Chapter Three - Setting Out and Splitting Paths
The week went by excruciatingly slow. Makani upheld her promise, and she and Empress tended to old man Larry's plants for the whole week, and to be honest, that really helped pass some time. Empress's bubble was getting stronger, and over the course of the first few days together, Makani and Empress had become totally inseparable.
Makani had also noticed that many of the adults and younger children in the town had started treating her and Matty with more respect. Probably because they had a Pokemon now, which she guessed was considered a sign of maturity. Heck, even old man Larry wasn't shouting at her for every single little mistake she made.
It was now Tuesday morning, and Makani was making final preparations for her upcoming journey. She was currently double-checking that she had everything. Spare clothes, money, pokeballs, pokemon food, food for herself, medicine, camping equipment… smiling to herself, the young girl zipped up her lavender backpack and put it on. It was quite heavy, but Makani figured she'd get used to it over time. She adjusted her silver leather belt. Currently, only one pokeball was clipped onto it, that being Empress's pokeball. The Piplup in question was currently standing in front of Makani's mirror, her chest puffed out and a prideful look on her face. Makani joined her partner in front of the mirror, staring at herself for a long while.
It was a strange feeling. She was about to embark on a pokemon journey, something she'd been looking forward to her entire life. She had a pokemon by her side, and it suddenly felt as if nothing could stand in her way. She picked Empress up off the ground, holding her in her arms.
"So girl, you ready for our grand adventure?"
"Pip, piplup pip!" Empress chirped in anticipation. It seemed as if she shared Makani's excitement and eagerness. Makani heard the sound of the front door opening downstairs, and a few moments later her mother called.
"Makani! Your father is here to see you off!"
Taking one last look around her bedroom for what would possibly be months, Makani ran out, practically flinging herself down the stairs. Entering the corridor, she saw her mother engaged in conversation with a tall man wearing a navy blue police uniform. Makani got most of her looks from her father. She had his light brown skin, his dark brunette hair, even his eyes. Makani ran forward, tackling her father in a hug.
"Hi dad!" She squealed.
"Ah, there's my little adventurer!" Her father let out a hearty chuckle, ruffling her hair. "You ready to go out into the great big world?"
"Mhm!" Makani responded, barely containing her excitement. "I've double-checked to make sure I have everything, I even packed extra medicine, just in case!"
"That's my girl, always expecting the worst." Her mother sighed. Makani placed her hands on her hips, giving her mom an accusatory look.
"What's that supposed to mean, mom? You never know what could happen out there, I just want to be prepared!"
"I know dear, I know. I was just pulling your leg." Her mom playfully and gently nudged her in the elbow. "I'm proud of you for being so responsible."
Her parents wrapped Makani in a warm, welcoming embrace. The young girl realized that this would probably be the last time she'd see her parents in person for quite a while… It made everything feel kind of bittersweet.
"Thanks for coming to see me off, dad. I know asking for time off work is… Not easy."
"Aw. Anything for my little angel." Her dad pulled her close, ruffling her hair again. "I wouldn't miss seeing you off on your journey even if the world were ending."
"You best be on your way, dear." Her mother choked. She had begun tearing up a little, dabbing at her eyes with a handkerchief. "You don't want to keep the professor waiting."
"Mom, dad…" Makani hadn't noticed, but she too, had begun tearing up. "I-I'm gonna miss you… I promise to keep in touch!"
The family embraced one more time. Mally the Liepard rubbed up against their legs, purring sadly. Finally, Makani stepped outside. It was a perfect day, the sun was shining bright and there were almost no clouds in the sky. With Empress on her shoulder, Makani turned back, waving a final farewell to her parents. They were standing in the doorway, arms wrapped around each other. They gave her an encouraging smile, waving back. Taking a deep breath, Makani stepped off the porch, wiping her eyes. As she began walking to the town gate, she got waves and farewells shouted at her from many different people. She realized that she was going to miss sleepy little Cape Town. Once she stepped out of the boundaries, she likely wouldn't return for many months.
Matty was waiting for her at the gate, Vulcan sitting at his feet. As Makani approached, Matty gave her a winning grin. But Makani could tell- he was nervous, too. Empress jumped off her shoulder, waddling over to Vulcan. The two pokemon still had a fierce rivalry burning, and they didn't seem to get along with each other that well… They were already bickering back and forth in poke-speech.
"Sooooooo, 'Kani…" Matty rubbed the back of his head, looking out into the distance. "Ready to go?"
"Ready as I'll ever be." The young girl responded, flashing a smile back. The two friends turned away from the town, stepping through the gates. Their pokemon ran after them, still yapping at one another.
Foundation City was about a two hours walk away from Cape Town, and the path leading there was fairly straightforward. Flowers and shrubbery lined the dirt road, and Makani and Matty even spotted some pokemon fluttering about. Combee, Cutiefly, they even saw some Kakuna hanging from some trees. Knowing the dangers of Beedrill, they got out of there pretty quickly. At one point they weren't exactly watching where they were going, and Matty ended up tripping over a Metapod that had crawled out onto the path. He landed flat on his face, and started yelling at the Metapod, which honestly didn't seem to care. It just crawled away into the bushes, Matty still yelling obscenities at it.
Eventually, the looming city appeared in the distance. Foundation City got its name from the fact that it was the first city built after a tragedy that left the region in ruins, many, many centuries ago. It was also completely eco-friendly, being powered solely by solar light and energy from electric-type pokemon. Once the city had come into view, Matty began making a mad sprint. Of course, this just ended in him tripping over again. He slowly pushed himself back up, and they began pacing themselves, Matty mumbling angrily under his breath. Makani knew he'd be fine, though. He always was.
The Pokemon Research and Rehabilitation Center was a hub of activity that day. Assistants and researching running around all over the place, pokemon scuttling back and forth. The loud beeping of machinery could even be heard from outside. Exchanging glances, Makani and Matty slowly reached out and knocked on the door together. They were left waiting for quite a while, and Makani reached out to knock again, only for the door to quickly fling open. Professor Begonia stood before them, looking not much different from when they first met her a week prior. She grinned at them, her face lighting up.
"Ah, Makani Skylar and Matthew Wilson! We've been expecting you! Please, come in."
Begonia lead them down a long corridor. There were excited chatters echoing all throughout the lab. Begonia began speaking to them as they walked, enthusiasm in her voice.
"You two arrived a bit later than the other children… Most of them have already left! But don't worry, we've kept your Pokedexes safe and secure. You still have plenty of time to catch up."
She led the children into a large room, full of technological equipment and tools. A group of Magnemite were hanging out in one corner of the room, seemingly eating electricity from a giant battery. A Magneton and Magnezone were hooked up to two different machines, helping to power it. Mara the Maractus was sleeping on a small bed meant for Pokemon over in another corner of the room, snoring quietly. Begonia led Makani and Matty over to a white table, where 5 small red devices were placed. The professor picked up two of them, before turning back to the trainers.
"Ahem!" Begonia cleared her throat, before holding out the devices for Makani and Matty to take. "Your Pokedexes!"
Matty took his Pokedex with shaking hands, sparkles in his eyes. He appeared to be lost in a world of his own, running his fingers over the smooth metal. Makani took her Pokedex, looking it over. The red used for the coating was a nice, dark tone. Easy on the eyes, unlike the first model created, which was an absolute eyesore. The Research Center's insignia was carved into the metal on the top- right hand side. A light silver pokeball symbol took up the center. The professor then explained to them how it worked. The silver pokeball symbol brought up the scanner, which a trainer could use to scan a pokemon and receive data on them. Begonia told Makani to test the scanner out on Empress.
Placing Empress up on the table, Makani lifted up her pokedex, and tapped the pokeball symbol. A blue light scanned empress, and a holographic screen popped up with the image of a Piplup on it. A robotic voice read out,
"Piplup, the Penguin Pokemon. It lives along shores in northern countries. A skilled swimmer, it dives for over 10 minutes to hunt. This Piplup is female, and knows the moves Bubble, Pound and Growl."
"Wow…" Makani gasped in amazement. The screen vanished, and Empress stood there looking quite stunned. Matty was jumping up and down in eagerness.
"Oh! Oh, I'm gonna try it with Vulcan!"
He turned his scanner to Vulcan, and a holographic screen popped up with an image of a Cyndaquil on it.
"Cyndaquil, the Fire Mouse Pokemon." Matty's Pokedex began. "Cyndaquil protects itself by flaring up the flames on its back. The flames are vigorous if the Pokémon is angry. However, if it is tired, the flames sputter fitfully with incomplete combustion. This Cyndaquil is Male, and knows the moves Ember, Smokescreen, Leer and Tackle."
"AMAZING!" Matty shouted, punching the air. "This is so freakin' cool!"
"Well, someone's excited!" Begonia laughed heartily. "But please, do be careful with your Pokedexes. They are a fragile and expensive piece of equipment."
Walking over to another table, Begonia lifted up a folder, and began rummaging through it. She pulled out two small, card-shaped objects, and then returned to the children, grinning.
"And finally, your trainer ID's! These are proof that you two are registered trainers and they'll grant you access to Gyms, Contests, the Pokemon League, and so, so much more! These are even more important than your Pokedexes, so please, don't lose them!"
Makani and Matty took their ID's, looking at them. It contained a picture of them, basic info, birthdays, gender and so-forth. Makani placed her ID in one of her zip-up pockets, that way she's have it on her at all times. She placed her Pokedex in her other pocket, zipping both of them up so nothing would fall out. Matty placed his Pokedex and ID in his shirt pocket, which was covered up by his long rusty-brown coat. The two looked back at the professor, smiling eagerly.
Begonia placed her hands on her hips, looking over them. "Well, I'd say you two look like official trainers to me! All the paperwork is done, you have your Pokedexes and ID's, you're now free to head out into the great unknown!"
Makani could feel her heart pounding in her chest. Finally, it was happening. She was finally an official trainer! She was finally going on her journey and it felt like absolute bliss to the young girl. Empress scampered up into her arms, and Vulcan was now resting on Matty's head. The professor looked out a window, a small smile on her face.
"I still remember when I first set out… I was unsure at first but I quickly learned that as long as you have trust in your friends, you have no need to worry!"
She gently placed a hand on their shoulders, looking at them directly in the eyes. "No matter what happens out there." She began. "Have faith in your partners. They will fight tooth, claw, nail and flipper for you. As long as you try to be the best trainers you can be, they will aim to be the best partners they can be. That goes for all the pokemon you may catch on your journey, too. All Pokemon have the potential to be strong, no matter how small or tall they may be."
Begonia took a few steps back, taking a deep breath. Makani let her words sink in. All Pokemon have potential… She'd keep that in mind. Matty looked like he was still lost in thought. Probably still thinking about his Pokedex. He had a giddy grin on his face and Vulcan was tugging at his hair, trying to get him to pay attention. Makani honestly couldn't blame him... She was excited too.
"Most importantly." Begonia suddenly spoke up after a long moment of silence. She tossed her arms up in the air, and shouted, loud enough to gain the attention of the feasting magnemite, "I want you to have fun!"
"We'll... Um." Makani stammered, trying to get her bearings after that sudden declaration. "We'll certainly try our best, ma'am!"
That seemed to be a good enough answer for the professor, because she just nodded her head, swiping her blonde-highlighted brown hair out of her face. "Right. Well, you two should get a move on, if you want to be on your way before sundown. Besides, I still have three more 'Dexes to hand out. Keep what I said today in mind, it'll take you far."
"Thank you, Mrs." Makani shook the professor's hand. She nudged Matty in the elbow, which finally snapped him out of his trance.
"Oh! Oh yeah, thanks professor!" He too, shook her hand. Vulcan didn't look too happy with how he had zoned out, and proceeded to smack him in the face. Begonia chuckled warmly, before turning the two towards the door.
"Safe travels! If you take the northern exit out of the city, you should come across Foundation Cave and Route One. Beyond there lies Solar City. You'll be able to earn your first badge there!"
"Gotcha. Thanks again. For everything." Makani said, before walking out, Matty trailing close behind her. Once they got outside, they stopped for a moment. Then, Matty started jumping up and down, squealing like a fangirl at a concert.
"I cannot BELIEVE this! It's finally official, we can finally start earning our badges!"
"Yeah. It feels so surreal…" Makani muttered, rubbing her forehead. "Just think… We're probably going to be sleeping under the stars tonight!"
They began walking towards the northern exit of the city.
"Mhm! It's a good thing that school taught us everything we need to know about camping 'n whatnot!" Matty responded.
"I doubt they'd let you graduate from trainers class if you didn't know how to pitch a tent."
There was a moment of silence, before both of them burst out laughing, their Pokemon even joining in. The two friends cracked jokes all the way to the exit, talking about what their plans were and overall, having a good time. Despite how it would seem to many… Makani and Matty wouldn't be traveling together. They figured that if they traveled together, they'd be able to pick up on each others battling style, and that wouldn't make their Pokemon League showdown that fun. And so, they planned to split ways at the gate. Makani would miss having him around, but she knew Matty could take care of himself. Besides, she'd have Empress to talk to. The walk to the exit went by quickly. Way too quickly. Finally, the two trainers found themselves on the northern edge of Foundation City. Silently, they turned around to face one another. Makani held out her hand, a sad smile on her face.
"I'll uh… See you out there then, I suppose."
Matty nodded solemnly. "Yeah. Take care, 'Kani. Next time we meet, we're having a battle!"
"And next time, I'm going to beat you." Makani grinned sheepishly. Matty finally took her hand, and they shook on it. They shook hands for what felt like forever, Makani hesitant to let go. But eventually, the contact broke, and Matty heaved a weary sigh. Turning around, Matty crossed the threshold, and with one final wave of his hand, he took off down the road. The path split in two around a giant oak tree, and Matty went down the right path. Both roads led to Foundation Cave… But different sections of it. Right path led to Eastern Foundation Cave, and the Left led to Western Foundation Cave. Makani stood there for a solid five minutes. Matty was now a small spot in the distance, and Makani hadn't realized it, but she had been crying. Although she had accepted that she and Matty wouldn't be travelling together a long time ago, it was still difficult. From here on out… She was on her own.
She felt tugging on the fur of her boot, and looking down, she met the concerned eyes of Empress. Blinking a few times, Makani wiped her eyes, and picked up Empress, still sniffling a little.
"Don't worry, Empress." Makani choked. "I'm just. Feeling some things. Missing people. I'll get over it."
Looking down the path, she finally noticed that Matty was out of sight. She placed Empress back down on the ground, and took a deep breath, trying to calm down. She figured she should probably get moving… Western Foundation cave wasn't too far away, and if she was lucky, she could get through there before the sun went down. The day was still young, and time was on her side.
"It's just you 'n me now, girl."
"Pip... Pip pip, Piplup!" Empress chirped in response.
Makani took a shaky step onto the dirt road. Then another. Soon, she was walking down the left path, away from Matty, and away from Foundation City. And as she walked, that feeling of sadness dissipated. And soon, a fire replaced it. Next time she saw Matty, she'd be stronger. Empress would be stronger, and they'd win their next battle. No matter what.
Empress was still somewhat concerned with her trainer. But she admired her spirit. Empress was going to do her absolute best for her trainer. No matter what.
Elsewhere, Matty and Vulcan charged towards Eastern Foundation Cave, fueled by pure determination. Their quest had officially begun, and they were going to show the world what they could do. Matty grinned. Next time he saw Makani, he'd show her just how much stronger he'd become. He was determined to beat her. To stay one step ahead of her. No matter what.