The More, The Better
Chapter 1
Narrator: Arina Ketchum, Ash and Misty Ketchum's daughter, has set out on her Pokemon journey with her traveling companion, Rob Oak. After a turbulent start, things seem to be looking up for the trainers. Arina's foot has healed and the two trainers are in the last leg of Viridian forest, heading for Pewter City...
"Are we there yet?" My baby Pikachu's voice floated from one of the Pokeballs at my waist.
I rolled my eyes. My Pokemon had asked me this question about a hundred times today and I was starting to get sick of it. Rob and I had been traveling through Viridian Forest now for about three or four days, catching various Pokemon.
"For the last time, Pikachu, no!" I answered my baby Pikachu in an annoyed tone. "We won't be in Pewter City until tomorrow afternoon, at least."
"Hey, look!" Rob quieted me as he halted. "Look up ahead." A small blue animal without arms was standing not a hundred feet away, staring straight at us.
"A Poliwag!" I whispered in excitement. "But what's a water Pokemon doing in the middle of a forest this large?"
"Dunno," Rob said, "Unless..."
I looked over at Rob curiously, "Unless what?"
"Unless there's a body of water nearby."
"I don't remember your map saying there was water until Pewter City."
"Then maybe we're closer to Pewter than we thought. Either way, one of us better capture that Poliwag before it gets away."
"I've got a better idea." I said as I dug Bulbasaur's Pokeball from out of my backpack.
"Bulbasaur! Go!" I cried and threw the Pokeball close to the Poliwag, catching it off guard. "Bulbasaur, tackle!"
"Bulba!" (Sure!) And Bulbasaur tackled the water Pokemon. My hunch was right: Tackling did little damage to the Poliwag. Frightened, it ran off.
"Rob, follow it! I'll catch up!"
Rob ran after the Poliwag while I retrieved Bulbasaur and grabbed my pack. I didn't have far to go. After a patch of closely grown trees, there was a clearing, and off to the side of that clearing was -
"A pond! I knew it!" I cried at my arrival. Rob was kneeling by the water as I came up to him.
"The Poliwag jumped in before I could get Charmander out its Pokeball," he said disappointedly.
"That's ok; I'm sure there are plenty of other water Pokemon here, but if they smell humans, they may not come out at all."
Rob nodded. "Let's stakeout the pond. We'll wait for them to come out of hiding and then take them by surprise."
So we waited for our opportunity by staying about a yard or so away, keeping an eye on it from behind some shrubs, using Rob's binoculars. An hour later, our waiting was rewarded as a tiny blue head quietly broke the surface.
"Bingo!" I smiled as the Squirtle hoisted itself onto the shore.
"What do you see?" Rob asked. He was busy at the moment making lunch for all of us.
"A Squirtle, and now the Poliwag that got away from us. I'll bet there are tons of water Pokemon in that lake." I licked my lips in anticipation.
"And wouldn't you know it, you're out of Pokeballs." Rob commented.
I looked back at Rob and sighed. There was no way I was going to beg him for empty Pokeballs; I wasn't that desperate. "I forgot."
"You could try something. I don't know if it would work though."
"What's your idea?"
"Take all your Pokemon out and use their Pokeballs to catch the new Pokemon. A little walking won't kill them."
"Good idea, Rob!" I cried, and let my Pokemon out. Weedle was sound asleep, but all the others were awake. "Good afternoon." I poked Weedle gently, with only little success of rousing it awake.
"Weed-Weedle." it yawned.
"It's time for lunch," I announced, "and while you are eating, Rob and I are going to check out the pond over there for some water Pokemon and then I'm going to use your Pokeballs to catch them."
"Pika?!"
"Weed?!"
"Bulb?!"
"Ratta?!"
"Spear?!"
"Pidgey?!"
All: (WHAT?!)
"It's ok! You're only going to do a small bit of walking before we reach Pewter. Then I'll get you some new Pokeballs at the market."
"Lunchtime, everyone!" Rob called. The Pokemon ran over to Rob to get their chow and after they were served, Rob and I went back to observing the pond for another half hour while the Pokemon ate and rested. The inhabitants seemed to have forgotten the momentary danger of us, because it was now teaming with life.
"Sandshrew can't fight very well against water Pokemon. My Charmander and Rattata will be good." Rob said thoughtfully.
"And Bulbasaur and Pikachu will work for me," I added, "and then we can weaken them with our other Pokemon as required."
"Shall we?"
"Let's!" I smiled.
* * * *
"Bulbasaur, Tackle attack!" I cried. The Squirtle we'd cornered on land was no match for Bulbasaur. One more pounce and it was ready for the Pokeball.
Bulbasaur tackled the Squirtle, leaving it rocking on its shell, dazed.
"Pokeball, Go!" The catch went off without a hitch. The Squirtle was sucked into the Pokeball, and then the Pokeball disappeared, on its way to Professor Oak.
"All right! Way to go Bulbasaur!" I cried. "You were fantastic! Let's see how Rob's doing, then we'll try to catch some more."
"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur agreed, as it and the rest of my Pokemon followed me.
* * * *
Meanwhile, as Bulbasaur and I were walking around the other side of the pond, we saw Charmander and Rob observing a sleepy Poliwag, sunning itself on a rock. Rob noticed a large rock nearby in the water that Charmander could stand on to flame the Poliwag.
"Charmander!" Rob called, once it was positioned. "Tackle!"
"Char!"
"Poly?" the Poliwag slowly opened its eyes to see a Charmander about to fall on top of it.
"Charmander, Ember attack!"
"Charm!"
The Poliwag jumped around, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the embers. It jumped off its rock and into the water, fighting back with Watergun. Charmander yelped and dashed back to land.
"Charmander! Go back out there and fight!" Rob cried angrily.
"Char-Char-Charmand!" (Rob, water Pokemon scare me!) Charmander held up his tail. "Char-Charman-Char-Char-Charma-Char!" (The second they get water on my tail, I'm doomed!)
Rob sighed, and tossed out another Pokeball. "Rattata, I choose you," he said half-heartedly. However, the Poliwag, sensing the imminent danger of being caught, disappeared under the water again.
"Arg!" Rob threw up his hands in frustration. "We're never going to catch a Water Pokemon!"
"Char-Char." (Sorry, Rob.)
Rob sighed. "So am I." he flopped down on the grassy bank.
I came over to them then, Bulbasaur at my heels. "Hey guys, any luck?"
"No. Charmander got scared by a Poliwag." Rob said dully.
Charmander was obviously hurt by that remark. "Charmander," it said quietly.
"Aw Rob, give it a break. Charmander's are weakened by water attacks." I argued. "I don't blame it one bit for being scared." Charmander walked over to me and hid behind my leg. "Char."
No response from Rob.
I threw up my hands. "Oh Rob, there's no reason to be upset. We've got a long way to go. You'll get your water Pokemon eventually."
Rob remained silent.
Fed up with his silent tantrum, I crossed my arms in front of me. "Fine, Charmander and I are going onto Pewter -" a sudden trembling in the ground made me stop. "What's that?" I asked, as the trembling grew stronger. Rob was watching the water in the lake, which was now boiling furiously. The trembling grew even more and I lost my balance and fell to the ground. One of the large rocks that were in the pond was now moving upwards. We watched the rock grow taller until finally it stopped and a Blastoise's head popped out of the top. That wasn't any rock! It was a Blastoise's shell!
The Blastoise turned around, and spotted us packing up our Pokemon. It roared angrily as we started to run.
"Keep running, Rob!" I cried. I'd been hit by my Dad's Squirtle's Watergun enough times to know a Blastoise's power would knock us into next year. After racing back into the safety of the forest, Rob asked a few minutes later, "Do you hear anything now?"
"No, do you think we got away -" I was cut off suddenly as something lifted me off the ground. It was a large bubble - and now Rob was lifting off on one too! Hundreds of bubbles floated through the air around us as they rose past the Viridian forest treetops and into the open sky.
"What just happened?" Rob asked as he floated close to me.
"Blastoise's bubble attack, I think." I said in surprise as I managed to get into a sitting position on top of my bubble. "I'm surprised these bubbles are strong enough to hold us. Maybe they can take us all the way to Pewter City."
"Great! Thank you Blastoise!" Rob called back to the pond. A roar answered him and more bubbles followed.
I giggled. "Nice going, Rob, maybe next you'll win us a trip to one of those fabulous resorts."
"If you want me to," Rob smiled, then frowned. "Hey Arina, we're drifting away from each other!"
"Quick, give me your hand!" I cried, struggling to stretch my hand to meet his without falling off the slippery bubble.
"We're too far apart!" Rob shook his head.
"What do we do?" I was frantic, for whatever reason I couldn't imagine.
"Just go on our journeys, we'll meet up later." Rob called out. I wondered how he could be so calm.
So we floated away from one another, Rob to the east, and me to the north.
"Rattata-Ratta?" (What are we going to do now?), Rattata asked as it popped its head out of my backpack. I had used its Pokeball for the Squirtle.
"We need to find Pewter City, there's no use chasing after Rob now. Spearow, Pidgey, I choose you!" I threw out two Pokeballs and the two birds appeared.
"Spear-Spearow-Spear!" Spearow called. (I can find out where Pewter City is!)
Not to be outdone, Pidgey cried, "Pidge-Pidge-Pidgey!" (And I can push the bubble in the direction Spearow finds the city!)
I clapped my hands in delight as I pressed one knee into the bubble and suddenly fell into it! Luckily, the bottom held so I didn't fall back to Earth. Spearow flew off while Rattata stayed on my lap wanting to see the view. Fifteen minutes later, Spearow came back to the bubble, cawing excitedly. Pewter City wasn't far away at all! Pidgey used Gust to push the bubble in the direction Spearow was leading.
"Good job, Spearow and Pidgey, I see the city now," I said.
"Rattata?"
"Yep, it does look pretty gray, doesn't it, Rattata? That's Pewter City all right. The whole city is famous for two things: stone, and the Pewter City Gym."
"A GYM?!" Rattata shrieked in its own language.
"Yes, a Gym. What's wrong?"
The rest of my Pokemon came out again, all looking scared.
"We're not ready for a Gym battle!" Pika-baby squeaked.
"How do you know?" I crossed my arms in front of me, and looked at all of them.
"Weedle-Weedle-Wee-le-Weed!" (I'd have to be a Beedrill to beat a Gym Leader!)
"Oh have some faith in yourselves!" I cried. "Besides, I happen to know the family that runs the Pewter Gym." I winked. "Don't worry, we'll be fine."
I signaled to Pidgey and Spearow to help the bubble land at the edge of Pewter City. As it touched down, the bubble popped silently with me standing and ready to go. Pikachu, Rattata, and Bulbasaur walked beside me, Pidgey and Spearow flew next to me and Weedle crawled up on my shoulder. I stared out at the city before us. Were we really ready for a Gym Battle, I wondered. We hadn't met up with any trainers in Viridian Forest, save Rob, so my Pokemon hadn't racked up any battle wins/losses or experience points.
I bit my lip. I'd only fail if I didn't try. Trying not to sound as nervous as I really felt, I said, "Come on everyone, let's go win a badge."
* * * *
"Well guys, here we are, the Pewter City Gym." I said a bit too loudly as we stood in front of the building made out of boulders.
"Bulbasaur-Bulb?"
"Of course I'm sure about this!"
"Weed-Weedle?" (Then why are you yelling at us?)
There was a tentative silence. "Let's go -" I was suddenly cut off by a male cry from my right and before I could react, I was grabbed and thrown over someone's shoulder, Weedle falling to the ground. As I was rushed off, I saw my Pokemon staring after me in confusion.
* * * *
Not three minutes later, my assailant opened the back door to a house and plunked me onto a couch. As my eyes adjusted, I realized I was staring at no one else but Brock Stone! He did not look happy!
"U-Uncle Brock?" I asked.
He pointed at me. "Young lady, you are in some serious trouble! Who do you think you are, running away like that?"
"Huh?!"
"Your parents are worried sick because of you. I'm calling them right now." Uncle Brock began marching toward the videophone.
"They already know!" I cried. "Didn't you see the news? The Viridian Police found me in the forest!"
Brock shook his head and grabbed the T.V. remote control, turning on the television to Channel 5.
"...Police are still searching for Arina Ketchum, daughter of Ash Ketchum after a false alarm that she was found in a Viridian City hospital, near death."
"NEAR DEATH!" I echoed the reporter. "They call a sprained ankle near death?"
Brock switched off the TV. "You want to explain this?"
"I'd like to Uncle Brock, I really would, but I know about as little as you do."
We both heard the front door open and a female call out, "Dad, I'm home!" It was Karen, Brock's daughter.
"I'm in the den, Karen." Brock called. Light footsteps moved through the house toward us, then Karen appeared at the doorway, her long pink hair falling over her shoulders. She spotted me and her eyes narrowed.
"Are we harboring fugitives now?" she asked.
"Nice to see you too, Karen." I muttered.
She tossed her head, ignoring me, and said to her father, "I was coming home and I found a bunch of Pokemon looking lost, so I brought them home with me."
"My Pokemon!" I cried, "Are they alright?"
She swiveled to face me. "You left them? You abandoned your Pokemon and came here?"
Brock held up his hands, "Karen, wait a second -"
Karen threw down her bag and stormed over to me. "You irresponsible brat! I should drag you down to the Pokemon Center and have your license immediately revoked by Nurse Joy!"
"KAREN!" Brock grabbed her by the shirt collar and yanked her back towards him. "It's not Arina's fault and she didn't abandon her Pokemon!"
"And I suppose we can blame Giovanni and Team Rocket for her disappearing act this time too?" Karen huffed.
Now Brock was angry. "Go to your room until dinner," he ground out and let his grip go on her collar. Karen didn't say a word as she marched out of the room. Brock watched her go, then ran his hand through his hair. He turned to me and sighed. "I'm sorry about that, Arina. She must have had a bad day, although that doesn't excuse her behavior."
"It's ok." I said in a small voice as I sat down on the couch again. "But where are my Pokemon?"
Brock didn't need to answer, because four tiny heads popped out of Karen's bag that she'd dropped. "Pika-Pi!" Pika-baby cried and ran over to me with Rattata, Weedle, and Bulbasaur.
"Hi guys!" I cried as we embraced for a group hug. "Where are Spearow and Pidgey?"
"Pi-Pi-Pi." (Outside.) Pika-baby turned to Brock and gave him a thunderbolt. "Pika-Pi-Pikachu-Pi!" it cried. (Don't kidnap Arina buddy!) Brock fell to the floor, dazed.
"Pika-baby, that wasn't very nice!" I scolded gently. "I'm sorry Uncle, you'll have to forgive my Pikachu. It's only a baby."
"Could've fooled me." Brock said as he stood up. Just then, the sound of the front door slamming and footsteps running into the house made everyone look up.
"Brock, Karen!" It was Brock's wife, Electra. "I heard that someone saw Arina in town -" Electra dashed into the room and stopped when our eyes met. She walked toward me, "Arina?" she whispered and bent down on her knees when she reached the couch. I looked at her and nodded. She touched my cheek and traced her fingers down the loose threads of my blue hair that had escaped my ponytail, looking me over as if she were seeing me for the first time.
"Are you ok?" she sounded like she was going to cry.
Again, I nodded, and suddenly she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. I only lay my head on her shoulder and burst into tears.
* * * *
"So that's everything that happened up to us getting into Pewter City." I said as I finished my story. We were sitting at the dinner table, eating Uncle Brock's homemade cannelloni.
"And then Brock kidnapped you." Electra said as she wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. "Very smooth, dear."
"What was I supposed to do? She'd been declared missing, I wasn't going to let Ash and Misty worry."
Electra gave him a wan smile, then asked me, "Did your father give you his hat before you started on your journey?"
"Ah yes, the hallowed hat," Brock added.
I looked down at my plate filled with leftover tomato sauce. "Yeah." I said quietly. "But he took it back."
Electra stopped mid-bite. "He what?"
"He took it back. After Mom and Dad got me at the hospital, he said I have to earn the right to wear it."
"That should take a few million years." Karen mumbled. Brock and Electra either didn't hear her or ignored the comment, like I did.
"Ash is right in doing so." Brock said, "You lost their trust and respect by running away."
I didn't need to look up to see Karen's smug grin; I could feel it. "I know." I looked at both Brock and Electra. "But I'll do whatever I can to get not just that hat back, but their trust, and become the best Pokemon trainer ever!"
"Good!" Electra cried as she grabbed her plate and mine and stood up. "Who's for ice cream?"
"Oh, me!" I smiled. I saw Karen roll her eyes at me.
"Great, there's a new ice cream shop downtown, I've wanted to try out. Let's go there." Brock said.
"I'll stay here and clean up." Electra offered.
Brock kissed Electra goodbye, and we were off.
* * * *
The dishes were cleaned and dried 20 minutes later. After making sure no one was around, Electra pulled something out of her pocket. It looked like a little writing pen, with a little gold lightning bolt at the top. She closed her eyes and held the "pen" above her. "Raichu Thunder Power, MAKEUP!" Immediately, sparks shot out of the pen and a lightning bolt wove itself around Electra's arm, then around her entire body. As it did so, it changed her clothes from gray slacks and a red sweater, to a fuku - a white leotard, with a short red miniskirt attached, red pumps, and white gloves. It also altered her physical appearance. When the lightning reached her body, her ears morphed 5x larger into ears of a Raichu, a tail of a Raichu appeared behind her, her legs gaining brown stripes, and her face became more animal like.
"Raichuuuu!" she screamed as the transformation completed itself. "Now for the nightly rounds!" she said aloud and raced out the door.
Arina's Pokemon, who had been dozing on the couch in a pile, woke up right as Electra was transforming. As the door slammed behind her, Bulbasaur stood up, in shock at what it had seen. "Did - did you guys see that?" it asked.
"Nothing. I didn't see nothing!" Rattata barked in a frightened tone.
"Go back to sleep, both of you, we've got that Gym battle tomorrow." Spearow cooed from its perch across from them.
* * * *
"Yum, this is good ice cream, Uncle Brock."
"I'll have to agree with you on that, Arina. What do you think of it, Karen?"
"It's ok, I guess." Karen mumbled as she turned her cup of peach ice cream into peach soup.
Brock was about to light into her about her behavior, when the door to the ice cream parlor opened with a bang, hitting the wall behind it. Two men in black with the letter "R" imprinted in red on their shirts came in holding guns outward. "This is a holdup!" one cried. "Give us all your money and Pokemon, and no one gets hurt."
"Team Rocket!" a woman customer cried.
"That's right!" The second rocket crowed. "And we're here for what's not ours!"
Brock and Karen looked to each other, nodded and withdrew their Pokeballs.
"You're not going to give in to their demands, are you?" I gasped, horrified.
"No choice -" Brock answered, "except to fight back! Geodude, go!"
"Sandshrew, I choose you!" Karen cried.
I reached around my waist and realized I didn't have my Pokemon. "I left my Pokemon at home!" I moaned.
"You would!" Karen sneered, then turned her attention to the battle. "Slash the two Rockets, Sandshrew!"
"I don't think so!" one Rocket smiled. "Ivysaur, I choose you! Vine whip, now!" he called as the said Pokemon came forth. Ivysaur obeyed its master and vinewhipped Geodude and Sandshrew into unconsciousness.
"Vileplume, go! Stun Spore now!" the second Rocket called. The Vileplume came from its Pokeball, spewing Stun Spore all over the room, paralyzing everyone, except the Rockets.
"I can't move!" Brock cried.
"Good work, Vileplume! Now all we have to do is -"
"Go to jail." a female voice from the door finished the second Rockets sentence.
"Who?" The Rockets turned.
Without hesitating, Sailor Raichu cried, "Ice cream brings feelings of pleasure to millions of people around the world. You who destroy that happiness must be punished. I, Sailor Raichu, on behalf of justice, am here to give you that punishment!"
"Sailor Raichu?" The two Rockets burst out laughing. "Isn't it a little early for Halloween?"
The Rockets had just made two of their biggest mistakes: 1) underestimating the enemy, and, 2) making Sailor Raichu mad.
"Now you guys have done it!" Karen shouted. "Show 'em your real power, Sailor Raichu!"
"Thunder! To me, now!" Sailor Raichu called, and a Raichu appeared by her side. "Thunder, you take care of the Ivysaur and Vileplume." she ordered, and her eyes narrowed to slits. "These two Rockets are mine!"
"Raichu!" Thunder answered, rubbing its paws together.
Sailor Raichu extended her hand above her into the air as Thunder took off after Vileplume. "Gods of Thunder, hear my cry for justice - SNAP!" she called and snapped her gloved fingers, little sparks of electricity emanating from between them, then became a ball of electricity in her hand. "CRACK!" she grasped the ball of light with her fingers and threw it at the Rockets. "THUNDERWHIP!" It never left her hand, but instead extended itself toward the villains and wrapped around them.
The Rockets were shocked, literally, by the Pewter City superhero and fell to the ground in a heap. A couple of thundershocks from Thunder did the Rockets' plant Pokemon in as well.
"Good work, Thunder. Now to get some antidote to these patrons and we'll be on our way. She raised her hand to the air. "Hyper beam -" and a ball of pure white light grew in her outstretched hand. "Purification!" She tossed it underhand-style to the ground, and instantly, the room was lit up. As I closed my eyes to shield them from the bright light, the last thing I saw was Sailor Raichu picking up Thunder...
I awoke as I felt someone gently shaking my shoulder. "Arina, wake up. It's Brock, open your eyes."
I blinked as I came to. I was lying on the floor, but I couldn't remember why. "What happened?"
"Team Rocket, remember?" Brock helped me sit up, then stand. Karen was sitting in her chair, looking bored, as a police officer tried to get some answers from her. The officer looked over in my direction, and asked, "Is she alright?"
"Keep your face downward so no one recognizes you." Brock ordered quietly. At my nod, he looked over at the officer and shook his head. "No, I'm taking her home now. Karen." he waved his arm at his daughter and Karen stood up and walked out behind Arina and Brock, dragging her feet.
* * * *
Electra threw open the door as she saw Arina, Brock, and Karen coming up the steps.
"Are you guys all right? I heard what happened on the news!"
Brock gave her a tired smile, "Yes, thanks to Sailor Raichu. She gave those Rockets a beating they won't soon forget."
"She was wonderful." I murmured, feeling like I was about to fall asleep standing up. Electra grabbed me around the waist.
"Well, someone wore themselves out tonight having fun." Electra smiled. "Up to bed, both of you girls, it's nearly midnight."
"But my Pokemon -" Arina mumbled.
"Are upstairs, asleep on your bed. Spearow and Pidgey are in the loft out in the barn." Electra finished. She then sent both girls upstairs with a goodnight kiss. Then, as soon as she thought we were out of earshot, we heard her say to Brock in a serious tone, "We need to talk."
* * * *
After spending five minutes half-asleep, looking through my backpack, then changing into my p.j.'s, I stumbled across the hallway to brush my teeth and started to run the tap, when I heard Karen pick up the videophone in her room and dial. After a few moments, she said, "Hi, Kate." A pause. "Yeah, I know I was supposed to meet you and Jeff at The Sandwich Shoppe at 8 o'clock, but something came up." A pause, then, "Yeah, I'm fine. You know how all the reporters are saying that Arina Ketchum's been eaten by wild Pokemon?"
Wild Pokemon?! I stopped brushing my teeth. Who came up with that story? Even my parents wouldn't make up that kind of lie!
"Well it turns out she's just fine and staying with us here in Pewter!"
Thank you Karen, you just blew my cover.
"I'm telling the truth, Kate! You can come by and see her tomorrow!" A pause. "Nah, I can't blab to the press, my parents would flip. The Ketchums are practically family, although I can't stand Arina, she's such a child." Karen enforced that word so strongly that it made being a child sound like a bad thing.
"For crying out loud, Karen, you're only twelve yourself." I muttered angrily. Was that her reason for acting so mean toward me? Because I was ten and she was twelve going on twenty? I felt hot tears spring to my eyes as I looked at myself in the mirror. I'd never been anything but nice to Karen, so why the sudden change in attitude toward me?
Or was it sudden, I asked myself as I crawled into bed. Thinking back to the times I'd visited the Stones with my parents, or they'd been visiting us, I remembered Karen being aloof and distant and sometimes just outright rude.
So Karen's reason for hating me had to be something other than me being a child, and whatever reason that was, I vowed I would find out and make things right.
End Chapter 1
Chapter 1
Narrator: Arina Ketchum, Ash and Misty Ketchum's daughter, has set out on her Pokemon journey with her traveling companion, Rob Oak. After a turbulent start, things seem to be looking up for the trainers. Arina's foot has healed and the two trainers are in the last leg of Viridian forest, heading for Pewter City...
"Are we there yet?" My baby Pikachu's voice floated from one of the Pokeballs at my waist.
I rolled my eyes. My Pokemon had asked me this question about a hundred times today and I was starting to get sick of it. Rob and I had been traveling through Viridian Forest now for about three or four days, catching various Pokemon.
"For the last time, Pikachu, no!" I answered my baby Pikachu in an annoyed tone. "We won't be in Pewter City until tomorrow afternoon, at least."
"Hey, look!" Rob quieted me as he halted. "Look up ahead." A small blue animal without arms was standing not a hundred feet away, staring straight at us.
"A Poliwag!" I whispered in excitement. "But what's a water Pokemon doing in the middle of a forest this large?"
"Dunno," Rob said, "Unless..."
I looked over at Rob curiously, "Unless what?"
"Unless there's a body of water nearby."
"I don't remember your map saying there was water until Pewter City."
"Then maybe we're closer to Pewter than we thought. Either way, one of us better capture that Poliwag before it gets away."
"I've got a better idea." I said as I dug Bulbasaur's Pokeball from out of my backpack.
"Bulbasaur! Go!" I cried and threw the Pokeball close to the Poliwag, catching it off guard. "Bulbasaur, tackle!"
"Bulba!" (Sure!) And Bulbasaur tackled the water Pokemon. My hunch was right: Tackling did little damage to the Poliwag. Frightened, it ran off.
"Rob, follow it! I'll catch up!"
Rob ran after the Poliwag while I retrieved Bulbasaur and grabbed my pack. I didn't have far to go. After a patch of closely grown trees, there was a clearing, and off to the side of that clearing was -
"A pond! I knew it!" I cried at my arrival. Rob was kneeling by the water as I came up to him.
"The Poliwag jumped in before I could get Charmander out its Pokeball," he said disappointedly.
"That's ok; I'm sure there are plenty of other water Pokemon here, but if they smell humans, they may not come out at all."
Rob nodded. "Let's stakeout the pond. We'll wait for them to come out of hiding and then take them by surprise."
So we waited for our opportunity by staying about a yard or so away, keeping an eye on it from behind some shrubs, using Rob's binoculars. An hour later, our waiting was rewarded as a tiny blue head quietly broke the surface.
"Bingo!" I smiled as the Squirtle hoisted itself onto the shore.
"What do you see?" Rob asked. He was busy at the moment making lunch for all of us.
"A Squirtle, and now the Poliwag that got away from us. I'll bet there are tons of water Pokemon in that lake." I licked my lips in anticipation.
"And wouldn't you know it, you're out of Pokeballs." Rob commented.
I looked back at Rob and sighed. There was no way I was going to beg him for empty Pokeballs; I wasn't that desperate. "I forgot."
"You could try something. I don't know if it would work though."
"What's your idea?"
"Take all your Pokemon out and use their Pokeballs to catch the new Pokemon. A little walking won't kill them."
"Good idea, Rob!" I cried, and let my Pokemon out. Weedle was sound asleep, but all the others were awake. "Good afternoon." I poked Weedle gently, with only little success of rousing it awake.
"Weed-Weedle." it yawned.
"It's time for lunch," I announced, "and while you are eating, Rob and I are going to check out the pond over there for some water Pokemon and then I'm going to use your Pokeballs to catch them."
"Pika?!"
"Weed?!"
"Bulb?!"
"Ratta?!"
"Spear?!"
"Pidgey?!"
All: (WHAT?!)
"It's ok! You're only going to do a small bit of walking before we reach Pewter. Then I'll get you some new Pokeballs at the market."
"Lunchtime, everyone!" Rob called. The Pokemon ran over to Rob to get their chow and after they were served, Rob and I went back to observing the pond for another half hour while the Pokemon ate and rested. The inhabitants seemed to have forgotten the momentary danger of us, because it was now teaming with life.
"Sandshrew can't fight very well against water Pokemon. My Charmander and Rattata will be good." Rob said thoughtfully.
"And Bulbasaur and Pikachu will work for me," I added, "and then we can weaken them with our other Pokemon as required."
"Shall we?"
"Let's!" I smiled.
* * * *
"Bulbasaur, Tackle attack!" I cried. The Squirtle we'd cornered on land was no match for Bulbasaur. One more pounce and it was ready for the Pokeball.
Bulbasaur tackled the Squirtle, leaving it rocking on its shell, dazed.
"Pokeball, Go!" The catch went off without a hitch. The Squirtle was sucked into the Pokeball, and then the Pokeball disappeared, on its way to Professor Oak.
"All right! Way to go Bulbasaur!" I cried. "You were fantastic! Let's see how Rob's doing, then we'll try to catch some more."
"Bulbasaur!" Bulbasaur agreed, as it and the rest of my Pokemon followed me.
* * * *
Meanwhile, as Bulbasaur and I were walking around the other side of the pond, we saw Charmander and Rob observing a sleepy Poliwag, sunning itself on a rock. Rob noticed a large rock nearby in the water that Charmander could stand on to flame the Poliwag.
"Charmander!" Rob called, once it was positioned. "Tackle!"
"Char!"
"Poly?" the Poliwag slowly opened its eyes to see a Charmander about to fall on top of it.
"Charmander, Ember attack!"
"Charm!"
The Poliwag jumped around, trying unsuccessfully to dodge the embers. It jumped off its rock and into the water, fighting back with Watergun. Charmander yelped and dashed back to land.
"Charmander! Go back out there and fight!" Rob cried angrily.
"Char-Char-Charmand!" (Rob, water Pokemon scare me!) Charmander held up his tail. "Char-Charman-Char-Char-Charma-Char!" (The second they get water on my tail, I'm doomed!)
Rob sighed, and tossed out another Pokeball. "Rattata, I choose you," he said half-heartedly. However, the Poliwag, sensing the imminent danger of being caught, disappeared under the water again.
"Arg!" Rob threw up his hands in frustration. "We're never going to catch a Water Pokemon!"
"Char-Char." (Sorry, Rob.)
Rob sighed. "So am I." he flopped down on the grassy bank.
I came over to them then, Bulbasaur at my heels. "Hey guys, any luck?"
"No. Charmander got scared by a Poliwag." Rob said dully.
Charmander was obviously hurt by that remark. "Charmander," it said quietly.
"Aw Rob, give it a break. Charmander's are weakened by water attacks." I argued. "I don't blame it one bit for being scared." Charmander walked over to me and hid behind my leg. "Char."
No response from Rob.
I threw up my hands. "Oh Rob, there's no reason to be upset. We've got a long way to go. You'll get your water Pokemon eventually."
Rob remained silent.
Fed up with his silent tantrum, I crossed my arms in front of me. "Fine, Charmander and I are going onto Pewter -" a sudden trembling in the ground made me stop. "What's that?" I asked, as the trembling grew stronger. Rob was watching the water in the lake, which was now boiling furiously. The trembling grew even more and I lost my balance and fell to the ground. One of the large rocks that were in the pond was now moving upwards. We watched the rock grow taller until finally it stopped and a Blastoise's head popped out of the top. That wasn't any rock! It was a Blastoise's shell!
The Blastoise turned around, and spotted us packing up our Pokemon. It roared angrily as we started to run.
"Keep running, Rob!" I cried. I'd been hit by my Dad's Squirtle's Watergun enough times to know a Blastoise's power would knock us into next year. After racing back into the safety of the forest, Rob asked a few minutes later, "Do you hear anything now?"
"No, do you think we got away -" I was cut off suddenly as something lifted me off the ground. It was a large bubble - and now Rob was lifting off on one too! Hundreds of bubbles floated through the air around us as they rose past the Viridian forest treetops and into the open sky.
"What just happened?" Rob asked as he floated close to me.
"Blastoise's bubble attack, I think." I said in surprise as I managed to get into a sitting position on top of my bubble. "I'm surprised these bubbles are strong enough to hold us. Maybe they can take us all the way to Pewter City."
"Great! Thank you Blastoise!" Rob called back to the pond. A roar answered him and more bubbles followed.
I giggled. "Nice going, Rob, maybe next you'll win us a trip to one of those fabulous resorts."
"If you want me to," Rob smiled, then frowned. "Hey Arina, we're drifting away from each other!"
"Quick, give me your hand!" I cried, struggling to stretch my hand to meet his without falling off the slippery bubble.
"We're too far apart!" Rob shook his head.
"What do we do?" I was frantic, for whatever reason I couldn't imagine.
"Just go on our journeys, we'll meet up later." Rob called out. I wondered how he could be so calm.
So we floated away from one another, Rob to the east, and me to the north.
"Rattata-Ratta?" (What are we going to do now?), Rattata asked as it popped its head out of my backpack. I had used its Pokeball for the Squirtle.
"We need to find Pewter City, there's no use chasing after Rob now. Spearow, Pidgey, I choose you!" I threw out two Pokeballs and the two birds appeared.
"Spear-Spearow-Spear!" Spearow called. (I can find out where Pewter City is!)
Not to be outdone, Pidgey cried, "Pidge-Pidge-Pidgey!" (And I can push the bubble in the direction Spearow finds the city!)
I clapped my hands in delight as I pressed one knee into the bubble and suddenly fell into it! Luckily, the bottom held so I didn't fall back to Earth. Spearow flew off while Rattata stayed on my lap wanting to see the view. Fifteen minutes later, Spearow came back to the bubble, cawing excitedly. Pewter City wasn't far away at all! Pidgey used Gust to push the bubble in the direction Spearow was leading.
"Good job, Spearow and Pidgey, I see the city now," I said.
"Rattata?"
"Yep, it does look pretty gray, doesn't it, Rattata? That's Pewter City all right. The whole city is famous for two things: stone, and the Pewter City Gym."
"A GYM?!" Rattata shrieked in its own language.
"Yes, a Gym. What's wrong?"
The rest of my Pokemon came out again, all looking scared.
"We're not ready for a Gym battle!" Pika-baby squeaked.
"How do you know?" I crossed my arms in front of me, and looked at all of them.
"Weedle-Weedle-Wee-le-Weed!" (I'd have to be a Beedrill to beat a Gym Leader!)
"Oh have some faith in yourselves!" I cried. "Besides, I happen to know the family that runs the Pewter Gym." I winked. "Don't worry, we'll be fine."
I signaled to Pidgey and Spearow to help the bubble land at the edge of Pewter City. As it touched down, the bubble popped silently with me standing and ready to go. Pikachu, Rattata, and Bulbasaur walked beside me, Pidgey and Spearow flew next to me and Weedle crawled up on my shoulder. I stared out at the city before us. Were we really ready for a Gym Battle, I wondered. We hadn't met up with any trainers in Viridian Forest, save Rob, so my Pokemon hadn't racked up any battle wins/losses or experience points.
I bit my lip. I'd only fail if I didn't try. Trying not to sound as nervous as I really felt, I said, "Come on everyone, let's go win a badge."
* * * *
"Well guys, here we are, the Pewter City Gym." I said a bit too loudly as we stood in front of the building made out of boulders.
"Bulbasaur-Bulb?"
"Of course I'm sure about this!"
"Weed-Weedle?" (Then why are you yelling at us?)
There was a tentative silence. "Let's go -" I was suddenly cut off by a male cry from my right and before I could react, I was grabbed and thrown over someone's shoulder, Weedle falling to the ground. As I was rushed off, I saw my Pokemon staring after me in confusion.
* * * *
Not three minutes later, my assailant opened the back door to a house and plunked me onto a couch. As my eyes adjusted, I realized I was staring at no one else but Brock Stone! He did not look happy!
"U-Uncle Brock?" I asked.
He pointed at me. "Young lady, you are in some serious trouble! Who do you think you are, running away like that?"
"Huh?!"
"Your parents are worried sick because of you. I'm calling them right now." Uncle Brock began marching toward the videophone.
"They already know!" I cried. "Didn't you see the news? The Viridian Police found me in the forest!"
Brock shook his head and grabbed the T.V. remote control, turning on the television to Channel 5.
"...Police are still searching for Arina Ketchum, daughter of Ash Ketchum after a false alarm that she was found in a Viridian City hospital, near death."
"NEAR DEATH!" I echoed the reporter. "They call a sprained ankle near death?"
Brock switched off the TV. "You want to explain this?"
"I'd like to Uncle Brock, I really would, but I know about as little as you do."
We both heard the front door open and a female call out, "Dad, I'm home!" It was Karen, Brock's daughter.
"I'm in the den, Karen." Brock called. Light footsteps moved through the house toward us, then Karen appeared at the doorway, her long pink hair falling over her shoulders. She spotted me and her eyes narrowed.
"Are we harboring fugitives now?" she asked.
"Nice to see you too, Karen." I muttered.
She tossed her head, ignoring me, and said to her father, "I was coming home and I found a bunch of Pokemon looking lost, so I brought them home with me."
"My Pokemon!" I cried, "Are they alright?"
She swiveled to face me. "You left them? You abandoned your Pokemon and came here?"
Brock held up his hands, "Karen, wait a second -"
Karen threw down her bag and stormed over to me. "You irresponsible brat! I should drag you down to the Pokemon Center and have your license immediately revoked by Nurse Joy!"
"KAREN!" Brock grabbed her by the shirt collar and yanked her back towards him. "It's not Arina's fault and she didn't abandon her Pokemon!"
"And I suppose we can blame Giovanni and Team Rocket for her disappearing act this time too?" Karen huffed.
Now Brock was angry. "Go to your room until dinner," he ground out and let his grip go on her collar. Karen didn't say a word as she marched out of the room. Brock watched her go, then ran his hand through his hair. He turned to me and sighed. "I'm sorry about that, Arina. She must have had a bad day, although that doesn't excuse her behavior."
"It's ok." I said in a small voice as I sat down on the couch again. "But where are my Pokemon?"
Brock didn't need to answer, because four tiny heads popped out of Karen's bag that she'd dropped. "Pika-Pi!" Pika-baby cried and ran over to me with Rattata, Weedle, and Bulbasaur.
"Hi guys!" I cried as we embraced for a group hug. "Where are Spearow and Pidgey?"
"Pi-Pi-Pi." (Outside.) Pika-baby turned to Brock and gave him a thunderbolt. "Pika-Pi-Pikachu-Pi!" it cried. (Don't kidnap Arina buddy!) Brock fell to the floor, dazed.
"Pika-baby, that wasn't very nice!" I scolded gently. "I'm sorry Uncle, you'll have to forgive my Pikachu. It's only a baby."
"Could've fooled me." Brock said as he stood up. Just then, the sound of the front door slamming and footsteps running into the house made everyone look up.
"Brock, Karen!" It was Brock's wife, Electra. "I heard that someone saw Arina in town -" Electra dashed into the room and stopped when our eyes met. She walked toward me, "Arina?" she whispered and bent down on her knees when she reached the couch. I looked at her and nodded. She touched my cheek and traced her fingers down the loose threads of my blue hair that had escaped my ponytail, looking me over as if she were seeing me for the first time.
"Are you ok?" she sounded like she was going to cry.
Again, I nodded, and suddenly she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. I only lay my head on her shoulder and burst into tears.
* * * *
"So that's everything that happened up to us getting into Pewter City." I said as I finished my story. We were sitting at the dinner table, eating Uncle Brock's homemade cannelloni.
"And then Brock kidnapped you." Electra said as she wiped her mouth with a paper napkin. "Very smooth, dear."
"What was I supposed to do? She'd been declared missing, I wasn't going to let Ash and Misty worry."
Electra gave him a wan smile, then asked me, "Did your father give you his hat before you started on your journey?"
"Ah yes, the hallowed hat," Brock added.
I looked down at my plate filled with leftover tomato sauce. "Yeah." I said quietly. "But he took it back."
Electra stopped mid-bite. "He what?"
"He took it back. After Mom and Dad got me at the hospital, he said I have to earn the right to wear it."
"That should take a few million years." Karen mumbled. Brock and Electra either didn't hear her or ignored the comment, like I did.
"Ash is right in doing so." Brock said, "You lost their trust and respect by running away."
I didn't need to look up to see Karen's smug grin; I could feel it. "I know." I looked at both Brock and Electra. "But I'll do whatever I can to get not just that hat back, but their trust, and become the best Pokemon trainer ever!"
"Good!" Electra cried as she grabbed her plate and mine and stood up. "Who's for ice cream?"
"Oh, me!" I smiled. I saw Karen roll her eyes at me.
"Great, there's a new ice cream shop downtown, I've wanted to try out. Let's go there." Brock said.
"I'll stay here and clean up." Electra offered.
Brock kissed Electra goodbye, and we were off.
* * * *
The dishes were cleaned and dried 20 minutes later. After making sure no one was around, Electra pulled something out of her pocket. It looked like a little writing pen, with a little gold lightning bolt at the top. She closed her eyes and held the "pen" above her. "Raichu Thunder Power, MAKEUP!" Immediately, sparks shot out of the pen and a lightning bolt wove itself around Electra's arm, then around her entire body. As it did so, it changed her clothes from gray slacks and a red sweater, to a fuku - a white leotard, with a short red miniskirt attached, red pumps, and white gloves. It also altered her physical appearance. When the lightning reached her body, her ears morphed 5x larger into ears of a Raichu, a tail of a Raichu appeared behind her, her legs gaining brown stripes, and her face became more animal like.
"Raichuuuu!" she screamed as the transformation completed itself. "Now for the nightly rounds!" she said aloud and raced out the door.
Arina's Pokemon, who had been dozing on the couch in a pile, woke up right as Electra was transforming. As the door slammed behind her, Bulbasaur stood up, in shock at what it had seen. "Did - did you guys see that?" it asked.
"Nothing. I didn't see nothing!" Rattata barked in a frightened tone.
"Go back to sleep, both of you, we've got that Gym battle tomorrow." Spearow cooed from its perch across from them.
* * * *
"Yum, this is good ice cream, Uncle Brock."
"I'll have to agree with you on that, Arina. What do you think of it, Karen?"
"It's ok, I guess." Karen mumbled as she turned her cup of peach ice cream into peach soup.
Brock was about to light into her about her behavior, when the door to the ice cream parlor opened with a bang, hitting the wall behind it. Two men in black with the letter "R" imprinted in red on their shirts came in holding guns outward. "This is a holdup!" one cried. "Give us all your money and Pokemon, and no one gets hurt."
"Team Rocket!" a woman customer cried.
"That's right!" The second rocket crowed. "And we're here for what's not ours!"
Brock and Karen looked to each other, nodded and withdrew their Pokeballs.
"You're not going to give in to their demands, are you?" I gasped, horrified.
"No choice -" Brock answered, "except to fight back! Geodude, go!"
"Sandshrew, I choose you!" Karen cried.
I reached around my waist and realized I didn't have my Pokemon. "I left my Pokemon at home!" I moaned.
"You would!" Karen sneered, then turned her attention to the battle. "Slash the two Rockets, Sandshrew!"
"I don't think so!" one Rocket smiled. "Ivysaur, I choose you! Vine whip, now!" he called as the said Pokemon came forth. Ivysaur obeyed its master and vinewhipped Geodude and Sandshrew into unconsciousness.
"Vileplume, go! Stun Spore now!" the second Rocket called. The Vileplume came from its Pokeball, spewing Stun Spore all over the room, paralyzing everyone, except the Rockets.
"I can't move!" Brock cried.
"Good work, Vileplume! Now all we have to do is -"
"Go to jail." a female voice from the door finished the second Rockets sentence.
"Who?" The Rockets turned.
Without hesitating, Sailor Raichu cried, "Ice cream brings feelings of pleasure to millions of people around the world. You who destroy that happiness must be punished. I, Sailor Raichu, on behalf of justice, am here to give you that punishment!"
"Sailor Raichu?" The two Rockets burst out laughing. "Isn't it a little early for Halloween?"
The Rockets had just made two of their biggest mistakes: 1) underestimating the enemy, and, 2) making Sailor Raichu mad.
"Now you guys have done it!" Karen shouted. "Show 'em your real power, Sailor Raichu!"
"Thunder! To me, now!" Sailor Raichu called, and a Raichu appeared by her side. "Thunder, you take care of the Ivysaur and Vileplume." she ordered, and her eyes narrowed to slits. "These two Rockets are mine!"
"Raichu!" Thunder answered, rubbing its paws together.
Sailor Raichu extended her hand above her into the air as Thunder took off after Vileplume. "Gods of Thunder, hear my cry for justice - SNAP!" she called and snapped her gloved fingers, little sparks of electricity emanating from between them, then became a ball of electricity in her hand. "CRACK!" she grasped the ball of light with her fingers and threw it at the Rockets. "THUNDERWHIP!" It never left her hand, but instead extended itself toward the villains and wrapped around them.
The Rockets were shocked, literally, by the Pewter City superhero and fell to the ground in a heap. A couple of thundershocks from Thunder did the Rockets' plant Pokemon in as well.
"Good work, Thunder. Now to get some antidote to these patrons and we'll be on our way. She raised her hand to the air. "Hyper beam -" and a ball of pure white light grew in her outstretched hand. "Purification!" She tossed it underhand-style to the ground, and instantly, the room was lit up. As I closed my eyes to shield them from the bright light, the last thing I saw was Sailor Raichu picking up Thunder...
I awoke as I felt someone gently shaking my shoulder. "Arina, wake up. It's Brock, open your eyes."
I blinked as I came to. I was lying on the floor, but I couldn't remember why. "What happened?"
"Team Rocket, remember?" Brock helped me sit up, then stand. Karen was sitting in her chair, looking bored, as a police officer tried to get some answers from her. The officer looked over in my direction, and asked, "Is she alright?"
"Keep your face downward so no one recognizes you." Brock ordered quietly. At my nod, he looked over at the officer and shook his head. "No, I'm taking her home now. Karen." he waved his arm at his daughter and Karen stood up and walked out behind Arina and Brock, dragging her feet.
* * * *
Electra threw open the door as she saw Arina, Brock, and Karen coming up the steps.
"Are you guys all right? I heard what happened on the news!"
Brock gave her a tired smile, "Yes, thanks to Sailor Raichu. She gave those Rockets a beating they won't soon forget."
"She was wonderful." I murmured, feeling like I was about to fall asleep standing up. Electra grabbed me around the waist.
"Well, someone wore themselves out tonight having fun." Electra smiled. "Up to bed, both of you girls, it's nearly midnight."
"But my Pokemon -" Arina mumbled.
"Are upstairs, asleep on your bed. Spearow and Pidgey are in the loft out in the barn." Electra finished. She then sent both girls upstairs with a goodnight kiss. Then, as soon as she thought we were out of earshot, we heard her say to Brock in a serious tone, "We need to talk."
* * * *
After spending five minutes half-asleep, looking through my backpack, then changing into my p.j.'s, I stumbled across the hallway to brush my teeth and started to run the tap, when I heard Karen pick up the videophone in her room and dial. After a few moments, she said, "Hi, Kate." A pause. "Yeah, I know I was supposed to meet you and Jeff at The Sandwich Shoppe at 8 o'clock, but something came up." A pause, then, "Yeah, I'm fine. You know how all the reporters are saying that Arina Ketchum's been eaten by wild Pokemon?"
Wild Pokemon?! I stopped brushing my teeth. Who came up with that story? Even my parents wouldn't make up that kind of lie!
"Well it turns out she's just fine and staying with us here in Pewter!"
Thank you Karen, you just blew my cover.
"I'm telling the truth, Kate! You can come by and see her tomorrow!" A pause. "Nah, I can't blab to the press, my parents would flip. The Ketchums are practically family, although I can't stand Arina, she's such a child." Karen enforced that word so strongly that it made being a child sound like a bad thing.
"For crying out loud, Karen, you're only twelve yourself." I muttered angrily. Was that her reason for acting so mean toward me? Because I was ten and she was twelve going on twenty? I felt hot tears spring to my eyes as I looked at myself in the mirror. I'd never been anything but nice to Karen, so why the sudden change in attitude toward me?
Or was it sudden, I asked myself as I crawled into bed. Thinking back to the times I'd visited the Stones with my parents, or they'd been visiting us, I remembered Karen being aloof and distant and sometimes just outright rude.
So Karen's reason for hating me had to be something other than me being a child, and whatever reason that was, I vowed I would find out and make things right.
End Chapter 1