A/N I would like to say that Roddy is not named after a Transformers character, I only just noticed that while typing this chapter! Okay here is chapter 2. Enjoy!
"Aaaaw yeah!!" Roddy cried, punching Kirsain in the arm. "You did it! You did it, Kir!"
"Yeah," Kir said, still in shock from what had just happened. He was happy for Roddy – he'd caught a Murkrow by luring it out with food berries – but still couldn't quit believe it. He was a trainer. A real trainer. Just like his mother had been. Pidgey was weak, he didn't know what he was going to do against Brock (maybe he could borrow a squirtle from Oak in Pallet…) but he was a trainer.
It still didn't seem real.
But the rushing water and biting wind proved it was real. Very real, in fact. They lined up to take the ferry that would bring them to Kanto. Other successful students, some he recognised, were among the passengers. And himself and Roddy of course. It would take about a day to get to Kanto, and every minute felt like eternity. It wasn't as bad as when he'd been waiting for his verdict, but still.
"So what are we supposed to do for a whole day?" Roddy asked.
"I guess we could check the ship out and maybe have a few battles with other people to get some experience before it begins for real?" Kirsain replied.
A few extra levels wouldn't hurt. The more he thought about it the more worried he was about Brock, who would slaughter his pidgey if he was unprepared. He needed to take his mind off the upcoming trials. Anything was better than remaining in Heksar, with everyone talking about what a great trainer his mother had been and how they were sure he'd do her proud.
"Ticket please," said a sour-faced man who glared at them as they handed over the tickets.
"Jerk," Roddy whispered. Kirsain giggled but stopped when the man looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Is something funny, young man?" he asked, glaring. Roddy gulped.
"No sir," Kirsain said quickly and pushed Roddy forward to get away and onto the ship.
It was huge with many excited clamouring passengers. Kirsain shouted and waved goodbye to his father who was smiling and laughing through his tears as the ship cast off while Roddy hollered at his older sister not to touch his stuff. His dad was a businesses man in Goldenrod and his mother had died in an accident two years ago, so it had been left to Rhea Prime, his older sister, to look after Roddy. His dad sent regular packages of money and gifts and she had a lot of friends so she said she was alright with Roddy following his dream as long as he looked after himself and didn't get into too much trouble.
"Let's go check out our rooms!" Roddy said in excitement as the port faded out of their view and there was just mist and sea in the ship's wake.
"Hey, wait up!" Kirsain laughed as he was dragged by an overeager Roddy, who obviously wasn't looking where he was going because they banged into someone on their way down.
"Hey, watch it!" the stranger snapped.
"Oh, sorry!" Roddy gasped and held out a hand to help him up. "Are you all right?"
"No!" the boy said angrily. "I could have broken my leg! You're just lucky my father isn't here or he'd sue you!" when he finished speaking he stormed off – at least that was the effect he wanted. It turned out to be more of a flounce.
"….okay," Kirsain said after a while. "That was weird."
"Very weird," Roddy agreed. "Do you know who he was?"
"No idea. I hope he's not a new trainer, I don't want to run into him again."
"Yeah. He said his father isn't here, though. Is he alone?"
"How would I know that?" Kirsain replied, noticing that Roddy looked a little concerned.
"Fair enough," Roddy grinned, and the strange mood created by the encounter was broken instantly. "To our rooms!"
Their rooms were nothing spectacular, much to Roddy's disappointment. They were also on different floors, so they decided to explore the ship instead of hanging out in their rooms like Kir had initially wanted to.
"Maybe we can find some trainers," Roddy said. "I want to get Faint Attack at least before I take on Brock." Argh! There it was again – the worry that Kir had managed to put to the back of his mind had resurfaced.
He'd been so intent on catching a pokemon, any pokemon, he hadn't hesitated when he'd seen the Pidgey – even if it meant his starting pokemon would be very weak and common. Now, though, he was having second thoughts, and he knew it wasn't fair because it wasn't Pidgey's fault. Or Shial's, rather, as he'd named her after a character in a book he'd adored as a kid. Granted, in the book Shial had been a Lugia, not a Pidgey, but still. Anyway, Pidgeot wasn't that bad, but it would be difficult to train her up, especially if he couldn't even get past Pewter City thanks to Brock.
"Hey, Kir! Earth to Kir! Are you okay? How many fingers am I holding up?"
"Whuh?" Kir blinked and looked at Roddy, who was actually looking kinda worried.
"Yes, four and one thumb," Kir said, coming back to reality as Roddy stopped waving his hand in front of Kir's face.
"Man, you've gotta stop zoning out on me like that," Roddy said. "You really freaked me out for a second!"
"No way," Kir said, "Remember last year when I tried to scare you during Halloween by jumping out at you? You said, and I quote, that you are 'un-freakable.'"
"Maybe a little freakable," Roddy muttered. "You still remember that I said that?"
"Well, it's not exactly – hey, look! A battle!"
"Wha – hey!" Roddy shouted in protest as Kir eagerly dragged him to where cheers and shouting familiar commands marked the site of a pokemon battle.
"Extremespeed!"
"Protect, then Bubblebeam!"
Kir and Roddy pushed their way to the front just in time to see the Arcanine shake its head as if dislodging an annoying fly rather than from being hit by a super-effective attack.
"Cloyster has insane defense but its special defense is rubbish," Roddy observed. "Why's the other guy using physical attacks? Fire'll be normal anyway because Cloyster is Ice as well."
"What's the score?" Kirsain asked a girl standing next to him.
"One-nil to the guy with the Arcanine," she said, turning to them. "He nailed the other kid's Leafeon in one hit."
"Leafeon? Wow, I'm jealous. They only discovered those a few months ago."
"Yeah," Roddy muttered. "Gave us hell in the written tests. 'Hey guys, we've just found another hundred pokemon for you to memorise! Better get cracking!'"
"Huh?" the girl looked at them, confused, before comprehension dawned. "Oooh, are you new Heksar trainers? Congrats! I'm Nina, I'm going back to Celadon after visitng my aunt."
"I'm Roddy Prime," Roddy introduced himself, shaking her hand.
"Kirsain Mel- AAAH!"
The crowd shrieked in surprise as walls of water appeared from nowhere and crashed down on Arcanine, some spectators near the front – including Kirsain - jumping backwards to avoid getting soaked. They broke into applause as the water cleared to reveal the Arcanine wobbling on its feet before collapsing with a loud thump.
"Surf!" Roddy laughed, clapping with the rest of the crowd. "You should've seen your face, Kir!"
"Shut up," he said, grimacing as he saw that his t-shirt was soaked. He hoped the ferry had dry-cleaners.
The trainer with the Arcanine didn't look the least bit worried as he withdrew the fire dog. It became clear when the light faded and his next pokemon was revealed.
"Ludicolo! Giga Drain!"
"Prote – no!" The other trainer was too slow, and Cloyster fainted. Two-one. "Colin, return! Michael, go!"
The crowd 'oooh'ed as another recently discovered pokemon came into battle - Magnezone. The bizarre, UFO-like pokemon bristled with electricity.
"If the other guy's got a ground type, he's toast," Roddy muttered. Kirsain nodded absently, wondering what he would do if he were in the situation of the losing trainer. At least Shial would be super-effective against Ludicolo.
"Thunder!"
"Dive!"
The crowd clapped as the lethal electricity harmlessly bounced off the area where Ludicolo had hidden – at least, that was what it looked like. Ludicolo immediately bounced up again, howling as the water it had immersed itself in became electrified.
"Water conducts electricity," the boy with the Magnezone grinned. "You just saved me from using Rain Dance. Thunder!"
The combination of the Thunder strike and its own water turning against it was too much for Ludicolo, and the crowd burst into wild applause as the duck-beaked pokemon fainted. Now the score was even – Kirsain felt a thrill of excitement shiver through him. This was what he wanted.
"You think you have a chance?" the other trainer snarled as Ludicolo disappeared in red light. "Let's end this foolishness. Golem!"
Some of the crowd began backing away, not wanting to lose their balance and fall if it came to Earthquake, which surely it would. Kirsain, who'd already been soaked today, joined them, ignoring Nina as she chuckled at him. Roddy just rolled his eyes and kept watching – some day he would be the one crowds flocked around.
Magnezone kid didn't hesitate, shouting "Magnet Rise!" just as the older trainer ordered Golem to unleash Earthquake. The crowd shouted and a few people fell over, but Magnezone was unaffected. Roddy nodded in approval, deciding on his favourite trainer – Magnezone kid was a few years younger than him but was well-accomplished, while the other trainer seemed overconfident and arrogant. "C'mon, kid," Roddy whispered to himself, "You've got him on the ropes! Show him who's boss!"
"Flash Ca-!"
Just as Magnezone was given its final order, the other trainer shouted, "Wait!"
A deathly hush fell on the crowd as Magnezone paused, waiting for confirmation of its order. Golem looked just as confused as everyone else as it was engulfed in red light.
"I surrender."
The noise was immense once the crowd figured out what was going on. Roddy whistled and cheered, almost beside himself with excitement. Kirsain went 'oof!' as he was given a rather enthusiastic hug by his friend. The two trainers, Magnezone kid and the other guy, shook hands and agreed on the winnings.
Half an hour later, Roddy's eyes were still wide with excitement. "I mean, he was amazing," he said, waving his arms around to illustrate his point. "And he's younger than me! I've always thought our system was stupid, and I've been proven right! If he was born in Heksar that kid would still be in school! What a waste!"
"Mmm," Kirsain said, having grown bored of this conversation half an hour ago. "Hey, he's over there if you want to go and propose to him."
"What? Where?"
Kirsain pointed – Magnezone kid was leaning against the ship's rail, leafing through a booklet.
"Right," Roddy said, drawing a deep breath. "Wish me luck." Before Kirsain could say that he was joking, or that the kid looked occupied, Roddy ran to greet his newest hero.
"Roddy!"
"Hi," Roddy said, already breathless with excitement and hoping that he didn't come across as too weird. "I saw you earlier, you were awesome!"
The kid looked up, startled, and clutched the booklet to his chest. "Oh, er, was I?"
"Yeah! You creamed him! You're amazing!"
"Uh, w-well, thanks," he stammered, looking distinctly uncomfortable. Concerned, Kirsain walked over.
"Are you okay?" he asked, putting a warning hand on Roddy's shoulder. "If my friend is bothering you, then -"
"No, no, it's fine! Really! I-it's just I get kinda nervous around people, y'know?"
"But you were awesome out there! You didn't look nervous at all!" Roddy had a point – the deck had been swarming with people, but the kid hadn't seemed too concerned.
"Oh, that's all right," the kid explained, "I'm great in a pokemon battle. It's like I connect more with them than I do with people."
An awkward silence descended – what were you supposed to say to that? Surprisingly enough the kid was the one who broke it, as if he'd had this conversation before.
"Don't let it bother you, I guess I'm just a freak, huh?"
"No!" Roddy insisted. "No, you're great! And, uh, I don't know your name."
"Oh! Oh, sorry. I'm Rob Bridges, full name Robert but I prefer Rob. Trust me, I've heard all possible jokes you could make about my name."
"I'm Roddy, he's Kirsain. So you've seen Heksar? What so you think of it?"
"It's, uh, it's different. I got a Vileplume there."
"Awesome," Roddy grinned. He probably would have applauded Rob if he'd caught a Magikarp. "What other pokemon do you have?"
"Well, uh, you've already seen Colin, Michael and Liam," (Kirsain assumed that was the Leafeon) "there's also Peter, Jill and André. O-oh, right, they're Pidgeot, Jolteon and Aerodactyl." (Pidgeot! Kirsain grinned at hearing that. Maybe he had a chance after all!)
"So you name all you pokemon like that? That's cute. Uh, in a manly way," Roddy hurried to add that last bit. "What would you call a Xatu?"
"Um, Xatu, I guess?"
"Fair enough," Roddy smiled. "So where are you from?"
"My parents live in Saffron City. Mum said I should check out Heksar, it has some really good trainers. I've been away for a few months so I'm visiting them."
"Cool," Roddy said. They slipped into a more companionable silence until Rob worked up his courage to ask.
"So what about you guys?"
"Well," Roddy said, his old theatrical flair returning to him. "It all started when I was ten…"
TBC!
A/N Over 2,000 words for one chapter! Wow, that kinda ran away with me. It's like the longest chapter I've ever written, lol. I can't blame you if you skip it, but I wanted to get the ferry ride out of the way. Anyway how did I do? Too long? Boring? Confusing? Let me know what you think! Ok see you guys next chapter!! Oh and Kirsain is pronounced Kerr-sane if anyone was wondering, his nickname Kir is still pronounced Kerr.