Chapter 4

All of that walking; all of those energy draining hours on the trail from the Center had exhausted them both. Eating didn't help either. It only helplessly fatigued them both. They soon found, however, that all of that traveling was rewarding. Walking through the dense woods was an enormous contrast to the urban city they had just navigated through only a few miles back. The dancing sun crept through the lanky, slanted trunks of the many trees to the right. Finally, they arrived at an abrupt fork in the aged brick path.

"More signs." confirmed Jimmy.

"I will read this one." happily volunteered Marina.

Walking over to the end path, she read the crooked, wooden sign.

"It says:

Pokemon Center/ Public Battlefields: .5 Miles."

"I guess the left path is straight to the Gym, huh?"

"Yeah, but remember I still need to make those few video calls."

"Yeah, yeah. I gotcha."


"It may take me awhile. I hope you don't mind." she empathized.

"No problem. Meet up outside when you're done, okay?"

"Okay. C'ya."

After arriving at the Pokemon Center, they both parted. Marina ambled into the Center, while Jimmy trudged over to the faded bench resting on the side of the concrete building. Jimmy found himself bored out of his mind in no time.

Twiddling his thumbs was not a sufficient source of entertainment and neither was staring into the red of his Pokeball. Looking around for something - anything that his lifeless blue eyes could come across, he finally found the round battlefields only several yards away, just like the signs had promised. They were more impressive than Jimmy had imagined they'd be. They appeared well attended to; they had smooth concrete edges, a flat dirt turf with patches of grass, a few benches off to the exterior, and a freshly painted Pokeball symbol in the middle.

"Figures. No one here to battle when I'm dying of boredom."

The only explanation for this he could think of was that maybe everyone was grabbing some lunch. After all, it was noontime (or so his Pokegear said).

"Yawn What a shame." he scoffed.

His eyes began feeling heavier and heavier. It was really tough to keep them open for long. He soon found himself stretched across the bench with his legs curled behind him. He couldn't even remember repositioning himself, let alone where he was for that matter. Everything became a blur to him - nothing even mattered anymore. He became surrounded by darkness that was suffocating him to the point of no return. He couldn't feel anything anymore , setting him free. He was sound asleep in his own deep thoughts and dreams.


"Yes, I'm glad we could talk this out. I think this plan will be much more awesome! Thanks for hearing me out. Bye bye!"

Flick

...

"Sigh. Tomorrow is a new day with new goals. I am more than happy that I've finally decided to switch things up."

"Misss-?"

Misdreavus knew when her master had something troubling on her mind, and right now, she could tell.

"It's just... what if I'm not good enough?"

"miss misdre, drevus mis miss!"

Marina chuckled. Despite not being able to understand Pokemon, she was so bonded to her companions that it was as if she knew exactly what they were saying.

"Thanks for having faith in me."

...

Hmmm... I also need to make a call back home she thought.

"Well let's do that now."

Click


"Hey...

Hey! Wake up dude!"

"Quit poking him! You'll wake him up mad!"

"Well-"

"Well nothing! Mom is gonna kill us if she finds out that you have been bothering others again."

"Do you even think he is a trainer?"

"Yeah, look. He has a Pokegear, Pokedex, and not to mention, a Pokeball right in his hand!"

"Alright alright! You don't need to yell ya know. Mom is gonna kill us if she finds out you have been screaming aga-"

"Snarl Don't..mock..me."

"Arguing isn't going to find out if this kid likes to battle, but certainly he is the only one here that isn't at lunch."

"I guess..."


"Hi sweetie!"

A motherly figure, looking similar to Marina, popped onto the screen in front of her.

"Hi mom."

"Is that Mari?" chimed a young and energetic voice from behind her mom.

"Yes, shhh!"

"Ooo, can I say hi?"

"If you behave!"

"Mo-m.. she's my sister! Let me say hi." cut in Marina.

"MARI!"

"Waah!"

Her sister had jumped in front of the screen with a gruesome-looking mask that was generously decorated with gore and blood. Marina fell off her seat because she hated horror stuff, much unlike her sister who coveted it.

"You scared the crap out of me! Don't you do that again!" scolded Marina.

"Oh, okay. But I thought it was funny!"

"So what's new? Haven't talked to the both of you in decades it feels."

"Oh, not too much. Just keeping up the garden. Attending all the New Bark Meetings - the usual. Your sister will be starting off on her journey soon! Can't you believe it?"

"What? Already?"

"She is turning 10 in a couple of months."

"Don't tell me you forgot!" her sister grumbled.

"Oh, no- I didn't forget, I-I didn't know you'd grow up so fast is all." she shrieked.

After babbling on about other things, her mother had to stop herself from getting too carried away, or else she would have went on for hours.

"So what have you been up to Marina?"

"I've performed the usual shows."

"Oh, did you get the Pink Bow I sent?"

"Yes, and I know you and Jimmy did that behind my back." she groaned.

"You don't know that," her mom professed. "So what else is new?"

"I've traveled around and got all eight badges now. Here.. hold on a sec."

Fidgeting in her pack to get out the badge case, she'd finally presented all eight glimmering badges to her mom that had taken tireless hours of blood and sweat to get.

"Wow! So you will be attending the Silver Conference? How mind-boggling!"

"Mhmm!"

"So what about the other two?"

"Jimmy needs to get his last badge. As for Vincent, to be honest, I haven't seen or heard from him in weeks. He never told me how many badges he has either. I hope he's doing okay.."

"Oh. I hope so too."

"Yep."

Leaning closer to the screen, her mom had cupped her hand around her mouth as if to whisper something.

"So tell me something good!"

"Huh? What?"

"I wanna hear something more... like do you have a boyfriend?"

"Err, mom?"

"Oh, c'mon! It's obvious judging by the tint of your face that you do!"

"Yea-h. I kind of do," admitted Marina, finding it increasingly harder not to look feverish and sweat bullets.

"Well, who? Is he cute and nice?"

"Mom! Don't you think that's enough?" cried Marina, playing with her pigtails.

"I guess." she frowned.

"Besides, you know him way too well-"

"It's Vincent isn't it!"

Marina fell off her seat again, this time in embarrassment.

Erm, how embarrassing.. she thought.

"I'm only kidding. I know it's Jimmy!"

"How'd you guess." she sarcastically muttered while rolling her eyes at her mom's ability to use the process of elimination.

"I have my ways," smugly bragged her mother, hands now resting on her hips.

...

"Mom. I have some other things I need to tell you about that are slightly less embarrassing."

"What's that?"

Motioning her head towards her sister, her Mom understood this conversation needed to be kept private.


"What mom doesn't know won't kill her!" sneered the brother of the two.

"But what if she does know?!" yelled the older sibling.

"You always ruin all the fun!"

"You're the one that ruins the fun because you always get us in trouble!"

"Yawn! Who are you?"

The two gasped in unison.

"What? Do I have drool on my face or something?"

"He's finally awake!" cheered the younger of the two.

"Yes, I was woken up by the sound of two kids arguing," muttered Jimmy, now sitting up from the bench.

"See what you did!"

"Oh, hush!"

"So is there something you need?" Jimmy mumbled, still half asleep.

"How does a battle sound?"

"Please?" joined the girl's younger brother.

"Sure! Let me get my Pokemon. Ah, here it is."

"Uh, that's a rock."

"Hu-h?" Jimmy stuttered, looking down at his grasp. He shook his head then dropped the rock, laughing aloud.

"Wow, I must have been really out of it. Okay, I'm fully awake now."

"You sure about that?" giggled the older of the two.

He looked at where the kids were focusing on, which was the straps of his backpack.

"Oh, thanks!" he grinned, frantically fixing his backpack that was on backwards.

"Now. Who wants to face me first?" affirmed the hatcher with a confident smirk.

"Me first!"

"Haven't you ever heard of the phrases 'Ladies first' and 'Elders first', or are you just too arrogant to care?"

"But you're only ten months older you idiot."

"Still older...!"

"Growl! Battle her first so you can get her out of the way quick."

"Suit yourself." Jimmy shrugged.