Chapter 7: Hope, Dream
"Zigzagoon, use your tackle attack!"
"Try to dodge it, Agni! Great, use Ember!"
The small, raccoon-like pokémon screeched in pain as a burst of tiny fireballs caught him full in the face. Agni took the opportunity to scratch him mercilessly with her small claws. The zigzagoon finally collapsed, beaten.
"Haha, great work, Agni! You beat 'em!" said Nori, praising her young starter.
" Tor—haha, take that!" said the fire pokémon happily, the translator kicking in late. She twirled in a sort of victory dance.
"Damn it, second time today," said the opposing trainer, a younger boy, in frustration as he recalled his unconscious pokémon. He threw a few crumpled bills to the ground at Nori's feet, then ran off down the road, toward Petalburg. The youngish trainer had been doubtful about battling Nori, but had become far more confident after he found out that she didn't have any badges. That hadn't stopped Agni from flattening his zigzagoon, however.
Nori bent down and retrieved the money from the road, tucking the bills into a pocket. This was her third win, the trainers on this road common and itching for battle. She had won them all, but every one of her opponents' pokémon had been newly caught. There wasn't much competition for Agni, who was practicing constantly on the wild pokémon they encountered. According to her pokédex, the fire chick was now around level ten. She would evolve soon, hopefully, as long as there were plenty of other trainers to fight.
The pokédex displayed information about both pokémon in a fight, but she noticed that a couple of the trainers she had fought paid far too much attention to the little screen, rather than the battle. Nori felt that their inattention was one of the reasons why they would lose so badly. She tried to only glance at it after her torchic had taken a hit, to confirm how much strength she had left, but it was tempting to study the screen and the information it would display: information about the species involved, probable learnt attacks, status data. But one's opponent could easily jump on a moment of inattention and attack unexpectedly. Nori was glad that Agni was smart enough to decide what to do, occasionally, even if her trainer hadn't ordered it. She just had to hope that this independence would not give way to reckless- or rebelliousness as the pokémon evolved.
"Yay! I'm getting really strong, aren't I, Nori? Chi!"
"You sure are, I bet you're going to evolve soon," said Nori, wondering why the translator had not changed Agni's last word, then realized it probably didn't mean anything anyway. She turned and glanced behind her; Eve and Johnny were talking quietly a small distance behind.
"What did you think, guys?" she called.
They both looked up quickly, almost startled-looking, then they smiled; Eve widely and Johnny's more subdued.
"Impressive," said Johnny.
"Yeah, totally awesome, mate," said Eve.
"Great, let's keep going. It's not much further to Petalburg," said Nori, turning and starting off again down the road, Agni hopping along beside her.
There was something odd about the two punk trainers, now—they were constantly conversing in hushed tones far behind her so she couldn't hear. They seemed to be planning something, or arguing; she couldn't tell which. Maybe both. She decided to ignore it, but not knowing something always gave her an odd feeling, as if she was alone and being followed.
"What do you think I'll evolve into?" asked Agni, breaking her out of her internal worries.
"Torchics, like you, evolve into combuskens," said Nori.
"Chi, what do they look like?"
"They…look like…" said Nori, as she found the appropriate entry on her pokédex, then picked up Agni, "this."
The fire chick chirped in wonder. "Tor—will I be able to fly?"
"No, sorry, I don't think you will," said Nori. "Your species is flightless."
"Tor. Well, I'm going to be the first one to do it!" Agni said, fluttering to the ground and continuing to bounce along. Her wings were too small to carry her into flight, but she could use them to slow a short descent to the ground or help her jump higher, or farther. She would lose the ability for the most part as a combusken, and completely as a blaziken. The members of this particular evolution chain were one of two to be incapable of flight, and the only birdlike pokémon that were not part flying type.
Nori glanced back at her two human companions, but they were back to talking quietly, topic unknown. She sighed and turned her attention back to the road and Agni.
~*~*~
They arrived in Petalburg City around mid-afternoon. It was small, a couple thousand people at best, significant only because of the gym that was located near its center. There were two lakes near the city, one to the northeast and the other to the southwest. Both lakes' beaches were crowded with people, probably tourists, children frolicking in the water and parents sunbathing on the shore. Every so often an airhorn or the whistle and shouts of a panicked lifeguard would cut across the summer air, startling the nervous and gaining the brief attention of the bored. Vendors sold everything from lemonade to sunscreen to beach toys, and there was at least one pokémon battle going on at any time.
Nori was challenged by two trainers, so high on victory they didn't care that she could've been a very experienced trainer, before she even reached the pokémon center. She crushed them both, breaking their winning streaks, though she could very well have lost to the second trainer if her opponent had not turned her attention to her pokédex screen at the wrong time. Agni was barely conscious by the time Nori managed to escape the rowdy trainers and rush to the pokémon center.
An hour later, Agni was completely healed and ready for action. A simple matter like battle fatigue or unconsciousness was easy for the nurses at the 'center to treat; fractures or serious wounds took a little longer to repair. It was completely within any pokémon nurse's abilities to treat the most grievous of injuries, as long as they had the right equipment. Sliced muscle, spinal injuries or even an evisceration could be crippling or deadly, but a certified pokémon medical doctor—they were technically doctors, but were referred to as nurses—could treat such injuries with machines that rebuilt injured tissue while the patient was in pokéball stasis. Once the injured pokémon was treated, they were restored to health with plenty of rest and energy transfers from the pokémon chansey, of which every center had several.
Nori felt slightly ill, looking at the recovery room, where miserable-looking pokémon with limbs in splints or covered in bandages lay on variously-sized beds, a few with a worried trainer watching them.
They all should have their trainers by their bedsides, thought Nori, though her reasonable side protested. True, it was obviously boring and the pokémon were going to be fine anyway, but you had to look at their expressions. Loneliness. Boredom. While the trainer was off, probably battling or at the beach. Some relationship they'd have with their pokémon, later.
~*~*~
Nori walked toward the Petalburg Gym, unmistakable, with its large sliding glass doors and silvery-white exterior. Every gym was supposed to be unique in design, which wasn't immediately apparent from the outside. It looked square, just like the other gyms she had seen. Eve and Johnny had opted to visit the beach and browse, so she was by herself.
As she stepped through the doors, which opened automatically, it was immediately apparent that the gym leader, whoever they were, was new. Empty cardboard boxes were stacked at both sides of the foyer and behind the reception desk.
"Hello?" she called, "anybody home?"
There was a thumping noise to her left, and what sounded like muffled cursing. A tall man, dressed in dark gray pants with hair of a similar hue, emerged from the door and walked over to Nori, straightening his red jacket as he went. Odd, considering the warm weather.
"Hi there," he said, extending a hand, "I'm Norman, the gym leader."
Nori grasped his hand, shaking it firmly. "Noirsha, but I prefer Nori. I'm a trainer."
Norman glanced around. "Eh, excuse the mess…I just got here two days ago. I'm from Johto, replacing the old leader."
Nori nodded. "I see. You bring any family with you?"
"I did, my wife and son, though they're living in Littleroot Town, currently. My wife said something about my son helping the Professor who lives there, so I think he's started his trainer quest…"
"I just started a few days ago, myself."
"Oh, really? I actually thought…well, never mind. No shame in being a late starter, it's better to finish school first, in the long run."
Nori smiled, deciding she liked this leader. "I was wondering what level of gym this is," she said.
"Level five, I think…yes, level five. It's a bit silly, in my opinion…the way the gyms are set up, there's no orderly route for trainers to take, moving from the lowest to the highest level gyms. There's a lot of doubling back involved. Johto was better, there's one point where you have to retrace your steps, but it's all a big loop, really."
Nori nodded. "Okay, I guess I'll have to come back once I've won four badg—"
She was interrupted by the sliding doors opening, admitting a shorter, green-haired boy. He was very pale, she noticed as he walked up to them, skinny as well, but his hair and eyes were a similar, vibrant green. His white shirt and green pants were loose on him. He looked anemic, sickly.
"Hey Wally!" said Norman, seeing the boy. "What's up?"
"Hi Norman," Wally said. His eyes were a bit red, like he had been crying not too long ago. "My parents are making me move to Verdanturf Town, but I wanted to catch a pokémon before I leave."
"Oh, sure, Wally…Nori, would you accompany him?"
Nori nodded. "Sure."
"Okay…here, I'll let you borrow one of my pokémon, Wally. I think this pokémon should suffice," said Norman, taking a pokéball out of a pocket and handing it to the boy, who looked like he should have broken under its weight, like a paper-thin china bowl.
"Oh, and you'll need a pokéball, too," added Norman, fishing around in his pockets and coming up with one empty pokéball. "That's the only one I've got on me…if he needs more, would you lend him a few, Nori? I'll reimburse you, of course."
Nori smiled. "Absolutely." She felt incredibly sorry for Wally, although she wasn't entirely sure why.
~*~*~
Once outside, Wally interrogated her about how old she was, where she was from, how long she had been a trainer, among other things. He soaked up every detail like a sponge, like someone with a missing relative memorizing rumors. He was a dreamer, she could see it in his eyes; he was piecing together a dream for himself, planning out his trainer's quest, it seemed. Nori could not imagine how such a child would survive it; she was still rather surprised that when the sunlight hit him, he did not turn to dust and blow away.
"My brother was a trainer, you know," Wally said, quietly. "He's a lot older than me…he left a long time ago. I don't think he liked our parents much. We haven't seen him since he left. I wonder where he went…"
Nori shrugged. "I dunno…is it common for kids to disappear on their trainer quests? My friend has a brother who's missing."
"My mom says it happens because they join one of the Teams…but I don't believe it." Wally sighed. It was knowledge he had long come to terms with, but he still didn't want to believe it, it seemed.
They reached the outskirts of the city quickly, where the forest began. Nori decided that they would wander aimlessly until they found a pokémon.
"I don't really want just any pokémon, you know," Wally said, as they walked through the deciduous forest.
"What do you mean?" said Nori, afraid he wanted one of the phenomenally rare pokémon nicknamed 'shinies' by trainers, due to the sparkles that accompanied them into battle.
"I mean, like, you can catch a zigzagoon anywhere…I kind of wanted a pokémon that isn't as common. You know?"
"Oh, yeah, I get you. Well, I hope we get lucky, then, as all I've seen around here are—"
"Rallllllll!!"
"What was that?" asked Wally.
"I don't—huh?" Something white darted in front of Nori; she put a booted foot in its path and it tripped, sprawling on the forest floor. It tried to run again, but Nori blocked its escape path. She whipped out her pokédex.
"Is a ralts good enough for you, Wally?"
"Yup! Pokéball go!" said Wally, not knowing what pokémon Norman had given him.
A zigzagoon emerged, level five and male, according to her pokédex. The ralts was level four and female.
"Um, okay…use tackle, zigzagoon!" The blow hit the ralts hard; a half of her health was gone, according to the pokédex screen. The white pokémon turned toward the zigzagoon and growled. Wally's borrowed pokémon looked somewhat frightened, but responded to Wally's next command.
"Um, use tackle again!" The second attack was not as powerful as the first, but the ralts' health was in the red, or critical zone. Feebly, she growled again.
"Um, Nori? Should I use a pokéball now?"
"Yeah, go for it," said Nori.
"Okay…pokéball go!" The red and white sphere struck the ralts, converting her to energy and drawing it inside. It wriggled once or twice before making a 'ping' sound, its center turning white. "Does…does that mean I caught it?" said Wally hesitantly.
"Sure does," Nori responded, smiling, seeing the pure joy on the boy's face as he retrieved the pokéball.
~*~*~
"So why do you have to move to Verdanturf?" Nori asked as they were walking back to Norman's Gym.
"It's my parents…they think the clear mountain air will help me become stronger. I didn't want to, but I think things will be all right now that I have Ralts." Wally smiled, and Nori fancied that he looked stronger, in spirit if not in body.
"That's the wonderful thing about pokémon," she said quietly. "They fix so many things…"
~*~*~
Nori felt it had done her heart good to help Wally catch his ralts, though she did feel a bit miffed that she didn't catch one herself. If you were patient enough to train it, a ralts would eventually evolve into a gardevoir, a very strong pokémon.
In helping Wally, she had spent the remainder of the day, so all she could do was have her evening meal and listen to Eve and Johnny talk until she got sick of it and went to bed. Speaking of Eve and Johnny, where are those two? she thought to herself.
Nori went to the attendant's desk in the pokécenter and asked for a room for one night. She slid her trainer's license toward the attendant, who looked it over.
"Noirsha Hunter? Oh, your friends left you a message…" The attendant pulled an orange envelope out from a stack of papers and handed it to her, then returned her trainer's license and gave her a key with her room number on it.
"Thanks," said Nori, leaving for the cafeteria.
~*~*~
To Nori, the letter read, we weren't sure how we were supposed to handle it, because, frankly, we suck at good-byes, though ditching you like this probably isn't right. It's just that when we found out that Rustboro has the largest punk community in Hoenn, we knew that was going to be our last stop. We really appreciate you taking us to those few towns that we visited. We wish we could've seen you through to the end, we know we could've made you punk or league champion or both, but Rustboro is where we're going to stay. So if you come up there, make sure to drop us a line, okay? See you 'round, Eve and Johnny.
Nori felt a mix of emotions. She was glad that they had left; no longer would she have to sit through endless discussions on subjects she had little interest in, but she missed them, in a way she couldn't explain. She also felt a bit resentful; her next stop was Rustboro, they could've waited until then…but then she realized that they really wouldn't have known that, being virtual tourists. She supposed she would have to find some new companions, now. The image of Hans Mueller appeared in her mind, which she immediately rejected. Who would ever want to travel with that slimeball? She decided to deal with it in the morning; now, she needed to eat, and her tired body was crying for a rest…
~*~*~
Ha, there you go, new chapter…I think the other submitted characters will start appearing about now. =] I'm sorry if you liked the Eve and Johnny characters, but I was getting a bit tired of them. Eh, oh well…tell me how you feel in a review, I guess.
BTW, if anyone's unfamiliar with the R/S pokémon, just go here: http*//user.yagb.de/meowth346/ , but replace that asterisk (*) with a colon (:). That's a great site that has a pokédex where you can look up the pokémon in question, among many other things. Have fun!