Gavin Luper
10th September 2002, 05:30 AM
Sorry ... two chapters today!
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Chapter 7 - Journey for Cianwood.
It was a clear and warm Tuesday morning. Lisa and Gavin had made up about their odd argument on the previous day. They had begun to get to know each other better, and were now chatting as good friends did. They ate breakfast in the Charmeleon Café, and Aipom tasted Pancakes, which it really hated. However, the playful, cheeky monkey like Pokemon had fun with the large bottle of gooey Maple Syrup; in fact, Aipom had leapt from table to table, squirting maple syrup everywhere. In the end, Lisa had to pay the manager fifty dollars, which left her almost broke.
“ I don’t know what got into Aipom.” Lisa said, annoyed, to Gavin, as the two friends walked out of Goldenrod along towards Route 34. Gavin still had to pick up his Natu from Officer Jenny, who had caught it accidentally and now was ready to return it to it’s rightful trainer. Crowds of busy shoppers clouded the streets in the wake of the world-wide disaster of the Radio Tower Collapse. The incident had attracted hundreds of pokemon experts and know-alls, as well as many TV stations. Lisa had received a panicked phone call from Tom the previous day, but after an hour of talking Tom calmed again.
“ Maybe the Maple Syrup made it go all hyper.” Gavin suggested, as he dodged an old lady who was thwacking people in the street with her cane. “ Anyway, it seems to behave alright now.”
Aipom, sitting serenely on Lisa’s shoulder, nodded as it wrapped it’s long tail around the old lady’s cane as she flung it out at Lisa in an attempt to get further into the city to see the wreckage.
“ Yeah, but I still don’t get it.” Lisa said. “ Aipom has always obeyed me before.” ‘Except when I first received him,’ she thought to herself as they strode towards the city exits. She was hoping to find their way to the country road which led to the sea by that night, which was harder than it sounded. But she had to arrive on Cianwood Island as soon as possible, to deliver the two pokeballs to Jack Criddle.
“ Maybe it’s level is too high.” Gavin pointed out. “ After all, from what you tell me you were in a couple of battles before Goldenrod, maybe Aipom’s too high levelled to pay attention to you.”
“ Too high levelled?” Lisa asked. “ How can you tell what level it’s at?”
“ Well, a Pokedex can tell you.” Gavin replied unhelpfully. “ But since neither of us have a pokedex, we’ll rely on it’s attacks.” He turned to Lisa as they were blocked off by a thickset group of Pokefans bustling towards the debris of the Radio Tower.
Lisa and Gavin really didn’t want to stay any longer in Goldenrod City – not only did it bring back bad memories of the whole tragedy, they had spent most of Monday and the early morning of that day being consistently interviewed by annoying media people. Not only were their minds buzzing with the surreal event themselves, but the entire country was eager to hear the events minutes before the collapse. After awhile, Lisa and Gavin couldn’t handle it all, and evacuated the Hospital – both of them thoroughly enjoying the escapade together.
“ Alrighty then.” Lisa said. “ My Aipom knows Sand Attack, Swift, Doubleslap and tackle.”
“ Did you use a TM for any of those moves?” Gavin asked in a seemingly professional voice, like those receptionists who answer phones of big companies.
Lisa thought about it. “ Yeah … I taught it Swift.”
“ Then your Aipom should be around level ten.” Gavin replied. “ I think.”
“ That’s pretty low, isn’t it?” Lisa sighed.
“ Well..” Gavin wondered how to agree without making it too obvious that Aipom was underdeveloped. “ Your Aipom is pretty underdeveloped.”
Lisa sighed, and tried to forget about Aipom for now. She seemed to be trying to forget a lot of things lately; that Gavin was a psychic, and she was trying to put the Radio Tower event behind her.
Gavin and Lisa turned into a side street which would lead to the Pedestrian Freeway, when suddenly one of the women alongside them in the crowded street revealed a microphone from nowhere, followed them into the sidestreet and shoved the mike into their face.
“ Lisa Walters, Gavin Luper – how do you feel about being the only two survivors of the Radio Tower tragedy?” she blurted out at once. “ Gavin – did you feel a burning need to protect your girlfriend?”
Lisa snorted with surprise – although the media was truly annoying her it seemed so comical to be in their situation. And Gavin certainly wasn't her boyfriend. In fact, she didn't know what he was - they had only met a short while ago and Gavin didn't seem to have any real direction to follow. Both he and Lisa seemed to just be hanging around with each other to fill in time, yet she didn't mind; in fact, it seemed like the perfect thing to have on an exciting journey - a new friend.
Lisa snapped back to reality.
Gavin was looking at the woman reporter’s frizzy orange hair and dark sunglasses, but before he could retort, Aipom broke in, slapping the woman’s face rapidly with his hand-tail, leaving bright red marks on the lady’s face. She cried out in disgust, as Lisa and Gavin sprinted off to the Pedestrian Freeway, Aipom in tow.
The sun was rising higher into the sky, spreading glowing warmth over the entire area. Lisa looked into the sky, and felt the cool breeze on her hot face as they all ran, Aipom sprinting along the pavement beside her. It was great, being a trainer. Living away from home, with a friend – Lisa glanced quickly at Gavin – and with Pokemon – Lisa looked at her pokeballs, and then at her mischievous Aipom, who had just helped her greatly.
*
“ Thanks for giving me back Natu, Officer.” Gavin said to Officer Jenny at the southern Goldenrod gatehouse. He took Natu back into it’s Pokeball, and smiled, feeling that a part of him was returned at last.
“ You’re welcome.” Officer Jenny said. “ Now off you go, kids. I’m very busy. Especially with all that superstition business.”
“ What business is that?” Gavin asked curiously.
“ Many people have been disturbed by the sighting of a Legendary pokemon, only known as…”
“ The Black Beast?” Gavin guessed.
“ Yeah, that’s right.” Jenny said, behind the desk, fumbling with ancient, yellowing documents and new, crisp white leaflets. “ It’s only been seen about three times in recorded history. And this time was truly great. You see, the other three times it was seen, it was only a matter of weeks later when something massive happened – something horrible. The first recorded time was in the 15th century. The beast was seen, and a week later the Brass Tower burned down.”
Lisa seemed deeply interested, but Gavin shrugged. “ So, that’s a whole week later.”
Jenny glared at him, brushing tendrils of aquamarine hair from her eyes. “ Well, it seems a bit too suspicious to completely ignore. Still, some people are getting carried away. Heaps of people are already resigning from their jobs to stay at home and begin praying – half the citizens now have statues of the Pokemon Gods in their homes which they keep as a shrine.”
“ Weird,” Lisa said, thinking deeply. It seemed amazing to her that in only a week or so she had been in close proximity to four different legendary pokemon. She had seen two odd ones in the Burned Tower Basement, and ridden on Suicune, and then there was the Black Beast to take into account.
“ Thanks again Jenny,” called Gavin to Jenny, just when she looked ready to divulge more info that fascinated Lisa. Gavin dragged a reluctant Lisa behind him, as they exited to the south point of the gatehouse. They both stepped out into the fresh air, and Lisa promptly turned around. “ What was that?”
“ What?”
“ Pushing me out of the way before I could talk to her. She had some really interesting stuff to say. You know I’m into legendary pokemon!” Lisa’s temper had been released, for the first time in quite a while, for she had tried to suppress it.
“ She’s boring. Not even good looking. She lets down the Officer jenny family name.” Gavin droned, before being slapped angrily on the cheek by an indignant Lisa. The girl turned and marched back into the gatehouse, only to find Jenny conversing with a black-clothed man who Lisa thought she recognised.
But now Lisa was no longer exaggeratedly angry, and she had lost her will to argue. She stormed out of the gatehouse, Aipom squeaking on her shoulder. Gavin grinned in a way which Lisa could only describe as a boy.
“ It’s great to finally get out of Goldenrod.” Lisa remarked, after a few minutes of silent, anger-diminishing strolling, as they all headed west towards the sea.
“ Yeah.” Gavin agreed. “ Let’s get some training done now. Hey, you said you’d battle me and Natu back in the tower, remember? A deal’s a deal Lisa.”
Lisa smirked. “ A deal is a deal.” She said slowly, still grinning. “ I agreed to battle you if you found a video for me.” She paused for her words to sink in. “ You didn’t.”
“ Lisa – that’s hardly fair!” protested Gavin fervently. “ I couldn’t help it if the tower collapsed.”
“ Well you could really, you contributed you know!”
After this, they walked on for a long time in angry silence, as Lisa scolded herself mentally for revealing to Gavin about his psychic abilities. They had walked for so long that lunch time was well and truly approaching., and Lisa decided to make amends with small talk.
“ I want to catch some new pokemon.” she told Gavin. “ I mean, the pokemon I got from your uncle are only temporary. The last pokemon I really caught was Caterpie, and then it evolved.”
“ Maybe one of your Pokemon could evolve again,” suggested Gavin. “ Maybe Metapod?”
“ Well, I’d need to battle for that to happen,” Lisa sighed, as the duo approached the sea. The path they were on had narrowed considerably since leaving Goldenrod, and the ocean wasn’t as far away as it had been – Goldenrod was right on the shoreline, but just to the south there was a long peninsula which Lisa and Gavin were currently travelling upon. “ I wish there was somebody to battle against.”
On cue, some pathside shrubs rustled and out leapt a Weedle followed by a boy younger than both Lisa and Gavin, who held an old-fashioned bug-catching net in his porky hand. Lisa looked on in surprise at her statement’s sudden ability to come true. The Weedle the boy was trying to catch scuttled away, and he stood up angrily at Lisa.
“ I’m not angry at you!” he declared, his face purple and screwed up, looking for all the world like he WAS angry at her. “ That bug got away.”
“ Hmm.” Lisa said slowly, thinking that this must have been planned. “ Hi… would you like to battle me?”
The boy who had emerged from the bushes nodded. He was a fairly solid boy, bordering on podgy, and had three pokeballs on his belt. His dark hair and black eyes made his entire character seem darker than it really was, and he had a mysterious feel about him despite his simple, bug-catching nature.
“ My name’s Lock.” The boy called, pacing backwards from Lisa on the dirt road.
“ Lisa,” cried Lisa. “ Pleased to meet you. I’m guessing you’re a really great bug trainer, no?”
Lock laughed. “ Trying to suck up to me, eh?”
“ Wha?”
“ Well, I won’t go easy on you, even if you do try to flatter me.” Lock remarked in such an over-confident tone that he sounded obnoxious. “ I choose Beedrill.”
Lisa looked at him strangely, but decided to go along with her challenge. “ I choose … the pokeball that Gavin’s uncle gave me!”
Lock laughed. “ Bad choice.”
Standing on the ground facing Lisa was a Mankey which held a berry in it’s small, quick hands. Lisa looked at it, but it began poking faces at her rudely, and she frowned. “ I guess Jack needs to train you still,” she remarked to the monkey-like fighting pokemon. “ Well, I can start the training for him. Go, Mankey. Fury Swipes!”
Beedrill buzzed along as it rose up into the air across the road. The poison bee pokemon raised it’s sharp stingers and pointed them at Mankey as it flew towards it. But at the last possible moment, Mankey used it’s excellent speed power to dodge the attack, and landed three hard blows to Beedrill’s side.
“ Good going, Mankey!” Lisa cried. “ Now use Karate Chop!”
Beedrill, still buzzing around, was hovering straight in the perfect spot for Mankey to strike. However, just as the Pig Monkey attacked, the bee swerved to the left, and, upon Lock’s order, flew in for a Twineedle.
“ Dodge, Mankey!” Lisa yelled out. Mankey again used it’s impressive agility to avoid the attack, and swiftly slammed it’s hand down on Beedrill’s back, knocking the bug Pokemon out. “ Maybe you’re not so low-levelled after all,” mused Lisa, realising that Mankey had overcome the bug-fighting disadvantage. She supposed it was at a high level.
“ Beedrill, come back!” Lock called, returning it. Then he glared at Lisa. “ Think you’re good, eh? Then, go … Parasect.”
“ I choose the other pokemon that Gavin’s uncle gave to me!” Lisa cried.
“ Why do you keep saying that?” demanded Lock, frustrated.
“ Because,” Lisa called back. “ Gavin’s uncle Eusine gave me these pokeballs to give to his friend Jack on Cianwood Island. Anyway, it’s none of you business and I really shouldn’t have told you that.”
“ Mm hmm,” Gavin nodded in agreement.
Parasect, the mushroom pokemon, had already appeared in front of Lock from his pokeball, while Granbull, a bulldog Pokemon appeared before Lisa. “ Interesting,” she said, taking in the small bulldog, which was baring it’s sharp teeth which seemed twice as big as it’s head.
“ Scratch attack.” Lock said, itching to continue the battle despite losing the first round.
“ Granbull, use your Lick attack to paralyse it, followed up by a Bite attack to finish it off.” Lisa had this round all planned out.
“ Sect!” cried Parasect, slashing at Granbull with it’s claws. Granbull was hurt, but still far from out. It’s tongue sneaked out from inside it’s slobbering jaws, and slurped all over Parasect, stopping all of it’s movements.
“ Parasect – try to move.” Lock was frustrated at being unable to use his pokemon. Parasect struggled, but Granbull’s Lick had been too strong, and was extremely effective.
Lisa was glad to have an advantage in the battle. “ Granbull – now!”
Granbull leapt up to Parasect and sank it’s teeth into it’s mushroom, finishing the round in a matter of seconds.
“ Well done, Granbull!” Lisa rejoiced, thinking that Sailor Jack had trained the Pokemon up very well. Either that, or Lock was really weak. Lisa decided upon both options.
Lock recalled Parasect. “ Take this, then!” he cried, throwing a Fast Ball. “ Bug catchers don’t always just have bugs!”
A Growlithe stepped out of the ball, and onto the road. Granbull instantly began to growl and bark at it, and Growlithe mirrored it’s actions.
“ This should be a cinch.” Lisa recalled Granbull, and prepared one last pokeball. “ Go Wooper!”
Wooper appeared in a flash of light, and looked over at Growlithe. An easy battle, it seemed. Lisa grinned, glad that the much-needed battle experience had popped up when she needed it.
“ Growlithe – Take Down.” Lock ordered.
“ Wooper – win this with the first move!” Lisa called. “ Water Gun.”
Growlithe leered at Wooper before charging at it, picking up speed all the way. Wooper, just before the attack, sent out a jet of cold water which sprayed onto Growlithe and held it back for a few seconds. However, Growlithe quickly recovered and tackled Wooper with Take Down.
“ Woo.” Wooper cried, weakly. This Growlithe was really strong.
“ Wooper, get up!” Lisa cried. “ Water Gun, again.”
Wooper let loose another Water Gun, and this time Growlithe was hit square in the head. The fire dog was almost fainted, and looked very dizzy.
“ Wooper, try a Headbutt.” Lisa called out.
Wooper backed up a bit, then sprinted toward Growlithe, leaping at the last second. It crashed it’s head into Growlithe’s, as Lock watched in awe. Growlithe fell down, finally knocked out.
Lock returned Growlithe to it’s pokeball, and Lisa ran to hug Wooper.
“ That was a really exciting match!” Lisa said to Lock, still holding on to Wooper, then standing back to admire the tiny water pokemon.
“ Bah! Whatever.” Lock stormed off into the shrubbery, angry at his defeat.
Lisa danced wildly in joy. “ Wow, Lisa.” Gavin said. “ I’ve never seen you battle - you were really awesome.” Then he looked at Wooper. “ And you really care for your Pokemon, y’know what I mean?”
Lisa nodded. “ Yeah, thanks Gavin.”
Suddenly, Wooper leapt up into the air at least four feet, as though extremely excited about something. It’s tail glowed a vibrant pink colour, and Gavin and Lisa looked at Wooper in surprise. “ What is it, Woopy?”
“ Oopaaaa!” Wooper cried. It continued to leap, until the pink glow on it’s tail began to spread all over the tiny water type’s body.
“ It’s evolving!” Gavin cried. “ Look, Lisa. That battle was just what Wooper needed to evolve!”
“ This is really great.” Lisa remarked.
“ Yeah.” Gavin said. “ Now you have a fully evolved Pokemon on your team.”
“ Not that, silly.” Lisa said, watching in awe as Wooper became completely white, and began to change shape into a Quagsire. “ I mean, this is great for Wooper itself. Evolution boosts not only a Pokemon’s power and abilities, but also it’s self esteem. Wooper will feel better and stronger because it’s evolved.” Lisa suddenly felt like Kris and Hiro when they had been preaching to her a few days back about losing and winning.
Gavin stared at Lisa, also in awe. “ Lisa – you know so much.”
Wooper finally completed the evolution process. It was now a fairly tall Quagsire, and looked shiny and strong. It’s soft, shiny cerulean skin reflected Lisa’s smiling face as she ran up and hugged her newly evolved Quagsire, who had just participated in one of it’s first real trainer battles. The training around Goldenrod must have been extremely beneficial.
“ Quag!”
“ Well done, Woo - er ... Quagsire. Return!” Lisa said, and Quagsire disappeared into the pokeball she held out. She fixed the pokeball onto her belt with a triumphant smile.
Finally, Gavin spoke up. “ Well, Lisa, Quagsire can probably surf you and Aipom over to Cianwood.”
“ Yeah, he can.” Lisa said, then she noticed Gavin's choice of words. “ Hey, wait a sec. Do you want to come with us? I mean, it's you uncle that i'm doing this for ... it'd be OK if you came with us.”
Gavin sighed heavily, looking deeply disappointed. “ Quagsire can only take one person. I’ll just stay here,” he said, shrugging despite looking a bit put-off. Lisa noticed that he was staring in her direction, but beyond her, like he was thinking hard. “ It's all right, really. I'll stay with my friend Dave.”
" Well, if you're sure you don't want to come ...” Lisa trailed off; Gavin looked rather sad at leaving her behind.
Gavin quickly took out a notepad, scribbled his address down and handed it to Lisa. “ If you're ever in Goldenrod again ...” he said, earnestly. " I - I really enjoyed meeting you, you know," he added, as though he was slightly embarrassed to admit it.
“ Me too," said Lisa honestly. " If I do come back this way, I'll be sure to come past and say hi,” she said firmly. The sun was beginning to sink towards the horizon. She looked down the gravel road which led to the ocean as she pocketed the paper. “ So how long will it take - to get to Cianwood?”
“ Hopefully not long.” Gavin replied. “ Quagsire’s a good swimmer. You should be there within a day or so once you set sail, so to speak.”
“ Thanks. Well ... I'd better get going. That sailor guy will be waiting, I spose.”
“ Yeah.” Gavin said vaguely. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it quickly. After a tense pause in which Lisa hoisted her bag onto her back, he held out his hand to her. Grinning, she took it and shook his hand firmly.
Lisa eventually released her hand from the handshake. “ If I ever come back to Goldenrod I'll make sure to catch up with you!”
“ If I'm still there,” he replied. “ I might be out training up Natu ... and learning to use my psychic - er - abilities.”
Lisa looked at him, surprised that he had admitted to his psychic powers, but she said nothing more about it.
“ Well, goodbye, Gavin!” Lisa called, exchanging a grin with Gavin and turning around. Ahead of her stretched a wide gravel path for travellers, surrounded by thick woodland on either side. A roadside sign ahead proclaimed: Shellder Beach, 15 km.
Back at the place where Lisa and Lock had battled, Gavin stood, staring after Lisa as she disappeared down the gravel road and advanced towards the seashore. As soon as she was well out of earshot, but not out of sight, Gavin swore loudly to himself and kicked a stone on the ground furiously. Lisa was the only person who had been like a true friend to him for what felt like a series of long, lonely years - and he was stupidly letting her walk away.
“ Maybe we'll meet again, Lisa,” said Gavin, alone.
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Chapter 7 - Journey for Cianwood.
It was a clear and warm Tuesday morning. Lisa and Gavin had made up about their odd argument on the previous day. They had begun to get to know each other better, and were now chatting as good friends did. They ate breakfast in the Charmeleon Café, and Aipom tasted Pancakes, which it really hated. However, the playful, cheeky monkey like Pokemon had fun with the large bottle of gooey Maple Syrup; in fact, Aipom had leapt from table to table, squirting maple syrup everywhere. In the end, Lisa had to pay the manager fifty dollars, which left her almost broke.
“ I don’t know what got into Aipom.” Lisa said, annoyed, to Gavin, as the two friends walked out of Goldenrod along towards Route 34. Gavin still had to pick up his Natu from Officer Jenny, who had caught it accidentally and now was ready to return it to it’s rightful trainer. Crowds of busy shoppers clouded the streets in the wake of the world-wide disaster of the Radio Tower Collapse. The incident had attracted hundreds of pokemon experts and know-alls, as well as many TV stations. Lisa had received a panicked phone call from Tom the previous day, but after an hour of talking Tom calmed again.
“ Maybe the Maple Syrup made it go all hyper.” Gavin suggested, as he dodged an old lady who was thwacking people in the street with her cane. “ Anyway, it seems to behave alright now.”
Aipom, sitting serenely on Lisa’s shoulder, nodded as it wrapped it’s long tail around the old lady’s cane as she flung it out at Lisa in an attempt to get further into the city to see the wreckage.
“ Yeah, but I still don’t get it.” Lisa said. “ Aipom has always obeyed me before.” ‘Except when I first received him,’ she thought to herself as they strode towards the city exits. She was hoping to find their way to the country road which led to the sea by that night, which was harder than it sounded. But she had to arrive on Cianwood Island as soon as possible, to deliver the two pokeballs to Jack Criddle.
“ Maybe it’s level is too high.” Gavin pointed out. “ After all, from what you tell me you were in a couple of battles before Goldenrod, maybe Aipom’s too high levelled to pay attention to you.”
“ Too high levelled?” Lisa asked. “ How can you tell what level it’s at?”
“ Well, a Pokedex can tell you.” Gavin replied unhelpfully. “ But since neither of us have a pokedex, we’ll rely on it’s attacks.” He turned to Lisa as they were blocked off by a thickset group of Pokefans bustling towards the debris of the Radio Tower.
Lisa and Gavin really didn’t want to stay any longer in Goldenrod City – not only did it bring back bad memories of the whole tragedy, they had spent most of Monday and the early morning of that day being consistently interviewed by annoying media people. Not only were their minds buzzing with the surreal event themselves, but the entire country was eager to hear the events minutes before the collapse. After awhile, Lisa and Gavin couldn’t handle it all, and evacuated the Hospital – both of them thoroughly enjoying the escapade together.
“ Alrighty then.” Lisa said. “ My Aipom knows Sand Attack, Swift, Doubleslap and tackle.”
“ Did you use a TM for any of those moves?” Gavin asked in a seemingly professional voice, like those receptionists who answer phones of big companies.
Lisa thought about it. “ Yeah … I taught it Swift.”
“ Then your Aipom should be around level ten.” Gavin replied. “ I think.”
“ That’s pretty low, isn’t it?” Lisa sighed.
“ Well..” Gavin wondered how to agree without making it too obvious that Aipom was underdeveloped. “ Your Aipom is pretty underdeveloped.”
Lisa sighed, and tried to forget about Aipom for now. She seemed to be trying to forget a lot of things lately; that Gavin was a psychic, and she was trying to put the Radio Tower event behind her.
Gavin and Lisa turned into a side street which would lead to the Pedestrian Freeway, when suddenly one of the women alongside them in the crowded street revealed a microphone from nowhere, followed them into the sidestreet and shoved the mike into their face.
“ Lisa Walters, Gavin Luper – how do you feel about being the only two survivors of the Radio Tower tragedy?” she blurted out at once. “ Gavin – did you feel a burning need to protect your girlfriend?”
Lisa snorted with surprise – although the media was truly annoying her it seemed so comical to be in their situation. And Gavin certainly wasn't her boyfriend. In fact, she didn't know what he was - they had only met a short while ago and Gavin didn't seem to have any real direction to follow. Both he and Lisa seemed to just be hanging around with each other to fill in time, yet she didn't mind; in fact, it seemed like the perfect thing to have on an exciting journey - a new friend.
Lisa snapped back to reality.
Gavin was looking at the woman reporter’s frizzy orange hair and dark sunglasses, but before he could retort, Aipom broke in, slapping the woman’s face rapidly with his hand-tail, leaving bright red marks on the lady’s face. She cried out in disgust, as Lisa and Gavin sprinted off to the Pedestrian Freeway, Aipom in tow.
The sun was rising higher into the sky, spreading glowing warmth over the entire area. Lisa looked into the sky, and felt the cool breeze on her hot face as they all ran, Aipom sprinting along the pavement beside her. It was great, being a trainer. Living away from home, with a friend – Lisa glanced quickly at Gavin – and with Pokemon – Lisa looked at her pokeballs, and then at her mischievous Aipom, who had just helped her greatly.
*
“ Thanks for giving me back Natu, Officer.” Gavin said to Officer Jenny at the southern Goldenrod gatehouse. He took Natu back into it’s Pokeball, and smiled, feeling that a part of him was returned at last.
“ You’re welcome.” Officer Jenny said. “ Now off you go, kids. I’m very busy. Especially with all that superstition business.”
“ What business is that?” Gavin asked curiously.
“ Many people have been disturbed by the sighting of a Legendary pokemon, only known as…”
“ The Black Beast?” Gavin guessed.
“ Yeah, that’s right.” Jenny said, behind the desk, fumbling with ancient, yellowing documents and new, crisp white leaflets. “ It’s only been seen about three times in recorded history. And this time was truly great. You see, the other three times it was seen, it was only a matter of weeks later when something massive happened – something horrible. The first recorded time was in the 15th century. The beast was seen, and a week later the Brass Tower burned down.”
Lisa seemed deeply interested, but Gavin shrugged. “ So, that’s a whole week later.”
Jenny glared at him, brushing tendrils of aquamarine hair from her eyes. “ Well, it seems a bit too suspicious to completely ignore. Still, some people are getting carried away. Heaps of people are already resigning from their jobs to stay at home and begin praying – half the citizens now have statues of the Pokemon Gods in their homes which they keep as a shrine.”
“ Weird,” Lisa said, thinking deeply. It seemed amazing to her that in only a week or so she had been in close proximity to four different legendary pokemon. She had seen two odd ones in the Burned Tower Basement, and ridden on Suicune, and then there was the Black Beast to take into account.
“ Thanks again Jenny,” called Gavin to Jenny, just when she looked ready to divulge more info that fascinated Lisa. Gavin dragged a reluctant Lisa behind him, as they exited to the south point of the gatehouse. They both stepped out into the fresh air, and Lisa promptly turned around. “ What was that?”
“ What?”
“ Pushing me out of the way before I could talk to her. She had some really interesting stuff to say. You know I’m into legendary pokemon!” Lisa’s temper had been released, for the first time in quite a while, for she had tried to suppress it.
“ She’s boring. Not even good looking. She lets down the Officer jenny family name.” Gavin droned, before being slapped angrily on the cheek by an indignant Lisa. The girl turned and marched back into the gatehouse, only to find Jenny conversing with a black-clothed man who Lisa thought she recognised.
But now Lisa was no longer exaggeratedly angry, and she had lost her will to argue. She stormed out of the gatehouse, Aipom squeaking on her shoulder. Gavin grinned in a way which Lisa could only describe as a boy.
“ It’s great to finally get out of Goldenrod.” Lisa remarked, after a few minutes of silent, anger-diminishing strolling, as they all headed west towards the sea.
“ Yeah.” Gavin agreed. “ Let’s get some training done now. Hey, you said you’d battle me and Natu back in the tower, remember? A deal’s a deal Lisa.”
Lisa smirked. “ A deal is a deal.” She said slowly, still grinning. “ I agreed to battle you if you found a video for me.” She paused for her words to sink in. “ You didn’t.”
“ Lisa – that’s hardly fair!” protested Gavin fervently. “ I couldn’t help it if the tower collapsed.”
“ Well you could really, you contributed you know!”
After this, they walked on for a long time in angry silence, as Lisa scolded herself mentally for revealing to Gavin about his psychic abilities. They had walked for so long that lunch time was well and truly approaching., and Lisa decided to make amends with small talk.
“ I want to catch some new pokemon.” she told Gavin. “ I mean, the pokemon I got from your uncle are only temporary. The last pokemon I really caught was Caterpie, and then it evolved.”
“ Maybe one of your Pokemon could evolve again,” suggested Gavin. “ Maybe Metapod?”
“ Well, I’d need to battle for that to happen,” Lisa sighed, as the duo approached the sea. The path they were on had narrowed considerably since leaving Goldenrod, and the ocean wasn’t as far away as it had been – Goldenrod was right on the shoreline, but just to the south there was a long peninsula which Lisa and Gavin were currently travelling upon. “ I wish there was somebody to battle against.”
On cue, some pathside shrubs rustled and out leapt a Weedle followed by a boy younger than both Lisa and Gavin, who held an old-fashioned bug-catching net in his porky hand. Lisa looked on in surprise at her statement’s sudden ability to come true. The Weedle the boy was trying to catch scuttled away, and he stood up angrily at Lisa.
“ I’m not angry at you!” he declared, his face purple and screwed up, looking for all the world like he WAS angry at her. “ That bug got away.”
“ Hmm.” Lisa said slowly, thinking that this must have been planned. “ Hi… would you like to battle me?”
The boy who had emerged from the bushes nodded. He was a fairly solid boy, bordering on podgy, and had three pokeballs on his belt. His dark hair and black eyes made his entire character seem darker than it really was, and he had a mysterious feel about him despite his simple, bug-catching nature.
“ My name’s Lock.” The boy called, pacing backwards from Lisa on the dirt road.
“ Lisa,” cried Lisa. “ Pleased to meet you. I’m guessing you’re a really great bug trainer, no?”
Lock laughed. “ Trying to suck up to me, eh?”
“ Wha?”
“ Well, I won’t go easy on you, even if you do try to flatter me.” Lock remarked in such an over-confident tone that he sounded obnoxious. “ I choose Beedrill.”
Lisa looked at him strangely, but decided to go along with her challenge. “ I choose … the pokeball that Gavin’s uncle gave me!”
Lock laughed. “ Bad choice.”
Standing on the ground facing Lisa was a Mankey which held a berry in it’s small, quick hands. Lisa looked at it, but it began poking faces at her rudely, and she frowned. “ I guess Jack needs to train you still,” she remarked to the monkey-like fighting pokemon. “ Well, I can start the training for him. Go, Mankey. Fury Swipes!”
Beedrill buzzed along as it rose up into the air across the road. The poison bee pokemon raised it’s sharp stingers and pointed them at Mankey as it flew towards it. But at the last possible moment, Mankey used it’s excellent speed power to dodge the attack, and landed three hard blows to Beedrill’s side.
“ Good going, Mankey!” Lisa cried. “ Now use Karate Chop!”
Beedrill, still buzzing around, was hovering straight in the perfect spot for Mankey to strike. However, just as the Pig Monkey attacked, the bee swerved to the left, and, upon Lock’s order, flew in for a Twineedle.
“ Dodge, Mankey!” Lisa yelled out. Mankey again used it’s impressive agility to avoid the attack, and swiftly slammed it’s hand down on Beedrill’s back, knocking the bug Pokemon out. “ Maybe you’re not so low-levelled after all,” mused Lisa, realising that Mankey had overcome the bug-fighting disadvantage. She supposed it was at a high level.
“ Beedrill, come back!” Lock called, returning it. Then he glared at Lisa. “ Think you’re good, eh? Then, go … Parasect.”
“ I choose the other pokemon that Gavin’s uncle gave to me!” Lisa cried.
“ Why do you keep saying that?” demanded Lock, frustrated.
“ Because,” Lisa called back. “ Gavin’s uncle Eusine gave me these pokeballs to give to his friend Jack on Cianwood Island. Anyway, it’s none of you business and I really shouldn’t have told you that.”
“ Mm hmm,” Gavin nodded in agreement.
Parasect, the mushroom pokemon, had already appeared in front of Lock from his pokeball, while Granbull, a bulldog Pokemon appeared before Lisa. “ Interesting,” she said, taking in the small bulldog, which was baring it’s sharp teeth which seemed twice as big as it’s head.
“ Scratch attack.” Lock said, itching to continue the battle despite losing the first round.
“ Granbull, use your Lick attack to paralyse it, followed up by a Bite attack to finish it off.” Lisa had this round all planned out.
“ Sect!” cried Parasect, slashing at Granbull with it’s claws. Granbull was hurt, but still far from out. It’s tongue sneaked out from inside it’s slobbering jaws, and slurped all over Parasect, stopping all of it’s movements.
“ Parasect – try to move.” Lock was frustrated at being unable to use his pokemon. Parasect struggled, but Granbull’s Lick had been too strong, and was extremely effective.
Lisa was glad to have an advantage in the battle. “ Granbull – now!”
Granbull leapt up to Parasect and sank it’s teeth into it’s mushroom, finishing the round in a matter of seconds.
“ Well done, Granbull!” Lisa rejoiced, thinking that Sailor Jack had trained the Pokemon up very well. Either that, or Lock was really weak. Lisa decided upon both options.
Lock recalled Parasect. “ Take this, then!” he cried, throwing a Fast Ball. “ Bug catchers don’t always just have bugs!”
A Growlithe stepped out of the ball, and onto the road. Granbull instantly began to growl and bark at it, and Growlithe mirrored it’s actions.
“ This should be a cinch.” Lisa recalled Granbull, and prepared one last pokeball. “ Go Wooper!”
Wooper appeared in a flash of light, and looked over at Growlithe. An easy battle, it seemed. Lisa grinned, glad that the much-needed battle experience had popped up when she needed it.
“ Growlithe – Take Down.” Lock ordered.
“ Wooper – win this with the first move!” Lisa called. “ Water Gun.”
Growlithe leered at Wooper before charging at it, picking up speed all the way. Wooper, just before the attack, sent out a jet of cold water which sprayed onto Growlithe and held it back for a few seconds. However, Growlithe quickly recovered and tackled Wooper with Take Down.
“ Woo.” Wooper cried, weakly. This Growlithe was really strong.
“ Wooper, get up!” Lisa cried. “ Water Gun, again.”
Wooper let loose another Water Gun, and this time Growlithe was hit square in the head. The fire dog was almost fainted, and looked very dizzy.
“ Wooper, try a Headbutt.” Lisa called out.
Wooper backed up a bit, then sprinted toward Growlithe, leaping at the last second. It crashed it’s head into Growlithe’s, as Lock watched in awe. Growlithe fell down, finally knocked out.
Lock returned Growlithe to it’s pokeball, and Lisa ran to hug Wooper.
“ That was a really exciting match!” Lisa said to Lock, still holding on to Wooper, then standing back to admire the tiny water pokemon.
“ Bah! Whatever.” Lock stormed off into the shrubbery, angry at his defeat.
Lisa danced wildly in joy. “ Wow, Lisa.” Gavin said. “ I’ve never seen you battle - you were really awesome.” Then he looked at Wooper. “ And you really care for your Pokemon, y’know what I mean?”
Lisa nodded. “ Yeah, thanks Gavin.”
Suddenly, Wooper leapt up into the air at least four feet, as though extremely excited about something. It’s tail glowed a vibrant pink colour, and Gavin and Lisa looked at Wooper in surprise. “ What is it, Woopy?”
“ Oopaaaa!” Wooper cried. It continued to leap, until the pink glow on it’s tail began to spread all over the tiny water type’s body.
“ It’s evolving!” Gavin cried. “ Look, Lisa. That battle was just what Wooper needed to evolve!”
“ This is really great.” Lisa remarked.
“ Yeah.” Gavin said. “ Now you have a fully evolved Pokemon on your team.”
“ Not that, silly.” Lisa said, watching in awe as Wooper became completely white, and began to change shape into a Quagsire. “ I mean, this is great for Wooper itself. Evolution boosts not only a Pokemon’s power and abilities, but also it’s self esteem. Wooper will feel better and stronger because it’s evolved.” Lisa suddenly felt like Kris and Hiro when they had been preaching to her a few days back about losing and winning.
Gavin stared at Lisa, also in awe. “ Lisa – you know so much.”
Wooper finally completed the evolution process. It was now a fairly tall Quagsire, and looked shiny and strong. It’s soft, shiny cerulean skin reflected Lisa’s smiling face as she ran up and hugged her newly evolved Quagsire, who had just participated in one of it’s first real trainer battles. The training around Goldenrod must have been extremely beneficial.
“ Quag!”
“ Well done, Woo - er ... Quagsire. Return!” Lisa said, and Quagsire disappeared into the pokeball she held out. She fixed the pokeball onto her belt with a triumphant smile.
Finally, Gavin spoke up. “ Well, Lisa, Quagsire can probably surf you and Aipom over to Cianwood.”
“ Yeah, he can.” Lisa said, then she noticed Gavin's choice of words. “ Hey, wait a sec. Do you want to come with us? I mean, it's you uncle that i'm doing this for ... it'd be OK if you came with us.”
Gavin sighed heavily, looking deeply disappointed. “ Quagsire can only take one person. I’ll just stay here,” he said, shrugging despite looking a bit put-off. Lisa noticed that he was staring in her direction, but beyond her, like he was thinking hard. “ It's all right, really. I'll stay with my friend Dave.”
" Well, if you're sure you don't want to come ...” Lisa trailed off; Gavin looked rather sad at leaving her behind.
Gavin quickly took out a notepad, scribbled his address down and handed it to Lisa. “ If you're ever in Goldenrod again ...” he said, earnestly. " I - I really enjoyed meeting you, you know," he added, as though he was slightly embarrassed to admit it.
“ Me too," said Lisa honestly. " If I do come back this way, I'll be sure to come past and say hi,” she said firmly. The sun was beginning to sink towards the horizon. She looked down the gravel road which led to the ocean as she pocketed the paper. “ So how long will it take - to get to Cianwood?”
“ Hopefully not long.” Gavin replied. “ Quagsire’s a good swimmer. You should be there within a day or so once you set sail, so to speak.”
“ Thanks. Well ... I'd better get going. That sailor guy will be waiting, I spose.”
“ Yeah.” Gavin said vaguely. He opened his mouth to say something, but closed it quickly. After a tense pause in which Lisa hoisted her bag onto her back, he held out his hand to her. Grinning, she took it and shook his hand firmly.
Lisa eventually released her hand from the handshake. “ If I ever come back to Goldenrod I'll make sure to catch up with you!”
“ If I'm still there,” he replied. “ I might be out training up Natu ... and learning to use my psychic - er - abilities.”
Lisa looked at him, surprised that he had admitted to his psychic powers, but she said nothing more about it.
“ Well, goodbye, Gavin!” Lisa called, exchanging a grin with Gavin and turning around. Ahead of her stretched a wide gravel path for travellers, surrounded by thick woodland on either side. A roadside sign ahead proclaimed: Shellder Beach, 15 km.
Back at the place where Lisa and Lock had battled, Gavin stood, staring after Lisa as she disappeared down the gravel road and advanced towards the seashore. As soon as she was well out of earshot, but not out of sight, Gavin swore loudly to himself and kicked a stone on the ground furiously. Lisa was the only person who had been like a true friend to him for what felt like a series of long, lonely years - and he was stupidly letting her walk away.
“ Maybe we'll meet again, Lisa,” said Gavin, alone.