A/N: Ok, this has NEVER happened to me before (0 reviews) but well, that's ok! Here's the second chapter of Aspiring Trainers.
Disclaimer: Pokeballs falling on my head. Oh, but that don't mean that my dream is totally dead, yeah, well one day I'm gonna own Pokemon, but now is not the time, so I'll just dance in the rain.
Pallet Town Chronicles
Book One: Aspiring Trainers
Chapter Two: What Lies Ahead
"Darn!" Maybeth frowned as the Pokeball snapped shut.
"That's your last Pokeball," Delia reminded.
"I know that," Maybeth replied in an annoyed voice. "And that also means that I need to buy more. But we're far away from Viridian."
Delia sighed. "I see nothing but trees."
"And more trees."
"And even more trees."
"Hey look!"
Delia's head snapped up as she stared in front of her. "Oh, no."
"Oh yes," Maybeth sighed. "Come on, get the escape rope."
Delia started to take off her backpack, then froze. "Wait, don't you have it?"
Maybeth ran a hand through your hair. "No, you had it."
"No, you did Maybeth."
"No, you did Delibird."
"Don't call me that and I remember you saying 'Got the escape rope.'"
Maybeth was starting to look mad. "No, I said, 'Got the escape rope?' See, my voice went up."
"Do either of us have the darn rope?" Delia asked.
In a flash both girls were digging through their backpacks. Clothes, books, Pokeballs, paper, and pens flew everywhere. "I don't have it!" Delia wailed.
"Neither do I!" Maybeth cried.
"I'm not going back to Pallet!" they both said at the same time, glaring at each other.
Turning her head away, Maybeth surveyed the cliff. It wasn't that bad…
"We'll jump," Maybeth said calmly.
"AND RISK GETTING KILLED? I DON'T THINK SO!" Delia shouted.
"DO YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA?"
"NO."
"THEN STOP YELLING!"
"I DON'T WANT TO BE KILLED"
"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE KILLED!"
"Oh yeah? And how are you going to do that?" Delia asked, folding her arms and glaring. Maybeth shrugged and fingered a Pokeball. "You'll see."
~*~
"Jackson, stop shoving me!"
"Oh stop being such a baby Jefferson!"
"I'm not a baby."
"Yes you are stop complaining!"
"AHHHHHH!"
"Shhhhhh! What is it?"
"I thought I saw a ghost."
"There's no such thing as ghosts."
"Yeah huh."
"No, there's ghost Pokemon, but not ghost humans."
"Unless the Pokemon have the power to rise up the dead. Not to mention the fact that all people might be ghosts when they die. You just can't see them."
"Then how come you said you thought you saw a ghost?"
"I always see dead people."
"No you don't."
"Or do I?"
"Jefferson, shut up and keep an eye out for the girls ok?"
"You just can't handle my superior debating skills."
"I'm older."
"I'm smarter."
"Says who?"
"Says everyone. Besides, it would be easier to spy if we were in a tree, not hiding behind bushes and stuff."
"That's the point of spying, hiding."
"Shouldn't we respect their decision of them not traveling with us?"
"They're still girls, and they need to be protected."
"Ohhhh, I see what it is."
"What?"
"Your ego."
"Pardon?"
"You can't handle rejection very well, can you?"
"Jefferson."
"Yeah?"
"Go and catch a Caterpie or something. Leave me alone."
~*~
Delia gaped. "I can't believe you trained your Charmander to cut down trees."
"It's all how you use Ember," Maybeth said casually.
Delia's eyes flashed quickly to the forest where she thought she heard some rustling. Maybeth noticed this and followed her gaze. Seeing nothing, she looked back and forth between the spot and Delia's face. "Um, care to share?"
Delia snapped out of her focused face. "I get this weird feeling that we're being followed."
Maybeth stared. "You're getting paranoid. Come on, let's go."
Delia turned and followed her friend to the base of the cliff. "Um, are you sure the tree will stay?"
"We put it there ourselves, didn't we?"
"Yeah but…still. It's kind of dangerous," Delia said dubiously.
"I'll go first," Maybeth said, taking out a Pokeball. "Oddish, let's go!"
With a flash, the happy plant Pokemon appeared. "Oddish odd odd!"
"Oddish, use Vine Whip to secure my trip down the cliff!"
"Odd!"
Maybeth began to walk hesitantly down the tree she and Delia had propped up against the cliff with some difficulty. Just as she had taken about her fifth step, the tree began to shake and rolled away. Luckily, Oddish had a good grip on her as she dangled down the side of the cliff. Or so she thought…
"Ow!"
Delia rushed over to the cliff, peering down. "Maybeth? You ok?"
"Yeah," a shaky voice answered. "Just jump down, it's not that far."
"I don't think so," Delia said, backing away. Shoving her hands into her white sweatshirt pocket, her eyes lit up. "Hey Maybeth, I think I found the escape rope!"
At the base of the cliff, Maybeth groaned. Smothering out her blue t-shirt and jeans, she waited patiently as Delia climbed down with Oddish. And to think, this is only the beginning…
~*~
Walking across endless plains for a couple of days, Maybeth and Delia pressed onward, hoping to reach Viridian City before the bad weather started in. Luck, however, was not on their side.
Lightning streaked across the dark sky, pelting down a steady heavy rain. Two lone figures ran desperately through the muddy fields, trying to find shelter.
"I can't believe we didn't think to bring tents!!" Delia shouted.
"Tents are a big pain!" Maybeth shouted back. "Besides, we wouldn't be safe in a tent in this weather."
"What?" Delia yelled, as another flash of lightning distracted her.
Maybeth shook her head, knowing it was useless to shout, and motioned for Delia to keep running. She was tired, exhausted, and cold. The words of her sister kept on echoing in her head. "When Tara and Harry and the others start wondering where you are, I'll have to tell them the first thing that comes to mind."
And overwhelming wave of sadness washed over Maybeth, not just because of the rain. When she was four, she watched her father turn his back on them and leave, even when he promised things would change. She watched as her mother tried to keep the family of six together, but eventually gave up and turned to liquor. She was actually safe though, and not like the other run down families in South Pallet Town, who's parents actually abused them in their drunken stages. Maybeth's mother never raised a hand to her children, but there was always that fear.
Maybeth shivered. I always vowed never to run away from my problems like mom and dad. But what will happen if I can't take what lies ahead?
A sharp jerk on her arm drew her back to reality. Delia mouthed something and pointed. Maybeth followed her gaze and thanked the legendary Pokemon that Viridian City was relatively near Pallet.
~*~
Officer Jenny handed the two wet, shivering girls some towels. Although Maybeth and Delia had on raincoats, it was a loss cause when battling the severest of the elements. "You two better get dried up fast, then I'll drive you over to the Pokemon Center pronto," Officer Jenny said. "You girls need a good rest."
"Thanks Officer Jenny," Maybeth said, managing a weak smile.
Later, when the girls were tucked away in a Pokemon Center room, Maybeth stared up into the darkness, listening to Delia's rhythmic breathing from across the room. She'd only a small dose of what lay ahead for her.
It's not too late to turn back, a small voice in the back of her head nagged.
Pulling the covers tighter around her, Maybeth buried her head into her pillow. She needed to think.
A/N: Awwwww, poor Maybeth! But anyway, the interesting stuff is about to start, especially when the girls go to the Viridian City gym next time! Oh yeah, and this story will eventually answer the undying questions: Who were the other trainers of Pallet and who on earth is Ash's father???? Send questions, comments, flames, whatever to misty102588@yahoo.com .
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