Episode 4: Helpless But Not Hopeless

Chapter 1

As the morning sun was shining down, Black Jack was strolling down a forest outside Lilycove City. He stopped in the middle of the clear path and then slowly counted down the numbers, whispering to himself in a bored tone. "Three… two… one…"

He quickly and confidently bent down as a small black dog with yellow patterns on different parts of his body jumped down from a tree where he was hiding, in an attempt to catch him by surprise.

Failing that, the dark type pokemon missed him and lost his balance, falling on his front. Black Jack walked over and looked down on him.

"So you heard him, huh?" a spiky haired teen said, feeling slightly embarrassed, as he walked out from behind a tree.

"Bre…" his Umbreon said, also feeling embarrassed but not hurt, as he got up to his feet.

"Only… a lot," Black Jack replied to Keith. "Umbreon is still breathing too hard." He then turned his attention to the little dog. "Umbreon, you should relax and feel the lightness of your paws, that way you would be faster than a speeding a bullet and catch your victim out, no problem."

He heard a couple of bird pokemon squawking from a distance and turned his attention to that sound. He took out a pokeball and released his Nidoking from it.

"Nidoking, show Umbreon how you catch your prey… and this time, pounce on the victim that first comes into your view, okay? And make sure it's not a Nidoqueen," Black Jack said.

"(What are you talking about, Jack)?" Nidoking growled. "(It's not my fault those Nidoqueens like me)."

In nature, female pokemon would often go for the strongest male depending on their species. For instance, Black Jack's Nidoking, being one of the strongest Nidokings, had often attracted Nidoqueens and Nidorinas… much his fretfulness as he was so focused on his battles and exciting adventures that he, and Black Jack's other pokemon, became oblivious to this kind of nature.

"(Anyways)," Nidoking continued. "(Watch the master, little Umbreon, and learn)."

He turned his back towards them and quickly sprinted into the forest without making any noise. Despite his large figure, he was as quick as a Dodrio.

"Now, do you hear any noise that Nidoking is making?" Black Jack asked, trying to give Keith and Umbreon a lesson.

Before Keith could answer, a loud scream of a man was heard from a distance. "I've heard something now," Keith replied.

"That scream sounds familiar," Black Jack said as he quickly ran into the forest. "Come on, Keith."

The two humans and Umbreon ran down deep into the forest until they came across Nidoking holding his caught victim down. The victim was an old man wearing a lab coat with everyday clothing underneath; he also had grey hair and bushy eyebrows.

"Please don't hurt me," the old man cried in fear while Nidoking looked at him in puzzlement. "I never knew I was in your territory! I'm only here to do some exploring! I'll leave as soon as you get off me!"

"Prof. Oak?" Black Jack said in surprise, and then he changed his expression into a small frown as he rolled his eyes when he looked at what Nidoking was doing. "C'mon, Nidoking, get off him. He's not a Nidoqueen."

"(Oh, ha ha! Very funny)," Nidoking growled, sounding sarcastic as he helped Prof. Oak to his feet.

"What are you doing here?" Black Jack asked.

"I arrived to the pokemon center in Lilycove City late last night, along with Gary and Tracey," Prof. Oak replied. "Perhaps you remember them?"

"Yep, Gary's your grandson and scientist and Tracey's your assistant," Black Jack replied. "I wasn't there last night, been over at the local tavern while the kids were sleeping. Maybe they'll bump into each other today."

"I think so too," Prof. Oak replied and then he noticed Keith standing next to Black Jack. "Oh, and who might you be?"

"My name is Keith Marsden, Prof. Oak. It's a pleasure to finally meet you," Keith replied offering to shake his hand.

"Likewise," Prof. Oak replied as he kindly accepted his offer.

"We can talk while we get back to the pokemon center," Black Jack said as he returned his Nidoking. "The other cubs will be waking up soon."

As they walked through the forest, Black Jack and Prof. Oak were having a conversation while Keith and Umbreon looked around as though they were exploring. "So, Mr. Black Jack," Prof. Oak said. "What's been going on with you since we last met? It's been about three to four years since we last met, correct?"

"True," Black Jack said. "I went and joined Alice on her pokemon journey. While I was teaching her about pokemon and life, she was doing the best she can to be the best. She became a quarter finalist in the Johto League and a semi-finalist in the Kanto league. I also had my fair share of battling… and now, here we are."

"Quite impressive, Black Jack. With those titles, your teachings and her talent, I'm sure she'll become a pokemon master in no time."

"Thanks. So, what brings you here?"

"I recently received an e-mail from one of my former students Prof. Hale. He recently discovered an ancient writing carved in stone in a cave from one of the Sevii Islands and sent me a few images of them; some of them had carvings of some rare pokemon, like Mew. I checked those writings when I looked through my notes and books but they don't seem to match or make any sense. Therefore, I thought that I should go there and do some research there."

"Interesting. Inviting anyone?"

"Why yes. I invited others that you're quite familiar with but I shan't tell you yet for security reasons. There's one more professor coming along as well, but I don't think you met him before."

"Try me."

"His name is Prof. Kesner."

"Never heard of him."

"That's hardly surprising. You see, not many of us hear much from him because he spends most of his time giving his daughter, Christie, some home education while his does research outside his teaching hours."

"Schools far away from their home I take it?"

"No, Black Jack. It's a sad story. One night, long time ago, his family was involved in a car accident. His wife never survived it and his daughter's legs suffered an injury so bad that she could no longer walk."

"Man, that's bad," Black Jack said, feeling the sadness of that story.

"Since then, Prof. Kesner feared for his daughter's health and life and decided to take care of her from that day forward. He knew that he needed a backup plan so he caught a Gastly, which is now a Gengar, and they both trained him to protect her from danger."

"So how old is the daughter?"

"I'm not sure, it's been a long time since I last met them. My guess is that she's fourteen years old. She is qualified to take an examination to become a pokemon trainer but I don't think she intends to because of her disability."

"I'm thinking otherwise, Oak," Black Jack thought to himself in suspicion.

Meanwhile, at the poekmon center cafeteria, a number of trainers and visitors were having their breakfast. Alice, Cassandra, Wally, and their pokemon finished their breakfast and talked about Alice's contest performance and the event with Team Ocean while Jerry continued guzzling on a huge number of pancakes.

"…And for the first time, Jerry and Keith were getting along," Alice said positively. "Isn't that right, Jerry?"

"Not now, Alice, I'm eating pancakes here," Jerry said back as he continued scoffing up the pancakes. Alice gave him a dull look in response.

"Didn't he suffer from a stomach ache the other day?" Wally asked.

"Yeah," Alice replied. "But somehow he recovered very quickly."

"Ah… that was good," Jerry said breathlessly as he tossed his fork down on the plate. "I'm stuffed like a Snorlax."

"He'll be sleeping like one next," Cassandra whispered to Wally, making him let out a small chuckle.

"Is that you, Alice Hummingburg?" said a young man's voice.

Everyone turned to his attention. He had black short hair with a red headband around his forehead. He also had a white lab coat over his green-buttoned shirt and jeans, along with his red and white trainers.

Alongside him was another young man with spiky brown hair and a face that a lot of girls would fall in love with. He, too, was also a lab coat over his blue-buttoned shirt, black trousers and brown shoes. Alice gasped with surprise when she recognised them both. "Tracey and Gary!" she said.

"Hi, Alice," Tracey and Gary said in unison.

"How are things?" Tracey continued.

"Everything's going great," Alice replied as she stood up from her seat. "Let me introduce you to everyone. You two remember Cassandra and Wally?" she asked as she pointed to the young teens while they shook hands with them. Then, a loud snoring was heard and came from Jerry who was sleeping in his chair after eating a huge breakfast. "That's Jerry," she finished nervously with anime sweat drop appeared on her forehead. "He's a pokemon trainer."

She then introduced the pokemon to them and Tracey took out his small notepad and quickly drew pictures of each of them. Anytime he saw a pokemon with fascinating features, he would always draw sketches of them.

"So, Alice," Gary said while Tracey drew sketches the pokemon. "How's your uncle?"

"He's fine. He left a note in my room this morning saying that he's out training with Keith. He's also a friend of mine."

"So what kind of damages has Black Jack been doing?" Gary asked jokingly.

Alice showed a slightly serious face and motioned him to come closer so they could talk privately. They spoke about their recent encounters with Team Ocean and should be kept a secret between them for now.

"So, what brings you here?" Cassandra asked Tracey.

"Well, Prof. Oak is here and…" Tracey said before he was interrupted.

"What? The Prof. Oak?" Wally said surprised.

"Wally, you met him before," Cassandra said, sounding slightly dull.

"I know but still he's still the most popular guy around here."

"Anyway," Tracey continued. "He's here in Lilycove city and tomorrow we'll be taking a boat to the Seveii Islands. One of Prof. Oak's former students, Prof. Hale discovered some ancient drawings that we couldn't understand so we decided to go take a look ourselves."

"Can we come and help?" Cassandra asked. "I am on holiday from my high school and Wally's still travelling."

"I'm sure the professor will allow it," Tracey said.

"Hey, kids," a familiar man's voice said, getting everyone's attention. "What's going on?

"Hey, guys," the others said as they saw Black Jack, Keith, Umbreon and Prof. Oak coming into the cafeteria.

"Hey, Professor," Tracey said. "I was just telling Cassandra and Wally about our upcoming project. They were wondering if they could come."

"Why, of course," Oak replied. "If anyone's interested they can come aboard."

"Hey, can we come, Prof. Oak?" Alice asked in a hopeful tone.

"Maybe you better ask your uncle."

"Can I, uncle?"

"Well… we can go to somewhere new and fresh here," Black Jack said thoughtfully. "Why not. I just hope they have good drinks and trainers there."

"Hello," said a nervous man's voice, getting their attention. As they turned their attention to him they saw a middle aged man in an old brown jacket over his white buttoned shirt and black tie. He also had short black hair, black trousers, brown shoes and a pair of glasses.

Behind him was a ghost type pokemon Gengar, who was pushing a wheelchair that had a young blond girl sitting on it. She had a short-sleeved buttoned shirt with a pink vest over it. She also had a tight pink skirt that reached down her knees, white socks and a pair of black shoes.

"Ah, Prof. Kesner and Christie," Oak said in slight surprise. "Good to see you. How are you?"

"Quite well, Prof. Oak," Kesner replied nervously. "I see you brought a couple of friends with you."

"Ah, yes. Let me introduce you to everyone," Prof. Oak said. He introduced everyone to him, including Jerry who was still sleeping. Kesner then introduced Christie, his daughter, and Gengar, who's nickname was Shakespeare because of his liking for the stories of his favourite poet.

Black Jack motioned for Christie to come over to them while Oak and Kesner discussed on their plans for the research and travelling. Slightly hesitant of her father, she moved her head towards Shakespeare and nodded and the Gengar pushed her wheelchair over to them.

"So, Christie," Alice said, starting a conversation. "What do you do for a living?"

"I'm a home student," Christie said. "You're all pokemon trainers, right?"

Everyone nodded, saying yes simultaneously but in their own words. She mentioned that she wanted to be a pokemon trainer but her paralysed legs made her unable to do so.

"Y'know," Black Jack said. "To me, it doesn't matter what you're suffering from. If you can just set your mind and heart to it then anything's possible. Believe me, I've been on the injury list myself."

Christie looked up at Black Jack as she intently heard what he said. She thought that in some ways, Black Jack made a point about being a pokemon trainer.

As the conversation continued, Kesner noticed his daughter talking with 'strangers', much to his discomfort.

"Something wrong, Prof. Kesner?" Oak asked.

"It's Christie," Kesner said worriedly. "Oak, you're the only person I still trust since my wife died. Tell me, do they look like strangers to you?"

"Of course not," Oak said. "I know how concerned you can get, my friend. But trust me, you're daughter's now in safe hands."

"And what about Black Jack? I heard some bad things about him."

"Yes, I know he can be a different person at times but he would never hurt a child."

"Perhaps we should continue to discuss our research in one of the spare rooms privately."

"Agreed," Oak said as he turned towards the young ones. "Listen, everyone," Oak said getting their attention. "Prof. Kesner, Gary and I have a few plans to discuss in the other room. Do any one of you have plans?"

"I got a motorbike to fix," Black Jack said.

"Since we're going to the Seveii Islands, then I'm thinking about getting a few things for my parents. They like to get souvenirs from different cities," she said. The others think they should also go shopping with her for more supplies.

They invited Christie to come with them. "I think not," Kesner replied. "I'm afraid that she has to remain here with Shakespeare."

"Why's that?" Black Jack asked.

"I… I want her to be safe," Kesner said nervously. "Besides, it's her first time in this city so she might get lost."

Black Jack looked over to Oak, wondering if he should reason with Kesner. Knowing what he wanted to do, he shook his head signalling a no.

"Tell you what, I think that she could do with a little sightseeing on the beach. It's not far from here and she could do with some company next to Shakespeare."

"Will she be in trouble?" Kesner asked, slightly hesitant.

"She won't be far away from us, she'll be fine. What could happen?"

Kesner gave this a long thought. "Very well, but who are you going to recommend?"

A familiar snore gave Black Jack a clue. He looked over to Jerry, who was still sleeping through every conversation that had just occurred after his breakfast. He walked over to him and slammed his hand on the table in front of him, on the table waking him up.

Jerry quickly moved his head around in shock. He then looked up at the frowning Black Jack, who was looking down on him. "I'm sorry," Black Jack said in a false apologetic way. "Did I wake you?"
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