Chapter 2

Cathy stared at the guy. “Uh…I…don’t need one!”

“And why’s that?” asked the guy.

“I’ll buy one when I get to Kiroi Town!”

“With what?”

Cathy opened her mouth and closed it again. The nerve of this guy! “Money, of course!”

“And where is this money?”

Cathy gritted her teeth and clenched her fist. “In my bank account!” she lied.

“And where are you going to access your bank account, and how, without a card, let alone a backpack to put it in?”

“You’re wasting my time!” said Cathy haughtily, and turned up her nose.

The guy laughed. Cathy studied him. He was fairly agreeable looking, with a messy clump of yellow hair and grey eyes flecked with green. He was about Cathy’s age and, she noticed unhappily, was wearing a backpack. “You just don’t want to admit that I’m right and you’re wrong,” he teased.

That was too much for a know-it-all like Cathy to take. “What’s your name?” she demanded.

“Josh,” he said, sensibly not crossing her any further than he already had.

“Alright, Josh, if you don’t leave me alone this minute I’ll…I’ll…set my Machop on you!”

Cathy tried to look intimidating.

“Go ahead,” shrugged Josh. “My Tailow can beat you any day.”

“Are you challenging me?”

“So what if I am?”

They glared at each other for a while, then Cathy finally said, “All right, you’re on.”

“Fine!”

“Fine!”

“Fine!” they both said together.

“Go, Tailow!” said Josh, throwing a Pokeball. The Pokemon released was a small, very cute blackish-bluish bird Pokemon with a red face.

“Machop, let’s do it!” called Cathy, and released the grey fighting Pokemon. “Start off with focus energy!” she said. The Pokemon blinked at her.

“Tailow, peck!” cried Josh. The flying Pokemon launched itself headfirst at Machop and started pecking it ferociously.

“Machop, low kick!”

Machop refused to obey and instead sat down and took a nap.

“Peck again, Tailow!”

Machop was KOed instantly. Cathy started as it fell to the ground, dazed. “Return,” she said. It disappeared inside its Pokeball.

“I told you so,” said Josh, and Cathy resisted every urge not to slap him. She substituted by stamping on his foot.

“Ow,” he said, holding his bruised toes. “Sheesh…listen.” Cathy had been walking away, but stopped to hear what her new ‘friend’ had to say.

“Look,” he said, hopping over to a bench. “If you like, I’ll help you get to Kiroi Town. I’ll even pay for your backpack.” He winced. “Just promise never to do that again.”

“Who says I need your help?”

Josh shrugged. “Just an idea. But it’s still a fair while to Kiroi. You probably won’t make it by yourself.” Then he stood up to keep going.

“You’re wrong,” called Cathy.

He was right.

Ten minutes later, Cathy was trudging along behind him.

“I tol –” began Josh, but hastily stopped when she raised her foot ready to strike again. They walked the rest of the way in silence.