Hey everyone, from now on there'll be a new chapter every Wednesday. Summer's starting, the sun is shining, and my girlfriend's getting mad that I'm not spending enough time with her :).
***
"I'll take that Magikarp," I said with a smile. "But you're going to answer a few questions about Mount Moon and throw in some tips and tricks so I don't kick the bucket up there."
The old man's eyes glinted like a fox's. He pondered for a moment before suggesting, "Magikarp plus an extra hundred dollars, and we have a deal."
I nodded instantly. Two hundred dollars for a chance to survive a death trap? I valued my life significantly more than a few scraps of paper.
"So, what am I going to run into in the mountain, and how do I get through safely?" I asked after a moment, while the old man smiled at me with satisfaction.
"I like that. Most youngsters don't even stop to talk to me; they just march straight into the mountain... and I end up having to fix the tunnels with my Golem afterward. Half the time the fools just end up dead," he shook his head. "Back in my day, we all met up and traveled in groups! We actually shared advice... But now you've got those 'eternities' in your phones and Pokédexes, so you think you know everything!" He scowled for a second with a melancholy look, then went quiet.
I cleared my throat to remind him I was there.
"What were you asking again?"
I repeated the question with a smile. He reminded me a bit of Professor Oak. I wasn't sure why—he didn't act or look the same. Maybe it was just the veteran mannerisms and that wistful gaze.
"Right, right," he nodded, as if he hadn't forgotten at all, and began to explain: "You'll run into all sorts. Vermin like Zubat and Paras, but also dangerous pieces, like Onix. Be careful with those—you have to take them down on the first try. Even though the tunnels are reinforced, a powerful Onix can easily bring the whole thing down on you, and then I'm back to cleaning up with Golem again."
He scowled again, so I just cleared my throat, and he continued: "There are some mice too, Sandshrew. Occasionally you might spot a Clefairy. And then there's Larvitar and Pupitar... If you run into them and you're not a powerful enough trainer, run. Period. Because a Tyranitar won't be far off. The odds of seeing them are low, but a few live there. If you stick to the main path, you should be fine."
"So as long as the tunnels are reinforced, I just keep heading forward?" I asked just to be sure.
The old-timer nodded with a grin: "Yes. The path isn't straight, it winds quite a bit, but if you follow the lit sections and don't take any detours, you'll make it through." That melancholy look returned. "In my day, we used lanterns... Those who went in there with flashlights didn't last long," he chuckled in amusement. "Idiots. They'd shine the light right in a Pokémon's eyes, scare it, and it would attack instantly."
Even though I only had a flashlight in my backpack, if the path was lit, I wasn't going to go hunting for a lantern now. I decided to keep the fact that I belonged to that group of "idiots" with flashlights to myself.
"Any specific tips for me?"
The old man calmly looked over my Squirtle, my Houndour, and then the shifting shadow at my feet.
"Your Squirtle looks strong; his water attacks should pull you through," he paused for a moment before adding: "Assuming he has enough pressure behind the blast. The Houndour is decent enough... and that ghost in your shadow? What's he about?"
Suddenly, Haunter burst out of me with a sharp cry: "Haunt!"
The old man jumped back with surprising agility. Hand on his heart, he began to swear: "Son of a bitch! Fucking hell!" He gasped for air for a second. "Back in my day, ghosts had manners, especially toward their elders!"
"Really?" I asked curiously, while my Haunter laughed hysterically with his wide, jagged grin.
"No," the old man replied with a laugh. "I'm kidding, they've always been little shits."
I nodded in agreement. Scaring was second nature to them; they said a trainer shouldn't scold a ghost for it, or they'd lose its trust. That's why it didn't bother me. My Pokémon's satisfaction was more important than the feelings of some random guy selling me info.
The old man looked Haunter over appreciatively for a while, but then shook his head: "He looks strong, but he's no Gengar. If you run into a Tyranitar, Squirtle is your only hope." He shrugged. "But if you hit a Golem or an Onix, you should be golden, kid."
That was enough for me. The advice was valuable, though the old man clearly thought Squirtle was more powerful than he actually was. Since I wasn't in a rush, I decided we'd be better off continuing our training today and entering the mountain tomorrow, even though it wasn't even noon yet.
I pulled out my wallet and handed him the promised two hundred dollars. He went to grab a Magikarp for me, but I stopped him.
"I'm going to go book a room and I'll be right back for him," I told him. "Thanks for the advice, see you in a bit."
The old man nodded with a smile, and the team and I continued toward the Pokécenter. Houndour walked on my right, tail wagging and tongue out, while Squirtle walked on my left with a dead-serious expression. I had a feeling he was already imagining what awaited us in Mount Moon, but judging by his clenched claws, he was determined. Haunter was back in my shadow, satisfied after his successful scare.
Less than three minutes later, we were walking inside. At first glance, it was a scaled-down Pokécenter that served more as a death-prevention outpost. Statistically, about as many trainers died in Mount Moon every year as in the Viridian Forest. In the cities, however, there were three Pokécenters right at hand. Here, there was at least this one.
Nurse Joy was behind the counter. She greeted me professionally but without a smile—she was the first person I'd met who didn't seem friendly.
"Hello. Room and healing?" she asked coldly.
"Yes, a room for one night, please," I replied and handed her my ID. "We don't need healing. I noticed it's a bit smaller here compared to other centers. Do you have a training room and a cafeteria?"
She took the card and started typing into the computer. Without looking up, she replied: "We don't have a training room. There is a cafeteria, but the food selection is limited due to the center's capacity and size."
I could see she wasn't in the mood for small talk, so when she handed me the key, I went straight to the room. It was sparse and the same size as those in standard Pokécenters.
I thought about taking a shower, but the lack of a training room messed up my plans. It would have been useful, but without it, we had to go train outside. After a moment of hesitation in the middle of the room, I decided: training first, then shower and dinner. I didn't bother unpacking anything—what for? My backpack was compact and, thanks to the tech inside, it miniaturized items and reduced their weight. With my team at my heels, I headed back out of the center.
A few moments later, I was back at the old man's. He immediately gestured toward the tank.
"Pick whichever one you want."
"The biggest one," I replied. I didn't really care which one it was.
"Ohoho, someone wants themselves a real big Gyarados," the old man smirked, but he complied and started looking for the largest specimen.
"No," I replied amused. "We're going to eat that Magikarp for lunch."
The old man immediately looked up from the water and grinned broadly: "And here I thought you were just another stupid brat."
"Another?"
He immediately launched into a story as he started pulling the fish out of the tank.
"Sure, some moron was here last week claiming Pokémon are our friends and we definitely shouldn't eat them... He literally swore to me he'd never eat a Pokémon, right as he was chewing on some dried Miltank jerky from the supermarket," he laughed into the water, pulling out a particularly beefy one.
He tossed the three-foot Magikarp onto a tray and, in one fluid motion, drew a knife. With a quick strike, he severed its head. He did it so fast I doubted the Magikarp even realized it was dead. Blood spurted and the body twitched on the tray for a moment before going still.
The old man clearly had practice. With a smile, he grabbed the Magikarp by its tail fin, lifted it, and continued the conversation as if nothing had happened: "If you take the head off right, the pressure and auric energy bleed it out much faster. Two or three minutes and you're done. Want me to fillet it for you?" he offered. "Fifty bucks and the bag is free."
I still felt like I was in the money and I was curious about his technique. While I knew how to process a Magikarp, I was certain I was a total amateur compared to this guy. I nodded. He waited a bit longer, and when the blood was barely dripping, he tossed it back on the tray and opened it down the middle with a smooth cut. I just watched the ease with which he cleaned the meat and tossed the innards.
I was sure that if I had done it, I would have lost a good ten percent of the meat. When he finished, he pulled out some foil from somewhere and wrapped the neatly sliced fillets for me.
"Here you go, young man, enjoy your meal," he wished me with a smile as I handed him more money.
Houndour was, of course, drooling all over the place, but Squirtle looked a little pale. We headed back to the clearing where we had slept before. It was an ideal spot for training.
Even though it was further from the Pokécenter, the stone walls and fewer trees made the clearing a great location. It was perfect for training auric fire, acid, and water. This time we didn't jog but kept a steady pace; I was determined to do the run in the evening on the way back.
After a few minutes, I saw two people walking toward us in the distance. Up close, I recognized a shorter guy with a brown cap turned backward, a gelled fringe sticking out from underneath. An Elekid walked by his side, and he was accompanied by a fairly attractive brunette. The girl nodded a greeting, which I returned, but the guy just glared at me and kept talking.
"Brock is a pushover, my Poliwhirl crushed him! He didn't stand a chance... that's why nobody respects him. And word is—it's a secret, but I have inside info—that the League wants to replace him..." he was rambling on with his arrogant nonsense.
The girl just listened without reacting. But when I heard it, I saw red.
"What did you just say, you idiot?!" I snapped, cutting him off angrily.
"What's it to you, nobody? Get lost, before my Elekid levels that Squirtle of yours," he snorted.
"I challenge you to a one-on-one, you moron," I declared. I was dead set on destroying that Elekid and then punching him in the face for that stupid talk.
"Pff, you don't stand a chance," he stated smugly. "Two hundred dollars. I'll scan your ID with my Pokédex so you don't try to bolt."
"How about a thousand?" As soon as I heard he had a Pokédex, I was sure he was buying me dinner today. "Or are you scared?"
He hissed through his teeth: "Make it ten thousand then!" He clearly didn't like that I dared to stand up to him in front of the brunette. "Hand over the ID."
Angry but amused at the same time, I pulled out my Pokédex and turned on the scanner. We confirmed the amount, the device gave a green beep, and we were ready to go.
"By the way, I bet he's packing light," I smirked toward the brunette.
She just lifted a corner of her mouth and stepped further back.
"Elekid!" the idiot hissed.
The Pokémon moved forward threateningly, but I could already smell the money. Squirtle and Houndour looked determined, but I wasn't sure of the outcome with them. There was only one logical choice.
"Haunter," I called out to my starter. He burst out of my shadow with immense joy. He looked thrilled, evidenced by his wide grin full of sharp teeth. He had heard every single word and took it personally—after all, it was he who had beaten Brock.
The guy turned a bit pale, but he wasn't going to back down.
"Jane, start us off!" he shouted angrily over his shoulder.
"Three, two, one, go!" Jane counted down.
"Thunder Shock!" the guy yelled.
Elekid obeyed immediately and began to concentrate, building up electricity. The smell of ozone began to crackle in the air. Haunter levitated in anticipation. It took Elekid so long to fire the discharge that we could have hit him twice, but I waited patiently and curiously.
With a struggle, he raised his arms and cried out. A weak flash shot toward Haunter, who dodged it with ease. Electricity was fast, but this attack was far too weak and slow. It hit the ground with a crackle, right where Haunter had been a split second before.
"Again!" the moron screamed angrily.
"Hypnosis and a medium Shadow Ball, Haunter!" I commanded.
Even though I was sure hypnosis wasn't even necessary, it was a great combination. Haunter laughed in amusement and instantly flew in front of Elekid, who was trying to gather more energy. Haunter began to visibly hypnotize him. Elekid desperately released the rest of his energy—most of it flew off toward the sky and only a few sparks landed on Haunter. He hissed but didn't stop. After a moment, spirals were already spinning in Elekid's eyes.
"Wake up, Elekid! Fight!" the idiot screamed.
My Haunter was enjoying the trainer's anger and helplessness, so he was in no hurry. He stared directly into his eyes, and energy began to swirl in his claws. The orb was growing, so I had to rein him in.
"Medium, Haunter!" I called out firmly. I wasn't planning on killing his Pokémon.
Haunter stopped immediately, gave me an apologetic look, and fired the Shadow Ball. Before it could hit Elekid, however, the trainer recalled him into his ball. I immediately confirmed the win on the Pokédex. He scowled at me but remained silent. He confirmed the transaction without a word, and a notification for ten thousand dollars hitting my account immediately pinged on my device.
"Good choice, calling him back," I acknowledged. It was actually somewhat empathetic of him, even if he was a total fool.
Slowly, I raised my hand and slapped him across the face. He fell to the ground in surprise. I made sure it wasn't too hard.
"What are you doing?!" he blurted out, more shocked than angry.
"Just so you don't forget that when you talk shit, you get hit," I informed him. "Brock is a respected Gym Leader and one of the pillars of Kanto. You aren't fit to lace his boots. You only fought his beginner team, not his main roster."
He looked like he wanted to protest, but then changed his mind and started to get up. His gelled fringe wasn't sticking out quite so neatly from under his cap anymore. I wondered if I should give him another one, something he probably read from my face because he backed away quickly. With a scowl on my face but amused inside, I took a step toward him and smirked when he backed away again. I was a head taller, and while he was scrawny, I had an athletic build. Training, good food, and the modified biology of people in this world worked wonders. Maybe it also helped that I had a sword on my back and a visible dagger on my trousers.
He remained silent, clearly not wanting to admit anything in front of the brunette. I continued on my way. Jane stood a little way off, watching us with an amused look and a slight smile.
"Bye, Jane," I said to her as I passed by.
"Wait!" she called out after a moment. "What's your name?"
I smirked in amusement and replied without stopping: "Super-awesome anonymous!"
I kept walking. If I met her later, she'd remember me much better thanks to that remark and her own curiosity than if I'd just bluntly told her my name.
***
Author's note:
Were any of you expecting a Gyarados? Fresh Magikarp has to taste amazing, though.
In a profession where people die young, it definitely pays to listen to the veterans (even if you get a lecture about 'eternities' along the way).
Also, some people in this world just have zero respect and deserve a slap to the face. Did he have it coming? Let me know!
***
Step into the Restricted Section
The shadows are shifting, and the story goes much deeper... If you can't wait for the next update, Advanced Chapters are already waiting for you.
Enter the Restricted Section here: you-know-what/PatrikWriter
Upcoming Chapters – Already Written(6):
23. Ten Thousand Kicks
24. A World in Monochrome
25. The Stoic's Resolve
26. Claws in the Clearing
27. Into the Depths
28. The Grey Disciple
Join the Inner Circle - tgdTNZYVKt (Discord)
(Vote on plot | Dark FF recs | Chat with the Author)
Support the craft and keep the darkness spreading. Your support directly allows for faster updates.