Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon nor am I related to Game Freak/Nintendo in any way. I do own the OCs.
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"Full restore, please," Xavier handed over the Pokeball to the nurse. He sat down while he was waiting for the healing proccess to complete. He glanced at a map pasted on the wall next to him.
Hmmm... I'm in Mauville, so that would be here... and Mossdeep would be....woah, that's a long way!
"It's complete," the nurse said, and Xavier stood up to retrieve his Pokeball. He left the center, whipped out his headphones, and made his way to the Mauville City Gym.
Watson, the leader, specialized in Electric-type Pokemon. Xavier needed to train before he could face-off against the leader, and also catch two more Pokemon to have the same amount of Pokemon as Watson. Looking at his PokeNav, he tried to locate the nearest place he could train.
He found the answer north.
Confidently, he strode in said direction, toward the blistering desert, focused on his goal.
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"Ack!" Xavier put his arms up, trying to shield his face from the all the blistering sandstorms. He spit out a bunch of sand that got into his mouth and closed one eye while to trying to look for a way out of the nasty wind. He spotted several other trainers standing around him calmly, as if not affected by the wind.
Fighting against the wind, Xavier staggered toward one of the trainers. The trainer turned their head to him. Xavier could clearly see a pair of goggles around his head, providing protection.
"Where..*cough*...do you...ack...get...thpfpfpf...goggles?" Xavier managed to sputter out. The trainer looked confused. Xavier pointed a finger at the trainer's goggles, then lifted his shoulders and made the universal 'I don't know" pose.
The trainer nodded. He reached into his backpack and pulled something. Xavier recognized it as the goggles. He took them graciously and slipped them on, and felt much better.
Just as he was about to leave, the trainer held out his hand, palm up, and wagged some fingers toward himself. Sighing, Xavier dug into his pocket and pulled out a crumbled paper note. He left it in the other person's hand. He walked away.
Xavier searched around the desert looking for his Pokemon. After what seemed like hours, he stopped to take a rest on a rock. It seemed like the desert went on forever. He was tired.
I need some water... Xavier thought.
Just as he was reaching for his canteen for a sip, he spotted something in the distance. Xavier squinted his eyes. He could make out a small, red creature, scurrying around the desert on all its legs.
Cautiously, Xavier walked toward it, one step at a time.
Crackle.
Xavier had stepped on a branch in the middle of the desert. It caught the attention of the red ant-like creature and it ran toward Xavier as fast as it could. Xavier froze, trying not to be noticed. He failed, though, and the creature ran toward him, jaws open.
Oh, snap. Xavier thought to himself. He took off as fast as he could. The red creature followed, showing off its sharp teeth.
Gasping, Xavier aimed his Pokedex toward the creature. After a brief explanation, Xavier learned all about Trapinch. He continued running, almost to his last drop of energy. Trapinch still followed, not looking fatigued at all.
Xavier collapsed of fatigue. He expected the Trapinch to bite him. Instead, it crawled onto Xavier, still lying on the ground. Xavier felt the Pokemon get off. Standing back up, he realized his badge case was missing. Trapinch had gotten ahold of it and was scurrying away.
"No!" Xavier shouted, chasing after it. Minutes later, however, Xavier figured he couldn't catch up. He reached for a Pokeball.
"Milotic!" Out popped the serpent.
"Ice Beam on the floor, and slide after that Trapinch!"
Milotic obeyed, and creating a slippery path on the desert floor. Xavier rode Milotic and chased after the Milotic with speed. Milotic kept creating an ice path, pursuing the ant Pokemon. Trapinch realized what was going on and tried to dodge. It performed a Dig and went deep underground.
"I need my badge back," Xavier said. "Milotic, Hydro Pump into the tunnel to get the Trapinch out!"
MIlotic sprayed a pump of water into the tunnel in which Trapinch digged in. A few tense moments later, the ground rumbled and out burst Trapinch, badge case in mouth, all wet with water.
Xavier tried to lunge for Trapinch, but it got away.
"After it!" Xavier leapt onto Milotic as it once again trailed Trapinch. Soon the sandstorm became stronger. Grains of sand whipped against Xavier's face and many pebbles knocked into him. Xavier could barely make out Trapinch in the distance.
"...there," Xavier pointed at the shadow in the distance, which Milotic slowly slithered to.
Trapinch seemed to stop moving, as if it gave up. That wasn't the case, however.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Xavier screamed, as he fell down and down, arms flailing.
Thud.
After a rough landing, Xavier found himself in a large hole, alongside Milotic, who was equally injured. Xavier inspected his bruises. His PokeDex had warned about Trapinch's habit of making large pits to capture its prey. If only he'd paid a liitle more attention...
"Pinch!" Xavier heard, his neck instantly looked up. There was Trapinch, showing off a little victory smirk. It ran away with Xavier's badge.
Xavier kicked the pit wall. He wanted to travel all around the Hoenn raising Pokemon, how was he able to do that if he had to be stuck in a pit for the rest of his life?
Xavier looked up and measured the distance between him and the top of the pit. His fingers edged his Pokeball on his belt. The distance wasn't so high, and he was pretty strong, so...
"Humph!"
Using all his strength, he tossed a Pokeball upwards. Luckily, it managed to just reach the top before opening to reveal Umbreon. The Moonlight Pokemon looked confusingly at its trainer, deep below it.
"Umbreon!" Xavier called. "Try to find someone who could help!"
Umbreon nodded. It took off, leaving Milotic and Xavier alone in the pit.
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The dark Pokemon's eyes darted around, looking for a trainer that could help. No one in the desert seemd to have any Pokeballs. It looked like the search had to go on.
Umbreon darted toward Mauville, leaping over rocks and dogding other citizens and tourists.
It finally reached town.
There!
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Xavier crouched in the pit. Milotic wrapped itself around him. After what seemed forever, he spotted Umbreon at the top.
He leapt up.
"Umbreon, did you find anybody?"
The dark Pokemon nodded. Seconds later, another figure appeared above the pit. It was a girl with light blonde hair curled upward. She took her goggles off to reveal violet eyes.
"Woah, how'd you get yourself down there?" the girl asked.
"Long story. Can you help use get out of here?"
The girl stood up and released a Pokeball. "Go, Ivysaur!"
The Grass Pokemon materialized.
"Use a Vine Whip to get that trainer and his Pokemon out!"
Xavier saw two dark green vines crawl down the pit and wrap themselves around him. They hoisted him up out of the pit. Milotic followed.
"Thanks," Xavier said. He put out a hand. "Xavier Omnik."
The girl shook it. "Luna Cosmos." She returned her Ivysaur back into her Pokeball.
"Nice meeting you," Luna chirped. "But I gotta go." She called out another Pokemon, an Aerodactyl. She put her goggles back on and hopped onto Aerodactyl's back. The Pokemon took off, carrying Luna with it. She rode off into the sandstorm.
Xavier watched her fly away, then resumed his original plan.
"'Kay..." Xavier tried to find Trapinch. No sight. "We'll split up and try to look for Trapinch. It could be anywhere in the desert. Milotic, you go north, Umbreon, south, and all scout east and west. We'll meet here forty-five minutes later."
"Go!"
XXX
Xavier spied around, looking for the red Pokemon. The sandstorm had lessened, making it easier for Xavier to see. He hid behind rocks and tried to stealthily scout around for it. No luck. He tried to dig for the Trapinch, but human hands weren't meant for digging that deeply. Half and hour later, he still couldn't find the Trapinch. He wondered how Umbreon and Milotic would be doing.
XXX
Milotic slithered around the desert, destroying rocks with a powerful Dragon Pulse, trying to see what was behind it. Trapinch was nowhere nearby. Milotic performed a Hydro Pump around itself, making the sand more moist. It dug into the soft sand, hoping to find Trapinhc. No luck here either. Milotic wondered how Xavier and Umbreon would be doing.
XXX
Umbreon leapt across the landscape, searching for the ant Pokemon. Umbreon scouted the land strategically, planning a route that would take him all around the desert. After jumping over many obstacles and fighting against the sandstorm, it couldn't find Trapinch despite the well-planned searching route. Umbreon wondered how Xavier and Milotic were getting along.
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"Well, guys, it seemed we couldn't find the rogue Trapinch," Xavier said, exasperated. "We'll have to-"
Suddenly, a flash of red caught Xavier's eye. He whipped around to find Trapinch not too far away. He exclaimed, "After it!"
Xavier rode Milotic as Umbreon dashed for a head start, quickly gaining on the Trapinch. Milotic fired Water Guns at the Trapinch, hoping to hit it. Trapinch managed to dodge all the attacks.
Umbreon stored energy as it was running. Its eyes glowed as it released a Shadow Ball directly in front of it. It hit the Trapinch dead-on. The ant Pokemon stumbled and let go of the badge case. Xavier ran toward it and got retrieved the case. Xavier put it back on his belt.
"Now that you're weakened, I think I'll capture you." Xavier said. He tossed a Pokeball at the Trapinch. It wobbled, but Trapinch burst back out.
"What?" Xavier exclaimed. "Umbreon, try another Shadow Ball!"
Umbreon launched a purple orb, but Trapinch dodged it.
"Milotic, Hydro Pump while Umbreon, Dark Pulse
Milotic fired the water attack while Umbreon released the energy wave. Trapinch jumped up to dodge the Dark Pulse, but got directly hit by the Hydro Pump. It collapsed.
Xavier tossed another Pokeball at the Trapinch hopefully. It wobbled three times and Trapinch was caught.
"Yes!"
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Xavier happily took his Pokeball to the Pokemon Center, and restored his newfound Trapinch to full health. He had another Pokemon to raise. One more to capture and raise and he'll be ready to face-off against Mauville's Watson. He had a lot of work.
Better get started.
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School's started, so updates are going to be less frequent. Expect one chapter a week, somewhere near the weekends. It might not be every week, though, there'll be some exceptions.
Reviews appreciated, as always.