Chapter 1: Gamble

"Whew! That was a long and boring day." Amerigo said as he smoked outside the school.

"Oh come on, it wasn't that bad. I actually learned a few things in some of my classes." Hisoka remarked smiling his big grin.

"Whatever."

"Come on guys. We need to take everyone out for a walk and food. And maybe do some battling if we get the chance." Aki said clenching her fist, her eyes getting starry as she thought about all the great battles she was going to win.

"Don't get to carried away Aki. Arrogance is a weakness that can be your downfall in battle. It clouds your judgment and often will stop you from giving proper commands to your pokemon." Amerigo said, his eyes closed as he leaned against a wall looking like Sherlock Homes.

"You get that out of a book?" Aki replied her hands on her hips.

"No, its common sense. Something you could stand to have some more of." He said smirking.

"Is that a challenge?" she replied her eyebrow raised and a confidant grin on her face.

"I guess that's up to you." He replied.

"Stop it! Now come on you two, do we really need to fight each other? We're friends, we shouldn't fight." Hisoka said, tearing up.

"You are such a crybaby." They both said in unison. At their both saying this they eyed each other and sparks flew between them.

"You know, you really shouldn't do that where the entire faculty can see you."

They all turned to see Mr. Gautschi standing there smiling.
He bent down and whispered, "If you're going to have a battle, why don't you battle me?"

They all looked at each other. Hisoka was the first to speak, "Come on you two. You can't beat him. He won a Pokemon League Tournament before he came here. He's got more battle experience in his-"

"Don't finish that sentence." Aki and Amerigo both said holding fists up to Hisoka. He backed off.

The two of them smiled and looked at each other, "Yeah sure, we'll accept your challenge."

"Good, but I have a few conditions. One, all three of you have to battle me, and two you'll be battling with some new pokemon I'm going to give you. If you win the match you get to keep them, if you lose I take your current pokemon."

"We can't accept that!" Hisoka yelled. He looked to Aki and Amerigo who looked at each other and nodded.

"We accept. But we have a condition for you. Give us one day to train with these new pokemon you'll be giving us so that we can get accustomed to them."

Gautschi smiled, "Yeah sure. I'll even help you with the training. Remember, I know what these new pokemon can do. You don't."

"What do you mean? We know every pokemon in existence."

"Not these, these pokemon were caught by a friend of mine who's a researcher in the Shikoku Region. The region has been protected and so the pokemon can't be captured due to environmental reasons. Most of them are very rare right now due to previous poaching, so while the repopulation efforts have been going on, trainers forgot the place, but these three are some of the first being released. So what do ya say, wanna get some pokemon nobody else has?"

They all looked at each other and after a while they all nodded and Amerigo said, "we're in."

Gautschi smirked, "Alright. Come on out."

Grabbing three pokeballs out of his bag his threw them into the air and from each a wave of red energy shot to the ground. The energy collected and began to take shape. The first formed into a blue baby platypus. The creature had big bright eyes and Aki ran over to grab it as soon as she saw it. Second was a red baby goat. Amerigo walked over and picked it up saying, "I'll take the fire one."

Third was a green baby baboon and Hisoka walked over and picked this one up. The two of them played around a bit before getting a hold of themselves.

"These three are babies. They were born today and so you will be responsible for raising them. That is, if you can beat me."

"Of course we'll beat you." They all said, pleased with their new partners.

"Well then, I suggest you get to work and start training these three now so that I don't clobber you when we fight."

Hey all looked at each other and Aki then spoke, "Well, lead the way."

"Very well. We'll be training at the park. Come on."

And so they were off on the start of what would turn into the biggest adventure any of them had ever faced.

Three hours later…

"Ember."

"Bubble!"
"Razor Leaf!"

The three attacks shot across the field careening into some trees with targets placed on them. All three missed.

"Aww, come on!" They all said in unison.

"You can't push them too hard, they're just children." Gautschi exclaimed as he watched them.

"Try it again." Amerigo said to his pokemon, the goat. He bent down and put his hand on its shoulder, "I know you can do it. You're a fighter, just like me, now give that tree everything you've got, partner."

Amerigo's words inspired his pokemon and when it opened its mouth, instead of embers, an enormous stream of fire burst from it and not only enveloped the tree, but exploded on contact with it, setting it ablaze."

Amerigo smiled, "That's my boy."

Aki, try having Aqypus put out that fire."

"But he can't do something that big!"

"If you don't believe in your pokemon, it won't believe in itself. That was one of the first things I taught you, wasn't it?"

Aki looked at the small, cute little Pokemon, and she too bent down to it.

"Give it your best shot."

Just like last time, Aqypus was inspired by Aki's words and when in exhaled, instead of tiny bubbles, a torrent of water erupted from its mouth. The water too erupted from its mouth and just like last time, enveloped the tree and the fire on it, putting it out.

Mr. Gautschi was surprised at both of these instances/Those wasn't just a Flamethrower and Hydro Pump, those were the ultimate attacks. Then maybe…/

"Hisoka, try having Juoon use Frenzy Plant to pick up that tree."

"Frenzy Plant? I've never heard of that attack."

"Just give the command!"

"Uh, okay. Frenzy Plant!"

Huge brown vines covered in thorns burst from the ground and wrapped around the large tree, picking it up as if it were a toy, then throwing it out into the lake, more than a hundred feet away.

/Beating these kids is going to be harder than I thought/

"You kids have some real talent for inspiring your pokemon. It's getting late so I'm gonna go home. But you three can continue your training."

And with that, Mr. Gautschi walked away into the distance, waving as he did.

"Well guys, I guess we should continue." Aki said.

"Sure, there are some new attacks I want to try out for Juoon." Hisoka said, looking lovingly at his adorable, little pokemon as it tilted its head, a curious look on its face.

"Yeah, after that last attack, I wanna see what else this guy can do." Amerigo said, smirking as he looked at Goire.

"Then let's get started!" Aki yelled jumping up in excitement.

The next day…

"We're ready." Aki said confidently.

"All of us." They all said in unison.

"Good, then let's see if you got what it takes to own those pokemon you've become so attached to. Go Drifzepp, Rotomoul, Phanteon!"

Gautschi threw out three pokeballs and from them appeared three pokemon. The first looked like, as its name implied, a Zeppelin blimp, except it was purple, had a yellow X on its face, and had four odd appendages hanging down from where the "carriage" is. Second was a bunch of balls stuck together, one of them having a face, and from them came electricity that formed into one large antennae and two arms. Third was what looked like a toy cat, stitching holding the living stuffed animal together, and from a hole in its lower back came an eerie flame.

"You see children, I'm not just a teacher, I'm also one of the top Ghost pokemon trainers in the world. Now, send out your pokemon!"

"Go Juoon! Use Razor Leaf on Drifzepp!"

"Go Goire! Use Flamethrower on Phanteon!"

"Go Aqypus! Use Bubblebeam on Rotomoul!"

From Juoon razor sharp leafs shot out slicing at the slow moving balloon pookemon. From Goire a stream of fire shot towards the highly flammable toy cat. From Aqypus a barrage of explosive bubbles sped towards the electric ghost.

"Drifzepp, Eerie Wind, Rotomoul Protect, Phanteon Shadow Drive, GO!!!"

A scary wind with a purple tint emanated from Drifzepp, blowing the leaves away and then heading toward the three pokemon, a barrier appeared around Rotomoul the bubbles exploding as they hit it and kicking up a lot of dust that did nothing else than provide cover for Gautschi's pokemon, and Phanteon disappeared completely, the stream of flame flying past its previous position.

"You kids are going to need to do better than that if you expect to beat me."

They all smiled at his comment and looked at each other nodding. Drifzepp's wind had now immobilized the entire team, as they were barely able to hold their positions with it blowing at them.

But the second it stopped Amerigo called out, "Fire Spin, NOW!!!"

The three pokemon ran together and Goire, spinning like a ballet dancer, shot at the ground, creating a small tornado of fire around the group, and just as this was happening, Phanteon appeared and ran at the group its body giving of a darkness glow, it looking like a black meteor as it ran at them. It hit into the tornado and burst through, now on fire as well.

"Iron Tail!" Aki and Hisoka screamed.

And so at their command Juoon and Aqypus jumped up and slammed Phanteon with their tails as they had a metallic glow. Goire stopped and the force of the opposing one's attacks blew all the three pokemon that had collided away.

Amerigo spoke up about what had just occurred, "See Mr. Goutschi, we knew that as soon as the wind stopped, Phanteon would attack, so we had our pokemon ready to strike when that time came. This battle's only gone on for a few minutes, and already one of your pokemon has taken massive damage."

"Hmm." Gautschi said smiling a crooked grin, "You're right. I was careless. I guess I underestimated you well, you are my best students after all. But let's continue the match now, and talk about it later. Phanteon, Confuse Ray! Drifzepp, once they're confused Explosion!"

"What!? NO!!!" All three of the young trainers said in unison.

Regaining his composure first Amerigo said, "Blast Burn NOW!!!"
Aki and Hisoka looked at each other and nodded.

"Hydro Cannon!"

"Frenzy Plant!"

The ray hit the three pokemon. It was a game of chance now, if the attack orders got through to them, they could win the match, if they didn't they were done for."

Juoon fell over, too confused to even stand up, then Aqypus did the same, but Goire stayed standing and resisting the ray's effects launched the attack straight at Drifzepp as it flew toward them. Just as it was aabout to hit, Drifzepp detonated, exploding. All three pokemon were blown away, and the fire attack blew Drifzepp's now blackened body out of the smoke.

All three of them fell to their knees, they had lost the match, and so their pokemon as well.

Gautschi walked up to them and extended his hand, "Get up."