Okay, had a marching band subsale at 4AM and I'm still tired. My very close friend's baby died on Easter and she just told me today, and I missed the brand new episode of Pokemon at 10AM though I caught the title "The Bicker The Better". Other than that, I'm nice enough to update since I know you're waiting for the next chapter.
Back to the story, Angelina had now left the Ilex Forest and Azalea Town with a new Hive Badge and rearing for another badge and the unexpected of new adventures and new people along her journey now to Goldenrod City.
Chapter 10: Carin' and Trainin'
Angelina breathed in deeply as she stepped out of the confining darkness of Ilex Forest. The air in there had been warm, stale and stuffy, and it was a relief to get back to fresh air. Once she entered Goldenrod City, she was deciding to take on the local gym leader before venturing elsewhere. She knew that the gym-trainer used Normal-type Pokémon, and decided that Geodude would be perfect.
According to her Poke-Gear, Angelina would be passing the Day Care Centre on the way to Goldenrod City. That had been where it all began for Togepi. The old couple that ran it had given the newly-discovered egg to Mr. Pokemon, who had passed it on to Angelina. Now, in an oddly symmetrical turn of events, it was Angelina who now visited the Day Care couple.
As she was nearing lunch time, and Goldenrod City, she ran into what looked like a farm house. There were fairly high fences around it and, behind those, there were Pokémon everywhere. Angelina read the sign with some curiosity. "Pokémon Day Care," she said. "This must be it." she smiled and knew it was a place that many trainers left their Pokémon to grow when they couldn't keep them on them. She also decided to leave her Unown there for a while, that way it can grow levels without having to battle. She then passed a boy trainer that was two years older than her with blonde hair that wanted to trade her Unown for an egg.
"Why would I want an egg?" Angelina asked, staring at the egg. It had a somewhat smooth texture, and held an assortment of black spots on it's mostly white surface.
"Well, you'll be singing a different tune when you walk into the Day-Care…." the boy responded. "It belongs to my grandparents. You have to pay, of course, but it is quite cheap. They only need the money to keep the place going. They just really enjoy looking after Pokémon. They say that it keeps them young."
Angelina just smiled and nodded. She walked inside the Day-Care; into what looked to be a living room. Down one wall were several chests of drawers, all lined up, with the drawers labelled. On the other side, a bookcase filled with files. Several cushions lay piled in the corner, with a Drowzee sleeping on them. A Snubbull snuffled around quietly in the corner.
There were two old people, wearing traditional Japanese clothing, sitting around the table, drinking hot tea. There was as old and bald man with a very long white beard. His eyes seemed to be squinting through his thick glasses, and looked very curiously at the sight of company.
"Hello deary, welcome to the Pokémon Daycare! Please have a seat." the old lady said, peering at the young girl curiously through her thick glasses. After a second, Angelina sat down and was provided with refreshments while Togepi sat on her lap so he was in full view of the couple.
"Mr. Pokemon gave me an egg a short time ago, and asked me to help it hatch. He said he got it from you. Togepi here hatched when I first entered Azalea Town a few days ago, and as I was in the neighbourhood I thought I should drop in," Angelina explained. The couple moved in closer to examine Togepi, then shared a knowing look.
"Interesting," the man said.
"Very," the woman concurred, and they retreated a short distance away to discuss in whispers what they had seen. Angelina thought this rude, but she didn't want to offend them so she stayed silent.
Eventually they returned, and the man said, "Have you phoned Mr. Pokemon yet to tell him of this?"
Angelina shook her head, and seconds later the woman was typing in his number on their video-phone in the corner. The three of them crowded around it, Angelina holding Togepi up to the screen so Mr. Pokemon could see him better.
It only took a couple of rings for Mr. Pokemon to pick up, and his haggard face appeared on the view screen. "Yes? Hello? Who's this?" he asked vaguely, just as Angelina remembered him.
"The Day Care Man, the Day Care Lady and a girl with a Togepi," the Day Care Man summed up quickly.
"A girl with a..." Mr. Pokemon focused more intently on the screen, first on Angelina then on Togepi. His face lit up with a smile. "It hatched! My egg hatched into a Togepi! Well done, Angelina! I knew you could do it. Well, I'll do my best to inform the Professors of our discovery. Will that be all?"
Angelina was rather taken aback. She had travelled far and wide with this egg, polishing it every day and under the illusion that it was of earth-shattering importance. And now Mr. Pokemon was looking at it like it was yesterday's news. "Don't you want to examine Togepi in person?" she asked hopefully.
"Oh, I couldn't do that. Togepi will want to stay with its mother figure now, which I presume is you. Anyway, I have examined Togepis' before, and still have my notes." Mr. Pokemon replied.
"So you don't want me to send Togepi to you? Or leave it here in the Day Care Centre?" Angelina asked, but Mr. Pokemon was already shaking his head.
"Togepi's yours now. You have done the scientific community a great service. Oh, by the way, before I forget... What did it look like whilst it was hatching?"
"Well, it cracked in a lot of places and it was glowing too, but other than that, Togepi looked very healthy..." Angelina said, hoping that would intrigue Mr. Pokemon's interest.
"Ah. Well, typical like the others I've seen, but I must get back to my research. Day Care Man. Day Care Lady. Angelina. Togepi," Mr. Pokemon nodded to each one in turn before putting the phone down, leaving Angelina feeling slightly disappointed.
"At least on the plus side you get to stay with Togepi," the blonde boy piped up, having evidently eavesdropped when no one noticed he came inside. "Baby Pokémon are quite demanding to look after. Hang on." He went out into the hallway and came back holding a large pamphlet. "Here, have this. It has lots of tips about looking after baby Pokémon. You should take a look. It's very useful."
"Thanks," Angelina said, accepting the booklet. She cooed over her Baby Pokemon. "Looks like you're a part of the team now, so I guess you deserve a good nickname. How about Bachiko?" she stroked the middle head-spike and seeing Togepi smile and babble happily. She then asked the Day Care couple if they could take care of her Unown, but the Day Care Lady explained she couldn't take care of anybody until the trainer that left his egg picks it up.
"What?" Angelina exclaimed. "That's terrible, that trainer shouldn't abandon his egg. Since he's not here, I'll take it."
"Here you go, Miss." the old man said, handing Angelina a small yellow egg with tiny black bolts all around it. It was inside an egg holder; a glass jar to protect it with a cushioned bottom. "Now take good care of it."
"I will," Angelina reassured, then asking, "Is it okay if I leave my Unown with you now? It's kinda a low level and I wanted to leave it here for a while."
"I'm sorry, we already have 5 Pokémon, which is our max. Come back later and see if we have any room," the old man said.
"Oh, okay." Angelina sighed. "Well I have to get going to Goldenrod City soon. You see; I have a Gym battle coming up." The Day Care Man and Lady escorted her to the door, thanking them for their consideration.
"Thanks for the hospitality," Angelina said.
"Well, just remember to return should you want us to take care of any of your Pokemon," the Day Care Man smiled.
Angelina nodded, and once she got outside and started walking, the blonde boy was following right behind.
"Hey Miss! The egg is about to hatch and believe me, I've seen enough eggs hatch here to tell by now. You really don't want that Unown, huh? Psychic Pokémon stand no chance against the Ecruteak gym leader. I'm sure that this Pokémon would, though…."
"Fine! Fine! I already have one egg, so I might as well take yours, too! Here's Unown! Now leave me alone!" Angelina exclaimed, taking hold of the second egg.
The boy grinned, "You know, you're kinda cute!"
"Ahhh! No, go away! Please!" Angelina ran down the dirt road and onward to Goldenrod City where many things that lay in wait there, good and bad.
It took at least another hour to get to the gates of Goldenrod City. The sun had begun to set beyond the horizon, slowly turning the sky from a brilliant blue into a warm, inviting orange. The few clouds that did occupy the open ceiling were now bathed in the vibrant colours of nature.
Even from here the city looked beautiful - tall buildings rose into the sky, creating wonderful variety among the usual piercing forests and distant mountains.
Angelina stood there in awe for several minutes, just watching the light clouds drift past the highest stories of several skyscrapers that were scattered around the city. She took a deep breath before stepping through the gates and heading off through the city to find a Pokemon Center.
(S)12345(S)
Angelina yawned as she stretched out on her bed. She was tired and wasn't in the mood for doing anything today. She had been in Goldenrod for about a week now. She had been training all week with her Pokemon by running around Goldenrod's less busy areas and then running out into the areas right outside of the city to fight wild Pokemon. Her training plan had been working perfectly.
Now that it was close to the end of another week, Angelina had time to just kick back and relax for a while. Sure, she knew a real trainer would be training every waking moment of their life, she may be a professional trainer that graduated from Sango Pokemon Technical, but who said she can't take a break?
Just as Angelina was closing her eyes, she felt a movement from next to her. She peeked one eye open to look to her left and noticed it was the two eggs she was given back at the Day Care Center. 'A shame that boy had to give up that one egg,' she indicated toward the black-spotted egg. 'Oh well, he'll miss out on a rare Pokemon!' She closed her eye again and yawned, shifting slightly to become more comfy so she could fall asleep; carefully not to disturb her sleeping Togepi.
§To Be Continued§
*Angelina exits the Ilex Forest and arrives at the Day Care Center on Route 34, right outside of Goldenrod City.
*The Day Care Center is where the couple discovered the Togepi egg and was given to Mr. Pokemon, who gave it to Angelina, who is now visiting the Day Care couple.
*Angelina and the Day Care couple make a call to Mr. Pokemon; showing them Togepi, and he tells Angelina to keep the Pokemon.
*The Day Care couple can't watch over Pokemon until someone picks up a yellow (with tiny black bolts) Pokemon egg that was left behind. Angelina takes the egg, but the couple is already watching five other Pokemon.
*A blonde boy trades another egg for Angelina's Unown; saying Psychic Pokemon are not good against Ecruteak's Gym.
*Angelina is now caring for two eggs on top of her Togepi and other Pokemon.
*Angelina gives her Togepi the nickname Bachiko, which is a Japanese name meaning "happy child", and Togepi are known to be childish.
*Angelina relaxes for a week in Goldenrod City before challenging the local gym.
Not much in this chapter, huh? Well, Angelina gets two eggs; so what Pokemon do you think will hatch from them? Next chapter will be up, really depends if I'm not busy with school work or marching band. Reviews welcomed, thanks!