Last chapter we had defeated our crossover rival and officially started our journey as a Pokemon Trainer...at least in the Ranto Region! What challenges lie ahead for us in our first city? Read to find out!

~Chapter 3: Errands~

"Kicker...why don't I have any Poke Balls?"

"I don't know man. I don't know. Watch out for those stinging nettles over there though...oh and don't step on that crack. It'll break your mother's back!"

Kicker and I departed Pallet and headed up north, intending to reach Viridian City. Along the way we encountered a very lost yet very loyal employee of the Viridian Poke Mart, who kindly offered us an illegal potion. Not wanting to cause a scene, I politely accepted his offering before tossing it in some nearby bushes.

We encountered a few random wild pokemon here and there but Kicker took care of them without too much trouble, a fact that pleased me very much. Eventually we reached Viridian City. It was a small city with houses scattered about and the usual Pokemon Center/Poke Mart combo in close proximity to each other. There was also a gym but since I was starving, we checked into the Pokemon Center first for some free grub.

"Hello and welcome to the Pokemon Center! May I heal your pokemon?" asked Nurse Joy in a robotic voice.

"Er sure."

"Okay one moment please...okay your pokemon are all healed now!"

I blinked. "Wow that was fast Nurse Joy! Thanks!"

"We hope to see you again!"

Examining Kicker, I found no traces of the minor scrapes and bruises that he had sustained over the course of our short trip and turned to once again thank Nurse Joy.

"Just wanted to say thanks again Nurse Joy! And maybe we could exchange numbers? For trainer related purposes I assure you and-"

"Hello! And welcome to the Pokemon Center! May I heal your pokemon?" she asked with that robotic smile of hers. Kicker and I backed away slowly toward the exit before making a run for it.

"Alright Kicker let's check out the Poke Mart, hopefully she won't follow us..."
He nodded silently in agreement as we made our way to the smaller building with the blue roof. Stepping inside, we were greeted by the sight of numerous shelves chock-full of goods and wares. Noticing us, the store clerk ushered us over, looking about nervously.

"Hi I'd like to buy some Poke Balls please."

"Eh did the police follow you here?"

"What?"

"Never mind. Here, take this." He shoved a suspicious looking brown package in my arms before whispering, "Give it to Kao and tell em Johnny got the money."

"Again...what?"

Before I could continue poking around for answers, the store clerk disappeared into a back room, despite an obvious line of customers still waiting. After checking to make sure that the package wasn't ticking, we began making our way back home.

"Say Kicker...what's your philosophy on life?" I asked out of the blue as Kicker beat up on a wild Stantler not far from Pallett.

"I...like to kick things. I feel like a lot of problems in this world can be solved if you just kick hard enough." he answered sheepishly rejoining me as we walked in step.

"Well hopefully you're right. Come on let's get to the lab and deliver this package or whatever it is."

Soon we were back at the lab, with no sign of freakshow Amon or his weak Mightyena to be found. Professor Kao and his associates had evidently cleaned up the mess that Kicker had made and were now lounging around a table playing poker. We walked up to them just as Professor Kao won with a royal flush of spades.

"Professor Kao? The Poke Mart clerk in Viridian said to deliver this to you. Also he said that Johnny got the money."

"What? Oh excellent! Thanks Timb!" He scrutinized the package carefully before looking at me behind a veiled expression. "You didn't open this did you?"

"No. Can we leave now?"

"Not yet. First I must give you and Amon your Poke-Dexes!"

I looked at him quizzically. "Amon? That freak isn't here. He's probably off somewhere being a loner and-"

"Hello...Timb."

"Oh great." I sighed as I turned around and noticed my heavily breathing "rival". Before he could challenge me to another battle, however, Professor Kao threw (yes threw!) a Poke-Dex at each of us. Luckily for me, Kicker intercepted it or else I would've been in the hospital for sure. Amon caught his with his strange telepathy or bending or The Force or whatever the hell it is he does. Professor Kao then started spewing off about gathering information and other technical jargon, but I had hightailed it out of there as soon as the red device was safely in my hands.

"Alright Kicker I've got a few things to do here and then we'll head out." I looked around nervously. "We better hurry before Amon finds us. Go go go!"

Yikes! Nothing is as what it seems in Ranto. Timb will definitely have to be careful, but the good news is that he's got a kickass (literally!) Kicker with him and they're ready to take the league by storm!

As always thanks for reading! Comments and reviews are welcome and appreciated! =D