It was a normal day. Travel as usual, heading to the next town to take on my next Gym for badge number five. I keep a tight hold of my backpack straps and trek onwards along the dirt path of the mountain. As I walk I occasionally hold up a hand to block out the sun from my eyes until I'm walking in a direction away from it. I'd been following this twisting mountain trail for what seemed like hours now.

"When will this trail ever end? And no excitement at all either..."

There had been no wild Pokémon encounters at all. Not even a single trainer either.

"Hopefully the next town will be at least-"

"Help! Someone help please!"

I stop immediately and look around.

"Help! Someone! Please!"

I turn in the direction of where the call was coming from. I start to head in that direction, but then I stop and turn around and look at the trail I was just on.

"Help me!"

I close my eyes and dart off towards the cry for help.

"I'll just have to make up for lost time later..." I grumble to myself.

I race off the beaten path and around some boulders and off a short cliff.

"Good thing I'm in shape." I joke to myself, trying to keep my mind focused.

"HELP ME!"

The cry was closer, very close. Over the next ridge I spot the victim. It was a woman stuck under a boulder.

"Hang on! I'm coming to help you!"

Again I race down to the voice of distress and up the woman.

"Hang on, I'm here to help you!"

I reach for my Pokéballs, but then I suddenly can't move my arm.

"Ggg...gggack..."

I feel my body constricted and my muscles cramped up.

"Gaaaaaahhh!"

I was frozen in place. The woman who was calling for help just a moment ago had a huge grin across her face. The boulder she was under moved and rolled to the side, revealing itself as a Graveler.

"Hehehe... So noble of you~"

I couldn't move my body, but I could still blink and move my eyes. I looked around and saw two more people, dressed in black with a red R on their chest, come from behind a boulder. Team Rocket.

"Why don't you just hand over your Pokémon, hmm darling? Oh please, don't go through the trouble, let me~"

The woman takes the Pokéballs from my backpack strap and sticks them in her pocket.

"Thanks dear."

She gives me a sweet, but evil smile and goes to join her two goons. I then finally get to see the culprit of who had me immobilized. It was a Gardevoir and it belonged to the woman cause she returned it to her Pokéball. Suddenly I could move again and the cramping in my joints instantly faded. I drop to my knees and breathe heavily to help relieve the stress my body just went through.

"Wh-what did you do to me...?"

The three turn back to me and one of the guys answer.

"We just had Gardevoir use Disable on you, no big deal. Now be on your way, or we'll have you personally escorted."

The nearby Graveler rolls over to me and stares down. As it rolls over I quickly scramble to my feet, but fall back on my butt. I look up at it, then over at the Team Rocket members.

"This isn't fair! Give me my Pokémon back!"

I grit my teeth and get up, darting towards the Team Rocket members.

"I'll get you for this! Give me my Pokémon back!"

I was infuriated that they would just trap me like this. I was only a foot away before I suddenly hear a crash and I go flipping through the air. I scream and flail before landing on my back a good four feet away. I cough and groan and roll onto my side, holding my back with a hand.

"Ooohhh...what...was that...? Ugghh..."

"Hmm. The kid just doesn't get it. Let's go."

The third Team Rocket member returns her Graveler,

"I just had my Graveler use Magnitude. You'd better be glad it was a weak one too."

She smirks and the three start to head off. I get to my feet and try to follow them, but I wince and hobble.

"Agh!"

I look down and hold my leg. I had sprained it when I landed. I try to limp after them, but I fail and lean against a rock. Tears begin to fill my eyes as I watch them walk off into the horizon of boulders, this was it...the end of my story. Then suddenly a large pillar of fire shoots across in front of the Team Rocket members and creates a wall of fire to block their progress. The Team Rocket members jump back and look around for the culprit. I just stare, wondering what just happened. Out of the corner of my eye, on the right, I see a girl step out from behind a rock with her Quilava.

"Shellos, Zubat! You're up!"

The girl tossed two Pokéballs towards the Team Rocket members and out popped a Shellos and a Zubat. The Shellos was blue.

"An...East Sea Shellos...?" I say to myself.

I stay where I am and watch, not wanting to get involved or get in the way somehow. The Team Rocket members reach to throw out their Pokémon, but the girl was quicker.

"Quickly Zubat use Supersonic on them!"

The Zubat flies by the three and lets out a nauseating screech. The Team Rocket members quickly cover the ears when hearing the sound and drop to their knees. I wasn't being targeted, but I could still feel the effects of the attack because I could still hear the sound. I started to get dizzy and my stomach churned. I held my head and dropped to my knees as well. The Zubat gets done immobilizing the three and then the girl gives another order.

"Now Zubat, stay on alert, if they do anything weird use Supersonic."

The girl then walks over.

"Now hand over the stolen Pokémon."

She then holds out her hand.

"Over our dead bodies!"

The faker woman, who I'm starting to think is this group's leader, quickly reaches and pulls a gun on the girl. But just as the group leader moved, the Zubat used Supersonic and caused the Team Rocket member to drop her weapon.

"The Pokémon if you please." The mysterious girl asked, politely but also forcefully.

After enough Supersonic the Team Rocket members handed over my Pokémon to the girl.

"Now beat it before I barbecue you all."

As she said that, the girl's Quilava started to charge up a Flamethrower. The Team Rocket members calmly get up and walk away as they were at a major disadvantage. Once the coast was clear the girl comes over to me, followed by her Pokémon, and hands me my Pokémon. I take them and smile up at her.

"Oh thank you, thank you! You have no idea how much-"

The girl holds up a hand and pulls out earplugs out of her ears.

"You were saying?" She smiles.

"Oh so that's why Supersonic didn't affect you."

"Yup." She sits next to me.

"I just want to thank you so much. I thought I was done for."

"It's not a problem, in fact I'm glad you came along. See I was out here hunting for a Sandshrew when I heard that woman crying for help. I was making my way towards them, but I saw that two of those Rocket members were hiding behind a rock. Right then I knew something was fishy so I hid and waited as well."

As she explained she pointed and showed me the direction she came from where she spotted the Team Rocket members.

"Oh so you were able to spot them."

"Yup!"

I smile and look at her Pokémon.

"You've got some strong Pokémon."

"Yes, my Quilava is the toughest I have right now."

She smiles and pets her Quilava.

"And what about your Shellos, I see you have an Eastern Sea Shellos."

"Mmhmm." She nods.

"But why did you call it into battle? You didn't even use it."

The girl just smiles and grabs her Shellos and sits it on her lap.

"He's lucky. I always have him out whenever situations get tough. And he's always pulled through too."

I chuckle. "Well I believe you on that one."

We both laugh at that.

"Oh, by the way, my name is Caleb." I smile again and hold out my hand.

The girl takes it and gives it a quick shake. "I'm Whitney."