Disclaimer: I don’t own Pokemon, or any related anime characters. I only own the character of Josie Sheridan and other assorted rivals I make up for her to battle.

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We've built a team and we've been
training all day long
We're on the road and getting strong
Getting strong, getting strong

Now here's the plan:
We're gonna head down to the forest
Time to collect some Pokemon
Gotta catch 'em all, gotta catch 'em all

We keep on tryin'
And then we try some more
To stay together
And find a place worth fighting for

I'm on the road
I'm on the road to Viridian City
Meet my friends along the way (I'm on the road)
We're on the road to Viridian City
I got a badge and the power to play

I left my home and now I see a new horizon
But one day I'll come back to Pallet town
I'm coming back, coming back
I'm on the road to become the greatest trainer
And I won't quit until I'm #1
Gotta be #1, #1, #1

We keep on tryin'
And then we try some more
To stay together
And find a place worth fighting for

I'm on the road (to Viridian City)
Meet my friends along the way
I'm on the road to Viridian City

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Phew! They’d made good time so far as she saw the sun reaching it’s peak in the sky, her pack had a few days food supplies in it, both human and Pokemon, and she had about $3000 with her. She winced slightly there, she hoped not to run into any trainers before getting Charmander some battle experience, and it was money she could not afford to lose because of battle inexperience. She looked down at her partner walking along happily by her side. She’d asked him if he wanted a rest in his ball but he’d shook his head, and she thanked him for keeping her company. Still now was as good a time as any to rest, must be lunchtime at least.

“Say Charmander,” she looked down at her little Pokemon. “Wanna stop and grab a bite to eat, I dunno about you but I’m hungry.”

The Charmander danced happily as if she had read his mind.

“Well ok then,” she smiled, looking around. She spotted a nice tall tree, not too far off the path. “How about we rest here?”

The Charmander eagerly followed her, sitting in-between her stretched out legs after she’d removed her backpack and sat down. She reached into her bags main pocket. As ditsy as Josie knew she could be she’d spent ages organising herself, she had a pocket for food supplies, which was the main pocket, a pocket for her poke balls, a pocket for berries that she found, she knew after all that Pokemon loved berries, and a spare pocket to keep any other items of interest she found. At the moment that pocket only contained her town map, but you never know what you’ll find on a long journey, that was her reasoning anyway. She also had a sleeping bag, with spare clothes rolled into it, but that tied well atop the main bag itself thankfully.

“So, what would you like Charmander?” she asked her friend. She produced 5 different types of poke food. “Which one do you like best?”

The Pokemon sniffed each one eagerly, before jumping up and down at the second one. “Char! Char!”

“Right you are,” she smiled, pouring out a nice serving for the Pokemon. “So this is your favourite, I’ll remember that…any you don’t like the smell of?”

The Charmander pointed only at the fourth one, a look of slight disgust on his face.

“OK, I’ll make a note of that one,” she said, actually doing so on a notepad she produced from the pocket of her demin jacket. “Best keep it though, you never know, one of the friends we meet might like it eh Charmander?”

The Charmander smiled happily nodding in agreement, before tucking into the food she’d given him.

Josie smiled, putting the notebook and other foods away, producing a vacuum-packed sandwich for herself. That notebook was going to be her bible for a long time she thought, she’d already written into it type advantages and disadvantages, but she also planned on writing about her Pokemon's habits and create battle tactics with it, after all type advantages weren’t everything. She’d once heard Ash Ketchum beat a Geodude and an Onix with a Pikachu of all things! Tactics were important to; she thought as she took a bite out of her ham sandwich, smiling happily at her chowing down partner, perhaps Charmander would beat a water type one day.

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Later, after a nice hearty meal, the two partners set off on the road to Viridian city, but on the look out for other things too.

“Careful Charmander,” Josie whispered, as they searched a grassy area. “I think there are some Pidgey and Rattata around here.”

“Char,” the Pokemon nodded quietly.

“I should probably get a poke ball re…wo-oh!”

She had to jump aside quickly as a clearly enraged Spearow jumped at her from the bushes.

“A Spearow?” she questioned. “I didn’t think they were on this route.” She had to shake that thought of quickly as the Spearow furiously tried to peck at her.

“A fury attack eh?” she almost laughed. “You want a battle Spearow, we’ll give you one! Charmander, tackle that Spearow!”

Her Charmander charged with surprising speed knocking the Spearow dead in it’s side. The Spearow tumbled a few feet before getting up roaring its name in fury.

“Charmander, follow up with ember,” Josie shouted.

The Charmander’s flame on it’s tail slightly increased as it opened up it’s mouth and let loose a spray of fire. The Spearow, caught up in the fire was obviously surprised, and on fire as it ran around in a panic trying to get its tail feathers out.

“Now Charmander finish it off with a scratch attack.”

“Char-man-der,” it shouted as it scratched the panicking Pokemon, which promptly fell to the ground, twitching.

“Alright,” Josie shouted. “Poke ball go!”

She threw the ball at the Spearow, hitting it dead on, in a flurry of red light the Pokemon was in the ball, which began shaking furiously. Both Josie and Charmander watched the ball intently as it continued shaking, but the ping sound confirmed the inevitably.

“Yay,” Josie said running up to Charmander and hugging it. “We caught a Spearow Charmander, good work.”

“Char,” it smiled happily, walking over and picking up the ball, handing it to Josie.

She studied the ball carefully. “You put up a heck of an attack on me Spearow, I hope you’ll attack just as hard for me, welcome to the team.” She threw the ball. “Now come on out so I can treat those burns.”

The Spearow reappeared in a flash of white light. Josie was aware it would probably be wary of her at first. So she knelt down with the burn heal in her hand and looked seriously at the Spearow.

“Hi, I’m Josie,” it only blinked so she continued. “This is a burn heal, if you want me too I can heal that burn my Charmander gave you.”

The Spearow hopped over and sniffed the burn heal, before nodding. “Spear-ow.”

“Ok then,” she smiled. “Just hold still a second.” She sprayed the potion on the Spearow. It obviously felt better really easy because it jumped about shouting its name in joy. “Welcome to my team Spearow, you’re a good attacker, so I hope we can be friends?”

“Spearow, spear,” it nodded.

“Cool, our first new friend Charmander.”

“Char,” the Charmander smiled up at the Spearow, who returned its greeting.

“Then lets continue on our way guys,” she smiled. “Spearow return!”

The Pokemon returned to its poke ball in a flash of red light.

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Josie spent the next few days scouring the route thoroughly. As she predicted she was able to capture a Pidgey and a Rattata. They also encountered them in numerous numbers so they were able to gain a lot of battle experience. Josie now felt ready to challenge other trainers, and so did her Pokemon.

“Look Charmander!” Josie exclaimed as they walked out of a dense patch of undergrowth having dispatched of a few more Pidgey. “Viridian City!”

There it was, a neon glow in the night5 sky confirmed the Pokemon centre just inside the city’s entrance and the tall buildings, still lit, lit up the early night sky. Josie had to admit she couldn’t wait for a hot meal, a bath and a good night’s sleep in a bed at the centre. She could call her parents and Professor Oak in the morning.

“Come on Charmander,” Josie laughed. “Race ya!”

“Char” the Pokemon shouted following her lead into the city.

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