"You know," Gabriel said. " You should start increasing your numbers."

Phillip rolled his eyes at this. To him, there was no point in capturing any Pokemon until he could locate a place to buy fishing rods. After all, he was making a team that covers all weaknesses. Then again, that's any Pokemon Trainer's want.

"I mean," Gabriel continued. " I understand the need to train your Pokemon to conquer all battles, but numbers will make up for the things your current team lacks."

I know. Phillip said. But right now, there is no way to obtain Water Types, a needed upgrade that will help my team immensely. Until then, there's no reason for picking up another Pokemon.

" What about Normal Types?"

Phillip groaned. Not this conversation again.

" Hear me out. I have read all the guides, and Normal Types can hit the widest range of types, have the largest movepools, and take normal damage from most types."

Yes, they do. Phillip agreed. But I want a team that that can deal high damage and getting out before damage is deal to them.

" And that would require...?"

Super effective damage constantly and a same type multiplier. Normal Types have the largest movepools, but can't give up the multiplier to deal the damage. And when they do, they can't deal super effective damage.

Phillip felt Gabriel's eye roll. " Fine. Have it your way."

Thank you.

The connection closed just as the ground shook with incredible force. Phillip turned to his right to see a small plume of smoke rise from the ground.

He sighed. " Let's go see what those three gotten themselves into this time around."


Scene Change


Phillip looked down into the hole that held Ash, Misty, Brock, and Pikachu. " You know, if we meet like this more often, I'm going to call 'wearily predictable'."

"Just get us out of here!" Misty yelled.

Phillip screwed his pinkie into his ear. " Yeah, yeah." He laid down on the ground reached out his arm. " Jump up and grab my hand."

Ash was first. He hooped up and held on as Phillip pulled him up to safety. As soon as Ash hit open air, Phillip let go, sending the boy two feet from the hole to land on his butt. Phillip took his position again.

Misty jumped up, but scrambled up as if Phillip would let her go. She was the first to have her foot on the ground, or hands considering she hit the ground on her knees.

Brock was more trusting, allowing Phillip to pull him up with a few steps on the wall. Phillip pulled him to his feet and looked around for a head count. Pikachu had came with it's trainer, but landed more gracefully. Phillip got the complete number of four.

That's when Phillip heard the snickers from a few feet away.

" You know," Phillip stated. " It's not nice to prank someone like that." He turned to see a five Squirtle standing there, giving out chuckles or full blown laughter at the situation.

Ash glared at the Pokemon. " Who are they?"

" Squirtle, obviously." The two of them pulled out the PokeDex. Phillip just needed the name of the creatures, but Ash continued to hear all the information. While he was doing that, Phillip looked at the Squirtle's appearance.

All the Squirtle had pale blue skin without fur anywhere with with a tail with a curl at the end and stood on stubby legs and arms. Each limb, excluding the tail, had three pointed claws on them. It's body was a tough-looking shell with a pale yellow underside. The only differences these Squirtle had from other Squirtle was that one had pointed sunglasses while the rest rounded shades.

Ash grew confident. " With my own Squirtle, Gary will never beat me! Go Pikachu!"

"No! Stop!" Phillip cried, but no avail.

Pikachu rushed forward, charging a Thundershock, and shot it forward when at middle range. It was aimed at one with pointy shades, but one of the others stepped in front of it to take the attack. It was fried in an instant. Pikachu and the Squirtle Pikachu meant to attack had a small staring contest, but it was short lived when Phillip moved.

Phillip shot forward to heal the down Pokemon, but it's allies didn't see it as that and began shooting Water Guns at him. However, Phillip outmaneuvered them, getting in front them in a flash. They stood there in fear as Phillip knelt down to heal the fallen Squirtle.

With a touch of Phillip's hand and a flash of white, the Squirtle was up and behind the group of Squirtle in a jump. The Squirtle with point glasses looked over to it to see for any other injuries. When all seemed fine, it turned back to Phillip with a fierce look upon it's face.

That's when sirens began to sound in the distance.

The groups froze for a second before one of the Squirtles gave a call, causing all of them to run down the dirt path in front of the others.

The police officer from Viridian City can screeching to a halt behind the remaining group, asking, " Is everyone alright? Has anyone been hurt here?"

Ash recognized the woman. " Officer Jenny!" She, however, didn't seem to known him. Ash tried convincing her that they had met in Viridian City.

She smiled. " You must mean one of the other Jennys, my cousin." Ash repeated this with confusion. Jenny explained that all of her cousins are all police officers, looked identical, and all are named "Jenny"

" Anyway," Jenny told them. " We should get to the town's police station. There, you can tell me all about what happened here."

" Okay, but on one condition." Phillip stated.

Jenny got onto her motorcycle, put on her helmet, and started the engine before asking, " And what would that be?"

" You tell me WHAT COSMIC INCIDENT CREATED YOU AND YOUR COUSINS!"


Scene Change


" That Pokemon gang calls itself ' The Squirtle Squad'." Jenny told the group, who was then visiting the police station. Phillip has yet to gain a satisfactory answer to his question, but he came all the same.

However, he couldn't let go of one fact of the history of the Pokemon gang. " All those Squirtles could only saw their species' name. How does it call itself ' The Squirtle Squad'." Jenny gave a sheepish grin as she placed a hand behind her head.

Jenny moved back to her serious mode when she continued the history of the Pokemon gang, upon Phillip's request. " They're all Squirtles who were deserted by their Pokemon Trainers." Phillip flinched at that, but no one took notice. Jenny kept going without a hitch, seeing as Phillip warned Ash if he spoke, he would get hit in a place that would feel very uncomfortable in hit.

" They have no trainers, so they just run wild and play tricks on the whole town." Jenny then told them all about the random pranks the team had pulled off the years they were here. " It's really kinda sad. Because if they had somebody to care about them they wouldn't have turned out to be as bad as they are. It's a real shame."

Phillip turned to her. " And no one wants to help them? Nobody at all?"

Jenny shrugged. " No one wants to because they think they'll get the bigger doe of what seems to be share torment." Phillip just walked out of the station and leaned against the wall. He didn't want to do anything that would get him in trouble. Soon, the other three walked out and everyone went on their way.


Scene Change


Phillip continued down the path he was on before. There was nothing in the town that interested him and no Pokemon along the route interested him. So, as he saw in, the only place to go was Vermillion City.

After going a little out of the town, he saw one of those Squirtle from before standing before, and facing him. It gave a monotone reply at Phillip's appearance as he try going around it. It stepped in his way again, causing Phillip to backtrack to avoid running it over. He tried to circle around again, but Squirtle cut him off again. This time, Phillip didn't stop. Instead, he reached his leg over it to the path ahead.

"OW!"... Only to scream as Squirtle headbutted him in his privates. As he laid out some of his more choosy words to describe his situation, the rest of the Squirtle Squad came around and threw several lassos around. They then spun around him to restrain his movements farther and tied him up. After all was said and done, they dragged Phillip off.


Scene Change


Once they got to a large and wide crevice in the landscape, the Squirtle Squad moved just a little farther before stopping at a cave. Once there, they retied the ropes to a free rock as the only other was being used to confine the other protagonists of the world. This left Phillip tied sitting down to the rock that help a cages, weakened Pikachu.

Misty turned to him and asked, " Do I want to know how you go here?"

"Depends." Phillip answered. " Want to have phantom pains of being headbutted between the legs?" Everyone flinched at that.

" Anywho," Meowth's voice stated, causing all to turn to it. " all we have to do is wait until my human pets come back. Then, we'll show these pesky humans who's really in charge." Meowth stuck his tail into Ash's face, prodding him. Ash bit down on it's tail in response. Meowth jumped to the ceiling in pain.

Ash looked down at the Squirtle. " Don't believe him, Squirtle. Meowth's a big liar. Those humans aren't Meowth's pets. Team Rocket's is trying to trick you into doing their dirty work." One Squirtle responded with a questioned look, but Meowth came back with vengeance.

With a swipe of his claw, Meowth left Ash with a nasty red scratch going diagonally across his face. Meowth turned back to the Squirtle and asked, " Who are you going to believe: this human or a fellow Pokemon?" The Squirtle gave a resounding cheer, it seemed, for Meowth.

" That's great and all," Phillip offered. " but may I ask why I"m here?"

Meowth pointed at him accusingly. " You are always trying to steal me away from my pets! That's a crime in my book."

" You're a English speaking Pokemon. Any person with a brain would want you." Phillip stated.

Before Meowth could say anything else, Ash spoke up. " Squirtle Squad, please. You've got to let me go into town. If I don't get the medicine, Pikachu's in a lot of trouble!" The leader shook it's head.

Meowth translated. " They know you humans are just trying to get away."

Ash didn't answer Meowth, but turned back to the Squirtle Squad. " Trust me; I won't run away. As soon as I buy the medicine, I'll come back. I promise!"

The Squirtle said its name once and Meowth translated. " Squirtle says, ' Promises are cheap.'"

" I'm begging you!" Ash cried, before dropping his head and began to truly cry. " Please trust me." The leader looked between Ash and Pikachu.

Ash was soon released by the Squirtle and given a threat to come back on: if he wasn't back by noon tomorrow, Misty gets new hair color. She threw a fit, naturally. But, when Ash has left, all she did was give a soft-voiced, " Good luck." to him.

Phillip leaned against to somehow gain comfort in the situation. " I hate waiting."

" When have you ever?" Misty asked him. " You've never waited for us, nor have you stayed with us for very long before leaving."

Phillip turned to her. " that's because I'm on my journey and you're on yours. The difference between the two is that I like having mine private."

"Why's that?"

Phillip leaned back against the rock, not answering Misty's question and causing her to huff. However, he did responded to the question, just not verbally. Instead, he thought it.

Because I've been down the road already, and I don't think I'm completely ready to adjust it.


Time Change


Day turned to night, and, as no one was able to sleep that night, Misty and Brock tried giving moral support for the physically weakened Pikachu. The Squirtle Squad kept an eye on the humans at all times while Meowth would shift eyes constantly from the prisoners and the entrance. Phillip just watched the day roll by before opting to fall asleep.

At morning's beckon call, Phillip woke up to the same scene that he fell asleep to: Ash gone, Misty and Brock trying to keep Pikachu going by talking to it, the Squirtle Squad keeping an eye on the two, and Meowth having shifty eyes.

Misty turned to him when Phillip yawned. " Well, look who's up."

Phillip gave her a glance before yawning again while saying, " Were you expecting something?"

Misty puffed up her checks with her response. " Maybe a little more concern to what's happening. We're in a captive situation here!"

" I don't see the reason behind that." Phillip looked over to Pikachu. " How is he doing?"

Brock answered this time. " It's still in a serious condition. Ash needs to get here fast if Pikachu's going to survive."

Phillip nodded. Meowth spoke just then. " Alright! Squirtle, take the humans outside. By now, they should know better than to run off. My pets should be here any moment now."

Phillip tilted his head to Meowth as the Squirtle Squad ran around untying everyone. " May I inquire what James and Jessie are trying to do this time?"

Meowth smirked at him. " That's for me to know and you to not." Phillip just shrugged before he stood up as the ropes fell off him. Phillip rubbed his wrists a little before he reached for his pockets.

Meowth noticed this before Phillip could take hold of his empty Pokeball. " This one will still need his hands tied before we move on!"

The Squirtle were quick and had Phillip's hands tied behind his back within a few seconds. Phillip sighed.

Pikachu was transferred from it's cage to Brock's arms. With everything settled, everyone was carted out of the cave and into the valley.

Once outside, they waited several minutes before Ash jolted out of the same cave, yelling, " What have you done?! I told you I'd be back by noon and I am! What did you do to my friends?"

Misty brought his attention to the humans of the matter. When asked, Ash handed the Super Potion over to Misty, who then applied it to Pikachu. Ash then commented on Misty's still orange hair. She told him that while the Squirtle Squad liked tricks, they weren't going to traumatize someone for a laugh.

Just then, an explosion shook the canyon and decimated a nearby cliff.

" That blast!" Ash said. " It's Team Rocket!"

Meowth scampered over to Pikachu to grab the " package", but was met with Phillip's foot instead. Meowth was launched backwards and, instead of getting what he wanted, got a mouth full of rocks as he hit the canyon's edge. Team Rocket sent down a ladder for Meowth, who climbed up it carefully to avoid falling, as James and Jessie sent down another set of bombs.

Everyone rushed for the caves, Pikachu in Brock's arms, except for a Squirtle who jumped so badly from the explosions that it left it on it's shell. This left completely defenseless for any more bomb attacks. Ash backtracked to the Squirtle just as the next two explosives fell. Ash jumped on top of it to prevent damage to come to the Pokemon

Phillip thought fast and used the attack he learned quickest on his travels. He shot forward and drop-kicked both bombs away. They exploded for sure, but too far away to deal any damage to anyone. Other than Team Rockets' pride, that is.

Phillip pulled the ropes that kept his hands behind him apart and picked up Ash and the Squirtle and ran back to the cave.

Once inside, Phillip found out how Ash got inside the cave: a new hole found at the side of the cave. However, Ash saw a different objective at the sight of the hole. He crawled into it with the Squirtle Phillip saved following him. Phillip did the same and soon, the three were on top of the hill above the cave.

Ash and Squirtle ran off as Phillip gagged as a new scent hit him. The trees of the forest were starting to give off a smoking smell, and that meant fire.

Phillip shuffled back down the tunnel and collected the rest of the Squirtle Squad to bring them to the surface, with the help of Charmeleon. Once up there, Phillip traced the scent and found the small fire brewing. The Squirtle wasted no time in turning the soon-to-be raging fire to cinders in a few seconds. This kept up for some time, however, as new plumes of smoke began to fill the sky. This caused constant changes in scenery to keep the fires quelled.

Once all the flames were put out and the smoke was cleared, Phillip walked the Squirtle Squad back to the cave where they found the Leader Squirtle had helped Ash send Team Rocket packing. At the same time, Officer Jenny had came by to investigate the random smoke that appeared. When told of what the Squirtle Squad had done, Officer Jenny brought them all to the town where the Squirtle Squad was thanked, forgiven, and promoted to the town's fire fighters.


Scene Change


Phillip walked down the path that, thankfully, was void of Ash and friends. He didn't have anything against the kid, but Team Rocket was beyond annoying him and they had a target on Ash's Pikachu's head.

However, it didn't take long for Phillip to feel another presence on the road. A Squirtle from the Squad had followed him. He didn't know why, but decided to confront the issue.

Phillip turned to it before he spoke. " You're a little ways away from home." The Squirtle nodded and walked a little closer to Phillip. Said person knelt down to pick up the Squirtle, only to receive a slight knock on the head by a headbutt.

Phillip shook his head. " Of course it would be you." He scanned over the Squirtle a little before selecting his decision. " You can come as long as you train and one other condition." Squirtle nodded.

" The last condition is for you to stop headbutting me."

His response... a headbutt to the groin.

" MOTHER-" Phillip cried out.

Gabriel laughed in Phillip's mind. " I'm taking that as a no."


That's a wrap!

All constructive criticism will be greatly appreciated.

Let the rants begin!

… I'm sorry for turning the tearjerker episode inside out and for taking too darn long to post.