Has anyone else noticed the website hasn't updated the statistics lately? It's been over ten days now and it concerns me a little. This has happened before, but I don't remember if the issue ever lasted for so long.

This chapter is inspired by the episode "The Totodile Duel", but it will be written a little differently. Hope you'll like it!

The chapter is in Ash's point of view.

Disclaimer: I do not own any Pokémon characters! I only own my OCs!

Chapter 16: The Fishing Spree

We were still days away from Goldenrod City, but I didn't mind that. I had lots of time to train my Pokémon for the Gym there. If Bugsy was right about the Goldenrod Gym being one of the toughest in Johto, then I had to prepare for it.

We came across a lake where we decided to camp. Misty suggested we should fish for new water-type Pokémon, which sounded great to me. I had no water Pokémon in my party now, so I wouldn't mind catching a new one. It was a good thing Ashley, Brock and I had the fishing rods with us.

However, after an hour of fishing, I remembered this was a boring way of catching Pokémon. I yawned loudly, which set off Misty's temper. "Be quiet, Ash…!" she half-whispered. "You'll scare away the Pokémon if you make loud noises…!"

"But fishing and just waiting for the Pokémon to bite the bait is boring…", I mumbled and rubbed my eyes to get rid of the drowsiness. "I could've caught at least ten of them by now if I do it my way…"

"Well, you agreed to fish with us 'cause you said you want a new water-type Pokémon in your team…!" Misty reminded me, her voice raising for every letter she spoke.

"Shh…!" Ashley hushed us. "Misty, you're getting loud too now…"

Misty blushed in embarrassment and covered her mouth. "Oops… I kinda forgot…", she laughed sheepishly.

"Hmm… Not even my special bait works…", Brock hummed after he reeled in the hook to check the bait. "Did I add a wrong ingredient…?"

"Pika…?" Pikachu yawned while he looked after Togepi who slept against our backpacks taking an afternoon nap.

"But I agree… This is going a little slow…", Misty said as she reeled in her hook. "I guess it's time to use my secret weapon…"

"What's the secret weapon, Misty?" I asked.

Misty walked back to her duffle bag and grabbed something from it. "I was going to save it for a better opportunity, but there's no better time to use it now", she said. "I'm gonna use…my Mini-Misty Lure!"

The lure looked exactly like Misty, but the Mini-Misty posed like a superhero with a red cape on her back. It was…kinda cute. "Did you customize that lure?" I asked.

"I sure did", Misty smiled and put the lure on the fishing line. "It has helped me catch my water-type Pokémon ever since I got it. I want to catch as many water-types as possible and train them all to become the greatest water Pokémon Master!" She threw the line out to the water and the lure dived into it like a superhero taking a flight.

"You've caught all your water Pokémon with that lure?" I asked.

"Yes, it's my lucky charm", Misty smiled before she sat down next to me on the grass. "The first Pokémon I ever caught with it was actually Starmie that was a Staryu at the time. Not long after that, I caught another Staryu on the same day. I was very happy about the catch, but I couldn't distinguish between the two Pokémon, so I obtained a Water Stone and evolved one of them into Starmie."

"That explains why you had both a Staryu and a Starmie when we met you", Ashley spoke up.

"Are you gonna use the Lure Ball if you find a water Pokémon, Misty?" Brock asked.

"That's the plan", Misty nodded. "I do want to use the special Poké Ball Kurt made for us."

"Me too!" I agreed and grabbed the empty and minimized Lure Ball, checking its condition. "I'm gonna catch my first Johto water-type Pokémon with this."

"I'm gonna save my Heavy Ball for another Pokémon", Brock stated. "What about you, Ashley?"

"Me…?" my sister said as she stared at her fishing rod. "Umm… I'll save my Friend Ball for a special Pokémon."

"When you say 'special', what do you mean?" Brock asked.

"Umm… I don't know…", Ashley replied as she scratched her cheek. "It could be for a Dratini…or a Legendary Pokémon, which seems unrealistic, or…a shiny Pokémon."

"But aren't shiny Pokémon very rare?" I asked. "I don't think we've ever seen one yet."

"Yeah, and that's what makes those Pokémon special", Ashley said with a sad look in her eyes. "And many hunt for them just because they are a different color…"

Oh, right. Shiny Pokémon were considered just as rare as Legendary Pokémon, so poachers and other selfish humans only searched for them to earn money by selling them. Why were there so many bad people in the world who couldn't leave Pokémon alone and treasure them instead?

Misty shrieked in surprise next to me as water began splashing from the lake. "Guys, I got a bite!" she yelled as she quickly jumped up on her feet, pulling her fishing rod in the opposite direction of where the catch was swimming.

The rest of us dropped our fishing rods and ran to assist Misty. "Should we help you, Misty?" Brock asked.

"N-Ngh… No!" she responded as she pulled the fishing rod. "I… I've got this…!"

"You can do it, Misty!" Ashley encouraged her.

I stood close to Misty and was ready to grab her hands to help her pull the fishing rod if her arms grew tired. Misty put up a good fight and released a roar as she pulled the rod with all her might, which forced the Pokémon to fly up from the lake.

"Chiiin!" it shrieked as it still had the hook of Misty's lure in its mouth.

"It's a Chinchou!" Ashley exclaimed.

"Chinchou…?" I mumbled and grabbed my Pokédex while the wild Pokémon fell back into the water and floated on the surface.

Chinchou, the angler Pokémon. Water and electric-type. On the dark ocean floor, its only means of communication is its constantly flashing lights. It shoots positive and negative electricity between the tips of its two antennae and zaps its enemies.

"Aww, it's so cute!" Misty shrieked in joy by the new Pokémon. "I knew my patience would pay off! Now I'm gonna catch it!"

"But you've gotta weakened it first, Misty", I reminded her. "And the Pokédex says Chinchou is also electric-type. Do you even have a Pokémon that can withstand electric moves?"

"No, but I'm always up for a challenge to catch difficult water-type Pokémon!" Misty exclaimed and threw a Poké Ball. "Poliwag, I choose you!"

"Pooli!" Poliwag chirped as he got out from the Poké Ball and stood on the shore.

"Chou!" Chinchou spat out the Mini-Misty Lure and made its antennas sparkle by electricity, showing it was ready to battle.

"Poliwag, use Bubble!" Misty shouted.

"Poliii!" Poliwag blew bubbles from his mouth at Chinchou. Chinchou responded by firing a Water Gun that destroyed the bubbles. The Water Gun splashed Poliwag on his spiral belly, but his body absorbed the move, thanks to his Water Absorb ability. Water-type moves were completely ineffective against him.

"Good, Poliwag!" Misty praised her Pokémon. "You can withstand every water attack moves!"

"Look out!" Brock warned us.

"ChinCHOUUU!" Chinchou screeched and unleashed a Thunder Shock from its antennas toward Poliwag.

"Poliii!" Poliwag panicked as the lightning came closer toward him.

"Jump up, Poliwag!" Misty yelled in a panicked voice.

"Polii!" Poliwag bounced up in the air as the rest of us threw ourselves to the side to avoid the Thunder Shock move.

"Poliwag, use Double Slap!" Misty shouted as she pushed herself up from the grass.

Poliwag fell toward Chinchou with his tail flapping around. Chinchou barely had time to react before it got slapped repeatedly by Poliwag's move. The wild Pokémon shrieked as it got pushed back to the middle of the river. Poliwag fell into the water and floated on the surface, glaring at Chinchou.

"Alright, just a few more hits and we've got it!" Misty shouted determinedly. "Now, use Water Gun, Poliwag!"

"Pooooo!" Poliwag fired a water beam from his mouth at Chinchou who dodged it by diving under the water. "Poli?" Poliwag chirped before he looked around to find the hiding Pokémon.

"Poliwag, dive under the water to look for Chinchou!" Misty shouted. "When you do, use Body Slam to bring it up to the surface!"

"Poli!" Poliwag nodded before he dipped under the water.

We walked as close as we could to the edge of the lake and looked for the two Pokémon's silhouettes. The water may be clean, but it was still a little muddy and difficult to see any Pokémon.

"Are you sure this was a good idea, Misty?" I asked. "You can't see what that Chinchou might do to Poliwag."

"Pika…", Pikachu mumbled worriedly after he had climbed up on my shoulder.

"I know that…", Misty cold sweated while nibbling her bottom lip. "But I can't let the wild Chinchou get away…!"

The next thing we knew, water sprayed up from the lake with Poliwag and Chinchou in the middle of it. Poliwag had used his whole body to slam Chinchou out of the lake.

"Alright! Great job, Poliwag!" Misty cheered happily, bouncing on her feet.

"Wait! Look at Poliwag!" Ashley called out, cradling Togepi in her arms.

I squinted and realized Poliwag looked disoriented as he and Chinchou fell back into the water. Chinchou panted as bruises were formed on its body while Poliwag made weird noises and wobbled his body.

"Chinchou must've used Confuse Ray on Poliwag, so he's confused!" Brock exclaimed.

"Poliwag, snap out of it!" Misty yelled.

"Pooo…", Poliwag chirped weakly, not listening to her voice.

It was perfect opportunity for Chinchou to counterattack with a new Thunder Shock. Even with Misty warning Poliwag, he got electrocuted by the move. He shrieked in pain and just floated on the water after the attack. Chinchou stayed put and watched Poliwag cautiously if he was going to recover from the move.

"Poliwag!" Misty called worriedly. "Are you okay?!"

"Poo…lii…", Poliwag grunted, not moving an inch.

Chinchou snorted like it had done its job and turned around to swim away when a light from Poliwag stopped it. We watched in awe as Poliwag woke up and jumped onto a boulder in the lake and evolved into a Poliwhirl!

"Poliwhiiirl!" Poliwhirl shouted, looking very energized after the evolution.

Misty got stunned by the turn of events before she released a loud shriek of joy. "Poliwag! You evolved into Poliwhirl!"

"Wow! And at the perfect timing too!" I nodded as I checked the evolved Pokémon's data.

Poliwhirl, the tadpole Pokémon. Water-type. The evolved form of Poliwag. The skin on most of its body is moist. However, the skin on its belly spiral feels smooth. The swirl on its belly subtly undulates. Staring at it may gradually cause drowsiness.

"ChinCHOOOU!" Chinchou shrieked and unleashed a new Thunder Shock at Poliwhirl.

"Poliwhirl, dodge it and use Double Slap!" Misty shouted.

"Poli!" Poliwhirl jumped up in the air and dodged the electric move. He fell toward Chinchou and used his two new arms to slap at Chinchou like he was lecturing it for being a naughty Pokémon.

"C-Chou…", Chinchou grunted as it could barely stay on the surface.

"Catch it now, Misty!" I yelled.

"I've got it!" she nodded and grabbed her Lure Ball. "Lure Ball, go!" She threw the special Poké Ball at Chinchou. The wild Pokémon didn't react when the capture device hit and absorbed it. The Lure Ball fell into the water and floated on the surface where it wobbled and the button blinked in red. We waited anxiously, fearing Chinchou might actually get out, but I guess it got too weak because the Lure Ball stopped blinking and let out the noise that told us it got caught.

"I did it!" Misty cheered happily. "I caught a Chinchou!"

"Congratulations", Ashley smiled happily.

"Great job, Misty!" Brock clapped his hands.

"Pika pika!" Pikachu did the same thing, clapping his hands at Misty.

"Yeah, both you and Poliwhirl were awesome, Misty!" I complimented her.

Poliwhirl grabbed the Lure Ball and swam back to us. "Poli!" he said and held the device to Misty.

"Thank you for your great work, Poliwhirl!" Misty praised her Pokémon and crouched down to pat him on the head before she took the Lure Ball. "And congratulations on evolving!"

"Pooliwhirl!" Poliwhirl blushed in embarrassment and rubbed the back of his head.

"Togipriii!" Togepi chirped happily and jumped down from Ashley's shoulders to give Poliwhirl a hug. Poliwhirl got caught off guard, but he returned the hug by gently patting the back of Togepi's shell.

The happy moment broke by a splash coming from the lake. A Pokémon jumped up on the same boulder where Poliwhirl stood before and bounced on its feet. "Toto toto totodile!"

"A wild Totodile!" Ashley exclaimed in surprise.

"I wonder if the Totodile got attracted by the battle between Poliwhirl and Chinchou", Brock said while I grabbed the Pokédex.

Totodile, the big jaw Pokémon. Water-type. It is small but rough and tough. It won't hesitate to take a bite out of anything that moves. Its powerful, well-developed jaws are capable of crushing anything. Even its Trainer must be careful.

"Totodiile toto!" Totodile sang as it kept bouncing as if it hadn't noticed us.

"That's gonna be my water-type Pokémon!" I exclaimed determinedly as I reached for my belt. "You've got a full team now, Misty, so I won't hand over Totodile to you!"

"While I would love to have a Totodile in my team, I've already have enough Pokémon to train now, so go and catch it, Ash…if you can", Misty taunted me at the end, sounding cocky now that she had caught a new Pokémon.

"Of course I can catch it!" I retorted and snatched a Poké Ball from my belt. "I choose you, Chikorita!"

"Chikoo!" Chikorita cooed when she came out, but she ran immediately to me and nuzzled her cheek against my leg. "Kooo…"

I laughed sheepishly, still not used to her constant affections every time I call her out of her Poké Ball. "Chikorita, I need your help to catch that Totodile", I told her.

"Chikoo!" Chikorita nodded and turned around to face the wild Pokémon, getting serious.

"To?" Totodile blinked at the sight of Chikorita and tilted its head to the side.

"Chikorita, distract Totodile with Sweet Scent!" I shouted.

"Chiiikoo!" Chikorita released a sweet scent from her leaf and fanned it toward Totodile. Totodile sniffed the air around it and fell for the scent, looking very relaxed like it wasn't in danger. "Tooo…", it moaned and even began drooling like it was hungry.

"Now, use Razor Leaf!" I shouted.

"Chikoo!" Chikorita swung her leaf and sent a couple of sharp leaves toward Totodile. Totodile yelled as the leaves hit it and pushed it down into the lake.

"Oh no! Now we can't see where Totodile is!" I yelled worriedly.

"Stay focused, Ash!" Ashley called. "Totodile might jump out of the water any second!"

"Tooo!"

Just as my sister predicted, Totodile jumped up from the lake and fired a Water Gun at Chikorita. She got struck by the water and was forced back, but she caught herself and endured the water move until Totodile grew tired. A small rumble echoed from Totodile's stomach, which made it grimace sadly.

"Toto…"

"Hey, I think Totodile's hungry", I realized.

"Pika?" Pikachu commented with a tilt of his head.

I snapped my fingers when I suddenly got an idea. "Brock, you still have some of the bait you made?"

"Uh, yeah", Brock nodded and held up a small ball of the homemade bait before he figured out my plan. "You're gonna use it to attract Totodile's attention?"

"Yep!" I nodded and took the bait before I waved it at Totodile. "Hey! Totodile! Take a look at this!"

"To…? Totodiile!" Totodile's eyes brightened when it spotted the food in my hand.

"You wanna get it? Then catch it!" I yelled and threw the bait up in the air.

"Totooo!" Totodile jumped up after the bait and opened its wide mouth in preparation to catch it. It was enough time for me to grab my Lure Ball to catch it.

"Lure Ball, go!" I yelled and threw the special Poké Ball.

Totodile had just caught the bait in its mouth just as the Lure Ball hit it. The capture device opened and absorbed the wild Pokémon before it closed itself. The Lure Ball fell into the lake and floated on the surface with the button blinking in red. The Lure Ball wobbled for a couple of seconds, Chikorita and I ready to attack if Totodile managed to get out.

It must have been too weak and hungry that Totodile decided to stay inside the Lure Ball. It dinged and stopped blinking. "Alright!" I cheered happily. "I caught a Totodile!"

"Pika pika!" Pikachu cheered alongside me.

"Chikooo!" Chikorita joined the party too, smiling widely.

"Great job, Ash!" Misty praised me. "Now we both got a new water-type Pokémon."

"Togiprii!" Togepi chirped, now in Misty's safe arms.

"Poliwhiirl!" Poliwhirl clapped his hands, applauding to increase the happy moment.

"Just don't forget to get the Lure Ball", Ashley reminded me. "It's floating away."

"What?" I turned back to the lake and saw the Lure Ball was indeed floating away with the current. "Oh shoot! Chikorita, grab the Lure Ball with Vine Whip!"

"Chikoo!" Chikorita extended her vines and reached out to get the Lure Ball. Just as she was about to touch it, water spouted up and revealed an Arbok! It caught the Lure Ball and had it between its teeth.

"Shaaaar!" it hissed threateningly.

"Chikoo!" Chikorita shrieked in surprise and withdrew her vines.

"An Arbok?!" Misty exclaimed, surprised by the Pokémon's sudden appearance.

"What's it doing here?!" Brock yelled.

The laughter of three familiar voices echoed from the other side of the lake. "Great job, Arbok! The twerps did all the work and we'll take the rest from them!"

"Team Rocket!" we shouted simultaneously when we spotted the evil trio.

"We're baack!" the trio sang while Arbok swam toward them with my Lure Ball still in its mouth.

"Give me my Lure Ball back!" I yelled angrily. "It doesn't belong to you!"

"Finders keepers, losers weepers!" Jessie cackled as she accepted the Lure Ball that Arbok dropped onto her hand. "Now whatever Pokémon that's in here belongs to Team Rocket!"

"And we'll take the rest of your Pokémon!" Meowth nodded with his arms crossed.

"So give up or we'll battle you!" James threatened and held a Poké Ball.

"You're not gonna get away with this!" I yelled determinedly. "Pikachu, Chikorita, let's go!"

"Piika!" Pikachu jumped up and landed on the boulder in the lake.

"Chikooo!" Chikorita followed him and stood next to him glaring together at Team Rocket.

"Poliwhirl, you go too!" Misty shouted.

"Polii!" Poliwhirl jumped into the water and swam so he was next to the boulder where Pikachu and Chikorita stood on side by side.

"Chinchou, join us too!" Misty yelled and threw her Lure Ball.

"Chooou!" Chinchou chirped and swam to the small group of Pokémon.

"Victreebel, go!" James shouted and threw his Poké Ball.

"Yiaaah!" Victreebel shrieked, but it turned around and bit James' head.

"Owowowow!" James yelled as he tried getting his Pokémon off of him. "Not now! I'm not the one you're supposed to bite!"

"Umm… What's going on…?" Ashley mumbled as the rest of us got surprised by James' Pokémon's behavior.

"I have no idea…", Brock sweat dropped.

"Whatever it is, we've gotta attack now!" I shouted. "Pikachu, use Quick Attack on Arbok!"

"Poliwhirl, help Pikachu by using Water Gun!" Misty shouted.

Pikachu got enveloped in a thin layer of white light and jumped up just as Poliwhirl fired a Water Gun at him. The water current caught Pikachu and helped him by pushing him faster toward Arbok. It was a Quick Water Attack!

"Arbok, dodge it!" Jessie shouted.

"Shaar-", Arbok was about to move, but with the double speed from the combined move, it didn't have enough time to dodge it. It got pushed back onto Jessie who shrieked when Arbok fell on top of her. The Lure Ball got thrown out of her hand, falling toward the lake.

"Chikorita, grab the Lure Ball with Vine Whip!" I quickly yelled.

"Chikoo!" Chikorita extended her vines quickly and reached for the Lure Ball.

James threw Victreebel off of him with force and pointed at the special Poké Ball. "Victreebel, catch the Lure Ball!"

"Yiaaah!" Victreebel screeched and extended its own Vine Whip to catch the Lure Ball.

"Chinchou, use Thunder Wave on Victreebel!" Misty shouted.

"ChinCHOU!" Chinchou's antennas sparkled before she fired a Thunder Wave at Victreebel. James' dual type Pokémon shrieked when it got hit by the electric move and got paralyzed. It stopped reaching its vine out at the nick of time, so Chikorita snatched my Lure Ball and threw it to me.

"Thanks, Chikorita!" I smiled in relief now that Totodile was safe in my hands. "Let's get some revenge! Go, Totodile!"

"Tototodiile!" Totodile came out happily bouncing on his feet, looking energized now after he had eaten the bait I threw to him before.

Jessie shrieked in fear when she saw Totodile. "Nooo! Not that Pokémon! I won't let it ruin my hair again!"

"Sounds like we've figured out one of Jessie's weaknesses!" Misty giggled.

"Let's blast Team Rocket off with Water Gun, Totodile!" I shouted.

"Totoooo!" Totodile fired a Water Gun from his mouth toward Team Rocket.

"Use Water Gun too, Chinchou and Poliwhirl!" Misty yelled.

Her two Pokémon fired their Water Guns and met with Totodile's Water Gun. The three attacks fused into a massive Water Gun that looked like a Hydro Pump. Team Rocket panicked at the sight of the attack and couldn't do much, except letting the Triple Water Gun throw them up in the sky and far away from us.

"NOT SO SOOON!" they screamed until they vanished like a star.

"Alright! We did it!" I cheered happily.

"Great teamwork, everyone!" Misty praised the Pokémon.

The Pokémon returned to us from the lake and praised each other before they decided to cuddle with us.

"I wonder why Team Rocket didn't use Wobbuffet…", I heard Ashley mumble next to me.

"I guess they're still not used to their new Pokémon", Brock agreed before he made a noise of discomfort. "They might become…unstoppable when they figure out Wobbuffet's true strength."

"You mean with Wobbuffet's reflective moves?" I asked after I finished cuddling with Totodile.

"Totoo?"

"Exactly", Brock nodded. "Once they learn about Wobbuffet's moves, we might not stand a chance against them."

"Well, that just means we have to train harder so we can defeat them!" I exclaimed determinedly. "They'll never get any of our Pokémon for as long as I live!"

"Pika!" Pikachu nodded determinedly.

"And…", I smiled at Totodile as I held him up. "With Totodile in our team, we'll become undefeatable!"

"Totodiile!" Totodile smiled widely and flapped his legs in joy.

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Ashley's party:

Cedric the Larvitar (male)

Trica the Furret (female)

Hikaru the Flaaffy (male)

Mystic the Togepi (male)

Victor the Houndour (male)

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Ash's party:

Ivysaur (male)

Pikachu (male)

Chikorita (female)

Cyndaquil (male)

Totodile (male)

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Ash's Pokémon at the Lab:

Heracross (male)

Wartortle (male)

Tauros (male)

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Misty's party:

Goldeen (female)

Staryu (genderless)

Psyduck (male)

Togepi (female)

Poliwhirl (male)

Chinchou (female)

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Brock's party:

Geodude (male)

Onix (male)

Zubat (male)

Vulpix (female)

Pineco (male)