Chapter 2

   "Tony, get up.  Tony.  Tony!"  Tony’s eyes parted.  Nikki’s face was inches
above his.  "Father’s ready to take you shopping."  Tony yawned and sat up.
   "I’m ready."  
   Nikki said, "He’s going to take you shopping for supplies and things, then
bring you home for lunch before you move on.  I’ll talk to him about accompanying
you when you get back."  She gave him a kiss on the cheek and Tony headed out the
door quickly so she didn’t see him blushing and said bye.
   Bill greeted him at the front doors.  "Hello, Tony.  Are you ready to go?"
   "Yes, sir."  They got into his bright red Ferrari convertible and commenced
driving down the streets.
   "First thing’s, first, you need some good clothes."  They pulled into the
Wal*Mart parking lot and walked through the entrance.  
   The store was huge, a super center.  Tony had only been in stores like this
when he could get someone to hire him for a box boy job at about two cents an hour.
   "A trainer needs some comfortable, durable, every day clothes.  Gloves are a
good addition, and running shoes or hiking boots aren’t a bad idea.  Also you’ll need
a pair of formal clothes; there are times when a trainer needs to look his best; a coat
or sweater for cold weather, swim trunks, a backpack, and probably a Trainer’s
Belt.  You go and pick out what you want.  And remember, the price is no issue,"
Bill said.  Tony rushed to the clothes section of the store.
   Varieties of clothing; small to large, dull to bright, long to short; he didn’t
know what to do.  He had never had his choice of what he wanted, in anything.  He
watched some of the other customers looking at clothes then taking them from the
rack and taking them to the fitting rooms.
   He began imitating them.  The first shirt he looked at was black and had an
evil skull on the front.  The next was a long-sleeved fancy collared dress shirt.  Then
he came to a plain t-shirt.  It was deep blue, like his eyes, with a red stripe across the
chest.  He took it off the rack and draped it over his arm.  Next the pants section:  
He picked out some plain dark blue, baggy jeans.  Next he chose a pair of red gloves.  
In the shoe area he tried on several pair until he decided on plain white Nikes with
blue and red stripes.  Also he found a large grey Gap sweatshirt and some blue swim
trunks.  
   The belt section was dived into two groups: normal belts, to hold your pants
up, and Trainer Belts to hold your Pokeballs.  He picked out a red belt with six
auto-clips for each Pokeball.  After grabbing some socks and boxers, he began
searching for a backpack.  There were various styles:  Small duffle bags for over the
shoulder, quick action, fanny packs that fit around your waist, and complex multi-
pocket monsters.  Tony picked up a latter one.  It was blue and had so many pockets
you could get lost in it.  He knew instantly it was the one.  Tony found a shopping
cart and dumped all of the stuff into it.    
   Tony met Bill in the electronics department.  "Hey Tony did you find
everything you needed?"
   "Yes sir."
   "Good.  Now, I got you a satellite phone, here.  Its paid for."  He handed him
a small green phone.  "You can call anywhere in the UR with that."
   "You really didn’t have to do that."
   "Nonsense, for rescuing my daughter, this is the least I can do."  He pulled
up a basket of his own. "I got you some water bottles and a few months supply of
protein cubes, for eating on the road.  This," he said, holding up a hand held
electronic device, "is an automatic cleansing machine.  You hold onto it right here
and press this button.  It totally cleanses you.  It’s like taking a shower without the
wetness."  He dumped the products into Tony’s basket.
   "Thank you," Tony said.  They proceeded to a checkout line.  After
purchasing all Tony’s gear, Bill drove him to the Pokemart.  This building was
much smaller.
   A bell tinkled as they walked through the door.  Bill immediately took several
items from the tables and put them into a hand shopping basket and began showing
them to Tony.
   "Those corked plastic vials full of blue liquid are Potions.  They heal the Hit
Points of Pokemon, or basically, their health.  Those green liquids are Antidotes,
which cure poison.  The whitish clear ones are Ice Heals, which thaw out frozen
Pokemon.  The red ones are Burn Heals, obviously they cure burns.  Yellow is
Paralyze Heals and the orange ones are Awakenings."  Then he took down some red
and white Pokeballs.  He knew Tony would know these, so he didn’t bother to
identify them.  Then he pulled down some blue and white Balls, with two red dots on
them. "Great Balls."  Then yellow and white ones with a purple strip down the
middle of the yellow part. "Ultra Balls.  There are other kinds, but you don’t need to
get into any of those yet."
   They took the items to the front counter and bought them.  Then they drove
home to Bill’s house.  As they were getting out of the car, he remember, "Oh, Tony,
one more thing.  I have something for you."  He reached into the backseat and
obtained a small package.  He unwrapped it and took a pair of silver metal, pale
blue lens shun shades.  "These are no ordinary shades, my boy.  They are high tech,
state of the art, supercomputers.  They have Pokedex, Persons ID, UR maps, and
many more functions.  Its voice activated, but you can use these controls for silent
use."  He motioned to a discrete button on top of the right lens.  "I’ve already
programmed your voice into it."
   "Thanks a lot, Mr. Tailor.  I owe you big time.  I don’t know how to think
you enough."
   "You don’t have to thank me, boy.  This is my thanking you for rescuing my
daughter."
                   *   *   *
   Tony looked at himself in the mirror and for once liked what he saw.  Clean
and stunning in his new duds, Tony’s blonde hair was combed neatly back behind
his ears, except for a few strands which hung over his sapphire eyes.  His backpack
was full of his supplies and trainer ID card.  Squirtle’s Pokeball was clipped to the
first position on his Trainer Belt.
   
   He set his pack by his chair and sat down.  Across the table, Nikki sat smiling
at him.  On the left end, Lanette sat and on his right, Bill.
   "So," Lanette asked him, "did you find everything you needed?"
   "Yes, ma’am, Bill stocked me up well," Tony replied politely.  Victor finished
serving the food and set down in a chair by Nikki.
   "Say Dad," Nikki began, "you think I’m growing mature lately, don’t you."
   Bill, somewhat taken aback by the question, said, "Well yes, dear, you’ve
grown up from the little girl who used to wear your dress upside down and eat
cereal in the bathtub."  Tony stifled a laugh and Nikki ignored her father’s
comment.
   "Well I was thinking.  I think I’m ready for a change.  I was wondering if I
could, well, accompany Tony on his Pokemon Journey."
   "I think that’s a swell idea," Lanette said.
   "I don’t think so, honey," Bill said at exactly the same time.  Lanette eyed her
husband and jerked her head to Tony, nodding.
   "Tony, I totally and completely trust you to take care of my daughter."
   "I suppose it would be alright," Bill gave in.


   Tony and Nikki stood ready to head toward Viridian Forest.  Nikki had
packed her things in a shoulder duffle bag.  
   "Bye, guys!  I love you, I’ll call you," Nikki called to her parents.
   "Thank you!" Tony shouted.  Then they turned away to leave...


                   TO BE CONTINUED