"Sunshine, spray him with water!" The Wooper used it's water gun attack at his trainer's command. The attack was directed at a Geodude. The attack connected.
The rock looking Pokémon flung itself away with it's only distinguishing features, it's arms. Sunshine and his trainer, June, chased after the Geodude, but the Pokémon blended in with all the other rocks in the area.
June stomped around a bit. She had been sure that this Geodude would be her first wild catch. These things didn't seem to be working out for her. On her first day she managed to let a Weedle go. The numerous failures to catch a Pokémon were starting to make her feel inadequate.
June sighed, and continued on the path that many other trainers had carved out on their own journeys. Sunshine had to return to his ball. The Wooper species wasn't completely delicate when it came to being in dry climate, so it was better for the little guy to be in the ball as much as possible.
That day was the first day of spring and all the Pokémon were bursting. This being the case, June knew she had to catch a Pokémon today. It was getting a bit hotter during the days though, leaving her to spend at least four hours a day in the shade, resting. The path lead to farms, leaving her without shade on that day. As far as June could see were first time blooming orange trees. If only I could take one. They look so good. She thought.
That's when she saw a sandy blonde guy picking oranges. At first June thought he was stealing, but she looked again to see he was wearing jeans, a sleeveless shirt, brown gloves,a shoulder strap bag, and a long sleeved shirt tied at his waist. After seeing many of the farm guys come to her mom's diner she had associated this look with most of them.
"HEY!" June called from about fifty yards away.
The guy looked up, and politely waved back. As June approached him he continued to pick oranges. At about seven feet away she asked, "Do you live around here?"
He smiled, "Yes. I live in the house in the back of this property." The guy would have been cute to June if his cheeks weren't as shallow as they were, and if his eyes we're a bit bigger. The blue color of his eyes did attract attention though.
"Oh great!" June exclaimed, "So you know where there might be some shade around here?"
"You could come to my house and rest if you wanted," the guy kept picking oranges.
The idea was tempting, but she knew not to go to a strangers home. Also the guy seemed to be a few years older, and had some farming muscles, "So hospitable, yet we don't even know each other's names."
"My name is Brian Head," he extended a hand to shake.
June returned the gesture, "My name is June Presley."
Brian's bag was full so he stepped off of the ladder he was on. He picked it up, and started to walk off, "Are you coming then?"
"Uh…"
He turned back with a smile. He raised his eyebrows as a question.
"No," June replied, "Walking your entire property up and down would make the whole resting process a waste."
"I suppose. What are you doing out here?" Brian asked.
"I'm a trainer. I'm going to take the gym challenge," June replied.
"Oh, well good luck," he saluted her off as he walked through his property's gate.
She waved her goodbye.
About a mile later the trail split in two trails. June looked at her map. One trail lead to a river, railroad tracts, and was the faster way to the next town. June chose this trail. She and Sunshine battled a couple of Rattata along the trail. She didn't even try to catch either of them. The purple rodents were not her favorite looking things. June could see the river when she heard heavy steps coming up from behind her. It was Brian clad in the same clothing, and out of breath.
June waited.
"I'm sorry… I forgot to tell you that… the bridge is being held up by robbers," Brian said between big breaths.
"What?" June asked, "I didn't know we lived in a fairy tale. Stop being silly."
"Wait!" Brian followed June as she continued, "This isn't a joke."
"I have a Pokémon," she said.
"So do they!" he said as they began crossing the bridge.
June made it all the way across the bridge without anyone appearing. She gave Brian a slightly exasperated smile. Brian was halfway over the bridge. He felt perfectly embarrassed This was when the woman came out of the bushes on the river's edge. June was going to call out, but a man came up on her from behind. She struggled a bit before seeing the large knife he was holding. She saw Brian ready to fight the woman, but not ready to fight the Scyther that she let out of it's Poké Ball. The Scyther looked seriously malnourished, and ready to feed on anything.
"Give us any money you have, or I let my Scyther have fun with you," the woman had wild red hair put underneath a black cap. The rest of her clothes were also black. She had very small features: small nose, small eyes, small lips, and small curves.
The man was holding June hostage with a choke hold so she had no idea what he looked like.
Brian backed up a bit, "I don't have any money. I was just picking fruit."
"Then get the girl's wallet," the woman said as she kicked the Scyther who was getting restless.
Brian turned to June, "Sorry."
June smiled, "Don't be."
Before anyone could respond to that June collapsed herself, escaping from the man's grasp. She knocked into him, making him fall to the ground. June let Sunshine out of his ball, "MUDSHOT!"
Sunshine spit up mud and blasted it in the man's eyes. June stomped on the man's wrist. He cried out as he dropped the knife. June kicked it away. The Scyther couldn't help itself anymore, and flew to where all the commotion was.
"Sunshine use water gun on that!" She pointed up at the Scyther.
Sunshine's attack hit strong, and caused the Scyther to fly off course. It crashed in the trees. This simply irritated the bug Pokémon. Without a thought it sliced all the trees around it down. That was enough to wear on the starving Scyther's energy though. June took this opportunity to attack. She had Sunshine launch a continuous water gun. Brian pushed the woman off of the bridge. She screeched about the water when she recovered. Brian let out a Butterfree, "Use sleep powder on the Scyther!" The Butterfree complied.
The Scyther slumped to the ground, "Good job Freya. Return," Brian said.
Brian grabbed June's arm to lead her back to his farm, but the woman was already back on the bridge with a much healthier looking Vileplume, ready to attack. The woman also pulled out a knife of her own. Brian and June ran off in the direction of the next city.
They didn't stop running for about three miles. No one ever came after them though. They were safe, so they decided to stop under the shade of a large tree. The path lead away from the orange tree fields, so now only large golden grass was around. Brian pulled an orange out of his bag. June watched as he easily pulled off the peel. She was surprised when he held it out for her. She accepted with much gratitude. He peeled one for himself. They enjoyed the snack before saying anything.
"How are you going to get home?" June asked.
"I'm not sure. I guess I'll go to the next town, and figure it out from there," Brian said.
"I have a phone if you'd like to call someone," June reached for her cellphone.
"That'd be great, thanks," Brian wiped his hands on his pants before grabbing the phone. He walked some distance away.
Trying not to listen in to Brian's conversation, June let Sunshine out of his ball. She had left a few pieces of orange for the Pokémon. Sunshine licked the orange piece that she held out for him. He made a disgusted face, "Well if you don't want this, then what? I probably should've looked this up before I left. I guess I'll have to pay the extra charge to look it up on my phone."
Brian walked back, giving the phone to June, "I had to leave a message, so you'll probably get a call from my parents at some point."
"Okay Brian," June said. She thought about their predicament, "We should travel together until we reach the next town Tierra Rica. It would be great to have a partner for a four day travel."
"Alright," Brian said, "I don't see why not. It'd be nice to go somewhere new for once."
"Do you want to travel the railroad tracts then?" June asked.
"Sure."
June was happy to be going to the railroad tracks, not only did they lead her to Terra Rica, but they also attracted the attention of many Electric type Pokémon. In the fifties the tracks had to be made Electric proof, because Pokémon would go to the tracks to discharge on the metal. Many people had died throughout the years of the tracks being a target for the Pokémon. Now, it seemed the Pokémon now occupied the tracks out of habit. June was hoping to see a Picachu, but as the sun was to set soon that was unlikely. Pikachu's were mostly active throughout the night and the morning time. In fact, most Electric type Pokémon were active at those times. June would be lucky to find any Electric type at all.
June was thinking about this as she felt a crunch under her feet. She looked down at a terrible sight. It was the charred remains of a Hoppip. The usually pink specimen was red, and covered in black entry wounds of some kind. The weed-like appendages that grew out of it's head were brown, and crisped. Whatever had come this way had undoubtedly unleashed all of it's energy with this attack. June soon found out this was not the case, because as she kept walking she found more Pokémon bodies, all of varying species.
CRACK.
June snapped her head up. Brian was frozen a couple of paces ahead of her, but she shoved her way pat him.
CRACK.
Whatever was causing these Pokémon to die had to be stopped, even if that meant putting herself in danger.
CRACK. Crack. CRACK. Crack. Crack.
Getting closer, she could hear smaller attacks, and the cries of the dying Pokémon.
"FUUUUUUUURRET!"
June looked off of the tracks. About half a mile away a small floating figure was launching electricity at a clan of Furrets, killing most of it's targets. June ran towards the figure, Poké Ball poised for attack. As she neared the figure she recognized it as a Magnemite, and it recognized her as a threat. Magnemite used it's ThunderShock attack.
CRACK. June expected a lot of pain, but when she opened her eyes she saw Brian's bag laying in front of had thrown it in front of her as protection. June wasted no time in calling out her Pokémon.
"Sunshine, use Water Gun!" The Wooper hit the Magnemite with a strong blast, making him it's new target.
CRACK. The Magnemite hit Sunshine with a terribly powerful ThunderShock, but the attack had no effect. Woopers were of not only the Water element, but of the Ground element as well, making any Electric type attacks useless on him. Sunshine continued to hit the Magnemite with Water Gun attacks, and the Magnemite uselessly retaliated with ThunderShocks. It caught on quickly that these attacks weren't hurting it's opponent. It began emitting a sound like two pieces of metal scrapping against one another. Sunshine cringed along with the two trainers. This lead to Magnemite's next attack working much easier. It changed it's sound to a pulse. The pulse began normally, like a pop songs beat, but soon took on some other kind of life. It had a scattered beat that felt like it was playing with June's heart. Both Brian and June tried to cover their ears, but the earlier Metal Sound had made them vulnerable.
Suddenly the sunlight was too harsh to bear, and the crack of another ThunderShock made June want to puke. She had the vague feeling she shouldn't puke, and that something required her attention. She knew something was wrong, and she knew that, somewhere in her mind, that she knew why. It was on the tip of her tongue but she couldn't quite remember. She was clawing her way out of the muck of her mind, but she wanted to quit. Maybe if she just slipped into the muck it would end. Would it end? Would what end? Was she going to die? She felt like her consciousness was being dragged away. Dragged to another state of being. She saw black, white, and grey lights. The lights were constantly moving, and made her feel cold. She stayed here for quite awhile.
June's mind came back to the situation at hand. She was laying face down on the ground, bits of gravel were sticking in her face. With quite a bit of wobbling, she got up. She realized now, that she had been confused. The Magnemite had used Supersonic after Metal Sound. To confuse a human would mean that this Magnemite was particularly powerful. She had to catch it.
Sunshine was still stumbling around confused. June's father had told her the best way to stop confusion was with contact. She picked up a large pile of rocks and flung it at the Magnemite. The Magnemite used Thundershock on each of the falling rocks, giving June time to grab her Pokémon. She rubbed his head, which easily brought him back to his right state of mind. June threw her Wooper at the Magnemite, "Pin him to the ground."
Sunshine, who was above the Magnemite let out another stream of water that knocked the metaloid to the ground. The Magnemite tried another Metal Sound, but the constant stream of water muffled the sound. The Magnemite tried another shock, but with it being covered in water it only managed to hurt itself.
Sunshine stopped his barrage as the backfired shock made the Magnemite spin in an uncontrollable fashion. It crackled as it's eye lost it's illumination. The Magnemite floated, just barely, off the ground, but it was clearly no longer able to battle.
June readied her Poké Ball. She slowly brought the button to the Magnemite's eye, not wanting to make some sort of foolish mistake. The ball opened up, engulfing the Pokémon in it's signature red light. The Poké Ball didn't shake at all before flying back to June's hand.
"AWWWWWWWWW YISSSSSSSSSS!" June threw her fist in the air. She couldn't believe that she caught her first wild Pokémon. The Magnemite was a powerful one at that. It would clearly come in handy in upcoming battles, "I FREAKING DID IT!" June managed to say before the after effect of being confused caught up with her. She fell to the ground, and puked.
"Glad I saw that," said Brian, who was sitting where he had been confused, waiting for his brain to realign.
