CHAPTER 12: Road to Cerulean!
I'm up way before Hilary, and way before the sun comes up, but I have something i need to do before we leave, somewhere i need to visit.
I leave a note letting her know that i'll be back soon, shower and get dressed, finish packing, and take off with my pokemon.
It doesn't take me long to get there, I know the path by heart.
Ace is big enough now to ride in short bursts, so getting to the nest in the large pine tree is way easier than before, if not less time consuming.
Once up there, release Belle and Bane, who seem quite surprised at the location change.
They both look at me with their heads tilted in confusion.
"Okay guys," Alto and Ace flutter down, perching on the nearest branch to listen, "we have to leave Pewter today. I wanted to give you guys as much time up here as i possibly could, before we le-"
I'm cut off as i hear something scaling the tree below us.
"ACE, ALTO! TO ME!" I hiss, grabbing the chicks and shoving them behind me.
Ace's wings start to give off that static purple energy, as he powers up a Twister to throw at the enemy.
I go to shout, as i see something come up over the edge of the nest...
A...
A hand?
I wave the birds away, as i rush over to help this hand.
Leaning over the edge, i see...
Brock?
I help him up, and he lands face first, chest heaving.
"How... how do you... make that... climb?" He wheezes, taking the water bottle i thrust into his face.
"With my Pokemon! Ace flew me up. What are you doing here?"
"I saw you... pass the gym... followed." He coughs, finally starting to catch his breath.
"Breath, Brock. Relax. We are relatively safe up here." I laugh as he finishes the water bottle, passing it back to me.
"Oh my GOD! I'm going to be SO sore after that!" He winces as he stands up, moving to lean against the wall beside me.
"So?" I ask expectantly.
"So? So... what?" He looks at me with a confused look on his face.
"How do you like my hangout?!" I laugh.
"It's... way too high up for my tastes, but for a dedicated flying type trainer... It's pretty perfect." He smiles finally, and i smile back.
"So, anyways, why did you come all the way out here? This isnt exactly a short walk from Pewter?" Brock turns, so he's leaning on his side, looking at me.
"I... The chicks... I wanted to give the chicks more time at their nest before we left, say their goodbyes, if you will. Plus, i'm a bit scared of today, to be honest."
"Why are you scared, Ser?" He asks, looking concerned.
"Well... to get to Cerulean, we have to go through... a..." I trail off, deep in thought.
"A mountain. Mt. Moon." He finishes, and i nod. "Whats so wrong about mountains?" He asks, and i shake my head.
"Well, lets just say that... flying types and caves... well..." But he stops me.
"You have one of the most developed flying type teams I've ever come across at this point of the gym circuit, Serena. Your team trusts you, and you trust them. Type disadvantages be damned, you'll make it through Mt. Moon, and every other cave and mountain after that. Sure, Alto and Ace will need to adjust to the dim lighting and cramped spaces for a few days-" I flich when he says 'days',"-but they will make do. They have to. The chicks will be fine, too, Serena. Both of them are extremely capable of attacking with physical, and psychic moves, so rock types will cower in fear of those two adorable little fluff balls." He pats my arm.
"Thank you... Brock." I say after a while.
"But! Anyways, we should get back, suns almost up!" He stands, and i start, realizing hes right.
The sky is a canvas filled with every shade of pink, orange, and white that you could imagine.
We walk over to the edge of the nest, and Brock gulps.
Giggling, i gesture to Ace, who smiles and nods, grabbing Brock by the shoulders and dropping with him.
"HEY WHAT ARE YOU DOOOOOOOooooo..." His voice quickly cuts out, as Alto and the chicks help me down.
I'm about halfway down, when i feel something tugging at me from behind.
I look behind me, and... theres nothing, but i still get the distinct feeling that somethings tugging me.
Then it pulls harder, and i scramble to keep my grip.
Then, Belle floats by me, and gestures to let go.
Shaking my head, i try to deescalate even faster, when the tugging finally jolts me from the tree.
I dont even have time to scream, when i feel myself start to...
... float?
I open my eyes, which i didnt even realize i had closed, and see my self floating in a pinkish aura, quickly approaching the ground.
Just before i hit, i stop, an get dropped the last couple feet.
Dusting myself off, I look over to where Belle is smiling widely at me, tilting her head side to side, as if waiting for a critique.
"Good job Belle, but next time, maybe warn me first?" I rub her head, and she cooes happily.
I look over to where Brock is Standing with Ace.
"IF YOU EVER DO THAT AGAIN I SWEAR TO GOD!" He shouts, but i laugh at him.
"Calm down, whiny pants! You got down relatively safe, didnt you?" I laugh, and his look of rage turns to a look of amazement.
"Wow, Ser. You really ARE something..."
He walks me back to the Center, where a groggy looking Misty and Ash are standing out front, munching on some toast and whatnot.
"Serena! Hilary is just grabbing your stuff, then we can go!" Ash mumbles through a mouthful of breakfast.
Hilary happens to show up then, as if on cue, and we head to the gym to grab Brocks stuff.
He only has a large backpack, with pots and pans hanging off the side. I offer to help him carry some stuff, but he just laughs at me.
"You think i got these ROCK HARD ABS by letting people help me? No thanks, Ser, I'm good!" Everyone laughs, and we head out.
It doesnt take long to get past the sentry at the entrance of Route 3. As soon as he sees Brock, he backs off.
"Okay guys, there are A LOT of trainers on Route 3, so-" He's cut off as Misty and Ash dart off.
"HEY!" He sighs, smiling as the kids take care of every trainer in our path.
"So, Brock," Hilary starts, "why are you going to... Saffron was it?... for business?"
"They have some local gang issues, and i volunteered to go help until its all calmed down."
"Isnt that dangerous?" I add, concerned.
"Team Rocket? Haha! Team Rocket is nothing but a bunch of toddlers. I think i can handle them!" He messes up my hair, and laughs.
Wee start down a long path with lots of tall grass, and after confirming that the wild pokemon here were an easy enough match for the chicks, i let them out to play.
They fly around, and occasionally dive into the tall grass, presumably to attack a wild pokemon.
Sunshine, Alto, and Ace all float lazily in front of us, soaking up the sun, while K.O, Geodude, Onix, and Spritzer follow closely behind.
We take our time, as we are in no rush to get to Mt. Moon, but we finally show up at the PokeCenter at the main entrance to the mountain.
It's just after noon, so we decide to have a little picnic by a nearby river, where the pokemon can play to their hearts content as we all munch.
After setting out the food for all the pokemon, i serve up myself a couple sandwiches, and lean against a nearby tree trunk.
"This is nice! Just us, the sun, and our pokemon!" Hilary sighs, face turned upwards.
"This is rather relaxing..." Misty mumbles through a mouthful of food, and we all nod.
Ash takes off his shirt, and goes and changes behind a tree, then jumps into the river, with Misty following soon behind.
Soon, everyone except for me is in the river, splashing and playing. I just sit with my feet in the water, kicking and splashing anyone who dares come near.
I splash Pikachu, who happens to paddle to close to my attack range, when i see the chicks.
They are circling something, just above the water. I can't quite tell what it is, but soon Ace dives between them, into the water.
"Hey!" I throw my bag to the side, kick my shoes off, then dive in, swimming to the spot where Ace went under.
Ace suddenly reappears, gasping for air, doing a couple more circles before diving again. I'm a lot closer now, and the water is just clear enough for me too make out what Ace is paddling for.
It looks like a large rock, oval in shape...
... An Egg!
Ace makes it about halfway down before braking, and shooting back up for air.
I gesture to him when he sees me, and he starts freaking out, squawking and chirping, trying to push me back, but i push on.
I finally get to the spot above the egg, when i hear Misty.
"SERENA, NO! THE CURRENT IS TO STRON-" Shes cut off as i dive.
Now, i'm not a bad swimmer. In a pool.
The current takes me by surprise, and have to shoot back up for air.
I get my bearings, ignore all the shouting that is getting closer, and dive again.
Even prepared for it, the current still surprises me, but i keep going.
I get about halfway, when my lungs start screaming for air, but i push on, ignoring my bodies protesting.
If this Egg has been here to long... I shudder at the thought.
I finally reach the Egg, grabbing and pulling, and it pops up easily from the riverbed.
I kick and paddle, and i see a large brown blur dive into the water, grabbing me by the shoulders and heaving me up.
I finally break surface, gasping and gulping for air, and Alto swings down, grabbing the egg, and taking it to shore, while Misty grabs me by the collar and drags me along.
Misty is an EXCEPTIONAL swimmer, getting us to the shore in a matter of 30-40 seconds, and their are waiting hands, that hoist me up, and onto a blanket.
"SERENA FLORA!" Hilary growls, but Brock shushes her.
"We need to get both of them back to the Center, before we fight." She nods, grabbing the now blanket wrapped Egg, and Brock lifts me up, and we are on the way to the Center.
When we return, Nurse Joy quickly grabs the Egg, then takes off with it, murmuring something about me to the Chanseys, that make them grab me, and load me onto a gurney, wheeling me away.
One of them holds up a needle, and goes to stick it in my arm, but i shy away.
"W-w-what?" I shiver, and she smacks my hand away, plunging the needle into my arm.
As i start to doze off, i see Hilary, on the phone behind the Chanseys.
"Dont tell d..." I fall asleep.