Part 1 of 2
Japanese Title: Secret Round Twelve! Into The Forest With Friends!
Translation: Naisho Ichiban Juuni! Yukiataru Sono Hayashi Abekku Furenzu!
By: Pro_V
Eevy and Ash were nearly paralyzed as they stood and deafly listened to their more detailed instructions. Morty, Misty and the rest of the groups were totally silent in their seats, awaiting the decisions of the two final challengers--whether go into battle or go back home. The two that had been explaining things to them stepped away, leaving them standing across from each other. Eevy could have sworn she blacked out for a moment, but was totally awake in this rush of adrenaline. Kratos walked up beside her.
"Are you all right, Ms. Hikoboshi?" he asked, looking at her as if he were overly concerned.
She snapped out of her dazed dreamland, "What? Oh! I'm just fine, thank you, sir."
"Don't worry. You'll do just as good as you're meant to."
Something in that statement caused her eyes to narrow, "Thank you, sir," she turned and scowled at the Elite, who stepped away a step, "You four deserve to die," she took a slight pause between each word and emphasized the last especially.
"I had no part in this. Honestly," Lance pointed out in a nervous snicker.
"Whatever," she spat and shook her head, yelling at the other three in a high whisper, "Why is it always Eevy and Ash? Why do the stars always have the hard times? Do the names Ashura Ketchum and Evangelina Hikoboshi have like magnetic properties to each other or something? I mean, do our names scream 'Make us battle!' or do you just like torturing us?"
"We're sorry, Eevy," Luri whispered, "So very sorry."
"Sorry isn't gonna cut it," she snapped and turned away, "Anyway, I'll still beat him."
"Logos," Kratos turned slightly with a snap of his fingers, "Get over here."
Will rushed over, "Yes, sir?" he squeaked with a huge smile.
"Time to do your job," Kratos pulled him to the front of the podium, "Start teleporting them in. Randomly, remember."
Vovo was first, then Pikachu, then Novo, Croconaw, Lovo, Noctowl, Zovo, Cyndaquil, Sovo, Tauros, Yovo and finally Bayleef. It ended with Ash and Eevy, waiting like stone statues in the corner of the podium. Kratos stepped aside and pulled Ash forward. He shook like a leaf as Alakazam threw him into the Forest Field. Eevy was hoping to go in first, but her luck was obviously bad today. She gnawed on her right thumb nail and stepped forward. Luri stuck something in her left hand and patted the back of it sympathetically. Lance secretly tapped her right wrist.
"Be careful and good luck," he said loud enough she could hear him and low enough no one else could.
She zipped away from him with Will's Alakazam teleporting her somewhere into the Forest Field. She landed with a thump and a slight moan somewhere in a huge forest like battle arena. She looked side to side, trying to get her bearings straight. It was amazingly real and almost perfectly true to life. She stood up and brushed off, realizing how hard this was going to be. She looked to what Luri had given her.
"A new Poke'Gear," she said in a daze, "Whatever. I think the guy said the red button," she hit it and heard the noises around her as if from a loud speaker, then a voice from the device.
"Hello, Eevy," Lance muttered to her sarcastically, "You get there all right?" his voice was also on the speaker in the Stadium.
"Yeah, I'm cool," she looked around and heard her voice also on the Stadium speaker, "This place is so real it's freaky."
"Any sign of your Pokemon?"
"I just got in here! Don't rush genius!"
"Whatever. Get on your way now and make sure we can see what you see."
She looked into the screen, "So I guess it's working then," she gave a quick and tempting wink, "Eevy is online!"
Lance swallowed heavily, "We noticed."
"Don't forget about me!" Ash's voice rumbled through the Stadium, "I'm in here too!"
"All right, you two!" Kratos pushed in, "Get out there and find your Pokemon!"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 30 mins. --
"This place is really creepy," Ash commented to his Poke'Gear, "All these trees and bushes. It's like Ilex Forest; that place freaked me out too."
"Yeah. It sure is weird in here," Eevy swallowed the brick in her throat, "Spooky, almost. But there's no way I'm scared!"
"You will be," Will commented lowly, "I really wish I hadn't been part of this."
"Me too," Luri muttered, "Pitting those two against each other is almost evil."
"I feel like I could blow up," Jason whimpered, "I feel so heartless and cruel!"
"I'm glad I don't feel that way," Lance gave them an evil smile, "I had no part in this whatsoever. I'm completely free of the burden of guilt. Just, on a stereotypical note of my usual curiosity, why was I not told about this? I want info, people!"
"We started designs on this when you first started sulking around," Luri started, "It was Kratos' idea because of how much training you were missing. He had us design and sketch this to be made with his approval, of course."
"He wanted us to have another wall of protection from competitors," Will continued, "The designs we had were handed in a week before we saw Eevy on PKMN TV for the first time. We didn't even know she existed."
"He didn't want you to know because he wasn't sure what your reaction would be," Jason added, "He told us you always saw yourself as the barrier and was afraid of what you might say if you knew he added a new round."
"I was afraid you'd quit on us and leave," Kratos had obviously been listening, "I didn't want to lose you, but I wasn't sure I wanted to keep you in the condition you were in. This was the solution I chose, Ryujin. And as far as your concern with the Pokemon Professors," he paused as their eyes narrowed at him, "They were watching your progress. Testing you. When they saw you outside the City, they found it unusual. That was another reason I wanted this done this year. That girl…" he looked up at the board showing Eevy, "She's different than most. And I wanted to test her; to be as sure as the Beasts."
"So I had a part in this torture chamber and didn't even know it," Lance muttered, "Basically, I caused this and had no clue I did. I should have known this would backfire onto me somehow. Everything does; comes whipping back at me."
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself and watch the match," Kratos pulled him to the speaker, "Everything all right in there, Ash? Eevy?"
"Perfectly fine, but no Pokemon," Ash answered.
"Yeah, same here. Not even one," Eevy replied.
Eevy scanned side to side for some sign of any of her Pokemon. She wasn't paying the slightest sliver of attention to where she was walking and stepped down on something. She carefully turned her foot away, shooting up in fearful paralysis.
"Uh…" she whimpered into the Poke'Gear, "Slight problem."
"What's wrong?" Lance jumped.
There wasn't an actual answer, only a long wailing scream, "Beedrill swarm!" she flipped, "I stepped on a Weedle!"
"There's Beedrill in there?!" Lance spazzed, "Are you insane?!"
The cracking of electricity behind her caused Eevy to stop and turn, "Pika…CHUU!" she heard nastily, "Pika…pika…CHUU!" the Beedrill buzzed off quickly with Pikachu panting on the ground behind her, "Chau," he said tiredly and flopped to the ground.
"Pikachu!" the loud speaker heard, "Pikachu," Eevy scooped him up, "You saved me. My little Pika-pal. You OK?"
"Pika-pika," he muttered.
"I'll help you find him," she smirked, "After all, you did help me."
"What's she doing?!" Morty bugged, "Why's she helping him?!"
"Shut up, Morty!" Lisle forced him to sit.
"Come on, Pikachu. Let's find Ash and the other Pokemon," Eevy said as Pikachu hopped to her head, "Let me know if you see them anywhere."
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 29 mins. --
Ash continued walking, not having the foggiest clue where any of his Pokemon were. At least, he thought, he knew Pikachu was safe with Eevy. It was his other Pokemon he had to worry about now. He turned and thought he may have seen something in a small clearing and stepped into a bush. What his foot hit was not the ground, he could tell. He slowly brought his foot up, and with it, an aggravated Pineco.
"Take it easy now, Pineco," the speaker said in Ash's voice, "Nice Pineco. Don't do anything brash now."
"Pineco!" it started glowing for an explosion as others popped up and mimicked.
"Oh great," Ash muttered, "I'm gonna get blown sky high."
Just as it was about to explode, the Pineco disappeared from beneath his foot, "Eevee eev!" the others also got toppled away before exploding, "Eevee-eevee eev! Eevee!" Vovo stood growling nastily at the remaining few who hopped away, "Eevee…" he sat down carefully.
"Vovo!" Ash shouted through the speaker, "You saved me! You're alright, aren't you?"
"Eev ee," Vovo gave an Eevee shrug.
"Well, since Eevy's helping Pikachu, the least I can do is help you," he started to pick him up but backed away, "I can pick you up, right?"
"Eev!" Vovo planted himself on Ash's head, "Eevee-eevee."
"I'll take that as a yes," Ash nodded and continued walking, "This place is sure creepy."
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 25 mins. --
"Do you see them anywhere at all, Pikachu?" Eevy looked side to side, now with Pikachu on her shoulder, "It's been about ten minutes. We're running low on time. Lovo! Zovo! Novo! Sovo! Yovo! Vovo! Ash! Noctowl! Tauros! Bayleef! Croconaw! Cyndaquil!"
"Pika-pi! Pika-pika-pika! Pikachu! Pika-pi! Pika-pika, Pika-pi!"
"Wait a second," Eevy stopped, "Lovo, if you can hear me!" she called, "Use your Thunderbolt!"
"Jolt-jolt!" came an echo and a shot of thunder, "Jolt! Jolteon!"
"Pika-pika!" Pikachu pointed off to the left, "Pika chu!"
"Lovo!" Eevy took off in that direction with Pikachu holding on for dear life, "Lovo!"
The Jolteon catapulted to her, "Jolt-jolt! Jolt jolteon jolt-jolt!"
"Thank you, Pikachu!" Eevy smiled, "Lovo!" she buried her face in her Pokemon's fur, "My buddy."
*^~^**^~^*
--Time Limit: 22 mins. --
"Hey, Vovo. Do you see any sign of them?" Ash asked his temporary companion.
"Eevee ee eevee," Vovo answered.
"Hey! Noctowl! Tauros! Bayleef! Croconaw! Cyndaquil! Pikachu! Eevy! Lovo! Zovo! Sovo! Yovo! Novo! Can anybody hear me?"
"Eevee ee eevee-eevee eev-eevee-eev!"
"Didn't Eevy say something about Bayleef having a special scent?" Ash paused, "I wonder if I could find her that way," Vovo cocked his head all the way to the left as Ash stood sniffing the air, "There is something different in the air," he turned to the right, "Hey, Bayleef! You out there?"
"Bay-bay!" was the slight echo that returned, "Bayleef bay!"
"Follow my voice! Over here, Bayleef!"
In a few seconds a Vine Whip shot to Vovo, who jumped to avoid, "Bayleef bay!" Bayleef snapped, "Bay-bay Bayleef!"
"Stop it, Bayleef. He's helping us!" Ash snapped with a slightly calmed Bayleef in front of him, "Sorry, Vovo."
"Eevee eev…"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 20 mins. --
"Vape-vape vaporeon vapor," Novo sat next to a bush with his brother, Zovo, "Vape-vapor?"
"Flare-flare flareon flare," Zovo replied with a drooping face, "Fla-flare, flareon."
OK. We haven't even the foggiest inkling what these two are going on about, so for now, you get to speak Pokemon! Let's recap…
"You know, we haven't even sensed Eevy, let alone seen her," Novo started, "What now?"
"I have no clue what to do," Zovo answered, "I am starting to worry a little, I guess."
"If we could signal her somehow…"
Zovo perked up, "Novo! You're a genius! You're so much smarter than you look!"
"Thank you, I think…What did I say?"
"Signal! We can make a signal!"
"In case you didn't notice, it's not like we have a bright orange flag to wave over the trees!"
"Just come here!" he pulled Novo over by the ear, "Now fire your Water Gun at me."
"Are you nuts?!" Novo jumped, "If I hit you I could knock you out! Eevy would NOT be at all pleased with me."
"Just do it!"
"Fine! Take the hit and see if I feel any remorse!" he snorted and fired his Water Gun.
"No problem!" his brother boasted and launched a Flame Wheel.
The two attacks collided and exploded in a rush of steam and hissing smoke. Pikachu, still of Eevy's shoulder, and Lovo, by her side, looked side to side, ears twitching intently.
"Do you hear something, Lovo? Pikachu?" Eevy asked and got a whiff of smoke, "I smell smoke. Do you hear steam?"
"Pika!"
"Jolt!"
"Let's go!" Eevy turned and ran off in the direction the Pokemon pointed.
She box vaulted a bush with the Poke'Gear showing what she saw. Some of the crowd questioned how she did that with a Pikachu on her shoulder and a Jolteon trailing behind. She skidded to a stop with Zovo and Novo halting their attacks.
"Vape-vape vape or!" Novo cheered.
"Fla-flare flare eon!" Zovo jumped.
"Zovo! Novo! What a great idea!" Eevy shouted, "You two were so great! Now, let's get out there and find your brothers and Ash!"
"Vape!"
"Flare!"
"Jolt!"
"Pika!"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 18 mins. --
"Cynda-cyndaquil."
"Hoot-hoot hoot."
Here we go again…
"Where's Ash? I though for sure we would have found him by now."
"I'm not quite sure of his whereabouts. But I do have a slight inkling of a way to boost his locating time."
"Oh really?" Cyndaquil hated it when Noctowl talked like that, "What is it?"
"Just release your Smokescreen and allow me to do the rest."
Cyndaquil shot his Smokescreen into the air, filling the wind with smoke and gas. Noctowl backed away and launched his Whirlwind. The Smokescreen billowed around in the strong gust of wind and wrapped through the trees. Vovo looked off to Ash's right at a slightly greenish cloud puffing in the bushes.
"Eevee-eev," he poked Ash in the side of the head, "Eevee-eevee eev."
"Hey, that looks like a Smokescreen," Ash paused, halting this Bayleef beside him, "Hey, Cyndaquil! Are you in there?"
The smoke abruptly stopped and Cyndaquil jumped from the bushes with Noctowl right behind. Vovo slouched; hoping it had been Zovo.
"Hey! Noctowl! Cyndaquil! What a great idea! Have either of you seen Eevy or the other Pokemon?"
"Hoo-hoot," Noctowl looked at Cyndaquil and back to Ash with a shake of his feathered head.
"Well, I guess we just keep looking then."
"Hoot!"
"Cynda!"
"Bay!"
"Eev!"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 15 mins. --
"OK. It's getting really low on time in there," Lance said to Eevy, "Are you going to find those last two or attack something or whatnot or are you just gonna lose your chance?"
"All right," Eevy stopped and snatched the Poke'Gear, "Knock off your bull, Ryujin! I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment and if you don't mind I'd like to find my Pokemon!"
Kratos' jaw slammed the podium floor, "I don't know what you've been saying to her, but whatever it is, she doesn't like it."
Lance gave a slightly hidden scowl to his President, "I gathered that. Well, just hurry up already!"
"I'm working on it! Now go park yourself!" she snorted and continued walking with Pikachu patting her shoulder comfortingly, "Thanks, Pikachu."
"Umb-umb!" came a cry from behind them, "Umb-umb umb!"
"Yovo!" Eevy cheered, "You found us all on your own! Good job!"
"Umb-umbreon! Umb-umb eon!"
"You're a sweetie," Eevy beeped his nose, "Come on. All we need to find is Sovo now. Then we can start our battle with Ash."
"Pika-pi…"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 12 mins. --
"What's going on in there, Ketchum?" Will asked quickly, "You lost or something?"
"Well, of course I'm lost!" Ash snapped, "It's nearly pitch black in here! Plus the fact I'm at a total loss for where my Pokemon are!"
"Geez, sorry I asked," Will murmured lowly, "Good luck in there."
"Yeah, whatever," Ash snapped before the pounding of hooves behind him alerted him to the presence of his hefty heifer, "Tauros! I didn't expect to find you so easily!"
"Tauu!" Tauros stomped the ground and continued along behind his master, "Ros tauu!"
"Did you see Eevy or any of the other Pokemon, Tauros?"
Tauros gave a solemn moo, causing Ash and Vovo to droop and Bayleef to half cheer about no Pikachu! Ash sighed and again started walking.
"Eevee-eev…"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 10 mins. --
"Sovo!" Eevy shouted, "Sovo! You're the only one left to find! Come on out, Sovo!"
"Flare! Fla-flare!"
"Jolt! Jo-jolt!"
"Vapor! Vape-vapor!"
"Umbre! Umb-umbre!"
"Pi-pika-pika!"
"Where are you, Sovo? Can you hear me?" Eevy stopped and slouched, "This is nuts! I'm gonna find Sovo yet! I've only got ten minutes. Let's go, Yovo. I'll need your help."
Yovo's head fell to the side, "Umb-umbre?"
"Just come on," she snatched his tail, "Your Type directly counters Sovo's. You should be able to find him without any problems."
"Umbre-umb!"
"Stop whining!" Eevy snapped, "Let's go," she checked the stability of a tree branch, "Up we go!" she pulled herself up to the third branch, "Let's go, Yovo. Up you come," her Umbreon hesitated but made his way up branch by branch, "Alright. Moonlight attack now!"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 7 mins. --
Sovo looked side to side and noticed it was getting darker than usual, "No way it should be this dark this early. It's only about one in the afternoon," he muttered to himself, "I sense Dark- type power in this attack. Ash doesn't have any Dark Pokemon, and I'm sure the Elite wouldn't go that far, so that only leaves my good pal, Yovo."
"Sovo!" the echo rang around the trees, "Sovo! Can you hear me? If you can, follow the Moonlight!"
Sovo wearily stepped over the line of grass and kept walking towards the attack, "Boy, she'd better be right about this," he muttered to himself and continued walking.
"Sovo!" Eevy slid off the branch, "Sovo! Yes! Now all we have to do is find Vovo, and since he's with Ash it shouldn't be that hard. Let's go!"
*^~^**^~^*
-- Time Limit: 5 mins. --
"Croconaw!" Ash echoed, "Croconaw! Where are you, Croconaw? Can you hear us?"
"Cynda quil!"
"Bay leef!"
"Hoot-hoot!"
"Tau-tau!"
"Eev-eev!"
"I wonder where he could be," Ash paused, "What do you think we should do now? We're down to fifteen minutes now."
"Eev-eev eev eevee," Vovo suggested, leaving Ash with a totally blank face.
"I have no idea what you said, but whatever it was, I agree," Ash snickered with the speaker outside saying it too.
"You silly idiot," Eevy snapped sarcastically when she heard him ask what Vovo said, "He wants to try and hear Croconaw!"
"How'd she know that?" Ash asked himself, "OK, everybody. Try an hear Croconaw."
Vovo sat this one out, as he was only with this person and his Pokemon to find Eevy. If Eevy didn't have Pikachu he wouldn't be with Ash. He preferred to prove himself on his own. The rest of the Pokemon listened intently and in a few minutes, Vovo was clinging to Ash with all his might to keep from falling off as he ran in the direction his Pokemon indicated. They found Croconaw sitting next to a pond, seemingly awaiting Ash's arrival.
"Hey, Croconaw! What's up?" Ash called to get his Pokemon's attention.
The Croconaw bolted to his master, who laughed loudly. Across the pond and over a line of bushes, Pikachu's ears twitched as the sound of his best friend's voice reached his ears.
"Pika-pika!" he pulled a bit of Eevy's hair, "Pikachu, Pika-pi!"
"Over here, huh?" Eevy pointed and stepped over the bushes, "Well, hello there, Mr. Pallet Town."
"Eevy," Ash shot up to his feet, "Pikachu!"
"Vovo!" the Eevee sprang from Ash's shoulder and the Pikachu from Eevy's, "You all right, little friend?" Eevy asked.
"Eevee-eev!" Vovo cheered profusely, "Eevee-eev!"
Eevy went for her Poke'Gear, "Mr. Kratos, sir. We've found our Pokemon and the battle will commence now."
The Next Chronicle:
Friend & Foe Alike…Again! Part 2 of 2
Notes
I love being mean to my characters...Have you noticed? Other than that...I have nothing to say...Meh...
*^~^*Pro_V*^~^*
-=O~Her Many Pokemon~O=-