I've finally cracked down to write this next chapter. This is the first chapter where I'm proud to say that this is my work. What better way to set an unfortunate scene then with some rain?
But before I post it, I just want to apologize for the way I used to respond to comments. I was pretty naive and immature for 13, and a lot of maturity happens in the course of a year. I'm nowhere close to the way I acted when I first wrote this. Enjoy Chapter 9 (already?).
~~~
Chapter 9: Rain on My Parade
A heavy downpour soaked the asphalt and cobblestone of the Pewter City Streets; a thick layer of gloomy, dark gray clouds blocked out any microscopic ray of sun. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that it appeared to be a late night in the city.
The neon reddish-orange Pokemon Center sign, all of a large “P”, flicked occasionally, making the typical hum of any neon light. It was faint, and the sign’s blinking was sparse, but the whole scene looked like something out of a dark movie. Inside the Pewter City Pokemon Center, the line at the desk numbered enough to the point that a large stack of cards were brought out on a tray table. “Take one,” the sign on the table blared. Take a number, a seat, and stay warm and dry.
Meanwhile, Nurse Joy was behind the desk as usual, her Chansey running errands and directing Trainers where to sit, where to go, and what to do. It was a calm, organized chaos that moved swiftly, as many Trainers leaving the line as there were getting into it. Hunter and Rose shoved their way out of the door, using whatever they had on hand to attempt to stay dry. It was almost random and unfortunate misfortune that this occurred, but the two ten-year olds trudged on, making it a point to get to Mount Moon in the quickest manner possible. They were sprinting down the cobblestone road when they found themselves scampering and splashing through the turned-muddy Route 3. “Ew, gross,” Rose complained, jumping up onto some large rocks to keep her lower half dry.
“Oh come on,” Hunter said in an attempt to sway Rose to join him in his muddy trek. “It’s not that bad. It could be flooded. Then we’d be,” he chuckled. “Getting our feet wet.”
Rose scowled. “So not the time for that. Let’s see what I can do to help. Caterpie? String Shot a...um....carpet, if you will.” She tossed out the Pokeball, the worm inside shooting out white cobwebby material across Route 3 widthwise. The sticky white stuff sunk right into the mud. “Aw no,” Rose sighed, disappointed. “Whatever. I’ll keep moving. Not like I expect anyone to help me,” she insinuated directly. “Whatever,” she said, sighing again, returning Caterpie in its Pokeball. Hunter’s Pidgey, however, was perched on a fallen log, cooing and letting the rain trickle off of the leaves of a tall fern and onto its soft, downy feathers.
Hunter giggled in the same way that one would when watching a cute viral video. “Okay Pidgey, bathtime’s over,” he chuckled, holding out a Pokeball.
“Hunter, I’m sitting here soaking wet and I need to get to the Mount Moon Pokemon Center so I can dry up,” Rose whined.
“Well, excuse me princess,” Hunter retorted. “If we go any faster, we’ll be face down in the mud. Pick one: wet or muddy.”
Rose groaned. “Fine. I wish someone would ride up in, like, an ATV and drive us off to the Pokemon Center.” The path turned rocky, the moderately dense ferns and brush turning sparse and sporadic. Cliffs and steep hills made Route 3 a dangerous place to travel in inclement weather. As if God had heard her prayers, a Jeep came speeding down the mud, splashing mud and dirt all over the green foliage.
The man that jumped out of the Jeep jumped out fearlessly, his white, red, and black boots now slathered in the muck, his black and gold shorts narrowly avoiding the mud. He adjusted his short-cut red jacket and ran a hand through his dark navy blue hair, brought to two points on either side of his head “Hey,” he said. “You two look like you’re in need of a ride. Hop in.” He smiled.
Rose flipped her hair, sending water flying everywhere. “Well hello there,” she flirted. “You think you can take us to the Mount Moon Pokemon Center?”
The man, maybe eighteen or so, held his hands out as if to tell Rose to back off. “Funny you should ask,” he said awkwardly, cautiously eyeing Rose. “I’m just about to head over to Mount Moon. What are your names?”
Hunter stepped in, annoyed by Rose’s attempt to get a guy. “I’m Hunter.” He pushed Rose out of the way. She stumbled over a rock and managed to break out of her lovestruck gaze to save herself from a muddy doom. “And the girl whose got a date with the dirt over there, you know, the one trying to flirt with you? That’s Rose. So, if it’s not out of your way, would you mind taking us-”
“To Mount Moon PC, I know,” the young man finished. “By the way, I’m Lunick, but you can just call me Nick. Come on; time’s a-wastin’,” he joked, flashing another smile. Hunter obediently climbed up into the back of the Jeep, while Rose picked herself out of her peril, pulling out a towel and placing it in the left side backseat of the truck. Another young man, about the same age as Nick, was waiting for him to cover the hood of the truck. He had bushy, green neck-length hair, and his pants were tucked neatly into his boots. He sat buckled in on the front passenger side.
Nick finally hopped into the Jeep. “Spenser, I picked up two novice Trainers. Meet Hunter and Rose. Oh, don’t be shy, introduce yourself.”
The green-haired man, evidently Spenser, turned around, raising up a hand. The quartet sped off through the rocky views of Route 3. “So.” Spenser lingered on the word, collecting his thoughts. “Tell us a little about yourselves.”
“Well, I’m Rose Taylor. I’m from Pallet Town, and I’ve only been on the road for almost a week now with Hunter here. I’m going to do my first Contest in Cerulean City hopefully. So far I’m just following Hunter, waiting for my chance to shine.”
“I’m Hunter Peterson.” I’m also from Pallet; been traveling with Rose.” He paused to cough. “Got the Boulder Badge yesterday and I’m going to get my second in Cerulean City. I’m just continuing the story my dad started.”
“Looks like Cerulean City will be a major point for the two of you,” Nick stated plainly, not breaking focus from the road. “Like I said, I’m Lunick, you can call me Nick. I’m a Pokemon Ranger here. I transferred from the school and the Ranger HQ in the Fiore region.”
Rose was intrigued. “Pokemon Ranger?”
“Yeah, we’re like the Police, only different. See I’ve got a couple Pokeballs; they’re only for the two Pokemon I’ve had since I began traveling in Johto as a Trainer like you, Hunter. Only the ones that have done me best. I’ve got a Capture Styler- think of it as a temporary Pokeball.”
It was Hunter now who was captured in Nick’s story. “So how does it work?”
“I’ll answer that,” Spenser interrupted. “It works like a Pokeball in the sense that you have to capture and befriend the target. You usually use the captured Pokemon for a brief task, then the capture breaks. If you seriously intend on keeping it- and I mean seriously- you can use a Pokeball, but rangers get those really rarely.”
“And who are you again?” Rose interrogated.
Spenser laughed, shaking his head, his long green hair swaying about. “I’m Spenser, I’m a Ranger too. I, too, transferred from Fiore like Nick, but only a couple months before him. We never met before then. It’s cra...What was that?” Spenser’s tone changed from laid back to fervently grave. The sand-colored Jeep sputtered to a halt, smoke spouting out from under the hood, the rain pitter-pattering all over the body. “I’m going to take a guess and say that’s bad,” Spenser stated.
Lunick was well ahead of Spenser, already on the phone. “Hey, Lana,” he said, trying not do sound too urgent. “Can you get Chris or Jen out here, or some other mechanic? What do you mean they’re all busy, I’ve got two novice Trainers, me, and Spense in the car on Route 3 East in the pouring rain. Yes, the car’s broken down, why else do you think I’m calling you, I’m not asking you out!” His cheeks were red, his voice was rising, and he was clearly in a state of unbreakable panic. “Are any other of the Mechanics available? Greg, Bill, anyone?” he groaned. “Well the car’s smoking. Literally billowing smoke. I can hang here and get Spense to go to the Mount Moon PC, but I doubt anyone will be there to help. Yeah, you’re right. I’ll see you.” He cursed under his breath, slamming his hand into a button that sent the headlights into a rhythmic blinking and clicking.
“Y’all are going to have to walk from here,” Spenser said. Nick was already outside with the hood of the truck open, using any method of ventilation to keep the car from overheating. The rain helped to keep the engine cool, however, it just created more steam and smoke than it did cool it off.
“I’m sorry guys,” Nick apologized, still focused on the problem at hand. “It’s not really too much further, maybe less than a quarter mile.” He gazed into the storm, squinting. “I can faintly make out a neon ‘P’, so you shouldn’t have much more of a walk left. I’ll send Spense with you; he’s going in that direction anyways.”
“No it’s fine,” Rose responded. “We don’t need a chaperone, it’s only a short walk. Thanks for the offer.”
“Yeah,” Hunter put in. “You need some help with that smoking Jeep.”
“Well, good luck then,” Lunick said, accepting their decline for help. “Who knows? It’s a small world; we’ll probably meet again somewhere.”
“Thanks again for the ride,” Hunter thanked, nudging Rose to do the same. She did and the two novices turned to head down the Route 3/Route 4 border.
Only minutes went by, but it felt as if the hours dragged along, each second lingering for as long as it could possibly before the next one took charge. The once downpouring rain lightened up slightly but showed no sign of a letup. The road was a large mud puddle in some areas.
“Hey, I think I see the Pokemon Center a little clearer!” Hunter exclaimed.
Rose squinted through the drizzle, still advancing. “I definitely see it coming closer. Thankfully too, I’m so ridiculously soaked it’s not even funny.” Her mid-length red-brown hair was clinging to her face, her clothes drenched and sticking to her body like saran wrap. “It’s hard to tell, though. I’m not sure whether or not I’m seeing things.”
“No, I think we’re just about there.” Another set of lights turned on; these operated like police sirens, the orange lights rotating. The lights were no emergency signal; they acted light little lighthouses, signaling to oncoming trainers that there was an area for rest.
“We’re closer! I see lights near the ground- it’s got to be a door, right?” Rose took off, a complete turnaround from her miserable demeanor only minutes prior. Hunter stopped, shrugged and followed suit. The mud puddles that they so carefully treaded around were sprinted through swiftly. Nothing could stop them from reaching that Pokemon Center. Even the steep cliffs warranted no challenge. The pair scaled rocks and got dirty to reach their goal. The Pokemon Center was staring them right in the face, taunting them as if to say “you can’t reach me. You’re weak. You’re too weak to go that last few yards. You’ll never get here. Failures.”
“...Almost...there...” Hunter panted, forcing his body to push that extra step up the cliff. It was a straight run after that last rocky wall.
“So close...” Rose breathed, panting out each word. Her backpack, however necessary, weighed her down, yet somehow, she found the power to continue on. Her goal: A well-earned spot on a couch in the Pokemon Center.
One muddy pants leg, and then another. Hunter heaved himself up, turning to help his comrade. Rose held a hand up, fatigue nearly taking over her body. “I will make it,” Rose willed. “I can do this.”
“Come on, Rose, just a little more!” Hunter cheered. “Stretch! I got you!”
“I am! Lean forward more!”
“I got you! Get your feet on the flat part and walk up!”
“I’m trying, I’m trying!”
“You’ve got a couple more inches!” With a grunt, Hunter hoisted Rose up onto the flat road. “Rose, it’s almost sunset. I don’t care what happens next, just run until you land on a couch.” He took a deep breath. “Three, two, one. Ready, set, RUN!” The pair, tired as they were, sprinted as fast as they could. The rain became heavier, the steady and light rain becoming a downpour, fueling their hunger for success tenfold. “Faster!”
Rose didn’t respond, too out of breath from scaling cliffs and running. She felt on top of the world. Nothing can stop me, she thought. It was an attempt to will her legs to not go limp. I’m invincible.
The hum of the neon “P” quietly blared in the steady, dismal downpour. The ten-year olds were a muddy, wet mess, heading straight for the couch. “Oh, no,” Nurse Joy reprimanded. “Chansey, take them to the showers, and give them a room.”
“Thank you....so much...” Rose panted, trying to calm herself. Chansey stuffed two soft, white towels in its pouch, handing its egg to Hunter. The pink humanoid egg motioned to Hunter, then Rose. “You want us to eat it?” Chansey nodded.
Hunter tentatively bit into it and swallowed. “Mmm, thanks!” He starting to nearly inhale the delicate item.
“Hey, save some for me!” Rose, too, carefully bit into it. “Wow.” She swallowed. “That’s like nothing I’ve ever had before. It’s....refreshing.” Chansey waved a hand and walked on, opening a room and leading them to the showers. It pointed at the beds, then swiped a hand across its body as if to say “don’t sit there”. The pair thanked Nurse Joy’s co-worker again, and it left the room, slamming the door behind it.
“I’m first!” Hunter exclaimed, dashing off into the bathroom, flipping the switch on the fan.
Rose stood outside, just waiting to melt into the floor of the shower. She remained statuesque on one of the soft, downy towels so as to not dirty the rug, trying to ignore Hunter’s outcries of “Oh, this feels so good!” and his various other expressions of “oohs” and “aahs”. Inside the steamy bathroom, Hunter cranked the knob off, choking the flow of the hot water. He creaked open the door, sending out a thick mass of water vapor. Rose flew into the shower, bowling over Hunter, and clicking on the fan again. “Oh my God! This feels amazing!”
Rose let the perfectly-heated water caress down her body, the gentle stream washing away all the hardships of the day’s events. The water cleansed and relaxed her, the steam warming her. Rose forgot everything that happened, from Lunick to the final dash into the Pokemon Center. Every negative thought fled from her mind, leaving her optimistic about the road ahead. She exited the bathroom and slipped into jeans, a sweatshirt, and her sneakers. She opened her notebook. “Today was rough,” she wrote. “We got to the Mount Moon Pokemon Center. We struggled through Route 3 because it poured and it’s really rocky, so we were a mess getting here. We’re heading for Mount Moon and Cerulean City tomorrow.” She paused. “My shining moment is so close.” With that, Rose slammed the notebook shut. “Hunter, we’re out of here!” She called.
Hunter walked out, shoving Richard Peterson’s cap down on his drying head. “Cool. Mount Moon, here we come.” They sped down the staircase, dropping 500 Pokedollars on the counter. A quick thanks and Hunter and Rose were out the door.
The rain finally subsided, leaving the atmosphere still overcast. A blind elderly man stood between the Pokemon Center and the Mount Moon entrance. He supported himself on a gnarled wooden walking stick, his poncho blanketing his hunched body. His ghostly gray-white hair was nearly invisible. “You two youngsters,” the old man beckoned. “I have the news of your future.”
“Um, alright,” Hunter said, perplexed. “What is this ‘news of the future’?”
“I will tell you,” the clairvoyant rasped. “But only if you are deserving.”
“Are we deserving?”
“I will tell you,” the clairvoyant whispered again, “but only if you are deserving.”
“You already said that,” Rose barked. “How do we know if we are deserving?”
The clairvoyant reached under his poncho, revealing a red and white metal sphere. “Battle me and know if you are deserving.”
