"Mom! Mom you there?"
"Stop yelling, I'm here! What's wrong, Natalia?" an older woman called from the couch.
"Well… I have to leave tomorrow."
The TV was switched off and the woman faced her daughter.
"What? Why?"
"There's an infection, mom. Profesor Oak asked me to stop it."
The woman frowned, looking sorrowful.
"I saw it on the news… peoples' pokemon are being infected left and right… they're almost like zombies… somehow I knew they'd ask you to help them."
"So…"
"Natalia. You're seventeen. You've been at this for so long, if you want to do it, you can. I won't stop you just… be safe, alright?"
"The infection won't attack people, but the pokemon will. I won't get sick, mom."
"I'm glad." She smiled, "You go out and do it, alright? But sleep tonight, I'll pick things up from the store."
"Thanks mom."
The woman's Umbreon opened its eye and crooned.
"Nicki, let's go, we need to get a few things from the store." Natalia's mother quipped, getting up and putting on her coat.
"When I get back, I hope you're asleep."
"Yes mom."
"I'll be back soon, alright?" she pecked her forehead and left, her Umbreon trailing behind her.
"Ellie?"
"Wuff."
"Are you scared?"
"Wuff." Came the lethargic reply.
"Ah we're both tired, it's alright. Come on." She picked up the little canine and walked up to her room, "Grant's still with Liam?"
"Wuff."
"Good. Poor kid…" she sighed.
"Huurm." Ellie whined.
She put the little canine into its bed by her own, and released each pokemon one by one into their sleeping spots. Her room was large enough to hold all eight of her pokemon, and she hadmade every stand, rack and bed for her friends by hand. Evidently, they appreciated it, as they always slept on their respective beds (or stands, or racks) and always felt good in the morning. Tonight, though, it would be restless. It wouldn't just be collecting pokemon for the professor's pokedex anymore. They weren't going to fight some rogue Gyarados or even fight against the sea pokemon, Lugia. It was an infection and though Natalia wasn't in danger of becoming a zombie herself, her beloved pokemon were. Even her Ditto, which she had raised form an egg (now that she thought about it, most of them were raised from eggs she had gotten from the daycare couple, who said other trainers didn't want them), was vulnerable. Her Growlithe didn't sleep in its bed for long. About an hour later it jumped up, yelping, and bounded fearfully away from its bed, but upon realizing that its bed was no threat, nor was any pokemon in the room, she slowly inched back. Her Lucario lifted its head and looked at the Growlithe, but noticed its emotion of fear (which made him decide not to growl at it). When the little canine hopped up on the bed on its stubby legs, Natalia felt the warmth immediately dive under the covers and stay there, trembling. She reached under and pet her little friend softly until it was sound asleep, and then she checked all her pokemon from where she sat. They were nervous, she could tell, but they weren't terrified. Content, she turned off her lamp and went to sleep.
When she woke up, though, her Pidgeot had moved from its stand to the head of her bed, her Feraligatr was curled up at the end of it, the Crobat was on her stomach, as was her Togetic, her Growlithe had moved up so its head was on her arm, while her Haunter was squeezed between her arm and the wall. The only pokemon of hers that wasn't in contact with her was her Lucario, David, who was sitting next to her bed, watching her.
"Um… morning David."
The pokemon nodded. At times she was glad her Lucario wasn't talkative, he was a good fellow to talk to. Kyle the Pidgeot opened its eyes and stretched its wings, hopping off the bed and onto the desk and then hopping to the floor. It looked at Natalia expectantly.
"You're hungry." She guessed.
It chirped and hopped over to the hatch, opened it, and flew down to the bottom floor. David followed, beckoning her to follow as well.
One by one, she shook each pokemon awake (sustaining a minor bite from her Ellie in the process out of terror, but she licked it in apology) and led them downstairs to give them their food. A loaf of bread for her Kyle, kibble-bits for Ellie, etcetera, etcetera… they ate heartily, she began to pack some food for the road in her backpack (full sized, though her mother insisted it was inconvenient, more than once she had brought home a nugget or a large pearl to justify her bringing so much), when her mother came out of her room with her Umbreon on her shoulder.
"Natalia, the supplies are on the counter if you wanted to pack those."
"Alright, thanks mom."
"Fighting zombies… almost like a video game, right?"
"I guess so."
"So what did the professor say to do?"
"Oh… now that I think about it, he did say Fire types don't get it and turn, but…" she suddenly remembered the Ponyta, "Mom, I rescued a Ponyta yesterday, if it survives you can keep that one, it'll be useful."
"Oh, thank you. I thin,m it'll need to defend the entire town, though."
"Mom there's only four or five houses here."
"Still yet. Plus, Liam's brother has that wonderful Charizard, I think we'll be fine."
"Good, I don't want Nicki to get zombiefied."
At this, the Umbreon cooed, shaking its head, hopping off her mother's shoulder to share kibble with Ellie, who allowed it.
"So how long do you think it'll take?"
"I don't know, mom. Might take months."
"Well you were gone for two years on that region-hopping you did last time."
"It might take longer, mom. I have to go in and clean out every single infected pokemon in this region and possibly another region."
"I know, I'm just… worried."
"I know you are." She smiled, putting in the last of the potions and sodas in her bag, "But I'll be fine. I'll keep my pokemon safe and I can't get infected."
"I know."
She shouldered her bag and checked that her pokemon were ready to go. She had remembered to pack food for each of her pokemon, labeled the bags and everything.
"Alright, in you go." She called, putting each pokemon into their pokeballs.
"You're going now?"
"Yeah. I need to see where they are."
"Alright, I'll… see you later, okay? When you get time, please stop by."
"I'll call you sometimes, mom."
With a hug and a kiss, they said their goodbyes, and Natalia walked out the door to Professor Elm's house to get the last of the information she needed.
"Natalia, would you consider leaving Grant here?"
"Why? Liam?"
Professor Elm lifted the blanket over the child, clutching the ditto-Pikachu closely.
"He's inconsolable since he lost Sparky, but… he really likes Grant."
"I can leave him if grant wants to stay."
At the mention of his name by his master, Grant turned over and looked at her.
"Grant, do you want to stay with Liam? Help him get over Sparky?"
The False Pikachu nodded forlornly, snuggling backwards closer to the boy.
"Hmm, Sparky that tickles…" he muttered in his sleep.
"Alright, also, you'll need to keep the Ponyta here, Liam's brother isn't always here, so Ponyta might be a good pokemon to defend the town against them."
"Alright, but she needs a name."
"She?"
"Yeah."
Natalia looked over at the Ponyta, where Lily was sleeping in a chair next to them, Marik was still propped up against the Ponyta's arm, but it seemed a little thinner than the previous night.
"Lilith. I think it'll be close to Lily, seeing her like that."
"Hm." Elm pushed up his glasses, "So what's your plan?"
"Well… Ellie can roast em, but David can keep them still… I think I'm going to get them to defend one another, maybe I can find other people to help me out."
"I'm positive you will." He smiled.
"Just keep Grant safe for me, alright?"
"I'll do that."
"Anything I need to know before I go?"
"Well, the first thing is they seem to be more plentiful at night, I also learned that if you keep a fire going near you they won't get too close." He listed off.
"Alright, cool."
"Anything else we learn, either Oak or myself will contact you."
"Good, I'll probably need it."
"And keep Ellie out with you. Oh by the way…" elm turned around and dug through his drawers. He pulled out a red and orang stone that looked like it was made of fire.
"Take this. If you want or need to evolve Ellie, do so."
"Alright, thanks. I really appreciate it." Natalia pocketed the stone. Ellie looked at her curiously.
"Alright, I suggest you first check Goldenrod and the areas around it, it's heavily populated and lots of people have pokemon there."
"Got it."
"Then I think you'll want to check the Safari zone. Pay if you have to, but check any pokemon catching games you need to."
"Alright, sounds good."
"If anything comes up we'll call. Try to get some help on this."
"Does that mean I have to team up with Edgar?"
"…No that does not mean you have to, however knowing him he won't even care if his pokemon are zombies."
"So I have to save them."
"Try, alright?"
"If I run into him I will."
"Good. Go ahead and stop at Goldenrod. Call me when you get there."
"Alright."
"Get to the Radio station. Broadcast the message. Professor Oak is doing it, too, but you have a reputation."
"Mmhm."
Grant waved as she left, and when she got outside, she pulled out Kyle.
"Kyle, Goldenrod City, please."
She mounted and they were off, she held Ellie in her arms tightly. She didn't want to suddenly have zombie Murkrow going after them and be shot out of the air. The scenery rolled under them as they went higher, but she saw something at about a hundred feet up that made her order Kyle to land.
anyone play heartgold or soulsilver? anyone?
well I'm using that map. carry on.
also, Edgar is that rival prick, for future reference.