(14)( ) (Feel) (Your) (Happiness)
Kioshi and company traveled along until they went into Mt. Moon. There, they found it pretty dark. So dark, they couldn't see where they were going.
"Uh, guys?" Hibiki asked, a little not-so-brave.
""What?""
"We kinda need a light..."
Kioshi thought a moment. "Yeah, you're right, otherwise we can't find our way through," he agreed. He looked to Dratini, or at least where he last saw her, by his left side. "Dratini?"
"Dra?" came her small voice from his right.
Kioshi huffed shortly in annoyance and then looked right. "You wouldn't happen to know...uh..." He reached for the word.
"Flash?" Hibiki supplied.
"Yeah, Flash, would you?" finished Kioshi. "Thanks, Hibiki."
Dratini cocked her head, then closed her eyes, making her world even darker. "Draaaaaaaaaaaaaaa..." she droned softly. Slowly, what looked like her ears began to become illuminated. After a few seconds, Dratini opened her eyes and shouted, "TINI!!" At once, her ears and forehead-ball shone brightly, and the group could see ahead. A big shadow projected from Dratini's hat, though, to the ceiling.
The group smiled and thanked her. "You're an amazing pokémon, Dratini!" Kioshi praised.
"Dra! Tini!!" Dratini chirped happilly.
The group moved along and, thanks to the light of Flash, was able to see their way around the dark cave and avoid any startling zubat that flew their way. After a while, they finally made it out to the other side. They decided then, since it was pretty dark now and they were both tired and had a fair ways to go until they reached Cerulean, to set up camp. They slept fitfully, and got off to a good start the next morning, having a nice breakfast of fruits they found around the place.
However, as they passed by another cave they saw around the entrance to Cerulean, the group suddenly picked up another "in-trouble" signal. They looked ahead at Cerulean, at each other, and then ahead again. They nodded and set off running full-tilt, Dratini again clutching Kioshi's leg for dear life.
-----
At a house near the edge of Cerulean, the sun is shining bright and warm, while a cool breeze flutters the pale blue curtains of the western window. A woman stood by it, a depressed look on her face. She had light brown hair tied in a bun, a round face, light blue eyes, a teal shirt, green jeans, and a dark blue apron with pink flowers embroidered in the upper-right corner of the top pocket on it. She wore only light blush and faint lipstick. "Oh," she said, propping her elbow on the white sill and holding her head on it, "why do I feel so empty right now? It's making me feel like doing nothing at all..." She gave a wry smile. "Good thing today's my day off."
(Kuroki Nozomi, 24, housewife and bike shop assistant)
"Nozomi-chan!" called a male voice. Nozomi turned and saw, with a small smile on her face. A man was entering the house looking a bit flustered. He had a brown coat, ruffled red hair, green eyes, a short goatee, and an office outfit on under the coat.
"Masa-kun!" Nosomi called back, going over. "What is it?"
Masa gave a shaky smile. "Well, uh, I...sort of said that I'd do something for a friend at work," he said.
Nozomi felt her heart sink. 'Uh-oh...' "What?" she asked.
Masa grinned uneasilly. "Well, he volunteers at an orphanage, and he said he'd really like it if someone adopted more often, and I...well..." He paused and looked down, away from his wife. "I felt bad, so I...I said that I'd adopt."
Nozomi reeled back in shock. "Wh-Wh-Wh-WHAAAT?!" she cried, raising a hand up to heighten her expression. "Are you CRAZY?!"
Masa just plowed right on. "There were two there that looked really lonly and cute, and easy to take care of, and I couldn't resist! I said that we're alone and have been talking about adopting anyway..."
Nozomi clenched her fists. "We never got serious, though!!" she protested.
Masa sweatdropped and waved his hands defensively. "Yeah, yeah, b-but really, I couldn't refuse...and the two kids are here now...out in the car..." He glanced to his right, twoards the door. Nozomi saw a car parked outside.
Nozomi blanched. "Already?!" she cried. "But...it's my day off!"
Masa sweatdropped even further. "And the worst part is...well...as you may remember..." He pointed to a calender on the wall. Nozomi looked and saw a day--that day--circled, with an arrow pointing across three days. Her jaw dropped. "Today, I've got to go on my business trip!" Masa finished. He picked up the breifcase that was behind him. "You're going to have to stay in the house for three days until I return so that you can watch the kids. I'm sorry, I really am--I promise to make it up to you when I get back!!" He quickly smooched her on the cheek and started out the door. "Good-bye and good luck!!" he called.
Nozomi was stunned as she stood there. 'He adopted?! TWO?! ALL BY MYSELF?!! I never paid any attention in Health class on THIS!!'
"Hello?"
Nozomi looked down and saw two adorable little children by her. One was a boy, who looked about 5, was wearing a yellow-and-orange striped t-shirt, blue shorts, and black sneakers, had big, bright, teal eyes, and wore short, tidy, black hair. He had a grey knapsack with his stuff in it and held a stuffed Ursaring in his hand. The other was a girl, who looked around 3, had the same color hair and eyes as the boy--her hair kept in a red ribbon--and wore a grey messenger bag with her belongings, a cream long-sleeve shirt, a green miniskirt, long white socks, and pink sneakers. She held a few dolls in her arms. They both looked up at her with curious, scared, and downright shamelessly adorable puppy-dog-eyed faces. "Yes?" Nozomi asked gently.
"Are you our new mommy?" the boy asked.
Nozomi nodded. "I-I guess...?" she said.
The boy and girl smiled. "Okay!" the boy said. "I am Ryuichi, and this is Aiko, my little sister! Thank you so much for adopting us!" He grinned and then, without warning, the two began to zoom around, looking the place over. "Where's our room?" Nozomi heard Ryuichi ask.
Nozomi squaked as their dashing around the house knocked things over, displaced chairs, left cupboards open, and other things to make the house messy. Nozomi was frozen in place as she watched her house being wrecked before finally shouting, "STOOOOOOP!!"
Instantly, the two children stopped, and, a bit irate and not really taking the time to think, Nozomi stormed over and yelled, "Look, this is MY house, and if you're going to be living in it, you'd better stop messing it up, you little--" But she stopped when she saw the classic buildup-to-bawling in their faces. When they started, Nozomi sweatdropped. 'Whoops...' She tried to soothe them. "P-Please, don't cry, I'm sorry, please, I didn't mean to scare you, please, stop crying, please..." But to no avail. She tried reaching out to put a hand on them, but they, in a frightening blow, reared away and retreated to the farthest corner of the room.
Nozomi was shattered. 'Oh, no, my goodness...what have I done? I just scared them senseless! I'm supposed to be taking care of them...how can I do it for three days...ALONE?!' Her eyes glazed over as she imagined her husband pointing at her accusingly, saying that he should divorce her for what she's done. She shivered and fell to her knees. "I CAN'T do this alone!!" she muttered, shaking more. "But...I...must..."
She fell onto her hands as well and grabbed the carpet as she began. "O...O..." Then, whipping her head up to the ceiling, she cried,
"OUENDAAAAAAAAN!!"
-----
The three Ouendan watched the situation from the western window that Nozomi was just at. They knew what was to come as soon as she had yelled at the children for running around the house. Kioshi told Dratini to, again, watch the stuff, while he, Suzu, and Hibiki got in through the window.
They stood and waited for a few moments. In the meantime, Hibiki set to picking up fallen books, Suzu was righting a chair nearby, and Kioshi was--with Dratini--readjusting the carpet. When they heard the cry, the song began and they stopped what they were doing and looked up.
-:-Housewife Woes! Crash Course in Parenting!!-:-
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
Nozomi and the kids didn't notice them, apparantly. Nozomi got up and tried to soothe the kids again. "Please, I'm not trying to be scary! Stop crying, please!!" she begged. Still, nothing would work. She sweatdropped. 'What am I going to do to get them to stop crying??' she wondered.
"""OSU!!""" went the three Ouendan from behind her.
Instantly, flames appeared to leap all around her as she determinedly tightened her apron. The Ouendan skidded into place as the music went to the place they'd begin.
"""IKOIYA!...SAN! NI! ICHI! SURE!!"""
-Itsumo ima mo donna toki mo
-Shiawase ni dakarete itai
-Chippoke na kono kimochi
-Wakaru desho yea-ah!!
-Asa mo hiru mo yoru mo ima mo
-Kanjiru mono ga tarinai nara
-Setsunaku nante naranaide
-Me wo tojite sotto kiite
Kimura Kaela's "happiness!!!" was the song the Ouendan cheered to while Nozomi decided to try and act silly to get the kids to laugh. At first, she was still unsure how to do this, and was just dancing around and not doing much. The kids were still crying, but not as much as they watched. Then, the drive to do a good job with the kids and to get through this got her to start wildly prancing about, making funny faces and doing silly motions. The kids started laughing and clapping at her. Suddenly, however, Nozomi tripped and fell, throwing her off a bit. When she got up, a little flustered, she went right to just making faces and stamping in a way she hoped would be silly. This didn't work, and made the kids start to cry again. Nozomi shook her head and got back to what she'd been doing before she fell, and the children were instantly laughing again.
After a bit, Nozomi said, "This is it!!" Then, with a flip, she, well, flopped, then rolled back like a rocking horse, arcing her body to do so, and then turned to do an arch, where she stuck her tounge out and let it hang down to her face. The children found this hilarious, and started clapping wildly. Nozomi smiled and got up, panting. "Do you guys forgive me?" she asked, holding her head. They nodded and smiled.
---(O)---
(-)Mekubase shiteru
(-)Anata ga
(-)Toru ni taranai jinsei demo
Later on that afternoon, after they were sitting down to watch television, Ryuichi and Aiko said they were hungry. "Well, what would you like?" asked Nozomi tenderly.
""I'M HUNGRY!!"" they merely screeched back, and Nozomi squaked and scuttled to the kitchen.
'But I don't know what they like!!' she complained to herself as she went.
"""OSU!!"""
The flames erupted again, though, and with another tightening of her apron, Nozomi set to work.
-Dreaming and singing laughing
-Crying and dancing
-Falling in love
-Subete ga chippoke na tsumi kasane
-Atsumetara todoku to omou no
-Kimi to onaji toki wa itsumo meguru
Thinking to make something somewhat fancy and nutritious, Nozomi started off with cooking some rice on high for maximum speed of making, cutting apples into wedges, and mixing juice for them. She moved somewhat frantically from each one, doing a little of this and a little of that, handling the three. Then, at one point, for a brief moment, the rice began to boil over and she had to tend to that, but also, their pet Meowth, smelling food, snuck in and tried to swipe an apple slice, so she had to go to that, and the juice wouldn't make itself!! But then, just as quickly, the housewife got her act together and was balancing each one smoothly and confidently, cutting apples, making juice, and checking the rice without worry.
A few minutes later, the kids were getting restless. "Lunchtime!" called Nozomi, hoping that this would work. She brought in a pair of plates. The children came over to see what she had, and gasped. Each plate had a glass of juice, a few apple wedges, and a warm rice ball, each perfectly made. No frozen chunks in the juice, evenly-cut and clean apple, and not a single brown grain of rice. They eagerly took them and began scarfing down. "What do you say?" asked Nozomi.
""THANK YOU!!"" said the two with full mouthes. Nozomi wiped her forehead. 'They like it!' she thought, relieved.
---(O)---
(-)(Intsrumental)
Later on, nothing good was on television, so the kids decided to play tag around the house...rather rambunctiously. Nozomi squeeked as she saw them dash by an old Ming vase. "EEK! Guys, guys, guys! Be careful!!" she told them.
"""OSU!!"""
With fire in her soul, Nozomi went about supervising the two.
-Itsumo ima mo donna toki mo
-Umaku tsutaerarenai kedo
-Chotto shita tokoro ni
-Me wo mukeru no mo daiji ja nai
-Tsumetai machi ni
-Uchinomesaretara
-Anata ja nakunaru wa
-Dreaming and singing laughing
-Crying and dancing
-Falling in love
-Subete ga chippoke na tsumi kasane
-Atsumetara todoku to omou no
-Kimi to onaji toki wa itsumo meguru
At first, the kids were playing carefully under the watchful eye of Nozomi, and having a blast. Then, Nozomi started to lose focus a little bit and had to catch them whenever they started doing something bad, in this case mainly run by the vase and jump on chairs. Then, however, things slipped out of control, and Nozomi had to dive to save the vase, put it back, reset a chair, and then dive back to the vase, while the kids went wild and shook the house. But then, with determination, Nozomi stood and watched them carefully like before.
After a while, the two were really close to a tag, and both weren't watching where they went. Ryuichi was the one to be tagged, and his little sister was it, and both were heading towards the vase. Nozomi meeped and grabbed the vase before it was hit, lifting it up out of the way. Then, as she set it down, she glanced and saw they were now about to slam headlong into the entertainment center full of the tv, dvd player, radio, and other things that wouldn't be quite safe to ram into. "LOOK OUT!!" she cried, and quickly skidded in front of them. She caught them just in time. Holding their heads up to her, she warned, "If you two want to play around like this, watch out, or you'll get hurt," as kindly as she could.
The two looked up at her and nodded. "Okay," said Aiko, who then tagged her brother and ran off.
"Hey!!" Ryuichi said, and scampered after her.
Nozomi couldn't help but smile after them.
---(O)---
(-)(Kickin' piano solo)
Nighttime finally arrived, and, since they shared a room with beds beside one another, Nozomi tucked them both in at once. "Good night, you two!" she said sweetly.
"Bedtime story!" Aiko squeaked. Ryuichi echoed her.
Nozomi sweatdropped. "Uh...O...kay..." 'Kids love acting, something I'm not good at...and I hate kids' books...'
"""OSU!!"""
Nozomi, though, tightened her apron once more and grabbed a book.
The Ouendan looked at each other, nodded, and finished out.
-Kyou wo norikoeraretara
-Ashita datte onaji hazu deshou
-Dreaming and singing laughing
-Crying and dancing
-Falling in love
-Subete ga chippoke na tsumi kasane
-Atsumetara todoku to omou no
-Kimi to onaji toki wa itsumo meguru
-Dreaming and singing laughing
-Crying and dancing
-Falling in love
-Subete ga chippoke na tsumi kasane
-Atsumetara todoku to omou no
-Kimi to onaji toki wa itsumo meguru
-(Yea-eah-eah!)
-Chiisakutemo sukui you ga aru no!!
-(Yea-eah!)
-Kanjite onegai
-Anata no happiness!!!
At first, Nozomi was reading just mildly, really not liking having to read kids' books(the kids just listened with a neutral expression), not painting much of a picture. She even got to the point where she was reading rather blandly, and the kids were frowning at her lack of enthusiasm. However, shaking her head, Nozomi got on the ball and began doing motions and acting out voices, painting a great picture with words. The kids were listening with smiles on their faces.
Finally, the kids went to sleep. Nozomi tucked them back in gently, smiling. 'You know, this isn't as hard as it looks,' she thought. 'And they're so precious...'
The day for Masa's return arrived. Masa stepped into the house and looked around. "Wow, everything's still intact," he muttered in amazement. He then called. "Nozomi-chan?"
"MASA-CHAN!!" Nozomi cried, running to him and hugging him. "Oh, I've missed you so much! How was the trip?" she asked.
"Good," Masa said automatically, looking into the living room. "Where are the kids? Could you handle it alone?"
Nozomi smiled and led him into the kitchen. On a table there, Ryuichi and Aiko were putting together a puzzle. ""Mommy!!"" they said together in joy when they saw her.
Nozomi smiled and showed them her husband. "This is Masa, my husband and your daddy, if you don't know his name yet," she introduced.
""Hi!""
Masa smiled impressedly. "Nozomi-chan!" he said, surprised, and looked at her. "I didn't think you could do it!"
Nozomi smiled and held a finger up. "Well, it was hard the first day, but after I passed that with flying colors, the next two were a breeze," she told him.
Masa smiled. "So, do you want to keep them?" he asked.
Nozomi grinned and nodded. "Of course!! I finally realize what's been missing..." She looked to the two doing the puzzle together. "They're what make me feel complete, and I never realized it before."
"Nozomi-chan..." Masa said softly, amazed. He smiled and hugged her. "I was hoping you'd say that!! For all this wonderful work, I think you deserve something extra-special..." He smiled and dug into his coat pocket as he drew away. He brought out two tickets, and Nozomi gasped.
"Tickets to 'Gardivoir of the Wind'?!" she excitedly wispered. She then hugged and kissed him. "Oh, thank you!!"
Masa grinned and kissed back. "You deserve it!!" he said back.
The kids watched, then went, ""Eeeeewww!!"" Masa and Nozomi looked at them and laughed.
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
(-)Kuru kuru, kuru kuru
(-)Kuru kuru...
- - -
That night, Nozomi and Masa were dressed up and out in a theatre, watching a play that was unseen to the "camera." Nozomi is smiling and thinking of the kids, playing in together with a babysitter while they were out. She looks totally at peace and in bliss, as if the weight of the world was off of her shoulders.
-:-:-
Of course, after seeing the couple kissing from a window, the Ouendan nodded to each other and began.
"""OUEN!!"""
"DAI!"
"SEI!"
"KO!"
-
-
(WHOOO!! YEAAAHH!!! clappity-clappity)
Vrrrrrnnnn--Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk. Chuk--
VWOOYYY-PSHH!!
TEUUSHH!!
-
--
---
"That was interesting," said Hibiki as the group picked up their packs to leave.
"Yeah, helping a woman with no parenting skills take care of a couple of kids like that," Suzu agreed. "Don't do THAT every cheer."
Kioshi smiled. "I'm glad she didn't need our help the last two days," he said. Then he sighed, looking a little wistful.
"What's wrong?" Hibiki asked.
Kioshi shook his head. "I just miss my own mother and sister," he said. "That's all." He nodded and walked on to the way out of town. Dratini followed him.
Suzu and Hibiki followed. "We all miss our families, Kioshi," Suzu said. "We're going to get to them, though, as soon as we finally reach the Agents."
Kioshi nodded. "Let's hope that's soon," he said. "Especially what with that warning Doumeki-sama gave me...What could be dangerous that is weak against SALT?" he wondered.
They all decided not to think on it too much, though, at the moment, and move on. They'd lost a lot of time with that extra two days(though they knew they should make sure their client was fine). The afternoon sun bore down on them as the four made their way out of Cerulean City. They started their way towards where they agreed they would get to Sinnoh from: Vermillion City. Paying for the boat would be another problem that they'd face when they got to it.
-(-)-
Later that night, when the humans were asleep, camped out under a tree nearby a stream, Dratini slithered out for a bit, unable to sleep. She'd been feeling this strange sensation in her chest, and that had woken her up. Looking around underneath the moonlight, she saw that nobody was around, it appeared. But her chest feeling...it told her to go southwest from where she was. She did, going towards the stream. Once there, she still couldn't find anyone. But the feeling in her chest was immense. 'What's going on?' she thought, concerned.
Then, she heard a splashing sound, and what looked like a small dragon-shaped thing was coming towards her from upstream. She looked closer and saw it was a totodile, swimming along as fast as it could. "To-to-to-DIIIIILE!!" it cried frantically. "Somebody HEEEEELLP!!"
"Dra?" Dratini jumped into the river and caught the frightened water-type. "What's going on?" she asked.
Totodile shivered and pointed over his shoulder. "M-My friend, Teddiursa...he's in trouble! There's...There's a weird...THING there! It's like a big, red gastly without eyes or anything!"
"A will-o-wisp?" Dratini whispered. She knew, after staying with a human for a while, a little about spirits named by humans. She looked ahead, upstream. Indeed, a faint red glow entered her field of vision. "Oh, no! That can't be good!" she cried. "I'm pretty good at battling," she told the totodile. "I'll come with and help."
Totodile grinned and nodded. "Thank you, kind dratini!" he said. The two then quickly swam upstream.
Teddiursa yelped as a ghostly flame threatened him. He was hurt already, despite being a Normal-type. "Yikes! Hey, st-stop it!! Please!!" he cried.
The will-o-wisp made no sound, but threw more flames at the bear pokémon.
"TEDDIURSA!!"
Teddiursa ducked and looked to the stream. His face brightened when he saw Totodile. "Totodile!" he squealed, then cried as he was struck.
"NO!!" Totodile roared, searing towards his friend. Dratini followed suit. Totodile got up on shore and picked up his friend. "Are you okay?" he asked.
Teddiursa nodded, grunting as he got up on his own. "I think I'm burnt, though," he said. He held his arm, which had a singed look to it. "That thing's not using Ghost-type moves...but it's immune to all of ours...even Water-types..."
"Let me try!" Dratini said, determined look on her face as she looked at the creature. She slithered over, wondering if she could do this on her own. 'I've got to! I don't wanna wake up Kioshi now, he had a long day and needs to rest...' She got into position in front of the ghost-like creature. "You, big red will-o-wisp thing! Leave them alone!" she commanded.
The will-o-wisp said nothing and tried to hit her with fire. She leapt aside skillfully and then, knowing it wouldn't listen to her anyway, fired off an attack she knew, Poison Sting. (Note: I dunno what attacks Dratini can use in-game, so I'm just making it up as I go along.) The attack sailed through the spirit, which didn't so much as flinch. "Darn!" she said as she dodged a flame. "Okay, try..." she jumped up, tail glowing as she stiffened it, "...THIS!!" She slammed the tail down and struck the spirit...well, struck the surface but went right through. She landed and barely managed to get away before she got hit by a barrage of flames. "Nothing works?!"
"I guess so!" Totodile said. "What are we going to do?" He looked worriedly at the rare pokémon.
"We tried running, and that didn't work unless one of us stayed behind..." Teddiursa said.
Dratini frowned for a moment, wondering the same thing. 'It's immune to everything we know...' she thought. 'Maybe it's immune to something that's supposed to destroy spirits without using moves? Think!! What IS it?' She thought and thought, dodging, and was starting to get tired. 'THINK!!'
"There are dangerous things in this world, whether people like to belive it or not, that aren't natural," she remembered Linda saying.
"Dra?" she had said. They had been in Linda's house. It was night, and they'd just heard a loud noise that had scared Dratini.
Linda nodded. "They say that evil spirits lurk at night around the world. They seek revenge against life for whatever it did to them when they were with it. They're powerful, and immune to pokémon moves, except for a very scant few attacks that use spiritual energy--like Aura Sphere, though that's the only one I can think of right now."
Dratini raised her eyeridges. "Either of you know Aura Sphere or know someone who does around here?" she shouted to the two boys.
Totodile and Teddiursa looked at each other, then shook their heads sadly. "No, sorry, Miss Dratini," Teddiursa said. "We don't."
Dratini growled. 'Dang! What else did she say?'
Dratini moved closer to Linda as she spoke. "Drat?" she asked. "What else?"
Linda nodded. "Yeah, it's true," she said. "But humans have lived for all these years without succumbing to the evil of those spirits. We've figured out how to defeat many supernatural horrors. Crosses, garlic, and a wooden stake through the heart can destroy vampires--since, sadly, the Vampire Killer's only in a video game--silver is able to kill werewolves, and sunlight can at least drive off most evil. But, as a precaution, it's a common practice to use a certain substance to protect places from evil spirits. It's used in food, actually, and is found a lot in the ocean. Can you guess what?" Linda smiled.
Dratini gasped as she remembered as she picked up something off the table with her tail and Linda said that was it. "NO WAY!!" she cried out loud, nearly stopping to a dead halt.
""What?!"" cried Teddiursa and Totodile.
Dratini looked up at the will-o-wisp. "It's evil spirits! THEY'RE the dangerous thing that's vulnrable to salt!!" she shouted in realization. 'Oh, I wish I could tell Kioshi and the others!!'
The two T-pokémon blinked, then looked at each other. ""Salt??"" they repeated.
Dratini smirked (though it was unseen) as she saw the will-o-wisp jar back a little bit, as if caught off guard. "We need to get some, fast!" she said, then began to slither off as fast as she could. "Come on! Kioshi's got some! Follow me!" she called over her...back, since she had no real shoulder.
Totodile and Teddiursa followed her into the water, Teddiursa riding on Totodile's back. They swam fast, the will-o-wisp behind them. The current assisted them as they went along. Dratini looked behind her as she saw the will-o-wisp. 'We'll get you, big jerk,' she thought. Finally, they got up onto the shore near where the Ouendan slept still. Dratini told Totodile to occupy the spirit while she got some salt. While that went on, she crept over to Kioshi's pack. She opened it as softly as she could and looked around inside it for some salt.
"Uuuhh..."
She froze instinctively and looked. Hibiki was turning over in his sleep. "Mmmm...pancakes..." he muttered sleepilly.
Dratini sighed in relief. "Phew," she whispered, then resumed digging around. She found it, and just in time, too. Grabbing the shaker with her mouth, she turned and slithered back down to Totodile, who was getting tired. "Totodile! You've got paws, so take this!" she said, and tossed it to him.
Totodile looked back and saw it come towards him. He grabbed the shaker by jumping up into the air. Then he landed and looked at it. "Uuuh..." he said, then sweatdropped and looked to Dratini helplessly. "How do I use this?" he asked.
Dratini groaned and said, "Swing it with the shiny side out as if you were swinging a stick or something!"
Totodile nodded and tried. He got it right, and a spray of salt came out. Teddiursa squeaked when a grain got in his eye. "OOOWW!! CAREFUL!!" he roared in his little voice, clutching it.
Totodile sweatdropped again. "Sorry, friend!" he said, then yelped as he dodged another attack. "Okay, fiend, take THIS!" he said, swinging it at it. Everyone knew that it worked when a white light came from the place that Totodile hit the will-o-wisp. "Yes!"
Dratini looked over to her human friends. "I hope we don't wake them up," she mumbled.
Totodile kept swinging and swinging at it, and the will-o-wisp slowly sank down, dimming, until it was on the ground as dark as a dying ember. Totodile stood over the vanquished foe, took a look at it, then poured a bit of salt on top of it. It glowed white and appeared to thrash about until finally, it...vanished. Into thin air.
Dratini, Teddiursa, and Totodile, who stopped pouring the salt, jumped for joy and cheered, then remembered that there were people sleeping. Dratini smiled and came over. "Thanks, you two," she said. "I can't wait until I evolve into a Dragonite...arms are so useful, am I right?" The other two nodded.
"Thank YOU for helping us," Teddiursa said, smiling. "If it weren't for you, we would probably be really hurt...or worse," he gulped, grimacing.
Totodile grinned and gave back the salt shaker. "Yeah...Did you hear me calling for help, or what?" he wondered.
Dratini shrugged by arching her back up and down. "I was trying to sleep, but before I could, I felt this odd feeling in my chest that kept me up. I got up, and it sort of told me to go to the stream." She looked to where she went to. "I went there, then saw you coming down here. So I guess it was instinct that told me to come." She looked back at the two. "I'm glad you're safe. Teddiursa, are you going to be fine with that burn?" she asked.
Teddiursa nodded. "Yeah, I'll live," he said. "It'll just take a few days, that's all."
"I don't know if we've got Burn Heal with us or not," Dratini said. "We're halfway between Cerulean and the next human town...If you want, I'll see if I can get Kioshi to know that you'd like to come with to a pokémon center, where they can heal you," she offered after a moment's thought.
Totodile looked a bit unsure, but Teddiursa gasped and smiled. "Really?" he asked. "Could I really come with? I've always wanted to go into a human town! But...I'm always afraid someone will want to try and catch me..."
Dratini smiled and shook her head. "If you travel with humans, they'll assume that you're theirs, but just outside your balls. Trust me--I'm actually still a wild pokémon, too!" She laughed at their surprised faces. "I just really...welllll..." She blushed.
Totodile grinned smugly and crossed his arms. "You've got a crush on that Kioshi kid, don't you?" he asked, and laughed when Dratini went a bit stiff. "Aw, don't worry, I remember hearing about a Chikorita--now a Bayleef--who had, or still has, a crush on her trainer. Just don't think it's going to go anywhere!! WHA-HA-HA!!"
Teddiursa smiled sheepishly. "I understand, Miss Dratini, I won't make fun of you," he said, and Totodile gave him a sideways look. Teddiursa gave one back, then nodded. "I'd love to come with you, Miss Dratini," he said, smiling. "If not just to get healed for my burn, then to sight-see."
Dratini nodded. "Alright, I'll try and tell Kioshi in the morning. Totodile?" she asked, looking at him. "You interested at all?"
Totodile frowned a little, but sighed and nodded. "I don't feel safe leaving Teddiursa alone...no offense to your human friends, Dratini!" he added hastilly, shaking his paws. "I just don't want to be alone for who knows how long. Besides, there might be some good food to be had along the way," he added, crossing his arms and nodding, eyes closed.
Dratini sweat-dropped at this. 'I should probably not mention the issue on food around here,' she mused. She nodded and smiled. "Then you might as well sleep with us for tonight, if you're tired," she said. "Will you?" she asked. They nodded. "Okay! Now, then, let's get to it, since I'm wicked tired." The other two agreed and they went over as quietly as they could to Kioshi. After Dratini put the salt back in the bag, she curled up by Kioshi while Totodile and Teddiursa slept nearby against a tree.
-(-)-
"What have we here?"
Dratini opened her eyes groggilly.
"A totodile and a teddiursa, by the looks of it."
'I wanna sleep some more...' she complained and closed them again.
"Wow, sleeping together like this in the open...easiest catch I'll ever make!"
"TI?!" Dratini's eyes shot open at this and she scrambled around to get up. She saw three guys standing there, one with a hat, another with glasses, and a third with wild, long hair. The one with a hat had taken out a pokéball. She saw a poochyena by the one with long hair. "TI-NII!!" she screeched and raced over to stop in front of them, body spread out defensively. "TI! Ti-NI!!" she cried.
The guy blinked in amazement. "A DRATINI?!" he asked. "No way! I guess this one's a bit fiesty, huh?" He chuckled.
The poochyena, understanding, nodded and barked up at the long-haired guy. The human nodded and crossed his arms. "Frank, Poochyena said that it's trying to protect its friends. At least from being unfairly captured, without having a proper battle first," he added after seeing the apprehending look on his friends' faces.
"Sorry, but Poochyena and Travis are right on this one, Frank," said the glasses-wearing guy, crossing his arms and nodding. "You should at least battle them first, like a normal trainer."
Frank pouted, scoffing. "Fine, Dorian, fine," he grumbled, and got out another ball. He looked down at Dratini and smirked. "You want to help them? Well, how about a battle, first?"
"Alright, I accept!"
The three turned to look at the Ouendan, being headed by Kioshi. "All that racket woke me up," he said. "And when I saw that you were threatening my Dratini friend, well, I had to do something!"
Dratini, and the now-awake Teddiursa and Totodile, sweat-dropped as they looked at him. """And we didn't wake him up?""" they asked in unison in their own language.
Frank raised an eyebrow. "Well, schoolboy, uh..." He looked him up and down. "Nice outfit, actually," he said after a bit.
Kioshi nodded and stepped behind Dratini. "We doing this or not?" he asked.
Frank scoffed. "In that case, never mind. I was hoping on an easy wild battle, but a trainer one? Naw, no thanks," he said.
"You'd lose no matter what, you know," Travis smirked.
Frank anger-veined. "Oh, hush, wolf boy," he spat back over his shoulder. "Like you'd have a better chance?"
Travis and Poochyena smirked and looked at them sideways. "Probably," Travis said.
"Sorry," added Poochyena to the other pokémon, who made motions it was alright.
Kioshi grunted, and attention returned to him. "Well, are YOU going to battle us?" he asked.
Travis smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm fine," he said. "Me and my Poochyena are friends like you and Dratini are, and I'm not sure I want to play for keeps. Besides, we've come here from Sinnoh to meet Dorian's folks in Cerulean, so we've really gotta go." He looked Kioshi up and down, too. "You know," he said, tilting his head, "you remind me of these three guys who really helped me out a week or so ago back in Sinnoh. The black and buttoned-up front are what's ringing bells."
Kioshi raised an eyebrow. "Who were they?" he asked. "What'd they do?"
Travis uncrossed his arms. "They called themselves the Elite Beat Agents, and they helped me...battle inner demons, we'll just say." He winked at his friends, who half-eyed him.
This caused the Ouendan, every one of them now awake, to drop their jaws and splutter, """THE ELITE BEAT AGENTS?!""" Dratini did something similar, since she knew what they wanted them for.
Travis raised an eyebrow at this. "What, know 'em?" he asked.
Kioshi shook his head. "No, but we will," he said. "Do you know if they're still in Sinnoh?" he asked.
Travis shrugged. "I guess they are," he said. "They left after helping me...and after I helped them back, too, the same night." He shrugged again. "I can't tell you much, 'cept they could do a pretty good cover of 'No Sleep Tonight.' Hope you guys get to them or whatever!" he called, and turned to leave.
"Thanks!" Dratini said to Poochyena as he left.
Poochenya smiled back. "No problem! May we meet again on better circumstances!"
Dratini nodded, then turned to Kioshi. He and the others were talking about the confirmation that yes, the EBA were in Sinnoh and were active. "Ti! Dri-ni!" she called.
Kioshi turned and looked down at her. "What is it, Dratini?" he asked kindly. Dratini pointed to the other two. "Oh? What about them?"
Dratini made various sounds, waving first at the two pokémon, then at Kioshi, then moved around a bit. 'Let's hope that works...'
Kioshi tilted his head. "Uuuuuhh...Wild guess, but do you want these two to come with us?" he asked.
Dratini bounced up and down in joy. "Ni! Ni!"
Kioshi smiled. "Well, if they don't cause us trouble, then sure thing!" he said before the other two had any say in it. The three pokémon jumped for joy as Kioshi stood up and turned. "I think Dratini made some friends overnight," he said to the other two.
"Well, let's not get any more friends with us," Suzu said. "Instead, let's just get some more food, huh?"
Everyone's stomachs gurgled simultaneously. Kioshi blushed. "Yeah, good thinking," he agreed, and the group of now six travellers went about finding fruit from the local trees for breakfast. Afterwards, with Totodile carrying Teddiursa--then Kioshi carrying him after he saw the singed arm--the Ouendan and pokémon set off down the road to Vermillion City.
---
WOO-gah! That was a long one! Sorry! (Tho I think it might make up for the fact I haven't updated in one or two months...CURSE YOU, SCHOOL AND THE GAZILLION ACTIVITIES I TAKE!! -shakes fist (and desires asterisks)-. And I'll explain later why they can understand Travis and vice versa. I just wanted to get this chapter done and over with so this fic doesn't die!! ;; I hope to write more in the future! And as soon as I get a laptop, this fic will just go up in seconds, all complete! ...Okay, maybe not, but faster than the two-month span that this has been!! ;; Anywho, thanks for being so patient! And sorry, no jumble of text that is my attempts at notecharting. I'll try and get osu! when I get the laptop. Speaking of, I GOT OUENDAN!! So expect more-a them to be in here. See ya!