Pocket Monsters Adventures
CHAPTER 2
The sun glistened over Viridian as it set behind the mountains. The street lights came on as the hour grew late and the bustling city fell into silence. The Police Department building stood near the entrance of the city where a young female officer checked her watch then stood up from her desk. She picked up the microphone for the P.A. system and took a deep breath.
"Attention, citizens of Viridian City! Attention, citizens of Viridian City! We have reports of pokémon thieves within our area! If you see anything suspicious, please contact the Viridian City Police Department! Repeat: We have reports of pokémon thieves within our area! If you see anything suspicious, please contact the Viridian City Police Department!"
She hung up the microphone and gazed out the window.
"I say that, but even with the reports, these thieves keep slipping away. It's like no matter what we do, they're always two steps ahead of us. If it keeps up like this-,"
She trailed off when she saw a young man of early teens running down the street. He had silver hair and carried a pikachu in his arms.
"Well speak of the devil."
Ayden finally made his way to the top of the street overlooking the city. In the distance, he could see the red roof of the Pokémon Center. He leaned against a nearby building and caught his breath.
"Just hang on, Piik. We're almost there."
He took his next step and then paused. His vision blurred and he fell over. He lay on the pavement taking in deep breaths when he heard a voice from a distance. He looked up and saw a female officer run toward him. She wore a blue uniform with white gloves, skirt, and black high heels. She wrapped his arm around her shoulder and stood him up.
"Young man! Are you okay? What happened? Do you need to go to the hospital?"
Ayden calmed his breathing long enough to respond.
"Officer Jenny. Please, you have to help me get Piik to the Pokémon Center as soon as possible. She's in really bad shape."
Jenny looked over both Ayden and Piik and nodded.
"I understand. Don't worry I'll get you there. Come on, this way."
She led him to the other side of the Police Department to a double-door garage. When she opened the door, a motorcycle with a side car awaited them. Once she strapped Ayden and herself in, she turned on her sirens and sped down the street.
As they drove away, the two Chaos grunts came out from behind a building. One of them clicked his tongue and punched his palm.
"Damn! Just another minute and that brat would've been ours!"
The other took out a cigarette and lit it.
"Don't worry. We know where he's going and he doesn't have the energy to fight back. All we have to do is follow them."
The city had been blanketed by the darkness of night by the time Ayden and Jenny made it to the Pokémon Center. Jenny swiftly parked the motorcycle at the entrance and helped Ayden inside.
The bright lights of the spacious lobby nearly blinded Ayden as he entered. A young woman, with pink hair tied in twintail loops, stood behind the check-in counter. She wore a pink dress with a white nurse apron and white shoes. Her hands moved at blinding speeds as she typed away on her computer. When Officer Jenny and Ayden approached the counter, she finally looked up and gasped when she saw Ayden.
"My word! What happened?"
Jenny quickly voiced Ayden's request.
"Nurse Joy, we need your help! This pokémon is in serious trouble!"
Joy nodded and went back to her computer. She typed in a bit of data and then pressed a button on her PA system. Her voice echoed throughout the entire center.
"Chansey, I need a stretcher for a small electric pokémon ASAP!"
It didn't take long for her pokémon to comply with her request. Soon, two pink egg-like pokémon came out of the back wheeling the stretcher. Joy took Piik from Ayden's arms and gently placed her on it. Ayden then took out spearow's pokéball and gave it to her.
"Please treat spearow as well."
With a smile, Joy took the pokéball and placed it on the stretcher next to Piik.
"Don't worry. Your pokémon are in good hands. Just leave everything to me. Chansey, would you please take these pokémon to the ER."
Chansey kindly nodded and wheeled the stretcher through the double-doors. Joy put on her gloves and followed her pokémon. When she disappeared behind the doors, the light above the entrance turned on and Ayden let out a breath of relief.
Jenny placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, your pokémon aren't the only ones needing treatment. Come on, you need to get to a hospital."
Ayden shook his head.
"Thanks, but I'm okay. It looks worse than it really is. I just need to rest for a bit. Besides, I want to be here for Piik when she gets out. I have to make certain she's okay."
Jenny looked at him for a bit before giving in.
"Okay. Looks like you've already made up your mind. I'll leave you to it then. Take care of yourself, young man."
With that, she left the Center, mounted her bike, and took off. As soon as she disappeared out of eyesight, Ayden fell to the floor. He leaned against the check-in counter until he caught enough breath to pick himself back up. He made his way to the couches and plopped down on the green leather. The softness of the couch relaxed his body to an instant sleep.
The two Chaos grunts approached the Center and gazed at the building with wide grins. The one with the cigarette took it from his mouth, exhaled one last puff and then threw it away. He picked up his phone and initiated a call.
"Hey, Captain! Yeah, we're outside the Pokémon Center. Just like we predicted, the brat's made his way to it. Yeah, we're just outside. We're about to go in."
His grinning face quickly faded.
"What? What do you mean wait until backup comes? There's no need for that! He's injured! We can handle it on our own!"
As their Captain continued to speak to him, his face darkened with anger. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth.
"Yeah, understood."
He hung up the phone and threw it at the ground splitting it in two.
"That infuriating piece of-,"
He settled back down, cleared his throat, and recomposed himself.
"Come on, we're going in and getting the kid."
His partner looked at him in shock.
"What about the Captain?"
He took out another cigarette, lit it, took in a deep breath and exhaled before chuckling.
"Don't worry about that. Once we're done here and bring the kid back, the Captain will be taking orders from us."
A bright light blinded Ayden and the sound of honking horns and screeching tires deafened his ears. The car crashed into the guard rail and flipped over. The moment it hit the water, Ayden sprang up gasping for air. He shivered as he took in his surroundings and clutched the locket around his neck. He soon calmed down and remembered he fell asleep at the Pokémon Center. His mind went back to his dream, the same dream that'd been haunting him every night for eight years. He wiped away the beads of sweat and looked up at the clock on the wall. It read 21:34. He looked over at the ER room and saw the light hadn't turned off.
Just then, the light above the ER room turned off and the doors opened. Ayden rushed over and saw Nurse Joy and Chansey wheel Piik and Spearow out.
"Nurse Joy, how are they?"
Joy greeted Ayden with a smile.
"Both Pikachu and Spearow are doing just fine. It's a good thing you got them here so fast. They've gotten through the worst part. Just give them a little bit of rest and they should be fine."
Ayden heaved a sigh of relief and looked at his sleeping pokémon. He'd just started his journey and already so much had happened. If he never had that vision, he wouldn't have met Piik or saved her from Team Chaos. He then remembered about the two in the forest and if they had followed him or not. He looked around frantically for them, making Joy slightly concerned.
"Is everything okay, young man? You seem troubled."
Ayden continued to look around. He couldn't shake off this uneasy feeling. He looked toward the windows and saw two large spheres of dark matter approach. He quickly pushed the stretcher, Joy, and Chansey back into the ER.
"Get down!"
They all heard the windows shatter and the lobby break apart as the attacks crashed their way through. The two Chaos grunts smiled as they stepped into the Center with their Poochyena ready for another battle.
"Screw waiting for backup! We're taking control! Get out here, you brat! We know you're in here! You escaped one too many times! If you don't hurry and get out here, we'll keep attacking the Center until we find you!"
They launched another wave of attacks and the entire Center shook. Ayden knew it. They followed him all the way here. And with Piik and Spearow resting, he had no way of combating their assaults.
Joy gazed on with a horrified look.
"What's going on? Who are those people?"
Ayden turned to her.
"Nurse Joy, contact Officer Jenny and let her know what's going on. Then, try to get as many pokémon as you can to safety."
Ayden stood up and approached the door. His hand pushed it open when she stopped him.
"Wait, what about you?"
He turned back to her.
"They're after me. I'll draw their attention. In the meantime, please keep Piik and Spearow safe."
With that, he went through the doors. The moment he stepped into the lobby, the two grunts turned toward him and their smiles widened.
"Well, well, well, look who decided to show up. We've been waiting for ya. Whoever would've guessed a little brat would cause us so much trouble?"
Ayden glared at the two with unnerving eyes.
"Why are you guys here? What do you want?"
The man with the cigarette exhaled another puff then snapped his fingers. His Poochyena charged at Ayden and tackled him in the stomach. The force knocked the wind out of him and sent him flying to the other side of the room. Ayden gripped his stomach as he rolled on the glass littered floor.
"We're not obliged to answer that, kid."
The grunts approached him slowly and the one with the cigarette stomped on his chest.
"Does it hurt, kid? Come on, show us what you did earlier. Change your eyes again. Come on!"
He eased off to give Ayden a chance to speak. Ayden coughed and gasped for air.
"W-what… are you… talking about?"
The other grunt picked Ayden up by the shirt.
"Trying to play dumb, huh? Fine, we'll do this the hard way. I've been wanting to do this anyway. You're gonna pay for all the trouble you've caused us."
He kneed Ayden in the gut. Ayden's screams carried throughout the Center and reached Piik's ears. She woke up, looked around, and saw Spearow still asleep and Joy transporting pokéballs to another center while talking frantically on the phone. She hopped off the stretcher and went through the double doors. When she walked into the lobby, her eyes widened at what she saw.
The two Chaos grunts ruthlessly attacked Ayden using everything they could think of from their fists to their pokémon. Piik launched an attack before they could hit him again. The blast hit both men and their pokémon, knocking them back.
Piik ran up to Ayden and shook him awake. Ayden sat up and greeted his pokémon with blood oozing out his mouth and nose.
"Piik, how… are you feeling? What are you… doing up? You should be… getting more rest."
Piik shook her head and spoke rapidly. How could she possibly rest with all this going on? She couldn't stand by and let the one human who actually cared about her get hurt. Ever since he saved her from those two, she decided to pledge her life for him. That's why she followed him when he told her to watch those two back in the forest. He kept saying about a promise he wanted to keep, so she swore to herself she would do everything she could to see that he kept it. She ended her rant by hugging his head. Even though all she said was her name, Ayden understood her perfectly.
"I'm sorry, Piik. I didn't mean to worry you. If we're going to be a team, we need to start working together, right? Come on, let's take these guys down for good this time."
Piik perked up and stood in front of Ayden battle ready. Ayden slowly got up and wiped the blood off his face.
The grunts got up and turned to face them. The man with the cigarette spat it out and extinguished it.
"I've had it up to here with you, kid! You and that Pikachu are coming back with us! I don't care if I have to break every bone in your damn body!"
Both men ordered their poochyena to attack. Ayden stood calmly and looked at the opposition.
"Piik, let's end this! Thunderbolt!"
Piik charged up her cheeks with everything she had. Her rage boiled throughout her entire body as the image of Ayden getting attacked flashed through her mind. She couldn't forgive them for what they did to him. She'd make sure they suffered the same pain a thousand times over.
The electricity changed from yellow sparks to blue volts. The voltages sparked outward and encircled her body then engulfed her in a sphere of violet electricity. Just as the Poochyena approached, she launched her attack. Streams of blue electricity hit both pokémon and the grunts, blasting them out of the Center and onto the street.
The aftermath of the attack caused the remaining windows of the Center to shatter and the streetlights to flicker and blow out. The two men lay sprawled on the ground, paralyzed along with their pokémon.
Piik stood panting, but proud. She defeated the enemy, the enemy that hurt her trainer. The rush left her and she fell onto the floor.
Ayden ran to her and looked at her in disbelief. He didn't know what move she used, but after seeing her safe, he didn't care. He picked her up and gave her a hug.
"Piik, you really are one of a kind."
Piik smiled and hugged Ayden back. A moment later, Officer Jenny drove up. She ran toward the Center, saw the two grunts on the ground, and the condition of the Center.
"What in the world happened? I was only gone for a couple of hours! Wait, these two are-,"
Ayden walked up to her.
"Officer Jenny, these two attacked the Pokémon Center and were after Piik earlier. They got away the first time, but they're all yours now."
Jenny looked around still a bit confused, but nodded anyway. She turned to the two men and cuffed them.
"You two are under arrest. I can't tell you how long I've been waiting to catch you. I don't know how you've been getting away, but I'll see to it you won't be getting out for a long time."
After Jenny finished cuffing them, she called her squad and then tended to Ayden's wounds. While Jenny helped Ayden with some bandages, Joy popped her head out of the Center and walked outside.
"Is everything all right, young man?"
Ayden turned to face her.
"Yeah, just a little scuffle. Nothing to worry about. How are the pokémon in the Center?"
Joy gave him another smile.
"They are all doing just fine. Thanks to you, no one got hurt."
At that moment, Spearow flew out of the Center and landed on Ayden's shoulder.
"Hey, Spearow, how are you doing? Sorry about earlier. We didn't mean to disturb you and the rest of your flock."
Spearow squawked and flapped its wings. To Spearow, that didn't matter anymore. To think the leader of the most powerful flock in the forest had been bested by a mere human. If this human could do that, then he wanted to see how far he could grow under him.
"Spearow, will you lend us your strength on this journey?"
Spearow nodded and Ayden and Piik smiled.
Jenny finished bandaging Ayden and stood up.
"Young man, thank you for all your help in catching those two. On behalf of the police department, I salute you."
Joy walked up and put her hand on Ayden's shoulder.
"And thank you for saving the Pokémon Center. I'd offer you a room, but we're going to need some time to repair it."
Jenny snapped her fingers.
"If you need a place to stay for the night, I'll be more than happy to reserve a room for you at the Viri Dee Inn."
Ayden stood up.
"That would be great. Thank you."
Suddenly, they all heard a voice come from down the street.
"There you are! Hold it right there!"
They all turned and saw two girls run toward them. One of them carried the charred remains of a bicycle. Ayden recognized them as the two girls from earlier. They caught up to them and Mendy dropped her bike at Ayden's feet.
"Look at what you did to my bike! Not only did you take it without asking, but then you go and destroy it! Do you have any idea how much this bike cost? You'll pay for what you did!"
Jenny placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Miss, what seems to be the problem?"
Mendy turned to her then pointed her finger at Ayden.
"Officer Jenny, arrest this boy! He stole my bike and then destroyed it! Just look! This is all that's left of it!"
Jenny looked at the blackened metal clump next to Ayden.
"Young man, is this true?"
Ayden turned to Jenny.
"Officer Jenny, can that offer to the Viri Dee Inn be extended to these two as well? They helped me in getting Piik to Viridian City. They've come all the way out here and I'm sure they don't have a place for the night."
Nami stepped forward.
"Helped you? You stole her bike and took off before we could say anything!"
Jenny turned back to the girls.
"Well, I'm not sure I get exactly what's going on, but it seems to me that because of you two, this young man was able to get his Pikachu the treatment it needed. I'd be more than happy to get you two a room as well."
Both girls looked at Piik and saw just how much livelier she was. Nami clenched her fists in frustration.
"Even so, what about my friend's bike? He destroyed it! He said we could pick it up at the Pokémon Center, but we found it burnt to a crisp in the middle of the forest!"
Ayden turned to face her.
"My first pokémon almost died. If I hadn't taken your bike, I wouldn't have gotten her to the Center in time. Is the price of that bike really worth the life of a pokémon?"
Nami backed off at that. She wanted to hit him for all he did, but at the same time he had a point. However, that bike meant more to Mendy than money could even measure. Jenny clapped her hands and they all turned to her.
"Okay, kids, that's enough. Look, we've all had a long day. Let's get you all checked in at the hotel, okay?"
Mendy turned to Ayden.
"I'm glad your pikachu is okay, but this isn't over. You will pay me back for my bike!"
The rest of Jenny's squad pulled up soon afterwards. Ayden, Nami, and Mendy rode in one car while the two men rode in another.
The ride to the Inn soon turned long and awkward. Ayden kept looking out the window and fiddled with his locket while Piik slept on his lap. Mendy and Nami sat as far away from him as they could.
Nami leaned in to Mendy's ear and whispered.
"Mendy, I'm sorry about your bike."
Mendy turned toward her.
"Don't worry. I'll make sure he pays for it. He's not going to get away with this."
As they arrived at the Inn, a row of maids and butlers eagerly awaited them. Dressed in matching black and white uniforms, they all bowed as the three exited the vehicle. A red carpet stretched from the road to the entrance of the multi-story building. The windows shined like diamonds and the structure reminded them of a palace. Mendy and Nami looked up at its luxuriousness in awe. Ayden stepped out with Piik still asleep in his arms.
Moments later, the owner of the Inn came out of the complex; a beautiful woman with long black hair and brown eyes. She wore a strap-less purple dress with matching high heels. The moment she saw Jenny, she smiled and took her hands.
"Jenny! Long time no see! Have you come to finally put up those busy feet of yours? You know that favor still stands."
Jenny awkwardly smiled back.
"I wish I could, Susan. I'm actually here to get these kids checked in. You see, this young man helped rescue the Pokémon Center and captured two criminals I've been hunting for a while."
Nami clicked her tongue and spoke under her breath.
"Yeah, and destroyed a bike he stole."
Susan beamed with delight.
"Really? That's amazing! You must be one incredible trainer in order to pull something like that off!"
Ayden looked the other way.
"It wasn't really all that."
Susan zipped in front of him and took his hand. Her eyes glistened as she looked at him.
"Nonsense! You helped in a time of crisis! Not only that, but you also helped my good friend, Jenny! Anyone who's a friend of Jenny's, is a friend of mine! Please, enjoy your night stay here free of charge!"
Nami and Mendy lit up. They couldn't think of anything better than to stay in the Inn for free.
Jenny smiled.
"That's really generous of you, Susan."
Susan then zoomed back in front of Jenny and took her hands.
"It's no trouble at all! But, Jenny, do make sure you stop by more often! I have everything ready to return that favor I owe you!"
An uncomfortable feeling soon overtook Jenny's face.
"Well, if I get some time off, I'll think about it."
Susan beamed and embraced Jenny in a tight hug.
"Please do!"
Nami and Mendy gazed upon the scene before them. Nami put her hands on her hips and sighed.
"Susan seems a little… hyper; yeah 'hyper' is definitely a good word right now."
Jenny got back in her car and rolled down the window.
"Now you kids behave yourselves. Be respectful and courteous to Susan, okay."
They all nodded and Jenny drove off. Susan turned around and faced the trio.
"Now then, all me to properly introduce myself. My name is Susan Dee. I'm the great-granddaughter of the owner of this hotel chain. Shall we get you kids into your rooms?"
Mendy interjected.
"You mean 'room'. We're all staying in the same room please."
She shot a look at Ayden. He stood carrying Piik and fiddling with his locket while looking up at the night sky. She couldn't afford to lose sight of him; not until he paid her back. Susan clapped her hands.
"One room it is! If you'll all please follow me!"
They entered the Inn and were intoxicated by its lavish structure. Susan walked them towards the spacious elevator and they rode up to the tenth floor. She led them down the hallway and opened up the door to their room. Mendy and Nami's jaws dropped when they gazed upon the room that could house a family of ten. Three queen-sized beds lined up against the wall, each ornamented with four pillows and a complimentary chocolate. The carpet felt fluffy and springy underneath their feet and the window gave them a breathtaking view of the city.
Susan handed them each a card key and then walked to the door.
"If there is anything you need, just give us a call and we'll be able to assist you. Please enjoy your stay at the Viri Dee Inn."
As soon as she left, Mendy and Nami glared at Ayden as he set his backpack next to the far end bed. He sat down and gently caressed Piik while she slept.
Mendy walked around his bed and stood in front of him.
"Well? How do you plan on paying me back for my bike?"
Ayden stood up and looked at her. He barely exceeded her height. She waited for him to respond, but he remained silent. He gently placed Piik on the bed and then walked toward the bathroom. He closed the door and locked it.
Mendy clicked her tongue.
"Stuck up jerk."
Nami placed her hand on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, we'll get him to pay up one way or another. He's not going anywhere."
Ayden stared at his reflection and wondered what the two men from Team Chaos were talking about. He remembered them saying something about him making his eyes glow, but he had no idea what they meant. He shook his head. He didn't have time to think about that right now. He needed to focus on his promise.
He started the shower and undressed. When he took off his shirt, his back showed a large intricate pattern of circles and triangles intermingled within a larger circle.
The pattern displayed into his skin like a branding and covered his entire back, as well as scratch and slash scars. His attempts at removing the pattern proved pointless. He had no idea where it came from or why it appeared on him.
He stepped into the shower and winced as the water slid down his back. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth to ease the pain. He had that pattern for eight years and it still burned him.
The sun shined through the diamond-like windows illuminating the room in a kaleidoscope of warm colors. Mendy and Nami slept soundly in their beds until the morning light finally woke them up. They stretched and yawned and greeted each other with a smile before rolling out of their beds. They couldn't remember the last time they slept so well.
Suddenly, Mendy stopped. She turned toward the bed at the far end and found it empty. She ran over and flipped up the covers, but found no one there.
Her rage overtook her as she pounded the bed and screamed. They got dressed and ran down the stairs toward the receptionist, a thin woman with short hair and glasses. Mendy nearly jumped onto the counter.
"Miss, please tell us if a boy came down and returned the key to room 1012?"
She adjusted her glasses and nodded.
"Yes, he left here about four hours ago."
Mendy and Nami's eyes widened as they looked up at a clock on the wall. It read 09:14.
With Piik riding on his shoulder, Ayden walked through the Viridian Forest heading for Pewter City, the home of the first Indigo League badge.
