x-x-x

Episode 2: A Filthy Meowth!

I arrived in Viridian City quicker than I had expected. After inspecting the shops and stocking up on supplies, I stepped outside to begrudgingly face Viridian forest. But before I could take a single step a flash of beige and a sparkle of gold streaked past me. It was quickly followed by streaks of black, gray, and purple.

A meowth was being chased down an alley by a trio of dog pokemon. The houndoom, mightyena, and granbull cornered the scared kitten. The meowth backed up into a turned over metal garbage can, with nowhere to run. And as the rock I threw hit the granbull's head, they turned to see the Skitty I withdrew, who looked just as surprised as they did. While Skitty kept them distracted, I snuck up to the meowth who was now covered with garbage and dirt.

"There there. It's ok. Just hop in this ball, and I'll be able to get you to safety. Don't be scared, you can trust me."

She must have been able to see I was telling the truth, as she pressed her paw to the pokeball and was sealed inside. I didn't have time to relish in my odd capture of a meowth, but in my head, I squealed with delight.

I ran for the closest pokecenter, holding open the door. "Skitty! Return!" I called him back just as the mightyena had him under his paws.

The massive dogs ran at full force toward me. They sped with agility until… "Wham!" They collided with the glass doors of the pokecenter I had taken cover behind. Granbull's smushed in face looked even worse, as his slimy tongue trailed down the glass. The irony was too much for me as I held up a bottle of windex in delight.

"Windex! For a streak-free shine every time!" I noticed in the corner of my eye everyone in the center turn to stare at me.

I put on a smile and walked up to the front desk happily. Sometimes I let my quirkiness get the best of me, but it never bothered me what people thought about me. "I need my pokemon healed please!" I said as I handed the nurse my two pokeballs.

"Okay, no problem. Just give me a second." She stuck them on a machine and within seconds, a chime rang out. "All done." She smiled as she handed them back to me. "You're going to stay in the center right? It's almost nightfall."

"There's something I have to do first, but I'll be back before then." I said pleasantly as I walked out the door.

That something, was a bath for my meowth. Though her injuries were healed, she was still very dirty from being chased into garbage. I released her to scrub her in a nearby pond, and when I finished her bath, I noticed how astoundingly adorable she was. She had large blue eyes I'd never seen on a meowth, and a full coat that gleamed. She was the type of pokemon that would win a contest hands down. Though I wasn't really into those. She looked like royalty, and though I never thought I'd do this, I decided to nickname her Duchess. She purred happily as I gently polished the coin adorning her head.

"Well, I guess it's time you meet my other cat friend." I said as I released Skitty. "Say hello to Duchess, Skitty!"

Skitty looked disgusted before quickly throwing a scratch attack at Duchess's coin. Duchess began to tear up before letting loose into an all out cry.

"Skitty! How could you? Return!" I recalled him quickly. I picked Duchess up trying to comfort her, but her whines persisted. Finally she pointed with her paw to call attention behind me. I turned to find the dog trio again snarling at me. "Not you guys again! Can't you just leave us be?"

It was an obvious no as they gave chase. I ran with Duchess in my arms until I spied a gym ahead. "A gym! Let's hide in there!" I reached for the handle only to find it locked. The houndoom seized the opportunity and pounced on me, knocking Duchess out of my arms and into a nearby signpost. As the beast pushed me to the ground, I cried out for her to run. But suddenly, a bright orange dog jumped into the middle of the conflict. A growlithe. Great. I thought. Another dog, just what we need.

The growlithe turned toward the granbull and mightyena and stared them down before the attack.

"Growwwwwwlithe!" The roar attack was enough to scare the other two dogs off, but not the houndoom. They glared at each other before both releasing a mighty ember attack. The embers merged into a giant fireball that was pushed into the houndoom, knocking it out. It was a very strong growlithe, and obviously not wild. As I watched from the ground Duchess rubbing and purring around the growlithe to thank it, a hand reached out to me. I looked up to see a handsome young man, with brown hair, and green eyes that matched the jacket he was wearing. He had a poke ball affixed to a necklace he was wearing, and wore glasses, like me.

"Are you all right?" The boy continued to hold out his hand to help me.

"Yeah, I'm fine." I took his hand and felt a flash of heat flush across my face.

There was a brief moment where we stood and stared at each other, before it was interrupted by the sirens of Officer Jenny's motorcycle coming toward us. As I turned to look, the guy took off toward the forest, the growlithe following close behind. Duchess looked up at me in confusion.

"Hey wait!" Jenny called out. "Darn, didn't even see who it was. I just wanted to thank him. This houndoom and his friends have been causing all sorts of trouble here." She loaded the houndoom into the side cart of the vehicle. "But not anymore! He's going to come train with me and be a police dog. He'll learn to fight crime instead of cause it." She laughed as she took off, houndoom in tow.

I leaned against the pokecenter wall, tired. A piece of paper fell as I did this, and when I went to pick it up it read like this: "Missing: Kyle Gray, Age 14, Believed to have run away, Please contact Debbie Gray with any information, 606-876-2107." The picture attached was a recent photo of the young man I had met just seconds earlier.

Kyle Gray. I could turn him in. But he helped me out, so I guess I should give him a break. Besides, he was really cute.

Duchess mewed at me curiously. "Come on, Duchess. We've got a big day tomorrow. We're going through Viridian Forest."