Un-Bearable Adventures
"I'm glad we're finally on the trail," Kameron said, heaving the heavy backpack onto his back.
"Yeah, but how are we going to carry all this stuff?" I eyed the piles of bedding and food that littered the small park by the roadside. A sign beside us proclaimed.
"Now entering the Pokemon Jungle, stay to the trails and do not litter."
"Joseph gave me this," Kameron said, idly rolling a Pokeball down his arm and flicking it in the air, catching it again.
"You didn't tell me, what is it?"
"Hrm, let's see," he flicked the button on it. "Go Pokemon."
"Ponyta!" It whinnied.
"Cool, a Ponyta!" I shouted, sounding more enthusiastic than I felt. "Now, do you know how to ride it?"
"You don't ride it, dummy," Kameron said. "It's to carry the packs. Aren't ya girl?"
"Ta," it neighed, tossing its fiery mane.
Kameron stroked its neck, and it nuzzled his arm. "She likes me."
"I guess she sees you're a fire person," I said. "But Maki and I, I think we'll stay back."
"Maki!" Maki agreed. He didn't like fire Pokemon at all.
Kameron and I loaded the baggage on to the Fire horse and we set off into the jungle. It was not quite what I expected. The air was heavy with moisture, but warm, so warm in fact that Kameron took his shirt off from under his trench coat and walked bare chested. I could not figure why he did not just take the damned trench coat off. He fanned his face with his baseball cap.
"Sure is hot in here," he said. I glanced at the Ponyta.
"You don't think it's her?"
He chuckled. "Nah, humidity, ain't it great."
Maki seemed at home. He constantly jumped off my shoulder to explore trees, plants or to stick his head in a flower.
"Bell sprout, bell sprout," something cried and Maki jumped back in alarm, his fur coated in a strange substance.
"Ozmos, wash him down!" I cried, summoning the vaporeon. The foolish creature had stuck his head too close to a bellsprout and had got poison on his fur. Luckily Ozmos's water gun washed most of the poison off, and knocked Maki over backwards. He was somewhat subdued for the rest of the hour, and didn't investigate anymore strange flowers.
The air buzzed with flying insects, mosquitoes, sandflies, a delightful little creature called the sweat bee which drank sweat (and itched something horrific). We were very glad for the repellent and stopped every half an hour to apply more. We were sweating so badly that the repellent washed off and had to be reapplied. Maki grabbed insects with enthusiasm, attracting them with his glowing star and grabbing them in his little black hands, pushing them into his mouth. He seemed to rather like it. Of course, he was home.
We were both glad to leave Gary and Melissa behind. I found him arrogant and obnoxious, and she was just plain dim-witted. She'd tried to talk to me, convince me that I should wear a dress and do my hair in some fashionable style, but I'd ignored her. This was practical, shorts and a crop top. Anyway, Kameron seemed to quite like it. He was wearing shorts and a trench coat, nothing else. He was a fool, but at least the coat protected him from the horse flies.
They were almost as long as a knuckle, and bit, drawing blood. It was horrible. The insect repellent seemed to have little effect on them, but our efforts attracted a small flock of Spearows. They flitted around us, snatching the insects on the wing and gulping them down.
The ground was damp, the moss squelching under our feet and the occasional patch of mud just waiting to slip us up. Even the Ponyta seemed to be having difficulty, and it was with a great relief that we stopped for lunch.
We were beside the banks of a small pond. The water looked none to clean, and was stagnant, buzzing with insect life. Kameron pulled a blanket from a bundle on the Ponyta and lay it down over what was more or less a flat patch of ground. Ponyta took to grazing on some moss and damp leaves. It was not really an appropriate environment for a grazing animal – there was no grass. Maki jumped down to drink the water and pulled a face, leaping back, grimacing.
"Kiki!" He said sourly, removing a biscuit form Kameron's plate and sitting down to enjoy it.
"Maki!" Kameron scolded. "That was my lunch!"
"Maki?" ("Who, me?").
I sighed. "I'm thirsty enough to drink anything," I said, filling a cup up in the water. Maki jumped up and knocked it out of my hand.
"Makikiki," he scolded. ("No drink.").
"What's wrong Maki?" I asked, he pointed to something lying on the bank of the river. I had thought it was just a patch of mud, but I was wrong.
"Grimer!" It bellowed, oozing towards us. Now, Grimers and Muks always looked disgusting, but this one looked worse than most, it seemed to have a distinctly greenish tinge to its normal grey-brown coloration.
We both jumped back, I scooped up Maki, who was the only Pokemon currently out of his ball. The long walk in the heat had tired Florion, who much preferred to ride.
"Grimer…"
"Its horrible," I said. "What can we do to get rid of it?"
Kameron pondered. "I think Grimer's Poison type, which means that psychic and fire are probably good against it. Any suggestions?"
"The Pokedex?" I suggested.
"Good point," he pulled it out. "Grimer," it said, "the Pollution Pokemon. This Pokemon is often found around polluted streams, where it feeds off the pollution."
"Uck," I said, "it's absolutely disgusting. We need to clean it up. Go Ozmos, go Razor."
"Vapor!"
"Draaa!"
Razor flopped into the water, quickly raising his head above the horrible water, which had been polluted by the Grimer. Ozmos stood on the bank, her legs braced.
"Water gun attack, both of you!" I coaxed, and both sprayed water at the Grimer. It seemed to shrink and change colour, becoming less of that disgusting green colour, and retreated into the bushes.
"Grimerrrr!" It cried, as it disappeared.
I shuddered. "What a disgusting Pokemon, I'm glad we could clean that one up. Look what it's done to the poor pond!"
Razor coughed. "Dra dra."
"Razor return," I quickly recalled him, before the water could make him sick. "It's polluted the pond!"
Kameron leaned over it. "There's still tiny bugs in here, but the water smells funny and it's kind of green. Hey, what's that?"
There was something floating in the water, it looked like a blue ball, maybe a buoy? What ever was that doing here? Kameron, ever the intrepid explorer, stepped into the horrible pond, grimacing as his feet made a sucking noise in the mud.
"Urgh," he said. "It's horrible." He grasped the ball and scooped it up. It appeared to have something attached to it, something blue and mouse-like.
"Hades, it's a Pokemon!" I exclaimed, "quick get it ashore, Ozmos, wash the slime off it."
"Vapor vap vap or eon!" ("Always glad to help!"). Ozmos sprayed a fine plume of water over the small creature, which coughed and rolled over.
"Marrill, marrill," it muttered weakly.
"Poor wee mite," Kameron said, pulling himself ashore. "Um, Ozmos, could you be so kind as to wash off my legs?" The vaporeon sprayed water at him, cleaning away the slime. "I'm so glad you have water Pokemon," he said. He scooped and picked up Marrill. "Are you ok?"
"Mar marrill, rill rill."
It was a cute wee Pokemon, almost round, with a short black tail terminating in a spherical point, which was the bit we had seen floating. It had rounded ears and bead black eyes. It also seemed extremely grateful to Kameron and licked him on the neck.
"It's a little sweety," I said. "I think it likes you."
"And I like you too Marrill," he said. "Was that your pond?"
"Rill," it agreed.
"And then that nasty Grimer turned up and polluted it?" I asked.
"Rill rill," it agreed enthusiastically. "Mar marrill."
"I don't think you can go back to leaving there," Kameron said. "How about you come along with us, and we'll find you a new pond."
"Ma-rill!" It seemed happy at the suggestion.
And that was how Kameron caught his first Pokemon without a fight.
We continued on into the deep gloom, following Kameron with his compass. Gary had told us to follow the trail until we reached the end of it, where it terminated at a waterfall, and then to travel north-east from there. Then we would reach a lake, and on its shore was a huge tree, bigger than any he had seen before, it was here he had found the makimurs. We thought that, at the very least, Maki should know his way around. The trail was at times little more than a mark in the dirt. It looked as though it had not been maintained for some time, and at points the only way we were aware of actually being on the trail was a metal disc nailed to a tree, painted fluorescent colours. Kameron tucked Marrill away safely in his trench coat pocket, and it occasionally poked its head out and pointed at things as we walked past. We did not find any more appropriate homes for it, though. Perhaps this waterfall, when we reached it?
It was getting dark beneath the canopy, so we looked about for a place to camp. There wasn't any, of course, this was jungle, not woodland and any patch of ground was covered in moss, plants, deadfall or rocks, none of which added up to comfortable sleeping. Finally, with a sigh, we settled upon a small glade, with a creek near it and a flat piece of ground about big enough for one sleeping bag. It was even harder setting up the tent, but we could see the sky turning from blood red to deep blue, and travelling in the twilight was probably not a good idea. We had flashlights of course, but it would be all too easy to stumble over a root or particularly nice patch of mud in the dark, and break an ankle. We were more or less camping on the actual path, but judging by its condition and the people we'd bumped into, or lack of, I doubted anyone would be wandering on it in the dark. I had only thought as far as people though… We put up the tent by tying it to fallen trees and sticking rocks around it, because the ground was too rocky in most places to pitch it successfully. It stayed up, anyway. And then we crawled into our sleeping bags, vying for the flat space, which meant we were almost sleeping on each other, something Maki and Florion found most amusing. Marrill surprised us both by curling up beside Kameron, on a patch of moss.
Something woke me, as the tent was snatched up as if by a powerful hand and flung aside.
"MaKI!" Maki shrieked in fear as we both realised that something large and bulky was wandering down the path, and we were in its way.
Surprisingly, Maki's scream awoke Kameron so that we were both awake to see the enormous bear-thing trying to shake our tent from its huge paw. It stood about six, seven feet tall and was about four feet wide, and did not appear to be in the most happy of moods.
"RingUMA!" It bellowed, looking as if it were about to bring its huge paw down on us at any second.
"Quick Maki, Florion, get it!"
"Flori-ON!" Florion sent a volley of poisonous needles towards the bear Pokemon, but they bounced harmlessly off its thick fur. He shook his head, sending the razor leaves at it, but it batted them aside easily, then brought one hand about, sending Florion tumbling into the bushes.
"MAKI!" Maki shrieked, leaping onto its chest in one bound. The bear Pokemon grabbed his tail in one hand and tossed him off into the trees.
"It's too strong!" I shouted. "Go, all of you, make it turn around! Wait, return Seadra!" There was no point in sending a fish-type Pokemon out after a land Pokemon.
"Yeah, all you lot too!"
Vaporeon water-gunned at it, but the bear held up one hand and the water bounced off, back at Ozmos, sending her head over tails. Snuggles took on look at it and another at the jungle around us, and hastily recalled himself, something I hadn't been aware a Pokemon could do. Kameron's Cubone threw his bone at it, but it bounced harmlessly off its chest and tumbled into the dirt and Dancer was swiped aside as though it were little more than an annoyance.
"This is pointless!" I shouted. "Retreat into the trees, all of you!" I clambered off the path and into the thick trees, where the large bear could not enter. Kameron followed my suit.
We could do nothing but watch as the Bear Pokemon dropped to all fours and started picking through our belongings with surprising dexterity. It quickly found our food pouch and sat down, scoffing itself on our rations of biscuits, dried fruit and bread, before tearing apart our sleeping bags, just for the fun of it and trundling off into the darkness beyond the tent, or the tents tattered remains. We moved in to inspect the damage.
Most of our food was gone, and that which wasn't had been nibbled on. My sleeping bag was a tattered mess of mud and tears, whilst Kameron's was still useable. Our water canteens had been knocked over, but they were easily refillable – we had a creek and water Pokemon. Unfortunately, Kameron's trench coat was still fine, if a little dirty, although the bear had managed to break the cover of the Pokedex, it still worked, even if the voice did sound a little ill. And, most disturbing of all, the emergency radio had been crushed almost beyond recognition. We would have to pray that nothing bad was to happen to us. One by one, the Pokemon that had been sent sprawling crawled back to us. Maki looked fine, I had the feeling he had managed to catch a tree and not harm himself at all. Florion was limping heavily, favouring his front right leg. Close inspection revealed that it was not broken, but was probably badly sprained. He would certainly not be walking with us for some time. Cubone and Ozmos were more or less uninjured, although the vaporeon was somewhat dazed from her own water blast. Florion hobbled over to her and nuzzled her, trying to comfort her, which made me smile inwardly. She licked his wounded leg, which made him smile outwardly. Dancer was actually the worst injured, for it had become actually caught in the tree and torn its wings on the branches. We managed to find our first aid kit in the mess, it was mostly ok, the bear hadn't managed to open the catch, and applied salve to its injured wings, but without a Pokemon centre, there was very little we could do. It would have to remain in its Pokeball until we got back to civilisation. Snuggles, whom I called out after the bear had passed, was quite helpful. It comforted our distressed Pokemon, attended to the many bruises and scratches sustained by them and more or less, played the mother hen. Currently it was attending to Cubone, who had scored some rather nice bruises when it had tumbled into the bushes away from the bear. After a moment Snuggles darted off, and returned carrying Cubone's bone proudly aloft, like a sword.
"Buru," it said, handing it over.
"Cu bone bone," Cubone replied, as it tried to hug the Buru. Snuggles looked frightened for a second, than sucuumbed to the hug, grinning as much as any Buru could, since its face was mostly jaw.
"Where's Marril?" Kameron suddenly asked, making me feel bad for not realising its absence.
Snuggles twitched its ears and scented the air, then rushed over to the tent, which had snagged in the bushes. "Bu ru ruru!" It barked.
"Marrill, marrill," came a faint voice from inside and Kameron darted over to have a look. The tent was ruined, but inside it, clinging desperately to one of the guide ropes, about six feet from the ground, was Marrill, a look of intense concentration on its face. "Marrill rill!"
"Buru ru ru," Snuggles said, and suddenly the Marrill let go,crashing earthwards to be caught by the Buru.
"Marrill!" It said happily and licked Snuggles on the nose. I fancied the Buru's pink-hued fur went even pinker as it set the water Pokemon on the ground.
"Marrill, marrill!" It danced around Kameron for a few minutes, then sat down.
Kameron picked it up. "Come on guys, time to return to your Pokeballs, so we can get some much needed sleep."
We recalled all our Pokemon and then made makeshift nests off the path and in the trees, lying closely together, with Maki and Marrill amongst us. We hoped that if any more danger came about, one of them would alarm us. There was no way we were going back on the path, the bear Pokemon would probably be heading home soon. We would worry about our loss of supplies and emergency radio in the morning, right now we were too tired to care.