Pokemon Moonlight Silver (COMPLETE!!!)

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 57: The Bug Stops Here (part 1)

"That radio play was fun!" Misty smiled as the group left Goldenrod City the next morning. "You do a very convincing Link, by the way." she smiled at Ash.

"Hut!" Ash proceeded to stab at the air with an imagined sword, to the bemusement of the others.

Even Brock was laughing as he consulted the map. "Okay...the National Park should be just ahead..."

"How fun!" Misty smiled as the group rounded the corner, where they saw a huge crowd lining up by a Beautifly fountain in the main hub. "Or, maybe not so fun if all these crowds are here..."

"Good morning! Are you guys here for the Bug Catching Contest?" a ranger asked as she approached the group.

Misty froze at the mention of bugs. Why didn't they tell me this place was full of bugs?

A majestic Poke Ball shaped building with banners decorating the top looming in the distance got her attention. That must be the Pokethlon Dome! Now I can get my own challenge started!

A sign near a path got her attention: POKETHLON DOME--THIS WAY. "You guys can go play with the bugs--I'm gonna attempt my first Pokethlon!" she told the boys before hugging Brock and tearing off down the path to the majestic dome, excited to finally begin her challenge.

"I figured Misty's bug-phobia would rear its head sooner or later..." Brock mused, wincing from Misty's surprisingly hard grip.

"What are the rules for the Bug Catching Contest?" Ash asked the ranger.

"Each participant is given a set of 30 Park Balls, which look like this." the ranger replied, showing the boys a dull green Poke Ball. "You are to enter the forest, and using only one Pokémon, catch the strongest Bug-type Pokémon you can find. Whoever gets the strongest one in 20 minutes wins the competition and, in addition to the option of keeping the Pokémon you catch, you also win a Sun Stone."

"Nice...sign me up!" Ash smiled, accepting the entry form from the ranger as he giddily chuckled.

Brock, meanwhile, was declaring his archery gear. "These arrows are only props, and have been dulled for target shooting and use on stage. Most damage they can do is popping balloons or puncturing other materials."

"All right...any location marked with a target sign, you can shoot from." the ranger replied. "Just be aware of your surroundings, and be respectful of other park guests. If you'd like to use the park's archery range, that's nearby the north observation deck."

"Thanks." Brock replied before telling Ash where he would be. "While you're busy catching bugs, I'm gonna try out the archery range. Once I get done there, I'll be watching from the north observation deck."

"Got it!" Ash replied before hurrying off to join the other contest participants.

---------

"Specialization...water." Misty mused as she continued filling out a Pokethlon registration form in the Pokethlon Dome's main lobby. "Skill level...beginner..."

"Misty!" a familiar voice called, snapping Misty to attention. When she looked up to see who had called, she smiled when she saw Casey--now in a green jersey with the number 64 on it--and Wrigley approaching her. "Remember me at all?"

"Casey...long time no see!" Misty smiled as she and Casey hugged. "This place is amazing!"

"Yeah, but it's only one of several Domes just like it just in this region alone." Casey explained. "What track are you on?"

"Water...since water Pokemon are my specialty." Misty replied.

"Okay...consider me your friendly rival, even though I'm competing on land." Casey grinned. "So even though I'm gonna do my best to beat you, I can answer any questions you might have that the Dome staff don't know the answer to."

"Bring it on!" Misty challenged as she went to turn in her registration form at the front desk.

"Okay, Misty Williams...here's your official Pokethlon jersey for the water track..." The receptionist smiled, draping a royal blue jersey on Misty's back. "and here is the box to keep any medals you win."

"Thanks." Misty replied as she accepted the large cube shaped box. "Where's the dressing room to change into this?"

"Dressing rooms are down that hall--once you're changed, head on into the briefing room. The beginners' water Pokethlon will be starting shortly."

Misty acknowledged the receptionist with a nod and smile, then hurried off down a hallway to change.

"Nice, number seven." Casey noted when Misty emerged in her jersey some minutes later. "I've got a few minutes before the land Pokethlon starts, so I can answer some questions before you go in the briefing room. You only have to get the briefing before your very first Pokethlon, which basically explains what to expect."

"Do you have to win a gold medal to count towards the end goal, whatever that is?" Misty asked.

"Nope--either a gold, silver, or bronze medal will do." Casey replied. "If you do earn eight medals, you go on to the Grand Pokethlon, which takes place during the Pokemon League."

"Okay...and how many Pokemon can I use?" Misty asked.

"Up to three--they'll tell you what kind you're competing in during the briefing, so pick the three that are the most versatile for any competition." Casey explained.

"All right..." Misty reached for three of her five Poke Balls. "Michelle, Pearl, Ami...you guys will compete in my first competition!"

---------

[Some competition this is...] Tintri sighed as he and Ash trudged through the brush. [We haven't found even so much as a Caterpie yet!]

"We haven't even looked in the whole forest yet, so we can't give up now!" Ash assured Tintri as they checked the clearing near the north observation deck.

A mimic of a Fletchling whistle got his attention, spurring Ash to look up to find Brock waving at him from above. Must've finished shooting at the archery range... he thought before waving back to his friend.

[That was actually a pretty good mimic of a Fletchling song!] Tintri was impressed. [But this is Brock we're talking about, here...he probably knows how to mimic a million voices!]

Just then, a dull yellow worm Pokemon with a spike on its head and a large red nose crawled out from the bush. [A Weedle...want me to attack it?] he asked Ash.

"Sure!" Ash replied, excited to finally spot a Pokemon. "Use--!"

"Use Razor Leaf!" he heard a female voice say, very nearly getting sliced by the two spiked leaves as he and Tintri dashed back into the brush to watch a dull green haired girl and her Chikorita engage the Weedle.

He watched as the attack slashed the Weedle, allowing the girl to catch it. "Good work, Peach..." the girl smiled as she petted the Chikorita, than started back down the path back to the park entrance.

"But I found that Weedle first..." Ash sulked, miffed that another trainer had stolen his catch.

[Cheer up, Ash...there's plenty more bugs in the forest to find!] Tintri assured his master.

Ash nodded. "You're right, bud...we could find something rarer than a Weedle, and beat everyone else."

He motioned for Tintri to follow him. "Let's go."

---------

"...Today's Pokethlon will focus on speed, so it will be a big help if you chose your fastest Pokemon...good luck to all of you." a coach concluded before the crowd of beginner Pokethletes, Misty included, went their separate ways to prepare for their respective competitions.

Okay...after comparing everyone's stats using that stat guide Casey gave me, I'm gonna use Pearl for the first event. Misty thought as she made her way to the tunnel leading to the main pool for water events.

She hurled a Poke Ball skyward. "Pearl, competition time!"

[Competition?] the Starmie asked. [That would explain your clothes...]

"This is no different from racing Lilly, Violet, and Daisy at home...but this time, we have people watching us--think you can stay focused?" Misty asked.

Pearl's core turned blue--her excited color. [If I can battle before an audience, I can race against other Pokemon! Let's do this!]

"That's the spirit!" Misty smiled as she emerged inside the large indoor pool, where a large crowd and three other blue clad Pokethletes were waiting.

"Welcome, one and all, to our first Poke Ball rank Water Pokethlon of the season!" am emcee called, to thunderous cheers. "Our first event today is the Hurdle Dive--our four competing Pokéathletes are pitted against one another in a race down a lane of the pool, with hurdles every so often for the Pokémon to jump over or dive under. The first Pokethlete and Pokemon to make it to the other end of the pool in sixty seconds, wins!"

Pearl's core turned green--her nervous color--as an Empoleon, a Greninja, and a Gorebyss took their places in the first three lanes. [You sure we can outswim those?]

"I would've never signed up for this if I didn't believe you could do it." Misty assured her faithful Starmie as she settled into the water.

[All right...climb aboard, Ms. Tsunami--hang on to my top spires, and don't let go!] Pearl instructed as she folded down some spires to create a place for a human to mount her.

Once all four Pokethletes had mounted their Pokemon and were in the water, the referee announced "On your mark...get set...GO!!!"

Cheers filled the air as the Greninja charged to the front, creating a massive wave as he leaped over the first hurdle. But Misty and Pearl were not far behind, expertly weaving past the large Empoleon and diving under the first hurdle, overtaking the Gorebyss on the way. "Full throttle, Pearl!" she whispered.

[You got it!] With that, Pearl picked up her speed and leaped from the water, barely overtaking the Greninja as she and Misty sailed over the second hurdle. Once the two of them splashed down, Pearl kicked up a huge wave of her own as she powered ahead to dive under the third hurdle, reaching the other end of the pool with five seconds to spare!

In first place, number 7, Misty Williams. the announcer reported as Misty and Pearl waved to the crowd, both excited and exhausted. Ash, Brock...I wish you guys were here to watch me take the gold!

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 58: The Bug Stops Here (part 2)


The grass rustled as Ash and Tintri stepped into another clearing, where a red haired boy and a pink fluffy sheep-like Pokemon were challenging a Scyther. While the green mantis Pokemon was familiar to Ash, he did want to read up on the sheep Pokemon:

"Flaaffy, the wool Pokemon. The evolution of Mareep, its fleece quality changes to generate strong static electricity with a small amount of wool. The bare, slick parts of its hide are shielded against electricity."

"Ah, so that's what Luce will become..." Ash smiled as he watched the Flaaffy battle.

[I'm not sure if the Flaaffy's gonna last very much longer...] Tintri mused as the Flaaffy tried to charge a Thunderbolt, but fell to the ground in exhaustion.

"Come on, Cloud, just a little more!" the boy urged, unaware of his Flaaffy heaving with exhaustion. "Try to use a Thunderbolt!"

Ash gasped in horror as the Scyther raised a bladed arm to slash the exhausted Flaaffy. "We have to do something, or that Flaaffy's roast mutton! Come on!"

[Take this!] Tintri screeched before firing a Thunderbolt of his own, making the Scyther stumble backwards as paralysis took hold.

"Th-thanks...how can I ever repay you and your Pikachu for saving Cloud?" the boy stammered, amazed and grateful someone had come to his rescue."

"Aw, it was nothin'!" Ash grinned. "Trainers help each other out in times of need."

He paused to get an extra blanket from his bag--one of many spare blankets he carried to give fellow trainers--and draped it over the Flaaffy, "But for now, just let Cloud rest--I think you may have pushed him past his limit."

"We were exploring the forest when that Scyther appeared..." the boy explained. "I wanted to catch it for the contest, but it turned out to be too strong for Cloud."

"It's perfectly okay to run from a battle--sometimes the better part of valor is discretion." Ash explained.

"Thanks...that makes me feel a little better." the boy weakly smiled. "I'll admit I pushed Cloud too hard without meaning to, but what if that Scyther tries to attack someone else that may not be so lucky to have someone intervene?"

"I'll go try and find it so it can't hurt any more Pokemon--for now, stay with your Flaaffy, and let him rest." Ash told the boy before motioning for Tintri to follow him. "Come on, bud."

"Bye, and thanks!" the boy called as Ash and Tintri charged through the brush.

---------

"Our second event in the beginners' water Pokethlon is Capture the Flag." the referee announced to the spectators, to cheers as Misty and her competition, now wearing swim goggles, arrived on the deck of a massive pool.

"This shouldn't be too hard...remember seeing Casey do this and having to defend Ash's honor?" Misty asked as she, Michelle, Ami, and Pearl made their way to the fourth starter deck.

[I still wanna give Kamon a piece of my mind for saying Ash was cheating!] Ami grumbled as she looked out on the large pool.

[Casey's obviously done this for a while, but finding flags is harder in water, because some of them could be beneath the surface.] Michelle cautioned. [So keep that in mind when picking which of us will compete.]

[Yeah, remember that you'll probably have to come up and breathe too.] Ami agreed.

"Well, this event tests skill as well as speed..." Misty mused as she checked the stat guide Casey had given her. "I'll stick with Pearl, since you guys are even in skill, but Pearl has the fastest speed."

[That's fair...climb aboard.] Pearl flew in the water and folded down some of her spires to create a place for Misty to sit. [We need some kind of signal to let me know when you need to come up and breathe....]

"I'll point upward." Misty replied before climbing on her faithful Starmie.

[Good luck, Pearl!] Ami called as Misty and Pearl paddled to the start line.

"Hidden in this pool are flags of many colors--some of them are on the surface, and some of them are underwater." the referee explained. "Whoever can find seven flags in the order of the rainbow the fastest, wins."

Once sure all the Pokethletes had their goggles on, he called "Ready? Set? GO!"

Cheers filled the air as Misty found a red flag hanging on a buoy, then held her breath as Pearl dove beneath the surface, intent on picking up an orange flag hiding on the bottom. But before she could reach out to grab it, the Greninja grabbed it away. Nuts... she grumbled as she motioned for Pearl to surface.

She found another orange flag around a prop coral, and eagerly grabbed it away from the Empoleon before motioning to Pearl to surface again. This is apparently harder than I thought... she thought as she surfaced, then held her breath again to go for a yellow flag hidden in a mermaid statue.

After surfacing yet again, she raced the Greninja to a treasure chest to claim a green flag, retrieved a blue flag twined around an anchor, beat the Greninja to an indigo flag hanging from an inner tube, and easily found the purple flag in a ship sail before the Greninja narrowly beat her across the line.

In third place, number 7, Misty Williams. the announcer reported as both the exhausted girl and the exhausted Starmie paddled back to the pool deck. That's okay, there's still only one more event to go--I can still finish strong. Misty told herself as she and her three Pokemon made their way down another tunnel.

---------

[No sign of that Scyther anywhere...] Tintri reported. [Imagine what a catch that would be for the contest!]

"It would be a nice catch, but first we have to--!" Ash replied before a crunch got his attention. When he looked down to see he had accidentally stepped on an abandoned Beedrill hive, he froze as he heard the hum of the Beedrill swarm approaching. "Uh oh..."

Suddenly, an idea came to him. Forget the Scyther, let's try catching one of these!

He called "Tintri, use Thunderbolt!" as the swarm drew closer. I'm not running from you guys today! You're gonna be my key to winning this contest!

[HI-YAAAAAA!!!] Tintri cried as he fired a Thunderbolt into the swarm, making many of the Beedrills drop to the ground paralyzed. [Okay...they're not gonna get up or attack for a while, so pick the Beedrill you like best.]

"All right..." Ash replied as he took a Park Ball, and heaved it at the one closest to the hive...

---------

"Our final event in today's beginner water Pokethlon is the Relay Run!" the referee announced. "Each of our Pokethletes will race each other around this circular pool, trying to complete as many laps as they can in two minutes. Whoever completes the most laps, wins."

[Misty...I think I can help you get a good finish to make up for the Capture the Flag disaster.] Michelle offered. {That is, if Pearl's okay with it.]

[That's fine.] Pearl replied. [Whichever one of us Misty feels can lead her to victory.]

"Okay, Michelle...you can try this event." Misty replied.

[Climb on my back, then.] Michelle replied before climbing in the pool and lying down on her stomach long enough for Misty to climb on. [Not the heaviest thing I've carried, but you're pretty light for a human.] she noted as she ran to the start.

"Pokethletes! Take your mark!" the referee called. "Ready? Set...GO!"

Michelle and Misty charged out in front, even outswimming the Grenenja and the Gorebyss as he field jockeyed for position. "Swim like your life depended on it." Misty whispered to the Golduck, who nodded and powered ahead through the backstretch to complete a lap first.

As the two minute timer ticked away, the Empoleon had long since given up, as had the Gorebyss, but the Greninja and Michelle were neck and neck. Mr. Frog-fu's on his last legs, and I'm still raring to go! Michelle thought as she watched the Greninja finally stop in exhaustion with ten seconds to go, leaving him with 11 laps just as Michelle completed her twelfth lap moments before time expired.

The winner and second place overall--number 7, Misty Williams! the announcer reported as Misty waved to the cheering crowd. The scoreboard displayed her and Michelle's picture as well as a replay of their last lap--while twelve laps was nowhere near the record of twenty, it was still very respectable for a first time competitor.

---------

"Those Beedrills never had a chance!" Ash bragged as he and Tintri made their way down the path, past the north observation deck. "And our competition won't have a ch-!"

This was as far as he got in his boast before the dirt gave way, sending him falling into what looked to him like a fish tank. "Who does Team Rocket think we are? Magikarps?" he defiantly yelled as he and Tintri banged at the insulated glass.

A whir snapped Tintri to attention. [We're moving...]

A grimace formed on Ash's face as he and Pikachu emerged from the pit and into the sun, where he could vaguely make out Jessie and James' faces. He could see them saying something, but the insulated glass made it hard to see. Their tones of voices sounded like the familiar motto, so Ash concluded that they were saying their spiel for the ten millionth time. I could practically say it along with them if I wanted... he grumbled.

Tintri noted a glass shard near where Ash was sitting. [Hey, Ash--think you could use this shard to make a flash? That way Brock would know we need help.]

"Sure..." Ash replied. He waited until he felt the thud of their prison being placed in something, then picked up the shard and focused it into the sun, making a flash that could be easily seen from the north observation deck.

Inside the deck, Brock panicked when he saw the familiar Meowth balloon start to rise above the trees--and he spotted a familiar flash coming from in the basket. Those lowlifes have not just Tintri, but Ash too!

He hurried outside and up the hill to the closest target sign he could find, where he had a clear line of sight to the balloon. Hang on, guys...I'm gonna shoot your captors down!

With that, he took an arrow, carefully aimed at the Meowth balloon as it rose past the hill he was on, and fired; a POW! and a CRASH! confirming he had both punctured the Meowth balloon yet again, and broken the insulated glass cage.

Ash climbed from the balloon's wreckage some moments later. "Nice shot." he smiled as he embraced his friend. "But how are we going to get Tintri out of there without the Rockets knowing?

"One step ahead of you..." With that, Brock set his bow and quiver aside, took Argent's Poke Ball, and heaved it skyward, at the same time singing Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...

The Rockets jumped as they saw the green flash of Brock's Mega Ring, and screamed as a Mega Steelix loomed over them. "Take anything you want, just don't crush us into Rocket-cakes!" Jessie pleaded

[I only want this, thank you.] Argent replied as he carefully picked up Tintri, then slithered back down to where the boys were waiting.

[Whee!] Tintri smiled as he slid down Argent's coils and into Ash's arms.

Brock grinned as he retrieved his archery gear. "And now, for the coup de grace--the Electric Arrow Blast-off!"

[Payback time!] Tintri agreed before firing a Thunderbolt. Brock fired a second arrow that got electrified at the same time, sending the Rockets flying in an electric explosion...

---------

"...and in first place, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, who caught a Beedrill!" the ranger announced as Ash came up to accept a gold medallion and a Sun Stone. "Well done!"

"Thanks." Ash replied as the crowd cheered.

Just then, Misty and Casey arrived just as the crowd turned to leave. "Oh nice! You got a silver medal!" Ash smiled when he saw Misty wearing a silver medal.

"Had a little trouble in the water version of Capture the Flag, but we did pretty well." Misty replied.

"My training with you guys paid off--we took gold in the land competition." Casey smiled, showing off her gold medal.

"Would you want this Beedrill I got?" Ash asked Casey. "I already have a full team, so you can think of him as a congratulatory gift on your gold medal, and your obsession with black and yellow-striped things."

"Aw, you'd really give away a Pokemon you caught?" Casey smiled, tears of joy shining in her eyes. "Thank you! Thank you!" she giggled as the Beedrill flew towards her direction.

She paused to think of a suitable name for her new Beedrill. "I'll call you...Dodger!"

[After the baseball team?] the Beedrill buzzed. [I'd be honored to score you a home run!]

Casey, meanwhile, turned to Misty. "Let's meet again in another Pokethlon! Even though we're not on the same track..."

"I promise." Misty replied as she linked pinkies with Casey. "Good luck on your own challenge!"

After waving goodbye to Casey, Ash took a moment to admire Misty's silver medallion. "Wow...I'm impressed Misty got a medal her first time out..."

"As skilled as Misty is, her competition will only get harder from here." Brock cautioned.

"I know that, and I will rise to meet the challenge every time!" Misty smiled before leading her friends into the sunset...

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 59: Type Casting (part 1)

"Well done on getting a medal your first time in a Pokethlon." Ash smiled as he admired the silver medal glinting in Misty's medal box.

"Likewise, even though I don't like bugs that bite or sting, that was a very nice thing you did for Casey, giving away that Beedrill." Misty replied as she admired the medal, then put her medal box away.

She was about to say more when she noticed a wide river snaking across the path. "Uh oh...how are we gonna get across? It looks too big and too deep to swim across..."

"The map says there's supposed to be a bridge, but all I can see is construction crews." Brock reported as the group approached where one crew was working, near where Brock's map said the bridge would be."

"Excuse me, sir, but where can we find a bridge to cross the river?" Ash asked the foreman as the group approached the construction site.

"Well, if you're looking for the old bridge, a huge storm washed it away last year." the foreman explained as he studied his blueprint. "If everything goes according to schedule, the new bridge will be open for travelers in about...six months."

"WHAAAAAAAATTT???" the group gasped as they walked away.

"We can't afford to wait that long!" Ash gasped as he motioned fr the group to follow him into a small clearing by the roadside. "Let's huddle and try to think of a way to cross the river."

"I will reiterate that swimming is too dangerous..." Misty cautioned.

"Not to mention none of us have the building expertise to build one ourselves..." Brock agreed. "Unless you count building bridges out of toothpicks for science class..."

"I could have Aina cut a tree down!" Ash offered.

"But where would we find a tree long enough to span the river?" Misty wondered.

Just then, she spotted a fisherman arriving on the shore in a row boat. "Hey, look! We could ask that guy to row us across--if his boat's big enough to fit the three of us and him..."

"Worth a shot." Brock smiled as he motioned for Ash to follow Misty down to the shore, where the fisherman had just cast his line.

"Forgive us for interrupting your fishing, sir, but would you be so kind to take us across the river?" Misty asked as she approached the man.

"Sure--I'll take you three across in exchange for a captured Sudowoodo, a species of Pokemon which supposedly lives on a mountain not far from here." the fisherman replied. "There haven't been very many bites lately since all those crews started working on a new bridge."

"Thanks!" Misty replied as she climbed in the boat.

---------

"Thanks again for the ride!" Ash smiled as the group disembarked some time later.

"We'll leave no stone unturned in looking for your Sudowoodo." Misty agreed, waving goodbye as the fisherman started back towards the shore they had come from.

She heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Michelle, come help us look for something!"

[What is it you need to find?] Michelle asked as she materialized on the grass.

"One of these." Ash replied, showing Michelle his Pokedex:

"Sudowoodo, the imitation Pokemon. Although it always pretends to be a tree, its composition appears to be closer to a rock than a plant."

[Okay, I'll keep an eye out.] Michelle assured Ash.

She then spotted what she thought was a tree swaying in the breeze, but looking closer revealed that the "tree" had legs and spindly arms. That's odd-what tree has arms and legs?

[Misty, I think I found your Sudowoodo!] she called.

"Where?" Misty asked. She looked in the direction Michelle was pointing, but only saw trees and bushes. "I don't see any Sudowoodo..."

She gasped when she saw something tree-like running through the brush. "There it is!"

"Follow that 'woodo!" Brock called as he led the others into the forest.

---------

"I think we lost it..." Ash reported as the group arrived in a clearing some time later.

"And it'll take us forever to find it again..." Misty muttered, not pleased at the process of searching the entire forest for a Pokemon skilled at camouflage.

Some voices in the distance snapped her to attention. "Someone's here..."

Brock peeked through the brush to find a man and a woman in lab coats standing on tree stumps and arguing. After listening to the back and forth for a while, he decided to try and mediate the argument. "What seems to be the trouble here?" he asked, motioning for Ash and Misty to come out from the brush.

"First, allow us to introduce ourselves, traveler--I'm Pierre, and this is my partner Marie." the man began, spurring the woman to wave hello.

"We're up here in the mountains to work on a paper about the local habitat and the Sudowoodo." Marie explained. "But our big sticking point is Sudowoodo's type..."

"Our problem is this: I agree with the general scientific consensus that Sudowoodo is a Rock type." Pierre explained. "My colleague and partner Marie doubts that assertion, citing its Grass-type appearance and reports of the Pokémon using Fire-type attacks."

"Very intriguing, indeed..." Brock mused. "How did you both find the means to support your claims?"

"I looked through the known scientific literature, while Marie prefers going out in the field." Pierre explained.

Ash reached for the Poke Ball holding his Pidgeot. "I have an idea: I can send out my Pidgeot Mina to search for the elusive Pokémon--maybe another pair of eyes can see something human eyes can't!"

---------

"Okay, Mina--good luck!" Ash smiled as the Pidgeot prepared to take off.

[I'll be back soon!] Mina replied before flying off from the cliff overlooking the researcher's cabin.

"So, what have you two found on Sudowoodo so far?" Misty wondered as she watched Mina soar above the trees.

"Well, we've learned that Sudowoodo can appear similar to many types of trees, even to the extent of changing colors with the seasons." Marie began as Pierre met the group back at the cabin.

"I doubt that Sudowoodo is a Grass-type...." Pierre interjected. "According to 'Pokemon and Their Behavior', Sudowoodo gather branches to look like trees."

Just then, Ash heard a familiar squawk, and hurried to meet Mina. "Find anything?"

[I've found a Sudowoodo not far from here--hurry before it runs!] Mina explained before taking off to the west. Ash nodded, and motioned for the others to follow him down a path, where the Sudowoodo was contemplating how to cross a pond.

Ash gasped as he saw the Sudowoodo fleeing into the brush, and heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Luce, follow that Sudowoodo!"

Brock gasped in awe as the tiny Mareep ran after the Sudowoodo, going so quickly that it glowed white, revealing a familiar pink sheep Pokemon. "I don't believe it...Luce was so determined to catch our Sudowoodo, she's become a Flaaffy!"

Just then, the desperate Sudowoodo turned around and used what looked to the group like Vine Whip. Luce easily deflected the vine with a Headbutt, sending Sudowoodo's "Vine Whip" into the hands of Marie. "This wasn't a Vine Whip attack at all--our Sudowoodo was simply holding a vine." she sighed, showing the group the vine.

"Luce, try and use Power Gem on Sudowoodo!" Ash commanded.

The Sudowoodo then appeared to use Razor Leaf, but the leaves were all dried up. "I don't think that even looked like an attack..." Brock noted.

Just then, the group gasped as teh Sudowoodo suddenly lashd out with a very real-looking Vine Whip, sending Luce flying. "Try a different Pokemon, and see if it uses the same attacks!" Marie called to Ash.

Ash nodded, and heaved a second Poke Ball skyward. "Let's go, River!"

The Sudowoodo did a taunting dance, but River copied the dance step for step for a moment, as if challenging the Sudowoodo.

Her master's voice snapped River to reality. "River, Tackle that Sudowoodo!"

[HAAAAHHH!!!] River screeched as she barreled towards the tree-like Pokemon, but the Sudowoodo narrowly stepped out of the way. Next, River attempted Water Gun, but the Sudowoodo jumped to avoid every spray.

Misty seemed to notice the Sudowoodo's desperate efforts to avoid the Marill's attacks. "Sudowoodo seems to hate water..."

"That would make it consistent with the Rock-type." Brock agreed.

"Okay, River! You have permission to Play Rough with Sudowoodo!" Ash called to the angry Marill.

As River barreled towards the Sudowoodo, it ran through the brush until it suddenly disappeared into the ground. "Did it just use Dig?" Ash wondered.

"If that was the case, that would make Sudowoodo a Ground type..." Marie replied.

The group sweatdropped as the Sudowoodo came back up - in a net. "Surprise!" Ash and the others balked when they found Team Rocket staring back at them in very convincing tree costumes, complete with Jessie hanging the net from her fake foliage.

"Not so surprised anymore..." Ash growled. "I've heard your stupid motto a zillion times by now..."

"All right, since you've heard it, we'll spare you the trouble!" Jessie smirked.

"But in return, watch as we make you twerps see double!" James agreed.

"What do you mean by that?" Ash demanded.

James just grinned, making a tooth sparkle. "Weezing, use Smokescreen!"

Weezing nodded, and unleashed a massive cloud of smoke at the group, leading to the group, Marie, and Pierre coughing uncontrollably. "They're gone..." Misty sputtered before coughing some more.

"And they took the Sudowoodo with them." Brock managed to whisper before coughing again.

Ash coughed up the last of the smoke, then groaned. "Maybe that was what they meant by seeing double..." he mused as he wiped his watering eyes...

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 60: Type Casting (part 2)

Meanwhile, in Team Rocket's hollow tree hideout, not even the three hoodlums could agree on what type their captive was. "I have to agree with the scientist we swiped the Sudowoodo from--it has to be a Rock type!" James vowed.

"But then why does it resemble a tree?" Jessie countered. "That makes it a grass type!"

"HEY!!!" Meowth screeched, quieting the argument. "Look, I've been listenin' ta you guys squabble ova our captives type for hours now, and I've got an idear: Why don't we ask da Sudowoodo ourselves what type it is?"

With that, he climbed down an ivy ladder, where the Sudowoodo was slumped against the tree trunk. "Look, we just wanna know what type ya are, 'kay? So will ya tell us?"

[Why don't we get something to eat?] the Sudowoodo groaned.

"Okay, will ya tell us if we give ya food?" Meowth asked.

The Sudowoodo heard its stomach growl, then sighed [I'm the type that wants to eat.]

"Ooh..." Jessie stormed down the ivy rope to confront the Sudowoodo. "I know what type you are! You're the type that drives people crazy!"

Just then, she spotted the fisherman from before from a hole in the hollow tree. "Hey, look! There's a fisherman out on the water! Maybe if we asked very nicely, we could ask for a ride across the river."

"Good idea!" James agreed as he led the way out with the Sudowoodo, with Meowth bringing up the rear.

---------

"How do I know you guys aren't trying to pull a fast one on me?" the fisherman asked some time later, suspicious of the Rockets and the Sudowoodo. "Besides, that Sudowoodo doesn't even look healthy!"

"Never fear!" james assured the fisherman as he triumphantly produced a watering can that resembled a Squirtle. "Sudowoodo has to be a Grass type, so a little water should perk it right up!"

He did not however, expect the Sudowoodo to unleash an earth-shattering scream and attempt to run away. While Jessie and Meowth made a heroic effort to hold onto the rope around the Sudowoodo; James slowly, agonizingly poured some water, but he gasped in horror as the rope broke at the last second, prompting the Sudowoodo to dash off into the forest.

AS the Rockets gave chase, they did not expect the old fisherman to follow them. "Don't let that Sudowoodo get away! I'm gonna see if I can get it myself!"

---------

"It's no use...Ash sighed as he slumped against a tree. "We're never gonna find the Sudowoodo at this rate..."

[Well, if we're never gonna find it at this rate, then what's that brown thing on the rock?] Tintri asked, pointing out the Sudowoodo standing on a rock holding tree branches.

Piqued, Ash started toward the nervous Sudowoodo, only to gasp as it dashed away, leaving the tree branches behind. "Uh oh!"

"I've got this!" With that, Brock hurried off after the Sudowoodo, making sure to keep it in his line of sight as the Sudowoodo zig-zagged through brush, around lakes, and over mushrooms and tree roots, finally managing to corner it in a grassy clearing, making a flying leap to hold it down moments before Ash and Misty arrived.

"Did you get it?" Ash asked before wincing at the odd sight he saw--Brock licking the Sudowoodo as if it was an oversized candy bar. "Ooookay....why is Brock licking the Sudowoodo like a Growlithe?"

Misty sighed. "It's official...Brock's gone off the deep end. Audience? You think Brock's gone off the deep end? Cast your votes now."

[What audience?] Tintri asked as Brock forgot about licking the Sudowoodo and climbed off of it.

"I had to do SOMETHING to calm it down...since Growlithe licking is supposed to calm people, why not try it on a Pokemon?" Brock explained.

"The things we do as trainers..." Ash was unimpressed.

Brock then remembered his stash of Pokechow in his bag, and eagerly dug out a few pieces. "Hungry, big guy?"

He smiled as the Sudowoodo eagerly scarfed down the small meaty ball. "Good 'woodo! Who's a good 'woodo?" he cooed as he left a trail of the Pokechow leading to Pierre and Marie's lab.

"It's working!" Misty smiled, pleased the Sudowoodo was willingly following them.

---------

"All right, Sudowoodo...will you use Vine Whip for me?" Marie asked as she prepared to take notes.

"I'll give you more yummy food if you do!" Brock offered, holding out three more Pokechow balls. However, the Sudowoodo vigorously shook its head no.

"That's weird...it wanted to follow us before..." Misty mused.

"Ash...try using one of your Pokémon to get Sudowoodo to use Vine Whip." Marie suggested.

Ash nodded. "Okay, Tintri...use Thundershock!"

[HAAAH!!!!] Tintri screeched as he fired an electric jolt at the odd tree Pokemon. He did not however, expect the Sudowoodo to absorb the electricity and turn it back at him! [Gah!]

Pierre arrived in the room, holding a book. "Here we are...it says here that one of Sudowoodo's attacks is Mimic, an attack that imitates other attacks."

Something then dawned on Marie. "So that's how Sudowoodo can use unusual attacks...it mimicked the local Grass Pokemon's Vine Whip and Tintri's Thundershock."

"To prove that Sudowoodo is indeed a Rock-type, watch what happens when I try to spray it with water."

Both scientists watched as the Sudowoodo jumped to avoid the water spray, sending it flying out the window. Moments later, it found itself surrounded by Ash and friends, Team Rocket, and the old fisherman.

Marie smiled when she saw the old fisherman. "Grandad! Fancy seeing you here!"

"Grandad?" Ash was intrigued.

"Marie is in fact my dear granddaughter." the fisherman explained. "I was looking for a Sudowoodo because Marie had wanted to find one for her research--and I was prepared to go to the ends of the world to find one, too."

"Aw, how sweet..." Jessie sarcastically cooed before heaving a Poke Ball. "You want the Sudowoodo so bad? Let's battle for it!" she challenged as Arbok materialized on the grass.

"Cyndy, let's go!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

Both sides watched as Arbok lunged to Tackle Cyndy, only for Sudowoodo to grab Arbok in mid strike and slam it into the ground.

When Arbok recovered some moments later, he saw Sudowoodo pointing to the right. Eager to defeat the odd tree Pokemon, Arbok lunged at the Sudowoodo, only to be the recipient of a Faint Attack, followed by a Low Kick. The Low Kick was enough to send Arbok flying to the ground, swirly eyed.

"Hm...Sudowoodo's sly style would fit perfectly with Team Rocket, actually." Jessie mused as she recalled the fainted Arbok.

She looked over at Sahana the Wobbufett. "You try making a move on this 'woodo!"

"Cyndy, use Flamethrower on the Wobbuffet!" Ash called, seconds before Sahana could try Countering the Sudowoodo.

He balked when he saw Sudowoodo, stand in front of the Flamethrower and send it right back at Cyndy! "Look out, Cyndy!"

Cyndy veered out of the way of the stream of fire, then circled around in an attempt to Tackle Sahana, but she did not expect Sahana to use Counter [WAAAAAAAAAA!!!] she screeched as she went flying onto the ground by Ash's feet.

Inspired, Misty heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Pearl, I need you!"

"Good news is, Cyndy's surprisingly none the worse for wear after that huge attack." Ash reported as he massaged Cyndy a little.

"That's great--have Cyndy distract Sahana--I have an idea..." Misty suggested.

"Okay...Cyndy, try Flamethrower again!" Ash called.

He watched Sahana prepare to Counter Cyndy's Flamethrower, but smiled when Pearl sprayed him with a Water Gun. I see...since Wobbufett can only Counter one move at a time, Misty wanted him to counter something else, leaving him vulnerable to another attack!

[And now for the Cheri Berry on top of this victory...] Pearl smiled before unleashing a powerful spray, sending Team Rocket flying off into the sky with a ping.

Brock sighed as he saw the Sudowoodo dash away. "And there it goes again..."

"Let it go." Marie assured him. "Our problem's solved--Sudowoodo is definitely a Rock-type."

Pierre smiled. "I'm glad you questioned the known literature, Marie--since how are we to learn and grow as a society if we don't challenge the status quo?"

"I wholeheartedly agree!" Ash smiled.

"Besides, if you didn't question the literature, we never would have learned so much about the mysterious Pokémon Sudowoodo. Can you find it in your heart to forgive your colleague?"

"Of course." Marie replied as she embraced her partner. "And I want to thank you three for your help, as well--name what you want, and it's yours."

"Well, all we really want is to cross the river so we can get to Ecruteak City." Ash explained.

Marie nodded. "I'll tell Grandad to have his best boat ready for you three."

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

Episode 60: Type Casting (part 2)

Meanwhile, in Team Rocket's hollow tree hideout, not even the three hoodlums could agree on what type their captive was. "I have to agree with the scientist we swiped the Sudowoodo from--it has to be a Rock type!" James vowed.

"But then why does it resemble a tree?" Jessie countered. "That makes it a grass type!"

"HEY!!!" Meowth screeched, quieting the argument. "Look, I've been listenin' ta you guys squabble ova our captives type for hours now, and I've got an idear: Why don't we ask da Sudowoodo ourselves what type it is?"

With that, he climbed down an ivy ladder, where the Sudowoodo was slumped against the tree trunk. "Look, we just wanna know what type ya are, 'kay? So will ya tell us?"

[Why don't we get something to eat?] the Sudowoodo groaned.

"Okay, will ya tell us if we give ya food?" Meowth asked.

The Sudowoodo heard its stomach growl, then sighed [I'm the type that wants to eat.]

"Ooh..." Jessie stormed down the ivy rope to confront the Sudowoodo. "I know what type you are! You're the type that drives people crazy!"

Just then, she spotted the fisherman from before from a hole in the hollow tree. "Hey, look! There's a fisherman out on the water! Maybe if we asked very nicely, we could ask for a ride across the river."

"Good idea!" James agreed as he led the way out with the Sudowoodo, with Meowth bringing up the rear.

---------

"How do I know you guys aren't trying to pull a fast one on me?" the fisherman asked some time later, suspicious of the Rockets and the Sudowoodo. "Besides, that Sudowoodo doesn't even look healthy!"

"Never fear!" james assured the fisherman as he triumphantly produced a watering can that resembled a Squirtle. "Sudowoodo has to be a Grass type, so a little water should perk it right up!"

He did not however, expect the Sudowoodo to unleash an earth-shattering scream and attempt to run away. While Jessie and Meowth made a heroic effort to hold onto the rope around the Sudowoodo; James slowly, agonizingly poured some water, but he gasped in horror as the rope broke at the last second, prompting the Sudowoodo to dash off into the forest.

AS the Rockets gave chase, they did not expect the old fisherman to follow them. "Don't let that Sudowoodo get away! I'm gonna see if I can get it myself!"

---------

"It's no use...Ash sighed as he slumped against a tree. "We're never gonna find the Sudowoodo at this rate..."

[Well, if we're never gonna find it at this rate, then what's that brown thing on the rock?] Tintri asked, pointing out the Sudowoodo standing on a rock holding tree branches.

Piqued, Ash started toward the nervous Sudowoodo, only to gasp as it dashed away, leaving the tree branches behind. "Uh oh!"

"I've got this!" With that, Brock hurried off after the Sudowoodo, making sure to keep it in his line of sight as the Sudowoodo zig-zagged through brush, around lakes, and over mushrooms and tree roots, finally managing to corner it in a grassy clearing, making a flying leap to hold it down moments before Ash and Misty arrived.

"Did you get it?" Ash asked before wincing at the odd sight he saw--Brock licking the Sudowoodo as if it was an oversized candy bar. "Ooookay....why is Brock licking the Sudowoodo like a Growlithe?"

Misty sighed. "It's official...Brock's gone off the deep end. Audience? You think Brock's gone off the deep end? Cast your votes now."

[What audience?] Tintri asked as Brock forgot about licking the Sudowoodo and climbed off of it.

"I had to do SOMETHING to calm it down...since Growlithe licking is supposed to calm people, why not try it on a Pokemon?" Brock explained.

"The things we do as trainers..." Ash was unimpressed.

Brock then remembered his stash of Pokechow in his bag, and eagerly dug out a few pieces. "Hungry, big guy?"

He smiled as the Sudowoodo eagerly scarfed down the small meaty ball. "Good 'woodo! Who's a good 'woodo?" he cooed as he left a trail of the Pokechow leading to Pierre and Marie's lab.

"It's working!" Misty smiled, pleased the Sudowoodo was willingly following them.

---------

"All right, Sudowoodo...will you use Vine Whip for me?" Marie asked as she prepared to take notes.

"I'll give you more yummy food if you do!" Brock offered, holding out three more Pokechow balls. However, the Sudowoodo vigorously shook its head no.

"That's weird...it wanted to follow us before..." Misty mused.

"Ash...try using one of your Pokémon to get Sudowoodo to use Vine Whip." Marie suggested.

Ash nodded. "Okay, Tintri...use Thundershock!"

[HAAAH!!!!] Tintri screeched as he fired an electric jolt at the odd tree Pokemon. He did not however, expect the Sudowoodo to absorb the electricity and turn it back at him! [Gah!]

Pierre arrived in the room, holding a book. "Here we are...it says here that one of Sudowoodo's attacks is Mimic, an attack that imitates other attacks."

Something then dawned on Marie. "So that's how Sudowoodo can use unusual attacks...it mimicked the local Grass Pokemon's Vine Whip and Tintri's Thundershock."

"To prove that Sudowoodo is indeed a Rock-type, watch what happens when I try to spray it with water."

Both scientists watched as the Sudowoodo jumped to avoid the water spray, sending it flying out the window. Moments later, it found itself surrounded by Ash and friends, Team Rocket, and the old fisherman.

Marie smiled when she saw the old fisherman. "Grandad! Fancy seeing you here!"

"Grandad?" Ash was intrigued.

"Marie is in fact my dear granddaughter." the fisherman explained. "I was looking for a Sudowoodo because Marie had wanted to find one for her research--and I was prepared to go to the ends of the world to find one, too."

"Aw, how sweet..." Jessie sarcastically cooed before heaving a Poke Ball. "You want the Sudowoodo so bad? Let's battle for it!" she challenged as Arbok materialized on the grass.

"Cyndy, let's go!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

Both sides watched as Arbok lunged to Tackle Cyndy, only for Sudowoodo to grab Arbok in mid strike and slam it into the ground.

When Arbok recovered some moments later, he saw Sudowoodo pointing to the right. Eager to defeat the odd tree Pokemon, Arbok lunged at the Sudowoodo, only to be the recipient of a Faint Attack, followed by a Low Kick. The Low Kick was enough to send Arbok flying to the ground, swirly eyed.

"Hm...Sudowoodo's sly style would fit perfectly with Team Rocket, actually." Jessie mused as she recalled the fainted Arbok.

She looked over at Sahana the Wobbufett. "You try making a move on this 'woodo!"

"Cyndy, use Flamethrower on the Wobbuffet!" Ash called, seconds before Sahana could try Countering the Sudowoodo.

He balked when he saw Sudowoodo, stand in front of the Flamethrower and send it right back at Cyndy! "Look out, Cyndy!"

Cyndy veered out of the way of the stream of fire, then circled around in an attempt to Tackle Sahana, but she did not expect Sahana to use Counter [WAAAAAAAAAA!!!] she screeched as she went flying onto the ground by Ash's feet.

Inspired, Misty heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Pearl, I need you!"

"Good news is, Cyndy's surprisingly none the worse for wear after that huge attack." Ash reported as he massaged Cyndy a little.

"That's great--have Cyndy distract Sahana--I have an idea..." Misty suggested.

"Okay...Cyndy, try Flamethrower again!" Ash called.

He watched Sahana prepare to Counter Cyndy's Flamethrower, but smiled when Pearl sprayed him with a Water Gun. I see...since Wobbufett can only Counter one move at a time, Misty wanted him to counter something else, leaving him vulnerable to another attack!

[And now for the Cheri Berry on top of this victory...] Pearl smiled before unleashing a powerful spray, sending Team Rocket flying off into the sky with a ping.

Brock sighed as he saw the Sudowoodo dash away. "And there it goes again..."

"Let it go." Marie assured him. "Our problem's solved--Sudowoodo is definitely a Rock-type."

Pierre smiled. "I'm glad you questioned the known literature, Marie--since how are we to learn and grow as a society if we don't challenge the status quo?"

"I wholeheartedly agree!" Ash smiled.

"Besides, if you didn't question the literature, we never would have learned so much about the mysterious Pokémon Sudowoodo. Can you find it in your heart to forgive your colleague?"

"Of course." Marie replied as she embraced her partner. "And I want to thank you three for your help, as well--name what you want, and it's yours."

"Well, all we really want is to cross the river so we can get to Ecruteak City." Ash explained.

Marie nodded. "I'll tell Grandad to have his best boat ready for you three."

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 61: Fossil Fools

"So this is the Ruins of Alph Ethan and Lyra were telling us about..." Misty mused as the group arrived in a site full of caves and rock formations.

"Mm-hm...it says here that many fossils of ancient Pokémon, including Omanyte and Omastar have been discovered here." Brock explained, showing Misty a picture of an Omanyte in the guidebook.

Ash gasped when he saw an outline of a familiar winged dinosaur Pokemon in a rock. "Is that...an Aerodactyl?"

"You'd be correct, Ash." a voice replied. "The easiest way to recognize a fossilized Aerodactyl is by its arrow-shaped tail."

Ash whirled around to see Prof. Oak approaching them. "Professor...what are you doing here?"

"One of my colleagues has made a mysterious discovery, so I came to help out." Prof. Oak explained before motioning to a black haired young man in researcher's garb. "This is Foster, a young scientist who is one of my top students."

"Nice to meet you three." Foster replied before motioning for Prof. Oak to come closer. "Mr. Oak, this is a very important matter, and it would be dangerous if any information were leaked..."

"You have nothing to worry about, Foster--Ash, Misty and Brock are serious Pokémon trainers, and won't tell anyone unless you give your express permission to do so." Prof Oak replied.

"Yeah! We won't tell a soul or post a word of it to Pokebook!" Ash agreed.

"Trainer's honor!" Misty grinned, making the three fingered scout sign.

"My lips are sealed, and throw away the key." Brock agreed, pantomiming drawing a zipper across his lips, and throwing something away to prove his point.

Foster chuckled. "All right, I will hold you to your promise, then."

As the group made their way through the site, Ash noticed a man gently washing a bone. "What's that guy doing?"

"He's removing the dirt from a fossil we just found this morning by using a special device which uses a water jet in order to not damage the fragment." Foster explained. "It came from the east end of the ruins, actually."

Just then, the water from the device slowed to a trickle. "Foster, the pump is being stubborn again..." the man called.

Foster sighed. "We've been having water flow problems lately." he explained as he gently stretched the pump's hose, allowing the water to flow again.

"Where does the water come from?" Prof. Oak wondered.

"It's a natural crystal clear water reservoir deep in the woods." Foster replied as the group arrived at a small cabin overlooking the site, which served as Foster's lab.

"Wow..." the group gasped as they gawked at all the fossils and other artifacts lining the walls. "It's like someone moved the Pewter Museum in here..." Ash mused.

"Or at least a tiny fraction of the collection." Brock explained. "The museum has millions of items on display, and they are continually rotated out, so what you see and interact with constantly changes. A place like this would be equal to maybe a single room, if that."

"You have quite the modest collection here..." Prof. Oak agreed as he admired a rock with cave paintings on it in one display case.

"Our studies have found that the first Pokémon appeared 2,000,000 years ago, and all Pokémon have their origins in the ancient seas." Foster explained. "However, this is only one possible theory of how Pokemon came to be."

Foster's observation got Misty excited. "If that's actually true, I can only imagine what the ancient Water Pokemon looked like!" she gasped, her eyes turning to stars as she imagined a prehistoric landscape populated with what she imagined the fossils in the display cases looked like as living creatures.

A guitar playing an A major chord snapped her back to reality. "Am I gonna have to sing?" Brock threatened.

"Okay! I'll keep my praise of Water Pokemon to myself!" Misty pleaded. "Save the folktale ballads for the campfire!"

Prof. Oak chuckled. "Oh, come now, Brock...I'm sure you sound lovely."

Even Foster was smiling. "If you need new inspiration for a song about the prehistoric Pokemon, come with me."

---------

Some moments later, the group arrived at a metal door that read AUTHORIZED EMPLOYEES ONLY. "What you are about to see is a place 2,000,000 years in the Poké-past." Foster explained as he swiped a key card, then opened the door.

"Whoa..." the group gasped as the looked out upon the recreation of an ancient forest, complete with all manner of animatronic Pokemon, including an animatronic Aerodactyl that seemed to glance at Ash as it flew past.

"What is this place?" Misty gasped.

"I would like to welcome you three to the Ancient Pokémon Study Park." Foster explained as he made a grand gesture to the ancient forest. "This is a special interactive and unique environment which recreates the ancient Pokémon world. If all goes according to plan, it will open for the public next week."

"Amazing--I would be first in line!" Ash smiled, giggling at Tintri gawking at an animatronic pale blue dinosaur Pokemon with colorful wings on its head.

Then he remembered what Prof. Oak had said before. "So, what was your mysterious discovery?" he asked as the group arrived at a lake, where a huge animatronic Kabutops was preying on a fish.

Prof. Oak was about to answer when some digging got his attention, and an Omastar and two Omanyte came out of the water. "More animatronics?" Misty asked.

"Actually, these are real." Foster replied.

A smile formed on Prof. Oak's face as the two Omanytes and the Omastar burrowed in the sand. "You know...Omanyte was what inspired me to become a professor--many, many years ago, of course!"

"Really?" Ash was impressed, and at the same time amazed at the smaller octopus-like Pokemon and its larger brethren.

Prof. Oak nodded. "When I was just a lad, my first grade class visited the Pewter Museum--back when it was a little smaller than it is today. As we toured the fossil room, I saw an Omanyte shell, and I promised myself I would learn all I could about Pokemon--a task I still continue to enjoy today."

"I believe that the two Omanytes and the Omastar's natural habitat was disturbed, so they came here." Foster explained. "It's still a theory, however."

---------

"Come on, we don't have all day to pump all the water out of here!" Jessie warned as Meowth finished yet another bottle of water, annoyed at why James was taking so long to fix the pump.

"I'm working as fast as I can..." James assured his companion before discovering an Omanyte stuck in the pump. "Huh...no wonder the pump was jammed." he mused as he carefully pulled the Omanyte out.

"Who knows--where dere's one Omanyte, dere has ta be more!" Meowth smiled. "Not ta mention more watta for us ta drain!"

"Uh huh..." the three Rockets sneered.

---------

"There's another one!" Misty pointed out another Omanyte on a surveillance camera.

"Well, after asking around the site, the ones you guys saw before appeared the same day we had water problems." Foster explained as Misty allowed Ash to have a look at the camera.

Just then, the door opened. "Boss! The water has stopped flowing completely." the female scientist reported. "Now we can't wash any more of our finds from the dig site."

"Something must be going on at the reservoir." Foster mused.

"We'll go with you to check it out!" Ash offered as the group made their way outside. "And deal with any intruders."

Once outside, Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Mina, help us out!"

[You called?] Mina asked as she materialized on the ground.

"Fly on ahead of us to the reservoir, and see what could be down there." Ash explained as he climbed into the back seat of an SUV, next to Misty.

"She'll need to fly west of here." Foster explained as he waited for the Trio to buckle up.

Mina nodded. [I'll be back soon with any news.] With that, she flew off as Ash buckled up.

---------

...70 bottles of juice on the wall, 70 bottles of juice on the wall, if one of those bottles should happen to fall, 69 bottles of juice on the wall... the Trio enthusiastically sang. Even Misty was enjoying singing the annoying car song. 69 bottles of juice on the wall, 69 bottles of juice on the wall, if one of those bottles should happen to fall, 68 bottles of juice on the wall.

68 bottles of juice on the wall, 68 bottles of juice on the wall, if one of those bottles should happen to fall, 67 bottles of juice on the wall.

67 bottles of juice on the wall, 67 bottles of juice on the wall, if one of those bottles should happen to fall, 66 bottles of juice on the wall...

Just then, Mina flew down from the sky, and glided down to Ash's eye level, interrupting the Trio's song. [Okay...there is something at the reservoir, and you're not going to like it.] she reported as the SUV pulled into a parking lot overlooking the reservoir.

Brock noticed Team Rocket loading their balloon with hundreds of Omanytes and Omastars in the distance. "Can I shoot down the balloon again?" he asked Ash as he unbuckled his seat belt.

"Get your gear, but let's see if the balloon is going to take off first." Ash replied. Brock nodded, and walked back around to the trunk to retrieve his archery gear.

After the group made their way up the hill, Meowth spotted them. "Hey! If ya want dese Pokemon, too bad! We found them foist!"

Just then, Prof. Oak arrived, where he saw the group and Team Rocket staring each other down. "It makes sense now! The Omanyte and Omastar from the Park came when Team Rocket started pumping the water!"

"Please, these Pokemon are important to our research!" Foster pleaded. "Please, give them back!"

Jessie just sneered at the young scientist. "You want them?" she challenged as she summoned Arbok.

"Come and get'em!" James agreed as he summoned Weezing.

Ash looked at Tintri as both Arbok and Weezing. "Showtime, bud."

[Yeah!] Tintri bounded off Ash's shoulder, nimbly leaping over Arbok's Poison Sting and Weezing's Sludge before unleashing a Thunderbolt, followed by a Tackle which sent both Pokemon flying into their masters.

Jessie seemed unusually calm as Tintri's Thunderbolt made the pump explode. "Why must you twerps make everything so difficult?" she grumbled as she recalled her swirly-eyed Arbok.

"The balloon's taking off!" Misty cried as the Meowth balloon--with the Omanytes and Omastars inside, began to rise in the sky. "What do we do now?"

"They won't get very far with how much they're carrying..." Prof. Oak assured Misty. "Their cargo creates too much drag, making it difficult to fly at best."

A smile formed on Ash's face as the balloon came to a stop due to the overload of Pokémon. "Now you're clear to shoot." he grinned at Brock.

"Got it!" Brock jogged further up the hill, nocked an arrow, and fired, bringing Team Rocket down to earth with a POW!.

[And now for the finishing touch!] Tintri called to the freed Omanytes and Omastars.

As if on cue, the Omanytes and Omastars blasted a huge water spray along with Tintri's Thunderbolt, sending the Rockets flying off with a ping.

---------

"Where are we going?" Ash wondered as he watched the Omastar and Omanyte dig a hole in the depths of the water.

Once the tunnel was done, an Omastar motioned for the group to follow it underground.

The tunnel eventually came out by a waterfall connected to a cave full of Omanyte and Omastar. "There's your ancient water Pokemon wonderland." Brock grinned at Misty, who was admiring the beautiful cave and its glittering crystals in awe.

"I can't even begin to thank you three for saving my research from those hoodlums." Foster smiled.

"Ash saves the day yet again!" Prof. Oak smiled. "Now you know why I speak very highly of him and his companions."

"Wherever your journeys take you three, the professor and I will be cheering you on." Foster went on before hugging Ash. "I hope you guys have an enjoyable and safe journey."

"Aw, it was nothing!" Ash smiled as he invited Tintri aboard his shoulder again. "All in a day's work!"

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 62: Hassle in the Castle


Thunder rolled overhead as the three companions raced down the road to escape the oncoming storm. "We have to find shelter, and quickly!" Misty called.

"This way!" Ash pointed out a majestic castle looming over the roadside. "I'd be willing to brave ghosts if it meant we stayed dry!"

"Ghosts?" Misty shuddered as the group raced inside the castle's front gate...only to find a line of people under a covered walkway leading inside the castle. "Maybe there's not any ghosts here..."

Sure enough, a sign reading "LORE STAGE HERE TODAY" got her attention. "I'd much rather hear stories about ghosts than seeing real ones."

"I was wondering when we'd find another Lore Stage...I'm so ready to try for another stripe!" Brock was equally excited as he dashed off to the check in booth, Ash and Misty not far behind him.

"Well, fancy seeing you guys again!" a familiar female voice called as Brock started filling out his check-in sheet.

Misty whirled around to see Alex and Keely arriving. "Alex, Keely, hi!"

Ash noticed that Keely also had a red stripe of a rainbow on her jacket. "Oh, you're competing in the Lore Stage too?"

"Sure am! I've only been performing for a short time, so I thought it'd be fun to see how my skills measure up against other storytellers around the world." Keely explained as Brock finished checking in. "So you can consider me a friendly rival, if you'd like."

"I don't think the Lore Stage was meant to have rivalries, but okay." Brock grinned. "I'm just doing this for the experience myself--winning it all would just be the Cheri Berry on top."

"Some tellers do take the Lore Stage as serious as the Pokemon League or a contest, but the main goal of the Lore Stage is to trade tales from around the world." Alex explained "The theme for this Lore Stage, appropriately enough, is scary stories, so come with your best campfire tales."

"I've got a scary tale in mind, but with a bit of an adventurous slant to it." Brock explained as he watched Keely check in. "So a scary tale need not be all those ghost stories you heard at summer camp as a kid."

"Really?" Keely was intrigued. "I can't wait to hear it!"

---------

A pop of a Poke Ball got Misty's attention as a tiny bat Pokemon materialized near her. "Oh, it's just you, Hitomi..." she giggled at the Zubat as the performer onstage concluded his tale, to some applause.

[You forget I'm a fan of my master too...] the Zubat squeaked. [When's Brock gonna be on?]

"Well, Keely's on next, then a few other people, and then it will be Brock's turn." Misty explained as the stage was cleared off.

"J-832716, performing 'The Haunted Shrine'" an announcer told the large crowd in the castle's cavernous ballroom, where Keely was just arriving on the stage to perform.

Once all is quiet, Keely begins "Long ago in a far away land, a certain lord lived in an enormous castle on top of a hill. One day, he woke up with the desire for a new suit to wear to public ceremonies and balls."

She then intones "But there was another reason for the new suit."

Giggles of anticipation fill the air. "So he sent for his tailor, but his tailor refused to do his master's bidding this day." Keely continues.

"Why?" a child asks. "Aren't you supposed to do as you're told?"

"You see, the master wished not only for a suit, but he wished his tailor to sew that suit in the shrine above his castle." Keely explains to her audience. "Everyone knew that shrine was haunted, and who knew what horrible things happened at night in those hallowed halls?"

The audience shudders at the question, mostly out of excitement. "The lord thought he could end the curse by having his suit made in the shrine." Keely goes on. "And so he sought a brave tailor. 'There'll be a fine reward,' he promised, and many a tailor applied for the job. But when they heard about the haunted shrine, they changed their minds."

"I would too if I had to make a suit in a haunted shrine." Brock muses.

"At long last, a brave young man appeared." Keely continues, ignoring Brock's comment. "Like the others, the boy--who we'll call Thomas--had heard tales of the hauntings and horrors, but he didn't mind. He loved a good challenge of bravery. He longed for the reward. It helped that he was proud of his sewing talents."

"I accept!" she calls in the role of Thomas.

As herself, she continues. "...he told the lord, and he was hired that afternoon. That evening, just before sunset, Thomas arrived in the glen above the castle and into the big stone shrine. It was dark inside as he sat down in a pew, so Thomas lit a candle. Then he took his sewing kit from his bag and set to work."

Misty grins as Keely pantomimes sewing for effect. "Thomas was skilled with needle and thread, and he had a plan in mind for the design. But most importantly, Thomas loved his work." Keely explains. "Time passed swiftly, and the suit started to take shape."

Brock smiles as Keely decides to softly scat "The Hearthome Pilgrim" as she works on the pantomime suit. "Nice touch."

"The hours passed, and Thomas hummed and worked." Keely narrates. "But just after midnight, he felt the floor beneath him shake like an earthquake. He looked around. But even as he looked, his fingers continued to sew."

Ash swallows hard at this. "Suddenly, a human head began to rise up through the stone floor beneath Thomas' feet. Thomas didn't mind. He wasn't afraid of ghosts -- or so he said. He simply sewed on, and when that frightful head was fully visible, Thomas heard a deep, groaning voice ask..." Keely then addresses Ash in a deeper version of herself. "You there! Don't you see my head?"

"I see it, but I am sewing this," Ash replies as Thomas, to giggles from the audience at the impromptu participation.

"...and he continued to stitch away, pleased to see how the suit was coming along." Keely assures the crowd as herself. "The head rose higher and higher until a thick, strong neck appeared -- a neck so strong, the veins throbbed and pulsed as if the ghostly being were alive. The voice came again, this time louder and deeper..."

She then asks Ash in her ghostly persona "Don't you see this great neck of mine?"

"I see it, but I am sewing this," Ash replies as Thomas.

"The head rose higher and higher until broad shoulders and a mighty chest appeared. Now the voice roared..." Keely then addresses Ash a third time as her persona. "Do you see this great chest of mine?"

"I see it, but I am sewing this." Ash replies as Thomas.

Some of the children in the audience are visibly shaking in fear as Keely continues describing the monster. "That head and neck and shoulders and chest rose still higher until two muscular, strong arms began to wave, and the voice boomed...

"Do you see these great arms of mine that could squeeze you to bits?" she asks as her persona.

"I see those, but I am sewing this," Ash replies as Thomas, to some nervous giggles.

"Time was passing, and Thomas knew he had to finish the suit, and soon." Keely narrates as herself, pantomiming sewing faster as she continues "He sewed more quickly still, as the creature rose higher and higher. Soon a long, strong leg and enormous foot appeared and pounded the stone floor. The voice cried..."

"Do you see this massive leg of mine?" she asks as her persona.

"I see it, but I am sewing this," Ash replies as Thomas, but even Misty can hear a note of fear in his voice.

"He took such long stitches that the suit was almost complete when a second leg appeared -- this one longer still, and stronger, too." Keely goes on. "Then, just before the monster ghost could stand, Thomas finished his work." She finishes the pantomime suit at this point. "He blew out the candle, rose from the pew, and clutching that suit to his chest, he raced out of the shrine."

"D-d-did Thomas get away from the monster?" Misty stammers.

"As he ran, the monster ghost roared and stamped and began to chase after him." Keely intones. "Thomas raced through the glen as fast as lightning, with the monster ghost not far behind. It roared..."

"Stop right where you are, or you'll be sorry!" she demands in her ghostly persona, making some of the kids in the crowd scream with fear and delight.

As herself, she goes on "...but Thomas only clutched the suit more tightly and picked up speed.

"I won't listen to the monster ghost," Ash interjects as Thomas, to more giggles from the crowd.

"...and soon he reached the castle, dashed through the gate and slammed it closed behind him." Keely narrates. "The monster ghost, stopped by the great iron gate, pounded on the walls of the castle. His fists left marks in those walls that are still visible to this day."

"Must've been some strong ghost..." Brock muses.

"But the creature could not breach the enormous walls of the castle, and so Thomas earned his reward." Keely calms the jittery audience down. "Naturally, everyone lived happily ever after -- but they say after that day, the shrine was no longer haunted."

Relieved applause goes up at this. "Wow, you even had me and Pikachu scared, Keely." Ash smiled as Keely returned to the holding area, near where Ash and Misty were sitting.

"Yeah, that even gave ME the willies, and this is coming from someone who's sat through hundreds of scary movies for a sibling's sake." Brock agreed.

He was about to say more when his competitor ID was announced. "Number K-93098, performing the tale 'The Three Valleys'."

"Good luck!" Ash whispered as Brock make his way to the stage to perform.

Once sure his guitar and his needed props were in order and the audience was quiet, Brock begins his performance over a tense melody. "Long ago, there lived a count, who had many castles and estates, and a beautiful daughter. But no one liked him, for it was rumored he was in cahoots with Darkrai, the Nightmare Pokemon. At some time or another, his servants would all vanish without a trace."

Everyone shudders in anticipation. "The last who disappeared was the shepherd. When he did not return to the castle, the whole town turned out to look for him, to no avail." Brock continues. "After this, no one would enter the Count's service, but eventually, a bold, handsome young man--we'll call him Dolan--presented himself. He had traveled far as a soldier, and blew off evil spirits as fairy tales. The count immediately hired him, and said he could take the Mareep out wherever he liked, but never go into the three valleys to the east of the castle."

Keely swallows hard as she pictures what horrors await in the three valleys. "For a time all went well--Dolan drove the Mareep into the rich meadows around the castle as his master had ordered, and led a very comfortable life." Brock continues. "But he was always thinking of the three valleys, and being a brave young man who did not fear evil spirits, he one day took the bow and arrows he had used on the battlefield, restrung his bow, and said, as he struck his rusty sword against the ground...."

"I will see who dares to harm me in the three valleys! They'd better not mess with me!" he proclaims in a mimic of Ash for Dolan, to the real Ash's bemusement.

As himself, Brock continues "So going towards the east, he soon arrived with his Mareep in the first valley, where he found beautiful meadows where he could safely leave his flock. He looked carefully, but, except for the Beautiflies fluttering to and fro..." He weaves the notes that match "Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!" into the uneasy melody he is playing, to giggles from the crowd. "...and the humming of the Combees, there was neither sound nor movement."

Brock pauses to look at Ash as he continues "Then he sat down beneath a tree and began to play his flute to pass the time."

Just then, someone grabs a drum and proceeds to provide a beat, over which Ash, from his post in the audience, plays a set of two tunes. But the guitar playing an ominous chord quiets the applause. "Suddenly, there arose a crashing and cracking as if some mighty Pokemon were breaking through the bushes." Brock intones. "Before our hero could nock an arrow, a powerful giant stood before him and cried..."

In a low deep voice for the giant, he intones "What are you doing here with your grass-eaters, destroying my meadows, you insolent fellow? You will pay for this!"

Misty yelps in fear, but the grin on Brock's face assures her all is well. "He did not wait for an answer, but heaved his spear with all his might at Dolan, who dove behind the oak, and the spear sank so deep that the point stuck out the other side."

Brock pauses to set his guitar aside and retrieve his archery gear, nocking a shot of his own as he goes on "Then, nocking an arrow to his bow, he took aim, and struck the giant so hard of the forehead that he fell with a deep groan to the ground."

The crowd watches as Brock fires, only to applaud when they see he hit the bullseye of a target on the castle's right wall. "Before he had time to get up, Dolan bounded forward and ran his sword through his adversary's neck, killing him."

Cheers go up at the giant's demise. "Dolan took the giant's sword and armor, and was about to return home, when he spotted a stately castle in a clearing." Brock continues. "The doors were wide open, so he went inside. In the spacious hall stood a stone table, and on the table stood a cup covered with a silver plate with this message:

Who drinks of this cup
Shall overcome the nightmare."

"Did he drink the potion?" Alex asks.

"Well, Dolan had no confidence in the words or the drink, and left the cup untouched." Brock replies as he trades his archery gear for a prop sword. "He laid the dead giant's armor in the hall; then, taking the key with him, he returned home with his flock, and went to bed without mentioning his adventure to anyone."

Over a calm interlude, he continues "The next day he tended his Mareep on the mountain slopes surrounding the castle, but the second day he wondered what else was out there; so, girding on the sword he had taken from the dead giant, he started with his flock for the second valley, in hopes of fresh adventure. Here also were beautiful pastures, if possible richer and more luxuriant than in the first valley; the flowers breathed forth their fragrance, the birds sang sweetly, and through the meadows meandered a stream clear as crystal, by whose bank Dolan lay down to rest. He was just thinking that all adventure and danger were past when an enormous block of rock fell on the ground near him, and a voice rough and wild, like that of a bear, said..."

"What are you doing here with your grass-eaters, you insolent fellow?" he demands in character as a giant, making Keely jump.

As himself, he continues "And from behind a wall of rock stepped a mighty giant, brandishing a massive stone club. He aimed a blow at Dolan, who ducked behind the rock which the giant had thrown as his first greeting, and the club descending on the stone, which shattered in a million pieces from the force of the blow."

Brock draws his prop blade for effect. "Quick as lightning Dolan drew his sword, and with one stroke cut through the sinews in the bend of the giant's knee, who fell to the ground with a loud roar." he narrates as he pantomimes fighting an imagined opponent. "He lashed out wildly with his fists, but a well-directed thrust through the heart soon quieted him."

He continues as he sheathes his prop weapon "Dolan left him lying there, and turned towards the wall of rock. Here he found a massive door concealed among the thicket. Through this he passed, and entered a hall-like cavern, in which, at a stone manger, stood a shining snow-white Ponyta with blue fire for its mane, saddled for battle, and over the manger was engraved the following: 'Who rides aboard on this legendary steed, Epona, will overcome the nightmare.'"

"I am strong enough to take care of myself, and I do not want to overcome the Nightmare Pokemon, he has always left me in peace; but I will remember that here stands a fine Ponyta on which I can ride forth into the wide world." he muses as Dolan.

"He threw fresh oats into the manger, shut the door, and returned home." Brock continues as himself over a tense melody. "The next few days he remained very quiet, lest his movements might have been observed; then, as no one questioned him, he drove his Mareep into the third valley. Beautiful meadows glittered in the sunshine; from a hill of rock a waterfall splashed down, forming a small sea in which many fish Pokemon of all kinds frolicked. Dolan looked around, searched under every bush, but found nothing. No sound was heard save the continued splish, splash of the cool water. The day was very hot, and Dolan was just preparing for a swim in the fresh, clear water, when from out a ravine near the sea appeared a horrible human head, with one eye, as large as a plate, in the center of the forehead, and a voice as loud as the roll of thunder shouted..."

"What do you want here, you insolent earthworm?" he roars in character, this time making Misty jump in surprise.

As himself, Brock continues "The head rose higher and higher, until a giant as high as a tower stood before Dolan, who with a sure aim sent an arrow into the eye of his adversary. The monster groped wildly about with his hands, in hopes to strangle his enemy, but he only grabbed an oak tree, which he tore up by the roots and threw it high into the air."

Keely swallows hard as Brock narrates "Now the victory was easy, for though the giant could no longer be hurt by cuts and thrusts, which slipped off from his body like water off a Ducklett's back, Dolan soon found other means. He taunted the blind giant, and by the sound of his voice drew him ever nearer to the sea, at the side where the cliff overhung the water. At last he sprang towards the edge of the precipice, and gave a loud, mocking cry, then hid behind a tree. The giant pursued him eagerly, lost his footing, and fell into the sea."

"Dolan one, giant zero." Ash smiles.

"Then Dolan went down into the ravine from which the monster had appeared." Brock continues, acknowledging Ash's comment with a nod. "Here lay a meadow full of beautiful flowers, in the midst of which rose a spacious mansion. Dolan entered the hall and saw a great sword, which had the following on its hilt: Who fires a beam from this holy sword will overcome the nightmare."

Brock pantomimes trying to draw a heavy sword as he narrates "He grabbed the sword, but it was too heavy for him to lift, and he wearily laid the mighty weapon back in the corner; at the same time he thought, since he had conquered three giants, he could surely overcome Darkrai himself without this sword."

"As the day drew to a close, he gathered his Maeep together and returned to the castle." he narrates as his peaceful melody turns ominous. "Once there, he was immediately summoned before the count, who asked him angrily where he had been. Dolan told his master all that had happened in the three valleys, and how he had that day slain the giant as tall as a tower."

"Woe to you and to me," he cries in a mimic of Flint in the role of the count. "I heard the giants' cries of rage, and hoped you were paying for your disobedience with your life. But it has happened otherwise, and now I and my daughter must suffer because you disobeyed my commands and entered the giants' territories; for it has been made known to me that tomorrow Darkrai, the Nightmare Pokemon, will appear, and demand my daughter or me as a sacrifice; but before that you, shall suffer all the agonies of torture, as punishment for bringing me into this mess."

"Just as the count was about to order Dolan to be seized, the Count's daughter Elena, who had heard the whole thing, threw herself on her knees and pleaded for mercy." Brock narrates as Misty runs to join him on stage in the role of the daughter.

"Dearest father," Misty pleads in character, "Wouldn't it be better for this young man to save us than to kill him? He has overcome three giants; surely he will be able to vanquish the Nightmare Pokemon."

"The count thought long and hard for a moment, and then acknowledged that his daughter's suggestion was both good and clever." Brock narrates over an adventurous theme. "He asked Dolan if he were willing to do battle with Darkrai in return for being forgiven, and Dolan, with a grateful look at his deliverer, immediately agreed."

Ash smiles--the best part is coming up next! "With the first dawn of morning he rose from his couch, for he now remembered the words about overcoming the Nightmare Pokemon, and hurried to the first valley, where in the castle stood the cup."

The audience watches as Brock drinks down the Kuran Berry juice inside a prop goblet before he narrates "He grabbed the cup and drank its contents down in one gulp. The magic potion of strength flowed through his veins like fire, and he felt enough courage and strength to singlehandedly fight a whole army. With sparkling eyes he hurried to the second valley, mounted Epona, who greeted him with a joyful whinny..."

Misty mimics a Ponyta whinny with her fiddle, to some laughter. "...and then galloped as if in flight to the third valley, in which stood the mighty sword." Brock continues over some harp-like chords to represent Epona running. "Yesterday he could hardly move it; today, with one hand, he held it high over his head, as if it had been a twig."

"BAH-DA-DA-DAAAAH!!!!" Ash sings the Zelda 'got item' stinger as Brock does this to his prop sword, making the audience burst out laughing.

Brock waits for the audience to calm down before continuing "By sunrise he was again at the count's castle, waiting eagerly for what would happen, but the day passed and no one appeared. Ho'oh had gone to roost, and Lugia had just risen in all his silvery splendor, when in the north of the heavens appeared what looked like a dark storm cloud. With the speed of lightning it approached the castle, and a voice, low and deep enough to make the ground shake, spoke."

"Where are my promised sacrifices?" he demands in a deep and guttural voice--his go to "Darkrai" voice.

As himself, he continues over an adventurous theme "At the same time a gigantic Braviary, with greenish-grey wings hovered high over the castle, ready to swoop down on his prey. Then Dolan spurred Epona, and shaking his sword high above his head, cried...

"There are no sacrifices here for you, you robber!" Brock nearly screams as Dolan to no one in particular. "Return to the abyss you came from, or you shall feel my arrows!"

"On hearing these words, the Braviary swooped down with a wild cry, before Dolan could nock his bow, and he would have died had it not been for his wits and Epona." he continues as himself. "A touch with the spur, and she flew swift as the wind under a very old and thickly leaved sycamore tree, whose branches hung down almost to the ground, so that the Braviary could only break in through the side. This killed the Braviary right there, for his outspread wings became entangled in the branches, and the brave rider, with one powerful blow of his sword, severed the head from the body. But instead of blood there came forth from the headless body of the Braviary a huge Arbok, who, with wide-open jaws, approached Dolan and tried to squeeze him in its coils. In one movement, it encircled the Ponyta and rider, and tried to suffocate them both but Epona pressed herself so close against the tree that the head of the Arbok came around on the other side of the trunk, preventing it from harming Dolan with its poisonous bite or breath."

He plays a hard chord to simulate an attack. "One stroke of Dolan's blade, and the body of the Arbok fell in two pieces to the ground; Epona immediately trampled on the head. But the lower part of the serpent swelled and swelled, the cut became a frightful mouth, which spurted out smoke and flames, while from the coils of the Arbok's body grew forth claws and wings, and at last a horrible monster in the form of Mega Charizard X threw itself on Dolan, whose strength had already begun to fail."

"No..." Keely gasps, fearful for Dolan's fate.

"But in his hour of greatest need a thought occurred to Dolan—he turned Epona around, and she broke through the branches of the sycamore tree into the open air, and sped with her rider to the nearest stream, in whose waters they both cooled themselves." Brock assures Keely over an excited melody. "The Mega Charizard X snorted after them, spitting forth fire and smoke. But as the head of the Arbok, from whose body the Mega Charizard X had grown, had been destroyed, there was no deadly poison in its breath, and the rider was safe from the flames through bathing in the stream. So he rode boldly towards the approaching Mega Charizard X with sword in hand, and tried to approach it from the side; but all his blows glanced off from its black scaly body like a suit of armor. Suddenly it occurred to him to thrust his sword down the monster's throat."

The audience is on the edge of their seats as Brock weaves in a number of musical sound effects into his song. "He turned Epona and spurred her straight towards the Mega Charizard X, and thrusting his sword through the smoke and flame, stuck it right into the creature's throat. He was forced to leave his sword, for Epona, singed by the fiery breath of the Mega Charizard X, bounded far to one side; but the monster did not attempt to follow them, the sword had stuck deep into its body. It struck wildly with its tail on the ground, until the earth burst, then it shivered and fell over, first on its side, then on its back, a stream of fire poured forth from its wide-open jaws, and with the flames its life faded away."

Everyone heaves a sigh of relief. "And so it was the battle ended, and Darkrai was defeated." Brock continues over a triumphant melody. "Joyfully Dolan rode back to the count and Elena, and told them everything that had happened. The count, embracing him, said..."

"You are our hero, to you I owe my life and all that I possess. Take half of what is mine, or choose from it whatever pleases you." he requests as the count.

"Dolan gazed earnestly into the eyes of the count's lovely daughter Elena, and replied..." he narrates as himself.

"I know of nothing, in the whole world which is dearer to me than your daughter Elena, milord." he replies as Dolan. "Give her to me for my bride, if she be willing."

"Are you willing, my child?" he asks Misty as the count.

"I love him more than words can say." Misty replies as she and Brock hug, to some "aw"s.

"The next day, the marriage was celebrated with great splendor, and when Arceus had blessed their union with children, Dolan, a shepherd no more, would say to his sons and daughters when telling them of his adventures..." Brock narrates.

"There are three things that can subdue giants and evil spirits--the fire of courage, the power to persevere, and the wisdom of heaven." he concludes as Dolan.

The castle resonated with the crowd's wild applause as Brock took a bow. "Wow! I've never seen anyone sword fight and shoot arrows live on stage before!" Alex raved as the judges arrived to pin an orange stripe to Brock's vest, a sign he had won the competition.

Keely, however, seemed unusually calm that she had lost. "You have to admit though, Brock has real talent..."

Just then, a white glow got the group's attention just as Brock received his orange stripe. [That epic tale...I want to be a hero too!] Hitomi squeaked as she transformed into a larger bat-creature with a wide mouth.

As Brock returned to where his friends were waiting, an ecstatic smile formed on his face. 'Hitomi...you evolved!" he cried as he hugged his new Golbat.

[I chose to change because I want to be just like the heroes in the tales you tell.] Hitomi explained. [But I'm equally happy to finally see my master's face.]

"Aw." Ash smiled before reading up on what Hitomi had become:

"Golbat, the bat Pokemon. Once it strikes, it will not stop draining energy from its victim even if it gets too heavy to fly."

Keely just smiled. "Congratulations, Brock--you're an inspiration to storytellers everywhere."

"Yeah, you must've honed your talent for way longer than Keely if you can make your Pokemon evolve due to your stories." Alex agreed.

"Whatever you do to learn all your tales, please keep doing it!" Keely requested, making everyone laugh happily...

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 63: Two Hits and a Miss

"You did great on your second Lore Stage!" Ash raved as the group made their way down the road. It had been three days since Brock had performed for his orange Color Stripe, earning the respect of a friendly rival and inspiring his Zubat, Hitomi, to evolve.

"Well, that is a favorite for Halloween shows, and we were in an old castle, after all." Brock smiled as he admired the two stripes on his vest. "That, and I didn't want to frighten the kids in the audience too much..."

He was about to say more when the ground began to rumble. "Oh no, not again..." Ash recognized the rumbling as an approaching Tauros. "Flashbacks of the Pokemon Swap Meet coming on..."

Just as the group dove into a bush to avoid the angry Tauros, they heard a boy call "Gangway! Runaway Tauros, comin' through!"

Ash looked at his right hand, which had long since healed since his ill advised attempt at touching a Tauros horn. "Wonder what got that Tauros mad?"

"A red cape?" Misty grinned as she led the boy from the brush, where they could still see the Tauros and the boy tearing down the road.

She gasped as she spotted an older man in a majestic robe right in the Tauros' path. "The Tauros is gonna gore that guy! We have to warn him!"

As the group raced to warn the old man about the imminent danger behind him, they stopped in their tracks when they saw the man stop, and take out a Poke Ball. "Is he intending to battle that Tauros?" Brock was curious.

"I don't know, but I have to do something before he gets seriously hurt!" With that, Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Luce, I need your help!"

[You called?] the Flaaffy asked as it materialized on the road.

"See that Tauros headed this way?" Ash pointed out the Tauros heading for them, with its panicked master not far behind. "I want you to try and halt its progress before someone gets hurt!"

[Let's give him a real jewel of a headache!] Luce suggested before creating a topaz that cracked with thunderbolts. But she ended up making the Power Gem a bit too large, causing it to fall in the road with a crash, sending Thunderbolts into the sky.

Not what I was planning to have Luce do, but okay... Ash thought as the Tauros furiously tried to crush the Power Gem with its hooves and its horns, despite its trainer's desperate attempts to calm it. "All right, Luce, try to paralyze the Tauros!"

[One Thunder Wave, coming up!] Luce replied as she charged some shocking waves that wouldn't hurt the Tauros, but render it unable to move for a while.

About then, the boy caught up to his Tauros, which was lying on the ground, periodically mooing in discomfort from the small thunderbolts that criss-crossed his fur. "Toro? You okay, boy?"

"Ash had to do something so your Tauros wouldn't hurt anyone." Brock explained to the boy as he used a Paralyze Heal on the exhausted Tauros. "That was why he told his Flaaffy to create his Power Gem roadblock, and then immobilize Toro."

"I would never intentionally cause pain to any Pokemon, but we were all worried your Tauros would hurt someone." Ash agreed. "So no hard feelings, okay?"

"I see." the boy smiled as the Tauros shakily stood up, then trotted back to his side. "I will say that was a creative way to stop a rampaging Tauros..."

He turned to leave. "Thank you for corralling Toro for me--I don't know how I would live with myself if he hurt somebody."

"Anytime!" Ash replied as he waved goodbye.

The old man smiled. "Well done, Nincada, for saving me in my hour of need. You have obviously trained your Flaaffy well." he told Ash.

[Aw, it was nothin'!] Luce giggled.

The man went on "My name is Kenzo--I run the dojo not far from here. If any of you three are Pokethletes, I am hosting a competition today to test your stamina."

Misty proudly showed Kenzo her medal box. "I am a Pokethlete--where do I sign up?"

"If you follow the road until it passes by the hill, the dojo sits at the top." Kenzo explained. "Whether you compete on land, in water, or in the air, the competition is open to all."

---------

"All ready!" Misty grinned as she emerged from an empty prayer room that had been converted into a dressing room in her jersey. "Spritz, Michelle, and Pearl will be my competitors this time." she explained as she took the Poke Balls containing the Seadra, the Golduck, and the Starmie, then hurried off to check in to the competition.

"Good luck, Misty!" Ash called after his companion as she disappeared into the crowds of Pokethletes mingling, signing in, or choosing their competitors.

"So land competitors wear green, water competitors wear blue, and air competitors wear lavender." Brock mused as a group of air Pokethletes made their way outside for their first event of the day.

Ash, meanwhile, spotted a pink haired girl in a green jersey with a flat-headed Pokemon with long legs doing some last minute training, and decided to read up on the odd Pokemon as it performed a long spin kick:

"Hitmontop, the handstand Pokemon. It fights while spinning like a top. The centrifugal force boosts its destructive power by ten."

"Wow..." Ash gasped, moments before he saw the girl confront Misty near the hall leading to where another event was taking place.

"Don't even bother entering, miss pretty face--for I, the great Chigusa, will be the one to win the Pokethlon!" the girl smirked.

"Now wait a minute!" Misty shot back. "The Pokethlon isn't all about strength, but also includes the very stat we are competing in--stamina! Furthermore, what makes you so confident you will win?"

Ash winced as Misty and Chigusa argued. "And I thought Gary was bad..."

"Chigusa is actually my granddaughter." Kenzo began as he joined the boys, slightly embarrassed about Chigusa's behavior. "I have told her many a time that pride goes before a fall, but she will not listen to me--and how will she be a good dojomistress if she is not humble?"

"So you held this Pokethlon in an attempt to humble her?" Brock guessed. Kenzo nodded. "She looks pretty confident with that Hitmontop..."

"She has known Maru since he was a little Tyrogue." Kenzo replied. "They have never been apart for long--but I have long wrestled with how to teach her that she is not the strongest, and that there will always be someone stronger than her."

"I don't know how, but I have a feeling--whether it's Misty or someone else--that someone's going to humble Chigusa." Ash replied.

Kanzo smiled. "I hope you are correct, Ash--and that she remembers the lesson, once humbled."

---------

"Our first event today is the Ring Drop--a sumo-like event between four competitors instead of two." one of the instructors announced as he made a grand gesture to a large ring-like zone with four corners, where Misty and Michelle, Chigusa and her Hitmontop Maru, and two other competitors were standing. "The object of the event is to knock opponents out of the ring while staying in the ring yourself. The last Pokemon standing at the end of 60 seconds, wins."

He looked out upon the ring. "Competitors! Are you ready?"

Cheers filled the air in reply. "Okay! Ready...Set..."

No sooner had the whistle blown to start the event, did Misty watch in horror as Maru spun-kicked Michelle, a Lucario, and a Braixen out of the ring in one shot! "Stop the clock! We have a winner!" the instructor announced.

"That was fast..." Ash noted as the crowd gasped in surprise--only two seconds had passed!

"Almost a little TOO fast..." Brock agreed as the three judges debated what to do about the unexpected three way tie.

After what felt like an eternity, the judges' decision came. "The remaining competitors will share second place, since they were knocked out at nearly the same time!"

Misty came storming back into the stands some moments later. "Why award me second place for an event I had no chance of finishing, much less winning?" she grumbled as Michelle and the other competitors were whisked away to an on site Pokemon Center. "It almost feels like a participation trophy! I'm not a kid anymore, so why should I be subjected to this 'everyone's a winner, have a prize' jazz? I know how to lose gracefully!"

She sighed. "If I want to win something, I'd like to win it in a fair competition, not because I just participated...part of me thinks this Chigusa girl is cheating..."

"Remember when Kamon accused Ash of cheating earlier?" Brock asked Misty. "I get that you're feeling angry, frustrated, and humiliated right now, but accusing someone with no evidence is a bad idea--maybe Chigusa and her Hitmontop are just that good."

"They may be, and they may not--but there's still two more events to go." Misty admitted, now noticeably calmer. "A lot can change, so I just have to keep trying!"

---------

"Our next event is the Relay Run!" a second instructor announced as Misty, Chigusa, and two other competitors took their places on a track.

"You doing okay?" Misty asked as Michelle arrived. "That Hitmontop got you pretty hard..."

[I remember bracing myself to intercept the spin kick, and the next thing I know, I'm flying against the wall.] Michelle replied as she allowed Misty to climb aboard. [But I got checked out by Nurse Joy, so I should be fine.]

"Okay--you can run well both on land and in water." Misty smiled. "Let's give that Hitmontop what for!"

"Pokethletes ready?" the instructor called. "On your mark, get set..."

No sooner had the starting gun gone off, were the Golduck and the other competitors left behind in a cloud of dust! [Oh goodness...not even a Jolteon can keep up with Chigusa's Hitmontop!] Michelle noticed as she composed herself from her coughing fit. One of their other competition was a Jolteon, and even he was coughing up dust from the Hitmontop's rocket-like start.

"Chigusa was the one that set the record of twenty laps in two minutes, and a Pokethlete has yet to break it." the Jolteon's trainer explained as she wiped her Jolteon's watery eyes, watching the Hitmontop speed around the track all the while.

"Oh my..." was all Misty could say when she saw she had placed fourth in the competition a few moments later. I hope someone can best Chigusa, and teach her a little humility....

---------

"Our final event today is the Block Smash!" a third instructor announced, to the roar of the crowd. "In this event four Pokéthletes, one from each team, attempt to break a stack of ten cement blocks. The Pokémon must demonstrate its might by breaking through them as quickly as possible. Whoever can break the most in 60 seconds, or manages to break them all in that time frame, wins."

"Spritz, your turn!" Misty called, summoning the Seadra before a stack of blocks. "Use your strongest Water Gun to break as many of these as you can when the whistle blows, okay?"

[Got it!] Spriitz replied.

"Ready? Set?" the instructor called before blowing the whistle, making the exhibition room rumble as Spritz, the Hitmontop, the Tauros from earlier, and a Mienshao raced to break the bricks.

"Come on, Misty!" Ash cheered. "You can do it!" Brock whistled in agreement as he watched Spritz break five out of the ten bricks with the most powerful Water Gun she could muster.

But even the boys were surprised when they found that Chigusa's Hitmontop Maru had only broken six bricks! "I can't believe it..." Brock gasped as the Tauros from before easily charged through the bricks, breaking nine and starting to crack the tenth as time expired. "Someone bested Miss Hotshot!"

"Not just that, but our friend from before narrowly edged Chigusa for the win!" Ash was equally shocked when he saw the final standings--the boy from before had narrowly edged Chigusa by two points to clinch the overall win. Misty, meanwhile, was in a narrow fourth place, thanks to her consolation medal in the first event. "I hope Misty's not too mad about losing..."

---------

"Even though I didn't get a medal this time, I'm still happy for that boy and his come from behind win." Misty smiled as the group departed the dojo that evening. "From what I heard, Chigusa admitted he was stronger, and promised Kenzo she would be a bit nicer to people."

"You mean, you're not angry for not winning this Pokethlon? Is that why you wanted to skip the medal ceremony?" Ash wondered.

"No--I did all I could on land--if I had actually been in water for this competition, I would have stood a chance." Misty replied. "Remember that as exciting as it is to win, competing in anything is not about winning or losing, it's about the enjoyment of the experience--and I certainly had fun, even though I came up short this time. I only skipped the ceremony because it was getting late, and I wanted to find a place to camp before it got dark."

"That's fair." Ash replied as the group arrived in a clearing nearby the dojo on the hill. "Just remember to train harder for next time!"

"Oh I will!" Misty giggled. "Any braggart Pokethletes are gonna have to watch out, 'cause the Tsunami is coming!"

Even Brock couldn't resist laughing at Misty's show of confidence as the sun sank below the trees...

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 64: Hook, Line, and Stinker


Laughter and splashes filled the air as the group made camp by a mountain stream. Tintri and Ami were racing each other back and forth to the bank while Michelle meditated in the water. Brock, meanwhile, stifled a giggle as River leaped into the water, splattering Michelle. "Did I get it?" he asked Hinata as he tossed away a clump of matted fur from the hairbrush.

[Yes, you did.] Hinata assured her master, bracing herself as Aina did a cannonball dive into the water. The resulting splash ended up dousing Luce, who giddily leaped into the water to join the fun.

"Okay...I only have your tails left to brush, and then we'll be done." Brock assured his Vulpix before carefully brushing each of Hinata's six tails.

Misty, meanwhile, was supervising the water games with Ash. "How's it feel in there?" she asked as Ami came paddling back to her.

[Refreshing!] Ami smiled. [Reminds me of the pool at home.]

[This is a piece of paradise...] Spritz agreed as she gently floated past the bank.

"Just be aware of your surroundings, Spritz, and try not to drift too far." Misty cautioned the relaxed Seadra.

[Got it!] Spritz waved a fin in reply.

Just then, Misty noticed a large muscular frog-like Pokemon approaching Spritz. "A Poliwrath...and that one looks pretty tough."

Brock looked up from brushing Hinata and spotted the Poliwrath. "Poliwraths are tough, but this one doesn't look friendly at all."

Just then, he gasped in horror as the Poliwrath smacked down Spritz and then delivered a massive uppercut. sending Spritz flying through the air. "Pokemon down!" he called to Ash, moments before Spritz landed by the bank, swirly eyed.

"What did Spritz pick a fight with to get this battered?" Ash wondered as he administered a Revive to Spritz.

"A rogue Poliwrath--it was nothing but a big bully, picking on a Pokemon that was just minding its own business!" Misty grumbled as she hurried to tend to Spritz.

"She was just an easy target--a sitting Psyduck." a blue haired boy smirked as he rejoined his Poliwrath on the shore.

"Is that Poliwrath yours?" Misty asked the boy. "Then why did he attack Spritz?"

"Oh, so the Seadra's name was Spritz, huh?" the boy sneered. "I think a better name would be Ditz--she was such a wimp!"

"YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!" Misty screeched, startling Ash and Brock.

"Oh boy...Hurricane Misty is about to make landfall..." Brock shuddered--he knew all too well that things did not end well for anyone that angered Misty.

"Well, if Little Miss Spritz is so brave, then why is she hiding behind you?" the boy retorted as Spritz peeked out from behind Misty. "I don't expect much from a plain old Seadra...if it was any good, it would have evolved into Kingdra by now."

Piqued, Ash decided to read up on Kingdra, trying his best to tune out the argument nearby.

"Kingdra, the dragon Pokemon. It sleeps deep on the ocean floor to build its energy. It is said to cause tornadoes as it wakes."

"Well, evolution isn't always the way to go--there are lots of great Pokémon that aren't fully evolved, whether by choice or by circumstance--that, and Seadra is a great Pokémon." Brock explained.

The boy noticed Ami, Michelle, Pearl, and the Poke Ball containing Misty's Lapras, Aurora. "Miss Mousie's a real pushover..."

[WHAT???] Ami gasped. [Don't judge a book by it's cover, tough guy! I am stronger than you think I am!]

"If a sitting Psyduck is bad, a sitting Golduck is even worse!" the boy jeered.

[Care to repeat that little comment?] Michelle growled, the ruby on her forehead glowing in preparation to unleash a Psychic blast.

The boy was unfazed "Nice...a star Pokemon. What'cha gonna wish for?"

[For one thing, I wish you'd stop insulting us!] Pearl demanded, her core glowing bright red in anger.

The boy then noted the unused Poke Ball. "What's in here? Probably a Magikarp, you're so weak..."

This insult was the last straw for Misty. "FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME, I. AM. NOT. WEAK!!!!!" she roared. "In fact, I'm more than ready to duel you right now to defend my pride, which you've insulted multiple times!"

"Love to, but I've already got other plans." the boy replied before commanding "Arashi, return.", recalling his Poliwrath. "Work on your Seadra a bit, and I'll consider." he grinned as he departed down the hill.

---------

"He thinks he's so strong and so powerful..." Misty fumed as the group continued down the trail some moments later. "News flash, girls are not always delicate flowers with a fondess for cute things! I can go toe to toe with you!"

A large mass of people in water Pokethlon jerseys walking in the same direction got her attention. "That's odd...is there a Pokethlon Dome close by?"

Ash flagged down a boy. "What's going on?" he asked.

"There's a Skill type Pokethlon going on at a nearby lake today." the boy replied. "It's open to any registered Pokethlete on the water track--are any of you guys competing?"

Misty's eyes turned to stars. "A water Pokethlon--sign me up!" she cried as the group and the stream of people arrived at the lake. Both spectators and Pokethletes were present, with what Pokethletes that were not checking in or changing into jerseys were signing autographs for fans and posing for pictures.

"Welcome, one and all to today's Pokethlon on Lake Azul!" a man announced on a stage. "If this your first time, the rules of the competition are simple: competitors are allowed to use any three Pokemon they want for the competition, which consists of three tests of skill--the Crystal Throw; which is a water safe, warm weather variation of the Snow Throw, the Goal Roll, and Capture the Flag. The top three winners win a medal for their medal box and a year's supply of chocolate."

Now Ash was excited. "What would you do if you got a year's supply of chocolate?" he asked as Misty got in line to check in.

"Well, most of the dark chocolates would be mine, and you guys could have the caramels and the peanut butter cups." Misty replied. "But no touching the cordial Cheri Berries! Those are my favorite."

She gasped when she heard a familiar voice call "Come on out, Arashi!" There's that jerk again...I will do anything in my power to defend my honor, and show him that I can go toe to toe with any boy! she grumbled as the watched the boy check in.

The boy told the check-in person "The name's Andreas", causing the entire crowd to whisper excitedly to each other about his achievements:

"Andreas, he's so cool!"

"I hear he holds several records!"

"Rumor is he has won every Pokethlon that he has entered!"

"They say that no one can beat him!"

Andreas just smiled, savoring the crowd's praise. "My public must know a winner when they see one..."

"Ooooh...listen up, Mr. Cocky!" Misty snapped, getting the crowd's attention. "I'm entering this competition too, and I'm going to beat you at your own game!"

Gasps went up at this. "Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Brock asked. "Andreas looks like a tough opponent... "

"Relax--even though the Pokethlon is my first real competition, I've been competing in various ways with my sisters ever since I was little." Misty assured Brock as she started towards the women's dressing rooms. "Besides, I'm in my element this time, unlike the last Pokethlon."

A smile formed on Brock's face. "Okay...good luck."

---------

"Our first event today is the Crystal Roll--an all-out 'snowball' fight between the four Pokethletes." the referee explained, showing the crowds in the stands one of the crystals used in the competition. "Whoever scores the most hits in 60 seconds wins."

He then called "Pokethletes! Take your mark!"

Cheers went up from the lake as Misty spotted Andreas aboard Arashi. "There he is, Spritz..."

[Don't worry--we'll give him a pummeling he won't forget.] Spritz grumbled.

"Ready? Set..." As soon as the referee's whistle echoed across the lake, a flurry of crystals lit up the afternoon sky as the competing Pokethletes hurled the water-safe crystals at each other. Each athlete and Pokemon pair were then displayed on a scoreboard along with the clock, with each hit they scored counting as a point.

"Come on, Misty!" Ash called as the clock reached thirty seconds to go. "Give Andreas and his Poliwrath what for!"

"I think Misty's in good hands..." Brock assured Ash as Misty heaved crystal after crystal at Andreas. "After all, Spritz has an advantage her opponent's Poliwrath does not--speed!"

That's true... Ash noted as the clock expired with a buzz.

"110...Andreas finished third with 124 hits, 139..." Brock noted as the competitor's final scores appeared.

He smiled when Misty and Spritz's score appeared. "And Misty takes home a commanding victory with 156 hits."

"Maybe she does know what she's doing..." Ash agreed as the lake was cleaned for the next event.
---------

"The next event is the Goal Roll--a four on four aquatic soccer match between the four Pokethletes." the referee explained as he showed the crowd the soccer ball sized beach balls that would be used in the competition "Whoever scores the most goals in two minutes, wins."

"Ready, Pearl?" Misty smiled as she and the Starmie paddled to their goal, which was located near the stands where the boys were seated.

[You bet!] Pearl replied, her core turning blue to represent confidence.

A familiar song started playing over the speakers as the match got underway. "Hey, Brock...could you let me sing 'Glory in Our Story' to cheer on Misty and Pearl?" Ash asked as he watched Pearl defend Misty's goal from Andreas' Poliwrath.

"Sing it, Ash." Brock smiled. "If it worked for your team when I sang it, it'll work for Misty."

Ash waited for the introduction to finish, than sang over the music We all have a dream inside our hearts that we will follow to the end...
When you make a wish upon a star, the power flows, inside of you! At this line, Andreas' Poliwrath prepared to shoot a goal, only for Misty and Pearl to steal the ball!

Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear!
My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world...

On the water, Pearl recognized the familiar voice drifting from the stands. [Is that...Ash singing?]

"Yeah...he's singing to cheer us on!" Misty replied. "We still have a minute and ten seconds, so we can still score and win this!

Come with me and take my hand, come with me for the ride,
Together we will step through the door,
And see the light shining from our own heavenly land! At this line, Pearl shot the ball clear into Andreas' goal, scoring the first point of the game!

Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story! Ash sang, with Tintri and River dancing along with him. Tintri flashed some Japanese fans to the beat, and River shook some blue pom-poms.

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage! Try as Andreas' Poliwrath might to defend its goal, a Milotic distracted him, allowing Pearl to score another goal!

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together,
I truly believe it with all of my heart... Ash sang as the last ten seconds on the clock ticked away.

The cards here in my hand
Show you the way...

Brock smiled as the buzzer sounded. "This match's winner is Misty--no one else scored anything."

---------

"Okay...the last event is Capture the Flag." Misty explained to her team. "Pearl, you remember what happened when we tried this before?"

[Don't remind me...] Pearl's core turned light red with embarrassment. [It may be better to let someone else try this event--we don't want to give Andreas any more ammo!]

Michelle stepped forward. [May I try this event?]

"Sure!" Misty replied as she accepted some swim goggles from an attendant.

[Okay...what's the signal when you need to surface?] Michelle asked as she laid down in the water for Misty to mount her.

"I'll point up." Misty replied, Michelle nodded, and paddled to the start line.

"Pokethletes ready?" the referee called, to cheers. "On your mark...get set..."

As soon as the whistle blew, Michelle dove into the water, only to balk as Andreas and Arashi grabbed away the red flag inside an old diving helmet. Not one to be deterred, she surfaced and snatched a red flag from a buoy before diving again, grabbing an orange flag from a treasure chest seconds before Andreas and Arashi could grab it!

After retrieving a yellow flag from a coral bed and a green flag from some kelp leaves, Misty noticed that Andreas and his Poliwrath were lagging behind. "That's odd...Andreas and Poliwrath were a threat earlier." she noted as Michelle grabbed a blue flag from the center of a life preserver.

[I guess the competition took its toll on them.] Michelle replied as she retrieved an indigo flag from a prop Sharpedo's jaws. [We've got this in the bag!]

With that, she snatched the last flag from a Clamperl shell, and paddled across the line with minutes to spare!

---------

"I can't believe it..." Andreas sighed as the crowds departed the medal ceremony later that evening. "Maybe your Seadra is strong after all....can you find it in you to forgive me for all those nasty things I said before? I guess I got too overconfident in my own abilities, and that costed me."

"Well, as thrilling as it is to win, just be careful that you don't let your skill go to your head, like it did here." Misty replied, admiring her reflection in her gold medal. "Just keep getting stronger, as there will always be someone better than you."

"You're right...I guess it was a matter of time before I lost." Andreas mused.

"Well, when you do lose, even the losses have lessons." Ash agreed as he and Brock arrived with a massive chocolate box for Misty. "So evaluate what went wrong, practice what didn't go so well, and promise to do better the next time."

He waved goodbye as Andreas departed. "Well done on your second win." he smiled as Misty placed her medal in her medal box.

"I can only hope Andreas treats his opponents nicer now." Misty mused. "But you can be sure that if anyone tries to insult me or one of you guys, I will defend their honor to the very end."

She noticed the huge chocolate box. "Wow...all of that is a year's supply of chocolate?"

"It is...I'm gonna put most of it in the cooler for later, but I see no harm in having some now--as a celebration of your victory here today." Brock smiled before opening the huge box, allowing Ash and Misty to see the first tier of chocolate.

"Okay...I'll take the dark chocolate square, the two Cheri cordials, the coconut pyramid, and the white chocolate drop for now...the rest are yours." Misty smiled before giving the fifty page guide to the boys.

"Thanks...are there any more pieces you want us to save for you?" Ash asked.

"Yeah--save me one of the mint chocolate medallions and the cinnamon blushes." Misty replied. "You can have the ones on the first tier, though."

"All the other tiers have the same layout, so we'll remember their locations and save you one of each." Brock assured Misty.

"Let's see here...this macadamia nut diamond looks good..." Ash smiled as he bit into a diamond shaped chocolate.

"Mm...the cinnamon blush is not half bad!" Brock raved. The two boys continued exploring the first tier of their massive haul, commenting on and sampling the various chocolates as they started down the road:

"Oh, Misty would love these...dark chocolate shells with a mint pearl inside!"

"This has to be the medallion..."

"The Razz Star is a tad sour..."

"I like the mocha truffle!"

"The caramel bliss is nice..."

"Ooh, peanut butter cups!"

"They come in dark and milk..."

Misty, meanwhile, just savored one of her two Cheri cordials. Victory is sweet!

To Be Continued...

[EmeraldSky]

@Scytherwolf; @Soups;

Episode 65: Beauty and the Breeder

You have 8 new messages, PewterSong. the computer blipped as Brock logged onto a computer in the Pokemon Center's tech lounge. With Ash busy healing his team and Misty napping on one of the couches near here, now's as good a time as any...although I bet a lot of them are MyTube comment notifications or spam...

After marking the comment notifications to read later and deleting the one spam email that made it through the filter, Brock was left with two e-mails--a music newsletter and an email with a screenname he recognized as Suzie, who had given him Hinata as a gift the year before:

Dear Brock,

It's been a while since we talked--I hope you and Hinata are doing well on your travels.

But the main reason I'm writing is to invite you and your friends to a Pokemon Beauty Contest I'm competing in--judging from how well you groom Hinata, you're welcome to give it a try. If that's not your thing, you'd be a shoo-in for the Lore Stage that will take place before the competition...

Piqued, Brock looked up the town of Bonitaville on MapNav, and saw that it was located not far from their current position. He smiled as he read the last line:

Whatever you choose to do, I'm hoping to see (and possibly hear) you again.

Love,
Suzie

"Anything in the old inbox?" Ash asked as he arrived in the tech lounge some moments later.

"A bunch of MyTube comment notifications, this week's installment of Acoustic Life--the music newsletter I get every week--and a letter from Suzie." Brock replied as he typed a reply to Suzie's e-mail. "Remember Suzie at all?"

"The girl that gave you Hinata--how can I not forget after you two hit it off talking Pokemon care and music." Ash smiled at a memory.

"I think it's very sweet you two have kept in touch." Misty replied with a yawn as she woke up. "How's she doing?"

"She's invited us to a Pokemon beauty contest she is competing in in the city of Bonitaville, which is not far from here." Brock explained, showing his friends the map. "How bout it? Compete in the competition itself, or the Lore Stage beforehand?"

"Both, if you can!" Ash suggested.

"Hinata would easy take gold in the Fire-type division with your gentle and steady hand." Misty agreed. "But if you think you have a better shot at your yellow stripe and just want to do the Lore Stage, I won't try to stop you."

"Either way, Suzie would probably love having your support." Ash went on as he watched Brock send his reply, then log off.

---------

"Okay...where is Suzie in all of this?" Ash wondered as he scanned the Bonitaville Convention Center, where hundreds of the beauty contest's competitors were showing off their skills, and just as many vendors had arrived to sell and demonstrate the latest in Pokemon and human beauty products.

Just then, Brock spotted a familiar teal-haired girl arranging various Pokemon care products before a vanity. There she is... he smiled before mimicking a Fletchling whistle to get the girl's attention.

The girl looked over and gasped when she saw who had whistled. "Brock! You came!" she cried as she ran to embrace Brock.

"It's good to see you again too, Suzie..." Brock replied before looking the vanity over. "This your setup for the competition?"

"Not so much that, but to allow the competitors to showcase their skills before the competition." Suzie explained. "So if Hinata's with you, I'd be happy to wash her fur, brush it, and style it for you."

"Okay..." Brock paused to retrieve Hinata's Poke Ball. "Come on out, Hinata!"

The Vulpix materialized on the counter with a yawn. [Yes? I was trying to take a nap...]

She smiled when she saw Suzie before her. [Oh, hi! I have so much to tell you!]

"You can tell me all about your adventures with Brock while I wash you, okay?" Suzie smiled as she filled a washtub with hot water.

"Whoa!" Ash did his best to shield himself from the hot water as Hinata jumped in with a splish. "Excited, aren't we?"

"Hinata has always liked baths..." Brock explained as Hinata paddled up to Suzie, allowing her to start lathering shampoo onto her. "I've tried to follow your same order when I do it--wash, lather, rinse."

"Fire-types enjoy being immersed in hot water for baths, but don't get it so hot that it burns you too." Suzie cautioned as she carefully lathered Hinata's tails. "Unlike humans, Pokemon don't usually need conditioner, but it is a good idea for Pokemon like Vulpix, who have lots of fur."

Just then, Suzie noticed the two stripes on Brock's vest. "I know I told you this in my e-mail, but there is also a Lore Stage going on to coincide with the beauty contest--and appropriately enough, the theme is love, and inner beauty."

"I know the perfect story you could tell--'Beauty and the Beast'!" Ash suggested as he watched Suzie rinse Hinata's fur.

"I do have a version of that story in mind, actually...and it's not necessarily the Disney version!" Brock cautioned Ash.

Suzie just smiled as she dried Hinata off. "Maybe you could tell for the Lore Stage and try for a yellow stripe for your rainbow--if you've won two stripes already, you can easily win a third."

"I think I will--judging from the other setups around here, I may have a better shot of winning that than the beauty contest." Brock mused.

He then noticed Misty had disappeared. "Where'd Misty get to?"

"I'll go look for her!" Ash volunteered before he and Tintri dashed off into the crowd...

---------

If I were a girl, where would I most want to look first? Ash mused as he scanned the crowds for any sign of Misty. Misty's never been the makeup type--if she MUST wear makeup, it's just a little eyeliner and some blush on the cheeks. he thought as he passed a makeup booth.

As he rounded the corner to the perfume showcase, he caught a glimpse of a dull blonde haired man carefully hosing down a Ninetales' thick and glittery silver fur. Wow! he thought as he retrieved his Pokedex:

"Ninetales, the fox Pokemon. Some legends claim that each of its nine tails has its own unique type of special mystical power."

Ash noted a "MORE..." notification blinking on the screen, so he tapped it, and balked at the near cloud-like appearance of a seemingly blue Ninetales. "In the far away Alola region, a unique subspecies of Ninetales was revered as a deity incarnate before it was identified as a regional variant." the Pokedex went on.

"Interesting..." Ash mused, getting the man's attention.

"I'm glad you think so..." the man smiled. "The name's Zane...wouldn't you agree that Rei's one of the most beautiful Pokemon here, with silvery fur that shines like the moon?"

"Well, yeah..." Ash stammered. "Every Pokemon here is beautiful...in their own way."

A bemused look formed on Zane's face. "You remind me of my childhood friend Suzie..."

"Y-you know Suzie?" Ash was just as surprised.

Zane nodded. "We've been best friends and friendly rivals for a long time. But one thing I've never really understood about her was why she keeps going on and on about inner beauty--how can you measure that when it's inside of you, when you can usually see and admire an outward appearance?"

"Maybe an outward appearance reflects the beauty on the inside?" Ash suggested before turning to leave.

"We'll go with that, then." Zane replied before returning to the Ninetales.

Ash, meanwhile, spotted Misty looking over nail polish bottles. "There you are! We were getting worried about you!"

"Oh, I just saw all the nail polish brands on offer, and wanted to look around." Misty explained. "I thought I let Brock know where I would be, but I do appreciate your kind concern."

She pointed out a large open area in another exhibit hall, where people were beginning to gather around a stage. "Brock's already backstage tuning up and getting ready, if you're curious."

"I'm intrigued as to what version of 'Beauty and the Beast' he's going to tell..." Ash mused as Suzie and Zane arrived...

---------

"Number K-93098, performing the tale 'The Singing Rose'." the emcee announced, to some applause.

"I've never heard of this one..." Suzie mused.

"It's a version of 'Beauty and the Beast' from at home in Kanto..." Zane replied. "I know, cause that's always been your favorite story..."

Onstage, the lights appeared on Brock, guitar in hand. "Once upon a time, there was a king who had three daughters--their names are not important to us just yet." he began, playing a relaxed melody to compose his thoughts as he spoke. "They were beautiful beyond compare, and each of them had passed her sixteenth year of life. The king thought long and hard about which of them would succeed him, but he did not know which one to choose. One day he summoned all three and said to them..."

"My dear children, I am now old and frail, and every day is a gift." he explains in a gentle older man voice for the king. "Before I die, I wish to bring everything in my realm into order and name one of you as the heir to my throne and my realm. Therefore, go forth into the wild world, and whoever can bring back a singing rose will inherit my throne, and she shall be queen of the land."

As himself, he continues over a "traveling" melody "When the three daughters had heard this, they tearfully took leave of their old father, then set forth for foreign lands, each taking a different path."

The guitar's song turned foreboding as Brock went on. "It happened that the youngest and most beautiful of the three--we'll call her Maya--had to go through a dark forest. But she had no fear, because all kinds of bird Pokemon were singing at the same time."

Some in the crowd--Suzie included--laughed as Brock proceeded to mimic a Fletchling song, still playing his guitar all the while. "But It began to get dark, the bird Pokemon flew to their nests, and after a while, you could've heard a pin drop, it was so still." he continues as his last note fades away.

He then plays a harmonic D note. "Then suddenly a bright, beautiful, loud tone rang through the forest--that came from neither bird Pokemon nor humans, and she immediately thought, 'That can only be the singing rose'." Brock went on.

The audience listens as Brock plays a few more harmonic notes and chords, to Zane's awe. "She hurried on in the direction that the marvelous sounds seemed to be coming from. She had not walked very far before she saw a large, old-fashioned castle on a cliff. She eagerly climbed up to the castle and knocked three times on the massive door."

"Nice touch..." Zane mused as Brock gently tapped his instrument three times to mimic a knock. "First the voices, and now his own sound effects?"

"He's only getting warmed up!" Ash smiled. Misty nodded in agreement.

"Finally the gate opened with a creaking sound..." Some laughter went up as Brock slowly moved his hand up the guitar neck, creating a sound that more or less sounded like a squeaking gate. "...and an old man with a long, white beard looked out."

"What is your wish?" he grumpily asks in an older version of himself for the old man.

"I would like a singing rose." he replies in a mimic of Suzie for Princess Maya. "Do you have such a thing in your garden?"

"Yes indeed."

"What will you take for it, if I could get it from you?"

"You need give me nothing for the singing rose. You can have it today, but as payment, I will come to you in seven years and bring you back with me to this, my castle."

"Just bring me the valuable flower!"

Now Zane was impressed as some people applauded Brock's vocal dexterity. "I can't think of too many guys that can realistically mimic a girl..."

He was snapped back to reality by Brock saying "You have to understand that Princess Maya was thinking only about the singing rose and the kingdom, but not about what would happen after seven years."

Brock continues "The old man went back into the castle, and returned soon with a full, glowing rose. It was singing so beautifully that Princess Maya's heart jumped for joy. She eagerly reached out her hand, and as soon as she had the flower in her hands she ran down the mountain like a Sawsbuck."

He started a relaxed melody as he went on "Princess Maya wandered the entire night through the dark forest with her rose. Her pleasure in the singing flower and the inherited kingdom caused her to forget all fear. The rose sang the entire way; and the louder and more beautifully it sang, the faster Princess Maya hurried on toward her homeland."

With that, he sang in Italian L'arcobaleno é la mia scia
che navigo in cerca di quella montagna di luce all'alba melodia
mi portano indietro ad un tempo passato,
colori immersi nella scia dell'arcobaleno
che giocano in cielo
il vento mi sospinge, eh via!
raggiungo le onde dei sette mari
gli uccelli che volano alti nel cielo d'oriente
la rotta è sicura quell'isola cela un tesoro
All'alba io vedrò le sette terre
che il destino vuole farmi trovare davvero
oh, dolce melodia sprigioni vita
e mi fai cantare forte un messaggio d'amore
per sempre tu sarai in fondo all'anima
così che neanche il tempo ci può separare
oh, dolce melodia sprigioni vita
e mi fai cantare forte un messaggio d'amore...

Dolce melodia...

When the applause for his song dies down, Brock continues "She arrived home and told her father everything that had happened, and the rose sang beautifully. Immeasurable joy ruled in the castle, and the king gave one celebration after another. Soon the two older sisters returned, empty handed. So Princess Maya became the heir, although the old father continued to rule. The royal family lived beautiful, joyful days. Day after day and year after year slipped by like seconds."

A foreboding melody quiets the "aw"s in the crowd. "Finally the seventh year came to an end, and on the first day of the eighth year the old man from the castle appeared before the king and demanded from him the daughter who had brought home the singing rose." Brock intones. "The king presented to him his oldest daughter, but the old man rejected her. When the king saw that he could not get away with deception, he turned over Maya, the youngest and dearest of his children, with a heavy heart."

"No..." Suzie gasped, choking back tears all the while.

"Princess Maya had to go with the grumbling old man to his castle." Brock went on over the sad melody he is playing. "She was understandably very sad, for she had no one there except for her old master. Day after day she thought about her father and her sisters. Of course, there were other pleasures in abundance, but they did not comfort her, for she did not have the company of her loved ones. Her thoughts were always in her homeland. Furthermore, all the doors and chests in the castle were locked, and the old man did not let her have access to even a single key."

Intrigued murmurs go up at this. "One day she learned--I don't know where-- that her oldest sister was to marry a neighboring prince, and that the wedding would take place in a few days. She went to the old man and asked him for permission to attend her sister's wedding." Brock continues.

"Just go!" he growls as the old man. "But I am telling you now, do not laugh even once during the entire wedding day. If you disobey my order, I will tear you into a thousand pieces. I myself will continually be by your side, and if you as much as open your mouth to laugh, it will be over with you. Pay heed!"

As himself, Brock continues "Princess Maya thought that this would be easy to follow, and on the appointed day, she appeared with the old man at her sister's wedding. Joy ruled in the king's castle when they saw the long missing queen returning. She was very happy and took advantage of the day, but she did not forget the old man's order, and she did not open her mouth to laugh even once. That evening. she had to part from her loved ones, and she sadly returned to the lonely castle with her companion, if you could call him that."

Ash softly growls in anger. What would possess someone to keep an innocent person prisoner?

Brock's voice snaps him from his thoughts. "Then the rumor flew that the other sister would marry soon. This excited her again, and she asked the old man if she could attend her second sister's wedding too. But this time, the old man warned her that she was not allowed to speak a single word the entire day."

The intrigued murmurs intensify as he continues "Princess Maya thought that this would be easy to follow, and on the appointed day she appeared with the old man at her sister's wedding. Joy ruled in the king's castle when they saw the long missing queen returning. Everyone ran out to meet her. They greeted her and welcomed her and asked her about everything. But she pretended that she had a sore throat, and did not allow a single sound to escape from her beautiful lips. But this time she did not keep up her courage as well as the last time, and that evening when everyone was talking together, a stray 'Oh' slipped out. The old man quickly jumped up, took her by the hand, and led her out of the hall and back to his lonely castle."

"All that for just a single word????" Misty gasps in horror.

The grin on Brock's face assures Misty and the crowd all hope isn't lost for Maya yet. "One day when she was sadly walking through the garden where the rose had previously blossomed and sung, the old man came to her and said...

"Your majesty, if tomorrow while it is noon you can kill me, then everything that you find in the castle will be yours, and you will be free from your vow!" he instructs as the old man.

As himself, he intones "Princess Maya took heart from the old man's speech and decided to attempt this dangerous deed."

The audience listens as Brock describes the harrowing scene. "The next day, the old man appeared a little before noon and uncovered his neck. She drew the sword that she had hung about her waist, and as the castle clock struck one..." He plays a soft harmonic C note to represent a clock chime. "...she swung the sword, running him through."

The crowd winces, and "ooh"s go up as Brock plays a hard chord to represent the old man's demise. "But then, something weird happened--instead of blood, a key fell from the gash before the body disappeared in a plume of smoke. It opened all the chests and doors in the entire castle. There Princess Maya found many, many precious things, and she was no longer bound by her rash promise."

He smiles as he looks out on the enthralled audience. "It goes without saying Princess Maya succeeded her father's throne, and ruled happily and well for a long time." he concludes as he plays a festive flourish to signal his tale's end.

The convention center roared with applause, but Suzie's and Zane's were the loudest. "You know...I think I finally understand what you mean by inner beauty." Zane began as the group watched the judges award Brock a yellow stripe.

"Oh?" Suzie asked.

"It's not something you can actively measure, but you can see it in other ways--the kindness of a friend, the courage of a Pokemon, the joy of someone who clearly loves to share their talents..." Zane explained, acknowledging Brock as he rejoined the group. "and of course...the beauty in nature."

Suzie just smiled. "I'm just glad we both got to watch a beautiful performance together...as friends."

To Be Continued...