Disclaimer*: I will never, ever own Hetalia or Pokemon! That would be crazy if I did! Sorry for the delay... writer's block again! Anyway... Here it is!
Chapter 6
Feliciano was singing a bouncy little tune. He sometimes hummed it so loud, he began to sing it.
"Draw a circle, that's the earth…" Feliciano sang.
Kiku stopped in his tracks. Ludwig and Feliciano realized this. "What's wrong?" Ludwig asked.
"There's an awful lot of trees, isn't there?" Kiku pointed out.
"Yeah, so?" Ludwig was beginning to wonder where this was heading to.
"It means that we are close to Violet City," Kiku explained.
"Well, that's good, right?" Feliciano stopped humming to join the conversation.
"Yes, but," Kiku gazed intently at his other two friends, "it also means a wild Pokémon could appear any second."
"You mean like the ones over there?" Feliciano pointed behind them.
Ludwig and Kiku spun around to see three Caterpies. "That's what I mean…" Kiku muttered.
"Chiko!"
"Toto!"
"Cynda!"
Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile have stepped up in front of their Trainers. "Okay, so let's just weaken these things. Then let's catch 'em all." Ludwig suggested.
"That's a very good plan indeed." Kiku agreed. "Cyndaquil, Tackle!"
Feliciano and Ludwig commanded the same thing as Kiku. The three Pokémon tackled the Caterpies who were gravely injured, but not fainting.
"You ready for this?" Ludwig asked Feliciano.
"I'm ready, Ludwig." Feliciano nodded.
In unison, the Trainers threw out the Pokéballs, calling, "Pokéball, go!"
The Caterpies were captured. The balls landed and the Trainers waited to see if the Caterpies would struggle out. Fortunately, the Caterpies gave in, sealing the "First Captured Pokémon" for Kiku.
"Phew!" Feliciano cheered. "That was totally wicked!"
"We're going to have to be more alert for more Pokémon," Kiku warned.
"Well, not until we get into the Bellsprout Tower," Ludwig pointed ahead. "Look!"
Ahead of the Trainers was the magnificent sight of Violet City. Its subtle beauty made an impressing mark on its history, what with Sprout Tower looming over and all.
"Wow…" Feliciano mused in awe. "It's so subtle!"
"I know…" Ludwig mused.
"Let's go to the Gym. That's what we're here for, right?" Kiku suggested.
The Trainers were heading towards the Gym when they were stopped by a man with a beard.
"Sorry, guys, but Roderich is out training at Sprout Tower. Maybe you could drop by there and meet up with him. By the way, I'll show up a lot, so let me introduce myself." He offered his hand. "I'm Henry. I'm an Advisor to help Trainers defeat the Gym Leaders."
The Trainers shook hands with Henry. Henry continued, "If you don't encounter Roderich, go there anyway. I heard you could learn a lot from the Elder over there. Plus, it helps you bond more with your Pokémon!"
"Thanks for the help," the Trainers acknowledged together.
"You're welcome! If you need help with Gym leaders, see me. I always hang out near the entrance of each Gym." Henry smiled a hairy smile.
The Trainers walked towards the looming tower, but a man with a weird accent stopped them.
"Ja! Ja! Shard de Berry?" The man offered.
"Well… we don't have a Shard…" Ludwig stammered. He was apparently embarrassed by the man. "We'll come again if we have a Shard…"
"Okay, then! Bye-bye now!" the Shard man bade.
When out of the man's earshot, Kiku commented immediately, "What was that all about?"
"Who knows…" Ludwig muttered.
Feliciano wondered if Ludwig knew the Shard guy. But he didn't have time to wonder because they already had entered Sprout Tower, and boy was it huge.
"Whoa!" Feliciano exclaimed in awe.
The tower was enormous with wood everywhere. There were some statues here and there, and the tower had at least three levels. The tower teemed with wild Ratatas everywhere.
Ludwig smiled. "I wonder where Roderich is." He mused.
"He could be anywhere!" Kiku responded. "This tower is really big."
"Ve… maybe he's at the top!" Feliciano suggested.
"Maybe..." Ludwig agreed. "Let's go up then!" He pointed at a ladder.
The Trainers hurried towards the ladder until Kiku realized something. "Wait a minute, if this helps us bond with our Pokémon more, then don't we have to fight someone? Nothing is ever this easy…" Kiku mused anxiously.
Before anyone could say anything more, a gray-haired man in a robe stopped them. "Hold it right there! Going to see the Elder, huh?"
"Si, why?" Feliciano asked.
"We'll see if you guys are worthy enough to pass," he held out a Pokéball, "if you can get past me!"
He held out three Pokéballs and threw them out. "Bellsprout, I choose you!"
Three Bellsprouts emerged out of the redness. "BELLSPROUT!" they cried.
Ludwig, who was very careful, decided to use Starly instead of Totodile.
"But why?" Feliciano inquired.
"Razor Leaf is pretty strong against Totodile, so I have to be careful." Ludwig pulled out his other Pokéball. "Besides, I don't want Totodile to go back to the Pokécenter again, right? I'll just use him once Bellsprout is weakened." He threw it out. "Starly, I choose you!"
"Go, Chikorita!" Feliciano yelled.
"Cyndaquil, let's go!" Kiku firmly directed.
Cyndaquil and Chikorita prepared themselves as Starly emerged from the red flash.
"Bellsprout, Vine Whip!" the Sage commanded. Bellsprout was about to attempt to whip Cyndaquil.
"Cyndaquil, Ember!" Kiku cried.
Before the vine could touch it, Cyndaquil let out a mild burst of flame from its back. It severely burned Bellsprout. The Sage's Bellsprout had fainted.
"Man…" he faced Feliciano. "Bellsprout, Razor Leaf!"
"Chikorita, Razor Leaf!" Feliciano yelled.
"Is there any other move Chikorita can do besides Razor Leaf?" Ludwig asked.
Feliciano shrugged as leaves scratched the other Pokémon at the same time. It wasn't really effective as neither Pokémon fainted nor flinched.
"Bellsprout, Vine Whip!" the Sage cried out.
"Starly, use Wing Attack!" Ludwig directed.
Starly swooped in towards Bellsprout and winged it. Bellsprout was knocked out cold before it could strike.
The Sage sighed disappointedly. "Bellsprout, Vine Whip!"
Feliciano smirked playfully. "Ve… Chikorita, PoisonPowder!"
"Wait, what?" Kiku and Ludwig shouted in unified shock. "When did Chikorita learn that?"
"Ever since I fought Yekaterina!" Feliciano informed.
Sure enough, a spray of Poison licked Bellsprout. Bellsprout started to weaken.
"Oh! Bellsprout, Razor Leaf!" the Sage yelled.
"Can I do the honors?" Ludwig asked.
"Sure thing, buddy!" Feliciano permitted.
"Totodile, Water Gun!" Ludwig shouted.
A shot of water blasted Bellsprout unto the wall, making it faint.
"You win, then. I have to admit that was good. Take this prize money!" the Sage presented them with some money.
Ludwig took the money. "Good, we've been low on funds for a week, now."
"You guys are pretty worthy. I'm Sage Nico," the Sage greeted. "You may pass."
As Nico stepped out of the way, the Trainers cheered and proceeded up the ladder.
"Well, I just hope they can get past the Elder!" Nico smiled. "Maybe they could. After all, they've got the guts, right?"
~0~
"You know, I think there will be someone else we have to battle, too!" Feliciano grasped.
"I guess so," Ludwig agreed. "As Kiku said, nothing comes easy. Not even friendship or brotherhood can come on easily."
"What do you mean?" Feliciano asked.
"I mean sometimes friends might fight. Brothers could betray each other. All that junk." Ludwig groaned.
"I guess being in a 'sacred place' with sages and all changes people, huh?" Kiku smirked. "I've never heard you say something like that, Ludwig."
"I guess working our way to Roderich made me catch on to his classiness," Ludwig chuckled.
"You mean you've known Roderich before?" Feliciano inquired, apparently intrigued.
Before Ludwig could reply, a Sage stepped in front of them. "Going after the Elder, right?" he questioned.
"We're going to have to battle for it, right?" Kiku rolled his eyes.
"Well, I just want to make sure you guys are ready," the Sage positioned himself. "And if I want to do that, I need to battle you three." He took out three Pokéballs and called, "Let's go, Hoothoot and Bellsprout!"
Feliciano cocked his head. "Hoothoot?" He was about to take out his Pokédex when Ludwig stopped him.
"No time for that. We have to battle this guy." Ludwig stopped. "I should probably use Totodile this time. I saw him super hyper a while ago. I think he leveled up and learned another move."
"Really? Cyndaquil is like that, too!" Kiku connected. "Go, Cyndaquil!"
"Totodile," Ludwig yelled, "I choose you!"
"Here we go, Chikorita!" Feliciano invigorated.
The Pokémon were positioned, and so were the Sage's Pokémon. "Hoothoot, Peck!"
"Chikorita, PoisonPowder!" Feliciano yelled. Chikorita sprayed out poison which damaged the Hoothoot.
"Bellsprout, Vine Whip!" the Sage commanded.
"Totodile, Rage!" Ludwig directed. He heard that this was the next move that Totodile could learn. To Ludwig's surprise, Totodile became a frenzy of anger and lashed out at the Bellsprout. It was damaged badly.
"Bellsprout, Vine Whip!" the Sage directed at Kiku's Cyndaquil.
"Cyndaquil, Quick Attack!" Kiku ordered firmly. Cyndaquil quickly swerved in and out to avoid the vines and bashed Bellsprout. Bellsprout was also majorly damaged.
"Well, they did learn new moves," Ludwig smiled approvingly. "Totodile, Water Gun!"
"Cyndaquil, Ember!" Kiku added, "I miss that move, though."
The two Bellsprouts fainted as water or fire blasted at them. Hoothoot was the last one standing in his team.
"You poisoned my Hoothoot!" the Sage recalled. "Two can play at this game!"
"Of course, it's a battle, anyway…" Ludwig mumbled.
"Hoothoot, Hypnosis!" the Sage yelled. "Let's see your Pokémon avoid this!"
Almost immediately, Chikorita dropped into a gentle nap. Feliciano yelped in horror at his buddy sleeping. "Starly, I choose you!"
Once Starly came out, the Sage commanded, "Hoothoot, Uproar!" Hoothoot emitted a cry and made a crazy mess of things.
Feliciano winced as Ludwig cursed in German. "Starly, Wing Attack!"
Thankfully, because of being weakened by Chikorita's poison, Hoothoot fainted. Feliciano cheered along with his friends as the Sage returned his Pokémon to their Pokéballs. "I guess you might be strong enough to fight the Elder." The Sage, who was named Troy, congratulated.
Before anyone could say anything, a sudden desperate yell was heard upstairs. "That sounds like the Elder!" Troy realized. He turned to the Trainers for help. "You've got to help him. My Pokémon are down! Sure, he's pretty strong, but who knows who's up there?"
"Our Pokémon are weak!" Ludwig reasoned. "And Feliciano's Chikorita is asleep! I don't think any of us has an Awakening with us!"
"What do we do then?" Kiku asked.
"Ve…" Feliciano started to think. "Wait! I have a plan!"
What is Feliciano's plan? Honestly... I don't know yet. Feliciano has another trick up his sleeve? What is it? Review please! I will accept if you guys have to flame or criticize me. Thanks for reading!
-hetaliaforever123
Italy: PASTA!
Me: I have some in the fridge. Knock yourself out.
