Castelia Arc: What Bugs Me
"There have been riots in the Sinnoh region in recent days." the reporter stated. "According to our information from local sources, an organization called Team Galactic has taken up residence there to conduct research on the universe. However, residents and members of the government doubt this. The building is under constant surveillance. Members of the organization have been spotted at the Celestic and Sinnjo Ruins. Whether this organization is a serious research group or something else entirely is still unclear at times. The police are trying to shed light on the matter. Members questioned so far have remained silent about the aims of their research." Pause. The image in the background changed. "There have been more reports of missing children. This time, two children have disappeared from the Castelia City area. Police investigations are in full swing." Jacky's eyes narrowed. "...So Hypno has struck again...",
"Looks like it." Mari leaned back. "Once we defeat it, the kids can go back home and the whole ordeal will end. We have a goal and it's worth training for."
Jacky nodded. "Indeed... And that's exactly what we're doing."
The next morning, Jacky- to her general relief- was not yelled out of bed by Mari. ...Which may have been because Mari wasn't even awake yet. Or... to put it better: Just woke up. She yawned and brushed back her black hair curtain before sitting up. Her face looked like that of a female character from a horror movie, but that was basically how she always looked just after she woke up. Mari could easily star in any scary movie when she was sleep-deprived. PokéWood would surely include her on the film crew just from her looks alone. She turned her head to Jacky. "Good morning..." she mumbled and yawned.
"Morning. If I run into you in the hallway like this at night, I'll run away screaming." she quipped. Mari tilted her head. "Do I look that bad?",
"Anti-morning people always look bad.",
"...I don't know if I should take that as an insult...",
"I'd rather not." Jacky laughed.
"Mm..." Mari stood up and reached for her brush, determined to get her hair tamed, but it was unruly. She wrestled with it for a while, until she managed to untangle it, straighten it, and capture it in two side pigtails.
"Did you dream about bugs?" Jacky asked, grinning.
"Why, was I screaming?",
"No, you weren't, but you look like you've taken a Discharge from Luxio after you were awake for weeks.",
"...Not that I can remember..." Mari muttered. "I'll have enough bugs to deal with around here, there's really no need for them to haunt my dreams... And besides, that's really unfair, why doesn't your hair actually go all shocked by a Heliolisk?",
"Maybe because I don't get panic attacks when I think about a Venipede-",
"Okay, okay, that's enough bug jokes for today!" Mari waved it off. Jacky laughed. "Sorry. So? What's on the agenda today? Do you want to face the hippie?",
"Burgh, Jacky. His name is Burgh.",
"I know what his name is! But I think 'hippie' is pretty descriptive.",
"Urgh..." Mari sighed.
"So?",
"Mh... Maybe...",
"I'd cheer for you! I think I have a little more confidence in you after the battle yesterday.", "Only after that, huh? I probably shouldn't be excited about that...",
"You know how I meant that!",
"Yeah, all right... I'd rather warm up a bit first, though...",
"I think there are a lot of bug-type Pokémon living in the forest area under the Sky Arrow Bridge.",
"You mean Pinwheel Forest... Are you for real...",
"You should fight bugs if you want to get into the bug gym, Mari. Especially with your Endoma... Endemo...",
"Entomophobia.",
"Exactly.",
"Alright..." Mari nodded, albeit reluctantly.
They went to Pinwheel Forest together. "I hope there aren't any webs in there... Are there webs in there?" Mari asked.
"I'm not so sure about that...",
"Ugh... Great... I don't want to go in there...",
"Don't be like that. Go on. I'm with you."
Mari sighed and entered the woods extremely reluctantly.
Things went well for a while. Smaller bug Pokémon were defeated by Mari's Gabite with ease, until a thick, fat, sticky web blocked the way. "Ewwwww...!",
"Shhh!"Jacky jumped forward and covered her mouth. "Don't... freak out..." Mari's eyes widened as she noticed something above them. "MHHMHH!" Jacky raised her eyes. An Ariados towered above them, glaring at her with evil eyes. "Damn." Jacky groaned. "Keep quiet, we're going to walk away from the spider web real slow. Okay? I'm gonna take my hand off..."
Mari nearly panicked as she moved backwards away from the web, wincing as a twig cracked loudly under her shoe. The Ariados hissed and angrily climbed down the net. "Noooo!" Mari whimpered. "Stay away from me!" Gabite growled and stepped into the spider's path. "Oh my..." Jacky pulled out a Poké Ball. "Luxio, help us!" Luxio landed next to Gabite. The spider stopped and looked at the opposing Pokémon with a venomous glare. "Okay, listen up, Mari. We're going to fight like this isn't a bug Pokémon, but any other. We can't let your phobia get in the way now."
Mari squinted her eyes. "I think it's better if I don't look... Gabite, Rock Tomb!" Gabite growled and threw rocks at the spider. It jumped off the web and hissed. The rocks tore the web as if it were mere air. "Oops..." Jacky muttered. Ariados reared up and shot a string at Gabite. The dragon dodged and charged ahead. The spider was slow, so it managed a direct hit with Dragon Claw. Ariados screeched and Gabite jumped back. "Discharge, quick!" Luxio discharged a wave of electricity that left Gabite unharmed as its ground type protected it. Ariados backed away as it was hit and seemed to get even angrier. It shot off another string, which hit and entangled Luxio. It whined and kicked its paws around in an attempt to free itself. Mari opened one eye to see what was going on and immediately closed it again. "Slas, Gabite! Help Luxio!" 'Help' seemed to be a vocabulary word Gabite didn't like, yet it shredded the strings with its claws. It turned back to the spider and attacked with Dragon Rage, but Ariados dodged and then attacked with Bug Bite. The attack got the dragon in the shoulder and made it growl angrily. "Thunder Fang, Luxio!" Luxio, who by now had managed to get back onto its feet, leapt forward and bit into Ariados' leg. The electricity wired through its body. Ariados reared back and shot a Poison Sting at Luxio. The electric Pokémon dodged it. "Attack!" Mari shouted. Her commands were imprecise, as she didn't dare look at the giant spider. She trusted that Gabite would find a solution. Its claw lit up and a strike from it followed, forcing Ariados to the ground. It slumped and hissed before retreating and taking flight. "It's gone, Mari." Jacky said. Mari opened her eyes. "...Phew...",
"I really don't understand why you're so afraid of them. The piercing look, the hairy legs, the clacking sound when they come at you and bite you with their poisonous teeth...", "Uaaaah! Stop it!",
"Okay, okay, I'll stop." She raised her hands. Mari gave her a nasty look. A group of Weedle crawled across the forest path. "They're cute." Mari commented. "Yeah, aren't they?" Jacky smiled and watched them go. "But the final evolution is not so cute.",
"Is it a spider?",
"No, but a huge bee with big spikes and red eyes.",
"Oh, that's right... Beedrill..." Mari sighed.
"Exactly. When they sting, they poison you, tie you up, and carry you off to their nest."
Mari turned to her, tried to kick her shin bone and yelled: "Stop that nonsense!" Her voice echoed through the forest. Jacky held her breath in alarm, suppressing a pained groan from the kick. "Something tells me that wasn't a good thing just now."
Suddenly there was rustling from all sides and dozens of bug Pokémon surrounded them. They seemed less than enthusiastic about their presence. "Uh-oh..." Jacky muttered. Mari made a sound that was somewhere between a whimper and a squeak. "Oops...",
"Well done, Mari. Now, we're about to get eaten by a bunch of angry bugs. I don't know about you, but they don't look friendly. That's Swadloon, Durant, and Kricketune. I think your screeching pissed them off pretty good.",
"Sorry..." Mari said meekly. "Ieek, they're ants..." The bug Pokémon hissed angrily.