Oh my God, I actually got reviews! Thank you so much VoidMoon! I will take your advice from your reviews! And this story will be just awesome, though a little sad toward the end. I will eventually get the rest of the chapters up before school lets out, but so far I'm doing okay and some people seem to like this story!
Anyway, Angelina finally arrives in Goldenrod City and is given two Pokemon eggs. Now, she is well on her way to earn the next gym badge. What will happen?
Chapter 11: A Goldenrod Opportunity
Angelina slept in slightly the next morning, despite the bustle of trainers coming in and out of the center. It was around eleven when she finally rose to the persistent sound of DJ Fern's voice over the radio, announcing the latest news for the Pokemon World.
"... people are giving reports about strange men in black outfits hanging around the Radio Tower. Police are saying…." Fern only got out that much before Angelina shuts off the radio while rubbing the sleep from her eyes and yawned. She then swung her legs over her bed and standing up, stretching. She yawned again and headed to the bathroom to freshen up.
After a few minutes, Angelina came out wide awake and refreshed. She slipped on her jacket, collected her Pokeballls, and her backpack, which she placed her Togepi inside. She then headed outside, holding her two eggs, and got ready to lock her room's door when she realized she had left her Poke-Gear in there. Mumbling under her breath, she headed in and grabbed her Poke Gear, then locking the door. She walked down the halls, heading down the stairs for a complimentary breakfast that the delightful Nurse Joy had served her and the other trainers who had stayed that long.
Pokemon Centers were a great place to see how other trainers were coping with their Pokemon. Some of them were very impressive, others not so, but more often than not, every trainer Angelina met was trying their hardest to be the best that they could be.
Angelina headed for the sliding glass door and stepped out, letting the sunlight hit her face. The sun was firmly up high in the bright blue sky this morning. It wasn't quite hot as yesturday, instead it was a pleasingly warm day punctuated by cool, gentle breezes.
Goldenrod City was, in a word, amazing. Advertisements flashed at her from every billboard and TV, showing the many pastimes that the city had to offer. It seemed that there was something for everyone, and more besides. It had taken her at least half an hour exploring the maze that was the eastern part of the city, but Angelina had finally managed to find the Goldenrod Pokemon Gym. She was rethinking her battle strategy. She decided to lead with her Marill. 'No, not Spritz (Marill)…. maybe Charcoal (Charmeleon)…. Rocky (Geodude) would be better…. Flower (Gloom) is too low a level to start a battle….' She couldn't make up her mind. Finally, after about 10 minutes of disagreeing with herself, she knew who to lead with.
Angelina paused outside, reading the sign carefully before she entered the dome-shaped building. "Leader Whitney..." she read aloud. "Hmm..." She pushed the door open and walked straight inside as the pleasing sensation of the Gym's air conditioning brushed past the top of his head, allowing her hair to flow with the soft, artificial wind.
This Gym was much more modern and far more pleasing to Angelina's senses than Bugsy's. The walls were painted a bright white and potted flowers broke up the artificial monotony. Angelina looked around for a moment to find her bearings. This Gym also showed signs of a different architecture. She turned behind the central collection of flowers to discover a large stadium painted exquisitely well on the ground. She looked around, but saw no one.
"Maybe it's closed...?" Angelina muttered to herself. Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of footsteps approaching from behind. Quickly she spun around on the spot to face the stranger.
"Hello, you must be a new challenger," said a girl, no younger than twelve with bright brown eyes and a charming face. She had pink hair that she wore in two large pigtails that spiked out behind her. She wore an odd, yet elegant looking outfit, with a white jacket adorned with pink and golden decorative effects, such as the ends of the collars and the parting in the centre. Her jeans were a cool, slightly faded black, and below that she wore white sneakers, fashioned with the usual brand logos and 'ticks' coloured in several darker shades. "I'm the Gym Leader here, and my name is Whitney. If you want the Plain Badge, you have to battle me using two Pokemon."
"Okay, that's fine with me," Angelina said. "I'm Angelina Murakami from Pallet Town, and I choose Spritz!" she took out a Pokeball and released the aqua-mouse Pokemon Marill into the battle arena.
"This should be easy. Go, Clefairy!" Whitney called out her Pokemon. It was a pink fairy-like Pokemon with tiny wings and a somewhat star-shaped body.
Angelina took out her Pokedex to scan the creature. "Clefairy, the Fairy Pokemon. Its adorable behavior and cry make it highly popular. However, this cute Pokémon is rarely found."
"It makes sense," Angelina smiled as she puts away her Pokedex. "Ok Spritz, start off with Bubblebeam!" Marill released white bubbles from its mouth at Clefairy at a great speed.
"Dodge and use Metronome!" Whitney commanded.
Clefairy jumped around and missed the oncoming water attack and begins to wiggle its index fingers from side to side. Angelina grits her teeth and tenses when it does that, knowing full well of the abilities Metronome can do. If Clefairy landend an electrival attack, Spritz was done for.
Finally, the Metronome finishes. Clefairy's hands spark with blue electricity as its forms a black ball of energy and fires it at Spritz. The Water Pokemon was knocked off its feet with critical damage, Angelina recalled it and pulled out another Pokeball.
"Having fun over there?" Whitney asked.
"I'm just warming up." Angelina said, thowing out another Pokeball. "Let's go, Charcoal!" the ambitious and arrogant Charmeleon came out, ready to fight. "Use Flamethrower, now!" the fire lizard releases a red-orange stream of fire from its mouth and engulfed the normal Pokemon.
Whitney holds her cheeks in shock. "Ah! Clefairy!" she sighed when her Pokemon survived the attack with some burn marks. "Try your Metronome!"
Clefairy waved its fingers back and forth, albeit a bit weakly, until the fingertips glow white. This time, Clefairy launched a Rock Throw. Charcoal managed to duck out of the way of most of the rocks, but one of them struck him in the stomach. Charcoal tumbled backwards, but quickly got back up, panting slightly.
"Come on, Charcoal! You can finish it. Use Fire Fang!"
Charcoal's mouth becomes covered in flames and bites down on Clefairy's head, it's body becomes surrounded in red-orange fire for a small amount of time. Clefairy layed on the floor unconscious.
"No way!" Whitney pouted as she withdrew her Clefairy. She looked just about to cry, but then she apparently remembered that she had another Pokémon left. "Well, you're pretty capable in battle. Let's hope it stays that way! Go, Miltank!" she pulled out another Pokeball and hurled it forward, releasing her second Pokemon. This one resembled a pink cow, with a cream-colored belly with an udder. It also had small horns, and what looked like a black hood on its head. Angelina pulled out her Pokedex once more to scan the creature.
"Miltank, the Milk Cow Pokemon. Its milk is packed with nutrition, making it the ultimate beverage for the sick or weary. If it has just given birth, the milk is even more nutritious than usual."
Angelina puts away the Pokedex. She remembers seeing the Cow Pokemon before in the wild, but this would be her first time battling against it. Although since it's a normal type, she shouldn't have much trouble. Boy, was she in for a surprise.
"Use Slash, Charcoal!"
Whitney giggled. "Use Body Slam, Miltank!"
Charcoal lashed out with his claws, managing to strike Miltank. However, the cow Pokémon recovered and flopped forward, knocking Charcoal to the floor. As Miltank got up and dusted itself off slightly, the fire lizard collapsed in pain with squirls in its eyes.
Angelina sighed, knowing this battle wasn't over. She held out her Pokeball and recalled her Charmeleon. Then pulling out another Pokeball and throwing it out into the battlefield. "Go, Rocky!"
The boulder-like Pokemon with rock arms came out and stared at his opponent, knowing what he had to do. "Geoo-Duude," he recognized Miltank and was ready to strike at Angelina's command.
"Use Mud-Slap!" Angelina said. The rock Pokemon whipped up some mud and slapped Miltank, lowering her accuracy.
"Miltank, use Stomp!" Miltank stomped on Geodude, but it didn't do hardly any damage because Geodude was a Rock-type Pokémon.
"Ha! Rocky is my trump card! Normal Pokémon stand no chance! Use Mega Punch!" Angelina boasted. The rock Pokemon's fists glowed white and started punching Miltank with great force, confident in his own abilities.
Miltank was just about to faint when Whitney yelled out, "We're not done yet! Miltank, use Milk Drink!" Miltank Miltank bent down, and began sucking out of its udders, then lifted its head up, and let out a cry feeling very revitalized.
"W-what just happened?" Angelina asked.
"Miltank's milk is packed with nutrients. It can drink its own milk to restore its energy in battle!" Whitney explained, grinning as Angelina's eyes widened in shock. "Now, Miltank, Body Slam!"
"Dodge, and use Rock Throw!" Angelina commanded.
The cow-like Pokemon jumped up in the air again, but Geodude threw rocks at Miltank, blocking the attack and leaving a moment for the Rock-type Pokemon to perform one last attack.
"Rocky, finish it! Another Mega Punch!" Just as Rocky was about to strike the fallen Pokemon, Miltank quickly dodged the attack.
"Way to go, Miltank. Now Stomp!" Whitney cheered encouragingly.
The Milk Cow Pokemon dropped down with great speed towards Rocky, who leaped backwards in order to avoid. The impact, however, cracked the ground underneath Miltank.
Suddenly, Rocky started glowing white. Angelina feared the worst and thought her Pokemon was using Selfdestruct, but noticed it was growing bigger. It looked more bulkier, and boulder-like with four arms.
"Oh wow! What are you?" Angelina pulled out her Pokédex to look up the evolution. 'Graveler. The Rock Pokémon. With a free and uncaring nature, it doesn't mind if pieces break off while it rolls down mountains.' she closed her Pokédex. "Okay then. Rocky, use Roll Out!"
Rocky curls himself into a ball and rolls over Miltank with incredible speed and power. Then he went straight up the wall, and slammed his body right on top of her.
"Now finish with Fire Blast!"
Graveler charges forward, breathing in deeply and gathers fire in its mouth. Then it releases a blast of fire in the form of a star (or a 大 shape) and envelops the Milk Cow Pokemon. Smoldering, Milktank collapsed on her side. Her eyes swam around in her head before finally closing.
"Ugh..." Whitney gasped, falling to her knees. "I can't believe you beat me... This isn't FAIR!" then she burst into tears and ran forward to comfort her Miltank.
"I defeated you fair and square under the official Pokemon League rules," Angelina said. "You're being such a crybaby!"
"You're mean," Whitney pouted. "Go on, take the badge and go away!"
"Okay, okay!" Angelina responded, picking up the small tan-square badge and hooked it inside her jacket on the right side. Just as she was about to leave, she was shaken slightly and wondered where it was from. She looked down and gasped. It was the egg that the boy trainer gave her back at the Day Care Center! It was moving, and small cracks began to zigzag their way across the white surface.
Angelina didn't want the newborn to be hurt, she placed the egg on the floor so the Pokemon could emerge into life. Now joined by Whitney, the girls' eyes were fixated on the egg. Their eyes followed every new crack that formed, their hands held together in excitement. After a bit more shaking and cracking, a piece of the egg finally broke off. It chipped away and slid down the left side of the egg, falling to the floor. After that, a few more pieces fell, until the top was off. Whitney and Angelina stared at the opening intensely, waiting for the Pokemon to emerge. Finally, after a short period of time that seemed like a century to the girls, a small head popped up.
The head was made up of two colors. Milky white fur that surrounded a shale-grey colored face. A long appendage, sharing the color of the face, emerged from the side of the Pokemon's head, which Angelina thought was some sort of horn or something. An ovular gray shape also sat in the center of it's forehead. The Pokemon took it's first glance at life and the world as it's eyelids parted and two ice-blue eyes took in color and light for the first time. The small Pokemon let out a small yelp as the light harmed it's eyes on first impact, but then it was used to the brightness. Still confined in the shell, the infant moved it's tiny legs, breaking away more of the shell. When it finally emerged, the girls could see the whole Pokemon.
The rest of it was milky white as it's head was, from it's neck down to it's four thin legs which it used to stand. A bushy white mane stretched down from the base of it's neck as well. A grey blade-like tail emerged from it's backside, and similar colored paws and claws emerged from the bases of the Pokemon's white ankles. It sat down on the grass, feeling it's texture for the first time, and yawned. It then looked at Angelina, and cocked it's head. Angelina had been staring in awe at the Pokemon the entire time, and yet had no idea what it was. She quickly unclasped her hands from Whitneys' and into her backpack, retrieving her Pokedex and aimed the sensor at the Pokemon. The mini-computer sprung awake and the screen flashed, showing the Pokemon that sat before her.
"Absol, the Disaster Pokemon," the Pokedex said. "This dark type Pokemon is very defensive and introverted, and are very difficult to catch. In the wild, they try to stay away from trainers in fear that they will be caught." The Pokedex continued to show Absol's picure for a moment or two, and then shut off.
"Wow, a Dark Type Pokemon!" Whitney awed. "It's so cute, its no wonder they're so hard to catch! You're so lucky!"
"Yeah, I know," Angelina agreed. "But at least I got this one on it's first day being alive!" Overly excited, she reached forward and picked up the baby Absol, and brought her in front of her face. "Hi, Absol!" she said cheerfully.
Absol cocked his head again.
"I'm Angelina! I'm going to be your trainer, and friend, from now on," Angelina told the dark type. "And…. I think I'll name you…. Shadow. That okay?"
Absol stared at Angelina for a moment, and then licked Angelina's face. Angelina laughed and a look of sheer happiness spread across the Pokemon's dark face.
"This is just awesome!" Angelina said, she simply could not contain her happiness. She drew Absol close to her in a hug, and the baby Pokemon licked her again. She then turned to Whitney. "Well, I better get going. There's a lot I want to accomplish before I become Pokemon Master. I enjoyed the battle, but you shouldn't be a sore loser. Gym leaders are suppose to be proud of the trainer that challenges them for a badge. It shows how they and their Pokemon gain more experience and trust by working together."
"Okay, you got me there," Whitney said, looking shameful. "I'm sorry for getting mad at you, Angelina. I was winning gym battles for a while, I got overconfident. You really deserve the Plain Badge, you and your Pokemon battled very well."
Angelina smiled. "It's all right! Thank you. Maybe next time I'm in the area, I'll be glad to have a re-match with you."
"Sure, can't wait." Whitney said, holding out her hand. "Friends?"
"Friends!" Angelina nodded. She waved goodbye to Whitney after exchanging Poke-Gear numbers and departed from the gym, with another new Pokemon and her third Johto League badge.
Angelina carried her new Pokemon back to the Poke Center. She wasn't exactly sure why, even though she was so use to carrying eggs than baby Pokemon. Maybe it was to reimburse the feeling of unity that she felt when Shadow, her Absol, first hatched from his egg. Maybe she felt that Shadow was too young to be in a Pokeball. Maybe she just felt like carrying the newborn. For whatever reason, Shadow was not in the Pokeball. Angelina patted the infant on the head as she made her way through Goldenrod City. She had been to the Pokemon Center so many times that she could probably navigate there blindfolded. She shifted the weight of the Pokemon that was in her arms to even it out with the backpack hanging from her shoulders as she walked, and Shadow nuzzled into her chest.
It wasn't too long before the two reached the Pokemon Center. She made her way inside and approached the desk. Shifting Absol under one arm, she reached down with her free hand, unclipping her Pokeballs from her belt one by one, and placing them on the polished mahogany surface of the desk. She then grabbed Shadow with both hands and placed her on the desk as well, as well as a free Pokeball.
"All right, Shadow," Angelina started, stroking the dark type's neck, "I'm going to have to put you in a Pokeball now." Shadow nodded lightly and Angelina pointed to the free Pokeball she had placed. Shadow licked Angelina's hand before making the few inch walk to the sphere, and touched his nose to the minuscule button that sat in the middle of the crease of where the top and bottom halves of the orb met. The ball opened up in response to this, and Shadow was transformed into a shapeless haze of red light, and was sucked into the computerized interior of the sphere. The ball closed and it's reddish glow on the button faded, confirming Shadow 's capture.
Conveniently, the nurse stationed at this Poke Center emerged into view out of a swinging back door on the opposite side of the room. She walked happily over to the desk, and said with a nurse's usually brightness, "How may I help you?"
Angelina informed the nurse that she wanted her Pokemon restored, and the nurse took them while Angelina retreated toward her room for the night, awaiting the next day to earn another new gym badge.
§To Be Continued§
*This chapter title is a pun of the saying "a golden opportunity".
*DJ Fern was a radio host from Lavender Town's Radio Tower in the G/S/C games.
*Angelina's Geodude evolves into Graveler.
*Whitney throwing a temper tantrum upon defeat and refuses to give Angelina the Plain Badge refers to what happens in HeartGold and SoulSilver.
*The special egg from the Day Care hatches into an Absol, which is a rare Hoenn Pokemon in the Johto Region; Angelina names the Pokemon Shadow.
*Whitney and Angelina become friends and exchange Poke-Gear numbers.
Well, that end's chapter 11! Good or bad? I'll have chapter 12 up soon as possible. Thanks, peace out!