Pokèmon Astral

Helping George and Stacy!

I was all ready, my backpack stocked, my pokemon all feeling pumped up and ready for another day full of adventure. I got out of the inn, when all of a sudden, a police officer ran up to me.
"Are you Jason Tectron? Have you seen a man of the Mystic gang around here?"
I recalled the man who I encountered the other day, in front of the gym.
"Yes, officer. Why?"
"I can't tell you that. But where did you see him?"
"In front of the gym. He tried to attack my pokemon himself, so I pushed him into a river."
The officer ran away and I continued to the cave. Once again a Geodude appeared.
"Go, Butterfree! Gust!"
The Geodude was buffetted by the gust, and I threw my pokeball. The Geodude broke free, just to get battered by another gust. Again, I threw a pokeball. Yes! I had caught a Geodude!
That's when a boy ran up to me and said, "I challenge you to a battle!"
"Okay," I said, a bit shaken. "Go, Ralts!"
The boy sent out a Raticate.
I knew Raticate's abilities from the sleepless hours reading about pokemon on my pokedex, and decided to play it safe. "Double team!"
The Raticate used Poison Fang, but it missed.
"Quick Attack, now, Ralts!"
Ralts slammed into the Raticate, but the Raticate hung on. It used Tackle, and Ralts slumped to the ground. He was barely awake.
"Confusion!"
Ralts used Confusion, and the Raticate fainted.
"No," the boy said. "I lost... I'm sorry. I don't have any money with me. I challenged you because I thought I could get some money to buy my starving sister some food..."
The boy started crying.
I noticed the boy's clothes for the first time. He was wearing a patchwork of rags.
"Where are your parents?" I asked him.
"They're... dead."
"I'm sorry. Where do you live?"
"Mauville town," he said. "I know a shortcut. Please come."
I followed the boy through thick woods, and finally, we reached a tree. "Oh no," the boy said.
"What is it?"
"I got a Cut TM from a man in Mauville, but my Raticate didn't want to learn it. So the man helped me by cutting this tree. But its grown back..."
All of a sudden, a Sandshrew appeared! I knew this could be the answer to my prayers!
"Go, Ralts! Use Tackle!"
My Ralts slammed into the Sandshrew.
"Go, pokeball!"
The Sandshrew was zapped inside. The ball shook on the floor, and at last, it was caught!
"Could I use that TM? I could get us out of here."
"Ok..."
"I'll help you. I'll send you half of all the prize money I get. And I'll give you a Cut TM as well, if I could find one. Ok?"
"Fine. Here you go."
The boy took a small box from his small bag, and I took it from him. I chose Sandshrew. He was a bit grumpy at first, but a few minutes later, he agreed and I set the TM machine. Yes! He had learnt Cut. I persuaded Sandshrew to cut the tree and let us outside. Mauville town was quite impressive. The houses and buildings were all rock-cut and there were temples with carvings of pokemon, of even a Magikarp to pokemon he had never seen. The whole place had a divine feeling in the air.
The boy led me through the paths to a small house. He opened the door and he saw a lean, pale girl. He went inside.
"What's her name?" I asked him.
"Stacy. I'm George."
"I'm Jason. We need to get her some food. Stay here."
I ran out into the street, looking for a hotel. That's when a man ran up to me and said, "I challenge you! You can't say no!"
He sent out Oddish. Oh no, I thought.
"Go, Ralts! Confusion!"
Without waiting to see what happened, I called Ralts back and I ran to the nearest restaurant. There, I ordered a lot of food as takeaway. They were quite quick and the next thing I knew, I was running towards George's house.
I dashed in and said, "Here you go! Spaghetti for you George, and chicken
and rice. Let loose!"
The duo munched on, only stopping now and then to swallow and to thank me.
"And don't forget that I'll be sending you half of all the money I get. Okay?"
"We are very highly indebted to you, Jason. Thank you."
"It was my pleasure. We can keep in touch with our PokeNavs! I have a spare one. Here you go. Now, I have to go. We'll just register each other... There. Bye now!"
And then I continued to the gym, a glint in my eye and happiness in my heart.