Chapter seven

Ricki gave Nurse Joy her Pokemon,

"Can you heal Pichu and my other Pokemon?"

"Yes ma'am, it must be hard huh?"

"Um?"

"To be famous, your fathers the master, and you've been on television many times huh?"

"Yeah…"

"It seems like only yesterday, your father beat Lance the dragon master for his title, interestingly, no one has seen Lance since, some say that he's training far away over in blackthorn with Clair"

"I've heard about that, thanks"

Ricki took a seat on a bench and pulled out an issue of Gamepro and read a little. She put her magazine back and heard an elevator tune and knew her Pokemon were ready. She got back her Pokemon and began towards the gym when a trainer bumped into her, Kino.

"Kino?!"

"Ricki, I haven't seen you in awhile, what's up?"

"The sky" Ricki said rolling her eyes.

"Cute, anyways, how about a battle?"

Ricki looked at her watch and shook her head,

"Sorry but I can't I'm on my way to the gym to get my first badge"

"Oh, I got my badge earlier there, the gym leaders pretty tough unless you got a grass or water type"

"Then I'm good, I'll see ya around!"

Kino waved good-bye as Ricki raced towards the gym. It was a large building built from stones and bricks so carefully cut. Ricki glanced nervously at Pichu,

"Maybe…no hard feelings?"

Pichu did nothing and Ricki walked in and was greeted by a man with black glasses and an oversize trench coat,

"Hello your Ricki Ketchum right?"

"Yes, I have a battle"

"This way" The man said leading Ricki down the hall to a room covered in darkness.

The man turned on a light switch and Gabby and her father looked at Ricki,

"Ricki Ketchum, the pasts of our families will not interfere in this battle, this battle will be a two on two Pokemon battle, agreed?"

Ricki nodded and Gabby's father threw out his first Pokemon,

"Go Geodude!"

"Chikorita I choose you!"

"A wise choice, wiser than the move your father played, Geodude use magnitude!"

Geodude slammed his fist into the ground and the ground violently shook,

"Chikorita jump up quickly!"

Chikorita managed to leap out of the way and landed on the ground gently and plowed into Geodude,

"Not bad Ricki, now Geodude, use a tackle!"

Geodude tackled hard in Chikorita was sent skidding across the ground into mound of dirt placed on the field. Chikorita shook off the dirt but soon Geodude rammed her once again. The gym leader had begun to laugh to himself,

"It was wise to use a grass type, but water types are far better, grass only works if it is used in age formation. Water works quickly, rock types are pretty strong against Grass types."

Ricki slowly grinned,

"Now Chikorita! Use leech seed!"

Geodude was coming in for a final blow when Chikorita rammed a leech seed into Geodude. Vines emitted from the two seeds covering Geodude, you slowly began losing power and drifted along in the air, getting slower and lower,

"Now Chikorita! Use a vine whip to finish off Geodude!"

Chikorita rammed its vines into Geodude who collapsed and the leech seed lost its grip and toppled to the ground in a heap. Ricki smiled and congratulated Chikorita when the gym leader began laughing,

"This is far from over Ricki, Geodude, use a rock throw now!"

Chikorita turned around and was whacked hard by Geodude and collapsed into the ground. Chikorita had begun panting and Ricki recalled Chikorita,

"Good job, you did very well"

"What Pokemon will you use next?"

Ricki carefully thought over her two Pokemon that she had, Scyther and Pichu. Scyther's weak against rock types, he won't last long enough…. Pichu's attacks with hardly affect Geodude, and who knows what Pokemon the gym leader will pull out next? Ricki debated with herself before turning to Pichu,

"What do you think?"

"PI……chu…"

"You don't know either? I don't want to injury you or Scyther in an impossible battle…but the only other thing is forfeiting…Chikorita is out cold…"

"Well Ricki, is it a forfeit?"

Ricki shook her head and turned to Pichu,

"I chose Pichu, not matter what the odds, and we won't go down without a fight!"

Pichu bounded onto the field as the gym leader chuckled,

"Whatever…Geodude use rock throw!"

"Your geodude's already too weak, Pichu use a quick attack, counter Geodude with your speed!"

"Not so fast Ricki, Geodude slam your fist down on Pichu!"

Geodude began slamming its fists into the ground countually until it became frustrated and quit,

"Geodude…."

"Now Pichu, use your spark attack!"

Pichu appeared clearly in front of Geodude and sent a shock of electricity through Geodude who collapsed onto the ground with a thud. The gym leader recalled his Pokemon,

"Never well done, but are you ready for this?" The gym leader held up a blue colored Pok'eball and released the Pokemon, a Whopper.

Ricki nodded slowly and turned to Pichu, who was still about to explode with energy,

"Whopper is a water and ground type, a grass Pokemon is the only type which has great effect against it…but Chikorita can't battle anymore…"

"Very good, you've been doing research, impressive, so you know that electric type attacks are no good against Whooper?"

Ricki nodded and turned to Pichu,

"Listen, use you speed since Whooper's a bit slow, then attack it when its down, and we'll win"

Pichu understood and began racing around Whooper,

"Alright Whooper, you've trained for this, now use whirlpool!"

"Pichu get out of there!"

Pichu was unable to dodge the large mass of water and was swept up. Ricki looked at Whooper and noticed that water was still emitting from Whooper's mouth, making it a very easy target for a electric attack,

"Pichu give the water a super jolt!"

The gym leader seemed taken,

"Whooper stop it immediately----"

It was too late as a large voltage of electricity spiked through Whoppers body. Whooper collapsed on the spot and the gym leader recalled his Whooper. Ricki picked up Pichu and gave her a huge before Pichu climbed back onto Ricki's shoulder as the gym leader shook Ricki's hand,

"A great and honorable battle Ms. Ketchum, I can't believe what a foolish mistake I made with whooper, and to think you defeated me with a Pichu…I think you have a great future ahead of you, just like your father"

Ricki nodded,

"He's a good man…"

The gym leader placed a badge with a boulder into her hand and Ricki pinned it inside a wallet and stuck it into her pack,

"Thank you again, where's Gabby?"

"Oh, she said that she had something for you…"

"Oh"

"So, how's your father?"

"He's very well, he's the world champ"

"Good, I'll glad, a few decades ago things would've been different, and he'd have been an emotional wreck"

"I know…it sounds so obscure about Brock's death, has he come to you all in ghost form since?"

"…I can't really say, it hasn't been in recent years…last time was about seven years ago, why do you ask?"

"Oh nothing…I just was curious…" Ricki lied remembering her own experience only a little more than a week ago. The gym leader glanced at Ricki, he knows I'm lying, Rick thought to herself.

"Whoops! I feel like the rudest man alive, I haven't even given you my name, I'm Lao"

"Pleased to meet you" Ricki said chuckling.

"You'll have to excuse me…I can be very forgetful about the simplest of things, no common sense is what my dad would say"

Ricki noticed that Gabby ran by and stopped at Lao's side,

"Thanks for waiting, here, I want you to take this"

Ricki took a well-wrapped present from Gabby and opened it carefully not to destroy the well-down wrappings. Inside was a scarf, and a pokeball attached to a chain. Ricki took the scarf and realized it was a Pokemon scarf,

"Gabby, thank you so much!" Ricki gave Gabby a hug and Gabby nodded,

"I can't thank you enough for helping me get back home, I'm the kind of person who doesn't like to be alone, is nice to have someone with you"

Ricki nodded and put the necklace with the pokeball around her neck,

"How does it work?"

"There's a chain in the back of the pokeball, you can't transfer current pokeballs with it, but you can use it to capture other Pokemon, you don't have to use it"

"I'll just wear it, but I love it and the scarf"

"Thanks again Ricki, so where are you heading next?"

"I'm going to do a little shopping around, then I'm heading to the Pokemon center and hopefully tomorrow I'll start towards Mt. Moon."

"Mt. Moon's a mysterious place, lots of Clefairy live there, Gabby said she'd be heading up there in a week to do some training with her cousin Molly, maybe you two will meet on the way."

"That'd be great…I guess I have to go…I want to get my shopping done today, thank you both for everything"

Ricki walked outside and breathed in the afternoon air and looked at her watch, it was already 4:00 p.m and most shops closed at around 6:00-8:00. Ricki noticed a small Pokemon mart and walked in. An older man greeted her and Ricki studied the latest in Pokemon gear,

"Can I help you with anything ma'am?"

"No thanks, I'm just looking around"

"If you need anything I'm just sitting at the counter"

Ricki nodded and looked around and saw many boxes and bottles containing healing of status ailments and things used to recover health. She was still pretty well stocked except for awakening drinks. She picked up three bottles, (bottles can be used many times each before they're used up) and proceeded to the counter and purchased her things and walked back out into the street.

After browsing more shops Ricki returned to the Pokemon center with three bottles of awakening, two Terri Blackstock books and a sketchpad. Ricki looked at the time and walked up to nurse joy,

"Hello, do you have anymore rooms available?"

"Don't worry, we're got a few, take the first one on your left"

Ricki thanked her and collapsed onto the bed in her room and released her Pokemon. She went to the cafeteria and got a pizza and soon her and her Pokemon had wolfed it down and they got ready for bed. Ricki read a little in her new book, [u]Word Of Honor[/u] before falling asleep.

The next morning Ricki recalled Scyther and Chikorita and had them healed before beginning the road to Mt. Moon. Ricki took in the fresh morning air as she gaped at the road ahead. It was a worn, winding dirt road that seemed to ride right through a large cave, Mt. Moon. Ricki turned to Pichu,

"I've been really thinking lately, dad met Brock back in Pewter, I'm still a little freaked out that he visited me…and why me? Why doesn't he visit his family…I mean…. what keeps him attached so much to this world?"

Pichu shrugged and Ricki laughed,

"I wish I could understand what your saying…."

Pichu laughed to herself and Ricki looked up at the still long trail in front of her,

"I really like this fresh morning air, right after it rained…it has a sort of mystery to it…don't you think?"

Pichu nodded and Ricki smiled,

"We're alike in so many ways…its almost frightening…"

Pichu suddenly perked up her ears and hopped of Ricki's shoulder and headed into some bushes and began sniffing around them. Two small pink hands suddenly bolted out from the bushes and grabbed Pichu and she screamed. Ricki raced over to the bushes and felt around for Pichu but couldn't find her and pulled out her hands to see that they were cut and bleeding, it was a thorn bush. Ricki noticed a Clefairy carrying Pichu down the road and Ricki threw out her two Pokemon,

"Hurry, Clefairy is getting away with Pichu. Scyther and Chikorita fell over with laughter at the sight and Ricki retained a straight face despite the sight of things. Scyther and Chikorita raced over to Clefairy and carried her over to Ricki who looked down at Clefairy and took back Pichu,

"Thanks…Pichu didn't need to be carried though…"

Clefairy raced off towards Mt. Moon and Ricki followed her up to Mt. Moon. By the time she had gotten there she had to stop and rest and was unable to find the Clefairy. Pichu slid back down to the ground and looked around and shrugged,

"I wonder what was wrong with Clefairy?"

Pichu shrugged again and began inside Mt. Moon, where a tour group was heading inside one way and another way was blocked off. Ricki and Pichu spotted Clefairy heading in and crossed the yellow lines and walked inside the blocked off area and looked around, it was pitch black. Ricki felt along the gave wall and felt a light switch and flicked it on and looked around. Dozens of Pokemon were in the room, all of them Clefairy. They stopped at looked at Ricki before the group circling a stone pillar moved away and Ricki was able to see what was in the center, an injured Houndour. Ricki walked up to it and noticed it was the rough Hounour form before and noticed its leg was beaten badly. Ricki let her hand fall on Houndour, who opened his red eyes and glared at Ricki,

"What'd are you doing here?!"

"I'm here to help you…your hurt…what happened?"

Hounour turned away from Ricki an she tended to his wound and bandaged it up. Houndour licked the spot before turning away in haste,

"You could've just left me ya' know?"

"I'm tired of guessing…what's wrong…"

Houndour turned away again,

"I don't want to talk about it…it's none of your business."

Ricki shrugged and turned to the clefairies who had began dancing around the stone pillar that Houndour was lying on. Ricki turned back to Houndour who hopped up and walked through a gap the clefairy's had created and walked out into the night air. Ricki walked outside and was surprised and how late it was becoming already. Houndour limped up to the edge of a rock and looked off towards the moon in the distance, it was so close…and yet so far. Ricki took a seat next to Houndour and let her legs dangle over the edge,

"Tell me…what happened"

Houndour seemed to be irritated by the question and turned his head, saying nothing. Ricki sighed and looked at the moon when Houndour spoke,

"You really won't get off my case until I tell you will you?"

Ricki looked at Houndour who was still looking towards the moon,

"It's not that…."

"I don't pour out my feelings to anyone, so don't think I'll tell you either"

Ricki looked sadly at Houndour who looked at her and snorted,

"So ask why don't you, when you stare you give me the creeps"

"Alright, I won't say anything else," Ricki said beginning back into the cave.

Houndour suddenly spoke out,

"It's funny how my life started out…"

Ricki returned to her spot and sat down as Houndour began his tale.

"It's funny how it happened. The very first thing I remember is waking up to a bright summer day and playing with my four brothers and two sisters. My mom and dad were very well respected in our little community, as they were owned by two wealthy business owners. We were served milk and tea, the luxuries that only the rich can afford. The people were nice too; despite being a kid they treated me as an adult. My life was perfect…until my 5th birthday…you probably know that some Pokemon age the same way and some a different way that humans…as a Houndour I age faster, so when I was five, that's about fifteen in human years. So that was my brothers and sisters, all of us were nearing adulthood…. but that all changed when they came that night."

Houndour stopped briefly and looked at Ricki, she was paying full attention. Houndour countiued his story,

"Well, they were Pokemon thieves, they captured my whole family, all but be…they said I was too small and weak and threw me to the side, injuring me badly. I was unable to stop them and I'll never forget the look on my mothers face…as she was helpless and captured…too weak to escape. I ran after them soon after, but I never saw them or my family again. While crying a giant Houndoom picked me up and carried me to a group of tough Houndoom, they had me doing all their work, and taught me how to speak human as I am now…"

Houndour stopped and didn't seem to want to revel anyone of his past, but Ricki blurted out,

"So, why are you injured?"

"I knew you'd ask…well…they wanted me to evolve and become stronger…sure they acted nice and did good deeds…but really all they craved was power. I caught onto them and threatened to report me…they tried to kill me and almost did when a group of Clefairy showed up they helped me, then you showed up and you know the rest"

Ricki put her arms around Houndour and hugged him,

"Oh Houndour…."

Houndour squirmed away and barked at her,

"Don't you dare, leave me alone, why'd I tell you anything?!" With that Houndour jumped down the ledge and raced back through the forest. Ricki let out a sigh and headed back into the cave where the Clefairy and Clefable were all asleep. Ricki grabbed her bags and said good-bye to each indivual Clefairy and jumped back across the ropes blocking the entrance and noticed another tour group going through the cave. She joined them and followed them deep into the cave.

"To your left is a site where fossils have been found of Kabuto and other prehistoric Pokemon"

Ricki yawned to herself and looked at her watch, it was only 9:00 p.m and it was pitch black outside. Ricki's tour group moved slowly through the winding paths of Mt. Moon until they came to a stop at an area of tents,

"Alright folks, its impossible to cross Mt. Moon in a day, so rest up and tomorrow we'll finish, we just got another five miles to go."

The group groaned and each person and family found a tent. Ricki selected a blue one and let out Scyther and Chikorita and got some food that had been prepared by the cooks on the group. Ricki listened to campfire songs and stuffed herself with soup and bread along with her Pokemon before heading into her tent and falling fast asleep.