Old Sally's Rest Stop

Old Sally's Rest Stop

The four trainers made their way over to an old looking building with a little sign hanging from the door that read "Old Sally's Rest Stop". A wrinkled old woman came to the door, letting them in with a smile. She adjusted her bun and sort of dusted herself off as she went about rearranging the various little Pokémon knick-knacks and statuettes in the room. "Sorry, I haven't had visitors in awhile due to the trouble across the lake; the place is a bit of a mess." She gave each of them a key and showed them to their rooms and left them to rest.

Old Sally’s Rest Stop
Luce was the first of Raine’s pokémon to get up. Sunlight streaked in through the window of the room, which faced eastward caught the first morning rays. The mareep yawned and stretched, shaking his wool to adjust the level of static in it. However, he couldn’t help a yelp of surprise when he saw that his trainer was already up. She turned towards from her position on the floor, giving a slight smile. “G’morning, Luce. Up already?”

The mareep gave her a stunned expression, and Raine’s smile faded into a small scowl. “What? Surprised to see me awake in the morning?” The mareep nodded, staring with wide brown eyes – Luce knew that his trainer never woke up early. Yesterday had been an exception on his fault.

“Let’s say yesterday’s events messed up my biorhythm,” Raine sighed before turning back to the task at hand. She was writing in her journal, recording the events of her journey in surprisingly neat handwriting and illustrations. Small doodles of yesterday’s happenings decorated the paper. “Oh, and the fact that you three took over my bed might have to do with it,” she added with a small accusing look. “The floor isn’t as comfortable, you know.”

Luce looked around him to see that Silas, the spinarak, and he had indeed, taken up the bed. He looked at where his trainer was lying on her stomach to see her sleeping bag spread beneath her and a pillow by her arms.

“I don’t blame you,” Raine laughed before the mareep could start overreacting. “The spinarak there was the one who started it all anyway. You two just followed suit.”

At this point, Silas opened his eyes at the noise, slowly getting to his feet. He seemed dazed from its sleep, looking about himself groggily. The spinarak continued to sleep like the dead. Understandable, Raine supposed, since spinarak were pretty much nocturnal pokémon. Raine set down her pencil and closed the journal before proceeding to fold up her sleeping bag.

“Okay. I skipped breakfast, lunch, and dinner yesterday. I kind of want to avoid that from now on, so let’s go see if this place serves breakfast,” she said as she stuffed the tightly rolled sleeping bag into the main compartment of her messenger bag. Silas jumped off the bed, fully awake at the term ‘breakfast’, while Raine picked up the might-as-well-be-unconscious spinarak in her arms.

She didn’t lock the door to her room on the way out, since she planned to check out that day if possible. Maybe she could make it to the next city after training with her pokémon for a bit... or maybe she should get some more money first... though exactly how, she wasn’t sure.

“Breakfast first,” she muttered under her breath. “At least it’s free…”

By Old Sally’s Rest Stop

Raine couldn’t really recall the last time she had enjoyed a meal so much. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that for once, she had someone to eat with, although her pokémon weren’t exactly the most considerate of breakfast companions. Especially the spinarak – even in her drowsy state, she seemed to savor the taste of a well-stolen meal, while Luce helplessly watched.

Or maybe the food tasted so much better because Raine had been so tired, but whatever the reason, she felt ready to face another day. “It’s hard to believe it’s only the second day,” she murmured as she watched her three pokémon continue their meal. The spinarak was going for Silas’ share now, and the treecko seemed to be having trouble fending her off while trying to finish eating. Raine already knew so much about the three, that it was hard to believe that she had only been travelling with them for… even less than a day!

Suddenly eager to get back on the road, Raine fiddled with her C-gear and Xtransceiver. “What’s the nearest city to here?” she said to herself, flipping through the options. To her surprise, it didn’t come up. “Not registered?” she echoed, rather miffed at the bleeping object at her wrist. What, did she have to go input the name herself or something? Was it broken? Despite the irritation, however, it also piqued Raine’s interest. After all, it would be far more interesting to go see for herself.

“Are you three done yet?” she asked her pokémon, who had now begun to openly squabble over the food – well, Silas and the still-nameless-spinarak quarrelled while Luce tried to calm the two down. “Never a dull moment with you guys,” she sighed, breaking the grass and bug pokémon apart easily. “Finish up, we’re checking out.”

Eventually, with a little unintentional intervention from Luce, Raine managed to make sure they all got their fair share of food, and even packed a little extra for the journey. If she rationed it, it would last the three of them about two meagre meals, maybe. At least it was better than nothing – and if worst came to worst, Raine could always come back for another stay.

When she returned the key to her room to Old Sally, Raine mumbled an awkward ‘Thank you’, but left rather quickly. She never knew what to say with people…

Outside, the fresh morning wind erased what little traces of sleep were left in Raine’s system, and to her relief, it seemed to have the same effect on her pokémon. The spinarak seemed a little more energetic and moved to climb up her trainer’s clothing once again. "I have the perfect name for you,” Raine told her, glowering half-heartedly when the spider pokémon began to walk along her outstretched arm. “Arden. It means over-excited, and if not that, I don’t know what you are…”

Another thing off her to-do list, Raine was all ready to set off now, but with a faulty map, she wasn’t sure how far she could get without getting lost. “Well if it happens, it happens,” she said to herself and began to follow the path away from the Rest Stop. Hopefully along the way, there’d be a chance to get some money or items before the next city.

After chowing down, Tyler left some money on the counter, and walked outside. He had ignored all the talking that had taken place, and focused solely on proceeding to the next city, though he wanted Flare to learn ember before he actually arrived, to give him a better chance of survival. Now his energy had been restored, he felt like he could run the 100 mile, though he refrained from such a waste of energy. Flare chirpped with a full belly, as they walked out/

He stared at the sun for a few seconds, and closed his eyes, feeling the crystal breeze that embraced him, a nice gentle wind on a otherwise sunny day, it was a gift from god to Tyler. Turning his music on, he began walking forward on the path. Flare did it's absoulte best to chirp along, but it failed miserably. Points for trying though.

"Now, let's get some enegry flowing, and find a pokemon to take out, shall we?" He asked, and flare chirped in agreement.

Old Sally's Rest Stop

Dom yawned into his bacon and eggs as Leafy sat on the stool next to him curled up in her leaf, dozing. The Zubat was still on his head snoozing as well. Dom glanced over at Leafy and shrugged, he could understand the Zubat sleeping, it was nocturnal and would naturally be in caves at this time. But Leafy? She had a leaf on her head, Dom though she would be ecstatic for the morning sun. As Dom chewed on his eggs, he realized the night before must have taken a lot more out of her than she let on. She was a tough little Pokemon, he had to give her that. Even if she was astoundingly shy around other trainer's pokemon. Dom shrugged to himself, maybe she'll grow out of it.

As he was thinking to himself, Leafy opened an eye and caught her training staring at her. "Chiik?" She asked, not moving. "What? Oh uh. Nothing. Just get all the rest you can. We're setting out soon," Dom said catching himself. Leafy nodded and closed her eyes and Dom went back to chewing on his bacon and eggs. Before long, Dom's plate was clean and he asked "Old Sally" for some Pokemon food and a sandwich for the road. He stood and went back to his room, put his jacket back on, packed his bag, and recalled both the Zubat and Ducklett into their respective Pokeballs, and placed his still warm hat back on his head.

Back in the interior of the rest stop Leafy looked up at Dom, who now had his backpack opened in front of her. He had a smile plastering his face, "I said rest of the trip remember? We aren't done yet," He said, Leafy letting out a enthusiatic, "Chik!" before hopping in the back and making herself comfortable. She adjusted herself so that the only thing one could see of the Chikorita was her eyes and her large leaf bouncing over the top of the bag. Dom laughed at the sight and shouldered his bag, handing "Old Sally" his room key and nodding his thanks.

Outside of the rest stop, the morning sun felt great, and he could feel Leafy adjusting her leaf to catch the rays. He caught whiffs of the Chikorita's pleasant aroma, causing a calm and cozy atmosphere around the trainer. Oh how he loved the scent of her leaf, it always calmed him down. He then looked down the way and scratched his head, confused... "Now.. The hell do I go from here?" He asked himself, but Leafy answered for him. Out of the corner of his vision, he saw her leaf point in a direction. He looked in that direction and saw Raine walking off like she knew where she was going. Well, it looked better than randomly wandering around aimlessly.

"Hey Raine! Wait up!" He called after her.

A BIT AWAYS FROM THE REST STOP
A level 5 Rattata appeared!


Tyler cricked his neck, and Torchic left his shoulder to take a ready stance. After registering the Rat Pokemon in his Pokedex, and taking in it's data, he looked around. "He has you in speed, Flare. Likes to do hit and run attacks. We'll have to keep our guard. Luckily, we hit harder. Let it come to us, and trade blows. Go in for a scratch as he does..

HE was confident that, if the attaacks hit each other, that Torchic could out power him. If Rattatta connected, Torchic would be in poisition to strike before it got away

Rattata charged forward at Torchic with a Scratch, the two Pokemon trading blows. The Rattata retreated back, then came around again for another Scratch, the mouse hoping to keep hitting it fast enough to take it down first. However, with Rattata's pathetic defenses it couldn't dish out as much damage as it received, regardless of the speed with which it attacked. Tiring out, the Pokemon stopped and went on the defensive, breathing heavily and visibly too hurt to be much more of a threat.

Tyler nodded. He was right. Speed was the only thing the rat had on him, for now. He was about to order an all out attack, before he remebered the sandshrew yesterday. "Flare, go in for the kill, but be cautious. We don't want another episode of yesterday, so go in, but not to hasty, allright?" He ordered. The Torchic nodded, and advanced, feightning left, in an attempt to make it dodge right, and scratched to the rat's immedaiate right.

And with a final Scratch to the near defenseless Pokémon, Rattata fell to the ground fainted.

Tyler defeated the wild Rattata!

Flare gained EXP!

Flare grew to level 7

Flare learned Focus Energy!

With a nod, Torchic returned to Tyler's shoulder and, sastisfied that they were both fully awake, they started running for the next city.

Past Old Sally’s Rest Stop

Awkward was the only word that came to mind about the idea. Raine suppressed a grimace – she really wasn’t a people person, but she wasn’t about to stop him if he chose to tag along - it might even prove useful some point along the line. And like he said, it was better than having him stalk her for the rest of the trip. “Yeah, I don’t mind at all,” she replied with what she hoped was a natural smile, “but we might end up getting lost together. I think my map’s bugging on me – I can’t see information on the next town over.” To demonstrate, Raine switched on her c-gear and pointed at the blank information box by the next marked town. It didn’t even show the place’s name. Some map...

At this, she glanced down at her mareep and added, “Luce, you can’t hide there forever.” Realizing what his trainer meant, the mareep cautiously ventured out from behind her and nodded shyly in greeting. With an approving grin Luce, Raine started to look over her map once more. “The next town over looks a little far from here. If you’re coming, we should get moving now,” she said to Dom, taking a few steps ahead.

Eyeing the tall grass that surrounded them, Raine added, “But we don’t know what kind of pokémon live in these parts, so we should keep an eye out.” She glanced at her pokémon to let them know that went for them as well. She was running low on berries, so she wouldn’t be able to help them much if they got jumped by something, and Raine didn’t plan to return to the rest stop any time soon. Hopefully there was a shortcut of some sort to the next town or city over.