Chapter 8

The girls were enjoying their time in town, talking a walk the next day and breathing in the fresh air until they heard some townspeople grumbling.

"That Absol is a pain," someone said. "Why can't we get rid of it?"

"It's very elusive," said another.

"Remember, bad luck follows it," said a third.

Rachel, having heard enough, turned away. Kairi and Crystal followed her, but the young girl was curious. "Who's Absol?" She asked.

"Absol is a Pokemon that is blamed for events that are beyond its control," Rachel said. "Uncle Charlie told me that Absols are not liked because whenever one shows up, something bad happens, hence why people think it's bad luck to see one, but Uncle Charlie disagrees."

"I agree with him," Kairi said. "My mom said that if an Absol shows up, it's trying to warn you of something, but too many mistaken that warning for it being aggressive or causing trouble."

"As a result, Absol tend to not come around humans," Rachel explained to her sister before looking wistful. "But I would love to have an Absol as one of my Pokemon."

"They're a strong Dark-type, from what I understand," Kairi nodded.

"If you do get one for your Pokemon, Rach, would you let me pet it?" Crystal asked.

"Of course," Rachel said with a smile.

"Do you think you might be able to get one to trust you, Rach?" Kairi asked curiously.

"One thing I've learned from my uncle is if you are nice to Pokemon, they'll be nice back to you," the blonde-haired girl said.

"Not with an Absol," said someone who overheard them and they turned to find some of the townspeople nearby.

"Absol is one Pokemon you don't want near you," said one lady.

Rachel grew angry. "You're so close-minded!" She snapped, making everyone jump. "Just because bad things happen whenever Absol shows up doesn't mean they are the cause of it! They are trying to warn you of danger, but you don't listen!"

"They cause danger!" One man said.

"No, they don't!" Kairi said firmly.

Just then, a familiar person walked through the crowd. "The girls are correct," he said and they looked to see it was Charles and he smiled. "I have done some readings in this area and each time Absol was spotted, there was a danger nearby."

He handed the papers to the mayor before turning to the girls and smiling. "Well, girls, I know of a wonderful place to find some wild Pokemon. Care to join me?" He asked.

"Anything to get away from these close-minded people, Uncle Charlie," Rachel said.

Crystal and Kairi nodded and the three followed the man to the forest and he smiled at them. "You still want an Absol, correct, Rachel?" He asked.

She blinked in surprise. "Yes," she said. "But they're very elusive."

"There is one near here," he said. "Maybe you can befriend it. I'm certain it heard you standing up for it earlier."

"I hope so," Crystal said.

"Maybe it can see that not all humans think it's a bad Pokemon," Kairi said hopefully.

"Well, let's go hunting," Charles said. "Oh, and see if you can find any Pokemon families too. There may be some here in the forest. But take care not to disturb them."

The three girls at once began searching and Rachel gasped in suprise at finding a nest of Rattata nearby. The male and female were standing guard by a nest of four babies and looked at Rachel warily, but she smiled and held up a hand to show she meant no harm, placing a few berries down on the ground before backing up a little bit. "It's okay," she soothed. "I'm not going to harm your babies."

The male Rattata approached cautiously, sniffing at the berries before taking a small bite of one. Deeming it to be good, he then picked it up with his teeth and brought it over to his mate, who ate it. Smiling, Rachel set a few more down for them and then quietly backed away with them watching her.

Crystal gasped in surprise to see a couple Butterfree along with one Metapod and three small Caterpie. "Wow," she said.

The Butterfree looked at her curiously and she held out a berry in her hand. The female approached cautiously and accepted the berry, eating it before chirping happily and looking at the girl, who smiled and gave her another one. Charles came up to them and smiled, setting down some berries too. "Well done, Crystal," he said with a smile.

Kairi was surprised to see some Bulbasaur along with a couple Ivysaur. She guessed the Venusaur was nearby as she put some berries down for them. "Here you go," she said softly.

Rachel had just climbed one of the trees to find some Pidgey when suddenly, she heard her uncle cry out in alarm and turned to find smog filling the area. Clinging to the tree, she watched as nets fell on her uncle, sister, and friend before the smog covered everything and when it cleared, they were all gone. "Team Rocket," she growled before jumping down and checking on the Pokemon. Seeing them all alright, she then looked around and one of the Butterfree pointed down a path where clear footprints could be seen. "Thanks," she said to the Butterfree. "You guys better hunker down. I'm going to go get my family."

With that, she headed down the path, not seeing that there was a certain Pokemon watching her.

Rachel ran in the cave where the footprints led and found the two Team Rocket criminals and her friend, sister and Uncle Charlie in a large cage. "You guys again? What was it again? Cassidy and Botch?"

"Listen here you, it's Butch! Not Botch! Didn't your mother ever teach you to remember people's names!?" He said angrily.

"My mother didn't raise me, jerk," Rachel shot back with a glare. "Now let my uncle, sister, and best friend go or you're going to be sorry."

"You really think you can beat the two of us by yourself when you couldn't last time when it was you and your little sister?" Butch taunted her.

"Yeah, because I'm not gonna give up especially to the likes of you two!" The blonde-haired girl snapped back.

Cassidy grinned. "Then prove your not all just talk, rookie, Sableye go!" She said, tossing out a Pokeball and out came the dark/ghost type.

"Let's go Mightyena!" Butch said, tossing out a Pokeball and out came the dark type.

Despite knowing this wasn't going to be an easy battle, Rachel was determined and one thing these Team Rocket members didn't know was that Sky might have been only a Zubat, but he was getting stronger all the time. "Alright, Sky. Come on out and use Gust!" She said, tossing out the Ultra Ball to release Sky.

Sky screeched before his wings glowed light blue and he flapped them at high speed, creating a gust of wind that hit the other two Pokemon, but they weren't fazed much by it.

Cassidy laughed. "Is that really it? Sableye, show her what true power is and use Shadow Ball!"

Sableye put his hands together and formed a ball of black and purple energy with black static and fired it through the Gust attack, hitting Sky and causing him to stop using Gust.

"Mightyena, strike him down with Iron Tail!" Butch called out.

Mightyena jumped up as his tail glowed white and he struck Sky down towards the ground.

Rachel ran up to Sky, who was trying to get up and she picked him up. "You okay, Sky?" She asked.

The Zubat nodded and flapped his wings, showing that he wasn't about to give up, even though he took some damage. "You sure, Sky?" She asked.

"Zubat!" He screeched with a nod, looking ready to give it his all, which made her smile before she turned to the two Team Rocket members.

"We're not out yet," she said.

"Then let's finish this," Cassidy said. "Sableye, use Shadow Claw!"

"Mightyena! Crunch! Let's go!" Butch said.

Both of Sableye's arms became surrounded in a black aura with a purple outline and took the form of a claw and rushed forward, ready to attack while Mightyena's teeth glowed white and he rushed in to attack.

Rachel quickly came up with an idea, but before she could open her mouth, an Absol jumped out of the shadows, landing in between the Grunts' Pokemon and Rachel as his horn glowed green and grew in size before he sent a Megahorn attack at the two, hitting them and knocking them back.

"Whoa!" Kairi said in shock.

"That was Megahorn," Charles said in surprise.

"He just knocked those two meanies' Pokemon back!" Crystal said excitedly.

"What the...where did the Absol come from?!" Butch asked in shock.

"Doesn't matter, but I'm glad he's here," Rachel said before looking at the Absol, who looked back at her. "Absol, will you help me and Sky, please? We need to rescue our family and friend."

"Absol," the Disaster Pokemon nodded in agreement, turning to face the grunts as Sky flapped beside him, ready to work with him.

Cassidy glared at them. "Even with that Absol on your side, it won't change the fact that you can't win!" She said. "Sableye, use Focus Punch on Absol!"

Sableye, having recovered from getting hit with the bug type attack, lunged forward with one of his fists glowing light blue, about to punch the dark type, who jumped into the air to avoid the fighting type attack and opened his mouth, a light purple orb of energy surrounded in black and purple rings of energy appearing in Absol's mouth before it fired a beam a black and purple rings of energy from the orb, hitting the Shadow Pokemon and creating an explosion as Sableye landed back on the ground, stunned.

"Was that Dark Pulse?" Kairi asked.

"Good eye, Kairi," Charles said. "And you are correct."

"I think Absol's going to win against Sableye," Crystal said, hoping that was the case.

Butch growled. "Mightyena, quick! Use Hyper Beam on Absol!" He said.

A purple orb appeared in front of Mightyena's mouth, ready to fire at Absol.

But Rachel saw it and acted fast. "Sky, use Supersonic!" She said.

Sky opened his mouth and released multiple small, light-blue soundwaves at Mightyena, confusing the Bite Pokemon to where it turned and was facing Cassidy and Butch, about to fire the Hyper Beam at them.

"Mightyena, what are you doing?!" Butch asked, but his Pokemon fired the Hyper Beam, the dark purple beam of energy surrounded with dark black energy forcing the two grunts to jump out of the way, allowing the Hyper Beam to hit the cage that contained Rachel's family and friend. With the lock broken, the three got out and the two grunts were now outnumbered.

Rachel smirked. "What were you saying earlier?" She asked smugly. "That I wouldn't win?" She chuckled. "Looks like you were wrong. We won."

Cassidy glared at her. "You just got lucky," she said. "Don't think this is over." She tossed out a Pokeball and out came Houndoom. "Houndoom, use Smog!" She commanded.

The dark/fire type opened his mouth and released a thick cloud of black smoke, covering the area. When it cleared, the grunts and their Pokemon were gone.

And so was Absol.

Rachel ran forward to hug her family and best friend. "Are you guys okay?" She asked.

"We are," Charles said before smiling. "Looks like you convinced Absol that not all humans think it's a bad Pokemon."

"I'm just grateful that he helped us," she said. "I could have lost you guys and Sky if it hadn't been for Absol's help."

Kairi smiled. "I knew you would have found a way," she said.

Smiling, they headed out of the cave and to their surprise, Absol was there. "Absol," he said before jumping down and going up to them.

Rachel kneeled down and held out a Lum berry to him, which he took and ate. "Thank you for helping us, Absol," she said. "I would have lost my family and best friend if it hadn't been for you."

"Absol," he said again before moving closer to her and nudging her hand. Surprised, she began petting him and he sat down before he sniffed her bag, nudging it.

"What is it, boy?" She asked, pulling her bag in front of her and opening it. "It's just some extra Pokeballs I have."

A Great Ball rolled out and Absol indicated to it before indicating to Rachel, whose eyes widened and Crystal gasped. "He wants to be your Pokemon!" She said excitedly.

"That's awesome!" Kairi said, also excited.

Rachel looked at her uncle, who smiled. "He's repaying you for standing up for him earlier," he said.

She smiled and looked at Absol. "You want to join us, Absol?" She asked. "You want me to be your trainer?"

He nodded and she tapped the ball against his forehead, to which he vanished into the ball and went still, to which Rachel grinned hugely. "Alright! I've got Absol!" She cheered.

Her sister and best friend cheered too while Charles smiled.

Looks like Rachel's got a new Pokemon. :)

Please leave robotman25 and myself a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418