Note: I do not claim Pokemon as my own intellectual property. If you recognize it as something that belongs in Pokemon, its not mine. This is story is meant only to be free entertainment.
Chapter Four
Soul stopped at the Pokemon Center as soon as she reached Violet City. She was certain that Cyndaquil was fine and certainly in no need of treatment (she was unconscious for less than twenty minutes), but it'd taken the whole day to walk from Cherrygrove, and Soul did not want to spend another night outside. The Center was also the best place to get information on the thief. She was going to ask the nurse if he'd been there at all, but the nurse had just taken a poke ball from a pair of boys, so she stood back to wait quietly.
"…guy's Totodile was pretty cool, and it totally whipped your Bellsprout! It was at the disadvantage!"
…or not. Soul barged up to the boys. "Did you say Totodile?"
"Yes," the owner of the Bellsprout said grumpily.
"Did the trainer have red hair?" Soul pressed.
The older boy laughed. "The guy has cute fans, too!" He elbowed his friend. "This just gets better doesn't it?"
The first boy glared sideways at him. "Yeah, loads."
Soul ignored their banter. "Where did he go?"
"Well, after he wiped the street with my buddy's Bellsprout, he headed toward Sprout Tower, but instead of chasing after that guy, you should—"
"Thank you!" Soul spun on her heel and sped out of the Pokemon Center before the boy could finish his pick-up line. She'd never been to Sprout Tower, but it wasn't hard to spot over the smaller buildings. She ran. She had to. She couldn't let him leave the tower before she got there, because as long as he was inside, he was cornered. There'd be no way for him to slip past her.
Soul slowed to a walk just before the tower, entering it with an appearance of calm, while, really, her heart was pounding with anticipation.
"Hello!" An old man popped out from behind the pillar at the center of the room. Soul screamed and nearly stepped on an equally startled Cyndaquil and Mareep. "Welcome to Sprout Tower! Trainers from all over come here to train their—"
"I don't mean to be rude, but I'm in a hurry." Soul side stepped the man and motioned for pokemon to follow.
"Do you know the legend of Sprout Tower?" the old man went on, appearing to not have heard Soul. "They say that a giant Bellsprout—"
"Sir, really, I'm looking for someone who is up in the tower." She took long strides, hoping that she'd be able to shake the man off, but he stunk behind her, jabbering on, until she reached the stairs and all but ran up them.
When she reached the second floor, she looked around. The lighting was dimmer than on the floor before, and the air was mustier. The floor was divided up by walls that only rose up about three-fourths of the way to the ceiling, but they were high enough to prevent her from easily surveying the room. If she held her pokemon up, they might have been able to see, but it would be no good unless anyone that may be nearby were taller than the wall.
They followed the dividers, hoping they didn't form some kind of maze. They rounded a corner and Soul spotted the stairs up to the next floor, but as they drew closer, something began to feel off. It seemed to be getting darker with every step, and the temperature was dropping.
"Do you feel that?" She looked down and saw that both Cyndaquil and Mareep had stopped about five feet back. "Guys, what's u—" A weight on Soul's left shoulder silenced her. She stood stock still, hoping she was imagining it, until a low, rumbling chuckle filled her ears. She screamed and darted forward, snatching Mareep and Cyndaquil up. As she ran back around the corner, she lost her footing and fell, nearly squashing Mareep. She looked back and saw a shadow hovering through the air after them. Too scared to even scream this time, Soul slid back and pressed herself against the wall, hugging her pokemon tightly.
A jet of water shot out of the gloom and, to Soul's delayed surprise, struck the shadow and slammed it into the wall above her head. The shadow changed form, condensing into a form that wasn't solid, but more visible. A second later, a poke ball flew from the place the water had come from and captured the ball of gas. The thrower then emerged to claim his catch.
"You!" Soul shouted when the red-head was standing over her. She glared up at him. He glared back.
"I can't believe you were scared of a Gastly." He stooped and picked up the poke ball. "Actually, no, I'm not."
"Excuse me?" Soul jumped to her feet.
He rolled his eyes. "It's kind of hard to be intimidating when you're still clutching your pets."
Soul blushed and let Mareep and Cyndaquil hop down. "Battle me."
"Um, no." The boy turned and walked towards the exit.
"Why not?" demanded Soul.
"I beat you yesterday," the boy supplied without so much as a look back. "Quite easily, too. I doubt you'll be worth my time after one day."
Soul stomped after him. "I have my Mareep this time."
"So? Type advantage means nothing if you don't know how to battle."
Soul had about had it with this boy. "I came to get that Totodile back, and I'm not leaving until I get it!"
"Then I suppose it's a good thing I can leave instead."
That was it. Screw pokemon. Soul would have to take things into he own hands, literally. She threw her bag down and dove at the boy's waist, knocking him over for the second time in two days. She tried to stuff her hand in his pocket, where his poke balls were.
"What is your problem?" he yelled, thrashing about in an attempt to throw her off.
Soul closed her fist around something round. She pulled her hand out, bringing everything in the pocket out with it. She flung herself as far away from the boy as she could, crying out in triumph.
That was when the poke ball opened. Totodile did not come out. Gastly made a terrifying face; Soul shrieked and tossed the ball away. The boy snatched the discarded ball and called Gastly.
"Scared of Gastly," was all he said before sprinting down the stairs.
Soul slammed her fists on the floor and swore. She'd let him get away. Again. Apparently jumping him was not going to work. There was no time to waste planning out her next move. There was no doubt in her mind that he would actively try to put distance between the two of them as quickly as possible. She had to just follow and hope she caught him soon, otherwise, she'd be sleeping outside again.
"Let's go, guys." She stood picked up her discarded back, but she'd only taken two steps before Cyndaquil called her attention. "Hm?" She turned. Cyndaquil was standing over something. She picked it up. It was a wallet. Soul couldn't help the grin that spread across her face as she pried it open. The red-haired boy glared up at her from a photo ID. There was also a fair amount of money in it. He wouldn't be making it far without this. She closed the wallet and placed it safely in a pocket inside her bag. He'd backtrack to the tower looking for it before long, but Soul had no desire to stay the night anywhere another Gastly may be lurking. She could stay at the Pokemon Center. After all, he'd start looking for her before long.
Author note: So, Soul's very...determined.