Okay, I do have a plan with this, I just hope for now it's making sense. I'll just add in here it's been roughly 5 years since the ol' Team Magma/Aqua stuff, so there's the time frame for ya! I'm trying to get the Spuck theme more into it here, so let's just see how I go from here.
I'm going to try and add another chapter to Titanium and And Then They Were Fewer after this, so probably won't be another update for a while.
Please review, so I can see who actually reads this... probably no one but hopefully they can review
Sam walked into the Rustboro City Pokecenter and proceeded to stalk the aisles for Potions. He came across Puck, who seemed to be restocking aisles with lacklustre enthusiasm.
"Hey," he said, looking up from the row of Antidotes. "Looking for something?"
"Yeah, uh, Potions." Sam was confident he could find them without assistance, but it seemed like Puck was desperate for an excuse to procrastinate.
"Next to the Burn Heals," Puck directed, pointing a few items to his left.
"Cool, thanks." Sam walked to the potions and after a brief pause tipped about ten into his basket. He then took a couple of Antidotes, Burn Heals, and Paralyze Heals, in such a way Puck had to duck from his path.
"Stocking up?" Puck asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Sam nodded. "About to train in Route 116, and I don't want Ralts to faint repeatedly - I don't know what it can do yet."
"Really?" Puck put down his stock and checked his wristwatch. "I finish in like five minutes. If you want, we can battle and see what you're made of."
Sam considered the offer, noting that since moving regions Puck was probably the closest thing he had to a friend. Dismissing the opportunity to further such friendship would be idiotic. "Sure," he smiled. "Just let me finish shopping first." He grabbed some Awakenings, Ice Heals, and stalked the aisles for a couple of Pokeballs, feeling he was now prepared for any mass of wild Pokemon he encountered.
With his basket in hand, Sam approached the unsupervised register. He waited for a little while before pressing the bell for assistance. He leaned beyond the register to check for any staff at the back, but instead Puck rushed from his aisle to serve.
"Wow," Sam said, "I guess you run everything here?"
"Pretty much," Puck nodded, signing into the register. "I mean, I don't own this place, but now that the Devon Corp has a mart we rarely get any business. I'm surprised this place isn't bankrupt." He rigged up Sam's purchases with surprising agility and accepted the money that was handed to him. He put half in the register, then half in his pocket. Handing Sam the bag of goods, which were shoved in his backpack, Puck ran his time card through its reader next to the register. "I've punched out," he said with a sigh of relief, putting his card back in a drawer. "Now, let's go have that battle."
Sam and Ralts stood on one side of the vast field in Route 116, while Puck and his Mawile waited patiently on the other side.
"Mawile, Protect," Puck ordered. Mawile's eyes turned light turquoise as a shield of the same colour surrounded it in an impenetrable shield. Once certain his Pokemon was safe, Puck motioned for Sam to attack.
"Ready, Ralts?" Sam asked. "Show them what you've got!"
Ralts let out a high-pitched scream for a second before returning to silence.
"...Was that it?" Sam admonished, softening when he saw Ralts embarrassed look. "Sorry."
Puck ran forward, Mawile in tow. "Hold on a sec." He fished a red device out of his pocket and flipped it open. Apparently it had a touch screen, as a few seconds of scrolling and pressing later and he showed the screen to Sam.
"I'm guessing your Ralts is only a level 5 or lower, so its only move is Growl."
"Oh," Sam blushed. He looked at Ralts, emitting soft squeals with a red tinge much more intense than its trainers. Sam picked it up and cradled it in his arms, almost as if it was an infant. "It's okay," he soothed, glad to hear the squeals reduce to sniffles. "I promise to train you up nice and strong."
Puck smiled, consulting his device again. "Hold still." A green line of light shined from the device's camera, and Puck hovered it over Ralts. A few seconds and a ding later, he grinned. "Dude, just one more level and Ralts will learn Confusion. Then it'll be a beast."
"Awesome!" Ralts seemed to like the fact too, as it stopped whining altogether. "What is that thingy, anyway?" Sam asked, trying to gesture without hurting Ralts in his arms.
"Oh, this? It's a PokeNav. Since the update it's pretty much got a Pokedex in it - best thing in the world." Puck placed it in Sam's free hand. "Take it - I have two."
"Really? I mean, I can afford one myself, you don't have-"
Puck held up a placating hand. "-Chill, dude. It's just a present."
Despite the chance of bringing light to something best unexplored, Sam still had to ask "Why?" Puck just shrugged, and Sam was too embarrassed to continue the topic. "Well, thanks! I guess.." With Ralts now sleeping soundly, cradled by one arm, Sam put the PokeNav in his pocket and retrieved Ralts' pokeball. Sending Ralts away, Sam looked at his watch. "Well, it's about noon. Want lunch? I saw a restaurant next to the PokeCenter - my treat?"
Puck quirked his lips, considering the offer with amusing exaggeration before conceding. "Okay fine," he grinned.
"So, I take it from our first meet that you're new in town?" Puck asked.
"Actually, new in region," Sam corrected sheepishly, even though he was sure Puck knew. "Been here for about a couple of days, it's still all surreal, you know?"
"Yeah," Puck replied, chewing his fries. "You still in school?"
"Finished last year," Sam said, "Mum wants me to apply to the uni here, but I'm not feeling it. I just wanna battle."
Puck nodded, swallowing his mouthful. "I get what you're saying, and I totally think you should ditch the back to school plan." Sam raised his eyebrows in response. "I mean, sure, your Ma wants you to further your education, but that's not her decision. I graduated from school two years ago and a degree wouldn't have helped me."
Sam put down his pizza slice. Somehow testimony from a grocery store worker saying that university wasn't necessary didn't strengthen his position.
Puck loudly sucked his cheeks. "I think you should take the Gym Leader challenge."
"Gym Leader Challenge?" Sam repeated.
"Yeah - considering you have battling in your blood I think you'd be great." He slid a flyer across the table, and Sam looked it over. It had eight gym leaders, each brandishing a shiny badge. It was old - considering Finn was still posted as the normal type Gym Leader, but the Pokemon League certified stamp deemed it legitimate. "Basically what you do is battle the Gym Leaders, and if you win, you get paid accommodation to verse the next. You'll pretty much get to travel, with paid expenses, everywhere, while battling!"
"You're kidding?" Sam gaped, "That sounds awesome! I have to try it! But what would Mum think?"
"Who cares?" Puck blurted, sounding more blunt than intended. "Sorry."
"No," Sam shook his head. "This is my life. You're right." He gazed at the flyer once more. "I'm going to do this. But you have to promise me one thing."
"Sure, anything" Puck said, nodding a touch more frantically than necessary.
"Help me train.. and find a way to keep this from Mom."
After a vigorous training session back in Route 116 with his new friend, Sam couldn't believe the progress he had made with his dilemma in just a day. He knew what he was going to do now, and was fairly certain it was foolproof - but there was one part of him that had trouble with it: his conscience. As much as he wanted to lead his own life, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt at disobeying his mother. Somehow he didn't think Dad would mind, being a gym leader and all, but still... not following his Mom's best intentions was a new principle to him. From childhood, he had always followed the path led out for him, even if he didn't want to. Recalcitrance was something he would have to grow into.
At least Puck didn't seem to think twice about suggesting it, despite Sam's reprehension, and part of him was glad for that. He could look to someone for reassurance and encouragement to make sure he didn't chicken out at the last minute. Come to think of it, Puck was being altruistically helpful - he had devised the whole scheme. They were to say Sam was renting an apartment with other students and pretend he was living in Rustboro while he was actually with Puck, travelling the region and battling gym after gym until defeating all eight. For now, Sam was to bunk with Puck, who lived in an apartment, and work at the PokeMart until ready to face the first Gym Leader.
Sam decided that Puck's motives were that he just wanted to do more with his life than work in a retail store. He would probably settle with his current life or ruminate the affair so much that he would become anxious. The League allows for one person to accompany the challenger, so the plan is surprisingly cohesive. Now it was night, and Sam had just entered his house to see his mother eating alone, a pot sitting cold on the stove.
"Hey Ma," he greeted, as she didn't seem peppy enough to greet him first. Walking over to the stove, Sam lifted the lid on the dish. "Soup for dinner?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes. I didn't think your father's new job would be so demanding, so I thought I'd he'd be home by now. Sit down and have a bowl."
Sam walked to the kitchen and poured a ladle of soup, waiting for the question he had practiced answering.
"So, did you check out the university?"
"Yeah," he answered, almost too quickly. "It's really cool." He sat down opposite her, staring at his fidgeting hands, speaking to his meal. "Yeah. They have an awesome course in Evolutionary Sciences I want to do."
"Really? That sounds wonderful!"
"Yeah," Sam continued, daring to glance up at his mothers face, filled with joy that he wouldn't dream of taking now. "The classes are pretty early, but they have discounts for out of town students, so I'm gonna bunk with some guys in an apartment and hopefully we'll save heaps."
"Brilliant!" Sam could feel his mother's smile, intensely warm from her languish before. "Have you checked the costs yet?"
He paused, his spoon parting his lips. That was the one thing he hadn't thought of covering - the costs. Tertiary education wasn't free, and the one discrepancy changed a whole more, like when classes start, and coming home for weekends. Now streams of uncovered variables were swarming his head, ones that didn't bother to surface during his planning at lunch. But, he stilled his shaking hand and steeled, remembering it was either this or another year of school. "Yeah," he swallowed dryly. "The cost isn't too bad. They said it'll be a little more expensive as I enrolled late, but it shouldn't be much."
Sam's downcast eyes missed the worried quirk of his mother's lips, but she continued in a merry tone. "Don't worry - we can handle the costs! When do you start?"
"Monday," Sam lied. "But tomorrow I'm going to check the apartment and roommates. I'm going to try look for a part time job in case they're assholes."
A small chuckle sounded. "That's my boy."
"Yeah," Sam laughed, quickly sobering. He felt extremely horrid. He knew he needed to act excited, but such enthusiasm and laughter seemed plain immoral regarding the circumstances. Perhaps what scared him the most was the chance of being caught. It wouldn't be too hard, and Sam would lack the nerve to continue his plan, but somehow he felt as if his Mother was just believing the lie, holding onto something she knew she wanted, even if it wasn't for herself. He made for the stairs, a cloud of thought heavy around his head. "I'm gonna go pack now, and get ready. There's a lot I need to do before settling in." He quickly discarded his bowl in the sink and ran up the stairs, conflicting excitement and shame echoing in his footsteps.
Okay, I do have an explanation why she accepts this so easily, it's going to be in the next chapter (no one hate me please writing this was actually kinda hard wah idk)
zucchini