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Stories / Pokémon Journeys - Pt. XIV - E...
Last post by tenebrae - Jan 30, 2023, 04:40 amLink to the beginning
I woke to the feeling of Amber shaking me. I heard the front door close and immediately sat upright. Had someone broken in? Was Team Rocket back?
"I'm back," called out a jolly voice from the other room. The man walked into the room I was in and waved.
"Everything went smoothly. You'll be able to withdraw Diglett from a PC. Unfortunately I don't have one, and you probably want to avoid the Pokémon Centre here. There should be one at the entrance to Rock Tunnel. I heard it was being built out that way a few years ago after many Trainers were stranded around the area, though I haven't been out that way for a long time myself."
I stood up and followed the man back to the main room where my bike was.
"Good luck on your adventure, and I hope you and Diglett will have a good adventure together."
"Thank you, and I hope your house is fixed soon!"
With that, I stepped through the tarpaulin and out of the house, once again taking the same path I had taken just a few days ago.
Amber crawled up onto the back of my bike and sat down. I decided this was probably a good idea and got onto the bike too. It took a moment to get my balance right as Amber's weight on the back was something I had to adjust to. Each time he shuffled slightly, I could feel the bike threatening to fall over. However, soon we were zooming down the path that would eventually connect to Route 9. The cool night air chilled me to the bone and Amber, seemingly sensing slight discomfort from me, held his tail close to me. While not much, the slight warmth it gave off was much appreciated.
***
The giant tree towered in front of us, casting a great shadow over the area. The full moon could not be seen through the tangle of branches. I pulled out Pierce's Poké Ball and pressed it to the tree. It quickly shrank, leaving a small sapling behind. Just beyond where the tree was, I saw a signpost, but the sign lay on the ground, probably knocked off by the tree's numerous regrowings.
I wheeled my bike past the sapling but didn't bother looking back to see the tree erupt into existence again. I was far too tired and just wanted to get to the Pokémon Centre. I hopped back on the bike and began my way down this new path. After a short while, the path became much more gravelly and I was worried for any rocks that threatened to puncture my tyres. Nonetheless, I had to press on at the current speed if I wanted any chance of a decent rest tonight. Either side of me was towering cliff faces interspersed with an occasional ledge dug into the rock. As I followed some bends in the path, I had to turn on the bike's lamp. The cliff next to me was blocking all the moonlight and I couldn't ride in the pitch black. As I pedalled on, I was able to confirm my original thought; I did not encounter a single person on this route.
The lamp illuminated a few small patches of grass but I ignored them. I recalled last time I walked into tall grass at night I was almost attacked by a Pokémon. Even though that Pokémon was now a trusted member of my team, I didn't want to run the risk of not being so lucky with my next encounter.
The sound of tricking water reached my ears and eventually drowned out the sound of gravel crunching under the tyres. I slowed down my pace a bit. It wouldn't be funny if I rode into a creek or river, especially with Amber. Soon after, the crunching gravel turned into a soft grass, but it was quite short and didn't impact my ability to cycle over it. The cliffs also gave way to a large open grassy plain. In the distance, illuminated by my bike's lamp, was a large area of tall grass, and just beyond, barely visible over the top of the grass, was a fence. There was also a fence to my right, casting a soft shadow in the moonlight. The sound of running water was much louder here, and on the other side of the fence was a stream of water. Shadows were moving about under the surface and I couldn't be sure if that was due to the turbulence of the flow or because there was wild Pokémon swimming below. Under the moonlight it looked mildly eerie. I decided I would investigate when the sun was out and I had rested.
I rode out into the middle of the plain and looked around. I could see where the cliffs I had just been between ended and the southern cliff extended into the grassy plain more than the northern part. Just beyond this part of the cliff I could see a faint light glowing. I guessed the Pokémon Centre was probably around there. Even further south, I could see another large cliff rising into the sky. Rising just beyond was the silhouette of two thin towers. Between them was a strange yellow aura that cast faint shadows of the rock face onto the plains below, and faintly illuminated the two towers. I headed in this direction, only because it was likely where the Pokémon Centre was. I reached the light that was shining from around the edge of the cliff and saw a bright red neon Poké Ball lighting up the area. It was almost blinding against the darkness, but it was a suitable beacon if a Trainer got lost in the area. The air here felt staticky, as if there was a great electrical disturbance nearby. There was no Pokémon I knew of that could generate such power, and with the Pokémon Centre being so bright, I could only surmise that there was some leaking of electricity from the Pokémon helping to power it, if that is how the Pokémon Centres get their power.
I got off my bike and parked it at one of the racks sitting beside the building. I accidentally rubbed my hand against the metal rack and felt a sharp shock. Instinctively I pulled back, and Amber seemed to sense some sort of threat and growled, but I just waved at him that it was fine. I wasn't harmed, but I at least could confirm there was indeed a lot of static electricity in the air. We walked into the Pokémon Centre and it couldn't have been more different to the others I had been to.
The ceiling was extremely high. This was to accomodate the second floor that rose above the counter where Trainers handed their Pokémon over to be healed. I could see some large glass panels up there but the rest of the area was obscured by the railing. A staircase ran against the right wall giving access to this upstairs area. Just before this staircase, also against the right wall, was another counter with many shelves behind it. It looked like a small store. On the opposite side of the building was a door, which I assumed led towards to rooms Trainers would stay in overnight. I was quickly able to confirm this as I checked into a room with Nurse Joy. She smiled joyfully as she passed me my keycard. I walked over to the doorway where the rooms were, passing by an array of PCs by the wall next to the entrance. The whole interior was far more spacious than any of the Pokémon Centres I had been to so far.
As I walked into my room, a wave of exhaustion washed over me, and Amber sprinted to the bed and jumped onto it, falling asleep almost instantly. I smiled at this, and carefully hopped into bed too, careful not to disturb Amber's slumber. It also did not take long for me to also fall asleep.
***
I pressed the button on the front of the PC and it sprang to life. I heard a fan softy whirling and after a short moment, the screen displayed a login prompt. I input my Trainer ID and pressed "next" after which the PC asked me to scan my Pokédex. I held it up to the screen and both devices beeped. The login screen faded away and was replaced with a new menu. I glanced over at the guide stuck to the wall above the PC and I pressed the button that said "Lavender's PC" and then glanced back to make sure I was going through the menus correctly. I next pressed "Withdraw Pokémon" and was greeted with a green square box with a small brown blob in the top left corner. To the left of the box was a string of six circles each inhabited by their own little blob. Each blob was actually a pixelated icon of one of my Pokémon.
Following the instructions, I pressed my finger onto the icon of Diglett and dragged it over to where my party was displayed. I hesitated for a moment before releasing it over the icon of Swift. A bird would not fare well in the cramped space of a cave, and judging by the name of the tunnel, I was expecting many rock type Pokémon which would be a problem for Swift. A prompt appeared asking me to place Swift's Poké Ball into the little device sitting in front of the screen. I grabbed his Poké Ball and placed it in the round hollow of the device. Shortly after I let go, a lid closed over the ball and there was a quiet whirring sound. After a few moments, the lid rose and the Poké Ball was revealed, but it was different now. The bottom was black and the top was yellow, with two brown ridges running over the top. I picked up the Poké Ball and turned it around in my hands. It felt exactly like all my other ones; it just looked different. I knew there were different types of Poké Balls as I had seen them in Poké Marts, but it was still surprising seeing one up close. Maybe I would buy one next time I stocked up.
Before I logged off, I decided to send a message to mum and Professor Blackthorn.
After I exited the Pokémon Centre, I set off back towards the wilder grassy area of the plains I saw the previous night. It was time to get to know the newest member of my team.
***
As I walked along the grassy plain, I saw someone riding a bicycle in my direction. They had a large ream of papers rustling in the front basket and another equally large ream tied up on the back tray. It looked like they were fighting the wind as they passed by me. They briefly swerved to avoid me, and one of the papers flew into the air before fluttering down and landing face down on the grass in front of me. I knelt down to pick it up but upon turning it over, I felt my insides begin to churn. It was a wanted poster and my image was centre and the focus. It seemed Cyan had failed to clear me and now the posters were spreading. I had to leave this area as soon as possible before people began to recognise me. I abandoned my idea of training and bonding in the grass by the river and carefully retraced my steps back to the Pokémon Centre. It seemed like a stroke of luck the person atop the bicycle had not recognised me, perhaps because they were moving with such speed. Luckily for me there was no one between the tall grass and the Pokémon Centre.
When I returned to the Pokémon Centre, the person with the posters was nowhere to be seen, but I did have to take down a poster that was stuck against the exterior wall. I stuffed it into my bag without a second thought and ran back into the building and down the corridor to my room to grab my belongings.
"Going so soon?" Nurse Joy called out from the counter as she saw me running past.
"Yeah!" I shouted back and kept running, tossing my keycard to her from across the foyer. I would only stop briefly at the shop counter to grab some supplies.
"...and you have your Flash?" the clerk asked me as he passed some potions and a Great Ball over the counter.
"My Flash?" I asked, slightly puzzled.
"Your light source. Rock Tunnel as black as a Jynx and I've lost count of how many trainers have needed rescuing."
"Ah, I have a good light." I motioned towards Amber who snorted, small puffs of smoke escaping his nostrils.
"Good good," the clerk said. "But just as an extra, here." He rummaged begins the counter and produced a long slender rope, passing it across the counter to me.
As I picked it up, he spoke again, "This is an Escape Rope. It's a super durable braid made from the silk of Metapod and Kakuna. Their ability to harden their cocoon, made from the silk they produced as a Weedle or Caterpie, is what makes this rope so strong. No conventional tool is capable of cutting even a single thread, and it should be impervious to all but the strongest attacks from a Pokémon."
I pulled on a part of the rope taut but it was clearly stronger than a normal rope.
"At the entrance to Rock Tunnel is a pole you can tie one end of this rope to. If for whatever reason you get lost, just retrace your steps using the rope."
"Thank you," I replied, putting the rope into my bag with my other purchases.
"Good luck, and stay safe out there!" The clerk waved goodbye and I left the counter and walked out of the Pokémon Centre.
Outside, I grabbed my bike and with my bag in the front and Amber on the back, rode the short distance to the entrance to Rock Tunnel.
***
The cavern opening loomed before me. The actual opening itself was quite small, and even in the late afternoon sun, I could clearly see the whole interior. The rocky walls rose up on all sides creating a dome of grey stone. I could see a tall pole near the centre, stretching all the way to the ceiling, which I guessed was where I should tie my rope to. Next to this was a hole with a ladder that descended into the darkness of the cave proper. I couldn't see the bottom as I looked down.
"Well, we'll have to go on foot here," I said to Amber, and began to fold up the bike according to the instructions. Before long, it was attached to my bag, only the wheels letting it be known what it was. I then tied the Escape Rope around the pole, pulling it tight. When I was sure it wouldn't budge, I stood up and turned to Amber.
"Down we go," and together we descended the ladder into the depths of Rock Tunnel.
2
Stories / Re: Pokémon Journeys - Pt. XII...
Last post by synderfin - Sep 16, 2022, 07:15 amGotta watch out for that Pewter Police. I hear they're pretty badass.
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Stories / Pokémon Journeys - Pt. XIII - ...
Last post by tenebrae - Sep 16, 2022, 02:07 amLink to the beginning
The staircase down into the Underground Path felt a bit more inviting this time, but maybe only because I had already been down here once before. The descent still felt like it took forever, but we eventually made it to the bottom and started the long walk down the path. At least this time I knew what lay on the other side.
***
After walking for quite a while, a little further ahead, I could see two people with their backs to me, both wearing hooded garments. I crept up closer to them and could hear them talking.
"...the Union's been saying," the man said. "You'll be fine."
The woman nodded slowly and replied, "And what has your father said about this? He holds a lot of influence when it comes to matters like this."
"He informed me yesterday he has it fully under his control," the man replied. "So please, just wait a little longer, and everything should return to normal soon."
"I'll take your word then, if that's what your father said. If he's involved, then I hope everything should return to normal soon."
It was at this moment that I was noticed.
"Ah, hello," the man said, turning around to greet me. Peeking from under his hood was bright cyan hair, illuminated by the lights along the walkway. "It's been a while, Lavender."
"Why are you here?" I said with a mixture of shock and apprehension.
"I was expecting you to come this way, but, I see...heading north... You have already claimed the Thunder Badge then?" He completely ignored my question as he nodded to himself.
I nodded too, mildly confused. , but affirming his rhetoric.
"Good, good," he said, clapping his hands together. "Everything is progressing smoothly. Oh, by the way, this is Sabrina, the leader of Saffron City Gym."
He motioned to his left where Sabrina was standing. She pulled her hood back and long deep purple hair flowed down her back. It was much darker than my own. She gave a slight curtsy to me.
"Why are you here?" I repeated myself while attempting to not ignore Sabrina as best as I could. Cyan felt like a more pressing matter at this moment.
"Ah... When I reached Pewter City, I was unable to challenge the gym leader. His Pokémon had been gravely injured and were at the Pokémon Centre. Before they were fully recovered, my father came to get me, and I was pulled out of the gym challenge. Consequently, I will not be collecting any gym badges." He sounded slightly sad after mentioning this. "So now I am assisting my father with his mission. That is all I can tell you at this point in time."
I was about to try wrangle some more information about this from his but Sabrina spoke up. "I had some concerns over my safety in Saffron City, so I escaped into the Saffron Underground to meet up with Cyan." She tilted her head in his direction. "He has been of great assistance so far, but I am still worried."
"The Union is working to restore order there, so please don't worry," Cyan said, turning to face Sabrina, but it seemed more like he was addressing me. "There has been a notice put outside your gym informing any challengers that they will have to wait for your return. Unfortunately the situation is out of my control, so have faith in my father, please."
Sabrina nodded, though she still seemed quite annoyed.
Hearing all this made me question who Cyan really was. I was about to ask him about his father when he spoke first:
"Oh and Lavender." He turned back to me. "I am currently in the process of clearing your name with the Pewter Police. These processes take time, but sometimes accidents will happen. Such is the nature of dealing with fresh Trainers and their Pokémon, myself included, to a degree at least. However, do tread with caution. Some Trainers have their own idea of justice. Now I do believe you should be going. I still have more matters to discuss with Sabrina here."
"Goodbye. I hope you will be able to challenge my gym soon." Sabrina have another curtesy and turned back to Cyan, ready to continue discussions. I resumed my path down the walkway with Amber by my side. Once I was out of range of their voices, I looked back, but neither of them could be seen.
***
After ascending the giant staircase at the end of the path, I emerged into the afternoon sun. In the distance I could see a house atop a hill. Before it was a tall ledge much like what I had seen in other parts of Kanto. I walked up to it, but it was obvious I could not climb it. I recalled when I first set out on my adventure and my futile attempt to climb the ledges on Route 1. Knowing my limits this time, I followed the fence as I walked north, and left the house on the hill behind me.
***
The fence lay in ruins where there had once been a giant tree. In its place stood a tiny sapling. I stepped over the mess of twisted metal, watching where I put my feet so I would not stumble. Amber seemed to have no difficulty walking over it. The tree erupted back into existence, once again entangling itself with the metal fence and gate, but as the branches regrew, the new arrangement was even more of a mess. We left the tree behind made our way through the city towards bike store.
Once again I found myself in the bike shop, Miracle Cycles. I quietly browsed the small selection of bikes, trying my best not to look at the eye gouging price tags. A man in a blue uniform walked over to me.
"Can I help you?"
I turned around to tell him I was here to obtain a bike but before I could open my mouth, he started telling me all about the bike I had just been looking at.
"...has multiple gears to make riding in any condition easy, and even has an umbrella in case you find yourself in a storm! The price might seem a bit high, but it has all the latest technology in it for travelling Trainers. However, we also have last years model, which will only set you bac-"
I had to interrupt him here before he told me everything I didn't need to know. I pulled out the bike voucher I was given earlier in the day and waved it in his face. The moment he saw it, his expression changed, and he fell silent.
"I see..." he trailed off, sounding a bit disheartened. "Wait one moment please."
He left me next to this unnecessarily high-tech bike and walked behind the counter and disappeared into a storeroom. He emerged a few minutes later wheeling a smallish bicycle sporting a lamp and basket on the front. There was also a tray sitting above the back wheel with some straps dangling down.
"This is a lightweight folding bicycle, developed by Silph Co. It has been specifically designed to be easily rideable by anyone but can also fold up compact if the user encounters terrain unsuitable for riding."
He passed the bike over to me and I walked it around the store. Indeed it was very light and almost felt like I was pushing air. The basket was the perfect size for my bag and the tray on the back would be able to sit Amber quite comfortably.
"I haven't given too many of these bikes out in the past few years. It seems new Trainers in Kanto have been dwindling, and Silph Co. have been pursuing other endeavours lately, so recent revisions of the bike have less new features and upgrades. This is a bike manual. I doubt you will need it much as using the bike is pretty straightforward, but just in case. You never know when something will go wrong. Also, I'm obligated to give you a manual too."
He handed me a small booklet and then quickly showed me how to fold and then unfold the bike. When folded up, it was roughly half my height, the small wheels barely wider than me. It strapped onto the back of my bag easily, and I barely felt the weight pulling me back. I decided I would ride the bike out of town, and hastily unfolded the bike with ease.
"Stay safe out there," the shop owner said. "And good luck on your travels."
"Thank you," I replied.
He waved to me as I wheeled the bike out of the store. Amber crawled onto the back and sat down, appearing rather comfortable.
***
As I walked through the city, retracing my steps, I noticed there were no people about, and I didn't see a single poster up with my picture as I had seen in Pewter City. Maybe Cyan had already managed to have my name cleared with the Pewter Police, I thought. I kept the thought as I continued walking and soon enough I saw the familiar red roofed building. As I neared the Pokémon Centre on the way back to the giant Cut Tree, I saw a man walking around the building, holding scrunched up papers in his hands. His arms were bandaged up, but that was the only odd thing about him. When he saw me, he bounded towards me, waving his arms as he did so. I was about to jump onto my bike and pedal back the way I came, but I was not fast enough to mount it and consequently the man caught up to me. He stopped before me and crouched over a bit to catch his breath.
"Lavender!" he panties between deep breaths. "Good evening!"
It only took a moment to realise the person was the same man I had fended off that Team Rocket grunt from the other day. I saw the papers he was clutching were my wanted posters. It seemed I should still be careful who I show myself to around the city.
"It's been tough work but I've been collecting these!" He held up his hands and waved the posters around, grinning. We started walking as he hold me about how his home repairs were going and asked how my gym challenge went.
As we passed the Pokémon Centre, a poster caught my eye. I stopped to take a closer look.
"Seeking any information about Team Rocket and their involvement in the recent vandalism and attempted theft of Pokémon and items in the city. One member is known to be in possession of a Machop and Drowzee, but their whereabouts are currently unknown. They were reportedly seen fleeing east out of the city."
There was also a picture of a generic man wearing a black uniform with a red R on the shirt and cap. By his side was a Machop and Drowzee.
"Ah yes, these were the best details I could give the Pewter Police," the man said to me as I was looking over the poster. "Will you be going east too?"
"I'm not sure yet," I replied, and we began walking in the direction of the man's home.
"Well, why don't you stay the night and set off in the morning when you've decided?"
I pondered for a moment. "I think it's best if I continue while it's getting dark. There'll be no people about, and if I do encounter someone, I don't think they will be as friendly or understanding as you."
"Well, come and stay for a little bit at least. You could probably do with a short rest! And then you can decide where to go next."
I nodded in appreciation and said, "That sounds like a good idea."
The gaping hole was still in the back of the house, but there was a large tarpaulin covering it. A chilly breeze blew through. I sat down in one of the only pieces of furniture that had survived the damage. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out the map of Kanto. Saffron City was the closest city to Cerulean City but I didn't want to have to deal with the guards, even with the possibility that Cyan had already cleared my name with the Pewter Police. The fact that there were still wanted posters up here told me enough that I still wasn't safe. I didn't feel like taking the long walk to Vermilion City again, and taking the bike down then up the stairs would be more effort than worth. The next closest place was Lavender Town in the east, and there was even a Pokémon Centre halfway there too. It looked like a remote area so there should be few people around. I recalled that the Team Rocket grunt had also reportedly fled that way. I decided that would be the best course of action and I would set off soon before the sun had completely set.
The man came back to where I was holding a tray wth a tea pot and some cups. I stashed the map back into my bag and he set the tray down on the floor beside me. He sat down on a cushion and began pouring the tea.
"I see you've figured out where to go next," he said, breaking the silence and passing me one of the cups. "Be careful, it's hot."
I nodded in reply. "Thank you. I will go east and pass through Rock Tunnel to reach Lavender Town." I took a sip of the tea and winced from the temperature. It was scalding hot.
Amber was sitting on the floor opposite the man and also had a cup of tea. I watched him raise it to his mouth and gulp the whole thing in one go. It seemed high temperatures did not affect him at all.
I suddenly felt something pushing on the sole of my shoes. Startled, I raised my legs and almost fell over backwards. I peered under my feet and a small brown head was sticking through the floor.
"Diglett!" the man exclaimed. "It seems he wants to show you appreciation for saving us the other day."
I reached down and rubbed its head. Well, I could only see its head. The rest of its body was underground. It circled around my chair and peculiarly I noticed that the floor beneath was not damaged by the Diglett's hole. It must be some unexplained phenomenon I thought. Amber was running around in circles around me chasing the Diglett. Both were emitting playful squeaks and growls.
"It seems Diglett has grown fond of you two." The man stood up and walked over to a chest of drawers that looked awfully new compared to the rest of the place. I watched as he took out a Poké Ball and made his way back. Amber and Diglett stopped chasing each other and came to my side. Diglett was making odd purring sounds.
"He says he would like to join you on your journey," the man said, and the Diglett returned to the Poké Ball in a flash of red light. "He seems to yearn for yet another adventure, but unfortunately I have commitments here and cannot accomodate his desires."
"Um..." I wasn't quite sure how to respond. "Are you okay with this?"
The man nodded in return. "When I was young, I set off on my own gym challenge hoping to collect all the gym badges. Unfortunately I was defeated by Erika, the Celadon City gym leader. That didn't stop me though, but one of my Pokémon had an accident one day. My challenge ended in Lavender Town." The man was pensive as he recounted portions of his journey. "I caught Diglett in a cave just south of Pewter City quite early in my journey. That really ave me an edge when I battled Brock. I see you defeated him too." He motioned to my bag which was still open. My badges were in plain sight, attached to the inside near the top. I recalled the difficulty I had had with Brock and his Onix.
"Looks like the design has changed a bit," he said as he took a closer look at the Boulder Badge.
"I was very lucky to win that battle. If Amber hadn't learnt Metal Claw during the fight, I wouldn't be here talking to you."
The man nodded in acknowledgment of my and Amber's efforts before shifting the conversation back to the original topic.
"If you plan to pass through Rock Tunnel, then having a Pokémon that can dig will be indispensable. It would be the least we could do as a thanks for you saving us. He is also a high level and I believe that will be a great help to you."
This time I nodded. "I'll be glad to take him then."
"Seeing as its not safe for you to go out in the city yet, I will carry out the procedure. I just need your Trainer ID and I will go to the Pokémon Centre to do the transfer."
"Procedure? And I don't think I have a Trainer ID," I replied, slightly confused but also worried that I may be missing an important part of my identity as a Pokémon Trainer.
"Since Diglett is my Pokémon, I will have to transfer ownership to you. For that, I will need your Trainer ID. It wouldn't be necessary if this were a trade, but I doubt you would want to give up one of your Pokémon."
I pondered a bit I've this. I could trade Fin, but I spent a lot of money on him and it would be a waste to trade. "But I bought a Pokémon in the past and didn't have him transferred. Admittedly it's a useless Pokémon, but still. I paid a lot of money for it."
"Ah, some people breed Pokémon to sell. Those Pokémon will not have an owner until transferred into the hands of a Pokémon Trainer. It's likely that's what your Pokémon is."
I nodded, understanding somewhat more now. "But what about my Trainer ID? Professor Oak never gave me one, and Professor Blackthorn never mentioned it either."
"Ah, of course the professors would forget to mention crucial information like this. You probably won't have a physical card like I did back in the day. It should be on a digital device."
I rummaged through my bag and pulled out my phone and Pokédex and showed them to the man.
"Ah, this is quite an improvement!" he said as he took the Pokédex and looked it all over. "When I was travelling, the Pokédex I had was much bulkier. He opened mine up and the screen came to life. "This is also far brighter too!" He passed the device back to me. "Your Trainer ID should be in one of the menus."
The screen displayed on the Pokédex showed my current team and what I had named them. It also included their levels, learned attacks, and some other information I wasn't quite sure what it meant. I flipped through some menus and eventually saw a button that had "Trainer ID" on it. I tapped it and was greeted with a new screen that showed me some information about myself. The three gym badges I had were displayed on a small panel at the bottom, and my name was at the top of the screen next to a blank square. Underneath my name was a long string of letters and numbers.
"I think this is it," I said as I showed the man the screen.
"Ah, there it is!" He grabbed a pen and paper from the drawers and jotted down my Trainer ID.
"Alright, I'll try not be too long, but just in case, you can go into the other room and get some rest on the mattress. You'll probably need some before you set off again!"
He showed me into the other room and I sat down on the mattress with Amber, and a few moments later, I heard the front door close and a lock click as the man set off to the Pokémon Centre. I lay down and closed my eyes, feeling a wave of exhaustion wash over me. A lot had happened today, and as I recalled the events of the day, I felt myself drifting off to sleep with Amber curled up by my side, his tail providing some much needed warmth in the chilly night.
Click for the next chapter, Part 14!
4
Stories / Re: Pokémon Journeys - Pt. XII...
Last post by synderfin - Aug 25, 2022, 07:26 amSurge and the chairman are friendship goals.
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Stories / Pokémon Journeys - Pt. XII - A...
Last post by tenebrae - Aug 25, 2022, 07:13 amLink to the Beginning
The "Cut Tree" erupted into existence behind us. I decided I would call them this because of the need to use HM Cut to get past them.
"Jus' ta le' ya know, I waz goin' easy on ya," Lt. Surge said, playfully winking at me. This was slightly off putting, but I went with the flow.
"What was that Pokémon you used at the end?" I asked the gym leader. "You said it was a Raichu but I've never seen one that looks like that before."
"Ah yes! It was indeed a Raichu. Ya see, I evolved it when I was overseas. I was quite surprised by it too, but everyone tol' me all Pikachu evolve into that particular type of Raichu o'er ther'."
"I see," I nodded in reply, not completely understanding how or why that would happen. There was still so much I had left to learn about Pokémon.
"An' then, after I go' back ta Kanto, I did'n' know what ta do wit meself. Joined a gang, did some dirty work, even challenged tha Pokémon League. Los' tha' one o' course." He let out a hearty laugh. "So I se'tled on becoming' a Gym Leader, an' 'ere I am." He let out another laugh as we walked past the boundary of the gym building.
We continued walking for a bit longer, Lt. Surge telling me all about his time as a gym leader and all the battles he's had in the past.
"So there's someone I wanna intradoose ya to," Lt. Surge said, abruptly shifting the conversation as the doors to the Pokémon Centre opened in front of us. "After you," he said, motioning me forwards. We walked into the building and the doors closed behind us.
"He's an ol' mate o' mine back from ma days servin' the military," Lt. Surge continued as we walked up to the counter. "He'll be glad to meet ya."
We both handed over our Poké Balls to Nurse Joy and the familiar jingle rang out as our Pokémon were healed in a matter of seconds. It made me wonder why we had to buy Potions and other healing items when the technology in the Pokémon Centre was offered for free. I was about to open my mouth to inquire with Nurse Joy when Lt. Surge quickly spoke up.
"Thanks agen, Nurse," he said in a loud booming voice. "Us Gym Leaders would be in a wee pickle without ya help!" He gave her the same wink he gave me earlier before turning back to me.
"C'mon le's get goin'," he said to me, much softer this time.
I thanked Nurse Joy for treating my Pokémon and followed the Gym Leader out the Pokémon Centre.
"This way," he said, taking the lead and setting off in one direction. I had to quicken my pace slightly to keep up wth his large stride.
***
[/b]We arrived at a small house on the water's edge. I knocked lightly on the wooden door.
"C'mon, ya gotta knock a lil harder," Lt. Surge said, reaching past me and bashing on the door. Any harder and I felt like he might knock the door clean off it's hinges.
"Come in, come in!" a weak voice called out from the other side of the door.
I gently pushed open the door and walked into the small building, Lt. Surge stepping in behind me. The door closed with a loud bang. I found myself inside a moderately sized room with a moderately sized table in the centre. Against he back wall was a moderately sized couch and sitting in the centre was... an old man. He smiled softly when I saw him, but quickly glanced away upon noticing Lt. Surge.
"Welcome!" he said with mild enthusiasm. He beckoned me towards him and I cautiously approached. Despite Lt. Surge's overbearing aura, the room was filled with a gentle aura.
"Don't be shy, dear," the man said, noticing my apprehension. "I don't bite!"
He let out a raspy laugh that evolved into a coughing fit.
"Excuse me, my lungs aren't what they used to be."
He let out that soft smile again.
"Come now, sit down." He motioned to the side of the table opposite him, where there was another smaller couch. I took up his offer. The couch was quite comfortable after the big battle earlier and I let myself sink into its soft cushions. That comfort quickly ended when Lt. Surge sat down beside me, shifting the delicate balance created by the cushions.
"Now now, let's see..." the man said. "Welcome! To the Pokémon Fan Club! I'm the chairman here!"
I looked around the room, noting photos of various Pokémon and who was probably their Trainers on the walls. "What brings you here?"
It was at this point Lt. Surge piped up. "Oi Capt'n, ya jus' gonna keep ignorin' me?"
His booming voice sent vibrations through the air and I swear some of the pictures on the wall shook.
"Oh, hello Surge," the old man said, much too calmly. "I didn't see you there."
Lt. Surge rolled his eyes and grunted. "Yeah yeah, yer in need o' some new eyes."
"New lungs too," he replied, with a small cough. "Well, I must thank you for bringing in someone new. It's been a while since I've seen a new Trainer." He motioned in my direction. "And you need to visit more often too!"
"Well I'm sorry then," Lt. Surge retorted. "We don' ge' too many new Trainas these days. 'pparently tha union's bin sayin' kids're ge'in' sick o' Kanto or someting." He shrugged as he finished speaking.
"Let's stick to the positives then, shall we?" the old man said.
He pointed around at the photos as he told me various tales about the Trainers and their Pokémon that were in them. Many of them featured Lt. Surge too, although he looked much younger than the man sitting next to me this moment. I realised he's probably been a Gym Leader for a very long time. All the photos had the chairman's Rapidash in them, iridescent blue flames flowing down the length of its back. He told me it perished many years ago during a bad weather event that caused the whole city to be flooded. He just stared off into the distance as he recalled the many years of memories they had spent together.
"Her remains now lie in the Pokémon Tower in Lavender Town," he said solemnly. Amber seemed particularly moved by this story, perhaps feeling a bond as both are fire type Pokémon. "I would introduce you to my Fearow, but he's out at the moment collecting the groceries for me."
A gentle smile appeared on his face as he opened the book that had been sitting on the table this whole time.
***
[/b]"Shall we add another entry to the Fan Club's Album of Memories?" the chairman said as we finally reached the end of the photo album he was showing off. It was evident he had seen many different Trainers and their Pokémon come through. He got up and walked over to the shelves against the wall and pulled off an old Polaroid camera.
"Surge, can you get the tripod please?"
I followed him outside, Lt. Surge following behind with a camera tripod. He set the tripod up and the chairman placed the camera atop, facing out toward the bay. The chairman and I moved towards the edge of the water. Lt. Surge fiddled with the camera momentarily before hastily joining us. A moment later, a bright flash went off, and Lt. Surge went back to the camera to collect the photo. Both men were either side of me and Amber stood in front of me. Lt. Surge went up to the camera and took the film from the camera, waving it through the air as he walked back to us.
"You can have that one," the chairman said, taking it from Lt. Surge and passing it to me. "We'll take another for the album." I put the photo inside my jacket.
After another flash, and another developed photo, Lt. Surge took the camera and tripod back into the house.
"Thank you for today," the chairman said to me now that we were alone. "I have something for you as thanks for spending the time with me and listening to all these stories.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a crumpled slip of paper.
"This is a voucher for a free bike from Miracle Cycles in Cerulean City. I believe it will be a very useful tool to assist you on your journey through Kanto."
"Thanks," I replied as I took the voucher and also slipped it into my jacket.
"Ain't tha' great?" Lt. Surge had returned.
"Well, I best leave you now. Good luck!" With that, the chairman left us and went back inside the club house.
"Guess you'll be headin' up north agen?" Lt. Surge spoke energetically, as we both started walking back through the city.
I nodded, grimacing slightly at the thought of having to traverse the Underground Path again.
As we nearer the intersection behind the gym, we could see someone in a white coat pacing back and forth beside the Cut Tree blocking the path to access the gym. Beside the tree was a briefcase I assumed belonged to them. They were also holding a clipboard. As we approached, we could hear him muttering mild expletives to himself.
"Ya alrigh'?" Lt. Surge piped up at him.
The man in the white coat stopped and shook his head. "I need to get to the gym, but I forgot to bring a darn Pokémon with HM Cut." He sighed and shook his head again, once again cursing.
"Ahh, ya mus' be tha guy from Silph ta fix tha control system then. Ya can come with me, I'm the leader afta all." He slapped the man on his back, sending him flying forward a few feet.
Lt. Surge took out one of his Poké Balls and pressed it to the tree. Within a flash it was gone, a tiny sapling in its place.
"I guess this is where we part," Lt. Surge said, turning to me. "Was nice bat'ling. Good luck with the rest of the gym leaders!" He turned back to the Silph Co man. "Le's go."
The man picked up his briefcase, and together with Lt. Surge, they both walked over the sapling, and then they couldn't be seen after the great tree erupted back into existence. I turned, and with Amber by my side, we once again set off in the direction of Cerulean City.
Click for the next chapter, Part 13!
6
Server Talk / Re: The Pokemon Server: A Hist...
Last post by tenebrae - Aug 02, 2022, 12:25 amQuote from: synderfin on Aug 01, 2022, 03:40 pmYeee am excited. I had to keep a list of the teams to make sure I didn't have party errors.
And yeah woot, get excited for Gray 2, coming soon1
1. Maybe not soon...
Tomorrow™
7
Server Talk / Re: The Pokemon Server: A Hist...
Last post by synderfin - Aug 01, 2022, 03:40 pmQuote from: tenebrae on Aug 01, 2022, 07:49 amHa, I see that latest entry. I'm still not entirely sure what the overall outcome is either...Yeee am excited. I had to keep a list of the teams to make sure I didn't have party errors.
Also I will probably post my new chapter tomorrow. I need to reread the thing and make sure I don't have any continuity errors with the party... And then I look forward to your eventual? sequel to Gray
And yeah woot, get excited for Gray 2, coming soon1
1. Maybe not soon...
8
Server Talk / Re: The Pokemon Server: A Hist...
Last post by tenebrae - Aug 01, 2022, 07:49 amQuote from: synderfin on Jul 29, 2022, 07:32 amSotodayyesterday was my 11 year anniversary on the Server. Unfortunately both the forum and the server were down... rip. Alas, it is back now and for this year I decided to add to my big list of server memories, as seen above for my 9 year post. I actually have a much bigger list on my personal doc that needs to be filtered through and written up properly, but I didn't anticipate how long that would take so it will be an ongoing process, regardless I have done some. The list is an asinine string of random memories that most people won't understand but alas I have a problem.
Ha, I see that latest entry. I'm still not entirely sure what the overall outcome is either...
Also I will probably post my new chapter tomorrow. I need to reread the thing and make sure I don't have any continuity errors with the party... And then I look forward to your eventual? sequel to Gray
9
Server Talk / Re: The Pokemon Server: A Hist...
Last post by synderfin - Jul 29, 2022, 07:32 amSo today yesterday was my 11 year anniversary on the Server. Unfortunately both the forum and the server were down... rip. Alas, it is back now and for this year I decided to add to my big list of server memories, as seen above for my 9 year post. I actually have a much bigger list on my personal doc that needs to be filtered through and written up properly, but I didn't anticipate how long that would take so it will be an ongoing process, regardless I have done some. The list is an asinine string of random memories that most people won't understand but alas I have a problem.
10
Forum Info / Re: Discord RSS Feed
Last post by tenebrae - Oct 19, 2021, 02:30 pmQuote from: 1cec0ld on Oct 19, 2021, 12:40 pmThanks to the work of Tene, there is a new bot which will automagically link posts made here to our Discord Server
Thanks to the work of me, that bot is now smart enough to know WHO MADE THAT POST and include it in the update. It also uses the intended server side emojis.
Ура, I was wondering if that was possible >.<
I should eventually set up a role reaction...