Pokémon - The Journey Begins

Chapter 18: Trouble Arousing



Matt checked his watch. It had only been about five minutes since Lizzie entered the Saffron gym to challenge the leader, and he suspected she would be a few moments Longer. However, she came charging out through the front doors with a big smile across her face. "I did it! I really did it!"

"Nice, are we ready to go to Fuchsia then?" Matt asked.

"Yeah, we should stock up on our supplies, then move on."

Stopping by a nearby Pokémon Mart, the two stock up on healing supplies and more Greatballs. Matt was very hesitant to pay for his share, for he felt that he was running low on money.

"I only have about twenty dollars left," Matt said. "We really should stop buying all of these Greatballs."

"We have to stay up to date don't we?" Lizzie asked.

"I don't know what the big deal is," Matt replied. "Though it'll raise the success rate of our captures, it's a little bit costly to spend our extra cash on this. Not to mention something's been bugging me the past while."

"Try not to think too much. If there's something you feel has to be said, say it," Lizzie replied.

"No, I don't want to drag you into confusion," Matt said. "Something's disturbing me slightly, I don't really want to talk about it right now. The words won't come out right. It's probably because I'm tired; we should go and nap for a little while."

"It's only noon, come on, we could get at least a quarter of the way to Fucshia if we leave now. Besides, it's starting to warm up again; I think that cold chill vanished. Anyway, we really should be going, come on." Lizzie dashed towards the exit to the city, then beckoned Matt to come. He followed, and together they walked down the dirt road of Route 7.

There were at least ten minutes of silence as the three traveled. Matt was thinking to himself, wondering how to express what was on his mind to Lizzie, Squirtle was relaxed in Matt's arms, and Lizzie was just staring ahead at the path, drinking from a water bottle from time to time.

"You don't think there's a hidden gym here, do you?" Matt said, deciding to try and make some conversation.

Lizzie shrugged. "I don't really know if we should spend so much time looking for them; we'll get too far behind. Besides, we should also be looking for some Pokémon, too."

Matt looked around. "I haven't seen any here. As a matter of fact, I haven't seen any in a long time. Do you think the change in temperature is starting to make them hibernate?"

Lizzie shook her head. "It's too early for them to do that. It started to warm up today a little bit; and regardless we should be able to find at least some...."

* * *

Later that evening, Matt and Lizzie set up camp in a tent that was recently purchased by the two back in Dellesse Village. Matt managed to tell Lizzie what he had on his mind, in his best words possible, hoping that Lizzie wouldn't have trouble understanding. Squirtle was sound asleep, so Matt and Lizzie spoke as quietly as possible.

"...That's it. I hope you don't think I'm weird," Matt said, blushing slightly.

"I don't think you're weird. You've told me a lot of things, but you should feel better now that you got some of those off of your chest," Lizzie replied. "Well, at least now I understand why you've become a trainer. You want to be a master? That's a long way coming."

"I don't expect it all to happen at once. I know that sometimes I can get impatient; there are many kids who are looking away from me instead up looking up to me. I've been studying Pokémon for a very long time!" Matt said.

"That helps a little bit," Lizzie replied.

"The thing is, I've wanted to become a Pokémon trainer for the longest time. I wanted to just get up and leave on my own Pokémon journey after watching all of those tournaments on TV. Ever since I was seven years old, I've learned about the basic one hundred fifty possible Pokémon to capture, but I was also studying some of the Pokémon that have been recently discovered."

"So, why didn't you get your trainer's license when you were ten then?" Lizzie asked.

"I couldn't! You had to be eighteen in order to become a Pokémon trainer. A week after I heard that you could be as young as ten, I signed up right away. My parents didn't approve; they wanted me to at least finish high school first."

"Wow, studying Pokémon at seven is an extremely young age. I only left to become a trainer simply because I was bored of being at home all the time."

"Yeah, I hate being home all the time, too. My mom was pushing me to find a job, but it's been really hard for me. I couldn't find one that was right for me. So after I learned that you could be ten to start Pokémon training, I couldn't wait to leave."

Lizzie yawned. "Well, I'm getting a bit tired. Do you want to walk a bit more, or do you want to go to sleep right now?"

"I really need to sleep; I've been restless for the past couple of days, and it's all coming back to me. Wow, I'm about to pass out." Matt slammed his head on his pillow. He fell asleep almost in seconds.

Lizzie let out a silent laugh. "Heh, he's so much fun to travel with; I wonder if he'll be right for me?" Lizzie placed her head on her pillow. She shivered slightly. "It's pretty cold out here." She blew out the small flame on her candle and slid fast asleep.

* * *

Matt woke up the next morning, feeling very refreshed. He decided to stretch a bit, so he got out of his sleeping bag, and looked at his watch. It was past nine-o'-clock, so he thought it would be best to get up and leave as soon as possible. He already started to pack his sleeping back, went into his backpack and pulled out an energy bar. It took a minute to eat, then he continued to pack.

Matt stuck his head out the tent and breathed in the humid air. He shivered slightly. "Yuck, it's cool and it's humid; I should wear my jacket today." He closed the tent and put on his dark leather jacket. "I really don't like the fact of sleeping in my street clothes," he muttered, while walking back outside.

"Oh, it's you again!" a voice yelled. "Camping out in the wilderness, I see?"

Matt quickly darted his head around and saw Arrmun, in the same clothing he was wearing when they met only one day previously. "What the...? How the hell did you get out so quickly?"

"I didn't have to; I was bailed," Arrmun replied.

"I guess you are an elite trainer then," Matt commented.

"Why would you think I would lie to a punk like yourself?"

"I thought that you were just being cocky," Matt responded, laughing.

"Well, would you like to have a little match?" Arrmun pulled out a Greatball.

"No, I'm too tired, come back when I'm angry, like last time," Matt said, yawning.

"Don't worry, an event like last time won't happen. I reported your action to the Pokémon League; you now have a warning."

Matt laughed again. "Right, like a Team Rocket member could just go up and report what happened. You're such a hypocrite."

"In what way?"

"You go around stealing Pokémon and attempt to kill certain trainers, while I get very emotional and was very close to making the final command to squash you. Heh, I'd probably just get a fine or a couple of days in jail for attempted murder; I'd get a warning THAT way."

"Well, you certainly are a smart kid, but you're not quite clever enough."

Lizzie suddenly came out of her tent, noticing that Matt wasn't in his sleeping bag, along with hearing him arguing with somebody outside. "Matt, what's going on?" she yawned.

"Excellent, so your friend here only means more Pokémon for me to steal.," Arrmun chuckled.

Matt scoffed and turned his head towards Lizzie, who was standing up, before turning his head back towards Arrmun, shaking his head. "Look, we beat you last time, and don't think that we're about to give up so easily."

"That's why I brought re-inforcements." Arrmun snapped his fingers as several other members of Team Rocket created a circle around them, completely surrounding the area. "You see, I don't just wonder around, and think of a plan for only a minute. I plan for hours, perhaps days. Now you have no choice; give up your Pokémon, or die." Guns were raised to Lizzie and Matt.

"Filthy scum," Matt scowled, creating a fist.

"Matt, do as they say. Even if they do kill us, they'll still get our Pokémon."

"We have no choice, then," Matt said, sighing, reaching into his pocket. He secretly clutched a smoke bomb from inside. "Let's see how you can deal with one of these!" Matt quickly tossed it to the ground, filling the entire area with smoke in only a split second.

"Quickly, get inside!" Lizzie shouted, crawling back into the tend. Matt dropped to his feet, guessing where the tent was before eventually finding it. Outdoors there was much yelling, panicking and coughing, however no gunshots could be heard.

"Zenigame, Zenigame! Where are you?!" Matt yelled.

"Squirtle?" Squirtle asked, finally waking up. There was little smoke in the tent, but enough to make it very difficult to see.

"Quick, let's grab our bags and run; the smoke won't stand for much longer!" Lizzie yelled.

"Right, come on!" Matt grabbed Squirtle as both they and Lizzie ran far away as some of the smoke began to clear up.

"I don't see them," Lizzie said, looking back.

"Keep running!" Matt yelled.

Continuing to run for a few more minutes, they finally slowed down as some of the smoke began to clear. As soon as it cleared, they both stopped to catch their breath. Matt looked back; he heard no footfalls, nor did he see any Team Rocket member darting behind them.

Matt let out a frustrated yell and kicked some sand. "I'm getting a bit disgusted how desperate these Team Rocket idiots are getting!"

"I didn't know that our Pokémon were THIS valuable," Lizzie commented. "And where did you get that smoke bomb?"

"I found another one that Cloë dropped, after she was arrested. Luckily it didn't break and I kept it in my pocket ever since. I was planning to get rid of it, but I'm glad that I didn't." Matt turned around to face Lizzie. "This just isn't safe anymore. We're going to have to sleep less and travel faster. If we stay in one place for too long, we'll be found out."

"Yeah...we should find a Pokémon Center and ask for some bikes."

"They have bikes?" Matt asked.

"Well, we'll have to pay a rental fee, but we'll be safer knowing that we'll be traveling at a faster rate," Lizzie replied. "Also, anytime we can't use them anymore to cross the ocean or whatever, we can just drop them off and they'll get transported back!"

"Are you thinking about leaving Indigo?" Matt asked.

"Well, after the Pokémon League. I mean, once we're done here, what's the point in staying, right? Team Rocket is only known to spring up in this league only, right?"

"We don't know for sure," Matt replied. "But we can't stay here."

"Right, now let's keep going."

With Squirtle in Matt's arms, he and Lizzie ran down what they hoped was Route 7. Stopping when their stamina from running got the better of them, they decided to walk the rest of the way. About a half hour later, they found a Pokémon Center resting just in between two large trees, and a forest nearby to that. They quickly entered, hoping they would have bikes.

A Nurse Joy appeared to them at the front desk. "Hello, would you like your Pokémon healed?"

"Sure, although we haven't battled today. Perhaps just check on their condition?" Matt asked.

"Of course, this shouldn't take long," Joy checked the status of Matt and Lizzie's Pokémon on a nearby computer, and fortunately, none of them needed rejuvination. "They're fine. Is there anything else you want?"

"Yes," Lizzie started. "We would like to borrow some bikes, if you have any. Could we possibly take two?"

"Oh? Of course! Nobody's ever used these bikes before. Why don't you take them with you?" Joy asked.

"You mean...without paying a rental fee?" Matt asked. "Are you sure that's all right? I've already gotten into enough trouble with Team Rocket on my tail."

"Oh, trust me, I'm serious! We have about ten bikes, and if there's only two missing, that's no big deal, now is it?"

"I should hope not. How much are they?" Lizzie asked.

"Just take them; most of them were given to us as gifts anyway," Joy said. "Not to mention we're in such a secluded area that not many people come here."

"Are you sure?" Matt asked.

"Yes."

"Really? Is it really okay?"

Joy laughed. "Of course, don't worry about it; just take the ones you want, fine tune them a bit, then leave."

"A..all right..." Matt and Lizzie followed Joy who unlocked a door nearby which contained the bicycles inside. It was rather dark inside, but the one that was closest to Matt's height was a red one, and for Lizzie a blue one. It took ten minutes to pump up the tires and raise the seat to their proper heights.

"Okay, let's go!" Lizzie said as Nurse Joy was waving.

"Good! We should only be able to get to Fuchsia in just another day then!" Matt replied.



TO BE CONTINUED.