AUTHOR'S NOTE: Greetings, readers! Here is chapter 8 of the continuing adventures of Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu as they continue their journey through the Johto region. You the episode "Spinarak Attack from Pokémon: The Johto Journeys, right? This chapter is formatted just a little differently. And you may remember Tyson from Team Rocket in the anime, right? He makes a brief cameo appearance in this chapter with two Spearow. Of course, in his appearance on Pokémon: Master Quest, they are Fearow. Now this chapter is a little shorter than most, but there will be longer chapters.

TEASER: Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu make a brief visit to Catallia City. But during a chase, Officer Jenny gets a flat tire on her car! How will our heroes come to her aid?

Chapter 8. MORE SIGHTSEEING

(Music Cue: Title Screen 1999-2001 (as heard in the end of "A Shadow of a Drought"))

Our heroes are still on their way to Violet City, but today, their next stop is a place known as Catallia City. It's here where tales of a legendary thief are known to be true. Let's just hope that Tristan and Hillary don't end up in a sticky situatiion!

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were walking on the streets of Catallia City as the sun shone in the sky.

"Boy, I'm sure glad to be out of that dark forest," said Tristan.

"Yeah," agreed Hillary. "I've had enough scary illusions for awhile.

Pikachu nodded in agreement.

Presently, a siren was heard in the distance.

Tristan and Hillary were instantly alerted to that sound.

"That sound can't be good," said Hillary.

"I agree, Hillary, let's go see what's going on," replied Tristan.

But before they could get very far, two Spearow appeared, and were flying directly at Tristan and Hillary!

(Music Cue: Team Rocket Appears (as heard in "The Whistle Stop"))

"It's a Spearow air force, and they're coming at us!" cried Hillary as she quickly got herself and Tristan down onto the ground.

Seconds later, a man in a blue t-shirt and gray vest appeared. He had a red letter R on his vest. "Hurry up, you idiots! We can't let those cops catch us!"

Tristan and Hillary got up just in time to see the R on the man's vest. "It's Team Rocket!" they exclaimed.

Just then, scores of men in black uniforms ran at them, leaving them directly in their path. They were carrying bags of valuable items.

"We're trapped like Rattata!" cried Hillary. "There's no way we can battle 'em all at once!"

Fortunately, Tristan spotted a nearby alley. "Quick, let's get in here!" he advised as he pulled Hillary and Pikachu into it and out of the way of the onrushing stampede of Rocket Grunts just in time.

"Phew! That was close," sighed Hillary.

Just as the scores of Rocket Grunts passed by, leaving a trail of tacks behind, a police car showed up, but unfortunately, ran over one of the tacks and spun out of control and came to a stop, narrowly missing the alley.

Officer Jenny got out of the car and clenched her fists together. "Arrgh!" she fumed. "I was this close to catching them!"

Tristan and Hillary came out of the alley and ran over to Officer Jenny.

"Are you all right?" asked Hillary.

"I was trying to catch those Team Rocket thugs after they stole some valuable jewelry from a nearby store," explained Officer Jenny. "But their tacks gave me a flat tire! Of all the rotten luck! Now I'll never catch them."

"Maybe we can help, Officer Jenny," suggested Tristan. "I've got a Pokémon that might be able to help you catch those guys."

"Would you do that?" asked Officer Jenny.

"Yeah, we sure can," answered Hillary. "We haven't met a person that we couldn't help yet!"

"Charizard, I choose you!" shouted Tristan as he threw a Pokéball.

(Music Cue: Flying Pokéball Chaos (as heard in "Two Hits and a Miss"))

Charizard emerged from the white light that shot out of the ball and awaited Tristan's instructions.

"Charizard, do what Officer Jenny tells you!" instructed Tristan.

Charizard nodded.

Wasting no time, Officer Jenny climbed on Charizard, and together, they took off into the sky after the fleeing fiends.

"Come on, sis, let's follow them," said Tristan. "I sure don't want to miss what Officer Jenny does to those crooks."

Hillary nodded in agreement as she, Tristan, and Pikachu followed Charizard.

Meanwhile, the Rocket Grunts were still leaving tacks on the ground when suddenly, they heard a roar from above.

It was Charizard, and it and Officer Jenny were coming at the Grunts at remarkable speed.

"I've got you now, you thieving criminals!" shouted Officer Jenny.

Of course, the Rocket Grunts were terrified, for they had no idea that Officer Jenny would fly on a Charizard to try and catch them. Cowards that they were, they all turned tail and ran.

"Charizard, use your Flamethrower to stop them!" commanded Officer Jenny.

With astounding speed, Charizard flew in front of the Rocket Grunts and shot a powerful stream of fire from its mouth, creating a wall to block their escape.

The Rocket Grunts tried turning the other way.

However, Officer Jenny was too quick for them. "Okay, Spinarak, I choose you!" shouted Officer Jenny as she jumped off of Charizard and threw a Pokéball.

A green arachnoid Pokémon with black eyes and white pupils emerged from the white light that shot out of it. It had a white horn on its head, red mandibles, and six yellow legs.

"Spinarak, use your Spider Web attack to tie them all up!" ordered Officer Jenny as she landed on her feet.

Without hesitation, Spinarak shot a sticky white line from its mouth and abdomen at the fleeing Rocket Grunts, slowing them down and tangling them up.

Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu arrived just in time to see everything.

"Whoa!" said Tristan. He was astounded by Spinarak's nimble movements.

"I've never seen a Pokémon do that before," remarked Hillary.

Spinarak continued to shoot more and more webs at the Rocket Grunts and the webs began to intensify more and more until they looked like real spider webs. At last all of the Rocket Grunts were immobilized and Spinarak landed neatly on Officer Jenny's left shoulder.

"Great job, Spinarak," commended Officer Jenny.

"Spinarak!" replied Spinarak.

"That was awesome," remarked Tristan.

"She caught them all with just one Spider Web," added Hillary. "I have to check this out." And she took out her Pokédex and scanned Spinarak with it.

Spinarak: The String Spit Pokémon," identified Dexter. "Spinarak can climb any surface easily, and shoot a string of web from both the front and back of its body. Its prey is caught and held tight in its web."

In no time at all, the Rocket Grunts, still tied up by Spinarak's webs, were hauled off to the nearest jail in a patrol wagon.

Charizard landed behind Tristan and his friends just as Officer Jenny came over to them.

"I don't know what I would've done if you two hadn't come along," said Officer Jenny. "That Charizard is well-trained, and it was just what I needed to help catch those criminals. We didn't get their leader, but thanks to your assistance, all the stolen items will be returned to their rightful owners. So on behalf of Catallia City and the police department, I salute you."

"We were just glad we could help, Officer Jenny," replied Tristan.

Pikachu and Charizard nodded in agreement.

"I have a question, Officer Jenny," said Hillary. "Why do you use Spinarak for your police work instead of Growlithe?"

"That's an excellent question," replied Officer Jenny. "It's become a tradition. Let me tell you about it." And she began her story.

(Music Cue: Flying Dragonite (Kairu))

"A long time ago, a dangerous and legendary criminal known as the Black Arachnid had a Meowth as his partner," explained Officer Jenny. "Whenever the police were close to capturing them, Meowth would use Pay Day to scare the police off.

But one day, those two met their match: Officer Jenny. She used her own Spinarak to put an end to their crime spree once and for all. That Officer Jenny is a direct descendant of mine from eight generations ago."

"And not only that, this Spinarak is a descendant of that other Spinarak from the same time," finished Officer Jenny.

Spinarak smiled in agreement.

"Whoa, no way!" gasped Tristan and Hillary.

"That must be the reason why the whole police force uses Spinarak," said Tristan.

"Not too long ago, three characters, including a Meowth, posing as the Black Arachnid II, were also in Catallia City," said Officer Jenny. "But thanks to Spinarak and three Trainers named Ash, Misty, and Brock, we were able to thwart their plans and save all the treasures, including a rich man's prized trophy."

"That must've been those three members of Team Rocket we ran into a few times before," remarked Tristan.

"Ash, Misty, and Brock must be really popular," remarked Hillary. "Did they solve any other cases?"

"They helped solve the stolen Totodile case in New Bark Town," answered Officer Jenny. "Those same three characters had apparently stolen it from Professor Elm's laboratory."

"You know sis, those must be the Team Rocket members Grandma saw while they were flying through the air," said Tristan.

"You're right, Tristan," replied Hillary. "That has to be."

"Team Rocket's messed things up again!"

"By the way," added Officer Jenny. "I had received a letter from the Jenny in New Bark Town regarding the case of another Trainer stealing the Totodile, and wanted to thank you for your help in identifying the thief."

"Well, we didn't rescue that Totodile," explained Tristan. "Silver had stolen it and scared the Chikorita into hiding, but Chikorita and I talked it out."

"Chikorita's been doing really well, especially since it chose Tristan as its new Trainer," added Hillary.

"I'm so glad to hear that," smiled Officer Jenny.

Suddenly, a white light shot out of one of Tristan's Pokéballs, much to everyone's surprise.

Chikorita emerged from the white light and appeared on Tristan's other shoulder.

"Hi, Chikorita," smiled Tristan. "I thought you might come out after hearing that."

"Chiko!" replied Chikorita.

(Music Cue: To Be Continued)

Officer Jenny took Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu on a tour of the police station. Sure enough, the place was crawling with dozens of Spinarak.

"I've never seen so many Spinarak before," remarked Hillary. "It's almost like their second natural home."

"I sure wouldn't want to get tangled in their webs like those guys from Team Rocket did," added Tristan.

"The Spinarak will always watch our backs," chuckled Officer Jenny. "Thanks to them, no criminal ever escapes our eyes or our webs."

All the Spinarak seemed to agree at once.

"Now that's a pretty neat way to catch criminals," remarked Tristan.

Pikachu and Hillary seemed to agree with him.

In a matter of minutes, Tristan, Hillary, and Pikachu were ready to move on.

"Thanks for the tour, Officer Jenny!" called Hillary.

"Tale care of the Spinarak!" added Tristan.

"I will!" replied Officer Jenny. "And thank you for your help today! Good luck on your journey!"

"Thank you!" said Tristan and Hillary as they set off toward their next destination.

And so, thanks to our heroes, Officer Jenny was able to help stop a gang of criminals and bring them to justice. Now they're back on the road and looking for more adventures as they continue their journey to Violet City and the Johto League.

► TO BE CONTINUED