- [ Chapter 2 ] -
Encounter
Leaf was in her bedroom, her door closed. She tossed her messenger bag on her bed and carefully opened it, pushing aside her wallet, a hairbrush, and other knickknacks and swallowed nervously when she found the Poké Balls. She pulled them out and inspected them, it was different than holding the Poké Balls of her friends' Pokémon - these were
hers. She ran her thumb over the crease in the center and rested it on the button. Her mother called her down for dinner and she jumped, nearly dropping it, before stowing it into her pocket and rushing downstairs.
Her parents were already sitting at the table, pouring their drinks. Leaf sat at her place and started eating, her mind buzzing. Her palms were clammy and she fumbled with her fork, but her parents were so engaged in their own conversation that her distress remained unknown to them.
It had to be tonight, she thought,
now or never.
Her mind was in overdrive, she debated whether she should leave before her parents finish dinner or after when they retired to the living room to drink coffee and watch television, she decided that it would be easier for her to pass it off as if she were going to bed or the bathroom, and leave while they were busy. She was very conscious of the Poké Ball in her pocket pressing against her hip, and as small as it was she felt as if it was a meter in diameter and was constantly worried of her parents noticing it, as impossible as that was with her sitting at the table.
Dinner ended soon enough, and just as she predicted, her parents were brewing their coffee and making their way into the living room, not for lack of trying in persuading Leaf to join them. She assured them that she was going to bed early as she had a headache, and hid in the bathroom. She decided to wait a few minutes to make sure they settled down and found something engaging to watch, and splashed water on her face to try to settle her nerves.
Why is this is stressful? She took a deep breath, and splashed her face again. She had been around many Pokémon in her life, her neighbors had some, and all of her friends made it a point to show everyone their new Pokémon before they left on their journeys. Yet, she had never been around wild Pokémon, at least not that she knew of.
She decided that it was time, and stepped out into the hallway. She heard the television in the living room and crept through the house, slipping out the front door and closing it behind her. There was no going back now. Her stomach dropped when she realized she had forgotten the other Poké Balls. She dismissed it though, deciding that she only needed one Pokémon for now to start her journey with.
Her house was next door to the Pokémon Center, where her mother worked. The path next to the Center opened up to Route 7, where she knew wild Pokémon dwelled, as she had seen many trainers come through there and straight into the Pokémon Center on the days she went to visit her mother at work. She started walking, with that same out-of-body feeling she had in the Department Store, towards the edge of the city and onto the path leading to Route 7. A few people bustled in and out of the Pokémon Center, and she darted into the shadows to avoid being seen. A slender person in a long trenchcoat with a hat stepped out of the Center and paused, glancing in Leaf's direction. Leaf quickened her pace and suddenly she had reached the Route, trembling when the path turned into dirt. There were no more fancy cobblestone paths and brick walkways out here.
Leaf wandered around for a bit, making sure to stay on the path with the Celadon City lights just behind her. When no Pokémon appeared after several minutes, she realized she had to make this quick and stepped off the path into a patch of overgrown grass. She walked along the perimeter of it, ensuring that the path stayed in sight. A burst of flame suddenly flared up from the grass, singeing the blades. Leaf screamed and stumbled back, tripping over an overgrown root. A fierce bark echoed and a Growlithe bounded through the deep grass, growling.
"Acid!" A woman's voice called out.
Confused, Leaf pushed herself up into a sitting position and stared wide-eyed as the Growlithe was doused in a foul-smelling slime. Leaf crawled away, terrified. She started to push herself up and run but when she turned around and saw what had happened, she stopped in her tracks.
The Growlithe had bolted away, leaving drops of the Acid attack in its wake. Leaf was dumbfounded when she realized what had happened. The mysterious trainer from the Pokémon Center who had spotted her leaving the city… it was Erika. Something must have intrigued her to follow Leaf, though she couldn't blame her, she had resorted to hiding in the shadows and sneaking around so late at night.
"Who are you?" Erika demanded. There was no sweetness in her voice that Leaf had heard when she was interviewed on television. Leaf was taken aback, and didn't answer immediately. Was this really her?
"I said," Erika spoke up more loudly, the volume surprising Leaf, "who are you?"
"I… I'm Leaf." Leaf announced, shaken from her stupor.
"What are you doing out here?" Erika retorted, without missing a beat.
Leaf's heart sank, she had always imagined the first time she would meet Erika in person would be when she appealed to her to become a Gym trainer… Not when she was cowering on the ground from a Growlithe in the middle of the night.
"I was just trying to catch a Pokémon." She replied truthfully, afraid of Erika's interrogative nature.
Erika didn't reply, but instead narrowed her eyes as if she were inspecting Leaf. She recalled her Gloom to its Poké Ball, and placed the Poké Ball carefully in her front coat pocket.
"Come with me," Erika beckoned, and she turned around, facing the lights of Celadon City. Leaf dashed up to her side, but remained silent. She glanced sideways at Erika, who remained austere and stared forward.
"Are you the daughter of one of the nurses at the Pokémon Center?" Erika inquired, she kept her gaze straight ahead in the direction of the city, but tilted her head slightly in her direction.
Oh, no.
"Yes," Leaf admitted, thinking it wise to stay honest at this point. Erika just nodded her head and fell silent for the remainder of the walk. Soon enough, they had reached the Pokémon Center where Erika lead Leaf inside. Leaf's heart sank when she saw her mother's co-worker, Nurse Linda, standing behind the counter and beaming at her upon her entrance.
"Miss Erika! What brings you back so soon?" Nurse Linda greeted her warmly, failing to see Leaf who had attempted to hide behind the Gym Leader.
"I found one of your Nurse's children sneaking about." Erika returned Nurse Linda's smile, and her voice had softened. Nurse Linda peaked around Erika's shoulder and was visibly startled at the sight of Leaf.
"Leaf!" Nurse Linda nearly shouted, appearing terrified. "Where is your mother?"
Leaf pursed her lips and looked down at the ground, ashamed. Not only did Erika have to save her, she had to recognize her from all those times she visited the Pokémon Center, and turn her in. She felt the urge to cry, and clenched her teeth. The women seemed to sense her shame and instead addressed each other.
"She was trying to catch a Pokémon, but she had no Pokémon with her so I tried to help her." Erika explained solemnly., "But I have seen her here before, her mother works here?"
"Yes, she does. She lives next door, actually. Thank you, Miss Erika, I can take care of her from here."
"If it's just next door, I can take her home on my way out." Erika bowed gracefully to Nurse Linda, then turned to Leaf.
"I apologize if I scared you, or if I came off as impolite in any way." Erika stated, then she continued, "There have been reports of malicious activity from a syndicate in the city, involving Pokémon. I didn't know if you were involved or not, but I saw you outside of the Pokémon Center and thought you were suspicious. I apologize again for my misjudgment."
"O-oh, it's no problem." Leaf stammered, baffled at the Gym Leader's sincerity. The two stepped out of the Pokémon Center, and Leaf glanced down the road at her house, where the window glowed blue from the television. Her parents didn't seem to notice her absence, yet.
"I apologize if this is not in my place to ask, but why were you attempting to catch a Pokémon without one to battle with?" Erika mused, walking slowly.
"Um… about that," Leaf murmured, "I'm not supposed to have a Pokémon. My parents won't let me have one. That's kind of why I was sneaking around."
"Why would they not permit you to have a Pokémon?"
Leaf wanted to let out her frustration at her parents then and there as she would with her friends, calling them dumb and claiming that they didn't understand anything, but she bit her tongue and decided that she needed to remain respectful around Erika.
"They think they're dangerous, or something." Leaf answered, honestly. Her parents had always warned her around Pokémon, even her friends' Pokémon.
"Hmm." Erika thought for a moment, "I would have to disagree. Pokémon have saved my life before."
"Really?" Leaf asked in awe. "How? What happened?"
Erika just smiled at her and didn't answer, and then they had reached her doorstep. Erika rapped her knuckles on the door, and Leaf's father opened the door then gawked. He called for Leaf's mother almost immediately and stared dumbstruck, trying to figure out why Erika, the city's beloved Gym Leader was standing on his doorstep with Leaf, who was supposed to be sleeping in bed. Leaf's mother's head appeared just over her father's shoulder, and instead of the bewilderment her father had greeted them with, her mother looked downright vicious.
"Leaf!" Her mother screeched, making her grimace and even her father cowered, though that may have been because he received a direct blow with her standing over his shoulder.
"Mom…" Leaf started to explain, but Erika spoke up.
"Nurse… Rhonda, is it not?" Erika smiled, and continued when Leaf's mother nodded curtly, "I think it would be wise to give Leaf a Pokémon, as protection. It appears to me that she has a desire to be around Pokémon."
"I appreciate your sentiments Miss Erika, I really do, but I feel this is something that needs to be addressed parent to child." Leaf's mother snipped.
Erika nodded then bowed, "I apologize for the intrusion, Nurse Rhonda. Please consider my word, and if you would like any assistance at all then you know where to find me."
Erika seemed to glide down from the doorstep and down the path, disappearing into the nightlife of Celadon City. Leaf turned back to her parents, fearful, although the lack of expression on their faces concerned her. Her mother stepped back into the house and her father pushed the door open farther to let her in. She entered the house silently, fearful of her repercussions.
She stood in the hallway, just outside the living room where her mother had sat back down on the couch with her coffee, sipping it thoughtfully. Her father cleared his throat and her head snapped up in their direction, the look in her eyes daring him to say something in Leaf's favor.
"I knew this day would come sooner rather than later." Leaf's mother whispered, sipping her coffee once more. She sighed and set it down, motioning for Leaf to join her. Her father nudged her shoulder and she stepped forward as he followed her in. Leaf sat on the recliner next to the couch, not quite wanting to be within arm's reach of her mother.
"Leaf, I know how you're feeling, but we've tried to keep you away from Pokémon for a reason. They're dangerous."
"But, Erika said--" Leaf started to retort, but was hushed when her mother raised her finger, indicating for her to wait.
"I know how Erika feels about Pokémon, Leaf. I'm a Nurse at the Center, I see her on a regular basis. She fawns over them in a way I've never seen."
"Leaf, your mother and I have talked about this before," her father interjected, yearning to say something, "we know how you get around Pokémon, and we just worry for your safety is all. But, we have also talked about--"
"No," Leaf's mother interrupted, nudging her husband, "Leaf, it's too dangerous, end of story."
"What were you saying, dad?" Leaf asked, pointedly ignoring her mother. Her mother turned to face her husband, with a look that said very clearly, I dare you.
"You know your cousin, Fire, my sister's son?" Her father spoke up, ignoring the offended look on his wife's face. "He just received his starter Pokémon last year, in Pallet Town. Pallet Town is a much better place for kids to start their journeys than Celadon. It's much more rural, and the Pokémon in that area are domestic enough where you wouldn't be in any real danger."
"Yeah…?" Leaf pressed on, she felt as if she knew where her father was steering this conversation, and eagerness bubbled up inside of her. Her mother remained silent, not even attempting to mask her disapproval. She knew that this was something they must have discussed before, though, because her father rarely countered her when it came to Leaf unless he was very serious. Plus, her mother should be having a temper tantrum right now. She was only ever this silent when she secretly agreed.
"We've talked to your aunt and uncle about you staying, whenever the time comes, to possibly get a Pokémon and train… you know, for Erika's Gym. We know you want to train as her protégé."
Leaf was floored. Twelve hours ago, when she was sitting morosely with her father in that restaurant having lunch, she would have never expected her day to turn around like this. And yet, here she was, discussing with her parents about her plans to become an official Pokémon trainer.
"We'll call your aunt and uncle tomorrow," her mother finally spoke up, though she kept on airs that she seriously disapproved of the situation, "and we'll see if they'll still let you stay, until you can get your Pokémon. You must stay with your cousin, though, he's already had his Pokémon for a while now."
Leaf was speechless. Still astounded at how events had turned, she reassured her parents that she would be careful, safe, and smart during her travels. Her parents walked her to her bedroom, possibly afraid that she might dart off into the night again, and bid her goodnight. Leaf closed her bedroom door behind her, her heart pounding.
Her parents were really going to allow her to become a Pokémon trainer.