Chapter 02
A Journey Begins
A day after the wild flock of Fearow and Spearow attacked Sandgem Town, all had seemed to return to normal.
With the storms passing, many were out helping to fix damage caused by it and the wild Pokemon. Jean, who had just awoken, walked out of the Pokemon Center with a big stretch, and admired the dedication of the townspeople.
It's a new day, he thought, looking up to the clear, blue sky, using a hand to shield his eyes from the bright Sun. Yesterday went well, but...
Rowan's words echoed in his mind: "If you really want to make a difference... I can help."
It was these words that sparked a new determination within Jean. He knew simply protecting people from the savage Pokemon would not make a difference in the end.
"Li~," the sound of a Pokemon emerged from behind. Jean turned and looked down, finding Litten sitting there, staring up at him, its tail swaying slightly.
"Oh! What are you doing up?" Jean smiled and knelt down down, petting the Pokemon, who still seemed a bit wary, but accepted his petting, purring slightly. "I was just going to see the Professor. I figured you needed plenty of rest after yesterday."
The Pokemon stood, lifting one of its paws, seemingly determined. Jean smiled at this.
"Well, I guess you should come along, then," he stated.
Suddenly, a Buneary hopped over from a little ways away, getting close and looking at the Litten with interest. Litten jumped at this sudden intrusion, its hairs on its back rising as it arches its back. Jean held a hand up to it.
"H-Hey now, it's alright-"
The Buneary leaned in closer to get a better look, startling the cat Pokemon more. It darted around to the back of Jean, hiding behind his legs, glaring out at the Pokemon. Jean chuckled and pet it.
"B-Buneary! Hey!" Jean looked over to see the girl whom Professor Rowan had tried to shield the day before approaching. She was a slightly younger girl in her early teens, with a blonde pony-tail, wearing a pink cap, jacket, and skirt with white knee-socks and boots. She picked up her Pokemon and sighed, looking up at Jean. "I-I'm sorry... She doesn't like to listen."
The Buneary scoffed at this, turning its head defiantly. Jean laughed. "We've all been there, I'm sure," he said, patting the Buneary's head. This seemed to set off Litten, as it suddenly growled and bit his ankle. Jean winced and looked down at the Pokemon. "O-Oh... Sorry..." He took his hand away from the Buneary, and Litten let off of him.
"Are you okay?!" The girl looked at the bite mark on his ankle.
Jean rubbed the back of his head and chuckled. "Yeah, it's fine! I've had way worse..."
"O-Okay then.. Say! Were you going to see Professor Rowan too?"
"I was. I assume you want to go thank him," Jean pointed out. The girl nodded. "Well, I might as well introduce myself: I'm Jean, and yourself?"
The girl got a bit shy and looked away for a moment. "M-My name is Elizabeth."
Jean does a bow, smiling at her. "Well, it's very nice to meet you."
Elizabeth blushes a bit, nodding to him. "I-I never got to thank you too... You came in and saved the me! I don't know what would've happened-"
"Hey now, the Professor was there, right?" Jean smirked. "You've gotta put some trust into him. He would've protect you, I just had to step in and steal the glory." He walked past Elizabeth, and Litten quickly bounded after him, glaring up at Buneary as it passed.
"W-Wait up!"
The two entered Professor Rowan's lab, the light shining in from the now-open door illuminating the darkness.
"Hm? I thought he'd be here," Jean commented out loud, walking inside, looking around. "Professor?"
Elizabeth followed him in hesitantly, staying close. The doors slid shut behind them, leaving them in total darkness. Elizabeth made a small noise at this, grabbing hold of the tuft of Jean's shirt. He looked down to Litten who was by his side.
"Hey, do you think you can light it up a bit?" He motioned with a finger to the darkness, and Litten merely blinked at him. "Er... Maybe you can't understand-"
The Pokemon mewed and lifted a paw, as if to stop him. It took a step forward and closed its eyes. The spiky fur rose on its back a bit as it seemed to concentrate, and, after a moment, the top of its tail suddenly burst into a flame that illuminated a decent amount of the area. Elizabeth lit up a bit at the sight.
"Wow! I recall that you can secrete oil from fur, but it's amazing to see it in-person," Jean said, giving Litten a thumbs-up. The Pokemon seemed happy to be appreciated, letting out a sort of mew.
Continuing forward, with Litten at the helm, they moved further into the laboratory. All around were desks and various workshops with many technological features and computers. Eventually, they reached a larger area in the back, where a lone light could be seen in the corner. There, Professor Rowan could be seen, sitting in front of a desk illuminated by a lamp, face-down.
"Professor?!" Jean quickly ran over to him, getting close. He placed a hand on his back, and, suddenly, Professor Rowan sat up, startled, looking around.
"I, err...!" He looked up towards Jean, first in confusion, and then in annoyance. "What...? Did the lights not tip you off, young man?"
"S-Sorry," Jean said, removing his hand. "We came to see you, but... What's going on in here?"
Professor Rowan rubbed his temple and stood from the chair, groaning. "I told the staff to take the day off, after what occurred yesterday. I just fell asleep here while doing some research is all."
"We all need rest sometimes, ya' know?"
"Hmph..." Ignoring that statement, Rowan gazed down at the desk. Jean peered down at it as well.
There were various pieces of paper with schematics for various pieces and shapes, but Jean then noticed one of them showing off something he was familiar with. Moving the others aside, he gazed down at it seriously.
"...The Black Styler?!"
"Yes, I decided to try and find what I could," the Professor stated, picking up the schematic and looking at it. "One of my old assistants, Barry, became a Pokemon Ranger a while ago. It appears he has seen this around, but was not allowed to get one as of yet. He has agreed that, if you go to Jubilife City, he will be around there."
Elizabeth moved closer to the scene, confused. "U-Um..."
Professor Rowan looked over to her. "Oh! You are... Elizabeth, correct?" She nodded, and he turned to her. "Terribly sorry for not seeing you. Are you feeling well?"
"I am! I... I wanted to thank you, for yesterday," she told him. The Buneary in her arms smiled and raised a paw as if to give its thanks as well.
"It was only natural, and, quite frankly, I'm getting too old to really protect anyone," the Professor insisted, looking a bit solemn. His eyes trailed over to a framed picture, the only item at the desk that was not science-related. There, he could be seen looking very stern as usual, with three young people next to him: A boy with blonde hair and an orange-and-white striped shirt, another wearing a blue jacket and red beret, and the last, a girl, who was wearing a red jacket and white beanie with a pink scarf. Noticing that he was distracted, he cleared his throat and looked back at the two. "But anywho... This schematic can help you come to understand how to defeat such a device."
He handed the paper to Jean, who nodded. "Thank you," he stated, gazing down at it. The Black Styler... He clutched the paper tighter, and Elizabeth noticed his tenseness, becoming a bit nervous.
"Now, Elizabeth... You are soon going to begin your own journey, are you not?" Changing the subject, Rowan looked over to the girl.
Elizabeth smiled and nodded, the excitement obviously rising within her. "Yeah! I can't wait! We're going to see all kinds of Pokemon," she exclaimed, looking down at her Buneary.
"An excellent spirit," Professor Rowan stated, giving a slight smile. "You must never forget your ideals as you move forward, no matter what happens. Just remember that."
Jean put the schematic away in his pouch, and couldn't help but admiring the Professor. Though he was tired and obviously pained by something long-pass, he was still able to give others the encouragement and knowledge they need.
"What?" Rowan looked to Jean sternly, noticing he was staring.
"Heh, it's... Nothing," Jean said with a grin. "But I'm going to go back to my room in the Center for a little while before I head out, if you need me, Professor- Elizabeth." He tipped his cap to them.
"That is fine," Rowan stated with a nod.
"O-Okay, I'll come see you before you leave!" Elizabeth waved to Jean, who lifted a hand to her before walking off and leaving the lab.
"He is a fine boy," Rowan commented. "I'm sure he wouldn't take any credit for saving us, would he?"
Elizabeth shook her head, and Rowan chuckled. "He has a long fight ahead of him, but-"
"I cannot help but be fearful that he's doing this alone."
As the Sun began to climb down from the sky, Jean prepared to set off, checking his backpack and side-pouches as he sat out on a bench near the Pokemon Center, Litten laying beside him. It yawned, looking down at its tail, flicking it around boredly.
"Alright, looks like we're all good to go," Jean said to himself, standing and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He then looked down at the Pokemon. "I guess it's too late to ask really, but.. You want to come with me?"
Litten stood and stretched out, its tail swaying harder. "Li~!" It raised a paw as it spoke.
"That's what I thought," Jean said with a smirk. Footsteps approaching made Jean turn to see Elizabeth approaching him. A pink backpack and straw hat were now added to her attire, and she was out of breath as if she had hurried to see him. "Elizabeth? Did you come to see me off?"
"N-No, I..." Elizabeth took a second to catch her breath and looked up at him shyly. "I-I'm going with you!"
Jean was surprised by this. "Going with me...?" He and Litten exchanged a glance. "I don't know about that-"
"Please!" Elizabeth dipped her head pleadingly. "I'm ready to go on my own, but... I-it's scary!"
"You're right about that..." Jean looked up towards the sky in thought. "But, I... I can't. I'm sorry." He turned away from her solemnly. "This is too dangerous. You saw what those Pokemon could do... I'm sorry..."
He turned and held out his arms to Litten, who hopped up into them, and then jumped up his arm to perch on top of his backpack, looking over his head. Jean turned back to Elizabeth and smiled.
"But I'm sure I'll come see you again, alright? That's a promise," he told her, before walking off.
For a moment, Elizabeth watched him go, saddened. She looked around the town at all of the patched-up buildings and people who, just the day before, had been attacked viciously by the wild Pokemon. Then, the words of the Professor echoed through her mind:
"You must never forget your ideals as you move forward-"
M-My ideals, she thought. The image of her father leaving, whose face was indistinguishable from the early memory, appeared in her mind.
Elizabeth clutched her backpack straps tight, trying to will her legs to move. She thought about her Buneary being taken by the Fearow, Rowan and Jean protecting her, then her father once again, as Rowan's words came to her again:
"I cannot help but be fearful that he's doing this alone."
And she moved. Running forward, she quickly caught up with Jean, who looked back at her, surprised. She stopped in front of him, looking up at him seriously.
"I-I won't let you go alone!" Her sudden outburst surprised them both. "Nobody has to be alone!"
"Elizabeth..."
She looked down shyly. "I-I'm more afraid of what could happen to you alone, than if I were alone..."
The wind gently rolled over them as they were silent for a moment. Elizabeth blushed and closed her eyes, expecting to be scolded or told off- But she was surprised as Jean reached forward and placed a hand on her head. Looking up, he was smiling.
"You're right... Working together is what I've been striving for all along," he stated. "I guess... I was ready to take it all on by myself to achieve that. Ironic, ey?" He took his hand off of her head and nodded. "Alright then. Let's go- Together.
Elizabeth smiled greatly at this, beaming brightly. "Y-yes!"
Jean looked up to Litten, reaching up and petting its ear with a finger. It was staring down at Elizabeth intently. "You'll have to get used to her, alright?"
Litten seemed to scoff, looking away. Jean and Elizabeth laughed, and turned towards the exit of the town, leading towards Route 202. Off towards Professor Rowan's lab, he was watching from the doorstep, before turning and stepping back inside.
And, with that, the two set off onto their journey, together.
To be Continued...
