*Updated December 2021*

Chapter 4

Awakening

"You only got us one room!" screamed a loud, feminine voice. The owner of the voice was sitting on a small bed inside a red and brown decorated room. The victim of her anger was a young man sitting on a bed across from her.

"Well, you said to get us "A" room, not two rooms," another voice, this one male, answered weekly. "And it does have two beds."

"Honestly Chris, I thought a brilliant strategist would be smarter than that. You are a guy, and I am a girl. They don't share rooms!" she muttered incredulously.

"You weren't very specific..." Chris defended rather meekly. If he learned anything from his mother it was that you don't win arguments against a woman. Either the topic is dropped, or you are deeply threatened. So instead of digging himself a bigger grave, he decided to change the subject. "But you really think I'm a brilliant strategist?"

"I mean, I'm barely more than a beginning trainer myself, but I'd say that you are! In your very first battle you put me in my place good," she answered back. "But don't you dare change the subject! I'm allowing you the pleasure of sharing a room with me, but if you pull anything, you are dead mister. Got it?"

"Yes Melanie," Chris sighed. Geez, she's treating me like her boyfriend. I've known her for less than a day, and already it seems like she is already planning the wedding, he joked.

"Good. You were trained well. Unlike my brother," she muttered. "But that's a story for later. It's late, I'm hungry and I want a nice salad. As you are a gentleman, I trust you have no problems paying for this?" she asked. Chris figured that this wasn't a question, but decided to try his luck anyway.

"Since I won the battle, perhaps you should pay," he said carefully. He hoped Melanie took it more as another suggestion, rather than an anti-gentlemanly act.

"Nope," she replied simply. "However, I shall allow you to pick the restaurant. The only condition is that there has to be vegetarian options at said restaurant."

"You don't eat meat?" Chris asked. He always found it hard to believe people could live without meat.

"Of course not! Meat is murder!" Melanie cried. "People who eat meat are as bad as murderers!"

"Well, if it is dead, it might as well be eaten," Chris defended.

"This argument is as pointless as a circle. Let's just go get some food before everything is closed," Melanie murmured.

"Now that I think we can both agree on," Chris declared, leading her out the door of their room. The Pokémon Center was eerily quiet, but as it was later in the evening, Chris didn't think much of it.

"Are you two going out?" asked the nurse on duty.

"We are going to get some food. We will be back before it is too late," Melanie answered the nurse and headed for the exit of the building. The automatic doors opened, and a cool breeze met the duo.

"Jeez, if I knew it would be this cold, I would have brought a sweater," Chris muttered. Melanie nodded her agreement. At least winter is almost done, she thought thankfully.

The duo had walked down a lightly frosted path towards a restaurant called The Shiny Miltank. The sign was lit up with a neon blue cow, standing on its hind legs while wearing an apron to cover up her utters. Chris had been here before with his mother, and he had fallen in love with their Miltank burger.

"For two?" asked a thin girl clad in the blue and black uniform of The Shiny Miltank.

"Yes please," Chris replied politely.

"Right this way," she replied, leading them to a small booth near the back of the restaurant. The two of them took their seats, and picked up a menu each. "Can I interest you in something to drink?"

"I'll have a Chocolate Miltankshake. What about you Melanie?" Chris asked her.

"I think I'll have a Diet Absol soda," she replied. The waiter took down the notes of their orders and walked off.

"I never got that," Chris muttered.

"Got what?" Melanie asked, thoroughly confused by his random statement.

"Why they gave soda Pokémon names. Why not just call it Cola, or Root Beer. I think calling it Absol, or Ursaring Soda is kind of pointless," Chris muttered.

"That is a kind of strange thing to have a problem with, Chris. You're weird," Melanie joked, but then came to a sudden realization. I know next to nothing about this guy, and I've already decided I'm going to travel with him. That was a hasty decision on my part. I should probably get to know him, Melanie pondered.

She makes a good point, Chris thought to himself. It certainly wouldn't hurt to learn more about her. "Hey Melanie, maybe we should get to know each other a bit better before we leave tomorrow."

"You know, I was just thinking that," she laughed.

"B-b-but didn't you just say that?" he stuttered. Melanie stopped laughing and looked at him. He looked dead serious.

"No," she answered simply, giving Chris a curious look. Maybe this isn't such a good idea, I'm not so sure that he's all there in the head, she sighed mentally.

"I guess I was just hearing things," he muttered, looking thoroughly perplexed. Did she just accuse me of being not all there in the head?

"Maybe you were just imagining it," Melanie suggested.

"That was probably it. Well where should we begin?" he asked her.

"Look, there's the waitress. Let's order and then we can talk," she answered him.

"Sorry that took so long. Our Miltankshake maker blew up. The dumb machine has been acting up lately. Here are your drinks," the waitress said, handing Melanie her soda and handing Chris his shake. "May I take your dinner order?"

"I'll have your Miltank Burger," Chris said.

"Would you like some Sizzled Grumpig on it?"

"Yes please," he said.

"And for you," the waitress asked Melanie.

"I'll have a Caesar Salad," she replied simply.

"Would you like to add in a little Torchic meat?"

"No thank you," Melanie replied. The waitress took this as her cue to leave, and headed over to another customer. "What is your full name? I only know you as Chris."

"My name is Christopher Davis. I was originally born in Cianwood, an island community in Johto. I currently live in Silver town," he summarised. "What about you?"

"My full name is Melanie Emerald. I was never given a middle name. My mother is completely against them for some strange reason," Melanie answered.

"Where are you from," Chris asked her.

"Um... Penelope Port," she murmured, before breaking eye contact with him. Chris raised an eyebrow at her tone.

"Never been, is it nice?" he asked her.

"Yeah, it is um... great," she claimed. I hope he doesn't figure out I'm really from Greenburg. I can only hope he doesn't see through my lie, she mentally prayed.

"I think you aren't telling me the full truth," he muttered. She said Greenburg didn't she? I swear I heard Greenburg, he dismayed.

"W-w-what makes you think that?" she stuttered.

"Your eyes," he answered, trying to starie directly into her emerald green eyes. "They can't look at me. If you were telling me the truth, you would be able to stare at me."

Guess he caught me red handed, Melanie mused mentally. "Well, I am actually from Greenburg. I kind of sort of ran away from home," she muttered and turned away from Chris' gaze. A small tear began to form in the corner of her right eye. Noticing this, Chris slid to the end of his booth, planning to move to her side in an attempt to comfort her, but the waitress came back with their food.

"Your food is here. Is everything alright here?" the waitress asked, noticing that the girl she was serving had been attempting to hide her face.

"Everything is just fine. Thank you for the food," Melanie replied, quickly lifting her head up and wiping away the tear.

"If you insist," the waitress muttered sceptically, and headed back towards the kitchen. Must be another lovers quarrel, she mused as she walked away.

"Look. Let's discuss this when we get back to the room. I want to eat my salad, and I'm sure you want to enjoy your murder sandwich," she muttered, a glimmer of life returning to her eyes.

"It's not murder. It's a very natural thing," he replied, and took a bite of his burger. Just as delicious as I remembered!

"Well Mr. Murderer, think of it this way. What if that Miltank you're eating could talk? Communicate with regular people? You still think it is natural?" she asked. "It can think, and feel. It is a living creature, and yet is treated lower then a human. Pokémon are friends, not food!"

Oh... God, Chris thought, and put his "murder sandwich" down. Before I never thought Pokémon could talk. I knew they had feelings, but I never realized they were so human. Well they're not, but still. I'm a monster! Without giving Melanie any warning, he ran off towards the bathroom.

"I guess I struck a chord," Melanie muttered, and went back to her salad. At least their salad seems to be above average.

Lifting his head up from the toilet bowl, Chris was relieved he couldn't see his reflection on the back of the toilet.

All this time I've been eating sentient beings. I mean I always knew I had been, but I never considered the fact they could actually talk. What if that innocent Miltank or Grumpig on that burger was Charmander or Snorunt, Chris mentally shuttered. What if I just don't eat anymore Pok-

Chris never had a chance to finish that thought, as he thrust his head back in the toilet bowl ready for another round.

A short while after his mad dash for the bathroom, Chris returned looking less than stellar. "Are you done," he asked Melanie, noticing that her bowl was empty.

"Yes. You look awful, Chris. Are you okay?" she asked, her voice full of great concern. Maybe I overdid it, she thought to herself.

"I'm fine. You could say I had an epiphany involving toilets and talking burgers. Now I'll go pay, and we can go back to the room," he murmured.

"Tell you what. I'll pay for this one. Seems like I owe you that much for ruining your appetite. I'll meet you back at the room. I think we should rest so we can leave early tomorrow," Melanie told him.

"No I'll pay. It's alright, I'm fine," he argued.

"No. You will go back to the room and rest. I will not take no for an answer," she said sternly. Chris realized he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

"Fine, you can pay. I'll get the next one though," he promised.

"I would expect nothing less. Now go back to the room! If I get back there and you aren't there yet, you're dead mister."

"What are you? My mother?" he teased.

"Just go!" she sneered. He gave a light laugh, and turned towards the door. When he was out of sight, Melanie headed over to the front counter.

"Can I help you, miss?" asked the man working behind counter.

"I'm here to pay for our meal, and if at all possible, could that Miltank burger be taken off the bill? My friend had one bite and started feeling violently ill," she asked, hoping that Chris' absence would further help the fact that the burger shouldn't have to be paid for.

The man behind the counter looked a little frustrated, before finally resigning himself to the fact that the burger wasn't eaten and the boy was nowhere to be found. Giving a curt nod, he began punching new numbers into the till before printing off a new bill with the burger removed. "Here you are ma'am," he replied simply.

"Thank you for doing that, sir," Melanie answered, handing the cashier some of Anotica's native currency, the Anon. "Keep the change."

"Why thank you, miss. Have a nice night," he said happily.

The walk back to the Center was quiet, but it gave Melanie some much needed time to think. Why did I lie to him? He seems so nice and trustworthy. I didn't have to tell him about the fact I ran away, I just had to say I was from Greenburg, but there is something about him that just makes me feel safe. He sure is a strange guy though. He started talking to himself in the middle of our battle, and then at dinner he insisted he heard me say we should get to know each other more. That reminds me, I still have to ask him about the talking to himself thing in our match. Maybe I can trap him like he did me.

She walked into their room in the Pokémon Center, only to find Chris, as well as his Charmander and Snorunt, lying on his bed looking at a small laptop.
"You brought a computer on a Pokémon journey? Seriously?" Melanie asked him incredulously.

"What? You never know when it might come in handy. Besides, Pokémon Centers have free Wi-Fi. Might as well utilize it," he pointed out.

"What are you doing anyway?" she asked him. "And how has your Charmander not burned the bed spread?"

"Well, apparently she knows how to control the heat given off by her tail," Chris told her. "And I'm watching a show."

"But her flame is burning as much as I've ever seen it," Melanie pointed out.

"Yes it is, but it is not as hot. The biggest fires are not always the hottest. Besides, her tail isn't even touching any of the bed spread," he told her.

"You should still find a heat proof blanket at a PokéMart. How do you know all of this stuff anyway?" Melanie asked him suspiciously.

"She told me," he muttered nonchalantly, but then covered his mouth, his eyes widening in shock.

"Told you?" she asked him, raising an eyebrow.

(Nice going, Chris,) Charmander giggled, her sapphire eyes glittering with amusement.

(Y'all screwed yourself there, Pardner) Snorunt added, a sly grin forming at the corners of his mouth.

"Did I say told? I meant typed," he improvised quickly. "She typed it onto a word document for me."

"Oh really? Can I see said document?"

"Um, No. I deleted it," he added quickly. Sweat was dripping down his forehead. Damn it! I screwed up. The professor told me not to let anyone else know, and there is no doubt she is going to figure this out, he thought, thoroughly defeated.

"You're lying! You can't look at me. If your brown eyes could stare into my green, I would believe you. It's the same trick you used on me," she jabbed. I came in here planning to out fox him, but I guess he just did it to himself!

"Alright, I'll tell you the truth, but you have to promise not to tell anyone. Can I trust you to keep this secret?" Chris asked. I barely know this girl, but if we're going to travel together it probably wouldn't hurt for her to know.

"I promise," Melanie replied.

"I can understand, and talk to Pokémon. Please don't tell anyone else. They can't know!" he announced.

"Wow! That is amazing, Chris. How long have you had this ability?" she asked him. That explains the talking to himself in our battle earlier. What a cool ability. I'm a little jealous, I wish I could talk to Pokémon…

"Honestly, the first time I ever heard a Pokémon was the day I got Charmander. I could never understand them before that," Chris told her.

"Did something happen before you left?" she questioned. Yep, definitely jealous, she sighed mentally.

"Not that I can think of. I hope this isn't too much to take in, I barely understand it myself" Chris muttered. Did she quietly mutter something about being jealous?

"You know what, while this is all a little strange, but I guess it's kinda cool. Not to mention you'll probably be able to tell me what my Pokémon are actually saying about me! Speaking of which, I'll let my Pokémon out too!" she cried, releasing her Poké balls. Out of them popped her Sandshrew and Tangela, the two Pokémon she used in her match with him, and another one. It was a red bug, with buzzing wings and a green face. It had red horn like things on its head, and a red mouth. It also had many little black legs.

"This is my Yanma. I just caught him yesterday, so I didn't use him in our match," Melanie explained to him.

"Nice to meet you, Yanma. I am Chris," he told the bug.

(What is a Chris? Is it edible?) Yanma asked Sandshrew.

(Only if you want food poisoning. I wouldn't put that thing near my mouth. I don't think it has showered in years,) Sandshrew answered him. Chris could feel a vain in his head beginning to pulse, but he held his cool. That rat will get his later, Chris decided that mentally.

(Oh lay off guys. You're just jealous cause him and his hunk of a Snorunt are cuter than you,) Tangela scolded them, and then turned to stare dreamily at Snorunt and his trainer.

"Guys, this is Chris. We are going to be travelling with him and his Pokémon. He is very special, he can understand Pokémon," Melanie told them, before settling down on her bed and pulling out a book to read from her bag. Upon hearing that, Sandshrew flinched, and the yellowish brown colour of his face drained. He turned back to the other trainer.

(Hey big guy, no hard feelings right,) Sandshrew asked hesitantly, scratching the back of his neck in a nervous way. Chris didn't answer him. He just turned towards the little Pokémon and gave him an evil grin, causing the mouse Pokémon to gulp and curl up into a ball. Chris gave a light chuckle; he was going to have fun with this Pokémon.

(If Sandshrew is scared of a Chris, should I be scared too?) Yanma asked Tangela.

(Nah, he's way too cute to be scared of,) Tangela told him.

(What is cute?) Yanma asked, although this time the question wasn't directed at anyone in particular.

(Cute means that she thinks they are nice to look at, Yanma,) answered Charmander knowingly.

(Oh okay. So Snorunt and Chris are cute. So should I call them cute?) Yanma asked her.

(Not unless you think they are,) she answered him.

(Um, Pardner, a little help?!) Snorunt called over to Charmander. Charmander turned her head to see her fellow Pokémon ensnared in Tangela's vines. Charmander wasn't sure if this was Tangela's tickle attack or if she was trying to hug him, but she couldn't help but giggle to herself.

(You know, that looks an awful lot like one of those pictures Chris was loo-)

"Don't you dare finish that sentence!" Chris screamed at Charmander, who just turned towards him and laughed. Her gossipy nature had taken his attention away from his computer just in time.

"What sentence?" Melanie asked him suspiciously, looking up from her book.

"Nothing. I'm sorry I disturbed your reading," he told her.

"It's alright. I had something I needed to say to you anyway," Melanie said.

"Bout?"

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

"Huh? What about?" he questioned her.

"For lying earlier," she answered him simply. "I don't know why I didn't just tell you I was from Greenburg to begin with."

"It's okay. Why did you run away anyway?" he asked her.

"I'll give you the short version of it, I'm not really ready to tell the full story yet," she replied sadly, before turning her face to look away from his.

Flashback...

"Why can't I go?" Melanie asked a tall, bulky violet haired man. His blue eyes were glaring sternly at her.

"Your mother and I agreed that just because you have a Pokémon doesn't mean you should go on a journey," he told her sternly.

"You don't understand! This is my dream! Tangela and I will be fine! Please let us go!" she cried desperately.

"You're mother and I decided that you can leave in four years, when your brother begins his training," he yelled.

"That's not fair! Why should I wait?" she demanded.

"You need to protect him! A nineteen year old can properly protect themself too. Now quit being disobedient, and listen to me!"

"You're being unfair! I'm not even doing gyms. I just want to travel! Why can't I? You just want to keep me at home until I'm an adult and can no longer control me!"

"For the last time, you will not leave. Now go up to your room, and clean it. Now! I'll be up there to deal with you later," he bellowed.

"No," Melanie muttered.

"What did you say?" he demanded.

"I said no!" she screamed. Suddenly, a large hand impacted with the side of her face.

"You will listen to your father you ungrateful child! Now go to your room! I'll be up there later to deal with you," he roared. Melanie, glancing her tear stricken eyes up at him, and then turned around and ran out the front door.

"Melanie, get back here! Melanie!" he yelled, but she wasn't coming back.

End Flashback

"So that's my story," she muttered, on the verge of tears. Chris was in shock. I had a fight with my mother before I left too, but we made good, he mentally thanked the gods.

"That's awful, Melanie," Chris murmured, and got up from his bed to sit beside her. He put his arms around her body, and gave her a hug that would make an Ursaring quiver in fear.

"Thanks Chris, I appreciated that, but stop hugging me now!" she said and he immediately let go. "That was a bit tight, but thanks. It's nice to have some support. I'm glad I met you. I think we're going to be great friends."

"Me too Melanie, me too," he told her, before returning to his bed and grabbing his laptop again.

"Well I think I'm going to hit the hay. We should probably get up early, so I suggest you do the same," she told him.

"I think I'll stay up a bit longer," he answered.

"Chris go to bed," she said forcefully.

"Yes Ma'am!"

Chris found himself hovering in a perpetual purple wasteland. Various shades of purples and blacks surrounded him in every compass direction.

"Hello?" he called out, but he heard nothing but the echo of his own voice. This seems vaguely familiar, he pondered.

"Yellow."

"Silver."

"Gold."

"Ruby."

"Sapphire."

"Emerald."

"Diamond."

"Pearl."

"Platinum."

"What the- who's there?" he called out. As if it was answering his question, a large silhouette appeared in front of him. It was the shape of a large bird, but almost seemed dragon like. Now this is definitely familiar, he decided, remembering the dream he had before he left Silver Town.

"Who are you?" Chris demanded. He glared at the silhouette, but it didn't reveal itself. Instead, it opened its mouth and let out a loud roar. "What are you doing?" Chris question wasn't answered, but instead he was told something completely different.

"Awaken!"