I've had a Writer's Block for a bit, but I finally broke through it. While I wasn't working on chapters, I was modifying the lists of events that will happen in Part 1 of this story, as well as Parts 2 & 3. At least I got something done.
Chapter 17
The First Badge
"Poppo," chirped the Small Bird Pokémon, known as Pidgey, as it hovered over the battlefield.
"Alright, Kenya, go!" called Marina as she sent out her Spearow. The two birds latched their keen eyes onto each other, and Falkner gave a small grin as he crossed his arms.
"I'm impressed that you don't neglect bird Pokémon like Spearow."
"My Spearow's pretty nice, actually, right Kenya?" she replied and sent a friendly smile to Kenya, who chirped in response.
"That's interesting, but let's not waste any time with idle talk. Pidgey, Gust!"
In response, the Gym Leader's Pokémon flapped its wings quickly, and a small tornado whirled and grew in its rapid formation. Kenya chirped coarsely as he soared past, his feathers splitting as he veered dangerously close.
Gawking at first, Marina flicked away her fluttering pigtails and cried out, "Try to get close and use Growl!"
Evading the twister, Kenya shrieked a series of fearsome caws, which went almost unnoticed by Pidgey. Instead it flew upward, parallel with its tornado. The Spearow tenaciously did the same, surpassing his opponent and taking a sharp turn to lodge his small beak into its chest. Pidgey, unable to dodge in time, fluttered its wings helplessly as the enraged winds swallowed it into the sandy twister. Flying away to safety, Kenya and the Trainers watched as Pidgey occasionally could be seen swirling in the wind current.
"Shoot!" Falkner murmured under his breath.
Gradually, the gust tornado dissipated, and the Gym Leader's Pokémon fell onto the dusty brick floor. It lay motionless, its feathers haphazardly ruffled. Kenya swept downward and stayed afloat nearby, cawing dominantly.
Marina frowned. "Will it be fine?" she suddenly voiced as she saw Falkner recall the Pidgey to its Poké Ball.
The blue-haired Gym Leader paused, lifting his head with surprise. He made a brief laugh. "Of course, my Pidgey wouldn't bite the dust like that. You really must be a rookie," he added the last sentence with humor, and then added, "But you're pretty good; I underestimated you."
"Oh...thank you!" Marina nodded, grinning as she bowed.
"This isn't my day," Falkner continued as he retrieved another Poké Ball, which appeared significantly older than the last. "Another...interesting rookie Trainer defeated me earlier, too."
"Really?"
Hm, I wonder if it was Kenta? Or is it Jackson? ...Or maybe even Silver? She wondered.
Lifting the crimson and white sphere, its finished surface scratched in some places, confidence spread across Falkner's adolescent face. "But with this last Pokémon, I'll redeem myself of that loss," he quickly tossed it in the air, "Pidgeotto!"
Marina's eyes grew wide as a large bird Pokémon, similar to Pidgey, appeared and fluttered its long feathers. Accenting the bird's brown and tan body were pink feathers on its head and tail. A weary glare from its eyes settled on the young opponent before it. Reaching into the side pocket of her backpack, Marina took out her Pokédex and pointed to the Pokémon, which stood fearlessly in a dignified pose.
The Pokédex displayed a photo of a similar, younger-looking Pidgeotto and spoke in its mechanical tone.
"Pidgeotto, the Bird Pokémon. Type: Normal/Flying.
It has outstanding vision; however high it flies, Pidgeotto can distinguish the movements of its prey. When catching prey, it slowly flies in a circular pattern and immobilizes its prey with its well-developed claws."
The Pidgeotto cooed lazily in response to the information.
Marina looked from her Pokédex to the Pokémon, and did so again before staring curiously at Pidgeotto. "It... looks older."
"It was my father's Pokémon when he was Gym Leader of this city. He passed it down to me when I succeeded him," explained Falkner with a friendly grin.
"Ooh, that's really cool," replied Marina as she put away her red device, "Alright then, Kenya! Ready?"
"Oni!" her Pokémon sharply replied as it exchanged serious glares with Pidgeotto.
Marina smiled and watched the two birds for a few brief moments, thinking of a strategy. She jumped as she heard the Gym Leader call out an attack.
"Quick Attack!"
"Kenya, fly higher into the air to dodge!" she quickly countered.
The movements of the two birds were like lightning as they left from their still positions. When Marina could make out the forms of the Pokémon, they both were soaring high above her. Her mouth opened wide as Kenya was cut down relentlessly by the Pidgeotto that sped like a bullet and struck him hard enough to kick it to the ground.
She just barely resisted running to Kenya's side. "Kenya!"
"Pidgeo," chirped Pidgeotto, just as lazily content as it had before, and landed close by Marina's fallen Spearow.
Marina stared blankly, spending a few moments processing what had just happened, but held out Kenya's Poké Ball. "Good job, Kenya. Return!" Her evergreen eyes stared at the sphere, still in awe. "That was so fast..."
"My father's Pokémon is more experienced than yours." Falkner maintained his serious expression as he watched her, satisfied. "You outnumber us, but Pidgeotto is pretty powerful."
"It is," Marina nodded, "But my Pokémon are strong too, and I'll prove it!" Pulling Phany's Poké Ball off her belt, she tossed the sphere above her. "Go, Phany!"
"Goma!" Phany yawned cutely as he stretched his stout body. Seeing the bird Pokémon eyeing him, he smiled and waved his trunk. Pidgeotto cocked its head and spread its wings, airborne in seconds. It cautiously circled Phany, who stopped and watched the speedy flier.
"Phany, we're in a Pokémon battle," Marina informed her Pokémon and pointed at Pidgeotto. "Keep your eye on the bird!"
"Zou!" Phany stood sturdily as Pidgeotto pivoted and dived toward him.
"Defense Curl!"
Just as Pidgeotto slammed into Phany's body, Phany curled his body in a tight ball and was sent rolling. When he stopped, he stood on all fours again, wobbling a little. The bird began flying overhead again, albeit a little graver than before.
"Let's see…" whispered Marina as she watched the Pokémon cautiously.
When Defense Curl is used, Phany's defense increases, she grasped the Poké Ball in her hand as she thought, But one of those strategy books said something about it… Which technique was it that increases its power when Defense Curl is used? Come on, think!
"Pidgeotto, Quick Attack," Falkner ordered, crossing his arms in a calm manner.
"Defense Curl again!" Marina repeated, snapping from her thoughts for a moment. As she witnessed the same result occur between the Phanpy and Pidgeotto, she stared intently at them and the lingering idea in her mind.
Geez, which technique was it?
Phany yawned as he unrolled himself once again, standing. Pidgeotto, still wearily glaring at him, circled above in the air.
"Wing Attack, Pidgeotto!" called Falkner. Instantly, his bird Pokémon dived, spinning as it accelerated swiftly.
"Oh!" Marina gasped, and smiled. Looking at Phany, she ordered, "Use Defense Curl one more time!"
Patiently following her command, Phany balled up and endured another sharp hit from Pidgeotto, who aggressively knocked him backwards.
Just as Phany moved to retreat from its defensive stance, Falkner called, "Pidgeotto, use Quick Attack now!"
"Phany, Rollout!" Marina yelled, her voice echoing.
Phany narrowly evaded Pidgeotto and curled up again, this time rolling toward his opponent. Before Pidgeotto could turn and face him, Phany tackled it with surprising force. Pidgeotto tumbled, rammed into the ground by its enemy when it tried to take off.
"Pidgio!" The bird called in meek determination. It spread its vast wings, but flinched and shivered, resting on the ground with a soft coo.
"Pidgeotto!" exclaimed Falkner, who appeared dumbfounded at what happened.
"Yes!" Marina cried as she jumped. Her Phanpy bounded up to her, waving his trunk, smiling gleefully. She quickly knelt to hug him, and he wiggled in corresponding joy. "Good job, Phany!"
"Goma, goma!"
Marina smiled as she pet his head, looking up across the battlefield. For a few seconds, her happiness wavered while she watched Falkner recall his motionless Pidgeotto back into its Poké Ball. Despite the wiggling Phany prodding her with his trunk, she sat still, watching the Gym Leader.
"Um, will Pidgeotto be alright?" she asked.
Falkner put on a curt grin as he walked toward her. "Again? Of course! It's my father's Pokémon, after all."
"That's good." Marina smiled. She stood and faced Falkner when he reached her, looking at the Gym Leader's hand as he held it out to her.
"Take this," his hand opened to reveal the light lavender badge, "The Zephyr Badge; you've earned it."
With hesitation, Marina gazed and then took it carefully. The shiny badge of Violet City glittered in her palm, and her evergreen irises grew wide the longer she stared.
This is it...my very first Gym Badge...!
A blush trickling across her cheeks, she cried out joyfully as she bent down to embrace her Pokémon again. "We did it, Phany! Our first badge!"
"Goma!" Phany replied, waving his small trunk in the air.
"It gets tougher here on out," Falkner spoke, though smiling behind his bangs, "I'm just the first Gym Leader."
Smiling back, Marina leapt to her feet to face him, but not without first returning her happy little Phanpy. "I know, but my Pokémon and I do our best when the time comes!"
"Well said. And as my father and I have done, your name will be placed on the statue over there like all the other Trainers who have been victorious here."
"Thank you!" Marina bowed. As she turned to walk on the winding brick path, she waved happily. "Bye!"
She could hear the young man's farewell as she reached the other side of the gym. Her eyes lingered on the Poké Ball statue on her right, and she clutched her badge tightly. Grasping the doorknob, she looked over her shoulder once more, taking in the scenery of the high-ceiling room. She then swung the door open and exited the Violet City Gym.
Upon stepping outside, Marina paused as she was bathed in a wave of summer heat. She ignored her urge to run back inside and briskly made her way down the avenue. A comforting breeze teased her bangs as she smiled at the little lavender-blue pin, which glittered brighter in the sun.
It really is my first Gym Badge... From the first Gym that Chris beat too. Admiring it, she held up the Zephyr badge and fastened it to the collar of her jacket.
"Marinaaa!"
"Huh?" Marina stopped, blinking with a blank face as she looked around. As she saw the brown-haired boy running toward her, she waved and shouted back, "Hi, Jackson!"
"What a coincidence that we met up here!" Jackson exclaimed as he approached, bearing a wide grin. He held the yellow strap of his backpack firmly, his chest heaving breaths as he slowed to a stop.
"How have you been? You look like you've been running a lot."
"I should be asking you that," he returned in one breath.
Taken aback, Marina tilted her head. "What?" She glanced at her pigtails and adjusted her bandana with a paranoid precision. "I haven't been running at all. Is my hair really frizzy?"
"No, your hair looks great! You haven't answered any of my calls, that's what I mean," Jackson said, somewhat disappointed as he displayed a frown. "I was starting to get worried!"
The girl watched him for a few moments before grasping the PokéGear from around her neck. Her expression remained clueless until a few seconds of staring at the device's blank screen. Then she jumped so abruptly that Jackson did the same in surprise.
"Ah! I left it off, that's why!" Marina turned her PokéGear on before letting out a round of giggles. "I'm so sorry, Jackson. I never even thought about keeping it on."
"Don't sweat it! We all make mistakes," Jackson shrugged, having quickly forgiven her, "You're still not used to that thing, huh?"
"Absolutely not," laughed Marina.
"So where are you headed?"
"The Pokémon Center."
"Alright, let's go together; I was going to do the same," declared Jackson with the same perky grin. The two then continued down the street, leisurely walking beside each other.
"Oh!" Marina cried aloud without warning. Again, Jackson jumped and turned to her.
"What? What?"
"Look!" The blue-haired Trainer eagerly pointed to the Zephyr badge on her collar. "I got my first badge!"
"Ah," he laughed, "That's fantastic! I won mine too earlier today!"
"Really? Falkner said that someone beat him earlier. That was you, then!"
"Yeah! Hah, looks like I was the first to beat the first Gym!"
When they arrived at the Pokémon Center, both handed their Poké Balls over to Nurse Joy at the front desk. As they waited, Marina observed the Johto region map that she had taken a look at the day before.
"Where are you going next?" asked Jackson, watching.
"Well," Marina pointed at the map and traced the rectangular path, "I'm going through that whole loop, so I'm headed toward Azalea Town first." Turning to him, she held up her index finger and said, "That way I'll find more Pokémon for the Pokédex, and I can get the Gym Badges I need along the way."
The brown-haired Trainer nodded. "Yup, that's the best plan. I'm going that way too, so we'll run into each other eventually."
"Mm hm!"
"So what do you say?"
Marina's expression went blank again, confused. "What?"
Jackson wavered under her gaze, and waved his hands a little drastically. "It's alright if you don't want to! I was just suggesting again, Marina."
"Suggesting?" The girl tilted her head. "Suggesting what?"
Jackson nearly smacked his face on the counter before letting out a short laugh. "Marina, did you forget already? Traveling together!"
"Oh yeah." She smiled and nodded. "Sure."
"...Sure?"
"Yup, sure!"
"You mean sure as in we can travel together now?" Jackson asked, somewhat disbelieving yet a grin had sneaked onto his face again.
"What else could it mean? Since we're going the same way, the more the merrier! I said the three of us could travel sooner or later, after all. That reminds me, have you heard from Kenta?"
"Eh? I suppose. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you know." Marina touched the light purple bandana on her head, placing a hand on her hip for a moment. "I just wondered if he was around here too, so then we could all travel together. And since I've had my PokéGear off, I haven't heard from him, either."
"Here you go, you two," Nurse Joy interjected kindly, walking to them on the other side of the desk and placing two trays in front of them. "Your Pokémon are in perfect health!"
"Ah. Thanks, nurse!" exclaimed Jackson, gleefully turning away to retrieve his Poké Balls.
"Thank you," chimed Marina as she did the same. As she carefully clipped each of her Poké Balls onto her belt, she habitually counted each of them. Smiling, she was about to place King's Poké Ball before she froze. "Oops."
"What is it?"
"If I left my PokéGear off, then that also means I haven't called Mom and May," she told him in a partially quiet voice, grave but amused with a smile still on her face. The both of them let a tense silence pass between them.
"Whoops. She's going to be pretty angry, huh?" Jackson laughed a little. "May, I mean."
"Oh yeah. I didn't even think about visiting them when we spent the whole day at Professor Elm's… It was too early when I left."
"Well, you can always call them later," he encouraged with a wide smile. Patting her shoulder, he added, "Or when they call you, you know?"
"Yeah!" Marina smiled back and finally finished clasping King's Poké Ball securely. "When they call me."
After a few more minutes, the blissful Trainers laughed and walked out of the Pokémon Center. They were met by the humid midsummer air and the same occasional drafts, which they paid no mind to. The streets became more crowded now as the day grew closer to noon.
"So it'll be good to start out now, right?" asked Marina, holding her backpack temporarily as she briefly checked her things.
"Azalea Town's pretty far off, I can guess, but there's another Pokémon Center we can go to along the way." Crossing his arms, Jackson nodded to himself. "So yeah; it's natural to cover as much ground as possible!"
"Let's go then! Onto Route 32!" she replied energetically, swinging on her bag and running ahead. His eyes followed her and, with a start, he stumbled and ran to catch up to her.
"Hey, wait for me!"