Setting:
•Hotel Lobby, Violet City, Johto•
•Late February, Earlier That Morning, Present Day•
•Silver POV•
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chosen Rivalry
Silver woke up with a start as the woman on duty at the lobby jabbed him repeatedly in the arm. Looking up, he noticed the woman was about in her mid forties, hair pulled tightly into a bun. She wore thick-rimmed glasses, dangling earrings, and a red formal dress as well.
"Excuse me. Do you have a reservation?" She asked tapping her foot impatiently.
"No, I don't," he replied in a yawn.
"Then I must ask you to leave. No free nights. Go to the Pokémon center if you want to sleep for free."
Silver yawned, groaned, glared at the lady, and left noting the sun was rising, anyway. Deciding to check and see if the gym was open, he headed there first only to note the huge CLOSED sign on the doors. Frustrated, he checked his pokegear for any possible detours to Azalea Town.
He noted that if he'd go north, then west and then back south, he could get there via Goldenrod City. Walking north, he quickly left the city limits and headed westward to Goldenrod. Before long, he saw a large crowd gathered in his direction.
Pushing past people, he saw what the commotion was all about. By then, it must've been about eight in the morning. Ahead of him lay a vast forest of small trees so thick they blocked the path.
"Machamp, Rock Smash 'em!" Some burly man was ordering his Pokémon to attack the trees. One tree fell over in result. Then something strange happened; the other trees picked up the fallen one, and another took its place.
On a hunch, Silver got close enough to touch one. He ran his hand down the bark of the tree, causing it to shudder in reply. The bark itself felt more like stone than wood. Since he was taller than the tree, he then grabbed hold of one of the two branches, which contained three giant round leaves that splayed out on three different twigs. Smirking, he came to a realization.
This isn't a forest; it's a swarm of Sudowoodo. How pathetic.
Since Amber's death, Silver familiarized himself with the different species of the Johto region since Amber taught him thoroughly about the ones native to Kanto.
Deciding to show the tree Pokémon who was boss around there, he sternly told the tree facing him, "Move or I'll force you to move, you pathetic Pokémon."
At this, the tree revealed one eye behind its wooded eyelid and studied him closely. Suddenly grinning, the tree grabbed hold of both his arms and lifted him into the air.
Surprised, Silver began flailing about with his legs, trying to get free. This only caused the tree to tighten its grip. He managed to kick the Pokémon; the pain in his foot confirming it was the rock type, Sudowoodo. From there, more of the Pokémon cleared a path for the one holding him, and soon enough, he was lost in the crowd.
Strangely enough, the deeper into the swarm he went, the taller the Sudowoodo became. Eventually, the one carrying him gave him to a much larger Sudowoodo. It was at least a foot taller than Silver, which was saying something since Silver was just over six feet tall. Finally, where it got to the point that his arms were numb, he was dropped off into a clearing.
The space must've had about a twenty-foot diameter; the taller Sudowoodo encircled the area, leaving him very much trapped. Figuring that either way, he was still closer to Goldenrod now that the Pokémon had carried him so far into the swarm, he might as well figure out which direction in which he should plan his escape.
Getting up, he walked the perimeter to see if there was any exploitable gap in the swarm; there wasn't. Standing around, he tried his best to make sense of his directions. Since he was heading west, the sun should have been facing away from where he wanted to go.
Thankful that it was still morning—Amber taught him to wake up early—he quickly found his bearings. Not sure of what to do next, he paced while trying to think of a way out. After a good twenty minutes of aimlessly walking, he sat, sighed, and was lost in thought.
It was turning out to be a pretty day. Springtime had definitely sprung in the area. The grass, even though trampled, was a vibrant green. He spotted some remnants of wild flowers that had been in bloom as well before they were trampled by the swarm. The air had a sweet scent to it, and the clouds drifted lazily overhead. It wasn't hot or cold—just perfect.
A loud thud nearby pulled him out of his observations about twenty or thirty minutes later, and Silver quickly turned around to see none other than "Wolf" on the grass nearby rubbing her arms. Her pathetic Chikorita landed on all fours and complained loudly at the Sudowoodo that had carried it.
"Not now, pal. You're still not fit for battle, and we're clearly outnumbered," she stated patting her Pokémon on the head. Obviously she didn't notice him yet.
Might as well get introductions over with. He thought dryly.
"Hmph. Figures I'd see you here," he stated already annoyed.
"Oh great, now my life is complete. I'm trapped in a circle of walking trees with my favorite criminal," she replied sarcastically.
Walking trees, huh? What a rookie.
"For your information, those aren't walking trees; they're Pokémon." He corrected smugly.
"Pokémon, huh? That makes sense. Must be caught up in a herd of migrating…whatever these are," her tone suggested that maybe she was talking to herself, though Silver really wasn't certain.
"They're called Sudowoodo. They are rock type Pokémon who pretend to be trees to avoid human detection. They're so weak, they apparently travel in packs and still masquerade as trees, anyway," he replied, letting his distaste for his current situation bluntly show.
"Don't take nature as weakness," she chided.
And she's still trying to lecture me. How sad.
"Hmph, don't lecture me. You may be my age, but I'm far more experienced of a trainer than you'll ever be."
"For starters, don't judge me; you don't know me. Second off, if I'm so inexperienced, then how did I beat you in battle the other day?" She retorted.
Damn. She got me there. Still, she's just a rookie. It won't happen again.
"That was a fluke. And to top things off, you had the type advantage. I could take you down in battle any day." He crossed his arms.
"Oh, yeah?! Let's go then!" She reached for what he guessed was her belt, only she wasn't wearing one. The look on her face was priceless once she realized that she didn't have her pokeballs with her.
Silver smirked at the sight. Ah, what a newbie.
"What's wrong? Don't feel like taking me on with that Chikorita of yours again? Looks like you don't have any other Pokémon, Wolfie."
It felt good to make fun of this girl's strange name, giving her his own little made up nickname was certain to just about piss her off, which he actually felt like doing.
"For your information, I have three other Pokémon. Chika can't battle. She's recovering, and I refuse to let her get injured more. As soon as my bag resurfaces though, it's on!" She replied sternly, making Silver smirk once more, quite happy to have struck a nerve.
"How weak. Can't fight because it'll get hurt? Pokémon are made for battling. They aren't useful unless they can battle! Just toss worthless Pokémon out; it's about strength, and Pokémon who can't fight have no purpose," he replied smugly.
If that girl didn't know that by now, then she really was a lost cause. Pokémon were for fighting, and in his case, destroying Team Rocket.
"Chika!!" Wolf's little Pokémon cried out defiantly, pointing her leaf at Silver.
At the scene, Silver wanted to laugh. Looks like we might have a disobedient Pokémon on our hands. Sounds like a little fun to pass the time.
"Seems your trainer is too much of a coward to fight me. Looks like you won't be able to battle, sorry," he taunted at the Pokémon.
"Chika! Chikori!" The Pokémon cried back at him. Obviously, he struck a battling nerve with this one.
It doesn't deserve such a weak trainer with such a fighting spirit. What a shame.
"Looks like your trainer isn't good enough for you—too much of a weakling to settle things one on one. You look like you have potential, though. If you want, I might consider allowing you to join my ranks. You'll battle plenty. More than that loser there would ever allow you."
Maybe he had crossed the line, but Silver was never serious. He just wanted to taunt the thing; that was all. He wasn't a Pokémon thief, after all, despite whatever Wolfie there thought.
"Chika, don't listen to him! He might make you battle, but he cares nothing for his Pokémon. If you'd ever get hurt, he'd just toss you aside like trash. I'm your friend, Chika. I'm only looking out for you," Wolf replied defensively to her Pokémon.
Looks like she's actually worried the Pokémon will take the bait.
"Chik…" The Pokémon looked at him, its trainer, and then him again. She then began to slowly approach him, much to his amusement.
"That's right. Forget the weak. Power's all you need," he coaxed.
If it actually does come to me, I'll just toss it back at its trainer or something. I really don't want it.
"Chika!"
Before he could react, something hard and green hit him firmly in the jaw, causing him to raise his hand and cover it. He could feel it start to swell slightly.
Her Pokémon just attacked me! I didn't see that one coming. Just shows how well trained it really is! Hmph. He thought sarcastically.
"I believe that was not just a 'no' but a 'hell no,' right pal?" Replied Wolf snarkily, snuggling up to her Pokémon which was now on her shoulder. Wolf seemed very content in the fact that her Pokémon just showed him up.
Something in him snapped just then. He was really pissed off that some rookie trainer could go ahead, attack him with her Pokémon—which made him look like a fool in the mean time—then feel smug about it. That put a huge dent in his dignity, and Silver struggled hard to stay dignified, especially given his current state.
Angrily, he replied to the Pokémon. "Insolent little wimp! You're weak, anyway. I barely even felt that! Is that the best you've got?! I don't need you then—or your wannabe rocker chick for a trainer. You two best leave me alone…"
As he was walking away from the two, Wolf shot back at him, "Getting angry, are we? Well then, emo boy, I don't care what you think of me. And just for your information, Chika has manners. She isn't going to go full out on a human; that's against her nature."
At that, he shot back, "Emo? Hah. You make me laugh. You don't know me. You have no right to call me names. I have my reasons, and you're not going to find them out."
Do I really seem emo? Psh, that's a laugh. That coming from a girl who doesn't even know what being a rocker is all about. Her comment means nothing.
"Well, I do believe you started the name-calling first there with that wannabe rocker chick comment. You don't know me either; stop acting like you do. Now how about we put this whole 'I'm better than you' thing aside for now and find a way to get out of here?" Her tone changed at the last part.
She has her Pokémon attack me, insults my dignity, calls me names, and then she wants to call a truce? She has GOT to be kidding me.
Looking back at her, he replied seriously still pretty pissed, "Weak. I'd never team up with you for anything. If I find a way out, you can be sure I won't be telling you."
What Wolf did next caught Silver off guard a little. She threw her hands up in the air, gesturing that she gave up. The gesture itself would have meant nothing to him if what she said next didn't follow: "You're hopeless."
She then sat on the grass and stroked her Chikorita's leaf, while making certain not to make eye contact with him.
Strange. Amber used to do the exact same thing…
He looked at Wolf strangely before turning back and replying, "Whatever."
He would've said the same thing if he had been fighting with Amber. Maybe if Wolf would have done something different, he would've replied with a nastier remark, but her reaction drained him of the will to remain angry. Now he was just more confused than anything.
From there, he was lost in his own thoughts.
I don't get it. Why does Amber keep popping up out of nowhere? There was a time when I could think clearly and not even think about her. Now the scene with Gastly yesterday, and her voice last night, and even that gesture and reply from some totally different person…
He sighed. Why am I thinking of her? She's dead, Silver. Nothing can bring her back.
You failed when she needed you the most. You killed her. Sure, you didn't start the fire, but you didn't put it out, either. You didn't even try to enter the house to rescue her, you coward. She saved your life at least twice in the past few years alone, and you let her die…
Quit thinking about it for now, dumb ass. He shook his head to clear his thoughts.
What I need to do now is find a way out of here. Especially since I'm stuck with that girl, Wolf. I bet she's the reason I keep thinking of Amber. She's a mockery of her. That's it! That has to be what's wrong. She reminds you too much of her, but it's all wrong.
The clothes, the style, the name, the voice, the attitude—is that really what's getting you so pissed off? She's reminding you of your mistake.
She doesn't even know Amber, you idiot. Quit trying to blame things on other people. Get over it. No emotions, remember? You vowed that after you buried Amber, you'd get revenge, and that's it.
He looked at Wolf menacingly without her realizing it. She was clearly lost in her own thoughts and lying down in the grass.
I hope that after today, I never see you again. I know my problem now… I hate you, Wolf. I hate you for reminding me of her. I hate you for mocking her. And most of all, I hate you for getting under my skin without even knowing it…
Wolf sighed, which caused Silver to look at her for a minute longer. He didn't care what she was thinking of. It probably wasn't even close to as complex as the thoughts going off in his brain.
Yeah. I hate you. I swear, after today, if I do see Wolf again, she is my rival from here on out. I won't be nice. I'll cut the crap and get it to her straight.
…I think it's what she says that pisses me off the most, though. She keeps on talking about treating Pokémon right and not using them as tools for battle. Deep down, I know that's what Amber taught me. He sighed again, closing his eyes for a minute.
I guess… Every time she says something, it makes me feel slightly guilty. If Amber saw me now…
No! He shook his head again and opened his eyes. I need to do things this way. If I don't push my Pokémon and myself, we'll become soft.
We need to be our strongest to completely destroy Team Rocket. Azalea will be the first of many attacks. I'll target my mother first—make sure Team Rocket's presence exits Johto. Then, I'll confront my father and make him disband Team Rocket once and for all—forever this time.
I don't care what happens to me afterward. I don't care what happens to my Pokémon afterward. I just know that's what I need to do. No one else—just me. I should have stopped Team Rocket in the beginning, anyway. I'll get revenge. I don't care how Team Rocket treats Pokémon. All I know is they killed Amber. I'll make them pay for killing her.
I'll make them pay dearly for making me bury my best friend. No one will get in my way. No one. Especially not that Wolf girl. She'll be a problem if she finds out about Team Rocket. I have to make sure she never does. She's so naïve, anyway, it shouldn't be too much of a challenge. He smirked.
Wolf's sigh interrupted his train of thought, so he watched as she sat up and addressed her Pokémon. "Well, Chika, what do you say we find a way out of here?"
Hmph. Her voice seems a little off. Wonder what sort of nonsense she's been thinking about.
"Chika," her Pokémon must've caught the shift in her voice, too. Silver looked away, not really concerned about whatever they were going to do.
"I'm fine. Don't worry. Just thinking. I don't see any apparent way out. Fighting our way out seems like a big risk. There's too many of them. Even if Grumpy over there decided to help out, we'd still be outnumbered."
Did she really just call me Grumpy? He thought incredulously.
He smirked. "I heard that." He turned back to face her before deciding to walk towards her and sit somewhat closer but still a distance away.
Maybe she has a plan to get out of here.
"So? Calling a truce until we get out of this mess?" She asked.
In her dreams.
"I don't care about you, nor that Chikorita of yours, but I have business to attend to in Azalea Town, and I can't pass the other way without Violet City's badge."
"I thought you were going to challenge the leader yesterday." She asked, clearly curious.
I wish I would have. Then I wouldn't have to put up with you.
"He left on some stupid business about a Pidgeot that was injured. It was a weak Pokémon, anyway. I'm glad I let that thing go." He bitterly added the last part more to himself than to her.
"Oh, I see. What's so important in Azalea Town, anyway?" It took her a few seconds to reply before stating that, which piqued Silver's interest a little.
Well, at least now if she battles the leader's Pidgeot, she'll know its courtesy of me. I wonder why she wants to know why I'm going to Azalea... Nosey girl.
"None of your business. Butt out of it. It's something between my father and me. That's all." He crossed his arms.
"Mhm," she replied seemingly uninterested. "Whatever. So? The question is, are you going to help me or not?"
Good thing she doesn't know whom my father is. Guess I might as well comply, though. I really need to get there before Team Rocket moves out.
A little over a week ago, he discovered that Team Rocket had an operation at Azalea Town's Slowpoke Well. He heard they were chopping the tails off and selling them for good money.
Whatever. He just wanted to shut them down because they were Team Rocket.
He sighed. "I'm not doing this for you. Just understand that now. I've wasted enough time as it is. All I want is a way out of here so I can get to Azalea one way or another."
"And all I want is my bag back and to get back to Violet for my gym match, or get to Goldenrod so I can help out Hino," she replied trailing off.
"So, genius, any suggestions?" He sneered—winning him an annoyed look from the girl.
"I'm thinking. Let me think."
"Hmph. And here I thought you actually had a plan. Guess I gave you too much credit."
Guess blondes really do have to take longer to think things out—even if they are bottle blondes.
Personally, he just wanted to see what kind of dim-witted plan she'd come up with. It could be used as more fuel for his hatred for her later.
"Shutup and let me think!" Silver didn't expect her to yell at him, especially using the same tone Amber used to use when she was genuinely pissed off.
He looked at her oddly, not knowing exactly what to think about that one.
Who are you? He began to question.
He could really tell that she was thinking, too, because she barely took notice of him staring at her. Finally, though, she face-palmed, which caused him to give her another strange look.
"That's it! I can't believe I didn't even think of that before," she trailed off.
"What?" He glared.
You finally realized you're an idiot?
"Chika is a grass type, your Croconaw is a water type. You said these Sudowoodo are rock types."
"…And?" He had a feeling he knew where she was going, to his surprise.
"And," she picked up, "we can cause just enough of a diversion to maybe break free and get out of here. I don't think we can take on all the Sudowoodo nor chase them off, but at least we can get free of them."
Didn't expect her to come up with something that actually sounded plausible. Man, this girl is full of surprises. Didn't think she had it in her to actually attack the wild Pokémon. Thought she was too soft for that.
"Not a bad idea, I guess. I thought your Chikorita wasn't supposed to battle, though. Not that I care," he replied, hastily adding the last part to where hopefully it wouldn't seem like he really cared what became of the Chikorita.
Wolf smirked in reply. "We could give it a try. It's not like Chika is getting into a full-scale battle or anything. My only problem is that I need to find my bag. I have my Pokémon in there."
"That's your problem; not mine. I'm just cooperating until I escape. I could care less what happens to you—or your Pokémon, for that matter." He added the last part to reinforce that he didn't care, despite whatever she may have thought.
"I think the feeling is mutual, then," she replied, shocking him.
At that, he couldn't help but smirk. "Then, it's settled then. Croconaw, Water Gun." He called Croconaw from its ball, pointed in the direction of Goldenrod, and let the Pokémon do its thing.
"Wait, where are you aiming that Water Gun? Do you even know which way is which?" She interrupted his Croconaw just before it sprayed a deluge of water at the rock Pokémon.
"I can guess. I'm aiming it for the Goldenrod side. Either come or stay. I don't care. Now, Croconaw, Water Gun." He continued to point as Croconaw let out its powerful Water Gun, which made the Sudowoodo instantly flee into opposite directions to get away.
They must really hate water.
Silver easily walked through the crowd, which retook its positions as he and Croconaw passed.
Guess Wolfie is still trapped. Oh well. Hopefully that means I won't see her around again. Knowing my luck, though…
Finally clear of the swarm, Silver found himself on the correct side and continued on his way to Goldenrod City. With any luck, he'd get to Azalea by tomorrow. He certainly wouldn't stop for sleep that night. His first goal was within reach now—even if he did waste a few hours with his new worst enemy turned rival.