Disclaimer: Poke'mon is not mine; I do not own the creatures, some of the characters, or anything else copyrighted by Funimation.
Power Hungry
Chapter 1, The Way Of A Trainer
Poke'mon are friends and partners throughout your life, if you so choose to be a poke'mon trainer. It is a profession/path many have taken up for many different reasons. As it is, you may decide to become a poke'mon trainer at the age of 10. But, if you do, you rely on yourself and your poke'mon You have captured, tamed, and trained to become your partner. Starting from such a young age, you'd be surprised how many kids never come back home. Not because they don't want to, because what they portray in that series is childish and innocent, but because they die out there on the field from wild poke'mon, and other trainers. The real world is not so kind.
Let us get a couple of things straight. Poke'mon faint, but they also bleed and die. Without a poke'mon, a trainer is just a trainer. Against poke'mon with elemental abilities, a human is weak. Thus, trainers usually don't live to long without some form of protection of their own.
"Koal!" a girl screamed in an angry tone of voice. She stomped over to him; you could almost see steam bursting from her ears and her eyes going red. A young redhead walked up to him, short haired to her shoulders, in a two piece bathing suit, green in color, with Staryu's pokadotting it.
"Heh... listen, I was just giving orders, and she's the one who did it." Koal pointed to his Zangoose. Standing not to far from him, the Zangoose glared at him with the flash of her fangs. "Zannn..."
"No! I told you to go easy on my poke'mon, their much lower levels than yours! You asshole!" Her hands at her sides, clenched into fists, staring up at him from her 5.0 form. A charmed choker hung from her throat, the charm being a little soft blue heart. For being a teenager, she had a firm little butt and an alluring chest to the opposite, and sometimes, the same genders.
"Oh, come on Red, gimmie a break here. Slasha is only doing what she's meant to do." He sighed as he turned around, making his way down the path towards town. "Besides, she's the strongest I got, and that's what you asked for, to better train your Cubone. What do you think it's at now, 14?" His head slightly turned as he began walking away. His outfit was that of a pair of baggy, but breathable, pants, similar to that of raver pants.
Two, almost duck-tape looking, stripes wrapped around each knee. The rest was white colored with tribal designs throughout the rest of the pants. Huge baggy pockets adorned the back and front of them. And a simple black tang-top revealed he was quite athletic for his 5.5 height, squeezing to his upper extremities. His hair was long, reaching his mid-back, and tied back into a pony tail. Two ear-rings in each ear, silver, and necklace made of string and a pentacle looking charm. For those who knew what it meant, it was a belief in a form of religion, for most though, it was simply unique to examine.
Hidden by slender sunglasses at the moment, his eyes were actually a near neon purple color, almost glowing. Rarely, but some people carried such eyes. Scientists say it's a new gene, but only changes the color of ones eyes into a unique new color never seen before. And it's not a new gene, but as generations go on, more and more people have been getting such eyes, most people born with such eyes up until a century or so ago were killed at birth. As people began becoming more civilized, though, people had abandoned their old ways and superstitions for a new era of growth. Education, technology, cities, traveling, and single religion and language nations.
She grumbled as she shoved him when he started walking, but following him. Following behind them, Slasha kept up, but quickly making her way to stand beside her master. Red held up her poke ball and stroked it. "Poor Cubone. I hope your stupid poke'mon didn't hurt him too bad..." Her soft green eyes glassened a little before sighing and minimizing the ball and sticking it in her purse of only five poke balls in total, two of them being empty, but disorganized as she was, she had a bunch of femininity items splayed out inside, cosmetics to a couple of potions, along with gum, ID and money, along with a bunch of other miscellaneous items. Adorning both of their wrists adorned their poke-tech-gear. However, they both had left their backpacks at the poke-center.
Koal shook his head. "Slasha is only doing what I ordered of her, leave her be. Besides, you should be training your Pupitar or grass poke'mon of yours... what was it... Scyther. I don't know how you got it, but you should seriously try training that one too. Cubone is so little, have something you can defend yourself with out there."
And Red groaned, shoving him once again. "Scyther doesn't listen to me! I don't have a single badge yet, and I managed to train both of them to the point of disobedience." Although, thinking back on it, she had trained them so much in hopes to begin her adventures, but to no avail she could never beat the gym leader, and she feared even if she did, they wouldn't give her a badge or worse. Letting out a quiet sigh, she continued forth along side him.
Both Red and Koal had recently become friends. Red liked him, although she was 17 and he was going on 21, but he didn't like her the same way. He was simply traveling through and they ran into one another. Red was being harassed by several gym groupies who thought of themselves as better than everyone else, and also figured they'd get a little poontang out of her, but she put up a fight. She watched her Scyther, whom did what he could to defend his master, even if disobedient, fall helplessly in front of their powerful poke'mon. Her Pupitar wouldn't even come out though, probably too scared to be humiliated in such a way. And poor Cubone, just as Cubone was about to die, Koal's Slasha suddenly burst into the party and Koal stepped up. Young as he was, but his Poke'mon didn't play around and were quite serious in nature.
All of them much older, having a cocky attitude and believing they had control of this town and its surroundings, even being unfair and double-teaming him. But they only carried like three poke'mon each. And none of their poke'mon stood ground next to Slasha.
In fact, as Red thought about to that moment, unable to save her poke'mon from nearly being torched to death got her curious... "Hey, Koal, what level is you're Zangoose?" She asked while walking at pace with him.
Koal stopped for a moment, thinking, and then shrugging. "Oh, I don't know. I haven't bothered to give her and a scan in months. Last I checked, she was 52. But that several months back. I'm sure she's gone up a couple since then with all the training I've been giving her. She's not getting much experience out of you though." He grinned then, looking over to her to find her glaring knives his direction. "You know... little girls like you are always so mean when you like someone."
She suddenly blushed and shoved him, hard, nearly causing him to fall into the sand. "You're an asshole, for real."
He just laughed as he caught his balance, Slasha shaking her head at both of them and taking the lead ahead of them just before Zangoose stopped, staring ahead and letting out a quiet growl.
"Heya, sweet-tots!" came a voice from ahead of them. And both of them looked ahead to find three guys blocking the path into town, arms crossed, but smirking. "And you, fuck-tard. My name's Jattara, the gym master around here and I hear you fucked up my men with a strong poke'mon. I'm here to settle the debt. I can't have shameful trainers like you running around and destroying my gyms reputation..."
Koal, who had stopped and was now staring down the guy condescending him, whom was much older, like the others who he dealt with yesterday. "Yeah, what of it? They were being very rude to a young pretty girl...and threatening to kill her poke'mon if they didn't get sexual favors. I don't condone such behavior... especially from people from a gym. Tch. Must be a pretty pathetic gym...." Scoffing at them and shaking his head. "It was just a battle, unregulated by any kind of rules and law, and corrupt battle-manship. I've heard about your gym from another town, I heard it was a small gym that tyrannized a small town into submission with power."
"But only people around here are a few beginner trainers, elderly who probably released most of their's back into the wild already after age started to take its toll, and people who don't have poke'mon for battling, only companions and work poke'mon. You are a small gym, having only two subordinates. I heard you were a cocky asshole who couldn't make his gym any more popular because it's out of the way for most trainers to want to even bother. And so, you beat down anyone who comes around and force the townspeople to do whatever it is you want whenever you desire. You even have your grunts run around and make sure the abuse is working, and keeps it going..."
The older man, whom was nearly bald with black hair and muscles, but he also had a beer belly or pug belly from feeding himself off the people, only steamed with anger from this young pups rebellious attitude, which he was not used to, after becoming gym master and deciding he was above the law and could do anything he wanted. "Boy! Prepare for a battle, and once YOU have been humiliated, you will die with your companions!"
"Ohhh... and you're threatening me, even with death. Ouch. Guess I should break down into tears and beg for my life..." Koal rolled his eyes then, sarcastic as ever. "But uh... how about.... no. We're right next to the city, and now your gonna try and kill me? Pssh. Perhaps authorities will be patrolling..." At this point, Koal's attitude was growing more serious as the conversation went on, beginning to realize this guy did think he was someone special, and wouldn't leave them alone until example had been made. But, he is a gym leader...
"Heheh... I own this town, boy!" The mans clothing was that of baggy pants, sneakers, and a tang-top, and a long-sleeve unbuttoned shirt with the symbols of his gym logo on the back of his shirt. With a custom belt, bannering his gym colors and symbols. He grabbed a poke ball and extra sized it, before throwing it. The ball hit the ground and rolled into position on its own before popping open and releasing the bright energy. "Cops? Ha. Aint no pigs around here. I am the cops, and I am the govern too, as of recently." A blood-thirsty grin came from him then. "Marrowak.... Time for another victim of a tragic training exercise..." Marrowak sneered their direction. "Marro...wak..." Slamming its large bone club into its hand as it finished its name "wak."
Red stepped back and whimpered. "Koal... he's the strongest around here; I think it's time we run..." Her hands grasped his left arm and tugged a little, but he didn't move, only focused forward. Her hands trembled as she stuttered slightly, still staring at Jattara. "He's real strong... I've seen what he can do..."
Koal shook his head, his long brown hair tied back into a pony tail swayed as he did. Reaching first too his hair-band and pulling it free, allowing his hair to fall freely about his facial features, running his fingers through it to better separate it and then letting it down. Then, he reached to his belt, extra sizing one of the balls and tilted his head upward and flashing him a grin. "Oh, sir, you've no idea how much I've been wanting a challenging battle for some time... someone needs some experience..." And suddenly he thrust his right arm forward, the poke ball opening up within his hand. An erratic energy and light came rushing out as if escaping to freedom for the first time, leaping towards the field with great haste. The light soon came together and rose, building into a form.
This could only be explained as energy being condensed inside an orb, that can minimize and enlarge with the first press of a single button on this double colored ball. With the second press, the orb will open a second or two afterwards and release a captured creature held within.
The light soon faded and appearing stood Tyranitar. The dirty green colored, brown and almost blue blotches along its spiky armored body. Towering over puny Marrowak at 7.0 and leaned forward and let out a deafening roar towards his opponent, before standing straight and letting out a stretch. "I hope you're ready..." whispering to himself, his head lowering a little and glaring towards both opponents.
The two lackeys looked at one another and then to their boss. "He's got a strong, fully evolved poke'mon sir... those evolve at 50's level, if I recall." The boss, only grumbling, sneered then. "Bah! He's a pup; no way is that thing his. Probably disobedient, and if it is, no way he's got it any higher level than 50s. And this is an illegal battle; you've got two on the field!"
"Yes, so illegal. However, I assume attempting to kill someone's poke'mon and blackmailing them for sex isn't illegal either... But, Slasha isn't the type to go into poke balls. She prefers to stay out, all the time, and so she deserves it. I admit, Slasha isn't my strongest... Rex is." Koal snickered as he looked to Red. "Sorry, lied, but I like to keep secret weapons... well, secret." Red, whom was confused and scared, only nodded, watching events unfold. "And don't worry, we're going to be just fine, especially you." She nodded again, kind of keeping herself behind him.
Booming from across the field "Bone-merang, now, Marrowak!"
"Rex, grab and slash!" Tyranitar stepped forward with a thundering stomp as the bone weapon flung directly at him. But Tyranitar grabbed the bone-club suddenly and leaped up forward. "Move!" you could hear the gym-leader cry as Rex came slamming down upon the ground and swinging the club with the force of his Slash and clubbing the Marrowak into the ground. The skull helmet cracked with such a force and its body crushed to the ground. It didn't move again.
The gym master's eyes widened and he stepped forward, looking over his Marrowak and then back up to the Tyranitar and to its master, who stood there, not saying a thing, just watching. His eyes closed and he took in a deep breath before they shot open and he screamed. "You mother-fucker! Trim, Rox. Pull out your strongest! They must die, now!" The two of them immediately grabbed their poke balls and yanked forth their strongest. Time for another illegal battle...
Both of them must've been brothers. Having blue, short hair each. Light facial hair, and glaring green eyes. One was just a couple of years older. Both matching gym-outfits, more like dirty orange jumpsuits, with pockets galore, dangling strings a belt of poke balls. Enlargening both of their balls near the same time, they threw. One bounced off the ground and followed suit by the second, then another. All three popping opening nearly simultaneously. The first was an Icion, the second was a Flarion, and the third came out as Kingler.
All three standing side-by-side and letting out their battle cries. Tyranitar stomped is feet into a battle stance, tilting its head, and in the process nearly its whole body, to glance to master's eye contact. Koal's voice rolled in its mind as it turned and lowered its body. Might think tackle at first. But suddenly it was on all fours staring ahead at them and then leaping as high as it could into the air.
Commands shouted through one another as poke'mon responded to such an attack. Both eve evolves leaped into the air but Kingler couldn't, and only readied itself for the blunt of the attack, clenching pincers close to its body and trying to curl its legs close to its body, which may have been a mistake to begin with, not that spreading them open would help things.
Just as the two leaped up, Rex came crashing down into the ground causing a small quake that would shake the surrounding areas enough to cause some weakly rooted trees to fall, fruits to snap free, and slumbering poke'mon to be rattled awaken abruptly. Kingler took the brunt of the attack and stumbled till it cracked to the ground for a moment, using its pincer to push itself back into a standing position and legs skittering into positions to hold itself up as best it could. Everyone standing around the battlefield struggled to stand ground, a couple people falling but the quake dissipated just as quickly as it had came and everyone was able to gather themselves back again.
Orders were already being handed out to the three of them as Rex recovered from his attack. But he was lumbery and slow. Suddenly an ice-beam slammed into his left side and he let out an aggravated groan. Suddenly, another attack of a flamethrower sizzled his right side. But a water-blast blocked off the fire waves but also sent Rex stumbling backwards to a near crash to the ground. While recovering, Rex heard more orders and quickly lifted its arms into the air and let out a sudden summoning of a sand-storm. Staring small, but growing quickly in size, was a mini dust tornado. It was not mini for long, as it engulfed the entire field in moments, and stayed as such.
"Shit…" Koal whispered to himself while gliding his hands over his other poke balls, thinking to himself. A voice came from behind him though. "Kooall!" She had to shout as the storm wind caused everything to get loud, howling winds and leaves being caught up in the storm, it was difficult to even see. But she still had hold of his left arm. "We've gotta get out of here, now! Their going to kill you!" He turned his head to acknowledge her but shook his head, shouting back, wincing his eyes. "No! Their harder than I thought... but I can still win! If we run, they still might get us, its better to hold your ground! I've got a chance! Just be patient!"
By then, Jattara and group had realized what was happening. Their poke'mon were being buffed. Shielding their eyes, the three came close together and shouted to hear one another. "We attack as one! He can't dodge us all! We can't let this punk scar our rep!" All three of them turned, shouting order to their poke' on, which they could barely see, and soon they disappeared to attack.
Koal shouted then to Rex. "Another earthquake!" Suddenly, he threw up two hands and poke balls opened up, energy disappearing off into the storm. "Talon! Fly! Gar! Psy-beam!" You could hear mangled battle cries, but the storm made it difficult to hear anything from a distance.
The storm began to settle a little, and all of them began to see a little farther and hear a little less of the storm and more of each other. Rox, one of the gym groupies saw zoom by him from the corner of his sight but shook his head, shouting more orders, unsure if his poke'mon had even landed a hit or not. The others did the same, not able to ascertain weather or not they were winning or loosing yet.
Three figures came into sight, but stopped and awaited commands and Koal smirked. "Good! Now all of you repeat!" Again, the silhouettes of the poke'mon disappeared into the fray. If listening hard enough, one could barely hear hits being taken and cries of pain and shock. The battle went on for a moment longer, intense shaking and lights flashing in the mist of sand billowing around them, but the storm finely died down enough to where the five of them could finely begin to see the whole field. They saw each others poke'mon being finely seeing one another, and the storm finely let up and dissipated completely to reveal the damages done during an unseen battle.
Jattara and crew all took in deep breaths of anger and surprise when they saw what had happened. Kingler was out, fallen over on itself, looking as if parts of its shell had nearly been stressed to the point of cracking and bruising. Icion and Flarion were panting and struggling to standing on all fours, heads held low, and tails limp. "Flarion..." "Icion..." But the leader only stared on with anger. His hands began shaking and his muscles tensing. All three of them also noticed the other two poke'mon on the field and a little bit of fear began to course through them at this point.
Koal stepped forward, looking two his three well trained poke'mon, standing next to one another and staring down the enemy's poke'mon with focus and readiness. Kadabra had sustained a little bit of buffering and most likely a missed attack along his side and hulking tail, probably a fire attack that scathed him. And hovering in the air, with massive beasts of its wings was Fearow, Koal looking up to him with a grin before returning to look at Rex, whom had taken quite a lot of damage and was now panting as well, leaning somewhat forward from fatigue, still battle-ready though. Fearow was the only one really damage less. Being able to stay out of reach and constant mobility to keep from being hit. "Alright you three. It's an illegal battle, if you haven't noticed... and they're strong. I believe they could have up to 5 or even 6 poke'mon left. I hope you guys can back one another up..."
Suddenly though, the others poke'mon were rushing them at once. A new one had entered the field, a Blastoise. All of them throwing elemental attacks their direction. "Talon, double-team! Gar, psychic! Rex... hyperbeam that blastoise!"
Five full blown attacks were racing past one another towards their respective targets. Dodges and hits took place. First to leave battle-field was Icion, crashing to the ground in midrun and sliding forward in the sand. Next came Blastoise who crashed to the field with a loud thud and kicking up much dirt with the landing. Flarion stood alone on the battle-field, growling with one eye open, and scathes, wounds, and fatigue taking over.
Rox looked over to Jattara and gulped. "Sir, that was my strongest... she's done for." He quickly went to call her back but Jattara knocked the poke ball from his hand. "If that creature can't win, it doesn't deserve to live! Same with Blastoise!" He yanked his last poke ball from his belt and tossed it. A sandshrew entered the field and let out a battle cry, but compared to the rest of them, it held no ground... unless the man hadn't evolved it, but it was probably not the case. Rox looked to his Icion and then went to grab the poke ball but suddenly got a hefty punch to the face, falling to the ground unconscious.
"Fuckin idiot! Trim! Attack!" But suddenly Trim's poke'mon exited the field and he shook his head. "I'm not fighting anymore... he's too strong. The rest of mine are much weaker than even your sandshrew..." "I don't care! Send them out, now!" But Trim was already running towards town, leaving his so called friend behind and his master, yeah. Jattara screamed in frustration as he ordered Sandshrew to Tackle. And it tried, only to be knocked backwards towards its master's feet by an Iron wing attack from Talon.
Jattara shook his head in anger and grabbed the unconscious man's belt and yanked forth the last two Poke'mon from him and threw the balls, but poke'mon didn't come out. "What?! Obey me! Get out and fight!" But nothing happened. A vein was bulging from his forehead and gritting his teeth angrily. "You can't win! You loose! You fail!" He stomped the ground in anger and quickly pulled out a gun, pointing them at Koal and fired. But, Rex stepped into the way and the bullet simply ricocheted from his armored body.
Shots were suddenly fired. Koal gasping but... nothing happened, did he miss? Looking to Jattara, both Red and him could see blood beginning to soak his tang-top and drip from his left arm. He dropped the gun and slowly fell to his knees, eyes wide and then going white as he fall forward into the ground, motionless.
A girl was walking up with a rifle in her hand, staring down at the now dead body of Jattara. She then looked up to see three poke'mon and two people standing there, sighing. "He deserved to die... but I could never pull the trigger..."
Red's eyes widened and she ran forward, tackling her mom and hugging her tightly, whimpering and sniffling. "He was going to kill us..." Her mom now cried too, hugging her child and dropping the gun. Koal sighed heavily in relief. "Good guys... Thanks Rex." He then called all of them back from the field and back into their poke balls, and putting them into their respective places on his belt. Slasha stood next to him, simply looking up at him and tilting her head.
"Yeah... don't get upset. I didn't put you on the field. You would've gone out if anyone else was knocked out. But that's what I train you guys so hard for, so I you can hold your own in a battle." She nodded somewhat before looked to Red and her mom, still holding one another.
Red slowly looked from her mothers arms to the dead body of Jattara. "What now? We don't even have a gym now… no one will come here anymore and this town will loose business and become a ghost town..." Red's mom shook her head. "How about you take up the position, Koal?" And Koal just blinked and laughed from afar.
"No, no. I will not. Not ready to settle down yet. I'm still so young." He chuckled lightly as he walked over to the unconscious body of Rox. Several others from town came walking down the path and seeing all of this came up and began question. Red explained the situation to them and they were stunned. "So... He finely took a bullet. I was wondering when that was going to happen..." one of the townsfolk spoke.
Koal then cocked a brow, crossing his arms and staring at the body of Jattara. "So... how did he get a gun? I thought guns were outlawed to general public. Only military and law officers could carry such weapons?"
Red's mom walked up to him and extended her hand in greeting. "Name's Sam, mother to Red here." Her hand stroking down her childs short red hair. "I was once the officer of this town... but they threatened my daughter's life if I didn't resign, so I did. I'll be able to take up position again. But we need a gym leader; won't you consider such a deal?" She almost seemed to plead with him, standing in her long dress and blouse, with a bandana around her head keeping her hair up.
Koal shook his head. "I'm just not interested in that, not even for temporary position. Sorry. I've got other agenda's to keep my mind attached too. Becoming a gym leader is quite a bit of work in itself. I'm not ready for that." He gave her a cheesy smile and shrugged. Sam nodded her head, sighing a little and looking to the dead body. "I guess my first errand getting back into work is to take care of this situation. Here, let's get back into town."
The three of them walked past the scene and continued into town. On the way, Sam spoke to a couple people who'd come out of their homes with curiosity, hearing the battle from their homes and even feeling it. "Jon!" She called to one man. "You're re-instated. Theresa a body out there needing to be picked up and an unconscious man. Set up an investigation scene. As well as, an accomplice of theirs still at large. Find Jeff too, we're gonna need his help. Also, get a hold of Krime; he may want the job as gym leader. Otherwise, get back to me, I'll find us one." Jon nodded and quickly went to work, pretty happy to be back as an officer.
Once back into the poke center, Red and Koal relaxed while getting their poke'mon medically treated. In the mean time, they sat down and had lunch on Officer Sam's tab. Koal relaxed into a booth chair and sighed, finely able to relax. Red's voice tore him from his thoughts though. "Why didn't you run?" She asked.
"Eh, there was no real point. If we ran, that meant they could simply use their poke'mon to injure us and by then, I'da taken damage and my poke'mon probably would have just trying to protect us as we treated instead of attacking. Being injured, I would then have to fight, and by that point my strongest poke'mon would've probably been too damaged to fight. So, we faired a better chance... and see, it turned out okay." He just smiled lightly and closed his eyes, leaning his head back onto the back of the booth. He'd tied his hair up on the way back, so now it hung over the booth. He'd also retrieved a jacket from his pack, which sat next to him in the booth now. But, leaving it unzipped so you could still see the black tang-top with his charm hanging down upon his hairy chest.
Tossing her hair about a bit, she nodded and looked to him with red hair falling over the right side of her face. She just stared at him with the eyes of someone in love. A man who could take care of her, defends her, and keeps her safe. She really liked that... And whispered to herself. "One day you'll love me... and until that day, I'll be waiting..."
Koal then looked up to her. "What'cha say, didn't catch that." Her eyes widened and she blushed. "Oh, nothing... I was just thanking you is all." And she fronted a smile to keep him from seeing her blush. Looking down to the table and her food and drink, she only smiled to herself as Koal went back to resting his head.
She began getting lost in her imagination. Remembering the situation that had just happened in detail, as she watched everything. But, she cheerfully added in her own words. Whenever he spoke to her in her imagination, it was always loving and protective towards her, and how much he cared about her, not exactly what had happened, but she was a little girl in love, she thought, she could imagine anything she wanted. Both her elbows pressed to the table and she rested her head onto her hands and closed her eyes, smiling happily while exploring her imagination.
As time passed, they sat quietly in the center and awaited Officer Sam's return to get statements from the both of them. Koal thought of his brother. How the world must have looked about twenty years ago, when his brother set off into the world. It had been ten years ago that Koal set out with Zangoose. He remembered when he first got Zangoose...
"Koal, Koal! Get up! Happy birthday Koal!" His mother's voice awoke him as his eyes cracked open and he rubbed them while sitting up, a smile cracking on his lips. "Oh yeah... it is...isn't it."
"Of course it is silly. I let you sleep in today. But, there's a great gift waiting for you at the breakfast table..."
He jumped out of bed, not changing from his jammies and rushed to the kitchen. Once in the kitchen, he saw his brother kneeling with his back to him. Turning his head, however, he saw his brothers face smiling. "Look who decided to wake up..." He grinned and then stood up, stepping out of the way to reveal an untrained, low level Zangoose. Koal could only stare surprised at the creature and then to his brother... Ash. "You got me my first poke'mon?! I thought I was gonna have to go to the town-center and nurse Felicia would give me one!?"
Ash only chuckled as he looked down at his brother and placed a hand on his head, rubbing. "Nah. Professor Oak moved away to a bigger city and now does great science with poke'mon and such. But, no. Now, mostly, people get to choose from one of several low level poke'mon. But, I decided to give you something that I knew would give you a great start into the world of Poke'mon and you can catch, raise, and train your own poke'mon over time. I hope this doesn't bother you, but you would only get a common poke'mon at the poke'mon center. This female Zangoose is from a whole other region altogether. Rare, especially for around here."
"And she'll be strong. And she's had a great personality ever since I first received her several months back. So I decided to give her too you. She didn't mind either. She wants companionship with someone but she doesn't want to be forgotten in the poke ball and left neglected by her master. She was a lot like my first poke'mon, except mine was just stubborn and disobedient. She will obey, and probably want a lot of your attention. Understand? Becoming a poke'mon trainer isn't simply about power, it's about companionship. It's about becoming the best, without throwing away what makes a good person a good person and throwing everything away just for the pursuit of power."
Ash's expression was smiling, but through his little speech, had become serious. "The reason I say this is I promised this Zangoose she would not have a master like that last one she had. I ran across someone abusing her, a trainer who didn't care about the poke'mon, and trained them till they were near death or dead. His philosophy was if the poke'mon died like that, it was a weakling, and didn't deserve to live if it couldn't fight. Now, if I give this poke'mon to you, you must make a promise to me. Promise that you will never neglect her." He then knelt down before his brother, staring him in the eyes and waiting for a reply.
Young Koal stared at him fearfully almost, gulping and nodding slowly. "I promise I will never neglect her, abuse her, or mistreat her in any way. She will become my faithful companion and I will become her respectful master." Koal then saw his brothers expression go from serious to a smile and giving his little brother a hug, who also hugged back, and Ash whispered into his ear. "Happy birthday Koal."
"Who wants cake?" Mom had slipped quietly into the kitchen while they talked, and had already cut up three pieces of cake, placed plates on the table with silverware and milk glasses. Both of them happily joined mom at the table and began munching down. Even a plate was put down to the ground to feed little Zangoose, who'd become a new part of the family. "Happy birthday sweetie." She placed a couple of gifts on the table, and two gifts were already sitting there waiting from Ash.
Koal was awoken to the light shaking of Officer Sam. As he woke, he could hear Red giggling as officer Sam spoke. "You sleep like a baby, wow..." Sitting up, he looked around and noticed it had begun to get dark and groggily yawned and spoke with his eyes half open. "Did I fall asleep, seriously? For how long..."
Sam just smiled and shook her head. "Yeah, sorry. Now that I'm chief again, I had to reinstate a couple of people, get back their gear and poke'mon, etc. Had to take care of some things around town that needed immediate attention. Rox and Trim are in jail now. Their going to be punished for what crimes they've committed. So, it's been a few hours... heh. You're welcome to stay at our house tonight if you like. You didn't even finish lunch, so I'm sure you're hungry after a nap."
Yawning again, he nodded. "Sure... why not." Yawning again, he picked up his pack and looked to the tray placed at the corner of their table. The tray carried his six poke'mon and he picked them up, placing them into his belt.
Red had noticed something while he slept and decided to ask about it. "You mark your poke balls?" She figured it was a way of knowing what poke'mon was in what or something.
"Yeah. I don't like getting my poke balls mistaken for someone else's. It's happened to me before at a couple of leagues, challenges, and arena's I've gone too. So, to keep that from happening, I've marked each one somehow." and Koal stepped out from his booth, one of the poke balls burst open on its own and a poke'mon rose beside him, it was Slasha. He reached down to give her head a soft stroke before following Sam towards the door, Red keeping up beside him.
"So, you don't use them to know which poke'mon is in each ball." She asked curiously, tilting her head and staring up to him.
"Nah, I call tell that just by the weight and by which place I put them on my belt. I used to notch my belt in certain places so I could tell which poke'mon was which, but I eventually got used to knowing which poke'mon was wear and how much weight was in the ball. For example.... Rex has got to be one of my heaviest poke'mon, so his poke ball is the heaviest. But I also which one he is because he's first in line on my belt." he smiled and pointed to his belt around his waist were Rex was. "The second spot is reserved for Slasha; she's never in though, so it's always empty."
She watched as they walked and nodded as she listened, and even studied. She just might do the same thing when she gets more poke'mon and she travels too. It sounded like a good idea no matter what way you looked at it. "So... you can sleep in my room tonight, if you want..."
"Uhh, child, no. I don't think so. He's sleeping in my room tonight." She suddenly laughed as they opened the door and she held it open for the two of them. Koal went first, giving her an odd expression as he passed. And Red, glaring hard at her mother when she passed, smacking her mother's waist as she walked by. "Stop it..."
Sam only laughed as she escorted them home. Red couldn't even talk now, blushing so intensely. And Koal simply sighed, feeling the tense air.
Once they got to the officers home, Sam and Red entered and quickly began cleaning up the couch area. Koal took his seat on the couch and placed his pack next to it, getting comfy and taking off his jacket and belt, placing them upon the pack too and relaxing. Red sat next to him and turned on the TV.
To which, both Koal and Red got lost in the TV while mom started to make dinner. The rest of the night went on pretty uneventfully before having dinner. Although, he explained to them tomorrow at breakfast, once done, he was probably going to leave town. It was time for him to get a move on. Red, of course, tried to convince him to stick around for awhile longer, maybe she could go along with him if she trained with him enough for awhile, but he also explained that he didn't want company. And apologized. And finely, bed...
The very next morning, they all woke up around the same time for breakfast. The day turned out to be a beautiful day. Bright sun rising into the sky. Soft ocean breeze sweeping the land. Not a cloud in the sky. And no chances of rain for the day.
Koal came to sit at the table, after taking a morning shower and freshened up. His hair was slick and tied to a pony tail, not a stub of hair to be found upon his face. And no sunglasses to hide his neon like eyes, which is the first thing the both of them saw when he sat down and they just stared at him like he was a wild poke'mon joining them for breakfast. Blinking at the both of them, looking back and forth to each. "What?" he said, totally unaware.
Red lifted one arm and pointed to her eyes, still stunned. He just sighed to himself an reached for his pack, which he brought just about everywhere. But Sam stopped him. "No, its okay. I've just never seen your eyes before until this moment. You're one of those people with crazy looking eyes. I've never seen that before..." "Me either..." Said Red.
"Heh... I kinda get that a lot. Sorry." he wanted to put the glasses on, but Sam had told him it was okay, and he'd rather not wear them... so he just left them off and looked to the breakfast before thanking Sam. "It looks great... thanks." He felt so uneasy now...
Sam's attitude changed and she smiled. "Oh, why thank you." Red groaned. "Ouch! Mom!" And Sam only stared her down, obviously trying to tell her not to stare. But Red only grinned, leaning forward. "I like your eyes... their very cool..." Obviously, in her case, love had no bounds, which was good and all...
He just coughed a little, beginning to munch contently on his food. The three of them ate rather quietly until done. Too which Koal stood up, bowed, and began pulling his pack over his shoulder. Zangoose finished her breakfast way before and was now waiting at his side to go.
Red jumped up, grabbing his left arm again an looking up to him. "No! Wait, I want to hang out more, can't you just stay another day? Please?" And Sam came up to grab Red and pull her away, hugging her from the behind her. "Listen, Koal, thank you for everything you've done. I don't know how to thank you for defending my daughter against that slime..." She grumbled but nodded. "And I'd like to show my appreciation by giving you a bit of money..."
Koal shook his head, smiling. "No, it's quite alright. Surviving was really enough of a reward for me. And you bought me lunch, and let me stay here, and fed me again. Really, you've done more than enough to thank me." He bowed once more. "But, I've got a long day's journey to the next town, if there is one close. I'll have to check out my map once I hit the main road."
Sam smiled and nodded, one hand stroking her daughters hair as they followed him to the door. They stopped as he kept going, waving at him as he turned, giving them a wave and Zangoose lead the way out of town... Red, however, shouted at him as he continued off. "I will become a great trainer one day, and I will find you, and we can travel together Koal! I will see you again one day, I promise!"
Koal, on the other hand, smiled to himself and shook his head. "So, I bet you think I should have just stayed there, don't you..."
Zangoose only shrugged, looking back to him for a moment, and then continuing on.
"Yeah... I couldn't handle a little girl like her everyday. She's sweet, she's cute, but she's just far too immature for Me." he chuckled to himself. "Oh, but her mom was pretty hot..."
Zangoose's eyes widened and she spun her head around, giving him a look of near disgust.
"Ahaha! Knew that one would give you a jerk. Ahaha!" he just laughed to himself as he disappeared from view to the two of them left behind... "I'll never see her again..." He looked down then, wondering if he ever would or not. He wondered a lot of things while out on the road alone sometimes. He had been alone half his life now, traveling, training. He'd never had a relationship with someone before... Hell, he'd only had sex a few times and kissed a few times. A relationship might just be a little odd to him... although he was so very lonely. Sighing, he shook his thoughts of such things and focused on the journey ahead. They'd have to get some training going on while on the go as well. That last battle was really the most intense he had had in a great time, several months. That battle probably gave the three of his poke'mon a nice workout, maybe one was soon to level. He had much to do, he thought, much to do.... especially finding his brother, avenging his friend Leon.
Chap. 1. The Way Of A Trainer
This is my first published story in awhile. Feel like I'm quite rusty, but I still would love to have some feedback. But, keep your negative comments to yourself.