The sun rose and fell and rose again. Joe reached his destination. New Bark. A homely little town. Population of twenty thousand. Joe stood on the deck. Leaned on the railing. Watched the town come into sight. New Bark was overrun by nature. Massive fields. Lines of trees opposite rows of small red brick homes. The town was deceptively large. Unoccupied fields dotted the landscape. For every house, there was a field a mile wide.
Rising into the sky to the east was Mt. Silver. A town at the base of a mountain already felt small, but New Bark felt tiny. It was in the shadow of a mountain multiple miles tall.
Joe disembarked onto a wide concrete dock. Took a deep breath and stretched. Reached up to Sprigatito on his shoulder. Scratched under her chin. She closed her eyes and purred. Joe started walking. He'd never come this far during his ventures around Johto. He'd check it out for a bit.
He reached a road. A row of buildings faced the sea. Hotels. Tourist shops for souvenirs. Specialty fast food. A corner store of necessities. He walked right. Saw a warehouse on a pier. Just like Olivine. Big metal construct. He dipped onto a small road. Moved up a hill. Alongside a field. There were no cars passing by, but Joe did see people. A couple enjoying a picnic. A group of teens skipping school.
Buildings thinned out. Joe watched vast amounts of wildlife living their best life in the fields. Birds flew into nests hidden within trees. Bunnies burrowed into bushes. Bugs darted about, collecting nectar no doubt. There were houses within range, but both groups left each other alone. The wildlife had their field, the people their homes.
Joe continued to walk. At some point he walked in a circle. He'd taken note of a particular house. Dangling by the door was a plant pot. The pot had clearly been scribbled on by a young child. Proud parents displayed it for the world to see.
He reached another row of shops. Spotted a cafe on the corner. Went and sat down at an outdoor table, an umbrella open to create shade. He felt a chill run down his arms. Closed the umbrella. Mt. Silver already ensured the town was shaded. He looked down the road. Plenty of shops, but no big names. This wasn't the town center. Just a quiet corner of a quiet town.
The bell above the door chimed. A waitress came to take Joe's order. Brown dress, white apron. Fluffy ginger hair. Freckles. Dangerous combination. She smiled at the cat on Joe's shoulder. A charming smile.
"What can I get for you today?" She sounded as happy as she looked. Not many troubles in a place like this.
"Today's special, please." Joe had eyed a chalkboard on his approach. The cafe's menu. Nothing grabbed his attention as a must have, so he went with the generic option.
The woman didn't have to write it down. She slid her pad into a chest pocket. Clipped the pen to her apron. "It'll be with you in a minute."
For the fun of it, Joe counted. Fifty-eight seconds the bell chimed. Right on time. Impressive. She held a coffee in one hand, a selection of biscuits in the other. Put the two small plates on the table. "Enjoy. They're safe for Pokemon, too."
"Thanks."
Joe appreciated the effort as he watched the woman head back inside. He sipped the drink. Not bad. It was a little bitter, but Joe had a sweet tooth. Just personal taste. It wasn't boiling hot either. He only realised afterwards that he hadn't blown to cool it down. He appreciated that. He always found hot drinks annoying because they had to be prepared ten minutes in advance.
Snack time. Joe shifted his shoulder. Sprigatito hopped down to his lap. He looked at his shoulder. The cat had salivated onto his jacket. Of course she did. She was a glutton.
Joe bit into a circular biscuit with red jam in the center. It hid cream underneath. He grabbed a bland biscuit and noticed it shimmer. Sugar. He fed it to his cat. It was gone in three quick bites. He scratched her head. Joe reached out for another biscuit. A chocolate chip cookie. Classic.
He relaxed until the coffee was drained and the snacks were eaten. His finger spun around the saucer. Why was it called a saucer? Was it for sauce? Was it based on an alien flying saucer? It was a pointless question, but Joe was curious.
Half an hour later Joe was done doing nothing. It was a nice break. He grabbed his backpack. Walked inside the cafe. He could've left money under the saucer. The benefits of a high trust society. But he wanted to see the cafe's interior. One word descriptor: Comfy. Dark wood flooring. Tables covered by white cloth. The cloth had a pattern around the edge. The silhouette of a Pokemon Joe didn't recognise. He approached a polished wood counter. A massive cut out housed a glowing glass case. Bread. This cafe doubled as a bakery.
Joe bought some freshly baked bread. Tipped generously for the service. Left. Slowly ate the loaf as he walked. Surprised himself by eating the entire thing. He had meant to save some for later. Oh well. Best eaten fresh. Scrunched the packaging up and tossed it into the nearest bin. Carried on his way.
A soft breeze hit Joe. The shadow engulfing New Bark shrunk every second. It finally caught Joe as he walked east. It was finally bright.
The closer Joe got to Mt. Silver, the less structures he saw. The final building he passed was a large cabin. Two storeys. Made of rough, uncut logs. A thick stone chimney in one corner. A standard picket fence surrounded an open field. Linked the land to the cabin. Joe saw multiple big Pokemon in the field. This fence wasn't keeping anything in or out. Just marking territory.
Joe watched the Pokemon as he walked by. Plenty Joe hadn't seen before. Some he had. He spotted the Partners of Johto quickly. And their evolutions. Everyone knew their country's Partner Pokemon. A trio of beginner friendly species.
He looked at a big green quadruped. A pink flower bloomed at the base of its long neck. Meganium. It played with a blue Pokemon with an equally long neck. Its body and wings were surrounded by plump white fur that looked like clouds. It flew around while Meganium chased it.
Joe's eyes settled on a fierce Pokemon. It had a hunchback but was still taller than Joe. At least seven-feet tall. Blue body. Red fins gave it a mohawk. Said fins fan down its back and tail. It had an elongated jaw with sharp teeth. Feraligatr. Joe felt like this one had more muscle compared to others of the species, but he was operating with limited information. Just an image from school he'd seen.
Feraligatr locked eyes with Joe. It scared Sprigatito into his jacket's hood. Joe stopped. Stared at the big alligator with narrowed eyes. Man recognised man. Feraligatr curled its arms above its head. Flexed its biceps. Joe rolled up his sleeves. Two could play at that game. It was a flex-off.
The pair switched from stance to stance, showing off various muscles. Joe took his jacket off at one point, causing Sprigatito to stand on dirt. The first time since Joe adopted her.
Joe and Feraligatr curled their arms into their torsos to show off their back muscles. Hands clasped overhead to highlight their chests. This went on for a few minutes until they exhausted all poses they knew. They stood there, unmoving. Staring at each other. They approached the fence. Gripped the other's hand like they were going to arm wrestle. But the competition was over. They accepted each other's strength. They nodded. Separated. No words needed to be spoken between men.
While Joe was messing around, Sprigatito took note of Joe's shadow. Something about it drew her attention. She approached, head dipped low. Tapped at Joe's shadow with a paw. Nothing. She sat up. Tilted her head, confused and curious. Joe's flex-off ended. She'd have to investigate another time.
Joe smirked to himself. Grabbed his clothes. Dragged his shirt over his face. Sometimes he thought he should grow up, but there was no harm in having some fun. He hoped it was a desirable trait for a partner. He'd do a good job keeping their child entertained.
He took note of his surroundings as he put an arm through his jacket. He noticed something. Someone. A woman standing at the window of the cabin. She was far away. He couldn't make out any details. But she was most definitely looking his way. Joe wondered how long she'd been watching. What expression she was wearing. Joe grabbed his bag and speed-walked away.
Joe moved further east. He reached the outskirts of New Bark. Plains ahead, followed by Mt. Silver. He walked until he encountered a river separating the town from the mountain range. It was large. Probably deep too. He looked left across the water. A cliff face overlooked the gently flowing river. He craned his head. The top of the cliff had to be one-hundred feet up. He looked right. Spotted a bridge. Headed that way. He liked the idea of enjoying some swimming in the clear water. Maybe rest on the water bank. But Mt. Silver was right in front of him. He couldn't wait any longer.
Mt. Silver was part of the sterling range. Mt. Silver's name origin was lost to time, but the range was named in recorded history. Sterling, in reference to silver being a purchasable metal currency. Sterling was the centerpiece of a triangle of countries. Sinnoh up North. Johto to the south-west. Kanto to the south-east.
Joe reached the bridge. It was made of large pale stones as big as Joe's torso. Vines crept up the columns embedded into the water. Once across the bridge, Joe was on a dirt path that twisted right. It became a gentle slope and eventually a rocky trail. He was now on Mt. Silver. The base of the mountain was full of wide-open spaces. Fields of grass and flowers.
That evening Joe found himself at a PokeCenter. Lower sections of mountains were tourist attractions. Places that attracted people would bring in Trainers. Trainers needed their Pokemon looked after. This wasn't the first time Joe had found a PokeCenter in the middle of nowhere.
PokeCenters were made based on the same blueprint. But edits were allowed. This one in particular had a massive extension at the back. A hotel. It helped fund an out of the way PokeCenter. The League had an absurd amount of money. Used it to give free care to Pokemon. But some PokeCenters, like this one, could stand alone from the League.
Day two of hiking. Joe enjoyed a cooked breakfast. He set out. Felt well rested. He'd gotten good food and the bed was perfect. Soft mattress and feather quilt. Joe took notes. He wanted the same for his apartment when he returned in a year.
Joe watched wild Pokemon as he walked, a field to his side. Small bees flew around, carefully digging into flowers. He hadn't seen this species before. He knelt at the edge of the trail, by some flowers. Watched closely as the bee swiftly but carefully caressed the center of a bright purple flower. The bug was a foot tall. It had big black eyes. Thin limbs. Yellow fuzz around its body and white on its face. What looked like a brown scarf around its neck.
It looked up at Joe. Smiled. Waved. Joe automatically waved back. It flew away via transparent wings on its back. Joe carried on walking.
Sometimes the trail dipped down for a time, and sometimes the incline was faint. Joe was thankful for the casual walk right now. He knew it'd get harder eventually.
Joe camped out for the night. He'd spotted a wooden cabin at one point. Backpacker hostel. More support for tourists. Joe would rather enjoy his time outside. He set up a small campfire. Sprigatito sat right next to it. The cold was starting to affect to her. Joe ate a simple meal. Curry. Just seeing the steam rising from his food warmed Joe up.
When hiking through a country, Joe often carried a week's worth of food with him. He was typically just a day away from a village so he usually carried a lot of food so he could prepare full, proper meals. But he didn't know how long he'd be on Mt. Silver. He estimated over a week. So he packed basic, compressed foods. He looked forward to working with fresh vegetables once he arrived in Kanto.
Joe got his sleeping bag ready. Destroyed the campfire. Sprigatito followed him inside the tent. When Joe lay down, she scurried into his shirt. Leeched off his body heat.
Day three of hiking. Joe woke up early. Went outside. Stretched. Breathed in deeply. The smell of a fresh morning. Nothing better in the world. There was still water vapour in the air. It shined off the grass as the sun rose.
He packed up, Sprigatito dangling from his collar. Only her head and front paws were outside and she was still unhappy. He understood. It was noticeably colder. He expected his jacket to handle one more day. Then he'd pull out a thick coat. Sprigatito might go inside her Pokeball until a lower elevation.
Joe had stopped at a good time yesterday. The trail was tough first thing in the morning. Big rocks on the ground. He had to be careful not to slip off one and twist an ankle. He walked along small ledges. Grass became patchy. In its place there was just dirt and rock.
Joe walked along another cliff face. Spotted a cave. He peeked inside. A car could fit inside, but nothing more. He felt a deep rumble. Grabbed his phone. Turned the light on. Aimed it inside the cave. He spotted a bulky Pokemon sleeping. Brown skin. Or was it made of rock? He couldn't quite tell. Square orange plates wrapped around the Pokemon's torso. From this angle Joe could see a horn on its head. It snored and Joe felt that rumble again. Oh, he knew this one. Rhyperior. He'd seen it on television.
Another Pokemon was here too. It rested atop the rotund belly of Rhyperior. It had a long yellow body and a black head. Blue light coursed through its droopy black ears as it breathed. Joe didn't know this small one.
The two Pokemon shifted from the light of Joe's phone. He covered the back of his phone with a hand. Moved on.
It didn't take long for the trail to get worse. Joe had to steady himself at times. Place his hands on the steep path. Green had entirely vanished.
Once he was high enough, Joe looked west. Seeing New Bark from so high up was weird. He'd never hiked up a mountain before. He didn't know what this feeling was. He couldn't see specifics, but imagining so many people going about their life in one shot made his heart rate increase a little. The hundreds, maybe thousands, of cars rushing about. Tens of thousands of people working or learning or relaxing. Joe had a hard time dragging himself away from the sight.
That night, Joe stopped right by snow. Mt. Silver was a snowcapped mountain. It had to start somewhere, but to so plainly see the border between rock and snow was odd. Joe made another campfire. Sat down. Sprigatito came out from under his shirt. She hadn't seen snow before. She moved right next to it. Tapped the white powder with a paw. Felt a chill run along her body, from her paw to her body to her tail. She rushed back to Joe. Scurried up his shirt. Stayed there. Joe grinned. Scratched her head through his shirt. Relaxed. Put a lantern on a thin pole. Pulled a book out. Watched his breath dissipate. Started reading until he was tired.
Day four of hiking. Daybreak happened a while ago. Joe wore his thick coat. Sprigatito poked her head out of the collar again. It was snowing lightly. A flake landed on the cat's nose. She sneezed. Whined. Looked up at Joe.
"Do you want to go into your Pokeball for a bit?" He asked. Sprigatito nodded so he obliged, his hand already in his pocket because he expected this. He brought the Pokeball out. He tapped her gently. She went away with a flash of blue. He pocketed the ball. Carried on. He had a strange feeling. Something was off. Couldn't pinpoint it. Another gut feeling.
Another hour passed. The path between steep and narrow. He peered down. A massive drop. Hundreds of feet. The path split. One went further up. One was along a cliff. Joe took the latter. He thought back to his earlier feelings. His instincts were still firing off, but he couldn't figure it out. He observed his surroundings. There wasn't much to look at. What was he looking for? What had triggered his subconscious?
Joe rounded a slight bend. A Pokemon came into view further up the trail. Red skin. White fur was rustled by a strong wind. Sharp green eyes. A horn ran up the right side of its head. Joe approached. He felt like he'd seen one. What was it again…? An Absol? That sounded right. He'd seen them in mountainous regions in documentaries. But this one had red skin. That seemed wrong. Joe was sure Absol had black skin.
Absol shifted. It barked at Joe multiple times. Joe kept walking. He didn't think much of it. Sometimes wild Pokemon got rowdy. And this was the only path forward. Absol lowered its body. Let out a deep, guttural growl. Its thick claws crunched snow and dug into dirt. Joe took another step forward. The horn on Absol's head glowed pink with energy.
Joe stopped. Absol was preparing an attack. From Joe's experience, confrontational wild Pokemon almost never followed through. Something had agitated Absol.
"What, you're gonna attack innocent ol' me?" Joe put on an accent. Wanted to de-escalate with humour. Bridge the gap in communication. Find out what was wrong. Maybe Joe could help.
Absol ignored his comment. Swung its head with a bark. Unleashed the pink energy from its horn. The pink arc cut through air. Struck the cliff by Joe's side. A lethal warning shot. Joe saw a gouge in the rock a foot deep. He was prepared to dodge, but where would he go? This narrow path was just about fit for two people side by side.
Joe threw his hands up. "All right, I'll back off. But if you need help, just ask. Or, well, you can't speak human language. Bark or something…?" Joe's assumption was that Absol was guarding something. Maybe an injured friend. Maybe a partner giving birth. Joe just had to wait it out. Give Absol a few hours.
Absol didn't respond. Just continued to growl and bark intermittently while glaring at Joe. Joe considered how to make himself useful. Absol gave one last extremely loud bark and spun around. Joe felt frustration from Absol. His brow furrowed but only for a moment. Something struck the mountain with a deafening crack. Joe thought he saw a flash of yellow. Electricity. Massive chunks of rock hit the path. Blocked the way forward. Kicked up snow. Created something of a fog.
Joe raised his hand. Looked through his fingers. Situational awareness. He didn't want to be blind to a threat.
It clicked. That feeling from earlier? He hadn't seen any wild Pokemon all day. He should have seen some flying around. In small nooks in the cliff. Even waddling about on the mountain path. But there had been nothing. Pokemon had intense instincts. They had sensed trouble and ran. Absol remained to scare away stragglers. Stragglers like Joe. It knew trouble was coming and wanted to help. Joe liked Absol. Selfless. His kind.
He almost wanted to laugh at the last loud bark Absol had given him. Probably calling him an idiot in Pokemon language.
Snow drifted on the wind. Joe lowered his hand. His eyes widened. A mighty beast stood atop the rubble it had created. Black, yellow, and white fur across its body. Strong legs of muscle. Four powerful paws. A long purple cape of fur across its back. Tough as diamonds fangs running down its chin. Its pink eyes were glaring at Joe.
"What the hell is Raikou doing here…?"