The Unorthodox Journey
Chapter 1
The can made a futile crunch as it was smashed underneath the boot heel. "Well gents this is goodbye for me. It's time to hit that old dusty trail. Have a few cold ones for me and remember Ted Faron's official rules to alcoholism I'm off to the Pokémon League with Seth." The 18 year old beginner trainer gestured to his Pinsir and lobbed its Pokeball toward it. The large and imposing bug Pokémon disappeared in a white light into the red and white sphere. "I'm finally going to get out of this Podunk small town. There are babes and parties to be found in the League I'm telling you guys. I'll see you guys when I see you." The tall brown haired Ted in his leather jacket waved goodbye to his two younger friends Jack and Matt. Then he ran off and out of the Pallet Town limits. Jack Harley and Matt Finch cracked open two more beers and clinked them together before slurping the foam from the rim.
"What are we going to do without Ted, man? This town was already boring enough."Jack said while setting his can down on a cut tree stump.
"I don't know maybe we should actually figure out what we want to do with our lives. Maybe grow up."
"Hahahahah, grow up are you kidding Ted would not approve." Jack replied after chucking his empty can into the woods and turning back towards town. "Though getting out of this town sure would be damn nice."
Jack choked on the malt beverage in his throat as his father's hand smashed into the back of his head. "Boy what the hell are you doing drinking? It's 3 o'clock in the afternoon. When are you going to find yourself a job? Maybe if you had become a trainer like I had at 14 you wouldn't be at this deadbeat stage in your life ehh?" Jack shook his head and rolled his eyes at the ever constant berating from his father. Jack had graduated high school two months ago and had no plans to move on to secondary school of any sort. Suffice it to say Mr. Jim Harley second-in-charge of the Pallet Pokémon lab was not impressed by his son's lackadaisical behavior. His son had never shown any interest in the creatures he worked with which garnered no sympathy for the boy.
"I'm going for a walk then I'll be back for dinner." Jack muttered and slipped out the front door and made his way towards a well worn path towards the woods. It was not long before he came upon the clearing that he and his friends had always used to hang out in. Sitting on the worn smooth tree stump was Matt Finch. This would not have been out of the ordinary for Jack yet sitting atop Matt's arm was a small little twittering bird Pokémon.
"Man what's up with the Pidgey? Are you turning into a nature lover or something?" Jack asked as he stood looking warily at the pigeon-like Pokémon.
"Actually Rod and I here are headed to the League, Jack. I've decided I've found my calling I'm going to try to go for it just like Ted maybe I'll meet up with him along the way. Hey man maybe you should consider it not all Pokémon are annoying pests."
"Hah me playing trainer I don't think so." Jack muttered then hummed to himself stroking his chin covered in a week's worth of stubble. "It would get me away from the parents though wouldn't it? And dad sure would love to get me out of the house and better yet onto the great Trainer journey the Pokémon League. Meanwhile I can just drift from place to place messing around. Matt you're brilliant! I'm going to go steal one of the old man's extra Pokeballs. See ya around." Matt shook his head in wonder and brought the palm of his hand up to his face while the Pidgey beside him shook in agreement.
The Rattata burst through the tall grass and tackled Jack down into a heap. After fending off the smaller vermin, Jack rested himself below a large oak tree off to the side of the long grass along the edge of the road to Viridian City. "One thing's for damn sure I am not catching one of those rat bastards. Hmm what the hell am I going to catch around here…?" His thoughts were soon interrupted by a rain of small pebbles striking him. "What in Arceus' name is that?" He looked up and into the tree and was met with two beady eyes staring back at him. Then in a blink of an eye he was assaulted by a small vicious furry monkey. "Get off me you stupid beast!" The primate hit the ground but quickly leapt back up at Jack to attempt to maul his face. In natural reflex to the assault Jack grabbed the closes thing to hand and smashed it into the side of the Pokémon soon the monkey disappeared into a red flash. Jack panted on the log while shaking his head in disappointment. He soon heard a tell-tale click and sighed in defeat. Now he was stuck with a vicious monkey to start his new life could it be any worse? He would have even rather have caught a Caterpie! Tentatively he lifted the now occupied Pokeball off the ground and placed it into the pocket of his jacket. With a frustrated moan he began to make his way back home.
"So boy did you find a Pokémon to join you on your belated trip?" Jack's dad asked him across the kitchen table while he dished himself out more of Meghan Harley's famous Mareepherd's Pie. "Hopefully you found one that just came to you. You don't want a miserable Pokémon as your starter." Jack simply nodded and rolled his eyes when his father was turned away, if only the Pokémon researcher knew the irony of his advice.
"I'm sure you can make it work honey." His mom injected into the conversation. "You put your mind to this training thing you can really go far Jack." Jack continued to nod in agreement while his mind drifted to other things. Soon the dinner covering the table seemed to fade away and Jack helped his mom clean up then left to take an evening stroll to the clearing. He took an accustomed seat on the worn stump and looked up into the stars. Then he pulled out a small flat flask that sloshed with its liquid contents and took a bitter sip. He began to feel around in his other pocket and remembered the Pokeball that contained his sure-to-be-wretched starter. He decided to face the inevitable and tossed the red and white sphere to the ground where it exploded and released a still slightly miffed Mankey that turned toward Jack. Then in a single bound he was upon Jack's lap and began to pummel the teen. However its small fist soon came in contact with the metal of the flask and the tan monkey leapt back in pain and began to dance around holding the pained hand up in the air. Finally after it got over the shock it leapt upon Jack but instead of hitting him the monkey grabbed a hold of the flask and brought it up to his face. It sniffed at the adversarial object but perked up when it smelled around the cap.
The monkey tried but to no avail to find a way to open the drink vessel but couldn't so finally gave up and frustrated, violently tossed the flask back to Jack. Jack quickly unscrewed the cap and took another pull of the liquor. The Pokémon hopped up into his lap once again and took the flask in its paw. It then took a small sip of the liquid into its mouth, seemed to contemplate it, and then swallowed it. In a matter of the seconds the Mankey shook itself but took another sip of the drink anyway. After it began to convulse once more Jack grabbed the flask away, closed it, and slipped it back into his jacket pocket. The Mankey looked up at him warily seemingly checking him over for the first time. Then in a rapid movement the monkey climbed atop Jack's back to take a position behind his head. "Well then maybe we will get along huh little guy? What should I name you? Drunk?" The Mankey then slapped his head. "Lunatic?" Another slap was received in response. "Well then how about Strike?" When he didn't feel a strike on his skull the teen knew that he had found it. "Looks like we're going to be heading on a journey you ready my young friend?" Jack twisted around to see the monkey shaking up and down in agreement. "We'll get headed tomorrow but tonight I need sleep and you have to go back into here." And with that Jack aimed the Pokeball at Strike who was quietly absorbed back inside.