Pokémon - The Journey Begins
Chapter 15: The Tournament Finishes
Matt walked to his field. When he was there, he saw what seemed to be his competitor. He was talking to some girls.
"Yeah, Tyler was a big wuss; he had the dumbest Pokémon that I've ever seen!" Andy said. "He did give a good effort though, he managed to give my Pokémon a hard time and decided not to get knocked out for crying out loud!" The girls listening to him giggled.
Matt rolled his eyes. How could girls fall for a jerk like that? he thought. He checked his watch. Ten minutes remained before the match began. He rearranged the Pokéballs in his belt to see which one he was going to use.
Andy stopped and looked at Matt. "I'll be right back, girls." He got up and looked at Matt. "Hey! I haven't seen you in a long time!"
Matt made a face. "What are you talking about?"
"You don't remember me? We both qualified for Pokémon Trainers in Pallet!" Andy said.
Matt suddenly remembered. "Oh yeah! But I don't really know much about you..."
"Don't worry about it. So, how's your life going so far in Pokémon training?" Andy asked.
"Well, I've captured seventeen Pokémon, and I have five badges," Matt said.
"Five?! How could you get five so early?!" Andy exclaimed.
Matt pulled out his small leather sack from his pocket and showed Andy the Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Blue Crystal and Red Crystal Badges.
"Are those blue and red one real?" Andy asked.
"You can earn them if you beat a gym leader in a hidden gym. There's one here, but I can't seem to remember where the other one was. I think it was just before entering Vermillion City," Matt said.
"Well, the tournament is about to begin, so I hope that you do well!" Andy said.
"You mean our match?" Matt asked.
"We're facing each other?! I was just told to go to this field. Well, if you have that many badges this early, you must be a very skilled trainer. I look forward to today's match!" Andy said, with a grin.
"Thanks, that really means a lot to me," Matt also smiled. Squirtle smiled as well.
The referee arrived in the middle of the field. "Okay boys, select four Pokémon."
Matt and Andy stood at the ends of their side of the field and had four of theirs ready. Matt just picked one at random in his hand, Andy did the same. After three counts, two Pokéballs were thrown. Pinsir appeared out of Matt's, and Pidgeotto appeared out of Andy's.
Matt wasted no time. "Seismic Toss!"
Quickly, Pinsir caught the large, bird Pokémon in its sights and clutched it tightly between its two claws. It then jumped up into the air and tossed Pidgeotto violently into the ground below.
"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!" Andy yelled.
After Pinsir landed, it was struck by a quick strick from behind. Pinsir landed roughly on the grass, and was slow to get up.
"Andy wins the first sequence," the official lifted a flag.
"He isn't even knocked out yet!" Matt exclaimed.
"Very well, continue."
Matt rolled his eyes. "Pinsir, Ta--" Matt was interuppted by a sudden explosion in the background.
"Stop the match for the moment!" the referee cried. What he and the trainers saw were many Team Rocket members suddenly exiting the forest and dashing directly into the village, fully armed.
"A raid! We'll have to postpone the match for a little while, and hope that we can continue this later. For now, run!" the referee dropped his flag, as he began to run in a random direction.
"Pinsir, come back!" Matt sucked Pinsir back in his Pokéball and scooped up Squirtle. Andy did the same with his Pokémon as they both began to run from Team Rocket. The girls with whom Andy was flirting ran in a separate direction.
Matt looked both to his left and right, not even attempting a head count. "Holy crap! There are at least twenty of them to my left, and thirty of them to my right!"
"Attention, this is Cody. Everyone return your Pokémon and run; Team Rocket is on a rampage!" Cody yelled through the microphone. There was then a loud feedback, and a lout shotgun noise, followed with screams.
"Ahh!" Andy yelled. More Team Rocket members appeared straight ahead of them; at their rate, they would run directly into them.
"Damn! Head left into the forest!" Matt yelled. Andy nodded as they both headed left. Matt grabbed Squirtle's Pokéball. "Sorry to do this to you, buddy, but you'll be safer in here." Matt absorbed Squirtle inside, then minimized the Pokéball while returning it to his belt.
Andy spotted a climbable tree. "Hurry! Up here!" Andy started to climb as Matt was close behind him. They climbed as far as they could to the top of the maple tree they were climbing, then tried their best to hide themselves between branches and leaves.
Andy and Matt were gasping for large breaths. This seemed to be the first time for Andy running for his life, while it was the second time for Matt, remembering the long dash he made to Cerulean City's gym, although both events aren't specifically very similar.
Some of the Team Rocket members ran past the tree in which Andy and Matt were resting. They stopped just in front of it and looked around.
Why did they have to stop here? Matt thought, and placed a finger to his lips to Andy, as they both remained still.
"They couldn't have gotten far. Hh, let's just forget them; I'm sure they don't have any valuable Pokémon for us."
"They had to have climbed one of these trees," another member said.
"Did you not hear me? I said to move out!"
"Sir!"
Matt and Andy then listened carefully as there were several footfalls on the ground below. The loud, scattered sounds eventually diminished before nothing was heard. Both Matt and Andy sighed in relief, knowing that they were now safe.
"Do you think the tournament will resume?" Andy asked.
"I don't know," Matt replied. "Honestly, it doesn't matter to me. Well, it is a lie to say that, because I have really been training hard for the past couple of days. I've trained so hard for this very day, and they ruin it in an instant."
For security reasons Andy and Matt stayed in the tree for about ten minutes before deciding to climb down. Matt dusted off his clothes while Andy stared in the direction from whence they came.
"I don't think they're around anymore. I don't hear any more screaming. It's too risky to go back to the villate now; hell I don't even know if we can get back. We did run a long way without really paying attention to where we were going." He turned around to face Matt. "Regardless, I think we should stick together for a while."
Matt opened an enlarged Pokéball as Squirtle reappeared, then shook his head in disagreement with the suggestion. "It isn't a good idea, because if Team Rocket catches both of us, we'll both be in trouble. It's better on our own, going at our own speeds, and stopping whenever."
Andy nodded in response. He then offered his hand; Matt took it and they shook. "You're a good guy, Matt. If you want to find your friends, a guess of mine is to go to the next gym closest to here."
"Where's that?" Matt asked.
"It's in Saffron City. You'll have to take a ship across to get there, but hopefully that won't be a big deal. I'll be going there as soon as I find everybody else. I have to find my older brother. See ya later!" Andy then dashed back towards the village, which Matt found strange, since he greatly resented the idea of returning there just a few moments ago.
"Be careful!" Matt yelled. "They could still be there!"
"Don't worry! I'll be all right! If I see any of your friends, I'll send them on your way!"
Matt didn't dare go back, for fear of being caught. Therefore, he and Squirtle turned and ran down the path suggested by Andy . He ran for about five consecutive minutes with Squirtle in his arms, then stopped by a lake and sat down on a rock.
"Squirtle?" Squirtle pointed back.
Matt shook his head. "We can't go back; we might get caught! And who knows what they could do to us! It is unfortunate for us to get separated so quickly. I was really enjoying Jordan's confidence boosters, and I was also starting to like Lizzie! Well, in a different way."
Squirtle dropped his head in disappointment. A tear began to fall from his eye.
Matt scooped up Squirtle and wiped the tear away. "Hey, don't be upset; we'll see them again! We won't be separated forever! But it is rather inconvenient for things to be this way right now. We WILL meet again, mark my words. Now, let's keep on going." Matt decided to carry his Squirtle, for a small grin appeared on his face.
After walking for about an hour, Matt decided to keep a journal about what happened since their separation from Lizzie and Jordan. He sat down on an old, fallen log, took out a note book and a pen. He let Squirtle run around for a bit as he began to write.
'Day One,' Matt began to write.'"As I was participating in a tournament at Dellesse Village, Team Rocket appeared. With no idea where my friends Lizzie and Jordan were, I decided to run with my opponent, who was also a starting trainer from Pallet Town, like myself. I do hope that this separation from my friends is just temporary, but for now, Zenigame and myself must continue this expedition.' Matt stopped writing. He put his note book and pen back in his backpack and let out a long sigh. His wrist sore from writing, he shook it a bit, to loosen it up.
Matt checked his watch; it was starting to hit mid-afternoon. He decided that he would rest for about an hour, then walk again. He took out some apples he bought from a store and ate two; he then gave Squirtle one of them. They both ate and enjoyed a snack as some of their needs were met and satisfised. Matt checked his map for he hoped that soon, he would arrive at the port where he could get a ride to Saffron City.
Matt checked his watch about fifty minutes later. He decided that he and Squirtle had rested long enough. He put his backpack back on, and he and Squirtle continued their walk. In fifteen more minutes, they both exited the woods and then found themselves in a vast, open field. There was a brisk wind. Matt began to shiver as he pulled out a jacket. He noticed that Squirtle was getting a bit cold, too, so he picked him up and held him close.
Matt looked up in the sky as he noticed the sky become blanketed by clouds. "What a dull afternoon," he commented. "I hope it doesn't rain."
"Squirtle..." Squirtle still shivered, even after being held tightly by Matt. Matt pulled out a touque that he wasn't wearing currently and put it on Squirtle's head. It was a bit large, so Matt had to pull it back so it covered all of it without falling off. Matt shivered again, for the temperature seemed to drop drastically.
"Will this horrid day never end?" Matt shivered again.
Matt and Squirtle continued on walking until they reached a small port. Matt checked the map to make sure that they were in the right spot. They were. The ship however, was not there, and may not return until later that day, or perhaps later during the week. Next to the port, Matt spotted a nearby Pokémon Center, as quickly he and Squirtle dashed inside of it to keep warm. From the sudden temperature change, Matt's face turned all red and his glasses fogged up as soon as they entered the center. He pulled off his jacket and hung it up on a coat hook next to a rack of magazines. He also pulled off his touque that Squirtle was wearing and placed it back into his backpack. Checking the line-up to the front desk, Matt saw many trainers, but recognized none of them; he came to the conclusion that none of them was participating in the tournament.
In about ten minutes, Matt left his Pokémon in the care of Nurse Joy. He also asked a room for the night, for he wanted to wait if Jordan and Lizzie could come. It was rather early to ask for a room, but the nurse in her curtosy didn't refuse. It was in fact cold outside; the nurse said that a cold front came in from the north, which pushed in clouds and windy conditions.
Matt didn't eat that evening; he felt sick and rather upset, because he could have ran back to see if Lizzie and Jordan were still at the tournament instead of running on. He asked for a room with a single bed, being left all alone with himself and Squirtle. He checked the clock next to his bed: it was 8:42pm. He was starting to get rather tired, and worried. Earlier, he left Nurse Joy a message to see that if Jordan and Lizzie do arrive, they would know that he had been there, or is still there in the center. After brushing his teeth, he slipped into his pyjamas, and fell into a restless sleep.
Matt continued tossing and turning, often knocking Squirtle off of the bed, and getting scolded each time. He kept on worrying about his friends, wondering if they would ever see each other again.
Matt yawned. Don't leave me all alone like this, he thought. It's not as fun as I originally thought traveling alone. It is in fact a dangerous world out there. Matt then slept for the rest of the night without disturbances.
TO BE CONTINUED.
Chapter 15: The Tournament Finishes
Matt walked to his field. When he was there, he saw what seemed to be his competitor. He was talking to some girls.
"Yeah, Tyler was a big wuss; he had the dumbest Pokémon that I've ever seen!" Andy said. "He did give a good effort though, he managed to give my Pokémon a hard time and decided not to get knocked out for crying out loud!" The girls listening to him giggled.
Matt rolled his eyes. How could girls fall for a jerk like that? he thought. He checked his watch. Ten minutes remained before the match began. He rearranged the Pokéballs in his belt to see which one he was going to use.
Andy stopped and looked at Matt. "I'll be right back, girls." He got up and looked at Matt. "Hey! I haven't seen you in a long time!"
Matt made a face. "What are you talking about?"
"You don't remember me? We both qualified for Pokémon Trainers in Pallet!" Andy said.
Matt suddenly remembered. "Oh yeah! But I don't really know much about you..."
"Don't worry about it. So, how's your life going so far in Pokémon training?" Andy asked.
"Well, I've captured seventeen Pokémon, and I have five badges," Matt said.
"Five?! How could you get five so early?!" Andy exclaimed.
Matt pulled out his small leather sack from his pocket and showed Andy the Boulder, Cascade, Thunder, Blue Crystal and Red Crystal Badges.
"Are those blue and red one real?" Andy asked.
"You can earn them if you beat a gym leader in a hidden gym. There's one here, but I can't seem to remember where the other one was. I think it was just before entering Vermillion City," Matt said.
"Well, the tournament is about to begin, so I hope that you do well!" Andy said.
"You mean our match?" Matt asked.
"We're facing each other?! I was just told to go to this field. Well, if you have that many badges this early, you must be a very skilled trainer. I look forward to today's match!" Andy said, with a grin.
"Thanks, that really means a lot to me," Matt also smiled. Squirtle smiled as well.
The referee arrived in the middle of the field. "Okay boys, select four Pokémon."
Matt and Andy stood at the ends of their side of the field and had four of theirs ready. Matt just picked one at random in his hand, Andy did the same. After three counts, two Pokéballs were thrown. Pinsir appeared out of Matt's, and Pidgeotto appeared out of Andy's.
Matt wasted no time. "Seismic Toss!"
Quickly, Pinsir caught the large, bird Pokémon in its sights and clutched it tightly between its two claws. It then jumped up into the air and tossed Pidgeotto violently into the ground below.
"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack!" Andy yelled.
After Pinsir landed, it was struck by a quick strick from behind. Pinsir landed roughly on the grass, and was slow to get up.
"Andy wins the first sequence," the official lifted a flag.
"He isn't even knocked out yet!" Matt exclaimed.
"Very well, continue."
Matt rolled his eyes. "Pinsir, Ta--" Matt was interuppted by a sudden explosion in the background.
"Stop the match for the moment!" the referee cried. What he and the trainers saw were many Team Rocket members suddenly exiting the forest and dashing directly into the village, fully armed.
"A raid! We'll have to postpone the match for a little while, and hope that we can continue this later. For now, run!" the referee dropped his flag, as he began to run in a random direction.
"Pinsir, come back!" Matt sucked Pinsir back in his Pokéball and scooped up Squirtle. Andy did the same with his Pokémon as they both began to run from Team Rocket. The girls with whom Andy was flirting ran in a separate direction.
Matt looked both to his left and right, not even attempting a head count. "Holy crap! There are at least twenty of them to my left, and thirty of them to my right!"
"Attention, this is Cody. Everyone return your Pokémon and run; Team Rocket is on a rampage!" Cody yelled through the microphone. There was then a loud feedback, and a lout shotgun noise, followed with screams.
"Ahh!" Andy yelled. More Team Rocket members appeared straight ahead of them; at their rate, they would run directly into them.
"Damn! Head left into the forest!" Matt yelled. Andy nodded as they both headed left. Matt grabbed Squirtle's Pokéball. "Sorry to do this to you, buddy, but you'll be safer in here." Matt absorbed Squirtle inside, then minimized the Pokéball while returning it to his belt.
Andy spotted a climbable tree. "Hurry! Up here!" Andy started to climb as Matt was close behind him. They climbed as far as they could to the top of the maple tree they were climbing, then tried their best to hide themselves between branches and leaves.
Andy and Matt were gasping for large breaths. This seemed to be the first time for Andy running for his life, while it was the second time for Matt, remembering the long dash he made to Cerulean City's gym, although both events aren't specifically very similar.
Some of the Team Rocket members ran past the tree in which Andy and Matt were resting. They stopped just in front of it and looked around.
Why did they have to stop here? Matt thought, and placed a finger to his lips to Andy, as they both remained still.
"They couldn't have gotten far. Hh, let's just forget them; I'm sure they don't have any valuable Pokémon for us."
"They had to have climbed one of these trees," another member said.
"Did you not hear me? I said to move out!"
"Sir!"
Matt and Andy then listened carefully as there were several footfalls on the ground below. The loud, scattered sounds eventually diminished before nothing was heard. Both Matt and Andy sighed in relief, knowing that they were now safe.
"Do you think the tournament will resume?" Andy asked.
"I don't know," Matt replied. "Honestly, it doesn't matter to me. Well, it is a lie to say that, because I have really been training hard for the past couple of days. I've trained so hard for this very day, and they ruin it in an instant."
For security reasons Andy and Matt stayed in the tree for about ten minutes before deciding to climb down. Matt dusted off his clothes while Andy stared in the direction from whence they came.
"I don't think they're around anymore. I don't hear any more screaming. It's too risky to go back to the villate now; hell I don't even know if we can get back. We did run a long way without really paying attention to where we were going." He turned around to face Matt. "Regardless, I think we should stick together for a while."
Matt opened an enlarged Pokéball as Squirtle reappeared, then shook his head in disagreement with the suggestion. "It isn't a good idea, because if Team Rocket catches both of us, we'll both be in trouble. It's better on our own, going at our own speeds, and stopping whenever."
Andy nodded in response. He then offered his hand; Matt took it and they shook. "You're a good guy, Matt. If you want to find your friends, a guess of mine is to go to the next gym closest to here."
"Where's that?" Matt asked.
"It's in Saffron City. You'll have to take a ship across to get there, but hopefully that won't be a big deal. I'll be going there as soon as I find everybody else. I have to find my older brother. See ya later!" Andy then dashed back towards the village, which Matt found strange, since he greatly resented the idea of returning there just a few moments ago.
"Be careful!" Matt yelled. "They could still be there!"
"Don't worry! I'll be all right! If I see any of your friends, I'll send them on your way!"
Matt didn't dare go back, for fear of being caught. Therefore, he and Squirtle turned and ran down the path suggested by Andy . He ran for about five consecutive minutes with Squirtle in his arms, then stopped by a lake and sat down on a rock.
"Squirtle?" Squirtle pointed back.
Matt shook his head. "We can't go back; we might get caught! And who knows what they could do to us! It is unfortunate for us to get separated so quickly. I was really enjoying Jordan's confidence boosters, and I was also starting to like Lizzie! Well, in a different way."
Squirtle dropped his head in disappointment. A tear began to fall from his eye.
Matt scooped up Squirtle and wiped the tear away. "Hey, don't be upset; we'll see them again! We won't be separated forever! But it is rather inconvenient for things to be this way right now. We WILL meet again, mark my words. Now, let's keep on going." Matt decided to carry his Squirtle, for a small grin appeared on his face.
After walking for about an hour, Matt decided to keep a journal about what happened since their separation from Lizzie and Jordan. He sat down on an old, fallen log, took out a note book and a pen. He let Squirtle run around for a bit as he began to write.
'Day One,' Matt began to write.'"As I was participating in a tournament at Dellesse Village, Team Rocket appeared. With no idea where my friends Lizzie and Jordan were, I decided to run with my opponent, who was also a starting trainer from Pallet Town, like myself. I do hope that this separation from my friends is just temporary, but for now, Zenigame and myself must continue this expedition.' Matt stopped writing. He put his note book and pen back in his backpack and let out a long sigh. His wrist sore from writing, he shook it a bit, to loosen it up.
Matt checked his watch; it was starting to hit mid-afternoon. He decided that he would rest for about an hour, then walk again. He took out some apples he bought from a store and ate two; he then gave Squirtle one of them. They both ate and enjoyed a snack as some of their needs were met and satisfised. Matt checked his map for he hoped that soon, he would arrive at the port where he could get a ride to Saffron City.
Matt checked his watch about fifty minutes later. He decided that he and Squirtle had rested long enough. He put his backpack back on, and he and Squirtle continued their walk. In fifteen more minutes, they both exited the woods and then found themselves in a vast, open field. There was a brisk wind. Matt began to shiver as he pulled out a jacket. He noticed that Squirtle was getting a bit cold, too, so he picked him up and held him close.
Matt looked up in the sky as he noticed the sky become blanketed by clouds. "What a dull afternoon," he commented. "I hope it doesn't rain."
"Squirtle..." Squirtle still shivered, even after being held tightly by Matt. Matt pulled out a touque that he wasn't wearing currently and put it on Squirtle's head. It was a bit large, so Matt had to pull it back so it covered all of it without falling off. Matt shivered again, for the temperature seemed to drop drastically.
"Will this horrid day never end?" Matt shivered again.
Matt and Squirtle continued on walking until they reached a small port. Matt checked the map to make sure that they were in the right spot. They were. The ship however, was not there, and may not return until later that day, or perhaps later during the week. Next to the port, Matt spotted a nearby Pokémon Center, as quickly he and Squirtle dashed inside of it to keep warm. From the sudden temperature change, Matt's face turned all red and his glasses fogged up as soon as they entered the center. He pulled off his jacket and hung it up on a coat hook next to a rack of magazines. He also pulled off his touque that Squirtle was wearing and placed it back into his backpack. Checking the line-up to the front desk, Matt saw many trainers, but recognized none of them; he came to the conclusion that none of them was participating in the tournament.
In about ten minutes, Matt left his Pokémon in the care of Nurse Joy. He also asked a room for the night, for he wanted to wait if Jordan and Lizzie could come. It was rather early to ask for a room, but the nurse in her curtosy didn't refuse. It was in fact cold outside; the nurse said that a cold front came in from the north, which pushed in clouds and windy conditions.
Matt didn't eat that evening; he felt sick and rather upset, because he could have ran back to see if Lizzie and Jordan were still at the tournament instead of running on. He asked for a room with a single bed, being left all alone with himself and Squirtle. He checked the clock next to his bed: it was 8:42pm. He was starting to get rather tired, and worried. Earlier, he left Nurse Joy a message to see that if Jordan and Lizzie do arrive, they would know that he had been there, or is still there in the center. After brushing his teeth, he slipped into his pyjamas, and fell into a restless sleep.
Matt continued tossing and turning, often knocking Squirtle off of the bed, and getting scolded each time. He kept on worrying about his friends, wondering if they would ever see each other again.
Matt yawned. Don't leave me all alone like this, he thought. It's not as fun as I originally thought traveling alone. It is in fact a dangerous world out there. Matt then slept for the rest of the night without disturbances.
TO BE CONTINUED.
