Adventures in Hoenn
Two days after Father's Day…
Chapter Nineteen: Storm Brewing in the Weather Station with Castform!
*Brendan's p.o.v*
My dad's Slaking and Alex's Marshtomp were locked in battle. Each of them was down to their last Pokémon. Both beasts were getting worn out, breathing heavily, and covered in scrapes and bruises. ''You can do it, Alex!'' I yelled.
''Alex, focus!'' her dad yelled.
''You and Marshtomp made it so far!'' May shouted. ''Do your best!''
''Slaking, Chip Away!'' my dad ordered. Slaking leapt into the air with his fist pulled back.
''Marshtomp, Ice Punch!'' Alex yelled. Marshtomp leapt at Slaking with his fist encased in ice. The two fists connected with each other's fist. There was a massive explosion and the two pocket monsters were blasted towards the walls on opposite ends on the ring. The two trainers ran to their Pokémon with utmost concern. Both creatures attempted to stand. They trembled as the stood. The air was full of tension. The only things I could hear was the Pokémon breathing and my racing heart. Slaking suddenly fell to the ground K. .
''We won,'' Alex said quietly. ''WE WON, MARSHTOMP!'' Alex hoisted Marshtomp into the air and hugged him.
''YOU WON!'' I yelled as I ran to Alex and hugged her and lifting her into the air. ''Congratulations!''
''You did it, sweetie!'' Alex's dad said squeezing Alex and Marshtomp. ''I'm so proud of you!''
''Way to go, Alex!'' May said excited. Marshtomp cleared his throat annoyed.
''You too, Marshtomp,'' I said petting Marshtomp.
''Definitely,'' Alex's dad added.
''You bet!'' May said kissing Marshtomp on the cheek. Marshtomp rubbed the back of his head laughing.
''I'm impressed, Alex,'' my dad said as he and Slaking walked up to us. ''You put up a great fight you and your Pokémon. It was the most exciting battle I've had in awhile. You have earned the Balance Badge.'' My dad handed Alex the Balance Badge.
''Thank you, Norman,'' Alex said as she and Marshtomp bowed respectfully. ''You and your Pokémon also put up a great fight.''
''By the way, Brendan,'' my dad said turning to me. ''How come you didn't root for me?'' he asked as he and Slaking put on fake sad faces.
''Don't give me those look!'' I said embarrassed.
''I'm just kidding!'' dad said laughing. ''It's my job to embarrass you, after all!''
''You're doing a great job, too,'' I muttered.
''You two have grown as Pokémon Trainers,'' dad said to Alex and I. ''Head for Fortree City for your matches with Winona. She's a master at using Flying-type Pokémon.''
''I don't have any Flying-types,'' Alex said somewhat nervously.
''Don't worry, Alex,'' I said. ''You can catch one on the way to the Gym.''
''You can do it, sweetie,'' Alex's dad said stroking her hair comfortingly.
''You've made so much progress,'' May said encouragingly. ''There's nothing you can't handle!''
''I'm sure you'll come out victorious,'' my dad added.
''Thanks everyone,'' Alex said. ''Let's go!'' Marshtomp then tugged on Alex's shorts. Alex looked down and Marshtomp said something to her. ''Yes, Marshtomp,'' Alex said smiling. ''I'll get you another volume of that manga you like so much. Azumangah Daioh, right?'' Marshtomp chattered something else. ''Oh, School Rumble! Sorry. But, you, Gallade, and Trapinch need to rest first.''
''It's been great seeing you, Norman!'' Alex's dad said shaking my dad's hand.
''You too, Anthony,'' my dad responded. ''Tell Larraine I said hello, okay?''
''Sure,'' Alex's dad replied. We said our good-byes, healed up, made our errand to the store, and went on our way to Fortree City.
*May's p.o.v*
We got a ride from Mr. Briney to a port nearest Fortree City.
''Sorry guys,'' Mr. Briney said. ''But, you'll have to walk the rest of the way to Fortree City.''
''It's okay,'' Alex said. ''We can do it. Dad?'' Alex looked and saw her dad putting his face over the side of the boat gagging. ''You okay?'' she asked concerned.
''Y-yeah,'' her dad said nauseously. ''I h-hate fast rides. Always have.''
''Sorry about that, sir,'' Mr. Briney said nervously.
''It's fine,'' Alex's dad said getting up with the help of Alex. We got off and said good-bye and headed into Route 119. We walked for an hour and came to a rest.
''I'm hungry,'' Alex said tired.
''I've got sandwich stuff,'' Alex's dad said opening his bag.
''Do you have anything else?'' Alex asked. ''I'm sick of sandwiches.''
''Water and trail mix,'' her dad said.
''I'm have a hankerin' for some fruit,'' Alex said getting up. Alex then noticed a tree with some bananas in it. ''Whaddya know!'' Alex exclaimed happily. Alex walked up to the tree and started climbing it.
''You're like an Aipom, you know that?'' Brendan teased making Aipom noises.
''You're funny,'' Alex said not amused. ''Looks like its bananas for lunch today!'' Alex said triumphantly as she tried plucking the bananas. The bananas, however, appeared to be stuck. ''C'mon!'' Alex said straining. ''Are these things super glued to the tree?!'' Alex then got picked up as she hung on to the bananas.
''That's no tree!'' Brendan exclaimed. ''It's a Tropius! An angry one, too!'' The Tropius snorted and tossed Alex to the ground. The Tropius gave Alex a death glare and started to charge. Alex reached for a Pokeball, but, in the blink of an eye, Tropius got tackled by her dad's Blastoise.
''No Pokémon harms my daughter!'' Alex's dad snarled. The Tropius got up and bellowed as it flew into the air.
''It flies?!'' I asked surprised. Tropius then dove at Blastoise.
''Blastoise, Ice Beam!'' Alex's dad commanded. Blastoise fired a beam from his cannons at Tropius and froze it. Tropius fell to the ground and the ice shattered. ''You know what?'' Alex's dad said pulling out a Pokeball. ''I'm going to catch this Pokémon!'' Alex's dad tossed the Pokeball at the Tropius and after a few shakes, the ball secured the Tropius. ''You're mine now, Tropius,'' Alex's dad said looking at the Pokeball. Alex's dad opened the Pokeball and summoned Tropius. ''You didn't need to attack my daughter, you know,'' he said with his arms crossed. Tropius chattered angrily. ''I don't care!'' Alex's dad snapped angrily. ''She meant no harm! Now apologize!'' Tropius then looked down at the ground sadly and chattered to Alex.
''It's fine,'' Alex said smiling. ''I'm sorry for pulling on the fruit on your chin. Can we share the fruit here?'' Tropius chattered happily and pulled down some apples from the tree for all of us. We ate happily and then continued our journey. Soon, we saw a weather station sitting proudly next to a wooden bridge and river.
''Look at that!'' Alex said pointing to the building. ''What a neat weather station! Let's go check it out!'' We walked up to the weather station, but something caught Alex's dad's attention and he pulled Alex, Brendan, and I back into the bushes. ''What's up?'' Alex asked.
''Quiet!'' Alex's dad whispered. ''There're Team Aqua grunts coming this way!'' We looked out and saw Team Aqua grunts patrolling the premises.
''What do we do?'' I asked worried.
''I got a plan,'' Alex's dad whispered.
''We're going to stop 'em?'' Alex asked happily.
''Yes,'' Alex's dad replied smiling. ''You said it yourself. When they're around, only trouble can result from it.'' Alex's dad crept towards where the grass line ends and clobbered a male Aqua grunt and put on his shirt and bandana. ''I'm going to pretend to be a grunt that took you guys hostage and we'll sneak in and drive Team Aqua out of the building. Now, follow my lead.'' Alex's dad got behind us and put his hands on my and Alex's shoulders as we walked towards the weather station. ''Hey, I caught the girl and her friends,'' Alex's dad said to a grunt that was coming up to us.
''Great!'' the grunt said happily. ''Archie will have a promotion for you! But wait, where's the girl's father?''
''I killed him and dropped his body into the river long ago,'' Alex's dad responded. ''The Carvanhas will have a good meal today!'' he said trying to laugh sinisterly.
''Well, you can go in then,'' the grunt said. We entered the building and saw that it was crawling with Aqua grunts.
''So far so good,'' Alex's dad said quietly. We proceeded to the second floor and saw that one grunt from Petalburg Woods.
''Sir, I've caught the kids we were after and disposed of the girl Alex's father,'' my dad said.
''Good,'' the grunt said. ''We've secured this facility and captured the scientists. We also have control over this little Pokémon, Castform.'' A small ghost-like Pokémon came forward with a mind control headband on it.
''What can it do?'' Alex's dad asked.
''It can create weather conditions from sun to rain to hail,'' the grunt replied. ''The weather powers up its move Weather Ball and changes its type. I'm surprised you didn't know.''
''I'm sorry, sir,'' Alex's dad responded. ''What should I do with these kids?''
''Tie them up and wait for Archie to take Alex,'' the grunt answered. ''As for the other two, send them to the bottom of the river.'' Brendan and I gulped nervously.
''Yes sir!'' Alex's dad replied. ''When I say 'now', attack!'' he whispered to us. Suddenly, the grunt that Alex's dad knocked out came into the room.
''HEY!'' he exclaimed. ''This guy's an imposter!''
''Uh oh,'' Alex said.
''NOW!'' Alex's dad yelled. We pulled out a Pokeball each summoning Marshtomp, Dodrio, Grimer, and Combusken.
''What the-?!'' the grunt exclaimed. ''Get them!'' Some grunts ran in and summoned Pokémon from Slugma to Mightyena to Voltorb.
''Dodrio, Tri-Attack!'' Alex's dad ordered. Dodrio fired a triangle with red, yellow, and blue points at a Mightyena. When the attack connected, the Mightyena was burnt.
''Castform, Rain Dance!'' the grunt with Castform ordered. Castform summoned a rain storm inside the building.
''Now, Voltorb, Thunder!'' a grunt ordered. A lightning bolt struck the ground in front of us sending us backwards.
''Grimer, Sludge Bomb on Voltorb!'' Brendan commanded. Grimer fired a glob of sludge at Voltorb, however, it was intercepted by a Slugma's Flamethrower.
''Combusken, Double Kick Voltorb!'' I yelled. Cobusken kicked Voltorb and sent it flying into a grunt knocking them out. ''Good job!''
''Grimer, keep Slugma busy,'' Brendan ordered. Brendan then ran towards Castform.
''What are you doing?!'' the grunt asked. Brendan grabbed Castform and started to pull of the headband on its head. ''Get away, boy!'' the grunt said punching Brendan in the face causing him to reel in pain.
''Don't hurt my boyfriend!'' Alex yelled angrily. Marshtomp tackled the grunt and Brendan regained enough composure to pull of Castform's headband. Castform then looked around surprised. Alex's dad went over and untied the scientists.
''Are you alright?'' he asked.
''Yes, thank you,'' the scientists replied.
''Are you okay, Brendan?'' Alex asked him concerned.
''I'll be fine,'' Brendan replied covering his bloody nose.
''You can't stop us!'' a grunt said confidently. ''There's many of us and only seven of you!'' Suddenly, another grunt ran into the room.
''Admin Sean!'' the grunt said panting. ''Word has come in of Team Magma being sighted near Mt. Pyre!''
''What?!'' Sean said astonished. ''Let's go! We'll meet again, you twerps. Keep your stupid weather station!'' The grunts then ran out of the building.
''Thank you all so much for rescuing us!'' a scientist said happily. ''Those fiends were trying to take over this station and take our precious Castform!''
''It was no trouble at all,'' Alex's dad replied. ''Those people are nothing but trouble!'' Castform then flew up to Brendan and nuzzled his face.
''Looks like Castform wants to go with you, young man!'' a scientist said laughing.
''Really?'' Brendan asked surprised. Castform nodded in agreement. ''Okay, welcome to the team Castform!''
''Sorry about your station getting so messy,'' Alex said rubbing the back of her head.
''It's fine,'' another scientist said. ''Could you help us clean up?''
''Sure!'' we all said. We spent the rest of the day cleaning out the station and repairing damages. We then parted ways and set up camp in the woods.
''Hey Alex,'' Brendan said he and Alex set up Brendan's tent. ''I recall you calling me your 'boyfriend' back there.''
''Oh, uh, yeah I guess I did,'' Alex said nervously while blushing. ''You were really brave today Brendan. It comforts me that you can protect me.'' Alex then nuzzled up to Brendan as Brendan's face flushed red.
''How cute,'' I said quietly as I put down some firewood.
''Perhaps those two are meant for each other,'' Alex's dad said laughing quietly as he set up a fire pit.