To clear things up with the usual disclaimer: Pokémon and its characters aren't mine, they are the property of Nintendo, Game Freak, Creatures Inc., and various companies who made the anime. Cameron, Reiko, Neo, and their Pokémon are the property of Cullen Pittman, who has given me the OK to do this story, which he started(this is one of three chapters he finished before giving up on the whole thing and giving it to me). I'm going to try to keep as close to his vision as I can, but some of the characters are mine, so there.
I tried to copy the scenes verbatim from the drafts of the first three chapters that Cullen gave me, but I did put some changes in it to put my own spin(a Baltoy spins past; yours truly gets a sweatdrop) on things. Cullen gave me the plots for the rest of the chapters, so I'll work on putting as many of those ideas as I can into this story, but I may throw in a few of my own ideas. And you'll be surprised by the big bad guys!
(Team Rocket marches in and Jessie hands me a contract.)
Sorry, Jess…but don't worry, you guys will get a part in my next project, I promise!
(Team Rocket attacks, but Ash rushes in with May and blasts them off with Pikachu and Combusken. Another sweatdrop.)
Let's enjoy the show, shall we? (Hears a cannon go off.) Oh bother... (Runs off to stop Misty from her Psyduck-killing spree...again.)
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Poké-Odyssey Neo
A fanfic by King Dragun
Main characters made by Cullen Pittman
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Part 1: The Neo Connection
Two figures were up in space, playing a rousing card game of "Go Fish", only they called it "Goldeen."
"Got any fives?" asked a cute white rodent-like creature with a long tail.
"Goldeen," said a strange green alien-like creature with big blue eyes and a wave of green "hair" from its head.
"Rattata!" cussed the other creature, drawing a card from the deck floating in the center between them with its tail and adding the card to its hand.
"Got any sixes?" asked the green alien-fairy.
"Here ya go," grumbled the white rodent, handing the card it had just drawn from the deck to it. "Celebi, I swear to the seventeen heavens...you're cheating!"
"I'm not cheating," scoffed the alien-fairy. "Since we are both psychic Pokémon of legendary nature, one of us would knowif the other is cheating at this game."
"But you've beaten me...oh, I lost count after I was released from that evil Mewtwo body thanks to those humans many years ago!" He looked over his hand. "Got any nines?"
Celebi smiled. "Goldeen, Mew."
"Rattata!" shouted the rodent, drawing another card.
Just then, a sparkle of light glittered nearby and a strange white fairy with a yellow headresswith strange tags hanging from each point appeared."Hiya, guys!"
"Well well, guess what just popped in uninvited?" yawned Celebi. "Aren't you supposed to be in some giant space rock that only crashes on Earth and awakens every thousand years, Jirachi?"
The little white fairy, Jirachi, did a mock pout. "Oh, c'mon! I step out of my space pod for a few months and you guys are a barrel of Mankey. What's wrong with waking up early?"
"You'll disrupt the space-time flow, that's what," said Mew.
"Got any Jacks?" asked Celebi. Mew grimaced and handed over the card it just drew.
"Fine, make rotten jokes about me," said Jirachi, crossing its arms in mock anger. "I thought you guys had your own jobs to do! I mean, Mew, why aren't you training that Togetic, and what about Celebi's time duties?"
"We needed a break," grumbled Mew. "We've been through a lot."
"Fine, I'll just go down to Big Blue and watch people," said Jirachi, floating around them so that it was facing the other way.
Celebi nearly droppedher cards. "Are you nuts, man? That place isn't safe for free-range Pokémon, especially legendaries like yourself!"
"You tell me," grumbled Mew, rolling its eyes. "When some nutjobs capture you and turn you into a freakin' mutant like the Hulk, you know that visiting Earth is a bad idea."
"I can top that," sighed Celebi. "My brother of the clan flew to Earth to do some recon in a place called Orre, never came back."
"Then we should find him," said Jirachi in worry. "After all, if all the Celebis are together..."
"Can the together nonsense," said Celebi. "I never travel with groups. You know the rules; two Celebi can't be in the same time zone unless they're at our home plane!"
"Fine, I'll go find the ones responsible myself!" said Jirachi in a huff, flying down to the planet.
"She never listens," grumbled Celebi, shaking her head.
"Yeah, I know," said Mew. "Her loss...uh, got any Aces?"
Celebi grinned wickedly. "Goldeen."
"RATICATE!" howled Mew, throwing his cards in the air as Celebi chuckled lightly.
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Jirachi floated into the atmosphere and made her way to one of its more favorite spots, the land around Mount Silver in Johto. She was so busy admiring the view that she almost didn't see the helicopter roar past. Luckily, she caught the roar of the blades and teleported to a safe spot just as it reached her.
"Wretched sons of a Mightyena!" screeched Jirachi. "Humans! Why do the others even tolerate them?" She teleported away.
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If Jirachi had known who was inside that chopper that had nearly mowed her down, which was heading past Mount Silver and to the region around Blackthorn City, she would have been a little more respectful. Because inside was the one who rescued Mew from the wicked schemes of the now-late leader of Team Rocket, Giovanni, and the cute little Sandshrew who had been by his side through thick and thin.
"Sandshrew!" said the Sandshrew happily as he rested in Cameron Fusterman's arms.
Cameron, who was now a young adult of nineteen years of age, nodded as he looked out the window. "Yep, there it is, Sandy. Blackthorn City in the land of Johto. We're looking at another wonderful land in the world of Pokémon."
A flock of ladybug Pokémon known as Ledyba flew past. "Biiiii!" they cried as they flew away. Below them, in the mountains, a pair of Donphan rolled down the slopes and stopped at a mountain stream where Dragonair were swimming with Remoraid and Chinchou. A giant Ursaring and its Teddiursa children were picking berries, while Pineco hung nearby, sleeping.
"So this is where those Pokémon were first discovered," said Cameron in awe.
"We're coming up to Blackthorn," said the pilot, who was Cameron's adopted mother, Officer Jenny from Pallet Town. "Get ready to land."
"All right," said Cameron. "I'm a bit nervous...I've never met a gym leader from Johto before."
"Well, be on your guard," warned Jenny. "From what I've heard from my second cousin removed who lives there, Clair is the toughest gym leader in the area."
"I've heard about her from Pokémon Monthly," said Cameorn. "She's the cousin of Lance of the Elite Four and uses dragon Pokémon as well as a fierce Gyarados."
"Be glad you're not competing for a badge," chuckled Jenny. "My cousin is good friends with the Nurse Joy there, and she's told horror stories of trainers who tried to get her Rising Badge. I'm sure you'd be in over your head if you tried to take on her dragons."
"SHREW!" snarled Sandy, obviously upset that his strength was being downplayed.
Jenny laughed. "No, Sandy, I'm not doubting your strength. I'm sure you're capable of taking on the most powerful dragon. I mean, anyone who can crush a giant stone Meowth and an extremely tough Sandslash is tough!"
"Yeah, Sandy," said Cameron, smiling as he patted his sidekick's head. "Your Ricochet attack is pretty powerful, which is why we only use it if all other options fail."
"Sandshrew," said Sandy, puffing up his chest in pride. The special attack which caused Sandy to bounce about like a pinball and smack an opponent big-time was dubbed "Ricochet" by Cameron after using it against A.J.'s Sandslash in the Ryooku League.
"We're coming in for a landing, hang on," said Jenny as the helicopter came down in a grassy clearing. The powerful winds coming from the blades scared off some wild Sentret and Pidgey. The young man and his Sandshrew looked out the window to see a beautiful green valley with a crystal-clear lake. A mountain cave was bored into the side of the mountain on the far side of the lake, and the houses and buildings of Blackthorn City were nearby.
"Here we are," said Jenny as the copter door opened and Cameron and Sandy got out.
"Thanks for the ride, Jenny," said Cameron.
"Enjoy your stay," said Jenny. "Be on your best behavior, don't slouch, eat the right foods, and go to bed early."
"Aw, mom," said Cameron, blushing. "I'm ninteen now! I'm married!"
"Sorry, sweetie," said Jenny with a giggle. "I guess I'll always think of you as my little boy who saved my hometown from evil tyrants."
"And you're the only mother figure I'll ever know and love," said Cameron, leaningback in and giving her a farewell embrace.
"Thank you, Cameron," said Jenny, wiping a tear from her eye. "I'm so blessed to have two special guys in my life." She closed her eyes and envisioned a spectacled researcher waiting for her back in Pallet Town.
"Bye, mom," said Cameron. "Say hello to Seymour and my moonray for me!"
"I will, honey," said Jenny, blowing a kiss as Cameron got out again. "Love ya." She closed the door and Cameron and Sandy backed up to a safe distance as the helicopter blades whirred into life and lifted the metal vehicle off the ground and away over the mountains around the city.
"Well, Sandy," said Cameron, looking down at his buddy. "Ready to meet a gym leader from the great land of Johto?"
"Sandshrew shrew," said Sandy with a nod. Sensing something, he turned and pointed at a person coming down the field.
"Is that her?" asked Cameron, squinting his eyes.
It wasn't Clair.After all,Clair wasn'ta middle-aged man with a receding blonde hairline, wearing a checkboard shirt and tan khaki shorts.
"Hey there, you must be Cameron Fusterman and his adorable Sandshrew," said the man with a big grin.
"That's me," said Cameron with a smile.
"It's truly an honour!" said the man, taking Cameron's hand and giving it a firm shake. "The name's Peter Foxworth." He pulled away and noticed Cameron looking at his hand funny. "Oh, sorry about that." He sweatdropped. "I just had a triple-decker cheeseburger with bacon and I guess I forgot to wipe my hands. Uh, you won't tell my wife now? She'd kill me if she found out I ate that stuff."
"Don't worry, my lips are sealed," said Cameron, glad that he had a handkerchief in his pocket for such emergencies. He took it out and wiped his hand free of the grease..
"Thank you, sir," said Peter with a sigh of relief. "You're a saint. She has abit of a spirited behaviorat the best of times, but when you're the husband of a dragon trainer like Clair, that's what you expect."
"Wait, did you say Clair?" queried Cameron in shock. "As in the gym leader of this city? You're her husband?"
"Yep," said Peter with a smile. "We got hitched a year ago. It was like magic. I was getting the Johto Badges, battled her for the Rising Badge, and got mightily creamed. But when she saw how much of a fight I put up, she fell for me, and I fell for her too. Love at first sight, you know." He chuckled softly at the memory. "I gave up training right then and there and married her, moved in with my family, and we've been living a fairy tale ever since!"
"Oh, is she here?" asked Cameron. "I'm supposed to meet her today."
"Why, sure!" said Peter. "Although I don't think it would be wise to meet her right now. She's at her secret spot in the Dragon's Den, doing some training. She gets mad when you interrupt her training...but, if you really insist, it's not my funeral." He grinned, then reached down to pet Sandy. The Sandshrew quickly blew some sand on his greasy hand. "Well, I don't really blame ya, little fella." He looked at his sand-covered hand in disgust.
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A few moments later, Peter led Cameron through a secret tunnel into the cave that was on the other side of the lake and came out into a beautiful flowery meadow with a large pond in the center. Cameron was in awe as he and the others walked through the flowers and into some trees. "So, this is the Dragon's Den," he breathed. "Beautiful."
"Sand," said Sandy, nodding. His eyes grew large at the Pidgey flying overhead.
"Just be quiet until I can get her buttered up," whispered Peter. "As I said before,she hates it when strangers interrupt her training."
"Okay," said Cameron quietly. He then heard an ear-splitting female screech.
"Move those legs, you slacker!"
"Ouch," said Cameron, rubbing the inside of his ear and wincing painfully. "I'd sure hate to be one of her Pokémon."
"Pokémon?" asked Peter. He then got it and chuckled. "Who said anything about her Pokémon?"
"But you said she was training," said Cameron.
"Yep, but the training she's doing is for my son, Neo," said Peter.
"Your son?" cried Cameron in shock.
"Shhh! Keep it down or she'll hear you!" hissed Peter.
"But...I thought you only married Clair a year ago," said Cameron. "How could...?" He tried to keep from blushing. "I mean, even if you did get her…well…she'd have a…"
Peter laughed, suddenly getting the gist of Cameron's query. "Actually, Clair's my second wife. Neo's the son of my first wife, Merisa. Merisa was a fine young thing, and she was a bit spirited. Guess that's why I fell for Clair, theyhavea lotin common...except the dragons and Rapidash-hot temper, of course."
"Then Clair is his step-mom," said Cameron. Sandy frowned softly.
The three quietly pushed away some bushes to reveal a hill, where a tall, sexy woman with a tsunami ofazure hair and deep green eyes, wearing a black cape and turtleneck sweater was standing.
"There's my little angel," said Peter with a dreamy sigh.
"You're slacking!" snapped Clair.
"Well, she's an angel in her good times," corrected Peter with a nervous smile. "But don't worry, Cameron, her bite is worse than her bark."
"She bites?" squeaked Cameron.
"I want some sweat dripping from your brow, Neo!" snarled Clair.
Cameron's eyes, seeking to find something to take away from the intimidating form of Clair, went down the hill and found a short boy running laps around a large pond. The boy had curly strawberry-blonde hair that was brushed to one side, square-shaped glasses framing gray eyes, and a purple tee-shirt and blue sweatpants. He was clearly exhausted and, had it not been for Clair's screaming, he might have collapsed right then and there.
"There's my son, Neo," said Peter proudly. "When Clair leaves the gym, he's going to be the next Blackthorn City gym leader! Come on, let me introduce you."
As he left, Cameron and Sandy looked at the fierce-looking Clair glaring at the exhausted boy. "I'm sure glad I'm not that poor boy,"Cameron murmured.
"Shrew," said Sandy with a nod.
"Hi, doll," said Peter, getting Clair's attention. "Sorry to interrupt your training, but I've got guests."
Clair saw Cameron and Sandy approach and leapt down from the hill, landing right in front of Cameron. A big smile formed on her face. "Ah, it's you! The great Rocket-Slayer, Cameron Fusterman! I heard you were coming to visit my humble gym from the Jenny here." She grabbed his hands tightly and clasped them. "It is quite an honour to meet a real heroic gym leader."
Cameron blushed modestly. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Neo!" shouted Clair, letting go of Cameron's hands. "Get your sorry butt over here! There's someone I'd like you to meet!"
Neo slowly dragged his body over to them.
"Neo, this is Cameron Fusterman," said Clair.
"How...pant...do...wheeze...you...cough...do?" panted Neo, slowly recovering from his workout.
"Fine, thank you," said Cameron, feeling sorry for the poor kid all over again.
Neo had finally recovered enough to speak clearly and got an excited smile. "Are you really the hero of Pallet and Soy, Mr. Fusterman?" he asked eagerly, his eyes glittering like stars in awe.
"Please, Cameron is fine," said Cameron. "And I'm not the only 'rocket-slayer' who saved the towns. I had help from Ash Ketchum and my friend here, Sandy."
"Sandshrew," said Sandy with a smile, wagging his tail.
"Wow, the real Sandshrew!" said Neo. He approached to pet Sandy, but then Clair stepped between them.
"Okay, enough introductions," said Clair firmly. "You skipped five-point-six seconds of your training! Give me a hundred pull-ups right now!"
"Yes, ma'am!" said Neo, running over to a nearby tree branch, grabbing it, and doing pull-ups.
"Shrew..." growled Sandy, angry that Clair had robbed him of a good petting.
"Peter, hon, make sure that Neo does exactly a hundred pull-ups," said Clair to her husband. "I want to discuss some things with Cameron."
"Sure thing, lemon drop," grinned Peter as he ran over to his son.
"Uh...I hate to be nosy and all, and I know you know what you're doing," said Cameron nervously after he and Sandy were led by Clair out of the men's earshot. "But...don't you think you're going a wee bit overboard with the training?"
"Don't be ridiculous," said Clair with a huff. "If Neo's to take my place as a dragon trainer and the Blackthorn City Gym Leader, he'll have to be tougher than a dragon Pokémon! Dragon Pokémon are the most powerful Pokémon in the world and don't respect you if you are weak. Like my cousin Lance always says, you can't be clever with them. Me and Lance had to go through the same sort of training before we got our first Pokémon."
"You might be a little off about dragons," said Cameron, patting a red-shaped Pokéball on his belt. "You see, I happen to own a dragon Pokémon of my own, and she's respected me ever since we met, even though I'm not tough or mean."
"Ah yes," said Clair, eyeing the Level Ball. "The legendary dragon-type evolution of Eevee, Scaleon. I've always wanted to see it. Would you...mind showing it to me?"
"I see why not," said Cameron, taking the Level Ball and tossing it into the air. "Scaleon, come on out and meet Clair!"
The ball split open and a beam of light shot out with a whine, morphing into a giant green serpent with small wings and large forelegs and foreclaws. Its head was a sort of cross between a wolf and a dragon, with bat-like ears. "Scale!" it hissed. Seeing Cameron, it licked its forked tongue on his cheek, making him laugh, and then it saw Clair and did the same thing to her.
"Ah, ho, ho, ho!" laughed Clair, pushing the dragon away. "Cameron, your Scaleon is friendly."
"See? Not all dragons are tough and mean," said Cameron with a smile.
"Actually, that's where you're wrong," said Clair. "You see, since Scaleon evolved from an Eevee, it's not really a true dragon."
Scaleon snarled and blasted Clair with fire at that insult of being called "not a true dragon."
"Scaleon!" scolded Cameron. "That was mean!" Scaleon smiled innocently as Cameron pulled out the Level Ball. "Return!" The giant dragon Pokémon was sucked back into her ball.
"That's okay, Cameron," laughed Clair, wiping the soot from her face. "I've been blasted many times by dragons in my lifetime. I'm used to it." She checked her watch, which had two Dratini for hands. "Oh my, it's time for Neo's trivia test."
"Trivia test?" asked Cameron.
"You know, testing his knowledge of dragon Pokémon. I'll see you later." Clair went over to Peter, who was watching Neo finish his pull-ups. "So, has he done exactly a hundred pull-ups?"
"Yes, he has," said Peter.
"Well Neo, time to exercise your mind with trivia training." She marched off and Neo lagged behind.
"Don't I have such a wonderful family?" asked Peter with a puffed-up chest.
"Aren't you concerned with the way Clair is treating your son?" asked Cameron.
Peter deflated. "To be honest, yes. Don't tell her, but I let Neo get away with only ninety pull-ups."
"Why are you letting Clair do this to him?" demanded Cameron.
Peter twiddled his thumbs. "Well, I just want Clair to be happy. You see, she wants an heir to the Blackthorn Gym if she retired for one reason or another, But we found out that Clair was impotent, she couldn't bear kids. Clair was crushed to hear this when the doctor told her, so that night I said that Neo would take over as her successor."
"Did you even ask Neo if he wanted to be a gym leader?" asked Cameron with a cold expression.
"Well...uh...I never asked his permission," mumbled Peter. Before Cameron could say a word, he spoke. "Before you go and accuse me of anything, it's like this; Neo's true mother died three years ago, about when he was nine. Ever since that tragic day, he's become timid as a Sentret in a storm, scared of his own shadow. His biggest fear is that I might be next."
Cameron felt a little sad. "I know how it feels to lose a father. I lost my own father at the time during my first Pokémon adventures." He grimaced as he recalled how Sabrina showed his father's death and how he had nearly escaped a bleak future.
"I thought this would be for his own good," said Peter softly. "You see, if Neo becomes a dragon trainer, he will gain the courage and confidence he needs to move on and grow up to be a great man." He sighed. "You're right, of course. I really should have asked him about this before pushing him into it, but there's nothing we can do about it now."
"Okay, next question!" came Clair's voice. "True or false, Charizard is a dragon Pokémon!"
"False!" cried Neo's voice.
"Well, at least with the trivia test, he can rest," said Cameron.
"Not the way Clair does it," mumbled Peter, leading them to the voices. Cameron peeked through the bushes and saw Neo, shirtless and with wires taped to his chest and back, running on a treadmill. A wired headband was strapped to his head as Clair was reading from an electric monitor.
"What two types are Charizard?" barked Clair.
"Fire and flying!" responded Neo, panting as he ran on the treadmill. Blue energy flowed from the wires and into the monitor.
"What is used to evolve Seadra to Kingdra?" said Clair.
"A King's Rock!" cried Neo. Red energy flowed from the wires and Neo gasped. "No, wait! I meant a Dragon Scale!"
"Too late, kid!" snapped Clair. "For getting a noble dragon question wrong, you have to work harder!"
The treadmill got faster and Neo gritted his teeth as he pounded his feet to keep up.
"Every time Neo gets a question wrong, the treadmill speeds up," said Peter.
"That's terrible," said Cameron in horror. "Just like that episode The School of Hard Knocks, where Joe had to run on a treadmill while those mean boys asked him questions."
"Uh...what are you talking about?" asked Peter.
Cameron blushed. "Never mind."
"AH!" cried Neo as, unable to keep up the pace, landed belly first on the treadmill and was flung into a tree painfully.
"That will cost you," said Clair with a cruel smile.
"Shrew!" winced Sandy.
"Yeah, that had to hurt," grumbled Cameron. "Poor kid..."
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That evening, Cameron joined Clair's family at their home. The boys were sitting at the dinner table, and Neo was lying on his plate, totally zonked out.
"Poor guy," said Cameron, looking at Neo. "He's probably too tired to eat."
"Don't worry about that," grinned Peter. "My wife's hot cuisine always wakes him up!"
"Dinnertime!" said Clair, slamming a huge tureen on the table. This woke Neo up.
"It's a Dragon Scale!" cried Neo.
"Enough dear, training is over for the day," grinned Clair. "Now it's time for supper and time to feed your dragon spirit."
"Dragon spirit?" asked Cameron, blinking.
"To be a good dragon trainer," said Clair with a grin. "Your inner dragon fire must be kept burning. There's nothing like some spicy hot cuisine to do it." She lifted the lid of the tureen to reveal a spread of spicy buffalo wings, tamales, chili con carne, and Scotch Bonnet chili peppers.
"Uh...looks pretty sizzling to me," gulped Cameron, tugging on his shirt collar.
"Nothing's too good for my dear step-son," giggled Clair as she heaped Neo's plate with the food. "Oh dear, I almost forgot the wasabi." She poured a gooey green sauce over the food. She then snarled at him. "Now eat!"
Cameron watched helplessly as Neo bit into a wasabi-soaked buffalo wing and turn red as a beet as sweat poured down his face. He quickly emptied his glass and then belched flames!
"What was in that glass?" cried Cameron in horror.
"Oh, just some hot cinnamon tea made with real cassia bark imported from Cianwood," said Clair proudly. "With cinnamon candies as a garnish!"
Cameron gulped. "It's like he's eating brimstone and drinking hot lava from the underworld. Are you okay, Neo?"
"He's perfectly fine," interrupted Clair. "A true dragon master treats this as minor."
Cameron poured some ranch dressing on his meal to cool the heat. Peter was doing the same. "I hope he gets some nice cool ice cream for dessert."
"No ice cream!" snapped Clair. "That would freeze his dragon spirit!"
"Speaking of ice cream," said Peter. "Someone's turning thirteen tomorrow, and then he'll be in his terrible teens. Heh, heh, heh."
Cameron smiled. "Happy birthday, Neo!"
"Thank you," gasped Neo for his mouth was horribly burned from the heat caused by his food.
"Oh yes! I forgot!" grinned Clair. "Neo, tomorrow is the day you start your Pokémon journey. Of course, we'll have to give you a fine dragon Pokémon to be your starter. I think a Dratini will be a fine starter for you. Then we can see if all that training paid off." She paused. "What am I saying? Of course it did...you were trained by the best! Me!" She did an insane laugh.
"I'm so excited," mumbled Neo, fanning his mouth.
Cameron winced. And I thought Jessie from Team Rocket was insane...
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In the guest room, Cameron was lying on the bed and Sandy was curled up next to his head. "Sandy, I don't think Neo's having such a hot life."
"Shrew?" asked Sandy.
"And Idon't mean all that hot cuisine that Clair shoved down his throat," winced Cameron.
"Shrew," said Sandy, shrugging. Luckily, he had not joined the others that night as he had eaten with Clair's Pokémon. They were nice Pokémon, except the Gyarados, and though the food was spicy, Sandy's meal was a lot less painful than Cameron's.
"If it weren't for that fact that Clair is very intimidating, and Jenny's warning," said Cameron with a sigh. "I might have confronted her on the way she treats Neo. She's more like a nasty gym TEACHER than a gym LEADER."
"Shrew!" said Sandy, nodding in agreement. He recalled talking with Clair's Dragonair and Kingdra and they expressed concern for their trainer, who had changed in attitude after she decided to make Neo her successor. It was like she had evolved from a kind and gentle gym leader to the same rough and mean Gyarados she had on her team, and they didn't like it one bit.
"When my mom died when I was two," mumbled Cameron, turning his head. "I had a fear that I'd end up like Hansel and Gretel, whose dad married a mean stepmother who made life miserable for all. Neo is like my nightmare come true." He got up. "I can't take it anymore, Sandy. I have to talk to Neo and do what his father failed to."
"Shrew shrew," said Sandy with a nod. He raised his claw, hoping to join him.
"Sure, you can join me," grinned Cameron. "I'm sure you'll get a pat from him this time."
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Neo, in blue pajamas decorated with Dratini and Dragonair, was sitting on his bed cross-legged, like a yoga swami. He heard a knock on the door. "Can I come in?" asked Cameron.
"Sure, Mr. Fusterman," said Neo.
Cameron opened the door and entered with Sandy, quietly closing the door behind him. "I told you, call me Cameron. I'm only about six years older than you, so I'm still technically a teenager." He rooted in his pocket and pulled out a red gumball. "Here, want a cool berry-cream flavor gumball?"
Neo furrowed his brow. "Clair doesn't want me eating cool stuff."
"I don't think that eating a gumball will douse your dragon spirit," laughed Cameron. "It's not cold, it's just refreshing. You probably need something like that after all that hot food and drink forced down your throat." He handed the gumball to Neo.
Neo eyed it warily, then surrendered and popped it into his mouth, chewing slowly. "Hey, you're right. It is refreshing after all that spicy food I had to eat."
Sandy leapt up, sniffed Neo, then licked his hand. Neo smiled and finally gave Sandy the pat that he had been robbed of that afternoon.
"You're a nice guy, Neo," said Cameron. "Sandy can sniff out a kind heart really well."
"Thanks," said Neo. He shivered in fear. "I just hope that my Dratini is as nice and doesn't use Dragon Rage on me."
"You're...not crazy about dragons, are you?" asked Cameron sadly.
"To be honest, I have dracophobia," mumbled Neo.
"Draco-what?" asked Cameron.
"Dracophobia, a fear of dragons," sighed Neo.
Ouch, that would really crimp his style if he took over the gym, thought Cameron. "Does Clair know about this?"
"No, I'm afraid to tell her," said Neo. "I'm just thankful that she never brings out her dragon Pokémon unless she's battling a trainer in the gym or is alone in the Dragon's Den. She told me I'm not allowed to see them until tomorrow, when I start my journey."
"What about your dad?" asked Cameron.
"I couldn't bear to tell him," murmured Neo. "You see, despite what you may think, I know about Dad's promise to my step-mom. I overheard him and Clair that night. I know how Clair's gonna react if she found out about my phobia, but I'm worried more about dad. He's been trying to make his new wife happy, so...I guess I have to do it, even if I won't like it, for dad's sake."
"What about your happiness?" protested Cameron.
"My happiness died with my true mom," sobbed Neo. He reached over and took a picture out of his drawer. It showed a beautiful woman in a white dress with curly red hair and gray eyes.
"That's your mom?" asked Cameron. "She's pretty."
"Yeah, that picture was taken before she contracted a horrible disease and passed away when I turned nine," sniffled Neo. "She was the kindest, sweetest, most loving woman I've known. She didn't deserve such a cruel fate."
"I know how it feels, kid," said Cameron, stroking Neo's back. "My mom died when I was younger than that, and my dad perished in a car accident several years ago. It was the worst experience of my life." He paused for a moment to wipe tears away.
"I'm sorry about that, Cameron," said Neo.
"Sandshrew," said Sandy, patting his master's hand.
"Don't worry, I've learned to cope," said Cameron, smiling. "With the help of my good friends, my Pokémon, and my foster parents, the Pallet Town Officer Jenny and Seymour the scientist."
"I wish my step-mom was as nice as yours," said Neo with a sigh.
Cameron laughed. "You should see Jenny whenever something goes wrong, she's a vicious Arcanine!"
"Well, that wouldn't match Clair's Dragon Rage," laughed Neo softly. He sighed. "All she does is push me around and yell at me if I do something wrong. I guess some stepmothers are cruel and mean, unlike the mother figures they are supposed to be, the nurturing kind people."
Cameron tried to think of something to say, then noticed a stack of papers folded into a binder that was sitting in the drawer. He picked up the binder. "What's this?"
"Oh that...it's just something I've been working on in the little free time Clair lets me have," said Neo as Cameron opened it up and looked it over. "Usually during nights like this. I try to hide it from Clair and my dad, I'm afraid what would happen if they saw it."
"Vulpixman?" asked Neo, looking at the title of the comic book. He flipped a page and saw a wonderful drawing of a manly superhero in an orange spandex suit with a red V on the chest, wearing a helmet with a visor and red hair coming out of it, and a cape that looked like the six red fox tails that come from the red fox Pokémon standing besides him. Cameron knew this fox creature from his travels with Brock in the beginning, it was called Vulpix. "This guy looks like a cross between Superman and Batman."
"Who?" asked Neo.
"Uh...superheroes where I come from," said Cameron, laughing softly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you about them."
"Shrew," said Sandy, nodding. He pointed to the Vulpix and nodded.
"I know, Sandy, the art is beautiful," said Cameron, reading the comic strips which showed Vulpixman fighting criminals that looked like Pokémon. There was a man who looked like a Mr. Mime and was called The Mimer, and there was a female cat burglar dressed like the infamous Meowth called Meowthwoman, and many others. "You have quite a talent, Neo."
"Thanks," said Neo, blushing. "I got the idea from an issue of Gligarman that I bought while I was in Goldenrod City with my dad two years ago. When Clair started my training, I decided to do this to keep myself sane. Wanna hear the story of Vulpixman?"
"Sure," said Cameron.
"Well," said Neo, pausing and rubbing his chin. "Vulpixman used to be a simple white-collar worker for some big company in Sunkern City, but when his wife and kids were shot by a robber, he went into hiding, where he ran across this clan of ninjas who worshipped the great spirit of an immortal Ninetales. After he trained with them in ninjitsu, the Ninetales gave him a Vulpix as his sidekick and they worked together to punish crime in Sunkern City."
"You're just amazing," said Cameron as Sandy nodded. Sounds a lot like Batman's origins. "But why a Vulpix?"
"Vulpix is my favorite Pokémon," grinned Neo. "It looks like my real mom."
Cameron looked at the photo of Merisa and nodded. "Yeah, I can see the semblance with the red curly tails and all."
"Shrew sandshrew," said Sandy, smiling.
"Have you shown this to your dad or Clair?" asked Cameron.
"Dad wouldn't be interested," said Neo somberly. "And if Clair saw this, she'd destroy it. She would never let be a cartoonist, because that's not part of her dreams for me."
"So, you don't really want to be a gym leader, right?" asked Cameron.
"Not if it means having to live with...dragons," gulped Neo.
"That's a shame," said Cameron, flipping the pages. "You might be famous if you published this. Do you mind if I read this?"
"Sure, knock yourself out," yawned Neo. He checked the clock. "I have to get to sleep now. Clair wakes me up at 5:30 for training, and I'm sure that she's gonna train me hard all day before she gives me that Dratini tomorrow night."
"G'night, Neo, and happy birthday," said Cameron, getting up with the binder.
"Sandshrew shrew!" said Sandy, making Neo smile.
0
Cameron was sitting at the kitchen table, reading the comic was Sandy was sitting in his lap, reading as well. "I think this kid has some talent," said Cameron. "If only his father and stepmother could see this."
A faint giggling was heard, but only Sandy heard it. "Shrew?" He cocked his head and saw a strange Pokémon with a yellow headress winking before it teleported away from the window.
"What is it, Sandy?" asked Cameron, turning his head to the window. "Did you see something?"
"Hey there," said a voice. Cameron turned to see Clair, her hair up in rollers and dressed in a pristine white nightgown with a pair of Dragonairs entwined to look like a heart on the chest area. "I saw the light on and came down to see what was going on." She spotted the book. "Hey, what's that you're reading?"
"Just a hand-made comic book," said Cameron.
Clair pulled the binder to her and looked over the pages. "Wow, this is really artistic, the quality is similar to Gligarman's cartoonist. I didn't know you had such talent, Cameron!"
"Actually, I had nothing to do with this," said Cameron, closing the book. "It was made by someone you know very well."
Clair's eyes widened as she read the title. "Vulpixman, by Neo Foxworth? My stepson did this?"
"Yes, and he's a great cartoonist too," replied Cameron. He waited for the response that Neo had told him about, ready to snatch the binder away if that happened.
However, instead of getting enraged, Clair opened the book again and read the panels slowly, then whistled in awe. "This...this is amazing! I never knew about Neo's talent. I guess...I was so busy training him, I never asked about his interests."
"Your sure trained him hard," said Cameron sourly. "Clair, there are some things I need to tell you right now. Just listen until I finish, and then you can give me your opinions, okay?" He told Clair about the conversation he had, about Neo's fear and desires.
"What? He has...dracophobia?" gasped Clair. "I thought he wanted to take over the gym when I left. Why did he never tell me before?"
"He...I guess he wanted his father to be happy, and his father is happy when you're happy," said Cameron. "Your husband told me about your condition and what he did to make you happy."
Clair blushed, then paused. "And all this time, I was only thinking about myself." She sighed. "I guess I did go a bit overboard, I just wanted him to be tough enough to handle dragons, and all this time he was scared stiff of them. Think of the chaos that would have happened had he started training a Dratini..." She nodded. "Thanks, Cameron, for showing me the error of my ways. I know now what has to be done."
0
The alarm went off, but Clair's arm hit the snooze button. She got up and kissed her sleeping husband on the cheek. "I love you, Peter," she whispered. She got up and got dressed, then she walked down the hall and spied Cameron and Sandy sleeping in the guest room. She silently mouthed a thank you, then turned to the room across the hall and peeked in, smiling.
"You're sleeping in today, big boy," she whispered, carefully shutting the door.
A few minutes later, Clair was outside of Blackthorn City, fully dressed. Hoothoots and Zubats flew back into their hollows for the night. The sun slowly rose as Ledyba and Pidgey woke up and preened themselves.
"I know I saw that Pokémon running out here the other day." Clair took out one of her Pokéballs and opened it. "Dratini, come out!"
"Dreee!" cried the small blue serpent-like dragon as it materialized.
"Can you sense it?" asked Clair. The dragon lifted up its head and its horns shivered slightly.
"Dreee!" it cried, slithering into the grass.
"Ah ha, so there you are," said Clair, following her Pokémon. She saw a flash of red zip before her and the two stopped. She pulled a bush away. "There! Hit it with Thunder Wave!"
"Dreeee!" cried the Dratini, narrowing its eyes. Its horns crackled with electric power and bolts of lightning shot forth, snagging the Pokémon. It squealed as paralysis set in.
"Now, use Wrap!" ordered Clair. The dragon lunged forward and wrapped itself around the Pokémon, crushing the life out of it. "Okay, that's enough. Let it go."
Dratini released it.
"Go, Pokéball!" shouted Clair, expanding a ball and throwing it. The ball touched the weakened Pokémon and sucked it inside. The ball rocked a few times, then clicked shut.
"That's it for my birthday shopping," grinned Clair as she took the ball. She patted Dratini on the head. "Good work."
"Dreee!" squealed Dratini with a smile as it was sucked back into its Pokéball.
"Now to stop by Nurse Joy's and get this gift fixed up," said Clair, who turned back to the city. "And then, it's time to go get the strings pulled for Neo's OTHER birthday gift from me. Will he be quite surprised when he finds out!" She pulled the binder which had Neo's comic book out from behind her cape and chuckled softly.
0
Several hours later, Neo opened one eye, then bolted up in shock as he saw the time. "11:30? I'm late for training!" he cried. "Clair's gonna kill me until I'm beyond dead!" He quickly threw off his PJs and threw on his shirt and pants and raced to the kitchen, but he nearly stumbled on the stairs when he was plunged into darkness. "Huh? What gives?" He fumbled for the switch and flipped it on.
"SURPRISE!"
Neo gasped as he saw balloons and streamers, a giant chocolate cake shaped like the number thirteen, and his father, stepmother, Cameron, and Sandy all standing there with presents.
"Happy birthday, Neo!" they said while Sandy blew a paper party whistle which tickled Neo's nose.
"My birthday?" said Neo, surprised and delighted.
"That's right, son," said Peter. "You'd think your old man would forget his kid's birthday? You should know me better than that!"
"But...what about training?" asked Neo. "I overslept."
"Because I let you," said Clair, winking. "This is your annual celebration, so that means no training today, just relaxation, porking out on cake and ice cream, and having fun!" She pushed a chair behind Neo and forced him to sit. "And don't worry, none of the food you'll eat today is hot, except maybe the pizza for dinner!"
"Thanks," said Neo, surprised at Clair's change of behavior. "But you said eating ice cream..."
"I'm not going to get on your back today about your dragon spirit," winked Clair. "It's your special day, after all. So what if your dragon spirit freezes? It'll thaw out." Neo sighed in relief.
"Here son, this is my gift to you," said Peter, handing his son the present.
Neo opened it and gasped at the CD case. "Nine Inch Ninetales? That's my favorite rock band! Thanks, pop!" He gave his dad a big hug.
"Just thought you'd like to hear some groovy music while on your Pokémon journey," said his father with a big grin.
"And this is my present to you," said Cameron, handing Neo a small package. Neo opened it and saw a small red box-like device which flipped open to reveal a CD player.
"Wow, a real Pokédex!" cried Neo. He activated it and Neo's photo was on the screen.
"I am Dexlina, the official Pokédex of Neo Foxworth. I serve as his I.D., his Pokémon database, and I have a built-in CD player so I can play groovy music like Nine Inch Ninetales! Rock on, Neo!"
"Vulpix!" chirped a voice from the device. 1
Neo smiled, then got confused. "This is a good gift, but how did you get one? I thought only Pokémon professors could give them."
"When I heard about your birthday last night, I asked your father for a photo of you, faxed it to Professor Oak, and he created your specialized Pokédex. He sent it by way of Pidgeot Express, the fastest delivery service in the world. If we don't deliver before dawn the next day, triple your money back!"
"I'll always treasure this," said Neo, tucking the Pokédex into his shirt pocket.
"Shrew, sandshrew," said Sandy, handing Neo a corn chip wrapped in a red ribbon.
"Thanks, I think," said Neo, taking it.
"Sandy wanted to give you a bag of chips," laughed Cameron. "But you know how he is with corn chips. I managed to smuggle one away."
Sandy burped. "Shrew," he said, blushing.
The others laughed. "Thanks, it's the thought that counts," said Neo.
"And last but not least, this is my present," said Clair, handing Neo a Pokéball. "For all that hard work you put in these past months, it's time to get your first Pokémon."
"Thanks..." said Neo with a fake smile, shaking like a leaf.
"Open it," said Clair.
Neo sighed and closed his eyes, pressing the ball lock. It split open and something came out.
"Vulpix!"
Neo paused. That doesn't sound like a Dratini! He opened his eyes and gasped as he saw a beautiful red fox with six tails sitting on his lip.
"Vul," it squeaked.
"A Vulpix!" cried Neo gladly.
The Vulpix looked up at Neo, then smiled and licked its hand. Neo petted it, and then suddenly it leapt up to his face and licked his cheek like a big slobbery dog. "Vulpix!"
"Ha ha ha, stop it!" laughed Neo. "You're cute!"
"Vulpix," said the fox Pokémon with a smile.
Neo hugged Vulpix and turned to Clair. "Thank you, Clair."
"I found this girl in the woods the other week," said Clair. "So I decided to catch it for you."
Neo turned to his new Pokémon. "So you're a girl, aren't ya? Why don't I name you Vulli?"
"Vul!" cried the fox happily, glad to hear that name.
"Say cheeze whiz!" cried Peter, taking out a camera and snapping a shot of Neo and his new Vulpix.
0
Needless to say, Neo's birthday was the happiest day of his life. He and his family and new friends ate cake and ice cream, had a dinner of pepperoni and sausage pizza, which happened to be both Cameron's and Neo's favorite pizza. (A miracle! Two people in the same room actually like the same pizza toppings!) Neo played with his new Vulpix, while Cameron taught him how to care for Vulpix thanks to his Care and Feeding of Pokémon book Brock gave to Cameron on his birthday.
Night had fallen and Neo was lying happily in bed, glad that his first birthday with his new mom was the best ever. But he was curious as he saw Vulli sleeping peacefully, curled up like a cat. "How did she know Vulpix was my favorite Pokémon?"
"Knock, knock," Clair said on the other side of the door. "You still awake, birthday boy?"
"Yes," said Neo. Clair entered the room. "Thanks for giving me a Vulpix for my birthday. She's a wonderful Pokémon."
"My pleasure," said Clair, carefully sitting on the bed so that Vulli wouldn't wake up. "You deserve it after all the harsh training I put you through the past few months." She grabbed Neo's arm, flexed it, and pinched his biceps. "Just look at how much stronger you've become since we first met."
Neo laughed softly, to avoid waking Vulli up. "But...I thought you were going to give me a Dratini for my first Pokémon."
"Well, Cameron told me about your dracophobia," said Clair softly.
"He...he did?" gasped Neo.
"Yes, he did," said Clair. "And for that, I am very glad. I would never give anyone a dragon Pokémon if they had dracophobia, there would be nothing but chaos." She hung her head. "If I had known from the outset that you feared dragons and didn't want to be my successor, I wouldn't have put you through all that. It's just that I went through that when I was your age. I'm sorry."
"It's okay, you had your reasons," said Neo. "I should have had the courage to tell you, but I couldn't bear to break your or dad's heart."
"And all this time, I thought you were just afraid of me," said Clair softly. She noticed the photo on the table. "So, this is your real mom? Was she really a good mother to you?"
"The best," said Neo. "She was loving and kind. I miss her so much!" And a tear came down his cheek.
"I was a horrible replacement when I married your father," said Clair somberly. A tear came down her cheek. "I'm so sorry, Neo!" She hugged him tightly.
Neo was a bit taken aback. After having lived with a mean ruthless gym leader who bossed him around and force-fed him spicy food, she had changed. "I just...wanted you and dad to be happy, and I thought that by becoming your successor, you would be happy."
"No, you should live your own dreams, Neo," said Clair, giving the comic back.
"My Vulpixman comic?" stammered Neo. "You read it?"
"Yes, Cameron introduced me to Vulpixman and let me borrow this for the time being," said Clair with a smile. "I think this is really great. You're an excellent artist and storyteller, Neo. I especially loved the comic where Vulpixman saved the Officer Jenny from The Delibird's exploding present deathtrap and caused her to fall in love with her. That's so romantic!"
"Thank you, I did that in my spare time," said Neo. "I hope to make more of these in the future."
"Maybe if you continue, you may become as famous as Gligarman's author," said Clair, smiling. "You don't have to be a gym leader."
Neo paused and thought about it. "Actually, I'd love to be a gym leader too."
Clair's jaw dropped. "You mean you still want to be a gym leader, after all that training?"
"Yes," said Neo. "But not a dragon trainer. Instead, I want to find my own theme for the Blackthorn Gym when I take over." He softly patted Vulli's fur. "With Vulli's help, I'll be a Pokémon master."
"Vulpix," murmured Vulli in her sleep.
"I am so blessed to have a strong, kind, and forgiving boy as my stepson," said Clair, hugging him.
"Thank you...mom," said Neo.
"Neo!" cried Clair happily, as she was glad that Neo had finally accepted her as a mother. Vulli woke up and saw the two hugging.
"Vulpix," she said with a smile, glad that she was now this boy's Pokémon.
0
A couple of days later, Neo was prepared for his Pokémon journey. He stepped out of the house, dressed in a purple turtleneck, blue jeans, green sneakers, a black Poke-belt, and a red backpack with the Rising Badge symbol on it. Vulli was by his side.
Neo inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Ah! This is great weather to start a Pokémon journey," he said. He looked down at Vulli. "What do you say, girl?"
"Vul vulpix," said the fox, smiling.
"Neo! Over here!" said a voice. Neo walked over to his stepmother and father, who were standing on the front yard.
"I can't believe it," said Peter with a big grin. "My little boy is going off on his own Pokémon journey." He wiped a tear from his eye.
"Are you all right, dad?" asked Neo.
"I'm fine now, son!" said Peter. "I just realized that you've been growing up all these months. Your mother would be shedding tears of pride if she saw you today!"
"Thanks, dad," said Neo, hugging him tightly. "I'll make you proud!"
"That's what I trained him for," said Clair, her hands behind her back. She approached Neo and removed her hands, revealing a white box. "Neo, this is something I had gotten for you yesterday. It's a little aid for your journey." She winked slyly.
"Thanks, mom," said Neo. "What's inside?"
"Do me a favor and don't open it until you feel the time is right," said Clair, taking the box and shoving it in his backpack. "It would spoil the surprise."
"Okay, mom," said Neo, comfortable calling Clair his mom.
"Give me a goodbye kiss," said Clair, and Neo hugged her and kissed her cheek. As they broke apart, she gave him the evil eye. "Whatever you do, don't slack off on your training, Neo! Just because I'm not there doesn't mean you can be lazy!"
"Yes, mom...I mean, yes ma'am!" said Neo, saluting nervously.
"Ah, lighten up," laughed Clair, giving Neo a noogie. "I'm just kidding. Do whatever you want on your journey, as long as it's not against the law or something you'll regret."
Neo bowed. "I'll make you both proud!"
"Ready to go, champ?" said a voice. Neo turned to see Cameron, backpack on, and Sandy.
"You're coming with me?" asked Neo, shocked.
"You're new to Pokémon," grinned Cameron. "Ash told me about how Brock and Misty had traveled with him and helped him with advice. I thought I'd be your companion, in case you need help. If that's okay with your parents and you, I'd love to accompany you on your journey."
Clair and Peter nodded and Neo smiled, his eyes glittering. "Not at all, I'd be glad to have the Rocket-slayer traveling with me!"
"Then it's settled," said Cameron. "Together we'll travel this wide world of Pokémon and meet interesting people, battle gym leaders for badges, and catch many Pokémon old and new. Maybe we'll discover Pokémon which haven't been discovered yet!" He patted Scaleon's Pokéball.
"Then let's go!" said Neo.
Cameron, Sandy, and Neo waved goodbye and walked down the road from Blackthorn City. Vulli ran around them, enjoying the green grassy fields. Peter and Clair held their hands lovingly.
"You have a wonderful son, my dear," said Clair.
"You mean WE have a wonderful son, my snapdragon," grinned Peter.
Clair suddenly felt something odd. "Grease?" She narrowed her eyes in annoyance. "Let me guess, you've been eating another one of those triple-deckers behind my back, haven't you?"
Peter let go and wiped his face, smearing mustard on his cheek. "Well...uh...you see...I can explain."
"No need," said Clair, turning on him angrily. "It looks like we'll have to work off that meat, mister!" She took out a long whip and grinned devilishly. "It looks like I've found someone else to train... someone who NEEDS IT!" She cracked the whip. "Give me thirty laps around the house, NOW!"
"Yes sweetums!" gasped Peter as he started to jog while Clair stood there, smiling. "Good luck, Neo!"
To be continued...
1 That line was for those who are Japanese or know the "Pocket Monsters" anime. You see, Vulpix's original Japanesename is Rokon, and the Pokedex said "Rock on." Get it? Rock on...Rokon...Vulpix! (Hears Ninjask chirping and sweatdrops.) Nevermind.