Story 13
Water Ways!
The sun began to set as the group made their ways out of the forest, followed by a crack of thunder, which made Oddish jump uncomfortably.
"Rain again?!" Keji said, shaking his head.
"It rains alot in this area Keji." Taylor said, followed by a nod of approval from Rei. Hypno sighed. Bicker Bicker Bicker... is that all humans ever did?
Keji shook his head, "I know, but it always seems to rain, or snow, or something when we travel."
Stop whining, Hypno shot into the trios heads, We're losing time.
"What do you care, Hypno," Taylor interjected, angrily, "We never invited you along anyway." Keji and Rei shook their heads in unison. Hypno and Taylor always argued... they didn't seem to like each other for some reason. Another clap of thunder interrupted the arguing duo, as they sped up their pace, hoping to find some place to take refuge.
The four traveled for an hour before the actual storm began, and it was worse than any of them could have imagined. The rain quickly soaked their clothes through, though Oddish seemed to enjoy it, lapping up rain drops with its tongue.
"Well, where's a place to stay?" Taylor yelled over the storm, "We always seem to find somewhere to stay."
Looks like your endless luck ran out, humans. Hypno "said" into their heads. It was soaking wet, and constantly shook excess water from its golden fur.
"Shut up needle nose!" Taylor yelled. He looked ahead to see a fallen tree trunk spanning a river, "Hold up!" He yelled, and the other three skidded to a stop. Keji slid by, falling on his rear end in the slippery mud.
"What?" Rei asked, helping Keji up, who was rubbing his sore back.
"That tree's the only way across the river." Taylor said, looking up and down the river.
"That doesn't look safe." Rei said.
Keji nodded, wiping himself off, "I think we should look for another way," He looked down the steadily rising river, "That tree won't stay above the water for long."
Taylor began to run towards the tree, "It's either that or catch pneumonia here, it's our only choice." Keji sighed.
Whatever. Hypno grunted, and followed Keji and Taylor. Rei shivered and shook her head before setting after her friends.
Taylor made it across first, followed by a levitating Hypno.
"Rei, go ahead." Keji said, smiling reassuredly.
"No... I... I can't..." She stuttered, frightened.
"Come on, we have to get across!" He said, taking her hand, and helping up onto the tree before him. She blushed and shuttered, her fear gone. She stepped onto the tree, and began across.
"You're doing good!" Keji yelled over the roar of the river, as it quickly became louder and louder.
Hypno's eyes widened, HURRY! He shot into her mind, but it was too late. A huge wave swept down the river towards the tree, and Rei, staring in abject horror.
"NO!" Keji yelled, running to the river, reaching for her hand, which swept by too quickly for him to grab. He backed up and ran forward to the river, ready to jump in, but was knocked back by a powerful force that Keji recognized as Hypno's Psychic attack.
No, it isn't your time to die, Keji, Hypno said, shaking its head, Everyone must go sometime, it was Rei's time.
"You heartless beast!" Keji yelled, as he ran down the river. Taylor and Hypno glanced at each other, and ran down the other bank of the river after Keji.
"Go Pidgeotto!" Taylor yelled, hurling Pidgeotto's Pokéball downstream. Pidgeotto flew out, cawing, "Help Rei!" He yelled, and Pidgeotto nodded, swooping down to pick up a sturdy branch that would support Rei's weight.
"Here Pidgeotto!" Keji yelled, desperately, Taylor noticed sobs mixed in with his voice. Pidgeotto dove towards Keji, and stuck the branch to where he was pointing. Rei (who was trying desperately to keep her head above water) struggled to reach for it, and managed to clasp one hand around it, "Pull Pidgeotto!" Keji yelled, reaching out to help it pull Rei in. Hypno and Taylor rushed onto the scene to watch the struggle from the opposite bank.
"Can't you help them?" Taylor asked, tensely.
Hypno merely sighed, My telekinesis can only lift so much weight... Rei is too heavy. He watched uninterestedly.
"Help... Keji!" Rei sputtered, desperately clinging to the slippery branch.
"Pidge!" Pidgeotto cawed, straining to keep the branch in its talons. Suddenly it was hurtled back as Rei's hand slipped off, and Keji lost sight of her in the turbulent waters.
"NO!" Keji yelled hopelessly, "REI!" He ran up and down the bank, looking for some sign of her, but none could be found, "...no..." He slumped onto the bank, out of energy, and fell face first into the mud.
"Keji!" Taylor yelled, rushing back to the tree, to cross over and help his friend.
"Keji?" A voice faded into existence. It was Rei! But she was so distant.
"Keji?" She asked again, but this time it seemed even further away, and very frightened.
"Rei?!" He yelled, but couldn't move! He saw that he was surrounded by water, but seemed to be floating, not on the water, but above it. There, some distance away, and struggling against the flow of the massive body of water, was Rei, helpless and alone.
"Help me Keji!" She yelled, Keji struggled but couldn't move, he couldn't do anything but watch in terror as the person he loved most in the entire world was swept away.
"ODDISH, HELP HER!" He yelled, hoping for his friend to leap in and save her, as he couldn't, "Taylor, Hypno, Cubone, Sandshrew, Pidgeotto, ANYONE!" he yelled, tossing and turning, suddenly, he felt a sudden slap across the face.
"Keji, snap out of it, man!" Taylor yelled, practically in his ear. Keji sat up and moaned, wet and dirty, but unhurt.
"No!" He yelled, pushing Taylor out of the way, "I can help her!" He jumped up and bolted down the stream, tears running down his face like the gentle rain that was the aftermath of the torrential storm.
Keji, don't be a fool. Hypno sent into his mind, but Keji ignored it.
"I'll show that heartless monster... she's alive, I know she is." He said to himself, tears running freely down his face now, "If I hadn't tried to make her cross," he stopped, "she didn't want to and I made her!" he yelled, and Taylor rushed to his friend's side. Keji looked at Taylor. He seemed even older than his eighteen years, with more wisdom and caring than Keji usually saw in his face.
"She's gone, Keji." He said, tears forming at his eyes as well.
"Taylor..." he began, and was cut off by a sob, "She'd be alive if she I wouldn't have made her come with me..." he wiped away a tear.
Taylor patted him on the shoulder, reassuringly, "I know she wouldn't have had it any other way."
"It's my fault." Keji said, sobbing. He put his face into Taylor's chest, and Taylor comforted him.
Hypno looked away, and Taylor scowled, but what Taylor didn't see was the single tear that trickled down the usually emotionless Pokémon's face.
Rei's eyes fluttered open weakly. She was alive! Soaked, but alive.
"Wag?" A small voice shot out of the darkness of the cavern. It sounded distant.
"What?" She asked, sitting up. She screamed suddenly and clutched her head, falling on her back, where she lay, trying to regain her head, but it hurt so! She must have swallowed too much water.
"Where am I?" She asked weakly.
"Wrath." A strong voice replied, much closer than the first. Suddenly, she saw that she was surrounded by several frog-like Pokémon, each with a large swirl in the middle of their bodies. One looked larger and more powerful than the rest.
"What are...?" She asked, but then clutched her skull again, moaning in agony.
"Poli, Wrath Poliwrath." The larger creature said, hopping to her side, and gently pushing her to her back again. She lay back, letting herself be cared for by this creature, hoping they weren't meat-eaters.
"Whirl?" One of the other's asked the larger one.
"Whirl, Whirl!" One said, quite angry. The large one seemed to ignore them as it placed a large wet leaf on her forehead.
"What are you?" She asked weakly, not expecting a response, which was just as well, because she didn't get one. She reached into her pocket to see if it was... yes! Her Pokédex remained intact, she opened it, and pointed it at the large creature, hoping it would work.
Poliwrath:
A Water type Pokémon, Poliwrath is an excellent swimmer, and has been known to out swim most fish, though it is amphibious.
"Poliwrath?" She asked, and it nodded its head (which was most of its body).
"Why did you save me?" She asked again, but laughed as she remembered that she wouldn't get a response.
"Abra." A familiar voice pierced through the darkness.
"Abra!" She said happily, and sat up, ignoring the pain, to hug her friend. The smaller creatures jumped away (quite nimbly and powerfully).
"Poliwrath, Poli Poli, Poliwrath." the Poliwrath said to Abra. "Abra, Abra, Ab Ab Abra Ab." Abra said to Rei. "You saved me just because I was in trouble?" She looked surprised. "Wrath." It said, nodding. She smiled.
"Not many humans would do that." She said, hugging it, it looked surprised, "Thank you." She stood, and it tried to pull her down (it was about three feet tall), "No, I'm fine, but I have to go to my friends."
"Whirl! Poli Whirl, Poliwhirl, Poli Poli!" one of the smaller ones said, quite angrily.
"What is it Abra?" She asked Abra. "Ab, Abra Ab Abra, Ra Abra Ra." It said, softly, it was visibly tired, even more so then usual.
"When was the last time you slept?" She asked it before it finished. It shrugged and yawned, "Return Abra, go to bed." She said, as she returned Abra to its Pokéball, "So, you don't like me here?" She said to the smaller creatures. They looked away and nodded.
"Wrath." The large one said, simply to her. It sounded sad.
"I understand, I'll leave." She said, smiling, "But how do I get out?" She looked around. She was in a large cavern with funny blue rocks that emitted a dull light, illuminating the area in a cool blue light.
"Wrath, Poli, Poliwrath, Poliwrath." It said, and took her by the hand, leading her down the cavern. The smaller creatures yelled at the two angrily, but they ignored them, even as they followed them down the cavern.
The next hour for Keji, Hypno, Taylor, and Oddish found them in a hastily constructed tent, which Taylor always carried, to find refuge from the driving and persistent rains that plagued them for some time, and took their friend from them. Keji hadn't said a word for the past hour, and had taken to sitting in the back of the tent, rocking back and forth gently, with Oddish trying to comfort him. Taylor felt deeply sorry for his friend, and wasn't talking much either. Hypno didn't want anything to do with the emotions shown by his human traveling companions, and also didn't speak. A lot of not talking had been going on in the past hour, as the group waited for the storm to subside.
"Do you want something to eat, Keji?" Taylor asked his friend, incurring no response.
It's no use, Taylor, he's gone. Hypno thought to Taylor. Taylor didn't respond, he only sighed disheartedly.
"A tent..." A voice quietly drifted to Hypno's sensitive ears.
"Shhhhh..." It said, holding up its hands. Taylor looked at him, and started to say something, but Hypno glared at him with such conviction that he fell silent. Keji didn't seem visibly affected by the sounds, if he heard them at all.
"Shall we?" Another voice asked. It was a cold unemotional voice that sent shivers down Taylor's spine (who had managed to hear this voice).
"Prepare for trouble!" The first voice yelled, loudly. Keji and Taylor perked up in recognition at the cold female voice.
"And make it double!" The second, a male, said.
Keji jumped to his feet and ran out of the tent, followed by Hypno, Taylor, and Oddish.
"To protect the world from devastation." Still no one was visible.
"To unite all peoples within our nation."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love." Still no one, the group tried desperately to see where the duo was.
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Fridgey!" The familiar thing, blue haired member of team rocket leapt from the trees, followed by her Butterfree. She wore the same thin, form fitting team rocket uniform with the "R" on her chest.
"Hunter." The mysterious dark figure that tried to steal Venonat leapt from another tree to the ground, he, to, looked the same, a hooded cloak, parted just enough in front of him to show his blood red "R" on his shirt underneath.
"Team Rocket!" Taylor yelled, Oddish assumed a fighting stance, and he released Pidgeotto. Hypno looked on with interest.
"AHEM!" Fridgey snorted, "We aren't done yet; Team Rocket! Blast off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now, or prepare to fight." Hunter said, menacingly.
"What a coincidence to meet you meddlers here." Fridgey said, smiling, "We can kill two birds with one stone." She laughed. Pidgeotto seemed especially offended by that remark.
"Let me handle them." Hunter said, smugly, pulling out a Pokéball.
"Nah," Fridgey said, "Let's make it interesting."
"Stop playing your games and fight you felons!" Taylor yelled. Keji was beet red with anger. Taylor hoped that Keji's feelings of loss would make way for battle rage.
"Let's have a match." She said, smiling evilly, "Keji versus me Taylor versus Hunter, winner gets to stay and finish their business."
"How do you know our names?" Taylor asked, bewildered.
"You'd be surprised at exactly how much we know about you kids." Hunter responded, pulling out a different Pokéball, "This could be interesting, I'm in."
"Fine, but tell us why you're here." Taylor yelled angrily.
"Well, we should make this interesting, if you win we'll tell you why," her smile broadened, "But if we win, we get your best Pokémon."
"That's unfair." He yelled.
"We're doing you a favor by giving you a fair chance." Hunter said, his smile showing through his hood, "Accept or we take back our offer and mop the floor with you unfairly, we're good at that."
"But..." Taylor started.
"We accept." Keji said quietly.
"Good, BUTTERFREE GO!" Fridgey yelled, and Butterfree hurtled forward at break neck speeds towards Keji, only to stop half way between them.
"Pidgeotto, we can do it!" Taylor yelled, sending Pidgeotto at Hunter.
"A bird?" Hunter thought for a moment, "FEAROW, I CHOOSE YOU!" He released a large brown feathered bird, at least a head taller and a foot wider than Pidgeotto.
"ODDISH, GO!" Keji yelled, and Oddish met the hovering Butterfree mid-way in-between the two competitors.
"One Pokémon each!" Hunter yelled.
"Ready?" Fridgey yelled.
"Set?" Taylor yelled.
"GO!"
It appeared that the entire cavern was underwater! Rei was taken back by its beauty. The entire cave wall was made from this odd blue rock, and it seemed to glow an even brighter and cooler blue the farther she went into it, it gave the appearance of being flooded in water, but not wet, though the cave was rather damp, and Rei was afraid she would catch cold in the wet clothes she had on now.
She had been following this strange creature for some time now, but without a clock or the visible sky, she couldn't tell how long. Keji must be worried sick... actually, she was more worried about him in the storm, which, for all she knew, he was out in.
After a while of traveling through the blue passages of the cave, they came to a large opening, filled with even smaller versions of the Poliwrath and Poliwhirl (She had a chance to use her Pokédex on the smaller creatures earlier and found that they were Poliwrath's unevolved form, Poliwhirl.) These creatures had a small tadpole like tail and two stubby legs, and lacked the arms of their larger cousins. Rei pointed her Pokédex at them.
Poliwag:
A tadpole Pokémon. Poliwag is a young Poliwrath, but is still able to protect itself with watergun attacks and hypnosis, which it uses by spinning its swirl on its stomach.
"Poliwag?" She wondered. One of the small creatures hopped up to her and leapt into her arms, cuddling sweetly, "You're cute!" She exclaimed. The Poliwrath smiled (or, Rei would guess it smiled, it was hard to tell.), "Are these you children?" She asked, putting the little one down. The Poliwrath nodded. Rei noticed that the little Poliwag hadn't left her side. She smiled, and continued to follow the moving Poliwrath. The Poliwag hopped closely behind her, not missing a beat. The Poliwhirl tried to stop the little creature, but it bound by them, enamored by Rei.
"I think I get it," Rei said finally, "You live under the lake that the river feeds into, don't you?" The Poliwrath nodded, still hopping slowly, so that Rei could keep up, "But your friends don't like humans down here, do they? That's why they are angry at you and me." The Poliwrath nodded slowly, it seemed sad. Rei stooped over to pick up the little Poliwag, as she noticed it was getting to tired to hop anymore.
"Poliwhirl!" One of the Poliwhirl screamed as Rei picked Poliwag.
"WRATH!" Poliwrath screamed angrily, causing the Poliwhirl to shut up.
"How much further?" She asked, looking around, ignoring the Poliwhirl again. She noticed that the glow from the rocks was getting weaker and weaker. What are these things? She wondered. She used a free hand to point her Pokédex at the walls, hoping it could answer her question.
A Stone that enhances the molecules and DNA of four types of Pokémon causing them to evolve:
Eevee evolves into Vaporeon,
Shelder evolves into Cloyster,
Staryu evolves into Starmie, and
Poliwhirl evolves into Poliwrath.
"What?!" Rei exclaimed, and pushed a small red button that gave more information on a subject
When Poliwag reach a certain age, they evolve into Poliwhirl. When Poliwhirl achieve a certain age, they must pass the rite to adulthood. A certain task that is different for each individual. If they prove worthy, they are allowed to use a Water Stone to evolve into Poliwrath. Only a few Poliwhirl are allowed to use a Stone and evolve, the others must remain unevolved.
"I see now..." Rei said, putting her Pokédex away. She noticed the Poliwag was asleep in her arms, and she rocked it gently back and forth.
"Wrath, Poliwrath." The Poliwrath said, pointing forward. Rei saw a flash of lightning and rushed towards the spot Poliwrath was pointing, the exit to the cave.
"Oddish, Absorb!" Oddish glowed brightly for a moment, and shot its familiar bolt of energy, which enveloped Butterfree, giving part of its energy to Oddish, but only a small part, Butterfree recovered quickly and tackled Oddish, hurling it into a tree, and causing it to creak at the impact. Oddish ducked as Pidgeotto swooped past, narrowly missing Fearow.
Hunter laughed, "Too slow."
Taylor growled, "Attack again, Pidgeotto, QUICK ATTACK!" Pidgeotto dove at Fearow, who nimbly doled yet another blow, "Why are you dodging? Fight Back!"
"I don't have to fight back just yet." Hunter said, arms crossed. He seemed to be waiting for something.
"Oddish, Acid!" Keji yelled, and Oddish released its potent liquid, dousing Butterfree, who screeched in agony. Fridgey glared at Keji, "Petal Dance!" He yelled, and Oddish began to spin and twirl, releasing its petals into the air.
"Whirlwind!" Fridgey screamed. Butterfree began to flap its wings, causing Keji to set himself strong against the cold wind and blowing rain, but fell to the ground just the same. Oddish lifted off the ground before it could complete its attack, and connected hard to a tree, Fridgey laughed, "Ice Beam!" Butterfree shot its ice beam at Oddish, who recovered from the impact of the tree, and leapt out of the way. The tree was a solid chunk of ice in an instant.
"Finish it, Fridgey!" Hunter yelled.
"Not gonna happen, Scum," Taylor yelled "Pidgeotto, Gust attack!" Pidgeotto flapped hard, blowing hard at Hunter. Hunter smiled, ignoring the wind.
"Fearow, Mirror Move!" Fearow began to flap, blowing the wind back to Pidgeotto and Taylor. The two of them flew backwards, landing hard against the same tree, shattering the trunk. Neither got up.
"One down!" Hunter yelled, giving Fridgey the thumbs up.
"Taylor?!" Keji yelled.
Hypno shook his head, He asked for that one.
Fridgey smiled, "Butterfree, Psybeam!" Butterfree's eyes glowed a bright blue, and a beam shot from them, striking Oddish, causing it to spin and twirl, confused, until it fell to the ground, twitching.
"You lose." Hunter said, picking up Taylor by the collar of his shirt.
"Should we be nice and tell them why we're here anyway?" Fridgey asked, standing over Keji triumphantly.
"I don't think that's such a good idea, Fridgey." Hunter scowled, "Why take unnecessary chances?"
"Oh, it's not like they can stop us." She said, smiling.
"I'll have nothing to do with screwing up the bosses plan!" He yelled, throwing Taylor against another tree.
"Oh, he'll get his water stones whether or not we tell them... oops..." She stopped herself.
"Water Stones?" Keji asked, raising himself to his knees.
"Well, it's no use trying to hide it now." Hunter said, shaking his head, "Well, at least we got some new Pokémon out of this, hand them over."
"Hold it!" A voice yelled. Keji looked up in disbelief, and saw a face he never thought he would see again...
"REI!" He yelled, leaping to his feet. He stopped when he noticed that she was carrying a small blue Pokémon with a swirl on its stomach, and was surrounded by several larger Pokémon that looked similar, but had hands and feet, and no tail.
"What the...?" Hunter and Fridgey asked in unison.
"Its the annoying lady with the Venonat." Hunter said, "Your friends made a deal, little lady, we won their Pokémon fair and square."
"I was never part of that deal." She said, smiling. She set Poliwag on the ground, "These people are going to invade your lair and steal your water stone! Please help me stop them." The Poliwhirl looked at each other, and discussed.
"So, the stones are in there." Fridgey said, "Butterfree, blow those losers away!"
"Poliwhirl, Poliwrath, Poliwag, protect your home, WATER GUN!" Rei yelled. As Butterfree revved up for the whirlwind attack, Poliwrath, the four Poliwhirls, and the Poliwag leapt in the way, and shot powerful sprays of water from the swirls on their stomachs, washing away Fridgey, Butterfree, Hunter and Fearow in a wave of cold water.
"NO!" Hunter screamed, fighting the current for mere moments before he was swept away.
"Looks like team rocket's blasting off again..." Fridgey said, and shrugged as she was wept away in the torrent. It sounded like the right thing to say.
"REI!" Keji yelled when the Water Gun attacks subsided. He stood quickly and rushed over to her with such guile and ambition that he knocked her over. The two laughed, tears streaming down their faces. Hypno looked up as he noticed the rain had stopped, leaving a cloudy, dreary sky.
Hmmmm... The Storm ends. It said into the groups heads.
"Rei... I'm sorry." Keji said, helping her up.
Rei shook her head and covered Keji's lips with her fingers, "No, it isn't your fault, don't worry about it."
Stupid mushy human emotions. Hypno thought. Taylor looked at him angrily, but smiled when he saw that a thin smile had crossed his face. Hypno frowned when he noticed Taylor was looking, What are you looking at, Human?
"A very, very weird creature." Taylor responded, shaking his head. Hypno looked away, ashamed of his show of emotion.
"Poli." Poliwrath said, offering Rei its hand. Rei accepted it, shaking firmly.
"These some new friends of yours?" Keji asked, looking at them, "I owe you alot." He said, bowing deeply at the Poliwrath. The Poliwrath smiled, and bowed. Each of the Poliwhirls in turn followed the Poliwrath's example, and bounded quickly back into the cave mouth. The Poliwag leapt from her arms and looked sorrowfully at Rei, who waved and smiled.
"Poli, Wrath, poliwrath." Poliwrath said to the saddened Pokémon, who instantly perked up.
"What?" Rei asked as the little Poliwag leapt into her arms again.
It looks like Poliwrath wants Poliwag to go with you. Hypno though.
Rei smiled, "Thank you! I'll take good care of you!" She said to Poliwag. Poliwrath smiled and bounded into the cave, looking back over its shoulder, to wave good bye. Keji, Taylor, Rei, and even Hypno waved back.
"You'll have to tell us what happened to you." Taylor said the next day to Rei. The sun had risen, and most of the clouds had cleared out of the sky, "Keji was really upset when he thought he would never see you again."
Keji flustered, "I was not, I just felt a little guilty that I caused her to drown." Rei blushed, obviously not believing him. Hypno and Taylor looked at each other and smiled.
"What?" Rei and Keji asked in unison. Taylor and Hypno laughed and ran ahead on the path, towards the rising sun, followed closely behind by flustered Keji and Rei.
Yep, these un rose... for a change. Will it stay up? Will you stay away from any more storms, Keji, or will lighting strike again?
Catch all the action at Keji's Pokémon Gym!