Pokémon Amanda's Kanto Journey (Re-title)

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-One

In the last episode, Michelle celebrated her birthday. Now that she's turned ten, she was able to be officially licensed by Professor Oak. Michelle also got some nice presents, including a cute little Sandshrew. Overall, Michelle's birthday was a rousing success, and now, let's see what adventures await our trio today.

All was quiet in Celadon City, and our heroes were sleeping peacefully in their room in the Pokemon Center. Over in Pallet Town, Professor Oak and all of Amanda and Michelle's extra Pokemon were also enjoying a nice sleep. Team Rocket, however, was hard at work in the Celadon City gym. They made sure the coast was clear, and then started moving around carefully.

"Be absolutely quiet." Sally whispered. "We don't want to disturb anyone or anything." They slowly crawled around in the vent, bust the dust was getting their clothes dirty in the process.

"Why can't we do this during the day?" Conrad asked.

"There's people here at that time. They would see us." Sally answered. They continued moving around, but Conrad sniffed and held up his nose.

"Why does it smell so bad in here all of a sudden?" he whispered. He heard a tap from behind.

"Not now, Sally." He said.

"That wasn't me." Sally claimed.

"Then who was it?" Conrad asked.

"Look behind you and you'll see." Said Sally. Conrad turned around and saw a Gloom.

"Uh, hi there." Conrad said sheepishly. Gloom opened up its flower petals and sprayed a strong stench that made the two Team Rocket grunts cough.

"I can't see anything." Said Sally.

"Let's get out of here." Said Conrad.

"Gloom!" Gloom cried, which meant 'Be gone, intruders!' Conrad and Sally quickly headed for the exit and ran as far away from the gym as possible.

"Well, that was a bust." Said Sally.

"We need to find somewhere to wash ourselves off from that bad smell." Said Conrad and the two of them disappeared somewhere in the distance. The next morning, Michelle, Mark and Amanda all woke up with big smiles on their faces. Amanda was the most excited out of all of them.

"Well, Pikachu, today's the day we finally go for our fifth gym badge." she said cheerfully.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I bet you're excited, aren't you?'

"I'm super excited, buddy." Said Amanda. She turned on the television to see what was happening in the Pokemon world, and the first station she flipped to was playing the news. The first thing that showed up on the screen was the Celadon gym.

"I wonder why this is being featured." Amanda said. Mark and Michelle were curious too, and they both paid attention to the screen.

"There was an attempted theft here last night, with the product involved being one of the perfumes that the gym produces." Said the reporter. "Thankfully, an observant Gloom that was in the gym at the time scared them off and the perfume is now safe and sound." The three of them breathed a sigh of relief.

"I guess it's good that the perfume didn't get stolen, but I do wonder who even attempted to do that in the first place." Said Michelle.

"I bet it was Team Rocket." Said Amanda. "They're always up to no good."

"Don't worry about those two goofballs right now." Said Mark. "The only thing that should be on your mind right now is your gym battle."

"First, we need to change and have breakfast." Said Amanda, and she turned the television off. They got washed up and changed into their clothes for the day. Michelle decided that this would be the perfect day to wear her new clothes that she had gotten for her birthday. She put on the shirt, skirt and boots and showed off her look to Eevee.

"What do you think?" Michelle asked.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'The skirt looks so cute on you.' Michelle smiled.

"Thanks, Eevee." Said Michelle. The three of them went to have their breakfast, and as they ate, they planned out their day.

"I guess we don't really need to go back to the store again." Said Michelle.

"And we can't go to the casino either." Said Mark.

"That just leaves the gym." Said Amanda. "I'm not sure if it's open at this time of the day, though."

"We can always try, though." Said Mark. They finished up with breakfast and were about to head out when Amanda decided to call Professor Oak. The professor was having his own breakfast when his video phone went off.

"That must be Amanda checking in." he said, and he picked up the phone.

"Good morning, Professor." Said Amanda. "I hope I'm not bothering you this early."

"Not at all, my dear." Said Oak. "How are things with you and your friends?"

"Everything is going well." Said Amanda. "Michelle's birthday party yesterday was a lot of fun."

"I'm very glad to hear that." Said Oak.

"Professor, how's my new Sandshrew doing?" asked Michelle.

"He was a little nervous when he first got here, but now that he's met a lot of the other Pokemon that I'm keeping here for the two of you, he's become very good friends with all of them." Oak answered.

"That's good." Said Michelle.

"I don't suppose you heard about the attempted perfume theft last night, did you?" asked Mark.

"Everyone knows about that." Said Oak. "It was all over the news this morning. Do they know who tried to do it?"

"No, but my friends and I have a good feeling that it was Team Rocket." Amanda answered.

"That seems likely." Said Oak. "Something tells me that if they had gotten their hands on it, they probably would've used the ingredients to try and make their own perfume to sell."

"I don't think that would've been successful." Said Michelle.

"I have to agree there." Said Oak. "Gotta go now, my toast is starting to cool down." The call ended, but Amanda wasn't finished on the phone just yet. She dialed another number, and on the third ring, Kangaskhan answered.

"Good morning, Mama." Said Amanda. "Did you get the perfume that I sent you?"

"I got it yesterday." Said Kangaskhan. "What have you and your friends been up to?"

"It was my birthday yesterday." Michelle said.

"Well then, happy belated birthday dear." Said Kangaskhan.

"Thanks." Said Michelle.

"I wish I could talk longer, but I have a lot of housework to do today." Said Kangaskhan. "I'll talk to you all soon." She ended the call and placed her apron around her pouch so she could start her work. Amanda, Mark and Michelle made their way outside and started heading to the gym. On the way there, they ran into Erika.

"Hello there, you three." She said. "What brings you all out here early in the day?"

"We were about to go to the gym so I can challenge you for your badge." Said Amanda.

"I'm more than happy to accept your challenge." Said Erika. "I can't battle you right now, though, because the gym isn't open yet. I can tell you a little story, though."

"What kind of story is it?" asked Michelle.

"It's about how I met one of my Pokemon, Gloom." Said Erika. "I actually told this same story to Ash and his friends, so I think you'll find this interesting. When I was small, about a couple of years younger than the three of you, I was wandering around on my own when I got lost and ran into a Grimer. It was a scary sight for me, especially since I didn't have any Pokemon of my own on me. I cried for help, but nobody came. Well, I shouldn't quite say that. A wild Gloom saw that I was in trouble and released a bad smell at the Grimer to scare it away. I gave Gloom a big hug and said to it 'I love you!' Gloom and I have been friends ever since that day, and that was what made me decide to be a grass type gym leader."

"That was certainly a very nice story." Said Mark.

"Where's your Gloom right now?" asked Michelle.

"In the gym." Erika answered. "Gloom's not just a Pokemon, it also acts as a security guard at night to make sure no intruders drop in unannounced."

"That's certainly very helpful." Said Amanda.

"Once I get to the gym, I not only have to open it, but I have to get a check from Gloom about any suspicious activity." Said Erika. "That usually takes a while and then once I finish with all of that, I can start taking challengers. If you come by in an hour or so, I should be ready by that time."

"We'll see you in a bit, then." Said Amanda, and the three of them headed down the street.

"I suppose I could look for Pokémon to catch while we wait." Said Amanda. They made their way to a small field just past the department store and started searching. However, thirty minutes of walking around yielded poor results.

"There only seem to be Pidgey around here, and I don't have any need for that since I have a Pidgeotto at Professor Oak's lab." Said Amanda. They kept looking around, and after another twenty minutes, they spotted a Pokemon with short, reddish-orange colored fur. It had a small tuft on its head, a bushy tail and a mane around its chest and neck.

"I wonder which Pokemon this is." Said Amanda. She took out her Pokedex and aimed it at the Pokémon.

"Flareon, the flame Pokemon. Flareon's body temperature is caused by its internal flame sac and rises when it is excited. If its body gets too hot, it will fluff out the fur on its collar to cool down. This Pokémon is evolved from Eevee by use of a Fire Stone." Eevee was excited at the prospect of seeing one of its forms.

"Eevee!" it squealed, which meant 'Hi there, buddy.'

"Flareon." Said the Pokemon, which meant 'Nice to see you.'

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I thought you couldn't find Flareon in the wild.'

"I didn't think we could either, but since this one's here, I'm not missing a chance." Said Amanda. "Squirtle, let's do this!" She tossed a Poke Ball and the small turtle appeared on the field.

"All right Squirtle, let's start with a Water Gun!" Amanda cried. Squirtle fired a shot of water, but Flareon used its Agility to avoid every single stream of water that was thrown at it. Flareon then used Swift and shot yellow stars from its fur. Squirtle took some damage, but it stood tall.

"Hang in there, Squirtle." Said Amanda. "Try a Skull Bash!" Squirtle lowered its head, and this time, it was able to knock Flareon back a little bit.

"That's it, Squirtle." Amanda cheered. Flareon then used Flamethrower, but Squirtle was able to duck in time to avoid the line of fire.

"That's the way." Said Amanda. "Bubblebeam!" Squirtle shot a long line of bubbles at Flareon, but it still wasn't quite enough to knock it out. Flareon then used Double Edge and knocked Squirtle back pretty hard. The small turtle struggled to get up for a bit, but then it dropped into its shell, jumped up and sprayed lots of water all over the field.

"Did Squirtle do what I think it just did?" Michelle wondered.

"It sure did." Said Amanda. "Go, Squirtle! Use your new Hydro Pump attack!" Squirtle sprayed Flareon with so much water that it went down both wet and knocked out.

"Poke Ball, go!" Amanda cried, firing an empty ball at Flareon. The fire type got sucked inside via a beam of red light and the ball started to wiggle. It shook a bit more than it usually did, but once the ding sound went off, Amanda smiled and picked up the ball.

"I just caught myself a Flareon!" she cried. She and Pikachu struck a victory pose.

"Well done, Amanda." Said Mark.

"Thanks." Said Amanda, and she recalled Squirtle. She opened up her Pokedex and pressed the transfer button. Clefairy was now at Professor Oak's lab, and Flareon was now part of her team.

"I think Flareon will be a big help for my battle." Said Amanda.

"Speaking of which, I think the gym should be open by now." Said Mark. They made their way back to the gym and found that it was indeed open. They found that the gym's battlefield had a sweet aroma to it.

"This must be the grass gym if it smells so nice." Said Michelle.

"That would be correct, miss." Said Erika. "Well, Amanda, there's no point beating around the bush. Let's get to our match." Mark and Michelle took their seats in the stands, and one of Erika's gym workers acted as the referee.

"This match between challenger Amanda of Fuchsia City and Celadon City gym leader Erika will now commence. The battle will be three on three with no time limits or substitutions. Let the match begin." The bell rang to signal the start of the battle.

"Tangela, take the field!" Erika cried. A small Pokemon consisting mainly of vines appeared in a blaze of light. Amanda got out her Pokedex for more information.

"Tangela. The face of this grass type Pokemon is mostly obscured by its blue vines."

"That doesn't really help much." Said Amanda. She grabbed one of her Poke Balls and began to throw it.

"Fearow, I choose you!" She cried. The intimidating flying type instantly appeared.

"You may have the advantage, Fearow, but we still have to be ready for anything that comes our way." Amanda warned. "Now go and use your Wing Attack to start off!" Fearow spread its wings out and launched the attack. Despite hitting Tangela directly, it didn't seem to do as much damage as it should've.

"Tangela may be small, but it's pretty tough." Said Erika. "Okay now, Vine Whip time!" Tangela shot out some of its vines, but Amanda had Fearow dodge them with Agility.

"Sky Attack!" Amanda commanded. Fearow flew up high and scored a direct hit. Much more damage was done, but Tangela still wasn't out.

"Go for Constrict!" Erika shouted. Tangela used shorter vines to trap Fearow and prevent it from moving. The large bird Pokemon screamed in pain.

"Hang in there, Fearow!" Amanda yelled. "It's tough, but so are you!"

"Do you think Amanda has a chance at winning?" Mark asked.

"If she uses the right strategies, then yes, she does." Michelle answered.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried from the stands, which meant 'You can do it, Amanda!" On the field, Fearow was still being bound by Constrict.

"Try to move." Amanda said. However, Fearow wasn't able to break free.

"Constrict acts like Wrap, which means Tangela won't let go until I tell it to do so." Said Erika. "Speaking of which, you can let go now, Tangela." Tangela released Fearow from its grip, and the bird Pokemon went down to the ground.

"Please get up, Fearow." Amanda urged. Fearow glared at Tangela and got back into action.

"Take Down." Amanda ordered. Fearow flew right at Tangela and hit it with enough force to knock it out.

"Tangela is unable to battle. The round goes to Fearow." Said the gym worker.

"Way to go, Fearow!" Amanda cried. Erika recalled Tangela and got another Poke Ball.

"You've been having good bonds with your Pokémon, and it shows. But of course, you can never judge a Pokemon by size." Said Erika, and she threw her next ball. "Weepinbell, go!" The small plant Pokemon appeared in a blaze of light.

"Fearow, can you keep battling?" Amanda asked. Fearow nodded and focused on its next opponent.

"I'm not sure if Fearow can last much longer." Said Michelle.

"What makes you think that?" Mark asked.

"Its wings are battered after being held by Constrict." Said Michelle. "Even though it has the clear advantage against Weepinbell, I don't see Fearow lasting another whole round."

"Fearow, peck at Weepinbell with your beak." Amanda ordered. Fearow tried its best, but it's battle with Tangela had drained its speed, causing the attack to miss.

"Weepinbell, suck away whatever energy that Fearow has left with Mega Drain." Erika commanded. Green juice came out of Weepinbell's leaves and sapped Fearow's remaining strength, causing it to faint.

"Fearow is unable to battle. Tangela is the winner." Said the gym worker.

"Fearow, return." Said Amanda. She recalled her flying type to its ball and put it back on her waist.

"You put in some good work, so you deserve a rest." Said Amanda. She then grabbed another ball and threw it.

"Flareon, go!" she cried. Her new capture appeared on the field ready to fight.

"I was wondering if a fire type was going to show itself in this battle." Said Erika. "Weepinbell, use Vine Whip." Weepinbell shot out its vines.

"Flareon, Agility now!" cried Amanda. Flareon built up speed and avoided all the vines that came its way.

"Nice work, Flareon." Said Amanda.

"Vines aren't working, but maybe something else will." Said Erika. "Use your Razor Leaf attack!" Weepinbell started shooting small leaves at the fire type Eevee evolution.

"Flareon, use Ember! Burn those leaves to a crisp!" Amanda ordered. Flareon obeyed and sprayed a fire gun at the leaves, completely toasting them.

"Take Down now!" Erika called. Weepinbell bounced hard in Flareon's direction and knocked it onto the grass.

"You can do it, Flareon!" Amanda cried. "Use your Swift attack!" Flareon shot stars at Weepinbell, hitting the plant directly.

"Vine Whip." Erika ordered. Weepinbell brought its vines back out, lashing Flareon hard and causing it to cry out in pain.

"You've got this, Flareon." Amanda called out. The fire type shook off the attack and stared down at Weepinbell.

"Launch your Flamethrower!" Amanda yelled. Flareon sent a huge line of fire at Weepinbell, not only hitting it but leaving it completely covered in black soot. Erika gasped.

"Weepinbell, no!" she cried.

"Weepinbell is unable to continue." Said the gym worker. "Flareon wins!"

"That was amazing!" Amanda cried. "Now we only have one more round to win." Erika recalled her Weepinbell and got another ball out.

"Do you remember that story I told you earlier?" she asked. Amanda nodded.

"I hope so, because you're about to meet my partner right now. Gloom, I need you now!" She threw the ball, and her trusty grass type friend popped out.

"Gloom!" it cried, happy that it was getting to battle. Amanda scanned it with her Pokedex.

"Gloom, the weed Pokemon. Gloom trickles sticky nectar from its mouth, which can be used as a fertilizer for plants. The flower on its head releases a bad odor if it feels that it's being threatened by an enemy."

"Flareon, try not to get too close or it's going to unleash that bad smell all over you." Said Amanda. "Attack from a distance if you can." Flareon nodded to signal that it understood.

"All right, Ember!" Amanda ordered. Flareon shot the fire attack at Gloom, but it turned to the side enough to dodge the attack.

"Gloom, use your Double Team." Said Erika. Gloom spit out copies of itself and there were now a bunch of Gloom in a big circle, leaving Amanda confused.

"Flareon, use Flamethrower on all of those until you find the real one." She said. Flareon launched a line of fire at all the Gloom copies, making them vanish instantly. Only the actual Gloom was left on the field.

"Okay Gloom, hit it with your Sleep Powder." Said Erika. Gloom fired blue powder out of its head, and although Flareon tried to avoid it, the powder took its toll and Flareon went right to sleep.

"Come on Flareon, get up!" Amanda cried. Flareon, however, continued to snore away.

"Flareon!" Amanda yelled.

"Flareon is out of the match." The gym worker declared. "Gloom wins." Amanda recalled her Flareon and took out another ball.

"Now they're both down to one Pokemon each." Said Michelle.

"This is going to decide everything." Said Mark. Amanda threw her last ball.

"I choose you, Nidoran!" she called. Her little poison type appeared on the field.

"Okay, Nidoran, win this one and you get to have all the Pokemon food that you want." Said Amanda. Nidoran smiled at that thought.

"Okay, use Poison Sting!" Amanda yelled. Nidoran shot sharp needles from its horn, which stung Gloom hard and made it fall down.

"Shake it off, Gloom." Said Erika. "Take Down!" Gloom ran fast and hard to try and hit the little poison type, but at Amanda's command, Nidoran successfully moved out of the way to avoid the attack.

"Great work, Nidoran." Said Amanda. "Go for Horn Attack!" Nidoran charged at Gloom and attacked the grass type with its sharp horn.

"Gloom, shake that Pokemon off of you." Said Erika. Gloom tried its best, but Nidoran wouldn't move.

"Whatever you do, Nidoran, don't let go!" Amanda cried. Nidoran kept a strong hold on Gloom.

"Gloom, you know what to do." Said Erika. Gloom unleashed its smell, which went onto Nidoran, causing it to yell and run back to Amanda.

"I was afraid that would happen." Said Amanda. "Can you still battle, Nidoran?" Nidoran nodded its head.

"Poison Sting again!" Amanda cried. Nidoran released sharper sting needles, which hit Gloom and caused poisoning.

"Oh no!" Erika cried.

"Now, Double Kick!" Amanda ordered. Nidoran gave Gloom some hard kicks, and after it was finished, Gloom lay unconscious on the field.

"Gloom is unable to battle!" the gym worker cried. "Nidoran is the winner. The match goes to the challenger, Amanda!"

"You did it, Nidoran!" Amanda cried. Nidoran went up to try and hug Amanda, but she declined due to the smell that it had been sprayed with.

"You're going to need a bath now." Said Amanda. "For now, return." She recalled Nidoran and Erika came up to her.

"You gave me a very good battle, and you commanded your Pokemon well. I hereby present you with the Rainbow Badge." She said. She took out a badge from her pocket that had flower petals of different colors on it and gave the badge to Amanda.

"I got myself a Rainbow Badge!" she cried and did her victory pose. Michelle, Mark, Eevee and Pikachu came down from the stands to congratulate Amanda on her win.

"Great job, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Thanks, Michelle." Said Amanda. "What did you think, Pikachu?" Pikachu gave a thumbs up.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it." Said Amanda.

"So, Amanda, how many badges is that for you now?" asked Erika.

"This was my fifth one." Said Amanda.

"That means you only have three more to go." Said Erika. "Fuchsia City is likely where you'll want to go for your next one."

"Looks like Fuchsia is our next destination, guys." Said Amanda. "But first, someone needs to get that bad smell off of them." When they returned to the Pokemon Center, they got a bucket, filled it with water, and brought it outside to the back area. Amanda then sent Nidoran out. Nidoran looked curiously at the tub.

"That's your bath that you're about to take." Said Amanda. "Get in." Nidoran slowly crawled into the makeshift tub, and the trio started to wash him.

"You really did a great job in that battle, Nidoran." Said Amanda. "You can't have that smell on you, though, or else other Pokemon won't want to battle you." They put some soap into the bath and gave Nidoran a good scrub with it.

"Do you think Nidoran's getting any cleaner?" Amanda asked.

"He seems to be getting the smell off of him, so that's a good sign." Said Mark. It took about forty minutes to get Nidoran completely clean, but once they were finally finished, Nidoran felt refreshed.

"Now then, doesn't that feel good?" Michelle asked. Nidoran nodded its head.

"You feel much better now, don't you?" Amanda asked.

"Nidoran." Said the little Pokemon, which meant "Much better, thank you." Everyone dried themselves, and then Amanda recalled Nidoran to its ball again.

"Well gang, I think it's time we finally leave Celadon City behind." Said Amanda. The three of them put away all the bath items and started making their way out of Celadon. Thus ends another exciting adventure, which has seen Amanda catch a Flareon, and she also won her fifth badge. Now, it's off toward Amanda's hometown, so come back next time to see what adventure happens next.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Two

In the last episode, Amanda finally had her battle against Celadon City gym leader, Erika. The battle was tough, and it even resulted in Nidoran getting hit by Gloom's bad stench. In the end, however, Amanda emerged victorious from an exciting match and earned herself a Rainbow Badge. Also, Team Rocket had tried to steal a perfume from the gym but were unsuccessful. Now, our heroes are heading off into their next adventure, so let's see what awaits them today.

"That gym battle with Erika was sure exciting, wasn't it?" Amanda asked.

"It was one of the best battles you've had." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'You were awesome, Amanda.'

"Thanks, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Hey, maybe that should be my new nickname." As they continued to walk along the pathway, they came across someone who was just a little older than both Michelle and Amanda.

"Where are you three headed?" the girl asked.

"Fuchsia City, so I can hopefully earn my next badge." Said Amanda.

"I just came from there." Said the girl. "It's got some nice stores to check out, and the Safari Zone is there too."

"I know about the Safari Zone because I'm from that part of Fuchsia." Said Amanda. "In fact, that's where I first met Pikachu here." Pikachu smiled upon seeing the new girl.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Pikachu." Said the girl. "My name's Jessie."

"I'm Amanda, and my other friends here are Michelle and Mark." Said Amanda.

"By any chance, you're not the Jessie from Team Rocket, are you?" Mark asked curiously. Jessie chuckled a bit.

"Don't worry, I'm not that Jessie. Besides, I don't even know who Team Rocket is."

"They're a group of evil people that like to steal Pokemon from other trainers and use them for their plans." Said Mark.

"We've even run into them several times." Said Michelle. "They keep trying to steal our Pikachu and Eevee, but we make sure that they don't succeed."

"Still doesn't ring a bell." Said Jessie. She then had a look at Michelle's Eevee.

"Oh, that thing is so cute." Said Jessie. Eevee smiled at the compliment.

"Eevee and I have been together for a long time." Said Michelle. "The two of us are practically glued together." Jessie chuckled again.

"If that's the case, you must love Eevee a lot." Said Jessie. "I'll actually tell you both something. Eevee is my most favorite Pokemon in the whole world. I love its soft fur, and that cute bushy tail it has. And its eyes are some of the most adorable that I've ever seen.

"Eevee certainly has some charming characteristics, doesn't it?" Mark asked.

"It sure does." Said Jessie. "I know. Amanda, how about you and I have a battle."

"I'll be more than happy to battle you." Said Amanda. "By any chance, do you have any Eevee yourself?"

"No, but I have something even better." Said Jessie. "I have all three of the Eevee evolutions. What do you think about battling all three of them?"

"You're on." Said Amanda. Jessie threw her first ball.

"Flareon, you're up first." Said Jessie. Eevee's fire type evolution appeared in a blaze of light.

"Squirtle, go!" cried Amanda. She threw a ball and the little blue turtle appeared.

"Squirtle looks cute too, but cuteness alone doesn't win battles." Said Jessie. "Flareon, start with a Swift attack." Flareon shot yellow stars from its body, doing some damage to Squirtle.

"It's okay, Squirtle, you've got this." Said Amanda. "Water Gun!" Squirtle fired the stream of water at Flareon, but Jessie called for an Agility, and the fire type was able to avoid the attack no matter which direction Squirtle aimed. Squirtle growled angrily.

"I know you're frustrated, but you have to stay focused." Said Amanda. "Skull Bash, now!" Squirtle lowered its head and lay a blow on Flareon, sending it back slightly.

"There you go, Squirtle." Said Amanda.

"Not so fast there, friend." Said Jessie. "Flareon, use Flamethrower!" Flareon fired a large line of fire at Squirtle.

"Quick, use Withdraw to avoid it!" Amanda yelled. Squirtle ducked into his shell just in time to avoid the Flamethrower. Squirtle then popped back out with a smile on his face.

"Bubblebeam attack!" Amanda commanded. Squirtle fired a line of big bubbles at Flareon, but it once again used Agility to avoid being hit.

"Swift again, Flareon!" yelled Jessie. Flareon shot another round of yellow stars at Squirtle, hitting it and sending it back. Squirtle groaned a bit, but it still wanted to fight.

"Way to show some resilience, Squirtle." Said Amanda. "Now, remember that new move you learned a few days ago?" Squirtle nodded.

"I think this is the time for it. Hydro Pump!" Amanda commanded. Squirtle went into the shell, jumped up and sprayed loads of water onto Flareon. By the time the barrage was done, the fire type had fainted.

"Flareon, return now." Said Jessie. She recalled the fire type and got another ball out from her bag.

"Nice work, but let's see how you deal with this one." Said Jessie. She threw the ball, and out came a bright yellow Pokemon with large spikes on its body. Amanda got out her Pokedex to find out more.

"Jolteon, the lightning Pokemon. Jolteon can create electricity using an organ in its lungs. It is capable of unleashing ten thousand volt lightning bolts."

"We'll have to be careful with this one." Said Amanda. "Squirtle, can you keep going?"

"Squirtle squirt." The Pokemon answered, which meant 'I've got this.'

"All right then." Said Amanda. "Water Gun." Squirtle fired another stream of water, but Jolteon jumped out of the way to avoid it.

"Woah, that Jolteon is fast." Michelle observed.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'Even faster than me?'

"I think you and Jolteon might be even in terms of speed." Said Mark.

"Use your Pin Missile attack." Said Jessie. Jolteon launched sharp yellow projectiles at Squirtle, causing it to cry in pain.

"Thunderbolt to finish it off." Said Jessie. Jolteon fired a powerful shot of lightning at Squirtle, who wasn't quite fast enough to dodge, and it fainted.

"Squirtle, return." Said Amanda. She recalled Squirtle to his ball and took another one off her waist.

"Flareon, go!" she yelled. Her new team member appeared in a blaze of light.

"Let's do this, Flareon." Said Amanda. "Flamethrower!" Flareon launched a big stream of fire at Jolteon, hitting the electric type and leaving a flame mark on its body.

"That burn's going to take a toll on Jolteon." Said Michelle.

"Try a Quick Attack, Jolteon." Said Jessie. Jolteon charged at Flareon, knocking the fire type back, but the burn took away the remaining energy Jolteon had left, causing it to faint.

"Jolteon, return." Said Jessie. She recalled Jolteon and threw another ball.

"Vaporeon, it's your turn now." Said Jessie. A Pokemon with a light blue body and dark blue marking around its head appeared, prompting Amanda to pull out her Pokedex again.

"Vaporeon, the bubble jet Pokemon. Vaporeon likes freshwater lakes and shores, and its gills help it become a champion swimmer."

"Okay Flareon, Swift attack!" Amanda called. Flareon shot yellow stars from its body, which hit the water type Eevee evolution and did a bit of damage.

"Time for Bubblebeam." Said Jessie. Vaporeon launched a pack of bubbles at Flareon, which did enough damage to knock it out.

"Good job, Flareon." Said Amanda, and she recalled the fire type to its ball.

"Pikachu, it's your turn." Said Amanda. Pikachu happily ran onto the field and took its position.

"Start with Quick Attack." Said Amanda. Pikachu fan full speed at Vaporeon and knocked the water type backwards slightly.

"Don't give up, Vaporeon." Said Jessie. "Use your Water Gun." Vaporeon shot a line of water at the electric type, but Pikachu used Agility to avoid the attack.

"Try something else, Vaporeon." Said Jessie. Vaporeon tried using Bubble, but Pikachu once again avoided it with Agility.

"This Pikachu is much better than I thought it would be." Said Jessie. "Okay Vaporeon, use your Swift attack." Vaporeon launched rainbow stars, and Pikachu finally got hit.

"You've got this, buddy!" cried Amanda. "Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed its powerful electric attack, and Vaporeon tried to move out of the way, but it jumped right into the attack and fainted.

"Well done, Pikachu!" Amanda cried. Jessie recalled her Vaporeon and shook hands with Amanda.

"Great match, Amanda." Said Jessie.

"Thanks, although neither of us made it easy on each other." Said Amanda.

"That's what makes a battle so great." Said Jessie. Pikachu agreed, but then fell over and collapsed.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried. She felt her partner's forehead.

"You're burning up with a high fever!" she cried. Eevee ran over to check on its friend, but before it could say anything, it also collapsed onto the ground.

"Eevee!" Michelle cried. She ran over and knelt down beside the small fox Pokemon.

"Are you okay, Eevee?" she asked. Eevee let out a weak squeal, which meant 'No.' Michelle felt her partner's body but pulled her hand away quickly.

"You have a fever too." She Said.

"Both of them were fine a minute ago." Said Mark. "How did they suddenly get sick?"

"I don't know, but we've got to get both Pikachu and Eevee to a Pokemon Center quickly." Said Amanda.

"I'll go with you." Said Jessie. Michelle and Amanda carefully scooped up their partners and clutched them in their arms as the four of them ran off.

"You'll be okay, guys." Amanda promised.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said weakly, which meant 'Please hurry.'

"We're going as fast as we can." Said Mark. "Nurse Joy will fix the two of you right up." The four of them kept running; meanwhile, Nurse Joy was doing a routine check up on another trainer's Pokemon. She checked each of them carefully and was pleased with the results. She placed the Pokemon back into their balls and gave them back to the trainer.

"Here you go, they're all in excellent condition." She said.

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Said the trainer.

"No problem at all." Said Joy. The trainer left the center, but right as he went through the door, he heard the sounds of Amanda's Pikachu and Michelle's Eevee crying in pain. Their trainers burst through the door and ran up to the counter.

"Not my problem." The trainer said, and he went on his way.

"Nurse Joy, you need to help us." Said Michelle. "My Eevee and Amanda's Pikachu are very sick." Both Pokemon gave weak waves to Joy.

"Chansey, get these two Pokémon on a stretcher and rush them to emergency care." Joy ordered. Chansey obeyed, and once the Pokemon assistant was out of view, Joy turned her attention to Michelle and Amanda.

"What happened that caused those two to get into that condition?" she asked.

"Amanda was in the middle of a battle, which she won, but right after that, Pikachu fell over and started to not feel well."

"The same thing happened to her Eevee." Said Amanda.

"We're thinking that they didn't get sick on their own." Said Mark.

"I believe you, and don't worry, we'll do everything we can to make Pikachu and Eevee better." Said Joy, and she disappeared behind the doors to treat them. Mark, Michelle, Amanda and Jessie all sat down in the waiting room.

"Okay, so now we have something else to try and solve." Said Michelle. "One, how come the other Pokemon besides Pikachu that were used in that battle didn't get sick?"

"Maybe it's only certain Pokemon that were affected." Said Mark.

"You have a valid point." Said Jessie.

"None of us got sick either." Said Amanda.

"I don't think whatever happened was trying to affect humans." Said Michelle.

"That only leaves one other possibility." Said Amanda. "I think that Pikachu and Eevee were specifically targeted and that's why they got sick."

"That actually sounds the most logical to me." Said Jessie.

"I just hope that both Pikachu and Eevee will be okay." Said Michelle.

"Relax, Nurse Joy is taking good care of them." Said Mark. They sat and waited for any news on the condition of the two Pokemon. A couple of hours later, Joy emerged from the treatment room.

"Well, I've done all I can." Said Joy. "They just need to rest, and then they should be fine after that."

"That's a relief." Said Michelle.

"May we go in and see them?" Michelle asked.

"You can, but you have to be as quiet as possible." Said Joy. The four of them went into the room where Pikachu and Eevee were sleeping, and Amanda waved to them.

"Hi, guys." She whispered. "Are you feeling any better?" Pikachu gave a weak whimper, which meant 'Not much.'

"Aw, those poor things." Said Jessie.

"Don't you two worry, we'll get to the bottom of all of this." Mark whispered. Pikachu tried to get up but collapsed right back onto the pillow.

"No, Pikachu, you shouldn't try to wake up yet." Amanda whispered. "Just rest right now. That's the only way you'll get better." The four of them left the recovery room and went outside for a walk to try and clear their minds a little. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were having a nice picnic lunch in a grassy spot a short distance away from the Pokemon Center.

"A perfect day for a picnic." Said Conrad.

"Nothing can possibly ruin this good mood that we're both in." said Sally. They were about to bite into their sandwiches when they heard a buzzing sound.

"What's that?" Conrad wondered. He looked around behind him and saw a Beedrill looking at his lunch.

"I suppose you want us to share with you, don't you?" Sally asked. The Beedrill nodded.

"We're Team Rocket. We don't share our food with Pokemon." Said Conrad. "Now, buzz off!" The Beedrill got angry and started stealing their food.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?" Sally demanded. "You give those sandwiches back right now!" The Beedrill ignored her and continued to help itself. It then called in its friends, and they appeared instantly to help munch on the rest of the food.

"Those aren't yours!" Sally exclaimed.

"Drop that food right now, or else you'll be sorry!" Conrad cried out. Once again, the Beedrill swarm ignored them and ate until there was almost nothing left. The two Team Rocket agents sighed.

"There's nothing left save for a few cookies." Said Sally.

"Well, it's better than nothing." Said Conrad. They both reached for a cookie, only for a Rattata to run by and swipe it.

"You've got to be kidding." Said Conrad.

"Those Pokemon are messing with the wrong crowd." Said Sally. They got up from their picnic spot and started chasing after the Rattata.

"Come back here with our snack!" Sally yelled. However, the Rattata picked up speed and ran far away completely out of sight. They let out another sigh and went back to their picnic spot.

"Now we only have one cookie left." Said Conrad.

"Which one of us is going to have it?" asked Sally.

"You have it." Said Conrad.

"If you insist." Said Sally. She was about to reach for the cookie when she saw four angry faces staring at both her and Conrad.

"Oh, uh, hi there." Said Sally.

"Where's your precious Pikachu and Eevee?" asked Conrad.

"They're sick." Amanda said angrily. "You two better not have had anything to do with that."

"Uh, we don't know anything about two Pokemon getting sick." Conrad said.

"Are you sure about that?" asked Jessie.

"Absolutely positively sure." Said Sally.

"You two better not be lying to us." Said Michelle, and the foursome walked away.

"I'll just be taking that cookie too while I'm at it." Said Jessie. Once the foursome was out of earshot, Conrad and Sally snickered.

"They'll find out sooner or later." whispered Sally.

"Conrad and Sally were sure acting a bit strange." Said Mark.

"Just the way they denied having anything to do with your Pokemon getting sick leads me to believe that they did do it, but they don't want to say anything." Said Jessie.

"That's usually how criminals get caught in the first place." Said Michelle.

"Exactly." Said Amanda. "Whatever the cause is, though, at least we know that Pikachu and Eevee are going to be okay."

"Which is definitely a good thing." Said Jessie.

"I wonder if Professor oak knows anything about this weird illness." Said Mark.

"We can always ask him." Said Michelle. The four of them went back to the Pokemon Center and got on the phone.

"Professor, you wouldn't happen to know anything about some sort of virus going around, would you?" asked Amanda.

"You'll have to explain in a little more detail." Said Oak.

"Okay, so I was having a battle earlier, and right after it finished, my Pikachu unexpectedly got sick." Said Amanda.

"The exact same thing happened to my Eevee." Said Michelle.

"That is definitely very odd." Said Oak. "Unfortunately, I don't know anything about that, so I can't really help you. Sorry, girls."

"That's okay, Professor." Said Amanda. "Thanks, anyway." She hung up the phone and sighed.

"Well, I guess we'll have to figure this out on our own." Said Michelle. The four of them went into the lobby and continued to rack their brains together.

"There's another possibility I just thought of." Said Mark. "What if somehow, somebody snuck some bad food into our campsite last night while we were asleep? It's possible Pikachu and Eevee might've woken up for a bit of a snack and ended up eating the food and that was what got them sick."

"That's a very possible reason." Said Michelle. "Let's go and check." They headed out to the area where their camp was set up, with Jessie following closely behind. They looked all around the tent and found something near where Pikachu and Eevee had been sleeping the previous evening.

"Check this out, Amanda." Said Michelle. Amanda had a close up look at what Michelle was holding.

"It's just a regular mushroom." Said Amanda. "There's nothing really harmless about that."

"Look again." Said Michelle. Amanda moved a little forward and saw exactly what Michelle meant.

"Why is this mushroom purple?" Amanda asked. "I thought mushrooms were supposed to be a grey color."

"That's what I assumed too." Said Mark.

"It looks to me like someone sprayed some poison on the mushroom to make it turn purple." Said Jessie. "I also see that some bites have been taken out of it."

"That means whoever made it purple wanted both Pikachu and Eevee to get sick." Said Michelle.

"Who would try and turn a mushroom purple, though?" asked Mark.

"Someone that's been after both Pokemon for a while." Said Michelle. At that point, they figured out the solution to the problem.

"Team Rocket!" Amanda and Michelle cried together.

"Those goofballs lied to us after all." Said Amanda.

"We're going to have a talking to with them when we see them again." Said Michelle. She put the purple mushroom into a plastic bag and kept it for evidence. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were walking down the path toward the Pokemon Center with their stomachs growling loudly.

"I could use a big meal right about now." Said Conrad.

"We wouldn't have had this problem if those pesky Beedrill hadn't stolen our food to begin with." Said Sally. "I worked hard making those sandwiches."

"I'm sure they would've tasted good if we'd been able to eat them." Said Conrad.

"The cafeteria in the Pokemon Center better have something good." Said Sally. Their stomachs growled again, but a short while later, they reached the Pokemon Center. As they were about to go in, however, they found an angry foursome waiting for them.

"And what brings you four back here?" Conrad asked. Michelle angrily held up the plastic bag she had been carrying.

"Does what's in here look familiar to you two?" she asked.

"Uh, maybe?" Conrad said sheepishly.

"Team Rocket, what have you done to Pikachu and Eevee this time?" Amanda demanded.

"Oh nothing, nothing at all." Said Sally cheerfully.

"Well, this bag says otherwise." Said Mark. Conrad and Sally gasped.

"Oh yeah, that." Said Conrad.

"All right Team Rocket, start spilling." Said Jessie. "What in the world did you do?"

"We already told you that we didn't do anything." Said Conrad.

"Nice try, but we know you're lying." Said Amanda. She unhooked Fearow's Poke Ball and threw it and the intimidating bird popped out.

"Now then, are you going to tell the truth, or does my Fearow have to play dirty?" asked Amanda. Conrad and Sally just stood there with blank expressions on their faces.

"No answer, huh?" Amanda asked. "All right, playing dirty it is, then. Fearow, peck them." Fearow poked hard and the two Team Rocket grunts, resulting in them crying in pain.

"Ouch! Ow! Ouch!" They both cried.

"Are you going to talk, or does my Fearow have to keep pecking you?" Amanda asked. Conrad and Sally relented.

"All right, we'll talk. Just get that bird away from us." Said Sally.

"That's what I thought." Said Amanda, and she recalled Fearow.

"You both have some serious explaining to do!" Michelle cried.

"Okay, fine. Here's what happened." Said Sally. "It all happened last night while you kids were sleeping away peacefully."

Flashback

Amanda, Mark, Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee were all sound asleep, but Team Rocket was wide awake scrounging around for a late night snack.

"I wonder if there's any good pizza places open." Said Conrad.

"We just had pizza last night." Said Sally. "Besides, everything's probably already closed for the night anyway." They kept looking around, and then they saw some mushrooms from a nearby bush.

"There's something." Said Conrad. He picked up two mushrooms and was about to bite into them when Sally stopped him.

"Those aren't for us." Sally reminded him. "They're for the twerps' Pikachu and Eevee. If they eat these and then get sick, it'll be easier for us to steal them later." A wild male Nidoran that was still up overheard the conversation and ran up to them curiously.

"Nidoran." It whimpered, which meant 'Please don't steal me.'

"Actually, we need you to do a little job for us." Said Conrad, and he held the mushrooms in front of the Nidoran. It squealed happily and tried to bite into them, but Sally held up a finger.

"Sorry, but these aren't for you." She said. "We want you to spray some poison on here." Nidoran wasn't sure about taking orders from Team Rocket.

"Just do this one thing for us and then we'll leave you alone." Said Conrad. Nidoran sighed but did what it was told and sprayed the poison on the mushrooms.

"Very good." Said Sally. "You may go now." Nidoran scampered off, and Conrad quietly snuck up to the group's tent and placed the mushrooms right next to where the two partner Pokemon were sleeping. The Team Rocket agents then yawned and fell asleep under a nearby tree. Pikachu woke up and gave Eevee a gentle shake.

"Pikachu?" it wondered, which meant 'Did you hear something?' Eevee woke up itself.

"Eevee." It squealed, which meant 'I didn't really hear anything.' Then, they saw the mushrooms in front of their beds.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I wonder who left these here.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed quietly, which meant 'Who cares, it's free food.' They both ate the mushrooms, not knowing that they were poisoned, and then fell back asleep.

End Flashback

"So, it was you that made Pikachu and Eevee sick!" Mark cried.

"You're lucky that they didn't suffer more serious damage to their health!" Amanda shouted.

"There's only one fair way to deal with that." Michelle said, and she sent out her Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz, Thunder Punch them." Michelle ordered. Electabuzz aimed, and punched Team Rocket hard with its electric attack, sending both of them flying into the air.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried. DING!

"Great job, Electabuzz." Said Michelle, and she recalled her Pokemon to its ball. They headed back to the Pokemon Center to check on Pikachu and Eevee. Both of them were still sound asleep.

"Good news, buddy." Amanda whispered. "We found out who poisoned you and Eevee."

"Chu?" Pikachu asked weakly, which meant 'Who did it?'

"It was Team Rocket." Said Michelle. "Electabuzz and I took care of them for you, though." Eevee gave a weak smile, and then went back to sleep.

"You two continue to rest." Said Amanda, and they left the room.

"Well, it seems like you guys have everything taken care of, so I'll be on my way." Said Jessie, and she left the center. That night, as the three of them were sleeping, the two girls worried about their partners just a little bit.

"I hope they both feel better in the morning." Amanda thought. The next day, Pikachu and Eevee felt a little bit better, but they still didn't have all of their strength back, so they continued to rest. The trio made sure that both Pokemon were well taken care of. The day after that, however, both Pokemon were feeling much better.

"It seems like both Pikachu and Eevee have made very successful recoveries." Said Nurse Joy.

"Thanks a lot for helping them, Nurse Joy." Said Amanda.

"No problem." Said Joy. The trio left the center with a smiling pair of partner Pokemon accompanying them. Well, things definitely didn't look good for Pikachu and Eevee for a while, but with both Pokemon now back to full strength, it's off toward another adventure. An hour into the trio's walking, however, they unexpectedly ran into someone that they hadn't planned on seeing.

"Hello there, Michelle." Said the girl. "It's been a while since I saw you last." Who is this mystery girl? Come back next time to find out!

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Three

In the last episode, Amanda battled a trainer named Jessie, who had all three different Eevee evolutions that one can get. Right after the battle, however, both Pikachu and Eevee got unexpectedly sick and had to be rushed to a Pokemon Center. The gang then had a mystery to figure out and discovered that the partner Pokemon had gotten sick due to Team Rocket putting poison on some mushrooms that Pikachu and Eevee had consumed. Our heroes got angry at Conrad and Sally, who were sent blasting off by an Electabuzz Thunder Punch. With Pikachu and Eevee now feeling better, though, our heroes head off toward their next adventure.

"That was certainly a scary experience with you two being sick." Amanda said to both Pikachu and Eevee.

"At least both of you are better now, though." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I never want to get sick that way ever again.'

"Eevee." Eevee agreed, which meant 'Me either.' The group kept walking down the path and were unexpectedly greeted by a girl around Michelle's age.

"Hello there, Michelle." She said. "It's been a while." Michelle was left speechless and didn't know what to say.

"Michelle, what's going on?" Mark asked.

"Uh…. uh…" Michelle stammered.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'Why is Michelle acting strange?'

"I have no idea, buddy." Said Amanda. Michelle quickly got out of her little trance and smiled at the girl.

"Gina!" Michelle cried. "I didn't think I'd run into you here."

"That's what I thought at first." Said Gina. "I was out here looking for some apples in order to make a pie when I noticed you coming up and I had to take the chance to say hi."

"Gina, I'd like to introduce you to my friends, Amanda and Mark." Said Michelle.

"Hello there." Said Amanda.

"It's nice meeting you, Gina." Said Mark. Gina then noticed the two partner Pokemon beside Michelle and Amanda.

"Who are these little cuties?" she wondered.

"This little guy beside me here is Pikachu." Said Amanda. "He and I have been pals for a long time."

"And this one is my Eevee." Said Michelle. Gina took a closer look at Eevee.

"She's so adorable." She said. "You've done very well to take care of it."

"Thanks." Said Michelle.

"Michelle, how exactly do you and Gina know each other?" Amanda asked.

"She and I used to play together a lot." Michelle answered. "Basic kid games like tag, hide and seek and all of that. That was all before I met Eevee."

"I actually moved away from the street we used to live on right before Michelle got her Eevee, so I've never had a chance to meet it until now." Said Gina. "Now that I've seen it, I think it's one of the cutest things ever." Eevee smiled at hearing the compliment.

"Eevee." She squealed, which meant 'I think I like her already.'

"Say Michelle, how about you and I play with each other right now, just like old times?" Gina suggested.

"If you mean one of the games we used to play, I think we're a little too old for that now." Said Michelle.

"Not that kind of game, silly." Said Gina. "I want us to play with each other in the form of having a Pokemon battle."

"You're in luck because I just got my trainer license from Professor Oak not too long ago." Said Michelle.

"Oh, my goodness, I've always wanted to meet Professor Oak!" Gina cried. "I've heard about him. He's the most famous researcher in the entire world."

"I first met him back in the Safari Zone." Said Amanda. "That was actually where I first met Pikachu."

"Pikachu." Pikachu confirmed, which meant 'That's right.'

"Professor Oak isn't just a researcher; he also helps take care of our Pokemon." Said Michelle.

"He must seem nice based on what you're saying about him." Said Gina. "Now then, let's battle."

"You're on." Said Michelle. They both stared at each other and readied some Poke Balls.

"Since we haven't seen each other in a while, how about we battle with just two Pokemon each?" Gina suggested.

"That's fine with me." Said Michelle. "Mark, can you be the referee for this one?"

"Sure thing." Said Mark, and he stood in the middle of the two trainers. "This is a two on two match between trainer Gina and trainer Michelle. There will be no time limits and no substitutions. Let the battle begin!"

"I'll start with this one." Said Gina, and she threw her first ball. A pink Pokemon that was shaped like a small blob with two short arms appeared in a blaze of light.

"There's something I haven't seen yet." Said Amanda, and she took out her Pokedex.

"Ditto. This Pokemon has the ability to change into any Pokemon that it battles against. Its only attack is Transform."

"This one's going to be tough, but I think I can manage it." Said Michelle, and she threw the ball she was holding.

"Poliwag, I need you!" she yelled. The tiny water type appeared in a blaze of light.

"Oh, that Poliwag is adorable too." Said Gina.

"Okay, Poliwag, Ditto is capable of copying anything we do, so be careful." Said Michelle.

"Ditto, time to Transform." Said Gina. Ditto instantly turned into the little Poliwag.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I can't tell which one of them is which.'

"Neither can I." said Amanda.

"That's the whole idea with Ditto." Said Gina.

"Okay Poliwag, start with your Water Gun attack." Said Michelle.

"Ditto, you use Water Gun too." Gina ordered. Both Pokemon launched their attacks, only for the water streams to hit each other instead of the Pokemon.

"A dead heat." Amanda observed.

"Poliwag, go for Double Slap!" Michelle called out. Poliwag started to run up to the fake Poliwag.

"Ditto, you use Double Slap as well!" Gina commanded. Ditto used its tail to give Poliwag a hard slap. Michelle's own Poliwag was doing the same thing.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed from the sidelines, which meant 'Try another attack.'

"I don't know if that'll do any good." Said Michelle. "Ditto will just copy whatever we throw at it. I appreciate the suggestion, though." Suddenly, an idea came to her.

"Maybe Eevee's right after all." Michelle thought. "Okay Poliwag, go for Bubblebeam!" Poliwag fired a stream of bubbles at Ditto, and the attack finally hit.

"It's about time." Said Michelle. Gina wasn't too concerned at all, however.

"Go for Hypnosis." She said. Ditto concentrated carefully on Poliwag and sent the little Pokemon into a deep sleep.

"Oh no!" Michelle cried.

"Now use Psychic!" Gina ordered. Ditto unleashed the powerful move, and with Poliwag unable to move because of the sleep, it fainted.

"Poliwag is unable to battle." Mark declared. "The round goes to Ditto." Michelle sighed and recalled her Poliwag.

"You did well, so you can have a rest now." She said. "Well, Eevee, it's your turn." Eevee happily ran into the battle area and readied itself for action.

"Let's go, Eevee. Swift attack." Michelle ordered. Eevee fired yellow stars at Ditto, scoring a hit.

"Yes!" Michelle cried.

"Ditto, Bubblebeam now!" Gina ordered.

"Quick, Eevee, use your Agility!" Michelle cried. Eevee nodded and outmaneuvered every single Bubblebeam that Ditto fired at it.

"Don't give up, Ditto." Said Gina. "Take Down now!"

"Eevee, you do the same thing." Said Michelle. Both Pokemon charged hard and hit each other with brute force. Eevee's attack was more powerful, however, and Ditto changed back into its proper self. It lay perfectly still on the ground.

"Ditto is unable to battle. Eevee wins." Mark declared. Gina recalled Ditto and put the Poke Ball back on her waist.

"Good work, Ditto." She said, and she grabbed another ball.

"All right, Ivysaur, you're up." Said Gina, and a grass type slightly bigger than Bulbasaur appeared. It had some grass leaves on the top, with a large tulip covering it. Amanda took out her Pokedex.

"Ivysaur, the seed Pokemon. When the flower on its head is ready to bloom, it gives a distinct, sweet smelling aroma and begins to swell."

"That's what my Bulbasaur is going to become eventually." Mark thought. He then got out of his mind and yelled "Begin the battle now!"

"Eevee, go for a Quick Attack!" Michelle ordered. Eevee ran full speed at Ivysaur, but the grass type was fairly bulky and didn't receive too much damage.

"Ivysaur, Vine Whip now!" Gina commanded.

"Ivy!" Ivysaur yelled at shot out green vines from its tulip bulb.

"Eevee, Agility again." Michelle ordered. Eevee built up speed and dodged the vines Ivysaur shot out.

"Ivysaur, try Stun Spore." Said Gina. Ivysaur sprayed gold powder toward Eevee, but the small normal type carefully got out of the way to avoid being paralyzed.

"That's it, Eevee." Said Michelle. "Swift attack, now!" Eevee released yellow stars, which Ivysaur and did a fair amount of damage to it.

"We're getting close to a win, Eevee." Said Michelle. "I can feel it."

"Not so fast there, Michelle." Said Gina. "Ivysaur, get ready to fire a Solar Beam." Ivysaur opened its mouth, and a bright white glow started to form.

"Solar Beams take a while, so that gives us a free shot." Said Michelle. "Double Edge." Eevee charged hard and rammed right into Ivysaur's head. The grass type took some more damage, but it continued to stand tall.

"Okay, Ivysaur, fire the Solar Beam now!" Gina ordered. The white glow had formed fully, and Ivysaur spit it out. Eevee tried to use Agility to avoid it, but the beam was too powerful, and she screamed as she was sent flying into the air.

"Eevee!" cried Michelle. Once her partner landed back on the ground, it was left with a lot of damage marks.

"Can you try to keep going?" Michelle asked. Eevee struggled to get up, and it almost succeeded, but the normal type collapsed onto the ground.

"This match is over!" Mark declared. "Eevee can no longer battle, and that means the winner is Gina."

"We did it, Ivysaur!" Gina cried. Ivysaur let out a loud cry in triumph. Michelle was a bit disappointed, but nonetheless, she went to check on her partner.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed weakly, which meant 'I'm sorry I couldn't win that one.'

"You did really well, Eevee." Said Michelle. "I'm very proud of you. You gave it your all and that's what counts most in a battle. Once we get you to a Pokemon Center, you can have a good rest." Eevee smiled at that thought. Gina recalled Ivysaur and shook hands with Michelle.

"Great battling, Michelle." Said Gina.

"Thanks. You did well, too." Said Michelle. "Come on, Eevee, let's get you to a center."

"There won't be any need for that." Said Gina. She reached into her bag and pulled out some potion bottles.

"Here, Eevee, this will make you feel a lot better." Said Gina. She sprayed some of the potions onto Eevee and the little Pokemon started to feel much better.

"Eevee!" it squealed excitedly, which meant 'Thank you, Gina.'

"You're welcome, Eevee." Said Gina. "Hey, do you guys think I could hang out with you for a little while? Michelle and I have some more catching up to do."

"Well, it would be nice to have my friend back with me again." Said Michelle.

"What do you two think?" Amanda asked Pikachu and Eevee. "Is it okay if Gina hangs out with us?"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'It's fine with me.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'She can definitely stay.'

"Thanks, you two." Said Gina. A fair distance away, Conrad and Sally had their binoculars out and were keeping a close eye on them.

"Looks like the twerps met someone new." Said Conrad.

"You're not exactly right." Said Sally. "She's new for two of them, but the other one has known her for a while."

"How do you know that information when things like that are supposed to be private?" Conrad asked. "Have you been eavesdropping again?"

"It's not a crime to listen in on other people's conversations, you know." Said Sally.

"Fair point." Said Conrad, and then he muttered to himself. "Idiot." Sally heard him, however.

"What did you call me?" she asked.

"N-nothing." Conrad stammered.

"That's what I thought." Said Sally. Just then, an idea popped into her head. "Say, Conrad, how would you feel about not trying to go after Pikachu and Eevee today?"

"Why would you even consider that?" Conrad asked. "We're Team Rocket members, we have to steal something regardless of whether it's a Pokemon or not."

"Here's what I'm thinking." Said Sally. "Did you see that Ditto that was battling earlier?"

"I did, and it was something." Said Conrad.

"Pokemon like that are hard to obtain." Said Sally. "I don't know where that temporary twerp got hers from, but frankly, I don't care. Since Ditto has the ability to transform into anything, we can have them change into those kids and make them look like the bad guys."

"That's not a bad idea at all." Said Conrad.

"We'll wait until it's dark, and then we swipe it from whatever campsite they have." Said Sally.

"We don't even know how many Pokemon she has." Said Conrad. "How will we know if we have the right one?"

"We'll just take one and hope for our sakes that it's the Ditto." Said Sally. Amanda, Michelle, Mark and Gina were all walking down the path toward a spot big enough for all of them to set up camp.

"So, Gina, how did you and Michelle become friends?" Amanda wondered.

"It all goes back to when both of us were just four years old." Said Gina. "The way we became friends wasn't exactly how any of you were probably expecting."

Flashback

A very happy four year old Michelle was out in the backyard of her home playing with a Pikachu she had come across in the park. Both of them were happily running around with each other when they heard the sound of her father on the phone.

"A sleepover? Tomorrow night?" he said. "I bet my daughter would love to come. Yes, I'll ask her and call you back." He went into the backyard where he saw Michelle and Pikachu running, jumping and skipping with each other. He let out a happy sigh.

"I'll wait until later. They look like they're busy having fun with each other right now." During dinner, Michelle's dad decided to take the opportunity to make the proposal to Michelle.

"One of our neighbors wants you to sleep over at their house tomorrow night." He said. "They even have a little girl that's about the same age as you. Her name's Gina, and according to her mom, she doesn't have any friends right now. That's one reason they're asking if you can do it. That way, you and their daughter can possibly become friends with each other."

"Well, I'm not sure." Said Michelle. "I mean, I don't even know them at all."

"I understand that, but sometimes when you meet somebody for the first time, you end up hitting it off." Said her dad. "That's how your mother and I met."

"That's not always the case for everybody, though." Said Michelle. "Some friendships work, and some don't."

"I know it doesn't always work out, but in most cases, it does." Her father said. "I'll tell you what, Michelle. If you do this for me, I'll treat you to as much ice cream as you want."

"Oh, thank you, Daddy!" Michelle exclaimed, and she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug."

"I guess that excitement means that you'll do it?" he asked.

"I sure will!" Michelle cried excitedly, and she bounced up and down. Her dad chuckled.

"Okay, I'll call them back and tell them you said yes." He picked up the phone to make the call, and the following evening, Michelle showed up at the house feeling nervous. She knocked on the door, and a smartly dressed little girl answered.

"Hi there." Michelle said.

"Hi yourself." Said the girl.

"You don't know me, but my daddy kind of urged me to accept the invitation, and so here I am." said Michelle, and she stepped inside. "My name's Michelle." The other girl held out her hand.

"My name's Gina." She said. "Do you want to see my room?" Michelle nodded, and the girls went upstairs to Gina's room.

"You have some really cool things in here." Michelle observed.

"Thanks." Said Gina. "They're mainly Pokemon stuff, but I can't go out on a journey of my own yet."

"Neither can I." said Michelle. "What's your favorite Pokemon?"

"Eevee." Gina answered. "I love the brown fur on its coat, and its bushy tail is so cute. What's your favorite?"

"I like Eevee a lot too." Michelle answered.

"Well, we already have something in common, then." Said Gina.

"You know what, I think this could be a very successful friendship." Said Michelle.

End Flashback

"If it hadn't been for that sleepover when we were little, Michelle and I would never have become friends." Said Gina.

"You know, the way you two met is kind of the same way that Michelle and I first met." Said Amanda. "In our case, we were having a friendly one on one battle with my Pikachu against her Eevee, which she won, and then I slept over at her cabin in the Viridian Forest. We've been friends ever since."

"And now the two of you are traveling together and having adventures." Said Gina. "I've always wanted to travel, but every time I would ask my parents, they would say no on the grounds of it being expensive."

"That may be true if you're flying by airplane, but when going on foot, it's much more convenient." Said Mark.

"Did you and Michelle hang out together a lot?" Amanda asked.

"We sure did." Said Gina. "We had a lot of sleepovers, and we even went to the same school together."

"It seems like you two have a lot of history with each other." Said Mark.

"We do." Said Michelle. "I guess you could say that we're besties."

"So, bestie, do you think there's room for me to camp out with you and your friends tonight?" Gina asked.

"There's plenty of room." Said Amanda. "We have to find a Pokemon Center first, though." The four of them continued walking along the path, and twenty minutes later, Gina got a bit curious.

"So, Amanda, how's your journey been going?" she asked.

"It's been going very well." Said Amanda. "I have five gym badges already."

"Pretty impressive." Said Gina. "How about you, Michelle?"

"I don't have any badges, yet." Said Michelle. "I want to try and win my own badges at some point, though."

"If you feel you're not ready yet, then there's no need to rush." Said Gina.

"We'll start getting our badges when we feel that we're ready, right Eevee?" Michelle asked.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed happily, which meant 'That's right.' Michelle and her partner wore happy smiles on their faces as the group continued onward. After another hour had gone by, they finally reached a Pokemon Center.

"Thank goodness we're here. I need a break from all of that walking." Said Gina.

"We should also get our Pokemon checked out." Said Michelle. She and Gina left their Pokemon with Nurse Joy, and then they went over to the video phone.

"I just remembered that Professor Oak promised me something for when I turned ten." Said Michelle.

"Oh yes, I do remember him saying something about that." Said Amanda. She dialed the number for the professor's lab, only to be greeted with a busy signal.

"I guess he must be talking with someone else." Said Gina. Amanda hung up the phone and said, "I guess we'll have to try again later." They went into the cafeteria to have themselves a snack, which they desperately needed after doing so much walking. When they returned to the lobby, they heard the video phone ringing.

"Maybe that's the professor calling back." Said Michelle. She picked up the call, and sure enough, there was Oak on the other end.

"Hello there, kids." Said Oak. "Sorry I missed your call, earlier, but I was dealing with official business that was kind of important. It's also quite private, so I can't disclose any of that to you. Now, Michelle, as I seem to remember, I did promise you a certain something for your birthday."

"To be honest, I kind of forgot about that promise." Michelle said sheepishly.

"I'll admit, I did kind of forget about it myself when I called you on your birthday not too long ago, but I think it's time we rectified that." Said the professor. He got a Poke Ball from a table and came back to the screen with it. "If you will recall, I did promise you a Charmander when you turned ten years old, and with you having had your birthday just recently, it's time I followed through on that. However, you'll need to send me a Pokemon you currently have since I believe you have a full party."

"I'll send my Nidoran over." Said Michelle. She placed her female Nidoran's ball on the transporter machine, and Oak did the same with Charmander. In a quick flash of light, both Pokemon instantly traded places.

"There you go, Michelle. Charmander is your new Pokemon." Said the professor. Raise it well."

"I will, professor." Said Michelle. "Thanks again!"

"You're very welcome." Said Oak. Before he could hang up, though, Gina put herself in front of the screen.

"Professor, I've always wanted to meet you." She said.

"And exactly who are you?" the professor asked.

"That's Gina, professor." Said Michelle. "She's an old friend of mine that I ran into earlier today."

"Ah, I see." Said Oak. "It's very nice to meet you, Gina."

"I've got a lot of thing I want to tell you." Said Gina, and she began to engage in a deep conversation. As she talked, Oak listened.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'This could take a while.' Mark, Amanda and Michelle all listened, but gave loud yawns after about thirty minutes due to how long Gina was taking.

"How can one person talk so much?" Mark wondered.

"I honestly have no clue." Said Amanda. "As long as she's happy, though." Finally, Gina finished.

"Well, your love for Pokemon is definitely very helpful." Said Oak. "It was very nice meeting you, and I hope we get to talk again soon."

"Same here, professor." Said Gina, and she hung up.

"What did you and Professor Oak talk about?" Mark asked.

"Quite a lot of things." Said Gina. "I even mentioned about how I had used to watch his weekly Pokemon lectures on television."

"I'm sure he must've been happy to hear that." Said Michelle. A ding sound was heard, and they went back to the counter in the lobby. Nurse Joy gave a warm smile.

"Here you go, Gina. Your Pokemon are fully healed." Said Joy. "Same for you, Michelle. All of your Pokemon are good to go as well."

"Thanks, Nurse Joy." Said both girls.

"You're welcome." Said Joy. The foursome left the center and started walking again.

"Where should we set up camp?" Amanda asked.

"Depends on how big some of these spots are." Said Mark.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, pointing to an opening in between two trees, which meant 'There's a spot.'

"That's not big enough." Said Mark. "We need something that's not only big enough for all four of us, but also without any obstacles in the way." They continued walking, and after twenty-five minutes, they finally found a spot to use. Mark set up some tents and sleeping bags, and Pikachu and Eevee ran off to play with each other.

"This is definitely the best spot in this whole forest." Said Michelle. "I just hope Pikachu and Eevee don't go wandering too far off." Both Pikachu and Eevee were happily running around with each other around the campsite and smiling at each other.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'This is such a great day to be playing like this.'

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'I don't think anything can go wrong.' They kept running and smiling at each other, but in their excitement, they ran into something with prickled thorns on it, and because Pikachu wasn't paying attention to where he was going, the thorn ended up scratching his arm a bit.

"Pikachu!" the little mouse cried in pain, which meant 'Ouch!'

"Eevee?" Eevee asked, which meant 'Are you okay, Pikachu?'

"Pikachu!" Pikachu shook his head furiously as he cried out, which meant 'No. This is a big scratch. Go get Amanda.' Eevee nodded and ran off back to the campsite.

"Eevee!" she squealed, which meant 'Come quick!'

"What's the matter, Eevee?" asked Amanda. "Did something happen?" Eevee nodded and then explained.

"Eevee." She squealed, which meant 'Pikachu and I were running around, and then a thorn scratched him and now he's hurt."

"Gina, you come with me." Said Amanda. "Mark and Michelle, you two continue to set things up. We shouldn't be too long." Eevee led the way over to the spot where Pikachu had gotten injured.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Help me, please!'

"It's okay, buddy, I'm here." Said Amanda. "Gina's good with first aid, so she'll take care of you."

"I need you to hold your arm out for me so I can see where it hurts." Said Gina. Pikachu obeyed, and Gina had a look at the scratch.

"That's certainly a bit of a big one." She said. "I think some super potions can fix that, though." She took out a couple of bottles and sprayed them on Pikachu. The potions did sting a bit, but the scratch was now gone as a result.

"There now." Said Gina. "Does that feel better?" Pikachu nodded.

"Let's go back to the others." Said Amanda. She, Gina, Pikachu and Eevee went back to where Michelle and Mark were.

"Good news, Pikachu is feeling much better now." Said Amanda.

"That's a relief." Said Michelle. Later, after everyone had eaten their dinner, they all fell fast asleep. The group laid their Poke Balls out beside the tent in the hopes that nothing would happen to them. Unfortunately for the foursome, Conrad and Sally were nearby.

"Now's our chance!" cried Conrad.

"Shush." Said Sally. "We can't be too loud or else they'll hear us."

"That would ruin our plan, wouldn't it?" Conrad asked. Sally nodded firmly.

"Try to find the Poke Ball that has Ditto in it." She whispered.

"It's dark out, though." Said Conrad.

"I don't care." Said Sally. "We're not leaving here without the Ditto." She then looked up into the sky and saw that Conrad did have a valid point.

"On second thought, this might be a bit of a challenge." She admitted.

"I don't want to be the one to say I told you so, but I told you so." Said Conrad. "Can't we just wait until the morning?"

"No, they'll be awake by then." Said Sally.

"You're not going to be satisfied unless we have the Ditto in our possession, are you?" Conrad asked.

"Nope." Said Sally. "It doesn't help that it's getting darker either. Just grab a ball and we'll hope that it's what we're looking for." Conrad grabbed a ball near the middle of the pile, and the two of them ran off. The next morning, Pikachu awoke before anybody else. He carefully checked to see that everyone's Pokemon was accounted for, but one of the Poke Balls was missing. He quickly ran back to alert the others.

"Pikachu!" he shouted, which meant 'Everybody up!' The foursome yawned as they opened their eyes.

"Pikachu, what is it?" Amanda asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'One of the Pokemon is gone!'

"How can it be gone? They've been in their Poke Balls all night." Michelle said.

"They know they're not supposed to come out unless we tell them to." Said Mark. They checked the pile carefully, and saw that Pikachu was right.

"There really is a Pokemon missing." Said Michelle.

"Which one is it, though?" Gina wondered. Michelle looked over the pile carefully and then realized that one of hers was missing.

"Where's Poliwag?" she asked.

"It probably went for a walk or something." Mark answered, but Michelle disagreed.

"I think somebody took it." She said.

"And I think I know which somebody it was." Said Amanda. She grabbed one of her Poke Balls and sent out Fearow.

"Fearow, I need you to find Poliwag." She said. Fearow nodded and flew off. In another part of the campsite, Conrad and Sally were fast asleep with a Poke Ball placed beside them. They remained asleep for fifteen minutes before finally waking up.

"Nothing like a good night's sleep to get you energized for the next day." Said Conrad. Sally grabbed the ball that was beside her.

"First order of business is to open this thing and check on our new Ditto." She pressed the button in the middle of the ball to open it, but the Pokémon that came out wasn't what they expected.

"Poliwag?" the little tadpole Pokemon asked confusingly, which meant 'Where am I?' Sally was dumbfounded.

"That doesn't look like a Ditto to me." Said Conrad.

"I know it's not Ditto." Said Sally. "We just grabbed the wrong one." Sally then looked at the Poliwag.

"On the other hand, maybe we can have some fun with this little guy first." She said. "You are going to make the cutest Team Rocket member ever." Poliwag didn't like the sound of that and sprayed Sally with a Water Gun.

"Hey, that's no way to treat your fellow teammate." Said Conrad. They chased after the Poliwag but it kept escaping their grasp every time. Just then, they heard a loud screech.

"What was that?" They asked in unison. They turned around and saw a very angry Fearow looking at them.

"Fearow!" it screamed, which meant 'Give Poliwag back right now!'

"Lay off birdbrain, we don't have time to play with you right now." Said Sally. Fearow wasn't satisfied, and pecked her on the face repeatedly, causing her to scream.

"No need to be so aggressive." She said. "Poliwag, attack it!" However, Poliwag just stood there.

"What do you think you're doing?" Conrad demanded. "Attack the bird! Use Water Gun or something!" Again, Poliwag just stood there and shook her head.

"Poliwag!" she cried, which meant 'Nice try, Team Rocket, but I only listen to my trainer.' Poliwag hopped onto Fearow's back and the two Pokemon disappeared.

"After them!" Sally cried, and the two of them chased after Fearow. Meanwhile, Michelle was almost on the verge of tears.

"That Poliwag has been with me for as long as I can remember." She said. "What if something bad has happened to it?" She then broke down and started crying.

"Eevee." Eevee consoled her, which meant 'It'll be okay, Michelle.'

"I really hope so, Eevee." Said Michelle. Gina was keeping an eye out for air movement when she saw Fearow heading towards them.

"Guys, look!" she cried. Poliwag was happily riding on Fearow's back and having a good time. Fearow came down for a landing, allowing Poliwag to get off and run to Michelle.

"Poliwag! Thank goodness you're okay!" she cried out. "What happened?" She then heard the sound of two angry Team Rocket grunts, with Sally firmly holding an empty Poke Ball .

"We'll be taking that, thank you." Said Conrad. He reached for Poliwag but Michelle wouldn't let him get near the small water type.

"I had a feeling that you were the ones who took it!" Michelle exclaimed.

"If you don't mind, we'll be taking it back." Said Sally.

"We do mind!" Amanda yelled.

"Then we'll have to battle." Said Conrad. "If you lose, we not only get Poliwag, but Pikachu and Eevee too."

"You're on!" Michelle cried.

"Ekans, go!" cried Sally.

"Zubat, this is all you." Said Conrad, and the two of them sent their Pokemon out.

"Pikachu, let's do this!" Amanda cried. However, Michelle interjected.

"It's my Pokemon that they stole, so I'll be the one to battle them." She said. "Eevee, go!" Eevee squealed in delight and happily sprang into action.

"I'll help you out." Said Gina. "Clefable, I choose you!" She threw a Poke Ball and Clefairy's evolution came out. Amanda quickly took her Pokedex out.

"Clefable, the fairy Pokemon. Clefable likes to go for walks under the moonlight and the bounce in its step allows it to walk on water."

"Eevee, go for Quick Attack on Ekans." Michelle ordered.

"Clefable, use Metronome on Zubat." Said Gina. Eevee ran toward the pink snake and gave it a good hit. Meanwhile, Clefable waved its arms together.

"What attack do you suppose it's going to unleash on us?" Sally wondered.

"It's Metronome, so anything can happen." Conrad answered. Clefable kept waving its arms, and a beam of yellow lightning struck Zubat and did quite a bit of damage.

"That was a Thunderbolt." Said Conrad. Zubat was tough and showed willingness to keep fighting despite having taken so much damage.

"Swift attack, Eevee." Michelle called.

"Mega Punch, Clefable." Said Gina. Eevee fired stars at Zubat and Clefable gave Ekans a good punch.

"Ekans, Poison Sting now!" Sally commanded.

"Zubat, Wing Attack." Said Conrad. Eevee dodged the poison needles, however, but Zubat got a cheap shot in.

"Good try, Team Rocket, but not good enough." Said Gina. "Clefable, finish them with Hyper Beam!" Clefable opened its mouth and fired a big bright yellow beam and both Pokemon as well as the two Team Rocket grunts, sending them all into the air.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried.

"Well done, Clefable!" Gina praised.

"You too, Eevee." Said Michelle. Both Pokemon cheered excitedly. A bit later, the trio was getting ready to say goodbye to Gina.

"I appreciate you letting me hang out with you, but now it's time for us to go our own ways." Gina said. "Good luck on the rest of your gym challenge, Amanda."

"Thanks." Said Amanda. The trio waved goodbye to Gina and set off.

"It was certainly nice seeing my friend again." Said Michelle. "I hope we see her again soon."

"We'll have to see." Said Mark. And so, our heroes forge on ahead toward their next destination. Will they get any closer to Fuchsia? Will they find some new Pokemon to catch? Find out next time.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Four

Previously, our heroes encountered an old friend of Michelle's named Gina. The two girls had a friendly battle with each other that saw Gina win, and Michelle decided to let her spend the night with the group. However, Team Rocket was up to their old tricks again and tried to steal Gina's Ditto but ended up getting Michelle's Poliwag instead. Fortunately, Poliwag ended up safe with Michelle and Team Rocket was once again sent blasting off by a powerful Hyper Beam. What will our heroes get into next? Find out as their journey continues.

Michelle, Amanda, and Mark were all walking casually down the path toward the next town when Pikachu spotted something on one of the signposts.

"Pikachu!" he shouted excitedly, which meant 'Guys, look at this!'

"What's Pikachu all excited about?" Mark wondered.

"I don't know." Said Amanda. "Let's have a look for ourselves." They looked at the signpost and the paper that was taped to it was advertising something that got them fairly excited.

"A Pokemon car race." Said Michelle. "That seems exciting."

"My dad actually used to be a race car driver." Said Mark. This was new information for both Amanda and Michelle.

"He did?" they asked together.

"He was one of the best racers ever." Mark said. "Every time he was on the track, he would blaze by so fast that you couldn't see him. He also won almost every race he was in. People were saying that he had the potential to become one of the best of all time, and he was certainly on the right track for that. After I was born, though, he had to stop racing so he could look after me. He hasn't raced since then."

"Do you think your dad would be proud of you if you were to participate in this race?" asked Michelle.

"I'm very sure he would." Said Mark. "Come on, let's go sign up!" The quickly ran into town so they could find the registration area. Of course, Team Rocket wasn't too far behind them, and Sally had a look at the paper herself.

"Looks like the kids decided to take part in a race." She said.

"The Pokemon Grand Prix." Said Conrad. "Do you think we should enter?"

"If it means getting to steal some Pokemon if we win, then yes." Said Sally. "Come on, let's go." The two of them ran off toward the registration spot as well, which happened to be a Pokemon Center located near the town's entrance. Mark, Amanda, and Michelle, however, didn't know this.

"I don't see anywhere to register." Said Michelle. Pikachu then spotted an Officer Jenny near the corner directing traffic.

"Maybe she knows where we're supposed to go." Said Amanda. They approached the officer, who was also talking into her portable radio.

"Excuse us, miss." Said Amanda. "I was wondering if it would be possible for you to tell us where we sign up for the Pokemon race."

"You're not too far away from the registration spot." Said Jenny. "There's a Pokemon Center up this road. Go there and Nurse Joy can tell you everything." The trio thanked Jenny and headed up toward where the center was. Fortunately, they only had to walk ten minutes to get there. When they got inside, Nurse Joy greeted them warmly.

"Are you kids here to register for the Pokemon Grand Prix?" she asked.

"We certainly are." Said Michelle.

"You're not the only ones that are here for that." Said Joy. The trio looked around and saw that there were several people in the lobby waiting to sign up.

"As you can probably tell, this is a very popular event." Said Joy. "So popular, in fact, that not everyone who registers even makes it to race day."

"What do you mean, Nurse Joy?" Mark asked.

"You have to run a qualifying lap first to determine your time. If it ends up in the top sixteen, you advance to the actual race." Joy answered. "You're also allowed to have one Pokémon with you in your car as a support."

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

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'Let's go for it!' The three of them filled out the forms, and then went over to the lobby area.

"Joy wasn't kidding when she said this was popular." Said Michelle. "Just look at how crowded this is." Eevee shuddered at first, but Michelle assured her partner that it would be all right. In fact, one of the people in the lobby was someone that the group had already run into a couple of times.

"Abby! I didn't know you liked racing." Said Amanda.

"I thought magic was your specialty." Said Michelle.

"It is." Said Abby. "I have other interests too, though, and racing happens to be one of those interests, which is why I'm here."

"Well, let's hope that all four of us get to race with each other." Said Mark.

"That would be pretty cool." Said Amanda. "All we can do is hope for the best, though." Abby and the trio continued chatting with each other, but a brief time later, Conrad and Sally came into the lobby area.

"Hello there, kids." Sally said in a fake sweet voice.

"You guys again!" Michelle and Amanda cried together.

"What do you want now, Team Rocket?" Mark asked.

"You're not here to try and steal our Pokemon again, are you?" Michelle wondered.

"Oh please, we wouldn't dream of doing that." Said Conrad, also in a fake voice.

"We're here to take part in that Pokemon race." Said Sally.

"If that's the case, you're going to have to sign up at the front desk." Said Amanda.

"We already did that." Said Conrad.

"Okay, but no funny business." Said Michelle. Twenty minutes later, Joy went over to the lobby area.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Pokemon Grand Prix." She said. "This year seems to be our most popular year ever, with forty racers signed up."

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'That's quite a lot.'

"All of you will run three qualifying laps, with only your best time being counted." Said Joy. "The top sixteen times will then advance to the big race. You can each have one Pokémon with you to serve as your partner during the competition. The qualifying round will take place tomorrow. Good luck to everyone." The trio left the center feeling more excited than ever.

"My first ever car race!" Mark exclaimed. "I just hope nothing bad happens that'll ruin it for me."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'You'll do great, Mark.' Everyone's heads were held high, but then they ran into someone who was quite arrogant.

"So, you guys think you're going to win this race, huh?" he said.

"And who exactly are you?" asked Amanda.

"Last year's champion, that's who." Said the male. "Brandon Hinkle is my name, and racing is my game."

"Just how good are you at racing?" Mark wondered.

"I'm one of the top racers in the whole region." Brandon bragged. "I've been in plenty of races before and have won almost all of them, so you guys are going to be in big trouble when you race against me!"

"Oh yeah, well we'll just see about that." Said Amanda.

"You know what, since you sound so confident, let's have a little pre-race warm up." Said Brandon. "One on one battle, right here, right now!"

"Fine with me!" Amanda cried. Brandon grabbed a Poke Ball and got ready to throw.

"Arcanine, let's go!" he cried as he threw the ball. A big red fire type with black stripes appeared and let out its battle cry.

"Arcanine, huh. Okay, I've got just the thing for that." Said Amanda, and she grabbed one of her own Poke Balls.

"Squirtle, I choose you!" she cried. The small water type starter appeared and readied himself for action.

"Do you think Amanda can win this battle, Mark?" Michelle asked.

"We'll see." Said Mark. "While Squirtle does have the type advantage, Arcanine looks like he's been in lots of battles, giving him the experience advantage, so this could go either way."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Come on, Amanda! Knock him down a peg!'

"Thanks, Pikachu. I'll do my best." Said Amanda. "All right Squirtle, start things off with Water Gun!" Squirtle aimed a streak of water at the big fire Pokemon, but Arcanine jumped out of the way right before the attack could hit.

"I should probably warn you that my Arcanine is very quick." Said Brandon.

"Yes, I see that first-hand." Said Amanda.

"Okay Arcanine, use Take Down." Arcanine obeyed and charged at Squirtle.

"Use Withdraw quickly!" Amanda commanded. Squirtle got into his shell a split second before Arcanine could damage him, resulting in just the shell being hit. Squirtle then popped back out.

"Good work, now use your Bubblebeam attack." Amanda ordered.

"Arcanine, use your Agility now!" Brandon cried. Arcanine moved even quicker than it had on Squirtle's first attempt to attack, which allowed him to dodge the bubbles regardless of which direction Squirtle aimed.

"It's no good. None of Squirtle's water moves are working!" Amanda cried.

"Looks like I was right about the experience factor for Arcanine." Said Mark.

"Is it still possible for Amanda to win, though?" asked Michelle.

"Yes, but Amanda might have to come up with a different plan or else Squirtle will become burnt toast." Said Mark.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Hang in there, Amanda!'

"Try a Skull Bash!" Amanda ordered. Squirtle lowered its head and started to ram at its fastest speed right toward Arcanine.

"Dodge it!" Brandon ordered. Arcanine jumped up high right before the attack could land, leaving both Squirtle and Amanda visibly frustrated.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle yelled, which meant 'I can't hit him. He's too good.'

"I know this Arcanine is powerful, but you can't give up." Said Amanda.

"Now, go for the Fire Blast!" Brandon ordered. Amanda gasped.

"Outside of Flamethrower, Fire Blast is the most powerful attack for a flame type like Arcanine." Said Michelle. "If I were Amanda, I'd be very worried right now."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'How powerful is it?'

"It's very powerful." Said Mark. Sure enough, the powerful blast hit Squirtle directly, but not enough to knock it out.

"Are you okay, Squirtle?" Amanda asked. Squirtle gave an affirmative nod and stared down the Arcanine.

"Try another Water Gun." Amanda ordered. Squirtle sent another stream of water in Arcanine's direction, and once again, the big fire type jumped to try and avoid it. However, Arcanine wasn't quite fast enough, and the attack hit his back leg.

"Arcanine!" Brandon cried.

"There you go, Squirtle!" Amanda yelled. Brandon didn't seem the least bit worried, though.

"Body Slam." he said calmly. Arcanine spread out his whole body and jumped right on top of Squirtle.

"Try to get up!" Amanda cried. Squirtle tried getting out of Arcanine's grasp, but to no avail.

"Finish it, Arcanine. Hyper Beam!" Brandon cried. Arcanine opened his mouth, and a bright white beam shot out, hitting Squirtle directly. The small turtle struggled to get up, but the effects of the attack caused it to faint.

"And that's the match." Said Michelle.

"Great job, Arcanine." Said Brandon. He recalled his Pokemon and stared at Amanda.

"Let's hope your racing skills are better than your battle skills." he said and walked away with a big grin on his face. Amanda recalled Squirtle, and angrily watched Brandon disappear out of sight. Pikachu ran over to her, as did Michelle and Mark.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked curiously, which meant 'Are you okay, Amanda?'

"Not really." Amanda answered.

"That was a good try, though." Said Michelle.

"That's certainly not the first time you've lost a match, and I'm pretty sure it won't be the last time either." Said Mark.

"It's not the losing part I'm angry about." Said Amanda. "It's Brandon's attitude that I don't like."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I didn't like him either.'

"Just be glad that you didn't have to battle him, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Michelle placed a hand on her friend's shoulder.

"Come on, let's find a place to eat and maybe that'll take your mind off of that guy." Said Michelle. The three friends, plus Pikachu and Eevee, all walked down the street looking for restaurants. The first one they found was closed, while the second one was completely full. The third one wasn't quite packed, but still packed enough that they decided to continue walking.

"I wonder why all of these places are so busy." Amanda wondered.

"It's because of the big race." Said the head waiter for the restaurant they had been about to pass. "An event like this attracts a lot of people, so you have to make reservations in advance to be able to get in."

"Oh, but we don't have a reservation." Said Michelle.

"No reservation, no table." Said the waiter, and he went back to his work. The trio continued to walk and saw plenty of other restaurants. However, all of them were full too.

"I don't think we're ever going to find a place with open room." Said Amanda. They were at the end of the block when Mark spotted a place that was quiet.

"There's nobody in this one." He said.

"Thank goodness." Said Michelle, and they ran up to the entrance.

"Can I help you?" asked the restaurant's manager.

"We'd like a table for three, please." Said Mark.

"Assuming that you're not busy, that is." Said Michelle.

"Don't worry, we have plenty of room." Said the manager. "Follow me." She led the group to a table that was just outside of the tent.

"The waiter will bring your menus to you shortly." She said as she seated them, and then she left.

"This place definitely looks nice." Said Mark.

"I'm glad it's also quiet." Said Michelle. "Those other places we passed through had too much loud music playing."

"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed, which meant 'Yeah, all of that constant loud music was kind of annoying.' The waiter came to the table five minutes later.

"May I get you started with any drinks?" he asked.

"Three diet sodas for all of us, please." Said Amanda.

"Sounds good." Said the waiter, and he left the table. Amanda then went into deep thought.

"What do you suppose she's thinking about?" Michelle wondered.

"Probably about how she's going to beat Brandon in that big race." Mark answered.

"Pikachu." Pikachu chimed in, which meant 'If she can't beat him in a Pokemon battle, how can she possibly do that in a race?'

"Racing is a lot different than battles, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Battling requires skill, while racing requires speed."

"It also requires some luck, too, and you certainly didn't have any of that in your battle." Said Michelle.

"She does have a point there." Said Mark.

"We may have lost the battle, but we're certainly winning the race." Said Amanda. A few minutes later, the waiter returned with their sodas and asked for their food orders. Amanda decided on a cheeseburger with fries, Mark ordered some pizza and Michelle went for some fish and salad. After the waiter left the table to give the orders to the kitchen, Amanda thought of something that concerned her.

"What if Team Rocket tries to pull off some cheating stunts during the race?" she asked.

"Knowing those two, I wouldn't be surprised, honestly." Michelle answered. Twenty-five minutes later, their food came. All three of them dug in and were very satisfied with their meal. Amanda even let Pikachu have a few French fries, and Michelle shared some of her fish with Eevee. Once they got the bill and Amanda paid, they all made their way back to the Pokemon Center.

"That was such a good meal." Said Michelle. "I wish I could eat like that all the time."

"Sadly, not everyone can afford that luxury." Said Mark.

"Wait a minute, something felt odd the entire time we were sitting down and eating." Said Amanda.

"What do you mean?" Michelle asked.

"I'm surprised Team Rocket didn't try to interfere with our meal." Said Amanda.

"You're right." Said Mark. "Those two clowns usually follow us wherever we go." Conrad and Sally had chosen to eat at one of the crowded places, but unfortunately, didn't have the funds to pay for their meal, and so they had attempted a dine and dash. Unfortunately, they were caught by their server. As punishment, they were forced to wash dishes in the kitchen by hand.

"This is why you always make sure you bring money with you before walking into a restaurant!" the head chef barked at them. Conrad and Sally let out a sigh, as they knew they would be in for a long night. As Amanda slept, all she could think about was Brandon, and how he had made fun of her battle skills.

"I'll show him." Amanda whispered quietly. "Once we get on the track, the only thing he'll be eating is the dust from my race car." The next day was the qualifying race, and the three friends were all getting themselves ready. One of the rules that they had to abide by was that each competitor was required to wear special racing suits as well as a helmet. Amanda was dressed in a blue suit, Mark in a red suit and Michelle in a green suit.

"This is going to be a great race, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Right as they were about to get on the track, Brandon came up to them.

"If you still think you're winning this race, missy, then you may as well just throw in the towel right now because I'm unbeatable." He bragged. This got Amanda angry again.

"I'm not giving up." She barked. "I want to win this race, and I won't be satisfied until I do that!"

"Whatever." Brandon smirked, and he ran off laughing.

"Don't let him get under your skin." Michelle advised. "Just give it your best and you'll be fine." Just then, the voice of a talking Meowth was heard over the intercom.

"Anyone competing in the qualifying race, please report to the starting line." He bellowed.

"Come on, guys." Said Amanda. They got into their cars and waited for the red lights above the line to go off.

"Get ready." Said Michelle.

"Get set." Said Amanda. The lights then went off.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'Go!' The three of them hit the gas and took off. The first lap was spent getting used to the car. In the second lap, they picked up some speed and started to go faster. In the third lap, they went all out and crossed the line within two seconds of each other.

"That was certainly a close finish." Said Michelle.

"Just imagine if this was a real race." Said Amanda. They got out of their cars and were putting their helmets away when they heard someone on the track yelling for help.

"Pikachu." He said, which meant 'I wonder what's going on.'

"Let's have a look and see." Said Michelle. They ran back to the track where they saw a girl named Lisa driving much faster than she should've been. She tried to slam on her brakes, but she couldn't. She tried to turn, but she couldn't do that either.

"I don't think what's about to happen next is going to be pretty." Said Michelle. With the brakes and steering wheel both malfunctioning, the car slammed right into a barrier and Lisa was sent flying backwards onto a patch of grass. Thankfully, the car wasn't damaged, but Lisa was screaming in pain when she tried to get up.

"That doesn't sound good." Said Mark.

"Let's go help her." Said Amanda. They rushed over to Lisa to check on her.

"Are you okay?" Michelle asked.

"No." Lisa cried. "I think my arm might be broken." She tried to move again, but it did no good. Fortunately, Nurse Joy was nearby and rushed to Lisa's aid.

"I had a feeling that I heard some commotion over here, and it looks like I was right." Said Joy. "Let's have a look at that arm of yours." She carefully tried to feel where it was hurting, only for Lisa to scream again.

"I know it hurts, but you have to let me look at this." Joy instructed. She examined the arm carefully and then gave her diagnosis.

"Well, I have some good news and some bad news." She said. "The good news is that your arm isn't broken. The bad news is that it's severely sprained." She took out her first aid kit and applied a cast as well as a shoulder sling.

"You'll have to wear that for the next ten weeks." Joy continued. "I'm afraid that means no racing for you tomorrow. It's a shame, too, because your time was the fastest out of everybody. Well, I have to get back to the Pokemon Center." She took her first aid kit with her as she left, and then Lisa started crying.

"Cheer up. Everything will be okay." Said Michelle. Lisa disagreed, though.

"You don't understand." She sobbed. "This was supposed to be my first year taking part in this race. I wanted to do it last year but got sick. And now this year, my arm gets hurt in an accident the day before the race."

"I'm sorry you got hurt, but I have a sneaky feeling that what happened to you was no accident." Said Mark.

"We think someone set that up to force you to get hurt." Said Michelle.

"You haven't heard of Team Rocket, have you?" asked Amanda.

"My aunt Lorelai has told me a bit about them, but I've never seen what they look like." Said Lisa.

"Wait a second, did you just say that Lorelai is your aunt?" Michelle asked.

"As in, the famous Lorelai of the Elite Four?" Mark wondered.

"Yes, that's the one." Said Lisa. "Now, what were you saying about Team Rocket?"

"There's these two crooks named Conrad and Sally who work for them, and we think they messed up your car to cause that accident." Said Amanda.

"I guess that would explain why the car was fine yesterday when I did a test run with it and then suddenly wasn't working today." Said Lisa.

"Exactly." Said Mark.

"Since you're out of the race, what are you going to do?" Michelle asked.

"I guess I'll have to settle for watching the TV broadcast." She said, and then she let out a sigh. "It won't be the same, though. Anyway, thanks for helping me." She picked herself up and walked away sadly.

"I feel sorry for her." Said Amanda.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed sadly, which meant 'So do I.'

"She worked so hard and now she doesn't get to show her skills." Said Amanda. "I want to have a word with Team Rocket." She looked all around the track for Conrad and Sally but couldn't find them. The two crooks had wisely disappeared after finishing their run.

"One less bit of competition to worry about." Said Sally.

"I suppose that's good news for us, but weren't we supposed to ruin the twerps' cars instead of one that some random kid was using?" said Conrad.

"It was dark out when I did this, so I couldn't see." Said Sally. "No matter, though, we're going to make sure that those twerps don't win the race."

"We don't even know yet if we qualified, though." Said Conrad. Later that evening, Nurse Joy posted a sheet of paper in the lobby stating who had qualified.

"There's our names!" Michelle cried. They looked at the sheet and saw that they had indeed advanced. Unfortunately for them, so had Brandon, Sally and Conrad. Amanda growled, but there was nothing she could do except get a good night's rest. The next morning, the three of them were back at the racetrack and getting themselves ready for the big event.

"Good luck, guys." Said Amanda. At exactly ten o'clock, Nurse Joy ordered everyone to the starting line.

"Okay everyone, let's have a clean race." She said. Meowth was in charge of the commentary.

"Welcome, one and all, to the annual Pokemon Grand Prix!" he announced. "We have a lot of talented racers here today looking to show their skills. Unfortunately, we are down one racer for today's event due to an accident that occurred during yesterday's qualifying round."

"Yeah, an accident that was caused by Team Rocket." Amanda muttered to herself.

"For everyone that is here, give it your all and may the best racer win." Meowth continued. "On your marks, get set, go!" Amanda zoomed out to an early lead after the first lap, but not surprisingly, Brandon was keeping up with her.

"Only one of us is going to win this race, and it's going to be me!" he claimed.

"Is that a fact?" Amanda asked angrily.

"It sure is, miss." Said Brandon. "Like I told you already, nobody can beat me." That was when Amanda noticed something on one of Brandon's tires.

"I may not be a racing expert, but I'm pretty sure it's a bit hard to drive properly when you have a loose wheel." She said smugly. Brandon looked at the tire and gasped.

"The car wasn't like this yesterday!" he cried. As a result, his turns weren't as sharp as they should've been, and he had to drop out after only two laps. Conrad and Sally were grinning.

"Another one bites the dust." Said Sally. Amanda continued to hold the lead, but that didn't last too long before Michelle pulled up beside her.

"I bet you must be glad that Brandon's out of the race." She said.

"I'm extremely happy about that." Said Amanda.

"Pika!" Pikachu reminded her, which meant 'This race is far from over.'

"I know, buddy." Said Amanda. The two of them remained even with each other for the next couple of laps, but shortly after lap five started, Michelle saw a net hanging from one of the trees. She tried to get past it as quickly as she could, but the net came down and swallowed her up while still in the car.

"Hey, this isn't funny! Let me down!" Michelle cried. Conrad just snickered.

"And there goes another one." He said. However, Mark came to Michelle's aid and tugged at the strand of rope holding the net together. The net opened up and Michelle landed back on the track.

"Thanks, Mark." She said.

"No problem." Said Mark, and the two of them drove away.

"Rats!" cried Conrad.

"I told you to make the net tighter!" Sally hissed. Meanwhile, another girl was humming along down the track and singing a tune to herself. She had just crossed the goal line to start lap number seven when she suddenly started driving in reverse.

"Huh?" she wondered. Sally had somehow found a remote control in her car's glove compartment and was using it to control the girl's car. The girl tried to move forward but couldn't. Then, she found herself ramming into a wall. Her race partner, a Poliwhirl, asked if she was okay.

"I'm fine." Said the girl. "I think there's some shady stuff going on, though. Well, nothing we can do about that." She tried to move forward again, and this time, she was successful.

"So much for that idea." Sally fumed, and she slammed the remote back into its compartment. The next three laps went smoothly, but on lap ten, a tack suddenly appeared in the middle of the road.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Look out!' He briefly took charge of the wheel and swerved away from the danger right before Amanda could hit it.

"Thanks, buddy." Said Amanda. Just then, the girl who had been sent in reverse got close to Amanda's car.

"I don't know about you, but I think somebody's cheating." She said.

"Oh, I already know that there's cheating going on." Said Amanda. "And I think I know who's doing it too. I'm not concerning myself with that right now, though. I just want to try and win this race." Amanda took off, with the girl following close behind.

"Any more bright ideas?" Conrad asked.

"Well, they do say that fruit's healthy." Said Sally. She started to throw a banana peel onto the track in order to try and get a driver to slip on it. However, a wild Mankey swooped down from the tree and grabbed the peel before any damage could be done. Sally grunted.

"Why is nothing going right?" she fumed and glared at Conrad.

"Don't look at me." He insisted. "A lot of these have been your idea."

"That's true." Said Sally. Another boy was enjoying himself, but on lap thirteen, he suddenly found himself going slower.

"I don't understand what's happening." He said.

"We do." Sally said as she drove right by him.

"As the race continues on, Amanda continues to lead the pack." Said Meowth in the booth. "The other racers are doing their best to catch up, though." Michelle caught back up to Amanda but had a bit of concern.

"I'm sensing unfair play." She said.

"I think I already figured that out." Said Amanda. "Team Rocket is definitely cheating. They'll get their just desserts later on, though." As the race continued on, several others dropped out due to being sabotaged by Team Rocket. As it got down to the remaining few laps, only Conrad, Sally, Michelle, Amanda and Mark remained in the race.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Just us and Team Rocket left doesn't sit well with me.' She said.

"I know, Eevee." Said Michelle. All five of them were neck and neck as they began the final lap.

"This race is two close to call. Anybody could still win." Said Meowth.

"There's still one trick left up my sleeve." Said Sally. She waited until they were all close to the finish line, then pushed a button that extended the nose cone of both her car and Conrad's car just enough for them to cross the finish line ahead of Amanda.

"We did it! We won!" cried Sally. Once they got out of their cars, they hugged each other. Amanda, Mark, Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee were all disappointed.

"I can't believe we lost to Team Rocket." Amanda said dejectedly.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I wouldn't be so sure about that just yet.' Conrad and Sally were standing on top of the podium smiling and cheering.

"We actually beat the twerps for once!" Sally cried. "This is the happiest moment of my life."

"Mine too." Said Conrad. They both jumped up and down on top of the podium excitedly when there was a tap on their shoulder.

"I've been getting complaints about possible cheating going on." Said Officer Jenny.

"Us? Cheating? Never." Said Sally.

"Don't even try to deny it." Said Jenny. "The footage from the race proves that it was the two of you. The other racers told me about their so called 'accidents', and everything traces to the two of you." Mark, Michelle and Amanda approached them and angrily stared them down.

"They even tried to kidnap me in a net at one point." Said Michelle.

"See what I mean?" said Jenny, and she tapped her foot angrily.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." Said Conrad, trying to play dumb.

"Yeah, we won fair and square." Said Sally.

"Fair and square? Yeah right." Said Amanda. "Jenny says you both cheated, and I believe her over you. Pikachu, we know how to deal with cheaters, don't we?" Pikachu nodded and gave Conrad and Sally an angry look.

"No, Pikachu, don't do it!" Sally cried.

"Thunderbolt!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu unleashed his power move on the two Team Rocket members, sending them high into the air.

"We're blasting off again!" They cried.

"Now then, Amanda, since you were the first one behind Team Rocket when crossing the finish line at the end, you're officially winner." Said Jenny, and she handed Amanda the trophy.

"Look at that, Pikachu, we won the race!" Amanda cried as she climbed to the top of the podium.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'Congratulations!'

"Yeah, congratulations Amanda." Said Michelle.

"Thank you." Said Amanda. Even Brandon congratulated her.

"You sure showed me a thing or two about racing." He said. "I hate to admit it, but you're much better than I thought you were."

"You weren't too bad yourself." Said Amanda.

"I still think I could've done better if Team Rocket hadn't interfered." Said Brandon.

"I'm glad you two finally see eye to eye." Said Michelle. Amanda just stood proudly atop the podium and held her trophy over her head. Despite some severe interference, the race went off successfully, and Amanda showed who was the better racer between her and Brandon. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally left the town feeling more miserable than ever.

"We failed again." Said Conrad.

"It was nice to feel the thrill of winning for a little while, though." Said Sally.

"If only it could've been permanent." Said Conrad.

"We'll just have to plan better tactics for next year." Said Sally. They both let out a sad sigh as they walked down the street.

"Team Rocket's feeling low again." They both said in unison.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Five

Michelle: Hard to believe that we've reached 25 episodes of this story.

Amanda: That just shows how committed this author is.

Pikachu: Pika! (He's very committed, isn't he, Eevee?)

Eevee: Eevee! (He's committed all right, Pikachu)

Mark: If he keeps pumping these out regularly, then the journey will be over before you know it.

Amanda: Excuse me, mister author, but could you give a quick recap of what we did last episode?

Me: I'll be happy to. The three of you participated in an automobile race, which Amanda won. Of course, it wouldn't be a Pokemon episode without some sort of Team Rocket interference, and they tried to cheat their way to victory.

Amanda: But they failed miserably.

Michelle: Now then, what's in store for us today?

Me: You'll find out once we start the show, which we're about to do right now.

As our heroes continue onward, they find themselves deep in a forest unsure of where to go next. During their walk, Amanda's stomach growled.

"I'm so hungry." She said. "When was the last time we ate something?"

"About eight o'clock this morning." Michelle answered.

"What time is it now?" Amanda asked.

"About one thirty." Said Mark. Amanda wasn't the only one who was hungry, though. Pikachu's stomach growled along with Eevee's.

"The Pokemon are hungry too." Said Michelle.

"I'll start cooking something up." Said Mark. He grabbed some ingredients and mixed them together to make some soup for everybody.

"Here you go, guys." Mark said. Pikachu and Eevee decided to taste it first. Eevee liked it, but the moment Pikachu sipped a spoonful, his face turned red, and a Flamethrower shot out of his mouth.

"Uh oh, looks like Pikachu needs some water." Said Michelle. Amanda quickly threw one of her Poke Balls.

"Squirtle, go!" she cried. Her trusty starter appeared instantly in a blaze of light.

"Squirtle, I need you to use your Water Gun attack to cool Pikachu down." Amanda said gently. Squirtle nodded and shot his line of fire right at the flames. The fire extinguished, and Pikachu let out a sigh of relief.

"I guess I made that a little too spicy for Pikachu's liking." Said Mark. "Sorry about that, buddy."

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'It's okay.'

"Good job, Squirtle." Said Amanda, and she recalled her Pokemon.

"Okay, let's dig in." she said. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were also getting hungry.

"I don't remember the last time we had a decent meal." Said Conrad. His stomach started growling loudly. "Oh yes, now I remember. It was during that amazing dinner we had last night. I wish I could relive that."

"Maybe if you hadn't skipped breakfast this morning, you wouldn't be hungry right now." Said Sally. Just then, her own stomach growled.

"You know what, I think it's time we ate ourselves." She said.

"And then after lunch, we can come up with a plan to capture Pikachu and Eevee." Said Conrad. The two of them continued walking until they saw a spacious cabin.

"I wonder if the owner if this place is around." Said Sally. She knocked on the door, but nobody answered.

"Maybe they're not home." Said Conrad. He tried turning the knob, and much to his surprise, the door opened.

"That was certainly lucky." He said.

"Well, since it appears nobody's here, we'll make lunch for ourselves." Said Sally.

"Couldn't we just buy some groceries or something?" Conrad asked.

"No." Sally snapped. "For one thing, there's no grocery stores anywhere near here. Two, we don't have any money. We'll have to use whatever's here." They started rummaging through the pantry looking for any food that was available. Back in the trio's area, Mark, Michelle and Amanda were all enjoying the delicious soup.

"This is some of the best soup I've ever had." Said Amanda. "Where'd you get the recipe from?"

"My mom gave me some cooking recipes right before I left home to join up with the two of you, and soup was one of them." Said Mark.

"That's helpful." Said Michelle. They all agreed that the soup was very delicious, but about halfway through their meal, a Psyduck popped out from a nearby river and wandered over to them.

"Hey there." Said Michelle. "Is there something that you want?" Psyduck pointed to the bowl of soup that Michelle was holding onto.

"Okay, open wide." Said Michelle. Psyduck opened its mouth and Michelle fed a spoonful of soup to the wild Pokemon. Psyduck smiled and asked for another bite.

"Okay, but this is the last one. I have to eat too, you know." Said Michelle. She fed him the bite, and then Psyduck went back into the river.

"Hopefully that'll satisfy him for a while." Said Michelle. The group took their time finishing the rest of their lunch, which Pikachu and Eevee also enjoyed.

"Well, let's get going." Said Amanda once they were all done. "I've got more Pokemon to see and catch, and more gym badges to win."

"I'm glad that you're eager and all, but we have to do the dishes first." Said Mark. Amanda groaned but helped out anyway. Once the chore was done and everything had been put away, the three of them continued onward. About thirty minutes later, the beautiful blue sky started to slowly cloud over. That didn't stop a Pokemon from jumping out at the group. This one had a body that was mainly colored green, and two pairs of cream colored wings shot out from behind its back.

"That's a Scyther!" Michelle cried.

"You're not afraid of a little Scyther, are you, Michelle?" Amanda asked.

"Afraid wouldn't even begin to describe it." Said Michelle. "It's very intimidating and it's also a Pokemon that I don't like. Do something, please!"

"All right, I will!" Amanda cried. "Nidoran, I choose you!" She threw one of her Poke Balls and the small poison type appeared.

"Poison Sting!" Amanda ordered. Nidoran shot sharp needles from its horn, but Scyther just batted them away like they were nothing.

"How did that not work?" Amanda wondered.

"Scyther's level might be pretty high." Michelle answered. Scyther then stuck out its sword arms and did a dance that Amanda hadn't seen before.

"Did it just do Swords Dance?" she asked.

"I think so." Mark answered.

"Hang in there, Nidoran." Said Amanda. "Try another Poison Sting." Nidoran shot more needles from its horn, but Scyther used its quick speed to dodge every needle that came its way. Then, it started to hack at Nidoran.

"Look out, that's a Slash attack!" Michelle cried. Nidoran moved quick to dodge the slashes, but it couldn't outrun them forever as the last one finally hit Nidoran and knocked it out.

"Nidoran, return!" Amanda cried. She recalled her small poison type and grabbed another ball.

"Flareon, I choose you!" she cried. The fire type Eevee evolution appeared instantly and stared at Scyther intently.

"Flamethrower!" Amanda ordered. Flareon shot a large line of fire right at Scyther, but it flew up to avoid the attack. Then, Scyther charged at the fire type with its top speed and hit it with its head, sending Flareon back and doing more damage than normal.

"How is it so powerful?" Amanda asked.

"Remember that Swords Dance attack it used earlier?" Mark said.

"Yes, but what effect does that have?" Amanda replied.

"Swords Dance increases its attack power." Michelle answered. "The more it gets used, the more powerful its attacks get."

"You have to try to end this quickly before Scyther wipes out all of your Pokémon." Mark advised.

"I'm trying." Amanda said. "Flareon, use your Swift attack." Flareon shot yellow stars out of its body and the attack finally landed. Scyther wasn't done yet, though, as its eyes glowed brightly.

"That has to be its Leer attack." Said Amanda. "Be careful, Flareon. This is a tough Scyther we're dealing with. Flamethrower, now!" Flareon aimed another shot of fire and this time, the attack landed.

"All right!" Amanda cried. However, Scyther opened its mouth and launched a Hyper Beam right at the fire type, and Flareon was knocked out.

"Flareon, return." Said Amanda, and she recalled her fire type. Meanwhile, the sky was now completely covered by grey clouds.

"Hurry up, it looks like it's going to start raining at any moment." Said Mark.

"I'm doing my best." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, go!" Pikachu ran in front of its trainer, but the look in Scyther's eyes caused Pikachu to freak out and run back to Amanda.

"I guess Pikachu's too scared of Scyther to fight it." Said Michelle.

"Don't worry, you don't have to battle Scyther if you don't want to." Said Amanda. Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief, and Amanda threw another ball.

"Fearow, go!" she cried. The big flying type appeared instantly and lunged right at Scyther.

"Fearow, wait! I haven't told you what to do yet!" Amanda cried. Fearow didn't care, however, and pecked right at Scyther, causing the bug type to scream in pain.

"I think Fearow might be out of control." Said Mark. A small rumble of thunder was heard.

"And I think it's going to start raining very shortly." Said Michelle. "You've got to wrap this up, Amanda."

"I know." Amanda replied. "Fearow, use your Wing Attack!" Fearow ignored the command, however, and kept charging at Scyther with Quick Attacks, but the mantis Pokemon dodged each of them. Scyther then used Swift, which caused Fearow to scream in pain. Michelle shook her head.

"Looks like you might need some help." She said. She was about to send out Electabuzz, but Mark stopped her.

"If you use an electric attack, Fearow will get hurt too." He said.

"It's up to you, Amanda, but please hurry." Said Michelle.

"I'm working on it." Said Amanda. "Fearow, you have to listen to me right now! Try a Drill Peck attack!" Fearow continued to disobey and used Double Edge instead, which did a chunk of damage to Scyther. Then, without even waiting for a command, launched a close range Hyper Beam that Scyther couldn't avoid, and it was knocked out.

"Poke Ball, go!" Amanda cried. She tossed an empty ball at Scyther, and the dual bug and flying type got sucked inside. The ball wiggled and shook a little bit, and even Pikachu looked on to see if the catch would be successful. After a few more wiggles and shakes, the familiar ping sound was heard. Amanda picked up the ball and proudly held it in her hand.

"We got Scyther!" she cried. Another rumble of thunder was heard.

"Just in time, too. We have to find shelter immediately!" Michelle cried. Amanda quickly sent her new Scyther to Professor Oak's lab and recalled Fearow. All of them then started running as fast as they could in the hopes of avoiding getting caught in the impending storm.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'Run faster!'

"We're going as fast as we can, Pikachu!" Amanda yelled. Fortunately, they found a giant cave that provided plenty of room for them inside. All of them rushed into the cave and sat down along the wall just as the rain started pouring.

"That was a close one." Said Mark.

"If that battle had lasted any longer, my skirt would've gotten soaked." Said Michelle.

"The important thing, though, is that we made it and we're safe in here out of the rain." Said Amanda. A part of her expected Conrad and Sally to show up on them unexpectedly like usual, but that didn't happen this time.

"Hey guys, you don't suppose Team Rocket got caught in this storm, do you?" Amanda asked.

"I hope not." Said Mark. "I know they're our enemies, but we've seen them so much now that it's gotten to the point where we have to look out for their well-being too."

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'He's right, you know.' In the cabin, Conrad and Sally had finished up their lunch and were about to head out when they saw the heavy rain coming down.

"Hey Sally, by any chance, would this be good weather to go out into and steal the twerps' Pokemon?" he asked. A loud rumble of thunder went off.

"No, this would be the complete opposite." Sally answered. "We'll have to stay here until this storm clears."

"What are we going to do until then?" said Conrad.

"We'll have to try and entertain ourselves." Said Sally. "Maybe this place has some board games or video games. Help me look around." They searched the entire cabin, but the only things they found were some decks of cards.

"I guess this will have to do." Said Conrad. "You cut and I'll deal." In the cave, Amanda had taken Fearow's Poke Ball off her waist and was holding onto it as she looked out at the storm. She had a worried look on her face and let out a sigh. Pikachu ran over to check on her.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'Are you all right, Amanda?' Amanda smiled at him.

"I'm fine, Pikachu." She answered.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Are you sure about that?'

"Well, maybe there's something bothering me just a little." Amanda answered.

"What is it?" Michelle asked.

"Up to now, Fearow's always been completely obedient." Said Amanda. "But during that battle with Scyther, it completely disobeyed me and did the opposite of what I told it to do. I wonder what could've changed."

"Maybe it's possible that Fearow doesn't like you anymore." Said Mark.

"No, I don't think so." Said Amanda. "I like Fearow, and I thought it liked me. Maybe I'm not as good a trainer as I thought."

"Don't be silly." Said Michelle. "You're an excellent trainer. Fearow might just be going through a phase right now. I'm sure it'll start obeying you again eventually."

"I hope you're right, Michelle." Said Amanda. She stared closely at Fearow's ball.

"Fearow, what could've possibly gotten into you?" she said to herself. In the cabin, Conrad and Sally were concentrating on their card game.

"Do you have any fours?" Sally asked.

"Go fish." Sally said. Conrad grabbed some cards from the pile, and then he tried to sneak a peek at what Sally had. Not surprisingly, he got chewed out.

"Don't you dare." Sally snapped. "You already cheated in that race, so I'm definitely not letting you cheat in this game." Conrad sighed, but before the game could continue, the lights went out.

"What happened?" Conrad asked.

"The storm probably knocked out the lights in here." Said Sally. "I'll see if I can find a generator." She did another search but didn't find anything.

"Maybe there's some flashlights." Said Conrad. They looked through all of the spare closets but were unsuccessful in finding flashlights.

"Nothing." Said Conrad.

"We can't play our game in the dark, though." Said Sally. "We'll have to wait for the lights to come back on too." Conrad yawned and fell asleep on the couch.

"Come to think of it, this loud rain is making me a bit sleepy." Said Sally. She let out a yawn herself and slept on the other end of the couch. In the cave, Amanda was still trying to figure out the cause of Fearow's sudden disobedience.

"I just don't understand." She said.

"I think I might have the answer for you." Michelle said. "First off, how many badges do you have right now?"

"Five, but that shouldn't really matter." Said Amanda.

"Actually, it kind of does." Said Michelle. "Fearow might feel that you're not a worthy trainer."

"I've had other trainer battles too, not just gym battles." Said Amanda.

"Yes, I'm aware of that, but let me finish explaining." Said Michelle. "In Fearow's mind, it thinks you haven't had enough experience, and as such, it's not respecting you and disobeying your orders because of that."

"Oh, so that's probably why Fearow didn't listen to me when I was battling Scyther." Said Amanda.

"Exactly." Said Michelle.

"Do you think Fearow will ever obey me again?" Amanda wondered.

"I'm sure it will." Said Mark. "It would help if you got into some more trainer battles, though."

"Mark's right." Said Michelle. "The more trainers you battle, the more experience you get."

"And the more experience I get, the more Fearow will start to respect me." Said Amanda.

"Yeah, now you're getting it." Said Michelle.

"In that case, I'm going to find some trainers to battle to get the experience that I need." Said Amanda. She started to leave the cave, but Michelle and Mark held her back.

"Wait a second, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"I don't think that's a good idea right now, Amanda." Mark agreed.

"Why not?" Amanda asked. "I need to battle as many trainers as I can so that Fearow will start listening to me again, don't I?"

"Yes, you do, but it's still raining heavily outside." Said Mark.

"I don't think anyone's going to rush out to battle you in the rain." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed, which meant 'They're both right, you know.' A loud rumble of thunder going off, and the rain getting harder told Amanda all she needed to know. She sighed and sat down next to Michelle.

"There has to be a way that I can get Fearow to start listening that doesn't require battling." Said Amanda.

"I might have an idea." Said Mark. He mixed together a bowl of Pokemon food and placed it on the floor in the middle of the cave.

"Let your Fearow out and see if it'll eat this." Said Mark.

"Okay." Amanda said. She was a little hesitant considering how out of control Fearow had been during the battle with Scyther, but she pressed the button on Fearow's ball, and the tall bird appeared.

"Fearow, Mark has some food for you." Said Amanda. Fearow looked at the food for a bit, but then turned his head away.

"Maybe he doesn't like this particular flavor." Said Michelle.

"Please eat this food, Fearow." Amanda begged. "Mark went to all this trouble to make it, so please eat it." Amanda pointed toward the food bowl, but Fearow wouldn't budge.

"It's no good." Said Amanda. "Fearow won't eat the food."

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'I'll eat it.'

"By all means, Pikachu, help yourself." Said Mark. Pikachu happily gobbled up the food, and Amanda recalled Fearow.

"Seriously, Fearow, what's gotten into you?" Amanda wondered.

"I don't think there's too much more we can do right now." Said Mark. "We're just going to have to let Fearow figure it out on his own." Amanda placed Fearow's Poke Ball back on her waist and let out a sigh.

"This better not become an issue for me later on when I make it to the Pokemon League." Said Amanda.

"We don't have to worry about the league for a while." Said Michelle. "Your Fearow's got a problem that needs to be addressed before we get to that point." Amanda let out a yawn.

"Maybe after we have a nap, this rain will go away." She said. She laid down on the cave floor and fell asleep. Pikachu curled up beside her and also fell asleep. Michelle and Mark closed their eyes and fell asleep themselves, with Eevee curling up beside Michelle. In the cabin, Conrad and Sally were both in a deep sleep and weren't even thinking about stealing any Pokemon for the time being. Everything was quiet in the cabin, but after another thirty minutes, a loud rumble of thunder woke Conrad up. Sally noticed this and woke up herself.

"Is something wrong?" she asked.

"I thought I heard some Pokemon moving outside." He said. Sally let out another yawn.

"It's just the rain and thunder." She said. "Go back to sleep." She closed her eyes and continued her slumber. Conrad shrugged his shoulders and went back to sleep himself. In the cave, Michelle, Mark, Amanda, Pikachu and Eevee were all fast asleep, with the only movement coming from the water Pokemon that were swimming around in the river. A couple of hours later, everyone woke up from their nap, and Amanda took a peek out of the cave opening.

"There's no more thunder, but the rain's still coming down." She said.

"I guess that means we'll have to stay here a little longer." Said Michelle.

"I'm afraid so." Said Amanda. "Hey Mark, you got any more food?"

"All I have left is a small bag of cookies." Said Mark. The bag contained six cookies, so they had two each. The three of them then continued to wait out the rain and hoped that it would end soon. By the time it finally stopped, however, nighttime had already started.

"There's no point in heading back out now." Said Michelle. "We'll have to sleep here tonight." All three of them fell fast asleep, and the following morning, the sunshine had returned.

"Look, Pikachu, the sun's back out." Said Amanda. Pikachu gave a thumbs up, as he was very happy. The trio packed up their things and left the cave.

"If I'm being honest, I really hope Fearow starts listening to me again sooner rather than later." Said Amanda.

"We're all hoping for that." Said Michelle. They were all happily walking toward their next adventure when Michelle felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned around and saw that it was the same Psyduck that had asked for some of their food the previous day.

"Hello again." Said Michelle. "If you want any more food, we don't have any left." Psyduck didn't want food, though. It nudged Michelle gently with its beak.

"I think it wants to go with us." Said Amanda.

"That would make the most sense since we did agree to share out food with it yesterday." Said Mark.

"Is that true, Psyduck?" Michelle asked it. Psyduck nodded, and Michelle pulled out an empty Poke Ball. He tapped it gently with his hand and allowed himself to be sucked inside.

"I think Psyduck will be a great Pokemon for you, Michelle." Said Amanda.

"Let's hope so." Said Michelle. Well, it seems Fearow has developed an obedience problem that will definitely need to be addressed down the road. In the meantime, though, both Amanda and Michelle picked up a new Pokemon friend. Now, our heroes head off to bigger and better things as the adventure continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Six

Last time, our young trainer Amanda managed to catch a Scyther. Now Scyther is usually tough to capture, and it proved to be Amanda's toughest catch yet. Complicating things, however, was that her Fearow unexpectedly began to disobey her. Amanda wasn't the only one to gain a new Pokemon, however, as Michelle obtained a brand new Psyduck. Will Fearow ever obey again? Find out as the journey continues.

Today, we find our trio wandering down a path in the forest. They had just finished some lunch, and they were now trying to find a way out, but unfortunately, they found themselves completely lost.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said worriedly, which meant 'How are we going to get out of here?'

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"There's a tall oak tree right over here." Said Michelle, and she pointed to the tree. "Maybe if we try this direction, we'll find our way out."

"We already tried doing that at least five times." Said Mark. "And every one of those times, we just ended up back here."

"There's got to be a way out of this forest." Said Amanda. "There's just got to. I can't stay here forever or I'll never get my next badge."

"Is that all she thinks about lately?" asked Michelle.

"Probably." Said Mark. "That's just how determined she is." Unknown to them, however, a young girl was making their way toward where the trio was located.

"My mom said to try and make some new friends." She said. "I wonder if I'll find anybody in here." The trio were about to make another attempt at finding the exit when they crossed paths with the girl.

"Oh, hi there." Said the girl. "I was wondering if the three of you could help me."

"What a coincidence. We need help ourselves." Said Amanda. "You see, we're lost in this forest and we're trying to find the way out."

"You're in luck, because I know which way will lead you out." Said the girl.

"You do?" asked Michelle. The girl nodded.

"I've been in this forest a couple of times already, and I haven't gotten lost once." The girl said. "I'll help you, but on one condition."

"What condition is that?" asked Amanda.

"The condition is that you have to have a Pokemon battle with me." The girl said.

"I gladly accept." Said Amanda. "I already know which Pokemon I'm going to use first."

"You're definitely eager, but I haven't even told you yet how many Pokemon we're going to use." Said the girl. "We'll do three Pokemon each. Is that okay with you?"

"That's perfectly fine." Said Amanda.

"Then let's get started, then." Said the girl. She threw her first Poke Ball, and out came a large, rodent Pokemon that was bigger than Rattata. There were three whiskers on each side of its face.

"What's that?" Amanda wondered, and she took out her Pokedex.

"Raticate, the mouse Pokemon. Raticate uses its feet as flippers so it can swim freely in lakes and rivers. It also likes to gnaw on rocks and logs."

"There's no rocks here, but there's plenty of logs and Raticate likes them a lot." Said the girl.

"Oh yeah, well let's see how it likes this." Said Amanda. "Go, Pikachu!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried happily. He jumped off Amanda's shoulder and ran onto the field ready to take on the Raticate. Michelle decided to act as the referee.

"This will be a three on three battle with no substitutions and no time limit." She said. "Trainers, begin!"

"Let's do this, Pikachu." Amanda said. "Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu launched a powerful lightning bolt at Raticate, but the large rat jumped out of the way.

"Raticate, Double Team now!" the girl ordered. Raticate spit out a circle of illusions of itself, leaving Amanda and Pikachu very confused.

"Pikachu, try your Thunderbolt again. Aim it until you find the real Raticate." Amanda ordered. Pikachu unleashed its attack again, with each illusion going away upon being zapped. The last one hit Raticate directly, causing it to cry in pain.

"Raticate!" the girl cried.

"Yes!" Amanda cried. "Time for Quick Attack now." Pikachu ran full speed towards Raticate.

"Raticate, Hyper Fang now!" ordered the girl. Raticate prepared itself to clamp down on Pikachu with its teeth. Pikachu looked behind him and gasped. Amanda face palmed.

"Oh great, Raticate's going to turn Pikachu into a meal." She Said. "Come on, Pikachu, don't give up. Try using your Agility to get away from Raticate!" Pikachu started to run, but Raticate covered him closely and clamped down on Pikachu's back with its teeth.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'That hurt a lot!'

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried.

"Time to end this round." The girl said. "Take Down!" Raticate charged hard at Pikachu and was about to deliver the finishing touch when Pikachu bounced out of harm's way.

"You're kidding me." The girl said.

"Pikachu used its tail as a springboard to escape potential danger and avoid the attack." Mark pointed out.

"Well done, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "You haven't won yet, though. Swift attack now!" Pikachu shot yellow stars out of its body, which hit Raticate directly.

"No!" the girl cried.

"Thunder!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu launched its most powerful electric attack at Raticate, and although the big rat tried to get out of the way, it got struck by the Thunder and knocked out.

"Raticate is no longer able to battle. Pikachu wins." Michelle declared.

"We did it, Pikachu." Amanda cried, and the two of them high fived each other. The other girl recalled Raticate and grabbed her next ball.

"You did well to beat my powerful Raticate, but now, you're about to see a Pokemon with super strength!" she cried. She threw the ball and out popped a grey Pokemon that looked bigger than Machop, but both of its arms and legs were much bigger. Amanda got her Pokedex back out.

"Machoke, the superpower Pokemon. Machoke has muscles that are as hard as steel, and its immense strength makes it capable of lifting extremely heavy objects with just one finger."

"Be careful, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "This one looks much stronger than the Raticate we just battled."

"Machoke, start things off with a Karate Chop." The girl ordered. Machoke alternated his arm movements to try and land a hit.

"Agility now, Pikachu!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu built up speed and dodged each of Machoke's attack attempts. However, the battle with Raticate had tired Pikachu out a little bit, causing him to lose some speed. That allowed Machoke to swat Pikachu away with his arm, but thankfully, the electric mouse didn't land too far.

"We have to try and stop Machoke dead in his tracks." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, try using Thunder Wave. That should slow it down a bit." Pikachu shot yellow circular waves out of its body, and because Machoke wasn't exactly known to be a fast Pokemon, the waves hit him directly.

"We've got him." Amanda said with confidence. She fully expected the attack to leave Machoke paralyzed. Unfortunately, the strong fighting type brushed it off as if nothing happened.

"Pi?" Pikachu said rather confusingly, which meant 'Why didn't it work?'

"That's what I want to know too." Said Amanda. "Machoke isn't classified as a rock or ground type."

"Correct, but with how strong Machoke's body muscles are, it can withstand any electric attack that gets thrown at it." The girl said. Pikachu got ready to launch another Thunderbolt when Amanda stopped him.

"Electricity won't work. We have to try something else." Said Amanda. "Go for a Quick Attack instead." Pikachu ran hard at Machoke but was barely able to nudge him.

"Machoke, show this trainer why you're so strong." Said the girl. "Seismic Toss, now!" Machoke picked up Pikachu with his arms, spun him around three times, and launched him forward right into a tree trunk. Amanda rushed over and saw that her partner was knocked out.

"Pikachu is unable to continue. Machoke wins!" Michelle declared. Amanda scooped up Pikachu and brought him back to the battle area.

"You did your best, buddy." She said. She put him down beside Mark.

"Spray some potions on him. That'll make him feel better." She said. She then turned to face both the girl as well as Machoke.

"I choose you, Squirtle!" Amanda cried as she threw the ball. The water starter appeared in a blaze of light.

"Let's go, Squirtle. Water Gun attack now!" Squirtle aimed a line of water directly at Machoke, hitting the fighting type square in the face.

"Don't let this little turtle beat you, Machoke." The girl said. "Use your Mega Punch!" Machoke reared his arm back and got ready to punch Squirtle's shell. The water type was faster, though, and avoided the attack with ease.

"Bubblebeam now!" Amanda ordered. Squirtle shot a line of bubbles directly at Machoke, who took a chunk of damage from the attack.

"Don't give in, Machoke." Said the girl. "Low Kick!" Machoke lifted its left leg slightly and gave Squirtle a short kick backwards.

"Squirtle!" the small turtle cried.

"Squirtle looks like it's in a bit of pain." Said Amanda.

"How can you tell?" asked Mark.

"That kick left a bit of a mark on Squirtle's shell, that's how." Amanda answered. "Okay, Squirtle, go for Skull Bash!" Squirtle lowered its head and charged it right into Machoke's body. The strong fighting type still didn't go down, however.

"Go for another Seismic Toss." The girl ordered.

"Hydro Pump!" Amanda called at the same time. Right as Machoke picked up Squirtle, the water type disappeared into his shell and got off his attack before Machoke could pull his off. The powerful blasts of water sent Machoke crashing to the ground.

"Machoke cannot continue. Squirtle wins!" Michelle declared.

"Great job, Squirtle!" Amanda cheered. Squirtle gave a thumbs up. The girl recalled Machoke and got one more Poke Ball out.

"Well, Amanda, you managed to beat my strongest Pokemon." She said. "But now, let's see how well you handle this last one." She threw the ball and out popped a Pokemon with a light yellow underside and a white underbelly. The Pokemon was similar in color to Sandshrew but much bigger. Amanda brought her Pokedex back out.

"Sandslash, the mouse Pokemon. Sandslash can defend itself by curling up into a large ball to shield itself from attacks. It is also very skilled at climbing trees and

can prey on its enemies from high tree branches if they're not careful."

"Just one more win to go, Squirtle!" Amanda cried. "Water Gun attack!" Squirtle aimed his water, but Sandslash moved right as the attack was about to hit.

"Sandslash, use Sand Attack." The girl ordered. Sandslash dug up a bit of sand from underneath the grass and threw it toward Squirtle.

"Squirtle, duck!" Amanda cried. Squirtle lowered his head just in time to avoid the sand.

"Good work. Now, dive underground." Amanda ordered. Squirtle nodded and dove down under the grass.

"Look out Sandslash, her Squirtle could appear out of nowhere." Said the girl. Sandslash looked around everywhere, but then Squirtle popped up from behind and hit his head on Sandslash's back.

"Sandslash!" the girl cried. "Are you still able to battle?" Sandslash gave the thumbs up.

"Great. Use your Slash." The girl commanded. Sandslash used its claws to leave sharp marks on Squirtle's shell.

"I don't think Squirtle can last too much longer." Said Mark.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'I don't think so either.'

"Go for Fury Swipes." The girl ordered. Sandslash swiped its claws in a tremendous fury, leaving Squirtle both dazed and knocked out.

"Squirtle is unable to continue. Sandslash wins." Michelle declared. Amanda recalled the water starter back to his capsule.

"Good work, Squirtle." She Said. She put Squirtle's ball back on her waist and was about to throw the one containing Fearow when she remembered what had happened in her battle with Scyther.

"I probably shouldn't risk it if I can't control him." Said Amanda. She put Fearow's ball back and grabbed a different one instead.

"Weepinbell, I choose you!" she cried. She threw the ball and the small grass type appeared in a blaze of light. The other girl got excited when she saw it.

"Ah! Weepinbell is my most favorite Pokemon ever!" she screamed.

"I'm glad you like it." Said Amanda. "Weepinbell, use Razor Leaf!" Weepinbell fired green leaves, but Sandslash sliced them in half with his claws. Amanda and Weepinbell were both shocked.

"The claws on my Sandslash are better than every one of its species." Said the girl. "You'll have to try to find a different way to win if you want to beat it. Sandslash, use your Swift attack!" Sandslash shot yellow stars from its belly and the stars hit Weepinbell's head.

"Weepinbell! Are you all right?" Amanda asked with a bit of concern. Weepinbell nodded.

"Great." Said Amanda. She then remembered what her opponent had just said about Sandslash's claws. "Weepinbell, bounce around Sandslash in a circle a couple of times." Weepinbell nodded and started to jump.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered from the sideline, which meant 'What is she doing?'

"I don't have the slightest idea." Said Mark. "Whatever she's cooking up, I hope it works." Weepinbell started jumping faster and faster, leaving Sandslash dazed and confused.

"That's it! Now, hit it with your Sleep Powder!" Amanda ordered. Weepinbell sprayed blue dust all over Sandslash, who plopped down onto the ground and fell fast asleep.

"Great work. Vine Whip time now!" Weepinbell lashed out its vines and hit Sandslash repeatedly with them until the ground type was completely knocked out.

"Sandslash is unable to battle. Weepinbell wins." Michelle declared. "Amanda wins this match!"

"You were awesome, Weepinbell." Said Amanda. She hugged her grass type before recalling it. The girl recalled her Sandslash and shook hands with Amanda.

"I have to say, that was quite the strategy you came up with to have your Weepinbell bounce around like that." Said the girl. "Now that our match is over, it's time to hold up my end of our deal. I'll show you guys the way out of the forest." Mark, Amanda, Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee all followed the girl so that they wouldn't get lost any further.

"I don't think I ever gave my name." the girl said. "I'm Rachael."

"It's very nice meeting you, Rachael." Said Amanda. "These two here are my friends Michelle and Mark. They're Pokemon trainers too, just like me."

"It's nice meeting all of you." Said Rachael. "Since I've been nice enough to help the three of you with the problem that you were having, it's time for you to return the favor and help me with my own problem."

"No problem, Rachael." Said Amanda. "What's your problem?"

"Well, today's my birthday and my mom's having a big party for me." Said Rachael. "The problem, though, is that when I tried to invite the kids that live in town to come, they were either busy or didn't want to come."

"That's no way to treat a pretty young lady like yourself." Said Mark.

"If you ask me, that's being very rude and disrespectful." Said Michelle.

"My point exactly." Said Rachael. "The party's supposed to start in two hours, and unless I can make some new friends and get them to come within that time frame, it's going to be just my mom and myself. That would be kind of boring."

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'What does she mean by new friends?'

"I'm not sure, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"I'll tell you." Said Rachael. "My mom and I moved here a month ago, and so far, I haven't made a single new friend. I've tried, but they either have their own friend groups or just don't care for me."

"Don't you worry, Rachael, because Michelle, Mark, Pikachu, Eevee and I will all be your friends." Said Amanda.

"Oh, that's wonderful!" Rachael cried. "I can't wait to tell my mom." And she ran off happily, with Amanda, Michelle, Mark, Pikachu and Eevee following close behind. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were keeping their eyes on them from their balloon.

"Seems like the twerps have a new friend." Said Conrad.

"And said friend has a birthday party." Said Sally.

"You know what that means, right?" said Conrad.

"We crash their party." Said Sally.

"Exactly." Said Conrad. "And I know exactly how we do it, too." He whispered his plan to Sally, who nodded and smiled.

"That's certainly very devious." She said, and they got ready to land the balloon. Meanwhile, the group was rapidly approaching Rachael's house.

"You know, Rachael, I had a birthday myself not that long ago." Said Michelle.

"How did that go?" asked Rachael.

"It went pretty well." Said Michelle. "I got some new clothes, and I even got a new Pokemon, too."

"That's pretty cool." Said Rachael. "I don't know yet what kind of presents I'm going to get."

"Let's hope they're at least as good as what I got." Said Michelle.

"Did you ask your mom for hints?" Mark asked.

"I did, but she wouldn't say anything." Said Rachael. "She wants me to be surprised." They reached her house a short time later, and Rachael burst through the door.

"I'm home, Mom." She said. "I even have some new friends with me."

"Great, bring them in here." Said Rachael's mom.

"Come on, guys." Said Rachael, and she led her new friends into the kitchen where her mom was.

"Hello, sweetheart." Said Rachael's mother.

"Hi, Mommy." Said Rachael.

"Did you make some new friends like I asked you to?" asked Rachael's mom.

"I sure did." Said Rachael. "I want you to meet Michelle, Mark and Amanda. They're all on a Pokemon journey together."

"It's very nice to meet you, miss…." Amanda stammered.

"Oh please, you can call me Veronica." Said Rachael's mom. She then looked down at the two partners Amanda and Michelle had with them.

"And who are these two cuties?" Veronica asked.

"Those are Pikachu and Eevee." Said Amanda. "They've been our best friends for a long time."

"I think they're very good choices for friends." Said Veronica.

"Mom, can I invite my new friends to my birthday party?" Rachael asked.

"Of course, dear, if that's what they want." Said Veronica.

"Please come, guys." Said Rachael. "Nobody else will, and I don't want my birthday to be a complete bust."

"Well, seeing how we're already here, we may as well stay for the party." Said Amanda. "What do you guys think?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'I think we should stay.'

"Eevee!" Eevee excitedly squealed, which meant 'That goes for me too.'

"That settles it." Said Michelle. "We'll come to your party."

"Thank you so much!" Rachael cried. "You have no idea how much this means to me." The four of them played together in Rachael's room for an hour, and then it was time for her to get ready. Mark, Michelle and Amanda left the room to allow Rachael to change.

"I hope that this party will be successful." Said Amanda.

"I just hope we don't have to deal with Team Rocket at this party." Said Michelle.

"Pika pi." Pikachu said, which meant 'I don't want to be dealing with them either. Not on our new friend's special day.' Rachael emerged from her room ten minutes later looking very different compared to when she had met them about an hour prior. The blue shirt, white jean shorts and pink sneakers she had been wearing before were replaced with a sleeveless green dress with white dandelions on its' skirt, and a pair of silver boots on her feet. Her hair was also pulled into a tight but neat ponytail.

"Well, what do you think?" she asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'You look really pretty.'

"That dress looks very nice on you." Said Amanda.

"Thanks." Said Rachael. "Since it's my special day, I thought that I should look special."

"You definitely look special to me." Said Michelle. A white flash of light was seen, and Psyduck popped out from its' ball. He took a curious look at Rachael's dress.

"Psyduck, what are you doing?" Michelle demanded. Psyduck ignored her and kept looking. He then turned his head away.

"Don't you like the color, Psyduck?" Amanda asked.

"Psyduck!" Psyduck yelled angrily, which meant 'It's fine, but it doesn't match my own colouring.'

"That doesn't give you the right to insult our new friend like that." Said Michelle. She expected that Rachael would be angry, but instead, she was smiling at Psyduck.

"I don't think he means any harm, Michelle." She said. "If he doesn't like my dress, then that's fine, he's entitled to his own opinion. To tell you the truth, though, I don't really dress up too much. Only for special occasions like this."

"That doesn't matter." Said Michelle. "Psyduck, you apologize to this nice girl right now!" Psyduck started to go up to her before turning around and saying "Duck?" which meant 'What's an apology?' Michelle was even more mad now.

"That's when you say sorry to someone for hurting their feelings." Michelle answered firmly. "Which you're going to do, or you'll be under Poke Ball arrest for two weeks!" Psyduck held his hand out toward Rachael and made a handshaking gesture. The two of them shook heads and then Psyduck said "Psy." Which meant 'I'm sorry I insulted you.'

"That's okay, Psyduck." Said Rachael. "I think you're adorable, though."

"Psyduck psy." Psyduck said, which meant 'Thank you. You're not too bad yourself.' Michelle promptly recalled Psyduck before any more damage could be done.

"I'm really sorry about my Psyduck acting like that." Said Michelle.

"There's no need to apologize, Michelle." Said Rachael. "I figured that you probably just obtained that Psyduck not too long ago, which means there's things he doesn't really understand yet."

"I guess that's true, but that's still no excuse for him to behave the way he did." Said Michelle. Veronica popped into the room an hour later.

"Sweetheart, it's time for your party to start." She said.

"Okay, Mom." Said Rachael.

"Hey, here's an idea." Said Mark. "How about we let our Pokemon enjoy the party too."

"Great idea, Mark." Said Amanda. "I'm sure, they'll want to be part of the action." All of them headed out to the backyard, where the party was set up. A banner reading Happy 11th Birthday Rachael was hung across the bottom of the tablecloth.

"Okay, let's let out our Pokemon so they can enjoy themselves." Said Rachael. "Raticate, Machoke, Sandslash, all of you come on out!" She threw their Poke Balls and the three Pokemon appeared with smiles as they were ready to enjoy the festivities.

"Bulbasaur, Gastly, Diglett, Charmander, it's party time!" Mark cried. He threw their Poke Balls, and all four Pokemon happily appeared.

"Eevee, Electabuzz, Doduo, Ponyta, you're all invited too." Said Michelle. Eevee ran to join the others and Michelle threw the balls belonging to the other four Pokemon and all of them appeared ready to join in on the fun. Psyduck popped back out on his own, but Michelle wagged a scolding finger at him.

"Nice try, but no party for you." She said, and immediately recalled him.

"Pikachu, Squirtle, Nidoran, Flareon, Weepinbell, time for some fun." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, and happily ran over to Eevee. Amanda threw the balls belonging to Squirtle, Nidoran, Flareon and Weepinbell and they all looked like they were ready to have a good time. But then, Amanda remembered she had forgotten one of her other Pokemon. She was about to start throwing Fearow's ball to let him out, but Michelle stopped her.

"I don't think letting Fearow join the party when he's not listening to you is a good idea." She said.

"Michelle's right. If you let Fearow out, who knows what kind of problems he could cause." Said Mark. Amanda calmly put Fearow's ball back on her waist.

"He can come next time." She promised. While the kids were running around in the yard, the Pokemon went over to the big table that had one side filled with appetizers. Hamburger sliders, shrimps, and cold cuts made up the bulk of the starting menu. The other side of the table was filled up with all of Rachael's presents. Squirtle grabbed a slider and chomped on it with one bite. Pikachu and Eevee even helped themselves a little bit.

"Squirtle squirt." Squirtle said to both of them, which meant 'This food is so good.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Try the celery sticks, Pikachu.' Pikachu slowly bit on one of the sticks and smiled.

"Pikachu." He said, which meant 'These are really good too.' Both Pikachu and Eevee also helped themselves to some small bread pieces.

"Don't fill up too much, guys." Amanda called to them. "There's more food coming later." The Pokemon stopped eating and played their own games with each other. Pikachu and Eevee engaged in a friendly game of tag, while the kids took turns going down the slide on Rachael's play set.

"This party's certainly a lot of fun so far." Said Michelle.

"It's a lot better because of the fact that I have good friends to enjoy it with." Said Rachael. "I just wish that some of the other kids had agreed to come."

"We're better than nothing, though." Said Amanda.

"I suppose you have a point." Said Rachael. She tried her best to enjoy the party, but at the same time, she was still thinking about other things. Meanwhile, Veronica was just about done cleaning up the kitchen from her baking when the doorbell rang.

"That must be the pizza that I ordered." She said and she made her way to the door. A friendly young gentleman of about seventeen years old stood at the door with two medium sized pizza boxes, and two bottles of diet soda.

"Here you are, miss." Said the boy. "Your total comes to thirty-six dollars and eighty cents." Veronica reached into her wallet to pay the boy, and then made a proposal to him.

"You know, my daughter has a birthday today, and I'm sure she'd appreciate it if you could join the party." She said.

"As much as I'd like to, I have a lot of other deliveries that I have to make." Said the boy. "Thanks for the offer, though." He got back into his delivery car and drove off. Veronica brought the pizza out to the backyard and placed it on the food table.

"Kids, it's pizza time!" she called. The four of them rushed over to the table, and Pikachu was about to grab a slice when Amanda held up her hand in front of him.

"Don't be rude." She said. "The birthday girl should be the one to go first."

"That's right." Said Michelle. "That goes for you too, Eevee. Let Rachael get her food first, and then we'll take our share."

"Thank you." Said Rachael. She put two slices on her plate and went over to the table that was set up for them to sit down at. Michelle, Amanda and Mark took their slices and joined her, with the Pokemon following close behind.

"You never told us why you and your mom moved here." Said Mark.

"The city we used to live in was too noisy for both of us." Said Rachael. "There would be emergency vehicle sirens going off constantly, not to mention all of the loud noise from the construction workers. It kept going on all day and all night. My mom requested for at least the construction noise to be quieter at night, but nothing was ever done about it. That's why we moved here. It's much more peaceful, and not as much noise."

"How are you liking the town?" asked Michelle.

"It's pretty good." Said Rachael. "There's a park not too far from here, and there's also that forest where I found you earlier. In fact, you're actually the first friends that I've made since moving here."

"We're very happy to be your friends, aren't we, Pikachu?" Amanda asked. Pikachu nodded, but just then, a large gift box came out of nowhere and sucked up both Pikachu and Eevee. The Pokemon both screamed loudly, causing the group to see what the commotion was.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried.

"Eevee!" Michelle cried.

"Who's there?" Rachael demanded. The laughter from a pair of familiar voices answered her question.

"Oh great, them again." Amanda groaned.

"You better believe it's us again!" Sally cried from the air balloon.

"Sorry to crash your party, but we find it rude to not invite us." Said Conrad. Veronica rushed out so she could see what was happening.

"Oh, you invited more people, how very nice of you." She said in a sweet voice.

"No, Mother, those two are bad guys!" Rachael exclaimed.

"More specifically, they're from Team Rocket." Said Amanda.

"Team who?" Rachael asked. She clearly had no idea who Conrad and Sally were.

"Team Rocket has been on our tail constantly since Pewter City trying to steal our Pikachu and Eevee." Michelle explained.

"Do you understand now?" Amanda asked.

"I think so." Rachael answered.

"Say kid, if you let us come to your party, we'll gladly give your friends these Pokemon back." Said Conrad.

"Don't listen to them, Rachael!" Mark cried. "That's just one of their dirty tricks."

"What'll it be, kid?" Sally asked, her attention focused solely on Rachael.

"No way!" Rachael exclaimed. "I'd rather go riding on the back of a Rhyhorn before ever agreeing to let you two join any of my parties!"

"Then these two come with us, permanently." Said Sally.

"So long, twerps." Said Conrad. The two of them started to fly off, but Amanda was determined to not allow the two crooks to get away.

"We have to stop them!" she cried and grabbed a Poke Ball from her waist.

"Hold on. That's not Fearow's Poke Ball that you're holding, is it?" asked Michelle.

"It is." Amanda confirmed.

"I don't think it should be out when you can't control it." Said Mark.

"I don't have any other choice!" Amanda cried and threw the ball. Fearow instantly appeared and gave a loud screech.

"I'm counting on you, Fearow." Said Amanda. "Please go up there and get Pikachu and Eevee back for us." Fearow looked like it was going to listen, but then he noticed the big table of food. He flew over to it and started helping himself.

"Stop that, Fearow!" Amanda ordered. "You'll get to eat after you complete your job." Fearow just ignored her and continued eating. Squirtle, Nidoran and some of the other Pokemon also tried to tell him to stop, but it did no good. It wasn't until he heard the sound of silver pellets being thrown down and about to explode that he finally sprang into action.

"Who needs a party when we can just take our own gifts?" said Sally.

"Once the boss sees two adorable Pokemon so neatly gift wrapped, he's sure to forgive our previous failures." Conrad said with high confidence. What they didn't expect to see, however, was a large and angry bird charging right towards them.

"Is that….?" Conrad started to ask.

"Fearow?" Sally finished. "Quick, fire more pellets. I'm sure the boss wouldn't mind an extra gift." Conrad sent down another round of the pellets, but Fearow swatted them away with his wings and sent them back toward the balloon, hitting it and popping it, forcing it to start descending. One of the pellets hit the lid of the box that Pikachu and Eevee were trapped in, resulting in the box opening.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'Look who it is!'

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'We're so happy to see you!'

"Fearow fear!" Fearow screeched, which meant 'Climb on, both of you!' Pikachu and Eevee jumped onto Fearow's back, and he safely flew them down to where all four kids were. Amanda and Michelle scooped up their Pokémon and gave them big hugs.

"Great work, Fearow!" Amanda cried. "I hope this means that you're going to start listening to me from now on." Fearow glared at Amanda and pecked her repeatedly with his beak.

"I take it that's a no." said Mark. Amanda recalled Fearow and placed his ball back on her waist.

"Fearow will listen to me one day." Said Amanda. However, Conrad and Sally were furious.

"Where's that bird brain?" Sally demanded. "I want to teach him a lesson about what happens when you mess with Team Rocket!"

"If you mean Fearow, he's safely inside his ball." Said Amanda.

"Bring him back out here!" Conrad demanded.

"Forget it! Why don't the two of you just leave and let us get on with our party?!" Rachael exclaimed.

"Yeah, it's bad enough that you showed up to my daughter's party without an invitation, but trying to steal her new friends' Pokemon makes things worse. I'm afraid I'll have to ask the two of you to leave right now!" Veronica demanded.

"We're not leaving unless we have a Pokemon in our possession!" Sally fumed.

"You'll have to fight us first!" Amanda yelled. "Let's do this, Pikachu!"

"Come on, Eevee, let's get rid of these party crashers!" Michelle cried. Both partner Pokemon sprang into action. Both Team Rocket members sent out Ekans and Zubat to counter.

"Okay, Pikachu, get ready." Said Amanda.

"Okay, Eevee, get set." Said Michelle.

"Go for double Quick Attack!" they both yelled together. Pikachu and Eevee charged full speed at the two poison types, sending them backwards a bit upon impact.

"That's it!" Amanda cried. "Play time's going to be over for you two before you know it."

"In our eyes, play time is just getting started." Said Sally. "Ekans, use Poison Sting! Zubat, use Supersonic!" Ekans fired sharp needles at the two Pokemon, but they dodged them easily with Agility. As for Zubat's Supersonic, Pikachu was able to avoid the blue circles, but Eevee wasn't as fortunate and screamed upon being hit by them.

"Oh no!" Michelle cried.

"Are we actually going to beat the twerps for once?" Conrad asked.

"I think so." Said Sally gleefully.

"Come on, Eevee, try to keep yourself focused!" Michelle cried. "Use your Take Down attack!" Eevee nodded, and started to run towards Team Rocket's Pokemon, but then changed direction and darted toward a nearby tree. Eevee banged its head on the tree over and over again.

"What happened there?" Amanda wondered.

"Zubat's Supersonic caused Eevee to get confused and now it thinks that the tree is a Pokemon." Mark explained.

"That can't be good." Said Michelle.

"I think Eevee's going to need some help." Said Amanda. "Squirtle, get in there and give Eevee an assist!" Squirtle immediately ran over to where everyone was standing and faced the two crooks.

"Squirtle, use your Water Gun now!" Amanda commanded. Squirtle shot a line of water right at Ekans, completely soaking it.

"Well, Ekans did need a bath anyway, so one less thing for us to worry about." Said Sally.

"Electabuzz, use Thunder Punch now!" Michelle cried. Electabuzz ran over and gave Zubat an electric punch so powerful that it left the small bat paralyzed. Zubat gave a painful screech.

"I think the twerps have turned the tables on us." Said Conrad.

"So much for winning." Sally lamented.

"You're never winning against us, Team Rocket!" Amanda cried. "Squirtle, dive underground with Dig!" Squirtle dropped below the grass and got himself in a ready position.

"Ekans, look around so you can see when Squirtle pops up." Conrad ordered. Ekans looked all over the yard, and then Squirtle popped up and struck him with powerful damage from the attack.

"Ah! Ekans!" the two Team Rocket members cried.

"Time to finish things off." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, hit them with your strongest Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed its powerful move, striking Zubat, Ekans, Sally and Conrad and sending them flying into the air.

"So much for a handsome gift for the boss." Sally lamented.

"That's the last time I ever show at a party." Said Conrad.

"We're blasting off again!" They both cried.

"Great job, everyone! You should all be proud of yourselves." Amanda said. Eevee ran over and gave Pikachu and Squirtle a high five.

"Looks like Eevee finally snapped out of its bout with confusion." Said Mark.

"That was the best battling I've ever seen from you, Squirtle." Said Amanda.

"Squirtle!" Squirtle cried, which meant 'Thanks!' He gave a thumbs up, and Amanda was about to recall him when he suddenly started glowing white.

"What's happening now, Squirtle?" Amanda asked.

"I don't think it's going to be a Squirtle anymore." Said Michelle.

"It's evolving!" Mark exclaimed. Once the white light had disappeared, a slightly bigger version of Squirtle had taken shape. The back of the shell now had a small, white tail, and its claws were a bit sharper. Two sharp teeth were showing from its upper jaw. Finally, two feather-like ears were present on each side of its head.

"Wartortle!" it cried out.

"Congratulations, Wartortle!" Amanda cried. "You're going to have so much more power now."

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Congratulations, dude!'

"Wartortle!" Wartortle answered, which meant 'Thanks, man!'

"Now that Team Rocket's out of the way, let's continue the party." Said Veronica. They played some more games, and then an hour later, Veronica brought out the birthday cake. Rachael beamed when she saw it.

"It's shaped after Weepinbell!" she cried. "Thank you so much! How did you know that was the cake I wanted?"

"Let's call it a mother's intuition." Said Veronica. They sang happy birthday to Rachael, and after the cake had been served and eaten, it was time to open her presents.

"I think you'll like what I picked out." Said Veronica. Rachael opened up a small box first and found a bright red Pokedex that resembled the ones Michelle and Amanda had.

"This is nice, Mom, but I'm not sure what I'm supposed to use this for." Said Rachael.

"This is where the next gift comes in handy." Said Veronica. Rachael tore open a medium sized box and found six empty Poke Balls.

"I think you're onto something here, Mom." Said Rachael. Veronica nodded and motioned for her to open the biggest box, which contained multiple sets of outfits as well as a backpack.

"All of this is really neat, Mom." Said Rachael. "How do all these gifts fit together, though?"

"That's for you to figure out, honey." Said Vernoica. Rachael thought hard, and a short time later, she came up with the answer.

"I've got it! All of this is for me to go on my own Pokemon journey." Rachael guessed.

"That's exactly right." Said Veronica. Rachael happily bounced up to her mother and gave her a huge hug.

"Oh, Mom, thank you so much!" she cried.

"You're welcome." Said Veronica.

"This is great, Rachael. Now you'll get to be a trainer like us." Said Amanda.

"That's definitely very exciting." Said Mark. The party lasted until sunset, at which point everyone returned their Pokemon to their balls, except for Pikachu and Eevee.

"It's a little late for you three to be heading back out." Said Veronica. "Why don't the three of you stay over tonight?"

"We'd love that." Said Michelle. "What do you think about that idea, Rachael?" However, Rachael had fallen asleep on the couch.

"I guess the party tired her out." Said Veronica. She picked up her daughter and carried her up to her bed. Mark, Michelle and Amanda made themselves comfortable in the guest bedroom and fell asleep. The next morning, after everyone was dressed, Veronica saw the four of them off.

"Now, honey, make sure you call me every chance you get." She said.

"I will, Mom." Rachael promised.

"As for the three of you, I wish you all the best of luck in your own journey." Said Veronica.

"Thanks, Veronica." Said Michelle.

"Thanks again for coming to my party and being my friends, guys." Said Rachael. "I hope we run into each other again real soon."

"I hope so too." Said Michelle. Rachael headed off in one direction, while Amanda, Mark and Michelle went in the other direction.

"Well, Pikachu, what did you think of Rachael's party?" Amanda asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu happily answered, which meant 'It was a lot of fun.' So, one more adventure resulted in one more new friend. Rachael had a successful party, and Squirtle evolved into Wartortle. Now, our trio heads off toward a brighter future as their journey continues. Meanwhile, somewhere in a secret base….

"My dear, sweet Michelle, wherever you are right now, I hope you're doing well for yourself." The man continued sitting by himself in the corner of the cell he was locked up in and sighed.

"How I'd give my entire life to see you again."

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Seven

Last time, Amanda battled a young girl named Rachael, who was new in town and needed friends to come to her birthday party. Fortunately, our three young heroes agreed to come, and the party was an immense success. Of course, team Rocket tried to crash the party, and of course, our heroes and their new friend put a stop to it. Plus, Squirtle evolved into Wartortle. Now, our three heroes continue their journey, anxious to see what else lies ahead.

As today's story begins, we find our group of three trainers finally entering Fuchsia City.

"Here we are, guys, my hometown." Said Amanda.

"It's so beautiful." Said Michelle.

"There's lots of nice beaches here too." Said Mark.

"Although, I think the ones in Vermillion are nicer." Said Michelle.

"I already know what I want to do first." Said Amanda, and she ran off toward the gym, with Michelle and Mark following behind her. Unfortunately, she was greeted with a closed sign.

"Not another one of these!" cried Michelle. The door then opened abruptly, startling the three of them a little bit.

"If you're here for a gym battle, this wouldn't be a good time." Said a man dressed in a ninja outfit.

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

"I am Koga, the leader of this gym." Said the gentleman. "However, we also do private meditation sessions once a week, and today happens to be the day where those sessions occur, which means no gym challengers allowed. I'm sorry, but you'll have to come back another time." He then closed the door, leaving the group stunned.

"Well, I guess we'll have to go someplace else for now." Said Mark.

"Let's go to the Pokemon Center first and we can figure it out there." Said Amanda.

"Good idea." Said Michelle. They found the Pokemon Center a short walking distance away from the gym, and when they arrived there, they sat down in the lobby.

"There has to be other things here besides the gym and the beaches." Said Mark.

"Amanda, didn't you tell me when you and I first met that you lived in the Safari Zone?" Michelle asked.

"I did indeed say that." Amanda replied.

"Well then, we can check that out." Said Mark.

"And Amanda can show us around." Said Michelle.

"That certainly sounds like a good idea, but I think I should let my mama know that we're coming first." Said Amanda.

"Yes, that would definitely be helpful." Said Michelle. Right as they were about to go to the phones, however, Nurse Joy called them over to the counter.

"By any chance, which one of you is Michelle Greenwood?" she asked.

"That would be me." Michelle answered.

"I have a letter here for you." Said Joy. "It was dropped off a couple of hours ago via Pidgeot Express." Michelle took the envelope that Joy was holding and opened it up so she could read it.

"I wonder what the letter says." Said Mark.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'I'm kind of curious too.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Me three.'

"Let's all find out together." Said Michelle, and she was about to start reading when Psyduck suddenly popped out of his Poke Ball and pointed to the paper that Michelle was holding.

"I guess Psyduck is just as curious as we are." Said Amanda. Michelle, however, wasn't exactly pleased.

"Psyduck, this is a private matter between me and my friends." Michelle said firmly, and she held out his ball. "Return!" Psyduck was absorbed into red light and Michelle put his ball away.

"Where was I?" Michelle wondered. "Oh yes, I was about to start reading this letter." She cleared her throat and began to read.

"My dearest Michelle. I want to let you know that I'm absolutely fine. I'm currently being held captive in a location that's top secret, which means that I'm not allowed to disclose exactly where I am. My captors have threatened to kill me if I say anything else, so I should probably do what they say and end this letter. Before I do that, though, I also want you to know that no matter what happens, I will always love you. Much love, Eric Greenwood."

"I guess that letter answers the worries you were having about your dad." Said Amanda.

"I still miss him, though." Said Michelle.

"Don't worry about that right now." Said Mark. "Right now, let's have some fun in the Safari Zone."

"Mark's right." Said Amanda. "But first, I need to make that phone call." She grabbed the video phone and dialed her house.

"I hope Mama's there." Said Amanda. The phone rang twice, and then there was an answer on the third ring.

"Kangaskhan?" Kangaskhan asked, which meant 'Hello?'

"Hi, Mama, it's me!" Amanda exclaimed.

"Kanga Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan cried, which meant 'Amanda! It's so great to hear from you!'

"It's great hearing from you too." Said Amanda. "I just wanted to let you know that I'm in Fuchsia City right now, which means you're going to have a visitor, and that visitor is me!"

"Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan cried, which meant 'That's definitely exciting.'

"That's not all, though." Said Amanda. "I'm also bringing my friends with me."

"Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan cried, which meant 'I can't wait to meet them.'

"You'll definitely like them." Said Amanda. "I'll see you soon, Mama." She hung up the phone and turned to her friends.

"Okay, guys, off to the Safari Zone!" Amanda cried excitedly.

"That's great and all, but exactly which way is the Safari Zone?" Michelle asked.

"I actually don't remember." Said Amanda. "I haven't been there since I left to start my Pokemon journey."

"Maybe Nurse Joy will have the answer." Said Mark, and the three of them went up to the counter.

"Nurse Joy, how do we get to the Safari Zone from here?" Amanda asked.

"It's very easy." Said Joy. "You just go a little bit north of here and you'll be there in no time at all."

"Thank you." The three of them all said, and they left the center.

"I can't wait to see Mama again." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'It's been a while, hasn't it?'

"It certainly has, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "I still remember the day I first met you."

"Exactly how old were you when the two of you met?" asked Mark.

"I think I was about half the age that I am now." answered Amanda. "In fact, Pikachu was actually my very first Pokemon. And I also can't wait to show Mama all the neat gym badges that I've won."

"She'll be quite happy for sure." Said Michelle. They had to walk a bit further than they expected, but they reached the entrance after forty minutes. Usually, when a trainer enters the Safari Zone, they have to pay a fee of five hundred dollars to be able to wander around. Since Amanda was a resident, however, she and her friends were given free admission. When the group arrived at Kangaskhan's house, Amanda breathed a sigh of nervousness.

"Here we go." She said and knocked on the door. Kangaskhan answered, and when she saw Amanda, her eyes lit right up.

"I'm home, Mama." Said Amanda. Kangaskhan gave Amanda a big hug and looked over at Michelle and Mark.

"Kangaskhan?" Kangaskhan asked, which meant 'These are the friends you were telling me about on the phone?' Amanda nodded.

"These are Michelle and Mark." Said Amanda. "They're really good friends, and they're also Pokemon trainers just like me."

"I's very nice to meet you, Mrs. Kangaskhan." Said Michelle.

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'The pleasure's mine.'

"Hey Mama, how about I show you some of the Pokemon that I've caught." Amanda suggested. Kangaskhan gave an approving nod and let out her Flareon, Nidoran, Weepinbell and Wartortle. She avoided sending out Fearow for obvious reasons.

"Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan exclaimed, which meant 'These Pokemon are all so adorable.' She then looked at Wartortle and smiled even more.

"Kangaskhan." She said, which meant 'I see that your Squirtle evolved.'

"He became a Wartortle a couple of days ago." Said Mark.

"We had to deal with Team Rocket at a friend's birthday, and after we finished battling them, Squirtle evolved." Said Michelle.

"Team Rocket's tried to get in our way a few times, but we've stopped them every single time." Said Amanda.

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'Good for you.'

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Hey Kangaskhan, you remember me?'

"Kangaskhan." Kangaskhan said with a nod, which meant 'It's great seeing you again, Pikachu. You're looking nice today.'

"Pika pi Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'That's because Amanda's been doing such a great job taking care of me.'

"Kangaskhan." She said, which meant 'I'm very glad to her that.'

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'Don't forget about me!' Kangaskhan looked over at Eevee and asked "Kangaskhan?" which meant 'Who's this little cutie?'

"That's Eevee." Amanda explained. "She belongs to my friend Michelle and is best friends with Pikachu."

"Eevee." Eevee squealed again, which meant 'We're very good friends too.'

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'That's great to hear.'

"Hey guys, how about we go inside and I can show you a bit around the house." Said Amanda. Kangaskhan agreed and let them all in. Amanda recalled the Pokemon she had let out and led her friends into the kitchen.

"You certainly have a nice place here, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"It's not that big, but I like to call it home." Said Amanda.

"Kangaskhan?" Kangaskhan asked, which meant 'Would the three of you like a snack?'

"Yes, please, Mrs. Kangaskhan." Said Michelle. Kangaskhan gave them two cookies each, as well as some milk. Amanda then showed her friends her room.

"This is where I used to sleep before I left." She said. Michelle sat down on the bed.

"The bed looks nice." She said. Mark had a look at her bookshelf.

"You've got a lot of books here, Amanda." He said.

"A lot of them are Pokemon books, but others are children's books that Mama used to read to me when I was small." Said Amanda. She then led them back outside.

"One neat perk about living here is that I have the entire area as my backyard." Said Amanda.

"That's definitely helpful." Said Michelle. "I bet you got to play with a lot of the Pokemon here."

"You'd bet correctly." Said Amanda. One of those Pokemon chose that moment to come running up to her and give her a gentle lick on the face.

"Arcanine! It's been a long time since I saw you!" Amanda cried. "How have you been, buddy?" Arcanine just gave a playful bark, which meant 'I've been doing great. I've missed you, though.

"I've missed you too." Said Amanda. Kangaskhan came out to see what was going on.

"Kangaskhan." She said, which meant 'I see that you and Arcanine have gotten reacquainted with each other.'

"We sure have." Said Amanda. "Oh, I almost forgot. I have five badges now." She showed each of them to Kangaskhan one by one.

"Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan cried excitedly, which meant 'That's awesome, dear.'

"We mainly came here so that I could have a gym battle and win another badge, but it was closed when we got there." Said Amanda.

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'That's too bad.' She then suggested that the three of them spend the night and sleep outdoors.

"That definitely sounds like a great idea, Mrs. Kangaskhan." Said Mark. Arcanine gave a couple of barks.

"Yes, Arcanine, you can join us too." Said Michelle. Arcanine jumped onto Amanda and gave her another playful lick, which just made Amanda laugh. The group all went back to the house to get things ready, but they were completely unaware that Team Rocket had also made their way to the Safari Zone.

"Looks like the kids are having an outdoor sleepover tonight." Said Conrad.

"That means we strike while they're happily snoozing away." Said Sally.

"You know, I seem to recall us trying something like this already." Said Conrad.

"We failed last time because we grabbed the wrong Pokemon." Said Sally. "This time, though, I'm confident that we'll succeed. And I know how we'll make sure that happens."

"How?" wondered Conrad.

"Arcanine is likely going to be their guard dog, which means he'll likely be keeping a close eye on Pikachu and Eevee. We'll grab the dog instead so that he's out of the way."

"Good thinking." Said Conrad.

"By the time they wake up, they'll find Arcanine missing, but we'll be long gone by then." Said Sally, and she gave an evil snicker. Kangaskhan was rummaging through the closet trying to find a tent big enough to fit Amanda and her friends, and after fifteen minutes of looking, she found one.

"Kangaskhan." She said, which meant 'This should do it.'

"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda.

"Kangaskhan?" she asked, which meant 'Do you need me to get you some sleeping bags too?'

"That won't be necessary. I always carry those with me." Said Mark.

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'All right, then.' The three of them went outside and let their Pokémon out so that they could enjoy the scenery as well. Fearow stayed in his ball because Amanda didn't want to take any chances with it getting out of control, but Pikachu, Eevee and Wartortle all enjoyed the view.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Isn't this view amazing?'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'It's very nice. I see now why Amanda loves it here.'

"Wartortle?" Wartortle wondered, which meant 'Where are all of the water Pokemon?'

"Pika Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'They're probably all busy enjoying themselves in the water.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Pikachu's right.' Wartortle was a bit disappointed, but he didn't want to bother any of the other wild Pokemon, so he sat back with Pikachu and Eevee and the three of them enjoyed the sunshine together. Later that evening as the sun was starting to set, Arcanine finally arrived.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'We were wondering where you were at.'

"Arcanine." Arcanine barked, which meant 'Sorry, I was a little busy.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'We're glad you're here now, though.'

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'You're just in time. Mark's about to feed us.'

"Okay everyone, time for dinner." Said Mark. He took out some plates and put some hot dogs on it. Arcanine gave a bark, which meant 'Can I have some too?'

"Sorry, Arcanine, but our food isn't good for dogs." Said Michelle. Mark fed Arcanine some Pokemon food, so he was at least still satisfied. Later on, once it was dark, the three of them recalled their Pokémon and fell asleep in the tent.

"Good night, Pikachu. Good night, Eevee. Good night, Arcanine." Said Amanda. A few hours later, Team Rocket showed up where the tent was.

"It looks like everyone's asleep." Sally whispered.

"Quick, before they hear us." whispered Conrad. They quietly tiptoed to their balloon and hit a button on their remote control. A large net came down and covered up Arcanine, causing him to scream and howl.

"Cut it out with the noise there, you big crybaby!" Sally cried.

"If you get any louder, you'll not only wake up the other Pokemon but you'll wake up the twerps too." Said Conrad. "Now be a good boy and stop making so much noise."

"Yeah, before those kids hear you." Said Sally.

"It's a little late for that, Team Rocket!"

"Uh oh!" They looked down and saw Mark, Michelle, Amanda, Pikachu, and Eevee staring angrily at them.

"Aren't you up a little past your bedtime?" Sally asked.

"We were asleep until we heard a loud racket and we figured right away that it was you two!" Michelle cried.

"Let Arcanine go right now!" Mark demanded. "What did he ever do to you?!" Kangaskhan came out and gave a loud yawn.

"Kangaskhan?" she asked, which meant 'Just what is going on out here at this time of night?'

"Mama, Team Rocket's trying to steal Arcanine!" Amanda cried.

"Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan fumed, which meant 'That Arcanine is my daughter's friend. Give it back to her right now!'

"Since when do we take orders from a Pokemon?" Sally asked.

"We never have, and we're certainly not starting now." Said Conrad.

"Which means like it or not, this Arcanine comes with us." Said Sally, and they flew off.

"Kangaskhan!" Kangaskhan yelled, which meant 'They won't get away this this!'

"Especially not with my mama around." Said Amanda.

"What'll we do to stop them?" Michelle wondered. Kangaskhan got an idea.

"Kangaskhan!" she ordered, which meant 'Everyone into my pouch!' Amanda and Michelle climbed into the pouch, but Mark wasn't so keen on the idea.

"Are you sure there's enough space in that thing?" he asked.

"Don't worry, my mama's pouch is so big that all of us can fit." Said Amanda.

"Hurry up and get in before Team Rocket gets further away." Said Michelle. Mark still wasn't sold on the idea of riding in a Kangaskhan's pouch, but he got in and settled himself between Amanda and Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee got in as well, and Kangaskhan ran as fast as she could. The trio, as well as the Pokemon, held onto the top of the pouch tightly to make sure that they didn't fall out. Conrad and Sally were gloating in the balloon.

"Just you wait until the boss meets you." Said Sally.

"Just imagine all of the possibilities." Said Conrad. The two of them imagined the boss turning Arcanine's fur into jackets, rugs, and blankets. In the imagination, the boss said, "I'm willing to forget about all of your previous failures and pay you handsomely for bringing me this strong and powerful Arcanine." The boss then handed Conrad and Sally a check for one hundred thousand dollars each, making them smile. They then got out of their imagination sequence.

"We'll be so rich that we can have anything we'd possibly want!" Sally cried, and high fived Conrad. However, their excitement was short-lived.

"You're not turning Arcanine into anything!" Michelle cried from the ground.

"How did they catch up?" Conrad wondered.

"Never mind about that!" Amanda cried out. "Arcanine, try using your paws to break out of that net!" Arcanine tried to hack his way out of his confinement, but the net wouldn't budge.

"We figured you'd try and attack, so we made sure to not only make this net shock proof but dog proof too." Said Sally.

"That means Arcanine's Flamethrower and Pikachu's Thunderbolt won't do any good." Said Michelle.

"I know what could work, though." Said Mark, and he grabbed a ball.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" he cried. He threw the ball and the tough grass type appeared.

"Bulbasaur, try using Vine Whip to break the net down!" Mark ordered.

"Bulba!" Bulbasaur cried, which meant 'Got it!' He shot his vines out and smacked the top of the net with them, but nothing happened.

"Vines are no good either?" Mark wondered.

"This thing is more sturdy than I thought." Said Michelle.

"Bulbasaur, return!" Mark cried. He recalled his Pokemon and put Bulbasaur's ball away.

"Since vines didn't work, maybe leaves will." Said Amanda.

"It's certainly worth a try." Said Michelle.

"Weepinbell, go!" Amanda cried. The small grass type appeared and awaited its instructions.

"Weepinbell, use your Razor Leaf on top of the net." Amanda ordered. Weepinbell obeyed and shot out a pair of green leaves toward the bottom of Team Rocket's balloon. The leaves successfully tore through the net, which sent it down to the ground and freed Arcanine.

"Great work, Weepinbell!" Amanda cried. Arcanine happily ran over to Amanda and hugged her.

"Don't tell me we're about to lose again!" Sally fumed.

"Okay, I won't tell you." Said Conrad.

"And now, the finishing touch." Said Amanda. She was about to command Pikachu to use Thunderbolt when Kangaskhan whispered something to her.

"You mean that you want to give them the finishing blow?" Amanda asked. Kangaskhan nodded.

"All right then, Mama." Said Amanda. "Mama, use your Mega Punch!" Kangaskhan readied herself by pulling her arm backwards, and then she gave the Team Rocket crooks a powerful punch to send both them and the balloon into the air.

"Now we'll never get rich!" Sally cried.

"There's always next time, though." Said Conrad. Sally just growled at him.

"We're blasting off again!" they both cried.

"You were impressive, Mama!" Amanda cried.

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'Thank you. Now, let's get the three of you back to your tent so you can go back to sleep.' Amanda recalled Weepinbell, and Kangaskhan returned the kids as well as Arcanine to their designated area. The next morning, Arcanine woke up Amanda with a playful bark.

"Did you sleep well, Arcanine?" Amanda asked. The huge fire dog nodded, and then Amanda held out an empty Poke Ball and put it beside Arcanine.

"Just to make sure Team Rocket doesn't try to attack you again, I think it would be in your best interest to be with me for the rest of my journey." She said. "I know Pikachu would love having you around, wouldn't you, buddy?"

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I sure would!' Michelle and Mark then woke up.

"That's a good idea, Amanda." Said Michelle. "I just hope that Kangaskhan agrees." Kangaskhan then made her way outside.

"Kangaskhan." She said, which meant 'Good morning, kids.'

"Mama, can I take Arcanine with me on my journey with me?" Amanda asked. "I want to protect him from any more possible Team Rocket attacks." Kangaskhan thought it over, and then she nodded.

"Good news, Arcanine, you get to come with us." Said Amanda. Arcanine happily barked at the good news, and tapped the button in the middle of the ball to open it and suck himself in.

"Welcome to the team, Arcanine." Said Amanda. She quickly took her Pokedex out and sent Flareon to Professor Oak's lab.

"You know, Mama, you're welcome to come along too." Said Amanda. Kangaskhan just shook her head.

"Kangaskhan." She said, which meant 'Thanks for offering, but I'd rather stay here and continue my role of caretaker.'

"That's fine." Said Michelle.

"Do you know what we want to do today?" Mark asked.

"I want to try and capture some Pokemon here." Said Amanda.

"That's a great idea, but I don't think we're allowed to do that in this part of the Safari Zone." Said Mark.

"Ranger Jenny would know for sure." Said Michelle. "Come on, let's go see her about it right now." The trio got out of the tent and started to walk off. Well, just when it looked like Arcanine would be a goner, our heroes step in to save the day once again. Gee, I wonder how many Pokemon Amanda and her friends will catch in the Safari Zone. I bet you're all wondering too. Well, you'll have to stay tuned for the next episode so we can all find out.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Eight

Previously, our heroes finally reached Fuchsia City. Amanda wanted to get her Soul Badge at the gym, but unfortunately, they found the gym closed. So, they decided to visit Amanda's mother Kangaskhan in the Safari Zone. However, our heroes once again had to deal with Team Rocket, and once again, the trio was able to stop them. Arcanine also joined Amanda's team. What will happen next? Let's find out as the journey continues.

Amanda, Mark and Michelle were heading to the ranger station to find out where they could safely venture through the area.

"I want to capture some of the neat Pokemon that live here." Said Mark.

"I think we all do, but we have to make sure that we do it in an area where we're allowed to capture them." Said Amanda. "That's why we're seeing Ranger Jenny first." This Jenny was slightly different than the other Jennys as she had a stuffed Chansey head on top of her ranger cap. Aside from that difference, the rest of her uniform was exactly the same. She was sipping her coffee and reading the morning paper, but she shook her head at the headline.

"Why would poachers try to steal innocent Pokemon from here?" she wondered. "The thought of that just makes me sick to my stomach." She kept reading on to see what some of the other headlines were, and thirty minutes later, she heard a knock on her door.

"It better not be those poachers again, or they'll be arrested on the spot." She said. "Come in." Mark, Michelle and Amanda all walked in and went up to Jenny's desk.

"You three aren't poachers, are you?" Jenny asked.

"No, we're just regular Pokemon trainers." Said Michelle.

"Thank goodness." Said Jenny, and she showed them the headline on the front page of the paper. It read 'Safari Zone attacked by poachers'.

"Did you hear about this?" Jenny asked.

"Hear about it? We witnessed it." Mark answered.

"Team Rocket attacked last night and tried to steal my Arcanine." Said Amanda. "Of course, we made sure that they left with nothing."

"Thank goodness they didn't do anything else." Said Jenny. "Otherwise, things could've gotten really bad." She put the paper away and gave the three kids her full attention. "Now then, Is there anything I can help you with?"

"Is there a way we can catch Pokemon in here safely?" asked Michelle.

"I'm very glad you asked that question." Said Jenny. She pulled down a map of the Safari Zone from behind her desk and got out her pointer.

"This area is made up of four larger areas with plenty of Pokemon that can be found in those areas." Said Jenny. "You're free to capture them, but you have to use special Poke Balls in order to do so."

"What kind of special balls are you talking about, Ranger Jenny?" Mark asked.

"Allow me to show you." Said Jenny. She reached into her desk drawer and took out the ball that Mark had inquired about. It looked like a regular Poke Ball, except that the top half was green instead of red.

"These are called Safari Balls." Jenny explained. "In order to catch Pokemon here, this is the only type of ball that you're allowed to use. You're also not allowed to use your own Pokemon to battle against the wild ones. You just throw your Safari Ball at it and hope that you get lucky."

"How many of these do we get?" Michelle asked.

"The rule is that each trainer gets a maximum of thirty Safari Balls." Said Jenny. "You're to report back to me once you either use up all of your Safari Balls or your time limit runs out."

"Time limit?" Amanda asked.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'What does she mean by that?'

"I don't know." Amanda answered.

"With how busy a lot of trainers are, we have to impose a timer so that they don't spend all of their time here." Jenny explained. "You'll have ten hours to find and catch as many Pokemon as you can. Once that timer runs out, you're done. Do any of you have any further questions?"

"I have one." Said Michelle. "How come trainers are capped out at thirty Safari Balls?"

"Another very good question." Said Jenny. "I'm assuming that you kids don't know the story of the Dratini that used to live here, so I'll tell you about it. Years ago, a beautiful little Dratini used to live here along with its mother Dragonair and its father Dragonite. The three of them lived in perfect harmony together and were inseparable, or so we thought. One day, though, something very bad happened. A gang of poachers and hunters ambushed the Safari Zone and tried to take away the young Dratini. Both of its parents, Dragonair and Dragonite, tried to intervene. However, the hunters and poachers were very aggressive and wouldn't leave them alone. The Dragonair and Dragonite tried to use their attacks, but the Pokémon that the poachers and hunters had were even stronger and both the Dragonair and Dragonite were killed instantly. As for the Dratini, the Safari Zone ranger that worked here at the time was able to save it from any further harm. The poachers and hunters finally left, but the damage that was caused took a long time to clear out, and so we had to temporarily close the area to trainers. When we finally re-opened the following year, the thirty Safari Ball limit was introduced in order to prevent a serious attack like that from ever happening again. And that's the Dratini story."

"Where's the Dratini now?" asked Amanda.

"For safety reasons, as well as to make sure that it wouldn't be attacked again, the Dratini was moved to a dragon shrine in Blackthorn City in the Johto region, where it has been living safely to this very day." Jenny answered.

"I'm glad that the Dratini is safe." Said Michelle.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'So am I.'

"Now then, let's get the three of you set up." Said Jenny. She handed each of them thirty Safari Balls.

"There you go." Said Jenny. "Good luck, and happy hunting."

"Thanks, Jenny." Said Mark. The three of them left the ranger station and headed out into the first area.

"What kind of Pokemon should we catch first?" Michelle asked.

"I don't think it matters." Said Amanda. "I just want to catch as many Pokemon as I can."

"Just make sure you don't hog them all." Said Mark.

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises." Said Amanda. Five minutes into their search, they found a Pokemon with a spherical body covered in purple fur. It also had a pink pincer-like mouth with two teeth, stubby forepaws and a pair of white antennae sprouting from the top of its head. On its face was two large, red eyes.

"That looks pretty cool." Said Amanda, and she took out her Pokedex.

"Venonat, the insect Pokemon. Venonat's eyes act as a radar unit, thus allowing it to be active during dark, nighttime hours. Its eyes are capable of shooting powerful beams."

"So it can use Psychic type attacks, it looks like." Said Amanda. She got out one of her Safari Balls and aimed it at Venonat.

"Safari Ball, go!" she cried. Venonat got sucked into the ball, and after a few shakes, the ball dinged.

"Well, that was an easy capture." Said Amanda. The ball disappeared out of her hands and teleported itself to Oak's lab. The group then walked off.

"Let's see, where to look next." Said Amanda.

"I don't think there's specific hiding spots for each of the Pokemon." Said Mark. "We just keep looking and hope we find some." They found another Pokemon ten minutes later. This one had a body fully covered in grey, rocky plates. Amanda took out her Pokedex again.

"Rhyhorn, the spikes Pokemon. Rhyhorn's brain is very small, giving it a one-track mind. When it runs, it forgets why it started and continues until it falls asleep."

"That one looks like it can run pretty fast." Said Amanda, and she threw another Safari Ball at it. Three shakes later, and the Rhyhorn was successfully captured. The ball then teleported to Professor Oak's lab.

"That's two balls down, and twenty-eight more to go." Said Amanda.

"Okay, miss, I think it's time Mark and I had a turn at catching one." Said Michelle.

"I know you want to get as many as you can, but you've caught two already, and we don't have a single one yet." Said Mark.

"All right, the next one we come across, one of you can catch it." Amanda promised.

"Thank you." Michelle said. They continued walking along, and twenty minutes later, they spotted a large, pink Pokemon that was very familiar to them as they had seen it in various Pokemon Centers.

"That's Chansey!" Amanda cried. "I've always wanted one of these!" She was about to get another ball out when Michelle stopped her.

"You promised, remember?" she pointed out.

"Oh yeah. I did, didn't I?" said Amanda. Michelle nodded and took out one of her own balls.

"Safari Ball, go!" she cried as she threw it. The Chansey tried to run away, but it got sucked inside the ball and successfully captured.

"Welcome to my team, Chansey." Said Michelle. While Amanda was happy for her, she was still a bit salty.

"I'm the one who saw it first." She grumbled.

"Oh, quit your whining. There's plenty of other Pokemon here that you can catch." Said Mark.

"What are the chances that another Chansey will show up?" Amanda wondered.

"Probably not very good." Michelle answered. "Chansey aren't commonly seen in the wild, so we'll have to hope that we get lucky." The group continued walking along, and after another thirty minutes of wandering about, a pink Pokemon with a horn charged up to them. It was similar to Nidoran, but it was a bigger size.

"I think I know what that is." Said Amanda. "That's a Nidorino." She took out her Pokedex to find out more information on it.

"Nidorino, the Poison Pin Pokemon. Nidorino observes its surroundings using its ears and will challenge foes if it senses any hostile presence."

"Something that powerful can definitely come in handy." Said Amanda. She started to get a ball to throw, only for Mark to intervene.

"I think it should be my turn to capture one now." He said. This time, Amanda didn't argue. She allowed Mark to proceed with the capture attempt.

"Safari Ball, go!" he cried. Nidorino got sucked inside, and a few shakes later, the catch was successful.

"Now we've each caught at least one Pokémon." Said Michelle.

"And we still have plenty of Safari Balls left." Said Amanda.

"I don't think we're going to end up using them all." Said Mark. "Jenny gave us too many of these."

"Yeah, for three of us, ten each would've made more sense." Said Michelle.

"One plus side of having so many is that we could catch some duplicates." Said Amanda.

"We could do that, but I don't really want to do that. One of each is enough for me, thank you." Said Michelle. The group continued making their way down the path, unaware of the danger that was ahead. Two hunters, one male and one female, were trying to track down a Dratini, but were having no luck.

"Some hunt this is, Natalie." Said the male.

"Listen, Jimmy, there's plenty of rare Pokemon here. Let's just take one of those instead." Said Natalie.

"I don't want any Pokemon unless it's a Dratini." Said Jimmy.

"Do you understand what the chances of finding one here are?" Natalie asked. "About slim to none. That's never stopped us before, though. Come on, let's keep searching." The two of them continued on with their hunt; meanwhile, Michelle, Mark and Amanda kept looking for Pokemon of their own. Twenty minutes later, they saw a Goldeen splashing around in the pond that they were passing by. Amanda got her Pokedex out.

"Goldeen, the goldfish Pokemon. This Pokemon has a wild temperament and will use its horn to smash its way to freedom."

"Pikachu, wouldn't you love for this Goldeen to be friends with you?" Amanda asked. Pikachu nodded and introduced himself.

"Goldeen." Said Goldeen, which meant 'Nice to meet you.'

"You two can get acquainted later." Said Michelle. "One of us needs to catch it so we can get moving." Amanda got a Safari Ball out and threw it at the Goldeen. Fortunately, the catch attempt was successful.

"I hope Professor Oak will like our new Goldeen." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I'm sure he will.' The group moved on to a northern section, and the first Pokemon they saw was a flying type that they hadn't encountered yet. It resembled a light brown duck with a white underbelly. It had a flat, yellow beak, brown eyes, a V-shaped black marking on its forehead and a three-feather crest on top of its head. Finally, it had yellow legs with webbed feet and a stubby tail.

"Well, here's something you don't see every day." Said Michelle. "Get your Pokedex out, Amanda, because I'm curious about this one." Amanda obeyed and aimed her device at the flying type.

"Farfetch'd, the wild duck Pokemon. Farfetch'd is always seen carrying a leek stalk or spring onion. It carries this sprig in its wings, but sometimes chooses to hold it in its beak or feet instead. This Pokemon is rarely seen in the wild, so approach with caution."

"A Farfetch'd, huh? We definitely can't miss this chance." Said Amanda.

"The only question is, which one of us should catch it?" asked Mark.

"Uh…..Amanda stammered.

"Good question." Said Michelle.

"Since it's so rare, I think I should be the one to catch it." Said Amanda.

"Hold on, you just caught the Goldeen we saw." Said Michelle. "Plus, owning a Pokemon like this has always been a dream of mine. That's why I want to be the one to capture it."

"No way, Michelle." Said Mark. "My mom would definitely appreciate having this to keep her company, so I should do the honors."

"Hey, I saw it first." Said Amanda.

"If you want to be technical, both of us saw it first." Said Michelle.

"It doesn't matter which one of us saw it first, I just want to catch it." Said Amanda.

"So do I." said Michelle.

"Don't forget about me." Said Mark. The three of them continued arguing over which of them would get to catch the Farfetch'd, with Pikachu and Eevee looking on.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I almost feel like we should interject.' Eevee shook her head.

"Eevee." She squealed, which meant 'No, let them figure it out on their own.' Farfetch'd got tired of all the arguing and let out a yawn. He then started to fly away, which alerted Pikachu.

"Pika!" he yelled, which meant 'One of you catch that before it disappears!' The three of them stopped arguing long enough to watch the Farfetch'd fly high into the sky.

"Well, there goes that opportunity." Said Amanda.

"Cheer up, I'm sure we'll find something else to catch." Said Amanda.

"Yeah, but none of them are going to be Farfetch'd." said Mark.

"Don't doubt yourself." Said Mark. "You never know what we'll find."

"I guess you're right." Said Amanda. The three of them continued onward, and after another twenty minutes, they came across a familiar grass type that Amanda had already battled at the Celadon Gym.

"There's a Tangela." Said Amanda. "Now, no arguments this time, please. Let's just catch it and be on our way." Michelle took out another Safari Ball and fired it at Tangela. The Pokemon got sucked into the ball, which shook three times before signaling a successful capture.

"Welcome, Tangela." Said Michelle.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed excitedly, which meant 'Nice catch.' Michelle grinned.

"I'm glad you like it, Eevee." She said. The three of them went on their way, but Jimmy and Natalie were still on the hunt for their target.

"We promised our boss that we'd bring him back a Dratini." Said Jimmy. "What are we going to say if we can't find one?"

"We'll have to make something up on the fly to buy us more time." Said Natalie.

"The last time we lied to the boss like that, we weren't allowed to hunt anything for a week." Jimmy pointed out. "We'll have to think of something else. Keep searching." The two of them continued about their business, while our heroes kept looking for Pokemon.

"What do you think we'll see next?" Michelle wondered.

"That's the beauty of the Safari Zone." Said Amanda. "You never know what you'll see next." They made a right turn and came across a lagoon that looked like a perfect habitat for a dragon Pokemon. That was when Amanda realized something.

"If I remember correctly from what Jenny told us earlier, I think this is the spot where Dratini used to live." She said.

"That definitely seems reasonable." Said Michelle. "I can't imagine any other Pokemon but Dratini living in this part of the Safari Zone." They waited a bit to see if anything would pop up, and ten minutes later, they heard a cry, and then a head stuck out of the water. It wasn't Dratini, but instead, an evolved form. The Pokemon then made itself fully visible, and while its body was the same color as Dratini, it was a bit of a longer size and had three blue, crystal orbs on it.

"This is another nice surprise." Said Michelle.

"I thought Jenny said the Dratini line didn't live here anymore." Said Mark.

"I thought so too, but it's still pretty cool that I'm actually getting to see this." Said Amanda. "I wonder what it is, though." She got out her Pokedex and aimed it at the rare dragon type.

"Dragonair, the dragon Pokemon. Dragonair emits a gentle aura that makes its appearance mystical. It is rarely seen by humans, so it is always a special sight whenever it is encountered."

"This is definitely special, all right." Said Amanda. She was getting ready to make a capture attempt when the trio heard shots being fired.

"What's going on?" Michelle asked. Jimmy and Natalie suddenly appeared and looked serious.

"That may not be a Dratini, but it'll still do." Said Jimmy.

"Thank you very much for finding Dragonair for us, kids." Said Natalie.

"And now, if you don't mind, stand aside so we can capture it for ourselves." Said Jimmy.

"We do mind!" Amanda exclaimed. "The way you're going about trying to capture Pokemon is wrong and we won't stand for that!"

"Whatever happened to battling a Pokemon to weaken it first before catching it?" Michelle asked.

"We don't play by those rules." Said Natalie. "Whatever we get told to find, we find it and capture it by whatever means necessary."

"But that's the wrong way to deal with things!" Mark protested.

"We don't care." Said Jimmy. "And if you try to interfere any further, you'll suffer the consequences." While the hunters were getting things out of their bags, the trio had a consultation.

"We can't let them do any harm to a special one of a kind Pokemon like Dragonair." Said Amanda. "We have to find a way to stop them."

"But Jimmy said not to interfere." Said Michelle.

"I don't care." Said Amanda "Dragonair is living in what's technically my home, so I have to defend it. Pikachu, give those two hunters your best Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu lunged toward Jimmy and Natalie and unleashed a very powerful lightning bolt on them. Unfortunately, the two hunters shook off the attack as if nothing had happened and glared angrily at the trio.

"Uh oh!" Michelle cried.

"You have no idea what a huge mistake you kids just made." Said Natalie.

"We told you not to interfere, and you chose not to listen, so now you'll pay the price." Said Jimmy. He and Natalie took out three handcuffs, forced their hands behind their backs and placed the handcuffs on them.

"You're all coming with us." Said Natalie.

"What about the Dragonair?" asked Jimmy.

"We'll come back for that later." Said Natalie. "Right now, these kids need to learn a hard lesson about what happens when you mess with professional Pokemon hunters." Jimmy and Natalie forced the three of them into their Jeep and drove away.

"I don't like this at all." Said Michelle. "What do you think they'll do to us, Amanda?"

"I honestly have no idea." Said Amanda.

"Be quiet back there!" Natalie snapped. Pikachu and Eevee were scared too. With how intimidating the hunters were, the two Pokemon were afraid to even attempt to speak. Five minutes later, they arrived at a makeshift cabin that the hunters had set up. They forced the trio inside, took off the handcuffs and pointed to three chairs that were in the middle of the small room.

"Sit down, all of you!" Jimmy barked. Amanda gulped nervously.

"No!" she yelled. "I refuse to listen to you!"

"You don't have a choice." Said Natalie. "All of you are going to do what he says, because if you don't, I'll have him get out his big sword and kill you with it. Is that what you want? IS IT?" Amanda, Mark and Michelle shook their heads.

"Then do what I say and get your butts in those chairs right now!" Jimmy barked. The three kids sighed, but did as they were told. Jimmy and Natalie put their hands together behind the backs of the chairs and tied their wrists tightly with rope.

"There. That should hold you for a while." Said Jimmy. "Come Natalie, back to the lagoon." The two of them darted back outside and into their vehicle, leaving the trio by themselves.

"This isn't right at all!" Amanda cried. "We have to do something to stop them before they hurt Dragonair!"

"How can we do that when we're all tied up?" Mark asked.

"We can't." Said Michelle. She even tried to wiggle out of the rope herself, but it was no use. "See, they tied it much too tight."

"Wait a minute, there's something that might work." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, go over to the desk and try to send a help call to Ranger Jenny on the walkie-talkies that are sitting there."

"You too, Eevee." Said Michelle. Both Pokemon ran over to the devices and started yelling into them.

"Pikachu! Eevee!" they both yelled together, which meant 'Help! Our trainers have been kidnapped by hunters!' Jenny was enjoying a snack in her ranger station when she heard the distress call come in. She gasped, and then got into her own vehicle.

"Hang on, kids, help is on the way!" she cried, and she sped off down the path. Jimmy and Natalie were back at the lagoon, looking once again for the Dragonair. It had disappeared back into the lake when the two hunters had shown up earlier as it was scared of them.

"Come out wherever you are, Dragonair." Said Jimmy. "We have some nice treats for you." Natalie nudged him a bit.

"We don't actually have anything." She whispered.

"I know, but this is the only way that Dragonair will trust us." Said Jimmy. "Plus, with those little brats out of the way, this'll be much easier." He stuck his hand out, but Dragonair still didn't come back.

"I guess we'll have to dive in there and grab it ourselves." Said Natalie.

"That reminds me, did you bring the swimsuits?" asked Jimmy.

"I thought you were supposed to bring them." Said Natalie.

"I brought them last time. It's your turn now." Said Jimmy.

"I left them in the cabin." Said Natalie.

"You mean the same cabin where we tied up those kids?" asked Jimmy.

"That's the one." Said Natalie. "Should I go back for them?"

"Forget it." Said Jimmy. "We'll make do without them for now." The two of them were about to dive into the water when they saw Ranger Jenny speed by.

"You didn't call the cops by any chance, did you?" asked Natalie.

"No!" cried Jimmy. "Did you make the call?"

"No." Natalie answered, and then it hit them.

"The kids must've called them." Jimmy realized. They hopped back into their vehicle and sped away. Jenny was approaching the cabin at full speed.

"Just hang on, guys." She said, and managed to make it before the hunters. Fortunately, the door had been left unlocked, so she opened it quickly and burst into the room.

"Are you kids all right?" she asked.

"We're fine now." Said Mark.

"Ranger Jenny, you've got to get us out of here!" Michelle cried.

"Don't worry, kids, it's going to be okay." Said Jenny. She went over to the chairs and untied each of them.

"Come on, let's get out of here before those hunters return." Said Jenny. She led the kids outside, and right as they got out, Jimmy and Natalie arrived on the scene.

"Those are the two that were trying to take Dragonair away!" Amanda cried.

"You little squeaker!" Jimmy cried. He tried to go at Amanda, but Jenny stopped him.

"You two are both under arrest for attempted Pokemon theft!" she cried.

"You crooks better have a reason for wanting Dragonair so badly!" Michelle exclaimed.

"All right, we'll tell you." Said Jimmy. "When Natalie and I were small, we both wanted a Dratini so badly. Our parents searched everywhere but couldn't find one. A year after that, they both passed away. Since then, we've both vowed to search high and low for a Dratini for ourselves. Everywhere we looked, we had no luck. And then today, we came across a Dragonair. Even though it's the evolved form, both of us decided it was good enough. That's why we were trying to capture it."

"Pokemon are supposed to be treated with respect, and from what my perspective, it seems like you two were going about it the wrong way." Said Jenny. "Your hunting days are both over." Right as she was about to handcuff the two hunters, Dragonair emerged from the pool and smiled at Amanda.

"Aw, the way it's smiling is so cute." She said. Dragonair looked at the hunters and shuddered, but Amanda assured it that everything was okay.

"Those two mean hunters aren't going to do anything to you anymore." She told it in a kind voice.

"Dragon!" Dragonair cried, which meant 'That's a relief.'

"It was nice to meet you, Dragonair, but we have to go." Said Michelle. Dragonair frowned, and as they started walking away, Dragonair told it to wait.

"What is it?" asked Amanda. Dragonair pointed to the Poke Balls on Amanda's waist.

"Are you saying that you want to join up with me?" Amanda asked. Dragonair nodded and pointed to the Poke Balls again.

"It'll join you on the condition that you have a one on one battle with it." Said Jenny.

"I thought you said that we weren't allowed to battle the Pokemon here." Said Michelle.

"You're right, that's normally the case." Said Jenny. "However, I see that Amanda cares very much about Dragonair, so for that reason alone, I'm willing to make an exception." Said Jenny.

"All right, Dragonair, if you want me to battle, then I gladly accept." Said Amanda. She then turned her attention briefly to Jimmy and Natalie.

"You both pay attention so you can see the correct way to catch wild Pokemon!" she barked at them. Amanda then gave her attention back to Dragonair.

"Pikachu, you're on, buddy!" Amanda cried. Pikachu jumped down onto the grass and stared intensely at Dragonair.

"Pikachu, start with Thunderbolt." Amanda ordered. Pikachu unleashed the attack, but Dragonair escaped with barely any scratches.

"Pika?" asked a perplexed Pikachu, which meant 'Did that even work?'

"It did, but since Dragonair is a dragon type, electricity won't have much of an effect on it." Said Jenny. Dragonair responded by hitting Pikachu with bright yellow stars.

"There's the Swift attack." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu's tough, though. It won't go down easily no matter who it faces." Said Mark.

"Pikachu, use your own Swift attack too!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu fired yellow stars from its body right at Dragonair, who took some damage. The dragon type responded by opening its mouth and firing a large, bright red energy ball.

"That's a Dragon Rage attack!" Jenny cried. "Be careful with that!"

"Pikachu, jump up and dodge!" Amanda cried. Pikachu jumped as high as it could and just barely avoided the attack.

"All right, run circles around it with your Agility!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu ran as fast as it could, and as it got faster, it became more difficult for it to keep up. That didn't stop it from getting ready to launch another powerful move, though.

"Watch out, here comes Hyper Beam!" Jenny cried. Dragonair unleashed the move from one of its orbs, and the blast hit Pikachu so fast that he didn't get a chance to dodge.

"Oh no!" Mark cried.

"Pikachu! Please be okay!" Amanda cried. Pikachu struggled a bit to get back up, but it managed to do so.

"There you go!" Amanda cried. She then got a very strategic idea that she could use to her advantage.

"Dragonair is just sitting in the water, and water conducts electricity." She thought. "Pikachu, jump into the water and use your Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu sprang into the lagoon and unleashed another powerful bolt of electricity. With help from the water, the attack did a lot more damage to Dragonair, causing it to scream in pain, and then faint.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried. She got out a regular ball and threw it at Dragonair. It got absorbed into red light upon hitting the ball, and then it began to shake. Michelle, Mark, Pikachu, Eevee, Jimmy, Natalie and Jenny all looked on.

"Come on." Said Michelle. The ball wiggled a few times before stopping and clicking. Amanda picked up the ball and held it up proudly.

"I just caught a Dragonair!" she cried. She struck a victory pose, which Pikachu copied.

"That was amazing, Amanda." Said Mark.

"I must say, Amanda, that was very clever of you to use the water like that to weaken Dragonair with an electric attack." Said Jenny. She then turned to Jimmy and Natalie. "It was not very clever of you two to try and catch Dragonair the way you did."

"We would've gotten away with it too, if not for you pesky kids and your Pokémon." Natalie grumbled.

"Let's go." Said Jenny. She handcuffed the hunters and took them away in her vehicle.

"Well, let's hope we don't have to see those two again." Said Mark.

"I don't think we'll have to worry about Jimmy and Natalie anymore." Said Michelle. "I wish I could say the same for Team Rocket, though."

"On the plus side, though, we all got some new Pokemon, so I would still call this a successful day." Said Amanda. "We may not have to worry about the hunters again, but I do need to worry about my next badge." Michelle, Amanda and Mark all smiled as they made their way out of the Safari Zone. Things looked grim for a bit for our heroes, but with a little help from Pikachu….

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Excuse me?'

Correction, with a lot of help from Pikachu….

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'That's better!'

Our trio was able to get out of another dangerous situation. Now, Amanda's focus turns toward her next gym match. Come back next time to see how that turns out.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Twenty-Nine

Last time, our heroes caught themselves a decent amount of Pokemon in the Safari Zone. However, they had to deal with two hunters, who were both trying to get their hands on a Dragonair. Our heroes were able to stop them, and then Amanda defeated Dragonair in a one on one battle to make the dragon type one of her new Pokemon. Now, it's back into Fuchsia City as the journey continues.

Mark, Amanda and Michelle were all smiling as they stepped back into the city.

"It feels great to be back here again." Said Amanda.

"The past few days in the jungle were fun, but getting back to regular life is much better." Said Michelle.

"I can't wait to hit the gym and win my Soul Badge!" Amanda cried. At that point, everyone's stomach growled.

"I think we should hit a restaurant first and get something to eat." Said Mark.

"Good idea." Said Michelle.

"Looks like it's food first, and then we head to the gym." Said Amanda. The first place they went to was full, but the second place had plenty of room available, so Michelle asked for a table of three. The restaurant host led them to a corner table in the outside portion.

"This is a pretty good view." Said Amanda.

"We can see the street clear from here." Said Mark. Plenty of cars, trucks and busses drove by, honking their horns as they passed.

"So, Pikachu, did you enjoy visiting the Safari Zone?" asked Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried happily, which meant 'It was a lot of fun.'

"How about you, Eevee?" asked Michelle.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'I had a great time.' Their server came to take their food orders.

"What can I get for the three of you on this fine day?" he asked.

"All of us will have some root beer to drink, please." Said Mark.

Three root beers, got it." Said the waiter. "Now, how about for food?"

"One hamburger with fries for me." Said Mark.

"A chicken Caesar salad and some spaghetti for me." Said Michelle.

"Two slices of cheese pizza." Said Amanda.

"Okay, I will be back with your orders as soon as possible." Said the server, and he disappeared.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon Koga's going to use." Said Amanda.

"Unless I'm mistaken, I think he'll likely use poison types." Said Michelle. "You should use a psychic type to counter that."

"The only psychic type I have is Abra, and he's at Professor Oak's lab." Said Amanda.

"That's no problem. You can easily make an exchange." Said Mark.

"There's just one small problem." Said Amanda. "All Abra can do is teleport."

"I forgot about that." Said Michelle.

"Wait a minute, there might be another option." Said Mark. "What about that Venonat you caught in the Safari Zone? I'm pretty sure it can use psychic attacks."

"That's right!" Michelle cried excitedly. "Venonat would be a great option."

"You'll have to make a party swap because of the six Pokemon limit, though." Said Mark.

"Which Pokemon should I swap out, though?" Amanda wondered.

"I would suggest Fearow because it never does what you tell it to do." Said Michelle.

"Right, but I'm confident I can fix that problem." Said Amanda. "I think I know which change I'm going to make." She opened up her Pokedex and pressed the exchange button. Nidoran's ball was sent to Professor Oak's lab and the Safari Ball that contained Venonat appeared.

"I hope this change works out." Said Amanda.

"We'll just have to wait and see." Said Michelle. The waiter returned with their drinks and then went back inside.

"I wonder where exactly the gym is." Said Amanda.

"I think we'll have to figure that out for ourselves." Said Mark. They took their time sipping their drinks, and by the time the waiter returned with their food twenty-five minutes later, the glasses were all empty.

"I hope all of this will meet your satisfaction." He said. "Would either of you like any refills?"

"No thanks." Said Michelle. The waiter left them alone to enjoy their meal.

"This is some of the best pasta that I've ever had." Said Michelle.

"This pizza is so good, I wish I could have it every day." Said Amanda.

"I'm not sure if that's a good idea." Said Mark.

"They say that eating the same food every day isn't healthy for your body." Said Michelle. "That's why it's recommended to have a variety of foods." They took time eating because neither of them wanted to get indigestion. Once they finally finished, Mark paid the bill and the three of them left the restaurant.

"Well, let's go look for the gym!" cried Amanda.

"She's definitely excited about trying to win her next badge." Michelle whispered to Mark.

"I can tell based on that confident smile of hers." Mark whispered back.

"Pikachu, do you think we'll win?" Amanda asked.

"Pika Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'If you pay attention to what's happening and strategize well, then I think you have a good shot.' They found the gym a couple of streets away from where the Pokemon Center was. The gym was shaped like a temple, and it had all sorts of various Japanese text written on it.

"Well, this is it." Said Amanda. "Let's do our best, Pikachu." The three of them went inside carefully and looked around.

"Hello, is anybody here?" asked Michelle. They waited a bit, but there was no answer.

"Well, if nobody's home, we may as well come back another time." Said Amanda.

"Wait a minute, we can't do that." Said Mark. "The whole idea of coming here was so that you could win a badge, right?"

"Right." Amanda answered.

"And without this badge, you can't get into the Pokemon League, right?" asked Michelle.

"Right." Said Amanda.

"Then, we have to stay here until you get your badge." Said Mark. They slowly moved forward, only to find ninja stars being aimed at them.

"What the?" Amanda wondered. Everyone ducked to avoid being hit, and then a young woman in a ninja outfit jumped down from the ceiling.

"Greetings, Pokemon trainers." Said the woman. "My name is Janine, and I would like to welcome you to the Fuchsia gym. Which one of you is the challenger?"

"That would be me." Said Amanda.

"Where are you from, young lady?" asked Janine.

"I'm from right here in Fuchsia." Said Amanda.

"A local challenger. We don't really get those too often, so this will be a treat." Said Janine. "In this gym, there's a condition that must be met before you're allowed to face the leader. How many badges do you have so far?"

"I have five." Said Amanda. "This would be number six if I win it."

"You must be pretty strong if you've won that many badges already." Said Janine. "I must say, I'm quite impressed. Now, the condition is that before you can face the gym leader, you must face me in a warm up battle using just one Pokemon each."

"That's no problem." Said Amanda.

"Also, all of you are required to wear special clothes when doing battle here." Said Janine. She led the trio into a room that had all sorts of kimono outfits.

"I don't think I've worn any of those before." Said Michelle.

"Neither have I." said Amanda.

"Those are the special clothes I was just talking about." Said Janine. "All challengers, as well as any friends accompanying them, are required to wear these outfits here in the Fuchsia gym." She gave each of them a kimono and allowed them the use of the change room. When they came out, they were all wearing the special clothes, with each one being a different color. Michelle had a bright blue kimono with a white belt, Mark had a green kimono with a blue belt, and Amanda had a pink kimono with a blue belt.

"These look pretty nice on us." Said Amanda. "What do you think, Pikachu?"

"Pika pikachu!" Pikachu happily answered, which meant 'Pink definitely suits you.'

"What do you think of my kimono, Eevee?" Michelle asked.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'It definitely makes you feel special.'

"Now that all of you are dressed properly, we can do battle." Said Janine, and she took them to the gym's battle arena.

"Challenger, please select your Pokemon." Said Janine.

"Pikachu, are you ready to show Janine your battle skills?" asked Amanda.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I'm as ready as I'll ever be.' He leapt off Amanda's shoulder and onto the battlefield.

"So you've chosen a Pikachu." Said Janine. "All right, then I'll choose Venomoth." She threw a Poke Ball and Venonat's evolved form appeared in a blaze of light. Its eyes were smaller than Venonat's, and it also had wings. Amanda checked her Pokedex for information.

"Venomoth, the poison moth Pokemon. Venomoth only appear at night to hunt down their prey."

"It's not nighttime, though. It's the middle of the day." Said Amanda.

"That matters not." Said Janine. "Battle begin now."

"Pikachu, start off with your Thunderbolt!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu gave its loud cry and unleashed a bolt of yellow lightning at Venomoth. The bug type was in some pain, but it hung tough.

"Venomoth, Tackle attack." Janine ordered. Venomoth flew in close to attempt the move, but Pikachu dodged it.

"Quick Attack!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu raced at Venomoth with its full speed and hit the bug type in the middle of its body.

"Disable." Janine calmly instructed. Venomoth's eyes glowed red briefly, and Pikachu felt it.

"Try another Thunderbolt!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu tried to unleash its attack, but nothing happened.

"Disable temporarily prevents one of Pikachu's attacks from being used, and in this case, it's Thunderbolt." Said Michelle.

"Looks like we'll have to try and win with something other than electricity." Said Amanda. "Use your Swift attack!" Pikachu shot yellow stars from its body, and the stars hit Venomoth.

"Use Whirlwind." Janine commanded. Venomoth whipped up a powerful wind, which sent Pikachu flying backwards up against the wall.

"Pikachu!" Amanda cried. Thankfully, Pikachu raced back into action quickly, putting a smile on Amanda's face.

"Use Mega Punch!" she ordered. Pikachu readied itself and gave Venomoth a punch in the wings.

"Psybeam!" Janine called. Venomoth shot a pink psychic beam at Pikachu, but it used Agility to avoid the move.

"Go for another Swift!" Amanda called.

"Venomoth, use your own Swift attack!" Janine called out. Both Pokemon shot stars at each other, but they got cancelled out.

"Now then, Venomoth, Poison Powder." Said Janine. Venomoth sprinkled purple ink powder onto Pikachu, and it slowly started to lose energy.

"Uh oh." Said Michelle.

"You have to try to end this quickly before that poison completely knocks Pikachu out." Said Mark.

"I'm trying." Said Amanda. "Quick Attack!" Pikachu raced at Venomoth and hit it hard with the attack, but the poison started taking a bit of a toll on Pikachu.

"Venomoth, Take Down now!" Janine ordered. Venomoth charged hard at Pikachu, doing some damage, but it suffered some additional damage due to the recoil.

"Time for a Double Team!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu made copies of itself, and Venomoth fired Psybeam at the illusions, leaving only the real Pikachu.

"Slam it!" Amanda cried. Pikachu jumped with all of its might and slammed down hard on Venomoth, preventing it from moving around.

"Now then, give it another Swift." Said Amanda. Pikachu fired more stars right at Venomoth, finally knocking the poison type out.

"We did it!" Amanda cried. Pikachu happily ran back over, but it cried out in pain because of the poison affects. Janine recalled Venomoth and handed Amanda an antidote.

"This will heal Pikachu of the poisoning." She said. Amanda sprayed it onto Pikachu and the little mouse was as good as new.

"Thanks a lot, Janine." Said Amanda. They then heard a clapping sound, and a man in a pink ninja suit entered.

"Impressive battling, miss." He said, his direction focused on Amanda.

"Thank you, sir." Said Amanda.

"I am Koga, and I'm the leader of this gym." He said. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a badge shaped like a pink heart. "If this is what you seek, then you must defeat me in battle first."

"That's exactly what I'm intending to do." Said Amanda.

"It will be a three on three battle. No substitutions, and no time limit." Said Koga.

"Pikachu, can you still battle?" Amanda asked.

"I think Pikachu should rest up a bit after that bout of poison that it went through." Said Michelle.

"Your friend there has a good recommendation." Said Koga. Pikachu went with Michelle, and Amanda and Koga took their places on the battle field.

"Are you ready, young lady?" Koga asked.

"Yes, sir!" Amanda exclaimed.

"We shall begin." Said Koga, and he threw his first Poke Ball. "Weezing, assume battle position!" A purple Pokemon with two spherical heads appeared in a blaze of light. It had a thin tube with another sphere in the center. Amanda brought out her Pokedex.

"Weezing, the poison gas Pokemon. Weezing mixes its gases by inflating one head and deflating the other. When its gases mix, Weezing becomes more toxic and putrid."

"I choose you, Venonat!" Amanda cried, and she threw the ball. Venonat appeared on the field instantly.

"Venonat. Very interesting choice." Said Koga.

"This is your first battle, Venonat, so I hope you know what you're doing." Said Amanda. Janine acted as the referee.

"Trainers, begin the battle!" she cried.

"Weezing, Smokescreen attack!" Koga ordered. Weezing unleashed a cloud of black smoke, which covered the field so much that neither Amanda nor Venonat could see. Michelle and Mark started coughing.

"There's too much smoke!" Michelle complained.

"Don't worry, I'm going to try and get rid of it." Said Amanda. "Venonat, use your Psybeam!" Venonat unleashed a pink beam from its eyes, but all the smoke caused the attack to miss.

"Weezing, go in for a Tackle attack." Koga ordered.

"You too, Venonat!" Amanda commanded. Both Pokemon charged at each other and hit the other directly, canceling out the damage.

"How can they see like that?" asked Mark.

"Like this." Amanda answered. "Venonat, use your Disable to clear the smoke." Venonat's red eyes glowed brightly and focused on the smoke. In an instant, the field was clear again.

"That's much better." Said Michelle.

"Yes, very clever." Said Koga. "Weezing, Sludge attack!" Weezing fired black ink out of its mouth, but Venonat rolled out of the way to avoid being hit.

"Great work, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Use your Stun Spore!" Venonat sprayed gold powder toward Weezing, but it floated out of the way to avoid being paralyzed.

"You may be smart but remember that I'm an experienced gym leader." Said Koga. "Weezing, Smog attack!" Weezing spewed out a purple poison cloud at Venonat, but this time it dodged by jumping up, causing the poison cloud to hit the floor.

"Okay Venonat, Sleep Powder attack!" Amanda called. Venonat sprayed blue powder toward Weezing, and although it tried to dodge, it floated right into the powder and fell asleep.

"Weezing, no!" Koga cried.

"Psybeam, now!" Amanda commanded. Venonat shot its psychic beam at Weezing, which did a lot of damage. However, Weezing woke up right away.

"Tackle." Koga calmly instructed. Weezing did minor damage with its attack.

"Venonat, use your Supersonic!" Amanda ordered. Venonat shot confusion waves out, which hit Weezing and caused it to bang into the walls.

"Weezing, what are you doing?" asked Koga.

"Venonat's Supersonic made Weezing get all confused, and now it doesn't know where it's going." Said Mark.

"Finish it, Venonat. Psychic!" Amanda cried. Venonat unleashed a powerful shot of psychic energy at Weezing, sending it tumbling to the floor and knocking it out.

"Weezing is unable to battle. Venonat is the winner." Declared Janine.

"You just got your first win, Venonat!" Amanda cried. "Well done!" Weezing was recalled, and Koga reached for another Poke Ball.

"You handled Weezing well, but this next one won't be so easy." Said Koga, and he threw the ball. A large, sticky Pokemon with purple sludge, two small eyes, an enormous mouth, grey tongue and strands of ooze connecting its top and bottom jaws appeared in a blaze of white light. Mark and Michelle didn't take too kindly to its presence, however.

"What is that awful smell?" Michelle asked. Eevee and Pikachu couldn't stand the smell either.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I'm glad I'm not battling that thing.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'So am I.' Amanda held her nose to avoid the smell and brought out her Pokedex.

"Muk, the sludge Pokemon. It leaks toxins that instantly kill all plant life that it touches. Trainers are advised to avoid contact with this Pokemon at all costs."

"Unfortunately, I don't really have a choice." Said Amanda. "Venonat, use Confusion." Venonat's eyes glowed blue.

"Acid Armor." Said Koga. Venonat's attack came out, but Muk was nowhere to be seen.

"What happened?" Amanda wondered.

"Acid Armor makes Muk invisible and also increases its defense." Said Michelle. Muk then re-appeared with a big smile on its face.

"Go for the Body Slam!" Koga commanded. Muk slithered over to Venonat and smothered it with its body.

"Venonat!" Ammanda cried. Venonat tried to wiggle its way out but was having no luck.

"Keep Venonat pinned down." Said Koga. Muk kept a firm hold, but Venonat somehow found a way to wiggle out of its grasp. And amazingly, it still hadn't been knocked out.

"Way to hang in there, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Psychic, now!" Venonat obeyed and started to perform the powerful move.

"Muk, Minimize." Ordered Koga. Muk immediately shrunk to a small version, resulting in Venonat's attack not doing anything. Muk then returned to normal size.

"Sludge attack." Said Muk. Muk shot pink sludge out of its body, but Venonat lowered itself enough to avoid being hit.

"There you go, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Psybeam!" Venonat shot a powerful beam, but because of the earlier Acid Armor, it didn't do as much damage.

"Harden." Said Koga. Muk's body shone and hardened itself to increase its defense.

"Venonat, go for Stun Spore!" Amanda ordered. Venonat shot gold dust at Muk, which paralyzed it to slow it down.

"That should do it." Said Amanda. "Now use your Disable." Venonat concentrated hard and took away the use of Muk's Body Slam.

"That's our best attack." Said Koga. "We'll have to try something else. Use a Thunderbolt." Muk formed a bolt of lightning on its head, and shot it at Venonat, making it scream in pain.

"No way! A poison type like Muk can use electric attacks?" Michelle wondered.

"Pikachu." Pikachu said, which meant 'That was unexpected.'

"I'm surprised too, Michelle." Said Mark. "Koga's doing what he's supposed to do as a gym leader, though, by throwing in surprises like that." Venonat was eventually able to shake off the Thunderbolt and was still able to battle.

"I thought that Thunderbolt would've knocked Venonat out." Said Janine.

"I thought so too." Said Koga.

"Confusion!" Amanda ordered. Venonat concentrated on Muk and glowed bright blue eyes. Muk went to retaliate, only to slither up against Koga instead.

"Uh, Muk, I'm not the one you're supposed to attack." Said Koga.

"Venonat's attack made it get confused." Said Mark.

"Excellent work, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Now, Tackle attack!" Venonat ran up to Muk and gave it a hard tackle, knocking the poison type backwards a bit.

"Try a Mega Punch." Said Koga. Muk reared back to hit Venonat with the punch, only for it to punch itself.

"Goodness gracious, Muk, what are you doing?!" Koga demanded.

"It's all part of the effect of Confusion." Said Michelle.

"She's absolutely right." Said Amanda. "Venonat, another Psybeam!" Venonat unleashed its beam, which did more damage to Muk. The poison type was built like a tank, however, and still wouldn't go down. Muk then shook off the confusion and readied itself again.

"Double Edge." Said Koga. Muk lowered its head and knocked Venonat back a bit, but the bug type was just as strong as Muk and still wouldn't quit.

"Tackle it again, Venonat!" Amanda ordered. Venonat gave its hardest and strongest tackle attack, but Muk still wasn't ready to go down.

"I think it's obvious that both Amanda and Koga have some strong Pokemon." Said Michelle. "I don't know how much longer either of them can last, though."

"Muk's taken a lot of damage from those psychic attacks, but Venonat took a lot of damage from that surprising Thunderbolt." Said Mark. "I still think Venonat has an advantage here, but Amanda needs to knock out that Muk."

"Muk, try using your tongue to lick Venonat's face." Said Koga. Muk obeyed and got its tongue out, but Venonat's radar eyes sensed the attack and blocked it.

"Great use of the radar, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Psychic attack, now!" Venonat unleashed a powerful psychic move on Muk, doing a lot of damage. Muk was able to hang in, but it looked like it could faint at any moment.

"Sludge attack." Said Koga. Muk tried to shoot the poisonous ink, but it froze due to the effect of the earlier paralysis.

"Now to finish this thing off. Tackle!" Amanda shouted. Venonat ran in and tackled Muk to the ground, finally knocking out the strong poison type.

"Muk is unable to battle." Said Janine. "Venonat wins!"

"Great job, Venonat!" cried Amanda. "Just one more to go, and then that badge will be ours!"

"I'm not sure if Venonat can last another full round." Said Michelle.

"We'll just have to see about that." Said Amanda. Koga recalled Muk and led the trio outside. Janine followed close behind.

"For this last part of the battle, I figured we would need as much space as possible considering the Pokemon that I plan to use here." Said Koga. He grabbed another Poke Ball and threw it.

"I choose you, Golbat!" he cried. A purple Pokemon similar to Zubat but much larger appeared. Golbat's mouth, wings and teeth were much bigger than its pre-evolved form. Amanda got her Pokedex out.

"Golbat, the bat Pokemon. Golbat feeds on both human and Pokemon blood for sustenance and is capable of drinking ten ounces of blood in one sitting."

"That's a lot of blood." Said Amanda. "Be careful with this one, Venonat."

"Trainers, begin!" Janine cried.

"Venonat, Psybeam!" called Amanda. Venonat obeyed, but the attack came out underpowered, and not much damage was done to Golbat.

"Venonat's battle with Muk forced it to use a lot of energy." Said Amanda. "Now it's tired out."

"Wing Attack." Koga calmly ordered. Golbat flew down on Venonat, spread its wings out and defeated the bug Pokemon with the move.

"Venonat is unable to battle. Golbat wins." Janine declared.

"Excellent job, Golbat." Said Koga. Amanda held out Venonat's ball.

"Venonat, return." Said Amanda. Venonat got sucked back into the ball in a blaze of red energy.

"You did really well for your first battle, Venonat. I'm very proud of you." Said Amanda. She had a quick thought of which Pokemon to send out next and grabbed another ball.

"Since he's using a flying type, I may as well do the same thing." Said Amanda.

"She's not seriously going to take a risk, is she?" asked Michelle.

"I think she is." Said Mark.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'No, Amanda, don't do it!' However, Amanda began to throw the ball.

"I choose you, Fearow!" she cried. The strong flying type appeared in a blaze of white light and squawked loudly at Golbat.

"Amanda, you know Fearow doesn't listen to you!" Michelle cried.

"Maybe today is the day that changes." Said Amanda. "Fearow, swoop in on Golbat and use your Peck attack, now!" Fearow stared blankly, and then flew off to a corner of the roof. It grunted loudly and then went to sleep. Amanda was furious.

"Give me a break, Fearow!" she yelled. "You can nap later, but right now, I want you to battle Golbat! Get down from there right now!" Fearow refused to move, however, and remained perched in his spot on the roof.

"Fearow is disqualified due to leaving the battle area and refusing to fight. Golbat wins." Janine declared.

"Ugh, how embarrassing." Said Mark. Amanda angrily got out Fearow's ball and recalled the Pokemon.

"Embarrassing is right." She said. "I only have one Pokémon left now, so I have to make this choice count." She grabbed a ball and tossed it into the air.

"Arcanine, I choose you!" Amanda cried. The big fire type appeared on the field in a blaze of white light.

"I'm counting on you, Arcanine." Said Amanda.

"Golbat, use Bite." Said Koga. Golbat flew in close and bit Arcanine with its teeth. The fire type howled in pain, but thankfully, wasn't poisoned.

"Way to hang tough, Arcanine." Said Amanda. "Take Down!" Arcanine races at Golbat with full speed ready to take down the poisonous bat, but Golbat flew out of the way to avoid the attack.

"Confuse Ray!" Koga ordered. Golbat shot a confusion ray at Arcanine.

"Agility now!" ordered Amanda. Arcanine used its speed to dodge each of the rays, leaving Golbat very frustrated.

"Flamethrower!" Amanda ordered. Arcanine shot a strong line of fire right at Golbat, hitting the flying type and leaving one of its wings burned.

"That's not good for Golbat." Said Michelle. "Its speed is going to get hampered now."

"Go for another Bite." Koga ordered. Because of the burn, Golbat's speed had indeed been affected, and Arcanine was able to dodge the move.

"Trap that Golbat, Arcanine!" cried Amanda. "Fire Spin!" Arcanine shot a spinning wheel of fire at the flying type, surrounding it and preventing it from moving.

"We've got it now." Said Amanda. Golbat looked for a way out of the fire vortex, but couldn't do so.

"It's all over, Koga!" cried Amanda. "Finish it with Fire Blast!" Arcanine shot a powerful fire star at Golbat, knocking out the flying type.

"Golbat is unable to battle!" Janine cried. "The winner is challenger Amanda!"

"We did it, Arcanine!" cried Amanda, and the two of them embraced in a big hug. Koga recalled Golbat and walked over to Amanda.

"You demonstrated powerful skills, young lady, and your Pokémon all did well. I am happy to award you with the Soul Badge." He Said. Amanda gladly took the badge and struck a pose with it.

"We got a Soul Badge!" she cried. Once everyone was back in their regular clothes and had made their way back to the entrance, Koga cleared his throat.

"I have a bit of an announcement to make." He Said. "When the three of you first arrived and saw that the gym was closed, it was because of two reasons. One, it was the day of our required weekly meditation. Two, after the meditation finished, I received a phone call from the Indigo Conference. They want me to be an Elite Four member in the Johto region, and I happily accepted the offer."

"That's great, Koga." Said Michelle.

"However, that also means that this battle we just had was my last one as the leader of the Fuchsia gym." Said Koga. "Janine will handle all gym leader duties here from this point onward."

"Congrats, Janine." Said Amanda.

"Do you think I'll do well, father?" Janine asked.

"I certainly think so." Said Koga. "You gave Amanda a good battle earlier before she had to face me."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence, father." Said Janine.

"Let's get a move on, guys." Said Amanda. The three of them left the gym with their heads held high. Now that Amanda has six badges at her disposal, she's one step closer to being able to compete in the Pokemon League. What will happen in her next adventure? Find out next time.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty

Previously, our young heroes finally got to go into the Fuchsia gym. It was there that Amanda met both Janine and Koga, the two main people in charge of operations there. Amanda had an exciting battle with Koga, and at the end of it all, she earned a Soul Badge. Now, the gang is heading off toward bigger and better things.

Today's adventure began with a simple question from Michelle.

"So, Amanda, where do you want to go for your next badge?" she asked.

"That's a good question." Said Amanda. "I think there might be some gyms in some nearby towns, but I don't think any of them are official gyms."

"The next major gym that we'll want to go to is on Cinnabar Island." Said Mark.

"I thought the gym there didn't exist." Said Amanda.

"According to the guide book I looked through in the Pokemon Center, there is indeed a gym in Cinnabar." Said Mark.

"That's not what my mama told me." Said Amanda. "About a year or two before I became a trainer, my mama told me about how all the people that go to Cinnabar go there specifically for vacations and not to have battles."

"Your mother clearly needs a reality check." Said Mark, and they continued onward. As they kept walking along, they came across a young girl all dressed in blue. Her shirt was a royal blue, while her skirt was a navy blue. Even the boots she was wearing were blue.

"Hey, what's with all the blue?" Amanda wondered.

"I wear this to match the color of the water." Said the girl. "I also like Pokemon a lot. As you can probably tell from this outfit, I love one specific type more than anything else."

"I'm going to take a wild guess and say that it's water types." Said Michelle.

"That's exactly right." Said the girl. "Ever since I was born, water Pokemon have always been my favourite. Even my name is themed after the water. And in case you're asking, my name's Morgan."

"It's nice to meet you, Morgan." Said Amanda. "My friends Michelle and Mark and I were passing by because we're on our way toward the next gym."

"So you're trainers then." Said Morgan. "In that case, how about a battle?"

"You're on." Said Amanda. Both of them stood on opposite ends of each other and readied themselves.

"I'm only going to use one Pokemon, but feel free to use as many as you want." Said Morgan. She pulled out a Poke Ball and threw it.

"Poliwrath, you're on!" Morgan cried. A blue, bipedal amphibian Pokemon that was bigger than both Poliwag and Poliwhirl appeared. The Pokemon had muscular arms and a round body. Amanda took out her Pokedex to find out more about Poliwrath.

"Poliwrath, the tadpole Pokemon. Poliwrath's body is almost entirely muscle, and the muscles in its arms and legs never tire. When it swims, it uses all of the muscles in its body and is able to swim vast distances with minimal breathing. It is even capable of briefly running on the water's surface."

"Pikachu, you're up." Said Amanda. Pikachu jumped off Amanda's shoulder and sprang into action.

"Start with your Thunderbolt!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu unleashed its lightning bolt, and although Poliwrath let out a scream, it immediately shook it off as if nothing happened.

"I probably should've told you before we started, but with all the swimming that Poliwrath's been doing, it has the ability to withstand electric attacks." Said Morgan. "Now, Water Gun!" Poliwrath sprayed a line of water, but Pikachu used its Agility to dodge each of them.

"Electricity won't work on this Poliwrath, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "We'll have to try something else. Use your Swift attack!" Pikachu shot yellow stars out of its body, which hit Poliwrath in the stomach and making it cry in pain again.

"Poliwrath!" cried Morgan. Thankfully, her water type didn't suffer too much damage.

"Good job, Poliwrath. Use your Hypnosis now." Said Morgan. Poliwrath concentrated on Pikachu with its eyes, and in a matter of seconds, the electric type was put to sleep.

"Take Down!" Morgan ordered. Poliwrath ran full speed at Pikachu and sent the electric type backwards.

"Pikachu, try to shake off the Hypnosis and wake up!" Amanda cried. It was no good, though, as Pikachu was stuck in a deep sleep.

"Looks like Pikachu's out and Poliwrath wins." Said Morgan. Amanda picked Pikachu up and placed him beside Michelle.

"Have a good sleep, Pikachu." She said. She then went back to her battle position and grabbed a Poke Ball.

"Weepinbell, go!" she cried. The small grass type appeared and readied itself for action.

"Body Slam." Said Morgan. Poliwrath ran up and got ready to slam its body down on Weepinbell when Amanda commanded her Pokemon to jump up to avoid the attack. Weepinbell obeyed and darted over to the side.

"Razor Leaf!" Amanda called. Weepinbell shot leaves from its side right at Poliwrath, hitting the water type hard.

"Bubblebeam now, Poliwrath." Said Morgan. Poliwrath shot a stream of bubbles at Weepinbell, but the grass type jumped out of the way again.

"Use your Vine Whip." Said Amanda. Weepinbell shot vines out of its head and whipped Poliwrath hard with them, doing a lot of damage.

"Oh no, Poliwrath!" Morgan cried.

"Keep it up, Weepinbell." Said Amanda. Once the attack was done, Poliwrath was still standing, but it looked very weak.

"Mega Punch." Said Morgan. Poliwrath got ready to deliver a powerful punch, but it fainted instead.

"Weepinbell's Vine Whip attack must've done more damage than I thought." Said Michelle.

"Great job, Weepinbell." Said Amanda, and she recalled her Pokemon. Morgan recalled Poliwrath and the two of them shook hands.

"That was a great battle." Said Morgan. "Your Pikachu and Weepinbell were really good."

"Your Poliwrath was great too." Said Amanda.

"I've got to run now or I'll be late for a swimming lesson." Said Morgan. "See you later." She ran off, and after she left, Pikachu woke up and ran up to Amanda.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Congratulations, Amanda.'

"Thanks, Pikachu." Said Amanda. She then unexpectedly collapsed onto the ground. Pikachu shook her to try and get her to stand up, but without success. Pikachu ran back to Michelle and Mark and alerted both of them.

"Pikachu pika!" he cried, which meant 'I think something's wrong with Amanda!' Both Michelle and Mark quickly ran over feeling very concerned.

"Amanda, are you okay?" Mark asked. Amanda slowly sat up on the ground and looked around her.

"I'm fine." She said. "What happened?"

"You fainted." Said Michelle. "Are you sure that you're okay?"

"Yes." Said Amanda. She tried to stand up, but she fell back to the ground. Michelle placed a hand on her forehead and after feeling it for a few seconds, she quickly removed it.

"What's wrong, Michelle?" Mark asked.

"She's burning up." Said Michelle. "I think she came down with a fever just now."

"A fever? What does that mean?" Amanda asked.

"It means you're sick." Said Michelle. "Come on, we have to get you to a hospital."

"I don't need a hospital." Amanda insisted.

"I disagree." Said Michelle. "We're not going to let you walk around in this condition and possibly have you make other people sick. Where's the nearest hospital, Mark?" Mark quickly checked his guide book and shook his head.

"The nearest hospital would take us three days to walk there." He said.

"Three days?! That's way too long." Said Michelle. "We need to find somewhere closer to bring her. Pikachu, Eevee, see if you can both locate a spot close to here." Both Pokemon nodded and ran off. Amanda started feeling a bit woozy.

"My head hurts." She complained.

"That's one of the effects of being sick." Said Michelle. Amanda slowly looked around her.

"Pikachu?" she asked. "Where's Pikachu? Team Rocket didn't try to take him again, did they?"

"Pikachu's fine." Said Mark. "Michelle sent him and Eevee to try and find somewhere close to here that we can bring you." Amanda breathed a sigh of relief and then fell over again.

"Pikachu and Eevee better hurry." Said Michelle. Both Pokemon were running as fast as they could to look for a place to bring Amanda to.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'How did she get sick so suddenly?'

"Pikachu." Pikachu answered, which meant 'Your guess is as good as mine.'

"Eevee!" Eevee cried angrily, which meant 'It better not be another Team Rocket scheme.' Pikachu shook his head.

"Pika Pikachu." the electric mouse responded, which meant 'I think she's legitimately sick.' They kept running through the grass when they found two familiar figures approaching a cabin. Pikachu and Eevee quickly hid behind a bush so that they wouldn't be spotted.

"Ah, nothing beats a sunny day than a beautiful stroll through the forest." Said Sally.

"Don't forget, we still have yet to successfully steal Pikachu and Eevee away from those kids." Said Conrad.

"The thought of that makes me sick." Said Sally. Suddenly, she clutched her stomach and fell onto the grass.

"Sally, what's wrong?" Conrad asked.

"I don't think I feel too well." Sally answered. "My stomach really hurts."

"It's probably because of all the times we've been shocked by Pikachu's electricity." Said Conrad.

"No, I don't think it's that." Said Sally. "I think I had too much to eat at lunch earlier and now I'm paying the price."

"Here, let me feel your forehead." Said Conrad. He placed his hand on Sally's head for a few seconds and then pulled it away.

"Your stomach ache isn't the only thing that's wrong with you." Said Conrad. "You also have a slight fever."

"In other words, I'm sick." Said Sally.

"That's how it looks to me." Said Conrad. "Lucky for us, we stumbled upon this cabin. Come on, let's get you inside." The two Team Rocket members slowly made their way into the cabin, thus allowing Pikachu and Eevee to come out from behind the bush.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Amanda can stay in there.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed in agreement, which meant 'Let's get back to the others and tell them.' Both Pokemon ran back toward their trainers.

"I wonder where Pikachu and Eevee are." Said Michelle.

"They didn't wander off too far, did they?" asked Mark.

"I hope not." Said Michelle. A few minutes later, she heard the sounds of Pikachu and Eevee running back up to the group.

"Did you two find a spot?" Michelle asked. Pikachu and Eevee nodded.

"Lead the way, guys." Said Mark. The three of them followed both Pokemon toward the spot that had been pointed out, but for Amanda's sake, they walked slowly. As a result, it took a bit longer to reach where they were going, but after fifteen minutes of walking, they reached the spot.

"Is this it, Pikachu?" Mark asked. Pikachu nodded and pointed to the cabin as confirmation.

"Good job, guys." Said Michelle. "Come on, Mark, let's get her inside. Be careful, though." The two of them lifted Amanda up and carried her through the front door. They gently placed her on the couch, completely unaware that someone else was already sleeping there.

"See if you can find a blanket or something." Said Mark. Michelle rummaged through the closet that was beside the door and found one in a bright pink color. She carefully placed it over top of Amanda, who had already fallen asleep.

"Feel better soon, Amanda." Michelle whispered.

"That goes double for me." Said Mark.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Better make that a triple.'

"Come on guys, let's leave her to rest." Michelle suggested. Michelle, Mark, Pikachu and Eevee tiptoed out of the room and made their way back outside.

"What do we do now?" asked Mark. "We obviously can't continue to Cinnabar Island without Amanda.

"You're right, but I know what we can do." Said Michelle. "We can go for a little walk. Maybe we'll even find a store somewhere that sells soup ingredients."

"That's a good idea." Said Mark. "Amanda will definitely need to have some soup in order to feel better."

"Well, guys, off to town." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee stayed by Michelle's side as they walked.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Will Amanda be okay?'

"She'll be just fine, Pikachu." Said Mark.

"She just needs to take it a bit easy right now." Said Michelle. Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief knowing that his best friend and partner would be all right. In the cabin, Amanda dreamed about winning more trainer battles so that she could earn more experience. Of course, that's usually harder than it should be when a trainer has a Pokemon with them that constantly disobeys orders. That's not the main focus right now, though. Let's shift the scene back to Michelle and Mark. The two of them were looking for any kind of town that was close to their current location. After thirty minutes, they found themselves out of the forest and in the town.

"There don't seem to be too many shops around here." Said Michelle.

"That's probably because the people that live here likely don't need too much, hence the town's small size." Said Mark. They looked around each block for a store, and finally found one near the edge of the exit.

"Let's see if they have anything." Said Mark.

"Hopefully they'll carry what we need." Said Michelle, and they entered the store. Mark quickly scanned the aisles for any soup ingredients. It took him a bit of time, but he managed to find what he needed. Once the items had been paid for, they started going back to the cabin. On the way, however, they ran into someone that they were all very familiar with.

"Conrad?!" they both cried.

"Where's Sally?" Michelle asked.

"Sally's a bit under the weather right now." Said Conrad.

"What a coincidence. Amanda's not feeling well herself." Said Mark.

"I guess that's why the twerp isn't with the two of you." Said Conrad.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'That's right.' Conrad started to look at Pikachu and Eevee curiously, but Michelle stopped him.

"This isn't the time to try and steal our Pokemon when we have a sick friend in need." She said.

"What makes you assume that I'm here to steal?" Conrad asked.

"We've run into you and Sally more than enough times to know what the two of you get up to with your plans." Said Mark.

"Well guess what, I'm not stealing anything today." Said Conrad. "I just bought some things I need to make Sally get better."

"We just did the same thing, but it's for Amanda in our case." Said Michelle.

"I'll tell you what." Said Conrad. "It goes against my honor as a Team Rocket member to do this, but I think I can make an exception this time. Let's forget about the whole enemy thing between us for now and call a temporary truce to help both of our friends get well. What do you say?"

"I'm not sure about that." Said Mark.

"I'm actually willing to agree to the offer." Said Michelle. "Sally may be one of our enemies, but she still needs help."

"That's very true." Said Mark. "All right, Conrad, a temporary truce it is."

"Let's not waste any more time." Said Conrad. The three of them got back to the cabin twenty minutes later and headed for the kitchen. Amanda carefully opened her eyes so she could see what was going on.

"Michelle, Mark, is that you?" she asked weakly.

"Yes, it's us." Said Michelle.

"Why is Conrad with you?" Amanda asked.

"It's a bit hard to explain." Said Mark. "Go back to sleep." Amanda closed her eyes and started to sleep again. Sally then opened her own eyes, unaware that Amanda was next to her. She turned around and saw Conrad, Michelle and Mark getting cooking utensils ready.

"Conrad, why are you with the twerps?" she asked softly.

"It's complicated." Conrad answered.

"I hope I'm not seeing things." Said Sally and she fell fast asleep again. Conrad, Mark and Michelle continued to work, and they had just started putting water into a big pot to boil it when they heard a loud noise from outside.

"I'll see what it is." Said Michelle. "You two keep working." She ran outside and saw that a teenage boy of about sixteen years old had entered the area. He wore a sleeveless jacket over his shirt, jean shorts and tall boots. He had an electric guitar with him.

"Were you the one making all that noise?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah. You have a problem with that?" he asked in a loud voice.

"Ordinarily I wouldn't, but I have a friend in there who's sick right now." Said Michelle.

"Don't care." Said the teen.

"Maybe you should care!" Michelle exclaimed. She was trying not to raise her voice. "I don't think a sick person would appreciate all of this loud noise that you're making. So I'm giving you two options. You can either turn the noise down on both you and your guitar, or you can leave. Although, if you know what's good for you, I would highly suggest that you leave."

"Nice try, kid, but the only way I leave you alone is by battling your friend." Said the teen.

"I don't think you understand the situation at all." Said Michelle. "My friend isn't in a good enough condition to battle you. Please respect that."

"What if I don't?" the teen asked.

"You'll have to answer to me." Said Michelle. The teen thought about the situation briefly, but unfortunately, he started up his loud music again. That made Michelle even more angry.

"Stop that!" she cried. "You'll wake her up!" The boy didn't care, though, and kept on playing his guitar. Fortunately, Amanda was a heavy sleeper, which eased Michelle's worries just a bit.

"I'm going to keep this up until your friend comes out." the teen insisted.

"She's not coming, so turn that off before I rip that guitar out of your hands!" Michelle cried. She heard the front door open, and Mark came out.

"What's with all the noise?" he asked.

"This guy wants to battle Amanda, and I keep having to tell him that she can't have any battles right now because she's sick, but he's not listening." Said Michelle.

"Look, kid, I don't know what your problem is, but Amanda's not going to be able to battle with you, so scram!" Mark exclaimed.

"I already tried that, but he won't leave unless he has a battle." Said Michelle. Just then, she got an idea. "Okay, here's the deal. It's obvious that you're not going to leave until you get what you want, so I'll battle you instead. But you have to promise to go on your way after that. Fair?"

"Fair." Said the boy. Both of them took their battle positions, and Mark acted as the referee.

"This will be a one on one battle with no time limit." He said. "Trainers, select your Pokemon and begin."

"Charmander, go!" cried Michelle. She was about to throw Charmander's Poke Ball, but Psyduck chose that instant to pop out of its own ball.

"Psyduck!" it cried and ran into the battle area.

"Psyduck, what are you doing?! I wanted Charmander! I didn't want you!" Michelle cried. She tried to recall it, but mark stopped her.

"No substitutions allowed." He said. "You'll have to battle with Psyduck." Michelle wasn't very happy about that but had no choice.

"I choose you, Hitmonchan!" the boy called. He threw a Poke Ball and a fighting type with boxing gloves appeared.

"Begin!" cried Mark.

"Psyduck, use your Water Gun attack!" Michelle ordered. Psyduck sprayed a line of water right at Hitmonchan, which drenched it a little in addition to doing some damage.

"Hitmonchan, use Fire Punch, now!" the boy commanded. Hitmonchan nodded and fire balls formed on his gloves as he punched Psyduck. The water type barely felt anything, however. Psyduck gave a thumbs up.

"See that?" Michelle taunted. "Psyduck knows that fire type moves barely do anything against it. All right, Psyduck, use your Scratch attack!" Psyduck ran up to the fighting type and gave it a scratch on the face. The damage was minor, however.

"So, we were saying about moves barely being effective?" the boy taunted. "Try this one on for size. Hitmonchan, Thunder Punch!" Hitmonchan fired another series of punches, this time with yellow balls of electricity on the gloves. Psyduck cried in pain upon being hit.

"Psyduck!" Michelle cried.

"That's it, Hitmonchan. Keep punching." The boy ordered. Hitmonchan did as instructed while Psyduck just stood there and took the brunt of the damage.

"What could Psyduck possibly be doing?" Michelle wondered.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed in response, which meant 'That's what I want to know.' Psyduck kept taking punches repeatedly, and just when it seemed like the water type was going to lose, Psyduck started to raise its head.

"I think I sense a headache coming." Said Michelle. Sure enough, Psyduck's eyes grew blue and sent Hitmonchan flying backwards.

"What the?!" the boy wondered in disbelief.

"There you go, Psyduck." Said Michelle. "Use your Confusion attack!" Psyduck concentrated hard and made Hitmonchan's body glow blue. The fighting type started punching itself repeatedly, much to his trainer's chagrin.

"You're supposed to attack Psyduck, not yourself!" he yelled. The fighting type continued to hit himself due to the effect of Confusion, and didn't stop until he had knocked himself out.

"Hitmonchan is unable to battle. Psyduck wins!" Mark declared.

"You did it, Psyduck!" Michelle cried. Psyduck struck a victory pose in celebration. The boy recalled his Hitmonchan, but did so angrily.

"All right, I kept up my end of the deal." Said Michelle. "That means you now have to keep up yours." The boy tried to find a way out of keeping his promise, but Michelle simply folded her arms and glared at him. The boy had no choice but to walk away.

"That should teach him not to create an unnecessary disturbance, especially when we have not one, but two sick people in there." Said Michelle.

"That reminds me, we should get back to work on the soup." Said Mark. The two of them went back into the kitchen and resumed their task.

"Where did you guys run off to?" Conrad asked.

"Some kid showed up unexpectedly and wouldn't leave until he had battled Amanda." Said Mark.

"But since she's not feeling well right now, I battled him instead, and I won." Said Michelle.

"Good for you, said Conrad.

"I really hope all of that noise didn't wake them up, though." Said Mark.

"Sally's a heavy sleeper, so I think you guys are fine." Said Conrad. They put the rest of the ingredients into the pot and mixed everything up.

"It'll be a little while before it's ready." Said Mark. The three of them went to check on Amanda and Sally, both of whom were still sleeping peacefully.

"I hope this soup makes them both feel better." Said Michelle. Ten minutes later, the timer went off on the stove.

"Looks like it's ready." Said Mark. He got out two bowls and poured the soup into them. They carefully brought the bowls over to where Amanda and Sally were and tapped their shoulders to wake them up. Amanda slowly opened her eyes, as did Sally, but when they both saw each other, they screamed.

"What are you doing here?!" they both yelled.

"More importantly, how did we end up here anyway?" Sally asked.

"You came down sick while we were walking." Said Conrad.

"Amanda had just finished battling somebody and then got sick right after that." Said Michelle.

"That's why both of you were brought here." Said Mark.

"We also made some soup for both of you." Said Conrad. He presented Sally with one bowl, while Mark and Michelle gave Amanda the other bowl.

"This will make both of you feel better." Said Michelle. Amanda and Sally both took a sip, and they both started to feel a little better.

"Thanks for making this, Michelle." Said Amanda.

"You're welcome." Said Michelle. "Although, with the battle that happened, Conrad did most of the work."

"You mean you were actually helping the twerps?" Sally asked.

"Yes, but that's only because they were trying to help their own friend." Said Conrad.

"You know, I should be angry with you, but I'm not in any condition to argue." Said Sally.

"What you should be doing is resting." Said Conrad.

"That goes for you too, Amanda." Said Mark. Once the entire soup had been consumed, both Amanda and Sally went back to sleep. Michelle and Conrad felt their foreheads.

"How does it look?" asked Conrad.

"Amanda still has a bit of a fever, but she's getting better." Said Michelle. "How's Sally doing?"

"She still has a bit of a fever herself." Said Conrad. Mark, Michelle, Amanda and Conrad all stayed near the couch so that they could check on their friends if they needed anything. Later on, when evening fell, both of them looked like they were getting better when they suddenly spit out the contents of what they had eaten earlier.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Gross!'

"They can't help it, Pikachu." Said Mark. "Throwing up happens sometimes when someone's sick."

"Get some buckets." Michelle instructed.

"Right." Mark and Conrad both said. They got a red bucket and a blue bucket. Mark put the red bucket beside Amanda and Conrad put the blue bucket beside Sally. Both of them did throw up again, but this time, it landed in the buckets rather than on the floor. Mark, Michelle and Conrad got some cleaning supplies and cleaned up the mess that had been left on the floor. Amanda slowly opened her eyes and looked at Michelle.

"I'm really sorry about that, guys." She said softly.

"Don't worry about it, Amanda." Said Michelle. "That mess wasn't your fault."

"Maybe I could help you." Said Amanda. She tried to get off the couch, but she still wasn't strong enough and fell back onto the pillow.

"I think you getting more rest would be a better idea." Said Mark. Amanda closed her eyes again and went back to sleep. She and Sally stayed on the couch all night, and when Mark, Michelle and Conrad had finished cleaning up, they retreated to the bedrooms upstairs. The next morning, both Sally and Amanda slowly woke up and looked at each other.

"How are you feeling today?" Sally asked.

"I think I feel much better." Said Amanda. To prove it, she got off the couch and was able to do a skip and bounce without any problems.

"You definitely look and feel better to me." Said Sally. She got off the couch and was able to move around normally.

"You certainly feel better too." Said Amanda. Mark, Michelle and Conrad came down the stairs.

"Mark, Michelle, I feel much better!" Amanda cried.

"That's great news." Said Mark.

"I think that means we can continue toward Cinnabar Island." Said Amanda.

"Sounds like a good plan." Said Mark. Sally cleared her throat.

"Listen, twerps, I never thought I'd say this, but I appreciate all the work you put in to help Amanda and I feel better." Said Sally.

"But now that Sally's well, the truce is over." Said Conrad. He and Sally both reached for Pikachu and Eevee but were both stopped by Amanda.

"If you think I'm going to let you easily go right back to stealing our Pokemon, you're sorely mistaken." She said. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt them!" Pikachu unleashed its attack on Conrad and Sally, sending them flying upwards past the ceiling and into the sky.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried.

"Yep, Amanda's definitely back all right." Said Michelle.

"Off we go." Said Mark, and they left the cabin behind. If one thing has been learned from today's episode, it's to always help friends out when they're in need. Of course, sometimes it's important to help out your enemies too.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-One

In our last episode, Amanda came down sick right after battling a trainer, so Mark and Michelle had to take care of her. However, Sally of Team Rocket also came down sick, resulting in her partner Conrad working with our heroes to get their respective friends well again. Thankfully, both Amanda and Sally got better and now our heroes have set out on adventure once again.

As our heroes continue on with their journey, they find themselves approaching a building that got all of them very curious. Even Pikachu and Eevee were curious too.

"Pikachu?" asked Pikachu, which meant 'What's this place?'

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Mark and Michelle took a close look at the roof.

"I see a bell up there." Said Michelle.

"And if we look around the front here, there's a set of swings, some monkey bars, a slide and other things that make up a playground." Said Mark.

"Then that must mean we're at a school." Said Amanda.

"That's exactly right." Said Michelle. "I remember my school days very well, especially the kindergarten days. We would play all day long with great toys, but we also had to take naps. I didn't like that part at all."

"Did you ever go to school, Amanda?" Mark asked.

"Not public school." Said Amanda. "With how big the Safari Zone is, my mama decided that it would be best to home school me. I never questioned her reasoning, though."

"Well, this will be a good chance for you to see what public school is like." Said Mark. The three of them heard the front door open and a smartly dressed young woman ran up to the three of them with a worried look on her face.

"Is there something wrong, miss?" Amanda asked.

"Three guest trainers were supposed to visit my kindergarten class and let the kids play with their Pokémon, but they had to cancel at the last minute." The woman answered.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Said Michelle.

"That's why I need your help " Said the woman. "I promised them that we'd have special guests today, and I don't want to have to look at them and tell them that the guests won't be able to come. Otherwise, I'd be breaking my promise."

"We certainly can't let that happen." Said Amanda. "Right, guys?"

"Right!" cried Michelle and Mark in unison.

"Will the three of you be the guests for today?" the woman asked. "The kids will be disappointed otherwise."

"We'll be happy to do it." Said Amanda. "Won't we, Pikachu?"

"Pikachu!" Amanda's partner happily exclaimed, which meant 'Of course!'

"Thank you so much." The teacher said. "The children will be so excited now. Follow me." The three of them went with the teacher into the building, but what they didn't know was that Conrad and Sally had been watching them from a nearby tree.

"Looks like the twerps want to educate themselves with some learning." Said Conrad.

"In other words, going to school." Said Sally. "Just the sight of the school building there reminds me of my days as a student. I learned a lot of things, and then after I got older, I went to another school to learn to be a Team Rocket member."

"That was the best kind of school." Said Conrad. "Although, the courses were pretty difficult. I didn't like that part."

"Neither did I, but we both had to go through with it." Said Sally. "We both spent months in that place learning how to steal things and even pull off master schemes. It was hard work, but then came probably everybody's favorite day when it comes to school."

"Graduation Day!" they both shouted together.

"I remember both of us standing proudly on that stage together. It's a shame those days are over now." Said Conrad.

"True, but that doesn't mean we can't do our usual trickery." Said Sally. While the two Team Rocket members went to make their plan, the teacher led the three heroes into her classroom. The children there were happily playing and engaging in other activities.

"Wow, this definitely takes me back." Said Michelle.

"Those kids are so adorable." Said Amanda. She spotted a small girl in a red dress playing with some Pokemon shaped blocks. Amanda went up to the girl and watched her.

"Are these your favorite toys in here?" she asked. The girl nodded her head.

"I also like playing with some of the balls." The girl answered. "Here, let me show you my favorite." She reached into the toy box and pulled out a bright yellow ball that had Pikachu's face on it.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed happily, which meant 'I love that one.'

"It certainly is special, isn't it?" Amanda asked.

"I play with this ball practically every day." Said the girl. "I also love Pikachu a lot, and it happens to be my favorite color."

"That would be yellow, right?" Amanda asked.

"That's right." Said the girl. "My name's Lucy. What's yours?"

"I'm Amanda. It's very nice meeting you, Lucy." The two girls shook hands, and then the teacher came over to them.

"All right, Lucy, it's time to put the toys away so we can pay attention to our special guest speakers." She said. "That goes for everyone else too." Amanda went back to her friends and the kids made sure to clean up. Once everything had been put away, the teacher cleared her throat.

"Class, today I have the pleasure of introducing three special guests to all of you. All of our guests are Pokemon trainers, and they're going to teach you everything you need to know about Pokemon, so make sure you pay attention." The teacher stepped back and Amanda took over the talking.

"All right, everybody, I'd like to start by teaching you about type matchups." She said. "If you have a Pokemon on you that's one type, and your opponent uses a type that's weak to you, there's a higher chance that you'll win. For example, my Pikachu here is an electric type. If I were to send it into battle against a water type such as Poliwhirl or Staryu, then the odds of Pikachu winning that matchup is extremely high."

"You also have to keep in mind that some Pokemon may have more than one type." Said Michelle. "As my friend mentioned, Staryu is a water type; however, it's also part Psychic." A boy in a blue shirt raised his hand to ask a question, and Amanda promptly called on him.

"How does double typing affect the attacks that can be used?" he asked.

"That's a very good question." Said Amanda. "In the example of Staryu being water and psychic, it can use attacks that it otherwise wouldn't be able to. That means it can possibly use something like Psybeam. Also, dual typing comes in handy for coverage against different Pokemon. Are there any other questions?" Lucy immediately shot her hand up.

"Yes, Lucy." Said Mark.

"Can we play with the Pokemon that you have?" Lucy asked. Mark was about to say yes, but Amanda interjected.

"If you mean inside the classroom, then that's probably not a good idea." She said. "There's no telling what could happen." Right on cue, one of Michelle's Poke Balls burst open and Psyduck appeared.

"Psyduck, I didn't tell you to come out!" Michelle cried. The bright yellow duck Pokemon started running around the room and dug up some sand from the sandbox. However, it landed on the floor.

"You better clean that up!" Michelle cried out, but Psyduck continued his shenanigans. He ran right past the block shaped tower that had been built, knocking everything down in the process.

"No! My tower!" Lucy cried.

"It's okay, you can make another one." Mark assured her. Finally, Psyduck's eyes glowed blue, and Lucy was sent flying right into the bookshelf, causing all the books to fly onto the floor.

"Lucy!" Amanda screamed. She immediately ran over to her to make sure she wasn't hurt.

"Are you okay?" Amanda asked.

"I think so." Lucy answered.

"This is why we didn't want to let out our Pokemon in here." Said Michelle. Psyduck happily ran back to Michelle and gave a smile. Michelle was less than impressed, however, and held out Psyduck's ball.

"I think you've caused enough trouble for today." She said and she recalled her Pokemon. The teacher turned to Amanda.

"I want you and your friends to take them outside while I clean up in here." She said.

"No problem." Said Amanda. "All right everyone, follow us out to the playground." The kids followed the trio out the door and the teacher began to tidy up everything that Psyduck had knocked over.

"Now that I've explained how types work, we're going to put your understanding to the test in a practice battle between me and Michelle." Said Mark. "I choose you, Bulbasaur!" He threw the grass type's ball and Bulbasaur appeared instantly. He was very happy to be part of the demonstration and showed a lot more energy than usual.

"As you can all see here, Bulbasaur is a grass type. That means I have to counter with a Pokemon that's strong against grass types." Said Michelle. She grabbed one of her other Poke Balls and threw it.

"Charmander, I choose you!" she cried. The small fire lizard appeared in an instant.

"You kids watch carefully, because now you get to see our Pokemon's attacks in action." Said Mark. "Bulbasaur, go for Vine Whip!" Bulbasaur shot out its strong vines and directed them at Charmander. The attack hit, but it didn't do very much damage.

"Since grass is weak to fire, a grass type attack like what you just saw won't have too much of an effect on Charmander." Michelle explained. "Charmander, Flamethrower now!"

"Charmander!" cried the fire lizard. He unleashed his fire attack, but Bulbasaur jumped up to avoid the flames.

"Bulbasaur just demonstrated another important point." Said Mark. "Not all attacks are guaranteed to hit every time they're used. If it has the speed and the right attacks, it can dodge your attack."

"That's very clever." Said another small boy.

"If you thought that was interesting, wait until you see two attacks collide with each other." Said Mark. "Bulbasaur, Tackle attack!"

"Charmander, use Skull Bash!" Michelle cried. Both Pokemon charged at each other, but the force of the attacks sent both Pokemon backwards a bit. Thankfully, both of them were all right.

"How do you win a fight?" asked Lucy.

"Very good question, Lucy." Said Amanda. "If you knock out your opponent's Pokemon first, you win. If you're the one who gets knocked out first, though, the other trainer wins."

"Don't forget, though, that their entire health points have to be at zero in order for the knockout to count." Said Michelle. "Now, time to finish this little demonstration. Charmander, use Fire Spin!" Charmander shot a wheel of fire at Bulbasaur, trapping the grass type right where it was. The wheel got closer and closer until it scorched Bulbasaur, knocking it out entirely.

"And just like that, Charmander wins the round." Said Michelle. She and Mark returned their Pokémon and faced the kids.

"Well, what did you all think of that little demonstration?" Amanda asked.

"I thought it was awesome." Said a boy in a green shirt.

"Both of those Pokemon were cool!" cried a girl in a yellow sweater.

"I'm glad you two enjoyed it." Said Mark. "How about the rest of you?" Before anyone else could answer, a clapping sound was heard from a short distance away.

"We thought it was very inspirational." Said a female voice.

"It was also very educational." Said a male voice. Both of them appeared in front of the class with a stage set up.

"There's just one more thing that's important in battles, and that's magic." Said the female.

"How would you know about magic?" asked Lucy.

"We've performed Pokemon magic shows for years, that's how." Said the male voice.

"Speaking of magic, we have a trick for you that we think you'll all enjoy." Said the female. "We'll need a bright yellow Pikachu and a nice brown Eevee for this trick. Would Pikachu and Eevee please report to the stage?"

"Pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I don't know. Something seems off to me.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed nervously, which meant 'These two look very familiar.'

"There's no need to be shy. Please step right up." Said the female. Both Pokemon ran up to the stage and into a cleverly placed open box. Lucy had her own doubts, though, and started to follow them.

"Lucy, wait. That could be a trap!" Amanda cried, but Lucy ran right past them and into the box just as the two "magicians" covered it up with a cloth.

"Pika?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'What are you doing here?'

'I'm trying to protect both of you.' Lucy whispered.

"Prepare to be amazed as I spin this box around." Said the male voice. "Once it's been spun a certain number of times, both Pokemon will disappear." He began to spin the box, going slowly at first. After a few spins, the box began to spin faster. Pikachu and Eevee bounced off the box's walls like pinball, and then Pikachu noticed a small gap in the bottom of the box.

"Pika!" he yelled, which meant 'Quick, down here!' Pikachu and Eevee slid down the gap, but before Lucy could follow, the box spun at its fastest speed. Finally, after ten more spins, the box stopped. The female opened the lid to find what she thought was an empty container.

"There you have it, our disappearing act is complete." She said. "Well, that's our show for today, but thank you all for coming." The two of them quickly packed up their stage, which was really a getaway van, and drove off.

"I have to be honest, I've seen better tricks than that." Said Mark.

"Yeah, that was a bit lame if you ask me." Said Amanda. Just then, a worried look struck her face. "Oh no, where are Pikachu and Eevee?"

"I bet those magicians took off with them." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee popped out from behind the bush they had landed beside.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'No they didn't. We're right here!' Amanda and Michelle breathed a sigh of relief as the two Pokemon ran up to them.

"Thank goodness." Said Michelle. At that moment, the teacher came out.

"Okay kids, the mess is cleaned up in the classroom, which means you can come back in now." She Said.

"Hold on, let me do a head count to make sure we have everyone." Said Amanda.

"Good idea." Said Michelle. She went up to the class and counted everyone. The class was supposed to consist of twenty kids, but Michelle only came up with nineteen heads.

"That's funny, someone seems to be missing." She said.

"Maybe you counted wrong, Michelle. Let me try." Said Amanda. She counted everyone in a different order, but only came up with nineteen herself.

"You were right after all, Michelle. We do have someone unaccounted for." Said Amanda. She then realized who the missing child was. "Where's Lucy?"

"Those two magicians must've taken her." Said Mark.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'I don't think those were magicians at all. I think it was really Team Rocket!'

"Uh oh." Said Michelle. "That means Lucy's with Conrad and Sally, and that's not good at all."

"We need to find them, and fast!" Mark cried.

"I could send Fearow out for a situation like this." Said Amanda.

"Bad idea." Said Michelle. "Fearow never does anything that it's told to do."

"Yeah, using Fearow here probably wouldn't work." Said Mark.

"Good point." Said Amanda. "Luckily, I have another one on hand that I can use." She grabbed a Poke Ball from her waist and threw it.

"Venonat, I choose you!" she cried. The bug type instantly appeared in a blaze of light and cried happily.

"Venonat, I need you to use your radar function to track down Conrad and Sally." Said Amanda. "Can you do that for me?" Venonat nodded and concentrated hard on zoning in possible locations for Team Rocket and Lucy. After a minute went by, an image of a cabin appeared in Venonat's eyes.

"Venonat!" it cried, which meant 'I think I found them!'

"Great job, Venonat." Said Amanda.

"I'll take the kids inside while the three of you go to find Lucy." Said the teacher.

"Good idea." Said Amanda. "Venonat, return!" She recalled her Pokemon and looked at both of her friends. "Come on guys, let's hurry!" Amanda, Michelle and Mark started running off, while the rest of the kids went back into their classroom.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed worriedly, which meant 'Is Lucy going to be okay?'

"I hope so, Eevee." Said Michelle. Conrad and Sally had parked their van beside a cabin and brought the box for their trick inside.

"I can't believe it! We actually succeeded in getting the twerps' Pokemon this time!" Sally cried.

"We can finally give the boss a successful report." Said Conrad.

"Before we do that, let's have a little fun with these Pokemon." Said Sally.

"Good idea." Said Conrad. They both opened the box together, only to find Lucy inside, and she was feeling a bit frightened.

"Huh? What's going on? Where am I?" she wondered. She then looked around her and saw that she was definitely not where she was supposed to be.

"Where are all my friends?" she said. She then looked up and saw Conrad and Sally looking right at her.

"Our new Pokemon even talk, that's so adorable." Said Conrad excitedly. Of course, Sally knew better.

"That's not a Pokemon, you pea brain. That's a kid." She said. Lucy gulped nervously, as she hadn't expected to be in this type of situation.

"Any chance either of you could take me back to my school?" she asked. "My friends are probably looking for me and wondering where I am."

"The only place you're going is to headquarters with us." Said Conrad.

"Our boss would just love meeting somebody as cute and adorable as you." Said Sally.

"I appreciate the compliment about being cute, but I'd rather get back to my school." Said Lucy.

"No way." Said Conrad. "You're coming with us, and that's final!" Just then, both of their stomachs growled.

"Maybe it would help if we eat something first." Said Sally.

"What do we do with the kid in the meantime?" asked Conrad.

"Put her in the basement for now." Sally ordered. Conrad picked Lucy up and carried her downstairs.

"Let me go!" Lucy cried, but Conrad had a tight grip on her. He placed Lucy onto a chair, placed her hands together behind the back of the chair and tied her up with rope.

"You're going to stay here until we're ready for you." He said, and went back upstairs to join Sally.

"Michelle, Amanda, Mark, the three of you had better come and find me fast." She thought. Meanwhile, our heroes were still running down the path in the direction of the cabin.

"You don't suppose Team Rocket is going to want Lucy to join them, do you?" Amanda asked.

"I sure hope not." Said Michelle. "She's too young for that kind of thing."

"Knowing Conrad and Sally, though, there's no telling what they could possibly do to her." Said Mark.

"He's right." Said Michelle. She then started panting heavily and slowed down a bit.

"How long have we even been running?" Mark asked.

"I'm not sure, but we've definitely been at it for a good while." Said Amanda. Even Pikachu and Eevee were getting tired out.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I think we need a break.'

"I think so too, buddy." Said Amanda. They stopped running and sat on the ground for a bit to catch their breath. In the cabin, Conrad and Sally were gloating as they ate their lunch.

"Nothing says success like a delicious hamburger and salad." She said.

"What's even better was that those kids didn't even try to stop us this time." Said Conrad. While they were enjoying their lunch, Lucy was struggling to get out of the ropes that were holding her together.

"It's no good. He did these way too tight." She said. "If only I had a Pokemon of my own that could help me out of this place." She let out a sigh, knowing that a rescue of that kind was unlikely.

"I hope I don't have to stay here forever." She thought. Mark, Amanda and Michelle finished their break and started running again.

"If Conrad and Sally end up brainwashing her to make her forget about us, she's in big trouble." Said Amanda.

"That's why we have to get to her quickly." Said Michelle. They found the cabin ten minutes away from where they were and took a quick peek through the window. Conrad and Sally were starting to get things together to take with them in their balloon.

"Now's our chance to strike." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, strike the front door down with your Thunderbolt." Pikachu unleashed its attack, but the door didn't move.

"It must be shockproof." Said Michelle.

"We'll have to try a different method." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, try kicking the door down." Pikachu jumped up in the air and landed a strong kick on the door but it still didn't move.

"That's one strong door." Said Mark.

"Pikachu, try again." Amanda ordered. Pikachu gave a stronger kick, but the door just wouldn't budge.

"Maybe we should try something else." Michelle suggested.

"Hold on." Said Amanda. "Let's give the door one last shot. Pikachu, give it your strongest kick!" Pikachu kicked with all of his might, and finally managed to knock the door off its hinges and send it to the ground.

"Hold it right there, Team Rocket!" Amanda cried.

"The twerps!" Sally and Conrad cried together.

"You better give Lucy back to us right now!" Michelle demanded.

"Speaking of which, where is she?" asked Mark.

"I'm afraid your little friend is a bit tied up at the moment." Said Sally. Just then, they heard a familiar voice from the basement.

"Help!" cried the voice. "Somebody, please help me!"

"Lucy!" cried Amanda. The trio ran towards the basement door, only to be stopped by the two Team Rocket crooks.

"Nice try, children, but if you want your friend back, you'll have to defeat us in a battle." Said Conrad.

"Fine with me." Said Amanda. Conrad and Sally sent out Ekans and Zubat, and Amanda quickly reached for a ball herself.

"Venonat, go!" She cried. She threw the ball and the dual bug and poison type instantly appeared.

"Need a hand?" Michelle asked.

"You know it." Said Amanda.

"Eevee, go!" cried Michelle. Before Eevee could jump into action, however, Psyduck popped out of his ball and went in himself.

"Nice try, Psyduck, but you're still on time out after your antics earlier." Said Michelle.

"Psy?" Psyduck asked, clearly not knowing what time out meant.

"Oh great, Psyduck has the mentality of a five year old." Said Michelle, and she let out a sigh.

"Let him battle, Michelle." Said Mark. "Besides, I'm sure he's learned his lesson."

"I certainly hope so." Said Michelle. "Okay Psyduck, start with Water Gun." Psyduck sprayed the water at Ekans, but the power was only about half strength. Conrad and Sally laughed at the weakness of the move.

"How pathetic." She said. Michelle was starting to get mad.

"Oh yeah? You're the pathetic one if you ask me." She said. "Psyduck, use your Confusion attack!" Psyduck's eyes started to glow bright blue and he uses the power of the attack to bounce Conrad, Sally, Ekans and Zubat around like ping pong balls.

"That's what you get for insulting my Pokemon!" Michelle cried.

"My turn now." Said Amanda. "Venonat, use your Psybeam!" Venonat launched a purple psychic beam right at the two Team Rocket grunts, sending them through the ceiling and into the sky.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried.

"Team Rocket can try all they want, but they'll never beat us." Said Amanda. "Right, Michelle?"

"Right, Amanda." Said Michelle. The two girls high fived each other and recalled their Pokémon.

"Someone help me right now!" cried Lucy's voice from the basement.

"Come on, let's go rescue our friend." Said Amanda. The three of them rushed downstairs and untied Lucy.

"What happened to you?" Mark asked.

"I wanted to see the disappearing trick up close, and I somehow ended up here." Said Lucy.

"This is why you always make sure to tell someone where you're going first." Said Michelle. Once the four of them were out of the cabin and had arrived back at the school, the teacher breathed a sigh of relief.

"There you are, Lucy." She said. "We were all very worried about you." Lucy took a deep breath and gave a longer version of what had happened to her.

"I didn't mean to make you worry like that." She said. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right. Just make sure to tell us where you're going next time." The teacher said.

"That's the exact same thing that I told her." Said Michelle. The teacher thanked Amanda and her friends for coming in to be special guests.

"It was our pleasure." Said Mark. They waved goodbye to all of their new friends and set out on their way to continue their journey.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Two

"Look at all these cute decorations, Amanda!" Michelle cried. "All sorts of balloons, ribbons, and even glitter crowns! That means today is a special kind of day. How special do you think it is?"

"It's our birthdays?" Amanda wondered. Michelle chuckled.

"No, silly." She said. "I already had my birthday and it's not even close to yours yet. Today is a special event known as a princess festival."

"How does that work?" Amanda asked.

"Listen carefully to the narrator, and he can tell you." Said Mark. Every year, the town that our heroes have arrived at holds an annual event known as the princess festival, a special once a year holiday that the girls love because it's the one day that they're entitled to additional power.

"Additional power?" Amanda wondered curiously.

"That means for today only, the boys have to do everything we tell them to do." Michelle answered.

"You know, Michelle, for never having been to a princess festival, you definitely seem to know a little bit about these things." Said Mark. "Why is that?"

"I'm glad you asked." Said Michelle. "You see, my dad used to bring me to these princess festivals a lot when I was a kid. Seeing all the beautiful decorations they always put up for this event always brings a smile to my face, and he even used to dress me up in princess dresses specifically for the occasion. It was always a great father and daughter bonding day for me."

"That must've been special for you." Said Mark.

"It was very special." Said Michelle. "Oh, and I almost forgot. Girls get other special benefits during the festival."

"What kind of benefits?" asked Amanda.

"Pika pi?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'I want to know about this too.'

"The other benefits that girls get during the festival include being able to buy whatever they feel like at half the price they would normally pay." Michelle explained. "They also get to eat for free at all restaurants."

"That definitely sounds neat." Said Amanda.

"Of course, for a princess festival, both of us should look like princesses." Said Amanda. "Come on, let's do some shopping." The three of them headed off to the closest department store; meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were sitting on a park bench lamenting.

"We've been after those kids for several months now trying to steal Pikachu and Eevee. Each and every time, we've been beaten by them." Said Sally. "Sometimes, I wonder if we're really cut out to be Team Rocket members."

"I wonder the same thing myself." Said Conrad. They kept sitting on the bench for a little while, and then Sally noticed a poster hanging on a nearby tree.

"Conrad, come and look at this!" she cried. They both sprang off the bench and ran over to the tree where the poster was. Sally yanked it off and showed it to her partner.

"A princess festival." Said Conrad. "Honestly, that sounds kind of boring."

"Maybe for you, but I love these festivals." Said Sally. "I used to come here every year with my mom when I was a kid so that we could take advantage of all the great store discounts and free restaurant service. It was always a spectacular time, until one year when we decided not to come anymore."

"Did your mom ever say why?" asked Conrad.

"The only reasoning she would ever give me was that I was getting too old to go." Said Sally. "However, one's never too old to reminisce about childhood memories."

"I can't disagree there." Said Conrad.

"It's for that reason that we're both going to the festival." Said Sally. "Come on." She grabbed Conrad's arm and dragged him down the street. Michelle, Amanda, and Mark had arrived at the mall but found that it was extremely busy.

"Wow, look at all of these people." Said Amanda.

"Did I mention that these stores get higher than usual traffic during the princess festival?" said Michelle.

"Not until now." Said Amanda. Even Pikachu was surprised at the sight of that many people.

"Pika." He said, which meant 'I hope we don't get lost.'

"We won't if we stick together." Said Amanda.

"Smart thinking." Said Mark. They went into a clothing store, only to find it packed to the brim with shoppers.

"My goodness, look at this huge crowd." Said Amanda. "All the good stuff is probably sold out by now."

"You don't know that for sure yet." Said Michelle. They managed to squeeze their way over to a section that was selling elegant princess dresses of all colors and sizes.

"Look at all of these!" Michelle cried. She ran to the rack and grabbed a handful of dresses that were in blue, pink, yellow, red, orange and lavender.

"That's certainly a good number of dresses you have there." Said Mark.

"Each of them will be so beautiful to wear." Said Michelle.

"Don't forget, not all of them are for you alone." Said Amanda. She then spotted a grey dress that contained some of the most beautiful sequins she had ever seen.

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

"I don't know. That's a bit too flashy for me." Mark answered.

"I kind of agree." Said Michelle. "It's also very loud."

"Then we'll get the six you have with you." Said Amanda.

"Hang on, we can't just flat out buy them right away. We have to try them on first." Said Michelle. They found a pair of changing rooms at the back that they could use to try the dresses out.

"I wonder how those are going to look." Said Mark. Amanda and Michelle came out a few minutes later wearing a different dress. Amanda was wearing the yellow one, which had a white circular collar and a gold flower pin beside one of the short sleeves. Michelle was wearing the pink dress, which had white dots on the sleeves as well as the skirt.

"Well, how do we look?" Michelle asked.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I think the two of you look like real princesses.'

"Thanks, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"That settles it. We'll take the yellow and pink ones." Said Michelle. They changed back into their regular outfits and paid for the dresses at the counter. As they left the store in one direction, Conrad and Sally entered from another direction.

"You never told me that it was going to be crowded." Said Conrad.

"It's always like this during the festival." Said Sally. "Come on, I have clothes to buy." The two of them went into the same clothing store that the trio had just come out of, and Sally was instantly amazed by the available selection.

"Shoes, boots, skirts, they have it all." Said Sally. Despite the large crowd, she was able to find some sweaters and skirts that she wanted and brought them to the cashier.

"Charge these to the Team Rocket account!" she exclaimed. Once her purchases had been placed in a large bag, the two of them went back to the park.

"I thought you were going to get something for the boss." Said Conrad.

"That can wait." Said Sally. "I want to take a little break first." She set her shopping bag down beside her right as a Lickitung came out from the bushes beside her.

"Lick!" it cried and pointed to her bag.

"Is there something in there that you want?" Sally asked it. Lickitung nodded and reached into her shopping bag.

"That's not food. Those are my new clothes that I just bought." Sally explained. Lickitung didn't care, however, and stuck its tongue out into the bag. It grabbed the clothes and started chewing on them.

"Hey! Don't do that! Some of those are hard to find!" Sally cried. "Find something else to eat!" Lickitung kept munching on the clothes before finally swallowing them.

"No! Some of those skirts were in my favorite color, too!" Sally exclaimed. "You're going to pay for that, Lickitung!" She grabbed a Poke Ball and threw it at the pink Pokemon.

"Ekans, attack!" Sally cried. The poison snake appeared and attempted to use Poison Sting, only for Lickitung to block the attack and then use its tongue to lick Ekans below underneath his neck, causing the snake to get paralyzed.

"Looks like Ekans just got licked." Conrad observed.

"How dare you!" Sally cried. She was now extremely furious. Lickitung just shrugged his shoulders and acted like he didn't care.

"Nobody chews up my clothes and gets away with it." She said and got out an empty ball.

"Poke Ball, go!" she yelled, aiming it at Lickitung. The Pokemon got sucked inside the ball and was captured instantly.

"See that? I'm just as good at catching Pokemon as the twerps are." Said Sally. She recalled Ekans and placed his ball on her waist.

"What are you going to do with the Lickitung you just caught?" Conrad asked.

"I'll take care of Lickitung later." Said Sally. "Right now, we have to go back to the store so I can re-buy everything that he ate." Conrad sighed but followed behind his partner. As for our young heroes, they had found a quiet little restaurant to have their lunch.

"Look at how these menus are designed for today." Said Michelle. Amanda had a look at her own menu and saw that it was all decked out in lots of pink.

"I guess they wanted to make these look special for today." She said. "How come Mark's menu isn't like that?"

"I think guys get the regular menu." Said Michelle.

"You'd think right." Said Mark. His menu didn't have any of the fancy decorations that the girls' menus had. The girls both got a deep dish pizza, but Mark only had a salad.

"They really know how to treat girls like royalty, don't they?" Amanda asked.

"They sure do, and the best part is that we don't have to pay for our food." Said Michelle.

"I wish I could say the same for me." Said Mark. "I have to pay for mine."

"If there's any positives to that, it'll help keep our total bill down." Said Amanda.

"Amanda's right." Said Michelle. She then noticed a billboard advertisement on top of another building close to where they were. That advertisement got Michelle excited.

"Look at that, Amanda!" she cried excitedly. "They're having a tournament to determine the queen of this year's princess festival. First prize is five hundred thousand dollars in cash!"

"I don't think I've ever seen that much money in my life." Said Amanda.

"Me either." Said Mark.

"Oh, but it's not just money that's involved." Said Michelle. "The sign also says that whoever wins the tournament also gets a brand new set of rare Pokemon dolls!"

"You must be pretty excited about that part." Said Amanda.

"I'm more than excited." Said Michelle. "When I was little, one thing I wanted more than anything else was a set of Pokemon dolls. I would ask my daddy about that several times, only to be greeted by a no answer every time. 'Dolls are expensive, honey.' he would always say to me. I ended up going through my whole childhood without any kind of dolls, but now I can win my own set."

"You know, Michelle, I hope you win those dolls." Said Amanda.

"Me too." Said Mark.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'Pikachu and I hope you win them too.'

"Thanks, everyone." Said Michelle.

"Just remember that there's going to be a lot of other girls trying to win those too." Said Amanda.

"Exactly how many other girls are we talking about?" asked Michelle.

"I'm not sure, but I can tell you right now that I'm one of them." Said Amanda.

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering that we've done practically everything together so far on this journey." Said Michelle. Once they finished eating and left the restaurant, they heard an announcement over the intercom of a nearby store.

"Attention princess festival participants. Please report to the battle stadium for the special festival tournament." Said the voice.

"That's us." Said Michelle. "Let's go, guys." The three of them ran off toward the stadium, unaware that Sally had also seen the same billboard ad.

"So, they're having a tournament for the right to be festival queen." She said. "You know what that means, right?"

"We ruin the whole thing?" Conrad wondered.

"Ordinarily, I would say yes, but that's not the case this time." Said Sally. "I'm going to enter that contest so I can win those dolls for myself."

"You mean you're actually going to obtain them legitimately?" Conrad asked. He was certainly surprised about this turn of events.

"Yes, but just this one time since I'm in such a good mood today." Said Sally. "Come on." She grabbed Conrad's arm and rushed down the street towards the stadium, carrying her partner in tow. Meanwhile, Michelle and Amanda had just finished registering for the tournament when they both got a tap on the shoulder. The girls turned around and saw a familiar trainer with red hair, a yellow top, and blue overalls.

"Hey guys, remember me?" she asked. "We first met back in Viridian City."

"I can't say that I've met you before." Said Michelle.

"I know who she is because I have met her." Said Amanda. "You're Misty, right?"

"The one and only." Misty answered with a smile.

"Misty, these are my friends Michelle and Mark." Said Amanda.

"Hi there." Said Michelle.

"Nice to meet you, Misty." Said Mark.

"So, Misty, what brings you here?" asked Amanda.

"I was out in the Orange Islands with Ash and Tracey, and the three of us were riding on Ash's Lapras when I heard about the annual princess festival." Said Misty. "Naturally, I got here as fast as I could."

"Does that mean you're competing too?" asked Mark.

"I wish I was, but I already participated last year, so I don't feel the need to do that again." Said Misty. "Since I'm here, though, I can root these two girls on."

"That's very kind of you." Said Michelle.

"Speaking of Ash, how is he doing?" asked Amanda.

"He's doing very well." Said Misty. "His Charizard is still having some obedience issues, though, but I think we're on the verge of a breakthrough in that department."

"That's good to hear." Said Michelle.

"I really hope I get to battle Ash at some point." Said Amanda.

"That might be a bit difficult considering that he's always traveling, but don't give up hope." Said Misty. "That opportunity might just come before you know it." The intercom then came on.

"Trainers that are participating in the princess festival tournament, please report to the battle arena immediately."

"That's us, Michelle." Said Amanda.

"Good luck, you two." Said Mark.

"We'll be watching from the stands." Said Misty. She and Mark headed to the spectator area, while Michelle and Amanda made their way to the battle arena. They found that there were at least a hundred other trainers battling in the tournament.

"Woah, look at all of these girls that are here." Said Amanda.

"I bet they all want to become the princess festival queen just like we do." Said Michelle. An official went over to the podium that had been set up.

"Good afternoon, ladies." He Said. "As you know, all of you are battling not just for the right to become this year's queen, but also for the championship of the festival tournament. Each match will be a sudden death showdown until one of you is left standing. Also, each trainer will be allowed to use a maximum of four Pokemon per battle. Choose your Pokémon carefully, and good luck." Amanda and Michelle went into the change room to decide which Pokemon to use. While they were in there, they also changed into the special dresses they had bought earlier.

"Which Pokemon should we choose?" Amanda wondered.

"I'm actually not sure." Said Michelle. "I know we're allowed to choose four, so we have to make our picks count."

"I think I know one Pokemon I'm definitely using, and that's Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"Pika pi!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Good choice.'

"As for the others, I think I'll go with Wartortle, Venonat and Fearow." Said Amanda. "With Fearow's flying power and Pikachu's electricity, I can't lose." She began to reach for Fearow's ball when Michelle held up a hand.

"You just stop right there, little miss princess wannabe." She said. "Fearow never does what you want it to do."

"I know, but it's one of the strongest Pokemon I have, and I really need it." Said Amanda.

"Think about this for a minute." Said Michelle. "What do you think's going to happen if you only have one Pokemon left in your matches and you have to rely on Fearow?"

"I'd probably lose because of his disobedience." Said Amanda.

"Exactly." Said Michelle. "I don't want to see that happen, so I think you should choose a different Pokemon instead."

"Good point." Said Amanda. "I think I'll use Arcanine instead."

"That's definitely a much better choice." Said Michelle.

"Which four do you want to go with, Michelle?" asked Amanda.

"I'm definitely using Eevee as one of my four." Said Michelle. Eevee squealed happily with delight. "For the others, I'll use Electabuzz, Ponyta and Poliwag."

"A normal type, an electric type, a fire type and a water type." Said Amanda. "Sounds like a good selection to me." Just then, the bell went off to signal for all participants to head into the arena for their first matches. Sally, on the other hand, was trying to decide which Pokemon to use for the competition.

"What chance do you possibly have?" asked Conrad. "The rules say you can have up to four, and all you have are Ekans and Lickitung."

"That's not exactly accurate." Said Sally. Conrad looked over her shoulder and saw Zubat flying above her head.

"Sally, please, don't take Zubat!" Conrad cried.

"I need it for the contest. Otherwise, I won't get too far." Said Sally.

"Even so, that's only three Pokemon." Said Conrad. "What about your fourth one?" Sally reached over and grabbed a second Poke Ball from Conrad.

"Seriously? Beedrill too?" Conrad asked.

"Don't worry, you'll get them both back once the contest is over." Said Sally.

"I certainly hope so." Said Conrad. The brackets that had been assigned showed that both Amanda and Michelle were on different halves of the ladder, which meant that while the two of them battling in the finals was possible, it wasn't a guarantee. Amanda's first opponent had a team consisting strictly of poison types including Grimer and Muk. Venonat defeated all four Pokemon with no trouble at all. Michelle's first match was a bit tougher, especially because her opponent had a Rapidash. However, Poliwag was able to take out the fully evolved fire type after an intense battle.

"You go, girls!" cried Mark. Misty was also cheering them on, but her Psyduck decided to pop out and cheer himself. Misty let out a sigh, but Mark didn't seem to be bothered by that.

"The Psyduck that Michelle has does that all the time too." He said. "You should've seen the commotion he caused at the school we were at not too long ago."

"Exactly how bad was it?" Misty asked.

"It was pretty bad." Said Mark. "Fortunately, everything still worked out fine."

"That's good to hear." Said Misty.

"Of course, there was also an instance of one kid we met being captured by Team Rocket, but we were able to rescue her." Said Mark.

"Which Team Rocket are we talking about?" asked Misty. "The annoying duo of Jessie and James and their talking Meowth?"

"No. The two that we've had to deal with are different." Said Mark. "Their names are Conrad and Sally, but they don't have a Meowth with them. They've tried to take Pikachu and Eevee multiple times, but we've been able to stop them every time."

"It seems like the three of you are definitely similar to Ash, Tracey, Brock and me." Said Misty. "We've also had our fair share of Team Rocket interference, but fortunately, we've also been able to stop them."

"That's definitely good to hear." Said Mark. On the field, Sally was commanding Zubat to use a Wing Attack on her opponent's Mankey. Zubat flew so fast that Mankey didn't have a chance to dodge. It got sent right into the wall and was knocked out.

"Mankey, no!" the girl cried.

"And that's win number one for me." Said Sally. She gave a warm smile as she recalled Zubat. For Amanda's second match, she was facing a girl that had a team of water Pokemon.

"Now that's the kind of trainer I like to see." Said Misty. The battle was a bit more difficult, and it took a combination of Pikachu, Weepinbell and Venonat to defeat the trainer and advance. Michelle's second opponent had a more balanced team, which included an Exeggutor. A powerful Fire Spin from Ponyta ended up knocking it out and sending Michelle into the round of thirty-two. Sally also had some trouble with her second round but was able to move on thanks to a Poison Sting from Ekans. For the third round, Sally faced an opponent that only had grass types, so she was able to use Zubat's flying power to knock out the grass Pokemon and move to the round of sixteen. Michelle and Amanda also moved on easily. The round of sixteen was a bit harder for the three of them because all of their opponents had well rounded teams. All three of Sally, Michelle and Amanda still managed to win and go on to the quarterfinals. In that round, Sally finally met her match as her opponent kept having her Pokemon use Double Team and other defensive type moves. As a result, Sally was eliminated from the tournament.

"That's okay, Sally. You did your best." Said Conrad.

"I know, but I wanted those dolls so badly." Said Sally. She gave Zubat and Beedrill back to Conrad and took his hand.

"Let's get out of here." She Said. The two of them quietly left the arena; meanwhile, Michelle and Amanda were getting ready for their respective quarterfinal matches. Michelle's match came down to a situation where the next hit would win.

"Eevee, use Swift attack!" Michelle cried. The rainbow stars that shot out of Eevee's body laid a strong hit on her opponent's Shellder, resulting in the win. Amanda had a bit of a hard time with her own quarterfinal, but still managed to get a win after Venonat dished out a powerful Psybeam on her opponent's Scyther. For the semifinals, Amanda took on a trainer with flying types, all of which Pikachu was able to take down with its electricity. Michelle also won her own semi-final match, which meant that the championship match would be between the two friends.

"It's down to Amanda and Michelle for the finals." Said Misty.

"I don't think either of them are going to give in to each other easily, if at all." Said Mark. The intercom then came on.

"Folks, we've seen some incredible battling today, and it now comes down to this final round between Michelle Greenwood of the Viridian Forest and Amanda Cooper of Fuchsia City. Both girls will be allowed to use up to four Pokémon each with no time limit and no substitutions. Let the battle begin!" The bell dinged to start the battle.

"I know this is the final, and I know we're also friends, but don't expect me to go easy on you." Said Michelle.

"I wouldn't want it any other way." Said Amanda.

"Trainers, select your first Pokemon please." Said the referee. Michelle grabbed a Poke Ball from the waist of her dress and threw it.

"Electabuzz, go!" she cried. The feisty electric type appeared instantly.

"Starting with Electabuzz, I see." Said Amanda. She grabbed one of her own Poke Balls and threw it.

"Arcanine, I choose you!" she cried. The tall fire dog appeared in a blaze of white light.

"I don't know who I want you root for here." Said Mark.

"Just be neutral." Misty advised.

"Arcanine, use Take Down!" Amanda cried. The fire dog nodded and charged at Electabuzz.

"Electabuzz, try to stop it with Double Team." Michelle ordered. Electabuzz put up clones of himself resulting in Arcanine hitting one of the fakes. The fire dog just shook his head.

"Don't give up, Arcanine!" Amanda cried. "Use your Flamethrower until you find the real one!" Arcanine shot powerful fire lines at each one of the fake Electabuzz until only the actual one remained.

"You may have gotten out of Double Team, but let's see how Arcanine likes this next move." Said Michelle. "Electabuzz, use your Leer attack!" Electabuzz focused on Arcanine and gave a red glow from its eyes, causing the fire dog to cry a bit.

"Oh no!" cried Amanda.

"That attack doesn't actually hurt." Said Michelle. "Don't worry, you'll find out the effects of it later."

"Lovely." Amanda said with a hint of sarcasm. "Arcanine, use Take Down!" Arcanine charged hard at Electabuzz and readied for the attack.

"Electabuzz, dodge it by jumping out of the way!" Michelle commanded. Electabuzz nodded, but Arcanine was running too fast and pounced on Electabuzz before it had a chance to react. Arcanine then started to give Electabuzz a playful lick, but Amanda wagged her finger at it.

"This isn't the time to play, Arcanine." She said. "Use your Fire Spin!" Arcanine got off of the electric type so that it could get up, and then Arcanine spit out a circle of fire around Electabuzz to keep it immobilized.

"Uh oh, Electabuzz doesn't have anywhere to go." Said Misty.

"That's the whole point of Fire Spin." Said Mark.

"Finish it, Arcanine. Fire Blast!" Amanda commanded. Arcanine shot a large flame star at Electabuzz, scorching it and sending it to the floor in a knocked out state.

"Electabuzz is out of the match. Arcanine is the winner!" the referee announced.

"Way to go, Arcanine!" cried Amanda. Michelle recalled Electabuzz and grabbed another ball.

"Poliwag, get out here!" she cried. The small little tadpole Pokemon appeared in a blaze of light and happily squealed.

"I know you're excited, Poliwag, but you need to focus up now." Said Michelle. "Use your Water Gun attack." Poliwag nodded and shot a stream of water right at Arcanine, knocking it out in one hit.

"Arcanine is defeated. Poliwag wins." The referee declared. Amanda recalled Arcanine and praised it for a job well done, but she was a bit confused.

"How did that happen?" she wondered.

"Remember that Leer attack I had Electabuzz use?" Michelle asked. "That lowered Arcanine's defense to the point where a single water attack from Poliwag was able to beat it."

"I see." Said Amanda. "All right Weepinbell, it's your turn!" The small plant Pokemon appeared instantly in a blaze of light.

"With how small Poliwag is, beating it shouldn't be a problem for you." Said Amanda.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that if I were her." Said Misty.

"Why not?" asked Mark. Poliwag suddenly began to give a white glow.

"That's why not." Said Misty. "Poliwag is evolving."

"Toge pri!" Togepi squealed excitedly, which meant 'I've never seen an evolution before!'

"You have, actually." Misty told her little baby Pokemon. "We saw Ash's Pidgeotto evolve into Pidgeot right before heading to the Orange Islands."

"In Togepi's defense, I don't think it remembers that." Said Mark. "After all, it's still just a baby."

Fair point." Said Misty. On the field, Amanda couldn't believe her eyes.

"Looks like Poliwag evolved into Poliwhirl." She said.

"So, you were saying something about size?" said Michelle.

"Maybe I shouldn't have opened my mouth." Said Amanda. "Go, Weepinbell! Razor Leaf attack!" Weepinbell shot green leaves out of its body, but Poliwhirl punched them away with his hands.

"No way!" Amanda cried. Michelle just nodded.

"Poliwhirl has strength and abilities it couldn't use as a Poliwag." She said. "You should consider yourself lucky to be the first to witness these abilities first hand. Poliwhirl, Mega Punch now!" Poliwhirl reared his hand back and gave Weepinbell a hard punch that sent the grass type flying a bit. Fortunately for Amanda, the grass type was able to shake it off.

"Try a Vine Whip attack!" Amanda ordered. Weepinbell shot out its dark green vines and smacked them over and over again on Poliwhirl's chest. The water type didn't seem to be affected too much, however.

"That attack should've done a lot of damage to Poliwhirl." Said Mark. "For some reason, though, Poliwhirl didn't feel it.

"I wonder why." Said Misty.

"Poliwhirl's body is nice and sturdy." Said Michelle. "You're going to have to do better than that to get past him. Okay, Poliwhirl, use your Hypnosis attack." Poliwhirl concentrated hard on the grass type, sending it into a deep sleep.

"Weepinbell!" Amanda cried.

"Now, time to give it an old fashioned Seismic Toss." Said Michelle. Poliwhirl grabbed the sleeping grass type, spun it around in a circle, and flung it against a wall, doing some big damage. Amanda ran over to her grass type and saw that it was knocked out.

"Weepinbell is out! Poliwhirl wins!" the referee declared. Amanda sighed and recalled Weepinbell.

"Just two Pokemon left." She thought. "I wonder what I should use next." She then reached for another Poke Ball and threw it as high as she could.

"Wartortle, I choose you!" she cried. Her water type starter appeared in a blaze of light. In the stands, Misty had a bright smile on her face.

"Two water types going head to head!" she cried. "I wonder how this one will turn out."

"Wartortle, start off with a Water Gun!" Amanda ordered.

"Poliwhirl, you use your Water Gun too!" Michelle commanded. Both water types shot their attacks out, with both of them hitting at the same time.

"A dead heat." Mark observed.

"I'll have to try something else." Said Amanda. "Use your Bubblebeam attack, Wartortle!" Wartortle shot bubbles out of his mouth.

"Poliwhirl, use your own Bubblebeam attack!" Michelle ordered. Both of the attacks collided with each other yet again.

"Another tie." Said Mark.

"Both of them are certainly strong." Said Misty.

"Let's not quit, Wartortle." Said Amanda. "I know Poliwhirl's strong, but you're strong too, and it's time to show some of that strength. Skull Bash, now!" Wartortle lowered its head and ran at Poliwhirl and got ready to attack. However, Poliwhirl anticipated the move and picked Wartortle up.

"Seismic Toss again." Michelle ordered. Poliwhirl spun Wartortle around and flung it across the field. Wartortle got hurt a bit, but it was tough and got right back up.

"There has to be a way to land a hit on Poliwhirl." Amanda thought. Just then, an idea sprang into her mind. "I've got it. Wartortle, get into your shell and spin around Poliwhirl to try and confuse it!" Wartortle nodded and hid into the shell. He slid to where Poliwhirl was and spun around him several times, leaving Poliwhirl very confused. Yellow stars appeared above Poliwhirl's head.

"Uh oh." Said Michelle.

"Okay, Wartortle, give it a Mega Kick." Said Amanda. Wartortle kicked Poliwhirl's legs repeatedly until it finally fell down and fainted.

"Poliwhirl is defeated. Wartortle wins!" the referee declared.

"That's it, Wartortle! Well done!" cried Amanda.

"That's definitely something Ash would've done." Said Misty. "Nice going." Michelle recalled Poliwhirl and reached for another ball.

"That was a clever strategy you did on Poliwhirl." She said. "But now I'm done playing around. Ponyta, I choose you!" She threw the ball and the fire horse appeared in a blaze of light.

"This should be better for you, Wartortle. Water types can douse flame types easily." Said Amanda. "Water Gun!" Wartortle shot a line of water right at Ponyta, dousing the fire type and doing a lot of damage.

"Shake it off, Ponyta." Said Michelle. "Stomp that turtle." Ponyta ran at Wartortle and used one of its hooves to stomp Wartortle's shell.

"Keep up that strength, Wartortle." Said Amanda. "Use Take Down now!"

"Ponyta, you do the same!" Michelle ordered. Both Pokemon ran toward each other, only to bump heads. The impact sent them both down and knocked out both Pokemon at once.

"Both of Ponyta and Wartortle are unable to battle." The referee declared.

"And now it all comes down to this, folks. Only one more battle to decide the princess festival queen." Said the announcer over the intercom.

"Pikachu, you're my last chance." Said Amanda. "Get out there and win this!" Pikachu jumped off Amanda's shoulder and into the arena.

"Eevee, you get out there too!" commanded Michelle. Eevee nodded and ran onto her side of the field.

"Looks like we've come full circle." Said Michelle. "If you recall, the first time we met, my Eevee battled against your Pikachu."

"A battle that you won." Said Amanda. "That won't happen this time. Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu unleashed its yellow bolt, but Eevee dodged successfully.

"Quick Attack, Eevee." Michelle commanded. Eevee sped toward Pikachu and sent the electric mouse back a little bit.

"Hang in there, Pikachu!" cried Amanda. "Dodge whatever Eevee tries throwing at you with Agility!" Pikachu nodded.

"Go for Skull Bash." Said Michelle. Eevee lowered its head and tried to attack, but Pikachu's Agility usage made it go fast than normal.

"Eevee, try smacking Pikachu with your bushy tail." Said Michelle. Eevee ran in close, and right as Pikachu was about to move, Eevee hit it with its tail.

"Pikachu, hang in there!" cried Amanda. "Use Slam!" Pikachu jumped up and slammed down on Eevee's body, making the fox Pokemon cry out in pain.

"Eevee!" Michelle cried.

"That's it, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Now, use Thunder Wave!" Pikachu shot yellow waves from its cheeks, which hit Eevee and paralyzed it.

"Eevee, try a Swift attack." Said Michelle. Eevee was able to shoot out a few stars before the paralysis kicked in. Pikachu took some damage and then stared down at Eevee.

"Thunderbolt." Said Amanda. Pikachu unleashed another yellow bolt, which hit this time. Eevee collapsed to the ground and fainted.

"Eevee is unable to battle. The winner of the match, and the doll set, is Amanda Cooper of Fuchsia City!" the referee cried.

"You did it, Pikachu!" cried Amanda. Pikachu ran up to her partner and gave a high five. Eevee slowly walked back over to Michelle.

"Eevee." It squealed sadly, which meant 'I'm sorry.'

"You did your best, Eevee. I'm very proud of you." Said Michelle. Ten minutes later, the festival trophy was brought out, along with the set of dolls. Amanda smiled as the crown was placed on her head and her photo taken. The next day, she wrote out a shipping label onto a big box.

"You're sending the dolls back home?" Mark wondered. Amanda nodded her head.

"Right back to the Safari Zone." Said Amanda. "I can't wait to see the look on my mama's face when she sees this package show up." The delivery drivers loaded the box onto the truck and drove off.

"Be careful with those!" Amanda called after them.

"Well, as much as I've enjoyed being a spectator in all of this, I have to get back to Ash and Tracey." Said Misty. "Later, guys." Misty ran off with Togepi, and shortly afterward, Michelle let out a sad sigh.

"Is something wrong?" Amanda asked.

"I'm glad you won, but I was hoping to win those for myself so I could finally have my own dolls." Said Michelle, and she started to sob a little bit.

"Hey Mark, I have an idea." Amanda whispered, and the two of them went back to the store. Michelle went back to the Pokemon Center and sat down in the lobby.

"We worked so hard, Eevee, only to fall short at the end." She said sadly.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'You'll get them next time.'

"I'm glad you're feeling confident." Said Michelle. "I'm not sure how long it'll take me to get over this loss, though." Thirty minutes later, Mark and Michelle came into the center with a gift box in hand.

"Michelle, since you didn't win the real dolls, Amanda and I thought we could cheer you up by giving you these." Said Mark. Michelle quickly tore off the wrapping paper and found a set of beautiful porcelain dolls.

"They're beautiful!" she cried. "This is the nicest thing anybody has ever done for me! Thank you both so much!"

"You're welcome." Said Amanda. In my opinion, Michelle definitely seemed to get over her loss fairly quickly. She also learned a lesson from this, which is to not let losses in contests drag her down. Every Pokemon trainer's path has bumps and bruises, but what's important about those is to get over them quickly so that they can continue down the path, just like how our three heroes will in the next exciting episode.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Three

Previously, Amanda and Michelle participated in a princess festival, a special event where girls are treated like royalty. Both of them also competed in a special tournament to try and win a doll set. The championship match between Amanda and Michelle was intense, but in the end, Amanda emerged as the winner. Now, our heroes find themselves in a new town ready for a new adventure.

As today's episode begins, Amanda is knee deep in a conversation with her mother on the Pokemon Center's video phone.

"Did you see the set of dolls that I won, Mama?" she asked.

"Kangaskhan." Said Kangaskhan, which meant 'I sure did. The package arrived two days ago.'

"I bet you were surprised, weren't you?" Amanda asked.

"Kangaskhan." Kangaskhan answered, which meant 'I was very surprised. I put them all away on the spare shelf in your room.'

"Thanks, Mama." Said Amanda. "I'll talk to you later." Right as she hung up, Michelle tapped her shoulder.

"Take a look at this new advertisement." She said. A smartly dressed male and female appeared on the screen.

"Come one and all to our brand new Pokemon day care center!" the female cried.

"Your Pokemon will get all the love and care they need, and some may evolve." Said the male.

"In just a short span of two days, we'll have your Pokemon looking like new." Said the female. "Don't delay. Check out our day care center today!"

"I know they have day care centers for very young kids, but I've never heard of one for Pokemon before." Said Mark.

"Neither have we." Said Amanda. "Come on, let's go check it out." The three of them headed down the street towards the day care center when they spotted someone that they knew. The girl was wearing the same sleeveless green dress that she had worn for her birthday before. Amanda, Michelle and Mark knew immediately who it was and ran up to her.

"Hey there, Rachael!" cried Amanda.

"Well, I certainly didn't expect to find the three of you here." Said Rachael. "How have the three of you been doing?"

"We've been fine." Michelle answered.

"We were just on our way to the new Pokemon day care center." Said Mark.

"Pokemon day care?" Rachael wondered. "I've never heard of that. Where is it?"

"Come with us and we'll show you." Said Amanda. Rachael followed the trio down the street, and fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the center.

"It looks like there's already a big crowd of people here." Said Michelle.

"There's no need to rush. Leave the Pokemon care to us." Said the female worker.

"You know, maybe we should give this place a chance and see how it is." Said Amanda. "Are there any Pokemon that you want to leave here, Rachael?"

"I don't think so." Said Rachael. "My Raticate, Machoke and Sandslash are all in perfect shape, so they don't need any of the special care that this place is advertising."

"Fearow could use a lesson in obedience." Said Amanda.

"It's fully evolved, though." Said Mark. "I don't think they'll take it."

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure it has to be in its first stage or something." Said Michelle. Suddenly, she got an idea. She fumbled for a certain Poke Ball.

"What are you doing?" Amanda asked.

"Looking for Psyduck." Said Michelle.

"You mean you're going to leave one here?" asked Mark. Michelle nodded.

"It would be interesting to give this a try." She said. She then grabbed the ball she was looking for and opened it up. A familiar yellow duck appeared, and the female worker took instant notice of it.

"Well, which little cutie do we have here?" she asked.

"That's my Psyduck." Said Michelle. "It may look cute, but it's brainpower needs a bit of work.

"Don't you worry, young lady. Just leave your Psyduck with us, and you'll have it back in two days looking smarter than ever." Said the female.

"Okay, if you're sure." Said Michelle. "Psyduck, go with this nice lady."

"Psy?" asked Psyduck, which meant 'What if they treat me badly?'

"Everything will be fine." Said Michelle. "I'll see you in a couple of days." The lady took Psyduck inside, and the four kids went back the street in the other direction.

"Psyduck will know for sure if that place is good or not." Said Michelle.

"I bet you'll probably just leave Psyduck there for good and never go back for it." Said Rachael.

"Absolutely not." Said Michelle. "Psyduck can be a pain sometimes, but I would never go so far as to just flat out abandon it." The four of them came across a restaurant that was offering free food and drinks.

"What's the point of running a restaurant if you don't charge any money?" Rachael wondered.

"Yeah, something doesn't seem right about that." Said Mark.

"There has to be some sort of catch." Said Amanda. The head chef then came outside.

"There most certainly is a catch, young lady." Said the chef. "You only get the free food if you're able to show me my favourite Pokemon."

"I knew it." Said Amanda. She grabbed four of her Poke Balls and threw them. Wartortle, Venonat, Weepinbell and Arcanine all appeared in a blaze of light. The chef looked at the four Pokemon, and Amanda gave a hopeful smile, only for the hope to fade when the chef shook his head.

"None of those." He said.

"Well then, how about my Pikachu?" Amanda asked. She held up her electric type partner and gave another smile. Pikachu smiled too.

"Sorry, but that's not my favorite." Said the chef. Michelle stepped forward and sent her Pokemon out.

"Maybe your favorite is Electabuzz, Ponyta, Doduo or Charmander." She said. Or maybe, just maybe, it could be Eevee." She held up the small brown fox Pokemon and gave another smile.

"I'm afraid not." Said the chef. Mark took his turn.

"How about Bulbasaur, Diglett, Gastly, Nidorino, or Lapras?" he asked.

"No sale." Said the chef. Rachael was the last hope.

"Maybe you like Sandslash, Machoke or Raticate as your favourite." She said. The chef frowned.

"None of those are my favourite." He said.

"Which one could it possibly be, then?" asked Michelle.

"Maybe it's a Pokemon that the three of you don't have." Said Rachael. The chef showed them a picture of what his favourite Pokemon was.

"My favourite is this one right here." He said. Michelle couldn't believe her eyes. There was Psyduck, happily chilling in the photo.

"Psyduck?!" they all cried at once.

"You're a Psyduck lover?" Michelle asked. The chef nodded.

"Psyduck has always been my favourite Pokemon ever since I was a kid." He said. "I just love the cute smile he always has. That's why I allow any customer that brings a Psyduck here to eat for free."

"Mister, if we come back within an hour, will you still be here?" asked Rachael.

"Of course." Said the chef. "I have to wait for some key ingredients for today's menu to arrive before I can start my work."

"All right!" Michelle cried. "We'll be back as soon as we can!" The four of them recalled their Pokemon and ran off, with Pikachu and Eevee in tow.

"That's typical. The one time I need Psyduck for something and it's not here." Said Michelle.

"If I recall, it was your decision to drop Psyduck off at the center." Said Amanda.

"She's right, you know." Said Rachael. Michelle didn't answer to that comment. Instead, she just kept running ahead, with the other three close behind. They got back to the day care in no time at all, only to find the doors completely locked.

"No way! It can't be closed for the day already!" Michelle cried.

"I guess we'll just have to come back tomorrow." Said Rachael.

"Which means we won't get any free food today." Said Mark. Michelle wasn't happy about this and shook her head.

"No! I'm getting Psyduck and going back to that restaurant right now! They might not have the food I want tomorrow!" she cried. "Let's see if there's a back way inside." All four of them went around to the back of the building and found a door.

"Perfect." Said Michelle. She started knocking on the door.

"Hello? Anybody there?" she asked. "I need to pick up the Pokemon that I dropped off here earlier!" They waited for someone to answer the door, but nobody came.

"This definitely seems suspicious." Said Amanda. "There's no way a place like this suddenly closes for the day way before a normal place closes."

"Yeah, that does seem kind of odd." Said Rachael. She tried opening the door, and it opened up slightly.

"Good, it's unlocked." Said Mark. The four of them made their way inside, but they made sure to go through the hall slowly so that they wouldn't be spotted. In another room, the two workers were checking on all the Pokemon through a video camera monitor.

"Look at all of these Pokemon that we've collected for the boss." Said the female.

"He's going to be very happy with the report that we have for him." Said the male. "Come on, let's call him." He grabbed the video phone and dialed a number. Giovanni's image immediately appeared on the screen.

"I was wondering when both of you would call." He said. "Do you have good news for me?"

"We certainly do." Said the female. "We've got a whole bunch of Pokemon for you that we think you'll love."

"Those suckers of trainers don't even realize that they're never getting their Pokemon back because we're taking them." Said the male.

"What kind of Pokemon were you able to get?" asked Giovanni.

"We have some of the more common ones like Spearow and Pidgey, but we were also able to get some rare ones too." Said the female. The four kids were slowly walking past the room when they heard the conversation that was going on. Amanda peeked her head inside to take a listen, hoping that she would go unnoticed. Fortunately, the two workers were too busy on their phone call.

"We're planning to ship them out to you at some point tomorrow." Said the male.

"Excellent." Said the boss. "Gordon, Maria, I'm very proud of both of you. I knew the two of you were the right ones to handle this assignment from the start."

"I fail to see how you're able to tolerate Sally and her partner Conrad." Said Gordon.

"Those two are complete idiots." Said Giovanni. "I'm glad I didn't tell them about this. They would've found a way to ruin it. That's why I'm counting on the two of you instead."

"We won't let you down, sir." Said Gordon.

"Very good. Carry on, then." Said Giovanni, and he hung up the phone. Amanda gasped and turned back to face her friends.

"What did you find out?" Michelle whispered.

"I can't explain here." Said Amanda. "Let's find somewhere else in this building." They carefully navigated their way toward the room where all the Pokemon were being kept. Neither of them looked very happy.

"This whole set up is a Team Rocket scam." Amanda whispered.

"I knew there had to be a reason why they closed unexpectedly." Said Michelle.

"When we first saw this place advertised on TV in the Pokemon Center, it said that it was supposed to be kind of like a Pokemon day care." Said Mark.

"This doesn't resemble a day care to me." Said Rachael.

"Not to mention that there's two other Team Rocket members running this place instead of the two usual suspects." Said Amanda. Mark walked slowly over to one of the cages and pointed at it.

"Hey, Michelle, here's your Psyduck." He said. Michelle ran over and had a look.

"I have to say, it already looks a little smarter now than it did when I dropped it off." She said.

"Take a closer look at it." Said Mark. "Its eyes are being held together with tape."

"What?! That's terrible!" Michelle cried. "Here, let's get these off of you right now." She removed the tape and Psyduck's eyes went back to where they were supposed to be.

"Psy." Psyduck said, which meant 'I didn't like having that tape on at all.'

"I know, but it's okay now." Said Michelle. "Come on, let's get you out of here." She tried opening the cage but was unsuccessful.

"First the front door was locked, and now this cage is locked too." Said Michelle.

"Just forget about it for now." Said Amanda.

"You must be crazy if you think I'm just going to let Psyduck continue to stay here in this terrible place." Said Michelle. She continued to rattle the cage, which drew the attention of Gordon and Maria.

"What's going on?" Maria asked.

"I don't know, but I'm going to check it out." Said Gordon. He got up from his chair and started walking toward the room the kids were in. Once they heard the footsteps, Michelle and Amanda panicked.

"Eevee, go and hide somewhere quickly." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu, you go with Eevee." Said Amanda. Both Pokemon nodded and slipped their way into an empty cage just as Gordon opened the door. The kids hid behind another cage out of sight so that they wouldn't be seen. Gordon looked but couldn't find any noise except for the sound of Pikachu's Thunderbolt.

"Ah, so it was just a Pikachu making the noise." He said. He breathed a sigh of relief and went back to the other room. The kids came out of hiding, and Pikachu and Eevee ran back over to them.

"Good work, you two." Amanda whispered.

"Now that we know what's really going on, we have to find Officer Jenny and make her aware of all of this." Said Rachael.

"Agreed." Said Mark, Michelle and Amanda in unison. They were about to sneak out when they heard commotion from outside.

"What's going on now?" Amanda wondered. After some rattling around, the window opened and Conrad and Sally slid in.

"Be quiet as a mouse." Sally ordered in a whispered tone.

"Mouse or Meowth?" Conrad wondered.

"Ugh." Sally answered. Conrad looked at all the Pokemon that were there.

"This is so exciting!" he cried. Sally quickly covered his mouth.

"Keep quiet, James Bond!" she ordered quietly. "You don't want us to get caught, do you?"

"Hey!" Amanda cried. Conrad and Sally turned around and saw the kids staring at them.

"What are you guys doing here?" Michelle asked.

"I should ask you the very same question." Said Sally.

"Don't tell me you all decided to become bad guys like us." Said Conrad.

"Wait a second, I've seen you guys before." Said Rachael. "You two were the ones who crashed my birthday party."

"Oh yeah, I remember that." Said Amanda.

"Getting back to the topic at hand, there's no way we would ever consider joining up with you to become members of Team Rocket." Said Mark.

"If that's the case, then why are the four of you here?" Conrad asked.

"You better not be trying to steal these Pokemon for yourselves." Said Sally.

"We're not stealing them. We're trying to save these Pokemon from major trouble." Said Michelle.

"Somehow, I don't believe you one bit." Said Sally.

"If you want proof that we're not thieves, then I'll gladly show you." Said Michelle. "Take a look at that Oddish over there for example." They looked at another cage containing a small Pokemon resembling a weed with three green leaves on top.

"Oddish." it whimpered sadly.

"See what I mean?" Said Michelle. Sally and Conrad looked at Oddish themselves.

"You do have a fair point there, young lady." Said Sally.

"I never thought I'd see the day where a Team Rocket member actually agrees with us on something." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'I never thought I'd see that either.'

"Regardless, Michelle is a hundred percent correct." Said Mark. "We have to get all of these Pokemon out of here as fast as possible or else they'll be in real trouble." Michelle ran back over to Psyduck's cage and tried to open it again.

"They locked this one up really tight." She said. "I just can't leave Psyduck here, though." The light in the room suddenly turned on and Maria entered the room. Gordon followed behind her.

"I had a hunch that something was going on back here." She said. "Looks like my suspicions were right. Rats have snuck in."

"What should we do with them?" Gordon asked.

"We'll exterminate them." Said Maria. "Once they get put in their proper place, they'll think twice before trying to sneak in again."

"Hold on a moment." Said Amanda. "We're not rats at all. We're just regular Pokemon trainers."

"Is that so?" asked Maria. "Tell me something, miss, if you're trainers, then why are you trying to steal our Pokemon?"

"We're not stealing them. We're trying to save them." Said Michelle.

"Also, they're not even yours at all!" cried Rachael. "You stole them first."

"Yeah, right, likely story." Said Gordon. He and Maria turned their attention over to Conrad and Sally.

"Well, Sally, it's been a while since we've seen each other." Said Maria.

"A little too long in my opinion." Said Sally.

"You mean you know this girl?" asked Conrad.

"She and I were rivals during the training courses years ago." Said Sally. "She's just jealous because I have more brainpower than she does."

"I have to disagree." Said Maria. "If anything, you're the dumb one."

"I can see you're still just as annoying as you were way back then." Said Sally. Maria scoffed, and then Gordon spoke.

"So, Conrad, nice mustache that you've grown." He said.

"I don't remember having one." He said.

"I do." Said Gordon. "You first started growing one during training and you still have it now."

"Will you two knock it off?" Said Sally. "This day care plan was supposed to be for Conrad and I and you know that!"

"You're right, it was given to you originally." Said Maria. "However, after seeing the, shall we say, less than stellar track record you two have, he changed his mind at gave it to us instead." Said Maria. "What do you think that proves?"

"It proves that you're still just as selfish as you used to be." Said Sally.

"Yeah, Pokemon theft is supposed to be our specialty." Said Conrad.

"Save those arguments for the boss when he finds out that you're trying to steal all these Pokemon that we stole for him." Said Gordon. Conrad and Sally gulped.

"I think we're both in trouble." Said Sally.

"You two are certainly in trouble all right." Said Maria. "The boss hasn't heard from any of you in a long time, and he's very angry and upset about that."

"I know, but we can't call him until we actually do something right for once." Said Conrad.

"We were tasked with this assignment because he found the two of you untrustworthy." Said Gordon. "I can't wait to see how he'll react when he finds out that you managed to ruin it anyway."

"What do you think he'll do to us?" Sally asked.

"I don't know exactly what he'll do, but I guess kicking you out of Team Rocket would be a good start." Said Maria.

"We'll be grateful to you if you can forget about this whole incident." Said Conrad.

"What's it worth to you?" said Maria.

"Come on, let's try and get out of here." Amanda whispered. She, Michelle, Mark and Rachael tried to slip out of the room, but they were caught right as they reached the door.

"Not so fast, you four." Said Maria. Amanda gulped nervously.

"Now that you all know about the little secret that's been going on here, we can't allow you to leave." Amanda, Rachael, Michelle, Mark, Pikachu and Eevee all started running down the hall.

"What secrets?" Amanda asked, trying to deny the fact.

"All we were trying to do was get free food at a restaurant." Said Mark. Maria chuckled.

"You kids can't get away from us." She said. "Gordon and I aren't pushovers, unlike Conrad and Sally." Speaking of Conrad and Sally, the two of them were trying to escape as well.

"We have to get out of here right now!" Sally cried. Conrad was in no rush, however, and stopped to scan the cages.

"What's wrong?" Sally asked.

"I just remembered that I dropped off my Zubat here yesterday." Said Conrad. He somehow managed to get Zubat's cage open and saw that it had gotten bigger. Its wings were larger than before, and its teeth were sharper.

"Look at that! It evolved into Golbat!" Conrad cried excitedly. "Isn't that just wonderful?" Golbat chomped on Conrad with its teeth, resulting in him screaming in pain. Sally sighed as she started to drag Conrad and Golbat away.

"I just wish your brain would evolve a little bit." She said quietly. A large cage started to descend from the ceiling.

"Ah!" They both cried as the cage came down around the two Team Rocket members and trapped them. Amanda, Rachael, Michelle, Mark, Pikachu and Eevee were still running when Amanda spotted the back door.

"There's the exit!" she cried. Unfortunately, another cage came down around them. Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee managed to dodge the trap, but Amanda, Mark and Rachael all got captured.

"Oh no!" cried Amanda. She gripped the cage bars tightly.

"I think we've been caught." Said Rachael.

"What do we do now?" asked Mark.

"Michelle, you go find a place to hide." Said Amanda. "Also, take Pikachu and Eevee with you."

"Come on, you two." Said Michelle. She, Pikachu and Eevee carefully slipped out the door, while Gordon and Maria confronted the others.

"Looks like our little trap worked." Said Maria gleefully.

"You crooks better let us out of here right now!" Rachael demanded.

"No way, no how, forget it." Said Gordon. "Oh, and when Officer Jenny finds out about your little crime, she's going to lock you up for life." Amanda gasped at the sound of that.

"You can't do that!" cried Mark.

"I'm in charge here for now, and I say that we can do that." Said Maria.

"That means we're being framed for a crime that isn't even our fault." Said Amanda.

"The twerp's catching on, I see." Said Maria.

"This whole thing was your doing." Said Amanda. "We had no involvement, so you're going to release us this instant!"

"Sorry, but you don't get to tell us what to do." Said Gordon. Amanda, Mark and Rachael growled angrily at the two of them. It took until nighttime before Officer Jenny finally arrived at the scene.

"There were burglars here and everything." Maria said in a sobbing voice. "I'm still shaken up. Thank goodness you got here when you did."

"Don't worry. Our town is much safer now thanks to your call." Said Jenny. A large cage containing Amanda, Mark, Rachael, Conrad, Sally and Golbat started being wheeled out.

"You're all arresting the wrong guys! We're innocent!" Amanda protested.

"The evidence is literally right there!" Rachael cried.

"Maybe coming here was a bad idea." Said Sally.

"You're one to talk. We both agreed together." Said Conrad.

"Why do I even bother agreeing to do anything with you?" Sally asked. She got no response, however.

"Look inside the center! You'll see that we're not involved!" Mark cried. All of their pleas fell on death ears, however.

"Save your stories for the station!" Jenny fumed and she chucked the cage into the large police truck.

"We've officially sunk to a new low." Said Conrad.

"Getting turned in not by the twerpette and her crew, but by our own teammates." Said Sally.

"And now, all of us are going to jail." Amanda muttered. Once the police vehicles and sirens were clear out of sight, Michelle came out of her hiding spot. She had seen everything.

"Oh no!" she cried. "We now have to somehow convince Jenny that Amanda, Mark and Rachael are all innocent." She sighed and started to walk down the street back to the Pokemon Center. Although Michelle did eat some dinner in the center's cafeteria, she was still upset that her friends had been falsely accused of Pokemon theft. Nurse Joy approached her.

"Care to have some brownies for dessert?" Joy asked.

"No thanks." Said Michelle. She, Pikachu and Eevee got up from the table and left the cafeteria.

"Something is definitely bothering that girl." Said Joy. Chansey nodded in agreement. Back in the room that Michelle and her friends were checked into, she had a meeting with Pikachu and Eevee.

"As you both know, Amanda, Mark and Rachael were all arrested tonight, and for a crime that I know for a fact they didn't commit." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'That means we have to find some evidence!'

"You're exactly right, Pikachu." Said Michelle. "The way Amanda and the others are being treated right now isn't fair."

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Amanda's definitely no crook. She's a very kind person that would never do harm to any Pokemon at all.'

"I've known Amanda long enough to know that she wouldn't do that, so I agree with your statement there, Pikachu." Said Michelle.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'What kind of evidence can we possibly get that would clear her name?'

"That's what we're trying to figure out, Eevee." Said Michelle. "Plus, I'm pretty sure Pikachu doesn't want to see his best friend end up in the slammer."

"Pikachu Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Definitely not!' The three of them sat on the bed and thought for a while. Then, an idea came to mind in Michelle's head.

"I think I've figured it out." She said. "From what I remember, there were video monitors in that room where Maria and Gordon were watching all of the Pokemon that they took. That means there has to be some videotapes somewhere in there. All we have to do is grab a hold of them and show them to Jenny." When the three of them went to bed later that night, Pikachu and Eevee slept comfortably, but Michelle kept tossing and turning.

"Don't worry, Amanda, I'll get you out of jail." She thought. The next morning, after Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee had all eaten breakfast, the three of them consulted together on how to put their plan into action.

"Since the chef said yesterday that he loves Psyduck, I can use this opportunity to try and sneak him out of that day care." Michelle said. Pikachu pointed to her clothes.

"Pika!" he cried, which meant 'Good idea, but you'll give yourself away if you show up there in your dress.'

"That's a good point, Pikachu." Said Michelle. "I'll definitely need to disguise myself. I wonder how I go about that, though." The three of them thought again, and then Michelle got an idea. "I know! I'll just borrow some of Mark's clothes. I'm sure he won't mind, as long as we give them back to him afterward of course." She opened up the drawer, grabbed the clothes she needed and went into the bathroom to change. When she came out, she was sporting a red shirt, dark blue jean shorts and green running shoes.

"There. That looks a lot better." She said. "What do you think, guys?" Pikachu and Eevee gave an approving thumbs up.

"I'm glad you both agree." She said. "Now, let's get a move on." The three of them left the Pokemon Center and walked down the street back toward the day care center.

"I hope nobody sees me dressed like this." Said Michelle nervously. She got about halfway to where she was headed when a smartly dressed young woman noticed her.

"Well, aren't you the cutest little boy I've ever seen." She said.

"Hey Mommy, that boy has a Pikachu with him. Can I go see?" the woman's kid asked.

"I suppose it wouldn't do any harm." Said the woman. The boy ran up to Pikachu and gave him a playful pet, which the little mouse enjoyed.

"Excuse me, miss, but I think you have me confused with someone else. I'm not a boy." Said Michelle.

"Don't be silly, darling." Said the woman. "You're wearing boy's clothes, aren't you?"

"Well, yes I am, but…." Michelle stammered.

"But nothing. You are clearly a cute little boy." Said the woman. "You know, my son here has an older brother, but he's off on a Pokemon journey of his own and could use some company. Why don't you come with me to our house and you can join our family."

"That's very nice of you, but I'm kind of in a hurry." Said Michelle. "You see….."

"Nonsense, dear, your business can wait." Said the woman. "Oh, son, meet your new brother, Michael." The boy ran up to Michelle and gave her a hug.

"You're going to be my new favourite brother, sir." He said. Michelle's face started glowing bright red with anger.

"Look, lady, I don't know what's going on inside that little head of yours, but I am not a boy!" she fumed. "I'm a girl who's on a mission, and a very important mission at that." She then turned her attention to the boy, who was no older than six. "And you, it's very impolite to call a girl sir. Don't ever call me that again! You got that?!" The boy nodded his head.

"Come on, Pikachu. Come on, Eevee. Let's get out of here." Said Michelle, and the three of them walked away. The woman just shook her head.

"That boy is certainly a weird one." She said.

"I heard that!" Michelle cried. She walked a little further, but then stopped.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'Are you okay, Michelle?'

"I'm okay, Pikachu." Said Michelle. "I just don't understand what made that woman and her kid think that I'm a boy."

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'It's probably because of how you're dressed.'

"You're probably right, Eevee, but I had to dress like this to avoid any suspicions." Said Michelle. "Although, now I'm worried that Gordon and Maria will be suspicious. That's not going to stop us from completing our objective, though." The three of them continued on their way and reached the day care right as it was opening for the day.

"Well, here goes nothing." Said Michelle. She took a deep breath and knocked on the door. Maria promptly answered and glanced over at Michelle.

"You look a little different compared to yesterday." She said.

"It never hurts to change looks every once in a while." Michelle said sheepishly. Pikachu nudged her leg.

"Pika!" he cried, which meant 'Focus, Michelle.'

"Oh, right." Michelle whispered and turned back to face Maria. "I need to pick up a Pokemon that I dropped off here yesterday."

"Sorry, but our rules state that trainers must leave their Pokemon here for a minimum of two full days before they can be picked up." Said Maria. Michelle scrambled to come up with an excuse, but luckily, she decided on one that she felt would be the most believable.

"I understand that, but this is an emergency." She said. "You see, I have family members coming in for a reunion later today and they all want to see Psyduck, so I really need to take it with me."

"I see." Said Maria. "Just wait right here, and I'll get Psyduck for you." She disappeared into the back room, and once the coast was clear, Michelle snuck down the hall towards the video surveillance room.

"Here we go." She said. Pikachu and Eevee studied the monitors and saw a videocassette player attached to each one.

"We just need a couple of tapes, Pikachu." Said Michelle. She looked at the screens that had the most evidence on them and nodded her head.

"We've got them now." She said. She ejected the tapes from the machines and placed them carefully into her backpack. She then started to sneak back to the front entrance in the hopes that nobody would see her. Fortunately, she made it without being noticed.

"Once we show these to Jenny, it'll prove that Amanda and the others are innocent." Said Michelle. "Well, not quite all the others. Conrad and Sally can stay in jail for all I care." Maria came back a minute later with Psyduck in her hands.

"Excuse me miss." She said.

"Yes?" Michelle responded.

"We didn't have a chance to give your Psyduck any proper care, so there hasn't been much of a change." Said Maria.

"Psyduck!" Psyduck shouted and ran up to Michelle.

"I'm glad you're okay, Psyduck." Michelle whispered.

"I thought you had to leave." Said Maria.

"I'm not really in that much of a hurry." Said Michelle. "I mean, the reunion isn't until this afternoon." Eevee gave Michelle a slight nudge to indicate that they should go.

"On second thought, I have to run." Said Michelle. "Bye!" She took off with Psyduck in her arms and Pikachu and Eevee running behind her. Maria looked at her curiously.

"What a strange kid." She said to herself. Michelle ran to an intersection before stopping to catch her breath.

"That was a close call." Said Michelle and she recalled Psyduck to his Poke Ball. "On the plus side, though, we have the evidence that we need to bust Maria and Gordon. Come on, let's go save our friends!" They ran off towards the jailhouse where Amanda, Mark, Rachael, Conrad and Sally were being kept.

"Let us out! We're not the criminals!" Amanda shouted.

"Those two at the day care are the real crooks, not us!" protested Mark.

"That's right!" cried Rachael.

"Just go down there and take a look for yourself!" fumed Amanda.

"The less time we have to spend in here, the better." Said Rachel. She then pointed over to the corner of the cell where Conrad and Sally were sitting. "Especially with those two cuckoo birds over there." Sally didn't care about Rachael's remark enough to respond to it, so she remained quiet. Conrad, on the other hand, was admiring his new Pokemon.

"What a handsome Golbat you are." He said. "You're so strong and healthy, and very friendly too." Golbat proceeded to chomp on Conrad's head with its teeth again, causing him to scream. Sally let out a frustrating sigh.

"Oh brother." She muttered.

"If you're trying to win me over with sympathy, it's not going to work." Said Jenny. "The judge is going to throw the book at you Pokemon snatchers in court." Everyone in the cell let out a loud groan.

"Mark, what does it mean to have the book thrown at us?" Amanda asked.

"It means getting sent to jail for however long the judge decides." Mark answered.

"Wait a minute. Wouldn't that also mean we wouldn't be allowed to be Pokemon trainers anymore?" Rachael asked.

"Yes, it would mean that too." Said Mark. Neither of them liked that possibility. Suddenly, the door of the room burst open and Michelle came barging in.

"You're making a huge mistake, Officer Jenny!" she cried. A smile lit up on Amanda, Rachael and Mark's faces upon seeing their friend.

"Michelle, Pikachu, Eevee!" Amanda cried. "Thank goodness."

"You got here just in time." Said Rachael.

"Officer, these three have been telling the truth the whole time, and I have video evidence to back that up." Said Michelle.

"Let's see that evidence." Said Jenny. Michelle handed her a tape to put in the machine, and when Jenny saw the footage, she was horrified.

"That's awful!" she cried.

"That place isn't a real day care." Michelle pointed out. "They just steal all of the best Pokemon that are brought there. It's all one big set up."

"They stuff all of the Pokemon into cages." Said Mark.

"Pikachu Pika!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'What Michelle's saying is all true!'

"That's why they told you we were the criminals, because we were the ones who found out about their whole scheme.

"That means they not only tricked me, but they also lied to me too?" Jenny asked. Michelle nodded her head.

"After we heard was those two were cooking up, we went to stop them ourselves." Said Sally. Conrad got Golbat off of him so that he could chime in as well.

"It's all true, honest." He said. "We're good guys for once." Michelle wasn't impressed with that statement at all and folded her arms angrily.

"Give me a break." She muttered. "You two only snuck in there so that you could steal all of the Pokemon for yourselves." Conrad and Sally groaned loudly as they realized that Michelle was right.

"Michelle, I'm very glad you brought in that tape." Said Jenny. She unlocked the door of the cell so she could let Amanda, Mark and Rachael out.

"Come on, kids, let's go bust some crooks!" she cried. Michelle, Amanda, Mark and Rachael all followed Jenny out the door and out of the building, leaving both Conrad and Sally behind.

"What are the chances we're getting out of jail?" Conrad asked.

"Not very high." Sally answered. Jenny placed the kids in her police car and sped off toward the day care. Maria and Gordon were about to start shipping the Pokemon out when Jenny, Michelle, Mark, Amanda and Rachael burst into the room.

"So, you thought you could frame these innocent kids when it turns out that you're the ones who were stealing Pokemon!" Jenny fumed. "You're both under arrest!"

"We're not…." Maria stammered, but Jenny cut her off.

"No excuses! I already know everything!" she yelled. Maria quickly grabbed a Poke Ball and threw it.

"Primeape, go!" she cried. A beige colored fighting type with black bands around its wrists appeared in a blaze of light. Amanda took the opportunity to scan it with her Pokedex.

"Primeape, the pig monkey Pokemon. Primeape chases after anyone that makes it angry and will not stop chasing until it catches up to its opponent. Primeape's strongest attack is Rage."

"Go, Pikachu!" Amanda cried. Pikachu ran forward and looked Primeape right in the eye.

"Primeape, use your Fury Swipes!" Maria ordered. Primeape got his hands out to swipe at Pikachu.

"Agility now!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu used its quick speed to dodge the swipes.

"Great work." Said Amanda. "Now, Thunderbolt it!" Pikachu zapped the fighting type with the powerful attack, sending it to the floor in a defeated state.

"Primeape got fried!" cried Maria.

"Tough break." Said Gordon. They tried to run for it, but Mark was ready.

"Bulbasaur, go!" he cried. The grass starter instantly appeared in a blaze of light.

"Vine Whip time!" Mark commanded. Bulbasaur shot its vines out and trapped the two crooks, preventing them from moving. Jenny came up to them and nodded.

"I think that's the end of the road for these two." She said. Once the vines had been released, Jenny led everyone outside and handcuffed Maria and Gordon. Two of Jenny's fellow officers put them in the back of the car and drove away.

"Pikachu, Eevee and I all had the idea to sneak into the center and get the videotapes to show Jenny." Said Michelle.

"You guys are the best!" Amanda cried and she gave Michelle a big hug.

"You all did a terrific job." Said Jenny. "My crew is now in the process of getting all of the stolen Pokemon back to their respective trainers."

"That's great to hear, Jenny." Said Mark.

"Now, is anybody hungry?" Jenny asked.

"I am." Said Rachael.

"So am I." said Amanda.

"I'm also hungry." Said Mark.

"I know just where we can go." Said Jenny. She took the foursome down the street to a familiar restaurant.

"We were just here yesterday." Said Michelle. She pressed a button on one of her Poke Balls and Psyduck came out.

"Once the chef sees this, we'll get all the free food we want." Said Michelle. They made their way into the restaurant where they were served by the chef they had seen already.

"Oh, look at that cute Psyduck." He Said. "I'm going to treat you guys to the whole works." He brought out a buffet table filled with pizza, meat, salad, sandwiches and drinks. Everyone chowed the food down in no time, and once Michelle was done, she yelled "I want some ice cream now, please!"

"Hey there, settle down a bit, Michelle." Said Rachael.

"Yeah, leave some for the rest of the customers." Said Mark. Jenny just chuckled.

"Don't worry, Michelle, there's plenty of ice cream to go around." She said.

"All of it is free because you brought your cute little Psyduck to visit my restaurant." The chef said. He fed Psyduck a scoop of chocolate ice cream, which he happily devoured.

"You guys all have good taste." Said Michelle. Her friends smiled as they watched her eat. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were digging their way out of the jail cell.

"I don't like it in there." Said Sally. "Not only is there no television but the smell is awful too."

"I flat out refuse to wear those tight prison uniforms." Said Conrad.

"The food is even worse than the smell." Said Sally.

"We never should've tried to steal from your friend, Sally." Said Conrad.

"Some friend." Sally muttered. "I'll show her one of these days." Amanda, Rachael, Mark and Michelle all left the town together.

"I'm guessing that you're all heading to Cinnabar Island, right?" Rachael wondered.

"That's right." Amanda answered.

"I suppose this is where we say goodbye to you, again." Said Michelle.

"I guess so." Said Rachael.

"It was really nice to see you again, though, Rachael." Said Mark.

"I enjoyed seeing the three of you again myself." Said Rachael. "I hope we can meet up with each other again real soon."

"We'll just have to see what happens." Said Amanda. Rachael waved to the trio as she watched the three of them walk away together.

"By the way, Michelle, why are you wearing my clothes?" Mark asked. Michelle gulped, realizing that she had forgotten to give them back.

"I don't think you want to know." Said Amanda. And so, with the aid of a couple of videos, getting out of jail was a breeze for our heroes. Now, the trio continues making their way towards Cinnabar Island so that Amanda can earn a Volcano Badge. Who knows what adventures wait for them on the road ahead. Down below them, Conrad and Sally were continuing with their digging.

"Conrad, watch where you're throwing all that dirt!" she cried.

"Watch?! I can barely see a foot in front of my face." Saud Conrad.

"If you don't quit your complaining right now, I'll show you a foot in front of your face. My own!" Sally yelled.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Four

Last time, our heroes reunited with Rachael, the girl they met at her birthday party several episodes ago. Upon hearing about a new Pokemon day care center, the foursome went to check it out, but it turned out to be a scam. Although Michelle, Mark and Rachael were all caught and arrested, Michelle was able to gather video evidence to show Officer Jenny, resulting in her friends being released. With the day care runners Gordon and Maria being arrested and all the Pokemon they had stolen now safely back with their original owners, our heroes can continue their journey, eager to see what new adventures unfold.

Amanda, Michelle and Mark were calmly walking down the pathway that would lead them toward their next destination when their stomachs rumbled.

"When was the last time we ate?" asked Amanda.

"During breakfast, which was five hours ago." Michelle answered.

"Five hours?!" Amanda cried.

"Fortunately, we're not too far off from the next town." Said Mark. "We can stock up on supplies there, and even get some refills on our water."

"Great, because I'm thirsty too." Said Amanda.

"I think we all are." Said Michelle. "We've been walking non stop for a while and my feet are killing me."

"I guess we can all use a break." Said Mark. Once they arrived at the town, they headed right for the Pokemon Center.

"Would your name be Amanda Cooper by any chance?" Nurse Joy asked.

"It sure is." Said Amanda.

"Professor Oak just called for you right before you and your friends got here." Said Joy. "He hasn't heard from you in a little bit and I'm sure he'd love to hear from you." Amanda, Mark and Michelle headed right for the phone so that Amanda could place the call. The professor answered on the second ring.

"Greetings, Professor!" cried Amanda.

"Hello there, Amanda." Said Oak. "I heard about that whole day care scam on the news. Are the three of you okay?"

"We're fine." Said Michelle. "It was just a simple misunderstanding, that's all."

"I'm glad to hear that." Said Oak. "Now then, Amanda, I'm guessing things went well for you in your last gym match?"

"They sure did." Said Amanda. "I have six badges now, which means I only have to get two more."

"That's very good." Said Oak. "Now, the reason I called you is because I have exciting news for you. Over the past week, some new Pokemon discoveries have been made."

"That's awesome, Professor!" cried Amanda. "Where can I find them?"

"I'm afraid you won't be able to see them just yet." Oak answered. "The reason is because the new ones that have been found are exclusive to the Johto region."

"I don't think we've been there yet." Said Amanda. "I'd love to visit that region, though.

"I'm not surprised one bit by your reaction." Said Oak. "I have a fellow colleague there, and I'm sure he'd love to meet you." Right at that moment, Oak's doorbell rang.

"Gotta go, Amanda. The Pokedexes that I ordered for the new set of trainers that start tomorrow have arrived and I need to get those set up. Talk to you soon." He ended the call and hurried off.

"You know, I'd love to meet some of those new Pokemon for myself." Said Michelle.

"I think we'd all like to meet them." Said Mark.

"Wouldn't you love to meet some new Pokemon, Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I sure would!' His stomach growled at that point.

"I think right now, we need to meet some food." Said Michelle. The three of them made their way to the nearest store to get supplies, only to find almost all the shelves completely empty.

"How can there be no food?" Amanda wondered. "I always thought grocery stores were supposed to carry food at all times."

"Maybe this is a bad season or something." Said Michelle. "Let's try somewhere else." They went to another store nearby, but there wasn't anything there either.

"Just what is going on here?" Mark asked. The owner of the store approached them.

"I have an explanation for that." He said. "We did have food earlier this morning, but it all got taken very quickly."

"Busy crowd of shoppers, I'm assuming." Said Michelle.

"Or maybe Sally and Conrad of Team Rocket broke in and stole all the food." Said Amanda. "Those two are always up to no good."

"Both very good theories, but both incorrect ones." Said the owner. "All of our food was eaten up by a Pokemon." All three members of the trio were shocked.

"No way. I didn't think it was possible for a single Pokemon to eat so much." Said Amanda.

"I didn't think so either until I saw it with my own eyes." Said the owner. All three kids left the store, but they were still very confused.

"I don't get it. How can one Pokemon eat so much?" Amanda asked.

"More importantly, what specific Pokemon can eat so much at once?" asked Michelle.

"I guess that's what we'll need to find out." Said Mark. They walked into a small forest area in search of the Pokemon the owner was talking about. The river that they were walking beside was usually flowing with plenty of water, but today, there was barely a drop.

"It looks like whichever Pokemon ate all the food also drank up most of the river's water too." Said Michelle.

"I guess we won't be able to get any drinks for a while either." Said Mark. They kept walking along down the riverbank, and a short time later, they found a huge, bipedal, dark blue-green mammalian Pokémon with a cream-colored face, belly, and feet. The Pokemon was happily snoozing away beside a tree.

"So that's the one the store owner said ate up all the food in the store." Said Michelle.

"Let's find out which Pokemon it is." Said Amanda. She grabbed her Pokedex and scanned it at the large Pokemon.

"Snorlax, the sleeping Pokemon. Snorlax spends a majority of its time sleeping, only waking up to eat upwards of nine hundred pounds per day before going back to sleep."

"Nine hundred pounds?!" Michelle cried with a shocked expression on her face.

"No wonder all the food disappeared." Said Amanda. "Snorlax ate it all."

"We've got to wake it up and get it out of here somehow." Said Mark.

"How do we do that, though?" asked Michelle. "It probably won't wake up for a while considering that it ate a few hours ago."

"We still have to try." Said Amanda.

"Good point." Said Mark. They tied an alarm clock to the hooking line of a fishing road and placed it just in front of Snorlax.

"The alarm on this clock is pretty loud, so when Snorlax hears it, that should get it to wake up." Said Amanda.

"Let's see what happens." Said Michelle. They waited for the alarm clock to go off, and five minutes later, the alarm went off. It was so loud that everyone had to cover their ears to block the noise.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Turn it off!'

"I don't think we can!" Mark yelled.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'The alarm is too loud!'

"We can't do anything about that, Eevee. The alarm is set that way automatically!" Michelle cried. Just then, the alarm stopped and everyone took their hands off of their ears.

"Thank goodness." Said Amanda. They looked at Snorlax, but he was still snoozing away peacefully.

"Looks like the clock didn't work." Said Mark.

"We'll have to try something else." Said Michelle.

"Maybe our Pokemon can battle and weaken it so that we can capture it in a Poke Ball." Said Amanda.

"That's not a bad idea." Said Mark. Since Amanda was the one who had come up with the idea, she decided that she would battle Snorlax first.

"Pikachu, go!" she cried. Pikachu happily ran towards Snorlax and readied himself for battle mode.

"Thunderbolt, now!" she ordered. Pikachu let its electricity loose and gave Snorlax a powerful zap, but the bulky Pokemon didn't seem to be fazed at all.

"That must be a powerful Snorlax if it can withstand electric attacks." Said Mark. Pikachu got ready to attempt another Thunderbolt when Amanda stopped him.

"Electricity won't work, Pikachu." She said. "We have to go with a different approach. Try using your Quick Attack." Pikachu ran at full speed and lunged himself right onto Snorlax's huge belly. However, the big Pokemon didn't budge.

"Not only is Snorlax powerful, he's also very bulky." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Should I try something else?'

"Don't bother, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "It's not going to move no matter what attack you use."

"Maybe one of my Pokemon can give it a shot." Said Mark. He grabbed one of his Poke Balls and threw it.

"Bulbasaur, I choose you!" he cried. The grass starter instantly appeared and sprang into action.

"Bulba!" it cried.

"Use your Razor Leaf." Mark ordered. Bulbasaur shot several leaves from its bulb, but they deflected off of Snorlax and fell onto the ground.

"That was no good. Try a Vine Whip!" Mark commanded. Bulbasaur shot out its vines and smacked them across Snorlax's stomach, but once again, nothing happened.

"How can one Pokemon withstand so many attacks?" Mark wondered.

"Beats me." Said Amanda.

"Looks like it's my turn to try." Said Michelle. She grabbed one of her Poke Balls, but before she could throw it, Psyduck popped out.

"This isn't going to end well." Said Mark.

"You don't know that yet." Said Amanda.

"What are you doing out, Psyduck?" Michelle asked. "I wanted Charmander out here." Psyduck just shrugged his arms sheepishly.

"Well, I suppose I'm going to have to let you battle it now since you're out here." Said Michelle. "Go for a Water Gun." Psyduck opened his mouth, and while a water line did appear, it was a very small one and ended up going onto the ground instead of Snorlax.

"Psyduck." The yellow duck Pokemon happily replied.

"I don't think you understand how Water Gun is supposed to work." Said Michelle. "I'll have to teach that to you at some point, but for now, try using your Scratch attack." Psyduck ran up to Snorlax and scratched it with its claws, but the heavy Pokemon didn't feel any pain.

"Just what is this Snorlax's problem?" Michelle asked. "No matter what we do or what attacks we use, nothing seems to work."

"We haven't tried catching it yet." Said Amanda.

"I kind of almost forgot about that." Said Michelle. Amanda took out an empty Poke Ball and aimed it at Snorlax.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried. She threw the ball, but it simply deflected off of Snorlax's big stomach and flew back to Amanda.

"I guess catching it didn't work either. Said Mark.

"What else can we possibly do, though?" Michelle asked. A short gentleman who had heard all the commotion approached the trio and gave a chuckle.

"Don't you children know that the only way to wake up a sleeping Snorlax is to play a Poke Flute?" he asked.

"Poke Flute?" Amanda wondered.

"What's that?" Mark asked.

"It's a special flute that plays a soothing sounding melody." Said the gentleman. "Without it, Snorlax won't do anything."

"Sir, where can we find this flute?" Michelle asked.

"A shop in town might have one." Said the gentleman.

"Well, I guess we know where we're going next." Said Mark. "Back to town, guys." The trio started walking back in the other direction, unaware that Conrad and Sally had heard everything.

"Do my ears deceive me, or did I hear something about a Poke Flute?" Conrad asked.

"No, you heard correctly." Said Sally. "Come on, we have to get our hands on it before the twerps do."

"I have a better idea." Said Conrad. "How about, instead of stealing the flute, we steal Snorlax instead?"

"Oh, now that's an idea that I can agree with." Said Sally. Meanwhile, the trio were walking back toward the town when Amanda tripped over something and fell.

"Are you all right?" Michelle asked.

"Yeah, I'm just fine." Said Amanda. She quickly got up and dusted herself off. "I don't think this rock was here before, though." The rock suddenly popped out of the ground and spread its arms out wide.

"That's no rock. That's a Geodude." Said Mark.

"I remember seeing that before." Said Michelle. "When I battled for my Boulder Badge back in Pewter City, the gym leader had a Geodude that looked exactly like this. I know just how to handle it." She threw one of her Poke Balls and Wartortle appeared in a blaze of light.

"Wartortle, use your Water Gun now!" Amanda ordered. Wartortle sprayed Geodude with its water stream and the rock Pokemon was defeated.

"Good work." Said Amanda. She recalled Wartortle and the three of them continued on their way. They found the music store in the center of the town and went right inside.

"Let's see here. Guitars, violins, clarinets…" Said Amanda. She scanned the shelves carefully but she didn't see any flutes.

"Maybe they don't have what we're looking for." Said Mark.

"Let's not rush to conclusions yet." Said Michelle. "Maybe it's hidden in a back area or something."

"Let's ask somebody." Said Amanda. "That's probably the better way to approach this." They went up to the counter where they saw a young woman reading a book that she had brought with her.

"May I help you?" the woman asked.

"We're looking for a flute." Said Michelle.

"Ah, so you've decided to take up lessons." Said the woman.

"Oh no, it's not for us to learn." Said Amanda. "We need one for something else."

"What would that something else be?" the woman asked.

"The three of us saw a Snorlax earlier, and we tried to wake it up, but we were told that we needed a certain flute." Mark explained.

"I think I understand now." Said the woman. "You need the Poke Flute."

"Do you have that?" asked Michelle.

"I should have it in the back somewhere." Said the woman. "Just wait right here and I'll go look for it." She disappeared into the stock room, leaving the trio on their own.

"I really hope she has the flute." Said Amanda.

"So do I." said Michelle. "Otherwise, I don't know how else we'd wake Snorlax up." The woman returned to the floor ten minutes later.

"It took a bit because of how much stuff was back there, but I found what you're looking for." She said. The flute had three small holes on the top like a normal flute, and a regular Poke Ball sat engraved near the bottom.

"That's it! That's the flute we need!" Amanda cried.

"We'll take it." Said Michelle. The woman handed over the flute, and the trio began to leave when they were stopped.

"I forgot to mention that you have to pay for that." Said the woman.

"How much do we owe?" asked Mark.

"My normal flutes are usually a hundred dollars, but since this is a one of a kind flute, it gets a special price." Said the woman. "Three hundred dollars, please."

"Three hundred dollars?!" they all cried at once.

"Good thing I won all of that prize money in that princess festival tournament not too long ago." Said Amanda. She handed over the money and the woman allowed them to leave.

"Now that we have this flute, we can finally get Snorlax up and moving." Said Michelle. They walked back over to the area where Snorlax was, only to find Conrad and Sally attaching a bunch of cables to his huge belly.

"Hey!" Amanda cried out.

"Uh oh!" cried Conrad. He tried to take the cables off, but they were stuck fast. The trio quickly ran up to them.

"Just what do you two think you're doing with that Snorlax?" Michelle demanded.

"Oh, nothing." Sally said nonchalantly.

"That doesn't look like nothing to me." Said Mark. "Looking at how these cables are placed, I think you're trying to steal this Snorlax for yourselves!"

"What Snorlax?" said Conrad.

"There's no Snorlax here." Said Sally. "All of you run off and have a nice day." Michelle wasn't fooled, though.

"Don't play dumb with us!" she yelled. "It's obvious that you're both trying to take Snorlax away despite its gigantic amount of weight!"

"You must be mistaken, little girl." Said Sally. "We're not stealing Snorlax. We're merely taking it for a walk."

"With all of those cable lines attached to it? Yeah, sure." Said Amanda in a sarcastic tone.

"Quick, pull harder." Said Conrad. They pulled as hard as they could, but the big Snorlax still wouldn't move.

"This is pathetic." Said Mark.

"Pika." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Agreed.' Conrad and Sally kept pulling on the cables until they finally gave up and unhooked them.

"Does this mean we're just going to leave this big lug here?" asked Conrad.

"No. We're taking the cables off because we're moving to plan B." said Sally. She started to lower a mechanical arm straight down onto Snorlax's belly when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"I have a better idea." Said Amanda. She pulled out the Poke Flute and showed it to the two Team Rocket members.

"Where in the world did you get that?" Sally asked.

"We're not telling you that!" Michelle exclaimed. "We already know what's going to happen if we do."

"Looks like we have no choice." Said Conrad. The two of them started to walk away as if they were going to give up. Suddenly, they turned and ran toward Amanda. Sally clamped her hands on the flute and started to grab it away from her.

"Give it here!" she demanded.

"No way!" Amanda cried. The two of them kept trying to keep the flute away from the other, with Michelle and Mark looking on.

"This is like a game of Tug of War." Michelle observed.

"Except that it's one on one." Said Mark. Amanda and Sally kept pulling the flute from the other person until the gentleman from earlier came up to them and snatched the flute away.

"Hey!" both Amanda and Sally cried.

"What did you do that for?" Amanda asked. The gentleman didn't answer. Instead, he started playing the flute, which gave a soothing melody.

"That music is so beautiful." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Pikachu agreed, which meant 'It's the best music I've ever heard.' Once the tune finished, Snorlax woke up and let out an angry roar. He fixed his gaze on Conrad and Sally and sent them blasting off with a Mega Punch attack.

"Great job there, Snorlax." Amanda said. The heavy Pokémon gave her a hug before pointing to one of her Poke Balls.

"What is it?" Amanda asked.

"Snorlax." The heavy Pokémon growled.

"I think this big guy is saying that it would like to go with you." Said the gentleman.

"Is that true, Snorlax?" Michelle asked. Snorlax nodded and pointed to Pikachu.

"Maybe I should re-phrase my words a bit." Said the gentleman. "It'll go with you on the condition that you battle it first."

"Okay Snorlax, if you want a battle, you'll get one." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, do you think you can take down this behemoth?"

"Pika!" Pikachu happily cried, which meant 'I'll see what I can do.' He ran slightly ahead of Amanda and stared Snorlax down.

"Okay Pikachu, start off with Quick Attack!" Amanda shouted. Pikachu ran quickly at the huge Pokemon, only to bounce off of its' leg. Snorlax then readied its fist and used Mega Punch to send Pikachu backwards a little bit.

"Wow, that was quite the punch." Said Michelle.

"It's a good thing Pikachu's strong enough to withstand that." Said Mark.

"Don't give up, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Use your Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed its yellow energy bolt and scored a direct hit on Snorlax.

"There you go!" said Amanda. Snorlax was built like a tank, however, and wouldn't go down easily. In fact, both Pokemon went at it for a good ten minutes before both of them started to get worn down.

"Looks like Snorlax is tired." Said Michelle. "Here's your chance, Amanda."

"Pikachu, finish it off with another Thunderbolt." Said Amanda. Pikachu let out another energy bolt, but with less strength due to being fatigued. It was enough to knock Snorlax out, however.

"Good work." Said Amanda. She got out the same Poke Ball she had tried using earlier and threw it at Snorlax.

"Poke Ball, go!" she shouted. Snorlax got sucked inside the ball, and after a few wiggles, the ball clicked for a successful capture.

"All right, we got a Snorlax!" Amanda cried. Pikachu struck his victory pose, but then he fainted. Amanda ran over to him.

"I'm very proud of the way you battled Snorlax. You deserve to have a rest." She said. Pikachu smiled and fell asleep. Snorlax's Poke Ball disappeared from sight and was teleported to Professor Oak's lab.

"Come to think of it, I think all of us could use a nap." Said Amanda. She let out a yawn, and all three friends fell asleep on the ground. After a couple of hours had passed, everyone was refreshed and ready to continue with their journey.

"I still can't believe you managed to take down that Snorlax." Said Michelle. "That thing is probably the most powerful Pokemon that we've seen so far."

"As powerful as a legendary Pokemon?" Amanda asked.

"A little more than that, I think." Said Mark.

"That might be a handy Pokemon to have once I get to the League." Said Amanda. They were almost back to the town when Amanda tripped on an oval shaped object and fell down.

"Are you all right?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine." Said Amanda. "Look what I found, though." The object Amanda had tripped over was an egg that was colored yellow with brown and red spots on it.

"Guys, I think this is a Pokemon egg that I found." Said Amanda.

"That certainly does look like an egg." Said Michelle.

"I wonder what kind of Pokemon will come out of it." Said Mark.

"I'm wondering the same thing myself." Said Amanda. She stared at the egg with a curious look on her face.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'This is certainly an exciting find.' You're certainly right about that, Pikachu. Discoveries like this one are quite exciting indeed. Which Pokemon do you think will hatch out of that egg?

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Five

Deep in a secret base, Mr. Greenwood was locked up in a cell, with Michelle being the only thing on his mind. He took a deep breath and let out a long sigh.

"My dear, innocent, Michelle, I hope things are going well for you." He said. "If I could just see you once, it would make me very happy." He then heard a knock on the door of his cell. A gruff looking Team Rocket agent was standing there with a serious look.

"Sir, the boss wishes to see you." She said. Mr. Greenwood slowly got out of the cell and followed the agent down the hall. Meanwhile, our three heroes continue on with their journey, with Amanda clutching her new egg as tight as possible.

"Just think, Pikachu, when this egg hatches, we'll have a brand new friend to play with." She said.

"Pikachu pi!" her partner cried, which meant 'That's definitely exciting!'

"Exactly when is this egg supposed to hatch?" Amanda wondered.

"To be completely honest, I don't know." Said Michelle. "It could be anywhere from a few days to a few weeks."

"That's kind of vague." Said Amanda. Before Michelle could respond, a gentleman in dark sunglasses, a brown coat, red shirt and blue jeans ran right past them. He was carrying a bag filled with valuable items and he had a grin on his face. Right behind him was a young woman who looked pretty angry.

"Come back here, you thief!" she yelled.

"Did she just say a thief?" Michelle asked.

"That's what I heard." Said Mark.

"Come on, we have to go after him." Said Amanda. The three of them started chasing after the man, but each time they got a bit closer, the man kept getting a bit faster.

"You kids will never catch me!" he cried.

"Try us!" Amanda exclaimed. The three of them picked up speed and ran faster. The man was still grinning, but he didn't notice that there was a giant tree in his way and crashed into it. The man landed on the ground with a thud, causing him to drop the bag.

"Ow." He groaned. He started to pick himself up when the trio and woman caught up to him.

"So, you were saying something about us not being able to catch you?" Mark asked.

"I was only joking. I didn't think you'd be that fast." The man responded.

"That's why you never underestimate kids." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed his powerful electric on the man but he shook it off and looked at the egg Amanda was holding.

"If I can't have the valuable things, I can at least take this." He said. He snatched the egg away and tried to disappear, but Amanda was already reaching for a Poke Ball.

"I don't think so." She said and threw the ball. "Weepinbell, use Vine Whip to wrap him up!" Weepinbell nodded and shot out its vines at the man. He tried to avoid them, but the grass type was quick and wrapped his whole body in vines.

"Nice job." Said Amanda. She recalled Weepinbell and stared at the man.

"Looks like you're not going anywhere except to jail." She said. It wasn't too long before Officer Jenny arrived on the scene and handcuffed the man.

"We've been trying to catch this thief for the last week but haven't had any luck." Said Jenny. "It's a good thing you three showed up. Otherwise, we'd probably still be after him."

"It's just a matter of being in the right place at the right time, that's all." Said Michelle. Jenny took the egg from the man and gave it back to Amanda.

"I believe this is yours." She said.

"Thank goodness it's not broken." Said Amanda. Next, Jenny picked up the bag from the ground and gave it to the woman.

"These items belong to you." Said Jenny.

"A lot of what's in here is rare stuff that can't be replaced." Said the woman. "I don't know what I would've done without them."

"You can thank these three for getting them back." Said Jenny. "They're real heroes." She then fixed her eyes on the man.

"As for you, sir, it's right to jail." She said. "And don't even try to resist." She took the man away, and the woman smiled at the trio.

"Thank you very much for catching that thief and saving my precious jewelry." She said.

"No problem, miss." Said Amanda.

"What kind of jewelry do you have in there that's so valuable?" Michelle asked.

"Gold and diamond necklaces, and even some rare gemstones that I uncovered during my various travels." The woman answered. "Those gemstones are the main crown jewels of my collection, and I don't think I would've been able to replace them had I lost them for good. That's why I have you three kids to thank. How can I ever re-pay you?"

"You could hire us as security guards." Mark suggested. The woman chuckled a bit.

"I think you're a bit too young for that kind of work." She said. "I know what I can do, though. Follow me to my house and I'll give the three of you a tour." She Said. The trio followed the woman back down the path completely oblivious to the fact that Conrad and Sally had been keeping an eye on everything that was happening.

"Rats. Those kids did the one thing that wasn't part of the plan." Said Sally.

"What are you talking about?" Conrad asked.

"When we hired that man to break into that woman's house to pull off that heist, I wasn't exactly counting on it being foiled." Said Sally.

"We'll have to pull the ultimate heist to make up for that." Said Conrad. The two of them decided to wait until nightfall to attempt their plan. Meanwhile, the woman led the trio into her house.

"Look at how big this place is!" Michelle exclaimed.

"It's certainly much bigger than my own house." Said Mark.

"This is one of the biggest houses in the entire region." Said the woman.

"How big is it?" asked Amanda.

"I would say that there's about twenty or so rooms in here." Said the woman.

"That's certainly a lot of rooms." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'So many rooms is very overwhelming.'

"Just be glad we only have one room at our own home." Said Amanda. The first room that they were shown was full of arcade games.

"This would definitely be the kind of room for me." Said Mark.

"I had this room built because my son likes playing a lot of video games." Said the woman. "This was his big present for his birthday last year. This year, though, he's off on his own journey."

"I hope he's doing well for himself out there." Said Michelle.

"He's doing very well." Said the woman. "In fact, he actually called me earlier to tell me that he had won his second badge."

"That's pretty cool." Said Mark.

"Two badges is a pretty good start, but he still has work to do in order to catch me." Said Amanda.

"How many badges have you won so far?" the woman asked.

"I have six right now." Said Amanda.

"That's really good." Said the woman. "You must be quite the trainer if you've already won that many badges." The next room that they were shown was decorated to Michelle and Amanda's liking.

"This room is princess themed." Said the woman. "My daughter has always dreamed of being a princess. In fact, she took some of her costumes with her when she went to accompany my son on his journey."

"Once a princess, always a princess." Said Amanda.

"You're certainly right about that." Said the woman.

"Maybe we'll end up meeting your daughter." Said Mark.

"There's always that chance." Said the woman. She showed the trio the rest of her daughter's wardrobe.

"I see a lot of cute costumes here." Said Mark.

"There's one for Meowth, one for Seadra, one for Vulpix." Said Amanda. "There's just so many." Pikachu then pointed to a costume with a bright yellow color on it, prompting Amanda to have a look.

"It looks like we found a Pikachu costume." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu is my daughter's favorite Pokemon in the whole world." Said the woman. "In fact, this was the very first costume that I ever got her, back when she was only five."

"I guess that explains why it's smaller than the rest of the costumes." Said Amanda. The woman showed the trio the rest of the rooms, all of which had unique designs that they had never seen before.

"What's with all of these different colors?" Mark asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing myself." Said Michelle. "I even see some paintings of people in all sorts of clothing styles that I've never seen before."

"That's because this house has a bit of a history to it." Said the woman. She led them all into the living room, and once they were all seated, she began her explanation.

"This house was built several hundred years ago, long before any of you kids were even born." She said. "All of the kings and queens of the Kanto region used to live here."

"I'm guessing none of those queens and kings are around anymore." Said Amanda.

"Oh no, they all died a long time ago." Said the woman. "When they did live here, though, then this house was always designated as a royal residence."

"What does that mean?" Mark wondered.

"It means that anyone who wasn't part of the royal families weren't allowed to live here." Michelle answered.

"That is absolutely correct." The woman confirmed. "Unless you were a son or daughter of the king and queen, or prince and princess in royalty terms, the place was entirely off limits. You see, these royal families liked to keep their lives private. They never had guests over and they never went out in public either. They also dressed very differently back then too."

"I guess that's why the people in the paintings had those weird clothes on." Said Amanda.

"That's precisely the reason, my dear." Said the woman.

"Were there any Pokemon around back then?" asked Mark.

"Good heavens, no." the woman answered. "All of these families lived well before the Pokemon creatures that all of you are familiar with were even thought of. What they did have, though, was banquet level feasts every Saturday night."

"How big were the feasts?" asked Amanda.

"They were some of the biggest feasts you could imagine." Said the woman. "There was always a lot of food to eat, and everyone always felt stuffed by the end of the evening. As a result, the next day was usually spent relaxing with nobody even thinking about food. And that's your history lesson on the kings and queens."

"Well, that was certainly very informative." Said Michelle. Pikachu and Eevee both agreed.

"Hey, I have an idea." Said Amanda. "How about we have a feast for dinner tonight just like those kings and queens did."

"That's a good idea." Said Mark. "It'd be nice to experience life from long ago, even if it's only for one night."

"What do you say, guys?" Amanda asked Pikachu and Eevee.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'I like the idea.'

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'So do I.'

"Thankfully, I have plenty of food I can use, so I won't have to go shopping." The woman said. The four of them went into the kitchen to start the prep work. Pikachu and Eevee wanted to help, but the girls wouldn't let them.

"Sorry, guys, but we have a lot to do in order to have this feast ready in time and we can't have the two of you in the way." Said Amanda. She and Michelle sent their partners out into the front yard to play while they concentrated on cooking.

"This is going to be the best banquet ever." Said Mark.

"I definitely hope so." Said Michelle. Outside in the yard, Pikachu and Eevee were running around and enjoying themselves when they saw a set of bowling pins on the grass.

"Pika!" Pikachu yelled, which meant 'Look at this, Eevee!' Eevee ran over to where Pikachu was standing.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'Those look fun to play with.'

"Pikachu pi?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Want to play a couple of rounds?'

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed happily, which meant 'Sure!'

"Pika pi." Said Pikachu, which meant 'We need to find a ball first, though.' The two Pokemon looked all around the patches of grass to try and find a ball, but couldn't come up with anything. Pikachu then got an idea. He started to use his Thunderbolt to try and shock all the pins down, but Eevee stopped him.

"Eevee!" she squealed, which meant 'You can't knock down the pins with electricity. That's being dishonest.'

"Pikachu." the little mouse replied, which meant 'I guess you're right. Let's try to find a ball.' They looked through the rest of the front yard, but continued having no luck. They then tried looking in the back next. Since the back half of the yard was much bigger than the front half, they figured that they would have better luck. Sure enough, right in front of a patch of flowers was the type of ball they were looking for. Pikachu and Eevee carried the ball slowly and carefully back to the front of the house where the pins were. They got all of the pins set up before realizing something important.

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Do you know how to bowl?'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed sadly, which meant 'No.'

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Neither do I.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'I guess we'll have to figure this out ourselves.' Fortunately for the two Pokemon, there was a book beside the pins that explained how to play the game. Pikachu and Eevee both read through it so that they could understand the rules. The two of them then took turns rolling the ball. The first game was close, but Eevee won thanks to a final frame strike. The second game saw Pikachu win in another close battle.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'This is a lot of fun.'

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'You up for one more game?' Pikachu nodded and they got set up again. Before they could start, however, they heard a loud rumble of thunder.

"Pika!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'We better get inside quickly!' Pikachu and Eevee ran as fast as they could toward the front door and knocked loudly.

"Pikachu and Eevee must be done playing." Said Amanda. She went to the door and opened it up.

"What's up, guys?" she asked.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'There's a storm coming!' Another rumble of thunder went off.

"I see what you mean." Said Amanda. "Well, you two better come in so that you don't get wet." Pikachu and Eevee ran inside and Amanda shut the door right as it started pouring.

"That was a bit of a close call." She said and went back to work in the kitchen. A couple of hours later, all of the food was ready and laid out on the large dining room table.

"Well, I guess it's time to eat." Said Michelle. They all helped themselves to two servings of chicken, potatoes, fish and salad. Even Pikachu and Eevee were allowed to have some of the food.

"You kids did an excellent job helping me put this meal together." Said the woman.

"Thanks." Said Amanda. After dinner was over, everyone felt tired from all the food that had been eaten, so they went to sleep. A few hours later, after the rain from the storm had stopped, Conrad and Sally started cutting a hole through the ceiling in one of the rooms.

"Let's make this quick. We don't want those kids hearing us." Said Sally. The two of them jumped down onto the floor and forced open a vault that was supposed to be protected by a combination lock. Sally held open a large bag and Conrad scooped a handful of cash into it. Once they were satisfied, they started to make their way down the hall and out the front door. However, since all the lights were turned off, they couldn't see where they were going and tripped over both Pikachu and Eevee, who had been sleeping peacefully. Pikachu suddenly woke up and stared down angrily at the two of them. The noise caused Amanda, Michelle, mark and the kind woman to wake up as well.

"What's going on?" Amanda asked in a groggy voice.

"That's what I want to know." Said Michelle. They went into the hall and found themselves face to face with Conrad and Sally.

"It's Team Rocket!" Mark cried.

"What are you two doing here?" Amanda demanded.

"Mind your own business!" Sally fumed.

"I don't know who you two are or what you're doing here, but I must ask you to leave immediately!" the woman exclaimed.

"We're not leaving without our heist haul." Said Conrad.

"But while we're at it, we may as well swipe Pikachu and Eevee too." Said Sally. Conrad grabbed the two partner Pokemon and stuffed them into the bag.

"No! Pikachu!" Amanda cried.

"Eevee!" Michelle cried. Conrad and Sally both laughed in their faces.

"So long, twerps." Conrad said mockingly.

"Pikachu, try breaking the bag open with your Thunderbolt!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu unleashed its' attack, but nothing happened. Conrad and Sally laughed again.

"You better save your juice, little Pikachu. This bag is one hundred percent shock proof." Said Conrad.

"So consider your batteries dead." Said Sally. The two of them made their way outside, with the three kids and the woman following behind them.

"We can't let Team Rocket get away." Said Amanda. "Fearow, I choose you!" She threw her Poke Ball and the big bird appeared in a blaze of light.

"Fearow, use your beak to break the bag open and free Pikachu and Eevee!" Amanda ordered. Fearow blinked its eyes but flew off onto the roof and started to sleep. Amanda just let out a sigh.

"Come on, Fearow! Are you going to help us or not?" she asked. Fearow kept snoozing away.

"I guess that's your answer there." Said Michelle. Amanda groaned and recalled Fearow.

"Bulbasaur, use your Razor Leaf attack!" Mark cried as he threw the grass type's Poke Ball. The leaves that Bulbasaur shot out ripped the bag open, allowing Pikachu and Eevee to be rescued. The two Pokemon happily ran up to their trainers.

"I'm so glad you're both all right." Said Amanda. "Now then, Thunderbolt attack!" Pikachu unleashed its attack, zapping Conrad and Sally and sending them into the air.

"I guess there's an unwritten rules that bad guys are never allowed to win." Said Sally.

"What makes you say that?" asked Conrad.

"Because we're blasting off again!" Sally cried. DING!

"Well done, Pikachu!" cried Amanda.

"Thank goodness the money they tried to steal is all safe and sound." Said the woman. She put the money back into the vault and everyone went back to sleep. The next morning, the three kids got ready to head out.

"It was very nice meeting the three of you." The woman said. "Good luck on your journeys."

"Thanks, miss." Said Amanda. The three of them waved goodbye to the woman and headed off. Living the life of a king and queen, even for one night, was pretty fun. And I bet the next adventure for our heroes will be just as fun.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Six

As our three heroes continue on with their Pokemon adventure, they find themselves in a town that's busier than normal. Gee, I wonder what all the excitement's about. Let's find out together, shall we?

"What do you think could possibly be going on, Pikachu?" asked Amanda.

"Pika." Pikachu answered, which meant 'I haven't the foggiest idea.' A young boy in a green shirt and jean shorts ran up to the group.

"Don't tell me you've never heard of the annual Pokemon Trade Show." He said.

"Pokemon Trade Show?" Amanda wondered.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'What's that about?'

"I've heard about it." Said Michelle. "My dad used to take me to the show every year. It's where trainers go to trade their Pokémon with other trainers and they make new friends along the way."

"That certainly seems interesting." Said Mark.

"Maybe I'll see you guys there then." Said the boy, and he disappeared.

"What do you say, Pikachu?" Amanda asked. "Should we check it out?"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Let's do it!' The three of them followed the signs that pointed them toward the event, but on the way there, they came across a strong looking Pokemon with long legs and big arms.

"I wonder what that is." Said Amanda. She took out her Pokedex for more information.

"Machoke, the superpower Pokemon. Machoke possesses incredible strength and its muscles are as strong as steel. It can also lift extremely heavy objects with just one finger." They witnessed Machoke lifting up a nearby tree without so much as breaking a sweat.

"I guess that's what the Pokedex meant by Machoke having so much strength." Said Mark.

"Machoke are usually supposed to be in mountain areas and not wide open fields like this." Said Michelle.

"Regardless, I'm not passing up an opportunity to catch it." Said Amanda. She grabbed one of her Poke Balls and threw it.

"Fearow, I choose you!" she cried. Fearow appeared in a blaze of light and screeched loudly.

"Flying type attacks are strong against fighting types like this." Said Amanda. "Fearow, Wing Attack now!" Fearow looked blankly at Machoke before flying over to a nearby tree and munching on the worms that were in the tree's nest.

"Fearow, this isn't the time to eat." Said Amanda. "Get out there and battle Machoke this instant!" Fearow remained focused on its snack, however.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'This is embarrassing.'

"Poor Amanda. Fearow still won't listen to her." Said Michelle. Amanda angrily recalled Fearow and reached for another ball.

"Venonat, I choose you!" she cried. The small bug type appeared and stared down at Machoke.

"Psybeam attack." Amanda ordered. Venonat shot a pink beam right at Machoke's belly. Of course, with how strong the fighting type was, he readied his right leg and kicked the small bug Pokemon several feet backwards.

"That's a pretty strong Mega Kick it just did." Said Michelle.

"Come on, Venonat, get up." Said Amanda. Venonat shook off the attack and picked itself back up.

"Use your Disable." Said Amanda. Venonat's eyes glowed a bright blue, and when Machoke tried to use Mega Kick again, it couldn't do so. The fighting type then used its arms to try and slice away at Venonat.

"That's a Karate Chop attack." Said Mark. Venonat was able to use its speed to dodge the chops.

"That's the way to do it, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Try another Psybeam." Venonat shot another pink beam at Machoke, dealing more damage. The fighting type wasn't done yet, however, as it picked up Venonat with its right hand, spun the bug type around a couple of times before launching it into a bush.

"What was that?" Amanda asked.

"I think that was Seismic Toss." Said Mark.

"A pretty strong one, too." Said Michelle. Venonat managed to get out of the bush but then collapsed onto the ground.

"Venonat, return!" Amanda cried. The bug type got sucked back into its ball via red energy.

"That was a good try." Said Amanda. She reached for another ball and threw it.

"Weepinbell, I choose you!" she cried. The grass type appeared in a blaze of light. Machoke wound up for a Mega Punch, but Weepinbell jumped out of the way.

"Great dodging. Now, use your Vine Whip." Amanda ordered. Weepinbell shot out its vines and wrapped them tightly around Machoke's neck.

"Don't choke!" Amanda exclaimed. Machoke tried to move, but the vines were holding him firmly in place.

"The longer the vines stay on Machoke, the more energy he loses." Mark observed.

"I think you can let go now, Weepinbell." Said Amanda. Weepinbell obeyed and removed the vines from Machoke's neck.

"Finish this up with Sleep Powder." Said Amanda. Weepinbell sprayed blue dust onto Machoke, sending him to the ground and causing him to fall asleep.

"Nice job." Said Amanda. She nodded and grabbed an empty ball.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried. She tossed the ball at Machoke and the fighting type got sucked in. The ball wiggled and shook a few times before signaling a successful capture.

"Machoke is mine." Said Amanda. "Good job, Weepinbell." She gave her grass type a playful pat on its head before recalling it to its ball. She then quickly sent Machoke to Oak's lab and the three friends continued onward.

"I'm not one to tell you what you should do during this trade show, but Machoke might be a good candidate for a potential trade." Said Michelle.

"How come?" Amanda wondered.

"Because that's the only way to get a Machamp." Said Mark.

"Training and battling aren't the only ways for Pokémon to evolve, you know." Said Michelle. "For certain Pokémon like Kadabra and Haunter, you have to trade them to get their fully evolved forms."

"So you're saying that if the Abra I captured back in Cerulean was a Kadabra by now, I'd be able to get an Alakazam just by trading it." Said Amanda.

"Right." Said Michelle.

"I don't know." Said Amanda. "I've never really traded any of my Pokemon before. I'm not sure I want to go through with it."

"Just think about it for a little while." Said Mark and they continued walking. Thirty minutes later, they arrived at the show.

"Wow, look at all of these different trade tables." Said Amanda. Beside each table was a transporter for conducting any trades.

"This looks like it's going to be fun and interesting." Said Michelle. A smartly dressed young girl a bit younger than Amanda approached her and had a look at Pikachu.

"I wonder what she's doing." Said Amanda.

"She's probably looking for possible trade targets." Said Mark. The girl continued to look at Pikachu before getting excited.

"I've always wanted to see a Pikachu in person. It's an honor to meet you." She said.

"Pika." Pikachu said, which meant 'Thanks, I guess.'

"Say, Pikachu, how'd you like to be my Pokemon?" the girl proposed. "I have something really nice I can give your trainer in exchange."

"What do you have that you'd want to give me for Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"See for yourself." Said the girl. She grabbed a Poke Ball and opened it up. A bipedal, humanoid Pokemon resembling a woman appeared in a blaze of white light. The Pokemon had pink lips, saucer-like eyes and long, blond hair. It was also wearing a red gown with two gold circlets on its chest. Amanda had never seen this Pokemon before, so she took out her Pokedex to find out more information about it.

"Jynx, the human shape Pokemon. Jynx prefers to communicate by using various dance movements. When battling, be aware of the Lovely Kiss attack, which puts Jynx' opponents into a deep slumber."

"I guess you could say Jynx packs a powerful kiss." Said Michelle.

"Well, it's not every day an opportunity to acquire a Jynx falls into my lap." Said Amanda. "I'm not sure, though."

"I can tell you're having a hard time deciding, so maybe a battle will help you make your decision easier. My Jynx against your Pikachu. What do you say to that?" said the girl.

"If you want a battle, you'll get one." Said Amanda. "Are you ready, Pikachu?" Pikachu nodded and jumped off Amanda's shoulder. It focused heavily on Jynx.

"This will be a one on one battle with no time limit." Said Michelle. "Trainers, begin!"

"Pikachu, start with your Thunderbolt!" Amanda cried. Pikachu unleashed a bolt of electric energy and fired it towards Jynx.

"Jynx, use Teleport now!" the girl commanded. Jynx disappeared right before the attack could hit. Pikachu looked around and saw that Jynx was behind him.

"We'll have to try something else." Said Amanda. "Use your Quick Attack!" Pikachu sped toward Jynx, but the girl was on top of the situation.

"Teleport again." She said calmly. Pikachu lunged at Jynx, but the Pokemon disappeared again.

"Amanda, you have to try and stop Jynx from teleporting." Said Mark.

"I know that, but it doesn't matter what attack I try to use." Said Amanda. Jynx suddenly re-appeared in the air.

"Give that little rat a Body Slam." Said the girl. Jynx dove down straight toward Pikachu.

"Pikachu, try to roll out of the way!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu just barely managed to dodge the attack in time.

"Great, now use Thunder!" Amanda commanded. Pikachu unleashed its most powerful bolt.

"Use Teleport." The girl ordered. Jynx quickly disappeared and then re-appeared right beside Pikachu.

"Try as many electric attacks as you want, but with how fast Jynx can teleport, you won't get any of them through." Said the girl. Pikachu got ready for another electric attack, but Amanda stopped him.

"It's just going to teleport over and over again if you keep doing that." She said. "We have to go with different attacks now. Try using Swift." Pikachu shot yellow stars out of its body, and before Jynx could teleport, it got hit by the stars.

"Finally." Said Amanda. Jynx then grabbed Pikachu with its hands and pulled it close to her face.

"Okay Jynx, time for the Lovely Kiss!" the girl commanded. Pikachu tried to wiggle out of Jynx's grasp, but the dual ice and psychic type planted a hard kiss on Pikachu's cheek, sending it to the ground fast asleep.

"Pikachu, no!" Amanda cried.

"Finish it with Psywave." The girl commanded. Jynx shot psychic waves from its body right at Pikachu. With the little rat fast asleep, there was no way for him to avoid the attack. Jynx controlled the waves to fling Pikachu up and down on the ground before the electric type officially fainted.

"Pikachu is unable to battle. Jynx wins the match." Said Michelle.

"Great job, Jynx." Said the girl and she recalled it to its ball. Amanda ran over to Pikachu and scooped him up.

"Are you okay, buddy?" she asked. Pikachu opened his eyes and smiled.

"That was a good try, Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"That Jynx was certainly at a pretty high level, but you did your best." Said Mark.

"Your Pikachu did a great job." Said the girl.

"Thanks. Your Jynx was really good too." Said Amanda.

"So, are you convinced enough to trade?" the girl asked.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'Don't do it, Amanda!' Amanda smiled at her partner.

"Don't worry, I would never trade you for anything." She said. Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief. Amanda turned her attention to the girl.

"Pikachu here is my best friend and was also the very first Pokemon that I ever got. I can't just give him away." She said.

"I understand." Said the girl. "Perhaps you have another Pokemon that you can give me in exchange for Jynx." Amanda thought for a second before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in making a trade for Jynx." She said.

"I guess I'll have to find somebody else then." Said the girl. They went to another table that was being run by an eight year old boy. His face lit right up when he saw Michelle's Eevee.

"That Eevee of yours is so adorable." He said.

"Thanks." Said Michelle.

"What would you say about trading your Eevee for my Pidgeot?" he proposed.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'Are you really going to trade me away, Michelle?'

"Not a chance." Michelle said to Eevee. She then turned to the boy. "Eevee's been my partner and best friend for the longest time, and she would be upset if I were to trade her away. No deal."

"Fair enough." Said the boy. The trio continued walking around the event area.

"If anything, I should trade Psyduck." Said Michelle. "He's done nothing but cause trouble ever since I got him." As if on cue, Psyduck immediately popped out of his ball and started walking in between Michelle's legs.

"What are you doing that for?" Michelle asked. Psyduck just stared down at the ground and turned its head to the side.

"Duck?" it said in a confused manner. Michelle sighed and recalled him.

"I guess that's why you want to trade him." Said Amanda.

"If he keeps acting up like this, then I might not have a choice." Said Michelle. "He's on thin ice as far as I'm concerned."

"I know how you feel, Michelle." Said Amanda. "Sometimes, a part of me feels like getting rid of Fearow. No matter what I tell it to do, he won't listen and I can't figure out why."

"He's probably going through a phase or something." Said Mark. "Don't give up on Fearow yet, Amanda. I'm sure he'll start listening to you sooner or later."

"I'd prefer sooner because if he's still being disobedient by the time I get to the Pokemon League, then I'm going to have a huge problem."

"There is one thing that works in your favor." Said Michelle. "You still have to earn two more badges before you can compete."

"I just hope that'll be enough time." Said Amanda. The three of them continued looking around the area for trade partners, and soon enough, it was Mark's turn to be approached. The girl that ran up to him was a year older than Mark.

"You wouldn't happen to have a Diglett by any chance, would you?" asked the young girl.

"You're in luck because I do have one." Mark answered. "Why do you want a Diglett, though?"

"Because I think it's a cute Pokemon." the girl answered. "Also, I've been trying to find a Diglett for a while but without any success."

"I don't think you'll be able to find one out here." Said Michelle. "Have you tried Diglett's Cave?"

"I don't even know where that is." Said the girl. "If I can get a Diglett right now, though, it'll save me a lot of time and trouble. In fact, allow me to show you the Pokemon you'll be getting if you trade Diglett to me." She opened up a Poke Ball and a Jolteon popped out. Eevee was a little scared of it at first and gave a little scream.

"There's no need to be alarmed, Eevee." Said Michelle. "This is just your electric type evolution." Eevee felt a little better.

"Well, I don't have an electric type on me, so this would actually help fill my want for one." Said Mark.

"Does that mean we have a deal?" the girl asked.

"I guess it does." Mark answered. The two trainers placed their respective Poke Balls on the transporter and watched as their Pokémon zoomed through the machine to their new owners.

"Just like that, Jolteon is your new Pokemon." Said the girl. "Take good care of it."

"I will." Mark promised. "And you make sure Diglett is looked after."

"Don't worry. Diglett's in good hands." Said the girl. She walked away proudly holding the Poke Ball with her new Diglett.

"You got a new Pokemon and made a new friend in the process." Said Amanda.

"All of that is really nice, but I just hope that girl will raise Diglett well." Said Mark.

"I'm sure she will." Said Michelle. "Come on, let's see your new Jolteon." Mark opened up Jolteon's ball and the pin missile electric type appeared instantly.

"Jolt?" he asked confusingly.

"Don't worry, you'll get used to your new surroundings in no time." Said Mark. "Now, there's a couple of Pokemon that my friends have that I want you to meet." Jolteon stuck out its paw at Eevee to give a handshake, but she quickly hid behind Michelle.

"Are you still scared of that thing?" she asked. Eevee nodded.

"I told you, Jolteon isn't a Pokemon to be afraid of. Now come out of hiding and say hello to our new friend." Eevee slowly approached Jolteon and gave out a small hello squeal. Jolteon smiled at Eevee, and she suddenly wasn't afraid anymore.

"You see, Eevee." Said Michelle. "Jolteon just wants to be friends with you." Eevee and Jolteon gave each other a friendly thumbs up and hug.

"I think those two will get along just fine." Said Amanda. "Okay Pikachu, it's your turn to meet Jolteon." Unlike Eevee, Pikachu wasn't shy at all and he greeted the new friend warmly.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu exclaimed, which meant 'It's very nice to meet you, Jolteon.'

"Jolt!" Jolteon yelled back, which meant 'It's nice to meet you too.' Mark recalled Jolteon and they continued walking.

"I wonder what other trades could possibly happen." Said Amanda.

"I guess we'll know if somebody wants to make a deal with us." Said Michelle.

"That actually gives me an idea, Michelle." Said Amanda. "How about if you and I make a trade together."

"Not for my Eevee, I hope." Said Michelle.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't even think of trying to take Eevee from you." Said Amanda. "Anyway, you remember that Machoke I caught earlier?"

"Of course." Said Michelle.

"I was thinking of doing a trade with you so I can get Machamp." Said Amanda. "Same deal with my Haunter so that it can become a Gengar."

"I suppose that can work." Said Michelle. "Which of my Pokemon, other than Eevee, would you want in order to make this work?"

"I'll start with Machoke for your Psyduck." Said Amanda. "For the second one, I can do Haunter for Electabuzz. I would give both Pokemon right back to you, of course."

"Well, all right then." Said Michelle. Amanda quickly opened up her Pokedex and switched out her Venonat for Machoke. The two of them then found an empty table and put the Poke Balls on the transporter.

"See you soon, Psyduck." Said Michelle. The two Poke Balls quickly went across the screen, and when Michelle opened the ball containing Machoke, it immediately started glowing white. It grew an extra set of arms, and it was now a bit taller. Amanda scanned the Pokemon with her Pokedex.

"Machamp, the Superpower Pokemon. This Pokemon is said to know every known style of martial arts. It punches very quick, and can throw up to five hundred punches per second."

"That's a lot of punching." Said Amanda. Michelle recalled Machamp and the two girls traded back. Once the reverse trade was complete, Michelle opened up Psyduck's ball.

"Hope you didn't miss me too much." She said, and gave a wink to the water type. Amanda pressed a button on her Pokedex and Machamp found itself back at Oak's lab. In Machamp's place was the ball containing Haunter.

"Now for trade number two." Said Michelle. She put the Poke Ball containing Electabuzz on the transporter, and Amanda did the same with Haunter. Once again, the two images of the Pokemon zoomed across the screen, and once Michelle opened up Haunter's ball, it glowed white. It grew arms, legs and feet, and when the glow stopped, Haunter was now a Gengar.

"You're definitely very cool, but I already have you." Said Michelle. The two of them then completed the reverse trade, sending Electabuzz back to Michelle and Gengar back to Amanda.

"Just like that, I have two new Pokemon now." Said Amanda. She exchanged Gengar for Venonat and smiled.

"Now that you have the Pokemon that you wanted, I don't think we need to make anymore trades." Said Michelle.

"I don't think so either." Said Amanda. The three friends started walking away when Mark spoke up.

"With all of this trade excitement, I'm surprised that nothing bad has happened to us yet today." Said Mark. Just then, they felt the ground give way underneath them and they all fell into the hole.

"I think you spoke a little too soon." Said Michelle.

"All right, who dug this hole?!" Amanda demanded. A pair of familiar voices gave an evil laughter above them.

"No! It can't be those two again! It's not possible!" Michelle cried.

"It's very much possible so prepare for trouble." Said Sally.

"With two of us, the possibilities double." Said Conrad.

"Team Rocket!" the trio yelled.

"Hey! Don't you know it's rude to interrupt someone when they're talking?!" Sally cried.

"And besides that, you didn't even let us finish our motto." Conrad complained.

"I'm pretty sure that motto is copyrighted." Said Amanda.

"Are you sure you didn't steal that from two other members of Team Rocket?" Michelle asked.

"Well…uh…" Sally stammered.

"They probably did steal it but don't want to admit it." Said Mark.

"Why are you even here right now, anyway?" Amanda asked.

"We heard about this little Pokemon trade show from another trainer, so why don't you be a good little twerp and trade us your Pikachu and Eevee." Said Sally.

"No way!" Michelle and Amanda both cried.

"Then we'll just have to take them." Said Conrad. Sally pressed a button on her remote control and a giant Poke Ball lowered itself into the hole via crane. Michelle and Amanda could only watch hopelessly as their partners got sucked in.

"Pikachu!" cried Amanda.

"Eevee!" cried Michelle.

"Come on Conrad, off we go with our two new Pokemon!" Sally cried with joy. She raised the giant ball and the two Team Rocket members began to fly away in their balloon.

"What do we do?" Michelle cried.

"I don't know." Said Amanda. "As long as we're stuck in this hole, though, I don't think there's much of anything we can do." Conrad and Sally were grinning in the sky as they flew through the air in their balloon.

"This is the best kind of trade, where we take two Pokemon without sending anything back." Said Sally.

"Isn't that the same as ripping somebody off?" Conrad asked. Sally just growled at him.

"I guess not." Said Conrad. Pikachu tried using Thunderbolt to bust the giant Poke Ball open, but nothing happened.

"You may as well save your batteries there, Pikachu. That giant ball was built specifically to absorb any electric attacks you try." Said Sally. The two of them continued to float away, but then they saw a bird Pokemon flying toward them at tremendous speed.

"That's not the twerp's Fearow, is it?" Sally wondered.

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

"Pidgeot, use your Wing Attack!" cried a voice. Pidgeot sped up and spread its wings out to knock the balloon backwards.

"Quick, speed up to get away from that bird." Sally ordered. Conrad tried to steer, but Pidgeot's attack had messed with the controls.

"It's not working." Said Conrad.

"That's just great." Said Sally.

"Okay Pidgeot, use Peck on that balloon!" the voice cried. Pidgeot stuck out its beak and popped a hole in the balloon, which also caused the giant Poke Ball to open. Pikachu and Eevee started to fall down quickly.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'We're going to crash!' Thankfully, Pidgeot flew right towards the two Pokemon and caught them on its back. Pikachu and Eevee were both relieved.

"Even when we try to trade, we get nothing." Sally complained.

"Some trade show this is." Conrad muttered.

"We're blasting off again!" they both cried. DING!

"Nice work, Pidgeot. Now, let's get these Pokemon back to where they belong." Pidgeot nodded and flew over towards the hole that the trio were still trapped in. The three of them were trying to climb out on their own, but to no avail.

"Maybe I can offer some assistance." Said the voice. "Pidgeot, swoop in there and bring those kids up." Pidgeot nodded and offered a leg for Amanda to grab onto. Michelle grabbed onto Amanda and Mark grabbed onto Michelle. Pidgeot then flew upwards carrying all three of them and put them back down on the ground.

"Are the three of you all right?" the trainer asked.

"Thanks to your Pidgeot, we're just fine." Amanda said with a smile. Pikachu and Eevee ran down from Pidgeot and hurried over to Amanda and Michelle.

"Are you guys okay?" Amanda asked. Pikachu and Eevee nodded.

"Thanks for helping us out there, mister." Said Michelle.

"You're very welcome." Said the trainer. "And next time, call me Toby." He recalled Pidgeot and praised it for doing an excellent job.

"So, where are you kids headed?" Toby asked.

"We're on our way towards Cinnabar Island." Mark answered.

"I'm hoping to win my next gym badge there." Said Amanda.

"I wish the three of you the best of luck." Said Toby.

"Thanks a lot, sir." Said Michelle. The three of them waved goodbye to Toby and continued on their way. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally had landed hard on the ground from Pidgeot's attack and were feeling a little sore. They rubbed the sore spots and looked around to see where they were. Unfortunately, they saw three angry faces staring at them.

"So, thought you could get away with trying to steal our motto, huh?" Jessie asked angrily.

"Next time, try to come up with something original." Said James.

"Oh please, it was just a spur of the moment type thing." Said Sally.

"I don't care." Said Jessie. Meowth appeared from behind his two teammates.

"Maybe this will teach you two knuckleheads not to mess with our motto!" he cried and started scratching Conrad and Sally's faces.

"Ow! Stop! That hurts!" Sally cried.

"We won't copy you again, we promise!" Conrad cried.

"Team Rocket's getting beaten up again." they both sighed.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Seven

Today, our heroes are finally setting off towards Cinnabar Island. However, they'll have to hurry if they want to make it onto the ferry that's supposed to take them there.

"Don't leave without us!" Amanda cried.

"Hold on there! We're coming!" Michelle cried.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I hope the boat doesn't take off before we get there.'

"I hope they wait too, buddy." Said Amanda. Our three friends, plus Pikachu and Eevee, ran as fast as they could to get to the dock in time. Unfortunately, they weren't quite fast enough, and by the time they got to the departure point, the boat had just started to set sail.

"We missed it." Said Amanda dejectedly. Pikachu let out a sigh.

"Hopefully there'll be another boat later." Said Mark. Amanda checked the sign and her mouth dropped open in shock.

"What!? Five hours until the next ferry to Cinnabar?!" she cried.

"I don't think I can wait that long." Said Michelle.

"Eevee." Eevee squealed, which meant 'What are we going to do now?'

"I honestly don't know, Eevee." Said Michelle.

"I have an idea." Said Mark. "Why wait for another boat when we can get there another way."

"What are you talking about?" Amanda asked.

"I'll show you." Said Mark. He threw a Poke Ball into the air, and Lapras appeared in the water.

"My Lapras can get us to Cinnabar." He said.

"That's a great idea." Said Michelle. "This way we won't have to wait here forever."

"Not only that, but we'll also get to Cinnabar faster." Said Amanda.

"Exactly." Said Mark. All of them climbed onto Lapras' back.

"Okay, Lapras, full speed ahead towards Cinnabar Island as fast as you can." Said Mark. Lapras nodded and began to sail down the water. The conditions were absolutely perfect.

"Such a great day today, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Sunny skies, no clouds, and a gentle breeze."

"You certainly can't go wrong with that." Said Michelle. The three of them continued to sail peacefully through the ocean via Lapras, and with everyone in such a good mood, they figured that nothing could go wrong. About an hour later, however, they ran into some unexpected trouble, which made Lapras gave a loud cry.

"This better not be Team Rocket again." Said Amanda.

"I don't think it is." Said Michelle. "As far as I know, Conrad and Sally aren't even anywhere near here." Amanda and Pikachu breathed a sigh of relief.

"If it's not Team Rocket, then what did we just run into?" Amanda asked. A loud roar from right in front of them was heard.

"I think that answers your question." Said Mark. "Get your Pokedex out quickly and find out what those are." Amanda gulped at the sight of seeing something so intimidating, but she pulled her Pokedex out and pointed it at the beast.

"Gyrados, the atrocious Pokemon. Gyrados is known for its fierce temper and violent nature. Its fangs can crush stones and its scales are harder than steel. Gyrados are very wild, so approach with extreme caution."

"My dad used to tell me stories about Gyrados." Said Michelle. "In those stories, he mentioned how it's one of the most dangerous Pokemon out there. Just the thought of seeing one makes me nervous."

"You're not really afraid of something like Gyrados, are you?" Mark asked. Just then, Gyrados let out a huge roar, causing Michelle to let out a scream. She and Eevee quickly hid behind Amanda.

"You have to do something about those right now!" Michelle cried.

"Don't worry, I'm on it." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, let's go!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and stared angrily at Gyrados.

"Be careful with that, Amanda." Said Mark.

"I'll try my best." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt attack now!" Pikachu unleashed a big, bright yellow lightning bolt, scoring a direct hit on Gyrados and sending it into the water in a defeated state.

"Poke Ball, go!" Amanda cried. She threw an empty Poke Ball at the huge Pokemon, and it got sucked inside. The ball shook and wiggled a bit longer than usual, but the moment the ding was heard for a successful catch, Michelle came out of hiding.

"Well, that one's gone." Said Amanda.

"Thank goodness." Said Michelle. The ball disappeared into thin air so that it could be teleported to Professor Oak. Just then, the remaining Gyrados gave out a louder roar, making Michelle scream again.

"What's wrong now?" Amanda wondered.

"I think all of those Gyrados are a bit upset with you." Said Mark.

"Why, though?" Amanda wondered. "I think that was one of my best captures."

"True, but I think the one you caught was the leader of their herd." Said Michelle. Sure enough, the Gyrados all let out another angry roar.

"Maybe if I talk to them, they'll calm down a bit." Said Amanda.

"I don't know if that'll work, but I guess it's worth a shot." Said Mark. Amanda looked at each of the Gyrados and started to plead her case.

"Listen, I can see that you're upset." Said Amanda. "As a trainer, though, I have to catch as many Pokemon as I can. That's why I had to capture one of you. From what I hear, the specific one that I caught was the leader of your group. Is that right?" The Gyrados all nodded their heads.

"Again, I'm very sorry about that." Said Amanda. "I just want to be able to get to my next destination as soon as I can, but that's only possible if you let my friends and I through. Will you let us pass?" The Gyrados thought for a moment before shaking their heads.

"No? Why not?" Amanda wondered.

"They seem to think of us as a threat." Said Mark.

"I only caught one Gyrados out of that whole herd. I hardly think that would make us threats to their territory." Said Amanda.

"They don't know that." Said Michelle.

"Come on, Gyrados." Said Amanda. "Just let my friends and I go and I promise that we won't bother you anymore." The Gyrados thought it over again, and this time, they nodded.

"Thank you." Said Amanda. The Gyrados cleared the path they had blocked so that the trio could continue sailing along.

"That was a close call with the Gyrados back there, but it all worked out anyway." Said Michelle.

"Well, I am pretty convincing." Said Amanda.

"You've got that right." Said Mark. They continued to enjoy the ride, but after another hour, they hit something else.

"Don't tell me it's more Gyrados." Said Michelle.

"No, that's not it this time. I think we hit a whirlpool." Said Mark. "Lapras, try to get around it." Lapras started to change direction, but the whirlpool wouldn't go away, and as a result, everyone got caught in it. The whirlpool sent them sailing into the air, with everybody grabbing onto each other for dear life.

"Michelle, Mark, Pikachu, Eevee, Lapras, whatever happens, don't let go!" Amanda cried. The whirlpool then got stronger, sending everyone higher into the air. There was no telling when or where they would land. When they finally did land, they found themselves in front of a cave on a smaller island.

"Where are we?" Amanda asked. Mark looked around and couldn't believe what he saw.

"Looks like that whirlpool sent us off course." He said. "We're on Seafoam Island."

"But, we're supposed to be going to Cinnabar." Said Michelle. "I didn't want to end up here."

"Neither did I, but since we're here now, we may as well explore around inside." Said Amanda.

"Good point." Said Mark. "Lapras, return." He recalled his water type and the three of them made their way into the cave.

"I hear that the legendary Pokemon Articuno lives here." Said Michelle.

"Do you think we'll get to see it?" Amanda asked.

"It's possible." Said Mark. "We'll just have to see what happens." They explored the first floor carefully to make sure that they didn't miss anything important.

"I wonder if we'll see any water Pokemon in here." Said Amanda.

"That's always a possibility too." Said Michelle. The group continued to explore, but they were unsuccessful in finding anything. Right as they were about to move to another floor, however, a Pokemon with a spiky blue and violet shell and a long red tongue popped out from behind one of the rocks. Amanda took out her Pokedex to find out more information.

"Shellder, the bivalve Pokemon. It is much faster than most people expect and likes to swim backwards by opening and closing both of its shells."

"So it's a speedy swimmer, huh?" Amanda wondered. "Let's just see how good of a battler it is." She was about to send Pikachu into battle when Michelle intervened.

"Wait a second. This little guy is one of the cutest things I've ever seen." She said. Shellder smiled at the compliment that he had been given. He hopped over to Michelle and gently nudged her leg.

"You like me, don't you?" Michelle asked. Shellder nodded. "You know what, I like you too. Would you like to battle me for a chance to become my Pokemon?" Shellder nodded.

"That's not fair, Michelle. I'm the one who saw it first." Said Amanda.

"I haven't caught as many Pokemon as you have, though." Said Michelle. "Let me have this one."

"No. It only went to you because of how you praised it." Said Amanda. "Besides, you know I want to try to catch a lot of Pokemon."

"I understand that, but you have plenty already." Said Michelle. Amanda was about to say something else when Mark interjected and picked up the Shellder.

"Girls, there's another way to settle your little argument." He said. "How about letting Shellder decide who he wants to battle." He put Shellder down in between the two girls.

"Good idea." Said Amanda. She clapped her hands and started talking to the Pokemon.

"Well, Shellder, who's it going to be? Me or her?" asked Amanda. Shellder looked at both girls curiously before deciding on Michelle. He hopped over to her again and gave her a playful lick.

"Well, that's settled." Said Mark. Amanda sighed, but Shellder's mind was made up. Michelle grabbed a Poke Ball and tossed it.

"Let's go, Electabuzz!" she cried. Her electric type appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Start off with a Thunder Punch." Michelle ordered. Electabuzz fired a yellow colored ball with its fist at Shellder, but the small Pokemon jumped out of the way. It then sprayed Electabuzz with a Water Gun attack.

"Don't let your guard down, Electabuzz. Try a Swift attack." Said Michelle. Electabuzz fired rainbow shaped stars at Shellder. The small Pokemon cried out in slight pain, but it was determined to not give up the fight. Shellder then tried to use its Aurora Beam, but Michelle ordered Electabuzz to use its Thunderbolt attack. Electabuzz unleashed a powerful lightning bolt and both attacks collided with each other. The Thunderbolt had more power, though, and pushed the Aurora Beam out of the way, doing a lot of damage to Shellder. Despite taking a huge hit, Shellder refused to back down.

"How can it still fight after getting hit by that attack?" Michelle wondered.

"Shellder certainly has a lot of spunk for such a small Pokemon." Mark observed. Amanda agreed with him. Shellder used its Clamp attack to grab onto the back of Electabuzz, but this only angered the electric type.

"Electabuzz, get that Pokemon off of you." Said Michelle. Electabuzz tried to push Shellder away but it refused to let go.

"Why won't Shellder back off?" Michelle asked.

"Maybe it thinks that your Electabuzz is a Slowpoke." Said Amanda.

"But Slowpoke is an entirely different Pokemon." Said Michelle.

"Try telling that to Shellder." Said Mark. The small Pokemon was still clinging to Electabuzz refusing to let go. Electabuzz got mad and fired another Thunderbolt attack at Shellder, hitting it and finally forcing it off. Now it was Shellder's turn to get angry and used Supersonic to confuse Electabuzz. The electric Pokemon suddenly started running around the room launching attacks in different directions.

"Uh oh, that Supersonic attack caused Electabuzz to get confused." Said Michelle. "Electabuzz, try to shake it off!" Electabuzz kept running, however, and crashed into a rock, knocking itself out. Michelle gasped and recalled Electabuzz.

"It's your turn now, Eevee." Said Michelle. Eevee nodded and sprang herself into action. Shellder then began feeling a little woozy.

"Looks like Shellder's weak." Said Amanda.

"One attack should do it, then." Said mark.

"Eevee, use your Skull Bash." Michelle called. Eevee nodded and lowered its head. She ran right into Shellder and sent it into the air. Once the small Pokemon landed back on the ground, it was knocked out. Michelle grabbed an empty Poke Ball.

"Shellder, you're mine." Said Michelle and she threw the ball. Shellder got sucked inside, and the ball wiggled a few times before clicking shut.

"We did it, Eevee! We got Shellder!" cried Michelle. She and her partner high fived each other.

"Great catch, Michelle." Said Mark.

"Thanks." Said Michelle. "And I especially thank you, Amanda, for letting me catch it.

"Whatever." Amanda muttered. Shellder's Poke Ball disappeared in a blaze of white light, and Michelle knew instantly where it was headed. The group moved to another floor of the cave where they found a group of Slowpoke. Amanda wanted to catch one, but right as she was about to grab a ball, most of the Slowpoke yawned and closed their eyes.

"It must be their nap time." Said Michelle. "It would be best to not disturb them." They were about to head on their way when the one Slowpoke that was awake started turning his head like he was looking for something.

"What is it, fella?" Mark asked. "What are you trying to find?" Slowpoke started to draw a picture of a shell in the ground.

"I think I get it." Said Amanda. "He's looking for a Shellder so that it can evolve into a Slowbro."

"is that right, Slowpoke?" asked Michelle. Slowpoke slowly nodded its head.

"If I recall, you just caught a Shellder a minute ago, didn't you?" asked Mark.

"I did, but it got sent to Professor Oak's lab since I have six Pokemon on me right now." Michelle answered.

"Looks like there's no Shellder anywhere." Said Amanda. Slowpoke drooped its head in sadness, but just then, another Shellder appeared from out of nowhere. It hopped over to the Slowpoke and clamped onto its tail. A glow of white light appeared and Slowpoke began evolving.

"Wow, this is cool, isn't it Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pika." Pikachu answered, which meant 'It's the best thing I've ever seen.'

"I've never seen a Slowpoke evolve in person before." Said Michelle.

"Neither have we." Said Amanda. When the glow stopped, a Slowbro was standing tall. Amanda then realized that she hadn't gotten any info on either Slowbro or Slowpoke, so she took out her Pokedex.

"Slowpoke, the Dopey Pokemon. It is notorious for having a dim intellect and more often than not, it forgets what it's doing.

"Slowbro, the hermit crab Pokemon. Although this Pokemon can use powerful psychic attacks, it is usually rather peaceful and prefers not to fight."

"If it doesn't like fighting, then there's no point in me trying to catch it." Said Amanda. The group said their goodbyes to the Slowbro and Slowpoke and made their way into the next room. This one had a bit of water that was flowing down.

"Looks like navigating this place is going to be a bit trickier going forward." Said Michelle.

"How so?" asked Amanda.

"We need to use a water Pokemon to glide down the river." Said Michelle.

"I do have Wartortle, but that doesn't really do us any good." Said Amanda.

"Lapras would help." Said Mark. They walked over to the water area and right as mark was about to send Lapras out, a light blue Pokemon similar to a seahorse jumped out of the water and smiled at them.

"You're another cutie." Said Amanda. She took out her Pokedex again and aimed it at Horsea.

"Horsea, the dragon Pokemon. Horsea is very adept in the water and can use its dorsal fin to swim in any direction. It will spray black ink at possible attackers if it senses that it's in danger."

"Not only is it a good swimmer, but it also protects itself well too." Said Michelle. She went to pet Horsea, only to be sprayed by black ink.

"My shirt!" Michelle cried. "It's ruined!"

"You can always get a new shirt when we get to Cinnabar Island." Said Mark.

"You don't understand." Said Michelle. "This shirt was a gift from my dad, and now it's covered in ink."

"Horsea, that wasn't very nice." Said Amanda. "Michelle wasn't trying to attack you. She was just trying to be friends with you. Apologize to her right now!" Horsea swam over to Michelle and gave an apologetic look.

"It's all right, Horsea. I know you didn't mean to do that." Said Michelle. Horsea smiled.

"Horsea!" it cried and splashed up and down.

"Aw, Horsea's happy again." Said Amanda. "Hey Horsea, would you like to be my Pokemon?" Horsea happily nodded its head.

"All right, but I think it's only fair that I battle you first." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, you're on.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried and jumped into action ready to take on the water horse.

"Pikachu, start with your Thunderbolt!" Amanda ordered. Pikachu unleashed its powerful attack and did a lot of damage to Horsea. The tiny little seahorse wouldn't give up, though, and used its Sludge attack to spray black ink towards Pikachu. However, Pikachu used its Agility to avoid being splatted.

"Nice work, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Now, go for Quick Attack." Pikachu sped towards Horsea and drilled its body with the hit. Horsea shook it off and tried using its Bubblebeam attack. Pikachu did get hit by some of the bubbles, but the attack didn't doo very much and the electric mouse shook off the bubbles.

"Very good!" Amanda cried. "Unleash your Thunder attack on it!" Pikachu let out an extremely powerful clap of thunder which Horsea tried to avoid, but unfortunately, it jumped right into the attack and landed in the water floating upside down. The Thunder had knocked it out.

"Great work, Pikachu!" cried Amanda. She grabbed an empty Poke Ball and aimed it at Horsea.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried. Horsea got sucked inside in a blaze of red light and didn't even bother trying to move due to how much the battle had weakened it. Three simple shakes, followed by a click and a ding signified a successful catch.

"I just caught a Horsea!" Amanda cried. She held up the ball containing her new Pokemon proudly before it vanished into thin air. It was headed for Professor Oak's lab.

"Well, not only do you have a new Pokemon, but a new friend too." Said Michelle. The group continued walking on, but didn't get very far before Mark spotted something.

"Guys, we might have a little bit of an issue." He said.

"What do you mean?" asked Amanda.

"See for yourself." Said Michelle. Amanda turned around and saw an angry looking Pokemon that was slightly bigger than Horsea. Amanda got her Pokedex out again.

"Seadra, the dragon Pokemon. It can spin its body to make big whirlpools. It can also swallow its prey by using its long snout." Seadra looked at Amanda specifically and cried out in anger.

"Uh oh." Said Michelle. "I think I might know why this Seadra's angry with you."

"I think I might know myself but go ahead." Said Mark.

"It seems that the Horsea that Amanda just caught is the child of this Seadra." Said Michelle. Amanda gasped in horror. She had never intended to break the two of them apart.

"Oh my gosh. Seadra, I am so sorry." Said Amanda. "I didn't know that the Horsea was your child. My friends and I were just looking for Pokemon to catch in here and I thought it was a regular Horsea. I didn't expect to find out that it was your kid. Will you please forgive me?" Seadra looked intently at Amanda and could tell that she was being sincere, so she took off the angry face and smiled. It then gave its cry and pointed to one of Amanda's Poke Balls.

"Seadra says it'll forgive you on one condition." Said Michelle. "Its condition is that you have to reunite it with its child."

"Doo!" Seadra cried, which meant 'Where is my kid right now?'

"That's easy. Horsea's at Professor Oak's." said Amanda. Seadra was a bit confused.

"I don't think Seadra knows who Professor Oak is." Mark whispered.

"Professor Oak is a famous researcher who lives in Pallet Town." Amanda explained to Seadra. "He helped me get started on my journey months ago. I have a lot of Pokemon there, including Horsea. If you want to see your kid again, I can capture you in a Poke Ball right now without a battle. Since I currently have six Pokemon on me, you'd be going right to the lab and you'll be able to see your child. What do you say?" Seadra thought for a bit before letting out a smile and agreeing to Amanda's terms.

"Okay then." Said Amanda. She grabbed another empty Poke Ball and threw it at Seadra. The Pokemon happily jumped into the ball, which clicked and dinged immediately. The ball then vanished and teleported to the lab.

"Well, I'm glad that issue's solved." Said Michelle. The trio continued onwards until they got to the edge of the water.

"This is where Lapras comes in." said Mark. He sent his ride Pokemon out and the trio climbed aboard. Lapras guided them out of the room and into the next area, which was also surrounded by water. The last room that they went into ended with a small island just a few feet away from them. They got onto the ground and Mark recalled Lapras. The trio slowly made their way up the staircase to the island where they found a large Pokemon with sky blue plumage and wings made of ice. Three dark blue rhombus shaped feathers sat on its forehead.

"There it is." Said Amanda. "The legendary Articuno." She took out her Pokedex once again.

"Articuno, the freeze Pokemon. Articuno has the power to control ice at will. When Articuno flaps its wings, it can chill the moisture in the air around it."

"It looks so pretty." Said Michelle.

"It's also quite rare." Said Mark.

"That's why I want to catch it." Said Amanda.

"Hold on a second." Said Michelle. "This isn't just your run of the mill average Pokemon here. Articuno is legendary, which means trying to defeat it in a battle won't be easy."

"We'll just see about that." Said Amanda and she tossed a Poke Ball. "Let's do this, Arcanine!" The big fire dog appeared in a blaze of light.

"Arcanine, use your Flamethrower!" Amanda commanded. Arcanine shot a giant flame at the ice type, but Articuno countered by flying upwards. It then shot an Ice Beam attack.

"Arcanine, go for Agility!" Amanda cried. Arcanine used its speed to dodge any Ice Beam that Articuno threw at it.

"Try a Fire Blast attack!" cried Amanda. Arcanine shot a large fire star in Articuno's direction, but the legendary Pokemon just flew all around it dodging the attack. Amanda started to get visibly frustrated.

"I told you this wasn't going to be easy." Said Michelle.

"I'm not going to give up, though." Said Amanda. "Arcanine, return." She recalled her fire type and looked at her partner.

"Pikachu, go!" she cried. Pikachu happily sprang into action. It was very excited about getting a chance to battle a legendary Pokemon.

"Swift attack!" Amanda called out. Pikachu shot rainbow stars, which hit Articuno but did little damage. It then used its own Swift attack on Pikachu. The attack hit the little mouse, but it didn't give up. Articuno then flew back down and fell asleep.

"What was that?" Amanda asked.

"Rest. When a Pokemon uses that, it goes to sleep right away." Said Michelle.

"It won't be able to attack for a while, then." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed its yellow bolt of lightning, hitting Articuno, who was still asleep.

"It definitely can't dodge now." Said Amanda. "Thunderbolt again!" Pikachu unleashed another powerful bolt, which did a lot of damage. However, that was when Articuno woke up and flew at Pikachu for a Take Down. Pikachu got knocked back a bit but it didn't suffer too much damage and was determined to keep going.

"That's the spirit, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Both Pikachu and Articuno got ready for another attack when suddenly, a giant net started descending from the ceiling.

"Where did that come from?" Amanda wondered. The net scooped up both of the Pokemon, causing them to cry out together.

"Pikachu! Articuno!" Amanda cried.

"Who's there?" Mark demanded. They then heard laughter from a familiar duo.

"Oh great." Amanda muttered.

"Team Rocket! What are you two doing here?" Michelle demanded.

"We heard that Articuno lives here so we wanted to grab a hold of it for the boss." Said Sally.

"And while we're at it, we'll take a Pikachu on the side." Said Conrad.

"Give those Pokemon back right now!" Amanda cried.

"So sorry twerp, but both of these Pokemon belong to Team Rocket permanently now." Said Sally.

"So you can kiss these two goodbye." Said Conrad. They started to ascend upwards, with Amanda gritting her teeth.

"Don't worry, they won't get too far." Said Michelle. True to her prediction, Articuno popped a hole in the net with its beak, resulting in both Pokemon flying back downwards. Articuno landed in its usual spot, while Pikachu landed safely in Amanda's arms.

"I'm glad you're okay, buddy." She said. "Articuno, you know what to do." Articuno nodded and fired a Hyper Beam at Team Rocket, sending them both upwards into the air.

"We're both blasting off again!" they cried. DING!

"Great work, Articuno." Said Amanda. She wanted to finish the battle, but Articuno let out a yawn and fell asleep again.

"After almost being captured by Team Rocket, no wonder it wants to sleep." Said Mark. The trio had no choice but to leave Articuno and make their way out of the cave.

"It's too bad I didn't get to finish battling Articuno." Said Amanda. "Owning a legendary Pokemon would've been really cool."

"In all fairness, Articuno belongs right here." Said Michelle.

"I suppose you're right." Said Amanda. "I'm just glad I got to see one, though. That's definitely something I want to tell my mama about." And so, our heroes leave Articuno in peace. Now, it's back on course to Cinnabar Island. Will Amanda be able to get her next badge? Find out as the journey continues.

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Eight: Christmas Special

Every year at Christmas time, little boys and girls all around the world are preparing for the holiday season. They hang their stockings up by the fireplace or their bed and try their best to be good so that they can get presents from the big guy himself, Santa Claus. We start off on one cold night in a forest cottage where one teenage girl has already finished her prep work and is anxious for Santa, even though Christmas isn't for another few days or so. The girl is Sally of Team Rocket. She was fast asleep in her bed with her stocking hung beside her. Everything was very peaceful when she heard someone enter the room. She thought nothing of it at first, but then she heard a scream, which caused her to wake up with glee.

"Yes! It worked!" She cried. "All right, Santa, hand over the goods!" However, the person that had been caught in the net wasn't Santa. It was her partner, Conrad.

"Do I look like Santa Claus to you?" he asked. Sally chuckled.

"Oopsie." She said. She got Conrad out of the net and started to explain why she wanted to catch Santa.

"Every year when I was small, I was always a good little girl. I always did my chores like my mom asked, plus a little extra. I also never got into any fights. Because of that, I always got a little bonus from Santa in addition to my regular gifts. But then one year, I don't exactly remember what happened, something inside of me changed. I ended up becoming more rebellious and did a lot of things that I shouldn't have, resulting in me going on the naughty list." She said.

"Honestly, that's no reason to try and capture Santa." Said Conrad.

"I think it's a very good reason." Said Sally. Just then, she thought of something else. "Actually, forget about catching Santa. We'll just steal Christmas instead."

"I thought the Grinch already tried that." Said Conrad.

"Well it didn't exactly work when he tried it." Said Sally. "Thanks to my plan, though, our attempt will be much more successful. If I can't have Christmas, then nobody can." She then let out a yawn. "Come on, let's get some sleep. We'll discuss this more in the morning." The two team Rocket members quickly closed their eyes and fell asleep. The next day, our three heroes were sailing along the water on Mark's Lapras. Amanda was determined to get to Cinnabar and earn a Volcano badge. Pikachu looked out at the ocean through a pair of binoculars, and the moment he saw an island come into view, he pointed excitedly.

"Pikachu pika!" he yelled.

"What is it, Pikachu?" Amanda asked.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'I see something that we should check out!'

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

"I suppose another detour wouldn't hurt." Said Michelle. "At least this time, there's no whirlpools to throw us off."

"Lapras, full speed ahead to that island!" Mark cried. Lapras nodded and started picking up speed. Up in the air, Team Rocket was also making their way toward the island.

"If those people think that they're going to have a merry Christmas this year, they have another thing coming." Said Sally.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" Conrad asked.

"Yes!" Sally cried. "I haven't gotten a darn thing the last six years, so I deserve a break once in a while."

"If you say so." Said Conrad. Meanwhile, our heroes were quickly approaching the island, which was pretty big. They were almost there when Amanda's egg started to glow a bit.

"What's happening? Why did my egg do that?" Amanda asked.

"I honestly have no clue." Said Michelle.

"Maybe Nurse Joy will have the answer." Said Mark. They finally reached the island, and Mark praised Lapras for a job well done.

"Lapras, return!" Mark cried. The water type got sucked into the ball in a beam of red light.

"You deserve a rest." Said Mark. He placed the ball in his bag and they started to walk down the pathway. They soon reached the Pokemon Center, and they all made a beeline for the entrance.

"Nurse Joy! You need to have a look at my egg!" Amanda cried as they burst through the door.

"Woah, slow down there kids." Said Joy. "You don't want to hurt yourselves."

"This is important!" Amanda cried. "My egg was glowing on the way here and I have no idea what it could mean."

"That's why I'm here." Said Joy. "Let's have a look here." Amanda handed the egg over and Joy watched it carefully. Nothing happened at first, but twenty minutes later, it glowed again, making Joy gasp.

"It's getting close!" she cried. She handed the egg back to Amanda and gave a smile.

"Well, what's up with my egg?" Amanda asked.

"There's nothing to worry about at all." Said Joy. "That glow it gave before means it's very close to hatching." That news got Amanda very excited.

"How close exactly?" she wondered.

"I would estimate that it should hatch by Christmas Day." Said Joy.

"Wow, that's so awesome!" cried Amanda. They went back outside feeling more excited by the minute.

"My egg's going to hatch soon!" she cried.

"You don't have to be so loud about it, though." Said Mark.

"Sorry, but I can't help myself." Said Amanda. "I'm about to be the mother of a baby Pokemon! I haven't been this excited in a long time!" She started to skip around in a circle, and in the process, she grabbed Michelle's hand.

"Woah there, Amanda, settle down." Said Michelle. "Stop spinning me around so much, you're making me dizzy!" Pikachu and Eevee couldn't help but smile.

"Eevee." Squealed Eevee, which meant 'She's certainly excited about that egg.'

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu in agreement, which meant 'She does need to calm down, though.' Amanda finally let go of Michelle and she collapsed onto the ground.

"Are you all right?" Mark asked.

"Yeah, just a little dizzy from being spun around so much." Michelle answered.

"Sorry about that." Said Amanda.

"It's all right." Said Michelle. Once she had recovered from the dizziness, they continued on along the island.

"This place certainly is very nice." Said Amanda.

"It's also very warm." Said Michelle. "I don't see a single bit of snow anywhere."

"Not every place has to have a white Christmas." Said Mark.

"I guess you're right." Said Michelle. As they continued walking, a girl that was older than the trio ran up to them. She looked to be no older than sixteen.

"Can the three of you help me out, please?" she asked.

"What's wrong?" Amanda replied.

"It's my little sister." Said the girl. "She's eight years old and right now, she's very sad."

"What? But it's Christmas. People are supposed to be happy." Said Mark.

"Try telling that to my sister." Said the girl. "Her name is Cassie, by the way. I'm her sister Gina."

"Well, Gina, we'll do whatever we can to get that frown off of your sister's face." Said Michelle.

"Thanks." Said Gina. She pointed in the exact direction the trio was headed.

"My house is this way. Follow me." She said. She led the three friends, plus Pikachu and Eevee, down the street. Meanwhile, in the house that Gina had mentioned, Cassie was in her room staring glumly out her window. She let out a bit of a sigh.

"It's just not fair." She said. "It's been three whole weeks now since Mommy and Daddy died. I still miss them so much. Why did that accident have to happen?" She let out some small tears, as she was obviously upset. Although she had tried to get the death out of her mind, she was still having a difficult time letting it go. Even Gina had tried multiple times to convince Cassie to stop thinking about it, but those attempts were unsuccessful. She sighed again and continued to look out her window. Thirty minutes later, she heard the door to her room open.

"Cassie, we have visitors." Said Gina. Cassie turned around in her chair and saw her sister, as well as Michelle, Amanda and Mark.

"Are you three here to give me even more bad news?" she asked.

"Not at all." Said Amanda. "We're Pokemon trainers, and we want to try and help you out.

"Pokemon trainers?" Cassie repeated. She was a little bit confused.

"I don't think this kid's ever seen a Pokemon before." Michelle whispered. Pikachu ran up to Cassie and gave her a playful nudge.

"It looks like my Pikachu is already taking a liking to you, Cassie." Said Amanda.

"Wait a minute. How do you know my name?" Cassie wondered. "You're only just meeting me for the first time."

"Your sister filled us in on everything on our way here." Said Mark. Cassie got out of her chair and went over to where the trio was standing, with Pikachu following behind.

"You know, Amanda, your Pikachu is the very first Pokemon that I've ever met." Said Cassie. "I've always wanted my own Pokemon ever since I was four years old. Every Christmas since then I kept asking my parents for one, but they kept saying no. Something about having to wait until I was a little older. This is the year that I was finally supposed to get a Pokemon of my own. I know this because they made that promise to me last year. Then the accident happened, and now, I'll never have my own Pokemon." She burst into tears again. Gina got a tissue out so she could wipe them away.

"There now, Cassie." She said gently. "Everything will be all right."

"No it won't!" Cassie cried. "Nothing will ever be all right again!" The two of them embraced in a hug, and then Gina began to speak.

"Look, I know you miss Mom and Dad." She said. "I'll be honest, I miss them too. Crying isn't going to bring them back, though. It's unfortunate that the accident happened but you have to let that go."

"They promised me that I would finally get my own Pokemon this year!" Cassie cried. "But now, that's not going to happen!"

"Oh yes it will." Said Gina. "I'm going to make sure that Mom and Dad's promise to you gets fulfilled." She turned to Michelle, Amanda and Mark. "I'll need the three of you to come with me again."

"See you in a little while, Cassie." Said Amanda. The four of them left the room and stepped back outside the house.

"There has to be something we can do to make Cassie feel better." Said Michelle.

"Didn't she say something about how her parents had promised to get her a Pokemon of her own?" asked Mark.

"I specifically heard something about that." Said Amanda.

"And we're going to make sure that she gets one." Said Gina.

"What kind of Pokemon would she want, though?" Michelle wondered.

"Good question." Said Amanda.

"Maybe she'd like a water type." Said Mark.

"Water types are usually pretty neat." Said Gina.

"But maybe she'd like an electric type like my Pikachu." Said Amanda.

"That's always possible." Said Gina. "We definitely have some options to consider."

"Gina, did Cassie write a letter to Santa this year?" Michelle asked.

"You know, that's the strange thing about all of this." Said Gina. "With all that's happened and all the stuff that we've had to deal with the last few weeks, she never did get around to writing her letter this year."

"I guess she must've been so upset that she didn't feel like doing it." Said Mark.

"Probably, but don't worry, we'll make sure she gets something." Said Gina. She smiled at the threesome and led them down the bank of the ocean. There weren't very many waves, which was a good thing, but one of the waves sent a Vaporeon onto the pathway that they were walking on.

"I bet Cassie would love that." Said Amanda.

"I hope so." Said Gina. "And since it's my sister, I think it's only fair that I catch it." She grabbed a Poke Ball off the waist of the skirt she was wearing and threw it.

"Venusaur, you're up for battle!" she cried. A quadrupedal amphibian Pokemon with blue and green skin appeared. On its back was a large pink, white-spotted flower bulb. Amanda decided to get more info with her Pokedex.

"Venusaur, the seed Pokemon. Venusaur uses its flower to catch the sun's rays to convert them into energy, which causes the flower to become more vibrant. The flower releases a soothing scent that attracts Pokémon and calms emotions."

"Venusaur, use your Vine Whip!" Gina commanded. Venusaur shot out its vines at Vaporeon, but the water type countered with a Reflect to reduce the damage. Vaporeon then used Swift and shot yellow stars at the grass type. Venusaur cried out in a bit of pain.

"Venusaur!" Gina cried. "Are you okay?" Venusaur nodded and shot Vaporeon an angry stare.

"Razor Leaf!" Gina called. Venusaur shot green leaves at Vaporeon, which did some damage, but not as much as it should've done due to the Reflect. Vaporeon then used a Bubblebeam attack, which did some more damage to Venusaur.

"That Vaporeon's tough, but Venusaur here is even tougher." Said Gina. "Use your Sleep Powder!" Venusaur sprinkled blue dust all over Vaporeon, causing the water type to fall asleep.

"Solar Beam!" called Gina. Venusaur absorbed some of the light from the sun that was shining in the sky and launched a powerful yellow beam at Vaporeon, hitting it and knocking it out. Gina nodded and grabbed an empty Poke Ball to launch at Vaporeon.

"Poke Ball, go!" she cried. The ball hit Vaporeon's tail and sucked the water type inside via red light. The ball wiggled and shook four times before clicking shut.

"Looks like I got a Vaporeon." Said Gina. She picked up the Poke Ball and put it away. She then gave another nod. "Yes. This will be a great gift for my sister."

"Cassie will be so surprised when she gets that." Said Amanda.

"She certainly will." Said Gina. "There's a few other things that I want to get her too, though." There was a shopping center s short distance away, so they made their way there.

"I wonder what else Cassie would like." Said Michelle.

"I know Cassie had asked our parents for some new clothes for Christmas right before they passed away, but that's all I remember her wanting." Said Gina. "Because our parents are no longer around, the responsibility of buying Cassie's gift falls to me." She checked the map to see where the stores were. "Luckily for us, there's a store on this floor that sells clothes for children. Come on, let's go." The four of them headed off towards the store together, but Pikachu was feeling a little worried about Cassie.

"Pika." He said in a bit of a sad tone, which meant 'I really hope we can make Cassie feel better.'

"I hope the same thing, Pikachu." Said Amanda. Once they arrived at the store, Gina immediately ran over to wear the sweaters were. There was one that especially stood out because the top part of it was green, the middle part was red and the bottom part was blue.

"Notice the significance of this pattern?" Gina asked.

"I think I know." Said Michelle. "It has to do with the three starters. Green for Bulbasaur, red for Charmander, and blue for Squirtle."

"That's right." Said Gina. "I think Cassie would like this." She was about to pay for the sweater when she remembered something else.

"I don't remember Cassie ever wearing a dress before, except for when we had the funeral for our parents." She said. "Other than that, she's always been a bit of a tomboy." She spotted a bright yellow dress with red and pink dots and scooped it up, along with a pair of white tights. She went to the counter and paid for the items, and then they left.

"There's one more store we have to go into." Said Gina. "If I'm to give her that dress as a gift, she'll need some good shoes to go with it." They went into the shoe store that was right next door to where they had just been and Gina picked out a pair of shiny black Mary Jane dress shoes.

"I think she'll definitely like those." Said Michelle.

"Let's hope so, Michelle." Said Gina. Once the shoes had been paid for, they left the mall.

"Well, our shopping trip is finished." Said Gina. "Now to wrap these and put them under our tree."

"But what if Cassie sees those before she's supposed to?" Amanda asked.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that she's a bit of a snoop sometimes." Said Gina. "Thankfully, Christmas isn't until the day after tomorrow, so we'll just have to hope that she can be patient a little bit." They soon arrived back at the house, and when they got in, Gina made sure to check around.

"Good, it looks like the coast is clear." She said. She led the group up to her room and put Vaporeon's Poke Ball in her drawer. She quickly closed it and locked it with a small key.

"It should be safe in there for now." Said Gina. "Now, I want the three of you to help me wrap these." The four of them got some rolls of wrapping paper and got to work. With the four of them working together, the gifts got wrapped fairly quickly. Gina went to put them underneath the tree, but right as she finished, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Gina turned around and saw her sister standing there.

"Cassie. Don't you ever scare me like that again." Said Gina.

"Sorry." Said Cassie. She glanced past Gina and looked at the freshly wrapped boxes.

"What's in there?" Cassie asked.

"Well, if you must know, miss Curious George, those are your presents that our new friends and I just got you."

"Oh, I love presents!" Cassie cried. She tried to open them, but Gina stopped her.

"Not so fast there, sis." Said Gina. "You're not supposed to see those until after tomorrow."

"I want to see them now!" Cassie demanded.

"You can't right now." Said Gina. "And if you so much as continue that type of behavior, these are going to go back to the store and you'll get nothing. Is that what you want?"

"No." Cassie answered.

"Then I expect you to behave perfectly." Said Gina. "Especially now with Santa scheduled to come tomorrow night. Can you do that for me?" Cassie nodded.

"I think so." She said.

"That's a good girl." Said Gina. "Now, run along and play in your room for a while." Cassie ran upstairs and Gina turned her attention to the group.

"Sorry about that." She said. "I love Cassie a lot, but she can be a bit of a brat sometimes."

"Typical child behavior. Not really a surprise there." Said Michelle. That night, Gina cooked a delicious meal for all of them. The meal consisted of smoked ham, fried potatoes and some salad.

"Won't Christmas dinner be kind of boring if we have the same thing tonight?" Cassie asked.

"I was thinking of trying a more healthy approach for tomorrow night." Said Gina. "You'll find out what I mean when I make it."

"This ham is really good, Gina." Said Amanda. Both Pikachu and Eevee tried a small piece and smiled.

"I guess the Pokemon agree with you." Said Michelle. "How did you get to be such a good cook, Gina?"

"There's a cooking show that plays on television every week where they teach you how to make all kinds of dishes." Said Gina. "I've been watching that show regularly for a while so I could learn to cook in case something unforeseen should happen. I guess it's a good thing I did that because a lot of the things Mom had to do are now things that I have to do, including the cooking."

"You've definitely been doing a good job." Said Mark.

"Amanda, what's that oval shaped thing sitting on the table?" Cassie asked.

"Oh, that's my Pokemon egg." Amanda answered. "I found it not too long ago and Nurse Joy says that it's supposed to hatch very soon."

"That's so exciting." Said Gina. "Do you know which Pokemon is going to hatch out of it?"

"No." Amanda answered. "It could be something my friends and I don't have yet, or it could very well be a brand new undiscovered Pokemon."

"Either way, it's certainly quite exciting." Said Cassie. After dinner was over, the five of them watched a Christmas film on the television. Although it was a good film, it was kind of long. When it was over, all of them went to bed to get some much needed rest. Not long after they had fallen asleep, Sally and Conrad started going up to the roof of the house via ladder. Both of them had ditched their Team Rocket uniforms in favor of Santa suits.

"I don't understand why we have to get on the roof this way." Said Conrad. "Why can't we just fly onto the roof like Santa does?"

"Because we don't have the budget for a sleigh." Sally answered. Upon reaching the roof, the two of them looked around for the chimney.

"It's so hard to see out here at night." Said Sally. Conrad was having trouble too and kept walking around on the roof until he ran into something.

"Found it!" Conrad called out. Sally ran over to him.

"Will you keep your voice down? There's probably people sleeping in there and you don't want to wake them up." Said Sally.

"Sorry." Conrad whispered. They got out some empty sacks and started going down the chimney. They were almost at the bottom when Conrad got stuck. He tried everything to get unstuck, but nothing worked.

"A little help here." He said. Sally sighed and gave him a gentle nudge. However, that didn't do anything.

"Try again." Said Conrad. Sally nudge a little harder, but once again, nothing happened. Sally tried one more time, and Conrad finally got freed. However, Sally was right behind him and she landed on Conrad's back.

"Watch it there, will you?" Conrad said. Sally apologized and they scanned the room.

"Ah, there's a nice pile of gifts." Said Conrad. He started to grab the boxes when Sally held up her hand.

"Leave those alone." She said. "We'll come back for those tomorrow night."

"But isn't that when Santa is supposed to come?" Conrad asked.

"Exactly my point." Said Sally. "Since we'll be dressed like this again, they'll think Santa's the culprit and not us. Next thing you know, Santa ends up in the slammer and we end up successfully stealing Christmas."

"Good thinking." Said Conrad. They grabbed the stockings that were hanging by the fireplace, as well as the lights that were on the tree and stuffed them into their bags. They then climbed back up the chimney and took off. The next morning was Christmas Eve, which got Cassie excited because Santa was due to come that night. In fact, she was so excited that she was the first one in the house to wake up. She went downstairs toward the kitchen for breakfast but decided to go into the living room first. When she went in there, however, she noticed that something was off. She screamed in horror, which caused Gina, Amanda, Mark, Michelle, Pikachu and Eevee to wake up.

"That can't be good." Said Michelle. All of them quickly ran down the stairs and into the living room.

"Cassie, what's wrong?" Gina asked.

"Somebody stole Christmas!" she cried.

"Don't be silly. How can someone take a whole holiday?" Mark asked.

"I haven't the slightest idea." Said Amanda.

"Cassie, are you sure you didn't take things from here and hide them yourself as part of a game?" Gina asked.

"I'm very sure." Said Cassie. "They took the tree lights, they took the stockings, they took everything!"

"Not quite." Said Michelle. "The presents are still there." Gina breathed a sigh of relief.

"Thank goodness." She Said.

"I bet I know who took them too." Said Cassie. "I think it was Santa!"

"Hold on, let's not jump to conclusions just yet." Said Mark.

"Mark's right." Said Michelle. "I know Santa delivers gifts but I don't think he steals them."

"Besides, Santa's a good guy." Said Amanda. "Why would he even think of stealing?"

"He wouldn't because he's never done it." Said Gina.

"If it wasn't Santa, then who did it?" asked Cassie.

"That's what we're going to find out right now." Said Gina. She grabbed a tape that had been recorded by the house's security system and popped it into the videocassette player.

"Let's see, the date on the bottom right corner says December twenty-three, so this was definitely last night." Said Gina. At first, only the fully decorated living room was shown on the tape. Shortly afterwards, however, two familiar figures came into view. The tapes showed them stuffing decorations into a sack and then taking off.

"I knew it!" Cassie cried. "I knew Santa was responsible!"

"But Santa's only one person, and the tape shows two people." Said Gina.

"Both of them were wearing Santa suits, though." Said Michelle.

"That only leaves just one other possibility." Said Amanda. The trio put their heads together and shouted out the solution at the same time.

"Team Rocket!" they cried.

"Of course it would be them pulling this kind of stunt." Said Michelle.

"Who or what is Team Rocket?" Cassie asked.

"They're crooks that like to steal Pokemon, but sometimes they steal other things too." Said Amanda.

"Like our Christmas lights and stockings?" asked Gina.

"Yes, exactly like that." Said Michelle.

"We've got to find them and get your things back." Said Mark. The five of them quickly got dressed and headed outside.

"They could be anywhere." Said Cassie. "We're never going to find them."

"Let me tell you something, Cassie." Said Amanda. "I have a Pokemon with me that has the ability to use radar. If we do that, finding Team Rocket will be much easier."

"Can I see the Pokemon, pretty please?" Cassie asked. Amanda nodded and threw a Poke Ball.

"Venonat, I choose you!" she cried. The dual bug and poison type appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Venonat!" it cried.

"It's so cool." Said Cassie.

"Venonat, use your radar function to locate Team Rocket!" Amanda ordered. Venonat nodded and concentrated hard. A couple of moments later, an image showing Team Rocket's bags appeared. The duo was shown to be fast asleep on a pile of grass a short distance away.

"Awesome work, Venonat." Said Amanda. "Come on, guys, we have some Christmas decorations to recover." The five of them ran off, with Venonat hopping right behind them. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally were just starting to wake up.

"That was definitely a good night's sleep." Said Sally.

"So, we're going back to that house tonight, right?" asked Conrad.

"That's the plan." Said Sally. "The only difference this time is that we're also hitting the rest of the island. Which means we're taking absolutely everything." Some sweat started dripping from Conrad's head.

"Maybe we should change first." He said. "It's kind of hot in these suits."

"Good point." Said Sally. They threw off their Santa outfits and were now back in their regular uniforms.

"We won't need those again until tonight anyway." Said Sally. "Come on, let's get out of here." The moment they started to leave, however, they found themselves surrounded by five angry faces as well as an angry Venonat.

"All right, Team Rocket, give us back our stuff right now!" cried Cassie.

"What stuff? What are you talking about?" Conrad asked, pretending to deny any involvement.

"You know very well what we're talking about!" Amanda yelled. "The lights and stockings that you stole from our two new friends!"

"You must have the wrong people." Said Sally.

"Yeah, we don't recall stealing anything like that." Said Conrad. "Maybe it was Santa or something."

"We know it was you!" shouted Gina. "The security tape showed me everything!"

"So you may as well give up and return our lights and stockings." Said Cassie.

"If you want them back that badly, you'll need to beat us first." Said Conrad. "Let's do this, Golbat!" The dual poison and flying type appeared in a blaze of light.

"Ekans, you're up!" cried Sally. Her poison snake also appeared in a blaze of light; however, it immediately glowed white again before an attack could be called out.

"It's already evolving before the battle even starts?" Michelle wondered curiously.

"That's something you don't see very often." Said Mark. Once the glow had stopped, a larger snake resembling a cobra with narrow eyes and several sharp teeth was standing in its place. Amanda got her Pokedex out.

"Arbok, the cobra Pokemon. Arbok is capable of crushing opponents by coiling its body around them and squeezing them tightly. If it encounters an enemy, it raises its head, mimics, and stuns the opponent using the frightening pattern on its body."

"Guys, time to show Team Rocket that you don't mess with Christmas." Said Michelle. "Electabuzz, go!" The orange and black striped electric type instantly appeared and started down angrily at Golbat.

"Fearow, I choose you!" Amanda called. The powerful flying type appeared in a blaze of white.

"Wow, I've never seen a Fearow up close before!" Cassie cried.

"Just be lucky you don't know about the problems I've had with it." Said Amanda. "Fearow, use your Wing Attack on Arbok!" Unfortunately, Fearow flew onto the branch of a nearby tree and turned away from the action.

"Come on, Fearow!" Amanda cried. "It's Christmas Eve, and what I want more than ever is for you to listen to me again, starting right now. Please battle Arbok." She was practically down on her knees and begging, but Fearow stood firm. Amanda growled in anger and recalled Fearow.

"I guess I can help out." Said Cassie. She started to make a throwing motion before remembering something. "Oh wait, I don't have a single Pokemon yet." Amanda, Michelle, Mark and Gina just facepalmed.

"Venonat, get in there!" Amanda cried. Venonat nodded and hopped in front her. Venonat looked at Arbok carefully and readied itself for battle.

"Electabuzz, use Thunderbolt on Golbat!" Michelle ordered.

"Venonat, use Psybeam on Arbok!" Amanda called out. Both Pokemon obeyed and unleashed their attacks. Golbat winced in pain, while Arbok started floating up and down.

"Arbok, what in the world are you doing?" Sally demanded. "You have a battle to do!" Arbok shook off the Psybeam.

"Good. Poison Sting." Sally called. Arbok shot out purple poison needles at both Pokemon, but the attack was easily dodged.

"I can help you guys out too." Said Gina. She grabbed another Poke Ball and tossed it. "Go, Rhydon!" A large, grey ground type appeared.

"Rhydon, use your Take Down!" Gina ordered. Rhydon charged at the Team Rocket duo and landed a powerful attack on them, sending both of them and their Pokemon flying into the air.

"We're blasting off again!" they cried. DING!

"Way to go, everyone!" cried Amanda. "You were great, Venonat.

"You too, Electabuzz." Said Michelle.

"Same goes for Rhydon." Said Gina. All three of them returned their Pokemon, collected the items that had been stolen, and headed back to Gina and Cassie's house. They put the lights back on the tree and hung the stockings back up. As they finished, there was a knock on their door.

"Who do you think that is?" asked Cassie.

"I'm not sure." Said Gina. "Let's find out." Cassie was the one to open the door, but all they found was a note. Gina grabbed the note off the door and had a look.

"What does it say?" Cassie asked.

"It says 'Dear Cassie and Gina. You may not have seen me, but I was secretly observing the battle you had with Team Rocket. Those two are on the naughty list permanently, but as for you two, you both deserve a very special gift. I will be delivering the gifts to your house later tonight, but you must be asleep as per my rules. Signed, Kris. PS, don't forget to leave out a plate of milk and some chocolate chip cookies. Those are my favorites.' Now I wonder who this Kris person is."

"It has to be Santa!" Cassie cried. "He's the only person in the world who goes by multiple names."

"He's also the only person in the world who knows the name of every kid even though he never sees them." Said Gina. Amanda came over to see what was going on.

"Santa's coming tonight with special gifts for us!" Cassie cried.

"That's really nice, Cassie." Said Amanda. She then realized something important. "I just remembered, I never wrote a list to Santa this year telling him what I want."

"Don't worry, I'm sure he'll bring you something good." Said Gina.

"Let's hope so." Said Amanda. Later that night, well after all of them had gone to sleep, Santa arrived on the roof. A Ponyta was helping to steer the sleigh.

"I did promise those two girls that I had special gifts for them, and Santa never breaks a promise." He said. He then took out his list and checked it.

"It looks like three other trainers named Amanda, Michelle and Mark are currently staying here." He said. "I never got any lists from them, but I know that they're good kids, and they're lucky I have extra presents in my bag. That means they'll get something too." He tapped his nose and he was teleported into the living room. He carefully placed gifts for all five of them under the tree and placed some small things in the stockings. He was about to leave when he sniffed something. He went into the kitchen and found a plate of cookies waiting for him, along with some milk.

"Looks like those girls followed my instructions from the note I left earlier." He said. He ate up all three of the cookies and drank the milk

"I wonder what else I could do as a thank you." Said Santa. "I know." He wrote a few quick notes and used his magic to send them flying into everyone's rooms. He then teleported out of the house and back onto the roof and flew away. Meanwhile, Gina was happily asleep when she saw the note that had landed beside her pillow.

"What's this?" she asked in a groggy voice. Upon reading the note, her eyes lit up.

"Everyone in here right now!" she cried. Pikachu was the first to hear Gina's cry.

"Pika." He said, which meant 'This must be important if we're getting woken up in the middle of the night like this.' Cassie, Amanda, Michelle, Mark, Pikachu and Eevee immediately came running into Gina's room.

"Is something wrong, sis?" asked Cassie.

"Actually, this is a good thing." Answered Gina. "Did all of you get the same note that I did?"

"I think so." Amanda answered.

"What did it say?" Michelle asked.

"Something about Santa wanting to give us a special tour of the North Pole." Said Gina.

"Isn't that where they make all the toys for Christmas?" asked Cassie.

"That's right." Said Gina.

"How are we going to get there?" asked Mark. "The North Pole is pretty far. It's not like we can just get into a car and drive there."

"Luckily, we don't have to worry about any of that." Said Gina. "The note says that an Alakazam is supposed to take us there by teleportation."

"What's an Alazkazam?" Cassie asked.

"It's one of the psychic types." Gina answered. Once everyone had gotten dressed, the Alakazam that Santa had mentioned in his note arrived. It looked at the group and used Teleport to bring the gang to the lobby of Santa's workshop.

"Wow, so this is the North Pole." Said Cassie.

"Look at all these lights." Said Mark.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'It's so beautiful.' Eevee nodded in agreement.

"Eevee." She squealed, which meant 'This is one of the prettiest places I've ever been to.'

"Will we get to see Santa?" asked Cassie.

"I don't think so." Said Gina. "Remember, he's currently out on his rounds. Plus, under normal circumstances, we're normally supposed to be asleep right now."

"This should still be fun, though." Said Amanda. A short time later, a woman dressed similar to Santa came into the lobby to greet them.

"I must say, it's not very often that we get visitors up here." She said.

"Are you Santa?" Cassie asked.

"Cassie!" Gina cried. The woman just chuckled a bit.

"It's quite all right, dear." She said. "Even though I do look similar to my husband, I'm actually Mrs. Claus. And you five must be the children that he talked about in the note that he left when dropping off your presents."

"Wait, how do you know about that?" asked Michelle.

"I know everything, just like my husband." Said Mrs. Claus. "I guess you could say that we both have psychic powers."

"You mean like the powers that Mewtwo would have?" Amanda asked.

"My heavens, no. Mewtwo's powers are far too strong." Said Mrs. Claus. "The powers my husband and I have are the ability to see what every kid is doing in the world at any given moment and determine who's naughty or nice based on their actions. Now, enough chit chat. Let's start the tour." The first room she took them into was the toy factory room. There were lots of machines and conveyor belts that were usually busy making toys. Now, however, all of them were turned off.

"This is the busiest room in the entire workshop." Said Mrs. Claus. "All the toys that children ask Santa for are made right in here."

"What kinds of toys get made?" asked Cassie.

"We make a whole variety of different toys." Mrs. Claus answered. "Dolls, train sets, you name it and we do it. Of course, the type of toy we make for a certain child depends on their interests. If it's a boy, then they'll likely want things like baseball gloves. For a girl, they'll probably want some nice dresses or even some stuffed toys. And that's basically how we operate."

"It must get pretty busy up here at this time of year." Said Mark.

"It does, but thanks to the advanced technology and machinery that's available, the elves don't have to do as much work themselves." Said Mrs. Claus. "Years ago, we had to do everything by hand, and that took a long time. But now, everything runs smoothly just like clockwork."

"Do you think I could try making a toy myself?" Michelle asked.

"That shouldn't be a problem." Said Mrs. Claus. "In fact, all of you can do it. Each of you go to a workstation and I'll tell you what to do." The five of them went over to different spots and got ready to work. Pikachu and Eevee stayed by the door so that they could see what was going on.

"At each of your stations is a red button." Said Mrs. Claus. "Once I say the word go, you'll press the button see how fast you can make a toy. Is everyone ready?" The fivesome nodded their heads.

"All right, go." Said Mrs. Claus. All of them pressed the button and some dolls started appearing in front of them. Using the provided materials, they did their best to put everything where it belonged. However, the group didn't have any experience in toy making, so it took a little bit of time to get them put together. Once they did finish, however, Mrs. Claus inspected their work.

"Looks like all of you did quite well." She said. "Oh, Cassie, you forgot to stick a ribbon in your doll's hair.

"Oops. Sorry." Said Cassie.

"That's okay." Said Mrs. Claus. "Not everybody gets it right the first time." They put the dolls away and continued on with the tour. Mrs. Claus led them down a long hallway before stopping in front of a stable that had a large gate.

"This is where we keep the Ponyta that guides Santa's sleigh during his rounds." Said Mrs. Claus.

"Ponyta looks like such a cool Pokemon." Said Cassie. "Can I see it, pretty please?"

"I'm afraid Ponyta is out with Santa right now." Said Mrs. Claus. "By the time they come back, you'll likely all be back at home." Cassie was a bit disappointed, but Gina calmly reassured her.

"Don't worry, I'm sure we'll get to see a Ponyta another time." Said Gina.

"I really hope so." Said Cassie. The next part of the workshop that Mrs. Claus showed them was a game room.

"This is where the elves go to during a break from their work." She said. There were pool tables, bowling alleys, even some video game consoles hooked up to a few of the televisions.

"I think this is exactly the type of room where I'd want to hang out if I worked here." Said Mark.

"You know, I probably wouldn't mind this type of room either." Said Michelle.

"Gina, do you think we could get all of this stuff for our own house?" Cassie asked.

"Probably not." Said Gina. "To get all of these would be very expensive."

"There's one more part of the workshop that I'm allowed to show you." Said Mrs. Claus. She led them down the hall again towards a door. Upon opening it, they all had to take a bit of a walk through the snow before the trek ended inside a small little cottage.

"This is where Santa and I live." Said Mrs. Claus. "As you can see, it's very traditional."

"There's no television anywhere?" Cassie wondered.

"This house was built hundreds of years ago, way before all of the modern luxuries that you children have now were even thought of." Said Mrs. Claus. "We like to keep this a bit classic, which is why we don't have a television or phone. There's not even a computer in here. We have talked about making small upgrades the last few years, but Nicholas doesn't want to do that until he's ready. Now, how would all of you like a snack? I have some milk and cookies in here."

"Yes, please!" everyone cried. Even Pikachu and Eevee wanted some cookies. Mrs. Claus smiled and got out a few plates and some cookies for them. She even fed a couple of cookies to the two Pokemon.

"Well, what did you all think of the tour?" Mrs. Claus asked.

"It was certainly very interesting." Said Amanda.

"My favorite part was getting to make my own toy." Said Cassie.

"I kind of liked that too." Said Gina.

"By the way, Amanda, I couldn't help but notice that you brought an egg with you." Said Mrs. Claus. "It looks very beautiful."

"Thanks." Said Amanda. "I have a feeling that it might hatch at any time." Once the cookies had been eaten, Mrs. Claus gathered the group in her living room.

"As fun as it was having all of you up here, I think it's time for Alakazam to send you all back to where it found you." Right on cue, Alakazam appeared and teleported the fivesome back to Cassie and Gina's house.

"Well, we're back." Said Gina.

"That tour was fun." Said Michelle.

"It sure was." Said Mark. Amanda gave a yawn.

"Come on, guys, let's get back to bed." She said.

"Good idea." Said Gina. Everyone fell fast asleep again, and a few hours later, Christmas morning finally arrived. Cassie was the first to wake up, and she was very excited. She ran into Gina's room first and started jumping on her bed.

"Gina, wake up!" she cried. Gina rubbed her eyes and just smiled.

"Merry Christmas, sis." She said. "Please stop jumping on my bed, though."

"I'm just excited!" Cassie cried. Next, she ran into the room that Amanda, mark and Michelle were sharing and jumped on that bed too.

"It's Christmas morning, guys!" she cried. The trio yawned and woke up.

"I can tell that you're excited, but all of that jumping isn't really necessary." Said Michelle.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'Thank goodness she's not jumping on me.'

"Eevee." Squealed Eevee, which meant 'Same here'. Everyone excitedly hurried down the stairs and into the living room to open their presents. They started with the stockings where they found some small chocolate candies for themselves. There were a couple of rubber balls in there too.

"Here, Eevee, you and Pikachu can play with these." Said Michelle. Eevee squealed with delight and started rolling the ball back and fourth between herself and Pikachu. Next, they opened the main presents. Cassie got a Pokemon artwork book as well as some coloring markers, while Gina got some new clothes, including a couple of skirts that she had been wanting for a while. Amanda, Mark and Michelle got some cool things too.

"Well, I guess that's it." Said Cassie.

"Not quite." Said Gina. She quickly hurried upstairs and unlocked a drawer. She then came back into the living room holding a Poke Ball.

"I know you've been wanting a Pokemon of your own for the longest time." Said Gina. "I caught this one a couple of days ago, and I think it would be perfect for you." She opened the ball and Vaporeon popped out. Cassie's eyes lit up when she saw it.

"This is so beautiful!" she cried. "Thanks a lot, Gina."

"You're welcome, Cassie." Said Gina. The two sisters then embraced in a hug.

"Pikachu." Said Pikachu, which meant 'That is so sweet.'

"Eevee." Squealed Eevee, which meant 'It's the most adorable thing that I've ever seen.' Just then, everyone started to hear a cracking sound.

"Nothing's breaking, is it?" wondered Cassie.

"I don't think so." Said Michelle. Amanda knew exactly what was making the cracking noise.

"My egg! It's hatching!" she cried. Everyone gathered around so that they could witness everything unfold. Amanda's eyes were glowing brightly like the lights of a Christmas tree.

"I wonder what Pokemon is in there." She said.

"We're about to find out." Said Mark. Once the egg was done cracking, a small yellow round bodied Pokemon with black stripes appeared and looked around. It smiled at Amanda but was still a bit confused.

"It's so cute!" cried Michelle. The Pokemon stuck its arms out and gave a small punch.

"It's got a lot of spunk, that's for sure." Said Mark.

"What kind of Pokemon is it, though?" asked Cassie.

"That's what I'm about to find out." Said Amanda. She grabbed her Pokedex and aimed it at the new Pokemon.

"Elekid, and electric Pokemon. No further data available."

"So, Elekid's your name." said Gina.

"That's definitely a cool Pokemon that you got from your egg." Said Cassie. Amanda's Pokedex then beeped again.

"Once a Pokemon hatches from it's egg, it imprints on the first person it sees, thinking that it is their mother or father." It said.

"Well, that certainly makes a lot of sense." Said Michelle. "The moment it hatched, Amanda was the first person that it saw, which makes her Elekid's mother."

"I'll love you just as much as an actual mother would." Amanda said to Elekid. "You guys will help me take care of it, won't you?"

"We sure will." Said Amanda.

"And Pikachu, I expect you and Eevee to help take care of Elekid too." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'You can count on it!' Amanda held up her new Pokemon proudly, with everyone else just smiling.

"Welcome to the family, little guy." Said Amanda. Well, it's certainly a very Merry Christmas indeed for our heroes, and Amanda now has a brand new baby Pokemon. Talk about the definition of a Christmas miracle. Of course, there's still plenty of adventures to come, so don't miss the next exciting episode!

TO BE CONTINUED

 

[MarkL1987]

Amanda And Pikachu Save Christmas (Second Holiday Special)

It was Christmas Eve, and all was quiet in the house of the new friends that Amanda, Mark and Michelle had met that day. Those friends, of course, were Gina and Cassie. The five of them had already had their dinner and were sitting in the living room watching Christmas programming on television. Outside, a cold wind was blowing, which made everyone glad they were inside. Suddenly, without warning, the television turned off.

"Hey! Why did you do that, Amanda?" Gina asked.

"Yeah! The special was just getting to the good part!" Cassie exclaimed.

"What are you talking about? The remote's been on the table the whole time." Amanda countered.

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

"It was probably the wind that caused the outage." Said Michelle.

"At least the power didn't go out." Said Mark. Right at that moment, the lights in the house shut off.

"I think you spoke a little too soon." Michelle whispered.

"Eevee!" Eevee squealed, which meant 'I don't like the dark!'

"I know, Eevee." Said Michelle.

"I have an idea." Said Amanda. "Since we can't watch anything until the power comes back, how about I tell you all a story."

"Can it be a Christmas story?" Cassie asked.

"Sure thing." Said Amanda.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant "Am I in the story?"

"No, Eevee. This takes place before I met you." Said Amanda. Eevee frowned a little bit.

"Pika?" asked Pikachu, which meant 'How about me?'

"You're most definitely in the story, Pikachu," Amanda answered.

'Pika!" Pikachu cheered.

"Now then, this story takes place two Christmases ago." Said Amanda. "Believe it or not, Christmas almost didn't happen that year."

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'Was it because of you being bad?'

"Oh no, I wasn't bad at all." Said Amanda. "I've always been a good girl. But if I say the actual reason now, I'll spoil the story, and I don't want to do that. We start things off two days before Christmas Day."

Flashback

"I just love this time of the year, Pikachu." Said an eight year old Amanda. She and her best friend were building snowmen in the front yard of their Safari Zone home. They enjoyed the activity very much, and they were almost done when Pikachu pointed to the snowmen's necks.

"I guess they could use a little something there to keep themselves warm." Said Amanda. She took off her own scarf and placed it around her snowman's neck.

"There. That looks much better." Said Amanda.

"Pikachu?" Pikachu wondered, which meant 'But what about you?'

"I'll be just fine, buddy." Said Amanda. Her mother, Kangaskhan, came outside.

"Kanga." She said, which meant 'Time for lunch, dear.' For lunch, Amanda and Pikachu both enjoyed some peanut butter sandwiches. They smiled and shared pieces with each other. After lunch, Arcanine came over and joined in on their fun. They happily played together all afternoon, but by dinnertime, both Amanda and Pikachu were feeling tired. Kangaskhan made Amanda some soup for dinner, and although she did eat it, she let out a yawn afterwards and decided to go to bed early. Pikachu went with her, of course.

"Good night, buddy." Said Amanda. About an hour after they had both fallen asleep, two grunts wearing Team Rocket uniforms carefully peered through her bedroom window and saw the smile on her face.

"She may be happy now, but she won't be feeling that way when we kidnap Santa." Said one of the grunts.

"There won't be any Christmas for anybody this year." Said the other grunt. They both laughed as they went off, but their noise alerted Pikachu, who had been sleeping right by the window. He ran over to Amanda's bed and nudged her arm.

"Pika!" he cried, which meant 'Come over to the window!' Amanda groggily got out of bed and followed him over. However, the grunts that had been there were gone.

"There's nobody there, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "I think you're just seeing things." She yawned and went back to bed. Pikachu shrugged his shoulders and went back to sleep in his own spot. The next morning, after breakfast had been eaten, both Pikachu and Amanda were back in the yard playing in the snow. This time, they were running a small race with each other, and Pikachu was about to win when he suddenly bumped into two small people with pointy ears.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'Look at this!' Amanda ran over quickly and quickly gasped at the sight of seeing the creatures, who had never been to the Safari Zone before.

"Whoever you are, you had better keep your hands off of Pikachu!" she exclaimed.

"Do you know what she's talking about?" asked one of the creatures.

"Not at all." answered the other one.

"Don't be funny with me!" Amanda snapped. "I know Pokemon thieves when I see them. Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!"

"Wait, stop!" cried the creatures cried, but it was too late. Pikachu's attack shocked them and sent them falling onto the ground in the snow.

"That was definitely a new experience." Said one of the creatures. They both shook themselves off and got back up.

"Listen, kid, I don't know what's going on in that head of yours, but we're not here to steal anything." He said.

"If you're not thieves, then who are you?" Amanda asked.

"We're elves." Said the other creature.

"You mean like Santa's elves?" Amanda asked.

"Exactly." Said the first creature. "I'm Bob, and my partner here is Linda. Your name's Amanda, right?"

"That's right." Amanda answered. "But, how do you know that?"

"Santa knows everything, dear." Said Linda. "And by extension, that means his elves know everything too."

"Speaking of Santa, I'm looking forward to getting some goodies when he comes by later tonight." Said Amanda.

"Well, actually, we have a little bit of a problem." Said Bob. "That's why we came here."

"Oh no. Did something happen to Santa?" Amanda asked. Both elves sadly nodded their heads.

"There was an invasion at the North Pole last night." Said Linda. "We were getting everything for Santa's big flight later this evening when two people in black clothing showed up and threatened to take all of the toys if we didn't hand Santa over."

"We tried to stop them, but you know how criminals are." Said Bob. "We had no choice but to give in to their demands."

"You mean to tell me that Santa's been kidnapped?" Amanda asked.

"That's precisely it." Said Linda. Amanda gasped.

"But if there's no Santa, then there won't be any Christmas." She said. "Children everywhere will be disappointed. We can't allow that to happen. Where is Santa right now, anyway?"

"He's being held in a dark cave somewhere near his house." Said Linda. "The problem, though, is that we don't know exactly where because of how big the North Pole is."

"Then we'll just have to try and find him ourselves." Said Amanda. "If we don't, nobody will get any presents, and all the kids will be upset. Pikachu, it's up to us to save Christmas! Where's the sleigh?"

"It's at the North Pole." Said Bob.

"Wait, if the sleigh's there, then how did you get here?" Amanda wondered.

"With magic." Said Lina. "That's also how we're getting to the North Pole so we can try and rescue Santa." Pikachu hopped onto Amanda's shoulder, and the two elves put their fingers to their noses to make the four of them teleport to where they needed to go.

Present

"Hold on a moment." Said Cassie. "From what I'm getting at here, the big guy himself was actually kidnapped once?"

"It's hard to believe that, but it's true." Said Amanda.

"It wasn't Team Rocket, was it?" asked Cassie.

"Keep listening to the story, and you'll find out." Said Amanda. "Now, where was I? Oh yes. Pikachu and I had just been teleported to the North Pole by two of Santa's elves so that we could look for him."

Flashback Resumes

"Here we are." Said Linda. Amanda couldn't believe how big the place was.

"This is much bigger than my own house." She said. "Look at how big these Christmas trees are!"

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'This is no time to observe the scenery. We have work to do!'

"You're absolutely right, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Let's go find Santa!"

"Wait! There's something you need to see first." Said Bob. They led Amanda into the main toy making area and saw that nothing was moving.

"They cut all the wires and turned off all the machinery." Said Linda.

"That's not good." Said Amanda. She then noticed that something else was off.

"Where are the rest of the elves?" Amanda asked.

"They're being held prisoner with Santa." Bob answered. "We have to save them too."

"Come on, Pikachu!" Amanda cried. She was about to take off when Pikachu stopped her.

"Pikachu." He said, which meant 'We don't even know where to start looking.'

"You're right." Said Amanda. "We have to try and find some clues."

"Here's an important one." Said Bob. He pointed to a large piece of paper and Amanda went to check it out. Upon seeing all the writing on it, she knew right away what the paper was.

"Santa's list!" she cried. "He must've dropped it when he got taken away. What's so important about it, though?"

"This happens to be his naughty and nice list." Said Linda. "Santa uses this list to determine who gets presents and who doesn't." Amanda looked at the list carefully so she could try and spot her name.

"There's me!" she cried excitedly. "I'm on the nice list!"

"Well, Santa did tell us that you've been a very good girl all year." Said Bob. "However, if you're a bad kid, you end up on the naughty side of the list. Anybody who's on that list gets coal."

"Pika?" Pikachu asked, which meant 'What's coal?'

"I think it's just a dark colored rock." Said Amanda.

"Exactly right." Said Linda. "And coal is exactly what the Santa kidnappers are going to get once we find him." They left the toy making area and went down a long hallway to continue their search. Meanwhile, the two team Rocket grunts were standing guard outside of the makeshift prison cell that was holding Santa.

"What do you think are the chances that girl and her pesky Pikachu ever find Santa?" asked one of the grunts.

"I say no chance." Said the other grunt. "And, if she can't find Santa by tonight, there won't be any Christmas ever again!" They both laughed, but Santa wasn't laughing. He had heard everything.

"No Christmas?!" he cried. "Oh, dear. This can't be happening."

"Do you think Amanda and her partner will be able to save Christmas?" asked one of his elves.

"I really hope so." Said Santa. He let out a sad sigh. "Come on, Amanda, I'm counting on you." Amanda, Pikachu, Bob and Linda were still on their search when they came across something that was red.

"Santa's hat." Said Amanda. "I think whoever grabbed Santa took him this way. We're definitely on the right track." They made sure to be careful as they continued looking around, in case the Santa kidnappers had brought in some reinforcements. The next couple of rooms they checked didn't yield anything, but once they got near the end of the hall, they found a pair of boots that looked almost like the ones Amanda was currently wearing. The only difference was that these boots were black, and that meant one thing.

"Santa's boots!" Amanda cried. "I think we're getting close now, Pikachu." Unknown to them, one of the grunts had slipped away from his duty of guarding Santa and was right near the arrow sign at the end of the hall.

"That's what you think, kid." He whispered as he changed the arrow's direction from the way Amanda was meant to go to the opposite direction. He then darted off so that he wouldn't be seen. And then, a short moment later, Amanda, Pikachu and the two elves reached the end of the hall. Amanda stopped so she could read what was printed on the arrow.

"This way to Santa's house." She said. "That's funny, this arrow is supposed to be pointing to the right side. But if it's pointing to the left side instead, then maybe we'll find Santa quicker. Come on!" Amanda and Pikachu began running down the left side in the direction the arrow was pointing.

"Wait, that's the wrong way!" Linda cried, but Amanda was out of hearing range.

"Come on, we have to follow them." Said Bob, and they ran after Amanda.

Present

"I have to admit, this story is getting pretty good." Said Gina.

"Eevee?" Eevee squealed, which meant 'Were you and Pikachu able to find Santa?'

"Yeah, were you?" asked Cassie. She was bouncing up and down with anticipation on the couch. Amanda let out a soft chuckle.

"Both of you settle down and I'll tell you." She said. Cassie stopped bouncing and gave Amanda her full attention.

"Bob, Linda, Pikachu and I were hot on Santa's trail." Said Amanda. "However, we didn't realize that we had been thrown off course."

Flashback Resumes

Amanda and Pikachu were frantically running down the next path in the hopes of finding their Christmas hero. Unfortunately, everywhere they went led to a dead end.

"What's going on?" Amanda asked. "I thought Santa's house was supposed to be this way." Bob and Linda finally caught up to her, although they were out of breath from all the running.

"You, young lady, have been tricked." Said Bob.

"What do you mean?" Amanda asked.

"This entire room is a decoy." Said Linda.

"What does decoy mean?" Amanda asked.

"It means that you've been thrown off track." Said Bob.

"So, you're telling me that Pikachu and I have been running up and down through here for the last hour and a half for nothing?!" Amanda cried out.

"Pretty much." Said Linda. Amanda was fuming.

"I can't believe I got tricked!" she exclaimed. "All that time that could've been spent trying to rescue Santa is wasted! And, if we don't find him, Christmas will stop existing forever!"

"Now just calm down there, Amanda." Said Bob. "All hope isn't lost just yet. We still have time to save him."

"According to the Santa rescue countdown timer on my watch, we have two hours left." Said Linda.

"That does work in our favor, but we have to keep in mind how big this entire area is." Said Bob. "We may very well need those two hours." Amanda's stomach started to growl.

"I wouldn't mind having some more food before we keep looking." She said.

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'We didn't bring any food with us, though.'

"That's okay, we can scrounge some up using a little magic." Said Linda.

"I thought that magic only worked for Santa." Said Amanda.

"That's not entirely true." Said Bob. "The elves also have the power to use it." They spread their hands and arms out and used their magic to make a meal of hamburgers, fries and soda appear.

"Some of my favorites!" Amanda cried, and she quickly helped herself to one of the burgers.

"Don't eat them so fast." Said Linda.

"Sorry, but we're in a bit of a hurry." Said Amanda.

"She does have a point." Said Bob. They also helped themselves to some of the food. They took their time with the sodas, however, although Amanda did let out a loud belch when she was done.

"My goodness." Said Linda.

"Remember to say excuse me next time." Said Bob.

"How much time remains now?" asked Amanda. Linda quickly checked her watch.

"Only an hour left." She said.

"We have to get moving!" Amanda cried.

"Hang on, we don't want you getting lost again." Said Bob. "Follow us this time. We know the actual way." Amanda and Pikachu followed Bob and Linda down the hallway, but they went a bit faster than usual to try and make up for the time they had lost.

Present

"I can't believe you let yourself get tricked like that." Said Cassie.

"Hey, you have to remember that I was eight then." Said Amanda. "I was much more gullible then."

"She's still a little gullible even now." Michelle pointed out with a small smirk.

"She's not entirely wrong." Said Mark. "All three of us have fallen victim to Conrad and Sally's tricks on multiple occasions during the time we've been on our journey together."

"Pika!" Pikachu cried, which meant 'They've even tried to steal me and Eevee a few times because of their tricks.'

"Gina, I hope Amanda was able to save Christmas." Said Cassie.

"Let's listen to the rest of the story so that we can find out for sure." Said Gina.

Flashback Continues

Amanda, Pikachu, Bob and Linda were speeding down the hall as fast as they could in the hopes of still being able to rescue Santa before they ran out of time. Santa's kidnappers were still keeping watch.

"You're close to running out of time, kid." One of them said. He was keeping track on his own watch.

"Please, you have to let me out!" Santa cried. "All the children are relying on me."

"Well then, they're all going to be very disappointed children this year." The kidnappers just laughed and left Santa there.

"Please hurry, Amanda." He whispered. Amanda, Pikachu, Bob and Linda finally reached Santa's house after running nonstop for ten minutes. They stopped so that they could catch their breath.

"Looks like this is the front door." Said Amanda. She knocked on it, but there was no answer.

"Are you in there, Santa?" she asked. When she still got no answer, she tried to open the door.

"That won't do any good." Said Linda.

"Why not?" asked Amanda.

"The door's locked." Said Bob.

"The good news, though, is that we're getting close." Said Linda. "The cave is right in this area." The four of them hurried outside, only to be stopped by the same two men that had been glaring through Amanda's window the previous night.

"Pika!" cried Pikachu. He angrily pointed to the grunts.

"What is it, Pikachu?" asked Amanda. She then noticed the uniforms they had on and that made her gasp.

"Pikachu, were these the guys you were trying to alert me about last night?" she asked. Pikachu nodded his head. Amanda stared angrily at the two grunts.

"So, it was the two of you who kidnapped Santa!" she exclaimed. "You better let him go right now!"

"Not a chance!" cried the first grunt.

"Just try to get past us." Said the second grunt.

"That's just what I'm going to do." Said Amanda. She tried to slide underneath their legs, but she didn't get very fat at all before being stopped again.

"That's not what we meant." Said the second grunt. "To make it to Santa, you have to engage in a Pokemon battle with us."

"You've got to be kidding." Said Amanda. "I'm only eight. Pikachu's the only Pokemon that I have with me."

"Don't worry, we'll help you." Said Bob.

"You're on then!" cried Amanda. "Let's go, Pikachu!" Pikachu jumped down from Amanda's shoulder and sprang into action.

"I choose you, Koffing!" said the first grunt. He threw his Poke Ball, and the pink poison type appeared.

"Fire types can handle the cold environment that we're in." said Bob. "Charmeleon, I choose you!" A strong looking fire lizard appeared in a blaze of white light.

"Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt attack now!" Amanda called. Pikachu unleashed his strong attack, which scored a direct hit on Koffing.

"Looks like this Pikachu is stronger than I thought." Said the grunt. "Koffing, use your Sludge attack!" Koffing shot black ink at Pikachu, but the electric mouse avoided it.

"Charmeleon, use your Flamethrower!" cried Bob. Charmeleon aimed his powerful fire attack at Koffing, but it floated out of the way.

"Tackle that Charmeleon!" the grunt ordered. Koffing barged in for the attack and knocked the fire type over before he could react.

"Charmeleon!" Bob cried. Fortunately, Charmeleon was able to get up.

"Smokescreen attack!" cried the grunt. Koffing unleashed a cloud of smoke, which made everyone start to cough.

"I can't see anything!" Amanda cried.

"Leave it to me." Said Linda. She threw a Poke Ball and a Pidgeot came out.

"Pidgeot, use your Whirlwind to blow all of this smoke away!" she cried. Pidgeot obeyed and blew away all the smoke with the attack. The coughing then stopped.

"That's much better." Said Bob. "Okay, Charmeleon, trap Koffing with your Fire Spin attack!" Charmeleon sent a wall of fire around the poison type, preventing him from moving.

"No!" the grunt cried.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt time again!" Amanda cried. Pikachu unleashed a more powerful bolt, which sent Koffing and the grunts flying into the air.

"We're blasting off!" they cried. DING!

"Great work, guys." Said Bob. He and Linda recalled their Pokemon back to their balls.

"You were awesome too, Pikachu." Said Amanda. "Come on, let's get to Santa!" They rushed off toward the cave and found Santa and his other elves locked up behind a set of steel bars.

"Santa!" Amanda cried.

"Thank goodness." Said Santa. Amanda hit the red button that was beside the cell door so that the big guy could be released.

"I didn't think anybody would be able to come to our rescue, but you and that Pikachu of yours are special." Said Santa. He then looked at the time. "Oh my goodness, we have to get everything ready, and fast!" Bob and Linda teleported them to the workshop where the elves worked at super speed to get everything loaded up into Santa's present sack. The last of the items got loaded in just as the timer hit zero.

"I don't know how we managed to pull it off, but I do know that you saved Christmas, young lady." Said Santa. "When you rescued me from that prison cell, you not only saved me, but you also saved Christmas for all the children across the globe. Because of that, I think you deserve something really special." He used his magic to place the gift in Amanda's hands.

"I wonder what this is." Said Amanda. She was about to open it when Santa held his hand up.

"Just a moment, young lady. You'll have to wait until tomorrow to open it." He said. "You can load it onto the sleigh, though." Amanda placed it into the sack, and right as Santa was about to get in and start his flight, he let out a loud sneeze.

"Santa, you don't look so good." Said Amanda.

"Well, it was pretty cold in that cell, but aside from that, I'm just fine." Said Santa. He immediately let out another sneeze.

"You don't sound fine to me." Said Amanda. Bob and Linda teleported them into Santa's house where Mrs. Claus was waiting for him.

"Where in the world have you been?" she asked.

"It's a long story, dear, but right now, I have work to do." He said. He then let out yet another sneeze.

'I don't think you should be going anywhere." Said Mrs. Claus.

"Come on, Pikachu, let's wait outside." Said Amanda.

"Hold on a second, Amanda." Said Linda. Mrs. Claus tucked her husband into his bed and took his temperature. Upon seeing the result on the thermometer, she shook her head.

"Well, he not only has a fever, he's also caught a cold." She said. "I'm afraid Santa won't be able to make any deliveries tonight."

"No! He can't be sick!" Amanda cried. "That'll mean no Christmas!"

"Don't you, worry, Amanda, Christmas will still go on." Said Santa, albeit with a slightly weakened voice.

"How are we going to do that?" asked Amanda.

"Why, with a substitute." Said Santa. "And, since you went to all the trouble of saving me from Team Rocket, I think you should be the one to fill in for me tonight."

"Me?" Amanda wondered. "Fill in for Santa? Are you sure I can do it?"

"I wouldn't trust you if I wasn't." said Santa. He had just enough strength to use his magic to change Amanda's clothing. In place of her sweater, skirt and boots, she was now sporting a red jacket, black belt, red pants and black boots.

"There we go." Said Santa. "The naughty and nice lists as well as the list of presents is in the sleigh. Make sure you follow it carefully."

"I will." Said Amanda.

"Well, let's be on our way." Said Linda. She teleported the four of them into the sleigh where the Ponyta reindeer was waiting.

"I've never been Santa before." Said Amanda. "I hope I can do this."

"You'll do just fine." Said Bob. Amanda grabbed hold of the reigns and started to fly away into the sky. It was Amanda's good fortune that Ponyta knew the route, which made things much easier. As they stopped at each house, she used the powers that she temporarily had to drop the gifts down the chimneys.

"How many houses do we have to do?" asked Amanda.

"I don't know the exact number, but I know it's every single house in the world." Said Linda.

"That's quite a lot." Said Amanda. Nonetheless, she managed to complete the task in a timely manner. Of course, she left her own house in the Safari Zone for last since it was more convenient for her that way. Once she had delivered her own gift that she had been given, the sack was completely empty.

"I have to give you credit, Amanda, you did a fine job as a substitute Santa." Said Bob.

"The big guy will be very proud of you when we tell him." Said Linda.

"Now that you're done, we can get you out of that Santa outfit." Said Bob. With some more magic use, Amanda was back in her regular clothes.

"Tell Santa that I hope he gets over his cold." Said Amanda.

"We will." Said Bob. "Thanks again!" They flew away back to the North Pole, and Amanda let out a yawn.

"Come on, Pikachu, time for bed." She said. They went into her room and fell asleep feeling very happy about the good deed they had performed.

Flashback End

"And that is the complete story of how Pikachu and I saved Christmas." Said Amanda. "What did you think?"

"It was good, but it would've been better without Team Rocket." Said Cassie.

"But if Amanda hadn't included that, they story wouldn't have been as exciting." Said Michelle. Just then, the lights and television came back on.

"Looks like the power came back." Said Cassie.

"And just in time for us to go to bed." Said Gina.

"Aw, sis, can't I stay up a little longer?" Cassie asked.

"No, because Santa won't come otherwise." Said Gina. She grabbed the remote and turned the television off.

"Let's all go to bed." Said Michelle.

"Good idea." Said Amanda. They turned off the lights and all made their way upstairs into the bedrooms. Amanda then quickly turned to the "camera".

"Merry Christmas, everyone." She whispered.

 

[MarkL1987]

Episode Thirty-Nine

Following a Christmas that our heroes will remember forever, they find themselves heading towards Cinnabar Island once again. This time around, though, they have an adorable new friend joining them for the ride.

"Assuming that there's no more setbacks, we should be arriving at Cinnabar Island shortly." Said Mark.

"That's awesome news." Said Michelle. Just then, some waves started forming in the ocean. Luckily, Lapras was able to jump over them. However, the waves were loud enough that the baby Elekid started to cry. Amanda tried to calm him down.

"It's okay, sweetie, don't cry." She said. "Those waves are just water. They can't hurt you." Elekid felt better and stopped crying instantly.

"Wow, Amanda, you really do have the skills to be a good mother." Said Michelle.

"I would hope so." Said Amanda. "Although, this Elekid's just a few days old, so I'm sure I'll really get tested eventually." Ten minutes later, the gang started to see Cinnabar Island in the distance.

"There it is!" cried Mark.

"All right, we're here!" cried Michelle.

"I can't wait to face the gym leader here." Said Amanda.

"You're really going to heads to the gym first?" asked Mark.

"I wouldn't I?" asked Amanda. "I haven't gotten a badge in a while, so I'm anxious."

"I think the first place we should go to is the Pokemon Center." Said Michelle. "Besides, I'm pretty sure that Lapras is going to want a rest after all that sailing."

"Michelle's right." Said Mark. "Plus, I want something to eat first. I'm kind of hungry."

"Well, it is just about lunchtime anyway." Said Michelle.

"I suppose having some food first wouldn't hurt." Said Amanda.

"Looks like it's the Pokemon Center first." Said Mark. They got to the island a few minutes later, and Mark got out Lapras' Poke Ball.

"Lapras, return!" he cried. Lapras got absorbed into the ball via red light. "Thanks for getting us here. You can take a nice rest now." The three of them immediately darted over to the Pokemon Center so that they could have their Pokemon looked at. Nurse Joy then noticed the cute baby Elekid that Amanda had.

"Well, it looks like your egg hatched." She said.

"That's right." Said Amanda. "This little guy came into the world just a few days ago." Elekid looked around curiously.

"Elekid?" it asked, which meant 'Where are we?'

"This is a Pokemon Center, Elekid." Michelle explained. "Trainers come here to get their Pokemon looked after." The three of them handed their Poke Balls over to Joy and then went over to the video phone.

"I bet Professor Oak would love to hear about my new baby Pokemon." Said Amanda. She dialed the number excitedly, but the person who answered the video screen wasn't the professor. Instead, it was a girl slightly older than Gary. She wore a bright yellow polo shirt, a satin blue skirt and bright pink boots.

"Hello, this is the Oak laboratory. Daisy speaking." The girl said.

"Hi, Daisy. Is Professor Oak around?" Amanda asked.

"I'm sorry, but my grandpa isn't home right now." Said Daisy. "He had to go away to a convention with some of his fellow colleagues and he won't be back for another couple of days. He asked me to look after things in the lab during his absence, hence why I'm here. Is there something important you wanted to tell him?"

"There is, actually." Said Amanda. She held up Elekid for Daisy to see. She looked at the Pokemon with curious interest.

"Oh my gosh, that is the cutest thing ever!" she cried. "Although, I don't know what Pokemon it is or where it's from."

"It's name is Elekid." Said Michelle. "We don't know where it's from either, though."

"My grandpa's computer might be able to help with that." Said Daisy. She quickly looked something up, and once she had gotten her answer, she went back to the video monitor.

"Okay, according to the computer, your Elekid is from the Johto region." Said Daisy.

"That's probably why your Pokedex couldn't give any information on it." Said Mark.

"Thank you very much for your help, Daisy." Said Amanda.

"You're welcome." Said Daisy. "I'll also make sure to tell my grandfather that you called. Take care now." She hung up the phone, and Elekid gave a smile.

"You liked meeting Daisy, didn't you?" Amanda asked. Elekid nodded. Just then, their stomachs growled.

"I think it's definitely time to eat." Said Michelle. They went off to the cafeteria and helped themselves to some chicken and potatoes. Pikachu and Eevee, at the request of both Amanda and Michelle, shared some of their Pokemon food with Elekid. By the time they finished eating, they heard a ding from the lobby.

"Looks like our Pokemon can be picked up." Said Michelle. They went back to the counter in the lobby and picked up their Poke Balls before heading back outside. The next place they went to was a building that had a bright red color and some fake flames serving as the roof.

"This place is a Pokemon gym, Elekid." Said Amanda. "It's right here that I plan to win my Volcano Badge." Michelle tried to open the door but found that the gym was locked.

"I don't think you'll be winning a badge right now." Said Michelle. She found a note attached to the door.

"You know, these gyms really need to stop being closed when we get into a new place." Said Amanda. "I think that's the fourth time in a row now where this has happened and it's getting annoying."

"Yeah, I definitely agree." Said Michelle. She unwrapped the note and read it aloud.

"Currently away at the Pokemon Mansion tending to some business. I will be back at three o'clock to take challengers. Signed, Blaine."

"Who's Blaine?" asked Mark.

"I think he's probably the gym leader here." Said Amanda.

"Where's the Pokemon Mansion, though?" asked Michelle.

"Maybe that note has some directions." Said Mark. Michelle turned over the note to the back page and saw some directions written down.

"To get to the mansion, go the opposite way in which you came to the gym and turn right." She said. "You'll find the mansion near the edge of the water."

"Well, let's not waste any time." Said Mark, and they hurried off to the mansion. Meanwhile, Conrad and Sally swam up to the shore and crawled onto the island. They shook off the water and sand that had gotten on them.

"I could've sworn I just heard those kids say something about a Pokemon mansion." She said.

"How would you know that when it's literally impossible to hear anything in the water?" Conrad asked.

"Because I have superpowers, that's why." Said Sally in a sarcastic tone. "Anyway, there's probably a lot of rare and valuable Pokemon we can grab that I'm sure the boss would love to have." They went over to a small spot to make their plan. Meanwhile, the trio slowly made their way inside the mansion.

"Is anyone here?" Amanda called out.

"I don't see anybody." Said Michelle. Mark noticed the patterns on the walls.

"Look at how the walls are decorated." He said. "That means this place is likely hundreds of years old."

"It's also pretty scary." Said Michelle. Elekid started to try again.

"Don't be scared, little one." Said Amanda. She gently rocked Elekid back and forth to sooth it and he immediately stopped crying.

"There we go." Said Amanda and the group continued onward. While they didn't find any Pokemon in the room, they did find some old diary pages.

"I'm not sure what these are about, but they mention a legendary Pokemon named Mewtwo." Said Mark.

"I hear that Mewtwo is the most powerful Pokemon in the entire world." Said Michelle.

"My mama once told me the same thing when I was little." Said Amanda. "Even if I don't get a chance to capture it, I'd still love to meet it."

"As nice as that would be, the chances of finding a Pokemon like that are about the same as finding one of the legendary birds." Said Mark. "In other words, not very high."

"We still got to see Articuno, though, didn't we?" asked Amanda.

"That was by complete circumstance." Said Michelle. "Otherwise, that encounter wouldn't have happened."

"Valid point." Said Amanda.

"Anyway, let's keep going." Said Mark. However, they didn't get too far before a Weezing got in their way. Naturally, Elekid was scared of it.

"Don't worry, Elekid, I have this under control." Said Amanda. "Pikachu, use your Thunderbolt!" Pikachu unleashed its attack and quickly zapped Weezing, sending it down to the ground.

"Poke Ball, go!" Amanda cried. As she was about to throw the empty ball, however, a voice was heard from behind Weezing.

"Hold it!" cried the voice. It belonged to that of an older man who was wearing a lab coat. He had white hair, and a stern look on his face.

"Is something wrong?" asked Michelle.

"This mansion is like my second home." Said the man. "I love all of these Pokemon very much, so I would appreciate it very much if you would refrain from catching them."

"We understand, sir." Said Amanda.

"By the way, my name is Blaine." Said the man. "I not only run the gym here on this island, but I'm also the primary caretaker for all of the Pokemon that live in this mansion."

"I guess that's why you don't want us catching any of them." Said Mark.

"That's correct." Said Blaine. He took the three of them into another room and explained.

"I have strong bonds with all of these Pokemon that live here in the mansion, and they're like family to me. If anything were to happen to one of them, it would bring down the morale of the rest of the Pokemon." He said. Elekid gave out a delightful cry.

"Well, you're certainly a cute one." Said Blaine. "If you were a fire type, I'd love you even more. But this one's not too bad, though."

"Blaine, exactly how did you become a fire type trainer?" Michelle asked.

"I think the story you're about to hear will answer that question." Said Blaine. "I was exploring a treacherous mountain range once when I got lost. It was so cold up in those mountains that I started to freeze. I honestly thought I would die out there. But then, much to my good fortune, a Moltres found me and guided me out of the mountains. Moltres was the first Pokemon that I grew a strong connection to, and it's because of Moltres that I chose to become a fire type gym leader."

"That was certainly a touching story." Said Mark.

"What exactly is a Moltres?" asked Michelle.

"It's one of the three legendary birds of this region." Said Blaine. "It's a very cool Pokemon, but one that you'd have a hard time meeting. I was lucky enough to see it, but no other trainer has been able to come across it."

"Blaine, do you know where Moltres lives?" asked Amanda.

"I'm sorry, I don't." said Blaine. "If you do happen to see it, though, tell it that Blaine says hello."

"We will." Said Mark.

"By the way, I never asked you kids what brings you to Cinnabar Island in the first place." Said Blaine.

"I'm here because I want to challenge you in a gym match." Said Amanda. She had a look of determination in her eyes.

"I can tell by that fire in your veins that you're determined to win one of my Volcano Badges." Said Blaine. "I'll happily accept your challenge. It just so happens that it's almost three o'clock anyway, which means I need to start heading back to my gym." They were about to leave the room when an alarm went off.

"What's happening?" asked Mark.

"We have intruders!" Blaine cried.

"I bet I know who they are, too!" cried Amanda. Elekid started crying again. It didn't like the loud noise.

"Calm down, little guy." Said Amanda. She wiped Elekid's eyes with a tissue and then then ran into the other room. They gasped in horror at what they saw. It was Conrad and Sally loading Pokemon into big, burlap sacks.

"Team Rocket!" cried Michelle.

"I knew it was those two again!" cried Amanda.

"You have some nerve breaking in here uninvited!" Blaine cried. "I demand you to give those Pokemon back this instant!"

"These Pokemon don't need you." Said Sally. "They'd much rather be with us. Can't you see how wonderfully happy they are to be members of Team Rocket?"

"It's hard to see anything with those bags closed." Said Mark.

"Those Pokemon will never listen to you." Said Blaine. "I'm pretty sure they like me more over a bunch of crooks like the two of you!"

"What do you think, Conrad?" Sally asked.

"I say we keep them. Just think how much fun the boss would have with all of these Pokemon." Said Conrad.

"That wouldn't be fair to him." Said Sally.

"Okay, your call, you decide." Said Conrad.

"Thank you." Said Sally. "Okay, you can have these back."

"Really?" asked Blaine surprisingly.

"No." muttered Sally in a sarcastic tone. "Come on, Conrad, time to make our escape." They started running off, but Blaine and the three heroes were on them.

"You won't get away with this!" Blaine shouted. He quickly grabbed a ball and threw it. "Arcanine, stop them with your Take Down attack!" Arcanine appeared in a quick blaze of red light and started running towards the two Team Rocket criminals. They tried to speed up, but Arcanine was too fast and tackled them from behind.

"Ow!" Sally cried. "Conrad, was that you?"

"No way!" Conrad cried. "Even if it was, I wouldn't do that on purpose." They turned around and saw Arcanine growling at them angrily.

"Nice doggie." Sally said in a sweet voice. Arcanine growled at them again, causing Conrad and Sally to drop the sacks and run for their lives. Arcanine stayed on their tail.

"Maybe breaking in here wasn't a good idea after all!" said Sally.

"You said it, not me." Said Conrad.

"Looks like we're being chased off again!" they cried. They ran farther and farther until they were out of the building and well out of sight. Arcanine scooped up the sacks and brought them over to Blaine.

"Good work, Arcanine." He said. He recalled his Pokemon and opened up the sacks. There were Weezing, Muk, and even a Ditto among the pile.

"I'm so relieved you guys are okay." Said Blaine. He hugged each and every one of the Pokemon.

"Ditto!" the pink transformation Pokemon cried.

"It looks like they're thanking you for saving them from Team Rocket." Said Mark.

"It was mostly Arcanine that did the work." Said Blaine. "Now then, let's get to the gym so we can battle." Blaine led the group out of the mansion and into the gym. He then took them down a secret path of stairs.

"My gym is located down here in the basement." Said Blaine. "That means all of you are underneath a volcano."

"That's definitely cool." Said Michelle.

"I do warn you, though, that it can get extremely hot down here." Said Blaine. "Are you absolutely sure that you want to battle in this type of environment?"

"I'm very sure." Said Amanda.

"All right." Said Blaine. He led them through the doors and onto the battlefield.

"We'll battle with four Pokemon each." Said Blaine. "You can substitute, but I cannot. As usual, there are no time limits."

"Use a water Pokemon, Amanda." Said Michelle.

"I know that." Said Amanda. Blaine grabbed a Poke Ball and readied it.

"My first Pokemon should be a beautiful sight for a young lady like yourself." He said and he threw the ball. "Ninetales, go!" A canine Pokemon covered in thick and luxurious golden-white fur appeared on the field in a blaze of light. Amanda took out her Pokedex.

"Ninetales, the Fox Pokemon. Legend has it that this Pokemon can live for as many as one thousand years."

"A thousand years?!" Michelle cried.

"I don't think I could live that long." Said Mark.

"None of us could." Said Michelle.

"Legend or not, it's still a fire type." Said Amanda. Elekid hopped out of Amanda's arms and started running onto the field.

"Elekid, no!" Amanda cried. She quickly grabbed her small baby Pokemon.

"You're still a little too young to do any battling." She said. She handed him over to Michelle.

"Can you keep an eye on him while I battle?" she asked.

"Sure thing." Said Michelle. Amanda quickly ran back over to her spot. She grabbed a Poke Ball off her skirt and threw it.

"Wartortle, I choose you!" she cried. Wartortle appeared in a blaze of light and went into battle stance.

"That Wartortle of yours looks tough, but let's see how well it can handle the heat." Said Blaine. "Ninetales, Fire Spin now!" Ninetales gave its cry and then shot a circle of fire at the water type starter.

"Quick, Wartortle, use Withdraw to hide in your shell!" Amanda cried. Wartortle got into the shell just before the Fire Spin hit, resulting in the turtle Pokemon taking little damage. He then popped right back out.

"Great job! Now, use your Water Gun attack!" Amanda ordered.

"Double Team yourself, Ninetales." Blaine ordered. Illusions of Ninetales appeared and formed a circle, leaving Wartortle confused.

"Use Water Gun on all of them until you find the real one." Said Amanda. Wartortle fired a line of water at the copies and knocked them out one by one, leaving only the actual Ninetales standing.

"That's the way to do it, Wartortle." Said Amanda. "Bubblebeam attack!" Wartortle shot a large group of bubbles at Ninetales, all of which hit the fox Pokemon so quickly that it didn't have time to get out of the way.

"Ninetales!" Blaine cried. The fire fox laid down on the ground for a bit before getting back up.

"Way to be tough, Ninetales." Said Blaine. "Use Ember." Ninetales shot a small rope of fire at Wartortle, which the water type was easily able to dodge by jumping over it.

"Nice dodging!" Amanda called. "Hydro Pump time!" Wartortle spun around and pumped out a barrage of water at Ninetales, sending it back down to the ground for good.

"Well, looks like your Wartortle won that round." Said Blaine. "Good battle, though." He recalled Ninetales and grabbed another ball.

"In all the years that I've been running this gym, that's the first time a challenger's Pokemon took the first round." Said Blaine. "That doesn't necessarily mean that you'll win the match, though, especially with this next Pokemon!" He threw the ball and out came a red dual fire and flying type with large wings. Amanda had never seen that Pokemon before, so she took out her Pokedex once again.

"Charizard, the Flame Pokemon. Its fiery breath can melt boulders and massive glaciers."

"Woah, that looks really powerful." Said Michelle.

"Wartortle, are you good to keep going?" Amanda asked. Wartortle gave a nod.

"All right, go!" Amanda cried. "Use Water Gun!" Wartortle shot a line of fire toward its target.

"Fly up high, Charizard!" Blaine ordered. Charizard flew as high as possible and dodge the water attack.

"Okay, go in close on Wartortle and use Slash!" Blaine commanded. Charizard flew close range into Wartortle and gave it a hard slash, causing the turtle Pokemon to cry in pain.

"Are you all right, Wartortle?" Amanda asked.

"Wartortle!" the Pokemon shouted. It stared down Charizard angrily.

"Your Wartortle's got guts, kid. But guts alone won't be enough to win this for you." Said Blaine. "Flamethrower attack!" Charizard launched its powerful fire attack right at Wartortle.

"Withdraw again!" Amanda countered. Wartortle got back into its shell, but not before some of the fire from the Flamethrower got onto Wartortle's tail.

"Wartortle!" the water Pokemon cried in horror. It ran around trying to get rid of the fire spot, but it caused him to collapse onto the ground in a knocked out state.

"And this match is all tied up." Said Blaine.

"Poor Wartortle." Said Michelle. Amanda grabbed Wartortle's ball off her waist.

"Wartortle, return!" she cried. Wartortle got absorbed back into the ball in a beam of light.

"Great job. You've earned a rest now." She said.

"I have to give credit to your Wartortle. It put up a very good fight." Said Blaine. With Amanda's type advantage gone, she had to think a bit before making her next choice.

"Looks like I'll have to fight his fire type with my own." She said. She grabbed her next ball and threw it.

"Arcanine, I choose you!" she cried. The legendary fire dog appeared on the field.

"Ah, two powerhouse fire types going head to head with each other. That's what I like to see." Said Blaine. "Charizard, go! Use your Flamethrower!"

"Arcanine, use your Flamethrower too!" Amanda called out. Both Pokemon shot out their attacks at each other, only for them to collide and vanish.

"A dead heat." Said Michelle.

"Keep up the heat, Charizard!" cried Blaine. "Use your Fire Blast attack!"

"You use Fire Blast too, Arcanine!" Amanda called. Both Pokemon shot huge fire stars at each other, but once again, the attacks collided and cancelled each other out.

"Another tie." Said Michelle.

"I think these two Pokemon are going to go at it until they can't battle anymore." Said Mark.

"You may be right." Said Michelle. Arcanine and Charizard kept firing the same attacks at each other repeatedly, until finally, Charizard was ordered to fly directly at Arcanine.

"Use your Agility!" Amanda called. Arcanine used its speed to avoid Charizard's flying. This got Charizard angry and he shot out a Flamethrower. Arcanine shot one right back. The two of them continued to exchange Flamethrower attacks until both of them finally started panting and breathing heavily.

"Both of them look pretty tired." Said Michelle. "Looks like whichever one of them can get the next attack in will win." Both Charizard and Arcanine were determined to beat the other.

"Go in for a close range Hyper Beam!" Blaine ordered.

"Arcanine, try and stop it with take Down!" Amanda ordered. Arcanine charged hard and managed to knock down the dual fire and flying type just as he got off the Hyper Beam attack, which hit Arcanine in the leg. The force of both attacks sent both Pokemon to the ground. They struggled to get up but remained motionless.

"That looks like a tie." Said Michelle.

"Neither Charizard nor Arcanine can continue on." Said Blaine. "That means the round is a draw."

"Wow, what a battle between those two." Said Mark. Blaine grabbed Charizard's ball and aimed it at the strong fire type.

"Charizard, return." Blaine called. Charizard got absorbed into the ball in a beam of red light. Amanda also got a ball out.

"Arcanine, return." She said. Arcanine got absorbed into its own ball.

"That was one heck of a battle you had, Arcanine. You deserve a nice rest." Said Amanda.

"Now they only have two Pokemon left." Said Michelle.

"You're certainly right in that Arcanine gave Charizard a terrific battle." Said Blaine. "This next one's really going to heat you up, though." He threw another ball and Flareon popped out. Amanda had to think even harder now.

"I can't send out Weepinbell." She thought. "It would easily get roasted." After a bit more thinking, her mind was made up.

"Go, Venonat!" she cried. She threw the ball and her small bug type appeared. With how intense the battle was starting to get, Amanda began to sweat a little bit.

"Flareon, Flamethrower now!" Blaine called out. Flareon shot out the powerful attack, but Venonat jumped out of the way to dodge it.

"Great job." Said Amanda. "Use your Confusion!" Venonat's eyes glowed blue, and Flareon suddenly found itself being sent into the air. Venonat then used the psychic ability to send Flareon flying into a wall.

"Flareon!" Blaine cried. Luckily, Flareon was all right and ran back onto the field.

"Good boy." Said Blaine. "Time for Fire Spin now!" Flareon shot a circle of fire at Venonat.

"Try to dodge it!" Amanda cried. Venonat tried to jump out of harm's way, but it got trapped in the vortex. Amanda gasped.

"Oh no!" Micelle cried.

"Venonat, try to find a way out of there!" Amanda cried. Venonat looked around but couldn't find a safe way to get out of the fire wheel.

"This isn't looking good." Said Mark.

"Okay Flareon, Skull Bash!" Blaine cried. Flareon lowered its head and ran into Venonat, sending it out of the fire wheel that had been trapping it. The bug type quickly got back up.

"Unleash your Sleep Powder!" Amanda cried. Venonat sprayed blue powder all over Flareon, sending the fire type to sleep.

"Good. Now to finish it." Said Amanda. "Psybeam!" Venonat shot a powerful psychic beam at the fire type, sending it crashing into another wall and knocking it out.

"Way to go, Venonat!" Amanda cried. She started to sweat more as she felt the arena getting hotter. Blaine recalled Flareon and put its ball back on his belt.

"Well, you're just one win away from defeating me." He said. "I'm impressed that you've made it this far, but if you thought Charizard was powerful, wait until you see this!" Amanda gulped, and more sweat started to form on her head. Fire bubbles began to form in the pit below.

"Magmar, come on out!" Blaine called. A bipedal Pokemon with a red body and yellow flame designs came out of the pit and jumped onto the field. Amanda took out her Pokedex.

"Magmar, the spitfire Pokemon. It blows out intensely hot flames from all over its body to intimidate its opponent."

"Magmar, use your Fire Punch!" Blaine called. Magmar quickly shot out its flame covered fists and punched Venonat repeatedly, leaving serious burns on the bug type.

"Venonat!" Amanda cried. She quickly took out Venonat's ball and recalled it.

"I think you better stop battling before you get burned to a crisp." She said.

"A wise decision on your part." Said Blaine. "Therefore, that round goes to Magmar." Now it was down to just a single Pokemon each.

"Pikachu, it's up to you now." Said Amanda. Pikachu jumped off Amanda's shoulders and gave Magmar an angry stare. Likewise, Amanda stared intensely at Blaine. She started sweating even more.

"Do you think Pikachu can beat a powerful fire type like Magmar?" mark asked.

"I'm not sure." Said Michelle. "It's already pretty strong as it is." And so, it comes down to a battle between Pikachu and Magmar. Will little Pikachu be able to survive Magmar's flames and get Amanda her coveted Volcano Badge? Find out in the next fiery episode!

TO BE CONTINUED