To Be All I Can Be
By: EmeraldDragon
Part2



Disclaimer: If it is not in the games or on the TV show I own it, and I
want to be asked before one of my characters is used.

Janelle had pocked through the grass out side town for over an hour in
hopes of catching some new pokemon. She was about to give up and go back,
when a raspy, dry sound came to her ear. She turned and moved as quietly
as possible in the direction of the sound. Parting some bushes, revealed a
small clearing filled with strange creatures. The pokemon looked like they
were made of sand colored bricks with two large blue eyes. The animals
chattered amongst themselves as they ate bugs from the grass. When Janelle
reached into her pack for a spare pokeball, Growlithe, who was sitting next
to her, jumped to her feet.
"No Growlithe, I need to give Lapras a chance to fight too." She
instructed as she enlarged Lapras’ pokeball. Growlithe sat back down
indignantly as Lapras appeared. "OK Lapras use a Water Gun on that
pokemon." Janelle said pointing to a creature smaller then the others.
Lapras opened her mouth and released a long stream of water. The brick
pokemon scattered from the cascade that rained down on the smallest of
them. The little pokemon squalled in pain.
"Enough Lapras, now time to catch my first pokemon!" She threw the red
and white ball at the brick pokemon. The ball struck and captured its
target, then shook once…twice… "ping"
"All right!!! I caught my first pokemon!!" She said running, picking up
the pokeball, and holding it over her head. Growlithe jumped around in
excitement and Lapras celebrated in her own way.
"Yes I caught a…um…a…I don’t know." she retrieved her pokedex from her
pack. "Pokedex, identify."
"Beep: Sandshrew. This pokemon often lives in arid areas. It digs under
ground to protect itself from the sun. Beep"
"Lapras return. Go Sandshrew." Sandshrew appeared in Lapras’ place. "Hi
Sandshrew, I’m Janelle, your trainer." Sandshrew just looked away. The
pokedex still open in her hand spoke up.
"Beep: Many wild caught pokemon need time to trust their trainers. Beep"
"Oh." She put the pokedex away, "Sandshrew return. Come on Growlithe,
it’s getting dark, let’s go find Phil."
************************************************************
The fire crackled in the small camp site. Two sleeping bags lay on the
ground on opposing sides of the fire. Janelle and Phil sat on a log eating
their trainer meals while their pokemon; Growlithe, Lapras, Sandshrew,
Nidoran(male), Meowth, and Nidoran(female); ate out of pokemon food tins on
the ground at their feet.
"You haven’t said much lately Phil, is something wrong?"
"I’m still a little upset about my father not coming this morning."
"I thought you would be uses to it by now. Your dad didn’t show up to
most of your things."
"I know, That’s the problem. My father doesn’t show up to thing because
I’m just a big disappointment to him."
"Where did you get an idea like that?"
"When your dad beat my father for being the pokemon master, it tore him
up. He swore revenge on your dad. He married one of his cheerleaders, but
she died in childbirth. From the time I could walk and talk my father
taught me about pokemon. He would send me to my great grandfather’s for
weeks at a time. All that was important was that I learn as much as I
could as fast as I could. When me and you became friends, he saw an
opportunity to for me to learn from ‘The Master’. When I was 5 my father
took me to see a gym leader battle, when we got home I told him that I was
going to be a gym leader. He was furious, he said that unless I became the
pokemon master I wouldn’t be his son. He gave all his pokemon to my great
grandfather and took to drinking. I spent the next five years between my
great grandfather and friends’ houses, only living with my father when it
was absolutely necessary. He was drinking only when he wasn’t sleeping.
There was rarely food in the house, he spent every cent he earned on alcohol."
"Phil, I had no idea…"
"Of coarse you don’t" He snapped, "your the daughter of Ash Ketchem."
"Don’t snap at me! Besides my life isn’t a piece of cake either."
"Oh come on Janelle, every one knows your going to be the next pokemon
master."
"No Phil, every one THINKS I will. What if I can’t meet every ones
expectations?"
"Yeah, that compares." Janelle could see they needed a subject change.
"So…what dose it take to be a gym leader?" Phil smiled for the first time
sense this morning.
"You ether have to be born to it, or you have to win all the required
badges with only the type you want to use. Followed by a written test."
Janelle looked at the pokemon now playing around the camp.
"So your training non-elemental pokemon?"
"Normal-types, Janelle"
"Maybe I should have spent some of those summers with you and Prof. Oak."
He started chuckling.
"Let’s go to bed." They returned all their pokemon, except Growlithe, to
their pokeballs before settling down themselves.
************************************************************
Janelle was awakened by Growlithe’s cold, wet nose on her cheek.
"It’s too early Growlithe, go back to sleep." She groaned as she rolled
over.
"GROOOOWWL" Growlithe howled into her ear, causing her to sit strait up.
"Growlithe, it’s not even light yet. What could you possible want!" She
looked on sleepily as Growlithe began to pull on her shirt.
"All right I’m getting up." She groaned as she put on her shoes.
"Now what is so important it couldn’t wait till morning?"
"Ithe growl owl" Janelle followed Growlithe into the woods about 35 paces
before she heard the crackle of electricity. Growlithe lead her to where
three pikachu were repeatedly shocking a thorn bush. Janelle squinted, and
in-between flashes of electricity she could see a small, thin, pikachu. It
must have gone under there to escape the three larger pikachu.
"Growlithe go use your Flame Thrower on those three."
"Growl" Growlithe agreed. Growlithe stepped from the bushes in a
challenging pose. The three pikachu turned their attention away from the
little one and to Growlithe.
"PIKA…" The three pikachu started to power up, but Growlithe beat them to
the punch. She released a column of fire that turned them all black, and
running for cover themselves. Janelle approached the thorn bush and looked
in at the little, terrified, creature it held.
"It’s OK little one, I won’t hurt you." The pikachu didn’t move, It just
looked at her with frightened eyes. Suddenly its gaze shifted to Growlithe.
"Pikaaa"
"Growl ithe ithe owl Growlithe."
"Pikachu kachu pi?"
"Growlithe owl." Pikachu slowly crawled from under the bush. Carefully,
Janelle picked up the bruised, bloody, and charred pokemon. With Growlithe
leading the way and Pikachu in her arms she made her way back to camp.
"Phil, wake up. Come on, wake up." Janelle shook him a little.
"Go away, it’s too early." He groaned.
"Come on Phil, It’s important." He sat up slowly rubbing his eyes.
"Fine what is it?"
"Growlithe and I helped this hurt pikachu, and we need to get it to Nurse
Joy." Phil looked down at the tiny pikachu asleep in Janelle’s arms.
"It looks pretty bad Janelle, you better go a head and take it to the
pokecenter. I’ll clean up camp and meet you there." Janelle didn’t even
respond. She just started running for the pokecenter with Growlithe at her
heels. They had only camped five minutes from town, but the run to the
pokecenter seemed an eternity. Every tree in the forest was trying to get
in her way. The town seemed to materialize around her as she ran. With
the last of her strength she pushed into the pokecenter. Nurse Joy and her
chansey were just cleaning up after a long day.
"Nurse…Joy…please…help…" Janelle huffed upon entering the center. Nurse
Joy looked up at Janelle and the barely breathing pikachu.
"How dare you battle your pikachu that hard! I should have Officer Jenny
stripe you of your license!"
"Nurse Joy I found It like this. It was trying to get away from three
larger pikachu by crawling under a thorn bush. It’s going to die if you
don’t help it!" Nurse Joy took Pikachu and went into the back of the
center. Janelle slumped into a nearby chair to wait. After a few minutes
a chansey approached her with a clip board and pen. Janelle signed her
name and Pikachu where the chansey was pointing. Then chansey left Janelle
and Growlithe to the long wait for news of pikachu. Phil showed up about
an hour later, still no news of Pikachu. Morning came and the center
slowly began to fill with trainers and their mildly injured pokemon, but
still no Nurse Joy and no Pikachu. It was nearly noon before Nurse Joy’s
voice was heard over the speaker system.
"Janelle Ketchem, Please come get your Pikachu." The same whisper that
had gone through the crowd in the gym waiting room, now ran through the
pokecenter. It didn’t bother her though, she had long ago gotten uses to
the whispers, questions, and challenges that came with her name. As she
approached the serves counter Nurse Joy appeared with pikachu.
"PIIKAAA!!!" The tiny pikachu leaped form Nurse Joy’s arms to Janelle’s.
"I’m glad your OK Pikachu." Janelle said, giving it a hug.
"Your Pikachu should be fine now. I guess I’ll see you soon." Janelle
wasn’t sure what she meant by that until she turned to see that every kid
in the center had a pokeball out and was ready to challenge her.
"This is going to be a long day." She groaned.
"I, Steven Fletcher, challenge Janelle Ketchem to a 1on 1 pokemon
battle!" A kid with blond hair announced. The rest of the crowd groaned
and grumbled about wanting to be first. Phil and Growlithe approached her
with her stuff.
The entire crowd in the pokecenter emptied into an open field behind the
center.
"I Choose Spearow!" A mean looking bird appeared from Steven’s pokeball.
"Fine, I choose Sand…"
"PIKA!" Pikachu leaped from Janelle’s shoulder into the ring of people.
"Pikachu, are you sure you want to do this. You just got out of
intensive care."
"PI!" It nodded it’s head
"You call that a pikachu. I’ve seen fleas bigger then that. Spearow, use
your Peck to drive that runt into the ground!"
"Pikachu, use your Thunder Shock!" Spearow flow up high as it could
before diving at an incredible speed towards its target. It seemed that
Steven had won, Pikachu wasn’t moving and Spearow was closing in fast, but
at the last possible moment Pikachu released an enormous amount of
electricity that turned Spearow into Thanks Giving dinner. Steven ran to
his twitching bird.
"I’ll get you for this Ketchem, just you wait, I’ll get you!" He
threatened and through her winnings at her. Janelle calmly caught the wad
and stuck it in her pocket.
"Any one else?" Janelle offered the crowd. Not wanting to see the same
thing happen to their pokemon, most of the crowd walked off saying they had
to do some thing.
************************************************************
Nurse Joy handed Janelle two pokeballs, Pikachu, and Growlithe. With
Pikachu on her shoulder and Growlithe by her side she returned to the table
Phil was sitting at.
"So how did your battles go, Phil?"
"Pretty good, my male Nidoran evolved into a Nidorino, and I think the
other two aren’t far behind."
"None of my pokemon have evolved, I wonder why."
"Ask your pokedex." Janelle pulled her pokedex out of her backpack.
"Pokedex: Information on evolution of Growlithe, Pikachu, Lapras, and
Sandshrew."
"Beep: Most pokemon evolve with experience, but some pokemon, like
Sandshrew, take more experience then others. There are some pokemon, like
Pikachu and Growlithe, that need special stones to evolve. Not all pokemon
evolve, Lapras is one of these. Beep:"
"What are these special stones?"
"Beep: Evolution stones are stones that can make pokemon evolve. They
can be found by digging, or purchase them at pokemarts in many large
cities. Beep" Janelle closed the pokedex.
"So Phil, shall we camp here to night or see how close we can get to
Viridian City?" Phil looked up at the clock on the wall.
"It’s almost 5 o’clock, we’ll never make it to Viridian."
"But we might catch some new pokemon."
"Aaahhhh, spoken like a true Ketchem."
"Come on, let’s go!" She said, pulling on her backpack.
"If you where going to ignore my opinion, why did you ask in the first
place?" Phil teased as he picked up his stuff.
"To be polite." She teased back, exiting the center.
The small town seemed to vanish into the woods as they headed North. As
darkness fell the woods came alive with Ratatta. Phil caught one, but
Janelle didn’t want anything to do with it.
"Janelle, if you want to be a pokemon master you need to catch a lot of
different pokemon. Besides it’s just a Ratatta." Phil said as he started
piling wood in the fire circle.
"There is nothing wrong with your Ratatta, Phil. It’s just I was bitten
by a wild one when I was little, and I’ve been afraid of them ever sense.
Growlithe Flame Thrower." Phil stepped away as Growlithe lit the campfire.
He pulled his newest pokeball from his belt and released Ratatta.
"You should make friends with it." He said picking it up and setting it
in her lap. Janelle slowly extended her hand and pet the soft fur on
Ratatta’s head.
"See, it’s not going to hurt you."
"Growlll?"
"Of course I still love you Growlithe."
After feeding and exercising their pokemon they bedded down for the night.
************************************************************
"Get up!" Phil shock Janelle again. "Growlithe, how did you get her up?"
Growlithe leaned in close to Janelle’s ear.
"GRROOOOWWWWLLLLLLL!!!!" Janelle sat strait up.
"Time to get up." Phil informed her.
After breakfast for them and their pokemon they started north again.
"Phil, how far is it to Viridian City?" Phil opened his pokedex.
"Pokedex: Map and Time."
"Beep: About one hour. Beep"
"Dose that answer your question?" He smiled
"What do you think?"
"You can’t answer a question with a question."
"Why not, you did." He just stuck his tongue out at her.
The walk seemed to take forever. They couldn’t see most of the pokemon
they could hear, and the ones they did see they already had. They’re
entrance into Viridian was nothing like it was in Insect Village. They’re
entrance into Insect Village had been very uneventful, but Viridian they
were greeted high rise buildings and tons of places to shop.
"I guess you want to go to the gym first, don’t you?" Phil asked.
"Of coarse I do! If we can find it in this place."
"That is just one of the handy features you’ll find on a pokedex!" Phil
said in his cheesiest announcer voice. Janelle just rolled her eyes.
"Just tell me how to find the gym."
"OK, OK, it should be right over there." He pointed.
"Thank you sherlock." Phil just smiled at her. Two guards were posted at
the door to the gym. As they tried to pass the guards stepped in their way.
"You may not enter this gym unless you have at lest eight badges." The
guards recited in unison.
"Why not?" Janelle asked. The guards looked at each other .
"You may not enter this gym unless you have at lest eight badges."
"OK…but why do I need eight badges to get in?"
"You may not…"
"Oh, Forget it they’re not going to be any help." Phil snapped.
************************************************************
Janelle looked past the reflection of herself and her pokemon companion
in the store window. In the display window were several pokeballs in a
multitude of colors, some TMs, and a sign that said we sell Evolution
Stones. Janelle looked down at Pikachu and Growlithe, wondering if she
should evolve them or not. Suddenly someone tapped her on the shoulder.
She turned to see a girl about her age, maybe a little older, with brown
hair and hazel eyes.
"I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you." The girl said.
"It’s all right. Can I help you?"
"Well I just was wondering if that was your Pikachu and Growlithe?"
"Yes, they’re mine. Why?"
"My mom owns a pokemon spa in Pewter City. She’s holding a seminar on
pokemon relaxation and needs different type to show her techniques on. Do
you have any other types?"
"Yeah, I have a Lapras and a Sandshrew."
"Perfect, I have some Ponyta waiting to take use to Pewter right now!"
"Hang on, I’m traveling with a friend. Can’t he come too?"
"Absolutely, but where is he and what types does he have?"
"He’s over there" Pointing to Phil as he came out of a shop, "and he only
trains normal types." Phil joined the girls and the girl, who introduced
herself as Lilly Laramie, told him about the spa. The group walked to the
edge of town where Lilly released three Ponyta.
"OK Growlithe, time to go into your pokeball."
"Growlithe ithe owl growl."
"No, your not fast enough to keep up with the Ponyta."
"Growl owl Growlithe."
"Pikachu is small enough to ride in front of me, your not."
"Growl." She pouted once more before vanishing into the pokeball.
Janelle made sure all her pokeballs were well secured to her belt before
climbing on to the fire horse. With Lilly leading the way, Viridian forest
seemed to fly by. It was all to soon when they exited into Pewter City.
They slowed to a walk as they moved through town. Pewter was nowhere near
the size of Viridian, but was still a good size town. Lilly stopped in
front of a medium size shop with the words Laramie’s Pokemon Spa across the
top. They dismounted and returned the Ponyta to their pokeballs.
Janelle released Growlithe, who was still in the process of pouting, before
entering the shop.
"Hello Lilly, I see you found some trainers. I’m Leanne Laramie, what are
your names?"
"I’m Janelle Ketchem."
"And I’m Phillip Oak."
"Ketchem and Oak, as in Ash Ketchem and Prof. Oak?"
"Yap" They said together.
"It’s very nice to meet both of you. Now what pokemon do you have so I
can get setup?"
"Well…Besides Pikachu and Growlithe," She motioned to the pokemon at her
feet and the one on her head, "I have a Lapras and a Sandshrew."
"I only train normal-type pokemon."
"That’s all right, I could use a normal-type and I can set up Lapras out
back."
"That won’t be necessary, my Lapras is just a baby." Janelle said
releasing Lapras.
"It looks awful young to be away from its mother."
"Its mother was killed by poachers."
"Oh! Can you help me setup?" They helped Leanne carry in 5 pools, two
were full of warm water, one was full of sand, one was full of ice water,
and the last one was empty. She filled the empty pool with coals and, with
help from Growlithe, lit them. Next, she put on some rubber gloves and
plugged a cable into the wall. She took the other end of the cable and
dropped it into one of the pools of warm water.
"OK Pikachu," Leanne said, picking Pikachu up with her gloved hands,
"your first." She slowly dipped Pikachu in to the electrified water. She
then put Ratatta in the other pool of warm water, Growlithe in with the
coals, Lapras in the ice water, and Sandshrew in the sand. By the time
they were finished setting up people were starting to come in. Janelle and
Phil found two good front row seats before it became standing room only.
Leanne started her speech by talking about basic pokemon hygiene. She
said that all pokemon need their teeth and fur brushed on a regular bases
and that all pokemon needed daily exercise. Next she asked the crowd who
liked a nice bath after a long day. After a positive answer from the
crowd, she started talking about how different typed of pokemon liked
different types of baths. With Lilly demonstrating every step of the way,
Leanne continued to talk about baths, massage, grooming, and basic first aid.
"Are there any questions?" Leanne asked when she finished. A man in the
back row raised his hand. "Yes?" Leanne recognized him.
"How much would it cost to have all this done to a pokemon?"
"That really depends on the size and type of pokemon. Any one else?" She
acknowledged a woman in the second row.
"My little boy really wants a growlithe, how much for that one?"
"I’m sorry mama, but all the pokemon up here are being borrowed from
trainers and are not mine to sell. If there are no other questions I wish
you all a good day." The crowd began to shuffle out as Leanne left the
podium.
"We would like to thank you both for your time and your pokemon." Lilly
began, "So to make up that lost time my mom and I would like for each of
you to have one of our Laramie Ponyta."
"Really?! Are you sure?!" Janelle asked.
"I’m sorry," Phil said, "but I can’t accept your generous offer. I want
to be a gym leader with the specialty of normal pokemon." Lilly gave her
mom a discouraged look.
"Lilly take Janelle to the barn and get her a Ponyta. I’ve got something
special for Phillip." Leanne motioned for Phil to follow her as did Lilly
for Janelle. Janelle followed Lilly out the back door of the spa towards
two barns. Lilly headed for the barn on the left.
"What’s in the other barn?"
"Those are Rapidash." Lilly said as she opened the barn door. They
walked down a long corridor of stalls. Most of the stalls were occupied
and every Ponyta in there was looking at the girls.
"OK, take your pick." Lilly said. Janelle walked from stall to stall
looking at every horse carefully. Finally, after looking almost every
horse in the barn, she found one she liked. She wasn’t sure what it was,
but there was something about this horse that made him stand out from the
others.
"How about this one?" Lilly came over and looked into the stall.
"Good choice?" She said, taking a pokeball off the shelf next to the
stall door.
************************************************************
They had sat in the Pewter gym waiting room for over an hour. The
receptionist had told them that most trainers came here for their first
badge, thus it was always crowded.
"So what did Leanne give you any way Phil?"
"A couple of Moon Stones."
"What are Moon Stones?" But he didn’t have time to answer, because the
receptionist called Janelle to her fight. Janelle, Growlithe, and Pikachu
went into the main part of the gym. The leader’s entrance was mush less
flashy then in Insect Village. The lights were on, and she was just
standing in her trainer’s box waiting for her next opponent. The arena was
made of a slab of gray rock with boulders sticking out.
"I am Rocksanne of the Pewter City Gym. I defined the Boulder Badge. This
will be a two pokemon battle. Do you accept the terms?" She said like it
was the millionth time today she had said it.
"My name is Janelle Ketchem, and I accept the terms."
"Ketchem?! Maybe today won’t be so boring after all. My first pokemon
will be Geodude!" Janelle remembered the story of her father getting his
first badge. If he had just listened to her mother it would have been easier.
"OK, Go Lapras, Use your water gun!"
"Geodude, Tackle it!" Geodude jump at Lapras like a canon ball, but
Lapras simply knocked it of course, and out, with a long stream of water.
"Geodude Return! Go Onix, use your Rock Throw!" Onix wrapped it’s tail
around some of the boulders sticking out of the gym floor, ripping them
strait out of the ground, and flinging them at Lapras.
"Lapras use your Ice Beam to stop it!" Lapras shot its ice beam at every
rock Onix throw, causing them to fall to the ground and smash like glass.
Suddenly Lapras turned and shot an Ice Beam directly in Onix’s face. The
rock snake was unable to move, the battle was over.
"Onix Return! That was the best battle I’ve had in along time, Janelle
Ketchem. As leader of the Pewter gym I award you the Boulder Badge and the
gym prize of $1000." Janelle pinned the gray badge next to the one already
on her shirt.