Author's Note: Eh… I feel kinda like these chapters have been horrifically short lately. This one should make up for that though. Plus two fairly important characters cameo here…
And by the way, I have nothing against the Johto starters—in fact, Cyndaquil's my favorite—but keep in mind that this is Gin's thought process, not mine. (wink)
Chapter Six: Vs Rattata!
"Come on, Trap! Use Karate Chop!"
"Hm… Quick Attack, Rattata."
Kin Hi grinned as his Mankey charged towards his cousin Hikaru's Rattata. His grin quickly vanished, however, when Rattata easily darted around Trap and crashed into him. Trap tumbled backwards and landed near Kin's feet, and the black-haired boy sighed as he withdrew his Pokémon.
"You're so lame, Kin," Hikaru smirked, tossing his shoulder-length blonde hair over his shoulder as he withdrew Rattata.
"But that's not fair!" Kin shouted. "You've had yours longer!"
"Yes, but I'm also younger than you," Hikaru lectured. "Shouldn't you at least have a Pokédex by now?"
"Yes, but—hey! That has nothing to do with anything!" Kin complained when Hikaru started laughing.
"Oh, it has everything to do with everything," the fourteen-year-old mocked. "Loser makes lunch, by the way."
"You just now made that up!" Kin nearly whined.
"Well… That's just too bad for you, then."
Kin grumbled to himself under his breath as he followed Hikaru back towards their house, clutching his yellow vest to himself protectively as he hung his head in embarrassment.
"Furthermore," Hikaru went on condescendingly, "I want you to change before we eat. You could at least get rid of the vest and the bandanna. Your clothing is atrocious."
"Like yours isn't!" Kin retorted as they entered the small two-story house. "And my bandanna is my life. I refuse."
"Hm," Hikaru droned, sinking into one of the kitchen chairs. "Well, I suppose you can keep it. It does keep your hair out of the way at least. And if you make ramen again, then don't burn the noodles."
"You're one to talk about hair," Kin grunted as he opened one of the cabinets, although not loud enough for his cousin to hear him. "And how come every time I talk to this kid, I always end up feeling stupid…"
As he pulled out a pan and filled it with water, Kin glanced out the window. Professor Elm's lab was somewhat visible from their kitchen. Kin's parents had met the professor a couple of times, and the lab was only about ten minutes away from their house. However, Kin didn't have his Pokédex yet, and therefore wasn't a licensed trainer even though he had Trap and was more than old enough.
"You know," Hikaru was saying, snapping Kin out of his thoughts, apparently having caught his line of sight. "I've been wondering why you don't have your trainer's license yet. You turned sixteen last month, you know. Are you just being lazy, or…"
"Shut up," Kin shot back. "Or… Or I'll burn the noodles again."
"Oh, threatening." Hikaru rolled his eyes and snorted.
Kin lapsed into silence, merely deciding to glare at Hikaru as he waited for the water to boil.
- - -
"So, where exactly is this lab?"
Gin paused as Suishou led her through the narrow, neatly-trimmed pathways of New Bark Town. She was still carrying the fossil, and Suishou was leading her around the small town eagerly.
"We should be there in just a few minutes!" Suishou grinned.
"And why are you so excited?" Gin raised an eyebrow as she continued to follow him.
"Well…" Suishou smiled almost nervously as he clasped his hands in front of him. "My mom used to know Professor Elm, I think. She left me here about ten years ago. But I'm not sad about it anymore, because I get to help the professor."
"That's crazy," Gin muttered, shifting the fossil to her free hand. "You don't just drop a kid off somewhere! And what do you mean, you're not sad about it anymore?"
"Well, I… Oh, here we are!"
The redhead grinned again as they arrived at a rather unimpressive two-story brick building. It looked closer to a house then a lab, and Gin felt her eye twitch. This was the famous Elm Research Lab?
"Seriously?"
"O-of course…!"
Blushing slightly, Suishou took a key out of his pocket and unlocked the door. As they entered, Gin was further unimpressed. The interior was even simpler than the exterior: shelf-lined walls, several messy desks, a few papers scattered on the floor… The staircase in the back even looked a bit rickety.
"I'm sorry," Suishou whispered, blush darkening. "We've been really busy lately…"
"Oh, Suishou, back already?"
A skinny young brunette man carefully descended the staircase, his fingers lightly gripping the banister while his other hand clutched a thick binder. His white lab coat was slightly crooked, and he quickly straightened his askew glasses.
Gin felt her other eye twitch.
"Yes, Professor!" Suishou cried. "I told you I'd be okay. And I had help along the way. This is Gin Shinu, Professor!"
Professor Elm smiled politely when he reached the pair. He extended his hand, and Gin awkwardly shook it, still trying to balance the fossil with her other hand.
"Thank you," Professor Elm said. "Oh, I suppose this is…"
"Mmhmm," Gin droned, placing the fossil in his hands. "The guy said it was some kinda fossil or something."
"Yeah!" Suishou added, nodding excitedly. "Don't you have some kind of machine for DNA testing and things like that?"
"Well, yes, but… I had to buy it used," Professor Elm replied, grinning sheepishly. "So it may take a couple of days before I can get any results off of this."
"Oh…" Suishou sighed, seeming to wilt.
"Anyway! I never said I couldn't!" Professor Elm went on hastily. "And… Gin, was it?"
"Yeah?" Gin said boredly.
"I want to thank you somehow… Oh, I know. Suishou, where did I have that set of Pokédexes I ordered?"
"Upstairs in the storage closet, in the box marked silverware and utensils."
"Great, thanks."
Gin raised an eyebrow as Professor Elm headed back upstairs. Sure, she had come for a Pokédex and all, but…
"Man, silverware and utensils?" she repeated dubiously.
"Yeah, well…" Suishou scratched the back of his neck. "We haven't been very organized lately, but… The professor knows that I know where everything is anyway."
"What are you, his housekeeper?" Gin snorted.
"Pretty much!" Suishou grinned. "Professor Elm doesn't really take care of himself, so I have to."
"That's…"
"All right, Suishou, I found them."
Professor Elm returned downstairs, a couple of the steps creaking as he came down. Suishou blinked when he saw two Pokédexes in the professor's hand.
"But, Professor Elm, who's the other one for?"
"You, of course," Professor Elm frowned slightly. "Suishou, you know I appreciate your help, but you really need to get outside more."
"But Professor!" Suishou protested. "I walk the Pokémon every day! And who would take care of—"
"Hey, calm down, kid," Gin interrupted. "You can see more outside than you can cooped up all day."
Professor Elm smiled wearily. "Gin's right, Suishou. Besides, when you're taking the Pokémon outside, you don't really get an opportunity to really look around, so you?"
"Oh," Suishou sighed, looking slightly dejected. "I guess not."
"Come on, Suishou, I'll be fine, if that's what you're worried about. And speaking of those Pokémon, they'd probably do better outside the lab, too."
"Hey," Gin frowned. "You seriously don't want me to take one, do you? I don't even know what they are yet."
"Okay, I'll introduce you!" Suishou said suddenly, perking back up. He took the three Pokéballs off of his belt and quickly opened them. "These are the three we spend the most time with: Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile."
Gin carefully looked over the three Pokémon. She quickly ruled out Chikorita; Grass-types weren't really in her taste, and there was something about Chikorita's big eyes and the leaf on her head that irked Gin. Cyndaquil wasn't really appealing to her either; while she didn't mind Fire-types, Cyndaquil just seemed awkward. Totodile was better than the others, at least…
"Totodile, I guess," Gin finally decided.
"Dile?" Totodile blinked, and then grinned toothily, apparently deciding that Gin wasn't so bad after all.
Chikorita looked up at Suishou suddenly, blinking for an entirely different reason, as Cyndaquil seemed to sigh. Suishou sighed as well.
"Chikorita," he smiled slowly, and Chikorita grinned.
"All right, I'll try to find a trainer for Cyndaquil as well," Professor Elm started. "And here… I entered your names into your Pokédexes while you were deciding."
Gin and Suishou took their Pokédexes, and Gin somewhat reluctantly withdrew Totodile. Professor Elm then cleared his throat.
"Um, Gin," he said. "Would you mid going with Suishou? Just for a little while, until he gets used to travelling."
"I…"
What am I, this kid's babysitter? Gin frowned, looking at Suishou out of the corner of her eye. He was blushing slightly, and Gin sighed. Did she even have a choice here?
"I guess," Gin mumbled.
"Thank you," Professor Elm answered, looking like he really meant it. "Good luck to both of you."
"All right," Gin reluctantly mumbled.
"Bye, Professor! I'll do my best," Suishou smiled.
"Aw, come on," Gin muttered, grabbing Suishou by the wrist as he waved to the professor, and dragged him out of the lab behind her.
"S-sorry," Suishou apologized, stumbling as they arrived back outside.
"As long as you don't fall behind, I don't really care," Gin shrugged. "I'm headed to Violet next, by the way. There's a gym there. Oh, and…"
Gin took Totodile's Pokéball off of her belt and handed it to Suishou. He looked bewildered and opened his mouth to say something, but Gin interrupted him.
"Totodile's probably more used to you, anyway," she shrugged. "Besides, it's hard to explain, but none of those Pokémon… really felt right. You know? Well, let's go."
Suishou nodded, still looking confused, and Gin silently turned away and started walking. This would be one interesting trip, Suishou thought, scrambling to keep up with Gin's long stride…
