"What all did you do up there?" Blaire asked. After toiling for Arceus knows how long, the room was now in decent shape, but still far from where it was before. Exhausted, we were all sprawled out on the large and comfortable beds. "You were gone for almost an hour."
"I was just wandering around. I watched a pretty cool battle between a Growlithe and a Krabby."
Taylor scoffed. "Who's the idiot who sent out the Growlithe? How long did it last before they lost? Thirty seconds?"
"You know, it didn't last long at all until the Growlithe won," I answered snidely.
"Say what?"
"Wow, that must've been some Trainer," Blaire said. "Do you know who it was?"
I shook my head. "We only talked for a little bit afterwards. She said her name was Julie. Her mom's Misty, from the Cerulean Gym. How cool is that?"
"No way? Is she starting her Journey today, too?"
"I don't think so. She already had a Pokemon, and it looked pretty powerful."
"Uh, Terr?" Blaire interrupted worriedly.
"Yeah?"
"Misty doesn't have a daughter…" she explained suspiciously. "She has a son, but he's still a baby. I know because I stopped in Cerulean on the way home and wanted to talk to Misty about combining power and elegance in battle…"
I interrupted, both out of surprise and to stop Blaire from going on a tangent. "Really? Then, who was that girl?" I was dumbstruck. It was a weird thing to lie about. Anyone could easily disprove it, like Blaire just did. Besides, what benefits did she gain from it? It seemed like the reasons for her telling me her mom was one of the greatest Water-type Trainers in the world were the same reasons for me not telling anybody about my parents. It just didn't make sense.
Blaire shrugged. "Beats me. I could have Professor Oak run her name through the Trainer Database. What's her last name?"
"She didn't say," I answered honestly. "The more I think about it, this chick keeps getting shadier and shadier…"
"Seriously," Taylor added, feigning interest. "Can we just drop the subject? It'll probably figure itself out if we just leave it alone."
"She's right. It's probably just a little white lie to make you think she's 'cool' or something."
"Yeah…guess so," I conceded.
"Skitty! Skit!" We all looked down at Clara, who was digging through Blaire's backpack.
"What are you looking for?" Blaire asked the innocent looking Normal-type. Clara brought her head back out, cheerfully nibbling on a red Pokeblock.
"NO!" Blaire and Taylor screamed at the same time, diving off the bed to stop the Pokemon.
"All this could have been avoided she would learn to just stay in her Pokeball…
The rest of the trip to Pallet Town was uneventful. Kanto is a small region, so there's not much water distance between Vermillion and Pallet. I think the ride might have been five hours tops. I was able to sneak in a few winks of sleep during the time while Blaire and Taylor chatted endlessly on things that I, as a male, had no hope of understanding. Eventually the chat turned serious and Taylor prodded Blaire's mind about anything and everything related to contests.
"How do you attract the audience's attention?"
"Just outshine the other contestants. You don't need a super-amazing move, just something to make your Pokemon the most noticeable than the others."
"But what if I want to have a super-amazing move? What if I want to annihilate the competition instead of just beating them? What if I want to be, you know, outstanding as a Coordinator?"
Blaire smirked. "Tay, my best advice is this: Don't worry about it! Everything will come naturally to you. For me, having one spectacular Appeal is useless. Eventually, the judges will be bored with it. Even the best Appeals can become old news. If you can get a variety of small, elegant moves that make a big impression, I know you'll dominate."
"You really think so?" Taylor's eyes were steeped in doubt. For being a such a genuine, beautiful, confident, and talented girl, she had more insecurities than anyone I knew. It was that fatal flaw that reminded she was human and my sister―and in the running to be my best friend, despite how much we fight.
"I know so!" Blaire replied. "Come on. You are my sister after all."
"Conceited much?" I interjected.
"Not conceited," she explained, never turning away from Taylor, "just confident." She pronounced the last word with a wink, trying to get the message across to Taylor. I hoped she had gotten it. Taylor could come in first in a race, get the highest grade on a test, or climb Mt. Moon, but she always found some fault with it. I think she was dwelling in our family's shadow of excellence more than she let on.
We didn't see Nico for the rest of the trip, but I figured he probably took a catnap in his room. About 90% of what all I thought about during the voyage was Nico. How we would get along, how far we would get along, how Taylor as a third party would play into it, if we would eventually have to face each other on the Indigo Plateau… The biggest question I had was: is he even in to me?
The other 10%, unfortunately, was about Julie. I tried every scenario in my head that could explain this girl. She was going to Pallet Town, the start of everybody's Pokemon Journey, already having a very powerful Pokemon. She had researched the other Trainers, myself included. She told a blatant lie that, if anything, had a negative effect. What was her deal?
The foghorn sounded again, bringing me away from my thoughts. That was gladly appreciated. I looked out the window and could see a thin line of green steadily growing closer. We were coming to Pallet Town! Pallet used to be a town that would've been almost universally unheard of if it wasn't for the Oak Pokemon Lab. In recent years, though, it has seen a big uprising in urbanization. Several housing developments have sprung up, it now had a harbor to make travel easier, and it now had a fully functioning Pokemon Center and Pokemart.
"Come on, we better get up top to beat the crowd." Blaire grabbed her bag and put a pouting Clara back in her ball. Taylor and I grabbed our stuff and followed her out of the cabin and up on to the deck. We weren't the only ones that had the idea. The majority of the new Trainers and Coordinators were already crowding the deck, eager to be the first ones to the Oak Lab.
"I hope I can get a Charmander!"
"Please, Squirtle is so much better than Charmander and Bulbasaur combined!"
"Bulbasaur is the best, no contest!"
I was almost embarrassed that these kids were all my age. The ship slowed down a great deal. I was glad because I could feel myself getting queasy again. With another loud horn blast, the ship docked at the Pallet harbor. Immediately the crowd became unruly, vying to be the first one's off the boat.
"We better find Nico before we get off," Taylor said.
"Uh huh."
"No need to." I jumped and spun around to find that Nico had already found us. He was just as beautiful now as he ever was.
"Ooh, you're good!" Blaire complimented. "Usually it takes an angry old man yelling about his lawn to get Terran to jump like that."
"Thanks, Blaire."
"No problem!"
The same burly sailor that took the tickets and battled Julie forced his way through the crowd to the side of the boat. He let the staircase down onto the dock and hesitantly opened the gate. As soon as he stepped aside, the flood of people poured out and onto the dock.
"Jeez, why is everyone in such a hurry?" Blaire asked no one in particular. "It's not like he's gonna run out of starters. Kids these days…"
Once the crowd had calmed down considerably, the four of us headed down the stairs. All the while I was keeping an eye out for Julie. I never saw her in the crowd, but she could have just blended in really well. I didn't overanalyze that one, as my brain already hurt.
We started walking with the massive crowd to the outskirts of Pallet Town where the Oak Lab was located. It was mid afternoon, so the sun was beating down mercilessly. The Lab was on a large, verdant hill, surrounded by a big iron gate. Blaire smirked as we continued our way through the crowd. Everyone else had stopped, presumedly because the gate was locked.
Taylor, Nico, and I felt more than a little awkward pushing through the crowd of obviously peeved stares. Blaire seemed unfazed as she produced her own key to the gate. I could hear Nico gulp audibly as the glares set on us.
"Why are they so special?"
"That gate's closed for everyone!"
"What douche bags…"
"Uh," Nico whispered to me, "why aren't we waiting for Professor Oak?"
I shrugged. "Blaire probably could get us in. One of the benefits of being an Aide."
"I think some of the others are a little…jealous."
"Let them be. All's fair in love and war," Taylor said. She gave a superior look to a girl giving us stink eye. Nico didn't like attention on him―anyone with eyes could see that. He was sweating more than a little bit, but he still looked just as gorgeous. Blaire came to the gate as if nothing was wrong. With a flourish, she unlocked the gate, quickly ushered us in, then locked it again. We traveled up the hill to the lab, feeling every singly pair of eyes burn a hole into our backs.
"Blaire? Do you really think that was a good idea?" I asked, glancing back down at the crowd.
"Yeah. Now we kind of look like―" Nico began.
"Douche bags," Taylor finished.
Blaire sighed, still just as jovial as she always is. She turned around to face the crowd. "They're not getting their starters! They'll get them the same time you do! We just need to see our dying grandfather who's staying with Professor Oak!"
Without another look, Blaire started back up the hill with us hurriedly following on heels. "That's…one way to handle it…" Behind us, the anger had calmed to near nonexistence. Excellent.
"That was awesome, Blaire!" Taylor complimented. "Usually you're a horrible liar."
She shrugged. "It's something you have to learn to do."
Nico leaned in to whisper something to me. "I kind of feel bad about this… Like I'm sliding through because of your family."
"Just a perk of meeting the right people at the right time," Taylor said.
"Okay. But still…"
"Don't worry about it," I interrupted. "We'll probably never see these people again." I sounded plain evil right then. That was definitely not how I wanted to seem to Nico. "I mean, they probably won't remember this even happening. Plus, it's not like we're getting an unfair advantage or anything."
"Yeah, I guess so." He smiled at me. My heart skipped a beat. We came to the large double doors of the Lab not soon afterward. Blaire took out another key and showed us inside.
"Professor! We're here!" Blaire announced, her voice echoing throughout every corner of the large building. This was Taylor's and my first time in the Lab, and most likely Nico's, too. I looked around in wonder at the high vaulted ceilings, shiny floors, and rows upon rows of complicated machinery, all beeping and lighting up. Probably having sensed where we were, Clara jumped out of her Pokeball again.
"Skit! Skitty!" She scampered across the floor and out a back door into the Pokemon garden.
"She sure knows how to make herself at home," I observed.
"She's been around here enough. It might as well be," Blaire answered.
"Who's we?" the Professor's voice asked back. I could hear his footsteps reverberate through the building as he approached from upstairs.
"Blaire Murdock!" After a pause to remember, she added, "And company!"
"Company?" Professor Oak stepped lightly off the staircase to join us in the foyer. He was a handsome man, older than Blaire by a couple years. He had unruly, spiky brown hair and a perpetual smirk. Clad in a rubber gloves and a white lab coat, he must have just come from working. On what, I had no idea. "Who's company?" he asked amicably, glancing at each one of us.
"This is my brother and sister, Terran and Taylor, and their friend, Nico."
"Hi, nice to finally meet you." I held my hand out and he gladly shook it.
"Likewise. Terran is it?" I nodded. "So that would mean this lovely young lady is Taylor?"
"That would be correct," she answered.
"I don't believe Blaire's mentioned you before," Oak said to Nico.
"Well, we just met him today. He's going to travel with Terran and Taylor," Blaire explained.
"Yeah, I am," he confirmed nervously. "I'm Dominic Romero. Or Nico. Or whichever you'd like, sir." His voice was shaking more than leaves in a hurricane.
Professor Oak chuckled. "'Sir?' Don't be so formal," he said comfortingly. "I think you'll find I'm much more laid back than the usual Pokemon Professor."
Nico's shoulders relaxed, albeit slightly. He looked more relaxed, collected, and placid―exactly how he was in I fell in love with him. Well, maybe not "love," but definitely in "like."
"Hm. Romero… Are you from Fuchsia, by chance?" the Professor asked.
"I am. How did you guess?"
"Your family owns the Safari Zone there, don't they?"
"Yeah, they do," he admitted. "They took over after the old warden passed away, and his son went to the one in Johto."
"I thought so. I get most of my rare Pokemon for observations from them. Very nice people. Surely you're no exception."
"Well, I like to think I'm not," he answered with uncertainty.
"That's the spirit!" Professor Oak put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure you'll fit in perfectly with this group." He gestured to me and my sisters.
"I think he already has." I winked at him in an innocent way with not-so-innocent intentions.
"I think so, too."
"Great. Now, do you have the Sneasel research ready? I'm still preparing the starters for all the new Trainers outside."
"That I do." Blaire reached into her bag and produced several manilla folders filled with papers. "Candice was more than willing to help, too. We should probably giver her a call later."
"That's great." He thumbed through the files, quickly glancing over the work. "I'll need a copy of this sent to Rowan if you really want to propose the new starters."
"Consider it done! Oh, and there's a mass of new Trainers and Coordinators at the gate. If you wait any longer to give them their starters…a riot seems very possible."
Oak sighed and pinched the skin between his eyebrows. "Dealing with the Viridian Gym yesterday, starters today…" he mumbled. "Sometimes I just need a break," he ended with an exasperated sigh.
"What happened at the Viridian Gym?" Taylor asked. It was common knowledge Viridian City's Pokemon Gym had a tumultuous history and went through Gym Leaders faster than a Snorlax through a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.
"The last Leader quit a month ago, so I've been acting as Leader again for a while since then. We've been trying to find someone qualified by the Indigo League, but so far, no luck. I can't be both a Gym Leader and a Pokemon Professor. It's a wonder I haven't jumped off a cliff after just this month!"
"Couldn't you just close it?" Blaire suggested. "Viridian's close enough to the Indigo Plateau so Trainers would be able to travel around Kanto then go there for badge number eight. By then, you should have found someone."
"I guess you're right…" Oak conceded. "The last time we had to close a Gym for an extended period of time, Trainers were less than happy."
"Don't worry. We'll understand," I assured him.
"You know, let's just drop it. I shouldn't be discussing this with you, anyway."
"Good idea. So, I know you won't be giving out starters until tomorrow, but…" Blaire began.
"I'm not going to give your posse any special treatment, Blaire. No offense to you guys personally, but rules are rules."
"None taken."
"No worries."
"Can't blame me for asking," Blaire shrugged. "Do you have a couple rooms open here? I think we'll probably hang out here a day. Does that sound okay to you?"
"Yeah, definitely." I glanced at Nico and Taylor.
"I'm in no hurry," Taylor agreed. "Besides, I need some time to recover after that boat ride."
"Er, I don't really mind," Nico said. "If it's not an inconvenience for you…" He really was too nice for his own good.
"Psh, guests are always welcome!" Oak gestured down a hallway behind him. "The first three rooms on the left are open. Have your pick."
"Thanks so much, Professor!" Taylor immediately chose one of the guest bedrooms, dropping her bag on the floor then plopping down on the bed very melodramatically.
"I guess we better go, too," I said to Nico.
"Uh huh." I noticed Nico followed me into the same room.
"You guys don't need to share a room," Blaire said. "I have my own upstairs. But thanks so much for your consideration, Nico!"
"Oh, yeah, sure. You're welcome." He didn't do it out of courtesy, he wanted to share a room with me! I was so happy I could have died right there! I couldn't show it at all, though. He reluctantly dropped his bag off in the third room then joined the rest of minus Taylor back in the foyer.
"I should probably go deal with the mob outside." Oak peeked through a window and got a scared look on his face. "That riot idea might just come true pretty soon." He walked over to the main door and pulled down a small microphone that was connected to several loudspeakers outside. "Hello everyone. This is Professor Oak," he spoke calmly and professionally. "Unfortunately, do to last-minute preparations, Starter Pokemon will be issued tomorrow, first thing in the morning. You may go to the Pokemon Center in town and book a room under my name for free. Sorry for this inconvenience, and I'll see you soon."
"You don't get paid enough for this job." Blaire gave the exhausted professor a sympathetic hug. He only laughed in response, and in agreement.
This chapter is longer than the previous ones, but I guess that makes up for the little one last time. Going through and editing all this writing is taking a lot longer than I thought it would. :( I'll probably get on a schedule of one chapter a day, though. See you tomorrow, and as always, please review! I'll give you lots of hugs and kisses! :D
