Pallet Town may be a small community but it is located in one of the most scenic parts of the Kanto region. Its green mountains and vibrant trees made it a beautiful place for many aspiring Pokémon trainers to start their quests to take on the world. On a hill overlooking the town is a brilliant bronze statue titled The Journey Begins-Kanto is positioned to look down on the community. The glistening statue portrays larger than life versions of the region's traditional starters: Charmander, Squirtle and Bulbasaur. Similar statues of the traditional starters of each region could be found at their usual starting points around the world.
The statue had gained a reputation as a good luck charm and it was here that many families said their goodbyes as they dropped off their young trainers so they could make the almost ceremonial walk through town to Professor Oak's lab to get their first Pokémon, often posing with the statue of the starter they intended to choose before going off. Today however the statue encouraging new journeys seemed only to mock truck driver Ken Worth as he looked at it from afar with his own journey possibly over.
Ken's GS Transport Truck #2,013 all but lay in ruins after the vicious chase and road battle earlier. He and his Pokémon Fennekin and Spearow had managed to stop Team Rocket's hijack attempt but not without serious damage. Spearow had been healed up inside the lab and had now rejoined Ken and Fennekin as the trio looked over their rig. The truck driver would be lying if he said his two partners weren't starting to grow on him by this point and he was much happier they were alright compared to the truck.
The last two hours for Ken had been hectic. He'd spent most of that time talking to the local police department about the chase, including handing over the footage from Peter's dash camera. While the camera was destroyed the footage it recorded before that showed the Rocket grunts had started the fight. Ken would likely avoid any serious legal ramifications related to the pursuit. While Fennekin got some berries to recharge at the lab Ken had also been taken to the Pallet Town Clinic for a quick look over to assure he'd escaped injury in the chase and that hard crash when he rammed the road block; thankfully he had and was already cleared to start driving again. Ken had switched into a clean uniform and now had his new belt on for the first time with his Poké Balls attached to it.
While Ken and his Pokémon were alright Truck #2,013 was still in need of serious repairs. The old 550 Dittocruiser still sat on the side of the road in front of the professor's lab but help had already arrived to get it rolling again in the form of a massive GS tow truck dubbed Chansey 2 after the handle for its drivers, a pair of mechanics from the company's Terracotta Town garage named Ulysses and Grant. The tow truck itself was a massive rig built off the chassis of a 650 Machampmover truck and, as Peter implied earlier, it was almost as big as Truck #2,013 itself. The Chansey trucks were given their fitting name because of their rescue role and GS had three of them stationed across Kanto just for its company trucks. Their paint job was similar to the blue and gold one of the regular trucks minus the addition of some extra pink stripes.
Ulysses and Grant were going over every inch of the banged-up truck to determine what would need to be done to get it running again. Ken was starting to feel hopeful they'd get his truck back on the road quickly until he heard a sentence that immediately dashed his hopes.
"Get the hook ready Grant," Ulysses said as he rolled out from under the front of the truck on a dolly. "We're going to have to tow it back to the garage to deal with all this."
Ken's smile immediately turned into a frown. Ulysses got up and walked over to him.
"You want the good news or the bad news first?" Ulysses said.
"Give me the good," Ken replied.
"Well, the rig isn't totaled out," Ulysses replied. "But it's not going to be an easy fix. The front end is smashed to bits but most of the damage is cosmetic. There's some frame damage but it's minor. The big issue is the motor is pretty much shot and the steering is all screwed up. The suspension isn't looking good either."
"How soon can you get her back on the road?" Ken asked.
"We'll likely make it a side project at the shop so I'm thinking two to six months," Ulysses said. "It's an old 550 so it's hardly a big priority now. I think we'll put a dump bed on the back and assign it to gravel hauls out of the quarries in Pewter City. I'm not sure if I want to put a truck that got banged up this bad back in regular over the road service until I know it's back up to something approximating full song."
"We got another 550 back at the shop that is totaled out that we can use for parts," Grant added. "It had an incident down at the docks where a container got dropped on it. The whole back of the cab was crushed and the frame split. That one is scrap but we can take what we need off the front of the cab and the roof to mend this one."
"Do you need me to come with you back to the garage?" Ken asked.
"Our orders were just to get the truck if needed," Grant said. "Mack said he was coming over here and he'd be talking with you once he did."
"Sorry we couldn't fix it here," Ulysses added. "Don't worry though, we'll get her back on the road in time. It's not headed for the junkyard just yet if we have anything to say about it."
The mechanics words gave Ken some minor reassurance but it was still a sad sight as they hooked up the cabover for its tow. Ken recovered his suitcase and his personal items from the cab then fought back the tears as Ulysses and Grant drove off with his truck on the hook. He could only watch as Chansey 2 towed Truck #2,013 out of sight into the Pallet Road Tunnel. Somehow Ken knew he'd likely never see it again. Fennekin and Spearow both looked toward their trainer with similarly sad faces, they could pick up on his disappointment.
"There's nothing we can do now," Ken told his partners. "Anyone up for breakfast I guess?"
The mention of food excited both of the Pokémon as the trio started walking toward town. Ken wheeled his suitcase behind him.
Downtown Pallet Town wasn't much to write home about, the community had pretty just one main street and some basic businesses. There was a First National Bank of Kanto, a hardware store, several stores selling items for new trainers setting off on their journeys, a grocery store, and a general store that oddly also served as the broadcast location for the local radio station WPOK. With the local bar, the Rambling Rattata, closed this morning Ken and his Pokémon had only one option for a bit of brunch but at least it was a well-known one.
The Pallet House was widely regarded as best restaurant in Pallet Town, if only because it was the only restaurant in Pallet Town. The eatery had picked up the nickname the "Goodbye Café," since it was often the last place families would eat together before their children set off on a Pokémon journey, but it's popularity could not be denied as people came from far and wide to sample its legendary homestyle meals made in all kinds of styles from various regions. The eatery offered both indoor and outdoor seating with Ken and Pokémon sitting down at the one of the outdoor tables.
The woman who owned the restaurant was well known among locals although she wasn't present today as she had jetted off to Alola to go see her son perform in a school play. Her son was apparently a very skilled Pokémon trainer and the interior of the restaurant was decorated with newspaper clippings showing his skill in Pokémon League competitions or other adventures that he'd been involved with. Looking at the headlines Ken wondered if some of them were exaggerations but given how crazy this world could be at times "Local Boy Teams with Lugia to Save the World" wasn't all that far-fetched an idea.
Ken sat at a table and savored his long-awaited bagel while Fennekin and Spearow each enjoyed a dish of fresh food tailored to their typings on the ground at his feet. Ken watched as another GS truck pulled up in front of the hardware store as the driver made a delivery, wondering if his time with the company may be over after his wreck. Ken paid in advance for his food, as he and partners finished he was about to leave when a small blue and gold pickup truck rounded the corner and drove up to the restaurant. It parked in front of the eatery with a familiar GS Ball logo on the side immediately showing off the identity of its owner. Out stepped a familiar gray-haired man.
"Ken, good to see you again," said Mack, walking over and taking a seat next to his driver. "Sounds like you've had quite the morning."
"Mack, thank goodness," Ken said. "The Master Balls and the stylers are safe with Oak. Is Peter okay?"
"He's fine but you can bet I've already been talking with him about being more attentive," Mack replied. "He's a great driver but if he'd have checked his brake lines this morning before setting off none of this would have happened. That was a risky stunt you pulled up there on the pass and a riskier one you took hauling that cargo but it paid off. I'm going to reward you with a nice part of the driver payment for that job."
"Thank you, sir, err, Mack," Ken replied.
"You performed very well under circumstances that I would never have let you be assigned," Mack said. "Tell me Ken, have you heard of our Ho-Oh Level Clearance?"
"I have not," Ken replied.
"Ho-Oh Level Clearance is reserved for only my most trusted drivers," Mack said. "The name has a simple meaning, they are the ones who if I asked them to move Ho-Oh I could trust them to fulfill their duties no ifs, ands, or buts. Moving Master Balls or cargos like that one require it and I would never under any circumstance, even this one, give it to a driver I didn't have running with me for at least three years. You never should have gotten that cargo but you did and I'm impressed you followed through with the delivery given how you could have tried to use that situation for your personal gain."
"Yeah, but my truck got wrecked in the process," Ken said.
"Do you know how much one Master Ball is worth Mr. Worth?" Mack said. "I could buy about half a dozen brand-new trucks with how much we got paid for this assignment. You've also done wonders for promoting this company. Peter posted the video from his dash camera of that rescue online as a Pokévision video titled "Little Fennekin Saves Big Truck." Your fox's gutsy move in the back of your pass means we're actually trending. For a guy who wasn't a trainer until yesterday I'm quite impressed you two built up enough trust to try something like that."
"Spearow helped me time that move too," Ken said. "I will admit the trainer thing is growing on me. If I didn't have them I'm pretty sure I'd never have made it to Pallet Town given how hard Team Rocket came after us during that hijack attempt. Fennekin and I have a lot to learn but we're just getting started."
"I told you the cute ones have a sway to get you out the door," Mack said. "Sometimes a starter and their first trainer don't work out but that's why I seek out surplus ones to help my drivers get going."
Ken glanced down at Fennekin. The little yellow fire type stared back with a smile. The fox was glad his mulligan with a new trainer was turning out well.
"My starter Pokémon is doing fine but my starter truck is in a bit of a mess," Ken said. "The Chansey 2 crew said Truck #2,013 is going to be out of action for months as its repaired. Do you have another 550 Dittocruiser I could drive in the meantime or take over for a new assignment."
"You think I'm going to give you another 550 after you smashed the one you had in less than a day?" Mack said. "Those rigs are headed for retirement anyway. Give it another five years and the only place you'll find one is trucking in the Nanab Berry harvest out in the boonies. No, I don't have another one for you."
All of the emotion drained out of Ken's face. Somehow he knew this might be the end of the road for him with GS. He held back a tear before he looked over at Fennekin and Spearow. Both of his Pokémon could sense his disappointment and yet looking at them put a bittersweet smile on his face. He thought about the last day and all he'd gone through since he left Celadon City. He turned back to Mack.
"If this is all I get I'm okay with that," Ken said. "All my life I dreamed of being a long-haul trucker. Most people never get to achieve their dreams but, if only for a day, I got to fulfill mine and it was the greatest experience of my life. I got my cargoes there on time, saved another trucker, and I drove the wheels off my truck to get my job done. I got a whole career's worth of action in about 24 hours and if I really think about it, it was all incredible."
Mack gave him a funny look.
"Without another 550 to drive what are you planning to do?," Mack asked.
"I don't know," Ken replied. "RatEx will surely take me back. Maybe I'll go back them and work my way back up to driving the big rigs again. They don't run to Pallet Town but if I hike back up to Pewter City I can hitch a ride back to Celadon that way; they haul office supplies to the science museum and a couple businesses there. Now that I'm a trainer maybe I can challenge the Pewter Gym while I'm there; that was where my sister got her first badge all those years ago. I did register for the Pokémon League yesterday and it would be a good way to sharpen my skills."
Mack chuckled.
"I'm not sure I'd recommend that," Mack said. "That kid Forrest is the gym leader in Pewter and while he is one of the newer ones here in Kanto he's not a pushover. That's a rock type gym and you go in there with only a fire type and a flying type you are going to get whooped."
"I guess I'll have to build up my team then," Ken said, watching the other GS delivery truck drive away. "I think I might have the time to do so."
"Before you do anything rash can I make you a counteroffer?" Mack said.
Mack reached into his pocket and produced something small. He put it on the table before pulling his hand away to reveal a key ring. The metal key had the Devon logo on it, likely a truck key, but it had two keychains attached to it. The first was just the GS Transport logo but the second got Ken excited: a cheap little plastic Eevee.
"If you want to stay it's out back," Mack said.
Ken didn't need to be told anything else as he jumped up, grabbed his suitcase, and ran out the door with Fennekin and Spearow in pursuit. Ken rounded the corner Mack had driven around his jaw dropped at the sight of a new truck. Ken walked toward the rear of the truck and immediately recognized it as a 750 Eeveeliner but as he reached the cab he realized this truck wasn't a flat-faced cabover like his former 550, instead a boxy nose housing the motors jutted out in front of the truck. The numbering on the side designated it as GS Truck #653 and the Devon branding beneath the step into the cab identified this truck as being a 750 Eeveeliner US model. Ken recognized the US branding, it stood for "Unova Special," and that explained the long nose styling that was more common for trucks in the other region.
Ken and Fennekin walked up to the front of the truck with Spearow flying behind them. The truck had a GS's latest livery featuring a blue paint job with gold stripes that started at the back of the cab and came together around the grill. The look had fast picked up a nickname as the "Quick Ball Scheme" because of its resemblance to the famously fast acting Poké Balls. The front of the truck was protected with a special extra metal bumper that covered much of the grill of the truck. Ken had seen these before, they were often fitted to trucks working in the bush or other rural areas, and he knew that with a setup like that ramming anything would be much easier if the need arose. The metal bars were designed to bang a Tauros out of the way without taking any damage, thus their catchy nickname as "bullbars." The truck was in a standard flatbed configuration, Mack likely drove the 750 to Pallet hauling his pickup before unloading it.
"This is a 750 Eeveeliner Unova Special, one of the more powerful trucks on the road today," Mack said. "Unova allows trucks to move bigger cargoes than here so they built their rigs a bit more robust there. It's got more powerful electric motors, a more bulletproof transmission to handle them, and a sturdier frame than that Dittocruiser you started with."
"How did you get a Unova Special in Kanto," Ken asked before looking toward Fennekin. "Although you do seem like the kind of guy who has some international tastes."
"I got a surplus fleet of these babies I'm dispersing throughout the globe," Mack said. "GS already has trucks, trains, and ships in every region but when that Garchomp-haired fool Grings Kodai managed to wipe out his business empire in the aftermath of his arrest in Sinnoh I bought up all his transit assets for pennies on the dollar. I mostly wanted his railroads in Unova but he also had a trucking company there to support it so I got all his rigs in the deal. Since I've already got my own Unovan trucks I'm reassigning most of his to other regions where I need them more. Truck #653 here is fresh from the paint shop with its new number and it's ready to start making money. All it needs is a driver skilled enough to handle it and I think you fit the bill."
Ken was speechless. In a single moment he'd gone from seemingly unemployed to getting a shot in a 750 Eeveeliner just as he always dreamed.
"Ken, these coming months are going to be very busy ones for GS and I need every talented driver I can get making runs," Mack said. "My trip here to Pallet Town isn't just to get you back on the road. Once I get you going again I'm headed to the lab to meet up with my friend Samuel Oak. He's is working with another professor, I'm still learning his name but it's something like Sakuragi or Cerise or something like that, on the development of a new Pokémon research lab in Vermilion City. They are going to have a high priority build on this thing and I'm going to get GS the contract to move the supplies for it. They are looking to build a whole enclosed park onto an existing structure and that means a lot of stuff is going to be moved in a very short time. You've been driving in Vermilion City for years with RatEx, you're knowledge of the area will be a good asset to me on this one. I still want you driving for GS Ken, you still have a lot to learn but I know you're up to being one of my drivers."
Ken smiled then opened the door of the Eeveeliner and climbed into the cab. Fennekin was right behind him with Spearow flying in afterward. Ken took his position in the driver's chair while Fennekin climbed up onto the passenger one as usual. Ken put the key in the ignition and turned it as a thrill ran down his spine. Truck #653 roared to life with the classic, unmistakable sound of a diesel truck that was ready to rumble. Expecting a more silent electric sound Ken turned to Mack.
"Don't worry about that, the truck is clean hydrogen powered but some cities in Unova mandate a sound emitter to avoid having big trucks coming through downtown silently for pedestrian protection reasons," Mack said. "Lots of rigs have them and Kanto's going to mandate them soon. Some of my trucks already have them. The old diesel sound is the most popular since it just says "truck" to a lot of people. The cab on this rig is insulated so you won't even hear it much."
Ken threw his suitcase in the back and looked around the cab for a moment. It looked a lot like the interior of the 550, a sleeper cab with living quarters. He liked how this truck's bigger cab meant he had a second row of seats behind the normal driver and passenger ones, likely an optional extra fitted by the prior owners. Since the 750 was an upgraded version of the 550 the controls were all but identical so Ken would be able to handle this truck well. He turned back to Mack.
"I can't wait to put this baby through its paces," Ken said.
"Fen fen Fennekin," Fennekin added, equally excited.
"Then don't wait, I've got cargoes that need to move and I don't want this truck sitting around not earning its keep," Mack said. "Specifically, I've got two loads ready to go that are just perfect for a shakedown run with this big boy. The first is a precision load, I've got a truckload of pottery fresh from the kilns in Terracotta Town that needs to get to Stone Town pronto. It's a basic haul, nothing special. Of course, if you want a little more challenge, I've got another option."
Ken, Fennekin, and Spearow's interest was piqued. They all looked at Mack.
"There's been a serious shipping mix-up and a container full of special drinks for annual Venonat Festival in Fuchsia City ended up on the wrong ship," Mack said. "Said container is now sitting on the Johto dock in Olivine City. If you can make that run all the way across Johto and get it across Kanto to deliver it on time you will be rewarded handsomely."
"That sounds like a nice fun run," Ken said. "When would it need to be there for the festival."
"The festival starts at 7 p.m. tomorrow but the load has to be there by 3 p.m. for all the necessary preparations to take place," Mack replied.
Ken thought the load sounded exciting and looked over at a clock tower. The time in Pallet Town was now 11 a.m. Suddenly the reality of the timing for that cargo donned on him.
"Whoa, 28 hours to drive from here all the way across Johto and back then all the way across Kanto?" Ken asked. "That can't be done, not in a big rig anyway. There is no way anyone would ever…"
"If you make that deadline, I will pay you five times our regular rate," Mack said with a slick smile.
"Five times the money?" Ken said in disbelief.
The trucker looked to Fennekin and Spearow. Both of them were smiling a little naughtily.
"Fen fen," Fennekin said in encouragement.
Ken turned back to Mack.
"You're on!" Ken said with a smile.
"Alright, get rolling then," Mack said. "You better punch it though, you've got a long way to go and a short time to get there."
Ken slammed the door to the truck as Mack gave him a thumbs up. He recalled Spearow into its Poké Ball and immediately turned his attention to the truck. With a quick motion he grabbed his shifter and jammed Truck #653 in gear. The big truck rolled out of Pallet Town and started heading back north up I-Route 1. Ken reached up for the radio.
"Dispatch this is Vulpix 3 and we're back on the road," Ken said. "Please update that I've switched from Truck #2,013 to Truck #653 now and let the crew at the Olivine docks know we'll be there in about nine hours. No wait, make that eight hours."
"Roger Vulpix 3," the dispatcher responded. "Welcome back, glad to see you're in it for the long haul."
"10-4 dispatch," Ken said. "I am westbound and down with all these wheels a rollin'. Over."
Ken was smiling like a kid in a candy store as Truck #653 came up to speed and roared through the Pallet Road Tunnel. The blue and gold truck sped out of the tunnel on the other side with its shiny paint serving as a nice contrast to the green scenery. Fennekin had a huge smile on his face as the truck raced toward its destination. Ken took notice as the little fox hopped up on the dash board and walked over to the cord for the truck's horn. He made a happy gesture toward it and Ken smiled in return.
"Give it a yank partner," Ken said proudly.
The little fox leaped up and used a paw to do just that, giving it two long blows. Ken chuckled as Fennekin smiled.
"After how this journey has started, I don't know what's coming next Fennekin but I do know I'm glad I've got you aboard to back me up," Ken said. "Wherever the road may go, we're going to go there together."
"Fen," Fennekin replied. "Kin ne Fennekin."
Ken reached over and gave his Pokémon partner a pet on the head. A road sign read "Exit for Johto, I-Route 22, and I-Route 27" as Ken turned off I-Route 1. Fennekin again his head out of the window with his tongue flapping in the wind as Truck #653 dashed over the hills and through the forests toward its destination. As the truck darted off into the distance Ken and Fennekin had no idea they were being watched as a familiar small pink creature floated down out of a tree with a smile. Mew stared in the direction of the truck with a smile before it too started flying off toward Johto.
And so, we've reached the end of the road for this tale. For Ken and Fennekin their first day on the job was a wild one because in the incredible world of Pokémon even an average joe or plain jane person like a truck driver may find themselves called upon to be a hero. These two I-Route runners have a long journey ahead of them and no doubt in the future they'll meet new friends, face fierce rivals, encounter many more Pokémon, and move all kinds of cargo to almost any destination you can think of. The next time your own Pokémon journey brings you into town to buy more Poké Balls or healing supplies maybe you can take a moment to think about all the Heroes of the Highway who helped bring all that gear to you. Until we meet again, keep on truckin' as the journey continues…
THE END
AUTHOR NOTES
This is the end of Ken and Fennekin's journey for now but I'm hoping I may be able to revisit them in the future. There's still another tale from the road I'd love to tell but for now maybe it's best we let these two get some work done. The "28-hour run" at the end of this fic is meant to be more of an "And the adventure continues…" ending than a sequel hook although you never know. Who knows, maybe we'll get a bonus chapter somewhere down the line too.
The twist that this episode takes place at the same time as the anime episode "Lillier and the Staff!" is meant to be a fun contrast. Ash and all his friends are having a really comedic and fun time in Alola and at the exact same time this trucker just got put through the wringer in Kanto.
The numbering of Ken's trucks isn't random. He drove #2,013 throughout most of this fic because 2013 was the year Pokémon X and Y released, marking Fennekin's debut into the franchise. He's now switched to #653 because that's Fennekin's number in the National Dex.
The "Unova Special" is actually a subtle reference to real world American trucking. The standards for trucks in the USA differ by state and in Michigan they are little looser so real truck companies do make more powerful "Michigan Special" models for that market. "Bullbars" is also an American term, those bumper guards are also called "Roo Bars" in Australia, but I thought the bull version fit easier since Tauros is the 'Wild Bull Pokémon' and we don't have a Kangaroo one.
Speaking of real world trucks that hidden secret in the cover shot I mentioned earlier is a pun. The truck behind Fennekin there is a Kenworth, the same brand Ken is named after. While that isn't supposed to be their truck it does fit the fic since this story was meant to be "Smokey and the Bandit" inspired and that real-life rig is a replica of the one from that movie.
I was tempted to make the last line in this fic "I'm 10-10 on the side" which is trucker CB radio slang for "I'm done talking but I'm still listening." It fit great knowing that context but I thought it was too obscure.