Amazement is struck upon my face as I enter the VIP room given to me. Lying before me is a decent-sized living room with modern decor. To the left side of the room is a sleek white couch pushed against the corner as it faces a flat screen television mounted on the white wall. Directly in front of the couch is a square, white coffee table.
The biggest thing, though, that catches my eye is the window that faces the ocean. Carrying Layla in one hand, I walk to the window right beside the couch and open it up, allowing the sea breeze to enter. "How could I've forgotten that Cherrygrove is by the sea?" I breathe in the salty air before closing the window so I can look around the room again.
A kitchen with modern appliances is to the right of the entrance. Black cabinets, white marble countertops, and stainless-steel appliances complimented the modern look this VIP room held. I sigh, "I wish I paid attention to all those times my parents cooked…"
Trying to cheer myself up from my lack of cooking knowledge, I notice that there are doors on my left and right sides. Going to the one on the right as it is closer to me, I open the door to a bedroom.
As opposed to the white furniture in the main room, the bedroom has a black, queen-sized bed with white pillows to contrast the darkness. White floor to black walls, and black nightstand to white drawers; everything in the room gives a nice black and white contrast, further embracing the modernistic approach the designers were looking for.
Walking to the right side of the bed, I gently place the sleeping Layla under the covers. Now able to comfortably take off the backpack, I set it down at the foot of the bed as I walk around towards the left side. I take my shirt off and lie down, only to remember something pressing against my pocket.
Did I forget something?
Reaching into my pants pocket, I pull out the Growlithe's Pokéball. "Ah, so this is what I forgot," I say as I put it on the nightstand. Now able to finally get some rest, I rest my head upon the feathery pillow as I drift off into the realm of sleep.
"Emily, what are you doing?" my sister Jenna asks me urgently while I start to pack my bags.
I quickly turn my head towards her, stopping my actions for a little while as I explain to her the situation. "What does it look like I'm doing? I'm packing to become a trainer." I return back to packing my bag after saying what needed to be said.
Jenna comes up to me and grabs my arms, immobilizing my movements while looking straight into my eyes. "You are a seventeen-year-old girl. I don't know what got you so hooked on that boy earlier, but you are not to become a trainer," she says strictly at me.
I am unperturbed by the strictness of her voice. "Weren't you the one who wanted to become a Pokémon trainer and inspired me to do the same? Weren't you the one who said you'd support any decision I made? Weren't you the one who gave up on your dream, but told me not to give up on mine?" I tell her firmly while she is still holding my arms.
Her grip starts to slacken, eventually releasing and stepping back. "Yes, I've said and done all of that," she says as she looks down to the floor, gloomily uttering those words.
Walking to my downcast sister, I put both my hands on her shoulder and now it's my turn to look at her in the eyes. "Sis, I've made my decision to become a trainer, and I'm not going to back down on this opportunity."
She raises her head up. "But Em, it's a dangerous world out there. Who knows what could happen to you…?" her voice shaking as she tries to hold back the emotions.
Lightening the mood, I smile to her, "And I'll promise right now that I'll come back safe after becoming a trainer."
She tries smiling back, but I can tell she doesn't like my answer. "What about your sports and friends in this city? They'll surely miss you. You know that, right?"
"The team would do fine without me. They've got enough good players even without me. Also, I'd be going off to school soon, so I'd have to leave my friends anyways," I tell her, making sure my points are valid.
She sighs as I take my hands off her shoulder, "I don't like it, but I did say I'd support any decision you made, so I'll go get you your card." She leaves my room as she goes back to the PokéCenter which is three houses away.
Waiting for the front door to shut, I jump up and down in ecstasy. "Yeah, I can finally become a trainer!" I yell out loud before I continue to pack up again.
Now how should I address the problem with Nate? Force myself on him and make him take me or ask kindly? But with the second one, he may say no. It doesn't hurt since I have a backup plan. Kindly ask him first but if that fails, make him take me.
"This is gonna be fun."
How long have I been asleep? All I remember is Nate healing me after the battle and then saying something about not being an abuser. What was that all about anyways? Better wake up before he wakes me up instead.
Getting out from under the covers and opening my eyes, the setting sun streams orange light through the window, brightening the contrasting black and white decor of the room. Panic sets in as I'm unfamiliar with my surroundings in which I start to hyperventilate. Terrified if I've been kidnapped, I jerk my head around until I see Nate sleeping comfortably on the bed besides me.
Thank goodness…
Relieved, my heart rate steadily returns back to normal as I jump off the bed and stretch my cramped legs. "Ah, that feels good," I let out quietly. I pace around the room to get the blood flowing in my muscles. I take notice of a full body mirror but with me being in my Pikachu form, I'm unable to see myself in it.
"Being small has its disadvantages…" I say disappointingly as I walk away from the mirror. In doing so, an idea pops up in my head.
Can't I change into my humanoid form and look at myself like that?
Returning back to the mirror, I close my eyes, take a deep breath, and try to search for that swirling energy in me that I noticed when I first changed forms. Quickly finding it, I focus my concentration on it and allow it to spread throughout my body, illuminating the room in a yellow glow, lasting for only a couple seconds.
Opening my eyes, I observe for the first time what my humanoid body looks like. I have black eyes, blond hair, yellow-tinted skin, and a scar underneath my left eye.
"Kya!" I scream, startled, but catching myself immediately as I hear Nate turnover in the bed. Returning my attention back to the scar, I trace the healed-over wound as I remember the agonizing pain it caused me this morning. I then remember how Nate quickly came to my aid and healed me of this injury.
"He's such a nice guy," I say under my breath as I play over this morning's scenario again.
As my ears are still as sensitive to sound as if I were in my Pikachu form, I hear Nate mutter something, prompting me to turn around. As I see that he's still sleeping, I notice on the nightstand beside him is a standard, red and white Pokéball. Silently edging my way to the nightstand, I hold the ball in my hand.
So this is what it feels like to hold my very own Pokéball. It's not heavy at all, kind of light, actually. Ok, I'm going to see what it looks like inside the ball.
As I was present when Holly was explaining how a Pokéball works to Nate, I remember that I have to press these two buttons on the side of the ball. Getting ready to press the buttons, I take a deep breath as it's unheard of for a Pokémon to use a Pokéball.
"Alright, here I go," I say under my breath as I press the two buttons to open the ball.
Contrary to what I was expecting, red light escapes the ball landing five feet in front of me and forms into the shape of a Growlithe; the very Growlithe that attacked us this morning.
Curled up on the floor, the orange canine is sleeping soundly while I'm panicking.
What do I do? What do I do? It could wake up at any moment and attack me or Nate. Ah...ah...I'll change back into a Pikachu and wake up Nate. He'll know what to do.
Closing my eyes and finding that swirling energy within me, I again transform as yellow light radiates throughout the room, waking the Growlithe from its slumber. Slowly opening its eyes, it looks around until it notices me and begins barking at me. With the Pokéball within my paws, I drop it as I start to shiver in fear from this canine.
Though I'm still shivering in fear, I jump onto the bed where Nate's sleeping and I begin to call his name to wake him up.
"Nate! Wake up! Nate!" I desperately call out to him.
Who's making this infernal racket while I'm trying to sleep? Ugh, I won't be able to go back to sleep with this.
Opening my eyes, I see Layla on the side of me shaking in fear as she's desperately calls my name. She then stops calling me as she sees that I'm now awake.
"Nate, I'm so sorry," she urgently says as she points to the barking Growlithe and the Pokéball on the floor.
Realizing the urgency of the situation, I quickly get up, which causes me to get a little light-headed. Barely able to stay balanced, I drop to the floor to grab the Pokéball to put the Growlithe back inside. Still on the floor, I throw the ball at the Growlithe in front of me, only to have it swat the ball back at me with its paw.
The ball flies back at me and hits me on the chest with enough force to leave a bruise as I get into a kneeling position on the floor. Grabbing the area with my left hand where the ball hit me, I pick up the ball with my other hand and set the number at the bottom of the ball to its max, which is ten.
Immediately, the mental strain of putting the ball to max begins to affect my body. Large thumping rages on in my head, and just like having a massive headache would affect me, the pain is nearly unbearable. Sweat droplets begin forming on my brow as some start to trickle down and enter my eyes, turning them red.
With what little strength left in me, I look at the Growlithe straight in the eyes with mine being bloodshot, and command it to stop, "Stop right now, and sit down."
Doing as I said, Growlithe stops barking and sits down, though it has a snarl on its mouth. Even though I don't like its hostile attitude, I try to get up onto the bed, though the throbbing intensifies, which induces nauseous-like symptoms.
Oh damn, I'm going to hurl real soon if I keep this dog at max control.
Knowing that I have very little time before my bodily functions start to overtake me, I roll the number down by about three on the ball, greatly relieving me of the throbbing headache and nausea.
This time I'm able to get up onto the bed as I now look at Layla. "You're going to translate everything it says to me," I say to her sternly. She simply nods as she hangs her head down.
I now return my gaze back to the Growlithe, who still has a snarl on its face. With the same stern voice I used on Layla I now use on the Growlithe, "You're going to answer all the questions I ask you, or you're going to go in here and never come out," I tell it as I show it the Pokéball in my hands. Though I know the threat is not true, what I said knocks the snarl off of its face.
Pleased with myself, I now commence the interrogation. "What is your name?"
Quickly answering the question, it lowly barks under its breath with the occasional growl.
As it finishes, I look at Layla, who translates the whole thing though she has distanced herself somewhat from me. "He says he doesn't have a name as no one has ever given one to him before," she says, her voice quivering slightly. I close my eyes as I begin to think.
So it's a male. Ok, if he decides to stay with me, I'll have to give him a name. I can't just call him "Growlithe" or "dog" the whole time.
Opening my eyes and returning my gaze to the Growlithe, I continue on with my questioning, "Why did you attack us this morning?"
Again, he answers my question, but this time his answer is much longer as there are more low barks and growls coming from his mouth.
Without me even turning, Layla translates what he just said. "He said he hasn't eaten in two days and he smelled food coming from our direction. The only thing he could've done when he confronted us is either run and not eat, or attack and potentially get some food from us."
"Hmm, so you're still hungry I presume?" I ask him in which his stomach simple growls, answering my question. "Okay, one more question: do you want to be with me?" I ask him, "Because if you don't, I can release you from my ownership of you and return you back to the wild."
This piques both Layla's and the Growlithe's attention. The Growlithe looks down and lowly growls something to himself as Layla looks at me. "I thought all trainers kept all the Pokémon they've caught regardless if it wants to stay with them?"
This time it's my turn to answer a question, "Remember, I'm not from around here and keeping someone or something with me against its will is not my sort of thing."
Upon hearing our conversation, the Growlithe barks at Layla, who then translates what he said, "He says he'd like to stay with us for the meantime."
I nod my head up and down with my eyes closed. "Okay, okay. I'll have to give you a name, then, but first we need food with it being almost dinnertime and all," I say with a more joyous tone as I forgot the stern voice I used in the questioning.
Getting off of the bed, I walk towards the door that leads into the living room. Layla and the Growlithe in turn both follow me, but they keep some distance from each other.
"Nate, where are we going?" Layla asks me as I go grab my shoes by the shoe rack.
"I'll be going to pick up some food while you two wait here for me to come back. If you want, I can turn on the TV," I tell both of them.
Layla then looks at me in horror. "You're going to leave us alone? Let me go with you. Anything can happen," she pleads with me which doesn't deter me from my decision.
"Layla, I need some alone time at the moment." I now turn to both them who are looking at me, "And if anything bad happens while I'm gone, no dinner for either of you."
Both of them just nod their heads. "Okay then, I'll be back in a bit," I say as I open the door to leave. While I walk to the elevator, I mumble to myself, "I hope I did the right thing."