Adventures in the Insane: A Pokemon Story

Enter Rebecca

     Let's review the day thus far: Woke up to Pokemon trying to kill me over breakfast, interrupted from an epic battle with said Pokemon by my best friend Samantha who was bringing awful news about another journey planned out by a pair of morons. Narrowly escaped capture by shoving Alan's face in the dirt, flying away for good measure that led to the inevitable introduction of a team of people I ultimately decided I couldn't be friends with. After falling out of the sky, we were sent on the run once again when Alan came bursting in on the scene, hopping on Dragonair to travel into a cave filled with Zubats and Clefairy. To make quick time of what some would call a traumatic event, we were blasted off to the route just west of Celestic Town, taking a nasty tumble out of a tree. 
     Got all that?
     Good.

     The sun was already hidden behind the western range bordering Celestic Town, lighting the sky on fire in purples, pinks, oranges, it was just a riot of color criss-crossed with heavy grey and purple clouds. The mountains themselves were darkened to a rich blue color, the definitions in the ridge blurred by the lack of sun, the mounds quiet guardians over the quiet inhabitants of the valley. Honey sweetened the air, most of the trees around Celestic were just thriving with Combee, one of the town's many charms. 
     Sam and I had reached the top of the hill so we could look down into the town now, the lights were just flickering to life with the setting of the sun. The town has changed since the last version of the Sinnoh Region Map was released: an additional lake was added by the shrine at the center of the town, cutting off the direct path to the cave where the ancient inscriptions of the Pokemon dominating time and space were etched. It's a small town, sporting only a handful of homes and a population that barely reaches triple digits; but it's beauty is undeniable. One of the town's best features is it's old fashion. 
     While everyone is updating with paved roads, tall office buildings, and apartment complexes, Celestic sits serenely in tune with nature, no building over three stories high to house it's citizenry. Each house uses a natural color scheme with one color boldly standing out to shout to the world that humans live here in harmony, even the Pokemon Center was dulled down to a rustic color, the main working material wood, you get the sense that you never really left the woods. Nothing like Fortree City in the Hoenn Region, but still simple and non-intrusive. 
     But I'm getting carried away here. You're not around to listen to me glamorize the architecture or planning of this quaint little town; you're here for the thrill of the chase. 
     "Celestic sure is pretty at night. I forgot why I didn't settle down here instead of Floaroma." As I'm sure you've gathered, I'm pretty hypnotized by this town at the current moment. 
     "You liked people, or something," Sammy helpfully offered. "Though you live in the back woods there and rarely leave the house to even gather supplies." 

Kai
     Kristen, you're weird. 

     "Thanks, guys. Really needed that self-esteem boost," I slumped over, my face stretching down with the opposite of bemusement. "What are we here for again?"
     "Rebecca." Sam pointed down towards the newly added lake and, subsequently, the shrine, where a small feminine figure was placing burning incense and praying. A Teddiursa mimicked her sweetly. 
     "You know, it's kind of weird to think that we still have religion in this day and age." Sam started making her way down the hill, entering the town with Kieko now in her arms, while I took Kai's little (paw? hand?) arm and followed her voicing my every thought as we went. "I mean, yeah, sure at some point I guess everyone believed in a higher unknown deity, but now it just seems kind of silly. Arceus is just another Pokemon- it can be defeated. If it even exists anymore. Yet, here, in this little city, they still respect the traditions and rituals they pay in honor of Pokemon we've proven exist and are completely mortal if not slightly over-powered." 
     We were at the edge of the field where the shrine stood in the center, the lake glittering just beyond it and backed by the cut of the land that provided the entrance to the cave of time and space. Rebecca lifted her head from praying, turning around to smile at us just as the wind kicked up a little in the valley and tugged at her skirt. 
     "I see Kristen is still questioning the relevancy of my town's practices," she smirked. Little know-it-all. 
     "What else is new?" Sam shook her head and threw up a hand like she was exasperated with my quirks, when I knew she secretly loved every one of them. 
     I smiled, Sam smiled, Rebecca softened her already beaming face and then we started laughing. It'd been a while since we'd seen Rebecca. Of course she came on some of Alan and Jay's crazy excursions, but lately she'd been busy with some things and couldn't come, so we'd missed her company. Her short brown curls bounced as she laughed. 
     "I've missed you!" Sam was the first one she latched onto- they had a weird bond thing that made you both envious and really stupid happy to see. 
     Sam squeezed her tight and closed her eyes as she laid her cheek on top of those bouncy curls. "I've missed you, too, girlie." 
     She released Sam and threw her arms around my neck as I laughed and held her tight, Teddiursa joining in the hug-fest and wrapping its tiny paws around my knees. "Missed you, too, kiddo." 
     Wrapping Teddiursa in a hug, Rebecca took a step back, tears evident in the corners of her eyes. "You guys should really visit more often. You're always welcome." 
     "You were dealing with your thing. We didn't want to distract you too much," I bashfully responded, looking to Sam for help. 
     "Excuses, excuses," Rebecca waved her hand to brush the matter aside. "I know you're caught up in your own stuff. No time for me. Blah, blah, blah. Even now, you have a purpose for being here that isn't just stopping by for a visit." She grinned. What did I tell you? Little. Miss. Know. It. All. 

Keiko
     Right. Straight to the point. The doofus heads want to go on another journey.
Kai
     But they want to start in Snowpoint City. 

     I patted the twins on the head. "Thank you, Kai and Keiko, but Rebecca hasn't been around you or Squirtles enough to understand you just yet." Rebecca smiled apologetically at them, and of course they took offense at not being understood; Kai glared and Keiko stuck her tongue out. Remember, they're young.
     "Last time I saw these little guys they had just hatched. Spinning around on their shells with their eyes barely opened." Rebecca scratched Keiko under the chin winning her brownie points there and managing to pick her up without complaint, but Kai refused to be persuaded so easily and rolled away. "So what did they say?"
     Running after Kai, Sam left me to do the explaining, too busy cursing and yelling after the jeering Kai to be helpful. "Jay and Alan have planned another journey for us." 
     "That's great! It's been so long since I've travelled with the whole group," Rebecca responded enthusiastically. I knew this would be how she would respond to the news, but that didn't dash my hopes. There was a bit of truth here in Jay and Alan's plans that would certainly change Rebecca's mind on the matter and have us three girls sailing out of here to adventure in warmer parts of the known. 
     "They want to start in Snowpoint. Lots of snow it seems, in their plan." Her face fell. Let it be known, Rebecca is not a fan of freezing; like me, she had a bad experience with a freak blizzard when she was little- or littler. 
     "Noooo," she softly whimpered falling to her knees, eyes glazing over with a past memory. "I don't wanna freeze to death," she sniffled. Teddiursa hugged her again, wiping away the tears as guilt settled over me for feeling accomplished in revealing that bit of information, but it had to be done. My laziness depended on it. 
     "It's alright," I tried smoothing things over. "I won't let the stupid heads get you, I pro-" 
     Something was up. I could feel it. 
     Sweeping the perimeter over carefully with my eyes, I uncovered the source of my very sudden unease: Alan. In his death grip, Sam was tangled, a hand had been somehow able to snake around and cover her mouth so she wouldn't let out a preemptive warning. Kai was likewise held by a Grovyle, who's owner stood casually nearby blocking the only set of stairs out of the sinkhole and our chances of retaining normal body temperature. 
     "Hello girls~"

~~~

A kind of uneventful chapter, but I promise to confuse with the beginning of the next one.

Le gasp! I haven't even thrown in a Pokemon Battle yet! I need to remedy that at some point... how else can I call this a Pokemon adventure?!