chapter i
Fall was a very peaceful season for the Johto Region. It came with golden yellow, red and orange leaves that glistened in the rain. The trees would willingly shed their coats of fiery colors ablaze every September, going into a quiet and dormant sleep until the spring woke them again. It was the aspen trees that made Johto known for its remarkable beauty. While the forests of pine were luminous and painted the region with royal shades of green, it was the changing aspens that splashed the land with fiery color.
Micah loved the autumn. It was his favorite season. It was filled with luscious smells of pumpkin and squash, bread, and most of all rain. The rain was a normal part of a Johto fall. It was expected every few days as the climate changed. It was a cultural myth that the great North Wind would bring the rain as it migrated from the region and across the ocean. Micah always enjoyed that myth. He remembered seeing a painting of the North Wind in an art museum once when he was a child. It was beautiful, and that was how Micah pictured it: elegant and pure.
Micah McIntyre had a gentle soul. After settling in Cherrygrove Town, he picked up a part-time job at the small local café to keep himself busy. Everyone knew everyone in Cherrygrove. It was a very small, simple town that had a peaceful atmosphere. Micah was a favorite among the elderly folk. Many would come see him in the mornings for their brewed coffee and newspaper. They would bring him pictures of their children and grandchildren living lives outside of Cherrygrove. Mr. Vaughn's grandchildren were growing up in Goldenrod City. Micah loved the pictures; he had never been to Goldenrod, but he knew it was a wonder. He heard the city got its name from its amazing golden stained pathways. How he would love to see it for himself.
But Micah was not a traveler. His brother was, however. Micah missed his brother. He had not heard from him since he moved to Cherrygrove over five years ago when he was going on his nineteenth birthday. Micah had no clue what his brother was even doing with his life too much. He knew the basics, but other than that, his older brother was a mystery to him, which saddened him.
Micah pulled his trench coat over his shoulders as he stepped from his small cottage-like home. It was very small, but enough for him to live adequately in. He enjoyed it. It was warm and cozy. As he closed his red-painted wooden door, he tucked his hair under his wool toboggan to keep his ears warm. His hair was always a hassle. It was rather large and in his opinion, "fluffy". It was just so full of unnecessary volume. That and he gave up attempting to sooth it; as such he allowed it to grow.
He cleared his throat, advancing to his old sporting bicycle. He got it from an older man claiming he was "too old and too achy" to ride it any longer. Being dirt poor upon moving, Micah gladly took it. It was a rusty blue with black handlebars and a messenger bag basket resting on the rear of the seat. Micah found it quite useful. He gently set his leather bag in the chilly wire-framed basket and unchained the bike from the single oak tree that populated his tiny front yard.
As he walked his bike to the sidewalk, he checked his mailbox for any letters. He always foolishly wished his brother would write. He grabbed the four envelopes that rested warmly in the box, shut it and continued to the sidewalk. With a grunt, he swung his leg over the seat and to the pedal, taking off with a push. He thought his luck was amusing. A package arrived the previous day at the café for a "Dr. Gregory A. Elm". The owner of the café, Mr. Morrington knew the name: he was the Pokémon Professor residing in New Bark Town. Not willing to go himself, Mr. Morrington gave Micah the day off to deliver the package to its rightful owner.
The package was rather light and small to go to such an "important" man. Micah had heard of him before, his research was well known throughout not only the Johto Region, but also the Kanto Region, the home of Dr. Bill Oak. Micah wished he could see Kanto.
Micah knew the way to New Bark. He had never visited, but knew the general direction. Just east of Cherrygrove a little ways. At least the scenery was beautiful and lovely. Micah took it all in as he swiftly headed down a rather narrow dirt path into a small forested area. He guessed the ride would only take a few hours. He hoped the Professor was kind; he did not want to imagine the eerily cold ride back home in the night. He frowned at that thought. "Yes," he muttered to himself. "Let's hope he's kind…" Micah had seen his picture a few times in the newspaper. Dr. Elm was currently working on the partnerships between human beings and Pokémon. He hypothesized that the relationship was not only an emotional necessity, but also a general wellbeing for the overall health of both mankind and Pokémon.
Pokémon were curious creatures to Micah. He had never thought of them too much. He knew the general information, however, like type species and their general characteristics. If he had to choose a species, he really enjoyed the energy of the fire type. He had seen a few battles in his life. Trainers go in and out of Cherrygrove. Micah did enjoy the stories of their adventures and experiences. Micah just never saw that opportunity for himself. His older brother parted from him to pursue his own Pokémon career, and as such, Micah decided to settle on an easy life. Maybe it was a skewed idea, but Micah was relatively happy.
After some time, Micah paused his ride as he came upon a direction billboard. He peered at it; ten more miles until he reached New Bark. He had been riding for some time and his bum started to ache from being in the oddly curved seat for too long. The breeze was chilly, but not as cold as it was earlier; it was a comfortable breeze that Micah enjoyed. Hopping from his bike, he parked it against the billboard and reached inside his bag for his lunch. He had made a sun-dried tomato pasta mix the night before and did not eat it all, so he decided it would make a decent lunch. He also packed a bottle of water and a peach.
Settling down in the grass, Micah decided it would be a good idea to check the mail he received earlier that morning. He quickly took a few bites of his chilled pasta, cutting into the first envelope. It was a newsletter from the Pokémon League Society. Micah thumbed through it to see if there was any mention about his older brother. He frowned when he only found the same thumbnail picture as last month's issue. He sighed, folding the newsletter in half and placing it in his bag. He would have to read it later; some of the articles looked rather interesting.
As he finished his small pasta bowl, he tore into the other three envelopes. One was a bill for his loan on his small house, another was a credit card offer, and the other was a pamphlet about some sale at the Goldenrod Market Center. Ignoring them all, he shoved them in his pack, biting into his peach and taking a swig of water. He stood up, eyeing his surroundings and taking another bite of his fresh peach. Leaves fell from the aspen like confetti and littered the faded grass. He guessed he was at the edge of some forest (he was never good at the names). If his guess was correct, it was the edges of the Ilex Forest. That was a rather large forest. It stretched for most of Johto.
Taking a final bite of the peach, Micah tossed it into the grass. Some wild Pokémon might take the rest. He took another drink of water to clear his throat and packed the bottle away before grabbing his bike. He walked it for a few steps and swung his leg over, taking off with a swift push. Catching the wind in his face, Micah carelessly drifted. Ten miles would not take too long, maybe another hour or two at most. Micah forgot to check the time while he stopped for lunch. He hoped it was not too far into the afternoon; he at least wanted to catch the Professor at his lab instead of his personal home. And if he were kind enough, hopefully he would allow Micah to stay the evening. Micah never knew about the "smart" ones; he had only really mingled with the townsfolk of Cherrygrove.
Micah was getting quite eager to meet the Professor the more he thought about him. He thought it funny; he knew a lot about the Professor and his research. Micah's older brother was a fan of the Professor's research, especially his research over Pokémon evolution. It seemed that the Professor found his way into a magazine or newspaper every other week, yet for living so close to Micah's home, Micah had never actually laid eyes on him. As Micah neared the town, the trees surrounding the small dirt path began to thin out. He continued to drift towards a rather opened space with little trees and a small winding creek; the town was rather close. He came to a stop, his leg stabilizing the bike. He peered about the small meadow, looking for another direction board. He frowned as he looked about the unfamiliar surroundings. He thought about just simply crossing the creek. New Bark was the last little settlement before the ocean; he would come to it eventually. Just as he was prepared to push off again, he heard a very startled cry.
Micah gasped at the sight of the Professor scramble out from behind a group of nearby trees on his rump, holding an arm before his face protectively. "P-Please! I don't have what you're looking for!" he cried out, trembling in shock. He was being attacked. Micah quickly dropped his bike, running towards Dr. Elm. Before he could fully reach the Professor, a fierce blow to the side tossed him from his feet and caused him to land squarely on his chest. He grunted as his thick-framed glasses flew from his face, skewing his vision. He squinted his eyes, catching a blurry figure in view.
Rolling over onto his back, Micah coughed, rubbing his head. "The Poke`balls! Get the Poke`balls!" he heard Dr. Elm instruct in a hasty manner. Micah opened his hazel eyes, his blurred vision encouraging a headache. He quickly rolled over, seeing Dr. Elm pushing three small balls into his hands. "Go! Quickly!" Micah scrambled to his knees, tucking the Poke`balls into his trench coat pocket. As he did so, he managed to come into contact with his lost glasses. He threw them back on his face, his vision clearing. He gasped at his first sight: a rather tall, impressive young man commanding a Scyther. The young man frowned. "The Poke`balls, or the Doc's head," he threatened. Micah stood to his feet, eyeing the dazzling scythes of the attacking Pokémon. "W-What for?" he asked, shuffling back a few steps. He kept his hand over his pocket protectively, his fingers running over the Poke`balls' small figures.
The young man scoffed. His green eyes flashed as he nodded to his Scyther. With the command, the Pokémon raised its scythes, shooting towards Micah with such speed. Micah fell to the ground in a crouch on his knees, covering his head with his arms. He grimaced as he felt the power of the Scyther bypass him. The Scyther landed with great strength, dust pouring into the atmosphere. "Scy-THER!" it cried, sending massive air slices with its immense scythes toward Micah's direction.
Micah flung himself from the Scyther's attack to the left, landing uncomfortably on his side. He could feel his chest ache as he noticed the Scyther ready for another strike. "Watch it!" he could hear Dr. Elm call out as he pushed himself to his knees. He gave the Professor a sideways glace, coughing as dust filled his eyes and nostrils. His head throbbed; he had to do something other than what he was currently doing. He stood to his feet, slipping a trembling hand into his pocket and lightly pinching a single Poke`ball in his index finger and thumb.
As the Scyther shot towards him once again with raised scythes, Micah quickly pulled the Poke`ball from his pocket and flung it into the air. The sudden burst of light erupting from the opened Poke`ball halted the charging Scyther and it quickly raised its scythes to shield its face from the rays of light, squinting in frustration. From the Poke`ball, a Cyndaquil landed in an upright stance, tiny legs apart in a squared position and flame ignited. The small Pokémon peered at its new commander from over a tiny shoulder, taking Micah into view. Micah could feel his heart pounding against his chest fiercely. Never before had he summoned a Pokémon from its resting place and into battle. He was not a trainer, yet the Cyndaquil he summoned treated him so. It acknowledged his presence and became aware of his intention.
The young man frowned, his eyebrows furrowed. "You honestly are going to use the Professor's own Pokémon to defend him?" he asked, glaring at Micah with his piercing eyes. "I can tell you haven't even commanded a Pokémon before; you're too weak!" he shouted. Turning his gaze to his Scyther, he gave the command. "Scyther, Air Slash!" The Scyther obeyed, sending powerful waves toward the new opponent with slashes of its scythes. The Cyndaquil leapt up, dodging the attack. It landed on all fours like a small cat, swiftly maneuvering from another Air Slash attack that was produced from the opposing Pokémon. Micah knew it awaited a command. With a heavy swallow, Micah called to the Cyndaquil. "Cyndaquil! Fight back! Ember attack," he cried.
The Cyndaquil inhaled with a tiny mouth. "Cynda-QQUUIILLL!" it cried as it produced a spiral of magnificent orange, red and yellow flames from its opened mouth, aiming directly for the Scyther's chest. The Scyther grimaced and raised its scythes protectively to deflect the flame attack. With the attack repelled, the Scyther shot forward. "Scyther, False Swipe! Take that little rat down!" the young man proclaimed; once again the Scyther obeyed, targeting the Cyndaquil with a forearm scythe raised in an offending manner. The Cyndaquil bounded forward, catching the Scyther in the chest with a speedy tackle. The Scyther was forced backwards with the contact of the Cyndaquil's tiny body to its front, its attack failed.
Micah applauded the Cyndaquil's tackle with a joyous cheer. "Yes! Good, Cyndaquil!" he called out as the Cyndaquil landed squarely on small legs from its attack; it turned and nodded at Micah's direction proudly. "Now, Cyndaquil, follow it up with a Swift!" Micah commanded. The Cyndaquil adjusted its weight and sprung into the air with a quick push, soaring above the recovering Scyther. Scyther growled under its breath, the afternoon sunlight spilling onto its face as it peered up to the Cyndaquil. With its petite mouth opened, the Cyndaquil inhaled and shot a spray of star-like meteors towards the earth, scattering the Scyther with the powerful flow. The Scyther cried in pain, covering its face with its scythe-forearms as the star-meteors struck, hitting the Scyther's body harshly. The young man cursed aloud, gripping at his jacket sleeve cuffs with tight fingers in folded fists. "What the heck are you doing, Scyther? Attack! Now!" he screamed.
The Scyther shook its head in pain, scratching at its eyes with the blunt end of its scythes. Before it could effectively open its eyes to see its surroundings, the Cyndaquil collided with its body once again with a rapid Quick Attack from its previous location in the sky. The Scyther screamed, slamming into the ground powerfully with its immense body. "Cyndaquil, let's finish this, buddy! Ember attack!" Micah called, grinning.
"Cynda-QQUUIILL!" the Cyndaquil cried, opening its mouth once again, creating a vibrant spiral of splendid flames towards the Scyther. Unable to deflect the attack, it struck and engulfed the Pokémon with a full force. "SCY-TTHHEERRR!" it screamed, the flames afflicting its body vigorously. As the attack spewed from the Cyndaquil's mouth, the Scyther began to lose its health. The attack faded, leaving the Pokémon charred.
Micah grabbed the toboggan around his ears in excitement. "YES! Oh, my God! Cyndaquil, we won! We actually won!" he exclaimed ecstatically. The Cyndaquil nodded, smiling with pride over to Micah. "Scyther, return," the young man muttered distastefully, pointing a Poke`ball in Scyther's direction and summoning it back to its resting place. He glared over to Micah, humiliated at his loss. "Don't think that you've got skills. You're a lucky beginner that obviously has some general ideas about how to play this game," he stated defiantly. Micah crossed his arms, peering over at the red-haired young man, taking in his features.
He was a handsome man: flaming red hair and piercing green eyes. Yet he had a darkness about him that Micah couldn't explain; he appeared afflicted with an unhappiness too great for Micah to untangle. "Trust me, I know my 'skills' are limited. But I'm under the impression that I've just won this particular match, therefore it's time for you to turn around and head in another direction," he said, scowling at the young man. The young man sneered, distorting his facial expression. "Fine," he muttered. He then shot a glance at Dr. Elm. "Lucky you. If only everyone had a brave protector." He frowned aggressively and turned his back, walking away.
Micah could hear Dr. Elm sigh in relief. "My God…" he muttered, standing upright and fixing his askew glasses. "Thank you; thank you so very much-er…" he paused. "Didn't catch your name, my apologies," he said, rubbing the back of his head with an awkward smile. Micah grinned. "Micah McIntyre," he answered, offering a hand for Dr. Elm to shake. Dr. Elm gladly shook it. "Micah, then. Oh, it's such a relief you were around. That…thug would have stolen the-AH! Yes, the Poke`balls," he stuttered, pointing down at the two remaining figures in Micah's outer trench pocket. Micah peered down at his own pocket, reaching in and pulling out the other two balls the Professor had given him previously. "What are they?" Micah asked, handing the anxious Professor the Poke`balls. Dr. Elm smiled as he took them, unbuttoning a messenger bag he had slung over his shoulder and gently sliding them within. "These are my research Pokémon, you see," he stated. "They are…rather exclusive. It's not like you can find these fellows running wild as often as others." He peered at Micah through his round-framed glasses, clearing his throat. "I imagine that young man is what's known as an 'exchanger': someone who steals valuable Pokémon for the Black Market trade. Awful, really…" he sighed.
Micah blinked as he felt a small tug on his pants leg. He glanced down, catching the small Cyndaquil into view wrapping tiny arms around Micah's leg lovingly. "What about this one?" he asked, looking back to the Professor. "Ah, yes… Well, Cyndaquil's a unique little fellow," he muttered. "I'm quite astonished that he's taken to you so well." He watched the tiny Pokémon snuggle up against Micah's leg with interest. "Errmm… Anyways," Dr. Elm began, clearing his throat. "Allow me to show you my home, perhaps?" he questioned, eyeing Micah intriguingly. Micah blinked. "Oh! Um, yeah. I was supposed to bring you a package-" he gestured towards his messenger bag that rested lopsidedly in the wire basket of his dropped bike. "It accidently was shipped to a café I work at in Cherrygrove," he muttered, fumbling with his thick-famed glasses and pushing them up the bridge of his thin nose.
Dr. Elm's face suddenly beamed with excitement. "Yes, yes! Yes, I was hoping it would turn up eventually!" he remarked, smiling and walking with Micah to his turned bicycle. Cyndaquil peered up at Micah fondly before strutting at his heels on all fours quickly on tiny limbs. After picking up the turned bike, Micah hastily uncovered the lightweight package from his messenger bag and passed it to Dr. Elm, who quickly took it in glee. He gave it a glance over before putting it in his own leather bag. "I owe you a ton, Micah," he replied, smiling. Micah shrugged, grinning. "I mean, I know it wasn't the longest trip in the region," Dr. Elm began. "but goodness, I can thank you a thousand times over. Not only for the delivery, but also the stunning performance-OH!" he suddenly proclaimed, catching Micah off guard. "That's it! I know just the thing! Please, please. Come with me to my home. I have someone for you to meet," he said, patting Micah's shoulder in a friendly manner. "…Alright," Micah muttered, picking up the Cyndaquil that was poking lovingly at his feet and set him gently in the basket of his bike next to his bag. Cyndaquil yawned rather loudly as he exterminated his small rump flame, and placed his front limbs up on the wire basket's rim for a better view as Micah began to walk to the bike in the direction Dr. Elm gestured.
"My son, Gary, would be very interested in hearing what you did, Micah," Dr. Elm said, leading him down a small pathway down the small trickling creek. Micah peered over at him. "The…Pokémon battle?" Micah quested. "Mmmhnn. Yes. We've been searching for ages for someone who can command Cyndaquil," Dr. Elm answered, glancing over at Cyndaquil happily looking this way and that at the falling autumn leaves. "You see, he's very shy and doesn't take to trainers well. I'm missing a very large patch of my research because of it," he explained, clearing his throat. "And it's not like I can just trade him out. Like I said, these Pokémon are relatively exclusive. But maybe this is what would make the data more affordable. To find someone that Cyndaquil obeys. And Micah, I have to say: Cyndaquil obeyed you like a charm."
Micah looked down to the small Pokémon and scratched his head with his fingers, making Cyndaquil purr in affection. He began to notice the small town coming into view. It was a cute little place and it reminded Micah of Cherrygrove. Micah's eyes caught the rich colors of the village. Each house was painted beautifully and the woodwork was awe striking. It was certainly older than Cherrygrove by the looks of its architecture: such large and beautiful houses with perfected lawns. As they walked, Dr. Elm led Micah through a small outdoor market where people sold fruits and vegetables, flowers and crafts.
"Good afternoon, Dr. Elm," a lovely voice announced. Dr. Elm paused and greeted a very beautiful young woman that caught Micah's eye immediately. She was amazingly crafted with long and flowing auburn hair and dazzling green eyes. A perfect smile. In her arms rested a rather large bundle of yellow tulips; from the looks of it, Micah guessed that she sold and customized flowers for her occupation. Dr. Elm smiled. "Ah, Emily! So good to see you," he replied, adjusting his glasses. Emily grinned, handing the Professor a single tulip. "And yes, you too-and who's this-?" she asked, peering over at Micah.
Micah blinked rather dumbfounded, clearing his throat. "I-er. Hi," he muttered, blushing slightly from his embarrassment in not being able to form a proper statement. Dr. Elm chuckled, patting Micah on the shoulder with his free hand. "This, Emily, is Micah McIntyre. He's from Cherrygrove and a superb Pokémon trainer," he explained with a wink. Emily smiled, also handing Micah a tulip. "Very impressive, Micah." Micah awkwardly took the tulip. Maybe he was just ignorant, but he thought tulips were out of season. Unless she had a greenhouse. Then maybe it was acceptable to give away free tulips. "Erm. Thanks," he said, blushing a bright primrose pink. Cyndaquil suddenly purred loudly for attention, startling Micah into petting his furry head anxiously. "Goodness! Such a little cutie," Emily said, watching Micah hand Cyndaquil the tulip he was pawing for. "Is he yours?" she asked the blushing Micah.
He wrinkled his brow. He had no idea if Cyndaquil was his or not. He coughed, looking up at Emily. "Actually, he belongs to the Professor. I'm just…borrowing him," he said. Dr. Elm nodded. "But not for long though. I think we found Cyndaquil a suitable trainer," he said, giving Micah a large smile. Micah blinked, glancing to Dr. Elm. "Annnnyways," Dr. Elm began. "Emily, it was excellent running into you. I've got to get Micah to the house," he said, patting Micah again. Micah merely nodded awkwardly, pushing his bike forward. Emily smiled graciously. "Okay, you two. Have a good day, Professor. And Micah," she added, shooting Micah a sly glance that made the back of his neck feel warm. Dr. Elm gave her a friendly parting wave and he led Micah from the market and towards a lovely looking neighborhood.
Micah cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. He could have hit himself for being such a child. He thought himself at least decently articulate around women. Maybe not. Apparently not. Goodness, he was a small-town boy. Still, his mind wondered to Dr. Elm's statement; was he seriously going to give him the Cyndaquil? After all that trouble in trying to keep that thug exchanger from stealing him? He thought it best to not ask until Dr. Elm explained everything. He still had no idea what the package even contained.
Micah peered about the tranquil neighborhood, at all of the large and beautifully built houses. It was apparent they were much older than any other houses Micah had ever seen; the houses in Cherrygrove were not as elegant or great. Their lawns were sprinkled with fiery fallen leaves and brown pine needles. It was the picture perfect essence of fall.
Dr. Elm briskly led Micah to a rather large and lovely home. It was a soft pastel yellow with white trim and a wooden-shingled roof. Micah blinked up at it in awe; almost the entire upper floor of the home was made of glass windows and the wrap-around porch was crafted with the most beautiful cherry wood Micah had ever seen. "Well," Dr. Elm said, grinning at Micah. "this is my home." Micah scratched his head and smiled awkwardly as Dr. Elm began to walk up the porch steps. " Feel free to park your bike on the lawn and come on inside. We have some propositions to make!"
Micah did as he was told and walked his bike to one of the many oak trees that stood firmly in Dr. Elm's lawn. Pulling the chain from his messenger bag, he swiftly looped it through the bike's fork and around the base of the trunk, locking it into place. He pulled his bag from the basket and offered a hug for Cyndaquil to jump into (in which he gleefully did). Quickly, Micah followed the Professor up the steps and through the wooden door that led into Dr. Elm's home.
It was much warmer within his home than the outside chill. Attempting to be as polite as possible, Micah gently shut the front door and set down Cyndaquil, carefully removing his trench coat. Dr. Elm took notice and directed him to a coat rack beside the front door. "Right over there, Micah," he said with a grin, removing his own coat and hanging it along with his bag on a pegged rack that he had pinned from the wall. Before he parted from his bag, he removed the package and the Poke`balls. Cyndaquil yawned loudly and stretched his tiny limbs before following Micah at his heels on all fours through the foyer and to a massive kitchen. The interior of the home was warm and lovely. Its color tones flowed and complimented each other wonderfully; Micah found it to be quite welcoming.
The kitchen was bright and very tidy. Micah felt the change from wooden floor to tile as he stepped through the doorframe. The tile was a pretty peach that complimented the auburn trim along the cream tinted wall color. A perfectly positioned island counter stood mid-room along with a countertop stove. Dr. Elm walked to it and set down the package and the other two Poke`balls. "Looks like Gary brewed some coffee…" Dr. Elm muttered upon seeing a freshly brewed pot on the bar counter. "Would you like a cup, Micah?" he offered, pulling back Micah's wondering focus from peering about the house in admiration. "Oh-um. Yes, yes, please," Micah answered with a smile. "It's a dark roast," Dr. Elm said as he pulled down two clay crafted coffee mugs from a tall cabinet. "Gary and I really utilize that outdoor market. He actually should be around here somewhere…" he trailed off, looking through a doorframe across the way that lead into the den.
Almost as if called, a young man popped his head into the kitchen from a third doorframe. "Hey-a, Dad," he said, causing Dr. Elm to startle and almost drop the mug he pulled down for Micah. "Erm-Gary! Goodness, there you are-" he exclaimed, catching himself and setting the mug squarely on the bar counter. Gary grinned passively, stepping into the kitchen. He was a goofy looking young man that looked no older than Micah; Micah could definitely see the resemblance to his father. He had that thin chin and soft complexion. His hair needed a cut almost as badly as Micah's: it was incredibly full and messy, a bit of a dirty brown color to it.
Gary eyed Micah with a joking sneer before glancing back at his father again. "Who's this?" he asked. Dr. Elm peered over to Micah as he poured his coffee. "Micah McIntyre. He's practically my one shot at any data on Cyndaquil," he replied with a smile, handing Micah his mug. Gary blinked and gave Micah a double take. "No kidding?" he asked, a broad opened smile spreading on his face. "You can command Cyndaquil? You must be a natura-OF COURSE! Dad!" he exclaimed suddenly, gesturing obnoxiously in Micah's direction. "He's Gym Leader Morty's kid brother!" he cried.
Micah could feel Dr. Elm's flabbergasted expression scan him over. He awkwardly nodded, rubbing the back of his warming neck. Dr. Elm set down his coffee mug, staring at Micah's face with interest. "Of cccoouurssee…your last name. How could I have missed that?" he questioned. "Well, wait. Why didn't you tell me?" he asked. Micah sighed, feeling Cyndaquil poke at his feet timidly. "It wasn't important-"
"Not important? Geeze Louise! Morty is, like, the reason Dad got involved with this research!" Gary interrupted quite loudly.
Micah scowled at him. He found himself quickly falling into a bad mood; he felt a bit interrogated. Dr. Elm smiled softly. "Well, yes, that is partially true. Of course, you should know about Morty's attempts to bring the return of Rainbow Bird to the sacred Bell Toweeeerrr…right?" he trailed off upon seeing the look on Micah's face. Cyndaquil pawed up at Micah's thigh for attention, purring obnoxiously. Micah patted him on the head as he glanced over to Dr. Elm. "Morty and I haven't spoken in about five years, sadly. He parted from me out of disappointment that I wouldn't pick up Pokémon training," he explained. Dr. Elm nodded in acknowledgement. "Ahh… I see. Well. You won't be having that problem anymore. Well, the Pokémon training bit, at least."
Clearing his throat, Dr. Elm leaned over the countertop and pulled the package Micah delivered to him. With careful fingers he began to open it. "I ordered this a few weeks ago in hopes that I would be giving it to a willing trainer, Micah. What fortune that you so happen to be the trainer I am set on," he explained, eying Micah through his glasses. "You are the only person that Cyndaquil even pays attention to. And even that, he's quite fond of you. And you commanded him-"
"I didn't even know what I was doing, Professor," Micah interrupted. "I-I was just lucky." Dr. Elm shook his head. "Not in the least. Micah, you have a gift. You are meant to do this. You are a natural trainer and Cyndaquil was aware of that the moment you summoned him into battle. If not, he wouldn't have battled for you! That's the evidence right there: Cyndaquil obeyed you." Micah could hear Gary hum under his breath as he poured himself his own mug of coffee. "Dad's right, ya know," he added, causing Micah to shoot him a sideways glance. Gary simply chuckled and took a sip of the freshly poured coffee.
Clearing his throat and adjusting his thick-framed glasses, Micah turned his attention from Gary and to the Professor once again. He was still thumbing at the brown paper wrapping of his package tediously. Micah watched the Professor gently uncover a piece of equipment that Micah had never seen before in his life. He blinked at it in awe. It appeared to be a touch-screen rectangular shaped item encased in a steel frame. It was black in color and had the familiar Poke`dex Poke`ball logo painted on the bottom of the item's surface. "P-Professor, what is that…?" he asked, leaning closer to the object for a closer glance. Dr. Elm smiled at his curiosity. "This, Micah, is the newest advance in technological history. This is the newest Poke`dex, the Smartdex. It's absolutely amazing. Not only can it record data like a Poke`dex, it can act as your mobile device, internet access, map, radio, and just about everything else a trainer would ever need! It's lightweight, thin and portable. But most of all, it's durable."
Dr. Elm very cautiously picked up the Smartdex with gentle fingers and turned it on with the holding press of the Poke`ball logo button at the bottom of the gadget's front. With a white flash, the screen lit up, presenting the very logo once again before showing an initial screen with a time and date along with a touch-slide unlocking feature. With a single pointing finger, Dr. Elm slid the very tip of it against the smooth screen across the sliding feature to bring forth the second home screen of the device which contained small square-like icons in an organized fashion lined up in rows along the gadget's front. "You see? These applications contain everything you need. See, here is the Poke`dex," he explained, pressing his finger upon the first icon on the upper left of the screen. At his touch, the screen dissolved and brought up the Poke`dex feature: a list of meaningless and empty blanks. Micah smiled apologetically at the list. Dr. Elm caught his smile and set down the Smartdex upon the table. "Yes. It's empty. Never before been used."
Dr. Elm brought his mug to his lips timidly and took a sip. "I'll pay you, Micah," he stated. Micah coughed at his statement in dismay, having to cover his mouth with his fingers. "E-Excuse me-" he asked, his eyes watering from the strain he put so suddenly on his throat. Dr. Elm set down his mug and looked to Micah. "I'll pay you. You'll work for me. And I'll be your overseer," he confirmed. "I'll pay you significantly more than your current employer. I'll fund your travels and help with whatever finances you'll need. All you have to do is take on the Pokémon League Challenge and supply me with data weekly. You'll be credited for your work and I can pay you by direct deposit."
Micah could hardly comprehend all that he was hearing. He blinked at Dr. Elm and let loose a rather long and quivering breath. He felt numb and his fingertips tingled. He caught Gary leaning against the bar counter and smiling in the corner of his eye. "No sweat. If you can command the Cyndaquil, then you won't have a problem. I can tell you now that you'd be an idiot to turn this down," Gary said. Micah eyed him, frowning. "And I'm supposing you're a trainer too?" he asked. Gary winked. "You better believe it, pal. This will give me an excuse to take the challenge as well. We'll be competitors; straight to the top." Dr. Elm grinned. "That would be interesting, no doubt," he said, taking another sip of his coffee.
Cyndaquil yawned, rubbing against Micah's leg affectionately. Micah began to realize that the evening was approaching. He felt tired and mentally exhausted; his eyes itched and stung out of physical fatigue. Very gently, he scooped Cyndaquil into his arms. With a purr, Cyndaquil rubbed his snout on Micah's cheek. "Can I sleep on it?" Micah asked, petting the sleepy Pokémon. "And I can give you my answer in the morning…well, t-that is if you have…room?" Micah blushed from embarrassment. He felt awkward asking the Pokémon Professor for a room to sleep in; he hardly knew the man. Dr. Elm smiled calmly. "Yes, Micah. Of course you can. We have a spare bedroom you can have for the night," he answered. "Besides, it's been a long day. I understand completely."
Dr. Elm walked with his coffee mug to the sink at the bar counter and with a single motion, dumped what was left down the drain. Quietly, he set the mug down in the sink and yawned very bear-like with a wide stretch of his arms skyward. "Come to think of it, I'm getting pretty tired, myself," he muttered, taking off his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his fingers gently. Gary chuckled, also draining his mug and setting it next to his father's in the sink. "I'll take Micah to the spare room, Dad," he said, patting the yawning Professor on the shoulder. "Yes, yes. That would be lovely," Dr. Elm replied with a smile. Grabbing the Smartdex, Dr. Elm walked to Micah and gave him a friendly pat. "I hope you find yourself good rest. And feel free to sleep late. I'll anxiously be awaiting your decision whenever you are ready, Micah," he said. Micah grinned sleepily. "Thank you, Professor," he said warmly.
Gary waited for Micah to dispose of his mostly untouched coffee with hands on his hips squarely. Cyndaquil began to snooze comfortably in Micah's arms, his little feet twitching slightly in dreams. "He's a cute little thing," Gary said as he led Micah from the kitchen, following his father up a grand wooden staircase. The steps squeaked at their upward motion noisily; Micah knew it was a trait of an old house. As they reached the top of the stairs, they bid Dr. Elm a final good night as he entered his own master bedroom, and walked down a rather small hallway to a closed door. Gary opened it, showing Micah within. "It's not much," he said as he leaned across Micah to turn on a small desk lamp, illuminating the bedroom. "but you're more than welcome to it."
The room was of decent size. A bed sat adjacent to them along with a small table companied by a television set that stood across from the bed. A desk was pressed against the wall closest to where the two men stood and a small, distorted glass door led to a bathroom across the way. "I'm across the hallway if you need anything," Gary continued, thumbing over his shoulder to another bedroom. Micah nodded in acknowledgement, scratching his forehead with his free hand. Just as Gary turned to leave, his stopped and eyed Micah. "Hey, listen. I know that you think you aren't cut out to do this kind of thing, but I have a really good feeling about you. And quite frankly, so does my dad. Okay?" he said. Micah nodded. "I know. I understand. Thank you, Gary," he replied with a soft smile. Gary grinned with a wink. "Eeehhh, do what I can, do what I can," he chuckled. "'Night," he muttered, walking from Micah's doorframe and to his own bedroom, shutting the door with a quiet snap.
Micah let loose a sigh. It was the first time he was alone since before meeting Dr. Elm. It was almost relaxing to not be in the midst of his company for a little bit as so he could rest. He gently stepped into his room and shut the door, finding his environment quiet and still. He kicked off his shoes and set the snoozing Cyndaquil onto the neatly made bed. With a yawn, Micah pulled his long sleeved shirt up over his head, removing it from his body. He always thought himself as rather skinny for his age. He supposed he was a little toned, but not much. With tender fingers, he folded the shirt and set it on the bedside table. Micah also removed his glasses, skewing his vision for the second time that day. Feeling about the table, he accurately set down his glasses and comfortably reclined back onto the bed. He stared up at the ceiling for a few minutes.
He had no idea what he was supposed to do or say. He felt slightly overwhelmed by the day's events. He blinked his itching eyes and sighed, running his hand through his wooly hair. His mind drifted to his brother, Morty. His first thought wondered if Morty would be happy to know what Micah did for the Professor, however a sinking thought occurred that if he did take the Professor's offer, he and Morty would someday have to do battle for a badge. The idea made Micah's stomach turn uncomfortably. After nearly five years of not speaking and the only time they would meet again would be in rivalry…
Rolling over onto his side, Micah eased his way under the thick layers of the bedspread as the chill of the air touched his skin. He always thought himself as silly for not wanting to sleep with a shirt on during the fall and winter months. Even in the spring, Johto had a bit of nippiness to it. The region was just cold natured. Rumor had it that the Rainbow Bird warmed the region and when it fled from the Bell Tower, the nature of the weather turned cold. Micah would not have known the difference; the Tin Tower burned to the ground far before his time. It was just a folk's tale anyhow. No one has seen the Rainbow Pokémon for generations.
Micah could feel Cyndaquil's internal warmth radiate from his tiny body from the corner of the bed; it felt so comfortable and loving. With a sudden urge, Micah gently sat up and pulled Cyndaquil to his body. Cyndaquil yawned loudly and began to purr as Micah stroked his furry little body out of sleepiness. Micah knew a decision had to be made, but not at that dire moment; he was so sleepy and Cyndaquil's soothing warmth made him groggy. Nestling his head down in the thick pillow, Micah closed his eyes. Everything around him was tranquil and quiet. All he could hear was Cyndaquil's sleeping breath as his tiny chest heaved very softly and slowly out of rest. Micah simply thought it best to worry about his situation when morning came. As his thoughts slowly began to break up and become meaningless, Micah carefully slid into a very much needed and comforting sleep.