Chapter 2

I could have slept in, I could have enjoyed a nice and relaxed morning. Nope, crack of dawn and I stepped out of my little apartment like usual.

Maybe that was another reason why I never became a proper trainer, I was too fond of routines.

Shaking my head, I made my way to the staircase and stoically ignored the door to my right, that led to an apartment just like my own, which was repurposed to function as office space.

This was a routine I was more than glad to leave behind.

My workday was a vexing mess and a significant reason why I didn't regret my decision from last night for a single second.

Living in an old ten-story building without an elevator at the edge of town was acceptable since rent was ridiculously cheap for exactly these reasons. The savings, that basically accumulated themselves were just as nice as the ability to treat my pink-haired goddess to various nice things whenever I felt like it.

Working in an old ten-story building without an elevator at the edge of town while the proper shop for the customers was right in the middle of the city was understandably a lot less pleasant, however.

Even more so because I had to make the trip by bike three times a day and on the way home usually with a big bag of mail on my back.

Standing at the balustrade of the stairwell I couldn't help but let my gaze wander towards the stairs that led to the roof where our multiple Pidgey and Pidgeotto coops were erected.

Slowly but surely, I felt a frown worm its way onto my face. I had fed them and cleaned their nests just yesterday before I had started to sort the mail.

"They are fine." I had to say it out loud, but I just couldn't shake the lousy feeling in my gut, that told me leaving just like that without saying goodbye was… wrong.

I knew the little buggers were too smart for their own good, they would notice the change. How could they not?

But going up…

I would start regretting my choice to the moment I heard their happy chirping, saw their innocent little faces light up upon seeing me.

I was such a damn wimp.

Scowling I headed downstairs, I was a coward either way, but I just couldn't risk the slightest possibility of crawling back to my brother and ask for forgiveness. Never!

This was maybe the first decision that was really my own; I was going to make my own mistakes from now on. My choices, my consequences.

Still.

What now?

Take my bike and do what exactly?

I could take a leisure walk to Christy, we had a date anyway, but did I really want to disturb her this early on her free day? Put such a downer on our day right from the get-go?

What did real trainers do when they arrive in a new town?

Take a shot at the Gym?

Go to the Poke-Center?

Stock up?...Stock up on stuff they would need for their travels? Feeling my wallet in my back pocket a trip to the Pokemon Mart might not be such a bad idea.

Five Pokeballs and a handful of potions were a no-brainer.

Would have been easy to take from our stocks or at the very least our loyalty card for a discount, but I somehow didn't feel like cutting corners.

Who knew I could be so resolute?

Unlocking my bike and pushing it out of the hallway onto the street I wondered if there was something like a How-to-be-a-Trainer manual for an idiot like me? Surely, I wasn't the only late bloomer in Kanto?

Glad that the streets were still empty, and I could enjoy a relaxed pace for a change I decided that I may as well just look what's for sale, do some browsing, and look over the shoulders of some 'pros'.

Talking about pros, Christy did a journey as well I suddenly remembered. Something like there being a five-badge minimum for Nurses.

Huh…maybe I get to see her in a swimsuit and get some proper help?

Fingers crossed.

That was a lot less embarrassing than I had expected, I couldn't help but think as I stepped back out of the store.

Pokeballs and potions, what I reckoned were the bare necessities, were done and dusted along with a six-slot belt.

A pleasant surprise was the flyer section I honestly had never bothered with for obvious reasons. Goggles, gloves, and a special rope to hold on to while flying, that was also supposed to be very comfortable for Pidgeots. Definitely something to test when working on Tweety's strength.

Note to myself, keep the receipt.

Two more little items, which I honestly hadn't thought about was the topographic map of Kanto specifically made with 'pilots' in mind and a compass.

What had been little more than wishful thinking since last night was starting to take more and more shape.

As long as I dismounted far enough away from towns and cities, I wouldn't have to do a single step on the various routes. The 30 days that had kept me awake for hours and had never left the back of my mind now began to feel…not exactly comfortable, but definitely manageable.

Holy shit, was I starting to look forward to this?

"So," Christy began as she hooked her arm into mine as we stepped out of the rather fancy apartment building, where she and her family lived. "Where to first?"

I closed my eyes for a second and took the moment to enjoy the pleasant midday sun on my face after we stepped out of the air-conditioned lobby.

"Hmm," Eyes still closed I pretended to think things through, before I came to a rather abrupt decision. "Swimsuits, definitely!"

A laugh and playful slap against my shoulder was my answer.

"Jerk, am I not sexy enough for you?" She asked teasingly and I instantly took the invitation to give her a long critical once-over. A lone eyebrow raised was a sure sign, that she was suddenly very keen on my answer.

Jeans, a form-fitting dark blue sweater, and her pink hair in a simple ponytail.

"Darlin'," I put my arm around her shoulder, my best attempt at a roguish smile on full display, while my voice tried to emulate the movie stars of old. "If I had a ring right now, I would be already on my knees."

Then I waited and watched as she bit her lip, making a truly valiant effort not to laugh out loud.

Breaking eye contact, which I took as a sign of victory, she grabbed my hand and began to drag me along.

"So, love?" I began innocently as I took my position next to her again with my arm over her shoulders. "Where to?"

"Swimsuits."

I didn't even try to contain my chuckles.

As much as flying from town to town was making my task look appealing, this did the exact opposite.

A simple bench in the park, the afternoon sun shining over the Silph Co. building warming me just as much as my companion right next to me. The ice cream in our hands literally being the icing.

Sighing in defeat I let my eyes wander over my surroundings.

A boy playing with his Growlithe, an elderly lady petting a Meowth in her lap, which had its eyes on a couple of Pidgeys drinking from a fountain.

All day I hadn't been able to keep myself from staring at people and their pokemon. Be it a businesswoman, that seemingly used her lunch break to take a walk with her Eevee or a technician working on a streetlamp with a Magnemite hovering around him.

My thoughts weren't even clear, a jumbled mess of types and non-sensical strategies.

It wasn't like I never battled a Pokemon. A rival Pidgeotto, a Fearow defending its territory, a wild Meowth looking for dinner, or a bunch of pissed-off Mankeys looking for a fight.

Getting into a battle in or around Route 5 was the rule, not the exception, and the further you strayed from the path the more dangerous it got.

But as long as you could hit them harder and faster you were golden, right?

I couldn't help but purse my lips, however, as a memory suddenly resurfaced. A memory that forced me to hide my frown from Christy with a bite into my ice.

I had been lucky once. Very lucky.

If I hadn't stumbled over a rampaging and more importantly noticeable Primeape, but a stealthy Arbok or a silent Persian, I could have easily gotten myself killed and no one would have known.

Yup, I thought with an absent-minded nod, that settled that part of my journey at least. Fuck camping!

Feeling curious eyes bore into my side I looked at my girlfriend with a questioning gaze, wordlessly asking what was wrong.

"What's on your mind?" She asked straight to the point, with a hint of concern, which had me smile a little.

"The white one-piece swimsuit." I answered, still with the little smile, that slowly began to drop, however, when I noticed her flat stare. Absolutely unwilling to upset her further by stalling I shoved the remains of my ice into my mouth, ignored the headache, and pulled out the folded Fax from the inside of my red jacket.

"Here."

Deft dainty hands handed me her ice and instantly unfolded the piece of paper, intelligent blue eyes scanned the text in record time, while a frown was becoming more and more pronounced.

Finished, her eyes immediately met mine, and with some relief I noted, that the frown by now was replaced by a determined expression, which was further cemented when she shot off the bench and dragged me along.

"Let's go, Mom has the night shift and Dad is out the whole week at the Power Plant." She told me over her shoulder.

'Oh really?!'

"Get your head out of the gutter!"