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Heather's Pokémon Journey
by Sailor Chronos

I want to be the very best, like no one ever was;
To catch them is my real test, to train them is my cause.
I will travel across the land, searching far and wide,
Each Pokémon to understand the power that's inside.
Pokémon, it's you and me; I know it's my destiny.
Oh, you're my best friend in a world we must defend.
Pokémon, a heart so true; our courage will pull us through,
You teach me and I'll teach you, Pokémon.
Gotta catch 'em all, Pokémon!

Chapter One: A Heart Oppressed

"Heather, please go out and pick some raspberries," her mother asked. "Don't wander too far into the forest."

"I know, Mom." Her mother's oft-repeated warning grated on her nerves. Everyone in Twilight Village kept their children close at hand. The stories of terrible monsters that lived in the surrounding forests had people afraid, yet in all the times she had been fruit-picking in those very forests, she had yet to see anything larger than a stray dog. Nevertheless, she had a bow and arrows in a sling across her back, just in case.

She picked up a basket and headed out. The familiar secret path that she had made was comforting. She had been using it since she was old enough to go out on her own, and it led to the best places for berries and fruit that hadn't already been picked bare by the other village kids. Her mother complained that she took a long time gathering the fruit, but had to admit it was better than what the neighbours' brat brought home.

Screeches sounded nearby, and Heather froze in her tracks. Was it a monster? After listening for a moment, she thought that it sounded more like an animal in trouble than something dangerous. She left the path and followed the noise, and soon came upon one of the village cats that was terrorizing a bird.

It was a fact of life that cats caught birds and ate them, she knew, but she preferred not to hear about it. Bounding forward, she yelled, "Get away, you mangy cat! Leave that bird alone!" The scruffy tabby hissed at her, then disappeared into the brush, leaving the bird lying on the ground. It fluttered weakly as she drew near.

"You poor thing." She knelt next to it, trying to see if it was all right, or if it would be better to put it out of its misery. "I'm not going to hurt you." The bird's brown eyes peered up at her, as if it understood what she had said.

Heather took a closer look. This was unlike any bird she had seen. It was jay-sized and mostly a creamy-white colour, except for its back and shoulders which were a rich brown. It had a rusty orange crest and tail feathers. Carefully she picked it up and smoothed its feathers back into place. It flinched as she touched its left wing. "Your wing is hurt. I'd better bandage it." Taking out her handkerchief, she wrapped it around the bird's wing. Then she stood up and placed the bird in a hollow in a nearby tree. "You should be safe there, in case that cat comes back. I have to get on with my picking, but I'll be back later."

On her way back to the house she returned to the tree. To her relief, the bird was still there, and she gave it a few berries that she had saved. "You can eat these, you need to keep your strength up." Hesitantly she stroked its head, and strangely, it didn't try to get away like a wild bird would. "I'll come every day to make sure you get better."


"You WHAT?" Her father was outraged when she mentioned what had happened. "Young lady, you are not to handle that creature again. It's dangerous! You should have let the cat finish the job."

"Papa, it's only a little bird! What could it do?"

"Give the child a break, dear," her mother intervened. "She got home safely, and that's what matters."

"Nevertheless, I forbid you to go berrying in that area, at least until it has been deemed safe by the constabulary. They'll handle it."

"Papa!"

"No more arguments. Your brother will do the gathering tomorrow."

She snorted, tossing her short brown hair. "That brat? Jack doesn't know the difference between a gooseberry and poison sumac!"

"Then I'll go with him," her mother said severely. "While I'm out, you can wash the kitchen floor and prepare a stew."

Heather grumbled, but she knew there was no way out of this mess.

The next day was bright and sunny, which made her feel even worse. At least with her mother and brother out gathering, and her father at work, she had the house to herself. She made the stew and cleaned the kitchen until it was spotless, and was trying to decide whether to do the dusting when there was a sound at the kitchen window.

"Pidgey, pidgey!"

She was paralyzed with shock. Despite all the stories, none of the monsters in the forest had ever shown up inside the village, but she wasn't taking any chances. She grabbed her bow and arrow and ran to the kitchen. There was something perched on the windowsill. It was her bird, holding her handkerchief in one of its claws. Sighing with relief, she tossed the weapon on the floor and opened the screen. "You scared me! Oh, you brought my hanky back, your wing must be all better." She slowly reached for it, and the bird actually handed it to her. "Wow! No bird I know would do this! Are you a trained bird?"

It shook its head in the "no" gesture that a human would use.

Heather stared at it in awe, backed up a few steps and tripped over the bucket of water that she had forgotten to toss out. She fell heavily on her bottom and dirty water sluiced across the floor. The bird flapped its wings in obvious amusement. "Pidgey! Pidgey!" it said.

Oblivious to her now wet shorts, she clambered to her feet and walked up to the bird, who watched her. This was not a normal forest creature, she was certain. It definitely was intelligent. "You're not just an ordinary bird, are you?"

"Pidgey!"

"Is that your name?" It shook its head "no" again. "Is that the kind of bird you are?" This time it nodded "yes". "Well, do you mind if I call you Pidgey?" It answered "no". "All right, Pidgey. My name's Heather." She stroked its head. "It was really nice of you to bring back my hanky. But you'd better go before my mom and brother get back. They're afraid of you, and I don't know why."

"Pidgey." It hopped onto her shoulder and nuzzled her. "Pidgey!" Then it flew out the window.

She smiled to herself. "I think I made a new friend." Then she set to mopping up the spilled water.


Her world came crashing down a few days later. Jack, her nosy brother, had followed her that morning while she was out berrying, since he wanted to find out how she got better fruit than he did. He had found her in the middle of a wild strawberry patch, talking to Pidgey. During dinner that evening, Jack looked like he had ants in his pants, he was fidgeting so much.

"What's the matter with you?" their father demanded.

The boy pointed at his sister. "I saw Heather this morning with a... with a Pokémon!"

Everyone gasped.

She was furious, not only because he had found one of her secret places, but that he knew about Pidgey and tattled on her. "Jack, you dope! You sneaking little brat..!"

That was as far as she got; her father interrupted. "I thought I told you to keep away from that creature!"

"Pidgey is just a bird!" Heather shouted. "It can't hurt anyone! Why is everybody in this village so afraid of what's out there? No wonder the people who visit other towns don't want to come back, it's because they've realized how much they've been lied to!"

The dishes rattled from her father's fist hammering on the table. "That's enough from you, young lady. A twelve year old doesn't know what's best. I've heard enough to know that there are worse monsters in that forest than this...'Pidgey'."

"Heard, fine. But has anyone ever SEEN one?" she asked. "Has there ever been any proof to these stories that we've been told all our lives? Or are people just too scared of their own shadows to find out?"

"Uhh, sis, I think you should stop now," Jack said quietly.

She just glared at him, then faced her shocked parents. "Well, I'm not scared. First thing in the morning I'm going to find Pidgey and we're leaving."

"Heather, you can't be serious!" her mother stammered. "The nearest settlement is on Indigo Plateau, beyond the hills. It would take days on foot! And there are the monsters!"

"I don't care!"

Her father pointed at her angrily. "To your room. Now. And no more back talk. I'm going to call the constabulary and they'll take care of this 'Pidgey' bird. That's the end of it!" He marched her to her room and shut the door.

She stood there for a few minutes with tears running down her cheeks. Why couldn't they understand? She dried her face, grabbed her school backpack and dumped its contents on the floor, then began to pack it. Changes of clothes. Her diary. A locket with her brother's picture in it. For a moment she paused. That had been her birthday present from him. As bratty as he was, she still cared about him. She clipped it around her neck and slid it under her shirt. A few packets of dried fruit. A bottle of salve that she used to treat scratches. Matches. Her pocket knife. Flashlight. With a groan she realized that her bow and arrows were next to the back door. She opened her door a crack. Her parents were still in the kitchen, arguing. There was no way she could get past them, so she would have to leave her weapon behind.

There was no more time to waste. Papa would head for the phone at any time, if he hadn't already, and she had to get out and warn Pidgey.

"Psst! Sis!" Jack peeked out of his room and tiptoed over to her. He had a book in his hand. "Since you're serious about this whole thing, you'll need all the help you can get. I got this from the village library." The title was "Poketta Monsutaa Encyclopedia".

"Thanks, Jack." She hugged him. "Take care of Mom and Papa."

He nodded and went back to his room.

After one last look around her room she closed up her backpack securely, climbed out the window and fled into the forest.

She hadn't gone far when Pidgey found her and perched on her shoulder. "I'm glad you're safe, Pidgey," she said breathlessly. "Papa's convinced that you're dangerous and he's going to send people after you. We have to go." She recalled what her mother had hinted at earlier. "I don't suppose you know the way to Indigo Plateau, do you?"

"Pidgey." Its tone sounded sad.

Sighing, she clenched her fists; she should have thought to bring a map. However, she remembered enough from looking at the maps at school to know that Twilight Village was on the northern edge of a range of hills, and there were several major cities on the other side of them. She had to stay off the road for now, since that would be the first place people would look for her. Putting the setting sun on her right hand, she started walking.

"It's just you and me now, Pidgey. I hope we get there in one piece."

"Pidgey."

And so she started on her journey.