Pokémon Adventure

by MikauKaiousei

Well...it's my first successful fic. I have it sectioned in parts because that's how I wrote it. Sorry. It revolves around Eric, Cory, Luke, Jason, and Raimey as they travel around Kanto on their Pokémon journey. Not terribly original.

4. Part Four

Pokémon Adventure

Part 4

By: Pikamew Triggara ( k_pikamew@hotmail.com )

Ch. 28

Jason

I climbed carefully through a narrow tunnel. Thirty seconds later, I saw light.

I emerged into Charmander Field. Charmander ran rampant, with a few Vulpix in between.

"Jason has a Seel!" I shouted, throwing a Pokéball at one Charmander. It turned, angry.

"Seel, Water Gun!"

"Char!" it cried, spitting a fireball. Seel blasted through the Ember with Water Gun, hitting Charmander as well.

"Now, Aurora Beam!" I commanded. Seel's horn glowed with rainbow colors. The colors shot out in a beam that smashed Charmander, knocking it down. "Pokéball, go!" I shouted. Charmander was absorbed into the ball, but burst out in a red flash.

Seel growled, and his horn glowed blue-green. Bubbles swirled around the horn, absorbing the light.

I pulled out Dextro, my Pokédex. It beeped.

"Seel is using Bubble Blast, a move taught via the Cascade Badge. Only Seel, Shellder, Staryu and Poliwhirl learn this move naturally." it intoned.

"Does Poliwag?"

"No. Only Water Pokémon evolved by the Water Stone learn Bubble Blast naturally. Seel is an exception, as Dewgong is not a Water Stone induced evolution. All Water types can learn it via the Cascade Badge, however."

"What exactly does this attack do?" I started to ask, when Seel shot the bubbles. Charmander was severely weakened.

"Pokéball, go!" I yelled. Charmander turned into red energy, which was snapped up by the Pokéball. I returned my attention to Dextro.

"Dextro, what does Bubble Blast do?"

"Bubble Blast is the enhanced form of Bubble Beam, which in turn is Bubble's superior. It slows the target, and has the same power as the Surf ability, taught via the Wave Badge in the Western Continent League."

"Western Continent League?" I asked, perplexed.

"The Western Continent and the Orange Leagues are both like the Indigo League, but different. The Orange League, in the Orange Archipelago focuses on stats such as Speed and Accuracy. The Western Continent focuses on battle, but most tend to go by the Battle Royal Method."

"Battle Royal?" I asked, totally blank.

"All at once battle, similar to the PokéWars Thunder Master Surge fought in. Status affects such as Sleep and Confusion automatically disqualify a Pokémon. Poison and Fright do not count." Dextro explained.

"What do you mean, 'taught via the (insert Badge)'?"

"Each Badge has TM technology that allows a Pokémon to learn a new move. You have the Boulder, Power, Evolution, and Lunar Badges. Your Pokémon can all learn Stabilizer (Evolution), but none of the others."

"Drat." I cursed. My Digivice beeped before I had a chance to teach Stabilizer.

"Jason?" a familiar voice said.

"Yes?" I asked.

"What are you going to do about Tarantulus?" it asked. I still couldn't put my finger on it.

"I suppose I'll leave it with Oak. Dextro says it won't obey unless the owner proves itself, and that means joining Team Rocket. Team Rocket created Tarantulus to get more members."

"So you won't mind if you join?" the voice hissed. I suddenly knew. Jezelle! Spinning around, I avoided a smoke bomb to the face.

"Prepare for trouble!" Jessie yelled.

"And make that double." James rumbled.

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all people within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love!"

"To extend our reach to the stars above." To me, it sounded as if James wasn't too enthusiastic.

"Prepare for trouble!

"And make that triple!"

"We will win, without creating a time ripple!"

"To protect the world from the likes of you!"

"To be masters, and kick out the League too!"

"Better than those bumbling baboons!"

"To proclaim the evil of lies and hate!"

"To take over the world, that'd be just great!"

"We never ask, we just bate!" Would someone please tell me what this means?

"Prepare for trouble and make that triple!"

"To ignite the world with molestation!"

"To burn the world, that's every nation!"

"That would bring mucho elation!"

"Flame a bird, cook a goose!"

"Knock you out, turn us loose!"

"You'll feel like you got hit by a moose!"

"Prepare for trouble!"

"And make that double!"

"To infect the world with devastation!" "To blight all people in every nation!" "To denounce the goodness of truth and love!" "To extend our wrath to the stars above!" "Cassidy!" "Butch!" "We're Team Rocket, circling Earth all day and night!" "Surrender to us now, or you will surely lose the fight!"

"Raticate!"

"Jessie!"

"James."

"Mee-owth!"

"Jewel!"

"Jacque!"

"Jezelle!"

"Electrode!"

"Blastoise!"

"Vileplume!"

"Libby!"

"Tanya!"

"Jenny!"

"Team Rocket, blast off with a burning flame!"

"We hunt for beauty, money, and fame!"

"Growlithe!"

"Oddish!"

"Shellder!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to fight!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of sound!"

"Surrender now, or prepare never to be found!"

Recovering from the assault on my ears, I bravely faced my challenge.

"Seeing as how you all seem to want me, why not cut to the chase and skip the fancy shmancy icky stupid mottos, eh?" I asked.

"Why you!" Jessie, James, Jewel, Jacque, Jezelle, Libby, Tanya, Jenny, Butch and Cassidy shouted. They all jumped at me, followed by Digimon for six of them.

"Biyomon, digivolve tooo..."

"Birdramon!"

"Gomamon, digivolve tooo..."

"Ikkakumon!"

"Salamon, digivolve tooo..."

"Gatomon!"

"Oystermon, digivolve tooo..."

"Shellmon!"

"Garumon, digivolve tooo..."

"Elecmon!"

"Clownmon, digivolve tooo..."

"Pipermon!"

Uh-oh.

"Jason has a Pikachu, Weedle, and Pidgeotto!"

"Seel, Bubble Blast! Pikachu, Thundershock! Weedle, Poison Sting! Pidgeotto, Gust!" I shouted. My Pokémon emerged from their Pokéballs, except Seel, and shot various things such as blue green bubbles, white bolts of electricity, poisonous cones, air currents, things like that.

Green sparks suddenly erupted behind me.

"Tentomon, digivolve tooo..."

"Kabuterimon!"

"Haha!" Jessie laughed. "You think your bug can hold off all these Digimon?! Hahaha!"

"We'll see about that!" I shouted.

"Electro Shocker!" Kabuterimon yelled. Shellmon got hit, and instantly started shrinking. It turned into Oystermon.

"Take that!" I yelled in Jessie's face. She pulled out a fan, and WHACK! Instant pain. "Ow!" I whined.

"Haha, take that yourself!" Jessie crowed. I started getting a little angry.

My Tag started glowing. A section of the cliff face behind me glowed purple, and floated over. It stopped in front of me, and I saw the symbol. It was two circles, one of which had another circle inside it. The circles were connected by two lines. I scanned it with Dextro. "Old Japanese for 'Knowledge'." it droned. The slab shrank, and fitted itself in my Tag. It glowed once more, then fell still.

WHACK! Jessie hit me again. "Ow!" I winced.

"Haha! You shall feel the might of Team Rocket!" she screeched. I got up, and felt a sudden rush of strength.

"You think your lousy organization can stop us?" Kabuterimon and I called at the same time. "Well, that's where you're wrong!"

My Crest shot a purple beam at Kabuterimon, who swelled greatly.

"Kabuterimon, digivolve tooo..." he hissed.

"Megakabuterimon!" the resulting giant, maroon, horned whopper of a bug growled, voice guttural. To see it, multiply your worst nightmare by ten and color it maroon. There's Megakabuterimon.

"Uhhh..." Jessie mumbled, trembling.

"Horn Buster!" Megakabuterimon cried, aiming its horn at Team Rocket. A yellow energy beam shot out, hitting all the Digimon and people, blowing them away.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIIIIN!" they screamed, becoming a twinkle in the sky. I looked a Megakabuterimon, and saw it had no wings. He utilized a sort of rocket at the bottom of his large, red shell. He landed near me, and shrank into a pink blob. I ran over and picked it up.

"Motimon." it squeaked in a small voice. My Pokédex beeped, and I opened it. An antennae extended out from the top. The screen showed Prof. Oak.

"Have you gotten the Charmander?" he asked, sounding frantic.

"Yeah."

"Well, hurry and teleport it over here. The new batch of ten-year-olds are here!"

I placed Charmander's Pokéball on the Pokédex screen, and it flashed white, disappearing. "All Pokémon, return." I said. Seel, Weedle, Pidgeotto, and Pikachu turned into red energy that zapped into my Pokéballs.

"I also have a Pokédex update for you. If you can come to the lab, I'll be able to give it to you. I scanned Luke's Digimon, and now have files on most Digimon in existence. Plus, Luke and Cory's Crests have given me enough information to create files on the Crests too." Oak explained. I nodded.

"Be right there." I agreed, and cut the connection. I sprinted for the cave that connected Rt. 1 and Charmander Field, to find it blocked. Cave in!

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt these rocks into dust!" I commanded, calling it out. Pikachu nodded.

"PIIIIIIIIIKA!" it yelled. Electricity bombarded the rocks, but barely affected them.

"Dextro, what attacks does Pikachu know?" I asked.

"Pikachu knows Thundershock, Growl, Quick Attack, Thunderbolt, Thunderwave, Electromagnetic Cannon and Thunderclap Zap." Dextro stated.

"What is Thunderclap Zap?" I inquired.

"The advanced form of Thunder, taught via the Spark Badge. Its power equals that of Electromagnetic Cannon, oftentimes referred to as Ka-may-ah-may-ha, after the anime 'Dragon Ball Z's main character's attack. Taught via the Thunder Badge, only Pikachu learns it naturally."

"Well, Pikachu, use Thunderclap Zap!" I said. Pikachu nodded.

Pikachu jumped high, and created a green ball of lighting. It fell towards the cave in.

"PIIIIIKAAAAACHUUUUUUU!" it yelled. The ball sprouted into a green beam of light that disintegrated the rocks. Only a gigantic boulder was left. There was enough room for us to get through, but the boulder rolled to the left, and small rocks were dislodged, blocking the way completely.

"Pikachu, you got enough juice for another Thunderclap Zap?" I asked.

"Pi." it replied, shaking its head.

"Electromagnetic Cannon?" I queried.

Pikachu nodded. It turned, and powered up. Electric bolts shaped like 'u's (or magnets) formed, and pointed towards the rock. They merged, and created a giant beam that shattered the rock. I recalled Pikachu, and walked through the opening.

"I don't like this." Motimon whispered, looking around.

"Why ever not?" I inquired.

"I just don't. Caves are too easy to sabotage." Motimon said, looking around.

We reached daylight again. "Well, we're out. Happy?"

"I suppose." Motimon sighed.

I heard a sound. Turning, I identified it as "CHUU!"

I dashed back in, and saw it was coming from a cave we had passed.

"Don't go in there!" Motimon warned me.

"What could happen?" I replied. I soon found out.

There was a body lying there. The Pikachu was on it, using Thundershock, trying to wake it up. I ran over.

"Hey, Pikachu. What's the matter?" I cooed.

"Pipikachupichu!" it squeaked. Motimon translated.

"My master has been knocked out, and I can't wake him up!"

"Oh, dear. We had better get him to Prof. Oak's!" I exclaimed. The Pikachu looked surprised.

"Kachu?" it asked.

"It said: 'Oak's?'" Motimon interpreted.

"Yes, this is the cave leading to Charmander Field." I explained. I reached around the fallen figure's waist, and heaved him on my shoulder. He was extremely heavy.

By the time we reached the lab, I was dragging him. I managed to knock on the door of the lab, and Luke opened it.

"Hey Jas-who is that?" he asked, startled.

"I don't know. I found him and his Pikachu in a cave. I don't really have time for explanation, I need to get this to Oak!" I said quickly.

"Well, Oak is this way." Luke sighed, looking at the body.

I carried him to the Pokémon choosing area, where Oak was sitting, mopping his forehead.

"Oh, dear. First these heathens nearly destroy my lab, then Ash and Pikachu disappear, I don't know what else could happen."

"Professor Oak!" I gasped. He looked up.

"Oh, dear! You found Ash and Pikachu!" Oak said, shocked. He grabbed what was obviously Ash off of my shoulders and hauled him onto a table. He took a Pokéball from off the shelf over his personal computer.

"Porygon, appear!" he commanded, dropping the Pokéball. A pink and blue angular duck materialized.

"Ry." it chanted, its voice mechanical.

"Porygon, Recover!" Oak said. Porygon glowed green, and tried to move the energy to Ash. No effect.

"Porygon, return. Alakazam, appear!" Oak called.

"Zam."

"Alakazam, Recover!" Same results.

"Alakazam, return. Starmie, Recover!"

Guess.

"Pipi!" Pikachu sobbed.

"All right, there's only one chance left." Oak sighed. He was about to recall Starmie, but a phone rang.

"Ringringring, ringringring, phone call, phone call! Ringringring, ringringring, phone call, phone call!"

"Who would call now?" Oak muttered, picking up the receiver. The screen was black.

"Professor Oak, this is Eric." the caller said. "I'm in the Blastoise Island Pokémon Center, but the electricity went out. I borrowed a cell phone, but the receiver is busted, so I can't hear you. I need you to look after my Pokémon, because two Team Rocket members, Miguel and Meri, are going around and taking people's Pokémon by force. Staryu is a little tired, because it had to heal all the Pokémon in the Center with Moonlight." Eric reported.

"I gotta go, bye." he finished. Oak pressed a red button on the wall, and five Pokéballs teleported in. Something Eric said must have struck Oak suddenly, because he grabbed a Pokédex and pointed it at the balls.

"Wartortle. Level: 17. Nickname: none." the Pokédex beeped. Oak repeated this with each of the Pokéballs, until he reached Staryu.

"Staryu. Level: 20. Nickname: none." the Pokédex said monotonously. Oak grabbed the ball, and slipped it in a machine. I saw Staryu's silhouette. The core glowed red, and the silhouette disappeared. The Pokéball shot out. Oak grabbed it, and threw it.

"Staryu, appear!"

"Heya!" it said, stiffening into a pose.

"Staryu, Moonlight!" Oak barked.

Staryu floated up, and started spinning. It stopped a second later, and four beams shot into the core. Green, blue, yellow, and red.

Glittering dust came out of its points, and white spheres came out of the core. All the dust and spheres settled on Ash. He glowed, and sat up.

"Huh...where am I?" he mumbled.

"You're in my lab." Oak explained.

"Oh."

"Piiika!" Ash's Pikachu shrilled, diving onto Ash.

"Pikachu!" he cried. He proceeded to stroke Pikachu.

A minute later, he turned to me.

"I understand you brought me here." he said.

"Yes, but it was difficult." I stated matter-of-factly.

"Well!" Ash gasped, taken aback.

"Well." I agreed.

"Here, give me your Pokédex while you and Ash argue." Oak put in. I handed over Dextro. Then, I returned to my staring contest with the Pokémon Champion.

Our eyes glared, twitched, shook, crossed, performed every trick in the book until Pikachu snapped us out of it.

"CHUU!"

"Thankssss...Pikachu..." Ash hissed, smoking.

"Same here...amigo..." I muttered, smoking as well. Oak came back, giving me my Pokédex.

"Here. Ash, get back to Indigo Plateau. Lorelei just called, and Misty is frantic. She hasn't seen you in hours, and she's been trying to file a missing persons report.

"Hey, um..." Ash said, hesitating.

"Jason." I supplied.

"Jason. How about a match?" he asked. When he saw my skeptical look, he elaborated. "With my lower level Pokémon." I then agreed readily.

We went out to Oak's battle court, where we saw a match already in progress. I saw Luke and...Laura?

"Pidgey, Gust!" Luke shouted.

"Victreebel, counter with Wrap!" Laura commanded. Pidgey managed to blow Victreebel into a wall, but Victreebel just slapped Pidgey, stunning it, and then grabbed the poor bird with vines.

"Pidgey, Peck your way free!" Luke cried in desperation. Pidgey pecked Victreebel's vines, freeing itself.

"Fly up high!" Luke yelled.

"Kurukukooo!" Pidgey trilled, soaring on the air currents.

"Victreebel, Razor Leaf when it dives!"

"Pidgey, Agility before you dive!" Luke countered.

Pidgey flew in a tight circle. A barely visible blue aura surrounded it, before it dove at high speeds, nailing Victreebel.

"Victreebel, return!" Laura said. "I hate to do this, little bro, but gooo, Dragonair!"

"Your Dratini evolved!?" Luke said, mouth hanging open.

"Yep. Dragonair, Thunderbolt!" Laura said. Dragonair was surrounded by white lightning that struck Pidgey dead on.

"Pidgey, return! Go, Pinsir!" Luke said. I nodded, smiling. The only Fire attack Dragonair could easily learn was Fire Blast, and I doubted Laura had the appropriate Badge.

"Dragonair, Fire Blast!"

Oops.

"Pinsir, return." Luke sighed. "You win, Laura." he called, walking to where she was. He took a card from his pocket, and slid it through a slot in her Pokédex.

"What's that card?" I asked Ash.

"It's the new trainer money system. The card is connected to your account, so if it gets stolen, you can just change accounts with you Pokédex. The PokéBank will teleport a new card to you, so you really never lose any money to thieves. Team Rocket's going nuts. They can't steal any money from trainers anymore." Ash explained.

"Well, how about that battle? You have to call first."

"It's only fair."

We faced off. I was on the blue side, him on the green.

"Magmar, attack!" he shouted. His fire duck appeared.

"Jason has a Seel!" I retorted, throwing Seel's Pokéball.

"Interesting throwing method. Seel doesn't learn any strong Water moves naturally, except Surf, and Magmar can easily avoid that." Ash taunted, when I started the battle.

"Seel, Bubble Blast." I commanded.

"Seel!" Seel laughed. A blue-white ball of bubbles formed on its horn, turned blue-green, and smashed Magmar.

"Magmar, Ember!" Ash called. Magmar spat a pathetic little fireball, and fainted.

"Magmar return. Flareon, I choose you!" Ash cried. A fire dog came out of the Pokéball.

"Seel, Bubble Blast!"

"Flareon, Ignite!"

Seel used the now-familiar Bubble Blast, while Flareon shot a fireball that spun in a spiral before knocking out Seel. They both fainted.

"Scyther!"

"Jason has a Pidgeotto!"

"Slash!"

"Charge!"

Scyther slashed at Pidgeotto, but Pidgeotto managed to use Agility to dodge. He started glowing.

"Double Team!" Ash cried, desperate.

"Pidgeotto, SKY ATTACK!" I shouted. Pidgeotto glowed bright red, and turned into a firebird. The bird smashed Scyther, knocking it out.

"Scyther, return." Ash said hesitantly, gaping. "You...beat me..." he mumbled.

"Does this mean I'm the Elite Pokémon Master?" I asked.

"Not even. You have what, three badges? You have to have at least eight, plus you have to beat me at Indigo Plateau." Ash explained haughtily. "But...you still beat me. You get a Highflight Badge. It teaches the Powdered Snow move." he finished, giving me a brown Badge shaped like a mountain.

"Jason!" Prof. Oak yelled. "Your Pokédex is finished!"

"I'll be right there!" I hollered back. "Thanks, Ash."

"No problem, kid." Ash replied, tousling my hair. If I were one of those groupie girls, I would have screamed. Being who I was, I didn't.

"Here it is." Oak said when I walked into his lab. "I've added the data about Digimon and Crests. Just look under the Digital folder, then Master Crest file for Crests, and the Digimon Analyzer for Digimon."

Duh.

I accepted the new Pokédex, and walked outside, where Cory and Luke were waiting.

"It's getting late, but we can make Viridian by dark." Luke surmised, looking at the night sky. We started off, me staring at Dextro.

"Dextro, open the master file for the Crests." I said, walking out.

"Bookworm!" Cory teased.

"Better than being an apple worm." I retorted. "Now, let me read."

The file was quite interesting. The master folder had symbols representing the Crests. A sun symbol had Luke's name under it. I selected it.

"Courage: the Crest allowing Fire element Digimon to digivolve to the Ultimate level. After first being united with its Tag by Tai, one of the ancient Digidestined, Tai's spirit has remained, giving his descendants advice for battle and dangerous situations when activated. It also has the ability to negate psychic power, making Barrier attacks useless when used within fifteen feet of the Crest. Light Screen and Reflect are also negated. Psychic attacks are simply weakened. The only downfalls are an extreme case of ego and the inability to choose safe, cautious plans." Well, it certainly fits Luke, I thought. I looked back at the master file, and selected Friendship, Cory's Crest.

"Friendship: the Crest allowing Water and Ice element Digimon to digivolve to the Ultimate level. After Matt, one of the Digidestined, united the Crest and Tag together, the wearer will be able to understand all species, and win arguments easily when it is activated. The Crest of Friendship can create weak force fields that reflect weak attacks (like Thundershock), stop mediocre attacks (like Mega Drain or Surf) , and weaken powerful attacks (like Fire Blast). The only downfall is the extreme trust that is placed in all things, even if the recipient is an agent of Team Rocket or GERO, often referred to as the Rocket Mafia, because the bearer loses all knowledge of lies." Fits Cory too.

Sincerity was next. "Sincerity: the Crest allowing Plant element Digimon to digivolve to Ultimate. Mimi was the first owner of the Sincerity Crest, and from then on the bearer must tell the truth under all circumstances, unless he or she wants to die. Sincerity's abilities are control of plants and Grass type abilities such as Solar Beam. Healing by using solar energy and regenerative powers are included in this Crest's repertoire. There are no downfalls, except perhaps the death penalty." Ugh. Harsh.

Well, now for mine. I selected Knowledge.

"Knowledge: the Crest allowing Electrical element Digimon to digivolve to Ultimate. The Crest simply allows the bearer to seek knowledge, and to inherently know everything about whatever he loves most. An indirect downfall is the Pit of Greed. The bearer wants to know everything, so he might fall into Vademon's (a Brain Digimon, steals and sells curiosity) Pit." I'd just look up Vademon on the Digimon Analyzer.

I accessed it, and found Vademon.

"Vademon: a Brain Digimon. Sells strange things like curiosity and brains. Designs entire universes. Attacks: Laser Beam, Planet Pummel. Virus. After the Internet crisis, only one Vademon was left alive." Well, maybe Vademon didn't exist anymore. Who knew?

"Hey, Jason!" Luke called. I looked up.

"Yes?"

"What does it say about my Crest?" he asked.

I told him.

"Well, then, what does it say about Koromon?" he inquired further.

"Yeah! Me!" Koromon yelped, bouncing on the ground. I looked up Koromon.

"Koromon: a Blob Digimon. In-training stage. Uses bubbles to attack, but is inherently weak. Digivolves to Agumon or Garumon."

"Look up the entire Koromon line!" Luke cried, excited.

"Agumon: a Spitfire Digimon. Sprays fireballs to attack. Strongest of all Rookies, aside from Garumon, its counterpart. Attacks: Pepper Breath, Pepper Spray. Vaccine.

"Garumon: a Frog Digimon. Uses electricity to attack. Strongest of all the Rookie level Digimon. Attacks: Frog Jump, Thunder Zap. Data.

"Greymon: a Dinosaur Digimon. Spits giant fireballs to ward off attackers. Attacks: Nova Blast, Supernova. Vaccine.

"Elecmon: a Caretaker Digimon. Normally peaceful, taking care of DigiEggs, it is weak, and a Rookie has been known to beat it. Attacks: Super Thunder Strike, Rabbit Leap. Data.

"Metalgreymon: an Androdinosaur Digimon. Attacks with missiles and his metal claw to defend and attack. Weakest of the Ultimates. Attacks: Giga Blaster, Mega Claw. Type: Vaccine." Luke, to say the least, was angry.

"WHAT?! WEAKEST!? WHY I OUGHTA-" he yelled. I cut him off.

"Let's see the rest." I reasoned. He reluctantly nodded.

"Weathermon: a Cloud Digimon. Uses wind and rain to attack. Attacks: Tornado, Rain Lashing. Virus."

"Dextro, what do Virus, Vaccine, and Data mean?" I asked.

"Virus: Evil Digimon. Vaccine: Digimon that fight Evil Digimon. Data: Neutral, can be made into Virus or Vaccine."

"Right." I muttered, closing Dextro.

"How are we going to get to Cerulean?" Luke asked.

"Well, Kabuterimon could carry me and Cory. Metalgreymon could carry you, but unfortunately both Motimon and Koromon are to tired to digivolve." I explained. I was about to say more, but Luke interrupted.

"You say 'we hoof it' and I smack you." Luke threatened.

"Okay. We'll have to walk."

"Ack!" Luke growled, and smacked me.

"I didn't say 'we hoof it'!" I argued. He lunged at me again.

"Break it up." Cory said, intervening. He held Luke away from me. Cory's Crest suddenly glowed bright blue. He looked at it.

"Wow..." he murmured, and fell into a trance.

"What is he doing?" I whispered to Luke.

"His Crest activated. He's deciding whether or not to receive the Crest's gifts." Luke whispered back.

"Oh." I nodded. Cory glowed blue, his Crest glowing white, and the glow subsided.

"Whew." he sighed.

We headed for Viridian. On the way, we encountered the spot where we had met Agumon, Gabumon, Tentomon, and Palmon. Cory got kinda teary, but we didn't tease him. After all, these Digimon were becoming our closest friends. Being apart from them, well, it hurt.

We arrived at Viridian quickly. We pooled our cash, and saw we had exactly $1500. I went to the Fearow Airport, and found that we could afford exactly two tickets.

I returned to Luke and Cory. "One of us can't make it. I suggest Cory, as he doesn't have a Digimon with him except Patamon, and he can fly."

"Well, he can borrow Pidgeotto." Luke offered.

"Pidgeotto is mine." I hissed.

"So?" Luke asked innocently.

"Argh. Here, take it." I growled, thrusting Pidgeotto's Pokéball at Cory.

"Okay, I guess." Cory agreed, taking it.

"Pidgeotto, I choose you!" he called.

"Pidgeoooo!" Pidgeotto trilled. Cory boarded, and Pidgeotto flew off.

Luke and I bought a ticket each at the Fearow Airport, and departed for Cerulean.

"Fearow!" our ride shrilled, running down the runway. It jumped (better than ANY roller coaster!) and pumped its wings.

An hour later, it landed. We unloaded our few belongings, (mostly Digimon) and walked around aimlessly. I looked up, and saw a bird. It was a Pidgeotto, but no human was on board.

"You know, I would be so totally unsurprised if Cory ran into some trouble." Luke commented.

"Well, you never know." I said.

Ch. 29

Raimey

We had been walking for two hours in a dismal forest.

"Gabumon, WHERE are we going?" I asked.

"Um, we should be headed west." he said, sounding uncertain.

"SHOULD? Don't you have a built in compass, or something?"

"Doesn't your Pokédex?" he countered. I growled, exasperated.

"Dextor, which direction are we facing?" I queried, impatient.

"East. If we continue, we will reach the Power Plant."

"AAARGH!"

Gabumon waited for me to finish venting my frustration before speaking. "I suggest we turn around." he suggested.

I repeated my earlier statement.

"You know, that gets redundant." Gabumon told me.

I swung at him, but missed. He giggled.

"Is that the best you can do?" he queried.

I ignored him. Turning around, I looked at the sun, or what I could see of it. It was setting.

"We really don't have time to get back to Lavender." I surmised.

"I'd rather not go there anyway." Gabumon said, shuddering.

We set up camp in the first clearing we encountered. Gabumon gathered sticks and set them up. I was about to call Charmander, but he motioned me off. "Blue Blaster!" he shouted. The sticks burned, first blue-white, then red.

"How do you start a fire with water?" I asked.

"I'm not exactly sure, I just know I can." he replied. The fire was quickly eating the kindling, so I grabbed the wood we had gathered. After we got the fire going, I unrolled my sleeping bag.

"Where did you have room for that with only a backpack?" Gabumon asked.

"Item Ball." I answered him sleepily.

"Oh. Have another one?"

"Uh..."

"I'll take that as a no."

"Well, I could try to-" I started to say, when a bright flash spread across the clearing. When it faded, a second sleeping bag was there. A voice in my mind explained.

"I sent my sleeping bag because I wasn't going to need it." the voice explained. "I'm at the Blastoise Island Pokémon Center. I'm going to try to teleport out, but it isn't likely. Try toAAAAH!"

The voice had suddenly become Eric's, and when he screamed, I grabbed control of the link. I started seeing through Eric's eyes.

Not that there was much to see. It was dark, but I could see a rope, suggesting a net. Two faces looked at him.

"Ooh, is little Ewic huwting?" the boy cooed in baby talk. I tried to blast them through the link, and succeeded.

"OW!" the girl yelped. The boy simply fell over, unconscious.

"I'll teach you to blast us, boy!" she hissed, breaking a branch off a nearby tree.

"AAAAH!" Eric and I shouted together. The girl giggled, and took out a match. Eric started trembling uncontrollably.

"Meri!" a voice called, just as she was about to light the branch. "I have all the Pokémon!"

"Good. Go levitate Miguel and carry him to the sub, Xinamon." she ordered.

"Yes, Meri." Xinamon said. I managed to catch a glimpse of him, and saw a wizard's hat. You know, blue, stars and moons, that kinda thing.

"As for you..." Meri said, grinning evilly. "I know for a fact that your Crest ties you into plants, so I'm going to burn this here garden." she explained, gesturing. I had seen enough to teleport there, so I broke the link.

"Gabumon, I'm teleporting. Stay in the sleeping bag." I barked, 'recalling' mine. Gabumon waved goodbye. I called out Drowzee.

"Drowzee, I'm merging my power with yours to teleport. Okay?" I told it. Nod.

"Right."

Seconds after one sickening trip, we were there. "Magnemite, Electromagnetic Cannon!" I called, throwing a ball. Magnemite emerged, and its magnets glowed. A yellow beam shot forward and hit Meri.

"Poison Ivy!" Palmon called, obviously deciding to join the battle by tying Meri up.

"Wartortle, use Surf to put out the flame!" I commanded, releasing a second Pokémon. Wartortle grunted, and created a wave of water that doused the fire.

"Wizards Rod!" a high pitched voice cried. A blunt object hit my head.

"Oww!" I moaned, falling. The bonds Eric was wrapped in disappeared. He teleported away, returning after a second.

"Gyarados, Staryu, Thunderbolt!" he cried, throwing Pokéballs. His water snake I knew, but when did he get a Staryu?

"Nidoran, Mega Drain!" Meri countered. "Xinamon, digivolve!"

"Palmon, you too!" Eric cried.

"Palmon, digivolve tooo..."

"Togemon!"

"Xinamon, digivolve tooo..."

"Wizardmon!"

The large cactus and the rather diminutive cloaked wizard glared for half a second, then attacked.

"Thunder Ball!" Wizardmon cried, throwing a yellow sphere with a white core. (Authors Note: In Part Two, [or three, I can't remember] Wizardmon had Thunder Bolt and Thunder Gate instead of Thunder Ball and Magical Gate. I had mistaken what the 'Digimon' Anime's Wizardmon had said for what I put down. Forgive me for the confusion [If any].)

"Light Speed Jabbing!" Togemon countered, punching away the attack. "Make way for my Needle Spray!"

Wizardmon flew up to avoid the needles. He and Togemon took swipes at each other for a while, not really attacking.

"Drowzee, Confusion!" I called, letting Drowzee out. "Oh, never mind, everyone, special attacks!"

Magnemite used Sonic Boom, Bulbasaur used Vine Whip, Charmander let loose a few Flamethrowers, Wartortle got in a Bite on Nidoran, Drowzee almost succeeded in putting it to sleep with Hypnosis, but Beedrill woke it up with Twineedle.

"Uh-oh, Nidoran return! Poliwag, use Hypnosis, quickly!" Meri said, a bit desperate.

"Polpol!" Poliwag shrilled, its spiral spinning. Beedrill and Bulbasaur succumbed quickly, but Magnemite Thundershocked it before anyone else did.

"Staryu, Gyarados, use Thunderbolt again!" Eric shouted, finally joining the battle. Twin white electric storms barraged Poliwag, knocking it out.

"Poliwag, return!" Meri said frantically.

"Xinamooooon!" Wizardmon cried, dedigivolving and hitting Meri.

"Abra, Teleport!" Miguel said, regaining consciousness (obviously). He and Meri disappeared in a flash of light.

"Well, that was a relief." I sighed. Eric nodded.

"Enjoy your reprieve, for it won't last." an ominous voice rumbled. We swung round, and saw a hulking figure.

"Heh heh. Like my Snorlax?" the voice laughed. A short person walked around the Snorlax. He recalled it. "I don't use it in battle, but it works wonders as a decoy. My Mew is better at illusions than I, however." he sighed.

"MEW!?" Eric and I shouted at once.

"Yes, Mew." he sneered. "And, just for your benefit, I'll let it destroy you. Seeing as how you'll die anyway, I don't think it matters if you see." He grinned darkly. "Mew, go!" "Mew?" it chirped. My first reaction was 'CUTE!'. But, that could be deadly, as I had no idea of its power.

Eric tossed his Crest up high in the air, and it glowed bright green.

"Togemon, digivolve tooo..."

"Lillymon!"

"Marril, Wartortle, go!" Eric cried.

"Charmander, Flamethrower! Wartortle, Surf! Magnemite, Thunderbolt! Drowzee, PSY Beam!" I barked out. Bulbasaur and Beedrill woke up. Bulbasaur shot Razor Leaves, while Beedrill used Agility to dash behind Mew to ready a devastating Twineedle, except Mew Teleported and all the attacks hit Beedrill.

"Beedrill, return!" I said.

"Haha. You think your puny attempts to damage Mew will work? You make me laugh. Just for that, I might consider you working as my personal slaves." he told us. "By the way, my name is Wesley." he added.

"WESLEY? The head of Team Rocket?" Eric asked incredulously.

"Of course." Wesley said, grinning evilly. "I'll get the quiet one first. Mew, Psychic Saber."

"Cherry Blossom Blizzard!" Lillymon shouted, spinning. White rings appeared around her, and a flower head shot out and nailed Wesley on the chest. He grunted. Lillymon took this moment of weakness to activate the attack. Petals hung around Wesley, completely negating his attack capabilities. Lillymon then put her hands in a prayer position, raising them above her head. She closed her black eyes, and swung them around till her palms faced Wesley. The petals exploded outward, knocking him down. He climbed to his feet. Mew chose this instant to turn into pink energy that jumped to Wesley's hands. Two sword hilts were formed.

"What are those?" I asked, confused. Pink energy blades shot out of the hilts, creating a lightsaber effect. "Oh."

"If you manage to defeat my weakest Pokémon, I'll give you a Saber." he hissed.

"We get all our Pokémon against it." Eric haggled.

"Sure."

"We're all for it." I agreed.

"Great." He grinned again. "Entei, go." he whispered. A red-orange wolf-creature materialized.

I scanned it. "Entei: the second Legendary Dog. Its element is Fire. Shoots magma and brimstone. Flareon is thought to evolve into Entei. Weakness: Water, Rock, Ground."

"Hey! Wartortle, Geyser!" I said. Wartortle caused water to shoot up from under Entei, doing Rock/Water damage.

"Marril, Pray for Rain! Staryu, Gyarados, Wartortle, Octan Cannon! Metapod, String Shot!" Eric commanded. Marril doubled Water move effectiveness and halved Fire effectiveness in one shot. Metapod constricted Entei's movement. Staryu, Gyarados, and Wartortle shot twenty-four shots of water. This was repeated seven more times, creating a massive one hundred and ninety-two hit water assault. Entei wasn't too thrilled.

"Ennnn..." it moaned. Suddenly, the looming storm clouds Marril had summoned gave way to clear weather. Clear Japanese Weather, it turned out.

"Clear Japanese Weather. Abilities: cancels Pray for Rain. If used before Pray for Rain, makes Solar Beam instantaneous, doubles Fire element attack power, doubles recovery moves such as Softboiled and Giga Drain, halves Water element attack power ." Eric's Pokédex droned.

"Marril, Pray for Rain again!" Eric cried. Marril pushed the clouds back.

"Clear Japanese Weather!"

"Pray for Rain!"

Cloud and sky warred, each trying to overcome one another. Eventually, the moves merged, creating a partly cloudy sky. The clouds were black-blue, and covered exactly half of the sky. It looked like a painting.

"Dextor, what is happening now?" I asked.

"Thunder is 100% accurate and Solar Beam is instantaneous." Dextor replied.

"Staryu, Thunder! Gyarados, same!" Eric yelled over the rising and falling wind that was a result of the Pray for Clear Weather.

Columns of electricity burst around Entei.

"Bulbasaur, Solar Beam!" I ordered, the instant Wesley commanded the same of Entei.

The yellow sprays of light fought, before exploding.

"Gyarados, Staryu, Marril, Wartortle, Metapod, return!" Eric quickly said, recalling his vulnerable Pokémon.

"Wartortle, return!" I said, copying his example. All the rest of mine either were resistant to Grass or had so high Special it wouldn't matter.

When the light cleared, both Entei and Bulbasaur were unconscious.

"As promised, I will give you a Saber." Wesley said, recalling Entei. He handed Eric a blue stone. "Give it to one of those Water types to turn them into a weapon. They can only sustain weapon form for a short while, however." he warned Eric. He then crossed the PSY Swords and teleported away.

"Well, who gets the elusive Water Saber?" I asked Eric.

"Staryu, go!" Eric cried.

"Heya!"

Eric gave Staryu the blue stone. Staryu glowed blue, and when the glow faded, its core was blue instead of red.

"Staryu, Water Saber!" Eric commanded. Staryu turned into a throwing star. A small, dull throwing star.

"Huh? Just one?" Eric asked, incredulous. He opened his Pokédex, Dexter.

"The Water Saber in the form of the Throwing Starfish. When thrown properly, it acquires a razor sharp edge and acts as a boomerang. The Throwing Starfish can use the abilities of the Staryu in question. This particular Staryu knows: Spinning Tackle. Water Gun. Bubble. Bubble Beam. Bubble Blast. Surf. Hydro Pump. Swift. Double Edge. Ruby Light. Sapphire Light (while under the Water Saber's influence). Thunder Wave. Thunder Bolt. Thunder. Aurora Beam. Mist. Ice Beam."

"Wow. That's quite a list, Eric." I said, a bit shocked.

"I didn't know it had Hydro Pump." he replied, equally, if not more, shocked. "Staryu, reform."

Staryu turned into Staryu again. It dissolved into red energy and was returned.

"Well, you know what this means." I sighed.

"What?" Eric asked.

"Everyone else is going to hate you until they get a Saber too."

Ch. 30

Eric

I was glad of Raimey's assistance, but I was a little awed at the power that Wesley character commanded.

"He has a Mew and an Entei. What is an Mew?" Raimey wondered.

"Mew: the Legendary Psychic Pokémon. Only one is known of, but more may exist. Mew has been known to exhibit awesome power when angry that rivals the power of the strongest Pokémon alive." Dexter intoned.

"And what is the strongest Pokémon alive?" I asked sardonically.

"Mewtwo and Phantos are tied for most powerful of all."

Satisfied, I teleported Raimey and myself, along with Tanemon back to Raimey's campsite.

"So, how'd you get to Blastoise Island?" Gabumon asked as I related the story.

"Ummm...I Surfed there on Gyarados." I explained. Then, all of a sudden, Metapod's Pokéball started vibrated wildly.

"What? What?" I shouted. The ball's vibrations grew in intensity, until it finally enlarged itself and fell off my belt. It opened, and Metapod burst out.

"Metapod, what's happening?" I asked, kneeling down beside it. As if in answer to my question, Metapod's shell cracked and beams of light shot out. I covered my eyes, but then uncovered them as a breathtakingly beautiful sight appeared.

A Butterfree was emerging from the shell of the Metapod. It sat still a moment, then started flapping its wings. They were sodden, however, and not stiff enough to fly.

Butterfree had its own method of repairing this slight obstruction. Its wings glowed golden, and stiffened. After that short Harden, it had the strength and ability to fly. It flew a lap around us, then shot up in the sky.

"Beeeee-freeeee!" it sang.

Dexter beeped, totally ruining the sight. "Unknown Pokémon detected."

"What? Unknown? That's a Butterfree!" I shouted at it.

"Butterfree detected in large numbers nearby, but none have trainer Pokéball ties."

This means that they were wild.

"Well, then, what's that?" I inquired sarcastically, indicating Butterfree.

"The Bug Pokémon of Power is detected." Dexter said. It then anticipated my next question. "Butterfrell is, to all outward appearances, a Butterfree, but has double the Psychic, Grass, Bug, and Flying abilities."

Oh.

"Well, Butterfrell, how do you feel?" I asked.

"Butterfrell feel nice." it cooed, landing on my head.

"ROAR!" Gyarados roared.

"Frell! What does big long ugly water-snake-evolution-of-death want?" Butterfrell screeched in a panic.

"Big long ugly water-snake-evolution-of-death wants battle, that's what it wants!" Wartortle cheered, backed up by Marril.

"Shut up, turtle!" Gyarados yelled.

Butterfrell shot upwards, and flipped. "Butterfrell accept! Rules: Butterfrell uses own moves with no guidance. Gyarados has trainer for help, but no Biting." Butterfrell explained in its childish voice.

"Right." Gyarados agreed. They assumed battle positions, Gyarados rearing up high, and Butterfrell spinning in place, then flipping.

"Begin! Gyarados, Fire Blast!" I said. Gyarados spat a flaming star, but Butterfrell used...Wing Attack?

"Frell!" it squeaked. I gaped. The Fire Blast was shattered.

"Butterfrell is also immune to Fire attacks, but gains an octuple Ice weakness." Dexter spoke up.

"Frell!" Butterfrell sang, spinning in place again.

"Gyarados, Body Slam!" I commanded. Gyarados shot towards Butterfrell, but it Teleported away. Gyarados's head was trapped in a glowing net. Butterfrell flitted back, and finished the net. It then flew a safe distance away, shooting a glowing PSY Beam.

The net, when hit, exploded. Gyarados was smashed into the ground, its earlier Body Slam not stopped, but redirected.

"That was the Spin Attack and PSY Redirect combo." Dexter explained.

Butterfrell floated over the paralyzed Gyarados, and pulled purple streamers away from it. It moaned, and rolled over. Butterfrell then flew up, creating a black, Butterfree shaped shadow on the moon.

Gyarados looked up, and roared with fear.

"LUNAR BEAM!" Butterfrell yelled. A pinkish beam smashed Gyarados, knocking it out neatly.

"Butterfrell just used Giga Drain and Lunar Beam, the most powerful Psychic and healing Grass attacks." Dexter said.

Butterfrell fluttered down to Gyarados, and a beam of light from the moon, whitish this time, hit Gyarados. A rainbow star glittered briefly, before hitting Gyarados. Gyarados stirred briefly, before turning into a tornado of water. One of my Pokéballs flew up, enlarged, and sucked in the waterspout before shrinking and returning to its rightful place.

"Gyarados has used the Voluntary Return attack, which creates an elemental storm, the elements matching the types of the Pokémon in question, returning it without being commanded." Dexter said.

"Hey, Eric." Raimey called from across the clearing. "Maybe we could-AAAH!"

A dark shape swooped down on us. "THUNDERBOLT!"

"JOOOLT!" a Pokémon cried. I felt an extreme shock.

"AAAAAAHH!" Raimey and I shouted. Gabumon screamed along with us. Thankfully, Tanemon had managed to hide behind a tree.

Butterfrell was flying high, chittering madly. Finally, it shouted at the swooper with the Jolteon.

"STOP!"

The Jolteon instantly stopped shocking us and bowed. The swooper, a Pidgeotto, dived to the ground, bowing its head. A figure plummeted towards the ground.

"OW!" it yelled. The voice sounded ominously familiar.

"Magnemite, Drowzee, Flash!" Raimey commanded, calling out Pokémon. I added my power to the flash along with Butterfrell.

"CORY?" I said, incredulous.

"ERIC?" he replied, just as shocked.

Raimey cleared his throat. "You know, you two aren't the only ones here, you know."

"Oh, sorry Raimey." Cory apologized. "RAIMEY?"

"That's better." Raimey replied sardonically.

"Well, now that THAT stupid exchange is over and done with, I have a question." I said, breaking the silence. "Cory, why did you attack us?"

"Well, I saw a Gyarados, and a Butterfree attacking it with some bizarre PSY Beam, and I knew that the head of Team Rocket-"

"WESLEY?!" Raimey and I exploded.

"Uhhh...yeah. May I continue?" Cory asked sarcastically.

"Yes." Raimey commanded, as if Cory was supposed to ask permission.

"Anyway...the Butterfree nailed the Gyarados, and I thought it was unconscious, until a huge waterspout flared up and died. I thought it was Dragon Rage, but I guess it wasn't. Anyway, I told Jolteon to use Thunderbolt since Gyarados is hyper weak against Electric, but it must have been returned. I only hit you guys."

"And me!" Gabumon wheezed.

"Gabumon?!" Cory cried. He ran to him, attempting to lift him off the tree branch he was draped over.

"Annnyway..." I said.

"Oh, yeah. I was supposed to be going to Cerulean, but I got attacked by a large group of wild Butterfree. Pidgeotto tried to blow them away with Gust, but they dodged. It only got three or four. The rest used Supersonic on Pidgeotto, crazing it. It stiffened, and wouldn't move. We were falling at high speeds when the Supersonic wore off, and the Butterfree and Pidgeotto used Gust simultaneously. End result: I'm here attacking you." Cory summarized.

"Oh. Well, I was on Blastoise Island, en route to Pallet," I explained. "It was getting dark, and I didn't think it was safe to continue onwards. I went to the Pokémon Center there, when the power went out. All the Pokémon were in critical condition from the Gym Leader there, so everyone who had a Pokémon that knew Moonlight were the only alternate healing source. The Pokémon that used Moonlight were completely drained. Then, Team Rocket attacked."

"Big surprise." Raimey muttered.

"They took the exhausted Pokémon, plus managed to subdue the rejuvenated Electric types with a Diglett and a Geodude. I managed to get mine through to Oak before they were taken. Later, the Team Rocket members netted me, recognizing the fact that I was one of the thorns in Team Rocket's side. Meri, (one of them) was about to burn me at a stake when Raimey blasted them through me. The net had a psychic barrier that prevented attacks from the one inside, so I couldn't attack them myself.

"Raimey teleported over there, and I freed myself from the bonds. Miguel (the other one) had psychically made them, so when Raimey knocked him out, they weakened. Meri's Digimon attacked us, but Togemon held him off. Then, after they teleported away, Wesley attacked us with his Entei, the Legendary Dog of Fire. We managed to beat him with a combination of Pray for Rain and Thunder. He teleported away. Raimey and I teleported back here, and my Metapod evolved into Butterfrell. That's the Bug Pokémon of Power," I explained hastily, seeing the confused look on Cory's face. "Butterfrell and Gyarados fought, and Butterfrell won easily. Gyarados used Voluntary Return, which was the waterspout you saw. Then, you attacked. Simple."

"I still haven't got back to the group since the giant explosion." Raimey said shortly. "I've been attacked by an evil Gengar, gained a Pikaboo, got the Phantom Badge, and managed to get myself completely turned around on my way to Cerulean, ending up here." he continued.

"What does the Phantom Badge teach?" I asked Dexter.

"Terrify: a Ghost type attack. Uses Ghost element energy waves to frighten the opposing Pokémon, eliminating attack capabilities for fifteen seconds. During this period, a well trained Pokémon would be able to successfully land even a Fissure on a Flying type, as long as the Flyer isn't part Normal." Dexter explained.

"Do Ghost types not affect Normal types?" Raimey asked, intrigued.

"No, they do not." Dexter confirmed.

"Cool! Pikaboo, go!" he said. A Pikachu, well, a Pikachu head and body, appeared. The rest was a wavering tail. It was faintly yellow. Raimey produced a grey Gastly shaped Badge and applied it to Pikaboo. Pikaboo glowed grey, and was recalled.

"Well, let's turn in, shall we?" Cory suggested.

We all unrolled sleeping bags, until Patamon came diving in at high speeds along with two Ghost types...

Ch. 31

Patamon

I was following Cory on Jason's Pidgeotto, when a flock of Butterfree showed up. I flew around behind the flock, and started pelting them with Boom Bubbles.

"Boom Bubble! Pah!" I shouted, over and over. The Butterfree obviously had high Defense, however, because my attacks did little to no damage. I then turned up the heat.

"Air Waves!" I yelled, flapping my wing/ears extra hard. Transparent waves flipped one Butterfree, which responded with a deafening Supersonic attack. It wasn't intended for me, thankfully, or else my sensitive hearing would have exploded, paralyzing me and sending me plummeting into the swamp below. But, the rest of the Butterfree joined in, aiming for Cory and the Pidgeotto. Cory's weak hearing protected him, but Pidgeotto had exceptional hearing. It's wings stiffened, and it plummeted towards earth. The Butterfree stopped screeching, and Pidgeotto recovered. It used Gust, unluckily provoking the Butterfree more. They used a combination Whirlwind/Gust to blow Cory away. I followed as fast as I could, surfing on the Gust's air stream.

I managed to keep up all the way to what appeared to be Lavender Town, when I lost it. I plummeted onto the top of a tower.

Smoke rose from the roof under me, and I thought at first the tower was on fire. Then, a grin appeared in the smoke, much like the Cheshire Cat. Eyes followed the grin.

"Gas! Lyyyy..." the smoke laughed.

"Hahaha!" another voice giggled. A sinister shape rose from the roof after Gastly.

"Haunter!"

"Gas!" They appeared to be arguing. Over what, I wasn't sure. I listened closely.

"Gastgastly...I found it first!" the Gastly yelled.

"But I'm at a higher level!" the Haunter shouted back. I tried lifting off quietly.

"OH NO YOU DON'T!" the Haunter screamed. "Night Shade!"

The purplish waves surrounded me, but didn't affect me.

"Air Waves!" I retaliated. The Gastly dissolved momentarily, but reformed quickly.

"It's a Digimon!" the Gastly said, shocked.

I flew higher, but the Ghosts followed.

"Boom Bubble! Pah, pah!" I said, shooting them down. They didn't seem affected, though, and followed quickly.

I flew towards the forest where I saw the tornado dissipate, the ghosts following. Soon, I felt Raimey.

"RAIMEY!" I shouted. He looked up. Then he looked past me. His face contorted with terror.

"Fearow, Drill Peck!" he shouted. His large bird shot out, and started spinning. It dived into Gastly.

"AAAH!" it screamed, Teleporting away. Fearow turned, and flew at Haunter, who was unfortunately launching a Thunderbolt.

"FEAR!" Fearow shrilled. My ears hurt. It fell, and was recalled by Raimey. He thought.

"Our only hope, Patamon!" he shouted, holding up a small, white computer. I felt the long unfelt tingle as I digivolved.

"Patamon, digivolve tooo..."

"Angemon!"

I flew at high speed at Haunter, who tried to Hypnotize me. Unfortunately (for it) it didn't work.

"Angel Rod!" I yelled, swinging my rod at Haunter.

"HAW!" it shouted.

"And now, the finale grande! Hand of Fate!" I yelled. Haunter was hit head on, and WHAM! Bye bye Haunter.

"Angemon!" Raimey shouted. I flew down, and dedigivolved. I didn't like leaving such power, but I couldn't help it...or could I?

Hold it. Angel Digivolvers like me aren't supposed to digivolve much, and when they do, they can't use too much power. Staying as Angemon would be deadly. Scratch staying Angemon.

"Patamon!" Raimey yelled, obviously overjoyed to see me. I smiled, then that smile turned into a grimace.

"Let...go...Raimey...can't...breathe..." I gasped.

"Oh, sorry." Raimey said sheepishly. I flew upwards, breathing gratefully.

Suddenly, a blue flash lit the clearing, disappearing quickly. I saw Eric holding a rather small throwing star, looking suspiciously around. There was another flash, this time green, and a green robed man jumped out of a tree, landing in front of Eric. He was holding a whip that appeared to me completely organic. Really. The handle was wood, and the lash was a vine. A literal Vine Whip.

"Who are you?" Eric and the stranger said simultaneously.

"I'm the Green Paladin." he said shortly. He pulled back his hood, revealing a young face with blond hair and green eyes. Very similar to Raimey...

"I'm Eric." Eric replied, just as shortly. "These are some of my friends, Raimey, Cory, plus our Digimon, Tanemon, Gabumon, and Patamon." We raised our hand when called. Tanemon squeaked. The Paladin looked a bit surprised, but quickly hid the emotion.

"I'm here looking for my companions." the Paladin told us. "Have you seen them?"

"What do they look like?" Cory asked.

"There were two. They have robes like mine, only in blue and yellow." he explained.

"It would help if we knew their and your names." Raimey said.

"Well, then. I'm Raimey, and their names are Eric and Jason." he told us.

Eric's jaw dropped.

"Does Eric have a Butterfree?" he asked slowly.

"Nope." Raimey replied. "He has a-"

"Butterfrell." Eric finished for him. He silently released a Pokémon. A fairly large Butterfree flew out, squeaking.

"Frellell!" it sang. Raimey's jaw dropped this time.

"Tell me, Raimey, what is your team?" Raimey asked.

"Well, now I have all Grass types, but I used to have a Hypno, Magneton, Beedrill, Blastoise, and Raiboo, in addition to my Venusaur."

Raimey sat down very hard, with mucho alacrity. Alacrity means speed.

"What?" Raimey Two (as he will be known) asked.

"That's my team, only without the evolution." Raimey explained.

"Hmmm...maybe that mad scientist was right..." Raimey muttered.

"What?" Cory asked, intrigued.

"I can't tell you, it'll mess up time. I CAN tell you one thing, though. Don't trust Jacob." Raimey Two said cryptically. He snapped his whip, and another green flash burst forth. In its place was a large, yellow plant.

"AAAAHH!" I shouted. The plant looked puzzled.

"Victreebel is harmless, unless provoked." Raimey Two explained. I calmed down a bit. Raimey Two then recalled Victreebel, and jumped up, and disappeared.

"That was weird." Eric said, shaking. His throwing star suddenly turned into a Staryu, which Eric recalled.

"Obviously, he was a future me." Raimey stated. "Buuuut...he didn't say anything about Luke or Cory..." he added tentatively. There was a yellow flash, and blue and yellow robed people appeared, one with nun-chucks, the other with a trident.

"Who are you?" the yellow robed person asked.

"We are (I think) the past identities of your friends, plus your past self." I explained, pointing towards the blue robed one.

"What, you expect me to believe that-" the yellow one started to scoff, when he saw Gabumon and Tanemon. Plus me.

"Patamon? Tanemon? Gabumon?" he gasped.

"Yep." we all said.

"That means...RAIMEY!" Eric Two shouted.

"Yes?" Raimey asked.

"Not you!" Jason snapped. Raimey nodded.

"Raimey just left." Eric explained. "And...why don't you have the Throwing Starfish?" he inquired of his future alternate.

"Ummm...Staryu evolved, and Starmie didn't want to be a weapon. So Vaporeon volunteered to become the Wave Trident." Eric Two explained.

"Vaporeon? You mean I get VAPOREON?!" Eric exclaimed.

Suddenly, blue ropes shot out of them. They were dragged upwards, and then disappeared!

"Well, that family reunion was short." Cory griped.

"Yeah...oh, well. Let's sleep, shall we?" Raimey offered.

Everyone agreed. We bedded down for the night, with us Digimon standing watch.

Ch. 32

Luke

We had been waiting for Cory for a long time. "I was right, something happened." I said triumphantly.

"So? That's not exactly a good thing." Jason argued.

"Fine, you win." I surrendered. "I'm sleepy anyway. I'm going to bed." I got up, and climbed the stairs, eventually getting to the trainer dormitories. Unfortunately, the only bed left was across the room, and everyone was sleeping.

I carefully tiptoed through the room, Koromon in my arms. I was doing great, until one REALLY STUPID squeaky floorboard cropped up. A loud squeaky floorboard.

"AAAAH!" one guy yelled. This woke everyone else up. They obviously thought it was Team Rocket.

"Charmander, Flamethrower!"

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

"Jynx, Ice Beam!"

"Squirtle, Surf!"

That is what I call uncomfortable. Being roasted, fried, frozen and washed away isn't exactly my dream vacation.

I was washed down the stairs by the giant wave, and eventually landed in front of Joy.

"WHAT HAPPENED?!" she shouted at me. This is a downfall of being frozen solid: you can't tell other people you can't answer their questions. I would dearly loved to gesture at my frozen body.

"Oh." Joy blinked. She walked to the stairs, and yelled up them at the four perpetrators. "WHAT HAPPENED?!?!?!!!!!"

A blond guy gulped and explained. "Some kid was trying to get the last bed, except he stepped on a squeaky floorboard. Another kid thought he was a TR agent, and screamed, waking us up. We attacked him, and I'll bet you know with what." he explained.

"The four most useful elemental attacks." Joy sighed. "Flamethrower, Thunderbolt, Surf, and Ice Beam. Oh, well. Chansey!" she called. A fat pink nurse waddled in. "Take care of this fellow, would you?" Joy told/asked it. It chirped, and three more came in. They used a joint Strength to lift me and carry me to the largest rejuvenator.

I spent the night growing steadily warmer and less frozen, reaching a climax at dawn, when the ice was thin enough to shatter. I looked myself over, seeing that my burns were healed.

"Chansey!" a cute, pink nurse cried. It opened the glass box, allowing me to get up. I was lifted out by several mechanical tentacles, and deposited on the ground. I walked, a little unsteadily, out of the back room.

I saw a girl with strawberry blonde hair sitting in one of the chairs around a card table. She was shuffling a deck of cards. She looked up, and grinned when she saw me.

"Hi! Are you the unfortunate person who was smashed last night?" she asked me.

"Uhhh...yeah..." I replied inanely, caught off guard by the girl's aura of 'cute'.

"I'm Amy. What's your name?" she said.

"Luke." I answered, a little more firmly.

"Well, Luke. Would you like to play cards with me?" she queried.

"Sure! What game?"

"DigiCards. It's a new game, a spin off of the strange creatures appearing more and more often. They call themselves Digital Monsters, and have bonded with a few humans, who now know most of them. They created this game. It's really quite simple: you place the cards, and can change them twice. Once you place all seven, the monsters appear and fight. The winner gets a free set of cards." she explained. I readily agreed, hoping my knowledge of Digimon would help. Jason was also a source of info.

Coincidentally, Jason wandered down into the foyer. He saw us preparing the game, and came over.

"Hello, I'm Jason." Jason said to the girl. She introduced herself.

"My father wrote the strategy book on this game, so I know a lot about it. If you know anything, you are welcome to help Luke." she told him, recognizing the fact that we are friends.

"Fine." Jason sat down beside me. "Let the game begin!"

She dealt a card each to us. "Let me remind you of the categories. There are seven: Heart, Head, Temper, Skin, Speed, Strength, and Special. You can place seven cards, and change them with this." she rattled off, handing me what obviously was supposed to be a Digivice. She offered to play first.

"Sure." I agreed. She considered her card, and placed it in the box. Oh, you probably have no idea what the table looked like. There was the standard arena, a rectangle divided in half with a Pokéball shape, but there were also eight boxes, each with a symbol in them.

"Strength of a Leomon." she said, laying a heavily muscled lion-like Digimon down. Jason opened Dextro.

"Leomon: the Lion Digimon. The strongest Digimon in existence. Can slice rocks with his sword. Attacks: Crest of the Beast King, Steel Bladed Sword. Vaccine."

I nodded. "Obviously a good play." I looked at my card, and nearly fainted.

Palmon! Where would I put this?

Well, duh. Special, because Palmon had those poisonous vines. I wouldn't change that.

"Special of a Palmon." I stated, laying the card in the fifth slot.

"Special of a Monzaemon." she countered, playing a teddy bear Digimon.

"Monzaemon: the Teddy Bear Digimon. Uses heart shaped bubbles to lure Digimon to it, then fries them with heat rays. Attacks: Heart Attack, Heat Ray."

My card was an Agumon.

"Strength of an Agumon. Blue Digivolve." I said. Agumon digivolved to Greymon, then Metalgreymon.

"Ahhh...good play." Amy said. She gave me another card. I didn't look at it, though. She played.

"Head of a Vademon." she stated. I looked at Vademon. It was basically a brain, with a face and tentacles.

"Well, in that case..." My card was a Patamon. I grimaced. Where would I put this? Patamon and Angemon both were only useful in Special, with the ability to fly.

"Can I move a card?" I asked.

"Yes." she answered. I moved Palmon to Skin, then digivolved it. Now, my monster would have needles. I played Patamon in Special, then digivolved it to Angemon.

Couple of minutes later, we were at the final play. It was Amy's turn.

"Temper of a...Mojyamon." she said.

"Mojyamon: the Ice Monster Digimon. Prone to sudden explosions of anger. Attacks: Ice Cloud, Bone Boomerang. Virus." I grimaced. That would be hard to defeat.

I had only Speed left. I looked at my cards. Heart of a Vilemon, a really ugly flying monkey that never gave up, Head of a Datamon, a really smart computer, Temper of a Tigremon, a cat Digimon that got really angry really quickly. (It digivolves into Leomon.) Skin of a Togemon. Didn't have Speed...Strength of Metalgreymon, and Special of Angemon. Speed, speed...my last card was an Insectomon, which could digivolve either into Kuwagamon or Flymon.

"Kuwagamon: the Killer Insect Digimon. Uses his incredible speed and killer jaws to slice opponents in two. Attacks: Scissor Claw, Power Guillotine. Virus."

Well, if Kuwagamon has incredible speed...

"Speed of a Blue Digivolved Insectomon." I said. Insectomon glowed and transformed, and all the other cards glowed blue. Beams of light shot out and combined, and formed a Digimon.

It had prickles, and a yellow staff. Six wings, a glass helmet that revealed a computerized brain, a metal claw, black stripes, and bright, piercing blue eyes.

Amy's was a frog with wings. Really, that's it.

The two creatures of light stepped to the center ring, and bowed. Then, mine swung his rod and smacked the frog with the strength of a Metalgreymon. The frog used a lightning attack, temporarily grounding the mismatch. Froggy flew high, and shot another bolt. Mismatch managed to fly off and dodge, before sending a light beam back.

They fought awhile longer, until finally Froggy landed. Mismatch swung at it, and knocked it out.

"I forfeit!" Amy cried. She obviously didn't want Froggy to die. I nodded, and the monster disappeared. Amy grabbed the cards, and started to leave, when Koromon bounced down the stairs with Motimon.

"Hi, Lu..." Koromon started, before seeing Amy. Amy squeaked.

"Hi, I'm Koromon! What's your name?" he asked courteously.

"Amy." she replied, a little shakily.

"I'm Motimon!" Motimon smiled. She smiled back, and ran.

"Hi, Luke!" Koromon finished, unfazed. I greeted him. Jason picked up Motimon.

"Well, shall we be off?" I asked him.

"Why not?" he agreed. We exited the Pokémon Center, and immediately ran into trouble.

"PAUSE!" Jason shouted. "WHY? We've gone, what, three chapters without you baboons interrupting us? LEAVE US ALONE!"

Jewel blinked. "But it's fun tormenting you!" she said.

"WELL WE'RE SICK OF IT!!" I yelled. Jewel got mad.

"WHAT, AND YOU THINK WE LIKE IT?!" she bellowed.

"Well, you did say it was fun." Motimon pointed out.

"OH WELL! Now, we have you cornered." Jacque sneered. "So, on with the motto!"

Everyone else was looking at us strangely. We all looked back. "WHAT?!"

They hurried back to what they were doing.

"Prepare for trouble!

"And make that triple!"

"We will win, without creating a time ripple!"

"To protect the world from the likes of you!"

"To be masters, and kick out the League too!"

"Better than those bumbling baboons!"

"To proclaim the evil of lies and hate!"

"To take over the world, that 'd be just great!"

"We never ask, we just bate!" Okay, everyone say it with me: What does that mean? Good.

"Jacques!"

"Jewel!"

"Jezelle!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of sound!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to never be found!"

"To climb the ladder of power, in leaps and bounds!"

"Electrode!"

"Blastoise!"

"Vileplume!"

Jason and I looked at each other, and I had an idea. I struck a REALLY stupid pose. Use your imagination.

"Prepare for trouble!" I said, in a really high voice.

"And make that double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To free all people in every nation!"

"To proclaim the goodness of truth and love!"

"To extend peace to the stars above!"

"Luke!"

"Jason!"

"Team Bimbo, you can't tell left from right!"

"Surrender now, because you can't fight!"

"Koromon!" "Motimon!"

Team Rocket was infuriated.

"Oh, well! We have a trick you won't forget! Digimon, attack!"

"Biyomon, digivolve tooo..."

"Birdramon!"

Here's the weird part. Birdramon glowed red, and dissolved into blue, well, strands. They converged, and left a strange humanoid with wings, claws, and a beak mask.

"Birdramon, digivolve tooo..."

"Garudamon!"

"Garudamon: the Giant Bird Digimon. Uses its incredible flying ability to get around, and has a destructive attack in the form of a firebird. Attacks: Wing Blade, Wing Cannon. Vaccine."

"Gomamon, digivolve tooo..."

"Ikkakumon!"

Ikkakumon digivolved, too. A column of water surrounded it, and left a wolf-faced-turtle-shelled-hammer-bearing-blue-muscled monster. Well, duh.

"Ikkakumon, digivolve tooo..."

"Zudomon!"

"Salamon, digivolve tooo...

"Gatomon!"

Okay, okay, we know. Gatomon digivolves. She glowed white, and changed into a tall, female Angemon.

"Gatomon, digivolve tooo..."

"Angewomon!"

Okay, Angewomon.

"Koromon, digivolve tooo..."

"Agumon!"

"Motimon, digivolve tooo..."

"Tentomon!"

"Agumon, digivolve tooo..."

"Greymon!"

"Tentomon, digivolve tooo..."

"Kabuterimon!"

"Greymon, digivolve tooo..."

"Metalgreymon!"

"Kabuterimon, digivolve tooo..."

"Megakabuterimon!"

Okay, imagine this scene: a giant birdperson. A blue monster. An angel. A giant androdinosaur. A large, maroon, take-you-worst-nightmare-times-ten bug. All about to fight.

We were outnumbered.

"Pinsir, Mega Drain on Zudomon!" I commanded. My stag beetle started draining Zudomon's energy, when the cavalry arrived.

"Flower Cannon!"

"Wolf Claw!"

"Hand of Fate!"

Our Ultimates seemed encouraged.

"Giga Blaster!"

"Horn Buster!"

They didn't stand a chance.

"Team Rocket's blasting off again...!"

"That was easy." I remarked. Jason nodded.

"Yo! Luke!" Cory yelled.

"Jason!" Eric panted. Obviously, he had done this mass teleport.

Cory, Eric, and Raimey all ran up to us. Then, it started raining In-Training Digimon. Really! Koromon, Tsunomon, Yokomon, Motimon, Tanemon, Bukamon, Tokomon, and Salamon.

"Yokomon: the Flower Blob Digimon. Can fly for short periods of time. Attack: Bubble Blow."

"Bukamon: the Flying Fish Digimon. It hovers, and has a cheerful personality. Attack: Bubble Blow."

"Salamon: the Rare Cat Digimon. It has piercing blue eyes, and is rarely seen. Attack: Golden Disable."

"And, after the incredibly boring DigiLecture..." I said.

"Well, we're reunited!" Eric pointed out.

"Finally." Raimey muttered. "I am ALWAYS behind you guys! You all have Crests, I was the last to join the group, I was the only one not included in the get together on Cinnabar..." He trailed off, running out of grievances.

"Oh, well. Let's go! It's off to the Cerulean Gym of Water Pokémon!" I said cheerfully.

We marched about two feet when we realized we needed our Pokémon healed.

Five minutes later, we managed four feet when I felt for Dextar, and noticed it wasn't there.

"Okay, does everyone have everything?" Jason asked heavily. We nodded.

"Then, move out!"

Ch. 33

Jason

This time, we saw the cardboard Dewgong. We got in, and signed in. I noticed another kid in the waiting room.

"Hi, I'm Chris." he said, holding out his hand. We introduced ourselves.

"While we wait, why don't we battle?" he suggested. I agreed. He offered to throw first.

"Kadabra, attack!"

"Jason has a Pikachu!"

"Pikachu, use Light Screen and Reflect!"

"Kadabra, Spoonmerang!" Chris shouted.

Kadabra hurled his spoon at Pikachu the instant Pikachu brought up a protective yellow barrier.

"Pikachu, now use Double-Edge!" I commanded. Kadabra had weak Defense, so this was devastating.

"Kadabra, return." Chris said, disbelief in his voice. I recalled Pikachu.

"Horn Slammer!" a voice cried. I had time to blink before getting mauled. I looked at my assailant, and saw a black triceratops standing on me.

"Triceramon, stop!" Chris shouted. Motimon attacked at that point.

"Bubble Blow!" he yelled, with his weird voice. Triceramon was actually knocked off me.

"Motimon, digivolve tooo..."

"Tentomon!"

They faced off, us with surprise on our faces.

"You have a Digimon? Well, duh!" we said at the same time.

"Super Shocker!" Tentomon shouted.

"Rocket Horn!" Triceramon countered. The brown electricity and the flying horn collided, canceling.

The upcoming battle was cut off by the secretary. "Chris Alligor, you may enter."

He walked in, and screamed. We rushed to the doors.

"No windows. Eric?" Luke stated. Eric pointed at Raimey. Raimey sighed, and made the door transparent.

We saw that Chris had been smashed with a giant waves, a Surf, in fact. His Magnemite had come out, hovering over him. It turned and Thunderbolted the guilty Seel.

Chris barged out, Magnemite flying after. He was holding a glinty blue object. I turned my head, and saw the distinctive teardrop shape.

"Jason Mann, your turn." the secretary yawned. I walked in, bracing myself.

"Don't worry, I just decided that that hothead needed cooling off." the Gym Leader explained. I looked up.

She was a blue haired, slim girl with a bizarre, sailor-reminiscent outfit. She had a slow, deliberate way of talking, like one syllable at the time.

"My name is Ami Mizuno. We will use three Pokémon apiece." she explained. I nodded.

"Pikachu, go!"

"Staryu, I choose you!"

They faced off.

"Pikachu, Thunder Ring!" I shouted. Pikachu shot around Staryu very quickly. A ring of yellow electricity formed, and started shrinking. Pikachu didn't move outside its stationary circle, but the ring was closing in on Staryu fast.

It tried to hover away, but it was obviously a homing ring, and it shot right after.

"Staryu, return." Ami sighed. She pondered over her next choice, and finally decided.

"Starmie, go!" she shouted. I smirked.

"This'll be just as easy. Pikachu, Thunder Speed!" I commanded. Pikachu glowed yellow, and Quick Attacked Starmie.

It winced, but that was it.

"Okay, Thunderbolt!" I said, a little surprised, but not too discouraged. Pikachu charged up, and let loose a powerful white lightning storm, in a yellow explosion of power.

Starmie got hit, but glowed a spectrum of colors and regained its health.

"Okay, that's it!" I screamed. "Pikachu, use the THUNDER POWER STRIKE!"

This was a new technique I had taught Pikachu. This is what happens: Pikachu gathers as much electrical energy as possible, then shapes it. Have you seen a picture of an atom with the electrons moving around it, in those three rings? Well, picture those three rings, only made of lightning. Those three rings then converge on Pikachu, and blast out in a ball of Electrical power.

Starmie didn't stand a chance.

"Starmie, return. Okay, I'll admit that move was fairly good, but you still have no chance against this." she grinned. "Go, Pokémon!"

"Another Starmie?" I asked, incredulous.

"Starmie, Super Star attack!" Ami ordered. The second Starmie glowed golden, and split into three! There were three golden Starmie with silver metal around their cores.

"Pikachu, Thunder Explosion!" I said, slightly desperate. Pikachu used Agility into the center of the three stars, and used Light Screen, which made a sphere that surrounded the Super Starmie, then blasted all its energy into that sphere.

It was a surefire KO for any but a Ground type, and even those would take heavy damage. Unfortunately, Pikachu goes out as well.

"Starmie, return." Ami said quietly. Then she looked up. "Here is your Cascade Badge. It teaches the Bubble Blast technique." she explained. I accepted the teardrop.

Outside, Luke, Eric, and Cory were snoring. Raimey looked up. (Authors Note: the next battles with Ami are too long to write, so I'm just gonna skip over them. Luke lost, but the others won.)

"I can't believe I lost! I was so SURE Pinsir could Mega Drain all of her Pokémon!" Luke raged.

""Um...sorry to bust your bubble, but Pinsir's Special isn't all that high, and Tentacruel has great Special, so Mega Drain would do little damage. Plus, Tentacruel is part Poison, which would only further guard against Grass attacks." Eric explained.

"Well, I guess I'll just try later." Luke sighed. Eric nodded.

"Good strategy." he said.

"SHUT UP!" Luke screamed. Eric was bowled over by the force of his rage. He popped right back up, though.

"I can do that too!" he said brightly, creating a ball of light in his hands that exploded into a yellow beam that knocked Luke clear through a tree.

He slammed into the back wall of the Pokémon Center, and created a rather sizable dent.

"Why didn't we know about this shortcut?" Raimey wondered. Just then, the Digimon caught up.

"Why did you leave us like that?" Agumon demanded.

"Weeellll...we just decided to!" I explained hastily. They nodded, satisfied.

"LE!" a huge voice shouted, slamming the Center wall from the inside. Luke flew out, and hit...a pink bubble.

"What?" I asked no one, confused.

"Hahaha...remember me?" a sinister voice laughed. Raimey stiffened.

"Wesley!" he whispered, shocked. Eric readied his Pokéball quickly.

A quintet of fairly similar Pokémon bounced out. I recognized three of them, Jolteon, Flareon, and Vaporeon, but the other two were mysteries...

"Eefi: the Light Pokémon. Rejoices in sunlight, and is fairly powerful. Psychic type.

"Burakki: the Shadow Pokémon. Doubles its power by the light of the Moon. Evil type."

"Evil?" I asked, a bit perplexed.

"The opposite of Psychic, Evil is a Special type, though all the attacks are physical." Dextro explained. I put it away.

A short, though menacing figure approached. He stepped into some half light, still half concealed. (Authors Note: Kinda reminiscent of Giovanni, isn't it?)

"Eons, Star Formation." he ordered. The Eons immediately jumped into a pentagon shape.

"Eons, counter with your Tri-Beam!" Cory commanded. His Eons materialized as a triangle, and started charging.

The quintet finally finished powering up, and launched a multicolored beam at the other, newly launched white beam.

They hit with devastating force, mostly canceling each out. The Tri-Beam was a tad bit stronger, though, and was slowly making its way towards the quintet.

"WHAT?" Wesley roared. I smiled, and added my own power.

"Pikachu, Thunderclap Zap! Seel, Bubble Blast!" I called out. The two Pokémon materialized and joined their power with the Eons.

"Gyarados, Staryu, Marril, and Wartortle, come!" Eric summoned. His four Water types appeared and grouped around him. He touched each (except Staryu) with the Badge we had just won, and had them use the technique.

"Bubble Blast, everyone!" he commanded. With all the added power, the Tri-Beam blasted through the Star Formation technique. Eric then had a brilliant idea.

"Staryu, Water Saber!" he said. I had no idea what he was talking about at first, until I saw the throwing star. The weak looking throwing star.

"Mew, Psychic Saber!" Wesley countered. He gained two short, pink lightsabers. Eric threw Staryu, which launched a rain of sparkling water.

"Staryu is combining the Thunderbolt and Mist abilities, creating an electric water droplet barrage." Dextro droned.

Oh.

The star returned to Eric, and grew a short rod, which he grabbed. He then started swinging at Wesley, who parried each blow and threw a couple swipes of his own.

This went on for a while, until the Eons started getting mad at the one who was fighting their master. Eefi sensed that the Water types were his, and told Jolteon.

"Ef, ii!"

"Jolo?"

"Pore!"

"Flaron?"

They seemed to be conversing until Burakki butted in.

"RAK!"

They turned menacingly at the Water types. Eric saw this out of the corner of his eye, and distracted Wesley with a short Water Gun in the eyes. He then threw a Pokéball, and started fighting again.

A large, discolored Butterfree emerged. It squeaked, and turned into green energy that speared Eefi, knocking it out.

"Nature's Pin: a Bug technique that is only used by Butterfrell. Some say a rare Bug/Fighting Pokémon might be able to use it."

Butterfrell?

"Butterfrell is the Bug Pokémon of Power. Each Element has one." Dextro explained.

Eric's Gyarados used Thunderbolt on Vaporeon, neatly eliminating that threat. Wartortle Dug briefly before wiping out Jolteon.

Burakki and Flareon were the only ones left. Flareon shimmered briefly, and was temporarily hidden behind a blue aura. Burakki created a yellow wall, a Reflect, to hold off damage.

All three Water types clumped together, and tried to combine their powers enough to get Flareon through its Agility, but nothing happened.

"The Tidal Wave technique requires five or more Water type Pokémon." Dextro intoned.

I called out my Seel, and Raimey sent his Vaporeon to help.

A blue glow developed around them. The glow floated up in the air. Seel froze it with Ice Beam, Vaporeon used Mist to coat it with water, Wartortle sprayed it with Octan Cannon, Marril called in rain clouds to boost its power with rain, and Gyarados wrapped it in a Dragon Rage waterspout and Surfed it toward Flareon and Burakki. End result? A giant wave with a razor sharp giant icicle spearing Flareon.

Bye Flareon.

Burakki was left. Butterfrell tried using Psychic, but Burakki's skin just repelled it. Gyarados tried Fire Blast, but that didn't work either. Burakki laughed.

Then, Wartortle made a fist. It began to glow with maroonish energy. Burakki just giggled.

KABLAM!

We were all blown outwards by an explosion. Not far, this time, though.

Burakki was down. Eric and Wesley were down. Staryu and Mew were down.

Wartortle was gone.

"BLAST!" the new, improved, and massive Wartortle yelled. Eric frowned, and flew upwards, Wesley just under him.

"Butterfrell, use HolyLight!" Eric yelled, while dodging Wesley's blasts of green light.

Butterfrell flew in a tight ring, and time stood still. Wesley hovered over a white circle that was surrounded by numbers. Then, a white explosion took place, blowing Wesley to kingdom come, followed by six red comets.

I sighed, and after we healed up, I trudged back to the Gym, Eric in tow.

Ch. 33

Eric

I was having the time of my life, watching Luke struggle against Ami. She had a wimpy little Magikarp out, and Luke was using Vulpix.

"Quick Attack! Quick Attack! Don't stop til that thing DIES!" Luke raved. Vulpix blurred, kicking Magikarp six or seven times. Magikarp kinda, well, flopped.

"ARGH! Vulpix, ROAST IT! FLAMETHROWER!" Luke screamed. Vulpix encased Magikarp in a column of red-hot fire, but no, nothing happened.

Luke screamed.

"Ember, Fire Spin, ANYTHING TO BEAT THE STUPID FISH!!!!!!!!!!!"

As irony would have it, Vulpix unleashed a swirling, impressive-looking-yet INCREDIBLY WEAK tornado of flame. Magikarp saw it, and just fainted dead away. Ami recalled it, but that didn't stop the vortex.

"Staryu, Bubble." she commanded. Her starfish easily flattened the swirling column of body-temperature flame. Luke sighed, and recalled Vulpix.

"The battle isn't over. You have to defeat Staryu." she told him sternly. Luke took another Pokéball, and released Pinsir.

"Harden." he said. Pinsir glowed golden. Staryu followed suit.

"Slash, and hit the core!" Luke called. Pinsir slooooowllly moved forward, and Staryu teased it, knowing it was much faster.

Following the lightning-quick Slash, Ami recalled it. "Very good. You deserve the Cascade Badge."

"Whatever happened to the Sensational Sisters?" Luke inquired.

"They finally got their Goldeens to evolve, and are currently touring the Western Continent, hoping to gain entry to the Jolt League." she explained. Luke nodded.

"Ah. Pinsir, come back." he added when Pinsir wandered off. The ruby red beam was sucked into the Pokéball.

Luke came out of the Gym. "I FINALLY beat that blue-haired witch." he growled.

Seconds later, he was kicked hard in the back by a blue and white blur. He fell over, stunned.

The blur came sharply into focus, revealing a wacky girl in a wacky sailor suit with a wacky bow and a wacky tiara. I snorted.

"Who are you supposed to be, Sailor Mercury or something?" Jason asked her, through his giggles. She slapped him.

"Ooh, don't think you're so tough because I am the best Water trainer under Misty, Callie and Ami." she growled.

"Hah! Best? I could beat you hands down." I shot back. She took me up on that, dragging me out.

"Staryu!"

"Lapras!"

We squared off, my diminutive yet fairly heavy starfish against her large and heavy sea surfer.

"Light Screen!" I commanded. I knew Lapras could learn Solar Beam, Fire Blast, and Thunder, whereas mine could only learn Thunder and Blizzard.

"Pray for Rain!" she began. I smirked.

"Thunder!" I barked, taking advantage of the special move Lapras had just used.

"Laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaapraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaasssssssssss!" it screamed, upon being bombarded by thousands of amps of electricity. Staryu halted the barrage of Thunder, only to start up Electric Rain.

"Lapras, return! Blas...NO!" she shouted. She obviously wanted to use Blastoise, but another Pokéball had opened, revealing a Slowbro.

"SLOWBRO! AAARGH!"

"Staryu, give it your Razor Spin." I said loftily. Staryu started spinning rapidly, using Harden to increase its defense against the recoil and to heighten its edge. It then charged Slowbro, using Double-Edge to increase the damage more.

"Psychic! Teleport! Metronome! Thunderbolt! Fire Blast! Surf! ANYTHING!?" girly girl screamed. Staryu managed to do fairly decent damage, despite Slowbro's high defense.

"Now, Thunder!" I smirked. Slowbro was trapped in a constant column of lightning, but when it stopped, its expression hadn't even changed.

Not that it could change, but oh well.

"Sl." it stated. I raised an eyebrow.

Staryu was suddenly hit head on by a red-purple blast. Confusion.

"Heya!" Staryu said. It then proceeded to Electric Rain Slowbro.

Slowbro MUST have been in pain, but it didn't appear to be. Staryu switched over to Ice.

Aurora Beam. Ice Beam. Blizzard. None worked. Thunder, Thunderbolt. Nope. Bubble Beam. Shabon Spray. Hydro Pump. Slowbro closed its mouth.

Staryu ended the endless series of attacks with a Tackle. Slowbro was knocked over, completely conked. I gaped.

"Blastoise, I choose you!"

"Staryu, Blastoise's Physical is just as good as its Elemental! Reflect!" Staryu put up an almost impenetrable wall.

"Blastoise, give it your Deluge!" Wacky-girl commanded. Blastoise created an ice wall that neatly held back the river of ice-cold water that submerged Staryu.

"Okay, even a wacky (Authors Note: Are we getting sick of that term?) Sailor Mercury wannabe HAS to know that Water attacks won't faze a Water type." I sneered. She got mad, apparently, and yelled at her poor sea turtle.

"Body Slam!" Blastoise leapt to obey. Staryu barely held it off, its superior weight cracking the Reflect. "Hyper Beam!"

Staryu Teleported this time, but accidentally left behind the Reflect. Blastoise kept hammering the gradually weakening barrier. This gave me an idea.

"Staryu, Psychic!" I yelled over the beam's noise. Staryu affirmed ("Heya!") and nailed Blastoise's back.

It whirled, slowly. Staryu took the time to Double Team around Blastoise and Psychic his back again.

Blastoise apparently didn't care. Haven't I said I HATE Blastoise? Well, I do.

"Staryu, there's only one thing we can do!" I yelled. "Final STRIKE!"

Staryu spun, glowing blue. Blue beams of energy slowly made their way to the core, and combined to create a purple ball. Blastoise Ice Beamed, but an invisible barrier protected the energy. Staryu added all the Elemental power it could muster, with the ball changing colors rapidly, settling on a blue-gray. It then reared back, and gave it a mighty Double-Edge/Take Down/Body Slam/Tackle/Slam WHACK! that sent it toward Blastoise, creating a double unconsciousness spasm. We recalled our Pokémon.

"Okay, fine. We'll each use one last Pokémon. Winner takes all." she ordered briskly.

"All what?" I asked, apparently innocent as a butterfly.

"ARGH! Well, this time we don't have to use a Water type. In fact, no Water type!" she growled. I obeyed.

"Butterfrell!"

"Electrabuzz!"

I gave Butterfrell telekinetic orders.

"Electrabuzz, Thunder!" she snapped.

'Butterfrell, dodge to fool her, and launch a PSY Beam.' I thought. Butterfrell obediently used Agility to dodge and shot a rainbow beam at Electrabuzz.

"What exactly is Electrabuzz?" I wondered, scanning it.

"Electrabuzz: the Spark Plug Pokémon. Has a shark-like ability to sense electromagnetic fields, and exploits the ability by overloading the field with Electric attacks. Uses all Electric moves, and is immune to Rock, but has an extra weakness to Grass." Dexter explained.

"Electrabuzz, Swift!"

'Butterfrell, Nature's Pin right through.'

Butterfrell didn't dodge the Swift, (duh) but didn't take damage because it had assumed a energy form that ripped through Electrabuzz. However, Electrabuzz was fairly well immune to Bug types.

'Now, Sleep Powder.'

Butterfrell sprinkled Electrabuzz with blue clumps of powder, and then slammed it with Mega Drain.

"No! Electrabuzz, wake up!"

'Charge time, Butterfrell.'

Butterfrell, being fairly childish, didn't really get it. Butterfrell thought I meant Skull Bash.

"NO! Solar Beam!" I screamed, when Butterfrell lowered its head. Butterfrell changed over, and managed to save a little time. It combined the two moves, somehow, creating a sort of rocket booster with the Solar power, slamming Electrabuzz with Solar Charge, as I dubbed the move.

"Electrabuzz, return." the girl gaped. "How on earth did you beat me?"

"Well, it would help if I knew who you were." I pointed out.

"I'm Amy Delmar!" she declared. She spun, rather quickly, pulling a Superman quick-change outfit swap, revealing a young, strawberry blonde girl. Luke pulled a double take.

"Amy!?" he sputtered. Jason recognized her too.

"Luke? Jason?" she asked, a little confused.

"Ooookay. We're due a little explanation here." Cory said slowly.

"Okay. I'm Amy Delmar, Callie Delmar's daughter. She married a man named James, but it didn't work. After two years, they separated. I was left with my mother, Callie. We lived near Vermillion, until I turned twelve. I then went and saw my grandfather, Professor Delmar. He knew how much I loved Electric and Water, an unlikely combination, I grant you, so he gave me a Chonchii, the ONLY Water/Electric type in existence, not counting any evos it may have." she told us.

"I met up with Luke and Jason yesterday. Luke had just managed to get himself Burned, Paralyzed, Frozen, and nearly killed after he stepped on a squeaky floorboard trying to find a bed.

"We played a card game, and got acquainted." she finished. "Be seeing you!" She vanished.

"Oh, by the way, Luke." she said, coming back. She connected her Pokédex to his briefly, then ran off again.

"What was that?" Jason asked him.

"Uhhh..." He checked his Pokédex. "She gave me her E-Mail address." He blushed.

"Ahhh...got a THING, do we?" I teased him.

"Don't even." he warned me.

"Don't even what?" I asked innocently.

"You know what."

"What, tell you that you and Amy were obviously meant for each other and you should get married before you are even legally old enough?" I inquired. He grabbed a Pokéball and threw it at my face.

"OW!"

"Vulpix, Flamethrower!"

I was roasted. "Marril...Surf..." I managed to gasp. Vulpix was good (or bad, depending on how you looked at it), but Marril was better.

"Take that, fox!" Marril shouted. Vulpix didn't survive the wave.

"Pinsir, Mega Drain!"

"Gyarados, Fire Blast!"

"Pidgey, Swift Dance!"

This move surprised me. Pidgey used Agility and Double Team so many times Gyarados could barely keep up. It then pummeled Gyarados with Swift and Quick Attack. Gyarados had superior Defense and Health, but the constant barrage had him down within minutes.

"Blastoise, Swift right back!" I yelled. Pidgey had awful Defense, wiping out itself.

"Ummm...I guess you win." he sighed, recalling Pidgey. Koromon suddenly flew at Tanemon.

"Bubble Blow!"

"Bubble Blow!"

This appeared to be their only attack, which is not good. My vision blacked suddenly, plunging me into a sensation I hadn't experienced lately.

"Koromon, digivolve tooo..."

"Agumon!"

"Tanemon, digivolve tooo..."

"Palmon!"

They faced off. Agumon looked like he was about to use Pepper Breath, but Palmon wrapped him up.

"Poison Ivy! Energy Suck!" Green lightning shot down Palmon's vines, and surrounded Agumon, turning slowly red. The red energy shot back to Palmon. She released Agumon.

"P-p-pepper...breath..." Agumon choked out. A tiny flame licked out at Palmon, but didn't reach.

"I beat you!" she shouted. Agumon sighed.

"You don't have to rub it in..." he gasped.

"Poison Ivy!" she called, wrapping Agumon again. "Energy Reversal!" Both were surrounded by red and green lightning. Palmon had more around her, but it eventually evened out. Agumon's turned totally red, and Palmon's green. The lightning then vanished.

"Wow. What a show!" we applauded. Palmon bowed, and so did Agumon.

"Prepare for trouble!

"And make that triple!"

"We will win, without creating a time ripple!"

"To protect the world from the likes of you!"

"To be masters, and kick out the League too!"

"Better than those bumbling baboons!"

"To proclaim the evil of lies and hate!"

"To take over the world, that 'd be just great!"

"We never ask, we just bate!" Please, someone explain that to me! (Author's Note: For the record, please E-mail me at k_pikamew@hotmail.com and give me a definition to give Eric.)

"Jacques!"

"Jewel!"

"Jezelle!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of sound!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to never be found!"

"To climb the ladder of power, in leaps and bounds!"

"Electrode!"

"Blastoise!"

"Vileplume!"

Cue collective groan. Cue collective Pokéball flash. Cue...oh, never mind.

"What do you think you're doing, ruining our day AGAIN?!" Jason screamed. I felt his emotion so strongly I started getting mad myself.

"I mean, on a perfectly normal day, without, for once, threat of TEAM BIMBO attacking, you HAD TO SHOW UP! I'VE HAD IT!!! Yo, author!" he continued.

"Yes?" the author asked.

"GET RID OF THE STUPID WACKY HAIRED FREAKS!!!!"

"But then you wouldn't tell me to get rid of them because they never existed because you told me to get rid of them so they didn't show up to make you mad and tell me to get rid of them so they-"

"SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!" we all screamed at him.

"Hey!" he shouted back.

"You made us do that." Jewel pointed out.

"True. Okay, fine. I'll erase all of everyone's memories of Team Rocket." There was a flash of light.

(Author's Note: You don't remember Team Rocket. I have erased all memories...you know, there isn't really much plot without Team Rocket. Erasing last section...)

"Prepare for trouble!

"And make that triple!"

"We will win, without creating a time ripple!"

"To protect the world from the likes of you!"

"To be masters, and kick out the League too!"

"Better than those bumbling baboons!"

"To proclaim the evil of lies and hate!"

"To take over the world, that 'd be just great!"

"We never ask, we just bate!" What that means, I have no idea.

"Jacques!"

"Jewel!"

"Jezelle!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of sound!"

"Surrender now, or prepare to never be found!"

"To climb the ladder of power, in leaps and bounds!"

"Electrode!"

"Blastoise!"

"Vileplume!"

"SHUT UP ALREADY!"

"Jason, we can't repeat this." the author warned.

"Oh, all right. Pikachu, Thunderclap Zap."

Blastoise was nailed. Jewel recalled it.

"Blastoise, Earthquake." Eric said loftily. Electrode rolled over, barely conscious. Of course, Electrode Explode when nearly unconscious.

The shockwave bowled us all over, except Blastoise. He Mega Punched Electrode into the ground.

"Flareon, Ignite." Cory yawned. Vileplume actually dodged.

"WHAT?" Cory uttered, shocked. Jezelle laughed.

"Vileplume, Oak Evolution." she commanded. Vileplume danced a bit, and made a spiral flower pattern that encircled Eric. A green beam flattened him before he could react.

"I can do that too!" he shouted, using the move, not on Vileplume, but on Jezelle.

"WAAAH!" she screamed. Cory took the opportunity.

"Flareon, Celestial Fire Surround!" he ordered. Flareon created several balls of Japanese symbols made of fire, and shot razor sharp Fire element blades. Vileplume fainted.

Ch. 34

Cory

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN..........!" they shouted, after Jolteon blasted them with Thunderclap Zap.

"Well, now that that's over..." Jason sighed.

We were all suddenly bowled over by a flash of green light and a shockwave.

"You know, I can't believe we haven't broken any bones before." Eric commented.

"You have." I pointed out. Eric sighed, and corrected himself.

"Oh, well, you know that."

Maybe not.

The flash had emanated from a green clad form. It straightened, revealing the future form of Raimey.

"Aren't you the past forms?" he asked. We nodded. He noticed Luke and Jason. "You must be Luke and Jason. I'm the future form of Raimey. I can't tell you why I'm here, but I can tell you what will be happening soon.

"Jason, you are going to gain an formidable weapon, the Thunder Saber. Eric, you'll be the first Paladin.

"A Paladin is the guardian of a certain Element, an elemental Element, i.e. Fire or Ice. Eric will be Water. Jason has Electric, and Cory ends up with Dragon. You'll eventually find matching Sabers. You'll also gain an incredible weapon that can only be used when you are a Paladin. The Sea Staff, the Thunder Cannon, the Forest Bow, and the Dragon Crystal Sword.

"You shouldn't use a Saber while you are in Paladin form, because the Elemental power combining would blow you off the planet, as well wiping out all Pokémon of that type. Dual types will barely survive. If you happen to die, the Paladin form will be passed on.

"Some people to watch out for are the Neo Sailor Scouts. They have several Elemental moves that are devastating, and will most likely wipe out an untrained Paladin. You will be at odds, and will be undeniably attracted to one another once you turn twenty."

"Um...how old are you?" I asked him.

"Twenty-three." he replied.

"I-uh..." Eric began. He started shaking. Rapidly. He was blurring!

"Eric!" I shouted, about to step forward. Raimey 2 stopped me.

"Don't get near him! He's converting. Water comes first, then Electric. Dragon comes after that, and Grass follows. We don't know what element Luke gets." He appeared to want to say more, but a flood of bubbles cut off sound. He was trapped in a bubble!

"Haha...looks like you're an untrained Paladin." Neo Sailor Mercury said, stepping out of a shadow.

An electric blast shoved me into a rock. A girl with brown hair and an identical outfit to Neo Sailor Mercury, only green, revealed herself.

"I'm Neo Sailor Jupiter, and I'll show no mercy, in the name of Jupiter!" she shouted, forming a ridiculous pose.

A yellow chain wrapped around Raimey 1, slamming him into the ground.

"I'm Neo Sailor Venus, and in the name of beauty, you'll be punished!" This blonde had orange instead of green or blue.

A spiraling fireball knocked Eric down. "Neo Sailor Mars fights for the star of love, Mars!" a brunette yelled. She had red.

"And, in the name of the Moon..." another blonde said, with REALLY WEIRD blond hair that was in two long pigtails with balls on her head.

"WE'LL ALL PUNISH YOU!" they shouted. I fainted.

Seconds later, I woke up, an extreme pain causing me to curl up.

"Celestial Fire Surround!" Sailor Mars cried, making several energy blades slice Eric.

Sailor Moon summoned a strange wand thing and began twirling it around haphazardly. She stopped with the wand pointed up.

"Moon Spiral Heart Attack!" she cried. Pink hearts with purple dust mixed in slammed us all.

Eric stood up shakily, and his clothes glowed blue, and created a cloak. He gestured, and a staff studded with sapphires, and a blue crystal on one end, appeared out of nowhere. He pointed it at Raimey, freeing him. Raimey summoned a bow.

Eric immediately went on the offensive. He lunged at Neo Jupiter, and swung hard a few times. She responded with karate chops. He blocked quickly.

"Wow. He acts like he knows what he's doing." I commented.

"He was trained with a staff at a rather young age." Luke explained.

"Oh."

Eric bashed Neo Jupiter, stunning her briefly. He jumped back, and collected power in the crystal while Raimey 2 began shooting wooden arrows with poisoned leaves for tips. They dodged.

"Blue Paladin Tidal Crash!" Eric cried, pointing the Sea Staff at Mars. A wave appeared, and shot a blue energy beam at Mars. She was knocked over.

She got up wearily, and glowed red. A ball of energy formed around her, and flew away.

"Eric, we can combine our power to blast the rest of them!" Raimey 2 shouted. Eric nodded, and started charging again. Raimey 2 pulled an arrow back, but didn't loose. A spiral of power surrounded the tip.

"Blue Paladin Tidal Crash!"

"Green Paladin Elmwood Arrow!"

Eric threw his staff like a javelin the instant Raimey loosed. The spiral of power wrapped around the two missiles, binding them together. They became a bolt of blue-green energy that created a huge explosion, making the Neo Sailor Scouts fly away like Neo Sailor Mars.

"Well, glad that's over. You okay, Eric?" Raimey 2 queried. Eric nodded.

"Just a...little...tired..." he gasped, flopping onto the ground.

Ch. 35

Luke

Raimey had summoned his Fearow to carry Eric to the Pokémon Center, where Nurse Joy immediately prescribed bed rest.

I suggested we take turns watching Eric. Everyone agreed, but I was stuck with the first shift.

I sat next to Eric's cot in an emergency room. Not an ER, but a room with only one bed where cases like Eric would rest. This also was an automatic resting place of people with AIDS and hemophilia .

Nurse Joy came in with a package. "I looked up Eric's record, and notified his closest relatives. They sent this." She placed the package on the night stand.

"I don't want this opened until he wakes. Got it?" she asked/yelled at me. I nodded meekly, resisting the urge to salute.

Two hours later, Eric's eyes popped open. He looked over at me, and saw the plain brown package.

"Luke, what is that?" he asked.

"It's a package from your closest relative." I explained. He looked perplexed.

"I didn't know I had relatives." he murmured. He unwrapped the brown packaging, and found a miniaturized Pokéball in a glass case, as well as a note. He read the note to himself.

"Hmm...that's strange." he whispered to himself.

"What's strange?" I asked him.

"This note. Here, read it." he said, giving me the note.

It read:

Dear Eric,

I know you didn't know you had relatives before this, but you do. I prefer not to give my name at this time, but be sure you have a large family. I am enclosing a Pokémon and a special Pokéball guaranteed to catch one Pokémon.

No, it isn't a Master Ball, but it is foolproof. See, only a psychic can activate the special P-Ball, and a very special psychic at that.

Just feed a little power into it, and release. The ball will open, and recognizes your DNA, making you the only person who can use it.

Your Aunt,

S.

Beside the 'S', there was a phantom shaped mark. I had no idea what this was for, and neither did Eric.

"GET TO BED!" Nurse Joy screamed. Eric dived for his bed while I dived for the space under the bed.

"GET OUT OF THERE!"

I crawled out, and sped to the chair.

"Luke, its shift switch time." she told me.

"I'll get Cory. I need to tell Eric something, though."

"Fine."

She stalked out.

"Luke, don't tell anyone about my aunt. Okay?"

"Sure, Eric." I agreed. Eric leaned into his pillow, and shut his eyes, breathing deeply. I quietly left and fetched Cory.

Jason, Raimey and I left the Center. I checked my credit balance.

"Uh-oh. I don't have any money." I said. Jason looked.

"Didn't you get some off Ami?" he asked me.

"Uhh...well...I kinda spent it."

"On what?" Jason demanded.

"Uhhh...you know the Pokédex Shopping Network?"

"Yeah...what about it?" Raimey inquired.

"Well, there was this Pokémon. My favorite Pokémon. And I bought it."

"Oh." they said in unison.

"Wanna see it?" I asked.

"Sure."

"Clefairy, go!" I called. A cute fairy Pokémon materialized.

"Clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy!"

"Clefairy, return."

"Clefairy!"

"You know, next time Bimbo Team decides to attack, we can use Clefairy to annoy THEM for a change!" Jason said brightly.

I nodded.

We strolled down Azure Street, looking for something to do. A youngster came up to us.

"Wanna battle?" he asked. I volunteered.

"Sandshrew, attack!"

"Clefairy, Metronome!"

Clefairy, waved its fingers around, and produced a Thunderclap Zap.

Unfortunately, Sandshrew is immune to Electric.

"Try Sing!" I said. Sandshrew Scratched Clefairy rather roughly, and Clefairy bounced a bit. Eventually, after Sandshrew tired itself out running after Clefairy, Clefairy sang a soothing tune, lulling Sandshrew into a deep slumber.

It then used Metronome, and produced Celestial Fire Surround. Blades of red energy slashed Sandshrew.

Clefairy tried again, this time producing a strange chain made of yellow hearts that wrapped around Sandshrew and slammed it off a wall.

"Love Me Chain: A Spirit attack with 100 power. It is 89% accurate."

"Sandshrew, return." the youngster sighed. He handed me a card, and I ran it through my Pokédex, gaining $200. I returned the card to its owner.

"Hold on: What is Spirit?"

"Spirit is the eighteenth element, an Elemental element that creates energy attacks that are based on the users concentration, making it also Physical. Especially powerful when used by Fighters and Psychics. Strong on Psychics and Ghosts, not very powerful against Dark and Steel, and completely ineffective against Fire and Flying."

"Does that mean humans can use it too?"

"Negative."

"Darn."

I put Dextra away.

We walked to Cornflower Avenue, and noticed the Aqua Mall.

"Does anyone think Cerulean is a little bit obsessed with blue?"

Cue sweatdrop.

We entered, and our vision was immediately caught on a giant Starmie statue. There was a plaque. It read:

"This Pokémon, Starmie, is the trademark Pokémon of the Water Master, Misty. Misty hails from the city of Cerulean, and her sisters have become expert Water trainers. Misty liberated Cerulean City from the Hinoarashi with the help of Ross Jacobson, now the top Pokémon Documentor."

"Lengthy plaque, isn't it?" I remarked. Jason nodded.

We toured the mall, and I noticed a pet store that seemed to consist of exotic fishies.

"Gee, you'd think someone here would like a birdie. Guess not." Raimey commented.

I checked my watch after a while, and noticed that it was close to noon. "Hey, it's lunchtime. Do you think we could eat something?"

"Yeah, over there at Pidge-filet. Oh, wait, this isn't Topaz City. We'll have to eat at that randomly named fish restaurant over there." Jason stated sarcastically.

We settled at a table, and a rather cute waitress came over.

"Luke, you have a girlfriend." Jason warned me.

"What?"

"That Amy character."

"SHE ISN'T MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"Right."

"Excuse me, would you like something to drink?" the waitress asked, long blonde tresses dangling. I might have embarrassed myself.

"Uh...I'll...uhhh...I'd like a Fresh Water...haha..."

"He's a little awkward. I want Lemonade." Jason added.

"Soda Pop, please." Raimey chimed in.

"Okay. Be right with you."

"Wonder what her name is." I gushed.

"Uhh...Louise...duh..." Raimey said slowly.

"How'd you know?" I demanded.

"Uhh...she has a nametag...duh..."

"I knew that." I said, covering myself.

"No you didn't." Jason informed me.

"Right."

Louise came over at that moment. I accepted my Fresh Water. Raimey and Jason took their drinks.

"Would you like to order now?"

I consulted my menu. "Hmmm...that Goldeen looks good. And the Goldeen...I think I'll have Goldeen sticks."

"Oh, the irony..." Jason muttered. "I want those as well."

"Same here, and a large order of tartar sauce." Raimey interjected.

"Right."

The food was quickly delivered, and we enjoyed it. After we finished, Jason immersed himself in Dextro again, and I spotted a store that looked interesting.

I headed off towards it, and Jason told me to rendevous at the Starmie statue at four. He headed off to a computer store. Raimey wandered away.

I entered the electronics store, and immediately saw something Jason would love. Pokédex updates!

I bought one for Jason and one for Eric. They both loved that kind of thing, although Eric was a little less in tune with it.

I browsed a little, and saw something else. A sign read:

"For all you Pokémon trainers, there will be a contest held in Ivory City at noon on the 17^th. You have (there was an electronic display here) three days! Ivory City, for those of you who play it by ear, is north of Cerulean about twenty miles. A bus leaves every thirty minutes and reaches the destination within an hour."

Cool! I checked my watch. 3:45. I headed back to the statue.

Raimey and Jason were there, as well. I handed Jason his update, and he delightedly loaded it into the 'Dex. We headed for the Center.

When we reached the Center, Eric was walking. Cory had our Pokémon ready, his and Eric's loaded, ours in trays. I took the tray with only three, and attached them to my belt. Raimey and Jason followed suit.

We left, and I told them about the contest.

"Okay! The next bus should leave...in five minutes!" Cory shouted. We sprinted through various streets whose names all meant blue, till we got to the Deep Aqua Bus Stop.

"Oh, geez..." Eric muttered. The bus was warming, and we could tell it was about to leave.

"Nooo!" Eric shouted, teleporting us through the turnstiles. We ran for the bus, and managed to get on, Eric forcing the doors open. He deposited enough money for all of us, and we turned to get a seat.

Unfortunately, there were only three.

Eric unfairly teleported to one, and I dashed to another. Cory got the third.

This left us with something of a dilemma. Raimey and Jason had no place to sit.

"Hey, I know!" Eric exclaimed. He made Cory and Jason disappear.

"What did you do?!" Cory asked him.

"I shrank them and teleported them to various positions throughout my pocket." he replied.

"Did I detect a hint of sarcasm there?" I inquired. He glared at me.

Forty minutes later, the bus was slowly climbing a hill. Er, a bump.

"Okay. Who here agrees that this bus is worthless?" Eric asked. The driver raised his hand, and crashed.

"ARGH! Yo, cabby! Do you have a picture of the bus stop in Ivory?" Eric growled.

The driver nodded, and handed Eric a photo. He studied it, and handed it back.

WHOOSH!

We were swept all the way to Ivory. Oh, did I mention that that bump was about three feet from the bus stop? Well, it is.

Ch. 36

Agumon

We Digimon were riding on top of the bus, crouched down. Palmon had us wrapped in vines that eventually led to a vine-hold.

The bus moved agonizingly forward for five minutes, eventually reaching a full tirelength. We eventually reached a bump. The bus fell over, and we were thrown into a ditch, Palmon's vines choking us. They vanished, however.

There was a purple flash of light, and when Patamon hovered over to the window of the bus, no one was in there.

"Houston, we have a problem." he told us.

"No we don't. We can digivolve and fly to Ivory City." I suggested.

"That would probably work if all of us could fly when we digivolved." Gabumon groaned.

"Or, I could digivolve and carry all of you." Tentomon added.

"That's the best idea. Let's do it!"

"Tentomon, digivolve tooo..."

"Kabuterimon!"

We loaded on, and Kabuterimon took off. He buzzed up a mountain, and I spotted a white spot.

"THERE IT IS!" I hollered.

"Okay!" Kabuterimon yelled back. He descended.

Over his buzzing wings I could hear screams. Pokéball flashes flashed, and Flying types like Fearow and Pidgeotto emerged.

"Pepper Breath!"

"Blue Blaster!"

"Boom Bubble!"

The Pokémon were being picked off, but there were more than we could get to.

"Gabumon, jump and digivolve!" I shouted. He nodded, and pushed off. A blue orb surrounded him.

"Gabumon, digivolve tooo..."

"Garurumon!"

The orb shattered, revealing Garurumon. He fell, and landed lightly, somehow.

"Howling Blaster!" he cried, shooting blue-white energy that incapacitated each bird. Patamon and I continued to pick off high flyers.

"I wish you would unload, then I could help!" Kabuterimon shouted. I relayed this to Patamon, and we launched.

"Agumon, digivolve tooo..."

"Greymon!"

"Patamon, digivolve tooo..."

"Angemon!"

I landed heavily, and clumsily got to my feet. Angemon hovered.

"Nova Blast!"

"Hand of Fate!"

My attack exploded and knocked three or four birds out of the sky. Angemon caught two Fearow and they were recalled.

Very few Pokémon were left, until the next wave of trainer approached.

"Spearow!"

"Pidgey!"

"Farfetch'd!"

All these swarmed about, dive bombing Kabuterimon and Angemon.

"Electro Shatter!" Kabuterimon yelled, creating an electric field that paralyzed lots of them.

"Palmon, digivolve tooo..."

"Togemon! Togemon, digivolve tooo..."

"Lillymon!"

"Flower Cannon!"

"Hand of Fate!"

"Nova Blast!"

"Howling Blaster!"

"Electro Shatter!"

All of the Pokémon were eventually knocked out. I gratefully resumed my less energy-demanding form as Agumon. Kabuterimon, Lillymon, Garurumon, and Angemon followed suit.

Just then, a barrage of razor snowflakes shot over Tentomon, nearly snipping his wings. He fell, shocked.

"Snow Powder!" Jason cried, throwing a Pokéball. Seel emerged, and created a flurry of snow that made a soft landing for Tentomon.

"Mercury Bubbles Blast!" Neo Sailor Mercury cried, picking the absolute WORST time to attack.

"Eric, transform!" I yelled.

"I don't know how!" he said, frantically dodging the spherical projectiles.

"Pepper Breath!" My attempted counterattack failed miserably.

I saw Eric igniting his psychic aura.

"I think not! Mental Barrier!" Mercury laughed, making a pink flash. "Also, no Pokémon!" A blue energy ring locked Eric's Pokéballs.

"Uhhh...Blue Paladin Power Activate!" Eric said. Nothing. "Blue Paladin Power!" Zilch. "Blue Star Activate!"

This time, some definite action. Blue sparks gathered around Eric's hands, and spread around his body. His clothes mutated into a blue cloak, and the Sea Staff zapped into his hands.

"Blue Paladin Tidal Crash!" Mercury was knocked back.

"Mercury Ice Bubbles Freeze!" she countered. The bubbles had the razor snowflakes in them. Eric dove down to the ground.

"Shine Aqua Illusion!" Mercury said, making water spiral around her and gather around her hands. She swivelled and thrust out her arms, creating a rushing column that imprisoned Eric in a ice block.

"No! Poison Ivy!" Palmon shouted. She wrapped Mercury up. "Energy Suck!"

Mercury lost some blue lightning. The ice around Eric cracked without the force of her will.

"I'll be back!" she told us, pressing the sapphire on her tiara. She glowed blue, and vanished.

"Well, that was fun." Eric sighed, his cloak metamorphosing into regular clothes. "I think we should retire now."

I turned, and saw the eyes of everyone were on the Digimon. I blushed.

"Hi!" Tentomon waved.

"Uhh...maybe we should go now?" Jason suggested. Eric nodded, and we dashed out to the Center.

The humans deposited their Pokémon. I confronted Eric.

"How could you leave us?" I demanded.

"Uhh...I forgot?" he replied sheepishly.

"ARGH!"

"Hmmm...there's a Gym here...think we could go there and get the Glacier Badge?" Luke

asked.

"Great idea! Let's go." We marched out.

Eventually, we reached a pure white building that read: GYM.

"Simple, yet effective." Cory commented. The doors opened, and snowy wind blew us inside.

"Complicated, yet effective." Cory commented. A giant icicle impaled...the ground three inches from Cory's nose.

"Uhh..."

"WHO ARE YOU?!" a colossal voice echoed.

"Umm...challengers?"

"ONE POKéMON APIECE!"

"Okay...sure!" Eric agreed readily.

"YOU FIRST. CLOYSTER, ATTACK."

"Staryu, go!"

"SPIKE CANNON."

"Teleport, Double Team, and Thunderbolt." Eric commanded. Staryu instantaneously traveled around behind Cloyster, effectively dodging the attack, created a copy on the other side of the bivalve, and created twin electric storms that did the damage of one, because one was fake. Cloyster couldn't take it, and fainted.

"YOU'RE GOOD. WAIT. NEXT IS SHORT PERSON."

"Okay...Jason, you're up!"

"LAPRAS, ASSUME BATTLE POSITION."

"Uhh...Pikachu, Agility!"

Pikachu used, not only Agility, but Double Team as well, making a ring of Pikachu that occasionally Thundershocked Lapras.

"HYDRO PUMP." It missed, as it should.

"Thunder Crash, Pikachu." Jason ordered. Pikachu paused for a fraction of a second, and charged a lightning bolt that expanded into an electrical field. Lapras endured extreme shock for a fraction of a second, and fainted.

"Pikachu, return."

"LAPRAS, COME BACK. DEWGONG, YOU WILL FIGHT THE THIRD."

Jason retreated, and Luke stepped up.

"Clefairy, Metronome."

Clefairy Teleported away from a deadly Headbutt, and retaliated with Pray For Rain.

"NOOOOOO!" Jason screamed. Dewgong used Bubble Blast, and almost nailed Clefairy, who Teleported again.

"Metronome again!"

"Clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy, clefairy!" Clefairy chanted. It didn't stop, and eventually Dewgong was driven to the point of Rage. Luke consulted Dextra.

"Induced Rage: a move of the Normal type that drives the target slowly insane, and lowers the accuracy enough so that the target is instantaneously KO'd."

"DEWGONG, RETURN. JYNX, GO."

"Clefairy, return."

Cory stepped up. "Jolteon, Agility and Double Team, followed by Double Kick and Pin Missile."

Jolteon quickly and easily dispatched Jynx.

"JYNX, RETURN. I HAVE NONE LEFT. ALL OF YOU WIN."

"Well, that's good. What does the Glacier Badge teach?" Raimey inquired.

"Blizzard." a diminutive person said, stepping out of the shadows. He handed out badges shaped like snowflakes.

"What's with the voice?" I asked. He looked at me.

"I use it to intimidate challengers. It's recorded."

"Oh." They accepted their badges and left.

"All Pokémon except Butterfrell, come out." Eric said.

"Heya!"

"Blast!"

"ROAR!"

"Ril!"

Eric touched the Glacier Badge to all of them. They glowed blue-white, and learned Blizzard.

"Butterfrell, come out." Eric said. They emerged.

"Eric? Why do you have all of your Pokémon out?" I asked him.

"Because Gyarados won't obey otherwise." he answered tacitly.

"Oh."

We hung around Ivory City for a couple of days, staying at a hotel, because of the one day limit at the Center. Finally, the tournament day arrived.

"Welcome, all you trainers! Today is the big day! Please get your schedule at the front desk." the announcer cried. Eric got our schedules.

"Hmmm...looks like you're first, Cory. You have to fight a person named...Amy..."

"Oh, no! The Neo Sailor Scouts are in the tournament too!"