Universe Travels

Chapter 2

Erika stared at the seal that was flapping around and sniffing at the computers. She looked over at Akira who was trying to calm a horse that was pacing around in the corner and snorting.

"This is not working quite as well as planned." Erika started typing things into the computer. "I think we need to find a different world to try capturing Pokemon from."

"HEY! Come back here!" shouted Meowth, as a Tiger walked by the door. Meowth went running after it.

"Can the computer be changed to do different worlds?"

"Yes. That's they whole idea behind it."

"Help!" James went running down the hall in the other direction, followed by a barking dog.

Erika rolled her eyes.

"Aaaaah!" Meowth came running back down the hall, the tiger bounding after him.

Erika shook her head and turned back to the computer, "Now, if we adjust this…"

"Stop! Watch out!"

Crash! Bang! Thud.

"Ouch! Hey!"

A loud trumpeting echoed down the hall.

"Aaaaaaaah!" Jessie, James, Meowth and the dog and tiger all fled down the hall as an elephant charged after them.

"Shadow!" Heather called after her dog as he bounded ahead. Shadow stopped and waited for Heather to catch up.

"Good boy." Heather stroked Shadow's head. She looked down the hill that they had just climbed and saw a crowded town below. The streets were packed with people. There were also tents set up just outside the town.

"Wonder what's going on? Looks almost like a fair of some sort." Heather started down the hill and Shadow quickly trotted past her.

A sign at the entrance to the town said "Cherry Tree Town" (though technically a wooden sign can't "say" anything vocally). Nailed onto the wooden fence surrounding the town was a poster. On the poster was a picture of seven samurai warriors, each riding on a Rapidash. The one in the center was rearing while its rider held a long katana up in the air. Written in big golden letters was "Welcome to the 36th annual reenactment of the Battle of Burning Hill. 136 years ago seven warriors and seven rapidash defeated the Dead Forest Army and saved Cherry Tree Village. Come experience the excitement of a lifetime!"

"Excitement of a lifetime, huh? Some how I doubt it compares to getting dragged out of your own world. But I'm here, might as well check it out. Come on Shadow."

Heather looked around at the many ancient buildings and people dressed in garb similar to that of feudal Japan. Must be a historical monument or something. The were also quite a few people dressed in modern day style. Tourists?

No cars or other motorized vehicles seemed to be around, instead Heather saw wagons pulled by either Tauros or Ponyta/Rapidash.

There was a building that still had a style similar to the older ones around it, but was for the most part larger and was definitely newer looking. It had several signs including a Poke-center sign, and another for a Poke-mart.

At the far edge of the town was a corral which held about twenty ponytas and rapidashes. Beyond it a huge crowd had gathered. Heather was about to join the crowd when Shadow barked and took off.

"Shadow!" Heather ran after him.

Shadow streaked down an ally way chasing a flash of yellow.

"Shadow! Shadow come!" Heather hollered, but Shadow ran on.

"Oh, just great." Heather grumbled and sprinted after Shadow and the yellow streak. That looks kind of like a Pikachu.

Shadow finally stopped and placed his paws on a tree and barked up at the branches. Heather stopped running and stood huffing. She looked up at the tree top and sure enough, a Pikachu sat on a branch.

"Hey there, sorry about that." Heather said.

"Pikachu!" A black haired teenage boy came running into view, followed by three other teenagers. One was a girl with red hair, and the other two were boys, one with green hair the other brown.

No way! "Oh, this just too weird," muttered Heather.

"What is that?" the red haired girl pointed at Shadow.

The black haired boy pulled out a poke-dex.

"No information is available on this species."

"Huh, that's odd. Why doesn't it know anything?" asked the green haired boy, examining the poke-dex screen.

"What do you think Brock?" asked the black haired boy, "Uh… Brock?"

"I think I'm in love…"

"Oh, not again," said the red haired girl.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu.

"Oh yeah! Hang on Pikachu, I'll get you down."

"Sorry about that Ash, Shadow likes to chase anything that moves fast." Heather grabbed Shadow by the collar and pulled him away from the tree.

"How do you know my name?" asked Ash Ketchem.

"… Well, you're pretty famous in the area where I come from."

"And where is that?" asked the red haired girl.

"Katafox. And I think I know of the rest of you as well. You're Misty." Heather then turned to the brown haired boy, "you're Brock."

"Oh wow! She knows my name!"

"And you're Tracy." Heather pointed to the green haired boy.

"That's right," Tracy nodded as he got out a sketch pad. "I want to sketch that Pokemon. I've never seen anything like it before."

"His name is Shadow."

Meanwhile, Ash had been attempting to climb up the tree but he kept sliding back down.

"Chickorita go!" Ash pulled out a poke-ball. A Chickorita appeared.

"Chickorita, Pikachu needs help. Use your vine whip!"

Chikorita shot out a vine, grabbed Pikachu and brought him safely down to the ground. Shadow sniffed at Pikachu who leapt behind Ash.

"Oh, this Shadow's so cute," cried Misty held out her hand to Shadow, who licked it.

"I guess he is kind of cute," Ash reached out to pat Shadow, but he barked and ducked behind Heather.

"Ash, you scared him," scolded Misty.

Tracy looked up towards the hills.

"Hey guys, we'd better hurry or we'll miss the start of the reenactment."

At the bottom of the hill, in front of the village, were seven warriors mounted on Rapidash.

At the top of the hill was something like fifty ponyta and riders. In front of them were three warriors mounted on Rapidash, the center one bearing a flag with an Arcanine pictured on it.

One of the warriors to the side raised a horn to his mouth and blew. The sound reverberated around the hill. The flag bearing Rapidash reared and let out shrill whinny. The Rapidash charged down the hill, followed by the Ponyta.

The seven warriors at the base of the hill split up, three going to the right, three to the left and one remained in the center. The two sides thundered towards each other.

"Niiiiiiiiiaaaa!" a ponyta skidded and leapt to a halt. Its rider went flying over its head. Suddenly ponyta were running madly, in all directions, some leaping, others rearing, others jumping and shoving. Riders struggle to stay on, but many hit the ground.

Some riders were able to keep their ponyta running in the right direction, but they had to jump over downed riders and fallen pokemon. The Rapidash riders all brought their mounts to a halt, looking around in confusion.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!" A smallish yellow creature was running in front of the ponyta still charging down the hill.

"What is that!?" exclaimed Misty.

Brock held up a pair of binoculars and peered through them. "I'm not sure, I've never seen anything like it before."

"May I see?" asked Heather.

"Of course!" Brock immediately handed her the binoculars. Heather looked through them, trying to locate the yellow thing.

"Oh my word… Is that really a Fraggle?"

"A what?" asked Ash and Tracy.

"I think it is! And it looks like Wembly. But man, he's going to get trampled at that rate."

The yellow Fraggle dived under a log as the ponyta jumped over it.

"STOP!" hollered on of the samurai riders, but no one could control the mass of confusion.

"Let's use this!" called another Samurai, nudging his rapidash towards the oncoming ponyta. And so the Seven Rapidash riding Samurai "fought" the invading army and chased them away.

The hill was mostly empty, with the exception of riders gingerly picking themselves off the ground and a few ponyta still grazed and wandered around. Heather started towards the log that lay on the hill. Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracy followed, Pikachu riding on Ash's head, while Shadow ran around sniffing everything. A frightened whinny sounded nearby.

"Look!" Tracy pointed to another fallen log, next to which lay a ponyta. She was flailing and jerking, trying to get up, but her reins were tangle on a branch and her leg was stuck under the log.

"The poor thing's stuck!" cried Misty.

Heather slowly approached the ponyta.

"Easy… Steady there girl. I want to help you," said Heather in a soothing voice, that seemed to entrance both the Pokemon and Brock.

Heather ever so slowly held out a hand for the ponyta to sniff. She snorted and flared her nostrils, but didn't move. Heather gently touched the ponyta's neck, still talking softly. When the Ponyta let Heather stroke her neck, Heather cautiously untangled the reins from the branch. She then walked slowly around to the other side of the log and gently and carefully eased the ponyta's hind leg out from underneath.

"Okay, there you go, you're free!" said Heather, stepping back. The ponyta cautiously climbed to her feet. She took a few steps and, seeming to realize that she was free, snorted and shook herself vigorously.

"Wow, that was impressive…" said Brock, "Uh, what's your name?"

"Huh? Oh, my name's Heather."

The five of them headed back up the hill to the log. Trembling beneath it was a little yellow and green fellow. Heather knelt down next to the log.

"It's all right. We wish you no harm."

The creature looked up and stared at Heather.

"Are you Wembly Fraggle?"

The creature's mouth dropped open.

"H-how do you know?" asked Wembly the Fraggle.

"That's a long story. But tell me, did you get transported, uh- arrive here by little floating objects?" asked Heather.

"Yeah. And there were all these scary monsters and-and-and," Wembly trembled.

"It's alright now, you can calm down."

Wembly gulped.

"I'm Heather, and I want to be your friend. I can understand your predicament, you see, I arrived here by floating devices and was then chased by monsters as well." Heather held out her hand.

"Really?" Wembly slowly reached out and took her hand. Heather carefully pulled him out from under the log and to his feet.

"Guys, this is Wembly Fraggle, Wembly, this is Ash, Misty, Brock and Tracy."

Shadow barked and sniffed at Wembly.

"Aaaah!" Wembly hid behind Heather.

Heather laughed, "It's all right, that's just Shadow and he's as uncertain about you, as you are with him."

Wembly and Shadow cautiously sniffed noses. Then Shadow licked Wembly, who in turn started patting him.

Heather felt a hot breath on the back of her neck. She turned and there stood the Ponyta that she had just rescued.

"Well hello. What are you doing here? Don't you have an owner to go back to?"

"Are you kidding? That ponyta doesn't listen to anyone!" Heather turned to see a man in armor standing there.

"What do you mean?"

"I was the one riding her, but Fire Wind just doesn't listen to people. I swear she's half wild."

"That's kind of hard to believe." Heather stroked Fire Wind's neck. The man's jaw dropped.

"Listen lady, Fire Wind is unmanageable for me, but she seems to like you. Would you like to have her?"

"Would I! I'd love to take care of her."

"Then here's her Poke-ball. Please take care of the wild one." The man handed Heather a poke-ball.

"Oh, don't worry, I will."

"Roof! Roof!" Shadow gave an alarm bark.

"What is it Shadow?" asked Heather turning to look in the direction that Shadow as barking at. Heather caught her breath. A golden Ninetails was approaching them.

"Celestial…" breathed Heather. Celestial came to a halt about two yards away and sat down, tails flowing.

Akira came jogging across the hill, breathing hard. He stopped behind Celestial and doubled over wheezing.

"Got… To … Get… better shape," mumbled Akira. Celestial looked back at him.

"Kirr…"

"Right." Akira straitened up and took in the scene of chaos, and Wembly hiding behind Heather. He frowned.

"I don't suppose you'd be willing to simply hand over the Shadow or Fraggle creature?"

"Of course not," said Heather calmly.

"I was afraid of that…" Akira looked contemplatively at Heather and her friends.

"Who the heck are you?" asked Brock.

"I am Akira, an aspiring poke-mon tamer who-." But he trailed off as he noticed Celestial's ears going back and her eyes narrowing in the direction of the top of the hill.

"Niiiii!" barked out Celestial, standing up.

Suddenly several rapidash and ponyta came running down the hill, riders apparently being optional.

"PREPARE for TROUBLE!"

Akira cringed and put his hand over his eyes.

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation,"

"To unite all people-"

"Yeah, yeah, we know already!" Ash hollered at Jessie and James.

"Oh… He never let's finish anymore," said James fiddling with his rose.

"Then let's get to it! EVERYONE, hand over ALL your Pokemon!" Jessie shouted.

"You there! Hand over that yellow, green thing!" called James.

Wembly was shaking behind Heather.

"Don't worry Wembly, we won't let them take you."

Ash turned to his friends, "Ready guys?"

"Ash wait! It looks like Team Rocket's already being challenged!" Misty pointed to the bottom of the hill. The Seven Rapidash riding Samurai were charging up the hill, towards Team Rocket.

"This should be interesting." Tracy was sketching madly.

"What are they doing here?" grumbled Akira, "They always complicate things."

"Why are you after this Wembly thing?" Ash turned towards Akira.

"Technically I'm supposed to be working for Team Rocket."

"What!" Misty looking accusingly at the rainbow haired teen, "You're with Team Rocket?!"

"Humiliatingly," said Akira, looking over at Jessie and James desperately shouting commands to their failing Pokemon.

"Then prepare yourself, I'm not about to stand by while Team Rocket does its evil!" Ash pulled out a Poke-ball.

"Forget it," Akira shook his head, his red and purple locks flapping in his face. He turned and started walking away.

"Let's go, Celestial." The Ninetails looked curiously at Shadow, Wembly, Heather and their friends, then gracefully followed after Akira.

Ash stood with his arm still raised, Poke-ball in hand. "What's the deal with him?"

"Blast it!" yelled Jessie.

"TEAM ROCKET'S Blasting off again!" cried James and Meowth as the three remaining Team Rocket members and their Pokemon went flying through the air.

"That ought to take care of them." The Seven Rapidash riding Samurai rode proudly down the hill.

"What in the world was that all about?" Misty asked.

"And did you say something about another world?" Tracy put his sketch pad back in his bag.

"Gosh, at this point it's getting to be a long story. Let me try to explain. You see, Wembly and I are each from a different world from this. Team Rocket has created this new computer-machine thing that allows them to transport beings from another world to this one. I guess they're hoping to find some really powerful Pokemon or something, but other worlds are different than this one, so I don't know how well that's going to work. At any rate, Shadow and I came from a different world. Wembly came from yet another world. And that's pretty much what I know about it at the moment."

"What about that Akira kid? How come he didn't fight?" Ash put away his poke-ball.

"I guess he decided it wasn't worth the effort. Why, I have no idea. But he did that when Shadow and I were on the run. Celestial found us, but Akira called her away."

"So if you're from another world, you must not know very much about this one. We could show you around," offered Brock.

"Brock, She knew our names. If she's from another world and already knew our names she probably knows a bit about this world," said Misty.

"Oh."

"Well, actually, though I do know your names, and a bit about the world, I don't really know my way around. If you guys don't mind the company, it'd be cool to travel with you for a little while."

"Really? That's great," exclaimed Misty, "I'm getting just a little tired with traveling with three boys, and no other girls."

"Cool. So maybe you could help me get some supplies and stuff for my Pokemon adventure?"

"Sure, I'd love to!"

"Come on Wembly, you can hang with us until we figure out a way to get back to are own worlds."

"O-okay."

So the new band of friends happily walked into the sunset, chatting about everything from Pokemon to other worlds.

"What do you mean you didn't get any Pokemon, including that monster that escaped!?" demanded Erika.

"That's what we just said." Akira put on his head phones and put his feet up on a stool. Celestial leapt lightly onto the chair besides him.

Erika scowled at them, then turned to Jessie, James and Meowth.

"The three of you! Every time you do something you botch it!"

"I know." James hung his head.

"It's all their fault," explained Jessie turning away from James and Meowth.

"Our fault, you and James are the ones who always mess up!" Snapped Meowth.

"Grrrrr," said both Jessie and Meowth.

"Oh just get out!" shouted Erika, "Out! I need to get back to work. The rest of you are useless! I just can't believe this… Useless…"

Erika sat at the computer screen and starting typing. She glanced up. Jessie, James and Meowth were watching.

"OUT!" Thundered Erika. James, Jessie and Meowth scurried out.

The view screen flipped through pictures of various habitats from deserts to forests.

"What have we here…"

Author's note: If you read, than please review! All comments, compliments, questions, and constructive criticisms welcome!

Also, if you read this, and want to read more, let me know! Other wise I will only be writing this on the whim of when I feel like it. Knowing that there are people waiting to read more will give it a higher priority when I'm deciding what to write.