Chapter 2 - A Red Hot Start

Walking into the Pokemon Center I find several young teenagers scattered about the white tiled lobby. Some are watching what looks like a news program on tv, others are minding their various pokemon.

The variety is stunning, there are pink Wurmples, the blue water rat thing, Marill, even that ridiculous pineapple, Ludicolo.

I probably shouldn't stand around staring!

Walking over to the counter I spot a rather cute, blond receptionist. No nurse Joy I guess.

As soon she sees me approach, "Hi there! My name is Cindy, how can I...What happened to you are you alright?!"

Hmm, well I could put on an act again but I don't think that really solves anything, I'll just get to the point.

"Well you see miss, I just woke up like this! I can't seem to remember what happened for the life of me and even worse I can't even remember my name!"

She gasps, "Oh you poor dear! Follow me upstairs, you can shower up in one of the empty rooms and I'll have the manager comp you a night. We can grab you some clothes from the lost and found. Once you've cleaned up, come down and I'll have the Doc look at you."

I pick out a rather nice red jacket, grey shirt and jeans. Another bin actually has a pair of grey hiking shoes that fit me, Cindy ȧssures me it's all been washed.

The room upstairs feels like a standard, budget hotel. King size bed, small desk with a lamp, closet and bathroom. While in the shower I run over everything I know about the pokemon games in my head. I need some kind of basic plan to start, I highly doubt there is some convenient method of returning home...wherever that was.

Sighing, "We'll at least it wasn't some crazy fantasy world where my life is on the line or a freaky sci-fi monster world...well it is but...whatever this is all gonna be kid stuff right? These people kick their kids out to roam the nation when they're ten!"

Maybe I should be freaking out more, but no, this is figure shit out time. Solve one problem, then the next.

This isn't a video game either. That means I need a place to stay, food, and income. I don't have time to worry over the what ifs right now.

"Suck it up eh?" A small laugh escapes me as I turn off the shower.

Once back down in the lobby I see that most of the trainers have gone to their rooms for the night.

Cindy walks over, "Come on back Doctor Lacy will give ya a look over."

As we head down a hallway you'd find in any hospital I see open doors to rooms containing all sorts of space age looking equipment.

"How is all this stuff paid for?!"

Cindy gives a single laugh, "You must have really hurt your head to forget how painful taxes are! Well, there's also the percentage of league profits."

We enter a room that actually looks normal, outfitted with the standard stuff humans would need in a clinic.

Her golden eyes look me up and down, "Since when do drowning victims look like magazine models?"

Struggling to keep my poker face, "Good evening Doc, sorry if I pulled you away from home."

She waves her hand "Nonsense, I live next door. Most folks know where to find my family, the Cutters… sit down and let me check your noggin."

I plop down on a stool and watch as she walks over and takes my pulse, and looks in my eyes.

She must know that from this angle, the neck of her dress is hanging quite dangerously.

The young doctor grabs my chin, "I say, at least your spirit isn't injured."

Time for the old 'hide the embarrassing moment with a cheesy one liner' tactic, "Anyone would start feeling better in front of you...Miss? Lacy."

Her laugh sounds like she could be a professional singer, "Yes Miss… You can think about that later Handsome, tilt your head down."

I follow instructions as she combs through my hair looking for any bruises or bumps.

She sighs, "Hmm, well there doesn't seem to be anything up here, even the blood has gone south… You really don't remember anything or ya just using a new idea to pick up single ladies?"

My turn to chuckle, "Tempting for sure, but no. I really don't remember anything past an hour or so ago. I didn't even remember about pokemon till I was startled when I walked into the center."

The doctor frowns, "That sounds pretty serious… I can run a scan on your noggin but that isn't free. Otherwise I don't see anything to be concerned about other than your wandering eyes and that tent you've got pitched. You can check around town tomorrow and see if anyone recognizes you."

With a shake of my head, "I'll keep it in mind but I figure the locals downstairs would have recognized me if I was from around here. You sure ya don't wanna keep me overnight at your place for... observation?"

Seeing her raised eyebrow I cut her off before she can flat reject me, "I'm kidding, sorta. Anyway, say I come up empty on finding any clue who I am, what should I do?"

She smiles, "Charm a nice unmarried gal into adopting you, get a job and start over. Or, you can just wing it until you find someone who recognizes you. Play at being a late blooming trainer, who knows maybe you're a natural and make it into the league. Being on tv across the nation would surely be the best way to get found by someone who lost you."

I can't help glance at her milky legs, crossed from under her dress, "Well I like the sound of that first part of option one. Being completely broke makes the trainer route seem rather rough starting out."

Lacy nods, "For sure, there's no way you can pass off as young enough to use the government program like the kids to get a starter pokemon. How bout this, tomorrow morning I'll take you out and help you catch something to get ya started."

"Thanks doc, if you like I'll be sure to work for it tonight."

She laughs once more, "Ya know, you should be careful, most gals will get offended if you think they'll sleep with any guy who happens to wash up on the beach. Get some sleep, I'll see ya in the morning… you don't have a name I suppose… you feel like a Burt, or a James. How bout Brad, no, Kurt!"

Now that's fitting, I just need an eye patch and leather jacket, "Kurt sounds great, good night Doc."

A red faced Cindy leads me out and back to my room with only a quick, "Good Night!"

Morning, I'm woken up fairly early with a knock on my door.

Doc Lacy has on a slim hiking jacket and shorts that happens to make her curves even more eye catching.

I can't help but say, "Morning Doc, I thought we were gonna catch me a pokemon, you look set to find a young guy instead."

Her red hair catches the morning sunlight through a hallway window, "No need for that, I'm bringing you with me after all. Now I'm ȧssuming you'll need to owe me for the cost of a ball at least?"

Holding up the net ball I conned from Jose, "Nah, some kid dropped this on my way here yesterday, let's get to it!"

We head east out of town, the sign reads Route 116. The only other person we see is a fellow on his way to work. He poorly hides his eyes checking out Lacy's outfit.

She grins, "Morning Jerry!"

The guy actually trips and eats dirt, he quickly gets up and nervously waves before briskly walking off towards one of the larger buildings in town.

Lacy points at it, "That's one of the town's fossil labs. Once you've earned a bit and found a fossil, come back here and they can clone the DNA into an egg to hatch a pokemon!"

I shrug, "And here I thought you'd want me to come back purely to visit you."

Our chatting wanders pointlessly as she fills in the blanks of my memory of the pokemon world. A good half hour later and we're square in the midst of a lightly wooded area near a mountain side. Tall trees line the trail as she signals to me that it's time to quiet down.

A light breeze passes us by, a few Taillow fly over us, playfully performing acrobatics in the morning sky.

Moments later a Zigzagoon waddles onto the trail.

Lacy chants, "Go, Archy"

With a flash, the sound of a bird caw is followed by the appearance of a bird like, small dinosaur, an Archen.

Small yellow feathers fall behind him as he dives through the air to cut off the raccoon pokemon's escape with a vicious stare.

She shouts, "Nice Leer, give it a quick attack, we'll try for a one shot!"

I take out my net ball to be ready, it's not the matching type of pokemon but I don't have room to be picky.

As I'm caught up in the action I feel something fuzzy land on my neck sending a shiver up my spine.

Glancing over my shoulder I spot something small, red and hairy, "Holy Shit! What the Fuck!"

I swat at it and jerk my body around trying to get the bug off of me.

In my flailing I suddenly smash my forehead into a tree branch. As I fall to the ground a quick flash of light blinds me.

Lacy runs over as I get my bearings and rub my head, "Are you alright?! The Zigzagoon passed out but when I turned around you smashed into this tree!"

Slowly I sit up, the raccoon thing is also getting up and about to get away.

I quickly grab the net ball off the ground and throw it. It opens with a flash of light and reveals a spider the size of my head with only four legs and shiny red hair. It simply lays on its back, clearly just as dizzy as I am.

The doc yelps, "Wait! When did you catch a shiny Joltik, just now?"

My head throbs with pain as I shrug, "I guess, I just felt it land on my back and I looked back to see a creepy hairball."

She plops onto her buŧŧ and knees, "No way! Do you know how many researchers would kill for luck like that."

Once more I rub my head, "Tell them I recommend smashing their head against a pine tree."

Lacy laughs as she looks at the cut on my brow, "let's take it back and patch both of you up. Oh, you need to give it a name!"

I pick up the little thing, it seems fairly docile. Sitting in my palms, it looks at me with watery eyes, clearly blaming me for the pain of running us both into a tree.

"Is it male or female," I ask.

Once I bring it over to her, Lacy gives it a quick check between the legs, "It, is a She, and a gorgeous one at that."

Well I agree the hairs have a very clean, metallic red sheen, "It's an electric type right? I'm gonna call her Tesla."

Lacy nods, "I like it. Well, looks like you've got your starter Kurt!"

The little Joltik seems to nestle into my hands, I guess she likes the name.

I hold up the net ball and press the buŧŧon and return Tesla to the inside.

Now then time to celebrate, I squat back onto the ground, "Hey doc, do I have anything in this cut, it stings like hell!"

She unhesitantly leans down on her knees in front of me and brings my head closer to check.

Not wasting a perfect moment I pull her into a kiss. The good doctor is surprised at first and pulls back, giving me a quick slap.

She frowns, "Ask first! Now," she grins, "do better this time."

I bȧrėly mutter, "Yes Maim!" As she pulls me into another kiss and takes the initiative to push me down into the grass.

This must be what it's like to be one of those rich guys with bad ȧss cars!

Unfortunately, movement from a nearby bush catches my eye. The Zigzagoon is back, glaring, and it brought a few snarling friends.

Quickly tapping Lacy's hip, "I think we're gonna need to make this a house call instead Doc."

"What?!" She looks back where I'm pointing, "Ah, Skitty Shit."

Excuse me?