Chapter 4 – Into the City
The afternoon was nice and silent, or would be if not for the large black helicopter that was prowling the sky around the remains of Iron Island. The chopper was filled with secretive-looking people all dressed in fine suits. They were all looking down at the island while a computer technician was trying to establish a live video feed with their headquarters.
Iron Island was virtually untouched around the edges, but in the dead centre of the land mass was an enormous crater, barely smoking anymore. Along the curved walls of the crater there were many little black holes that were probably once secret tunnels through the island.
Of all the destruction, only one building was left standing near the waters edge. It could hardly be made out from the chopper, but it was an insignificant boat rental shop.
"Sir! I have made connection to HQ! Get ready to speak."
The technician started up the video camera and directed it to the face of someone who seemed rather important. After a few seconds, some static could be seen on a small hand-held video screen. Following that were the words, "Coming in! Can you hear me?"
The important-looking man began to speak. "Roger that, and yes we can hear you".
The live video feed had a slight delay in transmission and after second or two a face appeared on the small screen.
It was obvious immediately that the face belonged to a man. This man was the boss of the research company. He looked very stressed.
"Ok… Please explain…. Please explain what happened…"
"Sir, all we can tell at the current time is that where there was once an island with many mountains, there is now a huge crater. We are trying to get a better idea of the situation as we speak Sir!"
The man on the screen was now covering his face with his hand. "Ok… Please show me the island…" The boss half-hoped that this was just a very cruel practical joke and that everything would be in good health.
The camera swung around to the side of the helicopter and managed to get the entire view of Iron Island on-screen.
"Oh god! This is bad… Really bad… THIS WASN"T SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN!!!"
The man on the screen was now in a severe state of panic. He was no longer in the view of the camera in his office. Barely audible shouting was coming from the built-in mini speaker.
The helicopter continued to circle the remains of Iron Island as the passengers waited for something to happen on the video screen. It was a good ten minutes before anything happened. The man sat slowly back down at his office desk and looked directly into the camera. He was completely red-faced and was sweating intensely.
"What do you want us to do next Sir?" asked the guy in the chopper.
"I want you to find it! Get down there and keep looking. It won't cause another explosion for quite some time, so now is the best time to strike. Don't come back without it!"
With those final words the video was cut and all that could be heard was the sound of static.
-- -- -- --
Zane was starving now. In fact, he was at a whole new level of starving. He felt like he was wasting away to nothing, despite his rather filling breakfast that morning.
Sometime after his embarrassing defeat by a Shinx, he decided that if he were to survive the night that he must try his hardest to make it to Jubilife City. The city was closer than his home back at Sandgem Town, so he had decided that the obvious choice was to continue and not turn back.
From hilltop to the city it was roughly twelve kilometres. Since his loss, Zane had travelled about four kilometres and with a large hill up ahead, could no longer see the city in the distance.
It was becoming very late in the afternoon, drawing closer and closer to dusk. The sky was a brilliant crimson colour as the sun was setting and Zane realised that he needed to pick up the pace. The only problem was that he was out of energy. Out of energy in the same way that the average teenager is when they get home from a hard day at school.
It was rather quiet, and with the light torturously vanishing, Zane started to get scared. He wasn't sure what of. It could've been the darkness, but it also could've been the fear of getting lost in the dark despite the distinct and virtually straight path.
Beginning to panic slightly, Zane checked his Pokétch for the time. 'Six fifteen! I need to hurry before it gets dark.'
He managed to dig up some energy from the depths of his body and started to jog. He was now past the hill that was blocking the view of Jubilife, and could see that the city was lit up like… well… like a city.
It was late dusk now and Zane was relying on the dim light of the few stars above to illuminate the path. The silence was agonising and with the fear of the darkness closing in all around him, panic began to take over.
"MUUUURRRRKROOWWWWW!!!"
The sudden high-pitched cry of a startled Murkrow set Zane off running a mile a minute. He was almost crying as he ran at full tilt through the darkness along the path. Visions of Pokémon jumping out of the bushes and ravaging him invaded his mind as he became more and more terrified. It was the quickest five kilometres he had ever ran.
As he was nearing a nervous breakdown, he popped out of the end of the forest path and the powerful lights of the city ahead lighted everything up.
Zane was immensely relieved. Tears were streaming down his face from his death sprint out of the forest. He was so relieved that he actually collapsed onto the ground and began kissing the cold grass.
After the brief mental breakdown Zane stood back up and started to shakily walk into the city. The city was amazing. Neon signs lined the sides of buildings, flashing lights painted the streets various different colours, and the noisy chatter of all the civilians made the place all the more lively.
After taking in all the exciting surroundings, hunger began to re-emerge, seemingly out of nowhere, and make Zane desperate for food again. He searched through his pockets for some money and managed to scrape together fifty Pokédollars. After a quick run through his backpack he also managed to gather another twenty-five.
"Seventy-Five Pokédollars… That should last for a couple days".
Naturally, large cities are peppered with restaurants so it wasn't difficult for Zane to find somewhere to eat. He ended up outside the front door of a cheap-looking fast-food restaurant. He went inside and wandered up to the service counter.
"Hello, thanks for choosing to dine at Joe's Burger and Pokémon food restaurant. What can I get for you tonight?"
Zane concentrated on the menu for a second, then replied, "Umm… I'll get a large beef and tomato monster burger, and… Umm… a bag of cheesy snow bites please".
"No problem, I'll just be a minute and get that for you".
Zane felt at his belt for his only Pokémon. With a quick press of the button he let his Snover out.
"We got some food buddy! I ordered your favourite."
Snover started jumping around excitedly as Zane turned back to the counter to pay for his meal.
"That'll be fifteen Pokédollars thanks".
Zane had no trouble paying up, and after grabbing the tray with the food on it, headed over to the dining area to feast on the cheap meal. He couldn't have unwrapped his burger any faster. He almost choked on his first mouthful in a desperate attempt to fill the void in his stomach. Across the table, Snover was pigging out just as fiercely on his cheesy snow bites.
It only took about three minutes for both of them to finish their meals and head out for somewhere to stay. Zane recalled his Snover before he left the fast-food restaurant and then headed out along the sidewalk in search of the nearest Pokémon Centre. Following signs was fairly easy even for Zane in such a tired state.
It probably took about thirty minutes to find the large Pokémon Centre, then about another five to find the front door. Eventually he managed to make his way inside and head to yet again, another counter.
Without even waiting to be greeted by Nurse Joy, Zane requested two beds for the night. Luckily, a night at the Pokémon Centre is free. Chansey showed Zane to the sleeping hall and left him to organise himself. He didn't remember what happened when he put his head on the nice, fluffy pillow of the bed, as he crashed almost instantly. It had been a long day.
He slept like a baby that night. Hopefully his second day as a Pokémon trainer would be better than his first.