Lailah's Silver Soul 4

Chapter 4

Carmen still had her old Pokémon gear to give to Lailah. The memories of her own adventures jumped off her old things. Lailah got a bit annoyed with her mom when she would pause to reminisce. She kept poking her mother in her side to get her back on track.

"This is a waterproof tent. It will keep you warm and…waterproof. Just press this button and it will pop out." Carmen stuffed the square looking package in Lailah's messenger bag.

"I hope you didn't make me in that tent…"

"Oh yes. You were made in this tent."

"Eww. That is so-"

"-I still have some old poke balls you can use and you can take my badge box." She stuffed that in her bag as well. "I packed some food for  you and some extra money to buy more."

"That isn't human fle-"

"-You best behave yourself little girl. I don't want to hear you are running from the cops. I will blame everything we have ever done on you." Carmen smiled faintly. "You take care of yourself. Okay? Visit me sometimes so I can remember why I want you to leave."

"I don't know if I like you that much mom. Walk me out of town?"

"Of course."

Their relationship was a weird one and they had their arguments, but Lailah, as well as Carmen, wouldn't have it any other way. At the entrance of New Bark Town, Carmen gave her daughter a big hug and said her goodbyes. Oscuro, Carmen's Sablye, had followed them outside and gave Ceniza a giant hug. A sweet gesture, but Oscuro creeped Ceniza out. It squeaked and ran behind Lailah's legs, making the small party laugh.  

Carmen and Oscuro waved goodbye till Lailah and Ceniza disappeared in the tall grass. Carmen petted Oscuro's head and led her inside, only stopping to look back when she heard Lailah use colorful words about her dislike of Pidgeys.

"Think I should have given her my spare repels, Oscuro?" Carmen grinned. Oscuro looked up at her and gave her a wide creepy grin. "I'm such a bad mom."
Sprinting from Pidgeys not only made for good exercise, but made good time as Lailah reached Cherrygrove quicker than before.  A quick stop to the Poke Center  and Lailah was back on Route 30, dodging more Pidgeys.  Unbeknownst to Lailah, her neighbor Ethan had been following her closely. When Lailah to catch her breath, he made himself known.

"Hi Lailah! Hi Ceniza!" He greeted warmly and sat down next to her. "Taking a break?"

"Oh your god. Are you stalking me? Go away! I am trying to relax here."

"Dad told me you are going to take the Gym Challenge. That's so cool! Did you catch any Pokémon?"

"You should know the answer since you have been stalking me." Said the annoyed girl. "I have not."

"Do you know how to?"

"Nope and I don't need too. I'll just make Ceniza stronger."

"But even strong Pokémon can be taken down! You have to capture other Pokémon just in case. It's a strategy! If Ceniza faints, you lose!"

"If I lose, then I'll just shank the other guy. Then no one will know I have lost."

"What's a…shank? Is that a new Pokémon?"

"You are dead to me."

"Come on Lailah! I'll show you how to capture Pokémon."

"I'd rather learn how to kill yourself. Can you show me by using yourself as an example?" Lailah grinned.

Ethan stood up when he saw a Rattatta run by. "Watch me Lailah. This is how you capture a Pokémon."

"Not paying attention!"

Ethan tossed his poke ball out, freeing his Maril. He ordered her to tackle the bucktoothed rat and the rat tackled back. Lailah had never seen anything so boring in her life. All the two of them did was tackle each other. Ethan finally did something new when he tossed a poke ball at the now tired, or possibly bored, looking rat. The red and white ball sucked the rat up and fell to the ground. It twitched here and there and then made a clicking noise, apparently signaling that the rat had been caught.

"Alright! I got it." He picked up the ball and turned to Lailah. "See how it's done? That's all too it."

"I only saw bits and pieces. You were putting me to sleep." Lailah stood up and looked at her watch. "Well, look at the time. I have to keep going if I want to make it to Violet City before nightfall. Bye."

"Wait, Lailah! Do you want me to come with you? I can give you more poke tips!"

"Oh. I would sooo love that, but I should do this alone. How would I grow as a trainer if you are giving me hints and cheats. Gotta do this on my own. See ya!"

By the time Lailah made it to Violet City's gate, the night had already fallen. Rather than explore the town at night, she decided to set up her tent near a cave and get some rest.  The tent came with a blanket and Lailah used Ceniza's body as a pillow. Once Lailah's tent was zipped up, she finally relaxed and went to sleep.

Around two am in the morning, Lailah's phone rang. Little Miss Lailah was not a morning person and whoever this was going to get a piece of her mind.

"What. WHAT!?" She bellowed into the phone.

"Good morning Lailah, It's me Joey! Hope I am not disturbing you. I took down Hoothoot. It was a cake walk. Well, see you again! Bye!"

Joey hung up the phone and Lailah stared in shock. "Who the hell was that!? Joey? What?...Oh. That kid."

During Lailah's travel up route 30, she ran into a young boy named Joey who insisted on battling her, despite her saying no numerous times. Lailah beat him easy by giving his Rattatta third degree burns. She won money and thought that was over and done with. How on earth did he get her number? She never agreed to give him his number. And who calls at 2am for a three second conversation?

"Mental note, kill Joey." Lailah turned off her phone and went back to sleep…for ten minutes.  A weak annoying squeaking noise was coming outside her tent. "AURGH! You're dead." Lailah unzipped her tent with anger and looked outside for the source of the noise.

"Squee…" It was a Zubat…an injured Zubat.

"…SHUT UP!"

"Squee…" The wings looked like it was crushed by something.

"Ugh…"Lailah picked up the Zubat and took it in her tent. "Crying about it is not gonna make it feel better." The Zubat weakly nibbled at Lailah's fingers and she sighed. " Just relax…" Lailah poked Ceniza with her foot. "Get up. We are going to the Poke
Center." Ceniza whined and groggily  stood up, yawning and blowing smoke.

Lailah left the tent there and ran the rest of the way to Violet City with the injured squeaky Zubat in her hands. The Poke Center was thankfully open this late. Lailah pushed the injured Zubat in the confused nurse's hands.

"Oh my. What happened?"

"Beats me. Just take care of it."  Lailah said with a shrug. She turned on her heal and made her way to the front store.

"Wait! Don't you want to wait for your Pokémon?"

"It's not mine. Give it away or something.  Just keep it away from my tent." Back at said tent, Lailah fluffed up Ceniza and laid back down. She yawned and finally fell asleep…again, for the rest of the night.

When the morning sun turned Lailah's tent into a sauna was when Lailah awoke. With sleep still in her eyes tired eyes, Lailah pushed out of her tent  and got a face full of Zubat.

"BAH! What the hell! Get out of my face!" Lailah pushed the flying pest away and looked it over. It was the Zubat from last night all healthy and happy. It flew back over to Lailah and landed in her hair, fluttering around. "AHH! Stop!! Get out of my hair damn it!! What do you want!?"

Lailah stood up and untangled the crazy bat from her hair and held it in front of her. It flapped happily in her hands and gave her a toothy smile. Getting an idea, Lailah took out a poke ball and tapped the top of Zubat's head.

"Well look at that. Caught something. AM I DOING IT RIGHT ETHAN YOU STALKER ASS!!?"

"You sure are Lailah!" Ethan said from behind her tent.

"Oh fuck!" Lailah grabbed at her chest. "What the hell!? Go away!"

"A Zubat! Nice one! You gonna name it?"

Lailah sighed and looked back at the poke ball. "Guess I'll name it…uh…umm…Mordisco. Mordisco the Zubat."

"Sweet name. Hey does Mordisco wanna play with my Maril? She's really cute and blue and round and-"

"Go away Ethan! No one likes you!"