"Hey wake up Falkner!" I heard, but didn't move.
"Falkner…its 12:45, wake up already." Morty said jabbing me in the head.
"Ow, Morty!" I said sitting up and rubbing the side of my head.
"Honestly, that couldn't have hurt." Morty said climbing back down the ladder.
"I'm coming I'm coming."
I heard a yelp as I missed the last step of the ladder and I came crashing down.
"Are you okay Falkner?"
Oh great, all the girls had to see me fall too.
I sat up and rubbed my head. AGAIN.
"Yeah I'm fine."
I wondered who had asked me that out of all 4 girls. But then I realized only one would ask me that kind of question. Jasmine as always. I sighed and stood up.
"Jeez Falkner, Morty didn't even have to wake me up you were so loud." Rudy said yawning and stretching.
"Sorry Rudy." I said sitting down on Drake's bed.
"Ow!"
"Oh sorry Drake I didn't know you were still on your bed." I said apologetically to a very angry looking Drake.
"Obviously" He muttered and reached out for his vest.
"Hey, where's my vest?" He asked.
"You're really out of it today aren't you?" Winona said holding out his vest practically in front of his face, demanding that we get going.
He snatched the vest away.
"You didn't do anything to it did you?" Drake asked examining the vest.
Winona sighed. "No I didn't. Let's GO."
"Hold on Winona, none of us are ready yet, including yourself." Rudy said pulling on his own vest.
"What?" Winona asked, obviously oblivious to the fact that she was still wearing her pajama's.
"You aren't seriously going to go out wearing that are you?" Drake teased.
"No!" Winona said going red, turning around, and slamming the door.
Hmm. I couldn't tell if she was embarassed or angry, but I guess she was mainly angry. But she always slams the doors. I guess we'll never know.
My legs were killing me! I swear, once we get to Cherry Grove I'm going to sit all day.
Not like Winona would let me of course.
I groaned.
"What now Falkner?" Whitney asked moodily.
Nothing Whitney. I'm just groaning because I'm happy my legs are falling off!
"Nothing you'd care of Whitney." I snapped.
"Ooh Falkner's cranky today!" Flannery chimed, and started to giggle along with Whitney.
Morty rolled his eyes, and Whitney stopped, along with Flannery.
"Thanks Morty." I whispered.
"Hey, I didn't do anything but strike a pose and roll my eyes." He answered back sarcastically.
Looks like I wasn't the only moody one today.
I guess I can't blame him, since having Whitney obsessed with you is a pretty bad thing. She probably never shuts-up around him. We've known each other for like, 4 days, and I'm already sick of her. Not only her, but Flannery too, since Flannery's just like her. Rudy and Drake wise-crack too much. Especially at Me and the Chaos Twins. It stinks! I can't help it if I've never seen these things before. At least Winona makes them stop…sometimes. She's almost like my mom, just she doesn't have the safety issue. Jasmine's probably the only friend I have apart from Morty. She's really nice, but I can tell it gets on the others nerves a lot. What's so bad about being nice?
"You guys really know how to make a guy in a good mood turn sour." Rudy said clenching his fists.
"Aw, Whitney!" Flannery whined
"What Flannery?" Whitney asked stifling giggle.
"Looks like we're the only happy ones today."
"Or maybe yesterday."
"Or the whole JOURNEY!" Flannery yelled at the 4 boys.
"Shut up Flannery." Drake said his fingers in his ears.
"How RUDE!" Flannery said sarcastically.
"We should teach him a lesson in manners." Whitney said nodding.
"Stop it you two." Winona snapped.
Whitney and Flannery withdrew they're hold on Drake, which he could've easily shaken off.
I sighed again.
"I can carry your bag for you if you want…" Jasmine suggested.
"Oh, no that's okay, it's really not that heavy, and your bag…sort of is." I said awkwardly.
Jasmine laughed "Yeah I guess so."
I'm glad Falkner's kinda dim-witted, because by now he would've guessed I really liked him if he wasn't. He probably just thinks I'm being my usual self, more so to him since he's afraid of everything. But I really like him. I've liked him ever since I first met him. I was trying to reach a flower, but since I'm afraid of heights, I couldn't reach it, since it was on a ledge. I guess Falkner saw that I was afraid, so he offered to get it for me. When he finally gave it to me, I thanked him, and he said that I shouldn't worry about it since height's was almost the only thing he wasn't afraid of.
I don't think he's that much of a scaredy cat, just less experienced than everyone else, since he's never gone beyond his hometown, and his mom was warning him about everything. They're family became the "broken" family in the community ever since Falkner's dad died from a stantler stampede.
My bag was heavy because I had a rock pokemon captured by a heavy ball in my bag. It was an Onix. I was hoping I could evolve it into a Steelix later on.
Steel pokemon are my favorite. Ever since I saw Falkner's mom's Skarmory.
It would be terrible if Falkner knew that I liked him more than a friend. I'd probably become a Whitney figure in his eyes if he did. Well, sort of like Whitney to Morty.
"Hey Jazz, something on your mind?" Winona asked.
Jazz is my nickname. Only Winona uses it though and she rarely uses it anyway. Once Rudy tried it out, and I got really mad. Nobody but Winona's tried it since.
I guess it's because I'm always so quiet and nice, that when I got mad, everybody got a little freaked out. Even Drake! Talk about a hidden power.
"Jazz?" Winona asked waving a hand in front of my face.
"Oh, sorry." I said. My habit. Getting so caught up in my thoughts I forget about everything else. Even Flannery says she notices it, and I hardly even know her out of the rest of the group. Drake, never really inquires toward me. It's usually Rudy, or Winona.
Winona says I should stop playing Matchmaker and be the matchmakee. Yeah right. She only says that because she's the only one I've ever told that I have a crush on Falkner. Winona says that she thinks Drake has a thing for her, since she's the only person he tries not to get mad at, and talks to the most. I agree, so sometimes, before I go to sleep, I make up wild matchmaking ideas, that would never work. I mean, he's Drake! He just isn't the social type. I think the only people in this group that actually talk, are Whitney and Flannery. Although Falkner does say stuff when he gets scared. I wish I could be the one to snap him out of it. It's always Morty, who's able to get him places he doesn't want to go. Then again, Rudy is pretty clumsy, and tries to cover it up with lot's of babbling.
"Hey, let's go check out that patch of grass!" Whitney said and ran over.
I stole a glance at Falkner who, as usual looked deathly pale.
"Come on Falkner!" Morty called running over too.
Falkner stood his ground
"Come on." I said gently, taking his hand and softly pulling his hand.
He finally moved.
The magic touch I thought smiling.
I guess he thought I was smiling at him, cause he smiled back. But I guess I was…
When we got into the grass, Falkner wouldn't let go of my hand. I giggled, and he blushed.
"Don't worry about it Falkner." I said walking over to Winona.
Winona laughed at the sight, making Falkner redder than before.
"Hey look a Pidgey!" He said, and he let go of my hand to go check it out.
I smiled, and walked over.
The pidgey looked really small, and apparently it was too scared to move.
I sat down in front of the pidgey and held out my hand and waited patiently.
Eventually the pidgey hobbled over and pecked my hand gently.
I stroked it gently, and it hopped onto my hand.
I laughed, and showed Falkner.
"I love bird pokemon!" He said.
"Is that why your not afraid of heights?" I asked as the pidgey hopped over to him.
"Yeah." He said.
"Hey little guy, wanna come with us?" Falkner asked as the pidgey chirped happily.
"Your friendly." I said laughing and holding out my finger.
"Why don't you keep her Falkner. You don't have any pokemon yet right?" I asked
"No, I don't, except my dad's skarmory…and…I don't really know how to control it…" he answered sheepishly.
The pidgey flew back over to him a cooed.
I laughed and said "Maybe now you won't be as afraid of the grass?"
"Maybe." He said blushing.
"Hey, Rudy!" I said cheerfully.
"What do you want?" He asked.
Wow. Mr. Not nice today much? This guys seriously needs to learn how to treat girls nicely. But then again, he never did really like people that were younger than him. Me, Jasmine, and Falkner to be exact.
I sighed "You need to be nicer Rudy. I just said hi." I snapped.
"Why should I be nicer. You're not being any nicer." He replied, walking through a patch of grass.
"Hey look some exxecute!" He exclaimed.
"You should catch it." I said. "You don't have any other pokemon do you?"
He blushed and said "Yeah so what's it to you?"
"Here, you can borrow Meg." I said holding out Meg's pokeball.
He sighed and snatched the pokeball.
"Go Meg." He said lazily, and opened the pokeball.
He had SOME nerve! Just because it wasn't his pokemon, but mine, which I generously offered, he had to act like it was some regular pokemon you'd find on the streets. Meg was special! You could only find her kind in Hoenn! I grumbled as he captured the Execute.
"Thanks for the help" Rudy said lazily tossing Meg's pokeball back too me.
I was BOILING! He was so annoying! The world doesn't revolve around you, you, you-
Of course I didn't have time to continue.
"Flaaaaanneryyyy!"
"What!" I said pushing my way back through the grass.
"Look! Falkner actually caught something!" Whitney said pointing to Falkner who was standing with a pidgey on his shoulder.
"Cool!" I said, trying my best to sound as chirpy as I usually did.
My fire was always extinguished whenever Rudy was around. He was so full of himself!
Thankfully Whitney was too amazed by the fact that Falkner didn't run away screaming and Falkner too busy getting angry at Whitney, to notice that I was still angry.
I don't know why, but even though he gets me so mad, I still help him out. Maybe it's because I used to see him so much when our grandparents would get together to write pokemon poetry. We used to have to accompany them, and Rudy and I would always sneak off to do something less boring, but he's so uptight now.
"Alright gang! Let's hit the road!" Winona's voice yelled through the grass.
As I stepped out of the grass I put on my happy face, and decided not to worry about that oaf.
"I'm soooo tired Winona, can't we stop?" Whitney moaned as she trudged alongside me.
"No Whitney, one more mile, then we'll stop how many times do I have to tell you?" Winona snapped.
"Until we get there, you best start talkin." Whitney grumbled, so I was the only one who could hear.
I laughed at Whitney's remark, finally in a better mood.
"You know Winona, I think we're going to have to bunk in the forest." Jasmine said pointing ahead of them to a small forest.
"Yeah I think so. We'll find a clearing, then turn in." Winona said shoving her bag higher on her shoulders.
"Thank goodness!" Whitney cried.
"You shouldn't complain so much Whitney. We'll never get there if we stop each time you ask." Morty said as he passed us.
Of course, Morty was the one who could stop her. Not that Whitney wasn't still grumbling to me, but at least she wasn't voicing it out for everyone to hear.
"You know, I think I see a clearing up there." Rudy said squinting his eyes.
"Either that or your going as blind as your grandpa…" I muttered.
"Hey, Rudy's right for once." Drake said behind me making me jump.
I totally forgot that we weren't in the very back, due to Whitney's lagging. Falkner was lagging just as much, and Morty had most of the gear, so he always went ahead. I guess it was Drake's turn to stay behind for Falkner.
"Come on Whitney, we're almost there, the faster we get there the faster we get off this godforsaken pathway." I said cheerfully as Whitney ran behind me.
"Heey wait up!" Falkner whined.
As we all rolled out our sleeping bags, I pulled out my ponytail, as Whitney pulled out her pigtails. Jasmine and Winona let their hair down too. Since so far, this journey had lasted only 2 days, we hadn't really gotten to know all the others, which is probably why we were all getting on each others nerves. We had stayed in the town next to the border of Hoenn and Johto, since we were all from those two regions. Well, Rudy and Drake were from the Orange Islands, but they were visiting the Johto region anyway. I forgot that none of the guys had ever seen any of our hair down, and apparently, they had forgotten that too. Rudy apparently didn't look up like all the others, and when he did he froze for second.
"Sorry, you guys just don't look like…you guys when your hairs down." He said simply sliding into his sleeping bag.
"No offense meant." Morty completed for him as Rudy was getting daggers from all four of us.
"Well, what was that supposed to mean?" I snapped.
"That you just don't look like you when your hair is down." Falkner replied.
"We noticed that." Whitney said sourly.
"What we mean is, is that supposed to be a good thing, or a bad thing?" Winona said in her most dangerous voice.
Each of the guys said something different.
Morty said that it made no difference, Falkner that it was a good thing obviously afraid of what Winona would do, Rudy snorted and said why should he care, and Drake simply said a bad thing.
Big mistake for Drake.
"You insolent little-" Winona started getting up to bash Drake in the face, as Jasmine pulled her back.
"Not like you guys ever look good yourself." Whitney snapped, mainly at Rudy who was already half asleep.
Morty pulled off his headband and said "Whatever, we should all get some sleep and forget about this hair issue." He tossed the headband onto the ground and he pulled the sleeping bag covers over himself, Falkner and Drake doing the same. Whitney, already sitting in her sleeping bag laid back and fell asleep instantly.
Winona said she'd take a walk to calm down, and Jasmine decided to warm up next to the fire we'd built.
I didn't know what I wanted to do. Part of me was exhausted, but part of me was wide-awake. I decided to side with my tired side and laid my head on the sleeping bag pillow.
I couldn't get to sleep for awhile so I decided to see what I thought about everyone.
Lets see, Morty's okay, He's really nice and all, but he's sorta weird. But at least he doesn't badger us with his…beliefs. Falkner's actually cool when he's not freaked out by everything. I hope his pidgey isn't a pansy too. But then again, it is just a baby, so I can't blame the pidgey, but as for Falkner…he's eleven for crying out loud. Talk about a Mama's boy. Drake…I've never really paid attention to that guy. He's like, invisible to me, and I, him. Not that it matters, I mean, he's so…different. Like he'll give you the cold shoulder after a few days or something. I'm amazed that Winona hasn't driven him insane, since he's so used to doing things his way. And while we're on Winona…she's like a mom now. I don't understand it. She always has to make sure we brush our teeth and crap like that. Like she's a responsible mom, and Drakes, the dad who drinks beer all day. Actually I can't see him ever drinking…At least Whitney, though she complains a lot, is actually human like. She's not a robot who does anybody's bidding like Jasmine. And when I'm around Jasmine, I just feel like sleeping you know? It's like she's a jigglypuff with a song we can't hear. Speaking of sleeping….