Chapter 4: I'm On the Road...
April 16
Sebastian packed his bags in the early dawn hours with rising excitement. He had woken early even by his standards. Rattata was sprawled out on the floor, sleeping. The Sandshrew - he shook his head, no, Dagger was sitting on the bed watching as he inventoried and went over checklists. "Sleeping bag, small tent, rechargeable lantern and a rechargeable flashlight, a basic cooking and dining set, box of matches, and a lighter. Camping gear, check." He said running down the line of things on his bed.
He moved on to the next checklist. "Four sets of clothes, check." He had kept it simple. Charcoal or blue t-shirts, blue jeans and cargo pants. "Jacket, check." Oak had presented it to him to replace his badly used windbreaker. Silver-gray to match Dagger and it came with a detachable inner lining. "Athletic shoes and sandals, check." They had been given to him almost when he stepped off the boat. "6 pairs of socks and underwear, check. Necessary hygiene products, check."
"D&D checklist… 50 foot of rope, check." He looked down at the tightly coiled rope and couldn't help but smile. "Never know when that will be useful. And… magical bag of holding, check." Free mental health care was great, but bags that could hold items in an "extraphysical powered storage space" was the coolest of the cool. Apparently, much like with pokeball tech, it came from the study of pokemon and their abilities. No matter what anybody else said about it being "science," Seb knew that he was in a world of freaking magic.
"Food for the pokemon, check. Food for the human, check. And one notebook as recommended by Doctor Joy." Seb finished with a satisfying clap that jolted his Rattata awake. "Oh, sorry there. I know you're still resting after yesterday, but we've got to be on the road soon. We've got a Pokemon League to conquer."
An hour later, he was fully packed, the apartment was closed and locked and Seb and his two pokemon were outside Oak's lab, saying goodbye to everyone who had gathered to see him off. Seb returned the apartment key and Oak gave him some spending money to start out. Cole gave him a copy of Professor Oak's book as he'd promised earlier. He leaned in and spoke quietly. "You might see me around Kanto. Oak tends to assign one of his assistants to keep tabs of the trainers every year and I am thinking I'll volunteer this time around."
By the time he was out of there, Sebastian had to wipe away a stray tear or two, but he managed to keep it out of sight of anybody else. By mid-morning they were on the road north out of Pallet Town. "Okay, Rattata. How are you feeling this morning?"
It looked up at Seb confidently. "Ratta!" Seb nodded back. Eager little guy.
"Alright, for this morning, we'll just walk. I want to look over some things."
Taking a moment while moving, he pulled out his pokedex to look over Rattata's move list. Tackle, Tail Whip, and Quick Attack. It recommended a group of natural moves that Rattata of its estimated experience and strength might be ready to learn. Currently the list only included Focus Energy and Bite. Dagger knew Scratch, Defense Curl, Mist, and Powder Snow. The Pokedex recommended Ice Ball, Rollout, Bide and Rapid Spin.
Sebastian pocketed the pokedex and began thinking through how to develop these abilities. The more physical abilities seemed to have an obvious route he could attempt at least, just imitate the physical action. Learning Bite was probably as simple as practicing to literally bite things. But what about Focus Energy? How did Bide even work? He suspected he had a long road of trial and error ahead of him.
They lunched under a copse of trees and took an extended break while Seb reviewed his route and schedule. He was a couple of weeks behind everybody else. Like Oak said, it put him at a disadvantage but not an impossible one.
For one thing, Dagger had a pretty good typing going into the first Gym and getting through to Mt. Moon. Local trainers would have very little that was effective against her aside from the occasional Mankey or pokemon with a trained Double Kick.
Second, he had a unique kind of knowledge of pokemon and the world to bring to the table. He wasn't sure yet exactly how that would benefit him, but he figured that as long as he kept his eyes and mind open, he could make it work to his advantage.
Third was his knowledge of other things. "Okay team, break time is over. Let's get a few minutes of slow jogging to warm up and then it will be time for a bit of active stretching."
Rattata tried to take off like a bolt. "Hold it Rat Pack… ooh, that has some potential. Frank Si...ratra? Sinatrat? Maybe not. Anyway, keep it slow for now Rattata. We're not racing." It took a moment more to convince the eager rodent.
When he thought they were suitably warmed up, he showed them each a series of stretches personalized for their body types based on his best guess. Admittedly, he hadn't been an animal physical trainer, but he was hoping the principles applied would be similar.
Both of Seb's pokemon gave him odd looks about the idea. "No, c'mon you two, trust me. I know what I am talking about. For now we want just a series of active motions to mildly stretch the muscles."
He spent a few minutes teaching them about the importance of stretching, why to keep it light and active before a workout, and how to maximize stretching after the workout. Dagger was dutifully attentive, but Seb had to work to maintain Rattata's attention.
He finally gave in and broke it down to its simplest form. "It will help you train harder, train safer, and be more flexible. You'll get stronger, faster." Rattata perked up. "That's right. And I used to do this professionally. You guys are going to become unbeatable. That's the theory anyway. What do you say?" Seb refrained from telling them that he had most frequently dealt with upper-middle class people who weren't truly motivated. Professional athletes were beyond his scope and experience.
Dagger nodded easily enough, but even Rattata eventually agreed, though reluctantly. "Right then, let's get started." He guided them through a basic series of stretches for about five minutes. "Okay, don't want to overstretch beforehand. What do you say we get to the training itself?" They nodded eagerly. Well, let's hope that enthusiasm sticks around. Not everybody can stick out a workout regimen. "Alright, then. Rattata, I want you doing back and forths across the road while we move. You are faster than either of us already. I want to improve your natural agility and mobility as much as possible."
"Ratta! Ratta!" It nodded and Seb responded in kind. He had been right, this guy was a battler at heart.
"Dagger, you and I will be doing a standard jog and shadow box exercise. Build up our endurance and cardio. You will be focusing on attacking with Scratch for the shadow boxing part of it." Dagger nodded eagerly and began Scratching the air. "Atta girl."
Turning to Rattata he suddenly said. "Ratta Boy? Ugh, no. That is awful. What was I thinking? Disregard. Name is still pending." Rattata shrugged and continued it's wild dashing around the road.
"C'mon Dagger, let's get going." Seb started jogging and Dagger followed after. He watched the two pokemon steadily, carefully monitoring their current condition to make sure they weren't overdoing it. It proved to be a non-issue. His own stamina wore down faster than theirs did. Can't believe I lost the last five years of physical conditioning.
Seb thought that over for a bit as something occurred to him. He was younger, but he had the scars from the crash. But it wasn't just de-aging either since he hadn't maintained the physical shape he had been in before. Why the scars and not the exercise? If it was a delusion, wouldn't he keep the conditioning which had long been part of his self-identity and not the scars which were brand new? Something is definitely screwy.
As they progressed on, they took frequent walking breaks. Seb would occasionally pick up a stick or small pebble and toss it at one of his two Pokemon, either calling an attack to hit it with or a command to dodge or defend. Progress was minimal, but Seb knew it would be a matter of months, not hours. With a breathless sigh, he called a rest as his own endurance needed a break. Again.
He called a stop to the day's journey as the sun set. "Oh g-… Arceus? I guess. Let's try this again." Dagger and Rattata watched curiously as he floundered both physically and verbally. "Oh Arceus, I did not think this through. I was too focused on you guys and did not think about how bad tomorrow is going to be for me."
Dagger patted his leg in a there-there gesture. Rattata laughed. "Ratta! Ratta-ratta, tattata-ttata."
Seb gave the little rodent the stink eye. "Okay, you meany. More drills for you this evening." He pat Dagger on the head affectionately. "Thanks girl, appreciate it." She nodded back at him.
April 17
"Hello?! Pidgey?! Care to battle? Aaaaand its gone." The Pidgey took to the air and disappeared into the distance. Seb sighed and wondered how anyone ever battled Pidgey, let alone caught them. Seb was only trying to find a pokemon for a spar and they all fled from him instantly.
He was looking for a chance to battle as Rattata's Trainer so they could get a feel for each other before facing other trainers. The local wildlife, though, was being disagreeable. Four Pidgey had ignored his request. He was beginning to think that he would have to settle for a mock battle against Dagger when the mother of all Pidgey landed in front of them.
It was at least half again as large as any of the Pidgey Seb had seen on Route 1. Seb stared at it, wide eyed. "Uh… hello." It nodded once, staring him down with an almost regal countenance.
"Never let it be said that Pidgey are simple or basic." Seb muttered to himself. The Pidgey smirked in response. Seb gulped. In truth, it was only slightly larger than Dagger, but it had a commanding presence.
"Are you here to battle?" He asked the pokemon neutrally.
The Pidgey nodded. "Prrrrdge, prrdge."
"Are you looking to be challenged and caught?"
It shook its head. It flung it's wings wide, taking in the area around it. "Prrr! Prrrrdge-y! Prdgy."
Seb tried to translate that. "This is your land? You protect it?" It nodded in confirmation. "And we've been bothering your friends?"
It shook its head. It pointed a wing at Sebastian, then at itself. "Prrrrrdgy!"
Dagger tugged on Seb's pant leg to get his attention. When he looked down at her, she flexed her arm. "Ooohh! You want to get stronger to look after your friends. We both want a no-consequences fight."
It nodded with intense satisfaction and anticipation. Seb grinned back and pushed the sleeves of his jacket up. "Alright, let's do it. Rattata, you're up."
Rattata dashed forward and took a battle stance opposite the Pidgey. "Okay, Pidgey. Go all out, but don't aim for knockouts. We want to get as much as we can out of this, yeah?"
It nodded agreement and Seb launched straight into the fight. "Rattata, start with Tail Whip!"
Rattata dashed forward, trailing a white glow and Seb sighed. "Oh no. He's one of those."
An hour later, the three of them watched the Pidgeotto fly away with trilling laughter. "With great power comes great responsibility! Only use those powers for good, yeah?!" Seb called after it as it disappeared over a hill.
"Well, that was educational." Seb said to his team. Rattata was bruised and dirty. He must have been hit by every attack the Pidgey knew. Dagger had gotten in some time as well in order to give Rattata a break, but had fared better thanks to Mist, Defense Curl, and her Steel typing.
"Well Rattata, I had thought of a cool name for you, but you've shown me it does not fit your personality whatsoever. Splinter! It would have been great. But you are a lot more Raphael than sage mentor. Hrmm… Rat-phael?" He thought about it a second. "No. Man, names are hard."
Both Dagger and Rattata gave him confused looks. "Never mind. Look, Rattata, why didn't you use Tail Whip when I called it?"
Rattata looked scornfully at that and laughed. "Ratta? Rattattattatta."
"No, I'm serious."
It stopped laughing and gave him a confused look. "Ratta?"
Seb gestured towards Dagger. "Look at her. She is looking much better off right now than you are. Why do you think that is?"
The Rattata grinned and knocked its head with a paw. "Rattata."
Seb frowned in thought. "Are you saying she has a thick skull?"
Dagger gave Rattata a cool look and its grin faded. "R...Ratta?"
Seb sighed before deciding to meet the Rattata halfway. "Look, her Steel typing did help, but there were more factors. If you also had Steel typing you would still be more beat up than her. She knows that using status moves can help in a prolonged fight. If a fight doesn't have much time to play out then sticking to offensive moves would usually be best, but in the situation we were just in where we agreed to a training bout with the Pidgey? Lower its overall capabilities first or increase your own."
Rattata watched dubiously as Seb explained. "Pidgey knew this too. It hit you with Sand Attack right out of the gate and you had a hard time making solid contact with it. And then, every time you missed the mark it was able to capitalize while you tried to regain footing or positioning."
Rattata seemed to actually be considering it at this point. "Meanwhile, if you had managed a couple of Tail Whips, the few hits you did land would have had a lot more impact on the battle. Or look at our battle a couple of days ago. Defense Curl prevented your attacks from doing too much damage and then we managed to use Powder Snow to impede your speed, your greatest advantage."
Seb took a deep breath. "Theoretically, you could use Tackle and Quick Attack to hit them over and over and over again. It does the job, but it wears you out. Alternatively, you could use Tail Whip to lower their defense and then hit them a couple times less leaving you less worn out overall. And if we teach you Focus Energy, we can really double down on making the hits that do land that much more powerful. Ultimately, I want you to be agile, mobile, dodging everything they throw at you while getting in a few decisive, timely attacks. Do you think that is something you can get behind?"
Seb had to give the little guy credit. He didn't immediately agree or discard the notion. He sat back and thought about it for a while. He looked at Dagger and then to where the Pidgeotto flew off. "Ratta... Ta?"
Seb did not have enough to go off to understand the question. He looked to Dagger. She held up a pair of claws a smidgeon apart. "A little bit?" She rolled her hand to keep going. "You only want to do it a little bit?" She and Rattata both shook their heads.
Seb scratched his own head. "Okay, 'a little bit' is right or close at least. Umm… oh! You want to try it out for a bit first?" Both of them nodded excitedly. "Okay, that seems fair."
Seb looked down the road and picked his pack up. "Alright team. Let's get moving. We should be able to make Viridian City this evening if we get a move on. Rattata, would you prefer to rest up in your ball? You're looking a little… tender."
Rattata shook its head and Seb shrugged. "Your choice. Let's make tracks."
As they set out he instructed them what he wanted them working on. "Less physical training today. We are looking at harnessing Normal type energy, I guess. Do you know what I mean when I say that? I'm kind of making this up as I go along." They both nodded. "Excellent. Specifically, Defense Curl and Tail Whip. I want you guys to work on being able to use them quickly and reliably. So Rattata keep targeting Dagger with Tail Whip and Dagger you keep undoing it with Defense Curl. Can you guys do that while we are moving?" They struggled around for a few minutes while they got a feel for it but eventually managed something they could keep going while walking.
Seb took in a deep breath with a smile. He was here. He was doing this. He was training a pokemon team. He was on Route 1 starting a Pokemon Journey. He was… "On the Road to Viridian City!" He sang out. There was nobody around for miles. Any other trainers would have left two weeks ago. His pokemon gave him a funny look, but he waved them on. "On the Road to Viridian City!"
They continued to give him odd looks, but also resumed their training. The sun was shining. The breeze was perfect. Pidgey and Rattata were evident in the grass around them, though distant. "We've built a team… and we've been training all day long. We're on the road… and getting strong." He nodded at his two pokemon with a big smile on his face. There was the sound of a running water behind him, maybe even a waterfall back there. He wasn't sure anything could ruin a mood this high.
"Now here's the plan, we're gonna head down to the forest. Time to collect some Pokemon." Beedrill or Butterfree could be an interesting addition to his team. Actually, Viridian Forest had Pikachu in the games. That would be a solid catch as well.
"We keep on trying! And then we try some more." His pokemon looked at him again, incredulously. He stopped singing to address them. "Alright, look. I admit that isn't the strongest lyric, but I didn't even write this. Don't blame me." They slowly resumed their training with a final pair of concerned glances.
He picked up where he left off. "To stay together and find a place worth fighting fooorrrrrrr! I'm on the Road!" At this point his pokemon were becoming accepting of their trainer's musical nonsense. They didn't spare him any more looks as he worked through the chorus of the song and started in on the second verse.
"I left my home and now I see a… new… horizon. But one day… I'll…" He faded out as the lyrics hit him. "One day I'll come back to Pallet Town…" He said, no longer singing as he stood in the road. His pokemon turned to face him. He held his hands up in front of his face and looked at them, turning them front and back. Hands that weren't what he was used to them being.
With a contemplative frown he started walking again. "Sorry about that. Let's keep moving." But now he travelled in a much more pensive mood. He paid attention to Dagger and Rattata and provided instruction or suggestion from time to time, but mostly he wrestled with his own thoughts.
It was shortly after their lunch break that they heard the cries of a pokemon seemingly coming from behind some trees along the roadside. "Row! Sp-Sp-Sprow!"
Seb was jolted out of his reverie and looked at his two companions. "A Spearow? Should we be concerned guys?" Dagger and Rattata exchanged looks. After which Dagger merely looked back to Seb and shrugged. "C'mon, let's check it out."
They walked into the trees following a commotion that was building and found a flock of Spearow in a jumbled, active mess. It took Seb a moment to really get a grip on what he was seeing. It seemed like the entire flock was ganging up on one wounded, grounded Spearow. As it tried to stand up, he saw a jolt go through it and it fell back to the ground.
Could that be…? But it couldn't be. Ash was through here two weeks ago. Seb didn't understand why the rest of the flock was bullying the one Spearow, but he knew if he didn't step in, it was possible they might kill it. "Rattata, get in there and break them up with Quick Attacks all around. Keep them off the wounded one. Dagger, follow in after and once they scatter keep them away with Powder Snow. I need to get a look at that one to see if we can do something for it."
Both pokemon set to with a will. Rattata was across the clearing in a flash, bashing off of many of the birds and scattering them every which way. He would leap in, land a hit, and be moving on to the next target before any of them could offer a counterattack. As he cleared a path through the throng, the distracted birds would get caught off guard by a cold blast of snow coming from Dagger who shored up the pathway cleared by her teammate.
Finally, the majority of the Spearow took to the trees nearby, watching menacingly as Seb examined the injured creature in the grass. It was scratched, bruised, dirty, and as he studied it, another spasm shook it which seemed to bring it more pain. "Paralysis?"
"Ra-Rattata." He looked over to see Rattata nodding a confirmation of his diagnosis.
"Are there any pokemon around here that naturally know moves that can cause paralysis?" He asked the rodent pokemon. It thought about it for a while before hesitantly shaking its head. "Then I think this guy has been paralyzed like this for two weeks. We need to get him to a Pokemon Center as quickly as possible." Seb stooped to pick the small bird pokemon up in his arms, and it reflexively pecked at him. "Ow! Stop it. I'm going to get you some help." It opened its eyes and glared fiercely at him before nodding once.
"Rattata, same as last time. You're the vanguard. Clear a way forward if necessary. Dagger you watch our sides and flanks and chase any off with Powder Snow." The small group made their way back to the road and started out towards the city. They kept a weather eye behind them as the flock of Spearow followed behind for a while. A couple made passes at them but both were chased away by attacks from Seb's pokemon.
"Okay, new formation. Dagger, sorry girl, but return for now." He called her back to her pokeball and clipped it to his belt. "Rattata. Up in my arms, front paws on my shoulder and watch behind. If any of them look to be trying to sneak up on us I want you to knock some sense into it. I'm going to try to set a pace I'll be able to keep up for as long as possible."
And so Seb jogged. He jogged through the afternoon carrying two pokemon. His legs grew tired, his breaths came harder and shorter, he jogged on and on. The Rattata looked behind, watching their backs, but the Spearow just stared at Sebastian. A spasm of paralysis occasionally coursing through it.
Good Lord... wait no. Good Arceus, I am so out of shape. He kept going and going. How much longer is it? The trees and hills passed by but Seb took no notice of them any longer. I don't remember Ash being that far from Viridian when he fought these guys. I could have sworn he just walked over the hill or something.
Seb crested over a rise and finally saw his destination laying in a valley below him, Viridian City. He almost stopped before realizing that it would be almost impossible to get going again. His attempted stop became a brief stumble and a weary trudge back into a heavy, laborious jog. Rattata, confident that they weren't going to be attacked, jumped down and ran alongside Sebastian as they made it into town.
Reaching the first major roads he asked for directions to the Pokemon Center and a friendly citizen pointed him to a location a few blocks away. He mustered up the courage for one last effort and soldiered on. The glass and concrete and steel around him were lost to Sebastian as he carried onward with exhausted dedication.
Until at last he saw the promised land, a Pokemon Center that was currently being renovated and rebuilt after significant recent damages. Another casualty of Ash and Pikachu. Honestly, Seb was impressed with how much they had accomplished in repairing the building in the two weeks since it had been partially blown up.
"Sp… Spearow. Paralyzed." He panted out in between gasps. "Badly wounded… by other Spearow." He laid it on a gurney situated nearby and a Chancey began to wheel it back into the depths of the Pokemon Center.
Nurse Joy looked horrified. "My word! Why did you let your Spearow get so beat up?"
Seb tried to shake his head to deny it, but decided to just ignore it. It wasn't worth the effort. He fished Rattata and Dagger's pokeballs out and placed them on the counter. "For the Rattata here. Tired and bruised." He pointed to the empty ball and the rodent beside him. Then he gestured to the other pokeball. "Alolan Sandshrew, mostly alright." He waved any further comments away and just gasped his way over to a waiting bench to rest his exhausted legs.
Nurse Joy watched him distrustfully for a moment before gathering the pokemon and pokeballs and taking them into the back room. Seb lay out on the bench, barely managing the strength to get his legs up and focused on getting his breathing under control. He heard the medical care light ding on and knew that he had been right. The Spearow required non-standard treatment.
After a couple of minutes, his breathing had started to get back under control though he was still hot and sweaty. And suddenly his thoughts could catch back up. The mad dash of the day had let him focus on the immediate and the pressing, but now he was stuck waiting and his mind could return to its earlier preoccupation. Seb sighed and remembered Doctor Joy. He reached into his pack and pulled out the notebook she had given him. "Alright, doc. Let's try this, I guess."
Sebastian's Journal, April 17 -
I was told by the therapist that this was just for me. Nobody else will read it. So, I guess I'll talk about secret stuff that may break reality if ever discovered. I'm feeling rather devil-may-care about the whole secret, interdimensional knowledge thing right now. I'm exhausted from running all day, I'm… well, all in good time. Okay, on with it… I guess. I'm not sure why I'm doing therapy anyway. It isn't like it can really help my problems. How is therapy going to help me when I have to lie to my therapist? Isn't honesty an important part of that? I don't really know, I guess. I'm rambling to put this off, aren't I? I guess the therapist has taught me something after all. Fine.
I've thought it through. There are two options here. First: It's all real and I can never go back. I'm younger. I'm physically younger. I'm here forever even if there is an actual way back. I can't just show up and be fifteen years old again. That would gain niche international fame at least. I would be studied, questioned, and not believed remotely. People would make weird conspiracy YouTube videos about me that weren't remotely close to the truth. So… my life back home is impossible now. Based on what I heard before maybe dying, my sister probably survived. But my parents definitely didn't. My parents are dead. My sister and I have to grieve separately. I can't even attend a proper funeral for closure.
But then, I died and here I am in the Pokemon World. Maybe my parents ended up in their own new worlds. Maybe my dad is on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise. Maybe my mom is in a really trashy romance novel. And maybe now they're suffering an existential crisis trying to understand if their kids are okay or what the nature of life and death is or if they are in a mad hallucination as the life fades from their ravaged body.
Maybe I am living out my own Pokemon Coma theory so maybe I can go back and all I have to do is wake up. Which is option number two. Maybe I am in a coma or a complete hallucination that has separated my senses from the reality around me. Which means that all of the people and pokemon I'm meeting here aren't real. It is just in my head. They are constructs of my own consciousness and imagination. Maybe Dagger, sweet as she is, isn't real. Maybe our struggle together wasn't real. Or Rattata. Maybe he isn't precocious and impatient. Maybe he isn't the over-eager problem child. Because maybe he doesn't actually exist. And this options sucks too.
I do know that my sister is hurt and alone and just lost her entire family. What was our insurance situation? I don't even know. Is she going to be okay financially? Shi-inx. I'll never know. She may heal physically and emotionally and may get situated financially, but I can't help her or even know if she needs it. And I either can't go back or can't control if I snap out of whatever is causing this delusion. I miss my sister and my parents and my apartment and my job and my friends and music, movies, games, books, foods, and Mrs. Donnely down the hall who was a nice old lady that bugged me all the time, but simply cared about the people around her. Shinx! I can't go back to my old world so I have to figure out how to move forward in my new one and just hope that it is real... or not. There is a lot to look forward to here. The Pokemon World is a childhood dream come true. But for now I think I just need some time to mourn the loss of the world I came from.