Chapter 20: Showdown in Ilex Forest

Before Bugsy left yesterday, he gave Jess a TM for X-Scissor. He told her, that I could learn that move, and it'd help me fight Grass types. Learning a move via TM is a weird experience. It's like you suddenly know how to perform a move by just using that disc. I don't even know how this works, but whoever designed those things must know a lot about Pokémon and how their brains work…

Anyway, Jess got some rest and sleep, and after a day of effectively doing nothing (which was a nice alteration to our usual daily routine), she already felt fit for moving on, so we prepared to leave Azalea Town and move on to Goldenrod City, the biggest City of the Johto Region. But to get there we needed to pass the Ilex Forest first. The forest is said to be protected by a legendary Pokémon, but hardly anyone has ever seen it.

Jess bought some medicine and food for the journey before we headed out of Town.

The trees stood rather close together and the leaves hardly let any daylight shine through. There was only a rather narrow path to follow, and the farther we got, the thicker and bigger the trees became. We encountered some wild grass- and bug type Pokémon on our way but Travis had an easy time defeating them because of his type-advantage. I already told Travis, that I had another 'dream' with Zack. He only said that Zack was right about me thinking more like a human than a Pokémon. But I can't help that…I was thinking like a human my entire life, and not doing so is really hard. I just can't take things as they are. I want to understand what's going on around me. I may be a Pokémon but I've still got the mind of a human. The only times I don't think like a human is during battles. For some reason, my thinking is completely different when I'm fighting. I'm feeling excited, alive and also really happy. It's those moments when I don't care what's happening around me, there's just me and my opponent and only one of us will win. There's nothing else to question. Maybe I should also focus on what I've got outside battles. I've got a nice trainer, Travis is a really good friend, who just accepts me as who I am. I don't need to worry about food, money or my future. A Pokémon's life seems so much easier than a human's life, at least when you're with a trainer. I can't tell what the life in the wild is like.

The day went on and we soon arrived at a small clearing. In the middle of the clearing, there was a small wooden shrine with a sign in front of it.

Hey Nick, can I ask you a question? Travis suddenly asked when he stared at the sign.

Sure.

What's it with those bizzare runes, that humans use all the time?

They're called letters, and together letters form words, humans use them to communicate without using their voice.

Sounds weird but funny...do you know how to decipher those 'letters'?

Sure I do. Every kid learns that at the age of 6. It sais: 'This shrine was built to honor the patron of this forest.'

Travis seemed to be fascinated by the fact that I could read the sign.

Can you teach me how to read those letters?

I was a little surprised by that question.

Didn't you just tell me that I was thinking too much like a human?

I know but I didn't say that's a bad thing. I want to learn more about humans.

Fine, but not now.

I never thought that Travis was so interested in human stuff.

We headed on to the exit of the clearing, but just before we reached it, We heard a voice from behind.

"Stop right there girl!"

We turned around and saw two guys - both around 30 years old - wearing white lab coats.

"What do you want?" Jess asked slightly confused.

"You've got something that belongs to us, and we'd like to take it." One of them said while they slowly walked towards us.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh don't play dumb, you know exactly what we're talking about."

As they came closer I noticed a purple-red R symbol on their lab coats. I've seen this symbol before...wait...that's Team Rocket! That can only mean trouble.

"No, I don't know what you're talking about, who are you guys, just tell me what you want."

They stopped.

"Looks like she really doesn't know." One of them said to the other.

"Just give us your little Dewott there and we'll leave you alone. That's all." The other one said to Jess, pointing at me.

"Who do you think you are? He's my Pokémon and I won't let you take him away from me."

"I was hoping for that answer. This job would only be half as funny if there was no violence in it." Both of them grabbed their Pokéballs and called out a Houndoom and a Gyarados.

"So here's your last chance girl, hand over your Dewott or we'll have to do this the hard way."

"Forget it, your Pokémon don't scare me."

She then turned down to me and Travis.

"Sorry but this is no fight for you, I can see their Pokémon are well trained, and I don't want them to just kidnap you Nick, so you better stay here. I already prepared for this ever since that red haired guy warned me."

She opened her bag and pulled out a Pokéball.

"It's your turn Nell!"

A Jolteon appeared before us.

Ah finally another battle, I already got bored. Nell said.

From what I could tell, Nell was verly well trained and she was probably one of the Pokémon, Jess used during her journey through Kanto.

"Nell, use Thunderbolt on that Gyarados!"

Nell unleashed a powerful electric shock towards the Gyarados and outright roasted it due to its double weakness to Electric type moves. Gyarados was retreated to his Pokéball.

"Damn, why do we keep running into those kids with their way too powerful Pokémon."

"Don't worry I've still got a trick up on my sleeve. I'll get the rest done alone, just make sure our helicopter is ready to start, when I arrive."

"Alright sir." The other guy said before he left.

He pulled out a strange colourful stone that looked like a marble. It started glowing in bright colours and reacted to another marble-like stone that was on a necklace on his Houndoom. The Houndoom started glowing brightly until it was completely engulfed by light. When the Light faded, the Houndoom looked different from before.

"What was that?" Jess asked.

"That's a mega evolution. And now I'll show you what fear means. Houndoom use Flamethrower!"

Houndoom unleashed a giant beam of flames out of his mouth and hit Nell.

Nell could barely stand on her paws anymore.

"Oh no, Nell!"

Don't worry, I can still fight. I'll show that idiot what a real move looks like.

Nell fired another Thunderbolt at Houndoom, but it wasn't enough to take him down. Houndoom charged at Nell and bit her with his sharp teeth, throwing her away with his mouth afterwards. Nell fainted. Now there was nothing standing between Jess and Houndoom.

"I told ya. Give up already and hand over your Dewott."

Jess was still focussed on Nell who lay there unconcious. She was paralyzed in fear.

Travis and I looked at each other and nodded. We jumped in front of Jess ready to defend her.

Step aside kids, or I'll have to give you the same treatment as your friend there.

We didn't move.

Fine.

With a great leap he closed the gap between uns and tired to snatch Travis with his mouth, but I quickly grabbed my Scalchops and hit him before he could do so. Unfortunately I didn't have time to cahrge a Razor Shell. He yipped, flailed around and hit me with his tail. I was smashed against a nearby tree and lost orientation for a second.

"Houndoom don't kill the Dewott, we need him alive, just bring him here."

Before I could do anything, Houndoom grabbed me with his mouth and ran back to his trainer, I tried to free myself, but whenever I tried to move, Houndoom would instantly bite harder. I couldn't do anything. Now I could only think about what Team Rocket might do to me. Just before Houndoom reached his trainer, I heard a familar voice.

"Weavile, use Low Sweep!"

Out of the woods a Weavile charged at Houndoom, kicking it right into his belly, causing Houndoom to yip and he let go off me. I was smashed to the ground, but I got up quickly to see what's going on. Houndoom was knocked out by this move, and a Weavile was standing next to it. Behind the Weavile the Red haired boy from Violet town appeared between the trees.

"Oh look who we've got there...the son of our former boss." The Rocket said.

"And as always you're ruining our day."

"Well, I just can't let you get what you want, and now give up or Weavile will get you next."

"So you think you've won because you defeated my Pokémon?"

He grabbed a bizzare device out of his pocket and pointed it at the unconcious Nell.

"You already know how this thing works, do you? At least your friend here experienced it himself." He looked down to me.

The red haired boy used that moment when he didn't look at him.

"Weavile now!" Weavile dashed towards the Rocket and Used Night Slash to hit the strange device.

"Oh no what have you done? You destroyed the cutout switch! Now we're all doomed!"

The device sparked and the Rocket dropped it to the ground. The device then started to shoot beams into random directions.

"Everyone take cover!" the red haired boy shouted. but the device shot it's beams faster and faster.

One of the Beams almost hit me, before I managed to hide behind the shrine. Travis, Jess and the red haired guy were also hiding, but Nell and Houndoom were still lying there unconcious, and Waevile was too close to the overrunning device so they all got hit by a beam before the device exploded. Everyone looked up to see what's happening. The Pokémon who got hit by the beams started to glow in a yellow light until they were completely engulfed in it. Then their bodies suddenly shot towards their trainers, engulfing Jess, The red haired boy and the Rocket in the light as well. When the Light faded, the three trainers and their Pokémon were gone and only three eggs were left behind.

Autors note: This chapter ends the first arc of this fanfiction. I hope you enjoyed reading this so far. the second arc is also completed already. I just need to upload it here.