New Chapter, everyone! I hope you guys will like this...even though it's relatively short...

Chapter 2: Fast friends

Walking alone has a more different feeling than I imagined. I felt alone and scared on my own. But I've gone a long way already. I'm not going to give up easily. Viridian Forest loomed ahead of me. The dark trees that loomed menacingly stared down at me. I gathered up my courage and entered the trees. I may encounter wild Pokémon here, so I better be ready.

"Come on out, Charmander."

I felt confidence inside me as my Pokémon came out. It responded with a low growl.

"We're going to catch some Pokémon," I said to it.

It replied once with eagerness. I felt much braver as I walked deeper and deeper into the forest with my Pokémon.

I heard a rustle in the bushes nearby. My Charmander was thinking the same as it readied for in attack position. But the rustling stopped. I felt an icy wind blow across my neck. It sent me chills through my spine. I looked back expecting to see something but found nothing.

"Let's looks closer," I said to my Charmander.

He nodded once and followed me as I walked near the shrubs. Every step I take, I hear the crushing of dead leaves under my feet. The wind blew once more and rustled the leaves of the trees. As I went near the bush, I heard a droning noise. The sound of multitude of wings flapping came closer and closer. I looked back and saw a Pidgey flying away. After the Pidgey came two Beedrills closely in pursuit. I ducked at once to avoid the assault. The three of them passed me swiftly as I looked around again.

"Let's help Charmander," I commanded "Ember!"

Charmander let out a yell and fired multiple red specks of fire. The attack hit both Beedrills. But it didn't faze both of them one bit. They ignored their prey and focused their attention on my Charmander and me. At once, they charged towards us with their barbs pointing at us. I didn't hesitate to grab my Charmander as the two chased us down. I ran as fast as I could but they gained at us inch by inch. I can hear my pulse beating in my ears as I ran as fast as I can. I closed my eyes almost accepting my fate and tripped over a tree root. I hugged my Charmander close to me and closed my eyes.

"Ice Beam!" Commanded a loud voice behind me.

At once, the droning noise ceased. I looked up and saw both Beedrills frozen. I looked back and saw a man with a dark hood. His long red hair was tied and let was left hanging outside of his hood. Behind the shadows of his face, I noticed two piercing silver eyes that looked down at me. Behind him, a blue-green Pokémon with sharp teeth stood with dark eyes. He let out his hand at me as if trying to help me stand up.

"Thanks," I said as I took his hand and stood up.

But immediately, he turned around, returning his Pokémon. He then began walking away.

"Wait," I called out. "Who are you?"

"None of your business," It was different voice this time. It was a cold young voice that seems to stop me in my tracks. He jumped once and disappeared from my sight.

"Hold on!" I yelled. But everything that was left was my voice that echoed into the void.

I walked back where I started with my Charmander with a concerned look. I kept thinking of the hooded man. Was he one of the men looking down at me outside of Viridian City? I finally remembered my motive before the incident. I looked back at the bushes that were torn down by the assault and noticed something. The ground was spattered with blood all around me and led to a body. I remembered the Pidgey that was chased by the Beedrills. I lifted the limp body and noticed that it was still breathing.

"Got to find something," I told myself as I took down my backpack. I tried to search for medicine but instead found bandages.

I wrapped bandages around the Pidgey's bleeding wings. I was desperate as I felt the warm blood trickle across my palms. I started to panic when my hands started to glow. I then noticed the Pidgey's wings being mended slowly. All the blood began to disappear and what were left were ruffled feathers. The Pidgey opened its eyes and looked at me astonished. It hoped across my hands and flew up and landed in my shoulder.

"I guess you're pretty grateful huh?" I laughed. The Pidgey let out a shrill cry as it ruffled its feathers.

My Charmander nagged trying to get some attention. I patted his head and noticed bloodstains on my hands.

I couldn't understand. Did I actually heal this Pidgey?

After meandering through the forest for two days, I realized something.

"Face it, I'm lost," I cried out loud as I sat down.

"Face it, we're lost," echoed a familiar voice. "Hey, did someone just..."

I followed the voice and I was right. Nick and Michelle, the two trainers I met before in Viridian Gym were standing in a clearing arguing.

"Well, we couldn't be lost if it wouldn't be your crappy instincts!" Nick yelled as he pointed at Michelle.

"No way!" Michelle yelled back. "You were the one with the map upside down!"

"You said to go right when I said left!"

"It's supposed to be right except when you said to go straight when we're supposed to left!"

"But it's supposed to be right you idiot!"

"Excuse me," I interrupted the two. "But I'm lost too." I said with a smile.

"Great, more people to yell at." Michelle muttered as she crossed her arms and looked at an opposite direction.

"No, no, no," I hesitated. "I want to help you guys or something."

"Hey I remember you," Nick said in his calm voice. "You're the guy from the gym."

"What?" Michelle growled, "He's from that stupid gym huh?"

"No it's okay, I'm just there for a visit." I tried to calm down the agitated Michelle.

"You can join us," Smiled Nick

"You get to scram." Michelle mumbled.

"So," Nick began stretching out an arm. "My name is..."

"Nick and Michelle. I know." I said with a guilty grin.

"And you're,"

"Gary" I replied.

"Nice to meet you," He shook my hand.

I looked at Michelle but she had her arms crossed losing interest.

"Can we go now?" She drawled.

"Okay, okay" Nick sighed. "Onwards."

"Can we stop?" Michelle said in her frustrated voice.

"It's going to be the fourth time if we do," replied Nick not even bothering to look back.

"My feet hurt," Michelle, added.

Nick let out a frustrated sigh. The scraping of Michelle's shoes across the rocky ground irritated me. Every step she takes is like long fingernails scrapping across a chalkboard.

"I think we should rest, Nick." I said trying to ignore the scraping feet.

"Oh, ok" Nick sighed. "But just for a few minutes."

Michelle fell down and started to complain why we should be out of the forest by now. Sitting down, I tried to keep my focus while Michelle kept talking out loud. A headache started to grow in me. My head throbbed as blood passed veins in my head. I looked around feeling dizzy; everything was out of focus. A cold wind blew through the trees. Leaves rustled and fell as the wind blew...

"Come...to me," hissed a voice.

I looked back at Nick and Michelle. Both of them are arguing and yelling at each other.

"Come," Repeated the voice. It sounded cold and dry.

I felt myself standing and walking towards the shadows of the forest.

"Yes, yes," chanted the voice. "Yes, come to me."

I could not control myself as I tried to yell.

"Gary?" Yelled Nick. "Where are you going?"

I kept walking without looking back. My fists are clenched as I kept walking into the void. I could see a face—no a mask. A white mask was floating in the darkness staring at me with its evil grin fixed at me.

"Yes," It whispered. "You...are mine!" it suddenly yelled.

"Now!" Yelled a voice.

A dark figure came out of nowhere kicked the mask. An ear splitting shriek was heard once the kick connected. The trees started to shake and leaves began to fall.

"Now, Toshin!" The figure yelled.

Another dark figure came and grabbed me by my arm. His dark heavy cloak weighed down on me as he started to run.

"Run!" said the man grabbing my arm. At that moment, I ran as fast as I can.

"Gary!" I heard nick and Michelle running after me.

"Friends, eh?" mumbled the man. I looked at the man and his hood was down. I noticed something odd about him. His long dark hair flowing with the wind along with a pierced ear with what seems to be a tooth hanging. A red tattoo with an intricate pattern I've never seen was in his left cheek. He then abruptly stopped when we reached the edge of the forest.

"Gary," Nick gasped as he caught up. Michelle was trailing behind him gasping for air and trying to stand up.

"Who are you?" I asked the man.

He looked at me once with his dark eyes.

"It's been like yesterday when I last saw you," He replied.

A shriek was heard deep in the forest.

"Silver," The man whispered with a concerned tone.

He began to run back but I halted him.

"Who are you?" I asked once more.

"Toshin," He said "Toshin Heishiro." He didn't hesitate to look back at me as he ran back into the forest.

To be continued