Hey everyone! This will be a slightly shorter chapter, but I have split it into two parts. The second part will be released after the New Year: in 2021. I hope you all had a great Christmas/Holiday! Have a Happy New Year everyone! Here is the next chapter:
Chapter forty-three: The long road Ahead, Part 1
This is it, the moment I've been waiting for to arrive: the day we finally go to Bill's Cottage. It was about time that the authorities decided to cut us loose since it is much safer now, and everyone seems relieved by this fact, especially me.
It has been an hour since I left Professor Oak's lab, and now we are on the open road passing through Route two and Route three. Rigel, Orion, and I sit in the back where we take in the scenery outside: passing by us are vehicles of all shapes and sizes. The snowy mountain peaks slowly change to smaller, and greener, rolling hills as we approach the interior of the Kanto region. Some time passes by: Orion rests on Rigel's side while the latter plays on his gameboy, but they soon pass out after a while. I think myself in the meantime; we were supposed to meet up with Bill before everything went to hell for us...now it has been days since...I wonder if he has managed to prepare for us, maybe with Oak's help they can turn everything around as soon as we arrive.
It's pretty quiet in the car this past hour aside from the parents talking amongst themselves. The radio is off and one can hear the sound of cars passing by us outside.
Sometime later we stopped at a gas station. Orion had woken up, and it wasn't long until he begged me to teach him some more English during our stop. I might as well I guess...anything to take my anxiety away. With a small notebook George gave me we went straight to work in no time, and I gave the smaller Pikachu some more lessons after we departed from the rest stop.
Something I've noticed from Orion during the lessons: and it went without saying, but Orion really did feel a bit down today. I know why, and it's pretty obvious: soon I'll be human again, which meant I would no longer interact with Orion as easily. It also meant I would soon be gone, away from Kanto.
Despite all that, the Pikachu tried his best to forget and just focus on the lessons...I think this is why he wanted lessons during the trip, maybe to help ease his mind like me?
Anyways, once we left the rest stop we are just a few miles outside of Pewter City, and the terrain became rugged and slightly mountainous once again. We made twists and turns up and down the highway, and all around us were rock-style cabins and houses, interspersed with tall pine trees.
There were these gorgeous rivers below wide and narrow valley's we would see looking out our windows. Rigel himself seemed to be the most excited over this: being young and setting out into the world does that. I remember Orion telling me a while back, and I really didn't need him to tell me: Rigel was still new to Pokémon training and his journey had not taken him out of the area encompassing Viridian City. I guess he was thinking about how the Pokémon in Pewter were different than the ones in Viridian. Rigel seemed determined as ever to restart his journey, and maybe hopefully one day he may able to compete in the Indigo League.
To me that seemed to be everyone's goal at the end of the day, even mine. I remember what I had told Jen, and how I wanted to compete in the league in Kanto, as I had wanted when I was a kid...even if I am much older now. Maybe...once I'm human again I will be able to.
...
Once we passed the vicinity of Pewter City on Route three it started to rain. It became apparent the rain would not stop even as we approached Route four to Cerulean City. The terrain became slightly hilly resembling a prairie as the car got farther away from Pewter. By now it's the late afternoon, and we should be in Cerulean City by nightfall. I really wish we could get to Bills today, but it looks like that won't happen.
We eventually come by another rest stop between Pewter City and Route four. George parks the car next to the building and decides to take a twenty-minute break to sleep for a little bit. Maybelline, meanwhile, heads inside the rest stop to use the bathroom, and get coffee for us. That just left Rigel, Orion, and I along with Charmeleon and Mankey, who are released by Rigel for fresh air.
Very soon after we arrived, the rain had softened to a very light, and barely noticeable, drizzle, but there is still lightning over the horizon with thunder just as far away. Orion scratches his chin, thinking to himself before giving himself a nod of approval afterwards.
The Pikachu turns to me and squeaked, "Lucas, come on, let's train!"
I give a bewildered look to him in response. There is no point in training right now, especially since I'll be human soon, "why?" is what I finally grumbled towards the mouse with a cocked brow.
"Why not," he retorts back, "we have time to do one quick session!"
I shake my head to him, but he refuses to yield.
Orion gestures his paw toward a field next to the rest stop, "this place is open, and it's a really good place to train!"
"What about all these people around us?" I ask.
"Who cares!? You've been teaching me a lot of English these past few days. I want to return the favor! Besides, you must be soooooo close to learning Double Team by now" the yellow mouse explains while I cross my arms in defiance. Soon though, I let my stance go and I give a short sigh in response. He's not going to quit, might as well do what he says, I think to myself.
"Okay, fine, but let's be quick about it" I grumbled. With this, Orion suddenly jumps and does a back flip in excitement, "alright, let's do this!"
I take off my clothes so they don't get damaged and I lay them on the car seat. Orion quickly enlists the help of Charmeleon while Mankey and Rigel watch from the car. I reckon the boy as always was okay with this. I guess he just wanted to make sure we were safe and under watchful eye as well as happy.
The other mouse claps his paws together, "so today's lesson is evasion! All you got to do, Lucas, is to dodge Charmeleon's attacks" he explains as I prepare myself. I stand across from the crimson reptile that has fumes leaving their snout; sparks exit my red cheeks in response.
"Remember you two aren't actually fighting!" Orion reminds us as we nod back to him, "annnddd, go!"
Orion had brought his paw down to start the session and Charmeleon quickly charges for me at lightning-speed! My left ear suddenly turns to the direction of the yellow mouse across from me, "Jump Lucas!"
I do as he says: I lift myself off the ground with great speed while Charm hits the ground, where I was, face first. He recovers very quickly and tries to use his tail on me in mid-air. Ultimately, I get hit before landing on the ground in one piece.
"Lucas, you can use your opponents movements against them! Try to use Charmeleon's tail to jump away while in mid-air" Orion bellowed.
I take Orion's advice to heart and we try the same tactics again. This time, while Charm and I are in the air, the reptile uses its tail to hit me again, but I instead quickly think of something else. I still manage to move away to safety, but I soon grab his tail and use his momentum against him. I use all of my strength to send Charmeleon down toward the ground with his energy. Orion seems impressed by this surprising feat I have accomplished.
Orion claps his paws together again and says, "There you go! Think outside the box, get around difficult situations to try and turn the fight in your favor!"
The other Pokémon recovers from the encounter and soon starts slashing at me with his razor-sharp claws. I try and dodge the best I can, but he's very fast with his attacks and I am left slightly injured as a result.
Orion snapped at Charmeleon for his reaction, "go easier on him Charm...remember this is just practice!"
The Pokémon agrees to soften his aggressive stance towards me and we start again; however, soon after he comes after me, something miraculous happens! I try to use quick-attack, but another new move is used instead.
I didn't notice earlier, but I think I must have leveled up. Not only that, but my mind seemed to have completely removed my ability to use Tail Whip in the process...it's as if I have forgotten how to use it...just like a Pokémon! And, in its place I was able to move quickly enough to create fake copies of myself to throw off Charmeleon's accuracy! Did I just use Double Team!?
And so, I chuckle to myself, giving a confident brow to the lizard across from me, who is shaken up by my move. I adjust the blue goggles on my head, and my copies do the same, before I sprint towards him. My clones and I spin rapidly around Charm until his eyes start to spin in circles, and he falls down on his back as a result. I stop right next to him as my copies disappear entirely. Orion runs up and looks at him and then to me with surprise, "you-you leveled up, didn't you!?"
"I think so" I utter softy as one of my ears fall downwards.
"That was totally Double Team you just used! You're really getting stronger now" Orion explains as he helps Charmeleon up from the ground.
"I guess it was great we did this" I murmured softly.
"You kidding!? It was definitely worth it for you!" Orion complimented.
"it wasn't worth it for me" Charm suddenly interjects as we chuckle in response.
It is around this time that Rigel's mother steps out of the rest center and places some bags in the car. George is awakened and soon decides now is the time to continue on our journey. And so, the training session ends here. The teen gives me and Charm some potions to heal our wounds. I thank the draconic-like Pokémon for his help and he silently nods to me. It is then that Rigel calls him and Mankey back into their Pokéballs for safe travel. I rejoin Orion and his trainer in the backseat, and we drive off towards Route four as it starts to rain hard again.
...
Eventually we cross into coastal plains, with the sun just beginning to fall from the sky towards the horizon. It is not long before I catch the smell of the ocean and the sound of crying gulls outside the car window. The rain finally dwindles down to nothing and the sky begins to clear, and it is here we see the stars for the first time in a while.
We finally approach Cerulean City by nightfall, and May wakes Rigel so he can see the skyline get bigger and bigger. The city is not exactly by the coast and Cerulean Bay, but it is pretty close to them by only a few dozen miles. Since it is a "coastal city" many of its buildings are themed after the ocean and its features. It's much smaller than Viridian City though, with only a few sparse tall buildings around its vicinity; however, there is one building that is impressive, catching all our eyes. It's a building that gives Cerulean its character with many lamps lighting up the building during night-time. Unknown to us yet, it is the city aquarium and water sports gymnasium. It has a round and colorful shape with a giant seal-like Pokémon as part of its design: it's the Cerulean City gym.
As we pass by the gym in the car, Rigel's eyes light up in response, "that's the gym, oh I have to battle the gym leader" the teen exclaims excitedly while his parents try to calm him down.
"Maybe later, right now we got to find a place to stay for the night" May explains to him and it doesn't seem to calm him down one bit.
"I should really try and get my first badge here" Rigel groans in response. We pass the gym on our way to find a hotel/motel to stay, and I think quietly to myself. I guess it makes sense Rigel did not have a single badge yet, and it shouldn't be surprising to me at all. Maybe the parents should let the trainer fight in the gym, it would be a breeze for him if he plays it right because if I remember: the gym has water-types. He COULD, in fact, get his first badge here.
Why, why would I wish for him to do it, though? I had somewhere to go, somewhere I should be as soon as possible...I should be at Bill's Cottage by early tomorrow.
That's when I think: I owe it to him...I really do. After everything he's been through, maybe I needed to see it through, make sure he turns out fine...at least while I am still like this.
It ultimately would have to wait, for the gym would be closed by this hour. We won't make it to the cottage tonight, so it will have to wait for tomorrow as well. It is not terribly far from here either, so maybe we can make a stop at the gym tomorrow first.
In the meantime, however, we found a nice looking motel where we stopped at just by the edge of the city on the last road that would lead us to Bill. The family checked in and we rested inside the room for the rest of the night. I placed my things next to me on the sofa, which is where I will sleep for the night. It takes a while for me to close my eyes, and even then I thought silently to myself before finally passing out.
...
Viridian Forest...
It's around daytime with clear skies, calm wind, and warm air filling the dense forest. Inside a small glade, I walk through it while wearing hiking gear. I lift up my hat to wipe sweat off my forehead from the long-exhausting trek up and down the valley.
Why was I here: in the middle of this dangerous place? Truth is...I don't know...I think I am in search of someone...someone very close to me.
It isn't long before I find what I am looking for: a tall unidentified shrine. I investigate the shrine, looking around for any clues or anything interesting that I might find. Suddenly, I hear a noise behind me as I turn around quickly! I look around for the source of the noise; it sounded like a small creature of some kind. My suspicions turn out to be true when a small rodent-like creature emerges from the shrubs by the trees.
It-it's a Pikachu...
Something about this creature felt familiar and I didn't know why, but I moved closer and it seem to do the same, as if we were both making the same movements...as if it were a mirror image or something...
"Hi, are you lost or something?" I begin by saying. The mouse then stands up on two legs and what happens next makes me fall on my back.
"You must be Lucas" it said!
It-it spoke to me, in plain English...as if it were a person like me!
"Who-who are you" I asked quite worryingly.
It moved closer to me as I held my breath.
"I'm you"
I give a face of confusion before I slowly stand back up again, "But, you're a Pikachu, how could you possibly be me...I'm a human..."
"You and me, we are the same...at least that is how it needs to be if we are to survive. I can help you, but you have to be open and willing to accept my help. You must free your mind, free yourself, accept who you are, what you have become, what you will become..." it explained as everything around us began to darken until we were in a dark, shapeless void. Before I realized, I am no longer...human!? I looked down to see that my hands have changed to yellow paws, and the rest of my body had changed also. My ears were now on top of my head and I had a small snout, as well as a lightning-shaped tail. Now me and the other Pokémon were the same...he was gone...it was just me now...alone.
Then, the dream suddenly ended and reality came back to me, but it was the same as my dream...I am a Pikachu...
