Conversation Starter

I farted, and sound cut through the air like a whip crack, even giving me a slight sting. A cloud filled the air behind me, and the force of it pushed Jackie back.

Her hands went up, and Jackie screamed in fear and confusion as she was enveloped in heavily stained green clouds. They looked like wet cotton balls, then Jackie's screams cut off, and she fell over, passed out.

The entire time, Randy was watching with shocked and stunned horror. The Squirtle still seemed to be frozen in the same state after seeing his ex-owner get TKO'd by one of my thunderous cheek chants.

I could feel him on that one, but then Randy darted over to Jackie's unconscious body. The creature grabbed her arm but was in the cloud, and within seconds was also passed beside Jackie.

I groaned and went over to pull the two out of the surprising persistent gas cloud.

"Ten more seconds till the Whiffing is done. Is this what you call wooing a lady?" Dirty Harry said to me with a chuckle from my pocket.

"Honestly, what else was I supposed to do? I will explain things to her when we get back to the lab; for now, I need to get the truck and get back up the," I said as I dragged the two out of my ass cloud of death.

I turned back to where the cooler was and opened it back up to find the two potions and revive. There was also some strange pinkish-white meat in some bags, so I assumed that this was bait or her lunch; I hoped for lunch, just for a conversation starter.

"Touch the bottles to me, and I can store them for you, but I am no different than the bags in the game. I cant store Pokémon, just the empty balls, yet! When will you be able to? I have no damn clue, so don't bother asking," Harry told me.

I touched each of the potions to the Breedé-Dex and then the revive before getting up. I headed over the two and put the Squirtle into the cooler as Harry continued without prompt.

"I assume that there will be things that you need to collect or something along the way. Head down to the dock with these two, and the truck should be there in the dock house," Harry told me as I leaned over to pick up Jackie and then the cooler.

I adjusted Jackie on my shoulder and then started to walk back over to the dock. It wasn't that far of a walk, but I was starting to get hungry, making me jog.

"When you get back to the lab, I suggest you start preparing to get to Viridian, but I don't suggest taking the truck. The forest is filled with Feral Pokémon, so it will be better for you to go on foot," Harry explained to me as I got closer and started to slow down.

"What do you mean by it is better to go without a vehicle? If the Pokémon is feral, then won't it be better to have the truck with us for protection?" I asked in confusion as I walked onto the large wooden dock with three levels and up to the side of the dock house at the bottom.

The shed was more than big enough to fit another vehicle in it, so I was partially hoping there might even be a second truck. A vehicle was something that I never remembered having access to in the game, so having a truck would be a huge help, and a second wouldn't hurt either.

I was sorely disappointed, and all that was left was an old red farm truck, but it did look to be taken care of. I walked over to the back, and there was a single Poké Ball in the bed, but it was shrunk down.

I set the cooler that had Randy in it down in the truck's bed and then scooped up the Poké Ball. After sticking it in my pocket, I went over to the passenger side of the old truck, opened the door, and set Jackie inside on the seat.

After closing the door, I went back around to the driver's side, opening the door. I reached under the dash and felt around till I found the hood release lever. The hood gave a satisfying, clunk noise as it popped, and I closed the driver's door again to go over to the front of the hood.

Even though this was a new world, some things were pretty universal, and checking the fluids was always good practice. After checking the standard oil, transmission, and brake fluid, I closed the lid and then went to find out how to open the big overhead door.

Luckily there was just a connected chain that I just had to pull on after unhooking it. After getting the door open, I went back and got into the truck, starting it up.

I was not only surprised but quite pleased with how clean and quiet the truck sounded. I had expected it to be loud or rough sounding, at least, but it was great.

I backed out and then went back to close the door of the dock house before leaving. I didn't want wild Pokémon getting there and messing with what was in there.

I would have to see if I could get the others to come and collect whatever was left in here. Next time, if the people came back to get the Pokémon, we might have to burn the dock down.

That might be the only way to prevent them from getting close with their boats and to keep us safe. At least I had some time to get ready to face them when they did come, and hopefully, I would just be able to beat them back.

I hopped back in the truck and started to drive back up the long single-lane paved road that led up to Pallet Town, or the ghost of it. I spent the drive thinking about what I was going to do about Jackie.