Fire Red, Leaf Green
Chapter 6
Green pulled her hat down lower to her head. The sun was blazing hot, even in the loose forest she was traveling in. If you could even consider it a forest. It was more... a plain with a few hundred sparsely placed trees, few and far between. The path was just beginning to slightly turn uphill. She was nearing the general vicinity of Mt. Moon; another ten miles, and she'd be at its base. If her ears could've twitched they would've, for she thought she heard something.
"A brook? Here? Good. I need a drink." She wandered off the beaten path, hands behind her head, sweat pouring down her face. After a few moments, she came upon the brook.
"Yes! Finally!" She fell to her knees beside it, dipped her hand in, and took a drink. She hadn't even pulled her face up when she noticed that, right in front of her, was a blue head, with blue ears, and black eyes looking at her. She screamed and jumped back.
"Marrill mare!" It chirruped happily. She clutched her chest and rolled her eyes.
"Oh... it's just a Marill. Scared the crap outta me..." She muttered.
"Hi there." A male voice said from behind her. She screamed and almost jumped out of her skin.
"Whoa, whoa. Green-chan. It's only me." Familiar blue eyes smiled warmly down at her. She blinked for a moment. Blue eyes... dirty blonde short hair...
"... Father Valentine!" She exclaimed, taken aback. He shook his head slowly.
"It's just Valentine, now. Though I'd prefer you called me 'Val'." She noticed that he wasn't wearing his religious robes. He was instead wearing a pair of corduroy pants, loose - but not baggy - with a white T-shirt tucked into them. Over the T-shirt was a sleeveless black leather vest, with chains crossing over it loosely. Without the heavy collar of his religious robes, she could now clearly see the black tattoo on the right side of his neck, the kanji symbol for 'Faith'. He was carrying a pot, presumably for cooking, and a package of instant ramen noodles.
"Er... what're you doing?" She asked stupidly. He knelt and began gather twigs in a pile.
"Gonna cook some ramen. There's enough for two. Want some?" He asked happily. She just nodded and kneeled down across from him. He began to strike two stones together. After about four minutes, he finally started a small fire. Marill had, by this time, waddled over to them. Green was going to say something, but she was too surprised to see him. He had Marill fill up the pot with water using Water Gun, and then he put the ramen in.
"Er... I guess I have to hold the pot..." He chuckled sheepishly as he held it over the fire.
"So... er... where's your Meowth?" She asked, trying to make conversation.
"... Gone." He said quietly and simply. She didn't want to prod any further.
"I just love beef ramen." Val said, patting his stomach. He sat back and rested against a tree trunk. He seemed happy enough, but this still confused Green greatly. She sat with her knees tucked under her, hands folded in her lap. Val's Marill settled down beside him, obviously deeply contented in itself. Val's hands folded across his navel as he looked up at the sun streaming through the leaves of the tree, playing across the grass and dancing off the water of the nearby stream. Green's eyes flitted across their poor little excuse for a campsite. In another hour and a half or so, it'd be dark. She decided to venture a conversation.
"So... where're you headed?" She asked, trying to settle down into a more comfortable position. He didn't seem to hear her at first, and then he cocked his head slightly, as if he'd not given it any thought whatsoever. Marill had already fallen asleep.
"Well. I'm not really sure." He said with a kind of finality. Green rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'm headed for Cerulean City, though I guess I should wait for the morning to set out. You could... come with me, if you'd like." She coughed quietly, her cheeks flushing red.
"... I'd like that." He smiled at her. She smiled back.
Night had fallen, and Green was asleep. She lay with her back to the fire, curled up with her shoulder bag. Val was sitting cross-legged on the opposite side of the fire, looking up at the sky. He'd since returned Marill to its Pokéball. In the distance, a few Hoothoot could be heard, as well as the rustling of a group of Rattata, or some other small Pokémon. He contemplated sighing, but decided against it. Absently, a hand reached up to rub the tattoo on his neck. A strange looked crossed over his face... one of both sadness and anger. But it quickly subsided, and he decided to get some sleep. He had just settled into a comfortable position stretched out on the ground when he heard a roar. It seemed far enough off, but the ferocity and anger of the sound made his blood turn to ice. He sat up quickly, and he noticed Green was stirring. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and looking about.
"I was jus getting asleep, too." She yawned, and stretched her arms.
"What was that noise, Val?" She asked. He was about to tell her that he didn't know when the sound came again, closer this time. They both stood hurriedly, prepared to run.
"... Val! Look!" Green's voice trembled and she took a step back, pointing up towards the sky. He stared in shock. A magnificent dragon was flying through the air, lower than a plane, but high enough that they didn't feel the back-draft of its flight.
"... Hyne?" Val whispered. Green dug frantically in her shoulder bag and produced her Pokédex. She pointed it at the dragon. It took a moment for the Pokédex to identify it.
"Rayquaza. The Sky Dragon Pokémon. Rayquaza is said to live in the uppermost layer of the planet's atmosphere, and can control the weather at will. Many experts believe it to be nothing more than a myth, as it has rarely been seen, and never videotaped or photographed, as well as how harsh the conditions in the upper atmosphere are." It said in its monotonous voice. Green put the Pokédex away. Rayquaza was directly over their heads, maybe seven hundred or so feet above them, when it shot straight upwards into the sky, and vanishing into the clouds.
"... Oh my God. We just witnessed a Legendary Pokémon!" She was ecstatic now, with both joy and fright. After all, Rayquaza was an impressive sight to behold.
"... Well... what do we do now?" Val asked, turning to look at her.
"... I guess we should probably sleep. But, I mean, how can we sleep at a time like this?! But we really should. We have to get through Mt. Moon to get to Cerulean City. I can contact Professor Oak from there and tell him what we saw." She sat down rather reluctantly, staring up at the sky, hoping for another glimpse. Val sat down as well, leaning his back against the trunk of a tree. He, too, searched the skies. After a few minutes however, his eyes began to droop. And he was asleep.
Green yawned as she stood up. She stretched her arms and legs, scratched her head, and picked her hat up from off the ground. She put it on her head, and looked around. Val was already up, kneeling next to the brook, dipping his hand in and getting a drink. She was still reveling in the events of the night before. Rayquaza! A Legendary Pokémon rarely even see, and she saw it! A smiled played itself across her lips, as she slipped on her shoulder bag.
"Val? Ready to go?" She asked. He stood and looked at her, pocketing his hands.
"Yep. Off to Mt. Moon!" He motioned for her to lead the way.
"Actually, if we follow the brook, we'll get to Mt. Moon faster than if we followed the beaten path." He added. She nodded, and began walking along the brook's edge. He walked a little behind and to the left of her, thumbs in the waistband of his pants.
They'd been walking for a few minutes when Green spotted a face sticking out of the water. She stopped, and knelt down. It didn't frighten her, because it was sort of a blank, unintelligent looking face. Val kneeled beside her.
"It's a Magikarp." He noted. She sighed and stood up.
"I've never seen one in person before, but I've heard stories about how useless they are." She began to walk again, and Val followed. But she didn't get more than three steps when she tripped over an apricorn in the grass. She fell face-forward, and a Pokéball popped out from her bag, falling right onto the Magikarp's head.
"Ah! No!" Green cried as she saw what had happened. Magikarp was sucked inside the ball, which began to float lazily down the brook, before getting caught between two large rocks jutting out of the water. It stopped vibrating, signaling that Magikarp was caught.
"... Wow. That sucks." Val said cheerily, grinning. Green shot him a nasty look. She reached out into the brook and retrieved the Pokéball.
"... Crap." She dried it off on her shirt, quite obviously annoyed, and put it with the rest of her Pokémon. They continued on, Val obviously amused, and Green in a rather bad mood.
Chapter 6
Green pulled her hat down lower to her head. The sun was blazing hot, even in the loose forest she was traveling in. If you could even consider it a forest. It was more... a plain with a few hundred sparsely placed trees, few and far between. The path was just beginning to slightly turn uphill. She was nearing the general vicinity of Mt. Moon; another ten miles, and she'd be at its base. If her ears could've twitched they would've, for she thought she heard something.
"A brook? Here? Good. I need a drink." She wandered off the beaten path, hands behind her head, sweat pouring down her face. After a few moments, she came upon the brook.
"Yes! Finally!" She fell to her knees beside it, dipped her hand in, and took a drink. She hadn't even pulled her face up when she noticed that, right in front of her, was a blue head, with blue ears, and black eyes looking at her. She screamed and jumped back.
"Marrill mare!" It chirruped happily. She clutched her chest and rolled her eyes.
"Oh... it's just a Marill. Scared the crap outta me..." She muttered.
"Hi there." A male voice said from behind her. She screamed and almost jumped out of her skin.
"Whoa, whoa. Green-chan. It's only me." Familiar blue eyes smiled warmly down at her. She blinked for a moment. Blue eyes... dirty blonde short hair...
"... Father Valentine!" She exclaimed, taken aback. He shook his head slowly.
"It's just Valentine, now. Though I'd prefer you called me 'Val'." She noticed that he wasn't wearing his religious robes. He was instead wearing a pair of corduroy pants, loose - but not baggy - with a white T-shirt tucked into them. Over the T-shirt was a sleeveless black leather vest, with chains crossing over it loosely. Without the heavy collar of his religious robes, she could now clearly see the black tattoo on the right side of his neck, the kanji symbol for 'Faith'. He was carrying a pot, presumably for cooking, and a package of instant ramen noodles.
"Er... what're you doing?" She asked stupidly. He knelt and began gather twigs in a pile.
"Gonna cook some ramen. There's enough for two. Want some?" He asked happily. She just nodded and kneeled down across from him. He began to strike two stones together. After about four minutes, he finally started a small fire. Marill had, by this time, waddled over to them. Green was going to say something, but she was too surprised to see him. He had Marill fill up the pot with water using Water Gun, and then he put the ramen in.
"Er... I guess I have to hold the pot..." He chuckled sheepishly as he held it over the fire.
"So... er... where's your Meowth?" She asked, trying to make conversation.
"... Gone." He said quietly and simply. She didn't want to prod any further.
"I just love beef ramen." Val said, patting his stomach. He sat back and rested against a tree trunk. He seemed happy enough, but this still confused Green greatly. She sat with her knees tucked under her, hands folded in her lap. Val's Marill settled down beside him, obviously deeply contented in itself. Val's hands folded across his navel as he looked up at the sun streaming through the leaves of the tree, playing across the grass and dancing off the water of the nearby stream. Green's eyes flitted across their poor little excuse for a campsite. In another hour and a half or so, it'd be dark. She decided to venture a conversation.
"So... where're you headed?" She asked, trying to settle down into a more comfortable position. He didn't seem to hear her at first, and then he cocked his head slightly, as if he'd not given it any thought whatsoever. Marill had already fallen asleep.
"Well. I'm not really sure." He said with a kind of finality. Green rolled her eyes.
"Well, I'm headed for Cerulean City, though I guess I should wait for the morning to set out. You could... come with me, if you'd like." She coughed quietly, her cheeks flushing red.
"... I'd like that." He smiled at her. She smiled back.
Night had fallen, and Green was asleep. She lay with her back to the fire, curled up with her shoulder bag. Val was sitting cross-legged on the opposite side of the fire, looking up at the sky. He'd since returned Marill to its Pokéball. In the distance, a few Hoothoot could be heard, as well as the rustling of a group of Rattata, or some other small Pokémon. He contemplated sighing, but decided against it. Absently, a hand reached up to rub the tattoo on his neck. A strange looked crossed over his face... one of both sadness and anger. But it quickly subsided, and he decided to get some sleep. He had just settled into a comfortable position stretched out on the ground when he heard a roar. It seemed far enough off, but the ferocity and anger of the sound made his blood turn to ice. He sat up quickly, and he noticed Green was stirring. She sat up slowly, rubbing her eyes, and looking about.
"I was jus getting asleep, too." She yawned, and stretched her arms.
"What was that noise, Val?" She asked. He was about to tell her that he didn't know when the sound came again, closer this time. They both stood hurriedly, prepared to run.
"... Val! Look!" Green's voice trembled and she took a step back, pointing up towards the sky. He stared in shock. A magnificent dragon was flying through the air, lower than a plane, but high enough that they didn't feel the back-draft of its flight.
"... Hyne?" Val whispered. Green dug frantically in her shoulder bag and produced her Pokédex. She pointed it at the dragon. It took a moment for the Pokédex to identify it.
"Rayquaza. The Sky Dragon Pokémon. Rayquaza is said to live in the uppermost layer of the planet's atmosphere, and can control the weather at will. Many experts believe it to be nothing more than a myth, as it has rarely been seen, and never videotaped or photographed, as well as how harsh the conditions in the upper atmosphere are." It said in its monotonous voice. Green put the Pokédex away. Rayquaza was directly over their heads, maybe seven hundred or so feet above them, when it shot straight upwards into the sky, and vanishing into the clouds.
"... Oh my God. We just witnessed a Legendary Pokémon!" She was ecstatic now, with both joy and fright. After all, Rayquaza was an impressive sight to behold.
"... Well... what do we do now?" Val asked, turning to look at her.
"... I guess we should probably sleep. But, I mean, how can we sleep at a time like this?! But we really should. We have to get through Mt. Moon to get to Cerulean City. I can contact Professor Oak from there and tell him what we saw." She sat down rather reluctantly, staring up at the sky, hoping for another glimpse. Val sat down as well, leaning his back against the trunk of a tree. He, too, searched the skies. After a few minutes however, his eyes began to droop. And he was asleep.
Green yawned as she stood up. She stretched her arms and legs, scratched her head, and picked her hat up from off the ground. She put it on her head, and looked around. Val was already up, kneeling next to the brook, dipping his hand in and getting a drink. She was still reveling in the events of the night before. Rayquaza! A Legendary Pokémon rarely even see, and she saw it! A smiled played itself across her lips, as she slipped on her shoulder bag.
"Val? Ready to go?" She asked. He stood and looked at her, pocketing his hands.
"Yep. Off to Mt. Moon!" He motioned for her to lead the way.
"Actually, if we follow the brook, we'll get to Mt. Moon faster than if we followed the beaten path." He added. She nodded, and began walking along the brook's edge. He walked a little behind and to the left of her, thumbs in the waistband of his pants.
They'd been walking for a few minutes when Green spotted a face sticking out of the water. She stopped, and knelt down. It didn't frighten her, because it was sort of a blank, unintelligent looking face. Val kneeled beside her.
"It's a Magikarp." He noted. She sighed and stood up.
"I've never seen one in person before, but I've heard stories about how useless they are." She began to walk again, and Val followed. But she didn't get more than three steps when she tripped over an apricorn in the grass. She fell face-forward, and a Pokéball popped out from her bag, falling right onto the Magikarp's head.
"Ah! No!" Green cried as she saw what had happened. Magikarp was sucked inside the ball, which began to float lazily down the brook, before getting caught between two large rocks jutting out of the water. It stopped vibrating, signaling that Magikarp was caught.
"... Wow. That sucks." Val said cheerily, grinning. Green shot him a nasty look. She reached out into the brook and retrieved the Pokéball.
"... Crap." She dried it off on her shirt, quite obviously annoyed, and put it with the rest of her Pokémon. They continued on, Val obviously amused, and Green in a rather bad mood.