Chapter2
They had been walking for about an hour now, Tommy still reliving their battle while Daniella nodded with an "uh-huh", or a "yeah", every now and then. His arms flapped about wildly as he acted out Weedle's string shot. Daniella quickly took her chance to change the subject when he paused to take a quick breath.
"So what Pokemon did you choose for your starter?"
"I got a Charmander! He's sooooooo cool and tough looking. Hey do you have any others?"
Daniella smiled as he craned his neck to look up at her like a child waiting for a bedtime story.
"I have a Nidoqueen, she was my starter, a graduation present from my dad. I did have others but I gave them away."
"Why?"
"Because I gave up training after two years so I could be at home."
"Why?"
"I don't want to talk about it..."
"Why?"
"Just because..."
"Why?"
Finally Tommy's game had worn thin, and Daniella regretted having asked him to travel with her as she lashed out at him.
"I said I didn't want to talk about it, so stop asking!"
"Ok!"
Her angered outburst hadn't phased him in the slightest and made Daniella blink in confusion, throwing her off-balance and making her anger fizzle out. He still wore his lopsided grin as he walked, his t-shirt now on the right way after Daniella had pointed it out.
"Sorry... It's just a sensitive subject."
They continued to walk a little while longer in silence until Daniella spoke again.
"I used to have an Arcanine once, she was very pretty and won me my badge from Blaine back when I was 14. She was up against a Charmeleon, that thing was pretty tough. Hey if you train your Charmander well he'll evolve into one"
The conversation continued making the time fly by quickly until finally darkness crawled over the horizon. There was a loud growl from the pit of Tommy's stomach, and Daniella rolled her eyes.
"Alright, we'll stop here for the night"
The prospect of food made Tommy's eyes glitter and he licked his lips, calling out his Charmander to get a fire going. The little red lizard waddled off into the surrounding trees to get some wood and Daniella took out a completely red item ball, releasing the tent. Tommy seemed amazed by the invention having never seen an item ball before, all his items were stuffed messily into his backpack that was twice the size that he was. Daniella didn't even flicker an eyelid at it, she had been used to having item balls since the beginning of her journey, and they made everything so much easier.
Charmander finally returned and got a fire going, and soon Daniella had some soup cooking over the fire. After ladling out generous portions and filling their stomachs, they crawled into the tent and fell asleep. The morning came swiftly and Daniella sneaked out through the tent flap being careful not to wake Tommy who was still sound asleep. In a flash of red light she had released both Nidoqueen and Weedle, she nodded at Nidoqueen who knew exactly what to do after years of training. She shuffled forwards slightly towards the tent, and lowered her gigantic head into the tent. She took in a deep breath and let out an earthshaking roar.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Tommy sat bolt up right, his heart ready to leap out of his chest as he was face to face with a chuckling Nidoqueen. Nidoqueen walked away and Daniella poked her head through the flap.
"Come on, if you want to travel with me you've got to wake up early to get some training in. Keeps you fit and strong!"
Tommy was forcefully dragged out of the tent to wake him up properly, and even then he was still moaning. Finally after opening his eyes and spotting the Pokemon, he jumped up ready for action. Daniella rolled her eyes at his unpredictable nature and got the training underway, which consisted of a short jog, stretches and an exercise for strengthening attacks. An hour later and with full bellies they set out on the road again. Tommy was jumping about, running off to investigate even the slightest of noises in the neighbouring bushes, while Daniella walked down the middle of the path, looking at her feet and thinking to herself.
Did she really want to do the gym challenge all over again? It just didn't seem right, but she didn't like the idea of being a breeder or professor. Perhaps specialising in a particular type of Pokemon, but which one? There were so many to choose from.
"Hey You!"
Daniella looked up in surprise, she had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see the trainer that was approaching them. His dark shaven hair and piercing blue eyes seemed strangely familiar, and he smiled warmly.
"What? Don't you recognise me? Here, this'll jog your memory"
He took off his shoes and put them on the ground, before placing one of his knees in each shoe making him look like a midget. Daniella instantly recognised his short stature and the scar on the top of his head, and with it a flood of memories from Poketech.
"Paul! Hey, how's it been? What brings you back here?"
He laughed as he stood up and put his shoes back on, now standing a head above Daniella.
"Now this feels weird, being taller than you. I'm just going back home for a visit. Hey my mum told me what happened, I'm really sorry."
"Don't be, it's not your fault"
There was an awkward silence where they just stood around staring at each other. Finally Paul broke the silence.
"So... Who's your friend here?"
Daniella didn't get the chance to speak, as Tommy gleefully introduced himself. "I'm Tommy, and I'm going to be a Pokemon master!"
"Woah, looks like I've got some competition, eh? Are you still chasing that dream too Daniella?"
"Nah, it just doesn't seem right anymore... dunno why."
"Well that doesn't mean a battle won't hurt, what do you say?"
A smug smile spread across her face.
"Even after I whooped your ass back in Poketech? You've either forgotten that, or you're hiding something up your sleeve."
"We'll see. 2v2 like old times?"
Daniella simply nodded as she plucked off her first Pokeball ready to begin.
They had been walking for about an hour now, Tommy still reliving their battle while Daniella nodded with an "uh-huh", or a "yeah", every now and then. His arms flapped about wildly as he acted out Weedle's string shot. Daniella quickly took her chance to change the subject when he paused to take a quick breath.
"So what Pokemon did you choose for your starter?"
"I got a Charmander! He's sooooooo cool and tough looking. Hey do you have any others?"
Daniella smiled as he craned his neck to look up at her like a child waiting for a bedtime story.
"I have a Nidoqueen, she was my starter, a graduation present from my dad. I did have others but I gave them away."
"Why?"
"Because I gave up training after two years so I could be at home."
"Why?"
"I don't want to talk about it..."
"Why?"
"Just because..."
"Why?"
Finally Tommy's game had worn thin, and Daniella regretted having asked him to travel with her as she lashed out at him.
"I said I didn't want to talk about it, so stop asking!"
"Ok!"
Her angered outburst hadn't phased him in the slightest and made Daniella blink in confusion, throwing her off-balance and making her anger fizzle out. He still wore his lopsided grin as he walked, his t-shirt now on the right way after Daniella had pointed it out.
"Sorry... It's just a sensitive subject."
They continued to walk a little while longer in silence until Daniella spoke again.
"I used to have an Arcanine once, she was very pretty and won me my badge from Blaine back when I was 14. She was up against a Charmeleon, that thing was pretty tough. Hey if you train your Charmander well he'll evolve into one"
The conversation continued making the time fly by quickly until finally darkness crawled over the horizon. There was a loud growl from the pit of Tommy's stomach, and Daniella rolled her eyes.
"Alright, we'll stop here for the night"
The prospect of food made Tommy's eyes glitter and he licked his lips, calling out his Charmander to get a fire going. The little red lizard waddled off into the surrounding trees to get some wood and Daniella took out a completely red item ball, releasing the tent. Tommy seemed amazed by the invention having never seen an item ball before, all his items were stuffed messily into his backpack that was twice the size that he was. Daniella didn't even flicker an eyelid at it, she had been used to having item balls since the beginning of her journey, and they made everything so much easier.
Charmander finally returned and got a fire going, and soon Daniella had some soup cooking over the fire. After ladling out generous portions and filling their stomachs, they crawled into the tent and fell asleep. The morning came swiftly and Daniella sneaked out through the tent flap being careful not to wake Tommy who was still sound asleep. In a flash of red light she had released both Nidoqueen and Weedle, she nodded at Nidoqueen who knew exactly what to do after years of training. She shuffled forwards slightly towards the tent, and lowered her gigantic head into the tent. She took in a deep breath and let out an earthshaking roar.
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Tommy sat bolt up right, his heart ready to leap out of his chest as he was face to face with a chuckling Nidoqueen. Nidoqueen walked away and Daniella poked her head through the flap.
"Come on, if you want to travel with me you've got to wake up early to get some training in. Keeps you fit and strong!"
Tommy was forcefully dragged out of the tent to wake him up properly, and even then he was still moaning. Finally after opening his eyes and spotting the Pokemon, he jumped up ready for action. Daniella rolled her eyes at his unpredictable nature and got the training underway, which consisted of a short jog, stretches and an exercise for strengthening attacks. An hour later and with full bellies they set out on the road again. Tommy was jumping about, running off to investigate even the slightest of noises in the neighbouring bushes, while Daniella walked down the middle of the path, looking at her feet and thinking to herself.
Did she really want to do the gym challenge all over again? It just didn't seem right, but she didn't like the idea of being a breeder or professor. Perhaps specialising in a particular type of Pokemon, but which one? There were so many to choose from.
"Hey You!"
Daniella looked up in surprise, she had been so lost in her thoughts that she didn't see the trainer that was approaching them. His dark shaven hair and piercing blue eyes seemed strangely familiar, and he smiled warmly.
"What? Don't you recognise me? Here, this'll jog your memory"
He took off his shoes and put them on the ground, before placing one of his knees in each shoe making him look like a midget. Daniella instantly recognised his short stature and the scar on the top of his head, and with it a flood of memories from Poketech.
"Paul! Hey, how's it been? What brings you back here?"
He laughed as he stood up and put his shoes back on, now standing a head above Daniella.
"Now this feels weird, being taller than you. I'm just going back home for a visit. Hey my mum told me what happened, I'm really sorry."
"Don't be, it's not your fault"
There was an awkward silence where they just stood around staring at each other. Finally Paul broke the silence.
"So... Who's your friend here?"
Daniella didn't get the chance to speak, as Tommy gleefully introduced himself. "I'm Tommy, and I'm going to be a Pokemon master!"
"Woah, looks like I've got some competition, eh? Are you still chasing that dream too Daniella?"
"Nah, it just doesn't seem right anymore... dunno why."
"Well that doesn't mean a battle won't hurt, what do you say?"
A smug smile spread across her face.
"Even after I whooped your ass back in Poketech? You've either forgotten that, or you're hiding something up your sleeve."
"We'll see. 2v2 like old times?"
Daniella simply nodded as she plucked off her first Pokeball ready to begin.