I finally finished with this chapter! I've been reading TRC and xxxHolic for awhile now. I'm still writing this... Ohohohohoho! Kero-chan's counterpart have finally come at last! Now I am anticipating Kohaku/Syaoran's appearance! I can't wait until I get to write that!
Pokémon Master: Sakura Rewrite
Chapter 3: Battle of Water
The hot sun drowns the seaside in content. Ocean waves crashed onto the sandy shores as seagulls chirped overhead.
Sakura broke the surface gleefully. Taking a deep breath, she began backstroking back to shore.
Ahh… Today, my class is on a field trip to the beach! I love to swim in the sea. It feels so good! I don't have to worry about capturing the Sealed Pokémon for the weekend!
"Sakura-chan!"
Sakura looked upwards to see Tomoyo and her other friends. One of the girls were holding a volleyball in her hands
"Sakura-chan's really good at swimming." Naoko Yanagisawa commented as the others nodded in agreement.
As Sakura ran in the direction of her friends, a sudden electric jolt runs through her body. She stopped dead in her tracks and looked around for the source. She then spotted a cave not far from the coast. A small glimmer of blue gleam flashes for a brief moment.
"Sakura-chan! What are you doing?" Chiharu Miharu called. Sakura shook the feeling away and rushed towards her friends.
Was that an Aura Impulse? But why would one of the Sealed Pokémon be all the way out here? Sakura thought when she finally reached her friends.
"I'm here!"
Out of the blue, breaking the surface behind Sakura is a boy with black hair and squinty eyes. Sakura jumped in surprise. "Did you know that beach volleyball originated from Hawaii and that they would play with coconuts instead of balls?" Takashi Yamazaki said with an impish grin. Chiharu nonchalantly handed the volleyball in her hand to Rika Sasaki.
"Hoe? But coconuts are hard and heavy…" Sakura said weakly.
"Correct! So whenever they would play beach volleyball, there would be a lot of injuries." Yamazaki explained, his grin now ear-to-ear. This appalled Sakura who could only picture the scene in her head.
"Don't worry. He's lying." Chiharu assured Sakura, glaring at Yamazaki.
"Hoe?" Sakura blinked. "A lie?"
"Oh, by the way-." Before Yamazaki can say anymore, Chiharu was already dragging him by the arm back to camp. Regardless, Yamazaki went on with his little lie.
"Alright, come on over! It's time to prepare dinner!" Mr. Terada shouted.
"Well, looks like we have to play later." Rika smiled as she run on the way to camp.
While everyone was occupied preparing the fish, Rika sneaked closer to Mr. Terada. He snaked her hands in his. Rika turned bright red.
"Terada-sensei!" A student with squinty eyes and dark skin called. Behind him, a boy wearing a baseball cap and a girl were quarrelling vociferously. "How am we supposed to do this again?"
"I'll be right there, Yamamoto-san." Terada said. He gave Rika a meaningful smile and gently let her hand go.
Rika blinked when she saw a scrap of paper in her hand. She carefully folded the piece of paper and read it silently.
Rika, meet me in the beach tonight. Love, Yoshiyuki
Rika's tender smile curves her lips. She hugged the piece of parchment close to her heart.
"Rika-chan! Hurry!" Sakura shouted, waving her arms frantically from their table.
"Coming!" Rika sneaked one last look at Terada and hurried away.
"Sakura had already departed for the seashore." Eevee sighed, relaxing on Sakura's bed. His paws playing with the brochure lazily, Eevee's head slumped onto the beddings. "I wanted to go, but her luggage is awfully undersized, Arceus."
He eyed the brochure again sluggishly. His weary eyes snapped open when they caught an image of a cave. "Oh dear, Sakura! He's there and yet you still not ready to undertake a Guardian Pokémon!"
On instinct, Eevee started bolted for the door but stop in his tracks. Realizations dawns as he sighed in defeat. "Even if I did go, I would not be able to do anything to help with the matter." He looked at the sky praying. Sakura, please be alright…
Sakura relaxed on her bunk happily. Still merry from the day, they began chatting.
"We did pretty good making the curry, didn't we?" Sakura said with a soft smile.
"Yes, it was very good." Rika said, her eyes darting from the window to the door.
Chiharu promptly turned off the lights. Naoko started a conversation, seeing it isn't that late. "You know I looked online and found a legend. It's about that cave over by the cliff."
Sakura recoiled from the mention of the cave. Chiharu on the other hand did not notice. "Alright, Naoko-chan, let's hear it."
"Well, the legend says there is a treasure hidden deep within that cave. Many people tried to find the treasure, but whenever someone went in, they never came back."
Sakura shuddered at that thought and quickly pulled the sheets over her head.
Before Naoko could finish her story, their cabin's door swung open. The girls screamed and hid under their sheets.
"I know you weren't sleeping." Mr. Terada chuckled. His eyes caught on Rika. Rika nodded and quietly slipped out of bed. "Tomorrow's a full day so rest up." He closed the door behind him silently.
He looked at Rika and gestured her to follow. Rika followed him without complaint. Standing by the waves, the couple stood hand in hand.
"Rika…"
The said girl looked in her love's eyes. "Yes?"
Terada took out a small fine velvet blue box and opened it before her eyes. Rika's mouth dropped open when her eyes were trained on a beautiful diamond ring. An elegant rose red blossom petals spread from the center. "Someday this ring will be a wedding ring, Rika."
Rika embraced him ecstatically as Terada slipped the ring in her finger.
Meanwhile, Sakura was staring at the ceiling listlessly, her mind still wandering on with the cave. I can't sleep. I keep thinking about the cave Naoko-chan was talking about. What if that legend is true?
Restless, Sakura sneaked away and sat on the porch of her cabin. Crickets chirped as waves crashed onto the shores. The bright moon was placed on a starless night.
Something tapped her shoulder casually. Sakura turned around and came face to face with a sinister figure with one vast toothy grin.
"HOEEEEE!" Sakura screamed at the top of her lungs.
"Shhh! Hush, lassie!"
Sakura got her bearings together and sighed in relief when she saw Gengar. Gengar floated behind her amused by her reaction. "Don't scare me like that." She whimpered.
"You are fortunate I place your friends in an unfathomable slumber or you will have awoken them." Gengar sighed.
"What are you doing out of the staff?" Sakura asked. "I didn't release you."
"I have my ways, lassie." Gengar strike a pose proudly. Sakura sweatdrops at the sight.
"However, this is not the reason why I am here." Gengar said gravely.
"Hoe?"
Sakura followed his gaze towards the cave. "I have sense a powerful presence from the cavern."
"Is it a Sealed Pokémon?"
Gengar placed his hand under his chin thoughtfully. "I do not know for certain."
"T-then c-could it be a g-g-g-" Sakura stuttered, emerald eyes wide.
"No, it's not a ghost, child."
"HOE-" Before she could scream, Gengar quickly put his hand over Sakura's mouth.
"Stop screaming each time you hear a different voice!" Pidgeot scolded from the charm.
"I'm deaf from her first scream by now." Gengar said matter-of-factly.
"G-gomen." Sakura apologized with a weak smile.
"You should go see what is currently happening in the cavern. A strange power is coming forth."
Sakura blanched from Pidgeot's suggestion. Gengar waved his hands in front of Sakura, but she did not react. "Amazing she can be a ghost when she wants to be." The Ghost Pokémon said bemused.
"But I can't go in there! Didn't you hear Naoko-chan say? No one came back out!" Sakura protested.
"Child, it is just a silly legend. You humans make it up to scare each other. This could be important." Pidgeot said unperturbedly by Sakura's objection.
With insistent urging from Gengar and Pidgeot, Sakura reluctantly found herself standing in front of the cave. She ventured through, her hand alongside the wall. A cold breeze brush past her face, sending cold chills down her spine.
She reached a lagoon by the end of her expedition. A vast lake separated Sakura and a small shrine on the other side. Another jolt pulsed through her body again. However this feeling is different from a normal Sealed Pokémon.
Before she could call Pidgeot's Fly, a roar burst from depths of the lake.
"TURN BACK OR NEVER RETURN!"
"Hoeeee!" Sakura shrieked falling to her knees.
Bubbles gurgled at the center of the lake, increasing in size as it went. Sakura scrutinized it, at least until a tower of water shot into the air.
"Ahh! What is that?" Sakura cried crawling few feet away from the watery tower.
The tower slowly unveils a cerulean-color seahorse the size of a large squid. The creature hangs in mid-air calmly, a face of unmistakable wisdom and resilient rage drawn.
Without a word, the seahorse shot a jet of water at Sakura sending her crashing against the wall.
"I am Kingdra, Guardian of Water! Whoever dares to enter this forsaken place will face oblivion!" Kingdra bellowed as he gently moved his body into the body of water.
"S-so you're not a Sealed Pokémon?" Sakura stuttered before dodging another flare of water.
Dodging the water jets, Sakura called, "Fly!"
She soared above the lake. In her mind, she repeated she will keep her promise over and over. Kingdra immediately sent a twister at Sakura.
It hit the tail of the Sealing Staff, sending her plunging into the waters below. Multiple towers of water shot upwards, narrowly hitting Sakura.
Sakura caught hold of the Sealing Staff and flew out of harm's way. Kingdra's deep ocean blue eyes glowed a shade of magenta. A whirlpool becomes visible in the center of the lake.
"Hoeeee!" Sakura cried listening to the roars of the whirlpool below.
Kingdra launched himself into the air, shocking the poor girl. "En garde, child!" Kingdra shot another Water Gun at Sakura.
The attack hit the staff before Sakura can fly off again. Sakura was sent plummeting into the whirlpool underneath.
"Weak little fool." Kingdra said, still suspended in mid-air.
As Sakura move deeper into the waters, she felt oxygen pushed out of her body. Is this how it's going to end?
Kingdra continued to watch from above as Sakura finally disappeared into the depths. Suddenly a boom of a hurricane erupted from within the center.
The hurricane spun counterclockwise, negating the whirlpool and in turn undo itself.
Pidgeot broke the surface with a coughing and spluttering Sakura on his back.
"What? Impossible! No ordinary Pokémon should be able to command such power!" Kingdra cried in disbelief.
"I won't allow you to stop me from keeping my promises! Alright, Kingdra, if it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get!" Sakura yelled in determination still coughing like mad.
Kingdra immediately sent more water towers towards Sakura and Pidgeot.
Sakura brought the staff in front of her and took a swing with all her remaining strength. She had cut through the water with a smooth slice of dark energy. "Night Slash!"
Kingdra stared at the act in shock, words incoherent in his lips.
"Full speed ahead, Pidgeot-san!" Sakura commanded.
Pidgeot flew at Kingdra, sending farther into the air.
"Shadow Ball!" Sakura shouted as a sphere of black discharge from the staff. It collided with Kingdra, hurtling him into the depths of the lake.
Sakura shielded herself as water burst from Kingdra's fall. She watched the waters as bubbles ceased. "Did we win?" Sakura asked panting.
A crack of white light flashed in the shrine's altar. Pidgeot landed near the shrine as Sakura asked cautiously, "What's happening?"
She walked towards the altar. On the top altar, an ornamented box sat between two lanterns. Sakura looked over at Pidgeot. Pidgeot gave her a nod of encouragement. Sakura took a deep breath and opened the box.
When she opened it, an intense sapphire luminosity nearly blinded her. This light illumines the entire cavern, transforming the rocks to crystal.
When the light fades away, she peeked inside only to find an ocean blue orb, bubbles trap at its corners. Carefully, Sakura took it in her hands and examined it curiously. "What's this?" As she said this, the orb began sparkling.
A light emerged from the orb and took shape. The shape reveals to be an abnormally large orange weasel-like creature. It has two tails behind its hind and noticeable black streaks on its cheeks. A yellow inner tube was around its neck.
Sakura readied her staff for another battle but the weasel surprised her with a jovial wave.
"Greetings!"
"Hoe?" Sakura stared at the weasel in confusion.
"Greetings, I said, child! Thank you very much for releasing me from that tight stone! Being sealed within that stone would critically have an effect to your spine!" the weasel stretched and moved as if he had not moved in centuries.
"W-who are you?" Sakura asked nervously as she watched the weasel jump around.
The weasel pounded his chest proudly. "I am Buizel, the Representative of Water!"
He stopped and inspected Sakura from head to toe. "If you are able to release me, you must have a potential strength in aura use. You defeated Kingdra, did you not?"
Sakura nodded as Pidgeot came forward and bowed. "Good evening, Buizel."
"Pidgeot? If you're with her, then that means… you must be the next Pokémon Master!" Buizel screeched, pointing at Sakura.
"Still as slow as a snail." Gengar groaned from inside the charm. Sakura rubbed her neck sheepishly.
"But I don't get who he is supposed to be." Sakura said pointing back at Buizel. The Sea Weasel Pokémon fell over in shock.
"Still say I am 'slow as a snail', eh? Girl, there are five representative elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and yours truly Water. These Pokémon are the strongest out of all the Sealed Pokémon with the exception of the legendaries." He glanced quickly at Pidgeot. "I do not mean any offense at all."
"I know you did not mean it."
"Nonetheless, instead of combating a Representative, you must fight the Guardian Pokémon who protects the stone the Representative is sealed within. The five elements are significant for it is a step of a nominee for the Pokémon Master. If the five elements do not recognize you, you will never become a Pokémon Master. Sir Aaron nominated us to be prejudges to see the value of a nominee. I'm impressed you are able to defeat Kingdra. If I remember correctly, he is a strong opponent, even I cannot overcome his strength. How many Pokémon had you caught by far?"
"Two."
"Two? You defeated Kingdra with only TWO Pokémon? I'm not impressed anymore. I am amazed!" Sakura blushed at his compliment.
Buizel cleared his throat and opened his mouth. "There is one little act I must do. I, Buizel, Representative of Water, accept um… what's your name?"
"Sakura."
"Well Sakura, I accept you as a nominee for the next Pokémon Master. I hereby grant you the power of Underwater Breath." Buizel said smoothly. The stone in Sakura's hand glowed bright once more. A soft tingle cleansed her body soothingly.
Without warning, Buizel nonchalantly pushed her into the lake.
Sakura didn't have the time to take a deep breath and submerged underwater. She stopped and clasped her hands to her mouth with the realization she is still breathing.
A swift movement caught her eye and automatically braced herself when she saw a seahorse-like creature swimming at her direction.
When no attack came, she looked up to see not Kingdra but a small seahorse the size of a handgun and less intimidating than Kingdra.
Sakura swam back to the surface with the little seahorse tailing after her.
When resurfacing, Sakura glared at Buizel harshly. "What was that for? And where did Kingdra go?"
Pidgeot shook his head as Buizel nodded his head in apology. "I just wanted to test the power I gave you. As for Kingdra, look behind you."
Sakura turned around and only saw the little seahorse.
"Indeed, I am Kingdra or at least I am until you defeated me. My name is Horsea when I am in this form. My duty has been fulfilled." He twisted around and swam away. "I believe I will stay here and enjoy the serenity of this cavern." Without saying another word, Horsea dipped underwater for a well-deserved rest.
Sakura climbed out of the lake, sopping wet. She yawned widely as she collapsed on the ground. "Hoeee… I feel really tired…" Sakura allowed herself to drift into dreamless slumber.
Buizel poked Sakura on the head gently. "My, she must be incredibly exhausted."
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called out in the night. She had been worried ever since discovering Sakura's empty bed. "Where are you?"
"Maybe we should tell the teachers." Rika said anxiously. She had not notice Sakura's absence when she reentered her cabin through the backdoor.
"Wait, it that her?" Naoko pointed a small prone figure lying on the ground outside the cave.
The girls rushed to the cliff and found Sakura sleeping like a baby on the ground.
"Oh thank goodness, she's okay." Tomoyo sighed with a brief smile.
"Why is she doing out here?" Chiharu asked puzzled.
"What's that she's holding?" Rika asked as she bent down besides Sakura.
"I wonder if that's the treasure from the legend." Naoko studied the orb in Sakura's hands. For some reason, she won't let it go. Naoko mused.
"It's just a legend, right?" Chiharu asked nervously. "People DID come back out of the cave."
Naoko nodded. "Yes, but they come back really wet."
"Sakura-chan must have been curious when you mentioned the treasure of the cave." Tomoyo sighed dreamily as her friends sweat-dropped. "Sakura-chan's so brave!"
"Come on. We should get her back to the cabin before everyone notice." Chiharu said draping Sakura's arm on her shoulders.
The other girls agreed as they too helped Chiharu carry Sakura.
Meanwhile, Buizel was once again dormant in his stone. "Did Pidgeot and Gengar say I have to hide in here until the excursion is over? Yes, they did… I have been sealed in this stone for over a century! I deserve better treatment than this confined space!" He complained loudly.
"Did you say something, Tomoyo-chan?" Chiharu blinked.
"No…"
"Guess I'm just hearing things." Chiharu shrugged. Buizel just cried himself to sleep in the stone.
Hope you like this rewritten chapter. If you haven't notice, there is a manga moment in here.
Author Notes
Manga moment - It is the Mr. Terada's proposal. I can't find which chapter it is in the CCS manga but I know it is in the manga. I more or less support this particular couple. It is still CLAMP and I am respecting every bit of their relationships...even if some could say it is disgusting. I put the couple in for CLAMP's sake. It is still a shoujo.
Cameos - If you haven't notice the arguing pair, then you don't remember the first generation. Really, all I can make of the other Pokemon characters is make them as cameos similar to what I will do with all of CLAMP's other works and its characters. See, my CLAMP habit has catch up again.
Buizel's dialect - I try to blend coarse with the formal language for Buizel. Key word: TRY. Kero-chan speak in Osaka-ben, the modern Osaka-ben. Kero-chan has fallen asleep for thirty years, close to the modern day. Buizel on the other hand is stuck inside a cave with Kingdra as his only companion. He is stuck in there while Kingdra ruthlessly drive intruders away. He could not have pick up the modern speech from the other side of the lake without going there.