Pokémon Amanda's Kanto Journey (Re-title)

[MarkL1987]

Episode 1

The Safari Zone in Kanto's Fuchsia City is home to many different kinds of Pokemon, from small and adorable water Pokemon like Poliwag to the larger and rarer Kangaskhan. There is, however, one certain Kangaskhan that stands out from the others. You see, most Kangaskhan keep young babies in their pouch, but the one I'm talking about doesn't have any baby Kangaskhan of her own. Instead, she simply acts as a mother figure to some of the other Pokemon. Every time they have a problem, she tries her best to help them solve it. She enjoys being a mother figure, but one mid summer day brought a significant change to her life. She was busy as a Beedrill by doing some cleaning inside the house she lived in when she heard a knock on her door. A Chansey was standing outside, and on the ground beside her was a basket containing a very young baby girl of only two months old. Chansey explained that she had been out for a stroll and minding her business when she saw the basket floating by and figured out fairly quickly that it had been abandoned by its' parents, hence leading it to bring the baby to where Kangaskhan was. Kangaskhan thanked Chansey and brought the baby into the living room. Beside the blanket that was covering the baby was a tag that simply stated its' name, which was Amanda.

"Hi there, Amanda." Said Kangaskhan. "I'm sorry your parents just flat out left you like they did, but I can assure you that I'll take very good care of you." And that was exactly what the Kangaskhan did. She raised little Amanda as her own child. Of course, she had to stay in the pouch a lot, but that was normal for very young children like Amanda. For the first three years or so of her life, the only Pokemon she ever knew was the very kind Kangaskhan. After she turned four, however, Kangaskhan decided that Amanda should meet some of the other Pokemon. And so one morning in early July, the two of them were out on their daily walk. Amanda rode in the pouch, of course, while Kangaskhan jumped up and down as they went down the path. Everything was going fine until a herd of Pokemon with light brown fur, curved grey horns on their heads and three black tails came stampeding by. Amanda hated the loud noise that the Pokemon were making and started crying.

"It's all right, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "Those Pokemon are called Tauros. What you just saw is perfectly normal behaviour for them."

"They're going to hurt me, Mama." Amanda cried.

"They are not going to hurt you." Said Kangaskhan. "If they tried to do that, they'd have to get by me, and I don't think that they'd like that. Don't worry, they're gone now, though."

"That's a relief." Said Amanda. She now felt much better, and they continued on their way. A short while later, they came across a bright yellow Pokemon with brown stripes on its' back and red, circle shaped cheeks. Amanda was quite happy to see this particular Pokemon.

"Hey there, little friend." She said. "What's your name?"

"Pika pika." Said the Pokemon, which meant 'My name is Pikachu'.

"It's nice to meet you, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "I'm Amanda, and this is my mom, Kangaskhan.

"Pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'It's odd for a human child like you to be raised by a Pokemon'.

"I know that may seem strange, but that's how things worked out." Said Amanda. "Say, Pikachu, would you like to join me?"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried excitedly, which meant 'I'd love to join you'.

"I just need to ask Mama first." Said Amanda. "Mama, may Pikachu accompany us on our outing?"

"Yes he may." Said Kangaskhan.

"Okay, Pikachu, you get to come along." Said Amanda. Pikachu climbed into Kangaskhan's pouch, and they went off again. During their outing, Amanda met some of the other Pokemon, including the Chansey that had first come across Amanda when she was just a baby. Amanda also met a Psyduck, an Exeggcute and both gender Nidoran. Amanda liked all of them and wanted to bring them all home with her, but Kangaskhan wouldn't let her.

"You let Pikachu join us." Amanda pointed out.

"Only because the Pikachu was a wild Pokemon." Said Kangaskhan. "All of these other Pokemon live in their own habitats here. They wouldn't feel very happy if you took them away like that."

"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed.

"I guess you're right, Pikachu." Said Amanda. So even though she had to leave the other Pokemon behind, she did promise to visit them whenever possible.

"You're going to like Kangaskhan's house, Pikachu." Amanda said. When they got back, Pikachu had a look around and gave two thumbs up for approval.

"I'm glad you like the place." Said Amanda. The following year, for Amanda's fifth birthday, Kangaskhan gave Amanda a red and white Poke Ball.

"Since Pikachu is basically yours, you'll need to keep him in here." Said Kangaskhan.

"What if he doesn't like the ball, Mama?" asked Amanda.

"You won't know until you try." Said Kangaskhan. Amanda went outside with the ball and found Pikachu playing in the yard. She slowly approached him with the ball in hand.

"Listen buddy, even though you've been living with us for a while, Pokemon rules say that you have to go into this ball in order to become officially mine." She said. Pikachu took a good look at the ball and shook his head.

"Pika!" he cried, which meant 'I don't want to go in there!'

"So you don't like being inside Poke Balls, huh?" said Amanda. Pikachu shook its' head to say no.

"I'll tell you what." Said Amanda. "You'll only have to go in there for a second so that you can officially be registered, and then after I let you out, I won't make you go back in the ball again. Deal?"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'Deal'.

"All right, then." Said Amanda. She tapped Pikachu lightly with the ball, and a flash of red light absorbed Pikachu inside. The ball immediately dinged, and the Amanda let Pikachu out right away.

"There you go." Said Amanda. "Now you don't ever have to go back in there again."

"Pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'You promise?'

"I promise." Said Amanda. She made good on that promise by allowing Pikachu to ride on her shoulder every time she was outside. Inside the house, she made a little play pen area for Pikachu, which he liked a lot. Now, in addition to Pokemon, Amanda also liked bouncing a lot. She practiced whenever possible, with Pikachu safely nestled atop her head as she made her bounces. She couldn't practice on the rainy days, however, as Kangaskhan didn't like her bouncing in the house. Three years later, shortly after she had turned eight, Amanda and Pikachu were outside playing together when a large Pokemon with orange fur, black stripes and a beige tail.

"I don't think I've ever seen you around the Safari Zone before." Said Amanda. "Are you new here?" The Pokemon barked, which meant 'I just moved here a week ago.'

"I see." Said Amanda. "I wonder what your name is." The Pokemon barked again, which meant 'I'm Arcanine.'

"I'm Amanda." Said Amanda. "Look at what I can do." She bounced up and down, which impressed the Arcanine a lot. He let out multiple, happy barks, which meant 'I can bounce well too. You should go bouncing with me one day.'

"I'll be more than happy to." Said Amanda. "I need to go now so I can practice some more. See you later, Arcanine." They went their separate ways, and when Amanda got home later, she told Kangaskhan about her newest friend.

"His name's Arcanine and he like bouncing too, just like me." Said Amanda.

"That's wonderful, dear." Said Kangaskhan. As the days and weeks passed, she wondered when her chance to go bouncing with Arcanine would come. One day near the end of January, that chance finally came. Naturally, she was very excited. As she sat on top of the mailbox, she kept wondering when Arcanine would arrive.

"When's he going to be here, Mama?" asked Amanda.

"Be patient, dear." Said Kangaskhan. Her pouch was covered up by a bright yellow apron as she swept away some of the snow that had fallen the previous night. "He'll be here when he's ready." Pikachu was resting on Amanda's head, wondering the same thing.

"I wonder if he'll like the outfit I chose to wear for today." Said Amanda. She was wearing a bright blue sweater, a casual black skirt, and her pink boots. The bottom of her sweater was tucked into her skirt, and her hair was pulled into a ponytail. Arcanine showed up ten minutes later, and the moment he arrived, Amanda got down from the mailbox and started bouncing up and down in place. Kangaskhan just chuckled.

"Just a second, dear." She said as she placed a bright yellow scarf with an orange stripe around Amanda's neck. Amanda kept bouncing up and down, though, which made Kangaskhan chuckle again. "You're very bouncy today." She said. She was holding the back ends of the scarf firmly so as to prevent Amanda from moving forward too much. She let go of the back end she was holding in her left hand and allowed it to wrap around and underneath the middle of the right end to form a knot in the middle. She grabbed the left side and tugged both back ends of the scarf tightly to shrink and tighten the knot.

"There we go." Said Kangaskhan. "Now, keep that scarf on."

"Not so tight, Mama." Said Amanda. The straight lines of the scarf went down the middle of her sweater in the front, with the round part fully covering up her neck.

"Will you be warm enough in that sweater?" Kangaskhan asked.

"Yes, Mommy." Said Amanda. "Let's get going, Arcanine." Arcanine let out some acknowledgement barks to agree with her.

"Off we go, Pikachu." Said Amanda, and the three of them went on their way. Since it was wintertime, all the rest of the Pokemon were in hibernation, which meant that Amanda wouldn't be seeing them again until the spring season arrived. She didn't mind, though, because she knew that not every Pokemon was built to live in cold climates. She smiled as she and Pikachu bounced along down the path, with Arcanine leading the way. As they bounced, they made sure to take in as much of the scenery as possible. They even went through some areas that she had never seen before. In one of the areas was some trees, and even though she liked climbing trees, Arcanine was too strong to climb up any of them, so they continued onward. A couple of hours later, they came to a wide open area where they could take a rest.

"Is all the bouncing tiring you out a bit, Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pika." Pikachu nodded, which meant 'Just a little bit.'

"Don't worry, buddy. We're going to take a rest here and then we'll continue when we're ready." Said Amanda. Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief and went to play with Arcanine. Amanda sat down on a nearby bench and watched them play together. Meanwhile, up in the sky, a hot air balloon belonging to three crooks flew above them.

"So, that little twerp has some little Poke pals." Said a small cat Pokemon with a gold charm on its' head.

"They'll make fine additions to the Team Rocket squad." Said a teenage girl with pink hair.

"I don't know about that big dog, but the little Pikachu will do nicely." Said a teenage boy with blue hair. They started discussing their plan, but they made sure to talk quietly so as not to be heard. Meanwhile, Amanda watched Pikachu and Arcanine make snow angels as well as snowmen versions of themselves.

"That looks really nice Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'I'm glad you like it'.

"Well, I think it's time we went on our way." Said Amanda. Pikachu and Arcanine agreed, but before they could get anywhere, a pair of robotic hands grabbed Pikachu and forced it toward the balloon.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried angrily.

"Hey!" Amanda cried, and she jumped off the bench. "Who in the world are you?!"

"I guess it's time to give this girl our official introduction." Said the teen girl, and they began to recite a motto.

"Prepare for trouble!"

"Make it double!"

"To protect the world from devastation!"

"To unite all peoples within our nation."

"To denounce the evils of truth and love."

"To extend our reach to the stars above!"

"Jessie!"

"James!"

"Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light!"

"Surrender now or prepare to fight!"

"Meowth, that's right!" Amanda was left a bit confused, though.

"Could you repeat all of that?" she said. Jessie and James groaned and fell over to the side, anime style.

"Listen kid, we don't know you and you don't know us, but I can tell you right now that you don't ever want to mess with us!" exclaimed Meowth. Amanda was quite surprised to hear Meowth speak human language.

"Wow, a Meowth that can talk. That's so cool!" she cried. Then, she saw Pikachu being held hostage in a small cage and looking upset.

"Don't worry, Pikachu, we'll get you out of there." Said Amanda. "Try breaking the cage with your Thunderbolt attack." Pikachu did its' best to break the bars with its' electricity, but it did no good. Meowth let out a laugh.

"Nice try, kid, but that cage your little friend's in is completely shock proof." Said Meowth. Jessie and James were now back on their feet.

"You crooks had better give Pikachu back to me right now!" demanded Amanda.

"We'd like to give it back, but there's a little problem." Said Jessie.

"If we were to give it back, we wouldn't be doing our jobs." Said Jessie.

"So you can kiss your little Pikachu goodbye." Said Meowth. He started to raise the balloon back into the air, but Amanda was determined not to give up.

"Wait a second, the bars on that cage are made of steel." She said, and that gave her an idea. "Arcanine, run over there and burn the cage with your Flamethrower, but make sure you don't hurt Pikachu." Arcanine nodded and ran over to where Pikachu was being held. It barked loudly at Team Rocket.

"I think this dog's bark is worse than it's bite." Said Meowth.

"Move aside, we don't have time to play with you right now." Said Jessie. Arcanine barked again, aimed at the cage and fired a stream of flames at it. As per Amanda's instructions, he made sure not to aim it at Pikachu. The bars melted instantly, and Pikachu ran up to Amanda.

"I'm glad you're okay, buddy." She said. They both gave Team Rocket an angry glare.

"All right kid, if you want a battle, you're getting one." Said jessie, and she and James threw their Poke Balls. "Go Ekans!"

"Go Koffing!" cried James. Both Pokemon materialized at once and hissed at the three of them.

"It's a good thing I'm able to fight them two on two." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt! Arcanine, Flamethrower!" Both Pokemon fired their attacks and Team Rocket got burned and electrocuted.

"This kid may be small, but she's tough." Said Meowth. He tried to give Pikachu a dose of his Fury Swipes, but Pikachu sent him away with his tail.

"The Pikachu's tough too." He said.

"Okay Pikachu, you know what to do." Said Amanda. Pikachu fired up its' strongest Thunderbolt and sent Team Rocket into the air.

"Losing to a kid who's not even technically a trainer is downright embarrassing." Said Jessie.

"She's good, though." Said James.

"So is that Pikachu." Said Meowth. "Team Rocket's blasting off again!" DING!

"Great job, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "You too, Arcanine." She smiled and petted both of them. With Team Rocket out of the way, the three of them bounced onward. Thankfully, Team Rocket stayed away, and when Amanda and Pikachu returned back home later in the afternoon, she bore a very happy smile.

"It seems like you had a very good day." Said Kangaskhan.

"It was an excellent day." Said Amanda. "We did have a small encounter with Team Rocket, but Pikachu and I took care of them, didn't we buddy?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'We sure did, Amanda!'

"Pardon my asking, but who's Team Rocket?" asked Kangaskhan.

"They're bad people that try to steal other People's Pokemon." Said Amanda.

"I see." Said Kangaskhan. "Well, try to be more careful if you see them again."

"I will, Mama." Said Amanda. Thankfully, Team Rocket stayed away from the Safari Zone, and a couple of days after Amanda turned nine, they had an unexpected visitor. A man wearing a red sweater, brown pants and a white coat came into the living room, where Amanda and Pikachu were sitting as they watched TV together. He cleared his throat and the two of them gave him their attention.

"Excuse me sir, but who are you?" asked Amanda.

"Pika pika?" asked Pikachu, which meant 'Is he from team Rocket too?'

"I don't think so." Said Amanda.

"I am most certainly not part of Team Rocket." The man explained. "I'm Professor Samuel Oak, from Pallet Town. I'm a Pokemon researcher." He explained what that was.

"So, you observe Pokemon in their habitats and study how they live in their environments?" asked Amanda.

"That's correct." Said Professor Oak. He took a careful look at Pikachu and examined it closely. Pikachu smiled at Professor Oak and gave him a gentle nuzzle.

"It's clear to me that this Pikachu likes you a lot." Said Professor Oak. "I hope you've been taking good care of it."

"I have." Said Amanda. She told the professor about how she had first met Pikachu and was also friends with several other Pokemon that lived in the Safari Zone, including the tall and majestic Arcanine.

"They're all really cool Pokemon to hang out with, but the one Pokemon that I'd love to see would be a Gyrados." She said.

"I'm sure you would, but I should warn you that Gyrados can be very short tempered." Said Professor Oak. "They're also very powerful Pokemon too, and if you're not careful, they can cause a lot of trouble. Now, if memory serves me correctly, you'll be turning ten next year."

"That's right." Said Amanda.

"In that case, you'll be able to officially become a trainer and you'll be able to meet some Pokemon that you've never seen before." Said Professor Oak. "And as it happens, I happen to have three of those very Pokemon."

"Can I see what they look like?" asked Amanda.

"I'm afraid I left them back at my lab." Said Professor Oak. "I'll tell you what, though. When you're able to officially become a trainer next year, you can see them for yourself. Well, that'll be all for this visit. There's a lot of Pokemon in my lab whose needs I have to tend to. I hope to see you soon." Professor Oak left, and now Amanda was getting excited again. She definitely wanted to become a trainer, but something like this was an important decision. She decided that she would wait until the time was right to ask Kangaskhan about it. The weeks and seasons passed, and before Amanda knew it, her birthday was just three days away. She was trying to figure out what she wanted to do to celebrate when Professor Oak came in.

"I apologize for dropping in unannounced like this, but this is very important." He said. "As you will be turning ten very soon, I am here today to officially extend an invitation for you to become a Pokemon trainer."

"Oh, that's very exciting." Said Amanda.

"I take it that you'd like to become a trainer then?" asked Professor Oak.

"Of course!" cried Amanda. "I need to ask Mama about this, though." She went into the kitchen and tugged at Kangaskhan's arm.

"What is it, dear?" she asked.

"Professor Oak is here and he wants me to become a trainer." Said Amanda.

"Who's Professor Oak?" asked Kangaskhan.

"He's a Pokemon researcher." Said Amanda.

"I see." Said Kangaskhan. "Well, I suppose I should meet him then." Amanda got into Kangaskhan's pouch and they went into the living room where they saw Oak going over some papers.

"So, you must be this child's mother." Said Professor Oak.

"That is correct." Said Kangaskhan.

"I must say that it's quite unusual for a Pokemon to be the mother of an actual child and not a baby Kangaskhan, but I've seen even weirder." Said Professor Oak. "Anyway, I think your daughter has potential to be a very good Pokemon trainer, hence why I'm extending this offer to her."

"Well, she has liked Pokemon ever since she was very little." Said Kangaskhan. "Becoming a trainer and going on a journey would be perfect for her because she'd get to see new places and meet new people."

"She'd also get to meet new Pokemon." Said Professor Oak.

"Well, Mama, can I do it?" asked Amanda.

"If it means I would have the house to myself again, then yes, I will allow you to do this." Said Kangaskhan.

"Thanks, Mama! You're the best!" cried Amanda excitedly. She quickly signed the papers that Professor Oak gave her which would officially make her a trainer.

"You'll do very good at this in my opinion." Said Professor Oak. "Remember, though, that this won't kick in until you turn ten, so not too much longer to wait." Said Professor Oak. He packed up his briefcase and left. Amanda was getting even more excited now. Just three days later, her birthday finally arrived. She had started the morning by having her favorite cereal for breakfast and then went into the yard to play around with Pikachu. Ten minutes into playing, Arcanine ran up to her and gave a playful lick. Amanda gave a friendly laugh.

"Hi, Arcanine. I guess you're here to wish me a happy birthday." She said. Arcanine nodded and wished her happy birthday in bark.

"Thank you very much, Arcanine." Said Amanda. "You know, since I'm ten years old today, I officially get to become a Pokemon trainer." Arcanine barked excitedly, which meant 'That's exciting'.

"It's very exciting." Said Amanda. She continued talking with Arcanine for a little while, and then Kangaskhan came up to her.

"You have a phone call, dear." She said. "It's from Professor Oak." Amanda ran inside and pressed a button on the video phone which made Oak's face come up.

"Good morning, Professor!" exclaimed Amanda.

"Good morning, Amanda." Said Professor Oak. "First off, I want to wish you a happy birthday."

"Thanks, Professor." Said Amanda.

"You're welcome." Said Professor Oak. "Second, since you're about to embark on your own journey, I ordered some clothes for you from the Celadon City department store a few days ago. Those clothes just arrived yesterday and I think you'll like them."

"I'm sure I will, Professor." Said Amanda.

"What I'd like to have you do is spend tonight at my lab and you can depart tomorrow morning." Said Professor Oak.

"That's fine, Professor, but how would I get there?" asked Amanda.

"I'll send a Pidgeotto to the Safari Zone to pick you up later this afternoon." Said Professor Oak. "I'm looking forward to seeing you."

"One more thing, Professor." Said Amanda. "Can Pikachu come with me?"

"He sure can." Said Professor Oak. "Well, I need to get back to my work, but I'll see you later." He hung up the phone, leaving Amanda smiling. She hurried back outside and happily bounced up to where Pikachu was.

"Guess what, buddy? We get to go on an adventure together!" she cried.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'What kind of adventure?'

"We get to go on a Pokemon journey together." Said Amanda. "However, that means I have to leave Arcanine and everyone else behind." Arcanine frowned a bit, but Amanda quickly reassured him.

"Don't worry, I'll come visit you and the other Pokemon when I can." She said. Arcanine smiled again and barked happily. After lunch, the Pidgeotto arrived to take Amanda to Pallet Town.

"I guess this is it." Said Kangaskhan, and she gave Amanda a big hug. "I almost forgot, there's a couple of rules that I'll need you to follow while you're on your journey. One important rule is that you call me whenever you get to a new city. Secondly, you call me every time you get a new badge. Are we clear on those conditions?"

"Yes, Mama." Said Amanda. She and Pikachu got onto the Pidgeotto, and they flew away.

"This is going to be fun." Amanda said to herself. She made sure to take in as much of the air scenery as possible while the Pidgeotto flew. Before she knew it, she was in Pallet Town. Pidgeotto landed right in front of the lab and gently allowed Amanda and Pikachu to get down.

"Thanks, Pidgeotto." Said Amanda. Pidgeotto nodded and flew off. Amanda took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Professor Oak quickly came to the door and let her in.

"Come right on in, Amanda." Said Professor Oak, and he led her inside. There were all sorts of Pokemon in the lab that Amanda had never seen before, including a Kadabra, a Fearow and a Vaporeon.

"Those Pokemon are all so cool, Professor." Said Amanda. "Do they all belong to you?"

"Oh no. Those Pokemon belong to other trainers that are out and about." Said Professor Oak. "I just look after them and make sure they're taken care of until the trainer decides that they need those Pokemon." Amanda was introduced to all the Pokemon that were currently in the lab and she quickly made friends with all of them. Then, Professor Oak showed her the guest bedroom.

"This is where you and Pikachu will stay tonight before officially going out on your journey tomorrow." He said. "I did mention that I had gotten a few potential trainer outfits for you, so I'd like you to have a look at them." He opened the closet and showed her the possible selections. The first outfit consisted of a plain green sweater with pink jean shorts and bright red sneakers.

"That would be perfect for if I wanted to go for a casual look." Said Amanda.

"The next one is somewhat casual, but also a little more formal at the same time." Said Professor Oak. The second outfit was a bright yellow tee shirt with a bright red skirt and green boots.

"That one looks a bit more like my style." Said Amanda.

"I believe you'll really like this last one." Said Professor Oak. The last outfit was a plain blue dress with puff sleeves, a white collar around the neck, and a pink ribbon sash that was already wrapped around the waistline of the dress and tied into a bow at the back.

"That one looks very nice." Said Amanda. "Do I have to decide now?"

"No, you can make a decision in the morning." Said Professor Oak and he closed the closet. He then went back to his work, leaving Amanda and Pikachu by themselves.

"What do you think, buddy?" she asked. "Which of those clothes do you think I should wear as my trainer outfit?"

"Pika pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'That's up to you. Although, I do like that third choice a little bit.'

"Well, I need to decide by the time the morning comes." Said Amanda. "I also need to decide which of the starter Pokemon I want." Amanda was a bit nervous as she slept that night. She outweighed the pros and cons of choosing each starter in her head, and then made her decision to herself. The next morning, she woke up feeling the most excited that she had ever felt in her life, as she would be embarking on her journey today.

"Well Pikachu, today is the day we depart." Said Amanda. Pikachu was excited as well. They had their breakfast in the little kitchen area and then went back to the room to get dressed. Amanda looked at all the outfits again before making her choice.

"You know Pikachu, in all the years I've been around, I don't think I've ever worn a dress before."

"Pika?" asked Pikachu, which meant 'Never?'

"Nope." Said Amanda. "I've worn a skirt some of the time but never a dress. But since this is a new start for us, I think it's time we changed that." She got out of the pajamas that Oak had provided her with and changed into the dress. She looked in the mirror and smiled.

"What do you think, Pikachu?" asked Amanda.

"Pika pika Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I think that's a very good choice.'

"Thanks, buddy." Said Amanda. She found that the skirt of the dress was a bit longer than she thought as it went down to a few inches past her knees, but she wasn't really picky at all. She also found that the dress she was wearing came with a pair of white tights and a pair of shiny black Mary Jane dress shoes. She put the tights and shoes on, buckled up the straps on the shoes and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"Well, I guess it's time." Said Amanda, and she went over to the table where Oak usually kept the starters.

"Good morning, Amanda." Said Professor Oak. "I'm glad to see that you got up on time today to start your journey, unlike another trainer who overslept on his first day around this time last year." The trainer Oak was referring to was none other than Ash Ketchum, but Amanda didn't know this yet.

"Do you think I'll be able to meet this other trainer while I'm on my journey, Professor?" asked Amanda.

"It's entirely possible." Said Oak. "Also, be careful if you run into my grandson Gary. He's a good trainer, but he can get a little cocky and overconfident. But let's not worry about that right now. Let's focus on who you're going to pick for your starter. He opened up all three Poke Balls, and Amanda saw three Pokemon that were new to her.

"This first one is Charmander." Said Professor Oak. "See the bright flame on its' tail?"

"That looks so cool." Said Amanda.

"I do warn you, though, that Charmander will die if the flame goes out at all." Said Oak. "That's one thing to keep in mind if you choose this one." He then showed Amanda a Pokemon that had a green bulb on its' head.

"This one is Bulbasaur." Said Professor Oak. "They're sometimes shy around new trainers, but this one's pretty friendly."

"Hi there, Bulbasaur." Said Amanda. "Can I pet you?" Bulbasaur nodded and Amanda gave him some gentle strokes.

"He's so cute." Said Amanda.

"If you think that's cute, wait until you see this last one." Said Oak, and he introduced her to Squirtle.

"This one can be a bit mischievous if you're not careful." Said Oak.

"How do you know?" asked Amanda.

"I suppose you've never heard of the Squirtle Squad." Said Professor Oak. "They're a bunch of Squirtle that were abandoned by their trainers and started causing all sorts of problems. But Ash and his friends set them straight, and now instead of playing pranks, they fight fires. Ash even caught the leader of the gang."

"That's pretty cool." Said Amanda.

"Now that you've seen all of the starters, which one would you like to select?" asked Oak. Amanda weighed her options carefully before picking up the Squirtle.

"All three of you are cute, but I think you're the cutest of the bunch." She said. She gave Squirtle a hug, but she made sure not to be too tight. Squirtle then pointed to Amanda's dress and gave a thumbs up.

"You like this because it matches your color?" asked Amanda. "Squirtle nodded.

"That makes this choice easy." Said Amanda. "Professor, I think my mind is made up. I choose Squirtle."

"A very fine choice." Said Oak. "I must ask, though, what made you decide on that one."

"It might be because it likes the color of the dress I'm wearing." Said Amanda. "Since this dress is blue just like Squirtle is, I figured it would be the perfect choice."

"That seems like sound reasoning to me." Said Professor Oak. He placed Squirtle back into his Poke Ball and handed it to Amanda.

"Here you go." Said Professor Oak. Amanda placed Squirtle's ball on the waist of her dress and smiled.

"Thank you so much, Professor." Said Amanda.

"You're welcome." Said Oak. "There's a couple of other things I'm supposed to give you to get started." He handed Amanda six empty Poke Balls.

"You'll use these to capture any new Pokemon you come across." He said. "I should tell you that you can only carry six at once, which means any extras will be sent here to me." He also handed Amanda a bright orange handheld device.

"This little computer is your Pokedex." He said. "It'll tell you all the information you need to know about all the Pokemon that currently exist. It also acts as your identification, so make sure you don't lose it. With that, I think you're all set to go."

"I think so too." Said Amanda. Just then, she remembered something. "Professor, both Squirtle and Pikachu should be registered in the Pokedex so that it'll know I officially own them."

"Good idea." Said Oak. Amanda scanned the Pokedex on Squirtle's ball and heard a sound to indicate that it was officially registered as owned. She did the same thing with Pikachu, but in this instance, she scanned it on his body. The same sound went off, and then Amanda closed the Pokedex and put it away.

"There we go." She said. "I'm all set now, Professor."

"That's good, but I think there's one more thing you should do first." Said Oak. Amanda dialed the number for her house in the Safari Zone, and after a few rings, Kangaskhan picked up.

"Hi, Mama!" cried Amanda excitedly.

"Hello there, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "I was actually just thinking about you last night. Who did you end up picking for your first Pokemon?"

"I chose Squirtle." Said Amanda. "I hope I made the right choice, though."

"I'm pretty sure you did." Said Kangaskhan.

"Well, Mama, I have to go so I can start on the journey. I'll call you when I get to the next city." Said Amanda.

"Please make sure you do." Said Kangaskhan, and they hung up.

"Well Pikachu, off we go." Said Amanda. "Thanks for everything, Professor."

"You're welcome." Said Oak. "Make sure you keep me updated regularly on your progress."

"I will." Said Amanda. With Pikachu on her shoulder and her Poke Balls securely on her waist, she calmly strolled out of the lab and down the path. Professor Oak watched her go on her way.

"She'll definitely be a very fine trainer indeed." He said.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode 2

Last time, were introduced to Amanda, a young girl from the Safari Zone. She had been living there with a Kangaskhan and met all kinds of Pokemon during her childhood years. She became very good friends with all of them, including a Pikachu that she got to keep for her very own. But now that she's turned ten, she was able to pick a starter Pokemon from Professor Oak. Amanda chose Squirtle, and with her longtime partner Pikachu by her side along with her new Squirtle, Amanda has now set out to become the best trainer possible. What kinds of Pokemon will she encounter? Let's find out as her journey continues.

The morning that Amanda was starting her journey was nice and sunny out. She had left the lab with her brand new Squirtle and was happily skipping along route one. This was the route that would be taking her to Viridian City, and according to her Pokedex, Pidgey and Rattata were commonly found here. She definitely hoped to catch at least one of them, or even possibly both.

"We're already off to a great start, aren't we Pikachu?" she asked.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu, which meant 'It's an excellent start.'

"I'm glad you agree." Said Amanda. Fifteen minutes later, a small bird flew above her.

"What's that?" she wondered. She got as close as she could without scaring it away and pointed her Pokedex at it.

"Pidgey, the tiny bird Pokémon." Said the Pokedex. "It is very gentle in nature, which makes it a perfect target for beginning trainers."

"It'll also make a great addition to our team if I can catch it." Said Amanda. "All right Pikachu, start off with a Quick Attack." Pikachu nodded and ran at the Pidgey. It was fast, however, and flew out of the way right as Pikachu was about to strike.

"That looks like a pretty powerful Pidgey." Said Amanda. Pidgey started flapping its wings together to use a Gust attack. Pikachu was knocked back a bit, but unfazed.

"Try another Quick Attack!" Amanda commanded, but once again, the Pidgey dodged it. Then, Pidgey hurled some sand right at Pikachu and hit it just above its eyes.

"Pikachu, come back." Called Amanda. Pikachu rushed over and Amanda got all the sand off.

"You're trying your best, but this Pidgey seems determined to beat you. We're not going to let that happen, though, are we?"

"Pika!" exclaimed Pikachu, which meant 'I'm going to show that bird who the real powerhouse is.'

"That's the spirit." Said Amanda. "Try a Thunderbolt." Pikachu released a strong yellow line of thunder from its' cheeks, and this time, it hit the Pidgey directly.

"Electric attacks are strong against flying types, so this should be a quick win." Said Amanda. Pikachu's attack sent Pidgey to the ground, but it held firm.

"No way! It can still battle after taking that much damage?" Amanda asked in a surprising tone. Pidgey ran full speed at Pikachu and used its' Peck attack to poke it with its' beak. Pikachu tried to dodge with its' Agility attack, but one of the pecks hit the little mouse a bit harder than normal.

"Pikachu!" cried Amanda, and she ran over to it to see if he was okay. Pikachu gave the thumbs up and got back on its' feet.

"It may be down, but it's certainly not out yet. Okay Pikachu, full force Thunderbolt!" Pikachu shot its' most powerful beam of electricity at Pidgey and finally knocked it out.

"Great work, buddy." Said Amanda. She grabbed an empty Poke Ball and threw it at Pidgey. The bird disappeared into the ball, but was clearly too weak from the battle to resist. As a result, the ball dinged instantly to signify a successful capture.

"Welcome to the team, Pidgey." Said Amanda. She put the ball containing her new capture on her waist, and then she and Pikachu continued onward.

"You did a really good job against the Pidgey." Said Amanda.

"Pika Pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Thanks, but that battle tired me out a little bit.'

"I'll let you rest for now." Said Amanda. She let Pikachu have a nap, and she brought out Pidgey and Squirtle so that they could introduce themselves to each other. The two Pokemon really hit it off, and soon enough, they became very good friends, which pleased Amanda as she sat on the ground and watched the two of them. An hour and a half later, Pikachu woke up and climbed back onto Amanda's shoulder.

"I guess it's time to head out." She said. She recalled Pidgey and Squirtle and began to skip down the route again. She was very happy with her new capture and hoped that she would find some more new Pokemon. Twenty minutes later, she came across a small rat with purple fur and a cream colored face. This was the Pokemon known as Rattata.

"Let's see what the Pokedex has to say about this one." Said Amanda. She got her device out and pointed it at Rattata.

"Rattata. This rat Pokemon likes to bite at anything when it attacks. It also likes to steal food from passing travelers."

"Luckily for me, I don't have any food on me right now." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, are you up to battling this one, or should I use someone else?"

"Pika pika pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'It's your choice, but if I were you, I'd let Squirtle battle so it can get some experience.'

"That's exactly what I'll do, then.' Said Amanda. She grabbed Squirtle's ball and threw it. "Let's go, Squirtle!" The small turtle appeared on the field ready to receive orders.

"All right Squirtle, give it everything you've got." Said Amanda. "Use Water Gun." Squirtle sent a stream of water at Rattata, and even though it scored a direct hit, Rattata wasn't fazed too much. It ran at Squirtle and tried to use Bite on it.

"Quick Squirtle, use Withdraw to hide in your shell!" Amanda called. Squirtle obeyed and disappeared into the shell, resulting in Rattata only hitting the shell with its' bite. Squirtle then popped out.

"That's the way to do it." Said Amanda. "Now then, use your Tackle attack." Squirtle charged at Rattata and gave it a hard tackle. Rattata countered with a Quick Attack, which knocked Squirtle back a bit, but it wasn't enough to knock it out.

"Way to tough it out." Said Amanda. "Water Gun one more time." Squirtle fired another line of water, but this time, it was more powerful and the Rattata got knocked out. Amanda threw an empty ball, and the Rattata did show some resistance upon entering, but it wasn't strong enough to escape. Rattata was successfully caught.

"Great job, Squirtle." Said Amanda. She placed the newly captured Rattata's Poke Ball on her waist and recalled Squirtle. They then continued on, and thirty minutes later, they came across a shallow stream. They decided to take a small break, and Amanda watched the water to see if any water Pokemon would appear. After ten more minutes had passed, a fish Pokemon with red and orange scales popped out of the water.

"I think I know what that is. That's a Magikarp." Said Amanda. She took out her Pokedex to get more information.

"Magikarp. Although this fish Pokemon can be seen in many lakes and rivers, it is not a strong battler. It's only move is Splash."

"That doesn't seem very powerful to me." Said Amanda. "Hi, Magikarp. It's nice to meet you."

"Karp karp." Said Magikarp, which meant 'Likewise'.

"You must like swimming a lot." Said Amanda. Magikarp nodded and showed off its' swimming abilities. After talking for a little bit, Amanda had a proposal for the Magikarp.

"Usually I would want to get my Pokemon by catching them, but in your case, I'll just flat out ask. Would you like to join me on my journey?" Magikarp happily nodded its' head.

"Okay then." Said Amanda. She tossed a ball at Magikarp, and the little fish went right in. The ball then flew back to Amanda and dinged, signifying a successful catch.

"That makes three Pokemon that I've already caught today." Said Amanda. "Mama and Professor Oak will be very happy."

"Pika pika!" cried Pikachu, which meant 'I'm sure they will'. They left the stream and continued on their way. They hadn't gotten too much further when they saw a flock of Spearow overhead.

"Wow, those ones look tough." Said Amanda. She took out her Pokedex to get more information.

"Spearow. This flying type Pokemon is more aggressive than the gentle and kind Pidgey. If you come across this Pokemon, approach with extreme caution."

"We're not afraid of any stupid Spearow, right Pikachu?" said Amanda.

"Pikachu!" which meant 'That's right!'. Unfortunately, the Spearow didn't take too kindly to being called stupid, and one of them flew right toward Amanda and pecked her right arm.

"Ow! Hey, stop that!" Amanda cried. But the Spearow refused to stop.

"Okay, I'm sorry. You're not stupid." Said Amanda. The Spearow stopped pecking her and nodded at her, which meant 'That's better.'

"All right Spearow, you may not like me, but I want to be your friend. I know that wasn't the best of starts, but I want to test my current strength in a battle with you." The Spearow pondered Amanda's words before nodding.

"Then let's not waste any time. Pikachu, start off with a Thunderbolt." Pikachu shot a line of thunder at the Spearow, but it dodged.

"This Spearow looks tough too." Said Amanda. "Don't let your guard down, Pikachu." Spearow tried to peck away, but Pikachu was able to dodge with Agility. Pikachu then ran at Spearow with Quick Attack and hit the Spearow head on. Spearow wasn't out just yet and fired back with a Fury Attack. Pikachu did get hit a bit by it, but it stood firm.

"That's the way, Pikachu!" cried Amanda. "Use Thunderbolt again." Pikachu launched another line of thunder at the Spearow, directly hitting it. The Spearow fell to the ground with its' eyes crossed out. It had fainted. Amanda took out a ball and threw it at the Spearow. Once Spearow got sucked in, it tried hard to escape. But after three shakes, the ball dinged.

"Another successful capture." Said Amanda. "She picked up Spearow's ball and put it on her waist, and they continued on their way.

"Well Pikachu, it looks like we have a full team." Said Amanda. Pikachu was happy for Amanda, and right as they were close to Viridian City, a large, majestic bird flew by.

"I wonder what Pokemon that is." Said Amanda. Unfortunately, her Pokedex couldn't identify it.

"Pokemon unknown. There are many Pokemon yet to be discovered." Amanda shrugged her shoulders and made her way into the city.

"I guess the first thing I should do is find the Pokemon Center." She said. She started walking around trying to find it when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Amanda. She turned around and saw Officer Jenny standing before her.

"Excuse me young lady, but why is that Pikachu on your shoulder and not in a Poke Ball?" asked Jenny. "You didn't steal it, did you?"

"Of course not." Said Amanda. "This Pikachu belongs to me, and it's on my shoulder because it doesn't like being in a Poke Ball." Pikachu nodded in agreement. She took out her Pokedex and showed it to the officer.

"I am a Pokedex belonging to trainer Amanda of Fuchsia City. If lost or stolen, I cannot be replaced."

"Well, that checks out." Said Officer Jenny. "All right kid, you can go." Amanda walked up and down the streets trying to find the Pokemon Center, and eventually, she saw a building with a red letter P on it.

"That must be it." Said Amanda, and she made her way inside.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center." Said Nurse Joy.

"Can you heal my Pokemon please?" asked Amanda.

"Certainly." Said Nurse Joy. She took Pikachu and Amanda's other Poke Balls and placed them on a tray. She then headed to the waiting room and dialed Professor Oak.

"Guess what, Professor. I've already caught a few Pokemon since leaving Pallet Town earlier." Said Amanda.

"That's very good." Said Oak. "Which ones did you catch?"

"I got a Magikarp, a Spearow, a Pidgey, and a Rattata." Said Amanda. "Those four, plus Pikachu and Squirtle give me a total of six Pokemon already."

"That's very good." Said Professor Oak.

"However, I also saw a Pokemon that my dex couldn't identify." Said Amanda. "Do you know which Pokemon it is?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't." said Oak. "Nobody has ever seen that particular one before."

"I see." Said Amanda. "Thanks anyway, Professor." She hung up with him and dialed her house. After four rings, Kangaskhan answered.

"Hello there, dear." She said. "How's the start of the journey going?"

"It's going great." Said Amanda. "I have a full team of Pokemon already."

"That's great, dear." Said Kangaskhan. They talked for an hour before ending the call. Amanda then heard a sound which indicated that her Pokemon were fully healed.

"Here you are, Amanda." Said Joy.

"Thanks." Said Amanda.

"By the way, have you considered trying out the gym challenge?" asked Joy.

"No, I haven't." said Amanda. "What's that?"

"It's where starting trainers test their skills against the region's best trainers. Once you have eight badges, you can compete in the Pokemon League tournament." Said Joy.

"There should be a gym here, shouldn't there?" asked Amanda.

"There is, but that one might be too advanced for you right now since you're just starting. I'd suggest starting with the gym in Pewter City." Said Joy.

"That's what I'll do." Said Amanda. She then went to the store to buy some supplies, including more Poke Balls for some new catches. She then spent the rest of the day and all night in the room that had been provided for her at the Center.

"I guess we can head toward Pewter City tomorrow." Said Amanda. Pikachu agreed with that, and they happily fell asleep at bedtime. When they woke up in the morning, they started heading toward their next destination when they saw three people heading the other way.

"It feels great to be here again." Said Ash.

"And when we get to the gym, there's an Earth Badge with your name on it waiting for you." Said a teenage boy whose eyes were closed. The boy, of course, was Brock. Amanda started to get curious and followed them to the gym. As the three of them were waiting for the gym to open, another boy that was roughly Amanda's age came out of a bright red car.

"Still playing with your little Poke pals?" he asked mockingly. "I thought you would've given up already, but no, you're still at it. Why are you here, anyway?"

"So I can get my eighth badge." Ash answered in a rather angry tone.

"You have a lot of catching up to do." Said the boy, and he pulled out his badge case. "As you can see, I already have ten badges, more than enough for the League. I just stopped here to see if the leader wants to challenge a real trainer, not some scrub." Ash got angrier, but Amanda looked right at the boy.

"Hey, I think I know who you are." She said. "By any chance, are you the famous Gary Oak?"

"The one and only." Said Gary. "How did you know?"

"Your grandpa told me a bit about you when I was starting my journey yesterday." Said Amanda. "He warned me about your attitude, and if you ask me, I don't think the way you're treating that young boy over there is very nice at all." Ash was surprised that a kid he didn't even know yet was defending him.

"I hate to break it to you, but your opinion doesn't matter." Said Gary. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have a battle to win." He got out of the car and approached the door. "I'm Gary Oak and I request a battle with the leader of this gym."

"Request granted." Said the guards, and they let Gary in.

"We're going in too, Pikachu." Said Ash. Unfortunately, he was stopped.

"Only one trainer allowed in at a time." Said the first guard.

"You don't understand. I'm trying to win a badge. You have to let me in!" Ash's protest fell on death ears, however.

"That's the rules." The guards replied and closed the doors.

"If I don't do something fast, Gary will get way ahead of me." Said Ash.

"Reality check, Ash. Gary's been ahead of you from the start." Said a young girl with red hair.

"I don't think that's the kind of thing Ash needs to hear right now." Said Brock.

"I agree." Said Amanda. "So what if Ash isn't up to Gary's level? The fact that he's here trying to win the last badge he needs shows me that he's a pretty good trainer."

"Uh, excuse me miss, but who are you?" asked the red haired girl.

"Oh, sorry, I guess I should introduce myself. My name's Amanda. I'm a new trainer that just started my journey yesterday."

"Did you hear that, Pikachu?" asked Ash. "A new friend for us." Ash shook Amanda's hand.

"I'm Ash, and this is my Pikachu." He said.

"I have a Pikachu too." Said Amanda. "I've had him for years now, ever since I met him in the Safari Zone."

"We've made a stop there already." Said Brock.

"That's where a lot of wild Pokemon live." Said Ash.

"That's also where I live." Said Amanda.

"That's amazing." Said the red haired girl. "My name's Misty, by the way."

"Say, who's that cute Pokemon you're holding?" asked Amanda.

"This is Togepi." Said Misty. "It's just a baby right now, but it's very cute." Amanda used her Pokedex to get information.

"Togepi. This egg Pokemon is newly discovered, and as such, no other information is currently available."

"My Pikachu and Misty's Togepi are already good friends with each other." Said Ash.

"Let's find somewhere to eat while Gary has his battle, and our new friend can tell us about what life is like living in the safari Zone." Said Brock. They found a café on a street not too far away from the gym and they had some small snacks.

"Living in the safari Zone has been great." Said Amanda. "I've gotten to meet all sorts of Pokemon and until my journey, I was living with a Kangaskhan."

"That's certainly very interesting." Said Misty. Amanda continued talking, and after half an hour had passed, the four of them decided that they should head back. When they returned to the gym, they found the guards completely knocked out.

"I wonder what happened here." Said Ash. Then he remembered that Gary had been the last trainer to enter the gym, so they quickly rushed in to see what had happened.

"Gary! What went on in here?" Ash asked.

"A Pokemon that we've never seen before did all of this." Said Gary weekly. "This Pokemon wasn't just powerful, it's evil."

"There's no such thing as an evil Pokemon." Said Misty.

"This one is." Said Gary. "It completely wiped out both my Nidoking and Arcanine."

"Something doesn't seem right about that, though." Said Brock. "It had to have been controlled by someone."

"But who, though?" wondered Ash. They then heard the laugh of a familiar trio.

"It's them again!" cried Ash.

"Prepare for trouble!" said Jessie.

"Make it double!" cried James. Before they could continue, however, Amanda intervened.

"Hey, I remember you three!" she exclaimed.

"Hey kid, don't you know it's rude to interrupt someone when they're talking?" Meowth hissed.

"We already know what you're going to say." Said Amanda.

"Yeah, and it's never any different." Said Ash.

"Ah, but today is very different." Said Jessie. "For you see, you're looking at the new leaders of this gym."

"You three are the leaders?" Amanda questioned. "I thought it was somebody else who normally runs this gym."

"Our boss normally leads, but he got called away unexpectedly and put us in charge." Said James.

"Amanda, did you say you remember these guys?" asked Brock. Amanda nodded.

"I already encountered them in the Safari Zone and they tried to steal my Pikachu." She said.

"I'm glad I'm not the only one they've been after." Said Ash.

"What's past is past, but now, it's battle time." Said Meowth. "If you want your Earth Badge, you'll have to beat us."

"That's just what I'm going to do." Said Ash.

"Then step into the ring that we've prepared just for you." Said Jessie.

"Don't do it, Ash. It's a trap." Said Misty.

"If you run away now, you won't get that Earth Badge." James taunted.

"I'm not running anywhere." Said Ash and went into the special ring. Jessie sent out Machamp and Ash sent out Squirtle. Unfortunately, he quickly saw that the gym's Pokemon were much stronger, and once Ash's Squirtle got hit by an attack, he got shocked.

"What's with the shocks?" demanded Brock.

"That's a custom feature here in this gym." Said Jessie. "Whatever pain the Pokemon feels, the trainer feels as well."

"Ash, call back your Squirtle." Said Gary. "Machamp's too powerful for it."

"Gary's right." Said Ash and recalled Squirtle. "Bulbasaur, I choose you!" Bulbasaur appeared on the field, and Jessie countered with Kingler. Bulbasaur tried using Vine Whip, but Kingler dodged by using Harden.

"Ash, you can't beat these Pokemon. They're too strong." Gary insisted.

"I can't give up." Said Ash. "We've come too far." He sent out his Pidgeotto, which somehow managed to land a hit, shocking Jessie.

"Ouch!" she cried. "James, why did you set this to give shocks on both sides?!"

"I didn't think it would matter." Said James. "It never occurred to me that we could possibly lose."

"Fortunately, I came up with this little beauty in case we did lose." Said Meowth, who held up a remote control. "All I have to do is hit this button and goodbye competition."

"Oh no you don't!" yelled Amanda and charged at Meowth, fully tackling him, and knocking the remote from his hand. Jessie and James refused to quit, however, and sent out Arbok and Weezing respectively.

"They must've evolved since the last time I saw them." Said Amanda.

"Hey, you can't use new Pokemon now. That's against the rules!" cried Misty.

"I make up the rules for this gym." Said Jessie.

"If those are the rules, then let's go Pikachu!" cried Ash. Pikachu leapt off his shoulders and gave Arbok, Weezing, Machamp, Kingler and Rhydon a dose of Thunderbolt. All five Pokemon ran out of the gym crying.

"Follow the leader." Said Jessie as she spun around and collapsed.

"We did it!" cried Ash. "We won the match!"

"Jessie, can you hear me?" wondered James.
"Can you move?" asked Meowth. Jessie shot up and glared at James and Meowth angrily.

"I'm lucky I can breathe after what you two did to me! Why did I get the shocks?!" The argument was broken up by the sound of Ash's voice.

"I won fair and square, so now I want that Earth Badge!" he called out.

"Well you're not getting it." Said Jessie and stuck her tongue out.

"Hey, that's cheating!"

"So I'm a cheater." Togepi approached the remote control and put his hand over one of the buttons.

"No, stop! Don't hit that thing!" Meowth cried. Naturally, Togepi hit the button anyway, and the explosion sent Team Rocket flying.

"Looks like we're blasting off again!" They cried, and the Earth Badge fell out of Jessie's hand. Ash held it up proudly.

"I got my Earth Badge!" he proudly proclaimed. The gym then started falling apart.

"Let's get out of here!" cried Amanda. Ash, Brock, Misty, Gary and Amanda all hurried out of the gym as fast as they could and watched as it fell to the ground as a pile of rubble.

"Well, I guess it's a good thing that wasn't going to be my first gym." Said Amanda. "Although, I guess it'll take time for them to rebuild it. So, where are the three of you headed?"

"We're going to head to Pallet Town so that Professor Oak can fill us in on the Pokemon League." Said Brock. "What about you?"

"I'm heading through the Viridian Forest so I can get to my first gym in Pewter." Said Amanda.

"Best of luck." Said Brock.

"And if you can, try to stay away from the bug Pokemon."

"Misty!" exclaimed Ash. Amanda and her Pikachu just let out a laugh. "I hope we meet up again soon, Ash." She said.

"I hope so too." Said Ash, and they went their separate ways. Well, Amanda has already had quite the start. She's caught some new Pokemon and made new friends. But what awaits her in the Viridian Forest? Find out as the journey continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Three

In the last episode, Amanda officially started her journey. She caught a few Pokemon and ran into Team Rocket once again. She even met the one and only Ash Ketchum, who took down Jessie and James to win an Earth Badge. Now, Amanda heads off into the Viridian Forest as her journey continues on.

As Amanda headed into the forest, she quickly realized that she had forgotten something important.

"If I'm going to be a trainer, I need to make sure my Pokemon are well fed." She said. She hurried back into Viridian City and bought some Pokemon food from the local store, along with some more Poke Balls for any new captures. After she was done in the store, she headed back into the forest.

"All right Pikachu, let's look for some Pokemon to catch." She said. They hunted around for a bit but weren't able to find anything. They didn't give up, though, and eventually, they came across a Pokemon with a purple body, red eyes and white wings.

"Oh wow, that one looks beautiful." Said Amanda, and she got her Pokedex out.

"Butterfree. This fully evolved flying type Pokemon can repel water, allowing it to fly in the rain."

"I already have two flying types on me, but I do need to catch as many Pokemon as possible." Said Amanda. "Okay Pikachu, let's go." She commanded a Thunderbolt, and Pikachu's attack hit the Butterfree head on. Being that it was fully evolved, though, it would take some time to beat it. Butterfree flapped its' wings to form a Gust attack. Pikachu got knocked back a bit but it didn't give up. Pikachu then tried to use its' tail to smack Butterfree, but the wild Pokemon used Confusion to send Pikachu into a nearby tree.

"Pikachu!" cried Amanda. She ran over to the tree and picked Pikachu up. "I think you need to sit the rest of this out.

"Pika pika." Pikachu agreed, which meant 'I think you're right. This Butterfree's too powerful for me.' Amanda sent out her Pidgey since it was a flying type just like Butterfree.

"Try your own Gust attack." Said Amanda. Pidgey obliged and formed its' most powerful Gust. Butterfree was only fazed a little bit and sent blue sparkles out from its' wings.

"That's Sleep Powder, Pidgey. Get away from that!" Amanda exclaimed. Pidgey just managed to avoid the powder and went for a Quick Attack. He hit the Butterfree directly and sent the butterfly to the ground. Amanda was about to take out an empty ball when the Butterfree flew back up, albeit in a weakened state.

"I didn't think it could still battle." Said Amanda. "Okay Pidgey, peck it." Pidgey used its' beak to poke the Butterfree, which was now to weak to fight back and it fainted. Amanda threw an empty Poke Ball at Butterfree and easily captured it.

"Good work, Pidgey." Said Amanda and she recalled her Pokemon. Butterfree's Poke Ball rested on the ground for a few seconds before vanishing into the air. Amanda was about to question why her new capture disappeared, but then she remembered what Oak had told her when she was setting out, which was that she could only carry six Pokemon at once.

"Butterfree's number seven, which means it got transported to the lab." She said. She breathed a sigh of relief knowing that her Butterfree was safe. Shen then continued walking through the forest, and although she didn't find any Pokemon, she did come across a few trainers. The trainers were slightly above Amanda's current level, but they weren't too difficult to defeat, and Amanda was able to beat them all. Her Pokemon also got a bit stronger from those battles. Later, the sun started to set, which meant that Amanda should find somewhere to stop for the night. As she was looking, she came across a young girl that was about a year younger than her.

"Hey kid, you want to battle me?" the girl asked. She was wearing a dress just like Amanda, except that this girl's dress was bright red. It had puff sleeves and a white collar around the neck just like Amanda's, and had a bright blue ribbon wrapped around the waist. The ribbon was tied into a bow at the back just like the one on Amanda's dress. The skirt of this new girl's dress went to just below her knees, and she was wearing white cotton tights and a pair of black Mary Jane dress shoes. The straps on her shoes were buckled up tight, and her hair was in a bunch of curls.

"Of course." Said Amanda. "How many Pokemon should we use?"

"Seeing how it's getting a bit late, we'll only use one Pokemon each." Said the girl, and she sent out an Eevee.

"That is the cutest thing I've seen so far." Said Amanda. "Okay Pikachu, you're up." Pikachu jumped off Amanda's shoulder and onto the field.

"Pikachu, start with Quick Attack." Said Amanda.

"Eevee, you use your own Quick Attack." The girl countered. Both Pokemon ran toward each other and collided head on.

"Let's not give up yet." Said Amanda. "Try your Thunderbolt." Pikachu fired a line of thunder at Eevee, but at its' trainer's command, used Agility to avoid each of the attacks.

"Okay Eevee, use Swift." Said the girl. Eevee launched bright yellow stars, which hit Pikachu directly. Some did light damage, but others did some more damage.

"Pikachu, hang in there!" cried Amanda.

"Okay Eevee, tackle it." Eevee ran at Pikachu and gave it a hard tackle, knocking Amanda's partner out.

"Are you okay, buddy?" Amanda asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I'm fine, but I don't think I can continue battling.'

"I don't think so either." Said Amanda, and she faced the girl. "Looks like you win that one."

"I guess so." Said the girl. "I have to tell you, your Pikachu did really well out there."

"Thanks. So did your Eevee." Said Amanda. "You know, with how late it's getting, Pikachu and I are looking for a place to stay for the night."

"You're in luck because I have a cabin right near where we battled." Said the girl. "Come on, I'll show you." She led Amanda down a path that wasn't part of the forest and after five minutes, they got to the cabin.

"Here we are." Said the girl, and she led Amanda inside.

"Wow, this is a great place you have." Said Amanda as she looked at the Pokemon themed decorations on the walls. "I guess you must love Pokemon a lot."

"I sure do." Said the girl. "That Eevee you battled has been my partner for the last couple of years."

"No wonder it was so strong." Said Amanda.

"By the way, I don't think I actually told you my name yet." Said the girl. "My name's Michelle."

"It's nice meeting you, Michelle." Said Amanda. "Do you live in this cabin all by yourself?"

"I sure do." Said Michelle. "Thankfully, I know how to take care of myself. I even know how to cook."

"That's an important skill to have." Said Amanda.

"It certainly is." Said Michelle. She made hamburgers for the two of them, and the two trainers put out Pokemon food for both Pikachu and Eevee.

"These hamburgers are really good." Said Amanda. "Do you order out at all?"

"I don't." said Michelle. "I prefer to make my own food. It's more convenient and I don't have to spend so much money."

"Good point." Said Amanda. After they finished their dinner, they watched Pikachu and Eevee run around and play with each other. Pretty soon, though, both Pokemon and their trainers got tired and let out yawns.

"I guess it's time for bed." Said Michelle. She led Amanda up the stairs and into her bedroom.

"I don't have a guest bed, so we can share mine." Said Michelle. They took their shoes off and got right into the bed.

"I'm so glad we met each other." Said Amanda.

"So am I." said Michelle. "Good night, Amanda."

"Good night, Michelle." Said Amanda. "Good night, Pikachu."

"Pika." Pikachu said in a tired voice, which meant 'Good night, Amanda.'

"Good night, Eevee." Said Michelle. Eevee let out a noise that meant 'Good night, Michelle.' Michelle turned off the light and they all fell fast asleep. Over the course of the evening, the clear night sky was slowly overtaken by grey clouds. Despite this, nothing out of the ordinary happened until it started pouring rain at about five in the morning. Both girls as well as their partner Pokemon were sound sleepers, though, and didn't hear the rain at first. They continued to sleep, but three hours later, a rumble of thunder was heard, which caused both Pikachu and Eevee to wake up with a jolt. They both rushed over to the window and saw the rain pouring down for themselves. They sadly shook their heads and went to wake their trainers up.

"Hey there, guys. What's up?" Amanda asked. Pikachu pointed to the window.

"You want us to look out the window?" Amanda wondered. Pikachu nodded and ran right back over to the window. Amanda and Michelle followed him and saw the rain for themselves. Thunder rumbled again.

"This doesn't look like a good day for being outside." Said Michelle.

"I think we'll have to stay in here until the rain passes." Said Amanda. "Although, judging by how hard it's raining, I have a hunch that this is going to last the whole day."

"I think you might be right." Said Michelle. They both put their shoes on and buckled up the straps on them tightly before having breakfast in the kitchen. The girls both had some eggs with orange juice, while Pikachu and Eevee both had Pokemon food. After breakfast, Michelle took two wooden chairs from the cabin's basement and put them in front of the window right near the front door.

"If we have to stay inside the cabin today, then we may as well sit here and wait for the storm to finish." She said.

"It doesn't matter where we sit, does it?" asked Amanda.

"Not really." Said Michelle. Amanda sat in the chair that was nearest to the door and Michelle sat in the other one. They folded their arms on the windowsill and stared out at the pouring rain. They both let out heavy sighs as they did so.

"This is going to slow down the progress Pikachu and I have been making." Said Amanda.

"The two of you have worked pretty hard, though." Said Michelle. "At least, that 's what I noticed when we battled each other yesterday. You deserve to have a break once in a while."

"I guess that's true." Said Amanda. Both girls sat still as they continued looking outside at the pouring rain. Their Pokemon placed themselves by their respective trainer. Pikachu sat beside Amanda's chair, and Eevee sat beside Michelle's chair. All four of them watched the rain together, but after a little while, Pikachu and Eevee grew restless and pointed outside.

"I know you both want to play outside, but we can't do that today." Said Amanda.

"We'd all get soaked, which would make us get sick. I don't think you want that, do you Amanda?" said Michelle.

"No, definitely not." Said Amanda. Pikachu and Eevee frowned, but they knew that their trainers were right. They kept watching quietly, but ten minutes later, Pikachu got another idea. He talked quietly with Eevee and then Pikachu gently tapped Amanda's leg. Amanda turned to look at her buddy.

"What is it?" Amanda asked.

"Pika pika pika chu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Since we can't go outside, can Eevee and I practice our moves inside the house?' Amanda shook her head.

"No Pikachu, that wouldn't be a good idea." Said Amanda. "You and Eevee could possibly break something, and neither of us want you to do that."

"Amanda's right, Pikachu." Said Michelle. "You and Eevee will just have to sit here and watch the rain with us." Pikachu frowned but understood.

"That's a good Pokemon." Said Amanda, and she turned around to face the window again. The two girls kept watching the rain pour down heavily. The thunder rumbled again, but a bit more loudly. Eevee let out a scared squeal.

"Don't worry Eevee, the thunder can't get you." Said Michelle. "The thunder's outside, and we're inside where it's safe. So you have nothing to worry about." Eevee smiled upon hearing those comforting words. The girls continued staring out the window, occasionally turning around briefly to check on their Pokémon. After forty minutes passed, Michelle spoke.

"Tell me about where you were living before you started your journey." She said.

"Up until my journey started, I've been living in the Safari Zone." Said Amanda.

"What's that been like?" asked Michelle.

"It's been pretty interesting." Said Amanda. "It was because of my living there that I got to meet a lot of Pokémon that normally wouldn't be found anywhere else. That was also where I met Pikachu. He and I have been best friends ever since, isn't that right, buddy?"

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'That's right!'

"How long were you living there?" asked Michelle.

"My whole life." Said Amanda. "A Chansey found me floating down the river in a basket when I was only a couple of months old and brought me to a Kangaskhan, who's been raising me ever since."

"So, the Kangaskhan is essentially your mother, then?" wondered Michelle.

"Pretty much." Said Amanda. "She's very nice, though, and she even knows how to talk like we can."

"I thought Meowth was the only one who could do that." Said Michelle.

"I thought so too, but the Pokémon world can be strange sometimes." Said Amanda. "Anyway, Kangaskhan has been doing a great job taking care of me. About a week or so ago, though, Professor Oak visited me there to give me a chance to become a trainer. I accepted, of course, and since then, things have been going very well for me. I already have seven Pokémon."

"That's very good." Said Michelle. "Which ones do you have?"

"I have my starter, Squirtle." Said Amanda. "I also have a Pidgey, a Spearow, a Magikarp, a Rattata, my buddy Pikachu, and a Butterfree. Pretty good so far for a beginning trainer, wouldn't you think?"

"I think so." Said Michelle.

"Is Eevee the only Pokémon that you have, Michelle?" asked Amanda.

"No, I have a few others." Said Michelle. "In addition to Eevee, I also have a Poliwag, an Electabuzz and a Doduo."

"That's not too bad." Said Amanda. "How long have you had your Eevee, Michelle?"

"My dad gave it to me as a gift for my birthday last year." Said Michelle.

"That's pretty nice." Said Amanda. "Where is your dad?"

"The last time I saw him, he was out on his daily walk when he completely disappeared." Said Michelle. "I haven't seen him since then."

"I guess that's why you live in here by yourself." Said Amanda.

"That's exactly right." Said Michelle. "I don't mind being on my own, though. Plus, having you here keeps me company and takes my mind off my dad." That gave Amanda an idea.

"You know, Michelle, you can travel with Pikachu and I if you want." Said Amanda.

"You'd really let me come with you?" asked Michelle.

"Of course." Said Amanda. "Even though I want to catch as many Pokémon as possible, I also want to make as many people and Pokémon friends as possible. That's why I'm making this offer to you."

"It would be nice to travel with a friend." Said Michelle.

"So you're going to come with us then?" asked Amanda.

"Yes, but on one condition." Said Michelle. "Eevee gets to come too. Anywhere I go, she goes."

"Eevee can most certainly come along." Said Amanda. "This way, Pikachu will have someone to play with."

"Great. Thanks a lot, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"No problem." Said Amanda, and the two girls continued looking out at the rain. Pikachu and Eevee ran over to another window close by so they could look out at the rain themselves. After another thirty minutes went by, Amanda spoke.

"Your dress looks very nice on you, Michelle." She said. "Where did you get that from?"

"I got it from the Celadon City Department Store." Said Michelle.

"That's where I got my own dress from." Said Amanda. "What a coincidence."

"Your dress looks nice too." Said Michelle. "Who gave it to you?"

"Professor Oak got me this so I could wear it while on my journey." Said Amanda. "He's such a great person."

"What exactly does he do?" asked Michelle.

"He's a Pokémon researcher." Said Amanda. "He also has a grandson named Gary, who I ran into not too long ago."

"Is Gary a trainer too?" asked Michelle.

"Yes." Said Amanda. "He's been training a lot longer than me, though. About a year to be exact."

"He must have a lot of Pokémon, then." Said Michelle.

"I actually don't know how many he has." Said Amanda.

"If he's been a trainer that long, he must be really good." Said Michelle. "I bet if I were to challenge him to a battle right now, he'd wipe the floor with me."

"I think that's a fairly safe assumption to make." Said Amanda, and they continued looking out at the storm. It was getting more and more intense, with the thunder getting louder and the rain continuing to be heavy. Twenty-five minutes later, Michelle spoke.

"How many gym badges do you have right now?" she asked.

"I don't have any badges yet." Amanda answered. "The gym in Pewter City will be my first one."

"I wish I could take part in gym battles, but I don't think I can do that right now since I'm nine years old." Said Michelle.

"Yeah, I don't think the league allows anyone under ten to participate in those matches." Said Amanda.

"You don't know why that is, do you?" asked Michelle.

"No, but it's probably for both legal and security reasons." Said Amanda. "You can watch my battles and cheer me on, though."

"I appreciate that, Amanda. Thanks." Said Michelle.

"No problem." Said Amanda, and they continued staring out the window. The storm raged on for the rest of the morning and into the early hours of the afternoon. Both girls turned to check on their Pokémon, and they heard the sound of Pikachu and Eevee's stomachs growling.

"I guess they're hungry." Said Michelle. They got up from their chairs and fed the two Pokémon their food. They then sat back down, folded their arms on the windowsill and continued watching the storm. Thirty minutes later, Amanda spoke.

"I think this might be the hardest that I've ever seen it rain." She said.

"I've seen worse than this." Said Michelle. "Three years ago, when I was on vacation in the Seafoam Islands."

"How bad was that rain?" asked Amanda.

"It was really bad." Said Michelle. "We were there for a week, but the first two days, it poured and thundered all day, so I couldn't do anything."

"You must've been disappointed, huh?" said Amanda.

"I was very disappointed." Said Michelle. "A vacation isn't fun when bad weather ruins the plans."

"Just like how the bad weather today ruined the plans Pikachu and I had." Said Amanda.

"Yes, exactly like that." Said Michelle.

"Did you at least get to have some sort of fun?" asked Amanda.

"Oh yes." Said Michelle. "Once the rain cleared, we spent the remaining few days at the beach and I got to build sand castles. You know, the kind of things a kid normally does on a beach vacation."

"At least it still turned out pretty good for you." Said Amanda.

"Yeah, but it would've been better without any rain interference." Said Michelle.

"Any day is better when there's no rain involved." Said Amanda. They both let out another sigh as they continued staring out the window. The heavy rain and thunder continued on for another few hours, but by six o'clock in the evening, the thunder had stopped, and the rain was now a light shower.

"That seems to be a sign that the storm is going to end soon." Said Michelle.

"Good, because I'm hungry." Said Amanda.

"Once this rain stops, I'll make us something." Said Michelle. The rain stopped forty minutes later, and the girls got out of the chairs and headed for the kitchen.

"How does some tuna sandwiches sound?" asked Michelle.

"That's good enough for me." Said Amanda. It didn't take long for Michelle to make the sandwiches, but she also made sure to give Eevee and Pikachu their Pokemon food. After dinner, they watched some battles on TV for an hour and a half before letting out a yawn.

"I guess we should go to sleep." Said Amanda.

"Let me check the weather first to make sure we can go back out tomorrow." Said Michelle. She quickly flipped to the weather channel and saw that the next four days called for sunny skies.

"Looks like it'll be great weather." Said Michelle, and she turned the television off.

"You hear that, Pikachu? We can continue our journey tomorrow." Said Amanda. Pikachu gave out a cheer, then a yawn. Eevee let out a yawn too.

"Time for bed, guys." Said Amanda. They all went back into Michelle's room, took their shoes off and fell asleep. Pikachu and Eevee positioned themselves by the window and fell asleep themselves. The next morning, they found a sunny sky outside and smiled.

"Looks like this is going to be a great day." Said Amanda. The two of them put their Mary Jane shoes on and buckled up the straps tightly. They quickly fixed themselves some breakfast, and then the girls and their Pokemon headed outside the cabin and onto the path that led them to the forest.

"I really do appreciate you letting me come with you, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"It's no problem." Said Amanda. Pikachu got onto Amanda's shoulder and Eevee made herself comfortable on Michelle's shoulder. The two girls held hands and walked off together. Well, who knew that a friendly battle would result in a new friend and a new travel companion for Amanda? What else lies ahead for our two heroes? Find out next time as the journey continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Four

Last time around, Amanda's Pikachu battled a fairly strong looking Butterfree. The battle was tough, but Pikachu won out in the end. Amanda also came across a trainer named Michelle, who used an Eevee to take on Amana's Pikachu. Although the battle was intense, Michelle and Eevee came out the winners. The two trainers also became friends with each other, and Pikachu became friends with Eevee. Now the two girls, along with Pikachu and Eevee, both set off together to continue the journey.

Our two friends are currently enjoying a nice stroll through the Viridian Forest, wondering what they will come across. While they didn't spot any Pokemon, they did come across a trainer near the exit of the forest.

"Hey, you!" the trainer called, pointing to Amanda. "I would like to challenge you to a battle."

"What do you think, Pikachu?" asked Amanda. Pikachu gave its' approval, and Amanda faced him. "You're on. How many Pokemon will we use?"

"Let's do two each." Said the trainer, and he sent out a Weedle. Amanda took out her Pokedex to find out more.

"Weedle. A hairy bug Pokemon. It is similar in size to Caterpie but has a stinger on its' head. The stinger is very powerful and can cause injuries if not careful."

"Okay, Pikachu, you're on." Said Amanda. Pikachu jumped onto the field.

"I'll referee for you guys." Said Michelle, and she stepped into the center of the battle area. "This will be a two on two battle with no time limits. Both of you, begin."

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt." Amanda commanded. Pikachu's attack hit the Weedle head on, but for some reason, didn't take any damage.

"What?!" Amanda was speechless.

"The stinger on Weedle may be small, but it can absorb any electric attacks you try to throw at it." The trainer said. "Weedle, use Poison Sting!" Weedle ran at Pikachu and stung it on the arm, causing Pikachu to cry out in pain.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried. She looked at her partner's arm. "Are you okay?"

"Pika." Pikachu said, which meant 'I'm just fine.'

"It's a good thing that stinger didn't poison you." Said Amanda. "Okay, electricity won't work, so we'll have to try something else. Go with Quick Attack." Pikachu ran toward Weedle at full speed, but Weedle dodged at the command of its' trainer.

"That's the way, Weedle. Now, use String Shot." Weedle shot a line of string at Pikachu, covering it up and completely immobilizing it.

"Oh no!" Amanda cried.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. The round goes to Weedle." Said Michelle.

"But how did Pikachu lose?" Amanda wondered.

"It's simple. Weedle would normally be affected by electric attacks, but my Weedle has been trained to not allow any of those attacks to hit." The trainer said.

"If electricity won't work, then maybe air attacks will." Said Amanda, and she threw a Poke Ball. "Pidgey, let's go." Pidgey burst out of the ball and onto the battlefield. Meanwhile, Eevee went to work removing the string off of Pikachu.

"Good job, Eevee." Said Michelle. She then faced the two trainers again. "Round two, go!"

"Pidgey, go for a Peck." Pidgey ran at Weedle to peck it with its' beak, and this time, the attack worked.

"Weedle's not out yet." Said the trainer. "Try a Tackle." Weedle charged at Pidgey, but the small bird dodged successfully.

"That's it, Pidgey. Now then, go for a Gust." Amanda ordered. Pidgey flapped its' wings and hurled a gust of wind at Weedle, sending it backwards and knocking it out.

"Weedle is unable to battle. Pidgey wins." Said Michelle.

"And just like that, we're all tied up." Said Amanda. The trainer recalled his Weedle and sent out a Kakuna in its' place.

"Well, at least we won't be stuck in a Harden loop." Said Michelle. "Begin!"

"Start with Gust again, Pidgey!" Amanda called out. Pidgey did the same thing that it had done to Weedle, but before it could hit, Kakuna's trainer called for a Harden, resulting in Pidgey's attack not doing anything.

"Poison Sting." Said the trainer. Kakuna shot poison needles out, and although Pidgey tried to avoid them, one of them hit it. Thankfully, it didn't cause any poison.

"But I thought Kakuna could only harden itself to attack." Said Amanda.

"He must've caught a second Weedle and evolved this one." Said Michelle.

"That's exactly what I did, miss." Said the trainer. "String Shot, Kakuna." Kakuna fired some string, but Pidgey avoided it successfully.

"Good job. Now, Quick Attack." Pidgey flew full speed at Kakuna, and before it could Harden itself, it was hit hard by the attack. Kakuna wasn't out, but it looked weakened.

"Looks like it's time to wrap this up." Said Amanda. "Gust attack." Pidgey launched another wind gust at Kakuna, hitting it and knocking it out.

"Kakuna is unable to continue." Said Michelle. "This battle is over, and the winner is Amanda."

"Great job, Pidgey." Said Amanda, and she recalled the bird to it's ball. The other trainer recalled his Kakuna and walked over to Amanda.

"You did a great job, kid." Said the trainer. "Now, let's see about getting the rest of this string off of your Pikachu." The three of them, as well as Eevee, continued removing the string. It took a bit of time, but after twenty minutes, Pikachu was back to normal.

"You feel better, buddy?" asked Amanda. Pikachu simply gave a thumbs up. Amanda then looked at the trainer. "Thanks for helping me out with Pikachu there."

"No problem." Said the trainer. "I have to be going now, but maybe we'll battle again." The trainer walked off, and the two girls continued onward.

"That trainer was nice to help get all that string off Pikachu." Said Michelle.

"He certainly was." Said Amanda. "If we run into him again, I'd love to have another match." The girls reached the exit of the forest ten minutes later, and soon, they had reached Pewter City.

"We're here, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "And you know what that means."

"Pika pika?" asked Pikachu, which meant 'Gym battle time?'

"Not quite." Said Amanda. "We're going to head to the Pokemon Center first to get you and everyone else looked at."

"That's a good idea." Said Michelle. The Pokemon Center in Pewter City was easy to find, and they got there after five minutes of walking.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center. I'm Nurse Joy." Said the nurse.

"I think I've seen you before." Said Amanda. "Weren't you working at the center in Viridian?"

"That was my sister." Said Joy. "All of us look exactly alike, plus all of us are named Joy."

"I guess that makes it easy to remember their names." Said Michelle. Joy let out a chuckle. "Now Amanda, I bet you're here to get your Pokémon checked out."

"That's right." Said Amanda. She handed her Poke Balls over, as well as Pikachu, and the girls went over to the video phone so that Amanda could make a couple of calls. The first call was to Kangaskhan in the Safari Zone.

"Hi, Mama." Said Amanda. "I'm in Pewter City now."

"That's wonderful, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "I'm very happy you remembered your promise about calling me. Say, who's the girl beside you? I've never seen her before."

"This is my friend Michelle." Said Amanda. "I met her in the Viridian Forest when she challenged me to a battle, which I lost."

"Well, you can't win all the time." Said Kangaskhan. "Nice meeting you, Michelle."

"Nice meeting you too, Mrs. Kangaskhan." Said Michelle. "Your daughter is a great friend to have. I'm so glad we met each other."

"So am I." said Kangaskhan. "Any plans while you two are in Pewter?"

"I think we'll probably do some sightseeing and then I'm going to have my first gym battle." Said Amanda.

"That sounds like a plan." Said Kangaskhan. "Good luck with your gym battle."

"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda. She hung up and then placed another call.

"I bet Professor Oak would love to meet you." Said Amanda.

"I'm sure he would." Said Michelle. The phone rang four times, and then Oak answered.

"Hi, Professor." Said Amanda.

"Hello there, Amanda." Said Oak. "I take it your journey has gone well so far."

"It's been going great." Said Amanda. "We're in Pewter City right now."

"That's wonderful to hear, but I don't know who you mean by we." Said Oak.

"Hi, Professor!" cried Michelle.

"Hello there." Said Oak. "Who is that, Amanda?"

"It's my friend Michelle." Said Amanda. "She and I battled each other in the Viridian Forest, and while waiting out the pouring rain yesterday, I asked her if she wanted to come with me and she said yes. She even has an Eevee." Oak had a look at Eevee on the screen and smiled.

"Your Eevee is in excellent condition." Said Oak.

"That's because I make sure to take proper care of it." Said Michelle.

"I can tell." Said Oak. "You know, Michelle, you are definitely going to be a fine trainer."

"I have more than just Eevee, Professor." Said Michelle. "I have a few other Pokémon too."

"Ah, so you're ahead of the game a bit." Said Oak." Just then, a ding was heard, and Amanda went to get her Pokémon. Meanwhile, Michelle and Oak continued talking.

"I was saying to Amanda that I've wanted to go on a journey just like her and possibly earn gym badges myself." Said Michelle.

"You've definitely got the journey part fulfilled so far." Said Oak. "Just out of curiosity, how old are you?"

"I'm nine, professor." Said Michelle.

"Then unfortunately, for legal reasons, I can't allow you to go for badges yet." Said Oak. "Exactly when do you turn ten?"

"In about five months or so." Said Michelle.

"You'll have to wait a little bit, then." Said Oak. "Since you're on the phone with me, I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"Sure, professor." Said Michelle.

"I have a Charmander here who's been feeling a bit lonely lately because new trainers have been avoiding picking it for whatever reason." Said Oak. "I was wondering if you'd like to have it and take care of it."

"I certainly would, professor." Said Michelle. "Can you give him to me right now?"

"I wish I could, but that would be a violation of Pokemon League rules if I did that, not to mention I would also lose my license." Said Professor Oak. "I'll tell you what I can do. I'll keep this Charmander on reserve for you until your tenth birthday comes, and then it will be officially yours. Is that okay?"

"Yes, that's fine." Said Michelle. Amanda returned to the phone with Pikachu and her other Pokemon.

"While I'm on the phone with you, I was wondering if I could send you some of my Pokemon." Said Amanda.

"Of course, Amanda." Said Oak. One at a time, Amanda placed the balls containing Spearow, Magikarp and Rattata into the transporter, and within seconds, all three Pokemon were sent to the lab.

"Now my Butterfree will have some company." Said Amanda.

"I'm sure Butterfree appreciates that." Said Oak. "You two take care for now." He hung up the phone, and the two girls left the center.

"What should we do now?" asked Michelle.

"I don't want to take on the gym just yet." Said Amanda. "I want to check out the museum first, as well as get some training in."

"That seems like a good idea." Said Michelle. They headed to the Pewter City museum and spent the rest of the day looking at the different ancient Pokemon fossils that were on display. That night, they headed to one of Pewter's finest restaurants for dinner. Amanda had steak and fries, and Michelle had a salad and a sandwich. When they got back to their room in the Pokemon Center after dinner, they watched some television before falling asleep at nine o'clock. The next morning, Amanda and Michelle headed to a field right near the museum entrance so that Amanda could train for the battle. Pidgey practiced Gust attacks on the patches of grass, and Pikachu had some practice battles with Squirtle. The training went well, and Amanda made sure to give her Pokemon the proper amount of breaks. Right as they were about to conduct the last bit of what had been planned, they heard some commotion from the museum.

"I wonder what's going on." Said Michelle.

"We should check that out and see what's up." Said Amanda. She recalled Squirtle and Pidgey, and they rushed off toward the museum where they found police tape.

"Officer Jenny, what's happening?" asked Michelle.

"One of the fossils was stolen about thirty minutes ago." Said Jenny. "A Kabuto fossil to be exact."

"I don't think either of us have seen a Kabuto before." Said Michelle.

"Almost nobody has seen that Pokemon." Said Jenny. "The fossil is even rarer than the Pokemon itself. If you kids could do me a favor and find it for us, I'll reward you handsomely."

"We're on the case, Jenny." Said Amanda.

"Excellent. I knew I could count on you." Said Jenny. She went back to investigating, and the girls left the museum.

"Why would anyone want to steal something so valuable like that?" asked Michelle.

"I have no clue." Said Amanda. "However, I do have a suspicion as to who's responsible." Their search took them across the whole city and into the field where Amanda had been training earlier. They checked every inch carefully.

"Do you see anything, Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pika." Pikachu said, which meant 'Not yet.'

"How about you, Eevee?" asked Michelle. Eevee gave a sad squeal, which meant 'I don't see anything either.'

"I think I might have an idea." Said Amanda, and she sent out her Pidgey.

"I need you to see if you can find anyone suspicious who might be in possession of that fossil." Amanda ordered. Pidgey nodded and flew off.

"I hope Pidgey is able to find something." Said Michelle. Pidgey searched every inch of the sky. He searched high, and he searched low, but wasn't having any luck either. He kept trying, and after ten minutes, was ready to give up and head back to Amanda. But just then, he spotted a bright yellow ballon with a big letter R in the middle. Pidgey flew back to Amanda as fast as possible and gave the good news.

"Were you able to find something?" Amanda asked. Pidgey nodded furiously and pointed in the correct direction with its' wing.

"All right, lead the way." Said Amanda. The girls, as well as Pikachu and Eevee, ran behind Pidgey the whole way. A man with a bright blue shirt was fast asleep beside the balloon with the fossil on the ground beside him. A huge, red R was on the center of the shirt. Right as he woke up and was about to take off, Amanda and Michelle confronted him.

"Oh, looks like I have some company." Said the Team Rocket agent.

"Excuse me, but that fossil doesn't belong to you." Said Michelle.

"Says who?" asked the Team Rocket agent.

"Says us." Said Amanda. "That fossil is supposed to be in the Pewter City museum. You can't just up and take it."

"Can it, girly. I have big plans for this fossil, and none of them involve you." Said the agent.

"Oh yeah, well let's just see how you like your plans being ruined." Said Michelle.

"Then it looks like we have no choice but to battle." Said the agent. "Zubat, get out here!" A blue bat with sharp teeth and pointed ears appeared, and Amanda quickly took out her Pokedex.

"Zubat, the bat Pokemon. It releases ultrasonic waves from its mouth to check its surroundings and sense obstacles."

"That sappy bat doesn't scare us." Said Michelle. "Poliwag, go!"

"Squirtle, go!" cried Amanda. Once both Pokemon were out on the field, both girls simultaneously yelled "Water Gun attack!" Both water type Pokemon fired streams of water at Zubat, which only soaked it a little bit.

"I've actually been meaning to give Zubat a bath for the last week, so thanks for helping it out there." Said the agent. "Supersonic!" Zubat released orange waves from its mouth, and upon being hit by the waves, both Pokemon aimed their water at the girls. Thankfully, they were able to avoid being soaked.

"What are you two doing?" Amanda demanded. "You're not supposed to attack us!"

"I think that Supersonic confused them." Said Michelle. "They both think we're the enemy Pokemon."

"But Zubat's the enemy." Said Amanda.

"I know that. Try telling that to Squirtle and Poliwag." Said Michelle. Before Amanda could speak, Squirtle ran up to her and bit her leg.

"Ouch!" cried Amanda. "If you're going to use Bite, use it on Zubat and not me!" Squirtle shook its head and tried to bite Zubat but it flew out of the way. Poliwag, meanwhile, was too confused to continue, so Michelle had to recall it.

"I'll have to try a different Pokemon." She said. "All right Electabuzz, let's go." Michelle threw another ball and her Electabuzz appeared.

"Squirtle, return!" called Amanda. A beam of red light absorbed Squirtle and sent it back to its' ball. "Go, Pikachu!" Pikachu jumped off Amanda's shoulder and onto the field.

"Swift attack." Michelle called. Electabuzz sent rainbow colored stars at Zubat, which scored a direct hit.

"Quick Attack, Pikachu!" called Amanda. Pikachu ran full speed and sent Zubat flying backwards.

"Ah, what's happening?!" cried the agent.

"You're getting a does of losing, that's what's happening." Said Michelle. "Electabuzz!"

"Pikachu!" called Amanda. Together, both girls yelled "Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu and Electabuzz fired their electric bolts at the enemies. One hit Zubat, and the other hit the agent. The force of the double attack caused the balloon to explode and sent both Zubat and the agent into the air.

"This isn't the last you'll see of me!" he cried. DING!

"We did it!" cried Amanda happily. Both girls high fived each other, and Pikachu went and picked up the fossil to hand to Amanda.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. "We have to get this back to the museum."

"And we also need to get your bite checked out at the Pokemon Center." Said Michelle. She recalled Electabuzz and they made their way to the museum.

"I hope those girls were able to get the fossil back." Said Officer Jenny. Then, she saw Michelle and Amanda running up to her with the fossil in their possession.

"Oh good, you got it!" she said cheerfully. Amanda handed the fossil over and Jenny put it back where it was supposed to be.

"Thank you two so much for recovering the fossil for me." She said.

"No problem." Said Michelle. "Now, I believe there was a reward involved."

"You're right about that." Said Jenny. "Drop by the police station tomorrow so I can give it to you." With that, the girls headed back to the Pokemon Center. The moment they got inside, Joy immediately noticed the bite on Amanda's leg.

"What happened there?" Joy asked.

"Amanda's Squirtle bit her on the leg after it got confused by a Supersonic attack." Said Michelle.

"Oh dear." Said Joy. "Chansey, get the first aid kit please." Chansey nodded and went to find the requested item.

"Exactly how did you get bitten?" asked Joy.

"Michelle and I were battling someone from Team Rocket, and at one point, his Zubat used Supersonic which confused Squirtle and caused it to bite me." Amanda answered.

"I see." Said Joy. "You need to be very careful with Team Rocket if you approach them."

"Who's Team Rocket?" Michelle asked.

"They're very bad people." Said Amanda. "People that like to steal Pokemon and use them for their evil plans."

"Which is why you have to be very careful around them." Said Joy. Chansey returned with the first aid kit, and Joy took a bandage out. She placed it over where the bite mark was and smiled at Amanda.

"There you go. You'll be just fine." Said Joy. "Just keep the bandage there for the next couple of days or so and the bite spot should be fully healed."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Said Amanda.

"No problem." Said Joy. The girls returned to their room and ordered food for themselves for dinner. They also made sure to get Pokemon food for Pikachu and Eevee. As they went to bed, Amanda felt just a bit nervous.

"My first gym battle's tomorrow." She said. "I hope I do well."

"I'm sure you'll do fine." Said Michelle. "Squirtle has a big advantage over rock Pokemon, so he should be able to get the job done."

"I suppose you're right." Said Amanda, and they went to sleep. After breakfast the next morning, both girls made their way to the Pewter City gym. When they got inside, they found a surprise waiting for them.

"Brock!" exclaimed Amanda.

"Nurse Joy told me about the little encounter you had yesterday." He said. "She also told me about how you managed to recover a fossil that had been stolen. So, I figured that for that reason alone, I would rush back here to battle you. Is this your first gym match?"

"Yes." Said Amanda.

"Is your friend battling me too?" asked Brock.

"No, I'm just here to watch?" said Michelle, and she took a seat in the spectator area. Amanda and Brock took their positions on the battlefield.

"We'll use two Pokemon each with no time limit." Said Brock. "In addition, I can't make any substitutions. However, you can substitute at any time. Any questions?"

"No." Amanda said.

"Let's begin, then." Said Brock. "Geodude, go!" A small grey rock with arms and five fingered hands appeared on the field. Amanda quickly whipped out her Pokedex.

"Geodude, a rock Pokemon. It can use its arms to climb steep mountain paths."

"That's an interesting fact." Said Amanda. "Okay, Pikachu, you're on!" Pikachu jumped off Amanda's shoulder and onto the field, ready for action.

"An electric type against a Rock type?" Brock was confused.

"Amanda, why are you using Pikachu?" Michelle called from the stands. "It's electricity is no good against Geodude."

"You'll see." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, Double Kick!" Pikachu ran up to Geodude and gave it some very hard kicks, which did a lot of damage. Brock was in awe.

"Well, color me impressed." He said. "Geodude, Tackle." Geodude went for a head on tackle, which knocked Pikachu back a bit, but didn't knock it out.

"Way to take it, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Now, another Double Kick!" Pikachu gave Geodude some more hard kicks, and the super effective move knocked Geodude out of the battle.

"Geodude, return." Said Brock, recalling it. "Very impressive. But let's see if you can handle Onix." He threw his second ball and a large snake with gray boulders for its' body appeared. Amanda whipped out her Pokedex again.

"Onix. The magnet in this Rock Pokemon's brain acts as a compass so that it doesn't lose direction while tunneling."

"Pikachu, don't let this Pokemon intimidate you." Said Amanda. "Just stand your ground and do your best." Pikachu nodded and faced Onix fiercely.

"Start with Quick Attack." Pikachu charged at Onix, but the attack did little damage.

"Disappointing follow up after the beating Geodude got." Said brock. "Onix, go underground with Dig." Onix disappeared under the field.

"Be careful, Pikachu. Onix could appear from anywhere." Said Amanda. Pikachu nodded and kept its' eyes and ears open. It slowly looked around to see where Onix could be, and then, without warning, it popped up from under the ground and hit Pikachu, causing it to scream in pain.

"Pikachu!" cried Amanda. Although Pikachu hadn't fainted, the attack had done super effective damage to it.

"I think you need to sit the rest of this one out, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Pikachu agreed and went back over to where its' trainer was standing.

"Okay Squirtle, let's do this." Said Amanda. Her starter appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Water Gun." Amanda commanded. Squirtle's line of water hit Onix directly due to the big Rock type not having the ability to dodge.

"Rock Throw, Onix." Brock ordered. However, Squirtle was much faster and was able to dodge all of the rocks that were thrown at it.

"Stay focused, Squirtle." Said Amanda. "Bubble attack." A stream of bubbles appeared out of Squirtle's mouth. One missed Onix somehow, but the rest of them hit the rock type's head and body, bringing it down and crying in pain.

"Onix!" Brock cried.

"Another Water Gun should finish it off." Said Amanda. Another stream of water came out and hit the downed Onix, officially fainting it.

"Great job, Squirtle." Said Amanda, and she recalled her Pokemon. Brock recalled Onix and went to Amanda.

"That was a great battle." Said Brock. "For someone competing in their first gym match, you definitely acted like you knew what you were doing. I was a little bit critical when you chose to start with Pikachu, but you managed to make it work in your favor. You have therefore earned this Boulder Badge." Amanda took the grey badge brock was holding and put it away in her badge case.

"Thanks, Brock." Said Amanda. "I got a Boulder Badge!"

"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed as it did a victory pose. Michelle came down from the stands and went to Amanda.

"Congratulations!" she exclaimed.

"Thanks, Michelle." Said Amanda.

"Now, if you two will excuse me, I have to get back to Ash. He needs my help with training for the Pokemon League." Said Brock, and he made his way out of the gym. The girls also exited the gym and made their way down the street.

"Well, where to now?" asked Michelle.

"We can go to where the next gym is." Said Amanda. "I think it's in Cerulean City, but I'm not sure."

"We can always ask." Said Michelle, and they headed back to the center.

"Nurse Joy, where's the next gym?" asked Amanda.

"That would be in Cerulean City." Joy answered.

"See? I was right." Amanda said to Michelle.

"However, to get there, you girls will have to travel through Mount Moon." Said Joy. "Best of luck."

"Thank you." Said Amanda, and they left the center to continue on. They were almost at the exit when Michelle remembered something.

"Amanda, we're supposed to go and see Officer Jenny." She said.

"Oh yeah. That whole fossil thing from yesterday." Said Amanda. They turned around and headed to the police station, where Jenny was waiting for them. She led them into her office and took out a Poke Ball from her desk.

"Inside this ball, Amanda, is your reward for your efforts yesterday." Said Jenny. "It's one of the rarest Pokemon known to exist." Amanda opened up the ball, and a Dratini popped out.

"This thing is so cute." Said Amanda. "It's also very small."

"It may be small now, but once it evolves into Dragonite, it'll be very big and powerful." Said Jenny. "I ended up finding this little guy in an old lake not too far from here and figured that it could use a kind trainer like you to take care of it."

"I'll be glad to take it." Said Amanda. "Hi, Dratini. Look like you're going to be my new trainer. You're going to make a lot of friends in no time." Dratini smiled, and Amanda recalled it to its' ball.

"I also have something for you too, Michelle." Said Jenny, and she took another Poke Ball out.

"This Pokemon that you're getting, Michelle, is a Ponyta." Said Jenny. "It's old trainer wasn't very nice and I felt that Ponyta didn't deserve that. That's why I'm giving it to you, because I know you'll treat it nicely."

"I won't let you down, Jenny." Said Michelle.

"I know you won't." said Jenny. "Well, that's all I have, so you can be on your way now."

"Thanks, Jenny." Said Amanda.

"No problem." Said Jenny. The girls left the station and left the city.

"I say our visit to Pewter turned out well for us." Said Michelle.

"I couldn't agree more." Said Amanda. They held their heads up high as they walked along the route. This had been quite the visit to Pewter, as it resulted in Amanda getting her first badge and both girls getting a new Pokemon. Of course, there's plenty more in store for our two young heroes, so come back next time to see what happens next.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Five

In our previous episode, Amanda and Michelle arrived safely in Pewter City. However, they had a run in with someone from Team Rocket who had stolen a valuable Pokemon fossil from the museum. But our heroes were able to recover the fossil, and Amanda also won her first gym badge. Both girls also received a new Pokemon from Officer Jenny as a reward for their help in recovering the fossil. Michelle got a Ponyta, and Amanda got a Dratini. Now, our heroes have left Pewter and are making their way towards Cerulean City. To get there, though, they'll have to traverse through Mount Moon. Let's find out what happens next as the journey continues.

Both Amanda and Michelle were smiling as they walked along the pathway that would lead then to Mount Moon.

"Was that not the best gym battle I've had?" asked Amanda.

"It's the only gym battle that you've had so far." Said Michelle.

"It was still a good one, though." Said Amanda. "Oh my goodness, I just remembered that I was supposed to call Mama when I got my badge."

"That's okay. You can call her when we get to the next Pokemon Center." Said Michelle. They continued walking along, but a short while later, they heard some rustling in the grass.

"What's that?" wondered Amanda. They tiptoed carefully toward where the rustling was and found a pink Pokémon with a star shaped body.

"I think that's a Clefairy!" Michelle squealed.

"Clefairy, huh. Let's see what the Pokedex says about this." Said Amanda. She took her device out and pointed it at the Pokémon.

"Clefairy. This rare but adorable Pokémon seldom shows itself to humans due to its shy nature. On nights with a full moon, a group of Clefairy gather to perform a special dance."

"This Clefairy doesn't look shy to me." Said Amanda. "I think this one is actually pretty friendly. Let's go, Pikachu." Pikachu jumped onto the grass and locked its eyes on Clefairy.

"If I don't catch this now, I might never get a chance at another one." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu fired a line of electricity, which did some damage to it, but didn't quite knock it out. Then, Clefairy ran at Pikachu and hit its cheek with its fist.

"That's a Pound attack!" Michelle cried.

"Pikachu's okay, though, aren't you, buddy?" said Amanda. Pikachu gave a thumbs up and faced Clefairy again.

"Quick Attack." Amanda called. Pikachu used its full speed, but Clefairy jumped out of the way just in time. Then, it used its hands to give Pikachu a good smacking.

"That's Double Slap." Said Amanda. Then, before Pikachu could do anything else, Clefairy wound up its fist and hit Pikachu's body with Mega Punch, sending the electric mouse flying.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried, and she ran over to him.

"Can you keep battling?" she asked.

"Pi Pi." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I'm not giving up easily.'

"That's the spirit, Pikachu." Said Amanda. She ordered a Double Kick, which did a good amount of damage, but still not enough to knock it out. Then, Clefairy waved its' fingers back and forth.

"What's it doing?" asked Amanda.

"What you're witnessing is Clefairy's Metronome." Said Michelle. "Once that's used, any attack is possible." Clefairy continued waving its fingers for a few more seconds before stopping. Then, it plopped onto the ground and fell asleep.

"Why is it sleeping?" Amanda wondered.

"That's Rest." Said Michelle. "That means it won't be able to attack for a bit, but it also acts as a recovery and heals all the damage that it took."

"That's no good." Said Amanda. "Try another Quick Attack, Pikachu." With Clefairy fast asleep, Pikachu's attack was able to hit easily. They checked carefully to see if the attack woke up Clefairy, and thankfully, it didn't.

"Okay, good." Said Amanda. She commanded another Thunderbolt, but this time, the force of the attack woke up Clefairy, and it didn't look happy. It used Double Slap to send Pikachu back a bit, but despite the beating, the little mouse was determined not to give up.

"Use Quick Attack with everything you've got!" Amanda cried. Pikachu ran at its fastest speed and sent Clefairy into a nearby tree, officially knocking it out. Amanda wasted no time grabbing an empty Poke Ball and throwing it at Clefairy. The ball sucked the adorable Pokémon inside, and after three shakes, dinged for a successful capture.

"All right, we got a Clefairy!" Amanda cried, and she placed the ball on her waist.

"Congratulations, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. "You did a great job, buddy."

"Pikachu pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Thanks, but that Clefairy gave me a good run.'

"It sure did." Said Michelle. "I saw the whole thing."

"I wonder what Mama will say when I tell her that I got a Clefairy." Said Amanda.

"I guess you'll know when you talk to her again." Said Michelle. Amanda placed Pikachu back on her shoulder and they continued walking. Ten minutes later, they came across a phone booth.

"I don't know why this is randomly in the middle of the road, but it gives me a chance to call Mama without having to wait for the next Pokemon Center." Said Amanda. She went into the booth to dial the number, and after three rings, Kangaskhan picked up.

"Great news, Mama." Said Amanda. "I got my first badge!"

"Congratulations, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "You must be very happy."

"I am, Mama." Said Amanda. "Michelle's happy for me too. Isn't that right, Michelle?"

"That's right." Said Michelle. "I really enjoy watching her battle. The skill she has is quite impressive for a rookie trainer." Kangaskhan chuckled.

"So, where are you two headed to now?" she asked.

"We're heading to Mount Moon." Said Amanda. "I hope we find some new Pokemon to add to our teams, or maybe even some ancient fossils."

"Even if you don't find anything, don't get discouraged." Said Kangaskhan. "Remember, I'll always be proud of you no matter what happens."

"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda.

"Any time, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "I have to go, but make sure you continue to keep me updated on your progress."

"I will, Mama." Said Amanda, and she hung up the phone. The girls started walking again, and fifteen minutes later, Amanda had a question.

"How do you know so much about Pokemon, Michelle?" she asked.

"I've been around them my whole life." Said Michelle. "I know about what their attacks are, how they evolve and what they evolve into. I guess you could call me an expert."

"That'll definitely come in handy for me." Said Amanda as they continued onward. Another ten minutes later, a trainer wearing a red sweater and dark blue shorts approached them.

"You look like a worthy challenger." He said to Amanda. "What do you say to a match?"

"Bring it on." Said Amanda, wasting no time accepting the challenge.

"How about we make this battle a little interesting." Said the trainer. "Have you ever heard of a double battle?"

"I haven't, actually." Said Amanda.

"Double battles are when you use two Pokemon at once." Said Michelle. "Kind of like how doubles matches work in tennis."

"Ah, I see." Said Amanda. Although Pikachu had recovered a bit from it's battle with Clefairy, it was still a bit tired, so Amanda decided to let her two newest Pokemon get some action.

"Dratini, Clefairy, come on out!" she called. Both of Amanda's Pokemon quickly appeared upon hearing their names called.

"Interesting choices." Said the trainer, and he threw his two Poke Balls. Out popped a Sandshrew and a Tangela, and Amanda whipped out her Pokedex.

"Tangela. Its face is constantly hidden from view due to the tangle of vines that are always covering it. Sandshrew. This tiny mouse Pokemon spends the majority of its' time hidden underground in deep burrows. It will also curl up into a ball to protect itself from falls as well as opponents."

"You can go first." The trainer said.

"Dratini, lower Tangela's defense with your Leer attack, and Clefairy, use Mega Punch on Sandshrew." Said Amanda. Both Pokemon launched their attacks, and while Sandshrew was knocked back a tiny bit, Tangela was barely fazed.

"Tangela, Vine Whip on Dratini. Sandshrew, use Scratch on Clefairy." Both opposing Pokemon's attacks hit but did little damage.

"Way to take the hits, you two." Said Amanda. "Okay Dratini, use Wrap on Tangela. Clefairy, put Sandshrew to sleep with Sing." Dratini wrapped its' small body around Tangela's vines, causing the grass Pokemon to shriek in pain. Meanwhile, Clefairy sang a small melody that made Sandshrew tired.

"What's happening here?" the other trainer asked. "Tangela, try to escape the Wrap attack." Tangela did its' best, but Dratini's grip was too strong.

"Okay now, Body Slam on Tangela. Clefairy, use Metronome." Amanda called. Dratini gave Tangela a hard slam with its' tail, knocking it out. Clefairy waved its' fingers for a few seconds before stopping and unleashing a stream of water from its' mouth for Water Gun, which hit Sandshrew and knocked it out. The trainer was in awe over what had happened. Michelle acted as a referee and raised her arm.

"Both of Tangela and Sandshrew are unable to battle. Dratini and Clefairy win." She said.

"We did it, guys! Great job." Said Amanda, and she gave playful pats on the head to both Pokemon before recalling them. The other trainer recalled his own Pokemon and approached Amanda.

"That Clefairy and Dratini of yours are pretty good." He said.

"Your Tangela and Sandshrew did well too." Said Amanda. They shook hands with each other, and then Amanda and Michelle continued on.

"I think with the right amount of training, Dratini and Clefairy can become really string Pokemon." Said Michelle.

"I would love for Dratini to become a Dragonite." Said Amanda.

"A Dragonite would be really cool." Said Michelle. "I think Lance has one."

"Who's Lance?" asked Amanda.

"He's the champion of the Pokemon League." Said Michelle. "He's a really good trainer too, which is why he's the champion."

"Maybe I could battle him at some point." Said Amanda.

"That would be nice, but I don't think you'd be able to battle him right now." Said Michelle. "You only have one gym badge, and the Pokemon you have on you right now haven't even evolved yet. His Pokemon would wipe the floor with you."

"I guess I'll have to wait until I get stronger, then." Said Amanda.

"That would be a wise idea." Said Michelle. As they continued walking along down the route, a few more trainers challenged Amanda to battles. Naturally, she won all of those matches and she tried her best to use her Pokemon equally. Pidgey even learned a new move in the process and although it didn't quite evolve, it was pretty close to being ready to do so. By the time the sun was starting to set, both girls were tired from walking. They hadn't gotten to Mount Moon yet, but it was too late in the day to continue, so they set up a camp for the night. After a nice, healthy dinner, they all fell asleep on the grass. The next morning, they woke up feeling refreshed and continued walking. A few hours later, they reached the Pokemon Center that was just outside of Mount Moon.

"Finally!" cried Amanda. "We can rest here for a bit and get my Pokemon checked out." Amanda took her Pokemon to the Nurse Joy at the desk to get looked at, and then she dialed Professor Oak. The professor was in the process of prepping his lunch when he heard his video phone ring.

"That must be Amanda." He said and pressed a button to put himself on the screen.

"Hi, Professor!" Both girls said at once.

"Hello, Amanda. Hello, Michelle." Said Oak. "You both look like you're in a good mood today."

"When are we not in a good mood, Professor?" said Amanda with a laugh.

"I guess that's a good point." Said Professor. Oak. "So, where are you two right now?"

"We just got to Mount Moon." Said Michelle.

"I see." Said Oak.

"What do you know about Mount Moon, professor?" asked Amanda.

"Well, I know that there's the potential of finding a Moon Stone. Hence why it's called Mount Moon." Said Oak. "But, you could also find some fossils too."

"That would certainly be exciting." Said Amanda.

"I also know that it's a very big place, so you'll need to navigate carefully in order to avoid getting lost." Said Oak.

"I don't think navigation will be a problem." Said Michelle.

"How so, Michelle?" asked Oak.

"I'm very good with directions, so as long as we go where I tell us to go, we should be fine." Said Michelle.

"Well then, I leave that part to you." Said Oak.

"Before I forget, professor, I got two new Pokemon." Said Amanda.

"That's certainly exciting." Said Oak. "Which ones did you get?"

"I got a Clefairy and a Dratini." Said Amanda. "The Dratini I got as a reward for helping recover a fossil that had been stolen from the Pewter museum, and I got the Clefairy in the wild."

"That's very good news indeed." Said Oak. "Make sure you raise both of them well."

"I will, Professor." Said Amanda. "Talk to you later." They both hung up, and then the sound went off to indicate that Amanda's Pokemon could get picked up at the desk. She left to retrieve them and then went back to the phone area.

"So, what do you want to do now?" asked Michelle.

"I could use some food." Said Amanda. "All of that walking that we did has made me quite hungry." Michelle's stomach growled.

"You're not the only one who's hungry." She said. They headed to the cafeteria to get some food. Amanda had a ham and cheese sandwich with milk, while Michelle had a peanut butter and pineapple sandwich with some juice. They also made sure to get Pokémon food for Pikachu and Eevee. After they were all done, they headed back to the center's lobby.

"I hope you've got your exploration hat on because we're about to head into Mount Moon." Saud Michelle. Just then, they heard the sound of pouring rain hitting the window. Nurse Joy gave a slight frown.

"I'm afraid that there won't be any more exploring for either of you today." She said "This rain moved in as you two were having lunch, and the weather report says that it's supposed to last all afternoon."

"It'll be too late to go back out by then." Said Amanda.

"Exactly." Said Joy. "Your best bet is to stay here inside the center until the morning." She gave them a key for a room on the second floor, and the girls made their way there. Once they got inside, they put their things on the bed and sat down in two chairs at the window.

"Well, this sucks." Said Michelle.

"But on the plus side, I can start strategizing for the next gym." Said Amanda.

"That's a good idea." Said Michelle. "Do you know what type the gym leader is going to use?"

"Actually, I don't." said Amanda. "I'm not even sure who the gym leader in the next city is."

"That doesn't really do much good, then." Said Michelle.

"You're right, it doesn't, but I think I have an idea in mind, anyway." Said Amanda. "I'll start off with Pikachu, and if that fails, I can possibly bring in Clefairy for a backup since its Metronome would allow it to use any attack."

"That could work, but what if Metronome spits out an attack that doesn't do a lot of damage?" wondered Michelle.

"I didn't even think of that." Said Amanda. "Thankfully, I have another plan in mind. I could just use Clefairy for the whole match and call for Metronome over and over again."

"I don't think that would be a good idea." Said Michelle.

"Why not?" asked Amanda.

"If you were to do that, then you'd be known as a move spammer." Said Michelle. "That's someone who insists on using the same attack repeatedly during the course of a battle. People don't like those kinds of trainers."

"I suppose you're right." Said Amanda. "I'll just have to keep thinking." As the rain continued to pour down, Amanda kept thinking about how to handle her next gym match when the time came for that. Once the evening fell and the rain stopped, the girls went back to the cafeteria so that they could have their dinner. After they ate, they went back to the room and spent a couple of hours watching television before falling asleep. The next morning was nice and sunny, which made both girls smile.

"These are definitely better conditions for exploring." Said Amanda. They showered and got changed and went to have breakfast.

"Professor Oak mentioned something yesterday about the possibility of finding fossils." Said Amanda. "Do you think we'll find any?"

"I don't know." Said Michelle. "It really depends on how lucky we get." Once they finished breakfast, they left the center and headed into Mount Moon. Right away, they were swarmed by a bunch of Zubat. Pikachu was able to fend off most of them with its Thunderbolt, but there was one Zubat in particular that refused to go away no matter what Amanda tried.

"I think I might not have a choice but to catch this one." She said, and she threw an empty ball at it. Despite the Zubat being close to full strength, the capture was still successful.

"Let's hope we don't see any more of those." Said Amanda.

"Agreed." Said Michelle, and they continued on through the cave. They took their time so that they could see every inch of the cave, and after an hour, they still hadn't made too much progress. Then, Michelle spotted a piece of paper on the floor.

"I wonder who would leave something like this on the ground in the middle of nowhere." She said. She was about to pick it up when a Geodude suddenly showed up.

"I'll handle this." Said Michelle. She sent out her Poliwag, and two quick squirts of Water Gun sent the Geodude away and allowed the girls to continue. Michelle grabbed the paper and had a look.

"It says 'If you want a quick way out of the cave, follow the arrows toward a secret exit.'"

"Why would there be arrows guiding us, anyhow?" wondered Amanda. "These big caves are meant for exploring so we can find a way out on our own. I suspect that this might be a trap."

"You could be right, but let's just follow the arrows anyway and see where we end up." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee agreed, and they went in the direction the arrows told them to go. They were led up a couple of floors, and back down a couple of floors, but didn't see an exit anywhere.

"I thought this was supposed to be quick." Said Amanda. "To me, this looks like the exact opposite."

"Yeah, something is definitely not adding up here." Said Michelle. Nonetheless, they continued onward, but the arrows kept leading them around in circles, and eventually, they ended up back where they started.

"Well, that was pointless." Said Amanda. But then, Michelle spotted something.

"There's another set of arrows leading down a path that we haven't tried yet." She said. "Let's follow them and see where they take us." They ended up going down into a room in the center of the cave, and much to their delight, they found a treasure chest.

"Well, that's certainly lucky." Said Amanda. "I wonder what's in it."

"Let's find out together." Said Michelle. They ran over to open it, but the moment they did so, they felt the ground trembling underneath them. They screamed as they fell a short distance.

"This isn't an exit. It's a trap!" exclaimed Michelle.

"I think I might know who set it, too." Said Amanda. "Remember when we foiled that theft attempt a few days ago?"

"Yes." Said Michelle. "But that means….." said Michelle. Amanda nodded.

"That Team Rocket guy who tried to steal the fossil is likely the one that set up this trap." She said. They then heard evil laughter from up top.

"You are exactly right, girly." It was indeed the same Team Rocket agent from before. "Think of this as a revenge plan for stopping my theft at the museum. And now, if you don't mind, I'll be taking your precious Pikachu and Eevee with me." He pressed a button on his remote control, and a large net came down into the hole and scooped up the two partner Pokemon. Both of them let out squeals that meant 'Help us!'

"Don't worry guys, we'll save you!" Amanda called.

"How are we going to do that?" wondered Michelle. "We're stuck in this pit and he's getting away with our Pokemon."

"This is where Clefairy comes into play." Said Amanda. "Remember, its Metronome can spit out any attack."

"But the odds of it giving the exact attack that we need are extremely low." Said Michelle. "What if this doesn't work?"

"Just trust me." Said Amanda. She grabbed Clefairy's Poke Ball and threw it. The adorable pink Pokemon appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Okay Clefairy, use your Metronome." Said Amanda. Clefairy nodded and started wagging its fingers back and fourth.

"I hope this works." Said Michelle. Clefairy continued to wag its fingers back and fourth for another twenty seconds before stopping. They suddenly felt themselves disappearing from the inside of the cave, and when they re-appeared, they were outside the exit.

"That was extremely lucky." Said Michelle. "But that Team Rocket grunt is still inside the cave somewhere with both Pikachu and Eevee." Amanda let out a chuckle.

"No he isn't!" she cried gleefully. "The Teleport not only got the two of us out of the cave, but it took the grunt out of the cave too."

"So, where is he now?" asked Michelle.

"Look over there." Amanda said, pointing down the path. Sure enough, the Team Rocket member had been placed a short distance from the exit.

"Ah, I see." Said Michelle. The grunt had Pikachu and Eevee trapped in a cage and was getting ready to depart when he saw two angry glares in his direction.

"So, you two both managed to escape." He said. "Well you won't get away so easily."

"We'll just see about that." Said Amanda, and she threw another ball. "Pidgey, I need you." The small bird instantly appeared in a flash of white.

"Doduo, you come out too." Said Michelle, and she threw one of her own balls. The two headed bird came out in a flash of light.

"Well, looks like it's battle time." Said the agent, and he sent his Zubat out.

"Pidgey, peck that bat." Said Amanda. Pidgey flew up to the Zubat and starting poking at it aggressively.

"Hey, stop that!" cried the agent.

"No chance." Said Michelle. "Doduo, Tri Attack." The two headed bird formed a triangle of red, blue and yellow and hurled it at Zubat, causing it to suffer some damage. The agent was hit slightly as well.

"No fair!" he screamed. "Zubat, use Supersonic." Zubat emitted orange circles from its mouth.

"We're not falling for that again." Said Michelle. "Doduo, try to jump out of the way."

"Pidgey, fly into the air." Said Amanda. Both of the flying Pokemon obeyed, causing the Supersonic to miss.

"Drat!" growled the agent.

"Great work, Doduo." Said Michelle.

"You too, Pidgey." Said Amanda.

"Now Doduo, use Take Down to break the cage." Said Michelle. Doduo built up speed, and ran head on into the cage, breaking the bars and freeing both Pikachu and Eevee, who instantly ran over to their trainers.

"Are you both okay?" Amanda asked. Pikachu and Eevee nodded affirmatively.

"Okay Clefairy, you're on with Metronome." Amanda said. Clefairy started finger wagging again, making the Rocket grunt nervous. After thirty seconds, the wagging stopped, and an explosion went off, destroying the grunt's balloon and sending him into the sky.

"I'll get you next time!" he cried as he blasted off. DING!

Great job, everyone!" cried Amanda. Pikachu and Eevee high fived each other before jumping back onto their respective trainers' shoulders. Doduo and Clefairy were both recalled to their balls, but Pidgey started breathing a bit heavily.

"Are you tired from that battle, Pidgey?" Amanda asked.

"I don't think it's tired at all." Said Michelle. "It's trying to do something else. Look." Sure enough, a blaze of light took over Pidgey, and its wings grew larger. Its body also got bigger and changed colors. When it was all over, Pidgey had become a Pidgeotto.

"Well would you look at that." Said Amanda. "It evolved!"

"Now he'll be stronger and he'll even be able to fly faster." Said Amanda.

"Congratulations, Pidgeotto." Said Amanda, and she gave her new bird a playful pat on the head. Pidgeotto cooed happily, and Amanda laughed. Later, they were back on the road and walking down the path that would lead them to the next city.

"What did you think of Mount Moon, Amanda?" Michelle asked.

"It was definitely bigger than I expected it to be." Said Amanda. "I guess that's why we got lost for a bit in there."

"At least we still made it through." Said Michelle. Then she noticed a sign on the grass which indicated that they were indeed going the right way. However, it was what was written on the sign in red marker that intrigued her.

"Gary was here. Ash is a loser." She read.

"I seem to recall running into the two of them back in Viridian City when Ash was trying to win a badge that he needed." Said Amanda.

"I don't know who Ash is." Said Michelle.

"He's a trainer from Pallet Town, and he also has a Pikachu just like I do." Said Amanda.

"If we happen to run into him, make sure you introduce me to him." Said Michelle. "I'd love to get to know more about him." Well, this part of the adventure has certainly been interesting. Our two young heroes not only got themselves lost in Mount Moon, but Pidgey evolved into Pidgeotto. Who knows what else could possibly happen as the journey continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Six

In our previous episode, Amanda and Michelle arrived at Mount Moon, and had quite the adventure, getting themselves lost and also getting engaged in a supposed treasure hunt. Unfortunately, the hunt turned out to be a trap set by the same Team Rocket member that the girls had come across before in Pewter City. But thanks to Clefairy's Metronome, as well as some powerful attacks from their Pokemon, the girls defeated Team Rocket, and Pidgey evolved into Pidgeotto. Now, our heroes find themselves heading toward Cerulean City, and Amanda's next gym battle.

"Look, Amanda! There's Cerulean City just ahead!" cried Michelle.

"I can't wait to have my gym battle." Said Amanda. "I wonder who the leader here is." They rushed over to the gym but when they tried to open the doors, they found that it was locked.

"That's just great. It's closed." Said Michelle.

"Why would the gym be closed when it's the middle of the day?" Amanda wondered. Michelle then saw a sign near the door.

"Maybe this is why." She said. "This isn't just a gym. It's also a theater for performing water ballet shows. And it looks like there's one going on right now."

"That would explain why it's closed." Said Amanda. "Oh well, I guess we'll have to come back later."

"Let's go the Pokemon Center for now." Said Michelle. "We both need to get our Pokemon healed and you need to call your mother so that you can let her know that we arrived in a new city."

"Thanks for reminding me about that." Said Amanda, and they headed for the center. Upon their arrival, they were greeted by the kind smile of the building's Nurse Joy.

"Welcome to the Pokemon Center." She said. "Is this your first time in Cerulean City?"

"It is indeed." Said Michelle.

"Well then, may I suggest checking out some of the sights of the city?" Joy said. "There's a bike shop here, along with a lighthouse, as well as various stores to suit your shopping needs."

"We'll definitely keep that in mind." Said Michelle. Amanda handed her Pokemon over to get checked and went over to the phones.

"I hope Mama's home." She said as she dialed the number. Sure enough, Kangaskhan picked up after three rings.

"Hi, Mama." Said Amanda. "Michelle and I are in Cerulean City now."

"Very good, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "Have you checked out the gym yet?"

"We did go there first, but it was closed." Said Amanda.

"That's too bad." Said Kangaskhan.

"On the plus side, though, that gives us a chance to see the city a little bit." Said Michelle.

"See? There's always a plus side for everything." Said Kangaskhan. "Now, you both have fun and be careful."

"We will, Mrs. Kangaskhan." Said Michelle. Kangaskhan smiled and hung up the phone. Next, Amanda dialed Professor Oak's number. Oak was doing some observation work on her Butterfree when he heard his phone ring.

"I'll be right back, Butterfree." He said and picked up the phone.

"Hello, Professor!" Amanda cried excitedly.

"Hello, Amanda." Said Oak. "Have you made it to Cerulean City yet?"

"I sure have, Professor. I'm calling from the Pokemon Center there." Said Amanda.

"Excellent." Said Oak. "I'm glad that you made it there safely. You know, I was thinking to myself 'Has Amanda caught anymore new Pokemon since leaving Pewter?'"

"You're in luck, Professor, because I did catch a Zubat in Mount Moon." Said Amanda. "Would you like to see it?"

"I certainly would." Said Oak. Amanda took Zubat's Poke Ball off of the waist of her dress and put it in the transporter. A beam of light absorbed it, and just seconds later, it arrived in Professor Oak's lab.

"Okay, let's open this up and take a look at your Zubat." He opened up the ball, and the Zubat appeared in a blaze of light. However, this Zubat wasn't its normal blue and pink color pattern. Instead, it had a green and yellow pattern.

"Well, this is certainly interesting." Said Oak. "Amanda, it appears that this Zubat of yours is a shiny Pokemon."

"Oh wow. I didn't even notice that when I caught it." Said Amanda. "Michelle and I got ganged up on by some Zubat in Mount Moon, and so I didn't really have a chance to get a better look at it."

"You're quite lucky to encounter a shiny Pokemon." Said Oak.

"Um, Professor, what exactly is a shiny Pokemon?" asked Amanda.

"They're Pokemon that have different coloring, and some of their other colors are also different too." Said Oak. "These kinds of Pokemon have just been newly discovered, so the chances of finding one are extremely low. The fact that you were able to find one makes you quite the lucky girl indeed." Amanda just smiled.

"Well, I don't know if I would consider myself that lucky, Professor." She said.

"Nonsense. Catching one of these is an honor, and I think you might be the first one to do it considering how new the concept is." Said Oak. "If you don't mind, Amanda, I'd like to study this shiny Zubat of yours."

"I don't mind at all, Professor." Said Amanda. "You be good for Professor Oak, Zubat." Zubat gave an affirmative nod, Oak and Amanda said their goodbyes and hung up. After Amanda got her Pokemon back from the desk, she and Michelle left to explore the city a little bit.

"What should we do since we can't go to the gym right now?" Michelle asked.

"I think I might have an idea." Said Amanda. "I did notice some pictures of a couple or raindrops on the gym's roof when we went by there earlier, which is an indication of the Pokemon type that the gym is going to use. While Pikachu's electric attacks would work out very well here, I do want to get a grass type as a backup option."

"Good thinking." Said Michelle. "I think there might be some in the grassy area just north of here." While they walked to the spot Michelle had pointed out, Amanda saw a store that sold a variety of different items, including clothes, food, potions and Poke Balls.

I could use some more clothes." Said Amanda.

"Same here, but that's not our focus right now." Said Michelle. They continued along, and thirty minutes later, they reached the bridge that would lead them to where they wanted to go. They were almost across the bridge when a trainer approached Amanda to challenge her. It was a simple one on one match with the trainer using a Cubone and Amanda using Squirtle. The match was intense, but Squirtle came out on top thanks to a strong Bubble attack. Once the battle was done, and they had made it across the bridge, they made a left turn into the grass patch.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon live here." Said Amanda. She whipped out her Pokedex and looked up their current location on it. The Pokedex then spoke.

"Common Pokemon finds in this portion of the city include the gentle grass types of Oddish and Bellsprout. However, there's also a small chance of an Abra appearing." It said. Amanda then put the Pokedex away.

"An Abra would be pretty cool." She said. "It's not what I'm looking for right now, but it would be cool if I did stumble upon one."

"If you do see one, I would suggest trying to catch it right away because they can teleport instantly." Said Michelle.

"Noted." Said Amanda. Pikachu, who had been nestled on Amanda's shoulder, used its ears to listen for any wild Pokemon. After fifteen minutes of searching, Pikachu's ears suddenly perked up and it pointed.

"Pikachu pi pika!" it cried, which meant 'There's something right in front of you!' That something turned out to be a Pokemon with a stem like brown body. It had green leaves for arms, a yellow head, small black eyes and a wide open pink mouth. This was certainly the Pokemon Amanda was looking for, and she took out her Pokedex for more information.

"Bellsprout, the flower Pokemon. Even though this Pokemon's body is extremely skinny, it can move super fast to capture and eat bugs. The roots are used as feet for walking around."

"This one may be small, but it can be very useful." Said Amanda and she put the Pokedex away. "Okay, Pidgeotto, you're on!" She threw a ball and her trusty bird instantly appeared.

"Let's start off with a Gust attack." Pidgeotto flapped its wings hard to form a powerful gust of wind, which sent Bellsprout flying backwards a few feet. It stood its ground, though, and fired small leaves from its' arms.

"That's Razor Leaf!" Michelle called. Pidgeotto brushed the leaves away like it was nothing.

"That's the way, Pidgeotto." Said Amanda. "Now, Wing Attack." Pidgeotto spread its' wings out and hit Bellsprout hard with the powerful attack. Bellsprout wouldn't give up, though, and shot out green vines to form Vine Whip. Although Pidgeotto was fast, it couldn't quite avoid the vines and got hit a little harder than normal. Pidgeotto screamed.

"Oh no!" cried Amanda. "Are you okay, Pidgeotto?" Pidgeotto nodded. It was so determined to show Bellsprout who was boss that it flew full speed to use Quick Attack before Amanda had a chance to order it. Bellsprout didn't see the attack coming, and was knocked out on the ground, having fainted completely. Amanda threw an empty ball at the Bellsprout, and three shakes later, the ball dinged to signify a successful capture.

"We've got ourselves a Bellsprout!" Amanda cried and she high fived Michelle.

"Way to go, Amanda." Michelle said.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. She recalled Pidgeotto, grabbed the ball containing her new Bellsprout off the ground and put it back on her waist. Then, they set off back towards the city. They were almost back at the bridge when an Abra appeared out of nowhere and started hovering around the girls.

"Well hello there." Amanda said in a friendly tone. "Let's see what my Pokedex has to say about you." She took it out and pointed it at the Pokemon.

"Abra, the Psi Pokemon. It can use radar to sense when it's in danger. It can even teleport itself while sleeping." Amanda put her Pokedex away and had a closer look at Abra.

"You look like you're a bit lonely." Said Amanda. Abra floated over to Pikachu and gave a curious look.

"That's my partner." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, say hello to Abra."

"Pika pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Nice to meet you.'

"Hi, Abra. I'm Michelle. I want you to meet my own partner, Eevee." Said Michelle. Abra hovered over to Eevee, who gave a small squeal, but Michelle reassured her.

"It's okay, Eevee." She said. "This Abra just wants to be our friend. I'm sorry, Abra. Eevee thought you were a Gyrados or something." Abra was confused by that but shrugged it off since it couldn't speak. Then, it pointed to one of the Poke Ball on Amanda's waist.

"You're probably curious about that, aren't you?" Amanda asked. Abra nodded its head. Amanda grabbed an empty ball that hadn't been used yet and showed the psychic type.

"This is what I use to capture any Pokemon that I find." She said. "Most of the Pokemon stay in these until we need them, but Pikachu and Eevee like being out here with us, don't you, guys?" Pikachu and Eevee both gave an agreeing thumbs up. Abra looked at the ball curiously before pressing a button to make it a bit bigger. Abra thought that the ball was a toy and pressed the button again. However, the ball started to suck the Pokemon inside.

"Wait, don't do that!" Amanda cried, but it was too late. The ball dinged for another successful catch.

"Looks like you ended up with an Abra after all." Said Michelle.

"Which is cool and all, but if it wanted to play with my Poke Ball, it should've asked me first." Said Amanda. The ball containing Abra then suddenly disappeared into a flash of white light.

"I hope I didn't hurt the little guy's feelings." Said Amanda.

"I don't think you did." Said Michelle. "That Abra took you over your party limit, which means that it's going to Oak's lab." Amanda breathed a sigh of relief and they continued on. They got back across the bridge, and after another thirty minutes, found themselves back at the store they had passed earlier.

"Guess it's time for a shopping spree." Said Amanda. Michelle agreed and they made their way inside the store.

"What should we get first?" Michelle asked.

"I did say earlier that we needed some new clothes." Said Amanda, so they went over to the clothing section. They found some bright colored shirts, jeans and sneakers, which both of them liked, as well as some nice dresses, but then Michelle spotted something that she really liked.

"Look at these cute boots, Amanda." She said. The boots she was looking at were a bright orange color, and were filled with stickers of various Pokemon, including Jigglypuff, Horsea and Pikachu.

"You like these boots, Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pi pika Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'They're very cute.'

"I think I might want to buy these." Said Michelle. She grabbed the boots and placed them into the shopping bag that the clerk had provided the girls upon entering. She also put the other clothes they had picked out into the bag and continued walking through the store. In the food and potions area, they grabbed some snacks for themselves as well as Pokémon food for Pikachu and Eevee. They also made sure to get some antidotes as well as other medicine that would cure their Pokémon in the event that they got hit with status conditions. They also got some backpacks in the outdoor section so that they could store their things much easier. Finally, they grabbed some more Poke Balls. They then went back to the front entrance when they realized that they had a problem.

"How are we going to pay for all of this?" asked Amanda. "I don't have any money on me."

"No problem." Said Michelle. She brought out a wallet with a Seel sticker on it and took her debit card out.

"It's a good thing I always carry this around with me whenever I travel." She Said, and used the card to pay for all of their items. Then they headed back to the Pokemon Center so that they could have dinner. The menu that evening was grilled salmon with sautéed vegetables, two things that both girls liked a lot. After dinner, they went into the room the center had provided them and turned the TV on. Michelle flipped through the channels until she came across a program that intrigued her.

"Look at this, Amanda." She said. "It's a new game show called Name That Pokémon."

"This certainly does look interesting." Said Amanda. "I wonder how you play."

"Let's watch and find out." Said Michelle. The contestants on screen were shown a silhouette of a Pokémon and they had to identify it based on the clues given. The amount of points that was earned was dependent on how many clues it took to make a correct guess. The fewer guesses that were required, the more points the player scored. The more guesses that were needed, however, the less points that were scored. The game in this particular episode got very intense, and all three players were very close in score going into the final round. For the final, everyone bet a certain amount of their score based on what they knew about the Pokémon. If they guessed right, they won their wager. If they guessed wrong, however, they lost their wager. The player left with the most points at the end would be the winner. The player in the middle position bet all of their points and got it right. The other two bet a chunk of their scores, but got it wrong, resulting in the middle player winning the game.

"That was certainly exciting." Said Amanda.

"You did pretty good with your guessing." Said Michelle.

"I think I like that show." Said Amanda. "I hope we get to see it again sometime."

"I'm sure we will." Said Michelle. She changed the channel to a station that was showing a replay of a battle from the previous year's Indigo League tournament.

"Now this is more like it." Said Amanda. The station showed the battles for the next two hours, and then the girls went to sleep. Meanwhile, in the main part of the city, all of the stores had closed for the night. Unfortunately, a certain Team Rocket grunt that the girls had run into issues with twice already, didn't get the memo and had snuck into one of the stores through the vent on its roof. This was the exact same store the girls had been shopping in earlier that day. He made sure the coast was clear before proceeding.

"I wonder if they have anything valuable in here." He said. He scanned all the sections slowly and carefully before finding one of the biggest vacuum cleaners ever to exist. He looked at the price tag and shook his head.

"Way too expensive." He said. "Then again, that's what the five finger discount is for." Because of how expensive the vacuum was, it was tied together with metal chains. The grunt managed to break the chains and remove the vacuum from its spot. He then left with his new prize, making sure not to activate the alarm in the process. The next morning, after the girls had woken up and gotten dressed, they turned on the television and found a newscast in progress. A national story report was finishing up before the anchor moved on.

"In local news, a valuable vacuum was stolen from one of Cerulean City's largest stores last night." She said. "It happened around ten thirty last night. The suspect was last seen wearing a blue shirt and lime green pants. Officer Jenny and the rest of the city's police force are currently investigating." Michelle turned the TV off.

"Wow, a robbery." She Said.

"We were just at that store yesterday, too." Said Amanda. "That's pretty crazy if you ask me."

"We'll need to go there so we can tell Officer Jenny anything we might know." Said Michelle. Both of their stomachs rumbled loudly. "But first, we should feed ourselves some breakfast." They went to the cafeteria and found the standard breakfast items available. They both had a toasted bagel, some yogurt and a small carton of milk. After they finished eating, they made their way over to the store, the entrance of which was blocked off by police tape. Officer Jenny was taking notes in her notebook as her fellow officers were talking to the owner, who looked very distraught.

"You've just got to get that vacuum back, Officer Jenny." He said. "It's one of a kind and can't be replaced."

"We're doing everything we can." Jenny assured him. "Maybe these two kids know something." She turned to Amanda and Michelle.

"Were you two here yesterday?" Jenny asked.

"Yes." They both answered.

"Where were both of you at ten thirty last night?" she asked.

"We were both asleep at the Pokémon Center." Said Amanda.

"So neither of you were here when the vacuum was stolen then." Said Jenny.

"No, we weren't anywhere near the store at that time." Said Michelle. The store owner vouched for them.

"They're telling the truth, Jenny." He said. "Even though I did see them come in yesterday to shop around, they bought their items fair and square. They definitely don't look like thieves to me."

"I don't think so either, but I still had to interrogate them since it's part of the investigation process." Said Jenny. "You two are free to go. We'll handle things from here." Jenny sent the girls on their way, and the two of them started walking back the other direction.

"I know she didn't ask us who did take the vacuum, but I already have an idea as to who did take it." Said Amanda. "If it's who I think it is, he's going to pay."

"Just let the police take care of it." Said Michelle. "Where should we go now?"

"Since I don't think the gym is open quite yet, I can try to get in a quick training session first before going over there." Said Amanda. They went just east of the city to an open clearing for the session. Since Bellsprout was just newly captured, Amanda spent the hour and a half session focused on mastering its' attacks. The first few attempts didn't go well for Bellsprout, but it slowly improved, and once the session was over, Amanda was very proud of the work that her new grass type had put in.

"Great job, Bellsprout." She said. She recalled her Pokemon, and then the girls headed to the gym. When they arrived inside, they found a huge pool that contained various water types such as Golduck, Poliwhirl and Tentracruel.

"This is a big place." Said Amanda. "I hope I don't have to go into the pool for my battle. I'm not wearing a bathing suit."

"I don't think you'll need to worry about that." Said a voice from in front of her. The voice belonged to Daisy, one part of the trio known as the Sensational Sisters.

"Hey Violet, looks like we have our first two challengers of the day!" she called out.

"Oh, I'm not challenging." Said Michelle, and she pointed to Amanda. "But my friend here is." Violet appeared alongside Daisy, and Lily followed a moment later.

"First off, welcome to the Cerulean City gym." Said Daisy.

"Thanks, but I kind of thought that there'd be someone else here as the gym leader." Said Amanda.

"If you mean Misty, she's out traveling with Ash right now." Said Violet.

"Speaking of which, the two of them were actually here not too long ago to help us out with one of our underwater shows." Said Lily.

"As you probably figured out, we also do shows here and not just gym battles." Said Daisy.

"Yeah, I noticed that for myself when we first came here yesterday and found the gym completely closed." Said Amanda.

"We were booked with shows all day yesterday and couldn't take any challengers, which is why we were closed." Said Lily.

"There's no performances scheduled for today, though, which means we can battle you." Said Violet.

"Oh, so you're not going to just hand over a badge to Amanda and send us away?" asked Michelle.

"We were told by Nurse Joy that we can't do that anymore or else the gym gets shut down." Said Daisy. "That means you'll have a proper battle. Come with us." The girls followed Daisy, Lily and Violet over to the main battle area, which was a smaller sized pool. Michelle went over to the stands to watch, while Amanda took her spot in the challenger's podium.

"How many badges do you have right now?" Daisy asked.

"Just one." Amanda answered. This'll be my second badge if I win."

"Then we shouldn't be that hard on you." Said Daisy. "So, here's how this is going to work. You'll battle us one at a time in separate one on one matches. If you get to two wins first, you win the badge. Also, there will be no time limits. Do you have any further questions?"

"No." said Amanda.

"Then let's begin." Said Daisy, and she threw her Poke Ball. "Horsea, take the stage!" A light blue Pokemon resembling a small seahorse appeared and dove into the pool. Amanda took her Pokedex out.

"Horsea, the dragon Pokemon. It feeds on insects and moss gathered from rocks. If it's in danger, it will spray black ink at the attacker." Amanda nodded and threw her first ball.

"Let's go, Dratini!" she cried. The small dragon Pokemon appeared in a blaze of light and joined Horsea in the pool.

"I must say, that's quite the interesting Pokemon choice for round one." Said Daisy. "Horsea, Bubble attack. Horsea squealed its name and sprayed bubbles at the small dragon. Dratini took the hit, but the bubbles did minimal damage.

"Give it a Body Slam, Dratini!" Amanda called. Dratini jumped up and got ready to slam its body into Horsea, but the small horse dove into the pool at just the right time, which made the attack miss.

"Okay Horsea, Agility time." Said Daisy. Horsea swam back and forth and its full speed, readying itself for any attack that Dratini tried.

"See if you can slow it down with Leer." Said Amanda. Dratini's eyes glowed, but no matter which way it pointed the attack, Horsea dodged every time with the Agility move. Needless to say, Amanda and Dratini were getting quite frustrated.

"Come on, Dratini, do something to slow it down!" Amanda called. "Try a Thunder Wave." A beam of yellow light shot out of its' horn, but Horsea was still in Agility and dodged easily.

"That's the way, Horsea." Said Daisy. "Go for Swift!" Stars shot out of Horsea's body, hitting Dratini. Then, Daisy called for a Blizzard attack. Dratini tried to avoid the snowflakes, and although it was successful at first, it eventually ran into a wall of them, and the small dragon was knocked out.

"Dratini is unable to battle." Said Daisy. "Horsea is the winner." Amanda was feeling quite nervous, but she was also anxious at the same time. Not only had Dratini lost, but it also didn't even land a single hit. Amanda recalled Dratini and thought about her next choice carefully. Daisy recalled Horsea, and Violet stepped forward.

"Your Dratini gave it a good try." She said. "Now let's see how you deal with this next one." She threw a ball and out came a Vaporeon.

"Oh, that thing is so cute." Said Michelle. "Look Eevee, it's one of your evolution forms." Eevee squealed in delight upon seeing the water type. Amanda took her Pokedex out again.

"Vaporeon, the bubble jet Pokemon. It likes living in freshwater lakes and also has the ability to become invisible while in the water."

"I think I know just the Pokemon for this." Said Amanda. "Bellsprout, I need you." The grass Pokemon appeared and stood just outside the pool.

"We'll have to attack from a distance since you don't know how to swim." Said Amanda. "Bellsprout, Razor Leaf attack!" Bellsprout shot a barrage of leaves at Vaporeon, and although the attack did super effective damage, the water Pokemon wasn't going to be knocked out easily.

"Go for Take Down, Vaporeon." Said Violet. Vaporeon swam hard and rammed into the Bellsprout, only to take some more damage.

"Take Down causes recoil damage to the Pokemon that uses it." Said Michelle.

"I think she's right." Said Violet.

"Good work, Bellsprout. Now go for Stun Spore." Said Amanda. Bellsprout sprayed gold dust all over Vaporeon, but right when it hit, Vaporeon dove into the water to wash it off. It popped out a few seconds later acting like the attack had done nothing, which was because it hadn't done anything.

"Nice try, but Stun Spore doesn't work when you wash it off with water." Said Violet. "Aurora Beam!" Vaporeon fired a rainbow colored beam, and that made Amanda gasp.

"If I don't do something here, this match will be over and I'll lose." She said. "Bellsprout, dodge it quick!" Bellsprout moved only slightly, but enough for the attack to miss.

"Yes!" cried Amanda. "Now, Vine Whip!" Bellsprout shot out its vines and tangled Vaporeon up in them. He then threw Vaporeon hard at the wall and released the vines. Vaporeon was down and knocked out.

"Vaporeon is unable to battle. Bellsprout wins." Said Daisy, who was now acting as the referee for the rest of the match. Violet and Amanda recalled their Pokemon, and Lily stepped forward.

"It all comes down to this." She said and threw her ball. "Starmie, the spotlight's on you!" A blue Pokemon with a red jewel in the center appeared, and Amanda took her Pokedex out one more time.

"Starmie. This Pokemon's central core glows together with the seven colors of the rainbow. The core is valued by some people as a type of gem."

"All right, little buddy, it's your turn." Said Amanda. Pikachu jumped down and onto the same spot where Bellsprout had been standing.

"We can do this, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Thunderbolt!" Pikachu fired its' electric bolt at Starmie. As the Pokemon was part psychic type, however, it didn't do as much damage as it should have.

"Tackle it." Lily called. Starmie spun over to Pikachu and gave it a hard tackle. Pikachu was still okay, though.

"Okay, Quick Attack now!" Amanda called. Pikachu ran full speed and sent Starmie almost to the wall.

"Way to go!" Amanda called.

"Not so fast." Said Lily, wagging her finger. "Recover." Starmie shook off the pain from the attacks and looked like a completely different Pokemon.

"Bubblebeam time." Starmie launched large bubbles from its' center, but Pikachu managed to dodge all of them with its' Agility.

"Try another Thunderbolt!" Amanda called. Pikachu launched another powerful line of yellow energy at Starmie, and this time, it did a lot more damage. Not only that, but Starmie was completely paralyzed.

"Uh oh, this isn't good." Said Lily.

"Time for the Double Kick!" Amanda called. Pikachu gave Starmie, who was unable to really do anything now, some swift hard kicks, the last of which slammed Starmie into the wall. When it got up, the core started flashing repeatedly. Daisy immediately called the match.

"Starmie is unable to battle." She said. "Pikachu wins the round, and the winner of the match is the challenger!"

"We did it, Pikachu!" Amanda called. She got down from the diving board and bounced over to where Pikachu was. The two of them high fived each other, but then they heard a rumbling sound.

"What's going on?" wondered Violet as everyone ran for the gym entrance. One of the walls blasted down, and a vacuum was now standing in place of the wall. Controlling the device was none other than the Team Rocket grunt.

"Like, who invited the party crasher?" asked Daisy.

"I certainly didn't." said Lily. The Team Rocket grunt gave an evil laugh.

"Thanks to some modifications, I've made this thing stronger than it needs to be." He said and started sucking up all the Pokemon in the pool.

"He's going to take all the Pokemon!" cried Daisy.

"Oh no he won't." said Michelle.

"Wait a minute, that's the vacuum they mentioned on the news this morning." Said Amanda, and she looked directly at the grunt. "You stole this thing from that store, didn't you?!"

"So what if I did?" he asked. "There's no way any of your tiny Pokemon are taking down a big thing like this."

"Try me!" exclaimed Amanda. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu aimed its' attack at the vacuum and hit it, only to find that the attack did nothing.

"Don't tell me that thing's shockproof." Said Michelle.

"Very good observation." Said the grunt, and he continued sucking up everything in the pool.

"We've got to stop him and save all the Pokemon!" cried Lily.

"We're trying." Said Amanda. She grabbed a ball off of the waist of her dress and threw it. "Clefairy, get out here and use Metronome!" The cute pink Pokemon appeared and started wagging its fingers.

"I hope this works." Said Daisy. Clefairy's fingers stopped wagging after fifteen seconds, and a bright yellow beam shot itself into the pool and toward the vacuum. The attack hit the vacuum so hard that it broke apart, spitting out the Pokemon it had absorbed and releasing them back into the pool.

"No, it can't be!" the grunt exclaimed.

"Oh yes it can." Said Amanda, and she threw another ball. "Finish it off, Dratini!" Dratini came out, swung back, and slammed its body into what was left of the vacuum, sending the grunt flying into the air in the process.

"You measly kids." He growled. "I'll remember this!" DING!

"We did it, guys!" Amanda cried. Pikachu, Clefairy and Dratini all cheered, as did the three co leaders. Back outside, Daisy held out something in her palm for Amanda.

"You not only gave us a great battle, but you also saved our Pokemon from that Team Rocket guy." She said. "This Cascade Badge is yours."

"Thanks, Daisy." Said Amanda, and she held her new badge up high. "We got a Cascade Badge!" Pikachu struck a victory pose.

"Way to go, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Thanks." Said Amanda.

"You really are an amazing trainer, Amanda." Said Daisy. "I wish you the best of luck in the rest of your gym matches."

"And if you see Misty, tell her we say hi." Said Violet.

"We will." Said Amanda. She and Michelle said their goodbyes to the three leaders and went on their way. Amanda's Cerulean City venture has certainly been something. She added two new Pokemon, stopped another Team Rocket plan, and more importantly, got her Cascade Badge. More excitement and battles await her as the journey continues, so stay tuned and see what happens next.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Seven

Well, our heroes had quite the adventure last time. They arrived in Cerulean City, but found that the gym was closed, so Amanda decided to find a Bellsprout. While she did catch one, she also "caught" a curious looking Abra. A vacuum was also stolen from a store where the girls had shopped, and the culprit was none other than Team Rocket. Not only did the girls foil the latest theft attempt, but Amanda had an intense gym battle with Misty's sisters that ended with her getting a win and earning a Cascade Badge. Now, our heroes continue their journey, curious to see what else is in store for them.

Today's episode begins with Amanda engaged in a battle against a trainer with a Growlithe. She had already battled thirteen trainers that morning and won all of those matches. Not all of the matches had been easy, though. Some had been quite intense, and she was hoping to add to that streak.

"Slam it, Pikachu!" she ordered.

"Dodge, quickly!" the other trainer called out. Pikachu readied for the move, but Growlithe got out of the way before Pikachu could hit it.

"Now use Leer." Growlithe's eyes glowed, and Pikachu started feeling a little numb. The electric mouse cried a bit.

"Pikachu, no!" cried Amanda.

"Finish it!" the other trainer commanded. Growlithe charged hard and sent Pikachu back with Take Down. Pikachu flew backwards a bit, and when it landed, both of its' eyes had a red X on them.

"That was a good try, Pikachu." Said Amanda. She picked him up and brought him over to where Michelle was.

"Can you watch him for me?" Amanda asked.

"Of course." Said Michelle. Pikachu regained a bit of strength and started chatting with Eevee. Amanda walked back over to her battle spot.

"What's it going to be next, miss?" the trainer asked. Amanda took a ball off of her waist and threw it.

"Let's go, Squirtle!" she cried. The little turtle appeared in a blaze of light and took its' position on the field.

"Start off with Water Gun, Squirtle!" Amanda called. Squirtle nodded and fired a stream of water.

"Agility, now!" the trainer commanded. Growlithe nodded and avoided every single Water Gun that came its' way. Squirtle was getting mad and kept trying. Growlithe kept dodging, but he got too full of himself and as a result, he got hit by a blast, causing him to yelp in pain.

"Growlithe!" the trainer called. Thankfully, his Pokemon was okay and stared down Squirtle.

"Bite that turtle." Said the trainer. Growlithe started rushing over.

"Quick, Squirtle, Withdraw!" Amanda called. Squirtle ducked into his shell, and as a result, Growlithe's bite marks didn't do anything. Squirtle popped back out and gave a smile.

"Excellent defense, Squirtle." Said Amanda.

"Don't be starting to count your Pidgey before they hatch." Said the trainer. "Double Team!" Growlithe sent out several illusions of itself, making Squirtle and Amanda confused.

"Which one is the real one?" she wondered.

"That's up to you to figure out." Said the trainer, who was now grinning from ear to ear.

"Squirtle, shoot your Water Gun until you find the real Growlithe." Said Amanda. Squirtle fired water at the Growlithe copies, eliminating them one at a time. The last shot hit Growlithe with tons of damage, causing him to scream.

"No!" the trainer cried.

"Time to finish the job." Said Amanda. "Skull Bash, now!" Squirtle ran at Growlithe with its head lowered and sent the small dog flying into the air a bit. Upon landing, Growlithe's eyes swirled, indicating that it had fainted.

"We did it, Squirtle!" Amanda recalled.

"Squirtle squirt." Said Squirtle, which meant 'I knew we could do it.' The two of them high fived each other, and the other trainer recalled Growlithe.

"I've got to say, your Pikachu and Squirtle were really good." Said the trainer.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. "Your Growlithe battled well, too." The two trainers shook hands, and Amanda recalled Squirtle back to his ball.

"Impressive match there, Amanda." Said Michelle. "But even the best trainers need a break now and then. Plus, it's almost time to eat." Amanda agreed, and Michelle set up a mini stove to cook some lunch for them. It was a simple lunch today, consisting of an all beef chili. Michelle had gotten the ingredients for it at the Poke Mart right before they had left Cerulean, and she made sure to follow the recipe's instructions very carefully.

"This lunch is going to be good, guys." Amanda said to Pikachu and Eevee. The two starter Pokemon squealed in delight, as they wanted to try some of it themselves. Michelle smiled at them.

"Don't worry, I'm making plenty for all of us." She said. Amanda sat on a nearby rock and contemplated what her plan of attack would be when they arrived at the next city. Fifteen minutes later, she found her thoughts being interrupted by a passing trainer.

"Hey kid!" he yelled, pointing to Amanda. "You want a match?"

"Sure!" Amanda cried eagerly.

"Wait a minute, I thought you were going to take a break." Said Michelle. "Plus, lunch is just about ready."

"This'll be quick, Michelle, I promise." Said Amanda. "Come on, Pikachu." Pikachu got up from its' rest spot, and they followed the other trainer.

"It better be quick." Michelle muttered to herself. Eevee agreed with her. Meanwhile, Amanda and the other trainer were locking eyes with each other, about to start their battle.

"Let's make this a quick one on one match, and we'll only use electric types." Said the trainer.

"An electric only battle." Said Amanda. "Sounds like an interesting concept to me. Okay Pikachu, let's do this." Pikachu took its' spot in the battle area and showed some confidence. It had recovered a bit from its' earlier defeat and was very determined.

"Pikachu, eh?" said the trainer. He reached into his bag and pulled out a ball. "Magnemite, let's go!" A gray Pokemon with two magnets for arms shot out of the ball, prompting Amanda to pull out her Pokedex.

"Magnemite, the magnet Pokemon. The magnetic units on this Pokemon's body generate an electromagnetic field that allows it to defy gravity and can potentially disrupt electrical equipment."

"Pikachu, don't let that Magnemite fool you." Said Amanda. "Start with a Thunderbolt attack." Pikachu shot it's electric bolt right at Magnemite, but due to it also being electric type, the attack didn't do too much damage.

"Magnemite, Sonic Boom." Magnemite shot a trio of white lines at Pikachu, hitting it and knocking it back a little.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" Amanda called out. "Go for Quick Attack." Pikachu ran full speed, but Magnemite flew up a bit out of the way to dodge the attack.

"Tackle, Magnemite." Said the trainer. Magnemite gave Pikachu a hard tackle on its' body. It wasn't hard enough to knock it out, though.

"Swift attack, Pikachu." Amanda said.

"You use Swift too, Magnemite." Both Pokemon shot out yellow stars at each other, but both attacks collided and disappeared upon impact.

"Don't give up." Amanda said. "Double Kick." Pikachu lunged at Magnemite and started giving it some swift kicks.

"Bide, Magnemite." Magnemite stayed in place and absorbed the hits.

"I think we have this, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"Think again." Said the trainer. Magnemite unleashed its Bide, and all the damage it had taken was sent back at Pikachu with even more power. When all was said and done, Pikachu had been knocked out.

"And that's that." Said the trainer. Pikachu ran back to Amanda and shook its' head, which meant 'I'm sorry I failed you.' But Amanda wasn't that upset at all.

"Don't worry about it, Pikachu." She said. "You did your best, and I'm very proud of you." She then faced the other trainer. "Your Magnemite was awesome."

"Thanks." He said, and he recalled his Pokemon. "By the way, I have a question to ask you. Have you heard of the Thunder Tournament?"

"I haven't." said Amanda. "What is that?"

"It's a tournament specifically for electric type Pokemon." He said. "If you win the finals, you get a Thunder Stone as a prize."

"Well, I don't know." Said Amanda.

"Just think about it." Said the trainer, and he left. Amanda went back over to where Michelle was.

"How'd your match go?" Michelle asked.

"We lost." Said Amanda.

"That's too bad." Said Michelle.

"Although, the trainer I battled did tell me about a tournament for electric type Pokemon." Amanda said. "The prize for winning the whole thing is a Thunder Stone according to what he told me. I want to enter, but I'm not sure if I want to go through with it."

"I think you should, and I'll tell you why." Said Michelle. "First off, the whole point of this journey is to become as strong a trainer as possible. From what I've seen, you've definitely been doing a very good job at fulfilling that purpose ever since you and I first met in the Viridian Forest."

"That's a very valid point." Said Amanda. "Go on."

"Second, taking part in this would give you a chance to meet other trainers that you haven't seen before." Said Michelle. "Not to mention that you have an electric type on you that would meet the tournament's requirements in Pikachu. Third, aside from the gyms, we've been doing a lot of things together on this journey. So if you enter the tournament, then so will I since I'd be able to use Electabuzz in it. What do you think now?"

"I think I'll do it!" Amanda exclaimed with determination.

"That's the spirit." Said Michelle, and she served their lunch. What the girls didn't know was that they were being watched by a familiar figure from Team Rocket.

"So, they're entering a tournament that's just for electric Pokemon." He said, and he started getting an idea. His partner, a woman with rainbow hair, quickly shot him down.

"One problem with your plan, Conrad." She said. "You don't have any electric types on you. Plus, I'm pretty sure there's a maximum age cap for that tournament."

"You're right, I didn't consider that." Said Conrad. "Okay then, Sally, what do you suggest instead?"

"We steal the Thunder Stone." Said Sally. "Before you ask, I overheard those kids talking about it, so that's how I know."

"We'll have to keep an eye on them." Said Conrad. After lunch, Michelle and Amanda went to work training both Electabuzz and Pikachu for the tournament. The training included practicing short and long range attacks, as well as a practice battle between the two Pokemon. The session lasted the whole afternoon, but when it was over, both girls gave their Pokemon friendly pats on the head.

"Very good work, both of you." Amanda said. "I think we'll definitely be ready for that tournament."

"One question." Said Michelle. "Do we even know when the tournament is taking place?"

"I forgot to ask that trainer about that part." Said Amanda.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure we can find out if we see an advertisement for it." Said Michelle. They had dinner and spent the evening looking at the stars in the night sky. A couple of hours later, they let out loud yawns and went to sleep. The next morning, they continued making their way down the route, and after an hour of walking, they found a big building that had electric handles on the doors.

"This must be the place." Said Amanda, and they made their way inside. Sure enough, there were all sorts of trainers there who were eager to take part.

"I guess we're not the only ones." Said Michelle, and they quickly made their way over to the registration desk. Nurse Joy was in charge of taking sign ups.

"Are you two here to register for the electric type Pokemon tournament?" she asked.

"We sure are." Said Amanda.

"Excellent." Said Joy. "I'll need your names as well as the Pokemon that you'll be using."

"Amanda." Said Amanda.

"Michelle." Said Michelle.

"I'll be using Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"And I'll be using Electabuzz." Said Michelle. Joy wrote the information down on her clipboard and gave them badges with numbers on them. Amanda's badge had a number eight on it, while Michelle's badge had the number twenty on it.

"You two are all set." Said Joy. "The matches begin in half an hour. Good luck to both of you."

"Thank you." Both girls said in unison and they went over to a rest area so that they could sit down and relax for a bit before the tournament started. However, Amanda had just barely sat down when she remembered something.

"I need to call Mama." She said. Luckily, there was a video phone near the registration desk. Amanda punched in some buttons to dial a number, and after two rings, Kangaskhan picked up the phone.

"Hi, Mama." Said Amanda.

"Hello there, dear." Said Kangaskhan. "Any updates since the last time you called me?"

"I got my second gym badge, and I also caught an Abra and a Bellsprout." Said Amanda.

"That's excellent." Said Kangaskhan. "Where are you calling me from now?"

"Michelle and I are at the Thunder Tournament." Said Amanda. "It's a special competition that's just for electric Pokemon, and if I win, I get a Thunder Stone."

"That would be great for evolving Pikachu." Said Kangaskhan.

"It would, but I'm not sure if I want to do that." Said Amanda. "Pikachu's been battling just fine as is."

"In any case, I do wish you the best of luck in that tournament." Said Kangaskhan.

"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda. "I knew I could count on you for support."

"See you later, dear." Said Kangaskhan, and the call ended. Michelle and Amanda went over to the table where the grand prize was being kept.

"That Thunder Stone looks so awesome." Said Amanda. "We're going to do our best to win it, right Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said confidently, which meant 'That's right!' Ten minutes before the tournament started, all the trainers that were entered in the tournament gathered around a giant video screen to see which brackets they would be placed in. Amanda was placed in the Snorlax bracket, while Michelle was placed in the Magikarp bracket.

"Look at this, Michelle." Said Amanda. "If both of us make it all the way to the end, we could end up facing each other in the finals."

"That would be pretty cool." Said Michelle. "Let's see, each bracket shows sixteen trainers, including us. That means we both have to win four times to get to the finals."

"That shouldn't be too hard." Said Amanda.

"I don't know, Amanda. Some of these trainers look pretty tough." Said Michelle.

"But we're just as tough, aren't we, Pikachu?" Amanda asked. Pikachu nodded with high confidence. A short while later, the tournament's host came out and stepped into the arena containing all the mini fields.

"Greetings, trainers." He said. "I would like to welcome you all to our first ever Thunder Tournament. As I'm sure you all know, only electric Pokemon are allowed to take part. No other Pokemon are permitted to be used at any time. Further, all battles will be one on one matches with no time limits. If you win, you move on, but if you lose, you will be eliminated. Also, the Pokemon you registered upon your arrival will be the only Pokemon that can be used. Whoever successfully wins this tournament will receive a Thunder Stone. If there are no further questions, the tournament shall begin." The trainers took their places, all of them were looking determined to win. Since only one of them could win, however, they wanted to make sure that they gave it their all. Amanda's first opponent was a boy about two years older than her. He was wearing a plain yellow shirt, green shorts and bright blue gloves. He had a big smile on his face, but Amanda wasn't feeling intimidated at all.

"Let's do this, Pikachu!" she called. Pikachu sprang into the ring, ready for action. The boy steadied himself before throwing his Poke Ball.

"I'm counting on you, Voltorb!" he shouted. A Pokemon that was red on its' top half and white on its bottom half appeared, and Amanda scanned it with the Pokedex.

"Voltorb, the ball Pokemon. This Pokemon has a volatile temper and will explode if agitated or bumped by the slightest contact."

"We're not going to let that scare us, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Start off with a Quick Attack." Pikachu charged head on toward Voltorb.

"Light Screen, Voltorb." The boy commanded. Voltorb put up a screen to use as a shield, and that caused Pikachu to run into the screen instead of its' target. Pikachu got sent back a bit but wasn't out yet.

"Voltorb, Tackle." Said the boy.

"Pikachu, Agility." Called Amanda. Pikachu's speed resulted in Voltorb's tackles missing over and over again, but soon enough, the two collided.

"Hang in there, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"You two, Voltorb." Said the boy. "Swift attack." Voltorb shot yellow stars from its sides, which struck Pikachu.

"Pikachu, fight back with your own Swift attack." Said Amanda. Pikachu nodded and bright yellow stars came out from its' tail. Voltorb got hit a bit hard by the stars and looked a bit weak now.

"Slam it!" Amanda called. Pikachu ran toward Voltorb, lunged up, and slammed it as hard as it could. Pikachu got off and stood in front of Voltorb with its' arms crossed, while Voltorb lay on the floor unconscious.

"That's a win for us." Said Amanda. The boy recalled Voltorb and shook hands with Amanda.

"Great battle." He said. "That Pikachu is awesome."

"Your Voltorb is great too." Said Amanda. There was a fifteen minute break period so that Pikachu could rest up. Meanwhile, Michelle's first opponent was a girl with blonde hair. Both Electabuzz and the other girl's Pokemon, a Jolteon, were staring down each other fiercely. Their battle had been intense, and it would come down to this next move.

"Hyper Beam, Electabuzz!" Michelle called. Electabuzz opened up its' mouth and fired a yellow laser beam right at Jolteon. The powerful beam sent Jolteon to the ground, having completely fainted.

"That's how we do it, Electabuzz." Said Michelle. She recalled her Pokemon and went over to the rest area.

"I won my first match." Said Michelle. "How did you do?"

"I won also." Said Amanda. "If we keep winning, we could battle each other."

"That would be amazing." Said Michelle. A bell rang at the end of the fifteen minutes, indicating that it was time for both girls to have their next match. For the second round of the tournament, Amanda was facing off against a young teenager with spiky hair. He grabbed a ball from his pocket and threw it. Out popped a Pokemon similar to Voltorb, but it was bigger in size, and both its' eyes and mouth were bigger. Amanda took her Pokedex out.

"Electrode. This ball Pokemon consumes the fresh energy that is generated in power plants. However, this causes blackouts to occur."

"It's a little bit bigger than the Voltorb we faced already, so we should stay on guard." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, start with Swift." Pikachu fired yellow stars right at Electrode.

"Light Screen." The stars ended up hitting the screen barrier instead of Electrode.

"We'll have to try something else, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Go for a Thunderbolt." Pikachu fired a yellow bolt at Electrode.

"Double Team." Said the teen calmly. Copies of Electrode appeared, making Pikachu surprised. The Thunderbolt ended up hitting a copy.

"Keep going until you find the real thing!" Amanda called. Pikachu nodded and kept aiming its' Thunderbolt. One by one, copies of Electrode disappeared, only leaving the actual Pokemon.

"Good work." Said the teen. "Now, Self Destruct!" Electrode readied himself, but then the teen realized what he had just done and wanted to change his command. He was too late, however, as Electrode exploded, and when the attack was done, Electrode found himself knocked out.

"I can't believe I did that." The teen said with a sad sigh.

"You still put up a good fight." Said Amanda. "Great work, Pikachu." Pikachu smiled, and they went back over to the rest area. Michelle's second match was just as intense as her first, but she pulled through, resulting in both of them making it to the quarter finals.

"You're doing great so far, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"So are you, Electabuzz." Said Michelle. When the bell rang, both girls took their places for their next matches. Amanda was facing a girl trainer wearing a white sweater, red stripes, and a cerulean blue skirt. Pikachu readied itself for whatever Pokemon the other girl would throw at it.

"Let's go, Magneton!" she cried. Magneton was similar to Magnemite, except that it was a little bigger. Amanda took her Pokedex out again.

"Magneton. The anti-gravitational powers of this robot-like Pokemon allow it to fly through the air."

"This'll be similar to that Magnemite we faced yesterday, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Start with Swift." The yellow stars that came out of Pikachu's body hit Magneton with a bit of force.

"Teleport, Magneton." Said the other girl. Magneton instantly disappeared, and then re-appeared right behind Pikachu. Pikachu turned around to face Magneton again.

"Slam, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Pikachu jumped up and slammed the Magneton hard to the ground. Magneton quickly got up despite having taken decent damage from the attack.

"Magneton, use Rest now." Said the girl. "Magneton closed its' eyes and started to sleep. However, the damage it had taken was now completely undone.

"It can't attack when it's sleeping." Amanda said. "Quick Attack." Pikachu ran full speed at the resting Magneton, sending it to the ground.

"Now, Thunderbolt." Said Amanda. "Pikachu shot a yellow line of thunder right at Magneton, and although the attack hit, the jolt caused Magneton to wake up.

"Sonic Boom." Said the girl. Magneton fired some white lines at Pikachu, but it didn't do too much damage.

"Go for another Quick Attack." Said Amanda. Pikachu ran full speed at Magneton again and hit it with some good damage being dealt in the process.

"Take Down." The girl ordered. Magneton gave Pikachu a good tackle, but it took some more damage of its' own.

"Double Kick." Amanda called. Pikachu gave Magneton some powerful kicks, which finally knocked it out.

"Way to go, Pikachu!" Amanda cried. Michelle also won her third match, putting them both into the last four. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were watching the proceedings from a window right near the roof of the building.

"They're almost at the finals." Said Sally.

"Which means whoever's left will battle for the prize." Said Conrad.

"Too bad there can't be a battle if there's no prize." Said Sally. She started to go up to the roof, but Conrad stopped her.

"Not yet." He said. "We wait until the final match is about to start, and then we make our move." They continued to watch from outside, and inside, Michelle and Amanda were resting up before their next matches.

"You've done really well so far." Said Amanda.

"So have you." Said Michelle. Amanda's next match was against a boy who already had six months of trainer experience.

"Let's do this, Pikachu!" Amanda called.

"A Pikachu." Said the boy. "This should be interesting, then." He threw his ball and out popped a Pikachu of his own.

"Let's see which of us has the better Pikachu." He said.

"You're on." Said Amanda. She then leaned toward the camera and started to whisper. "But just between you and me, I think mine's better." She then faced her opponent again.

"Pikachu, Quick Attack." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu, you use Quick Attack too." Said the boy. Both Pikachu ran toward each other and collided, with both attacks doing the same amount of damage to each other.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Amanda called. Pikachu shot its' familiar yellow bolt at the other Pikachu, but it didn't do too much damage.

"Pikachu, you use your own Thunderbolt too." The boy called. His Pikachu released a yellow bolt that was slightly more powerful, and thus, did a bit more damage to Amanda's Pikachu.

"Slam!" they both called out. Both of the Pikachu lunged at each other trying to slam the other one down, but to no avail as they both kept missing. Both of them soon got tired from trying to slam down the other one. Both panted heavily, knowing that whoever got in the next hit would likely end it.

"Use Swift, Pikachu!" Amanda called out. Although her buddy was tired, he had enough energy to shoot yellow stars at the other Pikachu. The boy's Pikachu went down but started to get back up.

"You can do it, Pikachu." He called. "I believe in you! Finish hers with a Mega Punch!" His Pikachu pulled his hand back ready to fire. But before the attack could be launched, the intensity of the battle caused it to faint. The boy let out a sigh.

"You gave it a good try." He said.

"We did it, Pikachu!" called Amanda. "We're in the finals!" They high fived each other, and Amanda walked up to the boy.

"Your Pikachu battled really well." She said.

"So did yours." He said. He picked up his Pikachu and left the arena. As for Michelle, her match was just about to conclude.

"Mega Punch, Electabuzz!" she called. Electabuzz pulled his hand back and the powerful punch sent its opponent all the way to the wall, officially knocking it out and ending the battle.

"Yes!" Michelle cried. "Great job, Electabuzz." She recalled him and went over to the rest area where she found Amanda.

"It looks like we're both facing each other in the finals." Said Amanda.

"Certainly looks that way, doesn't it?" said Michelle. The tournament host then announced that there would be a one hour lunch break before the championship match, so Amanda and Michelle lined up to get their food.

"No matter what happens in the last match, may the best electric Pokemon win." Said Amanda.

"Same to you." Said Michelle. Lunch consisted of finger sandwiches, granola bars and some juice. After they were done eating and had taken the rest of the hour to rest up, both girls headed back into the battle area for their championship match against each other.

"Our first battle against each other since the Viridian Forest." Said Michelle.

"But this time, I'm going to win." Said Amanda.

"We'll see about that." Said Michelle. "You already know who my Pokemon will be." She threw her ball and Electabuzz appeared on the field.

"Okay Pikachu, let's show her Electabuzz how much better we've gotten since the last time we battled her!" said Amanda. Pikachu stared down Electabuzz, ready to fight. The host decided to act as the referee for this match.

"Our grand finale, trainer Amanda against trainer Michelle, is about to begin. Amanda is using Pikachu and Michelle is using Electabuzz. This battle will be one on one and will end the instant either one of their Pokemon faints. The winner will not only become tournament champion but will also receive the Thunder Stone. Trainers, if you're both ready, begin!" Before either one could call out an attack, however, the host let out a gasp.

"Hold it! Don't start yet!" he called.

"Is something wrong with our Pokemon, sir?" Michelle wondered. Pikachu, Electabuzz and Eevee were all very confused.

"It's not that." The host said. "The Thunder Stone is gone!" He then looked toward the roof. "Someone must've cut a hole through the ceiling and stolen the stone during that lunch break. Without it, I can't award it to the victor of the match. And I can't allow a finals match to happen without a prize to go with it."

"Don't worry, sir. We'll get the stone back for you." Amanda said with confidence.

"Please do." The host said. "And try to make it quick."

"We'll do our best." Said Amanda. "Let's roll, Pikachu."

"You too, Eevee." Said Michelle. She quickly recalled Electabuzz and both girls and their partners ran out of the building and down a wide open grass area. Just ahead of them in the sky was a balloon that was being steered by Conrad and Sally.

"Wait until we tell the boss about our new Thunder Stone." Said Sally.

"Think of how rich we'll be." Said Conrad.

"And no pesky kids to stop us either, which is even better." Said Sally. Both of them laughed, but what they didn't know was that Amanda and Michelle were running right behind them keeping pace.

"We can't let them get away with that stone." Said Michelle. "Who knows what they might use it for?"

"Which is why we have to stop them." Said Amanda. Pikachu, of course, was anxious to jump into action, but Amanda denied him.

"You need to conserve your energy, mister." She said and plucked a ball off her waist. "Pidgeotto, I need some assistance!" Her trusty bird appeared instantly and let out its' standard cry.

"Pidgeotto, attack that balloon!" Amanda ordered. Pidgeotto nodded and flew full speed. The balloon wasn't too far ahead, so Pidgeotto was able to catch it easily and break it with its' beak. This caused the balloon to descend to the ground.

"We're being ambushed." Said Sally. "Quick, try to get this thing back in the air." Conrad tried his best, but it didn't matter as she soon found herself face to face with Amanda and Michelle. Both of them were staring at the Team Rocket members with angry looks on their faces.

"It's the twerpettes." Said Conrad.

"How do you know them?" Sally asked.

"They foiled my museum theft in Pewter City." Said Conrad.

"And we're foiling this one too." Said Amanda. "You crooks better give that stone back right now!"

"It's a very important item." Said Michelle.

"Sorry kiddos, but this stone is more important to Team Rocket than it is to you." Said Sally. "I see no need for a pair of kids like you to have something very valuable like this in your possession." Both girls growled.

"So you can forget about seeing this beauty again." Said Conrad.

"That thing of beauty is the prize for the tournament we're in." said Amanda. "If you want a Thunder Stone that badly, find your own!"

"Why do that when we can just take this." Said Sally, not having a care in the world.

"Okay, you asked for it!" Amanda called and threw another ball. "Dratini, go!" The small purple dragon type appeared instantly.

"I'll help you, Amanda." Said Michelle. "Ponyta, go!" The unicorn Pokemon appeared in a flash of light and stared angrily at the Team Rocket members.

"Zubat, you're up!" called Conrad.

"Ekans, get out here." Ordered Sally. Both of their Pokemon appeared instantly, and Amanda quickly checked her Pokedex for info about Ekans.

"Ekans, the snake Pokemon. It moves stealthily through the grass to try and avoid combat and preys on eggs that fall from nests belonging to Pidgey and Spearow."

"Zubat, Wing Attack." Ordered Conrad.

"Ekans, Poison Sting!" Sally commanded. Both Pokemon aimed their attacks at Dratini and Ponyta. Dratini screamed loudly, making Amanda nervous.

"Are you all right, Dratini?" she asked. Dratini nodded and stared down Team Rocket.

"Thunder Wave." Dratini shot a yellow orb right at Zubat and made contact, paralyzing it.

"Ack!" Conrad yelped.

"Okay Ponyta, Ember attack." Said Amanda. Ponyta shot small orbs of fire at the snake, scoring a hit. Ekans coughed a bit.

"How dare you!" Sally cried. "Ekans, Poison Sting." Ekans shot purple needles at Ponyta, hitting it but not poisoning it.

"That thing is stronger than I anticipated." Said Sally.

"Fire Spin." Michelle ordered. Ponyta sent out a circle of fire trapping the Team Rocket duo and their Pokemon.

"Looks like we've got you now." Said Amanda. "Pidgeotto, finish them with Wing Attack!" Pidgeotto spread its' wings out and hit Ekans, Zubat, Conrad and Sally at full force, sending them high into the air.

"Now we'll never be rich." Sally squealed.

"We could've gotten away with it, too, if it wasn't for those meddling kids." Conrad grumbled.

"We're blasting off!" they both screamed together. DING! The Thunder Stone then fell from the sky and landed in Amanda's hands.

"I got it!" she shouted.

"Great!" cried Michelle. The girls recalled their Pokemon and headed back to the building as fast as they could. The tournament host was feeling worried, but a smile came onto his face when he saw Amanda and Michelle rush back in with the Thunder Stone.

"Well done, you two." He said. "Now then, both of you take your places." Both girls stood once again on opposite ends of the battle arena.

"Electabuzz, it's time for real now!" Michelle called and sent out her electric type.

"Pikachu, let's go!" cried Amanda. Pikachu sprang into the box and the host yelled "Begin!"

"Pikachu, Quick Attack!" yelled Amanda. Pikachu ran full speed at Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz, dodge!" yelled Michelle. Electabuzz got out of the way just before the attack could hit.

"Swift attack!" Michelle called. Electabuzz shot yellow stars from its' belly, which hit Pikachu. The little mouse screamed a bit but was determined to push through.

"Keep going, Pikachu!" Amanda called. "Use your Mega Punch!" Pikachu readied for the attack by pulling its hand backwards.

"You use Mega Punch too, Electabuzz!" Michelle commanded. Electabuzz nodded and pulled its hand backwards. Both attacks hit each other at the same time, with one doing slightly more than the other.

"Go for a Body Slam, Electabuzz!" Michelle called. Electabuzz leaned forward and plopped itself on top of Pikachu. Amanda's partner tried to escape the attack, but instead, it found itself paralyzed.

"Oh no!" Amanda called. "Pikachu, try to get up!" Pikachu slowly got to its' feet and somehow managed to shake off the paralysis as if nothing was wrong.

"There we go." Said Amanda. "Double Kick." Pikachu gave Electabuzz some hard kicks right to the face, and it looked like Amanda had this in the bag. But Michelle had other ideas.

"Seismic Toss!" she called. Electabuzz scooped up Pikachu, pulled it back above its' head a little, and launched it across the room and into a wall. Amanda ran over to Pikachu immediately and saw that the powerful attack had knocked it out. The host had a look as well and confirmed it.

"Pikachu is unable to battle, which means the victory goes to trainer Michelle and her Electabuzz!" he called out.

"We did it, Electabuzz!" Michelle cried out. Electabuzz raised its' arms in triumph, and the two of them ran over to check on Pikachu.

"How is he?" Michelle asked.

"I'm sure he'll be fine with a good rest." Said Amanda. "You did great, buddy."

"Pika." Pikachu whimpered, which meant 'Thanks, Amanda.'

"Well, congratulations on the victory." Said Amanda.

"Thanks." Said Michelle. "You definitely have gotten stronger since our first match against each other. The host then brought over the coveted Thunder Stone.

"Here is your prize, Michelle." He said. "For winning the tournament, this Thunder Stone is yours." Michelle held the stone up high and smiled and cameras flashed and took her picture.

"Don't fret, Amanda." The host said. "You did very well, so you deserve a little something as well." He briefly disappeared into another room before returning with a small envelope as well as another Thunder Stone.

"I was saving this for next year's tournament, but I'd like for you to have it." He said. Amanda smiled as she took the stone.

"Thank you very much, sir." She said.

"That's not all, though." He said. "Look inside the envelope." Amanda took a quick peek and saw that the envelope was filled with ten thousand dollars in cash.

"This is awfully generous of you, sir." Said Amanda. "I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything." He said. "Think of this as a little bonus for helping to get rid of Team Rocket." Amanda went back over to where Michelle was. Needless to say, she was a bit surprised to see Amanda holding a stone.

"I thought that was only for the winner." She said.

"He had a spare, so he let me have this." Said Amanda.

"That was nice of him." Said Michelle. Once Pikachu had been all healed up, the girls made their way out of the building and down the road toward their next adventure. This has certainly been quite the day. Amanda may not have won the tournament, but she and Michelle did stop another Team Rocket attack. More adventures lie ahead, so come back to see what happens next.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Eight

Amanda's journey has had an interesting beginning. For those who have missed what's happened so far, here's a quick recap of the events. In the first episode, we started off by meeting Amanda, who had spent the first several years of her life being raised by a Kangaskhan in the Safari Zone. But when she turned ten, she was invited by Professor Oak to begin her very own journey, an invitation that she gladly accepted. Amanda chose Squirtle, and the two have become very good friends. Next, Amanda met our other main character Michelle in the Viridian Forest. The two met by battling each other, with Amanda's Pikachu versus Michelle's Eevee. Although Pikachu lost the fight, it did start forming a friendship with Eevee, who Michelle has had since she was seven. Next, in Pewter City, Amanda won a Boulder Badge, putting her officially on the road to becoming a champion. In Mint Moon, the pair got lost, and also fell victim to a trap that had been set by team Rocket. But the two pulled through and headed onward to Cerulean City from there. While in Cerulean, Amanda battled Misty's sisters at the gym and won a Cascade Badge. However, they had to stop another Team Rocket attack. And then, in our previous episode, the two girls competed in a special tournament for electric type Pokemon, which Amanda won. However, there was more Team Rocket interference, as Conrad and Sally tried to steal the tournament's grand prize, a Thunder Stone. But as usual, our two young heroes were able to stop them. Now, the two of them are on their way toward their next destination, Vermilion City. (Note: The recap I chose to start out with actually helps correct a mistake I had made in a previous chapter. During the part in that chapter where Amanda had asked Michelle how long she had been owning her Eevee, the answer Michelle had given was that it had been given to her as a gift the previous year despite the fact that earlier in the same chapter, she had mentioned that she had owned the Eevee for at least a couple of years. My apologies for the error, but what Michelle had said originally is the correct statement regarding her Eevee)

The sun was shining as the girls walked along down the route that would take them to where they wanted to go next. Two weeks have passed since the tournament they had taken part in, and they had been traveling pretty much non stop since then. As always, though, they were both in a very good mood.

"When do you think you're going to use that Thunder Stone you won?" asked Amanda.

"I'll be honest, I don't know if I even want to use it." Said Michelle. "Eevee's a great Pokemon and all, but I don't want to make it evolve if it doesn't want to."

"That seems fair." Said Amanda. "I haven't really asked Pikachu if he wants to evolve yet, and I'm also not sure if it's a good idea."

"I have a suggestion I can give you." Said Michelle. "You have two badges right now, right?"

"That's right." Said Amanda.

"Well then, maybe you should wait until you get more badges before you start considering that." Said Michelle.

"I think I will." Said Amanda, and they continued walking. A little further onward, they spotted a pair of Nidoran.

"Oh, look at how cute they are." Said Michelle. "I'd love to have a Pokemon like this."

"You know what, so would I." said Amanda. She took out her Pokedex to get more information.

"Nidoran Male, the poison pin Pokemon. It uses its large ears to listen for the sound of approaching enemies. Nidoran Female, the poison pin Pokemon. It can use its whiskers to check for wind while searching for or avoiding predators."

"I don't see any predators out here." Said Amanda. "Just us, Eevee and Pikachu." She knelt down to introduce herself.

"Hi there." She said in a calming voice. "I'm Amanda. It's nice to meet you." Nirodan looked closely at Amanda, and then looked at Michelle.

"Hello." Michelle said with a smile.

"I don't know what you guys are doing out here, but I hope you don't mind me battling you so I can catch you." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, take your position." Pikachu readied itself to fight.

"Okay Pikachu, start with Quick Attack." Pikachu ran toward both of the Nidoran, but Michelle held her hand up, causing Pikachu to stop in its' tracks.

"I don't think attacking it is a good idea." Said Michelle.

"Pika?" asked Pikachu, which meant 'What's wrong?'

"What's the matter, Michelle?" Amanda wondered.

"Look at all these damage marks on both of them." Said Michelle. "Neither of these Pokemon are in any shape to battle."

"But I thought all wild Pokemon were supposed to be battle ready at any time." Said Amanda.

"That's not the case with these two." Said Michelle. "Also, I have a feeling that these Nidoran aren't wild."

"What gives you that idea?" wondered Amanda.

"Take a look at their collars." Said Michelle. Amanda looked at the collars closely and saw the name of their trainer on them.

"I think I see now." Said Amanda. Both of the Nidoran whimpered.

"I also see that neither of them are very happy." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, try talking to them. Maybe that'll help us figure out why these Nidoran are in this condition." Pikachu slowly approached the Nidoran and asked its questions in its own language. Both of the Nidoran, while severely weak, answered the best they could. Pikachu thanked them and reported his information back to Amanda.

"Thanks, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Pikachu says that according to the Nidoran, they both kept losing fights that their trainer felt they should've won."

"But that's no reason to beat up a Pokemon like that." Said Michelle.

"Exactly." Said Amanda. "We have to help these guys somehow, and I think I know how we can try to do it. Get a Poke Ball out, Michelle."

"Why do you want me to do that?" Michelle wondered.

"Since these two Pokemon are already very weak, capturing them in Poke Balls should be easy. Then we can take them to the nearest Pokemon Center so that Nurse Joy can have a look at them." Amanda reasoned.

"That's not a bad plan at all." Said Michelle. Both got ready to throw their balls, Michelle's at the female Nidoran and Amanda's at the male.

"Poke Ball, go!" they both shouted in unison. However, despite both Pokemon being as weak as they were, they had just enough strength to kick the balls back to the girls with their feet.

"I don't understand why that didn't work." Said Amanda. She picked the ball back up and was about to try again when Michelle stopped her.

"Hold on." She said. "I don't think either of these Nidoran want to go into Poke Balls right now."

"Then what do we do with them?" asked Amanda. "We can't just leave them here!"

"You're right, we certainly can't do that." Said Michelle. "We still have to help them out in any way we can, though." The girls tried to pick the Nidoran up, only for the two Pokemon to hiss at them, causing them to jump back a bit.

"I guess they don't want our help." Said Michelle.

"Let me try to reason with them." Said Amanda, and she got down beside the male Nidoran.

"I know you probably don't want to hear me, but I need you to listen because you're only going to hear what I'm about to say once." Said Amanda. The Nidoran gave Amanda their full attention. "I know you two probably think that we're bad people, but that's actually the opposite. We're both good people, but in the condition you two are in, you both need help and we want to be able to give you that help if you'll allow us. So please, Nidoran, please let us help you." The two Nidoran absorbed Amanda's words carefully, as it was obvious to them now that the two girls had no intention of doing any harm to them. They looked at each other, and then back at the girls.

"What do you say, Nidoran?" Michelle asked. The Nidoran both reluctantly nodded.

"Thanks, guys." Said Amanda. The girls quickly scooped up the Nidoran off the ground, Amanda holding the male and Michelle holding the female.

"Let's go." Said Amanda. The girls quickly ran off down the path in search of a Pokemon Center. Pikachu and Eevee ran alongside their trainers.

"Pikachu pika?" Pikachu asked Eevee, which meant 'Do you think the Nidoran will be all right, Eevee?' Eevee let out a concerned squeal, which meant 'I really hope so, Pikachu.' The male Nidoran simply whimpered in Amanda's arms.

"Don't worry guys, we're going to get you there as fast as we can." Said Amanda.

"Once Nurse Joy gives you the proper treatment, you'll be all better." Said Michelle. The girls and their Pokemon kept running as fast as they could, and twenty minutes later, they found a Pokemon Center.

"There is it." Said Amanda. They burst inside the center and up to the desk.

"Nurse Joy!" they both cried at once and placed the Nidoran on the counter.

"Oh my." Said Nurse Joy. "What have we here?" Both girls started talking at once, but that made it hard for her to understand them and cut them off.

"One at a time, please." She said. Amanda spoke first.

"We found these Nidoran outside in the grass, and they're both in really bad shape." Said Amanda.

"You've got to help them out, Nurse Joy." Said Amanda. Joy looked at both Nidoran carefully and saw the damage marks that the girls had first noticed. She gasped in shock, and then looked at both girls sternly.

"You both should know better than to let a Pokemon get into this type of condition before bringing it here." She said.

"But these Nidoran don't even belong to us." Said Amanda.

"They already have a trainer." Said Michelle. Joy looked at the collars and saw what the girls were talking about.

"Oh, I see what you mean." She said. "Well, whoever did this to them obviously isn't a good trainer at all. Nonetheless, I'll do what I can to help them." Chansey brought out a stretcher for Joy to place the Nidoran on and she took them into the back room to begin operating on them.

"I guess all we can do now is wait and hope that the Nidoran pull through." Said Michelle. They both sat down in the waiting area, with their thoughts and concerns focused on the two Pokemon. After an hour, Amanda's stomach growled.

"I'm going to get us something from the center's cafeteria." She said.

"Good idea." Said Michelle. "I'm actually pretty hungry." Amanda grabbed a couple of peanut butter sandwiches, some cookies, and some milk. She also made sure to get Pokemon food for Pikachu and Eevee. When she returned, she set the food on the table they were sitting at.

"Pika pi!" cried Pikachu, which meant 'Don't forget about us.' Amanda smiled at him.

"Don't worry, I didn't." she said. She put the Pokemon food into the bowls she had gotten and put them in front of Pikachu and Eevee.

"How do you suppose the operations on the Nidoran are going?" Michelle asked.

"I don't know." Said Amanda. "I think Joy is still working on them, but I can't see what's going on since we're not allowed to go back there. I'm sure she'll give some news once she's done."

"Then we'll just have to keep waiting." Said Michelle. They ate their lunch, but they were still worried about the two Nidoran. After another forty minutes went by, Amanda got up and walked over to the phone area.

"I need to tell Professor Oak about this." She said and dialed his number. Professor Oak was in the middle of his own lunch when his phone rang. He got up from the table he was eating at and answered the call.

"Hello there, Amanda." He said.

"I hope I'm not calling you at a bad time." Said Amanda.

"Nonsense, my girl, you know you're always welcome to call at any time. Except when I'm sleeping of course." Said Oak. "Anyway, what's on your mind?"

"Well, Professor, there's a bit of a problem." Said Amanda. "You see, Michelle and I found a pair of Nidoran in the grass on our way down here."

"That doesn't seem like a problem to me." Said Oak.

"The next part of what I'm about to tell you is the actual problem, though." Said Amanda. "We did find the Nidoran like I said, but when we found them, they were hurt very badly."

"Oh dear, that does sound like a problem." Said Oak. "Do you know who would've done something like that?"

"Well, we did find the name of their trainer on their collars." Said Amanda.

"That's a start at the very least." Said Oak.

"Except that we don't know who their trainer is because we've never seen him or her." Said Amanda.

"Where are the Nidoran now?" said Oak. "I hope you didn't just leave them where they were in the condition they were in."

"We brought them to Nurse Joy, and she's treating them right now." Said Amanda.

"At least they're being taken care of." Said Oak. "You girls did the right thing by taking those Pokemon to Joy so she could look after them."

"Thanks, Professor Oak." Said Amanda.

"No problem." Said Oak. "I have to get back to my lunch but call me later to let me know how everything goes." He hung up the call, and Amanda went back to Michelle.

"What did Oak say?" Michelle asked.

"He said we did good by bringing the Nidoran here, but I'm still worried about them." Said Amanda. Then, a scary thought entered her head. "What if that horrible trainer of theirs comes back?"

"Don't worry about a thing, Amanda." Said Michelle. "Joy's taking care of them. They'll be just fine. If their trainer does show up, though, then we might have an issue."

"Let's just hope it doesn't come to that." Said Amanda, and they continued to sit at the table.

"Please, Nidoran, please pull through." Amanda thought. A couple of hours later, the red light went off to signal that the procedure was complete. Nurse Joy and Chansey walked up to the girls and smiled.

"Are the Nidoran going to be okay, Nurse Joy?" Michelle asked.

"The Nidoran are going to be just fine." Joy said happily.

"That's a relief." Said Amanda.

"They're both recovering right now, but you can see them later on if you'd like." Said Joy.

"Yes please." Both girls said. Joy smiled and went back to her work.

"I'm glad the Nidoran are all right." Said Amanda.

"So am I, Amanda." Said Michelle. Then, she let out a yawn. "I don't know about you, but I feel like taking a nap."

"So do I." said Amanda. Pikachu and Eevee both yawned too.

"You guys can take a nap with us." Said Michelle. Pikachu ran over to Amanda and curled up beside her. Likewise, Eevee did the same thing with Michelle. Both trainers and their partners closed their eyes and fell fast asleep. A pair of eyes were watching them from outside.

"Are they asleep, Sally?" Conrad asked. Sally took another peek through the window just to make sure.

"Oh yes, they're asleep all right, Conrad." Said Sally.

"Then, we must do our duty as Team Rocket members." Said Conrad. "We must steal their Pikachu and Eevee." They moved away from the window and slowly opened the door of the center. They had to be careful to make sure their movements didn't wake the girls up. The two criminals tiptoed past the front entrance and slowly approached the two sleeping Pokémon. They were about to grab them when Nurse Joy appeared behind them unexpectedly. She cleared her throat, and the two crooks sheepishly smiled at her.

"I have no idea what you two are up to, but I'm going to have to ask you to leave." Said Joy.

"And what if we don't?" asked Sally.

"Then there's going to be trouble." Said Joy.

"I'm afraid you're the one who's going to be in for trouble." Said Sally.

"And while you're at it, you can make it a double." Said Conrad.

"If you two are going to have a motto, then you need to come up with something original." Said Joy. "Those two lines you just said belong to another Team Rocket duo's motto. If they were to find out you're stealing that from them, they'd be mad. I'll also get even more mad if you don't leave this center right now."

"But….." Conrad stammered.

"No buts!" Joy exclaimed and she pointed to the door. Not wanting to cause any further problems, Conrad and Sally both did as ordered and left the center.

"Okay genius, what's the plan now?" asked Sally.

"We'll camp out somewhere and wait until the morning to steal their Pokemon." Said Conrad.

"That doesn't sound like much of a plan." Said Sally.

"A plan doesn't have to be big to be effective." Said Conrad.

"I suppose you're right." Said Sally, and they went to hide somewhere. Meanwhile, Amanda and Michelle remained fast asleep, as did Pikachu and Eevee. The Nidoran were also sleeping peacefully in the recovery room. Everything was very quiet, but about two hours later, a loud group of people entered the Pokemon Center. Their leader was a tall guy aged sixteen, and his attire resembled somebody who looked tough. He wore a black jacket on top of a plain white shirt, faded blue jeans and black boots. The jacket was unzipped and he had a crew haircut.

"That was quite a battle you had this morning, Ace." Said one of his crew members.

"It may have been exciting, but I still should've won." Said Ace. "I, of all people, should never lose a battle.

"You can always try again next time." Said another crew member.

"If I don't start winning battles again sometime soon, there might not even be a next time." Said Ace, his voice getting louder now. His crew members kept saying a whole bunch of things to him, but he refused to listen. His voice also got progressively louder each time he spoke. Nurse Joy heard the commotion and came running out into the lobby.

"Please keep it down." She said, and pointed over to where Michelle and Amanda were. "Those two trainers over there are trying to sleep."

"I don't care, nurse lady." Said Ace.

"You should care." Said Joy. "If you're going to stay here, then I don't have a problem with that. But you have to respect the other guests." She went back to her work, and Ace and his group sat down at another table.

"Your Pokemon are all really good with their battling." Said a female crew member, who appeared to be Ace's girlfriend.

"Correction. Most of them are really good." Said Ace. "I had a pair of Nidoran, but I beat them up really good and left them to fend for themselves after they lost one battle too many." The loud ruckus that Ace's group was making caused the girls to wake up from their nap.

"What's all of that commotion, Amanda?" Michelle asked in a groggy voice.

"I don't know." Said Amanda. "But unless my hearing is deceiving me, I could've sworn that he just said something bad about those Nidoran that we helped. I'm not going to stand for that." Said Amanda, and she stormed over to Ace's table. Ace was still gloating about what he had done, but Amanda promptly grabbed him by his shirt collar and gave him an angry look.

"Okay, what's your problem?" she asked angrily.

"Excuse me?" Ace said, looking very confused.

"Beating up innocent little Pokemon just because they lost a few battles. You should be ashamed of yourself!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Hey, those two were weak. I needed a reason to get rid of them." Said Ace.

"Weak? Weak?!" Amanda cried. "No Pokemon is ever weak. My friend and I think that those Nidoran are fine Pokemon, and with proper training, they can get even stronger. Those two have a lot of potential, potential that they won't get to see the way you're treating them. You don't deserve to be a trainer at all. And who knows which other Pokemon you may have done something like that to."

"Well, uh…." Ace stammered.

"You've done this to other Pokemon too, haven't you?" Amanda asked. "I want answers, and I want them now!"

"I might have done something like that to some Vulpix last year." Said Ace. "I guess you could call it my style."

"Well, I don't think it's a very good style." Said Amanda, and she grabbed a Poke Ball from her waist. "Let's have a battle right here, right now, and then you'll see for yourself the right way to treat Pokemon."

"You're on!" cried Ace. He grabbed a ball himself, but before they could even start, Nurse Joy intervened.

"No fighting allowed inside the center." She said. "If you're going to battle, you take it outside." Ace just blew a raspberry at her.

"Whatever." Said Ace. Amanda decided it wasn't worth it for now and went back to Michelle.

"Oh, so she's chickening out now, huh?" Ace and his crew laughed. "Come on guys, let's blow this joint for now." They started to leave, but as Ace was about to go through the door, he found himself stopped by Joy.

"Not so fast." She said. "I heard everything that was being said between the two of you, and I have to say, I'm extremely disappointed. Pokemon don't win all the battles they're in, and that's okay. What's not okay, though, is how you decide to handle losses. Especially with how you treated the Nidoran those two young kids brought in earlier today. And according to what else I heard, it's not the first time you've done something like this either. Amanda's right, you ought to be ashamed of yourself with how you treat Pokemon."

"Do you think I could see the Nidoran and apologize to them?" asked Ace.

"No." Joy said firmly. "For one thing, they're both sleeping right now after having to undergo a procedure earlier to get rid of all of their injuries, injuries that you caused. Two, I highly doubt that they'll want anything to do with you after how you treated them. If you know what's good for you, you're going to stay as far away from those Nidoran as possible." Ace wanted to speak, but nothing he could possibly say was likely to change Joy's mind, so he started to leave.

"I won't be the only one you're going to hear from about this!" Joy called after him. She sighed and went over to where the girls were.

"I just can't understand why some people would choose to treat Pokemon the way that kid treated those Nidoran." She said.

"One of life's mysteries, I guess." Said Michelle. Joy returned to her work, leaving the girls alone. Later that night, as everyone was sleeping, the two Nidoran perked their eyes up and started talking to each other.

"Nidoran." The male said, which meant 'Those kids are much better trainers than that mean boy'.

"Nidoran." The female agreed, which meant 'They also know how to treat Pokemon well too.' They kept talking with each other in their own language for a couple of hours before falling asleep again. The next morning, Joy went to check on the Nidoran and found their bed empty. She gasped and ran out to the lobby, where the girls had been sleeping.

"The Nidoran are gone!" she exclaimed. The girls woke up and rubbed their eyes.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'What's going on?'

"What do you mean they're gone, Nurse Joy?" Michelle asked.

"They somehow managed to leave the recovery area on their own." Joy answered.

"Well then, we've got to find them." Said Amanda. "Come on, Pikachu."

"You too, Eevee." Said Michelle. Both girls and their Pokémon ran out of the center and started searching the area.

"Do you think they made it very far on their own?" Amanda asked.

"I hope not." Said Michelle. "And if they did, let's just hope that Ace didn't see them. Who knows what else he could possibly do to them?" They ran down the grass a little bit, and fortunately for them, they found the Nidoran sharing some berries together for breakfast.

"Aw, that's so sweet." Said Amanda.

"We have to take them back to the Pokemon Center, though." Said Michelle. "They're still healing up from yesterday, which means they shouldn't be outside yet." The two girls approached the Nidoran gently, and Amanda spoke to them.

"Breakfast time is over." She said. "You two are coming back with us right now." The Nidoran dropped their food and ran over to the girls. But just as they were starting to head back, two pairs of hands grabbed both Pikachu and Eevee from behind, causing both Pokémon to scream. The girls quickly turned themselves around.

"Pikachu!" cried Amanda.

"Eevee!" cried Michelle.

"Who's there?" Amanda called out. Laughter was then heard from behind a nearby tree, and out popped Conrad and Sally.

"It's these two again." Amanda grumbled. "Sally."

"And Donrad too." Said Michelle. Conrad was insulted over his name being said incorrectly.

"It's Conrad!" he shouted. "Weren't you ever taught to say people's names right?!"

"Forget about that." Said Amanda. "Where's our Pikachu and Eevee?"

"Your Pokemon are a little tied up right now." Said Sally. She stepped aside, and the girls were able to see them tied tightly right next to the tree with rope. Amanda and Michelle gasped.

"Don't worry guys, we'll save you!" cried Michelle. She ran over to the tree and tried to untie them, but to no avail.

"It's no use, this rope is too tight." She said.

"That's because the material we use is far stronger than those two blundering idiots Jessie and James." Said Sally. "Come on Conrad, let's take these two Pokémon and get out of here." They picked up Pikachu and Eevee, who were still tied up, and started walking away. The girls growled angrily, and Pikachu and Eevee both whimpered. However, the pair hadn't gotten too far away when the Nidoran ran up to them and yelled at them angrily.

"What do you two want?" Sally asked in a completely disinterested voice. The Nidoran kept hissing at them, and Conrad managed to put two and two together.

"I think they're saying for us to give Pikachu and Eevee back to those kids right now." He said.

"Buzz off, you little furballs, we don't have time to deal with you right now." Said Sally. The two Nidoran were even more angry now and charged hard at the Team Rocket duo, causing them to drop the two partner Pokémon. They then used their horns to send them into the air.

"Even when we think we're bright, those two cuties have to make us look like fools." Sally complained.

"That's not the only thing they did, though." Said Conrad. "They sent us blasting off again!" they screamed together. DING! The male Nidoran used its horn to destroy the ropes Pikachu and Eevee were tied to, thus freeing both of them.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed happily, which meant 'That feels so much better.' Eevee let out a happy squeal, and the Nidoran took them both back to the girls.

"Pikachu! I'm so glad you and Eevee are okay." Said Amanda.

"Thanks for saving them, Nidoran." Said Michelle. "You two are such terrific Pokémon."

"Come on, let's get you back to the Pokemon Center." Said Amanda. As they started heading back, however, they were stopped by Ace.

"And just where do you think you're going with those two worthless Pokemon?" he asked. The Nidoran didn't take too kindly to being called worthless and hissed at him.

"They're going back to the Pokemon Center so they can continue their recovery." Said Michelle. The girls tried to move, but Ace kept barring their way.

"I'm not moving from this spot until you give those two Pokemon back to me." He said.

"Not a chance!" both girls exclaimed.

"Well then, I guess we'll have to let a battle decide what happens to them." Said Ace. "If you win, you can keep them. But if I win, they come back to me."

"I don't know about this." Said Michelle. But Amanda didn't hesitate one bit.

"You're on!" she cried. Both her and Ace grabbed a ball and stared each other down.

"One on one fight to the finish, no substitutions and no time limit." He said.

"Fine with me." Amanda said. Ace threw his Poke Ball first.

"Rhyhorn, I choose you!" he called. A rhinoceros-esque Pokemon covered in gray, rocky plates appeared on the field. Amanda glanced at it for a second and pulled out her Pokedex.

"Rhyhorn, the spikes Pokemon. Rhyhorn's brain is very small, giving it a one track mind. Its massive bones are one thousand times harder than human bones and can easily send other trainers flying. It can also destroy tall buildings."

"Looks like that Pokemon can pack quite the punch." Amanda said, and she threw her ball. "Squirtle, go!" The small blue turtle appeared in a blaze of light.

"Rhyhorn, use your Horn Attack!" Ace commanded. Rhyhorn charged at Squirtle and pointed its horn at it.

"Dodge it, Squirtle!" Amanda yelled. Squirtle jumped out of the way and over to the side just before the attack could hit, angering Rhyhorn. Then, Squirtle stuck its tongue out at it, which made Rhyhorn even more angry.

"That turtle's going to pay for mocking us like that." Said Ace. "Rhyhorn, Take Down. Rhyhorn ran full speed at Squirtle, and with it moving so quickly, Squirtle didn't have a chance to dodge and got knocked down.

"Come on Squirtle, get up!" Amanda called. The tough turtle Pokemon promptly picked himself up and stared down Rhyhorn.

"Water Gun!" Amanda ordered. Squirtle fired a line of water at Rhyhorn, hitting the heavy Pokemon's body. Rhyhorn cried out in pain, but the attack wasn't enough to knock it out.

"Go for Stomp." Ace called. Rhyhorn ran right up to Squirtle, but immediately withdrew into his shell at Amanda's command to avoid taking too much further damage. Squirtle then came back out of his shell again, ready for whatever would be thrown at him.

"Body Slam!" Ace called. Rhyhorn jumped onto Squirtle and slammed his body down hard on Squirtle, causing the small turtle to yell out in pain.

"Squirtle!" Amanda cried. Rhyhorn then backed off, and although its attack had done good damage, Squirtle wasn't paralyzed at all. It got right back up and readied himself again.

"Yes!" cried Amanda. "Water Gun again." Squirtle fired more water at Rhyhorn, sending it backwards and weakening it badly.

"Time to finish this off." Said Amanda. "Skull Bash, now!" Squirtle ran head first at Rhyhorn and hit the rock type's body with heavy force, sending it back even more, and when Rhyhorn landed, it was fully knocked out. Ace was furious.

"Well done, Squirtle!" cried Amanda. The Nidoran were happy that Amanda had won and squealed with delight. Amanda recalled Squirtle and smirked in triumph. Ace recalled Rhyhorn and ran after the Nidoran.

"Come here, you two!" he yelled. Naturally, the Nidoran ran as far away from Ace as possible, but Ace refused to give up and kept chasing them. The girls chased after him too.

"I don't care that she won, you two are coming back to me anyway." He said to the two poison types.

"You can't do that!" Amanda protested.

"Yeah, that's cheating." Said Michelle.

"I don't care!" Ace boomed. "I refuse to leave without those two if it's the last thing I do." Then, he got an idea that made everyone stop in their tracks.

"Oh little Nidoran." He said in a soothing sounding voice. "I'm in a bit of a hurry, so I'll make you a deal. You come back to me, and I won't hurt you two anymore." The two Nidoran were very unsure about the proposal.

"Don't listen to him, Nidoran." Said Amanda. "He's already beaten you up once. He'll probably just do it again."

"Who are you going to believe?" Ace asked. "Me, or those two good for nothings over there?"

"You take that back right now!" Michelle exclaimed.

"No way." Ace said. "Well, you two, what'll it be? Them or me?" The Nidoran looked at both girls, who were smiling at them, as well as Ace, who had that tough guy look to him. The Nidoran were both freaked out a bit, but reluctantly, they went over to Ace. The girls couldn't believe it.

"I knew you two would see it my way." Said Ace. "Come Nidoran, we have training to do." He started walking off but had only taken two steps when he found himself surrounded by Nurse Joy and Officer Jenny. Neither of them were particularly happy with him.

"You're not going anywhere with those Pokemon, young man." Said Joy.

"Why not?" Ace asked. "They're both my Pokemon, so I'm entitled to take them wherever I want!"

"They're not your Pokemon anymore." Said Jenny, who was even more angry than Joy. "Joy called me and told me about the way you were treating those two, as well as several other Pokemon. She also told me about the great job that two young kids did by getting them out of a really bad situation." Jenny, of course, was referring to Amanda and Michelle.

"What Pokemon?" Ace asked, pretending to be dumb. "I don't remember being mean to any Pokemon."

"Don't try to deny it, mister. You're in serious trouble as it is." Said Joy.

"She's absolutely right." Said Jenny. "Pokemon abuse is against the law and I won't have any of that."

"You know how much I care about what you have to say, officer?" Ace fired back. "Not at all."

"Well maybe you should care about this." Said Jenny, pointing to a pair of handcuffs that she had taken out. He put Ace's hands behind his back and placed the handcuffs on them. "You're under arrest for mistreatment of Pokemon. Let's go." Jenny led him away, leaving Joy, the girls and the two Nidoran.

"I guess they won't need these tags anymore." Said Joy, and she removed the tags.

"Nurse Joy, what's going to happen to these Nidoran now?" asked Amanda.

"Seeing how Ace is probably never going to be allowed near any Pokemon again, and since you two did a great job helping them, I think it's only fair for you two to take them." Said Joy. "I know that they'll be in good hands with you taking care of them."

"Which one of them do you want, Amanda?" Michelle asked.

"I'll take the male one." Said Amanda.

"Then I'll take the female." Said Michelle. Joy smiled at them and returned to the center.

"Well, we both have a new Pokemon, as well as a new friend." Said Michelle.

"Welcome to the group, guys." Said Amanda. They both held out empty Poke Balls, and the Nidoran happily jumped into them, making their captures official. With both Pokemon now safe from further harm, and Ace firmly behind bars, the girls could now continue onward safely, anxious to see what else awaits them in the world of Pokemon.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Nine

In our previous episode, Michelle and Amanda found two Nidoran who had severe injuries. The girls took them to the Pokemon Center, where Nurse Joy was able to treat them and get them back to their full strength. The girls also ran into a tough looking boy named Ace, who not only owned the Nidoran, but was also the one responsible for abusing them. Amanda battled Ace for the right to decide who would get to keep them, and though Amanda won, Ace tried to take the two Nidoran back anyway. Unfortunately for him, he was arrested by Officer Jenny and his Pokemon license was revoked. The two girls happily took in the Nidoran for themselves, giving them new partners and new friends.

"Let's eat!" Michelle and Amand cried in unison. The two girls were having a picnic lunch in a wide open field north of Vermillion. The picnic consisted of cheese sandwiches, fruit pieces and some cookies. Pikachu and Eevee had their Pokemon food, of course, and the two Nidoran were also sharing some of the food as well.

"So Pikachu, have you had a chance to get acquainted with our new friends yet?" Amanda asked. Pikachu nodded his head.

"How about you, Eevee?" Michelle asked. "What do you think about our new Pokemon?" Eevee squealed, and then raised a paw.

"I think Eevee's saying that she likes them." Said Amanda.

"I'm glad you like our new friends." Said Michelle, and they continued having their picnic. As they ate, they found themselves surrounded by a couple of wild Rattata.

"Excuse me guys, but we're eating here. Can't you see that?" Amanda asked. The Rattata simply hissed at her.

"I don't think they're going to leave us alone unless you give them some of our food." Said Michelle.

"They're lucky I like to share." Said Amanda, and she gave some of the fruit to the Rattata.

"Here you go, guys." She said. The Rattata happily munched on the snack, feeling very satisfied now.

"I guess that takes care of them." Said Michelle. Once they finished eating, they got back up off the ground and began to walk down the path. A little further down, they came across a lizard Pokemon with a flame on its' tail.

"I don't remember ever seeing this Pokemon before, so I don't know what it is." Said Michelle.

"I do." Said Amanda. "I saw this in Professor Oak's lab when I was starting my journey. It's a Charmander." She quickly scanned it with her Pokedex.

"Charmander, the lizard Pokemon. The flame on its tail can be used as an indicator to describe both this Pokemon's mood and health. It is said that if the flame ever goes out, Charmander will die."

"Oh, so that's what Charmander looks like." Said Michelle.

"Professor Oak did warn me about what would happen if the flame were to go out." Said Amanda. "What I want to know, though, is why there's a Charmander out here in the woods."

"I'm curious about that too." Said Michelle. "I thought Charmander couldn't be found in the wild."

"Actually, that Charmander's mine." Said a voice from behind the fire Pokemon.

"I have to say, that's a very nice Charmander you have there." Said Amanda.

"Thanks." Said the kid. "My name's Mark."

"Well Mark, I'm Amanda and this is Michelle." Said Amanda. Michelle gave a playful wave.

"Hi." She said.

"So Mark, what brings you and Charmander out here?" asked Amanda.

"We were going to do some training, but since we ran into you, I suppose you and I can have a battle with each other." Said Mark.

"A battle would actually help him with training his Charmander." Said Michelle.

"I think so too." Said Amanda. "So, how many Pokemon are we going to use?"

"You good with two each?" Mark asked.

"That's fine with me." Said Amanda. "You send yours out first."

"Okay." Said Mark. He pulled a Poke Ball out of his pocket and threw it. "I'll start with you, Bulbasaur!" The grass type starter appeared on the field in a blaze of white light. Amanda took the opportunity to scan it.

"Bulbasaur, the seed Pokemon. The bulb on this Pokemon's back provides it with energy through photosynthesis as well as from the nutrient-rich seeds contained within. This Pokemon is known to be extremely loyal even after long-term abandonment."

"Well, missy, what's your first one going to be?" Mark asked. Amanda grabbed a ball and threw it.

"I choose you, Nidoran!" she cried. Her brand new poison type appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Okay Nidoran, this is your first battle under my ownership, so I'm counting on you." Said Amanda. "Horn Attack!" Nidoran ran right toward its opponent and struck it on the head with its horn.

"Good move." Said Mark. "Bulbasaur, Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur shot two green vines out from its bulb, wrapped them around Nidoran and smacked the small poison type around. Amanda gasped, but Mark smiled.

"Okay Bulbasaur, change course." He said, and Bulbasaur released Nidoran from the vines. "Razor Leaf." Bulbasaur fired green leaves, but the attack didn't do much damage.

"I thought that would've done more." He said, flabbergasted.

"You, sir, forgot that grass type moves don't have much of an effect on poison types like Nidoran." Michelle said. Mark just let out a sigh.

"Poison Sting." Michelle called. Nidoran fired purple needles at Bulbasaur, stinging it.

"Hang in there, Bulbasaur." Said Mark. "Go for a Tackle attack!" Bulbasaur ran fast toward Nidoran, ready to tackle it, when it suddenly stopped and felt its energy being sapped away.

"Bulbasaur, what are you doing? Why are you on the ground like that?" mark asked.

"Those needles poisoned it. Your Bulbasaur is slowly losing health." Michelle pointed out.

"Try to fight through it, Bulbasaur." Said Mark. "Body Slam." Bulbasaur tried to jump up over Nidoran to perform the attack, but the poison brought the plant Pokemon back down and caused it to faint. Pikachu, who was acting as a referee for this battle, pointed toward Nidoran, signalling it as the winner.

"You did it, Nidoran!" Amanda cried happily.

"I have to admit, that Nidoran is a pretty good Pokemon." Said Mark. "Okay Charmander, you're up." Charmander nodded and took its place on the battlefield. Pikachu raised both arms and yelled "Pika!", which meant 'Begin!'

"Let's start with an Ember, Charmander." Mark said. Charmander shot a ball of red fire at Nidoran, grazing its ears, but not quite burning it.

"You can do it, Nidoran." Said Amanda. "Go for a Double Kick!" Nidoran used its feet to give Charmander some good kicks, and although it dealt some good damage, the fire type hung in tough.

"Skull Bash." Mark ordered. Charmander lowered its head and sent Nidoran backwards. However, the force of the attack caused Nidoran to fall and faint. Pikachu immediately pointed toward Charmander.

"Nidoran, return." Said Amanda. She grabbed Nidoran's ball and recalled the fallen Pokemon. She then grabbed another ball and threw it into the air. "Let's go, Squirtle!" Her trusty water turtle appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Well, looks like all the Kanto starters will have been in action here." Said Mark. "Scratch it, Charmander." Charmander used its sharp claws to scratch Squirtle's shell. The attack didn't do too much, though.

"Squirtle, Water Gun." Amanda called. Squirtle fired a line of water at Charmander, which did a lot of damage, but fortunately, the attack missed hitting the fire type's flame tail.

"You can do it, Charmander." Mark said. Charmander shook off the soaking like it was nothing.

"Flamethrower." He ordered. Charmander shot a huge line of fire from its' mouth, but at Amanda's command, Squirtle quickly withdrew into its' shell to protect itself from damage. Mark was speechless.

"My Squirtle's shell is about as tough as a rock." Said Amanda. Squirtle then popped back out and readied itself.

"Bubble attack." Squirtle shot large bubbles out of its' mouth, and the super effective damage that resulted caused Charmander to faint. Pikachu pointed in Squirtle's direction, officially declaring Amanda as the winner of the match.

"Nice job, Squirtle!" Amanda cried. Squirtle gave a thumbs up before Amanda recalled it. Mark recalled his Charmander and the two trainers shook hands.

"That was a really good match." He said. "Your Squirtle and Nidoran are very good battlers."

"So are your Bulbasaur and Charmander." Said Amanda. "You must love Pokemon a lot, Mark."

"I do." Said Mark. "I'll tell you what. How about you and your friend come to my house."

"What do you say, Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Let's go!'

"Okay Mark, lead the way." Said Amanda. Mark smiled and led his new friends down the path. What they failed to notice, however, was that Conrad and Sally were watching them from a tall patch of grass.

"Looks like the twerpettes have a new twerp friend to hang out with." Said Conrad. "You know what that means, right?"

"A perfect chance to steal their Pokémon." Said Sally.

"Right, and I know just how we're going to do it." Said Conrad. He showed Sally the invention he had spent the last several days working on. "Introducing the Super Effective Triple Deluxe Thunderbolt 9000!"

"In other words, it's a Pikachu robot." Sally said flatly.

"Exactamundo!" Conrad exclaimed. "The twerpette's Pikachu will think that it's a friend, and when he rushes up to meet said friend, that's when we strike."

"One question." Said Sally. "What's with the 9000 at the end of the name?"

"Well, uh….." Conrad stammered. He was at a loss for words.

"Spill it, Connie!" Sally demanded.

"Well, that's kind of how much I spent on parts for this thing." Said Conrad.

"Are you nuts?! That's about three months' worth of pay!" Sally cried. "For that much money, this had better be worth the investment."

"Don't worry, it will." Conrad said with confidence. Sally just rolled her eyes at him. Meanwhile, Mark, Michelle and Amanda were still walking down the path. Pikachu and Eevee both sniffed the flowers that they passed along the way. Thirty minutes later, they reached a house that was painted all sorts of colors.

"Well, this is my house." Said Mark.

"It looks pretty cool." Saud Amanda.

"What's with all the different colors, though?" asked Michelle.

"That's simple." Said Mark. "All the colors represent all of Kanto's different starter Pokemon. The blue at the top represents Squirtle, the red represents Charmander, the green represents Bulbasaur, and the yellow represents Pikachu."

"Pretty nice combo of colors, huh, Pikachu?" Said Amanda.

"Pika Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'A very good combo.'

"Well, let's go inside." Said Mark, and he led them inside the house.

"This place looks really good." Said Michelle. "Have you always lived here, Mark?"

"No, I lived in Celadon City before." Mark said. "But then my parents both got new jobs in Vermillion City, so we had to move here. I've been living in this house for about six months now."

"So, I take it that you're still somewhat new to this area then." Said Michelle.

"Yeah, pretty much." Said Mark. "The Pokémon that live up here are pretty cool to hang out with and talk to, but I haven't any actual friends yet since moving here."

"I think we ought to fix that." Said Amanda.

"Amanda and I will be your friends." Said Michelle.

"And so will Pikachu and Eevee." Said Amanda. Both partner Pokemon gave cries of approval.

"Great! My mom's been saying to me to make some new friends, so she'll be very happy to hear that you two girls are my friends now." Said Mark. "Let me show you my room." He led the girls up the stairs into his bedroom, which was filled with Pokemon posters.

"How long have you liked Pokemon, Mark?" Amanda asked.

"Ever since I was six." Said Mark. "You know that Charmander you battled earlier, Amanda?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Amanda replied.

"That Charmander was given to me as a gift for my birthday last year." Said Mark.

"That's similar to how I got my Eevee." Said Michelle.

"You got your Eevee as a gift too?" Mark asked. Michelle nodded. "I've had my Eevee since I was seven, and we're the best of pals."

"That's cool." Said Mark. "So, where are you two from?"

"I I'm from Fuchsia City, and a nice Kangaskhan raised me until I was old enough to start my Pokemon journey earlier this year." Said Amanda.

"I come from the Viridian Forest." Said Michelle. "Amanda and I met when we battled each other, and we've been very good friends ever since."

"Our battle was also how my Pikachu and her Eevee became friends." Said Amanda.

"That is so neat." Said Mark. "I've always wanted to go on a Pokemon journey myself, but my mom and dad always say no every time I ask them."

"May I ask why?" said Amanda.

"Pikachu pi pika." Pikachu said, which meant 'I'm curious about this too.'

"They feel that if they send me out on a journey, something bad will happen to me." Said Mark.

"That's pretty silly." Said Amanda. "Of course there's going to be bad things happening, but that didn't stop Kangaskhan from letting me go on my journey."

"There was nothing to get in my way either." Said Michelle.

"Why don't you try asking again when your parents get home?" Amanda suggested.

"You don't know my parents." Mark said. "When they say no, they usually mean it. That means if I try asking them again, they'll just give the same answer."

"You wouldn't be alone, though." Said Amanda. "You'd be with us."

"Amanda's right." Said Michelle. "Hopefully you can convince your mom to let you go."

"I don't know." Said Mark.

"Please, just try." Said Amanda.

"Well, Mom's going to be home pretty soon." Said Mark. "I guess I can try asking her again when she gets in."

"There you go." Said Amanda. The three of them went into the yard so that all of their Pokemon could play with each other.

"I especially like those Nidoran you girls have." Said Mark. "How did you end up getting them?"

"We found them severely hurt, but thanks to Nurse Joy, we managed to get them back to full strength." Said Amanda.

"They were originally owned by another trainer, but he turned out to not be very nice." Said Michelle.

"Oh wow." Said Mark. "How did that other trainer hurt the Nidoran?"

"You don't want to know." Said Amanda.

"Fair enough." Said Mark. They continued watching their Pokemon play, and an hour and a half later, Mark's mom came home.

"Hey there, kiddo." His mom said as she entered the yard.

"Hi, Mom." Said Mark. "I'd like you to meet my new friends, Amanda and Michelle."

"Pleasure to meet you, miss…" said Michelle.

"McDavid." Said Mark's mom.

"Your son's a very got battler, Mrs. McDavid." Said Amanda.

"That's because his father taught him well." Said Mrs. McDavid. "Speaking of which, Mark, your father said this morning before he left that he had to work late tonight, so he won't be joining us for dinner."

"That's fine." Said Mark.

"I have an idea." Said Mrs. McDavid. "Maybe your new friends would like to stay for dinner."

"We'd love that." Said Michelle.

"I'll go ahead and start making it." Said Mrs. McDavid and she headed into the kitchen.

"Aren't you going to do what we suggested earlier?" said Amanda.

"Maybe during dinner." Said Mark. "I didn't think that this was the right time." For dinner, Mrs. McDavid had made fresh pizza from scratch. The toppings included cheese, tomato sauce, pepperoni and mushrooms.

"That pizza looks good, Mrs. McDavid." Michelle said as they sat down.

"It should be. I always make it fresh instead of ordering." Said Mrs. McDavid.

"Why's that?" asked Amanda.

"The last time I ordered pizza, it was undercooked and I got sick as a result." Said Mrs. McDavid. "After that, I decided that I would make it myself."

"They say that homemade food is better, anyway." Said Michelle.

"That's very true." Said Mrs. McDavid.

"Here Pikachu, try one of the mushrooms." Said Amanda. She took a mushroom off her slice and fed it to the electric type. Pikachu chewed it a bit before spitting it out.

"Pikachu!" it said angrily, which meant 'I don't like mushrooms.'

"That's okay, you don't have to eat it." Said Amanda.

"Mom, I have something I want to ask you." Said Mark.

"Sure, honey." Said Mrs. McDavid. "What is it?" Mark took a deep breath and began to ask his question.

"I know you and Dad have been against this, but I really want to go on a Pokemon journey of my own. Can I please go?" he asked, practically begging.

"I don't know how many times you've asked me that question, but the answer isn't changing." She said. "No."

"Please?" he said. "I wouldn't even be alone. My new friends would be with me, and they already have experience traveling. I just know I'd be in good hands."

"Your son does have a valid point." Amanda said. "With Michelle and I accompanying him, he'd be well taken care of."

"Not to mention that he'd also be surrounded by our Pikachu and Eevee, as well as the rest of our Pokemon." Said Michelle.

"See? I haven't even known these girls for that long yet and they're already vouching for me." Said Mark. The girls weren't the only ones to do so, however. Pikachu and Eevee, in their own language of course, explained to Mrs. McDavid the importance of letting Mark go out on a journey.

"Well, I suppose you all make strong arguments." Said Mrs. McDavid. "I still don't know, though."

"Please, Mom?" Mark begged.

"Tell you what. I'll think about it and let you know in the morning." Said Mrs. McDavid, and they went back to their meal.

"At least she didn't say no this time." Said Michelle. After dinner, the three kids went back into Mark's room.

"I also like playing video games too." He said, pointing to a TV with a Nintendo 64 hooked up to it. Inside the machine was a copy of Pokemon Stadium.

"Why don't we play a few rounds?" he said.

"I've never really played any video game system before." Said Michelle.

"They definitely don't have anything like this in the Safari Zone." Said Amanda.

"I can show you." Said Mark. He turned the system on and did a match against the computer. The girls watched closely so that they could see how to play. Mark won easily against the computer trainer.

"That's all there is to it." He said. The girls took turns playing against him, and they found that it was a lot of fun. Mark even taught Pikachu and Eevee how to play. After a couple of hours, they all got tired, and Mark turned the console off.

"It's kind of late for the two of you to head out, so you can stay here tonight." He said. He got into his bed, and the girls got into sleeping bags. Pikachu and Eevee curled up beside each other, and soon enough, everyone was fast asleep. The next morning, everyone had breakfast and went back out to play with each other. A short while later, Pikachu noticed a tall robot standing right near him and Eevee.

"Yoohoo!" called a voice from inside the machine. "We have a little friend for you, Pikachu!"

"Pika?" Pikachu said in a confused tone, which meant 'I don't remember inviting a friend over here.'

"Come say hello. It won't take long, I promise." Said Another voice. Pikachu thought for a minute, and then excitedly ran up to meet the other "Pikachu".

"No Pikachu, don't do it! It's a trap!" Amanda called, but it was too late. The moment Pikachu got close, a pair of robot arms lowered itself down and picked Pikachu up. The electric mouse screamed in pain.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried.

"Who's there?" Mark demanded. A couple of voices very familiar to Amanda and Michelle started laughing.

"Guess who?" said Sally.

"It's them again!" cried Amanda.

"What are you two talking about?" asked Mark.

"That's Team Rocket." Said Michelle.

"Never heard of them." Said Mark. Conrad and Sally just deadpanned.

"I think it's time to give this kid a dose of who he's dealing with." Said Conrad. He steered the robot towards the group, with Pikachu still trapped inside the robot arm. Pikachu tried releasing a Thunderbolt attack, but the robot absorbed it like it was nothing. Conrad and Sally laughed.

"Good try, Pikachu, but what you didn't know is that this robot is completely shock proof." Said Sally.

"Thanks for giving our batteries a bit of a jolt, though." Said Conrad. They laughed again and started to stomp away, but Mark's Charmander popped out of his ball and chased the robot down.

"Charmander charm!" he yelled, which meant 'Give Pikachu back to those kids right now!'

"I've got news for you, mister lizard. You're not our priority right now." Said Sally. Charmander wasn't satisfied with that and fired a powerful Flamethrower attack, burning the robot and sending Conrad and Sally into the air.

"Maybe we should've made that thing fireproof too." Said Sally.

"I can't even get my money back either." Said Conrad.

"We're blasting off again!" DING! Pikachu dropped safely beside Charmander, and the two of them ran back to Mark's yard.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried happily and hugged her partner tightly.

"Looks like Charmander saved the day there." Said Michelle.

"Charmander, you're so awesome." Said Amanda. Charmander smiled. A little while later, Mrs. McDavid stepped out.

"Well Mark, I thought about what was said last night, and I honestly see no reason to hold you back any longer. If you want to go on your own journey, you have my support." She said.

"You mean I can go?" Mark said.

"Yes, you can go." Said Mrs. McDavid.

"Oh thank you so much, Mom!" Mark cried, and he gave his mother a happy hug.

"Aw, that's so wonderful." Said Michelle.

"Well Pikachu, it looks like we're going to have a new companion with us after all." Said Amanda. Pikachu was very excited to hear that, and so was Eevee. Mark disappeared into the house, and an hour later, he came out with a backpack full of clothes and other necessities.

"You be safe now." Said Mrs. McDavid.

"I will." Said Mark, and they shared a hug. They waved goodbye to Mrs. McDavid and made their way down the route. Well, another adventure ends with another new friend for the girls. There's plenty more adventures to come, though, so stay tuned for the next one.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Ten

Last time, Michelle and Amanda came across a boy named Mark McDavid. He's loved Pokemon ever since he was little and had always wanted to go on a journey, only to be held back and denied every time. But after some hard convincing by Amanda and Michelle, Mark was finally allowed to go on his own journey. He now joins Amanda and Michelle as the journey continues.

"So Amanda, how has your journey gone so far?" Mark asked.

"I have two badges right now." Said Amanda.

"That's not too bad." Said Mark. "How about you, Michelle?"

"Oh, I'm just along for the ride." Said Michelle. "I'm not old enough to compete in any gym challenges yet."

"Don't worry, you'll get to that point soon." Said Mark. They continued onward, and after forty minutes went by, they came across a trainer who had a big smile on her face.

"Which one of you has a Charmander?" she asked.

"I do." Said Mark.

"What's with this girl?" asked Michelle.

"I couldn't tell you." Said Amanda.

"Can I see the Charmander?" the trainer asked.

"Sure." Said Mark. He grabbed Charmander's ball and threw it.

"Come on out, buddy!" he called. The fire lizard appeared in a blaze of light and let out its cry. The trainer studied Charmander carefully.

"I love the eyes and mouth on this Charmander." The girl said. Then she looked at the Pokemon's tail. "The flame on this is impressive too."

"Thanks." Said Mark. "But why do you love Charmander so much?"

"Charmander is my favorite Pokémon in the whole world." Said the girl. "I just love the way it smiles so adorably. I've wanted one my whole life, but I've never been able to find one until seeing yours." Then, an idea came into the girl's mind. "Why don't you and I trade. One of my Pokémon for your Charmander."

"No way." Mark said flatly, denying the girl's offer. "Charmander is my best friend. I cannot just give him up to anybody."

"I understand." The girl said.

"Although, I can tell that you love Pokemon a lot." Said Mark.

"If I didn't, then I wouldn't be a member of the Pokemon Fan Club." The girl said.

"The Pokémon Fan Club?" both Amanda and Michelle said in unison.

"I don't think I've heard of that." Said Amanda.

"Yeah, neither have I." Said Michelle.

"Okay, next question." Said Mark. "What exactly is the Pokemon Fan Club?"

"Battle me first, then I'll tell you." The girl said.

"You're on." Said Mark. "Bulbasaur, I choose-"

"Nope, I only want to battle your Charmander." The girl insisted.

"Well in that case, let's do it, Charmander!" Mark cried. Charmander gave a loud roar, telling its opponent that it was ready to go.

"I'm counting on you!" the girl cried and she threw her ball. Once the white light had dissolved, a Pikachu popped out.

"I'll start off." The girl said. "Pikachu, Quick Attack." Her Pikachu ran extremely fast and slammed into Charmander before the fire type could dodge the move.

"Come on, Charmander, get up!" Mark cried. Charmander got back onto his feet and readied himself.

"Go for Flamethrower." Mark commanded. Charmander shot a huge line of fire at the girl's Pikachu.

"Agility." The girl countered. Pikachu used its speed to repeatedly avoid the fire attack. Amanda's Pikachu could not resist and started cheering for the other Pikachu.

"Pikachu!" Amanda's Pikachu cried, which meant 'You can do it!' Amanda was less than impressed, however.

"Pikachu! You are not supposed to root for the opposition!" She cried.

"Pika." Pikachu said sadly, which meant 'Sorry, Amanda.' Meanwhile, the other Pikachu tried its hardest to continue dodging the flames, but all the running back and fourth caused it to tire out. Due to this, its back leg hit the flame, causing it to scream in pain.

"Oh no!" the girl cried.

"We've got our opponent right where we want them." Said Mark. "Skull Bash, now!" Charmander lowered its head, ran head first into the now tired Pikachu, and sent it backwards into the girl's lap. Although it hadn't quite fainted, it was obvious that Pikachu couldn't keep battling.

"You all right?" the girl asked.

"Pika." Her Pikachu whimpered, which meant 'I'm fine, but I can't go on.'

"Well, it looks like we have a winner." Said Mark.

"That was a good battle." The girl said.

"If you want, I can give you a Burn Heal to get all of those scorch marks off of your Pikachu." Said Michelle.

"Thanks, but I think he'll feel much better after a rest." The girl said, and she recalled her Pikachu.

"Now, I believe you were going to tell me about this Pokemon Fan Club." Said Mark as he recalled his Charmander.

"It's a club for people who are big fans of Pokemon." Said the girl. "As I told you earlier, my favorite is Charmander."

"I guess that's why you want one so badly." Said Mark.

"Exactly." Said the girl. "By the way, my name's Brittany."

"It's nice to meet you, Brittany." Said Amanda.

"Have the three of you ever been to the Pokemon Fan Club before?" asked Brittany.

"No we haven't." said Michelle.

"Well then, if you'll all follow me, I'll take the three of you there." Said Brittany. "There's going to be lots of people there for you to meet, and lots of Pokemon to see as well."

"What do you think, Pikachu?" Amanda asked. "You want to check this place out?"

"Pika pi!" Pikachu happily exclaimed, which meant 'Yes please!'

"Off we go." Said Brittany, and they headed off down the path. Conrad and Sally were watching them through a pair of binoculars.

"Pokemon Fan Club, huh?" said Conrad. "That gives me an idea."

"What's your big brain play this time?" Sally asked.

"We disguise ourselves as Pokemon fans and pretend to be members, and then once nobody's looking, we strike." Said Conrad.

"I like that a lot." Said Sally, and they went to get some costumes. While all of that was going on, Mark and the girls reached the building where the Pokemon Fan Club usually gathered. It was a big, yellow building that had pictures of different Pokemon hanging everywhere on the outside walls.

"Well, here we are." Said Brittany.

"You ready, Pikachu?" asked Amanda. Pikachu gave a thumbs up.

"You're really going to like this place, Eevee." Said Michelle. Eevee let out a delightful squeal.

"Let's make our way inside, guys." Said Brittany. She opened up the door and there were already several people inside. Officer Jenny was there with a couple of Squirtles, and Nurse Joy was there with Chansey. There were even some kids there that were around the same ages as Amanda and Mark.

"This place is incredible!" Mark exclaimed.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I like it already.'

"I didn't know you two were also members." Said Michelle.

"I don't usually get to go to these meetings very often, but since it's a day off for me today, this works out perfectly." Said Jenny. "For the Squirtles, this is their first time here."

"I've always loved Pokemon even before I became a nurse." Said Joy.

"If you're here, then who's running the Pokemon Center?" asked Amanda.

"Nobody." Said Joy. "I had to close the center temporarily until the meeting ends."

"You guys should have a Pokemon out for this meeting so that the director knows how much you love Pokemon." Said Brittany.

"Good point." Said Mark, and he sent his Charmander out. Michelle let out her Electabuzz, and Amanda let out her Nidoran.

"Your Nidoran is so adorable." Said Brittany.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. "Hey, wait a second. I thought you said you only liked Charmander."

"Yeah, you said earlier that Charmander was your number one favorite." Said Michelle.

"It is, but I like other Pokemon too." Said Brittany. Before she could get into details, the director came in.

"Good afternoon, everyone." He said. "Welcome to this week's meeting of the Pokemon Fan Club. Now, it appears that we have some guests joining us today." Of course, he was referring to Amanda, Michelle and Mark. "Newcomers, I will ask you to state your name as well as your favorite Pokemon and why it's your favorite."

"I'm Amanda." Said Amanda. "My favorite Pokemon is Pikachu because it can run super fast and it knows how to use some really cool electric attacks. Pikachu and I have also been partners for a good, long while, which is also why it's my favorite."

"I'm Michelle, and on my shoulder here is Eevee." Said Michelle. "Eevee has been my partner for a while too, and it's also quite adorable. Eevee can also turn into a Flareon, Jolteon or Vaporeon depending on which stone you use on it. That's why Eevee is my favorite."

"I'm Mark." Said Mark. "I actually don't have a specific favorite Pokemon because I like them all equally. To me, it's not just about catching a lot of Pokemon. It's about trying to make a lot of friends. With Pokemon that are very shy, you have to show them that you want to be your friend. They also have their own special abilities, which is what makes them all my favorite in my eyes."

"Very sound reasoning on your part." Said the director. Just then, he heard a knock at the door.

"Let's see who that could be." He said. When he opened the door, he found two people wearing matching Pikachu sweaters and dark black pants. They were really Conrad and Sally in their disguises, but the director didn't know this.

"Ah, some more newcomers." He said, and welcomed them in. They immediately sat down and took immediate notice of Amanda's Pikachu.

"Something seems off about those two." She said.

"Don't worry about it for now." Said Brittany. "Just focus on the rest of the meeting."

"Yes, Brittany is quite right." Said the director. "All right everyone, show me what you have in terms of the Pokemon that you have on you." Amanda let out her Pidgeotto, Squirtle, Clefairy, and Dratini. Michelle let out her Doduo, Poliwag, Ponyta and Nidoran, while Mark let out his Bulbasaur. Brittany let out her Pikachu and Jigglypuff. Amanda, Michelle and Mark all stood there with their mouths open in shock.

"No way!" Michelle cried.

"I've heard that those are hard to come by." Said Mark. Amanda took out her Pokedex to scan it.

"Jigglypuff, the balloon Pokemon. It can use its eyes to mesmerize its opponents. It also has the ability to sing a special song that will put its opponents into a long and deep sleep."

"A Pokemon that can sing? Now that's incredible." Said Michelle.

"I'll say." Said Mark. The director looked at their Pokemon very carefully.

"These are all excellent Pokemon." Said the director. "I can tell from how happy they are that you've been taking very good care of them. Especially you, Amanda. This Nidoran seems particularly happy to be with you."

"Thanks, but the Nidoran wasn't originally mine." Said Amanda. "Another trainer had it originally, but he wasn't very nice to it, so I ended up with it."

"Same with my Nidoran, sir." Said Michelle.

"Well, I'm sure that they're in very good hands with you two raising them." Said the director. He then went over to Officer Jenny. "These Squirtle are looking good today. They also look very well behaved."

"These Squirtle used to be part of a gang that would play tricks on everyone." Said Jenny. "But after three young trainers helped to put them in their place, they're now firefighters, and they're quite famous."

"They're practically celebrities then." Said the director. "Now then, Joy, let's see this Chansey of yours." He examined Chansey's pink body very carefully and was pleased with what he saw. Chansey even gave him a smile.

"Chansey seems to like you a lot." Said Joy.

"It is my considered opinion, Nurse Joy, that Chansey always likes everyone." He said. "How long have you had it?"

"Ever since I first started working at the Pokemon Center years ago." Said Joy. "Chansey and I aren't just partners, we're pals, right?"

"Chansey!" Chansey beamed excitedly, which meant 'That's right!'

"It's perfectly obvious that you and Chansey work really well together." Said the director. He went over to Brittany's Jigglypuff.

"I hear that your Jigglypuff has the ability to sing." He said.

"That's what makes it so special." Said Brittany. "I can have it perform a song for everyone later, if you want."

"That would be very nice." Said the director. He then went over to Conrad and Sally.

"I haven't seen your Pokemon yet." He said. "Do you even have any Pokemon to show me?"

"Oh yes, sir." Sally said in a little kid voice.

"We have something that'll knock your socks off." Said Conrad, also in a child's voice.

"Let's see them." Said the director. The two of them released their Ekans and Zubat, but after the director looked at them, he wasn't too pleased at all.

"These Pokemon don't really fit in with the theme that I'm looking for." He said. "I want Pokemon that are gentle and adorable, and these two Pokemon look like they're very intimidating."

"Well, uh….." Sally stammered, but then remembered she was supposed to be in disguise and switched to her kid voice. "We couldn't find any of those kinds of Pokemon, sir."

"We searched in a lot of areas, but we had no luck." Said Conrad, still in his fake kid voice.

"Well, hopefully you'll have better luck by the time we have our next meeting." Said the director. "All right, now that I've seen your Pokémon, I'd like you draw pictures of them for me. Whoever draws the best picture will receive a special prize." Amanda, Mark, Brittany and Michelle wasted no time with their drawings. They all wanted to make sure that they would be the ones to get the prize.

"I wonder which one he'll like best." Said Mark.

"I hope he likes mine." Said Amanda.

"Just do your best, guys." Said Brittany. As the foursome drew and colored their pictures, they took a bit of time to make sure that everything was accurate.

"Hold still so I can draw you, Squirtles." Said Jenny. The two turtle Pokemon both obeyed and stood in place.

"It's a good thing I have a big piece of paper to draw you with, Chansey." Said Nurse Joy.

"Chansey!" Chansey beamed which meant 'I hope the drawing turns out well.'

"I hope so too." Said Joy. Conrad and Sally were having trouble with their drawings.

"Stop squirming, Ekans." She said in her fake child voice.

"That goes for you too, Zubat." Said Conrad in his own child voice. Zubat just kept flying around Ekans, however, which caused the snake to keep his distance. Conrad and Sally just groaned to themselves. Ten minutes later, the director called time.

"Let's see how your drawings turned out." He said. He checked Mark's drawings first.

"These look very good." He said. "The flame on Charmander's tail is very accurate to how it should look."

"Thanks." Said Mark.

"Charmander!" Charmander exclaimed, which meant 'I like the drawing too.'

"Being that you've been with me for a while, I'm pretty sure I should know how to draw you." Mark said, and he let out a bit of a chuckle.

"Let's hope the rest of the drawings turn out as well as this." Said the director. Next, he had a look at the drawings Michelle and Amanda had done.

"My, your drawings look absolutely incredible." He said. "I especially love this one of Pikachu and Eevee playing together." The drawing in question showed the girls' partners rolling a rubber ball back and forth between each other.

"Pikachu pi." Said Pikachu, which meant 'They certainly got our good sides, didn't they?'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'They sure did.'

"I'm glad you like these, guys." Said Michelle.

"I certainly like them too." Said the director. Next, he observed Officer Jenny's drawing.

"Your Squirtles certainly look brave putting fires out in this picture." He said.

"Fires are nothing for these guys." Said Jenny. "I couldn't be more proud of them."

"They certainly have a lot of confidence in each other." Said the director. The next drawing he had a look at was Nurse Joy's.

"What do we have here?" he asked.

"In this one, Chansey is performing a procedure on a Pokémon that's very sick." Said Joy. She showed him the drawing, which showed Chansey standing beside an operating table doing some work on an Oddish.

"That's certainly quite interesting." He said. Finally, he checked on the drawing that Conrad and Sally had worked on. Unfortunately, he wasn't pleased with what he saw.

"Your Ekans and Zubat look like they're trying to wrestle each other." He said. "I'm afraid that won't do at all." He then went back to his spot. "I'm happy to say that for the most part, your drawings turned out very well. They seem to fit the best qualities of Pokémon. For that reason, trying to choose the best picture out of all the drawings has proven to be a tough decision. But there can only be one winner, and that winner is-"

"Excuse me, sir." Said Brittany. "What about my picture?"

"Oh my goodness, Brittany, I completely overlooked you. My sincerest apologies." The director said. He quickly went over to where Brittany was so he could see what she had drawn.

"It looks like your Jigglypuff is singing a little melody here." Said the director.

"That's because it likes to sing a lot." Said Brittany. Her Jigglypuff chose that precise moment to sing its song. It opened its mouth, and was about to sing, but Brittany stopped her.

"Not during a club meeting, Jigglypuff." Brittany said. The director went back to his spot once again.

"Now that I've seen all the drawings for real this time, I am proud to say that the one of you who will receive the special prize is Mark." He said.

"Way to go, Mark." Said Amanda.

"Yeah, congratulations, Mark." Said Michelle.

"Thanks, guys." Said Mark. The director came up to him and gave him his prize.

"What's this?" Mark asked as he looked at the purple candy wrapper.

"That, my boy, is a Rare Candy." Said the director. "It'll make any Pokemon of your choice grow by one level the instant you use it. However, this special candy can only be used once, so think carefully about who you want to give it to." The director then faced the group again. "Okay, everyone, for the next part of the meeting, I'm going to have you guess what my favorite Pokemon is. I'm going to give you clues, and you have to guess the Pokemon based on clues. Clue number one. My favorite Pokemon is a fire type."

"Maybe your favorite is Charmander's fully evolved form, Charizard." Said Mark.

"Good guess, but no." said the director.

"Perhaps it's Growlithe." Said Officer Jenny.

"No, that's not it either." Said the director.

"I think I might know." Said Amanda. "Is your favorite Rapidash?"

"That is exactly right!" the director cried. "Ever since I was a boy, I've always loved how majestic Rapidash is. I've been especially fascinated by its horn. But I'm not going to bore you with a trip down Memory Lane. Instead, we're going to move on to the most exciting part of the meeting, which is battling."

"Yes!" Amanda and Michelle cried. Everyone followed the director to a makeshift battlefield outside the building.

"Since Amanda was able to correctly guess who my favorite Pokemon was, I'm giving her the honor of battling my Rapidash." Said the director. "Best of luck, young lady."

"You too, sir." Said Amanda. All of her Pokemon were standing beside her, wondering which one would be used for battling.

"Okay Squirtle, I'm counting on you." Said Amanda. Squirtle nodded and took his place on the battlefield.

"Go, Rapidash!" the director cried, throwing a ball. Rapidash appeared in a blaze of light, and Amanda checked it with her Pokedex.

"Rapidash, the fire horse Pokemon. It chases everything that moves and can reach it's top speed of one hundred and fifty miles per hour in just ten steps."

"Woah, that's pretty fast." Said Amanda. "But we're faster, Right Squirtle?" Squirtle nodded. "Okay then, start with Water Gun." Squirtle fired a jetstream of water at Rapidash.

"Dodge and use Agility." Said the director. Rapidash repeatedly avoided every shot of water Squirtle fired at it, making the turtle Pokemon frustrated.

"Take Down." Said the director. Rapidash charged at Squirtle, running so fast that the small turtle didn't have a chance to react. It got slammed into a tree and completely knocked out.

"Woah, that Rapidash is pretty powerful." Michelle observed.

"That kind of thing happens when it's had lots of battling experience." Said the director.

"No wonder I lost despite Squirtle having the type advantage." Said Amanda.

"Don't feel too bad, young lady, you did the best you could." Said the director. "Okay everyone, that ends our meeting for this week. Thank you all for coming out and I hope to see you all again soon." Everyone recalled their Pokemon and started to leave. Everyone, that is, except Conrad and Sally.

"Pikachu, Eevee, how'd you like to come to my house for a little snack?" Sally asked, still in her kid voice. Pikachu and Eevee both gave happy yells and ran toward Sally.

"No, don't do it!" Amanda cried. Pikachu and Eevee took no notice of her command and kept running. Sally and Conrad then gave evil grins, ripped off their disguises and trapped the two Pokemon in a glass jar.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried.

"Eevee!" Michelle cried.

"And these two say they're fan club members." Said Mark flatly.

"They're not members." Said Amanda. "Those two are really Team Rocket."

"I should've known you two were up to something!" Michelle cried.

"Yes you should've, so now you're in trouble." Said Sally.

"You leave Pikachu and Eevee alone! They don't belong to you!" Mark exclaimed.

"They do now." Said Conrad, and he gave an evil laugh.

"I don't think I know who you guys are." Said Brittany. Both Conrad and Sally fell over anime style. They quickly picked themselves back up, however.

"Let's just say that we're two people whose way you want to stay out of at all times." Said Sally. "Come Conrad, off we go to the boss."

"Wait, I have one question for you first." Said Brittany.

"Fine but make it snappy!" Conrad barked.

"Can I have your autograph?" she asked.

"Brittany, those aren't random Hollywood celebrities; they're the bad guys!" Amanda cried.

"Oh." Said Brittany sadly.

"Pikachu, try using your electric shock on the jar." Amanda said. Pikachu obeyed, but his zaps didn't do anything. Conrad and Sally laughed.

"Good thing we always shock proof the jars." Said Conrad.

"So stop wasting your batteries." Said Sally, and they took off in their balloon. Brittany, Mark, Amanda and Michelle chased after them.

"Do you have any Pokemon other than Charmander and Bulbasaur?" asked Michelle.

"No." said Mark. "Those two are all I have."

"That's no good." Said Brittany.

"Thankfully, I've got just the one to help us out." Said Amanda, and she sent out her Pidgeotto.

"Pidgeotto, go after Team Rocket as fast as you can." Said Amanda. Pidgeotto nodded and flew off. Conrad and Sally were laughing it up in their balloon.

"Pikachu, Eevee, you're ours now." Said Sally. "Wouldn't you two love to meet our boss?"

"Pika!" Pikachu screamed angrily, which meant 'Let us go!'

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'Release us right now!'

"Nice try, but you're not being released unless we say so." Said Conrad. Just then, they heard an angry cry coming toward them.

"Is that the twerpette's Pidgeotto?" asked Sally.

"I think so." Said Conrad. Pidgeotto flew full speed and tore the balloon with its' beak, sending it down to the ground. Mark, Brittany, Amanda and Michelle caught up to the balloon.

"Good work, Pidgeotto." Said Amanda, and she recalled her bird. She immediately ran over and took off the lid of the jar that had been imprisoning her Pikachu.

"Are you okay, pal?" she asked. Pikachu gave a thumbs up.

"How about you, Eevee?" asked Michelle. Eevee squealed with delight, which meant 'I'm just fine.'

"Let's show these two losers what it feels like to mess with someone else's Pokemon." Said Amanda.

"I'm with you on that one." Said Brittany. "Go, Jigglypuff." Her balloon Pokemon appeared in a blaze of light.

"Go, Pikachu!" Amanda called. Pikachu faced the two team Rocket members and gave them an angry look.

"Thunderbolt, Pikachu!" cried Amanda. Pikachu released its bolt of yellow energy and scored a direct hit on Conrad and Sally, electrocuting them.

"Okay Jigglypuff, put those two clowns to sleep with Sing." Said Brittany. Jigglypuff cleared its' throat and began to sing its song.

"What's that beautiful melody?" asked Conrad.

"I have no…..idea…." said Sally. She and Conrad drifted off to sleep. However, Brittany, Mark, Amanda and Brittany also fell asleep. This got Jigglypuff angry and it drew on their faces with the marker it was holding. An hour later, the four of them woke up.

"Hey, what happened to your face?" Mark asked.

"Forget about my face, what about yours?" Michelle asked. Brittany just smirked.

"Good work, Jigglypuff." She said and recalled her Pokemon. After the four of them had wiped the marker marks off their faces, they went near the port.

"It was nice meeting you, Brittany." Said Michelle.

"We enjoyed seeing the Pokemon fan club." Said Mark.

"Come back anytime." Said Brittany, and the four of them parted ways. With the fan club experience fresh in their minds, and Team Rocket beaten once again, our trio can now focus on Amanda's upcoming gym battle. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were still dozing peacefully from the song, and when they finally woke up, they were livid.

"Who did this to our lovely faces?!" they yelled in unison.

"Ugh, those kids won again. I hate when that happens." Said Sally, wiping the marker off her face.

"You're not the only one." Said Conrad, wiping marker off his own face. They were about to leave when they found themselves surrounded by a hoard of Meowth, who didn't look too happy to see them on their territory.

"Nice kitties…" said Sally playfully. The lead Meowth hissed and scratched their faces.

"Ouch!" they cried. The Meowth kept scratching and clawing at them.

"Stop! We surrender!" cried Conrad.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Eleven

In the last episode, our trip checked out the Pokemon Fan Club at the suggestion of their new friend Brittany. Although things went well at the club for the most part, Conrad and Sally managed to gain entry by disguising themselves as club members. But once the meeting had finished, the two of them took away their disguises and used the opportunity to steal Pikachu and Eevee. However, they were thwarted once again, mainly thanks to Jigglypuff's Sing attack, and now we catch up with the trio at the Vermillion City Pokemon Center.

Amanda was on the video phone chatting with Kangaskhan.

"Vermillion City is great so far." She said. "I even got to attend a meeting of the Pokemon Fan Club."

"I don't think I've heard of that." Said Kangaskhan.

"It's a really cool club where Pokemon lovers gather to do all kinds of great activities." Said Amanda. "I even got to battle the director's Rapidash."

"I bet that was exciting." Said Kangaskhan.

"Not really." Amanda said. "Squirtle and I were beaten in practically one hit."

"That's too bad." Said Kangaskhan. "So, what's your plan of attack now?"

"Once my friends and I finish resting up here, we're going to head to the Vermillion gym to I can take on their leader." Said Amanda.

"Best of luck." Said Kangaskhan.

"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda, and they hung up. The two months that Amanda had been on her journey had been filled with lots of excitement, and she had also met some new friends, including Mark and Michelle, both of whom were now traveling with her. Of course, there had also been the run ins with Conrad and Sally from Team Rocket, but our heroes have managed to beat them every time. Now, Amanda was thinking about how to tackle the gym.

"I wonder who I should use for this one." She said.

"According to the guidebook that Nurse Joy let me have a look at earlier, the gym leader here uses electric type Pokemon." Said Mark.

"What Pokemon do you have right now that would work against him?" asked Michelle.

"Well, I do have Bellsprout." Said Amanda.

"That could possibly work since grass types are strong against electric Pokemon." Said Mark.

"I also have Dratini, but I haven't really used it very much." Said Amanda.

"Then that might not be the best course of action to take." Said Michelle. The three of them continued to discuss possible strategies, and as they were doing so, someone burst in clutching a badly injured Drowsee.

"Nurse Joy, where are you?" the trainer asked. Joy ran right out and gasped when she saw all of the injuries.

"Let's not waste any time." She said. She placed Drowsee on a stretcher and hurried it to the back.

"Something tells me that kid probably came from the gym." Said Michelle.

"I think you might be right." Said Mark. They went up and down the row of beds and saw various Pokemon lying in them all weak and badly hurt.

"Did all of these trainers lose to the gym leader?" Amanda asked.

"I think so." Said Michelle.

"You would think correctly." Said Nurse Joy, who had re-emerged. "The Center's much busier than normal thanks to what's been going on."

"What exactly has been going on?" Mark wondered.

"All of these Pokemon that you see were all beaten by Lieutenant Surge." Said Joy.

"Oh wow." Said Michelle.

"If he's able to beat all of these Pokemon, then he must be tough." Said Mark.

"He is." Said Joy. "He's very tough."

"Well, tough or not, he's no match for us. Right, Pikachu?" asked Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'We'll show him.'

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Said Joy. "If you're not careful when fighting Surge, he'll end up destroying you just like he destroyed all of these other Pokemon."

"Joy has a point, Amanda." Said Michelle. "Maybe we should find another gym and come back when you're a little stronger."

"No." Amanda insisted. "I came here for a badge, and I'm not leaving without one. Let's go." She and Pikachu left the center, with Mark and Michelle following her.

"You know, Amanda, that stubbornness reminds me of another trainer I've heard about." Said Mark. "That's all I'm going to tell you for right now, though." When they arrived at the gym, they saw a huge lightning bolt in the middle of the roof, and two smaller bolts comprising the door handles.

"Well, I guess this is it. No turning back now." Said Amanda. Although she was a bit nervous, the three of them stepped into the gym.

"Looks like it's going to be another victim for the Pokemon Center, sir." Said one of the gym workers.

"Let's see who it is." Said Surge in a tough guy voice. The trio were practically shaking.

"This guy's already making me a bit nervous." Said Mark. Soon enough, Surge stood on the opposite side of them. He was so big that he practically towered over the three friends.

"Not only is he big, but he's intimidating too." Said Michelle.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'He's creeping me out, Michelle.'

"Don't worry, we're not the ones battling him." Said Michelle.

"If she isn't, then who is?" Surge demanded.

"I am." Said Amanda.

"Well, looks like the baby brought some baby friends and a baby Pokemon." Said Surge, and he burst out laughing. This got Amanda furious.

"I am not a baby!" she yelled. "My name's Amanda Reed from Fuchsia City, and I'm here to challenge you for your gym badge!"

"Is that so?" said Surge.

"Very much so." Said Amanda.

"I accept your challenge, but I have to warn you, things are really going to start ramping up here." Said Surge.

"What is he talking about?" asked Mark. Surge grabbed a ball off of the jacket pocket that was holding it.

"Maybe this'll answer your question." He said, and he threw the ball. Out of the blaze of white light, a Raichu appeared. It towered over Pikachu with an intimidating look, making him feel nervous.

"Woah." Said Michelle. Amanda took out her Pokedex for more information.

"Raichu, a mouse Pokemon and the evolved form of Pikachu. Raichu uses its tail to gather electricity from the atmosphere. It can store over one hundred thousand volts of electricity, enough to knock out any Pokemon it comes across."

"With that many volts, no wonder Raichu is so powerful." Said Mark.

"Pikachu and I have got this." Said Amanda. Pikachu hopped into the arena and gave Raichu an intimidating glare.

"That's the way, Pikachu. Intimidating the opponent before the match even starts." Said Amanda.

"You can intimidate us all you want, but that's not going to help you win this match." Said Surge. The gym's referee stepped into the arena, and Michelle and Mark took their seats in the spectator area.

"This gym battle between Vermillion City gym leader Lieutenant Surge and trainer Amanda Reed of Fuchsia City will now commence. Both trainers are only permitted to use one Pokemon each, with no substitutions and no time limit. Let the battle begin!" The bell went off to signify the start of the battle.

"Go, Pikachu! Start with a Thunderbolt attack!" Amanda cried. Pikachu released a line of yellow energy from his body, but it didn't appear to have too much of an effect on Raichu.

"Such a weak attack." Said Surge. "Come on, Raichu, show this girl what a real Thunderbolt looks like!" Raichu let out a huge bolt of energy, which struck Pikachu head on. The little rodent screamed very loudly.

"Pikachu!" cried Amanda.

"That's not looking too good." Said Mark. To make matters worse, every time Pikachu tried to get up, Raichu's tail kept knocking it back down. Conrad and Sally were watching the match outside through the window.

"Wow, that twerpette's Pikachu is really getting a beating." Said Sally.

"If this keeps up, then maybe that Pikachu might not be worth stealing after all." Said Conrad.

"Come on, Pikachu, don't give up." Sally whispered. Back inside the gym, things weren't looking up at all.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" Amanda called. "Try a Quick Attack!" Pikachu ran full speed at Raichu, only to bounce off its big body and go backwards.

"Go for the Body Slam, Raichu!" Surge ordered. Raichu leaned forward and used its whole body to cover up Pikachu, trapping it. When it got off, Pikachu was completely knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to continue the battle. Victory goes to Raichu. The winner of the match is Lieutenant Surge." Said the referee. Amanda immediately ran over to Pikachu to check on him.

"Are you all right, buddy?" she asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said weakly, which meant 'No. I need to get to the Pokemon Center.' Michelle and Mark ran down from the seats.

"Man, that was a tough battle." Said Mark.

"A good fight, kid, but I told you that Raichu's strong." Said Surge. "You're certainly not the first trainer to lose to me on their first attempt either. Get your Pikachu rested up and then come back to try again." Surge and his comrade walked away, while Amanda scooped up Pikachu in her arms.

"Come on, guys." She said. She, Michelle and Mark all left the gym and headed to the Pokemon Center. Outside, Conrad and Sally couldn't believe what had transpired.

"I can't believe it. Pikachu lost the match." Said Sally.

"Hey, since when did you start rooting for the good guys?" asked Conrad.

"Since putting our latest plan into action at the start of that match." Said Sally. "We need Pikachu to win so that it'll give us more incentive to steal it. But since it lost, we're going to have to wait some more."

"I see what you mean." Said Conrad. "Outside the gym, the trio were heading back to the center.

"Nurse Joy did say what would happen if you weren't careful against Surge." Said Michelle.

"I think part of your problem was that you underestimated the power of his Raichu." Said Mark.

"Actually, I think there might be a weakness that I can exploit." Said Amanda. "The only problem is that I don't know what the weakness is. Maybe Nurse Joy can help out with that." When they got back to the center, they got Pikachu checked in.

"Looks like you were also a victim of Surge too." Said Joy. Amanda nodded.

"I may or may not have realized just how powerful he really is." She said. "Now my Pikachu's hurt really badly as a result."

"We'll do our best to help it get better." Said Joy. She took Pikachu to the back, and the three of them were left to wait.

"I hope Pikachu will be okay." Said Amanda.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Said Mark. A couple of hours later, Nurse Joy came back out.

"Your Pikachu's just fine. It's resting now in the recovery room." Said Joy. "You can see him if you want." The three friends made their way to the recovery room and saw that Pikachu was asleep.

"I think after it's gotten some rest, it should be fine." Said Michelle.

"How am I going to beat Surge, though?" asked Amanda.

"There's a couple of ways you could do that." Said Michelle. "Do you still have that Thunder Stone from the tournament we were both in?"

"Yes, but I'm worried that if I use it on Pikachu, I'll end up being like Surge." Said Amanda.

"What do you mean?" asked Mark.

"I have a feeling that Surge may have evolved his Pokemon too quickly." Said Amanda.

"That's what I'm thinking too." Said Michelle. "But for the best advice, we need to talk to someone who's faced Surge before."

"I think I know just who we need to talk to." Said Amanda. She went over to the video phone near the bed Pikachu was sleeping in and dialed a number. Over at the Pokemon League, Ash was preparing for his round one match, which was taking place on a Water type field.

"You could use some of my Water Pokemon for this match if you want, Ash." Misty suggested.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think Squirtle and I can handle it." Said Ash.

"Squirtle's fine, but for a match on a water field, you want to have more than just one water type Pokemon." Said Misty.

"She's right, Ash." Said Brock. "You've done well to get to this point, which is great, but these matches are going to be a lot tougher." A voice then came onto the public address system.

"Paging Ash Ketchum." It said. "Please report to the front desk for a phone call."

"I wonder who that is." Said Ash.

"Let's find out." Said Brock. The three of them rushed over to the video phone and answered the call.

"Hi there, guys." Said Amanda.

"Hey, it's Amanda." Said Ash.

"I remember her. We ran into her when we were in Viridian City so you could get your Earth Badge." Said Misty. "What's up?"

"Pikachu and I had a battle against Lieutenant Surge earlier, but we got beaten really badly." Said Amanda.

"That's too bad." Said Brock. Michelle came onto the screen.

"Amanda seems to be under the impression that Surge evolved his Raichu too quickly." She said.

"Excuse me, but I don't recall meeting you before." Said Misty.

"I'm Amanda's friend Michelle. She and I met when we battled each other in Viridian Forest." Said Michelle. Mark then came onto the screen.

"And I'm her newest friend Mark." Said Mark. "We just met not too long ago."

"Well, it's very nice to meet you both." Said Ash.

"Anyway, how do we beat Surge's big guy?" asked Amanda.

"I'm glad you asked." Said Brock. "First off, the three of you are absolutely right about Surge's Raichu."

"We are?" said Mark. Brock nodded.

"When we were in Vermillion, the exact same thing happened to Ash, and then we figured out that Surge has evolved his Pokemon too fast." He said.

"What kind of attacks does your Pikachu know, Amanda?" Misty asked.

"He knows Thunderbolt." Said Amanda.

"Now that's a very good attack." Said Ash.

"He can also use Swift, Quick Attack and Agility." Said Amanda.

"Well then, there's your answer." Said Brock. "The speed attacks you just listed are ones that can only be used in the Pikachu stage. Since Surge's Raichu is already fully evolved, it can't use those attacks. My suggestion is to use Pikachu's speed to your advantage when you go back to face him again."

"I will." Said Amanda. "Thanks a lot, Brock."

"No problem." Said Brock. "Well, we have to go. Ash's match is starting soon."

"Good luck, Ash." Said Amanda.

"Thanks, Amanda." Said Ash. They said their goodbyes and hung up.

"Well, that was very helpful advice that Brock just gave." Said Mark.

"It'll definitely come in handy when we go back to the gym tomorrow." Said Amanda. The three of them stayed by Pikachu's bed for the rest of the day and all night long. The next morning, after Pikachu was fully recovered, they left the center feeling a lot more confident.

"What do you think, Pikachu?" asked Amanda. "Do you think this'll be our lucky day?"

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed happily, which meant 'I think so.'

"Let's not waste any more time." Said Amanda, and they headed to the gym. Amanda pulled the doors open and shouted in a big voice "I'm back, Surge!" Surge was busy looking out the window at the beautiful sunshine, but when he heard Amanda, he quickly turned around and looked at her.

"Looks like the Pikachu's back." He said. "Don't you realize that you ain't beating me?"

"I don't think that'll happen this time, because we have a new plan." Said Amanda.

"In other words, you've been strategizing a new way for you to be the loser." Said Surge, and he sent his Raichu onto the field.

"We'll just see who the loser is this time." Said Amanda. Outside, Conrad and Sally were watching through the window again.

"Looks like Pikachu's back for round two." Said Sally.

"Can he redeem himself, though?" asked Conrad.

"Only one way to know." Said Sally. The referee stood in the center spot of the arena.

"This Vermillion City gym battle is between challenger Amanda Reed of Fuchsia City and Vermillion City gym leader Lieutenant Surge. Both trainers will only use one Pokemon with no substitutions and no time limit. At stake for the challenger is a Thunder Badge. Trainers, if you're ready, begin." The bell dinged to signal the start of the battle.

"Let's do this, Pikachu!" Amanda cried. Raichu was more than ready, however, and kept sticking its tail in the way every time Pikachu tried to attack it.

"Here we go again." Sighed Mark from the stands. Amanda then got an idea.

"Pikachu, roll over to the side and try to break away from Raichu that way." She said. Pikachu nodded and did as he was told, but Raichu wasn't fooled. The big electric type found Pikachu and gave a big smile, terrifying the small rat.

"Don't let Raichu's big size get to your head, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"Give it to him, Raichu!" Surge ordered. "Time for a Body Slam!"

"Raichu!" Raichu screamed, which meant 'Yes, sir!' He leaned forward and gave Pikachu the hardest body slam Amanda had ever seen. Michelle and Mark covered their eyes.

"I don't know if I can watch this." Said Mark.

"You're not the only one of us who's thinking that right now." Said Michelle.

"Eevee." Eevee let out a worried squeal, which meant 'Hang in there, Pikachu.'

"Time to finish the job." Said Surge. "Another Body Slam, Raichu, on the double!" Raichu went for the move, causing Amanda, Michelle, Mark, Conrad and Sally to gasp.

"Pikachu!" they all yelled at once.

"Look out!" Amanda cried. Luckily, Pikachu heard its' trainer just in time, and was able to avoid Raichu's attack.

"Hey!" cried Surge, clearly not pleased.

"Chu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'Yes!'

"There you go, Pikachu." Said Sally.

"Let's utilize that speed of yours." Said Amanda. "Agility, now!" Pikachu ran towards Raichu very quickly.

"Go for another Body Slam!" Surged ordered.

"Raichu!" Raichu exclaimed, which meant 'On it, sir!' It used the attack repeatedly to try and get Pikachu, but the smaller mouse kept dodging with ease. Mark and Michelle opened their eyes and couldn't believe how quickly the tide had turned.

"Raichu's what's happening with you?" Surge asked.

"It's just like Brock said on the phone yesterday." Said Michelle.

"That's right." Said Mark. "It's just like we all suspected. Surge's Pokemon evolved before it could learn the speed attacks that it could've only learned as a Pikachu."

"Keep going, Pikachu. Use all the Agility you have!" Amanda called.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Got it.' It ran circles all around Raichu, causing it to get confused.

"That Raichu of yours is too slow, Surge." Surge couldn't believe that Amanda had exploited his Pokemon's biggest weakness.

"Found the weak spot, huh?" he shouted. "No matter. Raichu, end this thing with a Thunderbolt!" Raichu squeezed its cheeks and sent the attack at Pikachu.

"Look out, Pikachu, it's coming right at you!" cried Amanda. Raichu's attack was so powerful that Amanda, Michelle and Mark all had to duck for cover, as did Conrad and Sally. Once the dust had settled, Surge smiled with confidence.

"This match is over." He said.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that just yet." Said Amanda. Surge turned and saw that Pikachu's arms and legs were stretched out. It was standing on its tail and giving Raichu a glare.

"Oh my goodness." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu used its tail as a ground to avoid the attack." Said Mark.

"Great thinking, Pikachu!" Amanda cried.

"Okay Raichu, try Thunderbolt again." Said Surge. Raichu tried to squeeze its cheeks, but no electricity came out.

"Don't just stand there! Try again! Surge yelled. Raichu did try again, only to get the same result.

"I can't believe this." Said Surge.

"Looks like Raichu's batteries just got completely drained." Said Michelle.

"Go for Quick Attack." Amanda commanded.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shouted, which meant 'Let's do this!'

"Raichu, go for Take Down!" Surge commanded. Both Pokemon got ready to attack the other, but Pikachu landed his blow first, headbutting the bigger and taller Raichu and sending it to the floor knocked out.

"This is unbelievable!" Surge cried. The ref came over and confirmed it.

"Raichu is unable to continue battling. Pikachu wins! The winner of the match is the challenger!" Amanda couldn't believe it.

"We did it, Pikachu, we won!" she cried. She ran over into the arena and gave her Pokemon a big hug. Mark and Michelle came down from the stands and stood beside their friend.

"Congratulations, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Victory!" Conrad and Sally shouted in unison from outside. Surge and his comrades clapped and congratulated Amanda and Pikachu on their victory.

"Nice job, Amanda and Pikachu." He said. "You two are no babies."

"That's what I was trying to say yesterday." Said Amanda.

"You and Pikachu did a great job in that battle, and to show that you've beaten me, I'm proud to give you this." He said and placed a Thunder Badge in Amanda's hand.

"Thanks a lot, Surge." Said Amanda. "Look at that, Pikachu. A Thunder Badge. And it's all ours."

"You should be proud of your Pokemon." Said Surge.

"I'm very proud." Said Amanda.

"So are we." Said Michelle.

"Thanks, guys." Said Amanda. She wrapped her arms around Michelle and Mark and gave them both a big hug. Later, as the three of them were walking down the street, Amanda held her badge up high.

"Well, that's three badges down." She said.

"Which means only five more to go." Said Michelle. Conrad and Sally were walking down a different street.

"That Pikachu really is something, isn't it?" asked Conrad.

"The way it was dodging attacks like that will make it all worth it when we do steal it." Said Sally. It was at that moment that Conrad realized something.

"You and I just spent this whole episode rooting for Pikachu, and thus, we never tried to steal it." He said. Both of them ended up facepalming. Better luck next time, you two.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twelve

Last time, Amanda challenged the Vermillion City gym leader Lieutenant Surge and his Raichu to try and win a Thunder Badge. However, Pikachu was beaten easily in the first match, resulting in it having to recover in the Pokemon Center. That prompted Amanda, Michelle, and Mark to call up Ash, Misty, and Brock for suggestions on how to defeat Surge. After being informed by brock about Raichu having evolved too early, Amanda, her friends and Pikachu went back to the gym, fully determined to win. After a more intense rematch, Pikachu came out the winner, and Amanda got her Thunder Badge. What do you suppose will happen next? Let's find out together as the journey continues.

"It was such an exciting battle, Mama." An excited Amanda said on the phone. "Pikachu gave it his all, and we pulled through to win it."

"That's wonderful." Said Kangaskhan. "What do you think you're going to do now?"

"We're not sure." Said Amanda. "I'm sure we'll think of something, though. I have to go now, but I'll talk to you later." Amanda hung up the phone and went out into the Pokemon Center lobby where Michelle and Mark were.

"According to the guidebook, Vermillion's known for housing the luxury St. Anne ship." Mark said.

"That's pretty cool." Said Michelle.

"Well, we were known for housing it." Said Nurse Joy.

"What do you mean, Nurse Joy?" asked Amanda.

"I guess you three kids didn't hear about it." Said Joy.

"Heard about what?" asked Michelle.

"Last year, the St. Anne ran into a wave of rough water and completely sank." Said Joy.

"Oh dear." Said Mark.

"Did everyone make it off the ship okay, Nurse Joy?" asked Michelle.

"For the most part, they did." Said Joy. "At least, upon initial evacuation. We originally thought that five lives were claimed when the ship sank, but it turns out that those people also managed to make it off."

"That's a relief." Said Michelle.

"It is, but the St. Anne was lost forever." Said Joy. "If you want to stick around the area for a little longer, though, then I would suggest checking out Diglett's Cave. It's not too far from here."

"I think that's where we'll go then." Said Mark. "Thanks for the suggestion, Nurse Joy."

"No problem." Said Joy. The trio left the Pokemon Center sand made their way east.

"I wonder why it's called Diglett's Cave." Said Amanda.

"I think it's because a whole bunch of Diglett live there." Said Michelle.

"I guess we'll find out when we get there." Said Mark.

"Looks like we'll have some new friends to meet in the cave, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"Same goes for you, Eevee." Said Michelle. Both partner Pokémon squealed with happiness. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the entrance.

"Looks like this is it." Said Mark, and they made their way inside the cave.

"Looks like something isn't quite right with the lighting in here." Said Amanda. Mark looked up at the ceiling and saw that it was darker than normal.

"Hey, you're right." Said Mark.

"But I thought this was supposed to be easy to navigate." Said Michelle.

"It should be, but I suspect that there may be foul play involved." Said Mark, and he grabbed a Poke Ball. "I do know how we can fix the lighting situation, though." He threw the ball and Charmander came out.

"Charmander, I need you to use the flame on your tail to guide us through the cave." He said. "Can you do that for me?"

"Charmander charm!" the fire type happily cried, which meant 'Sure thing.'

"All right, lead the way." Said Mark. Charmander nodded and the group followed him down the cave's pathway.

"I'm hoping the bad lighting didn't make the Diglett go away." Said Amanda.

"I hope not either." Said Mark. They trekked through the cave slowly so that they could fully check. A few minutes later, a tiny brown Pokemon with a pink nose popped up from under the ground.

"Diglett dig!" it cried.

"Aw, it's so adorable." Said Michelle.

"It's certainly one of the cuter ones, that's for sure." Said Amanda. She took her Pokedex out to scan for information.

"Diglett, the mole Pokemon. Its small stature makes it both the lightest and shortest Ground-type. It feeds on tree roots and vegetables, and sometimes makes its home insides of trees and burrows near forests."

"I don't see any forests anywhere near here, though." Said Michelle.

"Maybe it likes to play in the forests during the day, and then come back here at night." Said Mark.

"That's certainly possible." Said Amanda. She crouched down toward the Diglett.

"Hi there, little buddy." She said. "Do you think you could do me a favor and tell me and my friends what's been going on?" The Diglett nodded and explained the situation in its' own language. Amanda took in everything carefully before nodding her head.

"I see. Thank you, Diglett." She said and turned back to her friends.

"Diglett says that a pair of crooks were here and cut off electricity to the entire cave." Said Amanda.

"Now I know why I'm having to use Charmander to guide us through." Said Mark.

"That's not all it said, though." Said Amanda. "It also said those same crooks took away its' friends and are holding them hostage outside the other entrance somewhere."

"That's terrible." Said Michelle.

"I think I might have an idea already who the culprits are." Said Mark.

"I think so too." Said Amanda. "Diglett, do you remember exactly how and when it happened?"

"Diglett." The Diglett nodded and started to explain again.

Flashback to Earlier in the Day

Conrad and Sally were both sharing a large pizza for their lunch.

"Ah, there's nothing like a nice meal before going on a mission." Said Sally.

"Remind me again what our mission is." Said Conrad.

"We're supposed to steal all of the Diglett in the cave and bring them to the boss." Said Sally.

"Do we even know how many Diglett are in there?" asked Conrad.

"No, but since it's a Diglett cave, there's bound to be plenty of them." Said Sally. They continued their discussion, but what they didn't know was that the youngest of the Diglett was listening to everything that was being said. It quickly dashed into the cave to warn the other Diglett.

"Diglett dig!" it cried, which meant 'Team Rocket is planning something. We have to hide.' The other Diglett in the group were determined to not allow themselves to be stolen, so they all went off into different hiding spots. Outside, Conrad and Sally were finishing their lunch.

"Well, I think it's time we went to work." Conrad said. They got up from the tree they were sitting under and headed into the cave.

"Oh little Diglett, come out wherever you are." Said Sally. But no Diglett popped out.

"I wonder where they went." Said Conrad.

"They're probably scared of us, which is why they're hiding." Said Sally.

"We'll just have to make them come out." Said Conrad. "Hey Diglett, we have some nice Pokemon food for you." The Diglett still didn't come out, however.

"These guys are smarter than we thought." Said Sally.

"If they won't come out willingly, we'll have to force them to come out." Said Conrad. "Luckily, I think I know how we can do that." They found a hidden light switch around the middle of the cave and cut the electricity. This scared the Diglett even more.

"Diglett dig?" the lead Diglett asked, which meant 'What just happened?'

"Diglett." Said another one, which meant 'I don't know.'

"Diglett dig." Another Diglett said, which meant 'Let's see what's going on.' They all got together and gathered where the two Team Rocket members were standing. Conrad and Sally were smiling.

"You're ours now." Sally said. She and Conrad stuffed the Diglett into sacks and went out of the cave the same way they came in. When they were back outside, they took all of the Diglett out and tied them up to a tree a fair distance from where they had entered.

"You're going to stay there until we decide what to do with you." Said Sally. Both her and Conrad yawned and went to take a nap under the tree where they had eaten their lunch. In their haste, however, they had forgotten about the youngest Diglett of the bunch, who had cleverly hidden himself to avoid being captured. He slid himself outside, and when he saw his fellow Diglett all tied up and looking angry, he knew that he had to find help. He quickly popped back into the cave to wait for the help to arrive.

End Flashback

"Diglett dig." The Diglett Said, which meant 'And that's what really happened.'

"I had a feeling that Team Rocket would be responsible for this." Said Michelle. Amanda growled angrily.

"Those two are always up to no good." She said. "Diglett are so sweet and innocent." The Diglett appreciated the compliment, but it was frustrated too.

"Dig." It said, which meant 'I'm worried about the other Diglett. They're like family to me.'

"Don't worry, Diglett, we'll help you find your friends." Said Mark.

"Diglett dig!" the Diglett cheered happily, which meant 'Thank you so much!'

"You're welcome." Said Amanda.

"Charmander, return." Said Mark. He recalled his fire type and turned his attention to Diglett.

"Let's go and save your friends." He said. The Diglett nodded and led the group down the cave's pathway. Because the lights were still disabled, they had to go slowly and carefully so that they wouldn't bump into anything. A little further down, the Diglett stopped.

"Why are we stopping here?" Amanda asked.

"Diglett." Said Diglett, which meant 'You'll see.' He went down into the ground to look for something.

"I wonder what he's searching for down there." Said Michelle.

"Hopefully it's something good." Said Mark. The Diglett searched as thoroughly as possible, and then he came back up holding a golden spherical object on top of its' head.

"What is that?" Amanda asked.

"I think that's a nugget." Said Michelle. "Those are some of the most precious treasures around. How one ended up here is anyone's guess." Mark took the nugget and put it away in his backpack.

"I don't know how you found that, but very good find, Diglett." He said.

"Diglett!" the Diglett cried happily, which meant 'Thank you very much!' In fact, he was so happy that he kicked up some dirt.

"Easy there, buddy." Said Amanda.

"I guess he does this when he gets excited." Said Mark.

"Well, some of that excitement got onto my dress." Said Michelle.

"Diglett." Diglett said, which meant 'Oops, sorry.'

"That's okay, Diglett." Said Michelle. "I know you didn't mean to do that."

"Let's keep moving." Said Mark. They continued to trek through the cave, with Diglett leading the way as normal. They didn't get too much further, though, when they saw a bigger version of Diglett pop up unexpectedly. It looked at the trio with an angry glare.

"I don't think that thing looks too happy to see us." Said Mark.

"Maybe it thinks we're trying to take Diglett away from the cave." Said Amanda.

"We're not, though." Said Michelle.

"Try telling that to whatever this Pokemon is." Said mark. "Amanda, see what your Pokedex has to say about it." Amanda immediately took out her Pokedex and pointed it at the new Pokemon.

"Dugtrio, the mole Pokemon. It is capable of burrowing endlessly without stopping. Dugtrio can tunnel under the earth at sixty miles per hour to a depth of sixty miles, triggering tremors and earthquakes."

"This thing can make earthquakes?" Mark wondered. "If that's the case, then I might need to add it to my team." He was about to throw a ball when Dugtrio shook its' head.

"I don't think this Dugtrio is in the mood for a battle right now." Said Michelle.

"It's probably still angry with us." Said Amanda. Dugtrio nodded.

"It shouldn't be. We didn't do anything to it." Said Mark.

"Pikachu, try talking with Dugtrio." Said Amanda.

"Pika." Pikachu said, which meant 'I'm on it.' It jumped off Amanda's shoulder and onto the ground where the Dugtrio was.

"Pika chu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Are you actually angry at us?'

"Trio." Dugtrio answered, which meant 'Yes.'

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'But why?'

"Trio." Dugtrio replied, which meant 'You and your friends are trying to take the little Diglett away from me.'

"Pikachu pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'No we're not. We're trying to help it find the rest of its friends.' The Dugtrio pondered, then spoke again.

"Trio?" It asked, which meant 'Why should I believe you?'

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'Because we're good guys. The people that took away Diglett's friends are bad guys. We don't want to do any harm.' The Dugtrio thought a little more, then smiled at Pikachu.

"Dugtrio." It said, which meant 'I can tell that you're being honest, so I'll help you too. Besides, the Diglett you and your friends came across is my son, so I have to help him out.'

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed happily, which meant 'Thank you so much!'

"Trio." Said Dugtrio, which meant 'No problem.' Pikachu ran back to Amanda and told her everything that the Dugtrio had said, including the fact that it agreed to help the trio out.

"Great work, Pikachu." Said Amanda. The three friends followed Diglett and Dugtrio onward through the cave.

"I'm glad that Dugtrio's on our side now." Said Michelle.

"So am I." said Mark. They continued walking along the pathway, and as they walked, the lights in the cave slowly started to come back on.

"Well, I guess that's a good sign." Said Mark.

"Now we'll be able to see a lot better." Said Michelle.

"Diglett." Diglett said, which meant 'I have another thank you gift down here.' He went back under the ground, and when he popped back up a couple of minutes later, he was holding a piece of jewelry.

"What do you have there, Diglett?" Michelle asked.

"Diglett." The Diglett answered, which meant 'I found this heart shaped pendant lying around.'

"That's pretty neat and all, but why do you have it?" asked Amanda.

"Diglett." Diglett answered, which meant 'It was meant to be for one of my sisters, but she didn't want it. You can have it. It's a special reward for helping us out.'

"Thank you very much, Diglett." Said Michelle. She took the pendant and placed it around her neck.

"That looks very nice on you Michelle." Said Mark.

"Thanks." Said Michelle. They continued to follow the Diglett and Dugtrio all the way to the exit.

"Diglett!" Diglett cried, which meant 'I think we're getting close.'

"Looks like the culprits are just out here." Said Mark. They hurried outside and saw the tree that Conrad and Sally were snoozing under.

"Are they the ones that took your friends away?" Amanda asked. Diglett nodded.

"I had a feeling that it might be them." Said Michelle. They inched toward the tree slowly and quietly so that they wouldn't wake up the two Team Rocket crooks.

"They're snoozing like a Snorlax." Said Mark.

"Well they won't be sleeping much longer if we have our say." Said Amanda.

"I wonder what they could be dreaming about." Said Michelle.

"Focus up, Michelle." Said Amanda. "Remember, this is a rescue mission." Conrad and Sally were dreaming about the big rewards they could possibly get for turning in so many Diglett to their boss. However, their thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of throats being cleared. Conrad and Sally opened up their eyes and saw Michelle, Mark and Amanda standing in front of them. The three of them has their arms crossed and they were angry.

"We've come to take those Diglett back, Team Rocket!" Amanda exclaimed. All of the other Diglett were very happy to see their little one and squealed in delight. Even Dugtrio was happy to see them.

"What makes you think we're going to let you have them back?" Conrad asked.

"Those Diglett over there would be much happier here than with crooks like you!" Mark cried.

"We also know that you cut the lights in the cave." Said Michelle.

"Hey Diglett, who do you trust more?" Amanda asked. "Us, or these two Team Rocket wannabes?" The Diglett looked over at both groups twice before settling on Amanda's group.

"Diglett." one of the trapped Diglett cried, which meant 'You three are much sweeter and more kind.'

"I figured you'd say something like that." Said Amanda. Now Conrad and Sally were the angry ones.

"Wannabes?!" Conrad cried.

"How dare you disrespect Team Rocket like that!" Sally exclaimed.

"We don't care." Mark said.

"I guess there's only one way to settle this." Said Sally, and she took out a Poke Ball. "Battle time." She threw her ball and Ekans popped out. Conrad threw a ball as well and Zubat appeared instantly.

"Mark, you go and untie all the Diglett from the other tree. Michelle and I will take care of these two." Said Amanda.

"Got it." Mark said. He ran over to the group of Diglett, while Amanda and Michelle faced the two Team Rocket members.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Amanda ordered.

"Eevee, Quick Attack!" Michelle commanded. Both Pokemon unleashed their attacks and did serious damage to the opposing Pokemon. Meanwhile, as the battle was going on, Mark was trying to free the Diglett but he wasn't having any luck.

"It's no good." He said. "They tied these ropes way too tight."

"Diglett." Cried one of the Diglett, which meant 'Please save us.'

"I'm trying, guys." Said Mark. Then, an idea came to him. He grabbed one of his own Poke Balls and threw it.

"Charmander, I need your help." He said. His trusty fire type appeared instantly.

"Charmander, use your Flamethrower to burn these ropes." Said Mark. Charmander nodded and aimed a line of fire at the tree that was holding the group of Diglett. The ropes burned and disappeared, instantly freeing them.

"There you go." Said Mark.

"Diglett!" cried the youngest Diglett, which meant 'Thanks a bunch!'

"Not a problem." Said Mark. "Now, are you all ready to kick Team Rocket's butt?" The Diglett all nodded.

"Then let's go." Said Mark. He and the Diglett hurried over to where Michelle and Amanda were.

"I brought reinforcements." He said.

"Great, we could use the extra help." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee were giving it their best shot, but whatever they did, Conrad and Sally's Pokemon were countering each and every move.

"I think we might actually win this time." Said Conrad.

"I think you might be right." Said Sally.

"I think you two are going to be dead wrong." Said Mark. Conrad and Sally looked over at all the Diglett.

"Hey, how did they escape?" Sally wondered.

"I helped them, that's how." Said Mark. "Okay Diglett and Dugtrio, all of you surround Team Rocket!" The Diglett formed a circle around the two criminals.

"Are we being outnumbered?" asked Conrad.

"Outnumbered and outmatched." Said Sally.

"All right Diglett, let them have it." Said mark. "All of you use Headbutt!" The Diglett all crawled to Conrad and Sally and used their heads to send them into the air.

"Defeated again!" Conrad lamented.

"By puny moles this time." Said Sally, and they soared high into the air. DING!

"Way to go, Diglett!" cried Mark.

"Very impressive, Diglett." Said Amanda. Mark recalled Charmander, and all of them went back through the cave and back to where they had originally entered from.

"Diglett." Diglett said, which meant 'Thank you so much for helping us.'

"You're very welcome." Said Mark. "You all take care of yourselves." The Diglett and Dugtrio said goodbye to the three of them as they left the cave.

"Do you think we'll see those Diglett again?" Amanda asked.

"I hope so." Said Michelle. "They were so cute. I wish we could've captured one of them, though." As if on cue, a Diglett popped up where the group was.

"Hey fella, shouldn't you be in the cave?" Mark asked. The Diglett just smiled at him and motioned for him to grab a Poke Ball.

"I think this one wants to go with you." Said Michelle.

"Is that true, Diglett?" Mark asked.

"Diglett." Diglett said, which meant 'Yes. You proved yourself a worthy trainer and helped save my friends from Team Rocket, which is why I decided to join you.'

"If you say so." Said Mark. He tapped an empty ball on Diglett's head, and the little mole Pokemon slithered inside.

"All right, I got a Diglett!" Mark cried.

"You're definitely going to be a very good trainer for Diglett." Said Amanda.

"Agreed." Said Michelle. After saving the Diglett gang, Mark now has a new companion with him. I'm sure they'll have lots of fun together, and hopefully you all agree as well.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirteen

In our last episode, our heroes decided to go for an explore through Diglett's cave. However, they found the area completely vacant save for one small Diglett and a Dugtrio. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that the Diglett group had been captured by, you guessed it, Team Rocket. But Mark sent them blasting off and ended up with a brand new Diglett for his team. Now, our heroes continue on in search of new adventures, and new Pokemon.

Today, we find our trio taking a break from their adventure for some fun in the sun.

"Ah, this is a great day for going to the beach." Said Mark.

"Plenty of sunshine, clear skies, it's going to be a great day." Said Amanda. Pikachu and Eevee were both in agreement. As they approached the beach, the group saw a hot dog stand being set up. This got the attention of both Pokemon.

"Pika chu?" Pikachu asked as he pointed to the stand, which meant 'Can we get a hot dog, Amanda?'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Pretty please, Michelle?'

"Not right now." Said Michelle. "It's a little early in the day for hot dogs, but maybe we can get some for lunch." Pikachu and Eevee smiled at the thought of that. A short while later, the group arrived at the beach, but found that it was already fairly crowded.

"Just look at all these people." Said Mark. Eevee was a bit intimidated by the big crowd and gave a scared squeal, which meant 'I don't like the size of all these big groups.' Michelle just smiled at her partner.

"Don't worry, we'll try to find a spot away from all the people." She said reassuringly. That got Eevee to smile. With how crowded the beach was, it took a bit of time to find a spot. Luckily, they were able to find an open area in the middle of the beach.

"I hope nobody bothers us here." Said Mark. "Especially those two Team Rocket clowns."

"I think this spot should be okay." Said Amanda. They set up their umbrella so that they'd have plenty of shade to shield themselves from the bright sun.

"Wait until you see the swimsuit I picked up from one of the stores yesterday." Said Michelle. Mark couldn't believe what he was seeing.

"No, Michelle, not here!" he exclaimed. "You can't change on the beach!" However, Michelle wasn't the least bit concerned.

"Don't worry, I had this under my clothes the whole time." She said. Her swimsuit was a light brown just like Eevee's fur, and it also had a white stripe in the middle. "Pretty nice swimsuit, don't you think so?"

"It does look pretty good on you." Said Amanda.

"What do you think, Eevee?" Michelle asked. Eevee squealed with delight, which meant 'I like it too.'

"Pika pi." Said Pikachu, which meant 'That goes for me as well.'

"Same with me." Said Mark.

"I'm glad you guys like it." Said Michelle. "I thought it looked cute when I saw this in the store, and it didn't even cost very much either."

"A perfect outfit for a perfect day at the beach in my opinion." Said Amanda.

"Hey, I have an idea." Said Mark. "How about letting our Pokemon enjoy the sun too."

"Great idea." Said Amanda. "They could use a relaxation day too." Amanda grabbed her balls and let her Pokemon out.

"Nidoran, Clefairy, Dratini, Squirtle, Pidgeotto, all of you come on out!" she cried. Her entire party appeared in a blaze of light and let out happy cries. Michelle grabbed her own Poke Balls and threw them.

"Electabuzz, Poliwag, Doduo, Nidoran, Ponyta, it's chill day so come on out." All of her Pokemon also appeared instantly. Mark grabbed his own Poke Balls and let them fly.

"Bulbasaur, Charmander, Diglett, let's go!" he cried. All of his Pokemon appeared.

"Okay, all of you are free to have fun, but don't go wandering off too far." Said Amanda.

"Stay close where we can see all of you." Said Michelle. Pikachu, Eevee and the rest of the Pokemon headed toward the water, with the exception of two. Ponyta and Charmander stayed back since they both hated water.

"Charmander!" Charmander cried, which meant 'I don't want to get my tail wet.'

"That's okay, Charmander." Said Mark. "You can stay with us if you want to." Charmander smiled and watched the other Pokemon have fun. Pikachu and Squirtle played with each other in a game of tag.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu said to Squirtle, which meant 'You're it!' Squirtle chased Pikachu around in a circle, trying to tag Pikachu back, but the little mouse was going just a bit faster. Squirtle did manage to catch up, and he tagged Pikachu back.

"Squirtle squirt!" it cried, which meant 'Now you're it again!' While that was going on, Eevee was building a sand castle.

"Eevee." She squealed, which meant 'How do you like my little creation, Diglett?' Diglett looked at Eevee's progress and nodded.

"Diglett." It said, which meant 'Looking good there, Eevee.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed again, which meant 'Thanks, Diglett.' Both of the Nidoran were having a playful battle with one another, with neither Pokemon being too aggressive as they didn't want to get hurt. Pidgeotto went for a ride on Doduo. They would've had some flying competition, but Doduo couldn't fly, so they settled for the next best thing. Amanda, mark and Michelle were glad to see everyone having fun. Charmander and Ponyta both wished they could've joined in the fun.

"Charmander." Charmander said in a bit of a disappointing voice, which meant 'I wish I could be having that kind of fun.'

"I know, but you're a fire type, so I can't risk having you get too close to the water." Said Mark. Charmander sighed but understood. Meanwhile, the rest of the Pokemon were having fun and enjoying playing when a little girl who was maybe five years old came through the area.

"Hey look, Mommy, there's a Pikachu!" the girl cried. "Pikachu's my absolute favorite Pokemon ever. Can I keep this one?"

"As long as it doesn't have a trainer, then I suppose." Said the girl's mother.

"Hurray!" the girl exclaimed. "Hey Pikachu, my name's Emily. I want to be a trainer when I get older, but for now, you can be my pet."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked confusingly, which meant 'Do I even know you?'

"You may not know me yet, but we'll be best friends forever." Said Emily. "Come on, let's go back to my house. It's not too far from here." She grabbed Pikachu's hand and tried to walk away, but Pikachu wouldn't move.

"Mommy, I don't think he wants to come." Said Emily.

"That's very odd." Said her mother. "Here, try putting him in a Poke Ball." Emily tried throwing the ball at Pikachu to capture it, but the little mouse swatted the ball away with its tail and sent it back to the little girl.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'I hate those things, you know.'

"Well then, how else are you supposed to come with me?" Emily asked.

"He isn't." said Amanda, who had rushed over to the child upon hearing the commotion. Pikachu was happy to see Amanda and ran right over to her.

"I hate to break it to you, kid, but this Pikachu belongs to me." Amanda said.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Said Emily.

"I have to apologize as well." Said Emily's mother. "We both thought it was a wild Pokemon."

"I can see why you'd think that, but no, he's mine." Said Amanda. "Is Pikachu your favorite Pokemon?" Emily nodded.

"Do you know where I can get one?" she asked.

"No, but I know there aren't any Pikachu in this area." Said Amanda. "Just keep looking somewhere else and I'm sure you'll find one."

"We'll do that." Said Emily's mother. "Say thank you to the nice young lady here."

"Thank you, miss…." Said Emily.

"Amanda." Amanda said.

"Amanda, is Pikachu the only Pokemon you have?" Emily asked.

"Nope, I have others, but Pikachu and I have been partners for a good while, haven't we, buddy?" Amanda said. Pikachu nodded and shook the little girl's hand.

"Well, it looks like my Pikachu wants to be friends with you." Said Amanda.

"That's so nice." Said Emily's mother.

"Listen Pikachu, I'm sorry I tried to take you away from your trainer." Said Emily.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'That's okay.'

"Well, dear, I think we should move along." Said Emily's mother.

"Bye, Amanda, it was nice meeting you." Said Emily.

"It was nice meeting you too." Said Amanda. She waved goodbye to her new friend, and then she and Pikachu ran back to Michelle and Mark.

"Did something happen over there?" Michelle asked.

"Almost." Said Amanda. "Some young kid tried to take Pikachu with her because she thought it was wild."

"Well, it could've been worse." Said Mark. "At least it wasn't Team Rocket."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'May I go back to the others?'

"Yes you may." Amanda said. Pikachu ran back down to where the other Pokémon were.

"Squirtle squirt?" Squirtle asked, which meant 'What happened?'

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'A five year old tried to take me away.' He even made body motions to Squirtle to describe exactly what had happened.

"Poliwag poli?" Poliwag wondered, which meant 'Are you all right, though?'

"Pikachu Pika." Pikachu answered, which meant 'I'm just fine.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'That's a relief.'

"Pika Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Do you guys want to play another game?'

"Nidoran!" both Nidoran cried, which meant 'Yes please.' The rest of the Pokemon also wanted to play.

"Pikachu Pika pi." Said Pikachu which meant 'The game is Pikachu Says.'

"Clefairy?" Clefairy wondered, which meant 'How do you play?'

"Pikachu Pika pi Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'I'll tell you all to do something, and then you do it.'

"Squirtle squirt." Squirtle said, which meant 'That seems easy enough.' Pikachu shook his head and went on.

"Pi Pika Pikachu." He said, which meant 'There's a catch, though. You only perform the action if I say Pikachu Says. If I don't say it, and you do it anyway, you're out. Last Pokemon standing is the winner.'

"Bulbasaur bulba." Bulbasaur Said, which meant 'Understood.'

"Pikachu Pika." Pikachu said, which meant 'Pikachu says to shake your whole body.' Everyone obeyed and Pikachu continued.

"Pikachu." He said, which meant 'Pikachu says to puff up your cheeks.' Everyone obeyed, although Poliwag found the pose a bit uncomfortable.

"Pikachu pi." Pikachu said, which meant 'Pikachu says that you can unpuff your cheeks.' Everyone obeyed, and Poliwag breathed a sigh of relief.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'Everyone use one of your attacks.' However, nobody moved.

"Pikachu pi." Pikachu said, which meant 'Pikachu says to use one of your attacks, but gently.' Bulbasaur unleashed its vines for Vine Whip, Eevee used its speed for practicing Agility, and everyone else also used their moves gently. The game went on for a good while until it was just Bulbasaur and Diglett left.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'Burrow yourself underground.' Seeing as Bulbasaur couldn't use Dig, he just stood where he was. However, Diglett went under the ground for a few seconds before popping back up.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said as he shook his head, which meant 'I didn't say Pikachu Says.' That meant Diglett was out and Bulbasaur was the winner.

"Bulbasaur!" it shouted excitedly, which meant 'I win!'

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'Don't get too cocky.' Meanwhile, Michelle, Mark and Amanda were all lying comfortably under the umbrella.

"I'm glad we decided to come here for a rest day." Said Mark.

"Me too." said Michelle. "Our Pokemon seem to be enjoying themselves and having a good time." A few minutes later, a young boy and his dad came up to their area.

"Wow, that's a cool Charmander you have there." Said the boy.

"Thanks." Mark said.

"Do you think I could pet him?" the boy asked.

"Sure, as long as you're gentle." Mark said. The boy gave Charmander some smooth pats on the head.

"You know, Charmander is my favorite Pokémon." The boy said.

"Funny you say that because I had an encounter with a little girl earlier who said Pikachu was her favorite." Said Amanda.

"Do you think I could find a Charmander just like this one?" the boy asked.

"I'm not sure." Said Mark. "Charmander are hard to come across in the wild, so you have to hope that you get lucky."

"Come along, son." Said the boy's father. "We have to meet up with your mother soon and we can't be late." The boy said bye to Mark and went on his way.

"Well, at least he didn't try to take you." Said Mark. As for the gang's Pokemon, they were still enjoying themselves. Squirtle was trying to show off a cool trick.

"Squirtle squirt!" he cried, which meant 'Look what I can do!' He pretended that he was riding a wave.

"Pi Pika." Pikachu Said, which meant 'Be careful, Squirtle.'

"Squirtle." Squirtle replied, which meant 'I'll be fine.' He kept doing his trick, but not too long after, he lost his balance and fell into the water. Thankfully, he was able to swim back to where Pikachu and the others were.

"Pikachu pi?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Are you all right?'

"Squirtle." Squirtle answered, which meant 'Never better.' Pikachu wagged a finger at him.

"Pikachu Pika!" he scolded, which meant 'That's what you get for showing off.' Squirtle just shrugged his shoulders.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Don't worry about it, Squirtle.' As for Mark, Amanda and Michelle, they had started a discussion.

"Where should we go next after we're done here?" Michelle asked.

"We could check out Saffron City." Said Mark.

"That's not a bad idea." Said Amanda. "I can even get my next badge there, too." As they continued to talk, they made sure to keep an eye on their Pokémon. A few hours later, their stomachs growled.

"I guess that sound means it's time for lunch." Said Amanda. She called out to her partner. "Hey Pikachu, the three of us are going to get some lunch from that hot dog stand we passed earlier. You're in charge of everyone until we get back, okay?"

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Affirmative.' Mark, Michelle and Amanda went to get their hot dogs. Amanda had one with ketchup and mustard, Michelle had one with relish and mayo, and Mark had one topped with bacon pieces. They took their food back to their spot and started eating.

"These hot dogs are good." Said Mark.

"A perfect treat for a summer day at the beach." Said Michelle. "Hey Eevee, Pikachu, we got some for you too!" Pikachu and Eevee ran over to their trainers and both Pokemon were given plain hot dogs. After they had eaten, everyone let out a yawn.

"I think it's time we had a bit of a nap." Said Amanda. Clefairy ran over and used its Sing attack to put everyone to sleep. Soon enough, Mark, Amanda, Mark and all the Pokemon were snoozing away. Meanwhile, waves started forming in the ocean. They were calm waves at first, but after a little while, they slowly got bigger and bigger. Then, after forty minutes, the waves got very big, and it made everyone wonder what was happening. And then, out of nowhere, a large Pokemon with a light blue body, two red orbs on one side each and a smaller orb in the middle appeared out of the ocean. Everyone started screaming.

"Tentacruel attack!" a lady yelled. She and everyone else on the beach started running in fear, and the commotion woke up Mark, Michelle and Amanda as well as their Pokemon.

"What's going on?" Amanda asked sleepily. She then turned around and saw the Tentacruel right in front of her.

"Ah!" she screamed.

"That's a scary Pokemon." Michelle said in a worried tone.

"It looks mad." Said Mark. Amanda quickly got her Pokedex out to scan it.

"Tentacruel, the jellyfish Pokemon. The tentacles of this Pokemon can readily extend during hunts to trap its prey before immobilizing it with poison."

"Poison?" Michelle asked.

"But what does the Pokedex mean by prey?" Mark wondered.

"My guess is that Tentracruel probably thinks that we're its dinner." Said Amanda.

"We're not food, though." Said Michelle.

"I know that, but Tentacruel doesn't." said Amanda. Suddenly, Tentacruel wrapped one of its tentacles around Eevee and lifted it into the air.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'Help!'

"Don't worry, Eevee, we'll save you!" Amanda called. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed its attack, but the Tentacruel was too enraged to be affected by it.

"No good, it's really mad." Said Amanda. Eevee tried to squeeze out of Tentracruel's grip, but the large jellyfish kept binding it.

"I think that's Tentacruel's Wrap attack." Said Mark.

"Squirtle, try calming it down." Said Amanda. Squirtle nodded and approached the Tentacruel gently.

"Squirtle squirt Squirtle." He said, which meant 'That Eevee you're holding is our friend. It's not food. Give her back to us.' Tentacruel shook its head. It was still under the impression that Eevee was Pokemon food.

"Squirtle squirt!" he yelled, which meant 'Look buddy, don't make me battle you.' The Tentacruel just stared at Squirtle and refused to move. This got Squirtle very angry.

"Squirtle!" he yelled, which meant 'Okay, you asked for it!' He fired a Water Gun right at Tentacruel, but it was absorbed like it was nothing. Then, Tentacruel picked Squirtle up with another one of its tentacles and lifted it into the air right beside Eevee.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle yelled, which meant 'Let me go, you big bully!'

"Pika pi!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'Bulbasaur, try to help them out.' Bulbasaur nodded and used Vine Whip to try and free both Pokemon. However, Tentacruel just sent the vines right back. Bulbasaur shook its head feeling disappointed. Electabuzz tried using Swift, but the attack did very minimal damage. Understandably, Charmander and Ponyta didn't want to get anywhere near the huge water type.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said sadly, which meant 'It's hopeless.'

"Clefairy." Said Clefairy, which meant 'No it's not. Watch this.' It opened its mouth wide and used Sing to attempt to put Tentacruel to sleep. The attack worked as Tentacruel released both Eevee and Squirtle from its grip and fell right to sleep. Both Eevee and Squirtle ran right over to their trainers.

"It looks like you two are okay." Said Amanda.

"How did Tentracruel's attack stop?" asked Mark.

"Pikachu pi." Pikachu answered, which meant 'Clefairy used Sing to put it to sleep.'

"Good job, Clefairy." Said Amanda. "Now that it's asleep, it should be easy to catch. She got a Poke Ball out and threw it at the now sleeping Tentacruel.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried. The ball hit Tentacruel on one of the tentacles and got sucked in. The ball then dropped onto the sand, and three shakes later, the sound went off to mark a successful catch.

"We just got ourselves a Tentacruel!" Amanda cried.

"Great job, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. "Well, I think it's time we headed back to the Pokemon Center." The three of them recalled their Pokemon and headed back to the center. Later that evening, Amanda was on the phone talking to Professor Oak about their day at the beach.

"It seems like you all had a good day." Said Oak.

"By the way, Professor, did my new Tentacruel get to the lab safely?" Amanda asked.

"It sure did." Said Oak. "I must say, though, that's quite the catch. Tentacruel are definitely not easy to capture. You should be proud of yourself for that."

"I am, Professor." Said Amanda. "I'll see you later." They hung up, and Amanda went over to Michelle and Mark.

"So, off to Saffron tomorrow?" Michelle asked.

"That's the plan." Said Mark. Well, today was one day at the beach that our trio will remember for a long time. And Tentacruel will definitely remember it for a long time too.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Fourteen

Last time, our trio decided to have a day of relaxation at the beach just outside Vermillion City. For the most part, the day went well until a Tentacruel appeared out of nowhere and started attacking. Thankfully, Amanda's Clefairy was able to subdue it with its Sing attack, allowing her to capture the Tentacruel. The trio are now headed toward their next destination.

Amanda, Mark, and Michelle were all walking through the forest that would lead them toward Saffron City. For the most part, things were calm, but then the sky suddenly became foggy and dark.

"That's weird. It's not supposed to get dark like this during the day." Said Michelle.

"And there's no sign of any storm either." Said Mark.

"This is all very strange." Said Amanda.

"Maybe a Pokemon made the sky like this." Said Michelle. At that moment, a Pokemon shaped like a black sphere with a shadowy tail tapped Michelle on the shoulder.

"Cut that out, Eevee." Michelle said.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'It wasn't me.' The trio kept walking, but the same Pokemon tapped Michelle's shoulder again.

"I thought I said to knock it off." Michelle said, a bit more stern this time.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'I already said I'm not the one doing that.'

"Well if you're not doing it, then who is?" asked Michelle. She quickly turned around and found herself facing the Pokemon.

"Ah!" she screamed loudly.

"What's wrong, Michelle?" Mark asked.

"It's a ghost!" Michelle cried. Mark looked around, but didn't see anything, as the Pokemon had cleverly disappeared.

"There's no ghost around here." Said Mark. "You're probably just imagining things."

"No, Mark, it's true, I saw a ghost a second ago." Said Michelle.

"Sure you did, Michelle." Said Mark, and they kept walking. A short while later, however, Amanda felt her own shoulder being tapped.

"Was that you, Pikachu?" she asked. Pikachu shook his head.

"Pikachu." He said, which meant 'Look behind you.' Amanda turned around and saw the exact same Pokemon that Michelle had seen.

"See, I told you." Said Michelle.

"What is that, anyway?" Mark wondered.

"Let's find out." Said Amanda, and she took her Pokedex out.

"Gastly, a gas Pokemon. It produces a sweet but faint smell. The toxic gas surrounding the main body can induce fainting and suffocation, and it is capable of enshrouding an enemy of any size."

"I remember reading once that ghosts only come out at night." Said Mark.

"It's the middle of the day, though." Said Michelle. "So why is it out here now?"

"I think the Gastly may have made the forest look like this to make us think it was nighttime, giving it the chance to come out." Said Amanda.

"That's absolutely right." Said Mark.

"Listen Gastly, I think you're a cool Pokemon and all, but you shouldn't be playing tricks on people like that." Said Amanda. "Furthermore, you scared one of my friends. How would you feel if the situation were reversed and one of us snuck up from behind you and scared you? I don't think you'd like that, would you?" Gastly shook its head.

"I didn't think so." Said Amanda. "So, here's what's going to happen. You're going to apologize to my friend right now, and let's hope that she'll be willing to forgive you." Gastly was hesitant at first, but after taking a deep breath, he said "Gastly gas.", which meant 'I'm sorry I scared you. Friends?'

"I don't know." Said Michelle.

"Come on, Michelle." Said Mark. "I think Gastly means it with his apology. What do you say?"

"Well, as long as he promises not to do it again, I'll accept." Michelle said.

"Gastly." Gastly said, which meant 'I promise.'

"Now that we have that settled, let's continue on and see where the path takes us." Said Amanda. The three of them continued walking along, with Gastly following close behind. After an hour and a half, they arrived at a place that had a dark and scary theme to it.

"Where are we?" Michelle asked.

"It's definitely not Saffron City, that's for sure." Said Amanda.

"Guys, I think we're in Lavender Town." Said Mark. "I can tell because of how creepy and dark the sky is here."

"Then that means the Pokemon Tower should be here, right?" asked Michelle.

"That's right." Said Mark.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'This place scares me.'

"You're not alone, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "It kind of scares me a bit too."

"I want to find out a bit more about the Pokemon Tower." Said Mark.

"I think Professor Oak should have some insight on that." Said Michelle. They made their way over to the Pokemon Center and dialed the Professor's number. Oak was in the process of studying new types of evolutions when he heard his video phone go off.

"That must be Amanda and her friends." He said and answered the call.

"Hi there, Professor." Said Amanda.

"Hello, Amanda." Said Oak. "I hope you and your friends are doing well."

"We're doing great." Said Michelle.

"How's my Tentacruel doing?" Amanda asked.

"Your Tentacruel is just fine." Said Oak. "It's actually swimming around in the little lake outside right now."

"That's good to hear." Said Amanda.

"Professor, we wanted to ask you about the Pokemon Tower." Said Mark.

"Pokémon Tower? That must mean the three of you are in Lavender Town."

"That's right." Said Michelle.

"The Pokémon Tower is a special place." Said Oak. "Trainers often visit the place to pay respects to Pokémon that have passed away."

"I thought only people could die." Said Michelle.

"No, believe it or not, Pokemon can die too, just like humans." Said Professor Oak. "It doesn't happen terribly often, but when it does, it's often a special moment."

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'I'm a bit confused.'

"You're not the only one who's confused, Eevee." Said Michelle.

"There's also three ghost type Pokemon that reside in the tower." Said Oak. "Gastly, Haunter, and Gengar."

"I think we already saw Gastly when we were coming here." Said Amanda. As if on cue, Gastly suddenly appeared from behind Amanda.

"Ah, so you found one of them already." Said Oak. "This actually leads into the favor I want to ask the three of you."

"Sure thing, Professor." Said Amanda. "What do you want us to do?"

"It's actually more of something that Mr. Fuji wants." Said Oak.

"Who's Mr. Fuji?" asked Michelle.

"He's in charge of the tower as well as the caretaker for Gastly, Haunter and Gengar." Said Oak. "He called me right before the three of you arrived and told me that the ghost Pokemon have been feeling a bit lonely because there haven't been any trainers visiting the tower lately. He wants you to find them and be their friend."

"That shouldn't be a problem, Professor." Said Amanda. "After all, I do like to make friends with a lot of Pokemon."

"Then I can trust you and your friends with this request?" Oak said.

"You can count on us for anything, Professor." Said Michelle.

"Good. Now get over there and find the ghost Pokemon." Said Oak, and he ended the call.

"You heard him, guys." Said Amanda. They were about to head out when Nurse Joy stopped them.

"If you're going to head to the tower, then I suggest that you take these with you." She said and handed them each a flashlight.

"What are these for?" asked Michelle.

"Those will help you see inside there." Said Joy.

"But if we have these on, the ghost Pokemon will disappear." Said Mark. "We don't want to do that. We want to capture some of them."

"Good luck. Ghost Pokemon are pretty tough to capture." Said Joy. The trio left the center and made their way to the tower. Upon arriving there, they saw just how tall and scary it was.

"Well, this is it." Said Amanda. "Let's find some ghosts."

"Hold on a minute." Said Michelle. "It's still daylight out. Ghosts only appear at night."

"Michelle does have a point." Said Mark. "If we try to go in there right now, chances are that we won't find anything."

"What'll we do until then?" asked Amanda.

"We'll just have to wait until nightfall." Said Mark. So they sat down on the ground and waited.

"I hope those ghosts will be friendly." Said Amanda.

"We'll just have to wait and see." Said Michelle. After an hour had passed, a fierce looking boy approached the trio.

"What are you all doing sitting around like that for?" he asked.

"We're looking to catch a ghost Pokemon, but it's not quite dark enough yet." Said Michelle. The boy broke out in laughter.

"What's so funny?" asked Amanda.

"Nobody has ever been able to catch a ghost Pokemon." Said the boy. "People have tried, only to get spooked and chicken out."

"Well, we're not going to let those ghosts get the best of us." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'That's right!'

"You're wasting your time." Said the boy. "All those ghosts like to do is outsmart people. They'll just do the same thing to you."

"Oh no they won't!" Mark argued.

"And just to show that I'm not fooling around, let's have a little match." Said the boy.

"You're on!" cried Amanda.

"I'll even make this a little interesting." Said the boy. "I'll use just one Pokémon against three of yours."

"Three Pokémon at once against one is a little bit excessive, don't you think?" asked Michelle.

"I don't think you're understanding this right." Said the boy. "It's just one for me and one from all three of you."

"Okay, now that makes more sense." Said Mark.

"I have to warn you, though, the Pokemon that I'm using is pretty strong." Said the boy. He threw his ball and out popped a Fearow. It gave a loud screech, which startled the trio.

"Not only does it look strong, it's also pretty intimidating." Said Mark.

"This Fearow doesn't mess around." Said the boy. "So, which one of you wants to go first?" Amanda gulped nervously but stepped forward.

"I will." She said. "My Pokémon will be Pikachu." The electric mouse ran onto the field ready for action.

"Your electric attacks are super strong against flying types, so this should be a piece of cake."

"Underestimating my Fearow's abilities already, I see." Said the boy. "That mistake will cost you dearly. Fearow, use Drill Peck now!" The big bird flew right toward Pikachu with its sharp beak aimed at its body. However, Pikachu was able to jump to the right and dodge the powerful attack.

"Nice going, Pikachu!" cried Amanda. "Use Thunderbolt!" Pikachu launched its attack, but Fearow flew out of the way to avoid it.

"I told you my Fearow was strong." Said the boy. "Take Down attack!" Fearow spread its wings out and charged at Pikachu so fast that he couldn't react and got hit by the attack.

"Come on, Pikachu, get up!" Amanda cried. Thankfully, Pikachu was able to get back on its feet and stared down at the Fearow.

"I admire your Pikachu's determination." Said the boy. "Too bad it's not going to last much longer. Swift attack!" Fearow shot rainbow-colored stars out of its mouth, but thankfully, the attack didn't do too much damage.

"Try a Quick Attack!" Amanda called. Pikachu raced at Fearow with full speed, but just as it jumped up, the Fearow dodged again.

"No way!" Amanda cried out.

"You ready to give up now?" the boy asked.

"Absolutely not." Said Amanda. "Try another Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed another line of yellow energy, but Fearow used Agility to avoid anything Pikachu tried to send its way.

"This isn't looking good for Pikachu." Said Mark.

"Okay Fearow, time to wrap this up with Hyper Beam." Said the boy. Fearow opened its beak, and a big bright yellow beam came out and hit Pikachu so hard that it fainted upon impact.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said sadly, which meant 'I'm sorry, Amanda.'

"That's okay, buddy. You did your best." Said Amanda.

"That's one of you down." Said the boy. "Who wants to go next?"

"I guess I'll do it." Said Michelle. "Let's do it, Eevee!" Eevee hopped off Michelle's shoulder and looked at Fearow with anger in its eyes.

"Fearow can't attack us right away after that Hyper Beam." Said Michelle. "Eevee, Swift attack now!" Eevee shot the yellow stars at Fearow, who had no choice but to take the hit.

"That's it Eevee." Said Michelle. "Now go for Quick Attack." Eevee ran at Fearow quickly, but Fearow was too quick and moved away to avoid the attack.

"What gives with this thing?" asked Michelle.

"That Fearow has to be at a high level if it's as strong as its trainer says." Said Mark.

"Very good observation skills." Said the boy. "Too bad those skills won't help you. Fearow, Fury Attack!" Fearow used its beak to bombard Eevee with multiple shots.

"Oh no!" Michelle cried.

"Now, go for Sky Attack!" the boy commanded. Fearow started to glow a bright color but didn't do anything.

"An attack like that takes two turns to pull off." Said Michelle. "Eevee, tackle it." Eevee ran hard at Fearow and landed the hit, but it didn't do much damage. Then, with Fearow's glow having disappeared, it used its full speed to strike Eevee and make it faint. Michelle picked up her partner and put Eevee at the side.

"Good try, Eevee." Said Michelle.

"Looks like I'm the last one up." Said Mark and he threw one of his Poke Balls. "Charmander, go!" The small fire lizard instantly appeared.

"Start with Flamethrower." Mark ordered. Charmander shot a line of fire right at Fearow, which used Agility to dodge the flames. This caused Charmander to be a bit more aggressive and fire off its attack as hard as possible. Fearow got a bit too cocky and got hit by the flames, causing it to get burned.

"No!" the boy cried.

"That's it, Charmander!" Mark cried. "We've got this won for sure."

"Not so fast." Said the boy. "Fearow, use Recover." All the burns and previous damage disappeared instantly making Fearow look like nothing had happened to it at all. Mark was in disbelief.

"You have got to be kidding me." He said. Charmander couldn't believe it either.

"Now then, time for Bide." Said the boy. Fearow closed its eyes and focused hard.

"Skull Bash." Mark ordered. Charmander lowered its head and hit Fearow hard with it. Although the damage was major, it wasn't enough to knock Fearow out.

"Unleash the Bide power now!" the boy called. Fearow struck back with a similar attack to what Charmander had used, only it did double the damage, which knocked Charmander out. Mark just shook his head.

"Charmander, return." He Said. Charmander disappeared back into the ball in a blaze of red light.

"And that's a hat trick." Said the boy. "Well, it looks like none of you were able to bear my Fearow. Hopefully, the phrase get good means something to the three of you." The boy recalled his Fearow and went on his way. Pikachu shook its head angrily.

"Pikachu!" he exclaimed, which meant 'I don't like that boy.'

"Neither do I, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "His attitude is just as bad as Gary Oak, maybe a bit worse."

"He's just a bragger who'll get what's coming to him when he least expects it." Said Michelle.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'He's gone now, though, right?'

"Yes, he's gone." Said Michelle. "I don't think we'll have to worry about him again."

"I sure hope not." Said Mark. They sat down again and continued to wait for night to fall. A few hours later, the sun started to set.

"I guess it's time." Said Amanda. "Are you ready to see some ghosts, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Let's do this!' They made their way inside the tower and saw how dark it was inside.

"I can't see a thing." Said Michelle.

"I guess it's a good thing Nurse Joy gave us those flashlights then." Said Mark. They turned the flashlights on and everyone felt relieved.

"That's much better." Said Michelle. They started navigating the first floor of the tower but didn't find anything.

"I thought the ghosts would be here for sure." Said Amanda.

"Ghosts can appear anywhere at any time." Said Mark. "Come on, let's keep looking." They went up to the second floor and continued exploring. All three of them walked slowly to make sure nothing came up to them unexpectedly. Sure enough, they found nothing on the second floor, so they went up to the third floor. They had only gone a little way when Pikachu felt his shoulder being tapped.

"Pika?" he wondered, which meant 'What's that?' He turned around and saw a familiar face looking at him.

"Hey, I know you. You're the Gastly we saw earlier." Said Michelle. Gastly brought out two more Pokemon, neither of which the trio had seen before.

"I bet these two are Gastly's evolved forms." Said Mark.

"I think so too, but the Pokedex would know for sure." Said Amanda. She took out her device and pointed it at the two additional Pokemon.

"Haunter, a gas Pokemon and the evolved form of Gastly. Haunter likes to hide in dark places and is afraid of light. If a human or Pokémon gets close to Haunter, it will stalk the victim while floating. Haunter also has the ability to float through walls. Gengar, the Shadow Pokemon. Gengar has the ability to hide perfectly in the shadow of any object, granting it incredible stealth. It can also create illusions and possess people."

"It's nice to meet you, Haunter and Gengar." Said Mark, and he shook their hands.

"You mean you're not afraid of those guys?" Michelle asked.

"Of course not." Said Mark. "I think these two Pokémon are pretty neat."

"Listen, guys, we were told that we're supposed to be friends with you." Said Amanda. "We'll be more than happy to do that, but there's a couple of rules you have to abide by."

"Number one, no scaring us." Said Michelle. "And number two, no playing any pranks. Are we agreed on that?"

"Haunter haunt." Said Haunter, which meant 'We promise.'

"Gengar?" Gengar asked, which meant 'Are we allowed to pick you up and take you for rides through the air?'

"No, you absolutely cannot do that." Said Amanda. "We're just here to have some friendly fun." Gengar understood and led the three friends as well as Gastly and Haunter down a secret corridor.

"Where are you bringing us?" Michelle asked.

"Haunter." Haunter said with a smile, which meant 'It's a surprise.' They soon arrived at a room with an oddly shaped handle. Mark opened the door and was amazed at what he saw.

"I think this might be where Gastly, Haunter and Gengar hang out." He said, and he was right as there were lots of toys to play with.

"Look at this place." Said Michelle. In addition to the toys, there was also a small merry go round, a teeter totter and a swing set.

"There's even a section in here for video games." Said Mark. He immediately hopped onto the Super Nintendo that was hooked up, while Michelle and Amanda went on the swings with the ghost Pokemon pushing them.

"This is fun!" Amanda cried. Haunter and Gengar were very gentle with the girls and didn't push them too hard. Next, they went on the merry go round, and they made sure not to spin too fast, as they would've gotten dizzy otherwise. Meanwhile, Mark was showing Gastly the video game he was playing.

"This is Mario Kart." Mark explained. "The idea is to cross the finish line before your opponent in each race." They tried a two player game, and Mark had no problems. Gastly, however, couldn't get a handle on the controls. Mark just laughed.

"You're going backwards." He said and tried to show Gastly how to go the right direction. However, the ghost type just didn't understand.

"At least I tried." Mark said, shrugging his shoulders. Amanda and Michelle were still spinning on the merry go round, and after an hour later, everyone's stomachs growled.

"I think it's time we had some dinner." Said Michelle.

"What'll we do in terms of eating, though?" asked Amanda. Fortunately, the ghost Pokemon were incredibly good cooks and made the three of them some sausage with potatoes.

"This looks yummy." Said Mark. They took a bite and smiled at the three Pokemon.

"Good job, guys." They all said. After dinner, they all settled in to watch a movie and then went to sleep in the room. The next morning, the trio got ready to leave the tower when they noticed something missing.

"Where are Gastly, Haunter and Gengar?" asked Mark.

"They probably disappeared." Said Amanda. "After all, it is daytime again." The three of them sighed and made their way out of the tower.

"It would've been nice to be able to thank them for the great night we had last night." Said Michelle.

"We could very well see them again." Said Mark. At that exact moment, the three ghost types suddenly appeared behind them, which made them turn around.

"We were just wondering where you guys were." Said Michelle.

"Listen, we wanted to thank you for letting us stay over last night." Said Amanda. "My friends and I had a really wonderful time."

"Haunter haunt." Said Haunter, which meant 'You're welcome.'

"Gastly." Gastly said, which meant 'Hang on a moment.' The three ghost Pokemon consulted together.

"What could they be talking about?" wondered Michelle.

"Beats me." Said Amanda. The three ghost Pokemon finished their conversation and faced the three friends again.

"Gastly, gas." Said Gastly, which meant 'The three of us would like to accompany you on your journey.'

"That's great." Said Amanda.

"All that's left to decide then is which of us gets which Pokemon." Said Mark.

"That's a good point." Said Michelle.

"How about if I take Haunter." Said Amanda.

"I'll take Gastly, then." Said Mark.

"That'll obviously leave me with Gengar." Said Michelle. All three of them took out Poke Balls, and the ghost types happily jumped into them.

"Looks like we all have a new friend now." Said Mark.

"I know Haunter will definitely be a big help for my next gym battle." Said Amanda. The three of them smiled and headed onward down the path.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Fifteen

Last time, our heroes ran into a Gastly that liked to play tricks. But after convincing him to change his trick playing ways, they were invited for a one night stay over at the Pokemon Tower, that was hosted by Gastly, Haunter and Gengar. The stay was fun, and our heroes all got a new Pokemon each. Now, it's off to the next adventure.

Upon our heroes' arrival in Saffron City, they were impressed with the city's size.

"Look at all of these tall buildings!" Michelle cried out.

"They certainly do look very nice." Said Mark.

"What would be nicer is heading to the gym so I can have a match with this city's gym leader." Said Amanda.

"If you win here, I think you get a Marsh Badge." Said Michelle.

"That's right." Said Amanda. "Now that I have Haunter on my side, we should have no problem getting that badge."

"I wouldn't get too confident yet." Said Mark. "Psychic type Pokemon aren't easy to beat."

"Even though Haunter has the type advantage, it's not necessarily a guarantee." Said Michelle. "Remember what happened when we battled that Fearow kid a few days ago?"

"I remember very well." Said Amanda. "That Fearow was way stronger than we all thought, which was why Pikachu lost against it even though it had the type advantage."

"Exactly." Said Mark. "What we're trying to tell you, Amanda, is to not put all of your eggs in one basket."

"But if you're that confident, we can head to the gym right now." Said Michelle. It took a while to get there because of how big Saffron City was, but when they finally arrived, they found that the door was locked.

"It can't be closed!" Amanda cried. "I have to get in there so I can get a badge."

"There must be a reason why we can't go inside." Said Mark. Michelle then noticed a piece of paper that was taped to one of the doors.

"Maybe this note will tell us." She said and removed the paper from the door.

"What does the note say?" asked Amanda.

"It says 'Dear trainers: I'm sorry I can't have any battles today. I'm in another part of town for a Pokemon game show. I'll return to the gym tomorrow. Signed, Sabrina.' You know, I'm kind of curious about this game show now."

"Maybe Nurse Joy knows something." Said Mark, and they headed to the Pokemon Center. What they didn't know, however, was that Team Rocket was spying on them from nearby through their binoculars.

"So, the twerps are going to compete on a TV game show." Said Sally.

"Did you ever watch that kind of stuff growing up?" asked Conrad.

"No, but my parents did." Said Sally. "Every night, they would see which of them was smarter than the other. Of course, they would brag about it afterwards. They also forced me to watch the shows with them. I tried to tell them that I wasn't interested, but they wouldn't listen, so I had to sit with them as they watched. They always got excited whenever someone won a big prize, but I just sat there with my arms crossed angrily. 'Big deal.' I would say. 'They give away this kind of stuff all the time.' My mom would tell me to be quiet, and after that, I knew better than to give unnecessary comments if I wasn't interested."

"Your parents must've been huge game show nerds." Said Conrad.

"They were." Said Sally. "Then, as I got older, I slowly started to show an interest in the genre. So now, I want to compete on this myself."

"If you're doing it, so am I." said Conrad, and they disappeared so that the two of them could get themselves ready. Meanwhile, the trio arrived at the Pokémon Center, but couldn't find Nurse Joy anywhere.

"I wonder where she is." Said Michelle.

"Maybe she's in a back room." Said Amanda.

"We can't check there." Said Mark. "We're not allowed to look in that area unless we work here, which we don't. I know where we can go, though." They went to the center's cafeteria and found Joy taking a snack break.

"Nurse Joy, we need to ask you something." Amanda said.

"It's about this game show that's apparently going on here." Said Michelle.

"I guess you saw the note that Sabrina left at the gym." Said Joy. "They started taping this last week, so it's still relatively new. It's called the Pokemon Quiz Attack."

"That sounds interesting." Said Mark. "What kinds of questions do they ask?"

"Just about anything possible." Said Joy. "There's even the occasional word puzzle that needs to be solved. It's a very exciting experience, and if you win the whole thing, you get a Master Ball as a prize."

"That certainly sounds exciting to me." Said Mark.

"I wonder if Professor Oak knows anything about this." Said Michelle.

"Let's call him and ask." Said Amanda.

"Oh, one more quick thing." Said Joy. "If you want a chance to compete, I suggest getting over there as soon as possible."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Said Amanda. They went back to the lobby and dialed Professor Oak's number. Amanda told him about what Nurse Joy had said to them.

"A game show, huh? That sure sounds fun." He said.

"You know about this too, Professor?" asked Amanda.

"Of course." Said Oak. "It's the hottest new thing on television, so of course everyone's talking about it. I've even seen the show myself, and I think it's quite interesting."

"You know, Professor, with your wide knowledge of Pokémon, you should complete." Said Mark. "I think you'd do quite well."

"I think so too, my boy." Said Oak. "As much as I'd like to do it, all the work I have to take care of here unfortunately prevents me from coming out there to participate. You three have fun, though."

"We will." Said Amanda, and the call ended.

"I think it's time that we make our way over to the show." Said Mark. "If we get there too late, we might not get a chance to play."

"Speaking of that, I'm not entirely sure that I want to do it." Said Michelle.

"Eevee?" Eevee asked, which meant 'Why not?'

"Well, there's a good chance that this is going to be taped, right?" Michelle wondered.

"A lot of game shows are taped." Said Mark.

"So, what's the problem then?" asked Amanda.

"I haven't told any of you this, but I'm a little camera shy." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'What does that mean?'

"It means she doesn't like being on screen." Mark whispered to Pikachu.

"I'll tell you what, Michelle." Said Amanda. "You can just watch from the audience, and Mark and I will compete."

"That'll work a lot better." Said Michelle.

"Well, off we go guys." Said Amanda. They left the center and made their way down the street. They passed lots of houses and buildings, but none of them were the location they were looking for. Then, they spotted a building in the center of the city that was much bigger than the other ones they had seen.

"That has to be the one." Said Mark. Sure enough, they saw a sign on the door that read 'Game show registration inside.'

"This is it all right." Said Amanda. "Come on, let's go get ourselves registered." They made their way inside the building and saw a huge crowd of people.

"Wow, looks like this is more popular than I thought it would be." Said Amanda.

"Well, Professor Oak did say that it was the hottest new thing, so of course the interest level is going to be high." Said Michelle. Fortunately, there were multiple lines to handle the high volume of applicants.

"This one looks like it's the least crowded." Said Mark, pointing out a line on the far left.

"That's certainly comforting." Said Michelle. After a twenty minute wait, the trio finally got to the front of the line.

"Hi, are you three here for Pokémon Quiz Attack?" asked the gentleman at the counter.

"We sure are." Said Mark.

"Well then, I'll need the three of you to fill out these forms." Said the man. "It's not anything to complicated. All I need is your name, where you're from and what your favorite Pokemon is."

"Uh sir, I'm just here to watch. Is that okay?" Michelle wondered.

"Of course." Said the man. "Not everybody that comes chooses to play."

"Well then, that means more chances for us." Said Mark. He and Amanda filled out their forms with the required information and gave them back when they were finished.

"Very good." Said the gentleman. "Once all forms have been processed, we will call out the lucky three that will get to participate today." He led them over to the waiting area where all three of them sat down.

"I hope I get to play." Said Amanda.

"I hope so too." Said Mark.

"If you want my opinion, I think there's a high likelihood of both of you getting picked." Said a woman's voice.

"Who said that?" wondered Mark.

"I did." Said the voice. "Look behind you." They turned around and saw a woman wearing a white shirt, red coat and black pants.

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, miss." Said Amanda.

"No problem." Said the woman. "My name's Sabrina."

"It's nice meeting you, Sabrina." Said Michelle. Both Pikachu and Eevee gave Sabrina a warm introduction as well.

"These two are some of the most adorable Pokemon that I've ever seen." Said Sabrina. "You know, I recall seeing another Pikachu almost exactly like this one. If I recall, it belongs to a trainer named Ash Ketchum. I'm sure you've heard of him."

"We have." Said Michelle. "We even talked to him on the phone when we were in Vermillion City."

"I guess that's why you're not as frightening as I thought you'd be." Said Mark.

"I used to be." Said Sabrina. "But last year, when Ash battled me for my badge, he and the Haunter he had with him showed me how wrong I was to abuse my psychic abilities. Now, I only use those abilities in a good way instead of scaring people with them."

"Ash certainly showed you a thing or two then, didn't he?" said Michelle.

"He certainly did." Said Sabrina.

"You mentioned something about a Haunter earlier." Said Amanda. "It just so happens that I caught one not too long ago."

"That's very good." Said Sabrina. Just then, the loudspeaker came on.

"Attention potential contestants. The registration area is now closed. Please stand by in the waiting area." Said the voice.

"I guess that means they'll be choosing names soon." Said Amanda. She and Mark were both a bit anxious, as they both wondered whether or not they would get chosen. Thirty minutes later, the three names appeared on the screen.

"I see my name up at the top!" Amanda cried.

"Look, there's mine in the middle." Said Mark.

"It appears that I will be joining the two of you as well." Said Sabrina. Her name was shown very clearly at the bottom of the screen. Five minutes later, the same man from registration came up to them.

"Would the three selected contestants follow me to the stage please." He said.

"Come on, Pikachu." Said Amanda. However, the man shook his head.

"I'm sorry miss, but your Pokémon aren't allowed to be on the stage during the show." He said. "I'll have to ask you to put him in a Poke Ball and leave it with me, along with any other Pokemon you have on you."

"I would, but Pikachu prefers being with me." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu." Pikachu nodded in response, which meant 'That's right.'

"Very well, but he still isn't allowed to be on the set." Said the gentleman.

"Sir, since I'm not competing, may I watch Amanda's Pikachu for her?" asked Michelle.

"Yes you may." Said the gentleman. Pikachu ran over to Michelle and fist pumped her.

"Now you be good for Michelle and do whatever she says." Amanda told her partner.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said with a thumbs up, which meant 'Got it.' Amanda and Mark handed their Poké Balls over.

"You'll get them back when the show is over." Said the gentleman, and he led Mark, Amanda and Sabrina onto the stage.

"We'll watch from out here, okay?" Michelle said to Pikachu. The little mouse nodded.

"Pikachu." He said, which meant 'I hope Amanda does well.'

"I'm sure she'll do just fine." Said Michelle. Meanwhile, an argument was ensuing over by the registration line.

"What do you mean we can't sign up?" Sally asked in an angry tone.

"I'm very sorry, but the registration process closed about thirty-five minutes ago." Said the lady. "I can't do anything at this point. If you wanted to play that badly, you should've gotten here much earlier."

"My friend and I were busy earlier." Sally protested.

"Well then, that's your problem." Said the lady. "If you're still interested, then come back next week."

"I can't wait until then. I want in now!" Sally demanded.

"I'm sorry, but there's nothing else I can do." Said the lady. "If you still want to watch, you can go into the audience area. Otherwise, I'll have to ask you to leave." Sally attempted to speak again, but the lady gave her a look that meant don't push your luck. Reluctantly, both Sally and Conrad left the building.

"Well, what'll we do now?" asked Conrad.

"There has to be a back way inside." Said Sally. "If we can sneak in, then we can steal the prize that they're supposed to give the winner."

"Do you even know what the prize is?" said Conrad.

"I don't." said Sally. "I know how we can find out, though." She took out two portable television sets and put them onto the station that would be airing the show. On the stage, Amanda was feeling nervous.

"I've never been on TV before. What if I mess something up?" she asked.

"Relax, you'll do just fine." Said Mark.

"Your friend here is right." Said Sabrina. "I predict that you'll do extremely well."

"I hope you're right." Said Amanda. Just then, the lights came on and the show's theme started playing.

"Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the hottest new show on television, Pokemon Quiz Attack. And here's the Pokemon Master himself, Lance Proton!" Lance walked onto the stage to a tremendous applause.

"Hello, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to today's edition of Pokemon Quiz Attack." Said Lance. "I have a feeling that today's show is going to be very exciting, but first, let's meet our three players for today. First, we have the lovely Amanda."

"Hello, Lance, it's great to be here." Said Amanda.

"Tell the people watching a bit about you and who your favorite Pokemon is." Said Lance.

"I'm from Fuchsia City, and my favorite Pokemon is Pikachu." Said Amanda. Out in the audience area, Pikachu got excited when he heard his name mentioned and clapped his hands together.

"Settle down there, buddy." Said Michelle.

"How many Pokemon do you have in your possession right now?" asked Lance.

"I have fourteen." Said Amanda.

"Impressive." Said Lance. "Best of luck to you today. Our second contestant here is Mark."

"Hi, Lance." Said Mark. "I've always wanted to meet somebody like you."

"I'm glad we could fulfill that." Said Lance. "How do you think you'll do today?"

"I'm just hoping to do the best that I can." Said Mark.

"That's the spirit." Said Lance. "Finally, we have Saffron City's own, gym leader Sabrina."

"Hello, Lance." Said Sabrina. "I sense that today's show is going to be quite exciting."

"That's what I'm hoping." Said Lance. "The one of you who comes away as today's champion will receive the holy grail of Poke Balls, the Master Ball!" This got the players and audience very excited. Outside, Sally and Conrad got a bit excited too.

"A Master Ball, huh? Those things are more rare than a shiny Pokemon." Said Sally.

"We'll show them a thing or two for not letting us in just because we were a little late." Said Conrad, and they started plotting. Inside the studio, Lance started explaining the rules.

"We will be testing your knowledge of Pokemon over the course of three rounds." He said. "The first round will consist of straight forward trivia, and only the player who rings in will have a chance to answer. If you're correct, you earn one hundred points. If you're wrong, then don't worry because there's no penalties for incorrect answers. If all of you are ready, then let's begin. First question is true or false. Pikachu is considered a starter." Amanda hit her buzzer.

"True." She said.

"Correct." Said Lance. "You get the first hundred points and here's the next question. How many different Pokemon can Eevee evolve into?" Mark rang his buzzer this time.

"Three." He answered.

"Right." Said Lance. "Depending on what stone you use, Eevee can change into Flareon, Jolteon or Vaporeon. Question number three coming up. How many types of Pokemon current exist?" Sabrina hit her buzzer.

"Fifteen." She said.

"Correct." Said Lance. "Question number four. What three types usually consist of the starter Pokemon?" Amanda rang in.

"Grass, water, fire." She said confidently.

"You're right." Said Lance. "In the case of Kanto, which is where we are now, your starter choices would be Bulbasaur, Squirtle and Charmander."

"I have both Bulbasaur and Charmander." Said Mark.

"And I have a Squirtle." Said Amanda.

"So you two managed to get all three starters." Said Lance. "Not many trainers can say that they've done that, so I'm very impressed that you were able to do it. Here's question number five. What effect does Thunder Wave have?" Amanda rang in.

"I believe it paralyzes your opponent." She said.

"That's right." Said Lance. "Once a Pokemon is paralyzed, regardless of which move it is, they may not be able to make a move. Question number six. What is the fully evolved form of Dratini?" Mark rang in.

"Dragonair?" he guessed.

"Oh, you're very close, but the correct answer is Dragonite." Said Lance. "I should know because I have one. Question number seven. Which Pokemon is the only one that can devolve?" This question stumped Mark, Sabrina and Amanda, and so none of them rang in. After five seconds, a buzzer went off.

"The correct answer is Slowbro." Said Lance. "Usually, when a Shellder latches onto a Slowpoke's tail, it triggers the evolution of Slowpoke to Slowbro. But if the Shellder is removed at any point, Slowbro will revert back to its original form."

"I actually didn't know that." Said Amanda.

"Now you'll have that information ingrained into your memory banks." Said Lance. "Question number eight. Which of these legendary Pokemon is NOT a bird? Moltres, Articuno, Zapdos or Mewtwo." Amanda was about to ring her buzzer, but Sabrina beat her to it.

"Mewtwo." She said.

"That's right." Said Lance. "Question number nine. What effect does a rare candy have?" Mark rang in.

"It levels your Pokemon up." He said.

"Yes." Said Lance. "Specifically, it increases their level by one. Question number ten. If you come across a Snorlax in the middle of the road and it's sleeping, how would you wake it up?" Mark buzzed in again.

"You give it food?" he guessed.

"No." said Lance. "You would wake it up by using a Poke Flute. And at the halfway point of this round, Amanda is currently in the lead with three hundred points, Mark and Sabrina each have two hundred points. All three of you are doing well so far, but we'll give the three of you a chance to breather for a bit as we go to a break. More of Pokemon Quiz Attack after this." The lights went off, and Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.

"I think I'm a little less nervous now." She said. In the audience area, Michelle and Pikachu were both very happy with how things were going.

"Amanda's doing well so far." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I hope she wins.'

"I hope so too, buddy." Said Michelle. Mark was feeling a little pressure on him.

"I'm not sure if my mom's watching." He said.

"With how popular this show is right now, I guarantee that there are plenty of people watching." Said Sabrina. Even Kangaskhan was watching back at Amanda's home.

"Maybe my girl will be a TV star someday." She thought. In the studio, it was almost time for the show to continue.

"Are you three just about ready to continue playing?" he asked.

"I think so." Said Amanda.

"All right." Said Lance, and he went back to his podium. After another thirty seconds, the lights came back on and the show resumed.

"Welcome back to Pokemon Quiz Attack." Said Lance. "Before we proceed, I want to find out some additional information about some of our players. Amanda, at the beginning of the show, you said that Pikachu is your favorite Pokemon. Why is that so?"

"Pikachu was the very first Pokemon I ever met." Said Amanda. "He and I have been best friends ever since I was a very little girl. He loves me and I love him. It's because of that bond that I decided to start my journey with Pikachu instead of one of the usual starters."

"It seems to me like you and your Pikachu have an electrifying friendship together." Said Lance.

"We certainly do." Said Amanda.

"We wish you well over the rest of the game." Said Lance. "Now Sabrina, how did you become the leader of this city's gym?"

"When I was little, I was born with psychic abilities that were more powerful than even the strongest Pokemon in the world." Said Sabrina. "Those abilities helped me defeat the dojo that we used to have here, and from that moment onward, I have served proudly as the city's official gym leader."

"You've been doing a very good job as the gym leader in my opinion." Said Lance. "You're also doing well in the game so far, so keep it up. Now then players, in the second half of round one, we're going to switch up the question style a little bit. I'm going to give a Pokedex number, and you have to tell me which Pokémon belongs to that number. Again, there's no penalty for a wrong answer. Unlike the first half of the round, an incorrect guess will give one of the other players a chance to buzz in. Good luck, and let's proceed with more Pokemon Quiz Attack. Okay contestants, to start off this half of the round, which Pokemon is number three in the Pokedex?" Amanda hit her buzzer.

"Would that be Venusaur?" she asked.

"It is indeed Venusaur." Said Lance. "For the next question, I need you to tell me which Pokemon is number twenty-five in the Pokedex." Amanda hit her buzzer again.

"That has to be Pikachu." She said.

"And that is absolutely correct." Said Lance. In the audience area outside, Pikachu gave a cheer.

"You would've been upset if she'd gotten that wrong, wouldn't you?" asked Michelle.

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'Just a little bit.'

"Next question." Said Lance. "Which Pokémon has a Pokedex number of one hundred and twenty three?" Amanda hit her buzzer again.

"Oh dear, I don't think I know." She said.

"Just take a guess." Said Lance.

"Jynx?" Amanda asked hopefully.

"I'm sorry, that's not right." Said Lance. Mark rang in.

"Scyther?" he guessed.

"That's the one we're looking for." Said Lance. "Okay, which Pokemon would you find in your Pokedex with a number of one hundred and twelve?" Sabrina rang in.

"Rhydon." She said.

"Yes." Said Lance. "Here's another fun fact for the three of you. Rhydon was one of the first Pokemon to ever be discovered."

"Then why does it have a later number instead of an earlier one?" Mark asked.

"I'm actually not too sure." Said Lance. "Anyway, here's the next question. Which Pokemon has the number sixty in the Pokedex?" Mark rang in.

"Poliwag?" he responded.

"Correct." Said Lance. "Next question. Which Pokémon would you find at number one hundred and thirty-two?" Amanda rang in.

"Ditto." She said.

"Correct." Said Lance. "Next question is this. Which Pokemon has the number one hundred and twenty in the Pokedex?" Amanda rang in.

"Magikarp?" she said.

"Right type, but wrong Pokemon." Said Lance. Mark rang in.

"Vaporeon?" he guessed.

"No, that's also wrong." He said. Sabrina rang in.

"Staryu." She said.

"Staryu is correct." Said Lance. "Three questions remain in this round, and here's the next one. Which Pokemon has a Pokedex number of one hundred and thirty-seven?" None of the three players knew which Pokemon it was, so the buzzer went off after five seconds.

"We were looking for Porygon." Said Lance.

"I don't think I've ever seen that one." Said Amanda.

"Very few people have been able to see it, which makes it very rare." Said Lance. "Next question, players. Which Pokemon has the number twenty-four?" Mark rang in.

"Arbok." He answered.

"That is correct." Said Lance. "Now for the last question in this round. Which Pokemon can be found at the very end of the Pokedex at number one hundred and fifty?" Sabrina rang in.

"Mewtwo." Said Sabrina.

"You're correct, and that concludes our first round." Said Lance. "Here's where we sit in terms of scores. Mark and Sabrina are neck and neck with five hundred points each, but it's Amanda who retains the lead with six hundred points. We'll see what happens in round two after this." The lights went off again, and the show went to another commercial break.

"This is a very exciting game so far." Said Amanda.

"I would have to agree." Said Lance. "The person that won last week completely dominated the competition and didn't give the others much of a chance. You three seem to be on equal footing, though, and that's what an audience likes." Outside, Conrad and Sally were at a back door.

"Since they're at a break, we have to be quick about this." Said Sally. She tried to open the door normally, but it was locked. She then tried to force the door open, but it still wouldn't budge.

"You're doing it all wrong." Said Conrad. "Let me try." He tugged and pulled at the door, but it still wouldn't open.

"Maybe if we try together." Said Sally. They both yanked on the door handle as hard as they could, until the door finally opened.

"Grand prize, here we come." Said Sally. But before either of them could take another step, a security guard blocked their way.

"And what do you two think you're doing here?" he asked. Both Conrad and Sally stammered out an excuse, but the guard wasn't buying it.

"You both know the rules. Only contestants are allowed in here. Let's go." He picked both of them up and threw them into an open grass area. The guard went back to his post and closed the door. Amanda and Mark both heard the commotion and sighed.

"Those two just never seem to give up." Said Amanda.

"Who were those two weirdos?" Sabrina asked.

"They're Team Rocket." Mark said. "They always have some sort of plan."

"My psychic sense tells me that they were going to steal the Master Ball." Said Sabrina.

"Fortunately, the security guard by the door made sure that they wouldn't succeed." Said Lance. "Otherwise, we would've had a huge problem."

"Ten seconds until we come back, Lance." Said the producer.

"I wonder what they're going to have us do for the next round." Said Mark.

"I guess we'll find out shortly." Said Amanda. The lights came back on and the show continued again.

"It's time now to proceed with Pokemon Quiz Attack. Amanda still has a one hundred point lead over the other two players, but in this next round, we increase the point value to two hundred. Just like in round one, you won't be penalized if you give me a wrong answer. This round is a little something that we call Who's That Pokemon? I'll show a silhouette of a Pokemon on the video screens on your podiums as well as three answer choices. You'll lock in your choices with your buzzer and then once I call on you, you'll tell me your answers. Whoever is correct will earn the points. Good luck to all three of you, and here is the first Pokemon for you three to figure out." A silhouette image of a fire type with a flame tail appeared on the screens.

"This looks like a tough one to start." Amanda thought. She and Mark both locked in their answers, but Sabrina took a little more time. She then locked in her answer just as the buzzer went off.

"All right, let's see what answers you came up with." Said Lance. "Amanda, what did you say?"

"I said Ponyta." Said Amanda.

"Not a bad guess." Said Lance. "Mark, what did you say?"

"I said Charmander." Said Mark.

"And how about you, Sabrina?" asked Lance.

"I said Rapidash." Said Sabrina.

"Three different answers, which means that only one of you is correct." Said Lance. "The right answer is Charmander, so Mark gets the points." Mark smiled but didn't gloat because he didn't want to anger Amanda.

"Okay, here's your next Pokemon." Said Lance. A silhouette image of a small normal type appeared on the screens, and Amanda wasted no time locking in her choice. Mark and Sabrina both locked in their answers as well, and then Lance spoke again.

"Let's see your choices this time." He said. "Amanda, your answer please."

"I went with Ditto." Said Amanda.

"Mark, what was your answer?" said Lance.

"Ditto also." Said Mark.

"Finally, miss Sabrina." Said Lance.

"I went with Ditto." Said Sabrina.

"And this time, all of you are correct!" cried Lance. That means two hundred points for all of you, and here's the next silhouette." A silhouette of a flying type showed up on the screens, and Amanda was a little stumped at first. She did finally lock in her answer after about ten seconds, along with Mark and Sabrina.

"All right, let's see if any of you were able to identify this Pokemon. Amanda, what did you say?"

"I said Pidgey." Said Amanda.

"How about you, Mark?" asked Lance.

"I said Spearow." Said Mark.

"And what was Sabrina's answer?" Lance wondered.

"I also said Spearow." Said Sabrina.

"Spearow is the correct answer." Said Lance. "Mark and Sabrina both pick up the points there, and here is Pokemon number four." A silhouette of a Pokemon in a circular shape showed up on the screens.

"I'm not sure about this one." Amanda thought. She looked at the three answer choices and let out a sigh.

"It could literally be any of these." She thought. She locked in her choice, as did Mark and Sabrina. Then, Lance started the answer checking process.

"Amanda, what answer did you give?" he asked.

"I said Jigglypuff." Said Amanda.

"Mark, your answer please." Said Lance.

"I went with Voltorb." Said Mark.

"And now for your answer, Sabrina." Said Lance.

"I said Electrode." Sabrina answered.

"One of you has the correct answer, and it is Amanda with her answer of Jigglypuff." Said Lance. "Here is Pokemon number five." A silhouette of a flying type with large wings appeared on the screens.

"I wonder what this one could be." Amanda thought. She chose her answer, and a few seconds later, Mark and Sabrina chose their answers as well.

"Okay, let's see what you chose this time." Said Lance. "Amanda, what was your answer?"

"I chose Pidgeot." Said Amanda.

"Mark, what was your answer?" asked Lance.

"I also said Pidgeot." Said Mark.

"Sabrina, your answer." Said Lance.

"I picked Pidgeot as well." Said Sabrina.

"All of you are correct." Said Lance. "At the halfway point of this round, we have Mark in first place at thirteen hundred points, Amanda at twelve hundred and Sabrina at eleven hundred. We'll get into the second half of the round right now with this next image." A silhouette of a Pokemon with some stripes appeared. Amanda, Mark and Sabrina locked in their answers relatively quickly.

"Fast button presses there lead me to believe that all of you have this." Said Lance. "We shall see if I'm correct. Amanda, what answer did you give?"

"I said Beedrill." Said Amanda.

"Mark, what was your guess?" asked Lance.

"I also went with Beedrill." Said Mark.

"And how about Sabrina?" Lance pondered.

"I also said Beedrill." Said Sabrina.

"I guess those quick buzzers meant something after all because the three of you are correct." Said Lance. "Here's the next image." A silhouette of a Pokemon showing some fierce teeth showed up. Amanda, Mark and Sabrina thought for a few seconds before locking in their answers.

"Okay Amanda, let's see what you chose." Said Lance.

"I went with Raticate." Said Amanda.

"Mark, your answer." Said Lance.

"I chose Gyrados." Said Mark.

"Sabrina, your answer." Said Lance.

"I also said Raticate." Said Sabrina.

"The answer we needed is Gyrados." Said Lance. "Here's the next image to identify." A silhouette of a Pokemon with webbed feet appeared on the screens, and Amanda had to do a bit of thinking again. She put in her answer, along with Mark and Sabrina, and Lance started checking again.

"Okay Amanda, what did you choose?" he asked.

"I said Poliwag." Said Amanda.

"Mark, what was your answer?" asked Lance.

"I said Psyduck." Said Mark.

"Sabrina, what was your answer?" asked Lance.

"I said Psyduck.

"The answer is Psyduck." Said Lance. "Good job Mark and Sabrina, and here is your next image." This time, a silhouette of a Pokemon with its tongue sticking out showed on the screens.

"I'm not sure if I've seen this one either." Amanda thought. She took about ten seconds before locking in her answer, which was also the same moment Mark and Sabrina locked in their answers.

"I was getting a bit worried there for a moment." Said Lance. "But let's see how you did. Amanda, what did you say?"

"I went with Lickitung." Said Amanda.

"What did you guess, Mark?" said Lance.

"I also said Lickitung." Said Mark.

"And finally, Sabrina." Said Lance.

"I chose Lickitung." Said Sabrina.

"Lickitung is the correct answer." Said Lance. "One more image to go, so let's see how you do with it." The last silhouette showed a Pokemon with leaves for arms. Amanda pondered, and then choose her answer. Mark and Sabrina chose their answers as well, and then lance started checking.

"All right, let's see how you did with this one." Said Lance. "Amanda, what did you guess for this last one?"

"I said Bellsprout." Said Amanda.

"Mark, what did you say?" asked Lance.

"I went with Weepinbell." Said Mark.

"Finally, Sabrina's answer." Said Lance.

"I went with Victreebell." Said Sabrina.

"The answer is Weepinbell." Said Lance. "That means at the end of this round, the scores stand as follows. Amanda has sixteen hundred points, Mark has twenty-three hundred points, and Sabrina has seventeen hundred points. It is still very much anyone's game, however, as we head to our final question. On this question, you get to decide how many of your points you want to put at risk. You can wager as little as a hundred or as much as what you have. Whoever has the most points after this will be today's winner. Here's how the final will work. I'll give a Pokedex entry on a Pokemon as well as one additional hint, and you will have to guess the Pokemon from there." Amanda, Mark, and Sabrina both wrote down their wagers on the tablets in front of them.

"Okay, here is the final question." Said Lance. "The Pokemon that I'm looking for is a dual rock and flying type. This Pokemon died out during ancient times but was resurrected using DNA taken from amber. This Pokemon does not evolve. Taking all of that information into account, write your answers down as fast as you can." Amanda, Mark and Sabrina all had to think for a bit, but they wrote down their answers with confidence.

"All right, we'll begin with Amanda since she was in third place going into this round." Said Lance. "First off, what was your answer?"

"I said Aerodactyl." Replied Amanda.

"And that is correct." Said Lance. "How much did you risk?"

"I wagered fourteen hundred points." Said Amanda.

"That brings you up to three thousand." Said Lance. "You have the lead for now, but let's see what Sabrina said."

"I also said Aerodactyl." Said Sabrina.

"We know that you're right, but how much did you risk?" said Lance.

"I wagered a thousand points." Said Sabrina.

"You now have twenty-seven hundred, but that's not enough for the lead." Said Lance. "Mark, everything hinges on you. What was your answer?"

"I said Aerodactyl as well." Said Mark.

"You're correct, of course, and unless you wagered more than seven hundred points, you'll win the game. What was your wager?"

"I bet twenty-two hundred points." Said Mark.

"A big wager, but it pays off because your new total of forty-five hundred points makes you today's winner!" cried Lance. "Stand by for your bonus round in a moment. Amanda and Sabrina, you both put in a really good effort today, but Mark got hot at the end. I hope you had fun with us."

"I had a lot of fun, Lance. Thank you very much." Said Amanda.

"You're very welcome." Said Lance. "Sabrina, we have some nice things for you backstage as well. When we return, Mark will try his hand at the bonus round." The lights went off, and Sabrina and Amanda were escorted back outside to the audience area.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'How did you do?'

"I lost." Said Amanda. "I had fun, though."

"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed, which meant 'Having fun is what counts the most.'

"I'll admit, you did a lot better than how I would've done." Said Michelle.

"What do you mean?" asked Amanda.

"I probably would've tensed up and not done as well." Said Michelle.

"I hope Mark wins the bonus round." Said Amanda.

"So do I." said Michelle. In the studio, Mark was trying to stay calm.

"I've never really won anything in my life before." He said to Lance.

"There's always first times for everything, son." Lance said. A minute later, the lights came back on.

"We're back to conclude this edition of Pokemon Quiz Attack, and I'm here with today's winner, Mark. Son, how do you feel after becoming the champion?" Lance asked.

"I'll feel even better if I can conquer the bonus board." Said Mark.

"Let's hope that you do." Said Lance. "For this bonus round, there will be sixteen squares on the board. What you want to do is find five moves that are super effective against the gym leader and their respective Pokemon that you'll see. Each time you find a move that is not as effective, you'll earn a strike. Three strikes and your round is over. Do you have any questions?"

"No." said Mark.

"In that case, we will begin." Said Lance. "First, let's show the gym leader and their Pokemon." A picture of Blaine and his Magmar showed up on the screen. "And now, I will ask you to select a number."

"Let's start with seven." Said Mark. Square number seven revealed.

"Water Gun, that's one." Said Lance.

"Number two." Said Mark. Square two revealed.

"Vine Whip, no good." Said Lance.

"Number ten." Mark said. Number ten revealed.

"Hydro Pump, that's two." Said Lance.

"Number thirteen." Said mark. Number thirteen revealed.

"Bubblebeam, that's three." Said Lance.

"Number nine." Said Mark. Number nine revealed.

"Razor Leaf, no good." Said Lance.

"Number eleven." Said Mark. Number eleven revealed.

"Rock Throw, that's four." Said Lance. "This is it, son."

"Number five." Said Mark. Number five revealed.

"Ice Beam, no good." Said Lance. A buzzer went off to indicate the loss. "Very sorry about that, Mark. However, you do get a Master Ball for winning the main game, and that's not bad." Lance presented Mark with the Master Ball.

"Thank you very much, sir." Said Mark.

"You're quite welcome." Said Lance. "That does it for our time today, but we'll have three new people try their hand at Pokemon Quiz Attack on the next show. See you then, folks." The lights went off again, and Mark left the studio with his prize.

"Well, I couldn't win the bonus round, but that was still a really fun game." Said Mark, and the three of them left the building.

"What are you going to do with the Master Ball that you won?" asked Amanda.

"I'm not sure." Said Mark. "I know I'll need to think carefully, because I don't want to waste this."

"Yeah, that wouldn't be good." Said Michelle, and the three of them happily made their way down the street. Meanwhile, Team Rocket was sulking over their latest failure.

"I hate when those kids get the best of us." Said Conrad.

"We'll just have to plan better so that we can finally get our hands on both Pikachu and Eevee." Said Sally.

"Maybe it would've helped if we hadn't gotten thrown out of that game show." Said Conrad.

"Team Rocket's feeling left out again." Said both Conrad and Sally together.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Sixteen

Last time, our heroes competed on a Pokemon game show with the chance to win a Master Ball. It was there that they met Sabrina, the leader of the Saffron City gym. The game show was close, but Mark came out victorious and won a Master Ball, which Conrad and Sally of Team Rocket tried to steal. However, a quick thinking security guard foiled their scheme and kicked them out. As for our heroes, their journey continues.

Amanda, Mark, and Michelle were all in the Pokemon Center telling Professor Oak about their experience on the game show.

"Well, it seems like you kids had a great time." Said Professor Oak.

"We sure did, Professor." Said Amanda.

"Well, not all of us competed." Said Michelle.

"What do you mean, Michelle?" Oak asked.

"I chose not to do it because I was worried that I would embarrass myself." Michelle answered.

"Ah, I see." Said Oak.

"I won a Master Ball, though." Said Mark, and he held it up for the Professor to see.

"That kind of Poke Ball is very rare, my boy." Said Oak. "When it's used, though, it will capture any wild Pokemon you see."

"That means I wouldn't have to battle if I were to use it." Said Mark.

"Correct." Said Oak.

"The trouble is, I'm not sure which Pokemon I would want to use it on." Said Mark.

"If you're unsure right now, then I do have a suggestion." Said Oak. "Leave the Master Ball with me for safekeeping for a while. Not only that, but I can also study it so I can find out why something like that is so valuable."

"That's not a bad idea." Said Mark. He placed the Master Ball on the transporter and a white beam of light instantly sent the ball to Oak's lab.

"There, I've got it." Said Oak.

"Thanks, Professor." Said Mark.

"Not a problem." Said Oak.

"Since we have you, Professor, I'd like to make a switch to my Pokemon team if you please." Said Amanda.

"Of course, Amanda." Said Oak. "Which Pokemon would you like to change?"

"I'd like to have Haunter with me, please." Said Amanda.

"That's not a problem; however, you'll need to send one that you have right now over to me." Oak said.

"I'll give you Pidgeotto for now." Said Amanda. They both put the Poke Balls on the transporter, and both Pokemon traded places instantly.

"There we are." Said Oak. "Well, I have more work to do, so you all have a good day." He hung up the phone to end the call.

"That was a smart decision to get Haunter." Said Michelle. "After all, ghost types have a huge advantage over psychic Pokemon."

"Which is exactly why I decided to make the change." Said Amanda. They left the Pokemon Center when Michelle mentioned something important.

"When was the last time any of us bought any supplies?" she asked.

"I'm not sure." Said Amanda.

"Good question." Said Mark.

"I bring this up because it's been some time since any of us have bought anything." Said Michelle.

"I'll go to the store and get us some things." Said Mark.

"Okay, and while you do that, Michelle and I can check out some of the other things here in the city." Said Amanda.

"Sounds like a plan." Said Michelle, and the three of them went off in different directions.

"I hope the shopping malls here are good." Said Amanda.

"They should be." Said Michelle. "After all, Saffron is a pretty big city." Pikachu's stomach growled, as did Eevee's.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I'm hungry.'

"Eevee." Squealed Eevee, which meant 'I'm hungry too.'

"Don't worry, you guys will get food soon." Said Amanda. "Mark's getting stuff for us at the store, so just wait until then." They continued walking around, when they suddenly spotted a basket full of food just sitting on the sidewalk. Pikachu and Eevee were delighted and started to run up to it, only to be stopped by their respective trainers.

"Hold on a second." Said Michelle. "Something feels very odd. Who would just leave a basket of food lying out in the middle of the road?"

"I don't know, but I know that we have two very hungry Pokemon with us, so I don't think we should keep them waiting any longer." Said Amanda.

"Good point." Said Michelle. The girls ran up to where the basket was sitting, only for the ground to suddenly fall apart underneath them. They both screamed as they fell down.

"This definitely wasn't here before." Said Amanda.

"It can't be, can it?" Michelle wondered. They heard evil laughter behind them.

"Oh yes it can." Said Sally.

"It's Team Rocket!" Both girls cried in unison.

"It's a shame we couldn't get the Master Ball, but I think these two will do nicely." Said Conrad.

"You two had better let us out of this trap right now!" Michelle demanded.

"Yeah, I have a gym battle to get ready for!" Amanda protested.

"If you want us to let you out, then just hand over your precious little Pokemon and you can be on your way." Said Sally.

"You're never getting Pikachu!" Amanda yelled.

"And you're certainly not getting Eevee!" Michelle cried. Both girls hugged their Pokemon tightly.

"You leave us with no choice, then." Said Conrad, and he pressed a button on the remote control he was holding. Meanwhile, Mark had finished in the store and was on his way to meet back up with the girls when he saw Conrad and Sally's balloon floating away with Michelle, Amanda, Pikachu, and Eevee trapped in a net.

"Oh no they don't." said Mark. He ran after the balloon as fast as he could while holding his shopping bags.

"You let my friends go right now!" he cried. However, the balloon picked up speed and floated further away, making it useless for Mark to run. He went the other direction and headed back towards the Pokemon Center. Meanwhile, the balloon touched down behind a building that the girls had never seen before.

"I'm not sure if I like this." Michelle said.

"Quit complaining and get inside, both of you." Conrad ordered. He and Sally took the girls into a room that was near the basement area. Pikachu and Eevee were both placed into small cages in the corner of the room, and the girls were both forced to sit in the chairs that were in the middle of the room. Conrad and Sally put their hands behind the backs of the chairs and tied them up tight with rope.

"Now then, I'm going to make this simple." Said Sally. "You'll both hand over your Pokemon or else."

"We'll never give them to you!" Amanda yelled.

"Yeah, we know how you'd treat them!" Michelle exclaimed.

"Fine. Then you'll both stay in this room until you surrender one or both Pokemon." Said Conrad, and the two Team Rocket grunts left.

"What do we do now?" asked Amanda.

"One thing's for sure. They're not getting their hands on our precious little Pokemon." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Amanda, what's going on?'

"We've been captured by Team Rocket." Said Amanda.

"Where exactly are we, anyway?" wondered Michelle.

"I think this might be the famous Silph Company building." Said Amanda. "As in, the company that makes the Master Balls."

"I think I might know what they want, then." Said Michelle. "They want the Master Ball that we have and they're trying to use us and our Pokemon as leverage to get what they want, and I don't think they'll leave us alone until we actually give them the Master Ball."

"We don't have that right now, though." Said Amanda. "Mark sent it to Professor Oak."

"Speaking of Mark, we need him to help us get out of this situation." Said Michelle. Meanwhile, Mark was on his way back to the Pokemon Center when he passed by the gym. He watched Sabrina send off a challenger that had just won a badge, and then ran up to her as fast as he could.

"Sabrina!" he called.

"Hey Mark, what's up?" she wondered.

"Something happened to the girls." He said. "Something bad."

"How bad is it?" Sabrina asked.

"Amanda and Michelle were both captured by Team Rocket." Mark said. Sabrina gasped.

"That's terrible!" she cried.

"I'll tell you exactly what happened at the Pokémon Center." Said Mark.

"Well, I do have to go there to get my Pokemon healed after the battle I just finished." Said Sabrina. "We'll go there together, and you can tell both me and Nurse Joy what you witnessed." The two trainers both walked down the street.

"I wonder how Joy is going to react when I tell her what I saw." Said Mark.

"She's not going to like it." Said Sabrina. "Since a crime has clearly been committed, though, that likely means Officer Jenny will need to get involved too." They both headed to the Pokemon Center as fast as they could; Amanda and Michelle, however, were still trapped in the building that they had been taken to.

"I'm scared, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Don't worry, Michelle, I'm confident that Mark can help us." Said Amanda.

"How do you figure that?" Michelle wondered.

"The ropes that are holding us together to these chairs can easily be burned away by his Charmander." Said Amanda.

"That's a valid point, but what if there's other Team Rocket members here and they catch him?" said Michelle.

"If that happens, then we're screwed." Said Amanda.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed from her cage, which meant 'I don't like it in here.'

"Don't worry, Eevee, everything is going to be all right." Said Michelle. "At least, I hope everything will be all right." Mark and Sabrina had arrived at the Pokémon Center, and Nurse Joy was about to go on a break when she saw the two trainers burst through the door.

"Nurse Joy, we've got an emergency!" Mark cried.

"What is it?" asked Joy. "Does it involve one of your Pokémon?"

"No, not that kind of emergency." Said Sabrina. "Although, I do need to heal my Pokemon."

"Of course." Said Joy. She took Sabrina's Poke Balls and put them on the healing machine. She then turned her attention back to the two of them.

"Now, what sort of emergency are you both talking about?" she asked.

"Both of my friends were kidnapped by Team Rocket." Said Mark.

"That's definitely no good." Said Joy.

"Do you think my friends will be fine?" asked Mark.

"I hope so, but I think Officer Jenny can shed more light on this situation." Said Joy. She picked up the phone and called Jenny's number at the police station. Jenny was in the process of writing out paperwork when her phone rang. She picked up and was greeted by Nurse Joy's voice, which was a bit louder than usual.

"Jenny, you've got to get down here right now. We have an emergency situation!" Joy cried.

"Okay, slow down there a bit." Said Jenny. "What's the trouble?"

"Two young trainers have been abducted by Team Rocket." Said Joy. "Thankfully, their friend is safe here. He can tell you everything."

"I'll be there in no time at all." Said Jenny, who gave a wink.

"Please hurry." Said Joy, and she hung up.

"I suppose I better get over there right away." Said Jenny. She hopped onto her motorcycle and sped down to the Pokemon Center as fast as she could. However, she went a little too fast and ended up knocking the door down before parking it.

"A little on the speedy side, eh, Jenny?" said Joy. Jenny laughed sheepishly before getting down to business.

"Okay Mark, exactly what happened?" asked Jenny.

"I had gone to buy some food and potions because my friends and I hadn't had anything to eat in a while and our Pokemon needed some food too." Said Mark. "As I was on my way to meet back up with the girls, I saw them being taken away in a balloon. I tried to chase after it, but the crooks were too fast, and that's what led me to come back here and tell you what I had witnessed."

"It's a good thing you did that." Said Officer Jenny.

"Do you think they're going to be okay, officer?" asked Mark worriedly.

"Your friends will be all right, but Team Rocket will be in serious trouble." Said Jenny. "Come on, let's get a move on."

"Be careful out there." Said Joy. Once Mark, Jenny and Sabrina had left the Pokemon Center, Joy went to put the door back in place.

"Okay, if I were a member of Team Rocket, where would I take two young trainers in a big city like this?" Mark asked.

"I think I might know." Said Sabrina. "Mark, you still have that Master Ball that you won, right?"

"I did, but I sent it to Professor Oak for safekeeping." Said Mark.

"Okay, that's good." Said Sabrina. "Who knows what Team Rocket would've done with it if they had gotten their hands on that ball."

"They probably wouldn't have done very good things with it." Said Mark. Sabrina visualized in her mind where such a strong Poke Ball would be made. And then, a few minutes later, it hit her.

"I think I know where your friends are." Said Sabrina.

"You do?" asked Mark. Sabrina nodded.

"My dad took me to this particular building once when I was little." She said. "It's the Silph Company headquarters."

"Quick, we don't have a moment to lose." Said Jenny, and the three of them ran off. In the building, Michelle and Amanda were still feeling scared.

"I hope we get rescued soon." Said Michelle.

"Eevee?" Eevee asked, which meant 'Will Mark be able to pull through for us?'

"I hope so, Eevee." Said Amanda. Mark, Jenny, and Sabrina were standing outside the entrance to the Silph building figuring out their plan.

"I'm not sure if I like this." Said Mark. "There could be grunts everywhere."

"Just trust us." Said Sabrina. The three of them calmly made their way inside, and sure enough, there were Team Rocket grunts surrounding the entire main floor.

"There's no way we're getting past all of them." Said Mark.

"Don't worry, we will." Sabrina said confidently. "Jenny and I will distract them, and when I give you the signal, you go find the girls." They calmly strolled around the floor looking at all the surroundings.

"This is so cool!" Mark exclaimed. "Jenny shushed him.

"Keep your voice down." She whispered. It was too late, though, as a grunt had heard the commotion and approached them.

"What do you three think you're doing here?" he asked them.

"We can't tell him the truth, or he'll kick us out." Mark whispered.

"Relax." Jenny whispered. She then changed into a deep male voice. "I'm a special advisor, and I'm here for a very important meeting."

"Oh, my deepest apologies. Please go right ahead." Said the grunt.

"Thank you." Jenny said in the male voice. Sabrina then gave Mark the signal, and he took off down a flight of stairs. Jenny and Sabrina went into the elevator.

"Where could the girls be?" he wondered. Then, he heard Pikachu trying, once again, to use an electric attack to get out of his cage.

"They're definitely in there." Mark said, and he opened the door. Needless to say, the girls were incredibly happy to see him.

"See Michelle, I knew he'd come through for us!" Amanda cried.

"You can thank me later. Right now, let's get you two out of here." Said Mark. He tried to untie the ropes but found that they were very tight.

"This is no good." He said, and he sent out his Charmander.

"Charmander, use Flamethrower on the ropes. But be careful because I don't want you to hurt the girls." Charmander nodded and shot out a normal stream of fire at the bindings that were holding the girls together. The ropes disappeared instantly, and the girls were able to get up.

"I was worried about the two of you." Mark said, and the three of them hugged each other.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'What about us?'

"Oh yeah, we don't want to forget about our other friends here." Mark said. "Charmander, you know what to do." Charmander obeyed and used Flamethrower to destroy the cages that Pikachu and Eevee were in, thus freeing the two Pokemon. They immediately ran up to their respective trainers and gave them a hug.

"I'm glad everyone's okay." Said Amanda.

"So am I." said Mark. He recalled Charmander and turned his attention to the girls.

"Come on, let's go find Team Rocket." He said. The elevator wasn't too far, so they took it up to the seventh floor. Once they got out, they saw Conrad and Sally having a discussion with someone. The moment the two of them saw the trio, however, they weren't too impressed.

"So, you girls managed to escape." Said Sally. "Well, if you want to get out of here, you'll have to get through us first."

"Fine with us." Said Amanda. Mark grabbed another Poke Ball and threw it.

"Let's do this, Bulbasaur." He said. The grass starter immediately materialized, and at Mark's command, used Vine Whip to tie up the two of them.

"What is this?" Conrad demanded.

"A little something called karma." Said Amanda, and she threw a ball out. "Nidoran, I need you now." The small male Pokemon appeared and glared angrily at the two team Rocket agents.

"Poison Sting now!" Amanda commanded. Nidoran shot sharp needles from its horn, each one more painful.

"Ow! Stop that!" cried Sally.

"Electabuzz, give them a good electric punch!" Michelle commanded, throwing one of her Poke Balls. Electabuzz materialized and shot powerful punches at the two of them, paralyzing them.

"What else could go wrong?" Conrad wondered.

"Growlithe, Take Down now!" commanded a voice from behind them. The voice, of course, belonged to Officer Jenny. The small fire puppy ran full speed and sent Conrad and Sally blasting through the ceiling and into the sky.

"Great work, everybody." Said Sabrina.

"Thanks, Sabrina." Said Mark.

"Most very impressive, kids." Said a gentleman from behind his desk. "I am an official Silph employee, and I have a special gift for the three of you." He took out a Poke Ball from his desk and presented it to them.

"Inside this Poke Ball is a special water Pokemon called Lapras. It can take you anywhere in the ocean. I would like for you to take it as a reward for getting rid of Team Rocket." He said.

"A Lapras would be lovely to have." Said Amanda.

"Both of us have full parties, though." Said Michelle.

"I don't." said Mark. "I'll be glad to take it."

"Well then, this Lapras is yours, my friend." Said the employee and he gave the ball to Mark. "Take very good care of it."

"I will." Mark said with a smile. The next day, after the girls had a chance to rest from the kidnapping ordeal, they headed to the gym so that Amanda could finally have her battle.

"This will be a three on three match." Said Sabrina. "No substitutions will be allowed from me, but you may switch out at any time. Any questions?"

"No. I'm more than ready." Said Amanda.

"In that case, let's get started." Said Sabrina, and she sent out her first Pokemon, which had magenta colored circles on both of its cheeks. Amanda took out her Pokedex to scan it.

"Mr. Mime, the barrier Pokemon. This Pokemon is an excellent pantomime. As it matures, it gains the ability to solidify air molecules by vibrating its fingertips. This ability allows it to create invisible objects with its gestures."

"Very interesting." Said Amanda. She took out a ball from her waist and sent out Nidoran.

"Okay Nidoran, this is going to be your first gym battle. Give it your best shot." Said Amanda.

"You can make the first move." Said Sabrina.

"Nidoran, Poison Sting." Said Amanda. Nidoran shot its needles out, but Mr. Mime countered with Barrier, which put a screen up and caused the needles to be sent back at Nidoran.

"Ouch." Said Michelle.

"Try Double Kick." Amanda ordered. Nidoran complied, but all the attack did was hit the screen. Nidoran was getting visibly frustrated.

"Amanda, call it back!" called Mark. "This is a clear mismatch!" Amanda recalled Nidoran and sent Squirtle out.

"Well, that's a better choice than Nidoran, that's for sure." Said Michelle.

"Squirtle, go with Water Gun." Amanda ordered. Squirtle took a deep breath and opened its' mouth, and with the screen now broken from Nidoran's kicks, the attack was easily able to hit Mr. Mime.

"Quite impressive." Said Sabrina. "Mr. Mime, use Body Slam on Squirtle." Mr. Mime jumped up and got ready to lay its' body down, but Squirtle quickly countered by using Withdraw to hide in the shell and lessen the impact.

"Good job, Squirtle." Said Amanda. "Bubblebeam now!" Squirtle shot a stream of bubbles and although the attack hit, Sabrina didn't look too worried.

"Use Recover." She said. Mr. Mime quickly shook off the damage, making it feel slightly better.

"Skull Bash, Squirtle!" Amanda ordered. Squirtle lowered its head and sent Mr. Mime up to the ceiling. Upon landing on the floor, he fainted.

"Great job, Squirtle!" Amanda called. Sabrina recalled Mr. Mime and got another Poke Ball out.

"You did well against that Mr. Mime, but now let's see how you do with this." She said. She threw the ball, and a Slowbro popped out. Amanda was a little surprised.

"But I thought Slowbro was a water type." She said.

"It is, but Slowbro also has psychic type characteristics, which is probably why Sabrina chose it." Said Mark.

"Your friend there is correct." Said Sabrina. "Okay Slowbro, use Swift." Slowbro shot rainbow stars from its body, hurting Squirtle but not doing too much damage. Amanda then ordered another Water Gun, but Slowbro countered with Teleport to avoid the attack. Squirtle looked all around for the Slowbro, and then heard Amanda's voice.

"Squirtle, it's right behind you!" she called. Squirtle turned around and was greeted by a Thunder Wave attack, paralyzing it, and making it unable to attack.

"Now Slowbro, Psywave." ordered Sabrina. Slowbro used a series of psychic waves to make Squirtle float in the air and then force it to bounce up and down while in the shell.

"This isn't looking good for Squirtle." Said Michelle.

"Slowbro, you can stop now." Said Sabrina. The glow from Slowbro's eyes disappeared and Squirtle slammed so hard onto the floor that it fainted.

"Good try, Squirtle." Said Amanda and she recalled the small turtle. She sent out Nidoran again and had it use Take Down. This time, it was able to do a good amount of damage, but then Nidoran suddenly fainted.

"What happened?" Amanda asked.

"Nidoran was still a bit tired from its battle with Mr. Mime, and the recoil from Take Down made it knock itself out." Said Michelle.

"Correct again." Said Sabrina. Amanda sighed and recalled Nidoran.

"It's a good thing I made this change." She said and threw her last ball. "Haunter, I choose you!" The ghost Pokemon appeared, and Slowbro was slightly scared.

"Night Shade." Said Amanda. Haunter complied, and the attack did heavy damage on Slowbro.

"Try another Swift." Said Sabrina. However, the stars went right through Haunter and didn't affect it at all.

"Thunderbolt." Said Amanda. Haunter fired a yellow bolt from its mouth, and the attack caused a very tired Slowbro to faint.

"Oak must've taught Haunter an electric attack while it was at the lab." Amanda thought. Sabrina recalled her Slowbro and gave Amanda a smile.

"I must say, I'm quite impressed with our battle so far." She said. "Now, there's only one more hurdle for you to clear to get the badge." She threw her last ball and Kadabra popped out.

"I don't know if I've seen this one yet." Said Amanda and she took her Pokedex out.

"Kadabra, the Psi Pokemon. It emits alpha waves strong enough to induce headaches, and can even cause clocks to run backward, machines to malfunction, and delicate devices to cease functioning altogether. The waves increase further in strength the more danger Kadabra faces."

"Okay Haunter, let's do this." Said Amanda. "Psybeam, now!"

"Kadabra, you do the same." Sabrina ordered. Both attacks hit each other at the same time.

"Night Shade." Said Amanda.

"Teleport." Sabrina called. Haunter let out its attack, but Kadabra moved itself far away.

"Try another Psybeam, but long range this time." Said Amanda. Haunter unleashed another attack, but Kadabra teleported again. This time, it was a few feet in front of Haunter.

"Go for Hypnosis." Said Amanda. Haunter quickly closed its eyes and moved its hands around like a pendulum. Kadabra had been about to teleport again, but quickly focused itself on Haunter, and ended up falling asleep on the floor.

"Now then, Dream Eater." Said Amanda. Haunter unleashed a special beam, and with Kadabra fast asleep, Haunter was easily able to land the attack and suck up energy from Kadabra. When the psychic type Pokemon woke up and was wondering what had happened, he collapsed and fainted.

"Great job, Haunter!" cried Amanda. Sabrina recalled her Pokemon and walked over to Amanda.

"You gave me quite the battle, young lady, and that Haunter of yours is quite good." She took out an orange circular shaped badge and handed it to Amanda.

"This is the Marsh Badge, which is your evidence of defeating the Saffron City gym."

"Thanks a lot, Sabrina." Said Amanda.

"You're quite welcome." Said Sabrina. The trio walked out of the gym with their heads held high.

"Look at that, Pikachu. Our very own Marsh Badge." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'Congratulations, Amanda.'

"That Marsh Badge means you're now halfway to qualifying for the league competition." Said Michelle.

"So, where do we go now?" asked Amanda.

"I think our next stop should be Celadon City." Said Mark.

"That seems fine with me." Said Amanda, and they made their way out of Saffron. Well, that was quite the ordeal the girls had in this episode. But with Amanda now a little closer to being able to compete in the Pokemon League, the future is brighter than ever for her.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Seventeen

In the previous episode, our trio had quite an interesting adventure. The girls were both kidnapped by Team Rocket, but Mark managed to escape to safety. As for Team Rocket, they demanded that the Master Ball be handed over, not knowing that Mark had sent it to Professor Oak's laboratory. However, mark managed to find the girls unharmed, and our heroes sent team Rocket flying away yet again. Amanda then had her gym battle with Sabrina and won the Marsh Badge after an intense match. Now, our heroes are on their way to their next destination.

Professor Oak was sipping on a refreshing cup of coffee early in the morning.

"Ah, there's nothing like a good cup of coffee to begin the day." He said. He went to check on Amanda's Pokemon to see how they were doing. Magikarp and Tentacruel were happily swimming around in the little pond in Oak's backyard, while Spearow and Pidgeotto were making sure that no insects invaded the garden.

"Ah, you're all doing very well." He said and went back inside. He ate his breakfast and was about to start his work when he heard his phone ring. Rattata grabbed it with its' teeth and handed it to the professor.

"Thanks, Rattata." Said Oak. Rattata nodded its head and ran back off. Oak answered the phone and was greeted by an excited voice.

"Good morning, Professor!" exclaimed Amanda.

"Good morning, Amanda." Said Oak. "I take it that you have some good news to tell me?"

"I sure do!" Amanda cried and held out her new badge on the video screen. "I won this yesterday, so now I have four badges!"

"That's wonderful, Amanda." Said Oak.

"How are all of my Pokemon doing down there?" asked Amanda.

"They're all doing very well." Said Oak. "Your Spearow has been very useful as a guard bird."

"That's good to hear." Said Amanda. "Speaking of Spearow, I actually need to talk to you about that."

"Of course, Amanda." Said Oak.

"The next major location that my friends and I are heading to is Celadon City, and if I'm not mistaken, I think there's supposed to be a gym there?" Amanda wondered.

"You are absolutely correct." Said Oak. "Celadon is actually an incredibly viable choice for your next stop. Not only do they have a gym, but they also have a store that specializes in selling perfumes."

"Maybe Mama would like some of those perfumes." Said Amanda. "Anyway, back to business. Would it be possible for you to send Spearow over to me? I'll have my Haunter come back to you in exchange."

"That's not a problem at all." Said Professor Oak. "Let me get Spearow for you." He got up from the phone and headed out to the front garden.

"Spearow, can you come with me please?" Oak asked. Spearow nodded and perched itself on Oak's shoulder as he went back to the phone.

"Okay, I have your Spearow right here." Oak said.

"Awesome, professor!" cried Amanda. Oak got Spearow into his poke ball and the exchange was completed in no time.

"There you are, Amanda." Said Oak. "You know, I must say that I'm impressed with the amount of Pokemon that you've caught so far. In fact, I think you have more than what Ash had caught when he had earned his fourth badge himself."

"Well, some trainers like to catch more Pokemon than others." Said Amanda.

"That's very true." Said Oak. "Okay, I have to get to work, but keep doing your best. Catch as many more Pokemon as possible."

"Don't worry Professor, you can count on me!" Amanda cried excitedly. The call ended and Amanda happily skipped over to where Mark and Michelle were.

"Gee Amanda, you seem to be in very good spirits this morning." Michelle said.

"I'm just excited for my next gym match when we get to Celadon." Amanda said.

"I can tell, but it's going to take a bit of time for us to get there." Mark said.

"Exactly how long is it going to take?" Michelle wondered.

"From where we are right now, it's supposed to take at least a couple of days on foot, and that's including stops." Said Mark. Pikachu and Eevee's stomachs growled.

"Speaking of stops, I think we should have something to eat first before we go anywhere." Said Amanda.

"That's a good idea." Said Mark. He cooked them some delicious porridge and fed Pikachu and Eevee their Pokemon food. Once everyone had eaten, they started walking down the path. About twenty minutes in, the group was unexpectedly approached by a Fearow. It looked at each of them and asked worriedly "Fearow?" which meant 'Have any of you seen my little baby?'

"No, I'm afraid we haven't seen it." Said Michelle. "I don't even think there are any Spearow anywhere in this area." The Fearow was disappointed and was about to leave when Amanda held up a poke ball.

"Wait a second, Fearow." She said. "I'm not sure if this is your baby, but we'll see." She sent her Spearow out and allowed the Fearow to observe it carefully. It's eyes then lit up very excitedly.

"Fearow!" it cried, which meant 'My baby, I've missed you so much!'

"Spearow?" the Spearow asked in a confused tone, which meant 'What are you talking about?'

"Fearow." Fearow answered, which meant 'You look exactly like the Spearow that I've spent the last week looking for.'

"Spearow." Spearow said flatly, which meant 'I don't think I'm quite what you're looking for.' The Fearow didn't care, however. It grabbed the Spearow with the tip of its beak and started to fly away with it.

"Hey, that's not yours!" Mark cried. Fearow didn't hear him, however, and started to get further away.

"After it!" Michelle cried, and the three of them started chasing after both Spearow and Fearow. Fearow chuckled happily to itself thinking that its little trick had worked when it heard a voice from behind.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu launched its attack, but Fearow dodged it, and picked up speed. The trio continued running as fast as their legs would allow, but they quickly ran out of breath, and the Fearow was able to fly out of sight. The trio stopped running and went over to a nearby shady spot that was out of the sun.

"It's getting away." Michelle said sadly.

"What are we going to do now?" asked Mark.

"We'll have to try and figure out how to get Spearow back." Said Amanda.

"That might not be easy." Said Michelle. "The Fearow thinks that your Spearow is her baby."

"That's true, but it has to realize at some point that it's not hers. Once she does, she'll have to let it go." Said Amanda.

"I don't think we can just waltz up to the Fearow and say, 'Please give us back the Spearow.' She'll think that we're being too nice, and that Fearow isn't exactly what you call nice." Said Mark.

"Mark's right." Said Michelle. "Not only that, but we also don't even know where Spearow got taken to. I know how we can find out, though." She grabbed one of her own Poke Balls and sent out her Doduo.

"Doduo, I need you to fly into the air and see if you can spot Spearow and Fearow." Said Michelle. Doduo nodded and after backing up to take a running start, he flew up into the sky to track down Amanda's Pokemon.

"I hope Doduo's a fast flyer." Said Mark.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Will Spearow be okay?'

"I hope so, buddy." Said Amanda. Now, even though Doduo didn't have any wings, he didn't have any trouble flying. With the exception of a few wild Pidgeotto, the sky was mostly clear. Then, not too far ahead of him, he saw the Fearow heading for a nest at the top of a tall tree. Spearow was still being held tightly by Fearow's beak. They landed in the nest, with Doduo close behind. He watched everything that was starting to go on.

"Fearow!" the large bird cried, which meant 'I'm so happy to have you again!'

"Spearow." The small bird said, which meant 'I don't know what you're talking about, but I am NOT your baby that you've been looking for!'

"Fearow." Fearow said, which meant 'Of course you are. I never forget who my own child is.'

"Spearow spear!" Spearow cried, which meant 'For the last time, I don't belong to you! I belong to a nice trainer named Amanda. Let me go back to her right now. I'm sure she's very worried about me.' Fearow shook its head.

"Fearow." It said, which meant 'You don't belong to her anymore, so forget her. If she's as nice as she says she is, then she wouldn't just abandon you.'

"Spearow!" Spearow insisted, which meant 'Amanda would never do that. She knows how to treat Pokemon like they're her friends.'

"Fearow." Fearow replied, which meant 'You leave me no choice.' The big bird dug into the nest and pulled out a yo-yo. Fearow swung it back and forth, and somehow managed to convince Spearow that it didn't belong to Amanda anymore. The evidence was the fact that Spearow's eyes turned a bright red. Doduo couldn't believe what it was seeing and started to hurry back.

"I wonder what's taking Doduo so long." said Michelle. "I'm getting kind of worried about it."

"Do you suppose it got kidnapped too like the Spearow did?" Mark asked.

"I hope not." Amanda said. They continued to wait for Doduo's return, and twenty minutes later, it came back giving the loudest screech possible.

"Were you able to find something?" Michelle asked. Doduo nodded and pointed with its beak.

"Doduo says that Spearow got taken that way." Said Mark.

"Is that right?" Michelle said. Doduo nodded again and started running off again.

"Follow that bird!" Michelle cried, and they all took off running.

"Doduo." The tall wingless bird said, which meant 'Remember, we have to be careful.'

"We know." Said Amanda. They kept running all the way to the nest.

"I think I see Spearow." Amanda said. She started to wave and yell at it, but Michelle quickly covered her mouth.

"Not so loud." She said. "We don't want them to hear us." However, Spearow was already looking at the three of them intently and started squawking loudly.

"Spearow! Spearow!" It cried, which meant 'Intruders!' Fearow quickly went over to them and gave the trio an angry look.

"Fearow!" it yelled, which meant 'What do you want?'

"That Spearow you have up there isn't yours." Said Michelle. "It belongs to Amanda."

"Spearow?" the small bird asked in a confused tone, which meant 'Who's Amanda?' The trio dropped to the ground with a loud groan, but they quickly picked themselves up.

"She is!" Mark cried, pointing to her. "She's your friend, and she captured you a little while back." However, the Spearow shook its head.

"Spearow." It Said flatly, which meant 'I don't remember any of that.' Amanda was about to start yelling herself, but Michelle put her hand up.

"It's no good." She said. "For some reason, your Spearow doesn't seem to know you."

"Fearow." Fearow said in agreement, which meant 'That's right. Spearow is only loyal to me now, so I'll have to ask you to leave.' The trio sighed and walked away.

"I don't understand this." Amanda said. "How can Spearow not know me? Something about that doesn't seem right."

"Maybe Doduo has an answer." Said Mark.

"Doduo, when you saw Spearow get taken here, did you witness something else?"

"Doduo." The bird answered with a nod, and it re-enacted exactly what it had seen, including the part where Spearow's eyes had turned red.

"You mean to tell us that Spearow's been brainwashed?" Michelle asked.

"Doduo." Doduo said, which meant 'That's correct.'

"Thanks, Doduo." Said Michelle, and she recalled her Pokemon.

"Pikachu chu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'What does brainwash mean?'

"It means that Spearow has been tricked into thinking that it's not Amanda's Pokemon." Mark answered.

"There has to be some way to get Spearow back and for Fearow to realize the mistake that it made." Said Michelle. The three of them racked their brains together, and after about ten minutes, Amanda had an idea.

"Since Fearow tricked us, we'll have to trick it back and see how it reacts." She Said.

"How are we going to pull that off?" Michelle wondered.

"Maybe we can tell it that it's won a prize." Said Amanda.

"Like the prize I won from the game show that you and I were on?" Mark asked.

"Yes, exactly like that." Said Amanda.

"We can't just be ourselves, though, or else the Fearow will scare us away again." Said Michelle.

"That's a valid point." Said Amanda. She thought for a bit, and then she suddenly snapped her fingers. "I think I've got the answer!" Fearow, meanwhile, was trying to feed the Spearow some worms it had found while hunting.

"Fearow fear!" it cried, which meant 'Eat up!' Spearow looked at the worms and shook its head.

"Spearow spear." It said, which meant 'Let me make this clear right now. I don't eat worms.'

"Fearow!" Fearow exclaimed, which meant 'Nonsense. All birds have to eat worms. Now dig in.' Spearow didn't want to, but it had no choice as Fearow essentially force fed the worms down Spearow's throat. Spearow shook its head but swallowed the worms anyway.

"Fearow?" Fearow asked, which meant 'Well? How are they?'

"Spearow." Spearow answered, which meant 'A little salt next time wouldn't hurt.' Fearow breathed a sigh of relief as it was happy that the Spearow seemed to like the worms. Fearow then checked the area for surveillance and saw three people dressed up with trench coats and fedora hats. Those three were really Michelle, Mark and Amanda, but Fearow wasn't aware of that.

"Fearow!" Fearow screeched, which meant 'We have visitors.' Spearow kept watch as well and Fearow went to greet them.

"Fearow?" it asked, which meant 'Who are you three?'

"Greetings." Amanda said in a deep voice. "My colleagues and I are here on official business from the Pokemon Lovers Association."

"Spearow?" Spearow wondered, which meant 'I've never heard of that.' Next, it was Michelle's turn to talk in a deep voice.

"One of our fellow lovers has been wanting a Fearow for a long time and we think that you would be a perfect fit." She said. Finally, Mark spoke in a deep voice.

"If you were to come with us so our lover could meet you, he would appreciate it very much." He said. Fearow pondered all of this very carefully.

"What do you say, mister Fearow?" Amanda asked, still in her deep voice. Fearow shook its head.

"Fearow." It said, which meant 'No deal.' Michelle made an attempt to convince the Pokemon. She remembered to use her deep voice so as not to blow their cover.

"How about this." Michelle suggested. "If you come with us, we'll give you all the food you could ever need." Fearow liked the sound of that and nodded its head. Amanda excitedly pulled out a Poke Ball and threw it at the Fearow. The Pokemon was sucked inside and the ball landed on the ground beside her.

"I think it worked." Amanda whispered.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that yet." Said Michelle. The ball wiggled briefly, and then opened up. Fearow re-appeared in a blaze of white light and ripped off the disguises.

"Fearow!" Fearow screeched, which meant 'You can't trick me like that and expect to get away with it.' Fearow flew back up to the nest, and the three friends walked away to another spot close to the nest.

"How did that Fearow know it was us?" Amanda wondered.

"I think it figured out quickly even before you tried capturing it that we had tricked him and refused to fall for it." Said Michelle.

"Fearow tricked us first, though, and we still don't have Spearow back." Said Mark.

"Any more ideas?" asked Michelle.

"Since disguising ourselves didn't work, maybe a lullaby will." Said Amanda. She grabbed Clefairy's Poke Ball and threw it. Clefairy happily appeared in a blaze of light.

"Clefairy, do you see that nest down there?" Amanda asked. Clefairy looked around, and once she saw it, she nodded.

"That nest has both Fearow and my Spearow in it." Amanda explained. "What I need you to do is to use your Sing attack to put both of them to sleep so that one of us can climb to where the nest is and grab Spearow. Do you think you can do that for me?" Clefairy nodded and happily bounced up and down.

"Okay Clefairy, follow us." Said Michelle. The three of them went back over to the nest, with Clefairy close behind.

"Okay Clefairy, here's your chance." Said Amanda. "Wait until I introduce you first, though." She then called up to the top.

"Excuse me, Fearow." She said. Fearow turned to look at her.

"We have a special musical guest for you." Said Amanda. She nodded at Clefairy, and it began to sing its tune. Both Fearow and Spearow started listening to the melody without issue, but their eyelids soon grew heavy and fell asleep.

"Good job, Clefairy. Just keep it up." Amanda whispered. Unfortunately, the three of them also started yawning and fell asleep on the ground right next to the nest. Clefairy finished its tune, but was a little disappointed to find that everyone was asleep. Clefairy just shrugged its shoulders and went to sleep itself. The trio woke up two hours later feeling refreshed.

"Ah, that was a nice nap." Said Amanda. Clefairy woke up and pointed upwards.

"That's right. We forgot about this part because of the song Clefairy was singing." Said Michelle.

"Which of us is going to climb up to get Spearow?" Mark asked.

"Since it's my Pokémon, I'll do it." Said Amanda. "You two stay here with Clefairy."

"Clefairy." Clefairy said, which meant 'Good luck, Amanda.' Amanda carefully started to climb the tree. She went at a bit of a slow pace to ensure that she didn't get hurt. When she reached the top, she saw that both Fearow and Spearow were still snoozing peacefully.

"Good, they're still asleep." Amanda whispered. She slowly made her way over to Spearow and was about to pick him up when both Pokemon suddenly shot themselves wide awake and stared angrily at her.

"Nice weather today, isn't it?" Amanda said sheepishly.

"Fearow!" Fearow yelled, which meant 'Get out!' Amanda climbed back down and shook her head at her friends.

"No luck, huh?" said Michelle.

"Nope." Amanda replied.

"Clefairy?" Clefairy wondered, which meant 'Did I do all right?'

"You did fine Clefairy." Said Amanda. "You did what I asked, but it was bad luck that we fell asleep ourselves and ended up missing our chance. I'm still proud of you, though." Amanda returned Clefairy to its ball and pondered.

"There's one more thing that I think could work." She said. She then noticed a pile of rocks near where they were standing.

"Bingo!" she exclaimed, and grabbed a rock from the top of the pile.

"What are you doing now?" asked Michelle.

"Trying to knock some sense into my Pokemon." Amanda answered, and threw the rock at Spearow. It scored a direct hit, leaving the Pokemon with not only a bruise, but also even more angry.

"Spearow!" it yelled, and immediately flew down. It lay its eyes on Pikachu and was about to attack it when Michelle intervened.

"Leave Amanda's Pikachu alone!" she demanded. "It wasn't the one who threw the rock at you."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said firmly, which meant 'That's right!'

"Spearow?" Spearow asked angrily, which meant 'Then who did?'

"I did." Amanda answered. "Spearow, you're going to listen to me carefully because what I'm about to say will NOT be repeated."

"Spearow." Spearow said more gently, which meant 'I'm listening.'

"Ever since I caught you, you've been spending more time with Professor Oak at his lab than with me, but that's because I hadn't really needed you." Said Amanda. "What this Fearow did was to try and convince you that I don't exist. But guess what, I DO exist. I should know because I was the one who captured you. Don't you remember that day?" Spearow thought back to the day when Amanda had first caught it, and it also remembered how excited Amanda had been when that had happened. After Spearow's little flashback ended, it looked at Amanda and started to smile.

"When this Fearow here took you away from me, I was a bit upset. Now that we're back together, I need you to come back to me. You don't belong to this Fearow and you have to realize that." Spearow pondered a bit, then shook off the red brainwash glares that been stuck in its eyes and happily flew onto Amanda's shoulder.

"Welcome back to the team, Spearow!" Amanda cried happily. Michelle, Mark, Pikachu and Eevee were all happy to have Spearow back as well. That wasn't the case for Fearow, though, and it squawked loudly.

"Fearow!" it yelled, which meant 'What do you think you're doing? You come back to me this instant!'

"Spearow!" Spearow yelled, which meant 'No! I'm not listening to you anymore. I'm going back to Amanda where I rightfully belong and that's final!' The two birds continued to argue loudly at each other.

"I can't understand what they're saying, but I have a feeling Fearow still doesn't understand that Spearow belongs to me." Said Amanda. The two Pokemon continued their argument, which left Spearow exhausted. Then, it shook its head and started to glow a bright white. Amanda, Michelle and Mark all let out a collective gasp.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Amanda, look!' Spearow's body slowly started getting bigger. First, its feet got large, and its wings grew significantly. Its main body also got larger, followed by its beak, and finally, its head. Once the white light went away, Spearow had completely disappeared. In its place stood a brand new Fearow.

"Did you evolve just to prove a point to this other Fearow?" Amanda asked. Her own Fearow nodded and stared down the wild Fearow.

"It seems like the only way to settle their differences is with a one-on-one battle against each other." Said Michelle.

"If Fearow wants a battle, it's going to get one." Said Amanda. She was about to issue a command to Pikachu when her own Fearow got in front of her.

"Fearow!" it screeched, which meant 'Let me handle this.'

"You mean you want to battle, Fearow?" Amanda asked. Fearow nodded again.

"All right then, go!" Amanda cried. Both of the Fearow were determined to win, but Amanda's was especially motivated.

"Start with Wing Attack!" Amanda ordered. Her Fearow opened up its wings and dealt the other Fearow a blow. The wild Fearow was hardly fazed, though, and used Peck to poke at Amanda's Fearow.

"You use your own Peck attack too." Amanda commanded. Her Fearow obliged, but the other one dodged. Then, the battle reached a point where both Fearow started to copy each other. Amanda called for Razor Wind next, but the other Fearow blocked and countered with the same move. This also happened with the Swift and Sky Attack commands that Amanda gave. With so much dodging and countering going on, both Fearow got very tired.

"You have to end this now." Michelle said. "I don't think either of them can last much longer."

"Finish this up with Hyper Beam!" Amanda called. Her Fearow had just enough energy to launch a bright yellow laser beam at the wild Fearow, sending it tumbling to the ground. They waited a bit to see if the wild Fearow would get back up, and it did attempt to do so, but then collapsed and fainted, which officially made Amanda's Fearow the winner.

"You did it, Fearow!" Amanda cried. Her Fearow stood tall, but then it fainted itself.

"Poor thing. That battle really took a toll on it." Said Mark.

"I think Fearow needs a good rest now." Amanda said and recalled the Pokemon to its ball. Once the wild Fearow had taken some time to recover from the battle, it gave Amanda a gentle look.

"Fearow fear." It said, which meant 'I'm sorry I tried to take your Pokémon away from you.' It then explained how a couple of weeks ago, its own baby Spearow had been captured by Team Rocket, and it had felt lonely ever since. It also stated that this was the reason for kidnapping Amanda's Spearow when she and her friends had arrived, because she wanted the joy of having her baby with her again.

"Fearow." It said, which meant 'That's the whole story. Can you please forgive me?'

"Look, I'm sorry about what happened to your baby, but that doesn't give you the right to steal my Pokémon." Said Amanda. "I do accept your apology, though."

"Fearow." Said Fearow, which meant 'Thank you very much.'

"You're welcome." Said Amanda.

"Come on guys, I think it's time we get a move on." Said Michelle, and the trio started walking away. Fearow waved to the three of them.

"Fearow!" it called, which meant 'Good luck on your journey!'

"Thank you." Amanda said, waving back in return. "I hope your baby returns to you someday."

"Fearow." Fearow said, which meant 'Thank you.' It watched the three young trainers disappear out of sight before retreating back to its nest. What a wild adventure we had in this chapter. Thanks to Spearow's evolution, Amanda now has a Fearow of her own. Lots of adventures still lie ahead for our trio, so come back next time and see what happens next.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Eighteen

Last time, Amanda's Spearow was taken away by the wild Fearow, as it was under the assumption that it was identical to the baby Spearow that the Fearow had lost. But through careful convincing, and trying to refresh Spearow's memory a bit, it evolved into a Fearow itself, and the wild Fearow had to let go. The wild Fearow then apologized to Amanda and her friends and wished them well on their adventure. The road lies open for our heroes as their journey continues on.

Today, we find our young trio still en route towards Celadon City. Pikachu and Eevee were happily walking side by side with each other when Pikachu saw something that looked interesting.

"Pikachu!" it cried, which meant 'Check this out!'

"I wonder what Pikachu found." Said Amanda.

"I wonder the same thing myself." Said Michelle.

"Let's have a look." Said Mark. Amanda, Mark, Michelle, Pikachu, and Eevee all ran toward what the little electric mouse was talking about. Much to their surprise, they found a stage that was in the process of being set up.

"It's very odd to see a stage being built in the middle of nowhere like this." Said Amanda.

"Normally, you'd see these in performing centers." Said Michelle.

"I wonder whose stage this is, anyway." Said Mark.

"That would be mine." Said a voice from the side. The trio turned around and saw the person who had spoken.

"Eevee?" Eevee pondered, which meant 'Who are you?'

"My name's Abby. I'm a magician." The girl said.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'What does a magician do?'

"A magician performs magic tricks and other cool things." Amanda explained.

"Well, that's what they're supposed to do." Said Abby. "However, I haven't been able to get anything right. Just watch this." She took her magic wand out and waved it to try and make some flowers appear, but nothing happened.

"See, I can't even do the most basic of tricks." Abby said dejectedly. "How am I ever going to perform my act in front of big audiences when I can't get a single trick to work?" And then, she started crying.

"I know we just met her, but I already feel sorry for her." Amanda whispered to Michelle.

"Same here." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Why is she crying?'

"She's just upset because no matter what she does to perfect her act, it's not working." Said Mark.

"I say we help her out." Said Amanda suggested. Mark and Michelle agreed, and Amanda went over to console the girl.

"Cheer up, Abby." She said. "Nobody's perfect."

"Who asked for your opinion?" said Abby flatly.

"Nobody, but I want to try and help you." Said Amanda. "First off, let's compare performing magic to Pokemon battling. Not everyone's good with battles at first, but the more they try, the better they get. It's the same thing with magic. You're not going to get every trick right the first time, but if you really work at it, you can perfect your act so that your tricks will be really good. Now, let's see if I can make those tears of yours disappear. Can I borrow your wand for a second?" Abby sadly nodded and gave the wand to Amanda.

"I wonder what kind of spell I could use." Amanda said. She thought for a second before coming up with a solution. She waved the wand and started saying the spell. "On this beautiful sunny day, make our new friend's tears go away!" She pointed the wand at Abby, and she suddenly stopped crying. Her tears were no longer visible either.

"Hey, it worked!" Amanda cried. She gave the wand back to Abby and asked. "Do you feel better now?"

"A little bit." Said Abby.

"If I can do a simple magic trick, then so can you." Said Amanda. "Try doing the flower trick again." Abby tried waving her wand, but once again, nothing happened.

"I can't do it!" Abby cried. "I know I can't!" That was when Michelle decided to give her opinion.

"You can, and you will." She said. "To me, it sounds like you're ready to give up and quit cold turkey, and we're not going to let you do that because quitting never gets you anywhere."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'Michelle has a point.'

"That's why we're all going to do our best to make sure that you get good at what you're trying to accomplish." Said Mark.

"I think what you need is a specific Pokemon to help you out with your magic tricks." Said Amanda.

"What type of Pokemon would possibly fit that qualification?" Abby wondered.

"A psychic type would be my best guess." Said Mark.

"Well then, let's go find one." Said Michelle, and off they went. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were sitting on a branch at the top of a nearby tree watching them with their binoculars.

"Looks like those kids found a magician." Said Sally.

"And one that's not very good either." Said Conrad.

"How would you know?" Sally asked.

"I saw that kid crying her eyes out after failing at her flower trick." Conrad answered.

"If you were watching her, then why didn't you say anything?" said Sally.

"She was already upset as it is, and I didn't want to make things worse." Conrad countered.

"Good point." Said Sally. "When those kids get back, we have plenty of tricks in store for them."

"What kind of tricks?" Conrad wondered.

"Oh, mainly the one where we steal both Pikachu and Eevee." Said Sally. "Come on, time to conjure up some spells." They got down from the tree and Sally started walking away.

"While we're conjuring, do you think I could get a burger and fries somewhere around here?" Sally growled and gave him a light smack.

"Ow!" Conrad cried. Sally dragged him away with her.

"Let's go." She ordered. Michelle, Amanda, Mark, and Abby reached a small forest that had a bit of a darker background.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said in a slightly frightened tone, which meant 'This place is a little scary.'

"We shouldn't be in here too long, buddy." Amanda reassured her partner. "We just need to find a psychic type Pokemon for Abby so that she can improve her magic skills."

"In a forest like this, chances are pretty high that we'll be able to find what you're looking for." Said Michelle.

"I hope you're right." Said Abby. They continued to search but couldn't find anything. After about twenty minutes, a wild Paras jumped out at them.

"I hate bug Pokemon." Abby said. "Please do something about that Paras."

"Don't worry, I've got you covered." Said Amanda, and she sent out her Nidoran.

"Poison Sting." Amanda called out. Nidoran shot sharp needles from its horn, all of which kept hitting Paras before it could do anything. Once the needle barrage was done, Paras fainted.

"Thanks, Amanda." Said Abby.

"No problem." Said Amanda. She recalled Nidoran and they continued on their way. Ten more minutes went by before encountering another Paras. Amanda once again sent Nidoran out to battle it, and just like the first time, a single Poison Sting knocked it out. Amanda recalled Nidoran again and they went down a different path.

"We're zero for two in finding what you want." Said Michelle.

"They say the third time's the charm, though." Said Mark. They kept walking, and after another fifteen minutes, they finally came across a Hypno.

"There you go, Abby." Said Amanda. "Hypno's a psychic type, so this could help you out."

"Do you have any Pokemon on you that can do well against Hypno?" Michelle asked. Abby nodded.

"I've got just the one." She said and threw a Poke Ball.

"I choose you, Charmeleon!" she cried. The fire type, which was a bit larger than Charmander, as well as a darker shade of red, appeared in a blaze of light. Amanda took out her Pokedex and aimed it at Charmeleon so she could scan it.

"Charmeleon, the Flame Pokemon. Charmeleon mercilessly destroys its enemies using its sharp claws. If it gets into an excited state, the flame at the tip of its tail flares with a bluish white color."

"With that kind of power, Charmeleon should be able to give Hypno a good fight." Mark said.

"Let's see what happens." Said Amanda. Abby readied herself and began the battle.

"Charmeleon, start with a Slash attack!" Abby ordered. Charmeleon used its claws to leave powerful scratch marks on Hypno's body. Hypno's eyes briefly glared blue and aimed at the fire type's claws.

"Go for another Slash." Abby ordered. Charmeleon readied himself again, but instead of attacking, it just stayed where it was.

"Why aren't you doing what I'm telling you to do?" Abby asked.

"Because Hypno used its Disable attack." Said Michelle. "That means the last attack your Charmeleon used, which was Slash, can't be performed for a little while."

"We'll have to do something else then." Said Abby. Hypno used its fist to pound Charmeleon and send it to the ground. The fire type was tough, though, and got back up immediately.

"Use your Flamethrower attack." Abby said. Charmeleon shot a line of fire right at Hypno, but it countered with Reflect to block the attack.

"That didn't work very well." Said Amanda. Hypno then powered up for a Mega Punch, but Charmeleon was able to get out of the way before the attack could land.

"Not only is her Charmeleon powerful but it's fast too." Said Amanda. Mark had his Charmander come out to watch the rest of the battle.

"I want you to take mental notes of all of this because you're going to be a Charmeleon yourself someday." Said Mark. On the field, Abby was in full concentration mode.

"Let's go, Charmeleon." She said. "Use your Leer attack." Charmeleon glared at Hypno and was able to lower its defense just a little bit. Hypno's eyes glared blue again, but this time Charmeleon felt it with his whole body.

"I wonder what that did." Said Michelle.

"We're about to find out." Said Abby. "Go for another Flamethrower!" Charmeleon got ready to shoot another line of fire at the psychic type, but instead, Charmeleon started bouncing up and down.

"Huh?" asked Abby.

"A jumping jack attack?" Amanda wondered.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I'm puzzled too.' Abby sighed.

"Oh no. Charmeleon thinks it's a Magikarp." She said.

"Looks like that last attack Hypno used caused Charmeleon to get confused, which is why it's jumping so much." Said Mark.

"Pikachu pi." Pikachu said, which meant 'That's embarrassing.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed in agreement. Abby tried to get Charmeleon to snap out of its confusion.

"Listen to me, Charmeleon." She said. "You are NOT a Magikarp. So, stop hopping around like that and attack!" Charmeleon stopped jumping and opened up its mouth. It used Ember to do more damage, and then, a large, yellow ball with small red flames started forming.

"What's Charmeleon doing now?" Michelle wondered. Amanda took out her Pokedex to check.

"This attack is called Rage. It is one of Charmeleon's most powerful moves."

"Wow, that's pretty awesome!" Amanda cried.

"Okay Charmeleon, unleash that Rage attack!" Abby ordered. Charmeleon sent the huge ball of fire right at the Hypno, which did major damage upon hitting it.

"Finish it with Mega Punch." Abby called. Charmeleon moved its fist backward, and then gave Hypno a powerful punch that sent it to the ground completely knocked out. Abby fired a Poke Ball at Hypno, and the psychic type got sucked inside. The ball wiggled for a bit, with all four trainers looking on to see if the catch would be successful. A few seconds later, the ball stopped wiggling and dinged, which meant a successful catch.

"We just scored ourselves a Hypno!" cried Abby as she picked up the ball. Charmeleon struck a victory pose.

"Well done, Abby." Said Amanda.

"Great catch." Said Mark, who recalled Charmander.

"Thanks, guys." Said Abby, and she recalled Charmeleon. "Now that Hypno's on my side, I should be able to perfect my act."

"Let's get back to that stage area so you can do a bit of practice, just to make sure." Said Michelle.

"Good idea." Said Mark. The group made their way out of the forest, but when they got back to the stage, they were in for a surprise. Conrad and Sally were already there, and they were dressed in special costumes.

"Welcome to our special magic show." Sally said in a cheerful voice.

"Our show is unique in which all of our tricks involve the audience's Pokemon." Said Conrad.

"I've never heard of that kind of show." Said Amanda.

"My act is supposed to be just generic tricks, without any Pokemon involvement except for my own." Said Abby.

"I guess that's what makes these two different." Said Michelle.

"That's correct, young lady." Said Conrad.

"Now, if you'll take your seats, we can begin the show." Said Sally. Abby, Michelle, Mark, and Amanda all sat on the ground and the show began.

"Welcome one and all to our special show." Said Sally. "We perform our magic with a bit of a twist, and my partner here will explain."

"All of the tricks that you see today involve Pokemon that belong to the audience." Said Conrad.

"For our first act, I'm looking for two certain Pokemon." Said Sally. She looked around the whole audience and zoned in on Pikachu and Eevee.

"You two will do very nicely." Sally said. "Please come up to the stage."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said nervously, which meant 'I don't know about this.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed with the same hint of nervousness, which meant 'I feel the same way right now, Pikachu.'

"Relax guys, it'll be fine." Michelle whispered to both partner Pokemon. Pikachu and Eevee made their way onto the stage and noticed a box in the middle of the floor.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'What's that for?'

"A master magician never gives away their secrets." Said Sally. "Now both of you hurry up and get in the box. We don't have all day, you know."

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'I still think this is a trap.'

"Us? Trap two adorable Pokemon like you? Never." Said Conrad.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'Come on, Eevee, let's get this over with.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Whatever you say, Pikachu.' The two Pokemon carefully stepped into the box and waited to see what would happen next.

"This is what we like to call our special vanishing act." Said Sally. She placed a cover over the box and took out her wand. "With a simple wave of this wand, these Pokemon will disappear." She cleared her throat, said some magic words, and waved her wand. The box instantly disappeared in a puff of smoke.

"Wow, that was so cool!" Abby cried.

"I don't think it was that cool." Said Amanda. She got up from where she was sitting and started going up onto the stage.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Conrad asked.

"Unless you're a Pokemon, get back into the audience." Said Sally. Amanda ignored their orders and stood in front of them with her arms folded.

"Since you two are so good at making Pikachu and Eevee disappear, let's see how well you do with making them re-appear." She said flatly. Conrad and Sally quickly shooed her off the stage and quickly packed up their things.

"Ladies and gentlemen, due to circumstances beyond our control, we unfortunately have to cancel the rest of today's show." Sally said sheepishly, and the two of them dashed off.

"Those two definitely looked very familiar to me." Said Amanda.

"They were also suspicious too." Said Michelle. Mark pointed to an object that was near the left side of the stage.

"Guys, look over there!" he yelled. Sure enough, there was Conrad and Sally's balloon, and it was just starting to take off.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Help!' Then, they heard evil laughter from inside, followed by the sound of Conrad and Sally throwing away their costumes.

"I knew it!" Amanda cried. "Those so called 'magicians' were really Team Rocket this whole time!"

"Team Rocket? Never heard of them." Said Abby.

"They're bad people who are up to no good, and right now, they have both my Pikachu and Michelle's Eevee!" Amanda cried.

"Don't worry guys!" Michelle called out. "We'll save you!"

"Pikachu, try using your Thunderbolt." Said Amanda.

"Eevee, ram the side of the box with your Tackle attack." Michelle ordered. Both Pokemon did as they were told, only for the electricity to be ineffective. Eevee's tackle was also no good. Conrad and Sally both laughed.

"I'm glad we made this box super strong." Said Conrad.

"Not just strong, but shockproof too." Said Sally.

"They're going to get away." Michelle said sadly.

"Not on my watch they won't!" Abby cried and threw a ball.

"Hypno, front and center now!" she called out. Hypno, who had recovered from the earlier battle, appeared in a blaze of light.

"Hypno, use Confusion!" Abby commanded. Hypno calmly closed its eyes and placed a bright blue glow on the balloon to bring it down.

"What's happening?" Conrad wondered. He tried to steer the balloon upwards, but Hypno wouldn't let him. He slowly used his attack to make the balloon land on the ground.

"Good work, Hypno." Said Abby. "Now, make them open the box with Hypnosis." Hypno swung its yo-yo back and forth at Conrad and Sally. Their eyes shut halfway, and they moved over to the box so that it could be opened.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'We're free!' The two Pokemon ran over to their trainers, who scooped them up into a big hug. Then, Amanda got out a Poke Ball.

"Oh Team Rocket, we have a little magic trick of our own to show you." She said and threw the ball. Fearow popped out and used its beak to peck at them.

"Ow! Ouch!" They both cried. Mark and Abby then sent out their respective fire types.

"Charmander!" Mark called.

"Charmeleon!" Abby called.

"Double Flamethrower!" they both yelled. Both fire Pokemon sent large lines of fire at them, giving them a good scorching.

"Now for something to cool down that fire." Amanda said and sent out her Squirtle.

"Water Gun now!" she cried. Squirtle aimed a line of water at the two crooks, making them completely drenched.

"And now for the grand finale." Said Amanda. "Fearow, use your Hyper Beam!" Fearow opened its beak and prepared to fire the yellow laser beam. Conrad and Sally panicked.

"I can't watch!" Sally cried, and she closed her eyes. Right at that moment, Fearow shot the beam right in Team Rocket's direction, sending both them and the balloon flying into the air.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried. DING!

"Way to go, guys!" Amanda cried. Pikachu, Eevee, Hypno, Squirtle, Fearow, Charmander and Charmeleon all gave happy cheers as well. The gang recalled their Pokemon and went back over to the stage.

"Thanks to you, guys, I feel more confident in my ability to perform my act." Said Abby.

"We're glad that we could help, Abby." Said Michelle.

"To show my gratitude, I want to try one last trick on you." Said Abby.

"I hope it's not one that'll get Pikachu and Eevee kidnapped again." Said Michelle.

"Don't worry, this one doesn't involve any Pokemon at all." Said Abby, and then she looked at Amanda's dress.

"As cool as that looks, I think it needs some touching up a bit." Said Abby. "It could use a little 'spark' if you know what I mean." She waved her wand, and some yellow hand painted thunderbolts instantly appeared on the skirt of the dress.

"Hey, it worked this time!" she cried.

"You see, Abby, I knew you could do it." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I knew you could do it too.'

"With a little more practice, as well as that extra confidence boost, you can make the big time just like you always wanted." Said Mark.

"That's right." Said Abby. "Well, I should get to work on rehearsing. I hope we see each other again soon."

"I hope so too." Said Amanda. The trio said their goodbyes to Abby and went on their way. One more adventure finished, and one more new friend made along the way. Sometimes a little shot in the arm is just what a person needs to be confident in their abilities. Team Rocket, on the other hand, had landed in a Pidgeotto nest.

"Well, our magic show certainly went up in a puff of smoke." Said Sally.

"I guess we're just not cut out to be magicians." Said Conrad. Their loud complaining, however, had woken up the group of Pidgeotto that had been sleeping.

"Uh Sally, any chance you have another trick up your sleeve to make these birds disappear?" Conrad wondered. The lead Pidgeotto glared angrily at them and started pecking them extremely hard.

"Ouch! Ouch!" They both cried. "Hey, leave us alone! Someone stop these Pidgeotto!"

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Nineteen

In our previous adventure, the group came across a young girl named Abby, a magician in training. However, none of her tricks were going right and our heroes had to boost up her confidence. To do so, they took her into a dark forest where she caught a Hypno. However, Team Rocket was up to some trickery themselves and disguised themselves as magicians in their latest attempt to capture Pikachu and Eevee. Abby's new Hypno used its psychic abilities to stop them, however, and she now had the boost she needed to become a good magician. As for our heroes, it's off to another adventure.

Mark, Amanda and Michelle were strolling through a large grassy area and enjoying the sunshine.

"We've been on a great streak of nice weather lately." Mark observed.

"Good weather's important for venturing on a Pokemon journey." Said Amanda.

"Indeed." Michelle agreed.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon we'll run into in this area." Said Amanda. She didn't have to wonder for very long, because after another five minutes had passed, a Pokemon with a yellow bell-shaped body jumped out at them. The Pokemon had three small green spots above its eyes and small, brown hook-shaped stem on top of its head.

"This one definitely looks more friendly than that Fearow we ran into a few days ago." Said Amanda, and she took out her Pokedex to scan it.

"Weepinbell, the flycatcher Pokemon. Weepinbell camouflages itself as a plant in the forest whilst awaiting an unwary victim. When its prey draws near it sprays poison powder to immobilize the target before melting it with its internal acids."

"You're such a nice Pokemon." Said Michelle. She knelt down to pet it, which Weepinbell appreciated.

"Bell." It said, which meant 'Thank you.'

"You know, I don't think I've caught a grass type yet, so this would be a perfect addition to my team." Said Amanda. She grabbed a Poke Ball from her waist and threw it.

"Nidoran, I choose you!" she called. The small poison type appeared in a blaze of light.

"Nidoran, use Poison Sting!" Amanda called. Nidoran shot its sharp needles from its horn, but Weepinbell countered with Razor Leaf to block them from hitting it. Weepinbell then shot out a vine from its stem and hit Nidoran repeatedly with it.

"That's Weepinbell's Vine Whip." Mark said.

"Hang in there, Nidoran." Said Amanda. "Use your Tackle attack!" Nidoran shook off the attack it had been hit with and charged at Weepinbell with a hard tackle. It knocked Weepinbell back a bit, but the grass type was tough. It then sprayed some blue powder all over Nidoran and made it fall asleep.

"There's Weepinbell's Sleep Powder." Said Michelle.

"Come on Nidoran, try to wake up." Said Amanda. Nidoran was happily snoozing away, though, and Weepinbell took advantage of its opportunity by using Slam to lay itself on top of the poison type. The loud noise caused Nidoran to wake up immediately and sting the grass type with Horn Attack.

"That's it, Nidoran!" cried Amanda. "Now, go for Take Down!" Nidoran ran hard at Weepinbell and sent the small grass type backwards. Amazingly, Weepinbell still wasn't knocked out.

"That's a strong Weepinbell there." Said Mark.

"I can see." Said Amanda. Weepinbell tried using Poison Powder, but it didn't affect Nidoran due to its poison typing.

"Another Poison Sting!" Amanda called. Nidoran shot more needles from its horn, and this time, they hit Weepinbell's body. The last needle hit so hard that Weepinbell began to feel a little funny.

"Looks like it's poisoned." Said Michelle. Weepinbell used Mega Drain to regain some of its energy, but the poison started taking effect, essentially negating the attack.

"Another Tackle, Nidoran!" Amanda called. Nidoran tackled Weepinbell harder than before, and although Weepinbell still didn't get knocked out by the attack itself, the poison took effect again and caused the grass type to faint. Amanda wasted no time grabbing an empty Poke Ball from her backpack.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried, and threw the ball at Weepinbell. The small plant Pokemon got sucked inside, and the ball started wiggling. Amanda, Mark, Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee all looked on to see if the catch would be successful. The ball wiggled a little more and then made a ding sound to indicate a successful catch.

"All right! I caught a Weepinbell!" she cried and struck a victory pose.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Congratulations!'

"Thanks, Pikachu." Said Amanda. She got her Pokedex back out and hit the button that sent Dratini to Professor Oak's lab. She then picked up the Poke Ball containing her new capture and put it on her waist.

"Welcome to the team, Weepinbell." She said.

"Nidoran?" Nidoran wondered, which meant 'Did I go a good job?' Amanda smiled at the little poison type.

"You did great, Nidoran." She said and recalled it to its Poke Ball.

"I can't wait to tell Professor Oak about my new catch." Amanda said, and they started walking again. They soon arrived in Celadon City.

"Wow, this place is even bigger than Saffron City was." Said Amanda.

"People say that it's the largest city in this entire region." Said Mark. "There's plenty of things to do here such as shopping at the department store and gambling at the casino."

"Too bad we're not old enough for that yet." Said Michelle.

"There's also a gym here, too." Mark said.

"Then that's where I'm headed so I can get my next badge." Said Amanda. "Come on, guys!" She started to run off, with Michelle and Mark following after her. Celadon City's gym was a circular shaped building with the top of a Gloom's head making up the roof. The trio were in for a disappointment when they arrived there, however.

"Don't tell me this one's closed too." Amanda said. Michelle tried opening the doors, but they were locked.

"Yep, it's closed." She said.

"I guess your gym battle will have to wait until later." Said Mark. "Come on, let's find the Pokemon Center." They headed off in a northbound direction, but with how big the city was, they had to do a lot of walking. After forty-five minutes, they finally located the center. Nurse Joy greeted them warmly.

"Hello. Is this your first visit to Celadon City?" she asked.

"It sure is." Said Amanda, and she gave Joy her Pokemon so they could be healed up. While that was going on, the group called up Professor Oak.

"Hello there." Amanda said.

"Hello, Amanda." Said Oak. "How are you and your friends doing today?"

"We're doing great, Professor." Said Amanda. "Did my Dratini make it there safely?"

"It sure did." Said Oak. "I'm actually glad you sent it to me because Pokemon of this kind don't get to be here very often."

"I guess Dratini has a bit of a history, doesn't it?" Amanda asked.

"Very much so." Said Oak. "Dragon Pokemon have been around for years, centuries even. They're so rare because they usually live in secluded areas that nobody can get to. If you don't mind, I'd like for Dratini to stay here so I can research its history and background in full."

"I don't mind at all, Professor." Said Amanda. Pikachu jumped in front of Amanda and waved hello.

"Good to see you too, Pikachu." Said Oak. "I'm glad you're doing well today."

"Oh, Professor, before I forget, I caught a Weepinbell right before we arrived in Celadon." Said Amanda.

"That's very good, Amanda." Said Oak. "I'm sure you'll do a fantastic job raising it. Well, I should get to work on researching Dratini. Good luck out there, Amanda."

"Thanks, Professor." Said Amanda, and she hung up.

"Well, since the gym isn't open right now, what should we do?" asked Michelle.

"Mark, you said something earlier about shopping, right?" Amanda asked.

"That's right." Said Mark.

"I guess we can check out the department store." Said Amanda. A short ding tone was then heard, meaning her Pokemon were all healed up. She grabbed her Poke Balls from Nurse Joy, and the three of them went on their way.

"How big is the department store?" Michelle asked.

"It's pretty big." Said Mark. "They have a variety of different sections."

"Do they have perfume in there by any chance?" asked Amanda.

"They should." Mark answered.

"I could probably buy some, then, and send it to Mama." Said Amanda.

"That's not a bad idea." Said Michelle. They had to walk for a long while to get to the store, but when they arrived, they were amazed at how big the building was.

"This place is huge." Mark observed.

"Just wait until you see how many different stores there are." Said Michelle. They went inside and saw that the place was bustling with people. Pikachu and Eevee both took notice of the huge crowd.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I hope I don't get lost in here.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'I hope not either.'

"Don't worry, guys, we're all going to stick together." Said Michelle.

"In the event we do get lost, though, try to find a security guard and ask for help." Said Amanda.

"Look at how many floors there are." Said Mark. He was looking at a map, which showed that there were at least seven floors.

"That must mean they have a lot of different stores." Said Amanda.

"Where should we go first?" asked Michelle.

"I did say that I wanted to look at some perfume." Said Amanda. She checked the directory and saw that the store she wanted was on the fourth floor. They made their way into the store and started smelling all the different perfumes.

"These all smell so good." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee sniffed around too and gave a thumbs up in agreement. Mark even had a whiff himself.

"You're right about these smelling nice." He said. "I can see why girls like this stuff a lot." A tall young woman came up to them just then.

"Well, I'm glad you all have respect for our perfume selection." She said. They turned around to look at the woman, who was wearing a pink kimono with red flowers and a red headband sat in the middle of her blue hair.

"A young man and his two friends passed by here last year, and he had no respect for the perfume at all." The woman continued. Of course, she was referring to the one and only Ash Ketchum and his friends Misty and Brock.

"Well, everybody has different likes and interests." Said Michelle.

"I don't disagree with you, but that's still no reason to disrespect our perfume." The woman said. "By the way, my name's Erika."

"It's very nice to meet you, Erika." Said Amanda.

"You don't run the gym here by any chance, do you?" asked Michelle.

"I sure do." Said Erika. "As I'm sure you all noticed, today's my day off from being the gym leader."

"That would probably explain why it was closed." Said Mark.

"Gym leaders sometimes have second jobs." Said Erika. "For example, I work here three times a week, and the other three days, I run the gym. If you'll come with me, I'll show you around the store." Amanda, Mark, Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee all followed Erika through the store. She explained about all the different perfumes and how each of them were made. At the end of the tour, she held up a special bottle.

"This is our number one seller here." Erika said. "It's called Essence of Gloom."

"I always thought Gloom let out a terrible smell." Said Mark. Erika chuckled.

"No, it only does that when it feels threatened." She said. "Other than that, Gloom smells perfectly fine. When we first started selling this perfume last year, nobody liked it because of the bad smell that was originally used. After we made some changes, though, it's been selling much better and people like it now."

"That's good to hear." Said Michelle.

"Well, what did you think of the tour?" Erika asked.

"I thought it was very interesting." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'It was pretty good. What do you think, Eevee?'

"Eevee." Eevee nodded, which meant 'I liked seeing all the different fragrances.'

"Looks like your Pokemon enjoyed the tour too." Said Erika.

"Erika, would I be able to buy one of the perfumes?" Amanda asked.

"Certainly." Erika answered. "Which one would you like?"

"I'm not too sure." Said Amanda. "They're all so good that I can't really decide." Pikachu pointed to a bottle in the middle of the shelf.

"Pikachu!" he said, which meant 'Get this one.'

"Are you sure, Pikachu?" Amanda asked. Pikachu nodded.

"I hope you're making the right choice." Said Amanda. She chose the perfume that Pikachu had pointed to and paid for it with the funds on her trainer card.

"There you go." Said Erika. "Is there anything else I can do for you?"

"I'd like for this to be sent to my mama if possible." Said Amanda.

"That's no problem." Said Erika. "I just need to know what city you're from so I can mark it on the label."

"I'm from Fuchsia City." Said Amanda. Erika wrote it down on the label, put the perfume in the box, wrapped up the package and shipped it off.

"Okay, you're all set." Said Erika.

"Thanks, Erika." Said Amanda. "I hope to see you at the gym soon." The three of them left the perfume store and went back into the mall.

"Where should we go next?" asked Michelle.

"I think there might be a section in here that sells video games." Said Mark.

"Oh yeah, we kind of forgot that you're a gaming nerd." Said Michelle. They looked at the directory again, and much to their luck, the store Mark wanted was on the exact same floor they were on.

"That's definitely convenient." Said Mark. They didn't have too far to walk to the store, and when they got inside, they found all sorts of games. Most of them were for the Nintendo 64, of course, but there were a few Super Nintendo titles available.

"I do seem to remember when we first met him that he has a Nintendo 64 system." Said Amanda.

"I remember that as well." Said Michelle. Mark then spotted a game that got all of their attention.

"This would definitely be fun for a game night with friends." He said. On the box was a picture of the famous Mario about to hit a dice block.

"This one's Mario Party." Said Mark.

"Have I heard of this before?" asked Amanda.

"I don't think so because it's a new franchise." Said Mark.

"I thought you only liked Pokemon games." Said Michelle.

"I do, but I like other games too." Said Mark. "Besides, I need to have a variety of different games, not just necessarily ones of the same genre."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'He has a point.'

"How are you even going to play that when you don't even have your system with you?" asked Amanda.

"It's easy." Said Mark. "I can have this sent back to my house and my mom can put in somewhere in my room for safekeeping."

"In other words, the same thing I did with the perfume I bought earlier." Said Amanda.

"Exactly like that." Said Mark. He went up to the counter and paid for the game. He then asked for it to be sent to his home address, which the clerk had no problem doing. The three of them then left the store.

"All right, Michelle, it's your turn to choose a store." Said Amanda. Michelle looked at the directory carefully. However, she was taking a bit longer than normal to decide.

"There's so many sores on this certain floor." She said. "I'm honestly not sure which of these I want to go to." Eevee nudged her leg a little bit.

"Eevee?" she squealed, which meant 'Are you all right, Michelle?' Michelle smiled at her small partner.

"Don't worry, Eevee. I'm just having trouble trying to decide, that's all." Michelle answered.

"You better decide on something soon, Michelle. We don't have all day." Said Mark.

"Don't rush me." Said Michelle. She looked more carefully, and then finally pointed to a shop on the second floor.

"There's something here that looks interesting." Said Michelle. They made their way down to floor number two and started making their way over to the store she had been talking about. When they got there, a smile lit up on her face.

"A store that sells Pokemon." She said. "It's always been a dream of mine to see something like this." They went inside and saw a bunch of Poke Balls on the shelf.

"I don't understand, why aren't there any actual Pokemon on any of the shelves?" Amanda asked.

"It's for safety reasons." Said the clerk, who was a very kind young woman in her mid-twenties. "If the Pokemon in these balls were to be shown on the shelves, there could be potential problems. Not all of them are like that, though. Fortunately, all of these ones have been caught and tamed so that they'll obey anyone that purchases one of these."

"That's good to know." Said Mark.

"I wonder which one I should pick." Said Michelle. She started looking over the Poke Balls, and Mark pulled Amanda aside.

"It's good that she's happy, but I don't think it's a good idea for her to get one of those right now." Mark whispered.

"Why not?" Amanda asked.

"I can't tell you, because that'll ruin the surprise." Mark whispered. "We can let her look, though." The two of them went back over to Michelle.

"They all look like good Pokemon I could use." Said Michelle.

"May I show you some pictures of what we have?" the clerk asked. "That may influence your decision a little more." She opened up an album and showed the gang some photos of what was available.

"Some of them look so cute." Said Amanda.

"Eevee?" Eevee wondered, which meant 'Are they cuter than me?'

"No Pokemon could ever be cuter than you, Eevee." Michelle reassured her partner. Eevee breathed a sigh of relief. The clerk finished showing the pictures and put the book away.

"Well, now that you've seen what's available, is there any particular Pokemon that you'd like to have?" she asked. Michelle was about to answer when Mark intervened.

"I think we need a little more time." He said.

"That's no problem." The clerk said. "Take as much time as you need." The three of them left the store empty handed.

"Well, now that all of us have had a turn going to a store we wanted, I guess there's not really anything left to do in here." Said Amanda. Pikachu's stomach growled, as did Eevee's.

"You might want to re-think that." Said Michelle.

"I guess you two are both hungry, aren't you?" Amanda said.

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'Very hungry.'

"Eevee." Eevee said, which meant 'Me too.'

"Let's find somewhere to eat." Said Michelle. They looked at the directory for the food court and saw that it was on the fifth floor. They went up and saw lots of food places.

"What are you guys in the mood for?" Amanda asked.

"It doesn't really matter to me." Said Michelle. After talking it over, they all agreed on a burger and fries place, so they went up to that vendor and each had a cheeseburger with fries and regular soda. Amanda and Michelle both shared some of their food with their Pokemon, which made them both happy. After they finished lunch, they went for a walk around the city and came across the casino.

"This is definitely the best place here." Said Mark.

"I don't think they're going to let us gamble, though." Said Michelle.

"We can try, though." Said Amanda. They went inside and asked for some coins for the slot machines, only to be turned down due to them all being under eighteen. As a result, they all left a bit disappointed.

"I had a feeling they weren't going to let us in." said Michelle. They spent the remainder of the day exploring the rest of what Celadon City had to offer, and when they arrived back in the Pokemon Center in the evening. They were all a bit tired. They had a light dinner from the cafeteria and spent the rest of the night watching some television before falling asleep. Amanda and Mark had no problem sleeping, but Michelle kept tossing and turning a little bit. The noise from that woke up Eevee, so she went to see if her trainer was okay.

"Eevee?" she squealed, which meant 'Is everything all right, Michelle?'

"I'm just fine, Eevee." Michelle said in a groggy voice. "Go back to sleep." Eevee went back to her little makeshift bed and closed her eyes. Deep down inside, Michelle, however, a part of her was feeling a bit nervous.

"I hope they didn't forget what day it is tomorrow." She whispered to herself. What could she possibly be talking about? Find out in the next episode.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty

Previously, our heroes made it to Celadon City, where Amanda was eager to earn her fifth badge. However, just like when they had first gotten to Saffron, they found the gym closed, so they decided to head to the department store. There, they met the city's gym leader Erika, who also runs the city's perfume shop. Our group then spent the rest of the day doing some shopping and exploring the city. The journey continues, so let's see what happens in today's episode.

It was nighttime, and all was quiet. All the stores were closed, and in the Pokemon Center, Mark, Amanda, Pikachu and Eevee were all sleeping peacefully. Michelle, however, was tossing and turning quite a bit, and so Eevee decided to see if her trainer was all right.

"Eevee?" she wondered curiously, which meant 'Are you okay, Michelle?'

"I'm fine, Eevee." Michelle said groggily. "Just go back to sleep, please." Eevee just stood there watching her trainer, however. Michelle gave her another look.

"I promise you I'm just fine." She said in a sleepy voice. "Please, go back to bed." Eevee went back to the makeshift bed that she and Pikachu were sharing and closed her eyes. A part of Michelle was feeling a bit nervous on the inside, though.

"I hope they remember what day it is tomorrow." She whispered and she drifted back to sleep. The next morning, Amanda and Mark woke up bright and early. The first thing they did upon getting dressed was look over at Michelle, and they saw that she was still sleeping comfortably with Eevee nestled beside her.

"Come on, let's get out of here quietly." Mark whispered. Amanda and Pikachu slowly followed him out the door, but they made sure to not wake up their friend. However, Eevee heard them and went over to the door herself.

"Leave them alone for now, Eevee." Michelle ordered in a still sleepy voice. Eevee obeyed and went back over to her bed. Meanwhile, Mark, Amanda and Pikachu had gone to the Pokemon Center's cafeteria for some breakfast. Mark had some pieces of toast and cereal, Amanda had some scrambled eggs and light sausage, and Pikachu had some apple pieces. Amanda made sure to cut them up as small as possible so that her trusty partner wouldn't choke.

"What's our plan for today?" Mark asked.

"I was hoping to go back to the gym and finally try to get my fifth badge today." Said Amanda.

"I think we might want to hold off on that a little bit longer." Said Mark. "I'm not sure if you heard Michelle's little whispering last night, but it's her birthday today."

"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that." Said Amanda. Five months had now gone by since the two girls had first met back in the Viridian Forest, and today was the day that Michelle was finally turning ten.

"For that reason, I think we should go back to the department store that we visited yesterday and get Michelle some presents." Said Mark. "Do you remember that store we saw that had those Pokemon for sale?"

"I certainly do." Said Amanda. "I think she might like one from there."

"I have to agree." Said Mark. "If you remember, she was very curious about a lot of the Pokemon that were available in there."

"I do recall that." Said Amanda.

"Not only that, but I noticed that she's been wearing the same dress the entire time that I've been traveling with the two of you." Said Mark. "I think she could use some different clothes."

"That would be nice, but those are expensive." Said Amanda.

"I know, but sometimes you have to splurge a little bit." Said Mark.

"There's one other thing we're going to need." Said Amanda. "Actually, I should say one other set of things."

"What would that be?" Mark asked.

"We need to get some food for the party that we're going to throw for her." Said Amanda. "That means we'll need to get a cake."

"What kind of flavor does Michelle like?" asked Mark.

"I don't know." Said Amanda. "I never really asked her that."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I might have an idea.'

"Oh yeah? What is it, Pikachu?" Amanda asked her little buddy.

"Pikachu pika pi Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'Since her Eevee is brown, how about a chocolate cake?'

"That's not a bad idea." Said Amanda. "I think she'd like that a lot." They finished their breakfast and headed outside. Back in the room, Michelle and Eevee were still asleep. Both of them were dreaming about all the different kinds of Pokemon that they had yet to meet. Eevee woke up a short time later and went over to Michelle's bed. She saw her trainer still fast asleep, but she knew that Michelle couldn't stay asleep all day. She started to jump onto the bed, but then stopped after realizing that it would likely wake her up. So, she gently climbed onto the bed and nudged her shoulder. Michelle opened her eyes and smiled at her partner.

"Good morning, Eevee." She said in a now more cheerful tone. "Did you sleep well last night?" Eevee nodded and then she pointed to the clock. Michelle glanced over and gasped when she saw the time.

"It's after eight thirty." She realized. "Well, Eevee, I suppose we had better get our day started." She got out of her nightgown and took a quick shower in the bathroom. Eevee stood outside the door waiting for her. Once Michelle had finished, and dried herself off, she changed into her clothes and combed her hair.

"Let's have some breakfast." Michelle said, and they headed to the cafeteria. Michelle had a toasted bagel with butter, but she made sure to feed Eevee her Pokemon food.

"Eevee?" Eevee asked, which meant 'What do you think Amanda and Mark are doing today?'

"I'm not sure." Said Michelle. "I think it's probably a surprise. You see, Eevee, it's my birthday today." This news got Eevee very excited.

"Eevee!" the little Pokemon squealed excitedly, which meant 'Happy birthday, Michelle!'

"Thanks, Eevee." Said Michelle. "I'm glad that you remembered. I just hope the others did the same." Mark and Amanda were on their way back to the department store.

"Pikachu, do you think Michelle's going to like what we have in store for her today?" Amanda asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'I hope so.'

"I hope so too, buddy." Amanda replied. Once they got back to the store, they saw that it was already open and bustling with people.

"I didn't think people would be out shopping this early in the day." Said Mark.

"I didn't think so either." Said Amanda. "Come on, let's get our shopping done." They went to the perfume shop first.

"This looks familiar." Said Amanda.

"That's because we were just in here yesterday." Said Mark. They had a look at all the perfumes again to see which one Michelle would like best. They even saw some fragrances that they didn't have a chance to look at before. Pikachu sniffed at one that was a brighter yellow than normal.

"This one looks like it has a hint of Bellsprout in it." Said Amanda.

"That's exactly what it has." Said Erika. "Hello there again. What brings the two of you back so soon?"

"Erika, our friend is having a birthday today, and we're trying to find a suitable present for her." Said Amanda.

"I think this perfume bottle would be a fine gift for your friend." Said Erika. She rang it up on the cash register, and Amanda paid with her card.

"Thank you very much. Please come again." Said Erika. Amanda carefully placed the small bottle in the bag that had been provided and they left the store.

"I guess it's time to get Michelle some new clothing." Amanda said. She looked at the directory and found the clothing store on the sixth floor. On the way there, however, they ran into another familiar face.

"Hey there, you two!" said the voice. Mark and Amanda turned around and knew right away who it was.

"Abby!" Amanda cried. "I didn't think we'd see you again so soon after our first encounter."

"I didn't think so either." Said Abby. "What brings you two here?"

"It's Michelle's birthday today, so Mark and I are doing some shopping for her presents." Said Amanda.

"You two are such good friends for doing that." Said Abby.

"How's your magic practice been going?" Mark asked.

"It's been going very well." Abby answered. "I've even learned a few new tricks. Here, I'll show one to you." She cupped her hands together and was able to make an empty Poke Ball appear out of thin air.

"That's very good, Abby." Said Amanda.

"Thanks." Said Abby. "I'd show you the other ones, but I don't want to risk losing anything in this crowd of people."

"That's probably a good idea." Said Mark.

"If it's all right with you guys, could I join you two for the rest of the day?" Abby asked.

"Sure." Said Amanda. The three of them took an elevator up to the sixth floor and found the clothing store not too far away from where the elevator was. When they got inside, they found a variety of clothing in different colors.

"Here's some neat dresses you could use, Amanda." Said Mark. The dresses he was talking about were different types and had various patterns. Some had long sleeves, which would be more fitting for winter, some had short sleeves, but most of them were sleeveless and had big colorful circles on some of them.

"They do look nice, but we're shopping for Michelle, not me." Amanda pointed out. There was another section that had plain tee shirts, but there was one shirt that really stood out.

"Look at this, Abby." Amanda said. The shirt that she was looking at was a bright pink color with a brown stripe in the middle.

"That stripe matches the color of her Eevee." Said Abby.

"That's right." Said Mark. "I think this would be a great present for her." Amanda grabbed the shirt off the rack, and they went to a different section of the store. This one had some cute skirts that ranged in both color and pattern.

"That blue one might be nice." Abby said.

"It's not just any blue, though." Said Amanda. "This one looks like cerulean blue."

"I guess we know where that likely came from." Said Mark. Amanda grabbed the skirt and looked for one more item that would complete the look.

"Oh, here are some cool boots." She said.

"I wonder if they have any boots that match her Eevee's color." Said Abby.

"Let's have a look and see." Said Amanda. There were boots in red, yellow, blue, orange and other colors, but none in brown.

"Well, that's a bit disappointing." Said Mark.

"Hey Amanda, do you think Michelle would like this color?" Abby asked. Amanda had a look at the boots that Abby was talking about. This pair was a beautiful silver color and even had some small black dots on it.

"She'll definitely love this for sure." Said Amanda. She took all the items to the counter to pay for them. Meanwhile, Michelle and Eevee had finished their breakfast and were now enjoying a walk outside.

"This is perfect weather for a birthday." Said Michelle. "Do you agree, Eevee?" Eevee nodded her head, and they continued onward with their walk. Fifteen minutes later, Eevee started sniffing around and motioned for Michelle to follow her. To their surprise, they found an ice cream truck.

"This is certainly my lucky day today." Said Michelle. "What do you say, Eevee? Do you want to get some ice cream?"

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed happily, which meant 'Yes please!' Michelle smiled at the little fox Pokemon.

"We'll both get some together." Said Michelle, and they skipped up to the front of the truck.

"Two vanilla cones, please." She said. Inside the department store, Mark, Amanda and Abby had finished in the clothing store and were now walking around in the crowd.

"I can't wait to see the look on Michelle's face when I give her those clothes." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'She'll be surprised for sure.'

"I guess the next stop is that place we went into yesterday that was selling Pokemon." Said Mark. On the way to that particular store, however, Abby spoke up.

"I've never heard of a place where Pokemon can be bought." She said.

"We hadn't either until yesterday." Said Mark.

"I wonder what kind of Pokémon she would want from there." Said Amanda.

"Maybe she'll want a psychic type." Said Abby.

"I'm not really sure about that." Said Amanda. "I've never really seen her have a psychic Pokemon."

"Has she ever flat out said that she didn't like those kinds?" Mark asked.

"Not to my knowledge." Said Amanda.

"The decision is ultimately up to you, but psychic type is my suggestion." Said Abby. When they got into the store, Amanda went up and down the rows looking for the right Pokemon to give to her friend. She had a hard time deciding, but then she saw one that looked like it would suit Michelle perfectly.

"Yep, this is the one." She said. Speaking of Michelle, she and Eevee had finished their ice cream and were walking down the street again.

"I think I'm in the mood to go to the department store again." She said.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'What if we see Mark and Amanda in there?'

"Good point." Said Michelle, and they continued walking. Soon, they arrived at a section of the street that was closed to traffic due to a festival that was going on. There were plenty of food vendors, but they decided to save those for later since they had already eaten ice cream. Eevee spotted a Whack A Diglett game and jumped excitedly.

"Eevee!" she cried, which meant 'Michelle, you have to see this!' Michelle ran up to the game and got a bit excited too.

"You want me to play this?" she asked. Eevee nodded her head.

"All right." Michelle said, and she whacked the Diglett as hard as she could. Meanwhile, Amanda was in the process of paying for the Poke Ball.

"I hope she'll love this one." Amanda said. She finished paying and they left the store.

"Well, it looks like we have everything we need." Said Amanda.

"Not quite." Said Mark. "We still have to get the cake and the food."

"You two can go ahead." Said Abby. "There's a magic store somewhere in here that I need to go into. Tell Michelle that I said happy birthday to her."

"We will." Said Amanda. They went back to the Pokemon Center first and wrapped the gifts they had purchased. They then made their way to the bakery and chose a cake with a chocolate inside and brown icing on the top. Finally, they went to the grocery store and picked up some burgers, buns and soda. They then brought the food back to their room in the Pokemon Center and placed it in the fridge.

"We'll keep the food there until it's time for the party to start." Said Mark. They sat down on the bed and had a rest so that they'd be in top shape. About an hour later, however, there was a knock on the door.

"Mark, Amanda, are you two in here?"

"It's Michelle." Whispered Amanda. Then she called out "Nobody's here!"

"Someone has to be in there." Michelle said. "I should know because one of you said nobody's there." She knocked on the door again, but Mark and Amanda still didn't answer.

"Those two are sure acting weird today, Eevee." Michelle said. The moment she was gone, Mark and Amanda breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was a close one." Mark said.

"I was worried she was going to see her surprises before she was supposed to." Said Amanda.

"Where do you think we should have her party?" Mark asked.

"There's a nice open spot behind the Pokemon Center." Said Amanda. "We can set everything up there." They got the food out of the fridge and took the presents out of their hiding spots.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'Shouldn't we leave Michelle a note?'

"Good idea, Pikachu." Said Amanda. She quickly wrote something down on a piece of paper, and she and Mark took everything outside.

"This is going to be the best birthday she's ever had." Said Amanda.

"It's also the first one that she's spending with us." Said Mark.

"That's why we have to make this one extra special." Said Amanda. Meanwhile, Michelle and Eevee were sitting on a bench in the park.

"I'm really starting to think that they forgot." Said Michelle.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'You shouldn't jump to conclusions. They're probably preparing something really nice for you.'

"You're right, Eevee. Making assumptions doesn't get us anywhere." Said Michelle. "Anyway, let's go back to the room." They returned to the Pokemon Center, and they found a note waiting for them on the windowsill.

"What's this?" Michelle wondered.

"Eevee." Eevee said, which meant 'Read it.' Michelle picked up the paper and started reading what it said.

"Dear Michelle. Please come outside to the back of the center. There's a nice surprise waiting there for you. Your friend, Amanda."

"Eevee!" Eevee cried, which meant 'I told you they didn't forget.'

"Okay Eevee, you were right after all." Said Michelle. "Come on, let's see what kind of surprise they have for us." They hurried out of the room and ran to the back of the center.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone here." Michelle observed. "Hello? Amanda? Mark? Pikachu? Where are you guys?" Right at that moment, their friends popped out from behind the table.

"Surprise!" Mark and Amanda shouted.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Surprise!' Michelle let out a big smile.

"You guys did remember after all!" she cried.

"Of course we remembered, silly." Said Amanda. "What possibly made you think that we forgot?"

"For one thing, you guys were acting a bit strange earlier." Michelle answered.

"We were doing that because we didn't want you to see this surprise before it was ready." Said Mark.

"Okay, that makes sense now." Said Michelle. Mark served the hamburgers, as well as some fries and salad.

"You guys are truly the best friends that I've ever had." Michelle said.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'May I have a bit of the burger?'

"Yes you may." Said Michelle, and she gave Eevee a small bite.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Can I have some too?'

"You sure can." Said Amanda, and she fed her starter a bite of the burger. The fries and salad were delicious as well.

"I hope the cake will be good." Said Michelle.

"You'll find out a little later." Said Mark. "First, it's time to open your presents." He handed Michelle a small box, and when she opened it, she saw a lovely bottle of perfume. She sniffed it and gave another smile.

"This is terrific. Thanks, Mark." She said.

"You're welcome." Said Mark. Next, it was Amanda's turn to present her with a gift.

"Do you remember when we were in that store yesterday that was selling Pokemon?" she asked. Michelle nodded.

"I think this is one that you'll really like." Amanda said and gave the Poke Ball to Michelle.

"I guess you can't tell me what Pokemon is in here before I open this." Said Michelle. Amanda shook her head.

"If I did that, then it would ruin the surprise." She said. Michelle aimed the ball toward the grass and threw it.

"Whoever you are, come on out!" she cried. A small, yellow Pokemon with a brick pattern appeared in a blaze of light.

"Oh, this thing is so cute!" Michelle cried. "What is it, though?"

"That's what the Pokedex is for." Said Amanda. She took it out and pointed it at their new friend.

"Sandshrew, the mouse Pokemon. Sandshrew spends much of its time hidden underground in deep burrows. It can quickly curl into a tight ball to protect itself from great falls and opponents but may also throw sand at attackers."

"So, Sandshrew is its name." said Michelle.

"Isn't it a cutie?" asked Mark.

"It's so adorable." Said Michelle. She picked up the small Pokemon gently so that it wouldn't be frightened.

"Hi there, Sandshrew. I'm your new trainer." Said Michelle.

"Sandshrew." Said the little Pokemon, which meant 'Pleased to meet you.' It gave Michelle a smile.

"Look at that, the little thing likes me." Said Michelle. She recalled her new Pokemon back to its' ball so that both Amanda and Mark could give out the last present.

"We both felt that you could use a new clothing style." Said Mark. Michelle opened the bag and found the shirt, skirt and boots that the two of them had bought earlier.

"I love these!" Michelle cried, and she showed the shirt to Eevee.

"What do you think?" she asked. Eevee gave a thumbs up.

"I'm glad you like it." Said Michelle. She put the clothes back in the bag, and they were about to cut the cake when Nursey Joy came up to them.

"I hate to interrupt a birthday party, but there's someone who wants to talk to Michelle on the phone." She said. They went inside to see who it was, and of course, it was Professor Oak.

"Happy birthday, Michelle." Said Oak.

"Thanks, Professor." Michelle said. "Mark and Amanda are great friends. They gave me some cool presents already."

"That's wonderful, but you have one more present coming, courtesy of me." Said Oak. "Now that you're ten years old, I can officially license you as a Pokemon trainer. That means you get your very own Pokedex. I'll send it over right now." Oak placed a device similar to Amanda's in a small slot, and within a few seconds, Michelle had received it.

"It's here, Professor!" Michelle cried excitedly.

"Very good." Said Oak. "This means you can also go for gym badges now. Not only that, but you can also start keeping some Pokemon with me."

"That's good, because I do have some that I want to send you." Said Michelle. She got Gengar's Poke Ball out of storage, as well as the one Amanda had gotten her, and sent them to the professor.

"I think you'll find one of them to be a cutie." Said Michelle. The Poke Balls arrived at the lab, and Sandshrew popped out of one of them.

"This Sandshrew is certainly very nice." Said Oak. "How did you obtain it?"

"Amanda bought it for me at one of the shops in the Celadon department store." Michelle answered.

"A store that sells Pokemon? I must admit, that's unheard of." Said Oak. "Nonetheless, Amanda is a very nice friend to have."

"She certainly is." Said Amanda. "Take good care of the Sandshrew for me."

"I will." Said Oak, and he hung up the phone.

"Well, I think it's cake time." Said Mark. They went back outside, but first, they sang happy birthday to Michelle. They then had the cake, which Michelle loved a lot. Later that night, Michelle slept very happily.

"This was the most fun I've ever had on a birthday." She whispered to Eevee.

TO BE CONTINUED