Chapter 17: Miltank and Mishaps
The Ecruteak City Theater was the town's most well known performing arts building. It was established about 500 years ago, when kabuki performers wanted to put on shows for their audiences during hard times and perform ceremonies worshipping pokemon. It has since been preserved throughout the centuries, and people continue to perform in there as though things had never changed. Noh plays, kabuki plays, regular plays, musicals, concerts for up and coming bands, comedy shows, singing, etc. It wasn't very large, and could only hold about fifty people at full capacity.
On the way to the theater, Perrine palavered on and on about the Kimono Girls. All of them are descended from the people who built Tin and Brass Tower as a way to show the harmony between pokemon and people, working together with pokemon to create a peaceful world. Before Brass Tower was burned down, that is. All the daughters were expected to perform certain dances and rituals in order to worship pokemon. There have been some girls who went off to fulfill their own dreams, such as being a doctor, lawyer, video game developer, writer, cartoonist, etc., so it wasn't as though they weren't allowed to pursue their own desires.
"I met one named Zuki back when I was in Violet City," Julia piped in as Hikaru sat on her shoulder, basking in the milky morning light. "She was really nice."
"Zuki's my favorite!" Perrine exclaimed, stopping in her tracks. Her blue eyes twinkled as though the sun had reflected off the ocean, turning it into a pool of liquid amber. "She's elegant, swift, and a great pokemon battler, too! She has an umbreon as her signature pokemon, and she always has the prettiest kimonos!"
"I heard they all use evolved forms of eevee," Caiseal added as he wrote a word in a crossword puzzle book he was carrying. "Is that true?"
"Yep!" Perrine nodded, confirming his theory. She held up her fingers and counted them. "Naoko has an espeon, Zuki has an umbreon, Sayo has a jolteon, Kuni has a vaporeon, and Miki has a flareon! I hear there's supposed to be three more Kimono Girls joining them in a few more years, though."
Julia found herself lost in thought. As far as she knew, eevee could evolve into eight different pokemon. She wondered what Lucretia would want to evolve into. The rambunctious flareon? The gentle vaporeon? The swift jolteon? The elegant espeon? The mystical umbreon? Thinking about it made her heart pound in her chest somewhat. But in the end, she knew it had to be Lucretia's decision. If she wanted her to evolve into something like a vaporeon, Lucretia might decide she may want to be a jolteon instead. In her mind, a good trainer always respected their pokemon's decisions, except extreme ones.
"I can't wait to see them perform again!" Perrine exclaimed cheerfully, spinning around on the street. Her brown skirt came alive as she spun like a top. Kitsune did the same, spinning on one of her back paws to imitate her trainer's dancing.
"Vuuuulpix!" ("Dancing exemplifies elegance!") Kitsune chimed in. Even Florian joined in, standing on his back legs, waving his leaf around in a circle.
"Chiko chikori!" ("Kitsune! Wanna dance with me?") When he stopped spinning, he offered his leaf out to Kitsune. With a smile, she put her paw on his leaf, and the two four-legged pokemon danced as though they were in a fancy ballroom, performing a clumsy little waltz. The kids couldn't hold back laughter, watching the two pokemon play pretend dance.
Caiseal stared at the blue sky with an ambivalent expression, his hazel eyes watching the clouds, lost in thought. "I saw them dance before. I thought it was kinda boring," He mused.
The orange haired girl crossed her arms and looked away. "You don't have any appreciation for the art of dance, now do you?" Perrine retorted. "Oh well. I suppose everyone has their preferences."
"Now now," Julia held both hands out. "It's not nice to make fun of what people like or dislike."
"Yeah." Caiseal nodded toward Julia in agreement. "What she said."
"Pichu?" All of a sudden, Hikaru's ears stood up with a twitch.
Julia turned in her shiny friend's direction. "What's wrong, Hikaru?"
"Pichu pichu!" ("I hear shouting over there!") Hikaru pointed to the theater in the distance. Florian and Kitsune, hearing the shouting also, stopped their pretend dancing and listened carefully. The kids did the same. Hikaru was right. Shrill cries echoed in the distance, and they came from the theater.
"Let's go check it out," Perrine suggested. Everyone nodded in agreement and ran over to the scene.
As they approached the theater entrance, they stopped in their tracks. A woman stood in between a red and yellow pokemon and Yannick, who aimed his whip right at her, staring her down with an icy stare. The kids' mouths fell open. They had seen him and Margeaux get arrested. He escaped again? How did he do it? The woman's black hair was tied into a Mt. Silver style with PokeBall shaped accessories holding it up. Her bright red kimono had yellow and orange flames embroidered all over it, with a crimson obi wrapped around her waist. The pokemon behind her was a fluffy red feline with a large tuft of pale yellow fur wrapped around its neck, matching its tail and the tuft on its head.
"I have said it before and I will say it again!" The kimono girl exclaimed, her voice cool and collected, yet still had an air of elegance about it. "You will not steal my flareon, and that is final!"
"Flare!" Flareon howled, coughing out a red hot flame as a warning to stay away from its trainer.
Caiseal held up his PokeDex, holding it over the flareon. "Flareon, the flame pokemon," Julia wondered why the PokeDex didn't call flareon a fiery cat. It looked nothing like a flame. Flames didn't have ears, eyes, mouths, or four legs. "And one of eight evolved forms of eevee, only available through use of a Fire Stone. It has a flame chamber inside its body, and if it stores enough thermal energy, its body temperature can soar up to over 1,600 degrees fahrenheit. The flames it expels can reach up to 3,000 degrees, capable of causing fatal fourth degree burns upon contact. Flareon's fluffy fur has a functional purpose-it releases heat into the air so that its body does not get excessively hot."
"Give it up, lady!" Yannick roared, cracking his whip at the woman. She was able to evade it by stepping back. "Your flareon is mine or else!"
The woman balled her free fist and pointed her green fan at Yannick in an authoritative stance. "Flareon, drive him away with Fire Spin!"
"Flaaaaaaare!" With a shrill cry, flareon expelled a spiraling tornado of flames at the Team Rocket grunt. Oddly enough, the white clad man wasn't fazed. He pulled out a machine and pressed a red button. A glowing dome appeared, shielding him from the flames. Soon, both the flames and the dome dispersed. Yannick's lips curled upward, sporting a smile that looked as though it belonged to a psychopath.
"Machoke. Come forth," Yannick threw a PokeBall in the woman's direction. The capsule opened, shooting out a white light that took the shake of a grey skinned, muscular humanoid wearing only a black speedo and a shiny gold wrestling belt. It's bulging arms had bloody red stripes going across them vertically in threes, and protruding from its head were light grey horns. It's red eyes gleamed like those of a wild beast on the hunt for its prey, fitting for its reptilian face.
"Machoooooke!"
Caiseal pointed the PokeDex at the grey pokemon. "Machoke, the superpower pokemon, and the evolved form of Machop. Since machoke have enough strength to lift a giant truck in the air with one hand, they are often used by humans to handle extremely heavy work. They are usually modest in nature, and the belt around its waist modulates their strength to prevent it from going out of control. Machoke undertakes bodybuilding every day even as it helps people with tough, physically demanding labor. On its days off, this Pokémon heads to the fields and mountains to exercise and train. Machoke's thoroughly toned muscles possess the hardness of steel. This Pokémon has so much strength, it can easily hold aloft a sumo wrestler on just one finger. Its muscles become thicker after every battle."
It was at this time that Florian stopped to observe the scene. Flareon hissed at the towering grey pokemon, unafraid, the fur on its neck and tail standing straight up. Yannick cracked his whip. "Machoke! Use Seismic Toss!"
"Hey! Florian!" All of a sudden, the little chikorita suddenly whipped his leaf in a circular motion. "Chiiiiko!" ("Leave them alone!") Sharp, crescent shaped leaves flew right at the muscular pokemon, hitting him straight on the torso. The sharp leaves left small cuts on his abs, and the pain made the machoke take two steps back as he winced. Perrine's mouth fell agape. Florian just went and saved that woman and her pokemon. Florian turned to her with red eyes gleaming, as though to say, "I want to help them!"
There was no way she could refuse to let Florian stand up for what was right. She would do the same. With a nod, she and Caiseal stepped into the fray. "So you escaped from jail again, huh?!" Perrine yelped, with Florian adopting a battle stance. "Can't you take a hint?"
Silently, Julia approached the woman and whispered, "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Thank you. I'm Miki," The woman replied in a soft, dulcet voice. Julia couldn't help but notice it had a slightly mature tone to it.
"I'll call the police. You and flareon stay inside, if you want," Julia already had her PokeGear out and ready.
"I appreciate it, but I'd like to battle alongside your friends."
Flareon shared her sentiment and stood right next to Florian with the exact same battle stance as before. Julia went inside to call the police so as to avoid trouble. Caiseal had already sent out his oddish, Viole. "Tch! You kids won't stop getting in my way, now will you? Machoke, beat them bloody!" Yannick shouted.
Shivers of ice ran through both of their spines. He said that command as though he wanted his machoke to kill them with his bare fists. Before machoke could land a punch, vines shot out from Florian's neck, coiling right around the machoke's arm. "Viole, use Stun Spore!" With a nod, the little oddish waved his leaves back and forth like a fan, causing a gold cloud of sparkling dust to billow out in front of the machoke. With his free hand, the machoke covered his mouth.
"Use Low Kick!" On Yannick's command, the muscular pokemon stuck his foot out, swiping at Florian and Viole, sending them rolling on the ground. The force was strong enough to cause Florian to release the machoke.
"Chiko!" But the little chikorita stood right back on his feet. Hikaru ran over to help Viole up.
"Pichu pichu?" ("Are you okay, Viole?")
"Odd odd oddish!" ("No. My legs hurt and it's that machoke's fault!") Viole snapped.
"Disarming Voice, Hikaru!" A spiral of pink hearts and circles shot right out from Hikaru's mouth, hitting the machoke right on the face.
"Karate Chop!"
"Reflect!"
Florian's leaf glowed in a white light as the machoke came sprinting at him with a fist. A glass panel suddenly materialized in between them. Machoke's fist made contact, pressing onto the glass, unable to break through. "Push him away!" Perrine yelled. With a shrill cry, Florian threw himself and the glass panel at machoke, making him stumble backward three steps.
"Quick Attack, Flareon!" Miki cried, holding her fan up in the air. Flareon was enveloped in a white light as the red feline threw himself at machoke once more, knocking him to the ground.
"Caiseal! Go inside and see if anyone's in there!" Perrine shouted. "If so, protect them at all costs!"
"You got it!" Caiseal made a mad dash for the theater, hoping nobody inside was hurt. Viole followed suit, covering Caiseal's rear.
All of a sudden, a shadow loomed over Perrine. She was quick to look up, but fear seized her. Yannick towered over her, with his whip ready to pierce her skin. Florian saw him coming and his red eyes flared up with determination. "Chiko chiko chikoooooo!" ("You are NOT gonna hurt my trainer, you brute!") With great force, the tiny chikorita sprinted toward Yannick and headbutted him, sending him rolling on the concrete. His whip fell right out of his hand, but this didn't stop him from getting on his knees.
"You little rat!" Yannick growled, his eyes seething with rage. "Machoke! Kill it!"
"No!" Perrine yelped.
"Chikoooooo!" It happened right then and there. A white light consumed Florian from leaf to toe, blinding everyone within his vicinity. Even machoke had to cover his eyes. Florian suddenly grew in size, growing to reach Perrine's height, possibly taller. His legs grew longer and bigger, his neck grew longer, the dots on his neck grew outward, and a hole was in the leaf on his head. Finally, the light dissipated, and out came a new Florian. Florian was now a dinosaur-like creature about Perrine's size, with large, curled up leaves circling his neck. His red eyes grew bigger, and a piece of his leaf was cut off, shaped like a circle. Other than that, he didn't look too different from before. "Baaaaye!" Not even his comically squeaky voice changed.
"Florian! You evolved!" Overcome with joy, Perrine leaped on her friend's neck and nuzzled him sweetly. Florian returned the gesture by rubbing his head against hers.
Julia pulled out her PokeDex this time. "Bayleef, the leaf pokemon, and the evolved form of chikorita. Bayleef's neck is ringed by curled-up leaves. Inside each tubular leaf is a small shoot of a tree. The fragrance of each shoot is spicy, and said aroma is a stimulant proven to restore health and energy, energizing people to the point of perking them up and making them want to fight. Over the years, many doctors have used Bayleef's fragrant shoots as medicine for patients with ailments such as depression, fatigue, stress-related ailments, and exhaustion. They are typically found in grasslands with lots of water. Male bayleef exude strong, spicy scents, whereas female bayleef give off bitter and natural aromas. As of recent years, bayleef have been used as therapy pokemon for their healing properties and affectionate, docile nature."
"My," Miki held her fan to her mouth, feigning surprise, hiding her smile. "What an excellent turn of events."
"Awesome!" Julia jumped up once.
Yannick let out a grunt before hissing, "So your weak pokemon evolved. Big deal. Machoke, use Submission!"
"Fire Spin!"
"Razor Leaf!"
"Thundershock!"
A lightning bolt, a spiral of fire, and a barrage of sharp leaves bombarded the helpless machoke before he could roll into a fetal position. A cloud of smoke exploded throughout the area, making it hard to see. All of a sudden, small rockets shot out from the black backpack on Yannick's back, spitting fire, pulling the white clad man into the sky.
"No!" Miki was the first to get out of the smoke cloud, watching helplessly as Yannick flew into the sky. Sirens wailed in the distance, and flareon could see ghostly red and blue lights flashing, coming their way.
Perrine called Fukuro out of his PokeBall. "Fukuro! Blow all this smoke away!" With a nod, the noctowl flapped his wings vigorously, blowing the smoke into nothing.
When the police came, Miki and the kids told them what happened. It had started when Yannick suddenly barged into the theater, demanding that everyone inside hand over their pokemon. Miki and her flareon had held them off and tossed them outside, but he wouldn't give up. The rest was history. Once they finished, the police scurried off in their police cars to search for the escaped grunt. The good news was that nobody was hurt.
Miki gave the children a polite bow. Her flareon did the same. "I must thank you all for coming to my aid," She told them in a low but dulcet voice. "You displayed such courage in that battle."
"It's nothing, really," Perrine scratched her orange hair. Florian just flashed a big smile and squeaked, "Bay bay!"
"We're just glad you and everyone else is okay," Julia said as Hikaru hopped on her shoulder.
"We've dealt with that guy before," Caiseal explained. "Still," He put a hand on his chin, losing himself in his thoughts. "This is the second time he's escaped from jail. How did he get out?"
"Beats me," Julia added.
"By the way," Perrine suddenly took one of Miki's hands into her arm. "I'm such a huge fan of your work!" Her blue eyes sparkled like sunlight reflecting off the ocean, brimming with overflowing joy. "I love you and your sisters!"
Miki's cheeks developed some pink spots. "My, I'm glad to hear it."
"Is it true you guys perform here? We came here so we could watch one of your shows!"
"That's sweet of you," Miki told her kindly. "Unfortunately, my sisters and I won't be performing until another week or so."
"A week?!" The three kids exclaimed in perfect unison.
"Next Tuesday to be exact," Miki explained, giving an apologetic bow. Julia couldn't help but be happy that she gave them an exact date. "Ecruteak is going to hold its annual Pokemon Celebration Festival that day, and we perform in the theater so as to show the bond we humans share with pokemon," Miki dug through the pockets of her kimono and pulled out some brochures. There were exactly three of them, all having pictures of large bird pokemon painted on them. "You can watch us then. I'm only here right now to make sure preparations are in order."
Before any of them could answer, Perrine suddenly shouted, "We will! Definitely!" Caiseal and Julia looked at each other, raising eyebrows. Miki smiled, waved goodbye to them, and returned to the theater. With that, the kids returned to the Pokemon Center.
"We're seriously staying here for a week?!" Caiseal yelped, cradling Viole in his arms. "That'll take forever! I wanna go to Olivine and beat Jasmine already!"
Perrine held up an index finger and said, "There's more to life than gym battles, Caiseal. They say good things come to those who wait, and I'm gonna wait patiently," Julia begged to differ. She could see Perrine kicking her legs up and down, back and forth, like she would when she was impatient during class.
"I don't mind staying a while," Julia told him as she pulled one of her shoes off. A pebble came bouncing right out, falling onto the tile floor. "I haven't been to a festival like this in a while. They have lots of goodies you can't buy anywhere else! Besides," Julia explained, putting her shoe back on. "It's not like we need to rush into things. We can battle the gyms whenever, right?"
The blonde boy let out a sigh. "You do raise a good point," Caiseal said, brushing some hair out of his face.
"Yeeek!" Perrine squealed, shaking her fists up and down. "I wonder if Meiko will be there?! She was a Kimono Girl before she retired! She writes my absolute favorite novel series, The Jammin' Ninja!" The orange haired girl was practically glowing. Julia had to look away, as the sight of Perrine's overflowing happiness was just too overwhelming. But she was happy for her, so she figured she might as well bear with it. Besides, maybe the festival will be fun. The extra time will give them more chances to do some training with their pokemon.
All throughout the week, the kids tried to pass the time so Perrine would see her favorite Kimono Girls perform. Pokemon training, walking around the city, shopping, playing games, there was a lot to do. Gradually, signs of the festival began to appear. People began setting up stands for whatever they were selling. Dolls, toys, food, clothes, etc. Bird shaped paper lanterns dotted the city, tied together with strings circling all over, lit with small candle flames contained in glass containers so the paper wouldn't catch on fire. People were on the streets dancing or rehearsing comedy acts. Pokemon were performing stunts, like jumping through a hoop, acting out little skits, etc.
Finally, the day arrived, and the whole town was abuzz with activity. The first thing the kids did was go to the theater, since Perrine was itching to see the Kimono Girls in their natural habitat. The kids found themselves awestruck as they watched the Kimono Girls perform. Elegant, fluid motions in perfect unison, waving their fans, holding up their umbrellas, tapping their geta sandals against the wooden stage floor...in a way, it was a sight to behold. But for others, it was as common as night and day. Perrine's starstruck eyes were glued to the stage, watching the girls dance with unparalleled elegance.
The rest of the festival proved to be quite fun, too. But there was one thing Julia wanted to remind everyone. "Guys! Don't spend all your money here, okay? We need it for our travels!" Julia told them. Her parents had drilled it into her that she shouldn't spend all her money all at once. Sometimes it was good to save it in case of emergencies. Although Julia was far away from her parents right now, she still felt as though their rules had a tight grasp on her, refusing to let her go.
"Aww, don't worry about it!" Perrine brushed off her worries. "For times like this, it's okay to shop til you drop!" Julia couldn't believe what Perrine had already bought. Pokemon dolls in ninja costumes, books about ninjas, magazines with gym leaders on them, a beige hat with droopy white feathers on it, and volume five of The Jammin' Ninja series.
Julia wished she could go crazy with spending her money. In fact, there was so much she wanted to buy. Then again...she still had plenty of food and potions to last her until the next town, and she still had a lot in her bank account. Perhaps it wouldn't hurt to buy some things for herself. Caiseal had already bought himself a plastic cup full of karaage chicken.
"Hey Jules!" Caiseal exclaimed. "Have you ever had this before?"
Julia shook her head. Hikaru did the same.
He dunked his hand in there, pulled a piece out, and handed it to her. "Want to try one? They're really good!" Ravenclaw helped herself to some pieces, picking them up with her beak. "They're just chicken." Shyly, Julia took a piece and threw it in her mouth.
Caiseal was right. It was just regular chicken rolled into little balls. It didn't taste any different from the chicken nuggets she would get at the fast food places sometimes. It was hot, but not so hot that it would burn her tongue and make her want to spit it out. "Wow! This IS good!" She took a piece and handed it to Hikaru. "Want one?"
"Pichu!" Hikaru didn't hesitate in trying a piece for herself.
"Ledy!" Even Ladybug tried a piece out.
"You can eat these cold, too," Caiseal said.
Soon, the festival came to an end, and the kids returned to the Pokemon Center. But not before they stopped at the mart to stock up on much needed food, money, and other supplies on the trip to Olivine. The only thing they didn't count on was just how long the trip between Ecruteak and Olivine City would turn out. The minute they stepped on the grassy path called Route 38, they could see the green grass reaching far out into the horizon, to the point where it almost touched the grey sky.
"Wow," Julia said out loud. Ladybug sat on her head, watching the grass spread out before them. "It seems like this path goes on forever and ever."
"Ledy…" ("You said it…") Ladybug agreed.
"How far is Olivine from here again?" Perrine asked, stopping to pull a pebble out of her shoe. "And how long have we been on the road?"
"I'll check," Caiseal pulled out his PokeGear and pulled up time. It read 11:30 AM. "Whoa! We've been on the road for almost two and a half hours now!" He pulled up the map function. "Let's see here...from here to Olivine…" He whispered as he messed with his PokeGear. All of a sudden, his eyes became huge, and he couldn't stop himself from shouting, "TEN DAYS ON FOOT?!"
Julia's hands flew to her ears. "Huh?!"
"Ledy?"
"By car, going from Ecruteak to Olivine takes about six hours," Caiseal said. "According to this, anyway. On foot, it takes ten whole days!" He showed the girls his PokeGear to prove it. "See? Worst of all, there aren't any Pokemon Centers or rest stops for another two days!"
To say the girls were shocked was an understatement. Immediately, grim thoughts on their current travels ran through their mind. They only stocked up on enough food to last one day. How were they going to eat? There were berry trees, and humans could eat oran and pecha berries if they could, but they were sure that would only go so far. How would they change clothes, go to the bathroom, take showers, or do laundry? Money wouldn't be an issue, since they had plenty of it on them, but it was useless if there weren't any places where they could put it to good use.
"So...should we go back?" Julia suggested, struggling to think of what to do. They could ask for a taxi to drive them there. But she wasn't sure if taxis would drive them that far, and as far as she knew, taxis could only be used in the cities, not someplace far away. Going to an airport was another option she had in mind, but Ecruteak didn't have one. Not only that, plane ticket prices were high, and they'd have to store their luggage and pokemon someplace else. Julia really didn't want to be separated from her pokemon no matter what.
"No," Caiseal replied. "We're too far away. I bought some tents and sleeping bags, so we should be fine in terms of shelter," He explained, tapping his large backpack. "As for food, we'll have to save what we have for now. If we can't eat what we have, we might as well eat the berries that come from the trees."
The kids were already back to walking on the dirt path when Perrine said, "You sound like you've done this before, Caiseal."
"That's because I have," The blonde boy straightened his backpack a little bit. "I lived on the streets for about two weeks once."
Julia couldn't resist the urge to ask, "You were homeless?!"
Both kids' eyes widened when she asked the question. It was a good thing nobody else was there, so the other kids felt no need to tell her that she shouldn't shout things like that. Even so, the way she asked it made Caiseal feel like he was being patronized. Then again, that wasn't her fault. He never told them, and never wanted to until now. "Yeah. I was. I don't like to talk about it. Let's just focus on getting to Olivine and making the most of this. We can stop every now and again, but our breaks have to be short if we're gonna get there. Capice?"
"Capice," Julia and Perrine said in unison. Neither girl pressed further after that.
All throughout the journey, the kids walked until their feet hurt, stopping to rest for a while, feed the pokemon, let them play, and breathe in some fresh air. But they still made it a priority to at least take most of the time walking. Already, Julia hated the fact that she couldn't do her business in a real bathroom, with toilet paper and flushing. Neither did Caiseal and Perrine. She wished she had taken the time to buy some toilet paper, or even those portable paper toilets she saw on TV once. Doing her business in the weeds, outside, and frozen with fear that someone might see her, easily topped Mrs. Amoretto's abuse in her personal worst experiences ever.
Thus, a routine was formed. Wake up, walk, take a food break, walk some more, take a pokemon break, walk again, and sleep when night time fell. The kids had to use river water to brush their teeth, dipping their toothbrushes in the river to moisten them, and using it to wash their mouths afterward. "Ugh!" Julia spat some water out the first night she tried it. "Gross! This water tastes like someone put mud in it!" She knew complaining wouldn't do any good or fix the situation, but it did feel good to at least let it out.
By nightfall, the kids were out like lights. Even so, Julia had terrible dreams that, oddly enough, she didn't wake up from, all of them involving what would happen if they remained in the wilderness. She pictured ferocious pokemon tearing up the tent in a rage, leaving them without shelter. Dreaming of herself doing her business in the weeds, being spotted and laughed at by naughty boys. Potential kidnappers dragging her into their cars, smashing her PokeGear, and nobody coming to save her, with no one hearing her pleas for help. Getting sick in the middle of the road, and potentially dying, without access to medicine or hospitals.
"Uuuugh…" As the morning light filtered through the tent, Julia found herself wearily awake, with her bangs shooting upward like weeds. "I need to go to the bathroom…" She whispered to herself, stealthily getting out of the tent so she wouldn't wake Perrine. Ladybug, on the other hand, heard her footsteps and followed her out.
"Ledy ledy?" ("Are you okay?") Ladybug asked.
"No. Oh!" Julia noticed a patch of tall grass just a couple feet away. "There's a good spot," The girl dashed into the grass to do her business. Ladybug kept watch for any suspicious pokemon, knowing that her trainer needed her privacy. "Uuuugh. I really wish I had bought toilet paper…" The girl mused to herself glumly. After that, she was finished.
All of a sudden, her legs gave out and she fell to her knees, feeling like pudding. Her hands crumpled the grass beneath her as she let out sobs. Drops of tears came out from her eyes. Ladybug looked up at her with a concerned look, putting a hand on her arm to console her. It didn't work. Julia's sobs gradually grew louder. "This is way too hard! I hate this! I can't stand it!"
It wasn't the journey she hated. She had already come so far. She hated the fact that she couldn't sleep in a warm bed, eat real food, take a shower, go to the bathroom in...a real bathroom, toilet paper and all. She silently chastised herself for being so naive as to think everything was going to go peachy keen for her and her friends all the time. Now, she could cry and let it all out. This way, Caiseal and Perrine wouldn't hear. She tried to bear it as best she could. She held her feelings in for their sake, so they could get through it. Complaining wouldn't get them to Olivine faster. She knew this. Still, it didn't hurt to let those feelings out once in a while.
"Sorry, Ladybug…" Julia sobbed. "I'm not a good pokemon trainer, am I?"
Ladybug simply shook her head in disagreement. "Ledy ledy!" ("Yes you are!") The red ladybug crawled up Julia's back and put her arms on her head. She seemed as though she was trying to hug her trainer. Julia appreciated the gesture, and stroke her friend's fourth arm gently with one hand.
"Thanks, little buddy," She stood up. "We better get back to the tents."
However, just as she and Ladybug turned around to head back, a hoarse, weak, mooing sound echoed in the meadow. Julia turned around to find a miltank waddling in her direction, groaning "Miiiil! Miiiiiil!" The miltank looked more like it was wobbling than walking, like it was drunk or had some kind of dementia. As soon as the miltank got close, the pink cow suddenly tripped on nothing and fell utters first on the grass.
"My goodness!" Julia ran to the miltank and held her upright. The cow's body was hot like fire. Upon closer inspection, a purple blur streaked across its nose, and the miltank breathed heavily in a labored manner. "Are you okay?!"
"Miiiil…" ("I hurt everywhere…")
A familiar scent wafted into Julia's nostrils. It came right from the miltank's mouth. Her breath smelled like honey. Immediately, her mind was in action mode. "Ladybug! Go and get six pecha berries from my bag, and hurry!" Julia commanded. Ladybug gave a sailor salute and flew back to the area to get some berries. "It'll be okay, miss miltank. We'll help you get better."
Julia hoped it wouldn't take too long, as they were in the middle of nowhere. She was sure this miltank could die if it didn't get any help soon. She thanked her lucky stars that she still had a lot of berries that Mr. Pokemon gave her, especially pecha berries. Immediately, Ladybug returned, only she brought Julia's entire bag with her. "Ledy ledy ledy ledyba!" ("I couldn't carry all the berries, so I brought your whole bag just in case.")
"Good idea! Thanks, Ladybug!" Julia rummaged through her bag and pulled out six pink pecha berries. Ladybug blushed, wondering if she deserved such praise. "Miss miltank! I got something for you! Have one!" She held it up to the miltank's mouth so she could eat it. Her stubby limbs burned like fire, and even moving them proved to be too hard. The miltank slowly ate the pecha berry, chewing it slowly. With a swallow, she finished it. However, the purple blur across her face didn't subside.
"Mil mil miiiil…" ("It still hurts…")
Julia held a hand to her chin. "Maybe one pecha berry isn't enough?" She asked herself, handing the miltank another berry. "Whoever poisoned you really did a number on you," The miltank ate a second, third, eventually sixth pecha berry. All six of them had been consumed, leaving Julia with only oran and cheri berries.
Finally, the purple blur going across the miltank's face completely faded. Her breathing became less labored, her body didn't burn like fire, and a cheerful sparkle returned to her eyes. "Miiiiil!" She perked right up, skipping happily on the grass. "Mil mil miiiil!" ("I'm all better now!")
"Glad you're okay!" As soon as Julia said that, the miltank flung its stubby arms around the girl and trapped her in a tight hug. "Ouch! You're welcome! Owowow!" Miltank got the message and let go. "So...what happened to you?"
"Ledy ledyba?" ("How'd you get poisoned?")
"Mil mil!" ("It was terrible!") Miltank began, flapping her arms up and down. "I gone stepped on a weedle three days ago and I've been terrible sick! I couldn't make no milk for my family!" Both Julia and Ladybug shivered at the explanation. Poison types were truly fearsome, indeed. "I reckon I mighta died if you din come an' save me!"
"By family do you mean miltank calves or your trainers?" Julia asked.
"Trainers," The miltank clarified.
Julia let out a sigh of relief. She sure was glad she was there to help the miltank. Suddenly, her hypersensitive ears caught a voice in the air. "Moo-Moo! Moo-Moo! Where are yooooouu?!" Two voices. They sounded like they belonged to teenaged girls a little older than she was.
Moo-Moo's ears perked up as she stood on her round hooves. "Mil mil mil!" ("It's Martina and Olivia!") Without a word, Julia took Moo-Moo by the hand and they walked in the direction where they heard the voices.
It didn't take long for them to see two girls scurrying around the path, calling for Moo-Moo. Both of them had curly dark blonde hair tied in flouncy ponytails that stretched down to their shoulders. They also had deep brown eyes and light, apricot colored skin. One of them was wearing an orange tank top, skinny white jeans, and black saddle shoes, whereas the other one was wearing an unbuttoned white shirt over a light blue tank top, tiny black jean shorts, and beige sandals with red thongs. Whenever they cried Moo-Moo's name, their voices screamed desperation.
"Moo-Moo! Come back, please!"
"Oh Arceus, I hope she isn't dead!"
Once she got close enough, Julia exclaimed, "Excuse me! Is this your miltank by any chance?" The two girls whipped their heads around, their ponytails swishing in a circular motion as they laid their relieved eyes on Moo-Moo. Immediately, the desperation in their brown eyes morphed into relief and joy.
"MOO-MOO!" Both girls leaped onto the miltank and hugged her. "We're so glad you're okay!" The girl in the sandals looked up at Julia, her brown eyes overflowing with gratitude. "Thank you so so so so much for finding our miltank!"
"No problem," Julia replied, focusing her gaze only on Moo-Moo.
"Oh my gosh!" The girl in the orange tank top exclaimed. "Moo-Moo, you're not sick anymore! See that, Olivia?"
Olivia examined Moo-Moo. Her sister was right. Moo-Moo no longer looked tired, nor was her breathing labored. "You're right, Martina!"
"Uhh…" Julia interrupted. "I gave her six pecha berries," She debated whether to tell them Moo-Moo told her everything, but she figured they'd laugh at her or not believe her if she told them she could understand pokemon. With that in mind, she decided to just mention the pecha berries. Being out in the wilderness was tiring enough. Scrutiny would just add to her anxiety.
"Thanks so much!" Martina exclaimed, taking Julia's hand into her own. "We knew she was poisoned, but we ran out of antidotes, and the nearest town doesn't have a Pokemon Center," Julia was quick to take her hand out of Martina's. It felt warm, and said hand was rocky with callouses.
That was when Olivia noticed Julia's physical appearance. The young girl's clothes had spots of dirt and mud on them. Julia's hair was completely scraggly and disheveled, with the ends and her bangs standing right up, facing the sky, like it hadn't been washed in days. "You look like you haven't had a shower in a while," Olivia said.
"Hey!" Martina smacked her sister on the arm. "That's not nice!"
"It's true!"
"You're right. My friends and I are going to Olivine City," Julia told them. "But it's really far, and we've been on the road for two days now."
A light bulb flashed in Martina's head, and her hands clasped together. "Here's an idea! Our parents have a miltank farm up the road a piece!" She exclaimed in a cheerful voice. "If we ask our parents, they might let you and your friends stay a while!"
Julia looked up, glancing at Martina's chocolate brown eyes for just a brief moment. "Is...is that okay?"
"I don't see why not," Olivia added.
This time, Julia didn't hesitate. The twin girls escorted Julia to their miltank farm. Thankfully, it wasn't very far. A large, dark brown house with a bright red roof stood alone in the midst of the vast meadow, with a lighter brown shed sitting right next to it. Said shed had a bright orange roof with one window. A white picket fence kept many miltank inside, with the gate locked so no miltank could escape. Olivia was the first to get inside. Immediately, Julia's nostrils were welcomed by the warm scent of fresh bread. Another scent accompanied it as well. Garlic. Just like the garlic bread she would eat when her family would go out to her favorite restaurant, Apple Garden.
"Mom! Dad! We found Moo-Moo!" Olivia announced in a voice loud enough for the whole house to hear.
Loud, thundering footsteps raced across the first floor, with a large, slightly overweight couple racing toward the entrance. The woman's auburn hair was curly and disheveled, with some of her bangs standing right up, facing the ceiling. Her brown eyes were side with shock as soon as she laid eyes on the miltank. Same with her husband, whose head was bald, with small stands of blonde hair lined up in sideburns above his ears. Both were wearing long sleeved shirts, jean pants, and farmer's boots.
"Well, I'll be an aipom's uncle! Moo-Moo's back!" The large woman ran toward the miltank and wrapped her plump arms around her. The same with her husband.
"You had us mighty worried there, Moo-Moo dearie," The man croaked in a low, hoarse voice.
"Mil miiiiil!" Moo-Moo basked in their affection.
"Mom! Dad! This girl here saved Moo-Moo's life!" Martina exclaimed, pointing to Julia without hesitation. As soon as the girls told the whole story, both parents found themselves bewildered.
"My stars!" Their father exclaimed, bending over to get a closer look at Julia. She backed away two steps. "We owe you some mighty fine gratitude, miss...uh…"
"Julia."
"Hey! That's my grandma's name!" The woman cheered. "Oh! Sorry! We forgot to introduce ourselves! We're the Everhart family. I'm Gabrielle," She pointed to her husband with her thumb. "That's my husband, Charles, aka Charlie, and those are my twin daughters, Martina and Olivia. We have a son, too, Owen, but he's sick in bed right now," Upon getting a closer look at Julia, Gabrielle nodded to herself. "You look dead tired. If you want, you can use our shower to get yourself clean."
Shower. Clean. Hearing those words utterly destroyed any hint of hesitation she had harbored. Oh, how she yearned to be clean and use a real bathroom. "Thank you!" She wasted no time darting into the bathroom. A real bathroom! Real shampoo! Real shower water! Real soap! Never before had she yearned for such luxuries. To think she had always taken them for granted before. Best of all, a real toilet, and toilet paper! No more doing her business in the weeds! It was as though she had entered heaven. It was a good thing she brought some clean clothes with her, as she didn't want to ask them to provide some clothes for her.
By the time she got herself dressed, she had spent a whole hour in that bathroom. She did make sure to clean up any watery messes she might have made (No, not THOSE messes). Then it hit her right then and there: she forgot to call Perrine and Caiseal! They must be worried sick about her. She scrambled through her bag to pull out her PokeGear and instantly called Perrine's number. It must be confessed that she almost dropped her PokeGear twice.
"Hello?"
"Perrine! It's me, Julia!"
Caiseal suddenly cut her off and shouted, "Where the freak are you?!" His voice was so loud, Julia had to pull the phone away from her ear. Too bad it didn't stop the ringing in her ear. "Do you have any idea how worried we were about you?! We thought you got kidnapped!"
"Sorry!" Guilt creeped over her. "I had meant to call you! Honest! But I got sidetracked. I'm at a miltank ranch right now."
Thankfully, Perrine intervened this time. "That's good to hear. But I'm kinda with Caiseal on this one. We were really worried, y'know? You should tell us when you're going somewhere."
Julia took the chance to explain everything to them. Finally, Caiseal's angry worry faded as though it had never been there. "I see," Perrine chimed in. "Thanks for letting us know. Considering how antsy you've been the whole time, I can understand why you'd jump at the chance of a shower. Stay put. We'll be there as soon as we're up and ready."
"Thanks. Sorry for worrying you."
"No problem. Bye!"
Click. She turned off her PokeGear and set it in her bag as she sat down on the green living room couch. All of her pokemon-Hikaru, Ladybug, Tokiko, Saoirse, Lucretia, and Papillon-were in the kitchen, chowing down on some fresh Pokemon food that Gabrielle put out for them. Some were even leaving little crumbs on the tile floor. She thought about scolding them for it, but decided against it. They were probably hungry, tired, and yearning for time to just sit down and enjoy themselves, just like she was. In her mind, a good trainer would let her pokemon cherish the moment.
Picture frames lined the mantle over the fireplace, all of them showing Gabrielle, Charles, and their kids...along with two Julia didn't recognize. One was a plump boy a little older than the girls, with short, cropped blonde hair and small brown eyes. She could see rolls of skin peeking through the boy's clothes. The other one was a boy who looked to be older than the rest of them, with flaming red hair, skinny arms and legs like his sisters, and brown eyes that were brimming with life and vivacity. In every picture, said boy was flashing the peace sign along with a toothy smile. In one picture, a younger version of said red-haired boy, Julia figured he looked to be about nine or ten, was riding on his father's back like he was riding a ponyta. Others, he looked eight or thirteen, showed him with Olivia and Martina.
Standing up, she ambled over to the mantle to get a closer look. All of them were smiling, looking positively radiant in every family photo. It was here that Gabrielle came into the room, noticing Julia looking at the pictures with a curious look on her face. "Do you like them?"
"Who's this red haired boy?" Julia pointed to one family photo showing the whole Everhart clan.
Gabrielle got a closer look. "Oh! That's my older boy, Aldric!"
"Ulrich?"
"Naw. Aldric, with an A," Gabrielle clarified. The plump woman took the photo off the mantle and stared at it lovingly. "He's not here right now."
"Where is he?" Julia asked curiously.
"He ain't dead or nothin' like that. He joined a rock band and is on tour right now," Gabrielle explained, brushing some dust off the frame with one hand. "He turned twenty-two last week. He don't come home much 'cause his schedule's so busy, but I don't mind. He always calls or sends packages or money whenever he has the chance," She set the picture back on the mantle. "In fact, if you want, you can spend the night in his bedroom!"
"Is...is that okay?" Julia found herself going a little rigid. "I mean…"
"It's alright, dearie!" Gabrielle tapped her foot on the floor once. "I'll show you!"
As soon as that happened, Perrine and Caiseal arrived, thankful that their friend was safe. Like with Julia, the Everharts welcomed them with open arms, allowing them to use the shower and eat lunch with them. Perrine and Caiseal could definitely understand why Julia didn't call them earlier. It's hard to live in the wilderness without access to warm food or personal hygiene. They had the experience to back that up. When lunch time finished, Julia went up to Aldric's room to see what it was like.
Saying it was definitely a boy's room, and a music lover's room, would be a massive understatement. Aldric's bedroom walls were covered wall to wall with posters, much like Perrine's room, only there were more. Posters all depicting rock stars or rock bands. The Back Alley Boys. Grateful King. Eris Paisley. Jackson Michaels. Steel Women. Enlightenment. It didn't help that the walls were painted black like a murkrow's wings. A beige guitar sat on the bed, wrapped up in a red comforter. Piles of torn notebooks and papers towered on top of a mahogany desk that was covered with pencil markings and shavings. A silver boombox sat on the corner of the bedroom, right next to an empty, dark blue hamper.
"Wow...this really is a guy's room…" Julia mused to herself, examining every nook and cranny of it. Her parents always drilled it into her and Amara's heads that if they're at someone else's house, they shouldn't touch their stuff. They don't like that. The fact that Gabrielle was letting her sleep in her older son's room...something about that made her feel just a bit uncomfortable. She figured she could get used to it. After all, Gabrielle said her son was on tour, and she was only staying here for about a day.
"Snub snubbull?"
"Ledy?"
Both Saoirse and Ladybug came into the room. Julia looked down to see her two friends looking up at her. "Hey, girls!" She scooped them both into her arms. "This is one of Mrs. Everhart's kids' rooms. Remember: we have to keep our hands to ourselves," She told them. "Some people don't like it if you touch their stuff without permission, and if we break something, they'll get mad."
"Snub snub snubbull," ("I'm very careful about that stuff.")
Ladybug found herself shivering, like she was trapped in an ice room. "Ledy ledybaaaa!" ("I don't want people getting mad at meeee!")
"Hey! Do you two want to do some training out on the farm?"
The two pokemon nodded in agreement. The kids decided to occupy themselves with some pokemon training as Martina and Olivia took care of the miltank. Saoirse and Ladybug pitted themselves against each other, with Saoirse almost headbutting the red ladybug, had the latter not deflected it with a well-timed Comet Punch.
"Good job, Ladybug!" Julia stroke her friend's black antennae with a beaming smile. "You're getting better at this!"
"Snub snubbull!" ("You'll be strong in no time, my friend!")
To say Ladybug was overjoyed would be an understatement. Ladybug practically beamed. Her round eyes sparkled like morning dew. "Ledy ledy!" ("I love you guys!") Ladybug squealed, flapping her arms up and down. All of a sudden, a white light consumed Ladybug's entire being. Even Martina and Olivia stopped to watch as Ladybug grew about a foot taller. Her limbs grew a few inches longer, her face shaped itself like an oval, and her wings increased in size.
As soon as the white light dissipated, a brand new Ladybug announced her rebirth with a resounding, "Lediiii!" Now, she reached up to Julia's waist, standing on two red feet. Her antenna grew longer, bending backward, shaped like Ls. Her oval shaped eyes glistened like sapphires, and her egg shaped thorax decreased in size, now shaped like an egg. Four of her hands remained the same, white and shaped like baseballs.
"Whoa! Ladybug evolved!" Caiseal exclaimed.
Saoirse was the first to scurry over to Ladybug and wrap her stubby arms around her. Ladybug stared down at her feet and hands for a moment, eyes wide with confusion. Once she realized what happened, she beamed and hugged Saoirse back before the two started dancing playfully. "Ohhh! She's a ledian now!" Julia pulled out her PokeDex to examine her new form.
"Ledian, the five star pokemon. It is said that in lands with clean air, where the stars fill the sky, there live Ledian in countless numbers. There is a good reason for this—the Pokémon uses the light of the stars as its energy. In the daytime when it gets warm, it curls up inside a big leaf and drifts off into a deep slumber. When the stars flicker in the night sky, it flutters about, scattering a glowing powder."
"Ladybug!" Julia joined in on the hug, squeezing Saoirse and Ladybug tight like she never wanted to let go. "You evolved!" Papillon, Hikaru, Tokiko, and Lucretia joined in on the hug also. "You're so cute!"
"Ledi ledian!" ("I did it! I'm strong now!") Ladybug held two of her fists in the air.
All of a sudden, she remembered her conversation with Fuwari back at Goldenrod City. Ladybug never had any confidence in herself. She was weak, easily frightened, and wasn't sure if she could ever be a good pokemon. Julia had proved to be a kind trainer who showered her with love and affection, and didn't care that she was weak or didn't meet her expectations. To her, pokemon were her friends. It was as simple as that. Ladybug couldn't picture herself with anyone else, now that she evolved.
After that, the kids spent the night and prepared for the long trip to Olivine once more. Before leaving, Charles approached them. "Between here and Olivine is Cadmium Town. It doesn't have a Pokemon Center and isn't real big of a town, but there should be some lodging there. There's lotsa stores there, too, so you might be able to stock up on what you need there," He explained.
"Thanks," Caiseal said. "We really owe you one."
"Yeah. Thank you for letting us stay," Julia bowed before them in gratitude.
"Not at all, kids!" Gabrielle exclaimed, waving her large hands. "You saved Moo-Moo, after all. Good luck on yer travels!"
"We will!" Perrine waved at them before the kids left for Cadmium Town.
Meh, don't really like how this chapter turned out. Don't worry, guys. They'll get to Olivine City in the next chapter. Promise! Sorry if I sound kinda bummed. I should be happy since it's Thanksgiving break!
But nope! I LOST MY PRECIOUS COPY OF ALPHA SAPPHIRE! WITH ALL MY SHINIES AND RARE EVENT LEGENDARIES IN IIIIIIIIIT! Of all the games I desperately didn't want to lose, that was the absolute number one! I tore my house apart all week but it's NOWHERE! Uuuuuugh! I'm so sad! I worked so hard to fill up the PokeDex and get that Shiny Charm, too! If I lost it at school or if its in the trash forever, I'm gonna cry! Oh wait, I already am crying!
Also, I've been addicted to Super Mystery Dungeon.
Julia's Party:
Hikaru (Shiny Pichu, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thundershock, Disarming Voice, Sweet Kiss, Tail Whip
Tokiko (Togepi, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Serene Grace
Attacks: Extrasensory, Headbutt, Dazzling Gleam, Protect
Ladybug (Ledian, Female, Timid Nature)
Ability: Iron Fist
Attacks: Flash, Comet Punch, Tackle, Silver Wind
Saoirse (Snubbull, Female, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Intimidate
Attacks: Ice Fang, Bite, Lick, and Scary Face
Papillon (Butterfree, Female, Calm Nature)
Ability: Compound Eyes
Attacks: Confusion, Sleep Powder, Psybeam, Stun Spore
Lucretia (Eevee, Female, Bashful Nature)
Ability: Anticipation
Attacks: Quick Attack, Helping Hand, Bite, and Shadow Ball
Perrine's Party:
Kitsune (Vulpix, Female, Quiet Nature)
Ability: Flash Fire
Attacks: Flamethrower, Extrasensory, Confuse Ray, and Faint Attack
Florian (Chikorita, Male, Gentle Nature)
Ability: Overgrow
Attacks: Razor Leaf, Tackle, Reflect, and Poison Powder
Fuwari (Skiploom, Female, Relaxed Nature)
Ability: Leaf Guard
Attacks: Tackle, Fairy Wind, Bullet Seed, and Sleep Powder
Chirin (Flaaffy, Male, Adamant Nature)
Ability: Static
Attacks: Thundershock, Charge, Cotton Spore, and Tackle
Baloo (Jigglypuff, Female, Docile Nature)
Ability: Cute Charm
Attacks: Sing, Wake-Up Slap, Disarming Voice, and Round
Fukuro (Noctowl, Male, Sassy Nature)
Ability: Tinted Lens
Attacks: Confusion, Peck, Hypnosis, and Dream Eater
Caiseal's Party:
Mallow (Cubone, Male, Lax Nature)
Ability: Lightning Rod
Attacks: Bonemerang, Bone Club, Headbutt, Growl
Apollo (Quilava, Male, Bold Nature)
Ability: Blaze
Attacks: Flame Wheel, Tackle, Quick Attack, and Smokescreen
Flippy (Quagsire, Female, Jolly Nature)
Ability: Damp
Attacks: Water Gun, Mud Bomb, Mud Slap, and Slam
Ravenclaw (Murkrow, Female, Hardy Nature)
Ability: Super Luck
Attacks: Wing Attack, Night Shade, Dark Pulse, and Haze
Viole (Oddish, Male, Quirky Nature)
Ability: Chlorophyll
Attacks: Acid, Stun Spore, Sleep Powder, and Sweet Scent
Geo (Graveler, Male, Brave Nature)
Ability: Sturdy
Attacks: Steamroller, Rock Throw, Rock Polish, and Magnitude