《The New Dragon Master (SI Pokémon)》 Chapter One: Starting Line Saying I am still in awe of the world I''ve spent nine years in so far isn''t so hard to believe. Pok¨¦mon, beings of unimaginable power and some having the sheer ability to break reality and bend it to their will. Wielding the forces of nature and disasters. One would likely wonder how does a nine-year-old happen to know anything about the magnitude of strength these creatures contain and how truly terrifying it is. This is because I wasn''t always a nine-year-old brat. I was an office worker who played the Pok¨¦mon games, watched the show, and on occasion read the manga. I am aware of this world''s potential for brutality, and I have been proven correct. It is the reason I''m taking a Pok¨¦mon examination to be one of the lucky few to be sponsored by a Pok¨¦mon Professor. Unlike the games and media, I am familiar with each major City has a professor of sorts that tend to specialize in a different type. An example being Pewter City, if rumors are to be believed give out rock type Pok¨¦mon like Geodude or Rhyhorn. I had even heard about Cerulean City giving out Staryu, Goldeen, and Slowpoke. Back to the test, it wasn''t all that difficult. It was basics that one could look up in a library if you didn''t know or things I would know due to the various media platforms. Acing the test is definitely the goal however I am hesitant to answer the last question on this quiz. How many evolutions does Eevee have, what are their names, what types are they, and their evolution method? For someone that knows far more than I should I wonder if it would be smart of me to answer the question how they want it to be answered or if I should answer it with all of my knowledge behind it. The Kanto region believes that there are five, but I know there is eight. I rolled my eyes and began to write the answer. There is eight. Flareon, Jolteon, Vaporeon, Espeon, Umbreon, Leafeon, Glaceon, and Sylveon. Their types in order are as follows: Fire, Electric, Water, Psychic, Dark, Grass, Ice, and Fairy. Evolution method is as follows: Fire stone, Thunder stone, Water stone, Friendship during the day, Friendship at night, Locational near a Huge moss rock or a pure enough leaf stone, Locational near a huge ice rock or a pure enough ice stone, and finally high level of affection while knowing a fairy type move like baby-doll eyes. I sigh and place down my pencil looking to the clock near the examiners desk. I finished nearly twenty minutes into the hour-long test, and I am tempted to turn in the test. Doing a secondary check to my answers I raise my hand to have it collected. ================= Celadon City, home to the department store as well as the grass type sanctuary of the Kanto region Celadon Gym. Celadon is also my home, but in a less than glamourous fashion. Celadon Orphanage, in big, bold, yet faded letters on the sign. I was left here as a baby. Just a basket and swaddled in a pale gray blanket with no real identifying markers. I don''t really know how to feel that I was abandoned here. Then again in a world like this the only one you can rely on is yourself and maybe your Pok¨¦mon. "Nathan? Back so soon?" Lowering my gaze from the sign I had been staring at I look at the matron of the Orphanage, Ms. Shelly. She''s a kind woman who takes care of me and the five other kids besides myself. Her hair is slightly graying and wrinkles forming at the edges of laugh lines signal she''s getting up there but is still around middle age. I''m a firm believer in never asking a woman her age but I do recall her birthday is May 15th. It is coming up in a week or two, I should scrape together some money to buy her something nice. "Yeah, I finished the test early so I was allowed to leave." "I''m sure you did well, there is no way you don''t get sponsored by Celadon City or maybe the Gym. You''ve always been such a smart boy." "Maybe, not so sure they had a trick question or two in there but I''m still confident I''ll get at least top three." Ms. Shelly nods and gestures me inside to which I comply with by heading inside and taking off my shoes and placing them in my assigned cubby. While I''m doing so Ms. Shelly passes by and heads off toward the kitchen patting my head as she does so. "I know you did your best and that''s all that matters. I''m proud of you." I let a small smile cross my face before heading up the steps to my room. Ms. Shelly has been more of a mother to me than I could have asked for. I''m definitely doing some yard work around town to get her a present for her birthday. I can relax in my studies for a few days for that. ======== Days pass in a blur of yard work, studying, spending time with the other kids in the Orphanage and Ms. Shelly. It is the day of Ms. Shelly''s birthday, and I had to go pick up her present from the glass blower down the street. I just barely had enough to get her a custom order. A glittering glass figurine of her favorite Pok¨¦mon, Dewgong with six seashells each a different color holding a different name etched into each shell. I''m fortunate that my fellow orphans had differing favorite colors. I got it wrapped up and ready for transport. I managed to get it home without anything bad happening, thank Arceus for that. This is going to be the last birthday I''m here for while still living here provided I get endorsed for a starter Pok¨¦mon. My birthday is May 24th, and I''ll know for sure by tomorrow if I will be setting out on April 1st with a starter Pok¨¦mon or if I will be gathering up money for a Pok¨¦ball and catching a wild Pok¨¦mon myself. Caterpie aren''t too strong, I can make do with just about any Pok¨¦mon, but that doesn''t mean I want to deal with such a handicap. I am not the oldest kid here not by a long shot, the eldest is 15 and her name is Jennifer. She handled the baking of the Cake and hiding it from Ms. Shelly who went out for groceries an hour or so ago meaning the rest of us have been delegated to decorating. It wasn''t as big of a mess considering we''ve done this nearly every year since we found out when her birthday was. A artistically designed banner with big bold letters saying, ''Happy Birthday.'' on it. We design a new one every year and reuse it for everyone''s birthday so we can save time and be efficient. It was Ms. Shelly''s idea so we could speed decorate making the surprise timing easier. After getting everything set up and everyone in position, we waited for Ms. Shelly to get home. Upon arrival we all greeted her with a shout of ''Surprise!'' The knowing smile she gave us means we were exactly sneaky enough this time and she knew it was coming but it had made her happy and that''s what counted. Singing happy birthday and each present given one by one I headed up stairs to get the present I kept in my room to keep it from incidents that are all too common from the youngest of the six of us. I am legit convinced one of his parents was a Pok¨¦mon with the ability Klutz. I handed Ms. Shelly the box which she blinked at in surprise that I got her something needing to be boxed up in an unlabeled box. She opened the box and when she lifted it from the box she looked as if she was going to cry. "Happy birthday, Mom." After putting the glass model up, I was smothered in a bone cracking hug by who I was more than happy to call my mother. ================= The letter that would determine my future had arrived and I was sitting in my room staring at it. Taking a deep breath, I opened it up and beginning to read it. Dear Nathan, We at the league would like to Congratulate you on a nearly perfect score on your examination. You have been approved and will receive a Pok¨¦dex on May 30th to your address by Pidgeot Express from the League. It will serve as your identification as a League authorized trainer and you will be legally allowed to capture and train Pok¨¦mon up to the League standard limit of six before you must find a ranch or lab willing to house any extra Pok¨¦mon you capture.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. We however regret to inform you that your application to receive a Royal Kantonian Starter Pok¨¦mon: a Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or Charmander from Prof. Oak has been denied. The three had been hand selected by the Professor this year and thus there are none available at this time. While not your first choice we at the League have received and accepted your request for a starter Pok¨¦mon, the Pok¨¦mon you have the choice from are as follows: Vulpix, Eevee, Pikachu, Oddish, or Staryu. Should none of these Pok¨¦mon be to your liking Celadon Gym has offered to supply you with a starter Pok¨¦mon. We at the Pok¨¦mon League are unaware of the choices that will be given at the gym. We await your response, please send your reply using the sticker inside this envelope on the envelope containing your reply. Sincerely the Indigo League Champion, Lance Wataru ================= I wrote my reply as quickly as I could. Knowing time is of the essence, if I wanted my first choice it would have to be sent within the hour. I''ve never been so thankful for the post office being only a block away. I just had to hope my choice wasn''t taken but I made sure to list what I wanted in order from most to least wanted. ================= Champion Lance sits at his desk looking down at all the paperwork and sighs. If he''d known becoming the champion of both Kanto and Johto came with this much paperwork he''d have rethought taking on both mantles. He''d have become an Elite Four instead of this. A tapping on the window behind him made him turn and take notice of a Pidgeot from Pidgeot Express was there waiting to be let in. A press of a button and the big bird was let inside. The large bird stuck its head in the satchel bag and pulled out a letter and put it in Lance''s hand and taking the treat offered by the other. Job done the Pidgeot turned hopping out the window and flying off. Looking at the letter addressed to him with the official league sticker he opened it with his Dratini letter opener. Unfolding the letter Lance began to read. Dear Champion Lance, I was happy to receive your letter of congratulations on passing my exam and for the opportunity to choose a starter Pok¨¦mon from the League itself. Had I known what Pok¨¦mon you were offering this year I would have sent my first pick application to you instead. While the Kantonian Royal Pok¨¦mon are all wonderful Pok¨¦mon. I personally believe the Pok¨¦mon offered by the League are more than generous choices. I plan to be realistic with my expectations in case other letters have arrived before mine, so I have a list from what Pok¨¦mon in the order of which I would select them. My first choice is Eevee, second is Vulpix, third is Staryu, fourth is Pikachu, and last but not least is Oddish. As a resident of Celadon City Oddish is one of the Pok¨¦mon given out by the local Gym as a starter option. So, while Oddish is a wonderful Pok¨¦mon it ranks last because I could have easily got one from a local source. Pikachu are typically home oriented Pok¨¦mon, and I don''t know about you, but I''d like to not get accidently electrocuted by being tempted to rub its cheeks. Staryu, being my third choice pertains to being more common than Vulpix and while Staryu are easier to raise one can be found in the wild much easier catching my own shouldn''t be all that difficult. Vulpix as my second choice, not much to say here. It is one of the few Fire-type Pok¨¦mon in Kanto and definitely a prime choice as a starter Pok¨¦mon with its potential to learn Psychic and Ghost attacks that cover a few bases. Eevee however has the most potential and is my number one choice. It has a multitude of options for evolution and it''s a fantastic choice for anyone aiming for a versatile starter that can eventually adapt to fit into any team. Thank you for your time and consideration, I can''t wait to meet the Pok¨¦mon who will be my partner no matter which of them it ends up being. I wish you well and that you are having a great day, Nathan of Celadon City. Lance raises an eyebrow as this was the first of the letters to be sent back. Taking a look at the front of the letter the return address is to the Celadon Orphanage. "Celadon Orphanage huh? Maybe I can use this as an excuse to step out and deliver this kid his starter." Checking his laptop, he clicks a few links and pulls up the test scores and searches for the test scores of Nathan from Celadon City. A ninety-nine percent? The kid only missed one question? Looking further into the kid''s info, it says his first choice was Oak Labs. If he recalls correctly Oak''s grandson and three other kids were leaving from Pallet this year and instead of having them tested like everyone else, he''s giving them to kids who didn''t even work for them. That old man really likes to go against the League and Nathan definitely deserved to have a choice of a Royal Kanto starter. Perhaps he''d give the kid a boost. If Oak was going to play favorites, then he would too. Only he''d give the kid something even better. ================= Today is my birthday, and I decided to sit on the roof watching the sky watching for any sign of the Pidgeot Express. I had hoped I was the first one to get my letter to them but it''s entirely possible several kids from Viridian, Pewter, or even Pallet Town could have been selected by the League as well and they might not have a Pok¨¦mon left for me to have. I can head to the Gym up until it closes on the 30th to get a Bellsprout or Oddish if I don''t get a letter or receive my starter before then. I stand up and head towards my window to head inside or at least I would have done so if I didn''t see a literal Dragonite heading this way. Seeing a Dragonite flying around is something that isn''t normal, not in the slightest. I move myself inside and head downstairs when the doorbell rings. There is no way, right? The only person I know to have Dragonite is Champion Lance. My line of thought was broken by Jennifer yelling up the stairs for me. ================= It was indeed Lance and he''s sitting in the orphanage living room. I take a seat across from him and he gives me a smile. Mom and the other kids left the room, but I know they are doing their best to listen in from the kitchen. "Hi there, you must be Nathan. I have been looking forward to meeting you." "Dragon Master Lance, it is nice to meet you as well. I didn''t really expect a personal visit from someone so important." Lance chuckled and picked up a cup of water that Ms. Shelly had undoubtably got for him before I came down and sipped from it. "Yes well, I happen to have looked over your test and the circumstances with being denied from Oak Labs for a starter even though you scored in the top three this year. I happen to believe that Prof. Oak''s blatant favoritism towards the kids of Pallet and giving the starter Pok¨¦mon the League supplied as starters to kids who didn''t test for them is unfair. You could right now be receiving a Bulbasaur, Squirtle, or Charmander and from what I''ve seen from your test you are more than deserving of that opportunity." "I see." I was actually disappointed. I remember the original media had a Bulbasaur and Charmander that wasn''t chosen by Gary Oak and Ash got his Pikachu. "So, to make up for that I want to give you a challenge of my own." My eyes snap up at him from the coffee table separating us. "I have you''re starter Pok¨¦mon here. An Eevee just like you chosen in your letter." He places the Pok¨¦ball on the table. "However, this isn''t all." He places another ball on the table. "I want to capitalize on the top scoring talent that Prof. Oak decided to pass on and sponsor you myself provided you accept." I know my eyes must look as wide as dinner plates at this moment as I let myself look from the two balls and back to Lance who is sitting there with a smirk on his face like he didn''t just slap me with the perfect opportunity to become a powerhouse of a trainer. That second ball hasto have a Dratini in it. "I would be disrespectful to not accept such a gracious offer, but I should ask what benefits there are for being sponsored by you. I should at least know that much. That way I know what is expected of me with this." Lance''s smile seems to grow as he reaches grabs a suitcase from near his legs that I neglected to notice and opened it taking out some papers. "Well, it''s rather basic stuff you would have received from being sponsored by Oak with a few alterations. Free stays, meals, and healthcare services at Pok¨¦mon Centers but that''s standard with being sponsored at all. Should you capture any Pok¨¦mon over the carry limit they will be taken care of by my family in Johto, the Blackthorn''s up to a limit of twenty will be fully paid for without needing money for monthly upkeep from you. This limit only includes non-Dragon type Pok¨¦mon. Next as your sponsor I''d like progress reports from you once every two weeks. Location, how you and your Pok¨¦mon are faring, that kind of thing. if you''re in a specific area of interest I may offer you a task to investigate something or to handle small things for the League in my stead. Other than that, you will be provided with a monthly allowance of eight thousand. For each badge you acquire above the second your allowance per month will increase by two thousand to a maximum of twenty thousand after obtaining your eighth badge." At this point I''m speechless, is this what every sponsored trainer gets? This is radically expensive. "Now for the conditional stuff, point is I want you to make it to the Indigo Conference this year and place at least in the Top Eight. Should you manage to accomplish that I will continue to sponsor you but the allowance with be cut in half. I want you to win, top the conference in first place and I will change your carry limit to twelve Pok¨¦mon and double your allowance permanently until you decide to retire as a trainer or should you become a Gym Leader, Elite Four, or Champion where you are making more than enough to support yourself and house your Pok¨¦mon yourself." "Where do I sign?" I give Lance the most serious look a newly turned ten-year-old could give. To which he smirks handing me a Dragonair styled pen. This my starting line to greatness. I will not let this chance be wasted. Chapter Two: Statistical Advantage Signing the papers that practically secured my future was a quick affair. It has yet to set in, but I know what I''ll do once it does. I''m going to shut myself in my room and try not to freak out for a few hours. I let my eyes drift to the two Pok¨¦balls sitting on the table. "They are yours. You can take them." I looked up at Lance who chuckled. "You know you''re quite reserved for your age, most kids would have snatched the balls off the table the moment they were on it to meet their new partner. Given that you haven''t only cements my choice to sponsor you. You''ve got some great impulse control, something any trainer of dragon type Pok¨¦mon needs." I nod reaching over and picking up both Pok¨¦balls and bring them in my lap. They were warm to the touch. And I examined them. How they felt how much they weighed. They looked and felt the same but the presence each ball gave off was different. I couldn''t explain how if someone asked me, but I just know the one in my right hand was Dratini and the left hand was Eevee. Pok¨¦balls were marvels of technology, and how they were made to do the things they do is awe inspiring. To think such technology is 200 per regular Pok¨¦ball. I snapped from my musings by Lance clearing his throat getting me to look up from the two handheld portable Pok¨¦mon storage devices. He was standing now and had all the papers I signed likely tucked back in the suitcase he has held loosely in his hand. I really need to work on paying more attention and not zoning out when thinking. Standing up I carefully set down both Pok¨¦balls and offered my hand to him to shake. "Thank you, Lance, I will do my best to exceed your expectations." He reached out and shook my hand a unspoken ''I look forward to it'' was passed between us as he handing me a card and left. It had a phone number on it. It was how I was to contact him to check in. After he left I picked up both balls, dashed up to my room and locked myself inside. A few hour long freak out ensued before I could calm down enough to look at the two Pok¨¦balls again that were sitting on my bed. These two might be my partners for the rest of my life. I will greet them after my party and save them some cake. It may be a good way to bond with them. I hope they are fans of angel cake. ================ After my party and telling Ms. Shelly I was heading to the woods near Celadon Gym. It was a common location for kids about to start their journey. Being near the city Gym is one of if not the safest place to interact with Pok¨¦mon due to the presence of the Gym Leaders Pok¨¦mon that have taken residence in those woods. All of them being Grass type and being able to integrate into the woods without harming the natural ecosystem is rather impressive. Finding a spot to myself wasn''t hard considering it was still a few days for the start of the League to kick off. I pulled the two balls from my belt and tossed them both a few feet away. The balls popped open in twin flashes of white light that started taking shape. The two now empty balls shot back to my hands and are replaced on the ball belt on my waist. The first was a four legged brown fox shaped Pokemon with a bunch of white fluff around its neck. The second had a snake like shape being primarily blue with a white-ish colored underside on the left and right sides of its head are three-pointed fin like appendages and a white dot in the middle of its forehead. The two of them released crys and looked at me curiously. I knelt down and gave the two a smile. As much of the Pok¨¦mon media as I absorbed in my previous life could never have prepared me for this. Having my own Pok¨¦mon, it gives the memories and dreams of my childhood even more value. "Hi there, I''m Nathan your new trainer and I hope new friend." The two Pok¨¦mon looked at one another then to back to me. The brown eyes of Eevee and the purple eyes of Dratini gaze at me before I''m tackled to the ground by the two making happy cries. "Voi!" "Tini!" Being tackled to the ground by an excited dragon and an equally happy canine-like animal. The two of them added together weight wise is around 22 lbs. Dratini is about five and a half feet long and about 7 lbs, and Eevee is about a foot tall and nearly 15 lbs. Being slammed with 22 lbs. of weight is enough to knock over a full-grown adult. The result of me being on my back and being cuddled by the two of them was a forgone conclusion. ============== It took a while to get our introductions and determination of gender out of the way. I don''t know if Arceus is laughing at me or if Lance thought it would be funny to give me two female Pok¨¦mon as my starters. They seem to get along so far but I can already tell there might be some trouble in the future. Dragon type Pok¨¦mon get possessive and protective of their trainers, especially when they are of the opposite gender. From the books I''ve read they''ve been known to run off prospective life partners. I know I shouldn''t worry about it now cause I''m ten but I was an adult once already. I wasn''t exactly the best when it came to dating. As in I had never been on one, at all. The mystery of women still eludes me to this day. The only thing that stuck was to treat women respectfully unless they specifically and said not to a total of three times. My mother in my past life was odd. All of her advice was rather questionable. I''d have to ask Ms. Shelly what to do she will likely have much better advice. I shake my head from the tangent it had drifted to and focused on reality again. Arceus I hated when that happened. I was near the Pok¨¦mon Center. This was about a half hour from the orphanage on foot. It was about a two-minute walk from the Gym. This Pok¨¦mon Center was one of four in the city. Nurse Joy, the miracle workers of the Pok¨¦mon world and their partner Pok¨¦mon Chansey. The powerhouse family of nurses and doctors that by family tradition they eat a particular berry called a Pinkan berry that changes their hair color pink permanently when mixed with something else. Whatever it was it is a heavy secret and it''s protected by law according to what I dug up in the library. The only way to tell the difference from one Joy to another when they are at work is by the hat they are wearing. The color of the cross is different per assigned city, or location and the shade of said color varies per center. Shifting my eyes from the Pok¨¦mon Center to this section of towns Police station right next door. Another oddity of the Pok¨¦mon world is officer Jenny. The Jenny family have a similar tradition to the Joy family however their hair is actually natural, they all just style it the same. Usually, the head officer of each central Department is a Officer Jenny. They are an actual case of nearly a Pok¨¦mon''s level of genetics. The only thing that I noticed is their eyes aren''t the same color they wear contact lenses to stay uniform. The only variation there is happens to be their hats as well. Each symbol is different depicting what town they belong to. The officers however aren''t exactly one-woman armies. There are other officers, detectives, and patrol units that are in no way related to the Jenny''s. Stuffing my hands in my pockets I head home, standing around staring at buildings while my mind is in a wandering mood is a recipe for disaster. I had a few days to think up a strategy on the gyms and how I planned to take them down. I had to use the money I would receive from Lance carefully and the sooner I smash down the doors to each Gym I''ll have more funds to work with in the long run.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. ================= The morning of April 1st, I had received my Pok¨¦dex from the Pidgeot Express around dinner time yesterday. My trainer ID card was in an envelope in the box with the Pok¨¦dex came in. This nifty card had my details on it. It gives me access to the money I''m given by Lance and any money I happen to get from battling. I need to be careful with it. Tucking the card into my pocket I headed off to the Pok¨¦mon Center to register for the Circuit. On my way I used the Dex to update my knowledge on Eevee and Dratini. A scan would tell me what I''m working with to determine if I will have any issues. Scanning the first ball the device began to speak. {Eevee the Evolution Pok¨¦mon. Due to the genetics of Eevee as a species being highly unstable it has afforded this species to grow and adapt to the environment in which they are in. This shows in the numerous evolutions this Pok¨¦mon is capable of. This Eevee is female, at a height of 1''1" and a weight of 14.7lbs. Her known moves are Tackle, Tail Whip, Growl, Covet, Yawn, and Sand Attack.} Scanning the other ball my eyes widen minutely. {Dratini the Dragon Pok¨¦mon. Dratini more commonly known as the ''Mirage Pok¨¦mon'' due to the limited sightings. This was due to its solitary nature the species as a whole the only proof it existed in the old days was that it''s shed skin was found and didn''t match any known Pok¨¦mon at the time. This Dratini is female, 5''10" in length and 7.2lbs. Her known moves are Wrap, Leer, Twister, Dragon Breath, Thunder Wave, and Extreme Speed.} Dear Arceus! Lance, did you give me a Dratini from the Dragon''s Den?! These are a treasured asset to Blackthorn City each Dratini is valued far greater than all three of the Royal starter Pok¨¦mon put together. I thought there was a test to be worthy of them? Smacking my cheeks to keep myself from jumping down a Buneary hole I will likely not be able to climb out of. I focus on the plan I made. First things first, I need a third Pok¨¦mon and here in Celadon is the place for it. However I''m going to need to go into a den of criminal activity to get my hands on it. Celadon Game Corner. It''s reminiscent of a casino and while I don''t condone children gambling I do approve of taking any advantage I can. If that means buying the coins and immediately going to the prize counter to turn them in for a Pok¨¦mon then that''s what I''ll do. Those familiar with this location, it holds a underground base for Team Rocket. However much practically buying a Pok¨¦mon from them bothers me I should do it. If not to get a Pok¨¦mon away from them but to bolster my ranks even just by a little bit. Taking a look at prize board I pause looking at it. It''s different, why is it different? The Pok¨¦mon have changed the amount they are worth have as well. I asked around about it and apparently it''s for a single day every year rarer pokemon are put up as prizes to get the veteran players to turn in the coins they been hoarding. It happens on April 1st every year, to celebrate another year of being open. Letting my eyes drift back to the list I reevaluate my decision. The pokemon I was thinking about getting, Abra wasn''t on the list anymore. The list is now Machop, Nidoran, or Geodude for one thousand coins, Jigglypuff for fifteen hundred coins, Clefairy for Three thousand, Scyther for five thousand, Eevee for seven thousand, Chansey for ten thousand, Dratini for forty thousand, and Porygon for one hundred thousand. The other prizes were for TMs or Technical Machines. These were like tutoring aids that assisted Pok¨¦mon to learn new moves these were the truly expensive prizes because these TMs weren''t your ordinary use it once and it''s done. These were Silph Co. brand TMs. They have unlimited use. Those prizes weren''t cheap either. Teleport or Safeguard TMs for twenty-five thousand, Flamethrower or Ice Beam TMs fifty thousand, Psychic TM seventy-five thousand, Hyper Beam or Giga Impact TMs five hundred thousand. Looking at this subjectively I can see how Team Rocket gets funded considering that only 50 game coins cost 1000 Alliance coins. There is no refunds or exchanges from the game coins back to Alliance coins. However, I know what machine has the best odds in this whole place. Once again I do not condone child gambling but I have to get my hands on a Chansey. Finding one in the wild is nearly impossible and not to mention I don''t have the luxury of time. If the time line goes as I think it will Lance will be set on dismantling Team Rocket''s presence soon enough. When that happens the Game Corner is shut down and when it reopens it no longer gives out Pok¨¦mon as prizes nor will the prizes be as extravagant. Recalling the knowledge I have of the game I approach the machine I recall being statistically better than the others and begin to play. I had dumped about 2000 AC into 100 GC or Game Coins on a Game Corner player card. I have 33 attempts at getting the jackpot at full wager, and hopefully that will change. In under two hours I had went from 100GC to about 1500GC. I am close, so very close. This was the third time I was this close. I was determined to get it this time. The last slot was spinning and I had two Red sevens in the middle row, two blue sevens in the top row, with two animated Pikachu in the bottom row. On either side of the wheel it had little animated Pikachu''s in Kimono''s doing a kind of cute dance waving little hand held fans. Pressing the stop button the line slowed down and locked in place. I matched all three lines and the light on top of the machine began to flash. On the screen a Raichu appeared wearing a different kimono and opened up a comically small breifcase and it had gold bars in it. The whole place seemed to pause as the numbered sign holding the Grand Jackpot above the coin exchange began to decrease rapidly from where it was sitting at just above nine hundred thousand rapidly decreasing to zero. I looked at the small card in my hand the total on it changed fo 1494 to a grand total of 963,567 GC. I speed walked to the prize counter not saying a word or locking eyes with anyone. Once I get to the counter is when all bets were off and the machine I had just won on was swarmed by people wanting to play on it. Thankfully I wasn''t going to let myself get greedy and keep playing. I had already got way more than I had planned for and I need to cash it in and dash out as fast as possible. With quick mental math I reduce the amount of coins I have as low as I can. I pressed the buttons on the prize kiosk listing what I wanted. Hyper Beam TM 500,000 + Two Chansey 20,000 + Porygon 100,000 + Teleport TM 25,000 + Psychic TM 75,000 + Flamethrower TM 50,000 + Ice Beam TM 50,000 + five Eevee for 35,000 + Safeguard TM 25,000 + two Dratini 80,000 = 960,000 GC. 963,567 minus 960,000 equals 3,567 GC remaining. Hitting the confirmation button and swiping the card I look at the person running the counter go pale in the face. Palming the card I made it look like I put it in my pocket before bending down to retie my shoe and putting it in my glove on the back of my right hand. I have to keep my wits about me. I technically just robbed Team Rocket and it was completely legal in their terf. I wasn''t going to take any chances. Once I had the stuff in my hands I was booking it to the Pok¨¦mon Center and calling Lance. Someone came from the back with a box containing all ten Pok¨¦balls, and a TM case in which I watched them load each of the six TM discs in it quickly and efficiently. A quick scan from my Pok¨¦dex and confirming the Pok¨¦mon are indeed what I requested. I made sure to register each one upon scanning them and putting any over my limit into my bag as they are locked. Two eevee, a Chansey and a Porygon are temporarily on the team. In the bag two Dratini, a Chansey, and three Eevee in locked Pok¨¦balls. ================== POV Rocket Grunt Jake: I received an urgent call that some brat won way too much and cashed in as much as he could. Of course it''s now my job to snatch back what he won and take back the point card he has if possible. That card has a lot of potential to get me a rare Pok¨¦mon or two and I don''t have to use a crappy Rattata anymore. It seems I wasn''t the only grunt they called cause I could see Calvin already tailin'' the kid. The brat is pretty plain lookin'' with the brown hair. Wearin'' a bright blue jacket, a white shirt, dark blue jeans, grey running shoes, and on his right hand an artistic glove that is black with his pointer and middle fingers beeing free of the glove. His belt is lined with six Pok¨¦balls. I caught up with Calvin and we glanced at one another. He and I have worked together a few times so it shouldn''t be that hard to be on the same page. I don''t know if the kid caught wind of us or something but he turned the corner and he looked right right at us. His eyes narrowed and he broke line of sight. Shit! Calvin and I started running after him and when we turned the corner the kid was booking it down main street like he had a Houndoom on his ass. "Fuck, looks like we aren''t getting this one." I look at Calvin and he nods in agreement. Grabbing his phone out and reporting. It wasn''t going to be pretty if the kid got off scottfree with everything but what could they do he was headed straight for the police station. As much as the stuff the kid has is worth he ain''t getting bailed out if he gets arrested. It would have been easier if there wasn''t so many potential witnesses. One of the other teams will get him on the way out of Celadon. We got his description and he isn''t going anywhere. Chapter Three: Rainbow Skidding to a halt in front of the Pok¨¦mon Center I walked inside trying to level out my breathing. It seems Team Rocket was keen on getting what I won from them back. Not that I''d allow that. Digging into my pocket I pulled the card with my check in number and dialed it into the video phone the furthest in the back. I sat down and sighed listening to the ringing trying to calm down. I nearly didn''t notice Lance picking up his face was lined with concern when I didn''t respond immediately when he said hello. "Hey Lance, I know you didn''t expect to hear from me on the first day." "You''re right, I definitely didn''t and am curious as to the reason for it." He got comfortable in the chair and smiled. "You are calling from Celadon City Pok¨¦mon Center. I take it you had some first day jitters?" He chuckled a bit. "I had something similar happen to me. It isn''t that uncommon." "Do you have a way to check my registered Pok¨¦mon?" I ask deciding to push the conversation forward to why I called. It wasn''t like I didn''t want to hear about Lance''s journey, but the reason I called is not a social one. "I do." He responded immediately his brow furrowing slightly. "I guess you''d like me to take a look. Go ahead and slot your Pok¨¦dex in the slot to your right and I''ll be able to see the data." I did as he asked, and he started typing on the keyboard in front of him. The surprised look on his face would have been comical if the situation wasn''t so serious. "Explain." His voice got serious it was a drop in tone and his eyes narrowed. "Celadon Game Corner." Those three words got his full attention. I continued to explain from there. "I headed there after registering for the circuit. I was going to attempt to play for an abra. Having a Pok¨¦mon with the ability to teleport away from danger was the overall plan. Paying a little money to get a get out of danger card to play would have been worth it. Although I ended up getting much more than I expected to get due to some kind of event that was going on. Apparently, today is something that happens every year just like the start of the League Circuit. The prizes were extremely different and had extremely high price tags. Dratini was forty thousand coins, and each TM was an exorbitant amount as well. I figured it wouldn''t hurt to have a go and try to get something out of it. My goal was a Chansey at ten thousand but then I hit the Grand Jackpot getting me a stupid number of coins. I figured that it be best to cash out nearly all the coins I had because I was leaving town later today." Lance hand his hands folded under his chin with a faraway look on his face. "I see, so you ended up calling me because something managed to concern you about what you got or what happened as you left the Game Corner?" "Yes," I say nodding. "I was being followed after I left. I managed to lose them by cutting around a corner and bolting here. I don''t remember seeing either of the two inside the Game Corner, so I doubt they knew anything about that unless someone from the Game Corner itself told them who to look for." "That is actually concerning." Lance started to type on his keyboard again seeming focused on the screen in front of him. "It seems you weren''t the only one who has reported being followed after leaving the Game Corner after winning big. They end up mugged not too far away from the Game Corner. I''d think it''s a coincidence, but there was an interesting report that crossed my desk a few months ago. Several Eevee and Eevee eggs were stolen form a breeder. The case is still open and has no leads. If whoever stole the Eevee is connected to the Game Corner and is pawning them off as prices to make money. Then when someone actually wins, they call someone to tail them to steal back what was won it keeps the prize pool full. That however brings into question who is the owner of Celadon Game Corner?" He started mumbling to himself too quiet for me to hear as he starts clicking and typing away trying to piece things together. I do my best to keep myself from smiling, Lance is getting suspicious of the Game Corner and that''s good for me. Should he end up gathering evidence a bit earlier then the region will be a bit safer for me to run around in without too much trouble. I wait for a few minutes as he continues his information dive. I clear my throat snapping him from his digging around. "I don''t really think staying here in Celadon is safe for me." "I''ll have an Alakazam pick you up and take you to Viridian City Pok¨¦mon Center. I''ll be sure to alert Erika and officer Jenny to a criminal element in Celadon. Until then you should probably send over the locked Pok¨¦balls. I''ll have them sent over to my folks." "If at all possible, could I maybe give some of these Pok¨¦mon a home that they will be given the attention they deserve. I know I''m not experienced enough to handle all of them yet maybe four at most right now... I am going to stick with my starters, a Chansey, and Porygon. I want to keep my focus small until I get a few badges." Lance nodded a look of understanding on his face. "I feel that. I didn''t expand my team past four until I had to at the sixth gym in Johto. Steel type Pok¨¦mon are no joke. So, you plan to send the rest over?" "Yeah, for now. I plan to talk to them and find out if they want to battle at all. I won''t be able to train a Pok¨¦mon who doesn''t want to." I say pulling the two other balls that contain Eevee off my belt I set them on the transporter one at a time. Each one vanishes in a small flash of white light. I open my bag and place each ball that has a Pok¨¦mon in it on the transporter each vanishing in the small flashes of white. "Oof that''s quite a few Pok¨¦mon I wonder what Grandfather will think." Lance chuckles rather amused. "Looks like the Alakazam is there for you. I''ll see you when you check in next. Keep yourself out of any more Game Corners, will you?" I chuckle a bit myself before nodding, Lance having ended the call just after. I collect my Pok¨¦dex from the slot it was resting in and put it in my jacket pocket. Moving towards the entrance of the Center I spot the Alakazam waiting for me. The whiskers are shorter, so this Alakazam is female. Just one of the little things I remember from the games. I nod to the Alakazam, and she nods back. A faint glow of her eyes and a flash of light I find myself in a new location. The Alakazam''s mastery of the move Teleport must be out of this world. Usually there is some discomfort the first few times for someone who has never teleported before. I offered my thanks to the Pok¨¦mon and it teleported away and likely back to wherever Lance had requested it from. Getting a better look around the area it is reminiscent of the show I watched as a child. Specifically, where I''m standing in front of the Viridian City Pok¨¦mon Center. Meaning if things go according to what I know, Ash and Misty will show up here at some point tonight and Team Rocket won''t be too far behind. I wonder if I were to head south, I could spot Ho-Oh. Actually, that doesn''t sound like a bad idea! Opening up my Pok¨¦dex I snag one of my newer Pok¨¦balls from it. While I''m heading there, I should get information about my newest members and meet them more formally tonight. I should camp out instead of dealing with the mess that will happen at the Center. While heading south I listen to the Pok¨¦dex speak in a robotic like voice. {Porygon the Virtual Pok¨¦mon. A man-made Pok¨¦mon created using advanced science and technology. It''s unique make up allows it to enter devices like computers and freely move around cyberspace. Porygon is a Genderless Pok¨¦mon, at a height of 2''7" and a weight of 80.5lbs. Its known moves are Tackle, Conversion, Thundershock, and Sharpen.} Replacing Porygon''s Pok¨¦ball on my belt I grab Chansey''s ball and scan it. {Chansey the Egg Pok¨¦mon. Chansey are few in number and very difficult to capture. Chansey are said to be bringers of happiness and good fortune, and while this has not been proven scientifically several trainers agree that it''s true. Chansey are always female, at the height of 3''7" and weighing in at 76.5lbs. Her known moves are Pound, Copycat, Defense Curl, Disarming Voice, Sweet Kiss, Charm, Covet, Minimize, Tail Whip, Echoed Voice, Life Dew, Sing, Aromatherapy, Gravity, and Seismic Toss.}Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. I look at the monster of a Chansey''s ball and clip it back to my waist. She might just be the strongest Pok¨¦mon I have at the moment. Three of those moves are definitely not normally learned by level up so it''s likely that it was bred in captivity. I just hope the two of them will be amenable to me being their trainer. Moving my way out of town I pass by Officer Jenny getting stopped for my ID. Opening up my Pok¨¦dex, she gives me as smile and waves me off telling me to be careful because it''s supposed to rain soon. I nod and start jogging toward Pallet Town. It couldn''t be too far from Viridian given Ash could run from where he crashed Misty''s bike, and Pikachu fried the Spearow with a Lightning supercharged thunder shock. I sequestered myself under a tree with thick branches and leaf coverage. The sky is actually rather clear. I could go ahead and meet my new members and maybe let the two of them meet Eevee and Dratini. Now that I have multiple of the same Pok¨¦mon, I should give them nicknames so they and I don''t get confused. I think I''ll start with Porygon. Meeting Porygon was rather underwhelming. It seemingly was neutral at first, but it did make a few happy sounding noises when I said I was its new trainer. I asked it about battling and it made another what I can only assume as a happy sound. Perhaps it was okay with anything? A man-made Pok¨¦mon indeed. It''s like a cybernetic puppy, happy and willing to help however it can. "I think I''ll name you Prometheus." Prometheus made an odd sounding chirp but responded positively when I used its name. Chansey was an interesting occurrence. She seemed rather intense once she was out of the ball. She looked really angry, but the look was replaced with confusion. I explained who I was and how I ended up with her. She seemed to relax a bit letting me look her over and pat her head. She must have been a menace for the Rocket''s attempting to control her. Go figure how she ended up as a prize to be won at the Game Corner. The amount of will power coming off of her is evident. She''s definitely a fighter. "I would like to give you a name how do you feel about that Chansey?" The pink Pok¨¦mon put one of her flippers under her mouth as if thinking about it before nodding. "Okay, I think Eir would be a good name for you." Chansey nodded seeming to like it. Prometheus and Eir started familiarizing themselves with one another I send out Dratini and Eevee. The two of them look up at me taking notice of the two new additions. Dratini seems a bit grumpy about it, but Eevee seems happy about having new friends to play with. "Hey, you two, I was thinking maybe I could give you names to separate you from other Pok¨¦mon. What do you two think? Do you want names?" Given I now have a seven-pound body scarf that seemed thrilled to bits about getting a name from me and a face full of excited Eevee fluff. Disentangling myself from the two excited Pok¨¦mon I start thinking hard about the two of them. They are an affectionate pair and have been nothing but receptive. I look at Eevee and reach down and pick her up. "I think I''ll name you Morgana." Morgana wiggled in my hands made a happy noise. I put her down and pet her head shifting my attention to the twitching noodle dragon who was doing her best to be patient. It seems the little bit of patience training we went through in the few days before setting off. I hum thinking a bit as I lift the snake like dragon off the ground getting a good look in her eyes. "I think the perfect name for you is Tiamat. You''ll be so strong one day that the world will quake at a mere whisper of your name." I didn''t think a Dratini could squeal, but she did, and I find myself with a one hundred percent upper body scarf made of ecstatic dragon noodle. "Okay, okay, Tiamat get off. Go make friends with Prometheus and Eir, alright?" It came out muffled, but she apparently heard me because she released me from her hold and headed to where Morgana had already started introducing herself to Eir and playing tag with Prometheus. I look at the sky only to take note of storm clouds on the horizon and they are rolling in fast. So fast that it might well be suspect that a Pok¨¦mon of significant power is causing them. There is no way it''s a natural storm. There are few Pok¨¦mon that come to mind that are capable of the weather phenomenon I''m seeing. Raikou and Zapdos are the first two that come to mind, but I believe Ho-Oh can summon rain as well given the legend surrounding the birth of the legendary dogs. ================= The five of us watched the storm from under the tree, as the storm swept through the area and the lightning strike, I knew would occur did only it was a lot closer than I planned. I grabbed my Pok¨¦dex and got ready to take pictures of the majestic bird that trails an eternal rainbow. It cleared up suspiciously quickly and I leveled the Pok¨¦dex waiting for my chance. I saw it and I made sure to capture its visage in a picture and a small video clip before it got too far for the device to catch it anymore. I looked upon the photo and smiled. This means that I was correct to assume this was when I think it was. Meaning that this is taking place in the timeline of Ash Ketchum and Pikachu. I however, don''t recall everything, the exact timeline is hazy in my memories. I know that Ash will make it to the Plateau Conference, and that I will need to beat him. Fate may have chosen him and blessed him with the protagonist halo, but I won''t let that stop me. After all I don''t know what could have changed from here in the Kanto region and the rest of the world. The other regions don''t interact too much and as much as the League does it''s best to hide it war is always a possibility. Why else would they allow children to gather strength and tame Pok¨¦mon that could easily turn them into a smear on the pavement. Simple to defend themselves and to push the next generations to be stronger and better than the last. I was never good at playing an antagonist in video games. I was always too kind for that. So, I will instead be ready to stand as the final test like Red on the top of Mt. Silver for Gold/Ethan. I''d have to put down every champion level trainer before that. Which means I''ll have to beat Lance Wataru, Steven Stone, Wallace, Cynthia, Alder, Diantha, Leon, Prof. Kukui, and possibly Geeta. That totals out to nine extremely powerful end extremely competent trainers. That isn''t even including the Elite Four I''d have to chew through to even get a possible challenge to each one. This is going to be a hell of a lot of work. ===================== I made it back to Viridian after Ash and Misty did narrowly missing them and actually witnessing Team Rockets first blast off via Pikachu. I couldn''t help but chuckle as I walked into the Pok¨¦mon Center. "It looks like someone used the move Explosion in here." I couldn''t help but emulate Prof. Kukui because I wanted to liven up the atmosphere a bit. Jenny, Joy, Ash, and Misty gave me incredulous looks. "What? It does." I scratch the back of my head and shrug. "Everyone''s a critic." "You had left town a while before the attack on the Center. Care to explain what you were doing when you left town?" I look to Jenny and tap the balls on my belt. "I was familiarizing myself with my Pok¨¦mon two of them are new, so I was spending time with them in a more nature filled environment. Even gave them all nicknames." Jenny gave a nod accepting my statement. That was until Ash opened his mouth. "Hey, how come I got checked for my ID and he didn''t?" God his voice sounded so whine filled it hurt to hear. "Use your brain Ash, Officer Jenny asked him what he was doing when he left town. He clearly got checked for his identification when he had left town earlier today." "Huh, I guess that makes sense. Still doesn''t seem all that fair." I heard him grumble the second part but if Misty heard it, she didn''t say anything further. Officer Jenny hopped on her bike and sped off to file her report on the incident leaving me on my own with two of the three icons of my childhood. I want to meet Brock and I wouldn''t mind traveling with the three of them, but I need to keep myself out of their events as much as I can at least at the start. I should be someone they hear about and another person that Ash will lag behind. "I suppose introductions are in order, my name is Nathan and I''m from Celadon City." I say with a smile. "I''m Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town." "I''m Misty Williams from Cerulean City." "Wait why don''t you have a last name?" The question left Ash''s mouth, Misty turned her head to look at Ash like he was stupid and smacked him upside the back of his head. "Ash that''s rude! You don''t just ask someone that!" "OW! Hey, what was that for?! I was just asking a question!" Ash said clutching the back of his hat covered head. "Yeah, a pigheaded and insensitive question! Everyone knows what it means not to have a last name." Misty lowered her voice glancing in my direction. "He''s an orphan Ash. He doesn''t have a last name because he doesn''t know what it is or never had one." I shake my head, and sigh. It was a shame these two never ended up as more than friends. They had such good chemistry, maybe that is something I could change? I give Misty a slightly strained smile, nod my head before waving and leaving the Pok¨¦mon Center. I had thought about calling Lance again to send him the picture and small video clip of Ho-Oh, but he has plenty to do without me pulling more of his time today. I could stay at the Pok¨¦mon Center tonight, but I have the urge to camp out instead. Roll out the sleeping bag and watch the stars until I fall asleep. That actually sounds really nice after such a long first day. To think the days are only going to get longer from here. Chapter Four: Viridian Forest The sign depicting the entry to the area known as the Viridian Forest was a busted up, old, and was more taken with ivy and vines than wood anymore. It likely had some sort of depiction to inform people to stay on the path due to the dangerous Pok¨¦mon that inhabit the forest or something similar in nature. With how dark it was last night I had no idea I had camped out near it. It''s rather early in the morning, it had to be to stay ahead of Ash and Misty. I''d rather not be stuck with Ash and company right now. Especially with how slow Ash is. While I would love to see some of the things Ash bore witness to accompanying them now wouldn''t do me any favors. At least not right now, perhaps later. I''d actually like to see the events of Mewtwo but I plan to be invited on my own merit. Being a part of something like that would truly be a challenge. Now that I pointed Lance towards Team Rocket early who knows if it would even happen though. I shook my head looking around the path I had been walking on for several long minutes at this point. I really should have a Pok¨¦mon out for general safety, but the forest has been unusually quiet this morning. No birdsong, no rustling of leaves, and not even a peep of other Pok¨¦mon. The feeling I''m beginning to get doesn''t exactly fill me with confidence. No forest is quiet unless something is wrong. Letting Morgana from her ball she looks up at me with an excited sound only for her ears to perk up. She joins me looking around the surroundings from the middle of the path. Something inside me is telling me I really shouldn''t stay here but I''m curious, what could quiet the entire forest and make the inhabitants hide? This is when someone jumps from the bushes with a battle cry. "I challenge you to a Pok¨¦mon battle!" I''d be inclined to answer him if Morgana didn''t practically leap out of her fur and attach herself to my face. I have an idea who this is. I can''t see due to the fluffy Pok¨¦mon so I can''t be a hundred percent positive on my guess. Prying Morgana off my face I am greeted with a boy wearing an armored helm and brandishing what looks to be a sword. Just because I know the sword is just a plastic replica doesn''t mean a damn thing. Challenging people like that is far and above too much. "What are the terms of the battle?" I ask putting Morgana back on her paws. The forest isn''t as quiet but perhaps it''s because the inhabitance is wary of this kid. "First are you a trainer of Pallet?" I shake my head in the negative. "Then where do you hail from?" "I''m from Celadon City, the name''s Nathan and this is Morgana my Eevee." "Well Nathan of Celadon City and Morgana the Eevee. I, the Samurai of Viridian Forest challenge you to Pok¨¦mon battle. We will be allowed to use two Pok¨¦mon each in a one-on-one setting. Are you prepared?" He sheathes is replica sword at his waist and takes a Pok¨¦ball from his belt. "Pinsir, to the battlefield!" "Morgana, you up to it?" A resolute ''Vee!'' was the answer I got. "Alright then. Morgana to the battlefront." We didn''t have anyone to officiate and we stared one another down for a few moments to see who would make the first move. It seemed Samurai was not one to be patient cause he started things off. "Pinsir use Take-Down!" The giant bug charged towards Morgana with predatory look in its eyes. "Use sand attack and dodge to the left." Morgana jumped to the left using her tail to throw sand in Pinsir''s face. The big brown bug slammed face first into the dirt before standing up and trying to run the sand out of its eyes. "Now tackle!" Morgana headed my call and slammed herself into her opponent pushing the bug onto its back. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "How dishonorable! Pinsir get up and use vice grip!" "Morgana back off and use Growl." The bug managed to roll itself into its front and push itself to stand up as Morgana jumped back twice and used Growl. The Pinsir hesitated a bit but charged at Morgana to attempt a Vice grip. I shake my head as it charges forward with a lowered head. It can''t see Morgana if it''s like that. "Jump over then Tackle." Morgana jumped over the Pinsir as the huge barbed pinchers closed where Morgana was a moment before just to be hit by a Tackle from behind making the Pok¨¦mon''s face become associated with the dirt once again. I watched the stage beetle like Pok¨¦mon lift itself from the dirt again. It seems that it was getting frustrated, I should try to slow it down more. "Yawn." Morgana opened her mouth as Pinsir turned around and she yawned. It only took a moment but I could see the actions of Pinsir slightly slow from their previous speed. It moved around more and more like it was struggling to stay awake. It stumbled like a drunk trying to close the distance only fell flat on its back instead, going straight to dreamland. I was about to have Morgana Tackle Pinsir again but it was cloaked in the red light of a Pok¨¦ball''s recall function. Samurai''s face was a grimace of displeasure. It''s clear he wasn''t at all thrilled how his ace got trounced by who he thinks is a ''beginners'' Eevee. His second Pok¨¦ball is sent out and low and behold it''s as I thought, a Metapod. "Say does your Metapod even have any attacking moves?" I ask looking at the cacoon Pok¨¦mon with a bit of a frown. "No, it does not." I could barely resist the urge to facepalm at his blunt response and sheer stupidity. Why in Arceus name would he send out a Pok¨¦mon that cannot defend itself? "Are you serious right now? You would have your Metapod fight when it is incapable of doing so?" The guy just nods and it makes me want to punch him in the face. I click my tongue and look at Morgana. "Use Yawn and put it to sleep." Morgana moves next to Metapod and uses Yawn without any form of resistance other than Samurai telling Metapod to use harden. The cacoon Pok¨¦mon fell asleep and I gave Samurai a deadpan look. "Recall your Pok¨¦mon, you have lost. There is no point in continuing. It wouldn''t even be fair to have Morgana hit Metapod when it can''t fight back." "Then our battle ends in a draw." I again look at the idiot and wonder if he''s just that stupid and then confirm that he is indeed just that dumb as he grabs his Pok¨¦ball to recall his Metapod. "Not even close. I still have one unused Pok¨¦mon. Even if we count Metapod and Morgana as a draw which I refuse to agree with. Morgana still beat Pinsir meaning you lost, accept it. I''m not going to have my Pok¨¦mon bully a Pok¨¦mon that can''t fight back because it''s trainer is an idiot." I scoff and reach down, picking up Morgana and walking away from the braindead kid. "One would think you see your Pok¨¦mon as tools instead of friends with a mindset like that." Traversing my way through the forest, even on the most direct path, took about a week. I saw several different Pok¨¦mon while traversing but none of them really spoke to me. I even saw a Scyther and a Pinsir duking it out, likely over territory. Narrowly avoiding a swarm of angry Beedrill. A brief meeting with a young girl named Green who was traveling with a Bulbasaur. Also a jerk of a guy named Damien with a Charmander. Yes that Damien. I''m going to be keeping tabs on him one of the reasons it took me so long to get out of the forest. If I follow behind him that way when he abandons Charmander I can pick it up instead of Ash. He never truly respected it, nor did the Pok¨¦mon ever fully listen to him once it became a Charizard. I got a fair bit of training with all four of my Pok¨¦mon to prepare for the gym as best I can in the meantime. I think I''m going to have Morgana and Tiamat take on Brock. I will have to bond more with Eir and Prometheus before battling with them in a gym setting. I''ll focus on battling the gym tomorrow. Now at the Pok¨¦mon Center, all that is on my mind is a nice hot shower and sleep in a nice soft bed.