Author's Note: The first chapter was a lot of fun. Looking back on it, I realized how many spelling errors I made. Please note that this isn't my ignorance in the means of using a computer. It is simply my lack of MS Word, which I will have in a few days. Anyway, Mudkip is a lot of fun to work with in this story because no one knows what it actually sounds like or how it moves or anything, so surprises are around every corner. And by the way, I would like to extend a thanks to Dawn of Espeon and The Duke of Briarcliffe for their reviews. I at least know they read the story. ;)
With no more ado...
A Renewed State of Mind
By: Espeonage
Chapter Two: A Rookie's First Day
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Morning dawned once again on Sean's countryside home. His sheets were warm and he layed there for what seemed like hours before he finally mustered the courage to enter the cold, harsh reality that was the floor next to his bed. His sleep, for the first time in weeks, had been undisturbed. Perhaps the excitement of the day before had tired him out enough to fall into a dreamless slumber. Whatever it was, he was glad for it; it had been his longest sleep in forever and he had enjoyed every second of it. He checked his bedside alarm clock. 10:00 o'clock. Finally, a decent night's rest. Adorning himself with his robe and slippers, he headed for the bathroom.
Upon entering the hall, a mass of squish careened into his leg. He looked down and viewed Mudkip staring up at him happily. It took a few moments for Sean to register what in the dear Lord's name it was, then smacked himself on the forehead at his stupidity. Mudkip continued his staring contest with Sean's chin and waited patiently for his new friend to realize he existed.
"Mud! Kipcacha!," it squeakily chirped to Sean.
"Yes'm?," he groggily answered.
Now having Sean's attention, Mudkip leapt a full six inches into the air, repeatedly, until Sean picked it up. Sean complied, reaching down and securing Mudkip's underside with his hands before lifting. He scratched Mudkip's fin and carried it with him to the bathroom.
"You know..You shouldn't be running around until those stitches fall out..," he said, looking at Mudkip's bandages.
"Mud?," it asked innocently.
Sean had arrived at his destination. The bathroom was as clean as ever. His mom never missed a step when it came to cleaning. He set Mudkip down on the counter and went about his morning routine. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and disregarded his hair. Picking up Mudkip, he began to exit the room, but Mudkip uttered a tiny whimper. Sean stopped, looked down at the tiny Pokemon, and scratched its fin again. Mudkip continued to whimper. Sean guessed there was something in the bathroom it wanted. He made an about-face and returned to the bathroom. Setting Mudkip on the counter again, he stepped back to see the reaction Mudkip would have. Mudkip simply stared past Sean to the bathtub.
"Oh..Time for a swim, little guy?," he asked.
Mudkip's face lit up and he began to prance around on the countertop. Sean scooped him up before he could hurt himself. Immediately turning around, Sean hurried to the bathtub and filled it to the brim with luke warm water. He set Mudkip in it and stood back. Mudkip, at once, dived to the bottom of te tub and closed its eyes. Sean took his opportunity and sneaked out of the bathroom. Sounds of movement being heard from downstairs, Sean investigated.
His mother was at work again. This time straightening and shifting furniture. She never seemed to cease her ritualistic cleaning habits. Upon Sean's entrance to the room, however, she stopped entirely and rushed over to him.
"Sean, are you feeling well? You've slept past 7 o'clock!," she sarcastically remarked.
"Hurr hurr...I've actually been up for a little while. I'm letting Mudkip swim in the tub. He seems a lot more energetic today."
"He should be out of it by now. He's been up for about three hours. Didn't like the arrangement of the furniture, so he starting shoving things to the walls. Then he did a little number in the middle of the floor which included spitting mud at the carpet. Little devil he is. But cute, I'll give him that," she ended with a giggle.
Sean just smiled at this. He couldn't comprehend how Mudkip could have grown on him so fast. His mother smiled back at him and withdrew a hairbrush from her pocket. She lazily ran it through her hair and retreated to the kitchen.
"Sean, would you like something to eat while I'm in here?," she called out to him.
"No, I'm fine. Has Mudkip eaten yet today?"
"I'm not sure. Take a banana up to him or something."
Sputtering sounds could be heard from the upstairs. Alicia ran into the living room from her kitchen dwelling and looked worriedly at Sean. Together they ran up the stairs and entered the bathroom. The water had turned dark and muddy. Along the top of the water streamed a fin, shark-style, making circles around the outside of the tub. Sean and his mother shot a quick glance to each other then began to laugh. The fin stopped and Mudkip popped his head out. He looked around anxiously, unaware he was being watched. When he spotted Sean and his mother he wiggled his fin-like tail, splashing muddy water all of the walls and floor. Sean grabbed a towel and pulled Mudkip quickly out of the water. After drying him off, he placed him on the floor and went to dry off the walls.
"Leave it," Alicia stated.
Sean stopped and returned to Mudkip and his mother.
"I'll get it myself. I've finished downstairs, and I don't want you messing anything up more than it already is. Mudkip!"
Mudkip had returned to his watery home and splashed them and the room with water once again. This time it was Alicia who retrieved the Pokemon from the water. Drying him off, she motioned for Sean to follow her out of the bathroom before she shut the door behind her. Setting Mudkip down, she looked back to Sean.
"What are your plans for today?"
"I figured Mudkip and I would go out and train..," he replied with an unassured expression on his face.
"Let me give you a slight tip...Before you go off and "train," I deeply suggest you learn more about Mudkip. Go to Kingston and buy him a Pokeball, perhaps?"
"Ok, ok. Calm it down with the sarcasms, all right?"
"Fine, fine. Come with me downstairs and I'll give you some money."
Sean watched her proceed to the stairs. He collected Mudkip and hurried to his room. He had money, but his mother didn't know that. First he dressed, put his wallet in his left back pocket, then searched under a jumble of papers on his dresser for his wristwatch. He then rushed downstairs to his mother. She waited for him by the door, a twenty in hand. He snatched it from her, kissed her on the cheek, and called for Mudkip. A little blob of blue bounded down the steps and finished its travel by seating itself next to Sean's foot. He motioned Mudkip out the door.
"See you later, Mom," he said before dashing out after Mudkip.
"Bye, Sweetie!"
Sean soon found that Alicia had been wrong, dead wrong. Mudkip had no less energy now than if he had had thirty cans of Coke for breakfast along with a few hundred Snickers. Sean gasped for breath after sprinting after Mudkip for a couple hundred yards. It was extremely fast for such a small Pokemon.
Mudkip, realizing Sean had stopped chasing him, stopped and waited for him to catch up. He eventually did, and Mudkip started its "pick me up" maneuver on Sean. Sean reached for the little Pokemon and brought him to rest in his arms. He then continued his journey.
The forest was a few yards in front of him, but it looked much more inviting than the day before. Taking the path, Sean could make it through the forest in a little under an hour.
The path was cluttered with a debris from a recent thunderstorm, but Sean had no problem making his way through it. Mudkip seemed to enjoy the ride. It closed its eyes and rested its head against Sean's chest.
Twenty minutes later, they were still venturing through, but Mudkip had fallen asleep. Sean recalled the day before...His nightmares were driving him into his head, thinking of a reason for why they were occuring. His bumbling had led him to an uncharted part of the forest (at least to his mind) where he found, and saved Mudkip. It was hard to believe that it was only a day ago.
Later in the day he had thought of his father. He had been sitting with Mudkip, and he had realized what he needed to do. He needed to find his father, and the only logical answer he could think of at the time was Pokemon. He would have to train them and search the globe until he had found his father. He would give anything to be with him.
Sean fell from his head, day dreams ending. The forest's edge was in sight. He jiggled Mudkip around in his arms, who wearily aroused from his nap. He shook off his sleep as he spotted the sparkling white buildings of Kingston. Sean stopped and searched the scenery for anywhere he might be able to purchase a Pokeball. Nothing in particular stood out, so he ventured down the hill to the city.
Kingston, Sean noticed, was a lot bigger than he had ever imagined. Especially when he didn't have the expert tour guide of his mother guiding him through its winding streets. In about the middle of the city he found a street marked simply as "Main." Thinking it pretty self-explanatory, he followed the street left until he found a large section of shops. In the rush of yesterday he hadn't noticed, but the Pokemon Center was only about a block from where he was.
His search of shops commenced. He passed "Pokemon Fashion Boutique," a lively little store. Women were going in and out like water during osmosis. The dresses in the window were tiny, seeming to fit smaller Pokemon. A sign read, "Bellossom sizes in stock: PKMN sizes 14, 16, and 18."
Sean simply stared at this. He wondered what would ever possess a trainer to torture their Pokemon with a dress. He shook his head and moved on. He viewed "Pokemon Retail and Secondhand Commodities." He figured that would work, but he had enough money to spend in a first-rate store.
Walking about another block he spotted the Pokemon Center. Directly across the street from it was a large and extremely crowded building named, "Pokemon Mart."
"There we go," he said, looking down at Mudkip.
"Kip," Mudkip replied happily.
He approached the Mart and squeezed through the endless stream of people. He felt like he was fighting the tide. After five minutes of sweaty bodies pushing against him, he made it inside. It was no less crowded. He gathered all of his money and counted it. He had a grand total of $34.50 to spend. Looking up, he spotted a sign on the wall that read, "Pokeballs. Regular through Love, we've got 'em all!" Sean made his way to the area. He knew exactly what he was looking for. A standard red and white Pokeball. He wanted nothing more or less. He wouldn't be drawn into any scams.
A clerk at the counter, seeing Sean and Mudkip, greeted him in a friendly fashion.
"Hello, sir! May I interest you in any of our fine merchandise today?," she asked.
It was so corny it sounded robotic.
"Uhh...Yes. I would like a standard Pokeball please."
"Just one? Are you a new Trainer, sir?"
"Yes, but what does that have to.."
"You can't get off as a Trainer with just one Pokeball!," she interupted.
"Ok! Sheesh, I'll take three," he'd crumpled and given in as easy as that.
At the end of his visit to the Pokeball counter, he'd bought three Standard Pokeballs, a belt to clip his Pokeballs to, and five Potions with which to heal his Pokemon, spending a grand total of $15.75. He still needed a book, or some kind of guide to training and keeping a Mudkip, but his cash being depleted as it was, and the only books of the kind sold in the store being expensive hard-covers, he exited and headed to the secondhand shop he had seen down the street.
The windows were tinted light grey and the window display was dusty and had only a single Pokeball in it, but Sean went inside. The inside was homey. He didn't feel hurried as he looked around at the items on the shelves. Despite the name, half of the products in the store were brand new, just lower priced. He couldn't help but notice that, besides the clerk with their face burried in a magazine behind the counter, he was the only person inside the store.
The shelves were fully stocked with goods about any kind of Pokemon you could dream of, but all he really wanted was one on Mudkip. He surveyed such books as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pokemon Training" and "What to do if Attacked by..." He continued his search. None of the books seemed to be strictly related to Mudkip. So instead, he picked up a large hard-covered book that seemed to be quite a few years old. Opening it to the Table of Contents, he saw that the book was very informative even in subjects he didn't know existed. So he made up his mind to buy the book and made his way through the shelves to the check-out counter.
The clerk didn't even seem to know he was there. He could see flowing brunette hair from over the top of the magazine. He guessed it was a girl. Clearing his throat, the clerk lowered the magazine. He was right, very right. The girl was immensely beautiful. Her hair reached the small of her back, and it glistened in the light shining in through the window. Her eyes were green-hazel, resembling the color of the leaf of a Chikorita. Sean figured she was around his age. Mudkip chirped from his arms. She smiled at Mudkip and her teeth dazzled Sean in the sunlight.
Looking up, she asked,"Well, hello. How are you doing today?"
Sean took a breath to steady himself before answering,"Very well. My Pokemon and I were just picking up a few items." He used Mudkip as a focus as she seemed to be interested in it.
"Oh. I see you've only got one item..Where did you buy your other ones?," she asked.
"Over at the Pokemon Mart, but they were crowded and all the other items were over-priced, so we came here. It seemed more comfortable," he replied.
"Yeah, we try to keep it more...cozy here. That damn place over there takes ALL of our business. There's not very much we can do to stay opened anymore.."
"Well, you've officially got my service," Sean answered.
"That's sweet of you," she giggled.
"By the way, my name's Sean," Sean took a chance and extended a hand to her.
"Meredith," she responded, while stretching her hand to shake Sean's.
He loved the sound of every syllable. It just spilled off of your tongue like water off of a duck's back.
The conversation seemed to have died, so he set Mudkip on the counter and pretended to rearrange some items in his hands. Mudkip took the opportunity to extend his nose to Meredith and sniff her. She enjoyed Mudkip's attention, Mudkip enjoyed hers, and Sean knew his plan had taken effect, at least for now.
"He seems to like you," Sean said laughing.
"Yeah. He's really cute. What kind of Pokemon is he?," she asked.
"A Mudkip. He's a duel-type Pokemon. Water and Ground," he had just fired off every bit of information Nurse Joy had given him about Mudkip in three sentences. It was best to get the conversation over with before she asked something he didn't know.
"What kind of moves does he know?" Shit.
Sean's brain frantically searched for an answer, his heart hoped a miracle, and all the while, Meredith stared at him, still in flirting mode, convinced he knew what he was talking about.
Nothing came to mind, but in that exact second a man pushed his way through a curtain towards the back and entered the store. He took one look at Sean and exclaimed,
"Oh my God, a customer!"
The man was tall. Brown hair was full and vibrant atop his head and his were deep blue. He wore a stainless white apron with the symbol PRSC printed in large green letters on the left side.
Both Sean and Meredith laughed at this. The man even joined in. He had at least made Meredith forget her question.
"Sean, this is my father, Arnold, he owns and runs this shop. Daddy, this is Sean. He says he likes us more than the Pokemon Mart," she giggled.
Arnold eyed Sean. He knew what he liked, but he didn't say anything about it.
"Well, hello, Son. What're you buying today?"
"Uhh.."The Ultimate Pokemon Manual." It seems like a pretty good guide, so I'll give it a shot," Sean answered.
"Pretty good? It's ULTIMATE!," he bellowed in his best impression of a super hero voice.
Sean chuckled and Meredith shook her head. Mudkip replied by coughing some mud at him, which stuck to his apron and dribbled slowly down his front. Arnold had been totally devoid to Mudkip's presence until this moment. He ran up to him and picked him up. Mudkip didn't seem nearly as happy about this attention as he did Meredith's.
"Well, hello little man! How are we today?," Arnold shouted towards Mudkip.
"Kip," Mudkip stated blankly.
"Not too lively is he?," he directed towards Sean.
"He's not normally so quiet, I don't know what's wrong with him."
Mudkip wriggled out of Arnolds grip and returned to the countertop between Sean and Meredith. It nuzzled Meredith's palm and shut its eyes. All three stared at it.
"Well, Son. I'd say you should buy that book if you ever plan to read it!," Arnold exclaimed, seeming slightly hurt.
Sean didn't want to end the visit, but he forked over the $10.00 and walked towards the exit with Mudkip in hand. Before leaving, he looked back.
"Maybe I'll be back soon. I may need some Potions or something."
"Maybe I'll sell them to you," Meredith giggled.
Sean felt himself reddening, so he said his goodbyes and left in a hurry. He found a park in the middle of town and sat down with Mudkip next to him. There were many Pokemon running aroundthe park, and Mudkip was eyeing them all with excitement in his eyes. Sean noticed this.
"Go play, but stay close, ok?, Sean asked.
"Mudkip!," Mudkip answered exuberantly.
He bounded off towards a Horsea playing in the wading pool. Sean took the time to pull out his new book. He opened to the first page and read,
"Pokemon training is a rough and sometimes complicated profession. All Pokemon have their own unique qualities and traits that set them apart from any other Pokemon. Like humans, no two Pokemon are the same. Even in the same species, no one Pokemon is exactly the same as any other."
He skipped ahead a few pages.
"Catching Pokemon: New Trainers are normally issued a Pokemon by a League Official or noted Pokemon Researcher. Other circumstances often occur in which a Pokemon will befriend a Trainer before capture. In these situations, the Pokemon is recommended to be captured, so as to prevent any other Trainers from taking the opportunity to themselves, whether it be on purpose or by accident."
Sean stopped reading and pulled out a Pokeball from his Pokemon Mart bag. The spherical red and white object glistened in the sun. Sean tapped the small circular buttonin the middle of it and it grew in size. The ball was now to capture size, and he called Mudkip over to him.
He was unsure of what to do as Mudkip strolled to the bench and leapt up to sit next to him.
"Mudkip...(What was he going to say?) I wanted to know...(This sounds really dumb)...I'm..I'm going to become a Trainer, and...I...Well..Will you be my Pokemon?," finally out, he waited anxiously for Mudkip to make some sign that he had even heard him.
Sean didn't know what to expect, but Mudkip jumping onto his lap, reaching up, and licking his face until it shone with saliva definitely hadn't crossed is mind. He grabbed Mudkip by his underside and placed him on the bench to prevent from drowning and set the Pokeball down next to him. Mudkip sniffed the ball and a crimson light immediately shot from it. It engulfed Mudkip, who didn't struggle, and opened to admit the Pokemon to its new home. The ball didn't move once. Mudkip had been captured. Sean stared down at it, a look of awe of his face. His first Pokemon had been captured not by battling, but by friendship.
He picked the ball up and tossed it on the ground. He didn't want Mudkip to have to stay in there. The ball dropped and made a small click as it hit. It opened and a crimson light came out again, this time forming into the shape of Mudkip and depositing him on the ground. Mudkip blinked a few times then jumped into Sean's lap and began to cleanse his face with spit again. He turned his face away and pushed Mudkip backwards, laughing. Mudkip then took his tongue and wrapped it around one of Sean's fingers. Sean looked down and stared.
"Kip?," it asked innocently.
"That's my finger. What're ya gonna do, eat it?"
Mudkip let go and sat there, staring blankly at Sean. Sean stood up, grabbed Mudkip, and began to scratch his fin. Mudkip closed his eyes again. Grabbing his book and Mudkip's Pokeball he began to walk back towards Main Street. He still had a few bucks and he hadn't eaten all day.
A grocery store lay opposite the street from the park, so after checking that no cars were coming, Sean dashed across the street with Mudkip. Outside the store were a couple of vending machines. One was labeled "Candy and Sodas," the other, "Pokemon Treats." His stomach growled. Mudkip shot him a glance and he went to the Candy machine first. He bought a Pepsi and a bag of Lay's Potato Chips. Then at the "Pokemon Treats" machine, he looked for, and purchased a small bag of food specifically made for Water-types. A water jug was nearby with cups, so he filled one with water and made his way to the curb to sit down. He opened the bag for Mudkip and dumped a few treats on the sidewalk for him to eat. Mudkip had been ravenous. It ate all of the food in about thirty seconds then sat next to its Trainer until he gave him his water, which Sean did. Sean ate his lunch quickly and stood up, calling for Mudkip to follow him. He was going back towards the borders of town. The day had been great so far, but they still had the walk home through the forest.
The sky was turning to reds and pinks when they exited the city's boudaries. Night was on its way and they had to make it home before the forest was too dark to see in.
"Come on, Mudkip, we'll have to run through the forest."
"Kip!"
Sean took off at a jog, Mudkip at his side.
The trees and bushes passed by quickly. The forest went from thin to extremely dense to thin again in a matter of fifteen minutes. Their jog was exhilarating. Sean breathed harder and harder, but his feet kept going. Mudkip was happily jogging next to him the whole time.
After twenty minutes of jogging, the forest's edge came into view and Sean could make out the lights of his house as the sun made its descent behind the hillside. Sean walked the rest of the way home. Walking in, he told his mother of their day's events and went up to bed.
It was near midnight. Mudkip had been asleep for a few hours and Sean was completely immersed in his book. The Table of Contents had pointed him to a section on Weaknesses and Resistances of certain types of Pokemon. He was learning many things about Pokemon he had never known.
After reading over it, he flipped back to the Table of Contents.
"Full color PokeDex," it read.
Sean turned to the page. Another Table of Contents. This one containe the names of every Pokemon imaginable. Sean scanned the list for Mudkip. There he was. Number 258. He flipped to the desired page and began to read.
"Mudkip: A newer species of Pokemon only discovered in the last few years. (Given this book was older, it still made him feel special to own one) A dual-type Pokemon, Mudkip retains the powers of both the Water and Ground elements. Its Speed is mediocre and its Attack and Defensive powers are slightly heightened. In the area of Special Attack, Mudkip is a marvel. Its Water Attacks fire with great accuracy and power. However, in the area of Special Defense, Mudkip is very lacking. Grass-type moves are extremely effective on Mudkip. When battling a Grass-type with Mudkip, take caution. One of Mudkip's greatest qualities, however, is the fact that its Water weakness of Electricity is cancelled out by its Ground-Type.
Mudkip's Moveset: (Note: Most moves are not learned until much later on in Mudkip's evolutionary tree) Tackle Lvl.1, Growl Lvl.1, Mud-Slap Lvl.6, Water Gun Lvl.10, Bide Lvl. 15, Mud Shot Lvl.16 (1st Evolution ONLY), Foresight Lvl 19, Mud Play Lvl.24, Take Down Lvl. 28, Whirlpool Lvl.33, Muddy Stream Lvl.37(1st and 2nd Evolutions ONLY), Protect Lvl.37, Hydro Pump Lvl.42 (Mudkip ONLY), Earthquake Lvl.46 (1st and 2nd Evolutions ONLY), and Reckless Lvl.46. Mudkip's final three moves are extremely powerful. Take caution in using on Pokemon lower than Level 30. Serious injury or death could occur.
Sean looked up from his book and down to Mudkip. How could such a tiny little Pokemon be capable of killing something? Only time would tell. Sean closed his book and shut his eyes. Dreamless sleep once again engulfed him.
When Sean awoke the next day, Mudkip was again terrorizing Alicia downstairs. Sean took the opportunity to wash himself in peace. After brushing his teeth, he went back to his room, grabbed his wallet, watch, and a red and black bandana, which he promptly tied around his head. Looking around the room, he found his bookbag. Sean never liked to carry many books, so it was only big enough to maybe fit Mudkip inside. He placed his Pokemon Guide, some socks, underwear, and a few plain white t-shirts in it. He had planned to train out in the field and spend the night there with Mudkip. Finally, he grabbed his belt and his three Pokeballs and attached them to it. Fastening it around his waist, he made his way downstairs.
Mudkip heard him coming. The little blue Pokemon dashed across the living room and pelted Sean in the gut as he came down the stairs.
"Good morning, Little Bugger. Nice to see you to," he said chuckling.
"Mudrr!"
Sean strolled into the kitchen to talk to his mom. She was wearing a pink tank top and black jeans, again pouring over the stove.
"Morning, Mom."
"Good morning, Dear. Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in a while, yeah. I stayed up late reading about Mudkip. Pretty interesting stuff."
"Oh, ok. Well what's today's agenda?"
"I think we'll train a bit today."
She shot him a skeptical look that he didn't catch,"Ok, Dear. Be careful. And take some lunch with you, unless you're planning on coming back."
"Yeah, I'll grab some."
Sean made a couple sandwiches for himself and picked up some cereal and a banana for Mudkip. Making his way for the front door, he picked up a pair of sunglasses and placed them in front of his eyes. Calling to Mudkip, he walked out the door.
Training was a bit strange for Sean. One because he'd never done it before, and two because Mudkip seem to want to pay attention to any one thing at a time.
"Mudkip, use your Mud-Slap on that rock over there," he commanded, pointing at a small boulder in the center of a patch of tall grass.
Mudkip half-listened. He spit the mud, then chased after a butterfly that was passing by. Sean rolled his eyes and went after him again. If only his father could see him now...
Finally catching mudkip, he carried him back to the rock. Sitting him on the top, Sean started to plea with him..
"Mudkip...Do you know why I'm becoming a Trainer?"
"Kicha?"
"My father is a Trainer...He's always gone, and I want to become a Trainer to travel the world, find him, and be with him. And to make my dream come true, you're going to have to cooperate with me one hundred percent."
A look of concern appeared on Mudkip's face. He leapt from the rock and stood in a fighter's stance facing the rock, waiting for further command. Sean's face brightened immediately. The little Pokemon was going to help him after all.
"Mudkip, let's try this again. Mud-Slap that rock."
Mudkip performed. Their training was going brilliantly. Sean discerned by the fact that Mudkip couldn't use more than his Water Gun, that he wasn't anywhere above the Level of fourteen. Despite Mudkip's lack of moves, their training went on for hours. They had already eaten lunch, gone back to training for an hour and taken a break by the time Sean called it off. Mudkip still didn't seem in the least bit tired, however.
Sean and Mudkip were sleeping in the warm summer sun, when a man appeared from the forest. He spotted Sean's house in the distance and began to walk towards it. A glint to his left caught his eye. A Pokeball on the ground near a person who was taking a nap. A Trainer, perhaps? He ventured through the mess of weeds and rocks to Sean.
The stranger cleared his throat and Sean quickly sat up. The noise Sean made roused Mudkip. In and out of focus Sean's eyes went. When finally they realigned, they immediately were set upon the stranger. An older man, in his early forties. He was heavyset with dark brown eyes and a black beard. On his head was a Mexican-style hat, a sombrero. His back carried a pack much like Sean's. Around his large waist was a belt with six Pokeballs attached to it. His shirt was a cheap Hawaiian flower pullover, and he wore flip-flops on his feet. Not the best gear for travelling.
"A Trainer, I'm guessing?," he asked in a gruff kind of voice.
"Yes, and you are?," Sean answered.
"The name's Mark Ploy, Pokemon extraordinaire!"
Sean thought him to be a little full of himself.
"Son, could I interest you in a battle?"
Sean looked down at Mudkip, who looked back. A glint of awareness was Mudkip's eyes. He was ready. If Mudkip was ready, then he was too.
"All right. Just let me grab something from my bag."
He walked a few feet to his bookbag and pulled his Pokemon Guide from it. He then returned and stood in front of the Trainer, a look of determination in his eyes.
Mark pulled a Pokeball from his belt and held it in his right hand. He then spoke to Sean,
"How many Pokemon are each going to use? You choose, it doesn't matter to me."
"Umm..Better make it one. The only Pokemon I have is Mudkip."
"Very well," Mark stated,"Ready yourself, young Trainer. You've never faced a Trainer as tough as me."
That was a bit of an understatement..He'd never even faced an easy Trainer.
"All right...," Sean said a bit more unconfidently,"I call Mudkip."
The Trainer was ready with his Pokemon by the time Mudkip had made his approach to the field. "Machop, go!," he called as he threw his Pokeball to the ground in front of him.
Machop appeared. A small and very muscular Pokemon, Machop easily outweighed Mudkip. It also had a foot advantage in the height area. Sean stopped and opened his Pokemon Guide. The ToC pointed him to Machop and he quickly flipped to it.
"Machop: A Basic Pokemon of the Fighting-Type. Machop adore their muscles which they regularly work out. Machop are trained in the art of Fighting moves and weild such attacks as Karate Chop and Low Kick."
Sean knew that neither of Mudkip's attributes were very effective against Machop, but his strategy was already set, keep Mudkip as far from Machop as possibly.
"Shall we start?," Mark called over to him.
"Ready whenever you are."
Machop and Mudkip both went into fighter's stances.
"Machop! Tackle it!"
Machop wasted no time in attacking. It rushed Mudkip with surprising speed and was on it before Sean could utter a command. Mudkip lied on the ground, shaken. It rose quickly to its feet, however, and headbutted Machop in the gut. Machop placed a hand on its stomach and Sean took his chance.
"Mudkip! Back up and use your Water Gun!"
Mudkip, hearing its Trainer's command, jumped back three feet, took hold of the ground with its back claws and launched a full stream Water Gun attack from its mouth. A jet of water surged toward Machop with incredible speed and before Machop could dodge, it had been swept off its feet by a ferocious assault of raging water. Machop stood up slowly, losing its footing a couple of times in the slick mudthat formed from Mudkip's attack. Sean didn't want to lose his opportunity.
"Mudkip! Tackle it!"
Mudkip leapt into action. The tiny Pokemon careened toward Machop, each step becoming quicker, steps becoming bounds, bounds becoming a full-out sprint. Mudkip, reaching its destination, straightened its body out and connected headlong with Machop's chest. Machop flew backward a few feet and landed on its back. Mudkip landed were he had hit Machop, in the mud. Machop was slightly quicker to regain its stature this time. Now it had firm ground, but it was much more tired than before.
A look of rage was on Mark's face. A vein was pulsating in his forehead, and he seemed to be ready to explode.
"Machop! Low Kick!"
Machop took a single breath then began at a run toward Mudkip. About three feet from him, Machop sprawled his body flat on the ground and kicked Mudkip's feet out from under it. The tiny Pokemon flew into the air, and as Machop slid under him, it grabbed Mudkip by the foot. An evil smile appeared on Mark's face, as if he had a genius idea.
"Machop! Seismic Toss!," Mark called loudly.
"What's that?," Sean asked quietly.
Machop lifted then slammed it down to propel itself into the air, Mudkip still in hand. Mudkip's eyes shot to Sean, awaiting its next move. Sean had no idea what it was, but he called a command anyway.
"Mudkip! Water Gun the ground! Hold it until Machop loses its balance!"
Mudkip quickly did so. The Water Gun it shot toward the ground effectively tilted Machop in midair. It lost its train of thought and began to fall. It fell the full distance and landed in an odd heap on the ground. Mudkip landed on top of it. Jumping backwards, Mudkip regained his positioning and awaited further instruction. By the time Sean had thought of what to do, Machop was on its knees.
"Mudkip, finish it off with a Mud-Slap attack!," he wondered if it would actually finish it off.
Mudkip turned its head and spit a load of mud onto its tail. It then turned sideways and heaved the load of mud straight at Machop. A direct hit to the face, Machop struggled to get the mud from his nostrils and eyes. The second half of the attack came without warning. Mudkip ran at Machop with an insane rush of adrenaline. In the same instant Machop had cleared his face of mud. It was too late. Mudkip was turned sideways in the air, and before Machop had a chance to dodge, Mudkip put his body into a full turn and using the momentum, smacked Machop to the ground with a final swipe of its tail.
Machop was motionless. Mudkip stayed in its battle position until Mark recalled it. Mark issued a reassuring coo to Machop before walking to Sean to congratulate him. He extended a hand, they shook, and Mark slowly walked off towards the forest from whence he came. Sean hadn't spoken a word since the end of the match. He stood there, staring at Mudkip. He was as proud of the little Pokemon as a father would be of a son. He fell to his knees, arms outstretched and waited as Mudkip galloped to him and flung itself into his embrace.
They didn't return home that night. Both of them were caught up in the battle. Sean never had greater respect for anything in his life than he did for Mudkip right now. The little Pokemon had come through for him as he did for it, and a bond was formingbetween the two that could never be broken. The beginnings of a friendship had passed. The relationship between a Trainer and Pokemon was forming.
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Closing Note: This chapter was extremely fun to write. When I get wrapped up into a story, as you can tell, they can get lengthy. Butyou can't deny it was pretty exciting, right? I'm on a roll, so I may have another chapter up tomorrow. No promises, though. What I DO promise is that they will be leaving on their journey. Stopping first in Kingston, but still going. Please Review! *Espeonage*
With no more ado...
A Renewed State of Mind
By: Espeonage
Chapter Two: A Rookie's First Day
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Morning dawned once again on Sean's countryside home. His sheets were warm and he layed there for what seemed like hours before he finally mustered the courage to enter the cold, harsh reality that was the floor next to his bed. His sleep, for the first time in weeks, had been undisturbed. Perhaps the excitement of the day before had tired him out enough to fall into a dreamless slumber. Whatever it was, he was glad for it; it had been his longest sleep in forever and he had enjoyed every second of it. He checked his bedside alarm clock. 10:00 o'clock. Finally, a decent night's rest. Adorning himself with his robe and slippers, he headed for the bathroom.
Upon entering the hall, a mass of squish careened into his leg. He looked down and viewed Mudkip staring up at him happily. It took a few moments for Sean to register what in the dear Lord's name it was, then smacked himself on the forehead at his stupidity. Mudkip continued his staring contest with Sean's chin and waited patiently for his new friend to realize he existed.
"Mud! Kipcacha!," it squeakily chirped to Sean.
"Yes'm?," he groggily answered.
Now having Sean's attention, Mudkip leapt a full six inches into the air, repeatedly, until Sean picked it up. Sean complied, reaching down and securing Mudkip's underside with his hands before lifting. He scratched Mudkip's fin and carried it with him to the bathroom.
"You know..You shouldn't be running around until those stitches fall out..," he said, looking at Mudkip's bandages.
"Mud?," it asked innocently.
Sean had arrived at his destination. The bathroom was as clean as ever. His mom never missed a step when it came to cleaning. He set Mudkip down on the counter and went about his morning routine. He washed his face, brushed his teeth, and disregarded his hair. Picking up Mudkip, he began to exit the room, but Mudkip uttered a tiny whimper. Sean stopped, looked down at the tiny Pokemon, and scratched its fin again. Mudkip continued to whimper. Sean guessed there was something in the bathroom it wanted. He made an about-face and returned to the bathroom. Setting Mudkip on the counter again, he stepped back to see the reaction Mudkip would have. Mudkip simply stared past Sean to the bathtub.
"Oh..Time for a swim, little guy?," he asked.
Mudkip's face lit up and he began to prance around on the countertop. Sean scooped him up before he could hurt himself. Immediately turning around, Sean hurried to the bathtub and filled it to the brim with luke warm water. He set Mudkip in it and stood back. Mudkip, at once, dived to the bottom of te tub and closed its eyes. Sean took his opportunity and sneaked out of the bathroom. Sounds of movement being heard from downstairs, Sean investigated.
His mother was at work again. This time straightening and shifting furniture. She never seemed to cease her ritualistic cleaning habits. Upon Sean's entrance to the room, however, she stopped entirely and rushed over to him.
"Sean, are you feeling well? You've slept past 7 o'clock!," she sarcastically remarked.
"Hurr hurr...I've actually been up for a little while. I'm letting Mudkip swim in the tub. He seems a lot more energetic today."
"He should be out of it by now. He's been up for about three hours. Didn't like the arrangement of the furniture, so he starting shoving things to the walls. Then he did a little number in the middle of the floor which included spitting mud at the carpet. Little devil he is. But cute, I'll give him that," she ended with a giggle.
Sean just smiled at this. He couldn't comprehend how Mudkip could have grown on him so fast. His mother smiled back at him and withdrew a hairbrush from her pocket. She lazily ran it through her hair and retreated to the kitchen.
"Sean, would you like something to eat while I'm in here?," she called out to him.
"No, I'm fine. Has Mudkip eaten yet today?"
"I'm not sure. Take a banana up to him or something."
Sputtering sounds could be heard from the upstairs. Alicia ran into the living room from her kitchen dwelling and looked worriedly at Sean. Together they ran up the stairs and entered the bathroom. The water had turned dark and muddy. Along the top of the water streamed a fin, shark-style, making circles around the outside of the tub. Sean and his mother shot a quick glance to each other then began to laugh. The fin stopped and Mudkip popped his head out. He looked around anxiously, unaware he was being watched. When he spotted Sean and his mother he wiggled his fin-like tail, splashing muddy water all of the walls and floor. Sean grabbed a towel and pulled Mudkip quickly out of the water. After drying him off, he placed him on the floor and went to dry off the walls.
"Leave it," Alicia stated.
Sean stopped and returned to Mudkip and his mother.
"I'll get it myself. I've finished downstairs, and I don't want you messing anything up more than it already is. Mudkip!"
Mudkip had returned to his watery home and splashed them and the room with water once again. This time it was Alicia who retrieved the Pokemon from the water. Drying him off, she motioned for Sean to follow her out of the bathroom before she shut the door behind her. Setting Mudkip down, she looked back to Sean.
"What are your plans for today?"
"I figured Mudkip and I would go out and train..," he replied with an unassured expression on his face.
"Let me give you a slight tip...Before you go off and "train," I deeply suggest you learn more about Mudkip. Go to Kingston and buy him a Pokeball, perhaps?"
"Ok, ok. Calm it down with the sarcasms, all right?"
"Fine, fine. Come with me downstairs and I'll give you some money."
Sean watched her proceed to the stairs. He collected Mudkip and hurried to his room. He had money, but his mother didn't know that. First he dressed, put his wallet in his left back pocket, then searched under a jumble of papers on his dresser for his wristwatch. He then rushed downstairs to his mother. She waited for him by the door, a twenty in hand. He snatched it from her, kissed her on the cheek, and called for Mudkip. A little blob of blue bounded down the steps and finished its travel by seating itself next to Sean's foot. He motioned Mudkip out the door.
"See you later, Mom," he said before dashing out after Mudkip.
"Bye, Sweetie!"
Sean soon found that Alicia had been wrong, dead wrong. Mudkip had no less energy now than if he had had thirty cans of Coke for breakfast along with a few hundred Snickers. Sean gasped for breath after sprinting after Mudkip for a couple hundred yards. It was extremely fast for such a small Pokemon.
Mudkip, realizing Sean had stopped chasing him, stopped and waited for him to catch up. He eventually did, and Mudkip started its "pick me up" maneuver on Sean. Sean reached for the little Pokemon and brought him to rest in his arms. He then continued his journey.
The forest was a few yards in front of him, but it looked much more inviting than the day before. Taking the path, Sean could make it through the forest in a little under an hour.
The path was cluttered with a debris from a recent thunderstorm, but Sean had no problem making his way through it. Mudkip seemed to enjoy the ride. It closed its eyes and rested its head against Sean's chest.
Twenty minutes later, they were still venturing through, but Mudkip had fallen asleep. Sean recalled the day before...His nightmares were driving him into his head, thinking of a reason for why they were occuring. His bumbling had led him to an uncharted part of the forest (at least to his mind) where he found, and saved Mudkip. It was hard to believe that it was only a day ago.
Later in the day he had thought of his father. He had been sitting with Mudkip, and he had realized what he needed to do. He needed to find his father, and the only logical answer he could think of at the time was Pokemon. He would have to train them and search the globe until he had found his father. He would give anything to be with him.
Sean fell from his head, day dreams ending. The forest's edge was in sight. He jiggled Mudkip around in his arms, who wearily aroused from his nap. He shook off his sleep as he spotted the sparkling white buildings of Kingston. Sean stopped and searched the scenery for anywhere he might be able to purchase a Pokeball. Nothing in particular stood out, so he ventured down the hill to the city.
Kingston, Sean noticed, was a lot bigger than he had ever imagined. Especially when he didn't have the expert tour guide of his mother guiding him through its winding streets. In about the middle of the city he found a street marked simply as "Main." Thinking it pretty self-explanatory, he followed the street left until he found a large section of shops. In the rush of yesterday he hadn't noticed, but the Pokemon Center was only about a block from where he was.
His search of shops commenced. He passed "Pokemon Fashion Boutique," a lively little store. Women were going in and out like water during osmosis. The dresses in the window were tiny, seeming to fit smaller Pokemon. A sign read, "Bellossom sizes in stock: PKMN sizes 14, 16, and 18."
Sean simply stared at this. He wondered what would ever possess a trainer to torture their Pokemon with a dress. He shook his head and moved on. He viewed "Pokemon Retail and Secondhand Commodities." He figured that would work, but he had enough money to spend in a first-rate store.
Walking about another block he spotted the Pokemon Center. Directly across the street from it was a large and extremely crowded building named, "Pokemon Mart."
"There we go," he said, looking down at Mudkip.
"Kip," Mudkip replied happily.
He approached the Mart and squeezed through the endless stream of people. He felt like he was fighting the tide. After five minutes of sweaty bodies pushing against him, he made it inside. It was no less crowded. He gathered all of his money and counted it. He had a grand total of $34.50 to spend. Looking up, he spotted a sign on the wall that read, "Pokeballs. Regular through Love, we've got 'em all!" Sean made his way to the area. He knew exactly what he was looking for. A standard red and white Pokeball. He wanted nothing more or less. He wouldn't be drawn into any scams.
A clerk at the counter, seeing Sean and Mudkip, greeted him in a friendly fashion.
"Hello, sir! May I interest you in any of our fine merchandise today?," she asked.
It was so corny it sounded robotic.
"Uhh...Yes. I would like a standard Pokeball please."
"Just one? Are you a new Trainer, sir?"
"Yes, but what does that have to.."
"You can't get off as a Trainer with just one Pokeball!," she interupted.
"Ok! Sheesh, I'll take three," he'd crumpled and given in as easy as that.
At the end of his visit to the Pokeball counter, he'd bought three Standard Pokeballs, a belt to clip his Pokeballs to, and five Potions with which to heal his Pokemon, spending a grand total of $15.75. He still needed a book, or some kind of guide to training and keeping a Mudkip, but his cash being depleted as it was, and the only books of the kind sold in the store being expensive hard-covers, he exited and headed to the secondhand shop he had seen down the street.
The windows were tinted light grey and the window display was dusty and had only a single Pokeball in it, but Sean went inside. The inside was homey. He didn't feel hurried as he looked around at the items on the shelves. Despite the name, half of the products in the store were brand new, just lower priced. He couldn't help but notice that, besides the clerk with their face burried in a magazine behind the counter, he was the only person inside the store.
The shelves were fully stocked with goods about any kind of Pokemon you could dream of, but all he really wanted was one on Mudkip. He surveyed such books as "The Complete Idiot's Guide to Pokemon Training" and "What to do if Attacked by..." He continued his search. None of the books seemed to be strictly related to Mudkip. So instead, he picked up a large hard-covered book that seemed to be quite a few years old. Opening it to the Table of Contents, he saw that the book was very informative even in subjects he didn't know existed. So he made up his mind to buy the book and made his way through the shelves to the check-out counter.
The clerk didn't even seem to know he was there. He could see flowing brunette hair from over the top of the magazine. He guessed it was a girl. Clearing his throat, the clerk lowered the magazine. He was right, very right. The girl was immensely beautiful. Her hair reached the small of her back, and it glistened in the light shining in through the window. Her eyes were green-hazel, resembling the color of the leaf of a Chikorita. Sean figured she was around his age. Mudkip chirped from his arms. She smiled at Mudkip and her teeth dazzled Sean in the sunlight.
Looking up, she asked,"Well, hello. How are you doing today?"
Sean took a breath to steady himself before answering,"Very well. My Pokemon and I were just picking up a few items." He used Mudkip as a focus as she seemed to be interested in it.
"Oh. I see you've only got one item..Where did you buy your other ones?," she asked.
"Over at the Pokemon Mart, but they were crowded and all the other items were over-priced, so we came here. It seemed more comfortable," he replied.
"Yeah, we try to keep it more...cozy here. That damn place over there takes ALL of our business. There's not very much we can do to stay opened anymore.."
"Well, you've officially got my service," Sean answered.
"That's sweet of you," she giggled.
"By the way, my name's Sean," Sean took a chance and extended a hand to her.
"Meredith," she responded, while stretching her hand to shake Sean's.
He loved the sound of every syllable. It just spilled off of your tongue like water off of a duck's back.
The conversation seemed to have died, so he set Mudkip on the counter and pretended to rearrange some items in his hands. Mudkip took the opportunity to extend his nose to Meredith and sniff her. She enjoyed Mudkip's attention, Mudkip enjoyed hers, and Sean knew his plan had taken effect, at least for now.
"He seems to like you," Sean said laughing.
"Yeah. He's really cute. What kind of Pokemon is he?," she asked.
"A Mudkip. He's a duel-type Pokemon. Water and Ground," he had just fired off every bit of information Nurse Joy had given him about Mudkip in three sentences. It was best to get the conversation over with before she asked something he didn't know.
"What kind of moves does he know?" Shit.
Sean's brain frantically searched for an answer, his heart hoped a miracle, and all the while, Meredith stared at him, still in flirting mode, convinced he knew what he was talking about.
Nothing came to mind, but in that exact second a man pushed his way through a curtain towards the back and entered the store. He took one look at Sean and exclaimed,
"Oh my God, a customer!"
The man was tall. Brown hair was full and vibrant atop his head and his were deep blue. He wore a stainless white apron with the symbol PRSC printed in large green letters on the left side.
Both Sean and Meredith laughed at this. The man even joined in. He had at least made Meredith forget her question.
"Sean, this is my father, Arnold, he owns and runs this shop. Daddy, this is Sean. He says he likes us more than the Pokemon Mart," she giggled.
Arnold eyed Sean. He knew what he liked, but he didn't say anything about it.
"Well, hello, Son. What're you buying today?"
"Uhh.."The Ultimate Pokemon Manual." It seems like a pretty good guide, so I'll give it a shot," Sean answered.
"Pretty good? It's ULTIMATE!," he bellowed in his best impression of a super hero voice.
Sean chuckled and Meredith shook her head. Mudkip replied by coughing some mud at him, which stuck to his apron and dribbled slowly down his front. Arnold had been totally devoid to Mudkip's presence until this moment. He ran up to him and picked him up. Mudkip didn't seem nearly as happy about this attention as he did Meredith's.
"Well, hello little man! How are we today?," Arnold shouted towards Mudkip.
"Kip," Mudkip stated blankly.
"Not too lively is he?," he directed towards Sean.
"He's not normally so quiet, I don't know what's wrong with him."
Mudkip wriggled out of Arnolds grip and returned to the countertop between Sean and Meredith. It nuzzled Meredith's palm and shut its eyes. All three stared at it.
"Well, Son. I'd say you should buy that book if you ever plan to read it!," Arnold exclaimed, seeming slightly hurt.
Sean didn't want to end the visit, but he forked over the $10.00 and walked towards the exit with Mudkip in hand. Before leaving, he looked back.
"Maybe I'll be back soon. I may need some Potions or something."
"Maybe I'll sell them to you," Meredith giggled.
Sean felt himself reddening, so he said his goodbyes and left in a hurry. He found a park in the middle of town and sat down with Mudkip next to him. There were many Pokemon running aroundthe park, and Mudkip was eyeing them all with excitement in his eyes. Sean noticed this.
"Go play, but stay close, ok?, Sean asked.
"Mudkip!," Mudkip answered exuberantly.
He bounded off towards a Horsea playing in the wading pool. Sean took the time to pull out his new book. He opened to the first page and read,
"Pokemon training is a rough and sometimes complicated profession. All Pokemon have their own unique qualities and traits that set them apart from any other Pokemon. Like humans, no two Pokemon are the same. Even in the same species, no one Pokemon is exactly the same as any other."
He skipped ahead a few pages.
"Catching Pokemon: New Trainers are normally issued a Pokemon by a League Official or noted Pokemon Researcher. Other circumstances often occur in which a Pokemon will befriend a Trainer before capture. In these situations, the Pokemon is recommended to be captured, so as to prevent any other Trainers from taking the opportunity to themselves, whether it be on purpose or by accident."
Sean stopped reading and pulled out a Pokeball from his Pokemon Mart bag. The spherical red and white object glistened in the sun. Sean tapped the small circular buttonin the middle of it and it grew in size. The ball was now to capture size, and he called Mudkip over to him.
He was unsure of what to do as Mudkip strolled to the bench and leapt up to sit next to him.
"Mudkip...(What was he going to say?) I wanted to know...(This sounds really dumb)...I'm..I'm going to become a Trainer, and...I...Well..Will you be my Pokemon?," finally out, he waited anxiously for Mudkip to make some sign that he had even heard him.
Sean didn't know what to expect, but Mudkip jumping onto his lap, reaching up, and licking his face until it shone with saliva definitely hadn't crossed is mind. He grabbed Mudkip by his underside and placed him on the bench to prevent from drowning and set the Pokeball down next to him. Mudkip sniffed the ball and a crimson light immediately shot from it. It engulfed Mudkip, who didn't struggle, and opened to admit the Pokemon to its new home. The ball didn't move once. Mudkip had been captured. Sean stared down at it, a look of awe of his face. His first Pokemon had been captured not by battling, but by friendship.
He picked the ball up and tossed it on the ground. He didn't want Mudkip to have to stay in there. The ball dropped and made a small click as it hit. It opened and a crimson light came out again, this time forming into the shape of Mudkip and depositing him on the ground. Mudkip blinked a few times then jumped into Sean's lap and began to cleanse his face with spit again. He turned his face away and pushed Mudkip backwards, laughing. Mudkip then took his tongue and wrapped it around one of Sean's fingers. Sean looked down and stared.
"Kip?," it asked innocently.
"That's my finger. What're ya gonna do, eat it?"
Mudkip let go and sat there, staring blankly at Sean. Sean stood up, grabbed Mudkip, and began to scratch his fin. Mudkip closed his eyes again. Grabbing his book and Mudkip's Pokeball he began to walk back towards Main Street. He still had a few bucks and he hadn't eaten all day.
A grocery store lay opposite the street from the park, so after checking that no cars were coming, Sean dashed across the street with Mudkip. Outside the store were a couple of vending machines. One was labeled "Candy and Sodas," the other, "Pokemon Treats." His stomach growled. Mudkip shot him a glance and he went to the Candy machine first. He bought a Pepsi and a bag of Lay's Potato Chips. Then at the "Pokemon Treats" machine, he looked for, and purchased a small bag of food specifically made for Water-types. A water jug was nearby with cups, so he filled one with water and made his way to the curb to sit down. He opened the bag for Mudkip and dumped a few treats on the sidewalk for him to eat. Mudkip had been ravenous. It ate all of the food in about thirty seconds then sat next to its Trainer until he gave him his water, which Sean did. Sean ate his lunch quickly and stood up, calling for Mudkip to follow him. He was going back towards the borders of town. The day had been great so far, but they still had the walk home through the forest.
The sky was turning to reds and pinks when they exited the city's boudaries. Night was on its way and they had to make it home before the forest was too dark to see in.
"Come on, Mudkip, we'll have to run through the forest."
"Kip!"
Sean took off at a jog, Mudkip at his side.
The trees and bushes passed by quickly. The forest went from thin to extremely dense to thin again in a matter of fifteen minutes. Their jog was exhilarating. Sean breathed harder and harder, but his feet kept going. Mudkip was happily jogging next to him the whole time.
After twenty minutes of jogging, the forest's edge came into view and Sean could make out the lights of his house as the sun made its descent behind the hillside. Sean walked the rest of the way home. Walking in, he told his mother of their day's events and went up to bed.
It was near midnight. Mudkip had been asleep for a few hours and Sean was completely immersed in his book. The Table of Contents had pointed him to a section on Weaknesses and Resistances of certain types of Pokemon. He was learning many things about Pokemon he had never known.
After reading over it, he flipped back to the Table of Contents.
"Full color PokeDex," it read.
Sean turned to the page. Another Table of Contents. This one containe the names of every Pokemon imaginable. Sean scanned the list for Mudkip. There he was. Number 258. He flipped to the desired page and began to read.
"Mudkip: A newer species of Pokemon only discovered in the last few years. (Given this book was older, it still made him feel special to own one) A dual-type Pokemon, Mudkip retains the powers of both the Water and Ground elements. Its Speed is mediocre and its Attack and Defensive powers are slightly heightened. In the area of Special Attack, Mudkip is a marvel. Its Water Attacks fire with great accuracy and power. However, in the area of Special Defense, Mudkip is very lacking. Grass-type moves are extremely effective on Mudkip. When battling a Grass-type with Mudkip, take caution. One of Mudkip's greatest qualities, however, is the fact that its Water weakness of Electricity is cancelled out by its Ground-Type.
Mudkip's Moveset: (Note: Most moves are not learned until much later on in Mudkip's evolutionary tree) Tackle Lvl.1, Growl Lvl.1, Mud-Slap Lvl.6, Water Gun Lvl.10, Bide Lvl. 15, Mud Shot Lvl.16 (1st Evolution ONLY), Foresight Lvl 19, Mud Play Lvl.24, Take Down Lvl. 28, Whirlpool Lvl.33, Muddy Stream Lvl.37(1st and 2nd Evolutions ONLY), Protect Lvl.37, Hydro Pump Lvl.42 (Mudkip ONLY), Earthquake Lvl.46 (1st and 2nd Evolutions ONLY), and Reckless Lvl.46. Mudkip's final three moves are extremely powerful. Take caution in using on Pokemon lower than Level 30. Serious injury or death could occur.
Sean looked up from his book and down to Mudkip. How could such a tiny little Pokemon be capable of killing something? Only time would tell. Sean closed his book and shut his eyes. Dreamless sleep once again engulfed him.
When Sean awoke the next day, Mudkip was again terrorizing Alicia downstairs. Sean took the opportunity to wash himself in peace. After brushing his teeth, he went back to his room, grabbed his wallet, watch, and a red and black bandana, which he promptly tied around his head. Looking around the room, he found his bookbag. Sean never liked to carry many books, so it was only big enough to maybe fit Mudkip inside. He placed his Pokemon Guide, some socks, underwear, and a few plain white t-shirts in it. He had planned to train out in the field and spend the night there with Mudkip. Finally, he grabbed his belt and his three Pokeballs and attached them to it. Fastening it around his waist, he made his way downstairs.
Mudkip heard him coming. The little blue Pokemon dashed across the living room and pelted Sean in the gut as he came down the stairs.
"Good morning, Little Bugger. Nice to see you to," he said chuckling.
"Mudrr!"
Sean strolled into the kitchen to talk to his mom. She was wearing a pink tank top and black jeans, again pouring over the stove.
"Morning, Mom."
"Good morning, Dear. Sleep well?"
"Better than I have in a while, yeah. I stayed up late reading about Mudkip. Pretty interesting stuff."
"Oh, ok. Well what's today's agenda?"
"I think we'll train a bit today."
She shot him a skeptical look that he didn't catch,"Ok, Dear. Be careful. And take some lunch with you, unless you're planning on coming back."
"Yeah, I'll grab some."
Sean made a couple sandwiches for himself and picked up some cereal and a banana for Mudkip. Making his way for the front door, he picked up a pair of sunglasses and placed them in front of his eyes. Calling to Mudkip, he walked out the door.
Training was a bit strange for Sean. One because he'd never done it before, and two because Mudkip seem to want to pay attention to any one thing at a time.
"Mudkip, use your Mud-Slap on that rock over there," he commanded, pointing at a small boulder in the center of a patch of tall grass.
Mudkip half-listened. He spit the mud, then chased after a butterfly that was passing by. Sean rolled his eyes and went after him again. If only his father could see him now...
Finally catching mudkip, he carried him back to the rock. Sitting him on the top, Sean started to plea with him..
"Mudkip...Do you know why I'm becoming a Trainer?"
"Kicha?"
"My father is a Trainer...He's always gone, and I want to become a Trainer to travel the world, find him, and be with him. And to make my dream come true, you're going to have to cooperate with me one hundred percent."
A look of concern appeared on Mudkip's face. He leapt from the rock and stood in a fighter's stance facing the rock, waiting for further command. Sean's face brightened immediately. The little Pokemon was going to help him after all.
"Mudkip, let's try this again. Mud-Slap that rock."
Mudkip performed. Their training was going brilliantly. Sean discerned by the fact that Mudkip couldn't use more than his Water Gun, that he wasn't anywhere above the Level of fourteen. Despite Mudkip's lack of moves, their training went on for hours. They had already eaten lunch, gone back to training for an hour and taken a break by the time Sean called it off. Mudkip still didn't seem in the least bit tired, however.
Sean and Mudkip were sleeping in the warm summer sun, when a man appeared from the forest. He spotted Sean's house in the distance and began to walk towards it. A glint to his left caught his eye. A Pokeball on the ground near a person who was taking a nap. A Trainer, perhaps? He ventured through the mess of weeds and rocks to Sean.
The stranger cleared his throat and Sean quickly sat up. The noise Sean made roused Mudkip. In and out of focus Sean's eyes went. When finally they realigned, they immediately were set upon the stranger. An older man, in his early forties. He was heavyset with dark brown eyes and a black beard. On his head was a Mexican-style hat, a sombrero. His back carried a pack much like Sean's. Around his large waist was a belt with six Pokeballs attached to it. His shirt was a cheap Hawaiian flower pullover, and he wore flip-flops on his feet. Not the best gear for travelling.
"A Trainer, I'm guessing?," he asked in a gruff kind of voice.
"Yes, and you are?," Sean answered.
"The name's Mark Ploy, Pokemon extraordinaire!"
Sean thought him to be a little full of himself.
"Son, could I interest you in a battle?"
Sean looked down at Mudkip, who looked back. A glint of awareness was Mudkip's eyes. He was ready. If Mudkip was ready, then he was too.
"All right. Just let me grab something from my bag."
He walked a few feet to his bookbag and pulled his Pokemon Guide from it. He then returned and stood in front of the Trainer, a look of determination in his eyes.
Mark pulled a Pokeball from his belt and held it in his right hand. He then spoke to Sean,
"How many Pokemon are each going to use? You choose, it doesn't matter to me."
"Umm..Better make it one. The only Pokemon I have is Mudkip."
"Very well," Mark stated,"Ready yourself, young Trainer. You've never faced a Trainer as tough as me."
That was a bit of an understatement..He'd never even faced an easy Trainer.
"All right...," Sean said a bit more unconfidently,"I call Mudkip."
The Trainer was ready with his Pokemon by the time Mudkip had made his approach to the field. "Machop, go!," he called as he threw his Pokeball to the ground in front of him.
Machop appeared. A small and very muscular Pokemon, Machop easily outweighed Mudkip. It also had a foot advantage in the height area. Sean stopped and opened his Pokemon Guide. The ToC pointed him to Machop and he quickly flipped to it.
"Machop: A Basic Pokemon of the Fighting-Type. Machop adore their muscles which they regularly work out. Machop are trained in the art of Fighting moves and weild such attacks as Karate Chop and Low Kick."
Sean knew that neither of Mudkip's attributes were very effective against Machop, but his strategy was already set, keep Mudkip as far from Machop as possibly.
"Shall we start?," Mark called over to him.
"Ready whenever you are."
Machop and Mudkip both went into fighter's stances.
"Machop! Tackle it!"
Machop wasted no time in attacking. It rushed Mudkip with surprising speed and was on it before Sean could utter a command. Mudkip lied on the ground, shaken. It rose quickly to its feet, however, and headbutted Machop in the gut. Machop placed a hand on its stomach and Sean took his chance.
"Mudkip! Back up and use your Water Gun!"
Mudkip, hearing its Trainer's command, jumped back three feet, took hold of the ground with its back claws and launched a full stream Water Gun attack from its mouth. A jet of water surged toward Machop with incredible speed and before Machop could dodge, it had been swept off its feet by a ferocious assault of raging water. Machop stood up slowly, losing its footing a couple of times in the slick mudthat formed from Mudkip's attack. Sean didn't want to lose his opportunity.
"Mudkip! Tackle it!"
Mudkip leapt into action. The tiny Pokemon careened toward Machop, each step becoming quicker, steps becoming bounds, bounds becoming a full-out sprint. Mudkip, reaching its destination, straightened its body out and connected headlong with Machop's chest. Machop flew backward a few feet and landed on its back. Mudkip landed were he had hit Machop, in the mud. Machop was slightly quicker to regain its stature this time. Now it had firm ground, but it was much more tired than before.
A look of rage was on Mark's face. A vein was pulsating in his forehead, and he seemed to be ready to explode.
"Machop! Low Kick!"
Machop took a single breath then began at a run toward Mudkip. About three feet from him, Machop sprawled his body flat on the ground and kicked Mudkip's feet out from under it. The tiny Pokemon flew into the air, and as Machop slid under him, it grabbed Mudkip by the foot. An evil smile appeared on Mark's face, as if he had a genius idea.
"Machop! Seismic Toss!," Mark called loudly.
"What's that?," Sean asked quietly.
Machop lifted then slammed it down to propel itself into the air, Mudkip still in hand. Mudkip's eyes shot to Sean, awaiting its next move. Sean had no idea what it was, but he called a command anyway.
"Mudkip! Water Gun the ground! Hold it until Machop loses its balance!"
Mudkip quickly did so. The Water Gun it shot toward the ground effectively tilted Machop in midair. It lost its train of thought and began to fall. It fell the full distance and landed in an odd heap on the ground. Mudkip landed on top of it. Jumping backwards, Mudkip regained his positioning and awaited further instruction. By the time Sean had thought of what to do, Machop was on its knees.
"Mudkip, finish it off with a Mud-Slap attack!," he wondered if it would actually finish it off.
Mudkip turned its head and spit a load of mud onto its tail. It then turned sideways and heaved the load of mud straight at Machop. A direct hit to the face, Machop struggled to get the mud from his nostrils and eyes. The second half of the attack came without warning. Mudkip ran at Machop with an insane rush of adrenaline. In the same instant Machop had cleared his face of mud. It was too late. Mudkip was turned sideways in the air, and before Machop had a chance to dodge, Mudkip put his body into a full turn and using the momentum, smacked Machop to the ground with a final swipe of its tail.
Machop was motionless. Mudkip stayed in its battle position until Mark recalled it. Mark issued a reassuring coo to Machop before walking to Sean to congratulate him. He extended a hand, they shook, and Mark slowly walked off towards the forest from whence he came. Sean hadn't spoken a word since the end of the match. He stood there, staring at Mudkip. He was as proud of the little Pokemon as a father would be of a son. He fell to his knees, arms outstretched and waited as Mudkip galloped to him and flung itself into his embrace.
They didn't return home that night. Both of them were caught up in the battle. Sean never had greater respect for anything in his life than he did for Mudkip right now. The little Pokemon had come through for him as he did for it, and a bond was formingbetween the two that could never be broken. The beginnings of a friendship had passed. The relationship between a Trainer and Pokemon was forming.
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Closing Note: This chapter was extremely fun to write. When I get wrapped up into a story, as you can tell, they can get lengthy. Butyou can't deny it was pretty exciting, right? I'm on a roll, so I may have another chapter up tomorrow. No promises, though. What I DO promise is that they will be leaving on their journey. Stopping first in Kingston, but still going. Please Review! *Espeonage*