The sun was fading behind the oak trees where the nest of metapod slowly rocked themselves to sleep. In the distance a flock of pidgey flew into the sunset, and oddish's were popping up to spray their nectar around. The only noise that could be heard was the soft crackle of a campfire and a person who was setting up for the night. This person was a female pokemon trainer named Sakura.

Sakura was eighteen, quite slight, with a lock of platinum blonde hair tumbling down her back. She was wearing dark blue converse, black denim hot pants with two belts that formed a cross over her hips; the top most belt was adorned with her six pokeballs. Her top was a blue crop top with a sliver pokeball design and on each of her wrists she had two black wristbands both with silver pokeball designs. Sakura was one of the few and youngest trainers to have made it to the hall of fame. She only trained fire element pokemon. As she moved around the camp getting out her sleeping bag an excited pikachu skipped around her ankles. This pikachu was not a normal lighting mouse, all over its yellow body it was covered in strange crimson marks that almost resembled flames, these marks roes up from its feet, arms, along his back, across his face and down his ears.

Finishing her preparations of camp, Sakura changed into her baggy t-shirt and sleeping shorts and snuggled down into her blue sleeping bag. Looking over at the pikachu she clapped her hands and held her arms open. The pikachu needed no further encouragement; it bounded over and flung itself into her arms. Sakura hugged the little pokemon and he in turn snuggled into her embrace making content noises. Still in each other's arms Sakura lay down, turning away from the dieing fire and closed her eyes.

"Night Crimson" Sakura whispered before falling asleep under the first few stars.

Sakura groggily woke up around two in the morning to the sound of people moving around her camp. Looking round she saw by the dim moonlight a group of people sneaking around, unloading her rucksacks and taking her pokeballs which contained her pokemon! She could see that these people were all wearing the same uniform with a large R on the front. These people were a gang of pokemon thieves known as team rocket who worked for the rich and evil Giovanni. Sakura jumped up (as quickly as one can from a sleeping bag) and stood.

"Hey what are you doing with my stuff!" All eight rocks looked at her, she knew she hardly looked formidable in her pyjamas with a sleepy Crimson in her arms.

"She has the pikachu, get it that's the one he wants!" yelled a male rocket as he lunged at her. Sakura sent the man flying to the earth with a skilled kick. This however seemed to make things worse, the rockets now were infuriated. Three of them grabbed their pokeballs. Cries of "I choose you…" "Raticat", "Mankey", "Venusaur" filled the camp.

"Oh no" Sakura squeaked, Crimson was still to sleepy to attack so Sakura knew the only the only thing she could do was run for her life. She ran into the forest carrying Crimson with her, she seemed to run for ages until she tripped over something big. Hitting her head sharply on the floor, tears filled her eyes as the world started to spin. They were going to get her now, and take all her beloved pokemon from her.

The thing that she had tripped on was in fact a person called Matt, who had been asleep in his sleeping bag. He woke up to Sakura's beautiful face illuminated in the soft moonlight. Her eyes were bright and stunning and Matt fell in love with her straight away, he would always remember the night he met the love of his life, with eyes brighter than stars. Sakura had noticed that she had fallen over a person rather than a tree root and she stared at Matt. He had a handsome, serious face with dark, deep eyes and black spiky hair that flopped over his face.

"Please…please help me," she begged, "they have taken all my pokemon apart from Crimson!" Matt stood from his sleeping bag, he was just about to help he too her feet and ask who had taken her pokemon, when the team rocket members and their three pokemon burst into his camp site answering his unasked question.

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!" the rockets called. Matt looked down at the girl who was still crouching on the ground, quivering with fright and clinging to her last pokemon for dear life.

"Why not?" said Matt with a huge grin on his face…

"Go, Wartortle!" cried Matt as he threw a pokeball high into the air. Out popped a large turtle pokemon who had shiny fur, strong muscles and a hard skull. The rockets were not as stupid as they looked and one of the females of the group sent forth the Venusaur, commanding.

"Venusaur, solar-beam!"

The huge pokemon began to gather the energy for the attack while Matt gave a command.

"Wartortle, double team" Wartortle closed his eyes in concentration, suddenly it flung out its arms and many duplications were created making a ring around Venusaur. The large bulb pokemon whirled around in confusion of so many enemies. It fired its solar-beam and hit Wartortle right in the chest. Sakura gasped but the Wartortle just disappeared, so did the others leaving only the original.

"Wartortle, use your hydro-pump against the ground!" The pokemon obeyed the command and sent itself high into the air. Venusaur was still recharging from its last attack so Matt gave the leading command.

"Wartortle, skull bash!" From high up Wartortle heard Matt and he turned is head towards Venusaur and fell towards him. Wartortle smashed his hard skull into Venusaur, given the added force of gravity Wartortle's attack knocked the rockets pokemon unconscious.

"Yes!" Matt cheered. The female rocket threw her pokeball and reclaimed her fallen Venusaur, while Raticat and Mankey both stepped forward. Matt raised his eyebrow, his Wartortle was probably one of the strongest in the world, and he had managed to dispatch a plant pokemon so easily, what chance would these normal pokemon stand!

"Wartortle bubble beam them all!" Wartortle grinned and inhaled for the attack, suddenly it blew out large bubbles that exploded when they touched. The rockets and their pokemon fled leaving all Sakura's stuff behind. Their howls as the bubbles continued to pop on them could be heard for quite a while after.

Matt smiled and turned back to the girl but he sobered when he saw her. She was swaying as she clutched her head. Looking up at him she tried to stand. She managed it just as he reached her side, only to have her legs give way under her. Matt caught her as she fell and carefully took her into his arms. Walking over to his sleeping bag he laid her down on it. Gently he felt her head where she had held it, and found a rather large lump where her head had connected rather forcefully with the ground. Slowly Sakura's eyes flickered open, finding Matt's concerned face hovering above her. Gathering her wits together she spoke.

"Have…have they gone!"

"Yes don't worry, they will think twice before bothering anyone for a while." Sakura smiled.

"My pokeballs? Crimson? My stuff?" she questioned, it was getting hard to keep her eyes open. In answer Matt got up and walked to her stuff, there he found the belt with her pokeballs. Crimson in the meantime had walked over to Sakura. The poor pikachu was feeling ashamed, his tail dragging along the floor. He felt bad that his poor mistress and best friend had been hurt and he hadn't been able to defend her. Sakura turned to him and smiled.

"Crimson I'm so glad your safe. I don't know what I would do if I lost any of you." Crimson rubbed his check against hers affectionately just as Matt came back over.

"Here, look all your pokemon safe and sound." He smiled and so did she though her eyes fluttered shut.

"Thank you so much…"

"Its Matt."

"Thanks Matt, I'm Sakura." With that she fell asleep. Matt placed her pokeballs by her side. Gazing down at her beautiful face he felt happy that he had been able to help her. Gently stroking the side of her face he whispered "your welcome, Sakura."

Getting up he gathered and organised the rest of Sakura's stuff into his camp, while Crimson kept vigil over Sakura.