

Pokemon Neon-Legend (Chapter 2a)

by Tingfeng-Anna

Tingfeng-Anna Glad I have holidays, so that I can write more before I got busy when the school's open.

Shine, and her new partner Arzen, reaches the first leader town which makes both of them(mostly Shine......)thrilled. As things about Arzen still remains foggy, the young shoujo trainer and her Jezrabbit is about to face more trouble than excitement in this city......

Enjoy my story! ^_^
Chapter 2: The Colat City Lion

Cold wind that belongs to the deepest night brushes across the silent, asleep little town of Tensaki. Almost every house and buildings are out of light, except for the lighted signboards and a few windows. It’s not sure that they belong to some hardworking people or those who suffer in insomnia.

“Indipix Street 1, House 27......this is it!” After spending half an hour walking and trembling on the empty, chilly, dark streets, Arzen is extremely grateful when he finds Shine and her father Shard’s house-a bungalow painted mainly in yellow and blue. It is medium-sized, but has advanced security gadgets all around.

“Kind of rich people’s home......” He is quite surprised.

His hasty finger is about to press the doorbell when a spooky, girl voice enters his ears from somewhere behind him, follows by a pat on the arm of his: “Why will you do this since it is midnight......and I DID give you that message!!!”

“Gah!!!” Arzen gains such a great deal shock that make him burst out screaming in fright. He almost jumps to the nearest lamppost and climbs his way to the top of it-until he turns around and discovers Shine’s familiar face behind him, although still kind of ghostly-looked: “S......SHINE?!”

The shoujo with golden hair and eyes changes back from spooky mode to usual face, answering in a flat tune: “Yeah. I settled everything and brought my complete backpack. Let’s go.”

The young man she is facing pants heavily after such a fright, shaking his head in dismay and some rage: “DON’T YOU KNOW THAT’S WAY TOO SCARY FOR A PERSON TO SEE AT A DARK MIDNIGHT??!! Anyway......”

Arzen tidies up his yarn shirt and silver-glittering scarf that slightly wrinkles after his big reaction just now, hesitates for a moment before uttering his question: “Are you going to leave without telling your family members?”

“Don’t worry about that. I left a complete letter about this beside my loud-snoring father’s pillow. “ Shine smiles gently as she looks up to an out-of-lights window on the second floor of the bungalow. Slight sorrow appears on her pretty face, but still has fate on her own decision: “I don’t want him to worry too much about me leaving, and give me a too big deal of farewell.”

Arzen stays quiet for a few seconds, and then gently nods: “I understand.”

“Come out, Jezrabbit.” Shine takes the Pokéball containing her only normal-type buddy and throw it out. In a moment, Jezrabbit is made comfortable between the shoujo trainer’s arms, smiling cutely and waves its golden wand as a hello to Arzen.

“Come out, Swordhox.” Watching the scene, Arzen too releases his rare samurai-fox Pokémon from its Pokéball. He, of course, is not hugging Swordhox like the young girl trainer he’s following from now on. Swordhox just stands a few inches beside him, its maroon eyes gleam coolly as usual.

A spiralling gust of night wind flutters both Arzen’s silver-white scarf and Shine’s golden pony tail. After having a deep last gaze on the familiar but quiet streets of Tensaki Town before leaving it for now, the amateur trainer who is full with hope and ambition pats on her yellow backpack, grins as bright as sunlight to Arzen: “Are we ready to go?”

“You bet it!” The very handsome shounen trainer replies in a glamorous, wise, confidence smile. The grey-kimonoed fox Pokémon, too, nods silently as an answer. Always-cheerful Jezrabbit concludes this with a loud cheer: “Jezzu!!!”

The team of two amateur trainers-a girl of dreamer and a young man of mystery, together with their loyal Pokémon-a priest rabbit and a samurai fox, disappears into the path leading out of this peaceful little town that stretches far into the future......

Tensaki Town is located quite outskirt, although it has quite a number of citizens, and owns the famous Pokémon training school-SilverLeaf Academy. Since it is nearby the border between North and East Neon, so, time and distance required heading to the Colat City at East Neon will be less compared with going to the other part of the region.

Shine doesn’t love East Neon as much as evergreen and tropical North Neon, snowy and tundra South Neon, and all year flower-blooming West Neon. This is because it consists of mainly deserts and hot lands, and less variety of Pokémon lives here. But right after Arzen told her that Colat City is one of the eight leader towns, the shoujo trainer immediately drags him and Swordhox and rushes in full speed due to over excitement.......

“And this is the place, you hasty girl trainer......the Piesta Area of the first leader town, Colat City.”

After several hours of jungle plus sandy area trekking, Arzen, almost worn out in thirst and tire, finally announces their approach to their destination, located in the middle of a desert.

The crude, white-and-grey looking wall that surrounds Colat City is already in sight from a few kilometres away. Its design is just like those around an old castle. Some taller buildings in the city, barely painted colourful, are seen as well. Many flags are hanged in the area as wind indicators. A river of purple water flows through the city, which seems beautiful but weird.

“Yee~~ha! We’re here at last!” Shine and her Poké-buddy, Jezrabbit, are extremely happy and dance for a round. All the sweat and hard effort on the way-since no bus or train can reach this city famous of deserts, is forgotten immediately. The first foreign place they visited! The first step of her way towards the Victorious Hall!!!

The two young trainers continue their way until reaching the entrance of Colat City. It consists of two giant limestone bars, with a wooden signboard carved “COLAT” on them. The whole gate looks just like a ruin, but one thing that attracts most attention is a sharp, glittering sword piercing through the signboard.

“It’s a symbol of strength to the people here.” While Shine is observing that “misplaced” weapon and wonders could it be a work of vandalism, Arzen explains and gazes on it wittily for a second, before they keep Jezrabbit and Swordhox stick together and enters the city in a quick pace.

“The Colat City is divided into two parts, which are opposing each other very strongly.” He continues to tell about this town which is in an unusual status: “We are now in the more-friendly Pieta Area, and three kilometres from here, is another Koziec Area, which is generally closed-up and refuses any visitors. They’re like some sort of extreme imperialists.”

“So, there is actually two Colat City?!” Shine stares at the mysterious but witty young man in awe: “Are there two gym leaders too?”

“No, they are grouped as one on the Neon Map to ease management. Only Pieta Area’s leader is officially qualified, and their badges too.” Arzen is quite proud of himself when the girl who beat him shows some admiration: “But the Koziec Area has their own ‘leader’ as well, and considered illegal. People there are dangerous, so do not go near their territory.”

The roads in Colat City are not made of tar or bricks, but small white pebbles. Green is less seen here but mostly berry bushes and thorny plants. Even the bridge across the purple stream they pass by, fences and road signs is built of stone. This gives the city an ancient feeling, although TV antennas and modern LED streetlights are still around.

Shine, Jezrabbit, Arzen and Swordhox explores many parts of the desert-like city, but it is obvious that everywhere is very quiet. The two young trainers plus two Pokémon meet less than five people during the thirty minutes’ tour. It seems the area is almost empty!

The noon sun is now radiating heat and light all over the place. They stop by a Pokémon Centre that looks like a tent for some shade and water. Not only the centre, but almost all the houses, shops and “buildings” here are tents of cloth or leather.

As the always-helpful Jezrabbit pulls open the curtain at the entrance, “inviting” the two young trainers and Swordhox inside, a girl that wears a Poké-nurse’s outfit quickly come forward to greet them: “Welcome! It’s rare to have trainers here at this time......how can I help you?”

“Can we have a bottle of water?” As the strawberry-blond nurse in her twenties starts playing with the priest rabbit Pokémon that hops onto the counter, both giggling happily, Shine asks politely and reaches for the purse in her yellow bag. Arzen and his Swordhox are sitting on the benches in the Pokémon Centre, both panting heavily and wiping off sweat that trickles down from their forehead. Maroon and blue, their eyes show clear exhaust.

The Poké-nurse immediately returns the golden priest wand that she borrowed and studied to Jezrabbit, and replies in a wide grin: “Sure! You must be trainers from other cities. Coming to this place is sure to be tiring.” Opening a refrigerator behind the counter, she takes out a bottle of shiny-blue water: “Okay! 10NCs (Neon-Coins). “

“W......what?! 10NCs?!” Shine is about to give her a 2 NC coin when she hears about the astoundingly high price, gazing the blond nurse in shock. Normal price for a bottle of 500ml water is only 1.5NCs in Tensaki Town! 10 NCs is way more than just a bomb. “I’d rather drink from that violet river outside......”

Arzen pats gently on Swordhox’s dark-pink striped head, and then comes forward to explain for the Poké-nurse, shaking his head as well: “You can’t do that, Shine......natural-sourced water around this city is POISONOUS, that’s why they have such colour. You’ll be dead if you drink more than 50ml.”

“Oh! I......don’t know that.” The golden-haired shoujo looks really surprised......and feeling quite embarrassing for her comment just now. And it’s lucky that she didn’t actually TRY to drink the river water. Then, she spots the “Water source: Meridia River, Colat City” description on the bottle and slowly questions: “Then......how they can sell drinking water from a source here???”

“Ancient people here had already discovered a way to remove the toxic in this water, and the process requires a lot of effort and money......So now, that bottle contains no poison, but extra mineral salts that are good for health. You are safe to buy and consume, okay? Miss Shine?!” Arzen crosses both his arms, staring impatiently at the teenage girl, who seems to be talented in Pokémon training but poor in knowledge.

“......Yep.” Shine quickly takes out another 10 NC note from her blossom-pattern purse, passing it to the chuckling strawberry-blond nurse. The bottle of drinking water is given to her in a paper bag, while the nurse comforting her shameful heart: “Don’t worry, it is just fine, sunny girl! At least you know it now. Here’s a free Antidote in case your Pokémon consumes the raw water.”

Jezrabbit eagerly bounces into Shine’s gentle hug and stays still waiting for a drink. The shoujo trainer only realizes how thirsty she is by now, quickly unscrews the cap and takes several gulps of the bluish water. One quarter of the bottle is already empty when she finally halts in satisfactory: “Umm! Nice, cool water......and it tastes so refreshing! There you go, Jezrabbit!”

“Jezzu~~” The pink rabbit Pokémon too swallowed another quarter of the water rapidly, part of its jade-green coat wet because of clumsiness......but it yells loudly in joy right after the drink.

The also-thirsty young man, Arzen and the almost soaked-in-sweat Swordhox rushes towards them, both looking at them with a begging-for-mercy expression, even kneel down: “Please, give us some as well~~we are almost dry roasted under the sun!!!””(Eyes full with tears)”

“What’s the point? Just buy a bottle for yourself.”

“We want to......but I didn’t even bring half a Neon-Coin with me......”


Shine can barely speak when she heard that, her sunny smile evaporates immediately in dismay and boiling temper......this handsome, origin unknown shounen is REALLY haughty!!! When she scans Arzen and his fox Pokémon from head to toe using her flaring eyes, only she discovers that he did not have ANYTHING-backpack or coin bag or whatever belongings with him, except clothes.

The half-empty bottle of bluish water is threw right into Arzen’s glamorous face damp in tears and sweat, purposely misses his reaching palms. He can barely bother about the amateur shoujo trainer’s rage-compressing look, rapidly drinks up the rest of the fluid inside, leaving the last bit to nearly-crying Swordhox.

“This two......don’t expect that I will pay all the bills during our journey......” Shine slowly grooms her Jezrabbit’s fluffy pink fur, grinding her teeth while thinking in deep annoyance......and some hate.

While the Poké-nurse is merrily checking the healing machine, Shine asks her about the strange scene: “Anyway, miss, why it’s so quiet and less people around here now?”

“Oh? You mean you know nothing about it?!” The blond nurse who is a citizen here stops her work immediately. Her young face looks quite amazed and wonders why this question is asked, especially from a Pokémon trainer. But a broad smile is showed together with the answer: “NOW IS THE TIME FOR OUR CITY’S GYM LEADER TO BATTLE WITH HIS CHALLENGERS AT THE COLAT STADIUM!”

The canvas-tent centre is lured into a moment of complete silence. But after a few seconds, Shine’s teen-girl-voiced roar and Arzen’s attractive low-toned shout almost send the blond nurse’s ear exploding: “WHY WON’T YOU TELL US EARLIER??!!”

Both of them reload their priest rabbit and samurai fox Pokémon into a Pokéball within a flash, send their legs functioning in maximum level and dashes out of the little Pokémon Centre together like flying!