"Cerulean City, water's so tiresome," I sigh out in the air, it's been a long trek through the night.
"Well, if you got business you better do it fast. It's my first time using Calm Mind and you were the only one with no mask," said the boss, Leonard. He looked down the street, which a map said a bike shop was there.
"You're right boss-"
"Hey," the boss -my boss- turned to me, "just call me Leon when we aren't on a mission. We're in town now as well, it causes less suspicion."
All night and until we got to town he and others had been lecturing me about the group and it's endeavors. He started this group merely in the name of Rocket, it isn't strong enough to outright be a team with control of any army of power. We, including me, were 23 strong and we all we're to blend in with the others. Gray man they tell me, just live your life and when there is work be there. The only way for communication is through that yellow device which Leon says is free from police tracking here, a Pokenav. We won't know the location of others, not even Leon knows that. Says it's for safety. On mine was the number for him. He didn't explain what if I don't do anything, not a single repercussion, but I could guess a number of things.
"Alright, Leon. I'm splitting west, I'm going to Pewter City. Got family there," said Silvio. He was the other wanderer out of us four that went back north for Cerulean instead of Saffron. Carlo, a man who lives in Cerulean, left me and Leon too. He turned left, and nodded for me to follow.
"Hey Dick, I won't call on you until you get your outfit, which you should keep hidden at all times by the way."
"Yeah seems like last night was bad huh?" I nod at him for an answer.
"It is usually anger that leads people into us. Well, you have an electric type; I recommend going after Misty then bolting. Not south, obviously. Text me when you're ready for the outfit, but again get out of here first. When you do I'll add you to the group chats." There are group chats? "See you."
I give a slight wave and turn away. He's heading east, a long route that way. Wonder what he's doing, besides being leader. No need to focus on frivolous stuff like that, I'm gonna get stronger. I need to get stronger. I head towards the gym, passing a bike store on the way. It'd be nice to have one of those, so far walking has been nothing but that and worse. As I walk I see two police men strolling the opposite side of the road, Growlithes in hand; I should probably change my clothes soon, the old man will remember soon. I go into the nearest alley afterwards, and take off my shirt.
I go to put it away, when I realize I only have two. If I wear the other one during the battle wet it will get and then I will have to change it back anyhow when I leave the gym. Fuck it, I stow it away and put on the pack, my body hanging out. It's a swimmers town, doubt they'll care. I go back on the street, some stares but nothing much. Only the few middle aged people left care to stare. One fight, then I leave.
As I get to the gym and sign for a match, there is one trainer there. Another guy, using an Ivysaur against the gym leader's Starmie. Misty and her famed ten-armed Pokemon are fighting fast, calling out attack after attack on boy. He musn't be too much younger than me, maybe a year or two at fourteen. It can be told in his look he wasn't ready for this, his calls are bad and his Ivysaur response is slow. It's a horrid mess, even with they type advantage. Hit after hit the Pokemon sustains from below, it's like a rock on the board it's standing on, unable to move. I should fare better, but the water is an issue.
After enough attacks, the boy calls for Ivysaur to use absorb to try and regain some health. Right then the Starmie uses swift and launches the Ivysaur into the water, it's eyes faint and the boy recalls it.
"Well, that's it. Come challenge me again tomorrow if you want, but I'd recommend training some more" she tells in a sort of pushy manner. Must be tired of this. The boy bows and walks along the boards back to the entrance. I look at him as he passes by, he stares into my soul. Do I know him from somewhere, doesn't look familiar. "Can I help you?" Misty calls out to me.
I look at her, all alone at the top diving board. "Gym battle, no previous badges." I need to speed this up.
"So direct, finally!" the last word is a shout as she walks over to a holder in the wall that changes their team for badge count. They don't all need to do this, but it is customary. "I see the confidence in your eyes, don't expect a cakewalk." From there she releases her Staryu, equally as famed if not more so than her Starmie. "Just this one, beat it and you have the badge." Shouldn't be so hard.
"Go Minun!" I throw out my Minun, the blue and yellow fur generating electricity already. Immediately the Staryu rips through the water heading for the mouse.
"Tackle!" her voice echoes across the room.
I shout a move, "Thunder Wave!" Minun gets into position and electrocutes the water Pokemon. Staryu keeps going and hits Minun, sending it near the edge. But the Staryu is slower now, and the Minun grabs up back in more towards the center of the board. I look at Misty, her eye twitches as she calls out her next move and the paralyzed Pokemon doesn't move. She quickly calls out Water Guns and Tackle, the Pokemon goes faster and faster.
"Minun remember you need to hit for this to work! Spark!" my Minun dodges the Water Guns but takes the Tackle, using the force to hit back the Staryu with spark. The Staryu brings Minun down in the water, my next callout doesn't reach its ears.
"What are you going to do now, boy?" Misty was taunting me, sitting on edge of the diving board nonchalantly. "Staryu, use swift."
What the hell am I going to do? It can't hear my actions! I look around, it's getting dragged deeper into the pool with the swift stars going into him. I need to tell him something, I try to make an electric motion with my hand and shove my hand in there for it to see. It's no use, it just keeps getting hit. I take off my backpack and toss the pokenav on top of it.
"I really, really... hate the water." I dive in there, diving more to reach Minuns level. The Staryu moves around, suddenly I take a couple swifts to my back and legs. It hurts, but I keep moving. Apparently the Staryu saw and moved too. Didn't expect me. I manage to reach the mouse Pokemon and shake it, barely still on. I put my arms in an electric motion to use Spark again. It gives me a worried look and I open my eyes wider and stare in its face, screaming. It uses spark, immediately I'm shocked. The whole pool is brimming with electricity. Hnnnnggg! My body sears with a sharp pain, my mouth bursts open and my lungs let loose all the air I had in me. It was just a flash of a second, but I need air badly. My body aches with every movement as I head back up to the diving board. My lungs feel as if they are full. However right when I get to the surface I see the Staryu go back under the water. I know the answer to this match.
My eyes glaze over when I look back under the water, the Staryu is pummeling Minun to bits.
"I concede," a mumble echoes across the room.
"What was that? My Staryu can't hear you!" What a cunt.
"I lost." I just stare at her, no anger in my echoing voice. She sneers back at me and recalls the Staryu. I look at the pool, Minun floats up, but his head is in the water. I recall him, stuff his ball and the Pokenav in my bag and head out the door, taking back my ID. I know she's saying something, but I don't care to listen. A breeze blows across my chest and I remember I'm shirtless. I open up my bag, dry myself off with my dirty shirt and put on my clean shirt. Just a royal red with a Pokeball ball across it, barely even lighter in color. Red, like fire, gets washed out easily by water.
I head west, I believe earlier I saw a Pokemon center there. Soon enough in three blocks or so there is one. Wait! This town's too hot to stay too long. Pokemon centers take a bit longer. I walk past it and head north, instead grabbing inside my bag two potions. I reach in my bag again for Minun and release it. Immediately he falls; I pick him up to carry it in my arms. Its eyes are closed, must have fainted. I hold him as I keep walking, it'll regain its strength slowly. It's already high noon, I'm getting hungry. Luckily from last night I got some money, but not enough if I keep losing battles. I keep walking, wanting to get near the north edge of town first. I know beyond that is the route to the cape. Apparently the most beautiful sight in Kanto, facing the eastward sea. Vast ocean.
It takes about two hours to get to the north sector of the city, but I see a cafe directly on one side of the road going north. I get a table outside, in the alleyway. I place the two potions on the table and hold Minun, the waitress comes and takes my order. She couldn't have been much older than me, probably 18 or 20.
"Oh, who's that cute little Pokemon? I don't think I've ever seen a type like that around here."
"Yeah, I found it a bit south of here. An electric type."
"How sweet, hope he gets better. I'll be back when your food comes out."
A Minun, a rare one indeed. Never seen another one of its kind, guess that fits for me. I see a little movement in one of its ears, time to spray the potion.
"You'll get better, we'll both get better."
"Suffered a loss, huh?" The waitress was back with a cup of water, "Sorry I forgot to ask you for a drink". I nodded with a sad smile. "I don't mean to intrude, but don't feel down about it. Misty has been leader for damn now twelve years, with that time doing the same thing over and over."
"Sounds maddening."
"Yeah, I don't blame Viridian for having gym leader issues, even right now." Hmmm?
"What do you mean by that?"
"Haven't you heard, the gym leader's been gone for over a month!" Guess it's pointless going there for awhile.
"Any talk about where he went?"
"Not too much, on-" I heard a voice from inside the cafe, "Sorry, I have to go."
I wonder what would make him leave the gym.
She comes back when the food is done, but the time pulled the place out of it's lull and she was too busy to talk again. I find it's not worth it to wait for it to quiet back down, if the leader is gone then I can't get the badge. Minun is returned to the ball, I put on my bag, and head north again. A strong breeze flows south.