Episode 227: Pre-Hysteria!
About a day had Sora had earned his third Gym Badge and they continued on their journey.
As they continued onwards, they were approached by a boy wearing a pair of shorts.
"Hey there. You're Sora Ketchum, aren't you?" The boy asked.
"I am," Sora said.
"Great! I am challenging you into a Pokémon battle! We'll make it two on two!" The boy said, taking a Pokéball.
"I could use some excercise," Sora said.
"Great! I choose you, Numel!" The boy threw the Pokéball and it let out a Pokémon that looks like a fat yellow camel with a green marking and hole on the top of its hump. The Pokémon also has regular camel ears, brown circles surrounding its perpetually droopy eyes, short legs, and a stout, beige potbelly. Sora took out his Pokédex and scanned the Pokémon.
Numel, the Numb Pokémon
Type: Fire/Ground
Numel is extremely dull witted—it doesn't notice being hit. However, it can't stand hunger for even a second. This Pokémon's body is a seething cauldron of boiling magma.
"A Fire Type and a Ground Type, huh? I guess it'll take a Ground Type against a Ground Type," Sora said, taking out a Pokéball and threw it. "Go, Mudbray!" Mudbray comes out to battle.
"Ah, you're a using a Ground Type against a Ground Type. Also taking advantage of Numel's weakness since being a Fire Type. But it won't be enough! Numel! Tackle!" The boy ordered Numel charges towards the donkey Pokémon with a full force of its battle.
"Mudbray! Mega Kick!" Sora ordered. Mudbray gave Numel gave a powerful kick.
"Numel! Mud Bomb!" The boy ordered.
"Mudbray! Mud Bomb too!" Sora ordered.
Both Pokémon fired Mud Bomb and they collided with each other. The mud splashed and splattered as they stared at each other. The same can be said about Sora and his opponent.
"That was good! Now, let's see how you handle this! Magnitude!" The boy ordered. Numel slams its front hooves onto the ground, making the ground shake. It was at a scale of 5, but it was enough to make Mudbray shake.
"Keeo your cool, Mudbray! Use High Horsepower!" Sora ordered. Mudbray's body becam surrounded by an orange aura and charges towards Numel. The camel-like Pokémon took the hit since it was weak against Ground Type attacks. Numel had been taken out. The boy was at a disbelief. He calls back his Numel and takes out another Pokéball.
"That was good! But let's how you'll handle this one! Let's go, Marshtomp!" The boy shouted as he threw his Pokéball. It opens and out came a Pokémon hat seems very similar to Mudkip with the same spikes on the cheeks, but it was blue-green and has dark blue fins on its body: one sharply pointed one atop its head, and two rounded ones on its backside. It also has an orange belly. Its chin and neck are light blue. It has long, powerful arms with fin-like fingers, and short powerfully-built legs. Its small ovular eyes are orange, and it has small nostrils.
"Whoa! Is that what it looks like?" Sora asked, taking out his Pokédex.
Marshtomp, the Mud Fish Pokémon
The evolved form of Mudkip
Type: Water/Ground
Marshtomp is much faster at traveling through mud than it is at swimming. This Pokémon's hindquarters exhibit obvious development, giving it the ability to walk on just its hind legs.
"I thought it was simliar to Mudkip," Sora said, putting his Pokédex away. "Pikachu is a no go since Marshtomp is a Ground Type, so I'll have to go with just the one." Sora calls back Mudbray and takes out another Pokéball. "Go! Treecko!" Sora throws his Pokéball and Treecko enters the battle, putting the branch in his mouth.
"You're a smart guy, Sora. But let's see how that smartness gets you. Marshtomp! Mud Shot!" The boy ordered. Marshtomp fires a ball of mud right at the wood gecko Pokémon.
"Treecko! Dodge and use Bullet Seed!: Sora ordered. Treecko fired Bullet Seed and it pelts Marshtomp on the spot. "Now use Quick Attack!" Treecko dashes towards the mud fish Pokémon and lands a hit.
"Marshtomp! Use Blizzard!" The boy ordered. Marshtomp fires a Blizzard attack from its mouth.
"Dodge it, Treecko!" Sora called out. Treecko avoids Marshtomp's attack. "That was close for comfort."
"Marshtomp! Iron Tail!" The boy ordered. Marshtomp comes at Treecko with its tail giving off a metal glow to strike at Treecko. "Use another Blizzard!" Marshtomp fires Blizzard again.
"Treecko! Quick Attack!" Sora ordered. Treecko ran across the ground and avoided Blizzard again.
"Don't let Treecko get away!" The boy called out. Marshtomp kept firing Blizzard again and again. Treecko kept on running and running and Marshtomp kept firing Blizzard again and again. "Nuts to this! Marshtomp! Use Iron Tail!" Marshtomp ceased fire and jumps to use Iron Tail and struck Treecko on the mark. Treecko was struck by Marshtomp's attack. It did hurt Treecko, but it wasn't enough to keep him down. "Use another Iron Tail!"
"Treecko! Use Pound!" Sora ordered. Treecko swung his tail and landed a Pound onto Marshtomp. The mud fish Pokémon fell to the ground, beaten. The boy was shocked to see his Marshtomp beaten.
"Taken down by a puny Treecko?! No way!" The boy exclaimed.
"Good work, Treecko!" Sora praised the wood gecko Pokémon.
"Treecko," Treecko said.
Both trainers shook hands to a good battle and took off in their separate ways. As they settled down for some rest, Sora was busy polishing his Pokéballs and he exchanged Mudbray, Torchic, and Mudkip for Taillow, Corphish, and Zigzagoon when he was finished. Kairi was giving Feebas a nice bath.
"There, does that feel good, Feebas?" Kairi asked.
"Feebas, Feebas!" Feebas said. Kairi giggled.
"I thought as much," Kairi said. She looked right at her Feebas and then she remembered the Milotic Lucy has. She figured she might have a Milotic of her own, but she thought there might be some way to get Feebas to evolve. The question that was on her mind was how. She thought of Sora's Pokédex. "Hey Sora." He turned to his girlfriend to what was on her mind.
"What's up, Kairi?" Sora asked.
"I was wondering if I could borrow your Pokédex for a moment," Kairi said.
"Sure. Why?" Sora asked.
"I just wanna look something up," Kairi said. Sora hands his girlfriend his Pokédex. She looked up Feebas and she saw the information on. "It turns out you can evolve either by maxing out your beauty when I feed you certain PokéBlocks or when you're holding something called a Prism Scale." Kairi stroked her chin. "The problem is what kind of PokéBlock to give you and I don't know where to find a Prism Scale." Feebas looked right at her trainer.
Unknown to the couple, two sets of eyes were watching them. Later, the couple started to make their through the desert. They were starting to sweat up a storm.
"Man, it's hotter than hot sauce out here," Sora said, wiping off some sweat.
"You're telling me, Sora. If only there was some water out here, then we could have a swim or to drink," Kairi said.
"Pika," Pikachu said.
"Man, I'm getting thirstier just thinking about it," Sora said. He licked his lips, trying to keep them moist. As they kept going, a strong wind picking up. Pikachu's ears start to perk up.
"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed. Sora and Kairi caught wind of Pikachu's concern.
"Don't tell me, there's something coming up, right?" Sora asked.
"Pika," Pikachu nodded.
Kairi turned around and she saw a sandstorm starting to kick up.
"Sora, we have a major problem!" Kairi yelled.
"What kind of problem are we having?" Sora asked as he turned around. He saw the sandstorm and his pupils shrunk. "Nevermind, I see it." The sandstorm was approaching fast. "RUN!" Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu began to run for their lives as the sandstorm was gaining fast. They ran as fast as their feet could possibly carry them and then suddenly, the ground beneath them collapses and they both fell through. They all screamed as they went falling. They made a splash into an underground lake. They swam up to catch their breath. "I'm glad one of us got a wish granted today, but I could do without the part where we were falling."
"Pika," Pikachu said.
"Me too. But where are we?" Kairi asked. They looked around.
"No idea, but wherever we are, we're going to have a hard time getting back up," Sora said.
"Pikachu," Pikachu said.
"Then, we should find another way to get out, because I don't want to be here longer than I want to be," Kairi said.
"You read my mind, Kairi. I just hope we don't end up getting lost in this cave," Sora said.
Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu started to find a way out of the cave, but are oblivious to what's tracking them; the same pairs of eyes from before. The shadowy figures turn out to be an Anorith and a Lileep.
They made their stop to rest their feet for a moment.
"Pika," Pikachu said.
"You've said it, Pikachu," Sora said.
"How long have we been wondering down here?" Kairi asked. Sora took out his Pokédex to check the time.
"We've been down here for about an hour. But, it feels like it's been longer than that," Sora sighed.
"It does feel longer than that," Kairi said. "Maybe we could have better luck if we send our Pokémon out to look for a way out."
"Good idea, Kairi. Taillow and Beautifly are the only ones who can fly," Sora said, taking out Taillow's Pokéball as Kairi took out Beautifly's Pokéball. "Go! Taillow!"
"Come on out, Beautifly!" Kairi called out. The couple threw their Pokéballs and their Pokémon came flying out.
"Taillow, we'll need you to fly and see if you can find a way out," Sora said.
"You too, Beautifly. Go with Taillow and help him out," Kairi said. Both flying Pokémon flew off to search for the exit. "I hope that they find it soon."
"Me too. We could be in here for years and everything," Sora said. "But, at least we'll have each other." Kairi's face flushed red.
"Sora," Kairi could only say. She wondered how he could be so romantic at a time like this. Sora held her close.
"Just stay close to me and you'll have nothing to worry about," Sora assured his girlfriend.
"I won't leave your side for a second," Kairi said. Sets of eyes comes from up above and down below. Some of those eyes came from Anorith and their evolved forms Armaldo while they were Lileep and their evolved forms Cradily. "I always feel safe around you, despite some of the times we weren't."
"It's always worth it, Kairi," Sora said. "After everything that's happened to us since day one." Just then, Pikachu's perked up.
"Pika!" Pikachu shouted.
Acid came up from above and it almost stuck the couple. They looked down to see Lileep and Cradily beneath them.
"Are those what they look like?!" Sora exclaimed.
"Lileep and Cradily!" Kairi said.
Just then, water came firing down. Pikachu alerted them and they managed to dodge it when they saw the Anorith and Armaldo.
"Anorith and Armaldo too?!" Sora asked.
"Didn't you get into a similar situation with Team Rocket when we were digging for Pokémon fossils that one time?" Kairi asked.
"I did. I have a feeling that they're not happy about us being here!" Sora said. The Anorith fired their Rock Throw as the Armaldo had unleashed Ancient Power. They avoided the rocks coming down. "It looks like we'll have to battle our way out." Sora took out a Pokéball. Kairi did the same thing.
"Right," Kairi agreed.
"Go! Corphish!" Sora called out as he threw his Pokéball. Corphish had been unleashed for battle.
"Go! Togedemaru!" Kairi called out. Togedemaru is let out to battle the prehistoric Pokémon. "Togedemaru! Gyro Ball!"
"Corphish! Crabhammer!" Sora ordered. Corphish attacks the Armaldo with Crabhammer as Togedemaru attacks the Anorith with Gyro Ball, clearing the path. The prehistoric Pokémon began to pursue them. As they ran, they looked back and sees them chasing them. "Corphish! Bubble Beam!" Corphish fires Bubble Beam and it struck many of them. "That should give us some distance for a while."
"But, for how long?" Kairi asked.
"Pika!" Pikachu said.
They made their way into a ditch and hid. The Anorith, Armaldo, Lileep, and Cradily passed by them. They both sighed with relief when they were gone.
"What was that about?" Sora asked.
"I don't know, but at least they're out of our hair for right now," Kairi said.
"Corphish," Corphish said.
"Maru," Togedemaru added.
"Now, let's hurry and get a move on before they come right back," Sora said.
The couple and Pokémon came out of hiding and started to make their way out. Over to Taillow and Beautifly, they looked around for any signs of an exit, but they came out empty.
"This place is much bigger than I thought it was." - Taillow subtitle.
"You're telling me. I'm sure it was nothing like the stories Pikachu told us during Kairi's meals." - Beautifly subtitle.
"Yeah. Something about prehistoric Pokémon, like those ones I've seen around. But, the ones who attacked Sora were more aggressive." - Taillow subtitle.
"Maybe we should go and report that we couldn't find one." - Beautifly subtitle. Taillow sighed with agreement.
"Yeah, maybe."- Taillow subtitle. Just as they were going to go back, they both spotted something. It looked like a scale that looked like it has a magenta center and the edge of the scale is light blue. "Are you seeing what I'm seeing?" - Taillow subtitle.
"Yes I do. What do you think it is?" - Beautifly subtitle.
"I dunno, but we should take it with us. Maybe Sora or Kairi will have some use for it." - Taillow subtitle. Tallow takes it in his beak. They flew to find their trainers.
Speaking of which, they ventured through the cavern, making sure there wasn't any signs of the attacking prehistoric Pokémon left.
"I'm not seeing anything, so I'm going to assume that it's okay," Sora said.
"I hope you're right, because I don't think I want to go through all that again," Kairi said.
Just then, Taillow and Beautifly came flying back to their trainers. The couple saw something in Taillow's beak.
"What's this you found?" Sora asked. He took the scale out from the tiny swallow Pokémon's beak. He looked right at it. He turned to his girlfriend. "Could this be what you were talking about earlier, Kairi?"
"It is! The Prism Scale!" Kairi said, taking the Prism Scale in her hand. "Feebas will definitely evolve into Milotic with this!" Sora shared his girlfriend's joy.
"Good for you, Kairi," Sora said. Feebas hasn't evolved yet and I'm already happy for you." Kairi giggled happily and hugged her boyfriend. Their romance was cut short as they heard something coming. They both turned to see a single Anorith and Lileep. "Not you again!"
"We have no other choice than to battle them!" Kairi suggested.
"You're right. We don't," Sora agreed. He turned to Corphish. "Get ready, Corphish!"
"Corp!" Corphish said.
"You too, Togedemaru!" Kairi said. Both of their Pokémon nodded and went to face their opponents. Corphish is facing Anorith and Togedemaru is facing Lileep. "Togedemaru! Use Zing Zap!" Togedemaru zings across the ground and lands a hit.
"Corphish! Use Crabhammer!" Sora ordered. Corphish swings his pincers at the prehistoric shrimp Pokémon. Anorith got hit hard due to its weakness to Water Type attacks. Anorith attacks with Water Gun.
"Corphish! Dodge with Dig!" Sora ordered. Corphish dug underground tunnels through the soil. Corphish lands a hit onto Anorith, but it wasn't going to call it quits that easily. Anorith dug through the ground the same as Corphish. Lileep attacks Togedemaru with Acid, but the attack had zero effect.
"Togedemaru! Gyro Ball!" Kairi ordered. Togedemaru spun around like a top and lands a hit onto Lileep. The sea lily Pokémon fired Seed Bomb right at Togedemaru, landing a hit. Togedemaru was a little phased by the attack.
Anorith scratches at Corphish and he blocked with his pincers. Anorith attempts to make another scratch at Corphish, but Sora knew what to do about it.
"Corphish! Vise Crip!" Sora ordered. Corphish grabs Anorith's claws and swings it around. Corphish gives Anorith a toss like a ragdoll. Anorith was down for the count. Sora took out a Pokéball and threw it right at the old shrimp Pokémon, making it flow inside. The Pokéball wobbles around and around for a few moments until stars swirls around the Pokéball confirming the catch. Sora's Pokédex starts buzzing asking him if he wants to keep Anorith or send it to Professor Oak's lab. He chose to send Anorith to Professor Oak's lab.
Over to Kairi, the battle between Togedemaru and Lileep kept going, untl Togedemaru had sent out a Discharge attack, paralyzing Lileep. The sea lily Pokémon could barely move. Kairi took out a Pokéball and threw it right at Lileep and makes it flow inside it. The Pokéball wobbles around and around for a few moments until stars swirls around the Pokéball to confirm the catch. Sora hands his girlfriend his Pokédex as it starts buzzing once more. It asks her if she wants to keep Lileep with her, but she chose to send Lileep to Professor Oak's lab. She handed her boyfriend back his Pokédex.
"That takes care of those two," Kairi said.
"I wish I could say the same for the rest of them," Sora said.
"Pika, Pi" Pikachu said.
"You're right. I don't think Corphish or Togedemaru could go on after taking on all of those Pokémon before," Kairi said. "Even Stufful has her limits."
"I wish we could just go around them so easily, but it'll take at least one or two of 'em to notice us," Sora said. "And that'll start the fun all over again." Sora, Kairi, and Pikachu hung their heads and sighed. "What a bummer."
"And since when has that stopped us, Sora? Even a heard of rampaging Tauros can't stop us," Kairi said. "A flock of Dodrio can't stop us."
"What about a horde of Ursaring?" Sora asked.
"Not even close," Kairi said, shaking her head and crossing her arms. Sora laughed as he knew she was right.
"Those prehistoric Pokémon won't be any different," Sora said. "Let them come, because we'll whoop them like we whooped those Team Rocket suits."
"And that's the Sora I know and love," Kairi said. "Let's show them just we did with the two we caught."
With that said, Sora, Kairi, Pikachu, and the other Pokémon started to make their way through the cave. The Anorith, Armaldo, Lileep, and Cradily saw them coming. They then launched their attack.
"Pikachu! Thunderbolt!" Sora ordered. Pikachu had fired Thunderbolt, shocking all of the prehistoric Pokémon. Many of them ended up being paralyzed from the shock. Sora, Kairi, and the Pokémon ran pass them, but some of the remaining attacking Pokémon, but they started to chase after them. "It doesn't look like we're going to be losing them."
"If only we have something to hold them back, like a huge rock," Kairi said. She saw some large boulders sitting on a ledge. She got an idea. "That's it!" Sora looked at her.
"What's it?" Sora asked.
"Look up there!" Kairi said, pointing to the boulders. Sora looked up and saw the boulders. He caught on to her plan.
"Good idea!" Sora said. Sora, Kairi, and the Pokémon climbed up to where the boulders were and started to push them as hard as they could. One of the boulders started to move and it fell, causing a chain reaction, making more boulders fall. Before any of them could get close enough, the path between them was blocked. "That should hold them."
"Yeah, but I don't know for how long," Kairi said.
"Then, we should get going before they managed to get through," Sora said.
"Pikachu," Pikachu nodded in agreement.
With that done, they finally made it out of the cave several hours later. When they got out, it was already night.
"So good to get out," Sora said. He looked up to the moon. "Just feel that moonlight." Kairi would have corrected him, but she was glad to get out of the cave too. They decided to camp out and rest for the night. As they laid down, Sora had some thoughts going through his mind. "Kairi?"
"Yeah?" Kairi asked.
"You think we should let Professor Oak know about this place? I mean, we did find it completely by accident," Sora said.
"We did. But, I think he might say that it'll be best we kept it a secret because no one will believe it. There's no telling what might happen if it became public knowledge," Kairi said. Sora nodded a bit.
"You're right. Professor Oak would keep it a secret because all those Pokémon would be living their lives the way it was before we found them. I can bet they probably have given up hunting us down by now anyway," Sora said.
"At least we made it out safe. And like I said, I always feel safe with you," Kairi said. Sora smiled and took her by the hand.
"I feel the same way, Kairi," Sora said. "I love you."
"I love you too, Sora," Kairi said.
The couple kisses each other with some passion. Pikachu, Treecko, Taillow, Zigzagoon, Corphish, Makuhita, Plusle, Minun, Stufful, Togedemaru, Beautifly, and Feebas looked at their trainers kissing each other and smiled. They all went right to sleep at the same time the couple parted lips.
On the very next morning, it was late in the morning as they all slept soundly. As Sora slept, he was woken up from underneath when he felt something coming up.
"What the?!" Sora exclaimed, waking Kairi. Before she could ask why Sora was being so noisy, she got her answer when he got flipped over by a Pokémon that appears to be an orange bug with a large head and jaws as well as a white underside. The Pokémon also has short stubby legs along with twinkles found in its eyes. Sora looked right at the Pokémon.
"You know it's rude to wake up people by digging under them," Sora said sternly.
"I'm sure he didn't know you were there, Sora," Kairi said.
"I'm sure he didn't," Sora said, taking out his Pokédex. "What does it say about you?" He scans it.
Trapinch, the Ant Pit Pokémon
Type: Ground
Trapinch's nest is a sloped, bowl-like pit dug in sand. This Pokémon patiently waits for prey to tumble down the pit. Its giant jaws have enough strength to crush even boulders.
"What choppers," Sora said. He stroked his chin. A Ground Type, huh?" He looked over to Corphish who obviously had the advantage in Types. "Corphish!" Corphish bolted and looked around. "Okay, Corphish! Time to move right in! Come at Trapinch with Crabhammer!" Corphish comes running towards the ant pit Pokémon with his pincers ready to strike. Corphish smacks Trapinch, but it wasn't enough to keep him down as he came in to land a bite. Trapinch bit Corphish on the claw and he swings him off. "Now use Bubble Beam!" Corphish fires Bubble Beam and it struck Trapinch as his weakness to water took its toll. Trapinch then digs underground, but Sora was going to play that game too. "Corphish! You use Dig too!" Corphish dug underground and rammed right into Trapinch, forcing him out. Trapinch had been taken out. Sora took out a Pokéball and threw it right at Trapinch, making him flow inside. The Pokéball wobbles around and around for a few moments until stars swirls around the Pokéball confirming the catch. Sora's Pokédex starts buzzing asking him if he wants to keep Trapinch or to send him over to Professor Oak's lab. Sora chose to send Trapinch to Professor Oak's lab. "Got myself a Trapinch!"
"Pi, Pikachu!" Pikachu cheered.
"Corphish!" Corphish added.
"That was quite a catch, Sora!" Kairi praised her boyfriend. She gave her boyfriend a deserved kiss on the cheek. Sora blushed a whole lot. "Let's have some breakfast and take off before we go."
"Okay," Sora said, making his voice sound almost squeaky. She laughed as she hugged him. Pikachu and the other Pokémon joined in on the hug. We close here to the group hug before we continue on to the next chapter.