Edited: 10-22-14

Disclaimer: Don't own Pokémon besides for a few of the games.

Chapter Nine

I gave one last wave to Mrs. Evans and Alex, a polite smile on my face and a new red and white Pokeball attached to my belt, giving me a total of four Pokémon. While it was nice being able to sleep in a bed again with access to a warm shower and real food, I am happy to be leaving.

The last few days had been interesting to say the least.

After catching the exclusive Elekid and giving it to a very pleased Mrs. Evans at the end of my second day, I had been given both a small bag of Ultra Balls (fifteen of the pokeballs were inside the bag much to my joy) and free range of the 'garden' to catch whichever pokémon that caught my interest.

Seeing how I already had a Flying-Type, a Normal-Type, and a Poison-Type which would later doubled as a Ground-Type at its final evolution, I went out looking for a pokémon that one, I did not already have, and two, a type that I did not already have.

The first part had not been all that difficult, only having three pokémon that were fairly common, and Mrs. Evan's 'garden' being filled with the not so common pokémon for the most part. Heaven forbid that she house any 'common' pokémon, after all.

It had been my second requirement that had started getting under my nerves. I really did not want to spend another day inside the elderly woman's 'garden', so after a while any pokémon would have been good as long as it fitted within my two expatiations.

This is how I came into the process of battling and then catching a wild Poliwag.

While not the most powerful pokémon in its first stage, I knew from experience (my mother use to own one, until it evolved into its current form, a Poliwrath) that come its next evolution, it would begin to get stronger, much stronger. And that was good enough for me.

After catching the Poliwag, I had been more than ready to leave. I would have, too, if not for Mrs. Evan's grandson having arrived at the manor to visit an hour before I even got back from my 'hunt' in the 'garden'. Mrs. Evan had been more than happy to introduce the two of us, even if her son and his wife had not been that impressed at learning that a 'commoner' had been staying at the mansion.

While I might hate pokémon, I love little kids, so there was no way I could say no to a soon-to-be eight year old when asked to stay for his party the next day. I blame the eyes. Kids always have the sweetest looking eyes that just yell 'innocence' to me. Besides that, I loved the look on boy's parent's faces when they were told by their excited son and Mrs. Evan that I'd be joining them in the next day's festivities.

I am not cruel at all, really. Please just ignore my Meowth-caught-the-Pidgey smile and mocking eyes.

So, I had spent yet another night with the Evan's, this time around keeping Alexander ('please call me Alex') Evan entertained. It had not been so hard, Alex wanting to play with my pokémon most of the time. While my Pokémon might not have enjoyed it, I sure as hell did.

The picture of my Nidoran dressed up in short green skirt with a red ribbon tied onto its horn has quickly jumped up to my favorite picture of all time.

On the day of his actual party, I got the lovely chance to meet the rest of Alex's relatives. Please note the sarcasm. If I had thought his parents were bad, they had nothing on his extended family.

I have never wanted to kill someone as much as I had then. They, as well as Alex's parents, are the reason that rich people are thought to be nothing but stuck up snobs with nothing better to do than mock the less fortunate. How such a nice and considerate boy such as Alexander could possibly be related to any of them I will never know, much less Mrs. Evan's once one gets to know her.

On a positive note, once Alex found out that I had been the one to catch his new Elekid (who had slowly backed away from me with wide eyes, much to my amusement), he had been so happy that he had refused to let go of my waist, much less my side, for the rest of the party. Mrs. Evan and I had shared an entertained look at not only Alex's reaction, but also at her son's indigent look when he saw his son hanging off a 'commoner' like myself. Take that, 'Daddy Dearest'.

We had finished off the birthday party with a pokémon battle between Alex and myself. He used his new Elekid while I had sent out my newly caught Poliwag. The two had obviously recognized each other, as my Poliwag had puffed up and said something that had been far from nice if its tone of voice was anything to go by. Elekid, in response, had let sparks dance over its fur, a nasty sneer on its face. Any fear that it had of me vanished when the two saw each other, something that had me hiding a laugh.

The battle had ended in Alex's favor, though Elekid did not walk away uninjured. Poliwag had given as good as it got, only having finally gone down first thanks to a rather powerful ThunderShock from a desperate Elekid.

Despite losing, to an eight year old no less, I had felt a rising grin that had little to do with Alex's excited victory dance, though it was cute to watch.

If I worked this loss just so, I could have a rather useful way in getting my Poliwag to become devoted to training. So, instead of becoming mad or depressed over the loss, I had shook Alex's outstretched hand, offered him a wide grin, and congratulated him on his first even win.

The next morning, after getting my pokémon healed and having a little chat with Poliwag, I was off, determined now more than ever to finally reach the next town.

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I stopped next to a small little pond, hungry and tired. Having been walking for close to three hours, my feet were sore after not having to walk such a distance in so many days to walking for so long in one go.

Sitting along the edge of the pond, I took off my shoes and sock, placing them to the side of me. With a content sigh, I slipped my feet into the green-tinged water, lying back on the grass. Humming quietly to myself as I soaked in the Vitamin-D provided by the sun, I planned out my next few moves.

I should be reaching Cherrygrove City within the next few days if I manage to stay on the trail this time around. Between now and then I would focus on training my pokémon, mainly Poliwag as it was the weakest at the moment, being so new to the team. I also had to find another two pokémon to complete my current team, and then some so that I had a few different types and species to choose from when it came to a Gym Battle. Did not want to keep relying on only six pokémon, after all.

I frowned suddenly, my humming coming to a stop. At the pace I was going, it would take me forever to obtain all eight badges. At the very least, I was looking at a year's worth of travel if I kept my current routine.

That thought made me grimace. I really did not want to be out training pokémon for a year. It was a year that I could be using to do other things, like getting an actual job.

For what seemed like the thousandth time, I cursed my father and mother for messing with my life.

Sitting back up, I grumble a list of not-so-nice curses aimed at my parents as I slip my feet out of the cooling water and dry them off with a small hand-towel from my bag. Placing back on my socks and shoes, I stood and continued on my way towards Cherrygrove City. So much for relaxing.

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