Chapter 2: Let's Give a Hoot for Hoothoot
"Well, Seratus. Are you ready to start?" Alisha asked as she shifted her backpack. "We should get to Cherrygrove City in a few hours and we can spend the night there before heading to Violet City," she continued studying the Johto map.
"That sounds good. Perhaps we'll get some training done and be able to catch a pokemon on the way," Seratus replied. "I have a feeling I'll see Silver again, and when I do, I want to beat him."
"Settle down Seratus. Let's just get going."
The sun was already set, and yet there were still signs of light fighting against the darkness. The moon showed brightly as it quickly rose illuminating the gloomy area.
"We should be careful," Alisha remarked. "At night some bug pokemon come out and I cannot stand bugs."
"It's fine. If a bug pokemon attacks, Totodile and I will take it down."
"Just make sure it doesn't touch me."
The leaves rustled against the gentle breeze and echoes of "hoothoot" filled the sky. "I have an idea," Seratus asked. "Why don't we camp out here in the open and get used to it? I mean there are going to be times we won't be near a town for a few days and plus, it'll give us a chance to get to know our pokemon better."
"Yeah, that's true. Marill, come on out."
"You too, Totodile."
Marill soon jumped onto Alisha, "Marill!" it said trying to escape Totodile. Totodile looked at Marill, then opened its mouth. A jet of water exploded from the mouth shooting a stream against Marill knocking her off Alisha and getting both wet in the process.
"AHHH!" Alisha screamed as the cold water splashed all over her. "Tell that Totodile to quit spraying us with water gun!"
"Heh. He's just playing, aren't you Totodile?"
"Toto Dile!" it yelled, jumping up and down.
"Come here, Totodile."
Totodile waddled over to Seratus with a strange look on his face, "Toto?"
"I wanted to apologize for that last battle. I know if we work together, we'll be unbeatable. What do you say Totodile, feel like doing some training?"
"ToToDile" He shrieked as he flexed his arm to show off his strength.
"Great. See that tree?" Seratus said pointing to an apple tree. "Try using water gun to shoot down those apples."
Totodile bobbed his back and thrust it forward with his mouth open spraying a jet of water. The water shot across the air and quickly fell back to the earth as it dipped below the apples.
"That's ok, Totodile, "Seratus encouraged, "Try again."
Again, Totodile shot water with a little more force shaking a couple of the apples. The apples shook enough the stems broke allowing them to fall to the ground.
"Marill, its your time to shine," Alisha cheered. "Can you get them?"
"Marill Marill," she said as she scurried over.
"Tail whip them over here."
Marill turned her round little body and swung her tail hitting the apple sending it flying to Alisha. As Totodile squirted a few more down, Marill kept on swinging them over to Alisha.
"Ok, Seratus. We have enough for us."
"Ok. Totodile, you can stop now, we have plenty. You did great," Seratus said has he patted Totodile on his rough scaly head. Totodile flexed again as Seratus turned to go back to Alisha.
Totodile, quickly turned and shot another jet of water into the trees. "Totodile?"
"What's wrong Totodile?"
Totodile pointed to the brownish apple. "To..To..DILE" he yelled using his water gun attack. The water hit the apple directly knocking it out of the tree. It fell to the ground hard.
"Totodile, that's not an apple. That looks like a pokemon."
" I believe it's a Hoothoot, Seratus," Alisha commented getting the Pokedex out.
"Hoothoot, the owl Pokemon. It always stands on one foot. Even when attacked, it does not brace itself using both feet."
"Well," Seratus said, "Might as well through a pokeball and see what happens. "Go Pokeball!" He said tossing the ball toward the fallen pokemon. As the ball sailed through the air, a spider-like creature caught the ball in mid air, and soon many more surrounded the group and the Hoothoot. The creatures were green and on the body, two dots and a line, semi-representing a face.
"Are those Spinarak?" Alisha said, quivering and slowly ducking behind Seratus. She opened the Pokedex to make sure.
"Spinarak, the string spit pokemon. It lies still in the same pose for days in its web, waiting for its unsuspecting prey to wander close."
"What are they doing?" Seratus asked.
Soon, the Spinarak begin spitting out string from their mouths slowly wrapping the Hoothoot up.
"Hoothoot," it said weakly as it round body started to look more like a ball of white yarn.
"Seratus, let's get out of here before they mistaken us for food."
"No. I allowed Chikorita to get away, I won't let this Hoothoot become bug juice. Totodile, use water gun on the Spinarak."
"Toto," he replied getting into position. He focused his water gun on the Spinarak closest to the Hoothoot knocking it back against a tree. The other Spinarak quickly turned their attention to the water spraying Totodile. The four Spinarak soon had the Totodile surrounded. Two of the Spinarak opened their mouths and instead of the white thread, tiny white pins flew hitting the Totodile's body.
"Totodile, No! Are you ok?" Totodile braced itself from the impact and shrugged off the hit. "Yeah! Now try to use water gun again and spin in a circle."
"Toto," he yelled in agreement. He swung his tail to one side, and quickly jerked it back helping the Totodile spin in a circle. As he begin to spin, he shot water out again getting direct hits on three of the Spinarak, and accidently hitting the Hoothoot, wetting the thread-like material.
Hoothoot opened his eyes and saw the Totodile trying to take on the Spinarak attack. "Hoothoot," she yelled trying to flap her stubby wings. After a few moments of wiggling, she threw her wings opened and tore the webbing off of her body and took to the air. "Hoothoot!" she continued as she dove and used her body to hit the unsuspecting Spinarak.
"All right Hoothoot!" Seretus cheered. "Totodile, finish it off with scratch attack."
Totodile made a quick dart to the Spinarak who's attention was on the airborne Hoothoot. Just before Totodile could take his claws and swipe the Spinarak, it made a final move using its poison sting hitting Hoothoot in the wing. As the Spinarak fled, Seratus ran to catch Hoothoot.
"Oh no," Seratus muttered. "She's been poisoned."
"We need to get to Cherrygrove City now. If we run, we should be there in about half an hour. They have a Pokemon Center that can help that Hoothoot."
"OK. Totodile, good work, now return."
"You too Marill."
"I'll carry Hoothoot," Seratus said with a bit of panic in his voice.
The moon now shine brightly from overhead and the silence grew as they approached Cherrygrove City. The only light was a lamp post with a sign directing trainers to the Pokemon Center. They rushed through town ignoring the darkness until they stumbled upon a brightly lit building outlined in red.
"This must be the Pokemon Center. It's still open," Alisha noticed.
"Right," Seratus said rushing inside. "Hey! Can someone help this Hoothoot?"
"I can. What is wrong with it?" the woman said from behind a counter. She wore a light pink dress with an apron with a large bow in the back. Her red hair complimented the white nurse's hat she wore.
"Well, this Hoothoot was poisoned by a Spinarak."
"Well, give her to me and I'll see what I can do. You two should stay for the night and allow Hoothoot to rest after I give her some medicine."
"Thank you, miss…" Seratus stuttered.
"Oh, I'm Nurse Joy. Let me take Hoothoot back and get that wound fixed."
"Ok, we'll wait here."
"Seratus, are you ok?"Alisha looked over.
"Yeah, I just hope we weren't too late. It was my fault that Totodile shot her out of the tree and into the trap to begin with."
"It was just an accident. None us knew what was waiting for us in the dark. And hey, at least Totodile and Marill got some training out of it. All we can do now is wait."
"Yeah, you're right. As soon as she is better, I'll take her back to her home."
"Well, you might as well sleep. Nurse Joy can watch over Hoothoot."
"Nah. You go ahead. I'll see if I can get an update," he said as get stretched his legs to stand. He slowly walked to the door and peaked through the glass. Nurse Joy had a small pair of tweezers in her gloved fingers and carefully moved them closer to the spread wing of Hoothoot. Seratus could see a few needles imbedded into the skin. Systematically, she plucked them one by one and placed each needle into a small jar. In a few moments, she placed the tweezers down and picked up a bandage and started to slowly wrap the wing. He could see the Hoothoot silently cry out as Nurse Joy finished up wrapping the wing.
"She should be fine," as she looked up at Seratus. "By morning her wing should be good enough to fly. Now go get some rest."
"Thank you, Nurse Joy," he said turning and walking back to the chair. Alisha was already sound asleep as Seratus crept into his spot next to her. He laid his head over to hers and soon everything was black.
"Chansey, chanse," the pokemon said as she tried to nudge Seratus awake.
"Huh? Is it morning already?" he said trying to rub his eyes as he stretched.
"Chansey!" she replied trying to arouse the groggy teen.
"Huh? Who are you?"
"That's a Chansey, Seratus," Alisha replied. "It stays here helping Nurse Joy with sick and injured pokemon."
"Chansey!"
Seratus reached for his Pokedex, and flipped it open, "Chansey, the egg pokemon. Chansey is a kindly pokemon that lays highly nutritious eggs and shares them with injured pokemon or people. Chansey was a tall and egg-shaped, pinkish pokemon with three sets of pig-tail like hair, with short stubby legs, arms and a tail. In her pouch was an egg.
"Chansey is Hoothoot ok?"
"Chansey!" she yelled nodding her head.
At that moment, Nurse Joy walked through the door holding Hoothoot. "Here you are, Seratus. Hoothoot should be at a hundred percent."
Seratus reached out to take Hoothoot, "I'm sorry that you got involved in that mess, but I'll take you home."
"Hoot," she said shaking her head. "Hoothoot hoo hoo hoot hoothoot."
"I think she wants to travel with you," Nurse Joy translated.
"HootHoot!" she said nodding.
"So, you want to come with us on our journey, Hoothoot?"
"HOOTHOOT!" she said snuggling up against Seratus's chest.
"Well, that's awesome!" Seratus cheered. "We're gonna make a great team," he continued as he took his free hand to reach for a pokeball. "Are you ready Hoothoot?"
"Hoothoot," she continued.
"Ok," he replied extending his arm so she could fly. As she hovered, flapping her renewed wing, Serartus tossed the pokeball toward the cheerful Hoothoot. "Go pokeBALL!" and soon the ball went through the air, getting a small bounce off Hoothoot as the ball opened capturing the small pokemon. The ball fell to the ground with the small red flashing light as the ball vibrated for a few moments. Just as quickly, the red light quit flickering and we off. "Alright, I caught a Hoothoot!" Seratus yelled.
"Congratulations, Seratus. She will be in good hands under your care," Nurse Joy replied.
"Yay! I'm so glad she is going to join us."
"Me too. And thank you, Nurse Joy for everything, and you too, Chansey."
"Well, Seratus, we should get going. We're still about a day and half away from our next goal, Violet City."
"Make sure to meet my cousin, Nurse Joy when you get there."
"Wait, you have a cousin that does the same thing?"
"Yeah, in fact all Pokecenters are run by Nurse Joys. Even though we're all cousins, we all look identical, so it's hard for some to tell us apart."
"Wow. That's incredible," Alisha said.
"At least we'll be seeing familiar faces in every town then," Seratus added.
"Yeah. Now let's continue on to Violet City," Alisha said anxiously .
"Yeah. Violet City to challenge the gym leader there. With Totodile and Hoothoot, nothing will stop me from getting that badge."
With their final goodbyes, Seratus and Alisha left the Pokecenter, and headed north to Violet City.