[Res Ipsa Loquitur]

Pokémon: Grey Version

PART 5

A quick talk with Elm confirmed what I already knew, namely, that the girl had made off with the Cyndaquil. Old Elm was ready to blow his wig. Then he saw my Pokedex.

"You spoke with Professor Oak."

"He was at Mr. Pokemon's place."

"That's not what I asked."

"Yeah, I met him. Odd bird."

"Yes, well, you have a Pokedex now. It's... an amazing tool. Are you going after badges now?"

I honestly hadn't considered it. I knew the system of course, beat tough trainers for little pins and bragging rights. The Pokedex would certainly make it easier, and I'd heard that beating the gym trainers paid pretty well.

"Oak obviously thought you would do it."

"Is that a reason why I should?"

"It's a reason why something."

"What's the layout on this gym thing, anyway? All I know is you fight the guys, you get money."

"Yes, well there's certainly a bit more to it than that!"

Elm had no badges himself, and he clearly wished he knew more. He had expected me to just take the idea and scram, not give him the third degree about it. He knew he was looking like a real piker, and I got off of it. Besides, I had an idea.

"Way I see it, that grifter broad still has that Cyndaquil."

"Yeah."

"She's looking to make a name for herself, maybe take on some gyms."

"Yeah..."

"Somebody ought to see about that, don't you figure?"

"Well, I wasn't going to--"

"Yeah."

"Her name is Kris."

I heard that with my back already turned, then stepped out into the cool of the morning.

Smoke followed me out.

"Well, call me Dick, now, Smoke. Looks like I'm a gumshoe, a real flatfoot."

"Chiko."

Her name is Kris. Sounds about right. Like a dagger, right in the chest.

Part 6

I must have taken a wrong turn on the way back to Cherrygrove, because a few hours later, Smoke and I came into a clearing we had not seen before. As we did, a large purple rat came out of the grass. Smoke lunged at it.

"Wait. I'm wearing iron this time."

I had Smoke swat the rat around a little, then I took out the package Elm's assistant had chased me outside to deliver. Inside were five Poke Balls. I threw one at the limp rat, and it vanished inside.

"You caught Rattata." It was the Pokedex.

Rattata. Not the most promising name, but a new ally nonetheless. A Pokemon, I could trust, even predict. Not so much with a fire-eyed femme fatale with hair like a crow and a body that invited all sorts of bad decisions. I had no problem stacking my odds with a few extra Pokemon on my belt. I had a feeling I couldn't prepare too much for this job.

I called the thing Snitch, as fits a rat. I let it brawl a few of the Hoothoots on the way to Cherrygrove, seeing if it could cut its teeth a bit. It was no Smoke, but it seemed to be toughening up already.

I checked the Pokedex for any information on the Violet City gym, which was the closest one, but it didn't seem to have that sort of thing. What it did say, though, was that Snitch was nearly strong enough to do something called Quick Attack, which would allow him to strike first against any opponent, even Electrode, the fastest Pokemon in Johto. I knew that could help, so I decided to focus on getting Snitch to that strength as soon as possible.

I spent the rest of the day asking around about Kris while Snitch took down anything that moved. He needed patching up quite a bit, especially at first, so we got real familiar with that swell muffin behind the counter at the Pokemon Center. By nightfall, we must have gone in there probably 10 or 15 times.

"You're out late." It was the first conversation she'd ventured, but those big blue blinkers of hers, and the way that pink hair moved, had been saying plenty. I had started throwing my cigarette down before I went inside, in case she minded, and it was beginning to look like a real clam-bake had been going down on that stoop.

"And you don't seem to get out at all. What's that about?"

"Well, I have a job."

"Well, maybe we'll just stay in, then." She didn't mind me saying that, not a bit. "Not a lot of clip joints in this town anyway, I gathered."

"You really are a gumshoe."

"Now who's been saying that at you."

"Word is you're looking for that girl, the nasty one."

"Oh, you're a snitch, now? All the information I can buy, no doubt?"

"You can buy dinner. Maybe I'll remember something." Nurses!

I ended up spending the night with her, just on account of having nowhere else to stay in Cherrygrove, but nothing happened. I used the couch and slipped out early, while she was still asleep. I chewed on a fresh cigarette, my first since the previous afternoon, while I thought about what she'd told me.

Kris was definitely headed to Violet City, having bragged as much while getting her Cyndaquil patched up after I left. The nurse had also told me that the gym leader was a young gunsel named Falkner, who fancied the bird Pokemon. If Kris could make it there, past all the Hoothoots on the way, she could probably take Falkner. This meant I would have to play catch-up, even if Snitch could use Quick Attack.

I also knew that flying-type Pokemon would be tough for Smoke. Nor was I likely to catch an ice-type or electric-type on the way to Violet City. I would need a plan in order to keep on Kris's heels. It didn't help, the way she could run. Or all the help she was likely to get from any man she came across.

I blew a long string of smoke, by way of a sigh, that disappeared against the gray morning sky.

We were in for a long walk.