Professor Willow tapped on the console in the corner of the room, accessing his Pokemon storage account. Blake merely looked on at the professor, absently adjusting fingering his shirt-tail, which he never left tucked in.
The professor grinned, noting the three Pokemon he had left in his PC. Cycling through and selecting the withdraw function, a port for Pokeballs dispensed three spheres. Blake took on a look of relief. Although he didn't want to pay for tickets to return to Fuschia, it was his eagerness to start his journey that had previously left him so upset with the professor. Willow and Blake found their way back to Kendra, who seemed to be soaking in the Pokecenter.
"Kendra, Blake," the professor began, "I have here three Pokemon. I'd like to offer one to each of you, to help you with your journey in filling up your Pokedexes. A Growlithe, an Oddish and a Psyduck." The professor checked his watch. "Please, do choose quickly. I have to be leaving... Very soon. In fact, let's walk and talk." Time must have been slipping away, as the professor's voice betrayed a bit of urgency.
The professor powerwalked out of the room, leaving the two trainers-to-be to follow.
Kendra nodded and followed the professor. As they walked through the city towards the harbor, Kendra turned to Blake and asked, "Which Pokemon would you like?" She shrugged. "I kind of want the Oddish, if you don't mind. I've always had a liking for Grass-type Pokemon. Is that going to be a problem?"
"It most certainly will not be a problem. I was hoping for the Psyduck, but I figured it best to be polite. I've had a penchant for Psychic types. I'm sure you've heard stories of what a Psyduck can do."
"Yeah, Psyducks and Golducks can get pretty powerful. They learn both Water and Psychic attacks, don't they?" Kendra said. "Well, we might as well tell Professor Willow which Pokemon we want."
Kendra jogged ahead and caught up with the professor. She had to say his name several times before she got his attention. "Sorry about that," said Professor Willow. "My mind is already back at Fuschia City. Have you and Blake decided on your Pokemon?"
"Yes, sir," Kendra said. "I'd like the Oddish, please." Professor Willow produced the Pokeball and handed it to her. Kendra took it with barely restrained glee.
"And you, Blake?" the professor asked his assistant.
Blake had to hand it to her. She knew her stuff. Her gaze earlier may have been a bit judgemental, but it was wrong for him to assume the worst based on just that.
"Blake?" the professor intoned again.
"The Psyduck, if you would be so kind, Professor." In the same practiced motion as he retrieved Kendra's Pokeball, he presented the Psyduck-containing Pokeball to Blake.
"Maybe another day, huh Growlithe?" the Professor said, patting the third Pokeball.
"Well, that takes care of everything," Professor Willow said. He pocketed the remaining Pokeball. "Blake, you have my phone numbers. Feel free to contact me if any problems arise." He smiled at the two new trainers. "Good luck, you two. Your very own Pokemon adventures are about to unfold." With that, he took his leave.
~~~~~
Three days later, Blake and Kendra, fully equipped, started out for Pewter City. Kendra had high hopes of obtaining gym badges, and Pewter City's gym looked like a good place to start. Her Oddish would have an advantage against the rock Pokemon it would face, and if Blake wanted to try for a badge too, his Psyduck would fare well.
It was late morning when Kendra arrived at Celadon City's Pokemon Center. She and Blake had agreed to meet outside at 10:00, and it was five 'til. Kendra had spent the last few days handing in her resignation, scraping together her savings, and using her employee discount to buy supplies (needless to say, she did this before resigning). Now she had her Oddish, Olive, in a Pokeball at her belt, her Pokedex in her pocket, and a stuffed backpack on her back. She was ready. As soon as Blake was here, they could leave.
Blake spent the night prior packing his things away. It was a tight fit between the clothing, foodstuffs and gear he needed to bring for research, but he managed to pack all of it away. His pack was awkward, but manageable. He gave himself a onceover in the room's mirror before heading off. His belt was fastened neatly around his waist, and a pair of headphones whose cord disappeared down his button-down red shirt hung from his neck. He could feel his wallet in one back pocket, and his Pokedex, attached to the headphones, in the other.
Everything was in order. Except for the time on his watch. Five 'till ten. He'd have to run.
And run, he did. Only a couple of blocks, but he didn't always have to move that fast. In his sprint, he managed to knock against his Psyduck's Pokeball.
"Duck?" the Psyduck said, disturbed from its rest. Seeing Blake's pace, the Psyduck decided to run after him.
"Oh. Sorry about that," Blake squeezed out between huffs. "Say, have a name?"
"Sai," the Psyduck responded, clutching its head.
"Sai?" Blake asked.
"Sai."
"Sai it is, then. Look!" he said, pointing ahead. Kendra stood, waiting. Blake hated to keep someone waiting. He glanced to his watch again. Ten o'clock. He was in time. Kinda.
"Sorry for making you wait..." Blake said, panting.
"Hey, don't worry about it," Kendra said, smiling. "You're right on time." She looked at the Psyduck. "You're keeping your Pokemon out of its Pokeball? I might as well do that, too." She took Olive's Pokeball from its spot on her belt and let the Oddish out.
"Anyway," she continued, digging into the messenger bag she wore slung over her left shoulder, "I did some research on where we should go first. Pewter City has a rock gym, and both of our Pokemon have a type advantage, so I think we should head there first. We can go east and then north by Viridian forest." Kendra produced a computer printout from her bag. She showed the map on it to Blake. "See? And we'll encounter plenty of wild Pokemon so we can get samples for the Professor's project. What do you say?"
"I say working with you will be a pleasure." Blake smiled. To be honest, he hadn't even thought about directions or to where they'd be adventuring. He supposed that he'd probably need to spend more time thinking about important things like purpose and direction in the future.
"I guess we're eastward bound, then. By all means, lead the way."
Kendra and Blake walked through the city. As they passed the Celadon Department Store, Kendra threw a cheerful salute at her former place of employment. The two teenagers passed through the western guardhouse and emerged on Route 16. Instead of heading south to the Cycling Road, though, their destination was the small, overgrown path leading west into Viridian Forest.
"Well, here we go," Kendra said as they entered the forest path. "Keep your eyes peeled for wild Pokemon." Olive, trotting along beside her, chirped in agreement.
"Bleh," Blake said. "Bug types." Whether it was because Psychics were weak against Bug types, or if they were just icky, Blake did not much care for bugs. The creepy crawlies didn't do much for him.
They pressed on into the forest. It was denser and darker than Blake would have expected it to be. Light fell in splotches and was completely obscured in other areas. There were not too many threatening Pokemon on the way, or rather, if there were, they were hidden by patches of darkness.
"So... if you don't mind my asking," Blake began. "Why the interest in this adventure?"
"Gonna be the best Grass Pokemon trainer ever," Kendra said promptly. "I was just stuck in Celadon. Takes a lot of money to finance a trainer journey, you know. Most of the cost's the Pokemon and Pokedex, so when your professor needed a volunteer, I figured this was my chance."
A movement in the grass caught Kendra's eye. "Blake, a wild Pokemon! I'm gonna fight it. Olive, go! Use Absorb!"
The Oddish charged into the tall grass. Green energy bubbled from the leafy fronds on its head and hit the Caterpie before oozing back off and onto Olive.
The Caterpie was dazed, but it reared back and tackled Olive. "Keep going!" Kendra called. The little Oddish used its Absorb again, leeching energy from the Caterpie. The bug tried using String Shot, but that didn't faze Olive. She kept sapping the health from the Caterpie until the wild Pokemon fainted.
"Whoo, yeah!" Kendra exclaimed. "Way to go, Olive!" To Blake she said, "See? I already have a perfect battle record, and against a Pokemon Olive has a type disadvantage to, to boot."
The professor grinned, noting the three Pokemon he had left in his PC. Cycling through and selecting the withdraw function, a port for Pokeballs dispensed three spheres. Blake took on a look of relief. Although he didn't want to pay for tickets to return to Fuschia, it was his eagerness to start his journey that had previously left him so upset with the professor. Willow and Blake found their way back to Kendra, who seemed to be soaking in the Pokecenter.
"Kendra, Blake," the professor began, "I have here three Pokemon. I'd like to offer one to each of you, to help you with your journey in filling up your Pokedexes. A Growlithe, an Oddish and a Psyduck." The professor checked his watch. "Please, do choose quickly. I have to be leaving... Very soon. In fact, let's walk and talk." Time must have been slipping away, as the professor's voice betrayed a bit of urgency.
The professor powerwalked out of the room, leaving the two trainers-to-be to follow.
"Ladies first," Blake insisted.
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Kendra jogged ahead and caught up with the professor. She had to say his name several times before she got his attention. "Sorry about that," said Professor Willow. "My mind is already back at Fuschia City. Have you and Blake decided on your Pokemon?"
"Yes, sir," Kendra said. "I'd like the Oddish, please." Professor Willow produced the Pokeball and handed it to her. Kendra took it with barely restrained glee.
"And you, Blake?" the professor asked his assistant.
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"Blake?" the professor intoned again.
"The Psyduck, if you would be so kind, Professor." In the same practiced motion as he retrieved Kendra's Pokeball, he presented the Psyduck-containing Pokeball to Blake.
"Maybe another day, huh Growlithe?" the Professor said, patting the third Pokeball.
"No hard feelings, of course," offered Blake.
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~~~~~
Three days later, Blake and Kendra, fully equipped, started out for Pewter City. Kendra had high hopes of obtaining gym badges, and Pewter City's gym looked like a good place to start. Her Oddish would have an advantage against the rock Pokemon it would face, and if Blake wanted to try for a badge too, his Psyduck would fare well.
It was late morning when Kendra arrived at Celadon City's Pokemon Center. She and Blake had agreed to meet outside at 10:00, and it was five 'til. Kendra had spent the last few days handing in her resignation, scraping together her savings, and using her employee discount to buy supplies (needless to say, she did this before resigning). Now she had her Oddish, Olive, in a Pokeball at her belt, her Pokedex in her pocket, and a stuffed backpack on her back. She was ready. As soon as Blake was here, they could leave.
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Everything was in order. Except for the time on his watch. Five 'till ten. He'd have to run.
And run, he did. Only a couple of blocks, but he didn't always have to move that fast. In his sprint, he managed to knock against his Psyduck's Pokeball.
"Duck?" the Psyduck said, disturbed from its rest. Seeing Blake's pace, the Psyduck decided to run after him.
"Oh. Sorry about that," Blake squeezed out between huffs. "Say, have a name?"
"Sai," the Psyduck responded, clutching its head.
"Sai?" Blake asked.
"Sai."
"Sai it is, then. Look!" he said, pointing ahead. Kendra stood, waiting. Blake hated to keep someone waiting. He glanced to his watch again. Ten o'clock. He was in time. Kinda.
"Sorry for making you wait..." Blake said, panting.
"Duck," Sai offered.
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"Anyway," she continued, digging into the messenger bag she wore slung over her left shoulder, "I did some research on where we should go first. Pewter City has a rock gym, and both of our Pokemon have a type advantage, so I think we should head there first. We can go east and then north by Viridian forest." Kendra produced a computer printout from her bag. She showed the map on it to Blake. "See? And we'll encounter plenty of wild Pokemon so we can get samples for the Professor's project. What do you say?"
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"I guess we're eastward bound, then. By all means, lead the way."
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"Well, here we go," Kendra said as they entered the forest path. "Keep your eyes peeled for wild Pokemon." Olive, trotting along beside her, chirped in agreement.
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They pressed on into the forest. It was denser and darker than Blake would have expected it to be. Light fell in splotches and was completely obscured in other areas. There were not too many threatening Pokemon on the way, or rather, if there were, they were hidden by patches of darkness.
"So... if you don't mind my asking," Blake began. "Why the interest in this adventure?"
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A movement in the grass caught Kendra's eye. "Blake, a wild Pokemon! I'm gonna fight it. Olive, go! Use Absorb!"
The Oddish charged into the tall grass. Green energy bubbled from the leafy fronds on its head and hit the Caterpie before oozing back off and onto Olive.
The Caterpie was dazed, but it reared back and tackled Olive. "Keep going!" Kendra called. The little Oddish used its Absorb again, leeching energy from the Caterpie. The bug tried using String Shot, but that didn't faze Olive. She kept sapping the health from the Caterpie until the wild Pokemon fainted.
"Whoo, yeah!" Kendra exclaimed. "Way to go, Olive!" To Blake she said, "See? I already have a perfect battle record, and against a Pokemon Olive has a type disadvantage to, to boot."
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