The second part of day was very calm and serene, so unusual for me. Brock came once with some guy and asked to make a photo for the license, after that I returned to my room and did absolutely nothing for the rest of the day.
Morning was very boring and uneventful too. I took back Dumpling and Reaper from the nurse, checked both of them personally and returned to my room, waiting for Mikey. I decided to let Dumpling walk outside a bit, to stretch his legs, to watch TV. But all that was boring for him too and he fell asleep right in the middle of room. I do not blame him – television became so senseless nowadays.
Finally, after some hours of terrible waiting, Mikey arrived.
"Hey there, mister! A delivery from leader Brock for you!" He handed over me a small plastic box.
There was a blue card with my photo on it - the trainer licence. Besides that the box was empty, but had some slots, I guess, for badges, and my guess was right as Boulder badge fit perfectly into one of them.
"Thank you, Mikey." I nodded him and took my greatcoat from chair to put the case inside. "How are your pokemon?"
"Ow, they`re fine." He took his pokeballs out to show me. "I`ve just taken them back from the Pokemon Center."
"I`m glad to hear it." I put on my pokeball belt, the greatcoat and the cap and looked back to sleeping Dumpling. "Come back, buddy. We have to go." I returned him back to pokeball and went out of the room, closing it behind me with the key.
"What are you going to do now?" Mikey asked. I really didn`t want to discover my plans to this kid, but I knew he will not leave me alone until he gets what he wants.
"I have some things to do on… Route 3. I should go there."
"Ah, I get it. You`re going to Cerulean City, right? Because this is the only way to get to it." His question caught me off guard for a moment.
"Why is that? Is there something on the main road?"
"Wow, you`re a slowpoke! That road was closed three years ago, and it had already overgrown. They wanted to build a new one, across the forest, but the project was abandoned, they say. Now everybody walks through the cave in ."
Some things DID change in Kanto while I was absent. What a strange idea – to close the only road between cities and force people to walk through cave? I feel something suspicious about that.
"Actually, I was heading to the Route 3 itself, not the Cerulean City. But thanks for the information, because someday I definitely visit it too." I waved at him and headed to the staircase. At the first floor I returned the keys back to nurse and finally left the PokeCenter.
For a moment I stopped to wait for Mikey and say my goodbye to him, but he didn`t come out of Pokemon Center. Well, too bad for min. I wanted to give him one last good life lesson. I sighed and directed to the East road of Pewter City – to the Route 3.
As I am now the official pokemon trainer, I can easily challenge gyms, earn badges and train even more. Maybe I should join some gym and train together under an experienced leader? Well, this idea is not the best, I guess. As I see now, gyms specialize on one specific type, but this is not the best decision for a trainer, actually. What if someone will just bring a whole team of water-type pokemon? Gym leaders are quite strong and usually have good move coverage, and it needs more than just strength to overcome them, but type advantage affects the battle result quite a lot too. If Brock`s Onyx could land any successful attack my Dumpling, it could be the end, and no tactic can withstand this. I better follow the way I wanted from the very beginning, create a balanced team with much different types, covering each other`s weaknesses, with variety of moves that can deal with any foe. THAT is my basic strategy.
Soon I was on Route 3. Near the mountain this way was the mix of rocky hills partly covered with different vegetation. A lone road headed between rock formations, and to the mountain. Some years ago it was split into two roads, the second one leading to Cerulean City, but, if Mikey is right, it is no more. And yet, I remembered the words of Rob about the accident on this Route, maybe involving Team Rocket and my car. If I will follow the road, I can find some trail that will lead me to my goal.
After nearly an hour of walking along the road and battling a strange girl with Jigglypuff I finally found some suspicious things further in the side road. The twisted tire tracks on the road, marking that someone there braked the car, and another line of tracks nearby, marking the second car braking a bit further. Rob was correct – one car intercepted another, and I can easily recognize the track of tires on my machine.
At one point both cars stopped. The twisted view of first tracks could mean only the driver lost control over the car, and had to stop. Did they shot to the wheels? As I looked around the track closely I found some gunshots in the road asphalt – the proof to my guess. Rockets had to shoot at least twice before they got the wheel. That`s how they intercepted the courier.
And what does that give to me?
Rockets were in a hurry when our ways crossed. Maybe they tried to get the courier long before, and he managed to escape. So they were needed the car to get him, and they chased him at least across three routes and two cities. Despite he was heading to Viridian City, he didn`t stop there, but continued to Pewter and after - to this place… That is very strange, but still makes some small sense, but why did they need the guy so badly? I guess, it is more than just the pokemart stuff.
I wonder where is he now, if he survived? In three days he didn`t return back to Viridian City to his boss… Local police definitely was there, looking for evidences, but I didn`t see any ads about missing man neither in Viridian nor in Pewter… And what`s more important – I can`t see my car anywhere!
If these guys actually needed the goods, they took the car and that is all. They abandon my old rusty Kommara and leave, why would they need it anymore? Unless… The courier himself took it and chased them. But… There was no more tire tracks. If he would chase them, he definitely left some at the start. He didn`t. That means… He just took my car and left? On normal speed?
I was confused. I tried to understand what`s happened here, tried to see something can give me some answers. But I saw nothing more. No blood on the road, no broken trees or bushes around - not a single sign that can help me at least suggest the happening next.
I looked down at the floor. But my attention was attracted by something else – the highest pokeball on my shoulder belt. Dumpling`s pokeball.
An idea appeared in my head: to let my pokemon observe the territory too, maybe they can find something I can`t see. I had a moment to think it through and after some time I nodded to myself and took pokeballs in my hands.
"Okay, guys, come on out!"
Dumpling and Reaper appeared on the road, looking around for some action. I squatted before them.
"So, team, today I have some serious job for you. You will be detectives." They were looking at me with such misunderstanding looks I felt a bit ashamed. "Never mind the 'detective' term. I need you to look around this place." I stood up and directed my hand to the road. "Some days ago something bad happened there. We need to understand what. Try to find something that can help us in our investigation."
Dumpling yawned unscrupulously. Looks like he was ready to battle, not to this routine. But Reaper at once started to jump towards the suspicious tracks on the road. He did it slowly, but still he`s Kakuna now, I had to accept this.
Watching Reaper`s enthusiasm, Dumpling snorted and headed to the tracks too, making it faster than Reaper. Both of them investigated this place in an attempt to find something for me, but they could find nothing new for me as I have already observed this point.
"You can look for the nearest bushes, Dumpling." I said to my partner. If courier tried to escape to the forest, he could leave some traces somewhere near. "Reaper, get to that tree and look around from the height." This could be very useful too, still Reaper is slow, but his jumping abilities improved pretty good. No question he will be able to fly in the next evolution.
So, my pokemon scattered to their points and started searching for evidences or something like that. I`m not sure if this will help them in their battling skills, but definitely will be some good experience for their lives.
As for me, I continued staring at the tracks. The scene from the past appeared in my mind, like a replay. Courier`s car is shot by Rocket guys, chasing it on my car. When the wheel popped, courier lost control and had to stop. But why, if he knew he will face three grunts? Maybe he was ready to fight back? And what happens next? The image in my head literally splits into two variations of the past events.
The Rockets take his car and ride away. With nothing more to do, courier takes my car and slowly rides away too, and I can`t tell which direction. The absence of another track line means he didn`t chase them. Well, this can be true, but still leaves too many questions.
The second option is where Rocket guys kidnap courier and take his car. This looks logical, but where did my car vanished then? Did they take it too? Or they left it opened so any random passerby can take it? Too many questions, again.
I couldn`t suggest more. I`m missing something, something very obvious…
"Hey there!" A girl`s voice from the side reached me. A familiar voice. I turned my head to its source and saw her.
"Leaf. Long time no see."
Yeah, that was that girl with Bulbasaur from Route 1. I wonder what`s she doing here? Maybe, I just need to ask.
"So… What is a charming young lady like you doing here?"
Leaf looked at me with a bit of blush and replied.
"Well, I heard something happened here some days ago. I wanted to investigate it a little. The same question goes to you, Dark."
She called me by my first fake name. How awkward it is… Maybe I should stop creating new names for everybody.
"Eh, you know, Dark is my second name. Please, call me Vengeance, okay? Or just Ven, for friends."
"Erm… Okay, Ven…" Leaf looked at me with such a misunderstanding I event felt a bit sorry for myself.
"So, it looks like you`re here because of the same reason as I am. An investigation." For that moment something inside me started to burn. She distracted me from my thoughts, and I definitely wasn`t glad of it. I just wanted to gently get rid of her and continue my work, I can do such thing much better being alone.
"This is… somehow related to you?" I guess, she noticed the nervous tone of my voice. "Did something happened?"
"No, absolutely nothing happened." I replied sarcastically. "Just some bandits some days ago almost killed me, stole my car, used it to stole another car and, maybe, even committed murder. Except for that – nothing happened."
Leaf showed a mix of confusion and suspicion on her face.
"Sorry… Bad topic."
"No, actually, it`s fine. I`m used to bad topics. Let`s talk about your thing doing here, and then return to me, good?"
Leaf looked back on the road where she appeared from, and then at the tracks.
"I said that I`m here to investigate too…" She started timidly.
"So, you know anything about this incident?" I interrupted her.
"No…"
"That means, you`re a journalist? Or a spy. I don`t know which fits you better."
She gave me pretty angry look.
"Of course, journalist fits me more! Because this is who I am." She spread her hands.
"I can`t see your camera…"
"It`s rude to see girl`s camera, you know?" She smiled and blinked at me. "Maybe, when we will know each other a bit better…"
"Whatever, I didn`t wanted to..." I was distracted by some sound reached me from the side of Dumpling`s searching area. That was very much like his… battle cry?
I headed to the forest, expecting to find my pokemon with something interesting, but instead of it Dumpling appeared running to me, worried about something. When I looked behind him, I could see a wild Nidoran, I a battle stance.
"What? Was you scared of this little Nidoran?" I asked Dumpling. He nodded in reply, but when Leaf appeared behind me, he suddenly jumped a step back and shook his head negatively, taking battle stance too.
"Oh, you have found a Nidoran! How cute… Is it wild?" Leaf sounded amazed by the sight of this strange purple creature. I heard that it is popular to have Nidorans as a pets, as I couldn`t understand that.
"Listen here, Dumpling. One important life lesson for you." Charmander looked at me with an interest. "If your foe attacks first – never hesitate to attack in reply! Now show this thing you best move! And you know which it is."
Dumpling seriously nodded to me and turned to the Nidoran. Both pokemon looked very ready for battle till the end.
"Wait a second, aren`t you going to…"
Leaf couldn`t finish her sentence as Dumpling charged his claw with mystical silver light and rushed towards the Nidoran. Poor creature had no chance against my pokemon and his mighty Metal Claw. Nidoran was thrown far back, hit by the tree and fainted just from one attack. Dumpling made a victorious cry over the defeated foe and turned to me, I guess, waiting for praise.
"Nice job, Dumpling. Raise your hand." He was confused for a second, but raised his hand, and after that I gave him a high-five. I think, it will be good to instill some cool manners to my cool pokemon.
"Why did you do that?" Leaf shouted at me suddenly. "I thought you will catch it!"
This idea actually came to me a bit late.
"Yeah, maybe… You know, I have one trick that can help…" I tried to find a Revive in my greatcoat, but sudden light from the side distracted me. The sight of shining Dumpling surprised me quite a lot.
The evolution started.
As my Reaper evolved before, this process looked even more amazing. The form of his body began to expand in size, shape bigger claws and limbs. In a few seconds he grew almost twice as his old height, and after the shining light faded, he cried victoriously again.
My Dumpling evolved into Charmeleon.
Barely looking away from this awesome sight, I took PokeDex and scanned Dumpling`s pokeball anew.
"Charmeleon. A flame pokemon. Without pity, its sharp claws destroy foes. If it encounters a strong enemy, it becomes agitated, and the flame on its tail flares with a bluish white color."
Very interesting. Really, really interesting to have my ace pokemon even stronger.
"So, buddy, how do you feel?" I asked him, and Dumpling flexed his muscles in reply.
"Congratulations!" Leaf clapped to us. Dumpling barked gladly to her and looked at the place where a moment ago was a Nidoran. Where it was no more.
"It escaped…" Leaf said with disappointment, seeing at the same point too. Looks like the little beast used the moment of our distraction to Dumpling`s evolution to escape from bad me.
"Nevermind. I will find some better pokemon for my team someday." I looked around, remembering my main task here. But it looks like there is nothing interesting for me. There was no signal from Reaper, so he didn`t find anything too. What a disappointment.
Well, looks like there`s nothing for me remained. Maybe, I should go talk to the cops, but… no, that is a bad idea. I know how the whole this system works in Kanto, by my own experience, and it`s not very reliable I sighed, returned both my pokemon back to their pokeballs and headed back to the main road.
"Are you leaving?" The voice of Leaf reached me from behind.
"Yeah. I don`t want to waste any more time here."
"Okay then… I`ll stay here for a while to look around and see if I can find anything."
"Good luck with that. Although I have already inspected the main crime scene…" I turned away from her and walked on my road.
"Maybe, the thing is not on the main scene…" Leaf said to me for the last. For that moment I ignored her words somehow. And just was thinking about my next destination. I could feel something suspicious in the people are talking about. Also this is the only thing to have the passage to Cerulean City.
Maybe this is where I can find some answers.