Author's note: Shout out to magicgaming58 for the first review, and helping me improve this chapter. You rock!
Enjoy!
If Sam wanted anything in this round blue and green world, it was a Pokemon. And not just any pokemon. He knew which one he wanted. And where to get it. That was why, at 7 AM, he found himself in the kitchen, grabbing a sandwich with one hand and travel his bag with the other, all the while saying goodbye to Mom.
"Be safe, Sam, and don't bother Evan too much.", he heard Mom say as he gave her a quick hug and rushed out.
"Bye!"
The door closed behind him, shutting down the sound of mixer coming from the kitchen. The cool morning wind swept gently past him, ruffling his thick brown hair.
He hesitated. Did he really have to leave? He loved Viridian city. He had been here for as long as he could remember, and loved every moment here. He especially loved the fact that he lived near the Gym. He would always watch pokemon trainers come and go. Most were defeated by Giovanni but some emerged victorious. Plenty of experienced pokemon trainers would participate in the pokemon League in Indigo plateu, passing through Viridian city. He always enjoyed watching them train in Viridian forest, have battles, play and bond with their pokemon...
Pokemon
They were the reason he was leaving the comforts of his home behind. It was - is - his dream to become a pokemon master. He would have to step out in the wild for that. That's what he was born for, waiting for. What he wanted.
He wasn't going to chicken out. He wasn't going to miss this opportunity. Not for the world.
He hitched up his bag higher on his shoulder, standing stiff and straight, and started towards the entrance of Viridian forests.
A pidgey flew over his head, followed by many more. Somewhere, a baker yelled as a spearow took flight with some bun. A caterpie coiled itself and lay lazilly under the shade of a tree. It was the perfect day to start his journey.
He waited by the entrance for Evan to arrive, and waved to Nurse Joy as she stepped out of the Pokemon Centre for a breathe of fresh morning air.
Beautiful day...
He sensed it before he heard it. A flock of pidgeys took flight at the sound of a jeep and quite a few rattatas scurried away from the entrance to hide in the tall grass.
Evan was here. He had grown taller than the last time Sam had seen him, which was saying something because he was already very tall. His grey eyes glinting with excitement at a certain someone behind Sam. He drifted the jeep to a stop, dangerously near to Sam. And if he hadn't known better, he would have thought Evan didn't know how to drive. He was just trying to impress Nurse Joy, and scare Sam while he was at it.
Sadly, Evan failed miserably. Because Sam wasn't even remotely shocked (he was too used to Evan to be), and Nurse Joy didn't look too thrilled to see him. She turned her back on him and went back inside the Centre.
Sam hid back a smirk. After all, you shouldn't mock your driver. It could be bad for your health
Evan was trying, and failing, to hide his heartbroken look. "How ya doin', buddy?", he asked, with a forced grin.
"Fabalous". He climbed to the back seat and settled in. "So, how is Sinnoh?"
"Brilliant as always", Evan grinned. He started the engine and turned the jeep around before continuing "And as much as I'd love to tell you all about it, I can't. You will have to become a trainer and go 'round places yourselves to know that. Don't want to spoil it for you, do I?" He turned back to flash his trademark grin at Sam, expecting him to complain, but when he didn't he continued retracing his path to Pallet town.
Evan was like that. He had known him ever since Sam was a wee little kid in diapers. Evan was his favourite neighbour and something of an older brother to him, even though there was an age gap of twelve years in between. He was often out in his journeys in various regions around the globe. But when he returned, he used to tell him so much about it. The trainers, the gym leaders, the towns, various people he met, the friends he made. But he always refrained from telling him exactly what the pokemon looked like, or what exactly they were called. Sam didn't even know what pokemon he had caught. It was always the same answer. Find out yourself. His parents were very supportive when he asked them if he could have a pokemon. But they didn't give him that nudge, that much needed push of curiosity to start his own adventure. Evan did that. He wasn't always there with him. But when he was, he truly was.
It was part of the reason why Sam didn't ridicule Evan when he failed to impress Nurse Joy whenever he returned. Besides, he couldn't really figure out why Nurse Joy didn't like him. Evan was a decent chap, with a fair amount of money. And he most certainly looked good. Not every bloke had that easy going smile, and those fun grey eyes and those annoyingly cool looking messy black hair. (Sam wasn't jealous. Why should he be?)
"Why do you want to go to Pallet town, by the way?", Evan asked, shaking Sam out of his reverie.
"Er, had to do some...errands".
"Oh."
He looked like he wanted to ask more, but thankfully, he didn't question him. Soon, they had crossed Viridian forest and had entered Pallet town. Pallet Town was Sam's favourite town, seconded only by Viridian City. It had a peaceful atmosphere. With hardly any population. It was hidden in a corner of Kanto region. Visited only by people who wanted to contact Professor Oak and occasionaly by trainers who wanted to reach Cinnabar Island.
Evan stopped the Jeep by the Pokemon Centre (it was recently made). "I have to heal my pokemon. Was attacked by a rather deranged beedrill on my way to Viridian City. And I have to make a really important call. It would probably take some time. You do whatever you have to do and be back before noon. 'Kay?"
Sam nodded to show that he understood and started walking away casually. Or as casually as he could when his heart was beating a band in his chest. He turned to make sure that Evan was inside the Pokemon Centre before running to the other direction, to Prof. Oak's lab.
Boy, wasn't he excited.
