact."
Florion looked downcast again. He knew what the Flareon was saying was true. He was probably one of a kind, at the very least, unnatural.
"Don't take it so hard, kid, go on, talk to her." Flareon butted him with his head, not unkindly. "What can it hurt?"
"You don't understand it, do you?" Florion asked. "I'm Kat's companion, she's Kat's companion, what if she rebuffs me? What if she thinks I'm a freak?"
Flareon rolled his eyes. "I give up, young 'un, you sort it out yourself. Personally, I wouldn't go near her."
"That's cos you're a fire specialist and she's a water specialist," Florion chuckled. "You know she could beat you any day."
Flareon whirled and glared at Florion. "And I could beat you any day, kiddo. Remember that."
Florion took a step back. "Yeah, I understand. What the hades did you do that for!!"
The last comment was directed at Snuggles, who had just thrown the tennis ball wildly and it had hit Florion on the tail. Florion whirled and glared at the Buru.
"You trying to pick a fight? Aye? Come on, I dare ya."
Snuggles whimpered, "no, I'm just a bad aim, don't hurt me," and tried to hide behind Maki. Maki stood tall, all eight or so inches of him. He put his hands on his hips, balancing upright on his tail.
Florion chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm just a bit stressed that's all."
Maki shrugged and shook his head, then scampered forward to pick up the ball. Flareon resumed grooming his tail, Florion jumped up on the bed and stretched out in front of me. I patted him on the head.
"You're doing just fine, Florion," I said, "don't let that Flareon tease you."
"Flori," he replied sadly and rolled over on his side.
"Vaporeon?" Ozmos asked from the windowsill. ("Is it tea-time yet?")
Flareon looked up at Florion and shook his head. "Flare," he said sadly, "flare-e-on." ("Love, who understands it.")
Early the next morning, Doctor Warwick loaded us into the mini-bus with enough supplies to last an elephant (or a Donfan). The driver was a young man called Joseph, who was majoring in Pokemon Psychology and had been volunteered for the long journey. He seemed a friendly enough young man, probably in his late teens, with cropped, bleached hair, a weedy goatee and bad skin. He smiled gallantly as Kameron and I clambered in.
"Next stop, the town hall!" He stated gallantly.
"The town hall?"
"Yep, that's where we're picking up the third man for the expedition. Don't worry, he's not going the long haul with you, he and I are going to look at Pokemon on the outskirts of the jungle. He's going to catch them and I'm going to see how they react to being imprisoned."
"Makiki," Maki sighed, stretching out on the back of the seat in typical lemur pose – legs hanging down both sides, chin resting on the back so that he could see out the window. He seemed a little unexcited about the long car journey. Maki always preferred to walk, that way there were more things to see and explore.
Florion, who seemed to dislike being shut in his Pokeball still, despite the fact that Kameron and I were back together (he probably wanted to keep us that way), stretched out on the backseat beside us and yawned hugely.
Then our long journey began.
Gary turned out to be a rather nice looking young man of about sixteen. His hair was spiky and he had a sort of arrogant bearing to his posture. He also had one arm and a rather nice looking young lady. Joseph jumped out and helped him load his belongings into the van. Then he and the girl clambered in.
"Hi kids, I'm Gary and this is Melissa, I hope this journey doesn't take too long."
"Nice to see you too," I thought to myself. "I'm Kataryna," I said, "and this is Maki."
"MaKI!" Maki seemed to be stirred out of half-asleep and saw Gary for the first time. He did not react how I expected, but fluffed out his fur and glared balefully at Gary. "Maki, maki mur kikiki!" He muttered, then angrily glanced at me.
"Aw, the little Makimur doesn't like me," Gary said mockingly. "Maybe it's scared I'll put him back in its Pokeball." He reached out a hand to touch Maki, who snapped at him and retreated to my shoulder.
"Kikikikikiki," he scolded.
Melissa shrugged and lounged back, watching Gary with a soppy look on her face.
"I guess you haven't managed to train it any better than I did," Gary stated. "Crazy little thing, always getting into trouble."
"Actually, I've taught him a few tricks," I replied, "but he's taught himself so much more."
"I'm sure," Gary said sarcastically.
Maki's forehead flashed and I pulled him down before he could blind Gary. "Maki," he muttered angrily.
"He does know some tricks," Kameron pointed out, "he can pick locks for one thing."
"Oh very useful," said Gary, "I bet he can't beat anything bigger than a Pidgey."
"Well, actually," Kameron continued, "I saw him beat a Blastoise once."
Even Melissa, who appeared to have the brains of a Psyduck, chuckled.
"Yeah right," Gary said. "I'm sure."
I scowled to myself. "Don't believe me then."
"Anyway, what use is a creature that can pick locks? I mean, its handy if you lose your house key, but what use is a Pokemon that can't fight?"
"Maki mak maki mak ki ki murmur kimur!" ("A lot more use than one that can fight, mister!")
"I don't believe in fighting with my Pokemon, except for when it is important," I said. "It's not right to make poor creatures fight for your own pleasure."
"Hey, they enjoy it too!" Gary scowled.
"Mine don't, that's why I've got them. They only fight if it's important, like against Team Rocket or to save another Pokemon."
"They must be pretty weak then."
"They're strong enough when it counts."
"Fine," Gary rolled his eyes. "Believe that, but I know my Pokemon could waste yours any day."
I shrugged. "Like I care."
"Flori flo flor florion ion i on." ("Keep it down, I'm trying to sleep.")
Kameron laughed at Florion's remake and stroked his neck. "Florion's right, you know, it's a long car journey, let's not argue."
"What is that thing anyway?" Gary asked, pulling out a Pokedex and pointing it at Florion.
"Florion, the evolved form of Eevee with a Leaf Stone. This Pokemon rarely occurs naturally and is capable of firing razor-sharp leaves and poisoned needles at its opponent."
"Cute," he said, "where did ya get that fellow?"
"The same place we got this one," Kameron said, "go Shrubslash!"
"Slash!"
"What is that thing?" Gary asked, as the green Sandslash with leaf spines and vine tentacles looked him up and down. He pointed his Pokedex.
"Pokemon Unknown." It declared.
"Slash?"
"You can return now," Kameron said, recalling it. "It's a Shrubslash, have you never seen one before?"
"Oh," Gary said, seeming slightly abashed. "No, I haven't."
Kameron smiled. "Really?" He seemed to have finally found a chink in Gary's armour. We had Pokemon that Gary did not know existed. You could tell it bothered him.
Joseph looked around, "hey guys, you want some music?"
"If you like," I replied, and the other's backed me up on it. He switched on the tape deck. I don't know what he was playing, but it was loud, and rather good. Something with guitars, keyboards and an almost classical feel. Maki, despite being in a bad mood, appeared to like it and jumped down, trying to dance with Florion, who was about three times his size. Florion sighed in despair and rolled over on his back, front paws covering his ears.
"….there's a time to live, there's a time to die-i-i, but no one can escape their destiny…." The vocalist crooned. It was powerful. Gary and Melissa, having stopped talking, started making out in the back seat.
I winced, public displays of affection had always disturbed me. I pulled out the book I was reading at the moment, a fantasy about dragons even bigger than Gyrados, who lived in another world, a world without Pokemon, and settled down to read it. Maki flopped over the back of the seat again, occasionally head-banging in a lemur-ish fashion. Joseph continued driving, whilst singing at the top of his voice and out of key.
"Um, Joseph," Kameron said nervously. "Could you, like, sing a tiny bit quieter, some of us are trying to sleep." He took off his trenchcoat and wadded in into a pillow.
"Florion!" Florion agreed.
"Sorry kids," Joseph replied cheerfully and turned the volume down.
I was trying not to sing along myself. At least now I could concentrate on my book.
Joseph drove, and drove some more, city turned to farmland, farmland turned to woodland, occasionally disrupted by a small village or hamlet. Suddenly Joseph slammed on the brakes and swerved the car. Gary and Melissa, who had dozed off in each other's arms, squealed as they fell off the seat, but I was wearing my seatbelt so all that happened was Maki rolled into the back of my head and Florion fell over the seat.
"Flor!"
"MAKI!"
"What the hell is going on?" The last one was Gary, Kameron was still asleep. He could sleep through an earthquake, could Kameron, when the mood took him.
Joseph stopped the car. "I hit it, I tried to swerve, but I hit it," he sounded concerned.
"Hit what?" I was already unbuttoning my seatbelt and extracting Maki from my hair.
"Something brown and firey. Some kind of Pokemon."
I glanced at Kameron, still peacefully asleep. "We have to get it."
"I know, I hope it's ok."
"Florion, cold nose attack!" I shouted, making Gary laugh sarcastically.
"Cold nose attack? Don't be silly!"
"Flori!"
Nothing wakes one up more successfully than a cold nose applied to the sole of the foot. Unfortunately, Kameron was wearing boots, so Florion had to push his nose against his chin. It worked.
"What's happening!" Kameron shrieked, waking up instantly, "get down Florion!"
"Floriri," Florion chuckled, and even Gary laughed.
"We hit a fire Pokemon, come give us a hand, we might have only hurt it!"
Kameron and I were up and out of the vehicle in a second. Joseph was already crouching beside it. It was large, almost the size of a Growlithe, but more lithe, with shorter legs.
"What is it?"
Kameron pulled the Pokedex from his trench coat pocket.
"Magumarashi, the fire ferret Pokemon. This lithe Pokemon often crawls down Nidoran burrows to smoke them out and eats their babies."
"Nice," Kameron said, knowing my love for Nidorans. "What a lovely Pokemon. Are you sure you want to save it?"
"It's still alive," Joseph interrupted. "But every time I put my hands near it, they get scalded. The thing's injured and frightened, so it won't let me touch it."
Gary glanced at him, "do you want me to set a Pokemon on it? I have a Crabby here somewhere."
"No, we can't weaken it anymore," I almost shouted. "It would kill it!" As much as I loved Nidorans, Doctor Warwick had explained to me about how everything must survive and how if there wasn't predators, the prey species would overrun the world. I knew it was foolish to allow this creature to die just because it was a carnivore. Besides, it could hardly eat Spiko now! "Have we got a blanket?"
"Foolish question," Kameron said. "We're on a camping trip, remember? I'll get one."
"We could always use your trench coat." I heard Gary mutter.
I turned on him, "do something useful, why don't you? Crawl back under the rock you came out from, you're the master trainer and you haven't offered one useful bit of advice yet!"
"Wow," said Melissa, speaking for the first time, "no need to be bitchy."
Kameron came back with a blanket and we wrapped the Magumarashi up in it. It protected our hands somewhat. I glanced at Gary.
"Have you seen one of those before?" I asked him.
He scowled. "Oh, now the feisty one wants to talk to me. Maybe, maybe not, what does it matter?"
"Just curious," I replied.
We loaded ourselves into the van, placing the magumarashi in an empty cardboard box. It wasn't so much burning things, as just heating itself up in its injured fashion. I brought out Vaporeon, in case of trouble.
"Vapor vaporeon e?" ("Is it lunch time yet?").
"Ozmos," I said, "you keep an eye on this fire ferret, if the blanket or box goes on fire, you try and put out the fire without hurting the Pokemon, yes?"
"Vapor vaporeon?" ("What's in it for me?")
"Hey, Joseph, next village we come to, let's stop for pizza. I'm famished."
"Vapor." ("Ok, I'll do it").
Ozmos sat proudly beside the box, tail tucked neatly around her feet, and watched the Magumarashi intently. Florion leaned over the back of the chair so that he could watch her. Maki sighed and rolled his eyes.
"Maki," he said, sounding exasperated.
"You know," Gary said, "I've got a water Pokemon that's bound to be stronger than yours."
"Mine won't kill it, yours might," I pointed out. "The thing's weak and Ozmos knows how to put out fires. Find us a Pokecentre too Joseph."
"Yes missus," he said, grinning to himself. I was only too aware that I could be quite bossy when I didn't mean to be.
The next hamlet was called Haven. It did not have an actual Pokemon centre, but it did have a hostel with a trained nurse and a Chansey.
"Quite a few of these fellows get hit be cars," she explained, "they don't seem to be aware that cars are dangerous. You're just lucky that it didn't breathe fire at you car before it was hit. That happened a few months ago and the occupants were lucky to get out alive."
"I didn't know you had Magumarashi around here," Gary said.
"It's a well kept secret, because if it was known about, Pokemon trainers would come from all around and catch them, and then the ones in the wild would die out. This is the only place where they live in large enough numbers to breed prolifically."
"I've never seen them before, how come they haven't been studied?" I asked.
"Oh, but they have, currently I'm studying them, because I'm not very busy here and we have lots of spare time, don't we Lucky?"
"Chansey." Chansey agreed.
"Luckily this wee fellow was just stunned, it has not suffered more than a few bruises. I'll let you release it, if you can put it back almost exactly where you found it, because Magumarashi are quite territorial." She handed the fire ferret to me. It was cooler now, still warm, but not dangerously so. It did not seem to mind being handled, but just lay over my shoulder, supported by my good hand (I still had only limited use of the other hand). Maki scolded angrily and clambered across to my other shoulder. Fire and grass do not mix.
"Oh man, you mean we've got to go back?" Gary sighed. "You're going to let it go, aren't you?"
"What do you expect me to do? Keep it?"
"Yeah, it could be good at fighting, and lord knows you need Pokemon that are good at fighting. Besides, its attacks haven't been studied."
"And neither will they be, this is a wild animal, it belongs in the wild. Whose to say it doesn't have family out there?"
"Oh, come on, you mean you've never taking Pokemon from the wild?"
He had me on that one. "Yes, I have, but Ozmos was troubling the villagers at Lake Eerie, so I couldn't leave her there."
"And the others?"
"Razor, my Seadra, was a Horsea we found inland after a flood, if we'd left it, it would have died. The other's all came with me willingly."
"Sure, what about him?"
Kameron stuck his chin out. "My Pokemon are all with me because they chose to be, if they wanted to have a family, I would let them go," he said haughtily. "How about you?"
Gary chuckled. "Ha, I've put too much work into training these to consider letting them go."
"Typical," I muttered. He was so much the opposite of my cousin Ash. I knew Ash had let at least two of his Pokemon go, and had tried to let Pikachu go at one point, to be with his own kind, only the Pikachu had objected. Gary may have strong Pokemon, but were they loyal Pokemon? It would be interesting to find out. "You guys stay here and do some shopping, Joseph, Kameron and I will take it back."
"Oh I will, will I?" Joseph asked, chuckling.
"Unless you want me driving your van."
We stood on the verge of the road. I held the Magumarashi up to my face, using both hands (I could hold onto things with my injured hands, it was just precision work that was all but impossible).
"Now, you stay away from roads, ok. They're bad. You could get badly hurt."
"Magu," the creature nodded its narrow head. I set it down. It poised, looking at us. Magu magumarashi," it said, ("I thank you") and darted off into the bushes.
"Makiki," Maki shouted after it. ("Good bye").
A moment later, we saw two heads peering through the bushes, looking at us.
"Oh look, it has a girlfriend," Kameron said with a smile.
"That's so sweet," I agreed as one nuzzled the other and then they both turned and disappeared into the forest. I smiled. "It's nice to see them free, isn't it?"
Kameron nodded. "I think I understand a bit better now how you could let Spike go. You miss him though, don't you?"
I agreed. "I miss him badly, but I've still got Maki and Florion and many more Pokemon to discover. Spiko has his own life to lead now. And a girlfriend."
"Seems nearly everyone has got girlfriends," Kameron said, sounding almost glum.
"Makikimur!" Maki stated. ("I haven't").
Kameron chuckled. "I said nearly. You and me, little guy, we're two of a kind." He patted Maki's ruff.
"Maki?" Maki asked.
The young man shrugged. "You'll see."
"Come on kids," Joseph said, "time to hit the road again, and pick Mr and Mrs Make-out up."
We all clambered back into the van and returned to Haven. I stared out the window as we pulled away and imagined I could see Magumarashi and its friend watching us through the screen of bushes. And I knew that was how Pokemon should be seen, wild and free, not cramped up in Pokeballs. I had my Pokemon because they loved me and would not last in the wild, they needed me. Spiko had no longer needed me, and nor did the Magumarashi. I prayed that I would not lose Maki the same way. He was almost like a son to me.