Chapter 4
The National Park Bug Contest
The stars were shining and the moon floated in the sky like a big yellow balloon. It was late when the duo finally arrived at National Park. Extremely exhausted they rented a room at a near by lodge. They were lucky they arrived when they did. The lodge's rooms were almost completely out.
After a nice long rest and a good hardy breakfast the next morning, the duo set out once again toward Goldenrod.
National Park sure was a beautiful place. The trees were bright and green as the flowers bloomed brightly reaching toward the sun. There was a crystal clear stream next to the lodge that led through the Park toward Route 35. Callista suggested that if they follow the stream maybe they would not need their map to get to Goldenrod. Ruby was crazy about the idea and the two hiked by the stream talking about everything and anything that came to their minds.
"....and there I was." Ruby was in the middle of a story about her Quilava and herself competing in the Kanto League. Callista listened with excitement. "Faced up against a big terrifying Ursaring with only Quilava at my side. You should have seen it battle. That Ursaring was so quick and strong that from the audience's eyes it appeared my pokemon could never even score one hit. But little did they know, my Quilava wasn't a quitter. Just as Ursaring was about it make its final attack, Quilava, using all of its strength, rose up and knocked it out with a tremendous fire wheel."
"Wow, did you win?"
"Well, not exactly. I did finish in the top 30." Ruby admitted. "But there were some really tough trainers there. But that was the very first time my pokemon used fire wheel. I didn't even know Quilava could."
"Wow." Callista said as they continued walking through the trees.
Ruby was just about to begin another story when they heard something rustling through the trees in front of them.
"Buzzzzzzzzzzzz."
"What was that?" Ruby whispered.
The girls were stopped in their tracks by a very threatening noise.
"I don't know. Whatever it is it doesn't sound too friendly." Callista whispered back.
"Buzzzzzzzzzzzz."
The girls searched through the trees trying to find the sound. Then suddenly a huge yellow insect bolted right out of the trees and straight past them. They watched as the pokemon disappeared and as they turned to continue walking another sound caught their ears.
"Hey come back here!" A teenaged girl ran out of the same trees the pokemon did and headed in the same direction as the pokemon. "I'm not finished with you!"
"I wonder if she will catch that pokemon." Ruby said.
"There is only one way to find out," Callista smiled at Ruby. "Come one let's check it out!"
Callista and Ruby both followed the girl's footprints leading away from the stream and deeper into the forest.
Almost out of breath, the duo finally caught up to the girl and the pokemon and watched.
The girl looked to be about fifteen to sixteen year old. She had short black hair styled in a boyish cut. She had a white blouse which was tucked into a short red skirt. Her red and white tennis shoes were full of grass stains and her face was dripping with sweat. She was obviously chasing this pokemon for quite sometime.
Callista pulled out her pokedex and pointed it at the yellow pokemon.
Pokedex: "Beedrill, the evolved form of Kakuna. This pokemon has a really short temper and uses its sharp stinger to protect its home."
Ruby glared at the pokedex. "I could have told you that."
"Shhhhhhh." Callista whispered.
They watched on the side lines as the girl forced the Beedrill into battle.
"Sentret, I choose you!" The girl tosses a pokeball into the air and out of it a cute little brown pokemon appeared. "Go Sentret, tackle attack!"
The Sentret dashed at the Beedrill. The Beedrill did not know what to do so it just stood its ground and took the attack. Sentret tackled the Beedrill dead on and even though the Beedrill was thrown aside it regained its balance quickly and attacked with its stinger.
"Sentret uses quick attack!"
The Sentret dodged the stinger of the Beedrill and then used its quick attack and struck the Beedrill before it even knew what happened. Again the Beedrill was tossed aside, but it refused to give up. The Beedrill took flight and dove toward the pokemon.
"Get ready!" The girl said as they watched the Beedrill get closer and closer.
Just as the Beedrill was on top of the Sentret the girl ordered an attack.
"Now jump and grab a hold of it."
The Sentret took a big leap into the air and landed on the back of the Beedrill as it flew by.
"Now use all of your weight and turn that dive into a slam attack, now!"
The Sentret grabbed a hold of the Beedrill's neck and leaped off of its back. The Sentret's weight pulled the Beedrill off balance and down toward the ground. Using all of its strength, the Sentret slammed the Beedrill on the ground. Sentret leaped out of the way and back to its trainer's side. The Beedrill layed motionless on the ground, too tired to battle anymore.
"That was awesome Sentret." She grabbed a pokeball and tossed it at the exhausted pokemon. "Pokeball go!"
The pokeball sucked in the pokemon without a hassle. The pokemon tried to get out as the pokeball shook and the light flashed, but after a battle like that it did not have the strength to fight long and it soon surrendered and stayed inside the pokeball. The girl stepped up and took the pokeball from off the ground. "Alright! My first bug capture!" She then noticed her admirers. "Why hello. Who are you?"
"My name is Callista and this is Ruby." Callista answered as the girl stepped up to them. "We were just watching you battle with your Sentret. That was an awesome move. The way you turned the Beedrill's attack into your own was incredible."
"Thank you very much." The girl answered. "My name is Emily. Are you two in the contest too?"
The girls looked confused.
"What contest?" Callista asked.
"The National Park Bug Catching Contest." Emily answered. "It started not too long ago. That's why I was after this Beedrill. It was such a beautiful pokemon that I just knew it would be able to win."
"Could I be in the contest too?" Callista asked eagerly.
"Unfortunately, you needed to register at the Judging Booth before the contest started in order to participate." Emily explained.
Callista was obviously a bit disappointed.
"But you two can walk back with me and watch the judging." Emily suggested. "Since I caught this Beedrill I am confident enough with this capture that I know I have to take some kind of place."
Callista smiled. "That sounds cool."
Ruby whispered in Callista's ear. "We need to get to Goldenrod City by this afternoon. We can't."
Callista looked at her wrist watch. It said 8:30am. "I'm sure we have time for one little contest. We need the break anyway." Callista turned to Emily. "We would love to come with you."
"Then let's head to back." Emily said as they all walked to the Main Judging Booth.
Ruby was not too thrilled about the idea, but she followed anyway.
To Callista and Ruby's surprise the main judging was held at the very end of National Park at the beginning of Route 35. Around the booth there was a small crowd of anxious trainers waiting for the results. Emily turned in her pokemon to be examined and then was sent to wait with the others. Emily was right when she said her Beedrill would take a place. She ended up winning second prize, a red ribbon and an Ever stone, for her capture and she was allowed to keep the Beedrill she caught. The first prize winner, who caught a huge Pinsar, was anxious to get his prize. Everyone knew what it was and everyone who entered wanted it. The first prize was a Sun Stone and it was just about to be revealed. The judge walked the winner over to a small oak counter with red velvet covering hiding the prize.
The judge spoke, "...and to our winner, I am glad to hand over a very valuable Sun Stone," and with that the Judge lifted up the covering to reveal a glass case with.........
"What?!" The Judge was speechless at what he saw. Or what he didn't see.
The Sun Stone was missing.
The Judge was furious. "Who dares to steal the Sun Stone. Someone call the police!" He shouted as the crowd gasped and glanced around at each other. "Call the police!"
Officer Jenny was called and soon she arrived on the scene. Everyone in the crowd had to stay to be questioned. Ruby and Callista were stuck in National Park until everything was finished. Ruby was obviously a bit upset at Callista. If they would not have stayed to watch the contest they could be at Goldenrod City by now. Ruby, Callista and Emily sat underneath the shade of a tree next to the judging stage waiting for the police to question everybody
Ruby sighed. She was still obviously upset.
"Okay, Ruby I know what you're thinking and I am sorry." Callista apologized. "Now will you stop it."
Emily decided to join the conversation. "You know she's right. A bad attitude is not going to help this situation."
"Well, we wouldn't be in this mess if she did not have to watch the contest." Ruby said again.
"I already apologized," Callista snapped back. "What more do you want. Besides, when did being interested in pokemon become such a crime!"
"Since we are in a hurry to get somewhere!"
"Since when did MY journey become YOURS!" Callista snapped.
Ruby did not answer.
"Fine." Callista had enough of Ruby. She stood up. "I am going for a walk. Maybe that will give you time to cool down."
Callista walked away.
"I hope she will be okay." Emily said.
"She'll be fine." Ruby said. "What could possibly happen?"
Ruby sighed. She already started to feel bad about how she acted.
Callista walked through the trees until she got to the place where Emily had the battle with the Beedrill. She stared at where the Beedrill had fallen. "I wish I was as good as Emily." Callista said to herself. "That battle...wow...she looked like she hardly tried." She looked at her two pokeballs at her waist and then sighed. She stood herself out of thought and decided to keep walking.
As she walked further away, she continued to think to herself. "I'm sure Ruby means well. She did help me out of a tough jam and she is teaching me about pokemon training." Callista started thinking about the cons. "But she treats me like I seriously don't know what I'm doing. Always telling me when we have to go and when we stop. If we stop at all." Callista stopped walking and sat underneath a large tree. "She always seems to be in a hurry. Yeah, I want to get to Goldenrod and to the train on time too. But I also want to stop and take a peek at what is offered at these places so I know what to expect when I come back. This is supposed to be my journey, not her's. And if she doesn't like it she doesn't have to follow me!" Callista, again, shook herself out of thought before she got herself too angry.
Callista, once again began walking even further away from where her friends were. As she walked through the trees she continued to think about what she was doing. What is a girl like her doing so far from home. She had never left her home before. Since she was a little girl, she was always too afraid to leave the safety of her city. But now here she is. Miles away from home in a strange and dangerous area. She never thought she would ever see herself doing something like this. Her passion and love for pokemon must have over powered her fear. That's how she was able to leave.
Callista began to feel better about herself and about the situation. Well, until she started to feel a very uncomfortable presence around her which completely knocked her out of thought. Callista quickly glanced around and after she came to the conclusion that no one was around she begin to hear whispering.
"What is that?"
Tiptoeing through the forest, trying really hard not to make a sound, Callista searched for the voices. After a few more steps, she came to a large patch of trees that were unusually close together. As she gently pushed the branches out of the way she discovered what the whispering was. With their backs to her, Callista saw two black cloaked strangers huddling together. They then stood up and turned toward Callista. Callista ducked to stay hidden. She did not want them to see her. Callista tried to see the faces of these people, but their hats were placed so low that all she could see were shadows.
Callista watched as the two strangers pulled out a shiny orange, pointy object out of a small brown bag. It took a moment for Callista to realize what it was. With a silent gasp, she knew she had found the criminals who stole the Sun Stone.
One if them spoke in a man's voice. "Our boss will be very pleased when we bring back the final stone for his collection."
The other spoke in a woman's voice. "Yes. He has been waiting a long time for these Johto stones and now we have the last one he needs."
Callista's first thought was to run back to the judging area and tell Officer Jenny where the stone is, but the strangers did not seem to be staying long. Using a small, low branch she leaned in closer to the strangers still trying to stay hidden using the forest to hide her.
"We better get moving before Officer Jenny comes looking in this direction." the man said as the other nodded in agreement.
As Callista moved in closer, the branch she was leaning on began to snap. With a loud gasp, Callista fell to the ground as the branch gave away. Hearing this, the two strangers turned and saw her on the floor.
"Well, well who is this?" The woman said.
Callista quickly got to her feet and glared at the two crooks. "You two better return that stone or I'll........"
"You'll what?" The man laughed. "Run and tell on us to that pathetic Officer Jenny?"
Callista then grabbed a pokeball.
"You'll stop us!" The woman laughed too. "This should be very entertaining."
"Let's show her what we got!"
The dark strangers grabbed their pokeballs off of their belts and threw them in the air.
"Murkrow, go!" The woman said.
"Go Croconaw!" The man said.
A large blue lizard pokemon and a black bird pokemon appeared from their pokeballs.
"Okay here goes," Callista thought to herself. She was pretty confident in her first few battles because she was with someone, but this time she was all alone.
She took a deep breath and grabbed both of her pokeballs.
"Chikorita, Pikachu come on out."
Chikorita and Pikachu appeared from their pokeballs and were ready for battle.
"Croconaw bite attack now!"
"Chikorita close that Croconaw's mouth with your vine whip."
With its mouth open wide the Croconaw attacked Chikorita as Chikorita used its vine whip and wrapped it around the water pokemon's mouth and shut it tight.
"Grab that vine and whip it around!" The dark woman ordered as her pokemon grabbed the vine whip and started swinging Chikorita around in circles.
"No!" Callista cried.
"Now toss it!" The woman ordered as Croconaw took one last swing and let go of Chikorita's vine whip sending the tiny grass pokemon flying into the air and crashed right into one of the trees near Callista. As Chikorita fell to the ground Callista called it back. "Chikorita, return!"
They were pretty strong. "Okay Pikachu, let's go!"
"Pika pika." Pikachu answered back as they started the battle.
"Croconaw use your bite attack again!"
"Pikachu use your thunderbolt!"
Pikachu charged up its electricity and released it on the water pokemon just as it approached. The attack really did a lot of damage as the Croconaw fainted to the ground.
"Murkrow go, use your peck attack!"
Murkrow attacked the mouse pokemon and pecked away at its little head.
"Piiiikkaaa." Pikachu cried in pain as Callista ordered another attack.
"Now that it is close use your thunder shock!"
"Murkrow fly into the air!"
Before Pikachu could attack the Murkrow bolted into the air causing the electric attack to miss.
"Now use your wing attack!" The woman ordered as the bird dove toward the Pikachu.
"Pikachu dodge it!"
But it was too late. Murkrow struck the pokemon with a powerful wing attack before Pikachu had a chance to move out of the way. Pikachu was tossed aside.
"See I told you girl that you would be no match for us!"
"When it comes to us evil always triumphs over good!"
Callista was determined not to give up. "A real trainer would give it her all." She thought to herself. Then an idea popped into her head as she quickly recalled the battle she saw earlier.
"Okay, Pikachu use your thunder shock again!" Callista ordered as Pikachu struggled to its feet.
"Murkrow fly up!"
And once again Murkrow dodge the attack by bolting up into the air.
"Now use your wing attack and finish it off this time!"
"Krowwww!" Murkrow dove down straight toward the Pikachu.
"Okay, get ready!" Callista said to Pikachu as Pikachu braced itself.
Once Murkrow got close, Callista quickly ordered her attack. "Jump into the air and right onto Murkrow.
At the last second, Pikachu jumped into the air and landed of Murkrow's back.
"Thunderbolt!" Callista ordered as Pikachu struck Murkrow with a tremendous Thunderbolt attack. Murkrow fell to the ground as Pikachu leaped off and landed into Callista's arms. "Go job Pikachu!" Callista then turned her attention to the two strangers and glared at them. "Now give back that Sun Stone!"
"Not a chance," the woman called her pokemon back. She turned to the man, "let's get out of here!"
The two ran away from Callista and straight into the forest.
"Hey, come back here!" Callista called her pokemon into its pokeball and ran after them.
After a few feet of chasing them, she pushed aside more tree branches blocking her way just in time to see the strangers begin to lift off in a black miniature hot air balloon with the letters T and R in bright red.
"Whose dumb idea was it to give us such a lame source of transportation." The woman stranger complained.
Callista thought to herself trying to figure out what she was going to do. "A trainer would never let anything get away." And with that, Callista bolted from the trees, hopped up and grabbed a hold of the hanging rope that was dangling to the side. As the balloon lifted her into the air, Callista held on with all of her strength not knowing what to do next. "What was I thinking this is crazy! Those creeps probably don't even know I'm here." Callista thought to herself again as she looked down and saw National Park underneath her. She was getting up so hi the people started to look like little walking dolls. "What'll I do now!"
The National Park Bug Contest
The stars were shining and the moon floated in the sky like a big yellow balloon. It was late when the duo finally arrived at National Park. Extremely exhausted they rented a room at a near by lodge. They were lucky they arrived when they did. The lodge's rooms were almost completely out.
After a nice long rest and a good hardy breakfast the next morning, the duo set out once again toward Goldenrod.
National Park sure was a beautiful place. The trees were bright and green as the flowers bloomed brightly reaching toward the sun. There was a crystal clear stream next to the lodge that led through the Park toward Route 35. Callista suggested that if they follow the stream maybe they would not need their map to get to Goldenrod. Ruby was crazy about the idea and the two hiked by the stream talking about everything and anything that came to their minds.
"....and there I was." Ruby was in the middle of a story about her Quilava and herself competing in the Kanto League. Callista listened with excitement. "Faced up against a big terrifying Ursaring with only Quilava at my side. You should have seen it battle. That Ursaring was so quick and strong that from the audience's eyes it appeared my pokemon could never even score one hit. But little did they know, my Quilava wasn't a quitter. Just as Ursaring was about it make its final attack, Quilava, using all of its strength, rose up and knocked it out with a tremendous fire wheel."
"Wow, did you win?"
"Well, not exactly. I did finish in the top 30." Ruby admitted. "But there were some really tough trainers there. But that was the very first time my pokemon used fire wheel. I didn't even know Quilava could."
"Wow." Callista said as they continued walking through the trees.
Ruby was just about to begin another story when they heard something rustling through the trees in front of them.
"Buzzzzzzzzzzzz."
"What was that?" Ruby whispered.
The girls were stopped in their tracks by a very threatening noise.
"I don't know. Whatever it is it doesn't sound too friendly." Callista whispered back.
"Buzzzzzzzzzzzz."
The girls searched through the trees trying to find the sound. Then suddenly a huge yellow insect bolted right out of the trees and straight past them. They watched as the pokemon disappeared and as they turned to continue walking another sound caught their ears.
"Hey come back here!" A teenaged girl ran out of the same trees the pokemon did and headed in the same direction as the pokemon. "I'm not finished with you!"
"I wonder if she will catch that pokemon." Ruby said.
"There is only one way to find out," Callista smiled at Ruby. "Come one let's check it out!"
Callista and Ruby both followed the girl's footprints leading away from the stream and deeper into the forest.
Almost out of breath, the duo finally caught up to the girl and the pokemon and watched.
The girl looked to be about fifteen to sixteen year old. She had short black hair styled in a boyish cut. She had a white blouse which was tucked into a short red skirt. Her red and white tennis shoes were full of grass stains and her face was dripping with sweat. She was obviously chasing this pokemon for quite sometime.
Callista pulled out her pokedex and pointed it at the yellow pokemon.
Pokedex: "Beedrill, the evolved form of Kakuna. This pokemon has a really short temper and uses its sharp stinger to protect its home."
Ruby glared at the pokedex. "I could have told you that."
"Shhhhhhh." Callista whispered.
They watched on the side lines as the girl forced the Beedrill into battle.
"Sentret, I choose you!" The girl tosses a pokeball into the air and out of it a cute little brown pokemon appeared. "Go Sentret, tackle attack!"
The Sentret dashed at the Beedrill. The Beedrill did not know what to do so it just stood its ground and took the attack. Sentret tackled the Beedrill dead on and even though the Beedrill was thrown aside it regained its balance quickly and attacked with its stinger.
"Sentret uses quick attack!"
The Sentret dodged the stinger of the Beedrill and then used its quick attack and struck the Beedrill before it even knew what happened. Again the Beedrill was tossed aside, but it refused to give up. The Beedrill took flight and dove toward the pokemon.
"Get ready!" The girl said as they watched the Beedrill get closer and closer.
Just as the Beedrill was on top of the Sentret the girl ordered an attack.
"Now jump and grab a hold of it."
The Sentret took a big leap into the air and landed on the back of the Beedrill as it flew by.
"Now use all of your weight and turn that dive into a slam attack, now!"
The Sentret grabbed a hold of the Beedrill's neck and leaped off of its back. The Sentret's weight pulled the Beedrill off balance and down toward the ground. Using all of its strength, the Sentret slammed the Beedrill on the ground. Sentret leaped out of the way and back to its trainer's side. The Beedrill layed motionless on the ground, too tired to battle anymore.
"That was awesome Sentret." She grabbed a pokeball and tossed it at the exhausted pokemon. "Pokeball go!"
The pokeball sucked in the pokemon without a hassle. The pokemon tried to get out as the pokeball shook and the light flashed, but after a battle like that it did not have the strength to fight long and it soon surrendered and stayed inside the pokeball. The girl stepped up and took the pokeball from off the ground. "Alright! My first bug capture!" She then noticed her admirers. "Why hello. Who are you?"
"My name is Callista and this is Ruby." Callista answered as the girl stepped up to them. "We were just watching you battle with your Sentret. That was an awesome move. The way you turned the Beedrill's attack into your own was incredible."
"Thank you very much." The girl answered. "My name is Emily. Are you two in the contest too?"
The girls looked confused.
"What contest?" Callista asked.
"The National Park Bug Catching Contest." Emily answered. "It started not too long ago. That's why I was after this Beedrill. It was such a beautiful pokemon that I just knew it would be able to win."
"Could I be in the contest too?" Callista asked eagerly.
"Unfortunately, you needed to register at the Judging Booth before the contest started in order to participate." Emily explained.
Callista was obviously a bit disappointed.
"But you two can walk back with me and watch the judging." Emily suggested. "Since I caught this Beedrill I am confident enough with this capture that I know I have to take some kind of place."
Callista smiled. "That sounds cool."
Ruby whispered in Callista's ear. "We need to get to Goldenrod City by this afternoon. We can't."
Callista looked at her wrist watch. It said 8:30am. "I'm sure we have time for one little contest. We need the break anyway." Callista turned to Emily. "We would love to come with you."
"Then let's head to back." Emily said as they all walked to the Main Judging Booth.
Ruby was not too thrilled about the idea, but she followed anyway.
To Callista and Ruby's surprise the main judging was held at the very end of National Park at the beginning of Route 35. Around the booth there was a small crowd of anxious trainers waiting for the results. Emily turned in her pokemon to be examined and then was sent to wait with the others. Emily was right when she said her Beedrill would take a place. She ended up winning second prize, a red ribbon and an Ever stone, for her capture and she was allowed to keep the Beedrill she caught. The first prize winner, who caught a huge Pinsar, was anxious to get his prize. Everyone knew what it was and everyone who entered wanted it. The first prize was a Sun Stone and it was just about to be revealed. The judge walked the winner over to a small oak counter with red velvet covering hiding the prize.
The judge spoke, "...and to our winner, I am glad to hand over a very valuable Sun Stone," and with that the Judge lifted up the covering to reveal a glass case with.........
"What?!" The Judge was speechless at what he saw. Or what he didn't see.
The Sun Stone was missing.
The Judge was furious. "Who dares to steal the Sun Stone. Someone call the police!" He shouted as the crowd gasped and glanced around at each other. "Call the police!"
Officer Jenny was called and soon she arrived on the scene. Everyone in the crowd had to stay to be questioned. Ruby and Callista were stuck in National Park until everything was finished. Ruby was obviously a bit upset at Callista. If they would not have stayed to watch the contest they could be at Goldenrod City by now. Ruby, Callista and Emily sat underneath the shade of a tree next to the judging stage waiting for the police to question everybody
Ruby sighed. She was still obviously upset.
"Okay, Ruby I know what you're thinking and I am sorry." Callista apologized. "Now will you stop it."
Emily decided to join the conversation. "You know she's right. A bad attitude is not going to help this situation."
"Well, we wouldn't be in this mess if she did not have to watch the contest." Ruby said again.
"I already apologized," Callista snapped back. "What more do you want. Besides, when did being interested in pokemon become such a crime!"
"Since we are in a hurry to get somewhere!"
"Since when did MY journey become YOURS!" Callista snapped.
Ruby did not answer.
"Fine." Callista had enough of Ruby. She stood up. "I am going for a walk. Maybe that will give you time to cool down."
Callista walked away.
"I hope she will be okay." Emily said.
"She'll be fine." Ruby said. "What could possibly happen?"
Ruby sighed. She already started to feel bad about how she acted.
Callista walked through the trees until she got to the place where Emily had the battle with the Beedrill. She stared at where the Beedrill had fallen. "I wish I was as good as Emily." Callista said to herself. "That battle...wow...she looked like she hardly tried." She looked at her two pokeballs at her waist and then sighed. She stood herself out of thought and decided to keep walking.
As she walked further away, she continued to think to herself. "I'm sure Ruby means well. She did help me out of a tough jam and she is teaching me about pokemon training." Callista started thinking about the cons. "But she treats me like I seriously don't know what I'm doing. Always telling me when we have to go and when we stop. If we stop at all." Callista stopped walking and sat underneath a large tree. "She always seems to be in a hurry. Yeah, I want to get to Goldenrod and to the train on time too. But I also want to stop and take a peek at what is offered at these places so I know what to expect when I come back. This is supposed to be my journey, not her's. And if she doesn't like it she doesn't have to follow me!" Callista, again, shook herself out of thought before she got herself too angry.
Callista, once again began walking even further away from where her friends were. As she walked through the trees she continued to think about what she was doing. What is a girl like her doing so far from home. She had never left her home before. Since she was a little girl, she was always too afraid to leave the safety of her city. But now here she is. Miles away from home in a strange and dangerous area. She never thought she would ever see herself doing something like this. Her passion and love for pokemon must have over powered her fear. That's how she was able to leave.
Callista began to feel better about herself and about the situation. Well, until she started to feel a very uncomfortable presence around her which completely knocked her out of thought. Callista quickly glanced around and after she came to the conclusion that no one was around she begin to hear whispering.
"What is that?"
Tiptoeing through the forest, trying really hard not to make a sound, Callista searched for the voices. After a few more steps, she came to a large patch of trees that were unusually close together. As she gently pushed the branches out of the way she discovered what the whispering was. With their backs to her, Callista saw two black cloaked strangers huddling together. They then stood up and turned toward Callista. Callista ducked to stay hidden. She did not want them to see her. Callista tried to see the faces of these people, but their hats were placed so low that all she could see were shadows.
Callista watched as the two strangers pulled out a shiny orange, pointy object out of a small brown bag. It took a moment for Callista to realize what it was. With a silent gasp, she knew she had found the criminals who stole the Sun Stone.
One if them spoke in a man's voice. "Our boss will be very pleased when we bring back the final stone for his collection."
The other spoke in a woman's voice. "Yes. He has been waiting a long time for these Johto stones and now we have the last one he needs."
Callista's first thought was to run back to the judging area and tell Officer Jenny where the stone is, but the strangers did not seem to be staying long. Using a small, low branch she leaned in closer to the strangers still trying to stay hidden using the forest to hide her.
"We better get moving before Officer Jenny comes looking in this direction." the man said as the other nodded in agreement.
As Callista moved in closer, the branch she was leaning on began to snap. With a loud gasp, Callista fell to the ground as the branch gave away. Hearing this, the two strangers turned and saw her on the floor.
"Well, well who is this?" The woman said.
Callista quickly got to her feet and glared at the two crooks. "You two better return that stone or I'll........"
"You'll what?" The man laughed. "Run and tell on us to that pathetic Officer Jenny?"
Callista then grabbed a pokeball.
"You'll stop us!" The woman laughed too. "This should be very entertaining."
"Let's show her what we got!"
The dark strangers grabbed their pokeballs off of their belts and threw them in the air.
"Murkrow, go!" The woman said.
"Go Croconaw!" The man said.
A large blue lizard pokemon and a black bird pokemon appeared from their pokeballs.
"Okay here goes," Callista thought to herself. She was pretty confident in her first few battles because she was with someone, but this time she was all alone.
She took a deep breath and grabbed both of her pokeballs.
"Chikorita, Pikachu come on out."
Chikorita and Pikachu appeared from their pokeballs and were ready for battle.
"Croconaw bite attack now!"
"Chikorita close that Croconaw's mouth with your vine whip."
With its mouth open wide the Croconaw attacked Chikorita as Chikorita used its vine whip and wrapped it around the water pokemon's mouth and shut it tight.
"Grab that vine and whip it around!" The dark woman ordered as her pokemon grabbed the vine whip and started swinging Chikorita around in circles.
"No!" Callista cried.
"Now toss it!" The woman ordered as Croconaw took one last swing and let go of Chikorita's vine whip sending the tiny grass pokemon flying into the air and crashed right into one of the trees near Callista. As Chikorita fell to the ground Callista called it back. "Chikorita, return!"
They were pretty strong. "Okay Pikachu, let's go!"
"Pika pika." Pikachu answered back as they started the battle.
"Croconaw use your bite attack again!"
"Pikachu use your thunderbolt!"
Pikachu charged up its electricity and released it on the water pokemon just as it approached. The attack really did a lot of damage as the Croconaw fainted to the ground.
"Murkrow go, use your peck attack!"
Murkrow attacked the mouse pokemon and pecked away at its little head.
"Piiiikkaaa." Pikachu cried in pain as Callista ordered another attack.
"Now that it is close use your thunder shock!"
"Murkrow fly into the air!"
Before Pikachu could attack the Murkrow bolted into the air causing the electric attack to miss.
"Now use your wing attack!" The woman ordered as the bird dove toward the Pikachu.
"Pikachu dodge it!"
But it was too late. Murkrow struck the pokemon with a powerful wing attack before Pikachu had a chance to move out of the way. Pikachu was tossed aside.
"See I told you girl that you would be no match for us!"
"When it comes to us evil always triumphs over good!"
Callista was determined not to give up. "A real trainer would give it her all." She thought to herself. Then an idea popped into her head as she quickly recalled the battle she saw earlier.
"Okay, Pikachu use your thunder shock again!" Callista ordered as Pikachu struggled to its feet.
"Murkrow fly up!"
And once again Murkrow dodge the attack by bolting up into the air.
"Now use your wing attack and finish it off this time!"
"Krowwww!" Murkrow dove down straight toward the Pikachu.
"Okay, get ready!" Callista said to Pikachu as Pikachu braced itself.
Once Murkrow got close, Callista quickly ordered her attack. "Jump into the air and right onto Murkrow.
At the last second, Pikachu jumped into the air and landed of Murkrow's back.
"Thunderbolt!" Callista ordered as Pikachu struck Murkrow with a tremendous Thunderbolt attack. Murkrow fell to the ground as Pikachu leaped off and landed into Callista's arms. "Go job Pikachu!" Callista then turned her attention to the two strangers and glared at them. "Now give back that Sun Stone!"
"Not a chance," the woman called her pokemon back. She turned to the man, "let's get out of here!"
The two ran away from Callista and straight into the forest.
"Hey, come back here!" Callista called her pokemon into its pokeball and ran after them.
After a few feet of chasing them, she pushed aside more tree branches blocking her way just in time to see the strangers begin to lift off in a black miniature hot air balloon with the letters T and R in bright red.
"Whose dumb idea was it to give us such a lame source of transportation." The woman stranger complained.
Callista thought to herself trying to figure out what she was going to do. "A trainer would never let anything get away." And with that, Callista bolted from the trees, hopped up and grabbed a hold of the hanging rope that was dangling to the side. As the balloon lifted her into the air, Callista held on with all of her strength not knowing what to do next. "What was I thinking this is crazy! Those creeps probably don't even know I'm here." Callista thought to herself again as she looked down and saw National Park underneath her. She was getting up so hi the people started to look like little walking dolls. "What'll I do now!"