Well, everyone, I hope you enjoyed that last chapter.
(Sees that only Cullen is in the stands.)
Hey, what happened to my readers? (Releases his Pokémon; Flygon, Gardevoir, Sceptile, Golduck, and Combusken.) Go, my loyal Pokémon! Get those readers back here!
(The Pokémon scatter and moments later, they use their powers to force the readers back into the stands.)
Thank you. (Recalls his Pokémon.) Geez, guys, if you didn't like it, you could have sent me feedback or a review. Now, for your punishment, you have to read CHAPTER 2!
(Unholy screams echo from the stage. Luckily, it was a sound effect machine.)
MWA HA HA HA! I'm so evil! (Coughs.) Anyways, you know the disclaimers: Pokémon isn't mine, nor are Cameron, Sandy, or Neo. Everything else is.
Now enjoy and send me reviews...or else! (Gets arrested by the Badfic Police for threatening readers for not giving reviews.)
NOTE: The names of the villians comes from the name of an Australian bushranger(an outlaw which used the bushes of the outback as hiding spots) known for his violent temper and heavy drinking. I got this all from Wikipedia. (See? Wikipedia does have GOOD info!) Another thing, I apologize to Cullen for having Buzz and any other Pokemon he had said their names shout other cries instead, but I feel like it would be anime-authentic if I used their cries in the anime. Don't freak out if you hear them saying things other than their names. (A giant Kingler skitters by, saying "Koo kik! Koo kik!")
NOTE 2: I apologize if you don't see the tilde over the "e" in "Pokemon", but my word processor requires me to insert each special "e" manually instead of the old Alt-130 trick(I don't have a numeric pad on my laptop), so it's tedious. I apologize, and know that the word is messed up in this chapter. My last edit was stopped by a server crash and I was too frustrated to re-edit the whole thing.
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Poké-Odyssey
Neo
A fanfic by King Dragun
Some characters made by Cullen
Pittman
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Part 2: Electrike Avenue
Cameron Fusterman and his friend Sandy were through the mountains around Blackthorn City with their companions, Neo Foxworth and Vulli the Vulpix. They were heading for New Bark Town to meet with Professor Elm, a friend of Oak's, for advice on where to go next.
"Wow," said Cameron, gingerly stepping down the mountain trail. "These mountains are steep."
"You've seen nothing," said Neo. "Twice a week, Clair would make me climb steeper cliffs. Sometimes without equipment."
"Wow, talk about crazy!" said Cameron. "To be honest, how did you survive all that? If it had been me, I'd be a broken man to this very day."
Neo scratched the back of his neck. "To be honest, Clair's harsh training helped me get my mind off of my mom's death. I had no time to mourn over mom's death with Clair drilling me. You could say she made a man out of me."
"Sort of like how I became a man at your age," said Cameron, recalling the day when he was dragged from his world to the Pokémon world and learned about his father's demise. He looked up at the setting sun and smiled gently.
"You okay, Cameron?" asked Neo.
Cameron turned and rubbed the back of his neck. "Oh yeah, just watching the sun set. It's getting dark. We should set up camp for the night."
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Luckily, there was a nice clearing in the mountains. Cameron gathered some firewood and made a makeshift campire. "I think I should let out my Pokémon out." He threw out four Pokéballs. "Come on out, guys!"
The balls split open and blasts of light materialized into a large rufflesia flower where the stem was a humanoid figure, a four-winged purple bat, a humanoid pink hippotamous creature with a shell crown that had evil eyes and a red-and-white collar, and a yellow humanoid with prongs for ears, wild hair, and black bolt-like stripes, as well as a fanged face.
"Wow, these are the Pokémon who helped you fight Team Rocket in Pallet Town!" cried Neo.
"Well, let me introduce you," said Cameron. "Guys, this is Neo Foxworth, our new companion, and his first Pokémon, Vulli the Vulpix. Neo, let me introduce you. This is my Vileplume, which I call V.P."
"Vileplume!" said the flower, bowing to him.
"This is Batty, my Crobat," said Cameron. "I met her in Mt. Moon and she evolved twice in one hour! No really, she did!"
"Crobat!" said the bat, giving a smile as he flew around Neo and Vulli.
"This here is Buzz, my Electabuzz," said Cameron, motioning to the yellow humanoid. "He was given to me by one of Lt. Surge's trainers."
"Wow, you got a Pokémon from the Vermillion Gym?" asked Neo. "That's awesome!"
"ELEBUU!" cried Buzz, saluting with a fierce grin.
"He's been through a lot," laughed Cameron. "Remind me to tell you about his amazing transformations in Ryooku some time."He turned to the pink hippo-man Pokémon. "Finally, this is Slowie, my Slowking. It's an even longer story about how I met him and how he evolved, but ever since we met, he's been been there for me, and he even helped me save Ash from Mewtwo."
"Hello, Neo," said the Slowking in a drawl.
"Whoa, did he just talk?" cried Neo, backing up in shock.
"Yeah, he's actually learning new words every day," said Cameron, laughing. "I was surprised as you were when he started to speak our language."
"Say, is this all you have?" asked Neo, looking around at the Pokemon. "I heard mom talking to you about a sixth Pokémon..."
Cameron paused. "Well, I do have a sixth Pokémon, but...I don't know if I should let her out. You see, she's...a dragon."
Neo shuddered, then spoke. "Go ahead. Let me see her. I need to get over this dracophobia, for Clair's sake."
"Okay," said Cameron, throwing out the Level Ball. "Scaleon, come out!"
The Pokémon emerged in a blast of light. "SCALEON!" it hissed.
"Scaleon, I want you to meet my new friends, Neo and Vulli."
"Vulpix!" gasped Vulli, wide-eyed as she looked up at the dragon.
"Scale," said Scaleon, licking Vulpix with her forked tongue.
"Now..." Cameron looked around. "Neo, where are you?"
Neo was hiding behind a rock, shaking. "What was I thinking? Why couldn't I be afraid of bug Pokémon or something small?" choked Neo. Suddenly, he saw something green and scaly snake around him and pull him out. He was lifted up into the eyes of the mighty Scaleon. Neo looked on in fear as the creature licked him with his tongue, then let out a blood-curdling scream!
"Scaleon, put him down!" Cameron ordered.
Scaleon frowned and obeyed, relaxing her coils...and dropping a still-screaming Neo right on top of Cameron.
"Oof, thanks," grunted Cameron. "Sorry, but I think you'll have to stay in your Pokéball for a while."
"Scale," whispered Scaleon sadly, wondering what had happened as she was sucked into her Level Ball.
Cameron pulled Neo off, got up, and slapped the boy's cheek lightly. "Neo! It's all right! She's gone!"
Neo stopped screaming, but moaned slightly.
"Vulpix!" cried Vulli, leaping onto his chest and licking him, but she sneezed and some smoke got into his nose, making him cough and hack.
"It's okay, I needed that," choked Neo, sitting up.
"I'm sorry, Neo, but that's how Scaleon shows her affection," said Cameron sadly.
"It's...It's not your fault," sighed Neo. "I was hoping that if I saw Scaleon, I'd overcome my fears. I was dead wrong."
"Don't worry, you'll get over your fears of dragons eventually," said Cameron with a gentle smile. "It just takes time. I was spooked once when an Octillery grabbed me and dragged me underwater, but then I learned that she was a motherly creature who mistook me for her child. She's now living back at my house as a loving mother figure and I'm thankful she came into my life." He rubbed his chin. I should trade Scaleon for Octillery until Neo's over his fear, but then I'd have to deal with her hugging me each time she comes out! I guess it's better than having Neo hide all the time.
"You have an Octillery?" asked Neo.
"Yes", smiled Cameron, taking out his wallet. "Here's a picture of her." And he handed Neo a picture of an orange octopus Pokémon with her tentacles draped around Cameron and a beautiful oriental girl in a kimono.
"Wow, who's the pretty lady?" asked Neo, blushing.
"That's my dear wife, Reiko," said Cameron. "The most wonderful blessing I could ever ask for."
"Oh yeah," said Neo. "I've heard about her. She was once a member of the evil Team Rocket,but sherepented."
"Reiko really wasn't evil," said Cameron. "She got forced into that evil organization by being there at the wrong time."
"And you helped her get her life back and ended up marrying her," said Neo with a shy smile. "Everyone knows about that story. Clair thinks it's so romantic. You're so lucky to have a girl as pretty as her!"
"Well..." said Cameron, blushing. "Well, um, uh...Hey, let's have dinner!" said Cameron, trying to change the subject by taking out a can of cocktail weenies and corn chips.
"SHREW!" said Sandy, clapping his claws together.
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After a delicious campfire dinner, Cameron and Neo were in their sleeping bags, slumbering away. Sandy was curled up next to Cameron and Vulli's tails were snuggled around Neo's face.
Just then, Vulli awoke to a strange crumpling noise.
"Vul?" Vulpix opened her eyes and noticed a strange green creature with yellow stripes on its body rummaging in one of the corn chip bags. She nudged Neo awake. "Vulpix! Vulpix!"
"Uh, what is it?" mumbled Neo, sitting up and putting on his glasses. He saw the creature in the bag. "What's that? A Pokémon?"
Cameron got up and put on his glasses. "What's up, Neo?"
"Shrew?" asked Sandy, alerted by the rustling bag.
"It looks like someone else besides us was in a bag," said Neo, pointing to the green-and-yellow hindquarters and short stubby split tail sticking out of the bag.
"SHREW!" snarled Sandy, running over and yanking the bag away. He shook it and snarled, for there were no crumbs.
"Electrike!" snarled the creature with a hoarse growl. It was revealed to be a canine as big as a Raticate with a flat head made of green leaf-like plates that went to its waist. Its jaws looked to be square, like a wolf's jaws, and yellow stripes were on its back, tip of its tail, and side of its wide head, making it look like a strange alien dog.
"That Pokémon looks like a certain Dick Tracy villian," said Cameron. "Hey, try out your Pokédex, Neo. When I got it from Professor Oak, he told me that he updated it with information on newly-discovered Pokemon."
"Okay," said Neo as he flipped open his Pokédex and tapped a button that made the Dex scan a Pokémon. It scanned the strange quadraped and revealed an entry with the same creature and Dexlina's voice rang out.
"Electrike: The Lightning Pokémon. It generates electricity by using friction from the atmosphere. In seasons with especially arid air, its entire body explodes with violent showers of sparks."
"Electrike," hissed the creature angrily.
"Wow, I've never seen this creature before," said Neo.
"Neither had I," said Cameron. He got an idea. "Hey, why don't you try to catch it? That way, Vulli gains some experience and you'll have yourself another Pokémon."
"Okay, I'll try that!" said Neo. "Vulli, let's go battle that Electrike!"
"Vul?" asked Vulpix, a giant flaming question mark appearing over her head.
"Go on, attack!" said Neo.
"Uh, Neo, Pokémon battles don't work that way," said Cameron with a sweatdrop. "You have to tell it which attacks to use."
"Oh, I see," said Neo, blushing shamefully. "Uhm...Vulpix, Dragon Rage!"
"Vuuuuul..." moaned Vulli, putting her paws over her eyes. The others(save Electrike) facefaulted.
"Vulpix can't use Dragon Rage," said Cameron. "I thought you knew everything about Vulpix, since you love it so much."
"I know," said Neo. "But Clair never let me study any attacks other than stuff dragon Pokémon know." He saw the Electrike sit down and clean its fur, obviously bored.
"Well, I know what attacks a Vulpix can use..." said Cameron, recalling his days with the Gameboy. "Have Vulli use an Ember attack."
"Okay," said Neo. "Vulli, use Ember!"
"Vul!" cried Vulli, opening her mouth at the Electrike...and all that came out was a puff of smoke.
"What the...?" said Cameron. "Ember is one of Vulpix's first attacks, it should have that!" He sighed. "Okay, try a Quick Attack."
"Vulli, use Quick Attack on Electrike!" said Neo.
"Vulpix!" cried Vulli, charging at Electrike...but instead of smacking the creature down, she bounced off its skin.
"Electrike," said the Electrike, waving its tail happily.
Vulpix suddenly winced in pain, shuddering. "Vulpix!"
"Vulli, are you okay? Did that thing use an electric attack?" asked Neo. He activated his Pokédex.
"Electrike's trait - Static: Whenever a Pokémon does a body-contact attack like Quick Attack on this Pokémon, it has a small chance of being paralyzed by static electricity in its body."
"Oh no," said Neo. He watched Vulli struggle to move, but it was no good. Paralysis had set in.
"Trike!" said Electrike, obviously bored with this display. Facing Vulpix with an evil grin, it glowed yellow and sparks shot out.
"Oh no, it's using an electric attack!" cried Cameron. "Watch out!"
Neo screamed and threw himself in Vulli's path. He winced as the Spark hit him instead.
"Neo!" cried Cameron in horror, watching his friend get zapped silly.
"Come on, you mutt," said Neo, shaking with the electrocution. "Zap me until you can't zap any more!" Eventually, Electrike stopped and panted, having grown tired.
Cameron and Sandy opened their eyes and saw Neo heaving, his body covered in soot and his hair sticking up like a punk's.
"POKÉBALL! GO!" cried Neo, tossing a Pokéball.
"Electrike!" cried Electrike, trying to use Quick Attack to escape, but it flopped over, too tired to move, and the ball touched it, opening up and sucking the creature up into it. The ball shook...
...and shook...
...and shook...
PING!
"Did...I just catch...an Electrike without using my Pokémon?" panted Neo.
"Sure looks like it," said Cameron, recalling how he caught his first Pokémon the same way, by throwing a ball at V.P. when he still a little Oddish as it was attacking Sandy.
"I did it!" cried Neo, punching the air and making it sparkle(since he was still charged with electricity). He ran up and picked up the ball, then displayed it. "I caught an Electrike!"
"Are you all right?" asked Cameron, concerned. "That Spark attack did a number on you!"
"I'm fine," coughed Neo. "That was nothing compared to the training Clair put me through. Those wires she attached to me during my trivia training were electrical, so this was nothing."
"Well, you remind me of Ash," chuckled Cameron. "He got shocked lots of times by his Pikachu."
"I wonder if I'll ever measure up to him," said Neo. "What do you think, Vulli?"
"Vul...pix," moaned Vulli.
"Oh no, I forgot that you're paralyzed!" said Neo, running up to pick him up, but a zap of static electricity pushed him back. He took his Pokéball and aimed it. "Return." The beam of light sucked up Vulli. He looked at his Pokéballs. "We have to get these guys healed. You got any potions?"
Cameron searched through his backpack and shook his head. "I'm all out." He took out his Pokégear, which Jenny had given him for his sixteenth birthday, and activated it. "We're in luck, there is a Pokémon center just a few miles from here. Nurse Joy can cure them."
"Let's get going then, lead the way," said Neo.
Cameron led Neo down the trail.
"It's amazing that I got a new Pokémon so soon," said Neo, looking at the ball he held which held his new Electrike. "I wonder if he'll resent me after I call him out."
"I don't think so," said Cameron. "I remember when I first caught V.P., he was a tiny Oddish who was tried to use Absorb on Sandy."
"Shrew!" snarled Sandy, not wanting to be reminded of that awful incident.
"But after Oddish evolved, he behaved and we became good friends," said Cameron. "Right, Sandy?"
Sandy nodded. V.P. had evolved into a kind and caring flower over the years.
"Maybe I should train my new Electrike to be loyal and kind like Vulli," said Neo, looking at his two Pokéballs. "I hope the people at the Pokémon center can heal him..."
He was so focused on his Pokéballs that he didn't notice someone running towards him until it was too late. With a crash, the two bonked heads and landed on their bottoms.
"Owie," moaned the other person.
Cameron turned and saw that Neo had collided with a woman his age. She had a lavender ponytail and wore what looked to be a silver jumpsuit with a large black "A" over the chestbone area.
"Are you all right?" asked Cameron, helping the two up. Something bothered him about the woman's attire. If I wasn't sure that they were gone, I'd say this woman was ripping off of...
"I'll be okay," said Neo, brushing himself off.
"Me too," said the girl in a high-pitched voice, like something a ditzy airhead would use.
"I'm terribly sorry, miss," said Neo, straightening his glasses. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
"That's okay," said the girl as she picked up the sack she had dropped. "No broken bones. If I did, I'd have Poochyena swarming all over me! Tee hee!"
The two got big question marks over their heads.
"Oh, that's a neat trick!" said the girl, plucking the question mark from Neo's head and taking a big bite out of it. She chewed a few times, and then swallowed. "I've always wondered what question marks taste like, and let's just say...the taste is...questionable! Ha ha ha!" She gasped. "Oh no, I've gotta deliver this! Sorry, can't stay to talk! Ta ta for now!" She ran off.
"Curiouser and curiouser," said Cameron.
Neo scratched his staticy hair. "I wonder what was in that sack?"
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In another part of the woods, a man who was the same age as Cameron paced a campsite. He had a handsome face, short blonde hair, and wore a similar silver jumpsuit with the "A" on the chest. The only difference was that he was wearing what looked to be a modern jet pilot's helmet without the visor.
"Where is that girl?" he snarled impatiently. "I'm going to be old and in retirement by the time..."
"Dan! Dan!" cried a voice, as the girl from before ran into the clearing. "I got it!" She tripped on a rock. "Whoops!"
The bag flew out of her hands and almost landed in the blazing campfire. Luckily, the man, Dan, grabbed it just in time. "You nitwit!" he snapped. "Don't you realize, Morgan, how much work we had to go through to get this thing! If it gets destroyed, we'll have to search all over for another!"
"Maybe we could find it in your sock drawer," giggled the girl. "I looked in mine and found some silver. Wait, that was the silver paint chipping off the dresser. Hee hee hee!"
"Why in the name of Ho-Oh did I get ever stuck with the likes of you?" grumbled the man, opening the sack and looking in. He pulled out a large emerald-colored scale that glistened in the light of the campfire. "Yes, this might be it, a scale from the legendary dragon, Rayquaza!"
"Did I do good?" asked Morgan.
"Good?" snapped Dan. "We're Team Aeon. We don't do good, only bad!"
"Sorry, my bad," said Morgan, blushing. "I mean, my good!"
"That's a good...I mean, bad girl," chuckled Dan. Seeing that the conversation was going nowhere, he changed the subject. "Can we be sure this scale is the real deal?"
"I...I dunno," said Morgan, fidgeting. "The guy you sent me to pick it up from said it was genuine. He said he barely escaped with his life from the Sky Pillar in the Hoenn region after plucking that scale from the big green lizard!"
"Well, he'd better be honest, unless he wants his life threatened again," snarled Dan. "I think we'd better get the opinion of a real dragon!" He walked over to a tree and knocked on the trunk. "Hey Baggy, come down here! We need your help!"
"Ach!" said a deep-throated Irish accent. "And just as I was gettin' a wee bit of shut-eye!" Out of the branches jumped a small blue Pokémon. "What is it ye want?"
Dan held the scale up to it. "Is this a real scale from the great Rayquaza?"
The Pokémon sniffed it with his big pug nose. "Aye, as true as I be a dragon, that indeed be a scale from the legendary Rayquaza!"
"Excellent," said Dan with a wicked grin. He opened his backpack to reveal two more things, a giant sharp tooth and a jagged claw, both as big as the scale. "That makes phase one of our Boss's plan complete. We now have all three of the necessary rare items: a tooth from the titan of the seas, Kyogre; a claw from the titan of the land, Groudon; and a scale from the sky titan, Rayquaza! That means we can get to the next phase, obtaining all seventeen types of Pokémon. Due to the prophecy we got on that translated tablet, these three items must be empowered with the elements of all seventeen types of attacks." He turned to Morgan. "Do you still have that Electrike we stole from Professor Palm's lab?"
"Sure do!" said Morgan, taking a Pokéball and throwing it. It hit the ground and split open, but nothing happened. "Huh?"
"Hey, where's that Electrike?" asked Dan. "The Pokéball is empty!"
"Oh dear, I forgot!" said Morgan, giggling. "I let it out for some air and it ran off. Hee hee!"
"WHAT?" cried Dan, getting in her face. She cringed. "You foolish little airhead ditz! That was a very rare Pokémon!" He threw his hands up. "Why did I even think of letting you hold the equipment for this mission? You can't even operate a can operator without twisting your thumbs...or mine!"
"Would it help if I said I was sorry?" whined Morgan.
"Would apologizing bring that Electrike back?" growled Dan.
"How about...Here Electrike, here puppy!" She whistled, then paused and started whistling "Whistle While You Work."
"Oh great, her brain just got smaller," grumbled Dan, slapping his forehead.
"Enough of this!" snapped the small Pokémon. "Morgan, tell us where you last had it!"
"Well, as I was running back with the goods, I ran into this kid who said he had a new Electrike and a Vulpix," said Morgan. "His friend was really cute and he had a cute Sandshrew!"
"Wait a sec...did you say that kid caught an Electrike?" cried Dan. "That must be our Electrike, there's no other one in these parts!"
"And there was a Vulpix and Sandshrew too!" said the Pokémon in glee. "That's just perfect! We can use those Pokémon instead of that Numel we stole!"
"Yeah, considering how lamebrained the Numel got around his new trainer," sighed Dan, looking angrily at Morgan. "It'd be a little work, but we could kill two Taillow with one stone if we get our hands on those Pokémon! Morgan, where were those two headed?"
"I think they were going to the nearby Pokémon center," said Morgan.
"Then let's get going and apprehend them!" laughed Dan. The two picked up their bags and left. The small Pokémon sighed as it saw the campfire.
"Ach, stupid humans!" it said. "Dinna ya know you never leave a campfire burning?" It inhaled and launched a powerful blast of water that totally extinguished the fire and washed it away before waddling after the others.
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Cameron and Neo were hanging out in the Pokémon center, waiting for Nurse Joy to return. "My first Pokémon center," grinned Neo. "This place is really relaxing."
"Yeah, I think that centers are great," said Cameron, taking in the atmosphere of the Pokémon center. He then noticed a videophone. "Hey, I think I'll call Pallet Town and see how my wife and Ash are doing." He went over and picked up the receiver, then dialed a number.
Ash's face appeared on the screen, yawning. "Who interrupted my sleep?"
"Oh, sorry, I forgot it was nighttime," laughed Cameron. "I'm sorry to disturb you and Misty."
"Actually, Misty's out on the town with Reiko," yawned Ash. "They decided to go explore the nightlife, so Reiko won't be home until dawn."
"Oh," said Cameron. "Knowing my wife, our credit card will get cut in half by angry restaurant waiters again." He laughed nervously. "Luckily I have a backup account in Johto she doesn't know about."
"Hey, are you Ash Ketchum?" asked Neo, butting in.
"That's my name, don't wear it out," laughed Ash. "Let me guess, you must be Neo. Cameron told me about you yesterday on the phone, while you were celebrating your thirteenth birthday. Happy birthday, kid! I remember when I first got Pikachu." He smiled nostagalically.
"I read about you in Pokémon Monthly," said Neo. "You're my other hero!"
"Pika pi!" cried Pikachu, leaping up to the screen.
"Have you been watching the late-night movie channel again, Pikachu?" scolded Ash. Pikachu sweatdropped and gave a nervous "pi" laugh.
"Hey, it's the famous Pikachu!" said Neo. "You're as famous as Sandy!"
Pikachu blushed deeply. "Ka!"
"You sure like to give lots of praise," said Ash. "Maybe when you become as popular as I am, people will be praising you!"
"Actually, I just started my journey," said Neo. "And I just caught my second Pokémon."
"Already? Wow," said Ash. "I didn't get my second Pokémon until I got to Viridian Forest. I remember those days clearly." He then sweatdropped as he recalled how he kept trying to grab Pidgey and Rattata and then he knocked the head of a Spearow who attacked Pikachu. "Those early times made me and Pikachu close friends."
"Cha," said Pikachu, nodding. He recalled how in the beginning, he ran up a tree and refused to battle, but when he shocked that Spearow and it called its friends to attack, Ash did his best to save him and since that day, he and Ash had been best buds.
"You know, if you keep training Pokémon, you'll be great someday," said Ash.
"Thanks, Ash, I'll remember that," said Neo, saluting.
"Nice," said Ash.
"Just like how I greet my Officer Jenny relatives," said Cameron.
Nurse Joy came out. "Neo, your Pokémon are healed and ready to go."
"Well, I gotta go," said Neo. "It was an honour to talk to you, Ash."
"I expect great things from you, Neo," said Ash with a smile. "Cameron, be a good companion to him, just like I was to you."
"I will," said Cameron with a smile as he hung up. The screen went off as Neo and Cameron approached the counter. A tray with pillows had been set on it and Sandy, Vulli, and Electrike were relaxing on the pillows.
"Thanks, Nurse Joy," said Neo and Sandy leapt off the tray. "My Pokémon are looking better." He patted Vulli's head. "You two okay?"
"Vulpix!" said Vulli, licking her trainer's hand.
"Electrike!" said the Electrike, nuzzling against Vulli's fur.
"Hey, it looks like you two have become fast friends," said Neo happily.
"And I see Sandy had a nice time too," said Cameron, rubbing his sidekick's head.
"Shrew sandshrew," said Sandy, nodding. He loved being treated by Nurse Joy.
"They were very well-behaved," said Joy with a grin. "While I was treating them, they got along just fine." She then pulled something from her apron. "By the way, I found this tied around your Electrike's leg as I was treating him."
Cameron took the tag from Joy and read it. "Property of Zachary Q. Palm of Bouillion Town."
"That reminds me,"said Joy, taking a milk carton. "When I was having my morning oatmeal, I found this wanted picture." On the carton was a notice that read MISSING and had photos of Electrike, an orange crawfish-like Pokémon with three prongs on its head and big eyes, and a small dromedary like Pokémon with curly hair below its stubby ears and stubby legs. A green blotch surrounded a giant hole in its hump.
"That Electrike looks like mine," said Neo. He got blue. "That means this Electrike isn't really mine to begin with, it ran away from home."
"I'm sorry, Neo," said Cameron. He then looked at the other photos. "Say, what are those other Pokémon?"
"Corphish and Numel," said Joy.
"Corphish?" asked Neo, activating his Pokedex.
"Numel?" asked Cameron, doing the same.
"Corphish: The Ruffian Pokémon," said Neo's Pokedex, showing the picture of the crawfish Pokemon."Once it grips prey with its large pincers, it will never let go, no matter what. It is a hardy Pokémon that can survive in any environment."
Cameron's Pokedex showed the camel Pokemon."Numel: The Numb Pokémon. Numel stores boiling magma in the hump on its back. It is a hardy Pokémon that can transport a 220-pound load. It has served humans at work long ago."
"Wow, we just discovered three new Pokémon today!" said Cameron as the two put away their Pokedices. "The Pokémon world sure has a lot of nifty creatures, doesn't it, Sandy?"
"Shrew," said Sandy, smiling.
"So, where is this Professor Palm?" asked Neo. "I think we need to return this Electrike to him."
"I know all about him," said Joy. "Before I came here, I used to be the Nurse Joy in Bouillon Town in the Wonton Islands."
"Wonton Islands?" asked Cameron.
"That's right," said Joy, taking out a large map and opening it. She pointed to another continent far to the southwest of Johto. "This is Hoenn, and far to the west of it..." She moved her finger to a set of two large islands. "There are the Wonton Islands. The islands have many Pokémon which used to live in Hoenn before immigrating there due to settlers."
"Wow," said Cameron. "Does it have gyms too?"
"Yes, the Wonton Gyms work in a waysimilar to the Ryooku gyms," said Joy. When Cameron looked at her, she smiled. "Before you ask how I know of Ryooku's gyms, I heard all about your travels in Ryooku from my cousin six times removed in Vinegar City. She told me thatthe trainers who get the badges from therego to Bouillon Town to participate in the gym challenges in the Wonton Isles, which are much more challenging than Ryooku's gyms." She lowered her voice conspiratorially. "I also heard that the Wonton League Champion is tougher than you, Ash, and the Ryooku League Champion all mixed together!"
"Yeeks!" cried Cameron, gulping. Sandy gulped too.
"Wow," said Neo, eager to try out these new gyms. "Do you think we can go to these islands?"
"You're in luck," said Joy. "There's a blimp station that travels to Bouillon Town every night."
"Sounds like a plan," said Cameron. "Then we can return Electrike to its true master."
"Aw, I was getting attached to the little guy," said Neo sadly, patting its head.
"Trike," said Electrike.
"I know how you feel, and I bet Professor Palm is worried sick," said Joy.
"Yeah, you're right...I hate to do it, but we need to take Electrike back to its true owner," said Neo. "So, when is the blimp leaving?"
Joy checked her watch. "Oh, about ten minutes."
"Ten minutes?" cried the boys.
"We've gotta get moving!" cried Cameron, picking up Sandy.
"Thanks, Nurse Joy!" said Neo rapidly as he sucked Vulli and Electrike into their Pokéballs.
"My pleasure, boys," said Joy, giggling. "Good luck in the Wonton League!"
0
The two crooks were crouching outside the center doors, holding scary-looking rifles. "You know the plan, right?" said Dan.
"Yeah!" said Morgan. "We barge in and threaten those two to give up their Pokémon or else we'll squirt them with our super-soakers! Tee hee!"
"Don't tell them that, or they won't be intimidated!" snapped Dan.
"Why do we have super-soaker guns anyway?" asked Morgan.
"Because our Boss is a C-H-E-A-P-S-K-A-T-E," hissed Dan.
"Chestnut?" asked Morgan.
"Forget it," grumbled Dan. "Now, on the count of three...one...two..."
WHAM! The double doors slammed open and Cameron and Neo ran out at top speed, running down the trail like sand dervishes. The doors swung back, revealing the swirly-eyed criminals.
A blast of water woke them up. "Wake up, ye addlebrains!" snarled the blue Pokémon. "Those two are getting away!"
"Thanks for the wet wake-up call, Baggy!" snarled Dan, wringing out his uniform.
"Oh no!" cried Morgan, blushing. "I wet myself! I thought I was over that when I was sixteen!"
Dan growled and threw Morgan over his shoulder. "Let's go after them!" He raced off while the blue Pokémon ran after them as best he could.
0
"Flight 214 leaving for Bouillon Town!" said the stewardess at the door of the blimp.
"WAIT!" cried Cameron and Neo, slamming into the door hard. They slid down like pancakes, then got up.
"Is there any room left?" begged Cameron.
"You're in luck," grinned the stewardess. "We have a room that's available. Welcome aboard!"
Cameron sighed. "Thank goodness." He took his Pokédex and slid it through the device to deduct the price of admission.
"Right this way, I'll take you to your room," said the stewardess, leading Cameron, Sandy, and Neo inside.
The two teenagers were in awe at the beautiful room they were given.
"Wow, this is so luxurious," said Neo.
"Just one of the perks of going on a Pokémon journey, my friend," said Cameron with a big smile. He yawned and put Sandy down, then climbed into bed. "And now, I think we need to get some sleep."
Neo yawned. "I'm with you." He crawled into the top bed and Sandy leapt in with Cameron, curling up and going to sleep.
None of them realized that a giant hangglider shaped like a seagull Pokémon was following them, and three villianous criminals were riding it.
To be continued...