Colin woke with a start. It was 11:15 in the morning. Colin, on the other hand, felt like he slept 2 seconds. 3 tops. Last night, Colin opened up the darker bits of his life to Baz. He felt good, but like all good things, it comes to an end. Baz was missing, so was Piplup, but Shinx and Croagunk were right where Colin had seen the Pokemon last night. He sat up in his bed, blinking the sleep out of his eyes. Shinx woke as he Colin did this. Croagunk laid still, breathing heavily as the frog Pokemon slept. Colin noticed a note on the bed, written in neat, clean handwriting.
~ Colin, went into town to get stuff and drop by some places. Also, I found out where we can learn about the Gym Challenge.
-Baz ~
Colin got dressed, wearing his regular outfit: blue-gray shirt, blue jeans, and his shoes and socks. He had decided it was too hot out for his jacket. "Come on now, everyone.", said Colin as Shinx got in its Pokeball. Croagunk woke up and immediately hopped back on Colin's back. Colin sighed, put his flat cap on, and left in search of Baz. Jubilife was busy this time of day. The buildings populated so heavily at night were almost barren. Only the satellites building and the radio spire building had a large amount of people going in and out. Colin looked across the pond of people for Baz's spiky blonde hair and was fruitless in his search. Colin decided to go into the nearest building, as he was about to be swept away by the mass of people who moved as a hive mind. This happened to be the Trainer's School. And, as luck would have it, Baz was also in the school. The Trainer's School was a simple building, as simple as a school could get, anyway. Desks, a chalkboard, and even a little area for students to battle in. Better than Rustboro's, Colin thought. Baz turned around and ran up to Colin, grabbed Colin's arm, and dragged him forward to greet Baz's teacher. "Ms. Victoria, this is my friend, Colin. Colin, this is my teacher, Ms. Victoria." Baz loooked pleased with himself after introducing the two.
"I understand the two of you want to want to take on the Sinnoh Gym challenge.", said Ms. Victoria. "Absolutely.", replied Colin. "Now, you understand the system of the Gym challenge, correct?" "Not exactly..." Ms. Victoria perked up at this. "Ok. Now, the Gym challenge is set up like this: every gym has a gym leader, right?" "Right.", said Baz. "Every gym has a certain typing that each gym leader follows.", Ms. Victoria continued, "Like for example, the first gym you will face in Oreburgh, the gym leader there specializes in Rock-type Pokemon." Baz pumped his fist. Piplup would rule at the Oreburgh gym. Colin, who was listening intently, looked unsure. Yes, Croagunk was a Poison/Fighting type Pokemon, but Rock Smash could only be used so many times. Shinx wouldn't be of much help. "Baz, we could leave tonight and probably make it to Oreburgh early tomorrow morning." Colin stated. The two had made up their minds up as they were leaving with a proper goodbye sendoff from Ms. Victoria. The duo made it back to their room, packed up (Colin had taken the curtains as they were clearly no longer in use), and they made their way to Oreburgh. On their way out of town, the two met a rather nice businessman, who (after a rigorous Pokesurvey) gave them both a Poketch. Like most things, this didn't bother either of them and wasn't all that important.
Halfway to the city of Oreburgh, the two met some trainers. Fought them, beat them, no big deal. But the route itself was worth exploring. The two ran into an Abra, which Teleported away as Colin and Baz bickered over who got to catch it. The Pokemon trainers made it to a nice looking lake and decided to stop here for the night and continue the rest of the walk to Oreburgh in the morning. The tents were up as the sun was setting. Croagunk was staring at its reflection in the water. Shinx and Piplup were playing about a tree. The trainers were turning in for the night when Baz decided to get some training in before the the night became more than a dark gray. Colin was training with Croagunk. Shinx had needed a break for a while and was still asleep when Colin went to train. Baz, however, had something else on his mind. He didn't get up to train. Baz wanted to catch a Pokemon. He had nothing particular in mind that he wanted to catch. The first thing that caught Baz's eye was a flock of Zubat. He quietly let Piplup out of its Pokeball and said, "Ok Piplup. I need you to use Bubble on those Zubat. Try to get a bunch of them." Piplup nodded, turned, and released several fast moving, powerful Bubbles at the Zubat flock.
There about 15 or so Zubat in the flock that Baz had seen. Piplup's Bubble attack hit about of 7 of them, with the other 8 flying off in confusion. Of the seven Zubat Piplup hit, only four stayed behind to engage in battle. Colin heard the commotion and ran to Baz. "Baz!? Are you out of your damn mind?!", Colin said in a hushed whisper. "Probably.", Baz replied. Colin called over Shinx when Baz had Piplup launch a second volley of Bubbles at the Zubats. The four Zubat seemed to work in tune with each other, a well-oiled machine capable of unimaginable feats, probably. Unfortunately for that machine, Bubble had launched one Zubat into a nearby tree cluster. The other three launched Poison Stings and a Leech Life attack at Piplup. Shinx and Croagunk entered the fight at the wrong time, as Shinx was bombarded by Poison Sting. Croagunk launched itself into the air and launched its own Poison Sting directly at a Zubat. That almost looked like that was a revenge shot, thought Colin. Maybe Croagunk really does care about something. Croagunk's Poison Sting had laucnhed the other Zubat far off into the moon, it seemed. Piplup, however, was on the receiving end of a beatdown courtesy of the final Zubat. The Zubat was relentless in its attacks, Poison Sting after Poison Sting, Leech Life after Leech Life. Zubat had determination about it, noted Colin. It wasn't going to stop unless it was sure Piplup couldn't come back from this.
Baz was near tears as he watched his best friend get attacked mercilessly by a Zubat. All because he wanted to catch a Pokemon. Because he wanted to be as good as Colin. Colin got two Pokemon off the bat. Why shouldn't Piplup get company? Baz's reasoning was drowned out as he mindlessly shouted, "Piplup, do something!" Piplup was in a corner. The penguin Pokemon knew it had to do something. So Piplup attacked. What looked like a headbutt to Baz was Piplup breaking out of the savage beating it was receiving, and delivered a devastating Peck directly to the Zubat, driving it into the ground. Colin and Baz, even Croagunk seemed astonished. "Piplup learned Peck!", said Baz. Meanwhile, Piplup was next to the small divot in the ground created by Zubat. Baz realized what came next. He reached in his bag, grabbed a Pokeball, and launched it at Zubat, which disappeared inside the ball with a flash of red. One shake, then two, and Baz was on the ground next to Piplup half crying, half helaing his buddy as the Pokeball clicked with victory and sparkled with triumph. In the tent, Colin and Baz looked at each other, then at thier Pokemon, then at the Pokeball in the corner that housed Baz's new Zubat. "Well, we could meet Zubat, or we could go to sleep and get to Oreburgh early next morning." The words were barely out of Colin's mouth when Zubat emerged from its Pokeball. Zubat was panicky, to say the least. It seemed constantly in suspicion or distrust of everyting. It hid behind Shinx's curtain bed and roosted somewhere in the bed. Shinx didn't seemed to care. Croagunk was indifferent. Shocking. Piplup, even though it had just gotten the living shit beaten out of it by Zubat, it seemed eager for a new friend to journey with.
Checking his Poketch, Colin realized it was almost midnight. "I think we've all had an exciting enough start to Oreburgh. We should get some sleep now, if we want to make it to Oreburgh early tomorrow." Baz decided not to tell Colin why he just put everyone at risk, especially Shinx and Piplup. Baz had seen Shinx practically become a Sandslash within two seconds. Piplup wasn't any better, Baz imagined. Piplup had fallen asleep, but sometimes after that, Zubat had silently flown to Piplup and roosted, also asleep, on Piplup's head. Colin was almost passed out by the time his head hit the pillow. Shinx had curled up next him again. Colin put his arm over Shinx, which made Shinx curl up closer to Colin. Colin slipped into sleep shortly after this, thinking about the eventful day he'd just gone through. Baz watched Croagunk as it laid back onto Shinx and Colin, and it too fell asleep. What a nice little family they are, Baz thought. He looked at Piplup and Zubat and himself as he started to give into sleep. Baz thought as he fell asleep, We. What a nice family we are, and slipped off into slumber.