Route One to Viridian. Have fun in the city, - FeatherPen18
Chapter Two:
I left Pallet behind, not looking back. My every nerve was tingling with excitement. I was doing it. I was actually doing it! I laughed out loud, and Damien chuckled with me. This was the dream. I skipped along Route One, my boots crunching on the gravel and dirt. The sun beat down overhead, and it warmed my back. In about a half-hour of walking, we reached the outskirts of Viridian City. The plains behind us were long gone. The urban lights and noises were overwhelming.
"Here we are," I breathed. I stuck out my hand, and Damien took it. We took those steps into Viridian together. The city was chaos. Street venders calling out their product, people bustling to their destinations... This was insanity! I quickly returned Damien to his ball; there wasn't enough room on the street for him, and he was getting irritated from the proximity of the strangers. First thing was first; I had to find a Pokémon Center. There I could get a map. That's right. Even though Prof. Oak taught me so much, he refused to give me a map. He said that being lost was half the fun of the trip. I stood at the edges of the street, muttering, "Excuse me" and "Pardon me", trying in vain to break through the throng of pedestrians.
"You're not going to get anywhere doing that." I turned to see a teenage boy, who looked to be a year or so older than me. He had spiky auburn hair, and tan skin. His features were tough and windswept, as if he'd just been in the middle of some action.
"Sorry?" I asked, in bewilderment. He laughed, his bright green eyes lighting up.
"Yeah, you're definitely not from here. You're way too polite. If you want to move anywhere through this convoluted city, you have to shove your way through. Where are you headed too? I could walk you there." He smiled, and took my arm in his. I smirked at him.
"And I'm the one who's too polite? Thank you, though. I'm headed toward the Pokémon Center," I replied. He chuckled.
"Well that's in the heart of the city. Hold on tight, I don't want to lose you in the crowd!" With that, he jumped into the fray, towing me behind him. We zigzagged through the streets, winding past the various shoppers and the like. We stopped at a street corner, pausing to cross the road.
"I'm Garrett by the way. I figure you should know the name of the person who's dragging you through an unfamiliar city," he said. I chuckled.
"I'm Elizabeth. But most people just call me Zee. Oops! Light turned green!" Now I was dragging him across the street, just in time before the light turned red again.
"Nice to meet you, Zee. And here we are!" At that very moment, we turned the corner. A large building stood in front of me. The roof was a dome, designed like a pokeball. I was awestruck. This was the first time I'd ever seen a Pokémon Center.
"Well, don't just stand there gawking! Come on!" Garret pulled me along, up the sidewalk to the double doors. The slid automatically open, granting entrance to the brightly lit interior. Dozens of trainers were milling around, playing with pokémon, feeding them, and of course, giving them to Nurse Joy to heal.
"Wow," I gasped, staring wide-eyed at everything. Garrett grinned at my expression.
"Yep. First time in a Pokémon Center, huh?" I started.
"Yeah, how'd you know?" I asked. Garrett rolled his eyes.
"Come on. Every center looks like this. At least, they all look similar. And your expression says it all. You've never been in one. So, my question is, why are you so late?" I narrowed my eyes at him. I could tell he thought I was an unprepared newbie. Well he was in for a rude awakening.
"I spent some more time studying. But just because I've never been in a Pokémon Center, doesn't mean I know nothing," I shot back. He raised an eyebrow.
"Care to test your knowledge?" he asked, smirking.
"Gladly," I replied, giving him a wicked grin. He took a step back. Hehe, this was going to be fun. I liked Garrett, I truly did, but he needed to learn not to mess with me. Trainers did stop by Prof. Oak's. So of course, I battled them.
"Shall we?" I walked to the doors again, waving him to follow me. Once outside, I enlarged Damien's ball, feeling it heat up slightly in my hand.
"Damien, come on out!" I threw the ball up into the air. Ruby lighting shot out from the ball, and my beloved gengar appeared. Damien grinned at Garrett, and waved. The said boy looked even more unnerved – probably because our smiles were exactly the same. But he drew out his own ball from his pocket.
"Rapidash, go!" The flaming stallion materialized, pawing at the ground. It neighed wildly, raring to battle. I looked at Damien. He was rolling his eyes, as if to say, what a drama queen. I chuckled. Damien took his place in front of me.
"Okay, ready? I'll let you have first move," I called. Garret immediately set into action.
"Rapidash, use Agility!" Garrett yelled. The Rapidash started sprinting in circles on the spot, speeding up every second.
"Damien, Confuse Ray!" Damien's eyes glowed purple and then blue as he tried to lock eyes with the Rapidash, but it was moving too quickly.
"Rapidash, Megahorn!" The creature's horn glowed bright white, and it charged Damien. But my gengar was pretty damn fast too.
"Damien, jump into its shadow!" My gengar cackled as it took over the shadow of the Rapidash. The shadow started to jump, and rear on the pavement. Frightened, the Rapidash tried to stomp its own shadow, but that of course was impossible.
"Rapidash, come on, use Stomp!" Garrett called, but it was useless.
"Now use Shadow Punch!" Damien leaped up and hit the Rapidash square in the jaw. It stumbled back.
"Confuse Ray, again!" Damien locked eyes this time, and the Rapidash started to teeter.
"Rapidash, Quick Attack!" The Rapidash tried, but it hit the wall of a nearby building instead of Damien.
"Damien, finish it off with Dark Pulse!" Damien, with unnecessary flair, jumped up into the air, flipping. He landed heavily on the ground, and a purple wave of dark energy rippled away from him. It struck the still confused Rapidash. The large pokémon staggered back for a moment, and then fell to the ground.
"Rapidash, return." Garrett returned the pokémon back into the ball, and then smiled at me.
"You really know what you're doing, don't you?" I smiled back.
"You think? But I couldn't do anything without you!" I turned and hugged Damien, lovingly.
"You did awesome buddy! But was the flip really needed?" I ran my hand through the spikes on his back. Damien nodded happily.
"Ok, now you're just getting cocky," I admonished. Damien grinned and saluted me as he jumped back into his ball. Garrett was laughing once more.
"You're pokémon is hilarious," he said, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Don't say that! He can still hear you, and it will go right to his head," I replied.
"Well, let's go back into the pokémon center, where we can heal our pokémon, though I doubt Damien needs it." I followed Garret back into the building, where we gave our pokémon to Nurse Joy. In a short minute, we got them back.
"Okay, I've got to pay up now. You won, fair and square." Garrett handed over 1000 pokedollars*.
"Why, thank you sir," I said, mockingly tipping my hat. He rolled his eyes, and started to walk out.
"Wait!" I called. Garrett stopped and looked back.
"Let me at least take you to lunch. I think we both worked up an appetite." I smiled, and took his arm in mine, like he had done to me earlier.
"Know any good restaurants?"
*It sounds like a lot, I know. But for those who've played the games, you know it isn't.