Week 12-13

A New Adventure

By WarriorSeadra

"Hey, keep running!" a young Adrian says to girl deep inside a cave.

"Wahhh~" the girl cries as Adrian pulls her by the hand.

Behind the two, wild pokemon are chasing after.

The ground starts to shake and loose rocks begin to fall off the ceiling.

"Go!" little Adrian shouts shoving the girl forward.

Before he can join her, a rock falls and separates the two.

"No~!" The girl cries.

"Adrian..."

"Don't worry!" Adrian calls back. "Get my sister, I'll be fine."

"Adrian..."

The sounds of a girl crying echo off the wall as Adrian continues deeper into the cave as he attempts to escape the wild pokemon.

"Adrian!" The teen jumps as Duck shouts into his ear.

"Wha-what?" Adrian pants as he grips a railing.

"We're almost there."

"Th-the Whirlpool Islands?" Adrian calms himself. Loosening his grip on the railing, he holds his head high. He smiles as the spray from the waking of the boat sprinkles his face and inhales the salty air.

"Yeah," Duck responds stretching his arms. "You said 'What's a good place to train?' Well, these islands are perfect."

"This little fishing boat is going to cross a whirlpool?"

"Course it ain't." An old man calls from behind the steering wheel. "I'm just get'in ya close. Ya trainers figure out som'ting there."

The two trainers look towards each other. Duck raises an eye brow as though saying "This guy was your choice."

Adrian shrugs and pats his wallet through his jeans.

"An'way, we're here." The captain informs the two trainers. "So, you two think of any'ting yet?"

"Yeah..." Adrian sighs, holding up a pokeball.

"Of course." Duck grins, enlarging a pokeball.

"Good." The captain curtly replies. "Now remember, ya two ill have ta find a new way back. I'm busy so I won't be comin back, understand?"

"We'll be fine." Duck releases his pokemon.

"Thanks for the ride." Adrian calls out his pokemon.

"Crobat," "Fearow," the two trainers say in unison. "To the islands."

The two pokemon lift their trainers and fly off.

…..

"What was you earlier?" Duck asks as he and Adrian land on a beach.

"Just remembering how I got my scar." Adrian and Duck recall their pokemon.

"You've a scar?" Duck at Adrian.

"It's a small one, right by my eye." Adrian faces his friend and points to a small gash next to his left eye. "From a wild pokemon in a cave."

"Chill man, this is just a training trip." Duck shrugs as he begins to walk. Adrian shakes his head and follows after his friend.

"Looks like someone else is here." Adrian points to a tent further down the beach.

"Think it's a researcher?" Duck steps towards the tent.

Upon approaching the tent, the two trainers a small camp site including another tent, a table with tools, a cooler, a fire place, and some wood.

"Wah~" a girl joyfully cries out. Quick foot steps follow, "Some trainers!"

An impact from behind causes Adrian to stumble forward. Over one shoulder, he sees an arm dangling off him. Over his other shoulder is a head of pink hair. Adrian shots a glance to Duck and finds him in the same predicament.

The girl hanging on their shoulders laughs out and says, "I'm so glad you two are here~."

"Who-who are you?" Duck struggles to remove the arm from his shoulders.

The girl steps forward, sliding her arms off the boys, and turns around.

"Ah!" She points at Adrian. "It's you!"

"Me?" Adrian furrows his eyebrows.

"Yeah!"

"You know her?" Duck asks.

Adrian twists his lip, along with his furrowed eyebrows, as he attempts to recall the girl.

"You don't remember someone as cute as me?" The girl points to her face as she pouts.

Adrian purses his lips. He apologetically closes his eyes as he shakes his head.

"Oh well." The girl resigns herself. "You knocked me down at the train station. How about now?"

"You pushed her down?" Duck grins, "In public?"

"No-not like that." The girl waves her arms. Speaking quickly, she says, "It was crowded, we were rushing, and neither of us were looking to where we where going."

"Ah," Adrian recalls the scene. "Sorry about that."

"Don't worry about it." The girl waves her hand. "Anyway, I'm Whitney of the Goldenrod Gym. I'm here on the account of pokemon league business and you two are just in time to help me out."

'She's... energetic.' Adrian's stomach twists.

"What kind of league business?" Duck asks. "Is it about legendary pokemon supposedly living in these caves?"

"No, nothing that intense." Whitney shakes her hand. "I just need to do some exploring, observe the pokemon, and check the paths."

"Sounds like it could be fun." Adrian shrugs. He smiles as he turns to his friend, "Let's do it."

"Yeah," Duck agrees, "with some luck, we might see the legendary pokemon."

"Great~!" Whitney jumps in joy. "But evening will be coming soon, so let's wait until tomorrow morning. Until then, join me at the camp."

…..

"Are you su~re you don't want to battle?" Whitney pouts as the three sit around a fire. "If you win, you'll get my gym badge."

"Not interested." Duck responds over the crackling of wood.

"What kind of trainer isn't interested in gym badges." The leader fumes. "What about you Adrian, I'm sure you want my plain badge."

"Not really, it sounds boring." Adrian responds.

"Wh-what?!" Whitney exclaims flailing her arms causing Duck to laugh.

"I'm kidding, kidding." Adrian raises his palms in apology to the gym leader. "I'm just not ready for another gym battle."

"Sounds like you lack self-confidence." Whitney leans towards Adrian, looking into his eyes.

"I just want more training." Adrian returns her stare.

Whitney leans away and returns to her seat. The sound of wood crackling in the fire fills the silence.

"So," Whitney says breaking the silence, "Where are you guys from?"

"I'm from Kanto." Adrian replies.

"I'm a Johto trainer, my home is just outside Olivine city." Duck replies.

"So what are you guys doing out here, training?" Whitney asks.

"Yeah," Adrian replies, "we've a long way to go."

"You won't be able to measure your progress without defeating any gym leaders, you know." Whitney winks at the two trainers.

"Ok, so what brings you here?" Duck asks. "You said to survey the area, but what are you really doing here."

"Nothing, I really am just surveying the caves." Whitney responds smiling lightly,

"Then you don't really need our help then, right?" Duck raises en eye brow.

"No no no!" Whitney franticly waves her hand. "You guys would be a big help."

"If you say so." Adrian prevents Duck from pressing further..

"What are you working on, Adrian?" Whitney asks. "You'll progress way faster with a super, cute gym leader helping, you know."

Adrian sighs saying, "I'm not so sure you can help."

"We won't know that for sure unless you tell me." Whitney winks.

"Over all, I want to understand pokemon better."

"You're still having trouble with that?" Duck comments

"What, you can't understand your pokemon?" Whitney asks in confusion.

"Yeah... It hasn't gone away." Adrian says to Duck. With a sigh, he turns to Whitney. "No, I just can't get new pokemon to open up to me."

"What do you mean?" Whitney asks.

Duck also listens to Adrian with interest.

"Well," Adrian begins, "I just... have trouble getting along with newly met pokemon. I didn't always have this problem. When I was little, I could easily get along with any pokemon. It's started pretty recently."

Around when I enrolled into the academy...

"Hmmm~" Whitney muses. She closes her eyes and rubs her chin. "Sounds like a personal problem."

"You're the one who asked." Adrian narrows his eyes.

The girl opens her eyes and continues saying, "Maybe you just got too use to some pokemon and closed yourself off from everyone else, or had a bad experience with some pokemon and the feelings transferred over."

Stupid academy.

"Alright, there's only one solution to this!" Whitney jumps to her feet. She takes out a pokeball and calls forth a pink cow. "This here is Milky, my milktank. She's my cutest and most trusted pokemon. Become friends with her and you're problem will be cured."

"...Hi..." Adrian raises his hand to greet the pokemon.

"Milk." the pokemon curtly replies. She turns away and reenters her pokeball.

Adrian and Whitney, jaw dropped, stare at the poke ball while Duck rolls along the sand in laughter.

"Maybe you're worse off than I thought." Whitney recovers from her shock.

"What I have isn't a disease!" Adrian snaps at the gym leader.

"Right, sorry." The gym leader apologizes lowering her head. She springs up with a victory pose. "Instead, we just need to build up your confidence."

"Whatever..." Adrian trails off, seating himself by the fire.

"Don't worry, it'll work out." Whitney waves her hand. "Hey Duck, how did you get your name?"

"That," Duck smiles, leaning back on his hands. "When I was younger, I fixed my skateboard with duck tape. After that, everyone started calling me Duck Tape B. Now it's shortened to Duck."

Adrian bites his lips wondering, How did that even work?

"That's funny." Whitney giggles.

"What about you?" Adrian turns to Whitney.

"What about me?" Whitney tilts her head.

"Don't you have any stories for us about yourself?" Duck continues the question

"Me?" Whitney points to herself. "Well, I've only recently gotten to like pokemon. I thought pokemon were super scary, so I avoided them. But then my friends showed me just how cute they can be. After becoming a trainer, I became the super cute, gym leader~."

"You disliked pokemon?" Adrian asks.

"I got into an accident when I was little." Whitney giggles shyly as she scratches her head.

…..

"You know," Adrian says from his sleeping bag, "I always found girls like her annoying."

"Bad experiences?" Duck replies from his sleeping bag

"Yeah, they'd ridicule me."

"Academy girls?"

"Yep."

"Sucks."

"Yeah... Well, good night."

"Night." Duck says rolling over in his sleeping bag.

…..

"What exactly do you want us to look for?" Duck asks as he illuminates a dripping stalactite with a flash light.

"Oh, nothing strange." Whitney forces a smile, "Anything damaged or potentially dangerous to explorers."

"What about trails of blood?" Adrian asks shining his light upon a crimson trail. "It's still fresh too."

"We should foll-" Whitney begins when she notices her companions walking away. "He-hey wait for me!"

Whitney rushes over the mud to rejoin the two. Upon getting close, she grabs their arms and pulls them to a stop.

"That was really mean, you guys." Whitney pouts. Still holding their arms, she passes them and begins pulling them along.

"We have to help the pokemon." Adrian steps over a puddle.

"We'd go even if you weren't." Duck steps into a puddle.

"You could'ave at least waited~ for me..." Whitney continues to pout.

"Relax, you caught up." Duck grins.

"How mean~!" the gym leader wails.

The trio continue to walk deeper into the cold, damp cave. Only their footsteps and the dripping of water breaks the silence.

"Eeeeek!" Whitney screams out as she jumps in fear.

"What's happend?" Adrian turns, illuminating the empty passage behind them.

"No, so-sorry." Whitney weakly apologizes. "A droplet of water fell on my back. That's all..."

"Oh," Adrian sighs in relief. "that's all".

"But you scared the pokemon." Duck squats by a pile of rubble. As he comforts the hidden pokemon with his right hand, he sprays it with a potion in his left. With a concerned expression, he returns to the group saying, "Pokemon's healed."

"Gre-great." Whitney snivels, congratulating Duck. She steps forward saying, "Th-then let's keep exploring."

"Yeah..." Duck distantly responds.

"Something wrong?" Adrian asks.

"Just... someone hurt that pokemon. It wasn't an accident."

"Poachers." Adrian narrows his eyes.

"The injuries were recent too. Whoever mus-"

Hey!" Whitney cries out to her companions. "You're going the opposite way from me!"

The gym leader desperately chases after the two boys calling them "meanies."

As the three continue deeper into the cave, they hear the sound of a river echoing off the walls.

"Think that person went over here?" Duck asks.

"Who knows, but there might be more." Adrian responds.

"Hey, what's taking you two?" Whitney calls from atop her swimming milktank. "If you don't hurry, I'll leave you behind."

The gym leader and her pokemon turn and begin swimming away.

"Ok, good luck." Adrian calls from the shore. He raises his arm and waves goodbye.

Whitney flinches. She urges her milktank to turn around and rush to the shore.

"He-hey I'm just kidding, you know." She nervously apologizes. "So-so come on, we still have to find that poacher."

"Giiiiaaaaaahhhh!" A blood curling, wail resounds from down the river. The cry slowly fades leaving the three trainers frozen.

"Dra-dratini!" Adrian summons his pokemon. He leaps onto the serpent's back and cries. "Hurry!"

Whitney follows closely behind on her milktank. Duck rides his Arcanine. They leap from walls and rock out croppings, and quickly fade away from sight.

The sound of a battle echoes off the walls and is accompanied by an occasional flare. "Faster," the two trainers urge their pokemon.

Upon reaching the shore, Adrian and Whitney discover Duck searching his defeated opponent. He steps away from the unconscious grunt empty handed. As three examine possible routes to explore, a gale storms from a chasm. They recall their pokemon and run to the wind's origin.

"Don't you think- it's time- you told us- already?" Duck asks between breaths on

"What do you- mean?" Whitney asks.

"Just what- is going on- here?" Adrian questions, "We're not- stupid."

"What pokemon- was that?" Duck continues. "Tell us already!"

"Fine!" Whitney cries, "I'm not- really here to- examine- the cave. I'm actually- looking for intruders- who've come to- harm the- rumored pokemon."

"What pokemon?" Adrian asks.

"I don't know." Whitney pants. "It's a leg-"

The cave trembles. Whitney cries out and falls. She pushes herself up onto her knees to fall again. She curls herself into a ball, screaming, "No, no, no!"

Adrian, struggling to remain standing, makes his way to Whitney. He grabs her arm and pulls her towards a wall. "Come on!" He shouts over the earthquake.

"The walls, get to the walls!" Adrian shouts to Duck as loose rocks begin falling.

As the trainers struggle to nearest wall, the floor beneath Duck collapses.

"Duck!" Adrian cries out and attempts to run to the hole. A tug on his arm stops him. He turns and sees Whitney clinging to him, shaking in terror. With a click of his tongue, Adrian pulls Whitney to the wall. He places her within a narrow gap between a pair of pillars. Adrian squeezes in and holds Whitney close, protecting her from any falling debris.

…..

The sound of dirt and rubble sliding and hitting he ground echoes through the silent cave as Adrian pushes himself away from the crevice. He steps away and illuminates the debris and felled stones. Failing to find any openings, Adrian aims his light down the tunnel.

"We should get going." Adrian speaks looking further down the tunnel.

Whitney, sheltered within the crevice, slides down the wall and hugs her knees. Tears well up within her eyes as she begins to cry, "No! You can't leave me. I don't want be be alone down here!"

Adrian kneels and places a hand on crying girl's arm. Whitney grabs onto Adrian's collar, wailing, "I hate this, hate this, hate this!"

Adrian retracts his arm, holding it up in shock as Whitney cries on him. Adrian blinks and hesitantly places his hand upon her back. He softly questions, "Whitney?"

"I-I hate caves." Whitney whimpers as her crying subsides. Her grip on Adrian's shirt strengthens as she says, "And scary pokemon."

Unsure on how to respond, Adrian glances down the tunnel. Finding no danger, he turns to Whitney and waits.

"I-it happened when I was little. This boy and I, we had-had just met, but we were playing together. We me-met right outside Union Cave, on route 32. It was du-during my fa-family's picnic...

"Hey there," a young girl with pink hair calls to a black haired, little boy and a pokemon. "Is that your hoppip?"

"It's a wild hoppip." The boy proudly declares. He points to a near by tree."We just met there, by to the water."

"Ahh!" the mini Whitney points with a gasp, "He's leaving."

"Maybe it got bored?" The boy tilts his head. With a shrug, he says, "O-well, maybe I'll see a new pokemon next."

"Really? Can I come too?" The young Whitney bounces in excitement.

"Yeah, let's go~!" the boy punches the air. He takes Whitney's hand and walks. Leaves crunch beneath their wake as they approach some rocks. The shade thickens as trees and shrubs block the sun.

"Hey look." The boy points, "It's a gastly."

"Let's follow it~." Whitney runs after the floating pokemon. The boy laughs as he follows after.

The children follow gastly to the mouth of a cave. As they creep closer to the entrance, Whitney states, "It's dark."

"Let's go back." The boy turns around.

"Yeah~." the girl chimes as she turns.

A rattling chills the children. They look to the side and greet the glare of coiled ekans. The snake pokemon bares its fangs and lunges at the children. The boy leaps and pushes Whitney aside. They struggle onto their feet as they roll along over the ground and run as fast as they can.

"Is it gone?" Whitney whispers peaking from behind the boy's back.

"I think we lost it." The boy looks around a rock. He takes a few steps from behind the rock and looks for the snake pokemon. He turns to Whitney and with a grin, says, "Yeah, it's gone."

Whitney breaths out as she slides against the rock, collapsing onto the ground. The boys seats himself next to Whitney and exhaling, closes his eyes.

Whitney grabs the boy's arm. She tugs on it, saying, "I don't like this place."

"It's only dark." The boy states looking around as he notes they are inside the cave. He stands up. "But we should leave."

"Yeah..." Whitney tightens her grip on the boy's arm. She trembles asking, "Which way?"

The boy bites a lip as he looks left and right. He points in a direction and declares, "That way."

The boy guides Whitney down the dim tunnel. Whitney refuses to release the boy's arm forcing him to take slow, slight side steps. A flapping causes the children to jump in fear.

"I want to go home..." Whitney cries. She drops to the ground and buries her head within her knees.

"Don't worry." The boy places a hand on the girl's shoulder. "My sister will save us. She can do anything."

"Really?" The young girl's eyes sparkle as she lifts her head.

"Yeah." The boy declares with pride. "No matter what happens, my sister is always there. She super strong, nothing can stop her."

The duo continue forward. Struggle with the dim lighting, the boy trips and falls. Whitney, clinging to his back, falls on top of him. They rise to their feet and feel a chill. Instinctively, they run. A roar echos within the cave, waking all the inhabitants.

"GEOOOOOOOOO!"

"After that, we just ran and ran." Whitney sobs on Adrian. "When the cave collapsed, we got separated. I never saw him again."

Adrian silently comforts the gym leader and allows her to continue crying.

"You can't leave me..." The gym leader whimpers. She clings to Adrian as shes pulled to her feet.

"We're all leaving together." Adrian tells Whitney, staring into her eyes.

"But.. Duck..." Whitney trails off unable to continue her sentence.

"Tch." Adrian clicks his tongue. "He doesn't need someone to protect him. But if we don't hurry, he's going to face them alone."

Adrian remains silent. Not moving, he watches Whitney.

Whitney breaths deeply and breaks away, "Let's go."

…..

Adrian and Whitney enter an open chamber. With their lights, they find various broken formations.

"We're too late..." Whitney runs a hand over a scorched rock.

Adrian kicks a broken rock into a passing stream, "Darn..." He bites his lips as he shines his light across the walls. Finding an opening, he walks up to it and examines the ground.

Whitney, wiping her hand on her jeans, examines the damages done to the cavern. She notices Adrian walking down a tunnel and follows.

The duo navigate the battle scared passage. They use the occasional, unconscious grunts as markers to continue pressing deeper.

A pokemon's cry echoes through the tunnel.

…..

"Dratini," Adrian throws a pokeball as he emerges into the twilight room from a tunnel. "protect!"

The serpant pokemon materializes, surrounding itself with a barrier, as a large silhouette unleashes a torrent of water. Dratini recieves the attack, maintaining his ground.

"Milktank," Whitney's voice cries out as a pokeball flies past Adrian. "roll out!"

The pink, cow pokemon spins as it materializes. Rolling through the air, it slams into the silhouette.

The mysterious pokemon, with it's attack forced to an end, crashes agaisnt a wall and causes loose rocks to fall from the ceiling. It slides onto a shaded area where it's silverish, white body can clearly be seen. It uses finger like wings to push itself onto its feet as it lifts its long neck. It flings its heand forward, opening it's beak.

"Dratinit, double team!" "Milktank, protect!" Adrian and Whitney cry.

The ground shatters and rises dust from an invisible force.

"Not bad," A voice laughs, "you recognized Lugia's aero sphere. But just die already! Lugia, hyper beam!"

A beam of light hits the ground.

It's them! Adrian sees a logo on the man's jacket as he covers his face.

An explosion sends the two trainers and their pokemon flying.

"Lugia," Whitney calls as she rises from the sand. "you don't have to listen to him. Let us help you."

"Missed," the man clicks his tongue. "no matter, Lugia!"

"Ice beam, Dratini!" Adrian commands as Lugia cries out.

Lugia blocks shields its body with a wing. It turns its head to the miniture dragon and opens it beak.

Milktank rolls into the side of Lugia's head.

"Got'cha!" Whitney excitedly punches the air as her milktank rolls to her side.

As Lugia faces Milktank, a coating of ice cover it's face.

"Keep it up!" Adrian cheers Dratini's attack.

"Lugia!" the man cries as Milktank stomps Lugia's back.

"Arcanine, flame wheel!" Duck shouts over the man's frustration.

"What took you so long?" Adrian asks as Arcanine hits Lugia from the front.

"Duck, I'm so glad you're not hurt." Whitney sighs in relief as Lugia falls on its back.

"I like her response a lot better than yours." Duck responds as Dratini, Milktank, and Arcanine return to their respective trainers' side.

-A loud signals Lugia's anger bringing the full attention of the three back to the battle. As Lugia begins wailing as loud as it can, the trio cover their ears in pain. Even the pokemon wither from the ear splitting cry.

A piercing shriek sends the trainers and pokemon onto the ground.

"Lugia," the man growls as he climbs onto the pokemon's back. "drown them."

The trio and their pokemon are too disoriented to move. They can only watch as Lugia flies away with the man as a roaring sound gets louder.

"We have to get out of here!" Duck cries. He recalls his pokemon and struggles to the cavern's entrance.

Adrian and Whitney, recalling their pokemon, join Duck. They pale upon not being able to see the ocean. Instead, the roar had gotten louder.

Adrian and Duck swear as they grab for a pokeball.

"Fearow!" "Crobat!" The two trainers call their pokemon as a devastating wave approaches.

The two pokemon see the wave and automatically fly to take hold of their trainers'. Adrian sees Whitney paralyzed before the oncoming wave. He breaks from his pokemon's grasp and lunges toward the girl. He wraps his arm around her side and cries, "Fearow!"

The bird pokemon latches onto Adrian's back and flaps. Adrian and Whitney fly into the sky as the wave breaks, sinking the island.

The three trainers remain silent as the pokemon fly them to the nearest city.

…..

"That was them." Adrian mumbles holding a cup of warm tea. He leans back on his chair and stares at the ceiling.

"Your pokemon are fully healed." A voice says in the background.

"They aren't just poachers, huh?" Duck clenches a fist. "What could they want...?"

"It's not just Lugia." Whitney says softly. "There've been reported sightings of strange people around the rumored nesting grounds of legendary pokemon."

"What ever they want, we have to stop them..." Adrian sets his cup on the table. He looks to Whitney and Duck.

"Obviously," Duck rises, placing his hand on the table. "but Whitney, tell us already."

"We're already involved." Adrian rests his arm on the table as he turns to the girl.

Whitney sighs, "Alright, but not here. Also, you've got to promise, you're going to get stronger!"

"Duh." Adrian and Duck grin.

…..

Adrian smiles, looking at a picture in his pokedex. Whitney stands in the middle. She's facing forward, laughing. On her right, she's pulled on Duck who turned around. Although facing the camera, he seems to be stumbling and is yelping. Adrian stands on Whitney's left. Although their arms are locked together, he's looking at Duck. Adrian points at him with his free hand while laughing at his misfortune.

"These past two weeks," Adrian says to the pokeballs in his other hand. "they were the best."

Adrian sighs and glances out the train window towards the night sky, "It sucks, classes start again tomorrow."

A/N: Back! This story will be finished, don't worry. I just needed some time off, but hopefully won't be needing to do that again. Please, let me know what you think about this chapter in a review.