Pre- Chapter Notes:
Well, here we are again. The pre-chapter notes. With chapter 3 having been released (finally) it's time for chapter 4! I hope that this chapter, as well as 3, have been better than chapter 2, which I'm kind of disappointed in after reading it again when chapter 3 came out. I hope that all of you reading this enjoyed it though. Anyhow, we now have Cole and Katherine traveling together with Ekans and Emperor. Will they meet new friends? Enemies? Rivals? Let the story begin!
-Katherine-
Katherine walked very slowly up the steps into the world famous Gear Station. The building towered over her and she constantly had to dodge people rushing down the stairs as well as carry her rather large backpack, which was much heavier than she had anticipated after buying a few more supplies. Emperor, the Roggenrola, was not very keen on going into places that had lots of people, so Katherine had to carry him into the station. Even though Emperor didn't much care for people, he wasn't frightened of them; unlike Ekans, who was still outside the station with Cole refusing to even get close to the mass of people. Katherine had volunteered to go check in with the railroad's ticket manager to make sure they knew that they had Pokemon and therefore must sit in the car reserved for trainers.
She managed to make her way to their platform and was heading up to the ticket window to check in, but a certain Growlithe caught her attention. Katherine stopped and watched the Growlithe prance down the platform, being trailed by a tall, black-haired girl, that even though she was facing the other way had a sense of smug confidence in her walk.
"Emperor… That's not Judy is it?" she whispered, reeling around to look behind her so if the trainer turned around, she wouldn't notice Katherine.
"Rola Rog." Emperor spat.
Katherine sighed, glancing behind her again and sure enough, when the trainer sat down on a bench; Katherine could confirm her fears.
"Nooo… ugh. Why is she here? I thought she was going to Sinnoh and she didn't come to that meeting at the school for Unova trainers. She better just be taking the train to the airport." Katherine moaned, unfortunately, she also knew that Judy was sitting at Katherine's platform; meaning she was going to taking the express all the way to Nuvema Town.
"Roggenrola…" Emperor muttered. He hated Judy almost as much as Katherine did; especially after what happened to them.
Slinking over to the ticket window, Katherine quickly checked in, grabbed the form to fill out about how many and what type of Pokemon she and Cole had and returned it.
She sulked over to a Pokemon- friendly coffee shop to order some scones and drinks for the long train ride to Nuvema. She set Roggenrola down on her table and gave him some Poke Puffs that the shop had freshly made. She was supposed to meet Cole on the platform, but she had just received a text from him that he was still struggling to get Ekans inside the station.
'I'm actually going to have to carry her inside if I can't get her in soon. :(((
Said the text. Katherine laughed, it made her feel a tad bit better imagining everyone staring at Cole as he carried Ekans inside.
"Ha!" Katherine laughed, "Ok after we eat, we should go help him." She told Emperor, who agreed and continued enjoying his snack.
-Cole-
"Please! Ekans, just into the station! That's all I'm asking for…" He pleaded, laying on the ground in front of Ekans, hands covering his face. He had tried everything to get the stubborn Snake Pokemon inside the station but to no avail. He tried pulling, which Ekans did not enjoy at all, coaxing, begging, trying to lure with food, just about anything you could imagine; Cole had tried it.
Ekans hissed, annoyed. She did not like crowds, especially around people she didn't know if she could trust. Before Cole had found her in the woods, she had to face a problem that she thought she had escaped from. She thought that it would be all gone when she got away from it at first, but at graduation, she had to hide from it again. Two times in just two days. She couldn't just go on in a station that crowded; it was too risky for her. Looking at Cole laying on the ground, defeated, made her question exactly what she had agreed to do. She felt as though she could trust him, even though they had just met, but if Cole had chosen to take her with him before graduation and those people came… Those disgusting people that wanted her- Cole could be hurt… or worse. She shivered with the thought, but how could she leave? She liked Cole so much, she hasn't ever felt that way about any human before him. Even when she tried to attack him when they first saw each other, he persisted and got her help.
Her thoughts were interrupted by another moan from Cole. He was still laying on the ground and turned to face her.
"Well, if you are going to be this stubborn about it, then why don't you come over here?" He said, standing up and moving over to his backpack he had left on a bench a few feet away.
Curiously, Ekans approached Cole and watched him rummage through his new backpack until finally, he pulled out a red and white sphere. He turned and presented it to Ekans, who flicked her tongue at it, intrigued.
"This is a Pokeball, which will officially make you my Pokemon." Cole explained, "I don't want to make you join my team, so I'll leave it here on the ground, and when you're ready you just hit the middle button. If you don't want to, I understand."
Ekans looked down at the Pokeball on the ground, then up to Cole, who had stepped back a few feet. She once again thought of the threat that she could bring into Cole's life, but it was a chance for her to escape. She grimaced with the thought about being so selfish, but she knew that this was right for her. It just felt like it was supposed to be in her life. She lowered her head to the Pokeball and pushed in the button. A bright red light exploded from the ball, pulling in Ekans and in a flash; she was gone.
Cole stood and watched as the ball rolled to one side, then another roll, and finally, a click accompanied by a soft ping halted the ball's movements. Cole released the breath he had been holding in and grinned. He rushed to open the ball back up and tapped the middle button. Another flash of white was released and took the form of Ekans, who looked pleased.
"Well! I'm so excited that you stayed!" Cole laughed and bounded forward to give Ekans a hug, which the purple snake returned. Releasing her from his hug, Cole stood back up, still grinning from ear to ear, "Oh!" he exclaimed, "Do you have a name? Do Ekans or Arbok have names?"
Ekans shook her head slowly to say, no she did not have a name.
"Well, would you like one?" Cole asked.
Ekans quickly nodded yes and slithered up onto the bench. Cole sat thinking for a little while, and Ekans watched him. She was very excited for an opportunity like this, as well as being able to travel around Unova, which she had always wanted to do since she was little. All of her wishes were coming true, just in a matter of days, too. She scooted up to Cole and leaned on him, while he was thinking.
"What about… Platinum?" He finally asked.
The Snake Pokemon loved it, she furiously nodded her head and wrapped around Cole tightly.
"O-ok, Hard to breathe… Platinum." He laughed and she released him.
"Ok, Platinum! We really have to get into the station now, but I can carry you in the Pokeball if you'd like?"
Platinum agreed and soon Cole had made it through the crowd into the station, right as Katherine was leaving the coffee shop, loaded with snacks and drinks with the train.
"Ah, hello!" She said cheerily, "I've just had five cups of coffee!" She yelled, "Ooo! I see that Ekans is in a Pokeball! Why didn't she come inside? I checked in too, but I think the train is a little delayed. Emperor ate so many Poké Puffs, and I spent a lot of money. Hahaha!"
"Woah. Way too much just happened with… all of that." Cole giggled, "I don't even know if you were asking me anything or just saying random things that happened."
Katherine laughed loudly, "I was tired."
"Ok, then!" Cole said, "Ekans has a name now, too. It's Platinum."
"Oh! That's super cute! Does she like it, too?"
"Well, I think so at least, she nearly crushed me in a hug afterward so I'm assuming yes."
"Hahaha! Super cute. How pretty, too!"
They approached the platform to Nuvema town just as their train was pulling in, releasing floods of people into the station. Cole looked at the train in awe. Unova's new high-speed trains were a double-decker, fast, sleek, and shiny. They were marvelous.
The group boarded the train, getting their tickets punched by the conductor as they walked inside their car.
"Good!" Katherine said, "No Judy in this car."
"What does that mean?" Cole asked.
"Remember the girl with the Growlithe at graduation? That insulted your friend?" Katherine asked. Cole nodded his head, "Well, I saw her while you were still outside with Ek- sorry, Platinum. She's horrible."
"Oh, well good thing she's not in here, then." Cole smiled.
The group found a nice set of seats, with a table between them to let them set down their things and they fell into casual chatter. Cole eventually released Platinum, who took several minutes to feel comfortable about being on a train but refused to go back into her Pokeball. She finally curled up on the seat next to Cole while Emperor sat on the table next to Katherine.
About five minutes later, with just minutes before the train was scheduled to depart, a group of people clamored into the train, racing for Cole.
"...And then, He got chased by a wild Purrloin! He ran at full speed for about five blocks and then he fell face first into the mud, but the Purrloin had stopped chasing at the first block!" Cole laughed, retelling the story about his friends a couple of years ago to Katherine, who was in hysterics. Their laughter was interrupted by a person shouting at the top of their lungs.
"Cole Henvery!" The voice screamed from the entrance of their car.
Cole reeled around, watching three figures sprint up to him with a Servine and an Azumarill.
"...Mom? Karen? Dad?" Cole asked as they stopped in front of him, panting and gasping for air.
"I… told you… we would get to them… wow, I need to work out more." His dad said, taking a seat across the aisle.
"Excuse me, but you can't be in here without a ticket!" The conductor said, annoyed. He had just got up the stairs.
"Sorry! We're leaving soon!" Karen apologized.
"Cole," His mother began, "I just wanted to say that I was sorry. For… snapping at you like that. Karen and your father spoke to me after I left, and I guess I could… be okay with you having an Ekans."
Platinum peeked up to Cole's mom and grinned awkwardly. Regi, the Servine, sneered at Platinum and turned up his nose to her.
"I told you he'll be fine, mom." Karen said, putting her hand on their mom's shoulder.
"But, If you do something to him," she was talking to Platinum now, "I'll make sure it's the last thing you do." Cole's mom said darkly, Platinum gulped, "Oh! Hello, Katherine! I'm happy to see you two will be going together. I think your jacket is very cute!"
"Oh, um, thank you, ma'am." Katherine replied softly.
"You really must be getting off the train now, please." The conductor insisted.
"Just a minute longer!" Karen assured him. He didn't look too happy about it and checked his watch nervously.
Cole's Mom bent down to give Cole a hug, "We're rooting for you! Now bring home those badges!"
"And faster than Karen, too!" Cole's Dad joked and Karen playfully punched his shoulder.
"Ok! We best be going now! We love you!" She said, "Good luck to you too, Katherine!"
"Goodbye! Make sure you let those leaders record the battle so we can see!" Cole's Dad said and followed his wife out.
"Bye, Cole. I'll see you around. After all, I'm only at the third gym." Karen said, "Come on Regi, say bye. You too, Azi."
"Vine." Regi said, who had already started walking away.
"Zu!" Azumarill called happily and followed behind Karen as she left the car.
Cole turned around to face Katherine when they left, "Well, that was a bit crazy." he chuckled.
"They are very nice!" Katherine assured him, "But, a little excitable."
"Very." Cole said turning to Platinum, "Don't mind my Mom… or Regi, I'm sure they'll get used to you."
Platinum mustered a smile and pressed herself against Cole, falling asleep just as the train started to roll away into the evening.
"Goodbye, Nimbasa." Cole muttered as the train slipped out of the station and built up speed into Route 5's desert. Nimbasa's famous Ferris Wheel and skyline slipped further and further away into the horizon until it was just a speck and soon, invisible.
Katherine had fallen asleep rather fast, even after all of her coffee, as well as Emperor and Platinum, followed by Cole as the sun slid beneath the horizon.
The train ride was rather uneventful, nothing happened for the entire eleven hours they were on the train and the group slept almost the entire time.
Soon, Cole started to dream, but it didn't feel normal. He stood in a room with swirls of colors and nothing else it seemed. He felt sick suddenly and collapsed onto the floor. The swirls of color faded and everything turned black. In the distance, he could see a dim light with the outline of a building that looked like a factory, with smoke billowing from the smokestacks. Cries of different Pokemon could be heard from inside the factory and when Cole approached it, he saw a huge explosion burst from one of the smokestacks, sending a ball of fire high into the air. The blast knocked him down and the smokestacks toppled down, raining bricks and metal plates into the factory. The smokestack struck the middle of the factory, collapsing the roof. The scene was dreadful and sickening, but Cole couldn't look away as people soon began to run from the building as a truck sped off into the night. As soon as it came, everything returned to swirls of color and once again he was left in a void of nothing. Suddenly a voice called out as clear as day, "Cole?"
Jolted awake by a particularly large bump, Cole felt his face, which was streaming with tears.
"...What the heck was that?" Cole asked himself, wiping away the tears. He looked around and saw that Katherine and Emperor were still sound asleep, but Platinum was looking right at him.
"Ek Ekans?" She asked, looking concerned.
"Oh, I'm alright. Just a nightmare." Cole said, rubbing Platinum's head.
Platinum looked puzzled, but she relaxed and once again curled up against Cole.
"We'll be there soon." Cole muttered and drifted back into sleep.
The train arrived in Nuvema town that afternoon and came to a halt at the terminal. Cole and Katherine, still groggy, carried down their backpacks and got Emperor and Platinum breakfast.
"We made it." Katherine said, "Nuvema Town is a lot smaller than I would have thought." she stated.
"Yeah, I've never been here either." Cole said, "come on let's go find the professor."
Before they could even take two steps out of the station, a voice called behind them, "Oh Arceus, it's Katherine. Did you come to get a free starter so you actually have a chance in a battle with that Roggenrola?"
Cole and Katherine spun around with Platinum and Emperor. A tall, dark-haired girl with a Growlithe was standing a few steps above them. Katherine glared at her.
"Ah, hello Judy. I don't quite remember asking for your opinion on my battling skills." Katherine replied coolly.
"Pah! You won't be brave enough to talk to me like that after my Growlithe destroys your Roggenrola." Judy sneered.
"Is that a challenge, Judy?" Katherine spat.
Judy smiled, "Oh you know it is."
Cole had been standing there awkwardly with Platinum at his side while Katherine and Emperor had been at it with Judy and her Growlithe.
Judy looked over to him and Platinum, "Haha! You don't expect to be able to raise a Pokemon like that, do you?" She, of course, was talking about Platinum.
Platinum wrapped her tail around Cole's leg and turned bright red. She looked down at the ground, ashamed.
"I most certainly do. Other people have, why can't I?" Cole asked.
"Yeah, um, those 'other people' are criminals, hon, that's why." Judy said as if talking to a five-year-old, and she turned back to Katherine whose face was red with anger, "I'll meet you over by the Pokemon Center for that battle, Kath. Sound good?"
"Don't call me 'Kath', Judy." Katherine snapped back.
"Whoops, sorry, Kath. Forgot you don't like that name anymore."Judy sarcastically replied. She planted her hands on her hips and looked down at Growlithe, who had been watching the whole confrontation with a smug look on his face, "You ready to win a battle?" she asked.
Growlithe barked his approval and turned around making his way off to the field behind the Pokemon Center. Judy was following him, laughing, leaving a fuming Katherine behind her.
Katherine grumbled and balled her hands into fists, "Come on, Emperor. Let's take her down."
And, with that, Emperor and Katherine marched over to the field, with Cole and Platinum trailing behind.
"Wow, she looks terrifying. I wouldn't want to be Judy right now." Cole muttered to Platinum, who was slithering alongside him sadly. Cole looked down and smiled at his friend,
"Now don't even think about what Judy said to you. She doesn't know that you can be different, but I don't think that people's opinions will change that easily." Cole informed, taking on a serious tone, "We need to show them who you are and why you're different than those other Ekans." Platinum looked up, teary-eyed but a little more confident, "So let's go cheer on Katherine and then the next time Judy decides to be a loud mouth, we can show her your battling skills."
Platinum looked much better, and raised her head high, "Ekans!" she exclaimed.
"Exactly! We… just need to actually have a battle together first or else we won't know what to do." Cole chuckled, "Come on, Katherine looks ready."
Sure enough, Katherine stood behind Emperor and watched Judy and Growlithe get ready on the other side. Cole sat down on one of the bleachers with Platinum and instructed her to watch the battle to see how trainers battle each other.
"You ready Kath?" Judy called from the other side.
"You really are the worst, Judy" Katherine mumbled as she pulled her hair to one side, "Let's get started."
Judy's eyes lit up and was the first to call a command.
"Delta! Charge in with a Bite!" Judy yelled and her Growlithe, named Delta, started sprinting down the field to Emperor, sending dust flying up behind him.
"Emperor! Wait and then Sand Attack up close!" Katherine yelled.
Judy tensed up and screamed at Delta to veer to the right, but it was too late. Delta had gotten too close to Emperor and wasn't able to turn. Emperor blew a huge cloud of sand into Delta head-on, forcing Delta to skid to halt and shake vigorously to get the sand out of his eyes.
"Perfect Emperor! Now Headbutt!" Katherine yelled, hoping to get in a hit before Growlithe could recover.
Judy sneered at Katherine and readied her next command, "Delta! Back off! Get ready to catch that Roggenrola!"
Delta jumped back out of the sand cloud just as Emperor came flying out to land the Headbutt, but Delta caught him in a Bite and threw him with a quick turn of the head, sending him tumbling down the battlefield.
"Ack. It's okay, Emperor!" Katherine called to her fallen friend, but noticed Growlithe charging down the battlefield, readying an Ember, "Move Emperor! Break that Ember with Rock Blast!" Emperor clearly struggled to get up, but when he did Delta had just launched his Ember.
Emperor mustered a Rock Blast that met the Ember head-on, canceling both attacks, but sending shards of rock and embers flying in every direction in a wonderful display. Even though it may have looked beautiful, both competitors were hit with the debris and took significant damage.
Katherine used this pause to her advantage, "Emperor! Another Rock Blast while Growlithe is recovering!"
"No! Delta, move!" Judy frantically cried to Delta, but to no avail. Emperor blasted Delta with a super- effective Rock Blast head-on, causing Growlithe to topple over, but he got up.
Both Pokemon were showing clear signs of exertion from the battle. Growlithe was on his last legs and Emperor was burned from the flaming shrapnel.
"Delta! Bite and then Tackle! Let's finish him!" Judy called and Growlithe ran forward to Emperor, much slower than when the battle had first begun. Once again, Katherine was too slow to direct Emperor away from Bite and he took the full effect of Delta's bite. Delta threw him, but this time Emperor landed upright to Katherine's surprise and Judy's dismay.
As Delta ran at Emperor for his Tackle, Katherine called out quickly, "Headbutt again! Full Steam!"
The little Rock Type ran at full force at Delta, who tried to stop, but his momentum had gathered and ran straight into Emperor.
"No!" Judy wailed, watching Delta topple over and stay down.
"Yes!" Katherine exclaimed, running onto the battlefield to scoop up Emperor. She spun around with him and cheered.
Cole clapped loudly and cheered as well. Platinum had been watching with interest but had been expecting a different outcome. It was different than she had expected or what she was used to. She had been raised in a way that when you battle, you go to the end. The very end of your opponent, so they don't get up. She shook her head to get the thoughts out of her head. She needed to forget everything they tried to teach her was right. She was a new Pokemon, but it would take time to get everything right. Just as long as Cole never finds out, everything will be okay.
"...Come back, Delta. I know you tried." Judy whispered and picked up her backpack and turned to leave, "You won't be so lucky again, Kath. I'll get you next time." She growled to Katherine.
"We'll see about that, Judy." Katherine said, turning to Cole and Platinum, holding Emperor tightly, "Ahh!" She screamed excitedly.
"You were great! That was such a good battle!" Cole said, clapping his hands.
"Thank you! I was kind of hoping my first official battle could be with you or Judy, so I'm super happy!" Katherine giggled, then looked down to Emperor, resting peacefully in her arms, "Let's go get you fixed up."
They walked up to the Pokemon Center, checked in, got two rooms, and gave Emperor to the Nurse to get all rested up. Cole opened up his door, letting Platinum go in first, then shut the door. Katherine said that she was going to bed early, so they were just sitting around with nothing to do.
Cole looked around the room, which was rather small. It had a bunk bed, TV, small refrigerator, wardrobe, and a desk. Platinum sniffed at the refrigerator and looked to Cole.
"You hungry?" Cole asked, Platinum nodded, "Me too. Have you ever had food like this before?" Cole asked, taking out some snacks and microwavable dinners.
Platinum shook her head no and seemed rather eager to try it.
Cole got everything ready, took off a blanket from the bed and sat on the floor with Platinum as they happily ate together in silence.
Cole was the first to break the silence. He picked up his plastic plate and while walking over to the garbage can, he asked, "Why are you so afraid of people? I mean I guess I understand that it's all new to you, but it seems like it's something else."
Platinum tensed up and turned red, she didn't even know how to answer him unless it was a yes or no question and this was literally what she had decided earlier today that she would try to keep out of conversations. She glanced around the room nervously and turned to him, shaking her head innocently.
"No reason, huh?"
She nodded her head slowly and as calmly as possible.
"Well, I guess everyone has a fear of something." Cole responded, not pressing her for further questions, "I think I'm off to bed. You can sleep on the bottom bunk if you want and I'll have the top. Sound good?"
Platinum nodded and slithered up onto the bed. She had never slept on a bed before, but she instantly found it to be a wonderful experience. She curled up tight and Cole wrapped her up in a big blanket. She closed her eyes after waiting for Cole to fall safely asleep up above her by listening to his breaths falling into a steady rhythm. Platinum closed her eyes and after a while, she started to dream, but this dream wouldn't be one that she would ever forget.
Well, here we are… the end of chapter four. I'm eager to start chapter five as the chapter from here on should be a little bit more action packed. Oh! Ekans has a name now and we see a little into her backstory. I wonder what she wants to hide from Cole so desperately? We'll see in the next few chapters. As always, I encourage comments, criticism, PMs, and all that sort of jazz. See you all soon! (And by the way, I don't own Pokemon) :)