(Pokemon) "A new journey"

[Angelofthenight]

As soon as Katie was done exercising all of the pokemon she thought they deserved a mini vacation.

Katie: "Where to guys?" they all shruged. uh-oh...they all are getting my attitude. I dont think the real gym leader would like that but oh well. Could hardly wait until someone came to chalenge her. It all ways gave her a heart rushing experience.

Went down the street and got some pokecubes for the pokemon and some ice cream for herself.

Katie:  "I;m basically spoiling you all arent i?" The Luxio decided to sit on her lap. "Damn I'm ganna miss you all when your real owner comes back."

[Hesi Hualuan]

Sky stood there for a while watching the trainer named Katie disappear into the distance, she half wondered why no one wanted to accompany her but gave up on the idea. She turned about face and walked back to the dojo, her Totodile at her side skipping happily. A random thought presented itself, She wondered what it would be like a pokemon, so carefree, with nothing to worry you. Well save for being captured, that couldn't be much fun. Dragon looked up at her suddenly as if he could read her thoughts, slowly he smiled baring his fangs and Sky couldn't help but laugh, she noticed she'd gotten a strange one, this Totodile was.

Once inside the dojo she headed straight for her home, marching proudly past the students and instructors, who were surprised by her and her pokemon. A pair of pokemon-best friends, a Hitmonlee and a Hitmonchan, greeted her once she reached her residence, they bowed low and spoke appreciatively of the Totodile. Sky returned the bow and walked inside, he Totodile, eying the pair strangely as if he was interested in them, possibly wanting to test his strength.

Sky slowly creeped through her home, not wanting to rise attention to herself she moved as silently as she could, though as things go she ended up making a lot of noise and it wasn't long before her father, mother and two older brothers came to search out the disturbance. The found Sky staring at them embarrassed and all laughed, the Totodile joined in and suddenly everyone got quite, her father turned his gaze behind Sky her mother followed, Sky's two brothers looked around they saw nothing. Sky brought her hand to her head and scratched, in a meek voice she said,

"Well..i finally got my first pokemon. Everyone this is Dragon, my Totodile, Dragon this is my father Kesung, My mother Eiko and my two brothers ken and Shinji."

Her family broke into a beaming smile and crowded around the pokemon, Dragon suddenly felt like invisible walls were closing in on him, he back peddled until he ran out of floor, when he was against the wall the young pokemon brought his hands to his face in a guarded position and warned them,

"Too~ootodile! Di~iiillle!"

Sky's father was the first to stop in his tracks her turned about face and smiled broadly at his only daughter.

"Sky, your pokemon had spunk. I like him!"

But behind his smile and fatherly pride lied something else, something darker and Sky thought she knew what it was. His next words only confirmed what she dreaded,

"As such how about we see just how strong he is, eh? Whattaya say Dragon? You up for a battle? Willing to test your might against me and my pokemon?"

Sky hung her head in defeat, this was why she'd tried to sneak inside, she didn't want a sparring match. But she had one now and she knew from experience there was no way around it. Her pokemon, Dragon looked momentarily confused, it blinked three times, opened its jaws and hesitated to speak, he looked at Sky who just shrugged and then he let out a booming growl.

Kesung's grin became wider and he faced his daughter, his smile from ear to ear.

"Its settled then! We shall do epic battle tonight at sundown!"

He then slapped her on the shoulder hard, Sky buckled slightly but quickly regained her composure, her father then walked past her humming happily to himself.

"Its good to have you home and with a pokemon no less! Welcome, Totodile!"

Her mother smiled warmly at them both and trailed after her husband, before she rounded a corner she called back to sky.

"Hon, I've packed your bag, you've got enough clothes to last two weeks before you need to wash, you training Gi is in there as well. There is a small first aid kit, some extra pokeballs, potions and block, as well as your Bo. I've taken the liberty to lay out your sparing gear already, seeing as how I figure this would happen. And there are a few more surprises just for you to find.

...Oh and before you leave do come to the kitchen? I've something to give to you there, Kay?"

And then she rounded the corner and disappeared. All that was left were her two brothers who placed a hand at either side on her shoulder grasped it warmly and spoke,

"Sis, good job. We know you'll be a master and more importantly believe in you. You will have no problems against that old fart! See ya later tonight."

Then they too walked off heading in the direction Sky and Dragon had just come from. Her and her pokemon were all who were left in the massive hallway, she stood there for quite a while dazed, barely aware of her Totodile dancing around her legs. Finally she burst from her coma and raced to her room, there she found the backpack it was brand new and rather large with many pockets, she ignored it and moved towards her battle gear, ran to the bathroom with it in hand and came out 40 minutes later, refreshed from her hot bath and completely in her armor. She walked over to Dragon, helmet off and at her waist and spoke in a commanding voice,

"Dragon! Come! We have much work to do and little time to do it!"

She then without waiting for its reply grabbed her bo and marched out of her room, leaving a confused dragon to stare after her blinking. He finally registered she'd left and the importance of what was about to happen and squealed after her, rushing through the door and crashing into her calves. Sky almost toppled but she changed her falling momentum and used it to her advantage, turning into a flip and landing a few feet away from Dragon now facing him. She smiled warmly at it and spoke,

"Good."

[Vile Deity]

As Dallas left Professor Oaks lab he tried to think of something he could do to train his pokemon.  After a few minutes with nothing coming to mind he strolled back to the hill on the far side of the town.  With a deep breath he fell back against the hillside and stared up at the sky. Magic copied him likewise sprawling out on the grass nearby. Dallas couldn't think of any original training methods... at least not for a pokemon...

He could recall getting his blackbelt in Judo at the Pewter City Martial Arts Contest, and winning the Viridian City Annual Track Meet.  However he didn't spend excess time training for either, those things seemed to just come to him naturally.  Many other children disliked him for this and were jealous of his natural talents.  Though if he'd had his way he wouldn't have entered either competition, his father was the one always pushing him to do troublesome things like that.  In fact the only reason Dallas had a Pokemon at that very moment was because his dad had made an effort to remind him about getting one every day for the past three months.  His dad was determined that Dallas live up to his legacy and become an all time great at something.  However his father eventually decided that because Dallas was too lazy to become the best at something himself perhaps he could become the best pokemon trainer with the effort of the pokemon.  Dallas wasn't to sure about the idea, firstly he didn't know the first thing about training pokemon and secondly it seemed training a pokemon still took a lot of work...

*Sigh* "Is this even worth my time..."

Dallas had spoken to himself but Magic responded with a querious "Ra?"

"Oii, don't worry about it Magic I'm just thinking to myself... just stare at the sky or something... the sky... hey, Sky... I'd bet anything she got a pokemon today.  She probably knows a little something about training pokemon.  Me and her have never been on the best of terms though... hmm, maybe now that we've got something in common what with both of us having pokemon, what do you think Magic... Magic?"

Magic had dozed off in a seated position, which drew yet another sigh from Dallas.

"Come on Magic let's get going, I want to see what Sky is doing to train her pokemon."

[Angelofthenight]

She along with the pokemon around her just lay back and relaxed. It would be their only time of relaxing since trainers would soon be coming. The true leader's instructions reflecting in her head.

"If I don't come back to get more badges your just going to have to take the pokemon and travel with the last trainer that beat you. I hardly doubt I'll ever come back."

It's been eight months since the leader said those words.

Katie: "You know what guys? I don't think your real trainer is coming back anytime soon. That means that there will be hard goodbyes." Smiles. The pokemon all agreed in unison.

[Hesi Hualuan]

Dragon was highly confused at why his trainer would think it was a good thing to fall over, he  began to scratch his side in protest and turned his head side to side, looking confused but cute as well. His tail wagging slightly, Dragons impatience began to show and he started tapping his foot against the floor.

Sky noticed this and wondered what was with him suddenly, this brought her into an entirely useless debate within herself about the pros and cons of patience. It took her quite some time to notice that she was daydreaming, her only indicator had been her Totodile who'd suddenly took to throwing its stubby legs into that air trying to perform a front kick, it wasn't that he was bad, he just needed to work on it. The instructor within her took over and and all her years as the Youngest second degree black belt it TaeKwonDo took over and she was reminded of the ever approaching sparing match, she was grateful at least that summer had arrived, because without it sun down was at 6 o'clock, now she got an extra two hours!

She spun on her heels and raced for the sliding wooden doors that lead to her families private gardens. Once there she began to feverishly take off her chest plate and removing her leg guards, she placed them neatly close to the wooden doors and glided back to the center of the garden, once there she waited in her gi, arm and shin guards and her Bo, she waited for her pokemon to arrive. Its' training was about to begin, she just hoped they were both ready.

Finally the Totodile strode into the garden having little trouble in sliding the door. It popped its' head through and smiled, though it quickly faded whence it saw Sky stern expression, she stood there stoically as she watched him hobble in. It feebly greeted her wary of her sudden shift in mood. She spoke firm, in a commanding voice,

"Dragon, present yourself, now! We are about to begin your training for tonights battle. I know you don't understand the importance of it, but all the same I want you to try your best and make me proud!"

As she spoke she motioned for him to come closer, he hesitantly obeyed and swaggered before her, once he was in front of her she spoke again in the same tone,

"Good, this is the first step. You must first show me your attacks. Begin!"

Dragon scratched his head, he didn't understand what she was saying but something in her eyes made him wary. She shook her head solemnly as she realized it didn't understand. She spoke softly mostly to herself,

"Sorry..."

She then lunged at her pokemon her Bo swinging high over head, in a booming voice she commanded,

"ATTACK!!!!!"

And without pause Totodile did as he was commanded, scared by her change he let forth a powerful stream of water that hit her square in the chest, she faltered and fell to the ground, laid there for a few seconds then jumped back upon her feet,

"good."

she whispered.

"Dragon, now do you understand? Attack. I want to see all the attacks you know."

She smiled warmly at it, her features softening, she slowly walked over to him and placed her hand under his jaw and began to scratch. The Totodile was taken aback but at least he now understood, she wanted to see what he was capable of. He would show her.

Without pause he jumped back and then in the split second that he landed he changed direction and launched himself into the air, head first, Dragon flew past her, her pokemon's wake grazing her shoulder, it impacted against the tree right behind her, causing a huge fissure to crack up & down the tree. He withdrew his head from the fractured wood and turned to face her, she smiled again not the slightest bit fazed.

"Good. Now lets see your punches."

And to make it understand she through a punch of her own, it pistoned directly forward, pausing upon full reach for half a second, the perfect punch. Suddenly she remembered the Pewter City competition, how'd she lost to that arrogant and lazy boy Dallas, she never liked him after that. She viewed his victory as a fluke, her losing on a technicality. She shook her head and returned to focusing on her training. Dragon watched the punched being thrown and mocked it, it was a perfect punch, and was surprisingly fast, the air seemed to shimmer in its wake and grew cold around them.

"Good."

Jade watched with great pride, though she would not show it, she had to remain stoic, a figure who commanded respect. Dragon had to learn that now.

[Angelofthenight]

She got up and started to walk around for she was basically bored since she cleaned up the gym and she gave the pokemon some exercise Katie had nothing better to do. "Ehh...What am I to do?" The Luxio just looks at her. "I dunno. Why not just say hello to people in the other town." The Luxio looked at her weirdly. "I don't know. Quit looking at me like that." -_- The pikachu jumped on her shoulder and asked,
"Pi pika, pikachu?" She had to smile for all of these pokemon worried about her in their own ways. "I don't know...Luxio return!" and the Luxio went into its pokeball. "Lets just go back yes? Cause I got nothing better to do." And soon returned to the city.

[Vile Deity]

Dallas began to stroll off releasing one last sharp whistle in an attempt to awaken Magic from it's third or fourth nap in the last hour.  Walking along a gravel path that lead toward Sky's family dojo.  She'd been a lot more adamant about training for martial arts competitions and for that matter a lot more prideful when she won them.  Dallas was pretty carefree when it came to such things, fans and defending titles and what not never really appealed to him.  He was contemplating living a simpler life when he reached the training grounds that had spawned his rival from the Pewter City Junior Martial Arts Championship.

It was the dojo where Sky had perfected her Tae Kwon Do a style of fighting that he thought took to much effort.  He much rath preferred the Judo style, where your opponent did most the work and you simply manipulated their momentum.  Just outside the dojo he spotted her, she was dressed in her Gi and she had a Bo staff in her hands.  She was squaring off against a pokemon...

"She's going to train it by fighting it head on!? Women are mentally unstable..."

He observed her try and strike it with a relatively talented twirl of the Bo staff before getting blasted to her behind by a powerful water jet shot from the pokemon's mouth.  Suddenly alarmed about her safety he started to run down into the training grounds.

"BAKA!" ( Baka = Idiot )

He skidded to a halt under a willow tree as she got back up to her feet.  He was a bit shocked that she'd recovered so quickly.  He stayed beneath the shade of the willow and watched her mandate commands to her pokemon, she seemed to be trying to get a feel for it's abilities. He glanced over at Magic and wondered briefly if he had a talent beyond sleeping... *Shocked Anime Face* Magic was about to doze off the very moment that thought occured to him.  Dallas sighed and let the Magic drift from his focus as he returned to watching Sky train.

After observing for a short while longer he walked from the cover of the willow tree and approached her and her totodile.  He strolled fairly casually with one hand in his pocket, after she notices him he waves and adresses her.  Magic was just about ready to take another nap when he heard Dallas speak.

"Konichiwa Sky-chan..."

That was all Dallas had thought of saying up until that point.  Magic like his owner had little to say upon catching up with him simply staring at Sky and her totodile before plopping down onto it's behind.

Truthfully the best thing he could hope for would be to gain some of her insight into pokemon training but he wasn't about to just come out and ask for it, it would be embaressing for a boy to ask a girl for help with such a thing... oii what to do, the whole thing bothered him.  Maybe this was a bad idea...

[Hesi Hualuan]

To her brief annoyance she saw her rival, Dallas standing before her. She hadn't the faintest idea what he wanted but wasn't about to be rude either,

"Konichiwa Dallas-chan. How are you and your..."

She trailed off as she noticed his Abra, she found it quite fitting for such a lazy boy to have a lazy pokemon. But she brushed aside such thoughts and spoke again,

"Abra? What brings you here? Perhaps you want to train your pokemon? Or..."

She didn't know what else to say, in truth she had much training to do and little time to do it.

Her Totodile walked over to the Abra and tapped it on its sleeping head, it fell over, still sleeping, Dragon broke into hardy laughter as he watched it sleep and took a seat beside the sleeping pokemon, patting it on its knee and laughing. Sky saw this and her instructor mode took over, she commanded it upon its feet yet again,

"Dragon! Stand and come! We're not done yet!"

She had to find more attacks it knew than water gun, headbut and ice punch. She thought about something and then walked over to her armor, dawned it and walked back to her pokemon who was standing at attention,

"Dragon! Scratch!"

She commanded, thinking it might know it. Dragon responded by lunging for her, his claws held behind him and out stretched, she braced herself for his attack, he was close enough to her and Launched his arm forward, claws landing across her chest plate in a diagonal arc from right to left. She coiled slightly and back peddled under its power, regained her composure and spoke softly,

"good."

She wondered what else it knew. Sky turned gain to Dallas and asked him the question,

"Dallas-chan, do you know Totodile attacks?"

Dragon paused, starting to show signs of fatigue , but he remained in a guarded position hands raised parallel to its face, it switched its footing to face Dallas, looking half-comical and half-intimidating as he mocked Sky's stance he'd seen earlier. It grinned from behind its guard and stuck out its tongue.

[Vile Deity]

Dallas didn't say anything at first simply allowing her to address him.  When her totodile shoved his abra over and it remained asleep he simply sighed.  Sky however became irritated with totodile's lack of training efforts and slacking off and quickly ordered him back into an attack stance.  She had him bear his claws and scratch at her while wearing a breastplate stylized piece of armor.  Then she turned and asked him a question.

"Hmm, totodile attacks... I guess I don't know any totodile attacks."

Dallas shrugged and laughed bit...

"Er, I noticed you were training your pokemon with a bo staff... is that effective? I don't really need anyone's help to train my pokemon... but... even though it's troublesome to ask you... You wouldn't happen to have any pointers would you?  You were the only person I could think of to ask."

Dallas rolled out the question in his usual repressed tone of voice.  He slouched and glanced at her totodile then back at her.  This whole issue was bothersome, he knew she'd held a grudge against him since their last encounter as opponents.  She'd complained about his ring-out victory, saying that it was an ilegitimate win.  He hadn't cared about winning the trophy then and cared even less now, but when the judges ruled in his favor they'd become rivals of sorts.

The feelings that hung between them were apparent to Dallas but the totodile and abra sensed nothing of them. Magic actually sensed even less as he was fast asleep, kicking one of his legs a bit he rolled over apparently adjusting to become comfortable.  The lazy pokemon drew a faint embaressed laugh from Dallas.  Looking at Sky he shrugged about abra's behavior.

[Angelofthenight]

Sighs as she finally arrives at the city. Katie looked to the sky. "Huh...it's ganna thunder storm today in the after noon perhaps." The pikachu looked at her and asked, "Pikachu?" Laughed easily for her pikachu was easily confused. "I like thunderstorms. I'm probably the only idiot to go out during them just to feel the rain and hear the thunder." Smiled.

[Hesi Hualuan]

"Dunno how effective training a  pokemon with a weapon is. Just the only way I could get him to attack. I guess, when I yelled 'attack' he knew what I meant or maybe it was when i was about to strike him? Pointers? Nope, not a clue... I guess I am just as clueless as you."

She shrugged not even the slightest bit embarrassed by her admission. She continued on,

"Do you have a better idea? Would you help me train? I've got to have a battle with my father at sun down and Its fast approaching."

She stood there relaxed  as she spoke to Dallas. Sky didn't feel like holding a grudge right now, not when he could help her anyway. She just hoped he didn't say anything that would annoy her.

Her Totodile looked up at her and tilted its head, she understood and nodded hers. He lowered his guard and took a seat at her feet staring at the Abra longingly wanting to be asleep like it. He sighed a long sigh and ended it with a yawn. This mad Sky laugh and pet it gingerly on his head.

(Is gingerly the right word?)

[Vile Deity]

"I suppose nothing bad could come of our training together. I'll hang around for the battle with your dad too, at least if you don't mind.  I could probably learn a thing or two about pokemon from him..."

He paused though considering her primary question. He didn't really know of any better ways to train pokemon.

"Hmm... training eh? Well to be honest it's not something I've ever had to do a lot of.  I've never really had to push myself to beat my opponents..." *ahem*

He trailed off there reflecting on the training his dad forced him through.  He never really had to use any of it but figured that it may have helped him subconciously... Dallas thought back on the statement afterward realizing that she had been included in the grouping he referred to when he said 'my opponents'.  She seemed fairly docile that day so he let his feelings slide.

Many people claimed that Dallas was egotistical, though in fact he was merely honest.  When he he said that he didn't have to push himself it was the truth.  He'd never had to work very hard to beat others but even small workloads were bothersome workloads, at least in his mind.

"I suppose... My father did make me train for track a lot, but my race training is top secret... In fact he'd probably make me run laps for a week if I gave away his special training exercises... though I wouldn't worry about those, I'd figure they don't work to well on Pokemon."

Dallas struggled to try and remember some usable training advice that would apply to pokemon but came up a total blank.  He decided in his own mind that Sky was probably right to try a hands on approach resolving to mimic her training.

"I guess the hands on approach is the only way we know."

[Angelofthenight]

Smiles easily walking about aimlessly. a pokeball started to move and the luxio came out. "Luxio! What---how?" *anime surprised face*  "How'd you get out of there?" The luxio just looked at her following her. "Fine. You can stay out as long as you behave yourself."

[Hesi Hualuan]

She knelt down next to her Totodile as she listened to Dallas speak, scratching underneath Dragons chin every now and again it cooed its agreement. She faded in and out when it came to listening to him speak, she found his use of words rather fake, as a way to even be lazy in speech. But when he began to talk about training she listened intently though she wished she hadn't because she was greeted with him basically telling her that she had to push herself and work for her talent, when in fact Tae kwon Do came naturally to her, more natural than training a pokemon at any rate, across her forehead a vain began to twitch and she opened her mouth as if to protest *anime anger, twitchy vain* but she decided against it.

Instead she rose to her feet and walked closer to him so that she was just a breath away and spoke to him, virtually leaning in and whispering in his ear,

"Well if you wanna stay just say so. I don't mind..."

Her Totodile cocked his head to a side and looked confused before breaking into a side splitting laughter. It took all her will power to remain calm and composed, and remain what she thought was seductive. If you were to ask her why she looked like so, she would just shrug, she really didn't know beyond 'she felt like it'.

[I've changed her age; she is now 16.]

[Vile Deity]

Dallas had an internal epiphany at that very moment realizing that perhaps it was her who wanted him to stay.  It also occured to him that she was still wet from Dragon's water gun attack which made her rather... how would he say it... 'cute'. However the sudden insight into the ulterior motives of her statement and the acknowledgement that her figure was developing rather well for such a young girl was quickly overshadowed.  An internal mental debate struck up inside him that pitted the pros and cons of actually staying against one another.  He tilted his head back and cast his eyes upward as if he could see his thoughts lingering in the air overhead.

"Meh, if I try to think positively... staying would mean training and training would mean my father laying off me for a few days.  Of course, in reality I'd rather be doing anything but... it's such a nice day... the sun will be setting soon, I'd much rather be watching the sky then... training with Sky... at least there's an irony, that and she looks..."

His speech trailed off from a whispered mumble to completely inaudible.  His green eyes met with hers for an uneasy and awkward moment, it was probably for the better that he didn't actually finish his last sentence.  He shrugged off eye contact and avoided the situation by changing the subject.

"Well if I am going to stay and train I might as well get to it."  He looked down at Magic who was soundly sleeping... Dallas nudged him with his foot and spoke to him.

"Magic... 'Magic'... MAGIC!" The pokemon pulled itself up to a sitting position and tilted it's head back to look up at Dallas.  It let out a short slur of Ab's and Ra's seemingly questioning the reasons for being awoken, while still half asleep.

"Magic it's time to do combat, I've decided to practice martial arts with you in an attempt to figure out what you're capable of.  Whenever you're ready then come at me."  Dallas stepped back a few steps and took up a stance that looked familiar to Sky as it was the very same stance he used to beat her.  He was prepared to utilize his full Judo repertoire against the pokemon as soon as it attacked.  Magic however did no such thing, after a few moments it was apparent that it was dozing off again.

"MAGIC!!! Attack me already... PUNCH Magic... er, KICK... um, Scratch?" Well Magic did scratch but not at Dallas.  No, Magic apparently had an itch on his backside and relieved by scratching it for all to see... Dallas's Jaw dropped *anime face embarrassed*

"Heh heh, good job Dallas lull me into a sense of false security and make me attack you, fair enough.  Here I come!" Dallas lunged at Abra and brushed his head to the side tipping him over in the process then grabbed onto his arm and tightly locked it behind his back in a chickenwing.  Finally Dallas firmly forced his hand against the back of Magic's head and pinned him to the ground from his knees.  Magic's ears twitched in annoyance and his face contorted in apparent frustration. *anime twitchy vein*

Then suddenly Dallas shot up straight and released Magic's arm and head.  Magic had used a Psychic Attack to defend himself from Dallas.  Dallas grasped his temples and stood up visibly shaken by the assault, before feinting from mental overload.  Magic merely adjusted himself back into a seated position and yawned.

[are you sure she's not 18?]