Chapter 3: Living your life

Ash walked downstairs to see what Misty is preparing for him. Her house hasn’t changed much since the last time he visited, only some minor redecorating. Once in the kitchen he observed Misty frying up some eggs, bacon, and steaming some rice. She noticed Ash watching her from the doorway and walked up to him and kissed him on his lips.

Misty: Good morning.

Ash: Hi, is breakfast nearly done? I’m starving.

Misty: Your always hungry, don’t worry its almost done.

Ash headed into the dinning room and patiently waited. He noticed it was unusually quiet, normally Misty’s three other sisters would be running around figuring out what they’ll do today.

Ash: Misty, where are your sisters?

Misty: Oh they moved out already.

Ash: What? That was quick, I was here only a few months ago and they moved out?

Misty: Yeah, so now I have the house all to myself, well to ourselves right.

Ash: Right.

The other day when Ash was brought in, Misty asked him if he’d stay with her for the time being and live a quiet life at her home. Ash agreed, the thought of staying with Misty was a wonderful one and he’d be happy living with her. But it wouldn’t last though, he’d have to return to find that lost part within him, this was a momentary time of happiness and joy.

Thoughts of the very first time he went on his own without Misty filled his mind. Just outside Misty’s home Ash requested that he had to go alone to find whatever it was he needed to find. Misty understood what Ash meant but wished she could go with him. Ash promised that as soon as he found that missing part he’d return to her and it’d be for good. Before leaving Misty gave Ash one of her rings, it was to remind him to go back to her when he’s finish and that was how it all started.

Misty: Hey Ash, wake up!

Misty snapped her fingers to wake Ash up from his daydream. Breakfast was already on the table served hot with a cup of fresh hot coffee.

Ash: Oh, sorry, well lets dig in.

He could get use to living a quiet life for now; he’d certainly live it to the full.

*****

A few days had pass since Kenta started his pokemon journey. Normally it would’ve taken him only a few hours to get to Violet City but now that he had to search to capture pokemon, it took him three days to get there. His Cyndaquil battled well in capturing some new pokemon as well as getting more experience. Things were looking up for him; everything was going according to plan. Now in Violet City, Kenta looked up some information about the gym leader there named Falkner. The locals mentioned that he’s a strong flying type pokemon trainer, someone who had a lot of bird pokemon. Kenta wish he had a lightning type but he couldn’t find one yet, still he felt confident that he could battle Falkner and win with the team he set.

Kenta walked in the pokemon center to have his pokemon recharged. As he waited for them he sat quietly on a seat nearby. Looking around there was a bulletin board behind him with all types of articles, one especially about Ash. Kenta began to read when Nurse Joy approached him with his pokemon.

Nurse Joy: Here you go Kenta.

Kenta: Oh thank you. Nurse Joy, can you tell me what you know about Ash, the vanishing champ.

Nurse Joy: Ash? Why would you want to know about him, its old news?

Kenta: Just curious.

Nurse Joy: Well, about three years ago he became champion but a few days after he abandoned it.

Kenta: Well I mean do you know anything of how he started his pokemon journey and stuff.

Nurse Joy: Oh that. Well I’m not quiet sure but I remember one of my sisters telling me that he actually was quiet a troublemaker when he started. He didn’t do it on purpose but it just seemed that trouble followed him everywhere he went. In fact an entire pokemon center blew up when he was visiting.

Kenta: Blew up!?

Kenta wasn’t sure if he could believe Nurse Joy. How could someone who appeared to be an unstoppable force do something like blow up a pokemon center because of a little trouble?

Kenta: How could that happen? I mean its just mind boggling how someone could blow up an entire center.

Nurse Joy: Like I said, trouble followed him everywhere he went. He’s not a walking disaster its just he was literally being followed by those causing trouble for him and one thing leads to another then soon there’s news about a pokemon center being totally blown up. My guess his start as a pokemon trainer must’ve been a difficult one.

A bell rang at the counter; a line was starting to form. Nurse Joy ran back to her post and helped the new visitors. Kenta thought what he just heard. If Ash experienced a difficult start then would that mean he’d be stronger in the long run? But what about the other guy that was from Pallet, Gary? Did he have just as hard time?

Kenta: The questions can wait; now that I have all my pokemon back and I can try and earn myself a gym badge.

So thus Kenta leaves the pokemon center and goes to the gym.

*****

Hiro felt tired after traveling as far as he could. He was somewhere in the forest but he didn’t know exactly where. Not sure where to go, Hiro sat down under a tree and rested. Before he went into the woods an old man was offering a free map chip for Hiro’s pokegear but Hiro being as stubborn as he is just ignored the old man and continued on. Now he regrets turning away the map chip. Going either direction wouldn’t matter now; they all look the same from where Hiro sat. While sitting Hiro’s pokeball sprung open and out came Totodile. The small pokemon looked at Hiro and wondered what was troubling his master.

Hiro: What are you looking at? I don’t remember calling you out.

Totodile just looked at Hiro maybe even grinning at it.

Hiro: Well since your out you might as well stay out.

Totodile nodded. Totodile sat next to Hiro and looked right at him again. Hiro looked back and started to get annoyed.

Hiro: Would you quit looking at me like that? It’s starting to get annoying.

Totodile looked away. A few minutes later Totodile looked back at Hiro just staring at him. Hiro looked back and got angry.

Hiro: I told you not to look at me. Geez.

Totodile looked away again. The two just sat there for a few more minutes when Hiro settled down and leaned against the tree.

Hiro: Where do you think we should go?

Totodile got up and looked around. It tried to verbally communicate with Hiro but that proved pointless. Totodile then pointed in a direction heading south.

Hiro: You want us to go that way? How would you know?

Hiro got up and called back Totodile to its pokeball.

Hiro: Why should I listen?

Despite saying that, Hiro walked in the direction that Totodile pointed him to go. Just an hour walk and he has arrived to a small village town. Totodile was right in point in that direction, but how would it know and furthermore why did he trust it.

Hiro: Oh well doesn’t matter now.

The first thing Hiro did was to get a map upgrade for his pokedex before going further.

*****

Gary returned to Viridian City to stock up on supplies. He noticed that the pokemon gym was still closed; no one was able to find a new gym leader yet. In time there would be a new one, someone worthy to test pokemon trainers to see if they are worthy of the Earth Badge, one of the hardest badge to get. While Gary stood in the street looking at the old pokemon gym a friend of his called out to him.

Midori: Hey Gary!

Gary turned and saw Midori, one of Prof. Oak’s students from long ago. It was around seven years ago that Midori got her pokemon from Prof. Oak, a bulbasaur. She originally had a goal to compete in the pokemon league but soon dropped out when she couldn’t handle the pressure. Gary looked on at his friend; she has grown up a bit and let her brown hair grow long. She no longer looked like the little girl that Gary knew when they were students of Prof. Oak but a beautiful young woman.

Gary: Hi there . . . Midori.

Midori: How’s it hanging?

Gary: Oh I was just traveling around as usual. I had to help a friend that needed some help a few days ago. I’m the only one that knows where he is. So how are you doing?

Midori: I’m doing fine. The last time I saw you were on TV when you were battling Ash for the pokemon championships three years ago. You sure have grown since then.

Gary could say the same for her but he didn’t, might get a slap or two if he did.

Midori: I came to Viridian to attend the gym leader academy.

Gary: Gym leader academy as in a school where you learn to be a gym leader?

Midori: Y up. Since Viridian doesn’t have a current gym leader I thought maybe I could at least become a gym leader if I can’t become a champion.

The idea of running a gym sounded quiet good to Gary. In fact it was a wonderful idea. Maybe he could qualify to be a gym leader, this way he’d at least accomplish something all these years.

Gary: I think I’d like to go the academy too.

Midori: Are you sure? It’s a two-year course so it’d take a while.

Two years did sound like a long time but Gary was willing to put some time and effort into this, after all, he wasn’t doing much these days. And since Midori is going to the academy as well, they could catch up and find out what each other was doing for the pass few years.

Gary: I’ll go. But if I become a gym leader here no hard feelings, okay?

Midori: Nope, if I don’t get Viridian I can always try somewhere else and be a gym leader there.

Gary: Great. So lets go.

Midori: You’ll have to pay for the tuition now and attend the classes a month from now. In the meantime I’m going to find me a condo and a job and live here for a while.

Gary: I’ll do that too. Maybe we can help each other then.

Midori: Great idea.

The two headed towards the Pokemon Gym Leader Academy and chatted all the way there. At least now Gary has a new goal rather than nothing.

End of Chapter 3