xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Route 19, 1:39 p.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After a rough encounter with a Stunfisk, Keats walked along the trail towards Floccesy Town on his quest to rescue his sisters stolen Pokémon. As he traveled, Keats was talking with his floating electronic companion, Rotom.
"And then when I was finished painting the fence, a bunch of Aipom showed up and started throwing dung at me from the woods!" Keats said loudly as they walked past some trees, a small group of nearby random Pokémon getting scared off by the sound of his voice.
"Why were they throwing their dung at you, zzzzt?" Rotom said in confusion.
"Don't think they liked me very much. I once ate a banana in front of them when their trainer left them at my sisters ranch and I think they just developed a distaste for me not sharing with them." Keats said with a shrug. "Are we there yet? I feel like I've been walking there for months..." He thought as his feet begun to hurt.
"Been meaning to azzzzk, what's the plan when we get to Floccesy Town?" Rotom asked as Keats looked at the floating screen.
"Thankfully I finally got to around to thinking about that a couple of hours ago." Keats said with a smug expression.
"When? While you were being shocked, zzzzt?" Rotom questioned.
"Yup!" Keats quickly replied as Rotom just looked at him with bewilderment. "First we head to the town and find the Battle Club. Once we meet Don George, we tell him the whole story about Marie's Pokémon getting stolen and we ask to look through the records for any trainers who are using her Pokémon." He explained.
"But how will that work? If they're your sisters Pokemon, they shouldn't be able to be ordered around by the thieves, if its true they're even a member of circuit, zzzzt." Rotom explained as Keats smirked.
"And I have theories!" Keats said enthusiastically. "When they had disappeared, one of them had an Abra, a Psychic type. Psychic type Pokémon have the ability to control people with their psychic powers. And if not a Psychic type..." He continued.
"If not, zzzzt?" Rotom replied.
"You're a Ghost type, you have the ability to possess things correct?" Keats asked.
"In my cazzzze, it's more specific to machines and technology but other Ghost types have been known to possess other things like humans." Rotom said.
"My other theory is that they're using Ghost types to possess them." Keats said.
"No guarantee on any of those though, zzzzt." Rotom said with uncertainty.
"Better than no ideas at all- hey! Look!" Keats said as he stopped walking and noticing something familiar in front of him.
Looking ahead on the trail, Keats and Rotom were surprised by a sudden stampede of Mareep running down the road in front of him, leaving a massive dust trail in their wake.
"Those are Pokémon from Johto! Oh! That's a sight for sore eyes!" Keats said with a smile as he pointed at the Mareep rampaging towards him.
"Be nostalgic later! They're rampaging towards uzzzz!" Rotom exclaimed in a panic.
"Oh yeah!" Keats said as with a sudden realization as his happy expression turned into one of shock.
"Hey! Stop those Mareep!" A voice with an middle-aged tone said as Keats looked past the dust storm and saw a man riding atop a brown bull-like Pokémon with a massive afro of hair chasing after the Electric sheep-like Pokémon.
"Uh?! Um! Okay, I have an idea!" Keats stuttered until he reached into one of his bags and pulled out a Pokéball. "Pineco! You're on call!" He exclaimed as a flash of light emerged from the ball and out came Keats' Pineco.
"Pineco!" Pineco said as she hopped forward, awaiting a command.
"Jump into the herd and use "Self-Destruct!"' Keats said loudly as Pineco proceeded to jump up from the ground and dove towards the rampaging herd of Mareep.
"Piiiiine-co!" Pineco said as her body begun to glow as she lunged downward before finally exploding as a massive mushroom cloud appeared, causing the dozens of Mareep to be sent flying through the air, landing on the open ground with their bodies covered in black smoke as one headed straight for Keats.
"You blew up Pineco again, zzzzt!" Rotom exclaimed in shock.
"Well a "Tackle" wouldn't do anything and "Protect" would give out eventually so what else could I have done- whoa!" Keats explained before noticing one of the Mareep flying towards him as he stretched out his arms and caught the sheep-like Pokémon. "Hi there, you done?" He said with a bothered expression towards the Mareep.
Agitated, the slightly blackened Mareep had scowled at Keats before suddenly beginning to spark up, Keats noticing this and beginning to panic.
"Whoa wait don't- blarhghghgha!" Keats said in an attempt to stop the Mareep before it let loose a "Thundershock" and zapped Keats, causing him to be covered in black smoke as well.
"You got zzzzhocked again..." Rotom said with a tired tone.
"...Well... At least, it wasn't as strong as Stunfisks... Ugh." Keats replied before falling backwards while still holding the Mareep in his arms as the middle-aged man approached him.
Looking up from the ground, Keats was met with a rather judgmental expression from a tall and slightly muscular man that appeared like he was in his mid-to-late forties, jumping off of his bull-like Pokémon mount. Sporting a large spikey red and orange hair style, he wore a matching gray poncho, a belt of six Pokéballs strung over his shoulders and pair of matching pants with sandals as he loomed over Keats' downed body.
"That was an incredibly dangerous move there..." The middle-aged man said as he looked at Keats before the downed trainer weakly lifted up the Mareep towards him.
"...I'll trade you this Mareep for the Pineco..." Keats said with a beaten tone.
"...That Mareeps not even yourzzzz." Rotom said as it floated over as the man begun to snicker.
"Pfffff! Hahahaha!" The middle-aged man laughed as Keats and Rotom looked towards him. "Okay that made me laugh... Besides some of the ground damage, at least the Mareep calmed down a bit. Bouffalant, round up the Mareep!" He said towards the bull-like Pokémon named Bouffalant as it begun to trot towards the Mareep to herd them back together and head back in the direction they came before the middle-aged man reached out his hand to help Keats up, letting the Mareep in his arms go in the process.
"Barely been in this region a week and I've been beat by nearly every Pokémon I've seen." Keats complained as he grabbed the older man's hand and got back to his feet. "At least he isn't mad about me exploding all of his Mareep..." He thought with some relief.
"Destruction aside, thanks for the help. It's actually greatly appreciated." The middle-aged man said as Keats shook his hand.
"Thanks for not being angry." Keats said with an embarrassed smile.
"We zzzzurely deserve it." Rotom said as Keats looked at the floating phone with aggravation.
"Did you seriously have to tell him that!?" Keats angrily shouted as the middle-aged man walked over to Keats' downed Pineco and pulled out a yellow Revive pill from his back pocket, crushing it in his hands and letting the dust sprinkle onto the Bug type.
"Pineco? Pineco." Pineco said she begun to awaken and healed slightly from her destructive attack before twisting back upright and hopped back over to her trainer.
"Huh? Oh hey, you good?" Keats said as he bent forward slowly to look at his Pineco.
"Pineco, Pineco." Pineco said.
"Translation?" Keats said as he looked at Rotom.
"Zzzzhe says that she was happy to help." Rotom replied.
"Haven't seen a Pineco in these parts before." The middle-aged man said as he looked at the group.
"Yeah, we're from Johto." Keats said as he pulled out his Pokéball. "Pineco, come on back." He said with a plain expression as he pointed his Pokéball at his Pineco and her dematerializing back into the Pokéball. "And I am very beat from these past few days." Keats complained as he put Pinecos Pokéball in one of his two carrying bags.
"You look beat. Come on, Floccesy Town is just over the hill." The middle-aged man said as he motioned for Keats and Rotom to follow him.
"Th-thank you for leading the way." Keats said. "Oh yeah, I'm Keaton but you can call me "Keats" for short. And this one is Rotom." He said as he introduced himself and his floating Pokémon phone companion.
"The name's Alder." The middle-aged man said as Keats and Rotom followed behind him.
"Huh nice to meet you." Keats said as he walked behind Alder. "Wait, why does that name sound familiar?" He thought with wonder.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Floccesy Town, 2:04 p.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Finally reaching Floccesy Town, Keats and Rotom looked around at the small buildings and large farmland environment with woods connected to it.
"Huh, quaint place." Keats said casually.
"Very, zzzzt." Rotom said in agreement.
"This is my hometown. After I retired, I decided to come back and help take care of nearby Pokémon." Alder explained.
"Ahhhh..." Keats said as he and Rotom looked around at the town before reaching a small patch of fenced off land next to a small single story cabin.
"Welcome to my home." Alder said as looked over the wooden fencing and saw the Mareep from before, grazing. As well as the familiar sight of the Johto Pokémon, some unknown mole-like, centipede-like and gopher-like Pokémon were also playing around.
"Rotom? Pokédex?" Keats asked of his floating companion as he pointed at the mole-like Pokémon playing in the dirt.
'"Drillbur, the Mole Pokémon, a Ground type. A known digger, it uses its claws to burrow through the ground and causes damage to vegetable crops."' Rotom explained.
"And that one?" Keats said as he pointed towards the centipede-like creatures with intrigue.
"Oh more? "Venipede, the Centipede Pokémon, a Bug and Poison type. It discovers what is going on around it by using the feelers on its head and tail and is known for being brutally aggressive."' Rotom explained once more.
"Looks pretty docile to me..." Keats thought with a raised eyebrow as he looked at small Venipedes on the farm. "And those ones?" He said with a smirk on his face.
"Again? Ugh, fine, zzzzt. "Patrat, the Scout Pokémon, a Normal type. Extremely cautious, one of them will always be on the lookout but tend to fail to spot people coming from behind." Am I done now, zzzzt?!" Rotom said, wanting to stop listing Pokédex entries.
"Hehehe." Keats chuckled at managing to annoy Rotom.
"That's not funny! You're practically wazzzzting my battery!" Rotom exclaimed, frustrated with Keats' annoying sense of humor.
"Hahahaha!" Alder laughed loudly, catching Rotom and Keats' attention. "You remind me of myself when I was younger. Always cracking jokes and trying to have some fun." He said with a smile towards Keats.
"Th-thanks?" Keats said, unsure of his response. "Wish the reason we came here was fun..." He thought as he remembered why he was even in Unova in the first place.
"Question, what happened with those Mareep, zzzzt?" Rotom asked towards Alder.
"They got out of their pen because of a wild Pokémon messing with the fence, trying to pick a fight." Alder explained. "But that's my problem. Tell me, what're you doing in town?" He asked.
"Well... Bit of a long story." Keats said, unsure how to answer as Alder raised an eyebrow. "I'm here looking for the Don George Battle Club, I was told there was one here." He asked as Rotom floated in front of Keats face.
"You're not going to tell him the full story?" Rotom quietly asked.
"I don't want to get too many people involved." Keats said silently in response as he grabbed Rotom and pushed him away.
"Well, I'm sorry to disappoint but there is a Battle Club in town but not the kind I think you're expecting." Alder said as Keats looked at him confused. "Come on, I'll show you." He said as he motioned for Keats and Rotom to follow him once more.
Leaving the property and walking down the street, Alder had stopped Keats and Rotom at a small building in town with a large Pokéball symbol that says "Battle Club" underneath, but it looked slightly dilapidated with some wear and tear. Pushing the door open, Keats and Rotom went in to find a small arena for Pokémon battles that was covered in dust from lack of use.
"...This is it?" Keats asked towards Alder, unimpressed by the presentation of the building.
"Well, Floccesy Town is a rather small town with a small community of people in it. The Don George family don't use this one very much and instead have gravitated to the more active cities in the region. I sometimes come here to let some young trainers battle with their Pokémon, but it doesn't have any access to any of the usual amenities the other Battle Clubs have... Which hasn't been in awhile, hence the dust buildup." Alder explained as Keats slumped to the floor with Rotom floating down towards the ground and laying on the floor.
"...Oh, come on..." Keats said depressingly. "No Don George and no updated equipment equals no progress in finding one of the jerks that stole Marie's Pokémon." He thought while sitting on the ground.
"Zzzzo much for this town..." Rotom said in an upset tone as Alder just looked at the husky framed young man and the living phone Pokémon.
"Something the matter?" Alder asked.
'"Yes."' Keats and Rotom said in unison as Alder rubbed the back of his head.
"Well, no use talking about it in an empty arena. Come on back to my place and we'll talk." Alder said with an encouraging look and tone.
"I just feel like sitting here..." Keats said depressingly. "Things just keep getting more and more sucky..." He thought as Alder breathed a sigh of pity.
"You guys hungry? I'm making curry." Alder said in an attempt to lift Keats' spirits.
Raising his head, Keats suddenly looked interested as Rotom floated upward to see Keats' expression. Standing up immediately, Keats proceeded to walk out of the Battle Club back towards Alder's farm as Rotom and Alder followed him.
"Looks like someone's hungry! Hahaha." Alder said with a smile as Rotom made an exasperated expression on its screen.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Floccesy Town, 7:43 p.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
With the lights on in Alder's home, Keats had spoken with the middle-aged man while sitting on his couch and eating curry with Rotom, Pineco and Alders Bouffalant in the same room.
"Ahhhh okay, now I'm getting the picture. You're Marie Dibiase's brother and she had her Pokémon stolen and the only lead you have to finding them is somewhere in the Battle Club." Alder said as he relayed the story Keats had told him. "I must say, that's one heck of a way to start your first Pokémon journey." He continued. "And at such an adult age..." Alder thought.
"You make it sound like I wanted it to be like this." Keats replied.
"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean it like that, it's just it's quite the tale... And a darn shame at that. Having her Pokémon be stolen by some dirty thieves." Alder said as he made a serious expression.
"Well... It's also my fault. I was supposed to be the one watching the Pokéballs that night." Keats continued.
"You probably heard this already from your sister, but you did what you could. And hey, it's pretty noble of you to take it upon yourself to go on a quest to get them back despite the lack of experience." Alder said, attempting to compliment Keats.
"All I've done so far is get attacked by Pokémon, argue with the phone over there and scare- uhh!" Keats said until he suddenly stopped himself.
'"Scare?"' Alder questioned.
"I-I-it's nothing! Forget it! Good curry!" Keats stuttered in an attempt to change the subject as he ate Alder's food. "Better not bring up the giant Pineco thing I was doing for a couple days..." He thought with embarrassment.
"Man... Marie Dibiase. I remember when she came strolling up to me all those years ago and challenged me. The "Junior Cup" tournament the Battle Clubs like to do." Alder said as he reminisced. "Acting all "high and mighty" and we had a heck of a three on three." He continued.
'"Challenged?"' Keats said with confusion. "Why would she- wait... Are you?" He said as he started to realize who he was talking to.
"Took you long enough, I'm the former league champion, Alder." Alder said with a smile as Keats begun to sweat profusely.
"...Now I feel even more terrible about exploding your Mareep." Keats said with a nervous tone.
"Ahahaha! Forget it, the damage is done and they're all back to normal after that rampant fit they took." Alder explained as he pat Keats on the shoulder.
"Right... You sure about letting me stay the night?" Keats asked. "I know he said he isn't miffed, but it definitely feels awkward staying in a former champions home... Well, another champions..." He thought. "Mind me asking you something?" Keats said as Alder looked at him.
"What's up?" Alder replied.
"Does the next town over from here have a Battle Club?" Keats said. "I really gotta make sure the next one has an authentic Battle Club this time..." He thought.
"Next town over past Route 20 would be Virbank City. Port town, lots of smokestacks and "active" inhabitants." Alder explained as he thought about what's nearby from Floccesy Town.
"And does it have a Battle Club? And I mean one that has a Don George in charge who can register me?" Keats continued. "Please say "yes," please say "yes."' He thought desperately as Alder looked at Keats with a smirk.
"Indeed." Alder said as Keats perked up as he looked towards Rotom and Pineco, who also looked with joyful expressions.
"Finally, some good newzzzz." Rotom said as Keats breathed a sigh of relief.
"Some actual progress..." Keats said with calm expression.
"Something to keep in mind though." Alder said as he caught Keats' attention. "If this guy you're looking for said they were going through the Battle Club circuit the past month, you're going to probably need to participate in battles." He said with a serious tone.
"Like... Official battles?" Keats said, slightly worried.
"Don George likes to have conflicts settled with Pokémon battles. Even if it's true what you say, it might boil down to a game of "he says, she says" and the likelihood is that you're gonna have to have a battle with this supposed thief to meet your goal." Alder explained.
"...I didn't think that far ahead..." Keats mumbled as Rotom and Pineco looked at Keats.
"...Never had one before, have you? An actual Pokémon battle with another trainer?" Alder said with a slight smile, obviously seeing Keats lack of experience.
"I mean... I fought a Stunfisk in the woods earlier today..." Keats said embarrassingly.
"Not the same thing. Battling a real trainer with their own Pokémon is a bit of a different experience." Alder said.
"...Now I really wish Marie had come along..." Keats said with his hand over his face as Rotom floated over.
"Told you that you should've been training the past few dayzzzz." Rotom said smugly as Keats glared at the floating phone.
"You know... I'm free tomorrow." Alder said as he caught Keats and Rotoms attention. "Bouffalant, you?" He said as his large bull-like Pokémon grunted in an agreeing manner.
"...Please tell me that's a sign you're willing to give me a crash course in Pokémon battles..." Keats said nervously as Alder nodded. "Oh thank goodness." He thought with relief.
"For now, I recommend resting up. Then as soon as the sun comes up, I'll teach you how to battle with your Pineco." Alder said with an excited tone.
"Pineco?" Keats said as he looked at his Bug type Pokémon.
"Pineco." Pineco said bluntly with a determined expression.
"...She looks like she's raring to go..." Keats thought.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Floccesy Town, 10:49 p.m. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
While inside Alders home, the men were fast asleep and Rotom was charging on a power cable attached to an outlet while outside, the Mareep, Drillbur, Patrat and Venipede were quietly sleeping under the moonlight.
Unbeknownst to the sleeping Pokémon and the inhabitants of the home, however, was a small figure approaching the fence around Alder's farm. Jumping up and over the fence, the small figure proceeded to slowly creep over towards one of the locked doors around the fence as one of the Mareep began to wake up, overhearing some of the noise as the Mareep looked over at the sight of something unusual.
"Mareep?" The Mareep said in confusion as the small figure turned towards it and grabbed a piece of wood off the ground. "Mareep!?" The Electric type exclaimed in fear as the small figure rushed at it with the piece of lumber, swinging it towards the Pokémon.
Man has it felt like months... Oh wait it has? Jeez, that's a load of- oh wait right, have to do outro, ahem! Keats and his Poképals have finally reached the next town nearby but like all good things, they happen sparingly. Meeting the former Unova league champion, Alder and helping him stop his wild Mareep from stampeding, Keats was allowed to stay at the home of Alder and was given some advice to start getting some official battle training... But it doesn't look like the following day will be that easy. Stay tuned folks...
Keats' Pokémon:
1. Pineco.
Authors Note: (I AM SO SORRY THIS TOOK SO LONG... Around May when I last updated the story, a lot of personal stuff was happening in my life and then a ton more things had happened after that. I wasn't up for writing this story anymore, contemplated starting something else and then that fell through and then never got back to this... Until now. We are back to regular updates to Wannabe and to the people that read this who stuck around and supported my prior work... Thank you. I greatly appreciate it.)