The Will to Go On

[SlowPokemon]

hahahahaha
and you don't even put nnew paragraphs for quotes in your unedited version.

[SuperFireKirby]

Story threads are better when there's actually a story in the thread.

[SlowPokemon]

Here it is, the fairly short and average chapter two.

Chapter Two – Will He Choose the Right One?

   “Wow…” whispered Will, looking at the choices. There were three PokéBalls sitting in a large display case. He suddenly frowned. A nasty thought had just occurred to him. He turned to Professor Elm. “What if I pick the wrong one?” he said uneasily.

   Elm laughed.

   “You’re supposed to be psychic, Will! I think you know which one you should take.”

   “You mean that there’s a Psychic-type Pokémon in here?” said Will, astonished.

   “Of course!” said Elm impatiently. “I know about your…background. How could I ask you to collect a certain type and not expect it to be Psychic?”

   Will smiled, closed his eyes, and put his hand over the PokéBall farthest to the right. He didn’t need to think about it. He knew it would be the right choice.

   “Well, send it out!” said Elm encouragingly.
   
   “Here goes,” said Will, suddenly so excited that it hurt. “Go!” he shouted, throwing the PokéBall into the air. A small, humanlike Pokémon came out. It had a cute, pink little face with big, round eyes and a pair of pink lips. It had what appeared to be a small mop of blonde hair.

   “It’s so cute!” said Will enthusiastically. He frowned again and turned to Elm. “Uh…what is it?”

   “Oh, right!” said Elm, smacking himself. “I almost forgot – I haven’t given you three your PokéDexes yet!” He ran from the room and returned a second later with three large electronic Pokémon encyclopedias – to the average Pokémon Trainer, a PokéDex.

   Will, Karen, and Aaron accepted their PokéDex one by one. Will started his up and flipped to his Pokémon’s picture. The PokéDex entry read:

   “Smoochum, the Kiss Pokémon. Its lips are the most sensitive parts on its body. It always uses its lips first to examine things.”

   “Smoochum is an Ice- and Psychic-type Pokémon, Will,” said Elm.

   “Awesome!” said Will happily. “I did pick the right one! Hey! What’s so funny?” he demanded; Karen was stifling a fit of the giggles and Aaron was actually rolling around on the floor chortling.

   “Kiss Pokémon?” choked Karen, eyes watering from laughter.

   Will went very red.

   “Let’s see yours, then!” he demanded.

   “Alright,” said Karen, managing to stop laughing. She walked over to the display case and picked up her own PokéBall. She sent out a black dog-esque Pokémon with a bit of armor on its back. She fired up her own PokéDex and checked the entry.

   “Houndour, the Dark Pokémon. It uses different kinds of cries for communicating with others of its kind and for pursuing its prey.”

   “Houndour is a Dark- and Fire-type Pokémon,” explained Elm.

   “Wait…” said Karen slowly. “Dark and Fire? So… which type do I train?”

   Elm shrugged. “That’s completely up to you, my dear.”

   Karen growled rather like a Houndour and stepped out of the way of Aaron as he came up to the display case. She sat quite huffily down on an armchair and Houndour immediately attempted to jump on her lap. She shoved Houndour off in disgust and went to stand next to Will. Houdour followed her loyally.

   “Guess that leaves me with this Pokémon,” said Aaron brightly. He picked it up and sent out a large dragonfly with large green eyes that somehow covered its whole head.

   Karen and Will both took an involuntary step back.

   “I – don’t – like – insects…” said Will disgustedly.

   “Me neither,” said Karen, shuddering.

   “I do!” said Aaron happily. Aaron whipped out his PokéDex in a cool way that Will somehow knew he wouldn’t be able to pull off. He flipped to the page of his Pokémon, which was now buzzing around the room at lightning speed.

   “Yanma, the Clear Wing Pokémon. Its large eyes can scan 360 degrees. It looks in all directions to seek out insects as its prey.”

   “I LOVE Bug Pokémon!” said Aaron, extremely psyched.

   “Did I SAY it was a Bug Pokémon?” said Professor Elm, rather offended.

   “Umm… no,” Aaron said sheepishly. “Is it?”

   “Well…yes,” admitted Elm. “A Bug- and Flying-type. But…” he said, and his face got very spooky, “…DON’T interrupt me again,” he hissed.

   “G-got it,” said Aaron. “Uh…sir, yes, sir!”

   “Well,” said Elm, looking at all of them, “you should head west, toward Cherrygrove City. From there, you can easily get to Violet, where the first gym is.

“Keep in mind that you can keep one Pokémon out walking with you,” he advised. “It will have its benefits, believe me.”

He smiled good-naturedly at them all. “See you later.”

Karen’s Houndour led the way out towards Route 29, followed by Will, then Aaron last of all, who was talking to Will.

   “So…Kiss Pokémon? Really?” Aaron taunted.

   Unfortunately, Smoochum heard him. Smoochum blasted him with an icy cold Powder Snow, knocking him to the ground. She stuck her tongue out as she passed him.

[DrP]

good! kinda short, but concise! and i voted too!

[SlowPokemon]

Thanks! Can't wait to post chapters three and four... And I just now finished chapter five... which involves a depressing Dark Cave scene.

[DrP]

You know, i havent gone into dark cave in a LONG time.

[SlowPokemon]

I recently did in my HeartGold, actually.

And Aaron is probably my favorite character now. xD

[DrP]

in the story? or in general? and i kinda think your enthusiasm for Will has kinda died a little!

[SlowPokemon]

Maybe so. He certainly doesn't have as much dialogue as Aaron and Karen do...

But I still like Will a little more than Aaron. I need Will to be the main character because it's fun to write arguments between Aaron and Karen, but I like having the reader view them from the outside. It kind of leaves them to side with either one. If you're viewing it from Karen's perspective, you're kinda obliged to siding with her... but if you just see them fighting, you can make up your  mind. You've not really seen any of this yet....

But I have too much fun writing them and they fill up much of chapters three and five.

[DrP]

well... maybe you can post chapter 3 today... since chapter 2 was short

[SlowPokemon]

I'm doing it right now (yes, I know you meant later today)... But I think you'll be disappointed. I don't know if it's really as good as I was hyping it up.

Chapter three, folks.

Chapter Three
Will He Catch a Pokémon First?

   So that’s how Will, Karen, and Aaron (wow, accidental rhyme!) set out on their epic journey across…Route 29.

   â€œHow much longer do we have?” groaned Aaron, still bringing up the rear.

   â€œOh, is the little baby tired?” Karen said sarcastically. Smoochum let out a distinctive giggle. Karen smiled at her. She looked at her own Pokémon and grimaced. Why couldn’t she have gotten something cute?

   â€œCome on, Smoochum,” called Will. Smoochum toddled ahead to catch up.

   Karen sighed. Her Houndour was now walking a tad in front of her. She glared at it.
   
   â€œNo,” snapped Karen. “I’m in front. Me. Not you.”

   Houndour gave her an adoring look and let her pass, which somehow made Karen even angrier.

   â€œOh, come on, Karen, lighten up!” said Will pleadingly.
   
   Karen turned her head away.

   Will looked at Smoochum and shrugged in an “I tried” sort of way.

   â€œSo, who’s going to catch their first Pokémon?” said Aaron, breaking the silence.

   â€œMe,” said Karen without hesitation.

   â€œOh, really?” said Will skeptically. “And what type are you going to train?”

   â€œFire,” said Karen. “I think they match my fiery passion.”

   â€œOr fiery temper,” suggested Aaron, earning a glare.

   Suddenly, out of the bush in front of them came a small scorpion-like Pokémon.

   â€œThat is so cool!” said Aaron. “I bet it’s a Bug-type!”

   â€œAren’t you going to check?” said Karen suspiciously.

   â€œNah, I can go with my natural instinct,” said Aaron, nonchalantly reading the PokéDex protruding from his pocket.

   â€œSkorupi, the Scorpion Pokémon. It burrows under the sand to lie in wait for prey. Its tail claws can inject its prey with a savage poison. Type: Poison/Bug.”

   â€œSweet, it IS a Bug-type!” said Aaron. “Go, Yanma!” Yanma flew towards the frightened Skorupi. “Use Tackle!”

   Yanma flew towards Skorupi in a weak Tackle. Skorupi nevertheless took some damage.

   Skorupi let out a freaky, hissing cry and shot out a poison barb at Yanma.

   Aaron gasped. “Why, you little -”

   â€œFreak?” suggested Karen.

   â€œDanger to society?” said Will worriedly.

   â€œ- beauty!” gushed Aaron.

   â€œAnd he’s making fun of me for having a Kiss Pokémon,” Will muttered to Karen. She smiled reluctantly.

   Aaron shouted, “Here…I…GO!”

   At the word “GO”, he threw a PokéBall at the Skorupi… well, it was meant for Skorupi. It ended up cracking Karen’s skull.

   â€œEEEEEEYAAH!” shouted Karen in pain, massaging her head. “That… really… HUUUUUURT!” She turned toward Aaron with a look that would have frightened the Grim Reaper. “The PokéBall is supposed to go towards the POKÉMON, you frickin’ IDIOT!”

   Aaron recoiled slightly.
   
   â€œUmm… yeah. S-sorry about that, Kare. Won’t happen again.”

   â€œQUIT CALLING ME KARE!” shrieked Karen. She flopped down on the ground to sit cross-legged frustratedly. Houndour bounded up to her happily and jumped onto her lap.

   â€œTHIS IS NOT THE TIME!” she screamed. Houndour recognized the signs and climbed carefully off her.

   â€œI caught it!” cried Aaron joyously. “Look, Kare! I caught a Pokémon first!”

   This did not improve Karen’s mood.

   â€œI wanna catch a Psychic Pokémon,” announced Will.

   â€œEEEK!” shouted Karen.

   â€œWill you please stop screaming?” said Will irritably, pointing to his ears.

   Karen opened her mouth, but no sound came out. She pointed behind him.

   Will turned around to find himself looking straight into the eyes of a Pokémon. He leapt back, caught off guard. “Whoa… what is that?” He pulled out his PokéDex (We’re going to like these things, he thought) and looked up a yellow Pokémon with a white ring of fur around its neck and a pendulum in hand.

   â€œHypno, the Hypnosis Pokémon. Always holding a pendulum that it swings at a steady rhythm, it causes drowsiness in anyone nearby. Type: Psychic.”

   â€œDon’t look at it!” commanded Karen. She looked at Hypno’s seductively swaying pendulum as if it were dangerous. “You’ll get hypno…” She blinked, her eyes following the subtle movements of the pendulum. “You’ll get hyp -” she began again, but was cut off by a large yawn. “You’ll get…hypn…” her eyelids drooped, but from what Will could see of her pupils, she was still watching the pendulum. “You’ll…get…” she mumbled, and her knees began to buckle. Aaron caught her in his arms triumphantly just as she fell and laid her down on the ground, where she fell asleep.

   Will rolled his eyes.

   â€œDude, you have to catch that thing now!” said Aaron happily.

   â€œAnd…why?” Will inquired suspiciously.

   â€œNow we can get her to sleep whenever we want!” said Aaron enthusiastically.

   Will’s eyebrows met his hairline.

   â€œWe can WHAT?!” he cried.

   Aaron went bright red and covered his mouth.

   â€œOh, God… not like that, dude…” he said quickly. “I meant it would be useful if she keeps screaming like she has been doing… to shut her up…”

   Will nodded, his eyebrows still way up.

   â€œSure, Aaron…” he said. “Oooookay, then.”

   He turned back to the Hypno, while keeping his eyes distinctly off the pendulum. “Go, Smoochum!” he shouted. Smoochum toddled forward importantly. “Use Sweet Kiss!” (He heard Aaron snigger in the background.)

   The Hypno staggered around, confused and unable to attack.
   
   â€œNow, Smoochum!” shouted Will. “Powder Snow!”

   Smoochum, having practiced this on Aaron, was excellent in freezing the Hypno solid. Will wasted no time in using a PokéBall. It was more than successful, and Will caught his first Pokémon.

   â€œOkay, it’s…seven o’clock,” said Will, checking his watch, “and it’s starting to get dark… We need to get to Cherrygrove City.” He looked at Houndour, who was sniffing at Karen. She was still slumbering. He sighed. “What should we do about her?”

   â€œI can carry her,” said Aaron all-too-innocently.

   Will looked at him suspiciously.

   â€œI don’t think so,” he said. “Just wake her up.”

   â€œKaren,” said Aaron, prodding her arm. “Kaaaaren…” He sighed. “Kare, get up!”

   Karen’s eyelids fluttered weakly.

   â€œDon’t call me Kare…” she mumbled.

   â€œWake up, Karen,” said Will. “We need to reach Cherrygrove City.”

   â€œAll right,” she grumped. She stretched hugely and yawned, but obliged in getting up and trudging alongside Aaron and Will towards Cherrygrove City.

   â€œHey, Kare!” said Aaron happily (Karen growled). “Guess what â€" Will caught that Hypno!”

   Karen groaned.

   â€œDo you two hate me or something?” she moaned miserably.

   â€œâ€™Course not,” insisted Aaron seriously. “If we did, we wouldn’t be nearly so mean.”

   Will laughed and even Karen gave a grudging smile, and they continued toward the bright lights of Cherrygrove.

[DrP]

Ok! So FREAKING hilarious! I love a good bicker scene (and you're setting it up a little so that Aaron has that secret crush for Karen... i can sense these things)

You kinda overly hyped it, but it was still kind of cool!

[SlowPokemon]

If you like a good bicker scene, you'll LOOOOVE chapter five - that's basically one big Dark Cave of bicker.

I think I was just excited while writing it.

But I like chapters four and five a bit better. I filled chapter five with all sorts of ridiculous poor-Aaron moments because I needed to fill it up a bit. Maybe I'll release two chapters every two days... or a chapter a day. Or do what I was originally going to do.

[DrP]

my stuff is going to be pretty boring, travelling alone and all... but wait until chapter 6 probably when we meet professor araragi in her true form!

[SlowPokemon]

I knew something was going to be up with her when it said she would be traveling with him on one of the regions...