Chapter 2 Stranded

- Here's thanks to EternalInspiration for editing and helping me proofread my paper. I couldn't have posted it without you! Pandahead6006061-

Something scratchy was on Pichu's nose. Around him, thebird chirps and lack of waves crashing revealed to Pichu that he was not on the cruise ship anymore. Why wasn't he in his poke ball? As he sat up and looked around, he couldn't see his trainer, McKenna. In fact, he couldn't see anyone!The loneliness suddenly brought tears to Pichu'seyes, and he cried. His sobs were loud, echoing all around. However, nothing happened. The birds had left; the sea was stagnant.

Finally, Pichu could not cry anymore. He drifted among the lushtrees, hoping that someone he knew would pop up and end this horrible joke. Just as he was about to lie down against a tree for a nap, a scuttling broke into Pichu'sthoughts. It started from the top of the tree, and then made its way down to a bush just beside Pichu.

Then, a purple head popped out of the bush and exclaimed, "There you are, my little friend! I have been looking all over for you! Don't be a bad little poke'mon and follow me." It spokein an Italian accent.

Pichu froze. This could be a bad poke'mon; he might hurt Pichu and lead him away from McKenna and his friends. Slowly,Pichu got up. Thepurple-headed poke'mon thought Pichu was too tired and decided to follow him, however, this was not the case – Pichu ran in the other direction! He ran hard and fast, but the next moment, he tripped on a tree root. He was about to get up but, instead, was pushed up by the mysterious poke'mon – then scolded.

"Come, now! I will not hurt you. Your friends have asked me to find you. They will be sad if you do not come. Think of Clefable or Luxio."

At the mention of his friends, Pichu realized that the poke'mon was very serious. So, Pichu dutifully followed the poke'mon for the next few hours until they reached a clearing, ringing of the voices of both Clefable and Hoothoot.

"They should be back by now," Clefable fretted. "Why aren't they back?"

"There they are!" growled Luxio. "What kept you?"

Pichu looked in wonder around thelittle camp/clearing. Heracross had gathered pieces of wood and Clefable had set them aflame with Metronome. Golduck and Luxio were digging large pits in the ground while Staravia and Hoothoot had been covering them with leaves. There were three pits, with 2 poke'mon assigned per pit. Staravia and Hoothoot slept in the trees. Aipom, the new poke'mon, had built himself a nest inside a hollow of a tree. Golduck was to sleep with Luxio, Clefable with Pichu, and Snorlax with Heracross. Heracross helped with his pit, as he wanted it bigger than the other pits because of Snorlax's size.

Pichu then noticed something. Where was Wailmer? Pichu went up to Clefable. "We weren't able to find Wailmer," she said, a bit sad but not worried. "Besides, how would he sleep here? He's a whale. I suppose he's by the beach somewhere, waiting for us to come."

"Are we near the beach?" asked Pichu. "Is the forest on the edge?"

"I'll show you in the morning," replied Clefable. Then, Golduck and she put out the fires and then left to call the others for bed. They didn't find any food, butthey relied on Aipom to lead them to a food stock. At the endof the day, everyone was tucked in comfortably, whether in a tree or a pit, and at the screeching of the Zubat, Pichu fell sound asleep.

Up in the night sky, shooting stars streaked past and carried with them the dreams of the sleeping poke'mon.