As Willis and Green approached the rickety looking building Green couldn't help but feel a bit apprehensive about stepping inside. She watched with dread as old, worn wooden planks wobbled and groaned. Nails, teetered on the edge of popping out from their planks and stone that made up the foundation was held together by the moss gluing the cracks shut. A strong smell of alcohol and grime oozed out and attacked her nose. Instinctively she covered her mouth and nose with her hand, gagging slightly as she recognized the grotty smell as a mixture of vomit and urine. Willis turned to her before the cracked open, flimsy front door with a stern face.
"Alright Lass, we'll only pop in for a moment and then we'll be on our way." He spoke in his usual cheerful tone but Green still saw the sternness in his eyes.
Willis placed his large hand on the door, preparing to push it open but before he did he glanced over his shoulder at Green, his smile replaced with a tight grimacing look.
"Oh, for your own good try not to linger your gaze on anyone for too long." He instructed gruffly, his bright and cheery tone vanishing completely.
Willis pushed open the door and stepped in, the foul smell rushing out to greet Green followed swiftly by the sounds of drunken laughter and glasses clinking. As Green poked her head through the doorway after Willis she was met with a dingy run down bar. Patrons sat along the counter on bar stools, the seats of which were full of holes. The beige foam sticking out of the brown leather casing and falling to the ground as they swivelled underneath whoever sat upon them. Lining the adjacent wall across from the bar were a series of booths with the same tattered leather lining them. Unlike the bar counter only one was occupied. A man and women both with maroon hair and dressed in all black sat in the corner of the booth, aggressively making out. Green couldn't help but stare, they acted like no one else was around or rather more like they didn't care. Their hands roughly grasped at each other's bodies, the woman squeezed his shoulder and grasped the back of his head taking a hand full of hair. While the man groped her breasts and ran his hand along her waist. As Green stared in disbelief, the man looked up at her from under the wide brim of his black cap. His gaze froze Green but not in the same way she had felt with Brock or Nurse Joy. In that moment she felt fear course through her body as she stared into his sharp, silver eyes. Suddenly she felt Willis grasp her arm and roughly tug her away, causing her to trip over her own feet as she stumbled after him.
"Don't stare Lass!" He hissed, a hint of fear in his voice as he quickly glanced back over at the couple.
Before Green could even apologise Willis hastily turned and made his way towards a set of empty stools at the very end of the bar. Green followed, not daring to glance back even though she swore she could still feel the man's stare against the back of her head. Slinking between the bar stools and between the legs of the patrons, a golden Persian slowly patrolled the length of the bar. It's sly, narrow eyes flicked up at Machop who strangely enough had seemed to calm down since entering the bar. More than anything now he just looked very uncomfortable, holding both his hands to his face as the smell made his eyes water. Green noticed and softly laughed with a sympathetic smile.
"Sorry buddy, here I'll see you once we're done." She assured him gently as she unclipped his pokéball and returned him.
The Persian's attention shifted to Green, with slow smooth motions it stepped out from the bar stools and examined Green curiously. It's whiskers brushing up against her legs and tail swishing back and forth slowly along the damp, dingy ground. Seeming satisfied, it turned up it's nose and resumed it's patrol of the counter. Slightly bewildered Green didn't stop to question it and hurried along to join Willis at the bar, feeling the bar stool creak and heave as she sat upon it. Willis only took a fleeting glance down at her before directing his attention towards the barkeep. An old, lanky man with long thin white hair. He leaned forward on the counter as he swished an old manky cloth around the inside of a cloudy glass.
"What are you doing bringing a youngin' in here Willis? She be... accompanyin' you eh?" He asked in a wheezy, slimy tone as he flashed Green a smile of half rotted yellow teeth.
Willis winced as he seemed to force a smile on his face before leaning forward slightly as he made eye contact with the old man.
"No nothing like that, just helping this one pass through to Cerulean." He responded bluntly as he retrieved a small pouch from his jacket pocket.
The old man with a look of keen interest leaned over towards Green, meeting her at eye level as he stretched to lean further forward. His eyes glanced down as he peered over the counter at her pokéball belt. His eyes flashing with recognition as he spied the Boulder Badge.
"Ah, a trainer are we sweet girl?" He asked, extending out his bony hand to grab at hers.
Willis abruptly grabbed the man's forearm and interrupted with a cold, but slightly wavering tone.
"Enough Mason, let us just pay for our... meal and we'll be on our way." Willis stated as he placed the small pouch onto the counter.
Mason wrenched his arm from Willis's grasp and stared at him angrily, gritting his decaying yellow teeth.
"Fine!" He spat out as he eyed the pouch before taking a step back from Green.
Green clenched her hands nervously into tight fists, suddenly becoming very aware of every inch of skin she was showing. She ducked her eyes away from Mason and focused solely on the small brown canvas pouch. Willis untied the string holding it closed and retrieved a handful of small silver tokens each with a pokédollar symbol printed on both sides. As Willis held them out to Mason, he snatched them up and counted them, shooting angry glances at them both as he did. Eventually, he closed his fist tightly and turned on his heel away from them.
"Enjoy your trip girl..." He muttered as he stormed off into the back through a set of swinging double doors.
To Green's confusion Willis then stood up and began making his way out of the bar.
"What about our food?" Green asked him, whispering slightly as she nervously glanced around at the patrons who were shooting her glances in return.
Willis turned and took her hand, smiling at her comfortingly.
"I'll explain outside Lass, now come on this ain't a place for newbie trainers or anyone really for that matter." He whispered back, gently tugging her to come along.
Still unsure, Green hopped off her stool and followed Willis towards the bar's entrance. The piercing gazes of the other patrons following her as she hurried along. Before they exited the place, they passed by the booth with the man and woman in black. Green's jaw fell open as Willis pulled her past and out the door. In the brief moment that she had to look at them, she had watched the girl on her knees on the ground half naked with the man's cock in her mouth. As well as the man smirking widely, seeming to take gratitude from her shocked expression. After a moment of stunned shock Green shook it off and hurried away from the rickety old building, following Willis closely.
"Sorry about that Lass but for safe passage through the Mountain you need to pay the toll to those buggers, I'm sure you don't need me to tell you why." He explained as they approached the mouth of the tunnel into Mt Moon.
"Uh actually yeah I do, who are those people?" She asked, completely flustered.
Willis stopped and turned to face her with a surprised expression. With a raised eyebrow he glanced back at the building and back down at her, looking bewildered.
"Lass, those are old Rocket members. Mt Moon is where that sad lot spend all their time nowadays. Geez, how old are you Lass? What a time we live in where children don't know about Team Rocket." Willis exclaimed with disbelief and a bewildered huff.
Green scowled and stepped towards Willis.
"I do know who Team Rocket is and I'm not a child, I'm 18!" She protested, placing her hands on her hips as she did.
"How could I not know?! My idiot of a brother beat their stupid boss! All I ever heard was how much of a hero he was and how brilliant our new champion was, constantly, every single fucking day!" She yelled, a rage unfamiliar to her seeming to bubble up from her chest.
Green caught herself with a shocked look, she stepped back from Willis who himself had gone from an amused bewilderment to a stunned silence. Awkwardly, he slowly nodded and raised his hands up in front of him.
"Okay Lass, sorry. I'm sure you know very well who Team Rocket is." He responded apologetically with a slow hesitant cadence.
Green shifted her eyes away from Willis, her cheeks burning bright red with embarrassment.
"Let's just go already." She muttered quickly before turning and hastily making her way towards the tunnel, un-clipping Machop's pokéball and releasing him behind her. Not stopping to look back at him.
Willis nodded slowly and followed her in, fidgeting with his fingers awkwardly. Leaving Machop behind, the two disappeared through the darkness of the large imposing mouth of the tunnel. He stared at it intensely, clenching his fists and gritting his teeth. With a fierce, determined gaze he marched forward into Mt Moon after the two of them.
As Green stormed forward into Mt Moon she was met with a sight that stopped her in her tracks. Scattered about the large open cavern within the Mountain were countless Geodudes and Gravellers. Some were sprawled out on the damp, stone floor of the cavern limp and unconscious. While others gathered around the edges of the cavern, huddling in corners as well as the rocky outcroppings jetting out from the high jagged walls of the cavern. They glared at Machop suspiciously as he entered, some of the Gravellers using their four large arms to shield the injured Geodudes whilst making clicking sounds with granite coated teeth. The clicking reverberated all around the cavern, the sound carrying down the many small tunnels that branched off the main cavern. Swarms of Zubat that were perched along the roof of the cavern shot through the air as the clicking filled the air, making what appeared like large, purple, screeching clouds. Green nervously looked around, she had never seen pokémon so scared before in her life. It was unnerving to her, the reality of life for a wild pokémon becoming more clear to her now that any of her textbooks could have prepared her for. Tentatively, she crouched down beside an unconscious Geodude. As she reached out to try and help it, she heard Willis's voice boom out to her.
"Don't touch him Lass! Leave him!" He yelled out as he hurried up to her side.
Green pulled her hand back and stood up quickly, taking a step back from the Geodude before looking at Willis with a worried expression.
"Why? What's wrong?" She asked in a flustered tone.
Willis gripped her shoulder while looking up at a group of Gravellers above them, who were all glaring at Green, their four arms balled into fists and their teeth clenched.
"Just leave him Lass, he'll be fine. You don't want to piss these buggers off when they're like this. The Machops have done a number on them this year that's for sure." Willis explained in a hushed voice, keeping a close eye on the Gravellers around them.
Carefully, Willis retrieved a small spray bottle from a pouch in his jacket. It was a small, green, cylindrical bottle with a pokéball symbol on the front. With one swift motion he sprayed the bottle on and around himself before handing it to Green.
"Pokémon repellent, it should keep away any peeved Gravellers or Geodudes from lashing out at us. Now come quickly, this way." He instructed hastily, keeping his voice low as he hurried over to one of the tunnels.
Green nodded along and applied the spray before following him. Machop furrowed his brow and covered his mouth with both hands as he smelt the spray. The angry glares of the Gravellers and Geodudes followed him as he ran after Green, the clicking dying down as the three of them exited the cavern and began journeying down a small winding tunnel. All along the roof and floor of the tunnel were small stalagmites and stalactites. Carefully, the three manoeuvred through them, the slightest bump from their foot causing the stalagmite to crack and fall over. Further ahead down the tunnel, Green watched as a nervous looking Geodude emerged from a crack in the tunnel. He looked both ways before darting out and snapping off a few stalagmites. Quickly he stuffed them into his mouth before looking up at Willis, hissing at him and darting back into the crack.
"Feral little buggers," he mumbled to himself, "watch your ankles Lass, they like to trip people." Willis warned casually.
Green couldn't help but smile as she passed the crack, seeing the small Geodude watching them suspiciously as they passed by. As Machop passed by the Geodude, he reached out his arms and tried to trip him. Machop grunted and kicked the Geodude back into his crack, sending him scurrying back further inside while whimpering. Looking pleased with himself, Machop continued on, running ahead of Green and Willis to explore further down the tunnel.
"Willis, where do those other tunnels go?" Green asked curiously as they continued drudging on.
Willis smiled widely, reveling in the chance to share his knowledge about the Mountain.
"Oh those, Lass, are old abandoned mine shafts. They go on for hundreds of miles, splitting left, right, up and down. No one's ever fully explored them and plenty who try end up spending the rest of their lives in them." The jolly tone he took while saying that unnerving Green slightly.
"This one though Lass," he continued while gesturing to the tunnel around them, "is a tunnel originally made to connect the main cavern to the worker's quarters. Men back when these tunnels were carved would spend decades in here, living underground away from the sun and sky." He continued to explain.
As he did the tunnel opened up into an expansive room, held up by steel beams and scaffolding. Littering the room were the rusting remains of bed frames, lockers and long tables. Machop, who had arrived before them was curiously exploring the remains. Poking around the rusted bed frames and peering through the gashes of rusted away metal covering the old lockers. Willis stopped and heaved his massive backpack off his shoulders, placing it on the ground before him. He pulled out a map and compass from a sleeve along the side of the bag's interior.
"Alright from here on out Lass you and the little fella stick close, okay? The tunnels get tricky, they split off in all kinds of directions. Don't underestimate how easy it is to lose your bearings okay?" His jolly tone disappearing as he unfolded the huge map and held it out in front of him.
Green nodded and waved Machop over. His head peered up from over a bed frame and he ran over, beaming up at Green excitedly.
"You hear that? Keep close now okay?" She asked gently, brushing some loose gravel off from the ridges on his head.
Machop nodded and gave Green a firm, serious look. Green couldn't help but giggle before patting him on the head, which made Machop smirk sheepishly. As Willis reviewed his map, laughter echoed out from one of the tunnels branching off from the room. Green looked up to see two, tall lanky young men dressed in all black. The same way the couple from the bar had been dressed. The light from the oil lanterns hanging from the scaffolding showed them off much more clearly than the dingy lighting of the bar did. Their matching, scruffy blue hair and light stubble clear as day to Green. As well as the faded, red letter R's on their chests. They stopped laughing as they saw Willis and Green, wide smirks appearing on their faces instead.
"Willis, got some company I see?" One of the men asked slyly as he slunk over to Willis, eyeing Green hungrily.
Willis looked up from his map and scowled at the two of them.
"You'll be leaving the Lass alone you two, we payed the tithe." He responded gruffly.
The other man snickered and glided over towards Green with long strides, lustfully eyeing her body as he stood beside her. He leaned down against her shoulder, pushing his face close to hers.
"Are you sure it's safe for such a fine young thing to be alone with an old man such as yourself Willis?" He asked while continuing to stare at Green with a droopy smile.
Machop with a furious growl swung and hit the man in the stomach, sending him staggering back with a shocked expression. He fell back onto his ass, sputtering as the wind was knocked out of him. He grimaced and shakily got back to his feet.
"How dare you!" He hissed at Green, "are you stupid?" He asked as he reached for a pokéball on his belt.
Machop grinned widely and prepared for a battle, taking a wide stance. However, before anything could happen Willis stood in between them with a hand on his pokéball belt.
"Alright enough! Go on git!" He exclaimed.
The man, undeterred took a step forward and unclipped his pokéball but his friend stepped in, gripping his arm.
"Don't man, not now." He warned, shoving him gently towards the exit.
The man after a final glare at Green, clipped his pokéball and shook off his friend's grip.
"Whatever..." He mumbled, clicking his tongue.
The two Rocket members disappeared down the tunnel Green and Willis had come from, the sounds of stalagmites snapping underneath their feet echoing out from the tunnel.
"You okay Lass?" Willis asked with a concerned look.
Green nodded slowly and turned to look up at him.
"Yeah I'll be okay, thanks for stepping in." She responded with a slightly wavering voice before picking up Machop and hugging him to her chest.
Willis frowned and looked up, scowling in the direction of where the Rocket members went.
"Don't mind them, they're a bunch of losers besides I'm sure this little devil here could take anything you threw at him." He reassured Green comfortingly before smirking at Machop, "couldn't ya?!" He exclaimed.
Machop nodded and raised up his fists.
"MA! CHOP!" He cried out and beamed proudly at Willis.
Green giggled softly and rustled Machop's head ridges. Looking up at Willis with a small smile she seemed to perk up a bit. Satisfied, Willis took a step back and picked up his map which he dropped on the floor.
"You know Lass, you never did tell me your name." He stated inquisitively as he held the map out in front of him.
Green awkwardly rubbed the back of her head and blushed.
"Oh yeah sorry about that! My name is Green." She responded enthusiastically, turning on her heel to face Willis with a beaming smile.
Willis's face flickered with recognition as he smiled warmly at her.
"Aye, of course you are. Makes sense with what you were saying about your brother and all." Willis said with a look of recognition as he turned and began leading Green and Machop down a tunnel.
Green's smile wavered a little at the mention of Red.
"You know who I am?" She asked hesitantly, fidgeting with the ends of her skirt as she followed behind Willis.
Willis beamed proudly as he trudged along, his boots crunching the gravel and silt below his feet.
"Aye I met you when you were but a littlin', back when your brother was champion. Honestly, I didn't recognise you. You've certainly, uh... grown up since then." Willis explained, pausing awkwardly and glancing back at her.
Green pursed her lips as she smiled sheepishly, taking a glance down at her breasts. She thought back and now that she was aware of it, Willis's face did look slightly familiar.
"Your brother used to come with me on surveys of the tunnel systems, on the look out for rare pokémon. Quiet fellow he was but a great trainer none the less. I met you when one day he brought you along, by the looks of things you must of pestered him into it." Willis explained further with a laugh.
Green couldn't help but think fondly of those days, when Red would disappear for weeks or even months at a time and return with all kinds of amazing pokémon. Although that fondness just made the anger she felt towards him flare with more intensity. She bit the inside of her cheek as she held back that frustration, clenching her jaw tightly. After that an awkward silence fell over them with only the crunching of the gravel beneath their feet echoing down the winding tunnel. However, this silence was soon interrupted by a violent shaking and rumbling. The ground and walls around them shook, dislodging stalactites and sending cracks through the hard stone. Geodudes scurried out of crevices and holes along the tunnel, rolling along the ground past the trio. Willis looked back at Green with a look of genuine terror and rushed towards her.
"Get back Lass!" He screamed out before shoving her back, sending her flying back down the tunnel onto her back.
As she slammed down onto the ground she hit her head on a rock and felt her vision get fuzzy, dazed she looked up to see Willis and Machop running towards her and diving down beside her. Willis curled up and covered his head and Machop stood in front of them in a battle stance as the shaking got more and more violent. Abruptly, the ground where they had all been standing erupted and chunks of granite flew out followed by a shower of gravel. A cloud of dust filled the air forcing Green to shield her eyes and turn away. As it cleared, Green peered through the cloud with narrow eyes to see an Onix's head sticking out of the hole glaring at them angrily.
"OOOOONIXXXX!" It screeched out at them.
Willis jumped back to his feet and charged past a now stunned and scared looking Machop. He unclipped a ball from his belt and released it. With a bright flash of light, a Machoke appeared.
"Machoke get that rudding bastard back into his hole!" Willis commanded firmly.
Machoke looked back at him and nodded, seeing Machop as he did. He gave him a playful smirk before turning back towards Onix. He grinned widely and charged at the Onix, his fists ignited with an intense orange flame. The Onix screeched at Machoke, splitting the air and shaking the walls around them. However, Machoke continued forward unaffected and slammed his large powerful fist into the Onix's head. As the fist connected, a shock wave erupted back down the tunnel blowing Willis over onto his ass. The Onix cried out with a high pitch whimper before burying himself into the roof of the cavern and burrowing away, causing the walls to shake violently again. As the shaking faded away Machoke returned back to a proud looking Willis and an awe struck Green and Machop. Machop ran up to Machoke wide eyed before flexing and grinning at him. Machoke chuckled and grinned back, playfully bopping Machop on the head with his fist. Green couldn't believe the size difference between the two. Machoke's fist was roughly the size of Machop's entire head and he stood at least twice her own size. Willis got up and brushed himself off before excitedly punching Machoke in the arm.
"Excellent work Lad! You showed that dumb snake didn't ya?" He congratulated Machoke energetically.
Machoke cried out ecstatically, clenching up his fists and punching the ceiling in celebration. His stare was almost electric with hype as a seemingly unending amount of energy surged through him. As Green watched, her mouth a gape slightly in awe she watched as his gaze fell on her and a hungry smirk formed on his face. Willis noticed it too and quickly reached for his pokéball.
"Woah there Lad, go cool off for a bit you bloody devil." He said with a nervous laugh as he quickly returned Machoke to his ball.
Green was surprised to find herself standing there with butterflies in her stomach and a tight chest. Immediately she brushed off the feeling and ran towards Willis with a gleeful grin.
"That was so awesome! Your Machoke is amazing!" Green exclaimed, looking down at the pokéball in awe.
"Ma! Ma!" Machop cried out in agreement
Willis beamed with pride and held up the ball in front of him.
"Aye he's one of my finest pokémon, rowdy little devil but still he's one of a kind. I imagine you'll be just as amazing when you evolve little lad." Willis said to Machop, crouching down and scratching the back of Machop's head.
Machop squirmed happily and let out a happy cry. Green giggled and excitedly hugged Willis, making him blush and laugh happily.
"Thanks for saving me back there I owe you one," Green thanked him as she pressed her cheek against his arm.
Willis stood up straight and awkwardly looked down at her as she stepped back, rubbing the back of his head.
"Don't mention it Lass, it's what I'm here for after all." He responded humbly, tripping over his words slightly.
Quickly and stiffly, Willis turned away and picked up his map from the ground. As he dusted it off he cleared his throat and stood up straight.
"Well okay then, not much further let's keep at it shall we?" He more commanded than asked, not waiting for an answer as he continued marching on and carefully making his way around the hole.
Green smirked to herself as she watched him, reveling a bit in the influence she now realised she can have over men. Happily, she followed along, picking Machop up and clutching him to her chest. With no protest, Machop allowed himself to be carried with a lazy smile on his face as he was pressed between her breasts.