Small Purple Mouse
Or
The Psychic/Electric Adventures of Psychu--Part Two
Ages:
Ashleigh: 14
Julian: 16
*****
"Okay, so we're all ready here?" Ashleigh asked her small group of two.
"Yup," Julian said, shoving a shirt into his pack.
They were outside of Professor Elm's lab, the day after they had recieved their Pokémon from the Professor. They walked off towards Route 29 on a nice well-kept path. Soon they came upon the Route 29 road sign and then the path ended. Ashleigh and Julian were faced with tall grass on their left, unpassably thick stands of trees on the right and a high, unclimbable ledge straight ahead. They walked up to the ledge, the thick grass rustling in the warm breeze.
"Hmm, looks like we should turn to the left. The path resumes after this patch of grass." Julian said, looking around.
"Do you know what kind of Pokémon are in that grass?" Ashleigh asked.
"Yeah. According to what I've learned, there are Sentret, Pidgey, and Rattata during the day. During the night, there are only Rattata and Hoothoot."
"But we can't even catch any Pokémon until we get to Cherrygrove and buy Pokéballs at the Mart." Ashleigh whined. "We'll either have to fight or run away."
"But look at it this way, you've got two Pokémon to start off with. I've got one. Together we have three; that's half a team!" Julian beamed at her.
"You are way too chipper in the morning." Ashleigh turned to the tall grass and led the way through. "Stay close, I don't want us getting separated."
After a few minutes, Ashleigh heard rustling in the grass to her right and she paused.
"What is it?" Julian asked, looking around, "Do you think it's a Pokémon?"
"Duh," Ashleigh looked to her right. "I don't want to find out though. Let's keep going."
They made it through the tall grass without any Pokémon disturbing them. After passing a small stand of trees, they were on another slightly well-kept path. A wall was to their right, a small break in it. Ahead of them were trees and more ledges.
"Should we go straight or turn right?" Julian paused, looking around.
"Uh, I think...right." Ashleigh led the way through the wall. She saw more trees and tall grass.
"Hey, check this out. A clear path!" She ran towards the clearing.
"Ashleigh! Wait, let's stay together!" Julian shouted, running after her.
With a shriek, Ashleigh vanished from his sight.
"Ashleigh!" He yelled, feeling nautious. "Oh man, what am I gonna do? Sorry, Mr. Ketchum, but I lost your daughter. Please don't kill me." He slowed down as he came to a ledge and looked over. He sighed at what he saw and began laughing.
"I don't see what's so funny." Ashleigh fumed from below. She was sitting on the ground below him, an angry expression in her mahogany eyes.
"Well, if I don't help you, then you have to go through all that grass just to get back here."
"Please, Julian. I promise that I won't KILL YOU as soon as I get up there." Ashleigh was standing up now, the ledge still four feet above her.
"Okay," Julian tossed a Pokéball, "Chikorita, go!"
"Chiko!"
"Chikorita, I need you to use your Vine Whip to bring Ashleigh up here." Julian ordered.
Slender vines extended down and wrapped around Ashleigh's waist, lifting her to Julian's side.
"Thank you, Chikorita," Ashleigh said, "As soon as we get to Goldenrod, I'm getting you something special."
"Do you mind if I lead the way?" Julian asked, recalling Chikorita.
"No, not really," Ashleigh adjusted her backpack, following Julian as he took off towards a bunch of tall grass. It was a short stand of tall grass and soon they were outside the guardhouse to Route 46.
"Do we go through to Route 46?" Julian asked.
"No, let's keep going to Cherrygrove. I'd like to be there before lunch." Ashleigh stalked past, towards another ledge, more grass to the left. This time, they weren't so lucky.
As soon as they stepped into the tall grass, a small Rattata lept out at them, hissing.
"You want to take this one?" Julian asked.
"Uh, no, why don't you let Chikorita handle it." Ashleigh stepped back.
"Chikorita, go!" Julian cried out. As soon as the small grass Pokémon solidified, Julian shouted out his first order. "Vine Whip!"
The Rattata darted in with the first move, a Quick Attack and Chikorita squealed out in pain at the attack, a small splotch of blood on its left foreleg. Chikorita glared and lashed out with her vines, raising welts on the small rat. The battle was short though, with Chikorita emerging as the winner a few minutes later. The Rattata stumbled off and disappeared in the thick, tall grass.
Julian recalled a smiling Chikorita and they made their way through the grass without another encounter. They followed the ledge and paused when it gaped, the opening showing a tulip-shaped tree in a small clearing. They walked towards it, glad to be out of the grass. There was a man, sleeping against the wall, and they walked quietly to the tree.
"I heard there are berries in these trees," Julian whispered, "But they are only grow one berry a day."
"Look, here's one," Ashleigh took the small, red berry from the tree. "Let's go."
Silently, they snuck out of the clearing and back into the grass. They followed the s-shaped path for fifteen minutes and were finally in Cherrygrove City. They walked in and an old man greeted them at the entrance.
"Excuse me, young people, but would you like me to teach you a few things?" The old man grinned at them broadly.
"Sure, go ahead." Julian said, looking at Ashleigh.
Ashleigh just blinked.
Suddenly the old man gasped, his eyes went wide. "Sorry, but you'll have to take a rain check!"
"What is it? What's wrong?" Julian looked frightened and the old man gasped again.
"He's having a heart attack, isn't he!" Ashleigh cried out.
"No..." The old man wheezed out, "Damn prunes...I'm sorry, but I have to go." He tossed two square objects at Ashleigh and Julian. "For your troubles." Then the old man practically ran for the Pokémon Center.
"Poor old man," Julian watched after him, "I hope he makes it."
Ashleigh snickered as she picked up the objects from the ground. "I bet his wife made him eat the prunes. Girl power to the very end." She handed one of the squares to Julian.
"What's this?" He asked.
"Top of the line Map Cards for a Pokédex." Ashleigh started walking towards the Pokémart.
"Hey, wait up!" Julian ran after her.
*****
"Okay, I'll take ten Pokéballs, four potions, and three antidotes, paralyze heals, and awakenings." Ashleigh said, handing over a credit card.
"That will be $4350.00." The cashier said, taking Ashleigh's credit card and handing her a bag full of her purchase. Ashleigh took the card back and smiled at Julian. "You getting anything?"
"Gee, I don't know. Did you buy out the store or did you save something for the rest of us little people?"
Ashleigh smirked at him, "You're so sweet, you know that! I'm going down to the beach, meet me there."
She walked out of the Mart, past by the Pokécenter, and saw the beach just ahead of her. She could smell the sea salt in the air. The water was calm, gently lapping the sand in front of her. The Pokéball at her waist trembled slightly and Ashleigh detatched it, releasing the Pokémon inside.
Hey there. The small purple mouse said to her. Lovely day for a stroll.
A few people that walked by stared at the Pokémon by her side, but none stopped to ask her about it. One passerby said, "Nice Ditto."
Psychu snorted in disgust, A Ditto? As if! Why don't we go somewhere a bit more secluded?
"I have to keep an eye out for Julian. He's buying stuff at the Poké Mart." Ashleigh looked around and spotted a place under a tree that had a full view of the beach and the town. They sat under the tree and Ashleigh turned to the purple Pikachu.
"So, why don't you tell me a little about yourself?"
No.
"What? Why not?"
Because I don't fully trust you yet. Though I am going to tell you that I'm not a low level Pokémon and I'm not a high-level one. And I love ketchup.
"Ooh...kay." Ashleigh plucked at a strand of grass. "Any usefull information about yourself?"
I'm sorry, but it's hard to put into words. The Pokémon looked off into the distance, its brown eyes glinting in the bright sunlight. Team Rocket.
"Huh?"
Team Rocket did this to me.
"But Team Rocket was disbanded a long time ago. My dad is the reason why there is no more Team Rocket."
Don't you wish. I was a normal Pichu just four short years ago. I was captured by a young boy, fresh out on his Pokémon Journey. He was nice enough, naive, but kind. I can't remember his name now. He raised me until I evolved into a Pikachu. Then....Team Rocket interferred.
"I thought you weren't going to tell me about yourself."
I changed my mind. Psychu curled up next to Ashleigh, but not leaning into her. My trainer and I had defeated Falkner and earned the Zephyr Badge only the week before and we were now in the Slowpoke Well in Azalea Town searching for a Slowpoke. We were deep in the cavern, in the back by a huge boulder that was blocking the way, when three people jumped out from behind it, fully clad in black outfits with a huge red R on their shirts. They captured me with a strange Pokéball and the last time I saw my trainer, he was lying on the floor of the cavern. Psychu looked up at her, tears filling its eyes. I don't even know if he was alive.
"Psychu, I'm so sorry...I..."
Heh, that's not the end, kid. Psychu stretched. When they released me the first time from the Pokéball, I did my best to escape and I nearly did on several occasions. After the third time, they started getting rough and they started to make sure I wouldn't escape again.
The Pokémon held out its front paws. They declawed me, ensuring I wouldn't be able to use the most basic attacks. Luckily, they didn't take away anything vital. Then they began the experimenting. I lost track of time inbetween injections and one day I woke up like this. Purple. I don't even like the color.
"But where does this psychic stuff come in at?" Ashleigh looked around, still no Julian.
Don't worry about Julian. He's grabbing a quick lunch.
"Figures, just like a guy. I hope he brings me something back." Ashleigh grumbled.
You're so peachy! Anyway, there must've been other, failed experiments before me because suddenly they were very carefull around me. They made sure I was comfortable, nothing to stress me out. And suddenly, I was able to hear what they were thinking and I knew where some of the scientists were at when they weren't around me. I thought I was going nuts when I heard voices in my head untill I realized what the voices were saying. Then I knew I really had to get out of there.
"So how did you get out? How did Elm find you?"
Well, one particularlly torturous day, I was imagining the forest where I grew up at, which is near Professor Elm's lab. I wanted to be there in the worst way, I could practically smell the trees, feel the dirt beneath my paws, the sweet breeze ruffling my fur. And then, it happened. I was there. I had teleported to my homewoods, but the teleporting left me so weak and I was exhausted by the scientists relentless testing anyway that I stumbled to Elm's front door and collapsed there. One of his aide's found me and the rest is history.
"That's intense. What level are you anyway?"
Oh no you don't. A lady never reveals her age on the first date.
Ashleigh blinked, "You are very strange."
Psychu just giggled.
*****
Julian had brought Ashleigh some take out, a burger and fries, and they all ate under the tree; ketchup packets for Psychu.
"So," Julian asked, putting the trash in the take out bag, "Are we ready to leave?"
"Yup," Ashleigh answered, standing up and dusting the dirt off herself. "My mom told me the night before I left that we could get our Pokédex's at a place on Route 30."
"Great, let's go." Julian smiled, leading the way. Again, there were more well taken care of paths, the one to Route 30 ended in a ledge, tall grass to their right.
Psychu had taken up a perch on Ashleigh's shoulder and it whispered into her mind.
You know there's gonna be Pokémon in there.
Ashleigh nodded.
You should let your Eevee battle since it's so young.
Ashleigh frowned and called out to Julian, "What Pokémon do you think we'll bump into here?"
"Bug Pokémon. Weedle, Kakuna, Pidgey, Caterpie, Metapod. Ledyba only come out in the morning and Hoothoot, Rattata, and Spinarak only come out at night." Julian released Chikorita and took an empty Pokéball from his pack, keeping it in a minimized state. "I'm gonna try for a Weedle, you should try for a Caterpie."
"Eeew, I hate Bug Pokémon." Ashleigh scowled, "They're so gross."
Julian rolled his eyes, but led the way into the grass, one hand on the ledge. "If we follow the ledge, there's less of a chance of us getting lost."
They made it through the tall grass without seeing any Pokémon, much to Julian's dismay, and into a clearing. To the left was a ledge, a berry tree, and a cottage.To the right was a path barred by tall grass and a smal pond.
"Do you want to stop into the cottage?" Ashleigh asked as they walked to the berry tree.
"Nah, let's just grab the berry and keep heading north." Julian said, claiming the berry for his own.
They walked into the tall grass after letting Chikorita and Psychu grab a quick drink from the pond and were almost immediately attacked by a Weedle.
The Weedle hissed at them and Julian grinned, "Chikorita, go!"
The grass Pokémon was as excited as its trainer and attacked with Vine Whip. The Weedle was knocked off its feet, but got up quickly and retaliated with a String Shot.
Ashleigh grimaced as the sticky stuff wrapped around Chikorita's front legs, but quickly freed itself and Tackled the smaller Bug. The Weedle stumbled around and fell over.
Julian moved into action, "Pokéball, go!"
The red and white sphere tumbled through the air, bouncing off the Bug Pokémon, hovered over it and bathing it in light. The Weedle was sucked into the Pokéball and it dropped to the ground, wobbled to and fro several times before it halted and a small ding was heard.
"Yes! I caught Weedle!" Julian cheered, reclaiming the Pokéball.
"Oh yay, I am so happy for you." Ashleigh said slowly, staring up blankly into the sky, "I can hardly contain my excitement."
"You are such a joy to work with." Julian said, leading the way through the grass.