Pokemon Moonlight Silver (COMPLETE!!!) [Archive]

EmeraldSky

07-30-2016, 08:50 PM

Episode 1: New Friends, New Foes

Ami smiled as she walked alongside her master.

"That's good." Ash smiled as Tintri bounded aboard his shoulder. After the encounter with Suicune the night before, the evening had gone without incident--they had eaten dinner, while Brock had shared some of the millions of stories he had learned from books and people from around the world that had visited Pewter Gym over the years.

"So, what was the Crystal Onix?" Brock's question snapped Ash back to reality.

"Exactly what it says on the box--a special Onix with a body made out of glass crystal." Ash continued his story. "A little girl named Marissa was the one that wrote the message. She wanted to find the Crystal Onix to help her brother, Mateo, find the inspiration to make glass Pokémon statues. Mateo told us about how his grandfather discovered the Crystal Onix, and then was able to make extraordinary sculptures for years afterwards--and one of those sculptures included the Crystal Onix itself."

"I hate to interrupt the nostalgic story, but we're here." Misty interrupted, pointing out a signpost in the distance.

Brock hurried on ahead and examined the sign. "Welcome to New Bark Town--the town where winds of a new beginning blow....I'd say we're here."

"I can see why it's called that." Ash smiled as he looked out on the rooftops of the buildings and the many Cheri trees that lined the streets, sending cascades of pinkish white petals twirling to the ground. Lush green mountains loomed over the town, giving off both a sense of the familiar and something totally new.

"Wow...it's beautiful...." Misty smiled as she and Ash caught up to Brock, allowing them to see the town in the distance.

"And that huge red domed building on that hill to the west might be the local professor's lab--let's go see if he's here!" With that, Ash was moments away from dashing off towards the building until he felt a familiar hand pulling him back. "What the?"

"Easy, cowboy--I know you're excited about this whole new world we're going to see here, but first impressions still count." Brock reminded his excited companion. "So let's go there together." Ash just sighed in reply.

After making their way up the hill to the domed building, Ash balked when he saw a boy with long red hair pacing the grass near the western end of the building. "I wonder who that is?" he wondered as the boy paced back and forth, periodically looking in the windows or musing to himself.

Misty reared back at the red and black shirt the boy was wearing, complete with jeans that nearly looked purple and matching red and black shoes. "I don't know, but he looks like bad news to me!"

"So this is the famous Elm Pokemon Lab..." the boy mused before noticing Ash and the others staring at him. "What are YOU looking at, hat-boy?" he growled at Ash. "Go on! Get lost! Shoo!"

"Okay, okay, we're going..." Ash sighed before he motioned for the others to follow him inside the lab.

"I'd love to give that jerk a piece of my mind..." Misty grumbled as the group made their way inside the lab's main room, where the professor, a bespectacled young man will dull brown hair, was in the middle of speaking to a black haired boy wearing a gold and black cap, and a brown haired girl wearing a large and puffy white hat.

"...So while all three can be equally helpful to you, choosing the one best suited to your abilities will help you dramatically on your adventures." the professor explained before he noticed Ash. "So this must be the famous Ash that my colleague Professor Oak was telling me about!" he smiled. "Allow me to extend a hearty welcome to Johto to you and your friends."

"The pleasure's all mine." Ash replied before giving Dexter and his trainer card to Professor Elm to update. "These are my companions, Misty..." Misty waved hello before shepherding Ami by her side. "and Brock." Brock waved hello before leafing through a bookshelf for a guidebook of the region.

"These two are Ethan and Lyra--they're about ready to leave on their own journeys." Professor Elm went on. "It may be a good idea for the three of you to share your experiences so they know what to expect on their travels."

"Well, for one thing, never leave a bike unattended around an electric type!" Misty began.

Everyone roared with laughter as Ash turned beet red with embarrassment. [I] She has no idea of how many lawns I had to mow and how many times I had to clean the bathroom to pay her back...

"Second of all, know thy type chart and know it well." Brock added as he finally pulled a suitable guidebook from the bookshelf.

"And third, if you run into a boy and a girl in white garb with red R's on them and a talking Meowth, run FAR away in the other direction!" Ash warned. "They'll steal any Pokemon they can get their hands on, and are STILL chasing me for my Pikachu!"

"Believe me, we heard about Team Rocket and the Mewtwo incident." Ethan assured Ash. "But we'll keep our eyes peeled for those goons anyway."

"They've chased you across Kanto?" Lyra gasped. "That's dedication...but don't worry--they won't find you here."

"Now then...shall we let you two choose your starters?" Prof. Elm offered as he led Ethan, Lyra, and the group over to a platform where a green creature with a leaf on its head, a tiny porcupine creature with flaming quills, and a small blue alligator creature milled about on a platform.

"Aw!" Lyra gasped when she saw the green creature. "I want this one!"

"Chikorita...good choice." Prof. Elm smiled as he watched Lyra cuddle with the Chikorita.

Piqued, Ash decided to read up on the tiny leaf creature:

"Chikorita, the leaf Pokemon. Its pleasantly aromatic leaves have the ability to check humidity and temperature." Dexter explained as Prof. Elm left Lyra a Pokedex of her own and a string of five Poke Balls, not wanting to interrupt the intimate moment between trainer and Pokemon.

"I'll call you..." Lyra thought for a moment for a suitable name for her new Chikorita. "Hana!"

"Good choice..." Brock smiled. "and a very appropriate one should it evolve to its final form, since it means 'flower'."

He was about to show Lyra a picture in the guidebook when Lyra politely waved him away. "Um, that's okay! I want to see all Hana's forms for myself."

Just then, a huge crash surprised everyone. "What was that?" Ethan gasped before looking towards the door and gasping.

Ethan's gasp spurred Ash to look towards the doorway--only to find the same red haired boy he had encountered before!

Professor Elm was equally horrified by the boy's appearance. "Kamon...I thought I said you were not leaving on a journey this year! Not until you learned to treat Pokemon with respect!"

"Pfft...who cares about respect?" Kamon replied as he sauntered into the room, making Hana shudder in fear as he approached the table with the two remaining Pokemon. "If this is the only day I can get a Pokemon, then I'm gonna get one!"

The porcupine creature angrily displayed its fiery quills as Kamon reached out for it, making him reconsider. The alligator creature growled as Kamon's hand approached it. "Feisty little guy, aren't we?" Kamon sneered as he reached to take the tiny blue alligator in his arms.

"Kamon, no! I wanted Totodile!" Ethan pleaded. "Besides, if the professor said you couldn't have a Pokemon this year, that's a rule!"

"So? Rules were made to be broken." Kamon chuckled before grabbing the Totodile and bolting for the door.

"After him!" Lyra called as she heard the Totodile's fearful squawk.

As Ash, Misty and Brock followed Lyra down the path, Ash silently hoped that they could catch the red haired delinquent and give Ethan the Pokemon he had wanted...

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

08-02-2016, 10:33 PM

Episode 2: Put Down the 'Dile

Ash fumed with anger as he eyed the red haired boy carrying the panicked Totodile. Kamon...we may have just met, but we've already started off on the wrong foot by your so brazenly stealing a Pokemon that was very clearly meant for someone else; plus openly defying the professor!

As the group rounded a corner, Ash spotted a police alarm on a pole and pressed it as he ran by. So now I'm gonna have you answer for your crimes!

The group eventually cornered Kamon and the Totodile inside a garden in the town square, where Kamon's only escape route was out the way they had entered. "You've got nowhere to go now..." Misty warned as she approached Kamon. "So will you give back the Totodile, or what?"

"You and what army, sweetheart?" Kamon replied with a huff as he struggled to keep a grip on the squirming Totodile in his arms.

"Me and THIS army!" Misty replied as she heaved all four of her Poke Balls skyward, summoning Ami, a muscular blue duck Pokemon, a blue seahorse Pokemon with spikes on its back, and a purple starfish Pokemon with a red jewel as its core.

"Nice, a fan of Water Pokemon." Kamon smiled. "I suppose you want this one back because you wanna add it to your collection?"

"No--I want it back because it was promised to a friend before you decided to swipe him, and I intend to bring him back to his rightful trainer." Misty replied.

"And if I don't?" Kamon shot back.

"I have backup." Misty confidently grinned as Tintri charged an angry spark. "I also have a user of a Mega Ring with Z Crystals inside, who can call forth a powerful attack just by his Heart Song, not just Mega Evolve Pokemon."

"Oh look, Squinty-eyes is gonna cast a spell on me...I'm so scared." Kamon sarcastically replied, moments before the Totodile bit his finger. "YIPE!!!"

"Mr. Totodile's had enough of your attitude, I'd wager." Brock began as Kamon winced at his throbbing finger that was beginning to slightly bleed.

With that, he held his Mega Ring to the sky and sang Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... making a green crystal in the circle of crystals surrounding the emerald in the ring glow.

"GAH!!!" Kamon yelped as he was surrounded in a torrent of red rose petals, forcing him to drop the Totodile. The Totodile wasted no time running into Ash's arms, enthralled by the swirling red tornado its captor was trapped inside.

When the rose tornado dissipated some moments later, Kamon spat out a few stray petals. "First of all, what in Arceus' name did you just do?"

"Easy--I invoked a Z Crystal on my Mega Ring." Brock replied, showing Kamon his Mega Ring, a gold ring with an emerald surrounded by a rainbow of crystals sandwiched between ivy inlays. "This way I or a Pokemon of mine can use a powerful attack when the chips are down, or I can command my Pokemon to evolve to an even more powerful form, albeit temporarily."

Kamon just brushed off more rose petals. "Okay, fine...you can have the Totodile back. But next time we meet, don't think a magic spell's gonna save you!" With that, he climbed over the garden's northernmost wall and hurried off into the crowds of people, oblivious to the wailing siren approaching where he had been moments before.

Officer Jenny arrived moments later. "We received your report of a kidnapped Pokemon here, but it appears the culprit got away."

"The perp was a boy with long red hair." Ash explained as Misty shot Brock a warning glance. "He had on a red and black shirt, with jeans that nearly looked purple, and matching red and black shoes."

"All right...is there anything else you can tell me about our suspect?" Officer Jenny asked as she wrote down Ash's description of Kamon. "Such as if you've seen him elsewhere or what his name was?"

"His name was Kamon, Officer." Misty replied. "We found him hanging around Prof. Elm's lab not long after he arrived in town."

"Let's go back to the lab, and see what we can learn from the scene of the crime." Officer Jenny suggested. "I'll meet you three there."

---------

"I can't even begin to thank you for saving the Totodile I was going to give Ethan..." Prof. Elm smiled as Officer Jenny dusted the lab for fingerprints. "How can I ever repay you?"

Brock, meanwhile, was more interested in Officer Jenny. "I may have cornered a perp or three in my day, but maybe you can help me find my stolen heart--!"

This was as far as he got before Misty's Seadra sprayed him, much to Ethan and Lyra's delight. [That will be QUITE enough, loverboy!] she scolded as one of Prof. Elm's assistants gave Brock a towel to dry off.

"Thanks, Spritz--I didn't even have to drag him away this time!" Misty smiled as she hugged her Seadra.

"Well, what's important is the Totodile is safe and sound." Prof. Elm grinned as he gently placed the Totodile in Ethan's arms.

"Yes, that's always a good thing." Officer Jenny agreed before turning to leave. "Thank you all for pitching in with the investigation--we'll do whatever it takes to bring the punk that snatched this Totodile to justice."

"Thank goodness the Totodile's okay..." Lyra smiled. "You'd make a much better master for him than that red haired jerk."

Ethan grinned at Ash. "Thank you so much for rescuing Totodile for me--how can I ever repay you?"

"Just promise me this--that you will take good care of him and train him well." Ash replied as he and Ethan embraced as friends.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Scytherwolf

08-02-2016, 11:03 PM

This is an interesting idea, and I'm curious to see where you go with this (also excited to see Heracross come in!).

At first I was really confused as to who Ami and Tintri were (and which was which). I think that should have had a bit of explanation rather than just saying the names (if this is related to another story, I haven't read it, so a brief bit explaining it would be good).

I liked the description of the town. I think some parts could use more description, such as when the totodile was stolen. You could also put more description into the actions of the pokemon, which will also give them more personality.

Interesting that the crystal onix was mentioned. I wonder what role that will play in the story. I was also surprised that mega evolution was a part of this. I think you should have the story explain how and why they have that.

Your spelling and grammar was good and I didn't see any typos or any really weirdly worded parts. And you seem to write a lot of stories here. Keep it up!

EmeraldSky

08-03-2016, 12:23 AM

Scytherwolf--If you're curious, Tintri is Ash's Pikachu, and Ami is Misty's Marill (a new character for this story)

Unfortunately, Heracross was one of the Pokemon I had to cut while planning the story, as that episode would mean having to introduce Team Rocket when I had a very specific place I wanted to put them (Azelea Town, as they do in the games--so enjoy the Jessie and James appearances when they do happen, because they're not going to be appearing constantly.)

I will admit description is one of my weak points, but part of my problem is where to strike a balance between too much and too little. As for the Pokemon getting personality, that is coming, don't worry.

I put the Crystal Onix reference because I figured Ash would want to tell Brock about his adventures in the Orange Islands, and decided this would be the perfect anecdote to tell. It has no real significance barring an attempt to establish a friendship.

I do have an explanation for why Mega Evolution and Gen 7 mechanics are in Johto, but that's not until a little later on (around Ecruteak City)

EmeraldSky

08-07-2016, 02:05 AM

Episode 3: Stepping Up to the Plate

The trio departed New Bark Town the next morning in high spirits. "I'm glad that Ethan finally got his Totodile." Ash smiled. "But I still wonder--why did Kamon want him?"

"Some people are just naturally punks out to make trouble." Brock sighed. "Kamon might be one of those people."

"You have to admit, that Cyndaquil was so brave!" Misty smiled. "But I wonder what would've happened if Kamon had snatched Hana and made Lyra panic?"

[Speaking of Chikoritas, look over there.] Tintri interrupted, pointing out a grassy spot by the roadside.

"Okay, team! In order to win the Capture the Flag event, you all need to work together!" a female voice explained as Ash carefully tiptoed up to a bush and peeked through it, where he could see a purple haired girl in a yellow and black pinstripe outfit addressing a Chikorita, a small brown bird Pokemon with a pink beak, and a tiny purple rat Pokemon. "Camden! You naturally have the advantage at this event due to your wings. Fenway! You can run fast on the ground, and speed is key to finding the flags. But I especially wanna work with you today, Wrigley..." the girl smiled as she knelt down to pet the Chikorita. "You may not be able to run fast, but you can power past our rivals!"

"Um, forgive me for interrupting, but what's going on?" Ash asked as he climbed through the bush to join the girl and her three Pokemon on the field.

"We're training for the Pokethlon--an athletic competition just for Pokemon." the girl explained. "Name's Casey--I've dreamed of Pokethlon glory since I was little."

"Sounds like fun!" Ash smiled. "I'm Ash...and these are my friends Misty and Brock." he smiled as Misty and Brock joined him on the field.

"Today my team and I are practicing the Capture the Flag Pokethlon event." Casey explained as she gestured to the rainbow of flags hidden under rocks, in tree hollows, in bushes, and buried in the grass. "The object of the event is to find as many of the flags hidden around the course as you can--either one Pokemon can do it alone, or a team of three can do it together. Since this is just practice, I'm having each of my Pokemon make an individual run on my makeshift course first."

She balked when she looked in her bag. "Great...I forgot my stopwatch and my whistle..."

"Here--my Pokenav has a stopwatch app." Misty offered.

"I've got a whistle..." Brock offered before retrieving his own referee's whistle from his bag and hanging it around his neck.

Casey grinned. "Nice, a Kanto Screamer! Those are some of the best whistles for outdoor competition. But the Pokethlon isn't just for competing on the land--there are also water and aerial courses, too."

"Really?" Misty gasped, her eyes sparkling over the thought of her Pokemon competing in a water Pokethlon. "Where do I sign up?"

"The main stadium is nearby the National Park, not far from Goldenrod City." Casey went on. "Once you sign up, you can compete at any stadium. The winners receive medals akin to the Olympics, and those that earn eight medallions earn the right to compete in the Grand Pokethlon during the Pokemon League."

She turned business-like again. "So...let's see how Wrigley does on my makeshift course."

"Okay!" Brock announced. "Ready? Set?"

The whistle echoed through the trees as Wrigley dashed from hollow, to rock, to bush, picking up each of the flags her master had hidden as she circled around the field, only pausing to drop the flags at her master's feet when she had gathered them all.

"One minute and forty-eight seconds." Misty announced as she showed Casey Wrigley's time.

"Not bad, Wrigley." Casey petted her Chikorita before gathering up the flags. "Got any swift runners on your team, Ash?"

"Well, I've got my Pikachu Tintri, but I don't think he's that fast..." Ash stammered.

"I'll hide the flags in the same places, and see if your Pikachu does any better than Wrigley." Casey offered. "Even if he wins by one second!" she called as she hurried off to hide the flags again.

Ash drew a line in the grass to serve as a starting line. "Remember, you need to beat a minute and forty-eight seconds." he reminded Tintri.

[Not too shabby for a Chikorita, but I think I can beat that!] Tintri grinned as Casey returned.

Brock waited for Misty to reset the stopwatch, then announced "Ready? Set?" before blowing the whistle again, spurring Tintri to race through the grass.

He found the first one buried in the grass, then retrieved the second one sticking out from a bush. The first hollow he checked was empty, but found the third flag under a nearby rock. He circled around to a log and grabbed the fourth flag from inside before finding the fifth flag in a dusty pit. After jumping over the tiny pit, he found the sixth flag in a bush near another hollow tree, and the last flag beneath a rock before hurrying back to the line.

Misty studied the stopwatch. "One minute and thirty-five seconds!"

"Wow!" Casey gasped. "Almost 13 seconds off Wrigley's time! What's your secret?"

"There is no secret..." a familiar male voice interrupted. "Ash only won because he cheated."

"WHAT???" Casey gasped in horror at what the voice had said.

Misty looked up to see Kamon perched in a tree overlooking the field. "How dare you suggest Ash is cheating?" she growled.

"Easy--having seen the course before, Ash knew where all the flags were, and told his Pikachu their locations before making his run." Kamon explained. "Simple as that!"

"Now, wait just a minute!" Ash protested. "I did no such thing! Tintri ran the course without me telling him anything!"

"Are you sure?" Casey asked, a stern look on her face.

A whistle silenced the impending argument. "Everyone, please!" Brock pleaded. "Rather than arguing over what Ash did or did not do to allow Tintri to finish with a faster time, I have a simple solution--have Tintri and Wrigley run the exact same course at the same time. If Tintri finishes within ten seconds of Wrigley, he ran the course fair and square. If Tintri finishes with a higher margin than that, then we have a case that he may have cheated, or Wrigley was just plain overmatched."

"Sounds fair to me." Casey replied.

"All right then..." Brock replied before waiting for Misty to reset the stopwatch. "Pokemon! Take your mark!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Scytherwolf

08-07-2016, 04:45 AM

Haha, imagining the pokemon running to get the flags is really cute. x3 I've always liked chikorita. I think you did pretty good with description on this one, but I think it could still use a bit more. Even just a little detail here and there would add a bit more to it, I think. Stupid Kamon, why does he have to butt into their business? Though it will be interesting to see how the race turns out. I figure pikachu will win due to speed, but I guess we'll see.

EmeraldSky

08-07-2016, 06:24 AM

Scytherwolf--Kamon essentially replaces Team Rocket in the episode (since I don't want them showing up till Azalea Town)

Capture the Flag is based on the pennant chase in the real Pokethlon seen in HG/SS (and I felt this would be appropriate based on Casey's baseball theme--you'll notice I named her Pokemon after three famous ballparks. (Wrigley Field, Fenway Park, and Camden Yards)

As for whether Ash will defend his honor--you'll have to find out tomorrow!

EmeraldSky

08-10-2016, 10:20 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 4: A Home Run for Honor

"Okay, everyone..." Brock explained as he addressed Ash and Casey on the ground, as well as Kamon, who was still relaxed in the tree that overlooked the field. "We're going to have Wrigley and Tintri run the pennant race at the same time, using the exact same course both Pokemon ran separately before."

He then started over to where the first flag was buried in the grass. "Both competitors will have to keep an eye out for flags in the grass..." He then walked over to where the second flag was sticking out from a bush. "under rocks..." He gestured to the third flag hidden under a nearby rock. "in logs and tree hollows..." He circled around a log and pointed out the fourth flag hidden inside. "in pits..." He pointed out the fifth flag in a dusty pit. After carefully stepping over the tiny pit, he pointed out the sixth flag in a bush near another hollow tree. "in bushes..." He then made his way back to the line. "...before coming back around to the line."

He then addressed the two trainers. "If there is a large advantage between either competitor, there may be grounds that one of them got that advantage unfairly. If both Pokemon finish within a ten second difference of each other, Tintri ran the course fairly. Any questions or concerns before we begin the race?"

"No." Ash replied.

"That's fair to me." Casey smiled.

"What about you, birdwatcher?" Brock grinned at Kamon, who was sprawled in a makeshift hammock in the tree branches.

"Your proposed rules are fair." was all Kamon had to say, although he bristled at being called a birdwatcher. Mr. Referee's a little wordy, though--I managed to gather the materials for and make this hammock in the time it took to explain the course!

"Pokemon? Are you two ready?" Brock asked Wrigley and Tintri.

[Yeah!] Tintri replied.

Wrigley replied.

"All right...is the time keeper ready?" Brock glanced over at Misty.

"I have the clock set to stop when the first competitor crosses the line, but not stop completely until the other crosses the line." Misty explained. "That way we can see the difference in both times."

She set the stopwatch to zero. "On your whistle, Brock."

"Okay! On your marks...get set..." Brock announced before blowing his whistle, sending the Pikachu and the Chikorita tearing through the grass in search of the colored flags once again.

Tintri easily found the red flag in the grass, but Wrigley powered past him and snatched the orange flag in the bush. [i]She's quick... Tintri thought as he grabbed the yellow flag from the rock. I don't know if she's trained ever since she was caught, or has natural talent, but she loves to do this, and knows what she is doing.

He balked as Wrigley easy retrieved the fourth flag from the log. Wow...I thought she would struggle there, but I guess running every day does slim you down. he thought as he jumped over the small dusty pit, retrieving the flag on the way.

Try as Wrigley might to reach the blue flag, the wind from Tintri's jump knocked her backwards, but she recovered enough to catch up to him near the bush with the sixth flag. I know my Jump stat isn't the best, and we've been pretty close in the race so far, but something tells me the red headed boy was lying, and the Pikachu didn't cheat at all!

She effortlessly grabbed the last two flags before both Pokemon raced neck and neck towards the line, to the cheers of their human masters as Tintri just barely edged Wrigley to win.

"All right...what's the time difference?" Brock asked Misty as Ash and Casey hurried to tend to their exhausted Pokemon.

"There's a second and a half difference between Tintri and Wrigley." Misty reported. "A minute and forty-six seconds for Tintri against a minute and forty-eight for Wrigley."

"So that means Tintri ran the course fair and square all along!" Brock announced, to Ash's and Tintri's cheers.

Kamon just balked as he gathered up his hammock and climbed down from the tree. And hat-boy does it again...is he one of those do-no-wrong types, or something? he grumbled before starting off down the path. There's something about him...I don't know what, but I'm gonna find out!

Back in the field, Casey addressed Ash. "Ash...I'm sorry I accused you of cheating. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"Yeah...it was all Kamon's plot to rile us up all along." Ash smiled. "Besides, a Pokemon Master never cheats!"

"Speaking of Kamon, I think he's disappeared..." Brock noted when he saw that the tree Kamon was in moments earlier was empty.

"Couldn't handle being exposed as the real cheater, could he?" Casey grinned before addressing Ash. "Besides, you don't look like the type to cheat anyway."

"You'll have to tell me when the Pokethlon is gonna be--I'd come cheer both you and Misty on!" Ash smiled. "That is, if the land and water events don't happen at the same time."

Everyone laughed at this. "And you can come referee any time you want!" Casey smiled at Brock. "I'd know your Kanto Screamer anywhere."

Brock blushed a little, but replied "I believe you and Wrigley both will be great Pokethletes--since Misty's gonna be competing on the water track, you two just might compete in the Grand Pokethlon together."

With that, Misty and Casey linked pinky fingers. "Let's strive to reach the Grand Pokethlon together!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

08-13-2016, 08:05 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 5: A Land of Illusion

"You'd think we could do something besides look around the roadside..." Ash sighed as the group trudged down the road. It had been a few days since they had met the aspiring Pokethlete Casey, and they were nowhere near Violet City, much less civilization. There was also catching up to the red haired delinquent Kamon and demanding for him to tell them why he had snatched Ethan's Totodile despite being told he was not to leave on a journey, and an explanation into why he had accused Ash of cheating.

"Hate to break it to you, but the map says the nearest town is two days away." Brock replied, making Ash and Misty groan at the prospect of more walking. "But if you're bored, we could sing a song!"

With that, he belted out I liked to play my old guitar
And place it on my knee,
But then the strings got all broken
And it was no good to me.

So I took it to the music shop
To see what they could do
And now my strings are good as new
and I can play for you-oh!

I liked to play my old guitar
And place it on my knee,
But then the strings got all broken
And it was no good to me.... Misty and Ash joined in.

So I took it to the music shop
To see what they could do
And now my strings are good as new
and I can play for you-oh!

The song continued with gusto for several miles, with Brock beginning another rendition as soon as the previous one ended. But after a few repetitions, the song was beginning to grate on Misty's nerves. "Okay, can we sing about something other than old guitars?" she asked.

"Sure!" Brock then sang When I went down to the western port to buy an old chemise
The first thing I picked up in my hand I found it full of fleas...

Laughter and "ew"s rang through the air as Brock continued How much do you want for that old thing, Eighteen coins says she
Eighteen coins for that old thing, do you think I am a fool-oh?

Kitty pallalla pallalla pall-lie, kitty pallalla pall-lie-lo
Kitty pallalla pallalla pall-lie, me whack follol le nai-do...

He eagerly started the second verse, but stopped when he spotted a signpost in the distance. So I took it home...and... I washed it out, and hung it...up..to...dry...

"What's the matter?" Misty asked as she and Ash caught up to Brock. "I wanted to hear more about that rotted old chemise!"

Brock studied the signpost for a moment. "Warning, Forest of Illusion ahead. It's dangerous to go alone."

"Someone's been playing too many video games!" Ash declared. "How dangerous could one forest be?"

"Plenty--there's bugs, and wild Pokemon, and huge tree roots to trip over..." Misty replied, counting the hazards on her fingers.

"Not to mention will-o-wisps, old witches that eat people, and giants." Brock added, but trailed off when he saw Ash running on ahead. "Too late..."

"Ash, wait for us!" Misty called as she and Brock hurried to catch up to Ash.

---------

"Strange...we've been walking around in circles for the last hour..." Brock sighed as the group returned to where they had started for the sixth time that afternoon. "Maybe whoever wrote that sign wasn't kidding when they said this place was called the Forest of Illusion..."

"Haven't you guys ever played Super Mario World?" Ash grinned. "All we have to do is find a secret exit, and we'll be out of here in no time flat!"

"We'll be spending the night here in no time flat at this rate!" Misty grumbled as she followed Ash down another forest path.

Just then a howl got Misty's attention. "That wasn't a were-Mightyena, was it?"

"It's not even nighttime, Misty." Brock assured his jittery companion. "It's not even a full m--WAUGH!' he yelped when he appeared to see a spooky face on a tree!

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!" Misty screeched as she saw another spooky face on a tree near her. "The forest is alive!"

"RUN!" Ash called, motioning for the group to follow him as they tried to escape the spooky trees, only to find more spooky faced trees, rocks, and plants at every turn.

Just as they rounded the corner to regroup, a red aura flashed through the forest, making everything return to normal. "Everyone okay?" Brock asked as the group collected their bearings.

"I wanna know what that flash was..." Ash replied as he brushed some dust from his shirt and picked some burrs stuck to his vest.

"That was a Foresight attack, Ash." a familiar voice replied. "There is a reason why this place is called the Forest of Illusion--that howl and all those spooky faces? All illusions."

Ash's sense of relief turned to annoyance when he saw who had spoken emerge from a bush--Gary! Piqued, he took out Dexter to read up on the small brown owl Pokemon at Gary's side:

"Hoothoot, the owl Pokémon. It stands on one leg, but uses both its powerful eyes to see clearly even through the darkest night. Dexter explained.

"That includes seeing through what is an illusion." Gary went on. "The sign at the forest entrance wasn't kidding when it said it was dangerous to go alone--so what made you think you could?"

"And here you were saying it was just a video game..." Misty smirked, making Ash sweatdrop with embarrassment.

"At any rate, you're gonna need a Hoothoot to get out of here in one piece and chase after that red haired punk you're chasing." Gary smiled. "Last I checked, he was stuck in this forest too."

"Okay, Mr. Know it all, where can we find a Hoothoot?" Ash challenged.

Gary pointed down a path to the south. "Just follow that path due south, and you'll find the house of the old hag that rents'em out. Once you make it out, they find their way back to her."

"Thanks, we think..." Ash stammered--this was the first time in a long time that he remembered Gary being nice to him.

"Anytime--even rivals have to look out for each other." Gary grinned. "Until then, smell ya later!" With that, he departed with his Hoothoot in tow.

Brock sighed. "Come on, guys...let's head south."

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

08-18-2016, 12:15 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 6: Some Way Out

"West...south....west..." Kamon mused, only looking up from his map to see that he was back where he had started again. "Errgh...the sign at the entry sure wasn't kidding when it said this place was called the Forest of Illusion."

A devious smile formed on his face when he saw the group headed south. Wonder Boy and pals again...maybe if I follow them, I might be able to get out of this nightmare! he thought as he discretely dashed from bush to bush, making sure to keep the Trio in sight.

Meanwhile, Misty noticed a flash of movement behind her. "Was that another illusion?"

"Nope--I saw something following us." Brock replied as the group approached a rickety old cabin in a clearing that had clearly seen better days.

He noticed a rope near the door. "Please ring bell for assistance."

Ash tensely approached the bell rope and gave it a few hesitant tugs, making a few soft clonks fill the air. "I know you're scared, but if you want whoever lives here to hear us, you have to ring the bell good and loud!" Misty exclaimed, giving the bell rope a few hard pulls.

The resulting clangs started some bird Pokemon from their roosts, and it was not long before an old woman with obviously dyed auburn hair appeared in the doorway. "Yeah? What do you need?" she deadpanned.

Ash froze in fear about how intimidating the woman looked, despite her small size and frail appearance. "Um, we'll go ask for directions somewhere else, thanks." he nervously stammered, and tried to sneak back down the path without his companions noticing.

"Hold it right there, scaredy-Meowth!" the woman snapped as she pulled Ash back. "You will need my help if you three want to get out of the forest safely."

"W-who are you?" Even Misty seemed frightened.

"Name's Hagatha--I've lived here raising and caring for Hoothoots to guide the travelers that come through here." the woman replied. "You have seen the power of the Forest of Illusion, and it is said that those that seek to venture through without a Hoothoot's guiding eyes will never see the light of day again."

Brock swallowed hard. "Do you happen to have any Hoothoots we can use?"

Hagatha thought for a moment. "At the moment, all my other ones are out guiding travelers at the moment, but I do have one left..."

She smiled as a small Hoothoot waddled by her side. "This is Shinko, one of my hatchlings. She's still learning the art of discerning illusion and guiding, but if you're willing to take a chance, I am willing to lend her to you."

"We'll take her!" Ash smiled as he gently picked up the small Hoothoot. "All she needs is a good trainer to teach her, and she'll be guiding people easily!"

---------

"You were saying about Shinko only needing a good trainer?" Misty grumbled as Shinko hesitantly led the trio back near the forest entryway.

"Ever since we left Hagatha's cabin, we've walked in circles five times before she found the right way, more spooky trees, walked upside down, seen pink Donphan, blue grass, and green sky, heard flowers sing, and seen mushrooms dance." Brock sighed, his voice growing more frustrated with every illusion he listed.

Just then, Ash saw Shinko shaking in fear. "What is it, Shinko?" he asked.

He yelped in fear as a blue will-o-wisp surprised him! "Shinko, use Foresight!" he nearly screamed as more and more will-o-wisps surrounded the group.

"Yes, please use Foresight!" Misty pleaded.

A hopeful smile formed on Ash's face as Shinko's eyes started to glow, but then faded away as more will-o-wisps appeared. "Errgh...Shinko, I know you can do this! Use Foresight!"

"Shinko, will you help us? Please?" Misty asked.

Shinko nodded, but moments before she attempted using the attack, she squawked as the will-o-wisps combined into a massive blue fire spirit, and fluttered off!

"Shinko!" Misty hurried after the little Hoothoot, with the boys not far behind her.

As the group tore through the brush, Kamon peeked from a bush. "It's official...Wonder Boy has gone nuts..." he sighed before hiding back in the bush, where he could see the group catching their breaths in a clearing.

"Everyone okay?" Brock asked after he composed himself.

"I think so..." Misty replied before addressing Shinko. "Shinko...I know you're terrified of the illusions as much as we are, but Hoothoots are born and raised to guide people through places like this. So will you be brave, and help us through here?"

Shinko nodded, making Misty grin. "Thank you!"

Ash balked at how Shinko was easily doing as Misty told her. "How come Shinko listens to Misty and not me?"

"Maybe because Misty doesn't yell at her and remembers to say 'please'?" Brock replied.

"What does manners have to do with--!" Ash started before noticing Shinko trembling again. "Huh?"

He saw a flash of red and heard footsteps as someone fled from a bush. "Kamon!" he gasped."

"Now he's the one that's nuts..." Misty smiled at what she thought was Ash standing by her side.

She balked, however, when she saw another Ash standing near Brock. "What the?"

Brock, however, was seemingly unfazed at the hundreds of Ashes forming around him. "Would the real Ash please stand up?"

[He won't even have to do that--I'll handle this!] Tintri volunteered before charging a Thunderbolt. The electric blast arced from false Ash to false Ash, creating a massive explosion when it hit the real Ash moments later, sending him flying backwards.

Misty hurried over to Ash's side. "Are you okay?"

She was about to tend to her friend when a huge Ariados appeared before her, making her scream in terror! "Shinko, help meeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!! Pleeeeeeeeeeeease!!!!!!!!!" she yelped as she watched the seemingly hundreds of Spinaraks crawling on her and surrounding her.

The boys watched in awe as Shinko's eyes glowed red, making the Spinaraks and the Ariados disappear. "She did it!" Brock smiled.

"And look what's bean causing all of this..." Ash smiled as he gestured to a hollow, where a pair of Haunters were laughing hysterically at Misty screaming, despite Shinko's efforts to dispel the illusions.

He looked over at Brock. "Don't Ghost Pokemon hate holy water or sacred words or hymns?"

"I may not have holy water, but I do know a few holy songs..." Brock replied before clearing his throat and singing Te lei ze cra riou te ze...
Cra riou ze te riou rei neu, riou ze... At this, the Haunters gasped as a holy circle of white light formed around the group.
Va rei ze te, neu te riou te cra
Riou rei cra riou ze rei va ze rei...
Va neu va rei, va neu va ze rei!
Cra riou cra neu te rei cra riou ze lei va
Lei va neu cra te lei lei!

"It's working!" Misty gasped as she watched the Haunters flee from the rotted hollow tree. "Keep singing, Brock!"

Te lei ze cra riou te ze... Brock started the song again.
Cra riou ze te riou rei neu, riou ze...
Va rei ze te, neu te riou te cra
Riou rei cra riou ze rei va ze rei...
Va neu va rei, va neu va ze rei! At this, some brush parted, revealing the path out of the forest and allowing sunshine to stream inside the clearing.
Cra riou cra neu te rei cra riou ze lei va
Lei va neu cra te lei lei!

Misty was the most relieved at seeing the road. "So this was where the way out was the whole time!"

She knelt down before Shinko. "Thank you, Shinko--you are free to return to your mistress."

After giving the small Hoothoot a hug, she waved goodbye as it fluttered back into the forest. "Wonder if Kamon will ever find his way through all the illusions?" Ash wondered as the group started down the road.

"Oh, he'll make it out in about a week." Brock grinned, making the group laugh as they walked off into the setting sun...

TO BE CONTINUED...

Scytherwolf

08-19-2016, 02:01 AM

Caught up! Once again, the little pokemon race with the flags was cute; I liked reading that part. I also liked the spooky forest; when it mentioned the hoothoot, I immediately thought back to that episode. I liked when Brock was describing the illusions they'd seen in the last part. That was pretty funny. xD I think you could have described more what the forest was like, such as the sound and more of the look of the place, and things like what the illusions such as the scary face actually looked like. Maybe the trees too - did they have twisted branches? Roots that arched upward and could easily trip someone? Branches that intertwined and blocked out any light? Stuff like that would set the mood more, I think.

EmeraldSky

08-19-2016, 02:10 AM

Scytherwolf;

Thanks--looking back, I probably could've fleshed out some more of the chase in the Forest of Illusion.

Next time, we'll introduce what Brock gets to do alongside Ash's badges and Misty's Pokethlon medallions.

EmeraldSky

08-20-2016, 08:20 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 7: Once Upon a Festival

"I am so glad we're not in that spooky old forest any more!" Misty smiled as the group broke camp the next morning.

"Yeah, the only forest of illusion I ever want to see again is inside a video game." Ash agreed, shuddering at the memory of the trees, rocks, and even plants with spooky faces from the previous day.

"I don't know, the look on Misty's face when she saw all those duplicates of you was priceless." Brock grinned as the group got on the road for the day.

For a while, the trek was uneventful--the sun was shining, Pidgeys perched on tree branches and darted through the grass, and the breeze ruffled the leaves and the clothing of the three humans on the road.

After a while, Brock spotted a signpost pointing north. "Florando Town, this way..."

He knelt down to examine a flyer attached to the signpost. "Pokemon Festival today, come enjoy food, games, entertainment, and the Pokemon Lore Stage--whatever that means..."

"Maybe it's a storytelling competition!" Misty suggested. "You should enter!"

"Yeah, although if it is a contest, it wouldn't be fair to the other storytellers to have a pro go up against amateurs." Ash cautioned.

[We're not gonna see if it is a competition or not if we just stand here...] Tintri noted.

"You're right, Tintri--let's go!" With that, Ash hurried off down the road.

"Hey, wait for us!" Misty and Brock were not far behind.

---------

"Wow...." the group gasped at the crowds milling about, watching the various performances, demonstrations, and competitions, or playing one of the many games on offer to win Pokemon dolls and other prizes.

Some Mankeys nimbly kicked down training dummies and targets high in the air on one stage, while a boy tried to win a Fennekin doll for what Brock assumed was his girlfriend by knocking a pyramid of milk bottles down. Those things are rigged, anyway... he thought as the boy came up one bottle short.

An Alakazam noticed the group as they passed its booth. Fancy your fortune told, for a pretty coin of gold? it telepathically asked.

"I'll bite..." Ash volunteered as he opened the bag of gold tokens that had been given at the front gates of the festival grounds and placed one in the payment box.

The Alakazam tuned itself to Ash's mind before revealing his fortune. I see that you are a brave and determined young man, who will do many great things during your time here in the Johto region. You will master a great power of light, befriend Legendary Pokemon, and drive back the evil slumbering in the shadows.

"Thanks?" Ash wasn't sure what the cryptic fortune meant.

A gentle chuckle echoed in his mind. Don't worry about figuring out what your fortune means--it will reveal its meaning to you in due time. the Alakazam smiled.

Brock wasted no time in depositing a coin. "Will I find a lady to love here?" he asked.

The Alakazam attuned itself to Brock's mind, then revealed his fortune. I see that you have many qualities of a faithful lover--kind, brave, and unselfish. But be wary of the initial euphoria that comes with new love--too passionate a response will drive any potential suitors away. But it is a different kind of love that will guide you during your time here--the love you have for the lore of this world.

"Hint hint..." Misty grinned as she playfully nudged Brock.

Brock contemplated what the Alakazam had revealed to him. Mental note--find the info booth and ask about the Lore Stage...

Misty was next to deposit a coin. I see that you are a passionate lady who can have the raging fury of a tsunami one moment, and the calmness of a still pool the next. the Alakazam explained. There is a time and a place to use your power, but be wary of using it to tear others down--channel your anger into positive energy, and amazing things will happen.

"Thanks." Misty smiled. "I will contemplate what you have said." she told the Alakazam as she led the others down the rows of booths and stages.

A female voice singing a familiar melody got Ash's attention. "Someone's singing that one song all the Vocaloids sing!"

"Huh?" Misty asked as Ash lead the others before a larger stage, where a brown haired girl in a teal shirt was singing as two humanoid plant Pokemon danced to their mistress' voice. "It is the Ievan Polkka!" Misty gasped when she recognized the tune the girl sang.

Brock, meanwhile, noticed three colored shiny stripes near the girl's right shirt pocket. Those must be award stripes, or something... he thought as he joined the crowd in applauding the song.

"..."Finally, Sorin reached the corner of the garden where the wonderful tree grew." the girl continued when the applause for her song faded. "He had never seen it before. The rosy-cheeked Berries glowed in the bright sunlight, and Sorin could hardly wait to ask for the fruit."

She added "It helped that the Berries had a beautiful color and a sweet smell."

Ash tried to hold in laughter as the girl went on "Sorin had never been so close to anything which smelled this good. So he took a big bite...."

She grinned "...and you should have seen the look on his face!"

The crowd roared with laughter as they pictured Sorin's disgusted face. "That beautiful sweet smelling Berry was bitter and sour, and it had a nasty taste, so he threw it away from him with a mighty heave." She pantomimed throwing something for effect.

She concludes "Sorin never forgot the tree’s long name and the little song he had made up. Nor did he forget how the Berry tasted. He never took another bite of it himself; but, after that, his favorite prank was to treat the other Pokemon to the wonderful Berry just to see their yuck faces when they tasted it."

Laughter and applause fill the air, but Ash's applause is the loudest. "Bravo! Encore!"

"That was pretty good!" Brock agreed. "Even though we only heard the end of it."

More cheers filled the air as a judge arrived to pin a green stripe to the girl's shirt. "And Bailey wins the Festival Lore Stage!" he announced. "Thank you all for coming!"

As some in the crowd turned to leave, Misty noticed Brock making his way to where the girl and several others with the stripes on their clothing were signing autographs and answering questions. "Where are you going?"

"To congratulate that girl, ask if I can learn that story she told, and ask her about the Lore Stage." Brock replied before finding Bailey and the two plant Pokemon near the middle of the stage.

After composing himself, and reminding himself about what the Alakazam had told him about passionate responses, he began. "From one storyteller to another...well done."

"Thanks!" Bailey smiled. "I wasn't sure if 'Sorin and the Wonderful Tree' would be enough for my fourth stripe, but apparently it was!"

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on the two humanoid plant Pokemon:

"Bellossom, the flower Pokemon." Dexter began. "When the heavy rainfall season ends, it is drawn out by warm sunlight to dance in the open."

"It is perfect weather for them to dance." Misty smiled as Ash put Dexter away, keeping an eye on Brock all the while.

"Those stripes on your shirt...what are they?" Brock asked.

"Color Stripes for the Lore Stage." Bailey replied. "The Pokemon Lore Stage is a competition between storytellers and musicians from all across the world."

"Mm-hm...is it just for amateurs?" Brock asked. "I wouldn't call myself a pro, but I am asked to tell a lot in public."

"Both amateur and pro storytellers are welcome to compete--although it helps if you have some experience." Bailey assured Brock. "Each Lore Stage competition has a theme, and the storytellers are challenged to tell a short and a long story that fits the theme. The storytellers are allowed to use any talent they have to help in telling the stories, including their Pokemon."

She hugged one of her Bellossoms for a job well done. "This includes everything from musicians, dancers, actors, costumes, puppets, mimicry, and even stage combat or stage archery at some venues."

"What kinds of themes do they use?" Even Ash was interested.

"Things like adventure, pour quoi, and love found, to name a few." Bailey replied. "Storytellers are judged in four areas: knowledge, energy, style, and appeal."

"What exactly do those mean?" Brock was intrigued.

"Knowledge means the storyteller knows their story well, and recovers from missteps well." Bailey went on. "Energy means the storyteller show enthusiasm, and engages with the audience. Style means the storyteller uses their talents well in bringing their story to life,and appeal simply means that the audience is interested in the story being told."

She referred to the four shiny stripes on her shirt. "The winners of a Lore Stage earn a color stripe, with the goal to create a rainbow. Those that do earn seven stripes and create a rainbow are crowned Masters and Mistresses of Lore, and go on to perform during the pre-League festivities."

"Sounds fun!" Misty smiled.

Brock smiled. "Where do I sign up?"

"Our info booth is near all the food stands-you can sign up there." Bailey replied.

Ash smiled at Tintri as Brock thanked Bailey for the information. "Well, bud...we all have something to aim for while we're here..."

Tintri nodded. [Let's all achieve our goals together!]

TO BE CONTINUED...

Scytherwolf

08-22-2016, 02:02 AM

First of all, I thought this was some good description:

For a while, the trek was uneventful--the sun was shining, Pidgeys perched on tree branches and darted through the grass, and the breeze ruffled the leaves and the clothing of the three humans on the road.

That festival seemed pretty cool. I liked the fortune-telling alakazam. And haha, Brock's question. So typical... xD I'm interested to see what else will happen here.

And I don't think you need to tag me anymore; I check this section a lot. xD

EmeraldSky

08-22-2016, 02:06 AM

I'll still tag you to notify you of new episodes

I took aspects of what I remembered from the festival in the real episode, and put them in here. Enjoy Brock's gaga moments when they happen--he's not having a gaga moment once an episode, as that would hold him back from the Lore Stage.

Remember the Alakazam's fortunes--they will be important later.

Next time, we'll finally confront Kamon!

EmeraldSky

08-24-2016, 08:41 PM

Scytherwolf;

Okay, I know I said we'd confront Kamon this time, but we've been having a lot of events, so here's a breather interlude:

Interlude: The Perfect Story

"So, now that you've signed up for the Lore Stage, what kinds of stories are you planning to tell?" Ash asked as he stashed his Pokeflute case and two of the four whistles he'd packed back in his bag for the next night. The two had made camp not far from the town they had departed, and had just concluded a post dinner jam session. Only Brock still had his instrument out--a familiar yellow-brown acoustic guitar, where he was half-heartedly plucking out notes as he pondered Ash's question.

"Well...it really depends on what sorts of themes the Lore Stages will have, and how many I have the opportunity to compete in." Brock explained, mindlessly switching between an A minor chord and a C chord as he spoke. "Do they suit adventure tales? Trickster tales? Pour quoi tales? Funny tales? Something more obscure than those types?"

"If I had to guess, you'll probably be asked to tell a balanced variety of all of those." Misty explained as she put her fiddle case away for the night. "So the real question is, out of the millions of stories you know, which ones would be the best to use in competition."

Brock stopped his endless progression to ponder what Misty had said. "I know I obviously can't use stories that are not polished..." he smiled before starting a mostly improvised melody in A minor. "I also know that I can't tell things that would be too scary or inappropriate..."

[Then again, you don't really have inappropriate stories...] Tintri noted as he offered Ami one of the leftover marshmallows that had not been made into s'mores.

"That's true...you mainly tell for all ages anyway." Ash agreed.

"And you usually warn the audience before venturing into the dark side of folklore." Misty added, enamored in the intricate melody filled with trills, bent notes, and hammer-ons Brock was performing. "But that still leaves us with hundreds of stories to pick from."

"So what are some that audiences--and us--ask for again and again, off the top of your head?" Ash challenged.

"There's 'Sorin's Trap'...and 'The Buneary Herder'...'The Giant's Captive'...'The Three Valleys', although that one ventures into some scary territory..." Brock mused.

"I can think of some--'The Golden Starly' and its millions of variants, and its cousin, the Moltres story type." Ash suggested. "There's also 'The Three Powers' and all its variants, 'Princess Miranda's Rescue', all the Jack tales you know...'

"A grasswhistle would wow an audience in an outdoor venue." Misty suggested. "As would stage archery."

"I did bring my bow and some arrows, actually." Brock smiled. "Just in case we found some archery ranges or venues where I could do some stage archery, and another means of defense should our Pokemon fall in battle."

Ash, meanwhile, kept listing tales he had often heard Brock tell. "I really liked 'Brendan and the Giant'...'The Faithful Tauros'....

"You all have some great choices, and I may consider telling those." Brock interrupted Ash. "But a lot of those are quite long, and I don't know if there's a time limit on what we can tell--they didn't tell me this in the signups.

"Good idea--always good to have some short stories in case you do have a time limit." Misty suggested. "But if there IS no time limit, go nuts!"

"There may well be a time limit if there are a lot of people competing..." Ash interjected. "Since they need to have everybody tell..."

"True..." Brock mused as he finished his song, then put away his guitar for the night. "I'll probably stick to you guys' suggestions, but have some other stories on standby if they give me some really obscure or crazy theme to work with.

"That's a good idea." Misty smiled with a yawn. "Let's get to bed--we have a big day in the morning!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

08-28-2016, 12:27 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 8: Caught in the Wildfire

"Wow!" Ash gasped as the group arrived on a hill overlooking an affluent community filled with beautiful mansions, colorful gardens, ornate statues and fountains, and Pokemon topiaries. "This was worth getting up early for!"

"I wonder who lives in these beautiful houses?" Misty wondered as she admired an angel fountain standing nearby the elegant iron gate, its white marble glittering in the morning sun.

"We've apparently arrived in Violet Hills, a community where some of Johto's prominent families call home." Brock read from the guidebook. "Some of these mansions have been owned by a single family for years."

Ash suddenly noticed a guard post near the front gate. "You don't suppose that we can get permission to take a tour?" he asked. Their route to Violet City appeared to cross through the community grounds, and he did not want to risk being arrested for trespassing.

Brock read further down the guidebook page for a moment. "Many of the community residents have opened up their homes for public tours--you can request tour schedules and guest passes at the guard post."

An argument from some nearby bushes piqued Misty. [What's going on?] Ami asked as she followed her master into the grass, where unintelligible yelling rang across the community grounds.

Misty just peeked through the bushes to find that Ethan and Lyra had confronted Kamon. "Looks like that tour's gonna have to wait, Ash...we've found Kamon." she mused as she returned to the road where the boys were waiting.

"Found Kamon?" Ash asked. "Where?"

"Those bushes by the roadside--Ethan and Lyra found him, and apparently Lyra's confronted him about swiping the Totodile from before." Misty explained as she motioned for the boys to follow her. "So if you wanna confront him about why he accused you of cheating before, here's your chance."

"All I wanted was a civil discussion from him--and judging from all the noise, it's devolved into a shouting match." Ash mused as he and Brock joined Misty in the brush. While he couldn't make out exactly what Kamon and Lyra were saying, he did know that emotions on both sides were running high--Lyra was very nearly in tears, and Kamon had a furious scowl on his face.

"If they decide to battle, I'd be willing to referee." Brock offered, keeping his voice down so as not to tip Kamon off to their presence. "Or mediate before the argument turns ugly."

"Go on, go mediate." Misty urged Brock into the open, silencing Lyra's and Kamon's argument as Brock approached.

Ethan seemed relieved to see Brock. "Brock, am I glad to see you! Kamon called Lyra weak, and the two have been squabbling all morning--Lyra to defend her honor, and Kamon just to anger her even more!"

"I wasn't getting her mad--I was nearly stating a fact." Kamon interjected. "All she's got is a little Chikorita, which is a weak Pokemon."

"Oh yeah? If Hana is so weak, then how is she capable of evolving?" Lyra retorted.

"She's all looks and no substance--you need to talk the talk and walk the walk if you wanna be strong." Kamon smirked, pleased at the grimace on Lyra's face.

"Don't judge a book by its cover!" Lyra retorted. "Just because Hana doesn't look powerful doesn't mean she's weak!"

"And just because Tintri is naturally fast doesn't mean he's a cheater!" Ash joined in as he ran by Lyra's side.

A whistle pierced the air, quieting the shouting. "Everyone, please!" Brock pleaded. "Let's try and sort this out civilly."

"Kamon claims my Chikorita is weak because it looks cute--and that he took the Totodile that was supposed to be for Ethan because it fit his definition of strong." Lyra explained. "I tried to tell him that raw power doesn't answer everything...and that was were you guys came in."

"So Kamon angered you by belittling your opinion?" Brock asked, looking to Lyra to be sure he had heard her side of the argument correctly.

Lyra nodded. "Every time I try to respectfully tell him that I disagree with him, I feel like I'm talking to a wall!"

"What's there to talk about?" Kamon sighed. "She got a Pokémon at the lab. Big deal."

He eyed Lyra's Chikorita, who shied away as he leaned in. "What a waste. That's a Pokémon that's too good for a wimp like you."

"I am NOT a wimp!" Lyra screeched.

Kamon was unfazed. "Don't you get what I'm saying? You Pokemon's all looks and no substance."

"But Hana's a good Pokemon!" Lyra protested.

A smile formed on Kamon's face as he looked down and noticed that he and Lyra were standing on a space wide enough and large enough for a Pokemon battle. After drawing the outline of a Poke Ball in the grass, he went on "Well, I too have a good Pokémon. I'll show you what I mean!" With that, he heaved a Poke Ball into the air, revealing a Cyndaquil on his half of the field.

"Hana--I know you're at a disadvantage here, but I need you to prove to Kamon that you are stronger than you look." Lyra told her Chikorita. "Can you do that?"

[Sure!] Hana smiled.

Lyra next told Brock "If you're going to referee for us, I have a Potion I plan to use."

"Okay...you guys will have three timeouts apiece, as per League rules." Brock replied.

---------

"Representing the Gold side, Kamon and Spike!" Brock announced, making a grand gesture to Kamon and his Cyndaquil on the right side of the Poke Ball outline.

[You're getting burned, Miss Leafy!] the Cyndaquil smirked.

"And representing the Silver side, Lyra and Hana!" Brock announced, making a grand gesture to Lyra and her Chikorita on the left side of the Poke Ball outline.

[Don't underestimate flower power!] Hana shot back.

"Everyone ready?" Brock asked. Cheers came up from the makeshift arena and from Misty, Ash, and Ethan watching on the sidelines. "And three...two...one..."

As Brock's whistle echoed across the majestic mansion grounds, Spike charged at Hana, sending her flying backwards until she came to a stop at Lyra's feet. "Hana! You okay?" Lyra asked as Hana eased herself to her feet.

[I think so...] Hana replied. [But I can play that game too!] she cried before charging at Spike, but gasped in horror as Spike ran out of the way, causing her to miss her attack completely.

"You realize I have a type advantage over you?" Kamon smirked. "A Cyndaquil's mush faster than a pokey little Chikorita."

He then addressed his Cyndaquil. "Spike, use Smokescreen!"

Hana coughed as she ran into the black cloud of thick smoke Spike heaved onto the field. Although her vision was cloudy and her eyes watered from the smoke, she spotted the red glow of Spike's quills at the left end of the field. She charged in Spike's direction, but only managed to clip his leg, making him slip and fall.

"Hana! Growl at Spike!" Lyra commanded.

[HAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!] Hana screeched as she circled around in an attempt to Tackle Spike again. She did not, however, expect Spike to charge at her from the smoke, sending her flying over the Silver side of the makeshift arena.

Kamon sneered at Hana trying to get up. "Spike, use Leer!"

Hana shielded her eyes from the bright flash of the Leer attack. [i]Gah...this guy's pounding away with raw power, leaving me no chance to defend!

She smiled when she saw the smoke had cleared away, leaving her a straight shot towards Spike! But I have to prove I'm stronger than his jerk of a trainer is! Because I want to defend my trainer's honor, and prove she is not weak!

She charged headlong into Spike while he was off guard, sending him tumbling to the grass. "Spike, Tackle Hana again!" Kamon commanded.

"Hana, Tackle Spike!" Lyra called.

Both the Cyndaquil and the Chikorita collided at the same time, but the huge impact and the stress of battle had taken its toll on Hana. [I can't go on much longer...] she wheezed as she crawled back to Lyra's side. [That Cyndaquil's really strong!]

Lyra nodded, and made a T signal to Brock, prompting him to blow a quick blast with he whistle. "Time out, Silver." he announced as Lyra unearthed the Potion from her bag and administered it to Hana.

"Well, well, well...You're doing OK for someone weak." Kamon grinned, impressed. "Didn't know Miss Leaf had it in her to last this long against raw power."

On the sidelines, Ethan commented "I see--Kamon's pounding away with raw power, while Lyra is flummoxing him with a defensive strategy."

"No, it's worse than that--Kamon's treating Spike not as a living being with feelings, but as a tool!" Ash grumbled. "Pokemon are not mere tools! They are living beings to be loved, protected, and cherished."

"You try telling Kamon that, then." Ethan sighed as Brock's whistle signaled the end of Lyra's time out.

Back on the battlefield, Spike and Hana charged at each other again. However, it was Spike that looked weary as he stumbled back to Kamon. "Come on, Spike! You're a fire type! You're supposed to beat grass types!" Kamon snapped.

Spike wheezed.

"Get back out there and finish the job!" Kamon growled. "Use Leer again!"

The bright flash of the Leer attack blinded Hana again, but she shook away the spots before her eyes and hurled herself with all her might into Spike, making him fall to the grass with a plop, swirly eyed.

Cheers filled the air as the whistle blew. "Game Set! This match's winner goes to Silver." Brock announced as Lyra ran to hug Hana.

Kamon, however, seemed unfazed by his loss. "Are you happy you won?" he grumbled as he recalled his fainted Cyndaquil. "You may have won today, Miss Leafy, but know this! I'm going to be the world's greatest Pokémon Trainer--the greatest Pokemon Master! And don't you forget it!"

"Hey, that's my line!" Ash protested as Kamon disappeared down the road.

"He'll never be a Pokemon Master if he treats his Pokemon like that..." Misty mused.

Brock, meanwhile, smiled at Lyra. "Well done, both of you."

"Thanks--but Hana's the real hero here." Lyra smiled. "She proved that a Grass type can overcome a Fire type with a little training and a lot of love!

"I can only hope Kamon comes to realize that." Ash agreed as Tintri bounded on his shoulder. "Can we go take that tour now?"

"Ooh, good idea!" Ethan led the charge down the hill into the setting sun...

[b]TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

08-31-2016, 10:30 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 9: A Very Deer Friend (part 1)

"Ah, such a beautiful day..." Ash smiled as he led the way down the path. "Sun shining, bird Pokemon singing..."

A strange orb in a bush got his attention. "Huh?"

"What would an orb be doing in a bush?" Misty wondered as she and Brock caught up to Ash and Tintri on the path.

Brock noticed the orb begin to move, and saw it was attached to the pale yellow antlers of a small brown deer Pokemon. "A small deer Pokemon...wonder what it's doing out here?"

Ash, meanwhile, brought up the Pokemon's picture onto Dexter's screen."Stantler, the big horn Pokemon." Dexter began. "Its magnificent antlers were once traded at high prices as works of art. As a result, this Pokemon was hunted close to extinction."

"The Pokedex's picture depicts a full sized Stantler, and this one's smaller..." Misty noted. "Which means that this one must be a baby!"

"That still doesn't answer my question of what a baby Stantler could be doing all the way out here." Brock mused as he got out a bag full of fresh Pokechow that he had made the night before. "So maybe if we lure it closer, we may figure out why it's alone out here..."

"Separated from the herd?" Misty wondered as Brock made a trail of Pokechow leading to the group's location.

"Let's see if a food bribe will get it to come closer." Brock smiled as he wiped Pokechow crumbs from his hands. "If that doesn't work, I could mimic a mother Stantler in attempt to coax it over here."

Sure enough, the baby Stantler approached the group, pausing to nibble at the Pokechow nuggets Brock had left behind. Misty, however, noticed the baby Stantler was limping a little. "The Stantler's hurt!"

"So it is..." Brock mused as he hurried to the Stantler's side with some first aid supplies. The Stantler shied away at first, but tumbled to the ground as Brock assured it "It's okay, little guy...I only want to help you..."

"Try telling that to those other Stantlers..." Ash gasped, noticing a crowd of angered Stantlers charging in Brock's direction.

About then, Brock saw the angered herd headed for him and the wounded Stantler. "Uh oh...guess my trying to help you will have to wait!" he stammered.

"RUN!!!" Ash lead the way back down the pathway, every so often looking back to see if the Stantlers were following them.

He was never more relieved to hear a police siren in his life as Officer Jenny met them on a branch of the path leading to a ranger's outpost. "Is everything okay?" she asked. "We received reports from the rangers that there was a Stantler stampede in the area..."

Brock, however, had other ideas. "There was a stampede of lonely hearts headed for your beauty and brave heart..."

This was as far as he got in his euphoric confession of love before Ami sprayed him. [Were you ever told to respect authority?] she scolded as a ranger gave Brock a towel to dry off.

"We found a wounded baby Stantler near the woods, and when my friend tried to clean and dress the wound on its leg, a bunch of adults thought we were trying to hurt it." Ash explained.

"While your intentions were noble, it was still very dangerous--the Stantler herds have been terrorizing the surrounding areas." Officer Jenny explained. "If you find this Stantler again, it's better to notify the rangers and have them try and help the fawn."

"Okay." the group replied.

"It may be better to try and travel through the night...the Stantlers are less active then." a ranger suggested as he brought the group some snacks and drinks.

"What we don't understand is who or what could be riling up the Stantler." Officer Jenny mused. "We haven't found evidence of Team Rocket activity..."

"Good--I'm not in the mood to deal with them today." Ash grinned as he offered Pikachu some Oran Berry juice.

"Not that we've found them anywhere so far, and I'd prefer not to find them now." Misty agreed as she relaxed on a cot, watching the comings and goings of the rangers as they went about their evening patrols.

The group did not, however, spot Kamon listening in from a crack in the wall. "So wild Stantlers live here...since I couldn't get that Totodile, maybe a Stantler will do instead..."

---------

Surprised gasps and chatter filled the outpost that evening, startling the group from their sleep. "What's going on?" Ash asked, glancing around the room in hopes of finding the suspected intruder.

"This baby Stantler came to the outpost, as if looking for someone." a ranger explained as he and his partner led a familiar baby Stantler inside the room. "It has a wounded leg, but the wound is not consistent with any known predators in this area..."

"Maybe I can help!" Brock volunteered as he climbed from his cot, retrieved his first aid kit, and went to work cleaning and dressing the small gash on the fawn's left front leg.

After wrapping some gauze around the wound to hold it in place, he took a step back to admire his handiwork. "There we go."

"We'll take the Stantler to the medical wing for observation, then release it in the morning." another ranger smiled as he and his partners led the Stantler away.

"Judging from how the Stantler came looking for you, you'd think it would want to join your team, or something." Ash mused as he climbed back in his cot, petting Tintri all the while.

"As tempting as it is to call that Stantler mine, I also know its true home is back with its mother, where it belongs." Brock explained as he climbed back in his own cot. "It is still a wild Pokemon, and it wouldn't seem right to catch it when it is not old enough to be separated from its mother."

"That's fair." Misty smiled. "Let's get back to bed, then..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

09-03-2016, 08:15 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 10: A Very Deer Friend (part 2)

[Wake up...] Tintri whispered, nuzzling his master.

"mrgggh...what is it?" Ash asked with a yawn as he sat up in the cot. After shielding his eyes from the sunshine for a moment, he noticed Misty was already having breakfast with her Pokemon, but Brock was nowhere to be seen. "Where did Brock get to?"

"Helping the rangers get the baby Stantler ready for release." Misty replied. "They're going to release it by the hill where we first found it yesterday."

"How is the little guy, anyway?" Ash wondered as Brock returned to the room, a six tailed fox Pokemon behind him.

"Ready for release--its wound healed overnight." Brock smiled. "As to what could've made the wound, the rangers believe that the Stantler could have run into a trap. My question is--who could've set the trap if there was no confirmed Team Rocket activity, and Stantler season isn't even open yet?"

"Team Rocket working incognito?" Misty grinned.

"Can we talk about something else?" Ash shuddered. "All this talk of Team Rocket's giving me the heebie jeebies..."

"If you want to watch the release, come on." Brock offered.

"I've always wanted to watch a wild Pokemon release!" Misty was not far behind Brock.

"Come on, bud--let's go." Ash motioned for Tintri to climb on his shoulder as he followed his friends outside.

---------

The way to the hill was uneventful--a team of rangers led the Stantler to the hill, with the group not far behind them.

"Okay, little guy..let's get you back to where you belong!" a ranger smiled as she untied the lead rope. Cheers filled the air as the baby Stantler charged off to the woods--only to be caught and tangled in a net, to some horrified gasps.

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped, expecting Jessie, James, and Meowth to appear and repeat their 'To protect the world from devastation' spiel for the umpteenth time.

"Nope--just little old me." Kamon smirked as he emerged from the brush to check the net. "And it looks like my gerryriged net trap worked--I'll be taking this Stantler with me."

"But that Stantler is just a baby!" Ash protested. "We were trying to get it back to its mom!"

"So? Even Pokemon have to one day leave their mothers." Kamon smirked. "But if you want him, come and get him!" With that, he charged off towards the forest, the baby Stantler squalling from the net all the while.

"After him!" the chief ranger called as the group dashed after Kamon.

Brock, meanwhile, heaved one of his Poke Balls skyward. "Argent, I need your help!"

Misty was relieved to find the majestic silver snake Pokemon towering over her. "Am I glad to see you, big guy!" she smiled--when Brock needed a Pokemon to cut off escape routes or raw power, he usually used the mighty Steelix. He could also induce the Steelix into its Mega form, if things got desperate.

"Okay Argent--I need you to head off the red haired punk heading for the forest!" Brock called.

[Got it, Boss!] the huge Steelix crawled up to the forest entryway, then curled around Kamon as he approached the forest entryaway. [Going somewhere, punk?] he growled.

"Let me go!" Kamon pleaded as he struggled to climb through Argent's metallic coils and tie the net containing the Stantler to a tree. "I got this Stantler fair and square!"

Argent was not impressed as he wound his way around Kamon again. [You call catching a Pokemon in a net fair and square? That sounds like something a Team Rocket lowlife would do!]

"Why would I get involved with those hooligans--call me a punk if you want, but I'm a punk with standards." Kamon shot back. "Now, are you gonna let me go, or what?"

Argent growled, frustrated at Kamon's stubbornness.

He seemed to smile when he heard Brock sing [i]Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... in the distance, engulfing him in a bright green light.

"What in the..." Kamon gasped as he watched the Steelix that held him gain rainbow crystals and pentagon-shaped runes in his coils.

"Behold... the power of Mega Evolution." Brock explained as he approached where Argent held Kamon. "The sign of a true bond between Pokemon and trainer--the Heart Song resonates in both their hearts and awakens a Pokemon's true potential."

"And this has to do with me how?" Kamon asked.

"Catching a Pokemon in a net is no way to establish that bond." Brock replied. "It needs to be established as a mutual friendship between human and Pokemon, not as a hostage situation."

He looked over at Ash and Misty. "Go find the Stantler and set it free--I'm gonna try talking some sense into Kamon here..."

"Good luck with that..." Ash called back as he and Misty hurried off into the forest.

---------

Misty spotted the net with the Stantler inside near the forest entryway. "Here it is!"

"Okay, Tintri--cut the net loose with a Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

[HI-YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!] Tintri screamed as he unleashed a massive Thunderbolt. But he gasped when he saw his attack cut the net--and if the Stantler fell, it would be badly hurt, if not killed. [Uh oh!]

Brock panicked when he saw the Stantler slide out of the next and hurtle towards the ground from a high branch. He wasn't sure how he did it, but he managed to sprint to the forest entryway, make a flying leap, and catch the panicked Stantler in his arms.

"Nice catch, baseball star." Kamon smirked as he finally climbed free of Argent's coils.

Thank you, baseball skill! Brock smiled as he removed the net from the Stantler. Been a while since I put on the black and silver of the Pewter City Golems, but I still remember how to dive for home plate!

The squawk of a distressed Stantler filled the air as the Stantler herd arrived. "Kamon better start running..." Ash grinned as the herd angrily eyed Kamon.

"Right about..." Misty mused as the herd charged, each Stantler angrily eyeing Kamon as he hurried down the path. "now..."

Everyone watched as one Stantler unleashed a distress cry, prompting the baby Stantler to run and rejoin its mother. "Aw..." Misty smiled as the mother Stantler licked the fawn, then gratefully looked over at the group before both mother and child bounded off to rejoin the herd. "Aw..." Misty smiled.

"Mother and child safely reunited." a ranger agreed.

"But Brock was the real hero--he may be tough, but he's got a big heart for human and Pokemon alike." Ash smiled.

Brock just blushed as he recalled Argent. "Aw, it was nothing."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-07-2016, 10:44 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 11: The Flowers of the Mountain (part 1)

"Yeesh, it's cold up here..." Brock shivered as the group emerged from a forest onto a plain surrounded by mountains.

"I'll say..." Misty agreed. "The mountains that are farther out are covered in snow--so unless you brought ski gear, good luck getting past there!"

"That would be fun, but I'd have to take lessons first." Brock confessed. Misty pictured Brock tumbling down a mountain in ski gear and stiffled a giggle.

"Hey look! I see Ethan and Lyra!" Ash pointed out Ethan, Lyra, and Hana setting out a picnic lunch among the flowers.

Misty ran on ahead of Ash to meet their friends and allies. "Got room for a few more?" she asked as the boys and Tintri arrived.

"Sure--I was gonna feed the extra sandwiches to the wild Pokemon, but we have enough to feed three more people." Ethan smiled as he invited the group to sit in the grass. "Lyra and I are here as a favor to the professor..."

"One of Prof. Elm's friends lives out here...everyone just calls him Mr. Pokemon because he rivals a Pokedex in how much he knows about Pokemon, not just the native Pokemon of Johto." Lyra went on as she shepherded Hana by her side. "He said he had something for Prof. Elm to study, so we were on our way up the mountain to his house to go get it."

"Sounds interesting...did you learn what this something is?" Ash asked as Ethan's Totodile eagerly danced around his master's feet for a share of the meat Ethan was laying on a piece of bread to make a sandwich.

"Okay, Dundee, okay...you can have this sandwich after I finish making it." Ethan assured his excited Totodile as he added a slice of cheese and some mustard to the sandwich, then set it before the Totodile. "Here you go."

"Fiesty little guy, isn't he?" Brock grinned as the Totodile eagerly bit into the sandwich with a chomp. "I think I know where you got the name Dundee from..."

"'Croconaw Dundee' is one of my dad's favorite movies." Ethan explained. "I've watched it a few times with him, and it still holds up all these years later..."

Lyra, meanwhile, set out a platter of sandwiches. "Okay, who's hungry?"

[Me!] Hana dashed to a sunny spot by Lyra's side as Tintri eagerly hurried over to get a sandwich.

"Ham or roast beef?" Lyra offered Tintri the platter.

[One of each.] Tintri replied. Lyra set two sandwiches on a plate, followed by some chips and berries.

"Why's Hana not eating anything?" Ash wondered as he helped himself to some sandwiches.

"As a Grass type, she doesn't need to eat as much as humans and other Pokemon--she naturally gets food from photosynthesis." Lyra explained as she looked over at Hana basking in the sun. Ash nodded to show he understood, then moved the basket away from Hana to allow her to receive more sun.

Ethan noticed the two cloud patches on Brock's vest. "Oh, you're competing in the Lore Stage! I've always wanted to watch one of those!"

"I'm mainly competing for the experience--I acknowledge and understand that I may not win it all, and I may face storytellers that are way better than me." Brock replied before taking a bite of his sandwich. "But if I do somehow win it all, that would make for the ultimate memory on this trip."

"Yeah, you've mainly told as a hobby, and for a few local events." Misty noted. "You're sure you're ready for a bigger stage than the local library, schools, and a few local festivals?"

"I never would've signed up and gotten these cloud patches if I didn't know what I was getting myself into." Brock assured Misty as he gathered up his trash and placed it in the trash bag Hana was guarding. "There we go--doing our part to keep this place beautiful!"

[Nothing ruins a scenic place like this more than trash.] Hana agreed as she helped her master tie up the trash bag in a tree. [And we won't have to worry about attracting wild Pokemon with the trash!]

"If you're gonna compete in the Lore Stage, do you feel comfy trying out your material on us?" Lyra asked.

"Sure--give me a minute to think of a tale that isn't too long and we all would like." Brock replied.

Tintri, meanwhile, tugged on Ash's shirt. [Hana and me want to go explore the forest path.] he explained, pointing out the hillside path that led into a forest, where the trash bag hung from one of the trees.

"What do you think, Lyra?" Ash asked. "Tintri and Hana want to go explore the forest."

"So long as they stay together and come back here by sundown, I have no problem with it." Lyra replied.

"Okay guys--you can go explore the forest, but you have to stay together, and be back by sundown." Ash reiterated what Lyra had said to Tintri and Hana. "Think you can do that?"

[Yeah!] Tintri and Hana replied.

"In case you do get lost, Mr. Pokemon's house is not far from a Pokemon Center near the forest's west entrance." Ethan replied, showing Tintri and Hana the map of the forest near their location. "So those two places are your meeting points if you do end up accidentally getting lost--we won't be mad if it's an accident."

[Got it!] Tintri replied before he led Hana into the forest.

"Have fun, you guys!" Ash waved goodbye as Tintri and Hana hurried off down the leafy path.

After making sure Tintri and Hana had safely made their way to the forest, Brock addressed the others. "Okay...this tale is a version of 'The Hero and Epona' from Kanto. While the hero is not often named in these tales, for our purposes, we'll give him a name."

With that, he began. "Across the wide ocean, on the side of high mountains, beyond thick forests, in a village that faced the sky, there once lived an old peasant who had three sons..."

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

09-14-2016, 09:07 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 12: The Flowers of the Mountain (part 2)

Playful giggles rang through the trees as Tintri and Hana dashed through the forest, piquing the interest of the Pidgeys in the treetops or the Caterpies munching on leaves. After dashing through the grassy underbrush, Hana leaped onto Tintri, sending them tumbling down the hill, giggling all the while, until they landed in a heap of tails and leaves nearby a stream, still laughing all the more.

[That was fun!] Hana smiled as she smoothed out her leaf from their long tumble down the hill.

Tintri confessed as he brushed some burs from his fur. [But you got me, so you decide what to do next.]

[Rock skipping contest?] Hana suggested, picking up a rock with her leaf and heaving it across the water, skipping it twice.

[Nah...I wonder how far this stream goes?] Tintri wondered.

[Okay! Let's see how far the stream goes--and if we get lost, we can follow it back!] Hana suggested before hurrying off down the shoreline with a giggle.

[Hey, wait for me!] Tintri was not far behind.

---------

[You were saying about being able to follow the stream back?] Tintri asked Hana as the two Pokemon glanced around the grove of trees that following the shoreline of the stream had led them to. There was more of the shoreline to follow, but Tintri was already tired of following the winding shoreline.

[Come to think of it, I think we are lost...] Hana mused before looking up at the sky and gasping as the clouds began to turn pink as the sun prepared to set. [And it's almost sunset!]

Tintri suddenly remembered what Ethan had said. [Are we anywhere close to the Pokemon Center or Mr. Pokemon's house?]

Hana consulted Ethan's map again. [Maybe following the stream was a good idea...Mr. Pokemon's house isn't too far from here.]

She looked up from the map and noticed a small cabin on the hillside. [Let's go see if that's it!]

[Right behind you!] Tintri followed Hana up the hill to the cabin's front stoop and knocked at the door.

"Now, I wonder who that could be..." Hana heard a male voice muse before the door opened, revealing a stately man in a neatly pressed brown suit in the doorway. Tintri wasn't sure how old the man was, but the swirls of gray in his otherwise black hair were the only clue to his age.

[Are you maybe Mr. Pokemon?] Hana asked. [We were exploring the forest and got lost.]

The man smiled. "I am in fact the Mr. Pokemon you speak of...come on inside, and you can rest here while you wait for your masters to find you."

[Okay!] Hana and Tintri made their way inside, awed over the rustic decor, the paintings on the walls and the exotically designed rug on the floor.

[Don't you ever get lonely out here?] Tintri asked as he admired a painting of the hills outside Celadon City hanging nearby a window.

"Oh, not at all." Mr. Pokemon smiled. "I travel a lot in search of bettering our knowledge and understanding of Pokemon around the world--this is why I have befriended many professors across the world."

[What's the most amazing thing you've seen in your travels?] Tintri asked, his eyes shining with excitement at the stories Mr. Pokemon had to tell. [i]If any of these stories are cool enough, I may tell Brock to write down the basics of it!

"Well...I've seen many amazing things on my travels, but if I had to choose one..." Mr. Pokemon mused before pausing for a moment. "It would be the great mountain, Mt. Coronet, which splits its home region of Shinou in half."

[Wow...] Hana gasped, amazed at the concept of a mountain that large. [I can only imagine the view at the peak!]

"As much I wanted to climb it, I am no mountain climber, and so I leave that task for those adventurous enough to do it." Mr. Pokemon replied as he settled in an easy chair and invited Tintri and Hana onto the small table beside it. "So tell me...what brought you this far into the forest?"

Hana, however, was interested in a strange white egg with red and blue triangles in an egg holder on the kitchen table. [What's that? Is what Professor Elm sent my mistress to get from you?]

"I did in fact ask Professor Elm to study that egg." Mr. Pokemon replied. It appears to be from a Pokemon family I have not seen before."

Tintri protested.

Mr. Pokemon just smiled. "This egg is one of these almosts--how can I claim to know about this Pokemon family if I have not seen it before? This is the nature of true learning--it does not necessarily take place in a classroom."

[I see...] Tintri mused--Mr. Pokemon did have a point.

---------

"Tintri!" Ash called as he led the group through the brush. "Where are you, bud?"

"Hana!" Lyra called before spotting Tintri's and Hana's tracks by the shore of the stream. "Hey guys, I think I found where they got to!"

"That's the pathway to Mr. Pokemon's house--if you follow the stream until the path forks, you'll find it." Ethan mused as he studied the map.

"Then it was maybe at this point they realized they were lost and decided to go that way." Misty suggested. "Let's go see!"

"Lead the way." Brock smiled at Ethan. "Although they did go to one of your two designated meeting spots, so I see no reason to punish them when we find them."

After winding their way to the cabin, Ethan knocked at the door. "More guests?" he heard a voice say, but just as Mr. Pokemon opened the door, Tintri dashed onto Ash's shoulder, and Lyra bounded into Lyra's arms. "Oh, I see you found your masters..." Mr. Pokemon smiled.

[Everyone, this is the famous Mr. Pokemon.] Tintri explained, gesturing to Mr. Pokemon. [He's been to all kinds of faraway places, including a region where a mountain splits it in half!]

"Nice to meet you." Ash smiled before tipping his cap in respect. "I can't thank you enough for taking care of Tintri for me..."

"...and looking after Hana for me." Lyra agreed as she stroked Hana's leaf.

"My pleasure." Mr. Pokemon replied as he returned with the odd egg. "This is what I wanted Professor Elm to examine--I believe it to be the young form of a Pokemon family I haven't seen before."

"Lyra and I will get it there, as thanks for your looking after our Pokemon." Ethan replied as he accepted the egg holder.

"...and my friends and I are on our way to Violet City." Ash explained.

"Oh, so you're maybe challenging the Gym there?" Mr. Pokemon asked. "Your Pikachu should do just fine against Falkner's birds--but it's better to prepare too much than be unprepared."

"I'll keep that in mind!" Ash grinned as he hugged Tintri again, relieved his friend was all right...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-17-2016, 06:51 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 13: A Lesson in Friendship (part 1)

"Welcome to Violet City...the city of nostalgic scents." Brock read the signpost as the group made their way around a corner, where they could see many rooftops and treetops in the distance.

Misty sniffed the air. "I can definitely smell something nostalgic, all right...the Cheri blossoms in the springtime..."

"Mom's awesome chocolate chip cookies..." Ash sighed dreamily.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Brock's voice snapped both Ash and Misty back to reality. "We'll find more things to do and nostalgic scents to sample in town."

He motioned for Ash and Misty to follow him. "Last one there's a rotten Exeggcute!"

"Hey, wait for us!" Misty cried as Brock charged down the hill into the city.

---------

"And over to the north you will see Sprout Tower..." Brock read from the guidebook, making a grand gesture to a magnificent purple pagoda-like tower in the distance that dwarfed even the tallest office buildings. "The tower itself is over 100 feet tall, and is held together by a giant flexible pillar that shakes from side to side. This flexibility protects the tower from earthquakes, and symbolizes the battles that are occurring on upper floors."

"Cool!" Ash gasped.

"That means you can see the tower from anywhere in the city!" Misty agreed, awed at the tower's height.

"According to legend, a 100-foot-tall Bellsprout was used to make the swaying pillar." Brock went on before a thought occurred to him. "How said 100-foot-tall Bellsprout made the pillar depends on the teller--there's actually many different versions of the story."

Tintri, however, was interested in the rainbow of zinnias lining the streets, and scrambled off of Ash's shoulder to get a look. [Wow...these are so pretty!] he smiled before approaching a red zinnia to sniff it.

"Oh, what a cute little Pikachu!" Tintri suddenly felt himself being picked up and held in an awkward position by a navy haired schoolgirl.

"Were you lost, little guy?" a brown haired boy asked as he reached out in an attempt to touch Tintri, never mind that Tintri was sparking angrily in the girl's arms.

[Put me down, please!] Tintri pleaded as his sparks grew more numerous and brighter.

Ash hurried over to the two children. "When a Pikachu sparks like that, they're uncomfortable or feel threatened." he calmly explained as Tintri wriggled out of the girl's death grip and bounded back on Ash's shoulder.

"Oh, so the Pikachu is yours? We thought he was a wild Pikachu that wandered into town." the girl explained. "We're sorry."

"There you are!" a navy haired woman smiled as she ran up to the two children. "Morning break is over, so you should be back with us in class."

As the two children hurried back to their waiting classmates, the woman introduced herself to the group. "My name is Priscilla...I teach over at the Pokemon Academy." She made a grand gesture to a large brick building nearby, where many other students were coming and going. "But my students prefer to call me Miss Priscilla."

"I'm Ash..." Ash replied. "...and these are my friends and traveling companions Misty..." Misty waved hello. "...and Brock..."

"Nice to meet you." Brock replied as he stashed his guidebook back in his bag. "As well as trainers, we know a lot about Kanto lore, and lore from elsewhere...."

"Would the kids like to hear some songs and stories from Kanto?" Misty offered.

"As well as some true stories from our travels?" Ash agreed, getting more and more excited all the while.

"What a great idea!" Miss Priscilla smiled. "It would be a great opportunity for them to learn about and appreciate cultures different from theirs, since many of them will travel as trainers and coordinators."

"That, and you can teach them how to hold a Pikachu correctly." Misty smiled as the group followed Miss Priscilla and her class into the school.

---------

"Okay...this is how you properly handle a Pikachu." Ash addressed the kids in an activity room. "Pikachu are naturally very curious and outgoing, but they can be a little shy at first, so be patient if they don't want to approach on the first try."

He then got down to Tintri's eye level, and offered his hand. "If they do show an interest, offer your hand in a non-threatening way. In other words, keep your hand below the Pikachu's eye level and bring your hand slowly closer to the Pikachu from an angle." he explained as he did this.

"Approaching from above can be very frightening to a small Pokemon like Pikachu, and you could be mistaken for a predator." Brock added. "So if the Pikachu is interested in interaction, it's best to let it come to you or picking them up by gently scooping them."

"Aw"s filled the room as Tintri bounded into Ash's arms, but then, a girl spotted the group's instrument cases. "Oh boy! Are we gonna have a sing along?"

Brock smiled. "I don't see why not." he replied, to thunderous cheers from the children. "Just give us a few minutes to tune, and we'll have a jam session."

As Misty and Brock set to work tuning their instruments, one boy noticed the green mouthpiece of Ash's main whistle peeking from a pocket. "What's that?"

"This is a tin whistle--if you took a Pokeflute and took it through the wash, this is what you'd get." Ash explained. "The biggest difference between the two is a Pokeflute can play in any key, while a tin whistle can only play in one or two keys."

"Oh"s filled the air at this. "So while many people start on a whistle before moving up to a Pokeflute, it's also possible to learn them backwards, like some famous players did." Ash went on, to some giggles.

He noticed Brock signaling that he and Misty were ready to play. "So let's get going with one of our favorite sets..."

With that, he led the way into a set of polkas they often played around the campfire, with Tintri and Ami dancing and the kids and Miss Priscilla eagerly clapping along.

After the Vermilion Polka had raced to its conclusion, Misty started "Come Give Me Your Hand"--the song that signaled Brock had a story to tell.

Once the fiddle's last note dies, Brock begins "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful kingdom ruled by a kind and just king and queen. But one year, the king had to go to war and defend his realm from invaders."

Piqued murmurs fill the room at the tale's beginning. "While the king was away on the battlefield, his wife, the queen, gave birth to twin sons. There was great rejoicing throughout the land, and messengers were dispatched to the king with the joyous news." Brock continues. "Both boys were strong and healthy, and grew up like little trees. The one who was the older, but barely just, was the hardier of the two. Even as a toddling child he was always playing in the courtyard and struggling to climb on the back of a Shiny Ponyta that had been given to him because it was about his own age."

"Aw"s fill the room as the children picture the heartwarming scene. "His brother, on the other hand, preferred to play inside on the soft carpets." Brock explains. "He was always following his mother and never went outside, except when he followed the queen into the garden."

He adds as an aside "This was why the younger prince became the mother's favorite."

Nervous giggles fill the air--choosing a favorite child usually didn't end well for the family. "The boys were seven years old before their father the king returned from battle victorious." Brock goes on. "He looked at his sons with pride and joy and he asked the queen the billion credit question: which was the older and which was the younger?

Whispers of debate begin wafting through the room, but Brock is quick to quiet the chatter. "The queen, thinking that the king was asking in order to know who was the heir to the throne, slipped in her favorite as the older. The king, of course, did not question his wife's word and so, from that day on, he always spoke of the younger one as his heir."

The children's whispers turn angry as Brock continues "When the boys had come of age, the older one--we'll call him Brian--got tired of life at home and of hearing his brother always spoken of as the future king. He longed to go out into the world and seek his fortune and adventures of his own. One day, as he was pouring out his heart to the little shiny Ponyta that had been his companion from infancy, much to his amazement the Ponyta--whose name was Epona--spoke to him and said..."

"Since you are not happy at home, let us go out into the world in search of fortune." Misty jumps in the role of Epona. "But do not go without your father's permission. Take no one with you and mount no Ponyta but me. This will bring you good luck."

Brock interjects "Prince Brian asked Epona how she could speak the words of humans." as Ash, as Prince Brian, pantomimes asking Misty the question.

"Don't ask me," Misty replies. "I can't tell you. But I want to be your friend and counselor, and I will be as long as you do as I tell you."

"Prince Brian promised to do everything Epona told him to do." Brock continues. "So he went to his father to ask permission to go out into the world. At first, his father was unwilling to let him go, but his mother gave her permission. After a little bit of pleading and coaxing..." Giggles go up at Brock's understatement. "he finally won his father's consent. Of course, the king wanted Prince Brian to go forth in a manner befitting his rank with a great company of men and Ponytas. But Prince Brian insisted that he wished to go alone."

"Why, my dear father, do I need any such retinue as you suggest?" Ash rants as Prince Brian, to the children's delight. "Let me have some money for the journey, and let me ride off alone on my own little Ponyta. This will give me more freedom and less trouble."

Laughter goes up at this. "Again he had to argue with his father for some time, but at last he succeeded in arranging everything to his liking." Brock assures his audience as he retrieves his guitar. "Before long, the day of parting came. Epona stood saddled at the castle gate. Prince Brian bade farewell to his parents and his brother. They all said tearful goodbyes, but at the last moment the queen had a change of heart, and told Prince Brian the truth. She made him solemnly promise that he would return home within a year, or at least send them word of his whereabouts at that time."

Excited whispers go up as the children speculate what adventures Prince Brian and Epona will get into. "So Prince Brian mounted Epona, and off they went." Brock continues over a droning melody that sounds like galloping. "Epona went at a surprising pace for a Pokemon that was seventeen years old, but to be fair, she was no ordinary Ponyta. The years had not touched her at all. Her coat was as smooth as satin and shone as white as the moon. Her mane glowed blue instead of red like other Ponytas. No matter how far she traveled, she never tired."

Awed gasps and whispers fill the air at Epona's description as the droning melody transforms into the jig "Light At the Close of Day". to mimic the passage of time, prompting some of the children to clap along. "Epona carried Prince Brian a great distance until they spotted the towers of a beautiful city." Brock continues when the last chord dies. "Then Epona left the beaten path and crossed a field to a huge rock. When they reached the rock, Epona laid a hoof on it and sang...."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Misty fills in the song.

Wild cheers fill the air at the familiar spellsong. "...and the rock opened. They rode inside and Prince Brian found himself in a comfortable stable." Brock continues as himself.

Misty instructs Ash in character "Now you will leave me here, and go on alone to the nearby town. You must pretend you are a poor boy, and be careful never to reveal who you really are. Present yourself at court and have the king take you into his service. When you need anything, no matter what it is, come to the rock, sing the song 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul', and the rock will open to you."

Brock continues "Prince Brian thought to himself: 'Epona certainly knows what she's talking about, so of course I'll do as she says.' So he disguised himself by dressing in ragged clothes, putting a patch over one eye, and making his face look pale and sallow. Then he presented himself at court and told the most heartwrenching tale of woe he could think of. The king felt sorry for Prince Brian, and took him into his service."

He starts a playful melody as he continues "Prince Brian was capable and quick at everything he was told to do, and it wasn't long before the king put him in charge of the household. His advice was asked in all matters of importance and all day long he hurried about the castle going from one thing to another. If the king needed a scribe, there wasn't a cleverer one anywhere than Prince Brian. Before long, he was well loved and well liked by the entire court."

The guitar's song begins slowing down into a love theme. "Now, the king had three daughters, each more beautiful than the other." Brock explains as he plays. "The oldest was named Orla, the second, Ariana, and the youngest, Christina."

Light applause goes up in approval of the princess' names. "Prince Brian loved to be with the three princesses and as he was presumed to be a poor boy, the king made no objection to his spending time with them." Brock continues, still playing his love song. "How could the king possibly think that there was any danger of a poor boy stealing the heart of one of the princesses? They liked him, all three of them, and were always taking him with them wherever they went. He wove garlands for them, spun golden thread, picked them flowers, and drew them designs of birds and flowers for their embroidery. He liked them all, but he liked Princess Christina best. Everything he did for her was done a little better than for the others. The garlands he wove her were richer, the designs he drew for her were more beautiful. The two older sisters noticed this and laughed, and when they were alone they teased Princess Christina. Princess Christina, who had a sweet and amiable disposition, knew the teasing was all in good fun, and happily played along."

The love song then begins to turn into a somber lament. "Prince Brian had been at the court for some time when one morning he found the king sitting sad and gloomy over his breakfast. So he asked him what was the matter." Brock narrates.

"Is it possible, my dear boy," he sighs in a gentle, deeper version of himself--his favorite "king" voice to perform--"that you don't know what's the matter? Don't you know the calamity that threatens us? Don't you know the bitter three days that are at hand for me?"

He interjects as himself "Prince Brian, alarmed by the seriousness of the king's manner, shook his head no."

"Then I'll tell you," he replies as the king over the lament he is playing, "although you can be of no help. Years ago three Hydreigons came flying through this land and landed on a great rock near here. They laid waste to the country, devouring the Tauros and killing men, women, children, and Pokemon alike. Soon the city was in a state of siege. To keep them away we placed all the food we had outside the gates, and in a short time we ourselves were starving. In desperation I had an old wise woman called to court, and asked her was there any way to drive these monsters from the land. The only way to drive them off was to promise the awful creatures my three beautiful daughters when they came of age. At that time, my daughters were only small children and I thought to myself many things might happen in the years before they grew up. So, to relieve my stricken land, I promised the Hydreigons my daughters. The poor queen died of a broken heart, but my daughters grew up knowing nothing of their fate. As soon as I made the monstrous bargain, the Hydreigons flew away and until yesterday were never seen again. Last night, a shepherd, beside himself with terror, brought me the news that the Hydreigons are again settled in their old rock and are sending out fearful roars. Tomorrow I must sacrifice to them my oldest child Princess Orla, the day after tomorrow my second child, Princess Ariana, and the day after that my youngest, Princess Christina."

Gasps and "oh no"s race through the crowd as the guitar's last foreboding chord fades away. "Prince Brian was horrified at what he heard, and hurried to the princesses' room." Brock continues as himself. "He found them dressed all in black and looking white as a Gastly. They were sitting in a row and bemoaning their terrible fate. Prince Brian tried to comfort them, telling them that surely a great hero would appear to rescue them. But they paid no mind to him and kept on moaning and crying. Grief and confusion spread throughout the city, for everyone loved the royal family. Every house as well as the palace was soon draped in black and the sound of mourning was heard on every side."

After a few tense seconds, Brock goes on "One night, Prince Brian hurried secretly out of the city and across the field to the rock where Epona was stabled. He laid his hands on the rock and sang..."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash fills in the song as Prince Brian.

"...the rock opened, and he entered." Brock continues. "He stroked Epona's glowing blue mane and kissed her muzzle in greeting."

"My dear Epona," Ash explains as Prince Brian, "I have come to you for advice. Help me and I will be happy forever."

He pantomimes talking to Misty as Brock narrates "...and he told Epona the story of the Hydreigons."

"Oh, I know all about those Hydreigons," Misty replies as Epona. "In fact, it was that you might rescue the princesses that I brought you here in the first place. Early tomorrow morning come back and I will tell you what to do."

Excited whispers fill the air in anticipation of a battle. "Prince Brian returned to the castle with such joy shining in his face that if anyone had noticed him, he would have gotten yelled at." Brock continues as himself over a hopeful melody. "He spent the day with the princesses trying to comfort and console them, but in spite of all he could do they felt only more terrified as the hours went by."

As the last chord of his hopeful song dies, he continues "The next day, at the first streak of dawn, he was at the rock. Epona greeted him and said..."

Misty instructs Ash as Epona "Lift up the stone under my trough and take what you find there."

"Prince Brian did as he was told." Brock narrates, to the children's giggles as Ash pantomimes lifting something heavy. "He lifted the stone and under the stone he found a large chest. Inside the chest he found three beautiful suits of clothing, with caps and plumes to match, a sword and a bridle. The first suit was red embroidered in silver and studded with diamonds, the second was deep blue and embroidered in gold, and the third was green,and richly embroidered with silver and studded with diamonds and pearls. For all three suits there was but one mighty sword. Its blade was beautifully inlaid and its scabbard shone with precious stones. The bridle was also richly jeweled."

"Wow"s and awed whistles fill the room as the children and Miss Priscilla picture the magical items. "All three suits are for you," Misty explains as Epona. "For the first day, put on the red one."

Brock quickly narrates "So Prince Brian dressed himself in the red suit, buckled on his sword, and threw the bridle over Epona's head."

"Have no fear," Misty assures the audience as Epona. "Cut bravely into the monster, trusting to your sword. And remember, do not dismount."

Brock continues over a tense theme "At the castle heartbroken farewells were being said. Princess Orla parted from her father and her sisters, stepped into a carriage, and accompanied by a great multitude of her weeping subjects was slowly driven out of town to Dragon's Rock. As they neared the meeting spot Princess Orla stepped into the grass. She took a few steps forward, then collapsed on the ground." Nervous giggles go up as he plays a downward glissando on one string to mimic Princess Orla fainting.

The tense melody gives way into the Zelda theme. "At that moment the people saw galloping toward them a knight with a red and white plume. In a voice of authority he ordered them to stand back and leave him to deal with the Hydreigon. They were glad enough to lead Princess Orla away and went to a hill, where they could watch the impending battle at a safe distance." Brock continues as he plays. "Then there was a deep rumbling noise, the earth shook, and Dragon's Rock opened. A huge Hydreigon crawled out, and it spat fire and poison from all three mouths and turned all three of its heads this way and that, looking for its promised prey. When he saw the knight he let out a horrible roar."

The audience begins clapping along with the iconic video game theme, as if cheering Prince Brian on as Brock gives the play by play. "Prince Brian rode straight at him and with one blow of his sword cut off one of the Hydreigon's heads. The Hydreigon writhed and enveloped Prince Brian in flames and poisonous fumes. But Prince Brian, undaunted, struck at him again and again until he had cut off all three heads. The life that still remained in the loathsome body, Epona finished with her hooves."

Cheers go up as Brock plays the "got item" stinger to signal a victory. "When the Hydreigon had perished, Prince Brian turned and galloped back the way he had come. Princess Orla looked after him, wishing she could follow him to thank him for rescuing her. But she remembered her father back at the castle and felt it was her duty to come back to him as quickly as she could."

He grins at the enthralled audience. "I can't even begin to describe the king's joy when Princess Orla appeared before him safe and sound. Her sisters embraced her and wondered if a hero would rescue them as well. Prince Brian assured them that he was certain they, too, would be saved. Although the prospect of the next morning still terrified them, hope had come to them, and Prince Brian even succeeded in making them laugh a few times."

"Aw"s go up as the audience pictures Prince Brian making the princesses laugh. "The next day, Princess Ariana was led out." Brock snaps the audience back to reality with an expectant Bb chord. As he plays a slightly lower key version of the Zelda theme, he adds "Just like the day before, the unknown knight appeared, this time wearing a royal blue costume. He attacked the second Hydreigon and, after a long and valiant battle, dispatched it. Then before anyone could reach him, he turned and rode away."

He interjects as he stops the song "Princess Ariana returned to the castle, saddened that she had not been able to speak to the knight and express her gratitude. Princess Christina then said..."

In his best mimic of a young girl, he scolds "You, my sisters, were silly not to speak to him before he rode away. Tomorrow if he rescues me, I will kneel before him; and not get up until he consents to return with me to the castle."

As himself, he continues "Prince Brian burst out laughing at this and Princess Christina asked him what was so funny. He explained that he, too, wanted to see the hero."

A foreboding riff quiets the "Aw"s. "On the third day, Princess Christina was taken out to Dragon's Rock, and this time, the king came too." Brock intones. "Princess Christina's heart raced when she thought that if the unknown hero failed to appear she would be handed over to the horrible monster."

Cheers go up as the guitar begins the familiar Zelda theme again. "A joyous shout from the people told her that the hero was coming." Brock narrates over the song. "Then she saw him, a gallant figure in green with a white plume floating in the wind. As he had killed the first Hydreigon, and the second Hydreigon, so he killed the third; although the struggle was longer and Epona had her hooves full trying to stand up against the poisonous fumes."

The crowd enthusiastically claps along with the iconic video game song before it comes to a screeching halt four repetitions later. "After a very long and drawn out battle, the Hydreigon was slain." Brock smiles, playing the "got item" stinger to thunderous cheers. "Princess Christina and the king rushed up to the hero and begged him to return with them to the castle. He hardly knew how to refuse, especially when Princess Christina, kneeling before him, grasped the edge of his tunic and looked up at him with such sad Growlithe eyes that his heart melted and he was ready to do anything she asked."

He then interjects "But Epona took matters into her own hooves, reared up suddenly, and galloped off before the hero had time to dismount."

Laughter goes up at this. "So Princess Christina, too, was unable to bring the hero back to the castle." Brock goes on. "The king and all the court were understandably disappointed, but their disappointment was swallowed up in their joy that the princesses had been so miraculously saved. But a few days later, with Epona's permission, Prince Brian revealed himself to Princess Christina, told her everything, and explained why he had to hide his identity from her. This only made Princess Christina's love for him even stronger, and it wasn't long before the two of them were married."

He concludes "Prince Brian and Epona went on many more adventures together, but that is another story for another day!" He adds a playful flourish on the guitar to prove his point.

The crowd roars as Brock sets the guitar aside and takes a sweeping bow along with Ash and Misty...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-21-2016, 09:02 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 14: A Lesson in Friendship (part 2)

The children cheered as the bell rang for lunch some time later, with Ash, Misty, and Brock not far behind. As the children hurried to unpack their lunches and eat, Miss Priscilla smiled at the trio. "You three have real talent...you should take your music and stories on the road!"

"Aw, we're just three good friends who enjoy sharing songs and stories with each other." Ash smiled, flattered someone had complimented them.

"In fact, how would you like to join us on our trip to Sprout Tower this afternoon?" Miss Priscilla offered. "I'm sure the children would love hearing about the hundred foot Bellsprout that formed the swaying pillar."

"I know that story, actually--or at least a version anyone in Kanto knows." Brock replied. "So I'd be happy to tell it."

Ash, meanwhile. was mingling with the students, answering their questions and getting to know them. "If you competed in the Kanto League, why didn't you win?" a boy with messy black hair asked.

"I was a beginner--but even though I didn't win the League, I DID learn a lot of valuable lessons on the way." Ash explained to the boy. "Things like teamwork, perseverance, courage, and loyalty."

The boy, meanwhile, noticed Tintri. "Hey, little guy...name's Zackie--wanna be friends?"

Tintri uneasily sparked in reply. "I could be a way better partner than Hat-boy could ever be, so come with me!" Zackie pleaded.

Tintri retorted as his sparks grew larger and brighter as Zackie's hand inched closer and closer. He finally discharged his tiny Thundershock, then darted into a forested area not far from the school courtyard.

The crackle of a thunderbolt snapped Ash to attention. "Tintri!" he gasped as he watched Tintri dart away.

"Come back here!" Zackie was not far behind. "You're gonna be my Pokemon now!

---------

"I know you're here, Pikachu..." Zackie called as he crawled through the brush near the school. "You're gonna be mine if it's the last thing I do!"

He gasped when he saw what he thought was Pikachu ears peeking up through a patch of tall grass. "Ah ha! I gotcha now!" With that, he heaved the Poke Ball at what he believed was Tintri "Poke Ball, go!"

Ash and the real Tintri watched the Poke Ball shake on the ground from the safety of a bush. [Should we tell Zackie what he really caught?] Tintri whispered, being careful not to alert Zackie to his presence.

"Nah...he'll find out right about..." Ash watched as Zackie heaved his Poke Ball skyward, only to balk when he saw a small sprout Pokemon materialize before him. "now..."

"How did I get a Bellsprout?" Zackie gasped at the spindly sprout that stood before him. "I wanted that Pikachu!"

"If you wanted a Pikachu that badly, you should have got one of your own instead of trying to take my partner away from me." Ash calmly but sternly explained as he and Tintri emerged from the brush. "If a Pokemon has a name, it belongs to someone, no ifs, ands, or buts."

Zackie glumly looked over at the Bellsprout he had caught. "Okay...I'll see what I can do with this Bellsprout..." he sighed. "I'm sorry I tried to take your Pikachu....will you ever forgive me?" he asked Ash

Ash's angry look softened when he saw tears shining in Zackie's eyes. "Of course I forgive you...with a little love and patience, I'm sure you and your Bellsprout will be best friends in no time!

He motioned for Zackie to follow him. "Come on...let's go rejoin your classmates at Sprout Tower."

---------

"So did you finally talk Zackie out of wanting Tintri?" Misty asked as Ash and Tintri arrived, where Brock was telling Miss Priscilla and the class a version of the story of how the swaying pillar in the center of the tower came to be.

"I think so--I found Tintri hiding behind a rock, then watched Zackie catch one of these.." Ash then showed Misty the Pokedex, which depicted a Bellsprout on its screen:

[b]"Bellsprout, the flower Pokemon. Even though its body is extremely skinny, it is blindingly fast when catching its prey."

"I see..." Misty smiled before noticing smoke coming from the tower's top floor. "That's funny...do you see smoke coming from the top of the tower, or is it just me?"

"As the soldiers advanced on the tower, the Bellsprout...refused...to...." Brock trailed off when he too noticed the smoke. "Is there something burning in here?"

Miss Priscilla gasped when she noticed the smoke. "Oh my! Everyone get outside, quickly!" she told the class.

"We'll go investigate before we alert the fire department." Misty offered before taking one of her Poke Balls. "It could just be smoke from an errant Smokescreen."

"If it is fire, we'll let you know." Ash assured the frightened children and Miss Priscilla as Brock hurried to comfort a frightened girl.

"What about me?" Ash heard Zackie say. "I wanna help too--as an apology for trying to take your Pikachu."

Ash couldn't resist smiling. "All right, but you have to do everything Misty and I tell you, okay?"

"Got it!" Zackie replied before following Ash and Misty up the tower.

---------

"Okay! Spritz, clear the air!" Misty commanded as she heaved her Poke Ball skyward, revealing her Seadra. As Spritz sprayed a stream of water to dispel the smoke, she could see Kamon staring down the tower elders' fainted Bellsprout.

Kamon then noticed Ash and Misty watching him. "He calls himself the Elder, but he was no match for me." he bragged. "Sure enough, those who lecture how you should be "nice" to Pokémon… They cannot defeat me. All I care about are strong Pokémon that win every time. The rest of them don't mean anything to me!"

"Oh yeah?" Zackie challenged as he summoned his Bellsprout. "Winning isn't everything!"

Kamon just smirked. "Really? Try me..."

Ash watched as Kamon summoned Spike to face Zackie's Bellsprout. I applaud Zackie for trying to stand up to Kamon, but his Bellsprout's gonna need some help against Kamon's Cyndaquil...

[Do I need to step in and help?] Tintri asked.

"If you feel called to help Zackie, then go help Zackie." Ash replied as he watched the Bellsprout stare down the Cyndaquil. "You don't need my permission."

[Got it!] Tintri nodded before he hurried over to where Zackie and Kamon stared each other down.

"If we're gonna battle, then make your move--I don't have all day." Kamon sneered.

Zackie, however, noticed Spike wheezing from exhaustion. [i]He's weakened! I may have a chance to beat him!

He then called "Bellsprout, use Razor Leaf!"

"Tintri, supercharge Bellsprout's Razor Leaf with a Thunderbolt!" Ash called.

[HAAAAAAH!!!] Tintri fired a massive Thunderbolt, darkening the Razor Leaves as they gained a yellow aura, sending Spike flying backwards before landing at Kamon's feet, swirly eyed.

"I did it!" Zackie cried as he ran to hug Ash, aware all the while of Kamon departing with a huff. "I couldn't have done it without you...and I think I know what you mean when you say your Pikachu's your best partner."

"Isn't that what training Pokemon is all about?" Misty asked as she, Brock, and the class arrived. "Building friendships with your Pokemon?"

"Yeah...and everybody's got their own special Pokemon partner!" Zackie went on. "My partner is Bellsprout, just like Ash has his Pikachu."

He looked over at Ash. "Ash...I wanna battle with you when Bellsprout evolves into a Weepinbell, and then eventually a Victreebel!"

"I can make it happen the next time we come--or even if we meet again in the League." Ash smiled.

"Think you could write a song about me and Bellsprout's adventures?" Zackie asked Brock.

"Sure...I'll call it 'The Ballad of Zackie and Bellsprout'!" Brock replied.

"You have to play it the next time you guys come!" Zackie reminded Brock, to everyone's laughter that resonated through the Tower...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-25-2016, 12:34 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 15: Courage Takes Flight

"Wow!" Ash gasped as the group approached a lavender tower-like building filled with windows that spanned the building's entire height. "This is the Violet City Gym???"

"Sure is..." Brock replied. "Dedicated to Flying type Pokemon, as Mr. Pokemon told you before."

"He did say Tintri would do just fine against the Gym Leader's birds." Ash mused as he hurried up to one of the windows and peeked inside. "Although it appears he--or she--is out at the moment..."

Just then, Misty looked in the sky and gasped. "Look! Up in the sky!"

"What is it, Misty? You see a superhero or something?" Ash asked before looking up at the spot Misty was pointing at, where two winged beings circled and weaved around each other in an intricate aerial ballet over the Gym and the three awed onlookers on the ground.

After a moment or two, the beings sped toward the ground, where the group could see what they were more clearly--a Pidgeot and a navy haired boy piloting a deep blue hang glider with silver feather-like trim. "The glider pilot must know what he's doing to fly that close to a Pidgeot..." Brock noted as Pidgeot and pilot wove and circled around each other as they made their way to the ground, giving a little flair to a carefully controlled and well rehearsed descent.

Misty couldn't help applauding when the glider pilot touched down on the ground some moments later. "Bravo! That was amazing!"

"Thanks..." the boy smiled as he climbed out of the glider harness and brushed some leaves and dirt from his matching royal blue flight suit. "Taka and I make a point to go flying together at least once a day, when I'm not busy tending to my Gym Leader duties."

"Taka?" Ash asked.

The boy whistled, and the Pidgeot fluttered onto his shoulder. "I'm Falkner, and this is Taka." he explained, gesturing to the Pidgeot. "Hatched him and raised him from a Pidgey."

"Nice to meet you Falkner--I'm Ash." Ash began. "...and these are my two companions Misty..." Misty waved hello. "...and Brock." Brock gave a wave hello while admiring the majestic Pidgeot perched on Falkner's shoulder. "I have my own Pidgeot as well..."

He then heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Come on out, Mina!"

"Oh, so your Pidgoet is a girl..." Falkner smiled as a second Pidgeot, this one female, emerged in a flash of red light and landed on Ash's shoulder. "If you don't mind my asking, how did you two meet?" Falkner asked.

"I caught her as a Pidgeotto in Viridian Forest, and she earned me a few Gym Badges." Ash explained. "Are you taking challenges at the moment?"

"If you feel confident enough, I gladly accept your challenge." Falkner replied. "Let's go inside and get my gear put away, then we'll go up to the arena."

Ash nodded. "Mina, return." he commanded, recalling his Pidgeot before giddily racing inside the Gym...

---------

"Whoa..." Ash gasped, as he, Misty, Brock, and Falkner--now in an elegant cyan and blue kimono-like outfit--stepped out into an open air arena at the top of the tower. "We're gonna battle here?"

"Yes, we are." Falkner smiled. "Thankfully, there are safety barriers to keep us and our Pokemon from falling."

"Good thinking." Brock agreed as he took a seat on a bench near the silver side of the arena.

Misty, meanwhile, was more enthused about the view than her friend's upcoming battle. "You can see all of Violet City from here, if not all of Johto!"

Falkner grinned. "Win or lose, I want my challengers to have a memory of our match--and the view's what they often remember."

He next addressed Ash as a referee arrived. "Which side of the arena will you take? Gold or Silver?"

"Silver!" Ash replied before hurrying to the right side of the arena, with Tintri not far behind him.

"Representing the Gold side, Gym Leader Falkner and Mie!" the referee announced as Falkner summoned an intimidating bird Pokemon with three heads. "And representing the Silver side, Ash Ketchum and Tintri!"

Falkner's expression turned business-like as Ash and Tintri cheered. "People say you can clip Flying-type Pokémon's wings with a jolt of electricity...but I wouldn't get too comfortable on that knowledge alone!"

"Bring it on!" Ash shot back.

"Are all the competitors ready?" the referee asked.

"Let's do this." Falkner replied.

Ash and Tintri cheered in reply. "Okay! Three...two...one..." The referee's whistle resounded through the city, alerting those down below that a Gym battle had begun.

"I'll show you the real power of the magnificent bird Pokémon!" Falkner smirked as the three headed bird Pokemon charged at Tintri. Tintri effortlessly jumped out of the way, landing at Ash's feet moments later.

Ash made a T signal with his hand. "Time out--Silver." the referee announced.

He next motioned for the referee to come over. "Is it okay to use a Pokedex for basic information on an opponent?"

"So long as it does not give you an unfair advantage, using a Pokedex to form strategies is fine." the referee replied before retreating back to her post at the dividing line that cut the Poke Ball arena in half.

Ash, meanwhile, consulted Dexter to size up his opponent:

"Dodrio, the triple bird Pokemon. An enemy that takes its eyes off any of the three heads--even for a second--will get pecked severely."

"You hear that, bud? Be on your guard." Ash cautioned Tintri as he pocketed Dexter as the referee's whistle signaled the end of his time out.

"Silver has two time outs remaining." the referee announced. "Resume battle!"

"Are you sure a little Pikachu's gonna be enough to take out Mie?" Falkner asked. "No challenger has ever defeated her!"

"Yet!" Ash shot back. "No challenger has defeated her YET--and I'm gonna be the first!"

Both competitors called at the same time "Use Agility!"

Both Pikachu and Dodrio raced at each other, each of them bright blue colored blurs to the spectators on the Silver sideline. As Tintri raced to avoid the large Dodrio in a somewhat choreographed routine of head on charges, near misses, and dodges, he thought he saw a glimpse of the Dodrio's body as he raced by. This is my chance to stun her! I just have to fire a Thunderbolt on my next pass!

He fired a Thunderbolt as he circled around the Silver side of the arena, but balked as the Dodrio effortlessly jumped over the attack, leaving the Thunderbolt to arc gracefully into the safety barrier at the north end of the room.

[WAUGH!!!] he yelped as the Dodro pinned him to the wall, then pecked at him one-two-three-four-five times. Try as he could to get free, the Dodrio pinned him to the arena floor moments later.

[Oh no...] was all he could muster as he watched the Dodrio's beaks start spinning like drills.

"Drill Peck!" Brock noted as Tintri was mercilessly pecked by three beaks at once.

"Tintri!" Ash gasped as he helplessly watched Tintri get battered by the Drill Peck. "Hang in there for me, okay?"

"Mie, use Tri Attack!" Falkner ordered.

"Tintri, if you can, take it down with Thunder!" Ash commanded.

Mie opened her beaks and positioned her heads so each beak became a corner in a triangle. An orb of energy then formed inside Mie's beaks--the right one was green, the top one was indigo, and the left one was red. A red triangle then formed in between the orbs.

Tintri braced himself. Once the triangle starts to turn indigo, I need to dodge, and quick!

He saw Mie fire the triangle, then wall jumped away as the triangle exploded on the safety barrier. [HIIIIIIII-YAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!] he screeched as he fired a massive thunderbolt, shocking Mie and causing her to slump to the floor, swirly eyed. "Mie is unable to battle--Tintri wins!" the referee announced.

A smile formed on Falkner's face. "I must commend you for being the first for defeating Mie. But now it's time to get serious by showing you Taka's power!

"Hope you've got another Pokemon, Ash..." Misty mused as Tintri arrived on the sideline for a well deserved Potion and wipedown.

"I do..." Ash assured Misty before taking the other Poke Ball he carried and addressing Falkner. "So, Taka's your ace? I'll show you mine!"

He then heaved the Poke Ball skyward. "Blaze, come on out!"

Even Falkner was impressed at the majestic orange dragon that circled around the arena and landed on the Silver side of the arena...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-28-2016, 10:06 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 16: Blazes of Glory

[Good to see you again, Ash...] Blaze smiled as he landed by Ash's side. [Who's our opponent here?]

"This is Taka, Falkner's Pidgeot." Ash gestured to the majestic brown bird Pokemon with an ornate, red, orange, and yellow crest facing him and Blaze. "Tintri's on the ropes, so I need you to finish the job!"

[You got it!] With that, Blaze took off and stopped over the arena's dividing line.

"Taka, take flight!" Falkner commanded.

[Yee-ha!] Taka cried as he soared skyward, eager to engage the Charizard hovering over the middle of the arena. But Blaze blew out a wave of fire in Taka's direction, only to balk as Taka effortlessly wove through the flames.

[What do we do now? The Pidgeot avoided my Flamethrower...] Blaze looked to Ash for advice.

"Keep trying!" Ash called from the ground. "Use Flamethrower in as many directions as you can! One of them should hit Taka eventually."

A toothy grin formed on Blaze's face. [Your strategies may be strange, but I know they will work.] he smiled before scanning the airspace above the arena for any sign of Taka.

He saw a brown blur out of the corner of his eye and blew a Flamethrower in the blur's path. When the blur veered out of the way of the stream of fire, Blaze would heave another fiery blast, only for the blur to dodge that Flamethrower as well.

On the ground, Misty watched Blaze's futile attempts to hit Taka. "It looks like a game of Whack-a-Diglett up there..."

"That's because Taka is using Agility to dodge Blaze's attacks no matter where he aims." Brock explained. "I think Falkner's trying to wear Blaze down before counterattacking."

In the arena, Ash was growing frustrated at Blaze's constant near misses. "Come on, I know you can hit him!"

Blaze called back, before heaving another Flamethrower in the Pidgeot's direction.

He heard a rush of wind headed in his direction, but before he could fly out of the way, the small tornado sent him tumbling to the arena floor. [WAUUUUGH!!!]

[Not so high and mighty on the ground, are you, you overgrown lizard?] Taka taunted as his right wing started to glow bright white. [Feel the power of the wind!]

[AUGGGHHH!!!] Blaze yelped in pain as he was pummeled by the force of two Wing Attacks that pinned him to the floor. As he helplessly tried to get up, Taka slammed into him with a Quick Attack, leaving the majestic Charizard writhing on the floor in pain.

Ash, meanwhile, winced as his faithful Charizard was pummeled by the Pidgeot's merciless attack. [i]What do I do now? At the rate Taka is pummeling Blaze, Blaze is a sitting Psyduck!

Falkner's voice snapped him back to reality. "Do you see just how powerful the wind can be? If I were you, I would just cut my losses and go train a bit more."

"No..." Ash growled. "I didn't come all this way to suffer humiliation and defeat...I came so I could prove my skills in a new region, and win their badges alongside the badges I earned in my home region--so I'm not giving up!"

Blaze weakly stood up. [You're right...I can't just lie here like a frightened Meowth and get pecked to death!]

He flexed his wings a little bit.

Ash cheered as Blaze took flight again. [i]Maybe I have a chance to win after all! he thought as he watched Taka attempt to Quick Attack where Blaze had been lying moments earlier.

[What the...] Taka started, but gasped when he saw Blaze airborne again. [I thought I had you down for the count!]

[When you have a master that loves you and believes in you, you just can't keep a good mon down!] Blaze smirked.

He watched Taka power past him with Agility, but veered out of the way as Taka attempted Quick Attack again. When Taka tried again from another angle, Blaze just flew out of the way again.

On the ground, Brock realized what Blaze was doing. "Blaze is turning Falkner's own evasive strategy against him!"

"Let's see how good Falkner is at Whack-a-Diglett." Misty grinned as Blaze flew behind Taka, in hopes of catching the Pidgeot off guard.

Just as Taka was about to fly in for another Quick Attack attempt, Blaze turned around and surrounded Taka in the flaming circle of Fire Spin. [I gotcha now!] Blaze smirked. [I understand the power of the wind, for the wind fans the flames!]

With that, he grabbed Taka in his claws, flew to the top of the arena, gracefully performed a few spins to appeal to the audience down below, then zoomed back down, tossing Taka into the ground for more damage.

The referee's whistle pierced the air. "Taka is unable to battle--this match's winner is Silver!" she announced, gesturing to Falkner's swirly eyed Pidgeot.

"YES!!!" Misty cheered.

"Way to go, Ash!" Brock agreed.

A smile formed on Falkner's face. "I must commend you for your never say die attitude--that will allow you to soar on your Pokemon League quest." he told Ash as Ash ran to hug Blaze.

He offered Ash a silver badge that resembled a pair of wings. "In honor of your heroic effort here today, I give you this official Pokémon League Badge."

[We did it...] Tintri smiled as he hopped aboard Ash's shoulder and admired the tiny badge in his master's hands.

"You've just won your first Johto Badge...what are you gonna do next?" Brock grinned.

"Before we go to Worlds of Wonder? Shout what we did from the rooftops!" Ash replied before dashing out to the arena's observation deck with Blaze and Tintri.

After taking a moment to savor the view of Violet City at sunset, he held his new badge high and proclaimed "I got a Zephyr Badge!!!!", over Tintri's joyous squeak and Blaze's triumphant roar.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-01-2016, 06:05 PM

Episode 17: Tears of Courage

"Well done, Ash..." Misty smiled as the group departed Violet City the next morning. "I thought you were done for when Blaze was pinned to the floor!"

"You know Blaze...he's not the type to give up." Ash smiled.

"Now that you have your first badge, our next stop is Azalea Town, to the south." Brock explained as he studied the map of Johto in his guidebook.

Ash nodded. "I can't wait to battle the Gym Leader there!"

For a while, the walk down the road was uneventful until Misty noticed the majestic spires of mansions and trees in the distance. "Look! Another subdivision of mansions!"

"Welcome to Riverside Hills..." Brock read the welcome sign before spotting a dull green haired girl in a lovely magenta gown looking out on the mountains from a cliff.

Misty noticed the dreamy look on Brock's face. "Wait...I know that look..."

"That's the 'I-see-a-pretty-girl-so-I'm-gonna-get-my-guitar-out-and-sing-a-song-for-her' look..." Ash sighed as sure enough, Brock quickly got out his guitar and started tuning up.

Misty, meanwhile, noticed a familiar rotund blue mouse Pokemon tottling in the group's direction. "Aw! Another Marill!" she gasped, before heaving a Poke Ball skyward. "Go say hi, Ami!"

Brock was snapped from tuning up by the pop of a Poke Ball. "I wouldn't exactly plan on battling that Marill if I were you..." he cautioned, pointing out a pink bow on the Marill's tail.

"Relax, I was just gonna see if it would be interested in talking to other Marills." Misty assured Brock. "I'm sure Ami would love making some friends here too."

Ami, meanwhile, hurried up to the other Marill. [Hi! My name's Ami!]

The other Marill looked up at Ami, teared up, and burst into tears. [What's the matter? I only want to be your friend.] Ami smiled as she tried comforting the bawling Marill.

She looked over at Brock, who was just finishing his tuning. [Quick! Sing the happiest, most joyful song you know!]

"Before that though, I'm just gonna just try calming her first." Brock replied as he returned his instrument to its case and hurried over to the bawling Marill's side. "Sh, now...it's okay...we're not gonna hurt you..."

"It's working!" Ash grinned as the Marill's cries started to quiet.

Just then, the girl from before approached the group. "Well! That's the first time I've seen anyone besides me calm Lana down..."

"Thanks--all we wanted to do was say hello to it, and she just decided to cry at the sight of my own Marill, Ami." Misty explained.

"The girl giggled. "My name's Wilhomena...my family's raised Marills for many years, but I can't understand why Lana constantly cries, even at things that shouldn't be scary..."

Brock emerged before Wilhomena. "Hi, I'm Brock--maybe she needs a few happy songs to show how special she is and how lucky she is to be owned by an equally special young lady..."

Ami facepalmed. [Can I spray Brock, Mama, please?]

Misty sighed as Brock started a brisk melody. "Too late..."

But before Brock could sing a note of his song, Lana burst into tears and raced off towards a steep hill. "Uh oh!"

[She's headed for that cliff!] Tintri gasped as he dashed down the hill in an attempt to corral the bawling Marill. The hill proved to be steeper than he thought, and he ended up getting tangled as both he and Lana went rolling down the hill towards the forest and the raging river below.

"Tintri!" Ash called as he dashed down the hill in an attempt to catch both Tintri and Lana. However, he ended up tripping on a rock and crashing into a tree as Misty hurried down the hill.

"Stay with Brock and Wilhomena!" Misty called as she raced by. "And be sure Brock stays out of trouble!"

"But what about--?" Ash asked as he rubbed his arm in pain.

"I'll find Tintri and Lana! Don't worry!" Misty called back as she sprinted down the hill and leapt to catch both Pokemon moments before they could roll into the river. "There...I've got both of you--you guys okay?"

[Just a few scrapes, nothing major.] Tintri replied. He gestured to Lana, who was still crying profusely.

"Sh...it's okay, Lana." Misty smiled. "I only wanted to help you before you went falling into the icy cold water." Lana nodded before bawling some more.

She was about to attempt climbing back up the hill before losing her footing, sending her, Tintri, and Lana screaming into the river...

---------

"I hope Misty and Tintri will be okay..." Ash mused.

Wilhomena, meanwhile, was equally devastated. "It's all my fault...I can't calm Lana no matter how hard I try..."

"Well, there are in fact ways to curb Lana's crying." Brock explained as he played a relaxed melody. "Having cared for both human kids and young Pokemon, they typically tend to cry for either A. attention, B. an activity or tangible item, or C. to escape a demand."

"Hm...I never thought that Lana might be wanting my attention before..." Wilhomena replied.

"So if Lana starts to cry, do your best to stay calm." Brock went on over his song. "Otherwise, both your anxieties will feed off each other and get worse. Validate Lana's feelings by telling her, 'It's okay to cry. I know you feel sad right now, but you still should, or shouldn't...' whatever it is you're trying to have her do."

"I see...I guess she can feel my panic when she cries." Wilhomena giggled, slightly embarrassed that Brock had gently called her out on a bad habit of hers.

"In fact, most Pokemon--or human kids for that matter--don't like to hear 'no', and so they make their displeasure known in any way they know how, which for Lana is crying." Ash agreed.

He looked out towards the river. "I can only hope Misty doesn't go insane from Lana crying..."

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-05-2016, 10:28 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 18: Riding out the Swarm

Misty climbed out of the water moments later, Lana bawling all the while. "Sh...it's okay..." she tried to assure the squalling Marill. "We're safe here..."

She looked around for a moment at the forest around her and the river they had just came from. "Although I'd love to know where 'here' is..."

[Me too--I bet Ash and Brock are worried sick!] Tintri agreed, wincing as Lana bawled in his ears.

Finally, Misty's combined anger, frustration, and fear overwhelmed her. "Look, I know you're scared and want your mama, but crying's not gonna help!" she snapped, causing Lana to cry even more.

She seriously considered banging her head against a tree in frustration. Arceus, make it stop! she silently pleaded.

Just then, she gasped as Lana wriggled free from her hands and dashed off into the forest, leaving her wrinkled pink bow on the grass. "Hey!"

[Follow that Marill!] Tintri announced as he led Misty and Ami into the forest.

"If there's one thing that'll make Lana easy to find, we'll hear her before we see her." Misty grumbled as she followed Tintri through the brush, over a log, and carefully climbing through some ivy.

[To be fair, you could've been a little bit nicer when you told Lana to calm down.] Ami explained. [She may have picked up on your angry tone of voice, and that scared her even more.]

Misty sighed, embarrassed that her own Pokemon had called her out on misbehavior. "You're right, Ami...I admit I was the one that scared her, and in the heat of the moment, I did something I'm gonna regret if she ends up dinner for a big Pokemon or Poke-napped. Not only would Wilhomena never forgive me, but the boys wouldn't either."

[Now that we have admitted our mistake, let's go make things right.] Ami suggested.

"Yes, lets." Misty agreed as she hurried off after her own Marill.

---------

After climbing through brush and climbing over logs, Tintri found Lana cowering in a corner. [Found her, Misty!] he called as Misty and Ami emerged from the brush.

"Go give Lana her ribbon back." Misty gave Ami Lana's ribbon and watched as her own Marill hurried over to the frightened Marill holed up in a log.

[Um, you dropped this earlier...] Ami tensely offered the ribbon to Lana.

[Y-you're not gonna hurt me?] Lana stammered.

[No--I would never hurt you.] Ami explained. [My master wouldn't hurt you either--she only wants to help you find your mama]

Lana protested, tears forming in her eyes all the while.

[That was because she was frustrated at your constant crying, even though she wanted to help you.] Ami explained [And still wants to help you, even though anger got the best of her.]

[Really?] Lana gasped, her tears shining hopefully.

[Yeah--if you just trust my master and our Pikachu friend, we'll get you back to your mama.] Ami assured Lana.

[W-will you teach me how to be braver?] Lana asked as she tensely followed Ami.

Ami replied as she led Lana back to where Misty and Tintri were waiting. [I finally got Lana to calm down and talk to me.]

"That's good to hear." Misty smiled as she retied Lana's ribbon. "There we go--all pretty again!"

[T-thank you...] Lana blushed. [I'm just...very shy and sensitive.]

"I know...it's scary being lost." Misty replied. "But we have to work together to find your mama, okay? She's probably looking for you as much as we're looking for her."

A thud in the grass, followed by a distinct hum made her freeze in terror. "Beedrills!" she gasped as a swarm of the red eyed wasp Pokemon chased Tintri back to the clearing where she and the Marills were huddled.

[All I did was trip over a Beedrill hive half buried in the moss!] Tintri explained as the group fled into the forest.

"No time to explain, let's get somewhere safe first!" Misty instructed as the group weaved around trees and rocks in an attempt to lose the Beedrills.

She winced as Lana started crying again. [i]Oh no, not again...and just when I thought Ami made progress, too...

---------

"Misty!" Brock called as he, Ash, and Wilhomena followed the riverbank, desperate to know where their friend and companion had gone.

"Tintri!" Ash called into the woods, before a familiar cry snapped him to attention. "There they are!" he called, pointing out Misty and the Pokemon fleeing the Beedrill swarm.

Brock whistled, getting Misty's attention. "Over here!"

Misty was relieved to hear her friend's voice. "Am I glad to see you guys--but let's get rid of these Beedrills before we talk." she suggested as she quickly delivered Lana to Wilhomena.

"Already on it." Brock replied as he retrieved some arrows and a familiar oak bow with silver and emeralds for trim. "Okay, Tintri--can you electrify these arrows for me?"

[Sure!] Tintri replied, sending some sparks into the silver arrowheads until they glowed yellow and sparked.

"Oh, I see what you want to do!" Wilhomena smiled as Brock carefully aimed one of the electrified arrows as the oncoming Beedrill swarm.

After a few tense seconds, he fired, making the Beedrills come to a screeching halt as the arrow landed on the ground in an explosion of electricity. They turned to flee as more electrified arrows went flying--each one being careful not to wound any of the Beedrills as they retreated to the forest.

"That's actually very clever--imbuing arrows with electricity." Wilhomena commented as the group made their way back up the hill towards the house.

"Well, if people can set them on fire, imbuing them with other elements is also doable in real life." Brock replied. "Besides, my goal was not to hurt the Beedrill swarm, but warn them away from us."

Wilhomena smiled as she led the way up the hill. "I can't thank you all enough for your bravery in saving my little Lana..."

"Aw, it was nothing." Ash replied.

"Even if she is prone to cry, Lana was actually very brave, being so far from home." Misty agreed as the group returned to the house, where some other Marills were waiting for Wilhomena's return.

As Lana ran to meet some of the other Marills, Wilhomena led another Marill to Ash's side. "As a reward for bringing Lana back safely, I want to give you a Marill of your own--this little girl's ready to be paired with a trainer and given a name."

"Thank you..." Ash replied as he took the Maril in his arms and contemplated a name for his gifted Pokemon. "I think in honor of our adventure here, I'll name her...River."

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-08-2016, 05:10 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 19: A Burning Heart of Courage

...Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story! Ash sang along to a blaring melody coming from his PokeNav headphones.

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together
I truly believe it with all of my heart...

"I hate to interrupt your performance, Mr. Teen Idol, but you may wanna watch your step." Brock cautioned, motioning to the narrow mountain pathway the group was on.

Ash shut off the Pokenav and stepped away from the edge of the path. "I'm glad to know you like that song, but you also need to focus on the road, especially in narrow places like this." Misty agreed.

"What's the name of that song, anyway?" Brock asked.

"'Glory in Our Story' by the idol group Triumph." Ash explained. "Most of their songs have an inspiring feel--even the sad songs have a note of hope in them."

[Aw, why'd you stop singing?] Tintri complained. [The echo around here made that song sound really cool!]

"Echo?" Ash asked, confused.

"We're in the mountains, haven't you stood at an echo point and called into a mountain or canyon before?" Misty asked.

Just then, the group heard a faint "Hello" echoing through the crags far off in the distance. "Also remember that the echoes allow a person to hear for miles." Brock explained before calling back "Hello!"

"There!" Ash called, pointing out a green haired girl in a red armor-like outfit climbing over the rocks in the path to reach the group.

Brock noticed the elegant dull brown bow and quiver full of red and gold fletched arrows on the girl's back and smiled. Love the arrow fletching--makes them look like little flames.

"Hello, travelers." the girl smiled. "Where might you be headed?"

"We were on our way to Azalea Town, but I don't know if I can go any further." Ash explained.

The girl smiled. "My name's Liza, and I take care of the wild Charizards here in the Charific Valley." She made a grand gesture to a large valley below the path the group was standing on, where seemingly hundreds of Charizards--as well as some Charmanders and Charmeleons--milled about. "Your route goes right through the valley, so if you want, I can take you down there directly so you don't have to wind around all these pathways."

"Sure!" Brock replied, more excited about Liza than seeing wild Charizards. Misty shot him a warning glance before he could gush about her, so he composed himself and thumbed through his guidebook to reach the chapter on the valley. "The Charific Valley--an ancient training and breeding ground where tribes of wild Charizards have lived for millennia. Trained Charizards often come here to learn from the wild ones so they can become stronger."

"Cool!" Ash gasped.

"It is distinguishable by its rock formation in the shape of a giant Charizard." Brock went on before looking up and seeing the formation in question in the distance.

"Can you take us down there?" Ash asked Liza. "Maybe my Charizard Blaze could learn a thing or two from his own kind!"

"Sure." Liza replied. "I'll give you a ride on my faithful Charizard, Charla." Liza offered before calling into the crags. "Here, Charla!"

The group watched in awe as a female Charizard towing a small coach-like vehicle landed before the group "This is Charla--she takes visitors to and from the valley." Liza explained before addressing Ash. "You said you had a Charizard of your own?"

"Yeah--his name's Blaze." Ash replied as he opened the badge case containing his Zephyr Badge for Liza to see. "I raised him from a Charmander, and he's won a lot of important battles for me."

Charla purred as she sniffed the Zephyr Badge. [You can ride with your friends in the coach, or you can ride on your own Charizard.]

"I think I'll let you see my own Charizard..." Ash replied before heaving the Poke Ball containing Blaze skyward. "Come on out, Blaze!"

[You called?] Blaze sleepily yawned. [That Gym Battle had me beat!]

"How would you like to meet some wild Charizards?" Ash explained. "They live in that valley." he pointed out the sprawling Charific Valley below.

Blaze perked up at the mention of wild Charizards. [Sure! I'd love to learn some of the ancient ways of my wild ancestors direct from a tribe.]

He motioned for Ash to climb aboard. [Come on board, sport--even humans can learn from the ancient Charizard ways.]

"The lady Charizard is our guide, so you need to follow her down to the valley." Ash instructed.

Once Ash was aboard Blaze and Misty and Brock were safely secured in Charla's coach, both Charizards took off, Blaze following Charla into the rugged valley.

As Charla approached the valley, Misty noticed that the valley floor was dotted in millions of sparkling rocks. "Lady Cascade to Guide Fire, what are those rocks on the valley floor?" she asked through the communicator inside the coach.

"Lady Cascade, most of those rocks are special jewels called Z Crystals." Liza's voice crackled back. "They are washed from the ocean into the rivers in this area, and then deposited on the valley floor. Of course, normal jewels are washed up here too--so if you ever wondered where the jewels in Mega Rings came from, many of them came from right here."

She went on "The Charizards in the valley are wild, but Charla is a special one--she managed to bond with me. The wild Charizard tribes don't see humans that often, so we protect them from poachers and others that want to cause trouble."

"I see." Misty replied.

"But you guys don't look like the troublemaking type, so they should be fine around you." Liza assured her passengers. "The Charizard tribes have their own language and culture, so you may see that on display while you're here."

---------

"Here we are!" Liza smiled as the group landed at the valley entrance. "The Charizards train naturally without humans by battling each other, the intense competition making them some of the strongest in the world."

"You sure Blaze could handle that?" Misty asked Ash.

[Of COURSE I can handle it!] Blaze barked. [But first, allow me to meet the tribe, as it is not proper to battle immediately upon arrival in tribal lands.]

"Why not?" Ash wondered as he admired some Charizards sleeping, some sparring, some playing, and some females tending to some Charmanders.

[If you issue a challenge before you have formally introduced yourself to the chief and the tribe, the tribe will see that as a declaration of war.] Blaze explained.

Charla nodded in agreement. [So if you come in peace, you introduce yourself to the chief first, and declare your intention to train.]

It was not long before the group arrived at a large cave. [This is the chief's cave.] Charla went on. [Pyroc is a wise Charizard, but fair--if he believes you have potential, he will challenge you to battle himself.]

She then called into the cave in the Charizard language [Pyroc, [i]creolna los het wa koraav hi]

The group gasped in awe as a huge Charizard emerged from the cave. [Aldoer, wanderer. What brings you here to the valley?]

[My name is Blaze, great one.] Blaze replied with a little bow. krilkul that rescued me as a Charmander from a watery fate.] He gestured to Ash, who waved hello.

[Might I know your name, krilkul?] Pyroc asked.

"My name is Ash, Chief Pyroc." Ash replied as he bowed on one knee before the huge Charizard. "And these are my friends Misty and Brock."

"It is an honor to meet you." Misty replied.

Tá áthas orm bualadh leat. Brock replied in Gaelic, complete with a little bow.

A toothy smile formed on Pyroc's face. [You are a lovas, yes? There aren't many humans who know the Language of Song.]

"In Charizard tribes, lovas are singer-storytellers that pass down history and legend among the tribe." Liza explained. "They sing in what is known among the Charizards as the Language of Song, which Eire region Gaelic approximates.]

"So something like a minstrel?" Ash wondered.

Pyroc nodded [The lovas hold an important job in the tribe, krilkul, even greater than mine--and that is preserving our history and legends of heroes, so they are not forgotten.]

He the addressed Blaze and the others. [We welcome you all, as guests of our guardian Liza and the tribe.]

[So when do we start training?] Blaze asked.

[We will begin with the basics in the morning.] Pyroc assured Blaze. [Tonight, though, is a time of celebration to welcome you and your friends.]

[Understood, chief--it is rude to battle on the day of your arrival.] Blaze replied.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-13-2016, 02:09 AM

Scytherwolf;

Interlude: Stories of Flames

The Charific Valley glowed brightly with the flames of Charizards and Charmeleons as the tribe welcomed Ash, Misty, and Brock to their ceremonial fire that evening. Even the Charmanders were darting about the valley floor, giggling as they wove through the three humans' feet.

As Liza arrived with meat and fruit for the tribe and their guests to enjoy, Pyroc stepped forward to address the tribe. [Hone, Keepers of the Valley! Tonight the Great Lord Arceus has seen fit to send visitors to our fire tonight!]

Cheers filled the air as a Charmeleon wearing a number of small rings on her claws and carrying a priest's staff approached the fire. [Great Arceus, we ask Your blessings on our fire this evening, and thank You for Your providence, shared with friends this evening.] she prayed before Liza put some meat over a cooking fire.

[While our dinner for the evening is being prepared, perhaps the human lovas wishes to share some of his stories?] Pyroc offered, noticing Brock tuning his guitar.

"You may want to hold off on the 'hero killing a dragon' stories, since you are telling for dragons, after all." Ash whispered as he toyed with a familiar silver tin whistle in his hands. Tintri was nearby, conversing with the Charmanders of the tribe.

Brock nodded, then started the first story that came to mind, aware all the while of Ash and Misty retrieving their own instruments as well. "Once upon a time, in a far away land, there was a small village named Kotan. It was a happy place--the people laughed and sang as they plowed their fields, and the nearby river echoed with the calls of the fishermen. The chief elder of Kotan was renowned as a fine archer and hunter, and was often spotted leading hunting parties into the nearby forest."

The Charizards listened as Brock went on over a somber melody. "One night, as the elder and his family were blessing the food they had gathered from that day's journey into the forest, some old blankets that hung in the window suddenly began to glow a strange blue color. The chief elder remembered an old story his father had told him when he was young--long ago, Kotan was plagued by bandits, and the people often went hungry because the bandits took all the food. One night, a mysterious sword appeared in the starry sky, and cut down all the bandits. The people believed the sword was a holy blade from heaven, but imagine their sorrow when the sword also killed and wounded many of their own as well. No matter how many times they tried to get the sword away from Kotan, it would always return to kill and wound more."

Fearful murmurs raced through the crowd of Pokemon at this. "Finally, the seven elders of the village cast a spell of sealing on the sword, wrapped it in blankets, and hung it in the window of the chief elder's house, where they hoped it would remain for all time." Brock explained. "As the chief elder looked on at the glowing blankets in awe, the house was lit up in a brilliant blue, but when the light faded, the chief elder noticed that the cursed sword had left its scabbard. Sure enough, the next morning, several villagers were badly wounded, and those that were spared pleaded with the elders to do something. As his fellow elders debated what to do about the cursed sword, the chief elder vowed he too would do whatever he could to protect his people from the cursed blade."

[So what did he do?] one of the warrior Charizards asked.

[Peace, Magnar--the lovas will tell us the answer.] the Charmeleon priestess assured the antsy Charizard.

"First he tried leaving it in the forest, imploring Celebi and Shaymin to watch over it." Brock explained, acknowledging the warrior Charizard and the Charmeleon priestess with a nod. "But when he arrived back home, it was hanging in the window again. Then he tried burying it deep within the ground, and still the sword returned. Next, he tried throwing in the river, in hopes it would arrive in the ocean, and Manaphy would seal its dark powers. But even that didn't work."

The audience of Charmanders, Charmeleons, and Charizards waited to see what, if anything, could stop the cursed blade. "Finally, the chief elder called together the other elders of the village, and they traveled to a local shrine, where they asked Arceus for some way--any way at all--to get rid of the cursed sword." Brock continued. "But even then, the cursed sword's reign of terror continued."

A hopeful grin formed on his face to assure the jittery tribe all was not lost. "The elders prayed for seven days and seven nights in all, and on the seventh night, Arceus appeared to the chief elder in a dream, commanding him to drop the sword from a rock into a deep pool many miles away, casting a spell of sealing as it sank."

He went on "The next morning, the chief elder told his fellow elders about his dream, and explained he was going to find the deep pool and the rock Arceus had told him about." Brock explains as he walks around the stage, as if he is the elder. "However, Arceus did not give the exact location of the deep pool, and it wasn't long before the chief elder got horribly lost."

Laughter filled the air at this. "Finally, just as the sun began to set, he discovered the deep pool nestled in a forest, with the rock overlooking it, just as Arceus had said." Brock explained. "He climbed the rock, and started the spell of sealing..."

With that, he sang Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...

Misty grinned, and silently urged Brock to continue the familiar melody, but Brock had other ideas. "But this was as far as he got when the scabbard started to glow--the cursed sword was awakening!"

Gasps went up at the turn of events. "The chief elder panicked at first, but then a Buizel appeared, saying he would awaken the Dragonair that watched over the pool, and she would help him destroy the sword." Brock explained, quieting the fearful chatter. "The Buizel dove beneath the water, and after a few tense moments, the waters began to churn, and the great Dragonair surfaced. The chief elder then heaved the glowing scabbard into the water, casting the spell of sealing as it fell..."

He then sang the complete tune. Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

When the last note died, Brock announced "The Dragonair of the pool fired a Hyper Beam at the glowing scabbard, destroying the sword for good."

The crowd of Pokemon exploded into cheers as Brock concluded "The chief elder returned to Kotan a hero the next morning, and the tale of his adventure is still told among the residents of Kotan today."

The cheers intensified as Brock took a bow. [Wow! You really are as skilled as you say!] one Charizard raved.

[Tell us another!] a Charmander pleaded.

Brock thought for a moment. "Long ago, a fisherman and his wife--we'll call her Maya--lived on a tiny island not far off the coast of Kanto. They fished for Seaking and Magikarps, and every week, they sailed to town and sold their fish. They were poor, but they had food, cresting waves, the bright blue sky and each other's company."

"Aw"s go up as the crowd of Pokemon pictured the heartwarming scene. "This would've been all well and good if Maya had not longed for a Miltank more than anything else." Brock cautioned. "Her husband laughed at her dream. Maya knew a Miltank could not survive on their tiny island, but still she longed for warm milk and fresh butter and cheese."

"Mm"s go up in agreement. "One day, as they were cleaning Magikarps on the shore, a tiny boat rowed toward them." Brock continued

"Mother, have you any fresh milk?" he called in character as a young boy.

"Oh," he sighed in a mimic of a young girl for Maya, "we have no such treats. We have only fish to offer."

As himself, he narrated "The young man accepted Maya's offer, and rowed to shore."

"What's the name of your little rock here?" he asked as the boy.

"Dew Island," he replied in a younger version of himself for the husband.

"The dominion of the Prince of the Sea," he gasped as the boy. "So you live in Manaphy's realm. You must have everything you need and more."

As himself, he narrates "Maya's husband admitted that he'd never heard of Manaphy before."

"Oh, surely you've heard of him," he giddily cries as the boy. "Manaphy possesses every imaginable treasure in his kingdom at the bottom of the sea. He is rich beyond compare, and anyone who treats him kindly soon becomes rich too. He's temperamental, though. Anyone who dares offend him is soon sorry."

As himself, he continues "Just then, Maya remembered the stories of Manaphy that she had learned as a little girl. The young men ate heartily and said farewell, and Maya started to daydream of Manaphy. By the afternoon, she had devised a plan."

"Ooh"s went up in anticipation of what Maya and her husband would do. "They rowed out with their net, and when they reached the deep sea, Maya started to sing songs she remembered from those bedtime stories of yore." Brock continued as he fished a pitch pipe from his pocket. "She sang Manaphy's praises, but she added a twist of her own. She promised she would give Manaphy a feather from both Ho'oh and Lugia if only he would give her a Miltank."

After blowing a B note to establish what key he would be performing in as Maya, Brock started singing as Maya in a nonsense language that sounded like Gaelic. But after a few verses of the song in B minor, the audience of Charizards eagerly joined in on the chorus:

Hi rì him bò hill ò bha rò hò
Hi rì him bò hìrì ri ri ù
Hi rì him bo hill ò bha rò hò...

When the last thud of Brock's foot signaled the end of the song, Brock continued as himself "That night, as Maya and her husband slept, a fierce storm blew up from the sea. By dawn all was calm, and when Maya looked outside, she could not believe her eyes. The most beautiful Miltank in the world stood upon her shore. From that moment on, whenever either Maya or her husband wished for something, it was theirs. Their little island overflowed with milk, and every net was always filled with fish. They grew rich, and so they built a large house to replace their tiny cottage. Before long they had even hired people to help them with their work."

He then intoned "But one Miltank was not enough for Maya. Her husband protested, but Maya was not satisfied, and so once more she sang, until 30 Miltanks lived on their island. But then Maya decided she wanted a bigger island."

"There's nothing to do but build a dam and pump out the sea," he joked as the husband.

"Though Maya knew her husband was kidding, she decided she would do just that." he explained as himself. "She loaded their boat with rocks and sailed to sea."

Ash retrieved his whistle from his pocket before Brock continued "A musician went along with her to entertain her, but he played his flute so beautifully that Manaphy and all the sea Pokemon rose to the surface to listen."

With that, Ash played "The Meowth's Call" for effect. "Maya, not seeing them, began to throw her stones into the water to build her dam." Brock explained when the applause for Ash's performance died down. "One stone grazed a Milotic's cheek and another hit Manaphy's head. Suddenly, Maya's boat was spinning and bouncing as waves rose up and foam sprayed over her. Manaphy rose out of the water."

"Why do you throw stones at me?" he demanded in a higher pitched version of Ash for Manaphy.

"Your majesty, forgive me. It was a mistake." he pleaded as Maya.

"And where is the gold and silver you promised?" he asked as Manaphy.

"Your majesty, every day they are scattered upon the waves of the sea." he explained as Manaphy

As himself, he continued "But Manaphy was beyond furious. He blew a wind so hard that Maya was tossed from her boat. She flew through the sky and landed with a thud on the island. When she looked up, she saw her tiny cottage and her husband wearing his ragged old jacket, sitting on the shore mending a net."

He concluded "It dawned on Maya that her tiny cottage and her loving husband were all she really needed in the world."

The crowd of Charizards roared with applause as the group bowed together...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-15-2016, 09:57 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 20: The Fires of Love

The next morning, Pyroc led Blaze into a rugged part of the valley, where some of the warriors of the tribe had assembled. krilkul...[/i]] Pyroc began.

[I do, great chief.] Blaze replied as Ash, Misty, and Brock looked on.

Pyroc nodded. [Very well..before we begin training in earnest, we will begin with a showcase of your skills, so I know where to start your training.]

He gestured to the line of warrior-Charizards. [These five are some of the tribe's best warriors--defeat them in a friendly match. You've met Magnar already...]

[I'm not going easy on you, [i]suorra.] Magnar growled.

This angered Blaze. [How dare you call me a hatchling?]

[You have not lived in the wilds--only at a human's beck and call!] another one of the warriors agreed.

This angered Blaze even more. he protested. [I am more than a servant for a human!]

[Magnar, Scaldor, enough!] Pyroc commanded. [It is true that Blaze belongs to a [i]krilkul, but he too is a Charizard like both of you, so treat him no differently from any of the other tamed ones that come here.]

Misty, meanwhile, was confused as Blaze and Scaldor began battling with Pyroc looking on. "Why would they be riling Blaze up like that?"

"It's a natural instinct of Charizards in the wild--to rile up tame ones so they can see the full force of the tamed one's power." Liza explained as Blaze heaved a Flamethrower at Scaldor.

lincesa like Blaze is sung to by the krilkul, one can evolve even further--is this true?] the Charmeleon priestess asked Pyroc as Blaze jumped to avoid a Dragon Claw from Scaldor.

[Yes--but the heart of the krilkul or krilmon determines how the tamed one will transform.] Pyroc explained as Blaze lunged to deliver a Fire Fang, but Scaldor took flight and knocked Blaze to the ground with an Air Slash.

Moments before Blaze could get back up and try to attack Scaldor again, a low tuba-like sound rang over the valley. "What was that?" Brock asked, curious.

[The war horns...] Scaldor replied as Blaze weakly got up. [We must go and help the other warriors drive back those that would overtake the valley!]

[But what about--!] Blaze protested.

[We will finish our fight later.] Scaldor assured Blaze before he flew off with Magnar and the other warriors. [I promise.]

"Let's go see what is going on!" Liza motioned for the group to follow her towards the valley center, where hundreds of the tribe's warriors spewed white hot flames at a horde of Onixes and Steelixes.

"I don't think Argent would be of much help..." Misty mused as a Steelix whacked away a Charizard warrior. Liza fired a flaming arrow to warn away a second one from approaching the wounded Charizard as he was taken to a cave designated as a medical area and a safe space for those too young to fight.

"I can help deflect an attack from the right!" Brock suggested as he took his own bow and prepared to fire.

Inspired, Misty heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Come on out, Pearl!" she called, revealing an elegant purple starfish Pokemon with a large ruby core.

[i]You called? the Starmie asked telepathically.

"Freeze some of Brock's arrows with your Star Freeze!" Misty commanded.

[Haaaaaaa-aaaaaaaahh!] Pearl cried as she fired a rainbow beam from her core, freezing the arrowheads of some of Brock's arrows.

"Thanks, Pearl." Brock grinned as he fired his first shot, knocking an Onix backwards.

As he readied his next shot, he saw Ash arrive with Blaze. "Blaze doing okay?"

"I took him to the medical cave, and he should be able to help--" This was far as he got before a huge Steelix broke through the fiery defenses. [Fall back!] Magnar called as some of the warriors rushed to engage the giant rock snakes swarming into the valley.

Blaze watched in horror as an Onix whacked Scaldor to the ground. he told Ash as he flew off to battle, moments before one of Liza's arrows brought down the Steelix that had breached the valley. [You okay?] he asked as he landed by Scaldor's side.

[I think so...] Scaldor wheezed. [I'm going to the safe haven--can I trust you to protect our chief?] he asked as Pyroc brought down another Steelix.

[Leave it to me!] Blaze smiled as one of Brock's icy arrows brought down Scaldor's assailant.

Just then, he gasped in horror at a huge Steelix about to attack Pyroc. [Look out!]

Ash gasped when he saw the size of the Steelix Blaze was facing. [i]There's no way Blaze would be able to take a Steelix that big...I have to help!

He didn't know where the words came from, but he found himself singing Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... making his chest and Blaze glow red.

The other Charizards, Liza, Misty, and Brock watched was Blaze was enveloped in a burst of red light. "H-how could Ash induce Blaze to Mega Evolve if he has no Mega Ring?" Misty gasped at the sudden turn of events.

"Ash's deep love for Blaze must've awakened his Heart Song, and allowed him to induce Blaze this once." Brock explained. "But in order for Ash to induce Blaze any time he wants, he does need a Mega Ring." He let that hang as Blaze emerged as a sleek bird-like Charizard with a pointed arrow-like head, thinner wings, and a thinner body better suited for fast flying.

[Ash! Be my eyes on the ground while I keep Rocky here away from Pyroc.] Blaze called as he flew to engage the Steelix.

"Okay!" Ash called back. "Watch out for that Thunderfang, and use Fire Fang!"

Blaze skillfully weaved around the massive steel snake that tried to bite him with sparking yellow teeth, then lunged to bite him with red hot fangs as he sped by. "Okay, now trap him with a Fire Spin!"

The other Charizards watched in awe as Blaze effortlessly flew around the Steelix, trapping it in a tornado of flames. [I don't believe it...Blaze and his krilkul are working as one entity!] Pyroc gasped.

He called to the other warriors [Everyone! Full power! The rock snake is trapped!]

---------

[I can't even begin to thank you for saving my life...and the life of the valley.] Pyroc began.

[Aw, it was nothing.] Blaze smiled. [I was only doing what any Charizard would do--the chief is the heart of a tribe--and without a chief to lead them, a tribe is helpless.]

A smile formed on Magnar's face. [Maybe you are wiser than you appear, Blaze.]

[My krilkul has taught me a lot.] Blaze replied. [But with the chief's permission, I would like to stay here and train.]

[I think the real question is, does your krilkul want you to stay here?] Pyroc asked, motioning for Ash.

"Blaze...if you want to stay here with the wild Charizards for a while, then stay." Ash assured Blaze as he choked back tears. "But whether you want to stay with me, or stay here in the valley, the choice is yours."

[I think it would be better if I did stay with the tribe.] Blaze replied as Ash tearfully hugged him. [I'll miss you, but I feel I can learn even more from my kin in the wild...although I'm only a whistle away if you need me.]

"Okay..." Ash replied as he hugged his friend for a teary goodbye....

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-19-2016, 05:35 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 21: Once Upon a Sunny Day

"Still miss Blaze?" Misty asked as the group made their way down the road. It had been several days since Ash had bid Blaze, his faithful Charizard, farewell at the Charific Valley, but at the moment, the harsh sunlight beaming down on the trio was the first priority.

"A little, but taking that scenic route allowed me to reflect on what memories we shared together, and I think Blaze is where he needs to be right now." Ash replied as he stepped over a branch in the path. "Besides, he's only a whistle away if I need him."

"I'll never forget when you first taught him to come to you when you whistled." Brock smiled at a memory as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "I'll admit this heat kinda reminds me of him."

"That's not a memory of him I'd prefer to remember." Ash giggled, a little embarrassed over the memory of being on the receiving end of Blaze's Flamethrower. "But I would appreciate something to drink...."

"Here..." Brock offered Ash a can of Fizzo. "It's not fresh water, but it'll do until we get to a river and refill our water bottles, or a PokeMart, so we can get some more water."

"Good thing a case of 36 is only 400 credits..." Misty agreed. "But for now, keep an eye and an ear open for a water source!"

Ash nodded, opened the can of Fizzo, and took a long drink before he heard water trickling in the distance. "Water!" he called, pointing out a leaking pipe gushing out water.

"Finally!" Misty made a beeline to the pipe, but stopped in her tracks when she saw a dull green haired girl in a straw hat arriving to fix the leak.

"Excuse me, but we ran out of water on the road, and we're not sure how far the next town is, so can you let us get some water before you fix the pipe?" Ash asked.

"Sure!" the girl replied, allowing Ash and Misty to get close and refill the group's water bottles. "This pipe is connected to my greenhouse's watering system, so it's safe for human, as well as Sunflora, consumption."

"Thanks!" Misty replied as Brock arrived to fill his share of the water bottles. "I'm Misty, and these two are my companions Ash and Brock."

"Hello there..." Brock smiled at the girl as he worked, at the same time trying to keep himself composed, aware that Misty would drag him away or one of her Pokemon would spray him if he launched into a romantic euphoria over the girl.

"Hi." Ash grinned as he offered Tintri some of the fresh water.

"Nice to meet you all." the girl smiled as she went to work fixing the pipe. "My name's Sonrisa--if you're looking for a town to restock on supplies and rest, my hometown of Bloomingvale is not far from here."

"Thank you for the offer, but where does the pipe you're fixing get to, if you don't mind my asking?" Ash wondered.

"It's part of a massive system of pipes that brings fresh water down from the mountains so I can keep my Sunfloras happy." Sonrisa replied. "Would you like to come to the house and see them?"

"Sure!" Misty replied.

Piqued, Ash consulted his Pokedex as the group followed Sonrisa up the hill. "Sunflora, the sun Pokemon. As the hot season approaches, the petals on this Pokemon's face become more vivid and lively."

---------

"Here we are!" Sonrisa smiled as she led the way into the greenhouse, where hundreds of sunflower-like Pokemon giggled and sang as they soaked up the sunlight and soft mist falling on them and the other flowers and plants.

"It's beautiful...and all these Sunflora look so happy." Misty smiled as she admired the rows of plants and Sunfloras.

"I keep them watered every day so that when the Sunflora Festival comes around every summer, the crowds love them enough for a prize." Sonrisa explained as she checked on a singing Sunflora, then adjusted the mist flow so the sunflower-like Pokemon wouldn't get too wet. "Other Sunflora breeders will try other things to keep their Sunfloras happy, like personal performers or training regimens, but as for me, I believe all you need is a little sun, a little water, just a tiny bit of fertilizer, and a lot of love--although they do appreciate a nice conversation too."

"I guess there's a grain of truth in talking to plants..." Ash mused as he admired a ring of exotic plants surrounding a clump of Sunflora.

"One of the events during the festival is a Lore Stage--the Sunflora especially love hearing the different storytellers that come from around the world to perform."

"I plan on performing in the Lore Stage, so mind if I practice some of my material on them?" Brock asks, concerned over a Sunflora in one pot that frowned.

"Let me try telling a joke or two to cheer that sad Sunflora up!" Ash suggested before asking the Sunflora "Where did the Meowths go on their field trip?"

[Where?] the drooping Sunflora asked.

"To the meow-seum!" Ash replied, to a vocal rimshot from Brock.

While all the other Sunfloras, Misty, Tintri, and Sonrisa howled with laughter over Ash's corny joke, the drooping Sunflora sighed. [That was funny, I guess.]

"That was a pretty good joke, Ash!" Misty giggled. "Try another one!"

Ash thought for a moment, then asked the drooping Sunflora "Did you hear about the mummies who went to the theater?

[No, what happened?] the Sunflora asked.

"They gave the actors stage fright!" Ash announced, to a vocal rimshot from Brock.

The other Sunfloras howled with laughter, but the drooping Sunflora only sighed. "Maybe we need to try something besides jokes..." Sonrisa mused.

"How about a song?" Brock suggested, reaching for his guitar case.

"I appreciate the thought, but it's getting late." Sonrisa replied, pointing out the sunset overhead and the yawning Sunfloras as they closed up for the night. "Maybe Sunny will perk up if I bring her to the Lore Stage in the morning..."

"Oh, so that one's name is Sunny..." Misty mused.

"Worth a shot--I think she would like what I have planned to perform." Brock agreed as the group departed.

---------

"...and they all lived happily for a long time, proving that one hour of joy dispels the cares and sufferings of a thousand years." a girl concluded her story as the crowd in the Bloomingvale Town square applauded.

"Let's see how the Sunfloras liked that story..." the Lore Stage host announced as a group of Sunfloras smiled over the story that had heard, but their combined happiness only filled a rainbow icon on the scoreboard halfway. "They seemed to like it, but it's not enough for a stripe."

"Here we go--Brock's the next one to perform." Misty smiled, giddy over seeing Brock's first Lore Stage performance.

"He should have no trouble if he is as good as he says he is." Sonrisa assured Misty as the stage was cleared for the next competitor.

"Number K-93098, performing the tale 'Kitsune and Moltres'" the announcer told the crowd as Brock made his way onto the stage.

"Break a leg, Brock!" Misty called. Ash whistled in agreement.

Once all was quiet, Brock began "Once upon a time there was a king who had a garden, and in that garden stood a Leppa Berry tree that produced one crystal Leppa Berry every day. But when the time came to pick it, it somehow disappeared, and no one knew who took it or where they had taken it."

Intrigued murmurs wafted through the crowd at this. "Now, this king had three sons, and so one day he called them together, and told them that whoever could find the Leppa Berries, or catch the thief would inherit the kingdom after him, no ifs, ands, or buts." Brock explained. "So the eldest son--whose name isn't important--set out first on this quest, and after going a little ways, sat down under a tree, keeping an eye out for the thief all the while."

He intoned "That night, the firebird Moltres came flying, and you could see her fiery feathers gleaming from a long ways off; but when the eldest son saw Moltres, he was struck with both awe and terror at the same time, and hurried back into the palace as fast as he could go."

The Sunfloras and the crowd giggled as they imagined the comical scene. "The next morning, the Leppa Berry was gone." Brock continued. "By that time the eldest son had regained his composure, and packed his bags in hopes he could find Moltres. So the king gave him everything he could possibly need or want, sparing no expense."

Awed murmurs filled the air as the crowd imagined what the eldest prince could have received. "After the eldest son had gone a little ways, he got hungry, and sat down to eat his dinner by the side of the road." Brock explained, walking around the stage area as he spoke. "As he was eating, the wily Delphox Kitsune emerged from some underbrush and sat by him."

"Please, milord, won't you share some of your food with me?" he asked in a mimic of a young woman for Kitsune.

"Go get your own! This food's mine!" he snapped back in a mimic of Gary for the eldest prince, making Ash chuckle.

"All right, I will." Brock replied as Kitsune.

As himself, he continued "With that, Kitsune disappeared in a flash of fire. After the eldest son had rested, he set off on his way again. Before long, he came to a great town, and in that town was an inn, where there was always smiles and never tears. He thought it a good spot to rest for the night, and went inside. But there was so much dancing, music, games, food, and pretty girls to go around, he forgot all about Moltres, his father, his quest, and the whole kingdom."

"Ooh"s filled the air as Brock went on "The next day, the middle son decided to set out, but the same thing happened to him, and he too forgot all about Moltres, his father, the quest, and the whole kingdom."

"So what did the youngest prince do?" a girl asked as she held a balloon close.

"The next day, the youngest son--whose name was Brian--set out in search of Moltres." Brock replied. "After traveling for a while, he sat down to eat dinner, and just as he was about to dig in, Kitsune emerged from the underbrush and sat down by him."

"Please, milord, won't you share some of your food with me?" he asked as Kitsune again.

"Of course, Lady Kitsune--I'd be happy to share what I have." he smiled in a mimic of Ash.

Misty grinned. "No matter how many times Brock mimics you, Ash--it never gets old!"

"I'm still awed that he learned to mimic me after only hearing me once." Ash mused. "But then again, he's got the talent for it."

Back on the stage, Brock went on "After Kitsune had eaten and drank her fill, she asked Prince Brian where he was going. Prince Brian told Kitsune everything."

"If you will listen to me, I will help you, in return for your helping me." he offered as Kitsune.

As himself, he continued "Prince Brian promised to listen to Kitsune's every word, and so they set off together. After they had traveled for a while, they came to the same town and the same inn where there was always smiles and never tears. Kitsune told Prince Brian what his brothers had done, and what they were still doing."

"If you go in there, you'll go no farther. Understand?" he warned as Kitsune.

He continued as himself "Prince Brian told Kitsune that he understood, and the two of them continued onward, past the inn. When they had gone on a ways, they saw a huge hill way off in the distance."

"Three hundred miles behind that hill grows a gilded tree with golden leaves, and in that tree Moltres roosts." he explained as Kitsune, pointing off to the north for effect.

As himself, Brock continued "So they traveled there together, and as they approached the tree, Kitsune gave Prince Brian some whistling grass, and taught him a little melody to call Moltres--once Moltres heard the song, she would come and perch on his hand."

He paused to pick a suitable blade of grass. "But Kitsune also told Prince Brian to be careful to not touch the tree, for a fearsome troll owned it, and if Prince Brian touched even the tiniest twig, the troll would come and kill him right there."

Fearful gasps filled the crowd as Brock shaped the blade of grass into a grasswhistle. "So Prince Brian blew on the whistling grass..."

Misty immediately recognized the melody Brock played on his grasswhistle. "That's the Pidgeot summoning melody Arran uses in 'The Song Mage Chronicles'!"

"Oh, you guys like that TV show too?" Sonrisa asked. "Sunny and the other Sunfloras like it when I read the episode novelizations to them."

"Yeah--Jelan's my favorite." Ash replied. "He looks cool with a bow, and knows how to play a mean flute!"

"...but when he had gotten Moltres to perch on his fist, he accidentally brushed against one of the tree's branches. But this was enough to awaken the troll." Brock's voice snapped Ash back to the performance in progress.

"WHO IS IT THAT STEALS MY TREE AND MY BIRD?" he roars in one of his deep "monster" voices, to the screams of fear and delight from the children in the audience.

"Thieves think everyone is a thief, but the ones that die don't steal right." he snapped back as Prince Brian.

He interjected as himself "The troll realized that our hero had a point, and so he decided to spare Prince Brian."

"If you can bring me the Legendary shining steed Epona, which one of my neighbors has stolen from me, I will let you go free." he offered in a gentle deep voice, signalling that the troll is in a happier mood.

"Where is he?" he asked as Prince Brian.

'He lives three hundred miles beyond the hill that looks blue in the sky." he replied as the troll.

He narrated as himself "So Prince Brian promised to do his best. But when he met Kitsune, she was not in a very good mood."

"I'm very disappointed in you, milord." he scolded an imagined person as Kitsune. "Had you done as I had told you, we would have been on our way home by now. But as this was an accident, and you have both confessed this wrong and made a promise to make things right, I forgive you."

"Aw"s went up as Brock went on "So they went on their way. After a very long time they got to the hill in question."

"When you come into the stable, you will see many bits hanging on the stalls, some made of silver, and others made of gold." he explained as Kitsune. "Please try not to touch them, or the troll will kill you right there. But there is one bit that is only a humble iron bit--you are to take that one."

He continued as himself "Prince Brian told Kitsune he would do as she said, but as he was leading Epona from the stables, he accidentally brushed against a stray gold bit, which awakened the troll."

The audience braces itself for Brock to use his "troll" voice again, but Brock decides to narrate the next scene for the sake of time. "Just like before, Prince Brian appeased the troll with a bit of wisdom, and the troll made him an offer: if he could bring her Princess Chelsea, the most beautiful lady in the world, he would let our hero go free."

The children in the audience whispered with excitement over the mention of a princess. "Kitsune was even more annoyed this time, but forgave Prince Brian anyway, as this too was an accident." Brock assured the crowd. "So they set off anew, and after a long, long time they came to the hill where Princess Chelsea was."

"I know you were the one that promised to make things right, but for your sake, you must remain here. I will go on your behalf." he intoned as Kitsune.

He noticed the judges giving him a "hurry" signal, so he condensed some events to save time. "So Kitsune went inside, and returned with Princess Chelsea some moments later. After retracing their steps back the way that had come. When they came back to the troll who had Epona, Kitsune transformed herself into an exact copy of Princess Chelsea, which Prince Brian exchanged for Epona and a crystal bit while the real Princess Chelsea waited outside. When they got to the troll who owned the miracle tree and Moltres, Kitsune transformed herself into an exact copy of Epona, which Prince Brian exchanged for both of them while Princess Chelsea and the real Epona waited outside."

He then intoned "But not even Kitsune knew of the ambush that waited for Prince Brian. As they neared the town with the inn, she watched in horror as Brian was ambushed by his own brothers, put in a barrel and cast him into a lake, and his treasures taken from him. But Princess Chelsea wouldn't say a word, Epona refused to eat anything, Moltres didn't burn so bright as before, and the miracle tree wilted."

"That's not very nice!" a boy protested before his mother quieted him.

Brock quickly assured the antsy crowd "Meanwhile, Kitsune swam out into the lake as fast as she could, retrieved the barrel, and brought it on shore. Then she gently levitated our hero out of the barrel, assessed him for injuries, and assured him that even she did not know he would be ambushed, and so the whole ordeal was not his fault."

He went on "They went together to the royal palace, and when they arrived, Princess Chelsea smiled for the first time in several days, Epona whinnied for joy and eagerly gorged on all the grain and hay given to her. Moltres burned brightly again, and sang before the whole court..."

With that, he sang in a mimic of Misty Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

Applause went up as the last note drifted into the sky. "As the last note of Moltres' song rang through the palace, the miracle tree burst into bloom again." Brock went on as himself. "When the king asked to know how everything could have recovered in a matter of moments, Princess Chelsea replied..."

"This is he who set us free!" he explains in a mimic of Sonrisa for Princess Chelsea, to the real Sonrisa's delight.

As himself, he continues "So they planted the miracle tree in the royal garden, and Prince Brian received Princess Chelsea's hand in marriage. As for the two elder brothers, they were stripped of their claim to the throne and banished from the land, never to return on pain of death."

He concluded "The wedding was a grand affair, and it was all the more beautiful when Kitsune arrived to grant her blessings on the happy couple."

"YEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAHHH!!!" the crowd cheered as Brock took a bow for the crowd. But Ash and Misty gasped when they saw a smile form on Sunny's face. "I can't believe it...Sunny's smiling again!" Sonrisa gasped.

[What an AMAZING story!] Sunny raved. [I wanna hear more, more, more!!!!!]

Sunny's renewed enthusiasm caused the scoreboard to display a full rainbow--a sign that Brock had won the competition! "Your friend has amazing talent!" Sonrisa raved as the judges arrived to pin a red stripe to Brock's vest.

"I know--and why we look forward to camping every night." Misty agreed.

---------

"I can't even begin to thank you for bringing Sunny's smile back." Sonrisa smiled as she set Sunny's pot back with the other Sunfloras. "Your story was just the encouragement she needed for tomorrow!"

"Even though we can't stay, just tell Sunny we wish her good luck in the competition." Ash replied.

Brock knelt down by Sunny. "I'm glad you liked my tale...I'll try and come tell for you again sometime, okay?"

[Well, when you do, I can't wait to hear what story you'll tell next time!] Sunny replied, to everyone's laughter as the sun set on a joyful day...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-22-2016, 10:05 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 22: Tears of Emeralds

After bidding Sonrisa and the residents of Bloomingvale Town goodbye, the group departed in high spirits the next morning. "Well done on your first Lore Stage victory!" Misty raved. "I remember when you told 'Moltres' Song' to Ash and me when we first arrived in Pewter."

"Which seems like ancient history now..." Ash mused.

"It's one of my signature stories--and the theme for the Lore Stage was 'joy', so I felt it would work." Brock explained as he admired the red stripe between the cloud patches on his vest. "But I also know I have six more colors to earn, and if I do create a rainbow, I'll have a chance to perform before an even bigger audience--the Pokemon League."

"I want to see you do some more stage archery!" Misty suggested.

"Well, what you see on the stage takes weeks and sometimes months of practice to get right." Brock began before he spotted Lyra and Hana in the distance on the plains. "I see Lyra and Hana!"

Ash noticed a concerned look on Lyra's face. "Something's wrong--normally she and Hana are happy together."

"Well, let's go see what the matter is." Misty motioned for the boys to follow her to a shady spot, where Lyra was consoling a sobbing Hana.

"What happened?" Ash asked. "Why's Hana crying?"

"I wish I knew myself." Lyra sighed. "We challenged a trainer here on this plain, and although Hana won the battle, she seemed off...like she was holding herself back for some reason. I don't know if something else caused her to cry, or what, but I can't bear to see her crying like this. If only I knew what the matter was..."

"Did you take Hana to a Pokemon Center after the battle?" Brock asked.

"Yes...Nurse Joy thinks Hana may be depressed." Lyra replied.

"Although I'm no medical expert myself, I would be very careful against jumping to conclusions just because she's crying a lot and generally mopey." Brock cautioned. "Has there been any dramatic change in her appetite or sleeping habits?"

"No..." Lyra replied. "She has lost a little of her energy, but she doesn't feel worthless or want to hurt herself. In fact, she doesn't want to withdraw, but doesn't want to leave my side."

"It may be something totally different from depression." Misty mused.

Ash nodded in agreement. "Separation anxiety, maybe? Or just anxiety in general?"

"Maybe." A smile formed on Lyra's face. "She's been having a lot of nightmares lately..."

"Well, even Pokemon need to relax." Brock assured Lyra. "So if you've been pushing her a lot, take a step back and slow down a bit."

"If she's afraid, reward her for being brave!" Ash suggested.

"There's an idea!" Lyra smiled.

Brock, meanwhile, knelt down to Hana's level as she trudged away from Lyra's arms. "Is everything okay? Whatever's bothering you, you can tell us, and we won't laugh it off."

[Really?] Hana asked.

"Yeah..." Brock replied as he settled in the grass, still at Hana's eye level. "So, what's going on?" he asked as Ash and Misty joined him in the grass, with Lyra under the shade of a tree.

Hana sighed. [I'm both scared I'll let Lyra down one day, and a little jealous of Ash's and Tintri's friendship...]

"Okay, why do you think you'll let Lyra down?" Brock pressed Hana further.

[When we fought that trainer earlier today, I barely won against his Raticate.] Hana explained as she wiped away her tears with her leaf. [I don't want to see Lyra sad, and I really don't want to lose.]

She looked over at Ash. [Can I say that I admire and respect the bond you and Tintri have? I want a bond with Lyra that's that close.]

"So you admire my relationship with Tintri, but you're afraid of losing, which you think is letting Lyra down?" Ash asked, making sure he had heard Hana correctly.

Hana nodded. "Whether you like it or not, losing is a part of any Pokemon's life." Misty explained. "Despite all the preparation and training in the world, you are still going to lose sometimes.

[The reason why Ash and I are so close is we understand our strengths and weaknesses, and we respect each other's limits, both in the battlefield and out.] Tintri explained. [Even the times you lose have lessons you can learn.]

Hana pondered what Tintri had said for a moment. [I never thought of losing like that before...]

"Besides--battling's not the only thing you do well, Hana." Lyra added. "You're very friendly to other people and other Pokemon, and eager to explore."

[Okay...so how can losing teach me?] Hana asked Ash.

"Well..." Ash thought for a moment. "Losing can allow you to see the strategies your opponent was using, and how you can better defend against them next time."

[Okay...] Hana mused, now in a slightly better mood.

"Think of battling like playing music." Brock explained. "If you stumble over a wrong note, you don't shove the instrument back in its case, or close up the piano, and never come back to it for a long time because you think you're the worst musician in the world. You go back and practice the passage in question until you can play it well."

"Likewise, try not to beat yourself up over what you did or did not do in the match." Misty added. "Even when you lose, you still gave your all to win, right?"

[Yeah...] Hana replied.

"So you think about what you did well, and how to improve what didn't go so well, so you're ready for next time." Misty replied.

"Also know that I would never punish you for not doing well." Lyra told Hana. "That's never a good reason to punish anyone, and I will still love you, regardless of how well you battle.'

[Thanks, guys...] Hana smiled. [I feel like a big rock's been lifted off of me, so I can keep growing towards the sun!]

"Anytime." Ash smiled. "If you need someone to talk to, you can talk to Lyra or one of us." he assured Hana as Brock got up to retrieve the camp supplies.

Misty looked up to notice the sun setting. "Wow...we spent all day talking?"

"We probably needed to stop and rest after being on the road for the last few days." Ash explained.

[And I learned so much from our long talk.] Hana smiled as she romped into Lyra's arms, moments before Brock returned with the camp supplies.

Lyra smiled. "I can't thank you enough for talking to Hana today--I think she's back to her old self again!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-26-2016, 08:12 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 23: Counting on an Ally

"Okay, chili's done!" Brock smiled as he checked a pot simmering over the camp stove. "I have chips and the trimmings if you wanna make nachos with it." he explained, gesturing to nacho toppings strewn across a large rock near their temporary campsite.

"About time! I'm starved!" Ash eagerly hurried to the stove to receive his share, than hurried over to assemble the ultimate nacho platter for him to share with his team and Tintri.

Misty smiled. "I'll just enjoy the chili by itself today...besides, we have a lovely view in the Lanas Hills."

After handing off Misty's share of the chili, Brock reached for his guidebook and thumbed to the appropriate chapter. "According to the guidebook, the Lanas Hills are named for the many Mareep farms and Mareep herders that live in the area. There's also a town named Lanas Town, where a big festival honoring the Mareep is held every year."

"Sounds fun!" Ash grinned as he put a spoonful of sour cream atop the mountain of chilli, chips, cheese, and vegetables he had created.

Misty rolled her eyes. "Better to list what Ash DIDN'T put in his nachos than what he put in there..."

"I have to feed my whole team as well as me, so best to have a variety." Ash explained as he heaved his three remaining Poke Balls skyward. "Mina! Brenna! River! Lunchtime!"

[Mmm...smells delicious out here.] a small blue turtle Pokemon smiled as it tottled over to the massive platter.

[Nice, you remembered the guacamole.] Mina smiled as she flew down to help herself to the platter.

"Remember, gang--it's all you care to eat!" Ash reminded the Pidgeot, the Squirtle, the Marill, and the Pikachu before him as he took the most chili and cheese filled piece he could find.

[Looks amazing!] River gasped before helping herself to a portion full of lettuce.

Just as Ash was about to take a bite, he noticed a small yellow sheep-like Pokemon wearing a plaid bow trotting towards the group's camp. [Hi--were you coming to join us for lunch?] Tintri asked.

"Maaaa!" the sheep Pokemon replied before Headbutting Tintri. [Hey, what was THAT for?] he protested as he charged a warning spark.

He swallowed hard as the sheep Pokemon absorbed some of his sparks, making it become even fluffier. Oh no... he thought as several more of the sheep Pokemon came bounding over the hills, eager to absorb some of Tintri's electricity. [Where's a dragon Pokemon when you need one?] he screeched as he scrambled to get away from the small flock of sheep Pokemon.

Piqued in the chaos, Ash retrieved his Pokedex to learn more about Tintri's pursuers:

"Mareep, the wool Pokemon. Its fluffy coat swells to double when static electricity builds up. Touching it can be shocking."

[NOW you tell me...] Tintri sighed as his warning Thundershock made a Mareep's wool puff up.

"Hey!" he heard a female voice call. "Leave that Pikachu alone!"

Tintri managed to get a glimpse of one Mareep hopping to greet a brown haired girl about six or seven years old. I see...these Mareeps probably belong to this little girl and her family.

Just then, he heard an older female voice call "Raika, Come bye!" and watched as a Raichu circled around his pursuers, and gathered them close to her. He watched the Raichu's owner, a young woman with neatly braided brown hair in dull teal work clothes call "Raika, look back.", prompting the Raichu to look and see if all the Mareep were safe and accounted for.

Once sure all the Mareep were together, the woman smiled. "That'll do, Raika."

The Raichu nodded, and obediently brought the flock to the woman. [Here y'are, Miss Ellen. They're all safe.]

He then saw the girl he had seem before approach the woman with a sullen look on your face. "Mary...remember that you need to be on guard at all times--predators can attack with no warning." she explained.

"I'm sorry, Mom...I was just so excited about the Mareep Festival, I forgot about the flock." the girl sighed.

"I know you want to enter Fluffy in the festival, but I don't think you're ready yet." the woman explained.

"But when CAN I be ready?" the girl protested.

"What's going on?" Ash asked as he retrieved Tintri.

"Ever since my daughter Mary received a Mareep of her own, she's had her heart set on entering this year's Lanas Festival." the woman explained. "But I fear her constant training is becoming an obsession, to the detriment of her other responsibilities."

She looked over at the group. "Are you three traveling, by chance?"

"We are...I'm Ash...and these are my companions Misty and Brock." Ash replied, gesturing to Misty and Brock as he introduced them.

"Nice to meet you." Misty replied.

"Pleased to meet you." Brock agreed.

"And this is my partner, Tintri--who you guys rescued." Ash explained as Tintri shyly waved hello.

"My name's Ellen, and this is my partner Raika." the woman smiled as she petted the Raichu. "She can herd Mareep better than any Growlithe..."

"That I have to see!" Misty was intrigued.

"Hi, I'm Mary!" the girl smiled as she shepherded a familiar Mareep wearing a plaid bow to her side. "And this is Fluffy." she grinned, unaware that Tintri was nervously sparking.

"If you need a place to stay for the night, our house is not far from here." Ellen offered. "Otherwise you'd have to travel through the night to get to Lanas Town."

"We'll take you up on that offer." Ash replied as he followed Ellen, Raika, and the flock of Mareep up a hill towards a large sprawling farm overlooking a forest.

---------

"Fluffy, use Thundershock!" Mary commanded as Ash and Tintri arrived in a smaller field near the house later that evening.

Ash applauded as Fluffy fired a tiny thunderbolt at a makeshift ball target. "Not bad." he commented. "Want to try battling against a real opponent?"

"Sure!" Mary smiled as Brock arrived on the dusty hill overlooking the house and the farm, where Mary and Fluffy had been practicing.

After drawing a Poke Ball shape in the dusty ground, Brock asked Mary "Which side of the Poke Ball do you want?"

"Left!" Mary replied as she led Fluffy to the Poke Ball's left side.

"Okay, so Mary's on Gold, and Ash is on Silver." Brock replied before explaining to Mary "Since this is just practice and no one's really watching us, I'm not gonna introduce the sides like real referees do."

"You will count us down and blow the whistle, right?" Mary asked, her eyes shining excitedly.

"Of course." Brock replied as he retrieved his own whistle and hurried to the line dividing the Poke Ball drawing in half. "Are both sides ready?"

Mary cheered in reply. "On your whistle, Brock." Ash calmly replied.

"Okay...and three...two...one..." Brock counted before blowing his whistle to start the match.

Tintri immediately jumped to avoid Fluffy's opening Headbutt, before powering around the little Mareep with Agility. "Fluffy, use Thundershock!" Mary called, but gasped as Fluffy collapsed on the ground with a plop. "Oh no...Fluffy!"

Another whistle blast confirmed her worst fear. "Gold is unable to battle." Brock announced. "Silver wins!"

Tears welled up in Mary's eyes. "How could THIS happen? I worked so hard getting Fluffy ready for her first ever battle..."

"Come here..." Ash knelt down to Mary's eye level and wiped her tears away. "Maybe the reason why Fluffy fainted right out of the gate was because you've been working her too hard--and every Pokemon has their limit. Good trainers understand what this limit is for each Pokemon they own, and try not to push them past that limit."

"So I reached Fluffy's limit?" Mary asked.

Ash nodded. "While time in the arena and practicing moves is all well and good, you also need to give your Pokemon a chance to rest. A rested Pokemon will do much better in battle than a tired one."

Mary pondered what Ash had said as she, Ash, and Brock started back towards the house, with Mary carrying Fluffy in her arms. "You're right...maybe I do need to let Fluffy rest for a while."

"Come on--let's head back inside and have dinner." Ash suggested.

"And after dinner, we'll sing some songs and hear a tale or two." Brock agreed, gesturing to the group's instrument cases in the living room as they arrived in the house.

"Stories?" Mary gasped, excited. "Can you tell one with princesses and magic and dragon Pokemon and adventure in it?"

Brock nodded. "I'll see what I can come up with."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-29-2016, 10:18 PM

Scytherwolf;

Interlude: Mary's Bedtime Story

"Okay..." Brock mused as he brought his plate to the sink for Ellen to wash. "One story with princesses, magic, monsters, and adventure, coming up..."

After the group settles in the house's living room and Brock thinks of a suitable story, he begins "Long ago, when this world was full of a deeper magic and terrifying monsters, and the rivers ran with milk and honey, there lived a king--whose name does not concern us--with his queen and their three sons, Alex, Dimitri and Peter, who were all handsome and clever."

Tintri bounds by Mary's side as Brock continues "One day the queen, who had gone on a walk on the open plains, failed to return to the palace, and though the royal army searched far and wide, no trace could be found of her. She had disappeared into thin air."

"So what did the king do?" Mary wondered

"He called together his ministers and advisors, his sages, his grandees and counselors, and asked their advice, and after discussing the matter for three weeks, the chief elder came before him and said..."

In an older version of himself, he announces "Your Majesty! We have concluded that the queen has been spirited away by Darkrai, the Nightmare Pokemon. While his own realm and castle are deep beneath this world, he possesses many other strongholds in the land of mortals, and it has long been known that his most beautiful and well guarded palaces are on the tops of the highest and most inaccessible mountains in the world. It is, however, pointless to fight against him, for his palaces are enchanted by the darkest of magics, and Darkrai himself cannot be killed by mortal means, since he carries his life not in his body, but in a secret place that is known only to him. We counsel you, therefore, to choose another wife, for your lost queen you will never see again until Arceus returns triumphant."

As himself, Brock continues "The king was devastated by this speech. He loved his vanished queen so much, he dared not choose another in her place, but sent heralds into kingdoms far and wide, offering wealth and honors to the one who brought her back to him. Daring heroes, brave adventurers, and great generals came in response to the call, each of them promising valiant deeds, and the king bade each of them take from the royal treasury sufficient gold for his needs. But though many came and many went, there was no news of the missing queen."

"Poor queen..." Mary sighs.

One day, as the king sat musing in his summer palace, his three sons came into the garden and, unaware that he was within earshot, began to talk with each other about what was going on, unaware their father the king was listening in." Brock explains. "When the princes had left the garden, the king returned to the palace and summoned them to his presence.

In character as the king, he tells an imagined person "My dear sons, you know how the loss of your mother troubles my heart and soul. Many brave heroes have searched for her in vain and I am compelled to send one of you forth. Alex, as my eldest, take my fatherly blessing, with as much gold and as many troops as you require, and try your fortune in the quest. If you succeed, you will inherit my kingdom."

As himself, he continues "So Prince Alex took from the treasury a full purse and with fifty thousand troops armed with iron lances, swords, bows, and powerful spells, set out from the capital. He rode one day, and then rode one week, he rode a month, and two and three, asking questions of all he met, until he had passed beyond the borders of his father's kingdom, but no one had heard of the lost queen or of the strongholds of Darkrai the Nightmare Pokemon."

He intones "Finally, he came to a desert land where only earth and sky were to be seen and the sand was as hot as cinders, and one by one his troops perished until only ten remained. Beyond the desert was a forest and on the outskirts of the forest, in a patch of brush and brambles, he came upon an old man sitting on a stone, unaware it was Arceus in disguise."

"Hail to you, Grandfather," he calls in a mimic of Gary for Prince Alex.

"And to you likewise, milord," he replies in a gentle deep voice for Arceus. "Where does the wind take you? Have you come here to escape a task or find one?"

"To find one," he answers as Prince Alex. "I seek the stronghold of Darkrai the Nightmare Pokemon, who has spirited away my mother."

"You are on the right track, but you will not be able to reach it."

"Why not?"

"Because, there are three rivers in between, over which you must be ferried, and the price asked is a great one."

"I have gold and plenty to spare."

Mary giggles at Brock's vocal dexterity as Brock continues as himself "With that, Prince Alex rode on to the first of the three rivers....."

---------

"...Prince Peter fastened the boat and rode on, and before long he came to a mountain so high that its top appeared to be propped against the sky, and he could hardly lift his eyes to its summit." Brock continues. "He left his steed to graze, and searched until he came upon the iron door and entered the cave. Here he found the four iron claws, and after tying them to his hands and feet, began to climb the mountain. For a whole month he climbed, higher and higher, and finally he reached the top, which was so high that one could see the whole world, with all its realms, spread out as if on the palm of his hand. Here he took off the iron claws, thanked Arceus, and after resting three days, went onward."

"Wow!" Mary gasped.

"Whether the way was long or short, I don't know, but he came at last to a vast palace built all of gold. No guard stood at its gate, and he went inside." Brock explains. "Every room he passed through was of gold. In the innermost chamber sat a maiden on a golden chair, embroidering on a golden frame, and the scissors, the thimble and the needle she used were of gold too. He greeted her and told her his quest."

"This is indeed a palace of Darkrai, young hero," Misty jumps in the role of the lady. "My name is Orla. I, too, was stolen away from my father's kingdom by the Nightmare Pokemon, who comes here to visit me once every three months. I know nothing of your mother, but if you go to Darkrai's second palace, maybe you may hear of her. The Nightmare Pokemon is hard to conquer, however, and you are the first who has been able to come this far in recent memory. Should you succeed, remember me and take me back with you to the world of light."

"Prince Peter promised her this, and setting out, traveled until he came to a palace more splendid than the first one, built all of silver." Brock continues. "It, too, was unguarded, and entering, he found in its innermost chamber a maiden sitting on a silver stool, weaving on a silver loom with thread of pure silver. He greeted her, and told of his quest."

"My name is Ariana." Misty fills in the second lady's dialogue. "I too was stolen away from my father's realm by the Nightmare Pokemon, and brought to this palace, where he comes to visit me once every two months. I have not seen your mother, but if you go to Darkrai's third palace, beyond this, maybe you may hear of her. If you meet in battle and are the victor over him, do not forget me, but take me with you to the world of light."

"Prince Peter gave Princess Ariana his promise and set out immediately, and the next day came to a palace which blazed like fire in the sunlight, for it was built entirely of pure crystal." Brock continues, to Mary's awe. "Like the others, it was unguarded, so he entered and explored it. In its inmost chamber he found a maiden sitting on a crystal couch, making lace on a crystal pillow, and both the shuttle and the thread were pure crystal. This lady was of such beauty that no mortal word could describe her, and no mortal song was worthy of her."

"Hail and well met, milady!" Ash, in the role of Prince Peter, greets Misty.

"To you likewise, young prince," Misty replies as the third lady. "But how did you come here? By your own free will or by force?"

"By my own free will." Ash answers. "I seek my mother who has been stolen away from my father's kingdom by Darkrai. Can you tell me where she is?"

"Why should I not be able?" Misty smiles. "My name is Christina, and I too was stolen from my father's kingdom by the Nightmare Pokemon, who visits me here once each month. But your mother he keeps in his fourth palace, which is built of diamonds, and there you must go. But, I beg you, if you do overcome and slay the monster, remember me and take me with you into the world of light."

"Better I give my own life than leave you to Darkrai!" Ash vows as Prince Peter.

"Listen closely," Misty explains in character. "When you come to the fourth of the Nightmare Pokemon's many palaces, you will see that it lies in a garden which is surrounded like a wall by an enormous Arbok coiled with its tail in its mouth. Take this bundle of herbs, and when you come into the open field around the palace, choose a spot where the wind blows from you toward the Arbok, build a fire, and throw some of the herbs into the flames. Be careful that you do not use it all and that you yourself stand with the wind at your back. The smoke will put the Arbok to sleep, and you may then climb over its body and enter the palace."

Mary smiles with anticipation as Brock continues "Prince Peter bade her farewell and set out, and when he had traveled a day he came to a palace which rose dazzling white from the midst of a green garden, and all around the garden lay coiled a huge Arbok, a living, scaly wall. He went into the meadow, built a fire and threw some sprigs of the herbs on it, creating a great plume of smoke which the wind drove toward the Arbok, causing it to fall asleep. He then climbed over it and entered the diamond palace."

"What was in there?" Even Ellen is interested, and at the same time enjoying how her daughter is entranced by the epic adventure.

"He passed through room after room till he came to the innermost sanctum, and there he saw his mother sitting on a diamond throne, dressed in a robe of brocade sewn with diamond dust, and wearing a queen's crown studded with diamonds." Brock explains. When she saw him she ran to him, and embracing him, she cried..."

"How have you found me here, my brave and beloved son? For I, your mother, am in the power of this mighty Nightmare Pokemon who comes to me each day." Misty gasps in character as the mother, complete with wearing a towel as a cape. "You will strive to overcome him, yet he commands powerful dark magic, while you are but a untested hero--I greatly fear for you!"

"The wind does not blow forever," Ash assures Misty in character.

"They kissed and caressed one another for a moment, until a mighty rushing wind made the crystal windows rattle." Brock intones, aware of the wind blowing outside and the clouds obscuring the stars.

"Darkrai comes even now," Misty tells Ash. "Hide beneath my mantle!"

As if on cue, a rumble of thunder was heard outside, snapping Ash and Misty out of character. "Nice touch." Ash commented as rain started to fall outside.

Ellen, however, seemed excited about the storm. "Come on, Mary...let's get the Mareep to the top of the hill so the lightning can fluff up their wool!"

"Okay!" Mary led the group outside into the rain. "You can tell me the rest of the story once we get back in, okay?" she assures Brock.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-02-2016, 08:13 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 24: Attack in the Night

"Wow!" Misty gasped as lightning flashed across the night sky, illuminating the cliff the Mareep flock was standing on. Every so often, a bolt would streak down and strike a Mareep, making it cry joyfully as the surge of power made the wool fluffier and brighter.

"This is beautiful..." Ash agreed as he welcomed Tintri into the somewhat dry pocket of his raincoat.

"We do have to be careful when we bring the flock to the cliff." Ellen cautioned before a huge bolt interrupted the conversation. "Wild Mightyenas roam the forests in this area, and I sure would hate for one of the flock to wind up dinner for them."

"We have our teams, and Brock is an expert archer in case our Pokemon fall in battle." Misty explained.

"That's what I have covered beneath my rain gear." Brock explained before letting Mary see one of the green fletched arrows. "Fingers crossed I won't have to use them."

Just then, a howl in the distance made everyone jump. "Oh no..." Misty sighed as she spotted some black and gray wolf-like Pokemon emerging from the nearby forest, intrigued in the Mareep flock on the cliff.

Ash's first thought was to order Tintri to attack, but Ellen stopped him. "Typically, Mightyenas are more afraid of you than you are of them, but once urged to attack, than can and will harm people and other Pokemon. I wouldn't attack unless one of the Mareep is in danger or we have no other option."

Piqued, Ash decided to read up on the group of wolf Pokemon:

"Mightyena, the bite Pokemon. An invasive species native to the Houen region, they live in a pack in the wild." the Pokedex began. "They never defy their leader's orders, and defeat foes with perfectly coordinated teamwork."

Misty swallowed hard. "I'm not sure we should be engaging those..."

[Relax--if we must fight to protect the flock, I'd happily take down those ol' snarlers with my Thunderbolt!] Raika assured the antsy group.

[And mine too!] Tintri agreed.

"Where did these Pokemon from another region come from?" Brock was curious.

"It started as a well intentioned experiment to reintroduce Mightyenas in a similar habitat after they were very nearly eradicated in their native land." Ellen explained. "But it went south very quickly--what didn't get killed by the Mareep farmers succumbed to disease. Even though I hear the Mightyena population in Houen has since recovered, a few packs still remain here in Johto as remnants of that experiment.

"If I ever get to go there, I'll have to see them in their native land for myself." Ash mused, at the same time unaware of a Mightyena sneaking up on Fluffy.

Mary, however, spotted the Mightyena. "Fluffy!" she yelped, which spurred the Mightyena pack to charge towards the vulnerable flock.

Raika, meanwhile, blocked the pack leader from Fluffy. [Don't you DARE harm these Mareeps!] she warned as the snarling Mightyena approached the frightened Mareep.

She nimbly jumped to avoid the Mightyena's sharp claws, then fired a massive Thunderbolt, knocking the pack leader and several other Mightyenas backwards. she instructed Tintri.

[Got it!] Tintri nodded before hurrying off to engage another Mightyena.

"Pearl, Spritz, Ami, go help Tintri!" Misty instructed as she heaved three Pokemon skyward.

"I have Hinata and Argent on standby, if either of you need help." Brock reported before hurrying off to find a vantage point to shoot from, should the need to use his bow arise.

"Mina, Brenna, River, go help Misty's team!" Ash instructed as he too summoned his remaining Pokemon.

[I'll be your eyes from the air!] Mina volunteered before taking off to get a better view of the battle zone.

She reported to Ash down below [Okay...Raika's busy with the pack leader and the alphas, Misty's team is dealing with those pack members on the left, and your team is dealing with those on the right. Brock is on standby behind that hill close to you.]

"Thanks, Mina." Ash grinned before hurrying to join his team.

[I'm gonna go give Raika some air support.] Mina told Ash before flying towards the hill where Raika was grappling with the pack leader and unleashing a Whirlwind attack, sending the two Mightyenas with the leader tumbling down the hill.

[Thanks...] Raika wheezed. [This pack leader is very strong...I don't know...if...I can...]

Mina squawked with alarm as the pack leader swatted Raika, sending her tumbling down the hill and landing at Ellen's feet.

"Raika!" Ellen gasped. "Are you okay?"

"I think so..." Raika wheezed, but she looked very clearly in pain. [That pack leader...was...too...strong...]

"Team, hold off the Mightyenas!" Misty called. "Protect the Mareeps at all costs!"

[HAAAAAAAAAH!!!!] Pearl unleashed a Water Gun, sending three Mightyenas tumbling back down the hill. Spritz followed up with a Mist attack, making it hard for the remaining Mightyenas to see.

[Pokemon down!] Mina reported to Brock. [Raika's been unplugged!]

Mary, meanwhile, had an idea. "Maybe if we somehow froze the Mightyenas in place, that would buy the flock time to power up Fluffy!"

"But, Mary...!" Ellen started to protest.

"How will we know Mary's plan won't work if we don't try it?" Ash interrupted.

"It is risky, yes, but we know how special the flock is to you both, and will do anything to keep the Mareep safe." Misty assured Ellen. "So try and trust Mary."

Ellen weighed the pros and cons of her daughter's idea as another thunderbolt rumbled overhead. "Okay...if it means saving the flock, we'll try your idea." she told Mary.

[First, I'll freeze some of your arrows, Brock...] Pearl offered before firing an Ice Beam from her core, freezing the arrowheads of the three arrows in Brock's hands.

"Thanks, Pearl." Brock replied as he carefully aimed one of the frozen arrows at the pack leader, which was creeping up behind a Mareep that Fluffy was guarding.

After a few tense seconds, he fired into the grass, freezing the pack leader and several other Mightyenas solid. "Bullseye." he grinned.

He explained to Mary. "Even though they are predators, I still don't want to hurt the Mightyenas, so that's why I fired into the grass."

"Oh..." Mary grinned as she watched the other Mareeps rally each other into gently zapping Fluffy.

For a moment, the only sound was the pitter patter of the rain, a rumble of thunder in the distance, and the quiet crackle of electricity as the Mareeps worked to give Fluffy strength. "I don't know if we'll have time to get Fluffy powered up in time..." Misty worried as she saw some of the ice from Brock's arrow begin to melt.

Ash grimaced. [i]I don't know how I can help, but Fluffy is our only chance! If she falls, not only will Mary be heartbroken, but we'll be toast!

He didn't know where the words came from, but he found himself singing Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul..., which supercharged one Mareep's thunderbolt to the point where it gave Fluffy a golden glow, moments before the pack leader broke free!

Ellen watched in awe as the little gold Mareep rammed, Headbutted, and Thundershocked the pack leader. "I can't believe it...Fluffy's holding her own in battle!" Mary gasped. "Although maybe Ash's spell helped supercharge her bravery too."

Inspired, she called "Fluffy, use Thundershock!"

[HI-YAAAAAAAAAA!!!!] Fluffy screamed as she fired the biggest thunderbolt she could muster, paralyzing the pack leader and forcing the other Mightyenas to flee!

"We did it!" Mary cried as the rain started to subside. "We scared those mean ol' Mightyenas away, didn't we, Fluffy?"

"You sure did, hon..." Ellen smiled as she hurried to assess the flock for injuries. "But Fluffy's the real hero, here..."

She then offered Mary a Poke Ball. "For your heroic deed here tonight, I think you and Fluffy are ready for the festival after all."

"Honest?" Mary gasped. "Yay!!!!! We get to battle in the festival after all, Fluffy!"

Ellen then led out the Mareep Ash's Heart Song had supercharged. "While I don't doubt your Pikachu's bravery, feel free to adopt this Mareep as a token of our thanks."

"Thanks." Ash smiled as he watched Hinata retrieve the arrow Brock had shot earlier. "Any ideas for Mareep names?" he asked Brock.

"How about..." Brock thought for a moment. "Luce?"

"Loose? What kind of a name is that?" Misty asked.

"No, you say it 'Loo-cheh', not 'Loose'" Brock gently corrected Misty. "It's Italian for 'light' and very appropriate for what Mareep ultimately becomes.

Mary, meanwhile, led Luce and Ash back inside the house. "Keep practicing your magic, okay?"

Ash sighed--his use of his Heart Song wasn't technically magic, but to a young girl like Mary, it likely was. "I'll take good care of Luce, and I'll have a bunch of new spells to show you next time!" he grinned, playing along.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-05-2016, 10:35 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 25: Pokemon by the Numbers

"It's so peaceful here..." Misty sighed as the group made their way to a forest. "Better than a Mightyena attack at midnight during a storm..."

"I'll say..." Ash agreed, still shuddering at a memory of what had happened a few nights before.

Brock was about to reassure his jittery comrades when a flash of red got his attention. "What was that?" he asked, seconds before he saw what the red blur was: a large red mantis-like Pokemon that appeared to be made of steel.

He nervously reached for his bow and nocked an arrow. "Why would you use an arrow against steel?" Ash wondered as he watched Brock prepare his shot.

"I have no intention of firing--that would anger this Pokemon." Brock explained. "This is meant to warn our visitor away."

He cautioned "If you don't know how to approach an opponent, don't just blindly rush in--as your first move could be your last."

"Stand down, young archer--my Scizor means no harm." a man in a neatly pressed suit began as he joined the mantis Pokemon.

"Our apologies, sir-we thought your Scizor was a wild Pokemon." Brock replied as he stood down.

"He's not--his name is Date, short for Date Masamune, after the famed katana maker and warrior." the man replied.

"But why would you let such a dangerous Pokemon run loose and attack at will?" Misty asked.

"We were only trying to do some secret training in the woods, and nothing more, miss." the man explained. "We already made short work of some troublemakers in the forest--a boy and a girl in R labeled attire with a Meowth that spoke the words of humans."

Team Rocket... Ash winced when he heard the descriptions of the opponents the man and his Scizor had defeated.

"Secret training, huh?" Misty grumbled. "What was so secret about it? How do we know you're not a Team Rocket goon yourself? Cause if you're out to get my friend's Pikachu, you're in for a world of pain! No, more than pain! You're gonna--!"

A whistle got her attention. "Let it go, Misty--this guy doesn't look like a Team Rocket lackey to me." Brock assured Misty.

"I am not even affiliated with those rogues." the man assured the group. "My name is Muramasa, and you've already met my partner, Date."

Ash, meanwhile, fished out his Pokedex to learn about the majestic steel mantis:

"Scizor, the pincer Pokemon. This Pokemon's pincers, which contain steel, can crush any hard object it gets a hold of into bits."

"Wow!" he gasped. "I'll bet he could even crush a diamond if he wanted to!"

Muramasa chuckled. "Judging from how your friend ranted before, you and your Pikachu must be very close."

"Oh yes...we went all the way to the Indigo League together, even if we started out on rough terms." Ash replied.

"Really now?" Muramasa was impressed. "In that case, I believe you are just the trainer I have been looking for!"

He motioned for the group to follow him. "Follow me--Date will clear the brush for you."

---------

"Wow..." the group gasped as they arrived in a large clearing in the forest, where a large skyscaper-like building towered over even the trees.

"What is this place?" Misty asked.

"Welcome to the Silverleaf Trainer's Academy." Muramasa smiled. "Trainers from all over the world come here to train themselves and their Pokémon."

"So...mind if we take a tour?" Misty asked, which got some of the students' attention as they arrived outside for lunch.

"Principal Muramasa is a very talented trainer." a girl smiled as she spread out a picnic blanket on the grass and secured it with some rocks as some of her friends arrived.

"Yeah, his Scizor Date is also known as 'The Crimson Streak' because of his incredible speed and strength." a boy agreed as he settled before the blanket and opened his lunch box.

"Or at least, he used to be." another male voice interjected, bringing the conversation to a standstill as the crowd of students looked over at a dull purple haired boy in a red and black shirt reading a book at a picnic table.

"Who's that?" Ash wondered.

"This is Shingo, the school's top student." Muramasa began as he led the group over to the table. "Why don't you ask him for a friendly match?"

"No need." Shingo replied as he opened a silver laptop and started typing something.

Brock balked at the futuristic logo on the laptop's top. "Whoa...that's a PSUS Zenbook! One of the nicest laptops available for students!"

"Here we go..." Shingo mused as he studied the profile, then turned the laptop to allow Ash to see his own trainer profile! "This is why a battle is not needed--I have information on every trainer in the world here at my fingertips."

He turned his attention to Ash's profile. "As for you, Ashton Grant Ketchum...you are a type C trainer--not the worst of the worst, but still have a ways to go. You prefer to use standard attacks, and rely on your Pokémon's power to win for you. You are also prone to making rash decisions and relying on hunches."

"I wouldn't say Ash has made rash decisions..." Misty protested.

"I'll admit he doesn't think things through sometimes, but Ash knows more than people think he does." Brock agreed. "Sometimes those risky decisions have paid off big."

"You sure you're up to the latest version? I'm a way better trainer than I was before!" Ash protested.

"Really?" Shingo smirked. "You were lucky to get into the top 16 in the Indigo Plateau Conference!"

Ash growled in frustration. "Well if I'm as bad as you say I am, then why don't you battle me to confirm your findings?"

"You have a 85.9% chance of losing anyway." Shingo smirked. "So there's no point in battling."

He cleared away Ash's profile and showed a comparison graph between a Pikachu and a Scizor. "The numbers don't lie--my Scizor has the advantage in every stat except for Special Attack and Speed, and gives 2 EVs in Attack, rather than the two EVs in Speed your Pikachu would give that he doesn't need...that, and he has the max DV's of 15..."

"So...many...acronyms..." Misty groaned at all the technical jargon.

"The only EV I know about is a cute brown Pokemon that can evolve many different ways." Brock agreed.

"I don't care about all that technobabble that predicts I'll lose! I STILL want to battle!" Ash snapped.

"Good luck, man--Shingo told everyone here the same thing, and he beat them all." a boy sighed as Shingo gathered his gear in a huff and departed.

"Shingo hasn't battled in over a year because he believes he can predict any battle with his database of Pokemon and trainers." Muramasa explained. "Many of us agree that Shingo has lost his way, and needs someone to battle him to show him that there is more to Pokémon than just facts, figures, EVs, DVs, IVs, RVs, and TVs."

"I'll find some way to battle Shingo--don't worry!" Ash grinned. "I'll show him that while the numbers may not lie, they're only part of the puzzle!"

"Yeah--you need love, trust, and confidence, too!" Misty agreed.

"You will?" Muramasa smiled. "Thank you--and if you do manage to beat him, I'll give you a personal tour of the school!"

Brock offered a hand to Muramasa. "You've got yourself a deal."

Meanwhile, Kamon watched from a bush as Brock and Muramasa shook hands. A database of every trainer in the world? Maybe now I can learn Wonderboy's secret!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-09-2016, 05:45 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 26: A Simulation of Battle

There he is, still typing away in that database... Ash thought as he spotted Shingo typing away in a lounge.

He waited a moment for the other people present to clear out, then approached Shingo. "My offer to battle still stands, you know."

"There's no need...I can win a match without leaving my laptop." Shingo calmly replied.

"Errgh...if you don't wanna battle willingly, I'm gonna have to drag you to an arena." Ash grumbled as he tried his best to drag Shingo away towards a hallway leading to an arena entrance.

With Ash occupied, Kamon saw his chance when he saw Shingo's laptop unattended. Wow...a PSUS Zenbook...that's pretty hot stuff.

He smirked as he retrieved a USB cable from one pocket of his bag. I hope its owner doesn't mind me "borrowing" his database...

But when he tried to connect the cable to the USB port, he discovered that the plug was too large. So much for downloading it directly... he sighed as he settled in a chair, rubbing his finger on the touchpad in hopes it would bring the laptop out of screensaver mode.

Please enter password to exit screensaver. came a prompt, making Kamon balk. Password? I didn't know you could password protect screensavers...

"Okay...let's do a little brute force hacking here--probably has some stupidly easy password." he mused as he typed "letmein"

He balked when he saw Incorrect password. "Okay, let's just try another one..." He tried "mankey".

Incorrect password. Not one to be deterred, Kamon tried "dragonite"

Incorrect password. came the prompt.

"Hey! Quit trying to get into my data!" Shingo's voice startled Kamon.

"Relax, calm down...I just wanted to borrow it for my own research." Kamon smugly replied as he got up from the table.

"Well, you could've asked nicely instead of trying to hack into my research!" Shingo shot back. "That database of trainers is my crown jewel!"

Kamon was unfazed. "All this over trainer data? It's just a bunch of zeroes and ones."

"But my research is not meaningless!" Shingo protested. "I will fight to protect this database!"

"Bring it on, tech geek!" Kamon smirked as he summoned Spike, Ash looking on from a couch all the while.

Shingo grabbed a Poké Ball. "Blade, come show this hacker who's boss!" he called as he heaved the Poke Ball to the ground, revealing a Scizor of his own in the room.

"Nice, a Scizor..." Kamon had to smile in awe over the red steel mantis before him.

"Not just any Scizor--Blade is faster and stronger than Principal Muramasa's Scizor Date, and he has never lost in battle!" Shingo retorted.

"Really? Try me..." Kamon sighed as Shingo returned to his waiting laptop and entered the correct password to bring it out of screensaver mode.

Next, he entered the relevant data in his match simulator. Suggested move: Quick Attack. came the prompt.

"Okay, Blade...use Quick Attack!" Shingo commanded.

Kamon watched in horror as Spike went flying across the room and crashed into a wall. "Whoa...not bad, I'll admit." he began as he hurried to tend to Spike, who had Torchics spinning around his head.

Some applause got Ash's and Shingo's attention. "Wow! I'm amazed I managed to see you battle again!" Muramasa raved as Kamon departed from the room.

"I just did what I had to do to save my data." Shingo smiled.

"Well, there's more to battling than winning, and data can't predict everything." Ash cautioned as he got up from the couch he had been watching from. "So, how bout it? Will you battle me now?"

Shingo nodded. "All right--we'll see if your claims have any merit or not."

---------

"Representing the Gold side, Shingo and Blade!" Brock announced. Blade just flexed his claws as Shingo readied his simulator. "...and representing the Silver side, Ash and River!" He made a grand gesture to Ash and his Marill on the Silver side of the arena."

River taunted.

"Are both sides ready?" Brock asked.

Ash and River cheered in reply. "Simulation loaded and ready to go." Shingo grinned.

"And three...two...one..." Brock's whistle then rang through the arena.

"Blade, use Quick Attack!" Shingo called.

"River, try lowering Blade's defense with Tail Whip!" Ash called.

[HA--!] River tried to lash at the oncoming red streak running at her, but Blade's impact sent her flying against the safety barrier. [Ow...] she groaned as she slid off the barrier and landed at Ash's feet.

"River!" Misty gasped.

[You can't give up!] Misty's Marill Ami agreed. [Show Geek Boy battling isn't all zeroes and ones!]

Shingo smirked as River struggled to get up. "Blade, use Metal Claw!"

[Wha...] River gasped as she felt Blade pick her up in his claws. [Oh no...]

Ash realized what was about to happen. "River, whatever you do, don't let Blade throw you!"

He heaved a sigh of relief as River managed to wriggle free and get back on the ground. [Don't worry, Ash--I've got Cybug here under control.] she smiled,

With that, she took a deep breath and unleashed a Water Gun, sending Blade flying towards the Gold safety barrier.

"Wha...how was this supposed to happen?" Shingo gasped, stunned at the turn of events.

"I don't need any techno-wizardry to predict anything--I use my instincts to choose attacks." Ash explained. "Sometimes, they're right, and sometimes, they're wrong, but I can use the outcome to plan my next move."

He then called to River "Use Play Rough!"

[HAIIIIIIIII-YAH!] River barreled at Blade in an attempt to drag him to the ground, but couldn't hit Blade, who had used Agility.

She lunged again and again at the red blur in the arena, but no matter which direction she tried to attack from, Blade would run in a different direction. [Whoa...this guy's way too fast for me.] she groaned as she tried to keep up with her opponent. [I'm getting dizzy trying to follow him!]

"Calm down River...relax." Ash assured the Marill before him. "Rather than trying to catch Blade, let Blade come to you."

River nodded, and closed her eyes. [Let Blade come to me...let Blade come to me...]

Over on the Gold side, Shingo was panicking at Blade racing at the Marill, and the Marill calmly waiting to intercept Blade. [i]Wait...I can't look at the laptop and the battle at the same time.

About then, River suddenly opened her eyes. I gotcha now, Blade!

"River, use Superpower!" Ash commanded.

[HAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!] River cried as she dashed forward, her body surrounded in a light blue aura. Blade tried to use Metal Claw, but River proved and knocked Blade in the air with a PLING!

"Blade!" Shingo gasped as Blade landed near the worktable he was sitting at.

Blade had just stood up, when the glowing River used Superpower again, sending Blade flying to the other end of the arena.

"Whoa...I can't believe River's speed!" Shingo gasped as he closed up the laptop. Here goes...I have to call the shots myself now--the simulation is in shambles!

"Blade, use Quick Attack!" he called.

"River, try to Tackle Blade, and intercept his attack!" Ash called.

The arena fell silent when they saw that both Pokémon had missed. After a few moments to collect herself, River saw Blade approaching with a Metal Claw, and jumped out of the way as Blade sped past her.

"Blade, use False Swipe!" Shingo called.

"Come on, River! Stand your ground!" Ash called.

He watched as Blade flew into the air, then flew down towards the Marill bracing itself on the Silver side. Blade raised his pincers into the air, then slammed them onto where the Marill stood.

But when the dust cleared, River still stood--battered and beaten, but still in the fight!

"Okay! River, you have permission to Play Rough!" Ash called.

River ran at Blade and proceeded to drag him across the floor, complete with a drop kick across the arena.

Ash grinned as Brock's whistle signaled the end of the match. "Gold is unable to battle." Brock announced. "Silver wins!"

"Well...what are you going to do with your laptop, now that your database has been bested?" Muramasa asked as he approached Shingo.

"I don't need it for battling anymore--I'll just use it for organizing my class notes, writing papers, and the occasional MMO." Shingo smiled.

He looked over at Blade. "Well done, Blade...you did well, even though we lost." Blade weakly purred in reply, as if thanking his master.

Ash hugged River. "Thank you, Shingo...you did a brave thing by calling some shots on your own."

"I think I get what you mean when you say you battle by your instincts." Shingo replied. "After I get a chance to practice that, we should battle again the next time you come. I clearly have a lot to learn."

"I'll hold you to that, then." Ash grinned as he and Shingo shook hands. "Until then, study hard, and keep practicing battling by instinct!"

"I will!" Shingo smiled, waving goodbye as Ash rejoined Misty and Brock for their well deserved tour of the school....

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-12-2016, 09:43 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 27: Good Quill Ambassadors

"Well, once again, we're lost..." Ash sighed as he led Misty and Brock through yet another forest.

"And this is how many forests we've gotten lost in on our way to Azalea Town?" Misty asked, a note of frustration in her voice.

"There has to be a misprint on the map somewhere..." Brock mused as he turned the map upside down, and then sideways. If there IS a misprint, either I'm not looking hard enough, or it's in a very obscure place."

"Silly! All we need to do is keep going through the forest until we reach the road again." Ash grinned, pleased with himself.

"Understatement of the year." Misty deadpanned as the group emerged from the forest onto a path lined with high cliffs.

Just then, a boy with purple hair approached them. "Excuse me, but have you guys seen any Cyndaquil around?"

"Cyndaquil?" Ash gasped, excited about welcoming a new fire Pokemon to the team. "Where? Where?"

"Ash, wait!" Misty started to protest as Ash dashed off towards some bushes. Here we go again...

She was snapped back to reality when she heard the purple haired boy call "Whatever you do, leave any Cyndaquil you find alone--some red haired punk caught one, and I shudder to know how he's treating it!"

"Now wait a minute!" Misty protested. "You can't tell Ash to leave them alone and horde all the Cyndaquils for yourself!"

"Yeah--if Ash finds one, he has every right to catch it." Brock agreed, unaware Ash had disappeared into the brush with Tintri.

---------

Meanwhile, Kamon watched Brock and Misty argue with the purple haired boy from a bush on top of a rock. There they are--I've got Wonderboy and pals right where I want them! he grinned before moving out to the edge of the rock in preparation to jump down and ambush the group.

After a few tense moments, he leaped from the rock, making Brock, Misty, and the boy gasp when he landed before them with the grace and agility of a Meowth.

"Weird...where's Wonderboy and Wonder-chu?" Kamon asked as he brushed the dust from his clothing.

Just then, a flash of red and white in the brush got Kamon's attention. "Never mind, I found him!"

He heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Helena, go give Wonderboy the scare of his life!"

A ghostly spirit Pokemon emerged from the Poke Ball, and flew off after Ash. Misty just swallowed hard as the spirit Pokemon flew off through the forest underbrush. Ash...please be careful...

---------

In the forest, Ash yelped in surprise as Helena appeared before him and Tintri. Tintri called as he leaped towards the Gastly and fired a massive Thunderbolt.

He shuddered when he saw his attack had not fazed the ghostly Pokemon. [Oh no...] he started as Helena started charging a large ball of ominous purple energy. [Shadow Ball!]

"Jump!" Ash called to Tintri, prompting them both to make a running leap into a ditch, making the Shadow Ball miss completely. Once sure the ghostly attack had disappeared, Ash motioned for Tintri to follow him out of the ditch and up towards a network of caves in the rocks.

They wound their way through mossy rocks, a patch of wild mushrooms, gnarled tree roots, over a stream, and through a cave made out of a hollow tree, but it wasn't long before Ash managed to catch his breath. "Whew...we're safe here." he assured Tintri.

[I'll say...you run pretty fast for a human.] Tintri wheezed.

Ash smiled. "Came in the top five fastest times running a mile in gym class when I was little...but I don't think that Gastly will find us in here..."

[Forgetting something, Wonderboy?] Helena asked as she warped inside the hollow. [Solid walls are no match for me!]

"Run for it!" Ash called as he and Tintri scrambled out of the hollow to avoid another Shadow Ball, tripping over a tree root on the way.

After dashing through the forest some more, Ash and Tintri emerged from the underbrush to find a series of small caves along a wall of rock. [Where are we?] Tintri asked. [Did we lose the Gastly?]

"I think so..." Ash nervously replied before a familiar tiny porcupine-like Pokemon popped out of one of the caves. Piqued, he fished out his Pokedex to read up on the tiny Pokemon:

"Cyndaquil, the fire mouse Pokemon. The fire that spouts from its back burns hottest when it is angry. The flaring flames intimidate foes."

A voice calling "Mica, use Sand Attack!" snapped him back to reality. "Gah!" he cried as sand flew into his face, sending him tumbling back to the ground.

The Cyndaquil, however ran back into the cave it came from, with the purple haired boy in hot pursuit. [Follow that boy!] Tintri called as Ash rubbed the sand from his eyes and eased himself to his feet.

"Hold it, Wonderboy!" Kamon called as he arrived with Helena, just as Ash was checking himself over for injuries.

"Sorry, I haven't got time for you guys!" Ash replied before dashing off after the boy and the Cyndaquil.

"Hey, I wasn't done talking to you!" Kamon yelled, but Ash and Tintri were already gone.

---------

Ash balked when he saw several small holes inside the second cave. "Okay...where could the Cyndaquil have gotten to..." he mused as he checked each hole, only to find pebbles, twigs, and leaves in each one.

A flash of red got his attention, but before he could run after it, a sharp claw sent him falling backwards.

[Shadow Ball incoming!] Tintri called as Ash hurried to get up.

Ash gasped when he saw the purple energy ball, and dove into an alcove, making it fizzle out on the stone floor. As he caught his breath, he saw that the purple haired boy had the Cyndaquil up against a wall, trying to battle it. [i]I can't hide in the shadows while an innocent Pokemon gets hurt... he thought as he watched the Sandslash use Poison Sting from the safety of the alcove. I've gotta do something!

After summoning all the courage he had, Ash leaped from the alcove and grabbed the frightened Cyndaquil seconds before the Poison Sting landed, making sure to roll to avoid another Shadow Ball on the way.

The Shadow Ball's energy was enough to send Ash and Tintri flying out of the cave. "I knew I'd corner you here sooner or later..." Kamon sneered as he and his Gastly approached Ash. "You've got a lot of questions to answer for me...."

Just then, Ash realized he still had the Cyndaquil in his arms! After checking its gender, he set it down on the ground. "I wish we could visit some more, but you need to run before things get bad."

[No--you saved me, and now it's my turn to save you!] the Cyndaquil replied.

With that, she heaved a huge stream of fire at Kamon's Gastly. "No!" Ash cried, heaving a Poke Ball into the stream of fire, in a desperate attempt to save the little Pokemon.

"Ash!" Brock called as he and Misty arrived on the path near the cave, where Ash was struggling to get up. "You okay?"

"Yeah..." Ash replied as Misty looked him over for injuries. "But...I caught this Cyndaquil..."

Just then, the purple haired boy came out of the cave. "Hey! I wanted that Cyndaquil--I demand a duel to see who gets Cyndaquil!"

"Well, Ash already caught Cyndaquil fair and square." Brock replied. "There's plenty of other Cyndaquils here..."

"I accept the challenge." Ash replied as Misty finished bandaging the scrapes and scratches he had sustained on the wild chase. "I'll even use my new Cyndaquil--her name is Cyndy!"

"Cyndy?" Misty winced at the seemingly cheesy name Ash had chosen. "Really?"

"She belongs to Ash, and he can name her whatever he wants." Brock reminded Misty as he retrieved his whistle and hurried to referee the impending battle.

---------

The sound of a referee's whistle echoed through the caves, signaling that the match between the Sandslash Mica and Cyndy was underway. From the right side of the Poke Ball, Ash watched in awe as Cyndy dodged all of Mica's attacks. "Wow! Not only is Cyndy strong offensively, but defensively too!"

He gasped as he watched Mica heave a flurry of shining stars at Cyndy. "Cyndy! Counter with Flamethrower!"

[Waaaaa!] Cyndy cried as the shining stars knocked her back into a tree. She quickly darted away as Mica charged at her in an attempt to Tackle her, but ended up getting stuck in the tree's trunk. Cyndy looked up at Ash with a smile, then blew out a small Ember, burning Mica, and making him faint.

"Gold is unable to battle--Silver wins!" Brock announced, making Ash and Cyndy cheer.

Ash saw his opponent grab a bug net. "If you won't willingly give the Cyndaquil to me, I'll just take her from you!"

Brock just blew his whistle again. "Silver won, fair and square--now, shake hands."

Cyndy flared her quills at the boy. [I WANT to be with Ash, you jerk!] she screeched as she let out an impressive Flamethrower, sending the boy and his Sandslash tearing down the path with burning feet.

"Talk about the old hot foot..." Misty grinned.

Ash gently hugged Cyndy. "Welcome aboard, Cyndy! Our road to glory burns white hot!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-16-2016, 09:41 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 28: Familiar Foes and Water Woes

"Boy, it's hot today..." Ash groaned as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

[Tell me about it...] Tintri agreed.

"I wouldn't say there's a Fire type in the area, but I will tell you that the plants by the roadside are all drying up because of this heat." Brock explained, gesturing to some wilting flowers by the side of the road.

Ash slumped to the ground. "What I would give for some air conditioning or a swimming pool right now..."

"Well, a swimming pool can't necessarily fit in a bag, but I do have the next best thing!" Misty grinned as she brandished a Poke Ball.

She heaved the Poke Ball skyward. "Pearl, come on out and help us beat the heat!"

[Oh my...it is hot today...] Pearl noted. [Perhaps I can be of service and cool you guys?]

Misty nodded "Fire a Water Gun into the air and make a fountain for us to splash in!"

She smiled at the relieved looks on the boys' faces. "I hope you packed your swim trunks, guys!"

"That's fine--water will dry off anyway." Brock replied as he watched the Starmie fire a stream of water into the sky. "That, and I don't really see a place to change into bathing suits and swim trunks.

He looked over at Pearl spraying water. "While that is a good start to a makeshift sprinkler, we're gonna need more water than that..."

"Not a problem!" Ash smiled before heaving a Poke Ball to the ground. "River, come on out and cool us all off!"

[You called?] River smiled as she materialized on the road. [Wow...the ground's all cracked and hot!] she gasped when she noticed the warm ground and cracks forming on the road due to the heat.

"This is where you come in...I want you to make the biggest water spray you can to help Pearl create a sprinkler for us to play in." Ash explained.

[Okay!] River wasted no time in making a large water spray to help Pearl.

The group wasted no time in kicking off their socks and shoes and hurrying to play in their "fountain". "Yee-ha!" Ash cried as he dove head first into the cool water...

---------

Meanwhile, on a different stretch of the roadway, three familiar hoodlums--a fuchsia haired girl, a lavender haired boy, and a small cat Pokemon with pale yellow fur trudged along the road. ""It's the end, I tell you!" the boy cries in frustration. "We're lost, fried in a scorching sun!"

"Well, if you're so thirsty, Meowth has the water bottle." the girl sighs--she has had to endure her partner complaining the whole way.

"Okay, who needs watta more?" the Meowth asks. "Last time we took a watta break, Jessie needed it, and judgin' from how James has been complainin' dis whole time, I tink it's his toin."

"Gimme that!" James eagerly dashed up and snatched the water bottle from the tiny cat Pokemon's paws--only to find that the bottle was barely a fourth of the way full! "Meowth! This was supposed to last until we got to town! If I drink this, then what will Jessie have when she inevitably gets thirsty?"

"And if I drink it, then James will only be complaining for the next two hours!" Jessie grumbled.

"I'm a livin' bein too, yanno--so I need watta too." Meowth reminded his two human companions. "So if yanno of a well, or a grocery store anywhere..."

Jessie then spotted a well not far from the trio's current position. "Hold that thought, I see a well!"

"Follow me!" The three Rockets dashed over to the elegant looking well with Slowpoke designs in its base, eager for a drink of water.

Jessie wasted no time in hoisting up the bucket--only to find sand inside instead of water! "Any more bright ideas?" she grumbled as she lowered the bucket back into the well.

"We could try dousing rods..." James suggested.

"But then we'd have to dig for the water, and that would be too much trouble in the heat!" Jessie reminded him. "There's a reason the weatherman tells you to limit strenuous activity when it's hot!"

"You're forgettin' we have the Diglitank here..." Meowth grinned as he pressed a button on a small remote, making a giant machine that looked like a cross between a tank and a Diglett emerge from a nearby rock.

Jessie smiled. "Meowth, you're a genius! Who needs shovels and picks when we can cover a whole lot of ground at once?"

All three Rockets giddily climbed aboard, and created a large hole in the road as the tank burrowed underground.

For a while, there was nothing interesting to see in the tunnel as the tank burrowed through the earth. But after about an hour, the Rockets emerged into a large underground cave. "Wow..." Jessie asked, amazed over the crystals that formed in the cave.

"Wait a minnit..." Meowth mused as he stopped the tank. "Where dere's crystals...dere has ta be..."

"WATER!!!!" the Rockets cried as they scrambled out of the tank, and hurried towards a huge sparkling pool of water. But they stopped in their tracks when they found themselves surrounded by hundreds of large pink creatures with curled ears and vacant expressions on their faces.

Meowth noticed a sign near where his companions were standing. "Dis is Slowpoke Well--da story goes dat Slowpoke have da power ta make it rain when dey yawn."

He sighed. "Who believes dose kinds of fairy tales, anyway?"

"But what if it's true, Meowth?" Jessie gasped, excited.

"We could capture the Slowpoke and get rich by charging the townspeople to have them make it rain!" James suggested. The Rockets giggled with excitement as they retreated to the tank to discuss the particulars of their latest plot.

---------

"Welcome to Azalea Town...where people and Pokémon live in happy harmony." Brock read as the group approached a wooded area near some mountains, where they could see rooftops and buildings in the distance.

"Finally!" Ash smiled as the group made their way into town. "I am SO ready for my second badge!"

"What's the hurry? I kinda want to see the sights." Misty suggested as she pulled Ash back. "Like this Kurt guy, who makes his own Poke Balls, for a small fee."

"Besides, the Gym is closed because of the drought." Brock agreed, showing Ash a sign on the path leading to the Gym that said "NO CHALLENGES TODAY DUE TO DROUGHT." "So I think it'd be fun to watch a Poke Ball maker at work."

"Okay..." Ash sighed in defeat.

Misty, meanwhile, noticed that all the signs depicted Slowpokes, people openly dressed up as Slowpokes, Slowpoke dolls and trinkets were in all the shops, and a music store had a book open to the tune "The Slowpoke's Yawn". "There's Slowpoke stuff everywhere..."

"Not to mention Slowpokes themselves..." Brock noted as he observed Slowpokes lying in the road. Some stared into the distance, others were curled up, asleep, and a few would begrudgingly get up to allow a person to pass before plopping back on the path again.

"Is this place a shrine to Slowpoke or someth--!" A low pitched howl suddenly got Ash's attention. When he looked down to see what he had stepped on, he saw a Slowpoke with a pained look on its face. "Uh, sorry, big guy." he apologized.

"How dare you step on one of our Slowpokes' tails?" a woman gasped.

"It was an accident, I didn't know!" Ash pleaded as more angry townsfolk, including the woman, approached the group. "We only arrived in town today!"

"That doesn't matter!" a man retorted. "Locals and visitors alike are supposed to respect the Slowpokes, and you will pay the price for causing one pain!"

"No time to ask questions, we need to go!" With that, Brock led the others into the main district, being careful not to step on any more Slowpoke tails as they rushed to avoid the angry mob.

After weaving past shops, nearly snarling traffic, and ducking down a sidepath, Misty noticed that the group had arrived in a park. "I think we lost them..."

"Talk about an overreaction...." Ash grumbled--he had not expected an angry mob to chase them for merely stepping on a Slowpoke tail. "I apologized and everything!"

"That won't be enough, travelers..." an older man in a Slowpoke costume cautioned. "For now, just put these on and lie very still." he instructed as he gave the group three Slowpoke costumes.

Ash sighed as he heard the rumble and shouts of the approaching crowd. "I guess we have no choice, guys..."

When the crowd arrived in the park a few moments later, they came to a screeching halt when they saw four Slowpokes lounging by the fountain--one was playing with a Pikachu, one was sprawled over the fountain, and one was observing a Vulpix, in addition to one staring at the sky.

Minutes seemed to tick by like hours as Ash--inside the Slowpoke costume--would periodically bat at Tintri to keep up the ruse. [i]Geez, I'm hot...

"Okay, the coast is clear!" he heard their rescuer say.

Misty was first to remove her costume head. "How do you even stand being in one of these on a day like today?" she asked as she got up from the fountain.

"I'll say--these feel like a sauna!" Ash agreed as he got up and started removing the sweat drenched costume.

Brock, meanwhile, was the farthest along at getting out of the costume. "If you don't mind my asking, sir, why are the Slowpoke so important?" he asked as Hinata brought him his story notebook. "I'm an amateur storyteller competing in the Lore Stage, and the tale might make some good material."

"I see--the clouds and red stripe on your vest made that clear." the man grinned.

Once Brock had a pen to write with, the man began "Long ago, there was a drought just like this in Azalea Town. One day a Slowpoke came to the town, and the people wondered who it belonged to--or if it was a wild one. One day, when it yawned, it started to rain, and the town was saved. Since then, Slowpoke have been treated with the deepest respect."

"No wonder the townsfolk got so mad at Ash stepping on one..." Misty mused as Brock finished copying down the bones of the man's story"

Suddenly, something dawned on the man. "Oh, look at the time! I just remembered the errand I had to do today!"

"Who was our rescuer?" Misty wondered as the man dashed away, still in costume.

"I don't know, but we need to thank him later for saving our skins." Brock smiled as he pocketed his story notebook, with his pen neatly clipped to the cover. "For now, let's go see Kurt."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-23-2016, 05:12 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 29: Blame It on the Rain

As the group arrived in a small forested area, where a modest house stood, a brown haired girl ran to meet them. "Are you looking for someone?" she asked.

"We're looking for someone named Kurt...do you know where he is?" Misty asked.

The girl smiled. "Yeah--Kurt's my grandad! He came home in a hurry just a little while ago, but when I has him what was wrong, he said something terrible happened at Slowpoke Well, and was going there to find out what that something terrible was. I hope he's okay..."

"We'll go help your grandad, okay?" Ash offered.

"You will?" Thanks!" the girl smiled. She waved goodbye as the group departed.

After retracing their steps back to the well, Ash led the way underground, with Brock not far behind. "Remember, stay together, as appealing as splitting up may sound." Brock cautioned as the three friends carefully climbed below the ground into the crystalline cave.

"Is someone there?" a familiar voice groaned in the distance. "I need help..."

Misty recognized a prone pink form on the ground. "Our rescuer from before!"

Ash hurried over to the man's side. "Hey...as thanks for helping us before, we want to help you in return." he assured the man.

"Can you tell us what happened here?" Misty asked as Brock examined the costumed man for injuries.

"I saw two hoodlums in a tank-like machine chasing the Slowpoke, laughing with glee as the sharp points cut their tails." the man weakly explained. "I yelled at them to stop, but they fancied me a large Slowpoke, and chased after me. Try as I might to get away, I tripped on a rock and hurt my back...and here I am."

"You guys go on ahead, I'll take care of our friend here." Brock began as he retrieved some medicine from his bag.

"Got it!" Misty replied as she and Ash hurried off into the deeper reaches of the cave.

---------

Great--Team Rocket's followed me here to Johto to cause even more trouble! Ash grumbled to himself as he followed Misty through the glittering cave. They likely won't rest until they have Tintri, but they're not gonna get him! I would gladly give my life for him if I had to, but he doesn't deserve to be the pet of a gang of criminals!

When he and Misty arrived in the largest room of the gave, he balked when he saw Team Rocket capturing more Slowpoke with nets. "Okay, Team Rocket! If you're gonna cut the Slowpoke tails, you're gonna have to answer to me!"

[Yeah!] Tintri agreed.

"You realize that the floor of the cave is wet, twerp?" James shot back. "So any electric attacks will shock the Slowpoke too."

"Then I'll just fight water with water!" Ash retorted before heaving a Poke Ball skyward. "River, I choose you!"

[Leave it to me!] River smiled as she emerged in a flash of light.

With that, she nimbly hoisted the tank in her paws, and heaved it into the air, Team Rocket screaming all the while. [Whoa--you weren't kidding when you said you could lift heavy stuff!] Tintri gasped in amazement.

A hiss of an approaching missile snapped him to attention. [River! Watch out!]

[AUUUUUUUUUGH!!!!] River screamed as the missile sent her flying across the cave, landing at Ash's feet. [Ash...I'm sorry...] was all she could say before she fainted.

The whir of the tank moving got Misty's attention. "There! They're trying to escape by digging a tunnel into the floor!" she called, pointing out the tank attempting to drill through the floor.

Just then, Brock arrived. "I have our rescuer stabilized--did I miss anything?"

"Team Rocket knocked River out with a missile, and now they're digging a hole in the floor." Misty reported. "We have to hold them off somehow."

Ash watched, bemused, as the remaining Slowpoke all stood up and began to walk out of the cave. "Weird...where are the Slowpoke going?"

"Let's follow them and see!" Brock led the way outside, making sure not to lose the Slowpokes in the winding tunnels.

They emerged on the edge of the cliff that surrounded the well, where all the Slowpokes were gathering. Once all the Slowpokes had arrived, they started yawning, which made the sky cloud up!

"By Arceus...it's raining!" Misty gasped as sure enough, rain began falling.

"It's coming down hard--let's get up on the well's roof." Brock suggested before helping the man up first, then climbing up himself. Ash followed Brock, and Misty brought up the rear.

From their position atop the roof, the group watched as water poured into the cave and down into the tunnel that Team Rocket had attempted to dig. After a few tense moments, the tank was washed out of the tunnel, cracked in two.

Ash grinned as he saw Team Rocket crawl out of the wrecked tank. "Fire when ready, pardner."

[AI-YAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!] Tintri screeched as he unleashed a Thunder attack, which was made even more powerful by the rain.

"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off AGAIN!!!!" the Rockets cried as the tank and its occupants went flying into the stormy skies with a [i]ping.

Brock smiled, relieved that all was well again. "I wonder if there's any truth to the tale of the Slowpoke making it rain..."

"I'd like to think so." Ash smiled. "You've said it before--there's a grain of truth to every story."

"Your friend's right--the world is full of mysteries indeed." the man agreed. "Let's get back to town."

---------

Back in town, cheers filled the air as the river rushed by and the crops recovered. "...this young man and his friends have shown great character, and meant no harm to the Slowpokes before--they were travelers, and unaware of the rule against harming them." the man explained to the townsfolk. "Can you find it in your hearts to forgive an accident?"

"If they saved our town, we forgive them wholeheartedly!" the woman from before replied, to cheers from the crowd..

"How would you three like a tour of Azalea Town?" the man offered. "As thanks for your help."

"We'd love to, but we have to find Kurt--Ash was interested in seeing some of his handmade Poke Balls." Misty explained.

The group balked as the man removed his costume to reveal a dull teal kimono-like outfit. "I am Kurt, and he is me."

He smiled. "At the very least, I can give you some lodging at the house--I hope Maizie's all right..."

"She was worried about you--but at least now we can tell her you're okay!" Ash smiled, relieved that at least for now, all was well in the world.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-26-2016, 07:43 PM

Interlude: Plans and Dreams

"I can't even begin to thank you after what you did for me back there..." Kurt smiled. It had been a few days since the drought in the Azalea Town had ended, and no one was more relieved than Ash. "But considering how i saved you from the angry townsfolk, I guess we're even."

He noticed Maizie looking up at him. "Would you mind telling me why the three of you travel?"

"I'm hoping to win the Johto League!" Ash confidently replied.

Kurt just smiled. "And I believe you will, with your brave Pokemon--I'm sure Bugsy would be happy to battle you."

"Bugsy?" Misty swallowed hard at the prospect of seeing bugs.

"Misty's a little leery around some kinds of bugs." Brock explained. "Pretty bugs, like Butterfree and Ledyba are okay, but anything that bites or stings and she will use you as a shield." Misty blushed a little at this.

Kurt just chuckled. "I'm sure she would be fine around Mariposa, Bugsy's Beautifly companion--he got her on an expedition to the Houen region."

"I see..." Ash mused before reading up on the exotic Pokemon:

"Beautifly, the butterfly Pokemon. Vibrantly patterned wings are its most prominent feature. It sucks sweet flower nectar with its long mouth."

"Wow!" Misty gasped, awed by the exotic Pokemon's colorful wings. "So pretty!"

"Remember 'Legendary Idol Kochou'? Brock reminded Misty. "And Niji the Beautifly?"

"One of my favorite TV shows!" Maizie raved before singing There's a melody playin', on the radio, there's a melody playin', soft and sweet and low, there's a melody playin', I don't know what to do....

There's a melody playin', and it makes me think of you! Ash joined in, to some laughter.

"Can't you do Kochou's voice?" Misty asked Ash.

"Yeah--but I have to warm up first, or else I'll crack." Ash confessed.

Misty decided to turn the conversation back to its initial topic. "I'm hoping to compete in a water Pokethlon."

"And I'm competing in the Pokemon Lore Stage." Brock explained, proudly showing off his cloud patches and red stripe.

"Where's all the other colors?" Maizie asked.

"I have to earn the other six by telling some good stories." Brock explains. "If you make a rainbow, you get to tell for the Pokemon League."

Maizie smiled. "I hope you all achieve your goals! I want you to win the League..." she told Ash. "...and I want you to be the best water Pokethlete..." she told Misty.

She looked over at Brock. "But I hope you make your rainbow, and tell your stories for the best trainers in the world!" Brock just blushed a little, flattered he had a fan.

"If you need to call anyone and update them on your progress, the phone is over there." Kurt began, pointing out a phone by the PC.

"Thanks!" Ash hurried to the phone and wasted no time in dialing Prof. Oak's number.

Misty and Brock joined Ash around the phone as it flashed "DIALING" on the screen. After a few tense moments, the image of Oak in his lab appeared on the screen. "Hello?"

"Hi, professor--we made it to Azalea Town." Ash began. "We're staying with this guy named Kurt."

"Really?" Prof. Oak was interested. "You picked a good person to stay with--Kurt makes a living making special Poké Balls using Apricorns."

"Apricorns?" Ash was interested.

Prof. Oak nodded. "Apricorns are special fruits that are native to the Johto region. They appear to be related to Berries, although more research is needed."

He smiled. "Maybe if you ask very nicely, he might make some for you all."

He then noticed the clock on the wall. "Oh my, look at the time! This week I'll find out if Kelly confesses her feelings to Nicholas or not! Gotta go!" With that, the call ended.

Misty sighed. "The professor loves his soap operas..."

"And woe betide the person that makes him miss a week." Brock agreed. "Never mind it's the same old plot recycled a million times over."

Ash meanwhile, found Kurt at his workbench. "Would you please make me and my friends some Poké Balls?"

"Sure!" Kurt replied. "You bring me some Apricorns from the groves, and I'll make you all the Poke Balls you want."

"I'll take our guests to see the Apricorn trees back behind the house, Grandad!" Maizie volunteered before motioning for the group to follow her to a forested area that was accessible from the back yard...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-30-2016, 09:32 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 30: Gone Apricorn!

"Wow..." the group gasped as Maize opened the back door, allowing them to see rolling hills and a vast forest filled with trees bearing many colorful fruits. Every so often a Rattata would romp by or a Butterfree would land on a flower to indulge in its nectar, but otherwise, the groves were quiet and peaceful.

"It's beautiful..." Misty finally broke the silence some moments later.

Maizie smiled. "If you'll come with me, we'll go explore the groves. Just take a basket if you plan on picking any Apricorns."

"I'm gonna pick any and every Apricorn I can find!" Ash cried before dashing over to a tree with black ball shaped fruits near the grove's entrance.

"Whoa there, pardner--those black Apricorns aren't even ripe yet." Maizie cautioned as she and the others caught up to Ash.

"What about those blue ones?" Ash asked as the group started down the dirt path leading into the groves, pointing out a tree with blue Apricorns on the right side of the path.

"Those aren't ripe either." Maizie replied, making Ash sigh.

"What about these pink ones, then?" Ash asked as the group approached a tree with pink Apricorns.

"Those should be ripe--pink Apricorns make Love Balls." Maizie began.

"Love Balls--you think they would catch Officer Jenny or Nurse Joy?" Now Brock was excited.

A blast of water from Misty's Pokemon answered his question. "Nice try, loverboy, but I don't think Poke Balls work that way." Misty scolded as Maizie gave Brock a towel, giggling all the while. "Now, behave yourself, and be a good example for Maizie!"

Meanwhile, Ash looked up at the towering tree dotted in pink Apricorns. "Next question--how are we supposed to pick the Apricorns, bud?" he asked Tintri.

[Well, we could try shaking the tree...] Tintri suggested as the others arrived.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you--wild Pineco like nesting in Apricorn trees, so you could get an explosive surprise." Maizie cautioned.

Misty sighed as Ash started gently shaking the tree. "Too late..."

Brock panicked when he saw blue-green, pinecone-like Pokemon with red eyes falling to the ground alongside the pink Apricorns. "Ash!" he cried as he hurried to try and catch the falling Pinecos. "Watch out for the..."

This was as far as Brock got before tripping over a rock and landing face first into the tree, which caused all the Pineco to explode, leaving him to cough up the soot.

"You okay, Brock?" Ash asked as he hurried to help his friend, blissfully unaware of just how dangerously close he had been to the explosion.

Brock coughed up some more soot before replying "I'm fine, but when someone says not to shake a tree, they MEAN don't shake a tree!" Ash nodded to show he understood as Brock coughed up soot, then consulted his Pokedex for more information on the small explosive Pokemon:

"Pineco, the bagworm Pokemon. It hangs from a tree branch and patiently waits for prey to come along. If it is disturbed while eating by someone shaking its tree, it drops down to the ground and explodes with no warning."

"NOW you tell me..." Ash grumbled as he and the others continued following Maizie, Brock coughing up soot all the while.

---------

"Okay...this is a red Apricorn tree, which make Level Balls." Maizie explained as the group approached another tree. "To safely pick the Apricorns without disturbing the Pinecos, only take the Apricorns on the lowest branches."

"Lowest branches...got it!" Ash smiled before motioning for Misty and Brock to follow him to the tree.

He did not, however, expect the ground to give way and fall into a pit! "WAUUUUGH!"

"How nice of you to drop by, try not to cause any trouble!" he heard a familiar female voice say.

"And if you do try and escape, the pain will be double!" a male voice agreed.

Ash's vision came into focus, allowing him to see Jessie and James staring back down at him. "Team Rocket!"

"Who'd ya expect? The Elite Four?" Meowth smirked as he lassoed Tintri and pulled him out of the pit.

"While you're thinking of a way out of here, we're gonna use our Vacuumax 3000 to take every last Apricorn here, and your Pikachu too!" James announced as Jessie stuffed Tintri into a shock proof jar.

"Hey, Ash..." Brock whispered. "Mareep and its evolutions can use the Rock move Power Gem...maybe that can make stepping stones for us to climb out of here?"

"Good idea..." Ash then heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Luce, we need your help!"

[Looks to me you need a way out of this Diglett hole!] Luce smiled before creating a flurry of shining diamond-like projectiles, which embedded themselves in the pit walls to create a kind of stairwell.

"Thanks, Luce." Ash petted the tiny sheep Pokemon before recalling it. He then started up the stairway of Power Gems. Misty and Brock were not far behind, just in time to see Jessie, James, and Meowth go tumbling into a Diglett hole, making the shock-proof jar pop open and allowing Tintri to run into Ash's arms.

"You guys okay?" Maizie asked when she met the group.

"Yeah--wasn't our first Team Rocket pit trap, and probably won't be the last one." Misty assured Maizie as the reunited group continued down the path..

---------

"Here's a group of trees you can pick from, so help yourselves!" Maizie smiled as she led the group into a small clearing filled with Apricorn trees.

A low whir and a breeze got Brock's attention as he led the others to the tree. "Funny...was it supposed to be windy today?"

"That's no natural breeze, that's Team Rocket!" Misty screamed over the wind, pointing out Team Rocket laughing gleefully as a large fan-like device blew what they thought were Apricorns to them.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled, twirling a rose in his hand. Ash just rolled his eyes at the now familiar motto he, Misty, and Brock had heard a million times before:

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!

"To extend our reach to the stars above!

"Jessie!

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"Should we tell the Rockets they're sucking up Pinecos instead of Apricorns?" Misty whispered, pointing out a flurry of Pinecos caught in the breeze.

Brock realized what would happen if the Pinecos did unleash their explosive power on Team Rocket, quickly took an arrow, and aimed into the airstream, being careful not to injure any of the Pinecos. "Brock? What are you--!" Misty wondered before Brock fired, neatly catching seven Pinecos on the arrow shaft before landing in the ground, leaving the Pinecos unharmed.

"I see--the arrows mimic tree branches, so the Pineco have something to hang from!" Ash smiled as Brock fired another shot into the wind to catch more Pinecos.

He turned to Tintri. "Okay bud, overload that fan with a Thunderbolt!"

[Okay, Rockets! This is payback for earlier!] Tintri defiantly called before sending a huge Thunderbolt at the large fan--shorting out its main power supply and hampering its ability to blow.

One Pineco saw an opportunity to attack.

"While that is a noble goal, it's also very dangerous." Brock explained as he fired another arrow into the breeze to rescue more Pinecos. Misty was already on the ground, helping Ash and Maizie pick up the Pineco filled arrows dotting the ground and carefully returning the Pinecos to the tree.

[Then, can I help you save my friends?] the Pineco replied as Brock set aside his archery gear to dig a Fast Ball from his bag--a gift from Kurt for rescuing him at the well a few days before.

"Just touch this, and you can come with me." Brock offered, holding the yellow and red striped ball out to the Pineco.

He smiled as the Pineco went inside with a flash of red light, moments before the fan exploded, sending Team Rocket flying into the air with a [i]ping.

"Good riddance..." Misty smiled as she hung the last Pineco back on the tree. "Oh, did you capture a Pineco?" she asked.

Brock nodded as he gathered up his archery gear. "One of them decided it wanted to come with me."

He then let out his new Pineco for his friends to see. "I'm gonna name him Silver."

"That's a cool name!" Ash smiled.

"I like it too, but what matters is if the Pineco likes it." Misty reminded Brock.

"How bout it? You like Silver as your name?" Brock asked his new Pineco.

[I LOVE it!] Silver cried before unleashing an explosion of approval, making everyone laugh as Brock coughed up more soot.

"I'll take that as a yes..." Brock managed to whisper before coughing some more...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-04-2016, 01:06 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 31: It's Tough to Beat a Bug! (part 1)

"You're watching 'Places and People' live on location on KNTO!" Misty announced into an old karaoke microphone with the batteries removed, much to Brock's amusement. "This week, we're reporting live from Azalea Town in Johto, where rising superstar Trainer Ash Ketchum seeks to take another step towards Johto League glory by taking on Azelea Gym."

"Remind me why Misty decided to play TV host again?" Ash asked Brock as the group made their way to the gym, aware of people curiously staring at them and wondering if a real TV broadcast was going on, or if the group was only pretending.

"She just found that old mic, took the batteries out, and proceeded to play TV host for her team and Maizie all night." Brock sighed. "I even had to play 'co-host' a few times..."

Ash was suddenly surprised by Misty shoving the mic in his face. "Tell us, Ash--how do you think your impending battle's going to go?"

"Uh...I think I can win..." Ash stammered. True, Misty was only pretending, but it didn't change the fact that he had gotten dragged into the game against his will.

"You sure? You haven't got your faithful Charizard Blaze with you this time, and he's come though for you many times before." Mistyy cautioned.

"I may not have Blaze, but I do have Cyndy--and she has plenty of fire power!" Ash confidently replied, never mind he wasn't on a real TV show.

"A fitting answer from an aspiring champion!" Misty announced as the group approached the gym. "When we come back, we'll watch Ash's epic match and see if his Cyndaquil will be enough to take down the Gym Leader!"

With that, she put the mic away. "How real TV hosts can be this loud constantly is beyond me...my voice is already tired."

"It's called 'projecting your voice'--it's also a big help in acting." Brock explained as he opened the door. "Ladies first."

Just then, a butterfly-like Pokemon with magnificently colored wings met them. [Hello there--which of you is challenging the Leader?] she asked.

"I am!" Ash replied.

The butterfly Pokemon nodded. [All right, this way.]

After following the butterfly Pokemon down a corridor and into a large open arena that resembled a forest clearing, Misty suddenly felt sick to her stomach. Oh great...a forest...

"Everything okay?" Brock asked, concerned over Misty's nauseated face.

"Why do I get the feeling something's going to jump out at us?" Misty stammered. "You do know I don't like most bugs?"

"I do, but keep in mind most bug Pokemon are more afraid of you than you are of them--although there are some that like getting up close and personal with humans." Brock reminded her.

About then, a Caterpie dangled on a leaf before Misty. [Hi!]

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKK!! !!" Misty's scream resounded all through the city.

"Not so hard, Misty..." Brock muttered as Misty clung to him in fear.

Giggling got Ash's attention, spurring him to look up in the treetops, where he noticed a dull lavender haired boy in safari gear watching the group from a tree. "Hey, calm down, none of the bugs here are gonna hurt you." he assured the group.

"W-who are you?" Misty stammered.

"I'm Bugsy! I never lose when it comes to Bug-type Pokémon." the boy replied as he jumped down from the tree with the grace of a Meowth. "You've already met Mariposa, my Beautifly hostess." he grinned as the butterfly Pokemon that had escorted them fluttered by his side. "But I've collected a lot more exotic bugs from other regions besides her--and it's been a big help to my research about them!"

He bowed before the group. "If you wish, I can demonstrate what I've learned from my studies."

"Uh, that's okay--I'll just watch from a distance." Misty stammered, all the while trying to keep her fear of biting and stinging bugs at bay.

"I'll gladly be your willing test subject!" Ash declared. "For I am Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, seeking Johto League glory!"

"All right..." Bugsy gestured to a spectator's area. "Mariposa, if you would show Ash's companions to the stands, please."

[Right away.] the Beautifly nodded.

---------

"Representing the Gold side, Gym Leader Bugsy and Charlotte!" a referee announced as Bugsy released a small green spider-like Pokemon. "And representing the Silver side, Ash Ketchum and Cyndy!"

Cyndy taunted.

[Does anyone need to make any preparations before the match?] Mariposa asked as she delivered a pair of flags to the referee.

"May I have a chance to size up my opponent?" Ash asked the referee.

"Pokedex usage is allowed provided it does not give you an unfair advantage." the referee reminded Ash.

Ash nodded, the consulted his Pokedex to read up on his opponent:

[b]"Spinarak, the string spit Pokemon. It spins a web using fine, but durable, thread. It then waits patiently for prey to be trapped."

"Are both sides ready?" the referee asked, snapping Ash back to reality.

Cheers went up in reply from both Bugsy and Ash. "Okay! Three...two...one..."

The referee's whistle hardly had time to echo through the forested battlefield before Ash called to Cyndy "Open with a Flamethrower!"

"Charlotte, use String Shot!" Bugsy called at the same time.

The ball of fire Cyndy had been preparing to fire when she saw the strands of thread coming at her fizzled out. She jumped to the left to avoid one, right to avoid another, ducked under a third, and narrowly missed jumping over a fourth. [Missed me!] she taunted.

Bugsy grimaced that all the String Shots had missed. "Okay, Charlotte, switch gears to Poison Sting!"

[Ah!] Cyndy yelped as the Spinarak fired a stinger at her, which landed in her back. [Eep! Ow! Oof!]

Ash watched, wincing every time Cyndy cried in pain from the Poison Sting. The last straw came when Cyndy received a fifth Poison Sting, losing her balance. "Cyndy! Hang in there!"

Bugsy smiled. Now's my chance! Let's see how Ash fares without a fire type!

He called "Charlotte, use Poison Sting again!"

"Cyndy! Come back!" Ash gasped, quickly recalling Cyndy and heaving another Poke Ball skyward. "Let's go, River!"

[Aw, yeah!] River cried as she spun past the Poison Sting and landed in the arena. [Is that all you've got, eight-legs?]

Bugsy balked at the Marill before him--he had not counted on Ash to switch Pokemon! "You realize that neither of us have any clear advantage, sending a Water type against a bug?"

"It takes more than type advantage to win a Pokémon battle!" Ash grinned. River nodded in agreement.

TO BE CONTINUED...

EmeraldSky

12-07-2016, 07:13 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 32: It's Tough to Beat a Bug! (part 2)

"Charlotte, use String Shot!" Bugsy commanded, only to watch as the Marill twirled out of the way and prepared to heave a Water Gun at the Spinarak. "Charlotte, watch out!"

"River, heads up!" Ash called as the Spinarak fired a Poison Sting at River.

[You're think with this big game of keep away we're playing, we're gonna be fighting forever!] River complained as she jumped to avoid a String Shot.

"Then we need to step up our game a bit!" Ash grinned.

Bugsy's voice snapped him back to reality. "Charlotte, use Poison Sting!"

"River, time to evolve your Water Gun to Water Pulse, then shield yourself with Aqua Ring!" Ash commanded.

River nodded, formed a ball of water in her paws, then heaved the ball at the ground. [Take this, webspinner!] she taunted as the ball turned into a huge wave of water.

She grinned when she heard the splash of an impact moments later. she smiled before Water droplets formed around her body, expanding to create three rings of water that surrounded River, protecting her from any further attacks.

"What?" Bugsy gasped--he had not expected River to go on the defensive. "And here I was thinking this would be a test of power and agility!"

"Sometimes the best offense is a good defense." Ash explained as River rammed into the Spinarak, making it faint.

"Charlotte is unable to battle--the round goes to Silver." the referee announced, to Misty and Brock's applause from the spectator's zone.

Bugsy just grinned. "Two can play at that game--let's see you try and penetrate my tank bug, Metapod!"

Misty, meanwhile, was confused. "What good will a Metapod do if all it can do is harden itself?" she wondered as a familiar green chrysalis Pokemon appeared in the Gold side of the arena.

"In the wild, Metapods are capable of defending themselves if threatened." Brock replied. "Especially if raised from a Caterpie."

Oh yeah--Ash once owned a Metapod! Misty remembered as she watched to see what her friend would do next.

He calls his Metapod a tank? I've owned a Metapod before, so how hard can this one be? Ash thought as he sized up the Pokemon before him.

He then called "River, slam into the Metapod with an Aqua Jet!"

[HAAAAAAAAAH!] River cried as her body was surrounded by water. As she streaked in to tackle her opponent, the Metapod turned silver, making it seem like River had impacted a solid wall. [Ow...]

"So much for a physical approach...River, try Water Pulse again!" Ash called.

[All right!] River smiled as she formed a ball of water in her paws, then heaved the ball at the ground. [Let's see if a tank can stand against this!] she taunted as the ball turned into a huge wave of water.

She watched in horror as the Metapod's body turned silver again, making the wateer run off of him. [Maybe a tank can stand against my Water Pulse....] she stammered as she looked to Ash for ideas of what to do next.

"Okay! Chrys, jump and use Tackle!" Bugsy commanded.

[Oh no...] was all River could say before the Metapod slammed into her, making her go flying across the arena, landing at her master's feet. [Ash...I'm sorry...] she wheezed before fainting.

"Both sides now have two Pokemon apiece--make your next selection, Silver." the referee instructed.

Ash whistled towards the bench, snapping Tintri to attention. [I'll avenge River for you!] he smiled as he ran into the arena.

"Chrys, Tackle the Pikachu!" Bugsy commanded.

Tintri sensed the Metapod charging, and nimbly jumped over his opponent, sending the Metapod into the Silver safety barrier with a crash and a cloud of dust. [Did it knock itself out?] he wondered as he waited for the dust to clear.

A droning hum got his attention, spurring him to jump out of the way as the Metapod charged again, stiring more dust up in the arena and making it hard for both human competitors, the spectators, and the other bugs to see what was going on.

"Tintri!" he heard Ash call. "When you can see anything, try listening for your target!"

[Got it!] Tintri called before coughing up a little dust.

He saw a dull green form in the dust and heard the low hum signalling the Metapod was charging, and leaped out of the way. After powering out of the way of another aerial Tackle, he charged a Thunderbolt. [HAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!]

"Gold has one Pokemon remaining." the referee announced. "This match goes to Silver."

"It's time for you to meet my ace, Kunai!" Bugsy smiled as he summoned a green winged mantis Pokemon. "Even though it's my last Pokémon, Bug Pokémon are tough!"

Ash, meanwhile, decided to refresh his memory on his opponent:

[b]"Scyther, the mantis Pokemon. When it moves, it leaves only a blur. If it hides in grass, its protective colors make it invisible."

"Okay, Tintri, see if you can paralyze it with a Thunderbolt!" Ash suggested.

[HAH!] Tintri cried, but balked in horror as the Scyter created copies of itself, making the Thunderbolt hit a copy and fizzle to nothing.

"Kunai, Slash the Pikachu!" Bugsy commanded.

"Tintri, aim for the Scyther with a shadow!" Ash called.

[AIIIIII-YAH!] Tintri fired a second Thunderbolt, breaking all the Double Team copies--and seemingly the real Scyther. [Huh? Where'd my opponent go?]

He gasped as a green blur ambushed him, slamming him to the ground and repeatedly slashing him with its scythes. [That Scyther is too much...] he wheezed as he retreated to the sidelines to recover, battered and beaten.

"Both sides now have one Pokemon remaining." the referee announced.

Ash retrieved Cyndy's Poke Ball. "I know you're tired, Cyndy, but I hope you can come through for me!"

He heaved the Poke Ball skyward. "Welcome back, Cyndy!"

Cyndy smiled.

"Think you have enough strength in you to take out a Scyther?" Ash asked.

[I can try...that Spinarak wore me down before.] Cyndy replied.

"Listen closely--Scyther is powerful and fast, but I need you to prove you're faster before we move in with Flamethrower--got it?" Ash asked.

[I'll do my best.] Cyndy replied.

With that, she jumped out of the way of a Fury Cutter. Frustrated over missing the tiny Cyndaquil, the Scyther used Double Team and Fury Cutter together to make it appear there were hundreds of attacks were coming at once! But Cyndy nimbly dodged every blade like a pro. [i]If I had use my fire to dispel the illusions, I have a chance of hitting the real one!

She took a deep breath and heaved a stream of flames at the illusions, but she did not expect the real Scyther to deflect it by a ring of shining sword, one of which sent her flying to her end of the arena! [Waugh!!!!]

"Cyndy!" Ash gasped.

"Kunai has a special way of deflecting Fire-type attacks by using Swords Dance." Bugsy explained. "It could even take down a Charizard!"

He then called to his Scyther "Use Swords Dance and Fury Cutter together!"

"Cyndy! Jump above Scyther and use Flamethrower from the air!" Ash nearly screamed, hoping all the while his last desperate attempt at a victory would work.

His panicked face turned to joy as Cyndy's aerial attack sent the Scyther flying, a final Tackle sending it against the Gold safety barrier with a THUD.

"Gold is unable to battle--Silver wins the match!" the referee announced, to cheers from Misty and Brock in the spectator area.

Bugsy was stunned at Ash's comeback. "Whoa, amazing! You're an expert on Pokémon!"

"I wouldn't call myself an expert, but I have learned much on my travels." Ash replied as he and Bugsy shook hands.

"My research isn't complete yet....I still have a lot to learn." Bugsy smiled as Mariposa brought him a pillow with a small badge that resembled a Ledyba's markings. "As a memento of your incredible comeback and creative victory here today, take this Hive Badge."

"Thank you..." Ash replied, his eyes shining with joyful tears as he took the badge.

"Go on and hold it high for the world to see--it'll make a nice shot for the Winners' Wall." Bugsy assured Ash as he prepared to take a picture.

Ash nodded, and held his new Badge high. "We did it! We got a Hive Badge!"

---------

"We cannot express enough our gratitude for allowing us to stay with you, Kurt." Misty smiled as the group prepared to leave that evening.

"The pleasure's all mine--you three were wonderful houseguests." Kurt replied. "I wish you all many more adventures and safe travels."

"WAAAAAAAIIIIT!" Maizie called as she hurried out to meet the group, clutching a large box in her hands. "Here's a thank you gift from me and Grandad--Poke Balls from the Apricorns you gave us yesterday."

"Aw, thank you!" Misty smiled as she accepted the case, and looked inside. "Wow...there's Lure Balls, Fast Balls, Love Balls..."

"All kinds of Poke Balls!" Brock was equally impressed at the hundreds of Poke Balls inside the case.

"Thanks, both of you." Ash replied. "We promise we will use these well!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-10-2016, 09:23 PM

Scytherwolf;

Interlude: Focus Group in the Forest

"Well done on your second Badge." Misty smiled as the group rounded a corner and approached a large thick forest. "Even if it was bug related."

"You have to admit, Mariposa was a real sweetheart." Brock agreed before reaching for his guidebook and flipping to the chapter about the forest that loomed in the distance. "We are approaching the Ilex Forest--the forest's trees are so close together that all light is blocked out, and the forest seems to be in a perpetual night."

"That's very reassuring..." Ash stammered as the group entered the massive forest.

"There is a small shrine somewhere in the forest dedicated to the Legendary Pokemon Celebi, the Voice of the Forest." Brock went on. "Supposedly, if one makes an acceptable offering, Celebi will appear to you and take you through time, although stories of this occurring have not been documented, so many dismiss it as an urban legend."

He read a little farther on in the chapter. "The forest is also home to a special pair of Pichus--a female with a spiked ear, and a male who is colored like Pikachu--those that see them are said to have great luck. The spiked ear Pichu has been named Mimi, and her Pikachu colored companion is named Taji."

Just then, giggles got his attention as a spiked eared Pichu and a Pichu colored like Pikachu dashed before the group. "Speak of Darkrai..."

"Hi there, little guys!" Misty smiled as she knelt down to pet the two Pichus.

Ash realized that the group was in an open clearing, with plenty of room for a campfire. That, and his PokeNav said it was noon. "I have no qualms of stopping for lunch if you want to play with Mimi and Taji for a while."

"Then let's start a campfire--I'm getting a little hungry myself." Misty agreed.

[If you need wood for your fire, follow me!] Taji smiled, leading Ash and Misty over to a large pile of dead sticks and twigs.

Once the group had started a campfire and some meat was simmering over the flames, Mimi noticed the red stripe and clouds on Brock's vest. [Oh! Are you maybe a storyteller competing in something?]

"Yeah...I could use some practice for the next round..." Bock smiled.

"We'll be happy to rate your stories." Misty offered.

Ash proceeded to heave all his Poke Balls skyward. "Come on out, everyone!"

"You guys, as well!" Misty did likewise, creating a crowd of Pokemon around the campfire.

Brock smiled, flattered at the size of his test audience. "Once upon a time something happened--if it hadn't happened, it wouldn't be told." he began, signalling that his show was beginning.

With that, he began "There was once a wealthy farmer who had three sons. The oldest--whose name is not important--was a selfish and overbearing fellow. The second--his name is not important either--was a weak hearted young man who always did everything his brother suggested. The youngest, whose name was Jeran, was not as bright and clever as his brothers, but he was honest and, most importantly, he had a good heart."

He added as an aside "We all know that in this world a good heart is more likely to bring its owner happiness than evil thoughts."

"A wise lesson." Misty smiled...

---------

"...He was delighted, too, at having Princess Oriane in the house, and pleased when people came from far and near to see Epona, the miracle Leppa tree, and the Crystal Chalice." Brock continued. "He even began to hope that she might marry one of his sons before some prince came along and claimed her. He thought Princess Oriane would make a wonderful bride for the oldest. But Jeran told him what ingrates the two older sons were, as the older brothers themselves had led their father to believe that it was really they who had found the magic Grepa vine and rescued Princess Oriane. When his father learned the truth, they were cast out of the house, never to return again. Instead of being grateful to Jeran for having saved their necks from the angry farmers, they hated him more than ever. But they were powerless to do anything against Jeran, for he had Kitsune's and Arceus' favor upon him."

He smiles "What prince, I'd like to know, had a lovelier bride? None! Was there any prince in the world whose bride brought him greater riches than the miracle Leppa-tree, the Legendary shining steed, Epona, and the Crystal Chalice? Not one! In addition to all of this, the farmer promised that, when he died, he would leave him the magic Grepa vine."

He concluded "And so it was that Jeran lived happy and prosperous. After all, it all came about through his having a good honest heart."

Applause went up. "Okay...it's an interesting version of the Moltres story." Ash began.

"I felt it was a bit too long." Misty noted. "Remember you may have a time limit in a Lore Stage, so a really long story may not work."

"Pokemon? Any suggestions?" Brock asked the crowd of Pokemon.

[It was too long..] Mimi yawned.

[Yeah, there were several places you could've ended it.] Tintri agreed.

[Oh, it's over?] Ami yawned, [You lost me around Epona...]

"Okay, so save that one for my longer shows, when I don't have competition or possibly a time limit." Brock sighed in defeat.

He then decided to try another story. "There was once an old man and an old woman, and they had three sons; two of them were clever, but the third was not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed."

Giggles go up at this. "The old woman loved the first two, and spoiled them rotten, but the youngest, whose name was Jack, was always mistreated." Brock went on.

[Oh, but sometimes the fools turn out to be wiser than they get credit for.] Hinata grinned.

[That's true.] Spritz agreed.

"One day, rumors flew about a proclamation from the king, which said 'Whoever can build a ship that can fly, will receive my daughter the Princess Briana as his bride, and be named heir to the throne....'"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-15-2016, 01:12 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 33: Cutting to the Chase (part 1)

Meanwhile, Kamon trudged through the forest, moaning in pain as he clutched his stomach. Of all the times to run out of food, why did I pick now? he grumbled as his stomach growled. I guess that's what I get for forgetting to replenish my supplies back in town...

A light suddenly got his attention. Could that be Wonderboy and pals?

He thought about approaching the light, but decided against it. I'd better not...walking in on someone's campsite would be epically embarrassing. But I have to get food somewhere...

---------

"Thanks for being my focus group last night." Brock smiled as the group broke camp the next morning. "It really helped me see which stories would work under a time limit and which ones were too long."

"We're not saying you shouldn't use your longer stories in a Lore Stage or practice them, but have some shorter ones in case you are timed." Misty assured Brock.

"Did I mention I love your use of commentary and asides?" Ash grinned as the group got back on the forest path. "Keep doing that!"

He was about to give his friend more feedback when he noticed a black haired boy in a neatly buttoned teal outfit trying to get a brown duck-like Pokemon to cut a tree with a leek. Piqued, he decided to watch the struggle, just as the boy commanded "Okay, Dux--use Cutting!"

[What's 'Cutting'? I don't know of an attack by that name.] the duck Pokemon replied as it trotted away, its leek over its shoulder like a firearm.

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on the odd duck Pokemon before intervening:

"Farfetch'd, the wild duck Pokemon. The plant stalk it holds is its weapon. The stalk is used like a sword to cut all sorts of things."

Piqued, Ash approached the boy and the patrolling Farfetch'd. "If you're curious, Cut is the right name for cutting down trees and other things." he offered.

The boy turned a shade of ruby red. "Th-thanks..." he stammered before trying to give the Farfetch'd another command. "Dux, Cut the trees down!"

[Why should I? If you can't even get the move names right, I see no reason to do what you say!] the Farfetch'd replied before resuming its patrol, much to its master's annoyance.

"My name's Sylvester...and I've just started out in Pokemon training." the boy explained to Ash. "I want to make Charcoal like my father does, but I can never remember the attack names."

"Nice to meet you." Ash grinned as Brock and Misty arrived. "I'm Ash, and these are my companions, Misty, and Brock."

"Hi there!" Misty smiled.

"Pleased to meet you." Brock replied.

[Don't forget me!] Tintri smiled as he bounded aboard Ash's shoulder.

Ash giggled a little. "and my Pokemon partner, Tintri."

He explained to Misty and Brock "Sylvester is the son of a Charcoal maker, and is trying to get it to Cut trees down to make Charcoal."

"Really?" Misty was intrigued.

"In fact, the Ilex Forest is world-famous for its purified charcoal." Brock explained, showing Misty a picture of a Charcoal chunk in the guidebook. "So if you ever wondered what I've been using to light the campfire every night, now you know."

"No wonder everything you've made tasted so good!" Ash smiled.

Even Sylvester couldn't help smiling. "Yeah--Charcoal is good for cooking and heating. But for now, I need to teach Dux, my Farfetch'd, how to cut wood into perfect blocks--that's the first step in making Charcoal."

"It seems Dux doesn't want to listen to you..." Misty noted as she observed Dux's smug march as he paced back and forth through the grass.

"You would never believe it now, but Tintri and I started off on somewhat rough terms, too." Ash explained. "At first, he was a little leery around me, and seemed reluctant to do what I asked of him. But I persisted in trying to earn his trust, and eventually he warmed up to me. We've been close friends ever since."

Sylvester looked over at Dux for a moment. "Maybe I need to show Dux he can trust me..."

"Well, if you need any help or advice, we'll be in the local Pokemon Center." Ash assured Sylvester as he motioned for the group to follow him to a familiar red roofed building in a clearing.

---------

In the Pokemon Center, the group watched as the phone screen flashed "DIALING..." for a moment. After a few moments, the image of Prof. Oak in his lab flashed on the screen. "Hello?"

"Hi, Professor--I'm happy to report I've received my second badge!" Ash smiled as he proudly showed off the Hive Badge pinned next to his Zephyr Badge on the right side of his vest.

Prof. Oak smiled. "Well done--I'm sure the battle was hard fought."

"We also received a lot of Kurt's special Poke Balls too--as thanks for being great houseguests." Ash went on, showing off some of the Poke Balls the group had received.

"Oh goodness, that's a lot!" Professor Oak gasped at the sheer number of different balls inside the case. "If you don't mind sending some over for me to examine, I wouldn't mind borrowing some for research purposes."

"You got it!" Ash smiled as he placed one of each type of Poke Ball in the item transfer machine nearby the phone, then entered Prof. Oak's coordinates to complete the transfer.

The Poke Balls had hardly been sent on their way when Sylvester burst into the Pokemon Center. "Nurse Joy! Have you seen Dux anywhere? He ran off after I forgot some attack names again..."

"Try looking for Dux at your father's house, since he went there the last time he ran away." Nurse Joy calmly assured Sylvester before tending to a Growlithe.

Misty shot Brock a warning look as Ash completed his phone call. "The Poke Balls are on their way--you should be receiving them shortly."

The item transfer machine in Oak's lab glowed as the Poke Balls Ash had sent arrived. "They're here--good luck and safe travels!" Prof. Oak smiled before the call ended.

Ash located Sylvester slumped on a couch near the front desk. "I don't get it...why does Dux not want to listen to me?" he sighed. "Dad's gonna kill me if something happens to him..."

"Would you like us to help you find him?" Ash offered as he and the others approached.

"If he's not at your house, we'll comb the forest to make sure Dux is safe!" Misty smiled.

"And maybe show him you're not such a bad trainer after all." Brock agreed.

A smile formed on Sylvester's face. "Okay...I'll let you guys help me find Dux...I only hope he's not dinner for a Mightyena, or something!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-18-2016, 01:07 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 34: Cutting to the Chase (part 2)

The group arrived at a simple wooden cabin some time later. Here we are...this is the house." Sylvester began as he led the group inside, where a man with similar features to Sylvester was watching as a Magmar heated up a furnace to begin the purifying process.

"Dad?" Sylvester began, his heart racing as he feared his father's reaction to the news that Dux was missing. "Dux has...run away again..."

"AGAIN???" the man gasped before the look of shock on his face turned angry. "That's the third time this week! If you presented yourself as a leader for Dux to follow, we wouldn't be having this problem! Do you know why Dux doesn't look up to you? You're afraid, and he can sense that!..."

"Is he implying that Sylvester's a coward?" Misty asked as the man continued to rant. Sylvester would try to defend himself, only to be rebuffed by the man, who would then rant and rave some more.

"I don't think he is, but he needs to have a chance to defend himself...and Dad's not letting that happen..." Brock noted.

Something metallic in his pocket got his attention. "Oh, I forgot I had my referee's whistle in my pocket!"

"Maybe if you blew it to get Dad's attention, Sylvester could defend himself, or we could defend him on his behalf!" Ash smiled.

"Go on, blow it!" Misty urged.

Brock nodded, then blew his whistle with a FWEEEEEEEET!!!!!, silencing the shouting match. "Okay! Clearly there is a problem that needs to be solved, but can't we work it out peacefully?" he asked, aware all the while of the father's angry look and the trembling Sylvester.

"Sylvester may struggle with knowing the attack names and terminology, but that doesn't mean he is stupid or a coward." Ash calmly explains. "It just takes a little longer for him to learn things, and he really is trying his hardest to learn."

The angry look on Sylvester's father's face softened. "Very well, if you believe my son to be a good trainer, you three can go with him into the forest to look for Dux."

"We'll leave no stone unturned in making sure Dux comes home safely!" Misty assured Sylvester's father.

"Yeah, we'll search the whole forest top to bottom!" Sylvester agreed as he led the others outside.

He smiled at Brock. "That was a clever idea to stop my father's ranting--sometimes when he's really angry, he'll rant for hours on end."

"Well, we had to step in before he said something he would likely regret later." Brock explained. "So I used my referee's whistle to call 'time out', if you will."

---------

Meanwhile, Kamon continued trudging through the brush. "So hungry..." he moaned as he clutched his stomach. "There's got to be some wild Berries somewhere...I'd even risk eating some wild mushrooms if it meant I could eat."

As he emerged into another clearing, he gasped as he discovered two rolls on a strange-looking pedestal. "Finally!" he smiled as he hurried up to the pedestal to take a bite. But before he could bite into one of them, he noticed a Weedle on each of the rolls! "Oh ew! Ew-ew-ew!" he yelped, throwing the rolls into the grass for the Weedles to eat. "I'm not eating after wild Pokemon!"

He grinned as Dux emerged into the clearing. "Well, well, well, what have we here? Farfetch'd are crazy rare...so I'm not letting you get away!"

Dux squawked as Kamon lunged at him, then scrambled into an alcove as Kamon approached, frantically looking for a way out. Where's Sylvester? He can rescue me from this red haired punk!

---------

"Here, Dux!" Misty called as the group patrolled the forest.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Sylvester called.

"Where are you?" Ash called.

"We're never gonna find Dux at this rate..." Sylvester sighed as he slumped against a tree.

"Why don't we get our Pokemon to help?" Ash suggested. "They probably can see things human eyes can't!"

"Come on out, everyone!" Misty called, heaving her Poke Balls skyward.

"You guys too!" Ash heaved his Poke Balls skyward.

"And you g--!" Brock did likewise before noticing Silver was about to explode. "No! Silver, return!" he almost screamed as he recalled the Pineco.

"That was close..." Misty heaved a relieved sigh.

"Okay gang...we're here to find one of these..." Ash showed the crowd of Pokemon a picture of a Farfetch'd on his Pokedex. "Search everywhere!"

Mina offered before flying off.

[I'll take a team this way!] Tintri offered before leading Luce, Hinata, and Cyndy down a north path.

[I'll look to the west.] Argent reported as the other members of Brock's team climbed onto his back.

[We'll go with Misty's team.] River told Ash before she and Brenna joined Misty's team in searching the many ponds and streams in the area for any sigh of Dux.

Back in the brush, Kamon grimaced as Dux flew up to perch on a tree limb, cutting several branches with his leek and causing them to fall on Kamon's head. "Ow...ow...ow..."

He winced from the pain of the falling branches, then heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Nightwing, I choose you!"

A tiny blue bat-like Pokemon fluttered up to engage Dux up in the tree, but Dux easily bonked it on the head, sending it back down on top of Kamon. [I'm sorry boss...that Farfetch'd is too strong.] it sighed as it slid down to the ground with a plop.

"Okay...Helena and Spike, your turn!" Kamon called as he send out his Gastly and his new Quilava. Helena heaved a Shadow Ball at Dux, but Dux blocked Helena's Shadow Ball with his leek. Not one to be deterred, Helena lunged for the leek, but only ended up catching thin air.

Finally, Spike managed to grab the leek. [I got it!] he called to Kamon.

Panicked, Dux tried to run away, but Kamon lassoed it, causing the Farfetch'd to trip and fall.

Once sure Dux was secure in a netted bag, Kamon considered eating the leek, but decides not to. [i]Maybe the Farfetch'd will be more willing to obey me if it has the leek. he thought, unaware of the Pidgeot that was flying back to report the whole debacle to its master.

---------

Mina reported as she fluttered by Ash's side some time later. [He's not far from here!]

"Good job, Mina!" Ash hugged his Pidgeot, then motioned for the others to follow him and Mina.

Kamon winced as Ash and the others arrived in the clearing some moments later. "You've got a lot of nerve coming here, Wonder Boy..."

"Not has half as much nerve as your attempting to snatch another person's Pokemon in broad daylight!" Ash shot back.

Kamon was unfazed. "Tell me something, Wonderboy....is it true that Team Rocket has returned?"

"What does THAT have to do with anything?" Ash snapped. "Not only have they been found here, but we sent them packing after they tried to steal the Slowpoke of Azalea Town."

"What? You beat them?" Kamon gasped.

He laughed as Ash nodded yes. "Quit lying...you couldn't beat them in a million years!"

"Well, if I couldn't beat them in a million years, then how could I have beaten them a million times?" Ash countered, getting frustrated all the while with Kamon's taunts.

"So you're serious?" Kamon challenged. "Then let's see how good you are!"

With that, he raced off into the forest with the bag holding Dux inside over his shoulder. "After him!" Misty called, leading the boys after Kamon.

"River, Luce, use your strongest attacks to free that Farfetch'd!" Ash called as he heaved two Poke Balls, summoning the Marill and the Mareep.

[Hang on, Dux!] River called as she charged a Water Pulse.

[We'll save you!] Luce agreed as her body was surrounded by yellow sparks, allowing her to fire a massive blast of electricity at the bag. The bag fell apart in two charred pieces, freeing Dux. Before he could fly back to Sylvester, he felt himself being grabbed by Nightwing! [Whoa!] he gasped as he looked down on the long drop down below, and tried his hardest not to let go.

"Helena, use Hypnosis on Wonderboy and his Pokémon!" Kamon called.

[Right!] Helena sneered as she stared at Ash and his team, making their eyes swirl. [You are getting sleepy...]

"What's...going..." was all Ash could say before he slumped to the ground, asleep with his Pokemon around him.

Kamon sneered. [i]I've got Wonderboy right where I want him!

He called to his Zubat "Nightwing, use Poison Sting!"

The Zubat screeched in replay as it dove down towards the dozing group, eager to bite them all and poison them. But he came to a screeching halt when he heard a voice sing Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... making a green glow flash through the forest.

[What's happening?] the Zubat gasped as a giant Mega Steelix loomed over it, causing it to crash into its steel body.

"You induced Argent just in time!" Misty smiled at Brock before ordering her Seadra "Spritz, use Water Gun to wake Ash up!"

"AUGH!" Ash yelped as the cold water hit him and his team. "What was that for?"

"While you were snoozing, Kamon was trying to take Dux!" Misty explained, "So go get him!"

"Spike, use Smokescreen!" Kamon called, aware that Ash and his team were rallying.

"Brenna, clear the air with Hydro Pump!" Ash called at the same time.

Sylvester watched as the huge water blast cleared away the smoke cloud. "Wow...I wish I could work with Dux the way Ash works with his Pokémon." he told Brock as Ash called to his team to attack and defend.

"The reason why Ash works so well with his team is because they trust each other--they may be a boy and five Pokemon, but their hearts beat as one." Brock explained as he watched the carnage unfold.

"Oof!" Kamon gasped as River slammed him to the ground, sending the leek flying! Kamon and Sylvester both made a desperate dive for it, but Sylvester ultimately came up with the leek in hand!

[My leek!] Dux gasped. [You made that epic catch for my safe?]

"I did...I know how special your leek is to your kind, and couldn't bear to have you lose it." Sylvester smiled as he handed Dux the leek.

Dux thought for a moment. [You know...you're not so bad a master after all.] he smiled. [After you made that big dive to get my leek back, I realized you still love me, even after I've been a big jerk with you.]

"Of course...I forgive you for being a jerk." Sylvester replied as he gingerly hugged Dux. "Are we a team?"

[Yeah--let's give this red haired jerk what for!] Dux smiled.

Ash arrived not long afterward. "You okay, Sylvester?" he asked.

"Yeah..." Sylvester replied as he eased himself to his feet. "I think I know what it means to work as a team now."

[Then let's do this!] Dux called before pecking Nightwing hard enough for him to let go.

"Oh no, you don't!" Kamon made a mad dash effort to catch Farfetch'd, hoping his dive to catch the flying Farfetch'd would be enough.

"Dux, use use Fury Attack!" Sylvester called.

Misty grinned as Dux pummeled Kamon. "Dux, one, Kamon, zero." she grinned as Kamon tried to flee. But before he could run far, Dux used Cut to down two big trees in front of Kamon's path.

"You know what to do, bud." Ash smiled at Tintri as he approached Kamon, who was trembling in fear.

[HI-YAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!] Tintri sreamed as he unleashed a Thunderbolt at Kamon.

Kamon winced from the pain of Tintri's attack. "I hate the weak." he growled as he cleaned some of the char from his face. "Pokémon, Trainers. It doesn't matter who or what. I hate to see them hanging around."

Then he remembered something. "That goes for Team Rocket, too. They think they are big and tough as long as they are in a group. But get them alone, and they're weak. Jessie...James...their fast-talking Meowth, their other cronies...I hate them all."

He marched up to Ash. "You stay out of my way, Wonderboy. You won't be an exception if you get in my way."

Yet as he fled into the brush, a stomach growl reminded him that he still hadn't eaten! And on top of being shocked, I'm still hungry!

Ash, meanwhile, embraced Sylvester. "Great work on getting Farfetch'd to use Cut!"

"You did great with Dux!" Misty agreed.

"Keep this up, and you may rival Ash and Tintri in your skill with Dux." Brock added.

Just then, Sylvester spotted two trees that were the right size and thickness for charcoal. "Okay, Dux--Cut the trees down!"

[Hi-YAH!] Dux called as he executed a serious of slashes, creating many perfectly-shaped blocks of wood, but Sylvester's cheers were the loudest of all.

---------

"I heard about what happened from Nurse Joy." Sylvester's father began before he addressed Sylvester. "I owe you an apology, my son--I really believe you can be a great trainer, judging from how you worked with Dux and your new friends to drive that red haired hoodlum away."

"It was nothing, Dad--Ash showed me what you mean when you say that I have to be a leader for Dux to follow." Sylvester smiled.

Sylvester's father smiled. "Can you find it in your heart to forgive your father for my outburst before?"

"Of course!" With that, father and son embraced, lost in each other's love.

Sylvester's father then presented a charcoal box to the group. "Here--take some fresh charcoal as thanks for your heroic deeds here today....you've earned it!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-04-2017, 04:02 PM

Scytherwolf;

@Charles Legend;

After a holiday hiatus, let's continue our remixed Johto adventure!

Episode 35: Tricks of the Trade (part 1)

"Finally glad to see something other than forest!" Ash smiled as he Misty, and Brock emerged from Ilex Forest onto a stretch of coastline.

"I'll say--beach views are beautiful!" Misty agreed.

She braced herself for Michelle to pop out of her Poke Ball, but when the Golduck didn't appear, she heaved a sigh of relief. "Thought Michelle was going to come out for a minute there--she's always loved the beach."

"Still comes out of her Poke Ball without being asked?" Brock grinned.

"Not so much anymore--mainly if she's excited or senses something interesting outside." Misty replied as the group rounded the corner to a picnic area, where a boy with dull green hair was enjoying a meal while a blue blob-like Pokemon stood guard.

Interesting Pokemon... Ash mused as he pulled out Dexter to read up on the blob Pokemon:

"Wobbufett, the patient Pokemon. It does nothing but endure attacks - it won't attack on its own." Dexter explained. "However, it won't endure an attack on its tail. When that happens, the Wobbufett will try to take the foe with it using Destiny Bond."

"Oh my..." Misty gasped. "What does that do?"

"Basically, If the user faints, the opponent will also faint." the boy explained as he dusted sandwich crumbs from his shirt. "I'm Benny, and this is Sahana, my Wobbufett." he explained, gesturing to the blob Pokemon.

[All-l-l-l is-well!] the Wobbufett announced in reply.

"Nice to meet you...I'm Ash, and these are my friends Misty...." Misty waved hello. "...and Brock." Brock waved hello before finding an empty table close to Benny so the two groups could easily visit.

"Pleased to meet you guys." Benny smiled. "We're going to the Pokémon Swap Meet--hopefully I can find someone to trade Sahana to while I'm there."

"In fact, the Pokemon Swap Meet is one of the largest gatherings for Pokemon trading in the world." Brock explained as he showed the group a picture of two people trading in the guidebook's chapter on the Swap Meet. "People come from all over the world to trade, not just Johto."

"But I don't get why you would want to trade your Wobbufett if you clearly love him..." Misty mused as Benny hugged his Wobbufett.

"Don't get me wrong, I love Sahana, and I've trained him hard." Benny assured Misty as he cleaned up the remains of his picnic. "But now I'd like a different Pokémon to train."

"That's fair, I guess." Misty smiled. "We'll go with you two into town, if you'd like."

"Sure--I'd love the company." Benny replied as he motioned for the Wobbufett to follow him.

---------

Singin' in the rain...we're singin' in the rain... James sang as he hosed down a massive pitcher-plant like Pokemon, who seemed to be enjoying the water spray.

"I don't think Shita would enjoy water..." Jessie mused as she groomed a pink mammalian Pokemon with a long tongue. "He has his tongue to bathe himself, but I am more than capable of defending his dignity if you get him wet!" She brandished a massive water gun to prove her point.

"Really?" James pointed the hose at the Lickitung. "Shall we test that hypothesis?"

"Guys!" Meowth called, defusing the impending water fight. "Check out dis poster here!"

Both Jessie and James forgot about their water fight and hurried over to the light pole Meowth was pointing out, where a poster advertising the Pokemon Swap Meet was displayed. "Today--Pokemon Swap Meet..." James read.

"Come trade for Pokemon from around the seven regions and beyond...games for the kids, and prizes..." Jessie read.

"How bout it? Wanna try and swipe some exotic Pokemon?" Meowth offered. "We may have an opportunity to swipe sometin' even rarer and more valuable dan Hat-boy's Pikachu!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" James eagerly led the charge into town, excited about stealing an exotic Pokemon.

---------

Meanwhile, as the group and Benny rounded the corner leading into town, Brock suddenly felt the ground start to rumble. "Are we anywhere close to a fault line?"

"That's no earthquake, that's a Tauros stampede!" Benny called before shepherding the Trio and Sahana to the side of the road, moments before a herd of Tauros and people came thundering down the road, to the roar of the crowd.

"What's going on?" Ash wondered as he watched the hundreds of Tauros pass by.

"This is one of the events that happen every year at the Swap Meet." a man explained. "Anyone who touches one of the Tauros's horns gets a trophy from the mayor."

"Wow!" Ash gasped before reaching out his hand into the thundering herd in an attempt to touch one of the Tauros. "If I can just...reach...."

A THWAP! and a cry of pain alerted the others that Ash had been unsuccessful in touching a Tauros horn. "I'll do my best to ease the bleeding, one of you should find a Pokemon Center." Brock instructed the others as he removed Ash's right glove and examined the bleeding gash on Ash's right hand.

"Ow...it hurts..." Ash winced as Brock studied the gaping scratch on his hand.

"You're lucky this wasn't worse..." Brock explained as he carefully wrapped Ash's hand in gauze. "You could've gotten your hand ripped off, if not permanently damaged."

Just then, Misty returned. "I've got Benny checking in for trading, and located the Pokemon Center." she reported. "Judging from that gash, it may need an expert to look at it."

"Come on--let's go get this wound treated." Brock assured Ash as he followed Misty towards the Pokemon Center.

---------

"The good news is, your wound did not break the skin too deeply." Nurse Joy explained as she gently massaged some anti bacterial gel on Ash's scratch. "It would still be a good idea to put some silver gauze on it to speed up the healing process."

"Silver?" Misty wondered as Nurse Joy carefully bandaged Ash's wound with some shiny silver gauze.

"Silver has been shown to help the treatment of infected wounds and wounds with a risk of infection." Nurse Joy explained before addressing Ash. "Next time, I would not recommend reaching out to touch a Tauros horn." she warned as she made sure the shiny bandage was on securely and Ash's glove could fit over it.

"Point duly noted." Ash replied as he admired how his silver bandage glittered in the light.

"Although if you want, a safer alternative would be entering your Tauros in the Charger Cup." Nurse Joy went on. "There's still time to enter--the Tauros stampede you saw before was headed for the Seaside Stadium, at the north part of town."

"Maybe I'll try that while my wound heals." Ash smiled. "Thanks, Nurse Joy!"

Misty was just as glad, although for a different reason. That's a first, Brock didn't attempt to serenade Nurse Joy with a stupid love song. she smiled as Ash located a phone and started dialing Prof. Oak's number.

"Hello?" the image of Prof. Oak began. "You caught me just as I was about to give one of the Squirtles a bath..." he explained as he filled a small washtub for a waiting Squritle.

"Hi, Professor--we're in a little seaside town where there's a Tauros competition--so could you send over one of my herd so I can try it?" Ash explained. "I also learned the hard way not to touch their horns..." he explained as he showed Prof. Oak his silver bandage.

"Oh my..." Prof. Oak gasped when he saw the silver bandage. "I've never seen a bandage like that before...."

"They say silver infused bandages prevent infection." Ash replied. "As to which of the herd I want, Venti's my best one for battle."

"All right, let me get this Squirtle settled, and I'll send Venti over." Prof. Oak replied before the call ended.

"Have I told you that naming your herd 'one' to 'thirty' in Italian was a clever idea?" Brock grinned as the Poke Ball containing the Tauros materialized in the nearby transfer machine.

"Yes, you have--multiple times." Ash smiled as he went to retrieve his Tauros.

---------

"Is there no one among you who would challenge our champion Fernando and earn the Charger Cup?" the emcee announced as a dull purple haired boy and his Tauros looked out into the crowd for any challengers. "This will separate the men from the boys, the women from the girls, if one of you would step forward and challenge Dusty."

"I am Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town, and I will challenge Dusty!" Ash announced as he made a heroic jump into the arena, gracefully landing on the Silver sideline as Venti trotted into the arena.

"A new challenger has arrived!" the emcee announced, to thunderous cheers...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-08-2017, 01:22 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 36: Tricks of the Trade (part 2)

[HAAAAAAAH!!!] Venti bellowed as he rammed into Dusty, knocking him backwards into the Gold safety barrier with a crash.

"Gold is unable to battle." the referee announced. "Silver wins!"

"The winner! Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!" the emcee announced, making a grand gesture to Ash and Venti as the crowd roared with applause and cameras flashed.

Misty was equally enthusiastic. "Way to go, Ash!" she called from the stands. Brock whistled in agreement.

As the crowds departed the stadium, Benny met the group by the entrance. "What an amazing match! Would you be willing to take Sahana in exchange for your Tauros?" he asked.

Ash was about to answer when hundreds of other trainers gathered around him, many of them offering rare and exotic Pokemon for his Tauros:

"I'd offer my Sentret for that Tauros!"

"Would you be interested in an Ivysaur?"

"Want an Azurill for your Tauros?"

"I'll offer my Garbodor!"

"Would you like a Gorebyss for your Tauros?"

"My Poliwrath could take on your Tauros and win!"

"I'd give you my Haunter for your Tauros!"

Ash looked over at Brock. "Know a way to stop all the offers?" he tensely asked.

"Sure..." With that, Brock reached for his referee's whistle and blew it, quieting the chaos.

"Everyone...while I am honored and flattered you all would like Venti, he is special to me, and I would never separate him from his friends in the herd." Ash explained. "So I must decline any offers to trade him."

Luckily, the crowd understood as they departed. "Wow...you love your Tauros that much?" Benny gasped, impressed.

"Yeah--he's part of a herd of thirty, and I wouldn't dream of giving him to anyone else, I love him that much." Ash explained as he began entering the coordinates to send Venti back to Oak's Lab.

Wow...a love for your Pokemon so deep, you can't bear seeing them with anyone else? Benny thought.

He looked over at the Wobbufett hopping by his side. Whatever I get for Sahana, I'm gonna try and love them like Ash loves his Pokemon.

---------

"How goes the search for offers?" Ash asked as Benny met the group near the town square.

"Not so hot...this girl from the Alola region had a pretty Lurantis on offer, but she deemed Sahana ugly and rejected my offer." Benny sighed. "Then I saw somebody with a Lickilicky, but he wanted something crazy rare in return. Next, someone offered me a Rapidash, but it looked too wild, so I politely declined that offer. When I tried offering for a Corphish, it pinched me..."

"Ouch..." Ash winced.

"If you're looking to trade that Wobbufett, I have a female Stantler I'd be willing to offer." a man offered as he approached Benny.

"Sure!" Benny replied, elated someone had finally offered something for his Wobbufett.

---------

"How's that fake trading machine doing?" James--in disguise as an average trainer along with Jessie.--asked as he returned to load some empty Poke Balls into a machine that looked like an exact replica of an official trading machine, save for the lack of an official Pokemon League logo on the top.

"People are linin' up in droves!" Meowth giddily replied. "Jessie's woikin' da crowd at da moment, sayin' we've gotta bunch of rare Pokemon, and no reasonable offa will be refused. But when dey try ta summon dere big score, only den will dey see dat da Poke Ball is empty!"

The two Rockets giggled for a moment before James spotted a familiar man hawking Magikarps nearby. "Hey, that guy looks familiar! He's the one that duped me of my last 500 credits for a Magikarp!"

With that, he dashed off after the salesman. "Give me back the money you took from me! I didn't WANT one of your Magikarps, nor ASK for one, and yet you stole my money anyway!"

"James? What's going--!" Jessie started before her foot was caught in a loop of rope, causing her to be sent flying towards the real trading machine Benny was about to use, with the group looking on.

"You know, I'm gonna keep looking around for offers." the man with the Stantler told Benny as he prepared to lead his Stantler away. "I'll keep your Wobbufett in mind, though."

"Okay...." Benny sighed before a crash got his attention, followed by the bleeps and whirs of the trade machine performing a trade. "What was that?"

"I don't know, but whatever crashed into the machine must've dropped a Poke Ball onto it, and traded whatever Pokemon was in it to you." Misty smiled as she gave Benny the new Poke Ball.

Benny smiled as he caught a glimpse of Jessie getting up and hurrying off. Maybe that lady gave this to me...I'll have to thank her later.

---------

"Jessie! Am I glad to see ya!" Meowth gasped as his two human companions returned, battered and beaten. "People've been catchin' on to our plot!" He gestured to the near riot of angry trainers inching closer and closer to the table.

Jessie just smiled. "Then I guess it's time we make our getaway!"

With that, the two human Rockets threw off their disguises, making the crowd gasp. "Thanks for your patience, and we're sorry for your trouble!' she jeered, making the crowd even angrier.

"And thanks to you suckers, we've been able to make ourselves double!" James agreed.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began the familiar motto as Ash and the others arrived.

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled.

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"Hold it!" Ash called. "Give all those Poke Balls you stole back, NOW!"

Jessie smirked at Ash. "You want them so badly? Come and get them!"

With that, the crowd gasped as the Rockets dashed off to a hill, where the Meowth balloon was waiting for takeoff.

"NOW what do we do?" Ash grumbled as the balloon started to rise.

"We have to stop those hoodlums before they escape with all our Pokemon!" a girl pleaded as the Meowth balloon rose higher and higher into the sky.

"If only we had a way to pop their balloon..." a boy mused.

"Everyone, please!" Brock stepped forward to address the crowd. "I have archery expertise, so I can probably pop Team Rocket's balloon with an arrow..."

This inspired the crowd. "Come on! Let's imbue the arrow with the power of all our Pokemon!" a man called, spurring the crowd to cheer as they released their Pokemon and they in turn lined up to imbue an arrow Brock had laid on the ground with their power.

Misty watched as one by one, the crowd's Pokemon contributed an imbuement to the arrow. A Basculin sprayed the arrowhead with a Water Gun, a Gabite contributed a wave of Dragon Rage, and a Gigalith contributed some sand with a tiny Sandstorm. "Let's try and keep an orderly line, okay?" she assured two children whose Pichus were eager to contribute.

Ash, meanwhile, kept an eye on the Meowth balloon to make sure it didn't get too high for Brock to hit. "How high up do you think you can make the shot from?" he wondered.

"So long as I can still see it, I can hit it." Brock assured his friend as he watched more Pokemon add power.

"You must've had years of practice to be that confident in a one in a million shot." Benny smiled.

"I have had plenty of practice." Brock replied as he pulled on his bracers in preparation to make the critical shot.

After a Vivillion contributed some Powder, and a Zubat had added an Air Cutter, Misty called to the crowd with a megaphone. "Okay! Has everyone had a chance to imbue the arrow with something?"

Cheers came back in reply as Ash delivered the arrow--now imbued with the rainbow glow of hundreds of Pokemon powers--to Brock. "Okay--this is a very difficult and critical shot, so we need quiet so Brock can aim." Misty instructed the crowd.

The sound of the bow being drawn made the crowd fall silent as Brock trained his eye on the slowly rising Meowth balloon. Here goes...for the sake of everyone...

After a few tense seconds, he fired, and all present held their breaths as the rainbow arrow streaked towards the Meowth balloon.

A huge POW! and the Meowth balloon flying off with a ping confirmed to the crowd that the shot had hit, before a large bag landed on the ground with a thunk.

"Sai, Cut that bag open!" a boy commanded to his Scyther. "Maybe all the stolen Pokemon are in there!"

Misty watched the Scyther slice open the bag and the crowd hurried to reclaim their stolen Pokemon. Aw...and we didn't have to even battle Team Rocket this time! she thought as she looked out on the millions of overjoyed trainers reuniting with their Pokemon.

Benny found the group moments later. "There you are! First of all, I have to commend you for that nice shot." he smiled at Brock. "You really are as skilled as you said you were."

"All in a day's work." Brock replied.

"But I'm really glad Sahana went to this long haired lady that gave me this Lickitung...I've been trying to find her so I can thank her, but I can't find her anywhere." Benny explained as he petted a familiar Lickitung. "The trade machine said its name was Shita, I think?"

"Should we tell Benny he traded with Team Rocket?" Ash discretely whispered to Misty.

"Nah, let him be happy--Team Rocket will figure out they have Sahana soon enough." Misty whispered back.

"I think she must have gone home for the day." Ash replied as he noticed the sun beginning to set. "It is getting late, after all."

He nearly jumped as Benny called "Whoever gave me this Lickitung, thank you! Please take care of Sahana for me!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-12-2017, 01:16 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 37: Hearts of Fire (part 1)

"Hello?" the image of Prof. Oak asked as it blipped on the phone's screen.

"Hi, Professor...we're on our way to Goldenrod City now, but not without a few adventures..." Ash smiled.

"I heard about Venti's victory in the Pokemon Swap Meet--well done." Prof. Oak smiled. "Of course, then Cinque and Otto had to argue over who would beat Venti in a fight. Thankfully, Sette broke it up, but Venti assured his herd-mates that he was proud to represent the herd in the match."

"That's Sette for you--ever the peacemaker." Ash smiled. "What are some sights we can see in Goldenrod City and the surrounding areas?

"Well, there's the National Park, where a bug catching contest is held..." Prof. Oak began as Misty and Brock arrived, with Nurse Joy not far behind. "You may want to leave Misty at the mall if you plan to do that."

"Actually, professor, I've signed up to participate in the Pokethlon." Misty assured Prof. Oak.

"In that case, the stadium where that kicks off is by the park." Prof. Oak explained. "Then there's the Radio Tower, where many shows of both an informative and entertaining nature are broadcast across the region--the main station's call letters here are WJTO."

"I've always wanted to sing and tell stories on the radio!" Brock gasped. "I can see the show now: 'Live from the Fireside'...

Prof. Oak chuckled. "With your talent for storytelling and music, I believe you would make a fine radio star, Brock."

He looked at the clock out of the frame. "Speaking of radio shows, I have to prepare for this week's edition of 'Pokemon Talk'--so I must be going. Take care, and be safe!"

"We will." Ash smiled before the call ended.

"I must know what you do to keep your Pokemon so happy and healthy, Ash...they're all in tip top shape!" Nurse Joy smiled before allowing Ash to see his team on the gurney.

Before Ash could answer, Brock slipped before Nurse Joy, guitar in hand. "Maybe you could give me a little TLC and listen to this song I wrote telling of your kindness and beauty..."

"Uh, that's okay--I just remembered I have to inspect the competitors for the Fire and Rescue Grand Prix. Thank you, and see you!" Nurse Joy stammered before hurrying off back behind the counter, to Brock's shock.

"Sorry, Mr. Balladeer..." Misty smirked as she heard the DOING of Brock's G string breaking.

"That's okay--the song was a little rough around the edges, anyway." Brock assured his companions as he went to work fixing the broken string.

"If you're curious, the Grand Prix is a firefighting and rescue competition for Pokemon and their trainers." a girl explained as she settled on a couch, gesturing to a poster advertising the Grand Prix on a window.

"Sounds fun!" Ash gasped. "Where do I sign up?

"Tiny problem, hero--the only Water types you have are Brenna and River--are you sure a team of two would be enough?" Misty asked.

"One step ahead of you--I'll just borrow Michelle and Pearl to round out the team." Ash grinned confidently.

"Now wait a minute! When did I say you could use Michelle or Pearl for ANYTHING?" Misty demanded. "If you wanted to use them, you could've ASKED first!"

A pop of a Poke Ball got Misty's attention. [Actually, Misty, I wouldn't mind competing in this fire and rescue competition.] Michelle assured her master.

Misty sighed. "Okay...you can use Michelle and Pearl in the competition, but in return, I expect you to take extra good care of them." she told Ash.

"Got it!" Ash replied.

Just then, both Ash and Misty perked up at a familiar male voice calling them. "Is that..." Misty gasped as she saw a familiar man with tanned skin and orange work clothes leading a team of Wartortles in their direction.

"Captain Aidan!" Ash cried as he ran to embrace the man.

"It's good to see you and Misty again." Aidan smiled. "And who might your singer friend be?" he asked, noticing Brock putting the finishing touches on the repaired guitar string.

"That's Brock, the aspiring musician and storyteller and master archer we told you about." Misty replied. "Brock, this is Captain Aidan of Ascorbia Island--while Ash and I were with Tracey in the Orange Islands, we saw firsthand why he and his Wartortles are known as the best firefighters in the area!"

"Really?" Brock was intrigued.

"Not just that, he gave Brenna some training, and in return, she helped them put out a major fire!" Ash went on. "It'd be a perfect song!"

"You can tell me about it later--I'd call it 'The Ballad of Captain Aidan'". Brock grinned.

Aidan just chuckled. "Here's another idea for a verse in 'The Ballad of Captain Aidan'--the Wartortles and I defending our title in the Grand Prix."

"I can see why you've won a title--every one of your Wartortles looks championship worthy!" Brock raved as he observed the team of Wartortles.

"Thank you..." Aidan smiled before addressing the team. "All right, team! Report!"

[Captain Mist, standing by!] the lead Wartortle announced. One by one, the other Wartortle introduced themselves:

[Engineer Sleet, standing by!]

[First Lieutenant Rima, standing by!]

[Second Lieutenant Haley, standing by!]

[Third Lieutenant Dew, standing by!]

[We are Team Wartortle! No fire can stand against our big wave!] the five Wartortles chorused.

[You guys!] Brenna dashed out to meet the Wartortles. [I missed you!]

[We missed you too, Honorary Lieutenant Brenna.] Mist smiled as she and Brenna shook claws for the first time in a long time. [No one in the islands ever forgets what you did to help us.]

"Now I'm REALLY interested in hearing just what Brenna did..." Brock mused as Ash lead the way out of the Pokemon Center...

---------

"I've talked to the Grand Prix coordinators, and they have allowed Ash to compete even though he did not submit an entry form." Aidan explained as the group walked down a hallway and into the main practice room of the competition's workout center.

"Wow..." Ash gasped as a team of Azumarill practiced hosing down a replica of a burning house. A Greninja ordered its Froagie charges to rescue a Clefairy doll, and a team of Piplups hurried into position for their attempt at dousing the burning house.

"You were lucky to be entered because a good word from a friend--all these teams look like seasoned pros." Brock cautioned. "So bring your A game."

"I'll bring more than that--I'll bring my S game!" Ash grinned, unfazed at his competition.

Just then, Brenna spotted Officer Jenny and four familiar Squirtles. [Officer! It's me, Brenna!] she called, waving a claw in their direction.

"Hello there, Brenna..." Jenny knelt down and hugged Brenna. "Think you can spray some sense into your old squadmates?" she asked, gesturing to the four Squirtles, who were visibly shaking in fear at the other teams present.

Brenna stepped before the four Squirtles. [Eddy...Chill...Mellow...Tear...you guys still remember me, right?]

[Of course we do, Brenna.] Eddy replied. [We're just worried about what good us Squirtles can do against all these big and tough Pokemon.]

[We can do anything if we all work together as a team, gang.] Brenna replied. [As all the Sorin stories say, the small can overcome the big and tough not by strength, but by wits!]

[You've got a point there, Brenna...] Chill smiled as he woke up from a nap with a yawn.

"It's always nice to see you, Officer." Misty smiled as she and Ash watched Brenna converse with the other Squirtles, all the while watching and hoping Brock would not attempt to sing Jenny a sappy love song.

"Brenna seems happy to see her squad mates again." Ash agreed.

"It seems like only yesterday they were little rascals bringing terror on Vermilion City...and look at them now--the city's most famous, reliable, and cutest firefighters." Jenny smiled. "And I have you to thank for that, Ash."

"Aw, it was nothin.'" Ash smiled. "I bet they could even take down Team Wartortle, the returning champions!"

Brenna rolled her eyes as the other Squirtles gasped at the mention of Team Wartortle. [i]Oh brother...I'm gonna have to remind them what it means to be a hero again...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-14-2017, 09:16 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 38: Hearts of Fire (part 2)

"Is it okay if the Squirtle Squad can have a joint practice session with Team Wartortle?" Jenny asked, smiling a little as Brenna and the other four Squirtles chatted.

"Sure." Aidan agreed. "Let's start with the target test."

Jenny whistled to get the Squad's attention. "Come on, guys--with me." The Squirtles nodded, and followed Brenna and Jenny over to a row of round targets that could be ignited at any time.

"Okay, team! The key to a good score on a target test is to focus on each target, communicate with Mist and each other, and work as a team." Aidan instructed his team. "Got it?"

[Yes sir!] the Wartortles chorused before looking to Brock for their instructions.

"All right--before you is a row of flaming targets." Brock explained, gesturing to the burning targets that a technician had ignited for them. "As the sound of the whistle, work as quickly as you can to put them out--the team that puts out all five targets the fastest, wins. Any questions?"

[Do we have to put them out one at a time, or what?] Mellow asked.

"You can use any strategy you want, so long as the targets are put out." Brock explained.

When he saw that none of the other Squirtles had questions, he announced "Okay! Ready...set..." before blowing his whistle.

The Wartortles wasted no time in hurrying to a target and firing the most powerful Water Gun they could at the raging fire balls. But over on the other range, Ash winced as the Squirtle Squad's attacks went in five different directions. "Come on, guys! Focus!" he called.

[Chill's trying to put two out!] Eddy protested. [He has his own!]

"Chill, focus on your own target first, then help Eddy if he needs it." Jenny gently coaxed.

"Hey!" Ash gasped as Mellow sprayed Tear. "This is not the time to play, focus on the targets!"

Misty winced at how terribly the Squirtles were doing. "I'm not so sure they're ready for a competition at all..."

"They're probably nervous being next to such a high-rated team." Brock mused as he toyed with his whistle, waiting for either Jenny or Mist to signal that one team's targets were all out.

Brenna, meanwhile, grimaced at her teammates. Fine, if they want to goof off and play rather than win the competition, I'm taking matters into my own claws!

Ash suddenly heard cries of [Ow!] [Eep!] [Yipe!] [Oof!], followed by a single uniform spray. "I don't believe it...the Squirtles finally managed to learn to work together!" he gasped as he watched the Squirtles work on dousing their targets.

[Oh, I just gave them a step in that direction.] Brenna smiled. [A step on their tails, that is.]

She then addressed her squad-mates. [Okay, Squad! Take down each target! And quickly, since we need to make up for lost time!]

[Yeah!] the other Squirtles replied before intensifying their sprays.

Misty watched as both teams raced neck and neck, but when she saw Mist and Brenna signal Brock at the same time, she smiled as Brock blew his whistle again to signal that the target test had ended in a tie. "Well! The Squirtle Squad seem much more confident with their leader back."

"That may be true, but the Squad does not seem to function without Brenna." Ash cautioned as the extinguished targets were rolled out of the room. "I can only hope they'll survive the competition proper."

---------

"Our next event is the Flaming Target Test!" the emcee announced some time later.

"Okay, our competition is Team Quack Attack." Jenny explained to the Squirtles, showing them a picture of a group of Golducks. "Let's not have a repeat of the Flame-Off event and the disaster with the Muks."

"I know Team Quack Attack is very skilled--they came in second place in last year's Grand Prix." Aidan told Ash and Jenny. "I fear that the pressure of the competition may be breaking the Squirtles' concentration...."

"You may be right...the Squad looks even more nervous than it did during the practice session." Ash agreed as the siren to start the event blared into the stadium. He watched as the five Golducks raced to the blazing target range, but the Squirtle Squad stayed put on the starting line, intimidated by the size of the Golducks.

"Come on, guys! Go! Go! Go!" Ash called to the Squirtles, but the four Squirtles refused to budge.

He noticed Brock's whistle hanging from his bag. "Mind if I borrow your whistle for a second?" he asked.

"Sure--give it a good, hard blow to get the Squirtle Squad going." Brock smiled.

Ash nodded, took the deepest breath he could muster, and blew the whistle, startling the Squirtles, making Eddy trip, which brought all four Squirtles into a struggling heap.

Brenna winced as she watched the Squad aim a haphazard Water Gun assault at their targets. [You're gonna need a lot more than a referee's whistle to help the Squad...] she sighed as Ash handed Brock the whistle.

Inspired, Ash called "Tintri, use a static bolt on the Squirtle Squad!"

[Got it!] Tintri replied as he fired a static bolt at the Squirtles, making them yelp.

[What was THAT for?] Mellow demanded, rubbing his shell in pain from the static bolt.

"Now that I have your attention, you guys really should listen to your leader." Ash explained, gesturing to Brenna.

[What?] Brenna gasped. [Me, the leader? I've always been a teammate, and you've been the leader.]

"I know that, but the Squirtles seem to listen to you better than they do any of us--and you have a lot of qualities a good leader should have." Ash assured Brenna. "The Squad needs you now...so will you go help them?"

Brenna nodded, and called to the Squad. [Okay, Squirtle Squad! We can still win this if we all work together!]

[YEAH!!!!] the Squirtles cheered as they each hurried to a target, easily making up for the time they had lost, and defeating Team Quack Attack by one target.

---------

"Brenna? Can we talk for a minute?" Ash asked as he found Brenna and the Squad resting as the arena was prepped for the next event.

[What about? Am I in trouble?] Brenna asked.

"Oh, no, no one's in trouble." Ash assured Brenna. "I know that the Squirtle Squad is very strong, but without you, their leader, the Squirtle Squad are lost. I understand that it is a big change for you, since you're so used to having me lead you to battle, but can you be me to your squadmates? If that means leaving me and the others and going with the Squad, I'll respect that decision. But the ultimate choice is yours."

Brenna contemplated what her master had said for a moment. [While I love you, Ash, and would do anything for you, I love my squadmates too, and I want them to succeed like I have.]

She ran to Chill's side.

---------

"Okay..the final event is Team Wartortle against the Squirtle Squad in the Great Clefairy Rescue." Brock explained to the Pokemon. "The challenge is to rescue a Clefairy doll from a smoky building the fastest."

"I'm kinda glad the Pokemon are doing that and not the people." Misty sighed. "The rope climb wore me out!"

"I'll say...Captain Aidan has getting into a fire suit down to an art." Ash mused. "But at least the Squad did well with the moving targets and the distance event."

The emcee then announced "Our two final teams that will compete in the Great Clefairy Rescue are Team Wartortle and the Squirtle Squad!", snapping the group to attention.

"Come on, Squirtle Squad! You can do it!" Ash shouted encouragement to the Squad on the left start line as a familiar song of encouragement started playing over the stadium PA system.

"Good luck to both teams!" Misty called, waving at the Wartortle.

She was jolted from her excitement by Brock singing along with the PA system. 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!
Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear!
My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world...

"Brock! This is not a karaoke contest!" Misty hissed.

"I know, I'm just singing a little fight song for the Squirtle Squad." Brock explained.

With that, he picked up the chorus without missing a beat. Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story!

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!...

Ash sighed over Brock's enthusiastic rendition of "Glory in our Story"--he hadn't counted on his friend to do something potentially embarrassing in public. "Personally, I don't know if Brock is singing that for the Squirtle Squad or Officer Jenny." Misty discreetly whispered.

"Let him sing--it appears to be helping the Squad." Ash replied as both teams raced into their smoky houses, Brock singing all the while.

---------

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!

[Okay squad! listen up!] Brenna called as she adjusted the mini camera that would allow her to see where she was going in the thick smoke. [This is meant to simulate a smoky house--our objective is to find a Clefairy doll hidden somewhere in the house, and bring it outside as quick as we can!]

Tear asked.

[I have a camera on my shell wired to vision goggles that will allow me to see clearly.] Brenna explained. [So when in doubt, follow me.]

With that, she pulled down the vision goggles. [Okay, Squirtle Squad! Move out!]

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

Seconds seemed to tick by like hours as the five Squirtles hurried through the simulated house, checking the drawers in the prop furniture, behind the appliances, and other places they felt a Clefairy would conceivably get trapped.

Every so often, one of the Squirtles would be sprayed with a warning spritz as a gentle reminder to stay focused and not worry about the smoke or the props.

Come and take my hand right now, come with me for the ride,
Together we will step through the door,
And see the light shining from our own heavenly land!

Just then, Chill found a pink form on the charred remains of a bed. [Brenna! I found the Clefairy!] he called, waving the Clefairy doll for his squadmates to see.

[Good! Let's hurry and bring it outside!] Brenna called as the other Squirtles rallied to the bedroom where the Clefairy was--the next part was retracing their steps back outside.

Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story!

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!

Back outside, Ash watched the two smoky houses intently. "You think Brenna and the others are okay in there?" he asked as he listened to Brock continue "Glory in Our Story"

"I think so." Misty replied. "Although this is, what, the fourth or fifth time we've had to hear Brock sing that?"

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together
I truly believe it with all of my heart...
The cards here in my hand,
Show you the way... Brock concluded the song yet again, seconds before both Team Wartortle and the Squirtle Squad emerged from the smoky houses at the same time, causing the song to end and the officials to review the replays.

Murmurs wafted through the crowd before cheers went up at the appearance of Team Wartortle's time on the scoreboard: 3:54:02. "Not bad..." Misty smiled as the crowd applauded.

"Now to see how the Squirtle Squad did..." Brock mused.

The tense look on Ash's face turned to joy when he saw the Squirtle Squad's time: 3:53:00! "YA-HOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" he screamed as he tossed his cap into the air in celebration.

"They did it!" Misty cried before motioning for the others to follow her down to the stadium, where the Squirtles and Officer Jenny were laughing and hugging each other over their narrow victory.

"Looks like my fight song worked!" Brock grinned as Brenna embraced Ash.

"I don't think it was a fight song--they came together as a team when it mattered most." Captain Aidan explained. "So even though we lost, I just want to congratulate these little guys for a job well done."

Mist smiled as she and her fellow Wartortles saluted the Squirtle Squad.

[I'll remember that, but right now, we've got the fires at home to put out.] Brenna replied as Officer Jenny gave each Squirtle a gold star symbolizing their victory.

---------

"Well done, Brenna. " Ash smiled as the other four Squirtles piled into the basket in the back of Jenny's police cycle. "You proved yourself a real leader today."

[Aw, it was nothin'!] Brenna smiled.

"i just want to thank you for for letting Brenna leave your party and continue leading the Squirtle Squad." Jenny began. "I know she'll do very well in that capacity."

[Tintri...write me a letter every so often, okay?] Brenna asked.

[Sure!] Tintri replied. [I'll send you a gazillion letters!]

[Misty...thanks for all the pool time.] Brenna went on as she hugged Misty. [I'm gonna miss ice surfing in the Gym's main pool.]

"I'll tell my sisters to have the pool ready for you any time you want to do some water rescue training." Misty smiled.

[Brock...I'm really gonna miss your stories and your songs.] Brenna went on, choking back tears as she hugged Brock.

"I'm always on MyTube, so you can watch my latest performances--and share old favorites with the Squad--anytime you want." Brock assured Brenna. "You know the channel name, right?"

[PewterSong.] Brenna smiled before looking over at River, Luce, Mina and Cyndy.

[Keep that fire in your heart burning.] Cyndy smiled.

[Even though we've only been together a short time, I'll never forget that shockingly powerful spirit of yours.] Luce smiled as Brenna hugged her.

[Be safe, Brenna...] Mina wrapped Brenna in her wings for a moment as Brenna tearfully hugged her.

[Ash, I wanna give my friend a farewell hug.] River smiled before hugging Brenna. [Relax, Brenna--Ash is in good hands with me.]

[Okay.] Brenna smiled before hugging Ash. [And Ash...thank you for teaching me how to be a leader, and how to be a good friend.]

"Anytime!" Ash smiled. "You're always welcome back, no matter where in the world I am."

"All right, that's everyone." Jenny smiled as Brenna climbed in the basket. "Let's move out, Squirtle Squad!"

[Bye, everyone!] Brenna screamed over the motorcycle's throaty rumble. [I'll miss you all!]

"Bye, Brenna!" Ash nearly screamed through his tears as the police cycle sped off into the sunset. "I'll always love you, no matter what!"

A familiar guitar playing a soft melody in G got his attention. [i]So long, old friend... he heard Brock sing,
I wish that I could see you once again...
I never knew, the time would come when I'd be losing you,
I hope you know, in times when things went badly,
I always knew just what a friend like you is for...

Ash brushed away another tear as he reflected on all the times when Brenna had come through for him--Gym battles, rescuing Tintri, the Indigo League, and even what had transpired just a few hours before.

I never thought that things would end so sadly...
And you'd be walking through that door... Brock continued playing his song, smiling a little at Ash's remaining Pokemon gathering around him.

So long, old friend,
I wish that I could see you once again...
I never knew, the time would come when I'd be losing you,
I always thought our grand adventure would go on and on...

Just then, Ash choked out one final goodbye to the setting sun. "So long....Brenna..."

Misty rushed to hold Ash close as Brock sang the last line of his farewell song. I never knew I'd have to say,
So long....

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-18-2017, 11:26 PM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 39: Hour of the Houndour (part 1)

"Ash doing okay?" Misty asked as she sliced a block of Cheddar cheese in preparation for lunch. It had been a few days since Brenna, Ash's Squirtle, had left the party to return to Kanto with the Squirtle Squad. She wondered if he was still grieving losing two of his greatest Pokemon--first Blaze, and now Brenna. Judging from how she had to hold him close as he cried in her arms, he had taken this parting very hard.

"He's his usual energetic and happy self today, thankfully." Brock replied as he finished laying out some ham, turkey, and roast beef by the different cheeses Misty had already sliced. "He should be back with some berries to go with our sandwich bar any moment now...think we have enough cheese options, or do you want to slice some more?"

"Mozzarella would go very nicely with the roast beef, actually--just like a pizza." Misty suggested. Brock just set a sphere of fresh mozzarella cheese before Misty, allowing her to create another cheese option for the sandwich bar as she sliced the ball of cheese into circles just large enough to fit on a piece of bread.

"I'm back!" Ash smiled as he and Tintri returned with basketfuls of wild Berries, oblivious to the many red eyes watching them. "We found Bluk Berries, Kuran Berries, Razz Berries, Belue Berries, Rawst Berries, and mint leaves..."

He was about to say more when he noticed the baskets were gone. "Funny..our berries and mint were just here a minute ago..."

"What about the bread for our sandwiches?" Misty asked as she and Brock cleaned up what food they did not prepare.

"It was in my bag...which appears to be gone as well!" Ash gasped when he saw that his bag was no longer on his back.

[That's what you get for not paying attention...] Tintri scolded.

"I was watching my stuff like a Braviary!" Ash protested. "Looking in the camp won't help, since I remember having it with me when we left!"

[That's true...] Tintri mused.

Brock, however, noticed some vaguely canine footprints on the ground. "Hey, look! Pawprints!" he called as he slung his bow and the quiver of thirty arrows on his back.

"Maybe if we follow them, we can find my stuff!" Ash lead the way through the brush.

---------

Meanwhile, in town, Nurse Joy and one of her Chanseys departed the grocery store and started the short walk back to the Pokemon Center. "As soon as we get these home, Merri, we'll start by making some food for the less fortunate families in town." she smiled at the Chansey as she approached the crosswalk.

[Ham and au gratin potatoes sounds wonderful!] Merri agreed.

Just then, a familiar joyful melody caught her attention as an ice cream truck arrived in the town square. [Look! The ice cream man's here!] she called as hundreds of children, Pokemon, and adults hurried to get in line.

"We've eaten mostly healthy all this week, so there's no harm in the occasional treat." Nurse Joy agreed as she led Merri to the end of the line, within eyesight of their groceries. "What would you like to have?" she asked Meri, unaware that the ham they had bought was vanishing into the brush.

[I can't decide between Kalosian vanilla or Oran sorbet...] Merri mused. [Every flavor's so good!]

"I'm getting a sundae cone..." Nurse Joy smiled before it was her and Merri's turn in line.

[I'll get Oran sorbet, then.] Merri smiled.

As the two of them returned to their waiting groceries, Nurse Joy noticed the ham had disappeared. "How strange...our ham is gone, but none of the other groceries were taken." she mused, getting the group's attention as they rounded the corner.

"Is everything okay, Nurse Joy?" Ash asked, noticing the nurse's perplexed look.

"Well...Merri and I had bought a ham to feed the less fortunate of the city, and as we stopped to get something from the ice cream truck, it disappeared." Nurse Joy explained.

[Even weirder, we had our groceries where we could see them the whole time we were in line.] Merri added.

"So your food and my bag, which also had food in it, are gone..." Ash mused. "But who would be stealing food, and why?"

"I have a sneaking suspicion that it is a certain guy, girl, and talking Meowth..." Misty suggested.

"But why would Team Rocket want to steal food?" Ash wondered.

"As much as I want to confirm or deny your suspicions, I didn't see the thief--or thieves--at all." Nurse Joy sighed.

Brock, meanwhile, noticed more pawprints leading into a forested area near the park. "Hey guys! Here's some more pawprints like what we found by our campsite!"

"Maybe if we keep following them, they'll lead us to whoever--or whatever--is taking our food!" Misty smiled as she followed Brock into the brush, with Ash not far behind her.

"Good luck, you three...and thanks!" Nurse Joy waved goodbye as the group continued on their way.

---------

"Food thefts on da rise in da city..." Meowth read from a newspaper before seeing a glimpse of the group from the alleyway Team Rocket was hiding in.

"Well, we'd never stoop so low as to steal food." Jessie mused as she petted Sahana. "Never mind this Wobbufett I somehow received at the Swap Meet barely eats anything..."

"Maybe, if we followed where the twerps went, we can outthieve whatever's taking all the food!" James suggested as he watched Ash disappear into the brush.

"Den what're we waitin' for?" Meowth asked as he folded up the newspaper. "Let's go!"

---------

After following the trail to the end, the group arrived in a clearing dotted with flowers. "There's no more tracks..." Misty wheezed.

Brock noticed the sun was going down. "We may be close to the thief's hideout--but it's getting late, so let's just make camp here for tonight."

"Good idea!" Misty suggested as she retrieved her camp gear. "I have a spare tent you can use until we can get your bag back." she assured Ash.

Ash, meanwhile, noticed Brock adding some meat flavored Pokemon attractant on a stick roughly the size of a hot dog. "Uh, Brock? Why are you cooking a stick?" he asked as he helped Misty pitch the spare tent.

"It's an idea to lure what's taking the food over here." Brock explained as he placed the wooden hot dog on a plate. "The idea being that once the culprit finds out it has a fake, it will return for the real thing if it is actually hungry."

"Oh..." Misty mused. "That is a clever idea!"

"I'd keep an arrow ready if the culprit is dangerous..." Ash wasn't so sure if Brock's plan would work.

Minutes seemed to tick by like hours as the group waited patiently but fearfully for the culprit's return. After about fifteen agonizing minutes had passed, Ash spotted some familiar scary red eyes in the bushes. "Something's here!"

He waited for Brock to nock an arrow, then called into the bushes "Okay, thief! I'm not scared of you, and want to know why you're taking our stuff!"

A growl thundered through the brush in reply as several black and red dog Pokemon with bone-like appendages emerged from the brush. "On second thought, maybe planting a decoy was a bad idea..." Brock stammered when he noticed one of the dog Pokemon had his decoy in its jaws.

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on the dog-Pokemon as Brock prepared to fire a warning shot at them:

"Houndour, the dark Pokemon. It uses different kinds of cries for communicating with others of its kind and for pursuing its prey."

"That's both fascinating and frightening..." Misty mused as she reached for two of her Poke Balls. "Michelle, Pearl, I need your help!"

"Get ready for a fight, bud." Ash warned Tintri.

[You got it.] Tintri replied.

[Let me soak some of those for you...] Michelle offered, spritzing the arrow Brock was about to fire.

A howl snapped the group to attention, prompting Brock to fire his shot, making some of the Houndours rear back in fear from the watery spray as Tintri, Michelle, and Pearl ran to engage the pack....

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-21-2017, 08:07 PM

Episode 40: Hour of the Houndour (part 2)

"Let's go, Tintri!" Ash called as the pack of Houndours charged at the trio.

Tintri balked as a watery arrow splashed him as it landed in the ground. he protested as he threw off an attacking Houndour with a Seismic Toss.

"I'm not--I'm only firing into the ground, in hopes that the watery arrows will frighten off the Houndour." Brock assured Tintri as he readied another shot. "You know that I would never intentionally harm a Pokemon with my arrows."

With that, he fired at a patch of dry ground, catching a Houndour off guard as it ran to attack Michelle.

[Trying to attack me as prey? You forget I can put you out!] Michelle warned as she blasted away the Houndours with a Water Pulse.

"Good call, Michelle." Misty smiled a her faithful Golduck before hurrying to assist Pearl.

[Incoming!] Pearl called as she Rapid Spinned her way through the crowd of snarling Houndours, knocking the pack to the ground.

"Pearl, try Power Gem while they are down!" Misty called.

[HAH!!!] Pearl heaved a watery sapphire at the pack, dousing all four Houndours just as another watery arrow landed on the ground.

[Back off, everyone!] a fifth Houndour with shiny blue fur barked as he nimbly jumped down from a cliff. [Clearly the boy and his Pikachu are strong--i wish to challenge them myself.]

[Okay, chief!] the other Houndours replied as they darted away, allowing their shiny leader to face Tintri.

A few tense minutes passed, with neither Pokemon moving a muscle. "Why are they just staring each other down?" Misty wondered.

"I guess it's a test of wills..." Brock suggested.

He reared back as the shiny Houndour attacked first with an Ember, but heaved a relieved sigh as Tintri darted around it with a Quick Attack. As the Shiny Houndour looked for Tintri, Tintri heaved the strongest thunderbolt he could muster at his opponent. [HI-YAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!]

[Retreat! Retreat!] the Shiny Houndour barked before heaving a cloud of smoke at the group, making the three humans, the Pikachu, the Golduck, and the Starmie cough as the Houndours disappeared into the brush.

"Everyone okay?" Misty asked when she had recovered.

"I think so." Ash replied before coughing up the last of the smoke. "Follow those Houndour!"

---------

Meanwhile, the group arrived at a small cave at he end of the path. "This must be those Houndours' den..." Misty noted before noticing all the stolen belongings cluttered around a wounded Houndour. "I get it...the Houndours were taking things to help one of their own!"

Brock froze when he heard a familiar roar-like cry. "Golem!" he gasped, pointing out a massive round reptilian Pokemon approaching the den, intent on harming the wounded Houndour. His first thought was to nock an arrow, but watched as the other Houndours and their shining leader arrived. [Go away! Leave Noir alone!] the leader demanded before the other Houndours heaved a collective Flamethrower at the massive Pokemon.

"That's not gonna help..." Misty mused as the flames fizzled to nothing. "Rock can withstand fire..."

Just then, she noticed the Golem about to heave a rock at the Shiny Houndour. "Oh no!"

"I got this!" Ash made a flying jump towards the shiny leader, his body forming a shield around him as the rock hit his back.

[You...saved me?] the Shiny Houndour gasped as Ash weakly stood up, his back lightly throbbing in pain from the rock. [Even though we were mortal enemies moments before?]

"I did it because your pack needs you." Ash explained. "Without a leader, any group of Pokemon is helpless."

The Shiny Houndour nodded. [You are wise beyond your years, human boy--my name is Duin, chief of the Blackpaws]

He motioned to the wounded Houndour. [This is Noir, a young pup--he slipped and broke his paw playing in the crags one day, and though we do what we can, we fear the worst, as he grows sicker by the day.]

"An infection..." Misty realized. "We have to get Noir to a Pokemon Center, and fast!"

"Duin...we know where a healer is that may be able to help Noir." Ash explained. "Do you trust me enough to allow me to take him there?"

"Ash! You realize we're in the middle of nowhere, and we'd have to walk a long way in order to get Noir to town?" Misty gasped.

Duin nodded. [If this healer is as skilled as you say, we entrust Noir to your care, and allow you to take your belongings.]

"Thanks!" Ash replied as he located his bag in the clutter, slung it on his back, and gently picked up the wounded Houndour.

He turned to address Misty and Brock. "I can see the city lights in the brush, so I know I can carry Noir to the Pokemon Center."

"All right...but we'll come with you just in case." Brock replied.

Just then, Ash heard rustling in the bushes and gasped as Team Rocket climbed through the brush, covered in burs and thorns. "Team Rocket! You're not laying a finger on this Houndour!"

"We'll take anything, walking through the brush was a lot of trouble..." Jessie groaned as she picked thorns from her shirt.

"And with all the roots and spines everywhere, it makes our pain double..." James agreed as he pulled off a bur on his leg.

The Houndours, meanwhile, ignited a few arrowheads with an Ember. "Thanks, guys..." Brock smiled as he aimed one of the fiery arrows at the Rockets, while each Houndour readied a Flamethrower.

"To protect the--WAUUUUUUUUUUUGH!!!!" the Rockets screamed as the Houndours and Brock unleashed their flaming assault, buying Ash and Misty time to run towards the city lights...

---------

"We...made...it..." Misty wheezed as she and Ash arrived at the Pokemon Center, locating Brock on a couch in the main lounge.

"About time--I was hoping working with the Houndours to give the Rockets hot feet would give you enough time to get here." Brock wheezed. "After we scared them off, the pack was willing to give back what they stole--and so that's why I'm tired."

Just then, Nurse Joy spotted the Houndour Ash carried. "Oh my! That Houndour's paw looks severely infected!"

"I had to brave the brush in order to get it here." Ash explained as he gently gave Noir to Nurse Joy."

"It's fortunate you brought it here--it would've died if you'd waited too much longer." Nurse Joy explained as a Chansey rushed Noir off to the emergency bay.

---------

Nurse Joy returned a few hours later. "All right...I have an update on your Houndour. He is responding well to medicine, and he will recover, but we will keep him overnight before returning him to the wild."

Everyone heaved a sigh of relief. "It turned out the wild Houndours in this area were taking food in an attempt to help their own." Ash explained.

"I've already returned most of the stolen food to their owners...but here's one last thing that needs to return." Brock explained, offering Nurse Joy the ham.

"My ham! Thank you!" Nurse Joy cried, hugging Brock joyfully.

"Aw, it was nothin'" Ash smiled, but he noticed Brock's dreamy look from being embraced by one of his "two perfect girls". "We just did what we had to do."

"It's too late to travel tonight, so we'll rest here before we leave in the morning." Misty suggested.

"Good idea--I could use it after the long walk here." Ash agreed, to laughter from his companions as he sprawled out on a couch to doze...

---------

"Remind me not to try and steal that Pikachu when the Robin Hood twerp is there..." James shuddered, ever aware of the flaming arrows that blanketed the ground around the tree they had climbed.

"I'll say...I didn't count on hangin' out here tonight." Meowth grumbled as he tried to climb up to the branch Jessie was clinging to.

Some growls snapped him to attention. "But I'll take da flamin' arrows over wild Houndour any day!" he screamed as he scrambled up the tree...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-26-2017, 01:08 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 41: The Totodile Duel

The whizzing of a fishing line filled the air as the three companions camped by a river. "Boy, fishing sure is boring..." Ash sighed as he watched his lure bob in the water.

"I know, fishing can be boring, but they always say patience is a virtue." Misty assured her friend.

"Virtue or not, it feels like we've been waiting for hours for a bite..." Ash was unimpressed.

Brock, meanwhile, was baiting his own line with a Wurmple lure. "It could be the wrong time of day for fish to be out, or maybe we're all using the wrong kind of bait..." He let that hang as he cast his line.

Misty was annoyed at Ash's constant complaining. "Well, maybe if you'd be quiet, you wouldn't scare all the fish away!"

"Look who's talking!" Ash shot back.

"I am NOT yelling! Misty retorted. "You are!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!

"Oh, yes you are!

"Am not!

"Are too!"

"Am not!"

"Are too!"

[And here they go again...] Ami smiled as she invited Tintri onto a large rock with some popcorn.

[This is way better than TV...] Tintri agreed.

Just then, Ash and Misty were jolted from their fight by Misty's line jerking. "I think you've got something!" Ash smiled.

"Really?" Misty gasped, excited as she ran to her jerking rod and pulled it.

But after a few minutes of pulling and tugging, the three trainers looked crestfallen at what Misty had actually caught. "I just caught a tea kettle..."

"It put up a good fight, though..." Ash mused as he studied the old white teapot with faded purple flowers on it.

"Maybe you can throw it back and try for a coffee maker?" Brock jokingly smiled.

"I CAME HERE FOR POKEMON, NOT APPLIANCES!" Misty roared.

She smiled as she took out a lure that looked like a miniature version of her in superhero's garb. "I guess it's time for me to bring out my secret weapon--the Mini-Misty DX!"

The boys sighed as Misty cast her line into the water again, the lure's tiny cape fluttering is it flew towards the water. "I grew up around Water types, so I want to train as many as I can." Misty went on as she settled beneath a tree with Ami.

Suddenly Ash spotted a familiar Totodile dancing on a rock in the stream. Of all the Totodiles I've seen here, I've never thought to look them up in the Pokedex... he thought as he opened Dexter:

"Totodile, the big jaw Pokemon. Despite its small body, its jaws are very powerful. While it may think it is just playfully nipping, its bite has enough strength to cause serious injury."

"Wow!" Misty was impressed. "I don't know if I'd want to have one of those!"

Ash then recognized the Totodile dancing before the group. "Besides, this Totodile has an owner! This is Dundee!"

"Dundee?" Misty asked before the name clicked. "Oh! Ethan's Totodile!"

"I was wondering where he got to..." Ethan smiled as he and Lyra emerged from the brush. "He seems to love to dance..."

"Maybe he could dance a little while we play?" Brock asked.

"Yeah--you need to play 'The Ballad of Brian and Epona' for Ethan and Lyra." Misty suggested.

"Brock's quite the songwriter as well as a storyteller, and has set a number of folktales and memorable events from our own travels to music." Ash explained. "My favorite one so far is 'The Ballad of Brian and Epona'"

Lyra smiled. "We'd love to hear that song...after we parted ways last, Ethan and I have been exploring caves and ruins before we got back on this road."

"Come prepared with Repels if you go to Azalea Town via Union Cave." Ethan cautioned.

"Wasn't there a drought in that area?" Lyra wondered as she watched Hana and Dundee converse with Tintri.

"Yeah--but we found out Team Rocket was harassing the Slowpoke, and we gave them what for!" Ash replied. "Brock's also put his archery skills to good use against them!"

"Fire arrows are a good idea to scare them off, and an easy way to pop their Meowth balloon." Brock grinned as he joined Ash and Misty on the hill.

"I see you have gotten some new Pokemon..." Lyra noted when she saw several new Poke Balls at Ash's side.

"I have gotten some new team members...come on out, everyone!" Ash called as he heaved his four Poke Balls skyward.

He then proceeded to introduce his newer Pokemon to his friends. "You've met River before, and this is Luce..." He gestured to the Mareep. "...and Cyndy." He gestured to the Cyndaquil.

"Where did Blaze and Brenna get to?" Lyra wondered.

"Blaze is honing his skills with the Charizards of the Charific Valley, and Brenna's returned to Kanto with her old Squirtle Squad." Ash replied, brushing away a tear at the thought of his old companions. "I miss them both, but I also know they're happy where they are--and they can always come back if they want."

"That's very sweet of you, and probably not an easy decision for you to let them go." Lyra smiled. "You and River seem to get along well, and I'm sure you and Luce and Cyndy will be great teammates."

"Would you be willing to have a friendly match?" Ethan offered. "Two of yours against my two--a Phanpy I caught and named Ellie, and Dundee?"

"It's a deal!" Ash replied. "I choose River and Tintri for the match."

---------

"Representing the Gold side, Ethan and Ellie!" Brock announced, making a grand gesture to Ethan and a small blue elephant-like Pokemon.

the elephant Pokemon cried.

"...and representing the Silver side, Ash and River!" Brock announced, making another gesture to Ash and River.

[This'll be too easy!] River taunted.

"Are both sides ready?" Brock asked.

Both boys cheered in reply. "Good luck, Ash!" Misty called from a log.

"Okay...and three...two...one..." With that, the referee's whistle echoed across the lake.

"River, open with an Aqua Jet!" Ash commanded.

"Ellie, use Protect!" Ethan called.

[Hah!] River cried as she streaked at the Phanpy, only to find herself hitting a teal barrier. [What the...]

"You forget Protect can deflect any and all attacks." Ethan smiled.

Piqued, Ash dug out Dexter to read up on his opponent as River tried to attack from another angle:

[b]"Phanpy, the long nose Pokemon. It swings its long snout around playfully, but because it is so strong, that can be dangerous."

A [WAUUUUGH!] got his attention, just in time to see the Phanpy whack River across their makeshift battlefield and land at his feet. "You okay?" he asked.

River wheezed as she weakly stood up.

"Ellie, use Rollout!" Ethan ordered, noticing the Marill was weakened.

"River, try and use Superpower!" Ash commanded.

Misty winced as both attacks landed at the same time. But when the dust cleared a few moments later, both Pokemon were heaving with exhaustion. [That had to hurt...] Ami noted.

"I'm sure it did." Misty agreed as she watched Ethan and Ash recall their tired Pokemon.

"Both sides have one Pokemon apiece!" Brock announced as Ethan sent out Dundee and Ash whistled for Tintri.

"This should be easy, bud--you have an advantage." Ash smiled as Tintri stared down the Totodile before him.

He balked as Dundee heaved a Water Gun at Tintri, making Tintri stumble backwards. "Tintri!"

[I'm fine...] Tintri replied. [I can--!]

This was far as he got before Dundee pounced on him with a Crunch attack, making him cry in pain from Dundee's powerful jaws!

"Good work!" Ethan called. "Now, freeze him with Ice Fang!"

[I can't give up...] Tintri growled as he weakly stood up to face the charging Totodile. [I WON'T GIVE UP!] he cried, unleashing a ball of electricity at the same time Dundee attacked.

[Did Ash come through?] Ami wondered as the icy electric explosion started to clear.

A familiar whistle pierced the air some seconds later. "Neither side has any Pokemon that can battle--this match is a tie!" Brock announced.

"A tie...both boys must've been evenly matched." Lyra mused as she used a Revive on Tintri.

"Thanks, Lyra." Ash replied as Tintri jumped aboard his shoulder again.

"You did great in that match." Lyra smiled. "I hope I can battle you sometime."

"Nice job, even if it did come out a tie." Misty agreed.

Ethan turned to Ash. "Good match--I have to commend your heroic effort."

"You did great yourself, even though you haven't been trained Pokemon for very long." Ash replied as the two friends shook hands. "We'll have to battle again when we both get stronger."

"I'll hold you to that." Ethan smiled as he and Ash embraced.

Lyra, meanwhile, told Brock "I'd really like to hear your ballad of 'Brian and Epona'." as she spread out a blanket and set out some food for the group to enjoy.

"I don't see why not." Brock replied as he hurried to retrieve his guitar from the campsite.

Once everyone was settled in and Brock was tuned, he started a brisk introduction before singing [i]It's of a jolly beggarman came tripping o'er the plain,
He came unto a castle fair, a lodging for to gain
His Royal Highness, he came down and viewed him cheek and chin
He said, 'You are a handsome man, of course I'll take you in...'

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night, Ash and Misty eagerly joined in.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

The beggar that the king took in, was not poor as he claimed, Brock started the next verse alone, trying not to laugh at Dundee dancing along on a rock.
He really was a handsome prince, and Brian he was named
He'd traveled far on a holy steed in search of fortune fine
And bringing honor and great fame upon his royal line...

"Everybody now!" Ash called before leading the chorus. We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-29-2017, 01:20 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 42: Hot Matches! (part 1)

"I'm glad to know Ethan and Lyra are doing okay." Misty smiled as Ash received his Pokemon from the front desk. It had been a few days since Ash had had a friendly match against Ethan and his enthusiastic Totodile, Dundee. Though the match had ended in a tie, both he and Ethan had promised to keep getting stronger.

"They said they'd meet us on the main road after we're done here." Ash assured Misty as the group started for the Pokemon Center entrance.

"According to the map, we should get back on the main road in a day or two." Brock reported, pointing out the group's current location and the point on the main road where Ethan and Lyra had promised to meet them.

"Well, whatever you do, you may want to find another way to the main road." a navy haired boy cautioned as his Growlithe was rolled away into the intensive care bay. "Some red haired punk is challenging anyone that passes the bridge leading to the main road. He really did a number on Cameron, my Growlithe."

"We'll be careful, okay?" Misty assured the boy as the group stepped out into the sunshine.

"If this red haired punk is who I think it is, I have a bone to pick with him..." Ash muttered as he stepped over a tree root. "The roadside Pokemon Center stood at the end of a forested path, not far from the main road.

"But what if it's not Kamon?" Brock suggested.

"Then I'll show him--or her--that bullying people's not nice." Ash replied as the group rounded a corner that led towards the bridge.

Misty gasped when she saw Kamon in the distance tending to a large steel bird Pokemon. "Speak of Darkrai...it is Kamon!"

Ash growled when he saw Kamon, but Brock's hand on his shoulder calmed him. "Before you do something you'll regret later, will you let me try and talk to him?"

"Okay..." Ash sighed as he did his best to calm himself--although Kamon had done many things that bothered him, he also knew that anger wasn't the best way to solve a problem.

Kamon, however, smiled as Brock approached him. "Oh look, it's the bow wielding mage...what kind of spell are you gonna cast this time with your holy arrows?"

"I'm not here to fight." Brock replied as he met Kamon on the bridge. "You've done some things that concern me and my friends, and I want to know if there is a way we can resolve things peacefully."

"What's there to talk about? I'm on a Pokemon journey as much as you are." Kamon replied. "You guys keep trying to take the Pokemon I wanted to have."

"For one thing, you were explicitly told you weren't supposed to go on a journey." Brock explained. "Then you tried taking a Totodile that was meant for another trainer, a young Pokemon that was in no way ready to leave the wild, and then you tried taking a Farfetch'd that very clearly belonged to another. All three times were stealing a Pokemon, and all we were doing was getting them back where they really belonged."

"Okay, if it makes you feel any better, I got myself a Pokemon fair and square." Kamon replied, gesturing to the steel bird. "His name is Talavar--which means 'sword' in some language. If you're so confident, try and beat him! Send out your best Fire type!"

"Why?" Brock asked as he took the Poke Ball containing his Vulpix, Hinata. "You know that since Steel types are weak to Fire, you're effectively asking for me to beat you?"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Robin Hood...I want Talavar to be able to beat any type of Pokémon; even Fire types." Kamon smirked

He turned to see Ash approaching. "So, are you gonna battle, or what?"

Brock sighed, opened his bag, and dropped the chain holding his referee's whistle into Ash's hands. "Would you mind reffing for us, Ash?"

"Sure!" Ash complied as he put the whistle around his neck.

---------

"Representing the Gold side, Kamon and Talavar!" Ash announced, making the steel bird Pokemon cry in reply. "And representing the Silver side, Brock and Hinata!"

Hinata taunted, swishing her six tails in an attack display.

"Are both sides ready?" Ash asked, to cheers from both ends of the bridge. "And three...two...one..."

No sooner had the whistle blown did Talavar flap a dust cloud into Hinata's face. [GAH!] Hinata gasped as she made out Talavar swooping back into the air through her watering eyes.

As Brock and Hinata watched for an opportunity to attack the massive steel bird Pokemon, Ash decided to read up on Brock's opponent:

[b]"Skarmory, the armor bird Pokemon. The feathers that it sheds are very sharp. It is said that people once used the feathers as swords."

Wow...I hope Brock knows what he's doing... Ash thought as he turned his attention back to the battle.

Just then, Brock noticed Talavar diving down towards Hinata! "Hinata, intercept the Skarmory with Flamethrower!"

[HAH!] Hinata heaved a stream of fire at the diving Skarmory, only for it to power past the flames with Agility! Hinata would fire again, and Talavar would dive past it.

After a few more Flamethrower attempts, Hinata grimaced. [Catch me if you can!] she taunted and dashed away thanks to her own Agility!

"Come on, Brock! You can do it!" Misty called from behind a rock, where she and Ami watched Talavar and Hinata chase each other, desperately attempting to make the other fall in the water.

Finally, Kamon noticed that Hinata was tiring. "Talavar, let's finish this with Steel Wing!"

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Brock cried as the Skarmory whacked Hinata with a glowing wing, sincing her flying across the bridge and landing at his feet.

Tears formed in his eyes as the whistle confirmed his worst fear. "Silver is unable to battle--Gold wins!" Ash announced.

"Hinata...you okay?" Brock asked as he got a Revive from his bag to wake his Vulpix.

[Ow...that's gonna hurt in the morning.] Hinata grimaced as she shook her tails in a huff.

"Is that all you've got?" Kamon asked Brock.

Brock was about to answer when Ash replied "I've got a Fire type, but she might just be too hot for your Skarmory to battle against!"

"Really? Try me, Wonder Boy." Kamon smirked.

"You're better than me at reffing, actually." Ash told Brock as he returned the whistle.

"You did pretty good for your first try, actually." Brock assured his friend as he ran to the middle of the bridge, where Ash had reffed moments before.

---------

"And three...two...one..." Brock counted before blowing his whistle again, prompting Ash to send out Cyndy.

"Talavar, open with a Fury Attack!" Kamon commanded, prompting the Skarmory to sind out a barrage of steel spikes. But Cyndy nimbly dodged every spike, and prepared to fire a Flamethrower of her own at the massive steel bird.

[WAUGH!] Some Swift stars sent her rolling backwards, but she recovered enough to jump away from another wave of Fury Attack once, twice, three times...

[OW!] she yelped as a fourth Fury Attack spike jabbed her in the stomach. Angered, Cyndy heaved a Flamethrower at her opponent, only for it to veer off to the right as the Skarmory flew away.

"Cyndy! You try and intercept it!" Ash called.

[Got it!] With that, Cyndy heaved another Flamethrower, only for it to miss the swooping and diving Skarmory again.

Kamon threw up his hands in frustration. "Okay, I give...we'll call a truce, since we'll be here all day at this rate."

"Okay, I concede as well." Ash replied.

Brock just blew his whistle again to end the match. "Game Set! This match is a tie!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-02-2017, 01:08 AM

Scytherwolf;

Episode 43: Hot Matches! (part 2)

"I am so glad to be back on the main road!" Ash smiled as he charged ahead of Misty and Brock. He figured Kamon had left after battling him to a draw, so they wouldn't have to risk resting at the Pokemon Center, and then their teams being thrashed again.

"I'll say..." Brock mused. "Luckily, Hinata should be okay until we get to a town proper, provided we don't run into Team Rocket or something."

"I'm in no mood to see those goons at the moment." Misty muttered. "It was bad enough seeing you guys get hammered by Kamon's new Skarmory, and who am I to think that Team Rocket could ambush us while we are weakened?"

Ash shuddered as Brock consulted his guidebook. "Ethan did tell us before we parted ways that some Pokemon Daycares allow trainers to stop and rest for the night...so if we can't reach a town, we could try finding one of those to rest for the night, if you don't want to risk camping."

"Like that one?" Ash pointed out a small house with a large field in the distance that resembled an identical picture in Brock's guidebook.

"Speak of Darkrai..." Misty gasped. "Just what we need--provided the family is one of those that welcomes travelers."

"Only one way to find out!" Ash grinned before hurrying to the house's front stoop and knocking.

A dark brown haired man answered the door. "Oh, travelers! How can I be of service?" he asked as an auburn haired woman and a red haired girl joined him at the door.

"We're not sure how far away a town is from here, so will you please grant the three of us shelter for the night?" Ash asked.

"Of course--the house has some spare rooms just for this reason." the man replied. "Come on in and make yourselves at home."

"You came at a good time--I was about to start dinner." the woman smiled. "Roast Combusken with all the trimmings--Miki's favorite." The red haired girl smiled, pleased that the group would be sharing her favorite meal with her family.

"If you need a helping hand in the kitchen, I'd be happy to pitch in." Brock offered. "As well as some post dinner entertainment."

As Brock and the woman departed into the kitchen, Miki noticed Tintri perched on Ash's shoulder. "How come your Pikachu isn't in his Poke Ball?" she asked.

"Well, Tintri is one of those Pokemon that doesn't like being in a Poke Ball, so my solution is to leave him out--and my right shoulder is his preferred spot." Ash explained, bending down to Miki could pet Tintri. "We do almost everything together."

"Kinda like that deep red haired guy and the Skarmory I've seen near the field lately..." Miki mused. "Maybe he does almost everything with his Skarmory too?"

Kamon... Ash grimaced--the memory of his draw with Kamon was still fresh in his memory.

"Something wrong, Ash?" Misty asked as she came downstairs.

"Miki says she's been seeing Kamon a lot in this area with his Skarmory, and thinks they do almost everything together, like Tintri and I do." Ash explained.

"Maybe Kamon isn't as bad or as evil as we think he is..." Misty suggested. "He may love his own Pokemon as much as we do ours."

"That may be true, but he told us, in his exact words, that he is a 'punk with standards'." Ash reminded Misty. "This devotion to his Skarmory Talavar may be one of those standards."

"We'll go with that, then." Misty smiled as she went to help Miki set the table.

Ash, meanwhile, located Brock tending to some mashed potatoes in the kitchen. "I'm gonna take Cyndy outside and train for a bit, so I'd love if you'd keep my share of dinner warm."

"You got it." Brock replied. "It should be ready here in a few minutes."

"I'll try not to stay out too late!" Ash called back as he motioned for Cyndy to follow him out into the grassy hills that surrounded a forest.

---------

"Come and get me!" Ash called in encouragement to the Cyndaquil running up the hill after him, giggling all the while.

After the two of them reached the top of the hill, Ash instructed Cyndy. "Okay, now hit me with the hardest Tackle you can muster!"

[HIIIIIIIII-YA!] Cyndy cried as she rammed into Ash, making him tumble down the hill. She noticed that even though he had fallen, he was still laughing as he eased himself to his feet and rejoined her at the top of the hill. This hardly seems like training at all--it's more like a game!

"Okay...that was very good!" Ash wheezed as he composed himself. "Next, let's work on your Flamethrower!"

Cyndy nodded, and unleashed a stream of flames into the sky. After firing the Flamethrower straight up, Ash watched as she made several more fire streams in several different directions, being careful not to set anything ablaze all the while.

Ash applauded as Cyndy finished her Flamethrower display. "You're getting so good at controlling the flames--before they seemed to fizzle out if you turned your head or changed direction."

[Thank you--your advice about focusing on a target was a big help.] Cyndy smiled. [What should we practice next?]

Okay, we've gone over Tackle, we've gone over Flamethrower... Ash thought before an idea came to him. "Let's work on Agility next--try to catch me if you can!" he smiled before taking off down the hill.

[I'm gonna getcha!] Cyndy called as she powered down the hill with Agility, eager to catch her running master in this glorified game of chase...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-04-2017, 09:10 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 44: Hot Matches! (part 3)

Back at the house, Miki noticed that Ash's place at the table was empty. "Where did Ash get to? I hope he's okay..."

"He's fine--he just took his Cyndaquil Cyndy out to train for a while." Misty assured Miki as she passed Miki's mother the mashed potatoes.

"If you're worried that he'll go hungry, relax, I gave Ash a share--it's being kept warm in the oven." Brock added as he refilled his glass with Leppa Berry juice. "Hopefully he'll be back in time for the sing-along after dinner."

"I'm sure he will be--we won't start without him." Misty smiled as she fed Tintri a Leppa Berry.

"Good--if you guys are as talented as you say, I wouldn't miss a sing-along for the world!" Miki smiled as she returned to her own meal.

---------

Back on the hill, a growl got Ash's and Cyndy's attention. "Wow...have we really been out that late?" Ash wondered as he watched the sky begin to turn pink and orange as the sun sank below the trees. "I'm starved!"

[Maybe we could go back...] Cyndy suggested.

"Okay...but before we do, do one more Tackle on me!" Ash asked.

[All right, I'm coming at'cha!] Cyndy replied before barreling into Ash, sending him stumbling backwards and landing against a Leppa Berry tree.

Moments after Ash examined himself and saw he was none the worse for wear, he was showered in Leppa Berries that had been dislodged by the force of Cyndy's attack. "Well, at least one of these should hold us until we get back to the house." he smiled before finding a suitable Leppa Berry in the pile.

He balked when he saw an angry Beedrill looking back at him. "WAUGH!" he yelped as he dropped the Leppa Berry and took off down the hill.

[Run for it!] Cyndy called as more Beedrills emerged from the tree.

Ash nodded, and did his best to keep up with the Cyndaquil, periodically looking back to see if the Beedrills were gaining on them. We have to get back to the house, no matter what!

He did not, however, expect to trip over a rock buried in the grass. [ASH!] Cyndy screamed as she watched Ash tumble head over heels into a heap, his arms dotted with various scratches and nicks.

She gritted her teeth as she heard the low hum of the Beedrills approaching--she was not about to have her master be stung by thousands of Beedrills! she warned before unleashing a Flamethrower into the approaching swarm, burning many of the Beedrills.

Ash came to in time to see the remainder of the swarm flying away. "Ungh...Cyndy...did you just--ow--rescue me?"

[I sure did!] Cyndy smiled as she gently rubbed some of Ash's wounds with her quills, creating a soothing warmth that eased the pain. [We didn't even need Brock to come out here and shoot an arrow at them!]

Ash smiled. "Thank you--if we get to battle Kamon and his Skarmory in the morning, remember how you rescued me and fought off those Beedrills, okay?"

[If I can take on those buzzers, I can take on a Skarmory easy!" Cyndy smiled as she led Ash back to the house.

---------

"Ash! You made it!" Misty smiled as Ash and Cyndy returned some moments later. "Although...what happened to you?" she asked as Brock hurried to assess the many bites and wounds on Ash's arms.

"We were training on the hill near the house, and I asked Cyndy to Tackle me." Ash explained. "She did, and I landed against a Leppa Berry tree. Just as I found one that was ripe enough to eat, I saw a Beedrill on it, which angered a whole swarm!"

"So, what did you do?" Brock was interested.

"We tried to run away, but as we ran, I tripped on a rock." Ash went on. "That explains all the bites and scratches. Just when it looked like the end, Cyndy ran in front of the swarm and used Flamethower. She managed to burn almost the whole swarm!"

"Wow!" Miki gasped.

"Maybe she might be ready to try taking on Kamon and Talavar again." Brock smiled. "But he's probably gone to bed by now, so we'll try to find him in the morning."

As soon as he was happy with all the swirls of medicine on Ash, he saw Miki waiting with hopeful eyes. "All right--gather 'round and we'll have our sing-along and storytime."

[YAAAAAAAAY!!!!] Cyndy was just as excited as Miki was as she followed Ash into the living room, where the others had gathered.

Once the group had settled in and their instruments were tuned, Brock kicked off the first story of the night. "Once upon a time, in a place far from here, and in a time far from now, there was a queen who had three beautiful daughters, who were renowned far and wide for their beauty, wisdom, and kindness to all. They were courted by kings and princes, and many others of high degree, but hadn't yet chosen any of them. One day a great prince, that no one knew, and who had never been seen in that land before, came, like the others, looking for the hand of one of these beautiful ladies. But the queen approved of him, in case he was able to succeed in winning the willing hand of either of her daughters...."

---------

The next morning, the group and Kamon met near the same hill Ash and Cyndy had trained by the night before. "You realize that you're asking to be beaten?" Kamon smirked as Talavar eyed the tiny Cyndaquil.

"Bring it on!" Ash snapped back. "Cyndy's a lot stronger than yesterday!"

"All right, but don't come crying to me when your Cyndaquil has to be rushed to the emergency bay." Kamon grinned as he motioned for Brock to give the count.

"Okay! Three...two...one..." Brock counted before blowing his whistle to start the match.

As if the whistle was its cue, Talavar took flight, circling around the makeshift battlefield once before diving in with a Steel Wing. But when Cyndy didn't appear to be any the worse for wear, the huge armored bird grimaced and soared skyward again.

Ash just calmly observed the circling Skarmory from the Silver side of the arena. "Remember how you saved me from the Beedrills last night." he reminded Cyndy.

[Don't worry...] Cyndy growled before bracing herself for a second Steel Wing. Although the second attack sent her sliding backwards, she shook off the pain and bounded forward, waiting for an opportunity to counter her huge opponent.

[i]I see...it's vulnerable right after it delivers Steel Wing! Ash thought as he watched the Skarmory fly away again. Maybe if Cyndy has enough strength to attack after it attacks again...

He called "Cyndy, use Flamethrower if you can!" as soon as he heard the THWANG! of a Steel Wing impacting.

[HAAAAH!!!] Cyndy cried as she unleashed a stream of flames, sending the armored bird crashing to the ground, writhing in pain from the fire.

"Gold is unable to battle--the match goes to Silver." Brock announced as Cyndy cheered.

Kamon seemed surprisingly calm at his loss. "So you managed to find the fatal flaw in my strategy--well played." he smirked. "That just means I have to train even more until I can be invincible--and you won't have a lucky shot to save you when that happens!" With that, he stormed off in a huff.

"Great job, Ash..." Miki smiled. "I want to learn to be a great hero like you--and like the heroes in the stories your friend tells. So I'm going on a journey of my own."

"Oh Miki..." Miki's mother hugged her daughter. "Whatever path you take in your Pokemon journey, we'll support you all the way."

"I believe you could be a hero like Ash, sweetie." Miki's father agreed.

Miki, meanwhile, hugged Ash one last time. "Be safe on your own travels, Ash--and I hope you and I can meet again!"

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-09-2017, 01:48 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 45: Dundee's First Love (part 1)

After bidding Miki and her family goodbye, the group had no problem meeting up with Ethan and Lyra. The walk since their meeting had taken the five travelers under a forested canopy. After following the winding path under the trees for a while, they emerged onto another stretch of open road nearby a lake.

"We should be coming up on Lake Cobalt over on the left..." Brock reminded the group as they rounded the bend near the lake.

"Perfect spot for a picnic, actually." Lyra agreed. "Anybody need a break from walking?"

"I do...it's getting hot." Ash complained as he wiped the sweat from his brow.

"We're right here by the lake, so I have no problem making camp here." Misty assured Lyra before heaving four of her five Poke Balls skyward. "Come out out, guys! Break time!"

"What about the fifth Pokemon?" Lyra wondered as she watched Michelle make a flying leap into the water. "It deserves some swim time too."

"Well, a Lapras would take up the whole lake, so I only get Aurora out near the beach." Misty assured Lyra.

"That's fair." Lyra replied before returning to her waiting picnic supplies.

"River, you too!" Ash heaved the Poke Ball with his Marill skyward.

"Dundee, come on out!" Ethan called as he tossed the Poke Ball containing his Totodile skyward.

Dundee yawned as he materialized on the grass, but perked up when he saw the forms of Magikarps swimming beneath the lake surface. [Look at me! I'm a TV star!] he called to Ethan as he proceeded to spray water at the Magikarps, juggling them like balls.

Misty couldn't help smiling at Dundee's juggling act. "Well! If Dundee wants to go on a talent show on TV, let him--he's got the perfect act!"

"I dunno--my biggest fear is if he gets stage fright on 'Johto's Got Talent'." Ethan mused.

Just then, Dundee was snapped to attention by a female voice in the distance. [Floating in the sky, just like the silver moon
Although I try to reach you, I can't hold you, and you slip away...]

Piqued, Dundee followed the song to another part of the lake shore, where a blue and white spotted rabbit-like Pokemon with similar features to a Marill was singing the song:

[From within the darkness, I reach for the future
Although I call out for you, my voice only fades away...]

Dundee's eyes turned to hearts over the rabbit Pokemon and her song. She's so beautiful! I'm gonna do a little dance for her!

With that, he dashed out before the rabbit Pokemon and proceeded to tap dance to a melody only he seemed to hear. The rabbit Pokemon, however, was unimpressed with the dancing Totodile before her, so she sprayed him with a Water Gun before walking off in a huff, to Dundee's despair.

---------

Meanwhile, the five humans and some of their other Pokemon had settled in to enjoy the mini sandwiches Lyra had packed, when a rustle in the bushes got Misty's attention. "Huh?"

She gasped when a Golduck with glowing dark blue feathers and a red beak and webbing emerged from the brush. "A Shiny Golduck!"

"Before you get too excited, I would wait to see if anyone owns that Shiny Golduck first." Brock cautioned as the Shiny Golduck peeked in several more bushes and behind trees, as if looking for someone or something.

Just then an auburn haired girl emerged from the brush with a Pidgey not far behind her. "Any luck, Wave?" she asked the Golduck as the Pidgey perched on her shoulder.

[Not so far...I've checked every place Breeze said to check.] the Golduck sighed.

"Please leave the guitar behind..." Misty hissed as Brock got up from the table to introduce himself, desperately hoping Brock would not try to sing to a girl that was in obvious distress.

"Hi there--my name's Brock." Brock began as he approached the girl. "Is there something I can do for you?"

A hopeful look formed on the girl's face. "My name's Trixie--nice to meet you. "Have you happened to see any Azumarills around here?"

Brock then emerged with a familiar guitar in hand, making Misty facepalm. "I may not have seen any Azumarills around here, but please, have a song to inspire your search!"

With that, he started a familiar introduction, oblivious to Trixie's confused look and Misty storming in his direction. It's of a jolly beggarman came tripping o'er the plain,
He came unto a castle fair, a lodging for to gain
His Royal Highness, he came down and viewed him cheek and chin
He said, 'You are a handsome man, of course I'll take you in...!

"You'll do no more a-singin', Mr. Balladeer!" Misty snapped as she dragged Brock back to the table, guitar and all. "She looks clearly distressed, and the best you can do is sing one of your stupid ballads?"

Trixie stifled a giggle at Misty ranting before Ash spoke up. "Forgive Brock, Miss Trixie--he just likes to serenade any girl he can find."

He then changed the subject. "May I ask what you're looking for?"

"I'm looking for my Azumarill, Meri." Trixie explained as the Azumarill from before tiptoed behind her master's legs. "Have you seen her?"

Piqued, Ash decided to consult Dexter:

"Azumarill, the aqua rabbit Pokemon. By keeping still and listening intently, it can tell what is in even wild, fast-moving rivers."

"Cool!" Ash smiled.

He heard Dundee making kissy noises at Meri, but Meri just turned her head away.

---------

"Here we are, gang--the Cirque Jubilee!" Trixie smiled as she made a grand gesture to a large blue and white circus tent and several smaller tents in the distance.

"Wow..." the group gasped as they looked out at the sprawling grounds.

"It's beautiful!" Lyra raved.

"Thank you--I've enjoyed the circus and performing since I was very little, so it only made sense I taught all my Pokemon to do tricks." Trixie replied. "However, over the last week or so, I've had trouble with Meri, who has been acting weird since Wave joined the troupe."

Elsewhere, Brock had decided to pitch in in setting up the show. "Okay, Dundee--think you can fill this swimming pool for the high dive act?" he asked the excited Totodile, gesturing to a large inflatable swimming pool that had just been inflated.

[Okay!] Dundee replied before taking a deep breath and unleashing a Water Gun, filling up the pool. he called before hurrying off.

"What are you--!" Brock asked before he saw Dundee return with Meri, and set her in the pool. He then winced as Meri sprayed Dundee, then stormed off.

"I'm confused...why would Dundee be suddenly obsessed with this Azumarill?" Ethan wondered as he retrieved Dundee and dried him off.

"Maybe he's falling in love?" Misty suggested.

A grin formed on Ethan's face. "There's an idea...who would've thunk Pokemon could develop crushes too?"

---------

"And now, here's Meri the Marvelous and her amazing water juggling act!" Trixie announced, to thunderous applause from a large crowd as a spotlight appeared on Meri, who was juggling a set of seven balls with a single Water Gun.

"Whoa! She's good!" Ash raved.

Misty noticed Dundee squirming to get free from Ethan's arms. "Dundee's being antsier than usual..."

"He's--!" Ethan started before Dundee wriggled free from his arms and made a beeline for the stage! "Dundee! NOOOOOOO!!!"

He watched as Dundee eagerly danced for the crowd a little, but when someone threw a Tamato Berry at him in an attempt to get him offstage, he eagerly sprayed it with a Water Gun, proceeding to juggle it himself.

The crowd roared with laughter and eagerly threw more Berries for Dundee to juggle. [Fine--if that lovesick Totodile wants to upstage me, he can have the stage!] Meri grumbled before storming off with a huff.

Back in the audience, Ash took the lights going down as an opportunity to capture Dundee. "Come on, Ethan--if we're gonna get Dundee off the stage, now's our chance!"

"Right!" Ethan replied and followed Ash to a stage entrance. He was already embarrassed enough that Dundee had upstaged the scheduled acts, but deep down, he feared he would be even more embarrassed by being roped into an act.

Neither of the boys realized that Dundee had finished juggling Berries and had dashed off after Meri until they felt spotlights appear on them and a recording of the Johto reel "The Chorus Line" blared into the air, making both boys freeze in their tracks.

Inspired, Ash decided to shuffle-step in time to the beat. When in Orre... Ethan sighed as he too mimicked Ash's shuffle-stepping, making sure to mimic every kick, roll step, toe step, and jump his friend did. To the crowd, it looked like the two boys onstage had been trained in traditional dancing for years, when in actuality, they were only making up the steps as they went along.

Even Lyra was impressed as the reel "Goldenrod House" began. "Wow...I didn't know Ash and Ethan knew how to step dance!"

"They don't--they're only making it up as they go." Misty replied, trying oh-so-hard not to laugh at Ash's and Ethan's awkward smiles as they "danced" to the song.

The song ending and the boys taking a relieved bow gave her an idea. "Okay Brock--now you can sing one of your folktale ballads while Ash and Ethan look for Dundee."

"You got it!" Brock replied as he hurried off, guitar in tow.

Ash motioned for Ethan to follow him backstage as Brock started the introduction to the ballad he had tried to sing before, making the audience clap along. "Brock's got the audience busy, let's find Dundee!"

"Right behind you." Ethan smiled. "Although...that step dancing cover was a good idea, even if we were making up the steps on the fly."

"The sooner we find Dundee, the better." Ash muttered as he heard Brock lead the ballad's chorus on the stage:

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-12-2017, 01:12 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 46: Dundee's First Love (part 2)

Elsewhere, Team Rocket watched Ash and Ethan's awkward dance and Brock's epic ballad from the safety of a bush. "So, the two hat boys fancy themselves dancers, do they..." Jessie smiled. "Maybe if we just grabbed that Azumarill and the hat-twerp's Pikachu, we could start our own little traveling show..."

"And Robin Hood twerp also fancies himself a rock star...interesting." James smiled, bemused over Brock singing and playing guitar on the stage.

"I dunno, you guys...I don't want my tail used as a chew toy..." Meowth was unsure about his human companions' idea.

A smile formed on his face. "I would, however, be game for a soykis if I got ta announce da acts rather dan bein' an act."

"All right, what would you put in our traveling show if we let you announce the acts?" Jessie was intrigued.

"It'd be a show for da ages--not jus' for da admins and da boss, but truly da greatest show on oith!" Meowth replied, slipping into a daydream of a crowd of Rockets entering a huge circus tent, with the four admins and Giovanni in a private box overlooking the center ring. "And it wouldn't be jus' you guys and any swiped Pokemon handlin' da acts--any of da grunts dat could perform could join in!"

"Okay...so what kind of acts do you think Archer, Ariana, Petrel, and Proton would like?" James asked as the Meowth in the daydream announced Meri doing her juggling act, to "aw"s and laughter from the Rockets in the audience.

"Lessee here...Archa likes big spectacle, so any acrobatical act would be poifect!" Meowth replied as in his daydream, Jessie, as a trapeze artist, performed a graceful somersault over the crowd and stuck the landing, to Archer's ecstatic applause.

"Ariana loves da teater, so any sort of tricks with actin' will do for her." Meowth mused as in his daydream, James proceeded to perform a Pyroar taming act with a story.

"Petrel likes magic acts and illusions...." Meowth mused as a Rocket magician appeared on the stage. "But don't tink we're jus' pullin' Bunearies out of a hat--dese will be tricks so amazin' you have ta see'em to believe'em!" The Petrel in the daydream gasps in awe as the young magician performs a clothing change trick.

"Protons' da techno-geek, so anyting with video game music and lasas will do for him." The daydream shows some more acrobats doing an elegant aerial dance to a techno version of The Legend of Zelda theme, to the Proton in the dream's awe.

In the present, Meowth sighed dreamily as he imagined his circus. "That's actually a good idea, Meowth--let's move out and get those Pokemon, and we'll make your dream circus come true." Jessie's voice snapped the tiny cat-Pokemon back to reality.

"Okay--right behind ya!" Meowth replied as he hurried to catch up to his companions.

---------

"I'm so sorry Dundee upstaged your act, Trixie." Ethan apologized some time later, after the show had ended. "I don't know what got into him, but he seems obsessed with your Azumarill for some reason..."

"It's okay--you and your friends are pretty talented yourselves." Trixie replied.

"Speaking of Dundee, where did he get to?" Misty wondered.

"Last I checked, I gave him to Brock to try and talk some sense into him, but I think he's only making the problem worse..." Ethan groaned as he looked over towards a tree, where Brock was talking to Dundee.

"If you want a girl to like you, they love getting gifts." Brock explained. "So why don't you try giving Meri some of the Pokechow I made yesterday?"

[Okay!] Dundee smiled as Brock gave him three balls of Pokechow, then hurried over to the lakeshore, where Meri was resting. [Would you like a snack? Fresh Pokechow?] he asked, offering Meri one of the balls.

[No thanks--I wouldn't want to spoil my dinner] Meri replied as she got up to leave.

[Aw...] Dundee sighed. But his sadness turned to horror when he saw a large net come down onto Meri! [Meri! I'll save ya, sweetheart!] he called before hurrying off after the net

Horrified at seeing Meri captured, and Dundee's heroic efforts to grab at the net as it was dragged through the grass, Brock fumbled for his referee's whistle. I never thought I'd have to use the alert signal I once learned as a scout, but this is an emergency!

With that, he blew a single long blast, sending Ash, Misty, Ethan, and Lyra hurrying to the shoreline. "What happened?" Ethan asked, his heart pounding in fear as he watched Dundee grab at the net.

"I was trying to teach Dundee some proper behavior around a lady when I saw a net come out of nowhere and take Meri." Brock explained. "Dundee chased after it, and is still trying to grab at it."

Ash growled as a familiar Meowth balloon appeared in the sky, allowing Dundee to see that the net was attached to the basket. "I knew Team Rocket would catch up to us sooner or later..."

"Your little friend can try all he wants, but it won't be worth the trouble." Jessie smirked as Dundee tried to jump onto the net.

"And should he fall from the sky, he pain will be double!" James agreed.

With that, the two Rockets began the all-too-familiar motto:

"To protect the world from devastation..."

"And unite all peoples within our nation..."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"Errrgh...Tintri, use Thunderbolt!" Ash called.

"Not today, hat-boy!" Meowth sneered as he trapped Tintri inside a shock-proof jar. "You want him? Come and get him!"

"Tintri!" Ash called as the balloon flew away.

[I'll save them both!] Dundee vowed as he hurried off in the direction the balloon was going. [Even if I have to go to the end of the world to do it!]

"No!" Ethan gasped as he and Ash hurried off after Dundee. "Dundee, it's too dangerous! Please, come back!"

---------

"Well...we got back Dundee, and then lost him again..." Ethan sighed a few hours later, as he and Ash returned to the camp near the shore, where the group had gathered to plan their next move.

"But we need to get back Tintri and Meri..." Ash sighed as he shared a tearful embrace with Trixie.

He then turned his cap back. "Trixie...you have our word we will do everything we can to save Meri, okay?"

"Well, we can't do any rescuing while we're having one big pity party!" Misty grumbled. "I know it hurts to lose a Pokemon, but we can't sit here and cry all night! We have to do something!"

"So what do you suggest, Lady Misty?" Brock asked, bowing before Misty as if she were a knight.

"Let's begin our search on the other side of the lake, in the direction the balloon went--the Rockets can't have gone very far." Misty began as Ash helped her break camp.

"Breeze, try to search from the air, and tell us if you see any sign of those hoodlums that Poke-napped Meri." Trixie instructed her Pidgey.

"If we find the balloon, I'll be happy to pop it again." Brock grinned as he retrieved his archery gear, put out the campfire, and followed Misty and the others into the brush...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-15-2017, 11:32 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 47: Dundee's First Love (part 3)

Meanwhile, Team Rocket made themselves at home in a log cabin, complete with the captive Pikachu and Azumarill. "Come on Meri, do the water juggling act?" Jessie pleaded.

[No--I have no business with hoodlums like you.] Meri replied.

"Or, do a ribbon dance?" James asked, dangling a ribbon before Meri.

[No.] Meri replied. This continued for a while:

"Balance on a ball for us?"

[No.]

"Do a trapeze act?"

[No.]

"The Pokemon pyramid?"

[No.]

"We'll make you a dinner fit for royalty if you do something for us...."

[No.]

Annoyed, Jessie stormed over to the defiant Azumarill and lifted a hand to slap her. "Fine, we're done being nice! If you don't do as we ask, we'll give you a reason to obey!"

Moments before Jessie could slap Meri, she was doused in a wave of water. [She doesn't WANT to obey you crooks!] Dundee cried as he dashed into the cabin and stood between Jessie and the frightened Azumarill.

"Can it, chompa!" Meowth growled as he jumped Dundee and tied him up tightly. "Let's see ya try to bite tru dis rope!"

---------

"Meri!" Trixie called as the group made their way through the brush.

"Tintri!" Ash was next to call.

"Dundee!" Ethan called before sighing. "It's no use, guys...we're never gonna find them at this rate."

He saw tears shining in Ash's eyes. "I know...I want Dundee back as much as you want Tintri back and Trixie wants Meri back, but we're not going to get anywhere running on no sleep."

"Ethan has a point." Brock agreed as the group arrived in a small field. "Let's just make camp for now, and plan our next move for in the morning."

Ash sighed. "Okay...but if Team Rocket has hurt Tintri in any way, shape, or form when we find him, I'm gonna make them pay dearly!"

---------

[Meri?] Tintri whispered from his cage. [You awake?]

[Yeah...] Meri sniffled as she looked out at the moon. [I'm just scared, and worried...what are those hoodlums gonna do to us? Will our masters ever find us?]

Tintri eased a Kleenex box over by his cage, took one, and tried to offer it to Meri. [Here...can you reach this?]

[Thank you...] Meri sobbed before blowing her nose with a soft honk.

[I know our masters are out there.] Tintri assured Meri. [If Brock can send Team Rocket running with a rain of arrows or pop their Meowth balloon with one, he can come save us!]

Meri giggled a little--the first time she had laughed that day. [I'm sure your singer friend is equally talented with archery as he is with song...]

A chomp got both Pokemon's attention. [There...finally chewed through all the rope.] Dundee smiled as he kicked away what remained of his bindings through his own cage.

He remembered Meri's teal ribbon and offered to her through the cage bars. [I did get your ribbon back on my way here.]

[Thank you...] Meri smiled as she took the ribbon.

[And to cheer you up, I'll do a jive!] Dundee offered, a bit too loudly.

[SHHHHHH!!!] Tintri quieted Dundee. [You can't dance in here, or you'll wake the Rockets up!]

Dundee sighed. [All right, fearless leader-chu, got anything quiet to cheer Meri up?]

[I do, actually...] Tintri smiled before asking Meri [Wanna hear a story about a brave little girl?]

[Sure!] Meri smiled.

[Okay...] Tintri waited for a moment for Dundee to settle in, then began [Once upon a time, a certain village was struck by a harsh drought. Many of the crops died, and the villagers feared they would starve that winter. One traveler even feared he would have to sell his daughters into slavery...]

---------

The night passed without incident, and Tintri had kept his friends entertained by quietly telling them stories he had heard Brock tell. But as the sun rose the next morning, Team Rocket prepared to make their getaway. "I wonder...what if, instead of a traveling show, we gave our catches to the admins and the boss?" James mused as he joined his comrades outside.

"Assuming the boss gets the Pikachu, who would get the Azumarill and the Totodile?" Jessie wondered as she finished the flight checks.

"Archer gets the Totodile, since he likes fierce and intimidating Pokemon; and Ariana gets the Azumarill, since she likes pretty Pokemon." James explained as he climbed inside the basket.

"But den Petrel and Proton don't get a Pokemon!" Meowth protested as he loaded the cages holding Tintri, Meri, and Dundee aboard, forgetting all about his circus dream from the previous day. "We need to find dem a Pokemon too so dey're not left out!"

"We'll see what we can find when we take off, so all the admins get a Pokemon gift." Jessie assured Meowth.

The Rockets, however, were blissfully unaware of the Pidgey watching their takeoff in the brush. Breeze then flew as fast as she could to meet the group. [You guys! The Rockets are getting away!]

"I see that..." Trixie noted as the Meowth balloon started to rise into the brightening sky. "If only we had a way to bring down that balloon..."

"Here's your answer." Brock grinned as he showed Trixie an arrow.

"Archery--what a great idea!" Trixie smiled as Brock nocked his shot and aimed at the rising balloon.

Lyra watched as Brock fired a few moments later, then smiled as a POW! confirmed a hit. "Nice shot!" she smiled as the Meowth balloon came crashing back on the ground.

"Wasn't the first time I've shot down the Rockets, and it likely won't be the last." Brock assured Lyra.

"You'll have to tell me about the first time later." Lyra replied as she led the group over to where the cages containing Tintri and Dundee lay, aware of the Rockets assessing the puncture in the balloon's fabric. The impact of the crash had caused both cages to pop open, allowing their occupants freedom.

"Tintri!" Ash gave a mighty Ursaring hug to his companion.

"Dundee!" Ethan was equally happy to see his Totodile. "Are you all right?"

[Yeah--Rockets didn't hurt me or nothing...just gave me a lot of rope to chew through.] Dundee replied.

"That's two out of three...where's Meri?" Lyra wondered.

Just then, Misty spotted Meri's cage in the basket, guarded by Arbok and Weezing. "There!"

Lyra motioned for the Pokemon to huddle around her. "Okay...Trixie, if you tell Wave to knock out their Arbok and Weezing, Hana will lasso Meri's cage with a Vine Whip, and Dundee can dispatch the two human Rockets. And then Tintri can do the rest."

[I've got this!] Hana smiled.

[It's payback time!] Dundee agreed.

"Okay, Wave! Use Water Gun!" Trixie commanded.

Arbok and Weezing were not expecting Wave;s assault, and were quickly washed away. Dundee's spray came moments later, knocking Jessie and James down and buying Hana time to catch Meri's cage.

Ash grinned as Hana nudged Meri to safety. "Okay, bud...your turn for a little payback."

[HI-YAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!] Tintri cried as he unleashed a massive Thunderbolt, sending the Rockets and their damaged balloon flying off with a [i]ping.

[Just a nudge over here...] Hana mused as she finished picking the lock of Meri's cage with one of her vines and a thorn. [Done!] she smiled as the cage door opened.

[Master!] Meri cried as she ran to hug Trixie.

"Oh, Meri...you had me worried all night!" Trixie smiled as she hugged her Azumarill. "Are you okay? Did those crooks hurt you at all?"

[No...they almost did.] Meri replied.

Dundee, meanwhile, wistfully looked at Meri. [Do I...go confess my feelings for her now?]

"Go on." Brock coaxed. "Now's your chance."

But no one expected Meri to run past Dundee and into Wave's webbed arms! [Thank you for saving me, Wave! You're my hero!] Meri smiled.

Wave replied. [I'd even die for you if I had to!]

As Dundee watched the reunion in shock, Trixie just smiled. "I see...Meri had feelings for Wave all this time...and now Wave's confessed his feelings for her!"

[Aw...I wanted to be the one confessing feelings...] Dundee sighed as he slumped to the grass.

"It's okay, Dundee--even you can't win every time, love--and not just the romantic kind--is still worth fighting for." Brock assured Dundee.

[You're right--there's plenty more Magikarp in the sea!] Dundee smiled, making everyone laugh. Even Misty had to giggle in agreement.

"Thank you for sharing your talents with me and my crew..." Trixie smiled. "Even if your Totodile had a crush on Meri."

"I'll be happy to share more stories and songs with you if we meet again." Brock replied as he gathered his gear.

"Come on, Dundee!" Ethan called. "It's time to go!"

He balked when he saw Dundee dancing for a Quagsire on the shore. [i]Here we go again... he thought as he raced to recall the Totodile before he caused even more trouble.

A splash got his attention as the Quagsire walked away. "Come on--you've had enough adventure for one day." Ethan assured Dundee.

Misty sighed as Ethan shepherded Dundee back towards the group. "All we need now is for Dundee to pull out a guitar and sing, and he'll be just like Brock!"

[Singing--what a great idea!] Dundee gasped before dashing up to a Piplup. [O sole mio, o solo you-oh!] he tried to sing, before a flash of light got his attention--Ethan trying to recall him!

"Come on, Dundee--I don't have time for this!" Ethan called as he chased after his lovesick Totodile. "Dundee, return! Dundee, come on, one crush was enough! Dundee, come back here! DUNDEEEEEEEEEEE!"

To Be Continued....

EmeraldSky

02-19-2017, 01:11 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 48: Fowl Play! (part 1)

"It took a little work, but Dundee finally listened to Ethan." Ash assured the others as they made their way through a forest.

"Maybe Ethan and Lyra taking a different route from us is for the better..." Misty agreed. "Hopefully Ethan can teach Dundee how to behave around girl Pokemon--although I will admit what you told him was a good start."

She was snapped from her thoughts by a large birdhouse overlooking a large clearing. "Oh wow...what kind of bird Pokemon would fit in a birdhouse like that?"

"It'd have to be something huge...." Brock mused, impressed by the size of the birdhouse's entry hole.

"Mina could probably fit in there..." Ash suggested before a majestic brown owl-like Pokemon landed in a tree near the birdhouse. He motioned for his friends to follow him into a bush, where they watched the Noctowl climb towards the birdhouse.

Once concealed by the bush, Ash retrieved his Pokedex to read up on their discovery:

"Noctowl, the owl Pokemon. Its eyes are specially developed to enable it to see clearly even in murky darkness and minimal light."

"Wow!" Misty gasped before the rustling of a branch and a male voice got her attention. "Something's going on outside..."

Brock parted some leaves to see a brown haired researcher in a purple outfit and a pale yellow scarf shooing away the Noctowl with a branch. "Looks like this researcher is shooing the Noctowl away, like it's not the one he wants, or something."

All three friends gasped as a Noctowl that shone with a soft gold aura from its glittering gold feathers landed on the birdhouse. "A Shiny Noctowl..." Misty mused. "And just days after seeing a Shiny Golduck too..."

"Presumably, every Pokemon in the world has a Shiny form--you can tell from their different coloration and either a shining aura or a glittering body--or with some kinds, both." Brock explained. "In folklore, Shiny Pokemon are said to be magically gifted or divine--the most famous example being Epona, the Shiny Ponyta common in many folktales."

He was snapped from his lecture by the Noctowl kicking away some Berries on a branch away, causing the man to barely hang onto a branch. It then pecked at the man's fingers, causing him to fall to the ground before flying away.

"Are you okay?" Ash asked as the group emerged from the bush to assess the man for injuries.

"I think so..." the man replied. "Thank you for your kind concern--I am Dr. Wiseman, Pokemon biologist. I've been following this Shining Noctowl in hopes I can capture her and study how Shiny Pokemon fare in captivity. This way, I can find out if there's any truth to legends of Shiny Pokemon having magical power."

"So it's a girl?" Misty asked.

Dr. Wiseman nodded. "The females are usually larger than the males, but our female is special because of her color, which makes her a precious specimen worthy of study! But no matter what I do to attract her, she outwits me, and so I have yet to catch her, as you plainly saw from your vantage point in the brush."

Ash eagerly fished a Poke Ball from his bag. "Since you say this Noctowl is rare, I'm gonna take a crack at catching her myself!"

He then heaved the Poke Ball at the shining Noctowl before him. "Poke Ball, go!"

the Shiny Noctowl taunted as it kicked the Poke Ball away, to Ash's horror. Her eyes then glowed a deep blue. [You are getting sleepy...]

"I'm gonna...catch you...if it's..." Ash yawned before slumping to the ground, asleep.

"Hello?" Misty asked, nudging her dozing friend before the whoosh of wings got her attention. "There she goes..." she sighed as the Shiny Noctowl flew away.

Brock retrieved his referee's whistle from a pocket. "Allow me to wake Ash up...so you may want to cover your ears."

With that, he blew as hard as he could, making Ash wake up with a jump! "Okay, I'm up! I'm up!" he gasped, much to Misty's delight as he scrambled to his feet.

"You should've seen the look on your face!" Misty smiled, giggling as she savored the memory of Ash's shocked face when Brock had blown his whistle.

Even Dr. Wiseman couldn't resist smiling. "Let's return to my forest cabin...we'll talk more there."

---------

"So why would you be all the way out here, and not a part of the Pokemon you study?" Brock wondered.

"It's simple...I want to study only the rarest and most unusual Pokemon." Dr. Wiseman replied. "Once I have discovered all the secrets this forest has to offer, I'll comb the region, and then other regions, to find their hidden treasures only a rare few ever see."

"If it's rare Pokemon you want to see, I've got one right here." Misty offered as she retrieved the Poke Ball holding her Golduck. "Michelle, come on out!"

"But that looks like any other Golduck..." Dr. Wiseman was unimpressed at the muscular blue duck Pokemon before him.

"Even though you'd never believe it seeing her as a Golduck, as a Psyduck she was rare and unusual because she couldn't fly or swim." Misty explained. "But with a lot of work, some patience, and a little love, she caught up to her peers, and now she can fly and swim."

Misty giggling made Dr. Wiseman grimace. [i]Now I want to catch the shining Noctowl all the more, because laughter reminds me of the way she mocks me.

I don't know what Dr. Wiseman plans to do with this Shiny Noctowl once he gets it, but something's not right here... Ash thought when he saw Dr. Wiseman's pained grimace.

Both of them made the same silent promise: I will catch that Shiny Noctowl, if it's the last thing I do!

---------

Later, the group watched from a bush as Dr. Wiseman rigged an odd device to a tree. "You sure that whatever he's rigging in the tree's going to work?" Misty wondered.

"I don't know..." Ash replied. "I just don't think using a trap to catch it is right...that sounds like something Kamon or Team Rocket would do."

He went on "Once Dr. Wiseman has that Noctowl, who knows what he plans to do to her?"

Just then, Dr. Wiseman joined the group in the brush with the loose end of a rope. "All right...now all we have to do is wait!"

A few tense moments passed before the group heard the whooshing of wings approaching. Just as the shining Noctowl landed on the branch, Dr. Wiseman pulled the rope, revealing a mirror next to where the shiny Noctowl stood.

Brock watched in awe as the shiny Noctowl used Hypnosis on its own reflection. "I see...the mirror reflects the attack back, making the target hypnotize itself."

However, the reflection of the Hypnosis happened to shine in Dr. Wiseman's eyes as well! "Not only does it hypnotize whatever looks at it, but anything in the direction the light of the Hypnosis reflects from!" Ash mused as Dr Wiseman slumped to the ground, asleep. "The light is coming right at Dr. Wiseman, since he is in the path of the reflection!"

He noticed the Noctowl sleepily stumbling towards the bush. "Are you okay?" Ash asked, shielding his eyes from the Noctowl's glittering feathers as it approached.

"Be careful, Ash...the Noctowl might feel threatened." Brock cautioned as Ash tensely reached out to touch the shiny Pokemon before him.

Just then, a breeze sent a branch flying, hitting Dr. Wiseman. "Mm...was it supposed to be windy today?" he yawned as he woke up.

Misty gasped when she saw where the wind was coming from--a massive fan controlled by Team Rocket! "I KNEW you hoodlums would be showing up sooner or later!"

"Besides, didn't we already break a fan you used?" Brock agreed.

"Yeah, I know, we've tried dis tactic oilier in dis story..." Meowth assured the group. "But dis time, I'm confident it will woik!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-23-2017, 05:00 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 49: Fowl Play! (part 2)

Previously, on Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

Just then, a breeze sent a branch flying, hitting Dr. Wiseman. "Mm...was it supposed to be windy today?" he yawned as he woke up.

Misty gasped when she saw where the wind was coming from--a massive fan controlled by Team Rocket! "I KNEW you hoodlums would be showing up sooner or later!"

"Besides, didn't we already break a fan you used?" Brock agreed.

"Yeah, I know, we've tried dis tactic oilier in dis story..." Meowth assured the group. "But dis time, I'm confident it will woik!"

Ash growled in frustration at seeing the odd machine. "Tintri, use Thunderbolt!"

[HAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!] Tintri screeched as he fired the attack--but the group had to dive for cover as the crackling thunderbolt went flying back at them!

Not one to be deterred, Ash selected two of his other Poke Balls. "River, Cyndy, I choose both of you!"

"Not today, hat-boy!" James taunted as he flipped a switch, triggering some balloons at the bottom of the machine to inflate, sending the Marill and the Cyndaquil tumbling to the ground!

Dr. Wiseman, however, had come to in all the confusion. "This is it! My chance to get the Shiny Noctowl!" he smiled as he reached out to take the beautiful gold Noctowl.

"Who said this Shiny Pokemon was yours?" Jessie taunted as she picked up the Shiny Noctowl and Dr. Wiseman with a claw, sending the researcher flying as they brought the gold Noctowl to them.

Misty heard the thud of Dr. Wiseman landing some moments later. "You guys deal with the Rockets, I'll make sure Dr. Wiseman is okay!" she called.

"Okay!" Ash replied. "Brock, think you could send an arrow to stop that mecha?"

"Already on it." Brock replied as he reached for an arrow, aimed at the escaping mecha, and fired a few moments later, sending the strange machine falling into a clearing with a crash.

"Nice aim." Dr. Wiseman smiled. "But where did our Shiny Noctowl get to?"

"I see it!" Misty pointed out the Shining Noctowl peeking out from a lower compartment of the destroyed mecha.

"I'm gonna try and pry the bottom open so she can get out!" Ash offered before swinging onto the mecha's foot from a tree and using all his strength, but was soon exhausted. "This thing is harder to pull apart than I thought..."

"Let me see if Michelle can help you out." Misty volunteered before hurling a Poke Ball skyward. "Michelle, go help Ash!"

Michelle smiled as she sent some magenta waves of Confusion to weaken the bolts, allowing Ash to pull the metal apart just enough to allow the Shiny Noctowl to fly to safety.

"Thanks, Michelle." Ash smiled at the Golduck before a crack got his attention--the branch he had been using as leverage was about to give way!

The Shiny Noctowl watched in horror as the branch cracked, sending Ash hurtling towards the ground below. [Someone...help my rescuer!] she called before flying into a position that allowed Ash to land on her back.

[Let's turn up the heat!] Cyndy smiled before unleashing a Flamethrower.

[Never underestimate the power of steam!] River smiled as she sprayed a Water Gun at some of the super hot metal, creating a cloud of steam as the steel began to buckle, making a large crack in the bottom.

[And for the finishing touch, a shocking ending!] Tintri grinned as he fired another Thunderbolt into the crack, making the mecha and its three occupants glow bright yellow before they and the mecha's remains went flying into the sky with a [i]ping.

"Good riddance." Brock smiled as he put away his bow.

"Without that shot, we wouldn't have had a chance." Misty assured her friend.

Just then, the Shiny Noctowl fluttered to a branch facing Ash. [For rescuing me, and your heroic deed today, I pledge my allegiance to you, and no other.]

"Honest?" Ash asked. The Noctowl nodded.

After thinking a moment for a suitable name, he announced to his teammates and Dr. Wiseman "All right...I'm gonna call you Goldie!"

"Goldie...a fitting name." Dr. Wiseman smiled. "Perhaps I am not meant to own this Shining Pokemon--she is too smart for me. But if she has pledged herself to you, maybe you or another researcher will have better luck with her."

"I know just the researcher for the job--Prof. Oak, of my home region of Kanto." Ash explained. "I'm sure he would love to learn about Shiny Pokemon."

"That he would--I hear he is the foremost authority of Pokemon." Dr Wiseman smiled.

He turned to Ash. "Whether you send Goldie to Prof. Oak right away, or allow her to travel with you, I wish you all the very best of luck and safe travels on your adventures."

"We will, Doctor--and good luck with your own research as well!" Ash replied as he embraced Dr. Wiseman, then turned to walk with his companions into the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-25-2017, 11:41 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 50: Forest Grumps (part 1)

(what Brock tells (http://oaks.nvg.org/sich.html#hermhelp)

Ash's song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qbuD1dK76g))

"I hope Goldie will be all right with Prof. Oak..." Misty smiled as the group made their way down a forest path.

"I think so...she looked relieved to be with Prof. Oak and not that Dr. Wiseman guy..." Ash replied. "I still shudder at what he was planning to do to her when he caught her..."

"Well, what matters is she's safe and in good hands with an ethical researcher..." Brock assured Ash. "Prof. Oak doesn't look like the type to be doing shady experiments..."

Ash was about to answer when a female voice calling "Ya-ho!" got his attention. "Oh, hey! Ethan and Lyra are making camp by that lake!" he called as the trio emerged from the brush into in open clearing, where sure enough, Ethan and Lyra had made camp by a lake.

"Fancy finding you guys again!" Ethan smiled as the group arrived. "If you're curious, Dundee has behaved himself since we last went our separate ways.

"If you're hungry, we're about to have lunch." Lyra offered.

"We'll take you up on that...come on out, everyone!" Ash called, heaving his own Poke Balls skyward.

"You guys too!" Misty did likewise, releasing her own team.

"And you guys!" Brock also released his team.

"Good thing I made enough chili for all of us..." Ethan smiled as he checked a small pot simmering over the campfire. "Thanks again for the recipe..." he told Brock.

"Anytime." Brock replied. "It works over a campfire as well it does on a stovetop...and heats up very nicely in the microwave the next day!"

"I have to ask, though--what gives it its kick?" Lyra asked. "Hot sauce?"

"Nope--taco seasoning." Brock replied. "Easy way to give it a bite without setting your mouth on fire. I will warn you to use it sparingly--a little bit goes a long way."

"Point noted." Ethan replied before giving Brock a spoonful to taste test.

"Hm...I like how you added actual onions instead of onion powder." Brock explained. "Adds a little sweetness to it."

He was about to say more when something shiny in the air caught his attention. "What's that?"

Misty realized the shiny object was a net. "JUMP!"

The group and the Pokemon scrambled out of the way as the net landed on the grass. "You're not trying anything funny today, Team Rocket!" Ash called in the direction of some bushes, where the net had come from.

He waited to see if Team Rocket would come out and say their "To protect the world from devastation" spiel, but balked in surprise as Kamon emerged from the bushes. "Kamon? That was you that built that net?"

"Yeah...just little old me, and not those Team Rocket goons." Kamon smirked. "I meant to move all your friends' Pokemon out of the way so we could fight one on one, but it appears my net didn't work..."

Just then, a hum and a PYEOW! of a Hyper Beam filled the air, sending Kamon diving into the brush to avoid the bright orange beam.

"What was that?" Lyra asked, confused as to where the beam had come from.

"I have a bad feeling about this...everyone, return!" Misty called, recalling her team.

"And you guys!" Brock agreed.

After everyone had recalled their teams and broken camp, Ethan noticed a group of large bear Pokemon approaching where their camp had been. "We'd better get out of here before those bear Pokemon turn us into toast!" he cried as the bear Pokemon charged at the group.

The group raced as fast as they could through the brush, the PYEOWs of Hyper Beams raining around them as they leaped over tree roots and locks, avoided thorn patches, and climbed through logs. But as the group approached a three way fork in the road, Brock and Lyra dashed down the left path, Misty and Ethan continued on the main path, and Ash, Tintri, and Kamon hurried down the right path, unaware that the group had been split into three smaller groups.

"Did we lose them?" Ash asked as he and Tintri came to a stop some moments later.

"I think we did...and now that we're both together, we can finally battle so I can prove you're not as wonderful as you think, Wonder Boy!" Kamon growled as he drew a circle in the dust with a stick, then drew a line to split the circle in half, so it more or less resembled a Poke Ball.

Growls got Ash's attention. "Now's not the time to battle, let's go!" he called to Kamon as more Ursarings arrived.

---------

"Whew...they're gone, but where did the others get to?" Misty asked as she and Ethan stopped to rest by a stream.

"I think in all the confusion, we got separated from each other." Ethan replied before calling into the brush "Lyra!"

"Ash! Brock! Where are you?" Misty called.

When no reply came, a determined look formed on her face. "Ethan...if we're gonna find everyone, we'll have to be a team--can you do that?"

"Sure." Ethan replied. "Good friends stick together, no matter what."

Just then, more growls alerted Misty to some approaching Ursarings. "Well, as our first act as a team, we need to run!"

---------

"Okay...I'm pretty sure those beam-bears won't find us here." Kamon mused as he and Ash arrived by a still pond. "Although if we're gonna battle, our referee's nowhere to be found..."

"I think our battle's gonna have to wait..." Ash confessed. "We've lost everyone else."

Kamon sighed. "Okay...if it means getting out of here in one piece, I'll do what I can to help you find your cohorts, Wonder Boy."

He noticed Ash's Pokedex peeking out of Ash's bag. "Can't you use that Game Boy-thingy to find out more info on those beam-bears?"

"Sure..." Ash retrieved the Pokedex and allowed Kamon to see a picture of the bear Pokemon that had been chasing them:

"Ursaring, the hibernator Pokemon. Its keen nose can pick out any scent, even that of food buried deep underground."

"Wow...no wonder they've been able to find us." Kamon was impressed. "If you can make us a camp, I'll keep an eye out for crazed Ursarings."

"Got it!" Ash replied before unpacking his own camp gear.

---------

"Misty!" Lyra called as she and Brock searched down the path. Brock then whistled in hopes that Misty would hear him, but no answer came.

Lyra, meanwhile, slumped against a tree. "It's no use...we're never gonna find them at this rate..."

"So long as we stick together, everything will be okay." Brock assured Lyra.

A hopeful smile formed on Lyra's face. "I think in our rush to get away, we all got separated...so the others can't have gone very far."

"That's the spirit!" Brock smiled. "Are we a team?"

Lyra nodded. "Lead the way, O fearless leader."

---------

"No sign of the boys yet..." Misty sighed as she and Ethan continued down the path. "I wonder if they are looking for us at all..."

"I'm sure they are, and I know Lyra's looking for me." Ethan replied. "She may look like a sweetheart, but she and her Pokemon are a great team."

He noticed another fork in the road in the distance. "How bout it? Should we keep going this way, or take one of the forks?"

Misty dug a coin from her pocket. "Heads, we go left, tails, we go right."

With that, she flipped the coin... only for it to land on its side! "So, what do we do if it landed on its side?" Ethan asked as the coin continued to spin on its side in the dust."

"Let's just keep going down the way we're on." Misty sighed. "For all we know, those two forks are dead ends!"

---------

As the stars came out for the night, Brock and Lyra arrived near a large pond. "It's getting late, so let's just make camp here for the night." Brock suggested.

"Good idea." Lyra suggested as she unloaded her camp gear and watched Brock start a campfire.

She next tossed two Poke Balls skyward. "Hana, Saphir, come on out!"

"How nice to see you again, Miss Hana." Brock smiled as the Chikorita watched him cube some potatoes.

He then noticed a Marill by Hana. "This must be Saphir, yes?"

Lyra nodded. "Seeing Misty with Ami and Ash with River inspired me to get a Marill of my own. Saphir's still a little shy though, so don't take it personally if she doesn't join in the campfire sing alongs at first."

[H-hi...] the Marill stammered at Brock before looking at the pot simmering over the campfire. [What's in there?]

"Our dinner for the night--baked potato soup." Brock explained as he added some chicken stock to the pot.

After adding some bacon chunks and cheese to the pot, Brock let the soup simmer for an hour before spooning it into bowls. "Okay--it's ready."

"Mm...this is good!" Lyra raved. "Better than my mom's recipe!"

"Well, when you have to cook for a large family that is various degrees of picky, you have to maintain a balance between broadening horizons and something you know they'll eat." Brock explained. "Of course, it's always nice when you find something everybody can agree on, like chili and baked potato soup."

Lyra ate a little more of her soup, than asked Brock "Think you could spin one of your Lore Stage yarns? It would keep me from going nuts worrying about Ethan."

"Sure." Brock replied. "Any requests?"

[Tell the one about the hermit that helped win the princess!] Hana requested.

"Okay..." Brock then started the story. "Long ago, there lived a very rich man who had three sons--their names are not important just yet. When he felt his time was approaching, he divided his property between them, making them share and share alike, both in money and land."

[That's fair...] Saphir smiled.

"Now, the king of the land where they lived had a daughter--we'll call her Wendy." Brock explained. "One day, he told all the heralds to proclaim throughout the land that whoever could build a ship that sail as easily on land as it could on water would have Princess Wendy's hand in marriage...."

----------

"I knew we should've taken one of the forks..." Misty grumbled as she and Ethan continued down the path. "For all I know, we could be going around in circles!"

"Let's just make camp for the night--it's getting dark." Ethan suggested as he motioned for Misty to follow him to a hill.

"Okay..." Misty sighed, more out of relief than anything else. "What are we gonna have to eat, though?"

"I have some sandwiches from yesterday..." Ethan replied as he got out a small cooler filled with drinks and food. "Ham, turkey, or roast beef?"

"Ham." Misty smiled as she took one of the ham sandwiches and added some Cheddar cheese and mustard to it.

But before she could take a bite, a growl got her attention. "Our sandwiches will have to wait, the Ursarings found us!" she screamed as she motioned for Ethan to follow her, moments before some angry Ursarings crashed through the brush...

---------

"Okay...I don't think Ursarings will be able to find us in here..." Ash assured Kamon as the two of them crawled into a cave overlooking a pond.

"Just arrange the sticks we found into a nice pattern, and I'll get a fire going." Kamon suggested as he reached for a red lighter in his pocket.

After starting their campfire and putting a Combusken breast over a makeshift spit to roast, Kamon told Ash "You know, Wonder Boy...Ash...you're actually not that bad to be around. In fact, I'm surprised anyone would want to hang out with me after all the grief I've given you..."

"It doesn't matter, I'd still give anyone stranded in the forest a safe place to camp, food, and a bed." Ash assured Kamon. "Including someone like you."

Once the meat and vegetables were ready, and the boys and Tintri had eaten, Kamon asked "So, what do we do for entertainment? Robin Hood's the rockstar with the guitar--unless you've got a guitar in there."

"I'm more of a wind instrument person, anyway." Ash explained before fishing a silver whistle with a green mouthpiece from his bag. "Any requests?"

Kamon winced when he saw the whistle in Ash's hands. "Oh great...bad memories of third grade music class coming on..."

He sighed. "What're you gonna play, Wonder Boy? 'Mary Had a Little Mareep'?"

"Nope...how about 'Jelan's Prayer' from 'The Song Mage Chronicles'?" Ash suggested as he prepared to play the familiar song.

With that, he started a familiar prayerful melody that rang out from the cave, across the pond and over a plain, where Misty and Ethan had made camp.

Misty smiled as she heard the familiar song in the distance. "You think that's Ash playing, Ethan?"

"I'd like to think so..." Ethan replied as he looked up at the starry sky and listened to the whistle's song ringing through the forest. "In fact, I believe Ash is telling you 'Don't worry, I'm coming to find you guys' in that song."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-02-2017, 01:08 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 51: Forest Grumps (part 2)

As the sun rose on the forest the next morning, Misty woke up to find Ethan was gone. "Ethan?" she called as she scrambled from her sleeping bag. "Ethan! Where'd you go?"

"Over here!" she heard Ethan call back as he returned to the campsite on the hill. "I did some scouting for a route we could take, and found another road nearby a cave. However, we'll have to climb down the cliffs to reach the cave..."

"Oh boy...you sure you know what you're doing?" Misty asked.

"If I can climb in caves and ruins, I can climb on outdoor cliffs." Ethan assured Misty as the two of them shared an uneasy breakfast. "You don't have to worry--you'll have a safety tether on the whole time, so if you do slip or lose your footing, you won't fall into oblivion."

"That makes me feel a little better, but still nervous." Misty confessed.

"And I'll be spotting you, so you'll know where the good footholds are." Ethan went on as he showed Misty a map of the cliffs, marked with possible safe routes they could take to reach the cave. "So, which route do you want to take?"

"The short one, in blue." Misty offered, pointing out the route on the map.

"Okay...let's clean up and get going before more Ursarings find us." Ethan suggested as the group threw away their trash in a Pokemon-proof sanitation box.

"Yes, lets." Misty agreed. "The sooner we find everyone, the better."

---------

"Misty!" Lyra called into the trees. Brock whistled a few times before Lyra called again. "Misty, where'd you go?"

A growl got her attention. "Uh oh..."

She gasped when she saw an angry Ursaring lumbering in her direction, and reached for the two Poke Balls at her side. "Hana, Saphir, let's go!"

A sick feeling welled up in Brock's stomach. I can't lace an arrow with Repel and warn the Ursaring away, but at the same time, I don't think a Chikorita and a Marill will be able to do much of anything against an Ursaring...

He reached for a Poke Ball. "Argent, I need your help!"

[What is it?] Argent asked as he materialized on the road, making the Ursaring approaching them look like a Teddiursa in comparison.

"May I induce you to keep this Ursaring at bay, and protect Lyra?" Brock asked, aware of the frightened look on Lyra's face.

[Sure...I will not stand to see a lady in peril.] Argent smiled.

With that, Brock held his Mega Ring to the sky. Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...

Lyra watched in awe as a green flash lit up the sky and engulfed the Steelix towering over her in light. Amazing--Brock can use the legendary power of Mega Evolution!

When Argent emerged from the light as Mega Steelix, Brock commanded. "Okay, Argent, Tackle the Ursaring!"

[HAAAAAAAAAHHH!] Argent roared as he slammed into the Ursaring, sending it flying backwards in a burst of rainbow light.

Lyra watched as the Ursaring charged at the Mega Steelix. "Hana, give Argent a hand with Razor Leaf!"

[Got it!] Hana replied as she sprayed the sickle shaped leaves at their opponent, making them gain a rainbow aura thanks to Argent's Mega Evolution, before slicing into the Ursaring's chest with another rainbow burst.

Brock swallowed hard as more Ursarings arrived to avenge the one the two of them had wounded. "I think we need to go...Argent, return!"

"Hana, Saphir, return!" Lyra recalled her own team and followed Brock down a hill, the Ursaring in hot pursuit.

---------

"Almost there..." Ethan coaxed Misty as she stepped from the cliff to solid ground. "There...you made it."

"That actually wasn't so bad." Misty admitted as Ethan took off her safety tether. "But the next question is, where do we look for everyone?"

A growl startled her. "Not again!" she screamed as she and Ethan dashed off down the path.

The rest of the forest seemed to pass by in a blur to Misty as she worked to keep Ethan in view. But as the two of them reached the top of a hill, they could see Ash, Trintri and Kamon not far behind them, and Brock and Lyra approaching from the other way! "You guys! We're here!" she called.

"Misty! Brock!" Ash hurried to hug his companions. "I wondered where you guys went!"

"Lyra!" Ethan was equally happy to see Lyra. "I missed you!"

"It's cool we're all back together, but shouldn't we be running from the beam-bears?" Kamon asked, reminding the others of the angry Ursarings approaching.

"This way!" Ash motioned for the others to follow him down a second path in the road.

Before long, the group had ran down a winding forest path and all the way to a rickety old wooden bridge. "Oh great--this thing's gonna break as soon as we get halfway!" Misty sighed.

"Just like in all those adventure movies I watched as a kid..." Brock was equally annoyed as the rickety bridge started to buckle underneath him.

"Well, if we're gonna prevent ourselves from being TV tropes, let's go!" Kamon called.

The group hurried across the bridge as fast as they could go, but an Ursaring used Slash on one end of the bridge, making the left half fall into a river far below, and the right half, with the others slam against a cliff. Ash was still holding the wooden planks, holding everyone up.

"Argent, help us out!" Brock called, allowing the Mega Steelix to pull the bridge up high enough to reach the path.

[Okay...I have the bridge stabilized, but I can't hold it up and save you guys too.] Argent reported.

"Hana, help me!" Lyra called as she summoned her Chikorita.

Ethan gingerly retrieved one of his Poke Balls. "Ellie, I need your help!"

[Talk about a cliffhanger...] the Phanpy noted.

[Ellie...I'm gonna use Vine Whip to pull up the ropes, so can you use your trunk for the others to hold onto?] Hana asked as she fashioned the ropes and her vines into a makeshift pulley.

[Okay!] Ellie replied before offering her trunk to Ash. [Grab on, and don't let go!]

The Mega Steelix and the Chikorita worked frantically to get their masters back onto safe ground, but relieved cheers filled the air some hours later, when the group was back on safe ground again.

"I don't want to be hanging on for dear life any more!" Misty nervously giggled.

"Me neither...I'll leave that to movie stuntmen." Brock agreed.

A smile formed on Kamon's face. "You know, Wonder Boy...you're actually not that bad to be with. I'd come listen to another whistle solo anytime."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled before he realized Kamon was hurrying off down the road. "But what about...our..battle..."

A sign at the forest edge got his attention. "Hm...Warning, it is currently the Ursaring mating season and they are using this area as their breeding grounds. Do not disturb them if it's the last thing you do, because if you do, it just may be."

He facepalmed. "NOW you tell us..." he groaned as everyone laughed, relieved that their crazy adventure had ended well...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-04-2017, 06:32 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 52: A Goldenrod Opportunity (part 1)

"I'm at least glad Ethan and Lyra are on their way after running into those Ursarings." Misty smiled as the group continued down the road a few days later.

"I'll admit that I'm even glad Kamon made it out alive, but if I'd have known it was Ursaring mating season, I would've picked a different route and avoided the whole mess to begin with." Ash mused, petting Tintri as he spoke.

"Forgive me for interrupting the conversation, but take a look at what's just ahead!" Brock called, pointing out a signpost in the distance.

He made a grand gesture to the sprawling city in the distance as Ash and Misty arrived at the top of the hill. "I give you...Goldenrod City."

"Wow..." Ash and Misty gasped as they gawked at the glittering gold city before them.

"Goldenrod City...the festive city of opulent charm, one mile." Misty read the sign before admiring the city some more. "It's an opulent and festive city, all right!"

"How bout it? Was it worth all the detours and setbacks to get here?" Brock grinned at Ash, who was gawking in amazement at the skyscrapers and colorful signs in the distance.

"It was..." Ash smiled before taking a picture of the city with his PokeNav. "But I am more than ready to compete for my third Johto League Badge!"

With that, he charged down the hill. "Last one there's a rotten Exeggcute!"

"Hey, wait for us!" Misty and Brock were not far behind.

---------

"Okay...how do we even begin to find our way around here?" Ash wondered as he looked around at the thousands of people going about their daily routines, crisscrossing the various crosswalks to reach one of the millions of shops and opulent malls.

"I hope you brought your wallets, guys...I'm ready to do a little shopping!" Misty smiled, giddy over the huge malls that towered over many of the buildings.

"Forget shopping, there has to be a thriving music scene out here!" Brock was equally excited. "That, and there have to be storytellers out here too, so I can learn some more material for the Lore Stage."

"Oh yeah...I wouldn't mind learning some Johto tunes myself..." Misty smiled, savoring a memory of the often hours long jam sessions the three of them played at and sometimes hosted back home in Kanto.

The sizzle of a burger hitting the grill snapped her to attention. "Not to mention traveling works up an appetite!"

Brock looked over at the food cart Misty was studying, where a line was beginning to form. "That does look delicious." he agreed as the cook delivered the burger--now adorned with two types of cheese, lettuce, and pickles--to a customer.

"I want to shop, jam, and eat too, but can't we see if the Gym is at least open first?" Ash asked--he did not want to be caught off guard like he was in Azalea Town. "If it is, I wanna challenge the local Gym Leader and earn my next Badge!"

"All right, we'll go see if the Gym Leader is in." Brock assured his companion as the group started off down a street.

---------

"Notice: The Gym Leader is out today--challenges will be taken tomorrow." Ash read the sign on the Gym door. "Well, now that I know the Gym Leader isn't taking challenges today, we can explore the city, at least."

"Hope you've got your instruments..." Brock smiled, pointing out a dull red haired boy fine tuning a mandolin as a plum haired girl looked over which of many percussion instruments she needed to play.

"Got room for a few more?" Ash asked the boy as he sat down on a rocky outcropping that ringed a fountain, Pokeflute in hand.

"Sure." the boy smiled. "Keely and I enjoy traveling around the world and jamming with as many people as we can--name's Alex, by the way."

"We learned from several good sources that Goldenrod is a hot spot for jam sessions." Keely explained as a wind gust ruffled her pale blue shirt. "With so many people coming from around the world, you'll hear a pretty diverse mix of tunes."

"We're travelers from Kanto ourselves." Ash explained as he watched Misty and Brock tune up. "I'm Ash...while I'm mainly competing in the local League, I'm not too shabby on a Pokeflute or whistle." He gestured to the empty Pokeflute case and the four whistles peeking from his bag to prove his point.

He heard Misty and Brock warming up as he went on. "My companion Misty is a fiddler and my companion Brock is a master guitar player, singer, storyteller, and songwriter--even if he does have a tendency to sing to any pretty girl he can find."

With that, he joined in with Misty and Brock, seguing into the Kanto jig "The Song of Life" as Keely and her companion Alex played along...

---------

"That was fun--I hope we can play with Keely and Alex again." Misty smiled as the group arrived on another open square some hours later.

"I did learn quite a lot of Legendary Beast tales from Alex--these will definitely come in handy for the Lore Stage." Brock was equally happy as he looked over the last of the stories he had written down, then closed up his notebook.

He looked up at a building with a huge black tower in the distance, where it seemed to dwarf even the tallest skyscraper in the area. "That has to be the tower for the main regional station, WJTO." he explained before getting out his PokeNav and starting the RadioNav app. "Shall we see what sorts of music and shows it plays?"

"Yeah!" Ash and Misty replied as Brock located WJTO in the list of available stations and tapped the "LISTEN" icon.

Some exciting music filled the air. "Hi, everyone! It's Buena!" a young female voice began. "It's time for today's password! Today's password is 'Pikachu!' If you can find me broadcasting live and tell me the password, you'll get a very special prize! Good luck!"

"The password is 'Pikachu'--got it!" Ash mused as some music started on the radio stream.

"I remember Ethan telling me about Buena and her show while we were lost in the forest..." Misty mused as the group started off towards the tower. "The prizes she gives can range to packages of common items and WJTO gear to Pokemon and items you can't find anywhere else, so it's worth it to try and catch her show, especially if you're in the Goldenrod area."

"According to Lyra, Buena is in one of three possible locations every time the show broadcasts--Radio Square, where the tower is located, in the Galaria d'Oro, which is the main mall, or in Yuzu Gardens, where we just came from--and they don't tell you which of the three she's at." Brock explained. "I didn't see anything that looked like a radio station's broadcast booth or vehicle in Yuzu Gardens, so we can rule that out."

"We're closest to Radio Square, so let's check there." Ash suggested, whispering the password to himself so he wouldn't forget it. "Pikachu...Pikachu...Pikachu..."

As the group turned the corner onto Radio Square, Ash spotted a large broadcast booth near the tower, where a brown haired DJ in a pink T shirt and jeans was visiting with passersby or autographing things. "That must be Buena! Let's go give her the password."

Misty and Brock followed Ash as he approached the booth, getting the female DJ's attention. "Hi there! Do you remember today's password?" she asked.

"I do, Buena." Ash confidently smiled.

"Oh, wow!" Buena gasped--she had not expected someone to arrive with the password that quickly. "Thank you!"

Then something occurred to Buena. "What was your name again?"

"I'm Ash!" Ash replied.

"Okay then, Ash...come join the show." Buena smiled as she directed Ash to a small mic positioned so passersby could interact with Buena inside the booth. "What was the password?"

"The password was 'Pikachu'"." Ash replied, grinning at Tintri all the while.

"You're absolutely correct!" Buena announced, to a triumphant fanfare. "Well done!"

She offered Ash a Poke Ball. "Here you are...a Machop of your very own. I'm sure you'll give her a good home."

"Thanks!" Ash replied before the group departed.

"You're welcome--I hope you'll tune in for more passwords and more chances to win!" Buena replied.

She then proceeded to announce to both local listeners, and listeners from around the world Ash's achievement. "Congratulations to Ash for giving me this hour's password for a Machop! I'll have another password and another prize for you next hour, so stay tuned!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-09-2017, 01:13 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 53: A Goldenrod Opportunity (part 2)

"Al right, we've jammed, we've eaten..." Misty mused as the group walked down another street. "Met a few new friends, Ash won a Machop in a radio contest..."

"Any ideas as to what you want to name your new Machop yet?" Brock asked.

Ash was about to answer when he felt a bump against his leg. When he knelt down to see what it was, he found a Clefairy rubbing its head. [Ow...that hurt...]

"It's okay...we didn't mean to get in your way." Ash assured the Clefairy.

As Ash assessed Tintri and the Clefairy, a pink haired girl approached them. "Oh, there you are, Navi!" she smiled before noticing the Clefairy rubbing its head. "Oh, you must've crashed into someone! Does anything hurt?"

[Nah..it's just throbbing right now.] the Clefairy assured the girl.

"What about you? Is your Pikachu okay?" the girl asked as she looked Tintri over for injuries.

[Just a scrape where your Clefairy bumped me...] Tintri replied, showing the girl a small bump on his head.

"Here, let me kiss it and make it better, okay?" With that, the girl gently kissed Tintri on the head.

A guitar chord got the girl's and Ash's attention. Always friends, you and me, Brock sang to Whitney as he played.
Together for--!

"Together for just a few minutes!" Misty sighed as she dragged Brock away, guitar and all.

The girl, however, stifled an embarrassed giggle. "That's the first time I've ever been sung to before..."

"Don't mind Brock, miss...he just has to sing to every pretty girl he can find, whether they want to hear him or not." Ash explained. "But put him on a stage, and he'll sing and tell stories for hours!"

"Better on a stage than to a girl he hardly knows..." Misty grumbled.

"Actually, I wouldn't mind hearing your guitar player friend sing." the girl confessed.

It dawned on the girl she had not introduced herself. "The name's Whitney, and this is Navi." she smiled, gesturing to her Clefairy."

"Nice to meet you..." Ash replied. "I'm Ash, and my companions Misty..." Misty waved hello. "and our resident balladeer and storyteller, Brock." Brock looked up from retuning a flat A string to wave hello.

"Nice to meet you all...got the chance to do any shopping yet?" Whitney asked.

"Would I ever!" Now Misty was excited, forgetting all about Brock's attempted performance as she pictured SALE signs, shoes, purses, and bath supplies.

"Sure!" Ash was equally excited, but his shopping daydreams were populated by video games, DVDs, comic books, action figures, and RC cars.

"All right--the Galeria d'Oro is this way, so come with me!" Whitney motioned for the group to follow her down the crowded street.

About then, Brock had finished retuning. "What kind of a song would you like to hear, Miss Whitney?" he asked, believing Whitney to still be present.

He noticed Whitney, Ash, and Misty about to round a corner. "Hey, wait for me!" he called as he quickly put away his instrument and raced to catch up.

---------

"Okay, gang...the Galaria is far easier to get to if you take an underground path." Whitney explained as the group followed her into a tunnel that led beneath the city. "In fact, the tunnels often double as a mall itself!"

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you discover this?" Misty asked as she admired the tunnel's checkered tile floor.

"I discovered the route by myself." Whitney replied. "It was a total accident!"

"We were really lucky to find Whitney as a guide..." Misty smiled.

"If Whitney's that great a guide, then why has she led us down the same path four times in a row?" Brock asked as the group found their way back to the tunnel entrance for the fifth time.

"Um, my fault!" Whitney blushed. "I forgot you make a left down the end of the hallway, not right!"

"If strategy guides exist in real life, we may need one to make it through here..." Ash muttered as they followed Whitney down the tunnel, passing by many doors in the walls on the way.

"That's why I picked up a map of the tunnel on the way in." Misty assured Ash, showing him a folded up map of the city's massive tunnel complex. "To cross reference Whitney's directions, and gently correct her if she gets it wrong."

"Okay...this should be the right way into the Galeria...we should come out in the food court." Whitney explained.

"Great--after we get some food, I wanna see if GameWorld has any copies of Zelda left!" Ash smiled.

He explained to Brock and Misty "Mom surprised me with a Nintendo 64 as a reward for winning the Orange Conference, and I told her I'd come back with a copy of Zelda!"

"I've heard from some reliable sources that Ocarina of Time has earned perfect tens from some reputable magazines and gaming sites--so you owe it to yourself to find a copy." Brock grinned.

But the group balked when they saw they had walked into a beauty salon, with both people and Pokemon getting cuts, trims, styles, and perms. "Hello! How can we assist you today!" a young boy asked as he prepped a chair for the next customer.

"Fancy letting us work some magic on your Pikachu and your Clefairy?" an elder boy smiled.

Tintri pictured himself with permed fur and shuddered. Navi was equally embarrassed as she imagined herself with wavy fur. "Um, that's okay, we're not interested at the moment--thanks!" Ash stammered as the group dashed back out to the tunnel, Tintri and Navi in tow.

---------

"If we don't get to the mall, and fast, we're gonna starve." Ash grumbled as the group trudged through the tunnel.

"Either that, or we'll find the right entrance ourselves." Misty was equally annoyed as she heard Ash's stomach growl.

"Okay...third time's the charm!" Whitney smiled as she opened a third door...which led into a hallway leading to the Galeria food court!

She made a grand gesture to some doors at the end of the hallway. "I'll lead the way in--these are automatic!"

A "UWAAA!!!" and the squeak of Whitney sliding off the door got Brock's attention. "You okay?" he asked as Whitney popped back into 3D on the floor.

"Yeah--forgot it's the main entrance that's automatic." Whitney weakly replied as she rubbed her head. "But nothing serious--it's not the first door I've crashed into!"

Brock opened the door. "Ladies first." he smiled, allowing Whitney and Misty inside before he and Ash followed them.

"FINALLY!" Ash heaved a huge sigh of relief at the utopia of fast food and neon lights before him, never mind Whitney's mishap with the doors earlier.

"It doesn't look too terribly busy, so go get something, and I'll stake out a table for you." Whitney assured the group as they went their separate ways to partake in the many options the food court and the mall itself had to offer.

---------

"So did GameWorld have any copies of Zelda left?" Brock asked as the group reunited at a table near a fountain with their food and a few purchases.

"Yeah--I got one of the last few sparkly boxes with the gold cartridge!" Ash smiled showing his friends the sparkling gold box before returning it to the festively colored GameWorld bag he carried.

"You may want to hang onto that--the gold cartridges are something very special." Whitney smiled as she petted her Clefairy in between bites of Combusken lo mein.

After a while, as the group finished up their food, Ash asked Whitney "So, Whitney...can you ask the Gym Leader if I can battle him tomorrow?"

"No need to ask the Gym Leader--you're looking at her!" Whitney grinned, much to Ash's surprise!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-11-2017, 09:31 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 54: A Goldenrod Opportunity (part 3)

Previously, on Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

After a while, as the group finished up their food, Ash asked Whitney "So, Whitney...can you ask the Gym Leader if I can battle him tomorrow?"

"No need to ask the Gym Leader--you're looking at her!" Whitney grinned, much to Ash's surprise!

"Representing the Gold side, our leader, Whitney!" a dark brown haired referee announced, to Misty and Brock's applause as Whitney waved to the audience of two. "And representing the Silver side, the challenger Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

"Bring it on!" Ash challenged.

"Thank you, Brittany." Whitney smiled at the referee before explaining the rules. "Okay, here's how this is gonna work... we will battle in a three-on-three match, with a Plain Badge as your prize if you beat me, okay?"

"Got it!" Ash replied.

"Is everyone ready?" Brittany asked. Both Whitney and Ash cheered in reply. "All right...three...two...one..."

As soon as the whistle echoed through the Gym, Whitney summoned a tiny pink and yellow cat Pokemon with a large tail. "Tsuki, here we go!"

"Cyndy, I choose you!" Ash commanded. Once Cyndy was before him, he read up on his opponent:

"Skitty, the kitten Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon from the Houen region, it is said to be difficult to earn its trust. However, it is extremely popular for its cute looks and behavior.

"Heh...it is kinda cute." Ash smiled as the small Pokemon licked itself for a moment.

"Tsuki, Tackle!" Whitney's command snapped him back to reality.

"Cyndy, have that Skitty run into a wall of fire!" he commanded. He smirked confidently as the tiny cat Pokemon charged into the stream of fire, only to faint when the flames cleared some moments later.

"Wow! That was almost a little TOO quick!" Even Brock was impressed.

Whitney was shocked that her Skitty had been defeated. "Wow...you're the first one that defeated Tsuki from the get go..."

She looked over at her Clefairy. "Navi, your turn!"

[All right!] Navi replied as she hurried into the arena and started swaying her fingers in time to a beat only she seemed to hear.

Ash froze in fear when he saw the Clefairy's fingers. Metronome can call upon any attack, including attacks the user doesn't know!

"Cyndy, be prepared for anything!" he called, hoping to Arceus that Navi didn't get a chance to use a powerful move like Mystical Fire or Meteor Mash.

He braced himself for a powerful attack, but Misty and Brock laughing from the stands clued him in that Navi was using Splash.

[Here you were getting all panicked over nothing!] Cyndy sighed. [Now, let's finish the job!]

"Okay! Cyndy, use Flamethrower again!" Ash commanded.

"Navi!" Whitney gasped as she saw the oncoming wave of flames headed at Navi. "Navi, come back!"

"Gold withdraws Navi from battle." Brittany announced as Cyndy's Flamethrower attack impacted on the Gold safety barrier, where Navi had been minutes before. "Gold now has one Pokemon remaining."

A huge smile formed on Ash's face. I literally cannot believe this good luck I'm having...I've got the Plain Badge in the bag now!

Whitney noticed Ash's confident smile. "I wouldn't get too comfy, because I have one Pokémon left--and it's also my strongest."

With that, she heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Daisy, showtime!"

Never seen this one before... Ash mused as he read up on the large pink cow Pokemon before him:

"Miltank, the milk cow Pokemon. Its milk is packed with nutrition, making it the ultimate drink for the sick or weary.

"Doesn't look like the type to battle...." Ash mused as he put Dexter away.

"Ah, but if those she loves are threatened, Daisy will hit and hit hard!" Whitney warned as she watched her Miltank power towards the Silver side of the arena, rolling so quick, she seemed to be a literal ball of energy.

"Cyndy--!" Ash called, but all he could do was watch as Daisy slammed straight into Cyndy, sending her flying into the Silver safety barrier and landing at his feet. "You okay, Cyndy?"

Cyndy groaned as she eased herself to her feet. [That's gonna hurt tomorrow...]

"Got enough in you for a counterattack?" Ash asked.

[I can try...] Cyndy groaned.

"If you can, try and Tackle that Miltank!" Ash commanded.

[HAH!!!] Cyndy barreled at the rolling Miltank, but the Tackle and the Rollout collided at the same time. While the force of the impact merely made Daisy slide back a few inches, Cyndy went flying into the safety barrier a second time.

In the stands, Brock noticed Daisy had used the momentum from the collision to turn around. "Ash! Cyndy can't take any more! You need to switch out, and fast!"

Both Misty and Brock winced at the THWACK! of the Miltank impacting something and the KA-WANG! of Cyndy hitting the Silver safety barrier again. "Too late..." Misty noted as the dust cleared to reveal Cyndy with swirly eyes at Ash's feet.

Ash fought back tears as he examined his fainted Cyndaquil. "You gave your all, Cyndy...return."

[i]Focus, Ash. he reminded himself before taking his second Poke Ball. "River, I need your help!"

"Daisy, use Rollout again!" Whitney called.

Ash braced himself for the Miltank speeding towards his Marill. "River, try Water Gun!"

Whitney giggled at Ash's panicked face as the Water Gun splattered against Daisy. "This is why I love Rollout--the longer it goes, the stronger it gets!"

River's a sitting Psyduck! Ash panicked. "River, look out!"

He winced as River also went flying at the safety barrier, only to land swirly eyed at his feet. She never had a chance! There HAS to be a way to stop this Miltank...but how?

A whistle got his attention, where he saw Brock drawing a jagged outline in the air with his finger, as if mimicking a lightning strike. Of course...River did manage to get Daisy wet, so I'll give that a shot.

He looked over at Tintri. "How bout it? Think you can paralyze it with a Thunderbolt?"

Tintri replied as he bounded off Ash's shoulder and fired the largest Thunderbolt he could muster at the spinning Miltank, but the Miltank didn't even bat an eye.

"I will give you credit for a smart idea, but Daisy is spinning so fast, she's already dry." Whitney smiled.

"Okay, Tintri, new plan--use Agility to try to outrun Daisy!" Ash commanded.

But all he could do was watch as Daisy slammed into Tintri with a direct hit. Tintri then flying into the Silver safety barrier himself. But could hardly attempt to get up before Daisy hit him again, leaving Tintri battled and beaten at Ash's feet. [Ash...I'm...sorry...] he wheezed.

"Tintri!" Ash screamed.

"Silver is unable to battle--Gold wins the match!" Brittany announced.

"Daisy, return." Whitney commanded, recalling the Miltank. "Well fought, Ash--I have to commend your heroic effort."

She motioned for Navi to follow her as she started towards the Gym entrance. "If you ever want a rematch, I'll be more than happy to give you one!"

Hot tears welled up in Ash's eyes as Whitney and Navi departed. [i]A rematch would be pointless. he thought as he studied the heavily battered Pikachu in his arms.

He unleashed a loud growl of frustration. "Arceus in heaven, hear my prayer!" he pleaded to no one in particular as Misty and Brock joined him on the arena floor. "Whitney and her Miltank are far too powerful, and I don't have a clue how I'm going to defeat them! Grant me some advice, or a clue!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-15-2017, 10:26 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 55: A Dairy Tale Ending

"Okay...when you reach the room at the end you need to be careful--if you stand too long in one spot, a Wallmaster will descend from above and take you back to the very beginning of the dungeon." Misty read from a strategy guide as the Link Ash was controlling arrived in a new room in a temple. "Simply jump across and use your final key to unlock this door."

"Got it!" Ash replied before following Misty's instructions.

"Venting your frustration on some bosses?" Brock smiled as he arrived in the Pokemon Center's game room, where Ash had commandeered one of the Nintendo 64's to finally play his gold copy of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

"Yeah...I've cleared the child Link part of the story, and am working my way through the Forest Temple now." Ash replied as he guided his Link down a stairwell. "Misty's acting as my navigator."

"Oh, nice, you have a gold copy!" a familiar voice smiled.

Ash paused the game to see Whitney approaching him. "Whitney...what are you doing here?"

"After our match yesterday, I felt horrible giving you such a beatdown." Whitney explained as Nurse Joy arrived with Ash's Pokemon. "So I wanted to something nice for you--how would you guys like to spend the day at my uncle's farm?"

"Sure!" Ash replied as he saved his game, the scene of Link and Epona jumping the ranch's fence still fresh in his memory.

A thought occurred to him as he turned the console off and ejected his gold cartridge. I could also maybe learn how Daisy got so strong!

---------

Meanwhile, Team Rocket watched from a bush as Whitney and the group arrived at the farm. "Aw, da family reunion..." Meowth sighed as Whitney ran to hug an older man in rancher's garb. "Maybe while dey're busy with da 'hi, how are ya''s, we can raid da storehouse and help ourselves ta all da ice cream we want!"

"Good thing I made a note of the storehouse's location on the way in." James smiled as he motioned for Jessie and Meowth to follow him to a large building by the main barn.

Jessie balked in awe at the sheer amount of milk, cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream inside the storehouse. "Oh my...where do we begin sampling all of this, much less stealing it?"

"Lessee here...sundae cones, ice cream sandwiches, Popsicles, Fudgesicles...." Meowth reported as he rummaged through the ice cream. "Birthday cake, Kalosian vanilla, Nanab split, butta pecan, cappuccino chocolate chunk--ooh, dat sounds yummy! Cookie dough, chocolate, mint chip, fudge ripple..."

"Hey! Did I say you guys could have any ice cream?" Whitney asked as she stormed into the storehouse, with the group not far behind.

Jessie just smirked. "You're all gonna scream for more than ice cream momentarily!" With that, they hurried towards one of the the pastures with their pilfered ice cream.

"Follow those Rockets!" Ash and the others were not far behind.

[How's this for a new flavor? Lemon Shock!] Tintri smiled as he fired a Thunderbolt at the fleeing Rockets, making them drop all the ice cream on the ground.

"Good thing none of the tubs popped open..." Brock reported as he and Misty started cleaning up the scattered ice cream tubs that where strewn across the dirt road.

"If they did pop open, we'd have even more of a mess on our hands!" the man agreed as he made sure all the stolen tubs were accounted for.

A "CHAAA!" and "Weezing!" alerted Whitney that Jessie and James had summoned Arbok and Weezing in an attempt to throw the group off their trail. "Daisy, get these crooks away from here!" she called as she summoned her Miltank.

[For the pride of Goldenrod Farm! Take this!] Daisy growled before rolling into a ball and charging at the Arbok, the Weezing, Jessie, James, and Meowth.

"Go get'em, Daisy! Give those troublemakers what for!" the man grinned as Daisy's Rollout connected, sending the Rockets flying off with a ping.

"Good riddance..." Misty smiled.

"Daisy saves the day again!" Whitney announced, prompting Daisy to take a bow for the applauding group.

"It's about time for her to be milked, Whitney, so I'll take her into the barn with the rest of the herd." the man explained.

"Okay, Uncle Milton--while Daisy's getting milked, I'll give my friends some Ponyta riding time." Whitney replied before addressing the group. "If you want to see the Ponytas, they have their own pasture."

"Fun fact--the Epona in Zelda is named for the Epona in myth and folklore." Brock explained as the group entered the Ponyta pastures. "Unlike your virtual steed, the Epona in folklore is said to be a Shiny Ponyta, with divine speed and speaking ability at the very least, but depending on the story and possibly the teller, she may have more powers than those."

Ash, meanwhile, made a beeline towards a normal Ponyta near one of the fences. "What's this one's name?"

"That's Miracle--or Mira for short." Whitney replied as she brought over a saddle and bridle. "So named because she very nearly didn't survive her traumatic birth; but she did. She's actually a very gentle mount, so we let first time riders and those that haven't ridden in some time ride her."

"I have a little Ponyta riding experience under my belt, but it's been a while." Ash confessed as Milton arrived with riding garb.

Once Miracle had been saddled and bridled and Ash had suited up, Whitney led them both on a leisurely walk around the pasture. "Any memories of the Laramie Ranch coming back to you at all?" Misty smiled as she and Brock watched from the fence.

"Yeah--funnily enough, the Ponyta I rode in that race was named Epona, which is why I was surprised when it popped up in Zelda last night." Ash replied.

"It is a fairly common female Ponyta name because of the mythological connection already..." Brock mused as Whitney led Ash and Miracle back to their starting point.

Just then, Whitney heard Milton calling her. "Just stay put while I go help Uncle Milton put fresh hay down for the Miltanks." she told Ash as she disconnected the lead rope.

"Okay." Ash replied.

As soon as Whitney was out of view, a fence dividing the Ponyta pasture in half gave Ash an idea. Maybe if I urged Miracle hard enough, I could jump into the other pasture like Link and Epona!

Inspired, he flicked the reins. "Heya!" he called, in his best mimic of Link; prompting Miracle to run towards the fence.

"Ash, what are you--!" Misty started before she and Brock watched Ash and Miracle sail gracefully over the fence into the other pasture...only for Ash to nearly tumble to the ground from the force of the landing.

Laughter got his attention. "I think you need a little more practice on jumping, Mr. Hero." Whitney smiled.

"Ya got the jumpin' part right, but ya need to practice landin' too." Milton agreed.

---------

Later, Ash watched from the fence as in the main Miltank pasture, Whitney and Daisy practiced Rollout. That move is powerful...maybe even too powerful if it took down three of my best Pokemon. So how do I even begin to defend against it?

He was snapped from his thoughts by a strange sight. Huh? Why is a barrel rolling into the pasture?

"Odd...what's a barrel doing here..." Whitney wondered as she watched the odd barrel roll into the pasture.

"SURPRIIIIIIIIISE!!!" the Rockets cried as they emerged from the barrel, to Whitney's and the group's horror.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began.

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled, twirling a rose in his hand. Ash just rolled his eyes at the now familiar motto he, Misty, and Brock had heard a million times before:

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!

"To extend our reach to the stars above!

"Jessie!

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"DAISY!!!!" Whitney cried as the odd mecha snatched both Daisy and Pikachu, then started to roll away, very similar to a Pokemon using Rollout.

Ash climbed into the pen in an attempt to stop the barrel, summoning Cyndy. "Cyndy, ignite one of Brock's arrows to set that barrel on fire!"

Cyndy waited until Brock had aimed at the wildly rolling barrel, then heaved an Ember at it, setting the arrow ablaze.

Whitney watched in awe as the flaming arrow landed in the barrel, setting it ablaze and slowing the barrel down. "What a great idea!"

"River, use your Water Gun to impede the barrel more!" Ash heaved another Poke Ball skyward.

"It's working!" Misty noted as she watched the barrel mecha bounce and shake along the makeshift canyon River had created, eventually dropping Daisy and Tintri on the grass.

[Rough landing...] Tintri mused before charging a Thunderbolt. he screeched as he launched his attack, making the barrel explode sending Team Rocket flying.

Whitney looked up from tending Daisy to see Ash approaching. "Thank you...I don't know what I would do if Daisy were Poke-napped by those hoodlums..."

"If you want to...I want a rematch of our battle from yesterday--Daisy vs. Tintri." Ash offered. "I know Cyndy and River have no chance against Rollout, but Tintri came the closest..."

"All right, that's fair." Whitney replied. "Meet me in the main Miltank pasture, and we'll battle."

---------

"Okay, Tintri, use Agility!" Ash called. The canyons River made before are still there, so maybe I can use that to my advantage!

He watched as Tintri sped past the rolling Daisy, causing her to hit some of the trenches. As Daisy came around for another attack, Tintri curled into a ball in the bottom of one of the trenches. Tintri? What're you doing?" Ash wondered.

[Relax, I've got this.] Tintri assured his master. [I have an idea...]

Just as Daisy rolled over the top of the trench, Tintri unrolled himself, which launched Daisy into the air! [Hi-YAAAAA!!!!] Tintri screamed as he unleashed a Thundershock, causing the now fainted Daisy to land on the grass with a thud.

"Gold is unable to battle--Silver is the winner!" Uncle Milton announced.

Ash balked as Whitney held out a simply designed diamond shaped badge. "What? Why am I getting a Plain Badge here? We weren't even in the Gym!"

"Who said we had to be in the gym for a Gym match?" Whitney grinned.

"Besides, if you can rescue and then defeat a Gym Leader's top Pokémon fair and square, you've earned yourself a badge several times over!" Uncle Milton smiled.

"Okay..." Ash smiled as he accepted the badge from Whitney as Misty and Brock applauded his victory...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-18-2017, 08:07 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 56: Air Time!

"Whitney sure was a sweetheart..." Misty smiled in between bites of lettuce. It had been a few days since they had spent the day at Whitney's uncle's farm, chasing away Team Rocket and Ash earning his third badge along the way.

"Yeah...she wasn't as tough as I thought." Ash smiled as he admired the Plain Badge that was now pinned to his vest along with his other badges.

He noticed the taco salad Misty was eating. "That looks great..."

"I couldn't decide whether to eat healthily or indulge, so this looked like the best solution." Misty explained. "Pretty tasty too...what'd you get?"

"Just your standard cheeseburger--hold the onions." Ash smiled as he offered Tintri one of the pickles still on his plate.

Brock chuckled as Tintri made a disgusted face. "A little too sour?" he grinned before taking a bite of the patty melt he had ordered.

The three friends giggling caught the attention of a young deep brown haired man. "Hi there...can I ask you three a question?"

"Sure...what about?" Ash asked as the waiter arrived with the bill and three complimentary mini sundaes, then cleared the boy's plates.

"My name's Seth Petersen--I'm the producer of 'Pokemon Profiles' on WJTO." the man began. "The guest we had lined up for this week had an emergency and couldn't come--so would any of you three like to come on the show and share your talents with the world?"

"I would be honored." Brock replied as he set down his share of the bill and the tip. "I'm competing in the Pokemon Lore Stage, so it would be a dream come true to share my stories with a wider audience."

"And Misty and I will help with any music or character voices you might need." Ash smiled as he offered Tintri what was left of the ketchup he had used for his fries.

"All right--here's my card." Seth gave Brock a business card. "Just show that to the receptionist and tell her you and your friends are here for 'Pokemon Profiles', and she'll lead you to the studio."

---------

"Formerly a Gym Leader, now a performer; he's quickly become a rising star on Kanto's storytelling scene, and now seeks to make his mark on the Pokemon Lore Stage...come get to know this true renaissance man, today on 'Pokemon Profiles'. a female DJ announced before the show's theme song started.

"Good luck, Brock..." Misty whispered as she put on her own headphones.

"Welcome to 'Pokemon Profiles'...I'm your host, Mary Austin." the female DJ began as the theme song ended. "This week, we cross over to Kanto to get to know a former Gym Leader whose true passion lies in sharing the world's lore though music, mimicry, props, and even stage archery. So please give a warm welcome to rising Lore Stage star Brock Harrison."

"Thank you." Brock acknowledged the applause of a few interns from his half of the studio. "It's an honor to be here."

"Tell me...what spurred you to begin storytelling, an art many think is relegated to summer campfires and rainy days at Grandma's?" Mary asked.

"Well, coming from a large family, reading a book often proved to be an exercise in futility." Brock explained with a chuckle. "They would always find some way to interrupt with questions or taking the story off on a tangent. By telling my siblings a bedtime story every night, I could include them in the performance, so they wouldn't interrupt me. Then I started including songs and mimicry in my performances, to the point where they were guessing what kinds of songs I would sing and voices I would do for their story that night."

He went on "My big break came when I was effectively volunteered to perform for the school book week with only a day to get ready. But my hastily thrown together show went over very well, and before long, I was being asked to tell for other schools, community events, and even festivals. I hope to one day make a career out of it--this world is filled with all kinds of lore, and stories just waiting to be told."

"I see...would you be willing to share one of your stories with us?" Mary asked.

"Sure...this is a version of the Moltres story common to Pewter and the surrounding areas." Brock explained. "It's called 'The Quest for Moltres'...

With that, he began "It happened once that a king of a far away land, who had a great kingdom and three sons, was blinded due to a mysterious disease, and no healing skill or art could restore to him his sight. After a very long time, a traveling priestess came to the palace, and told him that there was only one thing that could restore his sight, and that was to find Moltres, the Herald of Fire; her song would open the king's eyes.

When the eldest son--his name is not important to us--heard this, he offered to go in search of Moltres, the Herald of Fire, which was kept in a gilded cage by a neighboring king, and carefully guarded as his greatest treasure. The blind king greatly rejoiced at his son's resolve, decked him out in the best way he could, and let him go...."

---------

"Hearing you sing the Swanna Song never gets old..." Misty smiled when the show ended some time later. "Nor does hearing you tell--you did great in there!"

"You guys did great filling in the voices of Prince Brian and Princess Sophia." Brock replied.

"That was actually kinda fun..." Ash confessed as he returned his headphones to a tech. "I hope no one noticed I was a little nervous..."

An intern entering the room got his attention. "Boss! Mary! This week's show tapes were damaged during the storm that came through last night. Now we can't air this week's edition of the Goldenrod Radio Theater!"

"It's okay..this week's episode can still be done live." Mary assured the intern as she, and the group followed the intern down the hall to the large and roomy studio where the famous radio drama was recorded each week, where the station's resident actors were preparing to record. "Guys, you don't mind if these three join in this week's show, do you?"

"Not at all!" a blonde haired actor smiled.

"We like performing with guests." a dull green haired girl asked as she received her script.

Mary gave Ash, Misty, and Brock a script. "All right, here the scripts for your roles..."

Ash gasped when he saw the script's title. "No way--we're doing a dramatization of one of my all time favorite video games...'The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past'!"

"All you have to do is all those 'Hut's, 'Ha's, and 'Seit!'s Link does...think you can do that?" Mary asked Ash.

"Sure!" Ash replied as he accepted a headset mic from a tech, grabbed an unsharpened pencil, and stabbed at the air, channeling his best mimic of the Ocarina of Time Link. "Hut! Ha! Heya!"

"Very good!" Mary applauded. "Are we ready to get started?"

"We're on in three...two...one..." the director counted down.

---------

The familiar attract screen music started playing in all its sixteen bit glory as Brock read the iconic attract text as the opening narration. "Long ago, in the beautiful kingdom of Hyrule surrounded by mountains and forests, legends told of an omnipotent and omniscient Golden Power that resided in a hidden land. Many people aggressively sought to enter the hidden Golden Land, But no one ever returned. One day, evil power began to flow from the Golden Land, so the King commanded seven wise men to seal the gate to the Land of the Golden Power."

As the game music faded out, the director motioned for the blonde haired actor to say his first line. "Um...do we really have to act out the cut scene?" he asked. "We haven't had time to rehearse!"

"I know, but everything we recorded for this week was damaged, so we have to record this live--we can always edit out mistakes before it goes to air." Mary assured the actor. "Start from the end of the first bit of the attract music ending."

"It would be a whole lot better if Brock just read the entire attract text..." another actor added.

"If Mary wants to have the gate sealing part and Agahnim's arrival acted out, I have no problem with it." a navy haired female actor assured her costar.

"I just don't think it's right to add dialogue where there wasn't any to start with." the blonde actor protested.

'If it's in the script, that's what the director wants!" the navy haired actor protested.

"There is such a thing as artistic license..." the blonde actor retorted.

Mary winced as the actors argued. "Let's just continue reading the attract text, okay?" she told Brock before clapping to get the actors' attention, bringing the argument to a screeching halt. "Okay, focus, everyone!"

"Now, where was I?" Brock asked as he looked for the rest of the attract text in the script.

"That seal should have remained..." Ash prompted Brock.

Brock found the point Ash had mentioned, and continued reading as the sixteen bit music started again. "That seal should have remained for all time...but, when these events were obscured by the mists of time and became legend, a mysterious wizard known as Agahnim came to Hyrule to undo the seal. He eliminated the good King of Hyrule, and through his evil magic, he began to make descendants of the seven wise men vanish, one by one. Now, the time of destiny for Princess Zelda is drawing near....and it is here our story begins..."

"Okay, cut!" Mary called as the propmasters prepared the recording area to capture sounds of footsteps on various surfaces.

"Mary, Zelda's a fairly long game, and our time slot won't be enough to perform the whole game in one sitting." the dull green haired girl interjected. "What should we do?"

"We have enough time to perform up to the Sanctuary this week--we'll have our guest actors record any other dialogue we may need when our time here is done, so we can air the rest over several weeks." Mary replied before addressing Misty. "Ready for your first lines?"

"As I'll ever be..." Misty replied as the sound tech cued a sound of rain on a roof.

"Okay, action!" Mary called.

"Help me...please help me..." Misty pleaded in character as Zelda, her voice receiving an echo effect to signal the voice was in someone's head. "I am a prisoner in the dungeon of the castle. My name is Zelda. The wizard, Agahnim, has done...something to the other missing girls. Now only I remain...Agahnim has seized control of the castle and is now trying to open the seven wise men's seal...I am in the dungeon of the castle. Please help me..."

The sound of a door opening snapped Ash to attention. "Link, I'm going out for a while. I'll be back by morning. Don't leave the house." a plum haired male actor read as the uncle before walking on some wood planks to simulate someone walking out a house into the simulated "storm"

Ash carefully got up from his chair and landed on the wood planks with a THUNK. "No, that sounded too heavy for someone jumping out of bed." Mary suggested.

"Here's a tip--take off your shoes and slap them on something to get a more realistic walking sound." the navy haired girl suggested.

"Okay..." After removing his shoes, Ash tried lightly slapping them on the wood planks. "That's better." Mary replied.

Misty sighed as the memorable video game scene took shape in fits and starts. "We're gonna be here a while..."

"Focus!" Mary's call snapped her back to reality. She flipped a few pages to the next point where Zelda had lines, then watched as the plum haired boy read his next scene as the uncle, now wounded. "Unnh... Link, I didn't want you involved in this...I told you not to leave the house. Take my sword and shield and listen. You can focus power in the blade, then release it using the secret technique handed down by our people."

After some techs rattled some metal items to simulate Link picking up something metallic, the actor continued. "Link, you can do it! Save the princess!"

"Hm!" Ash replied affirmatively as Link.

"He's really getting into this..." Brock smiled as he watched Ash manipulate his shoes to mimic walking, and then a flurry of war-cries at Mary's battle cue, waving an unsharpened pencil in time with Mary's directions and the sound effects to simulate a fight.

"Would you be willing to read the role of the loyal sage too?" the dull green haired actress asked as she tried oh-so-hard not to laugh at Ash waving around a pencil and mimicking Link's war cries.

"Sure." Brock replied, turning to the appropriate point in his script.

---------

As the iconic Sanctuary music started, Brock started reading the role of the loyal sage. "Princess Zelda, you are safe! Is this your doing, Link?" he asked Ash in a gentle older man voice.

"Hm." Ash replied affirmatively.

"Yes, it was Link who helped me escape from the dungeon!" Misty replied in character as Zelda. "While I was captive, the wizard said..."

She next decided to do her best mimic of someone evil. "Once I have finished with you, the final one, the seal of the wise men will open."

Brock tried oh-so-hard not to laugh and break character at Misty's attempt at a villainous voice. "Link, you must not let the land of Hyrule fall into the wizard's clutches." Misty pleaded as Zelda again. "If he releases the seal of the seven wise men, evil power will overwhelm this land. Before that happens...before it's too late... destroy the wizard before he destroys all of Hyrule! You can do it!"

"I sense that a mighty evil force guides the wizard's actions and augments his magical power." Brock reads as the loyal sage. "The only weapon potent enough to defeat the wizard is the legendary Master Sword. It is said that the village elder is a descendant of one of the seven wise men. Maybe he can tell you more..."

After lightly pressing a stamp on some paper, Brock went on in character "I will mark his house on your map. But watch your every move! I am certain that the castle soldiers will be looking for you now!"

He noticed Ash's in character fearful look. "I will hide Princess Zelda here. Do not worry! Seek the elder!"

---------

"Well done, all three of you." Seth smiled when the marathon recording session finally ended some hours later. "You make a wonderful Link, Ash."

"Aw, it was nothing." Ash smiled. "I'd be happy to perform on the radio again, either as a guest actor or to play more music."

"It was a bit weird acting with no costumes or sets, but we had fun too." Misty smiled.

"Yeah--doing a radio play was an interesting experience." Brock agreed.

"You're always welcome to do Link the next time we do an adaptation of a Zelda game." Mary smiled as she met the group. "You at least have the war-cries down...will you do one more for me?"

Ash nodded, grabbed an unsharpened pencil, and stabbed at the air. "Hut!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-22-2017, 08:10 PM

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.

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.

"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!

[i]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!

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

03-25-2017, 08:18 PM

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.

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. [i]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.

"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. [i]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

03-30-2017, 12:12 AM

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

04-06-2017, 12:22 AM

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

"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]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

04-06-2017, 12:22 AM

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

"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]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

04-08-2017, 10:50 PM

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. With that, she flew off as Ash buckled up.

---------

[i]...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

04-12-2017, 04:12 PM

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.

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

[b]"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

04-19-2017, 08:10 PM

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..."

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]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

04-23-2017, 12:12 AM

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.

"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!

[i]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.

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. [i]Victory is sweet!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

04-26-2017, 06:43 PM

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...

EmeraldSky

04-29-2017, 10:16 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 66: Wobbu-palooza!

"Has it hit you that you've won two Color Stripes in a row yet?" Ash asked as he finished up a bowl of broccoli and cheese soup.

"It's starting to sink in." Brock replied as he admired the rainbow taking shape on his right vest flap. "But performing for Suzie was the best part--I finally kept my promise of performing for her."

He was about to say more when he saw a Wobbufett emerge from the brush and announce [A-a-all is well!] before waddling off.

"You're not gonna spoil our lunch today, Team Rocket!" Ash vowed as he set aside his dishes and angrily eyed the bush, as if expecting Jessie, James, and Meowth to appear at any moment.

Brock wasted no time in spritzing an arrow's head with a Max Repel. "If this Wobbufet is Team Rocket's, I'll just warn it away..."

He was just about to fire when he saw several more Wobbufetts emerge, all waddling to catch up with the first one. "Stand down, Brock--that first Wobbufett wasn't Team Rocket's at all." Misty replied as she watched more and more Wobbufetts parade by the campsite.

[So, where would they all be going?] Tintri was intrigued.

"Let's clean up and find out." Ash suggested before giving his dishes to River and Spritz to wash.

After cleaning up the remains of their lunch and breaking camp, the group followed the Wobbufetts down the winding road.

Eventually, the group discovered that the Wobbufetts had all been traveling to a festively decorated town. "Wow..." Misty gasped as she saw the line of Wobbufetts waddle to meet other Wobbufetts and people. "There must be a party or something going on to celebrate these Wobbufetts..."

"A party!" Ash gasped. "I'm always up for a good party!"

[Yeah!] Tintri agreed.

"Welcome, travelers, to Wobbufett Village." a man smiled as he met the group. "So named because, well, everyone owns either a Wobbufett, or its younger form Wynaut."

"I see..." Ash mused.

"In fact--you're just in time for the Wobbufett Festival." the man went on before gesturing to a large stage in the center of the town that overlooked a huge Wobbufett statue. "If any of you are musicians or storytellers, the Lore Stage that kicks off the first day is about to start."

"Really?" Brock gasped before motioning for Ash and Misty to follow him. "Where do I sign up?" he asked the man as they made their way into town...

---------

Meanwhile, Team Rocket heaved with exhaustion as they approached the hill leading into Wobbufett Village. "Finally, we've reached some form of civilization..." Jessie wheezed as she collapsed at the side of the road.

"Tell me about it--I feel like a hundred Growlithes have bitten my toes..." James groaned as he sat down to massage his aching feet.

[A-a-all is well!] Sahana announced as he emerged with pop, startling Jessie.

"Who asked you how everything was?" Jessie grumbled at the blue blob Pokemon. "Our feet are killing us!"

The endless stream of Wobbufetts streaming into the village piqued her interest. "Oh look, there's more Wobbufetts..." she mused, forgetting about her anger at Sahana completely.

"Oh, are you two travelers?" a brown haired woman in a Wynaut T-shirt and jeans smiled as she approached Jessie and James. "You have a fine Wobbufett, there."

"Thank you, ma'am." James replied with a little bow. "We indeed have traveled far, and could use the rest."

The woman smiled. "My name's Lulu...are you in town for the festival? If you and your Wobbufett need a place to stay, I have a spare bedroom in the house."

"Uh, sure." Jessie replied as she gingerly stood up. Why people would want to celebrate Wobbufetts is beyond me... she thought as Lulu led them into town, past the stage in the square where Brock was checking in for the Lore Stage, and Ash and Misty were tuning up to perform some pre-show music for the crowds that gathered.

"If you're hungry, I'll make you a roast Combusken with all the fixins'" Lulu offered, snapping Jessie and James back to reality.

"FOOD!!!" the three Rockets gasped, starry eyed as they pictured the spread their host would presumably make for them--the roast Combusken, the mashed potatoes, the casseroles, the baked vegetables, and of course, a dizzying array of cakes and pies for dessert.

"Forget da big meal we're about ta get--if dat's good, den dere has ta be more food where our big spread came from!" Meowth sighed dreamily as he pictured an array of meat and seafood for him, with Nanab Berries for dessert.

After tying on a yellow souvenir headband to Sahana, Lulu pointed out a large stone statue of a Wobbufett in the distance. "If you look to your right, you'll see our festival symbol, a statue made by a local artist named 'Enduring Hope'..."

Neither the Rockets or Lulu were aware of three hoodlums looking down on the village. "Look at'em, blissfully unaware of our yearly visit..."

"Let's do this!"

"Leelee, Chika, Fury, let's go."

---------

The crowd applauded as Ash and Misty took a bow as thanks for the two tunes they had just finished. Granted, they had no time to practice, but despite a few minor mistakes, their Pokeflute and fiddle duo act had gone over very well. "Now that we're done, it's time to watch Brock kick off the competition." Misty smiled, giddy over what Brock would tell for this Lore Stage.

"It may be no competition--Brock's a pro!" Ash smiled as he put his Pokeflute case away and invited Tintri aboard his shoulder.

"Number K-93098, telling 'Golden Jack'." the emcee announced as Brock arrived on the stage to some applause.

"Thank you." Brock acknowledged the applause before beginning his tale. "Once upon a time--as all good stories are supposed to begin--!"

A girl crying got his attention. "Mama! Someone hurt Kibou!" a teal haired girl sobbed as her mother consoled her, then tended to her wounded Wynaut.

"Some hoodlums did a number on my Wobbufett too!" a brown haired man reported as he did his best to ease a wound on his Wobbufett's head.

"First someone made Annie cry, and then wounded Yahichi's Wobbufett...could any of our Pokemon be next?" another man worried.

"Should I try and continue?" Brock asked the emcee.

"Not while everyone's on edge like this...if you want to help, you can find who's injuring our Pokemon." the emcee replied.

Brock nodded, and reunited with Ash and Misty near stage right. "I didn't expect my performance to be ruined by festival crashers..."

"Let's go find out who made that little girl cry and hurt that guy's Wobbufett!" Ash suggested.

"No one makes a sweet little girl cry and gets away with it on my watch!" Misty agreed as the group hurried down a street.

They discovered Team Rocket--in disguise as maintenance workers--near the festival midway. "Ah-ha!" Ash cried. "I never thought you'd stoop so low as to make little girls cry..."

"But we were nowhere near the stage at the time!" Jessie protested.

"Yeah, we were fixing up the games on the midway and performing any needed repairs!" James lied to keep up their ruse.

"I wouldn't judge a book by its cover, young man--these two and their Meowth have shown considerable character." Lulu added as she joined the disguised Team Rocket.

Ash was about to protest when he heard more and more of the townsfolk gasping and crying over their Wobbufetts and Wynauts--so many that the commotion grew unintelligible. "Okay...so maybe Team Rocket didn't hurt all the Wobbufetts and Wynauts..."

"Well, if they didn't, who did?" Misty asked. "Let's go find out!"

Meowth heaved a sigh of relief as the group hurried off around a corner. "Dat was close..."

"You three go on back to your work, I'll help keep the crowds calm." Lulu assured Team Rocket before hurrying to console a boy.

Jessie smiled. "Your ruse was perfect, James--now to keep looking for the food storage!"

---------

After making a circle around the village, Ash spotted the young men in leather jackets, old T-shirts, and ripped black jeans near the Enduring Hope statue. "So! You guys must be the one that crashed the festival!"

"Yeah, we did...what are you gonna do about it?" one of the punks smirked as another Wobbufett limped away in pain.

He noticed Brock aiming an arrow at his Hitmonlee. "I wouldn't be shooting if I were you, Robin Hood--Leelee's so quick, she could snatch your arrow right outta the sky!"

"Really? Try me..." Brock shot back.

"Brock, don't!" Misty gasped. "What if the guy's claim is true, and his Hitmonlee can catch arrows?"

"I wouldn't recommend engaging with these three..." a woman cautioned, prompting Brock to stand down. "They attacked the village a year ago. Rather than training their Fighting-type Pokémon normally, they instructed them to attack the village in order to build up their strength."

"So that's why they've been beating up all the Wobbufetts and Wynauts..." Misty mused.

"When they reached Lulu's house, however, her Wobbuffet Taemasu's skillful use of Counter and Mirror Coat proved to be their undoing, and they fled the village, vowing revenge." the woman explained.

An idea occurred to her. "Wait there, you three--let me see if I can find Lulu and Officer Jenny. They should know what to do to chase those hoodlums away!"

The hoodlums laughed as the woman dashed off. "Our Pokémon are much stronger than they were last year, and we intend to beat up every Wobbuffet and Wynaut in the village to prove it!" the second punk sneered.

---------

"Dere...dat's da last box." Meowth smiled as team Rocket finished moving every last box of food into the brush.

He noticed Lulu, Officer Jenny and Lulu's Wobbuffet Taemasu hurrying to the festival grounds. "Funny, what's all the ruckus about?"

"Let's just stay put for now. " James suggested as he watched the group run to engage the hoodlums. "We'll make our move when the time is right."

"Luce, I choose you!" Ash called, heaving a Poke Ball skyward to reveal his Flaaffy before the owner of the Hitmonlee.

"Spritz, I need your help!" Misty called, summoning the Seadra before the Machoke's owner.

"Hitomi, showtime!" Brock heaved a Poke Ball of his own skyward. "You have an advantage, so make that Primeape and its cohorts pay for bothering the townsfolk and ruining my performance!" he called to the Golbat.

A whistle interrupted the impending clash. "I understand how angry you three are right now, but Pokémon battles are forbidden during the festival, in honor of Wobbuffet's characteristic of never attacking first." Officer Jenny explained.

"Okay...come on, Luce." Ash sighed as Luce trudged along behind him.

"Sorry, Spritz..we'll have to find another way of helping the town." Misty was equally dejected.

Hitomi sighed as she fluttered beside Brock.

"As much as I wish that playing my guitar and singing a song would help, I don't think it's going to here." Brock agreed. "These guys don't look like the kind to just gather 'round and sing 'Kumbaya' along with an acoustic guitar..."

The hoodlums, meanwhile laughed as the group trudged away. "See? You three are a bunch of wimps!" the third punk called. "You won't even lift a finger to stop us!"

"So we're gonna make ya watch as we tear down your precious statue brick by brick!" the second punk went on.

---------

"Why are da twerps not fightin' back?" Meowth watched, dumbfounded, as the group trudged away.

"Or the rest of the village, for that matter?" Jessie was equally confused.

James thought for a moment. "I think I know where the villagers are coming from, here...they are truly dedicated to their Wobbufetts and Wynauts to the point where they will wait to attack second alongside them."

The lightbulb went off in Meowth's head. "Dat makes poifect sense!"

"So we should do something to help the villagers--exactly what, I don't know." James went on.

"Do we have to?" Jessie asked.

"Rememba how well the villagers have treated us so far?" Meowth asked Jessie. "It's only fair we help dem in retoin."

"Hm...you do have a point, Meowth." Jessie sighed. "If it means that much to you two, let's help out our hosts."

---------

Ash watched in horror as the Hitmonlee, the Machoke, and the Primeape did everything they could to try and put a dent in the Wobbufett statue. "We have to do something to stop those jerks!"

He turned his cap back. "I'll go give them a piece of my mind!"

"Hold your Ponytas, young man." Lulu gently scolded as she pulled Ash back. "Remember the way of the Wobbufett--do not attack unless you have been attacked first."

Ash was about to protest when he saw a familiar Meowth balloon. "Team Rocket!"

"Did I actually hear a note of joy in Ash's voice?" Brock wondered. Ash had seemed almost ecstatic that Team Rocket had arrived.

"Well, what have we here? Three punks causing trouble..." Jessie smirked as she looked down on the frightened punks and their Pokemon.

"If you don't stop this right now, your pain will be double!" James warned as he joined Jessie in looking down on the punks.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began.

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled, twirling a rose in his hand. Ash just watched and growled in annoyance at the familiar motto he, Misty, and Brock had heard a million times before:

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"Bring it, Team Rocket goons!" the Hitmonlee's owner challenged.

"But, battles are not allowed in town!" Officer Jenny protested as Meowth balloon landed and the Rockets climbed from the balloon's basket.

"So? Rules were made to be broken!" Jessie retorted as she summoned Arbok.

Meowth watched James summon Victreebel, but gasped as the large pitcher plant Pokemon came for him. "Hey! I'm ya pal, not dinner!" he screamed.

Misty watched as the Hitmonlee used Rolling Kick against Arbok. "I can't believe it...Team Rocket's actually helping people..." she mused as Arbok responded with a Tackle.

"Maybe some of them have a shred of honor, at least." Brock agreed as in the distance, the Machoke uses Karate Chop on Victreebel. Victreebel, however, tried to counter with Razor Leaf, although this was blocked by the Primeape.

Ash watched as Arbok tried to use Wrap against Hitmonlee, but was knocked out by a Hi Jump Kick. "That had to hurt..."

Jessie growled as she watched the Machoke finish off Victreebel with a Seismic Toss at the same time. "Okay, let's see what you can do, Sahana!" she called as she heaved the Poke Ball with her Wobbufett inside to the sky.

"He looks stupid in that headband..." the first punk chucked as Sahana materialized before them, making his companions chuckle.

He then called to his Hitmonlee "Leelee, use Jump Kick!"

"Chika, use Seismic Toss!" the second punk called.

"Fury, use Fury Swipes!" the third punk called.

But neither the punks, the group, Team Rocket, or the onlookers knew what was going to happen next. "Wow..." Ash gasped as Sahana Countered the Hitmonlee's Jump Kick, followed by the Machoke's Seismic Toss, and then the Primeape's Fury Swipes.

In a last desperate move, the punks tried to combine their Pokémon's attacks in order to beat Sahana, but only went flying off into the sky with a ping.

---------

"I can't even begin to thank you..." Lulu smiled as the townsfolk cheered for Team Rocket.

"While you did save the town, that does not excuse the fact that you still broke the festival rules, and so I must ask you three to leave." Officer Jenny reminded the Rockets.

Ash, meanwhile, noticed that the Meowth balloon was carrying a very large cargo. "Wait a second...Team Rocket's making off with all the food for the festival!"

"Let's follow them!" Officer Jenny led the way out of town and up to a nearby hill. "Unless one of you has a sharp object, we're not getting the food back..."

Misty grinned. "We DO, in fact, have some sharp objects!"

She looked over at Brock. "You've got a clear shot from here, so show us your archery skill!"

"I'm on it, Misty!" With that, the others watched Brock aim at the balloon as it drifted by the hill, then fired, a [b]POW! confirming that Brock's shot had hit.

Ash was the first to arrive near the punctured balloon. "You have nowhere to go now!" he called as Team Rocket sent out Arbok and Weezing.

"Ah, but remember that you can't battle us, as battling is forbidden during the festival." James sneered.

"Actually, now that you guys are outside the village, battling is okay." Officer Jenny smiled.

Ash looked over at Tintri. "You know what to do, bud?"

[Yeah!] Tinri smiled before firing a Thunderbolt, sending Team Rocket flying off into the sky with another ping.

---------

"Due to all the chaos, the Lore Stage is cancelled--all other first day events will still go on as planned." the emcee announced, to some "aw"s from the crowd as many of the competing storytellers chose to leave.

Misty noticed Brock was unusually calm. "You're not mad about not getting to try for a green stripe?"

"Not really." Brock confessed. "How were we to know those punks were going to crash everything?"

"That is true..." Misty mused as the group returned to the Enduring Hope statue, which was miraculously unscathed, despite the chaos a few hours before.

"Besides, if it hadn't been for Team Rocket, the mess could've been much worse." Brock went on.

"Yeah, and at least they still have their Wobbufett!" Ash smiled. Misty and Brock couldn't help laughing in agreement as the sun sank below the trees...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-03-2017, 08:46 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 67: Ariados, Amigos

"If you don't mind, I'm gonna take Ami into the forest for a while." Misty told the boys as she led Ami towards a forest entrance. "She found a flower grove, and wants to pick some."

"I'm sure she'll look pretty in a flower crown." Ash smiled as he watched Tintri splash in the lake with the other Pokemon.

"If you need anything, just call." Brock replied as he cast a fishing line into the water, away from where the Pokemon were swimming.

"Come on, Ami...show me where the flowers are." Misty coaxed her Marill as she led the way into the forest.

[Okay...they should be over the log...] Ami explained as she and her human master climbed over a log that created a natural bridge for a small stream. [...and off to the right, in a clearing near some mushrooms.]

Misty nodded, and followed Ami down a pathway to a small clearing filled with flowers, complete with some mushrooms growing near the entrance. "Oh my...there must be hundreds of different kinds!" she gasped.

After spending a few minutes helping her master pick flowers, Ami noticed what looked like an odd red bush with flecks of yellow and purple. [That's weird...I've never seen a bush--!]

She gasped when she saw the bush appear to move on eight spindly legs! [Spider Pokemon!]

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKK!!!" Misty's scream echoed through the forest and all the way back to the camp.

"That was Misty! Let's go help!" Ash called as Tintri bounded out of the water and onto his shoulder.

"Believe me, I'd know Misty's scream anywhere..." Brock agreed as he put away his rod and tackle and retrieved his archery gear. I hope Misty didn't run into an Ursaring in the forest!

The boys followed Tintri to the clearing, where they spotted Misty shuddering in fear as the giant spider Pokemon approached her. As Brock readied a Repel-laced arrow, Ash decided to read up on the creepy Pokemon:

"Ariados, the long leg Pokemon. Wherever it goes, it spins a thread that always leads back to its web."

"Stand down, ite--Kumo did not mean to frighten your companion." a female voice commanded.

"Ite?" Ash was confused as he watched Brock stand down. "Can you at least come into the light, so we can see you?" he asked in the direction the voice had come from.

The Ariados forgot about Misty and scuttled to meet its master, a deep green haired girl in ninja's garb. "Here I am...my name is Aya. You may have met my brother Koga before, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town."

Ash was stunned. "H-how do you know my name?"

"Koga told me about the day he battled you for a Soul Badge--he remembers you and your companions fondly." Aya explained.

The lightbulb went off in Ash's head. "Oh! So you must be the sister he told me about that day!"

"How is Koga doing?" Misty asked, nervous and at the same time relieved the Ariados was not going to hurt her.

"He is doing well, and is now training a daughter of his own in our clan's ancient arts." Aya explained. "Her name is Janine, if you're curious--her favorite technique so far is the Disguise jutsu."

"I hope I get a chance to battle her one day!" Ash smiled, happy to know one of the Gym Leaders he had met was doing well.

"So, what are you doing all the way out here, Aya-san?" Brock asked Aya as he put away his gear, giving Aya a respectful bow.

"I'm training with Kumo to learn the special art of Pokémon Jujitsu--which is a form of martial arts." Aya smiled, flattered at Brock's respectful demeanor. "If you wish, my master is hosting a Pokethlon at the dojo today--competitors on all tracks are welcome."

"I would be honored, Miss Aya." Misty replied, forgetting about the Ariados. "I have two medals already, and wish to try for a third."

---------

"All right--today's Pokethlon is a Jump type competition." the student handling check in explained to Misty as she emerged from a dressing room in her jersey. "The three events are the Lamp Jump, the Disc Catch, and the Hurdle Dash, so bring your best Pokemon that can reach for the stars!"

I haven't seen the Lamp Jump and the Disc Catch before, but the Hurdle Dash I remember doing on water before, and now have to do on land. Misty thought as she contemplated which of her team to use.

"So, who are you going to use for this competition?" Ash asked as Misty approached the stands.

Ami begged

Misty just grinned at her Marill's enthusiasm. "Okay, Ami, you can compete this time. Pearl and Michelle will be your backups."

"You sure? A Marill's Jump stat isn't that good..." Brock cautioned as he looked at the stat guide Casey had given Misty.

"Ami really wants to try, so I'm letting her try." Misty assured Brock. "Besides, stats aren't everything--terrible Jump stat or no, I'm proud of her for trying."

She was about to say more when the lineup of competitors appeared on a screen--in addition to her and her three Pokemon, Aya and her Ariados were also displayed! "Oh no...how am I going to handle competing against a bug?"

"Just focus on doing your best to win--pretend the Ariados is not even there." Brock assured Misty. "Besides, Ash and me will be here cheering you on all the way."

A relieved smile formed on Misty's face. "Thanks...I'll try to remember that. I can't let my fear of bugs get in the way of my goal."

"That's the spirit!" Ash smiled as the doors opened to admit the audience to the event hall. "Go get'em!"

---------

"Our first event is the Lamp Jump." the referee announced to the crowd as a spotlight appeared on a massive pachinko-like board large enough to hold all manner of Pokemon. "Each Pokethlete must leap into the air towards our grid of lamps, touching as many as possible to score points. Each Pokethlete gets three tries, and the highest score wins."

[i]That board is perfect for Ami! Misty thought. "Ami, you'd be perfect for this event!"

Ami smiled as she followed an attendant to the launch pad leading into the board.

"First try!" the referee announced as Ami's information appeared on the scoreboard. After springing off the launchpad up the top of the board, she curled up into a ball shape as she bounced and bumped her way down to the bottom, with any lights she touched showing the judges and the audience her path through the course.

"Number 7's score--4800 points!" the referee announced when Ami finally arrived at the bottom some moments later.

"How do they come up with the score?" Ash asked, curious, as a Riolu made the jump into the course for its first attempt.

"Look closer--some of the lights are colored." Brock explained as the Riolu bounced off a red light. "Colored ones have higher values."

"I see..." Ash smiled, applauding the Riolu as it finished its run.

"Aya's next." Brock pointed out Kumo making his way to the launch pad.

"But neither the crowd nor Misty expected the Ariados to curl into a shuriken-like shape, allowing Kumo to hit nearly every light in the course. [i]There's no way Ami would be able to beat that... she mused as she saw Aya's score of 9980. Oh well...there's still two more events to go!

---------

Ami sobbed as Misty and the other Pokethletes made their way to the pool where the second event would take place.

"I'm not mad, okay?" Misty assured the crying Marill. "You did your best, and that's all that matters to me."

[Thanks...] Ami smiled, her tears shining with hope as the Pokethletes and the spectators arrived in a room with a large pool, where a large pier was floating in the center. Aya and the Riolu's trainer were already present on the pier. which had a walkway for the competitors to reach it without swimming.

"May I try this event?" Michelle asked. [You'll likely need power and precision, and I can do that.]

[Sure...] Misty stammered as she carefully walked to the platform reserved for third place, acutely aware of the Ariados a few feet away on the first place platform.

[i]Remember what Brock said... she reminded herself as she took a deep breath and let it go. Kumo is not even there...you can do this.

Once all the competitors were on the pier, the referee addressed the crowd in the stands. "Our second event today is the Disc Catch. As you can see, our four Pokethletes are lined up on a small pier in the middle of the water based on how they finished in the previous event. They must catch discs that are thrown through the air without falling in the water. Should they fall, they will lose what discs they collected, and have to start again. Whoever catches the most discs in 60 seconds, wins."

He then addressed the four Pokethletes. "Pokethletes? Are you ready?"

Cheers went up in reply as a timer set for 60 seconds appeared on the scoreboard. "Okay...Ready? Set..." the referee called before blowing his whistle, triggering a volley of discs from launchers hidden in the walls.

Michelle made the first strike by grabbing a disc coming from the right. She next reached for one coming from a launcher on the left wall, but Kumo grabbed it away.

"Michelle! Focus on the discs coming straight at you and from the right!" Misty suggested over the yells of the other Pokethletes encouraging their jumping Pokemon and the cheers of the crowd.

[Got it!] Michelle replied before leaping to grab a disc from the center launcher.

In the stands, the boys cheered their hardest as Michelle and Kumo raced neck and neck. "Come on, Michelle!" Ash called as the Golduck effortlessly grabbed another disc.

Brock winced as Michelle and Kumo both jumped for the same disc with twenty seconds to go, only for Kumo to splash down into the water, resetting his score. "Good thing Michelle had the power and distance to get that one..."

"She has psychic power, and strength, so maybe she used a flutter jump to give her the boost to get it.' Ash grinned as the clock expired.

"Okay...Kumo managed to make up some ground to come in third with five..." Brock noted as the event results blipped on the screen. "and Misty and Michelle take the gold with eight!"

"I think your advice about focusing is helping..." Ash smiled.

[There's still one more event to go...] Tintri reminded him. [So she still has to focus!]

---------

"Well done on the Disc Catch..." Misty smiled as she and Michelle arrived on the track for the Hurdle Dash. "Since this Hurdle Dash is on land, would you like to run it?"

[Of course...I still have plenty of strength left.] Michelle assured her mistress. [You know that I'm equally fit on land or in water.]

She knelt down to allow Misty to climb on her back. [Just climb aboard!]

Once Misty was safely on her Golduck's back, Michelle jogged to the second lane. "Pokethletes ready?" the referee called.

The track roared with cheers. "Ready? Set..." the referee called before the starting gun fired.

Aya and Kumo charged ahead to start, but Misty and Michelle were not far behind in second place. After landing on the ground from the first hurdle, Misty noticed she and Michelle had overtaken Aya and Kumo. "I see...eight legs is great for a sprint or straight running, but not so good if you also have to jump."

[Exactly!] Michelle smiled as she nimbly leaped over the second hurdle. [Now, let's give this webspinner what for!]

With that, she powered over the third hurdle, crossing the line with ten seconds to spare!

---------

"Well...I am quite impressed at how well you did in today's competition." Aya smiled as the crowds departed the medal ceremony that evening. "Clearly Kumo and I have a lot to learn."

"Aw, I just focused on doing the best I could." Misty smiled as she admired her reflection in the silver medal she had won. "Win or lose, all we can do is our best."

"You speak with wisdom beyond your years, Misty." Aya smiled. "Know that Koga, Janine, and I will be cheering you on to the Grand Pokethlon and beyond."

"I wish you luck, as well--Kumo really gave my crew a challenge!" Misty smiled as the boys ran to meet her.

"Will you tell Koga I said hi?" Ash asked Aya.

"I will tell him you send your regards." Aya replied before turning to leave. "That, and that you wish to battle Janine the next time you come to Fuchsia."

"Thanks!" Ash waved goodbye to Aya, then addressed Misty. "Nice job on that second place finish...you were very brave for facing a bug as your competition."

"I was surprised too, but I have to hand it to Brock--his advice on focus was what helped the most." Misty assured Ash as the three travelers walked off into the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-06-2017, 10:45 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 68: Wings n' Things

"...a one on one tea ceremony is very special--a sign of friendship between the host and the guest." Brock read from the guidebook's chapter on the traditional tea ceremony to Ash and Misty. "Before entering the place where the ceremony is being held, the guests have to wait for the sound of the vina, an ancient harp said to create an atmosphere of peace and tranquility. The vina playing means that the host is ready to receive the guests."

"How pretty!" Misty gasped, starry eyed as she pictured her and Ash receiving tea from a kimono-clad lady as Brock, as the harpist, played a peaceful melody on a bow shaped harp.

"I wonder if we can participate in a tea ceremony when we get to Ecruteak?" Ash smiled. "I still have my kimono from last year's summer festival!"

With that, he skipped down the road with Tintri, singing the bon odori song from the festival at Maiden's Peak the year before. Haa, hanabi agareba...Ha-a, kansei agaru...

A buzzing in the distance jolted him from his song as a tiny dragonfly-like Pokemon emerged from the tall grass at the side of the road. Interesting Pokemon... he thought as he reached for his Pokedex:

"Yanma, the clear wing Pokemon. If it flaps its wings really fast, it can generate shock waves that will shatter windows in the area."

Just as Ash pocketed Dexter, he gasped as the Yanma flew over and snatched his cap! "Hey!" he cried as he and Tintri followed the Yanma into the grass. "That cap's special to me!"

After fruitlessly chasing the Yanma around in circles for a minute or two, Ash heaved a relieved sigh when he heard a boy's voice call "Sparx, give that hat back!"

The Yanma looked over at Ash, then its deep blue haired owner, then back at Ash again before dropping the cap at Ash's feet and flying off. "Has your Yanma always been that difficult..." Ash started, before realizing he had not asked the Yanma's owner his name.

"My name's Zachary--but you can call me Zach for short." the boy replied as Ash dusted off his cap and put it back on. "I'm so sorry about Sparx swiping your cap--no matter what I do to teach Sparx anything, he doesn't want to obey me..."

"Is everything okay?" Misty and Brock arrived a few moments later. "We heard this buzzing and then you screaming..." Misty began.

"Yeah--I got my cap back. A mischievous Yanma took it." Ash assured his companions. "This is Zach, the Yanma's owner. Zach, this are my traveling companions, Misty and Brock.

"Nice to meet you both." Zach replied. "My dad makes windows in town...and Sparx has always been a troublemaker for them.

"Then we'd better get to town before Sparx causes any more trouble." Misty led the way down the road, making sure to keep Zach in view.

---------

Screams and cries filled the air as the group reached the town some moments later. "Hide your glasswares!" Ash heard a woman call.

"Sparx is back!" a man cried, spurring many of the townsfolk to take what glasswares they could find and hide them in secure locations as the Yanma flew down the main street.

"Seems Sparx has already built quite the bad reputation..." Brock mused as he watched Sparx fly to one particular shop, tap one finished window pane, then flap his wings enough to create that same tone, shattering hundreds of windowpanes and glass sheets.

"I guess that old urban legend about glass shattering at a certain frequency is true..." Misty gasped, both awed and afraid at how powerful Sparx was.

"Zachary Evans! I thought I told you that that stupid Yanma wasn't allowed within a hundred feet of here!" a man yelled as Zach arrived to corral Sparx. "That's another 200 credits worth of glass you'll have to pay down!"

"It seems like Sparx has done this before..." Ash mused as he watched the man berate Zach.

"But Zach doesn't seem like a bad trainer..." Misty noted as she watched the man lead Zachary before a man with similar features to Zach at a nearby house.

"In most troublesome Pokemon, it usually is the trainer that's the problem, but in this case, it looks like a combination of the Pokemon being rebellious by nature, and the trainer not knowing how to control it." Brock explained as he motioned for the group to follow him to the house, where the two men were talking. "We just need to stick up for Zach and prove he can be a good trainer for Sparx."

---------

"I'm sorry, Mr. Strussel..." Zach told the angry man as the group looked on. "I've tried to keep Sparx under control, but he never wants to listen to me..."

"Well, if you're clearly putting up an effort and he still breaks everyone's glass, then the only thing to do is return Sparx to the wild." Mr. Strussel replied, a note of anger still in his voice.

"But--!" Zach protested.

"As much as I hate to say this, I have to agree, son." Mr. Evans sighed. "I know you've done a lot for Sparx, but if he doesn't want to listen to you, then he may be happy back in the wild."

Misty watched Zach trudge away towards a park. "Poor Zach...he must really love Sparx to keep training him when Sparx won't even listen to him..."

"Let's go see if we can cheer him up!" Ash suggested.

Brock located Zach sitting on a bench overlooking a playground. "Got room for a few more?" he asked as he sat down by Zach.

"Sure." Zach replied, the awkward discussion from earlier still weighing on his heart.

"If you don't mind my asking, how did you and Sparx meet?" Ash wondered.

"Well...it all started a few months ago." Zach began. "A big storm came through the area, and at the time, Dad and I were on the way back from delivering glass to another town. Just as we contemplated finding shelter, Dad spotted a Yanma lying on the ground, battered by the wind and rain. Not being one to just leave an injured Pokemon behind, we took it home and took care of it, and I named it Sparx. However, as soon as he got better, Sparx broke all the glass in Dad's workshop. I decided to train Sparx, but to no avail."

He sighed. "And that's where you guys came in. Maybe Mr. Strussel is right...Sparx should be back in the wild."

"WHAAAAAAAT???" the group gasped.

"How can you say that when you've done so much for Sparx?" Misty gasped.

"Maybe a window maker's son wasn't meant to be a Yanma trainer..." Zach sighed before tearfully getting up from the bench.

---------

"Good bye, Sparx..." Zach began as he released the Yanma in the forest some time later. "I'll...I'll..."

Finally, pure emotion overwhelmed Zach as he dashed back down the forest path, only to trip on a rock and fall right at Ash's feet! "I did it...I released Sparx. But it doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye..." he whispered before bursting into tears.

After dusting himself off, he led the group to a ring of rocks. "I wanted to raise Sparx to be a hero--a Pokemon would could help people, not cause trouble for them..." he explained.

"The townsfolk may have seen him as trouble, but did YOU ever see Sparx as a troublemaker?" Brock asked as he wiped away Zach's tears.

"No..." Zach replied. "I saw him as a friend, and my hero-in-training. But how could something that small do much of anything besides cause trouble?"

Brock thought for a moment. "You know, there are millions of stories in the world that tell of tiny beings that did big things, including Yanmas."

"Really?" Zach asked, intrigued by the three stripes on Brock's vest. "If you're a storyteller, do you know any stories about a heroic Yanma?"

"Yes, actually...I learned one from a book once." Brock replied. "It's called 'How the Yanmas Defeated the Pansages'."

With that, he began "One day, a Yanma just like Sparx was traveling from a beautiful tropical island down to another island to the south. The air was steamy, and the sun was high in the sky. After many hours, the poor Yanma was exhausted, but she still had a long way to go. She decided to rest for a while, and spotting a grove of palm trees, she flew down to rest on one. She did not notice the family of Pansages in the tree."

"Uh oh..." Zach stifled a giggle--the first time he had laughed at all that day.

"As she was fanning herself with her wings, resting and catching her breath, she suddenly heard a rustling sound beside her." Brock went on, complete with Ash rustling some grass for sound effects.

"Who's there?" Misty jumps in the role of the Yanma.

"...and a moment later a Pansage--a green monkey Pokemon native to the far away Unova region-- stood beside her." Brock went on.

"What are you doing? You're trespassing! You'll have to leave right now." he scolded Misty in a mimic of Team Rocket's Meowth, to Zach's delight.

"The Pansage looked enormous to the Yanma, and his voice was harsh. She began to tremble with fear." Brock went on as himself. "Still, she was tired. Her desire for rest inspired her courage, so she looked up at the Pansage and said..."

"Please, sir, I would like to rest here until sunset. I've been flying so long, my wings won't carry me much farther." Misty fills in the dialogue as the Yanma.

"Poor, tired wings!" Brock jeered as the Pansage. "We don't allow weak creatures to stay in our tree. Go away, now!"

As himself, he went on "With that, he snapped a twig from the tree and brandished it as if it were a sword. Try as the Yanma might to beg for mercy, the Pansage threw the stick at her."

"That's not very nice!" Zach cried, appalled.

"Now, the Yanma was tired, but as we know, Yanmas are quick, and before the stick was out of the Pansage's hand, she was flying away, flying towards her homeland." Brock went on. "When at long last she reached home, she went to tell King Yanmega--what Yanma ultimately becomes--the story of the Pansages in the palm tree."

"So what did King Yanmega do?" Zach asked as Ash showed him a Yanmega's picture in the Pokedex.

"When King Yanmega heard the story, he was furious. He decided the Yanmas had to confront the Pansages, and he sent three of his best warriors to speak to King Simisage--what Pansage ultimately becomes." Brock went on. "The Yanma warriors flew to the palm tree, and asked to see King Simisage."

"Your Pansages treated one of our own cruelly. Our king has decided you must make amends or we will declare war on you." Ash jumps in the role of a Yanma.

"War, you say?" Brock shoots back as King Simisage. "Tell your king to come back here, and we shall see who wins this war!"

Brock then interjects as himself "The Yanma warriors understood that winning a war against the Pansages would be difficult, and so they said..."

"Sir, you never know how these things might end. Perhaps you wish to reconsider? An apology would be fine." Ash suggests as the Yanma.

"Go now and tell your king my answer! War it shall be!" Brock vows as King Simisage, to Zach's delight at how the group played off of each other.

Brock continued the story as himself "And so, the Yanma warriors flew back to their king and told him what King Simisage had said, so King Yanmega ordered his whole army to fly to the palm tree for battle. The Yanmas carried no weapons but their wings, and they flew as fast as they could, in strict formation, all the way to the palm tree. As they approached the tree, they saw an army of Pansages wielding branches and sticks."

"And then?" Zach was interested now.

"When King Simisage saw the Yanmas approaching, he gave the word to attack." Brock intoned As the Pansages began to scatter down their tree, waving their sticks in the air, the Yanmas flew directly at them. Just as their king had commanded, they landed on the Pansages' foreheads. The Pansages quickly raised their weapons and struck, but the Yanmas were so quick, they flew away, and so the Pansages struck their own foreheads. One by one, the Pansages fell from the tree."

Zach giggled as he pictured the comical scene. "And so it was that the Yanmas won the war." Brock concluded. "All the Pokemon--and the people, too--learned to admire and respect speed, agility and wit."

"That was pretty good!" Zach smiled as he applauded. "Maybe I was wrong about releasing Sparx...let's go take him back!"

The group eagerly made their way back to the clearing, but were crestfallen when they saw Sparx was gone.

---------

"Now where could the twerps have gotten to?" Jessie wondered as Team Rocket climbed through the forest underbrush.

Just then, she saw Sparx lands by a river to get a drink. "Well well, what have we here? They say a Yanma's wings can produce a tone that shatters glass."

"Jus' tink of all da havoc we could cause!" Now Meowth was excited. "We could have da Yanma break all da windows somewhere, den we could charge da townsfolk for glass at super-high prices!"

"Then what are we waiting for?" James asked before taking a net, tiptoeing up to the unsuspecting Yanma, and dropping the net on it!

[Let me go, you hoodlums!] Sparx demanded, taking advantage James inspecting the next to fly away.

"Not so fast!" Jessie heaved a rope in the direction the Yanma was flying, which wrapped around Sparx's body.

"Nice lasso, Jessie." Meowth grinned as Jessie pulled back the struggling Yanma. "Now for part 1 of our plan--go find some windows ta smash!"

[Get me out of here!] Sparx screeched before flapping his wings, creating a ringing Eb note that rang through the forest, shattering the windows in a nearby empty cabin.

"Looks like that story about the Yanma's wings is true..." James mused. "Let's go bilk the townsfolk!"

---------

"Mr. Strussel? Have you seen Sparx anywhere?" Zach asked some time later.

"Course I have--you've allowed him to break almost all the windows in town so those glass hawkers can sell us overpriced glass!" Mr. Strussel grumbled, pointing out Jessie, James, and Meowth--in disguise as glass merchants--in the town square. "I can't believe you'd fall in with hucksters like that--if you try anything funny, I'm onto you!"

Moments before Mr. Strussel could take Zach by the arm to his father, the others arrived. "HOLD EVERYTHING!" Brock called. "First of all, why are you accusing Zach of something he didn't even do? Those glass merchants were actually Team Rocket!"

Jessie happened to overhear Brock trying to defend Zach. "How nice of you to say that, it sure saves us the trouble!" With that, the Rockets threw off their disguises, to the gasps of the townsfolk.

"And because of your generosity, we'll make your pain double!" James agrees, just as Meowth and Sparx arrived back by his side.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began.

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled, twirling a rose in his hand. Ash just watched and growled in annoyance at the familiar motto he, Misty, and Brock had heard a million times before:

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

Ash growled in anger as he picked up one of his Poke Balls. "Luce, I choose you!"

"Spritz, go give those Rockets what for!" Misty was not far behind in summoning one of her own Pokemon.

"Wait!" Mr. Evans cried. "If you all must battle, can we do so in a different place? Sparx would destroy the stained glass. I've worked hard on these windows, and I don't want them ruined!"

"Is that so?" James smirked before telling the group "Listen up, twerps--if you even so much as attempt to attack, our little friend Sparx will destroy all the windows here."

"And just to make sure you won't attack, I'll bind you both!" Jessie added before summoning Arbok, who wasted no time Binding the Flaaffy and the Seadra.

[We...have to do something...] Luce gasped as Arbok's coils squeezed both Pokemon tighter and tighter.

[I know...but the windows...] Spritz wheezed.

Just then, Misty got an idea. "Zach...can you try to return Sparx to you? That way you can show Team Rocket you are Sparx's rightful owner."

"Okay..." Zack then held out a Poke Ball. "Sparx, return."

Everyone gasped as Sparx was returned to the ball. "He did it!" Ash cried.

He paused to turn his cap back. "Luce, use Shockwave!"

"Spritz, use Water Gun to make the Shockwave even stronger!" Misty commanded.

Zach watched as the massive lightning bolt sliced through the water and shocked the Arbok, forcing it to let go of the Flaaffy and the Seadra. "Sparx, I need your help!" he called, moments before Victreebel used Razor Leaf to wound Luce and Spritz.

"You want to try battling with Sparx?" Ash paused to retrieve Dexter. "Here, this should help..."

"Yanma's Known Attacks--number one, Sonic Boom..." Dexter reported.

"Sparx, use Sonic Boom!" Zach commanded.

The group watched as Sparx began flapping at a very high speed, creating a loud boom that knocked out Arbok. "Razor Leaf incoming!" Brock warned, pointing out the flurry of sharp leaves headed for Sparx.

"Yanma's Known Attacks--number two, Double Team..." Dexter continued.

"Okay Sparx, use Double Team to dodge!" Zach commanded.

Misty watched as the Razor Leaves went straight through the copies of Sparx, leaving the real Sparx unharmed. "Spritz!"

"Luce!" Ash called.

"Sparx!" Zach called.

"Yanma's Known Attacks--number three, Tackle..." Dexter reported.

"USE TACKLE!" all three trainers chorused.

[HAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!!] Luce, Spritz, and Sparx barreled at Team Rocket, the resulting impact sending them flying off into the sky with a ping.

"I don't believe it...Zach and Sparx saved the town!" Mr. Strussel gasped.

He looked over at Zach. "Look, I jumped to conclusions before, and I'm sorry I accused you of something you had no part of...will you ever forgive me?"

"Sure..." Zach replied. "It's always better to forgive and forget, right Dad?"

"Yes, that's right." Mr. Evans grinned.

He gestured to a window that he had finished moments before, depicting Ash, Misty and Brock as fantasy heroes with a Yanma flying overhead. "As thanks for all you've done, we're hanging this window in the Pokemon Center to remember you three by."

"I told Dad to make your fantasy self a minstrel, as thanks for the story you told me." Zach explained to Brock. "I think it inspired Sparx too."

[Oh, it did!] Sparx buzzed. [I want to do all I can to be the greatest Yanma the world has ever known!]

"Know that you three are always welcome here any time." Mr. Evans smiled. "And you're welcome to come share your stories, too." he smiled at Brock.

"Aw, it was nothing!" Misty smiled.

"Yeah--we'll try and come back sometime." Ash agreed. He waved goodbye to the cheering townsfolk as he, Misty, and Brock set off into the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-11-2017, 01:00 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 69: The Grass Route

The sun was high overhead as the group rounded a bend in the road to see an array of Grass type Pokemon romping around what Ash assumed were fairgrounds. "Hey guys...check out all the Grass Pokemon!"

"I see..." Brock looked up from the guidebook and smiled when he saw a Sunflora, savoring a memory of his first Lore Stage. "I see Sunflora, Oddish, Bellsprout..."

"Is that a Gloom?" Misty asked, pointing out a Gloom in the crowd of Grass Pokemon. "Reminds me of your battle with Erika..."

"Don't remind me..." Ash shuddered. Being disguised as a girl to enter the Gym was bad enough, but he had at least rescued Erika's Gloom when Team Rocket had attempted to burn the Gym down--so it was worth the humiliation.

He was snapped from his memories by Brock's voice. "If Saria was here, she would love getting to know all these exotic Grass types."

Ash smiled at a memory of his beloved Bulbasaur as he read up on a small pink deer Pokemon playing with an Oddish:

Deerling, the season Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon from the Unova region, the turning of the seasons changes the color and scent of this Pokémon's fur. People use it to mark the seasons.

"Cool..." Ash smiled before scanning a small bud-like Pokemon dozing near a desk:

"Budew, the bud Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon from the Shinou region, the bud is said to bloom when it feels the sun's warm touch."

"I'm sure that must be pretty..." Ash mused to himself as he looked for another exotic Grass Pokemon to scan.

"What's this cute little owl Pokemon here?" Misty asked as she joined Ash in the field.

Ash located the brown and green owl Pokemon sunning itself in a tree and scanned it with the Pokedex:

Rowlet, the grass quill Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon from the Alola region, this wary Pokémon uses photosynthesis to store up energy during the day, while becoming active at night.

"Interesting..." Ash mused as Brock joined him and Misty, just in time to see a small green Pokemon with a yellow flower on its head. "Huh?"

As the group followed the little Pokemon, Ash looked it up on the Pokedex:

"Skiploom, the cottonweed Pokemon. It spreads its petals to absorb sunlight. It also floats in the air to get closer to the sun.

"How pretty!" Misty gasped as they followed the Skiploom down the path to where a line was forming at a food booth.

"There you are!" a dull blue haired boy smiled as he hugged the Skiploom, then looked at the group. "Oh, hi! I haven't seen you guys around before...I'm Ephraim, and this is Skippy, my Skiploom."

[Hi!] the Skiploom smiled.

"Nice to meet you...I'm Ash, and these are my companions, Misty and Brock." Ash replied, making a grand gesture to his companions, who waved hello upon being introduced. "We're traveling through the region, and couldn't resist stopping by when we saw all the Grass Pokemon."

"Are any of you guys trainers at all?" Ephraim wondered.

Ash revealed his three badges, neatly sewn to his right vest flap. "I am, at least--here are the three badges I have so far."

"Wow...three badges?" Ephraim was impressed. "Is it okay if I can have Skippy battle one of your Pokemon?"

"Sure!" Ash replied as he watched Brock draw the shape of a Poke Ball in the grass.

---------

"Okay, Ephraim...which side of the Poke Ball do you want to take?" Brock asked.

"Gold--in honor of the bud on Skippy's head!" Ephraim smiled as he dashed to the left side of the Poke Ball, with Skippy close behind him.

"Then I'll take Silver." Ash replied before taking the Poke Ball with Aina inside. "I'm not sure how strong Skippy is, so I'll use one of my weaker Pokemon, okay?"

"That's fair." Ephraim smiled.

Ash then heaved his Poke Ball skyward. "Aina, time to make your debut!"

"Since this is just a friendly match, I'm not going to go through the whole introductions, like a referee would do at a real tournament." Brock explained as he hung his referee's whistle around his neck. "So, are both sides ready?"

Cheers rang across the grounds in reply. "Okay! And three...two...one..."

As soon as the whistle blew, Ephraim called "Okay, Skippy! Start with Double Team to confuse the Machop!"

Aina balked as what seemed like hundreds of Skiplooms appeared before her. [Oh my...which one's the real one?]

"Try Brick Break, and hope it's the right one!" Ash suggested.

[HAIIIIIIIIII-YAH!] Aina cried as her left hand glowed, allowing her to chop through the duplicates and hit the real Skippy, sending the Skiploom flying backwards several feet.

Both trainers watched in awe and surprise as the whistle blew again. "Game Set! This match goes to Silver!" Brock announced, to some light applause from some onlookers.

Ash realized what Aina had just done. "No way...Aina won...her first battle?"

A euphoric smile formed on his face. "YA-HOOOO!!!!!!" AINA WON A BATTLE! AINA WON--!"

"ASH!!!" Misty's angry voice brought Ash back to reality. "I'm surprised at you--steamrolling a kid's Pokemon like that, and then celebrating over it?" she snapped. "You should be ashamed of yourself for battering that poor Skiploom--you have higher standards than this!"

Ephraim, however, was unusually calm about losing. "It's okay...Skippy's taken bigger beatings than that before." he assured Misty as Skippy came to.

As Skippy flew into his arms, he went on "If you're needing a place to stay, I can ask my mom and dad about using the guest bedrooms at the house. It's not far from here."

---------

"Mom, Dad, I met some new friends at the fairgrounds today!" Ephraim called to a man and a woman with similar features to him having coffee at the kitchen table. "Meet Ash, Misty, and Brock." he smiled, making a grand gesture to the group as they came inside.

"Nice to meet you three...are you in town for the Grass Tournament?" Ephraim's mom asked.

"Grass Tournament?" Ash was confused.

"This was why I wanted to battle before--I'm training Skippy for the tournament." Ephraim explained. "The Grass Tournament is a special competition for Grass-type Pokémon only, with a large collection of Leaf Stones as the prize."

"Wow!" Misty was impressed.

"I bet Ethan and Lyra will be here for the tournament--maybe after we settle in for the night, we can head back to the fairgrounds and see." Brock suggested.

"Explore all you want--the fairgrounds have plenty to do even if you're not competing." Ethan's father smiled. "The guest bedrooms are upstairs on the left."

---------

"Wow..." the group gasped as they returned to the fairgrounds that evening. Carnival rides, a midway, and food stands had been set up as even more people converged on the fairgrounds for the tournament. What trainers were signing up for the tournament were checking in near a large dome, while everyone else rode the rides or tried their luck at winning Pokemon dolls or other prizes.

"Aw, what's this Pokemon?" Misty asked as she admired a doll of a small blue duck-like Pokemon with a lilly pad on its head as one of the prizes for the pyramid game.

"Here..." Ash invited Misty to look as he scanned the doll with his Pokedex:

Lotad, the waterweed Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon of the Houen region, it looks like an aquatic plant and serves as a ferry to Pokémon that can't swim."

"Fascinating!" Misty smiled as Brock set down a hundred credit bill in an attempt to win one of the Lotad dolls for Misty.

Both Ash and Misty held their breaths as Brock heaved the ball with all his might...and sent the milk bottle pyramid crashing down some seconds later. "Easy as pie." he smiled as the barker gave him a small Lotad doll.

"How did you do that? I thought the game was rigged!" Ash gasped, amazed that Brock had won a prize on the first try at a carnival game.

"Actually, the milk bottle pyramid is in fact winnable if you know what you're doing." Brock explained. "You want to aim for the middle of the bottom row, and throw as hard as you can, like I did."

"Ah..." Misty smiled as she hugged her new Lotad doll.

"That's actually fascinating!" a voice called. "Any other tips you can share, guru of the midway?"

Brock whirled around to find Ethan and Lyra approaching them from the other direction. "Oh, hi! Are you guys just here for the carnival, or are you gonna compete in the tournament tomorrow?" he asked.

"I'm competing with Hana." Lyra replied. "Just for fun, and see how she'd do in a tournament setting."

"Having seen Hana battle before, I do you're gonna do great!" Ash smiled.

"We'll be there to cheer you on, even if you don't win it all." Misty smiled.

"And for the record, if there's any midway game you DON'T want to play, steer clear of the plastic tubs, and the swinger game is all but impossible thanks to basic physics." Brock replied.

"Point duly noted." Ethan smiled as the new group of five continued down the midway...

---------

Elsewhere, Kamon and a small lizard Pokemon with a leafy tail made their way down the road. "Huh?" Kamon mused as he found a dropped flyer advertising the tournament and the carnival. "Grass tournament...all ages and skill levels welcome...500 Leaf Stones as the prize..."

He smiled at the little lizard Pokemon. "Well, Donna...tomorrow's the day of your big debut. Maybe Wonder Boy and pals will be there--this kind of thing is just up their alley..."

---------

"Gold side ready?" the referee announced.

Lyra and Hana cheered in reply. "Silver side ready?" the referee asked, prompting a boy and his Gloom to cheer. "And three...two...one..."

Lyra struck first as the whistle blew. "Hana, use Razor Leaf!"

Ash and the others gawked as Hana landed a critical blow, taking out the Gloom in one hit! "Wow...Hana's gotten way stronger since I saw her last..." Ash gasped.

"Remember that Hana's been through a lot of major battles, so it makes sense that she be this strong by now..." Brock reminded Ash as the group watched Lyra shake hands with her opponent.

"I don't know...a lot of these trainers look pretty tough." Ethan mused as the arena was cleared off for the next match.

"Our next match, Ephraim and Skippy vs. Sterling and Donna." the announcer reported as Ephraim arrived on the Silver side with Skippy.

Misty, however, balked at Ephraim's opponent. "Is that who I think it is?"

"Even if it's not Kamon, it sure looks a lot like him." Ethan muttered as a familiar red haired boy approached the Gold side with the small lizard Pokemon.

Ash fumbled for his Pokedex to read up on the strange lizard Pokemon:

"Treecko, the wood gecko Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon from the Houen region, the soles of its feet are covered by countless tiny spikes, enabling it to walk on walls and ceilings."

In the arena, Ephraim shuddered as "Sterling" approached. "I know you're scared, Skippy, but I know you can be brave!"

[Yes I can!] Skippy charged at the Treecko, knocking it backwards.

"Donna, counter with Agility!" Kamon called.

As Kamon's Treecko raced around Skippy, Ephraim "Try to get Leech Seed on him, and then use Double Team!"

"Yes!" Misty smiled as Skippy paralyzed the Treecko by firing hundreds of life draining seeds from its bud, then flummoxed the lizard Pokemon even more by creating multiple copies of himself.

"Didn't Lyra try something like that before?" Ash asked Ethan.

"Yeah--Kamon believes in raw power above all else, so the best way to stymie him is put up defense." Ethan replied as the whistle blew to signal that Ephraim had won.

The group did not expect Ephraim's parents to hurry down to the arena. "My little boy--great job on your victory!" Ephraim's mother gushed.

"You're getting better with Skippy every day!" Ephraim's father agreed as he pulled out a camera to take a picture.

"Mom, Dad, you're embarrassing me!" Ephraim protested as he did his best to shield his eyes from the camera flash.

---------

"Lyra and Hana vs. Sterling and Donna." the announcer began as Lyra and Hana made their way to the arena to kick off the second round some time later.

[Funny...this Sterling guy looks a tad familiar...] Hana grumbled as she stared down the Treecko.

"Don't worry...I have a plan for exposing you-know-who's little charade." Lyra smiled as the referee counted down.

As soon as the whistle blew, Lyra called "Hana, use Razor Leaf!"

[Got it!] Hana replied as she fired a flurry of Razor Leaves over the confused Treecko and onto "Sterling" and shredding his silver suit, exposing him as Kamon, to the gasps of the crowd.

Even Ethan was surprised. "No way! That Sterling character WAS Kamon!"

"You have to give Lyra credit for a clever idea though." Misty grinned as the crowd waited to see how Kamon would react.

"Okay, I admit it--I solely entered this competition thinking Wonder Boy would be there." Kamon smirked. "And I see him right..."

He smiled when he found the section Ash and the others were sitting in. "...there..."

Gasps and screams filled the air as Kamon leaped into the stands and dashed to the row Ash and the others were watching from. "I found you, Wonder Boy...and today, we're gonna battle, right here, right now!"

"But I don't even--!" Ash protested before some screams and a cry of "Stop!" from a security guard clued him in that Kamon had forgotten about him and was heading for the door with the box holding the 500 Leaf Stones.

He motioned for Lyra to join him in the stands. "Brock, Lyra, I have an idea...Lyra, tell Hana to charge a Solarbeam..."

[Right!] Hana smiled as she started absorbing the sunlight from a window.

"You declared your archery gear before?" Ash asked Brock.

"Of course." Brock smiled as he retrieved an arrow and nocked it.

"When I give the signal, fire your shot through Hana's Solarbeam--the resulting bright light should blind Kamon long enough for him to drop the Leaf Stones." Ash explained, noting that Hana had finished charging the bright yellow beam, and was patiently waiting for him to give the signal.

He waited for Kamon to approach a white line in the arena, then called "NOW!!!"

The crowd watched in awe as the arrow flew through the Solarbeam, enchanting it with a bright flash of earth energy that caused Kamon to trip, making him drop the box of Leaf Stones.

"Good riddance...that guy was using his Pokemon like a tool, not a living being." Ephraim grumbled as Kamon was led away by security.

"Don't worry, Ephraim...he will get his just desserts, and learn that Pokemon are to be loved and cherished, sooner or later." Lyra smiled. "I believe you're the next match..."

Ethan smiled as a familiar song started over the PA system to pump up the crowd. "Shall we?"

"Yeah--let's inspire both Ephraim and Lyra with 'Glory in Our Story'." Misty suggested.

Ash led the singing as Ephraim and Skippy faced a trainer with a Turtwig. 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! Misty sang as Lyra faced off against a trainer with a Servine.

Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear! Brock sang as Ephraim won his match, only to receive more pictures and kisses.

My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world... Ethan sang as Hana sent her opponent flying, winning her the match.

Come along 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! the four friends sang as both Ephraim and Lyra plowed through the field, easily winning against every opponent they were pitted against.

Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story!

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together
I truly believe it with all of my heart...
The cards here in my hand,
Show you the way...

---------

"Our final match--Ephraim and Skippy vs. Lyra and Hana." the announcer called, to the roar of the crowd as Ephraim and Lyra met in the arena.

"Here we go--Ephraim has proved himself a great opponent...." Brock mused as Ephraim struck first with a Double Team, confusing Hana.

"Now do you feel bad for beating him down with Aina earlier?" Misty asked Ash as Lyra told Hana to use Razor Leaf, only to hit all the copies and not the real Skippy.

"I've felt horrible ever since that match." Ash sighed. "It didn't help you had to yell at me about it..."

"It's okay to want to celebrate when your Pokemon wins their first match, but it shouldn't come at the expense of another trainer that is way overmatched." Misty explained as she watched Hana put up a Reflect aura, then heal herself with Synthesis from the battering Skippy was giving her. "Think about all the times you went up against trainers you were overmatched against--how did you feel when you eventually lost?"

"Angry...and saddened that I lost despite giving my all." Ash replied. "If anything, I want to tell Ephraim I'm sorry for giving Skippy a beatdown yesterday..."

"You'll get your chance in a minute." Misty assured her friend as she turned her attention back to the match.

In the arena, Lyra noticed Skippy was starting to tire, and signaled time out to the referee. "Ephraim...you're doing very well, but I don't want to hurt Skippy any more than necessary. If that means you have to concede the match, I'll understand."

Ephraim looked down at Skippy, who was wheezing with exhaustion. "Skippy, do you have the strength to keep fighting, or do you want to stop?"

[I didn't come this far just to give up...] Skippy replied. [I want to see this match through to the end, win or lose.]

Ephraim nodded. "Okay...do whatever it takes to win!"

[HAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!] Skippy cried as he unleashed a Solarbeam, much to the group's and the crowd's shock. The bright yellow-white beam hit Hana head on, sending her flying.

No sooner did Hana hit the Gold safety barrier, did Skippy knock her down with a Tackle. "Game Set! This match's winner is...GOLD!!!" the referee announced, to the cheers of the crowd...

---------

"I'm impressed...Ephraim was named one of the youngest winners in the tournament's history..." Ethan smiled as Ephraim received the winner's cup, to cheers.

"Remember this, Ash--pride and power aren't the only things a trainer needs to win a battle." Lyra reminded Ash. "If that's all you rely on, it will cost you dearly in the end."

"I know--that's why I want to apologize to Ephraim for what happened yesterday." Ash assured Lyra before locating Ephraim and his parents in the crowd. "Hey...I just wanted to say congrats on your big win--you and Skippy make a great team, almost like me and Tintri."

"Thanks..." Ephraim smiled as Tintri bounded on Ash's shoulder.

"But I mainly came to apologize for yesterday...I felt horrible about beating Skippy down like I did, and I'm sorry..." Ash explained. "I let my pride and honor get the better of me--so can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"Of course I forgive you--if that Machop was your weakest Pokemon, I can't wait to see what your strongest ones are like!" Ephraim cried.

"You did well yourself." Ash went on as he rejoined the others and Lyra. "Hana could very well be League material, if not tournament worthy.

"Thanks." Lyra smiled. "I had a great time here."

[Yeah--I look forward to the next time!] Hana smiled as she admired her reflection in Lyra's silver medal.

"Bye, you three! Until we meet again!" Ethan called as the group parted ways...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-13-2017, 08:47 PM

Scytherwolf; Born;

Episode 70: The Apple Corp

"Lyra did great in that Grass Tournament--I think she and Hana could go all the way to the Pokemon League if she wanted to." Misty smiled as the group continued down the road. It had been a few days since they had cheered Lyra and Hana on in a tournament for Grass Pokemon, but a young trainer and his Skiploom winning it all and Lyra's gracious reaction to coming in second had also taught Ash a lesson in humility, as well

"Last I checked, she and Ethan are just exploring the region--there's no rule that says you have to compete in anything while on a Pokemon journey." Brock explained as he pocketed the guidebook. "Although winning things certainly does make it more exciting, there are some trainers that just want to explore the world and see all it has to offer without the pressure of having to win a certain number of trinkets, knick knacks, and whachamacallits."

Ash was about to respond when a sweet smell got his attention. "Hm...does anyone else smell something nice?"

"I do too...it's coming from that huge apple orchard over there." Misty pointed out what looked like hundreds of apple trees in the distance as the group rounded the bend.

"Let's go take a look!" Ash suggested. "Maybe if we asked very nicely, the owner would let us have some!"

"Ooh, and then maybe Brock could bake us an apple pie!" Now Misty was excited as she followed her friend to the orchard.

"I do have an apple pie recipe, actually." Brock smiled as he followed his companions and Tintri. "Plus, I have ice cream in case you like it a la mode."

Tintri, meanwhile, noticed that some of the apples at his eye level had tiny bite marks in them. [Funny...something seems to be eating the apples...]

He gasped as some apple cores came crashing to the ground. "Tintri, did you eat those?" Ash sternly asked as he, Misty, and Brock caught up to him, noticing the pile of cores on the ground.

[Uh-uh--they came from up there!] Tintri pleaded, pointing up in the direction where the cores had fallen from.

"I don't see anything..." Brock noted as he looked up into the trees.

"Me neither." Misty agreed. "Are you SURE, Tintri?"

Tintri was about to answer when another apple fell into his paws, triggering a net hidden in the soil! [Gah!] he gasped, dropping the apple.

"Ah-ha!" a girl with neatly braided purple hair cried as she hurried to inspect the net. "I've gotcha, you little apple thief!"

"But how could Tintri be the thief when he was nowhere near the scene of the crime?" Ash asked, all the while trying oh-so-hard to not explode in anger on the girl.

"Because the apple was nearby when my trap went off, and it had bite marks that matched many of the others that had been stolen." the girl explained as she undid the net.

"Tintri, could you open your mouth for a second?" Ash asked. "I have an idea that could prove you innocent."

[Ah...] Tintri complied, allowing the girl and the group to see his teeth.

"Notice how large Tintri's teeth are compared to the apple bite marks..." Ash explained as he showed the girl the apple Tintri had dropped. "Tintri couldn't have made the bite marks on the apple, as they’re too small to be a Pikachu."

"Hm...you're right!" the girl smiled before pulling the net off Tintri. "I owe you an apology, then, Tintri--your master's brilliant observation proved you were nowhere near the apple trees at the time of the crime."

It then dawned on the girl she had not introduced herself. "Oh, look at me rambling on without introducing myself! My name's Charmaine--allow me to formally welcome you three to Wildflower Grove."

"Wow..." the group gasped as Charmaine made a grand gesture to the orchard, the surrounding forest, and a large farmhouse that overlooked the orchard. "It's beautiful..." Misty gasped as she glanced around the elegantly trimmed apple trees, as well as a processing facility to make juice and butter from the apples.

She noticed Brock thinking hard as they approached the large farmhouse. "What's the matter, Brock?"

"Tintri being innocent begs the question...if Tintri didn't take the apples, who did?" Brock wondered as the group followed the girl inside the house.

"We can talk more about the mystery of the missing apples over lunch, okay?" Charmaine offered. "No guest ever leaves hungry when they visit!"

---------

"Wow...you look after all this by yourself?" Ash gasped as he set down his silverware. "Wouldn't that be hard to do without any help?" he asked as Charmaine cleared away what remained of the roast Combusken and vegetables they had just enjoyed, and set out dessert plates and clean silverware.

"Yeah--this land has been in the family for years, so I don't mind doing all the work myself." Charmaine smiled as she arrived with a tray of freshly baked apple turnovers.

"We can help out for the day, as thanks for the food." Misty offered before biting into a warm turnover.

"That's okay--I made you lunch expecting nothing in return." Charmaine replied. "I've got the means to do things on my own, so I've never thought of hiring help."

"Since you went to the trouble of cooking all that for us, we want to help you in return for your efforts--I'm sure it gets hard doing everything by yourself." Brock smiled.

A smile formed on Charmaine's face. "All right--since you've asked so nicely, I'll let you help me out for today in exchange for a little pocket money for your travels."

---------

"Okay...you'll notice I've rigged some of the trees with alarms to try and capture the apple thieves." Charmaine explained as she pointed out an array of wind chimes in several trees. "When something takes one of the apples off the trees, the chimes will ring, letting me know that something's been there."

"That's pretty clever." Misty smiled as she arrived to harvest the apples from a particular tree.

"But this has only complicated the mystery even more--I never see what is taking the apples, even when the chimes ring..." Charmaine sighed.

Just then, Ash heard ringing chimes not far from the tree Misty was harvesting from. "I think you've caught something!" he called as he saw three tiny yellow mouse Pokemon he remembered as Pichu dash away into the brush.

He picked up the apple the Pichus had dropped, and saw the same kind of bite marks in it as the one that landed in Tintri's arms before. "I think we found our apple thieves..."

[Let me go find them, and try to teach them that stealing's not right.] Tintri offered as he bounded off Ash's shoulder and into the nearby forest, making sure to follow the route the Pichu had taken.

---------

There they are... Tintri smiled when he found the three Pichu huddled by a bush. [Why are you taking those apples?] he sternly asked the Pichus. [The lady that runs the orchard needs them for her own livelihood.]

one Pichu explained. [Otherwise, we would starve!]

[That still is no excuse for stealing.] Tintri began, before a high-pitched cry interrupted him. He whirled around to see hundreds of Pichus huddled in the bush--and that a large brown bird Pokemon with large wings was trying its hardest to try and capture one of the Pichus in its long beak!

[Ash! I could use some help over here!] he called as Ash, Misty, Brock, and Charmaine arrived in the clearing.

"First rule of battling, bud--know thy enemy." Ash assured Tintri as he showed Tintri the Pokedex:

[b]"Fearow, the beak Pokemon. It uses its long beak to attack. It has a surprisingly long reach, so it must be treated with caution."

"Tell that to the Pichus..." Misty mused as she watched three of the Pichu jump onto a nearby tree and combine their power to zap the Fearow.

Ash noticed the three Pichu fall to the ground with a plop, exhausted. "I get it--most Pichus faint after attacking due to their lack of skill in storing electricity."

"Key word here--most Pichu." Brock reminded Ash. "Some Pichu do manage their power well on their own, but it's fairly rare in the wild. Most Pichu than can often have an owner."

The Fearow coming to snapped the group to attention. "On top of that, that Pichus' attack only had enough power to stun the Fearow!"

Tintri growled as he heard the Pichu's frightened squeals. I have to do something to help these little guys...but what?

Seeing Brock's bow gave him an idea. [Hey, Brock...can I electrify an arrow for you, so we can scare this Fearow away?]

"Sure...come on." Brock retrieved an arrow from the quiver on his back and set it down on the ground, allowing Tintri to send sparks into the arrowhead.

The group watched as Brock aimed the sparking green arrow at the Fearow, then fired it into a tree, making a large electrical explosion that engulfed the Fearow in thunderbolts.

"That's actually a clever idea--enchanting a projectile to frighten away intruders." Charmaine was impressed.

[According to the Pichus, this year was a bad year for wild Berries, so they had to find food somewhere, so they wouldn't starve.] Tintri explained to Charmaine.

"Then that explains everything--the hungry Pichus had no other choice but to come to the orchard." Charmaine gasped. "Maybe now I know their side of the story, I can help them out a little."

---------

The group groaned when they returned to the orchard to find Pidgeys helping themselves to the fruit. "First we dispatch one bird Pokemon, only to find another bird Pokemon problem?" Misty sighed.

[Okay, you guys! This is your chance to show the lady of the orchard that you can help her out in return for food.] Tintri explained to the Pichu. [So go protect the orchard!]

[YEAAHHHHH!!!] The Pichu cheered as they hurried to attack the Pidgeys. What Pidgeys were not dispatched immediately, the Pichus jumped on to shock.

Misty smiled as the zaps of tiny Thundershocks and Pidgey cries filled the air. "It's working--you had a clever idea, Tintri." she smiled as the Pichus continued their electrical assault. When one Pichu fainted, another one would take its place.

After a while, Charmaine watched as the remaining Pidgeys flew away in panic. "Well done, little guys! I'm impressed you managed to protect the apples instead of taking them..."

[You're not mad we took any?] a Pichu asked.

"If you guys are willing to pitch in around the orchard, I'm sure Charmaine will forgive you for taking the apples." Ash offered as he motioned for a group of Pichus to follow him.

---------

"Okay, guys...this is what a ripe apple is supposed to look like." Ash explained to the group of Pichus as he showed them a picture of what Charmaine's apple cultivar looked like when ripe. "What I want you to do is look for as many apples that look like that as you can, and put them in these baskets. If it has any bruises, blemishes or bite marks, leave it alone--another group's taking care of the bad apples."

[Okay!] the Pichus chorused as Charmaine brought over some baskets.

Misty joined Ash and Charmaine some moments later. "I taught another group to find the reject apples and prune the trees..."

"...and I've got a few groups working on turning the good ones into juice, butter, and other treats." Brock reported as he glanced over at his team of Pichus happily operating the juicer in the processing facility.

"You guys are amazing--maybe I don't have to do everything by myself." Charmaine smiled. "I have all the help I could want right here in the Pichus."

"They make quite the happy worker if you treat them well--and this way they're earning their share of the apples." Ash agreed.

"Divide them up into teams, let each of them have a turn with each job if they want to, and they will have more than earned what they took." Brock explained. "Although there will be some that prefer certain jobs."

Charmaine then got an idea. "Okay, Pichus! Which teams need a break right now?"

[MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!] the Pichus cried as they rushed onto the house's spacious front porch, where Charmaine had prepared hundreds of trays of apple slices for them.

"Here you go, little guys--as thanks for your hard work, you've more than made up for all the apples you took." Charmaine explained as she gave each Pichu a tray. "So here's some of your earnings for today--fresh apples with a selection of three dips--honey, chocolate, and peanut butter."

---------

...Just as the retinue arrived, and Orla was in place,
As the sacrificial Mareep, even then with a peaceful face... Brock sang to the Pichus as Ash and Misty played accompaniment to his guitar.

A shout went up from all the crowd as a knight came into view,
Twas Brian and Epona! They had come to her rescue!

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night, Even Charmaine couldn't help joining in on the ballad's chorus.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

The earth began to rumble as a dragon did appear, Brock started the next verse.
But though he roared and rumbled there, our hero showed no fear!
Through all the fire and the smoke, the crowd looked on in awe
As Prince Brian and Epona fought the dragon to a draw!

A crash got the three performers' attention, making Ash and Misty stumble over wrong notes. "What in the world...?" Charmaine gasped as a large humanoid mecha lumbered towards the house.

"Team Rocket!" Ash growled, pocketing his whistle as sure enough, Jessie, James, and Meowth emerged from a compartment near the mecha's head.

As Misty and Brock looked on dumbfounded, Ash called "You know what to do, Tintri!"

"Not today, hat-twerp!" Meowth purred as he triggered one of the mecha's arms to grab Tintri. "We're gonna borrow ya Pikachu for a bit, if ya don't mind..."

Ash growled as the arm holding Tintri began to glow yellow, and Tintri grew weaker with every passing moment. I see---that mecha arm is leeching Tintri's electricity to power their battery.

Moments after he watched Tintri close his eyes in exhaustion, the mecha stomped off, stomped to uproot a tree, deposited all the apples into a storage compartment, carefully put back the tree, then stomped off to the next tree.

One Pichu, who had on a red cloak and a matching red hat with a white plume, rallied the other Pichu to her side. [Okay, guys--we have to save our Pikachu friend.] she explained. [So shock that mecha as hard as you can so we can recharge him and scare those hoodlums away!]

[Yeah--we need some good fight music too!] another Pichu agreed as he looked back at Ash, Misty, and Brock. [Every good fight scene in a movie has to have cool music!]

"One round of fight scene music, coming up." Brock grinned before counting Ash and Misty off into a frenetic reel-like melody.

With the guitar, the fiddle, and the whistle playing them into battle, the Pichus charged for the mecha, with the red mage Pichu leading the way.

"What good could you little rats do anyway?" Jessie called down to the horde of Pichu.

[We can do anything if we all work together!] the red mage Pichu shot back. [Right, guys?]

[YEAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!] the other Pichus cheered as they began unleashing volleys of Thundershocks on the balloon.

Meowth, meanwhile, engaged a large fan on the mecha. "So, ya wanna play rough, do ya? Two can play at dis game!"

[WAUUUGGGGHHHH!!!!] the Pichu screamed as many of them went flying into the grass and against the tree trunks, just as the group finished their fight song.

"I think the fight song's helping!" Misty smiled as she watched the battered and beaten Pichus gather their strength and charge back into the fray.

"The one that looks like a red mage is acting like their leader!" Ash agreed as he watched the red mage Pichu give a jolt to a Pichu, giving him more strength to fight. "She's making sure every Pichu does their part to defend the orchard."

"Let's keep playing then--to let them all know we believe in them." Brock smiled before counting his companions off into another rendition of the song.

As the frentic fight song echoed across the "battlefield" again, the red mage Pichu located Tintri in the mecha's arms and called to the other Pichus

Though many of them were exhausted, each Pichu grabbed onto the tail or ears of another one, creating a chain of Pichus that amazingly managed to reach up to the mecha. When the last Pichu was in place, the red mage Pichu skittered up the Pichu chain and grabbed onto Tintri's foot. [Okay, everyone--send up the biggest shock you can!]

[HAAAAHHHH!!!!!] the Pichus screamed as an arc of electricity streaked up the Pichu chain and into Tintri, jolting him awake!

[mm-what?] Trinri sputtered as he woke up and saw the red mage Pichu. [You really...rallied all your friends to save me?] he smiled as he slid down the Pichu chain to safety.

[Of course--you did so much for us, we came to do something good for you in return.] the red mage Pichu replied as the Pichu chain disassembled itself. [So let's give these hooligans what for!]

[HIII-YAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!] With that, Tintri and the Pichus combined their power to send Team Rocket and the mecha flying into the sky with a [i]ping...

---------

"Well done, you guys...and thank you for saving Tintri." Ash smiled as he petted the red mage Pichu.

Charmaine smiled. "It's decided--the Pichus and I will be partners from now on."

She addressed the red mage Pichu. "In exchange for helping me and protecting the orchard, you guys can have all the fruit you want. You've more than made up for all the apples you took."

As the Pichus cheered, Charmaine approached the group with three thousand credit bills and a small basket of apple products. "And here's your wages for your help today--you're always welcome back any time."

"Thanks." Ash replied. "We enjoyed ourselves too, even if it did get hairy for a minute or two."

As the group waved goodbye to Charmaine and the Pichus, the red mage Pichu watched as Ash, Misty, and Brock disappeared down the road and into the setting sun. One day, Mr. Story-singer...I will adventure by your side!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-17-2017, 08:42 PM

Scytherwolf; Born;

Episode 71a: A Ghost of a Chance! (part 1)

"Welcome to Ecruteak City...a historical city where the past meets the present." Brock read the signpost as the group rounded a bend in the road, with the city in the distance.

"I can see why!" Misty gasped as she admired the Oriental-esque buildings in the distance. "I've always wanted to see a live Gekijou theater performance!"

"I've always wanted to learn to play the ancient harp that was usually used by the narrator in a Gekijou play, the vina." Brock smiled. "Or any kind of harp, really--I've felt it would add a bit of a fantastic feel to my performances."

"You definitely wouldn't be a spoony bard by any stretch!" Misty smiled, giggling as she imagined Brock, as a minstrel, serenading her, as a princess, in a fantasy land.

"What's the name of that instrument that's always playing all these high trills and runs in traditional Kanto and Johto music?" Ash wondered as the group made their way into the city. "I know it's some kind of flute..."

"That's because it is." Brock explained before turning to the chapter on traditional music and the theater in the guidebook, specifically the section on the ancient instruments used in the Gekijou orchestra. "There were actually two different flutes used in the Gekijou orchestra--the end blown kidi which has a darker and more mysterious sound, and the instrument you're thinking of, the side blown bansi."

Ash looked over at the picture of an ornately decorated side blown flute in the guidebook. "Wow! I wanna learn to play one of those!"

"You sure?" Misty asked. "Not only would it take a ton of practice, you'd have to learn a new way to blow and new fingerings."

Ash just smiled. "I really want to learn...almost as much as I wanna battle for my next badge!"

Brock noticed that during their conversation, they had managed to discover what looked like one of several majestic towers that loomed over the city. "This must be the Gym..."

"Let's go!" Ash led the way inside.

---------

"This Gym isn't like any of the others we've seen before...." Misty mused as the group looked around the inside of the tower. It had clearly seen better days, if not outright damaged somehow, judging from the chaired doorframes and dusty tapestry on the walls.

"Maybe it's not a gym, but something else entirely?" Brock suggested.

"Or maybe we've walked into a dungeon straight out of Zelda?" Ash shuddered. "Maybe there's something you can hit with an arrow to show us the way!"

"If there is a switch I can shoot, where do you think it is?" Brock asked his companion. "I can't shoot at a target that's not there..."

Ash was about to suggest potential locations for a target when suddenly, a small blue flame flared up before him. 'WAUGH!"

"I think the dungeon guardians know we're here!" Misty agreed as more ethereal flames appeared around them. "They're obviously blue, so we need something hot to douse them..."

She looked over to see a gaggle of ethereal cloud Pokemon laughing at the group's fear. "Okay, so those flames were a bunch of Gastlies..."

Inspired, Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Aina, show us where all those Gastly are!"

The Machop materialized on the cracked wooden floor seconds later. [Doing a little Ghost Pokemon busting? Let me help you find them.]

The lightbulb went off in Misty's head as Aina's eyes glowed red, revealing many more Gastly in the room. "Oh, Machop can learn Foresight too, just like those Hoothoots we met before!"

"In some cases, Pidgeys--and by extension Pidgeottos and Pidgeots--can learn it too, but I'm not going into a long discussion about genetics here." Brock explained.

"Yes, let's have science class later." Misty nervously stammered, aware of the Gastly approaching them.

"Aina, now that you've revealed the Gastlies, start Tackling them!" Ash almost screamed as he jumped to avoid a blob of purplish black energy a Gastly had fired at him.

[You got it!] Aina called before ramming a Gastly, sending it tumbling backwards.

"Who knew that a Fighting type could do anything against ghosts?" Misty mused as she watched Aina ram Gastly after Gastly, making them disappear.

"Foresight must expose them, allowing physical moves to hit them!" Ash proposed as some of the remaining Gastlies flew off in terror.

The group swallowed hard when they saw the Gastlies return a few moments later with larger purple phantasms Ash remembered as Haunters. "They just left to get reinforcements..." Brock broke the uneasy silence some moments later.

Ash looked over at Tintri. "Get ready for a big fight, bud..."

[Which of these ghosts do I need to bust first?] Tintri asked as he charged a Thunderbolt.

Moments before Ash could command Tintri to fire his attack, he saw a large ghost that somewhat resembled a Clefable walk out onto the floor. [The boss! The boss is here!] he heard some Gastly say.

[Ah, the Gengar must be who all these other ghosts report to!] Tintri recognized the large ghost Pokemon floating in their direction.

"Then maybe if we defeat the boss, all the others will leave us alone!" Ash suggested.

"Stop." he heard a voice call. He whirled around to see a blond haired young man in a kimono-like outfit on a catwalk above them "You should understand that the Pokémon here were not trying to harm you guys, but merely trying to protect their home, because they felt threatened by your appearance." he explained as the ghosts, including the Gengar, circled around him.

"W-who are you?" Ash called up to the man, a note of fear in his voice.

After shooing away the Gastlies and Haunters, but shepherding the Gengar close to him, the man replied "My name is Morty, Leader of the Ecruteak City Gym. You seem to have met Rocko, my Gengar partner, already--the other ghosts here consider him the leader."

"No wonder the Gastlies and Haunters were calling him 'the boss' before..." Misty smiled, a little relieved that the ghost Pokemon meant them no harm.

After taking a minute or two to collect himself, Ash motioned for Tintri to climb back on his shoulder. "I am Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town...I come to challenge you for the badge you hold."

Morty just smiled, bemused in Ash's politeness. "As much as I would love to battle you in an official Gym battle, we can't do that here. This place was and has been confused as the Ecruteak City Gym by many different trainers that pass through the city."

"So, just what exactly IS this place?" Brock was intrigued.

"It used to be a place of brightness and hope; now it's a place of darkness." Morty replied as he came down to the ground floor to meet the group. "That's why so many Ghost Pokémon have come to live here."

A sick feeling welled up in Ash's stomach. "Now I feel bad for attacking them..."

"Poor ghosts..." Misty agreed.

A faded plaque on a nearby wall depicting a familiar phoenix-like bird piqued Ash's attention. "What's this?" Ash asked as he hurried over to get a better look at the bird on the plaque.

"The Pokemon depicted on that plaque before you is Ho'oh, one of many ancient legendary Pokémon." Morty replied.

Ash balked at this. "It may be legendary, but I saw one!"

He proceeded to tell Morty all about how he had met Ho'oh some years before--in an attempt to outrun some Spearows, he had lost Misty in an attempt to get away, and had made the decision to sacrifice himself for both him and Tintri. Tintri, however, did not wish to see his trainer die, and had unleashed a huge Thundershock to save them both. When they had some to moments later, Ho'oh flew overhead as a rainbow appeared in the sky.

Morty raised an eyebrow at Ash's story. "Are you SURE that it was Ho'oh you saw? She has not been seen for three centuries, when a great hero used the Swanna Song to call her directly."

"Are you saying you don't believe me?" Ash gasped.

"No, but I'm going to need more evidence to back up your claim than just one account." Morty assured Ash. "There's a tower that was rebuilt not too far away from the burned out building we're in right now. The tower is a copy of this one."

"Well, what happened to the original tower?" Ash asked.

"To answer your question, we need to go back many years ago..." Morty began as Rocko conjured a series of paintings that told the story of the burned tower.

---------

"Long ago, this tower was built to promote understanding between humans and Pokémon, and allowing people to unlock the legendary power of Mega Evolution." Morty explained, referring to a painting depicting a female trainer receiving a ring, then her singing some gibberish runes, inducing a Venusaur to Mega Evolve. "My ancestors protected it for generations." he smiled, showing the group a portrait of who Ash assumed was either Morty's father or grandfather.

Morty then showed Ash the next painting, depicting Ho'oh and the tower. "Over the decades, the Tin Tower became a special place for another reason. It was the only place in the world where, as well as learning the secrets of Mega Evolutions and Z-Moves, Ho'oh, the rainbow phoenix, made contact with humans. Ho'oh's visits were a sign of peace, but she would only appear to a select few--only those guarding the tower and those proven worthy to see her."

"Oh..." the group replied as Morty showed them the next painting, depicting a ninja ambush.

"Then, one day, invaders came who sought to use Ho'oh's power for evil!" Morty announced, displaying the next painting of the tower ablaze. "In the ensuing battle, the Tin Tower was set ablaze! Ho'oh fled... she stopped visiting humans... and she has never returned."

He showed the next painting of a crowd of people around the charred remains of the tower. "Some wanted to rebuild the tower, but my ancestors insisted that it be left as a witness for future generations of man's brutality -- but they also decided to build a new Tin Tower."

Morty then displayed the last painting of the current Tin Tower. "Their hope was that Ho'oh might return, to a new place of peace, and the people of Johto could once again have a place to learn to master Mega Evolution and the mysterious Z Moves. So far, these hopes have been in vain....we've waited so long that some people say that Ho'oh was a legend that never really existed."

Ash contemplated Morty's tale for a moment. "I know I saw Ho'oh that day... it isn't just a legend."

---------

With Ash occupied defending himself, Tintri spotted Ami heading for a hole he noticed only small Pokémon like Marill would be able to fit through. Uh oh...I've known Ami is very curious, and loves to explore, but this isn't a good place to do it--I'd better do something before she gets hurt!

He jumped from Ash's shoulder and bounded over to stop the curious Marill. [Ami! I know you like exploring, but--!] he started before he ended up accidentally pushing Ami and squeezing himself through the hole at the same time!

Misty noticed Tintri and Ami had squeezed through the hole. "Uh oh...where did Tintri and Ami get to?"

"They went through a hole that leads to the upper part of a room in the basement." Morty assured the group. "The room in question is not far from where you first enter the basement."

Ash swallowed hard as he followed Morty to a stairwell. Tintri...I hope you and Ami don't get into too much trouble!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-20-2017, 06:47 PM

Scytherwolf; Born;

Episode 71b: A Ghost of a Chance! (part 2)

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver"...

Misty noticed Tintri and Ami had squeezed through the hole. "Uh oh...where did Tintri and Ami get to?

"They went through a hole that leads to the upper part of a room in the basement." Morty assured the group. "The room in question is not far from where you first enter the basement."

Ash swallowed hard as he followed Morty to a stairwell. Tintri...I hope you and Ami don't get into too much trouble!

"Wow...this place is like a maze..." Ash mused as Misty, Brock, and Morty wound through the old tower's many rooms in an attempt to find Tintri and Ami, who had both disappeared into a hole in the wall.

"Well, you have to remember that because of the fire, a lot of the support beams weakened and fell, making it so that venturing further than where we are now would be too dangerous." Morty explained.

"But what about Tintri and Ami?" Misty worried. "What if they are too far for us to safely explore?"

"There are other ways to find your friend's Pikachu and your Marill that don't require human skill." Morty assured Misty before addressing his Gengar. "Rocko...rally the other Ghost Pokémon here and help us find a missing Pikachu and Marill...the Pikachu's name is Tintri, and the Marill's name is Ami."

[Got it, boss..those should be easy names to remember.] the Gengar smiled before disappearing into the darkness.

---------

Back outside, Team Rocket followed the beeping of a radar-like device to the steps of the tower. "I thing we found something!" James cried as the radar-like device he carried beeped frantically.

"Personally, that fire breather that gave you this Itemfinder was a fraud..." Jessie sighed as James hurried onto the tower's rotted porch to claim another bottlecap. "We've been finding nothing but bottle caps."

"Yeah, all dat ting eva finds is junk!" Meowth was equally frustrated.

"Call it junk if you wish, but there is a collector's market for bottle caps, particularly for brands of soda, water, and juice that don't exist anymore." James explained. "Sometimes these caps sell for millions upon billions of credits.

He was about to say more when he spotted Ami emerging from a pile of rocks. "Well, well, well, look what we have here..."

Jessie gasped as Tintri emerged from the rocks moments later. "It must be our lucky day if the little electric rat comes to us for a change!"

"And with no twerps in sight!" Meowth was equally excited. He wasted no time snatching Ami, making her cry in fear and surprise.

[Let Ami go!] Tintri arrived moments later, sparking with anger as he charged a Thunderbolt. [Or I'll--!]

"Forgittin' somtin'?" Meowth warned Tintri. "If ya zap us dis time, you'll hoit Ami too, as she's a watta-type!"

Angry tears welled up in Tintri's eyes as he stayed his attack. Ami...I WILL rescue you! he vowed as Team Rocket dashed away, laughing gleefully all the while.

[Cry not, little one...I will go inform Sir Morty and your master what happened here.] a Gastly assured Tintri before warping away.

[Thanks...] Tintri mustered a weak smile as his tears shone with hope.

---------

the Gastly reported to the group. [However, before I could lead them back, two hoodlums with a Meowth had Poke-napped the Marill.]

"What?" Misty gasped.

"You did well, Tsuki, but this is indeed troubling." Morty replied. "Is the Pikachu still where you found him?"

[He is...this way.] the Gastly replied before motioning for the group to follow it.

"How can you understand what the ghost Pokemon are saying?" Ash wondered as he followed Morty and the Gastly through the ruined and cluttered rooms of the tower.

"Practice." Morty smiled back.

---------

Meanwhile, Team Rocket laughed joyfully as they made a break for the city entrance, with Meowth carrying Tintri and Ami. "At last, we have the electric rat!" Jessie was the most excited. "Imagine how the boss will handsomely reward us!"

Just then, all three Rockets tripped on something in the road, and went tumbling to the ground. 'did you trip me?" Jessie asked Meowth as she eased herself to her feet and dusted herself off.

"Nuh-uh...I tripped too, rememba?" Meowth replied.

"Well, I don't see anything we could've tripped on..." James mused as he examined the road for a moment.

About then, Rocko materialized before the Rockets, making them gasp in fear. [It was me dat tripped you lot...] he growled as Morty and the others arrived. [Ya got some 'splainin ta do, see?]

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped.

[Give back dat Pikachu and dat Marill, and nobody gets hurt,'kay?] Rocko warned.

"You? Making threats? That's just asking for trouble..." Jessie warned.

"Even though you're a ghost, we'll still make the pain double!" James agreed.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began.

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled, twirling a rose in his hand. Ash just watched and growled in annoyance at the familiar motto he, Misty, and Brock had heard a million times before:

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

"You heard the Gengar, just give back Tintri and Ami!" Ash was unfazed from hearing the Rocket motto for the umpteenth time.

"I'll give ya sometin' ta tink about!" Meowth retorted before leaping onto Ash, making him stumble backwards into the grass by the road. Before Ash could attempt to get up, Meowth leapt onto him, delivering a volley of Fury Swipes.

Jessie smiled as Ash's cries of pain echoed into the air. "Nice work, Meowth..."

"We kin make a break for it while the twerps play docta!" Meowth smiled as Brock arrived to clean and dress the many scratch wounds on Ash's arms and face.

"Rrrgh...I demand a duel to pay you guys back for hurting me!" Ash roared, mostly out of anger, but also out of pain from Meowth's attack. "You'll pay for taking Tintri!"

Jessie was about to answer before Meowth interjected "Yanno--every time we try ta battle da twerps, we end up losin' badly ta them. I tink runnin' for it's a better idear."

"Good point! Let's go!" James agreed before the Rockets made a mad dash for the city entrance.

"Come back here! No one takes our Pokemon and gets away with it!" Ash and the others were not far behind.

---------

"Rocko! Rescue the Pikachu and the Marill!" Morty commanded as the group hurried to try and catch Team Rocket.

[Okay, boss!] Rocko replied. But he stopped in his tracks when he found that Jessie and James had summoned Arbok and Weezing to block the grop from catching up. But Rocko just grinned and warped away.

"Where'd Rocko go?" Misty wondered as Arbok and Weezing looked around, confused. She smiled as Rocko appeared behind them, and knocked them into a nearby thicket.

[Now that the hoodlum's Pokemon are taken care of, now ta deal with dere masters!] Rocko assured Misty before warping before the human Rockets and Meowth [Hold it!]

"How can people who are Pokémon trainers steal other peoples' Pokémon?" Morty asked as he joined Rocko and the others. "Answer me that."

Minutes seemed to tick by like hours, but when Morty figured that Team Rocket was not going to talk, he told Rocko "Use Night Shade to free the Pokemon."

[Comin' up!] Rocko smiled before firing two black beams at the packs holding Tintri and Ami, breaking them free!

A Haunter and a Gastly caught both Pokemon and brought them to Ash and Misty. [Here you go...] the Haunter grinned as he gave Tintri to Ash.

[She's a little banged up, but okay.] the Gastly assured Misty as she delivered Ami to Misty.

[You okay, Ash?] Tintri asked, concerned by the many bandages all over Ash.

"Yeah...Meowth got me good back there." Ash replied as he gently hugged his companion.

"Ami...thank Arceus you're okay!" Misty was equally happy to see her Marill again.

The group watched as Arbok and Weezing dove for Rocko, only to crash into the ground as Rocko warped away.

"Arbok, try to Wrap up that Gengar!" Jessie commanded as Rocko reappeared in the sky...only to balk as Arbok only wrapped thin air!

[Missed me!] Rocko taunted as he reappeared by Morty's side.

"Let's end this, Rocko...show them your Shadow Ball." Morty commanded.

[HAAAAAAAAAH!!!!] Rocko growled as he formed a massive ball of dark energy and hurled it at Team Rocket, sending them flying into the sky with a [i]ping.

---------

"Wow...Shadow Ball's pretty powerful!" Ash gasped when he saw the crater that the Shadow Ball had created.

"I hope that crater spurs you to be careful during your match, now that you know what your opponent is capable of." Brock warned.

Morty just smiled. "We could have our match right now, but I imagine that you three and your Pokemon must be tired from a long and adventurous day."

"You're right...resting up will make it a better battle." Ash agreed. "Since we both will bring our A game!"

"All right...I will see you in the morning." Morty replied before departing.

"Ash...you sure you know what you're getting into?" Misty asked as the group started towards the Pokemon Center.

"How do you plan to handle someone powerful enough to make a crater in the path?" Brock was equally concerned.

Ash, however, was unusually calm as the three travelers made their way into the Pokemon Center. "I do have a plan to beat Morty...but as to what it is, you'll just have to see tomorrow!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-24-2017, 07:15 PM

Scytherwolf; Born;

Episode 72: From Ghost to Ghost!

"Gengar, the shadow Pokemon. It hides in the shadows. It is said that if a Gengar is hiding, it cools the area by nearly 10 degrees." Dexter explained as Ash studied the Pokedex the next morning.

"Wow..." Ash mused as Nurse Joy arrived with his Pokemon. "Talk about getting chills..."

"Unless you have a Pokemon with Foresight or Defog, good luck trying to physically hit a ghost." Nurse Joy cautioned. "Far too often I see a lot of Fighting types try to take on Morty and they end up devastated."

"What other types should I avoid or use?" Ash was interested.

"Normal types won't do a thing, but Dark types and Dark type moves are your best bet." Nurse Joy explained. "Failing that, you can focus on special moves."

"I know Foresight can reveal a ghost, but how can Defog help?" Ash was intrigued by what Nurse Joy had said about Defog.

"While it can't reveal a ghost completely like Foresight, Defog can give you a general idea of the ghost's location if it has turned invisible, by clearing away its foggy aura." Nurse Joy replied. "Your Pidgeot seems to be one of those that inherited Foresight from its parents, and learned Defog naturally...so if you plan to take on Morty, she's your secret weapon!"

"Okay!" Ash smiled. "I'll let you know how the battle goes!" he called to Nurse Joy as he hurried off to meet Misty and Brock by the front desk.

---------

"Okay, Rocko, use Confuse Ray on this training dummy." Morty instructed, gesturing to a Meowth training dummy on the Silver side of the arena.

[Gotcha!] Rocko smiled before charging an orange ball in his hands, which formed into an orange beam that went flying at the training dummy.

Morty smiled. "Now, if this were a real Meowth, its eyes would swirl, or sometimes turn red, and it has a chance to--!"

Just then, the door to the arena opened, and Ash led his friends inside. "Forgive me for interrupting your lesson, Morty, but I'm here for our match, as we agreed yesterday."

"Would it be okay with you if my students watched the match?" Morty asked. "Then they can see how a Ghost Pokemon battles firsthand."

"Sure!" Ash was even more excited. I've never had an audience for a Gym match before!

---------

"Tea ceremony...the Gym...traditional theater...lots of tradition here." Kamon smirked as he strolled through the city.

A smile formed on his face when he saw the Burned Tower before him. "Well, who knew this place had ancient ruins one could tour! I'll have to see if I can find something valuable among the ruins." he mused before walking off.

He noticed Ash and Morty about to begin their match as he passed by the Gym. Good luck, Wonder Boy...You're gonna need it!

---------

"Tsuki, I choose you!" Morty called, summoning a Gastly on the Gold side.

"Take flight, Mina!" Ash called as he heaved Mina's Poke Ball skyward.

"Are you sure you want to use your best Pokemon against one of Morty's weaker ones?" Misty called.

"If you're not careful, Mina may not have enough strength left to face Rocko." Brock warned.

"Just trust me, okay?" Ash assured his concerned friends. "I know what I'm doing."

Misty sighed. "Okay...we'll trust you. You've tried some pretty harebrained strategies before, and somehow you've managed to come through most every time."

Ash, meanwhile, focused on the Gastly before him. "Okay, start with Featherdance!"

[Hah!!!!] As Mina rained glowing feathers in the room, the Gastly disappeared. [Wha...where'd my opponent go?]

"Use Foresight to find Tsuki." Ash assured Mina.

Mina nodded, then focused on the room, easily spotting the ethereal ghost Pokemon trying to circle back behind her. So that's the ghostie's little game, is it?

She folded her wings and dove at the Gastly. She won't know what hit her now!

But Mina gasped when she found she had gone through then air! [Missed me, miss birdie!] Tsuki taunted as she flew to the spot where Mina had been moments before. No matter how hard Mina tried to Tackle Tsuki, Tsuki would only dodge the attack again and again.

[All right, new plan...] Mina sighed before firing another flurry of glowing feathers into the room.

"Tsuki, close your eyes to avoid the feathers, and then Lick the Pidgeot!" Morty commanded.

[WAUUGGHH!!!] Mina yelped as Tsuki's prehensile tongue licked her, sending her tumbling to the arena floor.

"That looked like it hurt..." Misty mused as Ash returned Mina.

"Actually, this was a good strategy on Ash's part, since the feathers will keep Tsuki from disappearing." Brock explained as he heard Ash whistle for Tintri. "Besides, Ash can use Mina again to make more wind if he needs to."

---------

[HAAAAAAAAH!!!!] Tintri cried as he rammed into Tsuki with a Quick Attack, knocking Tsuki backwards. He then fired a Thunderbolt at the dazed Gastly, but Tsuki recovered. After veering to avoid the Thunderbolt, she fired a Night Shade at Tintri, hitting Tintri point blank.

[Ash...I'm sorry...] Tintri wheezed before collapsing with exhaustion

"You did well, okay?" Ash assured Tintri before heaving another Poke Ball skyward. "Cyndy, let's go!!"

[Time to turn up the heat!] Cyndy called before heaving a Flamethrower. Tsuki tried to counter with Night Shade, but Cyndy jumped away thanks to a Quick Attack. Moments before Tsuki could like her as well, Morty watched in shock as Cyndy ran up Tsuki's tongue and Tackled her.

"Very clever, I will admit, but let's see how you do against Seirei." Morty grinned as he summoned a Haunter into the arena.

[He'll be feeling the heat!] Cyndy cried as she heaved another Flamethrower...only for Seirei to warp away. [What the...]

She was startled by Seirei appearing before her with an angry look in his eyes. [AUGGHHH!!!]

"What was that?" Ash asked.

"That was Mean Look, which forces you to use Cyndy until the end of the round." Morty explained. "Your move."

"Be brave, Cyndy! Try a Swift attack!" Ash called.

[Yeah!] Cyndy cried as she sent a flurry of shining stars at Seirei.

Seirei, meanwhile, tried to hypnotize Cyndy. [You are getting sleepy...] he commanded as his eyes swirled with a mystical power.

[Not today, ghostie!] Cyndy countered before creating a Smokescreen in the room.

She did not, however, expect Seirei to grab her and Lick her, and she collapsed with a plop on the arena floor. "Silver has one Pokemon remaining!" the student serving as the referee announced.

Misty swallowed hard. "This is bad..."

"If Mina has both Foresight and Defog, Ash may have a chance!" Brock assured Misty as Ash welcomed Mina back to the arena.

[I've got my eyes on you, ghostie!] Mina taunted as she dove in to Tackle Seirei, only to veer out of the way of Seirei's hands, and then dodged his tongue!

[You are getting sleepy...] Seirei tried to hypnotize Mina.

[I think not!] Mina shot back as she flung a wave of sand against the wave of ghostly energy Seirei was casting.

The two attacks exploded in the center of the room, but after a few sense moments, the Sand Attack was blown away. A familiar orange beam hit Mina seconds later. [Look Ash...FIVE Torchics!] she wheezed before hitting the floor with a plop.

"Mina!" Ash gasped. "Try to snap out of your confusion!"

[Game over, birdie!] Seirei smirked as he fired a Night Shade at the vulnerable Pidgeot. He did not expect Mina, now surrounded in a dark purple aura, to come charging at him! "What was that?" Misty gasped as Mina circled back to Ash's side.

"It looks like Mina has learned Pursuit..." Brock explained. "If used on a Pokemon trying to flee, switch out, or otherwise escape, its power doubles."

Ash grinned when he opened Dexter and saw the "NEW!" icon and the move on Mina's long move list. "Bring it, Rocko! I'm ready for you!"

[Ya want me ta bring it? I'm bringin' ya everyting I've got, see?] Rocko taunted as he materialized in the arena.

Ash watched as Rocko formed a Shadow Ball. "Mina, Pursue the Gengar!"

[YAAAAAAAAHHH!!!] Mina cried as the purple aura, now with stars flecked in it, appeared around her, protecting her from the impact of the Shadow Ball, which exploded with a POW!!!

"Wow..." was all Misty could say as she brushed off the shadow energy the Shadow Ball had left behind.

Brock, meanwhile, watched as Mina frantically tried dodging an invisible Rocko's rain of Night Shades. "How can Gengar attack while it's invisible?" Misty wondered as Mina desperately tried to use Defog to find Rocko's aura, dodging Night Shades all the while.

"Mina won't win without using Foresight, Defog, or something similar." Brock mused as Mina veered one way, and then another, trying to avoid the dark beams raining around her from seemingly nowhere.

Ash, however, had an idea. "Mina, pursue Rocko through the building! He may be trying to escape and catch you off guard!"

[I got him!] Mina reported back as her Foresight revealed Rocko across from her, charging another Shadow Ball.

She streaked at the grinning Gengar, disrupting the Shadow Ball! The force of Mina's impact sent Rocko flying, ultimately hitting the ceiling and falling to the floor. he wheezed before he fainted.

"Gold is unable to battle! Silver wins!" the student referee announced, to thunderous cheers.

---------

"Well done, Ash..." Morty smiled as he handed Ash a ghostly bubble shaped badge. "Your team is stronger than I thought. Your ability to think on your feet and outside the box will take you far."

He went on "After thinking about it, and seeing you battle firsthand, I think you may actually have seen Ho'oh as you claim. How else could you have such skill?"

More cheers filled the room, as Ash and Mina couldn't resist taking a bow for the students...

[B]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-27-2017, 06:49 PM

Scytherwolf; Born;

Episode 73a: Trouble's Brewing! (part 1)

"Well done on your fourth badge, Ash." Brock smiled as he bit into the sandwich he had just bought. "What else would you like to do, since this place has so much to offer?"

"Oh, learn to play a bansi, watch the Kimono Girls perform, explore some of the many temples, take part in tea ceremony..." Ash smiled as he unwrapped a pound cake. "Although not necessarily in that order."

"I think a tea ceremony would be beautiful to see, much less take part in." Misty agreed. "I still have my kimono from last year's festival too..."

"And mine." Brock agreed.

Misty was about to say more when she noticed an Eevee hesitantly approaching the group. "Hello there...are you looking for someone?" she asked the small brown fox Pokemon as she set aside the wontons she had bought.

[Have you seen my master?] the Eevee asked. [We were walking in the marketplace, and I lost her in the crowds.]

Misty was about to ask the Eevee for more information when a dull magenta haired girl in an eye print lavender kimono dashed up to the Eevee. "There you are, Satomi!" I was wondering where you went!" she giggled as she hugged the Eevee.

She looked up at the group. "My name is Sakura-- I can't thank you enough for finding Satomi for me."

"Aw, it was nothing--Satomi just came to us." Misty replied.

"If you wish, my sisters and I are holding a tea ceremony today, and a Lore Stage is being held afterwards." Sakura explained. "Would any of you like to come?"

Ash, meanwhile, was thinking hard about Morty's tale of Ho'oh a few days earlier. "Misty...would you want to venture back into the Burned Tower to leave a memorial gift at the top, in memory of those that died when the tower burned?"

"I guess...provided we can find where memorials are left." Misty replied. "That's actually very sweet of you, Ash... "

She addressed Sakura again. "Thank you for your offer, but I must respectfully decline."

"Yes, my thanks as well, although I must decline." Ash replied.

Brock, however, gave Sakura a little bow. "I actually would be honored to join you for tea."

"Save us some of the gifts you get afterwards!" Ash called as he and Misty started off toward the south end of town, near the Burned Tower.

"All right--the tea house is not far from here." Sakura told Brock as she and Satomi turned to leave.

---------

"Welcome--please, wash your hands while you wait to be received." a navy haired girl in a water drop print kimono smiled as Brock--now in his leaf print kimono from the year before--arrived at the tea house some time later.

"Thank you--is there a proper way to wash? This is my first time taking part..." Brock confessed as the girl led him to a large washbasin.

"Just gently submerge your hands in the water a few times, being sure not to splash." the girl assured him. "When you are done, dry your hands with the provided towel, take a seat in one of those chairs and wait for the vina's sound."

"All right." Brock replied before submerging his hands in the slightly warm water, letting them drip dry, then submerging them again. After repeating this process five times, he accepted the towel and dried his hands, then settled in one of the chairs in the tea house's foyer.

He did not have to wait for very long, as a strangely beautiful melody drifted into the room, and the door leading into the main hall opened. After kneeling down before a black haired girl in a moon print kimono, he watched as the girl, with help from a black fox like Pokemon with red eyes and gold rings in its fur, carefully cleaned the tea utensils.

Once the girl had finished, Sakura and six other kimono clad girls arrived in the room. Sakura carried a beautiful bow-shaped harp, while the other girls brought in the ingredients for the tea and the various treats Brock and his hostess would be enjoying.

"Thank you, again for joining us for this sacred ceremony." Sakura smiled as she cradled the harp in her arms. "My sisters will be assisting in the various steps of the ceremony...Sayo will be your hostess..." She gestured to the girl before Brock. "Kuni assisted you with the ceremonial washing earlier..." The navy haired girl from before waved hello as she set down some towels and napkins. "Miki has prepared the ingredients..." A blonde haired girl in a thunderbolt print kimono smiled as Brock as she set down a box full of the various tea ingredients. "Naoko will be helping in the tea preparation..." A dull red haired girl in a flame print kimono waved hello as she looked over Sayo's utensils, to make sure they were all present. "Yuki will make sure you are comfortable during your stay..." A dull cyan haired girl placed a pillow near Brock's knees, so the kneeling position wouldn't be uncomfortable during the sometimes hours long ceremony. "Ayame has provided the flowers for today..." A dull green haired girl in a leaf print kimono waved hello as she hung up a bouquet on the wall. "...and Rei has prepared the treats you will be enjoying with your tea." A dull pink haired girl in a star print kimono set down a large tray piled high with traditional candies and baked goods.

"Thank you all for your hard work." Brock replied, trying with all his willpower not to burst out in a euphoric ballad in praise of the girls.

"Have you heard of the seven beautiful Ancient Sisters?" Kuni asked as Sayo started the tea preparation.

"Wait a minute--what about me?" Sakura gasped, appalled she would be left out.

"You are our sister, true, but you're not beautiful enough yet." Miki replied.

"Then when can I be beautiful enough?" Sakura shot back.

I see...Sakura has the same problem as Misty. Brock thought as Sakura and Miki argued. Both of them are the youngest, and their sisters focus on themselves....

---------

"Wow..." Misty gasped as she and Ash emerged at the top of the Burned Tower some time later. "You can see the whole city from here!"

"That, and the observation deck apparently didn't get too much damage from the fire." Ash mused as he examined a few charred tiles near where he and Misty had emerged.

She noticed a memorial stone with an eternal flame nearby "This must be where the memorials are offered..."

The sound of wings got her attention. "Is that...."

Ash looked up to see a familiar gold phoenix Pokemon fluttering down to meet them both. "Ho'oh!"

We meet again, Young Master. Ho'oh began as she perched on top of the memorial stone before Ash and Misty. I salute you both for coming all this way to see me, and paying your respects to those that fell here many years ago. As a reward for your bravery, wisdom, and kindness, please accept these gifts from me.

With that, she unleashed a mighty cry, making a white gold ring with a teardrop shaped ruby inside drop into Ash's hands, and a gold ring with a sapphire ringed by diamonds dropped into Misty's hands.

"No way...this is a Mega Ring!" Ash gasped as he admired the ring he had received.

"We thank you for your generous gift, and promise to use the power in these rings respectfully." Misty smiled, bowing before Ho'oh in respect.

"Yes, thank you." Ash agreed as he too bowed before the beautiful gold phoenix.

Some footsteps got his attention. "Who's there?"

"Oh, it's you." Kamon replied as he emerged onto the old observation deck and saw Ho'oh. "You must be here to catch the legendary Pokémon to make yourself look strong."

"What?" Misty gasped. "Ho'oh is one of the many Pokemon that watches over us all--what makes you think we'd want to catch her?"

"That is only a dream." Kamon smirked. You see, the legendary Pokémon suits a trainer like me who has sworn to become the strongest trainer."

"But strength is not raw power!" Ash pleaded as Kamon summoned Spike. He quickly reached for a Poke Ball. "Mina, come on out!"

Focus, Young Master--I have a better idea than emotional pleas. Ho'oh suggested as the Pidgeot materialized on the deck. Use the song in your heart to defeat your foe.

"The song in our hearts?" Misty asked before the lightbulb went off in her head. "Oh, our Heart Songs!"

With that, she lifted her right hand with her ring on it to the sky. Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...

Kamon watched in awe as Michelle was engulfed in a bright blue light and waves. "What in the..." he gasped as Michelle emerged from the cocoon of light some moments later. Her skin had gained magenta armor-like rings on her arms and legs, and a "necklace" of cyan and magenta stones had formed around her neck. Her head spikes had lengthened into flowing blue "hair", and the ruby on her forehead had transformed into a teardrop shaped sapphire that glowed with holy light.

[What happened...is this the miracle of Mega Evolution?] Michelle gasped as she admired her new appearance.

"It is...now show this punk the power of Mega Golduck!" Misty smiled.

[Hah!] Michelle unleashed a powerful water spray, sending Spike flying as Ash watched in awe.

Them, something occurred to Ash as he watched the ruby in his ring glow and fade, as if awaiting his command. The song I sang to induce Blaze back in the Charific Valley...and powered up Luce to save Fluffy....and that Tintri uses as his Disarming Voice...it's my own Heart Song!

"Helena, let's do this!" Kamon summoning his Gastly snapped him back to reality.

Ash turned his cap back, then lifted his left hand skyward, confidently singing the holy words of his Heart Song. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

This time, Kamon was shaking in fear as Mina was engulfed in red light and flames, emerging with a majestic yellow and orange crest on her head, blue tips on her wings, and flowing tail feathers. [Oh yeah! I feel like I could take on a Legendary and win!]

But no one was happier than Ash. "We did it...now we can use the same power Brock has to induce our Pokemon!" he smiled at Misty.

He turned to Kamon again. "Behold the power of Mega Pidgeot!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

05-31-2017, 08:13 PM

Episode 73b: Trouble's Brewing (part 2)

Previously, on Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

Ash turned his cap back, then lifted his left hand skyward, confidently singing the holy words of his Heart Song. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

This time, Kamon was shaking in fear as Mina was engulfed in red light and flames, emerging with a majestic yellow and orange crest on her head, blue tips on her wings, and flowing tail feathers. [Oh yeah! I feel like I could take on a Legendary and win!]

But no one was happier than Ash. "We did it...now we can use the same power Brock has to induce our Pokemon!" he smiled at Misty.

He turned to Kamon again. "Behold the power of Mega Pidgeot!"

The Burned Tower's observation deck rumbled with the sound of battle as the Gastly and a newly evolved Mega Pidgeot battled. Crowds were even gathering down below, hoping to get a glimpse of the battle raging up above.

"Helena, use Night Shade!" Kamon commanded.

"Mina, dodge and use Air Slash!" Ash countered, smiling as the Mega Pidgeot looped over the black beam and fired a volley of air sickles that knocked the Gastly backwards.

[Need help?] Michelle asked as Helena recovered from Mina's attack.

[Sure--that Air Slash only nicked the Gastly.] Mina replied.

Kamon just smiled as Michelle charged a Water Pulse. "Oh, so now you want to double battle? I can arrange that..."

He then heaved another Poke Ball skyward "Nightwing, I need your help!"

Misty gasped as a Golbat formed by the Gastly's side. "Oh boy...Kamon's Zubat evolved too..."

"Although two Mega Pokemon can easily take down two unevolved Pokemon, I'm not sure if Mina and Michelle will be enough--this is Kamon, after all..." Ash cautioned.

"Where's Brock when you need him?" Misty worried.

Her fearful look turned to joy when she heard a familiar voice sing Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... followed by a flashing green light and the pops of what seemed like hundreds of Poke Balls as Argent emerged from the green cocoon as Mega Steelix.

Ash looked back behind him to see Brock--now in his normal clothes--Argent, all eight Kimono Girls, and their Pokemon--each of them an appropriate form of Eevee, joining them on the deck. "Did someone call for reinforcements?" Brock smiled.

"Am I glad to see you!" Misty smiled.

Kamon growled at the fact he was horribly outnumbered. "Don't think sheer numbers can save you..." he warned. "I'll be more than happy to show you how strong I can be with an army of two!"

"Let's do this!" Brock cried before blowing his referee's whistle--his agreed signal for the Kimono Girls to unleash an Eevee assault.

"Lei, use Shockwave!" Miki commanded her Jolteon.

Ash watched as Miki's Jolteon unleashed a huge shockwave, stunning Nightwing for a moment. "Mina, try Air Slash again!"

As Mina moved in to attack, he reached for his Pokedex to read up on the four other forms of Eevee he had not seen before:

"Umbreon, the moonlight Pokemon. When darkness falls, the rings on the body begin to glow, striking fear in the hearts of anyone nearby." Dexter explained as the rings on Sayo's Umbreon started glowing, making Helena rear back in fear.

"Yuzuki, use Pursuit!" Sayo called, prompting the Umbreon to charge at the Gastly not unlike how Mina had done to Morty's Pokemon the day before.

A cry got Ash's attention. "Satomi!" he cried as he hurried to another corner of the deck, where Ayame was assessing a scratch wound on Satomi as Sakura looked on with tears in her eyes.

"While you guys were busy with that punk's Gastly, his Golbat got Satomi good..." Sakura explained.

"Samui, create a barrier around Satomi so she doesn't get hurt even more." Yuki instructed her Glaceon. The cyan and blue fox Pokemon nodded as she formed an icy barrier around the injured Eevee.

"Glaceon, the fresh snow Pokemon. It can control its body temperature at will. This enables it to freeze the moisture in the atmosphere, creating flurries of diamond dust."

"Neat!" Ash smiled as Mina slammed into Helena, sending her flying even farther back.

"Yume, stay with Satomi while she recovers." Rei instructed a pink fox Pokemon with pale blue eyes and ribbon-like feelers.

"Sylveon, the intertwining Pokemon. Its ribbonlike feelers give off an aura that weakens hostility in its prey, causing them to let down their guard."

"At least some of Sakura's sisters care for her..." Brock smiled as Argent tried to use Rock Slide on Nightwing, only for Nightwing to dodge.

"Midori, use Grasswhistle to put the punk's Pokemon to sleep!" Ayame called to her Leafeon.

"Leafeon, the verdant Pokemon. Just like a plant, it uses photosynthesis. As a result, it is always enveloped in clear air."

"Nice..." Misty smiled as the greenish fox Pokemon used one of its leaves to produce a flute-like sound, putting Helena and Nightwing to sleep.

"Now to finish off Kamon once and for all!" Ash smiled before directing Mina "Use Pursuit!"

"Michelle, use Ice Beam!" Misty commanded.

The two attacks collided in a dark ice explosion, but Kamon seemed unusually calm about losing the epic battle. "I'm not fighting with another weakling ever again. It's just too much playing around." he sighed before departing in a huff.

"Good riddance..." Misty grumbled as Kamon disappeared into the darkness.

---------

"Thank you for showing us your skill in protecting Ho'oh from that punk at the tower." Miki smiled as she offered Ash a flute with a red tassel tied to one end. "As a reward, please accept this bansi. I hope you will gain many hours of enjoyment in playing it."

"Thank you..." Ash replied before he quizzically looked at the ornate flute Miki had given him. "So, how do I play this thing? Where's the mouthpiece?" he asked as he looked for a place to blow into the instrument.

"Oh, no--a bansi is blown from the side, like the silver concert flute." Miki explained. "Have you ever tried blowing across the top of a bottle?"

"Yeah..." Ash replied, grinning a little as he remembered annoying his parents at diners by blowing across the tops of soda bottles.

"Playing a side blown flute works in a similar manner--when playing a side blown flute like the bansi, we do not blow the air directly inside the mouthpiece, as we would do with a Pokeflute or a whistle." Miki explained. "We are instead directing the airstream over the top of the embouchure hole, very much like blowing across the top of a bottle."

She smiled as Ash managed to produce a weak D note that was trying to become a C#. "Very good--now let's try to get it in tune..."

---------

"As a reward for your bravery, I want you to have this vina." Sakura smiled as she gave Brock a harp similar to the one she had played at the tea ceremony. "This one has never been played, so I'll give you some lessons in how to play it."

"Wow...this is way more strings than I'm used to." Brock mused as he looked at the twenty-four stringed bow-shaped harp in his hands.

He noticed a few colored strings as he put on the fingerpicks that came with his new vina. "What do the colored strings mean?"

"The red strings are do's, and the blue ones are fa's." Sakura replied. "This way you know which octave you're in."

Piqued, Brock started from the top string and worked his way downward, smiling a little as he heard his instrument's range, from bell-like high notes, to the rumbling low notes. "Nice, pentatonic scale." he smiled, running his finger down the strings again.

"Now, are we ready to try learning a song?" Sakura asked. Brock nodded. "We will use the simple melody 'The Scent of Flowers Everywhere' as our example."

"Oh yeah--what you played to welcome me to the tea ceremony earlier!" Brock smiled as he recognized the tableture Sakura had put before him.

"Proper finger technique is very easy." Sakura assured him. "All you have to do is raise your hands and wave all your fingers together, the way a baby does. The fingers, as a unit, open and close, and the thumb stays relaxed."

"That is easy..." Brock smiled, softly picking out "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" in fits and starts....

---------

"Number K-93098, performing 'Justin and the Three Beasts'." Sayo announced to the crowd that had gathered in the Dance Theater some time later.

Brock acknowledged his applause, then readied his guitar to play. "The wind roared through the tall fir trees, and swept the snowflakes in masses against the windowpanes; the rafters rattled and the casements clattered; but dismally, above the roaring and the clattering, sounded the howling of three beasts at the cottage door; for their master lay on the bed inside, his time to die close at hand, and no more would he urge them on to another adventure." he begins as he plays his lament. "After what felt like an eternity, he raised his weary head from the pillow, and told his only son..."

In a gentle yet pained older man voice, he tells Ash, who is looking up at him through feigned tears "Justin, my son, don't forget to pray for your father when he has left this world."

He quickly interjects as himself "All Justin could do was sob in reply." Ash lets out a fairly convincing feigned sob to illustrate his point.

"Justin," Brock continues as the old man, "you know fortune has never favored me in this world: you are my noble boy, and I would have left you rich enough to be a great man, as your looks would have you—but it was not to be!"

"Father, you have taught me to work hard, to be honest, to face danger with courage and bravery, and above all, to fear the Great Lord Arceus!" Ash almost screams in feigned anguish, so much so Sakura, watching from the wings, isn't sure if Ash's sorrow is real or pretend. "That was the best inheritance you could leave me."

"Well said, my noble son," Brock replies as the father. "But you are old enough to brave the world's dangers by yourself; and I have nothing to leave you but the Legendary Beasts—my faithful companions—they are howling in sorrow just like you are. Let them in, Justin—they are all you have now in the world!"

As himself, he continues "Just as Justin went to let them in; and as he did the old man closed his eyes for the last time. The Legendary Beasts calmed down when they saw Justin's grief, came and nuzzled him and licked his hands. For three days they mourned together; and then the father was buried. After the funeral, Justin packed what little he had, left the cottage, and left to explore the world, with the Legendary Beasts going before him."

The guitar's song turns to a hopeful traveling song. "Whenever there was a day's work to be done, Justin was always ready to do any job asked of him." Brock narrates as he plays the simple melody. "What he earned he shared with the Legendary Beasts, who whined and fawned as if to say, 'We may eat your bread now; but the day will come when we will earn you yours.'

He stops his song for a moment. "But when there was no work to be had, when the storms raged and the winter wind howled, Justin was hard pressed to share a peasant's meal where he could find pity, and there were many people who said, 'Arceus bless you, my son,' when they saw his face; but the Legendary Beasts slunk away, as if ashamed that their master's son had to beg, not only for himself, but for them as well."

He then plays a C major chord. "Better times came with spring; and with it the hay cutting, the harvesting, and the vintage, and Justin found plenty of work. But still he journeyed on, with the Legendary Beasts going on before him."

Excited whispers fill the air as the guitar's song turns to a majestic melody. "One day, he saw in the distance the towers of a great city, and he hurried on, for all his life he had lived in the mountains, and had never seen a town that big before." Brock narrates.

Ash excitedly dashes onstage, but then his enthusiasm tapers off with the guitar. "But when he got there, he found that though it was a large city, it was almost a ghost town." Brock explains over the audience's laughter. "Broad roads criss crossed it, but they were more deserted than the mountain paths. There were workshops, and smithies, and shops of all kinds, but they all sat silent and empty, without a sound to be heard!"

Ash then looks up towards stage right as Brock continues "Then he looked up, and saw that every house was draped with black, and black banners hung from the towers of the castle and the manors of the nobility. But there wasn't a soul in sight, either in the town square or in any of the houses; so he still wandered on, and the Legendary Beasts went on before him."

Just then, Ash spots Sakura, in the role of a traveler, approaching him. "Finally, he spotted a traveling merchant on the road, and asked why the city was so empty."

As Sakura pantomimes a conversation with Ash, Brock narrates "The merchant explained that for many years, a great Salamence had brought terror on the land, eating anyone and anything in the way, so that everyone was once afraid to even leave their homes. But, she added, it was safe for her now, because it had been discovered that if every morning someone was sacrificed as a meal to him, he would leave them alone. A lot was cast every day, and whoever the lot fell to was sacrificed."

Fearful murmurs go up as Brock mimics a typical trumpet call on the guitar. "Just then, a herald appeared on the street, and proclaimed that the lot that day had fallen on the king's daughter, Princess Natalie, and that the next morning she would be sacrificed to the Salamence. The people, who had come to the windows to hear what the herald had to say, started coming outside in droves for the first time in a long time. Everyone was shocked to think that the lot had fallen on their beautiful young princess, that they all came running into the streets to mourn her gruesome fate; and the old king himself joined in, tearing his clothes and plucking out his hair, while the tears ran down his cheeks and into his venerable beard."

He adds as an aside "When Justin saw that, it reminded him of his own father, and he could not bear to see his tears."

Nervous giggles go up at Ash's angry face. "Then the king sent the herald out again to proclaim that if anyone could fight the Salamence and save his daughter, he would have her hand, and all his kingdom to boot." Brock explains. "But the fear of the Salamence was so great, there was not one that would venture to encounter it, even for the sake of such a prize. All day the herald went out and repeated the proclamation every hour, on the hour. But everyone was too scared of the Salamence to make the journey, and Justin, though he felt he had the courage to meet the Salamence, could not find it in his heart to come forward before all the people and promise to do what no one else would do. So the hours went by all through the day and all through the night, and no one had appeared to rescue Princess Natalie."

He then plays a fearful chord. "Then daybreak came, and with it the mournful procession leading the princess to the outskirts of the city; and all the people came out to see it, crying all the while." Brock narrates as the other Kimono Girls come onstage feigning tears as Ash looks on. "The old king came down the steps of the palace to turn his daughter over to the guards; and it took all the people's willpower to hold him back from sacrificing himself in her place."

Just then, Sayo, who is escorting Sakura, freezes for a moment. "But when the moment of parting came, the thought was so dreadful that he could not bring himself to make the sacrifice; and only held her even tighter in his arms." Brock narrates as Sayo hugs Sakura, now playing Princess Natalie, close to her. "The people began to wonder if their king had gone nuts, and this only increased the distress and terror the king felt."

Sayo slumps to her knees in feigned sorrow. "When Justin found matters as bad as this, his courage overrode his shyness, and making his way through the crowd, he asked permission to go out to meet the Salamence." Brock narrates as Ash does this.

"And if I fail," Ash adds as Justin, "at least I will have prolonged the most precious life by one day at least."

"With that, he bent down and kissed Princess Natalie's hand." Brock narrates, to some "aw"s as Ash does this to Sakura. "When Princess Natalie heard his words, she took heart, looked up, and was glad to see one of such noble character for her rescuer. But the old king, without stopping to look at him, threw himself on his neck and kissed him with delight, called him his son, and promised him that if he succeeded, he would receive everything the herald had proclaimed and more. The people's confusion and annoyance turned into admiration; and they accompanied Justin to the city gates with shouts of encouragement as he went forth to battle the Salamence..."

"... with the Legendary Beasts going on before him." the audience says along with Brock.

Ash breaks character long enough to ask the audience "Have you heard this one before?" to some laughter.

A fearful chord from the guitar quiets the laughter. "It was past the time when the Salamence usually received his victim, and he was advancing rapidly towards the city walls, roaring horribly, and swinging the scaly horrors of his folded tail." Brock narrates. "The monster's fury might have made a more experienced arm tremble, but Justin thought of his father's desire that he be a great man, and do brave deeds, and his courage only seemed to grow as the danger approached. He walked so straight towards the Salamence, with a step so firm and so unlike the trembling stagger of his usual victims, that it almost disconcerted him. When they had approached each other within a hundred paces, Justin sang to Raikou..."

Karuto, iichiida shou... Ash fills in the spellsong.

"At the first sound of his voice, Raikou sprang to attack, and with such speed that the Salamence had no time to decide how to meet his opponent." Brock narrates as he plays the Zelda theme to simulate a battle.

Seios, higarima laisido... Ash sings again.

"At this song, Suicune, following close on Raikou's track, sprang on the Salamence's neck, and held him to the ground with an Ice Fang." Brock narrates.

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sings again, making his new Mega Ring glow in response to his voice.

"...and Entei ran to join the others in a flash of fire, and fixing his great fangs in the Salamence's flesh in a massive Fire Fang, snapped his spine like a twig, and bounded back with delight to his master's feet." Brock narrates, playing the Zelda "got item" stinger to signal a victory.

Cheers go up at the Salamence's demise. "Justin, only stopping to congratulate his companions, drew his knife, cut off a Salamence scale; and then returned to the city with his trophy, with--what?" Brock prompts the audience.

"...the Legendary Beasts going on before him." the audience repeats.

Brock grins as he plays a festive song. "Imagine the cheers when Justin returned to a hero's welcome! The king and Princess Natalie heard the noise in the palace, and came down to meet the hero that had saved the city."

"Behold my daughter, Princess Natalie!" Sayo announces as the king, gesturing to Sakura. "Take her; she is yours, and my kingdom with her! I owe everything to you, and in return I give you all I have."

"No, sire," Ash replies as Justin; "Just the fact that you give me permission to approach Princess Natalie is all I ask.I am only a poor boy, and have never had anything to command but my Legendary Beasts: how does that make me worthy to rule a kingdom?"

"The king and all the people, and Princess Natalie most of all, were pleased with his modesty and grace; and they sang his praises, and those of his Legendary Beasts too, and led them with him to the palace, where Justin received a suit of embroidered clothes and made a duke, and was seated next to Princess Natalie." Brock narrates as he resumes his festive song. "The king, finding that Justin refused to accept the crown, decided to adopt him as his own son; and had him instructed in everything a prince had to know, so that he might be fit to succeed him. The Legendary Beasts were assigned three kennels and three collars of gold, with three pages to tend to their every need; and whenever Justin went out hunting, his Legendary Beasts had priority over all the king's Arcanines."

"Wow"s go up as Brock concludes "As time went on, Justin had other opportunities to make a name for himself; and little by little, he came to be acknowledged as the most accomplished courtier and the most valiant soldier in the kingdom. But what those opportunities entailed--that is another story for another day!"

The crowd roared as Brock took a bow, and Sakura arrived with a green stripe for his rainbow...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-04-2017, 12:27 AM

Scytherwolf; Born;

Episode 73c: Trouble's Brewing (part 3)

"Sakura?" Misty asked as she nudged open the door to Sakura's room, where Sakura and Satomi were finishing their dinner. "Are you receiving guests now?"

"Oh! Misty, what a surprise!" Sakura smiled. "Of course I would be willing to talk to you for a little while--from one girl to another.

"Brock told me what happened at the tea ceremony earlier today, and I wonder...do any of your sisters get along with you?" Misty asked. "I ask this because I know all too well what it is like to be spurned and picked on by older siblings."

"Well, Yuki, Ayame, and Rei are the ones that usually stick up for me..." Sakura replied. "Kuni tries to keep Sayo and Miki under control, and Naoko is neutral towards it all. But seeing the eight of us onstage, you would never know we even fight at all."

"Back home in Cerulean City, I have three elder sisters of my own." Misty explained, showing Sakura a picture of her, Lilly, Violet, and Daisy on the beach. "For a long time, they were more concerned about synchronized swimming, water ballets, and other spectacles than giving out badges; and I got a lot of teasing from them for wanting to be the Gym Leader. The last straw came when they decided to become idols, and pressured me to join the unit. I just said thanks but no thanks--dancing around in a frilly costume and singing cutesy lyrics wasn't my thing. For all I know, they still have the green costume they saved for me in a closet somewhere, waiting for when I finally come around. But as far as I'm concerned, Waves will always be a trio."

"Interesting..." Sakura smiled as Misty pulled up a video of her sisters' latest single. "What are their songs like?"

"Here's their latest hit...'I Want'." Misty began as she watched the video load. "This is just a clip, so you won't hear the whole song."

With that, she pressed PLAY, allowing Sakura to see the image of Lilly, in a sparkling blue costume, Violet, in a sparkling purple costume, and Daisy, in a sparkling gold costume, sing La la la la....
La la la la la la la la la!

Okay, okay, let's take it lightly! Lilly sang.

Okay okay, prepare my heart and soul... Volet sang.

Okay, okay, I have gotta be strong! Daisy sang.

All three sisters then sang Okay okay, ready to go!
Hey, I want, I want, I want, I want
Just to hear your loving voice!

Yes, I want, I want, I want, I want
Just to hear you once again!

And surely, surely, surely, surely
More than any other boy
I really, really, really, really
Think that I'm the one for you!

Sakura stiffled a giggle at the dancing girls on Misty's PokeNav. "No wonder you didn't want to join the unit..."

"Even when we all took music lessons as kids, I wanted nothing to do with classical opuses--I wanted to play the traditional dances of Kanto on my violin, not all those sonatas and partitas." Misty went on. "Then I ran into Ash--and not only did I gain a jamming partner, but a heroic trainer I am proud to call my friend."

"Yes--he seems to be highly skilled on a number of flutes." Sakura smiled.

"Then we met Brock--who is a master guitar player, singer, and storyteller, and who I consider to be another of my closest friends, even if he does try and sing to any pretty face he can find." Misty continued. "We've been across a region and a half together, and seen a lot of amazing things. We'd be here all night if I could tell you about them all."

"I'm sure you all have some amazing stories to tell." Sakura replied. "Would you mind if I joined your party?"

"Really?" Misty gasped as the boys and Tintri arrived in the room.

Sakura nodded. "I have long wished to see the world alongside Satomi, and a journey is often better with friends. Who knows, if we come across ancient writings, I may be able to help you read them."

"What do you think?" Misty asked the boys.

"Sure!" Ash smiled. "The more, the merrier."

"I have no problem with it if your sisters are okay with it." Brock replied. "Besides, I'd love to continue the vina lessons on the road, and I could teach you some of the songs and ballads I know."

"What fun!" Sakura smiled before giving Ash, Misty, and Brock a script. "Maybe Sayo would be convinced that I'd be safe with you if she saw you onstage with us. The play is not tomorrow, but the next day, so you three have a little time to rehearse and practice."

"'Crimson Parasol', huh..." Ash mused as he read through the script, complete with lines for him and places for a bansi to play marked in red.

Sakura smiled. "It's a Gekijou version of 'Little Red Riding Hood' I wrote for last year's Children's Festival, but I haven't gotten the chance to perform it."

"I would be honored to narrate and show off what little I know on the vina so far." Brock smiled.

"Playing a hero sounds fun!" Misty grinned, bemused in the fact she would be playing a britches role.

"Miki's a good teacher, and I have my reservations as to playing my new bansi this soon, but if you want me to try, I'll try." Ash replied.

"That's all I ask is that you try." Sakura assured Ash. "Let us get to bed--we have rehearsal tomorrow, and the the performance the next day."

---------

The Dance Theater rang with applause as Sayo arrived onstage. "Thank you, and on behalf of all of us at the Masamune Theater...welcome." she began. "If this is your first time visiting a Gekijou theater, allow me to explain some of the conventions and traditions you will see. Firstly, the narrator--who may or may not be named depending on the play--plays a kind of ancient harp called a vina, to add ambiance and character to the spoken words. There is also a chorus of musicians and speakers to assist the narrator, who may also interact with the action taking place. Props and sets are brought on and taken away in a moment's notice. If a Pokemon or spirit is needed in the storyline, they are usually portrayed by puppets--the larger ones operated by several puppeteers in plain view of the audience, and voiced by the narrator."

Excited murmurs go up at this. "Among all of that, we do have the familiar for you today." Sayo assures the audience. "You'll meet a familiar girl in red, but she's not the character you think you know..."

She concludes "So without any further ado...the Masamune Theater proudly presents 'Crimson Parasol'.

Applause filled the air as Sayo exited and the lights went down, leaving the theater in complete darkness. After a few seconds of silence, the notes of a vina playing the tune "The Scent of Flowers Everywhere" filled the air. The audience whispered who the performer could be for a moment, but the whispering quieted when the lights came up on Brock, now clad in a purple robe with white, gold, and green trim, playing his vina.

After playing the haunting melody through several times, he let the last note fade away before addressing the audience. "Good afternoon and well met, travelers...I am Kataribe-san, your storyteller for today. I travel from town to town playing my harp and singing..."

He proceeded to play a bouncy melody as he sang Come one, and come all--come and hear my tales!

The audience laughed as Brock danced around the stage for a moment. "Then the old and the young, the rich and the poor, they all come from their homes and the streets and join me in the town square, eager to hear what tales I have to tell." Brock continued in character. "Today I have a new twist on an old favorite to tell you--you yourselves learned this tale from a storyteller named Jacob Grimm, but where he learned it from, we may never know."

He smiles "You just can't keep a good story at home, can you?"

Affirmative murmurs wafted in his direction. "The tale concerns a girl in red, a fearsome Mightyena, and a woodcutter that saved the girl and her grandmother from a terrible fate--I speak, of course of 'Little Red Riding Hood'." Brock explains over a mostly improvised soft melody. "But when that same story came to this land, Little Red Riding Hood transformed into Crimson Parasol." He played a soft chord for effect.

"Now, with a little help from the Nijiiro Chorus..." Brock made a grand gesture to stage right as the lights came up on a crowd of about thirty people, not including Ash, Kuni, and Rei. While the other house musicians wore a plain colored robe and carried some form of a percussion instrument, Ash wore a red and gold robe, and the other Kimono Girls in the ensemble had on their robes. "...we will tell you this tale just as it was told many suns ago."

As if on cue, two stagehands in black arrived--one carrying a gold disc and the other a silver disc. The vina and Kuni, playing the three stringed fiddle-like tikin, started a soft melody as the stagehands spun the two disks in opposing directions as they exited. "Many many suns ago..." a male speaker began.

"On an island in a land far away..." a female speaker continued.

"There was a mountain capped with snow." a second male speaker explained.

"Below that mountain was a green valley." a second female speaker continued

"In that valley was a meadow of tall grass..." a third male speaker went on. Those chorus members with shakers shook them for effect, to some bemused giggles from the children in the audience.

"And on that meadow stood a cottage." a third female speaker continued as the two stage ninjas brought on a screen that depicted an Asian-esque house on a meadow.

"In that cottage, there lived a mother..." a fourth male speaker began.

Oka-san! Rei called.

As if on cue, Miki, now clad in a pale blue and green robe, slowly walked on stage in time to the vina, the woodblocks, and bells. When she got to the center of the stage, she bowed to the audience before walking towards stage right.

"And with the Oka-san," the first male speaker explained.

"There lived a young daughter." the first female speaker replied.

Sakura, now wearing a deep red tunic-like robe, black leggings, and black shoes, enters from the right, with the woodblocks and bells providing a playful beat for her steps. She bowed to Miki and the audience as they noticed the small red parasol she carried, then walked over by Miki's side as the vina and tikin joined back in again.

"This is Crimson Parasol." the first male speaker explained as a spotlight appeared on Sakura.

"She has a feather head." the first female speaker commented as Sakura feigned a giggle.

"She has a wandering eye." the second female speaker added as Sakura looked around the room in feigned awe.

"Listen well, Akane-san." Rei cautioned.

"Listen to your Oka-san." Ash agreed. At this, the vina and tikin abruptly stopped.

"Listen to me, Akane, my love." Miki began. "I would like you to visit your Oba-san that lives to the east." As Miki said her first lines, the stage ninjas brought on a small table, a tea set, and a small covered basket, then exited as quickly as they had come.

"Yes, Oka-san." Sakura replied.

"Bring her this basket filled with Berries and sweet cakes." Miki smiled, gesturing to the small basket on the table.

"How delicious--fresh Berries and sweet cake!" Sakura gasps, to some "aw"s from the crowd.

"Pay attention, Akane." Miki began as the vina played a drone. "Do not go through the southern jungle. It is dark, it is dangerous, and Raikous lurk in the shadows." A soft drum roll punctuated Miki's line.

"Yes Oka-san." Sakura replied.

"Then go, Akane, before it grows hot." Miki smiled. "Do not linger to pick the flowers..." Some bells jingled for effect. "Do not chase the Beautiflies...."

Ash interjected on his bansi with the notes that matched "Ai-yai-yai, I'm your little Beautifly!" for effect, to giggles from the audience. "...and do not sit and dream on the rocks in the fields." Some larger woodblocks tapped for effect. "Furthermore, take your crimson parasol--who knows whether it will be warm or it will rain?" The vina's drone ended with a soft flourish.

"I understand, Oka-san." Sakura replied before taking the basket from the table and hugging Miki. Itekimasu!

With that, she walks off in time with the bells and woodblocks as Miki waves goodbye...

---------

Backstage, Misty--in a navy blue swordsman's robe--alternated between studying the script and listening to Brock's narration out on the stage. I'm thankful that's not me playing the tikin... she smiled as she watched Kuni frantically saw away at the majestic three stringed instrument in time to the chorus' pleas. Even though Kuni offered to gave me lessons, bowing it was just too hard! I'll stick with my fiddle, thank you!

The stage ninjas bringing on a tree with pink flowers snapped her to attention. Oh, this is the Beauitifly's scene! Ash did say he had a solo in this scene...

---------

Onstage, Sakura stopped at the pink flowered tree at as the frantic melody concluded. After a few tense seconds, Ayame, now wearing a green, blue, and silver dress-like costume, danced onstage to the accompaniment of bells and finger cymbals. "Oh! A flower...a beautiful dancing flower." Sakura smiled. "I will present this dancing flower to Oba-san as a gift."

She approached and tried to grab at Ayame several times, but then Ayame waved her away. "Halt! Don't touch!"

Ash then started what sounded like an improvisation in B minor along with the percussion as Ayame continued dancing around Sakura, speaking all the while. "No thank you very much! I am no earthly bud! No blossom of the mud! I'm here, I'm there! I am queen of the air! Foolish child, use your eyes! For I am Nabi the Beautifly, princess of the summer skies!" The music ended there.

"A thousand pardons, sora-hime." Sakura replied with a little bow. "I was confused, for the shadows teased my eyes. Please excuse this unworthy Akane-chan!"

"Very well, but don't let it happen again." Ayame warned. "Now, I must be off, for I have an audience with the sakura.

With that, she danced off as Kuni's tikin joined Ash's bansi and the percussion. Some in the audience laughed when they recognized what the instruments were actually playing.

Oh....oh...oh... Rei sang along.

"Beautifly! Flutter by!" the chorus chanted over the music.

"Flash and flitter!"

"Skip and skitter!"

"Black and blue!"

"Colors in the sky!"

"Green, black, and blue, make the colors in the sky!" At this, the instruments and Rei stopped as Brock appeared in his spotlight, playing the chorus to "Beautifly" one last time on his vina.

"An encounter with a haughty Beautifly...do you think that stopped Akane-chan?" Brock asked the audience.

"No"s and murmurs wafted through the audience. "In fact, she went on, even further into the jungle..."

---------

Misty looked up and smiled at the majestic Raikou puppet she would "fight" at the pivotal moment of the play. He's beautiful! I can't wait to see Sakura's reaction to this big guy! she smiled as she watch Sakura interact with a Wartortle puppet, its performer concealed behind some faux rock.

As the Raikou's three performers arrived to prepare the huge puppet for its entrance, Misty flagged down the lead performer. "How is it that multiple people control the same puppet?"

"Simple--one person performs the back legs, one person performs the front legs, and I perform the head." the lead performer replied. "Performing the head's the hardest of the three roles--you have to work the head with precision to match the narrator's voice, so we create the illusion of a living being. Luckily, your friend is a great mimic and speaker, so I had no trouble syncing to his voice."

"Well, I'm gonna arrive like I'm really gonna fight, so give me a good struggle for my scene!" Misty vowed.

"We'll do our best." the lead performer replied as she disappeared inside the puppet's chest to reach the head.

Back onstage, the stage ninjas brought on a third tree with a yellow flower on it as the tikin began an uneasy drone with accents from the shakers. Listen, listen, what is that? Rei sang.

Ash joined in with a shuddering note. "Only a bird in the treetop high." a male speaker replied.

Hush! Hush! Who goes there? Rei sang again.

The woodblocks answered Rei's sung question with a playful rhythm. "Only a child on the jungle path." a female speaker replied.

Listen, listen, a sound in the bush. Rei sang again.

A foreboding drum roll punctuated the tikin and bansi's song, which was now growing more and more tense. Look! Look! A shadow falls!

Misty jumped as Ash blasted a high note that sounded amazingly like a female scream as a gong sounded and Brock mimicked a perfect Raikou's roar offstage as the magnificent Raikou puppet ran onstage, to "ooh"s and "ahh"s from the crowd.

"AUGH!!!" Sakura yelped. She took a few steps backwards before opting to hide behind the parasol) "Oh! You look like...you look like..."

"What do I look like, shoujo-chan?" Brock asked in a deeper version of himself from offstage. To the audience, it appeared the majestic puppet had asked the question.

"Well, you LOOK like a Raikou...you SOUND like a Raikou....but I don't think you ARE a Raikou." Sakura explained.

"What? I've never heard such a thing...how can I not be a Raikou?" Brock asked in character.

"Because I THINK you are a Raikou...today I have made two mistakes." Sakura went on. "First, I mistook a Beautifly for a flower. Then, I mistook a Wartortle for a stone. So if I think you are a Raikou, then you have to be something else. Understand?"

"Not very well." The audience laughed as the Raikou puppet shook its head. "So if I am something else, what am I?"

"Hm..." Sakura looked the Raikou puppet up and down. "Fur...stripes...four legs...a tail...so you must be a Zebstrika! I should tell my Oba-san about you."

"Ah, an Oba-san!" Brock excitedly gasped in character.

Nervous giggles filled the air as the Raikou puppet licked its chops. "Two fine meals for the great Langi!"

The puppet turned to face Sakura again. "Of course I am a Zebstrika, shoujo-chan--you do not fear me, do you?" Brock asked in character.

"No." Sakura replied.

"Then allow me to come with you to your Oba-san's house--I could protect you from any Raikous that lurk in this place." the puppet offered.

"You are too kind, Zebstrika-san." Sakura smiled.

With that, the puppet and Sakura walked in place as the lights went down, with the woodblocks, bells and the drum keeping the beat. Suddenly, a fearful bansi phrase stopped the beat as a spotlight appeared on the chorus.

"Oh, foolish Akane!" Ash cried.

"Oh, wicked Raikou!" Kuni agreed.

"What will happen now?" Rei asked.

A tense tikin riff played as a spotlight appeared on the Raikou puppet. "I will tell you what will happen now." Brock explained in character as the stage ninjas brought on another screen of a house in a field and placed it stage left as Yuki, playing Oba-san, entered. "I will get this foolish shoujo to her Oba-san's house, and then I will have a feast!"

Ash punctuated this with another note that sounded like a female scream. "But how will I do this, you ask?" Brock continued in character, clearly enjoying playing the villain. "Worry not, for I, Langi, am a clever Raikou!"

The puppet then turned to address Sakura again. "Look, out at the sky!"

"What is it? What do you see?" Sakura asked.

"I see Articuno off to the west, with her beautiful blue and white plumes. If you look towards the setting sun, you just might see her as she passes here." Brock explained in character.

Sakura nodded and froze in a westward facing pose. With Sakura distracted, the Raikou puppet tiptoed up to the unsuspecting Yuki and shoved her back behind the screen, complete with Ash blasting another scream-like note as the gong sounded again.

"There! Into the closet with you while I deal with your precious shoujo-chan!" Brock growled in character as the stage ninjas arrived with a copy of Oba-san's costume.

Boos filled the theater as Brock mimicked another Raikou roar. Memo to self--ask Ash how he can mimic a girl screaming with a flute! Misty grinned--her big scene was coming soon!

--------

Later, Sakura spotted the Raikou puppet's tail peeking from the blanket. "Tails? Oba-sans don't have tails..."

She pulled off the blanket, to a panicked riff. "A Raikou! Where is my Oba-san?"

"Don't try to escape, shoujo-chan!" Brock growled in character.

With that, he mimicked a roar as the Raikou puppet sprung at Sakura as the bansi, vina, tikin, and percussion played an exciting melody. Sakura, meanwhile, used the closed parasol as a sword.

Misty meanwhile, listened for the bansi flourish that served as her cue from the wings. Ash said he'd play a distinct little melody for my cue...

She smiled as she heard a descending phrase down the B minor scale. There it is... she grinned as she drew a prop katana and dashed onstage.

"Praise Arceus, help has come!" a female extra cried.

"It is Takuya, a great hunter!" a male speaker agreed.

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" Rei cried as Misty cornered the Raikou puppet, prompting the music to stop.

"Get away from her, you wily Raikou, before your head falls to the great Kanemoto!" Misty warned the puppet, brandishing the katana for effect.

"What? Cut off my head? You must be mistaken--the girl claims I am a Zebstrika." Brock protested in character.

"A Zebstrika indeed! I know you too well, Langi of the Southern Jungle." Misty grinned.

"Please, have mercy, dear hunter!" Brock pleaded in character. "I have not harmed the Oba-san...she was in the closet the whole time!"

Cheers went up from the audience as Sakura brought Yuki out from behind the screen. "Since you have not harmed the Oba-san nor the girl, I am feeling merciful." Misty mused before pointing the katana at the Raikou puppet. "Do you promise to return to the jungle from whence you came?"

The Raikou puppet fearfully nodded as the katana inched closer to its head. "Do you promise never to bother another human again for the rest of your days?" Misty asked.

The Raikou puppet fearfully nodded yes again. "Now go, before I change my mind." Misty growled.

Ash smiled as a drum roll played to signal Langi bounding offstage. Misty has this hero thing down! he thought as Yuki hugged Sakura, and Misty sheathed the katana over a triumphant vina and bell flourish.

"Shoo, shoo! Wily Raikou!" he called offstage.

"Never return again!" Kuni scolded.

"Hail! Hail! Wielder of Kanemoto! You've saved the red-clad child!" Rei called.

Applause went up as the lights went down, except for Brock in a spotlight nearby the chorus, playing an interlude on his vina. "And so, Langi the Raikou returned to the southern jungle--never again did he show his whiskers around that place." he narrated as himself. "Word of Takuya's brave deed spread to even the Pokemon League, and he received a great crystal medallion from the Pokemon Master."

At this, the instruments played an Asian style rendition of "Golden Hearts and Silver Souls" as Misty knelt at center stage, and one of the stage ninjas draped a large sparkling medallion around her neck before all of them exited...

--------

"That was fun!" Misty smiled as the group emerged from the theater's backstage area in their normal clothes.

"Not enough water in the whole Johto region--doing Langi's voice was hard work!" Brock mused before taking a long drink of water.

As the group met the Kimono Girls out in the square, Sayo asked Sakura "Are you sure you still want to go with these three? If you do, they must battle us for the right to take you with them."

"I've changed my mind, Sayo-neesan." Sakura replied. "I'll stay here...I thought about it a little more last night, and I don't believe I am ready to go on a journey yet."

She then addressed the group. "While it would be wonderful to go with you three, I worry I would be a burden to you all right now. When I do depart on a journey, I will go by myself, and meet some companions I can call my own."

Sayo smiled. "You'll be doing something very brave, sis--it's always good to learn self-reliance, as you won't always have someone with you. Knowing how to take care of yourself is a sign of a strong, confident, and beautiful young lady."

"Well, if you change your mind, we'll be headed for Olivine City." Ash assured Sakura as Tintri bounded on his shoulder. "I'll be sure to keep practicing for you." he told Miki as she hugged him.

"If you want us to act in another Gekijou play, let us know!" Misty smiled.

Sakura embraced Brock. "Promise me when you play your vina, you'll think of me...I've left you four collections of tunes for you to practice as you travel, as thanks for your performance today."

"Any time--I'd love to act in or narrate another play for you." Brock replied.

"Bye, everyone!" Ash called as he waved back to the waving Kimono Girls. "May we meet again soon!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-08-2017, 12:40 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 74: All that Glitters!

"Zephyr Badge...okay..." Ash mused as he admired the wing-shaped badge sewn to his vest. "Little spot over here..." he mused as he wiped some dust from the Hive Badge. "but the Plain Badge needs a little scrubbing. Once my other three badges are clean, I'll get Brock to sew on my Fog Badge."

"I'll come do that after we have lunch." Brock replied as he tended to some broccoli casserole simmering over the campfire. "Luckily, the color that matches your vest is very easy to find."

"I can see myself in your Badges..." Misty smiled as she admired her reflection in the Plain Badge. "Think you can polish my Pokethlon medals too?"

"Sure!" Ash retrieved his rag as Misty got out her medal box.

But before he could wipe down Misty's first silver medal, a rustle alerted Tintri. [What was that?]

[I'll check it out!] Ami volunteered.

She reared back as three black crow-creatures emerged from the brush. [What the...] she gasped as the three crow-Pokemon hopped and danced towards the camp.

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on the dancing crow-Pokemon:

"Murkrow, the darkness Pokemon. Feared and loathed by many, it is believed to bring misfortune to all those who see it at night."

"But it's daytime, so it can't harm us." Misty smiled.

No sooner were the words out of her mouth did two of the three Murkrows snatch Ash's Fog Badge and her medal box! "Hey!"

"Back, get back!" Brock waved away the third Murkrow, who seemed determined to get at the four stripes of his Lore Stage rainbow "Go on, shoo!" he called as the third Murkrow gave up on his stripes and fluttered up onto a branch, where its companions waited with Ash's Fog Badge and Misty's medal box.

"Mina, knock the Murkrow out of the tree!" Ash commanded as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

[HAH!!!] Mina charged at the tree, knocking the three Murkrow to the ground--surprisingly with Ash's Fog Badge and Misty's medal box intact!

Ash was not far behind Mina as he ran towards the Murkrow. "You guys have some explaining to d--!"

He did not, however, expect a wave of mud to come flying in his face! "WAUGH!!!"

[You okay?] Mina asked as she fluttered by Ash's side.

"Follow those Murkrow while I go and get cleaned up!" Ash replied.

[Right!] With that, Mina soared away.

"What happened to you?" Brock asked as Ash returned to the camp with mud splotches all over him. "I remember three Murkrows came out here, and then they took your Fog Badge and Misty's medal box..."

"Mina and I tried to stop them, but they sent a wave of mud in my face..." Ash grumbled as Brock carefully wiped off the mud stains. "I sent Mina on ahead to try and catch them..."

He gasped when he saw Mina land, battered and beaten, at his feet. [Ash...I'm sorry...] Mina wheezed. [I tried to engage them, but they sent me flying with a huge Gust...]

Brock covered the cooking pot, then reached for a Poke Ball of his own. "Hitomi, use your Supersonic to find these rogue Murkrow!" he commanded as he heaved it skyward.

As the Golbat materialized, she fired a few Supersonic waves at a cluster of trees, only getting an echo in a nearby bush. [There they are!] she reported, showing Brock that the Murkrow were huddled in the bush, looking over Ash's badge, Misty's medals, and a number of other shiny things.

"Maybe if we asked nicely, these Murkrows would give our stuff back?" Misty asked as she followed Ash to the bush.

"It's worth a shot..." Ash mused as he approached the bush. "Uh, guys? Could you please give our stuff back? They're important to us."

[You want'em? Come and get'em!] one Murkrow smirked before all three Murkrows fluttered off

[I'll go corner them for you!] Hitomi offered as she fluttered off after the fleeing Murkrows. But she balked as the three Murkrows created a massive Gust, sending her flying backwards, landing at Brock's feet as he arrived in the brush. [Master, I failed...] she gasped as she fainted.

[YEEEE-AAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!] Tintri screeched as he fired a Thunderbolt, knocking out the three Murkrow all at once with a Thundershock.

"Good shot, bud." Ash smiled as he located his missing Badge and Misty's medal box in the stash of items as Misty watched from nearby.

He did not, however, expect to see Team Rocket looming over the hill in their balloon, with Tintri struggling in a net! "Where'd you guys come from?"

"Do we really have to answer? That is a lot of trouble..." Jessie shot back.

"And even if we did answer, our haul's going to be double." James agreed.

"To protect the world from devastation..." Jessie began.

"And unite all peoples within our nation..." James smiled, twirling a rose in his hand. Ash just watched and growled in annoyance at the familiar motto he, Misty, and Brock had heard a million times before:

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth! Dat's right!"

Brock, meanwhile, had joined Ash and Misty on the hill and was preparing to fire a shot when he heard a POW! and James yelling something in anger. "What in the...I didn't even need to shoot an arrow this time!" he gasped as he stood down.

"The Murkrows!" The lightbulb went off in Misty's head. "The Murkrows popped Team Rocket's balloon!

She tried oh-so-hard not to laugh as Team Rocket attempted to capture the Murkrow with a net. "I'd still keep an arrow handy, though--while the Rockets were busy trying to catch these Murkrow, I snuck onboard the balloon and got Tintri." Ash reported. "I left them a little surprise..."

All three watched as Team Rocket pulled on the rope connected to the net, but the net caught a boulder instead, causing Team Rocket to get thrown away. "Very clever, Ash--let's go get our stuff back." Brock grinned. "They were headed towards that hill to the north."

---------

"Aina, climb the hill and help us find the Murkrow!" Ash called as he heaved a Poke Ball on the ground, revealing the Machop.

Aina skillfully darted to the top of the hill, where she spotted the Murkrow in a bush admiring their stash of shiny objects. [Found them!]

"Thanks!" Ash grinned as he crept up by the bush, careful not to startle or rouse the Murkrow to his presence.

Moments before Ash could take the Fog Badge and the medal box, a twig snapping alerted one Murkrow, spurring all three to thoroughly peck Ash, then send him tumbling back to the bottom of the hill.

"Ow..." was all Ash could say as Misty arrived with some medical supplies.

"So much for the direct approach..." Brock mused.

---------

"Okay...." Brock began as he showed Ash and Misty a blueprint outlining his plan to get Ash's Badge and Misty her medal box. "It appears Murkrow like shiny objects, like Meowths do...so what I want you guys to do is hold these pie tins so that they flash in the sun. With the Murkrow distracted, Silver and I can move in and get the Fog Badge and the medal box back."

He added. "If something happens, I revived Mina for you, Ash."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled as he took a pie tin and stepped out into the sun, angling the pie tin so the sunlight created a flash. Misty was on the other end of the plain with a pie tin of her own, disorienting the three Murkrows from following the light that seemed to arc from one end of the hill to the other.

Just then, one of the Murkrows spotted Ami making a flower crown by Misty's foot. "Uh oh..." Ash gasped when he saw the Murkrows flying in their direction.

"I thought I told Ami to stay put!" Misty grumbled as she and Ash abandoned the pie tins and dashed off.

"Let's find Brock first--I have a plan B..." With that, Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Mina, we need you!"

[Murkrows are carrion Pokemon, right? Maybe if I played dead, you can get your stuff back!] Mina suggested.

Ash and Misty watched as Mina fluttered to the ground and laid very still. The Murkrows arrived some moments later, and began examining what they thought was a Pidgeot corpse, periodically poking Mina to make sure she was dead.

Once sure the Murkrows were distracted, Mina grabbed the Fog Badge in her talons, and took off, just as Brock arrived on the hill. "Good thinking, Ash--I didn't expect Ami to wander out here and blow our cover." Brock muttered.

"Even after I gave her explicit instructions to stay put." Misty agreed before a wind gust knocked the three companions and the Murkrows to the ground.

Ash looked to see Team Rocket in a giant robot resembling a giant Murkrow. "You guys again!"

"We'll be takin' all of dis, tank you!" Meowth grinned as he turned on the mecha's vacuum, setting it to suck up all of the shiny objects that the Murkrow collected.

"Get the Murkrows!" Misty called to Ash.

"I got this!" Ash called back before scooping up the three Murkrows in his arms, just as Mina battered the vacuum with a Wing Attack.

Just as Ash set the Murkrows on a safe spot, he gasped as Team Rocket grabbed Tintri. "Guys...if you can help my Pidgeot save my Pikachu, will you give us our things back?"

[It's a deal!] the first Murkrow replied as he and his fellow Murkrows rushed to join Mina in the sky, darting this way and that so quickly, the mecha struggled to keep up.

"It's working!" Brock smiled as the mecha started to short-circuit, causing it to release Tintri.

"And now for the coup de grace..." Misty grinned as Tintri electrified one of Brock's arrows.

Ash rushed to catch his Fog Badge and Misty's medal box as Team Rocket went flying off into the sky from the impact of the electrified arrow. "Thanks, guys..."

"Yes, thanks." Misty smiled, relieved her medals were safe.

[It was nuttin'--you saved our feathers and helped us protect our turf from those hoodlums, we got ya stuff back, as we agreed.] the second Murkrow explained.

As Ash waved goodbye to the Murkrows, Brock noticed the sun beginning to set. "Let's get back to camp---and get your Fog Badge sewn on so nothing else can take it, Ash."

"Good idea--I don't want another Murkrow taking my medals for a long time!" Misty agreed, to the boys' laughter...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-11-2017, 12:32 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 75a: Freeze Frame! (part 1)

The mountains rang with a joyful bansi melody as the group made their way down a mountain pass. Ash led the way, playing the song as a means for Tintri to find him as he romped back and forth across the road. Misty and Brock were not far behind, Brock more engrossed in the guidebook than Ash's enthusiastic song.

"You must've been practicing hard after our Gekijou debut in Ecruteak." Misty commented as the last note echoed into the morning sky.

"It helps that Miki gave me a few books of tunes to practice--that one was 'Rainbow Light', in the first book's section on articulation." Ash explained as he pocketed the bansi. "Any suggestions on how I can improve, you guys?"

"Well, I will say that you're getting better with tonguing and breath control." Brock began as he looked up from the guidebook. "Imagine you're trying to spit a Cheri pit or Watmel seed at somebody--that's what good tonguing on a flute should sound like."

"Miki did use the Cheri pit analogy, actually..." Ash mused before a familiar male voice got Tintri's attention. "What is it, Tintri?"

He looked back behind him and smiled when he saw a familiar auburn haired boy in a purple and magenta striped shirt running to meet him. "Todd!"

"Long time no see!" Misty smiled as Ash and Todd hugged. "How was Pokemon Island?"

"Amazing!" Todd replied. "Prof. Oak told me that all the pictures I took down there led to his report on the island being front-page news all over the world--he's been using that report as the base for a series of lectures about the island."

"We've had quite a few photo worthy moments ourselves..." Ash grinned, proudly showing his four Johto badges to Todd.

"While I'd love to get a picture of that, I'm saving my camera memory for my current assignment--a feature in PokeNature on Snowtop Mountain, which is just up ahead." Todd explained. "Supposedly, the ice guardian Articuno is said to nest on the mountain, and getting her picture would give the story the wow factor it needs."

"If you can get a picture of Mew, getting a shot of Articuno is cake!" Ash grinned before taking a Poke Ball. "Mina, scout us out out a path through the mountains, and find Articuno!"

---------

"Any luck?" Ash asked as Mina returned to the group's campsite some time later.

[Good news-bad news time...I did find us a viable path through the mountains, but I didn't see any signs of Articuno by Snowtop.] Mina replied. [Are you sure Todd isn't being sent on a fool's errand, or worse, into a trap?]

"That's weird...I'm pretty sure that I saw Articuno fly to that mountain." Todd mused.

Hitomi arrived in the camp some moments later. "Find anything?" Brock asked as he tended to the sesame chicken simmering in the pot over the campfire.

Hitomi reported. [Come with me!]

Brock covered the pot then transferred it to a hot plate set to "Keep Warm". "Lead the way." he told Hitomi.

---------

When the group arrived in a small alcove on the mountain path some moments later, Hitomi pointed out a large block of ice with a familiar pink puffball Pokemon inside. [Here it is...this Pokemon look familiar?]

"Jigglypuff!" Misty gasped when she recognized the small Pokemon in the ice.

"This would explain why we haven't seen Jigglypuff in quite some time." Brock mused. "Wonder what she's doing here?"

"It's possible that Articuno may have frozen Jigglypuff for some reason." Todd suggested.

Ash, meanwhile, heaved a Poke Ball to the sky. "Cyndy, thaw out Jigglypuff!"

As Cyndy melted the ice with a tiny Flamethrower, Misty saw Todd running towards Jigglypuff. "Todd, what are you--!"

"Jigglypuff, was Articuno the one that froze you?" Todd enthusiastically asked the pink puffball Pokemon.

Ash winced when he heard THWAP!!! THWAP!!! and Todd groaning in pain. "I should've told Todd that Jigglypuff's Doubleslap attack can really hurt..."

Misty, meanwhile, got down to Jigglypuff's eye level as Brock hurried to assess Todd's injuries. "Jigglypuff...can you show us where Articuno went?"

Jigglypuff smiled, pleased that Misty had asked politely. [Sure! She went towards that mountain to the north!]

"So Articuno did go to Snowtop..." Ash mused when he saw Jigglypuff pointing towards Snowtop Mountain.

[Lead the way, Miss Puff.] Tintri smiled as the group departed the cave.

For a while, the walk to the mountain was uneventful--Jigglypuff and Tintri led the way, Brock followed, then Ash, and Misty and Todd brought up the rear. Just as the group passed a grove of pine trees, Todd spotted two Stantlers bounding through the snow that was beginning to fall. He motioned for the group to stop, and snapped a picture of the two Stantlers in mid-jump as they bounded across the path.

"That looks amazing!" Misty raved as the photo appeared on Todd's digital camera screen for review.

"Good thing I packed plenty of memory cards...in addition to using this in my assignment, I could print out a whole bunch of these pictures and make them into Christmas cards, picture frames, calendars, mousepads, and things like that." Todd smiled. "Of course, part of the proceeds would go in my gear fund, and part of it would go to nature charities."

Just then, Tintri spotted the familiar red roofed Pokemon Center in the distance. [There's a Pokemon Center up ahead...]

As the group reached the top of the hill and approached the Pokemon Center, Brock noticed a sign nearby. "This Pokémon Center is the highest of its kind in the world."

"Would you guys mind tolerating the cold for a little bit longer?" Todd asked. "I want to get a group portrait of you guys next to the sign."

"Okay!" Ash hugged Misty close, allowing Brock to put his arm around both of them, but allowing just enough room for Tintri to be on Ash's shoulder, and Jigglypuff on Brock's arm.

[Cheese!] Tintri smiled as the camera flashed.

As Todd reviewed the shot of the group, Officer Jenny arrived aboard a royal blue snowmobile. "You guys look like you've traveled a long way...why don't you come on inside and get warm?"

"Don't mind if we do!" Brock led the way inside.

---------

Later, as the group relaxed around the spacious fireplace in the Pokemon Center's common area, Ash noticed Todd thinking hard about something. "What is it, Todd? Something the matter?"

"Well, getting a picture of Articuno might be harder than I thought it would be, now that I think about it..." Todd mused.

"Maybe once we find Articuno, Jigglypuff could sing for us!" Ash suggested. "Then, Articuno would fall asleep, so you could take all the pictures you want!"

"Tiny problem, hero..." Misty cautioned. "Jigglypuff's singing would put Todd to sleep, too."

"I wouldn't want a shot of Articuno asleep, anyway." Todd smiled. I want Articuno to look big, powerful, and majestic, just like I've always imagined her to be."

Nurse Joy then arrived with hot chocolate and cookies for the group. "I heard from Officer Jenny that you guys were looking for Articuno."

"What can you tell us about her?" Todd asked before biting into a shortbread cookie.

"Articuno has been coming to Snowtop Mountain for as long as anyone can remember." Nurse Joy replied before pointing out a large crystalline statue of Articuno standing near the Pokemon Center. "You see that statue outside? It was brought here over a thousand years ago. Travelers say that Articuno watches over them on their journeys."

"In fact, some people believe that Articuno still has nests in all of the highest mountains and coldest places in the world." Officer Jenny added as she joined the group. "Supposedly, she flies from nest to nest, bringing winter weather with her. This particular Pokemon Center has a diary of one of the people who brought the statue there--one entry in that diary says that Articuno rescued him and lots of others."

"That explains why Articuno is in the area now..." Todd mused.

"Well, the story goes that three travelers were stranded on the mountain, when Articuno found them and led them to safety." Officer Jenny explained, aware of Brock copying down the details of her tale. "A year later, those same people brought the statue to Snowtop Mountain to thank and honor Articuno."

"Amazing!" Misty smiled.

"Now I wanna find her more than ever, so Todd can get the shot of the century!" Ash smiled.

"Remember that it is quite dangerous to climb an icy mountain like Snowtop, even with training and experience." Nurse Joy cautioned.

"How hard could it be? I'd be glad to lead the expedition." Brock grinned. "It would make the perfect ballad!"

"Well, without the proper training and experience, your first time ice climbing could very well be your last if you don't know what you're doing." Nurse Joy explained, shattering Brock's heroic daydream of leading the group through the mountains.

Brock froze in fear at this. "Then, I guess I'll leave leading the expedition to the experts, then..."

"Don't quit your day job, Mr. Balladeer." Misty giggled before noticing the snow picking up outside. "Must be some snowstorm..." she mused as the wind rattled the windows.

Just then Todd saw a flash of blue in the swirling snow. [i]Was that Articuno?

As the wind died down and the snow cleared off, he spotted a familiar red haired boy buried in the snow. "Guys! There's someone trapped in the snow!"

Ash looked at the prone boy and gasped. "Kamon!"

"We have to get him inside before hypothermia sets in!" Nurse Joy led the way outside, the others throwing on coats all the while...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-15-2017, 12:14 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 75b: Freeze Frame! (part 2)

Previously, on Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

As the wind died down and the snow cleared off, he spotted a familiar red haired boy buried in the snow. "Guys! There's someone trapped in the snow!"

Ash looked at the prone boy and gasped. "Kamon!"

"We have to get him inside before hypothermia sets in!" Nurse Joy led the way outside, the others throwing on coats all the while...

Kamon shivered in a thick royal blue blanket as Brock arrived to check on him. "Where am I..."

"We were worried you'd freeze to death out there." Brock replied. "Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny are preparing some Combusken soup for you."

"You'd really worry about me?" A weak smile formed on Kamon's face. "After all the flak I've given you?"

"Yeah--punk or no punk, no one's going to freeze in the cold on our watch." Brock replied before hurrying off to help Misty hang up the coats, leaving Kamon with Ash and Todd.

There was a moment of silence before Ash asked "Hey...if you don't mind my asking, how did you wind up in the snow out there?"

"Well..." Kamon paused to stretch, then began. "I was stranded and alone on the path leading here, when a gigantic blue thing--I think it was a bird of some kind--flew up out of nowhere and created this really bright flash. I really don't remember anything after that--then next thing I know, I'm here with you guys."

Todd thought for a moment. "Say...Kamon's situation is just like the story that Officer Jenny told us before..."

Ash gasped when he saw Todd dash from the room. "Hey, Todd, wait!" he called as he hurried after his friend.

Misty and Brock happened to see Ash run out into the snow some moments later. "Why are Ash and Todd going out in below freezing weather in short sleeves and shirts?" Misty wondered.

"They can't run around a mountain dressed like that..." Brock replied as he threw on the coat he carried. "We have to find them, and fast!"

Kamon watched Misty and Brock hurry out into the snow. Could it be that the bird-thing I saw is this Articuno that Wonder Boy speaks of? If it is that powerful, and it rescued me, then it has to be a Legendary Pokémon.

He threw off the blanket and stretched. Snow or no snow, I've got to catch Articuno! he sneered before hurrying outside.

Nurse Joy arrived with the Combusken soup some minutes later. "That's funny...where did that red haired boy get to?"

Just then, Officer Jenny burst into the room. "Joy...you're not gonna believe this, but some red haired punk swiped my snowmobile and headed into the mountains!"

"He may not make it..." Nurse Joy mused as she brought up the Web site for the regional weather service on one of the PCs in the tech lab. "There's a winter storm warning in effect for this area right now, and the brunt of the storm is headed for the mountain. We have to find everyone before the storm hits!"

---------

Meanwhile, as Ash and the others--now in matching royal blue jackets-- made their way down the path leading to another pass, Misty noticed the snowfall picking up. "That's funny...it's starting to snow really hard like it did before..."

"Maybe the blizzard means that Articuno is somewhere nearby." Ash suggested. "Let's go take a look!"

Jigglypuff spotted a shadow overhead. [Something's here...]

Tintri agreed before both Pokemon and the humans gasped at Articuno, in all her icy glory, landed before them!

Ash took that opportunity to approach Articuno. "Hail and well met, Lady of Frost. I come here on behalf of a friend..."

[Now's not the time! Look at where you are!] Articuno screeched.

Ash looks to see that the group was right at the edge of a cliff. "I don't believe it...Articuno stopped us from falling over the edge..." Todd gasped as the group scrambled for more stable ground.

[Allow me to sing a song for you, milady!] Jigglypuff smiled as she danced towards Articuno.

Ash quickly covered Jigglypuff's mouth. "Not yet--Todd has a very specific pose he wants, and he needs Articuno to be awake to get it."

"All right...zoom is perfect." Todd smiled before readying his camera. "May I have the honor of your picture, milady?" he asked Articuno. "As thanks for saving us?"

[Of course...] Articuno replied, spreading her wings in a majestic pose for the camera.

Moments before Todd could take the picture, he heard a voice call "Nightwing, use Poison Sting!"

"Look out!" Misty called as she watched Kamon's Golbat send a flurry of venomous stingers at the majestic ice bird.

"Tintri use Thunderbolt to protect Articuno!" Ash commanded.

[I will be glad to lend my power to your cause, young hero.] Articuno smiled before firing a blue-white beam Ash recognized as an Ice Beam at Kamon.

"Gah!" Kamon dove behind a rock to avoid both attacks, causing chunks of ice to fall and shatter on the ground. As Ash and Tintri wove and ducked to avoid the rocks, he saw one rock hit Articuno. "ARTICUNO!!!!!"

"I'm gonna help you!" Todd called as he joined Ash in hurrying to help the wounded ice bird. "She's the guardian of the mountain, and we can't let her die here!"

Just then, both boys felt the piece of ice that they were standing on break off. "WAAAAAAAAAAUUUUGGGGHHH!"

[Ash!] Tintri screamed as he and Jigglypuff jumped over the edge after them.

"Ash?" Misty called into the howling wind. "Todd!" Where are you guys?"

"Are you guys okay?" Brock called into the wind, but no answer came.

As the wind continued picking up, Misty and Brock watched as Kamon went flying to the ground from the force of the wind and swirling snow. "Where did this blizzard come from?" Misty asked as she led Brock to more stable ground.

"Perhaps when the ice hit Articuno, the power it was holding back was released all at once." Brock suggested. "Lets head back to the Pokémon Center to get help--I hope to Arceus that Ash and Todd are okay..."

---------

[i]Is this how it's all going to end? Ash wondered as he hurtled through the falling snow. Am I going to meet my demise here in the cold, and never be known as Pokemon Master?

He sighed as he closed his eyes in preparation for the end. If this is the end...Mom, Dad, Misty, Brock, Todd, and Tintri, I love you all...

He was snapped back to reality by a ethereal female voice singing Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

"What was that song?" Todd asked as he realized the two of them were slowly drifting towards a snowdrift instead of hurtling towards the rocks below.

The lightbulb went off in Ash's head. Oh! Articuno is a Legendary, so that means she can sing the Swanna Song too!

[Over here!] Tintri waved as Jigglypuff--now inflated like a tiny pink balloon, guided him to the ground.

"How we survived the fall, I don't know..." Todd mused as he and Ash landed safely in the snow.

[There...I sang my Swanna Song because you two were trying to protect me, and so I protected you two in return for your noble deed.] Articuno replied.

Ash was speechless for a moment, then composed himself to explain to Todd just what had happened as Jigglypuff and Tintri landed safely next to them. "What Articuno sang was an ancient melody known as the Swanna Song, after the belief that a Swanna would sing a beautiful song before it died."

"I thought it was a last ditch desperation spell in folktales, TV shows, and video games." Todd mused.

"Well, in ancient times, it was actually used to beseech Arceus directly if prayers were seemingly going unheeded, resulting in unleashing great power at the cost of the singer's strength." Ash went on. "Very few humans can actually use the song for real."

He smiled at Tintri and Jigglypuff. "These two must have followed us down here because they wanted to make sure that we were okay."

"Thank you..." Todd hugged Jigglypuff.

"Thanks, bud..." Ash was especially happy to hug Tintri.

Tintri smiled. [So I had to follow you--a Pokemon and trainer stick together, no matter what.]

Ash nodded. "That's right."

[Can I sing now?] Jigglypuff asked as Kamon landed nearby some minutes later.

"Not yet." Ash hissed as he watched Kamon brush the snow off of him.

"Rough landing..." Kamon groaned as he eased himself to his feet. "I still want to catch you, Miss Ice Bird!"

He heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Spike, use Flame Wheel!"

Articuno seemed unusually calm about the circle of flame headed for her. Moments before the Flame Wheel could connect, she blew out a blast of snowflakes from her beak, freezing the attack solid. "Errgh...Spike, try Flame Wheel again!" Kamon called, but Articuno used Agility to dodge the second Flame Wheel before taking flight.

[Relax, you two--I have this rogue under control.] Articuno smiled before firing an Ice Beam, shattering the rock Kamon hid behind, and knocking him to the ground.

"Go, Articuno!" Tood cheered as Articuno unleashed a huge Blizzard, taking Jigglypuff with Kamon.

Ash and Todd watched Kamon and Jigglypuff fly off with a ping before the clouds parted, revealing the sun. [It is done...that rogue won't bother you for a while.] Articuno assured the boys.

She looked over at Todd. [Now, where were we before we were so rudely interrupted?]

Ash smiled as Articuno spread her wings in her majestic pose as the camera flashed. "Thanks, Articuno!" he called as Articuno flew upward.

Todd smiled as he reviewed his shot. "This is perfect...everything I imagined Articuno to be."

"Maybe Articuno knew that you wanted to take her picture." Ash smiled.

"We'll go with that--PokeNature's going to get a spike in subscriptions because of this picture." Todd smiled.

A whistle and a whir of an approaching snowmobile alerted Ash. "You guys, over here!" he called as Misty, Brock, and Officer Jenny arrived.

"I'm just glad you're okay!" Misty was elated to see Ash. "Don't scare me like that again, please?"

"Thought you were a goner for a second there..." Brock smiled as he embraced Ash.

"Well, don't start writing an elegy for me yet--I still have a lot more heroic things to do." Ash grinned.

Just then, the group watched in awe as Articuno flew overhead. "Thank you for saving me!" Ash called as he waved to Articuno.

[Anytime, Young Master--I wish you all well on your travels!] Articuno called back before disappearing into the setting sun.

"Where'd Jigglypuff get to?" Misty asked, curious as to why Jigglypuff was not with the boys.

"Red haired punk tried to catch Articuno, Articuno blew out a huge blizzard..." Todd explained.

"...and Jigglypuff got blown away with Kamon." Ash added. "I hope she'll be okay."

---------

"I think I'll stay around the mountain for a while." Todd told the group back at the Pokemon Center. "I want to take some more pictures of the Pokémon that live here."

He smiled at Ash. "Good luck at the Johto League, Ash..."

"Good luck with the pictures--I can't wait to see that PokeNature story." Ash replied before giving his friend a hug.

As the group said their goodbyes outside, Nurse Joy smiled as she hung a framed copy of Todd's picture of Articuno in the foyer. [i]Thank you all...you've added a new chapter to this place's legend!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-17-2017, 08:28 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 76a: The Dunsparce Deception (part 1)

"I hope Todd gets all the pictures he needs for his assignment..." Misty smiled as the group continued down the road. It had been a few days since they had helped Todd get a picture of the ice bird Articuno at the peak of Snowtop Mountain, but no one was more relieved to be back in warm temperatures than Ash.

"Can we get our next Legendary encounter on the beach?" Ash asked as he worked out some tension in his shoulders from the sudden change in temperature.

"Considering there could very well be Water type Legendaries, I wouldn't be surprised if we found one on a beach..." Misty smiled as she watched Tintri and Ami weave around her feet in a spirited game of tag.

Just then, she spotted, a dull blue haired boy hidden in the grass, clutching a net as he looked for something. "I wonder what that boy's looking for..."

[Let's go ask him!] Tintri suggested, leading the group into the grass where the boy was watching for the object of his search.

"Hi...are you maybe looking for bug Pokémon?" Ash asked, making Misty tense up in fear at the mention of bugs.

"Nope--I'm looking for a Dunsparce--they say they live in the ground all around this area." the boy explained as he slowly got up.

Ash retrieved Dexter from a pocket to read up on the odd Pokemon:

"Dunsparce, the land snake Pokemon. If spotted, it escapes by burrowing with its tail. It can float just slightly using its wings."

"I see..." Ash mused as he admired the picture of a blue and tan snake Pokemon with tiny wings on the Pokedex's screen. "Then maybe you're looking for a Dunsparce that ran away."

"Wrong again!" the boy smiled. "I'm looking for a wild Dunsparce!"

With that, he heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Tsubasa, come on out!"

Misty shuddered even more as a Caterpie emerged on the ground, piquing the boy's attention. "What's with her? Tsubasa wouldn't hurt anyone that wasn't a threat..."

"Oh, don't mind Misty." Ash smiled. "She always gets a little..."

He racked his brain for a way to politely explain Misty's bug phobia to the boy. "...excited when she's around bug Pokémon."

"Cool!" the boy smiled. "I get excited around them, too."

"Nice way to put it, Ash..." Brock whispered.

The boy just smiled. "The name's Buck, and you've met Tsubasa already."

[Hi!] the small green worm Pokemon smiled.

Oh yeah, now I remember Ash's Butterfree Wings! Misty reminded herself. Caterpie is what Butterfree starts as, so sometimes beautiful things start out in ugly packages. she reminded herself as she took a few deep breaths to calm down.

"I'm Ash, and you've already met Misty..." Ash made a grand gesture to Misty, who shyly waved hello. "...and this is Brock, our navigator, balladeer, and loremaster." Brock waved hello upon being introduced.

"Loremaster...as in someone who sings and tells stories?" Buck asked. "That explains the rainbow stripes and the instrument cases you guys carry..."

"I know quite a few songs and stories from all over." Brock replied. "Just say the word, and I'll be happy to share a few of them with you and Tsubasa."

"If you don't mind my asking, why are you looking for a wild Dunsparce?" Misty asked Buck.

Buck was about to answer before a group of kids walked by, each of them with a Dunsparce of their own. "Hey, Buck! Wanna come to the park with us?" a red haired boy asked.

"Sure!" Buck called back. "I'll meet you guys there!"

---------

"My Dunsparce is bigger than yours!" a blonde haired boy bragged as the group and Buck arrived in the park some time later.

"Prove it! Let's get a tape measure!" a brown haired boy shot back.

As the boys measured their Dunsparces, a green haired girl proudly showed off a hand drawn picture book of things she did with her Dunsparce. "What do you think?" she asked a few other kids. "I made sure to include every part of my Dunsparce's day, even the sand bath she gets before bedtime!"

"You draw very well--I like the detail on the Dunsparce's back." Ash smiled at the girl as he admired a page depicting a stick figure girl feeding a stick figure Dunsparce.

"It took forever to get Sandy to hold still so I could draw her." the girl explained. "I'm glad you like her picture."

As some other kids oohed and ahhed over a cyan haired girl's Dunsparce hovering above the ground, Brock mused "Interesting...every kid in town has a Dunsparce except for you, Buck. Do you feel comfortable telling us why?"

"It's true that I'm the only one here without a Dunsparce." Buck sighed. "My grandpa got really sick a few months ago, so I went to the town where he lives to visit him. Luckily, Grandpa got better after a couple of weeks, so we came back home a week or two later. But while my family and I were gone, a swarm of Dunsparce came through the area, and all of my friends caught one. No matter how hard I searched for a Dunsparce, I couldn't find a single one."

Ash nudged Brock. "Up for showing off your storytelling skills for the kids?"

"I'd be game for playing a little music for them." Misty smiled as she retrieved her fiddle case. "Note, please."

Ash obliged by getting out his Pokeflute from his bag and giving Misty an A note to tune by. He next gave Brock a low E note to tune his guitar by, with Tintri watching from a tree branch. [It's always a good day to play music with your best friends...] he smiled.

"Right you are, bud." Ash grinned as he waited for Misty and Brock to tune.

The sound of the gang tuning up alerted the kids. "Hey look! Musicians!" a navy haired girl called, spurring the kids and their Dunsparces to hurry to the overlook where the group was tuning.

"Any ideas as to what to play for them?" Ash asked Brock.

"Whatever you think they'd like--you can lead the first set." Brock replied as he checked his tuning.

---------

The kids clapped along and the Dunsparces and Tsubasa swayed to the beat as the group played two tunes from Kanto--"The Silver Sword" and "The Hunt of the Ninetales."

When the last note echoed into the sky, the park exploded with applause. "Thank you!" Ash called over the kids' applause.

"Okay..." Brock plucked a few uncertain notes as he thought of a tale the kids would like. "Once upon a time, there was a king who had a hunter in his service. He gave him his own food and supplies, but all the game he killed he had to bring to the king." he began over a soft melody "As he was going to the castle to deliver his game, he had to pass by the vizier's house. The vizer wanted to get the hunter's catch from him, but he refused, in accordance with the charge entrusted to him."

"That's not nice!" a girl gasped.

"The vizier was understandably very angry with him, and plotted his destruction in every possible way." Brock went on, to some boos from the kids. "But the hunter--whose name is not important to us--was a very shrewd person, and the vizier could find no occasion to enact his evil ambitions..."

---------

After performing a long set in the park, the group watched as the kids set up an obstacle course. "You want to join us in our skill course, Buck?" the green haired girl offered. "You can use Tsubasa--we won't mind."

"Okay!" Buck replied. "Come on, Tsubasa!"

As all the Dunsparce and Tsubasa lined up at the line that served as the start, the red haired boy realized there was no way to signal the start. "Um, where are we going to get a starting signal? Anybody got something like an air horn or a whistle?"

"Anyone ask for a whistle?" Brock grinned, to the kids' cheers as he dug his referee's whistle from one pocket.

"Tsubasa looks tiny compared to the Dunsparce..." Misty noted as Brock explained the course and the rules to the kids.

"Size may not matter..." Ash cautioned as Brock rejoined them on a hill overlooking the course.

"Everyone ready?" Brock called to the kids, to thunderous cheers. "Okay! Three...two...one..."

The whistle echoed into the afternoon sky and all of the kids cheered as the Dunsparces and Tsubasa wound through their homemade course.

Ash, meanwhile, noticed Tsubasa lagging behind. "Poor Tsubasa...he's really struggling to even compete with the Dunsparce..."

Back on the course, Tsubasa struggled climb up a small staircase. "Come on, Tsubasa!" Buck called. "One more step to go!"

He gasped as he watched a Dunsparce fly right over Tsubasa. "You should just give up, Buck--your pokey little Caterpie's already a lap down." the Dunsparce's owner taunted.

"Don't give up!" Buck urged as Tsubasa tried with all his might to ascend the top step before collapsing with exhaustion.

He heard the whistle and Brock announcing that Tsubasa was out of the race. "Come on, Tsubasa...let's go home..." Buck sighed as he took Tsubasa in his arms...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-22-2017, 12:04 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 76b: The Dunsparce Deception

Ash and the group walked with Buck, who looked down at the exhausted Caterpie in his arms. "Don't worry, Tsubasa...you did well. Have a good rest."

Misty watched Buck recall Tsubasa. "Would you like us to help you find a Dunsparce so that he can play with the other kids?"

"Yeah--no one deserves to be left out!" Ash agreed.

[That boy had no right to tease you like that!] Tintri agreed, sparking a little.

"I'm not sure...you may have no better luck than I did..." Buck sighed.

"How will you know if nobody tries?" Brock asked. "Besides, multiple eyes looking have better odds of finding something than just one..."

Ash, meanwhile, heaved three Poke Balls to the sky. "Luce, River, Mina, let's kelp a child out!"

"Come lend a hand, Michelle!" Misty heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

"Hitomi, I need your help!" Brock heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

Buck smiled at the group's Pokemon. "If you really want to look, I'll take you to the dunes where the swarm came through."

---------

[If I were a Dunsparce, where would I want to hide...] Tintri mused as he studied the swirling sand for any sign of movement. Hitomi hovered overhead, firing echo bursts at the sand in hopes a Dunsparce would be hidden in the dunes.

[Okay, Ami...if you see any movement in the sand, let me know.] Michelle explained to Ami.

[Okay!] Ami smiled. [Heeeere, Dunsparce, Dunsparce, Dunsparce...] she called as she watched the sand for any sign of movement.

Just then, she noticed some soil popping out of the ground. [Huh?] Ami wondered as the stream of soil veered off to the right. [That could be a Dunsparce...'

[You find something?] Tintri asked as he watched the soil stream and Ami pass by.

[Yeah--I think I found a Dunsparce!] Ami whispered back, careful not to frighten the possible Dunscarce.

Tintri curiously patted the soil, only to gasp in surprise as a Dunsparce popped out of it.

Buck happened to pass by as the Dunsparce appeared before Tintri. "Hey, you guys finally found a Dunsparce!" he cried as he hurried towards the spot where the Dunsparce had surfaced.

"Don't let it get away--this could be our only chance." Ash cautioned.

He winced as the Dunsparce burrowed back into the ground. "NOW what?" Misty grumbled as everyone gathered around the spot where the Dunsparce hid.

"I guess we'll just have to dig it back out." Brock sighed.

"But how? We don't even have shovels." Ash protested.

"A shovel would probably startle it." Misty interjected. "There's nothing wrong with digging with your hands, is there? The only other alternative is to wait."

---------

Everyone sighed as they contemplated their next move as to how to capture the Dunsparce. Ash kept a half-hearted eye on Tintri, Misty had pulled out a novel to read, and Brock had spread out a blanket on the sand and started a game of Solitaire to pass the time. "Interesting adventure, isn't it?" Misty mused as she looked over at Ami.

[I'll say...] Ami sighed as she, River, Luce, and Tintri studied the spot of sand the Dunsparce had hidden in.

[I wish something...ANYTHING...interesting would happen.] Luce grumbled.

She gasped as a net appeared out of nowhere and captured all four Pokemon in a single swoop. "Hey!" Buck gasped.

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped, expecting Jessie and James to come over the hill and say their motto for the umpteenth time.

"Team Rocket are this gang of troublemakers who love stealing Pokemon and doing Arceus knows what to them." Brock explained as he quickly put away his cards and his blanket. Buck nodded to show he understood.

No one expected, however, to see Kamon come over the hill in full pirate costume, complete with a prop sword, an eyepatch, and a skull and crossbones hat. "Did you get lost trying to find the Black Pearl, Cap'n Jack Spearow?" Ash taunted.

"Going to a costume party, Kamon?" Misty smiled--Kamon DID make a fairly handsome looking pirate.

"I believe One Piece is that way." Brock taunted, pointing off in another direction.

"Actually, the treasure I'm looking for's right here, matey." Kamon grinned as he approached the net. "I plan to plunder the Dunsparce!"

"What???" Buck gasped.

Kamon, meanwhile. was interested in the net. "Well...look at this nice selection of Pokémon. I'm sure I could use one of them..."

"Luce, use Shockwave!" Ash commanded.

Brock gasped as the Flaaffy's massive thunderbolt arced across a dune and fizzled out. "It didn't even cut the net...the net has a steel coating." he explained, pointing out the net's silvery sheen in the sun.

"Okay..." Ash heaved his fourth Poke Ball skyward. "Cyndy, try Flamethrower to cut everyone free!"

[HAAAAAH!!!!!!] Cyndy cried as she heaved a massive fire wave, breaking off the net and freeing the Pokémon.

Misty spotted Kamon trying to run away. "Michelle, use Water Gun!"

"GAH!" Kamon yelped as Michelle's attack sent him tumbling to the ground.

"Cyndy, fire a Flamethrower into the sky!" Ash called. He smiled as the resulting explosion startled Kamon.

"And don't come back!" Brock cautioned as Kamon fled over the dunes.

---------

"Aw, man...we almost had that Dunsparce." Buck sighed as he slumped down on a rock. "I couldn't catch that Dunsparce even after you guys helped."

"It's okay...we can just find another Dunsparce." Misty assured Buck.

"Besides, there has to be more Dunsparce where that one came from." Brock agreed.

"You're right..." Buck smiled. "I can't give up yet."

He smiled "Let's get back to the dunes."

"I hope you have some ideas for finding Buck a Dunsparce..." Misty cautioned as the group followed Buck into the sands....

---------

"Okay..." Brock mused before tying some rope to an arrow and firing it into a palm tree, creating a trip wire low enough to prevent a Dunsparce from going forward or flying away. "If a Dunsparce comes through here, the wire will send it backwards a little ways--this should buy enough time for Buck to throw a Poke Ball at it and catch it."

"Sounds easy enough..." Misty mused. "It's better than tying a rope to a single tree and whacking the Dunsparce on the sand..."

"That only works in cartoons, Misty." Ash smiled before digging out his whistle from earlier. "Now to pull the old Pied Piper of Hamelin ploy to lure a Dunsparce here..."

With that, he started the tune "The Meowth's Call", making a swirl of sand perk up and move towards the wire. [It's working!] Tintri smiled as the sand swirl seemed to dance to the tiny whistle.

"Keep playing!" Misty urged. She watched as the sand swirl inched closer and closer to the wire, and was gently bounced backwards just as Ash played the last note of the tune.

Brock smiled as a Dunsparce emerged from the sand, confused as to what it had hit. "Here's your chance." he smiled at Buck.

Buck nodded. "Poke Ball, go!"

---------

A whistle pierced the evening sky as the Dunsparces raced through the obstacle course in the park, this time with Buck's Dunsparce Suna included. "Come on, Suna!" Buck cheered as Suna easily hovered over the staircase that Tsubasa had struggled on the day before.

[Go, Suna!] Tsubasa cheered as Suna passed a Dunsparce for second place as the field of Dunsparces rounded a turn leading to an A frame.

At the park entrance of the park, Ash, Misty, and Brock watched the race unfold, with Brock keeping the times of each Dunsparce with the stopwatch app on TimeNav.

"Buck's turned around since we got him a Dunsparce..." Ash smiled as the Dunsparces weaved around a bunch of tires before the finish line.

"I think he and Suna will be great friends and partners." Misty agreed, moments before Suna edged the Dunsparce in second place to win the race!

Brock's whistle alerted the children that a Dunsparce had crossed the line. "The winner is Suna, with a time of 1:30.15!" he announced as he draped a gold medal around Suna, to thunderous cheers.

After Brock had awarded medals to the second and third place Dunsparces, buck turned to the group as Brock rejoined Ash and Misty. "Bye, you guys! Thanks for all you've done!" More "byes" went up in agreement as the other children waved goodbye.

"Anytime, Buck!" Ash called back as he waved goodbye to the children. "Anytime!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-25-2017, 12:56 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 77: The Wayward Wobbufet

"Let's see...we should reach Olivine City if we keep following this road." Brock mused as he studied the map. "Hopefully we won't have too many distractions on the way..."

"You have to admit, those kids and their Dunsparces were so cute!" Misty smiled before changing the subject. "We're all on track to earn our next item...I need my fourth medal, Brock needs his blue Lore Stripe..."

"...and I need my fifth Badge!" Ash smiled. "Here's hoping we can get all three things on the way!"

He was stopped in his tracks by Team Rocket in lab coats. "Oh brother, not Team Rocket again..."

"Really..." Misty agreed. "Just dealing with Kamon is bad enough!"

James, meanwhile, took the group approaching to launch into his planned spiel. "Tired of Poke Balls to carry your Pokemon around? Then you need the PokéPod! It is completely indestructible, and is the safest way to transport Pokémon."

"How do I know it actually works?" Ash wasn't buying Team Rocket's disguise.

"Here, let me show you!" Jessie wasted no time in grabbing Tintri and stuffing him inside the small cylinder shaped device, which locked with a click seconds later.

"See? Our invention was a total success, and now cannot be opened without the key." James smirked as Team Rocket revealed themselves to the group.

"Give Tintri back!" was all Ash could say before Weezing unleashed a powerful Smokescrean, allowing Team Rocket to get away as the group sputtered and coughed.

"After them!" Misty led the group down the road as soon as they had recovered from coughing. She spotted Jessie handing off the PokéPod to Sahana, who was hidden in a bush by the road. "There! Their Wobbufett has the key!"

"Where?" Brock asked. "I don't see anything on Sahana..."

Just then, Sahana decided to jump from the bush. [Aallll is well!]

Ash spotted something silvery around Sahana--the key! "Gimme that!" he called as he leapt forward to grab the key Sahana carried.

He did not, however, expect Sahana to trip on a nearby rock and fall into a nearby river, sending the the PokéPod containing Tintri flying into Ash's arms. "Well, I got the device, but Sahana has the key..." he grumbled as he watched Sahana float down the river and over a small waterfall.

"That's nothing a little brute strength wouldn't fix!" Brock smiled.

Ash rolled up his sleeves, and tried pulling and tugging at the device from a number of angles. "It's no use..." he wheezed some moments later.

"I think our PokePod device worked a little too well...." Jessie sighed. "Of course, Sahana having the only key doesn't help matters..."

"Look..as much flack as Jessie gives'em, I kinda like Sahana." Meowth admitted to Ash. "So we'd be willin' ta give ya Pikachu back if you guys kin save Sahana--no catches."

"You sure this isn't a trick?" Brock wasn't so sure.

"No, it's not--scout's honor!" the Rockets replied, making the three fingered scout sign for emphasis.

"Okay...you know well what will happen if this is a trick." Ash warned as he led the way to the trail leading to the falls.

---------

"Careful, guys..." Ash cautioned as he carefully led the others down an outcropping in an attempt to reach the falls. He noticed that Team Rocket had converted the Meowth balloon into a boat, and were rowing downstream in an attempt to catch up with Sahana, who appeared to by enjoying a relaxing ride in the water.

Just as the group had reached the ground and followed the path to the river and the falls, Misty spotted Sahana climbing out of the water and waddling off into a forest as a Quagsire looked on. "There he is!"

"Follow that Wobbufett!" Ash led the way into the forest, meeting up with Team Rocket in a grove near the forest entrance.

All six gave chase into the trees, jumping over logs, and ducking under tree branches all the while. After a few moments of following the forest path, the larger group stopped to collect themselves. "Now what, O Fearless Leader?" Jessie grumbled as she sat down to rest on a rock.

Ash was about to answer when James spotted a blue flash swinging from tree to tree. "I see him!" he called, pointing out Sahana in the treetops.

Ash hurried off in the direction James was pointing, but ended up tripping on a tree root, and tumbled down a steep hill onto a road. "Are you okay?" Brock asked as he and Misty arrived to help their friend up.

"I'd say Team Rocket had a rough landing too..." Misty noted as the Rockets crashed at the bottom of the hill moments later.

Ash dusted himself off, then noticed that Sahana was hanging from a branch above the road...just as a massive truck came speeding around the corner!

"Don't jump yet!" Jessie called, but all she could do was watch as Sahana fell onto the truck.

Misty watched the Rockets disappear into the brush to plan their next move. "Well...this wasn't supposed to happen.

Ash heaved a relieved sigh as several police cars came around the corner. "Officer! Am I glad to see you!" he smiled as Officer Jenny peeked from the lead car's driver side window.

"If you need a ride, get inside--we have to catch that truck at any cost!" Officer Jenny instructed. "You can tell me about your case once we're back on the trail."

---------

"...and their device really was as strong as they claimed--no matter how I pulled and pushed, it wouldn't open!" Ash finished explaining what had happened to Officer Jenny some time later. "We need to catch Team Rocket's Wobbufett, as he is the one Pokemon of theirs with the key that can rescue Tintri, my Pikachu."

"Hm..." Officer Jenny pondered Ash's story for a moment. "Maybe your case can help us solve the case we're on now."

She unfurled a WANTED poster depicting a black haired man with a beard. "Right now, we are in pursuit of Goneff, a master thief who breaks into bank vaults with the assistance of his Golem."

Brock smiled, readying his guitar to play. "Such a wonderful idea for a song!" he smiled as he played an expectant G chord. "A lone highwayman, on the run from the law--!"

"Brock!" Misty hissed. "Put the guitar away, or else--she's got enough problems already."

Officer Jenny couldn't resist smiling a little before turning business-like again. "As you can see, we've set up a roadblock near the bridge." she explained as the squad of police cars neared a bridge with a striped roadblock. "This way, he can't escape, and we can move in easily."

She balked as she saw the truck start to violently swerve, as if trying to shake something off of it. "What in the--!"

Ash noticed Sahana on the truck's windshield. "I see! Our Wobbufett must've fallen onto the truck Gonneff's driving!

"Brace yourselves, we're going to be stopping quickly!" Officer Jenny cautioned as she hit the brakes, stopping the patrol car minutes before the truck ran right into the roadblock, crashing through several police cars and careening into the city.

"Everyone okay?" Brock asked as he collected himself from the sudden stop.

"Yeah..." Misty replied. "Good thing we all had our seatbelts on!"

"I think so..." Ash replied, taking a few deep breaths to calm down as he listened to the chatter on the patrol car's radio. From all the crime and detective TV shows Dad likes to watch, I know 10-35 means a major crime in progress... he thought as he watched all the bridges go up and blockades going up all around the city, cutting off any possible way for Goneff to escape.

"There's Team Rocket..." Misty pointed out the Meowth balloon flying overhead from her window as Officer Jenny got out of the car in preparation to read Goneff his rights and arrest him.

The group and the officers gasped as the truck's container opened, and a Golem balloon emerged with Goneff and Sahana on board! "Oh my..." was all Ash could say as the Golem balloon floated off. "Little does Goneff know about his little stowaway on board..." he grinned.

"Oh, he'll figure it out when Sahana tries to counter any attempt to throw him out of the basket." Brock grinned. "Right about..."

A bright orange flash came from the basket moments later. "Now..." Brock smiled as Goneff went flying right into the hands of the police.

Misty unbuckled her seatbelt as she watched the Golem balloon fly away. "We have to do something-- Sahana's still on board that balloon!"

---------

Elsewhere, Team Rocket followed the Golem balloon in a desperate attempt to rescue Sahana. "Sahana, return!" Jessie called, but the familiar red beam couldn't reach the Wobbufett.

"Moving in closer..." James reported as he tried to maneuver the balloon closer to reach Sahana.

"Sahana, return!" Jessie tried again to recall Sahana, but the recall beam veered slightly to the right as the balloon moved to the left.

"Moving in even more..." James reported before a soft pop got his attention. "Uh oh..."

Jessie realized what had happened. 'We clipped the side of a building, and now the balloon's punctured!"

"I'd take clippin' a buildin' over gettin' popped by an arrow any day!" Meowth cried as he hurried to cover the hole. "Phew...I'm holdin' it until we kin land somewhere safe for repairs."

The Rockets, however, did not expect Sahana to make a misguided attempt to jump into the balloon, sending the PokePod falling to the ground as both of them went flying away in opposite directions....

---------

Ash happened to catch the PokePod as it fell from the sky. "Brace yourself, Tintri...I'm gonna do whatever I can to get you out of there!"

Brock sighed as Ash fruitlessly attempted banging the small cylinder against the pavement. "The Rocket's little invention seems to have worked a bit TOO well..."

"That means the key Sahana has is the only way to release Tintri." Misty agreed.

Suddenly Ash spotted Sahana and the key flying towards a river. "Aina, someone's in danger!" he called as he heaved a Poke Ball to the sky, summoning his Machop.

[Who needs help?] Aina asked as she materialized on the ground.

"I wants you to jump and catch Sahana." Ash instructed, pointing out the falling Wobbufett.

[Got it!] After a running start, Aina made a flying leap...and managed to catch Sahana and the key, only for them to crash into the raised bridge and dropped into a speedboat. The boat's owner was sent flying into the water, and he couldn't see Sahana as the boat sped away.

Aina came paddling back to Ash some minutes later. she explained as medical personnel arrived to tend to the boat's owner.

"You did what you could, okay?" Ash assured Aina as he motioned for Misty and Brock to follow him in chasing the boat.

Jessie, James and Meowth met up with the group moments later. "Jump!" Ash called to Jessie as both of them leaped onto the boat.

Just then, Sahana came to and accidentally pulled off the steering wheel. "Slow down!" Jessie screamed, but Sahana only managed to take the boat up to full speed and break the throttle.

"Hang on tight!" Ash told Jessie. "We're going on a wild ride!"

"We've been a wild ride this whole time, and I really want off!" Jessie muttered as she gripped Ash as tight as she could as the boat thundered down the river.

Just then, Ash spotted Goneff making his getaway from the police on a patrol bike, and a Lapras-shaped cruiser ahead of them, which they clipped as they raced by. The impact sent the cruiser flying and Sahana was thrown onto the back of Goneff's bike.

Ash grimaced when he saw that the boat was about crash into a bridge. "River, use Water Gun as a brake before we crash! Quickly!"

[HAH!!!] River cried as she unleashed the attack, stopping the boat mere inches from the bridge.

---------

"Okay, here's the situation..." Brock explained as Ash and Jessie rejoined the group some minutes later. "Goneff is holding Sahana hostage inside an abandoned building over there...." He pointed out an old building near where the group was. "He only has one demand--a helicopter in exchange for Sahana's safe release."

Jessie motioned for James to come closer. "While the twerps are busy being the heroes, we can rescue Sahana before they get there!"

"Good idear!" Meowth smiled as he watched Ash, Misty, and Brock hurry towards the old building...

---------

Meanwhile, Misty balked when she discovered a tunnel leading into the building. "No way! The Rockets beat us here?"

"Actually, I think they're in cahoots with Goneff..." Brock suggested as he motioned for his companions to stay quiet and follow him into the tunnel.

As they crawled into the tunnel, Ash could make out the awkward conversation the Rockets were having with Gonneff:

"We're here to make a deal with you...release Sahana and we'll let you use the tunnel we made to escape."

"Sure, I'll use the tunnel..." he heard a black haired man with a beard say in response to James' offer. "Right after I crush you and your precious Wobbufett!"

Ash gasped in horror as Gonneff's Golem prepared to knock down a support pole. "Stop! Let Sahana go!" he demanded as River joined him.

"You and what army, hat-boy?" Gonneff smirked as his Golem approached River.

"River, use Water Pulse!" Ash commanded.

[WAUUUUGH!!!] River screamed as she tried to run away from the massive round rock Pokemon. [What good can little ol me do against big rocky Pokemon?] she asked Ash.

"Golem, use Tackle!" Gonneff commanded.

He gasped in horror as River hid behind Sahana, who proceeded to break free of his bindings and Countered the massive attack , sending Golem flying into Goneff, who crashed out of the building and landed on the ground before the gathered police force, allowing Officer Jenny to read him his rights and arrest him.

---------

"Nice going, River." Ash smiled at his Marill as Gonneff was led away in handcuffs. "I don't know what I would do if I had lost you too..."

Team Rocket reuniting with Sahana snapped him back to reality. "Now, give me the key to your little device and let Tintri go." he began. "We saved Sahana for you, so honor your end of the deal.

"You want it? Come an' get it!" Meowth taunted before the Rockets dashed off.

[i]I knew they would backpedal on our deal soon enough... Ash grumbled as he and River chasedthe Rockets to a hillside, where he found them leaving in a Wobbuffet-shaped balloon. "Come on, we had a deal! Give me the key!" he called as Misty and Brock arrived on the hill.

"Deal-shmeal...now it's YOUR turn to be chased!" Jessie taunted.

[ALLLL is well!] Sahana cried in agreement as he emerged by Jessie's side.

Ash saw his chance. "Hey, Brock...see if you can pop the balloon with an arrow."

"Finally I get to pop a different balloon for a change..." Brock grinned as he readied a shot.

Misty smiled as a POW! confirmed a hit. "Bullseye." she smiled as the balloon spiraled off into the sky, dropping the PokePod and the key at Ash's feet.

"Now to get Tintri out of here..." Ash found the keyhole and turned the key, allowing Tintri to run into his arms.

[About time...I was afraid I was gonna be stuck in there forever!] Tintri smiled as Ash hugged him.

"You don't know half of what we went through to rescue you, bud." Ash smiled as Officer Jenny arrived on the hill.

He smiled. "Thanks, Officer--Tintri's safe and sound."

"And thank you, to all three of you, for helping us apprehend Goneff." Officer Jenny smiled. "The city will sleep well tonight knowing there's one less criminal on the street."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

06-29-2017, 12:51 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups

Episode 78: Sick Daze

"It was a great idea to stop at this campsite by the lake..." Misty smiled as she waited for Ash to finish washing his hands. "I don't want to hear from Team Rocket for a good long while after chasing Sahana down a few days ago..."

"Me neither--but at least we took one notorious criminal off the streets, so there's that." Ash assured his companion as he dried his hands, then followed Misty into the cabin's kitchen, where Brock was stirring something in a pot on the stove.

He winced as Brock set a bowl of steaming hot oatmeal before him. "Oatmeal, again?"

"That's the fourth day in a row..." Misty mused. "But it's maple and brown sugar, so I can stand that."

"Can't we have something like pancakes for a change?" Ash requested.

Brock was about to reply when he unleashed a massive coughing fit. "Brock? You okay?" Misty asked as she hurried to her friend's side.

"Oh grade...I thig I'b cubbing dowd wid a code..." Brock replied.

"Ooh, you do feel a little warm..." Ash noted as he felt around Brock's forehead, just as Misty arrived with a touch sensitive thermometer.

After touching the thermometer to Brock's forehead, Misty winced at the readout. "Wow...Brock must've caught a nasty bug somewhere...the thermometer says he has a fever of 103.5."

"Come on, let's get you in bed." Ash suggested as he led Brock to a bedroom, hoping that Brock wouldn't unleash another coughing fit and pass the bug to him.

"If you've got a cold like this, you should rest for the day." Misty smiled as Ash tucked Brock into the bed, then hurried off to get some medicine.

"But, dere's a lot of worg to be dud!" Brock protested, stuffy head and all. "Dis place needs to be cleaned, da Pokemod need care, and I need to practice by Lore Stage material and by idstrumets..."

"It's not good to work or practice when you have a cold, and you should rest for the day." Ash explained as he arrived with the medicine Misty had left for him.

"Besides, it's not the end of the world if you miss one day of practice." Misty assured her companion as she arrived with a soda for Brock to wash down the two round pills Ash had given him.

A weak smile formed on Brock's face."Okay...I'b left sticky dotes on how to do da chores, but if you have addy queshuds, just ask be."

---------

"So, do you want to mop the floor and I'll do the dishes, or should I mop the floor and you do the dishes?" Misty asked as she and Ash studied the note detailing the kitchen chores.

Just then, Ash noticed Ethan and Lyra had walked in the room. "Oh, hi! Am I glad to see you guys!"

"Why?" Lyra was confused. "Usually Brock's got the kitchen clean by now..."

"That's the problem...Brock's caught a bad cold." Misty explained. "So we're the one's cleaning the kitchen today while he rests."

She looked up to see a familiar small rock being Pokemon and Argent peeking in the door. "Raquel? Argent? What are you doing here?"

[Did Brock forget today was polishing day?] the small rock Pokemon asked as she crawled into the house.

Oh yeah...today's usually the day Brock polishes the Rock-types! Misty remembered as she took a sticky note on the counter that was titled "How to Polish Geodudes and Steelixes."

"I can do Argent, while you do Raquel." Ash volunteered as he hurried outside with a rag and some dish soap.

"Come here, Raquel." Misty coaxed the Geodude into her lap before looking at the note. "Step one...line a small bowl with aluminum foil...."

Back outside, Ethan grimaced as Ash gently rubbed each of Argent's coils clean with a damp rag and the dish soap. "This is gonna take forever at this rate..."

"Well, Brock is very meticulous about it...that, and I think Argent likes what I'm doing." Ash assured Ethan as he listened to Argent purring happily as he scrubbed each coil.

"I know a way we can be done twice as fast!" Ethan smiled before heaving a Poke Ball skyward. "Come on out, Dundee! Use Water Gun to help us clean Brock's Steelix!"

Argent gasped when he saw the Totodile eagerly running towards him to spray him [Oh no...] was the first thing he could say before Dundee unleashed a huge spray of water, causing Argent to bellow in pain and lumber off across the grass.

"Ash!" Misty called as she emerged from the cabin, just in time to see Argent zigzagging across the plain, trying to avoid Dundee's attacks. "Have you forgotten that Rock Pokémon hate water?"

"It was Ethan's idea, not mine!" Ash protested.

Argent growled as Ethan corralled Dundee. he grumbled before lashing his long tail at the others, knocking the boys and Misty to the ground.

---------

"We now return to 'Prince Photon and the Arcanoids'." the TV announced as Lyra arrived with a bowl of Combusken soup.

"Cad we change da chaddel? Dis show's borig." Brock requested, unimpressed by the robotic Arcanines battling an alien on the TV screen.

"Sure..." Lyra replied as she found the TV remote, naming the different shows as she flipped through the channels. "'Glimmering Summoners'...'Star Phantoms'...'Jewel Druids'..."

After completing a loop around the basic cable channels, Lyra noticed that Brock had fallen asleep. "Okay, I'll let you sleep for a bit." she smiled as she turned the TV off. "But if you want to watch something or use the game consoles, let me know."

---------

In a fantasy dream world, Brock--now in a magnificent purple, red, and gold minstrel's costume--ran to meet three princesses dancing among the flowers. "A song for miladies?" he asked the princesses.

"Of course..." the eldest princess smiled as Brock took a silver harp with emeralds and ivy inlays.

But before Brock could play a note, he saw a meteor headed for the meadow--how did that get in here?

Brock woke up with a jump from his nightmare, but blushed when he saw Silver on his chest and Hitomi at his side. "You guys were worried about be? Thak you..."

He winced when he heard the sounds of Ash and Misty in the throes of another 'is not-is too' fight, from outside. While he couldn't tell what the fight was about from inside, he could hear Ethan trying to break it up. I'd better go give Ethan a hand...

A sudden wave sent him flying back into the bed. [Now now...your fever's not broken yet.] Hitomi gently reminded him. [You need to rest.]

"Thaks, Hitobi." Brock smiled. "I'll try ad get sub rest, ib odly for you guys..."

"Here you go..." Lyra passed a Super NES controller to Brock and turned on the familiar grey, white, and purple console, making the title theme to "Super Mario World" blare through the cabin...

---------

"I'm starving..." Ash grumbled some time later. "I'm gonna go see what wild berries we can find."

"Okay, just try not to get lost." Misty reminded him as he started off towards a wooded area with a Berry grove.

Ash nodded, then heaved his other five Poke Balls skyward "River, Luce, Cyndy, and Aina, come on out! Let's go on a Berry hunting expedition!"

[You called?] Luce asked.

[Yeah, is something wrong with Brock?] River asked. [He hasn't gotten out of bed, and has just watched TV and played video games all day!]

"Well...Brock has a cold at the moment, so we're all doing the best we can to pitch in until he gets better." Ash explained before motioning for his team to come with him into the forest...

---------

Back in the dream world, Brock found himself flying in a clear sky with a few Butterfree, in a fantastic version of his real world clothes and a pair of green angel-like wings. "Oh Brock..." the middle princess called. "Come land, and play with us!"

"Coming!" Brock wasted no time in circling around the meadow from earlier, which was miraculously unscathed. But he didn't count on losing his footing, and tumbling down...down...down...

"Oof!" Brock gasped as he landed on the floor seconds later, just as Ash and Misty arrived with Ethan and Lyra.

"You okay?" Misty asked as she gingerly helped Brock back in bed.

"Yeah--must've tossed and turned too much and fell out of bed." Brock replied as Lyra tucked him back in.

"If you're hungry, here's some Leppa Berries my team found in the forest." Ash offered, handing Brock a plate of cut up Leppa Berries.

"Aw, you shouldn't have." Brock smiled as Ash's Pokemon crowded around him. He munched on a few of the Berries as he moved his Mario over to the portal to the Special World.

"Good luck on the Special World--I've never gotten past Tubular." Ash noted. Surprised, Brock accidentally swallowed a slice whole, making him choke.

[HAH!] Aina jumped onto Brock's back and gave him the Heimlich maneuver, prompting Brock to cough up the Berry piece.

"Thanks, Aina." Brock smiled, petting the Machop. "You saved my life..."

"Brock must be getting better--he doesn't sound quite so stuffy, and he's eating a little." Misty smiled.

"It would still be a good idea if he stayed in bed the rest of the day, though." Ethan suggested.

"If you want to play something else, or watch something, I'm here!" Lyra smiled, seconds before the familiar Mario theme started to play through the TV, to the surprise of everyone else.

"I didn't know that the classic Mario theme was even in 'Super Mario World'..." Ash mused.

"I didn't either, but if you wait on the Special World map long enough, the Mario theme will in fact play." Brock smiled before resuming his game...

---------

"Okay, add a half cup sugar..." Misty read from the recipe book, before she realized she had accidentally put in salt and sweatdropped. "Oops."

[Here's the sugar...] Ami offered as she brought Misty a bag of sugar.

"Gah!" Misty gasped as she dropped the sugar bag, sending a little too much in the pot. "Where's the salt?"

[Here...] Michelle offered Misty the salt canister.

"Not again!" Misty sighed as she spilled a bit too much salt into the pot. "Forget this, I'm gonna improvise a little..." she grumbled as she tossed away the sticky note with the recipe on it.

Ethan wasn't so sure about Misty's cooking as he and Ash watched ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, soy sauce, cinnamon, and Worcestershire sauce go flying into the pot. "You call that improvising 'a little'?"

"At this rate, she's even added the kitchen sink..." Ash agreed as he watched the bewildering array of spices and other items go flying...

---------

"Come on, you guys, I worked hard on this!" Misty pleaded as the boys winced at her disgusting creation. "At least try it!"

[Do I have to?] Tintri wasn't so sure.

"I'm not sure I wanna eat it, bud..." Ash sighed. "You saw what went in it."

He then told Misty "Uh, I ate too many Berries earlier, so I'm not hungry..."

"Oh, don't give me that!" Misty snapped. "Here, I'll try some myself!"

Ethan tried oh-so-hard not to laugh at Misty's yuck face. "That's what you get for improvising 'a little'." he whispered to Ash, who stifled a giggle himself.

"Come to think of it, I think there's some TV dinners in the cabin..." Ash mused as he led the way back inside.

---------

"Guys, I'm sorry about the dinner disaster before..." Misty began as she and the boys settled in a tent near the cabin that night, so Brock and Lyra could sleep in the cabin in peace. "It made me realize how much Brock does for us..."

"That's okay...the TV dinners were delicious." Ash assured Misty. "But yeah, Brock does do a lot for us...I kinda feel bad for complaining this morning about the oatmeal..."

"He is a guy of many talents, I'll say that much." Ethan smiled. "Musician, storyteller, comedian, archer, trainer, cook, cleaner...and yet he never complains or boasts about it."

"Even if he makes maple and brown sugar oatmeal for two weeks in a row, I'd still eat it." Ash smiled.

"I wouldn't mind getting cooking lessons from him in case this ever happens again...as thanks for all he does for us..." Misty smiled before the threesome drifted off to sleep...

---------

"Mm...something smells great in here..." Ash smiled as he, Misty, and Ethan returned to the cabin for breakfast the next morning.

Misty heaved a relieved sigh when she saw Brock before the stove, flipping pancakes. "Brock, good morning!"

"Thanks for the pancakes!" Ash smiled.

"Well, luckily, I feel MUCH better today..." Brock smiled as he turned the stove off and brought the pancakes and a variety of toppings to the table. "I have butter, three different kinds of syrup, Berries, and whipped cream for toppings, so help yourselves!"

A moan snapped the group to attention as Lyra trudged in the room, sniffling all the while. "Brock...I thig id all by effords to help you feel bedder, I thig I got your code..."

"Here we go again..." Misty sighed as Brock led Lyra back to the bed and tucked her back in.

"Well, Lyra getting sick isn't so bad, because now Brock can help her in return for what she did for him." Ash noted as Brock arrived with a music stand, one of his vina tune books, and his vina case.

After tuning his vina, Brock told the others "Okay...apologies in advance for any mistakes, but I think some relaxing music should help Lyra sleep. So I'm gonna try playing what few tunes I know well...this is 'Blossoms on the Terrace'."

With that, he started a gentle lullaby-like melody that rang through the cabin and out into the forest as Lyra slept...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-02-2017, 12:10 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 79: Ring Masters

"Thank goodness no one else caught that cold..." Misty smiled as the group continued on a few days later. What had meant to be a rest day had taken a frustrating turn when Brock, and then Lyra, had caught a bad cold.

"I wouldn't want to be sidelined by a high fever and stuffy head myself." Ash smiled before stopping to read a signpost. "Rikishii Town, one mile..."

"According to Ethan, Lyra recovered just fine." Brock assured his companions as he read an e-mail from Ethan in his PokeNav. "Just knowing my music helped her rest comfortably means the world to me..."

"You're getting really good at the vina, actually..." Misty smiled. "Even the wrong notes sounded beautiful."

"Well, Sakura says you're supposed to tune it pentatonically, so there's really no such thing as a 'wrong' note." Brock smiled.

Just as the group rounded the corner, Tintri noticed a large arena in what he figured was the town square. [Whoa, check out this fight!] he gasped, pointing out the large crowd watching a group of Feraligatrs taking down a variety of equally powerful opponents.

Ash then spotted a familiar black haired man in ninja garb in the crowd alongside a purple haired girl with similar features to the man. "Look! Koga's here!" he called, pointing out the man to Misty and Brock.

Koga noticed Ash approaching and smiled. "We meet again, Ash-san...Aya told me about Misty's smashing performance in the Pokethlon...

"This must be the famous Janine..." Misty noticed the girl. "I've heard your powers of disguise are legendary!"

"Thank you, good lady." Janine smiled. "Although I have much to learn to master the Disguise jutsu, it is my favorite of the clan's powers to wield."

"Janine...this is the great trainer I told you about, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town." Koga told Janine as he gestured to Ash.

"Nice to meet you, Janine." Ash smiled before making a grand gesture to Misty and Brock. "These are my companions, Misty..." Misty waved hello. "and Brock."

"A song for the ninja-hime?" Brock asked Janine as he retrieved his vina

Janine giggled, bemused that she would be called a princess. "Sure--I'd love to hear you on the vina, since there is a lull in the competition."

"I'm still learning, so forgive me if I make any mistakes." Brock explained as he put on his vina fingerpicks.

The crowd, the Feraligatrs, and the other trainers stopped to listen as Brock played "Moltres in the Summer Sky", thankfully mistake free. "I've never heard that one before--is that a new tune you mastered?" Ash asked as the crowd applauded.

"Yes...and you actually have heard it before...remember the Gekijou play back in Ecruteak? That was one of the interludes I played." Brock explained.

Misty, meanwhile, took a closer look at one of the Feraligatrs. "Wow, so this is what Dundee will ultimately become? I hope Ethan's ready for something that big!"

Koga happened to overhear Misty. "That Feraligatr is owned by a trainer named Raiden." he explained, pointing out a young man in training garb whose dull green hair looked almost black tending to the Feraligatr Misty was admiring.

"Our competitions are training for a Power type Pokethlon, which Sir Koga and the lady Janine are overseeing on behalf of the Pokémon martial arts society." Raiden explained.

"I haven't competed in a Power type Pokethlon yet..." Misty remembered.

"Each Pokethlete must compete in three events befitting their physical strength--the Block Smash, the Circle Push, and the Goal Roll." Janine explained, listing the different events on her fingers.

"In fact, if the rumors in town are to be believed, Raiden and his Feraligatr Ike are expecting to win this year’s Pokéthlon." Koga went on. "The competition is today, and is open to all tracks."

"Really?" Misty asked. "Where do I sign up?"

"There is still time to sign up, Nincada, but you need to have a Pokémon that is heavy." Koga cautioned. "That will help you a lot in this kind of Pokethlon."

Ami pleaded. [I can take on any old Feraligatr and win!]

"I don't doubt you are very strong despite your size, but this may not be the right time--you probably wouldn't pass the weight requirement." Misty explained to Ami. "Maybe next time."

[Okay...] Ami sighed, dejected.

"If you have no heavy Pokemon, I can lend you this Blastoise, who is named Yamaro." Janine offered as she gave Misty a Poke Ball. "He may be a little stubborn, but in the right hands, shows a lot of potential."

"Thanks." Misty smiled as she accepted the Poke Ball. "I'll do my best to lead him to victory, for you."

"In addition to a medal for their medal box, the winner will also receive a King's Rock and a year's supply of Pokéchow." Koga went on before directing Misty towards the sign up booth. "Sign ups are over there, if you wish to compete."

"Do I ever!" Misty smiled before hurrying to the line taking signups for the water track.

---------

"[i]Nazo magiiro no jutsu! Pokethlon referee!" Janine commanded, transforming herself into a Pokethon referee, to the awed murmurs of the crowd, Misty, Raiden, a Golem trainer, and a Machoke trainer.

"Our first event today is the Block Smash." Koga explained to the crowd. "Each competitor will attempt to break a stack of ten cement blocks. The Pokémon must demonstrate its might by breaking through them as quickly as possible. Whoever breaks the most in one try, wins."

Oh yeah...this was the event that Tauros trainer came from behind to win! Misty remembered as she watched Raiden and his Feraligatr Ike easily break eight out of the ten bricks.

"Number 7, please approach the line!" Janine announced, snapping Misty from her thoughts.

"Okay, Yamaro...let's show your little mistress what you can do." Misty smiled as she led the giant turtle Pokemon to the stack of ten bricks. "Okay...use Water Pulse to break the bricks!"

[Why should I listen to you, redhead?] the Blastoise growled.

"Well, your mistress lent you to me, so will you please follow my directions?" Misty asked.

[No.]

"Water Gun?"

[No.]

"Hydro Pump?"

[No.]

Misty froze as she saw Koga and Janine discussing what to do. [i]Great, I have a Pokemon that doesn't want to listen...and I don't want to get disqualified for a stubborn Pokemon.

Suddenly, she noticed the sapphire in her Mega Ring glowing. Maybe if I Mega Evolved him, he would listen to me!

She held her Mega Ring skyward. Rou iitsa ron selga vichiii...

Ash gawked at the watery burst of light on the field. "No way! Isn't using a Mega Evolution cheating?"

Janine, meanwhile, attempted to assure the Machoke trainer's same protest. "Mega Evolution is allowed in the rules--sometimes a Pokemon can perform it naturally in the heat of battle without being induced."

[This power...it's amazing!] Yamaro gasped as he admired his new bulky body.

He smiled at Misty. [Now I know you are a friend of my mistress...I trust you.]

With that, he fired a massive Hydro Pump, easily breaking all ten bricks! The crowd gawked in awe, and applauded Misty's quick thinking and the Mega Blastoise's power.

---------

"The next event is the Circle Push, an event that features all four Pokéathletes on the field at once." Koga explained to the crowd. "They must each attempt to stay inside of the circles projected onto the field, all while keeping others out. Whoever has the most points at the end of six rounds, wins."

Janine further clarified the scoring rules. "In the first round, there is one large circle worth 1 point. The second and third rounds have two circles each, one worth 2 points and one worth 3 points. The fourth round has three circles, one worth 2 points, one worth 3 points, and one worth 5 points. The fifth and sixth rounds have three circles each, one worth 3 points and two worth 5 points, with a perfect score of 70 points."

She took a few steps back. "Is everyone ready?"

Cheers filled the air at this. "Okay! Three...two....one..." Janine counted down before blowing a black referee's whistle to start the event.

"So everyone's trying to stay in the circle and pushing rivals out?" Ash wondered as he watched the chaotic pushing and shoving on the field.

"That's what it sounded like..." Brock mused as he watched Yamaro and Ike battle for a spot in a three point circle. "Misty and Raiden are only a point apart." he added as he watched the scores on the scoreboard inch higher and higher.

On the field, Yamaro heaved with exhaustion as the circles reconfigured themselves for the fourth round. [I can't...go on...much longer...] he wheezed. [That Feraligatr...is...very...]

"Yamaro, no!" Misty gasped as Yamaro plopped on the ground. "We've come this far, we can't give up now!"

She tearfully held her Mega Ring skyward. Rou iitsa ron selga vichiii...

"Again?" Ash was just as shocked as the Mega Blastoise emerged from the watery light.

Brock watched as Yamaro clashed with renewed strength. "I've thinking that what Janine said before was true...this Blastoise needs a little motivation."

He noticed that Raiden had edged Misty by one point on the scoreboard. "I have an idea as to how to motivate Yamaro..."

---------

"Okay, what's your big idea?" Ash asked as Koga explained the rules to the Goal Roll.

"Misty should know this event from the lake Pokethlon." Brock explained. "Remember how you sang 'Glory in Our Story to cheer her on?"

Ash grinned as the familiar introduction to "Glory in Our Story started playing over the speakers. "Yeah...what if we both were to sing it together? To motivate both Misty and Yamaro?"

"Let's do this!" Brock waited for the song's intro to finish as Janine blew her whistle to start the frenetic soccer-like match.

We all have a dream inside our hearts that we will follow to the end... he sang as Ike took control of the ball first.
When you make a wish upon a star, the power flows, inside of you!
Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear! Ash sang as Yamaro stole the ball and scored the first goal of the match.
My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world...

Come along 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! Brock sang as Ike, the Machoke, and the Golem each scored a goal.

Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story! Ash sang, complete with Tintri and River cheering Misty on as Yamaro scored another goal.

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage! Brock sang as Ike shoved the Machoke away 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 Ike and Yamaro raced down the field, desperate to score one last time as the final seconds ticked away.
The cards here in my hand,
Show you the way...

As the boys finished the song, Yamaro managed to power past Ike and score a third gold, moments before the two minutes were up!.

"It worked." Ash smiled as Misty was announced as the winner of both the event and the overall gold!

---------

"Well done..." Koga smiled as he and Janine met Misty by the podium. "Here is your well-deserved King's Rock and the year's supply of Pokéchow."

"Thanks." Misty smiled as she accepted the crown shaped rock, then passed the boys the large box of Pokechow for safekeeping. "And here is Yamaro back--I think I motivated him a little." she told Janine as she gave back the Poke Ball with Yamaro inside.

Just then, Raiden caught up with the group. "No hard feelings, okay?" he smiled. "Although your Blastoise was a bit stubbron, just seeing you inspiring him was inspiring to Ike and me too. You clearly deserve all your prizes."

"I don't know, you and Ike were a real challenge." Misty smiled. "But I enjoyed it all the same."

With that, she and Raiden linked pinkies. "Let's meet again in the Grand Pokethlon!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-06-2017, 12:38 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 80: Control Freak!

"Well done on your fourth medal, Misty." Brock smiled as he tended to a simmering mixture of ground beef and tater tots over the campfire. "The fact that you did it with a rented Pokemon makes that gold medal win all the more impressive."

"At any rate, I hope Yamaro learns to trust others more after my inducing him twice." Misty smiled as she carefully polished the gold medal, then set it in the medal box with her other three medals. "How much longer till the campfire casserole is ready?"

"Not too much longer." Brock replied before noticing Hitomi flying off from the campsite, as if in a daze. "Hitomi? Where are you going?" Brock asked as he removed the pot from the campfire and transferred the cooking food inside to a warming pot, so the food wouldn't overcook or get cold during their adventure.

"She's headed towards that small canyon to the north!" Ash pointed out a canyon not far from their campsite as the group hurried to keep up with the Golbat.

After emerging from the forest near the canyon entrance, Misty noticed several more tents clustered around vehicles, and people digging in the soil. "I think we found an archaeological dig...."

"Really?" Ash was intrigued, and a little excited as scenes from "Nick Dragonswift" movies danced through his head.

"Hate to break it to you, but actual archaeologists don't do all the things that Nick Dragonswift does." Brock told Ash as the group walked through the dig site, admiring the many ancient jewelry and pottery the expedition was cleaning.

Misty, meanwhile, spotted an auburn haired woman checking the map of the dig site. "That must be the leader..."

Just then, the woman noticed the group approaching. "Oh hello, travelers...are you looking for something, or do you need directions?"

Brock swallowed the lump in his throat and tried with all his might not to burst into song before the woman. "Uh yeah...have you seen a Golbat come this way? She wandered off from our campsite, and we've been looking for her."

"The Golbat answers to Hitomi." Misty explained.

"Oh, that would explain the Golbat fluttering around our broken ultrasound generator." the woman smiled, pointing out Hitomi fluttering around a machine two other members of the team were attempting to repair, never mind the curious Golbat circling around them. "The power supply failed this morning, and perhaps its errant waves attracted your Golbat."

Brock mimicked a Fletchling whistle, prompting Hitomi to flutter back to him. "I'm Brock--Hitomi's owner."

He motioned to Ash and Misty. "...and these are my traveling companions, Ash and Misty."

"Nice to meet you." Ash replied.

"Yes, pleased to meet you." Misty agreed.

The woman smiled as she admired the four stripes on Brock's vest. "My name's Tierra...we're here in Olive Canyon looking for a buried temple said to contain two priceless artifacts...judging from the rainbow stripes on your clothes, you must be a storyteller...would you like me to tell you the story of the artifacts, and the people they belonged to?"

"Sure!" Brock wasted no time in digging out his story notebook and flipping to a clean page. "You may begin when you're ready."

"All right...long ago, this area was inhabited by the Murim tribe, who were famous for their knowledge of astronomy, their prowess in sailing, their art, music, and poetry, and their beautiful jewelry." Tierra explained. "The most famous Murim ruler we know about is Queen Shanti, who owned a golden mask known as the Mask of the Divinity, and a scepter called the Scepter of Dominion. With these two treasures, Queen Shanti was said to have the power to control all Pokémon, and was often depicted doing amazing things with this power in Murim art, epics, and songs."

"COOL!!!" Ash was impressed.

"If you three need a little pocket money, can you ask Hitomi to use her Supersonic to help us locate the exact placement of the temple?" Tierra asked.

"Sure...Hitomi, help us find an ancient temple!" Brock called, prompting Hitomi to fire Supersonic waves in several directions.

Hitomi reported as her last Supersonic blast faded out. [It can't be those Team Rocket goons, because I only sense one presence...]

"So if we can safely rule out Team Rocket, our only other option for whoever would make trouble is Kamon." Misty mused.

Ash motioned to the others. "Come on! We've got to get to the temple before Kamon finds the mask and scepter!"

"If we're gonna play 'Nick Dragonswift', let me get into the role here..." Brock proceeded to produce a tan fedora hat from his bag and put it on.

"I don't think Nick Dragonswift was an archer, was he?" Misty asked as the group hurried towards a majestic temple looming over the canyon.

"Believe it or not, he has been shown to use a bow in several of the movies, in serials, and the TV show." Ash smiled. "So Brock can still use his bow."

"Good--cause I have no idea where I would find a whip." Brock replied as the group hurried inside...

---------

"Okay..." Kamon mused as he climbed out of an odd drill machine, which he used to dig his way inside the temple. "This drill definitely works as advertised..."

He looked over three statues of Raikou, Entei, and Suicune with their tongues sticking out. "I see...pushing in one of the tongues will open the door. So let's try one and see if it works."

After carefully pushing in the Raikou's tongue, nothing happened. But when he pushed in the Entei's tongue, a door on the left end of the room rumbled open. [i]Onward...wonder if the rest of the puzzles in here will be this easy?

After climbing down a wall, assembling a silver Mankey statue, wading through murky water, and weaving around some arrow traps, Kamon finally arrived in the shrine containing the Mask of the Divinity and the Scepter of Dominion, which projected a few colored lights in the room from the sun reflecting off of the gold they were made of and the jewels inside them from some cracks in the wall. "Ooh, treasure!" Kamon giggled as he giddily put on the helmet-like mask and picked up the scepter.

He wasn'y sure what happened next, but he felt a warm glow around him, and spoke in a voice that was not his own--a female voice. "Helena...Spike...I command you to dance!"

He grinned as his Gastly and his Quilava swayed and twirled across the stone floor to a melody only they seemed to hear. Wow...I have the ability to control any Pokemon I want!

Just then, he spotted the group running to corner him! "I command you to attack Wonder Boy and pals!" he commanded, making Tintri, Raquel, Argent and Hitomi's eyes swirl.

"Tintri, why are you--!" Ash pleaded as the possessed Trintri knocked him to the ground with a Thunderbolt.

"You guys, please! It's me, Brock!" Brock pleaded as the possessed Raquel, Argent, and Hitomi approached him.

He watched as Hitomi broke free of the spell and knocked Kamon backwards with a Supersonic, moments before Argent attempted to attack Misty and missed, breaking a weakened part of a wall.

"Later, Wonder Boy!" the masked Kamon grinned as he climbed up Argent's coils and onto solid ground.

"Kamon's possessed by the spirit of Queen Shanti!" Misty explained as the group hurried after Kamon. "If he escapes from here and abuses her power to his whims, who knows how much damage he'd do?"

But just as the group rounded the corner, Ash saw Kamon and Tintri cross a strange star-shaped marking, making the spell on the group's Pokemon break. [Whoa...I don't know what came over me.] Raquel groaned as Brock retrieved her.

[Forgive me for trying to hurt you, Misty...I was forced to somehow, in spite of myself.] Argent explained as he nuzzled her.

"Good thing you missed." Misty grinned. "But we have to stop Kamon, before he uses Queen Shanti's power to wreak more havoc on the world!"

"Tintri, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

[HAHHHHH!!!] Tintri cried as the huge Thunderbolt paralyzed Kamon. However, the force of the Thunderbolt was enough to make the temple walls crumble!

"Oh no..." was all Misty could say before she heard a female cry for help from inside. "Hitomi!"

"I've got this!" Brock make a flying leap into a window, grabbed Hitomi from a rapidly forming pile of rocks, and climbed back out using a vine moments before the place Hitomi was trapped was covered in rocks, just in time for the group to hurry down the path leading back to the dig site.

"You made it..." Tierra smiled as she met the group at the south entrance to the dig site. "Thought you three were done for when that rock slide happened."

"What else can you tell us about the Mask of the Divinity and the Scepter of Dominion?" Misty asked, unaware Kamon had escaped Tintri and was running back to the temple to retrieve the drill machine.

"Their power only works within the home of the queen..." Tierra started before seeing Kamon speeding down the road in the drill machine. "What on earth...?"

"Mina, follow that tomb raider!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

"You too, Hitomi!" Brock instructed his Golbat, pointing out Mina following the drill machine.

Try as the Pidgeot and the Golbat might to catch the drill, the more they flew, the further away Kamon got. Hitomi called to Brock. [I need...more...power....]

Brock watched in horror as Hitomi collapsed in exhaustion. "Hitomi!"

As Ash, Misty, and Tierra watched in shock, Brock proceeded to sing [i]Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis....
Katoradis favel siicletu edena... Ash's shocked look turned to a smile as Hitomi began to glow in a white light.
Emusto koron zen fine, si....

"Amazing...I didn't know that people could still sing the Swanna Song and use its power!" Tierra smiled as Misty ran to assist Brock, who had collapsed on the ground in exhaustion from singing the Swanna Song.

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on the four-winged bat-creature Hitomi had become:

"Crobat, the bat Pokemon. Having four wings allows it to fly more quickly and quietly so it can sneak up on prey without its noticing."

He then looked up Crobat's attacks. Crobat's known attacks: number one, Air Slash...

"Hitomi, use Air Slash on that drill!" he called.

[Got it!] Hitomi replied before firing a volley of silvery sickles at the drill machine, slicing the drill into millions of pieces, and knocking Kamon, the mask, and the scepter onto the ground below.

Kamon noticed the mask and scepter lying nearby, so after collecting himself, he attempted to grab them, but another Air Slash made him jerk his hand away. [Hold it right there--I'm sure Queen Shanti would want her power used for good, not to enslave the Pokemon of the world!] Hitomi scolded as the others arrived. Brock was still tired, but had enough energy to keep up with his companions.

"Tintri, teach Kamon a lesson!" Ash commanded, grinning as Tintri sent Kamon flying with a Thunderbolt...

---------

"I can't thank you enough for retrieving the Mask of Divinity and the Staff of Dominion." Tierra smiled as she accepted the mask and scepter. "Fortunately, the temple was not badly damaged by our little escapade, and can be repaired."

"That's a relief..." Misty replied.

"I would never forgive myself if we destroyed a piece of history." Ash agreed.

"Our little adventure did benefit our research, too." Tierra went on. "We now have a better understanding of how the mask and scepter worked, and we learned more about the power of the Swanna Song--it will be a groundbreaking discovery that I hope will lead the community to rethink that it is just a legend seen in folktales, TV shows, and video games; and look further into how its power can be used as it was in ancient times."

"All in a day's work!" Brock grinned as he accepted a bag full of credits for Hitomi to carry...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-08-2017, 08:40 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 81a: The Heartbreak of Brock (part 1)

"I'm still a little shocked you managed to evolve Hitomi with the power of the Swanna Song." Misty smiled as the group made their way down the streets of a town some days later.

"It goes back to what I've told you before about the Swanna Song--it was mainly used to beseech Arceus directly in ancient times." Brock explained. "However, the great powers it unleashed came with the cost of the person's strength--while usually it just makes you really tired for a little while, there have been documented accounts past and present of people dying of exhaustion, so those that can sing it for real are told to only sing it in a dire emergency--and Kamon potentially abusing an ancient queen's gift counted as a dire emergency."

"That's fair." Misty replied. "Although finding the local Pokemon Center's gonna be our next Swanna Song-worthy emergency if we're not careful..."

Ash wasted no time flagging down a woman as the group approached a crosswalk. "Excuse me...can you please tell us where the Pokemon Center is?"

Misty facepalmed as Brock slunk up next to Ash, guitar in hand. "I'll give you a song as thanks for your help." he offered.

"You can sing all you want when we get to the Pokemon Center, Mr. Balladeer." Misty sighed as she dragged Brock away, guitar and all.

The woman just chuckled, bemused that someone would sing to her. "After you cross the street, take a left and the Pokemon Center should be nearby the park and a convenience store."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled as the crosswalk sign changed to WALK.

---------

"A little drink for you guys, and some for cooking later..." Brock smiled as he filled up a pot with water. by a fountain in the park.

He looked up and set the pot aside as a pale cyan rabbit-like Pokemon came racing up to the fountain, its deep teal haired master not far behind. "Nidora, come back here! You know better than to just run away from me like--WHOA!"

Brock gasped as the young girl tripped on a rock. "I've got ya!" he called as he made a flying leap, catching the girl in his arms moments before she could fall into the fountain. "Are you okay?" he asked as he checked the girl over for injuries.

"I think so..." the girl replied before looking up starry eyed at Brock. "You saved me! Never in my wildest dreams would I just fall into the arms of a knight with shining armor! Now that you've saved me from a watery fate, it's time for the wedding of our dreams!"

"Wait, what?" Brock asked, a little surprised that the girl had affections for him, much less wanting to marry him.

Misty noticed the awkward exchange from a bush. How odd...Brock has no problem approaching a girl and asking to sing for them, and he has no problem at all onstage, but when a girl does the same thing, he clams up!

"Uh, er, um..." Brock was still speechless by the girl's sudden profession of love for him. This is so weird...no girl's ever made the first move with me before...

"Over here..." Misty whispered from the bush.

After excusing himself from the girl, Brock joined Misty beside the bush. "What is it? Did I do something wrong?"

"I don't think you did anything wrong, I'm just puzzled." Misty explained. "How is it that whenever we find a pretty face, you're always ready to try and sing to them, but when she tried to do the same thing to you, you clammed up?"

"I've...never really had a girl make the first move on me like that before--it's usually me making the first move, and you know how that goes." Brock explained. "That, and no girl I know of has asked me to marry them immediately after meeting."

He sighed. "So what should I have done?"

Misty was about to answer when the teal haired girl returned. "If you guys need a place to stay, you can come to my house!"

"What's going on?" Ash asked as he joined Misty and Brock.

"We've found ourselves a place to stay, and an awkward situation for Brock." Misty explained as the group followed the girl down a path. "I'll explain later."

---------

"I can't thank you enough for rescuing my daughter, Temacu." a man with slightly graying gold-blond hair smiled as the group and the girl arrived in a large house some time later.

"Might I know my hero's name?" the girl asked, her eyes shining hopefully.

Brock swallowed hard, and did his best to not convey to the girl that he was nervous. "I'm Brock...and these are my two traveling companions, Ash and Misty."

Way to go, Brock! Misty smiled as she waved hello.

"Nice to meet you, sir." Ash smiled before noticing the man wore a lab coat over his clothes. "Are you some kind of professor, or something?"

"Yes--I collaborate with many professors across the region and with Professor Elm to better our understanding of Pokemon." Temacu's father replied.

"If you've traveled a long way, I can at least give you all a hot dinner and some tea." Temacu smiled before hurrying off to the kitchen.

Misty motioned for Brock to come closer. "As I was saying, as to what you should've done when Temacu made the first move, you should have at least politely acknowledged her feelings. Clamming up like that tells her that you're afraid of her, or worse yet, afraid of commitment."

"That's not the message I meant to send at all." Brock confessed.

"Another important aspect of a relationship is knowing what each of you wants out of the relationship, mutually drawing up healthy boundaries, and building up a sense of trust." Misty went on. "It is always exciting to want to be together in a new relationship, but don't forget to give each other space. So continue to play your music and tell your stories, and let her keep doing...whatever it is she likes to do."

She grinned. "As the old song says, 'me and you, it just takes two!'."

"You do have a point, there..." Brock smiled. "Any more advice?"

"As tempting as it is, don't put Temacu on a pedestal and declare her your only love." Misty cautioned. It may work out--in which case I would be royally happy for you both--and it may not, but a relationship is only as good as the amount of work the participants are willing to put into it."

"That's true--the friendship between the three of us was not built overnight." Brock mused. "It's been through highs, it's been through lows, and it's been through some pretty weird things, but through it all, we emerged stronger and better people for it."

"Exactly--so why not make that the goal of this relationship, and tell Temacu that in a song?" Misty suggested. "You've always wanted to sing to a girl, now here's your chance!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-12-2017, 06:10 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Interlude: The Princess and the Minstrel

"So, Brock, what brings you here to our cozy little corner of Johto?" Temacu asked as she joined Brock on the back porch of the house later that evening.

"I'm mainly traveling to support my friends--Ash is competing in the Pokemon League, and Misty the Pokethlon." Brock replied. "But then I discovered the Pokemon Lore Stage, and I decided to give it a try--since I have been asked to sing and tell stories in public before."

"Really?" Temacu was intrigued before noticing the four stripes on Brock's vest. "I take it those stripes are the rewards for a well told story?"

Brock nodded. "I only have the blue, indigo, and purple stripes left...make a rainbow by winning seven Lore Stages, and you get to tell for the Grand Lore Stage at the Pokemon League."

This got Temacu excited. "Ooh! Not only is my hero brave and handsome, but a minstrel as well! He sings of heroes slaying terrifying dragon Pokemon to win a princess fair!"

She spotted Brock's guitar case. "It helps he has his instrument, too! How long have you been playing?"

"I've been playing since I was in middle school--so about six years." Brock explained as he retrieved the case and started tuning the well loved yellow-brown acoustic guitar inside. "This one's my preferred traveling instrument--perfect for a campfire sing along at the end of a long day."

"How fun! The campfire songs were my favorite part of summer camp as a kid." Temacu smiled.

"Then, as I got into high school, I got into writing my own songs and tunes." Brock went on as he tuned. "It helps when you have equally talented traveling companions to jam with every night."

He smiled at Temacu staring with shining eyes as he checked his tuning. "Okay...now that I'm tuned here, what kind of a story would you like?"

"I said it before--tell me one about a hero that saves a princess fair." Temacu replied.

Brock just grinned as he started a relaxed melody. "In a certain village far from here, in a time far from now, there lived a poor peasant with his wife. For three years they had no children, until Arceus, moved by their tears, blessed them with a son, whom they named Liam, which means 'determined protector.'"

"Interesting..." Temacu museed, aware that Ash and Misty had arrived with Temacu's father to listen.

"But something was different about Liam--the boy grew not by years, but by hours, and within a week was a young man about sixteen years old." Brock went on. "The villagers were stunned at this, and the village oracle foretold that as a miracle child, Liam had some miraculous gifts, and with them, he would be known far and wide for his heroic deeds, and be immortalized in minstrels' songs for ages to come."

Temacu giggled with excitement over Brock's interlude.

"One day Liam went out to test his strength. In the back garden, he grabbed a pole and managed to stick it halfway into the ground. Then he turned it with such strength that the whole village spun like a top." Brock continued, some giggles going up over the "spinning" melody he is playing. "When he saw the village had regained its composure, he went back into the house to receive blessings from his parents, so he could go out into the world to seek his fortune. The couple understandably cried when he spoke of leaving them, and begged him to stay for a little bit longer; but Liam paid no mind to their tears, and said...

“If you will not give me your consent, I will go on without it.” Ash jumps in the role of Liam.

"So his parents gave him their blessing; Liam gave himself to Arceus, and then took leave of his father and mother." Brock went on as he started a "traveling" melody. "He wandered for ten days and ten nights until he came to a large kingdom in what is today Kanto--whose name is not important to us. He had hardly entered the city when a great outcry arose due to a loud rumbling noise. The king was so frightened at the riots that he proclaimed that whoever stopped the noise and calmed the people would have his daughter as his bride, and half his kingdom with her...."

---------

"...When Liam woke up, the king led him into the palace, thanked him for his service; and appointed him his lord high chamberlain, a position he held for some time." Brock finally concluded his story some time later. "When the king joined Arceus in heaven, Liam ascended to the throne, ruled wisely and happily, and lived with his wife for many years in the greatest harmony and love."

Temacu led the applause. "Bravo! Encore! Encore!"

"You three have real talent, if I say so myself!" Temacu's father agreed.

"I think Temacu would like your ballad about Brian and Epona..." Misty whispered as Brock thought of another story to tell.

A smile formed on Brock's face. "And now for my next number, a tale of another hero who met Epona, and saved not one, but three princesses fair."

With that, he started the intro to 'The Ballad of Brian and Epona', with Misty's fiddle and Ash's D whistle backing his own guitar. It's of a jolly beggarman came tripping o'er the plain,
He came unto a castle fair, a lodging for to gain
His Royal Highness, he came down and viewed him cheek and chin
He said, 'You are a handsome man, of course I'll take you in...'

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night, Ash joined in with Brock on the familiar chorus.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

The beggar that the king took in, was not poor as he claimed,
He really was a handsome prince, and Brian he was named... Brock sang the second verse alone.
He'd traveled far on a holy steed in search of fortune fine
And bringing honor and great fame upon his royal line...

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night, Temacu eagerly sang along.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

Fair Brian proved a fine young man at any task he set to, Brock continued.
And with every deed he did, the court's love for him grew,
The lords and kitchen maids alike had only praise to say
"He is true, faithful, diligent! Do not send him away!"

We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night, came the chorus again.
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

The call and response continued for a while--Brock singing a verse alone, before Temacu and her father joined in singing the chorus:

Now, the king that Brian went to see, he had three daughters fair
They were all fine and lovely maids, and no one could compare!
The eldest one was Orla, she was called "the golden queen"
Ariana was the middle child, born under Lugia's sheen.

[i]We'll go no more a roving, a roving in the night,
We'll go no more a roving, let the moon shine so bright
We'll go no more a roving...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-15-2017, 09:05 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 81b: The Heartbreak of Brock (part 2)

The next morning...

"Here is our Pokemon preserve, where many of our family's Pokemon have space to run, play, and just be themselves in a safe environment." Temacu explained, making a grand gesture to the yard.

"Wow..." Ash was impressed by what seemed like thousands of Nidorinas, Nidorinos and other Pokémon romping in the morning sun. "You caught and raised these all by yourself?"

"Not all of them--Dad and other family members caught a few here and there." Temacu replied, before the whoosh of a net caught her attention. "What in the--!"

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped.

[No, it's worse than that!] Tintri cried from the net.

"You seemed to have all these Pokemon here, so I was just taking a few of them off your hands." Kamon smirked as he tied the net containing some of the Nidorina, Nidorino, Tintri and the other Pokémon into a bag shape, so he could easily carry it.

"River, go save Tintri and the others!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

"Nightwing, let's go!" Kamon also heaved a Poke Ball, summoning his Golbat before the Marill.

Everyone braced themselves as the Golbat's Venoshock met the Marill's Water Pulse in a toxic watery explosion...with River emerging victorious! "Where did Kamon get to?" Misty wondered, piqued in the cloud of Haze that Nightwing had sprayed before using Venoshock.

She grinned as she readied a Poke Ball. "Only one way to answer that question! Pearl, use some Mist to clear the air!"

As the whitish blue cloud dispelled the Haze, Ash spotted the net with the Pokemon near the bush. "The stolen Pokémon are here, but Temacu's gone." he reported.

"Come on! We have to find her!" Brock led the way into the forest...

---------

"My hero! Where are you?" Temacu called as she looked for Brock in the brush near the preserve. "I hope you didn't get l-WHOA!"

Kamon snapped to attention as he felt his rope go slack. "Okay...let's see what we got here." he smiled as he pulled up the rope. "It must be a dragon Pokemon, cause it's heavy!"

He balked when he found Temacu snagged in the rope, and dangerously close to slipping out! "Hang on!" he called as he caught Temacu seconds before she could fall from the tree. "There we go..." he smiled as he guided Temacu back to a sturdier part of the tree.

"Oh, my crimson haired samurai! Will you let me be your little Beautifly?" Temacu asked Kamon, much to his surprise as her eyes shone with hope.

Kamon, meanwhile, winced at the thought of romance. [i]Is she asking me to be her boyfriend? I'm not one for all that mushy stuff, but I'll just play along, in hopes I can have a chance to steal some more Pokémon!

---------

Back at the forest edge, Temacu's father, the group, and a half dozen other people checked bushes, behind trees, and in piles of leaves for any signs of Temacu. "Anything?" Ash asked as Mina flew back some moments later.

Mina reported.

Brock gasped, more out of surprise that Kamon had any romantic interest than the fact that Temacu had fallen for someone else. "Kamon, in love? THIS I have to see!"

Ash led Misty and Brock back to the house, where they could overhear Kamon talking to someone inside. "...the thieves were tough, and they put up a good fight, but I know a thing or two about kung fu myself! So with a hi-ya here...and a woo-hah there, I fought them off easily."

"What a brave young man..." he heard Temacu's father say as he motioned for the group to follow him to the front door, which was cracked open just enough to see Temacu put a plate of something before Kamon. "Please, join us for lunch--I've already informed the search party Temacu was found safe.

"Hold it!" Ash stormed into the house. "That's no ordinary red haired boy, it's just a punk--!"

"With standards..." Misty interjected.

"...named Kamon, who's given us all trouble, and tried to take your Pokemon before!" Ash breathlessly explained.

"Who, me?" Kamon shot back. "I'm just a traveler, that's all."

"Don't play dumb with me, Kamon!" Misty warned. "What kind of traveler badmouths every trainer they find, treats their Pokemon like tools instead of the living beings they are, tries to take a a baby Pokemon that is no way ready to leave its mother, and constantly steals Pokemon that very clearly belong to others, including yours?"

Kamon froze for a moment, surprised Misty had exposed the truth. "I hate to dine and dash, but I gotta go!" he yelped before dashing out the door.

"After him!" Brock called as he led the others out.

Ash quickly heaved a Poke Ball skyward as he tried to keep Kamon in view. "Luce, I need you!"

"Nightwing, let's go!" The Flaaffy stopped in her tracks when she saw Kamon's Golbat before her.

"Focus, Luce! Use Thunderbolt!" Ash's call snapped Luce to reality.

[You're not getting away, you punk!] Luce screamed as she fired a Thunderbolt at the Golbat, knocking it out.

Kamon was unfazed by losing Nightwing. "Helena, showtime!" he called as he summoned his Gastly. "Use Shadow Ball!"

He did not, however, expect Misty to summon Pearl. "Pearl, let's cool down the ghostie with Star Freeze!"

[YAH!!!!] Pearl sent a bevy of star shaped icicles at Helena, freezing her solid. "Okay, now use a Water Gun!" Misty commanded.

She gasped as Kamon steeped into the path of the Water Gun, but suddenly, she heard Temacu yell "My samurai!" and leap in the path, taking Pearl's attack as she shoved Kamon out of the way.

"Temacu!" Brock hurried by Temacu's side. "Are you okay?"

"I think so..." was all Temacu could say before closing her eyes.

Ash, meanwhile, spotted Kamon dashing for a hill. "Luce, use Thunder Wave to bind Nightwing and Helena!"

Misty smiled as the Thunder Wave tangled both the Golbat and the Gastly, sending them back on top of Kamon. "And now, for the coupe de grace!"

[We've got this!] Michelle reported as she prepared a Water Gun and Tintri charged a Thunderbolt...

---------

"Mm...where am I..." Temacu asked as she came to in her room some time later.

"You were trying to push that red haired punk away from a Starmie's Water Gun, and took the attack meant for his Gastly." Temacu's father explained. "I saw you were unconscious, so I called the doctor."

"Luckily, the Water Gun only knocked the wind out of your daughter...she's going to be all right." the doctor assured Temacu's father.

"I am so sorry...if I'd have known that Temacu was going to push Kamon away, I never would have told my Starmie to attack." Misty apologized to Temacu's father. "I would never live with myself if I hurt someone with my Pokemon...even if it was an accident."

"It's okay, miss--all it was was a freak accident, so I forgive you." Temacu's father assured Misty. "Although next time, make sure you have a clear path to your target before attacking."

Temacu, meanwhile, looked up with starry eyes at the doctor. "Oh, my hero! Restoring me to life after a brush with danger!"

"Again?" Ash gasped as he watched Temacu and the doctor exchange sweet nothings with each other.

Brock, however, was devastated. [i]No way! Even after I sang for her and everything, she's fallen in love with someone else???

"Temacu's elder cousin was married to a fine young man earlier this year, so that's why she is so obsessed with getting married herself." Temacu's father explained. "I think we've found a good match for her."

But I wanted to be that match... Brock silently grumbled before excusing himself to another room...

---------

"Are you okay?" Misty asked as the group departed later that evening. Brock had not said a word since that afternoon, when the doctor had arrived to help Temacu.

"Well, I'm still trying to process what just happened back there." Brock explained. "I really thought that Temacu and me had a chance--she was the first girl that willingly let me sing to her that I can remember. That, and we really seemed to click last night."

"Well, if you need to cry, then go ahead." Misty assured Brock as the group stopped to make camp on a hill overlooking the road. "If you'd rather write down your feelings, that's fine. If you just want us to listen, we'll do that too."

"I mean, now that I know why Temacu was being romantic to every guy that passed her, her behavior does make some sort of sense." Brock explained. "I'm still trying to figure out what the doctor had that I don't..."

"But you have plenty of good qualities that any girl would love." Ash interjected. "Brave, kind, wise, very talented..."

"A way with words and song." Misty agreed.

[A great cook!] Tintri suggested.

A smile formed on Brock's face as one by one, Ash, Misty, and the Pokemon listed his good qualities. "Thanks, you guys...maybe the doctor was just a better fit for Temacu. In what way, I don't know, but they did seem to have better chemistry."

"At any rate, it does always hurt to lose someone in any way." Misty assured Brock. "If you need to stay here for a while to process everything, we're fine with staying here in camp for a few days."

"I'm at least glad that I met her, and hope that maybe we can still be friends if we ever see each other again." Brock smiled, relieved that he had his friends and his Pokemon supporting him.

"Besides, there's still a lady you can love and sing to forever out there somewhere!" Ash grinned.

"Yeah, there's plenty of other Magikarp in the sea." Misty agreed.

"Thanks again, everyone..." Brock smiled as he started the group's dinner for the evening. "Whoever this lady is, I'm sure I'll find her one day!"

With that, he reached for his guitar, tuned up, and started a gentle melody.

Floating in the sky, just like the silver moon
Although I try to reach you, I can't hold you, and you slip away...
From within the darkness, I reach for the future
Although I call out for you, my voice only fades away...

I wish that the words I sing for you
Would chase the wind and fly to your heart!

Ash gawked as a shooting star streaked over the campsite, as if in response to Brock's song. Soaring across the sky, and winging past the stars
Delivering to you this one message... Brock continued the song.

Soaring through sands of time, flying through a bright light
I sing this song for you,
This star story...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-19-2017, 10:06 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 82a: Current Events (part 1)

"I'm glad Brock's doing okay after coming to terms with his heartbreak." Misty smiled--it had been a few days since the group had met Temacu, who had seemed to click with Brock. However, it turned out she had feelings for someone else, much to Brock's sadness, confusion, and anger.

"He was back to his usual joyful singing, guitar playing self yesterday." Ash agreed. "I was a little concerned when the guitar didn't come out for three days."

"Well, when you go through something like that, you need time to deal with your emotions--and every person grieves differently." Misty explained.

She was about to say more when a familiar "Yah-ho!" got her attention, and smiled when she found Ethan, Lyra, and their Pokemon waving to them a little farther down the road.

"Long time, no see, you guys!" Ethan smiled as he knelt to accept Ash's hug.

"You're not mad at me for giving you that cold, are you?" Brock asked Lyra as the group made their way down the path, near a large field close to a wind farm.

Tintri mused as he watched the turbines spin in the gentle breeze.

"These aren't the kinds of fans that keep you cool in the summer--these fans are specially made to harness the power of the wind to generate electricity." Lyra explained. "It's a great source of clean energy."

[Nice!] Tintri smiled.

"Let's all let our teams out for a while--this field's perfect for everyone to play in!" Ash suggested before heaving his Poke Balls skyward. "Come on out, everyone!"

The group did not know that Team Rocket was watching them from behind the wind generators. "Let's see...what would be a good plan to take Hat-twerp's Pokemon?" Jessie mused.

"The only thing I want to think about is lunch..." James groaned. "It is past noon, after all..."

About then, all the Rockets' stomachs growled at the same time. "Okay...we can come up with a new plan over lunch." Jessie sighed, slightly annoyed as Meowth spread out a picnic blanket, secured it with some rocks, and then opened a picnic basket piled with food. "Although I will commend you for making a picnic lunch, Meowth..."

"Well, da last supply drop from da boss had plenty of food, and it a nice day, afta all, so I taught we could have a little picnic before our next heist!" Meowth smiled as he made himself a tuna salad sandwich.

---------

After they had had lunch, the Rockets discovered a strange building near the wind farm. "I wonder what's in there..." James mused as he approached the door and knocked. "Hello? Anybody home?"

When no answer came, James next decided to try pulling the door open, but no matter how hard he pulled, and shoved, the door didn't budge.

"Hey..." Meowth pointed out a card reader near the door. "I tink dis place requires a card key to get in..."

"NOW you tell me..." James sighed as he slumped to the floor, exhausted.

"But dat's nuttin a little lockpickin' wouldn't fix!" Meowth grinned as he scrambled on top of the card reader, extended a claw, and went to work attempting to pick the lock.

A SNAP got the Rockets' attention some moments later. "Of all da times ta break a nail..." Meowth grumbled before the door slowly opened with a whir. "But it was woith gettin da door open!"

"Let's go inside!" Jessie suggested as she led James and Meowth inside the complex, unaware that Jigglypuff was following them.

---------

Meanwhile, Lyra and Hana were enjoying a stroll across the field. [i]It's such a nice day... Lyra thought. Nothing like spending the day with your best friends...

[Lyra...] Hana speaking snapped Lyra from her thoughts. [Check out this abandoned complex near the wind farm!]

"Lead the way, Hana." Lyra replied as she followed the Chikorita over to the same complex the Rockets had found, complete with the door still open. "Hello, anyone there?" she called as she peeked inside the room.

[I wonder what's inside?] Hana wondered as she and Lyra walked inside the complex.

Lyra was about to answer Hana when she heard the door slam shut! After hurrying over and trying to pull open the door, she slumped to the floor in defeat. "It's no use...we're stuck in here..."

[Maybe not...] Hana replied, directing Lyra to a map of the complex on one wall. [We are all the way up here...] She pointed out her and Lyra's current location. [...and there's another way out on the bottom floor. So all we have to do is find our way to the bottom.]

"Sounds easy enough." Lyra smiled. "Lead the way, Hana."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-22-2017, 07:11 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 82b: Current Events (part 2)

Previously, on Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

Lyra was about to answer Hana when she heard the door slam shut! After hurrying over and trying to pull open the door, she slumped to the floor in defeat. "It's no use...we're stuck in here..."

[Maybe not...] Hana replied, directing Lyra to a map of the complex on one wall. [We are all the way up here...] She pointed out her and Lyra's current location. [...and there's another way out on the bottom floor. So all we have to do is find our way to the bottom.]

"Sounds easy enough." Lyra smiled. "Lead the way, Hana."

"I wonder what this place was when it was active..." Lyra mused as she and Hana walked down hallways filled with empty rooms.

[Power plant, maybe?] Hana suggested. [Or a transformer substation?]

She grinned. [Although I don't mean giant robots in this case when I say transformers.]

Lyra giggled at her Chikorita's quip as she rounded the corner, where she noticed a Magnemite had been following them. "Oh, are you lost?" she asked the tiny magnet Pokemon levitating before her as she consulted her Pokedex:

"Magnemite, the magnet Pokemon. The units at the sides of its body generate anti-gravity energy to keep it aloft in the air."

Lyra tensely back away as the Magnemite's eye narrowed. "I'm not gonna harm you, little guy...I'll just be on my w-AUGH!!!"

[Lyra!] Hana gasped as the Magnemite delivered a Thundershock, knocking Lyra to the floor.

"Ow..." Lyra groaned as she gingerly got up. "I'm okay...nothing's hurt or broken." she assured Hana as she dusted herself off.

She then called "Hana, try and knock it down with a Vine Whip!"

[HI-YAH!] Hana hurled a vine at the Magnemite, knocking it backwards. [We need to go, before it recovers!]

Lyra looked back behind her to find several more angry Magnemites flying into the room, presumably to avenge the one Hana had attacked. "Good idea, Hana--let's get out of here!"

With that, Hana and Lyra raced down the maze of hallways, with the Magnemites in hot pursuit. But she did not, however, expect Team Rocket to find them in a dead end! "Surprise!"

"What are you guys doing here?" Lyra demanded.

"I should ask the same for you, then we wouldn't have this trouble..." Jessie replied, before noting Jigglypuff running to meet them in the hallway. "How'd the little puffball find us?"

Lyra looked behind her as Team Rocket snatched away Jigglypuff's mic. "Wait a minute...there's an open air vent right here that's just the right size for a human to fit!"

[We can make a break for it while Team Rocket's distracted!] Hana suggested, leading Lyra into the vent as Jigglypuff slapped James, sending the mic flying.

Moments after Lyra and Hana disappeared into the vent, they heard the distinct Jigglypuff jiggly... of Jigglypuff singing...

---------

"Lyra!" Ethan called as the group scoured the field for any sign of Lyra or Hana.

"Lyra, where are you?" Ash called.

"She said she was going to take a walk with Hana, but it's been over two hours..." Misty sighed.

She noticed the abandoned complex in the distance. "Maybe she went inside that old power plant!" she suggested, motioning for the group to follow her to the complex entrance.

"Apparently SOMEONE has been here--the electric lock couldn't have shorted out by itself." Brock mused as he studied the wires sticking out of the tampered lock. "I'm just thankful they're not sparking..."

Ash sighed. "Is there an electronics expert in the house?"

---------

"Wow..." Lyra gasped as she emerged into another room, where four massive generators were arranged neatly in a square formation. "I wonder if those still work..."

She noticed a number of white and red ball Pokemon rolling to meet her and Hana, and quickly consulted her Pokedex:

"Electrode, the ball Pokemon. It stores electric energy under very high pressure. It often explodes with little or no provocation."

Sure enough, Lyra barely had time to put her Pokedex away before an Electrode exploded! [Hit the dirt!] Hana called as more explosions rocked the room, Lyra wincing with each explosion as she protected Hana with her body.

When the explosions quieted some time later, Lyra tensely asked Hana "Is it over?" as the smoke from the explosions cleared away.

Hana wriggled from under Lyra and smiled when she noticed Team Rocket still fighting with Jigglypuff over the mic. [I'd say it's safe to come out--thanks for protecting me.]

"Come on, then." Lyra dashed out of the room as Jigglypuff sang Jigglypuff jiggly... again, unaware that Team Rocket had escaped out of a second door.

---------

"I tink we lost the diva puffball..." Meowth wheezed as he led his human companions into another room. "So da next question is---where's da goil an' da Chikorita?"

A bluish-white glow in the room spurred James to fumble for a light switch. When he did turn the light on, both he and Jessie screamed in panic at the yellow and black cat-like Pokemon in the room.

"Hey, calm down--Electabuzzes won't hoit ya unless you hoit dem foist." Meowth assured his terrified human companions.

He then told the Electabuzz "Say...if ya see a goil--brown hair, wearin' in a red shoit, blue overalls, an' a large floofy white hat, let us know--she's been causin' us a lotta trouble!"

The Electabuzz purred as if to accept Meowth's proposal, and hurried out of the room. "Now we kin find da goil once an' for all!" Meowth smiled as he led his human comrades out of the room, making sure to follow the Electabuzz.

---------

"...Okay...if we plug the loose wires back into the slots, it should activate the card reader's manual override, and the door should open." an auburn haired woman smiled as she finished the repairs on the broken card reader some time later.

"Thanks!" Ash smiled as the door opened with a whir.

"Let's go inside and see if we can find your friend, okay?" the woman assured Ash as she led the way inside the complex.

"Hey, look! An elevator!" Brock called, leading the others by a large elevator near the entrance. "Maybe Lyra somehow wandered onto one of the lower floors!"

Ash hit the button, and the elevator doors opened with a ding. "It works!"

"Good thing we can all fit in here..." Misty smiled as she, the boys, and the woman climbed inside the elevator. Once the doors closed again, she noticed a map of the complex on one of the car's walls. "The next question is which floor Lyra could've wandered to..."

"There's another way outside on the third basement, so let's start there." Ethan suggested.

We're going down, going down, going underground... Brock sang to himself as he hit the button marked B3...

---------

"Gah!" Lyra gasped as she and Hana ran into the Electabuzz, who angrily growled as it ran to Tackle her.

However, she did not expect a cage from Team Rocket to fall on both Hana and the Eletabuzz! [HAH!] Hana cried as she unleashed a volley of Razor Leaves at the bars, but not even the leaves could cut them.

"Give Hana back, NOW!" Lyra demanded as Team Rocket arrived to claim the cage.

"You want your Chikorita back?" Jessie smirked. "You'll have to catch us first!"

"Come back here!" Lyra hurried as fast as she could after the Rockets, but her heart sank as Team Rocket dashed into the elevator. [i]Great...I have to wait for the next one....

A stairwell near the elevator gave her an idea. Of course, I could just take the stairs! A little exercise is always good![i]

With that, she hurried up the stairs, before a familiar whistle blast on the second floor got her attention. "Over here!" Misty called, waving to get Lyra's attention.

"Am I glad to see you guys!" Lyra hugged Misty and Ethan. "I'll explain what happened on the way up--Team Rocket swiped Hana and an Electabuzz!"

---------

Before long, the group had retraced their steps back outside, where they spotted Team Rocket making their way down a hill. "I'm gonna hold them off at the pass, if you will." Lyra explained as she hurried to a large tree in Team Rocket's path.

James, meanwhile noticed that Lyra had no Pokemon or weaponry on her. "Weezing, use Smog!"

"Arbok, use Ice Fang!" Jessie was next.

"Yipe!" Lyra jumped to avoid Arbok's glittering teeth, then coughed all the while as Weezing unleashed a Smokescreen attack. Then, Arbok wrapped himself around Lyra's feet, making her trip and fall!

In the cage, Hana watched in horror as Arbok tried again and again to bite Lyra, but Lyra fought him off every time. [i]How dare they beat up my mistress? Beating up girls is not nice!

[So the girl is your mistress?] the Electabuzz asked. [And not the troublemaker the Meowth said she was?]

[No...Lyra would never hurt anyone or cause trouble.] Hana replied.

She grimaced. [So I'm going to rescue her!]

Lyra, the group, and Team Rocket watched in awe as Hana glowed white, transforming into a larger dinosaur-like creature with a larger leaf on its head and a collar of leaves around its neck. "Hana...you evolved?" she gasped as Hana used Razor Leaf again, but with her newfound power, the bars broke right off, allowing both Pokémon to escape.

"Should I induce Mina?" Ash asked.

"Or should I induce Michelle?" Misty asked.

"Let's just watch for now--I think Hana's got this." Brock replied as the group watched Hana headbutt Arbok and Victreebel away, then throw them towards Team Rocket with a Vine Whip.

The woman recognized the Electabuzz. "Volta! I'm glad to see you're safe."

Volta purred.

The woman smiled. "All right...use Thunderbolt on those thugs!"

"[i]Adios, Team Rocket!" Brock taunted as Volta's attack sent Team Rocket flying off with a ping...

---------

"She's going to be all right." Nurse Joy reported as she finished examining Lyra. Volta's trainer had led them to the closest town so Lyra could have any injuries assessed. "She only managed to escape from her ordeal with a few bruises and scratches, which should go away on their own. If her Bayleef had not intervened to rescue her, her injuries would be a lot worse."

"Oh, so this form is called Bayleef..." Lyra smiled as Ash showed her his Pokedex:

"Bayleef, the leaf Pokemon. The scent that wafts from the leaves on its neck causes anyone who smells it to become energetic."

"At any rate, I'm proud of you for being so brave." Ash smiled at Lyra. "That, and I'm glad you're okay!"

"It was scary when Team Rocket's Arbok tried to attack me, and their Weezing's Smokescreen made it hard to see..." Lyra weakly smiled as she looked over at Hana. "But, I'm relieved and happy that Hana evolved to rescue me..."

She gasped as Hana attempted to jump onto her, but ended up sending her falling back onto the exam table, to everyone's delight. "I think you're a little big to climb on my lap now, Hana." Lyra giggled as Hana allowed her to get up.

"You know...Lyra's adventure would probably work very nicely as a song..." Brock mused as the group departed the Pokemon Center.

"Yeah--you could call it 'The Ballad of Brave Hana'." Ethan agreed.

"I'll give you all the details over dinner." Lyra smiled. "But you have to play it for us when it's done!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-26-2017, 10:16 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 83: Doin' What Comes Natu-rally!

"How much further until lunch?" Ash sighed. "I'm getting hungry..."

"We shouldn't be too far away from a town, so we should be getting lunch here momentarily." Brock assured Ash as the group rounded a bend in the road.

"I'm just happy that Hana became a Bayleef." Misty smiled, changing the subject. "You have to hand it to Lyra for being brave, though."

Ash was about to reply when he heard a female voice in the distance. After motioning for his friends to follow him, he crawled into the grass, where he spotted a brown haired girl talking talking with a small round green bird with tiny red and yellow wings. But as he got closer, the girl gasped, and told the small bird "Come on, Naughty."

Piqued, Ash read up on the bird Pokemon in the girl's arms:

"Natu, the tiny bird Pokemon. It usually forages for food on the ground but may, on rare occasions, hop onto branches to peck at shoots."

"Wonder why that girl called the Natu 'Naughty' when it didn't do anything wrong." Ash mused as he watched the girl run off.

"Maybe that's the Natu's name." Misty suggested as the group returned to the road.

"Not the name I would pick for a Natu, but okay." Ash mused.

---------

Festival tents, booths, and streamers met the group when they arrived in town. "A festival!!!" Ash gasped.

"That, and you have a shot for your blue Lore Stripe." Misty grinned at Brock as the group passed a signpost that said 'Lore Stage on Festival Stage @ 3 PM'.

"If you guys will wait a second, I'll go check in for that." Brock assured the others before locating the check in booth near the stage in question.

"I'm gonna go sample some of the tasty fried goodness!" Ash wasted no time in getting in line for a corn dog.

"Ooh, good idea!" Misty hurried over to a funnel cake stand.

Brock, meanwhile, smiled when he returned to find Ash savoring a fresh corn dog and Misty indulging in a chocolate drizzled funnel cake. "Couldn't wait for lunch, could you?"

"Corn dog?" Ash offered Brock a corn dog. "You get two for 500 credits, and the one I just finished really filled me up."

"Don't mind if I do." Brock smiled as he took the other corn dog and bit into it with a crunch.

As the group strolled down the streets of the festival, they took a moment to admire the rides and other attractions. A Machoke effortlessly snapped a chain on a stage nearby a roller coaster, while a crowd laughed at an Exeggutor making goofy faces. Misty smiled as a juggling Cubone delighted some children, while hundreds more people lined up to try their luck winning Pokemon dolls and other prizes on the midway.

"Before you is the humble Natu, a Psychic and Flying type Pokemon that can see the future." a man began, piquing the group's interest. "Offer a coin, and the Natu will tell you what is to come in your future!"

"Here you go!" a little girl called as she hurried to the booth and gave the Natu a silver coin with a moon design on it. The crowd watched as the Natu hopped to a pool of water and dipped its wings in it; then hopped across three rocks in a triangle; rang a bell hanging over a box, then its eyes glowed blue as it took a piece of paper in its beak and presented it to the man.

"Hm...the Natu sees that you will become a fine musician when you get older, and your songs will touch the hearts of millions." the man announced to some applause.

"Mama, you hear that? I'm gonna be an idol when I grow up!" the girl smiled as she showed her mother the fortune.

"Keep practicing the piano like you do every day, and you will!" the mother smiled.

In the brush overlooking the fortune telling booth, Kamon watched as a boy gave the Natu a coin. I was gonna find Wonder Boy and challenge him, but since this is a Pokémon exhibition, why not swipe the Pokémon?

---------

As Misty approached the fortunetelling booth some time later, she recognized the girl from before at the booth. "Um...b-before you..." she stammered.

"Is the humble Natu..." the man whispered.

"...is the humble Natu, a Psychic and Flying type Pokemon that..." the girl stammered before freezing in horror again.

"Can see the future..." the man reminded her again.

Finally, overcome with nervousness, the girl ran off, tears of embarrassment streaming down her face. "Hey, wait!" Misty called, the others not far behind her.

---------

The gang caught up to the girl some time later in a park. "There she is..." Ash mused, pointing her out staring at the ground from a bench.

The girl gasped as the group approached. "Hey, it's okay." Misty assured the girl. "We're not gonna hurt you."

Ash stepped forward to address the girl. "I'm Ash, and these are my companions Misty..." Misty waved hello. "...and Brock." Brock waved hello.

"My name's McKenzie, and this is Naughty." the girl replied as her Natu hopped on her lap. "I really wanted to participate in the Lore Stage and help my dad with his fortune telling act, but every time i get on a stage of any type, I get really nervous."

"Well, we all play music, and Brock plays music and tells stories professionally." Ash explained. "And we get nervous too. But we tell ourselves the audience wants us to do well, go out onstage, and play."

"Any suggestions to not be nervous?" McKenzie asked.

"I could tell you many different ways to ease nerves, but what works for me may not necessarily work for you." Brock cautioned. "Knowing and practicing your material helps the most, but some things that generally work for most people include relaxation techniques, eating a Nanab Berry before they go onstage, and listening to motivating music."

"Another thing we could try is using a mask to create a character to do the fortune telling act." Misty suggested. "If you focus on performing the script in character, you'll have less time to worry about the audience."

A smile formed on McKenzie's face. "What a great idea! I think I have a mask we could use..."

---------

"Before you is the humble Natu, a Psychic and Flying type Pokemon that can see the future." McKenzie--now wearing a Wooper mask--announced to the crowd later that afternoon.

"Where? I don't see a Natu..." a boy protested. McKenzie froze--Naughty was gone!

She turned around to look for Naughty, but when the crowd spotted Naughty clinging on McKenzie's back, they burst out laughing. "What's so funny?" McKenzie asked, oblivious to Naughty's antics.

Nearby, Ash facepalmed as McKenzie continued to fruitlessly look for Naughty, the crowd roaring with laughter all the while. "I think our next lesson should be the concept of 'the show must go on'..."

Just then, a flash bomb dropped on the ground with a loud pop and a bright flash, startling many in the crowd. With the crowd distracted, Kamon slunk from the brush and started taking as many Pokemon as he could carry. That pop should lure Wonder Boy here... he smirked as he hurried off with all the Pokemon... except for Tintri!

---------

"Is everyone okay?" Ash asked the crowd as the townsfolk frantically searched the festival grounds for their Pokemon.

"Brock's consoling McKenzie, I'm going back to my team of searchers." Misty reported before hurrying to rejoin a group searching by the midway.

Just then, one of the Machokes from before lumbered up to the crowds of searchers. [Hey--if you're wondering where the other Pokemon went, that red haired punk over there got them all!] he reported, pointing out Kamon dashing down the path with a massive net in tow.

Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Aina, use Karate Chop to cut the net!"

[HIII-YA!] Aina dashed up to the net and effortlessly cut the bag open, sending the captive Pokemon hurrying back to their owners.

"But what about Naughty?" McKenzie asked Ash, pointing out Naughty in Kamon's arms.

"This Natu's mine now, Wonder Boy!" Kamon taunted. "And there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"Oh yeah?" Ash shot back. "Tintri, use Thunderbolt!"

[HAAAAAAAHHHH!!!] Tintri fired a volley of Thunderbolts, forcing Kamon to drop Naughty as he went crashing to the ground.

"Nice work." Misty smiled as Kamon fled, allowing McKenzie to reunite with Naughty.

[All in a day's work!] Tintri grinned.

---------

"You know, I think I may be able to do the fortune-telling act and compete in the Lore Stage after all." McKenzie smiled as she, Naughty, and the group arrived at a school. "Without the mask."

"This was why we brought you here--so you could practice both the fortune telling act and your story for the Lore Stage." Misty explained as the group signed in and received guest passes. "The principal loved the idea, so she allowed us the use of the gym, since the auditorium is being cleaned at the moment."

Once the children had gathered in the gym, and McKenzie was set up, she started the spiel with the trio looking on. "Before you is the humble Natu, a Psychic and Flying type Pokemon that can see the future."

The kids cheered as she made a grand gesture to Naughty. "Offer a coin, and the Natu will tell you what is to come in your future!"

"Will I be a pro athlete?" a boy asked as he offered Naughty a coin.

The group smiled as Naughty accepted the coin, hopped to a pool of water and dipped his wings in it; then hopped across three rocks in a triangle; rang a bell hanging over a box, then his eyes glowed blue as he took a piece of paper in his beak and presented it to the boy.

"The Natu sees that you will indeed become a pro athlete, and will make history in your chosen sport!" McKenzie smiled.

She got up from the fortunetelling table and started her planned tale for the Lore Stage. "Once a Combusken was scratching for food when he accidentally swallowed a bean. Try as he might, he just couldn't swallow the bean. So he laid down on the ground, in hopes the new position would help the bean along..."

---------

"...On the third day the queen came to Todd disguised as a huntress, saying she wanted a Buneary to serve a guest for dinner." Brock continued the tale he was weaving some time later. "Todd agreed--if the huntress would tiptoe in a circle while looking up at the sky and clucking like a Combusken."

Even McKenzie laughed as she pictured the ridiculous scene in her mind. "The queen was unsure, and knew people would think she'd gone nuts, but did what Todd asked of her anyway." Brock went on. "But at the end of the day, when he used the whistle to call back the Bunearies..."

Ash played the Zelda whistle theme again for effect, to giggles from the children in the crowd. "...even the one Todd gave away came hopping back." Brock smiled before he concluded "When the king heard of how clever Todd was, and how Princess Andrea seemed to like him, he concluded Todd was the best choice, and the two of them were soon married. When it came time for Todd to ascend the throne, he ruled with the same wisdom and cunning as he did when he herded the Bunearies."

Applause rang across the carnival grounds as Brock and Ash both took a bow, but when the scores of the participants appeared as bars on the scoreboard, McKenzie's bar narrowly edged Brock's to reach the top, signaling she had won the Lore Stripe! "I can't believe it...McKenzie managed to beat you?" Misty was surprised as the judges pinned an orange stripe to McKenzie's shirt.

"She truly earned it after all that happened today." Brock smiled. "I respect the judges' decision."

He quickly found McKenzie in the crowd with her parents some moments later. "Oh!" McKenzie gasped. "I just wanted to thank you guys for being so nice, and showing me how to be confident."

"Well, I came to offer my heartiest congratulations to you and Naughty, even though I lost." Brock replied. "You more than earned that Lore Stripe."

"Thank you..." McKenzie ran and hugged Brock. "Will you guys come back and perform for the carnival next year?"

"We'll try, okay?" Brock smiled as the new friends shared their embrace against the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

07-29-2017, 10:29 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 84: The Big Balloon Blowup!

"That carnival was so much fun!" Misty smiled as the group walked through an open field some days later.

"I had fun too, and even though I didn't get my blue Lore Stripe, I also hope that McKenzie completes her rainbow." Brock replied before noticing a pattern in the grass that looked like a circle with an X in the middle of it. "What in Arceus' name IS that?"

"Maybe it's crop circle!" Ash suggested, scenes of sci fi movies and aliens dancing in his head.

Just then, a ball with a feathery bird-like tail dropped at Misty's feet. "Huh?" she wondered as she looked up into the afternoon sky.

As Ash shielded his eyes from the sun, he spotted a balloon in the distance, shaped like and guided by a Fearow. "Look! Out there!"

As the balloon gracefully landed in the target zone, an auburn haired boy climbed from the basket as his chase crew met him and a Fearow. "Oh, hi! Didn't know I was going to have spectators when we touched down."

"We saw the target area and wondered what it was." Misty explained to the boy.

"I see..." the boy smiled. "The name's Skyler--me and my crew are getting ready for a big balloon race in a few days, so I thought I'd take a test flight so my crew can learn the course route. This way, if something happens, they can reach me quickly."

"Coo!" Ash smiled before introducing himself and his companions. "I'm Ash, and my companions Misty..." Misty waved hello. "...and Brock." Brock waved hello.

"Nice to meet you guys." Skyler smiled. "Would you guys like to see our team base?"

"Sure!" Ash replied.

---------

"Here is the design room, where all the balloons are made." Skyler explained as the group arrived in a large and spacious workshop, when a man with darker brown hair and similar features to Skyler was in the process of sewing a sheet of orange fabric. "My dad's built a number of well known balloons, including all the ones we fly. If you remember the Kitsune balloon celebrating Worlds of Wonder's 50th anniversary, Dad built that."

About then, the man looked up from his work. "Oh, Skyler, you're back! How are the conditions out there?" he asked as he folded up the fabric and set it aside.

"Just perfect--I actually had a few visitors waiting when we touched down, so I'm giving them a tour of the base." Skyler explained, gesturing to the group.

"Hi, I'm Ash." Ash told the man. "I'm on a journey around the region to compete in the Johto League."

He gestured to Misty and Brock. "These are my companions Misty, our Water Pokemon expert and Pokethlete..."

"Hi!" Misty smiled.

"...and Brock, our navigator, storyteller, and balladeer." Ash continued.

"Nice to meet you." Brock replied.

"Nice to meet you three." the man smiled as he and Brock shook hands. "Name's Tenma--always have had a love for building and flying hot air balloons."

He gestured to the workshop walls, which were covered in balloon pictures and newspaper clippings. While the majority of the pictures featured Pokemon balloons, Ash noticed a few generic rainbow designs, and few shaped like characters and icons from other franchises. "As Skyler probably told you, I've built a few famous and iconic balloons, including the lady Kitsune for Worlds of Wonder..." He pointed out a picture on a wall of a Delphox shaped balloon. "...and a pair of Mario and Luigi balloons plus a Star balloon to celebrate the 30th anniversary of 'Super Mario Bros.'" He gestured to a picture showing a red balloon with the familiar "M" emblem and a dark green balloon with the familiar "L" emblem. "The Star balloon could glow in the dark--if you spotted it flying, and took a picture, you could mail the picture in and receive a copy of 'Super Mario Maker'." He gestured to a picture of him and Skyler riding in the Star balloon.

"I've always wanted to go on a balloon ride!" Misty was excited.

Then an idea occurred to Tenma. "Come to think of it, there's still time to enter in the big race, so if any of you have a flying type to guide the balloon, you guys can ride it!"

"REALLY???" Ash gasped as Tenma led the group into a storage room, where a Pikachu balloon was waiting...

---------

"Okay..." Skyler began as the Pikachu balloon floated over the field overlooking the team base. "I'm basically giving you a flyover of the course." he explained. "Since you guys don't have a license to fly on your own, I'll have one of our team pilots do the heavy lifting of piloting, while you guide your Flying type from the gondola."

"Works for me!" Ash smiled.

A guitar playing the introduction to a song he recognized got his attention. Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon? Brock sang as he played.
Would you like to glide in my beautiful balloon?
We could float among the stars together, you and I...

---------

"Interesting...a garage of some kind..." James mused as Team Rocket made their way through the brush.

"Some garage--there's no cars anywhere..." Jessie mused.

"Dis isn't da kind of garage for cars--it's for hot air balloons, like what we ride in." Meowth explained as he shoved the packet advertising the race into his human companions' faces. "Says here dat da winner of da race gets a powerful burner!"

"Are you sure?" James asked. "We've only flown for fun..."

"Cummon! We won't know how good of racers we are till we try!" Meowth grinned.

Jessie smirked it this. "All right, if you really believe we can win the race, Meowth--we'll give it a try."

---------

A few days later, huge crowds gathered around the field to watch hundreds of teams, their guide Pokemon, and the chase crews take off, the group and Team Rocket among them. "Everything's ready!" the group's pilot called as he finished the pre-flight checks.

Once he, Misty, and Brock were comfortable in the gondola, Ash heaved a Poke Ball into the sky. "Mina! Guide us on our little adventure!"

[We're taking the same course we've practiced on, right?] Mina asked. [Then I should be able to find the way.]

As the group's balloon and Skyler's Fearow balloon lifted off, Ash kept hearing sputtering fans and hissing burners. I KNEW Team Rocket would enter just to cheat... he silently grumbled as the crews on the ground hurried to resuscitate the helpless balloons.

"You guys! When ya said you'd give racin' a try, I EXPECTED you to play fair ta some degree!" Meowth snapped. "We may be crooks, but even a crook has ta have standards too!"

"Weezing, choke up the competition with Smog." James smiled, grinning gleefully as many of the pilots coughed and sputtered as they rushed to clear the smog, allowing Team Rocket to drift ahead of the field.

"Are ya tryin' to tip off da judges dat you're cheatin'?" Meowth gasped. "If ya are gonna cheat, you coulda been a bit more incognito about it."

Jessie just shrugged, bemused in Meowth ranting. "Arbok, pop the other balloons with Pin Missiles."

Meowth gasped as a team of chaser Pidgeots arrived to rescue a falling pilot. "Now you're tryin' ta KILL people? I'm not gonna sit back and watch if ya do dat!"

He brought out his claws. "Seems ta me ya need ta be taught a little lesson!"

---------

"There...Meowth won't bother us for a while." Jessie reported as she finished binding Meowth in a rope, wincing from the scratches on her arms all the while.

"That takes care of one problem, but what about the weather?" James asked, pointing out some approaching storm clouds in the distance.

"Silly, you were the one that put the jet engine on the balloon last night!" Jessie reminded her partner.

"Oh yes, that..." James smirked as he pressed a button on the burner, transforming it into a jet engine and allowing the Rockets to easily power past the rest of the field as rain started falling, making it harder for the balloons to fly.

"What?" Misty gasped as the Rockets blew past them and Skyler. "That's cheating!"

"Keep an eye on the burner!" Skyler cautioned as he and his Fearow caught up to the balloon. "If that goes out, you're in trouble!"

A pop and some sparking noises made Brock wince. "Speak of Darkrai...."

Ash heaved a Poke Ball as the Pikachu balloon careened towards a cliff. "Cyndy, help keep us aloft!"

"And fast!" Misty braced herself for the inevitable as the cliff inched closer and closer. Cyndy's Flamethrower attack was beginning to help the balloon rise, but she wondered if Cyndy could get the balloon heated in time.

"Pull up, Mina!" Ash called as Cyndy unleashed another Flamethrower.

Much to everyone's relief, the balloon pulled up and effortlessly floated above the clouds. "That was close..." Brock smiled.

"Humidity caused the burner to short..." the pilot reported. "Luckily, that's an easy fix."

---------

"How are the twerps still following us?" Jessie gasped when she saw the group and Skyler catching up to them.

"You forget I built a self defense mechanism into the jet engine." James assured Jessie as he pressed a button, transforming the engine into a missile launcher.

Brock growled as some missiles went flying at them with hisses and whistles. "Now they're really scraping the bottom of the barrel.."

[AUGH!!!] Cyndy screamed as the impact of a missile knocked her back.

"I gotcha!" Ash leaped to catch Cyndy in his arms. However, he did not expect another missile to explode nearby, knocking him backwards and slamming his shoulder into the gondola.

[Ash!] Cyndy gasped. [You okay?] she asked as she hopped back up to the burner.

Brock examined Ash's shoulder. "Thankfully, nothing feels broken, just a little bit of burn and some bruises." he assured Ash. "But we'll get it examined when we touch down."

Tintri, meanwhile, screeched at the Rockets [Are you punks lookin' for a fight? I'm more than ready to defend my master, so come at me!]

"They're getting away!" Misty reported the Meowth balloon speeding away, thanks to the jet engine.

Wincing from his injured shoulder, Ash angrily sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... as he stood up, holding his right hand skyward as his Mega Ring glowed, surrounding Mina in a burst of flames and red light.

When Mina emerged from the cocoon of light some moments later, she had a majestic yellow and orange crest on her head, blue tips on her wings, and flowing tail feathers. [Ready for action!] she cried.

"Okay, now help Tintri get to Team Rocket!" Ash called.

[Hang on tight, Tintri...we may be in for a wild ride.] Mina cautioned as Tintri climbed on her back, aware that James was preparing to fire again.

Skyler panicked as another volley of missiles went flying, forcing the Mega Pidgeot to weave around them. "Kenya, distract those thugs with Drill Peck!" he commanded as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward, revealing his Fearow.

[Now's our chance!] Mina cried as she circled in close to the Meowth balloon, where Kenya was mercilessly battering the Rockets with a flurry of pecks.

[HAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!!] Tintri leaped from Mina's back and fired a Thunderbolt at Team Rocket, destroying the balloon and sending them flying into the distance with a ping.

---------

As two feathery balls fluttered towards the target, Ash and Skyler touched down to discover they ha both gotten a bull-eye, making them both the winners of the race. "So now what do we do? There's only one balloon burner as a prize..." Skyler mused as their chase crews arrived.

"You should take the prize, since we'd very much prefer to walk." Ash smiled as Kenya landed on Skyler's shoulder. "But I'd gladly go flying with you again any time!"

"I'll tell Dad to have the Pikachu balloon ready for you if you ever want to go flying with us." Skyler replied as the new friends shared one last embrace...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-03-2017, 12:19 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 85: The Screen Actor's Guilt

"The good news is, your shoulder wasn't too badly injured during our run-in with Team Rocket during the balloon race." Brock assured Ash as the group departed a clinic a few days later.

"That's a relief--you did smack it pretty hard on the gondola side, so I was worried you broke something." Misty was equally relieved Ash was none the worse for wear.

She was about to say more when a throng of screaming teen girls ran down the street. "What's going on?" Brock wondered.

"Maybe an idol or a band's in town!" Misty suggested as she led the way down the sidewalk, making sure to keep the girls in view. "Hope you guys packed your autograph books!"

"What idol or band do you hope it is?" Brock asked.

Just then, a red haired man in black met the group and handed Ash an odd yellow ball. "Would you be so kind to hold onto this?"

"Okay?" Ash replied as he accepted the ball, a little confused.

"I'll be back for it later, okay?" the man assured Ash as he dashed off, leaving his hat behind.

Piqued, Ash unwrapped the yellow ball to find a small purple humanoid Pokemon with pale blonde hair dozing inside. He took a moment to read up on the tiny Pokemon as it woke up and kissed him on the cheek:

"Smoochum, the kiss Pokemon. Its lips are the most sensitive parts on its body. It always uses its lips first to examine things.

"That explains why it kissed me..." Ash mused as the Smoochum kissed Misty, then climbed from the bundle to retrieve the dropped hat.

Brock was surprised when the Smoochum plopped the black fedora on his head. "I'm glad you think I look nice in this, but this isn't my hat, sweetie." he assured the Smoochum.

The screaming horde of girls suddenly rounded the corner and crowded around Brock. "Wow! I didn't know Brad could play guitar too!" a girl called, noting Brock's guitar case.

"Sing us a song!" another girl pleaded.

"Okay, one at a time!" Brock demanded as he looked for a suitable place to perform. "Give me a second to tune, and then I'll take your requests."

He froze when a third girl called "Hey wait a second, that's not Brad at all!"

"But, I was all prepared to sing..." Brock sighed as the girls disappeared down various sidewalks.

"You'll get your chance to play, don't worry!" Misty assured Brock before a TV on display in an electronics store flashed an image and the name of the man from before. "Hey...that's the young star of the TV show 'Midnight Snow', Brad Hughes!"

Just then, a sleek black limo appeared by the curb, prompting the Smoochum to babble happily as a man Ash presumed to be Brad's manager requested for him to climb inside the elegant vehicle. "That has to be Brad's limo--let's follow it so we can reunite Brad with his Smoochum." Ash suggested as he motioned for the others to follow him...

---------

When the group arrived at a TV studio some time later, they found the main entrance blocked off by screaming girls. "No dice going in the front door...so there must be a back door or stage door we can use." Brock mused as the group looked for a way inside.

Inside the studio, Brad was nearly in tears. "But I can't go on the show without my beautiful Bianca..." he pleaded.

"But Smoochum's too girly for a star that mainly appears in adventure shows." Brad's manager explained. "Why not pick a Lucario, or a Braxien if you must choose something feminine? That way you could broaden your appeal to both boys and girls."

"No...I only became a star because Bianca believed in me, and gave me the confidence I needed to get to where I am today." Brad explained.

"All right...let's search the studio for Bianca, then." the manager assured Brad as the two of them departed to the first floor.

---------

"Good thing we didn't go through with the tree idea." Misty mused as the group made their way into the studio. "Besides, that tree branch didn't look close enough to reach the window..."

Just then, Brad emerged from a stairwell and smiled when he found Bianca in Ash's arms. "Oh, thank you for looking after Bianca for me." he smiled. "Can I trust you three to look after her in the green room while my segment of 'Sunshine Golden Day' is being filmed?"

"Okay." Ash replied as they followed Brad to a green room near a particular studio, unaware that Team Rocket had followed them inside while disguised as security guards.

Just then, Brad's manager and a producer arrived in the green room. "Oh, are you three guests too?" Brad's manager asked.

"We just had the guest before Brad back out, and so we need someone to fill that time." the producer explained before noticing the four stripes on Brock's vest. "You must be a storyteller--would you and your friends like to perform on the show?"

"I would be honored, but we haven't really prepared anything..." Brock confessed.

"That's okay--just pick a few of the tunes and stories your audiences ask for again and again." the producer assured Brock. "You have about ten minutes before the fill-in segment starts, so take your time picking some songs and stories!"

---------

Applause filled the 'Sunshine Golden Day' set as Ash, Misty, and Brock arrived on the stage. "Thank you!" Brock called as he acknowledged the hosts.

After finding the notes he needed to start on, Brock started playing the jig "The Hearthome Pilgrim" while Ash and Misty danced to the guitar and the show's house band. While Misty was clearly the more experienced dancer of the two, she also made sure Ash knew when to lead and when to follow as the band and Brock transitioned into a second jig. An autoharp filled in the highs around Brock's guitar, a fiddle, a mandolin, a Pokeflute, and a whistle, creating a melody that resonated through the room, prompting many in the crowd to clap along.

The crowd applauded the end of the second tune, then Brock started the first story that came to mind. "In a certain country there lived a great king, who had an only son--we'll call him Alex--who had long desired to be known as a great hero. When he had come of age, Prince Alex began to think about marrying, and he asked his father where the most beautiful princess in the world lived."

Excited murmurs went up at this. "So the king took Prince Alex to the royal gallery, and showed him hundreds of portraits of ladies and princesses from all over the world." Brock went on as he played a majestic melody. "After looking them all over very carefully, Alex came to the portrait of Mina, the daughter of a powerful king of the desert, and knew in his heart that she was the one for him."

"Aw"s go up at this. "So he asked his father’s blessing, and permission to travel to the court of the desert king, to ask for Princess Mina's hand...."

---------

"Here, Bianca..." Jessie cooed to the Smoochum backstage. "Come to mama..."

[No! You're not my mama!] Bianca retorted, aware of the cage Jessie held.

Just then, Meowth managed to open the curtains, revealing him and his human companions to the group and the audience, who gasped in horror as Bianca cried [Help meeeeeee! This lady's not my mama!!!!]

"I'm coming, Bianca!" Brad called as he dashed onstage in an attempt to save Bianca.

"Weezing, Tackle the man in black!" James commanded, but balked as Brad rolled out of the way.

"Arbok, use Poison Sting!" Jessie called, but gasped as Brad evaded Arbok's poisonous tall. In all the confusion, Weezing slammed into Jessie, making her drop Bianca.

Brad made a desperate jump, and caught Bianca in his arms to the roar of the crowd. "There now...Daddy's here." he assured the tiny Pokemon as the group unleashed their Pokemon to battle Team Rocket.

"Luce, shock Arbok with a Shockwave!" Ash commanded.

[HAH!!!!] Luce cried as she unleashed a huge thunderbolt, making Arbok faint. Angered by his companion's defeat, Weezing unleashed a massive Smokescreen, clouding the group's vision and making the audience cough and sneeze as they rushed to clear away the smoke.

"Mina, clear the air!" Ash commanded, smiling as his Pidgeot cleared away the smoke with a huge Gust.

"Bianca, give these hoodlums a Sweet Kiss." Brad smiled, setting Bianca on the ground.

Ash noticed an open window as Bianca dazed Team Rocket with her kiss. "Okay, bud--aim to send Team Rocket out that window."

[You got it!] Tintri smiled, unleashing a massive Thunderbolt that sent Team Rocket blasting off once again.

The crowd applauded what they thought was a sketch, but then Brad addressed the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen, what you just saw was not an act. Those hoodlums really did want to take my dear Bianca, and with the help of these brave storytellers, we managed to defeat them!"

The crowd erupted into more screams and cheers as the group took a bow, as well as enthusiastic chants of "We love Brad! We love Brad! We love Brad!" when Brad and Bianca bowed themselves...

---------

"Well! Seems Brad is starring in the new adventure drama 'The Warmth of a Frozen Kiss' with Bianca." Brock smiled as the group passed the same electronics store a few days later, where the opening sequence of the show was playing on a TV.

"I know--the show became a hit overnight, and now, all the girls have Smoochums." Misty smiled as she watched more of the opening scene depicting Brad as a paladin.

"I'll never forget going on 'Sunshine Golden Day'." Ash grinned. "Even if Team Rocket tried to ruin the episode!"

"Well, the producer said we were always welcome back if we wanted to perform again." Brock assured Ash as the three friends departed down the road and into the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-05-2017, 08:23 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 86: The Joy of Water Pokemon!

"Brad was so nice..." Misty smiled. "I wish him and Bianca all the best..."

"Me too..." Brock smiled. "I'm hoping I can share my stories with you guys on more variety shows, as well--minus Team Rocket, of course."

"Yeah, let's not have any more visits from Team Rocket the next variety show we go on!" Ash grinned.

Just as the group rounded a bend in the road, Ash noticed a Pokémon Center across a fairly large river. "Wow...that Pokemon Center looks HUGE!" he gasped as the group located a bridge leading to the large Pokemon Center.

"Considering its location, its specialty is probably caring for Water-type Pokémon." Misty smiled as she admired the sunshine sparkling across the water, illuminating the many Magikarp swimming below the surface.

Just then, Tintri noticed a ripple in the water. [Huh?]

"What is it, Tintri?" Ash asked, piqued in Tintri's interest.

As the group watched from the bridge, a person in a deep blue scuba suit with a familiar cross sign on the helmet holding a Goldeen with faint white spots on its body emerged from the water. After the person removed her respirator, she called "Okay, bring over the quarantine tank!"

[Right!] Two Chansies and a gaggle of Happinis hurried to their master's side with a fish tank as their master stepped onto dry land.

"Given the cross on the helmet, Nurse Joy is the one inside the suit." Ash mused. "Didn't know Nurse Joy had scuba certification..."

Brock proudly showed Ash his trainer card, which had a familiar red square with a white left diagonal stripe. "If you do have certification, you can get an emblem for your trainer card, whether you dive for work or play."

"I have one on my card too--the Gym's pool was often used for training classes." Misty grinned, showing Ash the emblem on her own card. "If you want to take lessons, expect to pony up 1500 to 3000 credits."

Just then, the group watched as Nurse Joy approached them on the bridge, removing the helmet of her suit as her team of Chansies and Happinis rushed the sick Goldeen inside the Pokemon Center.

This got Brock excited, prompting Misty and Ash to sigh as he retrieved his guitar and tuning up. "Not the 'Brian and Epona' ballad again... Misty groaned.

"Actually, this is a new song, written about vacations we took to the beach when I was little." Brock explained before beginning a brisk introduction:

When I was five...
We'd get up at four,
And drive on down to Cerulean's shore
Summer holidays had come at last...
They came real slow and went by fast!
Just one week, that's all we had,
Then back to work went mom and dad...
Happy to be,
Swimmin' in the sea...

Nurse Joy stifled a giggle at the singing guitarist before her. "Is it true you specialize in Water Pokemon?" Misty asked as she and Ash followed her inside, leaving Brock to serenade the Magikarps and Goldeens in the lake.

"Yes--we mainly look after the native Pokemon inside the lake, but people come from all over the world to us if their Water types need specialized care." Nurse Joy smiled. "But that's not to say we don't care for them exclusively--no matter what type your Pokemon is, they'll get some top notch care while they're here."

She petted Tintri for a moment. "Your Pikachu looks so happy...what's your secret?" she asked Ash.

"There is no secret--just a lot of love, and mutual trust." Ash confessed as Brock returned to the group, still playing his magnum opus.

---------

After a while, Brock was resting near a bookshelf, watching other people come and go. He had made a decent amount of tips playing for the people in line, but his guitar and his fingers needed a break from performing.

One of the books on the shelf got his attention. "'Paradise in a Wasteland'...sounds interesting'"

He took the book from the shelf and flipped through the pages, stopping on a page with a picture of the lake. "Oh, I see you found the book my grandmother wrote..." Nurse Joy smiled as she came by to check on Brock. "Grandma would tell me this story often when I was little...this place used to be a wasteland, uninhabitable by anybody; and that she worked tirelessly to find out the cause. It turned out a chemical company was illegally dumping waste into the lake, and she led the charge to toughen the laws on illegal waste dumping."

"That's fascinating..." Brock smiled "Would you kindly autograph the title page?" he asked, offering her the book.

"That's okay...Grandma never liked writing in her books." Nurse Joy replied as she put the book back on the shelf. "Even if we made a note in pencil on the pages, she would scold us for writing in them."

"Then this must be the sequel..." Brock smiled as he got another book from the shelf.

"You could call it a sequel--my mother wrote that one." Nurse Joy explained. "She continued what Grandma started, and finally finished cleaning up the area by moving the Grimer and Muk that poisoned the area due to the waste dumping elsewhere."

She turned business-like again as Ash and Misty met Brock in the lounge. "But we can continue our conversation later...we have business to take care of."

"Business?" Ash swallowed hard as he imagined all kinds of terrifying alter egos for Nurse Joy in his mind to go with other interpretations of "business". Is she a mobster? A femme fatale from a detective movie? A killer android...or something?

He heaved a relieved sigh when Nurse Joy arrived in a blue Pokethlon jersey identical to Misty's, except for the number 2 on the back of the shirt and on the shorts. "We're hosting a Stamina-type Pokethlon on the lake today, and I plan to make my family proud!"

"No way! Nurse Joy, in a Pokethlon?" Misty gasped as more and more Pokethletes arrived to check in.

"Look at it this way...it's definitely a different side of Nurse Joy, but other than that, she's no different from any other competitor." Ash assured Misty.

"You're right..." Misty mused before addressing Nurse Joy again. "Bring it on! I'll be more than a match for you!"

"Good luck, Misty!" Brock called as Misty dashed to the women's dressing rooms to change. "Even though she is Nurse Joy, don't let your guard down!"

---------

"Okay, first up is the Ring Drop--you remember what happened the last time?" Brock asked as they found a seat in the stands overlooking the lake, where a large floating arena had been set up.

"Thankfully, there are no Hitmontops here this time." Ash mused. "We have Misty and Michelle in the top left, Nurse Joy and a Blissey in the top right, a Quagsire, and an Ursaring..."

In the arena, Misty briefed Michelle on the impending competition. "Instead of raw power and speed like last time, you only have to deal with raw power. "Blissey can be a literal tank, but you have an advantage she doesn't, speed."

[Consider this redemption for last time, when you never got a chance thanks to that Hitmontop.] Michelle smiled.

The whistle blew some moments later, and all four competitors ran to clash with each other. Nurse Joy's Blissey Kalila rammed the Ursaring into the water immediately with her immense strength, but Michelle struggled against the Quagsire, each Pokemon getting pushed back before charging again.

"Come on!" Brock called from the stands, whistling in support as Michelle finally knocked the Quagsire into the water with 25 seconds to go.

[Misty! Misty! Misty!] Tintri led the cheers of the other Pokemon with his fans as Michelle and Kalila desperately tried to knock each other off.

Everyone watched in awe as Michelle made one last desperate charge as the final seconds ticked away, knocking Kalila into the water with one second left on the clock! "She did it!" Ash cried, tossing his cap into the air in celebration, to the cheers of the Pokemon.

---------

"You're sure you want to do the other events even after that epic Ring Drop performance?" Misty asked as the crowds and the other competitors made their way to a course drawn out in the sand for the Relay Run. "I mean, if you're tired, I have Pearl and Spritz on standby."

[Relax--I have enough in me for a stroll on the beach.] Michelle assured Misty. [This is why we train, so we don't tire out after one event.]

She smiled.

"That's true..." Misty smiled as Michelle bent down for her to climb aboard.

Once all the competitors were at the start, the starting gun echoed into the air, spurring all four competitors to jockey for position through the sand and bushes around a small pool near the lake. Nurse Joy had jumped to an early lead, but Misty was not far behind as the clock ticked away, the scoreboard also recording each runner's completed laps.

"They're neck and neck!" Ash noted as Misty and Nurse Joy crossed the line to begin what was likely their last lap.

"It's gonna be close..." Brock mused as Nurse Joy and Misty rounded the last corner towards the finish line. "It's gonna be close..."

A camera flash got Ash's attention. [So close they needed to take a picture...] Tintri mused as officials reviewed the picture of the finish, to the murmurs of the crowd.

Minutes seemed to pass like hours as the crowd awaited the results. But after thirty agonizing minutes had passed, cheers went up as a 2 appeared in the first place result on the scoreboard, followed by a 7. "Wow...Misty lost by a mere two thousandth of a second..." Ash was impressed.

"You saw it before, both of them were determined to win." Brock reminded Ash as the crowds went inside for the final event.

---------

The crowd watched as the Block Smash got underway with the Ursaring breaking seven bricks. "Since Mega Evolution is allowed in the rules, I'm gonna induce you in hopes you'll get a fair chance against the competition." Misty explained.

[Go ahead--so long as I get a fair chance instead of an unfair advantage.] Michelle replied.

Misty nodded. Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...

Michelle emerged from the blue light and waves in her Mega form some seconds later. [Let's do this.] she purred as she watched Kalila break eight of the ten bricks.

"Number 7! Please approach the line!" the referee called.

"Michelle, use Brick Break!" Misty commanded.

"You can do it!" Ash called from the stands in encouragement.

Michelle nodded, then slammed the first brick with a wave of water that also shattered the other bricks! "All ten bricks were broken!" the referee announced to the roaring crowd. "Number 7 gets an automatic win, and the overall gold!"

---------

"Well done, Misty...you've truly earned that gold medal." Nurse Joy smiled as the crowds departed the medal ceremony later that evening. "I have to ask you...how did you get so strong?"

"Oh, it's not raw power that allowed us to win, but having friends that believe in me, and my belief in my Pokemon." Misty replied as Ash ran to embrace her.

Nurse Joy smiled as the group celebrated Misty's win. "I very clearly have a lot to learn--if we meet again in the Grand Pokehlon, it will be a rematch for the ages."

"And even if we're not meant to meet again in the Grand Pokethlon, it was still a fun experience competing." Misty smiled. "I would've enjoyed myself even if I had lost."

With that, she started down the path leading back to the main road. "We'll come see you again soon!"

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-10-2017, 12:20 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 87: Fight For the Light

The sun shone down on the sparkling waters of the Olivine City Harbor, illuminating the excited boy and his Pikachu making a beeline for the futuristic steel building that stood on a hill overlooking the harbor. "This is it, Tintri--all we have to do is just breeze though this battle, and we have our fifth badge."

Tintri cautioned when he saw a sign near the path leading to the Gym. [The sign says the Gym Leader is "the steel-clad defense girl"...]

"Well, Steel types don't like fire, and I have Cyndy, so this should be easy as pie." Ash assured Tintri before going inside the massive building. "Hello, anyone accepting challenges right now?" he asked as he and Tintri walked through the elegant rock garden that served as the foyer, which in turn opened into a large and specious arena ringed by glittering rocks, complete with the gold and silver colored Poke Ball in the center of the room.

[Did we just walk in a gem mine?] Tintri asked as Ash approached the Silver side of the arena.

A door opening got his attention. [Someone's here!] he called as a girl with light brown hair and wearing a mint green shirt and white skirt arrived in the room.

"Oh, are you here for a Gym challenge?" the girl asked. "My name's Jasmine."

"Are you the Gym Leader?" Ash asked. "If you are, I have journeyed from afar to challenge you!"

A weak smile formed on Jasmine's face. "As much as I want to accept your challenge, I have some other things to do right now, okay?"

"Okay..." Ash slumped to the floor, dejected.

---------

"So, now what?" Misty mused as the group reunited back in a park some moments later.

"Did Jasmine say what it was she needed to do?" Brock was equally curious about what had happened in the Gym.

"If you're worried about Jasmine, travelers, she's worried about the Ampharos that creates the light for the lighthouse." a man explained as he walked by. "She's always had a big heart, but I'm sure she could use the help."

Inspired, Ash got up from the bench. "Let's go give Jasmine a hand--maybe it will inspire her to battle again!"

"Good call." Brock agreed before the group made their way to the majestic lighthouse overlooking the harbor...

---------

When the group arrived at the top of the lighthouse some time later, they saw Jasmine and an older man with similar features to her tending to a large yellow sheep-like Pokemon with a long tail, who let out a weak bleat as Jasmine comforted it. "It's okay, Amphy...I'm here."

She looked up to find the group watching. "Oh, you were worried about me?" she smiled. "I could always use a hand. Having Grandpa here to help take care of Amphy helps a little."

"I didn't get a chance to introduce myself before...I'm Ash, and these are my companions Misty and Brock." Ash replied, making a grand gesture to Misty and Brock as they waved hello.

"This must be Amphy..." Misty mused as she studied the large sheep Pokemon.

"Ampharos, the light Pokemon. The bright light on its tail can be seen far away. It has been treasured since ancient times as a beacon. Ash's Pokedex explained as Jasmine covered the large Pokemon with a blanket.

"Amphy is the source of light for the lighthouse because her tail creates quite a glow." Jasmine's grandfather explained. "The Olivine Lighthouse used to be the main lighthouse, but another lighthouse took over some years back."

"Is there any medicine we can give this Ampharos?" Brock asked as the Ampharos gave another weak bleat, prompting Luce to emerge in the room with a pop.

"We ordered some medicine from someone in Cianwood City, but neither Grandpa or nor me has any time to get it." Jasmine explained. "We can't leave Amphy alone, as there is the very real risk she could die."

"We'll go get the medicine, if you'd like." Ash offered. "This way, you can do your best to help Amphy."

[I'm going to help too!] Luce declared before glowing white.

"I don't believe it, Luce evolved to help Amphy?" Misty gasped as Luce transformed into an Ampharos.

"Not just that, but look again at the Pokedex entry." Brock pointed out a "MORE..." icon on Ash's Pokedex screen.

Piqued, Ash tapped the screen. Ampharos is capable of Mega Evolution if its owner has awakened their Heart Song. the Pokedex explained as it displayed a picture of an Ampharos with a white mane and a bushy white tail studded in topazes.

He smiled as Luce attempted to send some sparks in an attempt to help Amphy, but his solitude and pride as a trainer was interrupted by a whistle and a low rumble that made the lighthouse shake. "What was that?" Misty wondered.

Jasmine looked out one of the lighthouse windows and gasped. "A pair of crooks and their Meowth, up there!" she called, pointing out a black blimp with the familiar red R denoting Team Rocket.

Misty growled as she watched James summon Weezing. "I know Team Rocket had sunk to some new lows, but I didn't expect them to stoop THIS low..." she muttered as outside, Weezing used Smokescreen, making Amphy scream in panic.

"I've got Amphy, you guys need to go!" Brock called as he carefully picked up the squawking Ampharos in his arms. "Sh, it's okay...I'm here to help you." he assured Amphy as Luce followed him out the main entrance.

"Meet by the harbor!" Jasmine called as she and the others raced out a back entrance.

---------

[Almost there!] Luce reported as the lighthouse's main entrance came into view.

Neither Brock or Luce expected a cage to spring up from the floor. While Luce managed to leap to safety, Brock and Amphy ended up trapped inside. [Oh no!]

"Hah! Hut!" Brock tried what few kung fu moves he knew that worked in a confined space, to no avail. "Luce, can I trust you to find Ash and get help?" he asked as an arm hooked to the cage and started carrying it outside.

[What are you going to do?] Luce asked, sparking a little in concern.

"The only thing I know to do that will alert Ash and Misty that I need their help." Brock replied as he did his best to console the frightened Amphy.

With that, he started to sing a familiar melody as Luce ran to find Ash. [i]Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...

---------

...Katoradis favel siicletu edena... Brock's voice rang over the city, snapping Ash, Misty, and Jasmine to attention.
Emusto koron zen fine, si....

"Brock! That was Brock singing!" Ash gasped as he embraced Luce, relieved his new Ampharos was all right.

"What happened, Luce?" Misty asked.

[We were on our way back to the main entrance of the main lighthouse, when Brock tripped a Rocket trap, trapping him and Amphy.] Luce explained. [He told me to find you, and then sang the Swanna Song to alert you guys he needed you.]

"We heard him loud and clear." Misty assured Luce as she spotted Team Rocket with the cage near the harbor. "Now to show Team Rocket the fury of a tsunami...."

A pop of a Poke Ball got her attention. "I'm coming too--those hoodlums will pay for trying to hurt Amphy!" Jasmine offered as she climbed aboard her own Onix. "Hagane, let's go!"

"Arbok, use Poison Sting!" Jessie commanded, her Arbok flinging the familiar poison needles at the approaching rock snake.

"I don't believe it...Hagane protected Jasmine!" Misty was impressed--Jasmine's Onix didn't even bat an eye at Arbok's attack.

"So you have a huge rock snake...but it can't go in the water!" James taunted as he and Jessie recalled their Pokemon and zip lined out to a waiting boat on the water.

As Hagane approached the end of the pier, Jasmine noticed a tsunami barrier in a work zone and got an idea. "Hagane, can you use that tsunami barrier as a brace?"

[Sure!] Ash and Misty watched in awe as Hagane anchored onto the barrier and latched onto Arbok, stretching him out farther and farther.

"Thanks, Hagane!" Jasmine grabbed a chipped off piece of rock and climbed up to the cage sitting on an overlook. After whacking the lock a few times, it opened with a pop!

"Thanks, Jasmine." Brock wheezed, still tired from using the Swanna Song.

"Anytime--consider it thanks for helping me back there." Jasmine smiled as she motioned for Brock to bring Amphy down to the edge of the pier, where Ash, Misty, and Hagane were waiting.

Once Brock and Jasmine reunited with Ash and Misty, Jasmine told Ash "Feel free to use any electrical attack you want, since Hagane won't be affected."

"I have just the one..." With that, Ash held his Mega Ring to the sky. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Misty, Brock, and Jasmine watched in awe as Luce was engulfed in red thunderbolts and red light, emerging with the white mane and topaz studded bushy tail seconds later. [This is it...the power of Mega Evolution!] Luce cried in delight. [This is what I've waited to use for so long!]

"Well, send Team Rocket a supercharged Thunderbolt with the power of Mega Evolution!" Ash called.

Time for a little payback... Brock smiled as he watched Luce shock Team Rocket with an almost white Thunderbolt, followed by Hagane throwing them out into the sky with a ping...

---------

"I'm amazed you were able to use the power of your Heart Song to Mega Evolve your own Ampharos." Jasmine smiled as they arrived at another pier later that evening. "That, and how your companion can actually sing the Swanna Song--for a long time, I thought that was just one of Grandpa's stories. But now I know those powers are real!"

"Remember that only a rare few can use the Swanna Song for real, Jasmine." Jasmine's grandfather cautioned. "But Mega Evolution is the ultimate sign of love between trainer and Pokemon, should the trainer choose to use that power."

"Can I ask you all a favor?" Jasmine asked the group. "Would it be okay if I went with you to get the medicine from Cianwood City?"

"Besides, there's a Gym in Cianwood too." Jasmine's grandfather smiled.

"Sure!" Ash replied as he scrambled aboard the boat, eager to set sail and see what Cianwood Gym was like...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-12-2017, 06:18 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Interlude: The Harmony of Ash, Misty, and Brock

As the boat stopped at a port to refuel for the rest of the journey to Cianwood City, Jasmine met the group on the upper deck. "If it's okay, I'm going to go get some supplies on shore--it'll be at least another day before we reach Cianwood."

"Sure--the Pokemart's not far from the dock." Ash replied as he watched people come and go from the harbor.

"I did hear the captain say that if you wanted to get off the boat and explore a little, you could, but to be back here by sunset." Jasmine went on.

She pointed out a series of caves in the distance. "If you have a surfing Pokemon, you can explore the Whirl Islands, where it is said that the dragon bird Pokemon Lugia roosts."

Ash was surprised. "Really?"

"Should I play 'The Ballad of the Chosen One' for Jasmine?" Brock smiled.

"I don't think I've heard your song retelling the legend of Shamouti Island--even though I was the one that bugged you to write it and play it." Misty confessed, just as Jasmine returned with a Pokemart bag filled with potions and other Pokemon medicines.

"What's going on? Jasmine asked.

"Brock is a master singer, storyteller, and multi-instrumentalist, often setting legends and folktales to music." Misty explained as Brock retrieved his guitar and started tuning up. "One of the songs he's written tells an ancient legend from the far off Orange Islands that features Lugia."

"Okay..." Brock settled in a chair before the others, guitar in hand. "Far away from here, in a place called Shamouti Island, an ancient prophecy serves as both a warning and a promise of hope." he explains over a relaxed melody. "Disturb not the harmony of fire, ice and lightning, lest these titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's great guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail, and thus the earth shall turn to ash."

He then announces "O Chosen One!" over a D major chord, making Jasmine jump. "Into thine hands bring together all three. Their treasures combined tame the Beast of the Sea..."

---------

"Aurora! Come on out!" Misty called, revealing a majestic blue plesiosaur-like Pokemon with a large shell on its back on the water.

"A Lapras is a great idea for exploring the Whirl Island caves." Jasmine smiled, Brock's song about Lugia still fresh in her mind. "But the maps of the caves don't say which one is Lugia's roost."

She turned to leave. "Enjoy exploring the caves...I'll be on the boat waiting for you."

"Okay!" Ash replied as he climbed aboard Aurora. "We'll be back by sunset!"

"Now, which cave do you guys think Lugia roosts in?" Misty asked as she unrolled a chart depicting four of the main caves that were closest to the port.

"That one!" Ash pointed out the cave on the top right of the chart.

"All right, we'll start there." Misty smiled as Aurora dutifully swam to the cave in question.

---------

"Whoa!" Ash gasped as the group emerged from the cave entrance onto a large cliff overlooking a huge waterfall.

"Unless you see a ladder, a zipline, or some other way of getting down, we'll have to turn back." Brock cautioned as he looked around the cliff, which was dotted with more cave entrances.

"Silly! There's a winding path to the bottom right here!" Misty grinned, gesturing to a stone pathway that zigzagged down the cliff to an alcove near the waterfall.

"Lead on, O Fearless Leader." Brock grinned as Misty led the way down the path.

The group emerged in a large room that mostly consisted of a large pool, where Ash noticed the eight Kimono Girls were gathered. "You guys! It's me!"

Sakura looked over and smiled when she saw Ash waving at her. "Ash, Misty, Brock, what a surprise! We were about to begin a naming ceremony for the resident Lugia of this cave, Aminta."

"Wait, Legendary Pokemon can reproduce?" Misty was surprised.

"Of course they can--they're no different than other Pokemon." Sayo explained. "While many of them have not been documented raising young, Lugia is one of the very few Legendaries whose reproductive cycle has been extensively researched."

"Lugia only have one or two chicks at a time, so when a baby is born, it is a time of celebration." Kuni went on. "The families of Lugia that roam in this area are named as a sign of their duty to guard and protect people all around the world."

Sayo smiled as the mother Lugia elegantly swam out into the large pool, her chick not far behind her. "Hail and well met, Aminta--we send our rejoicings and well wishes on the hatching of your child."

Te lei ze cra riou te ze... Sakura next started a holy song, reverently kneeling on the rock overlooking the pool where the mother Lugia and the chick nuzzled each other.

Cra riou ze te riou rei neu, riou ze...
Va rei ze te, neu te riou te cra
Riou rei cra riou ze rei va ze rei...
Va neu va rei, va neu va ze rei!
Cra riou cra neu te rei cra riou ze lei va
Lei va neu cra te lei lei!

Te lei ze cra riou te ze... the other Kimono Girls joined in as they each set a censer of incense in the water as a symbolic offering to mother and child.
Cra riou ze te riou rei neu, riou ze...
Va rei ze te, neu te riou te cra
Riou rei cra riou ze rei va ze rei...
Va neu va rei, va neu va ze rei!
Cra riou cra neu te rei cra riou ze lei va
Lei va neu cra te lei lei!

Before Sakura could begin the second part of the ceremony, a loud crash got her attention. "What on earth?"

"Team Rocket!" Ash gasped when he saw Jessie, James, and Meowth float into the cave on what remained of their boat from before.

"Don't you dare lay a finger on this Legendary Pokemon!" Ash warned. Tintri sparking and Brock drawing his bow emphasized his point.

James smirked. "You and what army, hat-twerp?"

Ash heaved a relieved sigh as the Kimono Girls each summoned their Eeveelution partners. "Me and THAT army!"

Hold, Young Master. Aminta interrupted. It is forbidden to battle in this sacred place, so I will deal with these intruders.

After waiting for the chick to paddle into an alcove where it would be safe, Aminta charged a ball of blue energy and fired at Team Rocket, sending them flying through a large crack in the cave ceiling with a ping.

Is it safe to come out? the Lugia chick asked.

Those rogues will not trouble us any more...it's safe. Aminta replied as the chick paddled out before the group again.

"As I was saying before we were rudely interrupted..." Sakura began as the Kimono Girls recalled their Pokemon and Brock had put his bow away. "For your brave act in wanting to protect the young Lugia, Ash...we will allow you to give the chick a name."

Ash thought for a moment for a suitable name for the chick, but the sun streaming in through the crack gave him an idea. "Helios...his name is Helios."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-16-2017, 08:43 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 88a: Machoke, Machoke Man! (part 1)

"All right, here's the medicine...the Ginger Storm." the pharmacist smiled as he gave Jasmine a bag full of medicine. "Brew this as a tea, and have Amphy drink it--it should slow down her overloaded electric glands, and ease her pain. This way, her body can fight the infection easier."

"Fascinating!" Ash smiled.

"Ginger has long been used as a pain remedy since ancient times." the pharmacist went on. "It's especially good for Electric and Fire Pokemon, but humans have also used it to ease upset stomachs."

"That explains why Mom always gave me ginger ale when I had a stomach ache when I was little..." Ash mused as the group departed the pharmacy.

"If you don't mind, I'm taking the express ferry home, so I can give this to Amphy." Jasmine told the others as she started for the docks.

"We have a Lapras, so we'll return to Olivine that way." Misty explained before waving to Jasmine. "Be safe!"

"Safe travels, okay?" Brock agreed as he embraced Jasmine. "Thanks for your phone number as well."

"If you need to call me, I'll be happy to talk--caring for Amphy is often a lonely job." Jasmine replied as she left for the docks.

---------

As the group rounded a bend to explore the outskirts of the city some time later, Ash noticed a muscular brown haired man and a large gray humanoid he knew as Machoke training together on one of the beaches. "Nicely done, Kyodo...let's practice offense now." Ash heard the man say. "Come at me with all you've got!"

"That guy's pretty strong to defend against all those attacks!" Misty gasped as the man skillfully defended all the Machoke's moves.

"I'll say..." Brock was equally impressed.

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on Machoke:

"Machoke, the superpower Pokemon. The muscles covering its body teem with power. Even when still, it exudes an amazing sense of strength.

"Oh my..." Misty gasped, amazed at the large gray Pokemon's skill and trust in its master.

Finally, the group winced as a Karate Chop connected across the man's chest. "That had to hurt..." Brock noted, even though the man didn't look like he was in any pain.

"Okay, Kyodo--Submission!" the man called.

The Machoke playfully giggled as it wrapped its giggling master up, rolled him around the dirt field, and tossed him for what looked like thousands of feet. "I don't know if I should be scared for that guy, or impressed he loves and trusts his Machoke that much..." Ash mused.

Misty was first to arrive on the field. "Are you okay, sir?"

The man collected himself, then smiled at his Machoke. "That Submission was perfect."

"If you don't mind my asking, why would take a Submission attack from a powerful Machoke?" Brock asked.

Tears welled up in the man's eyes. "Oh Kyodo! I'm so proud of you for your perfect Submission!" he cried as his giggling Machoke embraced him in a powerful, but loving hug.

[Aw...] Tintri smiled.

"I guess if you love and trust your Pokemon that much, you can take anything." Misty mused.

About then, the man noticed the group. "Oh, hello there, visitors! Might I know the names of my audience members?"

"I'm Ash, and these are my companions, Misty and Brock." Ash replied.

"Hi!" Misty smiled.

"Nice to meet you." Brock smiled. "Can I just say I love how close you and your Machoke are?"

"Nice to meet you three." the man smiled. "What brings you here to Cianwood? Are you maybe looking for the Cianwood Gym?" he smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

"We were here to help a friend with an errand, but if there's a Gym here, and you're the leader, then I'll be happy to battle you!" Ash replied.

"Okay! Follow me to the Gym!" the man called "Forward, march! Hup, two, three four! Hup, two, three four! Hup, two, three four!..."

"Wait!" The group scrambled to catch up to the man and his Machoke as they marched up to a forested path...

---------

"We...made...it..." Misty wheezed as the group emerged from the underbrush before a dojo-like building.

"Finally..." Brock sputtered, just as the man arrived.

Ash balked as the man dropped on his hands and knees to do push ups. "First we came through that thick forest, and he still has the energy for push ups????"

"I'm wondering if he's all there or not..." Brock mused. "Maybe training this hard's an obsession."

"How much further do we have to go?" Ash asked.

"You're standing right before it, Kanto League hero!" the man smiled as he made a grand gesture to the building.

Misty smiled as hundred of boys and girls streamed from the dojo to greet their master. "Aw...strong and a sweetheart!"

The man grinned after hugging a girl. "I'm the Cianwood Gym Leader-- the leanest, meanest, toughest, roughest, fighting Pokémon Master in all the land...but you can call me Chuck."

Just then, a dark haired woman emerged from the dojo. "Okay, who's hungry?"

"MEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" the children replied as they and the group crowded around a large table piled high with a variety of meats and vegetables.

"Nice, honey Combusken!" Ash wasted no time digging in.

"This beef and broccoli's great!" Misty raved.

"Pass the fish sauce, please!" Brock requested as he admired the stirfry he had built on his plate.

"Are you here to battle for a Storm Badge?" the woman asked as she ladled some miso soup into a bowl for a child.

"Course!" Ash replied in between bites.

"Good--I had no problem beating that flabby husband of mine." the woman smiled.

"I resent that remark!" Chuck retorted, making everyone howl with laughter.

---------

Misty pushed away her plate some time later. "That was delicious!"

"This was no ordinary food...we just consumed a whole lot of Pokémon Power Food." Brock explained. "What it may look like any old food, it is known to strengthen Trainers and Pokémon alike."

He watched the children easily running hundreds of laps around the dojo. "I have to hand it to these kids--they are truly dedicated to their training."

A clap made Ash jump. "Come on, Kanto League hero! If you want a Storm Badge, you're gonna have to battle me!" Chuck announced.

"Coming!" Ash followed Chuck inside the Gym...

---------

A whistle pierced the air of the cavernous dojo, signaling the match between Ash and Chuck was underway. "Uzu, let's go!" Chuck called as he summoned a Poliwrath.

"Tintri, use Thunderbolt!" Ash called.

[What the?] Tintri gasped as Uzu rolled out of the way of his Thunderbolt.

"Okay, Tintri, new plan! If one Thunderbolt won't do it, try a lot of them!" Ash called.

[HAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!] Tintri cried as he unleashed a rain of Thunderbolts.

Ash winced as the first two Thunderbolts to strike missed Uzu, but smiled as the third one hit, dazing the Poliwrath. "Okay, now ram him with a Quick Attack!"

"Focus, Uzu!" Chuck called.

Brock watched with Misty from the stands as Tintri bounced off Uzu and back on the ground. "It's possible that Chuck's Poliwrath may be trying to do something like Focus Punch--the more likely scenario is Mind Reader, which guarantees the next attack to hit."

"Okay, Uzu! Doubleslap!" Chuck called.

[WAUUUUUUUUUGH!!!] Tintri cried as he went flying across the arena, landing at Ash's feet in a daze. [I'm...sorry...]

"Tintri!" Ash cried.

"Tintri is unable to battle--the match goes to Gold." the referee announced, making tears of rage well up in Ash's eyes.

Chuck brushed away a tear of pride. "I see..you and your Pikachu have a close bond, like I do my Pokemon. Even though we're both men here, it's okay to cry, especially if you love your friends and your Pokemon! Even tough guys shed real tears every so often!"

"Thanks, Tintri..." Ash sniffled as he delivered the dazed Tintri to Brock. "You did great out there--now, get some rest."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-19-2017, 06:15 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 88b: Machoke, Machoke Man! (part 2)

Ash thought for a moment at who to choose next. Maybe, if I chose Luce, her capability of Mega Evolution will give her enough strength to beat Uzu and Kyodo!

He reached for Luce's Poke Ball. "Luce, I choose you!"

Chuck smiled as the large yellow sheep Pokemon with a flickering light for a tail materialized on the Silver side of the battlefield. "A wonderful choice! Your Ampharos looks very strong!"

"Thanks..." Ash replied.

"Okay, Uzu, use Water Gun!" Chuck commanded, never mind that Luce easily leaped out of the way of the water.

"Luce, use Shockwave!" Ash commanded.

He smiled as the large thunderbolt connected. "Okay, now use Thunder Wave to tie Uzu up!"

[Got it!] Luce smiled as she fired some shockwaves at the Poliwrath, which tied him up, then picked him up, and slammed Uzu back on the ground.

"Don't give up, Uzu! Focus!" Chuck called in encouragement to the Poliwrath stumbling around the arena from being thrown around.

Showtime! Ash smiled as he held his Mega Ring to the sky. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Chuck watched in awe as Luce was engulfed in red light and crimson thunderbolts. As Luce transformed within the ball of thunder light, she jumped up, slamming Uzu hard as she emerged with a white mane and a bushy white tail studded in topazes.

"Uzu is unable to battle." the referee announced when the smoke cleared some moments later. "The match goes to Silver."

Ash looked up at his Mega Ampharos, "Nice job, Luce..."

"I have to admit, waiting to induce Mega Evolution in the middle of an attack to make it more powerful was very clever." Misty smiled as she and Brock got up to leave.

"After all, it helped that Tintri wore Poliwrath down." Brock agreed. "We're gonna step out for some fresh air..."

Tears formed in Chuck's eyes as Misty and Brock departed. "You did well, Uzu! I'm so proud!"

After composing himself, he looked to his Machoke. "Kyodo...the time has come to battle."

[Let's do it!] the Machoke smiled before jogging into the arena.

"Remember, focus your energy on winning!" Chuck reminded Kyodo. "No matter what kind of distractions your opponent may employ, stay focused!"

Say... Ash had an idea. "Luce, Body Slam me!" he requested, digging his feet into the dusty floor to brace himself.

[HAH!!!] Luce eagerly complied with the odd command, but Ash only slid a few inches backwards from the attack.

"Nice..." Ash smiled as he collected himself from the attack. "Can you stay as focused as Kyodo?"

Luce smiled.

----------

Back at a house near the Gym, Chuck's wife smiled as Brock and Misty finished washing the dishes from the epic meal they had enjoyed earlier. "Okay, next I want you to do the laundry." she smiled. "While the washer's running, you can also sweep the floors and make the beds."

"I don't get why we have to do chores to learn something..." Misty sighed as she loaded hundreds of martial artist uniforms in the washer.

"You'll learn patience and the value of a job well done." Chuck's wife assured Misty as she tended to the pot on a stove. "That, and it will help build up an appetite for my famous potstickers."

"If you have food, then I'd clean the whole house multiple times over!" Brock cried as he hurried over to get a broom.

"Since you put it that way, all these chores aren't that bad..." Misty agreed as she hit START on the washer, then went upstairs to start on making the beds. "I'm sure our hostess would love an epic tale--or a Moltres story!"

"Oh, the story of the quest for Moltres was one of my favorite stories as a little girl." Chuck's wife smiled as she admired the Lore Stripes on Brock's vest. "I'm sure you earned one of those telling that story, right?"

"A short version, but I earned my first one telling that tale." Brock smiled. "I think one of the longer versions I know should give me enough time to sweep the house clean."

With that, he began the first version of the story that came to mind, the [i]swiff-swiff-swiff of the broom lending a cadence to his voice. "It happened once that a king of a far away land, who had a great kingdom and three sons, was blinded due to a mysterious disease, and no healing skill or art could restore to him his sight. After a very long time, a traveling priestess came to the palace, and told him that there was only one thing that could restore his sight, and that was to find Moltres, the Herald of Fire; her song would open the king's eyes..."

---------

"Focus, Kyodo!" Chuck called.

"Luce, stay focused!" Ash reminded Luce.

[AI-YAH-YAH-YAH!!!!] Kyodo cried as he unleashed a flurry of Karate Chops. Luce did her best to weave around the attacks, but she did not expect one to come from above, knocking her down on the ground.

Chuck smiled as he watched the Mega Ampharos struggle to get up. "Kyodo, Cross Chop!"

"Luce, try to to use Charge Beam!" Ash called.

[YAH!!!] Luce fired a yellow beam at the charging Machoke, which wrapped around Kyodo's arms, preventing the Cross Chop attack.

[Trying to tie me up are you?] Kyodo taunted. [You forget I can reel you in like a Magikarp!]

With that, he started using the Charge Beam to pull Luce close to him, Luce fighting against it all the while.

Just then, Misty and Brock returned to the stands, Misty still munching on a potsticker. "Maybe Luce could intensify the Charge Beam...this way, Kyodo would lose its footing and fall." Brock suggested as he snatched a potsticker from the large bag that Chuck's wife had given them as thanks for their work.

"I hope Ash remembers that it will take strategy as well as strength to win this battle." Misty mused as she watched the Machoke and the Mega Ampharos grapple on the arena floor.

They then heard Chuck call "Okay, Kyodo! Use Submission!"

[WHOA!] Luce yelped as the Submission sent her flying.

"Remember that the match isn't over yet, as long as Luce stays focused! Ash reminded Chuck as Luce landed feat first on the dusty floor. She was battered from the Submission, and yet still had the will and strength to keep going.

Ash looked over at Luce. "Try another Charge Beam!"

He smiled as the Charge Beam wrapped Kyodo up, allowing Luce to lift Kyodo and slam him right back down on the ground. "All right, now do a Body Slam on Kyodo!"

[YAH!!!] Luce cried as she slammed into Kyodo.

Ash saw his chance as Kyodo tried to get up. "Luce, use Power Gem!"

[OOF!!!] was all Kyodo could say as a sparking topaz pinned him to the floor.

"Kyodo is unable to battle--the match goes to Silver!" the referee announced.

Luce hurried over to Ash and he embraced her. "You did great, Luce--well done."

He did not expect Luce to playfully Body Slam him again, but he managed to brace himself on the arena floor as everyone laughed. "You're getting good at that." he smiled as Luce's Mega Evolution wore off.

---------

Later, the group met Chuck in the arena. "Ash...I have to commend you on that great battle--I haven't had a battle like that in a long time." Chuck smiled. "So I have no shame in losing to a trainer like you."

He went on "I will say that I admire your strategy with your Ampharos Luce, and that even with the power of Mega Evolution, working closely with your Pokémon is the only strategy you need."

"Thanks--I had fun too." Ash replied.

Chuck held out a brown badge that resembled a fist. "You've earned this Storm Badge--go ahead and show the world what you did here!"

As Chuck's wife, the students, Brock, Misty, Tintri, and Luce gathered around him, Ash held his new badge high. "I got a Storm Badge!!!!"

---------

"Call Jasmine." Ash commanded his PokeNav as the group settled in the Pokemon Center to rest for the night.

After the screen flashed "DIALING" for a moment, the image of Jasmine appeared. "Hello?"

"Hi, Jasmine, it's Ash." Ash replied. "I ended up getting Cianwood's badge, but I was wondering if you're taking challenges yet."

"Well, I do have some good news--the medicine is really helping Amphy, and she should recover completely." Jasmine began. "That said, she still has a long road to recovery, so I'm not quite ready to take challenges yet."

"All right, we'll just take a leisurely voyage back to Olivine." Ash smiled. "Tell your grandpa and Amphy we said hi!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

08-30-2017, 06:39 PM

Scytherwolf Soups

Episode 89a: The Mystery is History! (part 1)

"What's that silver feather you have there?" Misty asked as the group drifted along on Aurora some days later.

"Chuck's wife gave it to me." Ash replied as he twirled the silver feather in his fingers, making it glitter in the afternoon sun. "Supposedly, Lugias are attracted to it, but I don't know how true that is."

Just then, Tintri noticed a boat floating by them with a familiar Pikachu with a tuft of fur on its head inside as Aurora approached a dock near the Whirl Islands. [Sparky? Is that you?]

[Tintri! What a surprise!] Sparky giggled as Tintri leaped off of Aurora and into the boat to embrace him.

"Sparky being here must mean Ritchie's here too." Misty mused as Aurora drifted into the dock. "You remember Ritchie, don't you?"

"Of course--how can I not forget him after what happened at home?" Ash smiled as he climbed off Aurora and onto the dock, relieved to stretch his legs as both Pikachus chattered in the boat.

"Sparky, who's-!" a brown haired boy in blue clothes asked as he arrived on the dock, smiling when he saw the group. "Ash! It's been a while!"

"It's good to see you again..." Ash smiled as he hugged Ritchie. "So, what brings you and Sparky to Johto?"

"Well, after the Indigo Conference, I heard about a mysterious Pokémon here, and spent an extensive amount of time researching the location." Ritchie explained as Sparky bounded by his side. "According to my sources, I think that this Pokémon is on an island nearby."

"Let's go!" Ash led the way to a smaller boat that Ritchie was preparing...

---------

Meanwhile, a brown haired boy frolicked in the water alongside a blue and yellow anglerfish, with a large shadow keeping watch from below.

Just then, he spotted the boat carrying the group approaching in the distance. "You may want to hide, Asimona." he whispered. As if in response to his voice, the large shadow disappeared from the water, moments before the group arrived.

"Everyone, this is Oliver--one of the residents of the area that's been a big help with my research." Ritchie explained, prompting the boy to wave hello as the boat floated by.

"Do you know anything about the mysterious Pokémon that's supposedly around here?" Ash asked Oliver.

"Must be the shy type..." Brock mused as Oliver hesitated to answer Ash. "We may have better luck just looking ourselves."

As the boat sailed away, Oliver felt something pull him under--a young Lugia! As the chick and Oliver embraced, they were unaware that deep beneath the surface, an older man with wispy peach hair watched the joyful reunion with a Rocket grunt from inside an underwater research lab. "There he is..." the man sneered. "I see Agrios, so his mother has to be close by."

He motioned to the grunt. "Dispatch a submarine right away--maybe if we catch Agrios, we can capture Asimona too."

"Yes, Dr. Namba!" the grunt replied as he hurried out.

---------

"Aw!" Misty smiled as the young Lugia reunited with the large shadow, which turned out to be its mother.

"The mother's name is Asimona, and her son is Agrios." Oliver explained as he heaved a floatie for Agrios to chase as Asimona kept a watchful eye.

"We've met a Lugia pair ourselves--Aminta and her child, who Ash named Helios." Brock explained.

"If I may ask, how did you and Agrios get so close?" Ash asked as Agrios brought the floatie back.

"Well...a month ago, my Lanturn Kira and me got caught in a storm while we were out swimming one day." Oliver explained before throwing the floatie again. "The waves were too rough and sent me under the water. When I came to some time later, I found that I was back on land with Agrios at my side. I asked him where his mama was, and then Asimona appeared."

"Amazing!" Misty gasped as an auburn haired girl met Oliver on the rocks.

"This is Luka--she helps me and my family look after Asimona and Agrios." Oliver explained, prompting the girl to wave hello.

Luka noticed the Silver Wing Ash held. "In fact, local legend says that even if Asimona's not physically here, a Silver Wing will react if she is in the area."

Just then, Asimona surfaced before the group. What are you doing here? she demanded. Don't you dare lay a finger on my child!

Ash looked down at the Silver Wing Chuck's wife had given them earlier, which was glowing brightly. "Peace...I mean no harm to you, or your child."

With that, he sang a familiar melody. Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

Asimona's angry look softened as Ash collapsed to the rock in exhaustion. I see...your heart is pure, and I see no reason to believe you would harm my little one.

"Wha...how?" Misty gasped, amazed at what she had just seen. "How was Ash able to sing the Swanna Song for real?" she stammered as Asimona surrounded Ash in a soft silver light, healing him from his weariness.

"Remember when we passed by the Whirl Islands, and saved the young Lugia Ash named Helios?" Brock reminded Misty. "It's because of Ash's bonds with both Helios and Tintri, that has allowed him to be able to sing the song."

"That makes sense." Misty smiled as Agrios paddled back to Asimona, and they paddled off to swim together.

"Could you give me diving lessons?" Ash asked Luka. "I want to see what Asimona and Agrios are doing."

"It'll take a few weeks, but I can train you and your friends, if they need it." Luka replied.

"We're already certified, so we'll be Ash's dive buddies." Brock replied, he and Misty proudly showing Luka the red square with a white diagonal stripe on their trainer cards that signaled that they had diving certification...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-06-2017, 10:10 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 89b: The Mystery is History! (part 2)

"Nervous about your first open water dive?" Brock asked as they sailed towards the reef where Asimona and Agrios lived a few weeks later.

"A little..." Ash confessed as he emerged onto the deck in a red and black wetsuit with white accents. Tintri was not far behind, in a Pikachu-sized yellow and black wetsuit. "But I'm mostly excited for my first real dive, and getting to see Asimona and Agrios up close."

"What's the number one thing you should never ever do while diving?" Misty quizzed Ash as he and Tintri arrived near the bench where she and Brock were finishing their safety checks.

"Never ever hold your breath." Ash confidently replied.

"Misty and I are already suited up, so we'll help you check your gear and teach you what to look for when checking your gear and checking ours." Brock explained. "It's a good idea to check each other's gear."

After checking over their gear and Brock giving Ash some final reminders of different dive signals, the boat came to a stop near the reef. "Okay, Ash...ready for your final test to see what you've learned?"

"As I'll ever be..." Ash replied as a crew member delivered the air tanks, masks, and regulators to the group. Tintri would be tethered to Ash, with a Pikachu sized tank, mask, and regulator of his own.

"Masks on and regulators in, everyone..." Brock instructed.

After flashing one last okay sign to Luka and the crew, Brock led the way into the water, with Misty, Ash, and Tintri following behind him.

Once the flurry of bubbles cleared from his field of view, Ash watched in awe as Asimona arrived with some Goldeens to feed Agrios.

He signaled for Misty and Brock to watch as Agrios eagerly chomped into a dead Goldeen, being careful not to accidentally eat a bone. Once Agrios had eaten around a bone, Asimona would work it free and send it falling to the sea floor, freeing up more safe meat that Agrios could eat.

The three human divers and their Pikachu watched the intimate moment for a few minutes before Agrios noticed them. Why do humans have to wear those fish suits? he asked Asimona.

Humans can't breathe underwater like we can, so when they venture beneath the surface, they have to take their air with them. Asimona explained. That's what the fish suits are for.

Piqued, Agrios swam in Ash's direction, and smiled when he saw Ash's face behind his mask.

Misty watched as Agrios gave Ash a light headbutt, knocking Ash and Tintri backwards. She signaled Ash "Are you okay?", only to heave a relieved sigh when both Ash and Tintri signaled back an okay sign.

Agrios' ethereal laughter echoing around him in the water brought a peaceful feeling to Ash as he chased after the young Lugia. If every dive I go on is like this, I never want it to end. he thought as he hurried to catch up to Agrios, while Asimona rocketed to the surface to give those up above a show-stopping memory...

---------

Back at the underwater lab, Jessie and James--in disguise as scientists--rounded a corner to find that a teal haired male operative and his blonde haired female partner were discussing something with Dr. Namba. "...So we've found that the baby Lugia and its mother are close by--Asimona was spotted diving just moments ago."

"What are Botch and Cassidy doing here?" James hissed. "I thought we were the only operatives on board, save for a few grunts and Dr. Namba's crew."

Jessie was about to reply when she heard Dr. Namba say "Excellent work, Butch, Cassidy...thank you. Prepare to deploy the decoy chick--once we have Agrios, Asimona will likely come looking for him."

"How come THEY get all the glory, and not us?" Jessie gasped. "I thought we were going to get to see the mother and child Lugia!"

She silently grumbled as she watched Butch and Cassidy depart. Just you wait...you'll be sorry you tried to steal my thunder!

---------

Later that evening, Ash emerged from a house in his normal clothes to discover Oliver swimming with Agrios. "Ash...I'm so proud of you for earning dive certification." Misty smiled as she admired the new dive flag icon on Ash's trainer card. "If you ever need a refresher, the Gym pool's always open for you to practice."

"Thanks--I was not expecting Agrios to headbutt me." Ash chuckled. "But getting to watch Asimona feed him was very sweet."

"She's a very devoted mother." Brock smiled. "I never thought I'd see a sweet moment like that myself--and I've logged a lot of dives, and seen some amazing things."

"Maybe I'll have to look into getting certification once Sparky and I get home." Ritchie smiled as he joined the group on the pier.

Just then, Agrios noticed what looked like another Lugia chick approaching. "What is it, Agrios?" Oliver asked.

Ritchie, however, noticed propellers near the tail of the second chick. "That's no chick, that's a trap!"

"Too late..." Brock sighed as the decoy chick transformed into a cage, trapping Agrios inside.

Misty gasped as she watched Butch and Cassidy argue with Jessie and James on the water, Agrios crying for help all the while. "I never thought we'd see those other Rockets again!"

"Long story..." Ash explained to Brock, just as a blast of a Smokescreen got his attention. "They're getting away with Agrios!"

"Let's get back to the house and suit up again--and save Agrios from both sets of Rockets!" Brock led the way back inside--all three trainers hoped they were not too late to rescue the young Lugia...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-09-2017, 08:06 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 90a: A Parent Trapped! (part 1)

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver"...

Misty gasped as she watched Butch and Cassidy argue with Jessie and James on the water, Agrios crying for help all the while. "I never thought we'd see those other Rockets again!"

"Long story..." Ash explained to Brock, just as a blast of a Smokescreen got his attention. "They're getting away with Agrios!"

"Let's get back to the house and suit up again--and save Agrios from both sets of Rockets!" Brock led the way back inside--all three trainers hoped they were not too late to rescue the young Lugia...

"Yes...yes!" Dr. Namba cried, elated as the caged Agrios was brought to him. "At last, we have Agrios!"

"So now that we have Agrios, it makes logical sense that we could use the little guy to attract Mama Lugia--if Mama Lugia's not already looking for it." Butch explained as he and Cassidy arrived in the room, admiring the struggling Lugia chick in the cage on the pedestal that Dr. Namba was admiring.

"There's an idea!" Cassidy smiled, pleased her partner had a good idea for once.

"It would be almost TOO easy!" the group of Rockets chorused at nearly the same time.

---------

"It's no use..." Ash sighed as he glumly looked out on the sea. "I want to help Asimona and rescue Agrios..."

"A noble goal to be sure, but my point still stands--how are we going to save Agrios if we don't know where the Rockets took him?" Misty asked.

"That, and who knows what insane security the baby Lugia's hidden behind..." Ritchie mused.

A whir of a boat approaching the shore snapped Brock to attention. "Luka's here!"

"Hi, everyone..." Luka smiled as she guided the boat close to the shore. "What's going on? You guys look like something terrible happened!"

"Something terrible DID happen!" Oliver explained. "While you were away, some punks in black deployed a decoy Lugia chick and Poke-napped Agrios!"

"What????" Luka gasped. "Where was he taken?"

Oliver was about to answer when Asimona surfaced from the water. Agrios! Where are you? she called.

"Asimona...as much as I hate to be the bearer of bad news, Agrios was kidnapped." Brock explained before telling Asimona something in Gaelic. "Tógadh an páiste ag daoine olc...Déanfaimid an méid is féidir linn a chun tarrthála dó.

"Huh?" Oliver asked.

"I told Asimona that her child was taken by evil humans, and that we will do everything we can to save Agrios." Brock translated what he had said.

Asimona was silent for a moment, before the look on her face turned angry. Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...

"The Swanna Song?" Misty was surprised at Asimona's majestic and yet gentle voice resonated across the sea, causing the sky to cloud up and thunder to rumble!

Katoradis favel siicletu edena... Asimona's voice rang through the howling wind and sheets of rain that were now pouring down on the island. Emusto koron zen fine, si...

"This way!" Oliver lead the group into a large cavern, where they could safely watch the raging storm batter the island plus a neighboring island with high wind and rough seas.

"I've never seen a Legendary sing their Swanna Song before..." Ritchie mused as he made sure Sparky and the other Pokemon were same. "I mean, I've seen them do it in folk tales, TV shows, and video games, but nothing like this!"

"Maybe in her anger and sadness, Asimona beseeched Arceus directly to send the storm, presumably as a way to physically manifest her emotions." Oliver explained. "Although I can understand why she would be angry and saddened right now..."

"I want to try and tell Asimona that killing innocent people won't bring Agrios back...and that we want to try and help." Ash suggested as he found a thick raincoat and put it on.

"I'm coming too!" Ritchie hurried to find another coat for himself.

"The worst of the wind and rain seems to have died down, so I'll take you to Asimona." Luka offered. "The boat's by the shore."

Misty watched as Ash, Ritchie, and Luka departed. "Ash...I hope you know what you're doing..."

---------

"WHOA!!!" Luka veered the boat out of the way of a blue beam of wind and light."

"Aeroblast!" Ash remembered as he braced himself against the boat, which zigzagged across the waves in hopes of reaching the angry mother Lugia inside.

After easing himself onto the bow, where he could see Asimona, he called into the wind and rain "Asimona! We want to try and help you!"

Why should I believe you? Asimona growled. If evil humans took my little one away, than all humans deserve to know my anger!

"That's not true!" Ash called back, his voice vaguely audible over the gusty wind and thunder. "We had no part in taking Agrios...all we want to do is bring him back to you safely!"

A tear of frustration rolled down his cheek. Please, Asimona...please believe me...

He then sang as loud as he could Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis....
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

Asimona's angry look softened when she saw the tears falling from Ash's eyes. I don't know how or why you learned to sing the Swanna's song, but I trust you. she began as she flapped up a gentle breeze from her wings, calming the storm.

"As my friend said earlier, we will do everything we can to save Agrios and bring him back to you safely." Ash explained. "Either that, or die trying."

Very well, young hero--I will hold you to your promise. Asimona smiled as the others arrived. I'm counting on you to rescue Agrios!

EmeraldSky

09-13-2017, 08:43 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 90b: A Parent Trapped! (part 2)

"Okay, everyone--new objective: find Team Rocket's base." Brock explained as Ash and Misty watched for their Pokemon to return. "If they found a place where Agrios is being held, even better!"

A squawk snapped Ash to attention. "Any sign of the base or Agrios?" he asked as Mina fluttered in for a landing aboard a tree branch.

[Not a thing...] Mina sighed. [All I could see from the air was water.]

Michelle reported as she swam back to shore. [I did, however, see something that looked like a base beneath the water...]

"Good work, Michelle!" Misty smiled as she petted her Golduck on the head. "If you'll give us a minute to get into fish suits, will you lead us there?"

[Of course--I'll be waiting near the drop-off point.] With that, Michelle dove back beneath the surface.

"I'll just be you guys' chaser, since I don't have training yet." Ritchie smiled. "But just wave if you need something!"

"That's actually the diver's signal for an emergency, which is why tourists shouldn't wave at divers in the water." Ash explained as Sparky gave him a red wetsuit.

"Have a buddy with you and chasers on the surface if possible." Misty smiled as she stepped into a blue wetsuit.

"Okay, the three of us and Oliver going with us, Ritchie chasing from the boat..." Brock mused as he finished suiting up. "Let's go."

"Hang on, Agrios...we're coming..." Ash vowed before putting on his mask and putting in his regulator...

---------

Michelle sighed as she led the line of divers near where she had spotted the base. [Hm...I could have sworn it was here...]

A whir of submarine engine got Brock's attention, so he signaled Michelle to look as a familiar submarine shaped like a Magikarp whirred by. [The rogues? Let's follow them.] Michelle smiled.

But before the divers could approach the base, all the divers balked as it surfaced, forcing Brock to signal the group to surface.

"PokeMaster01 calling Sapphire Spark, we found Agrios." Ash reported on a mini radio after removing his regulator. "He is apparently being used as a decoy for his mother..." he explained as the cage containing Agrios swayed in the wind near a large trap-like device at the east end of the base.

"Sapphire Spark to PokeMaster01, what's your plan from here, over?" Ritchie's voice crackled back.

"We plan to rescue Agrios and prevent the Rockets from capturing Asimona." Ash replied as he paddled over to a docking ramp, allowing the group to trade their fins for insulated boots Oliver had packed.

"I can see the trap for Asimona from here, PokeMaster01--do everything in your power to keep her away from that trap." Ritchie's voice cautioned. "Repeat, do everything in your power to keep Asimona out of that trap."

"Roger, Sapphire Spark--wilco." Ash replied.

He sighed. [i]Thanks, Ritchie, for teaching me radio codes!

"The Rockets didn't even think to lock the cage holding Agrios..." Misty smiled as she climbed up on some crates in an attempt to free Agrios.

But before she could open the cage, everyone gasped as a large shadow sped towards the base. "Asimona!" Ash called. "Turn back! It's a trap!"

"Hold it right there!" a female voice demanded.

Ash whirled around to see Butch and Cassidy waiting for the group. "You guys...this is no reunion I wanted to have."

"Well, we're here, and we've got a little gadget to show ya." Butch smirked as he pressed a button on a remote, making the group gasp in surprise as as Butch's Hitmontop and Cassidy's Houndour started singing a familiar melody. [Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...]

"How is it possible your Pokemon can sing the Swanna Song?" Brock demanded as the Hitmontop and the Houndour continued [Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...]

"Easy..." Cassidy pointed out an odd helmet the two Pokemon were wearing. "This new device not only forces our Pokemon to sing the Swanna Song, but boosts their abilities because of it!"

"Hit the deck!" Oliver called as the group scrambled to avoid a blue-white Flamethrower from Cassidy's Houndour.

Ash then remembered his emergency flashlight as Brock and Misty's Pokemon attempted to warn Asimona away, only to narrowly avoid one of Butch's and Cassidy's attacks. Maybe, if I signaled the boat, Ritchie will come!

He braced himself as a Rolling Kick with a red aura almost sent Brock and Misty flying, then started flashing SOS in the direction of the boat.

"Good thinking Ash..." Misty smiled as Ash continued signaling, and the boat started towards the base. "Fingers crossed Ritchie and his team can join us in time..."

"Zippo, Ash needs us!" a voice called, followed by the pop of a Poke Ball.

Ash heaved a relieved sigh as Ritchie and a Charmeleon arrived. "Am I glad to see you...can you take out that freak machine Butch has his and Cassidy's Pokemon wired to?" he asked, pointing out Butch increasing the power on the machine's control panel.

"I'll take one end, and you can take another." Ritchie replied.

Ash nodded, then heaved a Poke Ball skyward., "Cyndy, I need your help!"

"Flamethrower!" both boys called at the same time, incinerating the boosting machine before it could do lasting damage to Butch's and Cassidy's Pokemon. The impact of the attack also sent the two Rockets flying into their rivals, prompting a massive argument to break out between the two pairs of Rockets.

"That takes care of one problem, now to calm Asimona!" Ritchie pointed out Asimona about to send an Aeroblast at the base!

Gatrandis favel, secret, edena... Ash desperately sang, hoping all the while Asimona would listen to him.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

His song complete, Ash collapsed with exhaustion into Brock's arms...

---------

Ash came to some moments later, only to balk when he saw that he and the others were inside a large cage. "What? How did THIS happen?"

"Your Swanna Song came too late." Misty sighed. "After you blacked out in Brock's arms, the Rockets caught Asimona and stuffed us all in here!"

"I'm at least glad you're okay, though." Brock replied. "Using the Swanna Song too much will wear you out...Oliver somehow managed to escape."

"But the billion credit question is...how do we get out of here?" Ritchie wondered...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-16-2017, 06:16 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 91: A Promise is a Promise

Previously, on Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

Ash came to some moments later, only to balk when he saw that he and the others were inside a large cage. "What? How did THIS happen?"

"Your Swanna Song came too late." Misty sighed. "After you blacked out in Brock's arms, the Rockets caught Asimona and stuffed us all in here!"

"I'm at least glad you're okay, though." Brock replied. "Using the Swanna Song too much will wear you out...Oliver somehow managed to escape."

"But the billion credit question is...how do we get out of here?" Ritchie wondered...

The group waited in silence inside the cage, the whirs, bleeps, and bloops of machinery being the only sound in the room. "We don't have our Poke Balls..." Misty finally broke the uneasy silence some moments later.

"I obviously can't use kung fu to break this thing open..." Brock sighed. "Using my Swanna Song would also be too much of a risk..."

"Let's face it, we can't find the key or anything like that..." Ritchie sighed. "So unless you guys have any ideas, we're done for...we're probably going to be forced to sit back and watch as Team Rocket takes over the world..."

He was snapped from his thoughts by Dr. Namba entering the room. "So these are the intruders on the base..." he mused. "You've got VIP seating to watch my grand plan go into effect."

Ash wanted to say something in defiance, but Misty shushed him as Dr. Namba went on "You remember the odd headband on Butch and Cassidy's Pokémon that forced them to sing the famed song of the Swanna? They were part of a little experiment of mine that examined not just amplifying energy, but also anipulation--the manipulation of energy. If a single Houndour's power is amplified to a higher level to what it was performing at, think how powerful the energy would be from a Lugia if amplified."

The group gasped when they saw Tintri and Sparky restrained to a tiny gurney at the other end of the room. "Let me show you how this little mechanism works, by using the combined power of your Pikachus' Swanna Songs to destroy you!"

Seconds before Dr. Namba could call down two of the headbands onto Tintri and Sparky, a crash snapped the group and Dr. Namba to attention. "What?" he gasped as Oliver dashed over to the control console.

"Oliver!" Misty waved. "Can you get us out?"

"Working on it!" Olver assured Misty as he punched in the code to unlock the cage. "I managed to get the code from the Rockets that got me." he explained as the cage door opened, freeing the group.

Ash stretched as his feet hit the floor. "Your death ray sounds pretty cool, but let me show you something even cooler!" he taunted before he slammed into Dr. Namba, knocking him backwards and breaking off the hook holding Tintri and Sparky's gurney, sending the Pikachus falling to the floor.

[Thanks, Ash!] Sparky smiled.

[Hurry and break the controls before Dr. Wily here comes to!] Tintri pleaded, aware of the dazed Dr. Namba lying a few feet away from them.

"Already on it, bud." Ash smiled before slamming the hook into the console, breaking it.

"Your Poke Balls..." Oliver worked as fast as he could to deliver the group's Poke Balls to them.

"Thanks, Oliver." Brock smiled.

"We would've been toast if you'd come a little later!" Ritchie smiled as he reunited with Sparky.

Once sure everyone was reunited with their Pokemon, Brock motioned for the others to follow him. "We've got everything, so we need to go!"

The WOOP-WOOP-WOOP of the alarm got the group's attention. "I figured Dr. Wily wannabe would trip the alarm..." Ash grumbled as a crowd of Rockets surrounded the group, with Butch and Cassidy leading the way.

"Get ready!" Misty called as Butch summoned Hitmontop and Cassidy summoned Houndour, each of them wearing the odd headband.

"Rolling Kick headed your way!" Ritchie warned Sparky as Butch's Hitmontop barreled at Sparky.

"Watch out for that Flamethrower!" Ash warned as Cassidy's Houndour heaved a blue-white Flamethrower at Tintri.

As both Pikachus leaped away from the attacks meant for them, Ash looked over at Ritchie. "I have an idea--you with me?"

"Let's do this!" Ritchie smiled back.

"Okay, guys...see that headband Butch's and Cassidy's Pokemon are wearing?" Ash pointed out the band to the Pikachus. "I want both of you to aim the strongest Thunderbolt you can at it!"

[For Asimona and Agrios!] Sparky vowed.

[And for the safety of the world!] Tintri agreed.

[HAAAAAAAAAAHHH!] both Pikachus cried as they unleashed a nearly white thunderbolt, shattering the bands and knocking both Hitmontop and Houndour out from the sheer force of the attack.

"That takes care of the Pokemon, now where did their masters get to?" Ritchie wondered when the light and smoke cleared.

---------

"What are you doing?" Cassidy gasped as she and Butch discovered Jessie, James, and Meowth attempting to let Asimona out in another room some time later.

"A Legendary's more than a test subject!" Jessie shot back. "It would be a perfect gift for the boss, way better than that little electric rat!"

"If you want the Lugia so bad, you'll have to fight me for it!" With that, Cassidy summoned her Houndour.

The room erupted in chaos as Arbok and Victreebel clashed with Hitmontop and Houndour, with the fate of the silvery dragon bird helplessly looking on in the balance.

At first, the battle was too close to call--Butch and Cassidy struck first, but then Jessie and James would rally. Each side desperately hoped they would win, but with no clear advantage, it was hard to tell which pair of Rockets would ultimately prevail.

Just then, Cassidy's Houndour missed a Flamethrower. The wave of fire raced past Vitreebel, and instead hit one of the crystal locks holding Asimona prisoner. Butch's Hitmontop next tried a Rolling Kick, but it was intercepted by Victreebel's Vine Whip, hitting the second lock. Arbok got slammed into the third lock some seconds later, inadvertently freeing Asimona!

James gasped as Asimona angrily charged a familiar blue-white beam. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

Asimona fired her attack moments later, sending the Rockets flying into the sky. The force of the beam also forced the base to rise to the surface. making the many punctures and holes caused by Asimona's attacks visible to the world.

---------

"Good news--Jessie and James were toast." Misty reported to Ash, just as Butch and Cassidy caught up to the group in the hallway.

"Now to take care of Butch and Cassidy." Ash replied before taking a Poke Ball. "River, I need you!"

"Let's go, Cruise!" Ritchie commanded, summoning a rocky purple pupa-like Pokemon. "I got this Pupitar while exploring the mountains." he explained.

River taunted as she fired a Water Gun at Cassidy's Houndour.

[You're going down!] Cruise taunted as he rammed into Butch's Hitmontop.

"Nice work, you guys." Brock smiled as he watched Butch and Cassidy hurry to tend to their Pokemon. "While you guys were busy with the Rockets, I found where Agrios is."

"Great! Let's save both Lugias and get out of here!" Ash smiled.

"You're not taking another step!" they heard a familiar voice say as they approached the room holding Agrios.

"Dr. Namba!" Misty gasped as sure enough, Dr. Namba summoned an Electabuzz wearing the odd headband device.

"You guys know what to do?" Ash smiled at both Tintri and Sparky.

[He's not gonna sing another note!] Sparky taunted as he and Tintri dashed out of the way of a Thunderpunch, creating a crater in the floor.

[HAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!!!!] The Pikachus fired another white Thunderbolt, but gasped as the bolts bounced off a familiar yellow aura.

[Oh no...] was all Tintri could say before the Electabuzz struck back with a more powerful version of Thunderbolt, sending both Pikachu flying.

"So much for the direct approach..." Ritchie sighed as both Pikachus went on the defensive, dashing away from Thunderpunch after Thunderpunch

"No matter what we try, that Electabuzz seems to know what we're doing..." Ash was equally frustrated. "The Pikachus are lucky none of the Thunderpunches has landed yet..."

He suddenly noticed the tiny cell-phone shaped controller in its control dock--and that Dr. Namba was distracted with talking to some Rocket grunts. Maybe, if I break the controls, it will turn the Electabuzz back to normal!

"Tintri, can you distract the Electabuzz for a second?" he asked his Pikachu.

[Sure!] Tintri replied. He then fired a Thunderbolt at the Electabuzz, which countered with a Light Screen.

"Okay, Sparky, I want you to give Dr. Wily wannabe the shock of his life!" Ritchie instructed Sparky.

[Right!] Sparky replied before skittering up to Dr. Namba and delivered a huge Thunderbolt, shocking him and destroying the controls!

"It worked!" Ash cried as the Electabuzz returned to normal.

"This way!" Misty led the way inside the room as the Pikachus delivered a huge Thunder attack, popping the door open.

Ash, you came! Agrios smiled, relieved to see the group. Will you get me out of here and save Mama too?

"I'm working on that--let's get you out first." Ash assured the Lugia chick as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Cyndy, burn a hole in the cage!"

"Michelle, see if you can rust the cage bars enough to free the baby Lugia!" Misty commanded as her Golduck materialized in the room.

[Whatever the Rockets were planning to do to this baby chick, it couldn't have been good.] Michelle mused before sending a Water Gun at the cage. Cyndy was nearby, toasting a few of the cage bars with a Flamethrower

After a few tense minutes, Cyndy reported back. [Okay, Michelle helped me make a hole, but it needs to be a little bigger for the Lugia to get out...]

Ritchie grinned at his Pupitar. "Cruise, can you go land everyone a hand?"

[Sure!] Cruise replied before ramming the weakened part of the cage, creating a hole large enough for Agrios to fit.

"Come on, sweetie..." Brock carefully cradled Agrios in his arms. "I've gotcha, so you're safe here."

"Let's find Asimona, and get out of here!" Misty called as the group dashed from the room.

The group rounded the corner just in time to see Asimona firing one Aeroblast after another. Where is my child? You evil humans will pay for Poke-napping my child! she screeched before firing another Aeroblast at a wall.

Gatrandis favel, secret, edena... Ash's voice snapped Asimona to attention.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si....

"Asimona...tá do leanbh sábháilte." Brock assured Asimona before showing her Agrios. Anseo tá sé.

A smile formed on Asimona's face. Thank you all...I knew you would keep your vow of bringing back Agrios to me.

A crack of a rafter that was about to fall snapped her to attention, and created a sparkling silver shield around the group as the rafter crashed to the ground.

"That was close..." Ritchie commented.

You have done a great thing for me, so it was only fair I protect you in return. Asimona smiled. Let us leave this place, and leave its remains here as a warning to those unworthy to command a Legendary!

----------

Mama! Agrios paddled as fast as his tiny flippers could go. I missed you!

I missed you too, little one. Asimona replied as she embraced Agrios. I hope our little adventure has taught you that not all humans are worthy of using our power.

I know... Agrios replied before looking back at the group. Thanks for saving me and Mama!

"Any time!" Ash called back as Asimona and Agrios returned to the water.

You are always welcome in our island home. Asimona's voice echoed across the water. Neither of us will forget how you helped us in our time of need.

"Aw..." Misty smiled as mother and chick frolicked in the water.

"Let's face it, I don't think we'll ever forget this." Brock smiled. "But tomorrow, we'll head back to Olivine for your long overdue Gym match with Jasmine."

"I wonder how Amphy's doing..." Ash mused before turning to Ritchie. "So, what's next for you?"

"I'm gonna stay here with Oliver and Luka for a while." Ritchie replied before hugging Ash. "It was great to see you again--be safe on your travels."

"We will." Ash replied. "Although if Brock decides to write an epic ballad about our adventure, you'll be the first to know."

"I'd come hear Brock play that anytime!" Ritchie replied, making everyone laugh as the sun sank beneath the waves...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-20-2017, 06:11 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 92: Nerves of Steelix!

"...then once we got Asimona and Agrios out of there, we made a break for it." Brock explained as he and Misty finished telling Jasmine about their adventure back to Olivine.

"Ash was so happy to earn diving certification--he could not stop talking about how the baby Lugia headbutted him all evening." Misty added. "Even more than the reef."

"Sounds pretty exciting!" Jasmine smiled. "Amphy recovered very nicely after I gave her the medicine--she's good as new now."

"Where IS Ash, anyway?" Brock wondered--he had not seen Ash since they had woken up that day.

"Oh, he just wanted to get some last minute training in before the match." Misty assured Brock.

Just then, Ash arrived in the Pokemon Center's lounge. "Brock? Why is Argent out?"

"Argent is in his Poke Ball--I didn't let him out." Brock assured Ash.

"Then who is that other Steelix in the field near the Pokemon Center?" Ash wondered.

"That is Hagane." Jasmine replied. "He was so excited to battle you, he evolved."

"Really?" A smile formed on Ash's face. "Let's not keep him waiting any more, then!"

"All right, let's go to the Gym, then." With that, Jasmine led the group out into the shining sun and the glittering water as the harbor and the nearby market district came to life.

---------

"Here's how this will work...two of yours against two of mine. That all right?" Jasmine asked as Ash arrived in the arena with Tintri some time later.

"Works for me!" Ash grinned.

Tintri challenged.

"Okay...Coil, let's go!" With that, Jasmine heaved a Poke Ball skyward, revealing a Magnemite on the Gold side of the arena.

"Tintri, open with a Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

[HAAAAAAAHHH!!!!] Tintri fired a Thunderbolt, but balked as the Magnemite effortlessly flew out of the way. [What the?]

[You forget I can fly, Pikachu.] Coil taunted before firing a volley of yellow sparking waves that Tintri recognized as Thunder Wave.

"Watch out!" Ash called, but heaved a sigh of relief as Tintri darted off to the left, making the Thunder Wave impact on the Silver safety barrier.

Both Magnemite and Pikachu circled around each other for a while, hoping to wear the other side down before moving on to stronger attacks. Finally, Tintri attempted ramming Coil with a Quick Attack, but the attack did little damage. "Remember that Magnemite and its evolutions are also part Steel." Jasmine cautioned.

She noticed the dazed Pikachu and called "Try again with Thunder Wave!"

Tintri grimaced as the sparking yellow waves hit him. Focus, Tintri--Pikachus are naturally resistant to paralysis. he reminded himself.

After collecting his bearings, he dashed to ram into Coil again with another Quick Attack, sending the tiny magnet Pokemon bouncing across the floor.

Jasmine seemed unusually calm at the swirly-eyed Magnemite at her feet. "Nicely done." she smiled. "But can you Pikachu stand up to Hagane?"

[That's definitely not Argent....] Tintri gasped as Jasmine's Steelix towered over him.

"Thunderbolt's not gonna work here...try your Disarming Voice." Ash suggested.

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Tintri's voice rang through the arena, making the ruby in Ash's Mega Ring glow as the wave of shining sound waves went flying at Hagane.

He noticed Hagane's massive tail, now silver, coming in his direction, but eagerly jumped away. [Missed me!] he taunted.

Ash gasped as Hagane moved in with another Iron Tail, sending Tintri flying backwards. "That looked like it hurt..."

Tintri wheezed. [I'm...sorry...]

"You did well, bud--we all make stupid decisions sometimes." Ash assured his companion as he weakly crawled back to the sidelines to rest.

"Both sides have one Pokemon apiece." the referee announced. "Make your second selection, Silver."

---------

"Cyndy, let's finish this!" Ash called as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Start with a Flamethrower!"

"Hagane, whip up a Sandstorm!" Jasmine called.

"Is Jasmine trying to flummox Ash?" Misty wheezed in between coughing up sand as she watched Hagane burrow underground.

"Not just that, but hitting hard while Ash is distracted." Brock replied before coughing up some sand. "He has to find a way to dodge the attack if he wants to stay alive."

Ash, meanwhile, realized what Jasmine wanted to do. "Brace yourself, Cyndy!"

Sure enough, Hagane emerged with a glowing silver tail, but Cyndy jumped away from the Iron Tail, heaving another Flamethrower from behind Hagane.

Ash winced as the sand in the room absorbed the fire, seconds before a dust devil formed in the room. [I tried, Ash...what do we do now?] Cyndy asked.

"We wait for Hagane to emerge, and go from there." Ash replied.

Minutes seemed to tick by like hours, until the floor shaking tipped Ash off that Hagane was about to come out. "Get ready!"

Cyndy jumped away from Hagane's Iron Tail, and countered with a Flamethrower. [We need to try something else--this isn't working!]

"All right, clear the air with a Smokescreen!" Ash suggested.

Cyndy tried to fire a Smokescreen, but grimaced when Hagane whipped up another Sandstorm, blowing the smoke away.

When the sand and smoke cleared, Cyndy was nowhere to be found. "Where's Cyndy?" Misty wondered as Hagane looked around the arena in confusion.

"There!" Brock pointed out Cyndy inside a hole behind Hagane.

"Go, Cyndy!" Misty cheered as Cyndy heaved a Flamethrower at Hagane.

Angry from the blow, Hagane unleashed a flurry of Iron Tails, only for Cyndy to dodge every attack, Misty and Brock cheering all the while.

However, Ash did not see an Iron Tail come from behind Cyndy, sending her flying into the Gold safety barrier. "Oh no!"

"Is Cyndy down?" Misty was equally concerned.

Her worried look changed into a smile as Cyndy hopped up, seemingly none the worse for wear. "She may be down, but I don't think she's out just yet!" Brock smiled as he watched Cyndy race back into the arena.

Hagane lunged down to Crunch Cyndy, but Cyndy heaved a Smokscreen at the massive steel snake Pokemon before burrowing underground again.

"Hagane, try using Iron Tail to shake the ground!" Jasmine suggested. "That should flush the Cyndaquil from where it's hiding!"

Sure enough, Cyndy emerged on the surface as the arena rumbled with Hagane's attacks. She heaved another Flamethrower as Hagane attempted to burrow underground again. However, Cyndy boosted her fire, pinning the Steelix to the surface!

[i]Maybe, if Cyndy's fire stays there long enough, it could turn the dust devil into a fire whirl! Ash thought as Hagane created another dust devil.

He sighed. "Cyndy, use Flamethrower at full power!"

His tense expression turned to joy as Cyndy unleashed another Flamethrower, turning the sand into a white-hot inferno!

When the flames cleared some moments later, Hagane collapsed in exhaustion. "Gold is unable to battle." the referee announced. "Silver wins!"

---------

"Well done." Jasmine smiled as she gave Ash a silvery badge shaped like a rock. "That was a match worth waiting for...you've earned this!"

"Thanks." Ash smiled as he admired his reflection in the badge. "Although, where to go from here? I still have two badges left to earn."

"Well, we could try going to Mahogany Town next..." Brock suggested as he studied the map of Johto in the guidebook. "We haven't even touched the eastern part of the region yet."

"That's a good idea--cutting through Ecruteak City would be a nice shortcut." Jasmine agreed.

"Thanks again for the match!" Ash called as he waved goodbye to Jasmine.

"Anytime--come see me again soon!" Jasmine called back as the group departed into the setting sun...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-24-2017, 12:07 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 93: Espeon Not Included

"It's good to be back, Ecruteak City..." Ash smiled as the rooftops of the city came into view. "I've got a lot of amazing memories from our last trip--Misty and me earning Mega Rings, learning to play a bansi, winning my fourth badge..."

"Taking part in that Gekijou play..." Misty added.

"Earning my green Lore Stripe..." Brock smiled. "We definitely won't forget our time here."

"Let's make a pit stop before we go on to Mahogany Town." Ash suggested, motioning for his friends to follow him to a convenience store. "Best get some treats for the road!"

"And make a few more memories, while we're here." Misty agreed as the three friends made their way down the store's different aisles...

---------

"...I got a few non-perishable snacks we can eat if we can't get somewhere we can cook, and a few odds and ends from the Pokemon care section." Ash finished taking stock of what he had bought. "What did you guys get?"

"I replenished our water supply, some fizzy drinks, and replenished the batteries and first aid." Brock reported.

"I got a few little meals as emergency rations, and some treats for us to share." Misty reported before looking out on the square. "We should be meeting up with Sakura here before too long..."

Just then, a lavender twin tailed cat Pokemon ran towards the table the group was sitting at. "Satomi, wait for me!" Sakura called before spotting the group. "Oh, hi! Welcome back!"

"Good to see you again, Sakura." Ash smiled as he hugged Sakura. "We have so much to tell you!"

"Well, as you can see, Satomi has evolved into an Espeon, which completes our Eevee evolutions." Sakura smiled as she petted the lavender cat Pokemon.

Ash, meanwhile, decideed to read up on the twin-tailed cat Pokemon:

"Espeon, the sun Pokemon. It is extremely loyal to any trainer it considers to be worthy. It is said that this Pokémon developed its precognitive powers to protect its trainer from harm."

"That's actually very sweet..." Misty smiled.

"Have you learned any more new stories since the Lore Stage?" Sakura asked Brock, changing the subject

"Of course...and I've been practicing the vina you gave me." Brock replied, retrieving his vina and its fingerpicks from his bag.

Once Brock was in tune and ready to perform, he decided to play the excerpt of "The Scent of Flowers Everywhere" Sakura had played for him at the tea ceremony to signal his impromptu show was starting.

As the last note faded into the afternoon sky, he started the first tale that came to mind. "There was once a weaver--we'll call him Liam--who lived at the edge of a forest; and when he had nothing to burn, he went out with his daughter--we'll call her Fiona--to get wood for the fire..."

---------

"Oh!" Misty gasped as the Kimono Girls emerged from the house some time later, all formally dressed in kimonos."

"If you're curious as to why we've dressed up, it is not to welcome you three back." Kuni smiled.

"We are going to meet a famous dance instructor." Rei explained. "She's won a lot of awards for her choreography, and introducing Kanto and Johto traditional dance to a wide audience."

"Sounds cool! Have fun!" Ash waved goodbye as the sisters departed, leaving Sakura with the group.

"Misty...would it be okay if I battled you?" Sakura asked. "Satomi against one of yours?"

"Sure!" Misty replied.

"I can referee, if you'd like." Brock offered as Sakura drew the shape of a Poke Ball into the dusty path...

---------

"And three...two...one..." The sound of a whistle pierced the air as Misty summoned a coral-like Pokemon against Sakura and Satomi. "Meet Sango!"

Ash, however, read up on the odd pink and white coral Pokemon Misty had summoned:

"Corsola, the coral Pokemon. Its branches glitter very beautifully in seven colors when they catch sunlight. If any branch breaks off, it grows back in just one night."

"Neat...when did you get this Pokemon?" Ash asked.

"On the way back to Olivine, while you and Brock were digging for pearls in the shallows near the Whirl Island caves." Misty explained.

She gasped as Satomi rammed Sango with a Quick Attack! "Sango, use Recover!"

"What?" Sakura gasped. "Satomi, try Psybeam!"

"Sango, pin the Espeon with Spike Cannon!" Misty instructed.

Brock's whistle pierced the air as Satomi went flying into a tree, with hundreds of silvery spikes pinning her to the trunk seconds later. "Gold is unable to battle--Silver wins." Brock announced.

Sakura, meanwhile, just giggled as she picked out the spikes holding Satomi down. "You would make a good ninja, actually." she giggled.

Ash pictured Misty in ninja garb and chuckled for a moment, before some female grunts coming from farther down the road got his attention. After pocketing his Pokedex and motioning for Tintri to follow him, he followed the sounds down to a large rock.

He gasped when he found the sounds were coming from a black haired woman that had been bound and gagged alongside a girl with similar features. "Friend or foe?" the woman asked after Ash had undid the gag. "You're not one of those rogues, are you?"

"Peace, I'm a friend." Ash assured the woman as he worked to undo the woman's bindings, with Tintri working to free the girl. "Can you tell us more about the rogues who attacked you guys?" he asked as Misty, Brock, and Sakura arrived to help.

Sakura recognized the woman and the girl. "This is Ayane, the famed dancer and choreographer I was telling you about...the girl is her daughter and apprentice, Chika."

"They don't appear to be hurt at all..." Brock reported after looking both Ayane and Chika over for injuries.

"Can you tell us about the bad guys that caught you?" Misty asked Chika. "So we can try to teach them a lesson?"

"Well, I remember we were ambushed by a boy and a girl..." Chika explained. "...and their Meowth could talk, like in all the fairy tales."

Ash froze in terror at Chika's description. "You guys--the other Kimono Girls are walking into a trap! We have to warn them!"

"You go on and do that, we'll make sure Ayane and Chika are safe first." Misty replied. "Be careful!" she called as Ash hurried down the road.

Please, Arceus...I hope I'm not too late! Ash pleaded as he dashed down the road, trying to remember the route the Kimono Girls had taken.

---------

[Somebody, heeeeeeeeelp!!!] Yuzuki screamed as what the sisters thought was a back room collapsed to reveal a large Meowth head, Team Rocket's balloon!

"We were tricked!" Miki grumbled as Team Rocket laughed at the distraught Kimono Girls from the sky, just as Ash and the others arrived.

"The real dance teacher and her apprentice were ambushed by Team Rocket!" Ash explained. "Then they set up an elaborate trap to take all the Eeveelutions! Had we known sooner, we would have warned you!"

"No wonder our Eeveelutions were afraid to partake in the dance..." Rei mused. "An Arbok and a Victreebel make odd choices for dancing Pokemon..."

"What about the real dance teacher and her apprentice?" Miki asked.

"They're safe, and thankfully unharmed." Brock replied.

"Everyone, we shouldn't panic--I have an idea!" Sakura interjected. "Since everyone but Satomi was captured, those Team Rocket rogues will likely come looking for an Espeon to finish their heist. Why don't we use Satomi as bait to lure the balloon into arrow range for Brock to shoot?"

"You're an archer? Really?" Yuki gasped as Brock retrieved his archery gear.

"It's mainly for stage archery, but I've shot down Team Rocket before, and I can easily do it again." Brock assured Yuki.

Inside the balloon, Jessie did a headcount of the Eeveelutions. "Let's see here...we have Jolteon, Vaporeon, Umbreon, Flareon, Glaceon, Leafeon, and Sylveon."

Then something dawned on her. "Wait a minute...we're missing Espeon!"

---------

The others watched from a bush as Team Rocket scooped up Satomi with a bug net. "They've got her...now we'll follow them and confront them there." Misty instructed as she led the way down the path and into a forest, making sure to keep the Meowth balloon in view.

After winding through the underbrush, Ash led the way into a clearing, where he found James attempting to trap Satomi in a cage. "Satomi!" Sakura called. "I came to help you and the others!"

I knew you guys would come. Satomi smiled before using James' head as a springboard for an elegant backflip. Now we'll have our revenge!

"I'll help!" Misty volunteered, summoning Sango as Jessie and James summoned Arbok and Victreebel. "Give'em a real jewel of a headache with Power Gem!"

The Arbok and the Victreebel scrambled to get away, but ended up pinned to the ground with a sapphire whose facets rippled with water. Thanks! Satomi smiled as she fired a rainbow beam from the ruby on her forehead, confusing the human Rockets.

[And now, for the Cheri on top!] Tintri smiled before firing a massive Thunderbolt, sending the Rockets flying.

Satomi, meanwhile, send hundreds of shining stars at the cage holding the other Eeveelutions, breaking it open. [Thanks, Satomi!] Kawa smiled as she dashed to Kuni's side.

[You're our hero!] Midori agreed before running to Ayame's side.

Brock heard the hiss of a balloon taking off in the distance. "They won't be going very far." he smiled before he hurried up a hill and took aim as the Meowth balloon rose into the sky.

He fired a few seconds later. "Bullseye." he grinned as the Rockets spiraled off into the sky wth a ping.

---------

"Sayonee-san, may I set off on my own journey now?" Sakura asked as the group returned to the house later that evening.

Sayo smiled. "After you rescued our Eeveelutions today, I'd say you are more than ready!"

"Thank you!" Sakura hurried to hug Sayo, then addressed the others. "I plan to first go to Violet City..."

"Well, our next stop is Mahogany Town." Ash smiled as he watched Sakura pack her belongings.

"I'll never forget fishing you out of a river..." Misty grinned at Ash. "But you've come a long way from that hot-headed young trainer you once were...I knew we'd be friends forever when I found out you played music too."

She turned to Sakura. "Be safe on your journey, and have fun!"

"Oh I will." Sakura replied as she hugged Misty. "May we meet again one day, with new stories to share!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

09-28-2017, 12:32 AM

Scytherwolf Soups

Episode 94: For Ho'oh the Bells Toll

"It's wonderful that Sakura's Eevee evolved..." Misty smiled as the group relaxed in one of the Pokemon Center's lounges a few days later. "I wonder how she's doing right now..."

"I'm sure she and Satomi will do great things." Ash smiled as Tintri hopped on his stomach. "After all, it takes guts to scare off Team Rocket!"

"I promised her that I'll think of her every time I play my vina." Brock mused as he watched the clouds pass by from a window near the couch he was lying on. "She did leave me a couple more tune books to practice with when I finally exhaust the first four books she gave me."

Just then, the group was snapped from their thoughts by an odd ringing sound far in the distance. "What's going on?" he asked as Nurse Joy and Chansey ran by.

"Something's going on at the Tin Tower!" Nurse Joy explained. "If you can find Morty, he'll tell you more!"

---------

That's odd...Ho'oh can't have returned...could she... Morty wondered before he spotted a young man in a purple and white outfit. "Who are you? What brings you to this sacred place?"

"My name's Eusine." the young man replied, smoothing back his pale brown hair as he spoke. "I heard rumors that a Legendary Pokemon was here, and so I came to investigate."

"Well, if you mean no harm to the Legendary that lives here, you may come with me to look." Morty replied as he motioned for Eusine to follow him inside the tower.

As the two men continued up the stairs, where Morty noticed that the hundreds of golden bells were resonating, making the clear ringing noise. "The bells are resonating...could that mean Ho'oh's here?"

He and Eusine gasped when they arrived on the next floor. "How odd--one of the sets of bells is missing!"

---------

"Swipin' dese bells was a great idear." Meowth smiled as he and his human companions admired their steal in a forest clearing. "Maybe now we can get some Legendary Pokémon."

"The story goes that when the bells ring, it's supposed to summon Ho'oh." James explained. "Shall we find out if it's more than a fairy tale?"

With that, the Rockets each took one of the golden bells and gently shock them, but no sound came. After several attempts, Jessie heaved a bell in the air in frustration. "RING!"

The bell landed on a rock with a CLONG! that echoed through the forest and into the city. After a few tense seconds, an eerie wind began to blow...

---------

"Stop! Tourists are not allowed in here!" Eusine called as the group arrived at the Tin Tower.

"What's happening?" Ash asked Morty as he met the group.

"Ho'oh must be nearby, since the tower bells only ring at that time." Morty explained. "Meet me at the Gym--I'll tell you more there.

---------

"The bells were recovered after Ho'oh burned the old tower." Morty explained as the group gathered at the Gym some time later. "They are are supposed to summon Ho'oh."

"Oh..." the group mused.

"In addition, the three guardian Beasts that roam Johto--Entei, Raikou, and Suicune--were also born from the flames, thunder and ice in the Burned Tower." Morty went on.

"I have seen Suicune--did it look like this?" Ash asked, pointing out a picture of Suicune in a children's book telling a folktale starring the three Beasts.

"LIAR!" Eusine screamed, startling Ash and Morty. "How can you possibly have seen both Ho'oh and Suicune?"

Ash was about to answer Eusine before Eusine demanded. "If you really have seen them, I demand a duel! If you win, I'll believe your claim."

"I don't see how a battle will prove to you I have seen Ho'oh and Suicune, but okay..." Ash replied. "If you really want to battle, I accept your terms.

"Very well...let me introduce my companion, Ananda!" Eusine announced as he sent out a mustachioed fox-like creature carrying a pair of spoons.

Ash decided to read up on the creature:

"Alakazam, the PSI Pokemon. Its brain cells multiply continually until it dies. As a result it remembers everything."

"Wow...I don't know if I can win this one...but I'm giving it my best shot!" Ash challenged as he put his Pokedex away. "Tintri, open with a Thundershock!"

"Morty!" a student called as he ran in the room, prompting Tintri to stay his attack. "Something's wrong at the Tin Tower!"

"What?" Morty led the way outside, where everyone saw that the Tin Tower was covered with webs!

"What happened here?" Misty asked as the group hurried to follow Morty to the tower. She gasped as a group of shaggy vine Pokemon Ash remembered as Tangela blocked the way, while some bug-like Pokemon with large mushrooms on their backs that the group remembered as Parasect fired clouds of green spores into the air!

"Quickly, back inside!" Brock called, leading everyone back into the Gym, where they could safely observe the carnage from the windows.

"The whole town is covered by webs..." Ash mused as he looked out on the city.

Morty's Gengar Rocko materialized before the group.

"We'd appreciate the help, Rocko...we have no other choice now but to break through the Pokémon." Misty smiled.

"Follow me!" Ash followed Rocko to the Gym's main entrance, only to be blocked by an advancing army of Parasects! But before the group could panic, Rocko fired a familiar orange beam of light, confusing their assailants. Thank you, Confuse Ray! Ash grinned as he led the group into the forest near the city.

---------

"Cyndy, burn down all these webs!" Ash commanded as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Help us clear a path through here!"

[Right!] Cyndy replied before heaving a Flamethrower at a well of webbing, creating a path forward.

Brock smiled as the group arrived in the clearing, only to find Team Rocket tied up with a bunch of webs. "Well, what have we here?"

Morty, meanwhile, did his best to tear away some webbing holding the bells, but some Tangelas blocked him, whacking his hand away with their vines.

Some Spinarak and Ariados came down and shot a String Shot at the group, prompting Misty to scream. "Ananda, we need help!" Eusine called, summoning his Alakazam.

He gasped in horror as a Tangela lashed Ananda with a vine, sending him flying. "Guys, stop!" Ash pleaded with the shaggy vine Pokemon. "We come in peace!"

He swallowed hard as a Tangela prepared to attack him. I hope I won't have to use my Swanna Song!

Ash braced himself as the Tangela's Vine Whip headed for him, but before the attack could connect, it bounced off a yellow-red-blue wall of light as three male voices sang a familiar song: Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...

"The Swanna Song?" Brock gasped, intrigued in the Pokemon fleeing as the three voices continued Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...

Katoradis favel siicletu edena... At this line a sparkling wind started blowing as the various Pokemon fled the area. Emusto koron zen fine, si...

"Who could've been singing the song?" Misty wondered. "I heard three distinct male voices..."

Ash gasped as he recognized Suicune approaching him alongside the electric tiger Raikou and the flame lion Entei. We meet again, Young Master. Suicune smiled.

Jessie smirked as the three Beasts emerged. "Well, well, well..it's not every day that rare Pokemon like the three Beasts just come to us!"

She heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Arbok, let's go!"

We'll hold off these rogues! Raikou called as he unleashed a massive thunderbolt. Follow Suicune to the northern cliff!

"Okay!" Ash replied as he watched Raikou attack again, combining with a fire blast from Entei to cause a massive explosion.

---------

Over here. Suicune led the group to the top of a cliff overlooking the forest and the city. We'll be safe here.

"Thanks, Suicune..." Misty smiled as she embraced the beautiful blue Beast.

"And thank you all, for leading me to this golden opportunity to fulfill my dream of catching Suicune!" a voice sneered.

Ash whirled around to find Eusine arriving at the cliff. "How...how did you get here?"

"Never mind that..." Eusine sneered as he summoned his Alakazam. "You're not getting in the way of my dream!"

Ash watched as Alakazam fired a purple wave, which he figured was Disable. But Suicune conjured a pink aura he remembered as Mirror Coat.

Moments before Ananda could fire a magenta wave of Confusion, Suicune unleashed a loud Roar, forcing the Alakazam back into its Poké Ball."

Suicune! Raikou and Entei arrived at the cliff. Are you okay?

I am well--just had to deal with a rogue of my own. Suicune smiled before addressing Ash. Farewell for now, Young Master...we will meet again.

"Bye, Raikou, Entei, and Suicune!" Ash waved goodbye to the running Beasts as they disappeared into the forest. "And thank you!"

He gasped as a rainbow formed in the sky, and a stately female voice singing Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...

"Ho'oh!" Misty recognized the voice. "That's Ho'oh singing!"

Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis... the voice continued, ringing over the forest and the city, making the webs and damage heal in waves of shining rainbow light. Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

---------

"There...the bells those hoodlums stole are back where they belong." Morty smiled as he hung the now repaired bells back in their place in the tower. "Although, I never dreamed I'd hear Ho'oh sing her Swanna Song." he admitted as the group departed the tower.

"Although, I wonder where Eusine got to?" Ash asked.

Morty just chuckled. "He's off searching for Suicune, and it will probably be some time before he finds him again."

The group laughed in agreement as they walked into the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-04-2017, 06:33 PM

Scytherwolf Soups

Episode 95: Extreme Pokemon!

"I can't believe it--we've seen the three Beasts and heard Ho'oh sing the Swanna Song all in the same day!" Ash smiled as the group walked down the road to Mahogany Town. "It'll be hard for our next visit to Ecruteak to top both our visits!"

"I can hardly wait to see what will happen the next time we come." Misty agreed. "Or what's waiting for us in Mahogany Town..."

She was about to say more when an Arcanine with Gary aboard it dashed before the group. "Well, look who's poking along back here!"

Ash tried oh-so-hard not to lash out at his self proclaimed rival, who was now wearing a green Pokethlon jersey. "Where's your band of cheerleaders?" Brock asked--he remembered Gary having an entourage of cheerleaders with him every time the group met in Kanto.

"Doing a little shopping while I'm scouting the way ahead." Gary smirked. "I heard that there's a Pokethlon that's going to be taking place tomorrow at the dome not far from here--this explains the athletic duds.

"Well, I'm taking the Pokethlon challenge myself, and I plan to defend Ash's honor from all those times you thought he wouldn't amount to much!" Misty shot back. "He has accomplished more than you think!"

"If ya wanna test that theory, head on over to the dome and sign up--smell ya later, until tomorrow!" Gary grinned before dashing off down the road.

"Just when I thought we'd get one trip without running into Gary..." Ash sighed. "But you really think that you can beat his Arcanine with your water types?"

"Sure--water does beat fire, so if we were having an actual battle, I'd be more than happy to wipe the smirk off his face for you." Misty replied. "And I meant every word when I said I'd defend your honor--you are much more than he thinks you are!"

"Yeah, we've got your back!" Brock agreed.

Ash noticed Tintri was offering his bansi to him. "Oh, you want me to motivate Misty a little with a fight song?"

With that, he started a festive march-like melody dotted with high trills, which rang down the road as the group continued on their way...

---------

"Okay--this one is another Speed-type Pokethlon." Misty mused when she emerged from the dressing room in the Pokethlon dome the next day. "So it is Sango's time to debut, with Michelle and Pearl as the backups.

She went on "Since competitors on all three tracks are competing together this time, water competitors and air competitors will still compete in their element against those competing on land."

"Not sure how exactly that works, but okay." Brock replied as he consulted the Pokemon stat guide. "If Sango struggles, Pearl might be able to go toe to toe against Gary's Arcanine."

"It may be Sango's first time in the arena, but I'm sure we can win." Misty assured Brock as she started towards the competitor's entrance.

"Good luck!" Ash called before following Brock to the stands to get a seat overlooking the track, which was cut into different lanes for land, water, and air competitors.

"First up today is the Relay Run--Gary and his Arcanine are obviously the favorites, but let's see who Misty chooses." Brock mused as he looked over the list of competitors and their Pokemon in the Pokethlon program.

He balked when Misty emerged in a water lane aboard Sango some moments later. "She's using Sango? When Sango has never been used in a Pokethlon before?"

"I'm not so sure a Corsola can outrun an Arcanine, even in the water..." Ash swallowed hard as Gary and the other Pokethletes made their way on the track.

Misty flashed him a thumbs up as she and Sango paddled into position, as if to say "Just trust me, okay?"

"Ready?" the announcer called. As soon as the starting gun went off, Gary and his Arcanine raced out into the lead, but Misty and Sango were not far behind him.

"Maybe picking Sango was a good choice after all." Ash noted as the Corsola in the waterway inched closer and closer to the Arcanine on the ground.

As the clock reached thirty seconds to go, Ash noticed the Arcanine on the track and the Corsola in the waterway were neck and neck. "Come on, Misty!" he cheered. "You can do it!" Brock whistled in agreement as the Arcanine and the Corsola raced each other down the track for one last lap.

"Okay...third place managed 12 laps...." Brock reported as the results for the event appeared on the scoreboard. "Gary's in second with 15 laps..."

He smiled when he saw a 7 in the first place spot. "...and Misty edged him to take gold with 16 laps."

"She wasn't kidding when she said she'd defend my honor..." Ash mused as the track was cleared off, and hurdles were added in preparation for the Hurdle Dash.

----------

"Whoa!" Ash gasped as Gary's Arcanine sprinted out into a commanding lead, leaving Misty and the other Pokelethletes to jockey for the remaining spots, since first was a foregone conclusion. "Misty had no chance against Gary!"

"To be fair, Sango was also somewhat tired for competing in a racing event just before this..." Brock cautioned as he watched Misty break away from a Pokethlete riding a Pidgeot to make a distant third place, despite trying to catch up to the Lucario rider in second.

"Even with jumps involved, an Arcanine would easily overtake any other Pokemon, especially in a straight sprint." Ash mused as the rest of the field began crossing the finish line.

Brock watched as Misty crossed the line in third. "Even though Misty lost the Hurdle Dash, eventually Gary's Arcanine is going to tire, and assuming he doesn't have any backup Pokemon, Misty could rally to win the final event." he cautioned. "So don't count Misty out just yet!"

---------

"Okay...our final event is Capture the Flag." Brock reported has he and Ash found seats overlooking the Capture the Flag field. "This time, competitors on all three tracks will work together on the same field to find all seven flags first."

"Looks like Misty's going to use Michelle for this event..." Ash mused as he watched Misty and her faithful Golduck emerge onto the field and jog towards the START line.

"Great choice--she can run on land as well as swim in water." Brock grinned.

On the field, Michelle noticed that Gary's Arcanine was wheezing hard as he took his place at the line. [What's wrong with the Arcanine? Does Gary not have any other Pokemon for the competition?]

"Maybe he was just that confident in his Arcanine, he didn't feel like he needed a backup." Misty mused, waving to the boys in the stands. "Let's show him how having a backup or two can make all the difference!"

No sooner had the whistle blown to start the event, had Misty and Michelle taken an early lead, beating the Pidgeot to the red flag in a hollow tree, and snatching the orange flag from a pool. Gary tried to beat Misty to the yellow flag in a bush, but he got caught up in traffic, allowing Misty and Michelle to power ahead.

Ash noticed that Gary's Arcanine was tiring quickly. "Hey, Brock...sing 'Glory in Our Story' to cheer Misty and Michelle on?" he asked as Misty grabbed a green flag dangling in a ring, just as the song began to play over the speakers to pump up the crowd and motivate the Pokehletes.

"Sure..." Brock replied before leading the song. 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!

Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear! Ash sang as he watched Michelle grab the blue flag sticking up from the ground.
My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world...

Come along and take my hand, come with me for the ride, Brock sang as Michelle grabbed the indigo flag from a sand pit.
Together we will step through the door
And see the light shining from our own heavenly land!

As Michelle grabbed a purple flag from some vines, both boys sang Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story!

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together
I truly believe it with all of my heart... they sang to urge Michelle and Misty towards the finish line, with Gary not far behind.
The cards here in my hand,
Show you the way...

Ash watched as Misty and Michelle were the first pair to cross the line as the song ended. "They did it!" he cried as the scoreboard displayed that Misty had edged Gary by half a second.

"A well earned win, no matter how narrow." Brock agreed as Misty waved to the crowd...

---------

"Nicely done." Ash smiled as the group departed the medal ceremony later that evening. "You really did defend my honor. Now you only need two more medals before the Grand Pokethlon!"

"I wanted to prove to Gray you are hardly the wimp he sees you as." Misty explained. "As I promised, this silver medal was earned defending your honor, and showing him you are no weakling."

Just then, Gary approached the group. "Hey...I admit I was too confident in Arcanine, but all the same, I had a blast trying out the Pokehlon, even though I lost."

"Oh, I've had practice on her Pokethlon journey, but I've got my eyes on the Grand Pokethlon!" Misty smiled. "Just as Brock has his sights on the Grand Lore Stage, and both you and Ash have your sights on the League."

"Point well taken...at any rate, I look forward to meeting you in the League, Ash." Gary grinned before departing.

Ash was stunned at how cordial Gary had been to him. "Wow...that's the first time Gary's been nice to me since before we left on our Pokemon adventures."

"Maybe he's starting to see that Pokemon is not all power and glory--and you're teaching him that with every encounter you have." Brock explained. "So whenever you two meet in the Johto League, I know it will be a match for the ages!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-08-2017, 12:54 AM

Scytherwolf Soups

Episode 96: Just Waiting on a Friend

"Geez, I can't see a thing!" Ash complained as the group did their best to try and navigate through a thick fog. "There has to be a way through h-AUUUGH!"

"I gotcha!" Brock dove to catch Ash, but ended up tripping on the same branch Ash had tripped on, sending both boys tumbling down a hill.

[Ash?] Tintri asked as he romped to the edge of the hill, where the boys struggled to get up.

"We're okay!" Brock called back as he eased himself to his feet. "Just a few scratches and bruises, nothing serious."

"That's a relief..." Misty smiled as the boys climbed back up the hill to the main road. "Let's just make camp for now--we can't go any farther until the fog lifts."

But just as the group started to build a camp by the road, a navy haired girl dressed in an elegant kimono approached them. "Are you lost, travelers?" she asked, petting the Ninetales at her side.

"Not so much lost, but frustrated we can't go anywhere in this fog." Ash replied. "Who are you?"

"My name is Lokoko, and this is my companion Tenko." the girl replied, petting the Ninetales. "Our house is not far from here--you can wait there for the fog to lift.

Misty, meanwhile, noticed a blue aura around Lokoko. "Is it just me, or is this Lokoko girl giving anyone else the heebie-jeebies?"

"It's not just you...no normal person has an aura around them." Ash noted.

"We would be honored to stay with you, milady." Brock replied, to Ash's and Misty's shock as they saw a green swirling aura form around his eyes. "Lead the way, and we will follow."

Ash swallowed hard as he and Misty followed Brock and Lokoko down the road. "I have a feeling that something's manipulating Brock...we have to find out what it is, and get Brock to snap out of it!"

----------

"Wow..." the group gasped as they arrived before a majestic pagoda-like mansion.

"It's beautiful..." Misty gasped.

"I'm glad you think so." Lokoko smiled. "Come--I have prepared lunch for you, if you're hungry."

"Am I starved!" Ash wasted no time in following Lokoko and Tenko to the mansion's ornate dining hall, where four places were set at the long and magnificent table. "It's like Lokoko was expecting us!"

"Please, have as much as you like." Lokoko assured Ash, stifling a giggle as Ash helped himself to the sesame chicken near his place at the table. "Just don't forget to eat your vegetables."

Ash sighed. "Yes, Mom..." he muttered under his breath as he added some broccoli and mushrooms to his plate.

"So, are you the only one living in this mansion, Lokoko?" Misty asked as she swallowed some noodles.

"Yes--the mansion was originally owned by a man named Eiji, who was Tenko's original trainer." Lokoko explained. "However, he left on a long journey and has yet to return. The other servants in the mansion eventually left for other places, leaving me and Tenko as the only ones left."

"I would love to stay here, and play for you, my Lokoko." Brock smiled, in spite of himself.

"I am sure you are a fine musician and storyteller--perhaps you can perform for us after lunch." Lokoko smiled in reply.

---------

In another part of the mansion, Kamon looked around in awe at the ornate decor. "These are some nice digs...I could get used to living here in style!" he smiled.

A stomach growl got his attention. "But first I need to find this place's kitchen...I'm starved!"

He quickly found a door on the left side of the hall and opened it, gasping in awe at what was inside. "Whoa...I've hit the mother lode of cookies! Guess I'll just have to eat dessert first for a change!"

---------

"Brock, please!" Misty pleaded as Brock and Lokoko continued to whisper sweet nothings to each other. "Snap out of it!"

"It's like he's in a trance, or possessed..." Ash noted the aura around Brock's eyes.

Misty suddenly noticed that Lokoko left no reflection in the room's mirror. "That's weird...do you think Lokoko's some kind of vampire?"

Just then, the doors to the cabinet suddenly slammed shut, as if pushed by an invisible hand. "WAUUUGH!" Misty yelped in fright. "C-come on, Brock!" she pleaded as Brock ran towards Lokoko to hug her. "We need to go, now!"

Ash and Misty watched in terror as Brock appeared to fall right through her body! "T-tenko, please, will you give Brock back to us?" she pleaded to the angry Ninetales approaching them.

"Yeah, Brock's our friend!" Ash frantically explained, a note of fear in his voice as Ninetales telepathically picked him and Misty up. "I know you want to play with him, but he's special to us too. Please, just let him g-AUGGGGH!!!!"

---------

"OOF!" Ash and Misty landed on the ground in the mansion's front yard seconds later.

"Talk about being needy..." Misty grumbled as she brushed the leaves and grass off of her. "Let's find a way back inside, and break the spell on Brock!"

"One step ahead of you--I found a back door that was unlocked!" Ash reported, leading Misty to a patio with an open door that lead inside.

"Good work, Ash!" Misty smiled as Ash led the way back inside. "Now to find a clue to break whatever's possessing Brock!"

"We could start with this room." Ash suggested, gesturing to a door leading to a large and opulent bedroom. "This had to have been the owner's bedroom..."

After going through all the drawers and closets for any clues, Misty spotted a portrait of the owner hanging above a desk. "Huh...the owner looks very similar to Brock, right down to a bow, some arrows, and a lute--which would be your ancient guitar..."

Ash, meanwhile, examined a strange green and red Poke Ball with gold trim on the desk. "This must be Tenko's Poke Ball, although it's not like any Poke Ball I've ever seen before..."

He also noticed a book by the Poke Ball titled "My Diary". "Hey, Misty...I found the owner's diary--maybe it should shed some light on this place..."

"Hm..." Misty mused as she and Ash perused the very detailed entries of daily life two centuries before. "This is actually kinda interesting--and way better than history class!"

"But what Lokoko told us earlier is true--Eiji mentions departing on a journey to see the world in the last entry, which was made on October 15, 1800..." Ash explained.

"...which was over 200 years ago!" Misty smiled, her suspicions confirmed. "If Lokoko has been waiting for the owner for 200 years, then she must be a ghost, just like we sensed before!"

"Well, that would explain the aura and her reflection not showing up..." Ash agreed as he followed Misty out to a patio overlooking one of the mansion's gardens, where Brock was playing one beautiful melody after another for Lokoko.

The two of them balked in surprise as Brock seemingly transformed into the majestic dull green, silver and gold kimono in Eiji's portrait and his modern guitar became a medieval lute. "Wait a second...Tenko is the one maintaining the spell on Brock!" Ash concluded when he noticed Tenko's glowing eyes maintaining the green aura around Brock's eyes.

He heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "River, use Water Gun to break the spell on Brock!"

Misty watched as River's attack missed Tenko, and passed right through Lokoko, snapping Brock from his trance. "What the...I was playing and singing for a ghost this whole time?" he fearfully gasped as his normal clothes and his guitar returned.

"You were being forced to, in spite of yourself." Ash explained. "Tenko really thought you were her master."

The group watched as the mansion itself began to decay, revealing that its grand appearance was just an illusion over a long abandoned ruin....

---------

"This way!" Ash called as the angry Tenko pursued the group down a hallway, ultimately cornering them in Eiji's bedroom.

Noticing the Poké Ball on the table, Brock picked it up and aimed it at the angry Ninetales. "Tenko, return."

Lokoko materialized in the room as Tenko went inside in a flash of sparkling green light. "I suppose you now know the truth..." she began. "I am actually an illusion Tenko created. Over 200 years ago, Master Eiji left on a great journey. Though he promised he would return in a month, he never did. Over time, the servants who worked in the mansion began to leave, each of them sadly bidding Tenko farewell, one by one until she was eventually left all alone. Though Tenko waited patiently, she came to realize that a century had passed; she knew her owner could not possibly still be alive. She tried to leave the mansion, but found that she was bound by some sort of power centered around her Poké Ball. Trapped in the mansion, she continued to wait, her power growing stronger and stronger as time passed. Then you came...and since you looked almost exactly like Eiji, Tenko decided to lure you here and trap you here forever, so you would be Tenko's new master."

Tears formed in Lokoko's eyes as she addressed Brock. "But I also know you are not my master, and were not meant to be here...please, do whatever you can to set Tenko free from this place..."

Suddenly, Lokoko disappeared as a net flew over Tenko. "What in the..." Ash gasped. "Don't tell me Team Rocket's here..."

"Nope, just me..." Kamon replied as he arrived in the room. "Although I do have a bone to pick with Miss Ninetales here for making me eat leaves!"

He then heaved some of his Poke Balls into the room. "Helena, Talavar, let's go!"

"Luce, cut Tenko free!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

[You got it!] the Ampharos replied, delivering an electrified punch that broke open the net, while Tenko send back one of Helena's Shadow balls, knocking the Gastly and her master backwards.

"Talavar, attack Robin Hood!" Kamon commanded his Skarmory, pointing at Brock as he shakily got up. "Use Metal Claw!"

Gatrandis favel, secret, edena... Brock sang, to Ash and Misty's surprise.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena... At this line, Brock's finger began to glow as rainbow energy flowed into it from the song.
Emusto koron zen fine, si... As Brock's final E note echoed into the sky, he fired the blast of rainbow energy, shattering the ornate Poke Ball and knocking Kamon and his Pokemon to the ground.

Ash noticed Kamon struggling to get up as flickers of rainbow light criss crossed his body. "Luce, use Thunderpunch, quickly!"

"Thank you, Swanna Song!" Misty smiled as Luce's attack connected, sending Kamon and his team flying off into the sky with a ping...

---------

I cannot begin to thank you enough for releasing me from the spell that trapped me in the mansion, minstrel. Tenko smiled as the group prepared to depart later that afternoon. I will undertake my own journey now, as thanks. Where I will go, I do not know, but I will always hold minstrels like you in high esteem.

"I'll never forget you, either, Tenko--I promise I will write a song for you, and think of you when I play it." Brock replied, giving the majestic Ninetales one last hug.

"We're not mad at you, Tenko--you only wanted your master back, and Brock looks a lot like him, so I can understand why you would think he was your master." Misty explained.

That is true, but Brock has some talents my master did not--his skill at weaving tales, and his holy gift of the Swanna's Song. Tenko replied.

"Be safe, Tenko..." Ash knelt down to hug Tenko. "Wherever you end up going, don't forget us, okay?"

I promise. Tenko replied, just as Lokoko arrived on the path to meet the group.

"Thank you all for helping Tenko." Lokoko smiled as Tenko dashed away down the road. "I promise to let the Great Lord know of what has happened here."

The group waved goodbye as Lokoko disappeared into the sky. "Bye, Lokoko! Tell Arceus we said hello!" Ash called as he, Misty, and Brock waved goodbye...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-12-2017, 02:13 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 97: Talkin' Bout an Evolution

"I'm glad that Lokoko and her Ninetales Tenko are finally at peace..." Misty smiled. "Even if Tenko wanted to trap you in that old mansion."

"That was why I sang my Swanna Song to shatter her Poke Ball--to set her free from whatever power her Poke Ball had." Brock explained. "Besides, if she was going to take me, she'd have to take you guys too...because I don't know what I would do without you guys."

The three companions laughed at the comment, until a sniffle from Tintri got Ash's attention. "What's the matter, Tintri? You find that comment touching, or something?"

[Doe...I thig I'b cubbing down wid a code...] Tintri replied.

Ash sighed. "Don't tell me you caught that same bug Brock got..."

"That was just a little chest cold...this looks more serious." Brock replied, pointing out some sniffing Caterpies on a branch, a Rattata with its tail drooped, and a wilted Oddish.

"This is weird..." Misty mused as she noticed all the sick Pokemon. "Was some toxic waste dumped here?"

Ash hurried on through some underbrush and read a signpost overlooking a large lake. "The Lake of Rage...maybe something in the water's causing the Pokemon to get sick?"

Just then, a shining red Gyarados appeared from the water, surprising the group. "A Gyarados!" Misty gasped.

Brock noticed the shining Gyarados was about to fire a Hydro Pump attack at the three travelers. "Hit the dirt!"

The trio dove to the ground seconds before the Gyarados fired its attack, but the massive wave of water only splattered the surrounding vegetation. "Everyone okay?" Ash asked as he got up to see if the coast was clear.

He gasped when he saw a convoy of vehicles emblazoned with a familiar R insignia. "Oh wonderful...Team Rocket's here..."

"An astute observation..." a dull teal man in a shining silver suit sneered as he approached the group. He chuckled as he looked down on the group. "What are a bunch of kids like you doing here?"

Before Ash could answer, the man summoned a Fearow before the group. "Aethon, take care of these brats for me..."

"Who are you calling a brat?" Ash challenged before heaving a Poke Ball. "River, I choose you!"

River wheezed. [So tired...]

Ash watched in horror as the Fearow dove in to Drill Peck the weakened Marill, but moments before it could attack, he heard a familiar voice say "Tiamat, use Hyper Beam!"

"What?" Archer gasped as an orange beam connected with his Fearow, making it faint. "I'll deal with you three later..." he grumbled as he recalled his Fearow and ran off into the brush.

Misty smiled when she saw a familiar red haired man, a Dragonite, and Lyra approaching them. "Lance! It's been some time!"

"Yeah, and thanks for saving our skins." Ash smiled as Lance led the way into an alcove in the underbrush near the lake. "But, what are you and Lyra doing here?"

"We're here on a very important mission--stop the Rockets from taking over and/or destroying the world." Lyra explained. "Ethan's already in Goldenrod after they attacked the Radio Tower there, and as much as I wanted to help him, Lance offered for me to come with him while Ethan kicks the Rockets out of the WJTO tower."

"But what about the red Gyarados we saw before?" Ash asked. "I want to save it too!"

"No--I do not deny your skills have improved since I watched you battle in the Indigo League, but it would be too dangerous for you." Lance sternly replied. The Team Rocket members here are no ordinary grunts, but high ranking members. Not only that, but some of the admins are also present--in addition to Archer, Proton is here as well."

"Archer attacked us, so I'm gonna pay him back!" Ash vowed. "And save all the Pokemon here!"

"No is no is no is no." Lance growled. "While your goal is noble, just charging into the fray could potentially get you killed! Do you want to die having never achieved your dream of Pokemon Master? Your friends and family would be devastated!"

Ash was about to defend himself before he felt Lyra's hand on his shoulder. "Just let it go for now, okay? We'll find a way to save everyone without killing ourselves along the way."

---------

"Thank you for coming so quickly, Proton." Archer smiled as a younger man in a more ornate black Rocket uniform met him inside a campsite near the lake. "With your technical expertise, we should easily be able to capture the red Gyarados."

"I came as soon as I saw the Radio Tower raid participants were in place, and checked in with Petrel to see how the progress of the takeover is going." Proton smiled. "Ariana is on her way here, and should arrive tomorrow, barring any setbacks.

Just then, some movement on a security camera got his attention. "Oh ho, we have uninvited guests, do we?"

A "WAUGH!" and the clangs of iron bars sliding into place spurred Proton to check the trapped hallway. "Huh...seemed my little booby trap actually caught some boobies!" he chucked as he dragged Jessie, James, and Meowth into the room.

"Who are YOU calling a booby?" Jessie demanded. "We wear the R too!"

"Hey, Einstein! We're on your side, rememba?" Meowth protested.

"Of course I remember you three...bumbling along and always failing to even capture a single Pikachu." Archer smiled. "It's a wonder the boss even keeps you lugs around..."

"However, the boss did say there was a role for you three in this operation." Proton grinned. "But you have to come with us to see what it is you must do."

"It's a deal!" Jessie smiled. "I'd do anything for the boss!"

"Yes, now we can get the honor and accolades we deserve!" James was equally excited as he followed Proton and Archer outside.

---------

"Look, I know you want to rescue the Pokemon here and stop Team Rocket." Brock explained. "But just like we've gotten stronger since we kicked them out of Silph Tower, they've gotten stronger too. So when Lance says no, he MEANS no!"

"I know...but I can't just sit idly by and watch Team Rocket take over the world..." Ash explained.

Tears shone in his eyes as he turned his cap back. "Danger or no danger, I'm going to save the red Gyarados, and help Ethan, Lyra and Lance stop Team Rocket!"

Misty sighed--no amount of pleading, begging and threatening seemed to deter Ash. "Okay...if this is what you want to do, we're coming with you. Good friends stick together, no matter what."

---------

A pair of Rockets standing guard in the Radio Tower reception area went flying against a wall, thanks to a powerful Water Pulse from Dundee. "That takes care of the guards, now to head inside and clean out the other Rockets from here!"

[Remember what else Lance said?] Ellie reminded him as Ethan hurried down a hallway, scouring the different studios for Rockets or innocents.

"Yeah--the Rockets taking over the Radio Tower is connected to what's going on at the Lake of Rage, and we all need to do our part to help Lance, Lyra, Ash, and the others!" Ethan replied. "For now, we need to stay together."

[Look out, Rockets!] Dundee growled. [We're comin' for ya!]

"Well, if we find any innocents, we need to take them somewhere safe." Ethan reminded the excited Totodile. "We do know some personnel were inside the tower when the Rockets moved in."

---------

"Okay..." Lance explained as he lead Lyra to a dock, where a boat was about to set sail. "I 'borrowed' a few Rocket uniforms to get us on that boat undetected." he explained as he tossed Lyra a female Rocket uniform. "Two of the four admins are on that boat--our objective is to listen in to their little meeting, and find out what it is they plan to do."

"What if we run into Ash and the others?" Lyra asked as she changed into the uniform.

"All you have to do is take off the hat, and they'll see it's you." Lance assured Lyra as he emerged in the male Rocket uniform. "Now, let's go!"

---------

"At last...Project R is about to begin, but we need a couple of...expendable...grunts for the first part of the mission." Archer smiled as he and Proton met in one of the boat's opulent cabins.

"I have the perfect lab Rattatas for the job." Proton smiled as he gestured to the hall leading to the dining room, where Jessie, James, Meowth, and Sahana were stuffing their faces. "In exchange for lunch on the boss' dime, they get an important assignment: find the red Gyarados."

"Very good." Archer smiled as he noticed the Rocket trio finishing their epic meal. "Since those lugs are about done with lunch, tell them to meet us on deck for their instructions."

---------

"Oh boy! I'm gonna go a few rounds with da red Gyarados!" Meowth smiled as the trio's scouting dinghy was deployed from the main boat.

"Who said you were gonna be the hero?" Jessie demanded. "We all have a part to play in this!"

James was about to add his own retort when an angry red Gyarados began to swim in their direction. "I'm not so sure this was a good idea..."

As the trio of Rockets paddled as quickly as they could to escape the pursuing Gyarados, another grunt at a lookout tower fired a net gun, surrounding the red Gyarados, Jessie, James, and Meowth! "Okay, fire the Electro-Beam!" Proton called.

"Oh no..." was all Jessie could say before a powerful shock crackled through the netting, shocking the Gyarados, her, and her companions.

---------

"There it is!" Brock pointed out the boat approaching the shore with the red Gyarados in tow. "If we're gonna do something, this is it!"

"Luce, help us save the world!" Ash heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

"You too, Michelle!" Misty called, summoning her faithful Golduck on the shore.

Ash next held his Mega Ring to the sky. [i]Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Rou iitsa ron selga vichii... Misty sang soon afterwards, creating a purple flash as both Ampharos and Golduck Mega Evolved together on the shore.

[This way!] Michelle led the way into the water. [You distract the Rockets, I'll try and tear the net open!]

[Right!] Luce smiled, firing a Charge Beam into the net, and shocking the Rockets even more.

Meanwhile, Lance and Lyra arrived in some underbrush, where Lance balked at the Mega Ampharos and the Mega Golduck desperately trying to break the net open. "What is Ash trying to do? Is he nuts?"

"No--once Ash has his mind set on something, good luck getting him to change his mind." Lyra explained.

"I have a bad feeling he's in over his head..." Lance mused. "Let's go and try to get him out of trouble before his dream of being Pokemon Master dies with him."

On the water, Proton noticed the two Mega Pokémon. "So we have two Mega Pokemon? That's nothing the Weakening Beam can't fix!"

So that's why all the Pokemon were getting sick... Ash thought as he watched Luce and Michelle's Mega Evolution wear off. It's because of a weird radar beam!

"Ah ha!" Archer's voice startled the group. "I'll let Proton decide what to do with you lot, but you won't be interfering with our plans this time!"

"Tell us what is going on here, and what you guys are going to do with the red Gyarados!" Ash demanded as he struggled to get free from a grunt's grip.

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you lot." Archer smiled. "This mission is simply codenamed Project R, short for Project Reverse. You know well that some Pokemon shine with a different color, and that these shining Pokemon have been revered since time immemorial as gods and divine messengers."

He went on "It turns out that Gyarados also has another, different gene that can turn it red--what I like to call a 'reversed' Pokemon. When a Pokemon is reversed, they lose all sense, decency and reason, and go into pure unbridled fury. Pokemon that have been reversed may also appear shiny, but they're not. In the event they don't or can't turn 'shiny', they gain a red aura."

As Proton led the group away, Archer concluded "The aim of Project R is to force Pokémon into evolving or try to achieve the "reversed" state. This way, Team Rocket would achieve an army of evolved and above-average Pokémon at our disposal, and we could rule the world unopposed!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Ash defiantly screamed as Proton dragged him into a cabin that had been turned into an improvised jail.

Archer just smiled at the thoroughly charred Jessie, James, and Meowth as they stumbled on the shore. "Well done, you three---thank you for your work, but it seems the boss has other plans for you."

Inside the holding cell, Ash watched helplessly as a truck holding the Gyarados disappeared down a road. "It's hopeless...we've failed the world, we've failed our friends, and we've failed ourselves...."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-14-2017, 08:16 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver"...

"Tell us what is going on here, and what you guys are going to do with the red Gyarados!" Ash demanded as he struggled to get free from a grunt's grip.

"Since you asked so nicely, I'll tell you lot." Archer smiled. "This mission is simply codenamed Project R, short for Project Reverse. You know well that some Pokemon shine with a different color, and that these shining Pokemon have been revered since time immemorial as gods and divine messengers."

He went on "It turns out that Gyarados also has another, different gene that can turn it red--what I like to call a 'reversed' Pokemon. When a Pokemon is reversed, they lose all sense, decency and reason, and go into pure unbridled fury. Pokemon that have been reversed may also appear shiny, but they're not. In the event they don't or can't turn 'shiny', they gain a red aura."

As Proton led the group away, Archer concluded "The aim of Project R is to force Pokémon into evolving or try to achieve the "reversed" state. This way, Team Rocket would achieve an army of evolved and above-average Pokémon at our disposal, and we could rule the world unopposed!"

"Not if I have anything to say about it!" Ash defiantly screamed as Proton dragged him into a cabin that had been turned into an improvised jail.

Archer just smiled at the thoroughly charred Jessie, James, and Meowth as they stumbled on the shore. "Well done, you three---thank you for your work, but it seems the boss has other plans for you."

Inside the holding cell, Ash watched helplessly as a truck holding the Gyarados disappeared down a road. "It's hopeless...we've failed the world, we've failed our friends, and we've failed ourselves...."

"Come in, Blue Angel, this is Holy Dragon and Silverlight." Lance called on a radio as he and Lyra drove back to the Lake of Rage.

"This is Blue Angel..." Officer Jenny's voice crackled back over the car radio. "What's your progress on stopping Project R from going into motion?"

"Admin Archer and his cohorts have gone back to Mahogany Town to continue their studies on the Gyarados, over." Lyra explained.

"They have taken PokeMaster01, LadyCascade, and PewterSong prisoner, and are holding them in a cabin not far from the lake." Lance went on, using Ash's, Misty's, and Brock's preferred online screennames as codenames for them to avoid detection. "I'm sending Silverlight there to rescue them."

"10-4, Holy Dragon." Officer Jenny replied. "We have traced the Rocket hideout to an abandoned Pokemart in Mahogany Town--I have troops assembled in preparation for storming the base. Right now, we believe the Gyarados has been taken there--how they managed to fit it down there, we don't know, but we do know they are planning to experiment on it in hopes of perfecting their Evolution Inducement Ray."

"We can't have reversed Pokemon roaming free, and Ash, Misty, and Brock are critical to our stopping the Rockets." Lyra added. "Ash and Brock both know the Swanna Song, and who knows what would happen if the Rockets forced them to sing it?"

"I'll rendezvous with the troops as soon as I drop Silverlight off." Lance concluded the transmission. "Don't move in until I can get there with Bahamut and Tiamat."

"Roger, Holy Dragon--wilco." Officer Jenny replied. "Blue Angel out."

Lance turned to Lyra as the car arrived near the path leading to the cabin. "I'm going on to Mahogany Town to give the police their instructions for storming the Rocket hideout. While I'm away, I want you to rescue Ash, Misty, and Brock--lead them to that clearing near the Cheri tree, and I'll meet you there, okay?"

"Got it!" Lyra replied as she unbuckled her seatbelt and climbed out of the car. "Thanks for the ride!"

"Anytime." Lance smiled. "Try to keep Ash from doing anything dangerous."

With that, the car started back down the path to the main road. After waving goodbye to Lance, Lyra hurried inside the cabin. I hope they're still in here!

---------

"Who are you?" Ethan demanded as he spotted a young man with neatly slicked back purple hair in a Rocket uniform trying to bind and gag Buena. "Let Buena go, now!"

The man looked up at Ethan. "I knew there was an intruder in the tower...I am Petrel, and if you're looking for the brains behind all this, you found him!"

He heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Vampyr, let's go!"

Ethan smiled as a Zubat materialized in the room. "Dundee, use Ice Fang!"

[HAH!} Dundee leaped onto the Zubat and delivered an icy cold bite, sending it fluttering to the floor. "What?" Petrel gasped.

He grimaced. "I'll deal with you later..." he growled as he recalled his fainted Zubat and hurried out of the room.

Ethan, meanwhile, hurried to Buena's side and undid her bindings. "Are you okay?"

"I think so..." Buena replied as Ethan helped her up. "Thanks for saving me!"

"Officer Jenny already knows what's going on." Ethan assured Buena. "She's set up a safe area for any innocents in the square--I'm just doing my part to save as many innocents as I can, and kick the Rockets out of here!"

"Okay, good luck!" Buena smiled. "If you want an easy way to tell an innocent you're a friend, the password is 'help'!"

---------

"Let us out!" Ash screamed as he banged against the cell for what seemed like the millionth time.

"I'm surprised that didn't wake the Rockets up..." Brock smiled as he noticed Jessie and James dozing against the hallway leading into the holding area that served as their prison, with Meowth purring on Jessie's lap.

"Seems they've fallen asleep on the job." Misty agreed. "If we're gonna get out of here, now's our chance!"

[What's this about getting out?] Tintri asked as he woke up with a yawn. [Has someone come to save us?]

"Well, I was wondering if you could break down the door with a Thundershock..." Ash suggested.

He winced as Tintri's spark barely reached the cell door. "Still too weak to do any damage..."

"Hey..." he heard a familiar voice call. "Did someone ask for a rescuer?"

"Lyra!" Ash smiled as Lyra unlocked the door and started giving back the group's bags and gear. "Am I glad to see you!"

"Lance told me to come rescue you." Lyra explained as she undid the chains binding Ash's hands. "If the Rockets happen to wake up, I have my team to help."

"Nobody's rescuing ANYONE!" Jessie's voice made Lyra jump.

Ash grabbed the first Poke Ball he could find as Jessie and James summoned Arbok and Weezing to chase them. "Cyndy, use Smokescreen to distract the Rockets!"

[HAH!] Cyndy eagerly fired a large plume of white smoke at the Rockets, buying the group and Lyra time to escape into the grassy underbrush.

"Thanks, Cyndy!" Misty smiled at the Cyndaquil before jumping to avoid a Poison Sting from Arbok.

"Arbok, wrap up the twerps!" Ash heard Jessie call as Lyra led them to the meetup point at the Cheri tree.

"Bahamut, use Thunder Wave!" he heard Lance call as Lyra dove into the clearing.

Once sure the group was safe, Lyra summoned Hana. "Hana, use Razor Leaf!"

Ash heaved a relieved sigh as Hana's attack sent the Rockets flying. "Which one's Bahamut, and which one's Tiamat?" he asked as Lance arrived with a slightly larger Dragonite.

"Tiamat is slightly smaller." Lance replied. "Female Dragonites, like most dragon Pokemon, are smaller than the males.

"Where is Tiamat?" Misty asked.

"She's helping Officer Jenny and the force raid the Rocket hideout--we need to meet them back there." Lance explained as he led the group and Lyra back to the car parked on the road by the tree. "We have to destroy the Evolution Inducement Ray before the Rockets can use it to reverse the world's Pokemon!"

He pointed at a strange satellite device far off in the distance. "Bahamut, use Hyper Beam to destroy the Evolution Inducement Ray once and for all!"

"Not so mighty now, are you, Rockets?" Lyra smiled as the sparkling orange beam destroyed the satellite device with a massive explosion.

"Let's head to Mahogany Town and help with the raid." Lance suggested as the group climbed in the car...

---------

Back at Team Rocket headquarters, a red haired lady in a glittering white executive's uniform answered the phone at her desk. "Hello?"

"Ariana, we have trouble at the base!" James frantically explained over the chaos as the police force moved in to the Mahogany Town hideout, supported by Lance's female Dragonite, Tiamat. "The Evolution Inducement Ray was blown to smithereens!"

"We need a 50-man backup, and--!" was as far as Jessie got before Ariana hung up the phone in frustration and disgust.

"They ask for a 50 man backup...they can't even properly command five grunts." Ariana muttered as she got her office in order and started for the heliport on the headquarters' third floor. "If you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself..."

---------

Lance panicked as the Evolution Inducement Ray wore off on the Gyarados, causing it to thrash around and making the helicopters carrying it crash into the water. "I dread to know what an angry Gyarados would do to a land vehicle...." he mused as he found a safe place to pull over. "It's too dangerous to drive any more--the Gyarados could damage the road!" he warned as he shut the car off. "Let's continue following it on foot."

"Got it!" Lyra called as she followed Lance down the road with the others not far behind.

"Stay together!" came Lance's next instruction over the rumble of more Rocket helicopters and vehicles arriving.

Misty swallowed hard as she watched the Gyarados start to charge a familiar blue watery beam. "I have a bad feeling about this..."

"WAUGH!" Ash yelped as he jumped to avoid the Gyarados' Hydro Pump.

"Ash..." Lance began. "A reversed Pokemon won't listen to reason, no matter how impassioned your pleas are. The only way to break Team Rocket's control over them--even only for a few moments--is the Swanna's song."

Brock balked at this. "You know the Swanna Song too?"

Lance nodded. "It awakened for me because of my deep bond with my dragons--although this is the first time I've ever had to sing it."

"So, if Brock knows it thanks to his strong bond, I know it thanks to my bond with Tintri and meeting Legendaries, and you know it thanks to your bond...why don't we try singing it together?" Ash suggested.

A smile formed on Lance's face. "An excellent idea, if a little risky--the power drain may actually be worse due to more people singing it. But as no one knows for sure what happens when multiple people sing the song, it's a risk I'm willing to take to save the town and millions of innocent lives."

He motioned for Ash and Brock to form a circle and join hands. "Okay...I hope to Arceus this works." Lance began.

With that, the three performers began. Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto rozen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena... As this line, a rainbow aura formed around Lance, Ash, and Brock, racing through their joined hands and creating a ring of light.
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

Ariana, meanwhile, watched in awe as the rainbow ring expanded over Mahogany Town, protecting it from the Gyarados' own Hyper Beam. "Okay! Everyone follow the Gyarados!" she commanded the hundreds of Rockets following her. "I'll deal with the rogues who've messed up our grand plan myself!"

"We have to save the Gyarados!" Ash called as he motioned for Misty and Brock to follow him down the road in hopes of overtaking the Rocket brigade. Even though he and Brock were tired from their earlier performance, their desire to save the world had given them a new burst of strength.

"Are you sure...you want...to do that?" Lance asked, wheezing from exhaustion at singing the Swanna Song. "After...you've sang...the Swanna Song?"

"How convenient..." a familiar voice sneered, startling Lance. "Maybe now that the mighty dragon tamer has sung his last song, he'll be more easily destroyed!"

"Archer!" Misty gasped as Archer and Ariana cornered Lance in the grass.

Lance grimaced as he watched Archer summon his Fearow, and Ariana summon a Vileplume. "I won't...be beaten...so easily!" he wheezed as Bahamut and Tiamat landed beside him.

He looked over at his Dragonites. "Bahamut, Tiamat, use Ice Beam!"

Brock watched from the brush as both Dragonites fired a familiar blue-white beam, immediately defeating both Rocket Pokemon. "Good choice of move, there..." he smiled.

"Good riddance..." Misty agreed as she watched Officer Jenny arrive to read Archer and Ariana their rights...

---------

"Ellie, Tackle the Raticate!" Ethan commanded. He had been locked in battle with Petrel inside the Radio Tower's master control room for more than an hour, but thanks to his Phanpy, he had gained the upper hand.

[HAH!] Ellie's attack sent both Petrel and his Raticate flying into a pile of boxes, raining reels and tapes on top of them.

Once sure Petrel nor his Raticate were going to be getting up, Ethan located the Rocket transmitter and heaved another Poke Ball skyward, revealing a Beedrill. "Sting, break the transmitter!"

As the transmitter broke in half with a shower of sparks, Officer Jenny arrived in the room. "Well done, Ethan--you were very brave to take on a Rocket admin." she smiled as her partner read Petrel his rights.

"I was just doing what I had to do to keep the region and its right to free expression safe." Ethan grinned, enamored in Dundee's victory dance as he did his best to clean up the damage the battle had caused.

"Well, now that three of the four admins are in custody, I'll go with you to assure any remaining innocents that the Tower is secure, and all is well." Officer Jenny offered.

---------

"We have to do something!" Misty yelped as she dove to avoid a volley of Hyper Beams, which left craters on the road leading to Mahogany Town.

"The Gyarados is heading straight for the center of town, so if you want to do something, do it now!" Brock agreed before rolling to dodge another Hyper Beam.

Gatrandis favel, secret--! Ash started to sing, but was forced to jump out of the way of another Hyper Beam.

"What good will singing the Swanna Song again do?" Misty demanded as the group collected themselves in the brush. "That will only tire you out even more!"

"I wouldn't rule it out completely..." Lyra cautioned. "Desperate times call for desperate measures."

"Ilsa, use Ice Beam!" The group watched as an older man summoned a beautiful white seal Pokemon, who fired a blue-white beam that froze the Gyarados in its tracks. "Pokémon and humans are not meant to be friends, and it's putting you all in danger." he muttered to the group as he departed back into the town.

"But that's not true..." Lyra sighed.

"Is it over?" Ash asked, changing the subject.

The sound of ice cracking startled the group, but Brock noticed the Gyarados was going in the opposite direction! "We have a shot at calming it!" he called as he watched Bahamut and Tiamat fly to engage the angry Gyarados.

Misty motioned for Ash to come closer. "Ash...this is gonna sound nuts coming from me, but think you can try to get off a second Swanna Song?"

"I think so..." Ash replied. "I've recovered a little from my performance with Lance and Brock."

"When I give the signal, I want you to jump in the air, and sing the song--you should be within firing range of the Gyarados." Misty instructed.

She watched as Tiamat paralyzed the Gyarados with a Thunder Wave. "Now!"

Ash nodded, and made a flying leap towards the water. Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto rozen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena... As this line, rainbow thunderbolts began forming in Ash's hands, giving the lake an otherworldly glow.
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

With that, a wave of rainbow thunderbolts went flying at the Gyarados, defeating it once and for all as Ash fell into Misty's arms, exhausted...

---------

"I have to admit, Ash, using your Swanna Song a second time was a very brave move." Lance smiled as he climbed aboard Bahamut. "I want to thank you all for saving Johto...and the world."

"It was an honor to help, Lance." Lyra smiled as the townsfolk cheered for the heroes that had saved their town, the region, and the world.

"Yeah..." Ash smiled. "I'd do it all again if the world's ever in trouble!"

"What's next, we get our own TV show?" Misty smiled, making the crowd laugh as she gently nudged Ash.

Even Lance laughed at Misty's joke. "I'd definitely watch it...I have to return to the League, and inform the other Elites what has happened here."

"Bye, Lance!" Ash waved goodbye as Lance, Bahamut, and Tiamat took off to thunderous cheers. "Fly safe!"

Just then, Lyra's PokeNav buzzed. "Hello?"

"Hi, Lyra--Ethan here." Ethan began. "The Radio Tower is safe again....everything clear on your end?"

"Yeah!" Lyra smiled. "You missed Ash raining rainbow thunderbolts on an angry Gyarados!..."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-18-2017, 08:18 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 99: As Cold as Pryce

"That was some party!" Misty smiled as the group made their way into the Mahogany Gym foyer a few days later.

"Almost like the party Saffron threw for us after we kicked out the Rockets in Silph Tower." Brock agreed as the group passed a sign on the hallway walls. "But this was Silph Tower multiplied by at least ten."

"Here's hoping we don't hear from the Rockets for a good long time." Misty grinned. "Last I heard, Proton and our favorite Rocket trio are on the run, the other admins and a whole bunch of other Rockets are in custody and awaiting trial..."

Ash, meanwhile, was pondering the sign on the wall. "'The Teacher of Winter's Harshness', huh..." he mused as the group emerged onto the massive skating rink dotted with ice floes that served as Mahogany Gym's arena. "Hello? Anyone here?"

"If you three are looking for Pryce, he's up in the mountains." a brown haired woman replied as she brought out a Zamboni to clean the ice. "He goes up to the mountains every morning to meditate under a waterfall."

"Can you take us to him, miss..." Misty started before realizing she had not asked the woman's name.

"Shelia, please." the woman replied as she put the Zamboni away. "If you want to see Pryce, you can come with me--I know his route well."

"Okay!" Ash led the way back outside, making sure not to lose Shelia as she led the way up the mountain path.

The group did not, however see Kamon following them in the forest underbrush....

---------

Ash balked when he recognized the old man peacefully meditating on a mountain overlook. "The guy who saved us on the bridge--that was Pryce!"

"We meet again, brash young singer of the Swanna Song." Pryce mused, seemingly in a trance from his meditation. "It would be pointless to battle you, because your emotional bonds with your Pokémon have dulled your senses."

"That's not true!" Ash pleaded. "We have a strong bond because we love and trust each other!"

A pop of a Poke Ball got his attention. "If you can beat Ilsa, you will get your wish for a match in the Gym." Pryce offered as his Dewgong materialized on a patch of snow.

Ash, meanwhile, decided to read up on his opponent:

"Dewgong, the sea lion Pokemon. It has an aerodynamic shape that allows it to swim at great speed. The colder it gets, the more active it becomes."

"This'll be too easy..." Ash smiled before heaving a Poke Ball skyward. "Cyndy, let's go! Start with a Flamethrower!"

"Ilsa, use Water Pulse!" Pryce commanded.

"What?" Ash gasped as the shining wave of water knocked his Cyndaquil into a snowdrift. "How could THIS happen?"

"Dewgong is also part water in addition to ice." Pryce explained as he turned to leave. "If you want to try again, meet me further up the mountain."

"But...I still want a Gym match!" Ash protested as he hurried after Pryce.

"Wait!" Shelia called after Ash. "It's dangerous to go into the mountains alone!"

---------

Ash hurried as fast as he could, desperate to find Pryce, and try again to defeat him. He didn't even notice that he had lost Tintri in his rush to follow Pryce.

"Ah-ha!" a voice called as he neared the edge of a cliff, startling him. "I finally found you, Wonder Boy!"

"Kamon!" Ash growled when he saw Kamon held Tintri.

"You idiot! Why are you trying to forcibly steal someone else's Pokémon?" Pryce scolded Kamon as he approached Ash, Kamon, and Tintri. "You should be ashamed of yourself, you red haired punk!"

Kamon just calmly summoned his Golbat. "Nightwing, use Smokescreen."

The resulting white plume the Golbat heaved obscured the cliff edge, sending Ash, Pryce, and Tintri over the cliff...

---------

Ash spotted Misty, Brock, and Shelia in the fog. Pryce may be a cynical old guy, but I still have to help! He is the elder of this place!

With that, he held his Mega Ring to the sky. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

"That had to be Ash's voice!" Brock gasped as he and the girls saw a flash of red light and ethereal feathers, followed by Pryce, Ash, and Tintri landing on Mina's back.

"Kamon must've used an attack like Smokescreen, but it also obscured the edge of the cliff." Misty mused as the Mega Pidgeot triumphantly soared overhead, then spiraled downward. "Since they didn't know where the edge was, they fell."

"There's a small gully leading to the canyon floor--we can look for them there." Shelia offered, pointing out the gully in the distance.

In a makeshift camp, Pryce mixed together a variety of peppers and healing herbs as Mina's Mega Evolution wore off. "Here you go, Miss Pidgeot...I'm sure Mega Evolution must be exhausting for you..." he smiled as he offered the concoction to the exhausted Pidgeot.

He then looked over at Ash. "I will thank you for how your Pokémon reacted under duress, Ash...but that as close as you are with them, you must retain strict discipline..."

---------

"Shelia?" Misty asked as she and Brock followed Shelia down the cliff. "Why did Pryce become so mean and cynical? Did something happen that made him forget about what it really means to love?"

"Well, in his younger days, Pryce used to love his Pokémon." Shelia explained. "Because he treated his Pokémon so coldly, and he favored the Ice type, people started calling him 'Icy Pryce'."

As she, Brock, and Misty met Pryce on the cliff floor, Pryce spotted an old leg bracelet with elegant patterns on it. "That bracelet...is that the bracelet Manny once wore?"

"Who's Manny?" Ash asked as he emerged from the camp.

"Pryce once had a Piloswine named Manfred, or Manny for short, that one day just vanished without a trace." Shelia explained.

"Manny and I were in a national tournament against a Magmar once, back in my youth." Pryce explained. "In the heat of the match, the Magmar's attack went out of control, and both me and Manny were both badly injured."

"Oh my..." Ash gasped.

"One night, Manny just left the snowbound cottage we were recovering in, and I never saw him again." Pryce paused to brush away a tear. "This broke my heart--I never wanted to befriend another Pokemon again, out of fear I would lose them too."

"But what if we were to find Manny again?" Ash wondered as he and Pryce made their way into a cave covered in a thin layer of ice nearby the camp. "Would he still remember you, and remind you about what it means to love again?"

"I doubt it--it's been so long I fear he has forgotten me." Pryce sighed.

Just then, a large brown shaggy figure frozen in a slab of ice got Ash's attention, so he decided to identify it with the Pokedex:

"Piloswine, the swine Pokemon. It is covered by a thick coat of long hair for enduring freezing cold. It uses its tusks to dig up food that has been buried under ice."

He whistled to get Pryce's attention. "I found Manny!"

"What?" Pryce hurried over to the slab of ice, and smiled when he recognized the shaggy mammoth Pokemon inside. "By Arceus in heaven, it IS Manny!"

He noticed some leaves hanging from Manny's tusks. "Aloe vera...a plant long revered for treating burns..."

"Manny never abandoned you in the first place--he probably got trapped in here after looking for medicine to help you." Ash explained.

With that, he heaved a Poke Ball skyward as Tintri hurried to try melting the huge ice slab. "Cyndy, help Tintri revive Manny!"

Pryce watched in awe as little by little, the Cyndaquil and the Pikachu tirelessly worked to free the mammoth Pokemon in the ice.

When Tintri shocked away the last chunk holding Manny's feet some hours later, the shaggy mammoth spotted Pryce, and let out a happy bellow. "Manny!" Pryce cried as he rushed to embrace his companion. "I missed you so much!"

He smiled, giddy at being reunited with his long lost partner. "You've done well, Manny...you can rest now."

"What does that do?" Ash asked as Manny curled up on the cave floor to take a nap.

"Rest allows the user to take a nap for two turns. This fully restores the user's HP and heals any status conditions." Pryce explained. "If the user is holding the Eterna Tourmaline, the Z Crystal holding Psychic power, all of the user's lowered stats are reset, as well."

Manny waking up with a yawn snapped him to attention. "Come...your friends and Shelia are waiting outside...I'm sure they are worried sick about you after that tumble you took."

---------

"Ash...thank you for showing me that Manny never forgot me, and my cynicism was unfounded." Pryce smiled as the group returned to the Gym later that afternoon. "Thanks to you, I understand what you mean when you say you have a strong bond because of the love and trust you have in each other."

He smiled for what seemed like the first time in a long time. "Will you forgive me for giving you the brushoff before? In the throes of my sadness, I pushed you away, when you were only trying to help...and I'm sorry."

"Of course I forgive you." Ash smiled. "Besides, a wise man once said that it's always better to forgive and forget."

"That is true." Pryce grinned. "For bringing back Manny to me, and reminding me about what it truly means to love, you've more than earned a match here...we battle in the morning!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-21-2017, 06:17 PM

Episode 100: Nice Pryce, Baby!

The sun shone down on the Mahogany Town streets, illuminating the group arriving at the Gym. "Oh, good morning, all." Pryce smiled as he brushed Manny's fur. "Let me finish Manny's morning brushing, and I'll be with you shortly."

"Okay!" Ash replied as Pryce tossed away a wad of loose Piloswine fur from the specialized hairbrush he was using to brush the huge shaggy boar Pokemon.

"In the meantime, you can go on inside and make any preparations you need to." Pryce added.

"All right!" Ash led the way inside the Gym foyer, his heart racing with excitement at earning another Badge.

"Ash...a little advice before your match." Misty offered as the group walked down the hallway leading to the arena. "Both of Pryce's Pokemon you have seen have a secondary type besides Ice--Ilsa, his Dewgong, is also part Water, so don't be afraid to use Tintri against her if Cyndy goes down. Manny is part Ground, so have River on standby too, if you can."

"Remember that Pryce is a veteran trainer who has trained Pokémon for longer than all three of us combined." Brock cautioned as the group arrived in the skating rink-like arena, which now had gold and silver lights on the ice. "So he's not going to hold anything back!"

---------

"All right, here's how this will work..." Pryce began as he stared down Ash and Cyndy on the Silver side of the arena. "Two of your Pokemon against two of mine--whoever defeats both, or has more life in the event of a stalemate, is the winner. Any questions?"

"Not really." Ash replied as Cyndy flared her quills in excitement.

"Okay!" Shelia announced, signaling the match was about to start. "Three...two...one..."

Misty watched as Pryce summoned his Dewgong Ilsa to face Cyndy. "I'm not so sure sending a Fire type against something that has both Ice and Water powers is the best idea..." she mused as Ilsa tried to batter Cyndy with Water Pulse.

"Using Cyndy is a bit of a double edged sword..." Brock explained as he watched Cyndy heave a Flame Wheel at Ilsa. "Cyndy does have an advantage against Ilsa since she is part ice, but also a disadvantage, as she is part Water. Ash is also at at a disadvantage, because he is having to face his opponent on an icy battlefield."

On the arena floor, Ash got an idea as Cyndy leaped away from an Icy Wind. Maybe, if I forced Pryce to lower his defenses...

He did not, however, expect Ilsa to come barreling at him in an attempt to Headbutt Cyndy! "Cyndy, use Swift, and fast!"

[Not today, Miss Snow Queen!] Cyndy taunted as she fired a wave of shining stars at Ilsa, preventing the majestic seal Pokemon from getting close to her.

"Good work, Cyndy!" Ash smiled. "Now, knock Ilsa back with a Flamethower!"

[HAAAHHH!!!!] Cyndy cried as she unleashed a wave of flames that melted a small hole in the middle of the battlefield.

Pryce was unusually calm as he watched Ilsa go flying onto an icy boulder. I see... he silently mused as he recalled the fainted Dewgong. This is more than youthful cockiness...Ash really and truly believes in his Pokemon, just like Manny and me.

He turned business-like again as he readied a new Poke Ball. "Manny, let's go!"

"I knew Manny would be in this battle..." Ash mused as the shaggy boar Pokemon materialized before him. "Be on your guard, Cyndy!"

"Manny, start with a Blizzard!" Pryce commanded.

[WHOA!] Cyndy cried as the whirling snow and biting cold wind sent her flying against the Silver safety barrier. [Ash...I'm s-sorry...] she shivered as she fainted, overpowered by the massive attack.

"Y-you d-did y-your b-b-est, okay?" Ash assured Cyndy, shivering all the while as he retrieved Cyndy's Poke Ball. "Return."

He mustered all his strength to make a T signal with his hands, getting Shelia's attention. "Here...this should keep you warm." she assured Ash, wrapping a thick fur blanket around Ash.

"I didn't expect that the battle would turn this cold..." Ash smiled, a little embarrassed at having to call time out to warm up.

"You're not the first trainer that needed a blanket during the match, nor will you be the last--that's why we have millions of them to give to visitors." Shelia assured Ash.

She then announced "Sudden Death! With each side having one Pokemon apiece, each trainer will battle with their oldest, most reliable Pokémon!"

Ash looked over at Tintri, who peeked up at him through the blanket. "Let's do this, bud."

[Yeah!] Tintri smiled as he darted out onto the ice to face Manny.

"Manny, keep using Blizzard!" Pryce called, signaling Ash's time out had ended.

Misty peeked out from the blanket Brock had packed, noticing Tintri's valiant efforts to fight the bitter wind and whirling snow as Blizzard after Blizzard battered the arena. "It's a wonder Tintri can even stand up!" she mused as she gratefully accepted a thermos filled with hot chocolate from Brock.

"This is Tintri, here...he has yet to let Ash down." Brock assured Misty as the snow from the onslaught of Blizzards subsided some moments later, leaving behind some icy pillars on the arena itself.

Ash, meanwhile, noticed that the ice pillars had gaps just large enough for a Pikachu to fit. "Tintri, I have an idea...can you try sliding under those pillars to get underneath Manny?"

Tintri replied, dashing across the ice, and using the momentum to easily slide under the icy pillar!

"What?" Pryce gasped as Tintri easily wall jumped and slid from pillar to pillar, unfazed by the howling wind and snow as Manny fired Blizzard after Blizzard. "Use Blizzard on the whole battlefield!"

"You're almost there!" Ash called over the wind and snow. "Your electric attacks can't hurt Manny, so try Disarming Voice!"

[i]Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... came Tintri's tiny voice over the bitterly cold wind. The reddish pink sound waves caught Manny by surprise, sending him sliding into the Gold safety barrier.

Pryce looked over at his Piloswine. "You're doing well, Manny...you've earned a little Rest."

Ash panicked as he watched Manny go to sleep. "Tintri, use Quick Attack before Manny heals!"

[AUGH!] Tintri yelled as Manny intercepted his Quick Attack with a Take Down, pinning him to the ice. Ash then watched in horror as Tintri was attacked four times in a row with Fury Attack, the barbs acting as stakes to hold the Pikachu helplessly in place.

"Do you understand now the unrelenting fury of the ice?" Pryce asked Ash as Tintri struggled to get free. "I, too, have seen and suffered much in my life, but through it all, I managed to keep trying...so what will you do now?"

"I did not come this far just to give up." Ash retorted. "I will rise like Moltres from the ashes, better and stronger than ever!"

He smiled as Tintri popped free from the ice seconds later. "Tintri, use Quick Attack to counter Manny's Fury Attack!"

[HAAAAH!!!!!] Tintri screeched as he wove around the second wave of Fury Attack barbs and rammed Manny in the nose, sending the massive boar Pokemon sliding back. But as the Piloswine charged to use Take Down, Tintri jumped on Manny's face and slammed into it with a Brick Break. The force of Tintri's attack created a huge hole in the ice.

"Now's your chance!" Ash called as Manny went tumbling in the water. "Try Disarming Voice again!"

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Tintri sang again, only for everyone to balk when the sound waves didn't appear to faze Manny.

[Oh no...] was all Tintri could say before frantically trying to dodge another volley of Fury Attack, slipping around the arena all the while. The Fury Attack barbs caught up with him some seconds later, pinning him to a wall near the Silver safety barrier.

"Don't give up! Disarming Voice!" Ash called.

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Tintri sang again, the recoil of the sound waves sending him sliding backwards. He was exhausted, true, but he was not about to give up. I will win this battle, or die trying!

Pryce noticed Tintri's tired, but determined face. "I will humbly forfeit the match--Tintri is far stronger than even Manny."

"Silver therefore wins the match via TKO!" Shelia announced, to cheers from Misty and Brock.

"What do you mean?" Ash was confused. "Does that mean I didn't actually win?"

"No--I love your strength and resolve." Pryce explained. "You gave more then a heroic effort--that, and I didn't want Manny to get hurt."

He went on "I was also impressed by your prowess--you clearly know what you are doing, and can adapt to fit the situation. With your strong will, I know you will overcome all of life's challenges."

He offered Ash a pale blue badge with an outline of a snowflake inside. "You are truly worthy of this Badge!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-25-2017, 11:53 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 101: Some Like it Hot

"I can't believe it--only one more Badge to go!" Ash smiled as he admired his newly acquired Glacier Badge, which had joined the other six on his vest. "I want to earn my last Badge while I'm still on fire!"

"My skin's going to be the only thing on fire at this rate..." Misty complained as she wiped away some sweat from her brow.

"Well, we are in an area with a lot of volcanoes and hot springs, so I can't help you there." Brock assured Misty, making her groan in frustration. "Just drink plenty of water and Pokenade, and you should be fine."

"Come on...being hot isn't that bad!" Ash grinned.

"I will admit the sun's nice at the beach, but this is too much..." Misty groaned.

"It's actually pretty nice..." Ash mused.

"I'm surprised you can tolerate this inferno!" Misty snapped. "Don't come crawling to me when you melt into an Ash-ameoba!"

"I am NOT gonna turn into an ameoba!" Ash shot back. "You get used to hot temperatures the more you're in them!"

[And here they go again...] Tintri grinned at Ami as he watched the "is not-is too" fight erupt.

The argument came to a screeching halt when both Ash and Misty spotted a gooey snail-like Pokemon crawling past them. "What's that?" Misty was intrigued.

"Magcargo, the lava Pokemon. Its brittle shell occasionally spouts intense flames that circulate throughout its body." the Pokedex explained as Ash showed Misty a picture of the lava snail before them.

"We must be in a prime area for Slugma and Magcargo..." Brock noted as more Magcargo slithered by, some of them with glittering purple lava.

After checking his map, he reported "The good news is, we're close to a cool spot, so if you'll follow me up that small fork on the left, we can cool off."

"I'm gonna take a shower so cold, it'll freeze the bathtub!" Misty eagerly led the way up the small path...

---------

"So much for that cold shower..." Brock sighed when he noticed a dozing Magcargo in the center of the path, blocking any one from entering or leaving the area.

Ash marched up to the Magcargo. "Hey, go find somewhere else to take a nap! We need to come through here!"

He did not, however, expect the Magcargo to heave a Flamethrower at him. "WAUGH!!!"

Once sure the fire had cleared, Ash stormed up to the Magcargo. "What was that for? All I asked was for you to let us through here, you didn't have to attack us over it!"

"I think you only made it angrier..." Brock cautioned as he noticed the Magcargo charging another volley of flames.

"Hit the deck!" Misty led the group behind a rock as the Flamethrower attack went flying...

---------

"I think we can come out now...that Magcargo went back to sleep." Brock reported as he peeked out from the rock some time later to find the Magcargo sleeping again.

"Just you wait...you're getting the shock of your life!" Ash muttered.

"Let me handle this...." Misty offered, snapping Ash from his angry mood. "A Fire type like Magcargo is weak against a Water type--you should know this by now!"

With that, she heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Michelle! Go wake up Sleeping Burny over there!"

Once the sleek blue duck Pokemon had materialized on the ground, she walked over to the dozing Magcargo. [Um, excuse me? Can you maybe find a new place to nap?] she asked as she gently nudged the Magcargo's shell.

Misty smiled when she saw the Magcargo wake up with a yawn. "Ami, use Water Gun to really give Sleeping Burny a wake up call!"

She gasped in horror as the Magcargo immediately withdrew into its shell to avoid the water. When it came out of hiding some seconds later, it started heaving rocks down the hill in Ami's direction.

Ami, meanwhile, skillfully danced around the rocks that tumbled down the hill. [Missed me!] she taunted.

She did not, however, see the Flamethrower attack coming for her! [OWWWWW!!!! HOT!!!]

"You call sending a little mouse against an evolved Pokemon good battling?" Misty heard a male voice nearby. "Maybe you ought to rethink your strategy!"

Misty whirled around to see a auburn haired boy approaching the group's nook. "My strategies are perfectly fine, thank you!" she shot back. "A Marill is stronger than it appears!"

"Really?" the boy countered. "Then I should be able to jump down from the cliff with no problem!"

The group watched as the boy attempted jumping down to a lower path, but ended up landing flat on his face. "Oww..." he winced as Brock hurried to check him for injuries.

"Not so high and mighty, are you, Mr. Cliff Leaper?" Misty sneered.

"Oh yeah? Come at me with something stronger than a mouse and a duck!" the boy shot back.

He sighed as the Magcargo from before crawled away. "Oh, now look what you've done! Now I have to chase after that Magcargo!"

Misty sighed. "Can you at least tell me your name? Otherwise I might call you something you're not gonna like!"

The boy smiled "The name's Egan, the Prince of Fire."

"Okay then, Egan...I am Misty, the Water Princess!" Misty shot back.

"A princess, huh? Let me know if you need any rescuing, I think the red plumber and the green swordsman are busy." Egan smirked.

"I DON'T need any rescuing!" Misty shot back. "Just because I am a girl does not mean I am a prize for you to win!"

The two of them then said to each other at nearly the same time "If you're going to insult me like that, I challenge you to a duel!"

"Love to, but can't--gotta keep looking for that Magcargo." Egan replied as he hurried off, leaving Misty behind to stew...

---------

"Ooh, that Egan..." Misty grumbled as the group continued along the path. "First he called Ami and Michelle weak, and then implies I am a delicate flower in need of rescuing? News flash, I am perfectly capable of rescuing myself, thank you very much!"

Just then, Misty and the boys spotted Egan coming out of a cave. "Hey, did you guys see that Magcargo anywhere?" he asked.

"Nope--all I saw was a cocky young trainer." Misty smirked.

Egan was about to fire off a retort to Misty's barb when the Magcargo emerged from a nook and started crawling across the rocky path. "There it is!" he called as he summoned a Flareon. "Mirasol, let's go!"

Ash watched as the Flareon engaged the Magcargo. "I see...whenever a Fire type like Flareon uses Flamethrower, Magcargo will then use Withdraw, in hopes it can eventually counter with its own fire, like what it did to Ami before..." he mused, trying oh-so-hard not to laugh at Egan getting more and more frustrated by every missed attack.

"Good, now you get it!" Misty smiled before she saw the Magcargo about to use Body Slam. "Mirasol, watch out!" she called, hoping that the Flareon would listen to her.

"You stay out of MY battle, Miss Priss!" Egan snapped. "Mirasol, use Fire Spin!"

Brock winced as the Magcargo knocked the Flareon down. "That had to hurt..."

"Egan, please listen to me!" Misty pleaded. "Mirasol can't take too much more--call her back and retreat for now. Sometimes the better part of valor is discretion!"

"No, I'm really close!" Egan replied. "Mirasol, try Flare Blitz!"

Misty sighed as the Magcargo countered Mirasol's flames, sending her flying backwards. "I TOLD you she couldn't take much more..." she sighed as she looked down at the swirly eyed Flareon at Egan's feet.

"But you were butting into MY battle!" Egan protested.

"I was trying to help you!" Misty shot back. "You were pushing that poor Flareon way too hard!"

"I didn't need or WANT your help!" Egan countered.

A referee's whistle diffused the impending fight. "If the two of you have a problem that needs resolving, we can talk it out civilly over lunch." Brock suggested.

"Ooh, good idea!" Ash smiled. "I'm starved!"

---------

"Hey...I'm sorry I implied you were a prissy princess earlier..." Egan confessed as he set aside the plate containing the remains of his sesame Combusken.

"Well, I'm sorry I said all those nasty things about you too." Misty replied. "I think we both let our pride as trainers get the better of us..."

"I feel horrible for pushing Mirasol so hard back there..." Egan sighed. "She is very special to me--I hatched her and raised her from an Eevee all by myself."

"Really?" Misty smiled. "I love all my Pokemon that much as well...so what say we stop playing 'better-than-you' and try to be friends? All this fighting's just gotten us nowhere!"

"Sure..." Egan replied. "Can I ask you why you love Water types so much?"

"Okay...music analogy time..." Misty began. "In addition to playing classical opuses, a humble violin can also play folk tunes, jazz, the blues, and even rock n' roll if its performer wants to. Water Pokémon are the same way--they are very flexible, and can easily adapt to any situation."

"Hm..." Egan thought for a moment. "I never thought of Water types that way before..."

"To continue my musical analogy, a good Pokemon and trainer relationship should be like a well performed duet." Misty went on. "The harmony shouldn't overpower the melody, but adapt according to what the melody is doing. Likewise, you shouldn't push Mirasol hard, but adapt your tactics according to what your opponent does."

---------

Later, the group and Egan located the Magcargo sunning itself on a path. "Remember--Mirasol is your melody, and you are the harmony--don't overpower her by pushing her." Misty reminded Egan as he sent out a newly healed Mirasol.

The group braced themselves as the Magcargo sent another wave of rocks at the tiny Flareon. I am the harmony and Mirasol is the melody--let's unleash the song of my heart!

He called "Mirasol, dodge the rocks and use Flamethrower!"

"Keep it up!" Misty cheered as the Magcargo withdrew into its shell. "You're doing great!"

"Come on, Egan!" Brock cheered as Mirsol next used Double Team, then lashed her tail at the Magcargo. "You can do it!" Ash whistled in encouragement as Mirasol unleashed a Flare Blitz, knocking the weakened Magcargo backwards.

The group watched as Egan heaved a Poke Ball at the Magcargo:

One...

Two...

Three...

"He did it!" Ash cried when he saw the Poke Ball's center dim some seconds later.

"And without burning out Mirasol, either." Brock smiled as he proudly dropped the Poke Ball containing the Magcargo in Egan's hands. "Here you are--you've more than earned this Magcargo."

---------

"I have to say, you're not too bad a person, Misty." Egan smiled as the group prepared to depart that evening. "No matter what your quest is, Warrior Princess of the Waves, the Fire Prince will be cheering you on all the way."

He offered a hand to Misty. "Friends?"

Misty smiled as she accepted Egan's hand. "Friends. Although, maybe we should have a friendly match the next time I'm here."

"You got it!" Egan smiled as the two new friends embraced...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

10-29-2017, 02:11 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 102: Same Old Song and Dance

"I hope your friendship with Egan grows as close as the two of us." Ash smiled as he led the way down the road.

"He's not too bad a person." Misty smiled. "I hope he remembers my lesson about the duet..."

She noticed Brock retrieve a box from his bag as the group stopped to make a temporary camp. "What's in the box?"

"Costumes...in case I want to dress up to tell a particular kind of story." Brock explained as he started a campfire.

Once sure that some meat was simmering above the fire, he opened the box to show his friends the costumes inside. "This one is my most used one..." he explained as he showed Ash and Misty a festive and frilly mariachi suit, complete with a sombrero and Poke Ball maracas. "The persona that goes with it is named Señor Alegria--Mr. Joy or Mr. Happiness, in case you don't speak Spanish."

"Only Spanish I know is 'hola'..." Ash confessed.

"Musketeer costume..." Brock next showed off an elegant blue and white swordsman's costume with silver trim and a matching blue cape. "Left over from when I played one of the musketeers in the school play one year."

"I would do anything for you, Misty, and me to be the Three Musketeers!" Ash smiled.

"Yeah..." Misty proceeded to grab a stick to stand in for a sword. "All for one, and one for all!"

"I can probably teach you guys some stage combat--a must if you're putting on 'The Three Musketeers'." Brock smiled. "The persona that goes with this one is named Dorian LaMaire, and he specializes in adventurous and romantic tales."

Just as he was about to show off his next costume, he noticed Ami running towards a bush. "What is it, Ami?"

[Someone's here!] Ami called. [Come look!]

The group followed Ami through the brush until they came to a small clearing, where they saw a purple haired girl in an elegant lavender dancer costume dancing with a pair of small puffballs similar to Jigglypuff. "Aw, how cute!" Misty smiled.

Ash, meanwhile, read up on the tiny puffball Pokemon. "Igglybuff, the balloon Pokemon. It likes to sing but is not yet good at it. With praise and encouragement, it will get better little by little."

He was about to complement the girl when he noticed Jigglypuff approaching. "Not today!" he grinned as he snatched away Jigglypuff's mic and stashed it in his bag

The girl, meanwhile, noticed the group. "Oh, hi! Were you maybe coming watch the show?"

"What show?" Ash asked, oblivious to Jigglypuff slapping the two Igglybuffs with Doubleslap.

"My show, Miracle Day." the girl smiled. "My name's Brittany, and these two..." She proceeded to rescue the Igglybuffs from Jigglypuff. "...are my two partners--Bella and Luna."

"We'd love to contribute to the show, but we don't have anything prepared..." Ash confessed.

"That's okay!" Brittany assured Ash. "I don't mind if you just watch from the audience...."

---------

Meanwhile, Team Rocket watched from the brush as the group and Brittany got to know each other. "Aw, how cute!" Jessie gasped when she saw the two Igglybuffs romping in the grass.

"Jus' tink of da show we could put on wit dose two little guys..." Meowth mused, inspired by a stage set up not far from the clearing.

He imagined Jessie and James as tap dancers dancing with the Igglybuffs as the four admins and Giovanni looked on. "Whateva act ya do wit'em, it would be a hit!"

"Well, if you're so sure we need an act, let's get the two little puffballs, then think of our act!" James suggested as the Rockets huddled to discuss their plot.

---------

Here we go, off the rails
Don't you know it's time to raise our sails?
It's freedom like you never ever knew... Brittany sang as she and her two Igglybuffs danced to a prerecorded jazzy melody on the stage later that evening.

Don't need bags, or a pass
Say the word, I'll be there in a flash
You could say my hat is off to you... She winked at Ash at this, to the cheers of the audience. Ash, meanwhile, just meekly tipped his hat as thanks, all the while trying to hide his embarrassment.

"What can I say? This has a hot beat!" Misty smiled as she swayed in her chair to the beat of the song.

"Brittany clearly loves doing this--I can sense it in every word of the song." Brock agreed.

Just as the song reached its first chorus, a crash startled the audience as the music suddenly faded out. "Team Rocket!" Ash gasped as sure enough, Team Rocket arrived on the stage.

"And now for our next act, we're gonna make these two puffballs disappear!" James announced over the boos from the audience. But the boos turned to coughs as Weezing used Smokescreen to distract the audience.

Misty wiped the smoke from her eyes. "Hey Brock...think you could use your mariachi singer as a cover while we go rescue Brittany's Igglybuff?" she asked.

"Sure!" Brock offered. "I'll even show off my other costumes and my Lore Stage material too!"

With Brock occupied changing into costume, Ash led the girls towards stage right into the brush. "Once we make sure Brock's covering the show, we'll follow the Rockets' route...got it!"

"Right!" Misty and Brittany replied.

He watched as a bright piano melody kicked off a tropical melody as Brock danced out onstage in the mariachi costume, the audience laughing and clapping all the while as he sang:

La-la-la, la la la, it is so wonderful!
La-la-la, la la la, letters of love and joy!
La-la-la, and it is, la-la-la,
And it is...
OH! MY LOVELY ONE!!!

Oh yes, I understand...
I fall in love so easily...
My heart has been broken...
Too many times to see...
Yet there is, too little space
For me...to get back up again!

And even if they think of me...
As someone much too carefree...
And even if they make fun of me...
Laughing at my foolish deeds...
Follow the dream, just for me...
Follow the dream, just for me...
Follow the dream, just for me...
My dream is alive!

Come on now, la-la-la, it is so wonderful!
La-la-la, la la la, hear the word's beautiful sound!
La-la-la, and it is, la-la-la,
And it is...
My lovely one...

The audience cheered as Brock danced on the stage. "Brock's got the audience entertained, let's go find Bella and Luna!" Ash called as he motioned for the group to follow him into the brush.

"Are you sure he can keep them entertained that long?" Brittany was unsure.

"Sure, I'm sure--he knows millions of songs and stories!" Misty smiled as onstage, Brock emerged in the musketeer costume from earlier to start his first story of the afternoon.

---------

"The first tale I want to share with you comes from long ago, when the seven regions of your world were but four kingdoms with differing names." Brock, now in character as Dorian Lamaire, began as he lightly strummed a mysterious melody on his guitar. After playing the song for a while, he continues. "Of the four ancient kingdoms, the strongest was the kingdom of Esta and the weakest was the kingdom of Tei. However, the kingdom of Tei proved it was strong in another area--an event immortalized in a tale called 'The Emerald Suicune'."

The guitar stops for a moment as Brock asks "Perhaps you would like to hear the tale?"

"YEAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!!" the audience cheers in reply.

Brock smiles and plays some more as he begins "Once an official in the royal court of Tei bought an exquisite statue of a leaping Suicune from a traveling merchant. When she took the statue to have its value determined, the appraiser was amazed! He said to the official..."

He switches to a slightly nasaly male voice. "This is no ordinary statue you have brought me, good lady--this is none other than the legendary Emerald Suicune! I have seen many fine stones and statues, but never before have I seen a statue carved entirely from fine emerald like this!" Some children laugh at the voice Brock is using, so he continues in character as the appraiser. "It is said the Emerald Suicune glows in the dark, keeps where it is placed cool in the summer and warm in the winter, and even repels bugs!" Some of the children laugh again as Brock continues as the appraiser. "Be sure and keep it safe, this is a beautiful and priceless treasure!"

As himself, he continues "Well, word spread quickly through Tei, and before long, the news of the official's find reached the royal ears of the king. The king was piqued, and sent word to the official that he wished to see the statue. But the official was afraid that the king would take the emerald Suicune from her, and spent all that night pondering whether she should flee the kingdom with the statue during the night. But one of her guests, a young man named Kaitou, pulled her aside and said to her..."

"That would not be wise, good lady." he fills in Kaitou's dialogue in a mimic of Ash. "His Majesty would hunt you down for sure, and you would lose both the statue and your life. Try this...go to the king and offer the statue to him as a gift."

He begins a regal melody as he continues "And so, the official brought the emerald Suicune to the king and presented it to him as a gift, just as Kaitou had told her to do. The king as so pleased with the statue's beauty, he had the official promoted to chamberlain."

After playing a tense interlude, he goes on. "Some time later, the king of Esta heard that the king of Tei had received the emerald Suicune, so he called his magistrates before him and said to them..."

He switches to an older version of his "someone's in trouble" voice. "We are the strongest kingdom, so we should have this priceless statue for our own! Send word to the king of Tei that I wish to buy the emerald Suicune from him in return for fifteen towns."

He switches to a higher pitched male voice and feigns surprise. "Fifteen towns?"

"One magistrate gasped..." he interjects as himself.

"That is far too high a price to pay for a statue." he fills in more dialogue, making some children laugh.

Brock switches to his "older king" voice again. "Of course not...once the envoy from Tei brings us the statue, no one will even remember the fifteen towns, and what will Tei do about it if we do nothing?."

As himself, he continues "the king replied. The magistrates were pleased at their master's plan, and immediately sent word to Tei. When the king of Tei received the request from Esta, he was troubled--what if the king of Esta was only going to keep the stone for himself and not deliver the fifteen towns? If he accused the king of Esta of deceiving him, it would lead to war--a war that Tei could not win. But he also noted that he could not give up the statue without a struggle. As he mulled and debated his options, his new chamberlain came to him and told him..."

"Your Majesty, a young man in my court named Kaitou has proven to be wise beyond his years." he fills in the dialogue in a mimic of Misty. "Perhaps if I were to summon him here, he would be of service to you."

"The king was pleased by the idea, and summoned Kaitou." Brock continues as himself. "Once Kaitou arrived, the king explained the situation to him and awaited Kaitou's answer. Kaitou thought for a while, then told the king..."

He switches to his "Kaitou" voice. "Your Majesty, the statue must be surrendered for your kingdom's sake. Otherwise, we will be forced to go into a war we cannot win. However, all is not completely lost--let me be the envoy that brings the emerald Suicune to Esta. I will lay down my own life if I do not return with the statue because the king of Esta deceived us."

"The king was pleased with Kaitou's proposal, and the entire court spent three days of praying and fasting to Arceus for Kaitou's safe journey." Brock continues as himself as he plays a festive song. "On the day Kaitou was to set out, Kaitou took the emerald Suicune and wrapped it in a silk blanket, tucked it into a silk bag, and then placed that in a pocket. He set out for Esta with a entourage of attendants, dancers and musicians. The king of Esta welcomed them and a grand feast was held in their honor.

The guitar continues to play for a while, then Brock continues. "When it came time for Kaitou to present the emerald Suicune, he took the silk bag from his pocket and carefully unwrapped the lovely green statue from the silk blanket. After admiring the glittering green Suicune for a moment, he ordered a servant to take it to the other officials of the court so that they too could see its beauty. Kaitou, meanwhile, waited a long time, but the emerald Suicune was not returned to the table, nor were the promised fifteen towns mentioned."

"Now, at this point, I want to stop the story for a moment..." he interjected. "We know that the king of Esta wants to keep the Emerald Suicune for himself, and has no intention of holding up his promise of fifteen towns to the kingdom of Tei. Based on this information, what would you all do if you were in Kaitou's position?"

The audience eagerly speculated and debated for a moment as Brock looked in the direction Ash and the girls had gone. I could hypothetically keep the show going forever with my massive repertoire, but the sooner you find the Igglybuffs, the better!

---------

"...When Prince Brian reached his home–the gardener’s hut where he lived with his wife–he was exhausted, and he lay down on his bed and slept." Brock--now in a prince's costume--continued his next tale. "Princess Christina noticed the handkerchief around his wounded leg, and wondered what it could be. Then she looked closely and saw in the corner that it was embroidered with her father’s name and the royal crown. So she ran straight to the palace and told her father. He and his two sons-in-law followed her back to her house, and there the gardener lay asleep on his bed. The scarf that he always wore around his head had slipped off, and his golden hair gleamed on the pillow. It was then that they realized that this was the hero who had fought and won the great battle."

He concluded "Then there was great rejoicing throughout the land, and the king rewarded his son-in-law Brian with half of his kingdom, and he and his wife Christina reigned happily over it, where they still reign today."

The crowd roared with applause as Brock hurried off to change into another costume...

---------

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sang, making the flash from his Mega Ring light up the darkening sky.

"Why didn't they tell me the twerps had superpowers?" James gasped as Luce emerged from the swirl of light and thunderbolts as Mega Ampharos.

"Supaheroes? Where's dere capes and stupid masks?" Meowth taunted as he hugged the crying Igglybuffs close.

"Are you calling ME stupid?" Misty growled before holding her Mega Ring skyward. Rou iitsa ron selga vichii...

Jessie was visibly shaking as Michelle emerged as Mega Golduck from the shining waves of water Misty's Mega Ring had conjured. "You can have the puffballs, just don't turn us into Rocket-cakes!" she pleaded as she, James, and Meowth dashed away, leaving the two Igglybuffs and Jigglypuff in the grass.

Brittany emerged from the brush some moments later and ran to hug her Igglybuffs. "Oh, Bella, Luna, I'm so glad you're okay!"

---------

Cheers rang through the air as Brock--now in his normal clothes--concluded yet another tale, but the cheers grew even louder as Ash and the girls returned. "Thanks for covering for me, Brock..." Brittany smiled before accepting a blue Lore Stripe from Luna. "As a reward for your immense skill and creativity, I want you to have this."

"Honest?" Brock was surprised. "When I had no proper competition?"

"Those hoodlums were competition enough, so I think you've earned this Lore Stripe for saving my show." Brittany assured Brock as she pinned the Lore Stripe on Brock's vest, to thunderous cheers.

Yet in all the excitement and relief that the show would go on, no one noticed Jigglypuff hurrying off into the brush with her mic, presumably to chase Meowth...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-02-2017, 12:48 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 103: Will the Real Oak Please Stand Up?

"So, how many tales did you end up telling while we were busy rescuing Brittany's Igglybuffs?" Misty asked as she sipped the mint chip milkshake she had ordered alongside the huge Combusken sandwich and thick cut fries before her.

"I managed a good, long set." Brock replied in between bites of the pot roast sandwich he had ordered. "All told, about thirty songs and twenty tales--and that includes singing the whole of 'Brian and Epona'. It wasn't the longest set I've ever performed, but it ranks in my top five longest sets."

"So, what's your record for the longest show you've done?" Ash wondered before biting into a triple cheeseburger.

"The longest show I've ever done--so far--was a fundraiser for one of the kids' schools." Brock explained. "36 straight hours of storytelling between me and two others to help build a library in a less fortunate area."

"Wow!" Misty was impressed. "How did you manage to keep up your energetic style for that long?"

"I was allowed a bathroom and sleep break every three hours, or when it wasn't my turn to be onstage." Brock explained. "So I napped when I could and drank a lot of Verde Power to keep awake."

"One can of that easily keeps you awake for twelve hours, let alone thirty-six." Misty was impressed.

A familiar theme song over the radio snapped her to attention. "And now, it's time for 'Oak's Pokemon Talk', with your hosts, Professor Oak and DJ Mary!" the announcer reported.

"Good evening--this week, our focus is on Pokemon number 121, Starmie." Professor Oak's voice began. "The evolution of Staryu, it is known as the Mysterious Pokemon..."

I knew that... Misty thought as the waiter arrived to clear the boys' plates and leave the bill.

After leaving their shares of the bill and a generous tip, the group stayed behind to listen as Prof. Oak and Mary talked about Starmie--its moves, how it required a Water Stone for evolving from Staryu, general tips for training a Starmie, and Starmie's role in lore.

The lore segment was what really got Ash's attention. "In fact, it was once believed that Starmie's crystal was a means to communicate with the gods." Professor Oak went on. "This has led to it being revered as a divine Pokemon in some parts of the world."

He went on "To close out the show this week, here's an example of one such story from Kanto, simply titled 'How Starmie Came to Be'."

Some relaxing music played as Oak began the tale. "There once was a king and queen who lived in a great kingdom far away from here. For many years, the king and the queen had come from a similar ancestral lineage. One day, the queen asked the king if she could have a star for her birthday. 'How am I supposed to get you a star if it is in the heavens above?' the king asked..."

Ash sighed. "A storyteller, Prof. Oak is not..."

"Yeah--not only is he telling in a boring drone, he's just telling, not showing." Misty agreed

"You have to give Prof. Oak credit for trying--maybe this is his first time doing this segment." Brock interjected as the group got up to depart. "But whether you're just starting out or tell professionally, you have to remember that even in a single region, there are many different versions of the same tale, so there is no one true 'definitive version' or 'correct' way to tell."

As the closing theme started playing, Ash heard Mary say "Thanks for joining us this week--I just want to remind our fans that we will be doing a live broadcast of the show tomorrow at 1:00pm at the Maroon Town fairgrounds, with a Q and A session afterwards. Best of all, admission is free!"

This got Brock excited. "You think Mary will let me take a crack at telling the tale Professor Oak tried to tell?" he smiled as he flipped through his guide book.

"Maybe, if you behave yourself." Misty replied.

"Here we are...Maroon Town is right on the way to Blackthorn City, and we should get there by tomorrow morning!" Brock reported as the group departed the diner.

"All right!" Ash smiled. "I've never seen a live radio show before!"

---------

Meanwhile, Kamon sighed as he strolled down the streets of Maroon Town, clutching his stomach all the while. "Why do I always manage to forget to buy food when I need it most?" he sighed as his stomach growled.

Just then, he noticed one of many posters advertising the show on a building. "Say...maybe if I somehow disguised myself as Professor Oak, it'll lure out Wonder Boy and pals!"

He hurried off towards a costume shop. "Let's see...if I'm gonna be Prof. Oak, I'll need a wig that matches his hair, a red shirt, a lab coat, and of course, I need to learn how to convincingly mimic his voice!"

---------

Later that evening, Kamon--now in disguise as Professor Oak--made his way into the Pokemon Center. After brushing a few stray red hairs into the gray-brown wig he wore, he smiled as throngs of trainers ran to meet him. So far so good...I've managed to fool a few average trainers...

The talking snapped Nurse Joy to attention. "Oh, hi Professor! I thought you said on your show tonight you wouldn't be here until tomorrow!" she smiled as the disguised Kamon approached the front desk.

"Well, because of all the loyal Pokémon fans here in Maroon Town, I couldn't wait to make it there to meet them all, so I came as soon as I could." Kamon replied in his best mimic of Professor Oak. Here's hoping Nurse Joy falls for it! I spent all afternoon listening to the real Prof. Oak to get his voice right...

"That's very sweet of you!" Nurse Joy smiled, making Kamon heave a relieved sigh that his mimic was accurate. "Let's get you settled in on the stage, okay?"

---------

"Would anyone like to ask the professor a question?" Nurse Joy asked a throng of children that had gathered around a stage at the fairground.

Kamon froze as the crowd around the stage grew larger and larger. I didn't think to study his Pokemon know-how--if all these people catch Prof. Oak not knowing the answers, I'm toast!

His PokeNav gave him an idea. Of course! I can just Google the answers to any question they ask me!

"What exactly is that leek thing that Farfetch'd is always carrying around?" a boy asked, snapping Kamon to attention.

That would take too long even to Google... Kamon sighed. "It's actually a hockey stick." he replied, to awed murmurs as he feigned a smile.

Why do Electric-type attacks not work on Pokémon like Quagsire even though it is a Water type?" a girl wondered.

After Googling "what is quagsire's type?", Kamon replied "It is both a Water type and Ground type, so electricity does not affect it because of its Ground-type characteristics."

Stunned, the children began snowing Kamon with questions faster than he could Google the answers:

"What's a Shiny Pokemon?"

"Will it stay Shiny when it evolves?"

"Can you trade eggs?"

"If I breed a female Pokemon with Ditto, will it give the baby its Egg Moves?"

Kamon's heart pounded faster and faster as he frantically Googled answers to appease the children. Gah...the questions are coming so fast, I can't keep up!

A camera flash startled him. "Hi! We're the Prof. Oak Fan Club!" a girl smiled. "May we take your picture?"

Kamon shielded his eyes as one camera flash after another filled the air. No paparazzi! Please!

---------

"What?" the real Prof. Oak gasped. "How could I have already bean here when Mary explicitly said we'd be here today?"

"Here's photographic evidence, right here!" Nurse Joy proceeded to show Prof. Oak a picture of Kamon in his disguise from the previous night.

"Professor!" a boy asked as he and some other children from the previous night arrived. "We don't believe Farfetch'd carries around a hockey stick, it must carry around some sort of root."

Prof. Oak just chuckled. "Well, I can assure you it is definitely not a hockey stick. "It's also not a root--it is actually the stem from a plant."

"Okay..." the boy shrugged as he and the children departed, whispering their doubts and their own predictions for the answer all the while.

"Good morning, Professor!" Ash smiled as the group arrived in the Pokemon Center. "What's happened? Normally the kids trust you."

"I have a suspicion that someone is using my good name to lie to the kids." Prof. Oak explained, just as Kamon walked in the room, still in his disguise.

"Can you three tell who the real professor is?" Nurse Joy asked--Kamon did look very much like Prof. Oak in his disguise.

"I have an idea--let's have a little contest in order to prove which Professor is real." Misty suggested. "Besides, the real Prof. Oak wouldn't need to be Googling the answers, like I've heard the rumors in town suggest."

"A search engine is a powerful tool, but not all the results it finds are trustworthy." Prof. Oak agreed.

"What a great idea!" Mary smiled. "We'll make your contest our live show instead of what we planned!"

"And I can add in a few tales and tunes, if you finish early and need to fill time." Brock offered.

"After your performance back in Goldenrod, I'd be happy to let you three tell again." Mary replied.

---------

"Okay everyone! Here's how our game of 'Which Professor's Which?' will work." Mary explained to the crowd that had gathered at the fairgrounds some time later. "The contest will consist of three questions. The first Professor to answer two out of three correctly will be deemed the real Professor Oak." Cheers went up at this.

"What is the evolved form of Slowpoke that--" Nurse Joy started reading the first question.

"The answer is Slowbro." the real Oak replied.

The crowd roared as a green light appeared on the real Oak's scoreboard. "Although that is correct, there was more to the question." Nurse Joy assured the two Oaks. "What is the name of the Psychic attack that Slowbro learns when it reaches level 46?"

I have no idea! Kamon gasped. "Gah...what is it...I think I have amnesia..."

He heaved a relieved sigh when he heard the cheer of the crowd and the ding of a scoreboard light glowing. "Amnesia is correct!" Nurse Joy announced.

Murmurs filled the air as a screen on the stage displayed a round black shape. "Our second question--what Pokemon does this silhouette belong to?" Nurse Joy asked.

"It is the hand of a Sudowoodo!" Kamon eagerly guessed.

"I believe it is an Aipom's tail." the real Oak confidently answered.

Cheered filled the air as the silhouette filled in with an Aipom's tail. "That is correct." Nurse Joy smiled.

Just then, Kamon got up from the table, startling the crowd. "I would like to humbly request that the last question should be a storytelling contest."

"All right...we'll let Professor B go first." Nurse Joy replied. "In the event of a tie, we'll use our original third question as the tie breaker."

Kamon nodded, and frantically thought of a story to tell. "Um...once upon a time...in a cave, there lived a damp, ruddy pixie named Hannah Bond. Not a hot fake, tall cave, filled with sausages and a tender smell, nor yet a hilly, cold, sizzling cave with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a pixie-cave, and that means comfort."

Confused murmurs filled the crowd as Kamon went on "One day, after a troubling visit from the troll Richard Chan, Hannah leaves her cave and sets out in search of three damp trousers. A quest undertaken in the company of girls, aliens and scary robots."

"That doesn't even make any sense!" a girl protested.

"If you're gonna tell a story, do it right!" a boy agreed.

Nurse Joy sensed the crowd's anger at the confusing story. "I believe we have our winner!" she asked, pulling off Kamon's wig to reveal who Professor B really was.

Ash smirked as Kamon, humiliated by his unmasking, dashed away in fear. "So long, Kamon!"

"Professor A is the one and only Professor Oak!" Nurse Joy announced, to thunderous cheers as the real Oak took a bow for the crowd.

---------

"Professor!" a boy begged as he and the other children approached Professor Oak. "We're sorry we ever doubted you--besides, you don't have to Google the answers!"

"Yeah, you just seem to know the answer yourself." a girl smiled.

"Well, I always strive to keep on learning more about the wonderful world of Pokemon, just as you all should." Prof. Oak assured the children. "If we don't doubt on occasion, how can we learn and grow?"

Misty smiled as Prof. Oak went to work answering the children's questions with the real answers. "If you want to do a little storytelling, here's your chance." she told Brock.

Brock nodded, and stepped on the stage, guitar in hand. "Okay...how would you guys like to hear a PROPER story or two that makes sense?" he asked the crowd over a expectant G chord.

Laughter and cheers filled the air in reply as Brock started a relaxed melody with Ash, Misty, and Mary looking on. "There was once a king of a far away land who had two sons--their names are not important to us yet." he began. "One day, the sons went hunting in the forest and got horribly lost. They wandered this way and that for twelve weeks in all, and they eventually came to a three way fork in the road. After they had each agreed on a route to take, the elder brother took a knife and stuck it into the trunk of a tree by the roadside, and told his brother that if the knife blade turned red, it was a sign that one of them was either dead or in danger. If the knife glowed, it was a sign that one of them had found fortune...."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-05-2017, 12:34 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 104: Outrageous Fortunes

"That was very sweet of Mary to give you a Lore Stripe as thanks for your telling." Misty smiled as the group made their way down the road.

"Doesn't it bother you that you earned both your blue and your indigo stripe with no real competition?" Ash wondered.

"Not really." Brock replied as he looked up from the guidebook. "It's no different from you earning a few badges just because back when you started out."

He grinned. "Which I don't regret doing--you've come a long way from that scatterbrained young trainer you once were."

"Yes, you have." Misty agreed. "I think I saw a few glimmers of today when you battled Daisy."

Ash blushed a little. "Well, I'm working on the scatterbrained part...how much further till we get to our next destination?"

"Not far, according to the guidebook." Brock explained as he consulted the chapter on Blackthorn City. "We should be reaching another town here momentarily."

As the group rounded the corner into a town, Misty noticed a large crowd gathered around a mini arena. "Looks like a big match going on...let's go look!"

"Excuse me...sorry...pardon me..." Brock led the way through the crowd in an attempt to get a look at the battle in progress. "Okay...I see two trainers battling with a Hitmontop and a Poliwrath...."

"Bad memories of past Pokethlons..." Misty mused, shuddering as she remembered Andreas.

"Relax--this guy doesn't look like as bad a person like Andreas was." Ash assured Misty as the Hitmontop used Double Kick on its opponent.

He gasped as the Poliwrath used Submission to end the match! "How?" he asked as the two trainers shook hands. "I thought only fighting Pokémon learned Submission, and Poliwrath is a Water type."

"That's because Poliwrath is part Fighting, and therefore learns Submission when it evolves." Misty explained.

"Lets hear it for Mason and Kujira!" the referee called, prompting the crowd to cheer for the Poliwrath and its owner, a brown haired boy.

---------

"Nicely done!" Ash smiled as the group found Mason and his Poliwrath in the crowd some moments later. "May I ask the occasion for the match?"

"We're having a Power type Pokethlon here today, if any of you three would like to try." Mason explained, gesturing to the Pokethletes beginning to fill up an athletic center.

This guy is a far cry from Andreas and his Poliwrath... Misty thought as she led the way to the check in booth outside the athletic center.

"So? Who are you using for this Pokethlon?" Brock's voice snapped her from her thoughts.

"Michelle, Pearl...and Ami." Misty replied.

"What?" Ash gasped. "Why? Ami would be squished flat by all these big Pokemon!"

Misty unfurled the huge stat list Casey had gave her, which wound around the square. "Watch and learn, you two--note that Marill and Starmie have max Power." She referred to Marill's entry and Starmie's entry on the list, which both had five stars in the Power stat.

"Golduck's nothing to sneeze at with four stars, either." Brock mused as he gathered up the long piece of paper and rolled it up neatly.

Ami, meanwhile, danced around her owner's feet in excitement as the group made their way inside. [Oh boy! I get to go toe to toe with some big Pokemon!]

---------

"Okay, Ami...our first event is the Block Smash." Misty explained to Ami as Mason and his Poliwrath effortlessly broke all ten blocks with a Hydro Pump. "All you have to do as break as many of those blocks as you can. We need to try and tie Mason by breaking all ten blocks."

Ami smiled.

"Number 7, please approach the line!" the referee called, prompting Ami to scramble onto the platform as ten new blocks were prepped for her to break.

"Ami, use Water Pulse!" Misty commanded.

The crowd watched as the shining wave of water blasted towards the blocks. Misty watched as the water black easily powered through eight of the blocks, but only managed to just barely break the ninth block, putting her in a second place.

Ami heaved with exhaustion. [Wow...those blocks are tougher to break than they look--I only wish I had a little more strength to break that last one!]

"Nine blocks out of ten is still very good." Misty assured her Marill. "All I want is for you to try your best, and you did that very well."

[Yeah...maybe we can do better in the next event.] Ami smiled.

---------

"Okay, the next event's rules may sound a little complicated, but I'll do my best to explain them at a level you can understand." Misty began as she made her way to the arena where the Circle Push was being held. "The object of the event is to stay inside of the circles projected onto the field, all while keeping others out. The longer you stay in a circle, the more points you get. Whoever has the most points at the end of six rounds, wins."

[I think I get that..." Ami replied as she looked into the stands.

A whistle from Ash and Brock waving to her made a smile form on her face. [I can do this!]

In the stands, Brock watched with concern when the buzzer went off to start the first round. "Are you sure picking Ami was a good idea?" he noted as Amy was sandwiched in between a Machoke and a Venusaur.

"I'm sure Misty knows what she's doing..." Ash smiled as Ami recovered from being caught up in the larger Pokemon around her, using Superpower to shove the Machoke out of the circle. "She never would've picked Ami if she didn't believe she could do this."

Brock smiled as a familiar song started playing over the speakers to motivate the Pokethletes and pump up the crowd. "Yeah...I think all Ami needs is a little motivation!"

With that, he sang [i]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!
Everybody listen to this song and sadness will just disappear!
My wishes, dreams and hopes go forth into the world...

Come along and take my hand, come with me for the ride, Ash sang as Ami started making up ground in the second round.
Together we will step through the door
And see the light shining from our own heavenly land!

Both boys then sang at the top of their lungs Come with me and we will see the wonders of the world!
All of the glory, is in our story!

As we make our way to heaven, take it step by step
And get the glory, upon the great stage!

We can go anywhere, so long as we're together
I truly believe it with all of my heart...
The cards here in my hand,
Show you the way...

On the field, Ami heaved the Venusaur out of the six point circle, allowing her to edge the Venusaur out of the lead and clinch the over win by four points! "She did it!" Ash cried. "Nothing like a fight song to motivate you!

In the arena, Misty was ecstatic as she hugged Ami. "Well done! I was a little worried when that Machoke and that Venusaur squished you in the first round..."

[I was just trying to figure out the rules, but I soon got the hang of it.] Ami wheezed as Misty offered her some water.

[I'll take over for the final event.] Michelle offered. [Ami needs a well earned rest.]

---------

"Okay...the final event is the Goal Roll." Brock reported. "Ami's still tired from the Circle Push, so Michelle's taking over."

"Good idea..." Ash smiled as the ball was dropped into play, making the two minute clock on the scoreboard begin to tick down. "Michelle's good on land and in the water, so she should have no problem."

Mason's Poliwrath stole the ball some moments later to score the first goal of the match, but Ash's sadness at having another Pokemon score was short lived as a sparkling silver ball was dropped into play. "Whoa...never saw that in any prior Goal Rolls!"

"On rare occasions, a silver ball or even a gold ball can drop into play. " Brock explained as he looked over the rules on his PokeNav. "Silver ones are worth two points, and gold ones are worth three."

"Nice!" Ash smiled as Michelle made a powerful kick towards Misty's goal, netting her two points with just under a minute to go!

"Come on!" Brock cheered as Michelle stole another ball away from the Venusaur to try and score another point. Mason's Poliwrath tried to steal the ball, but another powerful kick from Michele put Misty ahead of Mason to win the event, three goals to two.

---------

"I have to say well done on winning gold by a nose there..." Mason smiled as he and Misty left the medal ceremony that evening. "And well done to your Marill, as well--what's your secret? You must've trained her hard to take on Pokemon several times her size!"

"There is no secret." Misty replied as the boys hurried up to congratulate her. "Just a lot of resolve, a little patience, and plenty of determination."

As she turned to leave with Ash and Brock, she called "Good luck on your own Pokethlon adventure!"

"Okay!" Mason called back as he waved goodbye...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-08-2017, 11:12 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 105: Tales on the Frontier

"Tintri, use Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded, training his eye on the Smoochum his navy haired opponent commanded.

"Wait...stay your attack." the navy haired girl requested as her Smoochum trudged back to her, prompting Tintri to stay his attack. "I applaud your enthusiasm, but such an intense battle tired Josephine out."

"Then, do you want to have another match some other time?" Ash offered.

"Maybe, but if you really want to test your skills, I'd recommend you go to the Battle Frontier." the girl smiled. "It's a great place where a lot of trainers bring their Pokémon to battle, and is run by five professional trainers called the Frontier Brains."

"Okay..." Ash motioned for the girl to go on as they started down the road.

"In fact, the Battle Frontier has almost every Pokémon that exists." the girl went on as the tops of festival tents and a tall tower came into view. "If any of you are storytellers, there is a Lore Stage going on to celebrate its grand opening."

Now Brock was excited. "Think I can finally complete my rainbow?"

"I know you can!" Misty replied.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ash cried as he dashed down the road. "Let's go!"

---------

"Wow..." the group gasped as they gawked at the five massive buildings and walkways filled with trainers and Pokemon. "Where do I even begin?" Ash wondered as he watched the crowds criss cross the white walkways leading to and from the various facilities.

"The facilities are laid out in the shape of a star." a guide explained. "If you like, I can take you to see each one, and allow you to meet the Frontier Brain that leads it."

"Sure!" Ash replied.

"All right..." The guide first led the group to the tower at the north end of the Frontier. "This is the Battle Tower, led by Palmer." She pointed out a young man with spikey blonde hair wearing a green jacket signing autographs and posing for pictures by the tower entrance.

Ash made a beeline to the man as the last person in line departed. "Hi, I'm Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town!"

"A pleasure to meet you, Ash." Palmer smiled, admiring the seven badges on Ash's right vest flap. "I think you've got real potential to meet me and my fellow Frontier Brains in battle--I'm sure earning those was no easy task."

"Nope--I worked hard to get those." Ash replied. "And I'll work hard to get my last one, too!"

Palmer grinned. "With spirit and enthusiasm like that, I think you could get that last badge and make a splash in the League. Whatever you do, never give up, no matter how hard things get."

"I promise." Ash gave Palmer a little bow before running to catch up to Misty, Brock, and the teal haired guide.

---------

"Up next is the Battle Factory, led by Thorton." the guide went on, pointing out a black haired young man with a small green highlight meeting guests at the entrance to a factory-like building.

Ash waited for the line to shrink a little before approaching Thorton. "Hi, I'm Ash Ketchum, of Pallet Town!"

"Nice to meet you, Ash." Thorton replied. "I've heard rumors that they're building a Battle Frontier in Kanto, only this one will have seven facilities instead of five."

He admired the seven badges on Ash's vest. "You've done well to come this far, and I believe you could do very well here. The Pokemon League should be an easy way to measure how ready you are to challenge the Frontier."

"I'll do the best I can." Ash replied before hurrying to catch up with the others.

---------

"This is Dahlia, leader of the Battle Arcade." the guide explained as the group approached a black haired woman in a yellow costume near a cathedral-like building decorated in neon lights.

"Hello, Ash..." Dahlia smiled. "Palmer and Thorton told me you and your friends were coming."

"What can you tell me about the Battle Arcade?" Ash wondered.

"My state of the art Event Board will determine the battle conditions." Dahlia explained. "Some of them may help you, some of them may harm you, and some may affect the entire arena. Either way, every game is a new surprise, so you need to think fast."

"Sounds fun!" Ash grinned as he and the others turned to leave.

---------

The group gasped in awe as the group arrived inside a majestic castle. "This place is beautiful..." Misty gasped as she admired the beautiful flowers in the foyer, and banners displaying the Battle Frontier logo hanging on the wall.

"This is Darach, the head of the Battle Castle." the guide explained as she returned with an elegantly dressed black haired man with a blonde highlight.

"A pleasure te meet ye, Ash." Darach smiled, a slight Scottish brogue lending a touch of class to his voice. "What brings ye all tis wey to Johto?"

"I've competed in my home league, and want to challenge myself to be even stronger." Ash replied.

"No matter how many badges ye get, remember that true strength is not mere power alone." Darach reminded him. "Ye also need a strong mind, and most importantly, a strong heart."

He smiled. "If what my fellow Brains say is true, ye have te heart down pat, at least."

---------

"And finally, this is Argenta, head of the Battle Hall." the guide explained as a red suited woman with matching sunglasses perched in her lavender hair met Ash in the large glowing battlefield at the end of a runway.

"So...many...lights..." Ash sighed as he rubbed the spots out of his eyes.

"I want to make sure every trainer that comes in here is treated as the superstar they were meant to be." Argenta explained as Misty and Brock hurried outside. "This is why we give them the full red carpet experience, including rolling out the red carpet for them, and souvenir photos."

"Oh..." Ash mused. "Are you or the other Brains taking challenges right now?" he asked.

"Well, we are also judging the Lore Stage, so unfortunately, we don't have the time to battle today."

"Okay..." Ash replied. "Maybe when I get my eighth badge, I can challenge you and the other Brains."

"Maybe--for now, your storyteller companion needs your support." Argenta smiled, gesturing to a crowd beginning to form at the center square, where a large stage was set up for the Lore Stage.

"I'll go cheer my friend on for now, but I still want to battle sometime." Ash assured Argenta before hurrying off to find Misty and Brock.

"There you are!" Brock smiled as Ash caught up to him at the check in area. "Tellers are allowed to have no more than two other people assisting this round, so would you and Misty like to help me?"

"Sure!" Ash smiled.

"Then follow me backstage, and I'll tell you and Misty what you have to do." Brock smiled as he finished checking in...

---------

"Number K-93098, telling 'The Faithful Son'." Palmer announced to the crowd before hurrying offstage, revealing Brock in a spotlight with his guitar.

"Once upon a time, many years ago, there lived an old man and a old woman." Brock begins. "Between the two of them, they had lived nearly a hundred years, at least. But they took neither joy nor pleasure in anything, this was because they had no children."

"Aw"s go up at this. "They were about to celebrate their seventy-fifth anniversary, known as the Diamond Wedding, but no guests were invited to share their simple feast." Brock explains from stage left. "As they sat there at the table, they savored the many happy memories across the years of their long life, and as they did, they were sure that it was punishment for some misdeed that Arceus had denied them the happiness of having children, and as they thought, their tears fell fast."

More 'aw's fill the air over the guitar's sad melody. "At that moment, someone knocked." Brock narrates, knocking on the stage sides for effect.

“Who's there?” he calls in character as the old woman.

"A man in a traveler's cloak leaning on a stick, and white as a Pidove was waiting for her when she opened the door." he narrates as himself.

“What do you want?” he asks as the woman.

“Just a poor traveler seeking alms." he replies in a mimic of an older man.

"The good woman was kind-hearted, and she cut her last loaf in two, giving one half to the traveler, who said..." Brock narrates as himself.

“I see you have been crying, good lady, and I know the reason of your tears." he smiles in character. "But take heart, by heaven's grace you will be comforted. Though poor and childless today, tomorrow you shall have family and fortune.”

Some laughter goes up at Brock's look of feigned ecstasy. "When the old woman heard this she was overjoyed, and told her husband to invite the man in." Brock continues. "But he was gone, and though they searched for him, they found nothing but his stick lying on the ground."

He smiles as he reveals the traveler's true identity. "For it was not a poor traveler, but Arceus himself who had knocked. Our friends did not know this, so they picked up the stick and hurried off to find its owner, in hopes of returning it. But it seemed as if the stick, like its master, were endowed with some marvelous power, for whenever the old man or the old woman tried to pick it up it slipped out of their hands and rolled along the ground."

Laughter fills the air as the crowd pictures a wild chase. "They followed it into a forest, and at the foot of a shrub which stood close by a stream, it disappeared." Brock narrates over a 'running' melody. "They looked all around the shrub thinking to find the stick there, but instead of the stick, they found a bird’s nest containing twelve eggs, and from the shape of the shells it seemed as if the young ones were ready to hatch."

“Pick up the eggs,” he suggests as the old man, “they will make us an omelette for our wedding feast.”

"The old woman grumbled a little, but she took the nest and carefully carried it home." he narrates as himself "Imagine their astonishment when at the end of twelve hours there came out, not unfledged bird Pokemon, but twelve children--six boys, and six girls...."

---------

..."The old couple were happy in the thought that their son was brave as well as strong." Brock goes on. "One day it occurred to the old woman that she would like to see them all married, and to have the house filled with her sons and daughters-in-law and their children. So she asked her friends to talk the matter over, and finally persuaded her husband to agree. He called his sons and daughters around him and said..."

“Listen to me, my children: In a certain country lives Arceus' envoy on Earth, the crafty Delphox Kitsune." Brock explains as the old man. "Like all Delphoxes, she has holy magic, but hers is especially powerful. She can fly like a bird Pokemon, though she has no wings, and when she travels leaves no trace of her steps. She has twelve beautiful sons and daughters of her own, who have large dowries; do your best to win them for your husbands and wives. Do not return without bringing them with you.”

Brock then plays an expectant chord. "Both parents blessed their sons and daughters, who, mounting their Ponytas, were soon out of sight."

He then catches himself. "Well, all but Dillon, who went to the stable and began to shed tears." "Aw"s fill the air as Ash sits in one corner of stage left, feigning crying.

“Why do you cry so?" Misty asks, now in the role of the Ponyta.

“Don’t you think I have a good reason?” Ash rants through feigned tears. “I have to go a long long way in search of a wife, and you, my friend, are so thin and weak that were I to depend upon your strength I would never be able to join my brothers and sisters.”

“Do not despair, Dillon,” Misty assures Ash, “not only will you overtake your brothers and sisters, but you will leave them far behind. My name is Epona--I am the daughter of Lightfoot of the Golden Mane, and if you will do as I tell you, I will gain the same powers as he has. You must take me to a secluded location, bury me under a layer of earth and manure, then sow some wheat over me, and when the Cornn is ripe, it must be gathered and some of it placed near where I am buried.”

"Dillon threw his arms around Epona's neck and embraced her..." Brock narrates as Ash and Misty hug and the lights go down. "...then led her into a secluded glade and buried her there, as if she had died. Then Dillon covered her with a layer of manure and earth, upon which he sowed wheat, as had been told to do. It was immediately watered by a gentle rain, and warmed by the heat of the sun’s rays. The Cornn Berries took root and ripened so quickly that on the twelfth day Dillon set to work to cut, thresh, and winnow it." Ash pantomimes doing this. "He harvested so much, that he was able to give most of it to his parents, and keeping one for himself, spread it over where Epona was buried."

Ash proceeds to scatter some uncooked Cornn Berries over a leaf pile, where Misty is hidden. "After a few tense moments, Epona peeked from the mound, sniffed the air..."

"Oh"s go up as Misty peeks from the pile. "and began to eat the Cornn." Brock narrates as Misty pantomimes eating the uncooked Cornn Berries "As soon as she had her fill, she sprang up, and was so full of life that she wanted to jump over the fence in a single bound..."

He plays an upward glissando on one string as Misty bursts from the leaf pile, to some applause. "but Dillon held her by the mane, and getting lightly on her back, said..."

“Whoa there, Epona, I do not want others to have the benefit of all the trouble I have had with you. Carry me to Kitsune's house.” Ash tells Misty as the lights go down.

"To tell you the truth, Epona was a magnificent Ponyta, big and strong, with eyes that flashed like lightning. She leaped up into the air as high as the clouds, and the next moment descended in the middle of a field, saying to her master..." Brock narrates

“As we need to first see the crafty Kitsune, even though are still a long way off, we can stop here for a short time." Misty assures Ash as they walk onstage over a peaceful interlude in the background. "Eat and drink, I will do the same. Your brothers and sisters may pass us, but we are a good ways ahead of them. When they come you can go on together to visit the holy Delphox--remember, though it is difficult to get into her house, it is much more difficult still to get out because of all the ghosts that try to reach her, but are kept away by holy magic. But if you want to be perfectly safe, take from under my saddle three magic jewels--a ruby, a sapphire, and an emerald."

After handing Ash the prop jewels, Misty goes on "They will helpful to you to escape the ghosts; for when you sing to the sapphire 'Rou iitsa ron selga vichii', a river will flow between you and your enemy; if you sing to the emerald 'Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo...' it will become a thick forest; and by singing to the ruby 'Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul' it will conjure a wall of fire, as well as other things. After you have been welcomed into Kitsune's house, and your siblings have stabled their Ponytas and gone to bed, I will tell you what to do next.”

"For twelve days Dillon and Epona rested and gained strength, and at the end of that time, the other eleven brothers and sisters arrived." Brock narrates over a soft heroic motif. "They were stunned to see the youngest, and wondered where on earth he had come from, and whose Ponyta he rode.”

“I have come from home." Ash assures an imagined crowd. "The Ponyta is the same one I chose initially. We have been waiting here twelve days; let us go on together.”

"In a short time they came to a cave near a sycamore tree, and knocked at the entryway." Brock knocks on the side of the stage for effect. "Kitsune peeked out through the peephole in the door and called..."

"What do you want?” Misty calls from offstage, now as Kitsune.

“We are twelve brothers and sisters come to ask the twelve sons and daughters of yours in marriage." Ash explains. "If you are willing to be our mother-in-law, open the door.”

"The door opened and Kitsune appeared. She was a beautiful Pokemon, old as the hills; and yet still had the youth and joie de vivre of a young lady, thanks to the immortality given to her by Arceus himself." Brock narrates over a majestic melody some in the audience recognize as the Final Fantasy Prelude. "Although she was usually a good Pokemon that would not harm the good and the pure, the evil and the selfish often didn't come out of her cave."

Murmurs fill the air, but Brock assures the audience "She received the young travelers very graciously, shut the gate of the courtyard behind them, and led them into the cave. Dillon’s siblings dismounted, and taking their Ponytas to the stables, tied them up to rings made of silver; but Dillon fastened Epona to a gold ring. Kitsune served her guests with a generous dinner, and gave them wine and ale to drink. Then she made up twelve beds on the right side of the room for the travelers, and on the left side twelve beds for her own sons and daughters".

The lights dim to simulate nighttime, and the guitar's song turns foreboding. "All were soon asleep except for Dillon." Brock narrates as he plays the ominous tune. "He had been warned by Epona beforehand that the ghosts that constantly tried to enter this holy domain would try again tonight, and if he wasn't careful, he, his own siblings, and Kitsune's children would be captured and taken to the underworld, never to be seen again. He got up quietly and changed the positions of the twenty-four beds, so that all twenty four beds were on the left side of the room, and wood blocks standing in for bodies lay in the beds on the right."

He then intones "Around midnight, everyone heard a great ruckus outside, and Kitsune sang...."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Misty sings from offstage as Kitsune, making Ash's Mega Ring glow in response to her voice.

"They heard strains of sweet music coming from a harp way off in the distance, which overpowered the screams of dying ghosts." Brock explains as he plays a series of harp-like chords. "At the same moment, a band of Haunters burst into the room, and flying over to the beds on the right, grabbed what they thought were bodies one by one."

"When the sun rose, the harp stopped playing, the Haunters fled, and silence reigned." Brock continues. "Then Kitsune, relieved to see everyone safe, woke them and led them outside, warning them that it was only a matter of time before the ghosts figured out the prank Dillon had played on them, and they needed to flee now. Each of them mounted their Ponyta with their chosen groom or bride, and made their escape as fast as they could go."

Gasps go up at this. "The ghosts, when they realized what they really captured the night before, set off after the fugitives. They had nearly reached them, and were already stretching out their hands to grab them, when Dillon took the sapphire and sang..."

Rou iitsa ron selga vichii... Ash sings, making the prop sapphire in his hands and Misty's Mega Ring glow.

"...and a deep river flowed between the ghosts and the caravan. Not knowing how to cross it, the ghosts stopped on the banks, and howling savagely began to drink it up." Brock narrates.

“Before you have swallowed all that river you will all burst!” Ash taunts some imagined ghosts as Dillon, to some laughter.

"But it wasn't long before the ghosts were at their heels again." Brock cautions. "Dillon took the ruby, and sang..."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash fills in the spellsong, making the prop ruby in his hands and his Mega Ring glow.

"...and a wall of fire spread out between them." Brock narrates. "So the ghosts were forced to stop, and shrieking with rage began to look for a way around the fiery wall."

“Before you find a way through that you will have burnt yourselves to a crisp!” Ash taunts, to some laughter.

"The ghosts eventually found a way around, and they were closing in when Dillon took the emerald and sang...." Brock narrates.

Imultaos, ame no hao bakezo... Ash sings,making the prop emerald in his hands and Brock's Mega Ring glow.

"...and a thick forest rose between them." Brock continues. "For a while, the ghosts were at a loss as to what to do. On one side, they saw Dillon, his siblings, and their mates rapidly disappearing, while they stood on the other hindered by the branches and torn by the thorns of the thick bushes, unable either to advance or retreat. Foaming with rage, with fire flashing from their eyes, they struck right and left with dark magic, felling trees on all sides, but before they could clear a path, their prey had gotten more than a hundred miles ahead. They were forced to give up, and were soon lost to sight."

---------

..."The king was beside himself with joy; he showered Dillon with honors and presents, and, in order to always have him at court, raised him to an even higher rank in the army." Brock continued his epic tale. "In this new post he had many under him, and he showed laser-like precision in drill and other matters, punishing somewhat severely when necessary. He made, too, no difference in the treatment of his two eldest brothers, which angered them greatly, and caused them to be still more jealous and to plot against him. So they forged his handwriting again and composed another letter, which they left at the king’s door."

He picks up a piece of blank paper and tells Ash as the king “I would much like to have the marvelous sword you speak of in your letter.”

“Sire, I have not written anything about a sword,” Ash protests

“Well, read it for yourself.” Brock offers Ash the paper.

Ash studies the paper for a moment. "In a certain land, within the cave of holy Kitsune, is a sword that fires magical beams when a certain song is sung to it. If the king would like to have it, I will do everything in my power to bring it to him."

With that, he folds up the paper. “This writing resembles mine, but I never wrote those words.”

“Never mind, as you succeeded in bringing me the harp, you will find no difficulty in obtaining the sword." Brock assures Ash. "Go without delay, and do not return without it at your peril.”

Ash bows and departs as Brock narrates as himself "Dillon bowed and went to the stable, where he found Epona looking very thin and miserable, with her head drooping."

“What is the matter, Epona?" Ash asks when he returns to the stage to find Misty slumped on the floor. "Do you want anything?”

“I am unhappy because I foresee a long and dangerous journey.” Misty replies

“You're right, for we are ordered to return to Kitsune's house for the sword. But how can we get ahold of it? No doubt she guards it as the Leppa of her eye.”

“Do as I tell you and all will be well.” Misty assures Ash as she gets up.

"Epona gave him certain instructions." Brock narrates as Misty pantomimes talking to Ash. "Dillon came out of the stable, saddled his friend, and mounting her sang..."

Epona, Epona, come out here by me! Ash sings Epona's Song again.

"Epona rose immediately as if she had been beckoned to by someone in the clouds, and passing swiftly through the air, crossed rivers and mountains, till at midnight she stopped before Kitsune's cave." Brock narrates as he plays some long, flowing chords to simulate Epona traveling. "Since the disappearance of the harp, the sword had been keeping a watchful eye over the cave, and anyone who came near it was cut to pieces."

Ash pantomimes drawing a circle around himself as Brock continues "Dillon traced a magic circle around him with holy chalk, stood in the middle of it, and sang...."

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sings.

"The sword glowed as if it had heard the sung spell, leaped into the air, and turned into at least a thousand other swords, which arranged themselves in battle array and began to attack Dillon with their holy beams." Brock narrates "But they were powerless to touch him; for on reaching the magic circle the beams scattered in all directions, as if they had hit a mirror. Then the chief sword, seeing how useless it was to go on trying to wound him, submitted itself to Dillon and pledged its loyalty to him. Taking the magic weapon in his hand, he mounted his Ponyta and sang...."

Epona, Epona, come out here by me! Ash sings Epona's Song again.

"Epona started with renewed courage, and by noon was eating hay in the royal stables." Brock continues. "Dillon went in to the king and presented him with the sword."

As this, Ash presents Brock a prop sword. "While he was admiring it, one of his servants rushed in quite out of breath and said..." Brock narrates as he draws and admires the prop sword with emerald inlays.

Just then, Misty runs into the scene in the role of a courtier. “Sire, invaders surround our town. Being unable to redeem their sovereign, they have come with an immense army, and threaten to destroy us if their king is not released.” she breathlessly explains.

"The king armed himself with the magic sword, and going outside the city walls, sang to it, as he pointed to the enemy’s camp..." Brock narrates before drawing the prop sword again and aiming it at a target offstage. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Gasps of awe go up as the prop sword fires a beam of green light as if on cue. "The sword glowed, leaped flashing in the air, and fell in a thousand blades and beams that threw themselves on the camp. One regiment was destroyed during the first attack, another was defeated in the same way, while the rest of the terrified soldiers fled and completely disappeared."

The lights go out, and a light show of beams plays across the stage, as if the thousand swords Brock described are there. After a few moments, the lights come up again on Brock holding the prop sword. "Once there were no enemies left to battle, the thousand swords again became one, and so it returned to its master’s hand." he narrates as he sheathes the prop sword. "The victorious king came home filled with joy. He called Dillon to him, showered him with gifts, and assuring him of his favor, made him the highest general of his forces. In carrying out the duties of this new post, Dillon was often asked to punish his eldest brothers, who became more and more enraged against him, and debated how they might bring about his downfall."

He then picks up another prop letter, reads it, and tells Ash "I would very much like to see Princess Susanna, whom you say you wish to bring me.”

“Sire, I do not know the lady, and have never spoken to her.” Ash protests.

“Here, look at your letter.” Brock offers Ash the prop letter.

Ash studies the imagined writing for a moment, then reads “Beyond the nine kingdoms, far beyond the ocean, within a silver vessel with golden masts lives Princess Susanna. If the king wishes it, I will seek her for him.”

He folds up the paper. “It is true the writing is like mine; nevertheless, I never wrote this.”

“No matter,” Brock answers as the king. “You will be able to get this princess, as you did the harp and the sword. If not, I will have you killed.”

Ash shakily bows as Brock continues "Dillon bowed and went out. He entered the stable where Epona stood looking very weak and sad, with her head bent down.

“What is the matter, Epona? Do you need anything?” Ash asks as he arrives to see Misty slumped on the floor.

“I am sad,” Misty sighs as Epona, “because I foresee a long and difficult journey.”

“You are right, for we have to go beyond the nine kingdoms, and far beyond the ocean, to find Princess Susanna. Can you tell me what to do?” Ash asks.

“I will do my best, and if it is Arceus’ will, we will succeed." Misty smiles as she gets up. "Bring your sword, and let us be off.”

"Dillon saddled Epona, took his sword, and on mounting, sang..." Brock narrates

Epona, Epona, come out here by me! Ash sings Epona's Song again.

Then Epona looked up as if there were something she wanted in the clouds, and with a spring flew through the air, swift as an arrow; and so by the second day they had passed over ten kingdoms, and finding themselves beyond the ocean, came to rest on the shore." Brock narrates over some long chords to mimic Epona traveling. "Then Epona said to Dillon...."

“Do you see that silver ship with golden masts that rides on the waves over there?" Misty points out the imagined ship to Ash. "That beautiful vessel is the home of Princess Susanna, youngest daughter of Kitsune. For after she mysteriously lost the harp and magic sword she was afraid she'd lose her daughter too. She locked her up in that vessel, and having thrown the key into the sea, cast a magical shield around it, which keeps storms away, and keeping all other ships away. The first thing to be done is to get the diamond key that opens the ship. In order to get this you must throw a hair from my mane into the water, which will lure King Crawdaunt. Do not set him free until he has promised to get you the key, for it is this key that controls the ship.”

Ash carefully pulls one of Misty's hairs and heaves it offstage. "Dillon carefully plucked a suitable flaming hair from Epona's mane and heaved it into the water, where it landed with a hiss." Brock narrates as the sound of a soft hiss plays. "Soon there came a crowd of Corphish, and among them a gigantic Crawdaunt as large as a Tauros. Dillon grabbed him and threw him on the beach."

“I am king of all Corphish. Let me go, and I will give you great riches in return.” he pleads in a mimic of Meowth for King Crawdaunt.

“I do not want your riches,” Ash replies, “but in exchange for your freedom give me the diamond key which belongs to the silver ship with the golden masts, for in that vessel dwells Princess Susanna.”

"King Crawdaunt whistled..." Brock pauses to do this, to some giggles. "...and millions of Corphish appeared. He spoke to them, and they all hurried off to look. After a few moments, one returned with the magic diamond key in his claws. Dillon set King Crawdaunt free, just as he saw the marvelous ship sparkling white in the sun. She was made entirely of pure silver, with golden masts. The rigging was of silk, the sails of velvet, and the whole ship was enclosed in a casing of impenetrable steel. Dillon hurried down to the water’s edge armed with his sword, and holding the key in the air, sang..."

Rou iitsa ron selga vichii... Ash sings, making an identical prop key glow blue.

"The ship turned around and came full speed ahead towards land, where it stopped on the shore." Brock narrates. "Dillon smashed the steel network with his sword..." Ash pantomimes slicing something with the prop sword. "and opening the doors with the diamond key, found Princess Susanna." The lights come up on Misty lying on the stage as Princess Susanna. "He put her to sleep with lavender..." Ash flings some more lavender leaves in Misty's direction, making her feign sleep as the lights go down. "and after carefully lifting her onto Epona, sang..."

Epona, Epona, come out here by me! Ash sings Epona's Song again.

"Then Epona, as if she saw some strange thing in the clouds, lifted herself in the air and began to fly through space so rapidly that in about two hours he had crossed rivers, mountains, and forests, and had arrived home. Although Dillon had fallen madly in love with Princess Susanna himself, he took her straight to the royal palace and introduced her to the king."

Applause goes up as Ash leads Misty into the scene, where he makes a grand gesture to Brock. "Princess Susanna was so exquisitely beautiful that the king was quite dazzled by looking at her, and lost in his admiration, he put his arm around her as if to embrace her..." He approaches Misty and reaches out a hand to touch her. "but she harshly scolded him." Misty angrily slaps Brock's hand away, to some laughter as Brock rubs his hand in pain.

“What have I done to offend you, princess? Why do you treat me so harshly?” he asks as the king.

“Because in spite of your rank you are ill-bred." Misty growls as Princess Susanna. "You neither ask my name nor that of my parents, and you think to capture me as if I were a Pokemon. You must understand that he who would be my husband must have strength of heart, soul, and body.”

“Charming princess, if I could become young again we would be married directly.” Brock protests as the king.

“But I have the means of making you so, and by help of this magical powder in my hand." Misty explains as she reveals a bag full of baby powder colored orange. "One sprinkle of this powder and you will be consumed in it, but it will only reform into you if you have a pure heart--those with evil and impure hearts disappear forever. When the pile of powder reforms into you again, you will have eternal youth and life.”

“Indeed!" Brock gasps, intrigued. "I want to know if your magic powder truly works; first try it on Sir Dillon here.”

Misty looks over at Ash, who unbeknownst to the audience, has a clear poncho over his clothes, so it is not damaged by the baby powder. “Lovely princess, I willingly submit, although I am young enough without it. In any case life without you would be meaningless.” he smiles.

"Princess Susanna sprinkled a little of the magical powder onto Dillon, and he was immediately engulfed in it, making it seem he had disappeared." Brock narrates as Misty flings the orange baby powder onto Ash, making him appear to disappear in a puff of orange, leaving behind a pile of powder where Ash was standing. "But after a few tense moments, the powder reformed into Dillon again..."

Cheers fill the air as Ash returns to the stage, his clothing seemingly brighter and more colorful than before. "...and he looked so handsome that the old king, who was dreadfully jealous, exclaimed..."

As the king, Brock pleads “Make me, too, young again, princess; do not lose a moment.”

Misty throws more of the powder in the air as Brock narrates "Princess Susanna sprinkled the powder onto the king, but as his heart was impure, the powder consumed him, never to be seen again. The people were ecstatic, for the old king had often oppressed them, and they crowned Dillon the new king, and he made Princess Susanna his queen.”

"Aw"s go up as Ash and Misty hug. "It was not long before they were married." Brock concludes as he plays a festive song on his guitar. "His brothers, whom he had pardoned, and his parents were invited to the wedding. On their way back from the shrine, the magic sword suddenly clinked, and, flashing in the air, divided itself into a thousand swords that placed themselves on guard as sentinels all round the palace. The harp, too, began to play so sweetly that every living thing began to dance for joy."

The crowd roared as the group took a bow, causing the score meter to rocket to the top. "Tat's it! Te winner has been decided!" Darach announced, to more thunderous cheers.

"You three clearly have real talent..." Palmer smiled as he arrived with a purple stripe for Brock. "But it is your leader who deserves this prize, and the right to go to the Grand Lore Stage."

With that, he carefully pinned the purple stripe to Brock's vest. "A rainbow of lore has been completed!" Argenta announced as daytime fireworks lit up the sky over the Battle Frontier...

---------

"Well done on completing your rainbow, Brock..." Ash smiled as the group departed the Battle Frontier later that evening. "And thank you for letting Misty and me help you tell that epic tale."

"Yes, it was fun playing all the girl roles." Misty smiled. "Has it hit you that you're going to the Grand Lore Stage yet?"

"It's still sinking in..." Brock smiled as he lead the way to a grove of flowers overlooking a plain. "I never dreamed I would make it this far, and tell for the Pokemon League..."

"Well, you did it." Ash smiled as he pitched his tent. "Misty and I are both proud of you for that, and honored to help you, if you're allowed to have help."

"And even if you don't have help, you'll still do well." Misty agreed. "So read and learn as many tales as you can--the tellers in the Grand Lore Stage are likely to be tougher than anything you've faced before!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-12-2017, 01:11 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

And now, an episode that was originally cut in the real show is added back in for the remix!

Episode 106a: The Ice Cave (part 1)

"Well, Brock...you've just completed your Lore Stage Rainbow." Misty smiled as the group continued down a mountain path a few days later. "What are you gonna do next?"

"First I have to do well in the Grand Lore Stage--then we'll discuss going to Worlds of Wonder." Brock assured Misty. "Not to mention Ash needs one more Badge, and you need one more medal."

"So? Trip to Worlds of Wonder is a nice motivation!" Ash smiled before hurrying to a signpost. "Ice Cave, one mile...

"If it's anything like Seafoam Cave with all the block-pushing, we're finding another way around." Misty sighed.

"We may want to go through there--all the other ways to Blackthorn would add on a week to our travel time." Brock cautioned.

"But we don't have a--!" Ash suddenly felt the ground give way beneath him. "WAUUUGH!!!"

"How nice of you to drop in, it saves us the trouble." Jessie smirked as she looked in on the group in the pit.

"But if you want to get out of here, the challenge is double!" James warned before turning on a hose, sending a steady stream of cold water into the pit.

[Oh yeah?] Tintri taunted as he charged a Thunderbolt.

[You're not trying anything funny with our masters today!] Michelle warned before firing a Water Gun, strengthening Tintri's Thunderbolt enough to knock the hose away and send Team Rocket flying.

Michelle dug out some rope from Misty's bag. [I'll start pulling everyone out if you can find a good spot to tie this rope to.]

[Got it!] Tintri replied as he heaved the rope over a tree branch.

The Golduck and the Pikachu worked quickly to pull their masters out of the hole, but Tintri noticed Brock sniffling as Michelle helped him back onto dry land. "Thaks for da help, you guys..."

"Methinks Brock caught another cold..." Misty mused.

"Cold water on its own can't make you sick, can it?" Ash wondered.

"Well, if you're in it for too long, then yes it can." Misty cautioned. "I think what happened was Brock was in that cold water for a while, which weakened his immune system. But that's nothing a trip to a Pokemon Center wouldn't fix!"

---------

Ash balked as the doors of a nearby Pokemon Center opened to reveal a pair of blue-furred Ninetales that looked cloud-like in appearance. "Wow...these are beautiful!"

Excited, he looked up the Pokedex entry for the ethereal Ninetales:

"Alolan Ninetales, the fox Pokemon. Possessing a calm demeanor, this Pokémon was revered as a deity incarnate in its native region before it was identified as a regional variant of Ninetales."

"Dey are beautiful, I'll say dat much." Brock mused in between sniffles as the cloud-like Ninetales nuzzled him and licked him.

[Joy...this young man has a fever...what should we do?] one of the Alolan Ninetales asked as Nurse Joy arrived in the room.

"Keep him hydrated, and take him to one of the rooms to rest while I get him some medicine." Nurse Joy replied. "Be sure to keep an eye on him, and let me know if his condition worsens."

[Come on...let's get you in bed.] the other Alolan Ninetales began as she led Brock to a guest room.

"Were these exotic Ninetales a gift, or do they belong to you?" Ash wondered.

"They were originally a gift from my sister, who's made a name for herself in the Pokethlon." Nurse Joy replied.

"Really? I had the honor of competing against her when we stopped at the lake." Misty smiled, showing Nurse Joy the medal in question.

"Anyway, these two Ninetales are from the exotic region of Alola, where the local Ninetales became Ice types to adapt to the mountain snows." Nurse Joy continued. "If you'll have a seat over there, I'll assess your companion's fever."

---------

[His temperature was 101.7 before.] one of the Alolan Ninetales reported as Nurse Joy arrived in the room where Brock was uneasily resting.

Nurse Joy ran a thermometer over Brock's forehead, and winced at the readout. "102.3...let's give him some medicine to try and bring that fever down--he should not be traveling in this condition."

[The good news is, he does not show any other symptoms besides mild congestion and some discomfort.] the Alolan Ninetales reported as she shook out two pills for Brock to take.

"Thak you..." Brock accepted a glass of water and eagerly took the two white pills on the nightstand before collapsing back on the pillow.

"Sparkle, take care of this young man, okay?" Nurse Joy instructed the Alolan Ninetales guarding Brock's bed before returning to the entry foyer.

"Is Brock gonna be okay?" Ash asked as Nurse Joy returned.

"Well, he has a fever and some mild congestion." Nurse Joy explained as the other Alolan Ninetales arrived to nuzzle her. "While his condition is not serious at the moment, we need to make sure it is not the first sign of something worse, so we'll see if his fever breaks in three days."

"I have to wonder, since you guys are so close to the Ice Cave, does it stay cold naturally, or is there a way it stays cold all year round?" Misty asked, changing the subject.

"Actually, the Ice Cave remains stable due to a large air conditioning nearby, which acts as a refrigerator." Nurse Joy replied before tending to a Pidgey with a wounded wing.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-16-2017, 01:34 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 106b: The Ice Cave (part 2)

I will build my love a bower,
By yon crystal fountain... Brock, now in a familiar purple, red, and gold minstrel costume, sang to Nurse Joy, now in an elegant blue princess gown, as she looked down on him from the balcony of a fantasy castle. She smiled, both bemused and appreciative of the lovelorn minstrel singing to her down below.

And on it I will pile
All the flowers of the mountain...

---------

Will ye go, lassie, go? Brock softly sang as he attempted to sleep in the bed, lost in his dream of singing to Nurse Joy.
And we'll all go together...

Some vaguely canine laughter snapped him to reality. one of the Alolan Ninetales assured him as she arrived with a glass of water.

Brock sweatdropped when he realized he had been singing to the Alolan Ninetales in his sleep. "Thaks..." he replied, sleepily taking the water, oblivious to the chaos up at the front.

At the front desk, Nurse Joy studied an alarming diagnostic. "I don't know how it happened, or who did it, but there's been a rapid rise in cavern temperature! We need to investigate the situation and get it under control before the cave melts!"

"We're coming too!" Ash offered as he and Misty followed Nurse Joy out to a barn, where a herd of Piloswine waited for them. "It's the least we can do for your helping our friend."

"But what about our friend?" Misty asked as Nurse Joy hitched up some sleds to some of the Piloswine. "We can't just leave him alone!"

"Sparkle is with him, so I'm sure he'll be all right." Nurse Joy assured Misty as the other Alolan Ninetales leapt on board her sled. "Shimmer's more of the defender, so she can give whoever damaged the cave what for!"

"Oh, so the Alolan Ninetales are named Shimmer and Sparkle..." Misty mused. "Beautiful names for beautiful Pokemon."

"Let's go!" Ash called before flicking the reins on his sled, the Piloswines kicking up a massive plume of snow as the sleds raced down the hill towards the cave...

---------

Misty winced as she saw frost on some of the trees and the cave structure beginning to melt when the group arrived. "Oh my...I think the structure has been reversed!"

"Meaning..." Ash pressed Misty for more information.

"Whoever set up these heaters also reversed the pipes, meaning that the cave is being heated, and the forest outside is getting colder." Misty explained. "It's not good for either ecosystem, so we first need to find the cold air pipe and put it back where it should be!"

Ash spotted a familiar blue pipe lying on the ground. "I see it!" he called, motioning for Misty and Nurse Joy to follow him.

He did not, however, expect the ground under the pipe to give way, sending him, Misty, and Nurse Joy tumbling into another pit trap! "Thanks again for dropping in, have a little trip for your trouble!" Jessie smirked as she looked in on Ash and the girls collecting their bearings.

"You'll have to work together to escape, for this trap's difficulty is double!" James agreed before hurrying off to tend the heaters.

"Why do you rogues want to melt the Ice Cave?" Nurse Joy demanded.

"So we can claim all the Ice Pokemon for us--simple as dat." Meowth replied before dashing off to meet his human comrades. "Good luck gettin' outta dere, twerps!"

Ash, meanwhile, grabbed a Poke Ball and heaved it skyward. "Aina, I need your help!"

As the Machop materialized on the ground, she noticed the side of the trap made footholds. "You think you can carry us out of here?" Ash asked.

[Sure I can! If I can heave a hundred adult humans, I can carry you.] Aina smiled. [Lie down flat, so it's easier for me to pick you up.]

Once Ash had complied, Aina gently hoisted her master in her small arms, and nimbly climbed up the footholds, setting Ash back on the grass some seconds later. [There we go!]

"Thanks Aina." Ash smiled before showing his Machop he still had the cold pipe. "Go get the girls, and then we'll find where the Rockets switched the pipes."

[Right!] With that, Aina scrambled back down into the pit to rescue Misty.

Once sure that Misty and Nurse Joy were safe and uninjured, Nurse Joy led the way inside the control building, where a single red pipe easily stood out among the blue pipes on the cold line. "There it is! If your Machop can switch the two mismatched pipes around, it should refreeze what has melted and stabilize the cave."

[I got this!] Aina smiled. [Just tell me what to do!]

"Okay...use Strength to disconnect the red pipe, then help us get the blue one back in place!" Ash instructed Aina.

---------

The noise from nearby woke Brock with a jump, which also startled Sparkle from her patrol. [Is everything okay?] she asked.

"I'b worried about by freds, and dose heaters nearby da cave entrace." Brock explained, pointing out some heaters by the window as he climbed from the bed and got dressed. "I have ta do subthig to help dem..."

[I know you want to help, but I won't try to stop you.] Sparkle assured Brock before dashing to the front desk and returning with an allergy mask. [Just put one of these on, so you don't pass on your sickness to others.]

"Thak you..." Brock replied as he retrieved his Poke Balls and his bow. "I'b gonna do everythig I can to protect your sisdur and by friends..." he vowed as he tied on the allergy mask. "Do't worry."

---------

"One...two...three!" Ash called, heaving a relieved sigh as the blue pipe snapped into place with a pop. "There...now at least this place is stabilized enough to undo the damage Team Rocket did..."

[Stop this, right now!] they heard Shimmer demand over Team Rocket's giddy laughter. [Leave those Swinub and Piloswine alone!]

Ash hurried around the corner just in time to see James aim a heater in the majestic Alolan Ninetales' path, making her collapse to the ground. [Hot...too hot...]

A smile formed on Misty's face as she heard the whistle of an arrow flying. "Brock!" she gasped as a familiar green fletched arrow landed in the icy floor.

"Oh, feeling a bit under the weather, Robin Hood?" Jessie taunted, aware of the allergy mask Brock wore.

"Well, that's one way to battle when you're sick..." Ash mused.

"Code or doe code, I'b still going to try and stop whatever it is you're tryig to do!" Brock countered, stuffy head and all.

He then heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Raquel, showtibe!"

"Arbok, let's do this!" Jessie called.

"Raquel, try to Tackle da Arbok!" Brock called.

[HAAAAAH!!!] Raquel cried as she charged at the massive purple snake Pokemon, only to bounce off the coils. [No go, Brock--Jessie's Arbok's way too strong!]

She did not, however, see Arbok ram into her with a Headbutt! [WAAAAUGH!!!]

"Oof!" Both Brock and Raquel went flying against a wall, dazed.

"While you're counting Torchics, sicko, I'll be taking Rocky here!" James sneered as he snatched Raquel.

Angered, Brock growled in frustration as Raquel squirmed in James' arms. [i]I'm not about to have Raquel Poke-napped! If it means she and the others are safe, the only other thing I can do is use the Swanna Song!

He sighed. Here goes nothing...

With that, he started the familiar haunting melody. Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...

---------

...Katoradis favel siicletu edena... Brock's voice rang through the cave and the nearby underbrush, snapping Ash, Misty, and Joy to attention as a green beam of light streaked towards James, forcing him to drop Raquel. Emusto koron zen fine, si...

"What on earth...I would've never dreamed I'd find someone that knew the Swanna Song of legend..." Nurse Joy mused as she hurried to Brock's side.

"Are you okay?" Misty asked Brock. "That was a very risky thing you did, using your Swanna Song when you already had a cold."

"I had to do something to rescue Raquel." Brock explained as Raquel crawled back to him. "That, and alert you guys that I needed help."

"Well, we'll check you over and make sure the strength drain didn't in fact worsen your condition..." Misty assured her companion as Nurse Joy went to work. "But considering you're talking normally, you may have actually healed yourself."

"Let's get him and his Pokemon somewhere safe for now." Nurse Joy suggested. "He can rest while we deal with these hoodlums!"

---------

"River, I choose you!" Ash called as his faithful Marill materialized on the cave floor to face Arbok and Victreebel

"You too, Sango!" Misty called, summoning her Corsola. "Tackle the closest target you can find!"

[I know just the one!] Sango smiled as she charged at James, who was preoccupied with running from Victreebel.

Ash watched both James and Victreebel go flying. "River, use Superpower!"

[Hi-YAH!!!] River, now glowing with a blue aura, charged into Arbok, where he crashed into an icy wall.

Neither of them expected Sahana to appear before them. "Sango, try to headbutt Sahana!" Misty called.

[WAUUUUUUGH!] Sango cried as Sahana countered her attack, sending her flying into Misty's arms. River landed in Ash's arms some time later, an unfortunate recipient of Mirror Coat.

Just then, Misty heard the crackle of Thunderbolts on the heaters. "Tintri!"

"He short-circuited the heaters!" Ash agreed as a cold breeze drifted into the cave.

The cold also revitalized Shimmer and the Piloswine. [Ye who dared to damage this environment, know the winter's fury!] Shimmer growled before she and the Piloswines unleashed a huge Blizzard, just as Tintri reunited with Ash.

"Shimmer, use Dazzling Gleam on that Wobbufett!" Nurse Joy commanded.

"Hide your eyes..." Misty told Ash as a bright flash lit up the cave.

"Great work everyone!" Nurse Joy called. "For our final effort, use Blizzard at full power!"

Ash looked over at Tintri. "Once all the Rockets are Rocketsicles, you know what to do?"

[Of course.] Tintri smiled as Shimmer and the Piloswine unleashed their massive attack...

---------

"I can't even begin to thank you for saving Shimmer, Sparkle, and the other Pokemon here." Nurse Joy smiled as she ran the thermometer over Brock's forehead again. "Your friend was very brave, using the Swanna Song in a weakened state like that."

She smiled at the thermometer readout. "98.6...just as it should be!"

"Maybe Brock's Swanna Song allowed him to heal himself..." Misty mused.

"Possibly--that's one common effect it has on TV." Ash agreed

"I guess I can finally take this off..." Brock mused as he removed the allergy mask. "Although...I would've been more than happy to give Team Rocket whatever bug I had."

"Yeah...let's see how THEY like sniffing, sneezing and a high fever!" Misty agreed.

Everyone laughed at this before Ash petted the two Alolan Ninetales. "Thank you both for taking care of my friend."

[Anytime!] Shimmer smiled as she tossed the used allergy mask in the trash. [If you're ever in the area, we'll be happy to help!]

"Bye, Sparkle...and thank you." Misty hugged the other Alolan Ninetales.

[You're welcome.] Sparkle nuzzled Misty as thanks.

"Bye, everyone!" Ash called as the group started down the road. "See you soon!"

"Okay, from here, we need to reach Blackthorn Lake." Brock explained once the group was back on the road again. "Obviously, Blackthorn City is on the other side of the lake, and with that, your last badge, Ash."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Ash cried as he led the charge into the sunset...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-22-2017, 07:42 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 107a: Beauty is Skin Deep (part 1)

"Those Alolan Ninetales were so pretty!" Ash smiled as the group made their way down a road a few days later. "I hope I get a chance to see their native land one day!"

"You just might, if you keep training and getting stronger." Misty replied. "I'm still impressed that Brock managed to heal himself with his Swanna Song..."

"I wonder if it's even possible for two living people to share the same Heart Song." Ash wondered, staring down at his Mega Ring.

"It's possible, but very rare, for two living people to share the same Heart Song." Brock explained. "Typically, this only happens if someone dies, a Mega Ring is shattered, someone gives up their Mega Ring, or the Heart Song is passed down through a family or group. However, there have been documented cases of two people having the same song by sheer chance."

He was about to say more when a tiny blue figure in the road got the group's attention. "What's that?"

Ash hurried over to the tiny snake-like creature's side, and scanned it with his Pokedex:

"Dratini, the dragon Pokemon. It continually molts and sloughs off its old skin. It does so because the life energy within its body steadily builds to reach uncontrollable levels."

"Wow..." Ash gasped as he examined the tiny dragon Pokemon. "How did this little guy get on the road?"

A roar snapped him to attention, revealing an approaching Gyarados aiming a Hydro Pump at him! "Not again!" he yelped as he dove to the ground, with the Hydro Pump narrowly missing him and his companions and splattering the brush nearby.

"What are you doing here?" a cyan haired girl in an ornate costume demanded as she approached Ash and the Dratini. "Don't you dare try to hurt the Dratini!"

"I would never hurt any Pokemon on purpose." Ash explained to the girl as Misty and Brock caught up to him. "My companions and I just found the Dratini in the road, and we were wondering how it got there, and if it was hurt at all."

"All right...I trust you." the girl replied. "You three don't look the type to hurt a dragon Pokemon, anyway."

She gently picked up the Dratini before introducing herself. "My name is Clair--my Gyarados Draco was simply trying to protect this Dratini, who I have named Minerva."

"There you are, Clair!" an older man smiled as he approached Clair. "I was worried when we lost Minerva back there..."

"I'm not sure how Minerva ended up on the road, but she was fortunate these kind travelers found her." Clair assured the man before addressing the group. "If you have a Pokemon that can Surf, you can follow Draco and me into town."

"Don't mind if we do!" Misty smiled as she retrieved the Poke Ball with her Lapras inside. "Aurora, come on out!"

"Got room for another?" the man asked as Clair set the Dratini in the water, then started following it aboard her Gyarados.

"Sure!" Ash invited the man aboard.

"Follow the Gyarados, okay?" Misty instructed Aurora, prompting the Lapras to float off after the mighty snake-dragon Pokemon.

---------

"So, who are you, and how do you know Clair?" Ash asked the man as the group floated up the river.

"My name is Kaburagi--I serve as Clair's attendant." the man explained. "Clair is the Blackthorn Gym Leader, and one of her duties is to perform a yearly ritual with the Dragon Fang."

"Dragon Fang?" Misty was intrigued.

"As an aspiring storyteller, I would very much like to hear this tale." Brock was equally excited as he retrieved his story notebook and a pen. "And possibly learn it and set it to music, with your permission."

"Permission granted--I think it would make a great performance and an equally lovely song." Kaburagi smiled. "The story goes that long ago, a dragon Pokémon--what kind it was has long been lost to time--brought terror on local residents, until it was defeated by Blackthorn's first Gym Leader, who took one of its fangs as a trophy of his victory. Ever since then, the Dragon Fang has been handed down through the generations, and today is the day that we must perform a purification ritual, to ensure the city's continued prosperity and protection for its resident dragons.

"Sounds pretty exciting--I'd be more than happy to play 'The Ballad of the Hero of Blackthorn' for you guys." Brock smiled. "Just gotta work out the guitar chords and the lyrics first."

-----------

Elsewhere, Kamon--now in a black, purple, and red wetsuit--sighed happily as the river carried his large inflatable raft upstream. "Ah, this is the life...it may not be the beach, but it is the next best thing!"

He grinned at the Golbat fluttering by the raft. "And thank you, Nightwing, for using Gust to blow this thing up, so I wouldn't need to waste the lungpower." The Golbat chittered happily at this.

Just then, he happened to spot Minerva swimming by. "Oh, what have we here? A little dragon Pokemon...proof that big strong things often come in small packages!"

He looked over at Nightwing. "Nightwing, surprise that Dratini with Astonish."

He did not, however, expect a wave of water to pick up the raft, sending him and Nightwing flying onto the grass of a riverbank! "How dare you attack this Dratini?" Clair growled.

"You're one to talk!" Kamon shot back. "If you think you're so high and mighty, fight me for the Dratini!"

Clair said nothing, but instead lifted her right hand skyward, allowing Kamon to see the opal ring on the fourth finger. Seilei colfin ar kadram tro...

"WHAT?" Kamon gasped as Clair's Gyarados was engulfed in a rainbow light.

Just then, the group and Kaburagi arrived, just in time to see Draco, now a Mega Gyarados, blast Kamon and Nightwing with a Hydro Pump. "Clair, we need to be going--otherwise we won't make it back in time for the ritual." Kaburai pleaded.

"No--Minerva is preparing to shed her skin - you know as well as I do that is when Dratini are the most vulnerable." Clair cautioned, pointing out some of the skin near Minerva's tail beginning to peel away.

Misty watched as Clair and Draco slowly swam after Minerva, who was slowly working off the dead skin. "Come on, Aurora." she whispered.

But as the Lapras followed the Mega Gyarados, they did not spot Kamon following them on the land...

---------

After a while, the line of water and dragon Pokemon came to a pool near the main river. "Let's stop here for a break--shadowing Minerva could be an all day affair." Clair suggested as she kept a watchful eye on the Dratini shedding its skin.

"Clair...I come to you to request a formal match for my final Johto League Badge." Ash began as Aurora paddled to a bank, allowing the group and Kaburagi to step on the land, near where Clair was standing. "That is, if you are taking challenges right now."

Kaburagi gasped when he saw the Glacier Badge glinting on Ash's vest. "The Glacier Badge of Mahigany Town...is it true that a shining red Gyarados was spotted on the rampage there?"

"It is--and how we stopped it was a whole other story!" Ash smiled. "The Rockets wanted to turn every Pokemon in the world evil, a plan they called Project Reverse. Of course, Lance wasn't about to sit idly by and watch, so he asked our friends Ethan and Lyra to help."

"Ash, I appreciate your enthusiasm, but it world be better if we started from the beginning." Brock assured his companion.

He then addressed Clair and Kaburagi. "See, we were on our way into the Mahogany area, when we noticed all the Pokemon getting sick. Our first thought was some kind of unlawful dumping, but it turned out to be Team Rocket setting up for a terrible plot--something called Project R, short for Project Reverse..."

---------

"...and just as Lance's Dragonite Tiamat paralyzed the Gyarados, I signaled Ash to jump towards the lake, and sing the Swanna Song." Misty concluded the group's long story some time later. "It was a sight to see--rainbow thunderbolts raining from Ash's hands is something none of us will forget!"

"Amazing..." Clair smiled. "You already know that Lance is the League Champion, and the one that Champions of other leagues report to. He and I are both Dragon-type trainers who have trained with each other."

She went on "Furthermore, I am one of the rare few that shares a Heart Song with another living trainer--I'd like to think it is because of my bond with the dragons here, but I don't know for sure how it happened."

"Normally, a Heart Song can only be shared if a trainer dies, a Mega Ring is broken or voluntarily given up, or that Heart Song is passed down through a family or organization." Kaburagi added.

"Do you know who the other person with your Heart Song is at all?" Ash was curious.

"All I know is that it is a girl, and she is the champion of a far off region." Clair replied.

"Cool!" Ash was excited. "I promise I will give my all in our match, so if she's watching somewhere, she can see how strong I've gotten!"

"I will give my all as well, Ash--bring your A game!" Clair was equally excited for the impending match...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-25-2017, 10:33 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 107b: Beauty is Skin Deep (part 2)

"Okay, my rock-solid Pokemon strategist--what can I expect when I face Clair?" Ash asked Brock as the three companions rested on a hill by the river the next day.

"Well..." Brock chuckled a little at the nickname Ash had given him, then continued as he showed Ash Clair's Gym Leader profile on his PokeNav. "I can tell you that battling the Dragon type is likely going to be your biggest challenge yet. Clair has many different dragons from all over the world, but the exotic dragons don't often come out against someone of your skill level."

"That's a relief..." Ash smiled as Tintri hopped on his shoulder.

"She will typically use her Gyarados Draco, who we've met..." Brock pointed out Draco standing guard over Minerva happily swimming in the current. "Keela, a Kingdra, and Saphira, a Dragonair. They are all powerful, but you need to mainly watch out for Draco, since she can induce him to Mega Evolve, like you saw yesterday."

He added "Remember, dragons are vulnerable to ice, Fairy types, and themselves."

"Any suggestions for who to use?" Ash wondered.

"Tintri is a great choice, since he can not just zap Draco and maybe put a dent in Keela's armor, but he also has Disarming Voice, which is a Fairy move." Brock replied. "River is another option, since she is part Fairy, and dragon moves won't do a thing to Fairy and part-Fairy types. You can also induce Luce if you want to save Tintri for Saphira, as well."

"Thanks for the tips!" Ash grinned, petting Tintri as he watched Minerva splash in the river.

Just then, he gasped as a net came flying into the water, scooping up Minerva! "Hey!" he called when he saw Kamon pulling in the net. "Give that Dratini back!"

"You want it? Come and get it!" Kamon smirked before throwing down a smoke bomb, causing everyone to cough and cover their faces.

"Everyone okay?" Misty asked as she waved away the white smoke.

Once the smoke cleared, Ash spotted Minerva trying to crawl away from the broken net a few feet away. "There! Minerva broke free of the net!"

Seilei colfin ar kadram tro... Clair's Heart Song rang through the forest, prompting Kamon to run even faster as Mega Gyarados emerged in the water, intent on taking back the squalling Dratini in his arms.

"Nightwing, get this dragon-snake off my back!" Kamon cried, summoning his Golbat to confront the approaching Mega Gyarados.

"Draco, use Ice Beam!" Clair called, sending a bright blue white beam to engulf the Golbat, defeating it.

"Tintri, try to blast Kamon away with Thunderbolt!" Ash called.

[Right!] Tintri replied as he bounded off Ash's shoulder.

[Going somewhere, pipsqueak?] Helena asked as she put up a shining shield to defect Tintri's attack, deflecting the attack in all directions hitting Ash, Tintri, and Kamon, and sending Misty, Brock, and Kaburagi diving for cover.

"You okay?" Misty asked as she emerged from behind a rock, aware of Ash twitching a little from the effects of the wayward Thunderbolt.

Clair gasped when she noticed an errant Thunderbolt about to strike Minerva! "Minerva!" she cried as she leaped onto the Dratini to shield it.

The group watched in awe as a white glow appeared underneath Clair, revealing a majestic blue dragon Pokemon. [Thank you, Clair...] Minerva purred.

As the newly evolved Minerva brought Clair back to the shore, Ash read up on what Minerva had become:

Dragonair, the dragon Pokemon. The aura it projects from its body has an effect on the surrounding climate and weather."

"Nice..." Kamon grinned. "Helena, use Shadow Ball on the Dragonair!"

"Draco, use Hyper Beam, and Minerva, use Twister!" Clair countered.

"So long, Kamon." Misty grinned as the bright orange beam infused a large tornado to send Kamon flying.

---------

"Clair, allow me to extend my congratulations on Minerva evolving." Ash smiled. "She was the real heroine today."

Clair was about to answer when she saw Minerva calmly swimming down the river. "Minerva? Where are you going?"

[It is time for the ritual.] Minerva explained. [If your challenger and his companions want to watch, follow me to Riverhead Falls.]

"It would be an honor." Ash smiled as he rushed to keep up with the Dragonair as it wound around corners and swayed around rocks.

"Riverhead Falls is the source of the water that leads into Blackthorn City, and the perfect place for the ritual." Kaburagi explained as the forest turned to a rocky canyon that overlooked the city in the distance.

After a while, the group arrived in a small pool surrounded by rock that directly overlooked Blackthorn City. [Here we are.] Minerva smiled. [Shall we begin the ceremony?]

"Of course." Kaburagi retrieved a purple drawstring bag from his pocket, revealing a large dragon tooth that appeared to glow inside. "Guardian of the Dragon, and descendant of the hero of Blackthorn, do you promise before Arceus and these witnesses that you will defend Blackthorn from evil in whatever forms it presents itself?"

"I do, so help me Arceus." Clair replied.

After accepting the fang from Kaburagi, Clair sang [i]Gatrandis favel, secret, edena...
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...

She then submerged the fang in the water. Emusto koron zen fine, si...

As the last "si" echoed across the canyon and into the city, Ash and the others watched as the fang glowed, sending a dragon-shaped beam of light into the sky. "You know...it is said that after a dragon Pokémon dies, its body becomes a star in the sky." Kaburagi explained as the sun sank below the trees.

"That's beautiful..." Misty smiled as the group departed the pool.

Ash looked up at the sky as the first stars of the night appeared. "If those really are the guardian dragons of Blackthorn, that gives me more resolve than ever to beat you!" he smiled at Clair.

"I truly believe you have the courage and will to earn a Badge from me." Clair agreed. "I eagerly look forward to meeting you in battle."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

11-30-2017, 01:11 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 108: Fangs for Nothin'

"Gold side ready?" Kaburagi announced as Ash and Clair met on a field outside Blackthorn City the next day.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be." Clair replied.

"Silver side ready?" Kaburagi looked over at Ash and Tintri.

"Let's do this!" Ash replied.

Clair reached for a Poke Ball as Kaburagi counted down "Three...two...one..." and gave it a mighty heave when the whistle blew, revealing a huge blue seahorse Pokemon before the Pikachu, much to Misty and Brock's surprise as they watched from nearby a tree. "That's HUGE!!!" Misty gasped, her mind spinning with ideas of what Spritz would look like as a Kingdra.

"Okay, Tintri...let's open with a Thunderbolt!" Ash suggested.

He balked as the wave of crackling thunderbolts didn't seem to faze the Kingdra. "I'm about as shocked as Ash, here...if he very clearly has an advantage, then why didn't Clair's Kingdra Keela even flinch?" Brock wondered.

"Keela, start with Twister!" Clair commanded.

[Whoa!] Tintri gasped as a large shiny tornado picked him up and dropped him very close to where Misty and Brock were watching. Not one to be deterred, he launched the largest thunderbolt he could muster, but Keela remained unfazed, never mind that she had taken the Thunder attack point blank.

"Funny...why is Keela repelling Tintri's attacks so easily?" Ash asked, puzzled as to why his all out offensive wasn't working.

"When a Seadra is traded with a Dragon Scale, and evolved into Kingdra, it gains the Dragon type as well." Clair explained. "This way, its weakness to water is mitigated, if not nullified."

She then called to her Kingdra "Keela, use Hydro Pump!"

"Tintri, try to counter with another Thunderbolt!" Ash commanded.

"Well, that explains why Ash is barely making a dent against Kingdra..." Misty mused as the wave of water and spray of thunderbolts collided in the center of the field.

"Ice won't help either--Kingdra's water type also nullifies the most common counter to Dragon types." Brock cautioned. "Ash could try using Tintri's Disarming Voice, or sending River out--Maril is part Fairy type, and so would be immune to Keela's dragon moves."

Frustrated, Ash motioned Tintri back to his side. "Okay, if raw power isn't working, I'll just change up my strategy a little." he mused as he took the Poke Ball with Mina inside.

As he heaved the Poke Ball skyward, he sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... engulfing the emerging Pidgeot in a wave of red thunderbolts...

----------

Meanwhile, Kamon and his team drifted into the pool where Clair had performed the ceremony the previous day. "Okay...how to grab that fang without tripping the security?" he wondered as he tied down the raft he had used and inspected the pedestal the Dragon Fang was on, protected by a ring of laser traps.

[Try and hook it with a fishing rod, so you don't set off the laser traps?] Talavar suggested as he retrieved a fishing rod in the raft.

"Good idea!" Kamon accepted the fishing rod from the Skarmory, climbed up on a rock, and gently lowered the fishing rod down into the ring of light, being extra careful not to let the hook break the laser beams.

Helena gasped as Kamon managed to pick up the Dragon Fang with the rod's hook. [He got it!]

The Gastly's cry startled Kamon and the other Pokemon, causing Kamon to trip the laser trap. [Uh oh...] she stammered as a piercing alarm rang across the city.

Clair gasped as soon as heard the alarm ringing. "The Dragon Fang!"

As she recalled Keela and summoned Minerva, she called "We're going to have to abandon our match for now--the Dragon Fang is too important a treasure to lose!"

"I know--we can't let it fall into evil hands!" Ash agreed as he recalled Mina and heaved another Poke Ball skyward. "River, I need you!"

"Come on out, everyone!" Misty proceeded to summon her whole team. "We'll ride Aurora, and the others can follow us." she suggested as she climbed on the Lapras' back.

Once the boys and the other land Pokemon were aboard Aurora, Clair and Minerva led the way down the river leading into the city, searching for any sign of the thief that had taken the Dragon Fang. When one tributary turned up nothing, Clair would lead the group down another route.

Just as the entourage of humans and Pokemon wee about to give up, Ash spotted Kamon, who had managed to commandeer a boat. "There's our thief!"

"That red haired punk's headed into the Dragon's Den." Clair noted as Kamon frantically rowed towards a cave in the middle of the water. "Let's follow him!"

She went on "The Dragon's Den is a sacred place to all dragon Pokemon and their masters--I trained there with Lance once, many many years ago. Supposedly, there is a large sanctuary for all Pokemon known as the Holy Land deep inside the den--I shudder to think what that punk plans to do to the Dragonite that guards it!"

---------

After winding down another fork in the river that passed a waterfall, the group emerged near a large plain filled with flowers and Berry trees that stretched as far as the eye could see. "Wow...is this the Holy Land?" Brock gasped.

"It is." Clair replied as she climbed off Minerva. "It has been some time since I was here last, but I wish we could be here in happier circumstances."

"For now, we need to find Kamon!" Ash reminded the group.

"We'll search the western zone, while you, Kaburagi, and Clair go east." Misty explained as she and Brock hurried off to look in the various Berry groves. "We'll meet back in an hour!"

"Right!" Ash replied as he and Clair hurried to check the many caves and alcoves in the walls for any sign of Kamon.

He gasped as a Hyper Beam landed inches away from his feet. "What the?"

"Up there!" Clair called, pointing out a Dragonite shielding a frightened Kamon on a cliff.

"The Dragonite up there once belonged to the first Gym Leader of Blackthorn City, and was the same since her trainer passed on." Kaburagi explained. "Although very few know her name, she is the guardian of this place."

"Then, if she is the guardian of this place, why is she protecting the punk?" Clair mused. "I don't understand..."

A familiar roar snapped Ash to attention. "No way...could it be...?"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-02-2017, 05:24 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 109a: Great Bowls of Fire! (part 1)

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver"...

"The Dragonite up there once belonged to the first Gym Leader of Blackthorn City, and was the same since her trainer passed on." Kaburagi explained. "Although very few know her name, she is the guardian of this place."

"Then, if she is the guardian of this place, why is she protecting the punk?" Clair mused. "I don't understand..."

A familiar roar snapped Ash to attention. "No way...could it be...?"

Ash's awed look turned to joy when he saw who was approaching them from the sky. "Blaze!" he cried joyfully as a familiar Charizard heaved a Flamethrower in the sky to announce his arrival.

[Surprise.] Blaze playfully growled as he gracefully landed near his master's feet.

Ash just laughed as Blaze licked his face. "Oh, Blaze... you haven't changed a bit since we parted at the Charific Valley."

[Speaking of which...] Blaze grinned as Charla landed by him some time later, with Liza, Ethan, and Lyra aboard her.

"Oh, hi!" Ash smiled as Liza helped Lyra onto the ground. "Has Blaze behaved himself for the tribe?"

"Very much--Pyroc says he has become a fine warrior." Liza replied. "Clair and I were best friends when we were kids, and even today, I'll occasionally bring the tribe to the Holy Land to train."

"Now that you mention it, I have seen Blaze before, but I never would've guessed that he belonged to you, Ash." Clair smiled, just as Misty and Brock returned.

"Well! I didn't know the Charizards of the Charific Valley came here." Misty smiled when she noticed Charla and Blaze.

"Even if they are not officially Dragon types, all dragon Pokemon are welcome here in the Holy Land." Clair assured Misty as Liza ran to help Ethan off of Charla.

Brock grinned when he saw Blaze nuzzling Charla. "Oh ho, it seems Blaze has fallen in love. Should we be expecting eggs and baby Charmanders soon?"

Charla giggled as Ethan and Lyra joined the group.

"Just say the word, and I'll be happy to write a song about Blaze's adventures." Brock offered.

["The Ballad of Blaze the Dragon Flame"...I like that!] Blaze smiled. [Don't forget to include verses about all the times I've helped Ash, Maestro.]

Everyone laughed at this. Once Liza had collected herself, she asked Ash "Have you had your Gym match with Clair yet?"

"We were, but then Kamon messed it up." Ash replied.

"Basically, Kamon stole the Dragon Fang, escaped into the Dragon's Holy Land, and tricked its guardian, a Dragonite, into assisting him." Misty explained. "We'll likely need all the help we can get trying to catch him before he does something really terrible."

[You want help? You got it.] Blaze purred. Liza, Ethan, Lyra, and Charla nodded in agreement.

---------

It was not long before the two Charizards circled above the Holy Land, looking for any sign of Kamon as they pulled their humans along in balloons. Ash, Misty, Brock, and Clair rode in the red balloon Blaze pulled, and Liza, Ethan, and Lyra, and Kaburagi rode in the gold balloon Charla pulled. "Our billion credit question at the moment...why would the guardian Dragonite assist Kamon?" Misty asked as Blaze made a wide left turn to survey a forest down below.

"What probably happened--and keep in mind this is just a theory on my part--is Kamon likely threatened to destroy the Dragon Fang, thereby forcing Dragonite to obey him." Brock suggested.

"You bring up an intriguing possibility, but I doubt that a Pokémon as intelligent and powerful as the Holy Land's Dragonite would fall for such a ruse." Clair cautioned as the two Charizards met in the sky, allowing each balloon's passengers to talk to each other for a few moments.

"The Dragonite originally belonged to the first Gym Leader of Blackthorn, who dedicated his life in protecting the Holy Land." Kaburagi reminded the group. "Even after he joined Arceus in heaven, his Dragonite still continues her vigil in memory of her trainer--something she will likely do for all eternity."

"Makes sense--dragon Pokemon do have way longer life spans than a human." Ash mused.

He motioned to Blaze. "Let's switch directions and check the canyons on the right." Blaze nodded, and made a wide right turn as Charla went left...

---------

"Not so hard, miss dragon queen..." Kamon protested as the Dragonite carried him into a forest somewhere in the Holy Land. "Where are we going, anyway?"

[You'll see when we get there.] the Dragonite replied. [I can assure you that our destination is somewhere good.]

"Okay..." Kamon was not so sure.

After a few moments, the Dragonite landed by a large lake, setting Kamon by one of the banks. [Here we are...you must be hungry after coming all this way.]

"That I am." Kamon admitted. "So, what are we going to eat all the way in the middle of nowhere?"

The Dragonite chuckled as she fluttered from tree to tree, picking Berries she knew were safe for human consumption. [Taste and see that nature's bounty is good.] she smiled, offering Kamon the many different Berries she had collected some time later.

"Wow...this actually looks delicious!" Kamon cried before popping an Oran Berry in his mouth.

[I do not know the foe you were running from, but you're safe here--no one will harm you now.] the Dragonite purred, a little bemused at Kamon enthusiastically eating the many Berries she had found.

"You don't even know all the bad things I have done, and yet you'd still help me?" Kamon asked as tears welled up in his eyes for the first time in a long time.

When the Dragonite answered his question with an affirming nod, he embraced the majestic orange dragon Pokemon. "Thank you..." he finally whispered as a grateful tear rolled down his cheek.

Just then, something dawned on Kamon. [i]Wait a minute...Miss Dragonite didn't have to help me, and she did anyway, regardless of my past.

He thought long and hard as he did his best to remember all the times Ash had helped him or was otherwise nice to him, despite his attempts to steal Pokemon and cause trouble. That time we were separated running from Ursarings...Ash didn't have to welcome me to his campsite, feed me, and serenade me; but he did anyway. The time I got stranded on Snowtop Mountain--Ash didn't have to bring me in from the cold, but he did anyway. Both times, he did it because it was the right thing to do, regardless of all the annoyance, frustration, and trouble I've caused him during this journey.

Then he thought back to all the times he had battled Ash, or seen him battle. And yet, every time I've seen Ash--Wonder Boy--battle, I feel this light...a pure, bright, shining light. He has a deep love for his team and his companions...

His eyes widened. Could it be...that Ash was right all along?

A small structure on the side of the lake snapped him from his thoughts. But now's not the time to ponder the meaning of life, the universe, and why the toast lands butter side down...I wanna see what's inside that building over there!

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-07-2017, 01:08 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 109b: Great Bowls of Fire! (part 2)

Back up above, Clair spotted the lake. "The trees in the area around Lake Azure have had their fruit picked--is it possible that the guardian Dragonite took the punk here?"

"My question is, did Dragonite take the punk to the Dragon Shrine..." Kaburagi mused as Charla moved in for a closer look around the area.

"What's so great about the Dragon Shrine, if you don't mind my asking?" Ash asked as he listened to the rustle of Blaze's wings skimming the trees.

"The Dragon Shrine was built long ago to represent hope for peace and harmony between humans and Pokémon." Kaburagi explained. "Within the shrine lies the Prayer Flame, a symbol of peace between humans and Pokémon."

"So, it's like an eternal flame?" Ash was intrigued.

Kaburagi nodded. "Despite being lit over 500 years ago, it still burns strongly to this day, and will continue to burn for as long as there is a desire to uphold and defend peace."

---------

The door to the Dragon Shrine creaked open, and Kamon walked inside, the Prayer Flame casting an unusually bright light in the room. "Hm...is this some kind of gravestone or sacred place?" he mused.

Intrigued, Kamon approached the pedestal holding the Prayer Flame. "This holy fire burns here as a symbol of hope and peace between all Pokemon, and the humans that love and cherish them." he read.

He reached out in an attempt to pick up the censer, but he did not expect an ember to come flying out onto his hand. "Ow!" he cried, holding his burned hand as he looked for some medicine. I know I had some Vaseline in here...

Kamon's pained look turned to horror as he watched the censer go flying out of the shrine and onto the ground, causing the Prayer Flame to set the landscape ablaze! "Oh no..." he gasped as he helplessly watched the fire begin to spread. "What have I done?"

[That's what I want to know!] the Dragonite demanded as she began charging a Hyper Beam. [Why did you attempt to handle the Prayer Flame, when you were unfit to do so?]

"Gah!" Kamon gasped as he did his best to avoid both patches of flames and the Hyper Beams raining around him. "Helena, help me!" he pleaded as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward.

Helena scolded as she attempted to use Reflect to shield her master from the Hyper Beams raining down on the already burning landscape.

Just then, Blaze, Charla, and the group landed near the burning landscape. [I don't know what caused this fire, but let's rescue Kamon and get the fire put out!] Blaze suggested before heaving Flamethrower to counteract a Hyper Beam meant for Kamon.

"Minerva, make some rain to help put out this fire!" Clair instructed her Dragonair.

[Right!] Minerva replied before the orb on her neck glowed a bright blue, sending a wave of rain to help douse the raging fire.

"Charla, can you help get the Pokemon of this area to safety?" Liza asked.

[Leave it to me!] Charla smiled before flying off to rescue a family of Bunearies fleeing the flames.

"Argent, help Charla get the tree dwelling Pokemon to safety!" Brock instructed as he summoned his Steelix.

"Dundee, help save the Pokemon here!" Ethan instructed as he summoned his Totodile. Once Dundee had materialized, he dashed off into the brush to lead some Pichus and Pikachus to safety.

Layra looked over at her own Marill. "Saphir, go help Dundee rescue the little Pokemon here."

[Got it!] Saphir replied as she hurried off after Dundee.

"Michelle, help Minerva put the fire out." Misty instructed her faithful Golduck. "I don't think a rainstorm's going to be enough..."

As Michelle went to work putting out as many of the flames as she could, Blaze glared at the Dragonite. [How 'bout it? Should we battle the guardian Dragonite?]

"No." Ash replied. "I want to try and calm her down enough to learn what provoked her."

He balked in surprise as Kamon knelt at his feet. "Kamon...why are we being so respectful all of a sudden?"

"I just want to say two things..." Kamon replied as he looked up at Ash, tears shining in his eyes. "First of all, thank you for saving my life. But I mainly want to say I'm sorry...I'm sorry for causing this mess, and I'm sorry for all the flack I have given you on this trip--taking all those Pokemon I took, using my team as tools, and generally being a big fat pain in the neck to you guys. Please tell me...is what you have said about treating Pokémon properly true?"

Ash looked down at the trembling boy before him. "I've said this before, and I will tell you once again. If you really want to have a close bond with Pokemon, you need to love them, and trust them. They will love and trust you back in return many times over."

Kamon thought hard as Ethan and Lyra joined Ash. "Love… Trust… are they really what I lack? Are they keeping me from being all that I want to be?"

"I wouldn't say you are lacking those..." Ethan replied. "But even if you were, it's never too late to learn."

"It won't be easy, and you'll probably need to earn back the trust you lost from the people you wronged." Lyra added. "But whatever support you need, we'll do our best to help you."

"So does that mean you're forgiving me?" Kamon asked, his tears shining hopefully in the firelight around them.

Ash smiled. "Yeah...we all forgive you."

Kaburagi smiled as Kamon gratefully hugged Ash. "Well, if you're going to make amends for all you've done, you can start by returning the Dragon Fang."

"Oh yes..." Kamon remembered before unearthing the Dragon Fang from his pocket and offering it to Kaburagi. "Here it is...I have no need for it any more."

---------

"Metheris, please!" Clair pleaded as the Dragonite aimed a Hyper Beam at her. "It's me, Clair!"

She braced herself as the orange beam streaked at her....only to be deflected by a wave of fire! [Quickly! Get somewhere safe!] Blaze called.

The lightbulb went off in Kaburagi's head as he met up with Clair. [i]So that's why Metheris is so unreasonable...

He laid a hand on Clair's shoulder to calm her a little. "Clair...Metheris is suffering from a berserk rage.

"What does that mean?" Misty wondered as she watched the Dragonite unleash a powerful Twister, forcing Minerva to dispel her rain clouds.

"Metheris has become confused after performing too many consecutive attacks, causing her to attack everything around her in a berserk fury." Clair explained. "The only ways I know of to get her out of that state are challenging her to battle, or the Swanna Song."

Ash nodded to show he understood. "Tintri, try a Thunder!"

[AUGGGH!!!] Tintri cried as Metheris rammed into him, sending him tumbling down the hill into Ash's arms.

Blaze arrived some moments later. [Come on! Before Miss Dragonite turns you two into toast!]

"Coming!" Ash scrambled aboard Blaze with Tintri.

Once sure his master and the Pikachu were safely aboard, Blaze soared off, allowing Ash a clear and safe vantage point to see the enraged Dragonite. "Metheris, listen to me!" Ash pleaded. "Can you hear the cries of the wild Pokémon around you? Please...don't hurt innocent Pokemon!"

"Ash...Metheris likely entered the berserk state in response to something terrible, so she likely won't listen to reason." Kaburagi cautioned.

"That reminds me..." Kamon sighed. "I confess...I was the one that tried to take the Prayer Flame and caused this whole mess. If there's anything I can do to make amends, I will do it."

"We'll discuss that as soon as we calm Metheris." Clair replied as Kaburagi hurried off to help Michelle repair the shrine. That is, if there even is a way to stop Metheris' rampage...what if even the Swanna Song isn't enough?

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-09-2017, 07:14 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 109c: Great Bowls of Fire (part 3)

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver...

Once sure his master and the Pikachu were safely aboard, Blaze soared off, allowing Ash a clear and safe vantage point to see the enraged Dragonite. "Metheris, listen to me!" Ash pleaded. "Can you hear the cries of the wild Pokémon around you? Please...don't hurt innocent Pokemon!"

"Ash...Metheris likely entered the berserk state in response to something terrible, so she likely won't listen to reason." Kaburagi cautioned.

"That reminds me..." Kamon sighed. "I confess...I was the one that tried to take the Prayer Flame and caused this whole mess. If there's anything I can do to make amends, I will do it."

"We'll discuss that as soon as we calm Metheris." Clair replied as Kaburagi hurried off to help Michelle repair the shrine. That is, if there even is a way to stop Metheris' rampage...what if even the Swanna Song isn't enough?

Meanwhile, Blaze and Metheris stared each other down as they hovered over the lake. Finally, Blaze opened with a Flamethrower, knocking Metheris into the water with a huge splash. Metheris, however, emerged unharmed.

[Ash!] Minerva gasped as she spotted Metheris about to fire a Hyper Beam at Ash. She quickly formed a sparkling silver shield around Ash, making the orange beam bounce off of it with an explosion.

"Thanks, Minerva." Ash smiled as he hugged the Dragonair. "I would've been roast Psyduck had you not intervened."

Clair arrives and heaved a relieved sigh when she saw Ash was none the worse for wear. "Ash...would you be willing to help me try to stop Metheris?"

"Sure." Ash replied. "Tell me what you want to do, and I'll do it."

Clair nodded, then called "Minerva, use Bind to cut Metheris off!"

Minerva complied by wrapping the huge Dragonite in a shining blue rope. "Okay, when I give the word, ask Blaze to use Flamethrower alongside Minerva's Hyper Beam." Clair instructed as Metheris struggled to get free.

"Hear that, Blaze? When Clair gives the signal, use the most powerful Flamethrower you can." Ash instructed his faithful Charizard.

[Got it!] Blaze replied, charging a ball of flame as he waited for the signal.

A few tense minutes passed before Metheris finally shattered her shining binding. "NOW!" Clair called.

Ash watched in horror as even the combined Flamethrower and Hyper Beam failed to even make a scratch on the enraged Dragonite. "We have to try a new plan!" he called as he watched Minerva move in for a second attempt at a Hyper Beam.

[Any ideas, bud?] Blaze asked as Metheris blocked Minerva's attack.

"Try to pick her up with Seismic Toss!" Ash suggested.

He gasped in horror as Metheris dodged the attack, picked up Blaze, and hurled him into the woods! Blaze reported as he shook some burs off of him.

"That's good." Ash was equally relieved. "Maybe if engaging on the ground isn't working, we should try an aerial assault!"

[Great idea!] Blaze agreed before soaring into the sky.

Clair watched as Blaze returned to the air. [i]Metheris is too powerful for any one attack to work...we'll need to combine our power somehow...

---------

"Okay, Minerva--summon some thunderclouds while Blaze distracts Metheris." Clair called.

She braced herself as Metheris unleashed another Twister. "We're okay, but that attack is making it harder for Charla to fly." Liza explained as the balloon, now carrying Ethan, Lyra, Brock, Misty and the evacuated wild Pokémon, landed near Clair's and Ash's position.

Misty smiled as a thunderbolt jolted Metheris. "Clair, what a great idea!"

[HAAAAAAAAAH!!!] Tintri cried as he unleashed a huge Thunder attack, pinning the huge Pokémon down.

Ash noticed Metheris attempting to charge a Hyper Beam. "Blaze, try to contain Metheris' attack with Fire Spin!"

Misty watched in shock as Blaze created the flaming tornado. "No way...the energy of the Hyper Beam was reflected, turning Metheris' attack back onto her!"

Ethan gasped as he saw Metheris attempting another Hyper Beam. "Hit the dirt!"

Everyone dove for cover as the combined attacks exploded in Metheris' face, sending her plummeting into the water.

"Is it over?" Brock asked some moments later. "Has Metheris been calmed?" he asked as the group uneasily looked out over the lake.

Minutes seemed to tick by like hours as the group reunited by the lake, watching and waiting to see what would happen when--or even if--Metheris emerged.

Finally, Metheris emerged from the lake with a huge swoosh, her eyes burning red from berserk fury. "This is it--we're gonna be dragon food!" Lyra worried as the group braced themselves for the Dragonites next attack.

Gatrandis favel, secret, edena.... Ash's voice rang over the lake. Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena...
Emusto koron sen fine, si...

As Misty hurried to keep Ash from falling in the water, the others heaved sighs of relief as Metheris' eyes returned to their normal color.

She gasped in horror as the swatches of charred grass, scorched bushes, charred trees, and the shrine Kaburagi was repairing. [What have I done...] she gasped as huge tears welled up in her eyes. [It's hopeless...I've failed the very land I was supposed to protect!]

[There there...] Minerva assured the sobbing Dragonite. [This isn't your fault...]

Misty eyed Kamon as the other Pokemon did their best to console Metheris. "If you truly meant that you're sorry, you should start by leaving here, returning to New Bark Town, and telling Prof. Elm you're sorry for trying to take Dundee."

"If and when you do return here, it should be as a trainer that loves and respects their Pokemon as companions." Kaburagi added.

"Okay..." Kamon replied. "I will travel on my own to redeem myself. If anyone does decide to come with me, great."

He offered Ash the Dragon Fang. "Here, Wonder Boy...can you put this back where it belongs?"

"Sure." Ash replied as he followed Brock into the newly repaired Dragon Shrine, where Brock was watching Raquel screw the censer holding the Prayer Flame back in place.

[There...now the Flame can't be knocked over or picked up.] Raquel reported as she admired her handiwork.

"I only told Clair and Kaburagi how to pick it up, in the event it needs to be moved." Brock replied as he watched Ash set the Dragon Fang back in place. "Arceus willing it won't have to be moved for a good, long while."

Ash met Clair as he and Brock emerged from the shrine. "Clair...since our first match was interrupted by this mess, can we start over?"

"Of course--Minerva should have this place healed by morning." Clair replied. "We'll have the match in the Gym, for safety reasons."

[Good luck, Ash--you've got me and the whole tribe cheering for you!] Blaze purred as he gave his master a fistbump...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-14-2017, 02:06 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 110: Better Eight Than Never

"Representing the Gold side, the Dragonborn Clair!" Kaburagi announced as he made a grand gesture on the gold colored floating platform that served as Clair's half of the huge lake that would serve as the battlefield.

As soon as Clair had arrived, Kaburagi gestured to Ash standing on the silver platform on the other end of the lake. "And representing the Silver side, Ash Ketchum of Pallet Town!"

He then hurried over to the tree that served as the referee's post. "Now then...this will be a three-on-three match--whoever can knock out all three of the opponent's Pokemon first, wins. Any questions?"

"Not at all." Clair replied.

"No questions here." Ash replied.

Kaburagi then waved a red flag with a flourish. "Then let the match begin!"

"Keela, let's go!" Clair called, heaving the Poke Ball holding her Kingdra skyward.

"Luce, I choose you!" Ash did likewise.

Misty was surprised by Ash's choice. "Why Luce? I was expecting Tintri or River..."

"He may be saving Tintri for when it matters most." Brock explained. "That, and should he choose to induce Luce, it also gains the Dragon type."

"That makes sense!" Misty smiled as Luce fired a Charge Beam, only for Keela to power out of the way of the shining yellow beam with Agility.

On the field, Clair grimaced the Ampharos veered out of the way of Keela's charge. "Keela, use a Swift attack!"

Ash, meanwhile, only smiled as the shining yellow stars bounced off of Luce. "Okay, try to Body Slam Keela!"

He winced as Luce charged at the huge Kingdra, only for the Kingdra to dodge with Agility, then fire another volley of Swift.

"Okay, so my initial plan isn't working..." Clair mused before calling to her Kingdra "Keela, try Hydro Pump!"

"Look out!" Ash called, only to watch as Luce got splattered by the huge wave of water.

He gasped in horror when he saw Keela charging a familiar orange beam. "Uh oh..."

A splash got his attention, followed by the Hyper Beam skimming the water. "Luce? What did you do?" he asked as his Ampharos paddled to his side.

[Easy...I dove underwater to dodge the Hyper Beam.] Luce smiled.

"Good thinking, Luce...I dunno if I would've ever thought of that." Ash smiled as he petted his Ampharos.

He then turned business-like again. "Dive underwater and use a Body Slam!"

"Forgetting something?" Clair's voice snapped Ash to attention. "While I don't deny that Body Slam is a powerful attack on land, it won't do much underwater, because it weighs much less." Sure enough, Keela hardly looked fazed as Luce's attack bounced off her scaly stomach.

She smiled as Luce surfaced. "Keela, use Hydro Pump!"

In the stands, Misty swallowed hard as yet another wave of water went flying at the vulnerable Ampharos. "Luce's a sitting Psyduck!"

"Maybe not..." Brock grinned as Ash held the hand with his Mega Ring in the air, just as Luce jumped out of the water.

Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... Ash sang, his Heart Song engulfing Luce in a burst of red light and thunderbolts, which shielded her from Keela's attack!

Clair gasped--she had not counted on Ash to use Mega Evolution! "Keela, use Swift!"

[What do I do now?] Luce gasped, aware of the shining stars headed for her as she emerged from her Mega Evolution.

"Just take the attack--your added Dragon type should give you some defense." Ash assured Luce. Luce nodded, and braced herself as the Swift attack bounced off of her.

"Keela, try Hydro Pump again!" Clair called, but this too didn't faze the Mega Ampharos. I see...the Mega Evolution added defense to his Ampharos, which puts her on an equal level with Keela!

Brock noted Keela heaving with exhaustion. "Ash’s plan must be to just wear Keela out, as Luce, even when she is not Mega Evolved, has a lot of endurance."

"That, and now that Luce has the Dragon type too, she's got similar defenses to Keela." Misty agreed.

Both spectators watched as Luce dove underwater to avoid another Hyper Beam. "Okay, Luce, use Thunderpunch!" Ash called.

He grinned as Luce's electrified fist connected point blank with Keela, finally taking her down. "Don't think you can just go into cruise control yet, Ash...I still have two Pokemon left!" Clair cautioned.

---------

Ash watched as Clair summoned her Gyarados, Draco. "Luce, let's see you use Hyper Beam this time!"

"Draco, use Hydro Pump!" Clair commanded.

Neither combatant expected the orange beam and the wave of water to collide at the center of the lake, canceling out both attacks. [WAUUUGH!] Luce screamed as she was engulfed in a wave of greenish blue fire, sending her writhing to the Silver platform in pain.

Now's my chance to knock out the Mega Ampharos, since Draco's Dragonbreath paralyzed it! Clair smiled. "Draco, Hyper Beam!"

"Luce!" Ash cried in horror as Luce was engulfed in the orange beam, lighting up the lake in an orange sheen.

Luce wheezed. [Mega Evolution...wasn't enough...]

"You did well, okay?" Ash assured the Ampharos before recalling it. "Tintri, your turn!"

[Right!] Tintri bounded off Ash's shoulder and onto the Silver platform with an Agility boost, allowing him to veer out of the way of the Gyarados' razor sharp teeth.

"Tintri, use--!" Ash started, but gawked in horror as Draco sprayed another volley of Dragonbreath! [i]Oh, no...not again...

"I told you not to go into cruise control." Clair reminded Ash when the blue-green flames cleared, revealing Tintri heaving in exhaustion. "Otherwise, it will cost you." Draco charging another Hydro Pump emphasized her point.

"Tintri, try to use Draco's attack to get close!" Ash called.

He watched as Tintri powered past the oncoming wave, his Agility allowing him to run on top of Draco's second Hydro Pump to reach the snake-dragon's face. It worked! he grinned as Tintri fired a massive Thunderbolt, knocking Draco out...

---------

"Minerva, I choose you!" Clair called, summoning a familiar Dragonair on the field. "Use a Hyper Beam from below!"

[What the--?] was all Tintri could say as Minerva dove beneath the water, then fired a Hyper Beam from below the surface, knocking out the Pikachu before Ash could react.

Tintri came floating back to Ash some seconds later. [S-sorry, Ash...I wasn't...expecting...that...]

"Me neither, bud." Ash sighed. "But you did do well, so go get some rest."

"Each side is down to one Pokemon apiece!" Kaburagi announced. "Make your final selection, Silver."

Ash nodded, then unleashed a loud whistle, prompting Blaze to soar into the arena. [I think it's fitting I get to bookend your Johto challenge...] Blaze purred. [Just as I got you your first badge, I'll be happy to get you your last one, too!]

"Minerva, use Twister!" Clair commanded.

Ash watched as a massive twister formed on the water. "Blaze, I have an idea..use Flamethrower to evaporate the lake before the Twister hits."

[Got it!] Blaze smiled before heaving a wave of fire at the water, causing the lake to dry up and the Twister to fizzle out. [Let's see how you fare on the land!] he taunted.

Clair was unfazed. "Minerva, use Iron Tail."

[Missed me!] Blaze taunted as he leaped away from Minerva's shining silver tail. landing behind the confused Dragonair.

"Grab Minerva from behind and use Seismic Toss!" Ash called.

[Round and round and round she goes, where she stops, no one knows!] Blaze taunted as he spun Minera around the lakebed.

He did not, however, expect Minerva to engulf him in purple fire! [GAH!!!] he yelped as the fire knocked him to the ground, dazed.

"Don't give up, Blaze!" Ash called as he watched his Charizard attempt to get up. "I believe in you!"

He smiled as Blaze eased himself up, and took off, soaring towards the Dragonair sitting in a puddle on the lakebed. Just as Minerva tried to impale the oncoming Charizard with an Iron Tail, Blaze looped behind her and grabbed her again!

[Round and round we go once more!] Blazed taunted as he again spun Minerva.

Ash noticed Minerva charging more purple fire. "Blaze, try to contain Minerva's attack in a Fire Spin!"

The world seemed to go silent as Minerva's Dragon Rage was engulfed in Blaze's red flames, creating a massive explosion that sent Minerva flying. "Is it over?" Misty asked as she watched the flames die down. "What happens if both Minerva and Blaze fainted because of that?"

Brock was about to answer when he saw Blaze fly from the flames with a triumphant roar. "He did it!"

"Gold is unable to battle...this match goes to Silver without question." Kaburagi smiled as Clair and Ash shook hands in the middle of the lakebed.

"Well done, Ash--you used some very clever strategies that I honestly thought wouldn't work." Clair began as Misty used a Revive on Tintri, allowing him to rejoin his master. "That faith and the ability to think fast will surely serve you well on your travels."

She offered Ash a black and red badge shaped like a dragon head. "I believe you have more than earned this.

"Thank you..." Ash smiled before holding the badge high. "I got a Rising Badge!"

---------

Liza, Ethan, and Lyra cheered and applauded when they saw Ash holding the Rising Badge "Congrats, Ash--we were cheering for you!" Ethan smiled as he embraced his friend.

"From here, you should all head to Mt. Silver, where you can prepare for the Johto League and all its events." Clair suggested.

"I will, Clair--thanks again." Ash smiled.

"I promise to give my all in the Grand Pokethlon for you, Clair." Misty agreed.

"And me in the Grand Lore Stage." Brock added.

Ash looked over at Blaze, who was nuzzling Charla. "Blaze...you be good for Liza and the tribe, okay?"

[You know I will, Ash--Pyroc and the warriors are great teachers.] Blaze smiled with a toothy grin. [Although I'm only a whistle away if you need me.]

He looked over at Brock. [I still wanna see you write a song about my exploits, Maestro--including a verse about what happened here.]

"I'll get to work writing 'The Ballad of Blaze the Dragon Flame' right away." Brock smiled. "And I'll be sure to play it when it's ready."

Everyone laughed at this. "Okay, everyone--it's time for us to go." Liza smiled as she collected herself.

Ash motioned to Liza as Ethan and Lyra climbed aboard Charla. "Take good care of Blaze--as much as I want him back, I also know the tribe is where he should be for now."

"Okay...but you can visit him and he can visit you as often as he likes." Liza assured Ash.

"After we get Blaze home, Lyra and I will meet you at Mt. Silver." Ethan explained.

Ash hugged Blaze one last time. "Have a safe flight back...and tell Chief Pyroc and the tribe we said hi!"

[You know I will--you have a safe trip yourself.] Blaze replied before following Charla and her passengers into the setting sun...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-16-2017, 09:35 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 111: Why? Wynaut!

"WE DID IT!" Ash smiled as he, Misty, Brock, and Clair enjoyed a picnic by the river a few days later. "I've got my last Badge, Brock's completed his Lore Stage rainbow, and Misty can get one last medal on the way back to New Bark! Johto League, here we come!"

"Well, in order to do that, you'll have to return to New Bark." Clair explained. "But you should have plenty of time for your friend to earn her last Pokethlon medal and train--the League--officially called the Silver Conference, isn't due to begin for another three months."

"So, what's the Johto anthem named?" Brock was curious. "Kanto's is named 'Red, Blue and Yellow Bold', and retells a legend from the region's past--although what is actually sung before Leagues and other competitions is the last verse."

"It is called 'Golden Hearts and Silver Souls', and tells of Ho'oh's, Lugia's, and the Beasts' guidance and protection upon the region." Clair explained. "The song has verses for each of them in turn, but only the first verse, the chorus, the final verse, and another chorus are sung before competition--like Kanto's, it is very rare to hear the whole thing sung."

She smiled as she noticed a few of her attendants arriving to join the group "Although I can at least sing what is typically sung before competition, if you would like to hear it."

"Yes please!" Misty replied, her eyes shining with excitement.

"Need a note?" Brock asked as he fished the pitch pipe he often used to tune his guitar from his bag.

"Sure--an F, please." Clair replied.

"Okay..." Brock set the pitch pipe to sound an F, then blew the note in Clair's direction. Clair hummed it back to him, which also told her attendants what key she would be singing in.

With that, Clair sang Our golden hearts and our silver souls
Shining brightly on our homeland,
Sets the fire of our hope ablaze
And never will it falter!

Our courage flies across the land,
And we rise to meet the challenge;
So the sun will rise, and the moon will shine
Upon Johto forever...

May our golden hearts and silver souls
Shine on the land forever. Clair's attendants joined in, harmonizing with their leader as Brock kept the beat with a frame drum.
As the golden sun rises in the east
So will Johto endure.
Though darkness falls, the stars will shine
And the silver moon lights the way
The aurora shines across the sky
And our path never will be gray...

---------

"Just lookit 'em, being all patriotic..." Meowth smiled as he and his human companions watched the performance from the safety of a bush. "What a catastrophe it would be if da twerps got to da League Badge-less, medal-less, and stripe-less!"

"Imagine how much Badges, medals, and Lore Stripes go for! We would have our dues paid down for years to come, and still have plenty left over!" James smiled, his eyes turning into credit signs as he dreamed of the luxuries he would buy with the hypothetical money from Ash's Badges, Misty's medals, and Brock's Lore Stripes.

"Why sell them when we can use them to enter the League ourselves?" Jessie snapped her partner back to reality.

"Dat's anudder idear, but ya can't be in tree places at once." Meowth interjected. "So once we get da goods, we'll decide who's gonna compete in what from dere."

Excited cheers and applause snapped him to attention. "Looks like dey're done with da patriotics, so here's our chance." he whispered before he and James cast a fishing rod into the grass.

"I got the lady twerp's medals..." James reported as Meowth reeled in Ash's badge case.

"But what about Robin Hood twerp's stripes?" Meowth asked as he noticed the Badge case and the medal box.

"Those appear to be sewn on his clothing, and reeling him in would be a very bed idea indeed." Jessie cautioned. "So we'll make do with just hat twerp's badge's and lady twerp's medals."

As the Rockets raced through the brush with their ill-gotten prizes, they did not see a small blue blob Pokemon similar to Wobbufett take Ash's Badge case while James tried to untangle himself from a bush...

----------

"WHAT???" Ash gasped when he noticed his Badge case gone. "NOW how am I supposed to enter the League???"

"My medals are gone too!" Misty was just as panicked. "All our hard work, gone--my first one, earned with Casey looking on..."

"Zephyr Badge, when Blaze beat Falkner's Pidgeot Taka..." Ash sighed.

"Second one, putting a braggart Poliwrath trainer in his place." Misty sighed.

"Cyndy's comeback against Bugsy..." Ash replied as he remembered how he had gotten a Hive Badge. This call and response continued as they each remembered how they had won their prizes:

"Plain Badge for saving Whitney's farm and her Miltank..."

"Third one, against Koga's sister Aya...

"Fog Badge, Mina came through with a Dark move..."

"Fourth one was my favorite, with Koga and Janine looking on..."

"Storm Badge, showing Chuck the power of Mega Evolution..."

"Fifth one, against the Nurse Joy of the lake..."

"Mineral Badge, showing Jasmine big things come in small packages..."

"Sixth one defending your honor from Gary..."

"Glacier Badge from teaching Pryce to love again..."

"Seventh one, Ami proved herself..."

"Rising Badge, I earned a few days ago..."

"...and I still have one more medal left to earn!" Misty finally finished the long lament.

Suddenly, Ash remembered something. "Where's that year's supply of chocolate you won, Misty?"

"Here in the cooler...we haven't eaten any more since we ate a good chunk of the first tier." Brock replied.

"Think we could polish off that first tier to ease our sorrows?" Misty asked.

Brock nodded as he took the massive box out. "Besides, chocolate's even better cold."

He smiled. "I'm a little glad mine can't be swiped...so to inspire you guys, I can still remember how I earned them all."

"Okay, master storyteller, how did you earn them all?" Misty challenged as she bit into a dark chocolate diamond.

"Red, helping a Sunflora smile again..." Brock began, counting each color on his fingers as he named it. "Orange, earning a friendly rival's respect...Yellow, teaching a friend of Suzie's what inner beauty means...Green, telling an ancient story alongside the Kimono Girls...Blue, salvaging a TV star's show...Indigo, salvaging 'Oak's Pokemon Talk'...and Purple, earned with the Brains of the Battle Frontier looking on, and you guys helped me earn it!"

"Then what are we doing here having a pity party for?" Misty cried. "The thieves can't have gotten far, so let's go find them!"

---------

"You lost the hat twerp's badges???" Jessie gasped as Sahana glumly nodded yes. "Did you see who or what took them?"

Sahana waddled to a pad of white Post-it notes, and started drawing the smaller blue blob as best as he could remember. "Ooh! Ooh! I love dis game! I love dis game!" Meowth cried, believing Wobbufett was conveying his message in a game of "Win, Lose, or Draw". "It was a great big sapphire with legs!"

"No, it was my childhood nanny, Ms. Gorman!" James suggested.

"Since when do people have blue skin?" Jessie retorted. "It looks more like a Wooper to me!"

With the Rockets lost in their game, they did not see the Pidgeot and the Marill combing the forest for any sign of the small blue blob Pokemon. [I found it!] River reported as she spotted the small blue blob admiring one of Ash's Badges as it added the Badge case and the medal box to a basket full of Berries and other trinkets.

[Good work!] Mina circled down to join River in the brush. [Do you remember what Ash told you this little blob was?]

[It's a Wynaut, like we saw back at the Wobbufett festival!] River smiled before quoting the tiny Pokemon's Pokedex entry. [The young form of Wobbufett, they tend to move in a pack. Individuals squash against one another to toughen their spirits.]

[I see...] Mina smiled as she watched River emerge into the Wynaut's burrow, and emerge with both the Badge case and the medal box some moments later.

Just then, River gasped when she found Arbok and Weezing waiting for her in the brush! [Ambush!] she called as Weezing sprayed a cloud of Smog, forcing the Pidgeot and the Marill to cough while they made off with the Badges...

---------

"Did you find them?" Ash asked as he led Misty, Brock, Clair, and Minerva into the brush, near where Mina and River had found the Wynaut's burrow.

[I asked the Wynaut that lives here to give the Badges and medals back, but just before we could go back, the Rockets ambushed us.] River tearfully explained.

The hiss of a balloon in the distance snapped Clair to attention. "The rogues are about to take flight in Blackthorn Field! Quickly, to the north!"

As the group followed Clair through the grass and brush, Brock offered one of his arrows to Minerva. "So long as we're gonna shoot down Team Rocket, can you imbue this with a little dragon power?"

[Of course.] Minerva smiled, imbuing Brock's arrow with a tiny Dragonbreath, making the head gain a deep teal glow. [That should give your shot a little pizzazz.]

Clair smiled. "What a great idea! Are you sure it will be sharp enough to take the rogues down?"

"I'm sure--they are mainly for stage archery, but I've popped more than a few balloons this trip." Brock replied as he followed Minerva to a hill overlooking where the Rockets were preparing to take off.

Ash smiled as Brock aimed his shot, just as the Meowth balloon started to rise. "Team Rocket's gonna get a nice little surprise..."

Everyone watched as Brock fired some seconds later, a POW confirming he had hit his shot. "Bullseye!" Misty smiled as she hurried to catch her falling medal box. "I am SO glad to get my medals back!"

Ash dove to catch his Badge case, then decided to check and see if all the badges were present. "One...two...three...four...five...six...seven...wh ere's the Rising Badge?"

[Here...] River replied, offering the Rising Badge to Ash. [The Wynaut told me to give you this.]

"If you see him again, will you tell him thank you?" Ash smiled as he put the Rising Badge with the other Badges.

"Now, as I was saying before we were rudely interrupted..." Clair began. "To quickly reach New Bark from here, the Blackthorn Hills are a well known route..."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-21-2017, 03:21 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 112: Just Add Water

"I am so glad you got Team Rocket off our backs for a good long while." Misty smiled. "Now they won't try to cause any more trouble!"

"And if they do, you can always pop their balloon." Ash grinned. "I'm just glad my Badges are okay."

Brock looked up from the guidebook when he heard waves in the distance. "Well! We've made it back to the eastern coast, not far from where we disembarked." he smiled as the group emerged from the brush to find a few sand dunes and a beach.

"I am so ready for a day at the beach!" Misty dashed down onto the sandy shore and heaved all of her Poke Balls skyward. "Come on out, everyone! You guys deserve a vacation after all we've been through!"

[Surf's up!] Michelle made a flying leap into the water, making the resulting wave splatter onto her giggling master.

Ami begged Brock.

After making a Marill sized hole in the sand with his fist, Brock waited for Ami to climb in the hole before covering her with sand. "There we are."

Sango rolled through the sand, waiting for Michelle to pick the jewels and pieces off her branches, while Pearl and Aurora kept watch from the water. "If I knew where the locker rooms were, I'd be in my trunks surfing right now." Ash smiled as he watched the waves lap the shore.

Tintri sighed before he remembered something. [Did we even pack the surfboards?]

Ash was about to answer when a sign on a noticeboard got his attention. "Hey, Misty...check this out!"

Misty hurried over to look at the sign. "Speed Pokethlon today at the Wave Aquatics Center--all tracks and skill levels welcome..."

"Don't forget you have one medal left to earn!" Brock smiled as he also looked over the sign. "This would explain why no one's here on the beach right now--they're all signing up for the Pokethlon!" He made a grand gesture to the path leading into the city, where a crowd of Pokethletes were rushing inside a majestic blue building near the town's main drag.

Misty nodded. "It's only fitting I end my Pokethlon experience the way I started it--so let's go!"

---------

"Okay..." Misty began as she emerged from the women's dressing room in her jersey, and made her way to the stands, where she spotted the boys in the front. "I've picked Pearl, Ami, and Sango for the competition."

"Great choices--according to the program, the first event of the day is the Hurdle Dash." Ash reported.

"I'll be using Pearl for that." Misty replied as she watched her faithful Starmie fly over to the pool's second lane.

"You sure? Remember that you still have the Relay Run later on..." Brock cautioned. "You don't want your fastest Pokemon to wear out early."

"Relax--I plan to use Sango in that event." Misty assured her companion before hurrying off to meet Pearl.

Once all the Pokethletes were in position, the referee called. "Ready?" before the whistle blew. A mass of waves flew up from the pool as the Pokethletes and their Pokemon dove in but a Primarina and her rider emerged from the waves in the lead, with Misty and Pearl not far behind.

Pearl, however, felt her core turn pink with awe and adoration over the beautiful seal-like Pokemon as it sailed over the first hurdle in its lane. [She's beautiful!]

"I'm glad you think so, but we need to focus on our lane, not the competition." Misty warned.

[Right!] Pearl replied as she dove under the first hurdle, allowing her to build up enough speed to fly over the second one when she surfaced.

In the stands, the boys watched as the Primarina and the Starmie leapt over the third hurdle at nearly the same time. "Good thing Pearl pulled herself together when she did..." Ash commented as the two Pokemon and their riders made a last sprint to the end of the pool.

"Game, set, and match." Brock smiled as Misty and Pearl edged the Primarina for a narrow win.

---------

"Okay...this Capture the Flag event is a little different." Misty explained to her Pokemon as the pool was cleared. "It's more like Capture the Coins instead--whoever can find a rainbow of coins hidden in the coins at the bottom of the pool, wins."

[May I try?] Ami asked.

"Well..." Misty hesitated a moment. A Marill was obviously too small to carry a person.

She flagged down a referee making his way to the pool. "Excuse me, but does a Pokethlete have to compete on a rideable Pokemon for Capture the Flag?"

"No--you do not necessarily have to ride a Pokemon in Capture the Flag." the referee replied. "If your Marill wishes to attempt the event, she is welcome to try."

[YAY!] Ami cheered before hurrying off to a starting block, with Misty not far behind.

"Good luck, Ami!" Ash called from the stands. Brock whistled in agreement as the four Pokemon dove into the water with a collective splash, the water becoming a frenzy as the competitors scoured the depths of the pool to find a rainbow of coins.

Underneath the surface, Ami was initially jostled in the waves the Primarina and a Dewott generated as they hurried to the pool bottom. But once her field of view cleared and she could see the coins on the pool's bottom, she raced ahead of the Dewott to find a red coin. An orange coin was nearby, and she rushed to beat the Primarina to a yellow coin. [i]I wish there were props or guides rather than this mass of coins... she thought as she dug through the mass of coins to find a green coin.

She smiled when she snatched away a green coin from the Primarina some moments later, finding the last three remaining colors before beating the Dewott to the surface to take a narrow second place.

"Well done!" Misty met her Marill on the pool deck some moments later. "I was a bit worried when the Primarina surfaced first..."

[Took a little while to find a green coin..] Ami wheezed as Misty dried her off with a towel.

"Second place isn't so bad--you did your best, and I'm proud of you for that." Misty assured Ami as the pool was prepped for the final event...

---------

[Go, Sango!] Tintri cheered as the whistle blew to signal the Relay Run was underway. [Go, Sango!]

"Misty and Sango got off to their fastest start yet..." Ash was impressed as Misty and Sango rocketed out to an early lead.

Brock consulted the stat list as Misty streaked by to begin another lap. "Corsola has pretty high speed, but is only decent in everything else..."

[Whoa!] Tintri gasped as Misty surpassed her old record of 14 laps. [Misty just broke her old record of 14 laps!]

"Is this it? The moment where the 20 laps in two minutes finally falls?" Brock asked as the final seconds on the clock ticked away, the four Pokethletes all desperately tried to finish another lap or two before time expired.

Ash grinned when he saw Misty had finished with 16 laps. "Not yet, Brock--beating her old record and the overall win is accomplishment enough!"

---------

"Well done, Misty...you've finally earned eight medals." Bock smiled as the group departed the medal ceremony later that evening. "What are you gonna do next?"

"I just want to focus on the Grand Pokethlon for now." Misty replied as she admired the glint of her gold medal in the setting sun. "Once I win a medal in that, then we can start planning the trip to Worlds of Wonder."

"Fair enough." Ash replied. "It's already safe to assume the Grand Pokethlon will be a little of everything you've seen on this journey, but I've noticed you never used Aurora--is she not Pokethlon material?"

"Part of that reason was her size and the space I had to compete in." Misty explained as the group started down the beach to make camp for the night. "But if I have a nice wide open space to compete in in the Pokemon League..."

She snatched away the stat guide from Brock and located Lapras' entry. "Aurora would be a best fit in a Power, Skill, or Stamina event."

The three friends then laid their hands on top of each other. "Let's make a splash in the Pokemon League together!"

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-27-2017, 10:05 PM

Episode 113a: Entei at Your Own Risk! (part 1)

"...A messenger was sent to Kalos, to invite the king to come to his daughter's marriage, and to bring his sons and his great lords with him." Brock continued the tale he wove as the group wound around the paths leading to Mt. Silver. "Another messenger delivered the magic net and a third of the Great Treasures to Eire, and invited the king of Eire and all his court to come to the wedding, as well."

He concluded "A hundred kings and queens in all sat down to the wedding feast. The wedding lasted ninety-nine days and ninety-nine nights in all, and every night was better than the one before."

"That was great!" Misty raved as she applauded. "I was wondering if Daniel would ever make it back to his beloved!"

"Don't get me wrong, the story was cool, but it was a bit long..." Ash interjected.

"Yeah--and you may have a time limit in the Grand Lore Stage, so keep some shorter stories on hand, too." Misty agreed. "Just in case."

She froze in terror at a growl coming from a bush. "Oh no, not again..."

"Ursaring!" Ash gasped as a familiar bear Pokemon emerged from the brush, seemingly angry about the humans in its territory.

"We need to go!" Brock agreed as the group dashed down the road, weaving and jumping around Hyper Beams all the while.

---------

"Did we lose it?" Ash wheezed as the group caught their breaths on a side trail some time later.

"I think so..." Misty reported before parting some brush to reveal a large pool, where a number of Pokemon were relaxing. "Well, what do you know? A hot spring."

"The Pokemon resting and the steam wafting from the water kinda gave it away." Brock agreed as the group approached the hot spring, being careful not to disturb the relaxing Pokemon.

"Let me see just how warm this water is..." Ash volunteered as he hurried down to the shore.

He gasped, however, when he heard a blaring Wee-oo! Wee-oo! Wee-oo! ring through the air! Panicked, he looked down at the ground, where he found his shoe had inadvertently tripped a laser trap.

"Okay, Entei! I have you now!" a voice called as the alarm shut off. "You're not getting away this time!"

Ash sighed as a navy haired boy approached him. "Do I LOOK like a Legendary Beast to you?" he protested as the boy disarmed the trap long enough for him to step out, just as Misty and Brock arrived. "All I wanted to do was test the water so we and our Pokemon could enjoy the hot spring--nothing more, and nothing less."

"My apologies, then." the boy replied as he readjusted his glasses. "I guess I was so excited about capturing Entei, I didn't think to consider any other people or Pokemon that came here." he explained as he began moving away his traps and re-arming them in locations where a stray human or Pokemon foot would not set them off.

Then something occurred to him. "Oh, listen to me just rambling on without even introducing myself! My name's Nelson, by the way."

I'm Ash..." Ash began. "...and my companions Misty..." Misty waved hello. "...and Brock." Brock waved hello.

Just then, the Ursaring from before emerged from the brush, going right past the group before diving into the spring a with huge splash, surfacing with a purr of happiness some moments later. "Look at that--moments ago he wanted to tear us limb from limb, and now he looks like he wouldn't even hurt a Venonat." Misty smiled.

"It is said that the springs have relaxation and even healing powers on both people and Pokémon." Nelson replied. "Well, I'm gonna make sure all my Entei traps are set--let me know if you need anything!"

"First Eusine and Suicune, and now Nelson and Entei?" Brock asked as soon as Nelson was out of earshot. "Who am I to think that someone is after Raikou too?"

"According to Ethan, he, Lyra, and a few friends of theirs had to rescue Raikou from Team Rocket." Ash explained as he brought up an e-mail from Ethan on his PokeNav detailing the adventure.

"I don't know, this Nelson character seems different from both Eusine and Team Rocket." Misty replied. "Eusine and Team Rocket only wanted the Beasts for their own glory. Nelson seems like he wants to study or observe Entei."

"We'll see..." Ash mused before heaving all his Poke Balls skyward. "Come on out, everyone!"

[A hot spring!] River gasped as she materialized on the ground. Her excitement was tempered when she tripped on a rock, landing face first in the sand on the shore.

---------

"Ah...this feels great." Brock smiled as he relaxed on a chair overlooking the spring, where the group's Pokemon--save for Argent and Raquel--relaxed and played in the warm water.

Argent sighed. [As much as I'm afraid I'll rust in the water, I kinda want to join in with everyone...]

[Me too...] Raquel sighed. [Even us Rock-types want to enjoy the water too...]

Inspired, Brock got up from his chair and walked down to the shore, where some of the warm water spilled onto the sand. After discovering that it was pleasantly warm, he called to Argent and Raquel "Okay, you two...at least the sand is safe."

As Argent and Raquel made their way to the shore, Michelle scrambled from the water to meet the Steelix. [Argent, what a surprise! Will you bury me in the sand? Please?]

[Sure!] Argent smiled before digging out a Golduck-sized hole for Michelle to lie in.

[Surprise!] Cyndy cried as she landed behind River, the impact shoving the Marill head first into the sand.

[Hey!] River cried, a little annoyed that her solitude in exploring the shoreline had been rudely interrupted by the Cyndaquil. [Say...] she mused, piqued in the wet sand she had landed in. [Water...and dirt...make mud!]

She formed a ball of muddy sand and heaved it at Cyndy. [Take that!]

[MUD FIGHT!] Cyndy giggled as she heave another ball of mud, which flew past River and landed on Ash with a [i]split!

Ash's first thought was to yell at his Pokemon, but after feeling another splot on his back, he whirled around to find Misty had heaved a mud ball at him! "Sorry...Cyndy and River looked like they were having fun." she giggled.

"Look at it this way...if you can't beat'em, join'em!" Brock agreed as he fired a mud ball of his own at Mina...

---------

"That was fun!" Ash grinned as Michelle hosed him off. "And worth the mess!"

He was snapped from his thoughts by a small gray spirit Pokemon that appeared to be wearing a red necklace floating by. "Who's this?" he mused as he found his Pokedex and read up on the tiny spirit:

"Misdreavus, the screech Pokemon. It loves to sneak up on people late at night, then startle them with its shrieklike cry." Dexter reported.

He jumped as the Misdreavus cried, then giggled at Ash's shocked reaction. "I see you've met Ruby..." Nelson began as he reunited with the spirit Pokemon. "She's my companion out here on my Entei hunt..."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Ruby." Brock smiled. "Perhaps you'd like to hear a spine tingling tale of terror?"

[That would be lovely!] the Misdreavus smiled. [The scarier, the better!]

"Oh, you don't look scary, Ruby...you're actually pretty for a ghost." Misty agreed as she petted the Misdreavus.

"If you like, I can pit Ruby against one of yours, so you can see the move I plan to use to catch Entei." Nelson offered.

Ash noticed the sun beginning to sink below the rocks. "I'd love to battle, but it's getting late--okay if we battle in the morning?"

"That's fine." Nelson agreed. "Besides, I think Ruby wants to hear your storyteller friend work his magic..."

Once everyone had gathered around a campfire near the spring, Brock started his promised scary tale. "Many years ago, it was said that a fearsome monster--the onimori--haunted Viridian Forest. Many told tales of how it ate unsuspecting travelers, and would often transform itself into many forms to lure victims to its lair..."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

12-30-2017, 07:13 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 113b: Entei at Your Own Risk! (part 2)

A referee's whistle echoed through the canyon as Ash and Nelson faced off the next morning. "Aina, use Foresight so you have a chance at hitting Ruby!" Ash called as he heaved the Poke Ball holding his Machop into the makeshift arena that Brock had drawn in the dust.

Aina's eyes glowed red for a moment. [Okay...I see Ruby now. What would you like me to do first, now that she is vulnerable to Fighting moves?]

"Ruby, use Headbutt!" Nelson's call snapped Ash to reality.

"Intercept Ruby with Take Down!" Ash called to Aina.

He watched as the two attacks clashed, then noticed a flurry of stars headed towards Aina. "Okay, now intercept that Swift attack with Defense Curl!"

Nelson, meanwhile, grimaced as Ruby's attack bounced off of the grey ball Aina had become. "Ruby, use Psybeam!"

"Aina, try to Detect Ruby's attack!" Ash counted.

He gasped in horror as Aina was engulfed in a rainbow beam and slammed against the canyon wall. [Look Ash...FIVE Torchics!] she called as she stumbled about, Torchics spinning around her head all the while.

Nelson grinned as he observed the stumbling Machop. "Okay Ruby...use Mean Look!"

Ash was unfazed as Ruby's eyes glowed a light purple for a moment. "What does THAT do?"

He sighed as he retrieved Aina's Poke Ball. "Aina, return!"

But when the Poke Ball's beam was deflected by a light purple shield, all Ash could do was say "Wha...how?"

"Mean Look prevents substitutions in battle, or wild Pokémon from fleeing." Nelson explained. "That's how I plan to capture Entei."

Just then, some laughter filled the air as three boys in grungy clothes emerged from the canyon rocks. "Cool idea, bro, but I think your battle's goin' down the drain now!" one punk sneered as he caught Ruby in a net.

"Ruby!" Nelson gasped as the two other punks nudged away a rock at the bottom of the hot spring, causing the water to rapidly drain.

"It's just like water draining out of the bathtub..." Misty noted as the water swirled out of the spring and back beneath the ground. "If we don't hurry, all the Pokemon are gonna get washed down the drain too!"

[Everyone! Follow me!] Argent called as the Pokemon in the spring raced to safety on the shoreline.

[That was close...] Pearl heaved a relieved sigh as she joined Argent by the shore to help with the headcount of Pokemon. [Had you not called when you did, I would've gone down the drain!]

[HEEEEEELP!] Brock froze when he heard the cry of his Pineco as he circled closer and closer to the hole in the spring's center. [Master, save me!]

"I'm coming, Silver!" Brock set his referee's whistle on a rock, then dove into the swirling water, scooping Silver in his arms seconds before he could be sucked into the hole. "There...I gotcha, so let's get you to safety on the--!"

This was as far as he got before the Ursaring crashed into him, sending him flying against a rocky wall."

[Rough landing...] Silver smiled before his eyes turned angry. [You're gonna pay for hurting my master!] he cried as he began to glow white...

"I don't believe it...Silver evolved to protect Brock!" Misty smiled.

Ash's first thought was to read up on the metallic orb-creature Silver had become, but noticed waves of flames coming from the white light. "Hit the dirt!"

He and Misty dove for cover behind the rocks with their gear as Silver unleashed a massive explosion, reversing the water flow and sending him, Brock, and the wild Pokémon into the water with a splash.

[HI-YA!] Aina cried as she broke open the net holding Ruby, which the punks had hung on an outcropping. [There we are...it's safe.] she smiled as Nelson ran to reunite with Ruby...

---------

"Forretress, the bagworm Pokemon. It keeps itself inside its steel shell. The shell is opened when it is catching prey, but it is so quick that the shell's inside cannot be seen." Dexter reported as Silver helped the group roll a new rock to plug the spring, aware all the while of the three punks floating nearby the shore.

[There...that should do it.] Silver smiled as he watched the punks drift towards the new "stopper".

A rumble followed by a massive spurt of water and cries for help snapped Ash to attention. "The water was still unstable from Silver's evolution, so it shot through the stopper and took the punks with it!" he explained, pointing out the punks swirling inside a huge typhoon in the spring's center.

Inspired, he heaved all his Poke Balls skyward. "Everyone! Let's tame that tornado!"

"You guys too!" Misty did likewise.

"And you guys!" Brock followed suit.

[Come on, everybody!] Silver called as the group's Pokemon launched a massive assault on the watery tornado. [We need you too!]

Cheers filled the air as the wild Pokemon hurried to assist. In addition to the group's attacks, there were Hyper Beams from the Ursaring and some Houndooms, Flamethrowers from the Houndour, and Swifts from the Aipom.

"We're throwing everything we have at that whirlpool, but nothing we try is working." Misty mused as the whirlpool continued to swirl.

Gatrandis favel, secret, edena.... a regal male voice sang, snapping Misty from her thoughts.
Emusto ronzen fine el balaziis...
Katoradis favel siicletu edena... The worried look on Misty's face turned to joy as a whorl of sparkling gold fire appeared in the sky, tripping Nelson's sensors.
Emusto koron zen fine, si...

Ash gasped as the gold fire went flying, dispelling the whirlpool and sending the punks hurtling through the air. "Entei! That voice singing the Swanna Song was Entei!" he explained as he followed Nelson up the hill to meet the beautiful red lion Pokemon.

"Ruby, use Mean Look!" Nelson called.

Entei, however, seemed unfazed by the Misdreavus' glowing eyes, and unleashed a mighty roar that echoed through the canyon. The Roar startled Ruby, making her retreat inside her Poke Ball.

You're going to need more than that if you wish to use my power in battle, young one. Entei replied before bounding off into the canyon, much to Nelson's shock.

"Unbelievable...how could Entei be unaffected by Mean Look?" Nelson sighed as he slumped to the ground.

"Look at it this way...Entei can't be caught like any old Pokemon." Brock explained. "But Entei did have a point--it will take more than a move to prevent fleeing to convince him you are worthy for him to pledge his loyalty to."

Nelson nodded. "Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way...my desire to meet Entei has only gotten stronger."

He smiled as the group turned to leave. "One day, I will somehow battle by Entei's side!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-03-2018, 11:22 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 114a: Pop Goes the Sneasel! (part 1)

"I really do hope Nelson meets Entei one day..." Ash mused as the group continued along the path to Mt. Silver. "Not as something to be caught and tamed, but as an ally, and a friend."

He was snapped from his thoughts when he saw a large crowd of people gathered at a large closed gate. "Is the Johto League so popular that lines form the day of?"

"Doesn't look like that kind of line to me..." Brock replied.

Ash flagged down a man in the crowd. "Excuse me, sir...why are all these people here?"

"There's some kind of commotion going on on the other side." the man explained. "The bad thing is, this gate leads to Mt. Silver, so everyone's stuck!"

Ami took advantage of the gate opening to dash through the crowd. [Yay! It's open!] she cried, which went unheard over the attendant explaining to the crowd what was going on.

[Ami, wait! Not yet!] Tintri cried, racing to grab Ami moments before she could walk through the gate.

Ash and Misty retrieved both Tintri and Ami seconds later. "I am so sorry, sir...Ami can be curious, but she usually doesn't mean to cause any trouble..." Misty explained to the guard in the watchpost.

"My Pikachu was only trying to corral my friend's Marill before she got into trouble, sir." Ash agreed.

"It's probably perfect timing anyway, since I didn't know how else to say this." the attendant sighed.

But before he could finish, two angry trainers ran down a set of stone steps in the distance. "Looks like those guys were in the heat of battle..." Misty mused as one of the trainers angrily yelled something at the attendant.

"I could only hear 'lost' and 'fire'..." Ash replied. "So what was that all about?"

"We have a huge problem on our hands--nobody's been able to get to the Sacred Fire." the attendant explained with a sigh. "That's what we were trying to tell everyone."

"What is the Sacred Fire?" Ash asked, intrigued.

The attendant was about to answer when a male voice interjected "If I may, I can answer this young man's question, sir."

Ash whirled around to see a young man with dull brown hair wearing a purple and coral shirt and tan pants approaching the group. "Who are you?"

"My name is Harrison." the young man replied. "I came here all the way from from Littleroot Town, in the Houen region."

"I've heard of Houen, actually." Brock smiled. "It's supposed to be to the south of Kanto."

"I've done some research about this place, and if any of you are storytellers, what I discovered would be perfect to tell before an audience as a historical tale." Harrison offered.

Brock eagerly retrieved his story notebook and a pen. "Fire away."

"The story goes that long ago, this area was a place known for many fierce battles and wars." Harrison explained. "People ravaged the place so badly that the Pokémon suffered because of it and the vegetation was wiped out. But one day, Ho'oh appeared after a battle and sang her Swanna Song, unleashing a rose colored flame that stopped the battles and "burned" the area back to life. Eventually the forest that stands today was restored. But a bit of a tree was left burning for a long time. This fire was placed in the shrine nearby."

Recently there have been reports of a Sneasel, a Machop, and a Machoke preventing people from getting near the shrine." the attendant explained. "Every trainer who volunteered to try to stop the rogue Pokémon ended up coming back with injured Pokémon, broken bones, and other serious injuries--it's a miracle no one's been killed. We're deeply concerned about the matter, because without the Sacred Fire, the Silver Tournament can't start, and there would be no Johto League!"

Ash nodded to show he understood. "I'll make sure we can recover the Sacred Fire from the Sneasel, mainly because I wants to compete!"

"Actually, I've always wanted a Sneasel as a souvenir from Johto, so I'll help you out if you can get your hands on it." Harrison offered.

"Thanks." Ash smiled before asking the attendant "Where is the shrine?"

"North of here--once you get halfway up the stone steps, you'll reach a path that branches to the left--the shrine is at the end of that path." the attendant replied.

"Let's do this!" Misty cried.

"Come on! We have a League to save!" Ash led the way up the stairs as the crowd looked on...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-06-2018, 09:07 PM

Episode 114b: Pop Goes the Sneasel! (part 2)

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver"...

Ash nodded to show he understood. "I'll make sure we can recover the Sacred Fire from the Sneasel, mainly because I want to compete!"

"Actually, I've always wanted a Sneasel as a souvenir from Johto, so I'll help you out if you can get your hands on it." Harrison offered.

"Thanks." Ash smiled before asking the attendant "Where is the shrine?"

"North of here--once you get halfway up the stone steps, you'll reach a path that branches to the left--the shrine is at the end of that path." the attendant replied.

"Let's do this!" Misty cried.

"Come on! We have a League to save!" Ash led the way up the stairs as the crowd looked on...

"Almost there." Brock reported as the group neared the midpoint of the stone steps, where they hoped to find the path leading to the Shrine of the Sacred Fire.

"About time--my feet are killing me!" Misty complained as her feet throbbed in pain.

Ash, meanwhile, spotted a dusty pathway leading to an alcove just as he approached the midpoint step. "There it is! That has to be where the--WHOA!"

Misty froze as she heard the BWONG! of Ash colliding with a clothesline. "Ash!" she cried as she dashed to catch Ash, seconds before he went tumbling back down the stairs. Instead, he landed in his friends' arms--Brock supporting his head and body, and Misty steadying his legs. "There--you okay?" Misty asked as soon as Ash was stable on his own two feet again.

"I think so--didn't expect to run into that wire." Ash replied as he dusted himself off. "Nothing hurts or anything."

"That's good to hear." Harrison smiled. "Although...why would the path to the shrine be blocked like that? According to my Johto guidebook, the Shrine of the Sacred Fire is the start of the torch relay to the League."

When the group approached the path to the shrine again, Ash noticed a Machop and a Machoke inspecting the wire he had hit. "Its those Pokemon the attendant told us about!"

"So what do you suggest we do?" Harrison asked.

"Let's distract them and sneak past--that way we can all save our Pokemon for the League." Misty suggested.

She then heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "Sango, I need you!"

"Anubis, I need you!" Harrison called as he too heaved a Poke Ball, summoning what looked like a larger version of Houndour with large horns and a pointed tail.

Piqued, Ash decided to read up on the black dog-like Pokemon as it supported Sango's Spike Cannon with a Flamethrower:

Houndoom, the dark Pokemon. Upon hearing its eerie howls, other Pokemon get the shivers, and head straight back to their nests.

He noticed a MORE... icon blinking at the bottom of the screen, so he tapped it. "Houndoom is capable of Mega Evolution should the trainer have an awakened Heart Song."

"I have Anubis engaging the Machoke, and your friend's got the Machop, so here's your chance!" Harrison called to Ash as his Houndoom heaved another Flamethrower.

Ash nodded, and hurried to the shrine. But moments before he could open the doors, a high pitched cry got his attention, nearly avoiding a claw as he jumped away.

He growled when he saw a small black Pokemon with long claws giggling at him. That is the Sneasel...

He grabbed the first Poke Ball he could reach and heaved it skyward. "River, I need you!"

[How do you propose we beat Mr. Ninja-mon over there?] River asked as she materialized on the grass, aware of the Sneasel taunting them both.

"I want you to use Water Gun, but be careful not to hit the Sacred Fire." Ash replied, gesturing to the open shrine doors. If the water ricochets off the trees, it could put the Sacred Fire out!

[HAH!] River unleashed a Water Gun attack, but did not expect the Sneasel to pounce on her and Slash her with his claws, knocking her to the ground.

[Ow...any more bright ideas?] River groaned as she eased herself to her feet, rubbing her Slash wound all the while.

Ash gasped when he saw the Sneasel charging a Shadow Ball! "Hit the dirt!"

He gasped as River went flying into his chest, sending them both tumbling back down the hill, only to crash into a tree.

"Ash!" Misty led the others near the tree where Ash and River were collecting themselves. "Are you okay?"

"Just a little pain where I caught River, and some scratches, but I think we'll be okay." Ash groaned.

"Let's go plan out a strategy--going at them head on is obviously not working." Brock suggested as he led the way to an alcove near the shrine.

---------

"Okay..." Brock began as he led the way back towards the shrine. "Here's the plan--Ash, I want you to pick someone that can be Mega Evolved..."

"I chose Luce." Ash replied.

"Then when we meet the three rogues, I want you to induce Luce, and have her support Anubis." Brock explained.

"You have the power of Mega Evolution?" Harrison gasped, excited. "I know Anubis and Apollo have that ability, but I have yet to find a place where I can awaken my Heart Song..."

"That's what this is..." Ash showed Harrison his Mega Ring. "They say Mega Evolution is the ultimate sign of love between trainer and Pokemon, in those Pokemon that can do it."

He noticed the Machop, the Machoke, and the Sneasel waiting for the group at the path. "There they are..."

He heaved a Poke Ball skyward, followed by holding his right hand, which had his Mega Ring, to the sky. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Harrison watched in awe as a whorl of red thunderbolts emerged from Ash's Poke Ball, revealing Luce as Mega Ampharos! "Anubis, help my friend's Mega Ampharos!"

[HI-YA!!!] Luce ran to engage the Machop, paralyzing it with a Charge Beam. Anubis then charged at the Machoke with a Headbutt.

Anubis noticed the two Fighting Pokemon charging to engage him and Luce. [Hey, Luce...think you can pick up the Machop while I toss the Machoke?]

[Sure!] Luce replied before snagging the Machop and tying it up with a Charge Beam as Anubis picked up the Machoke.

Ash watched as both Fighting Pokemon went flying down the hill, landing at the attendant's feet with swirly eyes. "Two down, and one to go...can you handle the Sneasel by yourself, Harrison?" he asked as Luce's Mega Evolution wore off.

"I think so." Harrison replied as he recalled Anubis. "But I know I can ask you to help if I need it."

He then heaved a second Poke Ball skyward. "Apollo, I choose you!"

Ash gasped at the large red bird Pokemon with long muscular legs that materialized before the Sneasel. "What IS that?" he asked as he consulted his Pokedex.

"Blaziken, the blaze Pokemon. An exotic Pokemon from the Houen region, it can clear a 30-story building in a single bound.

Ash noticed another MORE... icon blinking at the bottom, so he tapped it. Blaziken is capable of Mega Evolution should the trainer have an awakened Heart Song."

"I don't know why Harrison hasn't awakened his Heart Song yet..." Brock mused as he watched Apollo use Quick Attack, which the Sneasel had no chance of dodging. "Based on what little I've read on the Houen region, there is a place he could've awakened it, but where it is escapes me now..."

"It's ultimately a mutual decision between Pokemon and trainer." Ash reminded him as he watched the Sneasel attempt to counter with a Shadow Ball, only for Apollo to dodge and counter with Flamethrower. "What else do you remember from your Houen readings?"

"I remember that the area has twin evil teams with opposing goals." Brock replied. "One wants to expand the land, and the other wants to expand the sea. But all they ever seem to do is fight against each other" He let that hang as they watched Harrison heaved a Poké Ball at the Sneasel...

---------

"I'm impressed...I never dreamed Apollo was so powerful." Ash smiled as he met Harrison in the crowd near the shrine later that evening, where a crowd had turned out to watch the start of the torch relay.

"He may be my best partner and friend, but I never dreamed I'd see Mega Evolution for myself." Harrison smiled. "But whether I decide to induce Apollo or Anubis will be their choice."

"What are you going to name your new Sneasel?" Ash asked.

"Not sure yet--I'll think of something to continue the mythology and legend theme I have going with my team." Harrison replied. "I will say Luce is a pretty name for an Ampharos."

Some cheers snapped the group to attention as the first torchbearer received the Sacred Fire to begin the relay. "I plan to be at the tournament, and I hope to see you there, too."

"Don't worry, I'll be there." Ash assured Harrison. "Not just that, but I will do my best to win!"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-10-2018, 09:11 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 115: A Claim to Flame!

"Here you are." Ash smiled as he handed the receptionist at the Silver Stadium the paperwork to enter the Silver Conference.

"All right--be sure and report to the athlete's village at noon for the screening rounds." the receptionist smiled as she filed Ash's paperwork away in a cabinet. "You are free to do whatever you wish until then, including partaking in the other events."

"Thanks." Ash smiled before starting back towards the lounge where Misty and Brock were waiting.

"Well, look who's here!" a familiar voice said, snapping both Ash and Tintri to attention.

"Gary?" Ash gasped as he spotted Gary arriving with paperwork of his own to turn in.

"Who else would it be?" Gary smirked as he approached the reception desk. "You've got a couple of hours to kill before the big show, so what are you gonna do?"

"Probably explore the area." Ash replied. "I'd hate to get lost trying to find my way around this place."

"Good luck with that." Gary replied as he got in line to deliver the paperwork.

"Was Gary implying what I think he was implying?" Brock asks as the group departed the reception building, and into Silver City's bustling streets.

"Look, my sense of direction isn't THAT bad..." Ash explained. "Although I will admit it still needs some work."

"The more familiar you are with a place, the easier it is to find your way." Misty reminded Ash. "So it's a good idea to learn where all the arenas are, so you're not late to any matches."

As the group rounded a corner, they spotted Lance handing out balloons to kids. "Lance, hi!" Ash waved.

"It's good to see you three again..." Lance smiled as he gave a girl an electric blue balloon decorated with the Water icon for the Pokemon Trading Card Game. "As Champion of the Pokémon League, part of the job is greeting all the fans, and the best way to do that is through handing out balloons."

After finding a yellow Lightning icon balloon for Ash, a second Water icon balloon for Misty, and a Rock icon balloon for Brock, he told the group "Here, these are good luck gifts from me."

"Thanks, Lance!" Ash smiled as the group continued on their way, Misty tying the yellow balloon's string to Ash's hand so it wouldn't float away.

---------

"Wow..." the group gasped as they arrived at the Athlete's Village Pokémon Center later that afternoon. "Who knew we'd get a luxury suite?" Ash gawked as he tied the group's balloons into a small bundle in a corner, away from sharp implements.

"They thought of everything--we've got a lakeside view, a big screen TV with a Nintendo Switch, and a top of the line PC for both work and play." Misty smiled as she admired the sun sparkling off the lake to the west.

"Nice, I'm gonna play Super Mario Odyssey right now!" Ash made a beeline for the TV and the Switch.

"You can game all you want later, after we're all done with the screening rounds." Brock reminded Ash before giving him a brief rundown of what to expect. "Basically, the screening rounds are designed to trim the field of 200 competitors in each event--be they trainer, Pokethlete, or Loremaster--down to 48."

He paused to turn off the lights before continuing "In your case, the screening rounds are a series of one-on-one battles, with match-ups entirely randomized, with no trainer having to battle more than three times."

"Sounds easy enough." Ash grinned as Misty and Brock went their separate ways to their own events. "Good luck to you too, Brock."

---------

"...It turned out my strategy of a pure speed offensive was a bad idea, and Tintri ended up being subjected to repeated Digs and Headbutts." Ash recapped his victory to Misty and Brock later that night, exploring a desert ruin in Super Mario Odyssey all the while. "However, Tintri latched onto the Furret, who tried to get into the holes in order to shake Tintri off. This allowed Tintri to Thunderbolt it, and a final Quick Attack got me the match!"

"Well done." Misty smiled as she checked the results of the events on the PC. "We've all made it through to the next round of our respective events--I got a gold to advance to the next round..."

"...and I told 'The Swanna's Song' to advance to the next round." Brock added. "I think the audience participation element in my tale really helped."

Misty clicked back to the Pokemon battle recaps. "Let's see...Gary and Harrison have also passed the screening round too."

"If I can beat a guy with a Furret, I can beat 47 other trainers." Ash smiled as he prepared to face off against a boss.

"It won't be that easy, Ash..." Lance cautioned as he arrived with the group's dinner for the night. "The 48 trainers are grouped into groups of three in the semifinals, where only one trainer from each group will advance to the League itself."

"Bring it on!" Ash smiled as he battled a huge statue boss on the TV screen. "I think I can do this!"

---------

That night, Ash laid awake in bed as he contemplated his upcoming matches. I can't sleep...maybe a stroll by the lake will clear my head. he thought as he climbed out of bed, being careful not to wake up Misty or Brock as he got dressed.

[Ash, what's the matter?] Tintri asked as Ash started for the door.

"I know, Tintri, but with all that's going to be going on tomorrow, I can't sleep." Ash explained as he motioned for Tintri to climb on his shoulder. "So I thought maybe a walk around the lake would clear my head."

After writing a note explaining where he was in case Misty or Brock woke up, Ash started out the door, and down the hall. After taking the elevator down to the main hall, he followed the paved pathway to the lake. "I've got so many conflicting emotions right now..."

[Like what?] Tintri asked.

"Excitement by being here, my pride as a trainer, fear that Team Rocket will somehow find a way to crash everything like what happened back at home..." Ash began

[Relax--I blasted them a long, long way off.] Tintri smiled. [So they're not coming back to bother us here.]

"I'm also nervous, especially since Gary's here..." Ash went on, before he spotted Gary looking out at the stars. "Speak of Darkrai..."

"You couldn't sleep either, huh?" Gary invited Ash to join him by the south shore of the lake. "Up for having a heart-to-heart? I've gotta get a few things off my chest..."

"Go on and vent--I'll still listen." Ash assured Gary as he settled down in the grass.

Gary sighed. "The moon tonight...it reminds me of my first night as a Pokémon trainer - the same day that I bilked you out of an Eevee, and leaving you to get Tintri as your first Pokémon. I wonder...are you still mad at me for taking that Eevee Gramps promised you away from you?"

"Not anymore--Tintri's been the best partner anyone could ask for." Ash replied, petting Tintri as he spoke.

"Sometimes I wonder what could have been..." Gary went on. "What if you had gotten the Eevee like Gramps had planned? What would you have evolved it into? What would've happened if I had not seen the full moon?"

He turned business-like again. "But all the woulda-coulda-shouldas and why the toast lands butter side down is for the future."

"Yeah--today is about the rivalry, and our pride as trainers!" Ash agreed.

Both boys then proclaimed to the still waters "We will defeat anyone who gets our their way to the top--and that includes each other!"

---------

"Whoa, this place is packed!" Ethan gasped as he and Lyra struggled to find a seat in the crowded stadium the next morning.

"I'll say...when's Ash gonna be on?" Lyra wondered as she and Ethan found two vacant seats near the front.

"Depends on how he was seeded in the prelims." Ethan replied as he took a seat.

In Oak's Lab, Tracey arrived with popcorn. "Any word on how Gary was seeded?" he asked.

"They showed the bracket just now." Prof. Oak explained as the CGI bracket on the TV screen flew away to reveal the majestic stadium. "Prof. Elm's having a watch party in his lab to cheer both Ash and Gary on."

In the Ketchum house, Taran arrived with a large bowl of popcorn and bags of chips. "So, where's Ash seeded, dear?"

"He is the 32nd seed in the final 48." Delia reported as she watched a shot of Ash waving to the crowd on the TV screen. "By comparison, Gary is seed 30."

She brushed away a tear of pride. [i]Ash, my baby...good luck out there!

---------

The rumble of motorcycles startled the crowd. "What in the world?" Gary asked as the walk of the competitors was interrupted by a gang of delinquents zigzagging across the track and the infield as if it were an extreme sports park.

Ash caught a glimpse of the torch runner in one of the entrance tunnels, blissfully unaware of the punks and their motorcycles. "He doesn't see them!"

He watched in horror as a motorcycle cut the runner off, causing him to drop the torch in surprise. "I got it!" Gary dove to catch the torch, moments before League security arrived to deal with the punks.

As the punks were led away, bikes and all, Gary examined the wounded runner as he moaned in pain. "It looks like the punks' bikes did a number on his ankle...but the torch is okay, at least."

He offered Ash the torch. "Ash...will you make the final leg of the torch relay while I take care of the runner?"

"Sure!" Ash replied.

---------

Ladies and gentlemen, please rise and remove your hats, as we honor our League with the regional anthem. the announcer instructed as Ash arrived with the torch, to thunderous cheers.

A familiar voice started singing "Golden Hearts and Silver Souls" as Ash started up the steps towards the flame cauldron:

Our golden hearts and our silver souls
Shining brightly on our homeland,
Sets the fire of our hope ablaze
And never will it falter!

Our courage flies across the land,
And we rise to meet the challenge;
So the sun will rise, and the moon will shine
Upon Johto forever...

[i]Maybe I'll see the Starwings fly over me again, like at home! he thought as he passed the performer's platform, where Clair and a few of her attendants were singing the song:

May our golden hearts and silver souls
Shine on the land forever.
As the golden sun rises in the east
So will Johto endure.
Though darkness falls, the stars will shine
And the silver moon lights the way
The aurora shines across the sky
And our path never will be gray...

So the golden sun will rule the day
And the night has the silvery moon... Clair started the final verse as Ash arrived at the platform with the fuse for the torch.
And the crystal's sparkle in the dark
Promises that the light comes soon....

Ash gently touched the flame to ignite the fuse as the song went on:

Though we may come from every land
And in every tongue and color,
The ideals of love, hope, and peace
Remain in our hearts forever...

He heard a loud whoosh and thunderous cheers as three gliders decorated to look like Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres came flying over the stadium. There they are! The Starwings! Ash smiled as the Moltres glider soared over him, just as the torch flared to life, and Clair and her attendants sang the final chorus:

May our golden hearts and silver souls
Shine on the land forever.
As the golden sun rises in the east
So will Johto endure.
Though darkness falls, the stars will shine
And the silver moon lights the way
The aurora shines across the sky
And our path never will be gray...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-13-2018, 07:26 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 116a: Love, Pokemon Style (part 1)

"Okay, Master bracket..." Ash mused as he brought up the massive tournament bracket on the Johto League Web site the next morning.

After scrolling down past hundreds of names and faces he didn't recognize, he found his picture in one group. "There I am..." he grinned.

"So, where are you in this massive bracket?" Brock asked as he arrived in the room, intrigued in the millions of names and faces on the computer screen.

"I am right here, in Group H." Ash replied, proudly pointing at his picture in the bracket. "Any advice on what I can expect?"

"Well, I did a little research on the competition last night..." Brock began as he pulled up a chair to the desk. "Click on 'Competition Rules', please."

Once Ash had clicked over to the requested page in a new tab, Brock went on "The semifinal round is a round-robin tournament, where each trainer battles against each other once—with two points for a win, one for a tie, and nothing for a loss. The trainer with the most points in the group stage will move on to the Victory Tournament."

"That makes a lot more sense than this legalese and weird diagrams..." Ash smiled as he clicked back to the tab with the master bracket. "I think I get what I am supposed to do, but I hope to win anyway."

After getting up from the desk, he invited Tintri aboard his shoulder. "This is it, bud--what we came all this way to do!"

---------

Ash shielded his eyes as he stepped out of the Pokemon Center and into the sunshine. It's bright today...

He glanced at the printout of his group he had printed before departing. "Let's see, my first opponent is someone named Macy..."

"Oh, a Pikachu!" a brown haired girl smiled as she approached Ash, with a Vulpix trotting beside her. "You must be my first opponent if you've got a Pikachu on your shoulder...I'm Macy, by the way."

"Nice to meet you...I'm Ash, and this is Tintri." Ash replied, petting Tintri all the while.

"Why does Tintri sit on your shoulder all the time? Shouldn't he be in a Poke Ball?" Macy wondered.

"Tintri just never really liked being in a Poke Ball--so I let him sit with me and walk with me." Ash explained.

"That's so sweet!" Macy smiled. "But not half as sweet as Ember!" she grinned, making a grand gesture to the Vulpix that walked beside her.

"In a battle of toughness, who would win?" Ash challenged.

"Ember is both sweet and tough!" Macy shot back. The two of them continued exchanging challenges, each one getting louder and louder by the moment:

"Then I hope you're ready for the shock of your life!"

"And I hope you're ready to feel the burn!"

"Oh yeah? I will come at you with the fury of a storm!"

"And I'll meet you right back with a powerful wildfire!"

A referee's whistle brought the escalating conversation to a screeching halt before it could turn into an actual battle. "All right, break it up!" Brock called as he pulled Ash and Macy apart. "I love that both of you are fired up and excited, but you need to keep your Pokemon strong for the tournament." he explained.

Ash did not, however, expect Macy to approach him with heart eyes. "Wow...so courageous, confident, and powerful! Just as a raging volcano creates lightning, so does my love and passion burn for you!"

"Wait, what?" Ash started to back away, afraid that Macy would tackle him in the throes of love.

"How would you like to--!" Macy started before spotting Misty approaching them. "Oh, you mean you already have a girlfriend?"

"What?" Misty gasped. "Let's get one thing perfectly straight here...there is a BIG difference between a girl that is a friend, and a girlfriend, okay? Boys and girls CAN in fact be friends with no romantic implications."

She went on "Besides, I'm competing in something totally different from you two...my friendship with Ash is just that--a friendship. No more, and no less."

"Good luck in the Pokethlon." Ash whispered to Misty before hurrying off to to a training arena for last minute preparations. What makes her think I'm boyfriend material? he thought. I've never even met her before today--so I don't know her background, I don't know her interests and tastes...and she probably doesn't even know my background, interests, and tastes!

"You have to take me out on a date after the match if I win!" he heard Macy call after him, which spurred him to run even faster.

Misty sighed as Macy hurried off. "What makes her think she and Ash are romantic partners? Ash doesn't look to me like the romantic type."

She sighed as she started towards the majestic Pokethlon dome near the training arena. "No matter...I have my own competition to prepare for. We'll worry about this later."

---------

"Ready?" the announcer called as a group of Pokethletes braced themselves for the start of the Relay Run. Unlike Misty's previous Pokethlons, Misty now had seven other competitors instead of three in the circular pool.

[Here we go!] Michelle cried before diving in at the starting gun, allowing her to surface ahead of a Dewgong and an Empoleon. [Speed is better than size!] she taunted as she powered down the backstretch rapids, passing a Milotic on the way to complete her first lap.

The crowd in the stands watched as the field of eight water Pokemon jockey for position in the pool. They cheered as another one passed the line, and sighed when a Pokemon had to finally stop before the two minute timer was up.

By the time Misty emerged from the water with fifteen laps some time later, she smiuled when she saw she had come in a solid third place. "Not bad for our Grand Pokethlon debut..."

Michele smiled as she shook herself dry.

"You have to remember that in the Grand Pokethlon, we will participate in all ten events, so you need to save her strength." Misty reminded Michelle as they started towards the locker rooms to prepare for the next event.

[What was all that with Ash and that girl before?] Michelle wondered. [Ash doesn't look like a ladies' man to me...]

"He's not...this seems like Temacu 2.0, with Ash as the target for the lovesick lady." Misty replied. "Besides, Macy may lose interest in Ash sooner or later, and go after some other boy."

---------

"Well done on finishing in the top three in the Relay Run." Ash smiled as Misty met him and Brock in the room later that evening.

"Thanks...did you ever get that Macy girl off your back?" Misty asked.

"Haven't seen her since our awkward trash talk." Ash replied. "I'm still trying to figure out what makes her think I'm her boyfriend..."

He turned business-like again. "For now, I'm not gonna worry about that--I'm gonna make up my team for tomorrow's match!"

"Whoa there, cowboy..." Brock pulled Ash back from the desk. "First rule of battling: Know thy enemy."

"Yeah--before you throw together a rag tag team that has no chance on this big a stage, it's a good idea to read up on your opponent first." Misty agreed as Brock led Ash to the desk.

After typing "www.globalpkmnleague.net/johto" into the browser's address bar and bringing up the master bracket from the Johto League homepage, Ash scrolled a little before finding Macy's picture in the Group H block, and opened her profile in a new tab. "Here she is...she has Vulpix, Slugma, and Quilava—all Fire Pokémon."

"Then you need as many Water types as you can find." Misty replied.

"But I only have two—River and Brenna." Ash sighed. "I asked Officer Jenny to send over Brenna and have one of my active team sit the match out so Brenna can compete, but where am I gonna get a third Water type?"

"I'll lend you one of mine that's not competing in a Pokethlon event." Misty replied.

Brock, meanwhile, motioned for Ash and Misty to look at the computer screen. "You may not want a full water team...I found out that she has something to counter that."

"I know I'm using River and Brenna, no matter what, but if she may have a counter for that, who should I pick?" Ash wondered.

With Ash and Misty occupied discussing strategy, Brock clicked over to another tab displaying Ash's team entry form. River and Brenna were already confirmed, but the third Poke Ball was blank. [i]I know just the one for the job... he smiled as he found Aina in the drop down list of Ash's registered Pokemon, selected her, and clicked CONFIRM.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-17-2018, 07:13 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 116b: Love, Pokemon Style (part 2)

Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride!
Nobody gonna slow me down, oh no!
I've got to keep on movin'! Ash enthusiastically sang along to the 80's pop song on the radio as he got dressed the next morning. Ain't nothin' gonna break my stride!
I'm runnin' and I won't touch ground, oh no!
I've got to keep on movin'!

"Seems someone's excited for their first match..." Misty smiled as she came in the room, giggling a little as Ash continued swaying to the beat of the song.

"Remember when I competed in the League back home?" Ash explained as he turned down the radio. "Mom sent me a CD of motivational music to pump me up, and that was the first song on there--I consider it my good luck song for major tournaments."

"It got you to the Sweet Sixteen on Indigo Plateau, and won you the Orange League--here's hoping it will take you farther here." Brock smiled as he arrived with a bag of food. "Breakfast for the aspiring League Champion?"

"Don't mind if I do..." Ash smiled as he unwrapped the sausage, egg, and cheddar sandwich Brock had given him. "Thanks." he replied in between bites as Misty led the way out the door.

---------

We're underway at the Silver Conference group matches! the stadium announcer called as Ash summoned River to face Macy's Slugma. Do these challengers have what it takes to overcome the other trainers in their group, and make it to the Victory Tournament?

"River, open with Water Gun!" Ash called.

Macy just grinned at the oncoming spray of water. "Lava, use Double Team!"

River balked as what looked like many different Slugmas materialized before her. [Um, which one's the real one?]

"Look for the one with a shadow!" Ash suggested.

Woosh! Flamethrower! the announcer commented as River scrambled to avoid a stream of fire.

She winced from her singed fur as she got up. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... she sang, creating a watery wave of sound that battered the Slugma.

Macy gasped at the Disarming Voice. "Lava, come back!" she called as she recalled the Sugma. "Livewire, let's go!"

Here comes a Pokemon switch. the announcer commented as an Electabuzz materialized before Ash and River.

Ash just smiled as he recalled River. "Trying to catch me off guard with a surprise? You forget I have a surprise too!"

He heaved another Poke Ball skyward. "Aina, I choose you!"

Oh, it's Machop! the announcer commented as Aina materialized on the field.

"Good thinking on including Aina on Ash's team..." Misty smiled as Aina easily shook off a Thunderbolt.

"Had Ash gone with a pure Water team like you suggested, he would've been knocked out by now." Brock explained. "I know Aina has some Ground moves as well as her innate Fighting moves, so she would be perfect for an Electric type."

It's a revolving door of Pokemon! the announcer commented as Macy swapped Pokemon again, returning her Slugma to the field.

"You know what to do, Aina?" Ash smiled as he saw the Slugma appear.

[Of course!] Aina grinned before stomping the ground hard, creating an Earthquake that rattled the stadium.

Hang on, Earthquake! the announcer cried as the fire slug Pokemon was battered by the shifting ground. It managed to hang in there!

"Lava, try Flamethrower again!" Macy called.

"Aina, try to detect Lava's attack!" Ash countered.

He smiled as Lava's attack hit a shining blue shield, before Aina countered with a Cross Chop, knocking the Slugma out.

---------

Back in the stands, Misty smiled as Macy summoned her Quilava. "Any of Ash's entries will have the advantage against Quilava..."

"I think you spoke too soon..." Brock mused as Aina's attempt at a Karate Chop was met with another Flame Wheel, knocking her out.

"What? I thought Aina could have swept Macy." Masty gasped as Macy welcomed back her Electabuzz Livewire to face River.

In the arena, River heaved a Water Gun at Livewire, only for the spray of water to bounce off a shining wall she recognized as Light Screen. [Okay, since the physical approach won't work, let's try the magical approach...]

She took a deep breath and sang Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

"Yes!" Ash cried as the wave of watery sound managed to break through, but he didn't see an electrified fist coming for River! "Oh no!"

The remaining Pokemon count is 2 to 1. the announcer commented.

Ash's final Poke Ball at his side made him smile. I may be against the wall, but I'm bringing back a familiar face to try and make a comeback!

He heaved the Poke Ball skyward. "Welcome back, Brenna!"

"Brenna?" Misty gasped as the Squirtle materialized. "How'd she get here?"

"I was surprised to find her on the entry form last night myself." Brock was equally surprised. "But she is one of Ash's most reliable Pokemon besides Tintri, so maybe he let one of his active ones sit this match out so Brenna could compete."

"I hope Ash knows what he's doing..." Misty worried as she watched the Electabuzz charge a Thunderbolt.

Her worried look turned to joy as a familiar Water Gun hit Livewire before he could fire. "What?" Macy gasped in shock as she watched Brenna evade a volley of electric fists.

"I see what Ash wants to do!" Misty smiled as Brenna's next attack was deflected with an Iron Tail. He's countering raw power with a speedy offense!"

The crowd murmured as a second Iron Tail sent Brenna flying. "Livewire, finish the Squirtle off with a Thunderpunch!" Macy called.

She watched in horror as Brenna heaved another Water Gun from the air, interrupting the Thunderpunch and knocking the Electabuzz out! "How?" she asked, shocked that her ace Pokemon had been bested by a Water type.

There's only one Pokemon aside--this match has come down to the wire. the announcer called as Macy welcomed back her Quilava.

"Okay, Brenna, we can come back and win this!" Ash smiled. "Start with Water Gun!"

"Counter with a Flamethrower!" Macy shot back.

The crowd roared as Brenna evaded the fire, then countered a Swift attack with a stream of bubbles. The projectiles managed to collide, creating a smoky cover for a Water Gun to hit the Quilava!"

Yes! Brenna smiled before heaving another Bubble spray. However, she did not see a Quick Attack, which ended up flipping her on her back, to the crowd's horror.

"Brenna!" Ash gasped as he hurried to help his Squirtle, aware all the while of the ring of fire headed for her.

He stopped in his tracks as Brenna unleashed a huge Hydro Pump, using the massive attack to not only hit Quilava with the water, but also with her own body!

When the mist and smoke cleared some minutes later, the crowd roared when they saw the Quilava swirly eyed! And there goes the battle! the announcer cried. This match's winner is...SILVER!

---------

"Well done, Ash." Brock smiled as the group checked the bracket later that evening. "You now have firm control of Group H with that come from behind win."

He allowed Ash before the computer screen to see the bracket. "Depending on the outcome of the second match, it's possible that you may only need a tie to advance. Macy, on the other hand, can't advance unless she wins her second match and you lose the next one to force a three-way tie."

A knock at the door snapped Brock from his lecture. "I wonder who that could be?" Ash asked as he started towards the door, only to find Macy and a Magcargo framed in the doorway. "Macy? What are you doing here?"

"I came to tell you that was a great match, even though I lost." Macy explained. "Thanks to you, Lava evolved into a Magcargo after the match!"

She hugged the Magcargo. "No matter what happens, this miracle evolution will always be a reminder of my love for you!"

"Thanks?" Ash nervously chuckled. "Good luck in your next match too!" he called after Macy as she departed.

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-20-2018, 09:42 PM

Scytherwolf Soups

Episode 117a: Tie One On! (part 1)

"Nervous at all?" Misty asked Brock as she and Ash located him in the holding room for the Grand Lore Stage the next day.

"It's just now sinking in that I'm taking part in a Grand Lore Stage." Brock replied as he studied some highlights from elsewhere around the League, including Ash's victory the day before, and Misty and Michelle's commanding win in the Goal Roll earlier in the day. "I'm a little nervous, but I've practiced my material, so I should be okay."

"Any news from the other events?" Ash asked as he attempted to get a look at Brock's PokeNav.

"Well, Misty put on a grand show in the Goal Roll of the Grand Pokethlon, and they are still talking about your narrow win over Macy yesterday." Brock motioned for Ash to look at the highlights flashing by on the PokeNav. "Speaking of which...Macy saved herself from elimination by winning her second match, which also means that you and Macy are tied at the top of Group H, even though you only have to face someone named Jackson for your next match. That said, you only need a tie against Jackson in order to go on, while Jackson must win outright to force a three-way tie. On top of that, a second tiebreaker round-robin would be needed should Jackson win outright."

"Wow..." Ash was impressed.

Brock just smiled. "But I think you can advance, so go get'em!"

"Thanks, Brock!" Ash smiled as he and Misty turned to leave. "Break both legs in your performance!"

---------

[...and so I used a Hydro Pump to help me get up, and take out the Quilava at the same time!] Brenna finished her recap of the previous day's battle to the Bulbasaur on the videophone screen.

[Wow, that's amazing!] the Bulbasaur smiled before she noticed Luce in the background, [Who's that?]

[This is Luce, one of Ash's Johto Pokemon.] Brenna explained, prompting Luce to wave hello. [Luce, this is Saria, Ash's faithful Bulbasaur.]

[Nice to meet you.] Luce smiled.

"Aw, that's so sweet..." Misty smiled as Brenna continued her phone call, with Luce interjecting every so often. "You don't feel guilty about leaving Saria at home?"

"Not at all--after what happened at the Kanto League, she needed the rest." Ash replied.

Just then, he noticed Prof. Elm and a boy with pale brown hair talking in the Pokemon Center. "That must be my opponent in the next round..."

"Oh, Ash, hello!" Prof. Elm smiled as Ash and Misty approached him. "I was giving Jackson here some advice on what to use in the match. Why is Brock not with you?"

"He's getting ready to take the Grand Lore Stage." Misty explained, showing Prof. Elm that the storyteller before Brock had just started her tale.

"I'm sure he will do well..he clearly has a passion for the world's folklore." Prof. Elm smiled.

"Even though you are my next round opponent, I feel safe telling you my problem..." Jackson told Ash. "When I left on my own journey, I started with a Chikorita named Mint. Mint has only recently evolved into Meganium, but I didn't think to include her on my entry form..."

"Why not?" Prof. Elm asked.

"I didn't feel she was ready for this big a stage after evolving so soon." Jackson went on "I thought it would be better to save Mint for the Victory Tournament, but now that I look back, that was a mistake."

"There's still time to make changes--the match isn't until tomorrow." Prof. Elm assured Jackson.

Jackson smiled. "Thanks, Professor--maybe Mint is ready for the League!"

"Bring it on!" Ash challenged as Misty departed for the Grand Lore Stage stadium. "I can't wait to take on Mint!"

---------

Applause rang through the stadium as Misty arrived. I made it...the storyteller before Brock just finished!

She looked up at the bracket for the Grand Lore Stage on the scoreboard as she found Brock in the entry tunnel leading to the stage. If Brock does well in his performance, he has a chance to advance to the finals.

"Misty, am I glad to see you!" Brock heaved a relieved sigh when he found Misty approaching him. "I am in fact against the clock for the first round of the Lore Stage--any suggestions for a quickie with punch?"

"Try that really funny one about the vizir's great feast--that should get the crowd rolling in the aisles." Misty suggested.

Brock nodded. "Okay then...let's do this."

---------

Number K-93098, telling 'The Great Feast'. the announcer explained as Brock was invited on the stage to perform.

Once the clock on the scoreboard had displayed thirty minutes, a judge told Brock "The clock will begin when you start talking."

Brock took a deep breath to ease his nervousness, then began his tale. "In a far away land, the people could not stop complaining about their vizirs--what an official is called in some lands."

Intrigued murmurs wafted through the crowd at this. "The reason? They argued over anything and everything, and once they started arguing, it was anyone's guess as to when they would stop." Brock explained, nodding to Ethan and Lyra giggling in one of the front rows.

As if inspired by Ethan and Lyra, soft laughter rippled through the crowd. "Now, the vizirs knew what the people were saying, and they took it upon themselves to show their people they could conduct affairs in a civil manner." Brock went on. "So one day, they went into town, making small talk amongst themselves and saying hello to all they met."

He paused for a moment, then went on "Suddenly, they found a rare black pearl embedded in the sandy road. Their first thought was to debate what to do with it, but they remembered their promise to conduct affairs civilly. They decided to hold a great feast in honor of their friendship."

"Aw"s went up at this. "So the ten vizirs all went down to the food shop and used the black pearl to buy enough food for the whole city to be fed for a week and still have leftovers." Brock went on, to awed chatter. "There were potstickers, and puddings, meats both from the land and the sea, vegetables of all kinds, cheese, nuts, Berries, and a bewildering array of desserts."

"Mm"s filled the air at this. "Just before the vizirs could sit down to their massive meal, the ninth vizir saw that the palace gate was open." Brock continued. "He told the sixth to shut it, but he believed the first vizir should shut it. The first told the eighth, the eighth asked the fourth, and before long, all ten vizirs were fighting over who should shut the gate."

Laughter filled the arena as the crowd pictured the chaos. "The tenth vizir finally broke it up by saying the next person to say anything or stand up would close the gate." Brock explained as the laughter quieted. "So the ten vizirs began to eat, not saying a word to each other or getting up for seconds."

Lyra stiffled a giggle of anticipation at what crazy scenario Brock had dreamed up, "The open gate lured hundreds of Pokemon into the palace, and they wasted no time in devouring all the meat." Brock went on. "When every piece of Combusken, beef, and fish was gone, they moved on to the vegetables, fruits, cheeses and desserts. But the vizirs just sat there, oblivious to the Pokemon eating their food."

More laughter wafted down the rows at this. "Just then, a Growlithe mistook the tenth vizir's lip for a piece of meat, and bit down hard!" Brock announced.

The crowd howled with laughter as they pictured the tenth vizir dancing in pain. "When the others told him he had to shut the gate, they looked around and realized the food was gone, and there was now no point in closing the gate." Brock concluded. "They went their separate ways, not wanting to argue about the matter any more...at least until the next day!"

The crowd roared as Brock took a bow, but Ethan and Lyra's applause was the loudest. "Oh, that was so funny!" Lyra raved as she brushed away a tear of laughter. "I'll have to tell Hana that one!"

"Dundee might love it too." Ethan agreed. "I'll admit Brock has real talent...but you don't get this far on mere talent alone. He really loves doing this, and it shows."

---------

"Let's see..." Ash mused as he examined Jackson's profile on the PC that evening. "in addition to Azumarill and Meganium, he also has a Shiny Magneton, but Meganium is the strongest Pokémon on his team."

He looked over at Misty and Brock. "Any suggestions, you guys?"

"Cyndy would work well as a Meganium counter, and Tintri as an Azumarill counter." Misty suggested as she settled in to watch a sitcom on the TV.

"Your third competitor needs to be able to cover as many of those as possible should Cyndy or Tintri go down." Brock cautioned before joining Misty on the couch with his share of dinner.

After selecting his third Pokemon and sending in his entry form, Ash looked at the opening credits rolling on the TV as the show's theme song played. "Funny you guys are watching 'The Poke-Mom League'--maybe it will inspire me for my match tomorrow!"

He looked over at Misty. "Got room for one more?"

"Sure." Misty invited Ash to join her and Brock on the couch. "It's the one where the boy's mom interferes with his first Gym match."

"Rerun or not, 'The Poke-Mom League' is always a funny show." Ash grinned as the show began...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-24-2018, 09:09 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 117b: Tie One On! (part 2)

We're underway with the second round of the group preliminaries! the stadium announcer began as Jackson summoned an Azumarill on the field below. Can Ash Ketchum of Kanto continue his hot streak and earn a place in the Victory Tournament?

"I think I can!" Ash smiled, as if the announcer could hear him. "Tintri, you're up!"

Sparks are flying from both teams! the announcer called as Tintri darted out of the way of the Azumarill's Water Gun. However, as he circled back around for the attack, he gasped when he saw the Azumarill wasn't there! [Wha...how?]

[Missed me!] the Azumarill taunted.

Tintri growled as he charged a Thunderbolt. [YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!!!}

Both the Thunderbolt and a Bubblebeam clashed at the center of the battlefield. They're both hanging tough. the announcer deadpanned--neither attack didn't look to be gaining an advantage over the other.

When both attacks fizzled out some moments later, Tintri grimaced as the Azumarill heaved an Icy Wind. This is just like Pryce's gym... he thought as he shivered. I didn't break then, and I won't break here!

Ash noticed the Azumarill's tail turning silver--a sign it was about to use Iron Tail! "Tintri, use the tail to conduct a Thunder attack! You can do this!"

Tintri weakly smiled before grabbing the Azumarill's metal tail minutes before it could connect!

[i]Here it comes! Thunder! the announcer cried as Tintri unleashed his attack, engulfing the Azumarill in thunderbolts...

---------

"Hm..." Ash contemplated his next move as Jackson summoned a glittering gold Magneton, to the oohs and ahs of the crowd. Magneton is part Electric and part Steel, so raw power isn't gonna work here.

He called to Tintri "Use Quick Attack!"

Tintri whizzed around the stadium perimeter in preparation to charge, only for the Magneton to blast an electrical wave at him! [WAUGGGH!!!]

Jackson grinned as the Pikachu writhed in pain from paralysis. "Lumi, use Tri Attack!"

Ash watched in horror as a familiar three colored blast hurled Tintri into the Silver safety barrier! [Ash...I'm...sorry...] he wheezed.

In the stands, Misty and Brock watched as Ash summoned Cyndy. "Nice choice...Magneton, as a part Steel type, should have the disadvantage." Brock mused as Cyndy's Flamethrower and the Magneton's Thunderbolt clashed in the arena.

"I wouldn't be so sure..." Misty cautioned as Cyndy fired a cloud of smoke, then rained a Swift attack through the gray cloud while the Magneton was disoriented. "That Magneton looks pretty tough."

Both of them watched as the Magneton used Double Team to evade another Flamethrower. Cyndy growled with frustration over the seemingly hundreds of Magnetons before her, and blew out a fan of flames in a desperate hope of hitting the real one.

She gasped when she saw the Thunder Wave and Tri Attack combo that had knocked Tintri out before coming right at her! [Oh no...]

Ash winced at the massive explosion, but his heart sank as Cyndy weakly crawled back to him. [Sorry, Ash...he got me too...]

---------

"Luce, I choose you!" Ash called as he summoned his Ampharos. "Use Charge Beam!"

"Lumi, used Thunderbolt!" Jackson commanded.

The two attacks met in an electric explosion, which the Magneton evaded with Double Team.

Ash gasped in horror at the familiar attack. I can't let Luce fall here!

"Luce, jump and use Thunderbolt!" he nearly screamed, hoping that the evasive maneuver would be enough to keep him in the match.

His panicked look turned to joy as Luce twirled in the air as she charged the thunderbolt, making it fly in all directions to dispel the copies. "Well! That was quite clever." he smiled at the Ampharos when she landed at his side some moments later.

The hum of a Thunder Wave alerted her that the Magneton was about to use its deadly combo again, prompting her to conjure a shining yellow screen, causing the massive attack to fizzle out. "Good thinking on the Light Screen." Ash smiled. "Now, it's your turn to use Thunder Wave!"

He smiled as the yellow wave connected. "Okay! Use Charge Beam to spin Magneton around!"

"Round and round and round he goes, where he stops, no one knows!" Brock grinned as Luce twirled the Magneton in the air with Charge Beam and slammed her opponent to the ground.

---------

This is Gold's last Pokemon--this match has come down to the wire. the announcer reported as Jackson summoned a Meganium to face off against Luce.

"I'll say..." Misty mused as the majestic flower dinosaur-like Pokemon and the elegant yellow sheep-like Pokemon clashed in the arena. "Jackson's Meganium's pretty tough!"

"Whoa!" Brock gasped as Luce was wrapped in a Vine Whip, only to be pelted with Razor Leaves.

In the arena, Ash watched as Luce weaved around a barrage of Body Slams. Should I induce her here? Or would that be unfair to my opponent?

He looked down at his Mega Ring, the ruby teardrop in white gold glittering in the sun. The rules didn't say that you couldn't use Mega Evolution...and desperate times call for drastic measures...

He then held his right hand to the sky. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

The power of its trainer's love inspires the Ampharos to evolve even farther! the announcer called as a burst of red light and thunderbolts stunned the crowd. Will it be enough for Silver to stay in the game?

[HAAAAAHHH!] Luce cried as she emerged from her Mega Evolution with another Thunderbolt.

She did not, however, see the flurry of Razor Leaves flying at her! [Oof!] she gasped as the spiked leaves sent her sliding back against the Silver safety barrier.

"Don't give up, Luce!" Ash called. "I induced you because I believe in you, and I love you!"

Inspired by her master's words, Luce threw herself against the Meganium in an attempt to counter a Body Slam, shoving the Meganium back long enough to fire a Charge Beam. The Charge Beam hooked on to Meganium's neck, allowing Luce to pelt it with more Thunderbolts.

---------

"Why are neither of them taking time to evade attacks?" Misty asked as the Meganium and the Mega Ampharos continued to grapple in the arena.

"I think that to both the Meganium and Luce, the battle may be of pride as well as glory." Brock explained as he watched another grass-electric explosion fly. "Therefore, both of them are willing to take as much as they are willing to give."

"That makes sense..." Misty mused as both combatants charged at each other again for one last desperate attack.

Neither of them, however, expected the force of the clash to knock both Pokemon out! Game Set! This round is a tie! the announcer called. Silver is going to the Victory Tournament!

"YES!!!" Ash tossed his cap in the air in celebration.

He offered his hand to Jackson as he met him in the center of the arena. "Well done...I don't know what you did to train your Meganium, but please keep doing it." he smiled as he shook hands with his opponent.

"And to you likewise--you must love your Ampharos very much in order to Mega Evolve her." Jackson agreed. "Good luck in the Victory Tournament!"

---------

"Okay...Harrison advanced from his group, as did Gary." Ash reported from the PC later that evening.

"Do they have the final bracket for the Victory Tournament posted yet?" Misty asked as she arrived in the living room with dinner.

Ash opened the Victory Tournament bracket in a new tab, and gasped when he saw who his opponent was. "No way...I'm facing off against Gary in the first round???"

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-27-2018, 07:39 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 118a: The Ties That Bind (part 1)

Ash fumed as he started down the hallway of the dorm towards the food court. I can't believe it...my first-round opponent in the Victory Tournament is none other than Gary, my eternal rival.

He met Gary emerging from a stairwell. "Well well...if you're gonna get some munchies, get some mints to wash out the sour taste my beating you's gonna leave in your mouth!" Gary smirked.

"Actually, I was gonna scope out dessert--cause my victory's gonna be sweet after all those years of losses and close calls!" Ash shot back.

"Oh yeah? Then why did you not let me have that rusted Poke Ball?" Gary countered as the two boys started back down the hall towards Ash's dorm.

"You still remember that?" Ash gasped. "If I recall correctly, we both got it at the same time!"

"Eat some more fish to boost that memory, Ash--I got it first, fair and square." Gary shot back. "Just like how I'm gonna sweep you in the match in a few days!"

"My team is not weak!" Ash roared back. "You'll find I'm more than a match for you!"

"We'll see in a few days...until then, smell ya later!" With that, Gary continued down the hall and around a corner, leaving Ash to stew by the entrance to his room.

Misty opened the door a few moments later, snapping him from his angry thoughts. "Ash? Is everything okay? Brock heard you and Gary yelling outside, and asked me to break it up, but it looks like the party's over..."

"Gary brought up the incident that set our rivalry into motion..." Ash explained as he came inside to the room, aware of Brock practicing his guitar in the main room. "Before I can properly tell you the story, there's something I have to show you guys..."

After rummaging through his bag and finding a dusty white half of an old Poke Ball in a pocket. he explained to Misty and Brock. "Okay...Brock, some appropriate music, please."

Brock started a wistful melody in A minor filled with ornamentation as Ash began "This event took place a few days before I left to start my Pokemon journey..."

---------

In Ash's memory, a younger Ash and a younger Gary were fishing by a stream. "Gary and me were fishing by a little stream that ran by Pallet." Ash explains via voiceover as Young Ash casts his line into the water. "At first, things were a little slow, but late in the morning I managed to catch a Magikarp." Just then, Young Ash's line begins jerking in time to Brock trilling a note. "I did my best to reel it in, but it proceeded to slap me in the face before falling back in the water." Ash explains as this happens in the flashback.

Young Gary proceeds to say some mocking gibberish as Ash continues "Gary, on the other side of the stream, saw the whole thing, and proceeded to taunt me in both my skills and knowledge of Pokémon, or perceived lack thereof. In my embarrassment and humiliation, I was unable to name any of Magikarp's attacks, including the Flail that was used on me."

Time passes in the flashback to the next day, as Young Ash and Young Gary settle in on opposite sides of the stream. "We had always liked the stream as a fishing and a swimming spot, and after that, the rivalry escalated to the point that both of us were fishing in the same spot, but from opposite banks.

"Wow..." Misty comments via voiceover as both Young Ash and Young Gary's lines begin jerking in time to another trilled note. "One day, we both managed to catch something at the same time." Ash went on. "It turned out that we both had caught onto the same rusted Poké Ball." Young Ash and young Gary balk in surprise over what they actually caught. "After a brief tug-of-war, the Poké Ball broke in half." Ash explains as Young Ash and Young Gary pull the Poke Ball back and forth for a few moments, until it snaps apart in time to a hard chord from Brock.

"Though I was willing to accept that the 'fishing battle' was a draw, Gary took it a loss, as, in his words, 'tying with me was just as bad as losing' - a position that he held to this very day." Young Gary sticks out his tongue at Young Ash as the song and the flashback end.

---------

"I kept my half of the Poké Ball as a good luck charm." Ash concluded his story some time later. "I guess losing to Gary and Eevee taught me that I wasn't ready to take him on at the time, but I've come a long way since then--and I am more then prepared for the match!"

"I love that you are raring to show Gary just how far you've come, but tomorrow is a rest day, with the Victory Tournament starting the day after." Misty reminded Ash.

"I would recommend that you use tomorrow to prepare your strategy, much like I will be doing for the Grand Lore Stage." Brock agreed. "You've said it yourself many times--the first rule of battle is 'know thy enemy'."

---------

"I'm back!" Misty called as she returned the next day. "We did very well in the Lamp Jump this time, and--!"

She stopped in her tracks to find the boys had buried themselves in books--Brock to find a story for the next round of the Grand Lore Stage, and Ash preparing his strategy. "Ash is taking this match for the ages very seriously--he hasn't slept since last night." Brock reported as he copied down the bones of a story he liked from a book. "I took a break to sleep after ten, but left Ash some Verde Power to keep awake."

A smile formed on Brock's face. "Although, with enough caffeine, Ash is quite the computer guru."

"And...it's done!" Ash smiled as he motioned for Misty to join him by the PC. "I did a little digging on the League Web site, and Gary has ten Pokemon on his profile, so I've made a little video explaining how I plan to counter them all."

Just as he clicked the ReelView icon, he balked at an error message. "What do you mean, there was an error retrieving 'GaryStrat.avi' from the cloud, please try again later?"

"Maybe ReelView's servers are under maintenance right now." Misty assured Ash. "You can tell us your strategy over breakfast, okay?"

---------

"Okay...Gary has no particular type preference, just like his grandad Prof. Oak, and he keeps rotating his Pokémon." Brock began as he studied Gary's profile in the Victory Tournament bracket on his PokeNav.

"You'd be right--he has been that way for as long as I have known him." Ash replied before biting into a sausage egg and cheese biscuit.

"I will reiterate that your team-building strategy will be crucial, so I got you a little extra help." Brock grinned.

Just then, Ash saw a shadow flying overhead. "What in the..."

His confused look turned to joy as a familiar Charizard heaved a Flamethrower into the sky to greet him. "Blaze! What a surprise!"

Blaze purred as Ash hugged him.

Ash noticed Gary approaching out of the corner of his eye. There you are...

The village plaza was silent as Ash and Gary stared each other down, each boy not wanting to move a muscle or say anything to the other. Not even the bird Pokemon wanted to sing--the world seemed to be holding its breath to see what the two rivals would do.

"There you are!" a voice called, startling both Ash and Gary.

"Gramps?" Gary balked at Professor Oak arriving.

"Mom?" Ash was equally surprised at the brown haired woman coming to meet him.

"Surprise." Delia smiled as she embraced Ash. "Professor Oak and I decided to come watch the Silver Conference live instead of on TV. Don't worry, your dad's looking after the house with Mimey."

"I don't know what the occasion for the staring contest was, but I have a gift for each of you." Prof. Oak began before showing Ash and Gary two upgrade chips. "I've received a lot of new Pokémon data from a colleague, so let me update your Pokedexes for you--it won't take very long."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled as he eagerly handed Prof. Oak his Pokedex.

"Yeah, thanks, Gramps!" Gary smiled.

After waiting a moment for the upgrade to complete Professor Oak returned the Pokedexes "There we are...your Pokedexes are now up to date to the Houen region."

"Nice!" Misty smiled. "I wonder what else we can learn about the Houen Pokemon we've seen so far."

"Or what lore those Pokemon have." Brock agreed as he watched Gary pocket his Pokedex and depart.

"Ash..." Delia began. "Remember that a little preparation goes a long way--Gary's not going to hold anything back tomorrow, so you need to bring your A game."

"I'll bring more than that--I'm bringing my S game!" Ash smiled.

"Well, no matter what happens tomorrow, your dad and I will always be proud of you." Delia assured Ash. "Even if you just improve on how you did at home, that's a reason enough to celebrate. You've worked hard to get this far, but remember to stay calm and focused, even though there likely will be some high emotions out there."

She looked over at Misty and Brock nodding in agreement. "Above all, the Pokemon League is not about winning and losing--it's about doing your very best."

"Thanks..." Ash smiled as he hugged Delia again, a tear of pride rolling down his cheek. With everyone rooting for me, I'm more determined than ever to beat Gary!

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

01-31-2018, 09:34 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 118b: The Ties that Bind! (part 2)

The Silver Stadium was electric as fans--many of them holding signs and other items emblazoned with the L-marking on Ash's hat or a stylized version of Gary's signature medallion--made their way into the stadium. "Welcome to the Silver Stadium in Johto, where one of the hottest rivalries of last year's Kanto League gets an epic rematch in a new region." a dark brown haired female sportscaster began. "Hello everyone, I'm Tina Carson, where we are getting set for Round 2 of one of the most electrifying matchups of last year's Indigo League--Ash Ketchum vs. Gary Oak."

She then turned to address her partner, a young man with dull blond hair. "Alex, what's changed since these two young trainers met on an ice field at Indigo Plateau last year?"

"For one thing, the stakes are higher." the man replied. "The matchup went viral on social media overnight, with 'TeamKetchum' and 'TeamOak' hashtags trending on Chitter, MyTube, Pokebook, and Memogram within hours with no sign of slowing down. Last time, it was only a two on two match--today, these two are also going at it with a full compliment of six Pokemon a side."

"We should also mention that today's matchup is also a matter of pride--Gary is the grandson of Kanto's own Prof. Oak, and Ash came in the Sweet 16 of the Kanto League." Tina continued via voiceover as the TV cameras cut to show scenes of Macy, Jackson, Ethan, Lyra, and fans excitedly showing off signs and other items supporting Ash or Gary. "But today these rivals meet as equals in Silver Stadium, with Ash matching how he did last year."

The scene cut away to show the stadium. "Today's match is a full six on six battle with a random selection of battlefields." Alex explained. "Our competitors can expect to see grass, water, rock, and ice-based fields..."

---------

"Harrison!" Ash called as he dashed through the boys' locker rooms, where Harrison was gathering his belongings. "I wanted to say congrats on winning your match earlier today." he explained.

"Thanks." Harrison smiled. "I'm amazed how everyone is going nuts over your match here in a bit...I really hope you win, so I can get a chance to battle you in the quarterfinals."

"I'll do my best." Ash smiled. "So, are you part of my team?"

Harrison nodded. "'TeamKetchum' all the way."

After waving goodbye to Harrison, Ash emerged from the locker room to find a crowd of fans with "TeamKetchum" signs and Tina waiting for him. "Ash, what's going on in your head right now as you prepare to face your opponent?" Tina asked him.

"Well, aside from nervousness, I'm feeling confident and focused." Ash replied. "I understand that Gary's not going to hold anything back, so I need to bring more than my A game--I'm bringing my S game!"

More cheers and applause filled the air as Ash's fans suddenly heard Gary's cheerleaders chanting "Go, TeamOak! Go TeamOak! Go TeamOak! Go! Go!" as Alex finished up his own interview with Gary on the other sideline.

Inspired, Harrison started cheering "Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" as he emerged from the locker room.

"Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" the fans joined in, eagerly chanting as Ash made his way to the Silver side of the arena. "Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!"

"As you can hear, excitement and spirit is running high for both sides." Tina continued over the chanting. "When we come back, the match of the ages will finally get underway!"

---------

Tintri cheered, waving a pair of fans in the air as Misty arrived in the stands, then hurried to rejoin his master as Brock, Brenna, Ami, Hinata, and Hitomi watched Ash made his way into the arena, flanked by his own parcel of cheering fans. "How did the Ring Drop go?" Brock asked as Misty took the seat next to him overlooking the Silver side of the arena

"Very well--Aurora turned out to be a great choice for the Ring Drop." Misty replied, aware of the chanting around her. "Everyone seems to be getting into the spirit of Ash vs. Gary, Part 2..."

"They've been getting into it ever since the matchup was announced..." Brock explained as he perused Pokebook on his PokeNav. "Have their own hashtags and everything. Not just that, but kids are watching it in class, and offices everywhere are having watch parties, so this is a pretty big deal."

"This would explain all the 'TeamKetchum' and 'TeamOak' hashtags all over my own Pokebook feed..." Misty mused.

A wave of cheers snapped her to attention--Ash and Gary were taking their places in the arena! "Log off, Brock--the match is about to start!"

---------

This is it! The Victory Tournament gets underway with one of the most hotly anticipated matches in League history! the announcer began as Gary summoned a large blue dinosaur-like Pokemon. Two rivals have come to this storied arena, but only one will advance farther into the tournament!

"Aina, I choose you!" Ash called as he heaved a Poke Ball skyward, revealing Aina before the huge Pokemon Gary commanded. I've seen Gary with a Nidoking before, so this must be the female Nidoqueen! I hope striking first with a Fighting type gets me the advantage!

"Nidoqueen, start with a Rock Smash!" Gary called.

[WAAAAAAAHHH!!!] Aina cried as she did her best to leap and jump past the rocks raining around her.

"Focus, Aina! Use Superpower!" Ash commanded.

He smiled as Aina managed to push through the oncoming rocks thanks to the familiar aura of Superpower. But his confidence turned to horror as Gary's Nidoqueen Ursaring-hugged her, and then fired a Hyper Beam at point blank range, easily knocking Aina out of the match.

"Are all your Pokemon gonna be that easy?" Gary taunted, to cheers from his fans in the stadium.

"That was just the scout--now for the heavy hitters!" Ash shot back as he heaved another Poke Ball skyward. "River, I choose you!"

"Nidoqueen, return!" Gary called before finding a second Poke Ball of his own. "Magmar, let's turn up the heat!"

Ash gasped as the Magmar unleashed a Flamethrower, but heaved a sigh of relief as River weaved around the fire and fired a Water Pulse! The crowd watched in awe as the Magmar went flying up into the air, blowing out the familiar kanji of Fire Blast as he fell back to earth.

Some "ooh"s filled the air as the Magmar and the Fire Blast landed on River at the same time! Hammered where it hurt! the announcer commented as the Magmar used a point blank Flamethrower to weaken River even more!

River heaved, to some applause as she stood up and brushed away the char. [But I'm stronger than you, Mr. Volcano!]

With that, she heaved another Water Pulse in the direction of another wave of flames, buying her enough time to streak through the water her previous attack created and slam into the Magmar with Aqua Jet, knocking it out.

"Well, color me impressed." Gary smirked. "Let's see how Miss Mousie fares against some real firepower!"

Ash was awed at the familiar giant turtle with water cannons in its shell that Gary summoned. [i]That is Blastoise - the final form of Squirtle, and the most powerful Pokémon on Gary's team! But I'll just fight water with water!

He took a deep breath and called "River, try Bubblebeam!"

The stadium seemed to hold its breath as the wave of Hydro Pump and the flurry of rainbow bubbles clashed in the middle of the arena...

[b]To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-03-2018, 07:37 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 119: Can't Beat the Heat!

Previously, on "Pokemon Moonlight Silver"...

Ash was awed at the familiar giant turtle with water cannons in its shell that Gary summoned. That is Blastoise - the final form of Squirtle, and the most powerful Pokémon on Gary's team! But I'll just fight water with water!

He took a deep breath and called "River, try Bubblebeam!"

The stadium seemed to hold its breath as the wave of Hydro Pump and the flurry of rainbow bubbles clashed in the middle of the arena...

After what felt like an eternity, River tried to dive behind a rock. She did not, however, expect the Hydro Pump to blast through the rock, knocking her out. [Ash...I'm sorry...]

Ash was unfazed by losing his Marill. "You made a heroic effort, River...now get some rest." he smiled as he recalled the fainted Marill and returned to his end of the arena. "Luce, let's go!"

He watched in horror as Gary's Blastoise charged at Luce, but much to his relief, Luce didn't even bat at eye as Blastoise slammed into her with Skull Bash. If anything, she had only slid backwards from the force of the attack.

[You forget I can give you the shock of your life!] Luce taunted before charging a huge ball of electricity.

"Blastoise, use Rapid Spin to deflect the Electro Ball!" Gary called.

Luce, meanwhile, braced herself as Gary's Blastoise whirled in her direction, dispelling her first attack on the way. She managed to grab the Blastoise some seconds later, and pin him to the ground. [Gotcha now!]

[Oh yeah?] the Blastoise growled as he wriggled free from Luce's grip and blasted a Hydro Pump at Luce!"

"Luce, come back!" Ash quickly recalled Luce, leaving the Hydro Pump to splatter against the Silver safety barrier. "Tintri, you ready?"

[Oh yeah!] Tintri squeaked as he dashed into the battlefield.

Maybe speed will provide a good advantage over Blastoise! Ash thought as Tintri wove around Blastoise's second attempt at Hydro Pump, then tried to fire a Thunderbolt,

Tintri grimaced as his attack was deflected by Rapid Spin. Let's try something I know will hit--Shockwave!

But before he could start charging the attack, he did not expect Blastoise to pounce on him and bite him! [Ash...he was too much...]

---------

Time out--Silver. the announcer called as Ash made a T signal to the referee, then hurried over to the sidelines, where Brock was waiting.

"Just watching Ash and Gary battle like this reminds me of how they used to always re-enact favorite battles from the movies and their favorite TV shows." Prof. Oak sighed with nostalgia. "Gary didn't mind playing the villain almost all the time, either--but I did make a rule to let him be the hero every once in a while."

"Ash may be down now, but he's far from out." Delia agreed. "Ever since he was very little, he has always had a courageous and heroic spirit. Even though he took more to music than sports, he would never give up on learning a song until he got it right--I have never had to remind him to practice. He just knows when it's time to practice, and doesn't let the wrong notes or difficult passages get him down--just like his Pokemon training." She let that hang as the time out expired.

---------

"Okay...Gary summons Arcanine, and Ash is sending out Mina..." Brock mused as the battle resumed in the arena. "Even though Blastoise was worn down a little from before, it is fairly safe to assume that Gary is saving Blastoise for last."

"Whoa!" Misty gasped as Arcanine used Take Down to charge straight at Mina, who responded with Wing Attack.

In the arena, Ash watched as Arcanine evaded the attack, and traps Mina inside a fiery tornado he recognized as Fire Spin. "Mina, break free with a Sky Attack!"

The stadium was in awe as Mina, now in the form of what looked like a red streak, broke free from the fire to fly high in the air, slamming into Arcanine moments later. "Bullseye." Ash smiled as Mina landed at his side.

He watched Gary summon Nidoqueen again. "Careful, Mina--Nidoqueen can also learn Hyper Beam, so it's best to assume Gary's Nidoqueen knows it."

[Got it!] Mina smiled before flying back into battle.

She was caught by surprise as Nidoqueen forced her to the ground with a Double Kick! [Ow...] Mina winced before spotting a familiar orange beam aimed at her. She quickly worked up the strength to take flight, veering away from the Hyper Beam!

[HAH!!!!!] Mina streaked back at Gary's Nidoqueen and slammed into her with an Aerial Ace, finally knocking out the dinosaur Pokemon.

Misty gasped as Gary summoned a Scizor. "I have a bad feeling about this..." she stammered as Mina tried to blow away the metallic bug with a Hurricane, only to receive a Metal Claw to the face.

"Ash set up his entries with raw power in mind, and it's possible that his two remaining Pokémon will have trouble against Scizor." Brock explained as Ash welcomed back Luce to the fight. "But this is Ash, here--comebacks when against the wall are some of his best comebacks!"

In the arena, Luce easily absorbed a Quick Attack, then fired a Charge Beam, which Scizor evaded and countered with Metal Claw. But Ash did not expect Scizor to lift and throw Luce into the air. "NO!!!" he screamed as Luce succumbed to a Swift attack.

Gasps filled the stadium at the ruthless turn of events. "Blaze, see if you can win this one for me!" Ash cried as he summoned his Charizard onto the field to face Gary's Scizor.

The remaining Pokemon count is 3 to 1! The battle has become one sided! the announcer called as Blaze landed on the field.

Gary, meanwhile, was unfazed. "I figured that you'd save your Charizard for last..."

He then turned business-like again. "Scizor, let's finish this with Steel Wing!"

Ash swallowed hard as he held his right hand to the sky, aware of the Scizor flying in to attack Blaze all the while. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

"WHAT???" Gary gasped as Blaze was engulfed in a flash of red light and thunderbolts, which shielded Blaze from the Scizor's attack.

Wow! The power of Mega Evolution! the announcer cried. Will it be enough to turn the tide of battle for Silver? Or will Gold advance to the next round? he asked as Blaze emerged as Mega Charizard Y.

The battle has become one sided indeed... Ash grinned. "Blaze, use Flamethrower!"

The Scizor jumped to avoid the attack, but a determined smile formed on Ash's face. "You're not getting away this time!" he cried as Blaze took flight, delivering a wave of fire to Scizor.

"You still have two more to face, if you were expecting a miracle..." Gary cautioned before heaving a Poke Ball skyward "Meet Golem!"

"Wow..." Misty was impressed at the massive rock Pokemon.

"Even with Mega Evolution, Blaze will have a hard time against a Golem, thanks to the double weakness to Rock types." Brock explained as the Golem stunned blaze with a Magnitude attack. "But Ash is not backing down--he's gonna do everything he can to mount a comeback."

"Come on, Team Ketchum! Let me hear you!" Misty called to the Ash supporters in the stands as Blaze attempted to Seismic Toss Golem, but failed.

"No wonder Blaze struggled--a Golem is second only to Snorlax in terms of mass." Prof. Oak as he and Delia watched Golem land back on its feet and start rolling at Blaze.

Ash recognized the attack as Rollout. Bad flashbacks of Whitney... "Blaze, use Dragon Rage!"

"Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" Misty and the other Ash supporters in the stands cheered as Blaze heaved a wave of purple flames, engulfing the Golem and knocking it out.

---------

Gold now has one Pokemon remaining! Can Silver manage to complete a stunning comeback? the announcer asked the crowd.

"Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" Misty and Brock led the cheers from the stands, which resonated around the stadium. "Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!"

Ash and Blaze watched as Gary summoned Blastoise again. "Hear that?" he asked Blaze as the fans cheered for him. "The world's cheering for us."

Blaze purred before heaving a Flamethrower.

The cheers were silenced as Blaze's attack was deflected by Rapid Spin, but then the huge bird-dragon took a Hydro Pump to the face.

Relieved applause filled the air as Blaze took to the skies, bolstered by millions of fans cheering "Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" down below.

"Blaze, try to approach from the air!" Ash called as Blaze wove around volley after volley of Hydro Pumps.

[I'm trying!] Blaze called back. [I just need to find an opening!]

"Even though we were all taught that Fire attacks aren't very effective against Water-types, sometimes they do work." Brock explained to Ethan and Lyra. "Blaze will need a close-range attack to have a good shot of knocking out Blastoise against the type advantage."

He let that hang before rallying the crowd. "Come on everyone! Lend Blaze your power!"

"Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" Misty resumed leading the cheers for the courageous Mega Charizard Y weaving around water volleys.

Just then, something dawned on Ash as he looked around the battlefield. [i]Say...although Blaze's attacks have missed Blastoise, the fire that has hit the rocks have been left red hot and somewhat melted...

An idea came to him. "Blaze, burn the field instead of attacking Blastoise!"

"What???" Gary gasped as his Blastoise was held helpless by the searing hot ground. I didn't know Ash was gonna do this...this is something that not even a type advantage could cover.

"It's working!" Lyra cried as Blastoise's efforts to cool the field only ended up cloaking it in steam.

"Come on Blaze!" Ethan called as Charizard and Blastoise grappled in close combat. "You can do it!"

He watched as Blastoise managed to duck out of a Dragon Rage, but Blaze attempted to throw him with a Seismic Toss. In despration, Blastoise tried to bite Blaze, but Blaze was unfazed as he easily picked up Blastoise and flew skyward, diving to the still hot ground and slamming him!

Murmurs filled the air as Blaze landed by Ash's side. "Did we do it?" Ash asked.

Blaze watched as Blastoise struggled to get up, but succumbed to the damage it took! [Congrats, bud--you just finished one for the history books.]

GAME SET! By a miracle, this match's winner is Silver! the announcer cried, making the stadium explode in cheers!

Ash stood motionless as what he had just done sank in. "I did it...I finally beat Gary..."

He heaved his hat skyward in pure euphoria as Blaze roared in triumph. "I FINALLY BEAT GARY!!!!"

After catching his hat, he hugged Blaze. "Thank you...I couldn't have done it without you."

[Anytime, sport.] Blaze purred. [You gave your all, and I gave mine--that's what partners do.]

---------

"Ash?" Gary asked as he met Ash by the lake later that night. "Got a minute?"

"What is it?" Ash wondered as Gary sat by him on the shore. "You're not mad about losing today, are you?"

"Nah--I'm not ashamed that I lost." Gary assured Ash. "You wholeheartedly earned your win, and I have mad respect for your incredible comeback--kudos."

He rummaged for something in his bag for a moment. "You remember that fishing contest when we were little, when we found that old Poke Ball?" he asked as he unearthed the red half of the Poke Ball. "I've been thinking about it...when I admittedly tied in that contest, my own brashness and naive dreams of glory got the better of me, and I took it as a loss when it really wasn't a loss in the first place."

Ash retrieved the white half of the Poke Ball. "Let's see if these will fit back together at all."

Much to Ash's joy and Gary's relief, the two halves fit easily back together with a click. "They fit!"

Gary just grinned. "I may have given ya a lot of flack before, but I'm done being Mr. Cocky. You won fair and square today, and I accept that."

The two of them shook hands as friends for what seemed like the first time in a long time. "No matter what happens in your next match, Ash...I'm on Team Ketchum now."

"Thanks!" Ash smiled as he embraced Gary--no more his rival, but his friend.

"Although, what was that magic song you sang that turned Blaze into a bird-dragon?" Gary wondered.

"That was my Heart Song--and how I can induce Mina, Luce, and Blaze to Mega Evolve." Ash explained. "A Heart Song, when sung, conveys the trainer's emotion to the Pokemon and resonates with the emotions in the Pokemon's heart, inducing Mega Evolution in certain Pokemon."

Gary nodded, and motioned for Ash to continue. "No two trainers will have the same song, and even then, many trainers choose to never sing their Heart Song..."

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-08-2018, 03:12 AM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 120: Playing with Fire!

"Tintri, here we go!" Ash called as he watched his faithful Pikachu dart onto the Silver side of the arena to begin a new battle on a plains field the next morning.

"Indra, let's do this!" Harrison called, summoning an exotic green lizard Pokemon with yellow stripes onto the Gold side of the arena.

Ash balked at the odd Pokemon, and made a T signal to the referee. A time out already--it seems Silver wants to size up the opponent. the announcer commented as Ash read up on his opponent:

"Kecleon, the color swap Pokemon. It has ability to alter its body colors to match its surroundings. However, it will revert to its original colors if it is startled."

"I see..." Ash mused, pocketing his Pokedex as his time out expired. "Tintri, try to catch Indra off guard!"

[Where?] Tintri called back as Indra seemingly disappeared.

He did not expect to see a long prehensile tongue to lick him from seemingly nowhere. [Oh, ew! Ew!]

Harrison watched as his Kecleon tossed Tintri with its tongue. "Indra, use Psybeam!"

Tintri braced himself as he took the rainbow beam the Kecleon fired, then darted away into the grass in an attempt to barricade himself.

He gasped as Indra began cutting the grass with his tongue. [i]I have to do something before he finds me...but what?

Inspired, he ran behind the cloaked Kecleon and grabbed its tail, thanks to being able to see its coils. [HAAAAAAAAH!!!] he screeched as he fired a Thunderbolt, knocking Indra out.

Harrison was unfazed. "You should recognize Hanzo!" he called as he heaved another Poke Ball skyward.

Oh yeah--the Sneasel Harrison captured before the tournament opened! Tintri remembered as a familiar Sneasel materialized before him.

He started charging another Thunderbolt, but did not see Hanzo charging at him with silvery claws!

Ash winced when he heard the KA-WHANG! of Hanzo's attack impacting. "Tintri!"

Tintri wheezed as Ash picked him up. [I never saw that...coming...]

"You did fine, okay?" Ash assured Tintri before he was whisked away on a rescue stretcher to the onsite Pokemon Center.

He then heaved a Poke Ball skyward. "River, here we go!"

River attempted firing a Water Gun, but was met by Hanzo's metallic claws. In desperation, River tried ramming the Sneasel with an Aqua Jet. The wave sent Hanzo stumbling backwards, to the crowd's murmurs.

Ash smiled. "River, use Water Pulse!"

Harrison winced as the shining wave knocked his Sneasel out. "Morpheus, you're up!"

Ash watched as a yellow humanoid Pokemon he recognized as Hypno appeared on the Gold side of the field. "River, try Disarming Voice!"

[i]Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul... River's tiny voice rang through the stadium, but the Hypno didn't even bat an eye at the glowing sound wave that bounced right off of it.

[You are getting sleepy...] Morpheus began as waves of hypnosis went flying from his hands, making River slump to the ground, asleep.

Once sure River was asleep, Morpheus conjured a Psychic blast, sending River flying against the Silver safety barrier.

That was cheap... Ash thought as he found his next Poke Ball. "Luce, come on out!"

He sweatdropped and the crowd roared with laughter as Luce materialized on the Silver side sleeping peacefully. [Well, well well...saves me a bit of work!] Morpheus grinned as he conjured a blue energy ball in an attempt to extract Luce's dream.

[mm...what?] Luce woke with a jump, dissipating the Dream Eater attack before it could extract her dream. [Trying to have my dreams for a snack, are we?] she growled as she charged a Charge Beam. [Go snack on someone else's dream!]

Shocked by the turn of events, Harrison made a T signal to a referee. Time out--Gold. the announcer reported as Harrison asked the referee a question...

---------

Meanwhile, in the Grand Pokethlon Dome, Misty and Michelle made their way into the arena for the next event. "Next up is the Circle Push--do you remember that event?" Misty asked her faithful Golduck.

[Yeah, the one where you try and score the most points by staying in the circle, and pushing others out.] Michelle replied.

"Well, for now, let's put on a show of our own for this crowd." Misty reminded Michelle.

She looked out over to the main arena in the distance. [i]Ash...I hope you're giving your all against Harrison...

The announcer calling "Ready!" snapped her to attention. "Remember, Michelle--sometimes it's a better idea to start with the low scoring circles instead of going for the high scoring ones right away."

Michelle replied as she braced herself for the start of the competition...

---------

"Mina, let's go!" Ash heaved another Poke Ball skyward.

"Titan, I choose you!" Harrison did likewise, revealing a Steelix of his own in the arena.

"Mina, try Aerial Ace, then I'll try to induce you!" Ash called as the Steelix started whipping up a Sandstorm.

[No go, Ash--I can't see anything!] Mina called back as she tried desperately to fly through the sand.

"MINA!!!" Ash screamed as Titan hit Mina from below with a Dig attack, sending her fluttering to the ground. Luckily, Mina managed to right herself and tried to Pursue the Steelix, gaining a pinkish aura.

Ash growled in frustration as Titan's silver tail whacked Mina to the ground. [i]So much for that idea... he thought as he found Luce's Poke Ball and re-summoned the Ampharos.

[You forget your thunderbolts can't hurt me!] Titan taunted as he wrapped himself around Luce, making the Charge Beam she was charging fizzle out.

Ash winced as he watched Titan use Crunch on Luce. "Luce, try Power Gem!"

[HAH!] Luce created a shining diamond and sent it flying at Titan, freeing her and knocking her opponent out. [Easy as pie.] she assured Ash.

She saw Harrison had summoned Anubis as his next Pokemon. [Let's show him the power of Mega Evolution!]

Ash nodded, then held his right hand skyward. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul...

Here it is--Mega Evolution! the announcer commented as Luce was engulfed in a burst of red thunderbolts.

When Luce emerged as Mega Ampharos some moments later, the crowd gasped as Anubis braced for the Charge Beam Luce was charging, then redirected the attack back at Luce! "No way...I didn't know Houndoom could use Counter!" Ethan gasped as Luce fainted from the power of the attack.

"Nor did I know that Houndoom could Counter a Mega Pokemon." Brock was equally surprised as Ash summoned Aina.

Harrison was just as surprised. "How? You must be very brave, pitting a Machop against a Houndoom..."

"I believe in Aina." Ash replied before turning business-like again. "Use Superpower!"

"We need to encourage Ash a bit..." Ethan mused as Lyra joined him and Brock in the stands, just as a Flamethrower from Anubis broke Aina's Superpower aura.

"Let's see if our little cheer from his match yesterday still has its magic!" Lyra suggested before cheering "Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!"

"Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" Brock, Ethan, and several others in the stands joined in as Anubis charged to bite Aina, and Aina attempted to Karate Chop Anubis. When both attacks missed, Aina next attempted Submission on Anubis, which pinned Anubis to the ground.

Once sure the Houndoom was not getting up, Aina leaped in the air for a Body Slam...

---------

"Ash is doing very well in this match. Harrison is down to his last Pokémon—Apollo the Blaziken." Professor Oak mused as he joined the group in the stands.

"I don't know..." Lyra cautioned. "Aina still has to battle another fully evolved Pokémon." She let that hang as the Blaziken kicked away the Machop into the safety barrier, to concerned murmurs from the crowd.

"Aina..." Ash began as Aina shakily got up. "Try to stay away from Apollo as much as you can."

[Noted--if they make Pokemon aspirin, I'm gonna need some in the morning.] Aina moaned as she got up.

"Try Superpower!" Ash called.

He watched in horror as Apollo intercepted the attack, then countered with Fire Punch, knocking Aina out.

Both sides now have only one Pokemon remaining! This match has come down to the wire! the announcer reported as Ash summoned Blaze.

Okay...I know this will be challenging as Blaze is a high level Pokémon, plus Ash can induce him into Mega Charizard Y. Harrison thought. I, on the other hand, have not awakened my Heart Song, and so I can't induce Apollo.

Both trainers called at the same time "Use Flamethrower!" creating a huge ball of fire in the stadium...

To Be Continued...

EmeraldSky

02-10-2018, 07:15 PM

Scytherwolf; Soups;

Episode 121: Johto Photo Finish

Number K-93098, performing "The Legend of Daniel the Daring." an announcer explained as Brock took his place in the Grand Lore Stage arena.

Brock looked over at the main arena in the distance. Ash...I don't know how you're doing against Harrison right now, but here's hoping this tale will inspire you!

With that, he began his tale. "Long ago in Kanto, there lived a king with three sons--Gabriel, Nicholas, and Daniel were their names, in order from eldest to youngest. They were well known around the world as fine, brave young men, and many songs were sung and tales were told of their exploits...."

---------

Both sides have one Pokemon aside! This match has come down to the wire! the announcer cried as the massive fireball created from Blaze's and Apollo's attacks dissipated into a giant smoke cloud.

"Blaze, use Flamethrower again!" Ash called, smiling as Blaze heaved another fiery wave.

In the stands, Ethan balked as Apollo leaped over Blaze's attack. "Wow! I didn't know a Blaziken could jump that high!"

"I'll say..." Lyra was equally impressed.

Say...if Apollo can't move freely in the air... Ash thought. "Blaze, use Dragon Rage!"

He balked as Apollo veered away from the purple fire with a Quick Attack, then charged at Blaze! [Sometimes the better part of valor is discretion!] Blaze reminded Ash as he looped around Apollo's next wave of Flamethrower, then circled back around to use Flamethrower himself, creating another huge explosion!

He was knocked backwards by a Fire Punch, but shook off the pain and heaved the most powerful Flamethrower he could, hitting Apollo point blank!

"Come on, Apollo!" Harrison called. "Try Quick Attack again!"

Now's my chance! Ash smiled as Apollo shakily got up. I think I have Apollo on the ropes!

He next held his right hand skyward. Jao wiisha nes chiel com yutuul....

Harrison balked as Blaze was engulfed in a burst of fire and red thunderbolts. Mega Evolution! Will the power of love allow Silver to pull ahead? the announcer asked as Blaze emerged as Mega Charizard Y.

"Blaze, use Seismic Toss!" Ash called to the majestic bird-dragon on the field.

"How's Ash doing?" Misty asked as she arrived in the row where Ethan and Lyra were watching.

"It's neck and neck--Ash just induced Blaze in hopes of another miracle." Lyra reported back as she watched Blaze circle around in the air to home in on Apollo.

"I know just what he needs..." Misty smiled as she toyed with the medal she had just earned in the Grand Pokethlon.

As Blaze streaked towards Apollo, she cheered "Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!"

"Brickabracka, firecracka, sis boom bah! Ash Ketchum, Ash Ketchum, rah, rah, rah!" Ethan and Lyra cheered as Blaze slammed into Apollo, sending him flying into the Gold safety barrier.

Game Set! This match's--! the announcer started before Apollo shakily stood up. Wait, Gold still has power left!

Ash watched as Blaze heaved another Flamethrower to counter Apollo's Quick Attack. "Okay! Try Seismic Toss!"

He did not, however, expect Apollo's feet to ignite, allowing him to deliver a powerful flaming kick to Blaze! "BLAAAAAAAAAZE!!!"

[HAAAAAAAHHHH!] Blaze roared back as he heaved a desperate Dragon Rage to meet Apollo's Flamethrower, despite the massive attack he had just taken.

When the smoke cleared some moments later, both Pokémon struggled to get up, to the murmurs of the crowd as Apollo was up first. "Blaze...are you okay?" Ash hurried to his Mega Charizard Y's side.

Blaze wheezed. [I did my best, but that fiery kick attack--whatever THAT was---was just too...] He then collapsed to the ground in exhaustion.

Ash listened in horror as the announcer told the crowd [i]Game Set! This match's winner is...Gold! "No..." he finally whispered. "I was so close..."

He did his hardest to fight back tears as he ran to collect his fallen companion...

---------

"...A hundred kings and queens in all sat down to the wedding feast. The wedding lasted ninety-nine days and ninety-nine nights in all, and every night was better than the one before." Brock finally concluded his epic tale some time later.

The crowd exploded in applause as Brock took a bow. Number K-93098 is the winner, and is worthy of being called a Master of Lore! the announcer cried as the judges arrived with a gold medal depicting a rainbow coming from an open book.

"Thank you..." was all Brock could say as the gold medallion was slipped around his neck, to thunderous cheers.

As he departed the Grand Lore Stage arena, he found Ash on a bench wiping tears from his eyes. "What happened?" he asked as Misty, Ethan, and Lyra arrived.

"I...lost to Harrison." Ash choked out a reply as he wiped away a tear. "Harrison's Blaziken used this crazy powerful attack that even took down Blaze in Mega Evolved form!"

Delia arrived soon afterwards. "Oh, Ash...what happened?" she asked as she joined him on the bench.

Ash collected himself, then explained "It wasn't so much a crushing defeat as it was a crazy powerful attack Blaze had no chance against, even when Mega Evolved."

"Do you feel comfortable talking about it, or do you need your space?" Delia asked as she gave Ash a box of Kleenexes.

"I think I can talk about it a bit." Ash replied as he wiped away his tears.

"Well, no matter if it was a video game boss you couldn't beat, losing a game, or losing a Pokemon battle, I've always loved how you just seem to bounce back from a loss." Delia smiled. "It may hurt in the heat of the moment, but you are a good sport about it, and before long you're ready to go again."

"It's like Dad always says--even the losses have lessons." Ash agreed, a weak smile forming on his face.

"Well, what do you think you could learn from a close loss like this?" Delia asked.

"Sometimes the best offense is a good defense." Ash suggested.

Brock nodded in agreement. "Having said that, sometimes the loss will happen not because of something you did or did not do, but things beyond your control. Maybe this was one of those."

"You gave your best, true; but a true Pokemon Master strives to continually hone their skills, losses and all." Misty added.

"Thanks, you guys..." Ash smiled. "I feel better already."

---------

"Bye, Brenna..." Ash gave Brenna one last hug as Officer Jenny looked on. "Tell the Squad I said hi!"

[Okay!] Brenna replied before hurrying back to Officer Jenny's side.

Delia smiled as she admired the medallion Ash had received for reaching the top eight. "Elite Eight---even though you narrowly lost, you sill improved from your first League--and that's something to celebrate!"

Prof. Oak smiled. "You still gave your all in that match--you've improved a lot from your debut in the Kanto League. As to how to defeat a Blaziken's Blaze Kick--what that attack that took Blaze down was--it may be worth it to travel to Houen and see Blazikens and Kecleons in their native land."

"I may do that, but first I wanna head home and have a victory pizza party!" Ash smiled.

He smiled as Blaze landed by him, good as new. [Ah, nothing like a little TLC from Nurse Joy and her crew...] he purred. [You're not mad at me for choking on you, are ya?]

"Nope--we were just overwhelmed against an attack we had no chance against." Ash replied as he hugged Blaze. "Have a safe flight back, keep getting stronger...and tell Liza and the tribe I said hello!"

[I will--you know I'm only a whistle away if you need me.] Blaze replied.

After waving goodbye as Blaze took off into the setting sun, Ash turned to Misty and Brock, who both had medallions of their own. "So? How did you do in your competitions?"

"I got silver on the Water track..." Misty proudly showed Ash a silver medallion depicting the Pokethlon logo and a wave.

"...and I got a gold medal for 'The Legend of Daniel the Daring'." Brock showed Ash his own medal. "Pizza sounds wonderful about now..."

----------

That night, the group found Harrison by the nearby river, looking up at the moon and stars. "Got room for a few more?" Ash asked as he sat down on a nearby stump, while Misty sat down by the bank, and Brock looked on from nearby a tree.

"Sure..." Harrison replied. "You're not mad about losing to me?"

"Not at all--you are clearly stronger than me." Ash replied. "If I can, I wanna come down to Houen and compete in the League there."

"Well, you did great yourself." Harrison assured Ash. "Seeing you induce Blaze makes want to find where in Houen you can awaken Mega Evolution, and learn to induce Anubis and Apollo."

"Speaking of which...Apollo doing okay?" Brock asked.

"Apollo's going to be just fine." Harrison replied. "He's taken bigger beatings than that before."

He smiled. "I believe you would do very well against Houen's best, and maybe we can have a rematch."

"What's Prof. Birch like, for when I do make it down to Houen?" Ash wondered.

"He's very much a do-er." Harrison replied. "He'd much rather be out in the field doing research than trapped behind a desk. He has a son named Brendan--who is about your age."

"All the more reason to come--I'd like to meet him!" Ash smiled.

Harrison smiled back. "Well, I'm gonna get some sleep--you have safe travels yourselves."

"We will." Ash replied, waving as Harrison departed.

Gary arrived soon after. "I heard about your crushing defeat from Gramps..." he began. "I'm still proud of you for coming close."

"Thanks." Ash replied.

"After our match yesterday, I've been thinking..." Gary mused as he sat on the bank. "When a Magikarp evolves to a Gyarados and a Remoraid evolves into an Octillery, they change form completely. I think it's time I change form too--I wanna be a Pokémon researcher, like Gramps."

"Really?" Ash was shocked.

"Yeah...while I can't even begin to say sorry for all those times I was an arrogant hothead, I do regret all those nasty things I said and all those putdowns." Gary explained. "But will you at least forgive me for being a jerk? No more are we rivals...but friends."

"Yeah--it's always better to forgive and forget." Ash smiled as he embraced Gary. "I can't wait to see what amazing things you discover in your research!"

"And I can't wait to see what new and exotic places you travel to." Gary grinned.

"If I find any cool and exotic Pokemon while I'm challenging a League, you'll be the first to know!" Ash smiled back.

---------

"And so the League is over..." Misty smiled as she watched the medal ceremony and the presentation of the winner's cup on her PokeNav the next morning.

"I'm taking the back way to Pallet through the mountain..." Gary began. "Save me some of that pizza!"

"I'll tell Dad to save you some sausage." Ash replied before addressing Harrison. "So? Where are you going from here?"

"I'd be interested in visiting Kanto myself." Harrison replied. "I wonder how Apollo would do in the Indigo League?"

"I think he'd do great." Ash smiled. "As for us, we're headed back to Viridian City and then on to Pallet Town from there."

He spotted Ethan and Lyra on the outside of the League complex. "But there's still two more people we have to say goodbye to..."

To Be Continued...