Cedar, full name Cedar Shemall, the 11 year old girl, Pallet Town resident, Pokémon-trainer-to-be, was very excited. Tomorrow she was going to go to the Choosing Ceremony and get her first Pokémon ever! She couldn't wait. And she knew what she was getting, as well, the Grass Pokémon. Either Bulbasaur, Chikorita or Kimistle. Cedar liked Grass Pokémon, for some reason.
She was watching TV on her Jigglypuff style mattress and jumping on her bed. On the TV, a hopeful Bird Keeper was being thrashed by the 1st Elite, Lorelie. They were showing Contests of the Elite which had all the battles that the Elite 4 had every year. Cedar could already imagine herself battling and winning, these were high hopes, she knew, but it could happen. Maybe in a couple of years, because her sister was just about to.
She turned her attention back to the TV. The commentator was basically wetting his pants with excitement, which was silly, because this battle was a flop.
"And the Bird Keeper is staring into the face of the first Elite, and he is reaching for his Pokéball, the one Pokémon he has brought into the ring!
"Go Fearow!"
"He sends out a Fearow, what an amazing bird! Lorelie looks calm, oh! She's reaching for HER Pokéball now! What an amazing battle!"
Oh yeah-thought Cedar-what an amazing battle-it hasn't even started yet!
"And Lorelie sends out a Dewgong, her best Pokémon yet! THE DEWGONG IS 3 LEVELS HIGHER THEN FEAROW, SHE GETS TO GO FIRST!!"
"Dewgong! Aurora Beam now!" Dewgong's eyes narrowed, its mouth opened and a pale cylinder of light shot out towards the Fearow. VREEE!
"OH MY, WHAT AN AMAZING MOVE! A SPECTACULAR MOVE! THE FEAROW IS DOWN! WOW!!! THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE SPLENDID BATTLES WE WILL GET TO SEE IN THE TIME OF THE 'ELITE BATTLES'. Catch you after this ad break!"
"Better luck next time, Bird Keeper," a voice said from the doorway.
"Oh, it's Mum. Now she's going to say 'Cedar, get to bed,'" Cedar thought, and groaned silently.
"Cedar, get to bed, come on, it's a quarter to nine. You need to wake up early tomorrow."
Cedar groaned again, but this time vocally.
"Aw," Yes! Right again! How many times had she known what her Mum was going to say!?
This time she actually listened to her, although Cedar knew that even if she went to bed at ten, she still would get up at the right time, the Choosing Ceremony was just to exciting to miss!
"Oh...okay mum." Folding her doona to the proper size, Cedar slept, and dreamt of nothing but Pokémon.
~~~~~~~~~~
Cedar woke up at 5:15am because of nerves, and the fact that she was peckish. She groaned, and got out of bed. She might as well go have something to eat, there wasn't anything else to do. Her tummy was writhing with snakes, even at this hour she was nervous.
Cedar walked downstairs and gasped. Her snakes turned into lead. She could hear someone outside their place! Her brain started racing, the adrenalin surging into her veins.
It must be a robber-she thought-who else would be out at this time? They would have Pokémon, wouldn't they, and they can't break in if I win a battle, can they? Yeah, she was going to battle them! And win, for that matter. All she had to do was use either her mum's or her sister's Pokémon for the fight as she had none herself.
She couldn't use Mum's prize Eevee for the fight, it was only level 20, and was used for shows. If Eevee had one dirt spot on it, her mum would ground her forever.
She could use her big sister's Golem, level 72 (very cool!), her big sister (Alanna) had got it by trading it for a Haunter (now Gengar.)
Yes, that's what she would do.
She crept into her big sisters room and snatched the Pokéball. Lucky that her sister was out, maybe at a Pokémon Rally in Rhodium City or something. Creeping downstairs, she could faintly see three outlines outside, a man, a woman, and an Arcanine. She sneaked out the back way and stood stock-still. Cedar could hear whispering.
"Yes, we should be able to pull this off, Ned, don't worry. I've heard from the Boss that this girl has completed the First Challenge, and is going to try beat the Elite soon. All we have to do is break in and nab the Pokéballs. Who is going to be awake at this time any way?"
"Oh no!" thought Cedar, "That's my older sister they're talking about!"
The supposed Ned sniggered.
"After we've finished, she won't have any left to battle with the Elite Four."
Cedar felt enraged. "Hold it right there!" she said (a bit braver then she felt) and stepped out of her hiding place.
"Oh! look Ned, well I was caught out. I thought you would be in bed! Well never mind, nothing is going to stop us stealing these Pokéballs, especially not a little brat trying to save the day! Ha ha!"
"Never mind, I'm in the mood for a fight, aren't you, Kelly?
"Go Golem!!" Cedar cried, the Pokéball opened, Golem flew out.
It had been a bad throw, because Cedar wasn't a Trainer yet, and had no experience. She had been practicing in her bedroom with a soft Pokéball model, but this was a lot different then the fights she had visualised.
Now Cedar wished she had just gone to her mother, who would at least handle the situation properly! But, no, she was standing outside in the cold, in her pyjamas, and 'trying to save the day.'
The Golem looked fierce. A huge, impressive bulk, it almost screened Cedar from view.
"Raaawwwwww!!" it roared.
The Arcanine whimpered.
~~~~~~~~~~
Just then, Cedar heard a loud singing noise from outside and realised it was her sister coming home.
Cedar could tell by the way she was singing that she was totally, totally drunk at the moment. Alanna must have been at one of those parties at The Bulbasaur Bar, in Rhodium. They were really popular with the teenagers wanting to rage, and she had heard that loud music boomed out in the city all night. Cedar was glad that it hadn't been built in Gallium, it would be very hard to get to sleep at night.
"Hey!" Cedar called out. "Alanna, help!"
"Whaaaaat? What'sh going on?" she questioned, and as she staggered through to the gate, she saw what was going on. "Sheedaaar! What are you doing?" she drawled. "Down't yuu know thaa you're shupposhed to fight in daylart? Never miiiind, I'll do it," Cedar was just about to protest, when Alanna shouted out to her prize Pokémon.
"Golem! Eshploshion Attaaaaack!"
Everyone froze. Explosion?!?! Her sister must be out of her mind!
Everyone knew what Explosion was. It wasn't a move you would see and then forget about it.
Everyone knew a level 72 Golem. (They aren't very hard to miss, as they are huge, heavy and tough.
Everyone knew how stupid it is to say that.
But Alanna was to drunk to even notice.
All eyes were on the Golem.
"RaaaawwwwwRaaaawwww!" it roared.
It bent down, ready to attack. It tensed up its body and clenched its teeth. Then suddenly the circle of rock started to go white, and beams of light shone out of the now golden/white circle. Then it Exploded, beams of light shone out of it. They hurt her eyes as they were so bright.
Then to her horror, Cedar saw the house just lift up in mid-air to just fall to bits! Oh no! Her mum was inside! Her heart sank. Golem had been so close, that the impact was devastating.
Then, the ground beneath her feet started to shake violently and she fell over. As they subsided, the wind that had been caught by the force of the attack blew her of the ground and she was flying, flying away.
Cedar blew over the fence, and up to her neighbours roof. She nearly hit the aerial on top of the house, and when she landed, she slipped, nearly off the roof, as she hit her head on the roof really heavily. Her head throbbed with pain.
Cedar got time to see where she was, before everything went black.........................
"EeeeeeAwwwwwEeeeeeAwwwww..." an ambulance screamed, roaring into Gallium Town. It screeched to a halt, and Nurse Kate and Officer Kristie jumped out of it, surveying the scene of the blown up house with horror.
The Golem was now a couple of feet away from the crater it had made, and was lying on its back with a dazed look on its face. It was very early in the morning, 5:53am, and the Nurse and Officer both had circles under their eyes.
All the neighbours, Hawthorn and her ward, who was Ben, Ferdie, Lucy, Professor Eucalypt and Siobhan were all clustered around the site, looking anxiously at the wrecked house, unsure of what to do.
"Oh, please everybody, get back, get back, please just leave everything to us, oh..." Nurse Kate advised. Nobody listened, they liked the young girl Cedar and her mum too much to go back to their daily lives and ignore the blown up house.
"WE NEED EMERGENCY BACKUP!" Officer Kristie shouted into her walkie-talkie, and they dashed into the rubble. Everybody else followed them, and began to help.
"Chansey! Go!" Kate shouted, and the pink Pokémon materialised from thin air.
"Chansey Chansey!" it called, and started to search under pieces of wood.
"Growlithe, I choose you!" Kristie hurled the Pokéball, and Growlithe too, started searching and sniffing, trying to find the scents of the 3 people he had to rescue.
Suddenly from the road, a whole pack of Growlithe came racing down the road to the little town, barking and howling.
"Well, these are our emergency backup," Kristie said grimly. "Hey! Growlithe! Get to sniffing!" The fully trained police-Growlithe's started searching instantly for the family.
Suddenly one of them barked, causing an uproar as all the rest of Growlithe howled, and swarmed over to the piece of rubble.
Pushing the wood away, a face appeared, Cedar's mum! Kate and Kristie gently pulled her out.
"Wow, look at those cool Pikachu pyjamas! Those are so in fashion!" Kristie commented, feeling a bit envious of the unconscious woman.
They then put her on a stretcher and loaded her into the ambulance.
As they walked back to the site, Kate exclaimed,
"Will you look at that!" As Kristie looked over to where she was pointing, Kate had already run over to a Berry bush, and next to it was a teenager, lying on the grass. She looked perfectly fine, and was gently snoring away.
(Kate stole the Berry and gave it to Chansey.)
Kate started chuckling as they put her on the stretcher, but they kept looking for the youngest one, Cedar, they had been told, in case she was in critical condition, so the Growlithe's kept searching for scents.
On an impulse of an unknown cause, Kristie took her Growlithe to the side of the house to search there. In an instant, it was trying to climb over the fence, barking excitedly.
Kristie knew what was going on, the Growlithe had found Cedar's scent.
Sending out Fearow, she climbed on its back, and flew next door to its roof. There the young girl was, breathing shallowly, with a bleeding arm. Obviously in danger.
Kristie scooped Cedar into her arms, and flew down to the ambulance. They loaded all of them on, and it zoomed out of sight.................
~~~~~~~~~~
"Huh, where am I?" Cedar asked, her eyes slowly focusing. Then she saw who was leaning down concerned. "Professor Eucalyptus!" she cried and tried to get up.
Wincing, and biting her lip in pain, she lowered herself, because she couldn't get up for the pain.
Cedar felt very confused and delirious, she found it hard to remember what was going on. She had sent out Golem, her sister had arrived...and she couldn't remember what had happened after that.
"Cedar, careful!" Prof. Eucalyptus told her. "Don't worry, you're in my bed, in my house, safe and sound. Relax. I don't want to hurt yourself again. For one thing, Nurse Kate will throw me out, even though it isn't a hospital."
Cedar was suddenly bursting with questions. Her head exploded like the Golem, as she remembered everything. Her sister had told the Golem to Explode, and it blew up the house!!! Oh no! She wanted to scream, but turned it into questions.
"Is my mum okay? Is my sister okay? Is the house okay? I know Alanna blew it up, but is it okay anyway? What day of the week is it? What Pokémon do I get to have? Can I have Kimistle? Or any?! Oh, I really want to get a Pokémon!"
"Erm, um, well, lets see. Your mum and Alanna are okay, they're walking around everywhere worrying about you, the house is being rebuilt, it's fine, and, and, um...ahhhh...oh dear..."
Cedar had a sinking feeling in her stomach.
"I've missed the Choosing Ceremony, haven't I. I knew something was wrong," she said in a small voice. "Have all of them been taken?"
"Afraid so, but, as always, there was a spare, just in case someone arrives half an hour late to the Lab, in their pyjamas, just like Ash did with Oak." Cedar smiled. Even through the chaos of missing the Choosing Ceremony she could imagine about the Pokémon Master of all time.
"He was my great-grandad." she said dreamily. "I suppose I'm just like him, we both were late, but I didn't do anything, Golem did,"
"Well, Golem was only obeying her trainer, which is not you. And what gave you the idea to tackle those robbers on your own? I don't know what came over you! Telling your mum would have been the most sensible tactic. Although Team Zocket aren't the best in town, you still should have never tried that, " she said severely.
"But this is your Pokémon, Cedar, even though this particular Choosing Ceremony is three days late."
She put a Pokéball on the bedside table, and it started to wriggle. Suddenly it burst open, and what beamed out was the smallest Pikachu she had ever seen! It looked around it for a minute, saw Cedar, and beamed at her with the cute grin Pikachu tend to have.
"Pi-ka-pika pika, pi-ka CHU!" it said with the littlest hint of "Come on trainer! Let's get this show on the road!"
"Hah, the patient Pikachu is getting a little tired of waiting, are you?" Prof. Eucalyptus chuckled.
"Cedar, I think it's time to go. Kate has already given you the 'all clear'. Are you sure you're all right?" she asked.
"Yeah! lets go catch 'em all!" Cedar enthused as she eased her way out of bed. Eucalyptus handed her all the stuff she needed to become a Pokémon Trainer: the actual Pokémon Trainer Licence, the Pokédex (which was an old version. Eucalyptus probably had the one after the one better then it.), the Backpack which her mother had bought her, and the stuff inside, which was her clothes, a Map, a Potion, Money (200 laquats), Pokégear (this she had pleaded with her mum for) and the empty closed Pokéball that Pikachu had bounced out of. Pikachu must have a slight fear of Pokéballs, Cedar thought. It hadn't gone back in.
Cedar clipped it on her belt, and put it on her. She was now an official Pokémon Trainer! Yippee!
"Oh, Cedar!" She turned to face Eucalyptus again. "Good luck to you." Cedar smiled in return. As she headed out the door, Pikachu followed at her heels.
She was suddenly confronted by her mother, who exploded with talk as soon as she saw Cedar. "OhdarlingareyouokayI'vebeensoworriedisthisyour startingpokemoni'msoproudofyoupikachucanyoulookafter cedarformeyouaresocuteareyougoingnowwellbyebyeseeyou laterohiloveyousomuchIhavealittleprezzieforyouhopeyoulikeit!"
After she had dumped the present in Cedars hands, she rushed off for an urgent talk with Prof Eucalypt, most likely going a bit like this...
"oh,idon'tthinkmybabyisreadyforthis,sheisabittooyoung andisonlytenyearsoldwhoshallshebewithinthenightwithnobed tocrawlinto? Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!"
"Wow, Pikachu, I never knew anybody could talk so fast!"
Cedar looked back at the present. Ever since she was 3, Cedar had been playing the game where she would guess what the present was before it was opened. This one was no contest. It was obviously a Pokéball, but what was in it? Cedar unwrapped it and held it out.
"Go Pokéball," she whispered, and out popped an Eevee! The Eevee had a pink ribbon around its neck. It smiled primly at her.
"Eevee! wow, what a cool present!"
The Eevee then looked around it in disgust at the 'dirty' environment, and as a dust particle settled on it, it shrieked and disappeared back in the Pokéball.
"Eeeeevvvi!!"
(The dust particle, however, having nothing to land on, floated down to the ground.)
"Oh great, Mum's given me the fur fanatic," she moaned, using the nick-name that Alanna had made up to scorn it. This was the level 20 Eevee that she had questioned to fight the robbers on that night.
Cedar attached the Pokéball with Eevee inside to her belt. She would leave Eucalyptus to deal with her featherbrained mother.
She went outside with Pikachu, and down the stairs but was almost knocked down by a girl going in.
"Watch your step!" the girl shouted at Cedar. She recognised the girl as to being her ex-best friend, Hawthorn.
"Huh? Oh...(it's you)...hi Hawthorn, haven't you left yet? You would be ages away by now! Are you giving me a chance or something?" Cedar felt warmness to Hawthorn for once.
"Oh, yeah, I saw the accident, thought I wouldn't finish my Pokémon Journey last, because you would, and thought I might stay around. You know how dark it is out in the forests at night."
"So you stayed in Gallium for three days!?"
"No, stupid! (Cedar frowned) Why would I stay here? I was driven to Saffron and I stayed at the motel there. And apart from that, I was lucky and I got two cool new Pokémon to add to my Starting Pokémon! See yah!" Feeling dispirited, Cedar walked away with Pikachu at her heels, and reflected.
This was her ex-friend Hawthorn. They had been great friends once, but ever since both her parents had died, she had hated everyone! Hawthorn wasn't obviously caring for her and wanting to give her a chance, she was scorning her and being lazy for her own convenience, but heaped onto that was the fact she got two new Pokémon with her Starting Pokémon, while Cedar had only got one!
Oh well, she'd show Hawthorn one of these days!
She walked with Pikachu out of Pallet town, and started her Real Pokémon Journey.
As Cedar walked into Route 1, she found a patch of long grass, and not caring about dodging, walked into it.
After a few steps, she couldn't see anything below her waist. Something fluttered into her, and she stepped back from shock.
"Prrriiii! pri pri pri!" it scolded, and came out of the grass.
"Woah! Cool! A Pidgey!" Cedar enthused. "Pikachu! Lets catch it!" Pikachu scampered up Cedars leg, and on coming to her waist, pointed at her belt with nothing on it.
"Pi Ka Pikachu," it said, pointing at the belt.
"Ah...Oh...Right, we need some Pokéballs to catch Pidgey." Pikachu suddenly looked like it had a craving to say "DUH!" Instead, it said "CHUH!"
Cedar smiled guiltily at Pikachu.
"Yeah...lets Run from it then." Cedar said, and they scampered away from the indignant Pidgey. Cedar passed many other grassy areas, but stayed away from them.
When Cedar finally got to Viridian City, she looked around in amazement. Comparing to Pallet, this city, well, it was a city! As she looked around, a teenager walked up to her.
"So you're from Pallet, huh? And wait! You're also starting your journey, right? Don't worry, I'm not a Psychic, I could tell by the look on your face. It was of startled 'oh my God how huge'." she explained, and Cedar relaxed. This girl was nice.
"Yeah, are you a Viridian resident?"
"To tell you the truth, yes. I was from Pallet, but I started ages ago, and needed more facilities more quickly. I moved into an empty house and hoped for the best. It paid off, 'cos now I'm a breeder! My name's Willow."
"Cool, I'm Cedar, and this is my starting Pokémon, Pikachu!"
"The Cedar?! You mean Ash's great-grandchild? Wow. And you got a Pikachu too, so you should go just as well!"
"Thanks, since you know the way around here, could you tell me the places to go?
"Well, the building called Pokéhelp is pretty cool. It gives you heaps of information about everything. To get Pokéballs, go to the Pokémart, The Pokécenter to heal your Pokémon, Pokéschool to get more info. Go into the houses to meet people and maybe get cool stuff, just say you're Willow's friend. You can also hang out at the Bulbasaur Bar. Last of all, Clara's Gym,"
"Gym Leader?"
"Yeah-she uses Normal Pokémon. I won't tell you what ones however-it would all be spoilt."
"Oh, Ok, so I'll be battling Clara, using Normal Element."
"Yeah, but watch out, her Pokémon are pretty tough,"
"Oh well, we'll just have to beat them, won't we, Pikachu?" Pikachu didn't look so sure, it looked up at Cedar, and scampered up her back.
"Pi, pika," it said uncertainly.
"Well, I'd better go look at the Pokécenter then. See you!" She and Willow walked away from each other.
As Cedar walked in the direction of the Pokécenter she marvelled at the size of everything. True, she had been to the Pokémon school here before all the time at age ten, but still! Cedar had been going to start at age ten, but decided not toso she could stay at home to study. Thanks to that, she now knew more then Hawthorn did now, (or she hoped!) at ten.
She entered. The counter was just in front of her, and she stepped up.
"Hi! Welcome to the Pokémon Centre! Do you want to heal your Pokémon?" A Nurse walked up to the counter and took Pikachu and Eevee's Pokéball from Cedar's outstretched hands.
Cedar had never seen a Pokémon get healed apart from mobile Antidotes and suchlike, so she craned her head as far as she could get without attracting any attention and she watched attentively.
Pikachu was placed on some kind of Machine and a weird light beamed through its stomach to the other side. The same for Eevee. Wow.
Pikachu smiled as she was given back to Cedar.
"Now it's fighting fit! Hope to see you again!" Cedar smiled and walked out. She didn't really need to go to the Pokémon Mart, she didn't need anything to buy just yet. But Pokémon Help, that sounded interesting!
Upon entering, she tried to draw in everything that was in front of her. On the right, littler kids stuff, models, and flip-over pictures that turned over to names. But to the left, books! A whole library on Pokémon books! Cool! She could certainly get heaps of information from this place, even more then she knew. She stared in wonder.
"A child's ticket is 10 laquats, if you are coming in, that is," Cedar started. She hadn't noticed the counter on her far left. A lady sat there, looking bored and annoyed, the total opposite to the Nurse at the Pokémon Centre. This one was rude and impatient.
"Oh! Sorry. Um..." Cedar trailed off, feeling shocked and a little angry. Cedar stood frozen to the ground, unsure of what to do. The woman's eyes narrowed.
"You comin' in or not? Make up ya mind before I throw ya out! Someone like you could slow down a business. Far out! Ya pay, and ya can stay. That's my motto." But no, she wasn't going in. No money for Pokéhelp from her.
"You are the rudest person I have ever met. I am just a new trainer and you need to understand that I will not be talked to like that."
She gave the woman a death stare and walked out. Now...for the Bulbasaur Bar.
The door was flanked with a big guy with his muscly arms crossed, looking mean. She walked up nonchalantly and tried to pass. He blocked her with his arm, and stared down at her with narrowed eyes.
"Whatta ya think ya doin'?..."
Cedar stared in horror, needing to crane her neck upwards at the big, fat, chunky man. He stared at her and started drawling again.
"Can I see your ID? Ya need proof of age to get in,"
"How old do I have to be?"
"Oh, mate, at least 18. But ya can go in the kids section no worries,"
He motioned to the next door building, a smaller 'bar'. Oh. Right. Most likely the real one had alcohol or something.
Cedar felt like she wouldn't go in there anytime, even after 18. Going in somewhere where you dance till dawn, and drink till you are drunk to high heaven, maybe not! Alanna might like it, but not her.
"Thanks," She walked over. Inside the little room was a counter, some chairs, tables and a disco light with room for dancing. This looked fun.
Sitting down at one of the chairs she saw other people dancing, and more sitting down, drinking and eating. Suddenly a guy approached, and looked at her. She felt shocked.
"Oh, sorry, were you sitting here?" Hurriedly she got up. He stopped her with a wave of his hand.
"Well I was actually, but no! Sit down! That was my fault. And besides, there's two chairs here anyway,"
Cedar felt weird sitting with this boy, but then spotted the Pokéballs on his belt.
"Oh! Are you a Pokémon trainer? I am. But I only just started,"
"Well yeah, I'm a trainer. I'm not too good though," Although this was a perfectly fine thing to say, Cedar saw him blushing. Why? She smiled at him.
But then she felt very uncomfortable, just sitting there. Like she needed to go, leave, anything! She needed to think up an excuse.
"Well I'm not too good either. I only have two Pokémon, one given to me by the Prof, and the other, a Poképresent. I haven't caught any yet. But I'd better go and heal this Pikachu. It has been in lots of battles and is pretty weak,"
Pikachu, the little mouse, was not too weak. It teased Cedar by leaping up on the table and punching the air, indicating how 'weak' it was.
Cedar smiled guiltily at the boy and grabbed Pikachu, getting up from her seat. He took the cue at her leaving and acted upon it.
"Oh, yeah, well maybe I'll see you around,"
"Yeah. Bye!" Cedar left, and walked out to go to the Pokémart.
The shopkeeper, however, called her over instantly.
"Hey, you! Are you that Cedar person from Gallium?"
"Uh, yeah, can I buy some Pokéballs?"
"Well sure-but not right now. I got a message from the Prof that you're needed at her Lab. Run along now!" Cedar felt angry, she wasn't a little girl or anything!
She walked out of the shop. Surprisingly Cedar didn't run into any Pokémon as she was walking through the grass. She was still feeling annoyed, she didn't know why, she just was scowling.
However, as she walked into Prof. Eucalyptus' Lab, the going got way better!
"Oh! Cedar! You got the message. I was thinking you might go into the Mart sooner or later. Come over here, and look at this!"
Unfortunately, before Cedar could even move, Hawthorn barged in, speaking loudly to the Aide, and quite rudely, in fact.
"Yeah what is it? Come on, you're just wasting my precious time. I have a life you know!" The Aide quavered under her fierce stare, and pointed to Eucalypt.
"The Professor wants to talk to you,"
Eucalypt suddenly noticed Hawthorn waiting there and smiled.
"Ah! Hawthorn! The present I promised to you is here! Take it! Your new upgraded Pokédex!" Hawthorn shrugged, but took it from him.
"Well Cedar, here is your one, I thought it would be helpful. It comes with all your info-if it is stolen or lost, people cannot delete or change the information programmed in it-and remember-police do a monthly check to see if you actually own it, so thieves won't get far. It is voice activated to answer any question, and you can enter your Pikachu right now, in fact. Hang on-just let me activate it onto your first one!"
The actual 'Pokédex' she was holding looked like a small rectangle. It was red, and it had a few clips on it. Cedar guessed that she would fit the new upgrade onto her old one by the use of these clips. Cedar was right.
Eucalyptus took the old Pokédex and fitted it onto the back, and turned it on. Handing it back, she spoke again.
"Alright Cedar-lets see how you have been training to be a pro,"
Cedar flipped open the red Pokédex, pointed it at Pikachu and pressed the enter button.
"Pikachu. This is your Pokémon. It is level 5. Element: Electric, Type: Mouse, Moves: Thundershock and Growl." it talked in its mechanical voice. "When several of these Pokémon gather, they attract so much electricity that they can cause lightning to strike." it said.
"Cool!" Cedar enthused, and pointed it at Prof. Eucalypt. She jumped, but the biggest shock was still to come. "Professor Eucalypt. This is a wild Pokémon. It is level 40. Element: Normal, Type: Human, There is only one of these Pokémon in the whole world, and still nobody has managed to capture it."
"Aahhhh!" Prof. Eucalypt cried, and ran out the door.
"Pi pi pi?!?" Pikachu said in confusion. But Cedar wasn't finished. Putting the Pokédex near Eevee's Pokéball, Cedar pressed the enter button.
"Eevee, this Pokémon is Marie's rightful owner. It is level 20. Element: Normal, Type: Evolution. You are not Marie. For what reason do you have this Pokémon with you?"
Cedar hated talking into machines, it made her feel uncomfortable. This was probably why she spoke so formally.
"Uh, I am Cedar Chemalle, my mother, who is Marie Chemalle, gave Eevee to me as a Pokémon Present."
"Accepted, is this now your Pokémon?"
"Yes, what's its Pokédex?
"Its genetic code is irregular. It may mutate if it is exposed to radiation from elemental stones."
"Hey, aren't you going to log in your three Pokémon?" Cedar enquired to Hawthorn. "Show me what one you chose!"
Hawthorn had just been mooching around all that time, and studying the Pokédex. On the sound of her being addressed, though, she jumped and immediately scowled again.
"That's none of your business what one I got! Leave me and my Pokémon alone!"
Cedar felt shocked. Her head erupted with thoughts:
"It isn't my fault Hawthorn has turned out mean and rude to everyone after the new science building in Celadon fell over, killing both Hawthorn's parents and heaps of other people as well who were inside. Just because Prof. Eucalypt is her aunt, she decides to look after her even though she has another ward, but unfortunately she has a soft spot where she is concerned, and lets her get away with everything!" she thought sulkily. "It was devastating, but she didn't have to lay it on to her friends! Nobody likes her any-more, because she hasn't opened up and explained how she was feeling about it to us!"
Lost in her trail of thought, Cedar suddenly snapped back to reality and found that Hawthorn had left.
She and Pikachu did the same, and walked back to Viridian City.
"Hi! May I help you? Hey, did you go to the Prof?" the shop-keeper asked brightly when Cedar entered the store again.
Coming over to the cashier, there were quite a lot of things for sale, such as Potion, Repel and finally, Pokéballs!
Cedar bought two, and went back to Route 1. She didn't have long to wait long, before she felt a rustle and cry of surprise.
Whatever she had bumped into dashed out of the grass, glaring at her. A small but robust Pokémon stood there, with a mean look in its eyes. It had big teeth, with ears to match, claws and a tail with a swirl in the end. Purple coloured, it would have looked cute were it not for the massive teeth and claws. Rattata.
It glared, like all wild Pokémon do when they are interrupted, and looked into her eyes. Cedar tensed herself for battle...
"Look! Pikachu! Wow, that's a Rattata!
Pikachu suddenly looked like it had a craving to say "DUH!" Instead, it said "CHUH!"
Cedar smiled guiltily at Pikachu. She opened up the Pokédex and pressed the enter button again.
"Rattata. This is a wild Pokémon. Element: Normal. Type: Rat. The Pokédex has no entry for Rattata since you have not caught this Pokémon. Use your Pokéball to capture it. Remember it needs to be weakened before attempting to catch it." She looked at its statistics on the Pokédex. It was level 3, which was okay for now. As is all wild Pokémon, it was full health. This was her 2nd wild Pokémon to face, but this was more exciting because she, Cedar from Pallet, was to catch it and train it as her new Pokémon!
The Rattata snarled. It scratched its front paws on the ground, started running and raced past Pikachu lightning speed, showing off its moves.
"That was a Quick Attack, Pikachu! Come on! Let's get it! Ok Pikachu, use your Thunder Shock Attack!" Cedar ordered Pikachu.
"Piiiii Kaaaa CHUUU!" Pikachu shouted. A yellow bolt of lightning shot out of Pikachu's cheeks, towards Rattata and, checking the Health on the Pokédex, it could resist a Pokéball still.
The Rattata looked surprised at being electrocuted, but recovered its composure and dashed towards Pikachu. Running full speed toward it, it Tackled her and Pikachu was knocked over.
Pikachu stood up really quickly again though, and snarled at Rattata.
"Another Thunder Shock!" Cedar said.
"CHUU!"
Cedar checked Rattata again. It was almost fainting! Cedar quickly pulled the first empty Pokéball from her belt, and hurled it at Rattata.
"Go Pokéball!"
It opened, and Rattata was pulled inside. This was the crucial moment. It wobbled once...twice...thrice...and stopped!
Cedar whooped with joy! Her very first caught Pokémon! She knew she could have caught it! Wow! Cedar couldn't get over it. She was over the moon.
"And when I defeat the Elite five, Rattata, you will be the one that I caught first! You'll be famous!"
A loud beep suddenly came from her Pokédex. She opened it up and stared at it again. The screen was flashing, showing some words:
"Congratulations! You have just caught a level 3 Rattata."
"Yeah! Oh cool! How good are we, Pikachu!" Pikachu smiled, and nodded. Cedar opened up her hand and the now full Pokéball zoomed to it. Wow, what a pro, she thought. She attached the ball to her belt.
Cedar walked to the Pokémon Centre to heal it. The Nurse beamed at her when Cedar entered, talking to her at the same time.
"Hi! Welcome to the Pokémon Centre. Do you want to heal your Pokémon?"
"Yeah, here they are," She unlocked the Pokéballs from her belt and handed them to the Nurse. Pikachu was at her heels. She lifted her up and also gave her to the Nurse.
"Pokéball phobia, huh?" asked the Nurse.
"Yeah, she doesn't like them much, uh, Nurse..."
"Kate! Hang on, aren't you..." she trailed off, thinking. Cedar helped her.
"I'm Cedar. How do you know me?" Kate looked relieved.
"Oh, I'm so glad you're continuing your journey, see, I with Officer Kristie, got your family out of the wreck. But instead of talking for hours I'll heal your Pokemon, shall I?"
Kate put the Pokéballs on the Healing Machine. Then the beam went through them, and Cedar almost heard a sigh of relief from the Rattata. A thing with so much energy must like being full health.
"And now you, Pikachu!" Kate said, picking up the Mouse. She put Pikachu on the Machine, and it beamed through Pikachu as well. Kate handed the Pokéballs and Pikachu back to Cedar.
"Thanks for visiting!" Kate enthused, and Cedar walked out, ready to continue.
Now what was the other Pokémon she saw...hey, it was a Pidgey. Her days at the Pokémon school sure had its good moments, even though Pikachu demanded that she was to know every Pokémon before Cedar did.
Now-back to her trail of thought...Pokémon school was really cool, Cedar had learnt so much there, about Pokémon mostly, but a little about the Journeys, names, evolutions, elements, types, weaknesses, resistances, height, weight, temperament, locations, and basically everything.
And they had different facilities for people who didn't want to take up the Gym and Elite Challenge and become Trainers, instead they could become Breeders, Scientists (although some have trained Pokémon anyway), Professors, Aids, the list was endless.
Cedar walked back to Route 47, and back into the grass. She had to walk around a few more times before a Pokémon arrived. It was a bird, brown and cream coloured, with a short beak and little wings. Pidgey.
Pikachu instantly crouched into attack mode, ready for every command, and Cedar's heart swelled. A few days ago she had been a wannabee, imagining her super-power Pokémon defeating every Elite, and now she had three real Pokémon, one showing real promise, the other she was sure would be great, and...one that hated getting dirty. Right.
The Pidgey was at level 4.
"Like before, Pikachu! Thundershock!"
"Chuu!"
Pidgey's HP was halfway down already, Cedar saw on her Pokédex. Why? She racked her brains. Oh! Pidgey's Element was Flying and Normal, which meant it was weak to Electric attacks. Should she risk another Thundershock? Surely it wouldn't faint!
Before she made her decision Pidgey sent a Gust to Pikachu, and its Energy lowered down to the orange level.
"Pikachu! Another Thundershock! Careful about it, too!" Cedar wanted to get back at the Pidgey for Gusting Pikachu. After all, it was only level 5!
"Pi-Ka-CHU!" The Pidgey was shocked again. Cedar saw its energy draining away on her Pokédex. Orange, Red...and it fainted.
The look on Pidgey's face was of dullness. Then it flopped down on the ground with its eyes shut. It lost all its colour except for white, and Cedar reached for her Pokéball, thinking that she could be able to catch it if it had fainted.
Before she could throw the Pokéball, the Pidgey-well-it looked like it suddenly Teleported out, like its whole body formed a cylinder and zapped out, but any Pidgey can't do that!
The Pidgey had disappeared. Cedar slumped in annoyance. Duh! The Pidgey had fainted. Of course she couldn't catch any Pokémon when they had fainted!
A chuckle sounded behind her, and she swivelled around to see who had laughed. Willow was walking up to her.
"Sorry, I wasn't laughing at you, just the look on Pikachu's face is adorable!"
Cedar looked back at Pikachu. It was wandering about, trying to find the Pidgey, with a surprised look on its face. If it could talk, it would be talking at the moment, something like this:
"Hey, you weren't supposed to do that!"
Willow spoke again.
"Did you know I can still remember the first time I did that? Silly, really. I was battling a Nothyp, and I used the most strongest move I could with my Blue Nidorino. But the two real reasons I tried to find you was, one, to get your Phone-Number. Do you have Pokégear?"
Cedar nodded and held it out. "Great! Now we can contact each other and talk. If you need any help, just ring and ask me. I know everything." Willow and Cedar held the Pokegear's together and they downloaded each others numbers.
"Now for number two." Willow said. "Rivals. I think you already have an arch-rival. I met her in the Mart. She was talking about you a bit. I think her name is-"
"Hawthorn," Cedar answered glumly. "Yeah, she used to be my best friend, but now..."
"Hey, main rivals can still be friends! Well anyway, lemme tell you what happened. She was showing off her Pokémon in the Mart, and then noticed me. She came up and asked me if I knew you, since she'd seen us talking. I said yes, but I had only known you for a bit. She then told me to tell you something. I told her that I'm no messenger boy, but it seemed important so I came anyway."
"What did she tell you?"
"Hawthorn wants to battle you...and win..."
Cedar felt shocked. A Trainer Battle, already!? She...she wasn't ready! Her Pokémon were weak! What if she lost?
Her face paled. Willow saw this and instantly comforted her.
"Woah, Cedar! Don't worry! It will be alright. Okay...She is challenging you to a Random Battle with as many Pokémon as you have. It's on at Thursday night at seven o'clock. Where? The battling ground in Pallet Town. I don't think I like her very much, like, she was showing off, really prissy. She was acting like her Pokémon were pretty tough."
This didn't surprise Cedar, obviously they would be strong! She relayed this to Willow.
"About her Pokémon, however, well she did get some in Saffron, and I don't know what they are, or at what level they are at. If she really is good, then how many would she have now?"
"Don't worry. I know that Hawthorn is taking it easy, with training and that, even though she was acting like some hotshot Elite. She has no badges yet, even though three days ago she started, and is making sure all her Pokémon obey her, and in doing that, keeping the levels low. None of them are above level 10. With friends, however, she is going strong. People are clustered all around her, because of her rare Pokémon. Yep, they are rare, but not strong. Train, and you will beat her."
"Are you sure you won't tell me which ones she has? Please?
"Uh, leeme think...no! Sorry Cedar, this is a Random Battle, and hey, she knows nothing about yours. I don't think she has ever even noticed your Pikachu, in fact!"
"Oh fine. Well I'm gonna win, anyway. I actually care about my Pokémon, I don't think she does! Thanks Willow, I will train. Okay, catch you later!"
"Bye!" Like the first time they had met, they walked away.
"Hey Pikachu, get over here!" Cedar called out. Pikachu looked surprised.
"Pi?!"
"Let's just say that we're going to train from now till to Hawthorn's battle, tomorrow. Let's go!"
~~~~~~~~~~
Cedar was in the grass at R1. She had been training her Pokémon, battling more and more wild Pokémon to prepare for the battle against her and Hawthorn.
Pikachu, however was not prepared to show Cedar's enthusiasm, and was lying on the grass, really hamming it up, acting like she was exhausted, with her tongue out and breathing rapidly.
Pikachu had only been in 3 battles, only 3. Rattata, however, had been in 6, with 2 visits to the Pokécenter for a quick heal.
Rattata was very energetic, and eager to please, which was what Cedar wanted. Pikachu, acting tired. Eevee...well...let's just say that it hates dirt...
"Peekaaachhuuuu..." Cedar teased. "I'm gonna put you in my Box on the P.C if you're not listening..."
Pikachu got up really quickly, and sent a jolt of lightning over to a passing Pidgey. It squawked and flew up in the air, to accept the attack and to attack back.
A Gust came down, and narrowly missed Cedar. She groaned with annoyance. Pikachu was being stubborn, again. It basically fought without any of Cedar's commands, and she only hoped that Pikachu wouldn't muck up in the battle.
It was so important to her. It was a feeling of "oh, if I lose, then Hawthorn is going to win" not in the 'duh' way, but in the 'rights of way' way. She really wanted and needed to win!
Pikachu sent up another Thundershock to the flying Pidgey, and only then did Cedar pay attention. Maybe she could catch it, if it didn't faint.
She watched on her Pokédex. The first Thundershock had been a half hearted one, so-Yes! Pidgey hadn't fainted!
Cedar grabbed her empty Pokéball and threw it at the Pidgey. The ball hit it-what a shot!-and opened. Pidgey was sucked inside. The Pokéball fell to the ground. Wobble...wobble...wobble... it closed.
Cedar, having a buzz from this sort of 'pro' thing, opened up her hand. Cool. She loved the way that the Pokéball almost reacted to her thoughts, and how it zoomed through the air to impact neatly with her hand.
Her Pokédex was beeping annoyingly. It always did, she told herself, and that is to show what I just caught. She opened it up and checked out Pidgey. Its level was 3, and it was unhealthy, due to Pikachu's Thundershocks.
Cedar figured that if she trained Pidgey well enough today, which was the actual day of the battle, she could use it for the battle. Great! Another Pokémon for the team. (The unbeatable team) Cedar added, and grinned.
"Pi-ka pi Pika! Pikachu-chu Pi ka-chu Pi Chu? (This place is boring! Can't we battle in that other grass?)" Pikachu complained. Cedar knew what she was talking about.
While being in Viridian city, they all had discovered another patch of grass on the left, leading away to a corner, to a place which Cedar knew nothing of. It did look interesting, she told herself-and maybe it held stronger, more interesting Pokémon.
Cedar suddenly remembered the Pidgey. It needed to be healed before it battled again, otherwise a faint was inevitable. A quick walk to the Pokémon Centre fixed this problem, and Cedar was ready.
"Fine! We'll go." Cedar said, and Pikachu eagerly ran ahead to the grass. Cedar walked into the long grass.
"Ugh! All this dry grass is sticking to my top!" Cedar complained, getting the heebie-jeebies as she thought of what might be in here. What if they were stronger than Pikachu? That was her strongest, level 8. Rattata came next, level 6, and then Pidgey, level 3...
She swapped Pikachu's Pokéball with Pidgey's one, making sure that Pidgey popped out first. Pidgey needed training. Then she walked around for a bit more, then...
Yikes! A Pokémon!...
Cedar felt her leg brush against a back, and she jumped from the suddenness of it all. It came out of the grass, a Spearow! Like Pidgey, only a meaner look and littler wings. Level 3. Great, perfect to acclimatise to Pidgey. She sent it out.
"Pidgey! Pri pri!", it called, and glared at the Spearow. Behind Cedar, Pikachu slumped and looked disappointed, this was one battle it wasn't going to participate in.
"Alright Pidgey-give it a Gust attack!" Pidgey flapped its wings, so fast that Cedar couldn't see the individual ones, it was just a blur. A mini-tornado swirled around and hit the Spearow. The Spearow whirled around and flew out, looking worried.
Waiting for the attack onto Pidgey, she stood tense-but it never came. It just kept looking around, with a worried look on its face.
"Come on, attack!" Cedar willed it, thinking: "attack Pidgey, attack Pidgey..."
Finally thinking that it was just too slow, Cedar ordered another move.
"Gust attack!" Again the tornado swirled round Spearow. Again more peering, and again, no attack. Why?, why?, why?, she thought.
"Another!" The Spearow was looking pretty battered by now. It still didn't retaliate. Cedar was just about to speak again when a voice sounded.
"Hey! Stop beating up my Spearow!!" Spearow perked up, and looked at the direction of the voice. Cedar turned around, and saw a girl walk up to her.
She gaped, realising why the Spearow wouldn't attack. It belonged to the girl, and was waiting for the command to attack! This wasn't a wild Pokémon at all!
"Spearbeak-Wing attack!" Now the glint of 'angry' came into its eyes, while Pikachu looked at the battle scene, getting excited.
Spearow flapped into the air, and raced towards Pidgey. It breezed past it and deliberately made the wing trail, so it bashed into Pidgey. Pidgey was bowled over, Cedar gasped.
Wing Attack? That was a move that a Pidgeot would use, nor a level 3 Spearow! This was a cool battle-but what others would the girl use if Spearow fainted?
"Tackle it Pidgey!"
Pidgey took to the sky, and flapped furiously, getting higher and higher. Then the time seemed right, it folded its wings into its body, and faced to ground. The ground rushed up to Pidgey, and it raced down to the Spearow.
At the last moment it flared its wings, and bashed into Spearow who was on the ground. The girl gasped. Spearow had finally had enough, it flopped to the ground, and fainted. The glimmer of silver went round its body as Cedar watched.
The girl, instead of recalling it, ran and picked it up.
"Oh, sorry Spearbeak, I never should have let you battle-you're still sick!" "Hey-since when do Pokémon stray from their owners? Is it disloyal?" Cedar demanded. The girl finally shifted her eyes to Cedar.
"Oh, yes, maybe I should explain. I'm Cherrie, and both my parents are Doctors. This isn't my Spearow-it was brought into the hospital when it had fallen sick with 'flu. We nursed it back to health and we're keeping it if no one comes back for it. See when they're not dangerously ill-we let them run around in this patch of grass to get better. We basically use them as our own-but they're not." We can't put them in Pokéballs, though we give them nicknames, don't we Spearbeak!"
"Oh, I get it. Hi Cherrie, are you a Trainer as well as Doctor, by any chance? You seem to know what's going on."
"Well, I do use the Pokémon for fighting, but I don't follow the Gym Challenge. You're obviously going to-I can see the look of determination in your eyes."
"Well that's good, at least someone thinks I stand a chance!"
"What, are people saying you won't? Well that's slack!"
"Not really, only I hate my Rival, Hawthorn. We're having a battle today and it's Random. I'm all keyed up, and someone here doesn't share in my enthusiasm, hey?" Cedar glared at Pikachu. Pikachu feigned innocence, chewing on a grass stem, while staring up in the sky.
"Well I'd better go and get Spearbeak healed. She'll get annoyed if I don't. Thanks for the mini-battle though!" Cherrie walked away. Pidgey broke her focus by calling her, wanting to be recalled.
"Pidgey, Pidgey." Cedar held the Pokéball out and returned it. Then she looked slyly over to Pikachu. Pikachu's eyes widened at her evil smile, and backed away. The annoyance turned to fun loving play.
"Hey, you! Come here! It's battling time for you, Pikachu! Get here! Now! Pikachu..." Cedar ran to Pikachu, and attempted to pick her up by the tail, and didn't succeed. Pikachu ran away, laughing, and ThunderShocking the air in happiness. Cedar ran with Pikachu, over to the horizon and beyond.
"Pika, Pikachu!"
