The Master Six

Chapter Three

There were a lot of people in attendance.

I guess going out to become a pokemon trainer is a big thing to a lot of people.  It was to me; this was my future we're talking about.  Aunt Janet lived in a small community in Cerulean City.  We didn't live in the main metropolis part, but we didn't live in the boonies either.  All the people in town were there to see us off.  I was dressed in my purple shirt and jeans, blazing pink backpack on my back filled with foodstuffs and extra underwear.  Five pokeballs were attached to my belt line, including Max's, although Max didn't like it very much.  So Max just perched on my shoulder.  The pokeballs were a gift from Mrs. Harringway, our next-door neighbor.  She was very close, and was so happy for me.

'Can't catch a pokemon without a pokeball,' she told me.

There was a small, wooden stage at the center of the park we were in.  It was the ceremonial stage where all little children from this little community would start their journey.  A lot of kids my age had stood on that stage and said goodbye to their families and friends.

Now, it was my turn.

The two other kids that would be parting with me were Cid and Jeffrey.  Cid was the son of some high-ranking politicians, so he wouldn't be going into the family business.  Anyway, he has always wanted to be a pokemon trainer.  He loved pokemon so much.  The greatest day of his life was when his family took him north to meet Bill the Pokemaniac.  Cid had his pokemon, Punch'em the Mankey, stood center stage in all sorts of fancy, rich clothes.  Cid was kind of a snot, a showoff.  For all intents and purposes, this was Cid's day.

Jeffrey was, well, kinda the poor kid in school.  He always had old, somewhat dirty clothes.  His family wasn't very rich; they really were down on their luck when it came to money.  A lot of people believed that Jeffrey's father was unemployed, and that's why he wasn't going to go into the family business.  At least that's what all the bullies say.  But that didn't matter to me.  As far as I was concerned he was about to be a fellow pokemon trainer from my little section of Cerulean City.  We were brothers- in-arms.  This was his day too.  Jeffrey was a really quiet kid.  Kinda mellow, soft spoken.  His pokemon reflected that.  Jeffrey had a Caterpie, which I guess was stored away in a pokeball.

Aunt Janet led me through the crowd, and I stepped up on stage with Cid and Jeffrey.  Cid nodded at me, Jeffrey gave me a quizzical little smile.  We weren't exactly best friends, the three of us, but we bonded as much as we could when we learned that we were the only three going off to become pokemon trainers.

There wasn't much of a ceremony.  Our teacher, Miss Hollinger introduced us to the crowd and said how proud she was of us.  I didn't pay too much attention.  I was busy going over the plans in my head for where I would head first.  I could tell Cid and Jeffrey were doing the same thing.

After the short three-minute speech, it was time to mingle and let people come up and congratulate us and wish the three of us luck on our journeys.

The greatest part of the day was when they showed up.

Three of them, the gym trainers of Cerulean City.

I loved them, the three sisters that now ran the gym in my city.  Someday I would eventually go there, and defeat them.  But for now, they were my idols.

Especially Misty, Misty was my hero.

But she wasn't here.

Whatever.

I would meet them, and Misty too.  Just now it was time to accept the various good lucks.

"Good luck young lady," some tall guy said to me, "I'm sure this is your destiny."

Whatever.

*  *  *  *

"Well, now where do we go," Cid said taking command of our little band.

The ceremony ended.  We all said our last goodbyes.  Aunt Janet was really broken up, but I assured her that I would be fine.  I would be back to visit her someday.

Don't worry.

The three of us had long ago decided that it was everybody for themselves.  But that idea was thrown away as soon as Cerulean City was out of sight.  We were on a path heading towards the infamous Rock Tunnel.  None of us was really ready to go into that tunnel, but we knew that trainers looking for a fight were along this path.

As well as wild pokemon.

"I said," Cid repeated, "what do we..."

"We heard you," I interrupted.  He wasn't going to boss us around just because he was rich.  "And I don't know what to do now.  There are trainers coming up, as well as wild pokemon in the forests and tall grasses.  Why don't you go and catch some."

"Well I didn't want to leave you guys by yourselves," he responded, "can't let you go off and get beaten first thing can I?"

"Oh, well thank you," I said sarcastically, "it's good to see that you care."

Jeffrey chuckled.

"Yeah," Cid shot back, "you think you're special Heather.  I don't think you're that good.  Let's battle.  Right here, right now."

That shut me up.  Cid's rich parents had gotten him a good starter pokemon.  Punch'em was a high level fighting pokemon.  Max was still just a little flying pokemon.  Pidgeys were common pokemon that were found all over the place.  But I could win.

Couldn't I?

"All right smart-mouth," I said to him, "let's go!"

"Guys c'mon," Jeffrey broke in, "let's not fight amongst ourselves.  Don't tire your pokemon out now, how will you protect yourselves?"

"Shut up Jeffrey," Cid spoke, "it's time we settle things once and for all."

Jeffrey stepped back, as Cid and I took our places across from each other.

We stared each other down for what seemed like a long time, and then he broke the ice.

"Mankey, I choose you!"  He shouted and launched his pokeball out.  Punch'em sprang from the sphere and landed between the two of us, ready for a fight.  "Go get'em Punch'em!"

"Max!  Go!" I shouted.  Max swooped up into the air, and positioned himself in front and above the Mankey.

"Punch'em!  Leer attack!"

The small Mankey started a fierce stare down of Max, and I could tell it was affecting him.

"Max, get out of the way!  Don't look at him!"

Max regained his senses, and flew out of Punch'em's gaze.  He flew into perfect position.

"Punch'em!  Karate...!"

"Max!" I shouted quickly, interrupting Cid, "Quick Attack!"

Bam!  The first physical blow was delivered, and Max scored first strike.

"Karate Chop!  Karate Chop!" Cid shouted jumping up and down.

Chop!  Punch'em scored a hit, and Max was down.  That was a strong little Mankey.

"Max!  Get up!" I called out helpfully, "um...um...Gust Attack!"

Punch'em sprang towards Max even without being told to.  But Max was faster, and he was quickly up into the air.  But not high enough.  Punch'em leaped straight up and grabbed onto Max's talons.  He hung there in the air, like two circus performers.

 

"Hah!" Cid enjoyed, "that's great Punch'em.  We got them right where we want them."

"Whatever you say Cid," I called over to him, then to Max, "alright Max, you know what you've got to do."

And he did know.  This was perfect.  Punch'em was very smart when it came to flying I guess.  He was now totally at the mercy of Max and the wind.  Max began an impressive aerial display that any stunt pilot would be put to shame by.  He did loop-de-loops, barrel rolls, and all sorts of spins and twists.  We practiced his flying a lot.  Max was an amazing flyer.

But Punch'em still hung on.

Punch'em even seemed to be climbing up Max!

"What!?" I shouted to no one.

"Hah!" Cid responded to the stunt.

Punch'em was climbing Max.  Other than a little ruffling of his fur, the little Mankey was unaffected by the wind.  He climbed straight up on Max until they were staring each other in the eye.

Then Punch'em delivered that Karate Chop.

And everything came crashing down.

"Max!" I shouted as my bird crashed down to the ground, hard.

Punch'em landed nimbly in Cid's arms.  I rushed to Max and knelt down beside him.  He didn't seem very hurt, but he wasn't very healthy either.  He had been K.O.'d.  There would be no more fighting for Max until I got him to a PokeCenter.

"I told you Heather," Cid glowered, "you couldn't beat me."

He looked around seemingly worried, something was wrong, so I looked too.  Anything to keep from tearing into the little rich brat.

"And it appears that our friend Jeffrey has taken his leave."

He was right.

Jeffrey was gone.

"Jeffrey!" I shouted as I stood up, "Where are you!  You can come out now."

"Actually my dear," Cid said, "I noticed Jeffrey taking off during our fight.  He didn't want us fighting, so I guess he decided to take his leave of our little team.  As, I guess, will I.  A rivalry has now been started between us Heather.  And we can't carry on as a team.  It's time we take our separate paths."

I stared up at him from my kneeling position beside Max.  I was actually glad to be hearing this.  I didn't really want to hang out with this punk to begin with.

"Fine then, go!" I yelled to him, "I didn't want to hang out with you anyway.  I am more than capable to handle anything that comes up on my own.  You two were just slowing me down."

"Yes well, I know you can handle yourself Heather.  So you'll be fine.  But I'd get that Pidgey to a PokeCenter soon.  And just to show you how much of a gentleman I am.  I won't take any money from you for winning.  You're going to need it to by all the potions you can carry."

He laughed out loud as he turned to walk away.

"Bye Heather," he called out, "I'll see you down the road somewhere.  We'll have to do this again sometime."

He laughed again, and disappeared into the dusk that was drifting through the forest.  Good, let him go.  I don't need him.

I don't need anybody.