Chapter 9 Route 3 part one

Even as I run towards my goal, I have to slow down and admire the fountain area that separates Striation City from Route 3. It is such a peaceful, pretty little area. Maybe after I have finished the main part of my journey, I can come back and spend some time here. I pick up my speed again and rush out of the area and onto Route 3 proper. I pause, allowing Tim and Jen to catch up some before I'm off again, Jolt following right on my heels.

It's around here somewhere. I glance around the path ahead of me until I spot a low plateau. Grinning, I run up the steps to the top. There are two buildings here. One looks to be a Preschool, with a playground full of younger kids. The other is my destination. In the building's backyard there are a couple of Petilils playing. In front of a building, an old man is arguing with a young teen.

"Look, just give me back my Pokémon!"

"No, you look, you whippersnapper! If you don't pay, then you can't have your Pokémon back."

"But-"

I tap the boy on the shoulder. When he turns to me, I smile. "It would be easier if for you to just pay."

He looks away. "I don't have the money."

"You could always challenge some of the kids next door. And if you still don't have enough, you could always go challenge the Gym." I glance at the old man. "How long has the Pokémon been here?"

He is staring at me as he answers. "The Pokémon the whippersnapper left with my wife has grown nine levels."

"So he owes you one thousand?" I turn back to the boy. "Go and collect fifteen hundred. That way you will have plenty in case your Pokémon levels up again, which is quite possible."

The teen looks at me, then nods and runs off. Jen and Tim had caught up with me just before I interrupted the quarrel. They're looking at me in confusion which only grows more when the old man starts talking to me.

"You know, I didn't believe it when your parents told me you had finally started your journey."

I turn to look at him. "Why not?"

"You weren't answering your Xtransceiver."

"My- CARP!" I check the Xtransceiver on my wrist to find the battery dead. "Oh, man. Tristan is going to be so mad!"

"Good to see that nothing bad has happened on your journey so far. The two confused kids behind you traveling with you?"

"Yup! This is Tim and Jen. Hey Gramps, would it be okay if we stay the night here?"

"Sure. Granny will want to hear all about your journey so far and that would keep you here till it got dark anyways. Come on you two young-uns. Let's get inside." The old man enters the house without waiting for us.

I turn to Tim and Jen. "This is the Daycare. The couple that runs it is pretty close to my parents, and I often talk to them on the Xtransceiver. I've never had the chance to visit them before, but they had described the area around here quite often. Come on! Let's go in."

"Wait, are you sure it's okay for us to stay here?" Jen asks, startled at the way things went so quickly.

"I don't know..." Tim trails off, trying to get his thoughts in order before speaking them.

I grin at them. "We're already here. They know we're. We don't have much of a choice." As I finish speaking, a Lilligant comes out of the house and pushes us into the building.

"There you are! Now, Sophie. I want to see your little ones." An old lady zeroes in on me as soon as we enter the back rooms of the Daycare.

"Actually Granny, the main reason we're here tonight and not tomorrow, is because of one of my little ones." I nudge Jolt, who had oddly gotten shy, forward so that Granny can get a good look at her. "This is Joltlace. She hatched today and I evolved her just a little while ago. She is really eager to battle, but I want her to have some training before I let her battle. I WILL pay. What do you say?"

"I say you WILL NOT pay me." As I open my mouth to object, Granny raises her hand to stop me and continues, "Think of it as a slightly late birthday gift."

I grumble because I can't argue against the logic of that. Granny scoops Jolt up and starts heading into the yard. "Now, why don't the three of you let your Pokémon out for some exercise, and then go see if Gramps needs any help fixing supper. I'll get to work on getting this sparker ready for battle. By the morning she should be at least level fifteen. Tell Gramps that I'll be in in a few minutes." She looks at us. "Well, let 'em out!"

"Oh, is it really all right if I let them ALL out?" Jen shifts her feet uneasily.

"Are they overly large? No? Then let the creatures out. You too boy. And tell me their names!"

Tim smiles and lets his three out immediately. "My Tepig is named Blaze, Lylo is my Lillipup, and Braveheart is the Braviary."

Jen releases six different Pokémon. "These are my girls. The Vulpix is Saliperia- Sally- the Dratini is Kyliamona- Kyli- the Riolu is Emilionia- Emi- Froslass's nickname is Aleyandria- Alley- my Audino's name is Ylvyna, or Ilvi, and finally, my Deerling Vyliala- Vili."

Granny is staring at Jen, muttering the names till she had them straight. "Got it. Sophie?"

"You already know all my other Eevees. Avon, Dusk, and Dawn. Jolt is the only new one." I release the other three as I talk. They run up to Granny, eager to finally meet her face to face.

After watching Granny settle the Pokémon for a few moments, the three of us headed in to help Gramps fix the food for everyone. Once Granny came in, after feeding all the Pokémon currently the couple was currently looking after. Just before the Daycare closed for the day, the teen from earlier rushed in with just enough money to retrieve his Pokémon, which turned out to be a Cinccino. After he left, thanking the couple for looking after his Pokémon, they locked up and the five of us sat down to eat. I spent the next two hours telling the old folks what had happened on my journey so far in detail. I left out a few things, like falling off the ledge and nearly getting hurt during the Gym Battle, but told them everything else. Once my Xtransceiver was fully charged, I called home and told the story all over again. My family made me promise to charge my communication device each and every time I was at a Poke Center. I was finally able to sleep after I said goodnight to everyone back at home.

Author's Note: Hey people. I give. I am returning to posting the chapters as soon as I write them. If I wait for reviews it could be weeks between updates. Sadly, this story just is not getting many reviews. Or faves. Or follows. *Sighs* (Feeling a bit unloved.) I decided to divide Route 3 into at least two parts. Depending on whether or not Sophie decides to visit Wellspring Cave will decide if it gets divided into three. Opinions? I have already written the beginning of the next chapter.

Thought I should let anyone following this story know: I am planning a sequel. Three of them. And then I also plan on writing backstories for the characters that I deem need it. This story has spawned a whole universe. I don't know if you should beware or be excited. Well, you're warned.

I prefer to post a new chapter after I get at least ONE review, but I will post when I finish it.

I am not a writer! I am a puppet controlled by fictional characters!