Kickin it in Johto 1: Goodbye Altomare, Hello Cherrygrove!!!

It hadn't even been a single day yet and this adventure had already seemed amazing. From the moment of the departure from his home land to all the poke based festive activities that had taken part on the cruise. Merrik had already felt as if he were at the tip top control of his own freedom but little did he realize that he had just absorbed only a glimpse of what it meant to be free for within the next few hours he would reach land and then go from there wherever the wind would take him.

The carbon dioxide of the ships burnt fuel emerged from the tip top funnel like objects. The ships ear peircing horn echoed throughout the docks informing the anticipating people that it had reached it's destination. A flood of people of all sorts poured their way from the ship to the docks to greet the waiting mob of friends and families. Merrik, the first time aura trainer, had managed to make his way off the ship only to be lost in a crowd full of anxious and excited trainers like himself.

After a minute or so of being helplessly lost on the docks, fighting his way through never ending groups of people. He then decided to release his Riolu from it's pokeball to aid him to the professors lab. Even with the elevation granted by the support of Merrik's head even Riolu saw nothing. With no choice other than to walk in the direction away from in which he had just came, Merrik and his partner, Riolu, traveled the streets of Cherrygrove City. The foreigners, hoping to bump into the Profs. lab which little did they know actually was in New Bark Town, head toward the big red building (Pokemon center).

After arriving inside of the Pokemon center Merrik decided to give both himself and his Riolu a well needed rest at a near table. From the view point of the table the new building, that he would soon learn to become familiar with throughout his journey, he examined the well constructed architecture of the building. Never before had he seen a combination of red and white used so wisely.

Once he had seen all that he had wanted at that time Merrik narrowed his attention to a near by town map and examined all of johto. He spotted a few towns he had learned about from his father in his time being home schooled due to illness. From the moment he went to turn his head from the map he had realized something. Altomare was no where to be found on the map.

His troubled mind was put at rest due to the suprising sound of what sounded to be a loud ogre. With eyes right on the trail of the mysterious sound his eyes made their way down to Riolu's stomach. Merrik walked over to his buddy and gave him a smile. "Hunger got the best of you?" The Riolu turned it's head from it's trainer in disapproval. Merrik went to take out a single fruit to relief his partner of his hunger. With delicate hands he presented Riolu an Oran berry, his favorite. Merrik watched his Pokemon chow down on the berry and was shocked to hear Riolu shout with joy which was very unlike him.

Merrik just stared at her blankly as if he were just lost for words. This would have been the very first person he had ever spoken with besides his own parents. He looked down expectedly at his riolu as if he were a confused pokemon unable to comprehend any form of English. The riolu momentarily stopped put his snacking to a hault to return a brief stare into Merrik`s eyes before he started on the fruits core. Merrik finally managed to fumble out a response. "Greetings .........I'm looking for the professors lab.........We looked all over town and ............." His shy voice died out the rest of his response in a mumble.

"y-you would do that? Even for a total stranger!?!" his face slightly lit up as he watched the girl prepare herself to leave the Pokemon center.

Merrik glanced down to his bored Riolu starring blankly out the window at the setting sun. He appeared in perfect condition but the fact that it was getting late contridicted with his desire of reaching the lab. For a moment he thought hard about all the potential hazards that could occur on their voyage, but at that same given time the overwhelming thought of he being his own boss, traveling whenever and wherever throughout the vast world of Pokemon. A smirk slightly parted his lips before he spoke to his partner.

"Say Riolu, you up for a short adventure?" The Pokemon turned in interest to it's trainer both worried and curious about it's trainer. He had never seen Merrik this way. Was the young trainer going overboard already? In quick thoughts the Pokemon decided to just go with it's trainer decision. Merrik once again gave his attention the the girl and replied to her earlier question. "As soon as possible..."

Having waved his goodbyes to the polite lady at the main desk, Merrik set off for the professors lab with the company of his guide, Riku. Into the night they went, Merrik took in as much of the city of Cherrygrove as much as he could. The street lights glare came to a halt where the road camaflodged with the grass. It would've taken a keen eye to differentiate it's appearance with the grass at that hour. Merrik had remembered some locations on the town map before he left the Pokemon center. His Newly obtained information was enough to recognize the path that they were headed was known as route 29.

With various eyes and a thirsty soul for excitement, Merrik tailed close behind Riku into the forest. Within a city, sounds were very similar at night such as cars passing by and perhaps even a hoothoot or some type of bird Pokemon cry into existence as they passed by. But this was not like the urban lifestyle at all. The bushes and trees bristled occasionally by the movement of a creature unknown, and ears were filled with a variety of different species that surrounded the very path in which a person would walk.

Merrik look over to his right shoulder in which his Riolu had decided to sit on and examined his poke one expression. The Riolu didn't seem to impressed, instead the Pokemon sat lifelessly with it's eyes closed with an expression of intensive concentration. "You must be trying to sense how many there are aren't you Riolu?" the Pokemon didn't budge not a single muscle and continued with it's meditation session.

Merrik realized he was lagging to far behind his escort and hurried his pace until he met the back of her yellow hoodie once again.

"Yes, I'm fi-..." The stunning sight of the Pokemon that they had encountered ahead. "What's a shinx?" the fresh new trainer started. It's fur and it's lightning perfectly coordinated with one another bringing out the pokemon`s seemingly unique beauty. "Whoa.....He's so shiny..."

Merrik carelessly took a step forward gaining the attention of the Shinx. He wanted a closer look at this new pokemon for he had never seen one in Alto are. Trainer like pokemon, Riolu too wanted a closer look and softly descended from its trainer`s shoulder. Its bad habit of staring taking its part on the situation.

"Right! Ok get ready Riolu! Use quick attack directly into Shinx!" The Pokemon turned it's head to glance at it's trainer in confusion, completely lost with it's trainer's decision. Without further hesitation the Pokemon lunged itself directly into the Shinx. Merrik's eyes flashed as the excitement of his first battle ever rushed back and forth from his beating heart to his throbbing brain, tickling his very insides. But on the outside, With a mature composure, the trainer oddly stood and watched the battle as if he were a veteran.

The only thing on his mind at that moment was winning. Having thought well ahead of a strategy Merrik decided to use the shinx's own power against itself. All he needed was for the dual damage of the quick attack plus the charge beam to be taken by his own Riolu and then he would double that against the foe with an attempted 1 hit ko by the move counter. The reason Merrik had his Pokemon risk a quick attack of it's own was to purposely increase the received damage so that the Pokemon could release one devastating move.

With the lighting finally making contact with it's intended target Merrik's nerve shook as he heard his Pokemon scream in pain. Keeping his emotions locked in he ordered his air bounded injured Pokemon to use the move. "RIOLU SNAP OUT OF IT AND USE COUNTER!!" Merrik , not having as much experience, was now hoping for his gamble to pay off. He didn't expect the attack received to be so severe. All he could do now was rely on the pride of his Riolu to see if he could make Merrik's first sight of victory a reality.

Merrik took a step forward watching his Riolu take a tackle. "GAHH, RIOLU!!" The boy roared as his Pokemon was flung through the air only to be stopped dead in it's tracks by the branch of a tree. With sweat creeping down his own face the fear of losing his first battle wavered over in his head. At that given time he had snapped, he realized he was acting unlike himself (selfish). His mind shouldn't have been discoursed on the thought of winning but the condition of his partner through combat.

Merrik stared down at his abused Pokemon, shocked to see it get up though this would've probably been his last time. The words of his escort echoed throughout his head. He knew he only had two choices but even with him not acting like himself, one thing was decided before the battle started, he was going to finish the battle.

Riolu barked at it's trainer in eagerness. Though the round was over the battle wasn't over. "WERE GONNA DO IT!" Merrik finally replied to the girl with a hint of sureness in his voice. He knew that he was going to have to live up to that goal with a new strategy. With quick thinking he roared out his plan to his Pokemon (Hit and Run. Hit-far distance-aura sphere and run-quick attack to flee). With a high chin, knowing what his oponent was capable of Merrik directed his Riolu to the path of success. "RIOLU USE AURA SPHERE!!!" and his Pokemon obeyed, launching the attack, filled the speed and force of bitter revenge.

Merrik went for his back pocket, crabbing one the unused pokeballs he had received from his father. Everything seemed so natural now, he felt as if he had done this a million times already. Staring down at the read and white capsol shaped in a sphere, the boy turned to his escort nodding at her. He felt calm for this was to be just like his aura training sessions. As a beginner, Merrik was instructed through the ways of the old fashion, Training with a small bouncy ball that was to be his guide in channeling his aura through it, thus preparing the yound lad into producing his own aura sphere.

Though he never completely mastered producing his aura in a visible state, his aim was beyond a superb technique. With a light breath he calmly, carelessly tossed the ball at the fainted Pokemon to see the ball bounce off it's left ear. The capsule opened itself turning the small Pokemon itself into a red gas-like form, sucking it in like a vacuum, trapping the Pokemon inside. The ball tosses once and with high hopes Merrik and Riolu can only watch what happens.

Merrik went to go pick up his newly caught Pokemon that rested in it's pokeball. With a firm hand he held it tightly, lowering his head to hide his expression of pure pride. "No thank you, I wish for it to keep it's original name." Merrik replied. He tucked his new partner into his belt and returned his attention to his Riolu. That earlier reckless attack had done a number on him, he wouldn't be able to fight any time soon.

Merrik returned his Riolu into it's pokeball for a well deserved rest. Hopefully the party would encounter any other wild Pokemon. But after all the noise they had caused most of the Pokemon in that area had probably been awakened. All they could do now was travel along the route 119 road to new bark town.

Merrick glanced up from behind the girls shoulders to find himself intimidated by the laboratories grand appearance. Even through the thickness of the night from beyond the tall grass, slowly moving closer, the buildings mighty appearance struck an instant symbol of authority into all those who saw it. "Wow..." he bluttered in tired mumble that probably came across as disrespectful.

With heavy bags under his eyes, the trainer looked desperately for a pokemon center but there weren't any. It couldn't be helped so he had decided to go pay the prof. A visit then and there. He was sure that the prof. Would have something to heal his injured pokemon. "I would like to meet the prof. Now. Do you think he'll be available? I know its kind of late." He spoke casually to his superior trainer.

Continued here