Welcome to the Ikimono League

By Neko (Siler Tru-Neko)

Disclaimer: I don't own Pokemon.

Author's Note: As stated last chapter, Kame means turtle.

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Chapter 11 – Kame Bound!!

Sea spray brushed against Ash's face as he leaned into the wind. Perched on Lapras's back, he had a clear view of the way to the island ahead, with its peaks rising up in the distance. A grin split his face. Earlier that morning, he and Gary had set out from Victor and Karin's; now, Ash was halfway to his next quest, Kame Island. And – the best part – Gary was nowhere to be seen!

"Hey, Brock!" yelled Ash, turning to face his friends seated behind him. Misty, as usual, had Togepi resting in her lap; Brock, who had been consulting their map, glanced up at him.

"Yeah?"

"Know anything about this gym?" Ash asked.

Brock shook his head. "All I know is the island's a sanctuary. We'll have to ask around. I just hope this isn't Violet all over again!" They hadn't been in contact with Professor Oak since Uma, due to Violet Town not having a telephone. Ash hoped this island had some more technology than the last – he couldn't wait to tell the Professor about the league!

However, Ash had to sober at the thought of his near-loss. He couldn't get Victor's words out of his head: he was overconfident in battle.

Ash turned his hat backward, staring confidently at the challenge ahead of him. He would show everyone he wasn't an overconfident trainer like Gary was!

*

Meanwhile, Gary and Pidgeot flew above the island in question. Gary peered down at Kame, hoping to make out where a town or gym might lie. The incomplete map in Professor Oak's lab was particularly vague concerning this island; judging by what he had overheard last night, as well, Kame was as barren – if not more so – as Karasu.

The island was U-shaped, with the prongs facing southward; to the north, a wall of mountains separated Kame from Karasu and Uma. Lush forests swept down from the peaks to the beaches at the southernmost points; nowhere could Gary find civilization in their depths.

He frowned, thinking. There had to be people somewhere; there was a gym, after all!

Pidgeot let out a caw. As they swooped lower, it had spotted the chain fence surrounding the entire island. The whole thing was a sanctuary! Gary followed the fence with his eyes and saw an outpost of some sort to the west. Pidgeot banked toward it at his command; they soared over the expanse of forest.

Soon Gary and Pidgeot had landed neatly beside the wooden lodge set just outside the fence. Beside it was a gate.

This must be the main entrance, mused Gary. After returning Pidgeot, he stepped up to the building's door and knocked.

After a moment, the door was opened and an Officer Jenny smiled down at him.

"Hello, what can I do for you?"

Gary introduced himself. "I'm looking for Kame's gym," he explained.

Officer Jenny held open the door. "Come in, then."

Gary entered, glancing about at the small office room. On one side poised a desk with a sign reading 'Welcome to Kame'. The wall behind the desk held a huge map of the island and a telephone station. On the other side of the room was a metallic counter, a doorway behind that. Though there was no one at the station, Gary recognized it as a miniaturized Pokémon Centre by the symbol on the counter. Another doorway at the far end of the room led into what seemed to be a kitchen.

"This is the gym?" Gary asked incredulously, one eyebrow raised.

Jenny giggled. "No, this is the warden's office. The gym is out in the sanctuary."

Gary walked over to the map; it displayed the same information he'd noted from above the island. "You're not going to tell me where it is, are you?"

Officer Jenny shook her head; Gary sighed, but he had been expecting as much. He glanced again at the map.

"So, will you let me into the sanctuary?"

"I have to register you first." Officer Jenny sat at her desk, pulling out a clipboard and a form. Gary took it and began filling in his information.

"This is the only settlement on Kame other than the gym," Jenny said, watching him. "It serves as my office, a Pokémon Centre, and lodging for guests, if you wish to stay a night."

Gary recognized her speech as an offer. "No, thanks, I'm good."

Jenny nodded thoughtfully. "The sanctuary is home to many rare Pokémon," she explained. "We have to be careful not to harm them. You're not allowed to take anything out of the reserve – except for a badge," she corrected with a smile. Gary inclined his head. "Don't feed the Pokémon, don't leave anything behind, don't fight or capture any Pokémon – oh, and I'll need to keep your Pokémon while you're in there."

Gary stopped short from listing his six Pokémon on the form. "You what?" he demanded.

Jenny held out her hand. "I have to hold your Pokémon for safekeeping," she repeated. She smiled gently. "Sorry, it's the rules."

Gary stared at her, shocked. "But…it's a gym. How do I fight without my Pokémon?"

Officer Jenny regarded him a moment, smiling secretively. "What are you bringing into the sanctuary?"

He remained silent on that one. Jenny still waited for his assent; with a sigh, Gary unhooked the six Poké balls from his belt and placed them in her hands.

"If anything happens to them-" he began warningly.

Jenny opened the safe beneath her desk and set the Poké balls inside. "Don't worry. They'll be safe with me." She locked it.

At the bottom of the form it repeated the rules Jenny had told him; Gary skimmed over them before signing at the bottom. Then he passed Officer Jenny the finished form, beginning to wonder what he was getting himself into.

As she led him outside and through the locked gate, it finally occurred to him.

The only thing every trainer was sure to bring with him…was himself.

*

Ducking through foliage, Gary made his way through the forest. He had no idea where he was heading; ruefully, he wished he had taken a closer look for the gym while riding Pidgeot. Now he remembered the map in the warden's office; though there was no gym indicated on it, he could cross the mountains off his list to search. There was no way an everyday trainer could climb those tall peaks!

A sudden noise made him turn; an Eevee scurried away into the bush. Gary had to resist the immediate instinct to reach for a Poké ball. His Pokémon weren't here to help him. He wished abruptly that he had Umbreon at his side; of all his Pokémon, it had helped him the most recently to win his Mind Badge. If only it could be with him now!

Gary shook his head, swiping at the sweat on his brow. This forest was so humid…he hated how enclosed it was.

Remembering the inlet to the south, Gary reached for the compass in his bag. He checked his direction, turning southward. At least maybe he could take a break by the water and think about his next move.

Surprisingly quickly, he arrived at the lakeside. The forest ended suddenly, falling away to crumbling rock down to the water's edge. By following the shoreline with his eyes, Gary apperceived what looked like sandy beach in the east. Thinking that would be much better than this boulder-infested shore, he hopped from rock to rock toward it.

A log was strewn across his path, and he climbed over that, too. Once his feet hit rock once more, he glanced up to check his progress.

The small rock beneath his left boot wobbled precariously, and as he moved his foot back the rock suddenly upended itself. His boot slid into the crevice below, lodging firmly. Gary wavered a moment, struggling to maintain his balance. He moved his right foot back; it met wood, and with that he fell awkwardly onto the log.

Gary swore aloud as his left foot twisted, sending pain arcing up his leg. He pushed himself up against the log that had tripped him, reaching for his injured foot.

He gently eased his boot out of the crack, and then set it aside to nurse his foot. Hissing, he rubbed at his throbbing ankle. Great, he thought sardonically, now I twist my ankle, just when I need it to face the gym leader!

In his mind, he could picture the gym, a ring where the trainer would have to face the leader with his own physical strength. As well, the image of an inhumanly strong gym leader beating him to a pulp was becoming painfully clearer.

Again Gary swore, leaning back against the tree trunk to wait for the worst of the pain to pass.

*

Ash reached Kame Island shortly, but he was soon disappointed to see that a fence surrounded the isle, blocking any access. Instead, Brock suggested, they should go around the island and look for an entrance. If it was a sanctuary, as Karin had said, there had to be one somewhere.

And so, feeling precious time slipping away from him, Ash urged Lapras around the perimeter of the island. After about a quarter turn they found a wooden lodge heading a gate.

"Here we are, finally!" exalted Ash, leaping down to the ground. He hurried up to the lodge, leaving the others to catch up.

An Officer Jenny met them at the door; she soon explained how Kame was solely a sanctuary, deprived from civilization except for the gym and this office. Ash made a beeline for the phone while Misty and Brock asked to spend the night there.

"Hello, Professor!" Ash said happily upon recognizing the man's face onscreen. "We just arrived on Kame!"

"Kame?" Oak looked puzzled. "Weren't you and Gary headed to Karasu first?"

Ash nodded, "We were already there, but they didn't have a way to contact you." The meaning of Oak's words finally hit him. "Wait…you mean Gary hasn't called yet?"

Excitement sparked in Ash's stomach, about to burst into full-blown fireworks.

"No, he hasn't," admitted Professor Oak. "Have you heard from him? I suppose, if you just got there yourself, I shouldn't worry, but…"

Ash thought, If you knew Gary, you wouldn't be so concerned about him. Aloud, he said, "Don't worry, Professor, I saw him just this morning on Karasu."

With that Ash launched into an explanation of what exactly had happened in Violet Town; once he got to the part about the badge, he raised it for the Professor to see.

"Excellent!" said Oak, peering closer at the badge. "I hope you don't mind if I photograph it when you get back?"

"Not at all, Professor," Ash answered, swelling with pride as he thought of how Professor Oak was choosing him over Gary.

Now Ash saw Misty and Brock gesturing him over to where they stood; Ash hurriedly said goodbye to the Professor and turned to the task at hand.

"So, what's the deal with this gym?" he asked eagerly.

Brock indicated the map on the wall. "Well, apparently it's out there somewhere."

Ash gawked at the map. "You mean I have to search the whole sanctuary?"

"That's right," nodded Officer Jenny. "Part of this gym is finding it."

Ash sighed. "Well, at least I have Noctowl to help me!"

Misty and Brock exchanged glances with Officer Jenny. "Actually, Ash," began Misty, "to enter the sanctuary…you have to leave your Pokémon here."

"WHAT?!"

"Pika pi!"

*

The sun climbed into the sky as Gary sat alone on the beach with his thoughts. He couldn't help but wonder about the gym ahead; if Officer Jenny's hint had led him to the right conclusion, it looked like he would have to fight the gym leader on his own.

How odd, he reflected while wrapping his twisted ankle in bandages from his bag. He had also torn some sturdy-looking twigs from the log, tying them on to stop his ankle from moving around – at least, he hoped so.

Each gym so far has tested something instead of being a simple Pokémon battle, he mused. First speed, then wisdom (not only due to the puzzle, but because Victor judged a trainer's strategy in battle as well), and this gym, it seemed, tested the trainer's skill in battle. He shook his head, wondering how the Kame gym leader expected trainers to prepare. Then again, this gym, like the last, seemed to like springing the test on people. It was a good idea, Gary had to admit. It certainly stopped him from planning ahead as he had done on Uma.

He finished knotting the bandage and gingerly put his weight on his left foot; this time, the pain was not so sharp. He slipped his boot back on.

Time to go, he thought, standing slowly and stretching. Cautiously he made his way over the rocks toward the sandy shore. He held his focus this time on the terrain, not stopping until he finally stepped down onto the beach.

About time, he thought, raising his head. Gary paused, seeing something in the distance on the shore. Could it be…?

Squinting, he apperceived what looked like a log cabin, just as the warden's office had. He quickened his pace, limping. The pain grew as the cabin neared, and again he stopped to take a breather. Gary sank to the ground by the water's edge, pulling off his boots and the makeshift bandages to dip his feet in the surf. The icy water soon numbed his skin; however, he remained for a long moment as the pain slowly faded to a distant throb. Then he advanced once more.

The cabin came steadily closer; soon, Gary could make out windows and the door. He thought he saw a flicker in one of the windows, as if someone was watching him, but then it was gone and he dismissed it as his imagination.

Gary stumbled up the walk and leaned against the door, glad for its support. The pain had awakened for the third time, and now that he had successfully trekked to his destination, he did not want to turn back. His decision was made for him, however, as he heard footsteps on the other side of the door.

Gary jumped back, turning to face the entrance just as the door was pushed open. A man stood on the threshold, taking in his dishevelled appearance. At the same time Gary sized him up; he was certainly not as imposing as he had imagined, not a body builder but a rather short, stocky man with bright red hair and shockingly blue eyes.

They stared at each other for a long moment before Gary finally found his voice. "I'm Gary Oak, from Pallet Town. Is this Kame gym?"

The man nodded. "I'm Charlie, leader of this gym. You'd better come inside."

Gary hobbled inside, the door closing behind him.

To be continued...

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Author's Note: What's in store for our trainers this time? Knowing Ikimono, it could be anything... Please review!