Hey readers - here we are with another new chapter : )
Sorry this chapter is a week late, as well as several hours later in the day than I usually update. I've just been super undermotivated with a severe case of writer's block, and I literally only just finished writing this chapter about an hour ago : ( Hopefully the writer's block will have ran its course now, and I'll be able to write the next chapter with fewer problems ; )
Anyway, because this is so long overdue, not to mention quite a long chapter in and of itself, I'm just going to jump straight on in to the result of the last voting topic. I am... bewildered to announce that the next Pokemon added to Nolan's team will be... Dunsparce! Honestly, I'm a little stunned that this is the Pokemon that won. Truthfully, Dunsparce is not the one I was hoping for, but I'm also quite intrigued by his potential, since I have never played a Pokemon game with a Dunsparce on my team before. It'll be an interesting experience if nothing else : )
Finally, I just want to say a MASSIVE thank you to everyone that has reviewed, favourited, and followed this story. The support that has been shown to the story is amazing, and it means so much to me, so thank you : )
Please remember that Pokemon is not mine, only my OC's are : )
I hope you enjoy this chapter : )
Day Care Dilemmas - Part 5
"FANG! STOP!"
Two words, both tiny in composition, but right now they carried an almost unprecedented amount of frustration within them. No. That was neither fair nor true, so perhaps frustration was the wrong word. More like... sheer exasperation...
Nolan Locke panted heavily as he dashed down one of the many bustling streets of Orange Town, darting around confused and bewildered citizens, as he frantically chased after the small and adorable Growlithe that had been left in his care. At his side, Meadow did much the same, the little Bulbasaur gasping for oxygen that just wouldn't get into her lungs quickly enough. After successfully detaching the sweet and playful Fire Type Pokemon from the small infant in the stroller, Nolan had received a right mouthful of abuse from the child's mother, who had angrily threatened to call the police if she saw Nolan or Fang anywhere near her baby again. The golden haired boy had been profusely apologetic about the Pokemon's behaviour, and both mother and baby had left, shaken but unharmed by the encounter. Nolan had then turned to start scolding Fang, only for the little miscreant to bark happily up at him before bounding off again, his hyperactive energy unrelenting. Honestly, the little guy was lucky he was so cute, otherwise Nolan would be extremely tempted to set all of his other Pokemon on him just to beat him into submissive after all the trouble he'd caused. And the worst part was, Nolan knew that Fang wasn't deliberately trying to cause trouble. He was just insatiably curious. The problem seemed to be that the Puppy Pokemon just didn't know how to rein that curiosity in, and right now Nolan simply didn't have the time to try and teach the young creature that very basic life skill. They still had four missing Pokemon to find after all, and that was where their focus really should be right now. Not wasting time running through the streets of Orange Town chasing after a hyperactive, playful puppy.
"Fang! Come back, boy!" Nolan tried again, nursing a stitch in his side as he sprinted along the pavement, carefully keeping his gaze trained upon the little ball of fluff he was pursuing, "We don't have time for this!"
But it was no use.
"Growlithe!" Fang just barked happily over his shoulder at the golden haired boy chasing after him, his tail wagging like crazy. It was obvious that the Puppy Pokemon was clearly enjoying the 'game' he thought they were playing, and so he showed zero sign of letting up.
"Saur! Bulbasaur!" Meadow yelled at her fellow Pokemon too, tired and frustrated with Fang's antic now as well. It was obvious that the little green creature was not amused in the slightest, "BULBA!"
Her protests proved to be just as ineffective as her beloved human's.
"Lithe! Lithe, lithe, lithe!" Fang giggled, he actually giggled, when he successfully dodged another one of Nolan's attempts to catch him. The Puppy Pokemon was completely oblivious to the urgency that the situation warranted, and genuinely seemed to be having the time of his life, much to Nolan and Meadow's chagrin.
"Urgh! This Pokemon!" Nolan grunted in annoyance after stumbling and almost falling flat on his face, "Mr Tanga said Fang would be a big help in finding the missing Pokémon, but this isn't exactly what I had in mind…"
"Saur!" Meadow sighed deeply in agreement with the boy, her heavy scowl mirroring Nolan's own.
But then things took a turn for the worse.
Fang's antics suddenly became something else beyond just simply irritating. They became downright frightening.
Quite abruptly, without any kind of warning or preamble whatsoever, Fang's game of chase suddenly took him off of the safety of the pavement, and out into the road. The adorable little Fire Type Pokemon barked happily again, completely oblivious to the danger.
"BBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!"
Nolan could have sworn that his heart stopped beating in his chest as he caught sight of the humongous lorry hurtling down the car, Fang standing directly in its path. The golden haired boy couldn't help but freeze in place, his mouth agape with horror, helpless to do anything but watch events unfold.
"BBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!"
The sound of the truck's horn rang out again, a noise so thunderous it seemed to shake the entire street around them, shattering the usual peace and quiet of the quaint little settlement. Without so much as a single exception, every last person on the street stopped whatever they were doing and turned to look, the loud screeching was so abrupt and unexpected.
"Growlithe?"
With barely a care in the world, Fang innocently turned around, his eyes big and curious. Curiosity turned to horror however when he saw not only the car tumbling towards him, but his own fate. And it didn't look good.
"GROWLITHE!" the Puppy Pokemon yelped in surprise. The Fire Type Pokemon looked tiny as fear immediately took over his entire posture and expression, frightened to the point that he couldn't even act. Fang found himself rooted to the spot, completely helpless.
"BBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLAAAAAAAARRRRRRRR!"
And the car was drawing ever closer.
The streaking of the vehicle's brakes against the tarmac of the road was enough of an indication to alert everybody watching that there was no way it would be able to stop in time...
"FFFFFFFFFAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGGG!"
Nolan feared that his vocal cords might actually snap as that single small word all-but forced its way from his throat. He just couldn't help it though. The terrifying sight of destiny itself racing towards his little furry friend was enough to jolt Nolan back out of the stunned reverie he had fallen into, prompting the golden haired boy to quickly leap into action. In a foolhardy move that would have took years off his dad's life and would probably have got Nolan grounded until the end of time, the usually sensible boy did something incredibly stupid.
He ran into the road as well...
Spectators on the street all gasped in horror and alarm when the young boy all-but threw himself in the way of the oncoming vehicle. Poor Meadow's face turned white with panic, but Nolan was oblivious to all of that. All that mattered right now was saving Fang. Nolan had to make sure that the Puppy Pokemon got out of this in one piece.
He had to.
A small 'Oomph' of mild pain slipped past Nolan's lips as his back collided with the tarmac, but the golden haired boy didn't let that slow him down. Not even pausing to think for fear of second guessing himself, Nolan simply reacted and rolled across the road, scooping the quivering Fang into his arms as he did so. With just barely a nanosecond to spare, the golden haired boy managed to get both himself and the trembling Fire Type Pokemon out of the car's path in time. It just sailed harmlessly past them both, to the collective relief of everybody watching.
"YOU CRAZY IDIOT!" a furious voice suddenly bellowed as the shaken Nolan slowly staggered to his feet, still clutching the trembling Puppy Pokemon in his arms, "I COULD HAVE KILLED YOU BOTH JUST THEN! WHY DON'T YOU LEARN TO KEEP THAT DUMB THING ON A LEAD IF YOU CAN'T KEEP IT FROM RUNNING INTO THE ROAD LIKE THAT! STUPID KID!"
And without even stopping to check if they were alright, the driver of the car just made a rude hand gesture at Nolan and Fang before speeding off again.
Gasping in shock from the horrible ordeal that had just played out around him, Nolan quickly stumbled back towards the pavement, almost numb with shock. Quivering with fear in his spot in the boy's arms, Fang was in pretty much the same frightened emotional state.
"BULBA! BULBASAUR?!"
The panicked cries from Nolan's partner were enough to bring the boy back to the here and now. He glanced down at the small Bulbasaur, taking in her concerned features, before managing to raise an incredibly weak, not to mention forced, smile of reassurance.
"I'm fine Meadow" he whispered to the little green creature that he loved fiercely, tugging her into his arms as well and squeezing her to remind her that he was still here and okay, "We're all fine now".
Taking a deep breath in an attempt to steady his frazzled nerves, Nolan jumped when he suddenly found himself surrounded by a group of concerned citizens on the street, all bombarding him with questions as they tried to confirm that the golden haired boy was in fact uninjured. It took a few minutes before Nolan was able to assure everybody that he and Fang were completely fine, but he eventually managed to wave them all off. Finally, when he was alone with the two Pokemon again, Nolan allowed his face to harden.
"Fang! You bad, bad Growlithe!" the golden haired boy shouted sternly, lifting the whining Puppy Pokemon up and holding him so they were at eye-level with one another, "That's exactly why you can't keep running off. It's dangerous! We could have both been really hurt just then!"
The adorable Fire Type Pokemon hung his head sadly, his expression contrite.
Nolan frowned, already able to feel his heart softening at the sight of this little ball of hyperactive fur looking so guilty and ashamed. The boy let out a long-suffering sigh as he allowed his expression and tone to soften. He was such a sucker!
"Are you okay, Fang?" Nolan asked in a much gentler voice, causing Fang to sniffle but at least meet his gaze, "You don't need to be frightened anymore, boy. You're safe now".
"Growl..."
"Okay then" Nolan sighed as he shifted his grasp on Fang so that he was carrying him in one arm, before he used his free hand to pinch the bridge of his nose. He suddenly felt exhausted, and they still had so much work ahead of them. He knew what would make it easier though, "Right. Well we're not haven't a repeat of that. From now on, you're staying right here in my arms where I can keep an eye on you, got it?"
"Lithe..." Fang whimpered again, slowly nodding his furry little head.
Nolan noticed just how upset the cute little Growlithe seemed over his bad behaviour, and so he softened his expression even further. He offered the Puppy Pokemon a gentle smile and squeezed him tightly.
"I'm not angry, Fang" the golden haired boy assured the little Fire Type Pokemon kindly, "I was just scared for you".
"Growlithe..." Fang still seemed a little worried that he had upset Nolan, but snuggled up against him. It was clear that the tension between the young boy and the adorable Pokemon was lifting.
Feeling that the situation had done been properly dealt with, Nolan quickly got back down to business.
"Okay..." the golden haired boy said as he smiled down at both Meadow and Fang, "Now let's find those missing Pokemon. Keep your eyes peeled you two. They could be hiding anywhere".
"Bulba!"
"Growlithe!"
Smiling at their enthusiastic responses, Nolan set off walking down the street, a lot more dignified this time. He continued to carry Fang in his arms, whilst Meadow kept pace at his side. Together, all three of them began scanning the street for any sign of the missing Pokemon. The group was barely ten seconds into their renewed search however, before yet another commotion rocked this particular street of Orange Town. Namely, a lot of loud clamouring up ahead of them...
"What's going on now?" Nolan couldn't help but groan in despair, weary of yet another disaster that he may accidentally find himself embroidered in.
Fortunately for Nolan however, the fates seemed to be on his side this time. For the event unfolding just a little way up the street wasn't something bad. In fact, it was something very, very good.
A huge blurry dust cloud.
A huge blurry dust cloud that looked vaguely familiar.
A huge blurry dust cloud that was charging down the middle of the street towards them at almost insane speeds, alarming every citizen in its path.
Doduo.
The huge blurry dust cloud was none other than Doduo, one of the Pokemon that had gone missing from the Pokemon day care centre. Nolan beamed. Perhaps this mission of rounding up the four runaways would be easier than he'd initially thought...
"Hey! Doduo!" Nolan called out to the Twin Bird Pokemon, waving his arms frantically. He had hoped that at least one of the strange creature's heads would remember him from the day care centre and would come back with him willingly, "Stop! Doduo!"
No such luck.
"DUO! DODUO!" the two heads of the bizarre creature both squawked and shrieked loudly, but Doduo showed no sign of stopping or even slowing down. On the contrary in fact, Doduo simply sped up, continuing on its way down the street in a mad dash of frenzied footprints and feathers.
Nolan groaned loudly in annoyance and disbelief.
Of course it couldn't just be straightforward! A heavy scowl immediately blossomed across the golden haired boy's face, any hope or this being an easy task fleeing him instantly. Nolan quickly changed course, heading back the way he came as he ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Meadow was keeping pace at his side, and Fang was still cuddled up in Nolan's arms. All three sets of eyes were trained on the Twin Bird Pokemon up ahead of them.
The chase was on.
Meanwhile, over in the Eastern sector of the charming little settlement known as Orange Town, Ash and Pikachu were approaching the area that Nolan had assigned for them to search. The town's vast and expansive parkland. The human and Pokemon duo were standing just before the main gates leading into the park, bright and hopeful smiles on their faces as they studied the area beyond.
Orange Town Park, in simple terms, was nothing short of a verdant haven nestled in the heart of the quaint town, and it truly was a sight to behold. The park itself was a masterpiece of nature, with sprawling lawns dotted with vibrant flowerbeds and graceful willow trees that whispered secrets to the gentle breeze. A meandering stream, sparkling like a ribbon of silver, wound its way through the park, its banks lined with blooming water lilies. The air thrummed with the joyous chirps of Flying Type Pokemon and the gentle hum of buzzing Bug Types, creating a symphony of harmonious sounds. But it was the park's boundary that truly stole the show. A towering iron fence, meticulously crafted with intricate swirls and flourishes, encircled the park like a protective embrace. The grand gate, a testament to the town's history and craftsmanship, stood as a majestic sentinel, welcoming visitors into this sanctuary of natural beauty.
It also came as no surprise that on a warm summer day such as this one, the park bustled with life, a harmonious blend of humans and Pokemon. Children, eyes alight with delight, chased after some playful Pidgey, their laughter echoing through the air. Families picnicked beneath the shade of ancient oaks, sharing stories and laughter. Pokemon Trainers, eager to test their skills, engaged in friendly battles, their Pokemon showcasing their impressive abilities. Before the glittering eyes of Ash and Pikachu, a vibrant scene of camaraderie and joy unfolded, a testament to the power of nature and the connection between humans and Pokemon. The air, thick with the aroma of fresh-cut grass and blooming flowers, was infused with a sense of peace and happiness, a reminder that even in the bustling world, moments of tranquillity and shared joy could be found in the most unexpected of places.
All in all, the Orange Town park actually reminded Ash very strongly of the park back home in Pallet Town, where he and Nolan had whittled away many an hour in their younger days. And it was because of this sense of nostalgia that it was with a fond and reminiscent smile on the raven haired boy's face that Ash turned to glance down at his faithful friend and partner.
"Well, this is the place, Pikachu!" Ash announced cheerfully to the small Electric Type Pokemon at his side, "Nolan suggested that we look in the park in case any of the missing Pokémon came here".
"Chu" Pikachu nodded his understanding.
The two of them entered the park, both human and Pokemon looking around with an air of wonder. What they found on the other side of the iron bars didn't leave them wanting, and both of them thought that it was quite a shame that they'd actually come here with a purpose. It would have beautiful spot to just stop and explore otherwise. Sadly though, they had more important matters to attend to, and so Ash quickly got them straight down to business.
"We just need to find them, buddy" Ash, ever the optimist, grinned down at Pikachu, "Shouldn't be too hard, right?"
"Pika!" the small squeak that Pikachu let out sounded a little worried. It was clear that the Electric Type Pokemon had doubts that his human partner didn't seem to share.
"Hey now, there's no need to fret!" the raven haired boy chuckled good-naturedly in an attempt to sooth his little yellow friend, "We can't give up. We'll find them".
As they wandered down one of the park's numerous marked out trails, Ash and Pikachu couldn't help it when their gaze fell upon a small makeshift battlefield. Two young trainers were currently in the middle of using it, their respective Rattata and Pidgey locked in a fierce combat.
"Wow, that's amazing!" the raven haired boy said in a very impressed tone as he watched the Pidgey launch a Gust attack at its opponent, only for the Rattata to effortlessly dodge it and counterstrike with a well-placed Quick Attack, "They're both really skilled!"
Seeing that his beloved human partner was getting distracted, Pikachu didn't even bother trying to refrain from rolling his eyes.
"Pika!" the small Electric Type Pokemon tugged on the leg of Ash's jeans with his tiny paws, successfully bringing the boy's attention away from the battle, and back to the here and now.
The raven haired boy allowed a long-suffering sigh to slip his lips.
"You're right, Pikachu" Ash admitted, clearly disappointed to turn away from the match unfolding in front of them just when it was starting to get interesting, "We need to focus on our mission. We can't get side-tracked by battles".
"Pikachu!" Pikachu nodded his small furry head approvingly.
The two of them set off walking again, casting their eyes around the crowded park for any sign of any of the four Pokemon that had gone missing from the day care centre. When a few minutes passed by without any promising leads, Ash frowned and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"This is going to be harder than I thought" the raven haired boy admitted nervously, his russet coloured eyes downcast, "There are so many people and Pokemon everywhere!"
"Chu..." Pikachu's ears drooped sadly.
Seeing the small yellow creature's saddened state, Ash quickly forced a smile for his partner's benefit.
"We'll find them, Pikachu. We can't give up" Ash said with extra cheer, doing his utmost to bolster Pikachu's dwindling spirits, "Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni are counting on us! Not to mention the missing Pokemon!"
Pikachu couldn't help but agree with what Ash was saying, and so he forced himself to cheer up a bit. Glancing around the park with renewed determination, the small yellow creature spotted something that soon had his ears and tail perking up in excitement.
"Pika! Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed with an excited gasp, tugging on Ash's jeans again and pointing eagerly at something with one of his tiny paws.
Ash turned in the direction that Pikachu was pointing, and immediately his russet coloured eyes lit up in happy relief. For just a few short metres away from where they stood, there was a small wooden cart with a vendor standing in front of it. Attached to the cart were dozens of different shaped helium balloons, all fashioned in the likenesses of various different Pokemon, some Ash recognised, some he didn't. But it wasn't the balloons themselves that had captured their attention. Oh no. It was the small familiar figure that was eagerly reaching up towards the balloons that Ash and Pikachu were so happy to see.
"It's Cubone! That's one of the missing Pokemon!" Ash gasped happily, before he suddenly thought back on what Miss Reeni had told them about this little fella and he smiled, "Miss Reeni said he loved the balloons. You're a genius, Pikachu!"
"Pika!" Pikachu blushed modestly but couldn't help but preen slightly under the praise.
Ash and Pikachu quickly closed the distance between themselves and Cubone, who glanced up at them as he heard their approach. Clearly the little guy was a bit nervous though, since it was obvious that he reacted on instinct. With one mighty fling, Cubone tossed the bone in his hand straight towards Pikachu, who yelped in surprise and quickly dodged out of the way. Like a boomerang, the bone came spinning back through the air towards its owner, who effortlessly caught it in his small paw.
"Bone! Cubone!" Cubone growled in what was clearly supposed to be a threatening tone but came out rather cutely, waving his bone at them warningly.
"Easy there, Cubone. We're here to help" Ash quickly promised before a fight could break out, kneeling down so he could talk to Cubone at his own level, "We're going to take you back to Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni. That'll be nice, won't it?"
"Cubone..." although he looked happy and relieved by the idea of being taken back to the familiar kind elderly couple that had taken such good care of him, Cubone couldn't help but stare longingly up at the balloons floating high above their heads.
Ash caught the expression on the Lonely Pokemon's face, and a small knowing grin flashed across his own.
"Look, if you let me take you back to the day care centre with no trouble, I'll buy you a balloon" the raven haired boy compromised kindly as he knelt down to Cubone's level and held out his pinkie finger, "You can pick any one you want. Deal?"
Cubone's entire being practically lit up in pure euphoria at he registered what Ash was proposing.
"Bone! Bone! Cubone!" Cubone nodded his head so vigorously with enthusiasm that his helmet actually slipped down a little bit, and he had to quickly adjust it, "Cubone!"
Beaming, Ash gently scooped the little Ground Type Pokemon into his arms, before he turned back to the cart and joined the short queue. After waiting for a few minutes, Ash, Pikachu and Cubone were at the front of the line.
"Hi!" the vendor greeted the group in an overtly cheerful tone, "Which balloon would you like today?"
"Okay Cubone" Ash urged the little creature in his arms, who was practically quivering, he was so excited, "Time to pick your favourite".
Thankfully the selection process didn't take all that long. With a single cursory sweep of the balloons on offer, the Lonely Pokemon quickly made his final decision.
"Cubone!" Cubone excitedly pointed with his bone towards a bright orange balloon. Ash smiled. It was fashioned in the likeness of a Charmander, the Fire Type Pokemon starter from this region.
"Good choice" the vendor said kindly as she untangled the selected balloon from the rest of the bunch, "Here you go".
The vendor happily handed the balloon over to Ash, who in turn handed her the right amount of change.
"Thanks a lot" the raven haired boy said politely, before he moved away from the queue whilst gently tying the string of the freshly purchased balloon around Cubone's paw. He didn't want the little guy to accidently let go of it after all.
"Okay Cubone. All set" Ash smiled warmly down at the smile creature in his arms.
"CUBONE!" Cubone was almost on the verge of tears, he was so happy. He waved the string about, making the balloon bob up and down, before he nuzzled up against Ash affectionately, expressing his gratitude.
Ash smiled down at him kindly.
"You're very welcome, Cubone!" the raven haired boy smiled at how well this was going considering the usual chaos that seemed to follow him around, "Now, let's get you back to the day care. But first..."
The aspiring Pokemon Master carefully shifted Cubone so that he was holding him with just one arm. Then, using his free hand, Ash plucked Butterfree's pokeball off of his belt before tossing it into the air.
"Freeee!" the Butterfly Pokemon chirped curiously as he materialised in front of Ash, beating his wings softly to hover a few feet off the ground.
"Butterfree, I need you to go find Nolan, Misty and Brock" the raven haired boy instructed immediately without wasting any time on preamble, "Tell them we found Cubone. There's still some more missing Pokemon out there!"
"Freeee! Butterfree!" the Bug Type Pokemon nodded his understanding, before he quickly took to the sky. Within seconds, he was little more than a speck on the horizon.
"Good" Ash nodded in satisfaction, before glancing down at his beloved partner, "Come on Pikachu".
"Pika!" Pikachu nodded.
Together with Cubone in tow, Ash and Pikachu quickly started making their way towards the nearest exit of the Orange Town park. To their relief, the eastern sector of the town wasn't too far away from the Pokemon day care centre, so the walk back only took them a few short, uneventful minutes. Soon enough, they were standing outside the charming little building, and Ash wasted no time in pushing open the front door, eager to share the good news with the kind elderly couple that ran the place.
"Mr Tanga! Miss Reeni!" Ash called out excitedly as he crossed the threshold, a bright grin plastered all over his face, "Good news! I found Cubone! He's right here!"
His good mood practically evaporated at the sight that awaited him.
It wasn't the mess all over the floor that alerted Ash to there being something wrong. That was only to be expected after all, given Rhyhorn and Nidorino's earlier shenanigans. No. What practically had the raven haired boy's stomach dropping out from underneath him was the horrifying, borderline traumatising sight, of Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni both tied up and bound to the chairs they were sitting in. Both of them had gagged stuffed roughly in their mouths, and their eyes were wide with fear and panic.
Ash's jaw dropped wide open in stunned disbelief.
"OH MY GOD!" the raven haired boy yelled out in horror, his eyes practically bulging out of his head as he struggled to properly take in the disturbing sight before him, "WHAT THE...?!"
At the sight of the youngster that had just walked in, Mr Tanga grunted loudly through the gag in his mouth, struggling urgently against his bindings. He looked Ash straight in the eye as he tried to speak. It was no use though. His voice was too muffled by the fabric keeping him quiet. Ash could barely understand him, but the two short words he could make out... chilled him to the bone...
Ash. Run.
Too late for that. Far too late.
"Oomph!"
With a sickening CRACK that seemed to reverberate throughout the entire building, flesh met flesh in a painful collision. Ash couldn't help but cry out as a wave of sheer agony exploded across the side of his head. Tears of pain leaked from his eyes as the raven haired boy staggered forwards, dazed by the sneak attack. Unable to save himself from the heavy blow, Ash accidentally let go of Cubone as he stumbled forwards and all-but face-planted the ground.
The last two things Ash were aware of as darkness swam at the edge of his vision were Pikachu crying his name in alarm... and a familiar purple and yellow tail swinging round to hit him again...
Whilst these rather disturbing events were taking place at the Orange Town Pokemon day care centre, the forest on the western border of the quaint little settlement was thankfully a bit more peaceful and serene. Misty, having only just arrived at her designated search zone as she had the furthest distance to travel to it, walked determinedly through the lush forest on the outskirts of Orange Town. Sunlight dappled through the leaves, illuminating her worried expression.
"Cubone! Oddish!" the Water Type Pokemon Specialist called, her voice echoing through the beautiful, silent landscape like a foghorn, "Machop! Doduo! Where are you?!"
The young girl paused, her ears straining hopefully for any kind of response. After a few short seconds, a soft sigh of disappointment slipped past Misty's lips. The only sounds she could hear were the chirping of a few wild Pidgey and the rustling of leaves.
"Where could they have gone?" Misty muttered under her breath.
Shaking her head in frustration, the orange haired girl set off again, her footsteps loud as they crunched over the stray twigs and fallen leaves that littered the forest floor. She was only a few minutes into her hike through the forest when something eventful finally happened. And like Misty had been hoping for, it was the presence of a Pokemon suddenly announcing itself to her. The only problem was, it wasn't one of the Pokemon she was searching for...
Suddenly, right in front of Misty's face, there was a blur of wings and a vicious buzz.
A Beedrill.
Of the hundreds of Pokemon that inhabited this planet, it had to be a Beedrill of all things to appear in front of the girl. Misty yelped, startled as the yellow and black creature unexpectedly burst out of the foliage, its stinger glinting in the sunlight.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
The long, drawn-out scream of terror that clawed its way up Misty's throat was enough to wake the dead.
"Beeeeeeeeee!"
Much to the mounting horror of the Water Type Pokemon Specialist, the Beedrill buzzed aggressively as it seemed to take a keen interest in her. What was it with her and Bug Type Pokemon?! Thankfully, her feet seemed to process the danger quickly than her brain did, for without any conscious thought on her part, Misty turned and fled. The girl sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her, smashing her way through the dense undergrowth, all the whilst the Beedrill was hot on her heels.
"NO! PLEASE! JUST GO AWAY!" Misty wailed as she ran, but it was no use. Her pleas fell on deaf ears, and the Beedrill continued its pursuit of her relentlessly. Misty knew that she wouldn't be able to outrun it forever, and so thinking quickly, the girl quickly shrugged off her backpack and became rummaging around inside. In a matter of seconds, she was pulling out a pokeball, "STARMIE, I NEED YOU!"
Misty hurled the pokeball high into the air, releasing the purple, star-shaped Pokemon. In a flash of crimson coloured light, Starmie appeared beside her.
"Star!" the mysterious creature chimed as it fully materialised.
Feeling a little better now that she wasn't completely alone in this hazardous situation, Misty quickly jumped into trainer mode. Without so much as missing a beat, she spun on the ball of her foot and pointed a finger at the Beedrill aggressively dive-bombing through the air towards them.
"Starmie, use Water Gun!" the orange haired girl commanded anxiously.
"Mie! Starmie!" Starmie didn't waste so much as a single second, not when its beloved partner was in danger. Floating through the air in that eerie manner it seemed to possess, the purple star-shaped Pokemon quickly began spraying powerful torrents of water from every single one of its points.
"Beeeeeeeeee!"
The wild Beedrill was hit head on with Starmie's strong Water Gun attack, and clearly the Poison Bee Pokemon found the attack highly disagreeable has its wings were soaked through in a matter of seconds. Evidently deciding that Misty and Starmie simply weren't worth all this hassle, the buzzing yellow and black creature quickly pirouetted in the air and turned to flee. In a matter of seconds, Beedrill disappeared into the forest foliage and vanished from sight entirely.
Misty heaved the great side of relief. The encounter with the wild Bug Type Pokemon may have been brief, but she was still very relieved that it was now over.
"Thank you, Starmie!" the orange haired girl positively beamed with delight as she turned to her beloved partner and hugged it gratefully, "You saved me!"
"Star!" the jewel that made up the Mysterious Pokemon's core flashed brightly, the only indication of the creature's own sense of happiness.
"But I'm afraid we don't have any time to rest" Misty continued as her smile faded slightly, the whole reason for her being out in this forest by herself suddenly returning to the forefront of her mind, "I need to get back to searching for those missing Pokemon. Starmie, I think I'd better keep you out for now. You know, just in case there any more aggressively Pokemon lurking around..."
"Mie!" Starmie bobbed its entire body in a manner which Misty could only interpret as it not minding this arrangement.
A soft smile blossomed across the Water Type Pokemon Specialist's face at how loyal and faithful her partner was, and it wasn't long before the duo were setting off through the forest again. Misty was careful to keep her eyes peeled for any sign of the Pokemon that had gone missing from the day care center, although this time she decided to refrain from calling out their names, just in case the sound of her voice attracted any more unwelcome attention from the terrifying creatures that called this forest their home.
Slurp. Slurp. Slurp.
Misty halted in her tracks when a particularly strange sound reached her ears. At her side, Starmie stopped as well, ready to defend the orange haired girl if necessary. The pair of them glanced around at their surroundings, peering through the dense undergrowth and the thick towering trees in the hopes of identifying the source of the strange noise filling the forest clearing around them.
"What is that noise?" Misty muttered under her breath nervously.
"Star! Starmie!" the jewel that formed the main core of the Mysterious Pokemon's body began flashing excitedly, and as Misty glanced over at Starmie, she saw that it was using one of its many appendages to point at something eagerly.
Turning in the direction that her beloved partner was indicating, it wasn't long before Misty's entire face lit up with sheer relief.
She hadn't noticed until now, but being chased by that Beedrill had inadvertently set Misty on the course to discovering a small pond, a miniature watering hole if you like. Now normally that wasn't something she'd feel particularly grateful about, but in this case, Misty was willing to make an exception. Heck, if she wasn't so terrified of Bug Type Pokemon, she might have been inclined to go track it down and thank the wretched thing.
And what could possibly have invoked such a strange reaction within the girl? Well, the answer was exceedingly simple.
Oddish.
Standing at the edge of the tiny pond, slurping up great mouthfuls of the natural spring water, was none other than Oddish, one of the missing Pokemon that Misty was searching for. Its blue, bulbous body was shimmering in the sunlight, its leaves rustling in the breeze. Misty couldn't help it when her face lit up with excitement, and her lips curled into a wide smile.
"Oddish!" the orange haired girl exclaimed happily, the relief in both her tone and expression almost palpable, "There you are! Thank goodness you're safe!"
"Dish! Odd! Oddish!" Oddish squeaked in alarm as she was disturbed from her refreshing drink.
The small Grass and Poison Type Pokemon allowed its gaze to fall upon Misty and Starmie as she noticed their presence for the first time. Her ruby eyes narrowed for a moment, full of distrust. Then... Oddish turned and ran.
"Oh no you don't!" Misty snapped, changing gears so quickly it was a miracle she didn't get mental whiplash. In no mood to be given the run-around by this little escape artist, the orange haired girl quickly turned to her beloved partner, an expression of utter determination clouding her features, "Starmie! Stop Oddish with your Water Gun!"
True to form, Starmie heeded the command immediately, stepping in front of Misty so that the girl wouldn't be in the line of fire if Oddish counter-attacked. From the top of its topmost point, the Mysterious Pokemon blasted the retreating Oddish with a high-pressure stream of water, slowing it down. Beaming, Misty quickly took advantage of the situation.
"Quick Starmie, whilst she's down!" Misty cried when she saw the fleeing Weed Pokemon slip on a muddy patch and fall over, "Use your Tackle!"
"Starmie!"
Like a ninja's throwing star, Starmie spun through the air at a speed that was almost incomprehensible. Before Oddish could even blink let alone think about dodging, the Mysterious Pokemon slammed into her at full-force. The impact was enough to send the Grass and Poison Type Pokemon sailing through the air, before she crashed to the ground with a sickening crunch.
"Odd..." Oddish whimpered as she gingerly picked herself up. Shaking off the last lingering remnants of pain, the Weed Pokemon glared furiously at her attackers, the leaves at the top of her head rustling ominously. Misty paled as she realised what that meant.
"Uh oh! Oddish, are you going to use your Spores?" the young girl gasped, concern colouring both her tone and expression.
Seconds later, Oddish proved her right.
"Oddddd...DDDDIIIISSSSHHHH!" with a sound that sounded eerily like a war-cry, the leaves at the top of Oddish's head began to rustle violently. Before Misty's horrified eyes, twinkling specks of a deep violet coloured spores began to pollinate from the Weed Pokemon, the cloud surging through the air towards where Misty and Starmie were standing.
"Careful! Don't breath it in!" Misty warned her beloved partner as she scrambled to cover her own nose and mouth, knowing the dangers of inhaling the toxic spores.
"Starmie!" Starmie instinctively backed away as the cloud of purple dust kept exploding out of the top of Oddish's head.
"Quick Starmie! Use your Psychic attack!" Misty exclaimed quickly as she came up with a solution to get them out of this mess. She knew after all that Psychic Type moves were extra effective against Poison Type Pokemon such as Oddish, "Knock her out!"
"Mie!" Once again, the jewel that formed for core of the Mysterious Pokemon's body lit up with an ethereal rainbow of light. An eerie blue aura shrouded Starmie's entire body, and moments letter, the same strange hue surrounded Oddish's body as well.
"Dish?!" Oddish squeaked in alarm as her entire body suddenly froze up against her will. She tried to struggle against the strange energy holding her in place, but the Weed Pokemon was helpless as she was gradually levitated into the air. Another ripple of pain surged through the small Pokemon's body, and Oddish couldn't help but cry out in sheer agony as she took the full brunt of Starmie's Psychic attack.
"ODDISH!"
With a final wail of unimaginable pain, Oddish crumpled to the ground in a messy heap, unconscious before she even hit the forest floor. From where they stood across the clearing, Misty and Starmie both heaved a great sigh of relief.
"Great job, Starmie!" the orange haired girl cheered proudly, leaning over and affectionately stroking one of Starmie's numerous points, "That should make her easier to get back to the day care centre!"
"Starmie!" the Mysterious Pokemon preened modestly at her human partner's praise.
Misty spared one more smile for her faithful Water Type Pokemon, before she quickly turned her attention back to the matter at hand. Pulling out the pokeball that she had borrowed from Ash at Nolan's insistence, Misty quickly released Ash's Pidgeotto from her confines in a bright flash of light.
"Geotto?" Immediately upon being released from her pokeball, Pidgeotto seemed confused. She glanced around the forest clearing, obviously looking for her beloved human. Finding no trace of the raven haired boy however, Pidgeotto quickly refocused her attention on Misty, cocking her head to the side in a questioning manner.
"Pidgeotto! Ash let me borrow you so that we can message each other quickly" the Water Type Pokemon Specialist quickly explained, "Please. I need you to go find the others in Orange Town and tell them I found one of the Pokemon that we're all searching for!"
The Bird Pokemon really didn't understand this situation at all, but thankfully she trusted Misty enough to know that the girl was being honest about Pidgeotto's trainer willingly letting him borrow her. As such, Pidgeotto simply squawked in agreement and quickly flew up into the sky, before immediately heading towards Orange Town. It wasn't long before she was a speck on the horizon.
Beaming at how well everything was turning out now, Misty waved Pidgeotto off before turning her attention back to her own Pokemon.
"Come on, Starmie" the orange haired girl smiled, kneeling down and carefully gathering the unconscious Oddish up in her arms, being cautious to avoid waking her up, "Let's head back to Orange Town too".
"Starmie!" the mysterious Pokemon bobbed its entire body in a way that could only be construed as an affirmative.
Leaving the uncertainty but beauty of the forest behind them, Misty and Starmie started making their way back to the charming little settlement where this entire situation had started off. Thankfully the journey through the rest of the forest was much less eventful than the rest of Misty's day had been so far, and soon enough, she and Starmie were making swift progress through the streets of Orange Town. Before they knew it, they were standing outside of Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni's day care centre. Seeing no point in beating about the bush, Misty stepped up to the front door and unceremoniously pushed it open.
"Hey everyone! I'm back!" the orange haired girl called out cheerfully, Starmie still at her side and the unconscious Oddish still lying prone in her arms, "And guess what? I found Oddish!"
It was only as the last syllable left her lips that Misty took in the scene in front of her, and her jubilance was quickly cut off with a short shocked gasp.
"WHAT ON EARTH...?!" Misty's vermillion eyes were practically in danger of dropping straight out of her head, she was so taken aback by the sight that met her in the reception of the day care centre.
For tousled up, bound and gagged in two of the plush-looking armchairs, were the sweet little old couple that ran this charming little place, Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni, their eyes wide with panic and alarm. Even more disturbing than that sight to young Misty however, was the fact that one of her closest friends was also in much a similar state. Ash, squirming and wriggling desperately on the ground, was tied up with ropes just like the others, a gag shoved firmly in his mouth. Off to the side, Misty noticed that Pikachu had been stuffed into what appeared to be an electric-proof cage along with Cubone. Misty's heart threatened to break the sight of the petrified tears spilling down over the skull helmet of the Lonely Pokemon's face. The little guy was clearly beside himself with fear.
The whole thing was extremely disturbing, and needless to say, Misty couldn't help but shiver as a cold feeling of dread ran down the length of her spine.
"ASH!" Misty screamed in concern, rushing into the room without thinking and all-but throwing herself down to her knees beside her captured friend. With fumbling fingers, she quickly removed the gag from Ash's mouth, worry clouding her expression, "WHAT HAPPENED?!"
"MISTY!" Ash bellowed as soon as he was able to speak again, trying to warn his friend before it was too late, "LOOK OUT BEHIND YOU!"
The warning came just a second too late.
Heeding the urgent words of one of her closest friends, Misty turned to see what was behind her that had Ash, the usually brave and confident boy, so frantic with worry. Before she could fully turn her head however, a putrid cloud of smoke engulfed the orange haired girl, along with Starmie, and the still unconscious Oddish. With a startled yelp, Misty immediately started to choke, gagging and spluttering as the stench of rotten flesh practically crammed itself down her throat. Unable to draw in enough oxygen, Misty groaned weakly as she felt her vision blurring. Struggling now, Misty valiantly to stagger her way out of the inky black cloud of smoke, but it was no use. She was simply too dizzy, the room with spinning faster and faster around her, everything was happening so quickly... and... and Misty just barely caught a glimpse of something round and purple before it struck her full in the face with an incredible force. With a final, feeble moan, Misty's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed to the ground.
She was unconscious before she hit the floor.
In the utmost northern region of the quaint little settlement of Orange Town, Brock was idling his way through a busy and bustling marketplace, blissfully unaware of the danger that two of his three human friends were in whilst the other one was facing some difficult complications of his own. The atmosphere could not be more different with the aspiring Pokemon breeder though, and so it was with a big bright smile on his face that the teenager from Pewter City calmly manoeuvred his way around the busy shoppers, each of them dashing from stall to stall, while Brock struggled to resist the urge to do much the same. The aspiring Pokemon breeder could hardly be blamed for wanting to join in on the shopping spree fun though.
The Orange Town market, rather on the small side in comparison to other markets held throughout the Kanto region, seemed to have a little bit of everything.
The air buzzed with the energy of a thousand tiny wings. A cacophony of chirps, squawks, and the occasional roar filled the quaint little marketplace. This wasn't your average farmer's market. It was a haven for aspiring Pokemon trainers and breeders, a kaleidoscope of colours, scents, and a thousand things that could help a trainer raise the perfect Pokemon partner.
Brock, his cheeks flushed with excitement, navigated the throngs of people. His eyes sparkled, taking in the sights and smells. To his right, a stall overflowing with berries – plump, juicy Oran berries, energising Sitrus berries, and even the rare, shimmering Lum berries. The aroma of freshly brewed Pokemon food wafted from a nearby stand, while another boasted an array of meticulously crafted pokeballs, from basic Pokeballs to the supremely powerful Ultra Balls.
"Need a new PokeFlute?" a gruff voice boomed, drawing Brock's attention for a moment, "Got the best in town! Guaranteed to calm even the fiercest Growlithe!"
Brock couldn't help but snort at that particular irony, given what had happened to poor Nolan earlier that day.
The burly vendor, whose beard looked like a tangled nest, displayed his wares with pride. Nearby, a frail, elderly woman, her eyes twinkling with wisdom, sold handmade PokePuppets, each intricately crafted to resemble a different Pokemon. One that had been fashioned in the likeness of an Onix caught Brock's eye, and he couldn't help but grin as he thought about his own beloved partner. He continued to look around, enjoying the vibrant atmosphere, the sweet smells of fresh-baked pastries, and the sounds of children laughing as they played with their Pokemon. Truly, the Orange Town marketplace was a beautiful haven for aspiring breeders, trainers and enthusiasts alike, a place where dreams blossomed, friendships formed, and the bonds between humans and Pokemon grew stronger. It was a place where, like Brock, anyone could find the perfect ingredient to nurture their own unique journey.
Sadly however, Brock wasn't here to engage in any of that.
He had been sent here on a mission, and so it was with a heavy heart that the aspiring Pokemon breeder had to tear his attention away from the bustling market stalls, and refocus his attention back on the matter at hand.
"Where could they be?" Brock muttered under his breath to himself, glancing around the crowded area in the hopes of spotting one of the four missing Pokemon he was searching for, "I know those little guys couldn't have wandered too far!".
He passed by another vibrant market stall, this one offering an assortment of Pokemon breeder tools. His eyes widened in awe, momentarily tempted once again by the shiny goods on display.
"Maybe a little shopping wouldn't hurt" the aspiring Pokemon breeder whispered to himself as he found himself completely powerless to resist the pull of temptation, "I could use a new..."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Suddenly, before poor Brock had a chance to complete his though, a voice that was distinctly female cut through the pleasant atmosphere of the market like a knife would through butter, her shriek filled with a mixture of exasperation and panic.
Immediately sensing trouble, Brock reluctantly turned his attention away from the market stall which had caught his attention, and took a few long strides up the street in the direction the distressed shouts were emanating from. In a matter of seconds, the aspiring Pokemon breeder quickly found the source of the disturbance.
"HEY! Will you stop that?!" a beautiful young woman wearing a simple orange coloured blouse over black jeans was shouting angrily at something beyond Brock's line of vision, "You're ruining my entire inventory!"
Brock's cheeks blushed a furious shade of red as his gaze landed upon the stunning woman. Even the look of angry frustration on her face did nothing to detract from her beauty, and the teenaged boy immediately found himself completely smitten.
"My, my, what a turnabout. Looks like I've stumbled upon a beautiful damsel in distress..." the aspiring Pokemon breeder turned on the charm as he suavely made his way to the beautiful woman's market style coming to a stop on the opposite side of the table to her, "Perhaps you would allow me the honour of being your knight in shining armour?"
The woman turned to glare at Brock, clear annoyance ached into her beautiful features.
"Oh, please!" the beautiful woman rolled her eyes in distain, effortlessly crushing poor Brock's hopes in barely a nanosecond, "Look kid, I'm flattered, but I've got more important things to worry about than a love-struck teenager right now".
The woman furiously gestured towards something off to the side. Curious, Brock couldn't help but gaze in the direction she had indicated, and upon doing so, his whole face immediately lit up with renewed enthusiasm.
For standing right there in front of him, casually performing an exercise of impressive weightlifting by using one of the woman's tables as a makeshift barbell, was none other than one of the very things that Brock had come to this market in search of.
Machop.
He had successfully found the missing Machop.
Brock, who had been momentarily deflated by the woman's cold rejection, looked at the woman, then at Machop, and finally back to the woman. He smirked as a light bulb went off in his mind.
"You know what? I think I can help you with that 'more important' thing!" Brock tried to once again charm the beautiful young woman, who simply scoffed and looked highly disbelieving, "Than maybe we can get back to how you felt flattered by me?"
The woman did not look amused.
Not letting the beautiful woman's unhappy disposition get him down, Brock cautiously approached Machop, who was still busy flexing his muscles as he lifted the woman's stall table up and down in an impressive rhythm, and flashed the Superpower Pokemon a charming smile.
"Well, hello there Machop!" Brock greeted the small grey humanoid creature cheerfully, prompting Machop to pause in his workout and spare a glance at the aspiring Pokemon breeder, "It's great to see that you're okay, but you really need to come back to the day care centre with me now. Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni are worried sick about you!"
"Chop?"
A thoughtful look twisted the almost reptilian features of Machop's face, momentarily distracted from its workout routine by Brock's words. He glanced at Brock, then back at the table it was using as a makeshift weight, clearly uncertain.
"Come on, champ" Brock continued with an easy smile, knowing that talking to Machop rather than trying to challenge him to a battle was the best approach in this situation, especially considering just how crowded the market place was and how easily it could turn into a disaster if a battle erupted in the centre of it all, "You know Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni can help you get even stronger! They have the best training program in all of Orange Town!"
It wasn't even a lie or an exaggeration, which thankfully seemed to do the trick.
"Machop!" Machop, finally convinced by Brock's charming words, nodded his head and set down the heavy table laden with goods.
"Thank goodness" the woman running the stall whispered to herself, mopping her brow in relief.
Brock, beaming triumphantly, threw an arm around Machop's shoulders, who amazingly enough actually seemed to enjoy the action, rather than be irritated by it. That in and of itself with rather unusual, as Fighting Type Pokemon usually did not enjoy being physically affectionate with others.
"Great! Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni will be so relieved to see you again Machop!" Brock happily announced, before he turned to the woman running the market stall and positively beamed at her, "Thanks for the help, Miss! I'll be sure to visit your stall again… once I've dealt with this… situation".
He then winked flirtatiously at the beautiful woman, who scoffed and rolled her eyes. She was making no secret of the fact that she was glad to see the back of both of them.
Undeterred by the cold response he had just received, Brock turned away from the woman's market stall and began gently steering Machop passed all of the others. He was careful to make sure that the Superpower Pokemon didn't try the same stunt with any of the other vendors. Thankfully however, there were no other incidents and it wasn't long before Brock and Machop emerged at the far end of the marketplace.
"One down, three to go!" Brock smiled to himself, not knowing that all of his friends had also been successful at this point, since he had yet to receive any of their messenger Pokemon. And thinking as much, Brock quickly pulled a pokeball from his belt and tossed it into the air. In a haze of crimson coloured light, the aspiring Pokemon breeder's loyal Zubat materialised. The Bat Pokemon immediately hissed and snarled upon being released, obviously displeased by the sensation of the sun's bright rays upon its small fragile body.
"Zubat!" Brock greeted his faithful little friend, sadly oblivious to the Poison Type Pokemon's current discomfort, "Go find the others and tell them I've found one of the missing Pokemon! Tell them we're headed back to the day care centre!"
"Zu! Zubat!" Zubat squeaked and chattered, and clearly eager to fulfil his latest mission so that he could return to the safety of his pokeball away from the harmful rays of the sun, the Bat Pokemon quickly flew off, disappearing into the bustling crowd.
"There! Now the others will all know that you're safe" Brock smiled down at the Fighting Type Pokemon at his side, who grunted and nodded back at him, "But come on Machop. It's time we got you back to the day care centre".
"Machop" Machop nodded his head in easy agreement.
Fortunately for Brock and his newfound friend, the walk back from the marketplace to the Orange Town Pokemon day care centre was both quiet and short. After a blissfully uneventful trip back, which to be quite frank with a very pleasant change of pace considering everything else that had happened to the travelling quartet today, it wasn't long before Brock was standing on the pavement outside of Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni's place to work, Machop still waiting patiently by his side.
Neither one of them had the slightest inclination that something might be wrong.
"Hey Mr Tanga! Miss Reeni! It's me, Brock! I found one of our mischievous little runaways!" the aspiring Pokemon breeder called out in greeting as he carelessly pushed open the front door of the Pokemon day care centre and stepped inside, Machop casually trailing behind him.
He had expected to be greeted by the relieved faces of Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni.
What met Brock instead was a most alarming sight.
Much to the aspiring Pokemon breeder's horror and panicked surprise, Mr Tanga and Miss Reeni were both bound and gagged and tied to two of the armchairs in the room, feebly trying to struggle against the ropes securing them in place. As if that wasn't bad enough however, Brock's face turned white with horror as his gaze landed upon two of his best friends, Ash and Misty, who were both in the same unwholesome predicament. The two of them were lying on the ground, tied up with their arms behind their backs, gags stuffed unceremoniously into their mouths to prevent them from calling out for help. Off to the side, Brock noticed that Ash's Pikachu and the previously missing Cubone had been locked in one cage, whilst Misty's Starmie and the runaway Oddish were trapped within another.
Naturally, it was a very disturbing sight, and it left the young aspiring Pokemon breeder feeling sick to his stomach.
"ASH! MISTY!" Brock exclaimed in bewilderment, taking a shaky uncertain step forwards, "What's going on here?!"
The two young Pokemon trainers looked up at their friend with wide eyes. Rather than the relief he was expecting by his presence however, Brock noticed that it was pure and unadulterated panic that was the primarily most-dominant expression in his friends' glassy orbs right now. A shiver of dread ran down Brock's spine as he realised what that meant.
It meant that whatever it was that had done this to his friends... was still here in the room with them, waiting to do it to him...
"Uh oh!" Brock swallowed hard as the gruesome and startling realisation hit him like a ton of bricks.
Before the teenage boy could react further than that however; a small, furry creature gracefully dropped down from the ceiling, landing on top of Brock's head with a thud. The aspiring Pokemon breeder cried out in alarm and began shaking his head, trying to dislodge the furry mass that had landed there.
It was no use though.
Before the boy was fully aware of what was happening to him, the small fluffy white creature began kicking Brock repeatedly, striking him again and again in the faith with a long feline paw. Groaning in pain at the quite frankly brutal and unrelenting assault, Brock collapsed to his knees. One final kick with all it took and before Brock knew what was happening his eyes were rolling back in his head as he slumped to the ground.
A familiar cackle in a nasally voice filled the aspiring Pokemon breeder's ears...
Then darkness consumed him.
And that's another one over and done with : )
Poor Ash, Misty and Brock! All of them walked straight into a trap, and got beaten up by one of Team Rocket's Pokemon each. In case it wasn't clear, Ekans took out Ash, Koffing got Misty, whilst Meowth beat up Brock. Hopefully in the next chapter, Nolan won't make the same mistake they all did. You have to wait to find out though ; ) Plus, I also like how a real bond between Nolan and Fang is forming now, especially considering that Nolan literally just saved the Puppy Pokemon's life. That was the main reason I wrote that scene in actually, since now only does it express Fang's character really well, but it paves the way to them becoming close friend. Not gonna lie, Fang is probably my favourite of Nolan's Pokemon in the story so far, next to Meadow and Welkin, and he hasn't even officially joined him yet : ) That'll be soon though, since the next chapter is supposed to be the last one for this episode, and I'm looking forward to wrapping this one up so we can move along in the Pokemon Journey : D
But enough about the actual chapter itself for now. Instead, let's move on to this week's voting topic. Again, I'm going to hold back on the Evolution Vote for defeating Bugsy for now, and instead focus on the fact that I defeated my rival Silver. Yep, you guessed it, it's time to bring back one of Nolan's older Pokemon. And because I'm very keen to put some focus on some of the unevolved little guys right now, I'm going to keep the options limited to Pokemon in their base forms. That means that the options you guys can vote between to bring back one of Nolan's older Pokemon are: - Gastly, Goldeen, Meowth, Voltorb and Seel. Any one of these would be nice to have back on the team, so please go leave you vote in a review : )
And I think hat's just about everything from me for this time. Thank you so much for reading this chapter and my story in general. I hope you are enjoying it all so far, and please consider leaving a review because I'd love to hear your comments and feedback : )
Until the next time, keep on reading : )
