POKÉMON: CRYSTAL
(POCKET MONSTERS: HUNT FOR THE CRYSTAL MONSTERBALL!)

(Episode 3)
"Legend of the Crystal Pokéball"
(A Legendary Tale, Set Sights on Adventure!)

Written by TG

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Last Time on POKÉMON: CRYSTAL...

The children made a stop in Kero City, and its Pokémon Center. After a phone call home, the children stayed the night. They were unaware that a sinister plan was hatching, by a new team of villians. After stealing all of the sick and injured Pokémon they could, the villians revealed themselves as a new Team Rocket! Even with a new motto, though, our heroes sent the bad guys "blasting off" for their very first time. Well, there's a first time for everything! Now our heroes make their way to the coast, and even more adventure...

-=-=-=-=-

Tim and Beth traveled onward from Kero City, racing for the coast. It had been two days since their fateful battle with Team Rocket in the Kero City Pokémon Center. As the mid-day sun sat high in the sky, the siblings stopped in the shade to rest.

Beth leapt up and looked at the tall grass across the roadway. Tim continued to lay back against the tree, unawares. Beth slowly walked to the other side of the roadway. When the grass rustled, she jumped back.

Beth released her Pokémon.

"Me-owth?"

Beth pointed at the tall grasses, which rustled violently. She whispered, "Get ready to attack.."

Meowth nodded, and started to creep toward the grass.

The grass rustled some more, and Beth froze. She looked at Meowth and nodded.

Meowth leapt into tall grasses and the sounds of fighting ensued.

Tim leapt up and pulled out his Pokéball, "What's going on?"

Meowth then leapt out of the grass, and a form arose behind it.

The figure held its face and cried out, "Aaaahhhh......."

Beth and her Meowth readied for a battle.

"My face.... owww..."

Tim nearly dropped his Pokéball. "That's not a Pokémon..."

A man in a safari outfit stepped out of the grass. His brown hair showed some gray, and there were some lines under his eyes. He was still holding his face. "Of course I'm not a Pokémon!"

Beth pulled out her canteen and dashed some water on her handkerchief. "I'm really sorry sir, I thought you were a Pokémon.." She offered the wet cloth to the gentleman, who took it and placed it on his face.

The stranger sighed in relief, and then returned the hanky. "That's fine, thank you. I must say, your Meowth is powerful, Miss...?"

"Beth Satoshi, glad to meet you." Beth shook the stranger's hand, while Tim gave her a sideways look. She elbowed Tim, who shrugged.

"I'm Tim Satoshi." He looked at Beth, who smiled and nodded.

The stranger grinned, "Satoshi... of Terreth Town?" When the children nodded, the stranger laughed. "Maybe you've heard of me, then. My name is Professor Oak."

Beth looked curious.

Tim shrugged, "I've never heard of Professor Oak."

Prof. Oak and Beth both facefaulted.

Beth slapped Tim on the back of the head. "That's no way to treat a Pokémon Researcher."

Tim rubbed his head, "I'm sorry Professor Oak."

The Professor nodded. "It's alright, Tim." Oak started to walk down the roadway.

Beth grabbed her bag and started following, "So what brings you all this way from Pallet, Professor?"

Tim grabbed his bag and ran to catch up.

Oak smiled, "I'm afraid you have me confused with my father. I have my own Pokémon Research Center now, located in Dauphin City."

"Dauphin City's on the coast, which is where we're headed!" Beth looked eagerly down the road.

"If we hurry, we can be there by nightfall. There's a Pokémon Center that you can stay at. In the morning, you should come to my Research Center. I'm in need of a pair of good Pokémon Trainers."

-=-=-=-=-

The Terreth Forest grew very close to the coast in several areas. One of those areas was home to a large, gray complex, with a high fence. Along the fence were signs that read, "KEEP OUT - HIGH VOLTAGE." A red "R" topped the gate into the complex.

"Shut up! I don't wanna hear another word!" A large man in a lab coat and wire-rim glasses slammed down a stack of file folders. He had a light complexion and raven-black hair, lightly peppered with gray.

Annie and Leigh flinched and sweatdropped. Both were seated in a large, sparsely-decorated office. Where a wall wasn't filled with a bookcase and stacks of books, large filing cabinets took up residence. Pikachu sat on the back of Leigh's chair.

The man sat down at his desk and tapped a few keys on his desktop computer. "I told you two that you were forbidden from attacking any local Trainers. I never even imagined you two'd try to raid a Pokémon Center!"

The two Rockets sagged. Pikachu snickered, then stopped when the man slammed his fist down.

"You have no room to laugh! You were the one that allowed them to carry out this insanity." The man sighed and tapped some more at his computer.

Annie elbowed Leigh, who stood up. "But Geo, it was-"

"I TOLD YOU NOT TO USE THAT NAME." Geo stood up, which caused Leigh to immediately sit down. "You're to address me as Boss."

Annie stood up nervously. "But we're..." She quickly shut her mouth and sat when her eyes made contact with Geo's.

Pikachu smirked.

Geo... the Boss slammed his fists down on the desk, "I don't care! I'm your superior! From now on you're to stop this careless disregard for Team Rocket's protocols!" He pointed at the smirking Pokémon, "And YOU... You're to keep an eye on these two dim-wits, and make sure they don't do anything else stupid!"

Pikachu sweatdropped. "Pika-Pik.."

The Boss sat back down with a sigh, and typed at his computer some more. "If I didn't need a Team so well trained, I'd have the lot of you booted all the way back to Viridian City."

Annie and Leigh leapt up and hugged each other, "You mean we're still on the Team??"

The Boss nodded reluctantly. "I need you to head for Dauphin City." He got up and headed to the door, leaving the office. The Rockets jumped up and followed him out into a huge laboratory, partitioned into several smaller units. He stopped at a large metal door and tapped a combination into a keypad adjacent it. It slowly opened into a long corridor.

Annie peered inside. "G..er, Boss, what's in there?"

"Dangerous specimens." The Boss stepped past the bulkhead and started walking down the dim corridor. It was cold and quiet.

Annie, Leigh, and Pikachu looked at each other wearily, then stepped in gingerly and caught up with the Boss. They almost ran into him, when he suddenly stopped at a glass wall, which possessed a faint blue glow. The room beyond was pitch black, yet appeared smoky. Sitting cross-legged on a stack of pillows was an Alakazam, facing towards the glass wall. Its eyes were closed, and the twin spoons in its hands glowed a dark-blue.

The Boss looked back at the Rockets in anger. He whispered, "Be quiet, fools. If you break Alakazam's concentration, we'll be in grave danger from the creature inside."

Annie clasped her hand over Leigh's mouth and whispered, "What's in there, Mewtwo?"

The Boss stuck both his hands in his lab coat pockets and turned to the glass in silence.

Pikachu wandered over to the glass and peered inside.

Leigh began to flail about, and Annie herself could barely contain her fright to a whisper. "But I thought Mewtwo was the most dangerous Pokémon in the world! It almost killed-"

The Boss slapped his hand over Annie's mouth. "That was the result of poor planning. That is why I need you, Leigh, and Pikachu." He quickly grabbed Annie's arm and dragged the pair back to the door. Pikachu bounded out before the steel door slammed shut, looking up at the Boss in anger.

Leigh slapped his hand over Annie's mouth. "What do you expect us to do, Boss?"

Annie ripped Leigh's hand off her mouth and smacked him, causing him to fall down. "And does it involve anything despicable?"

The Boss walked into one of the labs, where an array of Team Rocket technology was being developed. On a wall was a large screen and several large boxes with blinking lights. The Boss stopped at a keyboard beneath the screen and tapped a few keys. A window popped open on the screen, with a graphic of Mewtwo. Several mini-windows popped up with stats and other information.

"Mewtwo was an attempt by Team Rocket to craft the perfect Pokémon. What came out of that experiment was an overpowered monster that turned on us at the first opportunity. But Team Rocket scientists have found some chinks in Mewtwo's abilities. One of these chinks is the ability to contain it within fortified psychic confinement fields. The second chink is an artifact."

He typed a few more commands, and the windows with Mewtwo closed. Another set of windows popped open, with a graphic of a Pokéball. This Pokéball was made of a crystalline substance. The top and bottom were faintly tinted, matching the colors of a standard Pokéball. The dimensions, though, were much larger, nearly twelve centimeters in diameter.

"This is the Pokéball Krystallos. It predates the fall of Pokémopolis. Legend has it, that it was formed from the tears of a Mew. This is pretty strange, since none of the ancient texts Team Rocket acquired have a Mew in them. We can't even discern who created the Pokéball. The Pokéball Krystallos is told to have the power to capture any Pokémon, regardless of its current health or fighting ability. He who holds the Pokéball, has full command over the captured Pokémon."

Pikachu looked up at Annie and Leigh, whose mouths were hanging open. It was Annie who spoke up first. "This is in Dauphin City?"

The Boss angrily slapped the keyboard, which caused all the windows to vanish. A window popped up with a picture of a light-gray building. "This is the Pokémon Research Center, run by Professor Oak. It's located on the south side of Dauphin City. During the fall of Pokémopolis, the Pokéball Krystallos was shattered, and the pieces disappeared. This Professor Oak quite recently came into possession of a piece, along with some kind of map. I want both these items."

Leigh leapt up and down. "Goody, goody, we get to break in!"

Annie slapped Leigh into the floor, and flipped her hair back. "Don't look so eager, Leigh. We haven't heard the whole story, yet."

The Boss put both his hands behind his back. "Perhaps I underestimated your deductive reasoning, little sister. You're correct, there's more."

Leigh stuck out his tongue at Annie, who just rolled her eyes in disgust. Pikachu, meanwhile, had climbed onto a counter, and was looking at a collar. The collar looked very similar to the one Pikachu was wearing. Beside it were two equipment cases.

The Boss walked over to the table Pikachu was on. "I see you've found your upgraded collar, Pik."

Pikachu picked up the collar and switched it with his older model. It modeled the collar, as Annie and Leigh smiled and clapped.

The Boss rolled his eyes. "The improved collar has a better comm system, with a greater range. The onboard computer is much more intelligent. Each equipment case contains an expandable multi-ammo cannons and several ammo types. There is also a tool kit and a portable computer capable of walking any idiot through field construction & repair of any Team Rocket equipment."

Annie and Leigh grinned, "Thanks Boss!" Both snatched an equipment case and started to walk out of the lab. Pikachu stopped and looked at the Boss.

The Boss leaned down to Pikachu. "I have a few extras in that collar to tell you about..."

-=-=-=-=-

The morning sun shined over Dauphin Beach, and the city that was named after it. Dauphin City was a city of shiny, glass and steel skyscrapers. The Pokémon Center was a domed building that looked to be formed completely of red- and white-tinted glass. Beth and Tim waved good-bye to Nurse Joy as they set off for the south side of the city, and Professor Oak's Pokémon Research Center.

Beth smiled back at Tim as she walked. "That Nurse Joy was nice. She makes great tea."

Tim examined his Pokédex and shrugged. "I thought all Nurse Joys were the same."

Beth sighed. "You need some manners..."

A few hours later, the siblings had reached a three-story, light-gray building. A low fence guarded the front, and extended east towards the Terreth Forest and west to the beach. A few moments after arriving at the fence, it buzzed and opened wide. The children walked in and down the small path to the double-door entrance. The doors opened wide to Professor Oak. The Professor was now attired in a lab coat instead of his safari gear.

Oak motioned them in, "Come in Beth, Tim."

The children walked in, "Thanks Professor."

Oak escorted them through the Research Center. "I'm really glad you came. I'm not as young as I used to be, and I can't afford to leave the Research Center for very long."

Tim looked confused. "Are we going somewhere?" Beth elbowed him, but he pushed her away.

"I have a problem that I need you and Beth's help with." Oak swiped a small card, and a door opened into a smaller lab. The lab was small, and the outer wall and roof of the lab were constructed like a greenhouse. A single table sat in the center of the room, holding stacks of books. At the far end of the lab was a domed contraption with a glass shield. Oak walked the children to the glass of the contraption. "This is what I've worked half of my life to find. This is a piece of the Pokéball Krystallos."

Tim peered into the glass contraption, and saw a piece of red-tinted crystal. It was lying in a small frame, from which a hologram of the remainder of the Pokéball was projected. "What's a Pokéball Kristalos?"

Oak walked over to a large, open book. "Well, the Pokéball Krystallos is..."

-=-=-=-=-

Beth sweatdropped.

Tim sighed. "I think my brain is gonna explode."

Professor Oak pulled out an ornate glass tube. "There's more..."

Beth facefaulted. "More!?"

Oak nodded, and pulled a rolled-up parchment out of the glass tube. He laid it on the table, revealing a rough map, with ancient writing. "Pokéarchologists discovered this map in the ruins. I've been working on translating it, and believe it reveals the locations of the other pieces of the Pokéball Krystallos."

There was a laugh from above, "We'll help find the pieces... for ourselves!" The glass roof of the lab shattered, causing the three occupants to cry out and cover themselves. Three ropes flew through the hole from the helicopter above.

Annie slowly slid down the rope with one hand, "Prepare for trouble..."

Leigh slid down the rope next to her, "And make it double..."

Annie landed on top of the book stack, "To protect the world from desolation..."

Leigh landed on the book stack next to her, "To unite the peoples of every nation..."

Annie leapt down to the floor on one side of the table, "To renounce the evils of peace and love..."

Leigh leapt down to the floor on the other side of the table, "To extend our reach to the moon above..."

"Annie..."

"Leigh..."

Annie pulled out her cannon, "Team Rocket lifts off at the speed of thought..."

Leigh pulled out his, "Give us the Pokéball, or prepare to be shot!"

Pikachu slid down the third rope, landing in front of them and grinning, "Pi-ka Pik!"

Beth and Tim scowled, "Those thieves!"

Annie and Leigh returned the scowl, "Those twirps!"

Oak looked down in shock, "Pik!"

Pikachu looked confused, "Pika-Pik?"

Annie and Leigh looked down at Pikachu, "You know this guy?"

Beth and Tim looked up at Oak, "You know that Pikachu?"

Pikachu smacked Leigh's knee, causing him to fire into the contraption. The room exploded in choking smoke and flames. The cool flames quickly died off, leaving a haze.

"Annie?"

"Tim?"

"Beth?"

"Professor Oak?"

"Leigh?"

"Pik?"

*CLICK-WRRRR*

"Pika-Pika?"

*CRASH*

"What was that?"

Slowly the smoke cleared. The lab was a disaster. Books were scattered everywhere, and the table was smashed in. The contraption was also smashed. Professor Oak looked around, "Where's the Pokéball piece?"

Annie laughed, "Where it belongs."

Pikachu gripped the piece tightly in its paws, grinning.

"But we've got the map." Beth smiled, the rolled-up map in her hands.

Annie pulled out her cannon and aimed it at Beth. "Hand over the map, little girl, and nobody'll get hurt.."

Beth growled, "I am NOT a little girl, you old hag.."

Leigh facefaulted. "Uh oh, you've done it now..."

Annie's mouth dropped... "Old.." Her left eyebrow started to twitch. "HOW DARE YOU CALL ME A HAG! PREPARE TO BE IN DOUBLE THE TROUBLE!!" She aimed the cannon.

"You can't hurt my sister!" Tim dived at Annie, hitting her. Annie fell backwards against Leigh, and the cannon went off. Everybody watched as the shell struck the helicopter, exploding. The helicopter started to swerve back and forth, the three lines beginning to be pulled up.

Leigh flailed about and pointed, "Our ride is leaving without us!!"

Annie threw the cannon down. "Quick, grab the ropes!"

Oak bent down, looking at Pikachu, "You can't leave yet..."

Pikachu pulled a pellet from its collar and threw it down, causing smoke to fill the lab.

Annie and Leigh laughed, as they and Pikachu were pulled up and out. "See you later, twirps. Thanks for the help." They boarded the helicopter and started to fly off.

Tim picked up the cannon, "Not so fast.."

Beth tried to grab it away, "No, Tim, don't!"

The cannon fired. The shell sped towards the helicopter.

Leigh looked over, "Uh, Annie?"

Annie continued pulling back on the stick, gaining altitude. "Yes, Leigh?"

Leigh pointed at the incoming shell, "I think our trouble.."

Annie looked and her mouth dropped open, "...is about to be double!!"

Pikachu sighed. "Pika..."

The helicopter shuddered from the explosion and started to bellow smoke. It slowly was losing altitude, heading north away from the Research Center. Annie slammed her fist down on the equipment, causing it to spark. "That lil' twirp SHOT us!"

Leigh whined, "Looks like Team Rocket is sputtering off again..."

-=-=-=-=-

Beth sighed and looked back inside the destroyed lab. "I'm sorry those thieves stole the Pokéball piece, Professor. At least they didn't get the map."

Tim looked suspiciously at the Professor, "What I wanna know is how you knew that Pikachu?"

Oak looked saddened. "That Pikachu used to belong to a friend. An old friend."

Tim nodded. "Well, since we got the map, I guess the next move is ours."

Beth grinned. "I can't wait to get started!"

Professor Oak started to lead them back through the Research Center. "I should probably speak with your parents before you go, so they understand the gravity of the situation." Both children nodded.

Beth unfurled the map and looked at it. "Pokéball Krystallos, we're gonna find you.."

-=-=-=-=-

Next Time on POKÉMON: CRYSTAL...

Beth and Tim are in trouble! They must come home immediately, and give up their adventure before it's even begun. Professor Oak will arrange one last chance to help the cause of Pokémon, but there's always a problem, namely Team Rocket! It's another fight to finish, on Episode 4 of POKÉMON: CRYSTAL...

"Runaround Rivalry"

Beth: "Good, I'm ready for Round Two!"
Tim: "It must be a girl thing..."

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Pokémon and certain characters are , ®, or © Nintendo and are used without permission.
"Pokémon: Crystal" serial fanfiction & concept © 2000 Brightblade Productions