Disclaimer: I do not own nor am I affiliated with Pokémon or any of its parent companies. I am merely a humble storyteller. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this journey with me.
Note: I am English, so some of the wording, spellings, and expressions will be those commonly used in England.
Chapter Fifty-Three: Biker Bouts!
The two-headed bird with scruffy brown feathers, long legs, and flightless wings staggered as Porygon rammed into it with Tackle.
"Great, Porygon," Leaf cheered. "You're doing wonderfully."
Porygon beeped and booped, sounding lighter than it had since she obtained it. It still flinched when she got too excited and cowered when she raised a hand to give it a rewarding pat on the head, but it was making strides towards entering a better mental and physical state.
"Okay, use Sharpen," Leaf said. "I, um, think it's meant to raise your attack."
Which it did. Porygon's already angular body became more so, its beak-like appendage sharpening to a point.
"All right," Leaf said. "Hit Doduo with another Tackle."
Porygon obliged, hitting Doduo in its midriff harder than before, albeit taking damage from Peck in return. The Virtual Pokémon beeped in panic, speeding around in circles in the long grass.
"Calm down, Porygon!" Leaf called. "This is just a bit of practice, remember?"
Porygon slowed, but it did not stop.
Okay, okay, Sharpen raised the attack stat, Tackle was Tackle, now how about…
"Um… use Conversion, I guess," Leaf said uncertainly. "I think the Pokédex explained it well enough. I hope."
Her Pokédex growled.
The blue appendage that formed Porygon's tail lost its colour and adopted a new one, an electric yellow. Leaf pursed her lips; Conversion did not seem too flashy, but maybe its function would make up for it. After all, not every Pokémon received a technique created just for it, did they?
Doduo's two heads jabbed its beaks at Porygon, who beeped and booped again, at first strident and flustered before calming down. It turned to its Trainer, befuddled.
"It does work!" Leaf exclaimed. "Oh, wow! It turned you into an Electric-type based on the fact your other move is Thunder Shock. I can't believe it actually worked!" She jumped and waved her arms, grinning from ear to ear. "Okay, Doduo's Flying-type moves won't be as effective. Plus, you get STAB now! Which means…"
A few seconds later, a fried Doduo found itself as another team member for Leaf, snug as a bug on a rug within a Premier Ball.
"You did it, Porygon," Leaf said once the Premier Ball broke into hundreds of pieces of digital data and transported itself into her Pokémon Box. "We tested out all your moves and used you in your first battle. You even helped us catch a new Pokémon. I'd call this a good day, wouldn't you?"
Beeping in response, Porygon accepted a nuzzle from Eevee yet stiffened when Leaf ran her hand along the top of its head.
"Don't worry," she reassured it. "We're seeing it with Omanyte too. We'll get there."
Returning the Normal-type to its Poké Ball, Leaf and Eevee proceeded to head south down a trail that zigzagged through long grass, trees and Berry bushes sprouted up here and there, giving the route a magical, natural feel. The former scrolled through her Pokédex, mumbling to Eevee as she recounted the new Pokémon she had captured since her battle against Snorlax.
"So, it turns out Route Seventeen has wild Eevee," she said to her partner. "Which is good if the two I captured don't have the same qualms as you regarding evolution. Probably not." A tiny pony with a fiery mane appeared on screen. "We got Ponyta too, but I'm definitely going to need to use status moves, Berries, and Great Balls to get a Rapidash. We can't afford to waste anymore Poké Balls on one. The same with Dodrio, although at least we got a Doduo now. Hmm, we also don't need to evolve Pidgey anymore. Let's see… hmm… Magikarp, Goldeen, Poliwag… I've already got all the Water-types found here." Leaf snapped her Pokédex shut. "Maybe we can stay and capture some more Eevee, what do you say? It would be worth it to obtain a Rapidash and Dodrio too. Then we can head to Fuchsia before finally returning to Pewter."
Eevee wagged her tail and let out a happy yap.
Shouting reverberated from the other side of the route, a side unlike the one Leaf strode down, one of tarmac and bicycles, one for humans and their vehicles. It had been such a long time since she had ridden a bicycle, when she, Red, and Blue would ride for hours on end around Pallet Town before they succumbed to rust and age (the bicycles, not them). Would it have been nice to have a carefree cycle down the Cycling Path? Maybe, but she would have missed out on plenty of Pokémon otherwise. Another time possibly, hopefully when their prices were not as extortionate.
Leaf and Eevee left the shouting behind, only to come across more of it. Okay, maybe describing it as 'shouting' was an over exaggeration. It was more of a heated discussion, although one person did sound more agitated than the other.
It was a boy and girl, the latter around her age and the former maybe a year older. Everything about the boy screamed blue (which Leaf and Red had done many times in their youth), with his hair and the haori he wore taking on that colour. The girl, on the other hand, was dressed as what could best be described as a maskless ninja, her purple hair tied back in a ponytail.
Enticed by curiosity, Leaf and Eevee ambled over to them.
"… we're tied," the girl was saying. "Let's have a final battle to break the tie."
"Fine, then," the boy replied, sounding a tad jaded. "But I'm not going to lose, not when I'm battling for my father."
"Yeah, well, I'm battling for my…" the girl trailed off, catching sight of Leaf and Eevee. "Hello, can I help you?"
"Oh, uh, sorry," Leaf said sheepishly. "We're just passing through and came to see what was happening here. You're in the middle of a battle?"
"That's right," the girl said. "We just had a double K.O., so the score's two-two. One more victory for me to win."
"It's always nice to see that misplaced confidence you have in yourself," the boy mumbled.
The girl glared at him. "I heard that."
"Well, then," Leaf said, proceeding to walk away. "I'll be off, then, and sorry for disturbing your battle. Good luck."
Yet, before Leaf could take no more than a couple of steps, the girl took hold of her hand. "You're a Trainer too, right? Because of the Eevee."
"I am," Leaf confirmed.
The girl grew excited. "Are you collecting Badges too?"
Leaf shook her head. "Sorry, but two friends of mine are. I'm an assistant to Professor Oak. Actually, we all are, but I'm the only one seriously trying to complete our task."
"Professor Oak?" The boy marched over, the bored look in his eyes replaced by a gleam of excitement and intrigue. "You work for Professor Oak?"
"That's right," Leaf said. "We live in the same town. And for a little bit of trivia, one of the other assistants is his grandson, Blue Oak."
"Really? Is he powerful?" the boy asked. "Blue, that is?"
"Yeah, he is. He battled the other assistant – my friend Red – and defeated him, and we've battled together on the S.S. Anne where he demolished loads of Trainers."
"Wow, he sounds tough," the girl said. She grinned. "Not as tough as me though. I've got my battling genes from my dad, you see, the Gym Leader of Fuchsia City."
Leaf did a double take. "Your dad's the Fuchsia Gym Leader? Wait, isn't he the one who did an interview a few months ago saying he wouldn't mind being a member of the Elite Four in the future? Koga, wasn't it?"
"The one and only," the girl said proudly. "He's a Poison-type ninja master, and the strongest Trainer ever! But I want to be even better than him one day, which is why I went to a ninja hamlet in Hoenn last year to train on my own. I'm going to win the Kanto League and make my own name! Which is Janine by the way. I, um, really should've introduced myself first, shouldn't I? Sorry, allow me to start again." Janine cleared her throat and bowed. "I am Janine, ninja-in-training, daughter of Koga. An honour to meet you."
Leaf bowed back to both Janine and the boy. "Likewise. And my name is Leaf Green. A pleasure to meet you two."
"And my name is Falkner," the boy said. "I'm from Violet City in Johto, where my father is the… is the…" he bit his bottom lip, "is the current Gym Leader." He smirked at Janine. "And HE'S number one!"
Janine shook her head. "He's not. My dad is!"
"No, mine is. Flying trumps Poison any day of the week."
"It doesn't!"
"You just don't understand the majesty of Flying-types."
"You just don't understand the coolness of Poison-types!"
"Er…" Leaf and Eevee watched as the duo bickered, Falkner making a better show of keeping his cool. "Okay, I'd best let you guys get on with your battle. I'm just going to go off and capture some more –"
How much money would you have bet on Leaf's next word being 'Pokémon'? A lot, right? I would have done the same thing (not really since I do not bet), but whatever that word was it was drowned out by the absolute nightmarish din of multiple revving motorbikes. No, not bicycles. Motorbikes.
A group of bikers suddenly appeared, hollering wildly, doing wheelies and riding around the trio of youngsters, kicking up grass, dirt, and leaves. Wild Pokémon such as Pidgey, Eevee, and Bellsprout fled, screeching in terror.
Leaf picked up Eevee and brought her t-shirt up to her mouth, saving herself from ingesting the motorbikes' fumes.
"Hey!" Janine snapped, screaming over the raucous vehicles. "What do you think you're doing?"
A bald man in a leather jacket, wider than he was tall, came to a stop yet kept his engine running. He peered at Janine over his sunglasses and grinned. "The question is what are you doing? All three of you. You're in our way."
"Please stop talking rubbish," Falkner said, eyeing the group with distaste. "This side here is for wild Pokémon and those without bikes of any kind. You're all breaking the law. Please head back to the actual Cycling Path."
"How about no?" the man, who was ostensibly the leader, said. "You see, this whole route used to be a place for us to ride until our heart's content. Then the government decided to be all eco-friendly and took half of it away from us with a snap of their fingers. We're taking it back."
"Why today of all days?" Leaf said, hardly daring to believe her bad luck. Team Rocket, ghosts, Missingno. and now a bunch of people who seemed intent on causing trouble. "Why does it have to be when I'm travelling down this route? Can't I just get a break for once?" she muttered under her breath.
The man shrugged. "Because it's Tuesday."
"I don't care what day of the week you found suitable to come here and cause trouble," Janine said. "The law says you have to go back to your side. So go!"
Another biker, tall and lanky, looked her up and down. "What, do you think you're some kind of ninja? Are you cosplaying or something?"
"I am a real ninja," Janine hissed. "And if you don't go, then I'll use force."
The leader scoffed. "Really? You and your friends here? Do you honestly think you lot can take on the eight of us?"
"I could take you all on singlehandedly."
"Lovely bravado yet again, Janine," Falkner said, stepping forward. "However, you're on the right path." To the biker leader: "How about we take you and your gang on in a few Pokémon battles? That's usually the best way to resolve situations, isn't it? Your strongest three against us, one-on-one."
Leaf pointed at herself dimly. "Are you including me, Falkner?"
"Of course."
"But I don't like battling!" Leaf protested. "I only do it when it's necessary! If you and Janine are so powerful then you don't need me!"
Falkner tapped his chin, pondering her point. "I suppose so. Fine, you can sit this one out. Okay, Mr. Biker Man, it'll just be –"
"Isaiah."
"Sorry?"
"My name is Isaiah," the leader said. "I'm in charge of the Cue Balls. Think it only makes sense to introduce myself before we wipe the floor with you."
Leaf and Janine suppressed a snort. Falkner raised his eyebrows, appearing politely confused. "Cue Balls? Really?"
Isaiah's face went red and squishy like a tomato. "Hey, it's not my fault I became bald at eighteen! All those stupid nicknames. But being made fun of doesn't work as much when you own it. I became proud of my baldness and the name of our gang reflects it."
"I see," Falkner said. "Well, as much as you've ticked me off with your poor attitude thus far, I must say that is rather admirable. Kudos. Anyway, Isaiah, we will have to change the rules. If Janine and I win against two of your strongest Trainers, you have to go back to the designated area for your bikes."
"No deal," Isaiah said, shaking his head. He jabbed a podgy finger over at Leaf. "All of you battle. You all want us to go, don't you? Well, you all need to battle, then." He smirked at Leaf. "Even if you might not know how to battle very well."
"How about I just battle you all and be done with it?" Janine said, brandishing a Poké Ball seemingly out of nowhere.
Falkner sighed. "Leaf," he said, turning to her, "I'm afraid you're going to need to battle."
"I could," Leaf said slowly. "Or we could just call the cops."
"The police won't do anything," Falkner said. "Not with Team Rocket causing trouble and taking their time and effort. That's probably one of the reasons these Cue Balls are so brazen with trying to claim the entirety of Route Seventeen. So… Leaf?"
Before Leaf could reply, Eevee bounded forward, growling at the Cue Balls. Her Trainer craned her neck and groaned to the heavens. "Urgh, fine."
o~o~o~o~o
Janine began, facing up against a female biker who went by the name of Cori. A Golbat fluttered over the former's head, while a Mankey took its position in front of the latter. The Mankey snorted and slammed its fists, tail swishing like a whip.
"Mega Kick!" Cori shouted, and the Mankey leapt at Golbat, aiming its leg at one of the bat's wings.
But Golbat did not look worried and neither did its Trainer. It merely bobbed out the way and riddled Mankey with a volley of stars.
Mega Kick missed again, as did a desperate and incredibly ineffective Low Kick, before Mankey lost its senses as Golbat unleashed a mind-altering Supersonic. Powerless, Mankey fell to a Wing Attack.
Janine won her battle, and she gave her Golbat all the praise it deserved.
Cori grinded her teeth, looking as if she wanted to say something to Janine, something that might not have been very polite. Instead, she recalled Mankey to its Poké Ball and stomped back over to her fellow bikers.
"A simple battle," Janine said to Leaf and Falkner. "Luckily I had a major type advantage." She shrugged. "Still, I would've won even if I didn't."
"A win's a win," Falkner said, "and now I'll go up against the next one. You don't mind, do you, Leaf?"
"Not at all," Leaf said, inwardly fascinated at the fact she was going to watch a second Gym Leader's offspring in battle.
The tall and lanky man swaggered forward, introducing himself as Jaxson and his Pokémon as Weezing. The two-headed Pokémon bobbled, the gases it released causing Leaf to choke and splutter, the stench making her nostrils weep and bawl and beg to be put out of their misery.
Who would Falkner use to take on the Poison-type? Leaf wondered as Falkner called out his warrior to take on their noxious foe. Was it someone who would fare well against a Pokémon like Weezing? Well, when the Pokémon materialised in a flash, Leaf was confident it would.
Such a beauty it was! Large enough to ride on, it looked like a bigger Pidgeotto but with a larger crest upon its head, one of yellow and red. It set down in front of Falkner and spread out it wings, making high-pitched whistling sounds at Weezing.
Pidgeot, a dual Normal and Flying-type Pokémon, and the evolved form of Pidgeotto. This Pokémon flies at Mach 2 speed, seeking prey. Its large talons are feared as WiCkeD wEapONs. YesSssSsSSssS.
"It looks powerful," Leaf said to Janine.
"Not surprising," Janine said, "considering it helped get him to last year's Johto League semi-finals."
"He… what? The semi-finals? Really?"
"Yep," Janine said. She called out to Falkner, "Isn't that, right, Falkner? It was the semi-finals, right?"
"From what?" Falkner called back.
"Last year's Johto League. That's how far you reached."
Falkner's jaw twitched irritably as his opponent suddenly seemed a tiny bit more nervous upon hearing that little morsel of information. "Yes, stopped by a full team of Psychic-types. But if I was being positive, then I would say losing to the eventual winner was better than losing to the runner-up."
"Whoa," Leaf breathed. She had not paid any attention to the upcoming Kanto League, only knowing Red and Blue would hopefully be eligible to compete when the time came, confident they would do well. But if it was going to have competitors like Janine and Falkner, then her childhood friends were going to have their work cut out for them.
Weezing started the battle with Tackle, which only earned the Poison Gas Pokémon a stern stare from the mighty bird.
"Get it with Heat Wave!" Jaxson ordered.
"Mirror Move," Falkner said.
From both its heads, Weezing emitted a burning haze, an orange aura that threatened to turn Pidgeot into a crispy meal. Yet it was countered by the exact same attack, produced by Pidgeot's flapping wings, as it copied Weezing's technique. The Heat Waves connected and cancelled each other out.
"Smog!" Jaxson screamed, slapping his hands against his knees, desperation already getting to him, and Weezing expelled a vicious green gas from its orifices.
"Use Fly," Falkner said, stifling a yawn.
Pidgeot took to the sky upon its glorious wings and rode the wind as the Smog was quickly ushered away by a light breeze. It then swooped down and struck Weezing with its powerful talons, ending the battle.
"No!" Jaxson screeched, dropping to his knees.
"Please, don't be so dramatic," Falkner said, reaching into his pocket and giving Pidgeot a treat. "Good boy. I can always rely on you, can't I?"
Pidgeot cooed and nudged his head against his Trainer.
Leaf smiled at the interaction before reality gave her a swift kick up the bum in the form of the Cue Ball's leader. With a face like thunder, he pointed at her, his other hand gripping a Great Ball.
But she could do this. She was not even a battler and he had taken on Team Rocket multiple times, had captured tonnes of Pokémon, had even earned a Gym Badge! It was just a matter of who she would pick…
o~o~o~o~o
"Please."
"…"
"Venusaur, I said please."
"…"
"I'm trying to give you a chance here."
"…"
Leaf covered her face with her hands. Venusaur still did not want to battle. Much to her embarrassment and the bemusement of everyone there, he was content to simply lie in their midst, eyes shut as he tried to let himself be taken to dreamland. He would not even respond to Eevee who used her paws to bat at his face.
"So," Falkner said, eyeing the plant dinosaur, "it doesn't seem like he wants to battle."
"No," Leaf said sadly. "Since he evolved, he hasn't been listening to me."
Janine, who had squealed and rushed to hug the Grass and Poison-type, inspected the plant on his back and frowned, although keeping her thoughts to herself.
"Pick someone else, then," Falkner said, not unkindly. "We'll deal with this after you put this Cue Ball to the sword. Gosh, it truly sounds like I'm insulting him."
Left with no choice, Leaf picked Aerodactyl, who immediately chewed on her ponytail.
"Quit it, Aerodactyl," Leaf said, easing her ponytail from between the carnivore's serrated teeth. "Look, that's our opponent. You're going to battle it, okay?"
Aerodactyl's ophidian eyes studied his opponent, a muscular, grey-skinned humanoid with red stripes running down its arms, three ridges on its head, a black design around its groin resembling briefs, and a black and gold belt around its waist. This Pokémon's Pokédex entry would have gone a little something like this:
Machoke, a Fighting-type Pokémon, and the evolved form of Machop. Its muscular body is so powerful, it must wear a power save belt to be able to regulate its motions.
Leaf gazed up at the Fossil creature. "You've got this, Aerodactyl. Let's –"
"Brick Break!"
Aerodactyl's head jerked back as Machoke slammed a fist into his face. Leaf's mouth gaped, recoiling as if she was the one who bore the brunt of the Fighting-type attack. "What… what the heck?" she finally uttered. "We hadn't started the battle yet!"
Machoke buried its fist into Aerodactyl's abdomen. Isaiah smiled cruelly. "Can't see a referee about. Brick Break again!"
For a third time, Machoke walloped Aerodactyl, leaving the Fossil Pokémon dazed, wings flapping ineffectively, snarling in pain and anger.
"You cheat!" Janine bellowed. "Leaf wasn't ready! How would you like it if she attacked before the battle commenced?"
"That's right," Falkner said. "We should restart this battle. You've given yourself an unfair advantage."
"This is the real world," Isaiah retorted. "None of your fancy pants League battles. If the girl's too weak to handle this, then she should give up, simple as." He grinned. "But then we win, as per our little bet."
"No, that's done," Janine said, taking out a Poké Ball. "You cancelled it out by cheating. I'll take you all on now."
"No, Janine," Leaf said sharply. She scowled at Isaiah and jutted out her chin. "I'll handle him. Those Brick Break's are nothing."
Well, not nothing, let's be honest, but compared to everything else she had experienced, this wannabe hard man was on the lower end of the scale. Unbeknownst to her and everyone else, Venusaur raised a lazy eyelid before closing it once more.
"Aerodactyl, Wing Attack!"
"Pointless," Isaiah growled. "Karate Chop."
Machoke flattened its palm and blocked Aerodactyl's striking wing with the side of its hand. Yet the Superpower Pokémon winced as it pulled its hand back. Aerodactyl, meanwhile, stalked forward, and bit into Machoke's bicep.
"Damn it!" Isaiah bellowed. "Brick Break."
But no Brick Break arrived for once Aerodactyl released its arm from his jaw, Machoke stumbled backwards, flinching.
All that was left was to finish Machoke off with a final Wing Attack, powered up by Aerodactyl shooting off into the sky and using gravity and his momentum from returning to earth to end the Fighting-type's efforts.
Isaiah's jaw dropped. "What? But… but… how? Even when I… even when I –"
"Even when you cheated?" Janine said icily, stepping forward. "It means you still lost."
"Exactly right," Falkner said. He strode over to Leaf and placed a hand on her shoulder. "You lost to a more competent Trainer despite your unfair advantage." He shook his head, much like an adult would do at a child's actions they found disappointing. "At least your friends had more pride than you on that accord. Anyway, we won three battles. Please go away now."
Isaiah pulled at his hair, or he would have done had he had any. "No!" he screeched. "I refuse!" From his leather jacket he pulled out a bunch of Poké Balls. "I'm going to take you all down right now! Tear them to shr –"
Snap!
Oh, whatever could that strange snapping sound have been? Someone snapping their fingers at a jaunty tune? The snapping of one's tendon returning to its original position? Or perhaps the snapping of a predator's jaws?
Well, if you truly must know, it was the third one.
Isaiah's face went whiter than a snowstorm in Sinnoh. His legs trembled, his nose ran, and the front of his trousers went slightly dark. His Poké Balls rolled by his feet.
Aerodactyl growled, his teeth inches from taking off the Cue Ball leader's head. To anyone else, it would seem as if he had missed a meal full of brainy goodness and intended on trying to get it a second time. However, to Leaf, it was obviously a threat, one Isaiah would do well to pay heed.
Which he did.
He scrambled to pick up his Poké Balls, muttering something that sounded vaguely like an apology (a fake one most likely, like the majority are nowadays). Then he was on his bike and he and his cronies headed away to their designated section of Route Seventeen.
"Wow," Janine said once they were out of sight. "I actually thought we were going to have a battle royale sort of thing going on there. Good job, Aerodactyl."
"Indeed," Falkner said, reaching out to touch Aerodactyl's snout, who did not try to bite off the Johtonian's hand it must be mentioned. "Sometimes you need a bit of… forcefulness. An excellent, formidable Flying-type. I would very much like to own one in the future… if that is even possible."
Leaf smiled. "Maybe if you're lucky enough to find an Old Amber." She gestured towards the trees where the bikers had disappeared through. "Do you think they'll keep their word?"
"Probably not," Falkner stated. "But we can tell someone and they can prepare for it next time. It's sad that this is even a thing. Why can't they be satisfied riding their bikes on the other side?"
"We can tell my dad," Janine piped up. "He has a lot of pull obviously. Maybe he could send some of his Gym Trainers there and alternate between them? It's worth a shot. Or we could call in the Pokémon Rangers? Hoenn did the same thing."
"Well, either way we did some good today," Falkner said. He closed his eyes, letting the fresh zephyr wash over him, and breathed deeply. "Although, there was one little hiccup."
Oh yes, there was, wasn't there?
Venusaur remained sleeping without a care in the world, with Eevee sat on his head like a living, furry hat.
"Venusaur," Leaf groaned. "I don't just understand."
"He's lost respect for you," Janine said. "There's no way he's going to listen to you."
"A bit blunt," Falkner said, "but it's the truth. You see, Leaf, Pokémon tend to become disobedient when they feel they have surpassed their Trainer, that their Trainer is incompetent, or feel that their Trainer has failed them in a certain way."
Leaf swallowed, replaying the awful time when Venusaur was a chew or two away from being plopped into Missingno.'s stomach. "I… see. And how do you make one obedient again."
"It depends on the Pokémon," Janine explained. "My dad told me his Muk used to disobey him when it was a Grimer, so he ended up using other Pokémon. When he kept doing well with them, Grimer recognised dad was getting stronger and decided to obey him so he could get stronger too."
"That's why Gym Badges help a lot," Falkner said, pulling out a case and revealing five Badges. "They're proof that a Pokémon's and a Trainer's hard work is paying off. And we can't forget to mention simply showing the Pokémon lots of love. I know, it sounds simple, and, in reality, it should be. But all Pokémon are different, and it can take any amount of time to thaw a frozen heart."
Leaf let the words sink in. There was a part of her pleased to hear Janine's little tale about Koga, about how he too had had a disobedient Pokémon yet had still become a Gym Leader, yet there was another part furious at Venusaur too. Out of all her Pokémon to stop listening to her, why did it have to be her Starter? It was another needless obstacle on her journey, one she could very much do without. However…
She gazed at his sleeping form, with Eevee tugging on his ear and Aerodactyl rocking him back and forth. He was still her Pokémon, her first one, and like she told him on the beach, she always be there for him. Giving up on him was not an option.
"Thanks, you two," she said to Janine and Falkner. "Venusaur and I will be a team again, trust that. And to start, we're going to finish capturing all the wild Pokémon we can on this route before heading to Fuchsia. I want to go to a place called the Safari Zone."
"Exactly where we're going," Falkner said. He looked away momentarily before clearing his throat. "Well, considering Janine and I are going the same way, how about we all go together before splitting up in Fuchsia. Janine, is that okay with you?"
"Sure!" Janine said excitedly, pulling Leaf into a one-armed hug. "I was just going to leave Falkner here and run home, but this will be fun. Shocked it came from you though, Falkner."
"I'll be honest, I am genuinely fascinated by Aerodactyl," Falkner said, eyes glinting with awe and captivation at the creature who was staring hungrily at a mischief of Rattata. "I hope you won't mind be studying it a bit, would you, Leaf? Of course, only if you accept my proposal."
"No, no, I don't mind," Leaf said hurriedly. "It's only that, like I said, I want to stay here for a bit to capture more Pokémon, and I don't know how long that'll take. It's the task I have to do for Professor Oak, and I wouldn't want to stall your journeys."
"You wouldn't be stalling anything," Falkner assured her. "Besides, if you're catching lots of Pokémon, then you've clearly got a lot more Flying-types. I wouldn't mind seeing them too, and I could give you advice on them."
"The same with me and Poison-types," Janine said. "So, how about it?"
How could Leaf refuse? "Sure," she said with a flame suddenly kindled within her belly. "It sounds great."
Thus, Leaf had gained, albeit temporarily, travelling companions.
