Pokemon: Friends to the End
Chapter 47: Sandshrew's Locker!
Buizel and Piplup were swimming in a small lake while Brock was looking through the map, trying to find Hearthome City.
Denise was teaching Eevee how to swim.
Eevee giggled as she paddled in the water.
"That's it, Eevee, your doing great."Denise admitted with a smile.
Ash and Pikachu looked at the map book with Brock.
"Okay, here's where we are and this is where Hearthome City is."Brock commented.
"Awsome, so its just a couple more days."Ash remarked.
"You've got it."Brock said.
"I can't wait to get to that Gym!"Ash stated with a smirk.
"Pika pika."Pikachu agreed in excitement.
The Pallet Town Trainer turned his head to look at the two sisters.
"Hey Dawn, Denise, we're close to Hearthome City."He said.
"Yeah, we heard you."Dawn replied and looked at her two pokemon. "Piplup, Buizel, get ready we're gonna win our second ribbon!"
Buizel and Piplup responded with confidence smile
"We'll just see about that, sis."Denise stated with a smirk as she dried with a towel.
"Eevee."Eevee spoke with a soft smile.
Unbeknownst to them, a girl was watching them behind a tree, while having her eyes on Buizel and Piplup.
"Piplup and Buizel, I can use them."She whispered.
The team packs up their things and their Pokémon before head off to Hearthome City.
Then a girl walks up in front of them.
"Hi there."She greeted. "Do you happen to be going to Hearthome City? I can tell you about a great short cut."
"Wow that would be great."Ash admitted.
"It would be a great help."Brock agreed.
"That's so kind of you."Dawn remarked.
"Sure by the way my name is Mira."the girl introduced.
"Hi I'm Ash."Ash said.
"Pika Pika Pikachu."Pikachu responded.
"My name is Dawn."Dawn replied.
"I'm her twin sister Denise."Denise answered.
"Hi, I'm Brock."Brock stated.
"So tell us about that short cut."Ash suggested.
"Relax, hold on a sec."Mira admitted and took out a pokeball. "Abra, come on out."
Her pokeball opened and Abra came out.
"Abra."It said.
"What a great looking Abra."Brock stated with a smile.
"I gotta check this out."Dawn commented as she took out her Pokedex.
"Abra, the Psi Pokémon."Dawn's Pokedex said. "When Abra senses an imminent attack, it escapes by teleporting."
"Ah, a Psychic Type, cool."Denise remarked.
"Hold on, Mira, how does Abra have to do with your short cut?"Ash asked.
"Relax, Ash."Mira answered. "You just hang on to Abra when it teleports and you will be Hearthome City just like that."
"Wow."Ash, Dawn and Denise said in unison.
"Wow, your Abra can teleport all of us?"Brock asked.
"It's a result of lots of special training."Mira admitted. "Okay, everybody, hang on to Abra."
The four heroes hold on to Abra like Mira.
"Ready? Let's do it."Ash remarked.
"Abra, Teleport!"Mira ordered.
Abra teleports them to the top of a dam.
"Here we are!"Mira commented.
"We made it!"Dawn said happily.
"Hold on, is it me or we just end up around a dam?"Denise asked.
"I don't think they put Hearthome City in a dam."Ash replied.
"Pika."Pikachu said.
"Oh dear, I guess we made a mistake."Mira answered.
The four heroes sweat dropped at her statement.
"Sorry about that."Mira apologized.
"Oh well, I guess we all mistakes don't we?"Brock said.
"Yeah now can we try again?"Dawn suggested.
"Hold on."Mira stated with a sad look. "I need to ask you a favor."
"A favor?"Denise asked.
"See a while back, I dropped my grandma's beautiful pendant in the lake down there."Mira explained. "And so..."
"I get it, so you thought you ask us to get your pendant."Brock said.
"That means you teleported us here on purpose, right?"Dawn asked with a frown.
"You know it would've been better to tell the truth instead of hiding it."Denise commented.
"I'm sorry."Mira said sadly.
Sheepish smiles grew on the four heroes faces.
"Wow, what do you know."Ash remarked.
"Wouldn't it be easy to use Abra's power to get your pendant back?"Dawn suggested.
"Yeah, but the thing is Abra can't teleport underwater, big problem."Mira replied with a smile.
"Abra."Abra responded quietly.
"Well that's that!"Ash stated with a confident smile. "First we will help you find the pendant and then you can help us!"
"Pika pika."Pikachu agreed.
"I would like to help too."Dawn said.
"Even me."Denise remarked kindly.
"Count me in."Brock agreed.
"Thank you so much!"Mira answered. "I'm sure your Piplup and Buizel would be a big help as well."
"How did you know about them?"Dawn asked.
"I see you in the river back there."Mira replied.
"You did, well you planned it out from the start."Ash said with a sheepish smile.
"Pretty clever, if you ask me."Denise commented.
Mira chuckled shyly.
"Well, I guess that's okay."Brock said and looked at the view. "But look around this lake is huge and deep too, there's no way we can search every part."
"Hey no problem."Mira assured. "I've got everything under control."
Afterwards...
The four heroes prepared their tents to put on their swimming costumes on.
Dawn wore a yellow swimming bra and shorts while Denise wore a cherry red one.
Mira showed the heroes a device to help them breath underwater and handed one to each of them.
"With these you'll be able to stay underwater for a long time."She explained.
"We're all going?"Ash asked.
"Yes, please."Mira answered.
The five young trainers, Pikachu and Abra put the devices on their mouths before diving underwater with Piplup and Buizel.
But when the group swam underwater, they were so surprised to see a broken down town in the water.
"No way..."Denise thought.
Mira then touched Ash's shoulder and gestured him and the others to follow her.
The Pallet Town Trainer nodded and followed the girl with his friends.
The group began heading to a broken down school which was the far side of the abandoned city.
Before they were able to get close to it, a Gyarados came out of nowhere and attacked them.
The gang fought back as best as they could, but were wound up being tossed away by Whirlpool.
A Moment After...
The group sat back in the dry land in order to calm down and catch their breaths.
"Whoa, I'll tell you, I never thought we run to a Gyarados back there."Ash said.
"Pika."Pikachu agreed.
"Well, it seems Gyarados aren't never friendly to strangers."Denise stated.
"Mira, you knew about that Gyarados, right?"Dawn asked.
"Of cource, but if I have told you about it you wouldn't have come with me."Mira admitted.
"So what else?"Brock asked with a frown. "It's time to tell us what else you've been hiding."
"What do you mean, Brock?"Ash asked.
"I pretty sure his gesturing how she lead us to the abandoned city and where that Gyarados was."Denise explained with a firm look and looked at Mira. "Isn't that right, Mira?"
"The thing is you already narrowed your search down in such a small area, I don't know what you need us for."Brock commented.
Mira and Abra looked at eahc other and blushed a little.
"I guess they are not psychic."Mira said shyly.
"Abra."Abra answered.
Mira looked at the group.
"I'm sorry, I made up the pendant story."Mira admitted.
"What?!"Dawn said in shock.
"Why do a thing like that?"Ash asked.
"You know the building we found Gyarados in?"Mira asked. "That's the school I used to go to, when I was there, I had two best friends in the whole wide world, we played togehter all the time on the playground, the gym, everywhere, one day we found a pokeball and there was a pokemon already in it, we decided right away that it will belong to all three of us so we all raised it, we were all working hard to become trainers, so we each took turns bringing it to each of our houses and taking care of it, but one day some people we didn't know said they were going to build a den that would put our town underwater, we all had to move and my friends moved into a different town."
"Sorry to hear that."Denise said sadly.
"Wow, too bad."Ash agreed.
"So do you have any idea what happened to the pokeball?"Dawn asked.
"I'm not sure."Mira replied with a sad look. "I have even called my friends since they moved away and they said they had no idea either."
"Huh?"Ash said in surprise.
"Well, it has to be somewhere."Brock stated.
"The thing is I really think I do know."Mira answered. "The three of us had a secret hiding place, I can't tell you how many times I tried to go back down there with Abra, but we can't never get passed you know who that nasty Gyarados always chases us away, we've tried to fight back before but Abra's water battling skills aren't so good."
"Abra."Abra responded sadly.
"Well now we understand why you wanted us to help you."Dawn said.
"But why didn't you tell us the truth from the start?"Ash asked.
"I couldn't."Mira replied. "I am working to be a pokemon trainer and at the same time I neglected the pokemon, I loved and took care of for a long time."
"Yeah, I guess it would be hard to admit that."Brock admitted.
"So what pokemon is inside that pokeball?"Denise asked.
"Sandshrew."Mira replied with a smile and then a sad look was replaced in her face. "But Sandshrew are ground types and are weak against water types so I'm worried about it."
"As long as it stays in its pokeball, I'm sure its going to be just fine."Brock assured.
"Great, so let's all go and save that Sandshrew!"Ash stated with a confident smile.
"Yeah."Brock agreed.
"And battling in the water will be good training for Piplup and Buizel."Dawn admitted.
Piplup smirked. "Piplup."
"Bui Bui!"Buizel replied with a nod.
"Thanks so much that's awsome."Mira said with a smile.
"Abra."Abra agreed.
"Hold on, we're gonna need a good plan to take care of that Gyarados."Denise stated.
"That Gyarados looks angry and strong."Dawn commented.
"So I got a plan."Brock answered. "But don't you worry about a thing."
After discussing their plan, the group dived back underwater.
When they head to the broken down school, the wild Gyarados charged at them again.
Dawn sends her Piplup and Buizel straight into battle, going through with Brock's plans.
Gyarados uses its Hyper Beam attack, to which Buizel, after evading, counters with Aqua Jet, slamming into Gyarados' stomach.
Piplup immediately uses Bubble Beam right afterward. However, Gyarados was able to block the bubbles with its tail by spinning it like a propeller.
Buizel fakes out Gyarados with a SonicBoom, knocking it at the sea floor.
This angers Gyarados who then begins chasing the crew.
Buizel and Piplup lead it straight out of the water.
Pikachu felt a signal from its ears.
"They're here?"Ash asked.
"Pika."Pikachu replied.
"All right!"Ash said with a smirk.
Buizel and Piplup lead Gyarados into the air.
"Pikachu, it's time, Thunderbolt!"Ash ordered.
Pikachu leaps into the air and fires Thunderbolt at Gyarados.
Gyarados got knocked out and goes down to the water below.
"Great job, just like Brock's plan!"Ash remarked.
"Pikachu!"Pikachu said happily.
"Getting Gyarados attention was pure genius!"Mira admitted.
"And that way none of us in the water would get zapped by Pikachu's Thunderbolt."Dawn added.
"I've got to admit that was an awsome strategy."Denise commented.
"I think Gyarados won't be attacking for a while so now's our chance!"Brock stated.
"Right!"Ash, Dawn, Denise and Mira responded in unison.
The group then headed back underwater to go to the school.
Inside the school there were belongings floating about as Mira lead the heroes to hallway.
However an explosion then appeared in front of them revealing Team Rocket in their swimming suits while riding a Sharpedo mecha.
"Hello twerps!"They greeted.
"Team Rocket!"Brock, Ash, Dawn and Denise said angrily.
"Here have a Carvanha!"Meowth laughed.
The Sharpedo mecha shoot a large Carvanha-shaped missile at the gang, which knocks them away and gives Team Rocket an opening for Abra.
They then use a Magikarp-shaped net to entangled both Abra and Mira, who wanted to save her.
"Anchors away!"Team Rocket chuckled.
They then went out of the school with Mira and Abra on their net.
Dawn then gestures Buizel and Piplup to go rescue the two friends.
"We've got company!"James warned.
"But not for long!"Meowth stated with a smirk.
He presses a button and the mecha shoot Remoraid projectiles at Buizel and Piplup.
"Looks like our job is done!"Team Rocket laughed.
Dawn and Brock caught Piplup and Buizel while Ash, Pikachu and Denise glare at the direction where their enemies left.
Back in the Land...
Team Rocket removed their swimming suits and were rejoicing about their catch.
"A perfect end to a perfect scheme."Jessie remarked.
"With the tactic that made this trio a team."James agreed.
"So lets dumb the twerp with the tail and grab Abra then scram!"Meowth chuckled.
"Excuse me, did I hear right?"Mira asked. "Your Team Rocket?"
"Yes."Jessie replied.
"Awsome your the real thing."Mira commented kindly.
"Huh?!"James, Jessie and Meowth said in unison.
"Team Rocket your my favourite and I'm your number 1 fan."Mira admitted sweetly.
"We love fans."Jessie remarked.
"Finally a twerpette with good taste."James admitted.
"I didn't know there was such a thing."Meowth chuckled.
"I want to be a member of Team Rocket just like you cool people, so how do I join up?"Mira asked.
"How cute."James stated. "First you have to go to Team Rocket Training School."
"Wow, there's a Team Rocket Training School that's it."Mira said with a smile and looked at Abra. "Abra, please, let's both enrol okay?"
"Abra."Abra answered.
"I'll tell you what I do, I'll put a good word to the boss."Meowth commeted.
"Abra, teleport!"Mira ordered.
She makes her getaway with Abra's Teleport.
"They got away."Jessie said.
"Just like that."James added.
"Oh boy."Meowth mumbled.
Then a gust of wind blew away the net.
"Just like a twerp!"Jessie said angrily.
"That lying brat!"James stated.
"It's twerp rule payback time!"Meowth agreed.
Back where the Heroes had their Tents...
The Twin Sisters met with Brock and Ash.
"Did you two find Team Rocket?"Ash asked.
"We haven't seen them anywhere."Dawn replied.
"Me neither."Brock replied.
"We've got to find them and fast!"Denise suggested.
Then Mira reappears with Abra behind the two sisters.
"Hey, we're back!"Mira greeted.
"Mira, Abra!"Dawn said happily.
"Cool, you used Teleport to escape, right?"Ash asked.
"That was good thinking."Brock remarked.
"Me and Abra had a tough time thought it was a little bit scary."Mira admitted.
"Don't worry, your both safe now."Denise assured.
"So let's go and safe Sandshrew!"Mira suggested.
The group wasted no time and went back into the water to search again for the Sandshrew.
Finally, they come across Mira's secret hiding place and, there, inside of the toy-box, they find a Poké Ball.
The group then swim back up to the surface.
"Thanks so much!"Mira remarked. "I owe you all big time."
"Nah, glad to help."Ash replied.
"Come on, let's see Sandshrew."Dawn said.
"Now Sandshrew go!"Mira stated.
Her pokeball opened and Sandshrew came out.
"Sandshrew!"
"Oh Sandshrew, it's so good to see you!"Mira admitted happily. "It's me, Mira."
She then bend down so that Sandshrew can hug her.
"I missed you and I'm sorry I left you for so long."Mira commented.
Sandshrew nodded. "Sandshrew."
"Wow Sandshrew looks great."Ash remarked.
"Pika pika."Pikachu agreed.
"Sandshrew looks like the picture of good health."Brock added.
"Well that's good news."Denise admitted as she took out her pokedex.
"Sandshrew, the Mouse Pokémon."Denise's Pokedex said. "Sandshrew hates moisture and lives in holes it digs in dry places. It protects itself by curling into a ball."
The happiness, however, was short-lived as Abra becomes wrapped by a net that connected with Team Rocket's Balloon.
"What happened?"Mira said in shock.
"It's Team Rocket!"Dawn replied with a frown.
Team Rocket then began reciting their motto.
"Listen is that someone familiar I hear?"
"When it comes to us the twerp has no sense!"
"On the Wind!"
"Passed the Stars!"
"In your ear!"
"Bringing chaos and a brick neck pace!"
"Dashing all hope putting fear in its place!"
"A rose by any other name is just as sweet!"
"When everything is worse our work is complete!"
"Jessie!"
"And James!"
"Meowth now that's a name!"
"Putting the do gooders in their place!"
"We're Team Rocket!"
"And we're in your face!"
"Wobbuffet!"
"Mime Mime!"
"Stop it!"Ash snapped.
"Give back Abra!"Mira demanded.
"Why should we?"Jessie questioned.
"After your trickery we owe you one."James stated.
"See we actually make goods in our debut."Meowth admitted.
"So do I."Mira answered with a smirk. "Abra use Teleport."
Abra tried to use Teleport but Team Rocket made the net Psychic proof shocking the heroes.
"What happened?"Mira said in disbelief.
"The truth is this net eats any Psychic move for lunch!"Meowth joked.
"We'll just see about that!"Ash stated. "Now Turtwig, Razor Leaf!"
His pokeball opened and Turtwig came out to use Razor Leaf to cut the net Abra was in.
Abra used Teleport to appear next to Mira.
"That was great!"Mira said happily. "Thanks Turtwig!"
"Twig."Turtwig responded.
James and Jessie glared at Meowth.
"Lunch time is over!"Jessie said angrily.
"Razor Leaf is not Psychic proof you know!"James reminded.
"Geez sorry."Meowth said responded with a awkward smile.
"Right time for root strength."Jessie commented.
"And I will do what I can do."James added.
Team Rocket sends out their Pokémon, Dustox and Cacnea.
"Dustox and Cacnea, let's go!"James and Jessie said in unison.
Cacnea came out and hugged James.
"Don't waste my strength over a hug!"James reminded.
"Quick Dustox, Poison Sting!"Jessie ordered.
"Cacnea use Pin Missile now!"James ordered.
The attacks aimed at Turtwig.
"Dodge and use Razor Leaf!"Ash ordered.
Turtwig dodged the attacks and used Razor Leaf on the foe pokemon.
"Turtwig is so strong."Mira admitted and looked at Sandshrew. "Sandshew, you wanna battle too?"
"Sandshrew."Sandshrew responded with a nod.
"Go for it!"Mira encouraged.
"You go for it with Tackle, Dustox!"Jessie ordered.
"Cacnea use Needle Arm!"Jameso ordered.
Cacnea and Dustox charged forward to attack.
"Ash, can I battle too?"Mira asked.
"Sure."Ash answered.
"Sandshrew use Slash!"Mira ordered.
Sandshrew uses Slash on Dustox whilst Turtwig uses Tackle on Cacnea.
"Turtwig use Tackle!"Ash ordered.
"Dustox, darling!"Jessie panicked.
"Cacnea not you too!"James said.
"Sandshrew, Sandstorm!"Mira ordered.
Sandshrew uses Sandstorm to knock both Dustox and Cacnea away.
"Wow, Sandshrew is great!"Dawn remarked.
"And pretty strong."Denise stated.
"You can say that again."Brock agreed.
"Let's rap this up, Pikachu, Thunderbolt, let's go!"Ash stated.
Pikachu uses Thunderbolt to send Team Rocket flying.
"Great, it's time!"Jessie said happily.
"Abra, Teleport!"James mumbled.
"Stop living in the past."Meowth reminded.
"Wobbuffet!"Wobbuffet agreed.
"We're blasting off again!"Team Rocket shouted quietly and disappeared in the sky.
"All right!"Mira and Ash cheered in victory.
"Pikachu!"Pikachu giggled.
Sandshrew smiled. "Sandshrew."
"Turtwig."Turtwig chirped.
"Hey, let's go to Hearthome City for real."Mira suggested.
"Yeah!"Ash answered with a nod.
"Good idea!"Brock, Dawn and Denise said in unison.
Later that Evening...
After putting on their normal clothes again, Abra takes Mira, Ash and his friends to Hearthome City with Teleport.
"We're here!"Mira announced. "As promised Hearthome City!"
The four heroes looked at the city below them in awe.
"It's amazing!"Denise commented with a smile.
"My next Gym Battle is down there!"Ash stated.
"Also mine and Denise's next contest."Dawn added.
"And we still got earlier here because of you, Mira."Brock admitted.
"Come on, I should thank you."Mira replied. "Good luck in your Gym Battle and Contest."
"Abra."Abra answered.
"Thanks."Ash replied.
"Pika Pika."Pikachu said.
"I feel my big win coming on."Dawn stated with a confident smile.
"Anyway we'll see."Denise answered with a shrug and smirk.
The heroes then say good-bye to Mira and Abra as a Gym Battle and Contest are waiting for them just here in Hearthome City.
Next is the Hearthome Contest...
(P.S. The reason I decided to make Eevee not evolve yet because evolving her was too quick and her bond with Denise should become more stronger)
Denise's Team:
Grotle (Male): Solar Beam, Heavy Slam, Razor Leaf and Bite
Eevee (Female): Water Gun, Shadow Ball, Attract and Thunder
Luxio (Male): Spark, Night Slash, Wild Charge and Ice Fang
Ralts (Female): Psychic, Double Team, Magical Leaf and Confusion
Hoot Hoot (Male): Peck, Reflect, Aerial Ace and Hypnosis
Drifloon (Female): Ominous Wind, Thunderbolt, Will-O-Wisp and Astonish