Chapter 2

Red Shirt in the Morning, Bikers Take Warning

Pichu and I waited for the town to quiet down, but it wasn't till about two am until it did. From the forest we saw the shops close up at ten, but the town was still booming. Even though it seemed the majority of the place was sleeping, there were still people roaming the streets, some of which were characters that I really didn't want to get involved with.

Pichu and I were up in a tree, sitting on one of the top branches looking down over the city. "This town is so high tech," I spoke to myself. Nearly everywhere I looked I saw computers machines driving on the roads, sphere shaped cameras floating in the air, and hovering billboards that seemed to change adds when people walked by. Even the hotdog stands were automated, and it looked like you had to slide a card, or scan something in order to purchase anything out of it. The same thing went for the ice-cream, and candy machines too. But the thing that worried me the most about all the automated things, were the floating cameras. The darn things were everywhere, but that wasn't the part that got me. It was the question I had… where were they broadcasting too?

The mountain we were on was the only one around, so it made it pretty easy to look over the city and pick out a path. The road, from what I could tell from the atlas, was called Rout 121. I followed it out to the west with my eyes. I need to stay on that road for about 35 miles, then get on Rout 120, and that should bring me to Fortree in 28. I did some math in my head. Yep. A straight path from here to there would be roughly 50 miles, but taking the road is a bit longer.

"Oh well…" I said, tucking the map in under my arm. "Its a lot quicker to drive than walk." I turned my head, looking at my book bag, which was looped onto a limb. I smiled when I spied Pichu, wrapped up in his jacket and sleeping in my bag. His head was sticking out, with his goggles on. He was twitching his ear, like he always does when he sleeps, and squeaking out a little mouse of a snore.

"Hey, bud." I said shaking the bag. "Come on, Pichu."

"Pi…" Pichu spoke, lifting up one eyelid as he yawned. "Piii-cha!"

"Ready to get on the road?"

"Piii-cha." He nodded as he jumped out of the bag, landing on a limb. He then unzipped his jacket and threw it into the open bag.

"Yeah, it is pretty warm here isn't it?" I took the bag, stiffed the atlas in it. While it was open I spied my red striped button-up shirt. Well… why not. I took it out, grabbing the item holder with my biker stuff in it as well.

Pichu jumped on my shoulder as I slung my bag on. Slowly we made our way down from the tree. I dropped my shirt and item holder ahead of us, making it easier for us to get down.

When we landed I laid down my stuff and started taking off my shirt.

"Pi?" Pichu asked, adjusting his goggles as he jumped on the ground.

"Just changing shirts." I said, taking off the blue shirt and replacing it with the red one. I stuffed the blue one in my bag, taking out my bike capsule, sticking that and my item holder in my pocket. "Alright." I said, picking up my stuff and letting Pichu climb back on my shoulder. "Lets make our way back down."

***_-Scene Change-_***

It wasn't a long climb back down, only about ten minutes or so. We waited at the edge of the woods, watching people walk by until it was quiet for a bit. I already had my helmet on, and was waiting for the right time to throw the bike out.

"Now." I spoke to Pichu as I threw the capsule out of the woods. Before it opened we made a dash for it, and by the time the smoke settled, we were already on it, staring the engine. I looked around. "Good, no one in sight." I then focused my attention back to the path in front of me.

We were on the beach, a ways away from the tourist spot known as Lillycove. The moon was bright above us, with few stars visible. Nights like tonight were great for traveling. Everything was lit, shown by a light grayish blue cast. The tide was coming in, and I knew that if we were going to leave, it would have to be now.

I revved the engine, pulling it out of park and into first. Sand spat behind us as we drove over the shore, heading to Lillycove.

The closer we got, the more people we saw, but it was few enough that we didn't haven any problems. Within a few minutes we were at the lush city. Even though the stores were all closed, with the exception of the local bar, the pathways, docks roads were all lit up by street lights.

We slid onto the wooden onramp dock that entered the city from the beach. Even though it said 'Pedestrians Only' on the sign, I really didn't care. I smiled, driving down the path as I hit the road, heading out of the city.

I drove on, and eventually came to an intersection with a red light. I slowed to a stop, putting my foot out to prop up the bike. Tapping my finger on the handle I groaned looking around at the empty road. "Come on," I said. "I'm the only one here. Hurry up." Something then grabbed my attention as I looked to my left. It was a bar, one that obviously stayed open all night. The door had opened, and the glass reflected the moon, which caught my eye. Out from it I could see four men, wearing cut up t-shirts and old raggedy blue bandanas. Their details were quite apparent from the neon from the illuminated signs that littered the outside of the brick building. They looked at me, stopped talking, and then looked to their left. I followed their eyes, and in the mist of the parking lot I saw a swarm of motorcycles, most of which were beefed up looking hogs.

"Bikers…" I groaned. "Pft…" I laughed to myself as I looked at the intersection light turn green. "What a joke. I guess every town has some sort of scum in it." I revved the engine, accelerating and heading west out of the town.

About ten minutes passed, in the side mirror the town looked like nothing more than a yellow speck of light in the distance. I looked down, checking the time on the navigation system. "Wow, later than I thought." I glanced back up to the road. "Its already 3:30." I yawned, and saw a highway sign. "Rest area, huh?" I said, as it blurred past us. "Well, I guess I have been up for almost 20 hours now. Couldn't hurt to get some coffee, maybe stock up on some junk food.

"Pi?" Pichu's ears perked when he heard this. "Cha-Cha – Chu!"

"Okay," I laughed. "I'll see if they have any gummies for you." I then chuckled to myself. I never should of ordered those from room service. Now that little guy is hooked on those little Gummie Tediersa.

***_-Scene Change-_***

The rest area was deserted. We pulled in from the highway, bring the bike to a stop in the parking lot. I cut the engine, pulling off the helmet as I looked around. "Yep, not a soul." I then stood up, taking the key out of the bike and began walking for the building. Bike will be fine. No one is even around.

Pichu ran up behind me, jumping on my back and clawing his way up to my shoulder. I smiled, looking up at the very design oriented building. It was small, but oddly shaped... it looked pretty cool, honestly. The building was rounded, like a cylinder, but had a roof that was put on about a 20-30 degree slant. The roof also extended out beyond the walls, making it have an over hang with benches around it for a nice relaxing sit on a summers day. Behind the building was a small picnic area, which in the moonlight looked very calming.

We walked up to the automatic doors, which slid open. The inside looked a lot like a pokemon center, minus the poke-healer and Nurse Joy, of course. Everything was red and white. Rounded red sofas ran along the white walls, with chandlers hanging from the slanted ceiling.

I looked to the back of the main room. "There we go!" I smiled, walking over to a vending machine.

"Pi!" Pichu yelled, jumping off my shoulder and hitting the glass of the candy machine. "Piii…." He groaned, sliding down the glass as he hit the floor.

"Chill, littl' bud." I laughed, putting in a dollar and pressing 'B-2'. I watched as the Gummie Tediersa began to twist in the coil that protected it from dropping, but it must have protected it too much. The bag twisted, and turned, and then got stuck in the machine.

"CHUUU!" Pichu screamed, slamming against the machine, but the bag didn't move.

"Hang on," I said, getting back into my wallet. "Just let me get another…" I looked down to where Pichu was, but he was gone. "Pichu?" I looked around, but he wasn't there. I then heard something cling in the machine, and turned to see none other than Pichu, climbing inside with the candy. "PICHU!" I screamed. "Get out of there, right now!"

"Pi, Pi pi pichu!" He said, pointing at the stuck bag of gummies.

"No!" I screamed at him. "Get out right this second!" I then slammed my fist on the glass, scaring Pichu.

"Pi!" He jumped, falling and getting his tail stuck in one of the coils. "Pi!" he screamed, as sparks started to form on his cheeks.

"Oh no…"

"CHU!" Pichu send out a thunderbolt attack. Electricity surged through the machine. The lights got bright, and the money accepter went haywire. The numbers on the dollar amount began to flash, and then stopped on $999.99."

"Holy crap!" I jumped, watching the dollar sign stay the same as Pichu's attack stopped. He was finally able to wiggle out of the machine as he dropped through the door, rolling out onto the floor.

"Chu!" He squeaked and shook his head.

"Well…" I looked at the dollar amount again. "No since in letting these go to waist." I then punched all the buttons, getting every candy out of the machine, saving the Gummies for last. When I plugged in the last number, the bag fell. When it fell Pichu jumped into the door, getting his butt got caught, wedged into the flap hinged.

He stood still… then kicked…. "Pi! CHA CHA CHA!" He screamed.

"Oh boy," I laughed. "Hang on, bud, let me finish putting this stuff away." There wasn't nearly enough room in my bag for the candy, so I put them in one of my items holder. I did know, however, that Pichu would not be happy with just one bag of Gummies, so I put every pack we got in my bag for quick access later. I then walked over to Pichu, lifted the door and pulling him out.

"Pi – cha cha!" He smiled, holding up the bag of gummies.

"There now," I laughed as he opened the bag with his teeth and climbed on my shoulder. "Is that good?"

"Cha cha!" He grinned from ear to ear, biting off the heads of the Tediersa before devouring the body.

"Now, for me." I turned my head looking at the espresso machine a few dispensers down. I walked up to the machine, putting in my dollar and pressing the 'mocha' button. The dispenser made a grinding noise, then dropped a cup. Brown liquid began to fill up the paper mug, and soon the small door that held it, opened. I took the cup, holding it in my hand as I took a drink. I cringed, pulling the cup back. "Bleck!" I stuck out my tongue.

"Pi?" Pichu asked, tilting his head as he looked at me, part of a green Tediersa in ms mouth.

"Stuff's nasty." I smiled, taking another drink. Normally I like coffee, but man, this stuff tasted like dirt. I downed the rest of it, throwing the cup in the trash as we headed back for the door, but when it opened I was met with something unexpected.

The parking lot was full of lights, headlights to be precise. "What's going on?" I asked, looking to see a group of bikers all huddling around my motorcycle. "Oh great." I grit my teeth, running up to the group as the all looked at me. I stopped when I got beside my bike. They were still on theirs, parked and looking at me. The bikes were all blue, with some kind of white skull painted on them, and all the men had a blue bandana on. I was cornered, no were to run. That's when I noticed that they looked familiar. It clicked with me when one of them got off the bike and approached me.

"Hey punk!" He said, grabbing on my shirt. "We saw you in Lillycove! We wont let a Team Magma EVER come into out town!"

"That's where I saw you from." I grinned. "You are those duff's from the bar. What? Get too hammered over there? Why don't you get home to your mothers?"

I saw the group stand up off their bikes as they all approached me.

"No Team Magma…" The guy who was grabbing my shirt said, "Will ever say that about me!" He drew his fist back to punch me, but suddenly Pichu let out a Thunder Bolt that arched from us to him. The man let go of my shirt, screaming until the attack ended. When it did, the man fell to the ground, Pichu still did no move from my shoulder, still continuing to much on the Gummies.

"Ahh!" They all backed up, leaving the one knocked out on the ground in front of me.

"Come on." I smiled. "Are you wimps all show? Heck, I don't even know what this 'Team Magma' is, but if this is the best you got you might as well give up."

"What was that?" This deep voice said. Behind the group of guys I saw a large single headlight pull up. They all parted, letting this man in a very familiar motorcycle pull up beside me. He looked at me, and the closer he got the more I noticed where I saw that bike at before.

"What the?!" I turned around, looking at my bike, and then back to his. "Where did you get that bike?!"

"What?" The guy laughed, raising up the hood of his blue motorcycle as he stood up. "You think you're the only one who has an Akira Bike?" He then cringed as he looked at mine. "Oh man, I will never understand Team Magma. Why would you put stickers one a bike that rare?"

"What?" I turned to look at all the bumper stickers covering the front of my bike.

"And that color," He spat. "Disgusting."

"Pi-chu…" Pichu narrowed his eyes, glaring at the guy as he pulled on his goggles.

The man then raised an eyebrow. "If you are team Magma, why do you have an electric type?"

"What is it with you people!?" I screamed, grabbing my hair. "Team Magma, Team Aqua, what the crap?!"

"No one talks about our team like that!" They all screamed as they took out one pokeball each.

"Hold it." The one that got off the Akira Bike said.

"Boss?" One answered back.

"I'm going to teach this kid…" he said, taking out two pokeballs. "What he gets when he crosses Team Aqua!" He threw out the pokeballs, and in the red light stood a tall Cacturne and a Walrein, which was the size as a snorlax. All the bikers stepped back as I examined the pokemon that stood in front of me in the parking lot.

"What?" The leader said as he laughed. "Little Team Magma scared?"

"I have never seen those pokemon before." I said, looking at the cactus and walrus that stood in front of me. "I have read about them, but ever actually seen them."

"Amazing pokemon, are they not?" He then crossed his arms and smiled.

"Hump. Figures. So far this region has disappointed me in layout, trainers, and now even pokemon."

"Are you making fun of my pokemon?" The guy yelled.

"Not so much the pokemon," I smiled as I took off the ball from around my neck. "More so the trainer."

"Okay, boy! Put your money where your mouth is!"

"Gladly." My ball flew out, and in the darkness of the night Arcanine's embers glew red.

"A fire type!" They all screamed. "Team Magma!"

"Oh My Gosh!" I screamed back. "You people are insane!"

"Shut up, Team Magma!" The leader said. "Water will ALWAYS have the advantage over fire! Walrein! Use Bubble Beam!"

I watched as the walrus blew out a stream of bubbles that flew at Arcanine. Arcanine raised one eyebrow, letting the bubbles hit him, then pop on contact. He turned around, looking at me with a confused expression like 'is this really an attack?'.

"WHAT?!" All the bikers screamed.

"No way!" The leader said, grabbing his bandanna and screamed. "NOOO WAAAYYYYY! How can my most powerful attack have no effect on a Team Magma fire pokemon!?"

"Most powerful?" I shook my head, shocked. "My gosh. Arcanine, use Flamethrower."

In an instant the make-shift battle ground in the parking lot was covered in flames. All the bikers stood back, confused and amazed at the amount of fire put off in the attack. When the flames subsisted, both Cacturne and Walrein were knocked out."

"No way!?" The leader said as he recalled them. He then looked back to his group of bikers. "Quick! Throw them all out!"

"All of them?!" They questioned.

"Yes!" He answered. "No Team Magma will beat us!"

I watched as they all threw out one pokeball each. Wingul were flying around, Corphish were crawling about, and a few Carvanha were splashing on the ground like a Magikarp out of water.

I recalled Arcanine, and turned to raise the hood on my bike.

"Oh look!" The leader said. "I knew the little Magma was too chicken to fight!"

"This isn't a fight." I said climbing on my bike. "This would be a slaughter."

"Ohhhh!" The group yelled. "Yeah! Magma Sucks Eggsacute! Team Aqua wins!"

I shook my head, sliding on my helmet. "I meant you would be slaughtered, idiots. Pichu."

"Pi?" He tilted his head, looking at me as I started the engine.

"Use Thunder. Wipe them all out."

"Pi!"

From behind me I could hear the conversations starting up. "Hahah!" The bikers laughed. "We scared him off, he's ready to run!" I saw Pichu jump from the cup holder, onto the back of the bike.

"Pi…. Ch…." He said, powering up. I heard thunder in the background, and the group of bikers went quiet. "CHUUUUUUUU!" Right then a bolt of lightly came down and struck the Winguls flying in the air. The electricity then bounced off of them and hit the water pokemon on the ground, and then ricashaded over to he bikers.

"Ahhhhh!" They all screamed as I began to drive away, hearing all of the pokemon and bikers hit the ground.

"Pi-cha!" Pichu said, jumping back in his cup holder and munching on more Gummies.

"Pichu?" I asked. "You didn't kill them… did you?"

"Pi?" He tilted his head at me, and then shrugged.

"Great…" I groaned, then sighed. "Man, I really need some sleep. I don't think I wouldn't of lost control back there if I had seven hours or so." I then threw my head back, laughing. "Man, what happened to the guy who only got two hours a night, tops? Its hard to believe that so much has happened in such a short time." I looked at the speedometer. I had been accelerating slowly since the take off, and was now going nearly 100 MPH. I let my hand ease up on the handle, slowing down the bike. As we drove, I saw a sign blur by. Safari Zone? I asked myself. "I'm not really into the pokemon selection here… but…" I slowed down the bike, taking the exit off of the highway to the right. "It would be nice to get some more sleep."

At the end of the off ramp was an intersection. The light was red, cautioning me to stop, but there were no cars anywhere. I hung a right, heading down the road to the Safari. "If this place is anything like the one in Fuchsia, there should be plenty of shacks to lay low in for a few hours."

It was a couple of miles down the road, but eventually I came to the entrance. It was a massive iron gate, which opened to a rock path that lead to a huge building… that is, it would have, if the gate was open. It was chained up, with a sign hanging from the latch.

"Closed"

"Hmm." I glanced over to the rock pillar the gate was attached too and saw another sign. "Safari Zone," I read. "Opened 10am –8pm." I then noticed a picture of a video camera below it. "24 hours video surveillance." I then looked up, noticing a camera looking right down at me. The lens moved, zooming in.

"Nice." I chuckled as I turned the bike around, heading back the way I came. A little ways up the road I went into an ally, turning off the bike and putting it away.

"Pi?" Pichu looked up at me as he jumped on the dirty street.

"We are getting into that place." I said with a smile as I took a pokeball off my belt. "Incognito."

"Chu?" He tilted his head, looking at me confused as he continued to munch on the gummies. He then stuck the back over his head, only to get it stuck. "Chu! Chu! Chu!" He squirmed.

"Ahh…" I groaned, "Hang on." I picked him up, taking the bag off of his head and tossed in on the dumpster behind us.

"Chuuu…" he looked down sad, at the empty wrapper.

"Don't worry." I said, placing him on my shoulder. "Thanks to you there are plenty more in our book bag." I heard something behind me, and turned my head to see a floating camera buzz by. It then hummed, and backed up, turning to pier down the ally way.

I wrapped my hand over Pichu's mouth as we dove behind the dumpster. "Shuu." I said, putting my finger over my mouth.

"Beep-Beep-Beep…" The camera hovered. Then a red light, like a horizontal laser, projected out of the machine. It ran up the walls of the ally, and then back down, scanning the crevasse between the buildings.

"Rraaaow!" I Skitty jumped from far back in the ally way. It knocked over a trashcan and ran past the camera, hanging a left and bolting down the road with a Quick Attack.

"Alert! Alert!" The camera spoke in a very automated voice as it took off after the frantic feline.

"Man, I keep hating this place more and more." I threw the pokeball into the ally way, making Pideot appear. I ran up, jumping on her back as Pichu sat on her head. "Lets get out of here before more show up." I pointed to the Safari Zone, and we took off.