A/N: Good afternoon. Sorry for the wait. Writing on my phone sucks lol. This author's note is used to keep the title centered. I don't want to spoil anything, so the rest be after the chapter.
Pokemon Journey: Indigo League
Chapter 23: All Abroad
People are waving goodbye to loved ones from the dock as the ship pulls away from the Port and is soon in open waters. The guests on the ship are preparing for their week long vacation, which includes Brandon, Ava, Saul, Fred and Lisa.
The room Brandon is staying in was near the top deck, overlooking the port side. The room itself was spacious with a large bed in the middle of the room. On its right is a big walk in closet (which already has Brandon's clothes stored in it). Beside the walk-in closet, is a small kitchenette with a medium sized living room with a small 2 seater couch and a lazy boy facing a 27" TV. There is apsmall dresser beside it. Right beside the door to leave the room is a full sized bathroom with a standing shower. The room is painted a nice light blue color.
Satisfied with how he unpacked, Brandon grabs his new jacket before making sure he has his room key. Once he confirms he does, he grabs his Pokeballs, Pokedex and leaves his room to explore the ship.
He finds a nice, popular pool near his room, with ample space to let his Pokemon roam free. He grins, releasing his team.
"Hey guys," Brandon says, speaking to them. "We have some free time, so I thought you guys would love the chance to relax. Just make sure you stay out of the way alright?"
His team all chimed in before scattering to do various activities. Wartortle jumps into the pool, and joins the other water pokemon enjoying the water. Nidoran finds a small space in the sun to practice before falling succumb to the sun and soon is napping. Tangela curls up in the sun as well and falls asleep, enjoying the sun rays. Joltik is since skitterring along the deck, stopping to help guests with anything.
Brandon chuckles as he lays down on a lawn chair, enjoying the sun himself. He could feel the ocean breeze on his skin as he became drowsy and soon was nodding off when a scream reached his ears. Opening his eyes, he sees the same group of girls, pointing at his Joltik. Sighing, he gets up and begins to walk towards them.
"Oh my God. Who let that thing on the boat?" The female says, shrieking and pointing at Joltik. The other guests are looking between Joltik and the group, trying to figure out what's happening.
"Excuse me, what's going on?" Brandon asks, coming beside Joltik.
"Of course. Why am I not surprised?" She huffy, pointing her finger at Brandon. "I assume this … thing … belongs to you?
"Joltik is my partner, yes," Brandon replies, not liking the way she was speaking. Brandon realizes that his team is now standing beside Joltik, glaring at this person.
"Why would you want one is besides me but keep it in its Pokeball," she glares at Brandon. "We're here on vacation. We don't need to see it."
"Well then, you are free to leave," Brandon responds. He glances at Joltik, who looks sad. "Joltik is a valuable member of my team. And I will not be keeping him in his Pokeball. He's free to roam around, as long as he's not disturbing people."
"Yeah, well, he's bothering me just walking around, so return it now!" She demands, placing her hands on her hips.
"Again, you are free to leave this area," Brandon replies, kneeling down and petting Joltik's head. He speaks to Joltik. "Don't listen to her alright."
"Why are you being difficult?" She asks.
"Why are you insulting my Pokemon?" Brandon asks, standing back up and facing her. "And why are you targeting me?"
"Alright, that's enough," a security guard says, approaching. "If you want to battle, save it for the tournament."
"Oh, believe me. I will, unless he's too chicken," she retorts before leaving the area.
Saul and Ava walk up to Brandon. "Caught the tail end of that. Sorry to hear that."
"Not sure what her problem is," Brandon says, Joltik jumping into his shoulder.
"Don't worry about her," Saul says.
"Yeah, listen to your friend," a traveler says, coming over to Joltik. "Your Joltik isn't a bother at all. In fact, he helped me with my bags. May I?"
Brandon sees that she motions to Joltik, wanting to pet him. Brandon nods and the elder lady begins to scratch his head. "Thank you Joltik. You helped me out and I really appreciate it."
Joltik leans into the petting. "Jolt."
"Thank you," Brandon says with a grateful smile.
"Any time," the elder woman says with a warm smile before leaving to go for a swim in the pool.
"You handled that well," a new voice says. Brandon looks around and sees Kyle standing there.
"Thanks," Brandon says with a little uncertainty.
"I mean it," Kyle tells him, sitting down on a deck chair. Ava, Saul and Brandon follow suit. "Other trainers would have yelled back, or worse."
"I have to agree with Kyle," Ava remarks.
"I won't lie, I wanted to," Brandon admits. "Who is she?"
"Some rich lady from the Helvan Region," Kyle responds. He sees Brandon's eyebrows arch. Kyle takes out his room phone and pulls up the PokeNet and finds her profile. "PokeNet is a resource to research any trainer who has battled in an official tournament or gym match. Meet her Heiress Zoey McMichaels, the daughter of the richest man in the Helvan Region."
Brandon is in shock, reading through her profile. "Helvan Region. Haven't heard of that region before."
"According to PokeMaps, Helvan Region is located near Unova somewhere," Kyle explains, pulling up the Helvan Region Map. "Not many trainers are known from that area but Zoey is one. Not sure why she picked you to harass though."
"So you can look up anyone on the PokeNet? I thought it was just for browsing the net," Brandon comments.
"Well, only registered trainers can look up other trainers," Kyle says. "And only after they have official matches."
"So like gym matches?" Ava asks.
"Gym matches, tournaments, league matches," Kyle says. "As long as the match can be recorded, there will be a video on it. For instance, your match with Misty,"
Kyle brings up his second gym match. Brandon watches himself, surprised this was uploaded.
"This is mainly used for league matches, for trainers trying to get an edge," Kyle explains, sitting back in his chair. "I used it alot in my two years in the Wyndon Conference."
"Heard it's hard to get a sponsor to compete in the Wyndon Conference," Saul says.
"It is," Kyle confirms. "I was lucky enough to get a major sponsor for both of my runs but it takes a toll after a while."
"A regular league, the pressure is bad," Ava states, spotting Fred and Lisa coming into the deck. She waves at them before talking to Kyle. "But having that added pressure is mentally draining."
"That's right," Kyle nods his head. "Sounds like you have experience with it."
"Something like that," Ava says, excluding some details. "Is that why you came to Kanto?"
"Correct," Kyle says as Fred and Lisa joins the group. "Hello."
"Hello there," Lisa says, sitting down on a spare chair. Both Fred and Lisa are in their bathing suits. "I'm Lisa, and this is my husband Fred."
"A pleasure," Kyle says, getting up. "I'm Kyle. I better go register for the tournament. Hopefully we can battle again Brandon."
Kyle waves goodbye to the group before disappearing into the crowd. Brandon notices Ava and Saul looking at him and rolls his eyes before he gets up. He follows the direction Kyle was heading.
Stepping into a well lit hallway, Brandon follows the crowd, looking for the registration area. As he walks, he thinks more about the tournament. He would be lying if he said he wasn't interested. He knows his team will give 100% and he knows it will be a great experience. But is he ready? Can he overcome his stage fright?
He takes a deep breath, waiting in line. He tries to calm his mind before he gets to the front. He pulls out his trainer card and Pokedex and hands them to the receptionist.
"Hello, I would like to register for the tournament please," Brandon says quietly.
"Of course," Daryl, the receptionist says with a kind smile, taking his card and Pokedex. "Is this your first official tournament?"
"Second," Brandon answers him. "My first tournament was the Tag Battle Tournament in the Underground Path."
"That's great you joined it, but the Pokemon Battle Association doesn't consider that an official tournament," Daryl says, scanning Brandon's card and Pokedex. He hands them back to Brandon. "All done. You are officially registered. Now, since this is your first official tournament, there are a couple of rules we need to over quickly. Normally, tournaments have four rounds. We have the preminlairy rounds, quarter finals, semi finals, and then the final round. First two rounds are 3v3 single battle format. The final two rounds are full 6v6 single battle format. Since you only have four Pokemon currently, you can register but if you make it far enough, you will be at a disadvantage."
"I understand," Brandon says, with a little gulp.
"Best of luck Brandon," Daryl says with a smile before waving him to the side.
Brandon moves to the side, now realizing he might be in trouble. If he makes it far, he'll be at a disadvantage. He looks down at his Pokeballs with a slight frown. He knows his team will be up to the challenge but can he put them through that, this early in his journey? Is he willing to do it?
He gives his mind a mental shake. All he can do is worry about the present and not future battles. He will deal with it if/when he crosses that bridge. Right now, he needs to train his team, getting them ready for the tournament.
He retraces his steps back to the bridge and finds Ava, Saul, Fred and Lisa lounging around. He smiles at them, before rejoining the group.
"Did you sign alright son?" Fred asks, laying back in the chair, his eyes slightly open.
"I did," Brandon says.
"Good," Fred replies before closing his eyes and dozing off underneath the sun.
"That is just like your father," Lisa says, chuckling. She looks at Brandon. "Are you ready for this tournament?"
"Honestly, I don't know," Brandon answers her truthfully.
"Do you believe in your team?" Lisa asks him.
"Absolutely," Brandon immediately responds.
"Good. That is half the battle," Lisa says. Beside her, Ava nods her head."Even if you don't go far, think of the experience you will get."
Before Brandon can respond, someone came over the intercom.
" Hello travelers. Thank you for choosing the S.S Anne as your boat. My name is Captain Lawson and you are in excellent hands. We have a host of activities for all ages but the most popular one is the S.S. Anne Battle Tournament. We are pleased to see so many trainers signed up for it. Registration is now closed. We will have the first round match up now on screen. Best of luck to everyone and enjoy your cruise!"
Brandon eyes the screen, trying to look for his name. Finally, he found it. Looks like he's battling someone named Ryan and it will be in the afternoon.
"Well, good luck Brandon," Saul says.
"Thanks," Brandon replies. "I want to get in some training before I go to bed. I'm going to look for a field."
"I'll come with you," Ava says, getting up.
"Same," Saul says.
"Thank you," Brandon says gratefully.
"Have fun but don't train too hard or long," Lisa says, laying down on the chair. "Also, meet us at 5pm for supper!"
"Yes mom," Brandon says before leaving with Ava and Saul.
"How are you really feeling?" Ava asks, as they walk through the crowd.
"Honestly, not sure," Brandon replies, as they finally find the practice fields. The group steps in. Brandon replies, his hands feeeling clammy. "I keep going over the requirements in my head and all I can think about is being at a disadvantage. Then, there's me freezing in front of crowds. Maybe entering this tournament was a mistake."
"Take a deep breath," Ava says softly, placing her hands in his. "Breath in and out. In and out."
Brandon takes a slow breath, inhaling and exhaling to calm himself.
"Good," Ava says gently. "Now, keep doing that and listen. Every trainer goes through this at some point. You aren't alone."
"Yeah man," Saul tells him. "I left the Alolan Region for the first time. I was scared to being on my own. But I realized, I'm never on my own since I have my Pokemon with me."
"Exactly," Ava says, agreeing with Saul."and you have us, your parents and I'm sure Kelly if you ask her. We all got you Brandon."
Brandon leans his head against the wall. "Thanks. Not sure where that came from. Battling with Chloe, I told her not to look too far into the future and take it one battle at a time. And yet, here I am doing that exact same thing."
"It's natural to feel that way," Ava says, sitting beside Brandon.
"I don't know what's wrong with me," Brandon says softly. "I battled in front of crowds before in Pewter City against Mankey and in Cerulean City twice."
"I think it's a simple reason really," Ava answers him. When Brandon turns his head to her, she elaborates. "Against Mankey and Nidoran, you were already battling when the crowds formed. They weren't the first thing you seen. And against Misty, you were battling in front of a camera."
"Doing anything in front of a camera vs a live crowd are two different things," Saul says. "It'll take time for you to become comfortable battling in front of a big crowd but eventually, you will get there."
"In the meantime, if you ever need help, look for us in the stands," Ava says. She stands up. "I know what will help you now. I challenge you to a one vs one battle!"
Brandon blinks his eyes, not realizing how quickly the conversation went but he stood up as well, grinning. He pulls out a ball. "Bring it on."
"Growlithe, I choose you!" Ava shouts, once she's in position.
"Nidoran, you're up!" Brandon counters.
Growlithe and Nidoran materialize on the field, opposite of each other. They stare at each other, waiting for their trainers' commands.
"Growlithe, use ember!" Ava commands.
"Nidoran, dodge it and come in for a double kick!" Brandon counters.
Growlithe begins the match by firing off three small fireballs towards Nidoran. Nidoran hops to the side before charging the puppy Pokemon before spinning on her front longs, twisting around and launching her two hind legs towards Growlithe.
"Growlithe, quick, bite one of the legs!" Ava orders.
Growlithe takes the first kick to the head before sinking her fangs as the second kick comes flying in. Nidoran cries out in pain.
"Great job Growlithe," Ava praises her newest Pokemon. "With her leg in your mouth, use ember!"
Growlithe fires off three small fireballs, scoring a direct hit, causing Nidoran to shriek in pain. Nidoran began to thrash, desperately trying to get her leg out of Growlithe's mouth.
Brandon racks his brain, trying to come up with a strategy but couldn't. "Nidoran, stay calm alright? Use a close range poison sting!"
Nidoran, shots her trainer a small look before calming down. She opens her mouth and shoots off a poison sting attack, scoring a hit. Growlithe yelps, releasing Nidoran's leg and showing signs she's poisoned.
"Crap," Ava murmurs. "Growlithe, stay strong and use howl."
Growlithe let's out a howl, pumping herself up as Nidoran tests out her leg.
"Growlithe, come in for another bite," Ava shouts.
"Nidoran, let her come towards you," Brandon calls out. "Once she's in range, dodge her bite and hit her with a scratch."
"Growlithe, dodge the scratch and bite one of her spikes," Ava counters quickly.
Growlithe bounds towards Nidoran, who just let's Growlithe gets close before sidestepping the bite. She snaps out her paw, extending her claw before swiping at Growlithe, who manages to sidestep the scratch attack before biting down on one of her spikes. Nidoran cries out in pain.
Brandon smiles as this is what he wanted. "Nidoran, you got this. Double kick now!"
Nidoran quickly smashes her two hind legs into Growlithe, who yelps in pain and releases her teeth on Nidoran's spike.
Suddenly, a white light fills the room as Nidoran begins to grow in size. She now stands on two legs. She grows a tail and two fangs. She roars at Growlithe, who shrieks back in surprise.
"NIDORINA!!" Nidorina's voice echoes through the room. Brandon takes out his Pokedex and scans her.
" Nidorina, the evolved form of Nidoran. Poison Pint Pokemon. Poison type. The horn on its head has atrophied. It's thought that this happens so Nidorina's children won't get poked while their mother is feeding them."
"Way to go Nidorina," Brandon shouts, smiling at his new Pokemon.
Growlithe, however, runs back to Ava, scared. Ava kneels down, scratching her head as she speaks to Brandon. "That was a good battle."
"It was," Brandon nods. He walks towards Nidorina. "I'm so happy for you but apologize to Growlithe for scaring her."
"Nido," Nidorina says, dipping her head in shame.
Brandon reaches down to scratch it, though Nidorina moves away from his touch. "It's alright. You got caught up in the match."
Nidorina walks over to Growlithe before dipping her head again. "Nidorina."
"Growl," Growlithe says, looking up at her trainer. Ava nods her head with a smile before Growlithe barks, attempting to lock Nidorina. Nidorina, like when Brandon tries to touch her, moves away from Growlithe.
"Some things never change huh?" Brandon chuckles as Saul joins them. "Thank you Ava. That is what I needed."
"Any time," Ava responds with a smile. "Now come on, let's get ready for dinner with your folks."
As the trio leaves, Zoe watches from the upper deck, glaring at Brandon.
Somewhere in Johto
"They have set sail on the S.S. Anne sir," a voice speaks up.
"Thank you for the update," the man says, rolling his eyes. "Just keep following her."
The man walks from the room and into his own room. He sighs, rubbing his head, looking at a picture of him and Ava. "It's only a matter of time."
A/N: Hopefully you liked this chapter. I will be honest, I had no intention of evolving Nidoran this early but I realized I messed up with one of her moves. Double kick, according to Sword and Shield move pool (which I'm using), is learned after Nidoran can evolve. So in that regard, I completely messed up allowing her to learn it very early. So I figured, the best way to fix it, is to have her evolve.
Now, I'm introducing my own region, though don't expect to visit it any time soon. I'm in the process of creating it and I will say this: this will be the region where Brandon and Kelly will be traveling together.
I also want to respond to Kunoichi69's comment about the lover's comment. That was simply a typo. It should have said loser not lover. That is my bad.
Anyways, have a great week. Next week, the tournament will begin.
Team Listings:
Brandon Adams:
Wartortle - Male, Torrent ability. Knows Water Pulse, (Mystery Move), Withdraw, Rapid Spin
Tangela - Male, Leaf Guard ability. Knows Bind, Stun Spore, Mega Drain, Growth
Nidorina Female – Poison Point ability. Knows Growl, Poison Sting, Double Kick, scratch
Joltik – Male, unknown ability. Knows: Shockwave, Electroweb, String Shot
Ava Mcarthur:
Umbreon - Female. Run Away ability. Knows growl , Quick Attack, Double Kick, Snarl
Omanyte - Male. Weak Armor ability. Knows: Withdraw, Constrict
Growlithe – Female. Flash Fire. Knows: Ember, Bite, Howl
Saul Raymond:
Yungoos – Male. Unknown Ability. Knows Tackle, Sand attack, Leer
Pikipek – Female (Shiny). Unknow Ability. Knows Peck, Growl
Mantyke – Female. Unknown Ability. Unknown moves