From: PokeChris <cxs293@psu.edu> Subject: [PW!] My Journey Begins Date: Monday, December 13, 1999 6:17 PM The Journey Begins By PokéChris The tall grass surrounded him as he watched the events unfold. The black clothed attackers moved in on his parents. They were demanding they join their group. His parents refused. They pressed them harder. They began threatening his 2 year old sister and all he could do was watch. His parents grabbed his sister and were looking for him when the black clothed attackers struck. His sister screamed……. ….and then a voice in his mind said, [“it is time to get up.”] The familiar voice pulled Chris from his sleep. [“Thank you, Ala,”] Chris thought, still somewhat shaken from his nightmare. [“Did you have the dream again?”] the words formed in his head. [“Yes, Ala.”] Chris thought back, [“only it was more real than before. It was like I was 6 years old gain, sitting in that grass, watching my parents died again.”] [“That death is very important to you. Until you come to terms with that event, you will be plagued by those dreams.”] Ala projected. “I will never come to terms with it until I find those responsible!” Chris shouted, out loud this time, “and I find my sister,” Chris finished somewhat softer. [“Then it is time you begin your journey,”] Ala thought to Chris, [“if you will not come to terms with your parents death and your sister disappearance until you find the ones responsible, then you must venture out and find them.”] Chris said nothing. He looked up thoughtfully at the wizened Alakzam. This had been his only home, Ala his only father since that fateful day twelve years ago. He still remembered curling up with the bodies of his parents after the attackers left. He remembered crying and crying, hoping that his tears would bring his parents back. He remembered the group of wandering Abra who picked him up, teleported him back to their nest, and brought him before their leader, the old Alakazam. He could still feel the warmth, compassion, and caring the Alakazam projected on to him. Although he could not communicate with them, they seemed to know whatever he was thinking and they seemed to be able to make their thought known to him. As he grew up, he learned to communicate more effectively with them and soon he was able to talk psychically as effectively as he could speak to them. Yes it would be very difficult to leave them, but Ala was right, if he wanted to find the ones responsible he would have to leave his home and venture out on his journey. Chris got up from his bedroll and walked outside the cave. Over the past year, since his dreams had gotten worse, he had been venturing out at night, but never far from the cave. He walked over to the hidden cavern where Inferno usually slept. He looked over the edge and saw the massive red figure curled up sleeping. “Inferno!” He called out. The red figured stirred and sat up. As it stretched and spread it wings it let out great roar. Then it flapped its wings and flew up to the top of the cavern where Chris stood waiting. Chris watched the Charizard land on the ledge and couldn’t help thinking about the day they first met and became friends…… It was a stormy afternoon when Chris felt a cry for help. After spending several years with the colony of Abras, he start to sense things, mostly feeling from other people and Pokémon. It was never very strong, never reaching more few feet away, but this cry was stronger than anything he felt before. Feeling sense of urgency in the cry, he ran out into the rain and towards the call. He came upon a small Charmander who had been caught in a rockslide. The Charmander was trapped under a couple of boulders and had crushed its leg. Chris struggled to move the boulders, but after several minutes had worked the Charmander free and carried it back to the cave. As it recuperated, their friendship grew. Soon the Charmander and Chris were rarely seen apart. As it was healed, it began to evolve. But as it evolved, first to Charmeleon than to Charizard, it didn’t become harder to control as was the standard in the species, but it became more obedient and more loyal to Chris…… Now looking at his trusty friend, Chris felt Charizard’s presence, [“Good morning, Chris.”] [“Good morning, Inferno. How are you this morning?”] he thought. As he and Inferno grew closer over the years, they developed a special bond that not even Ala was able to explain. That bond almost connected them mentally, allowing them to feel each other’s presence and communicate telepathically more effectively than Chris communicated with Ala. [“I am well, thank you,”] Inferno answered, [what do you wish to do this morning?”] [“Ala seems to think it is time to leave and begin my quest to find the ones responsible for my parents death and to find my sister.”] Chris said. [“I will join you anywhere you go. You can count on me.”] Inferno responded sensing Chris’s next thought. [“Are you sure, Inferno? The journey is not going to be easy, in fact it will probably be very dangerous, especially when I find those responsible.”] Chris thought. [“All the more reason for me to join you. I will protect you from harm as best as I can,”] Inferno stated triumphantly. [“Thank you, Inferno. I’m glad I can depend on you. Come let us get something to eat than we will leave.] The two walked back to the opening of the cave and Chris sat down near the mouth of it. They never ate inside as Inferno was too large to fit inside the smaller opening, and Chris didn’t feel right eating separate from his friend. After they finished, Chris got up and went inside to gather his things. He grabbed the pack hanging on the wall of his room. The pack was a leather bag that he made to fit on Inferno’s back so Chris could carry his belonging and clothes when they traveled. He went to the basket in the corner and pulled out several pair of jeans and 5 of his favorite T-shirts, he also grabbed several changes of underwear and socks as well as his favorite gray sweatshirt. He threw everything in the bag. After thinking about it for a minute he pulled his winter jacket and gloves from the hook on the wall. “I don’t know how long this journey will last, I better be prepare for anything,” he thought to himself. He rolled up his bed roll and his sleeping bag and stuffed them into the bag as well. He finally walked over to the makeshift sink of his room and packed up his toothbrush, some soap, his towel and washcloth and tossed them into the bag as well. He packed up some kitchen supplies and some food so he can cook on his journey. Almost as an after thought he walked over to the darkest corner of the room, knelt down, and pulled a loose rock from the wall. Behind the rock, he had hidden a black case. He grabbed the case and put it in the bag and then closed the bag, securing it with the buckle. He turned back to his clothing basket, he pulled off the clothes he wore to bed and put on his favorite gray T-shirt, his standard faded blue jeans. And then laced up his favorite hiking boots. He pulled his blue windbreak over his head and put his black Adidas® baseball hat, tugging the brim down to partially cover his face. He picked up his black wrap-around sunglasses from the shelf on the wall and put them on too. Now he was almost ready to go. He walked over to the last hook on the wall and took the navy blue hip pack off the wall. This was his most important possession. Inside was his PokéDex, his PokéBalls, and his few other PokéSupplies. He strapped it on, and looked at himself in the mirror. Now he was ready to go. He grabbed the leather bag, turned and walked out the door. Before he could leave though, he needed to say good bye to Ala. Of all the Abra’s and Kadabra’s that lived in the colony he was closest to the old Alakazam. He stepped into the mediation room where Ala spent most of its time. He stopped and stared at Ala for a second, looking at him for one last time. He didn’t look nearly as old as he was rumored to be. Ala said he stopped counting and really didn’t know, but many of the others said that he was more than a thousand years old, by far the oldest Pokémon on Earth. [“What is it, my friend?”] Chris felt as Ala projected the words into his mind. [“I have come to say good-bye, Ala. I have packed for my journey and I don’t know how long I will be. I wanted to say how much I have appreciated your help in case I never see you again.”] Chris responded, choking back a few tears. [“I will always be with you, my friend. What time has stolen from my body, it has added to my mind. I will be able to follow your journey and appear to you when you need me. You and Inferno will never be alone on your journey no matter where you go. I am not strong enough to fight for you, but I will be able to guide you and offer my wisdom on your trek. If you need me, just call. I will hear you”] Ala responded. [“Thank you, Ala. I will, and I will return after I have completed my quest, I promise.”] [“Good-bye, my friend. I will be following you.”] Ala concluded and went back to his meditating “Good-bye,” Chris said aloud one more time. He turned to the door and left. Chris found Inferno sitting outside the door where he left him. [“Are you ready to go?”] Inferno asked. Chris strapped the leather bag on Inferno’s back and climbed on, [“Let’s go, I’m ready.] With a couple mighty flaps of his wings, Inferno took off and Chris left the security of the Mt. Moon cave behind for one last time and began the next phase of his life………….. To Be Continued….. Author’s note: I apologize for anyone who read this expecting some more action. I will have more in the future, I just felt this was the proper way to begin my saga. -- Free audio & video emails, greeting cards and forums Talkway - http://www.talkway.com - Talk more ways (sm)