Chapter 6: Continuing the Quest

"I can't believe I was selfish enough to bring someone else into my own problems." Tyler said still in tears.

"Why do you keep blaming yourself. You said yourself you weren't sending him up there to fight. You couldn't possibly have known that he would attack." Melody tried to comfort him.

"Okay, from now on, this is my battle I'll have to do it all on my own now." Tyler said while taking his pokeballs from his belt.

Squirtle and Sandshrew came out looking concerned at their master.

"I'm sorry. I don't want you guys to die either. Please go back to your homes. This is something I'll have to do on my own." Tyler said.

Tyler walked out of the pokemon center still crying. Melody and Tyler's pokemon followed behind him.

"What do you keep talking about? This thing you have to do? Please tell me. I won't tell anyone else." Melody said.

"It doesn't matter if you don't tell anyone else. He'll still kill you if I fail." Tyler replied.

"Who's he?" Melody asked.

"Okay, fine. I'll tell you what I can. My sister was kidnapped by a Team Rocket. Now they are asking for a ransom in pokemon. The kidnapper says he'll kill anyone who helps me if I fail." Tyler said.

"What? Wow, I never knew anybody who had that kind of experience. I've seen stuff like that on tv but...is that why you didn't want me to come along with you. Because then he will kill your sister. I'm sorry I didn't know." Melody said.

Tyler wasn't sure if Melody really believed him or if she was pulling his leg.

"No he won't kill her if anyone comes with me. He'll only kill her if I fail. Or if the police from other cities find out. I didn't want you to come because...well, I already lost a pokemon." Tyler put his head down.

"Tyler, I believe you. Please let me help. I don't care what happens to me. I've always dreamed of having more action in my life anyways. Please let me help." Melody pleaded with Tyler.

Tyler thought about it for a moment.

"Well...it's your decision." Tyler finally said.

"Thank you, Tyler, thank you!" Melody exclaimed. "I promise you, I'll help get your sister back."

"No, thank YOU, Melody. I promise I'll get you through this alive." Tyler said, happy on the inside that she still wants to come with him after he was a jerk.

"Oh, you're so sweet!" Melody exclaimed as she did on Route 1 and she reached out her hand.

Tyler felt a tugging at his pants. Tyler looked down to see Squirtle and Sandshrew standing there both saluting Tyler.

"You guys still want to come. Even after what happened to Pidgeotto?" Tyler asked.

Both his pokemon nodded their heads. Tyler smiled and felt really good in his heart. He never had such loyal friends before.

"So what exactly do we have to get for the ransom?" Melody asked.

Tyler handed her the list. After reading it, her mouth hung open in shock.

"This is crazy! Who is this guy? Who does he think you are? Why'd he chose you for this? I mean, not that you couldn't do it, it's just, you just started pokemon training. Why didn't he chose a pokemon master for something like this?" Melody kept going with the questions.

"I don't know. But all I know is I have to go through with this or in less than 18 months, he'll kill her." Tyler explained.

"That's horrible!" Melody yelled. "Hey wait, I thought of something. He says get all the badges in Kanto and Johto. But the Viridian Gym was shut down not so long ago. What will we do about the badge there."

"You mean the Earth Badge!" Tyler said while holding up the feather badge.

But the feather badge made him think of Pidgeotto, so he quickly put it away.

"Well, that's a relief." Melody sighed. "Where to now?"

"Well, we have to go through the Viridian Forest to get to Pewter City." Tyler replied.

"Then let's go!" Melody yelled and grabbed Tyler's hand.

She pratically dragged him all the way to the forest since he couldn't keep up with her speed. Squirtle and Sandshrew came shortly after. Here was the beginning of a new adventure.