Pokemon Ether 02

Chapter 2 - A Rocky Start

Paese Police Department Crew Transport Vehicle, en route to Bolderton

Picturesque scenery flew past unnoticed as the Paese Police Department crew transport vehicle barrelled along the barely passable country road towards Bolderton. Pokemon and pedestrian alike dived out of the way as the 6 wheeled behemoth charged through the lush greenery of the Paese countryside.

Inside, 5 young adults sat in a rehearsed, disciplined silence as an older, grizzled sergeant turned to address them.

"Listen up, cadets!" He yelled over the roar of the CTV's massive engines. "In 10 minutes, this bucket o' bolts will be dropping you all off in the middle of Bolderton. As you all know, the overall aim of this orientation exercise is to get your sorry asses back to PPD HQ in Camford Town in one piece. You must do so under your own power! No cars, no buses, no flying! On top of that, each of you has a list of challenges that you should look to complete as you go. Remember, these challenges are not optional, do NOT come back until you have completed each and every one of them. Only four of you that successfully complete this exercise will have their application to the PPD considered further. Am I clear?"

"Sir, yes Sir!" The 5 cadets shouted in response.

"Good! Now some of you are a little further behind than others" the sergeant paused to stare at a couple of boys towards the back of the transport, "but you can all still pass this course if you work smart to achieve your goals. We have no issues if you want to work together, but know that each of you has a different list of challenges to complete and it will be a lot harder to complete all of them if you travel together." Whilst he couldn't hear the loud sigh from the two boys at the back, the sergeant couldn't help but smile as he saw their shoulders drop as they heard the news. "Now, does anyone have any questions before we drop you off?"

A young woman with copper hair done up tight in a pony tail raised her hand. The other cadets shared sneers in her direction.

"Yes, Cadet Pearson." acknowledged the sergeant.

"Sir, some of these challenges are a little vague. Is there any more information available to help narrow down the scope of each exercise?"

"You have everything you need, Cadet Pearson. Just keep up the level of work you have put in so far and you will be fine. The rest of you..." he motioned "May want to consider upping your game!" The sergeant laughed as he watched each of the other cadets stare daggers at the pretty redhead. Their hatred for her was palpable, and the sergeant revelled in stoking it further. "Just focus on getting to Camford. That goes for all of you!" he addressed the group. "All of this is for nothing if you get there last. Do I make myself clear!"

"Sir, yes Sir!" the cadets shouted as they saluted their training leader.

"Good! Now get your shit together. From here on out, you're on your own."

Ember Pearson remained rigid in her salute until the sergeant had turned away from them before letting out a held breath. She checked her kit for the 11th time during this trip, and adjusted her khaki short shorts and vest until she was comfortable. She fixed her PPD cadets cap and carefully placed it on her head, pulling her ponytail through the hole in the back.

This exercise was the culmination in two years of some of the toughest shit she had ever put herself through. Ember had dreamed of being a police officer ever since she was a little girl, watching Alolan Detective reruns and documentaries on the trials and tribulations of various Officer Jenny in Kanto. She knew this was what she was born to do. She had memorised the codes and processes that she needed to remember to ace her written examinations and had excelled in the physical requirements of the course so far, but this was the first time that the cadets had been left to fend for themselves. The first time that there was no textbook response, no clear path to follow. All she had was her gear and her Growlithe to keep her company.

The other cadets each had their partners with them too. The two knuckleheads at the back, Andy and Danny, had a Pidgey and a Sandslash respectively. Janey, the only other girl left on the course, had a pristine Persian, that had been gifted to her by her rich parents, with her. The other cadet remaining was Archie, her main rival for top of the class, who was travelling with his Skorupi. Ember always thought it was weird that he would choose a poison type for use as a policing companion, but it didn't seem to be hindering him so far.

Archie turned to speak to the rest of the group, intentionally excluding Ember from the conversation. "Right guys, are we still on to travel together, yeah?"

Andy and Danny immediately nodded together in unison. "Yeah, man. Where you go, we go!"

"Excellent. Knew I could count on you two!" he grinned. "What about you, Janey?" as he flashed a brilliant smile the loaded brunettes way. "You up for some fun on the road together?"

Janey winked conspiratorially at him and nodded. "As long as you boys can keep up with me, sure, why not!"

"Great, then it's settled. We grab what supplies we need from Bolderton and get straight on the road. This is gonna be a fun few days!" He smiled to himself before staring at the back of Ember's head. "I mean, I'd really hate to be on my own out there, wouldn't you?"

Ember ignored him as the others guffawed like Aipom around her. The sergeant just told them all it would be harder to travel together. If they want to take that risk, then so be it. Besides, she had seen enough of Archie to know that he was just using the others to make his own life easier. She had a sneaking suspicion that the groups route would just happen to coincide with his challenges as they made their way to Camford Town. The jokes on them if they're too dumb to see through his bullshit.

She looked down at her snoozing Growlithe, snoozing curled around her feet. She smiled at her little companion as she dreamed sweet dreams, probably chasing Meowth up trees or something, she thought.

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Forest Clearing, Route 4

"Nuz leaf... Nuuuz leaf... Nuz leaf!"

Finn awoke to the familiar sound of Nuzleaf training outside the tent. For as long as he could remember, his partner had awoken with the larks to get some early morning training in. It was inspiring, but oh so tiring to watch and listen to. He was relentless.

Sighing, he slowly opened his eyes, allowing the morning sunlight filtering through his tent to bathe his retinas.

"Ugh, what time is it?"

It took longer than he was proud to admit before his brain caught up to his body and he fully recalled where he was, and who he was with. Finn still lay spooning Poppy from behind and, upon moving just slightly realised that he was still actually inside her.

"Mmm, good morning to you too" she purred as her hand materialised around his flaccid junk. A momentary squeeze made him twitch and begin to respond.

"Ooooh! Finn, did you just use Harden?" she giggled. Her body started to move, repeating her movements from the night before, coaxing Finns member into an involuntary response.

Finn could only groan in response as he pulled her in closer to him and began to massage her breasts again. His lips found the crook of her neck and he had a tentative nibble. Poppy's breath caught and he knew she was into it. He started to move his hips in time with hers, as their motions continued to awaken his slumbering cock.

As he approached full hardness, Finn suddenly pulled out of Poppy with an audible plop, followed by an immediate sigh from Poppy as her hole was left gaping slightly. Finn unzipped the sleeping and got to his knees.

"What's wrong?" she asked, somewhat aggrieved.

Finn answered in action as his strong hands turned the buxom brunette onto her back beneath him, before manoeuvring himself between her legs. In the light of the morning, Finn got his first proper look at Poppy in all her glory and he was not disappointed. Surprisingly strong looking legs flowed up to a glistening pussy, crowned with a simple landing strip of brown curls that led the eye back down over momentarily. Her untoned stomach still looked firm and strong and her breasts sat slightly languidly on her chest, not standing proud like you see on some 'enhanced' pornstars that Finn had seen but still breathtaking in their own way.

As he gazed upon her face, he could see that she was reading his expression. "You make me feel like you're a Pyroar, sizing me up for a meal" she said shyly.

"Well I suppose I best have breakfast then" he replied as he lowered himself down onto her. They kissed passionately as Poppy's legs encircled his waist, drawing him back in. Finn was now hard enough that he didn't even need manual help to find his target and he slipped straight back into her like it had been made just for him.

"Oh my god!" Poppy moaned, "That feels so good."

Finn started to slowly pump into her with long slow strokes. Eventually picking up the pace as he reacted to her movements. It was as though he could feel her body telling him when to speed up and slow down, when to tenderly slide himself into her and when to aggressively ram himself into her.

Poppy was becoming insensate, her moaning incoherent. As Finn felt that unmistakable twitch in his groin, he reached for her legs and moved them up to his shoulders. When they were in place, he began to slam himself into her at a pace he didn't think he was capable of.

"Oh fuck, oh shit! Oh fuck!!" Poppy cried. "Fuck me, Finn! I'm cumming! I'm cumming on your cock. Cum with me! Oh fuck!"

He felt her walls suddenly constrict around his cock, sending him over the edge. He came strongly into her waiting womb.

As the final ropes of cum spurted out of his cock, Finn's senses began to reconvene and he could hear Nuz training more vigorously than before outside above the sound of their own recovery.

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Route 4 - Outside of EPPA

The metal hinges of the East Paese Pokemon Academy screamed again for the second day in a row as yet another student emerged from the school. Putting down his gear in almost exactly the same position as Finn had 24 hours earlier, Trey Barnes took stock as he officially left his training behind. His companion, Pinsir, stood by him quietly as his trainer's concentration seemed to wander as it so often did.

Tall and handsome, Trey was the poster child for Ace trainers everywhere. He had the look, he had the skills and he had a desire to be the best that was rarely matched and rarer still surpassed. Only one fellow student had beaten him in his studies. Finn Drayton. The same Finn Drayton that had left these particular gates only a day before him.

Finn fucking Drayton, he thought. He knew that having a rival would help spur him on to new heights, but it appeared that his rival had kept on climbing too. To this day, Trey and Pinsir had never beaten Finn and Nuzleaf, despite an overwhelming type advantage for his companion over a Dark/Grass type in Nuzleaf. Trey could never work out why they kept losing.

Trey shook off the creeping feeling of self doubt and picked up his gear. There was only one way to move on and start his journey towards being the best Pokemon trainer in Paese. He has to find Finn and finally beat him, no matter what it takes.

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Forest Clearing, Route 4

Finn and Poppy packed up the campsite and safely disposed of the campfire before setting off back into the forest in the morning sunshine. They could both hear birds chirping overhead and the unmistakable rustle of bug pokemon scuttling around them as they walked through the trees.

"Which berries did you need again?" Finn asked.

Poppy reeled off her list, handwritten by her boss, with certain items underlined for emphasis. Reading it reminded Poppy of how terrible a boss he was. Maybe it wouldn't be the worst ting in the world if she was fired, she thought.

"Okay, a couple of these are tricky but I think Nuz should be able to find the rest. Nuz nodded and jumped up into the nearest tree before taking off at a sprint along the branches, quickly disappearing into the woods.

"He's incredible!" Poppy exclaimed. "Are all Nuzleaf that agile?

"Pretty much." Finn replied. "We've done some special training to improve his speed and footwork though, and I think it's paying off."

"I'd say so."

Nuzleaf suddenly dropped into view from one of the trees ahead of them. He opened his arms and dropped a number of berries from Poppy's list and took off, back into the trees.

"Arceus, that's half my list right there!" Poppy gasped. "Can I keep him?"

Finn laughed nervously in a way that made it absolutely clear that he was not up for trade. "Come on," he said. "At this rate, we'll be in Bolderton before breakfast."

_____________________________

PPD CTV, approaching Bolderton

She glanced out the window as the large stone gates of Bolderton danced into view. They were here. Time to roll. She got her gear together as they others caught up and did the same. Stirring Growlithe from her slumber, the fire type yawned loudly and stretched languidly in the footwell of her seat. The CTV lurched to a stop suddenly, catching her and a couple of the other cadets off guard. Growlithe yelped and Ember thought that she had stood on her tail as she regained her balance but she has nowhere near her. Shaking it off, she waited to be old to disembark.

The old sergeant turned back from the passenger seat and pressed the release for the door behind them. "Good luck, Cadets! Give 'em hell!"

"Sir, yes Sir!" they all shouted as they filed out of the purring metal monster.

No sooner had Embers feet touched solid ground did the door close and the CTV roared back into life and speed away again. As the dust settled and the ambient tranquility of the rural town returned to normal, Ember realised that the other cadets had already made for the local shop to bargain for supplies with the measly allowances they had been given. She did envy them travelling together in a group but she was happy to be as far away from Archie as possible. She would make this work on her own. She had to.

"Come on Gru" she said. "Lets see what the others have left behind at the shop."

She expected to feel the telltale heat of her fiery companion by her legs as she walked towards the store but it was strangely absent. She turned to look for Growlithe and her heart almost stopped. Growlithe had collapsed on the ground where she had been standing and was breathing rapidly.

"Gru, what's wrong?!" she cried. "What's going on?"

Growlithe could only lightly whine in response. Ember took a deep breath to steady herself before looking more closely at her partner. Quick breaths, pained expression. She placed her hand near it's belly and yanked it way from the intense heat that radiated from it. Massive increase in body temperature... shit, you've been poisoned, she thought to herself.

Trying to remain calm, she retrieved her poke ball and made Growlithe return to the relative safety of it's confines while she worked out what to do. There were no pokemon centres for miles, only stores and herbalists out this far. She could get an antidote from the poke mart and wait for it to take affect before she can see how much damage had been done. Good plan, she thought and nodded to herself.

She ran over to the store as quickly as she could. As she arrived, the other cadets were leaving, laughing amongst themselves. They looked at her panicked expression, confusion registering on a couple faces as they jumped out of her way. "That was rude!" Janey pouted.

"Forget her. Lets get out of here." Archie proposed. "Victory awaits!" There were some muffled cheers within the group as they set off out of the town.

Inside the poke mart, Ember rushed to the counter, surprising the cashier. "I need an antidote, quickly, my Growlithe has been poisoned and is in really bad shape."

"I'm sorry sweetheart," the cashier frowned, "We don't have any left in stock"

"What!?" she panicked. "How can you not have any antidotes left?" she started to hyperventilate.

"Woah there, calm down. I did have some, but my last customer just bought them all. Thought it was a bit weird, to tell the truth, considering his pokemon is immune to poison." he shrugged. "But who am I to question a paying customer?"

Ember's eyebrow furrowed. "Wait a minute, the customer, was he just here?" She described Archie and his Skorupi.

"Yeah, that's him. You know him?"

Anger boiled up inside of her like a raging inferno as she turned to face the door. Had he done this on purpose? Had he made Skorupi poison Growlithe before buying all of the store bought antidotes within 15miles of here?

The cashier looked concerned. "Listen, there is a herbalist in town. He's old and he's an absolute swindler, but he should be able to put together an antidote for you pretty sharpish."

Ember's shoulders dropped as she took a breath for the first time in what felt like hours. Wiping away a worried tear from her cheek, she looked at the cashier and asked for directions.

_____________________________________

Bolderton Town Centre

Finn and Poppy emerged from the woods in front of the large granite sign marking the entrance to Bolderton. Whilst not the most welcoming sign to a town that Finn had ever seen, it seemed perfectly in keeping with the buildings hidden behind it. Cold and unwelcoming.

Poppy directed Finn straight to her boss' store so that they could drop off the berries and learn her fate. A faint bell rang as they entered the store, alerting the owner to new arrivals. Looking at the counter, Finn saw a wrinkled head suddenly poke out from behind the profile of a slender redhead in travelling gear who seemed to be visibly shaking. As they got closer, Finn could hear that she was sobbing.

"Where the hell have you been girlie!!" the owner shouted in Poppy's direction. "I told you to be back here yesterday! Do you have any idea how bad this makes me look?"

Poppy cowered in front of the verbal onslaught. "I'm sorry Mr Evans, Chansey and I were attacked by a wild Rhydon last night." she mumbled, "If not for Finn, here, I fear we may not have made it back at all!"

The owner looked at Finn and straight back to Poppy, shaking his head. "You going to lie to my face girlie! There aren't any Rhydon in these woods! I ought to bend you over my knee and tan your hide right here and now!"

Finn stepped up to the counter. "That would end very badly for you!" he glared. "She's telling the truth. My pokemon and I only just managed to fend it off. By the time we did, it was too late to travel through the woods. You look smart enough to know that that would have been a bad idea, surely."

The old man swallowed. "Yes, well, she shouldn't have been out that long anyway, I only sent her for a few local berries" he backtracked. He poked his head around Finn to look at Poppy once more. "Say, Poppy, dear. Did you happen to get the Pecha berries during your trip? This poor woman's Growlithe has been badly poisoned and needs one of my patented healing potions to recover."

Poppy came to the counter to hand over the berries as the visibly shaken redhead uttered her thanks to the old man for his perceived kindness. The old man glanced at Poppy before telling the poor girl "That will be 1000 credits, please?"

The girl recoiled, "1000?!?" A store bought antidote is only 100!"

The old man smiled a crooked smile. "Ah, yes, but this is much more than a store bought antidote. It has special properties that will heal and enhance your pokemon."

Poppy had seen this swindle enough to know he had her on the hook. The old man regularly sold standard berry smoothies for three, sometimes four hundred credits each, but 1000? He had officially crossed the line. "1000 credits boss, that smoothie usually costs 300!" she said loud enough for the girl to hear.