An Alternate Journey

Chapter Two : Rival

Authors - Warlordess and Miyatoriaka

Notes – Here be chapter two/part three of my joint project with Miya, which I decided to post early for Valentine's Day. It's also Leaf's introduction, which was a little harder for me to write because I don't know much of anything about Leaf as a character. I mean, in the games, she's the avatar of the player's whim (should they choose a female character) and I've barely read the Adventures manga, nor have I seen Origins (and I have no clue if she's even in it). So I threw a bit of info together from the game and gave a bit of Gary's mean streak... but also tried to write her as a bit more complicated than your average rival/bully, which eventually shows through between this chapter and the next.

According to Miya, Leaf wasn't necessarily meant to be a reoccurring character in her comic so this may be all we see of her (and the OldRivalshipping) in this story.

Anyway, read on and please review! Unless you're one of those derpy anonymous trolls. If you're one of those then you can go choke.

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Title - "An Alternate Journey"

Summary - Eleven year old novice trainer Misty starts her Pokemon adventure, best friends Gary and Ash by her side. But will she withstand every test her travels throw at her and become the greatest master trainer of all time? Fic co-crafted with famous fan-artist, Miyatoriaka!

Ages - Misty and Leaf are eleven years old, Ash and Gary are thirteen, and the adults are adult-aged so who cares about 'em? Lol.

Chapter Two - Rival

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The cotton candy sunrise came and went while the three trainers snoozed, making up for their disrupted sleep from the night before. The sun had fully risen by the time they did wake, all of them eating a light breakfast of bread, jam, and fresh fruit before Misty released Gastly so he could direct them towards their next destination: Pewter City.

"Wow, we got here much quicker than I thought we would considering how many days we were stuck in Viridian Forest," Gary noted, his hand saluted against his brow as he took in the sights. He hadn't visited this staple city recently since his gym and familial locations were settled in the more southern areas of Kanto.

"It's all thanks to Gastly!" Misty responded proudly, "Because of him, Eevee and I will face off against the gym leader here right after a quick trip to the PokeCenter!"

"Ah, well, maybe you should pace yourself," Ash warned her cryptically.

"Wha'd'ya mean?"

"It's just... You've been a trainer for all of - what? - two weeks, almost half the time of which was spent stuck in one place, and now you wanna march straight up to the nearest gym to demand a battle? Much better prepared trainers than you have set themselves up for major loss because of that kinda recklessness."

"Okaaay... so do you two know anything about the gym? You both are part of the league yourselves, right? There must be something you can tell me."

"Hm, well, like much of the architecture here alludes, the gym utilizes rock-type Pokemon. Unfortunately, there was an upset a few years ago so the trainer in charge has alternated a couple times. Even the representative at league events has varied. Because of that, I dunno what their skill level is or what specific Pokemon they're likely to use. I can say," Gary paused to release a huff as the group of three humans and one ground-traversing Pokemon carefully ambled over some particularly uneven terrain leading from the plateau that divided Viridian Forest and Pewter City, "that, due to this gym being the first stop for most new trainers, the league challenge presented is kept at a moderate level."