Andy clenched his teeth as he ran. His lungs felt like they were about to burst. The cold mountain air gnawed at his ears and made his head ache. His legs screamed at him to stop and rest, but if he didn't keep going he knew he wouldn't make it.

Pichu clung to Andy's chest as he sprinted down the mountain. So far, he'd been running for almost an hour. Luckily, there were only a couple of miles left. He hoped Buneary had found someone.

"Pichuuuu..." Pichu was getting weaker by the minute. The poison was setting in. Andy clenched his teeth and kept running. It took every ounce of his will just to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

Soon, more and more trees were popping up as he sped by. The river that ran down the mountain to Pewter City rushed by him to his right. That was a sign that he'd be able to see the tallest buildings of Pewter City soon. Just around the next bend he'd be within sight of the city.

Suddenly, the ground came up to meet him. He skidded to a halt face down on the rocks and dirt. Pichu slipped from his arms, crying out in pain.

"Piiii..." it squeaked but laid still.

"I'm sorry," Andy apologized, rubbing his head where it hurt. It felt warm and sticky. He couldn't worry about that now, though. He crawled to his hands and knees and picked up Pichu again. "I must've tripped on a rock or something."

He struggled to his feet. He realized just how tired he was when his muscles stiffened up as he tried to start running again. His heart was pounding in his chest ready to explode.

A rock exploded on a boulder by Andy's head. He leapt back clinging protectively to Pichu.

"Geodude!" a gritty gravely voice shouted toward him. It came from a creature that looked like a floating sphere of rock with two heavily muscled arms two eyes and a gaping mouth.

"Oh no," Andy groaned, stepping away from the angry pokemon. "Not now! Geodude, this isn't a good time!"

Geodude waved its fists angrily at Andy and picked up another rock the size his head. Andy ducked before it threw the rock and ran as it burst against a boulder next to where he was standing a moment before. Geodude moved fast, despite being made of solid rock,. It caught up quickly and dove to tackle them.

Andy dodged and rolled out of the way, narrowly escaping being crushed by the living boulder. He reached for Buneary's pokeball before remembering Buneary was gone. He cursed and retrieved his last pokeball. The only other pokemon he had left was Onix, and it wasn't in any shape to battle yet.

He got back to his feet and sprinted toward the river. His only chance was to use the water in the river somehow to stop geodude. Rock pokemon were weakened by water.

Andy yelped as a large rock struck his shoulder. He crashed to the ground again and skidded to a halt a couple meters from the edge or the river.

Pichu cringed against Andy's chest as he rolled over onto his back. His right arm felt like it was on fire.

Geodude hovered over them waving its fists. It picked up another large rock and held it over them.

"I'm sorry, Pichu," Andy whispered and held Pichu close with his good arm. "I tried. I'm sorry."

Andy shut his eyes and waited for the end. He heard crunching rock and a loud splash.

"Buneary!" A cold nose and warm furry paws prodded at Andy's face.

"Bounce!" Andy sighed with relief and tried to sit up, but he was too weak. He winced, "Thanks buddy. I really owe you one. Did you find some help?"

"Buneary! Eary buneary!" buneary hopped up and down shouting down the trail. The rumbling of a small engine approached. A dirt bike pulled up and slid to a stop.

"Holy smokes," an older masculine voice spoke. "You're pretty beat up, kid! Let's get you to a hospital! Can you stand?"

The man helped Andy up. He coughed and limped toward the bike with Pichu cradled in his arm. "I need to get to a pokemon center first. Pichu is poisoned pretty bad from an Ekans."

"I see," the man took off his helmet and put it on Andy's head. He had unruly greybrown hair and dark skin. Andy couldn't see his eyes because they looked constantly shut. "You'll need to put your pokemon in their pokeballs. I'll get us there as fast as I can."

"Thanks," Andy reached for an empty pokeball and held it out to Pichu on the bike. "You're gonna have to trust me now, okay? I'm going to take care of you."

"Pichu." Pichu groaned as it was engulfed in red energy. The pokeball didn't even shudder before sounding the capture gong. Andy clipped the ball to his belt before kneeling down by Buneary and pulling out the next pokeball.

"You saved my life, Bounce," Andy said. "You deserve a good rest."

"Buneary!" Buneary smiled and hugged Andy before it was recalled to its pokeball.

"By the way," the man said. "The name's Flint."

"I'm Andy," he climbed onto the bike behind Flint and wrapped his arm around his waist.

"Hold on tight," Flint shouted as the engine revved up. Andy squeezed tight and the bike jerked into gear speeding down the hill. Within a few minutes, the trees and boulders around them had been replaced by the stone and cement buildings of Pewter City. Andy's vision started to become blurry as they passed a large museum of brick and stone. Several houses of stone whisked by before they stopped in front of a large white building with a red roof.

Andy slid off the bike and limped toward the glass doors of the pokemon center. Flint tried to help him, but Andy waved him away. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. It's Pichu that needs help."

A nurse with bright red poofy hair came running out the double doors. She had big bright eyes and an innocent expression of worry. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Andy groaned. He unbuckled his pokeball belt and handed it to her. "Pichu is badly poisoned. Onix could use some help too."

"I'll take care of them immediately." The nurse curtsied and took the belt. She turned to Flint "Get the poor boy inside, could you please? I'll get Chansey to come take care of him while you call the hospital."

"Yes ma`am," Flint sported a goofy smile. "I'll do anything you say." He helped Andy push through the double doors and then take a seat on one of the cushioned benches inside.

He pulled the helmet off Andy's head.

Andy jerked and started seeing double. The only thing he could think of was how tired he was. Everything was getting dark anyway. Pichu was safe. Now was as good a time as any for a nap, right?

"Woah," Flint's voice sounded muffled and distant. "Hold on, kid! Stay with me!"

"I'm... so tired..." Andy yawned and felt his whole body relax without. Flint snapped his fingers in front of Andy's face.

"Hey! Stay awake!" Fline was frantic. "Someone help, quick!"

"Remind me to find a fire type tomorrow," he started to fall and the world went black.