It had been a few hours since the group met up with Dalton and, despite Christie still being upset over the fact that she was groped by Dalton's Pikachu, they were getting along for the most part, where they any closer to Pewter City? That was another problem that they were facing.
"So first your Pikachu gropes me and then you lead us on a so called "Shortcut" that has taken us nowhere near Pewter City." Christie commented as she folded her arms. "You're not exactly doing a lot to help my bad first impression of you." Christie added and Dalton turned around seeing that Steve and Ann shared Christie's sentiments.
"Look, I've apologized over a hundred times for Pikachu's behavior already, can't you get over it?" Dalton asked and Christie's eyes narrowed. "Besides I assure you we are almost there!"
"Dalton, you've said that a few times now and it's getting dark." Steve pointed out with a frown. "You and Ann had your Pokémon Battle around four o'clock, how long exactly have we been on this shortcut off yours!?"
"I don't know and it's not exactly a shortcut in the traditional sense." Dalton responded as he glanced over his shoulder at the trio. "What I mean is that it's a place where there's very little in the way of wild Pokémon."
"Based on what I've seen so far I believe it." Ann responded as she glanced around, the group was now walking up a very steep hill and there didn't seem to be any Pokémon around that didn't belong to any of the trainers in the group. "I told you we should've stuck to the map!"
"Just bear with me guys, okay?" Dalton asked the trio who exchanged suspicious looks before nodding and before long Dalton was on top of the hill with the others not far behind. "See? We're here!" Dalton added and once the other trainers joined him at the top of the hill they saw what he was referring too.
"Pewter City…." Christie said as she took a moment to catch her breath. "We've finally reached the site of my first step towards being the Pokémon Champion!" Christie added with a grin before she felt her stomach rumbling alongside the others. "After we grab a bite to eat that is."
"There's bound to be a few restaurants in the city." Steve added as the group started walking down the hill and towards the city. "But I think we'd better get checked in at the Pokémon Center first, let our Pokémon heal up and let us rest up as well."
"Good idea, I wanted to give mom a call anyway to let them know that we had arrived safely." Christie responded with a grin and Dalton nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, same here, besides it's nine o'clock so the gym's probably closed for the night anyway." Dalton responded as they reached the bottom off the hill and entered the city. "So we're in agreement about heading straight for the Pokémon center?"
"Pretty much, I need to sit down anyway." Christie responded as she followed them, she was currently trailing behind the group due to her bad leg. "And we'll challenge the Pewter City Gym in the morning I take it?"
"We'll have too it's closed for the night." Steve responded as he pointed to the gym which was indeed closed. "I think I'll give Sycamore a call as well and have him send over a Water Type Pokémon that I left with him."
"I just want to fucking rest." Christie moaned as she folded her arms. "We could've gone back to Viridian City and stay the night at their Pokémon Center but no, we had to take his shortcut!"
"We arrived at the city, didn't we?" Dalton asked as he glanced over his shoulder at Christie. "Besides, we'll be at the Pokémon Center in a few minutes, you can rest then."
"This is coming from the guy who doesn't have a permanently injured leg." Christie muttered under her breath as she caught up with Ann, thankfully for her the group reached the Pokémon Center and entered it.
"Welcome to the Pewter City Pokémon Center." Nurse Joy greeted them as they entered the center. "How may I help you this evening?"
"Hi, could you heal up our Pokémon please?" Dalton asked as he walked up to Nurse Joy and she nodded Dalton handed over Butterfree and Pikachu's Pokeballs first before handing over Mankey's and grabbing his cage. "Look I know this sounds weird and is probably unorthodox but my third Pokémon is a short tempered Mankey with a hatred of Pokeballs, so as soon as he's out of his ball could you pop him in there for me?"
"Off course, I'll hand over the cage as soon as he's healed." Nurse Joy nodded in response as she took the cage and set it aside before Christie stepped up and handed over her Pokeballs. "Where did you find a Houndour in Viridian Forrest?"
"I didn't, his trainer abandoned him and I ended up adding him to my team." Christie responded and Nurse Joy nodded sadly before taking the balls, Christie then removed her backpack to let Torchic out of it. "My Torchic doesn't like Pokeballs either, we think he's claustrophobic."
"I've heard weirder stories." Nurse Joy shrugged but didn't notice Christie's curious expression as she was too busy handing of her Pokémon to her Chansey. "Next!" Nurse Joy called out and Christie stepped aside to let Ann hand over her Pokémon which she did without a word. "Is that a Greninja?"
"My brother and I are originally from Kalos." Ann responded and the nurse nodded before handing the Pokémon over and Steve stepped up once his sister was out of the way. "Just one more thing, do you have any rooms available?" Steve asked and Nurse Joy nodded before she checked to make sure.
"I'm sorry but there are only two rooms available, you'll have to share a room each if you want to stay here." Nurse Joy responded and Steve turned to the others.
"I have no problem with sharing a room with Steve." Ann commented and Christie frowned once she realized where she was going with this. "But that'll mean that Christie will have to share with Dalton."
"Look, I know it was his Pikachu that groped me but I don't think that'll work because, well, personal space and all that." Christie responded before thinking for a minute. "I think that I and Ann should share a room together and Steve and Dalton should do the same."
"All right, that works fine for me." Steve responded and Dalton nodded in response before he turned to Nurse Joy. "That'll be fine we'll be gone by tomorrow anyway."
"Challenging the Pewter Gym?" Nurse Joy asked the four trainers nodded. "Well good luck, we're going to need a couple of minutes to set up your rooms so feel free to make yourselves comfortable." Nurse Joy added before walking off and the four trainers took a seat each.
"I think we need to rethink the order we challenge the gym in." Steve commented as he sat down. "Especially since we don't know how much experience Dalton has compared to the rest of us."
"Well based on what I've heard it seems that Christie started her journey shortly after I started mine." Dalton commented and Christie laughed as she shook her head.
"That's probably because I have a habit of sleeping in in the mornings." Christie admitted getting a laugh out of the others.
"Who doesn't?" Dalton asked with a grin before frowning. "Seriously though, I normally advocate ladies first and all but if you're basing the order on experience going up I should probably go first."
"That's fine by me I can use your battle to prepare for mine anyway." Christie responded with a shrug and the others nodded in agreement. "I guess the other problem is tactics."
"Right, Pewter City is a Rock Type Gym and the closest you have to an advantage is Houndour due to being a Dark Type Pokémon." Steve nodded in response as he turned to Dalton. "Does Butterfree know any Psychic type moves? I know they can learn them through leveling up."
"It knows Confusion and I'm trying to teach it Psybeam for the gym, obviously using that move on Ann's Alakazam would've been a waste of time." Dalton responded with a nod. "Other than that, not really." Dalton added and Steve nodded.
"Might want to work on that before you actually challenge the gym." Ann added and Dalton nodded in agreement. "I should be fine, I have Greninja and Alakazam to back me up and that just leaves you Steve."
"Yeah and I need to give Sycamore a call." Steve added before standing up and walking over to the video call booths.
"So Dalton, why did you start so late on your journey?" Ann asked and Dalton sighed sadly. "I just touched a nerve didn't I?"
"Its fine, I've been anticipating that question since I joined up with you guys." Dalton responded as she shifted his weight. "I originally planned to get my first Pokémon at the traditional age but my mom fell ill and I had to look after her."
"Your dad wasn't around?" Christie asked and Dalton shook his head.
"He's a trainer like us but he cared more for battling than he did for Mom and by extension me so he left for the Johto League and never came back." Dalton responded and Christie winced in response. "My mom promised me that I would get to start my journey once she was feeling better, that officially happened a few weeks ago and I got my first Pokémon, Pikachu, two days ago."
"Wait, Pikachu, as in the Pokémon that greeted me by grabbing my breasts?" Christie asked and Steve nodded reluctantly. "Oh man, your first battles against female trainers must've been really awkward." Christie added with a laugh.
"Tell me about it, though I was more concerned about what'll happen if he was still like that by the time I reached a gym run by a woman like Saffron City or Celadon City." Dalton added and the two girls winced at that mental image. "So I've been trying to improve its behavior before I got to that point."
"You realize that Cerulean City's Gym is run by a woman as well, right?" Steve asked as he approached them. "That doesn't exactly leave you with much of a window of opportunity, just saying." Steve added as he sat down.
"I know that's why I've been working even harder at it." Dalton added as he shifted his weight. "Ideally I want Pikachu to just stare at a woman lovingly and nothing more!"
"That has got to be the first time in history that that sentence has ever been said." Christie deadpanned as she tried not to laugh. "By the way, you did warn Nurse Joy, right?" Christie asked and Dalton's eyes widened.
"Be right back!" Dalton said quickly before standing up and going to find Nurse Joy almost as quickly.
"So, did you get the Pokémon you wanted Steve?" Christie asked Steve who nodded in response as he sat down next to her.
"Yeah I had Sycamore send over two Pokémon and as soon as its better are better I'll send back Beedrill and Pidgeot in exchange." Steve responded as he held up the two Pokémon. "I could show you them or you could wait until we go into the gym tomorrow morning."
"I think I'll wait." Christie responded with a nod. "Come to think of it you're the only one out of any of us who hasn't had a warm-up battle, unless you count our match." Christie added and Steve nodded.
"Yeah, I probably could've if we had just stuck to the main path but I can wait." Steve responded before the two teens glanced up at Dalton who was explaining his Pikachu's habit to a clearly bemused Nurse Joy. "On the plus side it'll at least be fun to watch Dalton's Pikachu act when we reach a gym like the Cerulean Gym."
"Presuming the gym leader doesn't kick us out the moment Pikachu makes a leap for her breasts." Christie responded before noticing the odd looks she was getting from a nearby trainer. "It's a long story." She told him and he shrugged before continuing on his way.
"Let's face it there are worse things that he could've overheard us talking about." Steve pointed out and Christie nodded in agreement as Dalton went over to one of the video booths. "So, are your ribs feeling any better?"
"They're feeling a lot better, thanks." Christie responded with a nod. "I think I'll stop by the hospital tomorrow morning and see if a doctor thinks that the bandages are ready to come off, after I make an appointment off course."
"Let me take care of that for you, you have been walking a long time." Steve told her and Christie grinned at that. "So, I overheard the reason Dalton got a late start, sounds like you two have a lot in common."
"Yeah, besides the fact that his dad is just a deadbeat and mine's…..well you know." Christie responded with a frown and Steve nodded. "You realize that you'll have to tell him about your dad if you wake him up due to a nightmare right?" Christie realized and Steve winced.
"Man, I didn't think of that." Steve said as he shifted his weight. "I'll probably just tell him the same way I told you, well besides the fact that Ann won't be there but I can make up for her absence if that does happen." Steve decided with a nod.
"Tell me what?" Dalton's voice rang out and they looked up seeing Dalton carrying a Pokeball in one hand and keeping the other hand in his pocket.
"It's nothing, we were just talking." Steve answered with a nod and Dalton shrugged before sitting down. "What's with the Pokeball? Our Pokémon, besides my new ones, are with Nurse Joy."
"And we didn't see you go towards the Pokemart." Christie added and Dalton shook his head.
"It's a gift from my mom." Dalton explained as he opened the Pokeball and a Ralts emerged from it, almost immediately the Ralts took a liking to Steve as it ran up and hugged his leg.
"Great, first Christie gets groped by your Pikachu and now there's a Ralts with a crush on me." Steve deadpanned as he glanced down at the Pokémon. "It is a girl right?"
"Yeah, I asked mom that before she sent it over and she confirmed it." Dalton responded with a nod as Christie got her Pokedex out and pointed it at the Ralts.
"Ralts, the Feeling Pokémon, It is highly attuned to the emotions of people and Pokémon. It hides if its senses hostility, until the discovery of the Fairy type Ralts was a Psychic Type Pokémon but it, alongside its evolutions, was reclassified as a duel Fairy/Psychic Type Pokémon." The Pokedex's entry read out and Christie pocketed it.
"Just be glad it's not an Onix that has a crush on you…I can't believe I just said that." Christie commented with a face-palm. "I don't know what's worse that sentence or that pun."
"I'm almost tempted to say the pun." Steve deadpanned as he glanced down at the Ralts. "The rooms have to be ready for us by now don't you think?"
"I hope not, I still have to call mom." Christie responded as she stood up and walked over to the video phone booth, she picked up the phone and dialed her mom's number and whilst she was waiting she could've sworn that she saw a pair of figures in black watching through the window. "I don't think it's a pair of perverts, if they wanted to check me out then why would they do it through a window?" Christie thought before her mom's image appeared on screen and she turned around. "Hi mom!"
"Christie, it's good to hear from you!" Her mom said with a grin which Christie returned. "Are you getting along fine with Steve and Ann?"
"Err, yeah, I've been getting along great with them." Christie said with a nervous grin as she thought back to what she had learned about them that morning, fortunately her mom didn't seem to notice. "Pidgey evolve yet?"
"No, it's still a Pidgey." Her mom responded as the bird Pokémon landed on her shoulder. "Though it did instinctively go up to your room this morning."
"Off course it did." Christie responded with a laugh as the Pidgey flew off. "How are the girls I knew from the soccer team?"
"They are fine, they came by asking about you and they are glad to hear that you've finally started your journey." Her mom responded and Christie grinned at that. "Though the local boys are disappointed that you aren't around anymore."
"I thought they would be." Christie responded with a grin. "I haven't challenged the Pewter Gym yet, by the time our group arrived at Pewter City the gym was already closed for the night."
"It couldn't have taken that long to get there, could it?" Her mom asked and Christie shook her head.
"It wouldn't have but we met another boy whilst we were in Viridian Forrest by the name of Dalton, he battled Ann, lost and we ended up asking him if he knew a shortcut to Pewter City." Christie added before frowning. "Unfortunately his idea of a "shortcut" means "long path utterly devoid of Pokémon" and it was nine-o'clock by the time we got here."
"Well you got there so that's the main thing." Her mom responded and Christie nodded in agreement. "Where's this Dalton boy now?"
"He's joined up with our group and he's another later starter like I am." Christie responded as she glanced up at Dalton. "Mom, can I be honest with you?"
"Off course Christie, is something wrong?" Her mom asked and she shook her head.
"No, it's nothing like that." Christie said as she glanced up at Steve. "Steve's a nice guy and all but….."
"But what dear?" Christie's mom asked clearly getting concerned for her daughter.
"Well, he has a crush on me." Christie responded with a slight blush. "Not only that but he hasn't exactly been subtle about it."
"I see." Her mom sighed in relief as Christie shifted her weight. "Do you share his feelings?"
"I don't know I've only known him for a day after all." Christie responded as she shook her head and her mom nodded. "You have any advice?"
"It's all up to you Christie, if he's serious about it and so are you I say go for it." Her mom responded and Christie nodded. "If you're not then let him down gently, there's plenty more Magicarp in the sea."
"Yeah, I know, speaking of which I caught one yesterday and it won't stay in his ball." Christie responded getting a laugh out of her mom. "And then there's the Torchic I caught just outside Viridian Forest who's claustrophobic."
"Really?" Her mom asked with a mixture of surprise and amusement in her voice and Christie nodded.
"Yeah, he's with Nurse Joy at the moment so I can't really show you." Christie added and her mom nodded.
"Do your friends have any interesting Pokémon?" Her mom asked and Christie blushed again.
"Well, Dalton has a Pikachu and….." Christie trailed off before blushing a bit. "Well my first meeting with him involved that Pikachu leaping up and making itself comfy…..in between my breasts….." Christie trailed off and her mom face-faulted when she heard that. "I swear mom, I am not making that up." She added as her mom got up with a laugh that Christie could barely hear because she had dropped the phone in the process.
"I'm not even going to ask." Her mom said once she picked the phone back up and Christie grinned before her mom noticed something. "It looks like Steve's trying to get your attention." Her mom said as Christie looked up seeing that Steve was waving her over.
"I'd better go we've been waiting for Nurse Joy to clear some rooms for us." Christie responded and her mom nodded before hanging up and Christie did likewise before turning to Steve. "I'm guessing they have our rooms ready?"
"Yeah, they've taken our bags up as well." Steve nodded in response and Christie grinned before standing up and following him.
*meanwhile outside*
"Shit, that female trainer almost spotted us!" The Team Rocket Grunt muttered under her breath as she hugged the wall of the Pokémon Center, she and her partner in crime had been sent to sneak into the center late at night but they had almost been caught. "Should we abandon the mission?"
"No, the boss gave us clear instructions and she barely caught a glimpse of us anyway." The male grunt responded as he folded his arms. "So we'll wait until everyone's in their rooms and sneak in, got it?"
"Got it, this should be a piece of cake!" The female grunt responded with a grin as they waited for the lobby to clear up.
*two hours later*
"AHHHHH!" Steve shot out of bed in a cold sweat waking up Dalton at the same time, it had been another nightmare related to his dad but this one was worse as he attacked and killed everyone in the center including using his MO on Nurse Joy, Christie and a female trainer who he had bumped into on the way to the room, literally. "Just another nightmare, I need to see a shrink about this!"
"Dude, what the hell?" Dalton asked as he sat up. "I was having a nice dream."
"Yeah well, I wasn't." Steve commented as he folded his arms. "In fact I had a similar dream the first night Christie spent with me and Ann." Steve added and Dalton frowned.
"You want to talk about it?" Dalton asked and Steve shook his head, before he could respond however he heard footsteps approaching the room thanks to the Pokémon Center's thin walls. "Dalton, did you hear that?"
"Yeah, and it's weird, no one should be up at this hour." Dalton responded as he checked his watch. "Maybe a trainer went to check on their Pokémon?"
"Doubt it, unless they want to be charged with breaking and entering." Steve responded before standing up and grabbing the Pokeballs that contained his two new Pokémon. "As much as I want to believe it's someone like Christie grabbing a midnight snack or something I'm going to investigate."
"Wait, I'm coming with you." Dalton responded and Steve nodded before the two boys left their room, it wasn't a trainer they saw though, instead it was the Team Rocket grunts carrying a bag full of Pokeballs each.
"Hey!" Steve called out to them and the two grunts froze in place before spinning around.
"What do you want kid?" The female grunt asked as she span around. "Can't you see we're busy?"
"Busy stealing Pokémon for Team Rocket you mean, don't try to deny it, the logo is on your outfits!" Dalton pointed out and the two grunts' eyes widened.
"So what if it is?" The male grunt asked as he grabbed a Pokeball and his partner did the same. "What do you plan on doing about it?" He asked and the two male trainers nodded to each other before grabbing a Pokeball each.
"I'll show you right now! We'll battle tag team style, first team to lose their Pokémon loses." Steve added and Dalton nodded. "You win, you leave with those Pokémon, we win…..well we'll see what happens."
"Dude, are you nuts?" Dalton whispered to him. "Ralts is untested and you obviously haven't used your new Pokémon in a while."
"Trust me, we'll be fine!" Steve assured him before activating his Pokeball. "Starmie, I chose you!" Steve called out as the Pokeball opened revealing the purple, star shaped Pokémon.
"Get them Ralts!" Dalton added as he tossed the ball and the small Pokémon emerged from the Pokeball.
"A starfish with a jewel in the center and an unevolved Psychic/Fairy Type, you idiots may as well have let us get away!" The female grunt smirked as she tossed a Pokeball and a Servipor emerged from it.
"Great, that means I'm hopeless against her." Dalton grunted and Steve's eyes narrowed when he saw the Dark Type Pokémon.
"You haven't even seen my Pokémon kid! Go Electrode!" The male grunt tossed a Pokeball and from it emerged the rather infamous Pokémon. "And here's some extra incentive, you even try to make a break for the Pokeballs and I'll have Electrode use Self-Destruct!"
"In this narrow a space? You realize how many people could be killed, right?" Steve asked and the grunt grinned.
"That's the idea kid!" The grunt responded and Steve turned to Dalton.
"I'll handle the Servipor, Electrode's all yours!" Steve told him and Dalton nodded in responded.
"Ralts, Confusion!" Dalton commanded the small Psychic Type Pokémon started firing up her Psychic Attack.
"Servipor, intercept that attack!" The female grunt called out and the snake leapt into action only to be hit with a Water Gun from Starmie.
"Sorry but your taking on me! Starmie, Thunder!" Steve commanded and the upper half of Starmie's body started spinning rapidly enough to generate thunder which struck the female grunt's Servipor.
"Wait, a Water Type Pokémon can learn an electric move?" Dalton asked and Steve shrugged.
"I was just as surprised as you are." Steve responded as the female grunt called back the now knocked out Servipor before getting an idea and grinning. "I don't like that grin!"
"You have no idea!" The female grunt said as she grabbed five of the Pokeballs from the bag whilst the male grunt grabbed three. "You may have defeated my Servipor but let's see if you can handle these Pokémon!" The grunt added as she and the male grunt tossed the balls, however when the Pokémon where reveled to be a Litleo, a Delphox, a Pidgeot, a Beedrill and a female Nidoran alongside an angry looking Mankey, a Pikachu and a Butterfree the two trainers shared a knowing look before grinning. "What are you happy about? You're outnumbered!"
"Look again!" Steve answered and the two grunts started to panic as each Pokémon made their way over to Steve and Dalton's side of the field and even the Electrode looked like it knew that his trainer had just screwed him over. "You just sent OUR OWN POKÉMON into battle against us! You two have to be either the unluckiest or dumbest Rocket Grunts that I've ever met!"
"Oh, and one more thing, Pikachu, you see that hotee over there?" Dalton asked and the Pikachu quickly noticed the female grunt and let out an excited cry.
"Did I just get called hot by a trainer I'm robbing…?" The female grunt never got a chance to finish as the Pikachu leapt into her cleavage knocking her over in the process. "GET THIS THING OFF ME!"
"Man the guys are NOT going to believe this when I tell them later!" The male grunt responded with a massive grin as he started tugging at the Pikachu as Electrode rolled over for a closer look.
"Pikachu, Thunder!" Dalton called out and the male grunt's grin quickly disappeared as the Pikachu, after a moment of hesitation, started charging up his attack.
"Hurry up already! I am not getting shocked by something attached to my tits! Well, at least not outside of my bedroom!" The female grunt yelled out and Steve, Dalton and the male grunt sweat-dropped.
"That was too much information lady!" The three males responded just before the Pikachu let loose with its attack knocking the grunts and Electrode out.
"Officer Jenny's on the way guys." Christie's voice rang out and they looked up seeing Christie with her hair down and in her nightgown standing next to Ann alongside several other trainers who had come out of their rooms. "We were awoken by your battle."
"As bad as it sounds, I was hoping that would happen, otherwise they would've gotten away." Steve nodded as Christie quickly closed the door on Pikachu as it made another leap for her breasts causing him to hit the door instead, Dalton called back to the Pikachu as Christie opened up the door again. "I think you'd better search through the bag for your Pokémon guys."
"Good idea." Christie nodded before letting the other trainers go first, after they gave their thanks to Steve for the help Christie and Ann claimed their Pokémon including a frightened looking Torchic, Christie shook her head sadly before holding out her arms. "Torchic, I'm sorry that happened to you, just for tonight I'll make up for it by letting you sleep in our room rather than my backpack."
"Torchic!" The Torchic cried happily before leaping into his trainer's arms.
"Anyone know what time it is?" Ann asked as she grabbed her Pokeballs from the bag and Steve shook his head.
"No, I just know that it's late and we should get some sleep." Steve responded and the others nodded before returning to their rooms.
*meanwhile*
"Sir, the grunts have been defeated and arrested." A third grunt, who had cased the Pokémon Center earlier for the two grunts disguised as a Pokémon Trainer, said to his boss over a videophone in an unknown location. "I wouldn't recommend attacking the Pewter Pokémon Centre again, they will be on alert!"
"I agree, for now you are dismissed." His boss, a man entirely concealed in shadow, responded and the grunt hesitated. "I'm sending in one of the higher up teams, a team that has dealt with the Bishops before."
"Yes sir." The grunt nodded before hanging up, whilst that was going on the boss made another call.
"The Bishops are back on our Rader, you are needed in Kanto Cassidy and Billy." The boss instructed before waiting for their response.
"We got it sir! We're on the way!" A female voice rang out before hanging up.
"MY NAME IS NOT BILLY! IT'S BUTCH! BUTCH! BUTCH!" Her male companion's gruff voice responded before pausing. "Oh and got it!" The male added before hanging up.
