Chapter Text
Olivine City
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please, forgive her. She's still adjusting" The woman breathes in, and rubs her temples as her neighbor knocked on her door concerning a minor matter that's been repeating for quite sometime. The woman's name is Sybil, and the her neighbor is once again talking about her niece, Rain, who built quite the reputation in Olivine City.
"She's a tough for being able to do that for one week, honestly I'm surprised with how things ended with that club meeting" Sybil sighs as it would be nice for her niece to be complimented on that aspect of her, but it wasn't.
"Messed up the club in a challenge, everything's in disarray, which she started the ruckus" Sybil rubs her head listening to how Rain started a whole fiasco at the club where most kids hanged out, feeling embarrassment as her neighbor continues on with how Rain started a challenge to one of her, well she couldn't even call the kids at the clubs her friends, but more so Rain would associate. It was about something, as Sybil drowned it out to Rain's usual fit of explosive bursts, and going in and not backing down on a challenge.
Sybil groans as the neighbor continues on how the mess Rain made.
"I'm sorry, please, I'll talk to her, and have her apologize"
"Please do" Sybil's neighbor sighs again rubbing her head. "You're in luck they've sent me to talk"
"I know, talking to Saline wasn't the most pleasant moment in the middle of the week. I'll have a talk with Rain"
Once the doors were closed Sybil rests a hand on her face looking around their home, she knew Rain living with her here would be tough but it never struck her mind it would be this much trouble. "It'll take some time to adjust, Sybil" She tells herself fixing some of the stuff in the living room, it wasn't dusty or out of place, but something to ease her a bit in this week. Rain had been causing a bit of ruckus ever since she came to Johto.
It was for Rain's sake when she got transferred to live here with her after the incident back at home, along with caring about the girl. Looking around the house it was full of momentos that Rain stuffed in her bag from home.
Sybil sighs looking at each one them holding a memory from Rain's home region, then wandered to one trophy that Rain prized above all else.
"Le?"
Sybil's Ledian chimes in as she found herself staring at the momentos for a long while, floating before her and waving its arms around her.
"Oh, sorry Ledian, I guess zoned out a bit there, didn't I?"
"Le"
"She's in trouble again, yup....I guess she didn't like you hovering near her today...." Sybil tasked Ledian to just keep an eye out for Rain ever since the third time this week she'd caused some trouble.
"Le" Ledian crosses its arms as already Sybil knew that Rain gave Ledian a piece of her mind.
"What am I gunna do....well!" Sybil straightens her back as she's not just gunna give up that easily. "Let's you and me talk to Rain, also she didn't mean those Ledian. It's like me when it comes to at the lighthouse. Any word I with the sailors is...a bit mouthy, but you know I don't mean it" Sybil chuckles as Ledian nods.
Sybil took in a deep breathe before adjusting its position, she'll maybe have a more deep talk this time as she went up stairs.
"Rain?" She knocked the door only to not get a response.
She knocked on again but no answer.
"Le Le?" Ledian knocks on the door but still answer, turning its head to Sybil with a frown and concern. Sybil shook her head, and sighed. "Ledian, go fly out to the window..." Sybil trails as Ledian flew out of a window, already she getting her bag ready as the most likely scenario happened.
"Le! Le! Le!" Ledian returns waving its warms with a worried look.
"I knew it, she's gone from her room. Rain isn't really the one to be silent but I hope we didn't have to go on a chase to find her" Sybil a pokeball from her bag, and out came a Noctowl greeting her. "Ledian, stay here if Rain comes back early. I'll be back in an hour if I can't find her. Come on, Noctowl, let's find her"
"Huh...I'm...this far.....EH! I'll handle it!"
Rain hadn't gone this far, she usually stayed in Olivine City with her aunt near the lighthouse where she worked, or she'd stay somewhere in the house to get used to living here. She was in trouble again, she usually just went somewhere in the city that she liked - the Battle Tower, but that wasn't an option two days earlier getting into trouble again, if it wasn't the Battle Tower then it was the Olivine Light House but that was another trouble involving the trainers there, and if it wasn't that then word around the city already got her known. Rain hoped it was only the small part of the city.
Great now she's regretting on making it this far instead of going outside of Olivine City.
"I. Can. Handle. This" She reassures herself striding through the road away from Olivine, she just needed some time for herself that's all. A quick forest walk, that's it. She clenched her clothes banishing the quick thought that she had went on without a map, or even knew anything outside of Olivine. Rain just strolled forward to blow off some steam after what just happened.
"Who cares what Celina or the others has to say" Rain huffed and walked even as flashes of what happened today were circling around her mind like Aunt Sybil's Ledian just a while ago. The laughs, the looks, and 'lectures' this past week felt like nothing changed when she came here.
"EUGH. Celina wasn't even right when that whole thing in the café!" Rain spat didn't noticing the shade of the forest already over here. "Oh, wow, she thinks she's so tough with her whole plans for the club, it's like no ever managed to talk back to her"
The image just burned into her mind remembering how everyone the club looked at her, with Celina's smug face, causing Rain to just walk faster.
"I stand by what I said..." Even though it meant that she got kicked out of the club, leaving her mostly isolated.
Turning her walks into a jog.
Rain shakes her head and continues walking until eventually she got tired, and settled on a tree. Rain was still irked at what happened today, but her legs can't take another step further, and she just looked at the branches and leaves while she tried to rest, but today's incident were just circling around her head.
"Stupid"
Realizing now she didn't pay attention to which direction she turned to, and finds herself lost.
"Stupid"
Rain starts on thumping on the tree finding herself in an even worse position than she was now.
"Stupid, stupid"
She thumps on the tree even, even if a tiny bit of her knew some bug pokemon would jump out.
"I'll just outrun them!" Remarking on the danger of being chased by some bug pokemon, the memory of causing trouble at the club still circling around, and with that goes down of starting out new in Johto. "What do I got to worry about? Some Beedrils, and Spinaraks, yeah I can outrun them"
"Stupid, stupid, stupid-ERGH!"
Rain slams her clenched fist on the tree stump with a boiled up frustration, causing some leaves to fall, taking in some deep breathes tiring herself out from walking who knows how long and lashing out on a potential bug filled tree.
"Maybe if I just walk back I'll eventually smell seawater" Rain thought realizing on how lost she was now on how to get back to Olivine City, she'll eventually smell seawater or bump into the next town, or city then get directions there. Then again, it'd be a more waste to bump into the next town and go all the way back through here, and get lost. There was still some sunlight, which was good bringing some relief to Rain in this situation she found herself in.
"Enough to see if there's something in the bushes" Rain irked up seeing it as positive, not realizing the danger in it as well.
"Now, if I turn a left on that branch...." Rain recounts looking to the direction she just walked while still resting on the base of the tree.
"I GOT IT!" Rain thumps on the tree even though her recollection on her way back was blurry, there was some spark in it. However, Rain's joy suddenly irked into the ground, as there was rustling on the leaves. She stood frozen, again, not remembering the danger of Bug Pokemon lurking about. She didn't know why, but she could feel it like skittling on her even though she didn't feel anything touch her.
But she could feel like it was creeping about.
Then she heard a sound of leaves falling, a branch rustling, and a loud cry.
"GAH!" Rain cries turning around to face and flee what's going to get the drop on her, putting her arms and hands forward in hopes not letting it drop on her head, and throw it to the side and run away. The was loud in an instant, as it closes near her, she flinched as she readies her hands to catch the bug. Instead, her hands felt something, the skin wasn't like Aunt Sybil's Ledian, but rather soft and didn't feel any like a bug pokemon would be.
"Eh?" Rain opens her eyes seeing what pokemon fell on her.
"Ral"
Rain blinks her eyes, instead of a creepy bug pokemon like a spinarak or weedle. It was a rather different kind of pokemon, A greenish-whiteish looking one, who was looking at Rain with a pout. "What pokemon are you? You don't look like a bug type, or maybe you are. Like a different one, a leafy bug type"
"Ral" The voice of the Ralts had a bit of an attitude in it, in a sort of cute way Rain guess. The pokemon pointed to the tree, then to the branch, and continues on pouting to Rain. "Ral Ral Ral" The strange pokemon points to the tree branches, albeit in more of a whisper now.
"What about the branch? Did I wake you up?"
"Ral" The pokemon's voice is still a whisper, hearable still, but the face was pouting.
"Oh, so I did wake up you up"
"Ral" The pokemon points to the branch again, making arm movements as the pokemon waves its arms around.
Rain didn't know what it was trying to convey, as the Ralts pouts levitating a berry from the ground and dropping it from a closer branch. "Ral". Rain then finally got it, and looked to the branch where the pokemon was looking at it. "Oh, you're a psychic type...and you live on that branch". The pokemon nods, finally cheering up, as it points to the branch again, with a cry.
"Can't you just float yourself to it?"
"Ra" It shakes its head as it began drawing a crude drawing on the dirt with a stick of another pokemon and itself on its back climbing the tree, while other pokemon were on the base of the tree with a mean and angry face. "Oh, you got a ride from another pokemon to be on top of the tree..."
"Ral" The pokemon looks around the area, with a nervous look. Rain didn't see anything, but if there's anything she knew about psychic type pokemon, then they knew more than they appear to be. "Ral" The strange pokemon backs a bit to the base of the trunk. Rain could hear rustling more from bushes now, it was everywhere, even the one path where she came from, the bushes were rustling. "Well I'm not gunna be some sort of a sitting psyduck!"
Rain took one step forward.
Out came from the bushes were Ratticates, three of them surrounding Rain and the strange pokemon. Their large teeth and claws at the ready.
"Ra!"
The strange pokemon cries out, its psychic cries echoes into Rain, feeling its emotions of being frightened and frozen. Rain wasn't in the mood for that, snapping immediately to climb the tree, instinctually grabbing the strange pokemon as it holds on her back. Rain could say she was an athlete to a degree, but climbing was an entirely different matter, but that didn't stop her now. As she tries climbing up the tree bark, and branches to a safe place.
"Ral!" Its psychic cries echoes again.
As Rain slips on a branch, hugging tightly unto the tree as the Ratticates were slashing on the tree bottom. Rain felt her grip shaky on a branch, but immediately pulled one of her arms to catch another. She wasn't done just yet, and wasn't going to let this day even worse than getting attacked by Ratticates. She cries out a grunt, pulling herself unto a branch, balancing herself out, wobbling then climbing another while still struggling as the Ratticates continued their assault.
Yet Rain continued until she reached a high enough branch.
"Ra..."
The voice of the strange pokemon seems different now, as Rain was catching her breathe as the pokemon looks to Rain. "Well, not bad for a first time tree climber" Rain chuckles looking at her hands with scratches on her palms and fingers.
"That's one bright side to this, successfully climbed a tree"
"Ra"
The strange creature approaches her, with a curious look on its face, looking at Rain's scratches on her hands. "I knew I should have worn gloves" Rain comments as Ralts pats her hands.
"It's okay, just some scratches, if anything it's sorta like a good reminder that I climbed a tree. That's one accomplishment that I got today, bright side, right"
"Ral" The strange pokemon looks at her, Rain looks back to the strange pokemon, not sure what to do. Psychic types weren't really her cup of tea back in her home region, so this strange pokemon was a first. Maybe it sensed her thoughts, she heard that psychic types can do that. "You're reading my mind, aren't you?"
"Ra" The strange pokemon pats her back with its tiny arms. She didn't know why, or maybe it was just the psychic thing that she was thinking about with psychic pokemon, but that pat on the back just brought a brief smile to her face, even with the week being a nightmare for her.
"Thanks for the pat. So, live in this branch? Or it is that branch, I was too busy trying to climb to notice" The strange pokmon walks across the branch to a section full of berries, and small fruits, and offering it to Rain who gladly takes a bite out of it, her first decent lunch since hours ago. "I did want some time alone, I guess this place is as good as any"
"Ra" The strange pokemon's voice was a bit cheery.
"You don't much visitors don't you"
"Ral Ra" It made some flapping gestures with Rain chuckling commenting that the pidgeys or Pigettos must be some guests. "You got any more stories to tell?" Rain asks with the strange pokemon gladly doing gestures, and using leaves to tell some stories of pidgeys flocking to its branch and it helping them get some berries, spinaraks climbing down to annoy an Ursaring to get its honey, and occasionally helping settle down Kakunas down from the branches.
Rain listened to the strange pokemon's stories as the two sat there on top of a branch of a tree.
"Well, the views nice...and hey! That's Olivine City! I recognize the lighthouse from here" Rain points to lighthouse, finally having a waypoint to reach Olivine City.
"Ra?"
"Oh" Rain paused realizing her company's situation. "Guess, you don't really get that much guests here anyway, don't yah?"
"Ra"
"I feel yah, not really from around this region, most guests I got aren't really friendly but I guess that's mostly on me from everyone keeps telling"
"Ra Ra" The strange pokemon gives out a cry eating a fruit.
"Guess, I could stay for a little while, the views nice, and I don't really wanna go back to Olivine just yet"
"Ra!" The strange pokemon becomes a bit cheery.
"Plus! You got a great view of everything" Rain points all around the endless forests and in the horizon the ocean. The strange pokemon looks to Rain, seemingly didn't get what she meant by the great view as it was just forests and the occasional flying types, but eventually the strange pokemon smiles. The two sat on the branch as talking about things, even if the view was just the occasional pidgey flying by.
"It's getting late, I need to head back home. Aunt Sybil's gunna have me do Lighthouse clean up...."
"Ra" The strange pokemon looks a bit sad but Rain promises she'll visit.
"Now how do I get down from here....hey, those branches do line up, maybe if I quickly jump on them....."
"Ra?!"
"It's the only way down, so....see yah later!" Rain trailed a bit as the thought of getting an earful from Aunt Sybil would be something she'd rather lessen the length of her lecture. "So, one way down to go" Rain stood up readying to jump and hop down from branch to branch. "Ra!" The strange pokemon grasps on her back as Rain jumps down.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?!" Aunt Sybil's shouted after hearing Rain's story.
Rain squirms on the couch with Aunt Sybil fuming with anger and relief, after finding her all dusty and dirty at the edge of Olivine City.
"Sorry, Aunt Syb-"
"Sorry?! Leaving Olivine into uncharted woods?! Without even a pokemon!"
Rain looks down for a moment, then is back up again. "I'm really, really, sorry Aunt Sybil. I'm sorry, it was stupid that I left Olivine". She realized it was wrong, the feeling eating her that it was stupid, but she wasn't going to back down in confronting it. Feeling guilty that she made Aunt Sybil worried sick about her, but she just needed a place to cool down a bit.
"You're darn right it was stupid, I was worried sick wondering where were you?! I tried the cafe but you weren't there, and scoured Olivine just to find you!"
"Look, I'm glad you're safe" Her aunt's voice soften, placing a hand on Rain's shoulder. "I know it's hard adjusting, and what not, but I'm just worried. After what happened today, I really assumed the worst"
"Today really was the high point in the bad things to happen tournament" Rain replies still with a bit of a cheer, and attitude.
"You wanna talk about it?"
"I'm pretty exhausted, Aunt Sybil. Plus side, I managed to climb a tree on first try, so that's a plus point on the good things to happen"
"Well...that's not all, seems you found yourself a new friend" Aunt Sybil points to the strange pokemon clutching to Rain's back. Rain didn't realized for a while as she too busy focusing on Aunt Sybil's lecture on her. The strange pokemon greeted Aunt Sybil and her pokemon, while she stayed near Rain. "Oh yeah, I found this psychic type staying living near the tree, weird...haven't seen anything like it"
"It's a Ralts, normally they're in the Hoenn Region, but I heard they do appear at times in Johto" Aunt Sybil leans in as the Ralts peaks from behind Rain's head, greeting Aunt Sybil again. Even though Rain didn't realize, she was glad enough that Ralts was with her.
She notices that Aunt Sybil was staring at her and the Ralts, with a look on her face. It could mean one thing, Rain was thinking now, with Ralts looking at her as they glance at each other. Rain thought of something causing Ralts to smile, as they both looked to Aunt Sybil.
Aside from climbing a tree for the first time, this was another point for good things to happen this weak. Even if it was just two things.
"Ra" Ralts cries out in a joyful tone.
"Beats sitting in that tree, you and me. We're partners"
"Ra Ral Ralts!"
"Oh, bother...why do I feel like I'm gunna have two of you here"
"Looks, like I caught a Ralts" Rain beams up along with Ralts to Aunt Sybil.
"Indeed you have, Ralts do sense people's emotions, and you just choose Rain as your partner, didn't you little one?"
"Ra!" Ralts says cheerful, as Rain holds Ralts, smiling at each other with a smile. Aunt Sybil gets one pokeball from her bag, giving it to Rain, as she holds it out to Ralts capturing inside of the pokeball. Joyfully she looks at the pokeball smiling.
Rain at least could say this day, and week, ends in a happy note.
"That still doesn't mean you're getting off the hook. You'll have to apologize to the club, and clean your miss"
Rain frowns a bit causing Ralts to as well.
"Two goods things still happened" Rain replies agreeing to do that tomorrow.
When she got to her room, and was about to sleep. Rain releases Ralts from her pokeball, wanting it to sleep on a comfy pillow.
Both of them sleep with a smile as they drifted into sleep.
Elsewhere in Johto
Goldenrod City
"Volt"
The Jolteon shouts charging the electrical machinery as a aman and a woman inspected the broken machinery, the electric shock ingites the machine to life, gears turn, light bulbs were on again, all while they fidgeted a control panel, while testing the power outage.
"Thanks, Jolteon, just keep it up for a little while, huh, the capacitor broke at this section" The man thanks his pokemon while noting down the damages.
"Looks like we need new parts, could take days depending where we'll get it" The woman comments while tinkering on the back of the control panel,.
"Getting the magnet train up and running to top it off, till then everyone's gotta do it the old fashion way. Watch out for those Beedrils, especially those Murkrows"
"Hey, who doesn't love to visit New Barktown or Olivine City. I know Jolteon just loves to go there from time to time" The woman gives a small smile to Jolteon who nods. Both were engineers around in Goldenrod, the man's name is Porter and the woman's is Sari. Both of them had been working on the fixes for a week non-stop trying to troubleshoot the problems with the magnet train, angry trainers trying to get to Kanto didn't help.
"Where is she?" Sari grumbles.
"She'll be here...right about now". Porter assures her.
Both of them heard voices from the back, mostly the guards and complaining trainers, but one voice stands out. Sari and Porter sighs in relief, finally getting their lunch for the day ever since working since early morning.
"Mom! Dad! I brought lunch! Courtesy with a lovely Milktank cake too!" A girl enters the work area giving them their lunches as Sari and Porter wrap up their current progress. The girl's name was Lexis, their daughter, and judging from her appearance she had just got done from the department store. Hopefully their daughter didn't spend all of her savings on the department store.
Porter and Sari shudders more looking at the bag she's carrying.
"Looks like someone spent a lot of time at the Goldenrod Gym" Porter opens up the lunch all while Lexis was just checking out her new pair of things from the department store.
"I swear, your room is already stuffed with clothes from every piece from the store" Sari muses while taking a sip from a can, thinking of just entering Lexis'
"Hey! It's not like I use them all daily" Lexis pointed out as Sari points that she'll have to do the laundry for all of them if they get stinky. "Besides, Trent mostly gets the scrap of clothes that I no longer use for his...uh...arts and crafts stuff"
"Speaking of Trent, where is he now?"
Lexis raises her hands.
"That's a question that I ask myself everyday" Lexis taps his foot thinking on all the possible areas that Trent could gone to, the boy was always the most sneakiest person ever that Lexis had to get some help from the girls from the gym to help track her younger brother down, but found out he was just at the Bike Shop. At first him disappearing out of the blue had Lexis and her parents tried to track him down all over for hours.
Until he just ended up back at home.
Porter frowns a bit before returning to eat and checking on the control panel. Trent used to be such a out of there center boy, until last year he got humiliated in a city celebration event, ever since then he's always been in the foreground. Sari tried to cheer Trent up everyday, but the boy always seems to prefer in the background of things, often times she was worried where'd gone to but just invisible to the naked eye.
Lexis drags Trent almost everywhere just to get him out of his room, or be productive, as she's the foremost reason that Trent ever leaves or is seen interacting with people. Even though it is awkward that she'd dragged him to the gym, trying to get him to cheer up with all the pokemon there.
"Volt?" Jolteon's eyes perk up approaching Lexis, knowing the routine of trying to find Trent if he suddenly does his whole vanishing act. The electric pokemon asks again, worried too about Trent.
"Oh, don't worry, Jolteon. I'll find him now, just help mom and dad" Lexis assures the electric type, turning to leave.
"Get him home by dinner, okay" Sari tells Lexis
"I have a gift for him, maybe he'll finally cheer up with this" Porter adds thinking that this gift - a pokeball would finally cheer him up.
"We could take a trip down south of Golden Rod and help him catch one" Sari replies checking on the schematics for the repairs of the magnet train while already thinking of the trip down south of Golden Rod.
"Catch a wild pokemon down south by Goldenrod, and go on from there"
"Just like me and Jolteon, you were a scamp when you an Evee weren't you" Sari smiles giving Jolteon a pat on the head, continuing work on the generator on the magnetic train.
"No one is here"
Trent looks from side to side, normally there were trainers here, but at this time of the day there weren't any. Good enough for him, taking off some of the disguises that he made from Lexis' spare clothing. He was usually hiding, and masking about with a lot of disguises to make people recognize him. It didn't work at first, but eventually they won't recognize him unless they really take a closer look at him.
It was a bit uncomfortable most of the time when he's a disguise, most of the patches and disguises he pulls off were very shoddy that had him sweating, or unable to move most of the time. Trent sighs in relief finally to ditch this shoddy disguise, just looking at it, Trent is gunna make notes on improvements to his diguises.
"Finally, a breather, feels like I was at the tale end of a Flareon" Trent wipes off his forehead, going to a vending machine to get a drink. He takes a look around at where he was at, the Goldenrod Tunnels. Usually it was packed, even at this time of day there were some, but luckily for him there weren't any, not even the store shop owners were here.
An empty hallway.
"Guess, I can finally do some catching up to do" Trent pulls from his pockets a rather small book, not enough for a like a pokemon book like the professors used, but like a pocket book that covers some small stories and facts about Pokemon. He usually reads in his house, but when he's getting dragged by his sister outside, he likes to keep something on hand when he has some breather to read on his downtime without anyone second guessing his disguises.
"Professor Elm is researching on...a long lost regional variant? Professor Elm further researches with Sinnoh Champion Cynthia on legends of long lost regional variants of pokemon..." Trent reads the pocket book he had. He was always one for the stories and legends of Pokemon and wider world, hearing trainers talking about their stories and encounters like how trainers from Kanto talking about the Seafoam Islands, and the Mount Moon's eerie ritual of Clefaries.
Trent was envious of the trainers, he would always see them arriving at Goldenrod City talking about striding ready to face Whitney's gym, and going to challenge the other Johto gym leaders. Thinking about it a bit more, he was sorta jealous of her sister as well, on how Lexis can so easily be confident around Goldenrod even with getting a bit of heat for some clumsily things she did that even people got laughing at her. Lexis always said to him just go out there, and strut on.
"Easy for her to say, she didn't get embarrassed at the parade" Trent scoffs continuing to read.
"Interesting.....the Hoenn Region is said to have housed ancient pokemon across its region....Professor Birch's research is still on going...." He felt a real hit of jealously reading about trainers going out, and trying to help Professor Birch in finding these ancient pokemon across the hoenn region, but that bite of being embarrassed by the parade hooked him back. Trent shakes his head, he was feeling great about just reading.
He'll be fine with that.
"I'm doing just fine" Trent tells himself as he continues to read flipping to the next page, and suddenly he couldn't read it. The lights went out as the entire Goldenrod Tunnels were pitch black. "Great, just great" He tries to get his Pokegear from his pockets to continue on reading for a bit just about to get to the finale of the chapter, revealing about some stories involving people guarding sacred orbs in Hoenn.
"Huh? I know I had my book here" Trent turns on the lights on his Pokegear finding the book on his lap was gone, he didn't even feel it leaving his lap. It was suddenly gone from it. He knew it was just there on his lap, maybe he dropped it while he was finding his pokegear in his pockets. He flashes the light around the corridors of the Goldenrod Tunnels, his pokegear the only thing illuminating the tunnels, trying to find his book.
"Huh!? There it is....." He spots in the middle of the corridor on the floor, wondering how it get there in the first place walking towards it. Yet suddenly the book darts away, like something flicks it to the side. "Hey!" Trent cries running after the book being flicked from the floor, turning around the corner as he finds himself in the basement of the Goldenrod Department. Normally they were locked, but on occasions if he and Lexis were feeling adventurous, they would go down there to see what's the latest stuff that was going to be sold at the Department Store.
Normally it was every week.
"Oh no you don't it!" Trent sneers, he knows the basement like the back of his hands, mostly because he was sneaking around what sort of junk they have, along with Lexis asking if they have some new set of clothes on. He was feeling the chase, he hasn't feel like this in sometime now.
Trent turns a corner to cut off the book.
"Gatcha ya!" Trent jumps grabbing the book mid air, and lands on his feet. The thrill of the chase got him excited, his heart pumped, and a smile forming on hi face as rare it was for him. He took a look at his book to see if it any of the pages were damaged, as he peers forward to look, all of that thrill from his body vanishes. The light from his pokegear still the only thing illuminating the place, seeing nothing but a greenish head staring at him with a startled look.
"GAAHAH!"
"MISS!"
Trent jumps higher than he ever did, his screams were aligning with that of the pokemon before. Misdreavus, a ghost type, and normally the only ghost types he'd seen were in Ecruteak City. He recalls they were mostly a mischievous type of pokemon, and he just fell for one of its tricks. He just stood there screaming as well as the Misdreavous too, just two of them screaming at each other as their surprised screams echoing through the basement floor.
It went on for what felt like an hour, yet glancing a glimpse into his pokegear it was only 2 minutes.
Trent's throat couldn't muster enough air to scream and stopped, as well as the Midreavus who stares at Trent. If he remembered correctly from his notes and stories, when a Misdreavous finally got a scream from someone they're feed up from victim's scream, that brought him some bravery in his shaky body that all he needed to do was to slowly run back off, as he took one step backward while still facing Misdreavous all while keeping a not so frightened face but his body movements wasn't exactly in synch with his face. He was just trying to keep up a face, he succeeded as he thinks to himself.
"Mis?"
Trent kept his mouth shut backing away slowly.
"Mis Mis"
Trent now tried to keep his face straight all while his legs were trembling as Misdreavus slowly floats towards him.
"Mis Mis"
"H-hello" Trent's says shakily with trying to cover his fear as Misdreavus looks at him.
Think. He tells himself, ghost pokemon were mostly a tricky bunch of pokemon to be around with, he's heard trainers babble about Ecruteak City about that, and they'll likely want to play a prank, or game. This means as Trent realizes that Misdreavus maybe isn't done playing a sort of prank on him. No. He isn't gunna have a repeat of that again, he'll just slowly back off until he reached the tunnels, and back to surface side of Goldenrod City.
Each step he took was right even if he wasn't looking where he was heading, all while keeping a staring contest with Misdreavus.
He just needed to keep this up, without him screaming on the top of his lungs then this Misdreavus would leave him alone. If he kept this up, then Misdreavus would lose interest, that was his plan. He tells himself.
"Mis" Misdreavus floats forward as Trent steps backward.
"Did yah enjoy department store? Most of the stuff isn't out until the due date says so" Trent replies with a still somewhat shaky voice trying to be casual.
"Mis Mis Mis"
Judging from the tone itself, Trent guessed that Misdreavus wasn't sure.
"Yeah, I thought so"
Bit by bit as Trent kept up with the staring contest with Misdreavus, the scare factor wore off.
"Mis" Midreavus calls again with a curious tone looking at the book.
"What? You mean this book? It's mostly outdated" Trent replies keeping his voice as casual as he can while his body trembles a bit, but bit by bit he was getting calm.
"Mis? Mis Mis" Misdreavus looks to the book and him, switching from one focus to another.
It was making Trent's head spin, and he was second guessing if this was a psychic type after all.
"First time seeing you around here, and I've been through these tunnels a few times around the block" Trent said realizing in all of his time around the tunnels, and basement. It was the first time he saw a Misdreavus here, not all there weren't any pokemon that were lurking around the tunnels and in the basements, mostly rattatas, magnamites, and even an Eevee at some point. But he never even saw a Misdreavus, considering that ghost types and specifically Misdreavus liked to play pranks.
He was already thinking that it wandered off from Ecruteak City? That's too far, he dismissed that idea. But maybe it wandered off from from the Ilex forest, but that place isn't known for ghost types mostly creepy bug types.
Misdreavus floats upside down to right side up.
"You're not from around here, are you?"
"Mis" Misdreavus replies floating up and down trying to mimic a shaking head.
"Figures it's like that, I guess..." He turns to leave for the staircase.
"Mis?" Misdreavus floats before him again looking at him and book, trying to levitate the book again but he was holding it tightly in his hand. "Hey, I only got a limited amount of these from getting some of sister's cash"
"Mis Mis Mis" It disappears and reappears before him.
"Sometimes I wish I could do that...." Trent sighs no longer feeling a bit tense around the ghost pokemon, but still wary, as he turns for the stairs. Trent turns his head around to see if Misdreavus was still there, and it was already gone.
"Mis?"
It reappeared again floating in the dark.
"I-er...nothing"
"Huh? So that's where my extra clothes went!? I needed that three hours ago!" Lexis groans.
"Improvise, Lex" Trent replies giving his makeshift disguise back to his sister as their mother calls them for dinner at the table. Trent's dad was standing near the fridge and holding a small box with him.
"Well you better pack some clothes for a day" Lexis tells him as she digs in the food, all while Trent is thinking how is she isn't like this eating in public. His sister was practically eating like she gorging the food, compared to when they're out in Goldenrod. Trent still had no idea how she nicknamed prim in Goldenrod.
"Afternoon? Why is there like a trip?"
"You could say that" His mom adds while looking to his dad.
By that look, Trent already knew this was about him.
"You see, I was thinking, just like me when I was a kid your age. It's time for you to get your own pokemon" Trent eyes focuses on the small box, opening it to reveal a pokeball inside. Trent didn't know what to think, he'd read and listen to a lot of trainers getting their pokemon, and there was this gut feeling of awe thinking about it. Trent's hand on its reached out to get the pokeball, holding it in his own hand.
Trent felt a twitch in his hands as he was getting excited.
"Hey, don't you usually go to a pokemon professor to get a pokemon?" Trent asks not trying to make his dad's gift look bad, as his hands were still on the ball like it was Lexis with evolution stones. Maybe he was trying ease off the excitement he was feeling that he hadn't felt in some time, he rarely gets excited and when he does it was usually around his family.
"Your father wanted it to be a sort of family tradition, per say" His mom laughs.
"Remember when I was telling you about how I had to catch an Oddish?" Lexis asks while pointing to her Gloom.
"The time you had to chase it through a swarm of bug types?" Trent asks but his focus was still at the pokeball.
"You think that's bad? Well I had to a whole trip from Kanto from Cerulean to Vermillion City in three days! Back and forth, back and forth, dodging those spearows and pidgeys along the way." His dad boasted as Jolteon roars. "Just so he could catch this fella here, and that was all to feed Eevee some food" His mom pats Jolteon as it enjoys the pat.
"It's a family tradition, just so you know. Maybe it was accidental, but it's tradition" His dad chuckles.
"Anyways, we could take a trip to Azaela Town in a week or so, lot of pokemon to catch there" Mom suggests.
"Ooooh, I heard they have the rarest of pokeballs there! I gotta get some for the girls" Lexis squeals.
"Or, we could go to Ecruteak City" His mom suggests.
"That too! I gotta get one of those dresses those Kimono girls wear. But, it's your call, so where'dya wanna go"
"To catch my first pokemon....." Trent looks at the pokeball, thinking what kind of pokemon he would get, and already getting an idea. "...I think I'll catch one here in Goldenrod" He announces as Lexis saunters on the table complaining on not going on a trip, his mom surprised and his dad blinking as he asks if Trent was sure he didn't want to go out of Goldenrod for a while, even recommending going to Olivine City.
"I think....I'll....lemme think on it first" Trent says while holding it still in his hands as dinner went by. He clutched the pokeball in his hands even when he was in his room, staring at it while he laid down on his bed, until his eyes starts to tire. He wanted to catch a pokemon but there was still this gut feeling that anyone could see him, and fail at the attempts. Judging by Lexis and dad's attempts at catching their own pokemon, he'll fail more spectacularly at it.
Even if they were outside of Goldenrod City, he wasn't sure of going outside of Goldenrod City at this point.
Feeling his eyes shutting down, he places his pokeball on a table before going to bed. Trent's final thoughts were his want to get his first pokemon without the embarrassment, slowly drifting into sleep his mind got an idea.
"And I got yah there!"
Trent throws it hitting Misdreavus, managing to cut if in a corner.
"Mis Mis" Misdreavus calls out being wrapped around in a scarf as it was finally caught by Trent after minutes of chasing each other around in the Goldenrod Tunnels. It was now a floating scarf ball which Trent found it funny as it floats around aimlessly.
"Here, let me take that off...wait. You're a ghost type, just like slip right through it" Trent asks as Misdreavus twirls the scarfs around itself, the same scarf he used to to disguise himself as messenger around the city.
"Mis Mis Mis" Misdreavus responds by floating away further while spinning.
"Aw, you're up for one for game?" Trent asks as Misdreavus answers that with a twirl while covered in the scarf, with Trent smiling. He'd gone off to visit the Goldenrod Tunnels from time to time, hoping to catch Misdreavus as his pokemon. It started with him chasing the ghost type around, with times he almost caught it, and him getting fooled into a trap, luckily there weren't any people around to see him flopping into a box in the warehouse, or tripping over tunnel halls.
Eventually he just went to the tunnels just for the fun of it.
"Mis Mis"
Misdreavus floats above Trent's head, settling the scarf below him, pointing to the stairs.
"The floating scarf that haunts these tunnels....that'll make a good tale. Don't yah think?" Trent's tone was happier than he was usually, aside from him and Misdreavus playing when no one's at the tunnels, he and Misdreavus would pull off some tricks on people passing through the tunnels. Trent even heard while he was disguised as a florist that spooky things were happening at the tunnels, with rumors talking about a rare pokemon dwelling there.
"Mis Mis" Misdreavus floats around Trent causing the scarf to wrap around Trent.
"I've got some plans on new tricks...."
"Mis Mis!" The ghost type pokemon happily cries tugging at Trent's scarf to the stairs.
"Huh? You wanna go surface side?"
"Mis" Misdreavus floats up and nod in agreement, though there was a bit hesitation judging by how Misdreavus' speed when it floats as Trent observed from his time hanging out with the ghost type.
"I've got my disguise here to aid in that, but I'm guessing you don't like it either when the spotlight's on you"
Misdreavus floats up and down looking at the stairs, hesitant as well as to leave. As for Trent, he was putting up his disguise up. "You could just be sneaky, be invisibly while you follow me" Trent finishes up his messenger disguise stepping close to the stairs but he notices that Misdreavus being hesitant. "Mis Mis Mis"
"I know that feeling....maybe we could put on a disguise on you, like a sneaky one! We can lay low together" Trent suggests with Misdreavus floating up and down.
"Mis Mis Mis" Trent could see the look on Misdreavus, the first few times he tried to catch Misdreavus it felt him confused but now he knew what it meant.
"You wanna play some tricks up there as well?"
"Mis"
"Well....." Trent trailed while straightening his disguise a bit more. "It's risky.....but....if we could survey around some parts around Goldenrod like the corners here..." Trent formulates a plan as Misdreavus cries out in agreement. "That settles it, but let's get you a good disguise..." He rummages through his bag to find his notes of disguises, mostly from things from his sister that she didn't bothered using again.
His hand bumped into the pokeball that his dad gave him, as he completely forgot about the part he was trying to catch Misdreavus. Trent held it in his hands, the light of the stairs highlighting in contrast to the dim tunnels.
"Mis?" Misdreavus spots the familiar device.
"Oh yeah, I was going down here for this. Anyway, you wanna go up there but you're nervous aren't you?"
"Mis....Mis!"
"If that's the case...then putting on this scarf could be a start, they'll probably mistake you as some kind of other type of pokemon....probably...like Suicine with the long scarf" Trent puts the scarf back on Misdreavus, with the joke of Misdreavus being mistaken as Suicine as it floats and vanishes in the night might make some good headscratchers. Misdreavus floats up and down with the scarf on, feeling a lot less hesitant.
"Mis Mis Mis"
"Well...think of it like a game of maze we do here, but we gotta stick together you know. I know my way around the city" Trent assures Misdreavus as he told stories of him navigating Goldenrod under numerous of disguises which brought Misdreavus a smile. "Just like a game of catch"
"Mis"
"Huh?"
"Mis Mis Mis" Trent could feel that Misdreavus was hesitating, but he didn't know why this time.
Before Trent could react Misdreavus bumps on the pokeball. Trent couldn't make a word as he watches the pokeball blink and shake in his hands, until it stopped. He caught his pokemon through playing hide n' seek, plus tag in the Goldenrod Tunnels. Trent holds the pokeball up high, just like the trainers that came and went around Goldenrod, he caught his first pokemon. "I finally caught..." He trails with an open mouth, unable to process the joy rushing everywhere in his body.
Something he really haven't felt in a while, his hand trembling holding the ball causing him to hold it in both hands, scared of dropping it. Misdreavus chose him. The thought made him laugh silently. He calms himself for a moment, thinking of what to do racing in mind until he releases Misdreavus.
"Guess I won the game....alright...let's go" Trent shows a bit of a smile, his voice shaky from the rushing feeling in him, trying to calm himself again, and thinking of all the fun things he and Misdreavus could do there on.
"Mis Mis" Misdreavus happily cries in return. Trent makes the finishing touches on his disguise and on Misdreavus, and made their way traversing Goldenrod City.
Two years later
"And here on the daily Skarmory Scoop! The upcoming festival near Mt. Chimney is getting the embers started, this rare inter-region meet up is attracting like a sweet scent any upcoming trainers, flocking to the Hoenn region to trade and share their pokemon experience! Keep watch pokemaniacs! I hear even some Elite Four members are attending! And even I hear, well, from a guy who told this gal, whom told me that a reigning champion might even be there!"
"AUNT SYBIL!" Rain bolts from her bed nearly knocking Ralts from her bed but catching her in the process.
"I heard it! And the answer is no" Aunt Sybil replies as fast as her Ledian was helping her prepare breakfast.
"Ral!" Ralts pouted her cheeks along with Rain as well.
"Aw! Come one! You're the lighthouse keeper in Olivine! Couldn't you like get me a ticket to Hoenn!"
"First of all, the festival is in Hoenn, and we're in Johto. And if you're going to ask, yes, there's already people booking for Hoenn this time around. Probably the next ship you'll get is a week or so. If you're lucky"
Rain looks to Ralts who raises her tiny hands, as both of them were pumped. The Hoenn thing was an unexpected detour they were going to take a chance, but it's time for the original plan. Both trainer and pokemon look to Aunt Sybil, whom couldn't be impress but gave out a sigh. Rain wasn't going to back down on this.
"What about the gym challenge? You did promise me and Ralts after working chores around Olivine" Aunt Sybil glances at Rain and Ralts, already the two were itching to get out.
"I keep my word. Here's your packed food along a few essentials, just like I promised. I'll allow you to do a journey to challenge a gym leader"
"EPH! THANKS AUNT SYBIL! YOU'RE THE BEST"
"Ra!"
Both of them jumped with joy getting the bag from Aunt Sybil, but not before giving her a hug. Aunt Sybil could only sigh, but a short smile was on Aunt Sybil's face.
"Those chores for the Milktank Farm, and the lighthouse work do pay off!"
"Ra Ra Ra!"
"Keep your Pokegear on, okay. I'll be calling to check on you both, and don't go running off into unknown routes" Aunt Sybil's voice was stern.
"Sure! Sure, I'll keep in touch, besides I have Ralts with me"
"Ra!"
Rain responds but too focused on readying her travel gear. Today's day that she and Ralts were going to take on a gym leader, and prove themselves. "I'm off, Aunt Sybil!"
"This is it, Ralts. You and me!"
"Ra!"
Next Chapter: Stay Tough
Rain and Ralts are pumped out to challenge the Goldenrod City Gym leader, while hearing rumors of strange things in Goldenrod about a mysterious figure that's been causing some havoc around the city.