Pokébook: Kanto

Jason Apparently | Fight Club

“I actually have to give you credit, kid.” Tyler had his back turned to Jason, mixing up something chemical in a freshwater sink. “You had the guts to charge into battle after meeting a Pokemon for the first time.”

“Yeah, well the others would call it idiocy.”

The man turned to Jason and shook his head, giving a quick jostle to a cocktail mixer. “It’s because they don’t understand guys like you and me.” Kneeling down, he took Tyrogue by the arm and popped open the mixer, dabbing a cloth into the mix. “Yeah, there’s a time and place for logic and all that jazz, but if you don’t understand courage and the time to be impulsive, it becomes cowardice.”

Tyler dabbed the towel onto Tyrogue’s arm, garnering a violent flex-and-wince from the kidlet fighter.

“I refuse to be a coward,” Jason said, “no matter how many times I have to face defeat.”

The man nodded and blew on the Pokemon’s arm, causing the mix to gel up over his wound. “Then you’ll face defeat more than anything else.”

“I know.”

“I’m sure you do,” he said, “because you have to be aware of your limitations.” Tyrogue’s eyes followed Tyler’s hands as he doctored him up, not sure if he should trust him or not. But either way, the little guy was getting healed. “Without limitations, you become too eager. And if you become too eager, you’ll never know victory.”

“That’s deep,” Jason scoffed. “How many guys actually win in Fight Club?”

“The last time I counted,” Tyler grinned, “none.” He shook his head and stowed the towel and medicine, leaning Tyrogue up on his knee as he began rubbing his fingers on pressure points on the Pokemon’s back. “The Pokemon League almost gave me a gym leader’s certificate ages ago.”

Jason looked up from his shoes and stared at Tyler in a mixture of amazement and confusion.

“But they said my program was too tough for rookie trainers.”

“Then you should try for the Elite Four,” Jason murmured. “That’s my dream.”

“You seem like the ‘Gotta Catch ‘Em All’ type.”

“I want to be the very best,” he said, “like no one ever was.”

“Then you can be.” Tyler sat Tyrogue down and stood up, fishing through a crate for something. “But you have to figure out who the hell you are first.”

“Who I am?”

“Why do you want to be the best?” He tossed aside a dozen or two gizmos that Jason recognized as Experience Shares.

“I...” He paused, looking away, staring at the stairwell where his friends had gathered again. “I dunno.”

“Guys like us fight for all kinds of reasons. Compensation, love, to prove that we’re worth something...” He came back from the crate with a long black belt over his shoulder.

“What is it for you?”

“I feel like it’s my purpose,” Tyler said. “like there’s nothing else in the world that I can do well, other than this.”

Jason slowly nodded. He had never felt so introspective, so vulnerable. It was weird, and he wasn’t sure if he liked it or not.

“This belt is for Tyrogue.” Tyler handed the cloth to Jason and grinned. “It’ll help him grow however’s natural for him.”

“Natural?”

“Pokemon like Tyrogue need special attention to how they train--when they’re better at attacking than defending, then they’re more likely to evolve into Hitmonlee. The opposite evolves them into Hitmonchan. And there’s a Pokemon you’ve probably never seen before that’s special for Tyrogue--that one requires balance.”

“That’s awesome,” Jason remarked. He was marveling at Tyrogue now, strangely entranced.

“Tyrogue is like a lesson in life,” Tyler said. “Pay attention and you might learn a thing or two.”

Across the room, Sinclair was back to tossing his Pokeball in the air. He was leaned against a crate, eyes closed, and legs crossed at the ankles. Kristine and Hayden were seated on the stairs, feeding even more treats to their Pokemon. Sinclair imagined that Kristine’s interest with her Pikachu would soon near obsession--that unhealthy place where she would do anything just to keep him from running away. She would eventually be like an overprotective mother, gray-haired and up late at night with a picture of the Pokemon clutched to her chest.

Sinclair opened his eyes and stopped tossing the ball. Man, that was dark. He peeked around the corner of the crate to where Jason and Tyler had been chatting for the past hour. If he’d any sense, Jason would have left by now. It seemed like the man had him eating out of the palm of his hand, much like Pikachu to Kristine.

He raised an eyebrow. Odd.

“You should go,” Tyler said as he sat on the floor cross-legged. “The ship will dock soon, and I imagine you folks don’t have disembarking tickets.” He took a sip of tea from a black mug on the floor.

“Disembarking tickets?”

“The SS Anne is unique in that it requires tickets to board and disembark.” He shrugged. “No one who ever visits Fight Club has a disembarking ticket.” He nodded to the rest of his friends at the stair well. “It’s just a way of life, I suppose.”

“How will we get off, then?”

“How’d you get on?”

Katya | After the LAND preliminary

David held up his palm towards her as if wanting to high-five her--but Katya simply called Clefairy back. She was glad that Clefairy--no, Lelya--followed her orders, at least. Unlike a certain other Pokemon she could name. Katya knew her hopes were empty, but she could certainly be optimistic.

Even if her optimism was unfounded.

David looked disappointed as he caught up with her pace. “You’re kind of weird, you know that?”

“Never heard it before today.” Katya simply grinned back at him in a rather feline fashion. “You are also weird, you know.”

“Really?” David stared at his hands, as if trying to figure out what exactly was weird about him. Katya took this chance to skip ahead to quite a distance, leaving David tailing slowly behind her. He kept muttering to himself. “Weird? How come? Hey Katya, how am I weird?”

He looked around. “Katya?”
___

Unlike the rest of the Gym, this room was entirely outdoors--Katya accidentally stepped into a puddle of mud and splattered the thick brown liquid all over her trousers just as she walked in. She went stiff as a voice suddenly boomed out at her.

“Suck it up, Private.” The voice was a woman’s. “A bit of mud never hurt nobody.” The woman, who could only be Valentine Rockman herself, stood with her arms folded and a military sneer. She stared at Katya with fierce eyes and slowly, deliberately, spat on the floor.

Katya sized her up, wondering if her battle skills would match her mouth. She certainly looked the part, in her crop-cut hairstyle and camouflage fatigue. An involuntary and unwelcome thought came to her just then.

What if she couldn’t beat this woman? What if, just what if Koral bailed out on her? And what if...but no. She couldn’t think like that right now. After all, it was by not thinking like that that Katya had come so far. Challenging a Gym Leader. Wasn’t that right?

“This ain’t no place for second-thoughts, Private,” Valentine said as she grabbed a Pokéball from her belt. “You’re in a warzone now.” And with that she exploded into action. She tossed the ball like a grenade and smirked as she scored a direct hit within a square marked out on her side of the arena. The Omanyte she released had a strange faraway-clouded look as if to say: you weren’t there.

Katya nodded promptly, hesitating one last moment. Was this really the best choice to go with? She grabbed a Pokeball as well and stared at it. “Don’t let me down, okay?” Saying this, she tossed it into the battle-field.

“Koral, I choose you!”

Compared to the Omanyte, her Abra looked rather tiny, with her arms and legs all folded in and her eyes closed against the world. Katya felt a jab of helplessness before shaking her head. “Koral, use Confusion!”

Unexpectedly, Koral suddenly disappeared--and reappeared on top of Omanyte. Katya tried not to guffaw. What was the Abra thinking? “Koral, what are you doing? Listen to me!”

“Point blank range, Omanyte -- water gun!”

The Omanyte couldn’t miss. It fired its water gun immediately, propelling the Abra high into the air, before falling back to reload or something. Koral suddenly teleported again before hitting the ground.

“Fire at will, soldier!” Valentine shouted, encouraging a barrage of water gun attacks from Omanyte. Abra tried but she couldn’t evade all of the fusillade--even Katya had gotten soaked, and she wasn’t even supposed to be in range.

“Koral, use Disable!”

This time the Pokemon listened to her, disabling Omanyte’s watery fountain of doom. Katya almost cheered, except Koral was starting to look rather battered. If Omanyte got another hit in...

Valentine grunted in frustration but adjusted her strategy immediately. “Cut his mobility, Omanyte -- constrict!”

The Omanyte clicked an affirmitive and inched forwards to engage in close-quarters combat. Now the barrage had ceased, the window of opportunity had opened, and the Abra seized it.

“A-bra!”

It took a few moments, but the Pokemon’s eyes started glowing a bright red, and suddenly Omanyte was engulfed in a aura. For one moment, Omanyte looked confuzzled --and then it suddenly started running towards a nearby tree--and out of the ring. Valentine was quick to shout her next order.

“Don’t you dare go AWOL, Omanyte!” She appeared to be checking her pockets for something -- a berry or full heal, perhaps. But Katya was quick to press the advantage. “Koral-- remember what we talked abo-ut!”

She remembered. Teleporting atop of the confused Pokemon, Koral grabbed it and disappeared in a flash. Valentine looked nonplussed as Abra teleported back, safely on the ground. “You just lost this battle by teleporting out of bounds!”

“Out of the ring, you mean?” Katya grinned, making sure to show off her bright teeth in all their glory. “Koral did not do that.”

“Then where’s my Omanyte, private?!”

“Look up.”

Just as Valentine did just that, the Pokémon suddenly appeared out of nowhere and hit the ground with the sickening crunch of shell meeting earth, creating an enormous dust cloud where it landed. Something akin to surprise crossed Valentine’s face.

“Outmaneuvered,” she said slowly, taking her time over the long word. “Nice tactics, private.” She reached for another Pokéball, but sounds from a corridor behind Katya made her stop. “Looks like the cavalry’s arrived,” she nodded towards the door marked ‘LAND’. “I’m done with you, for now.”

“Katyaaaa.” David called, appearing in the doorway. “Why the heck did you leave me behind?!”

Nick | SEA Preliminary

Nick made his first mistake when he knocked on the door.

“Excuse me,” he spoke just loudly enough to be heard on the other side. “May I come in now?”

There was no reply. Nick leaned against the wooden frame and put his ear to the door. He thought he could hear splashes on the other side. Weird, he thought. Didn’t think there’d actually be water in a Rock gym.

Nick knocked again, cautiously opening the door as he did so. The chamber he found was most unusual.

The entire room was covered in light grey tiles. Two small swimming pool separated the room into three banks: one where he had come in, the second an island in the middle of the room, and the third on the far side. Clearly that was his ultimate destination -- the door labelled “Gym Leader” was a bit of a clue. The pool was deep and, as much as he tried, Nick couldn’t see the bottom of it.

Finally, regretfully, Nick turned to study the rickety pontoon bridges that spanned the two gaps between banks. It looked like they were floating more out of habit than actual seaworthiness. Nick gulped as he tested the buoyancy of the first one with his foot on the edge. It sank alarmingly with even a bit of weight.

“Err,” Nick wondered aloud. “This doesn’t look safe, guys... Isn’t there any other way I can go?”

There was no response except the steady lap of water against the bridge.

“Oh great,” Nick muttered to himself. “Hope I don’t get wet.”

He took a deep breath and began his dash across the pontoon bridges. His jacket streamed out behind him and, even though the bridge couldn’t really support his weight, he pushed down hard on his final step and leaped the remaining gap to the solid island in the middle. Behind him the floating bridge buckled and collapsed slowly into the water. One thing was sure, he wasn’t going back.

It was then that the divers surfaced.

Four wetsuit-clad marines exploded from the churning water -- two in front, two behind. They detached their oxygen tanks and, within seconds, were standing on the banks either side of Nick’s island, guns at the ready.

“Hands up, private,” one of them shouted. “You’re surrounded!”

Nick released his Caterpie with a petulant expression on his face. Eve squeaked up at him and snuffled a bit more stringshot onto Nick’s shoe. Ah, he thought. She’s not quite over that cold.

“Are you planning on making this a struggle, private?”

Nick looked up at the two marines ahead of him. “Yessir,” he said with confidence he didn’t feel. “‘cos this is the only way back to my friends.”

The marines laughed at this, one produced a Pokéball from somewhere in his wetsuit and accepted Nick’s challenge. Nick was surprised by the scuttling Pokémon that had appeared on the other end of the remaining pontoon bridge.

“Oh look,” he said, partly to himself and partly to his adversary. “You’ve got crabs!”

The Krabby clicked its claws in a rather angry reply to Nick’s perfectly innocent statement.

“That’s enough lip from you, private!” shouted the similarly angry marine. “Krabby -- advance!”

Nick could hear the approaching claws as the Krabby clattered its way across the bridge towards the safety of his island. He hadn’t got long. Ignoring the enemy Pokémon for a moment, he bent down to the same level as Eve and gave her an affectionate stroke.

“Listen up, Eve,” he whispered softly to her despite their impending crab-based doom. “You’ve gotta slow this fella down. I know you can do this. Come on -- let’s get him!”

The Krabby had made it halfway across the bridge when Nick eventually straightened up. Eve wriggled, surprisingly swiftly, to her end of the bridge and adopted the only defensive position a Caterpie knows: she just stood there.

“Krabby -- assault that position!”

“Eve -- use...” Nick began but thought better of it. “Eve -- do what you do best!”

Krabby dashed forwards, claws clicking wildly as it raced across the last of the pontoon bridge. Eve glubbed stringshot towards it, firing the sticky goo an astonishing distance and landing hits with almost perfect accuracy. The Krabby slowed almost instantly, held back by the onslaught of stringshot. It’s advance changed from a charge to a slow, but inevitable, slog.

“Return fire, Krabby,” hollered Nick’s rival. “BubbleBeam!”

But it was already too late. Though Krabby hadn’t yet taken any real damage, it was so gummed up with Eve’s goop that even adopting the correct position for a ranged attack was too much for it. And still the Caterpie was producing the stringshot like there was no tomorrow.

“I think that’s enough, Eve,” called Nick. The Caterpie ignored him and continued to cover her opponent in gunk. “No, really!” he said a bit more insistently. With an audible sigh, Eve turned to look at him. “I think it’s time to show this guy we mean business!”

Eve nodded, a bob of the head that rippled down her whole body, and squirmed her way towards the incapacitated Krabby. In a moment she was perched on its back and straight away she began headbutting it repeatedly from above.

“Oh come on,” pleaded the marine. “Don’t tell me that’s her idea of a Tackle?”

“I’m afraid you’re right,” said Nick as the repetitive sound of Caterpie head meeting Krabby rang out across the tiled room. “That would be my Caterpie tackling your Krabby into submission.”

The marine scowled at that. “Just wait ‘til he gets free...”

Nick considered the situation -- the marine actually had a point. Despite Eve’s valiant attempts to restrain the Krabby, it was slowly breaking free. Millimetre by painful millimetre, it fought against the binding goo and was gradually regaining control of its limbs.

“Persistent aren’t they, these crabs,” Nick said, casually, earning him another glare from the marine. “But it’s time we finished this. Eve -- push him over the edge!”

The Caterpie was quick to respond. She slipped down off the Krabby’s back and concentrated her efforts into budging her opponent, one tackle at a time, towards the edge of the bridge.

“C’mon, soldier! Don’t stand there and take it!”

“Almost there, Eve! Keep it up!”

In the end, it was the strength of Eve’s stringshot that won the battle. The Krabby fought well, but time was not on its side. With one last push, Eve knocked the enemy Pokémon over the edge and squeaked excitedly as it splashed into the water and started to sink.

“Pokémon overboard!” shouted the marine as he dived into the pool.

The victorious Caterpie wriggled across the bridge towards the remaining marine on that side. She had reached the edge and began glubbing on the soldier’s boot before Nick made the final call.

“That’s enough, Eve,” he said, a real smile breaking like dawn across his face. “Looks like we won!”

The remaining marines nodded and snapped to attention as Nick dashed across the bridge to the far side of the room. He reached the door and almost knocked again before he realised he’d learned his lesson on that one.

“Best of luck in the final, private,” said one of the marines as Nick opened the door to the gym-leader herself. “You’re gonna need it.”

David | Pewter Gym

David stopped, feet planted in the mud and arms crossed, and was knocked onto his face by the swinging door behind him with a muffled “UMF!” in the mud.

When he rose, he rose spitting and coughing, his front entirely covered in sticky brown goop. He turned around to see Nick standing behind him, teeth bore in an “I’m sorry, David!” mourn.

But a powerful, frightening voice broke his anger. “Oh, will you privates get OVER your fear of mud?!” David turned towards the voice and blinked the mud from his eyelashes as a girl much older than him jumped down from a higher ledge, landing on her feet in the mud, arms crossed. “Let’s have the next challenger before you babies start crying all over my battlefield.”

An artificial breeze blew through a tree. “Fine,” said David defiantly as he spit mud onto Katya’s shoes. He pulled a dirty Pokeball from his belt. “You’re about to be the one crying!” He was getting his battle face on. Mean David. Competitive David.

“Then let’s rumble.” She threw a Pokeball out above the field; it erupted in white light and released a floating boulder onto the field. A floating boulder...with fists.

“Dax, let’s roll!” Nidoran blasted onto the field, packed with energy and doing rolls in the mud. He was clearly at home and happy. Instinctively, it dove into the taller marshy grass. David whipped out the ‘dex and nodded at the results. Geodude. Rock and Ground. David had to admit--Geodude was a cool Pokemon. And it stared, eyes locked on Dax, as if it could maul him with one blow.

“Kilo, Smack Down-Drag Out Maneuver!”

The Geodude tucked its arms under its belly, rolling in the air until it fell into the mud, skidding out towards Nidoran. For a slow rock Pokemon, it was really getting it--and Nidoran hauled its tail into the air to dodge it. “Nido!” he cried, and gave the passing Geodude a kick to the head, veering it off course just slightly. The Pokemon rolled back at Nidoran and uncurled itself, grabbing him by the hind leg.

“GEO!” The Pokemon hollered as it heaved Nidoran into the air, rocketing up to smash him back down into the mud. When Dax landed, Geodude was on his way down in a full-body, full-weight Rock Tomb attack--its signature finishing move. Geodude had it in the bag already.

And he probably would have, had it not been for the sudden flash--or maybe gush--of light that burst from the swamp grass. It was Dax.

Dax. Was evolving.

“He’s evolving!” Nick said, wide-eyed and wonderstruck.

The light focused in a plume, a torrent going from mud to ceiling as the Nidoran’s body grew and jutted out more poisonous spikes. And it was Dax. And Dax had grown. And David was speechless...until he remembered that Geodude was about to K.O. his best buddy.

“Dax!” David clenched his fist and sneered. “Double Kick!” With a loud cry of RINO!, there was a boulder-crunching impact--the force of Geodude’s weight coming down into a pointed kick--an enormous CRACK rang through the whole room before Nidoran delivered the second kick, sending the unconscious Geodude flying into the wall.

Valentine looked all too pleased as she recalled her cracked Pokemon.

“Is that your ‘I’m about to lose’ face?” Muddy David liked to trash talk, apparently.

“There’s little I love seeing more than an evolution during a fight.” The army girl shrugged and stowed the ball on her belt. “You know, to begin with I was only going to fight you with Geodude because I thought you couldn’t handle the big guns...but I’m going to reconsider, now.” She brought something small and shiny from her pocket and threw it across the field at David. “There’s your badge,” she teased. David caught it and peered down at it in his palm. “But it’s mine again if you lose this next battle, should you choose to accept it.”

There was a long pause. The boulder badge was his for the taking. He was one step closer to becoming a Pokemon master. Or was he? It wouldn’t be mastering the lifestyle if he passed up a battle with a world-class gym leader. So he nodded.

“Bring it.”

David grabbed his army hat by the bill and turned it backwards, grinning.

“If you’re so confident about your strength as a trainer, let’s see you handle a blast from the past, Birch.”

Nick and Katya peered at one another. “A blast from the past,” he asked, “what does she mean?”

“She used an ancient Pokemon against me in our battle,” Katya replied, “it was trained really well.”

“Ancient Pokemon...” Nick grabbed David’s Pokedex from his butt Pocket and scrolled through the database. “Oh my,” he said, and then looked at David.

“Davey, I’m not sure about this one--perhaps you should just take your badge and go!”

David turned to look over his shoulder and shook his head, smiling. “Even if I lose my badge, I can’t back down from a challenge like this!” He nodded at Nick. “I’ll be fine. After all, Vash won’t let me down.” He turned back to Dax, who was standing proudly in front of him, his array of poison points fanned like armor on his head. “You did amazingly, Dax.” He knelt down, grinning. “I’m really, really proud!” He took out Dax’s Pokeball and nodded. “You can rest now.”

With Dax returned, David returned to his feet and nodded to Valentine. She returned the gesture and winked. The doors behind David flapped open as Eve rushed in, stopping behind her friends.

“Welcome to the party,” Katya said, “You missed David’s best battle ever.”

“Don’t put that on him!” Nick scolded. “We’ll all just keep getting better.”

“Ready, soldier?”

“Ready.” David released Vash onto the field into the dryer spots. The Charmander tucked its tail around its belly and peered around the field shyly, almost like it could feel something bad on its way. “Charmander, be careful--we don’t know what up’s her sleeve.”

“IIIIII do,” Nick warned.

“Alright,” Valentine jutted, “show him what a real Pokemon is, Aerodactyl!”

A burst of light filled the room as her prized Pokemon took to the air--at least five times the size of Charmander with a wingspan longer than David himself. Mr. Muddy-faced David gulped as Aerodactyl perched in front of Charmander, glaring down at him. David looked over his shoulder at the others, who all had the same expression as he did--complete fear.

“Right,” David squeaked. “Vash’ll...be fine.”

They had to admire his courage, or maybe envy his ignorance.

“Aerodactyl, whirlwind.”

The enormous beast stretched its wings, not even launching off the ground, and gave one flap--a mighty flap--and blasted a gust of wind through the arena, sending a scared, wide-eyed Charmander flying back. Poor Vash grabbed onto a blade of grass and held on for dear life, trying to hold down his weight.

“Vash, fire spin!”

The gust of wind broke, dropping Vash to the ground. The Charmander got a hard footing in the ground and took a charge at Aerodactyl, opening its mouth and releasing a spiral of flames all around Aerodactyl. The embers licked at the dino, charring its leathery scales. In a sharp bit of pain, it shirked the flames away, catching them on the blades of grass...and setting the field ablaze.

Aerodactyl let out a shrill cry as the flames burned it again.

“It’s burned!” Nick shouted. “That means it’s going to be weakened!”

“Good, good.” David focused on the field as the flames spread around the two Pokemon. The heat was raging at this point--and David held up an arm in front of his face. The flames were powering up Charmander. And a powered-up Charmander was a very, very good thing.

“Aerodactyl, Iron Tail!” The beast took to the air and fanned its wings, soaring it around the aerial field. Its tail began hardening, glowing in a metallic sheen. With a shrill cry, it began descending on Charmander, who was running through the flames to gain power. David waited, a plan in the back of his head.

Aerodactyl neared.

Charmander waited.

Aerodactyl swung.

Charmander buckled.

“COUNTER!”

Charmander braced itself, buckling under power and launching into Aerodactyl’s spine, sending it soaring into the rafters. The Aerodactyl’s body wrapped around the rafters, crushing the steel rods and bringing an entire chunk of the ceiling down into the field along with it. It struggled to rise to its feet, but the blow had paralyzed it.

Valentine’s face--God, it was priceless.

Kristine | S.S. Anne

Lumichu kept reaching for more treats from Kristine's bag, but she was running extremely low now. The bag kept mysteriously moving farther away from the Pikachu's reach in probably a poor attempt at saving them for later. She knew too many treats would spoil a Pokemon, but dang it -- Lumichu was adorable.

The Pikachu's big black eyes landed on the faraway bag again, cocked his head, and paused.

"... Pika?"

"Cu. Bone Cubone."

'Felia was always so vocal with the Pikachu, but it was probably a good thing. She wouldn't get injured much from a Pikachu attack, handy if the guy gets irritable from all the THONKing. Kristine smiled as she watched the Cubone plop itself right next to Lumichu and engage herself in a one-way conversation while the Pikachu's main focus was sneaking into that pouch.

"Let's go."

Kristine jumped to her feet when she noticed Jason was coming over, an enthusiastic Tyrogue shuffling behind him. The guy seemed very deep in thought, and curt words were all he was willing to share at the moment. Hayden crawled onto his feet as well in preparation to leave.

As Jason made to pass through the group to lead them down the stairwell, he stopped short as a sparkly ball of energy shot up from the ground and used Jason's chest to bounce himself into Kristine's arms. Tyrogue was none at all pleased, waddling up to Kristine's feet and sneering at the mouse Pokemon. "Ty! Tyrogue ty!" Kristine giggled, but Jason paused and stared at the Pikachu, wondering what just happened.

"Jason, meet Lumichu," Kristine said brightly, snuggling her new friend. ("Pika pi!")

"...Lumichu?"

She nodded with the enthusiasm of a... well, Pikachu.

Jason didn't ask. He brushed himself off and led the way downstairs in quite a rush that surprised even Sin.

"Jas, what's going on?"

"Hang on, Jason. Hayden needs to catch up."

Jason didn't stop moving, but he did allow them to fall into step so he could explain the necessity of departure tickets on the S.S. Anne. Sin shook his head in disapproval, clearly at a loss for words in their entire predicament. Kristine tensed up a bit though, fearing they may have to travel in a Cloyster shell again.

"Which way to the storage hold?" Kristine asked. She kept looking back to make sure Hayden was keeping up alright. He was fumbling earlier to put everything together, but he seemed to have caught up by now.

Jason didn't answer.

"How long exactly 'til we disembark?" Sin said a bit more bitterly.

No answer.

Kristine sighed to herself, but no one stopped following Jason. They had to dodge a few people or guards as they made their way around, but eventually, they found themselves at a very familiar Cloyster shell.

"Do we really have to get back in there?" Kristine asked.

Jason didn't reply, but he did open it up, indicating that yes, they were going to get back in there. Kristine turned her pleading eyes up at Sin, as did Hayden's uneasy look. Sin looked at them then sighed and shook his head. "Let's just squeeze into a sardine crate instead.

"Look--"

Jason's first words, and he didn't get to finish them.

Voices were approaching -- most likely the crew mates overseeing the storage. Now with the ship about to dock, they were making more frequent rounds. The gang hid behind some of the luggage, holding their breaths.

"Did you hear our next trip was on delay?"

"Yeah, something about a check-up on the ship's engines."

"I heard they had to cool them down."

"Whatever. I'm still getting me a hamburger when we dock."

Kristine peeked over the crate and saw the men seating themselves on top of some crates. The shorter man was lying back, threatening to actually fall asleep. The taller one seemed to be calling someone up. No matter what they were doing, the fact remained that those men were not leaving. And that meant no Cloyster shell.

"I'm getting out of here," Sin whispered from somewhere. Kristine whirled and watched him sneak away. She looked to Jason. Then back to Sin.

Then back to Jason.

Then back to Sin.

"Sadly, Sin is right," Kristine whispered to Jason next to her. "We have to find another way now."

"Pika?!"

Kristine threw a hand over the squirming Pikachu's mouth and winced, thinking Jason was glowering at her for her untamed Pikachu. He didn't seem phased though, his eyes watching the two crew mates to see if they had heard it. Slightly relieved she wouldn't be reprimanded, Kristine looked up and saw the shorter guy sit up, looking around in confusion.

Jason waved to Kristine and Hayden, and led the way after Sin before they got into anymore trouble. He didn't speak up again, leaving the planning to Sin, Kristine, and Hayden. Sin was a bit more daring, sneaking upstairs and pretending to look like passengers. He had mentioned something about buying out the tickets if they were ever caught, but he still seemed confident that they could at least maneuver themselves around the people if they didn't look suspicious.

"A Pokecenter!" Kristine, still holding Lumichu in her arms, hurried back to the door they had just passed and peered inside. It was most definitely a Pokecenter -- or at least a ship mock-up of one. Even a similar-looking nurse was behind the desk. "Do you think--"

"We don't have time, Kristine," Sin said. Hayden watched her sympathetically as her face fell downcast for a minute. Her face tightened at the thought of her injured Pidgey, and she subconsciously squeezed her Pikachu ("P-Piiiika!") to help ease some of her guilt. They continued walking.

"We need to get back downstairs," Jason said. "Sneak into another storage hold--"

"Might as well jump overboard," Sin replied bitterly. "We can--"

He was cut off by an enormous jerk of the boat, causing every single passenger to buckle at their knees. Kristine lost her balance and fell against Sin's back, who held fast by propping himself up against the wall. There some squeals, many gasps, and a brief moment of silence as the entire ship was figuring out what happened.

"Guys, I don't feel the boat moving," Kristine said. "Did we dock already?"

"That wasn't a dock," Sin muttered.

Hayden | S.S. Anne

Ophelia was glued against Hayden's legs, with Kaze having tumbled behind to stick the Cubone between the two. But instead of the usual protest that would have gotten, the two pokemon were completely quiet— along with everybody else on board the ship.

"Think we should check out the engines?" Sin said, almost not daring to break the silence.

Hayden just looked at him. "Do you really think we should?"

Jason looked around. "Couldn't hurt."

Sin nodded. "Whoever managed to stop the engines probably stopped everybody who could help."

Hayden swallowed and trotted along with the group.

Jason stopped dead in his tracks, causing everybody else to run into him. When Hayden looked over three people's shoulders around the corner, he saw a man with an Ekans standing guard to the engine room.

Hayden pulled out his pokedex.

Ekans
Type: Poison

It can freely detach its jaw to swallow large prey whole. It can become too heavy to move, however.

"Think Confuse Ray would work, Hayden?" Kristine said in the same quiet tone Sin had used.

He didn't take his eyes off the snake coiled at its master's feet. "Probably not enough to get—"

"DRILL!"

So much for planning.

"Pika-CHUUU."

Kristine let out a yelp as Lumichu zapped the beedrill with a thunderbolt a little too close to her.

A second shock heavily deterred it, but now the guard knew they were there and Ekans was almost on them. Hayden could've sworn he heard 'poison sting' in the background.

"'Felia, Bonemerang!"

Ekans and Beedrill were both hit as the bone went around. The beedrill went down, while Ekans was only stunned.

Sin finally got his bearings after getting hit with residual spark. "Cade, tackle Ekans!"

"Thunderbolt again, Lumichu!"

So much for quietly slipping in.

The guard had alerted others, and now more Ekans, Zubats and Beedrills were headed their way. Despite a few being taken care of by a well placed thunderbolt and Bonemarang, there were getting to be too many.

Things were starting to get confusing.

Tyrogue had gotten out of his pokeball and was scrapping with a few Ekans at once, while Pikachu was making sure the fighting pokemon didn't get zapped by either Zubats or Beedrills. Sin had thrown caution to the wind and was getting Cade to use Ember as well as his other attacks. Hayden could hear himself calling out for 'Felia to headbut an Ekans, while Kaze tried to slow some Zubats and Beedrills down with Confuse Ray.

It seemed like all the pokemon directed involved in fighting halfway to fainting when a new pokemon's cry came out of nowhere.

"PrimeAPE!"

The monkey pokemon tossed itself in the flurry and began fainting every pokemon it could get near its hands or feet, causing the team's pokemon to pull away and let the surprisingly calm Primeape take care of the remaining conscious pokemon... and the men trying to run away.

"Hitmonlee!" a newly-familiar voice called.

A flash of light was the only warning before the named pokemon took off down the hall after the men, kicking them down and standing over the four, making sure they would stay down.

"Thought you could use some help," Tyler said as he came down the hall. "Let's go. Primeape, leave it."

To almost everybody's surprise, the normally aggressive pokemon stood down and went back to his master's side.

The team's pokemon semi-recovered, and the rest of their pokemon deployed, they followed Tyler into the engine room— where, Hayden assumed, there would only be more men.

Tring to catch the pokemon running the ship, no doubt... he thought with the barest tint of dread.

Golbats were inside. They announced their presence with a deafening shriek.

"Felia!" Hayden barely managed to shout out. "Focus Energy then Bonemarang!"

It took a few moments for the Cubone to focus with the continuing shriek. It was providing cover for Arbok and a few Machoke inside the belly of the engine room, who were now closing in. Hayden barely heard Tyler calling out attacks to his Primeape. Tyrogue was already following the monkey pokemon into the battle.

The shrieking stopped with twin THONKS.

Kristine quickly looked up at the Golbats beginning to shriek again. "Knock 'em out of the sky, Lumichu!"

Hayden could swear that mouse pokemon's attacks were stronger already.

Sin sent Cade and Noah into the fray, getting them to stay on the outside and use their long-range attacks to weaken the group— and the men controlling them. Primeape had its hands full with the Machoke restraining the ship's pokemon and attempting to herd them into a containment device. All the others were occupied with more of the men's pokemon as they tried to hold the ship's pokemon captive while defending from attacks.

Kaze let out a fire spin as he jumped from beside Hayden, increasing the heat inside the room and distracting a few pokemon lost in confusion. Cade and Kaze thrived in the increased heat, using the fire attacks to down even more pokemon.

Then Ophelia did something that surprised pretty much everybody.

She jumped up and delivered a Fire Punch right to a Machoke's back. When Machoke turned around about to clobber her, he earned a bone club across the face and a headbut in the chest.

It was the last pokemon to drop.

Nick | Pewter Gym

Katya and David shouted encouragement, but Nick knew as well as they did that Eve was getting beaten to a pulp. Again and again, Valentine’s Kabuto scratched at her defenceless body, and there seemed to be nothing she could do to stop it.

“Look out, Eve!”

“Wha--?”

“No, not you,” said David for the umpteenth time that battle, “Eve the Pokémon!”

Nick tossed another Oran berry to his Caterpie, who somehow managed to gobble it down, seeds and all, between her opponent’s Scratch attacks. He was doing all he could as a trainer and an item-hoarder, but Eve was going down and all he was doing was stringing it out. Nick bit his lip and faced the facts.

“Eve -- you did your best,” he shouted, trying hard to keep his voice from cracking, “but it’s time for you to rest.”

There was a brief flash of light as the injured Caterpie returned to the safety of her Pokéball. Valentine just smirked.

“Any reinforcements?” she asked. “Or is that all you got?”

“It’s not the end, or the beginning of the end,” mumbled Nick, almost believing his false confidence. He picked up his second Pokéball. “It’s just the end of the beginning. Daisy -- let’s finish this!”

David covered his eyes. He couldn’t watch.

The arena immediately filled with a sweet aroma that appeared to catch Valentine and her Pokémon off-guard. Even the Kabuto which, until now, had performed each move with military precision, seemed to relax a little. But the most affected had to be Nick -- he felt the flighty bird of confidence return to roost once more, and he actually smiled when Daisy toppled onto her back to greet him.

“Hello you,” he said warmly as he picked her back up and set her on her feet. She squealed in apparent delight when she saw the enemy Kabuto advancing towards her across the arena.

“That’s no challenger -- that’s cannon fodder,” Valentine said and slammed her fist into her open palm. “Suppressive fire, Kabuto -- Mud Shot!”

“Daisy -- dodge that attack!”

The Kabuto marched implacably onwards, hardly pausing each time it fired its Mud Shot. Its glowing red eyes stared unblinkingly from the darkness within its shell. Daisy did a decent job of avoiding its attacks, twirling and bobbing in her unpredictable dance, all the time looking like she was having the time of her life!

“Fix bayonets, soldier.” The Kabuto clicked its sharpened claws in response. “Use scratch!”

“Daisy -- your foe’s in range. Use Poison Powder!”

The Kabuto leaped towards the crouching Daisy with surprising dexterity, but even as it neared her she shook her leaves and suddenly launched herself into the air. A dense purple cloud of poison spores fell directly above the attacking Kabuto and it instinctively covered its eyes in pain. But it wasn’t very effective.

“Learn your type advantages, Private,” said Valentine with her annoying smirk. “Poison Powder? You brought a knife to a gun fight.”

Nick watched in horror as the Kabuto sprang forwards, claws outstretched, and hit Daisy with a Scratch that tore one of the leaves from her head. She squealed in pain and turned to run, but the earlier Mud Shot had slowed her down. Everywhere she stood was slick with mud -- there was nowhere to run.

“Hold on in there while I find some berries -- use Absorb!”

“Counter that, soldier -- Harden!”

Daisy did her best to heal herself, and the grass-type move might even have worked well, but as the Kabuto hardened itself again and again, she couldn’t absorb the health quickly enough to survive the next attack.

“Here!” Nick shouted as he threw his last Oran berry to the injured Oddish. She swallowed it whole but immediately doubled over in agony. She pipped and peeped in distress and shook feebly on the floor.

“Nick, what did you give her?”

“That Pokémon does not look good.”

“Daisy, what’s the matter?”

Nick just looked on in horror. Valentine was not so compassionate.

“You’re foe’s weak -- get her, Kabuto.”

Nick could only watch helplessly as the Kabuto unfolded itself from its defensive position and reared up to perform its finishing move. It waited there for a moment, perhaps half-heartedly savouring yet another victory. Then the claws flashed downwards.

“Daisy -- NOW!”

Rockman realised her mistake too late. “Kabuto -- it’s a trap!”

Perfectly on cue, the Oddish jumped to release the Stun Spores she’d been preparing all along. Nick thought he could see realisation in the Kabuto’s eyes as it was caught, fully exposed, by Daisy’s shower of paralyzing powder. Its limbs locked and it hit the floor with a clatter.

“And Sleep Powder too, Daisy!”

Nick even took the opportunity to wink at the others as Daisy squeaked and danced her way around the static Kabuto, covering it in a fine layer of white powder. Although it wasn’t defeated, it was clear that Kabuto was out for the count.

“Good girl, Daisy! Now Absorb whatever’s left and heal yourself up!”

It took another minute or so before the rock Pokémon finally fainted, but Nick spent the whole time grinning at Valentine. And she didn’t like that one bit.

Sinclair- SS Anne

The men's Pokémon all lay defeated. Sin was rather shocked at Ophelia's last final outburst of power. Who knew she could be quite so... fierce?

The Cubone, however, now sat down, seemingly exhausted. "Cu-u-u... boooone," she said sadly. Sin glanced at Hayden, who was clearly distraught at this, but had more sense than to run to her... yet.

The would-be pirates stared at the four children in disbelief. Sinclair straightened his collar. Noah was by his side and looked slightly bedraggled, but his eyes shone with pleasure from the fight. "Squiiirt-le!" he said happily.

"That's right," Sin agreed, straightening Noah's cap. "You did great."

"They're just kids," Tyler said darkly. "We can take them out."

The men looked at him nervously. "That's not very nice-"

"They're only kids after all-"

"Exactly, they're half our size!"

"Tyler. Dude. Don't you have any morals?"

Sinclair stared in amazement at this discussion, then coughed and stepped forwards. "If you don't mind me saying, if your supposedly oh-so-powerful Fight-Type Pokémon can be beaten by ours, then I wouldn't underestimate our hand-to-hand combat skills. Not to mention we still have our Pokémon on our side." He glanced at Cade and Noah as he said this. Cade still looked unsure on the boat, and both were worn out. He hoped Tyler wouldn't call his bluff.

"That's true, Ty, I say we make a run for it."

Kristine stepped forwards and hissed in Sin's ear. "Should we call the guards?"

Sin had always known that they should have bought tickets. "If we call them, they find out we're stowaways," he hissed. "If they even come down here, we have to make a run for it. Get back to the storage deck."

"I hate that place." Kristine sighed, but nodded. "So what do we do?"

"Make these guys run. Cade, show them what you've still got! Ember!"

Cade was happy enough to oblige, despite his seasickness. Flames spread out from him and the men jumped away in fear.

"I'm going-"

"Me too-"

And they ran. Tyler looked around at the four of them, eyes resting on Jason. "With some practice, you could've been good, kid." He shook his head and then followed his companions in scarpering. Hayden immediately ran to Ophelia and picked her up.

"She's okay," he said, breathlessly. "A little weak, but she'll be fine." He looked up to where the men had vanished. "The guards will catch them upstairs," Hayden said with a frown. "Are they stupid or are they stupid?"

"We're stupid," Sin said suddenly. "The guards will be coming down here, and we're at the scene of the crime! Come on, we need to make a run for it as well!"

"But what about the Engine Pokémon?" Kristine glanced around fearfully. "Aren't they hurt?"

"I'm sure the Pokécenter can deal with them," Jason said. "I don't want to get arrested!"

"Where should we go, then?" Kristine asked, resigned.

"Back to storage," Sinclair said. The others groaned but he was obstinate. "Well, if any of you have a better idea then let's hear it! 'Oh, let's stow away on a ship, that'll be fun!' This is what stowing away is like. Hiding out. Come on."

Sin looked at Hayden, currently nursing Ophelia, knowing the bickering in the group would upset him. Furthermore, Sinclair knew it wasn't gentlemanly at all to fight with a girl anyway. He was much more respectable than Jason and didn't need to fight or argue with anyone- except to make sure justice was done, of course. And duelling. But that didn't count. Someday he would take the girl out on a nice romantic duel... and thrash her. Until then, he would have to be polite. Jason, he didn't care so much about.

"Okay. Storage." Kristine nodded. "Lumichu, here!" She held out her arms rather than a Pokéball, and the Pikachu jumped into them. Sin looked at Cade, who really was not the happiest puppy that ever was.

"Think it's time you had a little rest," he said sadly to his Growlithe, taking out a Pokéball. "I'll see you soon," he whispered once Cade was inside. Noah, though a little bedraggled, seemed to like being at sea. Sin left him out. "Then let's go. Try not to make much noise," he added dryly, passing Jason.

"I do not make noise-"

"The two of you, stop it!" Kristine hissed. "I swear. You need to go on a romantic duel together, or something."

Sin bit his lip and said nothing. From the corner of his eye, he thought he saw Hayden, who was carrying his Cubone tenderly in his arms, smirk.

Up on deck the crowds had gathered and a tourist was snapping photos of the newly caught criminals. "How did they stop them?"

"They say a bunch of kids. I haven't seen any kids on board at all..."

The four very quietly snuck past and back down the stairs where the cargo was being held.

"I am not getting into that Cloyster shell again," Kristine said. Hayden mumured in agreement and Sin admitted to himself that, really, it wasn't exactly ideal either.

"This is ridiculous, when I actually think about it," he said. "We're heroes! We should be up there while they cheer us!"

"It was your idea to come back down here," Jason said angrily.

"Well, yes. Because they'd never actually cheer us. They'd arrest us. Or throw us overboard!" Sin actually smiled at the thought. He'd always wanted to be thrown overboard... near a convenient bit of land, of course.

Hayden sighed. "So are we hiding or not hiding?"

"Let's just explore, one more time," Jason said, looking at Sinclair.

And for once, Sinclair nodded and agreed with him.

Jason Apparently | SS Anne


“You know what I find weird?” Jason asked as the group passed by the dining hall. “There haven’t been any kids our age on board.” He looked completely displeased with this, though the others assumed it was mixed with the talk he had with Tyler.

“Maybe there are, but maybe they’re in a different part of the ship?” Kristine was cuddling Pikachu in her arms, rubbing their noses together. Pikachu wasn’t quite there yet, but the affection was contagious, somehow.

“Maybe there’s an enormous swimming pool and bowling alley, or some enormous chocolate factory hidden on board that we’re missing.” Jason was unsure whether Sinclair was being serious or snarky--either way, it made him a bit uneasy. He really wanted to swim.

Jason stopped, looking up at the ceiling. Tyrogue did the same, arms falling by his side. “You really think there’s a pool somewhere on the ship?”

“Of course--it is a luxury cruise ship.”

“I’m certain it’s closed by now, though,” Hayden replied, “the ship’s about to dock.”

“Disembarking passes?” called a voice--it was a deep voice, strong and gravely and sounding like it belonged on a ship. Everyone in the group froze, eyes wide and shocked. Slowly, Jason turned on his heels and looked at the man with uncertain eyes.

“We, uh--”

“They’re in our cabin, I’m afraid,” Sinclair said. He had his rich-boy Poker Face on, and rolled his eyes. “I apologize--it was my friend’s idea to go gallivanting around without such precious items, though I can assure you we will retrieve them and be back here post-haste!”

The man squinted, wrinkles creasing all around his face. He had a gray moustache that curled when he frowned--or scowled. Jason wasn’t sure which. He was glaring at Sin, studying him, watching for cracks in the pavement, so to speak. “Which cabin are y’all in?” he asked, grinning with his eyes.

Sin didn’t miss a beat--though he was definitely freaking out on the inside--and reached into his bag, pretending to scramble for something. When he pulled out his wallet and checked, Jason caught a familiar face behind the old sailor.

“Kids!” The sailor turned around, lifting an eyebrow.

It was Tyler.

Tyler with rope burns on his arms.

Jason’s heart sank; and he was sure that everyone else’s did, too.

“Kids, how many times have I told you not to leave the rooms without your passes?” Tyler shook his head and smiled at the sailor. “I apologize, sir--we’re on a field study for our Pokemon school. If you’ll take these passes, we’ll be on our way.” The dirty pirate pulled four passes from his back pocket and handed them to the man.

The sailor nodded and looked at the kids. “Don’t be so irresponsible, chid’lins.” And with that, he turned and left down the corridor without another word.

That’s when the rest of the gang turned to Tyler, ready for a reprise to their earlier battle. He just grinned and locked eyes with Jason. “I don’t have any intention on fighting you all,” he said. “You wouldn’t be ready for that.”

“How did you get away from the guards?”

“And why did you conspire with pirates?!”

“I’m sure you don’t actually care about my involvement with those two.” He shook his head, still with that signature smirk on his face. “The guards tied us up and threw us in the cargo hold. With a bit of slithering--” he nodded at the deep red burns on his arms, “--I got out. The other two scrammed.”

“So we’ll just have to put you back in custody!” Sinclair was scowling something fierce--totally righteous anger, but scowling anger all the same.

“No, you won’t.” Tyler closed his eyes and smiled. “Because I just saved you from the same thing.”

There was a long pause--a tension when everyone suddenly understood the same thing.

“You’re no less criminals on this ship than I am, after all.” He nodded to Jason, who, after a moment, nodded back. “They don’t understand guys like us, Jason.”

“I suggest you get off this ship,” Sinclair said, “or the authorities will find you.”

“I know.” With a glance down the hall, Tyler took a step in the other direction, towards the docking hall. “One thing, kids.” He locked eyes with each of them in a row. “Don’t talk about fight club.”

And Tyler turned and strode down the hall, turning out of view.

“I don’t think this is the last we’ll see of him,” Hayden murmured.

__ __ __ __

One City -- Docking District

“Oh GOD, yes! Fresh air again!”

Kristine spun around with Lumichu on the dock as Jason and Hayden stood next to Sinclair, reading a map over his shoulder. The waves were lapping steadily at the sandy shore. “This City is much more confusing than I expected it to be,” Sin said. “I half-expected it to be an island village...not a mini-metropolis!” He frowned and tilted his head to the side.

“I can’t find the gym anywhere on this map,” Jason murmured, dejected. “There is a gym here, right?”

“That’s what we were told,” Hayden replied. He had Vulpix curled into his arms, and she was enjoying the sunlight as much as Kristine and Lumichu (who were still spinning and dancing).

“Oh, what’s this?” Sin stretched out another fold of map at the top, revealing a long speedboat path leading up to a volcano. “Oh, my!”

“There’s the gym icon!” Jason shoved his finger into the map and poked a hole right through it.

Sinclair sighed and took out his Pokegear, opening it and zapping the code of the map at the bottom, bringing the image up on the screen. “Alright, so...”

Hayden wandered off as Sinclair began plotting their journey through the city, something catching his eye further down the dock.

“Sounds good to me,” Jason said, “as long as we get food first.” His stomach conveniently gurgled. “I’m starving.”

“Oooh! Food!” Kristine shuffled to the two boys and did a razzle-dazzle grin. “And then we can maybe get some rest and get washed up? I feel as dirty as a Diglett in a marsh.” Lumichu curiously sniffed her shirt and held its nose.

“Pi! Pika!”

Both boys subconsciously sniffed under their arms and quickly agreed with a nod.

“Yes,” they said together.

Kristine peered around curiously. “Oh wait,” she cooed, “where’s Hayden?”

Hayden | One City

While everybody else was going through the city map— and Kristine made sure her land legs were just fine— Hayden looked around the area.

People and pokemon bustled about, grabbing their baggage and figuring out the city, just like the two guys beside him. A few businesses were livening up at a new ship arriving. Mostly restaurants and tourism-centered businesses, all of them capitalizing on Mount Ember and the number of fire types found here. A few businesses used the ocean as a theme, but they were few and far between.

Between the buildings, Hayden could see alleyways and darkened spots everybody else seemed to be ignoring. Just like the businesses profited, so did beggars and strays.

He was about to look away when he saw a scraggly, white pokemon near one dumpster. ‘Felia and Kaze noticed it, too. They were alert and looking towards what looked like a cat.

Convincing himself he wasn’t going to wander far, Hayden slipped away from the group to get a closer look. It was indeed a cat pokemon— a Meowth. He pulled out his Pokedex again.

Meowth
Species: Scratch Cat Pokemon
Type: Normal

MEOWTH withdraw their sharp claws into their paws to silently sneak about. For some reason, this POKéMON loves shiny coins that glitter with light. All it does is sleep during the daytime. At night, it patrols its territory with its eyes aglow.

Hayden frowned. It was midafternoon, yet this Meowth was active, and not looking for coins. It seemed to be looking for food.

Must be a stray... he thought, feeling himself taking another few steps forward.

“Hayden!” Kristine called, Pikachu trotting ahead of her. “There you are. We were looking for you!”

He shrugged. “Saw something. Do you have a treat on you?” He couldn’t quite bring himself to say, ‘Or did Lumichu eat them all?’

Kristine looked surprised for a minute, before digging into her pocket and pulling out a treat. Hayden took it with a small smile and looked for that Meowth again. He’d moved a few feet down the alley, having seemingly found a stash of something.

He walked up, softly, and crouched at the mouth of the alleyway. “Here, Meowth. Hungry?”

“Meow?”

It’s mouth twitched to indicate it was sniffing. Hayden just crouched, noting Ophelia and Kaze quietly beside him (for once), and waited.

After a too-short-time for a stray pokemon, Meowth ran up and snatched the treat from Hayden, eating it in front of him.

Kristine came up behind him and clapped her hands when she saw what had caught his attention. “A Meowth!”

Meowth looked up and jumped back, back arching and hissing. When it saw Lumichu slip between Hayden’s leg and Kaze, its hissing got louder.

Hayden just shook his head and got up. “Enjoy your treat, boy.” He glanced at Kristine with a look that said ‘please give him a few more treats he’s starving.’

Kristine happily obliged and scattered a few more treats on the ground. Lumichu was about to snatch a few up, before ‘Felia put him in his place with a well-placed bone club, and continuing the use the bone to block him from going back and chasing after the kitty pokemon.

A mouse chasing a cat. Hayden couldn’t help but smile at the irony.

The group picked one of the restaurants a bit farther away from the docking area, if only to avoid the crowds and inflated prices. As they were walking, he kept looking back at Kaze’s slowing pace. When he noticed what the Vulpix was looking at, he slowed down too.

Meowth was following them. Or, more exactly, him. Seeing as it stopped when he did.

“Want to stop and catch that cat, Hayden?” Jason asked when he noticed.

Hayden shrugged. “Dunno.”

Kristine noticed too. “He seems to like you!”

“Treats do that,” Sin said, just a bit judgmentally.

Which got Hayden right back to looking forward and getting ‘Felia to nudge Kaze along, although Hayden could tell both pokemon wouldn’t mind it if the Meowth joined them.

At the restaurant, it seemed that would become literal.

“How many?” the headwaiter asked, glancing between the group and their pokemon.

Jason answered first, having looked around the group. “Ni—”

“Ten!” Kristine corrected, pointing back to the Meowth still following them. It was sitting at the door, tail swishing, mouth curled up just slightly and its eyes gleaming with a bit too much hunger. It's look was one that very clearly said 'please?'

“Yeah,” Hayden said softly. “Ten.”

They all ate, the Meowth taking two or three times as much food as the other pokemon in the group. Ophelia and Kaze seemed particularly interested in it—him?— sharing some of their food.

Hayden patted the cat on his head, feeling the dirt and grime in his fur. He couldn’t help wincing at the state this cat was in.

Sin eyed them. “Looks like that pokemon chose you.”

“I guess...” Hayden said quietly, trying not to pull out The Look to take the cat on the adventure with him. It seemed into his mannerisms anyway.

“We’ll see if he follows us when we leave,” Jason said with a shrug.

Hayden had to accept Jason had a point. The Meowth could just be looking for its next meal, not thinking about the future past his stomach.

They all got up to leave, with Meowth looking around at all the people leaving around him. Hayden lingered behind a moment, looking at it (along with ‘Felia and Kaze) and wondering if he should invite it along. A tug on his jacket sleeve reminded him he should get going, and let the pokemon choose for himself.

Teeth sinking into his shoulder was his answer.

“Ow!” Hayden yelped before a bone club detached the cat from his jacket and onto the table.

“Me-OWTH,” the cat said, sitting and tail lashing for all it was worth.

Hayden turned his head to look at the cat, matching Glare with annoyed Look. After awhile, he opened his arms in a semi-helpless manner. “Want to come, Meowth?”

He continued Glaring. Hayden turned his head to the side a bit, thinking of what the cat could want.

A name came to mind.

“Alright. Want to come, Salem?”

Salem’s eyes closed with a smile big enough to make its ears perk up. “Meowth.”

Hayden chuckled. “Alright, then. C’mon.”

Salem jumped to Hayden’s shoulder, causing the boy to almost topple forward from the suddenness of the weight, and stayed there as they walked out of the restaurant.

Eve yawned, trying to stretch the fatigue out of her bones. It was really hard to maintain her excitement with the oddish’s pollen in her nose. It reminded her of home for some reason.

“Nick is the winner!”

“Wha-” Eve rubbed her eyes, focusing again on the scene in front of her. Good lord. He actually did it. She guessed she should have had more faith in Nick, he took good care of his pokemon. It was just... they were so cutesy. She couldn’t bring herself to think they were fighters too.

Slowly, her head began to clear. Nick was done, so... Eve swallowed, fingering her pokeballs nervously.

“Next challenger!”

“I guess that’s me.” Eve stepped forward, staring up at the now very irritated gym leader. Valentine narrowed her eyes, and Eve was sure she could feel her contempt.

“City slicker. Bet this is the first time you’ve got mud on those pretty clothes, is it?”

Eve looked down, noticing the brown smears up her legs for the first time. This is like the time Dad made me clean up after that sick Tauros. Eve raised her eyes again and smiled.

“On these particular clothes? Yes. I can’t say I normally go wading in mud puddles in this. But are we going to stand around discussing the proper fashion to go with mud stains, or are we going to battle?” Eve’s bravado rang hollow in her own ears, but she hoped Valentine didn’t see through it. Eve needed all the confidence she could get, false or not.

“Fine.” Valentine grabbed a fresh pokeball. “Let’s do this, city girl.”

She tossed out the pokeball, which opened to release a bright red glow. A very large red glow.

“Holy jeezus.” David whispered.

Eve agreed completely. In front of her stood an Onix. She felt weak at the knees, staring into the blank gaze of that huge rock snake.

“Your move, city girl.”

Eve nodded, reaching for her belt. Her pokeball slipped into her hand, comforting her with familiarity. She cleared the lump out of her throat and tried not to think too hard about what was coming. “Go, Ellie!”

“Seel!” Ellie became almost instantly covered in brown as soon as she hit the mud, and Eve couldn’t help but wince. Oh, if only dad could see us now...
Eve was brought rudely back to reality by a very large crunch. Luckily Ellie had the self perseverance to back away as the onix beat the ground with his tail.

Concentration time.

“Ellie, use ice shard!”

“Onix, tackle!”

Ice glanced off onix’s rocky hide as he lurched forward, landing a solid blow on the much smaller seel. Eve’s heart leapt to her throat. “Ellie! Hang in there!”

The wounded seel dragged itself back up, glaring at the larger pokemon. Onix drew back, seeking room for a second attack. Eve wasn’t sure how much more of a beating her pokemon could take.

“Ellie, that’s enough, you can come back now.”

Ellie didn’t respond, continuing to glare at the onix.

“Oh, isn’t that cute? The pokemon won’t listen to the city girl.” Valentine laughed. “Maybe you should leave the training to your friends.”

“Ellie...?” Eve stared at the little seel, who barked once in response. Eve nodded once. “Okay. But you’re resting straight after.”

“Enough. Onix, again! Put this girl and her pet out of their misery.”

The stone snake lurched forward again, his horn-plate directed at Ellie. Eve almost covered her eyes, but for the sake of her friend, she kept watching as he closed in, waiting for the perfect moment.

Three....two.... “Ellie! Now!”

Ellie dove to the side, using her powerful tail to shove her the the crucial few feet away from onix’s attack. Where she had been, there was now a confused and stunned onix who had headbutted what was not squishy seel flesh. “Ellie! Water gun!”

A powerful stream of water hit onix straight in the eye. He roared, raring back up. He looked big and angry.

“I guess he’s not done yet... Ellie, return!”

This time Eve didn’t take no for an answer, pushing the button on Ellie’s pokeball as she spoke. “I’ll look after you later. Tina, go!”

Valentine’s expression of glee faded a little when she saw Eve’s next choice. The Dratini was even smaller, but those big bright eyes were murderous .

Valentine’s shock didn’t last too long, however. “Cute snake. Mine’s bigger. Onix, bite it!”

“Dratini, use agility!” Again, the onix’s head meet ground, and he rumbled in frustration.

“Good! Now, use twister!”

Dratini’s eyes started to glow, shining brighter and brighter. It started off as a light breeze that ruffled Eve’s hair, but within seconds it was tugging at her scarf. Before twenty seconds were up, Eve had to close her eyes against the dust, as wind howled around her. I guess she dried out the mud?

Over the wind, Eve heard Valentine cry out. “Onix, body slam that twerp into the ground!” Onix roared, and Eve heard a loud thud.

“Tina!” Eve cried, trying to blink the dust out of her eyes. “Are you alright?”

Slowly, the dust settled, revealing a pile that was Onix. His skin looked almost shiny- Eve guessed the dust gave him a polish.

In front of the pile of shiny rock, sat a little blue pokemon, looking very proud of itself. “Tini!”

Kristine | One City

"Where's Hayden?" Kristine asked, spinning around in search of him. It was turning into a regular addition to the check list before they left anywhere: pokemon, money, packs, treats, and Hayden.

Sin stopped as well, but Jason hadn't realized they did until he was a great deal away from them. Kristine looked up at Sin, who was watching the restaurant doors. "You think we should go in?"

"He should be out in a minute, I'd think," Sin said, still watching.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Jason meandering back, throwing his arms in the air. "What's the hold up now?"

"We lost Hayden again," Kristine told him.

"If the meowth didn't follow, then--"

"Here he is," Sin gladly interrupted.

A man pulled open a door for his girl, and Hayden squeezed right through before she could walk in. The couple didn't pay any mind, but when three little pokemon followed out, they were a bit confused as to why they could get inside this fiscal year.

The meowth dashed up by Hayden's feet and pounced onto his jacket, clawing his way up to the shoulder. Kristine got a huge kick out of that, squeezing Lumichu as she squealed. "The meowth followed you!"

Hayden couldn't help but smile. "Yeah, he wouldn't take no for an answer." He subconsciously winced as he rolled his shoulder where the meowth had bitten him.

"This is awesome," Jason said sarcastically. "Now, can we--"

"He's got a bit more life in him too. Don't you think, Sin?" Kristine added. She reached out and scratched the meowth behind the ear. Lumichu huffed. "Pika pi..."

"He could still use a pokemon center," Sin replied. The thought churned Kristine's stomach, withdrawing her hand and holding Lumichu close. Her pidgey was still out of commission. Sin pulled out his map, and Jason jumped by his side, eager to get moving. The faster they moved, the sooner he'd hit the gym... right?

"So is the center nearby?" Kristine asked gently, not wanting to disturb their trains of thought.

"I can't... find it," Sin said, looking all over the paper. Even Jason abandoned his plan of finding the quickest path to the gym, his brow furrowing as he looked for the center. "You would think they'd make it obvious."

"Probably near a food or shopping center?" Kristine suggested, looking to Hayden for confirmation. Hayden nodded, distracted by all his pokemon begging for some attention. Kaze brushed up against his leg, 'Felia tugged on his pant leg, and meowth seemed to mock them as his tail swooshed against his back and he rubbed himself on Hayden's cheek. Kristine giggled. Even the pikachu hopped out of her arms and onto her shoulder for a better view at that new meowth.

"Your map fails," Jason said, snatching it from Sin's grasp for a closer look.

Sin took a deep breath to control his temper, biting his tongue. Kristine looked around them at the passersby. "We could ask for directions?"

"No," they both said quite firmly.

"It's near the gym," Jason said absolutely, slapping the map into Sin's gut, causing him to double-over slightly.

"The map doesn't say it's by the gym," Sin clarified, speaking louder as Jason walked further away. "It's probably near the route out of town!"

"I'm asking someone," Kristine smiled.

"We don't need to ask someone," Sin reassured her. "We're just... missing it." He peered at the map again.

"The meowth knows this city better than any of us," Kristine said. "Ask him."

Everyone looked toward Hayden and the meowth, who was way too busy milking attention to even consider helping out. Hayden looked at them, a bit taken aback at the sudden attention. "I... don't think Salem's going to help on this one."

There was a brief moment of silence.

"I'm asking."

"Kristine, wait--"

"Excuse me, sir?" Kristine walked up to a middle-aged man standing alone on the corner, seemingly close to her dad's age. Sin stood behind her, admitting defeat. The man looked down at her and smiled when he saw her dazzling pearly whites. "I'm sorry to bother you, but we're lost."

The man chortled. "You must be tourists then. The city's a big one. Get it? Get it?!"

Kristine laughed as the man slapped his knee. Sin politely laughed, but that was all the effort he planned on giving for such a bad pun.

"Trainers, I imagine?" the man asked, straightening himself. "Here for the gym?"

Kristine nodded. "You've got it! We need the pokemon center right now. Do you know where we could find it?" Hayden had caught up with them at this point, but Jason was still absent.

"It's a few blocks from here, then." He turned around and pointed down the road. "Just keep walking, eventually you'll take a left. Can't miss it."

Kristine thanked him with just as much enthusiasm as before. She spun around with a prideful grin, but Sin couldn't help but smile to himself as he walked away. Almost on cue though, just as Sin spun around, a Ponyta glided right past him and parked itself behind the man. Kristine and the others gaped at the magnificent pokemon. ("Pi.. ka..") Sin pulled out his pokedex.

Ponyta
Species: Fire-Horse Pokemon
Type: Fire

Its hind legs, which have hooves that are harder than diamond, kick back at any presence it senses behind it. Its legs grow strong while it chases after its parent. It runs in fields and mountains all day.

"A ponyta..." Kristine managed to say. Lumichu crawled back into Kristine's arms and stuck his nose out as far as he could to sniff at the new specimen.

"Yup!" the man said, patting the ponyta's muzzle. "Been with me for years now. He was just running a quick errand for me since I'm not that young anymore, haha!" He turned back to them. "We had better be going then. Good luck in finding the Pokemon Center!"

All three of them woke up and spluttered their thanks and farewells. The man led his ponyta away, Kristine still a bit entranced.

"Let's go," Sin said, pocketing his pokedex, walking in the direction of the Center.

"What about Jason?" Hayden asked.

Lumichu straightened itself so it was incredibly taller, noticing that Kristine wasn't moving. He watched Sin and Hayden get smaller and smaller in the distance. "Pika..."

"Oh, ponytas are so fantastic," Kristine said to herself.

"Pika!" Lumichu turned around and looked up at her faraway gaze.

"I wouldn't mind a ponyta one day, though I'm not sure I could--"

"PIKA PI!"

"What--oh!" Kristine whirled and ran after them. "Wait up!"

Sinclair- One City

"Ponytas are just so pretty and elegant- but they're so powerful but, oh, did you see her tail?" Kristine said dreamily as they continued towards the glowing sign of the PokéCenter. "I bet you could ride a Ponyta everywhere and she'd be loyal and fun and-"

"Please be quiet," Jason said. "You're giving me a headache."

Sinclair turned to Kristine who looked crestfallen. "You are talking a lot," he agreed.

"Only because they're so pretty and amazing and-"

The boys all rolled their eyes at each other. Sinclair turned and attempted to blot Kristine's chatter out. "Squirtle," Noah said, bored.

"That's right. Girls are annoying."

"Squiiiir." He looked pointedly at Ophelia.

"'Felia's not that bad. She eats a lot, but she got us out of some tight scrapes, remember?"

Ophelia must have overheard because she snapped her head around and waved her bone in a gesture that could have been anything from a friendly wave to a death threat.

"Just. Um. Don't say that too loud, 'kay?" Sinclair said in a low voice to Noah. The Squirtle muttered in agreement and hid behind his Trainer.

Hayden scooped Ophelia up in his arms once more as they went into the Pokécenter. "Don't run off, you hear me?" Kristine followed suit with Lumichu who squirmed. Sinclair was relieved that Noah was so well behaved as they went inside.

Nurse Joy smiled at them all. "Welcome to the Pokécenter! What can I do for you all?"

"We were wondering if you could perhaps help us out with our Pokémon," Sin said. "They're just a little worn out."

"Well, why don't you give them to me, and I'll do whatever I can?" Joy smiled at Sin and he nodded to Noah, who instinctively went to Joy, then he passed her the Pokéball that contained Cade.

"Please be careful-" he said before stopping himself. Of course she would be.

The others handed over all their Pokéballs, and Kristine's excitement about getting Peach back seemed to outshine her excitement about Ponytas. They all sat in the waiting room... waiting. Sin and Jason began playing a game of Catch with a Pokéball, Hayden's and Kristine's heads moving like pendulums as they watched.

Nurse Joy came out with her arms full of Pokémon, more trailing at her feet. Sin jumped up to go and greet Cade and Noah. Peach fluttered around Kristine's head in circles and Ophelia, after flashing Noah a quick look, tottered over to Hayden, as did Salem. The Meowth looked quite at home amongst the other Pokémon...

...As did someone else.

"Um, nurse?" Hayden said softly, pointing. "That one's not ours."

A Psyduck stood looking at them all, its head cocked to one side. "Psy-aye-duck?" it inquired.

"Oh, I am sorry, but it's the saddest thing! Somebody just left Psyduck here... Officer Jenny is trying to find them, you can't just abandon Pokémon like that! But Psyduck's looking for a new home..." Sin could see where this was going. He glanced at Hayden who shrugged, at Jason, who was grimacing.

"Oh, no- I'm not-"

"He's just so lonely- you all seem like excellent young Trainers, will you really take him?"

Nurse Joy looked so happy at the prospect that Sin didn't have the heart to say 'no.' It was Hayden, however, who actually uttered the words, "Sure, we'll take him."

She clapped her hands ecstatically. "Perfect! I'll get you a Pokéball and everything- he's such a sweetie."

She vanished into the top-secret-nurse's-back-room and the four immediately began to make their excuses.

"Why did you say yes?" Sinclair asked Hayden.

"I couldn't say 'no' to her. Could you? But I just got Salem, I can't start training another new Pokémon!"

"And I have Lumichu," Kristine said eagerly, jumping on the Bandwagon. "And next I want a Ponyta."

"Yeah, and I have Tyrogue," Jason said.

"I thought you wanted to catch 'em all," Sin objected.

"Not right now I don't!

Sin sighed and took out his Pokédex, looking for Psyduck's entry.

Psyduck
Species: Duck Pokémon
Type: Water
Always tormented by headaches. It uses psychic powers, but it is not known if it intends to do so.

Sin remembered his mother saying that the Psyducks living on the pond on their estate were exceptionally clumsy. The poor creature did look dejected... but Sin wanted Pokémon that could win him a battle! It rubbed its forehead tiredly.

"That must be the headache," Hayden said. "They get them a lot."

"Look, when Nurse Joy comes back, we'll just have to tell her we have our hands full," Sin said with a shrug. He felt bad doing it, but knew no one would disagree- nobody wanted the duck. Cade rubbed up against Sin, looking for a pat. Sin obliged and went to get his bag, slinging it over his shoulder.

They waited on Nurse Joy, each composing their own polite apology. Sin's bag was uncomfortable against his back and he shifted it. "What's going on- it feels like it's moving-"

He took the bag off again and opened it. Lumichu tumbled out, clearly still on his eternal quest for snacks. "Look what you've done, Lumi-" he said as the contents of his rucksack followed the Pikachu. Snacks, berries, Pokéballs...

and one rolled right towards the Psyduck. It was gone in a flash.

"WHAT?" Sin said, picking the Pokéball up and staring at it. "There is no way that just happened! Psyduck, get out of there!"

Nothing happened, apart from Kristine bursting into a fit of the giggles. "Looks like he chose you!" she said. "Oh, I have to sit down."

Sin stared in disbelief at the Pokéball, wondering what the Psyduck was doing inside. Probably being very proud of itself.

Nurse Joy came back out. "Oh, you already used one of your own?" she asked, looking at Sin's Pokéball.

"Actually-"

"Yes," Hayden urged him quietly. Sin glanced his way, then sighed and nodded. Psyduck was there to stay, he supposed.

"Yes," he agreed. "I used my own."

Nurse Joy gave him the Pokéball anyway in gratitude and they left the Pokécenter, Kristine still giggling.

"That was so funny- the way it just hopped in-"

"I liked it better when you were gushing about Ponyta," Sin muttered.

At that her expression entirely changed. "Ponyta! Where can I find one?"

"Girls," Jason snorted. "So what are you going to call it?"

"Call it?"

"All Pokémon should have nicknames, even Psyducks," Hayden agreed.

Sin chewed his lip for a moment. "Julius," he said.

"Julius? Really?" Hayden said doubtfully.

"Why not? It's a wonderful name!"

"It's just a little... pretentious."

"Because Ophelia's not?" Jason teased. Hayden offered a nervous smile.

"Pretentious for a Psyduck, then."

"He's my Psyduck," Sin said with inexplicable pride. "And some day, just you wait and see, he's going to win me the Pokémon League."

Katya | Route to Cerulean, near Mt. Moon

Katya sneezed for the umpteenth time that day.

“Bless you,” the others said together. She wanted to glare at them but knew they were only trying to make her feel better. Or at least, she thought they did. She wondered which Jynx decided to put this darned cold on her. At times like this she wished she had a Chansey...or something.

She was beginning to think weirdly. Great. Next would come the fainting fits and hallucinations. Why did she always catch the cold? “ACHOO!”

“Bless you.” David patted her on the back, earning an honest-to-good glare this time. She rubbed her nose balefully--it looked as red as the Razz Berries she stole from Nick’s backpack a while back. Of course, no one had noticed...yet.

He withdrew his hand quickly and inched away from her, towards Eve. They started talking about their Pokemon, and David was quick to start yapping about his Nidoran’s evolution. It’s practically all he’d talked about since they’d left the gym. Katya rolled her eyes.

Mr. Gizmo was tagging in the back, stumbling over rocks while fiddling with that purple ball he’d found on Mt. Moon. Katya didn’t know what it was, but boy, was he obsessed with it. His Magnemite was floating freely around him, orbiting around his head like an odd metal planet. And with Katya’s cold, she even imagined Art’s head as a sun, which tripped her out.

And then Nick tripped over a ledge.

“Watch your step, Nicky boy!” Katya sniffed at him. “You almost made me fall over, too!”

“For the last time,” he grumbled, dusting off his trousers as he got up. “It’s Nick. N-i-c-k.”

“Yes, yes, Nicky boy.” She snuffled some more at him before turning back to the others. “How long vi-will it be before we reach Cerulean City?”

Eve reached into Art’s back pocket, garnering an awkward squirm from the boy, and pulled out his Pokegear, checking a map. “Hm,” she said, scrolling, “looks like it ain’t too far...just past a river, I think.” She shoved the red device back into his pocket and squinted her eyes, peering down into the valley where they were headed. “That may be the river down there, actually.” The blonde girl pointed to a winding stream bed not too far away.

“Where’s the water?” David asked dumbly.

“Don’t know,” Eve said, “don’t care.” She was grinning. “You’ll never hear me complain about dry land!” She was the first to take another step towards the steeper incline they had to scale down to reach the Cerulean valley. “Oh wow,” she said.

David came up behind her and blinked absentmindedly at the ledge. “Oh wow.”

“No wow. Achoo!” Katya sneezed at them, making Eve recoil and David stare at her. “Sorr-y. Achoo!”

“Let’s get on before her cold gets any worse.” Eve sniffled. “Or else we’ll all catch it.”

“She sounds like an angry Russian Pikachu,” Art mumbled as he walked past. This of course, earned him another of her infamous glares. “Just saying...”

“So,” David interrupted, “any ideas on how to get down from here?”

They all took another long look at the ledge. “We could always use a sled...” Katya sniffled.

“That’d be awesome,” Eve said, “if we had any sleds.”

David hummed quietly, thinking. “I may have an idea.” He reached to his belt and released Nidorino at his feet. The purple Pokemon rawr’d happily and took a long look up at his trainer. “Dax, think you could mudslide us down this hill?”

Dax ambled over to the edge and took a long look, almost like he was measuring it. When he turned back to David, he roared an affirmative, “Rino!”

Eve didn’t look impressed. “Valentine really inspired you with all her mud, didn’t she?”

He shrugged, shoving his hands in his pockets. “A little mud never hurt anybody.”

“Let’s just get going!” Nick seemed excited to get to Cerulean. “I saw Cerulean City on TV once--and man, is it beautiful.”

“Righ--CHOO!” Katya felt miserable.

“Ha,” Art interjected, “she evolved into an angry Russian Raichu!”

“Nidorino,” David coughed, “mud shot!” Nidorino took a dash away from the group, turning and running back before jumping and slamming his paws into the hillside, blowing a quake through the softer soil on the ledge. The hillside shook as the ground beneath the gang let loose, plummeting down the slope like an elevator.

When they hit the valley below, the ground shook, knocking David and Nick onto their tails. Daisy hopped out of Nick’s arms and danced around in the pink valley flowers, almost trying to hide amongst them.

David brushed off his jeans and smiled. “Great job, Dax!” he called up at Nidorino on the hillside. Taking out his Pokeball, he nodded. “Return!” Dax vanished into that signature red light as David stood back to his feet, helping Nick up as well.

“So,” Eve said, “shall we cross the mighty rushing rivers of fate?”

“Your poeticism,” Art murmured, “needs work.”

Katya started sniggering at this before she suddenly sneezed again. This time at Art. “ACHOOOO!”

They were in the riverbed headed towards Cerulean when Art’s Poketch began beeping. Everyone stopped and gave him a raised eyebrow look, except for Katya, who continued to sneeze uncontrollably. Art tapped on the device several times before it began chiming and..speaking.

It was a robotic man’s voice.

Danger has been detected in your area. Seek shelter immediately if near the river district.

“Danger...in the river district?”

Eve looked around them at their curiously endangered position between raised walls of river bed. “Oh, I’d say we’re securely in the river district.”

The ground shook again, and Nick staggered back, holding onto the ledge of the river. The gang quickly turned as a roaring echoed further down the streambed from where the river was supposed to begin. Eve took several steps back. “Guys...” Nick stammered, “...something’s coming.”

The rest took steps backwards beside Eve, leaving David in front. His eyes were wide and horrified. “Uh,” he murmured, “maybe we should...run...”

And off in the distance, the source of the roar became obvious--a gushing wall of water coming swiftly towards them.

“RUN!” Art shouted, turning tail and dashing madly down the riverbed.

David | Cerulean River

They were being chased--chased at full-speed like in one of those old black-and-white crime movies where the cops would always end up being a little faster than the bad guys.

In this case, David hoped, they’d better be the cops.

What was worse is that the thing chasing them--though it wasn’t a wild Pokemon or a human trying to harm them--was an enormous, roaring wall of water.

“I’d hate!” Art gasped as they ran, “to see!” he hopped over a rock and nearly fell on his face, “the Magikarp that started this tidal wave!”

Eve scrambled for her belt, pulling Dratini’s Pokeball out. She released her into the air and she coiled around Eve’s neck. “Dratini! Can you twister that thing away?” The dragon Pokemon let out a howl, a loud Dreeeeeeee! as a gust of blue wind blasted from the white dot on its forehead. She did this several times as they ran, but the flood kept rolling on, undisturbed.

“It’s no use,” Nick yelled, “there’s too much water!”

Katya sneezed and toppled over onto her face, rolling in the deep trench of the riverbed.

“Katya!” David stopped in his tracks, turning back to get her. Just as he picked her up, he peered up at the raging flood with wide eyes as it loomed upon them.

Jason Apparently | Kamehameha Boat Shack

“What do you mean we need boating permits?”

The blond-haired, blue-eyed, shirtless surfer clerk shrugged at Jason as he stood up. “Sorry, little dude,” his voice matched the look, “but policies are policies, and I can’t like, break a policy for you, y’know?” He ran a hand through his hair causing a seashell to fall out. It caught the attention of everyone except him.

Sinclair stepped forward, nudging the lovestruck Kristine out of the way. “Excuse me, but none of us are over the age of eleven--how are we expected to have boating permits?”

Surfer dude--whose name tag that lay on the desk said Sup, I’m Sam--picked up a soda from the counter and took a long sip of it, garnering a long stare from Kristine and Lumichu--though Jason was sure Lumichu just wanted the soda. “Look, bro.” He put the soda down on the counter as Lumichu stretched its body out, trying to reach it with a long, strained chuuuuuuuuuu. “If you want, you can, like, speak to my manager?” He sat back on his stool and spun the keys to the speedboat on his finger. “But, like, if not, you’re totally not going up this creek without, like, a paddle.”

Jason’s face curled into sheer rage. It reminded Hayden of the Grinch. “Fine,” he muttered curtly, “bring out your airhead of a manager so I can get my gym badge already!”

“Kay,” said Sam, and he left, leaving Kristine dejected.

They all turned to one another in a circle. “Perhaps you should let me do the talking,” Sin said. “After all, perhaps we can outwit these pea-brains and be on our way to Mt. Ember!”

Everyone nodded. Kristine looked down at Pikachu, who was taking the longest gulp of soda imaginable.

Meowth curled up on Hayden’s head and laid down, opening one eye to Pikachu. “Mao?”

Pikachu stopped drinking long enough to stare back at him, almost defensively.

Meowth grinned.

Pikachu lurched back, holding the soda away from him.

“Yowth!” Meowth jumped at Pikachu, who leaped out of Kristine’s arms and took off with his Soda, circling around the group. The trainers just watched, amused, though Jason’s face was still Grinched.

The door to the back opened, and a tall, curvy, blonde-haired beauty walked out, nabbing the attention of everyone in the room...except for Kristine. She was preoccupied clapping for Lumichu.

The manager--whose name tag (pinned to the top of her bikini) read Fatale--leaned over against the counter, propping her chin on her hand, elbow-on-counter, and eyes on the three fellas in front of her. “How may I help you boys?” Her voice matched the get-up. Every word was sweet, low, and seductive.

It was surprising that their jaws didn’t hit Pikachu and Meowth on their way to the floor.

“We, uh,” Jason stammered.

“We need a-a boat.” Sinclair shut his mouth, blinking away the hearts that had to be in his eyes.


David | Cerulean River

Oh man, was David praying hard. With Katya struggling against him as he hoisted her up, he staggered back, eyes wide and heart pounding. “K-Katya!”

She had sheer rage in her eyes as she stood up, huffing at him through her cold-ridden accent. “Dayfid, I vill KILL y--” She turned around as David squeaked, and her eyes grew just as huge as his. “Da-David!”

The raging water crashed over them, catching them in the break of a wave. They both braced together as they were sure they were going to die.

“WATERFALL!”

Something mighty hit the ground with a roar, just before a gush of power knocked David and Katya back on their tails. David opened his eyes to see the shell of an enormous Pokemon in front of them, arms raised as a torrent of water blasted into the sky.

The same torrent of water that was about to kill them just seconds ago.

“BLAST!” The huge Pokemon forced the wall of water back, lowering its head as two large cannons perched from its shell. It stomped a foot on the riverbed, and the water moved back.

“Hydro Cannon, Blastoise.” A man walked up in front of Katya and David, blond hair spiked against the wind.

The huge turtle recoiled its arms and stomped once more, blasting two cannons of azure light from the launchers on his back. The flood recoiled, forced back by the sheer magnitude of its power. And, as steam rose from the riverbed, the water was gone.

David was astounded--completely amazed. Slowly, he stood, jaw-open at the amazing feat in front of him. And his amazement wound up and broke as Katya swung her fist across his face, knocking him back to the ground with near-crushing strength. “ZAT is for grabbing me!”

David held his cheek, peering up at her, confused. “I was trying to save you!”

“Are you two alright?” The man still had his back turned, watching the last of the water vanish from the riverbed. Slowly, the enormous turtle stowed its cannons and turned to face the man.

“Blaaast!”

“You did fantastic, Blastoise.”

“Blast...oise?” David pulled out his Pokedex as he stood, frowning at the crack covering the screen. With a bit of a broken voice, it read:

Blastoise
Species: Ballistic Shellfish Pokemon
Type: Water
The waterspouts that protrude from its shell are highly accurate. Their bullets of water can precisely nail tin cans from a distance of over 160 feet. It crushes its foe under its heavy body to cause fainting. In a pinch, it will withdraw inside its shell.

“Wow,” David said in amazement. He had never seen such a strong Pokemon before, and stared up at the Blastoise silently.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The blond man chuckled, crossing his arms. “Perhaps we should get you two to Cerulean before another wave comes.”

“Another?” Katya didn’t looked pleased at this chance.

“This has happened before?” David slowly turned towards Cerulean in the distance; his friends were running to them.

“It’s been happening about once every three hours for the past three days,” he said. “And Blastoise and I have been handling the floods every time.” He shook his head. “But we can talk about that after you get some rest.” He nodded to all of them. “You can come to my house in Cerulean.”


Jason Apparently| Kamehameha Speed Boat

“Surf’s up, little dudes!”

The speed boat was jutting along just fine--the waves were high and rough, and the speedboat was bobbing on them more than slicing through them, but Jason wasn’t about to complain; he was on his way to his second gym badge, and that was fine with him. Sinclair, on the other hand, was scowling. “Must he say that every two minutes?”

The others laughed quietly and continued watching the looming volcano ahead. The sun was completely blotched out by the ashen clouds then, and Pikachu was on-pointe at the tip of the boat. His nose twitched as a splash of water sprinkled over the yellow mouse.

“So I’m thinking,” Kristine said, “that there may just be a Ponyta on Mt. Ember!” She was grinning ear-to-ear, and was brushing down Meowth’s fur as he purred between she and Hayden. “Also, I bet that the gym leader will be riding a Ponyta, and that he’ll use a Ponyta, and maybe even give me a Ponyta!”

Hayden couldn’t help but to smile. “Those are some high hopes, Kristine...but maybe you’re right.” He had been a bit quieter since they’d left the shack...something must have made him uneasy about the waves or the mountain.

“So Sam,” Jason yelled over the wind, “where’s the gym on the mountain?”

Sam brushed his hair back as it billowed in the wind and pointed halfway up the mountain where a large ledge jutted out. There was a distinct glow from fires lit around the ledge. Jason squinted his eyes and felt determination rise up in him. “Montel is an awesome trainer,” he said. “Every now and again he’ll fly down to the shack to get medicine for a sick Pokemon, and the huge bird he flies on is totally awesome.”

“Huge bird?” Sinclair asked, intrigued.

“Ya bro!” Sam held out his arms like wings. “It’s huge and has flames spouting from all over, almost like a...a furnace!”

“A furnace?”

“Ya bro,” he said to Hayden, “those huge fire birds that eat ashes or something.”

“Ah,” Hayden said, “Those furnaces!” He winked at the others as Sam nodded excitedly.

Jason grinned and took a long gulp of water from a bottle.

“I think he calls it...Motor? Mordor...No, Molter--No! Moltres!”

...and then Jason spit out the water in Sinclair’s face. “M-Moltres?!”

Sinclair already had his Pokedex out, filming through unseen files. “Here we are,” he said, and clicked on the profile. “It says that Moltres is the legendary bird of fire...part of the ‘Avian Trio’, apparently.”

“Apparently?!” Jason was awestruck. “You’ve never heard of the Legendary Birds?!”

Kristine counted on her fingers. “Moltres...” and then stopped. “That’s all I got.”

Jason looked ahead at the mountain. “Moltres, Articuno, and Zapdos...three of the most powerful Pokemon in all of Kanto.” He grinned. “And three Pokemon that I’ll catch someday!”

Kristine giggled. “Backwards, their initials are ZAM!”

Everyone but Sam stared at her dumbly. Sam just nodded.

“Alright little dudes,” he hollered, “the dock’s just ahead!” He cut the motor and released a Pokemon into the water--a Pokemon Jason thought was Squirtle at first.

Sin aimed his Pokedex into the water.

Wartortle
Species: Shellfish Pokemon
Type: Water
The evolved form of Squirtle, Wartortle often hides in water to stalk unwary prey. For fast swimming, it moves its ears to maintain balance. Wartortle’s large tail is covered with rich, thick fur that deepens in color with age. The scratches on its shell are evidence of this Pokemon’s toughness in battle.

Sinclair gasped. “It’s Noah’s evolved form!” He seemed proud as the Wartortle pushed the heavy speedboat to the dock. As soon as the metal touched the wood, Jason hopped out and was ready to rumble.

“Listen,” Sam called out as the others hopped out of the boat, “I’ll be down here in the Ember Lodge when you’re ready to go back to the shack. Just come find me, kay dudes and dudette?”

“Chu!” came the only reply as the gang sped off towards the mountain.