Dedication: This chapter has to be dedicated to the Japanese guy who invented Pokemon, without him, this fic wouldn't be here.

Disclaimer: Wish I could, but I don't own Pokemon. I do not work with Nintendo or Game Freak. I'm just a simple author.

Remember: If you're British and over 18 (that only leaves a few) remember to vote Tony Blair! (I'm English, but I'm not 18, so I can't vote)

Note: I'm pleased to say that the fic series has so far got a review ratio of about 2.83 reviews per chapter.

Authors included in this chapter: Kazeno. If you want to be included, simply leave your trainer name, and a list of any Pokemon you have in a review of this chapter (review the fic too though) also leave your gender. I use this way to make unique trainers. Thanks. Kazeno reviewed chapter 6 (as Raiji) so is included in this chapter. Remember, your help could make this fic series a lot better. If you review this chapter, chances are you'll be included in chapter 8.

JOHOTO JOURNEY Part 7 – The land serpent in Union Cave

Story so far: Link, a thirteen year old boy, has just left his home area of New Bark Town to be a Pokemon trainer, he chose a Chickorita as his Pokemon from Professor Elm, the town's leading Pokemon expert. He also caught a Geodude along the way to Cherrygrove City, where he fought and lost his first battle. Not disheartened (That much) He left CherryGrove City, and made his way to Violet City. On the way, he caught the monkey-like Aipom, and won his first trainer match. Then on, he went to Violet City, and beat Falkner, the Gym Leader in a lucky break. Then, in the ruins of Alph, he fought Crazy, a talented young trainer, although he lost, his Chikorita evolved into Bayleef.

Lost. Always lost. Once again, Link found himself lost. The map on his PokeGear told him that he was in route 32, but that wasn't any help to him, as Link couldn't read maps. However, he knew that he had to travel to Union Cave in order to get to the next Gym, the one in Azalea Town.

As he walked, he thought back to the battle he had earlier that day. It was against some little kid called John. It was a quick one on one match. John chose his Rattata. Link chose his Aipom. Link's Pokemon walked up to it, kicked it once in the face, and the Rat fainted, it was that weak. Toa normal trainer, this victory would've been a good thing. But not to Link. He was stupid. As the Rattata was so weak, he momentarily thought that it was a wild Pokemon, and threw a Pokeball at it, trying to catch it. That was stupid. He was fined $5 by a wandering member of the PokePolice, and narrowly avoided a criminal record for Pokemon theft. But that was all over now. Link tried to put that behind him. He stared blankly at the ground for a while as he walked. When was he ever going to get to Union Cave? When was he going to… SMACK!

Link wasn't looking where he was going, so he smashed into a large rock that was in his way. He got up, groaning. This wasn't his day. Then he remembered. It NEVER was his day. First he was fined for a crime he didn't commit, then he got lost, then he bumped into a rock. He still couldn't find Union Cave. He angrily shoved past a sign that was by the rock that read 'Union cave, North entrance.' He noticed that the rock that he hit had a hole leading underground, so he decided to walk in, maybe he'd catch a new Pokemon. As soon as he walked in, his PokeGear began to beep. Link looked down. It seemed to say that he had just entered Union Cave. He shrugged. Maybe it was his day after all. He descended down into the cave.

Strangely enough, it wasn't that dark. He noticed that a flickering light lit up the Cave. He faintly heard three different Pokemon roars of concentration in the distance. So he set off in the direction of the noise.

An hour later, Link was bored. Again. The trail was still going, and the fait roars seemed a bit less faint. He could hear a few… "Amphaar!" "Kiiiid!" "Raaaaaiiiii!"

Link forgot about the noises, and took out his PokeDex. He found out an interesting fact. If you block up the speakers with chewing gum, smoke starts coming out of the side of it.

Just as he found out that if you take out the chewing gum, and blow into the speakers, the whole thing turns static and smells of burning plastic, something bit him.

"YYEEOOWW!" Link stated hopping around in agony. He looked down at the source of the pain. It seemed to be a Pokemon. Link flipped open his PokeDex. The fold out hinges collapsed and it stared falling apart.

"DAMN!" Link groaned. "Hey! Um… Excuse me, but could you wait a little while? Thanks."

Five minutes later, Link repaired his PokeDex. But, despite his order, the Pokemon had slowly slithered away from him. But it was quite slow, so it had only travelled five metres. Link got out his repaired Pokedex.

Dunsparse. The land-serpent Pokemon. This Pokemon is slow, but very sure of its movements. It is thought to be related to Ekans, due to the way in which it looks, and caterpie, as it moves in the same way, and can climb trees.

Link didn't think that it looked much like a snake. It seemed to have a bit of a dopey look its mouth hung open, and it was really fat. But it did have that barb on its tail. Link knew the drill.

"Geodude! Go!" He threw his Pokeball.

"Geodude (haha)!" He Geodude roared.

"OK Geodude!" Link yelled, "Rock throw now!"

"DUDE (OK)!" Geodude reached inside its mouth, and withdrew a large rock. At a massive speed, it was thrown at the Dunsparse. However, as it the rock almost made contact, the Dunsparse used its rapid spin attack. Its tail whipped around and smashed the rock up.

"Wow." Link murmured. "Again!"

"Dude! (OK)" More rocks hurtled towards the Dunsparse. More and more rock were disintegrated before Links eyes. He looked at Geodude. Taking out its innards seemed to make it loose energy, and it would be another few hours before it generated more rocks.

"Geodude! Tackle!"

"GEO (fine)!" The rock hurled itself at the Dunsparse. Link winced, waiting for the rapid spin. But, to his surprise, the Dunsparse seemed to have gone to sleep. It lay there, snoring, as Geodude careered into it, and stared smashing it on the head with its fist. Link blinked in disbelief. Without thinking, he drew his PokeBall and threw it with all of his strength. It hit the Dunsparse. As it was asleep, the ball didn't even shake, it just lay there. Link picked it up.

"YEAH! I DID IT! I GOT DUNSPARSE!" He started bouncing around, cheering. Suddenly, once again, he heard the noise. Louder now.

"Phhaaaros!" "Elekid!" "Chuuuu!"

Link panicked and started to run around in a circle. He bumped into someone.

"HEY!"

Link looked up. It was a girl. She looked pretty annoyed. Following her were three different electric Pokemon. An Ampharos, a Raichu, and an Elekid. All of the, seemed concentrated on creating light that flickered around the wall.

"Sorry." Said Link, getting to his feet.

"Why the hell are you wandering around like this with no light?"

"There already is light." Said Link.

"Yeah." Said the girl, "And what would you do if I wasn't here?"

"Dunno."

"How long have you been a trainer for?"

"About a week." Link replied.

The girl caught sight of his badge. "A week and you defeated Falkner? With no electric Pokemon?"

"I had my Geodude."

"Yeah. Well, you probably got lucky."

"No I didn't! It was pure skill!"

"Prove it! I challenge you to a one on one match!

Link accepted the challenge. But he wasn't sure who he was going to use. He took all four of his PokeBalls, closed his eyes, and picked one at random.

The girl, (who called herself Kazeno) got her Pokeball, and threw it with a shout of 'Go! Quilava!"

"Go! Who-ever-you-are"! Shouted Link.

The fire Pokemon burst out of its Pokeball. And Dunsparse burst out of Link's.

Kazeno laughed, "So, you have a Gym Leader beating Geodude, but you use a Dunsparse?"

"I didn't know who it was." Link yelled back angrily. "Dunsparse! Rage!"

"Dun.. Dun… Sparse! (What? Well, ok.)" Dunsparse started flipping around madly, then it hopped towards the Quilava, shaking its head angrily.

"Quilava. Flame wheel." Kazeno said, confidently.

The Quilava tensed its body, and flames shot up around it. It spat a massive rolling wheel of fire towards Dunsparse.

Dunsparse stopped when it saw the fire. It panicked, and started hopping around even more. Suddenly, as the flame nearly hit it, Dunsparse hit its head on a rock and fell asleep. Snoring loudly.

Link ran over to the Snake and tried to wake it up. He then realised that he was about to be flash-fried by the advancing fire. He jumped out of the way, just as it passed over Dunsparse. He looked around. Despite looking a bit cooked, Dunsparse was still sleeping soundly. But the match was still lost. Again. So far, he had won three and lost three. Seemed even.

The two trainers shook hands.

"Nice one Link." Kazeno smiled, "It was a good fight. Next time I see you, you'd better be ready."

"Yeah." Was all Link could say. He was quite preoccupied. He wanted to be the world's best Pokemon master, but instead, with his equal number of wins and losses, he seemed painfully average. But as he left Union Cave, and saw Azalea Town up ahead, you learn from your mistakes, and given time, he would rise above others. He felt God-like, standing on a cliff above Azalea Town. Like nothing would make him fall.

"WOAH!" Link tripped and fell down the cliff, bumping every part of his body on the rocks, before landing head first in the soft sand below and getting his head stuck in it.

END OF PART 7