"Ow, my back," I muttered, as I fell off the bed in Oldale Town's Pokemon Center, after the five hours of training I had done last night. I heard laughter, and saw my two male Pokemon laughing at me like I was a stand-up comedian. I frowned, and said, "You try sleeping on a bed that is as hard as rocks and tell me how you feel." That shut them both up, until Sirius barked, "Poochyena Yena," which was deciphered in my mind as 'Pokemon don't need beds'. I glared at him as he wagged his tail and yipped like the playful puppy he is.
Ok, truth to be told, I am… Cursed, as I would like to put it, with the ability to understand Pokemon. Not that anyone knew. This was the gift of Viridian Forest, where trainers could communicate with their Pokemon in a similar way like telepathy. The words will process in the trainer's mind, like how it does with mine, but we can still here the actual names of the Pokemon. The reason why it is cursed… Is sometimes I may not want to hear what a Pokemon is saying… Like that time I visited the daycare and my dad's Umbreon, Jet, and his Absol, Lunaria. That was not a good memory.
Anyways, I picked out some casual attire, a typical black, loose fitting pants and a dark green shirt. Camouflage was important in the real world, and would help me to avoid muggers, murderers, and whatever else was out there. Picking up my satchel, I returned Sirius and placed Thor on my shoulder. He chirped that he was hungry and I took him downstairs.
"Good morning Liana Ashton. How was your night?" Nurse Joy asked. I smiled, and Thor chirped again that he was still hungry.
"I am fine, thanks. How is M?" I asked about my Magikarp. She looked a bit worried and handed me the Master Ball.
"Well, I need to talk to you in private, dear," she said.
We walked back to the bedroom she let me use for meager pay and sat on the stone hard bed, its white sheets wrinkling again with both of our weight. She looked at me with her blue eyes and fiddled with her bright pink hair, and I looked anxious. Would I already be faced with a death, even if M never battled in her life with me?
"You're Magikarp is, well, a rare kind. Due to the Carvanha attacking it and leaving scars over her body… I'm afraid that she cannot evolve in her situation."
"What?" I yelled, "I have a Magikarp that can't evolve!"
"Unfortunately, yes. Now, you have to keep her with you at all cost. Sending her to the professor or releasing her could kill her, due to her not being able to defend herself. Also, she is incapable of learning any other new moves… Looks like you are stuck with her," Nurse Joy said, leaving. I groaned, and handed Thor some kibble, that he happily nibbled. Then, I sent out my other two Pokemon again.
"Poochy?" Sirius asked, looking at M.
"Magikarp," M replied, as Sirius licked her. I saw her flop around again.
"Here's the plan. M, you don't battle. You just stick with us," I ordered. Sirius stared questioningly, while M flopped stupidly in her eternal splashing glory. He stared at her and then nodded, and Thor nodded as well.
"M, I will let you take part in team meetings and stuff. I don't want you getting hurt, or worse, killed. I will try to take care of you all as best as I possibly can," I said. The three looked at me with wide eyes, until M broke the silence with, "Magika Magikarp." The words of 'We will stand by your size' registered in my head, and I realized that we may have hope after all. M truly seemed like a smart fish, even if she could not battle properly.
"All right, guys and girl. Let's hit the road," I said, returning M to spare her the agony of being without water. Sirius traveled along my side, as we left the building and headed north of Oldale, back to Route 102, where M first appeared.
I saw a flash of blue and white after climbing multiple ledges and falling off a few. Drake Maple laughed as I came in, with some minor injuries on my part. He then commented, "I see you actually got Pokemon. Hope you know how to use them."
"And how many Pokemon do you have? One?" I asked, as he leered with his lame insult.
"Yes, but yours look pathetic," he said, laughing. I glared at him and gave him the finger, then yelled, "Sirius, sic him!"
Immediately, my Poochyena's attitude changed, as he went from playful to feral. He attempted to growl as ferociously as a tiny puppy could, and attacked the blue mud fish that was timidly hiding behind Drake.
"Not Toru. Scare Drake!" I yelled, as the Mudkip whimpered. I felt bad for it, as Sirius whined and then, licked the Mudkip as an apology. Then, he growled at Drake.
"You actually expect that tiny puppy to destroy my Toru… Toru, Water Gun," he ordered. The Mudkip's timid eyes sharpened and a blast of aqua blue water emitted from his mouth, meeting contact with Sirius and ramming him into me. I groaned, feeling Sirius for any injuries. Luckily, nothing major occurred, as the Mudkip was on a lower level based on the five hours of training we had done last night. Instead, Sirius growled and chomped on the Mudkip's tail fin, causing a slight trickle of blood to appear. I winced at the sight.
"Sirius, head back and return. Thor, you're up," I ordered my Torchic. He chirped willingly and looked at the Mudkip with a wary eye.
"Focus Energy and Scratch," I ordered. My Torchic closed his eyes and opened them with a fire raging through them. Then, my tiny little bird used his talons and attacked the mudfish, clawing the Mudkip into a faint. He stopped right away, not wanting to go for the kill.
"Damn it all. I can't believe I lost," Drake said, "Damn Mew."
"Curse Arceus, he made the world," I helpfully suggested, as he picked up his now awakened Mudkip and wiped off the blood. My two Pokemon glared at me for cursing their creator.
"What? It's true," I said. They shied away from me as if I was cursed.
"Good, Toru will be fine," Drake sighed with relief. He did care for that Mudkip, which was a good thing. Not like that one kid, Gary Motherfucking Oak, that my little cousin, Ash, is rivals with.
"Sorry about that," I said, "But you were being a jerk."
"I guess I was a gloating jerk. And, don't be sorry. That is what battling is all about, in this region. Kill or be killed," he replied.
"No. That is not true. That is war, not a childish journey that one goes through for the hell of it," I replied. He frowned.
"Then you should not be on this journey," he replied, leaving with his Mudkip. I stared at them, wondering what happened to the usual Drake Maple I knew.
After that, my team of three and I headed out to the west of Oldale Town. Immediately, a barrage of trainers was visible. I kept my gaze low, hoping to avoid them and continue until I could catch a Pokemon. Maybe a Zigzagoon or a Taillow would be nice.
A flash of blue came in my not so peripheral vision and I pulled out a Poke-ball, wondering if a wild Pokemon was near. Maybe my Taillow or a lost Wingull have finally arrived. Sirius growled and I looked at him, as he streaked and grabbed the blue thing. I stared at the Pokemon he had bitten on and dragged back, its white body struggling in his firm grip. It was about half a meter high, with a blue helmet on its head and two red horns on the sides. It cried, "Ra Ara Ralts…" in a pained feminine voice.
"Sirius, drop her," I said, as he placed her down gently and bounded to Thor. I placed a Pokeball to the head of the little shiny amorphous Pokemon, and caught it immediately. Then, I released her and handed her an Oran Berry, watching her injuries reseal themselves. I released M as well to see the new family member of our group.
"Welcome to the team, Azul," I said, as my team of four embarked to Petalburg Gym.