You know, I think, I'm getting better at creating titles for chapters and all. I don't own Pokemon!
Chapter 14: The G Team
Wednesday, February 19th
I was currently exiting Oreburgh Gate, heading back onto Route 203. Needless to say, after finally obtaining the Coal Badge and gaining yet another team member, I was in a pretty good mood right now.
Just as I was rounding the corner around a small pocket of trees, a familiar boy fitted with a head of crazy blonde hair that reflected his personality practically jumped me.
"Kari Kari Kari Kari!"
"Jun? What are you doing here?" I laughed as I said it, Mazey smiling curiously at Jun in my arms.
"Duh! Waiting for you!" I peered around my childhood friend and saw a whole camp set up, complete with his Starly and Chimchar.
"Have you been waiting for me here?"
"Duh! That's what I just said!" Jun replied. At first I was kind of annoyed with Jun for wasting his time like this for me, but then I remembered that that's who Jun was, and it made me feel loved. No one else would do this for me.
"Thanks."
"No problemo Kari Kari!" I laughed a little at his nickname for me.
"So you got the Coal Badge?"
"Uh huh!" I told him, taking out my partially pink badge case and showing it to Jun.
"Nice! So Eterna City is the next place where theres a Gym, so I'm headed there now. Camping out here gave me a chance to train my Pokemon and everything, so it wasn't that big a deal waiting for you. Now you should go go go Kari Kari! Jubilife City is a ways away and it'll take twice that time to get to Eterna City!" Jun began pushing me down the trail.
"You don't want me to stay with you, help you pack or anything like that?"
"No! You're way too nice Kari Kari! Now go!" I laughed at his impatience, even with me, and continued walking.
Despite it still being February, and I still believing it was winter because of the still frigid air, I couldn't hold on to the pure white innocence and dark gray dreariness for any longer. Only a few patches of snow remained, of which I stepped in all that came onto the well weared trail. It was plain to see that spring was coming, fast.
The next day, at around ten o'clock, we arrived in Jubilife City. I'd gone to bed late, and gotten up very early in order to get here before noon. The sliding doors of the Pokemon Center opened with the sound of a machine, I liked to think that they sounded different during the colder months, squeaking with the difficulty of opening and closing while trying to prevent themselves from freezing shut. There was a short line of people waiting to talk to Nurse Joy, but for once I didn't really mind. The whole atmosphere of the center was warm, comfortable, homey. Many people were just relaxing on the couches with their Pokemon, having conversations. For a moment I didn't realize that I was up next.
"Excuse me ma'am," My carelessly wandering eyes snapped back onto what was in front of me. I smiled and headed towards the counter.
"Can you heal these Pokemon for me Nurse Joy?" I pushed three Pokeballs, all containing my Pokemon, towards the pink haired woman.
"Of course!" She placed the precious items on a tray with care, and took them in a back room with a Chansey. I felt intrigued, wanting to know what was behind the door with the warning painted on, 'Staff Members Only', and a cute smiley painting of a Chansey underneath that. Moments later, Nurse Joy returned with my Pokemon. She asked if I wanted a room for the night, but I politely refused. I didn't want to stay for long. Alone, I left the comforting place, making my way back into the cold. I ended up at Fountain Park, a small green area near the intersection between Fountain Avenue and Main Street, the park being named for both the street and the large fountain in the middle of it. I put my hands on the cold stone railing of the lonely fountain, water hadn't run through it in months, and probably wouldn't for another month or two. Despite the city being so populated, and not exactly being the cleanest city, the grass here was a healthy green as the snow melted away, and the fountain was beautiful, well taken care of. I loved the flowing motion of the sculpted stone, so still in this February air.
"Oh oh oh?" I turned around to see where this squeaky voice was coming from, an annoyed look on my face. Whoever had said this had ruined my peace and quiet. "A child of your age not having the very popular Poketch? That is unheard of! That is, Pokemon-" I put a hand up signaling for this around fifty year old man, very business looking, to stop.
"I know what a Poketch is, and sorry, but I don't want to buy one."
"Well then you're in luck!" I raised an annoyed eyebrow at him. Did you not just hear what I said? "You see, I invented, and now manufacture, Poketches! Not only that, but I'm now conducting the Poketch promotional campaign! All you have to do is find three clowns here in the city."
"You do realize that this is one of the largest cities in the region, and that there are probably a hundred clowns in this city just waiting for a chance to rape someone like me?"
"Not to worry miss! All three clowns you'll be looking for are in this vicinity! Just find them, answer their questions, and obtain their coupons and the Poketch will be yours for free! Good luck!" The man stared at me, probably waiting for me to begin searching, so I did. I've heard that Poketches are pretty useful, and to get a thirty dollar watch for free? Why not? If I don't like it, I can either return it, or better yet, sell it. The first clown I found was loitering in front of the Jubilife TV Headquarters.
"Hello, are you one of the Poketch clowns?" He did that ridiculous Looney Toons Goofy laugh, then replied.
"That I am! Now let's roll out my question! Can a Pokemon hold an item?" This is too easy. I thought to myself.
"Yes." I replied, sounding monotone.
"Ding ding!" He sang. "That is correct! Pokemon can hold a single item, and-"
"Just give me the coupon please." I interrupted, I already knew this stuff and didn't need a lesson on Pokemon holding items.
"Uh, sure I guess!" He gave me the little paper that somehow would get me a free watch, but whatever. The next clown I found wandering around in near the Poke Mart.
"Question please." I asked.
"Of course! Does a Pokemon grow by defeating others?"
"It can, but there are other ways Pokemon can grow and become stronger."
"Ding ding ding! Here's your second coupon!" By one o'clock I'd found the third clown smoking a cigarette in an alley next to the Poketch Company. Now this is what I was expecting from these guys.
"You doing that Poketch campaign?"
"Yeah."
"Take it." He said, handing me the coupon. "I'm about to quit anyways." I nodded my thank you, heading back to Fountain Park to get my free watch. After showing the man from earlier, he congratulated me.
"Bravo, bravo! In return for these coupons, I present you with this Pokemon watch! Which color do you want?" He presented me with four different watches. One orangish yellow, one pink, one red, and one an intruging teal color that reminded me of my ocean blue eyes.
"The teal one."
"Excellent choice, this model is the newest and isn't yet even available in stores!" He smiled at me, and I couldn't help myself. I had to give him a small smile back. "You can add all kinds of different apps to your Poketch, all you have to do to use them is press those buttons there! Have fun with your new Poketch!"
"Thank you!" I called after him, already playing with my new device. "Not better than my iPod, but still pretty cool." I said to myself. I decided to leave today, even if it was getting later in the day. I bought a cheap salad with wilting lettuce for lunch. Trust me, it wasn't very tasty, but I was hungry. Then I bought some supplies at the Poke Mart, and finally, I headed towards the north exit of Jubilife City. The grass of Route 204 was in my sights, but a small group was blocking the way. As I got closer, the group became stranger and stranger until I realized that two of them were Professor Rowan and Lucas. The other two looked like rouge space cadets trying to be aliens what with their teal died hair in that bowl shape, and astronaut suits. I became suspicious when I realized that there was yelling going on.
"Now now Professor, you must comply! Hand over your research findings, for free, naturally."
"Failure to comply will result in a painful time for your assistant." The other one spoke. Now I had to get involved.
"Hey you freaks, leave them alone!" I yelled, running up besides the Professor.
"Hikari!" Lucas shouted.
"Ah Hikari! How is the Pokedex progressing?" I found it odd that the Prof. was suddenly acting oblivious to the strange mens' presence.
"Um, fine I guess."
"Have you yet obtained the Coal Badge from Oreburg City?"
"Yeah..."
"Brilliant! Obtaining your first Gym Badge so soon after beginning your adventure, you are so very gifted!" I nodded at him, glancing at the men looking more and more impatient and annoyed by the minute.
"Professor, must you be so difficult?" The first guy hissed through clenched teeth. "We are speaking to you on business, because this is work for us. Now, we demand that you comply to our demands." I'd been about to yell at them again, but the Professor beat me to it.
"Quiet you lot! Must you be such a nuisance?!" Both Lucas, the space men, and I were taken aback by his sudden hostility and loudness. "Let me list some lessons you still need to learn." Suddenly this encounter had turned into a lecture by angry Professor Rowan.
"We have no-"
"Quiet! Lesson #1: Don't loiter about for no good reason! #2: Don't interrupt others while they are attempting to converse. #3: If you don't get your way, don't raise your voice to be intimidating." I think we'd all assumed that Rowan would be done after three, but he continued right on. This really was turning into a class session. "#4: Do not think you've grown strong just because you are in a group. #5: What is with those outlandish outfits you have on?" The Professor suddenly inquired. We were all thinking it, though. The men with the 'outlandish' outfits looked utterly confused. "My goodness... You call yourself adults?" The Professor shook his head in disappointment. "Children! Do not grow up to be like these hooligans!" Lucas still looked nervous with the space men here, but I laughed at the Professors comment.
"Er! You just had to make this personal! You have forced our hand into making a show of force! We will make you regret insulting Team Galactic!" The emblem on their outfits. A yellow G. I'd seen it before. Cyrus. I felt a sharp pain in my head, but forced my hands to stay at my sides. That guy Jun and I had seen at Lade Verity. He'd had the same emblem on his strange outfit, similar to these people's. Cyrus. Just his name made me tremble in fear. Why am I so scared of you? I couldn't remember. It was locked somewhere deep inside my memories.
"Children, please give these thugs a lesson in civility."
"R-right. Hikari?" I slowly brought my vision to Lucas.
"Sure." I grabbed a Pokeball from my bag, throwing it just as Lucas was doing. I was silent as Electra appeared in front of us.
"Piplup, I choose you!" I was still shaken up by that fear of Cyrus, so I didn't get out my Pokedex like Lucas did when the Galactic guys released their Pokemon, a Stunky, of which I already had the entry on, and a Glameow, of which I didn't need the entry for. I knew plenty about those Pokemon already from living with one.
"Stunky, use Screech!"
"Glameow, you use Scratch on Piplup!" Screech lowered Electra's and Piplup's defense, but I was ready to protect my partner's slower Pokemon.
"Electra counter Glameow with Spark." I was almost too quiet to be heard by Electra, but she obeyed and hit Glameow.
"Stunky, Fury Swipes on Shinx!"
"Glameow you use Fake Out on Piplup!" This time we were unable to dodge the attacks.
"Piplup use Peck!
"Electra, Bite!"
"Dodge it!"
"Stunky!" Glameow dodged Piplup's attack, but Stunky was hit.
"Electra, Spark on Stunky!"
"Piplup, Bubble on Stunky too!" After that managary of attacks, Stunky fainted, and then all eyes were on Glameow.
"Bite!"
"Peck!"
"Dodge and use Scratch!" Piplup, the slower of our Pokemon, was once again the victim of Glameow's attack.
"Spark Electra!"
"Dodge it again and use Scratch on Piplup!" After this attack, Piplup fainted, and it was between me and this Galactic creep.
"Scratch Glameow!"
"Dodge it and use Bite!" Electra's teeth sunk unto Glameow's side, and Glameow hissed like I've never heard before. She escaped Electra's grip and ran off in front of it's own trainer.
"Thunder Wave!" A pulse of blue electricity quickly paralyzed Glameow. "Spark!" Glameow fainted.
"H-how is this even possible!? Losing to children?!" Glameow's trainer screeched.
"This mission is a failure. We must retreat." The other grunt said. Duh captain obvious.
"Grr. You leave us no option. We will retreat for now. We shall do so because Team Galactic is benevolent to all."
"Hn." I grunted. Yeah, of course you are. That grunt gave me a dirty look. Then they fast walked down Route 204.
"So they call themselves Team Galactic..."
"That sounds stupid." I bluntly replied. "I think I'll call them the G Team." Rowan smiled.
"When Pokemon evolve, they seem to release some sort of energy. However, I believe that it is a mystic power, far beyond our control. But this 'G Team' seems to be studying that power's potential. They want to know if it can be used as energy for something..."
"That doesn't sound very good." Lucas nervously stated. "Anyways, the Professor studies the evolution of Pokemon Hikari. According to his research, 90% of all Pokemon are somehow tied to evolution. Maybe that's the reason those people tried to take the Professor's research data by force. That is unforgivable!" Lucas suddenly acted all heroic. I giggled a little at this.
"Well, it's all over now, so you can relax Lucas. But thanks to you two, nothing came of that situation. I appreciate that. Your battling skill has greatly improved since I last saw you. Hikari, why don't collect all the Gym Battles of Sinnoh?" I smiled at the Professor.
"Actually sir, I was already planning on doing that, as well as becoming a top coordinator!"
"Ambicous are we Hikari?" We all smiled and laughed at this. "Well, that's good, it means you'll encounter lots of different Pokemon, therefore, you're Pokedex will fill up quickly. In other words, it will be of great help to my research. I suppose we shall be going Lucas, take care now!"
"I will Professor!"
"Bye Hikari!" Lucas blushed a little, waving nervously at me.
"Bye Lucas." I checked my Poketch. Nearly three o'clock. I sighed. It would make more sense to spend the night at the Pokemon Center because of how late it was starting to get, but I decided against it. Just as I was about to leave the city, I was once again stopped.
"Excuse me," Another older man, kind of chubby. "I watched you battle and my was it thrilling! I'm from Jubilife TV, and I was wondering if, as a trainer, you'd like to be interviewed for one of our many trainer featuring shows?"
"No thank you, I really have to get going." I replied.
"Oh, well, alright then, good-bye!" I waved at him, and with Electra walking by my side, we started out on Route 204.
Thursday, February 20th
Sort of a filler chapter, but we did officially meet the G Team! Sorry if this chapter is a little short and random. And one more thing before I go, I'd like to answer RaveOn-LastYear's question. It was about how the ship between Shinji and Hikari was going to even get started. Basically, this fanfiction is going to be a book about Hikari's journey, and it's more towards the end where the ship really starts to take form. Sorry if you don't like that answer, but it is what it is. All of my fanfictions are like that so far too. Read and review!