Welcome back!
I have to admit that this is a little bit of a filler chapter, but I tried to fill it with some humor and foreshadowing. A lot of shorter scenes. I'm working on setting up the climax now! I hope you are all well and enjoy this chapter!
Part 10
Pidgeys tweet joyfully in dawn's dew filled bushes. The sun has hardly peaked over the distant horizon when Phoenix carefully pushes his bed covers down his body and slides his legs quietly over the side of the bed. Austin snores in the bunk above and Phoenix doesn't want to wake him by moving too quickly.
Where is it? Phoenix thinks as he rummages through his backpack. Ahh.
He pulls a small notebook out with a pen attached. On the next blank page, he writes:
I have some errands to run this morning. I will be back sometime after lunch. Then we can head to the Celadon gym for my next badge! -Phoenix
Phoenix peers at Ferra who sleeps peacefully in the lower bunk across the room and smiles softly. Then he rips the paper free of the binding and sets it beside her night stand.
He pulls his pants on over his boxers and changes his shirt. WIthout untying his shoes, he pushes his feet into them, grabs his bag, and quietly leaves their room.
He slowly pulls the door closed and hears a soft click.
"Where do you think you're going?" her voice causes him to freeze and groan internally.
"Quinn, I just have errands to run," Phoenix tries to explain as he turns to walk away from her.
"What kind of errands?" she asks eagerly.
Phoenix rolls his eyes. This was supposed to be a solo mission.
"Just errands," he continues to walk away.
Quinn follows regardless of the fact he is being secretive. "I'm coming with."
Of course. He thinks.
"Fine," Phoenix shakes his head in defeat.
Quinn squeals quietly -attempting not to wake anyone in the nearby rooms.
"What are we doing?" She asks.
"I suppose I could use your help." He finally concludes. "Ferra's birthday is in a few weeks. She is turning 18. I wanted to get her a special birthday present while we're in Celadon."
Quinn pauses in thought. "Like special like she is your best friend? Or special like you want her to actually be your girlfriend?"
Phoenix stops before they get to the Pokemon Center's doors to exit.
He looks back at her sheepishly and asks, "is there a difference?"
"Oh Phoenix," Quinn says dramatically, "you are so lucky you have me."
Her comment makes him groan.
"Phoenix," Quinn shakes her head at the shirt Phoenix holds up, "this is the girl you like -not your grandma."
"I happen to think it's a nice shirt," Phoenix argues, "look at these frilly sleeves. I think they'd be comfy on a hot day!"
"Forget the clothes, Phoenix." Quinn urges him.
"We have been in three different stores now and I haven't found anything yet!" Phoenix groans impatiently.
"Well, if you would listen to me about the clothes maybe we would have found something by now." Quinn spits.
"Fine, what should I be looking for?" Phoenix asks disdainfully.
Quinn grabs him and turns him around. Then she points and says, "girls like diamonds!"
Phoenix spots the display cases ahead of him that contain jewelry.
"I don't know," he hesitates, "I have never seen Ferra wear any kind of jewelry."
"Just trust me enough to look." Quinn pushes him forward and they make their way over to the display cases.
Phoenix peers into the case at the assortment of necklaces, bracelets, earrings, and miscellaneous items.
"That diamond necklace is beautiful!" Quinn gushes at a simple silver necklace with a round diamond.
"That's pretty expensive," Phoenix whispers mostly to himself.
"I know that your parents were well off, Phoenix," Quinn says, "don't you have access to any of their money?"
"Well, yeah," Phoenix scratches his head, "I have a trust fund that my gran controls."
"Can you afford this?" Quinn asks, pointing at the necklace.
"Yes," Phoenix contemplates, "but I don't think it's quite what I want to give her."
"What are you looking for, son?" An older gentleman with a prominent white mustache had been helping another customer, but now appears behind the counter.
Phoenix takes a moment to think and says, "a gift for my best friend who is kind of my girlfriend now?"
Quinn groans at his explanation, "you can't say kind of' your girlfriend."
Phoenix rolls his eyes at her and looks back to the man who leans onto the counter on his elbows.
"Is that the girl?" he asks quietly so she doesn't hear.
"Quinn?" Phoenix laughs at the thought. "No way."
"Good," the man chuckles, "now what kind of girl are we talking about?"
"The simple kind," Phoenix answers immediately, "the kind of girl who doesn't need much. She is nice. She loves being helpful. She doesn't mind camping. She loves Pokemon. She wears jeans and a t-shirt most days."
"Well," the man hums thoughtfully, "I don't think the diamond necklace that your friend likes is what your girl would like."
He walks away and rummages through the drawers behind the counter.
"A girl like that wants a meaningful gift," he explains, pulling a simple silver bracelet from the drawer. Then he pulls out another drawer and pulls it completely out.
"My suggestion, son, is a charm bracelet," he places the bin in front of Phoenix.
The bin is filled to the brim with small charms of different Pokemon.
"Wow," Phoenix says looking through the Pokemon charms, "look at all of them!
"I suppose that sounds like a neat gift," Quinn caves unhappily.
"Come help me find her Pokemon," Phoenix says.
"Fine," she agrees.
They search through the bins and happen to find a Marowak, a Clefary, Poliwhirl, and Charmeleon.
"We just need an Alolan Vulpix," Phoenix tells the man.
"We don't carry Alolan variants on hand," the man explains, "but I can put in a special order for you."
"That would be great!" Phoenix agrees.
"Since I will be placing the special order, do you want anything else? Maybe her name? Your name?" he asks.
"Good idea," Phoenix nods, "Her name is Ferra, F-E-R-R-A, and my name is Phoenix, P-H-O-E-N-I-X"
The man fills out a sheet for the special order and proceeds to attach the three Pokemon to the charm bracelet.
"If you ever need to add Pokemon to the bracelet, you can go to the store's website." He explains.
"Thanks a lot, sir," Phoenix grins as the man hands him the bracelet and an order sheet.
"No problem at all," he smiles, "just bring the order sheet and the bracelet to the register and they can help you there."
"So, Phoenix," Quinn says as they walk along the busy streets of Celadon City.
Phoenix eyes her and asks, "what is it, Quinn?"
"Why do you like Ferra so much?" she questions.
Phoenix narrows his eyes at her for asking.
"I'm just curious!" Quinn's temper flares. "I used to be one of your best friends too."
Phoenix's demeanor softens at her remark.
"I just want to be your friend again," Quinn defends herself.
"You are my friend, Quinn," Phoenix sighs and drags his feet slightly.
"Then, what happened?"
"What do you mean?"
"After the fire," she continues, "you stopped being my friend."
"What?" Phoenix asks, confused. "You are the one who left on your journey."
"Yeah, three years after you stopped hanging out with me."
Phoenix pauses to consider her response. They walk in silence for a block.
"I guess I just wanted to escape," Phoenix concludes, feeling sadness fill his stomach, "my whole family died, Quinn."
"I know, Phoenix," Quinn sighs, "but you were never alone. You aren't the only one who lost people that day."
"I know you were close to River," Phoenix frowns at the taste of his late sister's name.
"I was close to your parents too," she responds, "and I miss them all."
"I'm sorry, Quinn," he sends her a half-hearted smile, "start over?"
She turns to him and smiles back brightly, "of course, Phoenix."
Phoenix opens his arms and wraps Quinn in a tight bear hug. She returns the hug happily.
"Did I miss something?" a feminine voice breaks up their embrace.
"Oh hey!" Phoenix smiles widely at the girl before him, "We were just coming back."
"I was just going out to get some lunch by myself since no one has been around all morning," Ferra explains, wrapping her arms around her body.
"Lunch?" Phoenix asks, looking at his phone, "oh Mew, I didn't know it was getting so late. Let's go grab something altogether. Where's Austin?"
"He was gone when I woke up too," Ferra explains, slightly tiffed from being left alone, "I thought you all left together without me."
"What?" Phoenix asks. "Oh, no, I just needed Quinn's help this morning. I haven't talked to Austin since last night."
"Why did you need Quinn's help?" Ferra asks cautiously.
"Alright," Phoenix holds up his hands in defense, "don't take it the wrong way, please! I was trying to run my errand alone and Quinn followed me out of our room and insisted she come with me."
"It's true," Quinn asserts, "he just let me help him pick out a special gift."
"Quinn!" Phoenix snaps at her.
"What?" Quinn asks, faking cluelessness.
"Oh," Ferra blushes at her mistake, she got the hint, "I understand."
Phoenix groans at the turn of conversation and rubs his forehead.
"Let's just get food," he shakes his head, "and text Austin to figure out where he ran off too."
"Mysterious!" Quinn giggles, "I like it!"
Her comment causes Phoenix and Ferra to groan and roll their eyes.
"This is the best burger I have ever had!" Phoenix exclaims as he tears apart his double cheeseburger that is soaked in grease and condiments.
Ferra giggles at his antics, but Quinn looks appalled.
"Don't you have any manners?" Quinn asks with disgust. She finds it hard to eat her own food while watching him scarf down his.
"You learn to live with it," Ferra shrugs her shoulders and takes a bite of her own burger.
Phoenix grins cheekily in response.
"I'm sorry!" He laughs. "You both know who raised me. Dinner time was always the most anticipated time of day!"
"Blame your dad all you want, but you might just be worse!" Quinn rolls her eyes.
"Hey guys, it's almost 4:00," Ferra mentions, "do you think we should be worried about Austin?"
"Worried about Austin?" Phoenix asks, surprised,"You?"
"Shut up," Ferra smacks him on the shoulder.
"It's possible he is just waiting back at the Pokemon Center," Phoenix shrugs.
"Or he'll text us back soon," Quinn suggests.
Just as she finishes her sentence, Phoenix's phone sounds an alert.
"There he is now I bet," Phoenix says, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"What does it say?" Quinn asks curiously.
Phoenix reads over the message.
"He just says he is spending the night in the woods and not to wait up for him tonight," Phoenix furrows his eyebrows. "It's hard to imagine that kid out on his own. He gets scared of the dark and doesn't leave his tent at night."
"He'll manage," Quinn says, shrugging her shoulders.
"There is something strange about that kid," Ferra suggests thoughtfully.
"He's just a little socially awkward and still growing up," Phoenix waves the thought away.
"Yeah I guess," Ferra nods in agreement, "he just says really weird things sometimes that don't make any sense."
"He's a boy," Quinn giggles, "do they ever make sense?"
For the first time since Quinn joined their group, Ferra laughs along with her.
Phoenix watches their budding friendship and joins playfully, "hey!"
"Except you, Phoen," Ferra chuckles and slaps him lightly on the arm.
"Erika didn't even see it coming!" Phoenix laughs pridefully.
Ferra rolls her eyes, but continues to smile, "you had the advantage definitely."
"That was cheap!" Quinn complains, "you should have used a Pokemon other than Charvo."
"I disagree," Phoenix shakes his head, "Charvo needed a confidence boost."
"Looks like you got one too!" Ferra giggles.
After a restful night's sleep, the three woke up early that morning so that Phoenix could face Celadon City's gym leader, Erika, for the Rainbow Badge. Of course, it had been the quickest gym battle yet because Erika wasn't prepared to face a Charizard who held the super effective powers of fire and flying.
"Hey," Quinn stops in her tracks on the road and watches the sky, "what is that?"
"I don't know," Ferra squints her eyes, trying to figure out what the growing object is.
"DUCK!" Phoenix screams as he grabs his friends arms and pulls them to the ground just in time for huge orange Pokemon to pass over them way too closely.
"What the hell!" Quinn screams, pushing herself back up to her feet.
"Austin?" Phoenix asks from the ground.
"The one and only!" Austin grins, hopping off the Pokemon. "Sorry, we're still working on the landing!"
"Kuro?" Ferra questions, looking closely at the Pokemon in question, a Charizard.
"Yes, sir!" Austin boasts.
"But there is something off about him," Phoenix suggests, dusting his pants off and looking closely at Kuro.
"His coloring is off," Quinn observes the newly evolved Pokemon, "like, is he sick?"
"Nope!" Austin chirps, "he's just fine.
"Quinn's right," Phoenix agrees, "he is lighter than normal Charizards."
"What do you mean?" Austin asks, his smile faltering.
"Here," Phoenix fiddles with his phone and pulls up a picture of a Charizard.
"Kuro's orange scales are a lot lighter," Ferra observes, "and his wings are like a lighter blue and less green."
"Well, aren't I lucky?" Austin grins with pride.
"Are you sure he's alright?" Phoenix asks, looking at the large winged reptile again.
"Nurse Joy checked him out this morning and said he was in tip top shape," Aust shrugs his shoulders.
Kuro roars in response, showing his strength.
"What are those bumps?" Phoenix asks, peering around to see Kuro's backside.
"I don't know," Austin admits, "but they're badass as hell!"
Phoenix runs his hand across Kuro's neck and backside where bony spines protrude giving Kuro a strikingly tough demeanor. His wings appear to be slightly longer and form more spines.
"I never realized how strong Kuro is," Phoenix says thoughtfully, stroking his horns.
"Well he just evolved!" Austin laughs heartily.
"Yeah," Phoenix furrows his eyebrows, "I guess I wasn't observant enough when he was a Charmeleon."
"Well, now that he's a Charizard, wanna race?" Austin asks slyly.
A look of determination appears in Phoenix's eyes at the challenge.
"You're on!" Phoenix agrees, pulling Charvo's ball out, "Let's go!"
Charvo emerges and spreads his blackened wings to stretch them out. When his eyes meet Kuro, he grins immediately. Then they lock claws and start their contest of strength.
"Looks like they're happy to be equals again," Ferra laughs and pulls out a Pokeball. "Come on out, Mari."
Mari shakes herself awake and watches in confusion before realizing that Kuro has also evolved.
"Char char!" she shouts, cheering them on.
"Are you next, Mari?" Phoenix asks, pointing at Charvo and Kuro.
"Charmeleon meleon!" Mari nods in agreement.
"We have a lot of training still," Ferra smiles at her Charmeleon.
Kuro looks over to the group momentarily and sees that Mari was released. He lets go of Charvo and books it to greet her leaving Charvo to fall flat on the ground.
"Ouch," Austin chuckles.
Kuro reaches down and grabs Mari, pulling her into a big hug. Mari is confused at first, but doesn't fight it.
"Maybe Mari will change her mind about Charvo and go for Kuro," Ferra says thoughtfully.
"Nah," Austin waves the thought away, "Kuro and Mari treat each other like family. Charvo and Mari have chemistry."
Ferra turns to him questioningly, "what do you know about chemistry?"
"More than you think!" Austin defends himself.
"You're so strange," Ferra shakes her head.
"Anyway," Phoenix scratches the back of his head nervously, "how about that race?"
"Right!" Austin agrees. "Back to the Pokemon Center?"
"Sounds good," Phoenix nods.
They both step up to their respective Charizards and prepare.
"I'll call it!" Quinn squeals, "Ready, set, GO!"
Both competitors are off and soaring so quickly, they are out of view in mere seconds.
"What about us?" Ferra asks, realizing they would be walking back to the Pokemon Center.
"I got us covered," Quinn pulls out a Pokeball.
When it opens, an enormous, fiery dog Pokemon appears.
"Ar ar!" he barks.
"Arcanine, can you give us a lift?" Quinn asks sweetly. Ferra returns Mari to her Pokeball.
Arcanine answers by laying down to allow the two girls to climb aboard.
"He is so neat!" Ferra praises, petting Arcanine's cool flames.
"I know!" Quinn giggles, "he is my best performer too!"
"Ar!" Arcanine barks with pride.
"I got here first!"
"No, I did!"
"You were like five seconds too late!"
"You started early!"
"Quit it!" Quinn screeches as she and Ferra arrive on Arcanine's back.
"He started it!" Phoenix and Austin shout at each other.
"You are acting like bickering siblings," Quinn shakes her head in disgust, "grow up."
While Phoenix and Austin are locked in an intense stare down, an alert sounds.
"Who is that?" Phoenix grumbles, breaking the stare, and pulling his phone out to check his messages.
"Wow!" he exclaims as he reads over the text, completely forgetting about his argument with the younger boy.
"What is it?" Ferra asks, looking over his shoulder.
"It's Mr Roque," Phoenix informs them, "he wants us to come to a special festival in Fuscia to celebrate some of the world's strongest Pokemon trainers. He wants me to be a guest speaker in honor of my parents."
"Whoa!" Ferra exclaims, "that is really awesome!"
"Yeah," Phoenix mumbles lightly.
"Don't you want to go?" Quinn asks curiously.
"I guess," Phoenix shrugs listlessly.
"We have to go!" Austin urges. "An event to honor the late great Pokemon Master - I have to be there!"
"I'm just crossing over the Bike Bridge," Ash yells into his communication system attached to his ear. Soaring on his champion Charizard, he searches the water and ground below him.
"Do you see any unusual activity?" Lance asks through his speaker.
"No, nothing," Ash says, slightly frustrated.
"Try going a little east," Lance suggests.
"Roger," Ash agrees, cueing Charizard to turn slightly and move faster.
Ash looks everywhere to find something, anything, out of place, but sees nothing.
"I'm going lower," he informs Lance.
"Ash, we agreed you would stay higher up," Lance argues.
"Just a little lower," Ash shouts over the wind.
Charizard nose dives a few dozen feet before stabilizing.
"Ash?" Lance asks, but the signal is fading, "Ash? Ash?"
"Can you read me?" Ash asks back.
There is no response from Lance.
"I guess we should fly higher for signal," Ash whispers to himself.
"Mr. Ketchum," a new voice suddenly sounds from his comms.
"Who is this?" Ash barks.
"You know who this is," he responds.
"What do you want?"
"You, dead," the voice answers in a sickeningly evil tone.
"You're going to have to face me then, coward," Ash shouts, his voice is laced with fury.
The man on the other end laughs sadistically, "Mr. Ketchum, I'm not going to start with you."
"What do you mean?" Ash asks, nausea rising in the pit of his stomach, "TELL ME WHAT YOU MEAN!"
"You better get home, Mr. Ketchum," his voice drips like venom, "while it's still there,"
The comm system cuts out and Ash is left in shock.
"Ash?" Lance's voice returns. "Ash?"
"Lance," Ash croaks, "get everyone together as fast as you can and get to my house. He's threatened my family."
Ash directs Charizard to race home faster than ever back to Pallet.
Ash pulls out his phone and dials his wife's number, "Misty?"
"Ash? What is it?" Misty can hear the stress in his voice.
"Pack what we need to go into hiding as fast as you can," he tells her with tears falling from his eyes, "we need to leave immediately."
Alright, well, they may or may not use these Pokemon, but this is what I imagine our characters have at their disposal:
Phoenix: Charizard, Fletchinder, Luxio, Primeape, Pikachu, Sandshrew, Kabuto, Psyduck, Oddish, Rattata, Nidorino, Rhyhorn,
Ferra: Alolan Vulpix, Marowak, Clefairy, Charmeleon, Poliwhirl
Austin: Charizard, Weepinbell, Graveller
Quinn: Arcanine, Flaaffy, Wartortle, Spheal, Skitty, Deerling
I hope you enjoyed!
Response to Tigercat111: LOL I don't really know who would marry Gary either! Like he is a better guy later in the series so maybe someone would? But for now she shall remain imaginary!
Love, Alert, Review.