FicWad

Author's note: Many thanks to my regular reveiwer whatareyouevensaying. It's because of him that you have a new chapter this quickly (reviews are amazing spurrers of getting more written, I've found). Originally it was going to be just the battle sequence -- but that would have meant that the first day as a pokemon trainer was going to fill more than nine chapters all told, and I wanted to wrap it up quickly.

A lot happens in this chapter, so please read it carefully. There's something like three story arcs begun here.

I'm not certain how I feel about this chapter. Are my pokemon learning moves too fast? It's only been one day, but Lapis has already learned two new moves. Admittedly because I think that technically all squirtle should be born knowing these moves, but all the same, I'm not certain if it's totally believable.

My only other announcement is that I do respond to every review I get, even the really crappy ones that say: "Good job." (Although, I don't respond to the rewiews that rate my writing using only numbers -- grammer: 10, story: 5, etc. -- those reveiws annoy me so much. I wrote things down for you, you could at least display the lingustic skill to write something down for me). If you had questions that you wanted to be answered, just click the reveiws section and my response will be there. It takes less time for me than saving the e-mail alerts, rereading them, and then answering them in my author's note. Also, it makes the author's note shorter, which I am certain is what you want. Anyway, I just wanted to say that because I know that as a reveiwer if I don't get a response from the author, I'm not motivated to reveiw again unless a chapter is REALLY good. I really appreciate it when I get advice from you guys, or suspicious theories about what is going to happen, or some interesting comment. This is my way of repaying the favor that you have given me by taking time out of your busy schedule to write me a reveiw.

Now for a short question: Are my author's notes too long? Is that putting some people off?

The warning: This is the chapter that will probably depart the most from the cannon of either the games (which is the one I stick closest to) or the anime/manga. How will it depart? Well, let's just say that I find it hard to believe in idenical umptybillion-upletts or whatever sitting in pokemon centers across the regions. The same is true for those in the police force. So... I'm totally making fun of that entire system in this chapter. Enjoy. I'm also taking some thinly veiled pot shots at the rhetoric that we constantly hear about the War on Terror. Not that I don't think that people who hate my nation so much that they want to kill me without having met me aren't a problem -- I just think that the constant catch phrases and over done repetitions of tired slogans coming out of the politicians mouths are just plain stupid. If you don't have anything new to say, don't say it.

Finally, the Disclaimer: I don't own pokemon. Could you imagine a world if all the people who wrote pokemon fanfiction actually owned it? Creepy thought, ne?



The rain stayed at a steady down pour as the two humans and three pokemon made the ten minute walk into the city of Viridian. In reality Viridian should not have been called a city, at least, not by the standards of a non-island nation. However, Kanto was merely a good sized region, taking up half of a fair-sized island. Pallet Town should have been known as a village, and Viridian City should have been a town. But, if relative size was used as an indicator, Viridian could be classified as a city, as it had three entirely different neighborhoods, and more than one general store. Also, it was home to a gym, which granted it immediate city status.

At the moment the shining green city was a foggy grey, the summer rain doing its best to wash things clean and sparkling for when the sun came out from behind the cloud. Mist rolled in the streets, hugging anyone who walked down them, obviously eager for company, as most people had gone inside.

A few cars drove past Adam and Mel, splashing them with dirty water. Neither of them had remembered to pack an unbrella. Mel felt defeated. After all the careful packing of the pokemon supplies, she had comepletely forgotten her own human needs.

Adam's pidgey, huddled on his shoulder, chirped miserably. Adam occassionally reached his finger up to pet the bird, named Dive. Adam already had one or two spots on his t-shirt from the bird's need to do what birds need to do. Bolt lay in Adam's arms, exhausted.

Lapis, in comparison, was bright and bouncy in the soggy weather. He yelled angrily after the cars that splashed him, and walked steadily through the town, with his head held high, looking about him with interest.

The red roof of the pokemon center was lit up, and not too far from the road. They headed toward it, wondering how late it really was. The darkness of the sky made it seem like night, but Mel was certain she had been eating lunch only a few hours ago.

"Hey, who's out there?" by the fenced outdoor eating area of the pokemon center, someone, two someones, were moving, looking out into the rain soaked world.

Thinking that it could only be a couple of the other new trainers from pallet Mel called: "It's us, me'n Adam."

"Huh? I don't know of any rangers named Adam."

They got closer, and saw two older trainers, one had to be eleven, and the boy behind him was at least fourteen. They both wore serviceable clothes that were a variety of muted greens, browns, and greys. Mel happened to notice, with a bit of jealousy, that their clothes were water proof, with little droplets beading on them, and they both had escape ropes coiled at their waists.

"They must be some of the new trainers from Pallet," remarked the older of the two. "C'mon, we've got to help Jo set up, and they look like drowned poochyena."

"Aw, Jack, I could gain some experience off them. Please?"

"No, Rusty. Look at the big one's pokemon. They're tired out. I don't think these kids have had their partners for more than a day," the older boy said emphatically, turning to go inside.

"I'll fight," Mel said. "Lapis hasn't got anything better to do, and he could use some more experience."

"All right!" Rusty grinned.

Jack looked disapproving. "She's new to this. Don't you even think about using your roselia."

"What's that?" Mel asked out of the corner of her mouth. Adam shrugged.

"I'm not certain what a poochyena is, either. They're probably from Johto."

"Hoenn, actually," Jack said. "Alright, I'll referee this. Rusty," he glanced significantly at the young boy. The boy looked annoyed, but nodded. "No pokemon above level ten, got that? Two on two match, begin."

Mel gulped. Well, Lapis would have to be good enough to take out two pokemon. For some reason she didn't want to admit to these worldly boys that she hadn't been able to capture a single pokemon.

"Don't worry," Rusty told her, enlarging a pokeball. "I'll go easy on you first round. I chose Jeremy!"

A ragged moth-like pokemon burst from the pokeball. Its compound eyes glittered in the rain, while the glider-like wings moved slowly.

"Jeremy?" Mel tried not to giggle, pokemon weren't usually named with human names.

"Rusty," Jack gritted his teeth, "Jeremy is an evolved pokemon."

"Yes, but he's my lowest level non-grass type, and he only just evoleved. Or would you think it fairer that I start her squirtle out on Lila?" Rusty complained.

"I'm fine with it," Mel said huridly. "More points to Lapis if he wins, after all."

Lapis walked solidly onto the field. "Squirtle."

"Dus dust tox," the large bug replied.

"Confusion!" Rusty exclaimed.

"Withdraw!" Mel told Lapis, her voice shaking. Bugs weren't supposed to learn psychic attacks!

Lapis was already popping into his shell. The dustox's eyes glowed magenta and the round shell was lifted off the ground a little way, and then pounded back into the pavement.

"Okay, now jump and tackle!" Mel commanded.

Lapis popped from his shell, and attempted to attack the bug pokemon. Jeremy merely flew higher, and watched as Lapis fell back to earth, landing hard on stubby legs. The poison moth then unleashed a barage of poison stings at Rusty's command.

Lapis withdrew, feeling the little stings break against his strong shell.

Rain pattered down from the sky, and Jeremy landed on the lit up sign of the pokemon center, flapping his wings only occassaionally to shake the water off. He personally didn't think much of his partner's choice of weather for a battle. Why not use one of his precious grass types who actually enjoyed getting wet?

Plus, it was a stand off, as long as that squirtle had his withdraw ability. Jeremy's confusion attack was not very powerful. He just didn't have the reserves of mental energy to do it very often. Unless he managed to hit a crack in the shell with his poison sting, which was unlikely in this weather, they would be there all night.

Lapis was thinking the very same thing too. They had met in the first round of battle, and been equal. He couldn't hit the moth, and the moth couldn't do him damage. This was not an ideal set up.

If only he knew water gun. Or bubble. He could pour water from his mouth, but he didn't have the reserves of water in his body to ensure that he could keep up a sustained jet.

No, it was a stand off, and it could only be broken if one of them came closer. Those poison stings took accuracy to aim, and the confusion was weak. Lapis could make it, if he was clever.

Both young trainers attempted to form a strategy as well. Mel bit her lip, aware of the cool rain, and her wish to be in the warm center. Rusty was likewise occupied, and a little surprised that so young a squirtle had learned withdraw.

Jack and Adam looked on, Adam somehow feeling that this was wrong. Battles should be quick paced as lightning strikes, not this slow confusion.

Jack was eyeing both pokemon with vague concern. He was beginning to think that it should have been Jeremy who he should have worried about having a disadvantage. The bug pokemon's wings were not handling well in the down pour, and once Rusty made the inevitable call for the pokemon to move from the light, Jeremy might get a pulled muscle from their rain drenched weight.

"Harden!" Rusty finally commanded.

Jeremy's eyes dimmed. The sound of drops falling on his exoskeleton changed perceptibly, and he glistened in the wet more than ever.

"Tackle!" Rusty grinned in triumph. With his body harder Jermy could push the ensconced Lapis into something nasty. The nearest lamp post looked inviting.

Mel smiled slightly in the gloom. This was just like dealing with Raindancer, after all. "Wait for it, Lapis. Remember Raindancer."

The moth dropped from the sign, fluttering heavily before stabilizing himself, and zooming forward to hit the squirtle.

"NOW!" Mel screamed, excitement filling her.

Lapis popped from his shell, and launched himself at the dustox. They smashed together with a crunch. Then Jeremy pulled away, cracks like darker veins marred his shining exoskeleton. Lapis fell to earth on his back. The turtle was breathing heavily, but he rolled himself upright, definance shining in his eyes. Jeremy labored back up to the sign.

He smirked to himself, as he heard his trainer ask for harden. Pushing with all his mental energy he forced his shell to become whole again, like an athelete flexing a muscle. Without a command to guide him Jeremy launched himself from the sign once again, his mouth open as he spat poison stings right into the turtle's smirking face.

Lapis grimaced as he felt the pins sink into his skin, seemly eating away at his flesh with their burning intesity. Pain filled him, and he felt something bubble inside his mouth. He spat, and realized that it was his tongue that was covered in little boils. He must have swallowed a few of the needles on accident.

Jeremy flicked his wings back and forth on the light, looking pleased with himself. The tackle had been harsh, and he was tired, but he would win again for Rusty. He was good at winning.

Mel ran to approach her squirtle, who was doing his best not to move. The pain wasn't so bad if he just stood still.

"Hey, off the field!" Jack exclaimed. "If you have an item to administer to a pokemon you have to make the pokemon come to you."

Mel looked up, a startled stantler caught in the metaphorical headlights of the rules. "But he's poisoned, he can't move!" she exclaimed, trying to see reason.

"That's his problem," Jack told her. "It's dangerous for trainers to go out on the field during battle. After the Johto League fiasco three years ago the regions got together and made the rule. Now back to the sidelines."

Lapis risked a glare at the older human as Mel reluctantly scuttled back to her end of the "field." Anger and pain bubbled through his system in an uncomforting fizz of heat. He clamped his jaws shut, allowing the beaky protrusion of his upper lip to bite into his lower one. Something uncoiled inside his stomach - he hoped that it wasn't his small intestine - as he looked up at the moth on the light.

Jeremy was flicking his wings idly, watching Lapis, and waiting for the squirtle to be finifhed off by the poison. It couldn't be too long now. The moth was wondering what kind of treat Rusty would give him once the battle was over. A cheri berry, maybe? Something nice and spicy to drive away the cold of the water.

Lapis growled to himself, watching the complacent bug. It was insulting that he wouldn't even bother tackling Lapis to finish the job. However, there was no way that the squirtle could get at the bug now.

Clarity suddenly bubbled up inside him. Realization so pure and fervent that he was amazed it didn't knock him over. Water gushed into his mouth dredged up from storing places in his stomach and cheeks. He coated the insides of his lips with the liquid, opened his mouth and then blew. Frothy bubbles escaped, most flowing over his chin, but a few burst from the appature as if they had been thrown.

"Tox!" Jeremy was knocked from his perch on the lighted sign by the force of the bubbles that reached him.

He fluttered down, rain heavy wings unable to bear him in flight. Landing in a puddle, he began to struggle, trying to shed water form his wings and body, the heavy drops meaning the difference between victory and defeat.

Lapis stepped deliberately toward the strange bug pokemon. Pain jolted through him at every movement, and his vision was blurry by the time that he was in striking distance of the dustox.

He had intended a final tackle, his victory statement before he keeled over from exhaustion. However, Lapis completed step two before managing step one. The crunch as he crashed down on the dustox was audible above the ceaseless patter of the rain.

Mel returned him hurridly, as Rusty scooped up Jeremy in a flash of red.

"Go, Lila!" he exclaimed, and a small green pokemon stood in Jeremy's place.

Rusty was excited, his cheeks flushed, and his eyes sparkling. He was grinning widely at Mel.

"C'mon, bring out your next pokemon, this has been great so far!"

"I - I," Mel stuttered, feeling ashamed, feeling like The Girl. "Lapis is the only one I have."

Rusty sighed. He took the statement at face value, not even remembering that in order to get here Mel had to walk through a field of wild pokemon and should have been able to catch at least one.

"Oh well, I suppose I can't be wasting my time out here in the rain. Jo will skin us. Hey, you two should come up to the communication center upstairs after four thirty. We're going to have this big presentation - it'll be cool."

He waved and walked back inside.

"Nice people," Adam commented from the side lines. "But get Lapis checked over. I've heard dustox venom is pretty awful."

"Yeah, I - Oh!" Mel ran after Rusty and Jack, managing to catch the older trainer. "I have money! I forgot to tell you. How much do I owe you for the battle?"

"Don't bother," Jack waved it away.

"But, it's the rules --," Mel began.

"Look, unless you name the sum before the battle starts everyone ignores it. Only tournaments and gym leaders stick to that old take half of everything that the trainer has on them rule. Your money should go into buying an umbrella," the older trainer grinned. "See ya around, I've got to make certain that my little brother doesn't do something to totally piss off Jo."

He left Mel half in the pokemon center feeling confused. "Hey, Adam, do you know what piss off means?"

"My Dad sometimes says it when he wants to get rid of door-to-door salesmen," Adam shrugged, as he walked in and up to the counter. "I guess it means go away."

"But that doesn't make sense," the shorter trainer tagged up with Adam.

He shrugged and then tapped on the counter. The nurse-vet came out of the back room. As per their lesson on People Who Can Help You, the older woman was wearing the startched white apron of her profession, and sensible denist's office pink scrubs. She surveyed the two with a kindly smile.

"If you would just hand over your pokeballs, please, we can get your pokemon rested and restored," she stold them in the gentle tones of a pediatrician, or training child psychologist.

Some people thought that the League approved vet-RNs sounded like vapid idiots, and others trusted them on sight. The rather sacarinne, motherly attitude was encouraged simply because if you didn't trust someone who was medically repsonsible for you and your pokemon things would go badly. A kind motherly persona and a few catch phrases was all that was needed to maintain the charisma.

Sometimes they were called "Joys;" not only because of the happy go lucky aura that they attempted with varying degrees of success to exude, but because of a popular television satire about their world, where all of the RNs were cute, sexy and identical twins all named Joy. "General Pokemon Center" was a popular program ten years ago, and now eveyone used the nickname, whether they had seen the TV show, or not.

Some said that the term was derogatory, and made to make people think that the vet-RNs were silly, strawberry blond bimbos. However, the name stuck, even though the RNs were highly competant and qualified. These women were trained for emergency situations, involing pokemon injuries, and a small bit of human medicine as well. It was a life that required a little bit of everything, and the motto, coinciding with the boy scouts, was "always be prepared."

The children relinquished their pokeballs automatically into her waiting hands. She rewarded them with another smile, light sparkling from her brown eyes.

"You're from Pallet?" she asked, placing the pokeballs on a tray specially built to hold them. "Some of your yearmates already came in, they're over by the window. I should," she was now running the tray through a scanner of some kind, "have the pichu and pidgey ready in a few minutes. Your squirtle, dear," she addressed herself to Melamine directly, "won't be up and about until two hours from now. Why don't you go talk to your friends while you're waiting?"

Mel and Adam nodded obediantly, and walked over to the indicated window. There was a booth, like that of a café, and Mel realized that the view was right onto the courtyard where she had been battling. Alex was sitting , taking the corner nearest the window, watching the rain that streaked down outside. Matt was staring silently ahead, his arms crossed. Both Scott and Chris were comparing notes, Chris with an ekans wrapped around his arm.

Scott noticed Mel and Adam first, and waved. "Hey, the last stragglers are here! What did you guys catch?"

Adam slid on the bench next to Alex, and Mel followed, sitting next to Adam. "I've got a pigey," Adam told them. "What about you?"

"A pigey," Scott confirmed. "You know, I was worried that you all had ended up like Chris, the catching wonder."

"How about Matt, did you catch anything?" Mel wanted to know, trying to be nice and get to know him. The prospect of traveling with him all the way to Cerulean was looking daunting and vauguely unpleasant in the face of his perpetual scowl.

He shook his head. Unlike the others he didn't have much money, and couldn't afford to waste pokeballs. Besides, he had spent most of his journey trying to make his bulbasaur stronger, and trying to think up an entirely unique name for her.

"Well, that's okay," Mel told him, thinking that Matt was rather embarassed by the lack of pokemon. "I didn't manage to catch anything either."

Chris laughed. "Yeah, you should have seen her. She throws like a girl."

"Yeah, and you scream like one," Mel retorted.

"Are you really so shocked, Chris?" Alex wanted to know, he had been sliding closer and closer to the window to avoid the water that Mel and Adam were exuding. "She is a girl after all."

"Good point," Chris shrugged, trying to decide if he should get Mel back for the screaming like a girl comment or not. "Hey, your vampireyness, you never told us what you caught."

"I did not see any pokemon worth catching," Alex replied smoothly, before turning to stare out at the rain. "By the way, Girl, you should make your squirtle practice his bubble. It was extremely poor. Most went down his chin or was popped by the rain."

"Hey, she was doing pretty well," defended Adam. "Lapis knows withdraw, and he did defeat a level 10 evolved pokemon."

"A bug pokemon," Alex corrected, "which is hardly an achievement. Besides they fainted simutaneously."

"Only because she couldn't give Lapis an antidote," Adam returned hotly.

Mel perked up, wanting to ask a question. "Hey, Alex, you've lived in Johto, right? Jack said that I couldn't heal up Lapis on the field because of something that had happened three years ago called the "Johto League fiasco," do you know what happened there?"

Alex continued staring out the window for a few more seconds and then said slowly, dredging up old memories: "Yeah, I was nine at the time. Mother had taken me to the big League tournament. During the semi-finals two dragon users were pitted against one another. A - one of those dragons from Hoenn, salawhatis, and a dragonite. Both used outrage at the same time and went completely berserk. When the dragonite's trainer tried to calm it down by using a full restore both dragons attacked him.

"Several members of the Dragon clan were there. They always come to the big tounaments, since Lance usually attends, and Clair has to represent the gym. They jumped into the arena with their dragons, and the specators were evacuated by the gym leaders.

"Afterwards they said that the sala-thing had killed its own trainer, and maimed two of the dragon clan. The dragonite broke his trainer's spine, and the one of the dragon clan stepped up to calm him down. He was a dragon whisperer, someone who doesn't break dragons by using pokeballs, but somehow opens his soul to them. It's an incredible skill, and very hard to master. It worked, almost, but something went wrong, and the man has brain damage now."

"Gosh," Scott looked stunned, his brown eyes wide. "Remind me not to train dragon types."

"I doubt they'd let you," Alex sneered. "Dragons are as picky as psychics."

"Well, seeing as one picked Chris they can't be all that choosey," Adam joked lightly.

"Hey, since when has it been pick on Chris Day?" the young abra trainer wanted to know.

"Since you woke up," Scott replied, snickering at his classmate's expression.

Mel sighed and got to her feet. "Hey, guys, I'm going to go dry off. Are we going to meet for dinner, or pretty much go our separate ways?"

"Well," Chris shrugged, "I'm going to have dinner at home, so I won't be here."

"I'll be having dinner here," Scott told Mel, as Adam nodded and Matt shrugged. Alex just stared at the rain.

Mel walked over to her counter and asked nervously for a room. The RN smiled at her, "Just go up the stairs and take a left. Pick a room, we only have two single rooms, so pick on of those unless you have a friend. Your class mates will probably be stuck together. Here's a keycard," the visa-like card was inserted into Mel's hand and she went up stairs.

~ ~ ~

It was close to five o'clock when Mel was dry and feeling warm enough to come down again. As she made her way down the spiral stairs of the center, she met the RN coming up, with Lapis' pokeball. Acepting her squirtle, Mel smiled and then trotted downstairs to join the others. At the top of the landing the Joy shook her head, muttering about children these days, and didn't their mothers ever teach them to say thank you?

Downstairs, a huge poster had been set up in the main lobby, and several chairs had been set around it.Most of these were filled with important looking adults, but there was a section where trainers watched. Chris was sitting with a motherly looking woman. He looked bored, and she looked confused, but was obviously trying very hard to keep up. Alex was watching things with a blank expression and Matt was leaning againt the wall, a shadow by his feet indicating his bulbasaur. Adam was obviously trying to look as if he was paying attention on the other side of Chris's mother-like compainion, but Mel could see from her vantage point on the stairs, that he was really grooming the pidgey on his lap. Dive was being well behaved, and only cooing her enjoyment occassionally. Mel couldn't help feeling slightly envious that Adam was so good with his own pokemon. She thought of trying to have that kind of soft peaceful moment with Lapis, but it didn't work out in her mind any more than it would in reality.

There was a seat open next to Chris and she joined him. "I thought you were going to go home for supper?" she hissed in an undertone.

"I was, but Mom-Farra thought that this would be a good thing for me to see before I really spread my wings."

"Shh, you two," Mrs. Farra, as Mel guessed her to be, turned to look sternly at her foster son and his companion. "This is useful information, pay attention to the nice people."

Mel obediently turned her head to watch the presenters. A female police officer was speaking, saying something about ties between regions. Mel immdeiately identified her as a Jenny, the kind of junior officer who weren't too old, and were usually put to guarding elementary schools and writing traffic tickets. They were useful if you had problems of a not too serious nature, but it was not recommended to approach them with any problems more pressing than a lost bicycle. They were grunts, over worked, and not too bright. If they were competant they wouldn't be Jennys.

"Now, as many of the distinguished guests here tonight are aware, the Kantoan Council and the Pokemon League of Kanto are very interested in creating a new acgency to take care of rogue pokemon, and rogue humans such as poachers. This agency has been opperational in Hoenn for a long time, and it has been proven both cost effective," here the sixteen-year-old girl and Jack, who were seated quietly behind the Jenny, both winced. Cost effective meant that they were basically being paid one half minimum wage. At least it kept all but the truly dedicated out, but still, why remind everyone that they were as poor as church-rattata, and could be walked all over? "and efficient. In order to prove to you how useful they really are, pokemon rangers from Hoenn will be touring the region over the next two years, displaying what they know, doing their jobs, and trying to drum up support for the ballot initiative to create a ranger agency within Kanto. This will be a great step in inter-region relations, which is most important at this time when we need to so desperately pull together. Ranger Joanna will now explain the job of a ranger, and give some tips to the trainers in the audience on field care for your pokemon."

The Jenny stepped aside from the podium, clapping politely along with the audience. The sixtenn year old rose, and stepped up to face the crowd. Unlike the Jenny, in her crisp professional uniform, the ranger was wearing a grab bag of old, but very well made, clothes. Her only consession to being part of an organization, it seemed, was the badge sewn onto her jacket, with the universal leaf symbol, and "Hoenn Department of Rangers" blazoned around the edge of the circle.

Her speech, too, was less prepared. She was obviously doing it on the fly. "Good mor - evening, ladies and gentlemen. Rangers are, pretty much, educators, policemen, and doctors all rolled into one. We work closely with pokemon, so it's usually a good idea for aspiring rangers to come from pokemon related career, like training, breeding, pokemon medicine, vetinary care, or possibly law enforcement from a K-9 division.

"Um, we're a pretty nomadic group. Hoenn has been divided up into districts, and There is one central office per district. A certain number of us are stationed through the district, and we patrol our district for three years, before being switched to another one.

"What do we patrol for? Well, like I said, we all do a stint as educators. We go into towns and hold meetings like this one, on proper care for pokemon, or how to clear land without harming the wild pokemon in it, or healing wild pokemon, or a lot of other things.

"But we also patrol for rogue pokemon, those with rabies, or ferals, or pokemon that are just being nuisances. When we find one of those, we either capture them to relocate in a less habited area, or put them down. In the case of most ferals, pokemon abuse is involved, and then we have to track down the original trainer and bring them to justice. Feral pokemon are usually capable of being reintegrated into the human world - they tend to be far too vicious for replacement in the wild, and we have to see to that, too.

"We also have to deal with poachers. If there's a report of a sudden upswing in slowpoke tails, for example, we're on the case. Usually we end up having to deal with both the bodies of pokemon left behind, and any young ones that are left alive. It's a pretty girm business, but there are upsides. Rusty, can you show them Lila?"

The small, spongey grass type was produced, and Joanna carefully lifted her onto the podium. "Lila is a shroomish. These pokemon are considered a delicacy in certain restaurants. Two years ago we broke into a poaching ring for edible pokemon and found - among the cut up bodies of her parents - this little girl. She wouldn't go near humans for the first year, and had locked herself up in her own mind. She wouldn't eat anything but soil and sunlight - she was forcing herself to revert, become totally a plant, in order to escape her memories. However, Rusty here, managed to snap her out of it with love and care. Now she's a useful member of his party, and we think she'll be a permenant addition to his ranger team. So, as you can see, there are rewards and benefits. Which is about the only bonus that you get in this job."

"Now, Ranger Jack," Joanna stepped aside, and Lila hopped happily off the podium, where she tottered over to Rusy, and burried her face in the fabric of his pants, "will give you a few tips on healing pokemon in the wild."

Jack stood up, and walked around the podium. Releasing a zubat and a machop, he addressed the audience. "A vetinary clinic and a pokemon center aren't always going to be there when you need them. You will run out of potions, and other healing items and forget to replish your stock. So, what do you do when you run into trouble like that? There is one thing that you should always do, before you set out to go anywhere. Look at a map. What kind of terrain lies between you and your next destination? What kind of pokemon will you find?

"Say you're going to go through a wooded area with lots of oddish, and gloom. Plan ahead, and pack extra paralyze heals. It's as simple as that.

"Also, have at least one pokemon - it doesn't matter if you want to train them or not - who won't be badly affected by the attacks of the pokemon you are going to encounter.

"Finally, having at least one flying type on your party at all times is essential. Using them you can go get help, discover the way back to the path if you get lost in a forest, have them identify certain plants and get them for you, or have them find fresh water.

"If, however, you've failed to plan ahead, and you're miles away from many help, here are four common plants that you can find almost anywhere that will cure most status ailments.

"Wemilgil," he held up a thick stemmed plant that Mel recognized as a weed her father would often wage war on to get out of the lawn when he was feeling in the mood for theraputic garden management, "The stem is extremely poisonous, however, the leaves cure most poisons, and if your pokemon eat enough of them build up an immunity to poison.

"Safolio," this was a limp curly weed that Mel remembered seeing vaguely on the side of roads, "is a weed that will grow almost anywhere there is moisture. It's hardy, and can cure paralysis."

"Wakeflower," Mel reconized the pungent scent before she saw the ugly yellow petals, "will wake pokemon from the coma like state of induced sleep. It's either that or cold water, which I don't recommend on fire types."

"Finally, there are nettles," Jack noted the dismayed looks as the stinging leaves were brought into veiw by the machop, who could handle them with his tougher skin. "Boiled these nasty little little plants will cure almost anything except for health loss. Don't forget to wear gloves when you pick them.

"Now, the easiest way to find these plants is have the pokemon do it. Most pokemon have better senses than we do. A zubat's sonar is perfect for differentiating, among a tangled group of weeds where safolio is. Just make certain that you have two or more pokemon who can identify these plants in your party, and you should be all set in case you run into trouble.

"As a final note, fresh water will give your pokemon energy, and health. It's cheaper to buy than potions, but more important, it can be found in the wild. It's a wonderful free way to restore your pokemon, unless they are a fire type that doesn't have a digestion system separate from their fire breathing system. It's also not such a brilliant idea for rock types, but it could be worse. Anyway, that's it for the presentation that we have. We're open for questions after the show, and I believe that Officer Chevallier has a few closing notices for the trainers in the audience."

Jack sat down, again, and the Jenny (Chevallier) took the podium for the last time. "Please remember, that due to concerns about danger, first year trainers are not allowed to compete in the big League tournament, even if they have received the eight badges needed. They may participate in the smaller tournaments, and wait until next year to enter," the group from Pallet town looked shocked and appalled by this pronouncement. "Also, we remind you that it is against the law to own a porygon. Such pokemon are used in cyber crimes, and it is your duty, should you meet a trainer who uses one to delete the porygon, and turn the hacker in for arrest. Professor Oak has informed me that your pokedexes are capable of deleting the virtual pokemon, so you should have no problems there. Cyber crimes are on the rise; people's identities are stolen, and their lives are wiped away because of this pokemon's artificial inteligence in the hands of hackers. Keep your family safe, and destroy this threat."

With that the officer sat down and the people stood up to go. Mrs. Farra was looking very much relieved. Chris began complaining heatedly to Mel almost as soon as the officer stopped talking. "I can't believe this, since when can't we participate in the league tourney just because we're just starting!"

"Well, dear," Mrs. Farra put a hand on Chris's shoulder, trying to calm him down. "They have been talking about making the ruling ever since that horrible accident in Johto. I'm actually kind of glad. I'm not certain that you would be ready to participate in a big tournament until next year, anyway. The trainers who get into the top ranks there have very rough pokemon. Your poor little Raindancer might get squashed."

"If only," muttered Chris grumpily. "So we get punished just because some idiots up in Johto got hurt?"

"Some were /killed/, dear," Mrs. Farra sounded shocked by Chris's devil may care attitude. "That poor dragon master - he didn't even look human any more when they wheeled him out. And don't say idiot, it's not a nice word."

"Sorry, Mom-Farra," Chris was so easily cowed that Mel wished she could learn the trick.

"That's better, dear. Now, come home, I'm certain that Dad-Farra would like to meet your abra, and those other -- interesting creatures."

"I think he'll like Slither the best," Chris smiled suddenly, his petulance forgotten, although Mrs. Farra shuddered. "Oh Mom-Farrrrrra," Chris complained. "I know you don't like snakes, but he's a real person, just like the rest of us. If you like I can get Raindancer to translate his thoughts for you."

"I suppose that might help," Mrs. Farra conceeded. "But I just don't like the way he moves without legs."

Mel somehow sensed that this was a moment between Chris and Mrs. Farra, and she sidled away. Just as she would have been embarrassed had any of the boys watched her gift giving with her sisters (especially the part about the bows) she decided that Chris wouldn't like it if she interrupted. Going over to the booth that she had occupied with the others that afternoon she saw Matt and Scott aready shoveling down food.

Adam and Alex were coming back, bowls of soup in their hands, and pokemon food balanced on top of the bowls. Seeing Mel, Adam told her that food was availiable at the counter. The first bowl for both human and pokemon food was free, but for seconds they had to pay.

Mel got out of her seat, while Lapis moved up from the floor to the bench, and looked outside at the drizzling rain. Alex sat down next to the squirtle, releasing Corazon on the table, causing Matt and Scott to pull their bowls away, and complain loudly at the firey tail that was swung in their faces.

When Mel returned with the soup bowl and the food for Lapis, Scott shoved past Adam to get some more soup, and Matt was desperately trying to catch the last drops of food with the complementary roll that had come with his meal. Under the table she could hear Matt's Unnamed bulbasaur munching contentedly on the generic food, while both Bolt and Dive snoozed, Bolt making a bed out of Adam's hair, and Dive on the shoulder that she had claimed as her own. Lapis was perched precariously on Alex's lap, still looking at the rain with a thoughtful expression on his face. Corazon, her food on the table, was slurping down the brown pellets, and alternately growling at Lapis.

Mel also couldn't help but feel that Lapis was a bit of a traitor, so easily sharing the lap of someone who mocked his trainer. When she set the food bowl down on the table Alex neatly lifted Lapis from his lap and placed the squirtle between himself and Mel, somehow creating a barrier by that act.

Talk, when it began, focused on the unfairness of the ruling about first years not being allowed to participate in the League. Mel agreed with the rest, although, Adam, strangely enough, took the side of Mrs. Farra. Matt voiced no comment until the end as they all rose to return bowls. "It means that by the time we do get to the tournament we'll be ready as we can be, at least. And we won't have to hurry through the gyms. Which also means if any of us aren't in the top twenty when we do get there, it's our fault for not preparing, not anyone else's."

The look with which he said this made it clear to Mel that what he meant was: "If one of us doesn't make it to that spot, then that person had better quit training altogether."

As she climbed into bed that night, Mel resolved to make it into the top fifteen.