CHAPTER THIRTY FIVE
The morning sun shone brightly through the gaps in the curtains of the hotel room where Daniel and Natalie stayed overnight. Their reward from the police station had been a free night's stay in one of the cheaper inns, where Natalie rested to heal her throat and her Pokemon, healed from their trip to the Pokemon Centre, crowded round on her bed while she dozed.
Daniel was up already, watching outside as the citizens of Lavender Town helped one another to sweep their doorways of fallen leaves during the night and repair anything that had fallen in the storm. The rain had stopped and while everything dripped water and there were puddles everywhere, the sun would soak it up and make everything dry by the afternoon.
Daniel fixed himself a coffee from the percolator, fumbling with the machine but managing to produce a decent beverage. It had a strong taste, but it helped revitalise him.
Now, as he glanced about the hotel room, which had two bedrooms, a small kitchenette and a bathroom - nothing spectacularly different than the hotel rooms they had been booking of late - Daniel felt a pang of anxiety for Natalie. What kind of evils would they come across in their travels which required them to be alert and have strong Pokemon to defend them? Trainers whose only goal was money, at the expense of hurting other Trainers, were a problem in Kanto and a reality Daniel was having trouble coming to grips with. Was he expected to learn self-defence?
That's silly, said a voice in his head. The Trainers fight with their Pokemon, not with their fists.
Daniel resolved to train his Pokemon harder, to engage them in more battles. He had to rely on them for protection now, too. In return, Daniel would give his Pokemon what these evil Trainers apparently had no concern for - love and care.
The bedroom door opened and Natalie emerged, clad in her pyjamas and followed by her loyal Pokemon.
"How was your sleep?" Daniel asked.
"It was good," Natalie smiled, her voice back to normal. She walked into the kitchen and poured herself a glass of water from the sink, drinking thirstily. "Thanks for looking after me."
"That's alright," said Daniel, going a bit red. "I'll make breakfast. What would you like?"
"Some toast would be lovely, with a glass of orange juice, if you have it?" Natalie joked, reaching for the ingredients herself. "You sit down. I owe you after yesterday."
"OK," Daniel hesitated, sitting on the couch. Meowth, Weepinbell and Arbok joined him as Daniel checked his backpack to see what items he had left.
"We're going to need to battle some more Trainers along the way to Fuchsia," said Natalie, popping a couple slices of bread into the toaster and pressing the lever down. They began to toast as Natalie poured a glass of juice for herself and Daniel.
"Yeah. I know. We're getting low on money." he replied.
"Isn't it amazing how expensive it is to travel? I'm glad we can split costs on food and accommodation," said Natalie, passing Daniel a glass of juice and returning to the kitchen to find plates.
"As we become stronger Trainers, so will our opponents. They'll have more prize money to offer us when we defeat them," said Daniel. "I'm looking forward to that."
Natalie grabbed butter and marmalade from the fridge for herself, and a pot of jam for Daniel. A minute later, the toast was ready and Natalie began spreading the condiments onto the bread with a knife.
"Daniel..." Natalie passed him his plate of toast, as the two of them sat at the tiny dining table. "Do you think I'm a weak Trainer?"
"No!" Daniel insisted all of a sudden. "If this is about - "
"I worry that I'm not raising my Pokemon right..." Natalie stared at the steam rising from the freshly toasted bread. "I mean, it was my four Pokemon against that horrible man's three and I lost almost immediately!"
"That wasn't a Pokemon battle. That was an ambush," said Daniel, spittle flying onto the table in his anger. "You would've kicked his butt if he hadn't neutralized you."
"I don't know..." Natalie made circular patterns on the plate with her fingernail. "I think I need to train more, that's all. We need to focus on that."
"You're right," Daniel smiled, placing his hand on her wrist. He began eating his breakfast, enjoying the taste of the jam. "We'll get there in the end. You'll see. We'll have Pokemon so strong not a criminal in the world will dare to oppose us!"
Daniel and Natalie set off for Silence Bridge, having healed their Pokemon at the Pokemon Center and stocked up on a few items at the PokeMart. The Silence Bridge was damp and its wooden hinges creaked as Daniel and Natalie walked on it, passing fisherman who had no luck so far in snagging anything other than Magikarp. The day felt damp but warm with promise, as though the sun would shine above all and make everyone warm and happy again.
Glancing to the end of the pier, Daniel saw a girl holding out her hand in expectation, as the boy opposite her handed over some prize money.
"Hey!" Daniel shouted, running forward to the girl's alarm. "You're a Pokemon Trainer!"
"You're right about that," she smirked, as the boy sullenly walked away. "Did you see how easily I won?"
"Well, no I didn't," Daniel admitted. "But how about you show me your battling prowess?"
"You're on," said the girl, making room for a battlefield. There was enough room for the Pokemon to battle both on the pier and in the water. "Don't say I didn't warn you!"
Daniel retrieved a Pokeball from his pocket. "What's your name? I'm Daniel."
"I'm Kylie." she said, throwing a Pokeball onto the pier. "Go, Exeggcute!"
Exeggcute burst from the Pokeball in a flash of red light. Exeggcute was a group of six eggs, all with little faces and most with cracks in their shells and one with their yolk exposed.
"An Exeggcute?" Natalie gasped. "I thought you had Water Pokemon!"
"Water Pokemon?" sneered Kylie. "Why would I come to a fisherman's wharf and try to fight Water with Water?"
"I choose you! Meowth!" Daniel shouted, as Meowth walked from his owner's side into the battlefield.
"A Meowth, eh?" grinned the girl. "So you're not all fisherman from here. Exeggcute, use Leech Seed!"
"Meowth, Pay Day attack!"
Exeggcute launched a tiny seed from within its cluster of eggs as Meowth's coin glowed and it blasted Exeggcute backwards. Exeggcute's seed landed on Meowth and sprouted vines, attaching itself around Meowth's body. Meowth's movement was not restrained, but as the vines glowed, they began to absorb Meowth's energy and give it back to Exegcute.
"Meowth, quick! Scratch Attack on Exeggcute!" Daniel shouted.
"Exeggcute, use Reflect!" shouted Kylie.
Exeggcute glowed blue and a shining barrier formed in front of it, much like a glass wall. As Meowth ran towards Exeggcute, the barrier flung him back and Meowth landed on his back, hissing as he got back on his feet.
"What's that move?" asked Daniel.
"Don't you know Exeggcute's a dual Grass/Psychic type?" scoffed Kylie. "You didn't think this was going to be easy, did you?"
The Leech Seed continued to sap Meowth's energy and give it back to Exeggcute, strengthening it. Meowth began to feel a little weak.
"Reflect is a move which protects against physical attacks." Natalie said quietly. "You'll need a strong attack to break it."
Daniel nodded. "Meowth, use Pay Day again!"
"Exeggcute, Barrage!"
As the coin on Meowth's forehead glowed, Exeggcute launched an egg from its pack at Meowth. The Pay Day attack merely glanced off the barrier and spilled coins into the water through the wooden slats of the pier, but the egg Exeggcute hurled at Meowth shattered into his face, causing him to stumble and fall over.
"Meowth, return!" said Daniel, holding out his Pokeball. Meowth returned safely inside with a flash of red light.
"I warned you, didn't I?" said Kylie.
Daniel was worried. Since Exeggcute was a Psychic-type, both Arbok and Weepinbell were susceptible to Psychic attacks, being Poison-types themselves. But it was also a Grass-type...
"Well?" taunted Kylie. "Are you going to pick a Pokemon yet?"
"Yes," Daniel nodded, throwing a Pokeball onto the pier. "Go, Arbok!"
Arbok reared its head as it emerged in a flash of red light, hissing and slamming its long tail in a display of force. Exeggcute watched Arbok warily.
"Arbok, Poison Sting!"
"Exeggcute, Hypnosis!"
Exeggcute released a hypnotic wave as Arbok shot poisonous barbs at Exeggcute. Arbok was able to dodge the hypnotic wave in time, but Exeggcute was injured by the poison barbs, as it was susceptible to Poison-type attacks. It became a shade of purple as it began coughing - it was poisoned.
"My Exeggcute!" squealed Kylie, reaching for an Antidote.
"Arbok, use Glare!" shouted Daniel.
Arbok fixed Exeggcute with an intense glare, which caused it to become paralysed.
"No!" shouted Kylie, reaching for her Pokeball instead."Exeggcute, return!"
Exeggcute returned to its Pokeball in a flash of red light.
"That's the only Pokemon you have?" asked Natalie.
Kylie gave her a mean look. "Of course it is! Don't tell me you're one of those Trainers who collects all kinds of Pokemon to spread the love around?"
"As a matter of fact, I am," Natalie said, standing her ground. "The more Pokemon I have, the more love I can give them."
"I don't know about that..." said Kylie sourly, clutching the Pokeball which held Exeggcute. "I only want to share my love with just one Pokemon."
Kylie walked over and handed Daniel six hundred dollars. Daniel thanked her as she turned and headed in the direction of Lavender Town.
"I'll give Meowth a Potion," said Daniel, releasing the injured feline Pokemon from his Pokeball with a flash of red light. "Then we can continue on."
As Daniel retrieved a Potion from his backpack and administered it to Meowth, Natalie glanced about the pier, noticing a few Trainers battling and a few fisherman trying to hook some fish Pokemon.
"Alright," said Daniel, standing up as Meowth returned to full health. "Let's go."
They continued down the pier for some time, keeping an eye out for Trainers to battle, but all they had encountered were either already battling or out or usable Pokemon and heading for the Pokemon Center to heal them. The breeze tickled Natalie's skin as she surveyed the still water. This far south, fisherman had given up for the afternoon and Goldeen and Seaking frolicked in the water, now that their territory was no longer in danger.
"Why don't you capture a Goldeen?" asked Daniel. "It's another Water-type you can add to your party."
Natalie watched the Goldeen and Seaking play together. Seaking was the evolved form of Goldeen, with orange and black stripes across a body which was larger than Goldeen's, as well as a sharper and bigger horn on its forehead.
"I don't know..." Natalie faltered, as they walked along the wooden deck. "I think I have enough Pokemon for now, I mean - "
Natalie stopped, dead in her tracks. Daniel turned to her, concerned. Following her gaze, he saw a Pokemon at the edge of the pier, readying to dive in.
"I can't believe it!" Natalie gasped. "It's a Seel!"
Seel had a white furry body with two flippers and an arcing tail. It had a tan coloured muzzle with small tusks and a sharp horn on its forehead.
"It's adorable!" gushed Daniel, reaching for his backpack. "I want it!"
"What?" Natalie moaned. "I saw it first!"
Sensing disruption, Seel took one look at the two Trainers and took a deep breath, diving into the water seamlessly and causing a small splash in return.
"Go, Weepinbell!" Daniel shouted, throwing the Pokeball onto the pier. Weepinbell burst forth from the Pokeball, its vines already ready to fight.
"Squirtle, dive into the water and catch Seel!" Natalie pointing to the ocean, as Squirtle took a running leap into the water.
The water had ripples on its surface from Seel, followed by Squirtle's dive.
"Can you see it, Weepinbell?" asked Daniel, as Weepinbell hovered its vines over the surface of the water, ready to grab Seel.
Seel emerged from the ocean all of a sudden and expelled a jet of water straight into Daniel's face. Dripping wet, Daniel barely had time to respond before Seel dived underwater again. Weepinbell's vines whipped the ripples of the water where Seel dove but it was to no avail.
"Seel doesn't like you!" said Natalie, clutching her stomach in laughter.
Daniel shook his head from side to side. "Weepinbell, find that Seel!"
Nodding, Weepinbell searched the sea with beady eyes. Squirtle emerged from the water, shaking his head.
"You can't find Seel?" asked Natalie. "Where could he be - "
Seel emerged from the water again, but this time, Weepinbell was able to lash out with its vines and hold Seel in a tight embrace.
"Nice going, Weepinbell!" said Daniel, as Seel struggled in vain to escape Weepinbell's hold.
"Come back, Squirtle," sighed Natalie, as Squirtle complied, climbing back up onto the pier. "I guess you can catch Seel, if you can manage it!"
Daniel turned to Weepinbell. "Weepinbell, use Sleep Powder!"
Still holding Seel tight, Weepinbell released shining powder from its mouth into the air, where it settled upon the ocean. Seel succumbed to the powder, falling asleep almost instantly.
"Nice work!" he said, retrieving a Great Ball from his backpack and throwing it at Seel. "Go, Pokeball!"
The Pokeball spun as it flew through the air, landing on Seel and enveloping him in a red light. The Pokeball escaped Weepinbell's clutches and dropped into the water with a splash, floating in the ocean as it wriggled and struggled to contain the Pokemon within.
"Come on, come on..." Daniel gritted his teeth. Natalie was silently hoping, too.
After a few moments, the Pokeball was still. Weepinbell waved its leaf arms in victory while Natalie clapped her hands in applause.
"I DID IT!" yelled Daniel, removing his backpack with one fluid movement and diving into the water headfirst.
Natalie gasped as Daniel swam towards the Pokeball, scooping it up in one hand and holding it high above the water.
"Did you see me, Natalie?" Daniel gasped, his joy much like a child. "I caught Seel!"
"Your first Water Pokemon," said Natalie, a smile tinged with sadness upon her features. "I'm proud of you."