Some people are considered, "Great" either by accomplishment or birth. Some have received the coveted title because of a discovery while other's had to work hard and fight every day towards the goal of being "great". And even after one attains such a coveted title only one in the world can be known as the "Greatest" and it is to this end that we find Ash Ketchum flying over the great Pokemon ocean towards his next gym battle in his quest to be the greatest Pokemon master in the world.
Pokemon are mystical creatures that roam the world where resides Ash Ketchum. There are many different types of Pokemon which trainers use to battle and become better as a team with these creatures while others use them to accomplish their evil designs.
Ash was an optimistic Pokemon trainer who wore a red cap that had a symbol from the Pokemon League etched on the front. He wore a black shirt and a blue jacket. On his shoulders he often carried Pikachu who has been his trusted companion since he began his Pokemon journey. Pikachu looked like a mouse with yellow fur and brown stripes going down it's back, a lightning-like tail warned others that this was an electric type Pokemon. With him were two other trainers called Misty and Brock.
Misty had fiery red short hair that she put into a semi ponytail on the side of her head. She typically wore a yellow shirt, short shorts and red suspenders. Her Pokemon were typically water-type.
Brock was a Pokemon breeder who had joined Ash when Ash had defeated him at his gym near the beginning of his Pokemon journey. He had a dark skin tone and typically wore an army vest with a rusty shirt and brown cargo pants. His Pokemon were typically rock types.
Now that the scene is set let the story begin.
Ash looked down at the water below watching the Remoraids jump up out of the water following Pidgeot, a bird Pokemon large enough to carry our three heroes on it's back with ease. "Huh? Look at that Pikachu!" he said to his trusty companion who looked down at the water and smiled, "Pikachu!" it said contently.
"We should be close to Cinnabar Island, Ash." Brock stated struggling to hold onto the map that was flailing around in the wind.
"That's cool that they opened a new gym there. After the other one burned down I thought it would be a lot longer before Cinnabar Island got a new one, after all as a gym on top of a volcano it is possible for it to be burned down again." Misty added holding close to her a speckled egg that had a face out the top, "Togepi!" it said contentedly at most anything Misty said.
"Yeah I can't wait to see if Charizard can beat down Magmar again." Ash said thinking back on his first run in with Blaine at the Pokemon gym. Charizard started to finally listen to Ash when he and Ash worked together to beat this tough opponent.
A strong wind rose up from the ocean. "Brrr, that's cold." Misty said putting Togepi in her draw string bag that she carried with her.
"What do you mean cold? We're heading across the tropics." Brock said confused
"What do you think I mean!?" Misty said showing off her fiery temper, "I mean it's cold! Just Because you're too pig headed…" Ash interrupted Misty in mid sentence
"Look!" he said pointing in front of them. The sky had turned black and Pidgeot started to shake rapidly in the mounting turbulence of an oncoming storm.
"This looks bad, we might want to find somewhere to land and wait for the storm to pass." Brock suggested. "Pikachu!" Pikachu said in agreement.
Ash looked below not expecting to find an island in the middle of the ocean, "Look over there!" Misty said pointing out to an island that was just barely visible in the distance.
"All right!" Ash said, "Pidgeot fly towards that island."
"Pidgeooo!" Pidgeot cried in response and tilted itself until it was heading straight for the island.
Just as they made landfall it started to downpour so Ash quickly called in Pidgeot back to the Pokeball and they all ran into the woods to look for shelter. The rain sounded like beads hitting a tin roof through the dense foliage of the woods. They ran quickly through snapping branches and stinging thorns. Pikachu had found a damp refuge in Ash's vest but that provided very little protection to the elements.
Finally they spotted an old log cabin, they ran up and entered in without even knocking closing the door hard behind them. They looked around, "Hello?" Ash called into the house but the lack of response and abundance of cobwebs told the group that this house was definitely abandoned. Pikachu climbed out of Ash's coat and shook itself to get rid of the water that had doused it's fur. Brock looked at the fireplace and saw that there was still wood in it and to the side.
"Well that's strange!?" Misty said pensively, "it's like the people never came back." She continued suddenly getting a strange chill.
"Ash did you notice anything strange about the forest on the way over here?" Brock asked putting his chin in-between his pointer finger and thumb.
"You noticed it too huh? No Pokemon at all." Ash concluded
Misty thought about their run through the forest. In such a lush forest there should have been hundreds of grass type Pokemon enjoying the heavy rain but there wasn't even a sound. "I don't like this place, I think we should probably leave." Misty said nervously.
The group turned and whirled at every breeze and whistle that seemed to pervade the house like it's tenants. "Well we can't go anywhere in this storm so we might as well light the fire and cook up some dinner.
"All right, Cyndoquil I choose you!" Ash said throwing a Pokeball. A red flash of light came out as the pokeball opened through the middle. The red light turned into a beam that flew out to the center of the room and started to take form. Suddenly the red light went back into the pokeball and the ball flew back into Ash's hand.
"Huh that was weird." Ash said with a blank expression on his face, "Maybe I should try again." Ash did try again but the same result and Misty and Brock tried the same with their Pokemon but for some reason none of the pokemon came out. It always started to solidify before going back into the pokeball.
"Something's definitely wrong here!" Brock said and ran to the door. He flung it open only to see buckets of rain pouring down. The wind howled through the trees like wolves and the panes of the window shuttered under the massive gusts and one could hear the trees falling in the distance.
Brock closed the door, "Well for better or worse we need to stay here." He said going over to the fireplace. "Pikachu would you mind?" He said gesturing to the wood. "Pika!" Pikachu said happily walking over to the charcoals.
"Piiikaaachuuu!" Pikachu yelled sending out a wave of electricity that found it's mark on the pile of wood lighting it quickly. The room burst into a dance of red and orange and one could see the layout much better. It was an old cabin with wicker furniture that had cushions on it surrounding the fireplace. There were two end-tables on either side of the chairs where some old fashioned oil lamps were found.
Ash took one lamp and Misty took the other lighting it in the now roaring blaze of the fireplace and went to explore the rest of the house while Brock took out his kitchen set and started to cook up some dinner. Ash found an old bedroom that had a simple chest with a Victorian style mirror and a large metal bed. Everything seemed eerily neat as though it was prepared before it was abandoned. The thought sent a chill down the back of Ash's neck.
Meanwhile, Misty looked around a small hallway that seemed to lead to a quaint bathroom and a small room with a single bed. There was a window in there that seemed to look out onto the mountain but with the rain coming down like a stream across the windows every moving limb looked like a face. It sent a chill down Misty's back and she walked slowly back to the central area where Brock had just finished making dinner.
After dinner everyone crowded around the fireplace in some emergency blankets that Brock had stored in his pack. No one wanted to go sleep in the different rooms, the overall feeling of the place was dark and creepy. Pikachu had curled up on Ash's lap and was sound asleep and the sound of tiny breaths came from Misty's pack signifying that Togepi was asleep as well.
Every snap and howl had the trio's hearts thump wildly until they were just too scared to stay awake and slowly fell asleep.
Thank you for reading the first chapter of my attempted rendition with Pokemon, to true fanatics out there I apologize if I have failed to capture the essence of Pokemon as it has been a while since I've seen it, Ultima S. Next Midnight Panic!