Okay so a little screw up on the last chapter…. Somehow, I didn't even realize that the ENTIRE THING WAS BOLDED…. I think I had a brain fart or something. Thanks for pointing that out.

Also, an anonymous reader wanted to know if I would be updating weekly or something of the sort. Unfortunately, I do not have the free space in my hectic life (work, finalizing school stuff, more work, girlfriend time, and even more work) to update on a regular basis because I work full time (kind of) and it wears me out very quickly. I work outside and today's high temperature was 98 but they said it felt like 104, which left me in dire need for a cold shower. Also I just returned from a week-long camping trip so I didn't have my laptop on me. So sorry for the delay!

Anyways, I'm planning this story by typing out ideas in a brainstorming-type document… er… thing, then I write as I go along based on my ideas and how I imagine them being played out. But, I will at least TRY to update at least once or twice a month. So please follow the story! I WILL update occasionally.

So without further ado, here's chapter 4!

"Speech" – Human Speech (Also Pokemon speech when no humans are around besides Kurtis.)

"Thoughts" - Telepathy

'Thoughts' – Inner Thoughts

Chapter 4 – Hot Discussions

I woke up from my blissful slumber, groggily staring at my open window with anger. The sunrise has been on the list of things that I despise ever since middle school.

"Curse. You. Sun.", I croaked out.

I noticed Milo perched on my dresser. His small, blue face was half-covered by his cotton wings, which were giving him comfort in my cold bedroom. He was making small snoring noises, all the while his body was moving up and down with the breathing. I couldn't help but smile at the adorable sight that would want any 5-year-old girl squeal.

"Hey Milo, wake up."

He looked stupefied as he barely viewed the morning sun coming through my window. He let out a very audible groan and said, "Ugh… What time is it…"

I glanced at the alarm clock that sits on the opposite side of my room. I have it there so that if it annoys me too much, I would have to physically get out of bed instead of the usual excuse of 'oh-I-just-kept-hitting-the-snooze-button' in case I was late for work. Speaking of which…

I glanced at the clock.

9:00 A.M.

I literally bolted out of my bed so fast that I left an illusion in my wake.

I was late for work. WITH FLANNERY.

"MILO! WE NEED TO GO!" He did NOT need to be told twice after hearing that tone of voice.

'Oh dear Arceus! She's gunna be so pissed! What do I say?! What do I do?! This has never happened to me before!'

I quickly put on the shirt I wore when I first went flying (as it is the only shirt that I've had to cut holes in, grabbed the gym's official t-shirt which consisted of a black shirt that had a lone flame centered around the chest area, and slipped on a pair of khaki shorts and a pair of red sneakers. Before I ran through my front door, however, I noticed a note on the marble countertop in my kitchen. It read:

Kurtis

Sorry I'm not there for you on such an eventful day, but Old Man Humphreys woke up with very severe back spasms this morning. Unfortunately, I have to run over to the pharmacy and get some medication for him before the whole town can hear him moaning. That wouldn't be pleasant at all. I also took the liberty of calling Flannery. I told her that you were going to be coming in around 10 today because you were packing for a trip. I figured that you would rather tell her that you're leaving, seeing that she's your 'employer' and all. Have a safe journey!

With Love,

Mom

I couldn't help but simply smile. My mom always took her job as a doctor very seriously and took every step that was necessary to ensure her patients' well-being.

With that, I grabbed my backpack full of supplies. I decided to do an inventory check. I was checking the bag's contents while Milo was comically checking off a note with items I need, or that I think might be helpful, by poking a hole with his beak next to the item listed. The entire time though, he had a serious expression on his face.

"Pillow"

"Check"

"Sleeping bag"

"Check"

"2 sets of clothes"

"Check"

"Underwear"

"Check"

"Swimsuit"

"Check"

"Potions"

"Check"

"Poke Balls"

"Check"

"Blue and white ball of fluff"

"Check.. Hey!"

After about 5 more minutes of this, I was finally ready to leave the house, almost. I don't think the weather would treat me nicely if I was just wearing shorts and a t-shirt my ENTIRE journey. So I cut slits in two items. A long-sleeved red shirt, and my black vest, which had multiple pockets on the outside. As I slipped on my rugged, worn-down jeans that had many tears in them, I also grabbed my Sharpedo-tooth necklace to clasp around my neck.

When I felt I was ready, I walked out the door to the stinging sunshine with Milo on my shoulder and determination in my heart.

Milo spoke up, "So what do you think is waiting for us out there?"

I said, "As long as we move along with determination and we use or heads, we can move through anything.

The problem though, was that I was so determined that I failed to move my foot while walking, therefore, I fell right on my face.

"Owwwwwwwwww", I groaned through the dirt.

"Now, I understand the determination part. But I think you interpreted using your head in too much of a literal sense.", I heard a voice chuckle.

I looked up from my bed of earth to see Professor Oak standing a few feet away from me, offering me a hand. So I took it.

"Yup. That's a typical moment in the day and life of Kurtis Jett.", I said as I was being helped up.

"You should've seen him this morning. The look on his face was priceless when he thought he was late for work!", Milo said through laughter.

"Well yeah, but then I saw the note! It's A-O-K!", I back-talked.

"Wait a second. Did you just understand what your Swablu just said?", Oak blurted.

CRAP.

'I haven't told anybody but Flannery about that. How am I going to explain this?'

"Ummm… Yeah. I did.", I said nervously.

"An extraordinary ability! How long have you been able to do this?", Oak questioned.

"Well I think I've been able to for as long as I can remember. So it just comes naturally, I guess.", I said.

Oak tried to contain himself, "Yes. Yes. I see." I assumed he didn't want to sound obsessed because he changed the subject. "So by the looks of it you a departing on a journey today?"

I smiled, "Yup! And the way I've planned it, I will for sure be in Littleroot within the week."

Oak's smile widened, almost to the point where it got creepy, "Excellent! I'll see you there, then! Cosmo is expecting me at Meteor Falls within the hour so I don't want to keep him waiting! Goodbye for now!", he said as he walked away. I calmly waved goodbye before I turned towards Route 113.

'A little enthusiastic for his age. So much that it scares me.'

A voice entered my mind, "Looks can be deceiving, Kurtis. I've encountered many people in this world who treat Pokemon like you at first, but as the time goes on, they simply reduce them to tools of war. However, I sense that the Professor harbors no evil thoughts towards you or the wellbeing of Pokemon. He is, as you humans call it, 'okay in my book', I believe."

"You have a hard time with human phrases, don't you, Ray?"

"I try, but they simply do not make any sense to me. For example, 'It's like trying to find a needle in a haystack', what exactly does this entail?"

"Picture it as trying to find a Pidgey while you're eyes are closed."

"I'll try. I think…", and with that he left to dwell on the inconsistencies of the English language.

When I got to the outskirts of town, I banked a right into the densely forested area that surrounded Mt. Chimney. After being relatively secluded for most of my life, I had a considerable amount of free time compared to other kids. During that time, I explored most of the area to the south of Fallarbor Town. I found that, though it may appear contrary, the "densely" forested area that surrounds it are actually mostly wide open with many clearings. As soon as I hit one of these clearings, I whipped out my wings, and took off.

It's weird how some people say that the first time doing something new is the best. I find that to be false. The first time flying for me was mostly a learning experience. The mechanics of my wings, the speed I was going, and how high up in the sky I was sent a very noticeable chill down my spine. Now, for my third flight, I've shaken off all of the beginner's jitters/luck and learned to embrace the Pokemon side of me, letting my new, natural instincts guide me.

As I circled Mt. Chimney, I could, with my apparent enhanced vision, very well see the volcanic ash slowly spewing from the crater, undoubtedly attempting to cover anything within a 2 mile radius with soot.I noticed a few Skarmory, a favorite Pokemon for many people in the surrounding area, including myself, beginning to depart their nests to forage for a morning meal for their loved hatchlings. Near the top of the mountain, however, there was a lone Skarmory gazing at us with a stern glare. It didn't stop looking at me until it turned 180 degrees away from me as it slowly walked out of sight.

Shrugging the experience off, I then noticed that Lavaridge Town was coming into view, which I took as a signal to land. As I made my descent, I caught a glimpse of a red-headed female running outside of the gym and hugging somebody in a sky-blue body suit.

'Okay. It seems Flannery has company. Let's not piss her off today…'

I landed in a tree that ran alongside the Jagged Pass and folded my wings in. After checking that the coast was clear, I jumped onto an elevated boulder just below me. I slid down the boulder and started walking down the path while Milo was intently gazing at his surroundings. Due to the canopy of trees blocking the rays of sunlight from reaching the rocky floor, the shadows appeared to be warped to a point that a ghost Pokemon may have been suspected of altering them. Also, on each side of the path were trees that refused to let anybody glimpse the second row of trees behind them

"It's too dark and eerie for my tastes", Milo remarked.

I nodded in agreement.

Once we reached the opening of trees that revealed much more sunlight than usual, we stepped through the light. On the other side I saw three things. To my left was a massive rock face that nobody would even attempt to climb unless they were skilled. Directly in front of me was a fault that exposed about 75 feet of rocks and minerals to the surface. And to my right was Lavaridge Town, our destination.

"Hey, Milo. If you want to go explore, go right ahead. When you hear me whistle, could you come down?", I said.

"Sure!", he screamed as he bounded off my shoulder and into the humid air.

'I think I'll let him have some free time 'till I get to the gym.'

My walk to get to the gym was extremely quiet compared to Fallarbor. Even as I passed the Pokemon Center, the hot springs adjacent to it were clear giving off and audible fizzle. On such a silent day, the sound could probably be heard from the opposite side of town. Due to the relatively small size of the area, it wasn't long until I made my approach to the gym. Then I heard the voice of Flannery and the mystery person, whose voice I assumed was a girl's.

"What are u doing here, girl? Shouldn't you be at your gym?", I heard Flannery say. 'Another gym leader? What is she doing here?', I thought.

"Well the League called me and said I had unused vacation time from last year. So I left my 'apprentice' in charge of the gym 'till I get back tomorrow. Plus, Altaria was more than willing to give me a ride."

'She has an Altaria? Milo could possibly get some tips, then. Wait. If she's a gym leader, then that means she trains Flying types!', I thought with excitement.

"Wow, that's great! I wish I had I Flying Pokemon!"

"Tell you what, if Moltres or some Charizard suddenly decided to roost on Mt. Chimney, I'll let you know. Because, knowing you, I has to be a Fire type.", she said, giggling.

Flannery laughed, "You know me too well!" She noticed me approaching. "Well better late than never, Kurtis! Thought you wouldn't show up!"

I chuckled, "I just had a very busy night, that's all.", I said as I came to a stop next to them. I then noticed the girl Flannery was talking to. She was wearing blue tennis shoes with faded, blue jeans. On her top was a long-sleeved blue shirt with a navy blue stripe going around the arm near the shoulder. On top appeared to be a sleeveless, zip-up jacket of dark blue that stopped at the upper chest, revealing the collarbone. Donning her head was a leather aviator's helmet with its straps hanging to the side. Her long, silver hair cascaded down to her lower back, and near the head, it jettisoned out and backwards, as if to imitate a bird's wings that were preparing for a downswing.

I became somewhat flustered, "Um.. hi, there. I don't believe we've met. I'm Kurtis. Flannery's assistant.", I held out my hand.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Kurtis.", she said with an angelic smile. "I'm Winona. Gym leader of Fortree City and trainer of flying types."

I smiled at Winona, then turned to Flannery. "Speaking of Flying types, the reason that I'm late was because I found a new friend."

"Really? Hopefully not a girl, considering your luck so far.", she slyly remarked.

I grimaced, "That's not funny!" I recovered from the slight verbal attack. "Anyways, I'd like for you to meet him." With that, I put two fingers in my mouth, as whistled.

I heard a soft downswing of feathers from above me, so I looked up and he was already descending upon my shoulders. "Flannery, Winona, meet my Swablu, Milo" He chirped in response.

Flannery's eyes bulged slightly. "Well it's about damn time! When did you get him?"

"About a week ago I came across an entire flock of Swablu. I made some friends and Milo decided to tag along with me."

Winona spoke up, "So that means he's your first Pokemon? My Altaria was my first as well! Would you like to meet her, Milo?", she asked. Milo nodded.

Winona took a Poke Ball from her pocket and opened it. In a flash of white light, an Altaria glistened in the sunlight, taking in her surroundings. Milo flew down to her and they began to engage in conversation.

"Well, it looks like they've hit it off pretty well.", I said. "Hey, Flan, what needs to get done today?"

"Well there isn't much today. There's a hole in the battlefield that needs to be filled in, but other than that, nothing pretty taxing."

"Alrighty, then. Let's head inside."

I decided to take care of all of the small tasks that needed to be done. Those took me until 4. Then, it took about two hours to fill in that hole. Some kid that Flannery battled yesterday managed to launch her Torkoal into the air when he had his Hitmonchan use Brick Break. Upon landing, Torkoal was knocked out and was in the crater of a 3-foot-deep and 6-foot-wide hole. This hot weather wasn't helping either, so by noon, I desperately needed a shower.

When I walked in the lobby, drenched in sweat, I relished in the fact that the building was air-conditioned. To save time, I went to my backpack to grab a change of clothes before I went to the bathroom. As I was about to open the door, there was a small post-it on the handle. It read:

Went to get dinner. Be back around 6.

F&W

I shrugged, and entered the bathroom. Since nobody was home, I figured I could take off my shirt. As I was taking a shower, the water on my wings felt alien to me as I slowly cleaned them. I accidentally pulled a feather out which caused a jolt of pain to course through my body.

'Note to self: Don't pull out feathers. If I keep having these moments, I'm going to need a guidebook on how to maintain wings or something.'

When I was finished, I turned the water off and stepped out of the shower. I pulled on my underwear and a pair of athletic shorts, then opened the door. I turned around to pick up my shirt, and it wasn't until I heard a gasp when I realized my mistake.

I quickly turned my head, heartbeat racing, to see Winona in the doorframe with her eyes widened, her hand covering her mouth as she struggled to speak.

She saw the wings.

How's that for a cliffie?

So more of good-ol Professor Oak in there as Kurtis officially leaves for his journey. Kurtis arrives at Lavaridge as well

Flying type enthusiast meets another Flying-type enthusiast who happens to have wings. This is gunna be good.

Don't forget to R&R! See you next time!

-Kurty Pops