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By: Des O
****
"Criminy, Taran, when are we gonna get there?"
"Shaddap, Rick, it's only been what? Two days?"
Squirtle rolled his eyes. They'd been fighting for a while now.
Abra had long since fallen asleep, and was being carried by Rick. Squirtle
trudged along in his own, slow manner, but even he was getting worn out.
"So what? We've gotta be lost by now!" Rick exclaimed. He didn't
like the idea of getting lost. Especially in a forest with fog surrounding
them all.
"Oh, quit whining. We'll get there when we get there." Taran
stopped responding to Rick now, and just walked. Rick shut up for a while,
and just wouldn't talk anymore.
"Squirtle squirt." (Carry me.) Squirtle wanted to take a nap.
Taran knelt to pick him up, and he sat on her shoulders. He fell asleep
with his chin on her head. She sighed.
Suddenly, the cry of a large bird shook the forest. Taran and
Rick jumped, and then looked at each other. Abra woke up, and Rick put
her in her pokeball, just in case.
"The heck was that?" Taran asked.
"I have no clue..."
A different noise, a roar of some sort, sounded, only louder.
A human cry followed it. Then a loud crash. The noise was coming from behind
a wall of trees and bushes.
"...but let's find out," Rick said as he and Taran crashed through
the shrubs to see what was going on.
****
Behind the trees and bushes was sand. And more fog. The ocean
could be heard nearby, but not seen because the fog hid everything. Including
what had made all the noise.
"Well, let's check it out," Taran suggested. She made her way
through the fog, and disappeared from Rick's sight.
"Hey! Wait up!" he cried. He ran in her general direction...
And ran face-first into what felt like a brick wall. He groaned,
and heard a shuffling sound as Taran walked over to him.
"Oh man... what was that?" he said from the ground where he had
slid. Taran felt in front of her, towards a large shadow. The shadow felt
cold and scaly... It moved...
"Geez, what the heck did you run into?" She dug at her belt.
"Pidgey, come out!"
The bird must've appeared, but Taran couldn't see it as it squawked
confusedly. "Pidgey, gust this fog away, please." Pidgey was heard to flap,
and the fog gradually lifted. It revealed...
An enormous Pokemon! It had to be the size of three houses, easily!
But it looked hurt... It just lay on the sand.
"What?" Rick asked, stunned at what he had run into.
Taran pointed her Pokedex at it.
{{Dragonite, a dragon Pokemon. Extremely rare, and almost never
seen in the wild. This Pokemon's intelligence is estimated to be at the
same level of a human's.}}
"Wow."
"Dude, I think it's hurt..." Taran said softly. She examined
it closely. A wing was almost crushed, it had a lot of visible scratches
and bruises, and its antennae were definitely crushed under the force of
impact with its head. It groaned melodically, but didn't stir.
"I think it's too big for a potion to help it. we need to get
it to a Pokemon Center, fast!" Rick said. He stood. "But... wasn't there
a person yelling as well?"
"Yeah. We'd better find the guy, quick. He might be hurt worse
than the Dragonite!" Taran pointed out. "Pidgey, whirlwind all the fog
away so we can see the whole beach!"
"Pidge pidge pidgeaww!" It sent the fog packing, and the beach
was fully revealed to them both... as was the missing person.
They ran to him. He had dark green hair, and wore a blue velvet
jacket with a white lace frill. But by now, it was quite full of sand,
and he was scratched and bruised. They couldn't tell if anything was broken
until he had awakened, though.
Taran woke Squirtle up. "Give him a small water-gun, please.
A very small one." She pointed to the unconscious man.
"Squirtle squirt, squirtlesquirtle..." (I don't know what happened,
but okay...) Squirtle soaked the poor guys face, waking him up almost immediately.
He sputtered for a moment. "Wha? Where... am I?" He tried to
push himself into a sitting position, but he cried out in pain and stayed
down. "My... arm..."
"You're on the beach, mister. It looks like you were riding on
a Dragonite and it crashed. What happened?" Rick asked.
"We... there was... amazing! Legendary bird... Ice..." he trailed
off in pain.
"Squirtle... squirt?" (Legendary... ice bird?)
Taran shrugged at her Pokemon, then turned back to the man. "Look.
You're obviously hurt, and so is the Dragonite. Where's its Pokeball? We
need to get it and you to a hospital." Taran said.
"No Pokeball... friends... not required..." he said.
"Great." Taran stood. "I'm gonna go put it inside one of mine
so we can transport it. You stay here with this guy and... well, watch
him. Come on, Squirtle." Her Pokemon trudged after her across the sand.
"Okay..." Rick turned to the man, who had lay back down. He cradled
his arm gently.
"What's your name?"
"I'm... Bill. You?"
"I'm Rick. My friend's Taran. We were trying to get through to
Vermilion City when we heard you and the Dragonite. Is it yours?"
"No. We're friends. Dragonite... Is it okay?" He tested his other
limbs carefully for bruises and bumps, and grimaced at a new pain. "I think
I might've broken a leg as well..."
"Don't make it worse by moving, then. Taran'll be back soon with
your friend, and we'll head for the nearest Pokemon center," Rick said.
"Yeah..." Bill said weakly, and with that, passed out.
Rick sighed. He pulled out Abra's Pokeball. "Come out, Abra!"
Abra formed before him in a flash of white light. ::Huh?::
"When Taran gets back, we're going to need you to transport us,
Squirtle, and Bill here to the nearest Pokemon Center. Can you do it?"
::No problem.:: Abra sat down and thought for a second. ::The
nearest one i can think of was back in Cerulean, though.::
"That's all right. We can transport back to this spot when we're
done." Rick looked over at Bill. "I hope he'll be all right."
****
Taran looked at the sleeping Dragonite carefully, and then pulled
out a Pokeball. She threw it at the Pokemon, and the red light claimed
it. It landed on the ground, and shook... once... twice...
And popped back open! The Dragonite managed to stand and growl
at her. Squirtle shrank back and hugged Taran's leg.
She tried talking directly to it. "Both you and your friend are
hurt. We need to get you to a Pokemon Center for healing, but you'd be
too large to transport. If you get into the Pokeball, We can get you to
the Center."
The Dragonite gave a... noise... that sounded more like a musical
instrument she couldn't quite name. It lay back down on the sand, and made
a moaning sound.
"Squirtle squirt-squirt, squirtle squirt squirtle-squirt. Squirtle
squirt squirtle, squirtle squirtle squirt, squirt-squirt-squirtle squirtle."
(It said that if its friend was hurt, it wanted to go with him because
it feels that his friend's wounds are its fault. It said you can try and
capture it if you like, but unless you promise to take them together, it
will break every Pokeball you may have.) Squirtle translated.
"All right. I believe there was a hospital connected to the Pokemon
Center for injured trainers. We can make sure your friend gets into that
hospital, and he won't be far. Is that all right?"
Dragonite toned a yes.
"Pokeball, go!" It spun toward Dragonite in a graceful arc, and
its red light claimed Dragonite once again. This time, however, the Pokeball
didn't even shake.
"Let's get back to Rick and that guy, Squirtle."
****
Taran came back, Pokeball in hand. "I got Dragonite." She sighed
and looked to the man. "Is he okay?"
"He passed out. His name's Bill. Abra said she can transport
us back to the Pokemon Center in Cerulean."
"That's fine. These two need medical help bad."
"Okay. Abra, you ready?"
::Yup. Hang on!::
Abra's transport was a strange sensation. Taran's vision blurred,
and she felt disoriented. Then everything went black except for the others,
and she felt as if she were floating. She could sense where they were headed,
but not see it at all. Abra gently directed the group through the nothingness
toward their destination.
Taran became aware of her conventional senses suddenly, and her
vision returned as fast as it had gone. All had arrived in the lobby of
the Cerulean City Pokemon Center.
Nurse Joi approached them, and noticed Bill. "What happened?"
She called for a stretcher, and the Chanseys brought one out for her. "Who
did this?" she asked angrily.
"No one did, Joi. He was riding a Dragonite, and it crashed for
some odd reason. It's hurt pretty bad, too." Taran held out the pokeball
to her, and Joi took it quickly.
"Oh dear. There's no time to lose! I'll call the human doctor
quickly, and then take care of the Dragonite myself." Joi scurried off
through some doors, while the Chanseys loaded Bill onto their stretcher
and took him into another room.
Rick turned to Taran. "What do we do now?"
"Let's go. This'll count for our good deed of... oh, the decade.
Come on."
They left the Center, a little happier that they had been able
to help.
****
Abra was able to transport them back to the forest where they
had left off. They walked until nightfall, and set up camp.
"I can't wait untill we get to Vermilion," Rick said.
"Me either. D'ya think we'll ever run into that guy again? Or
his Dragonite?" Taran asked thoughtfully.
"Maybe. Never know."
"Squirtle squirt squirtle? Squirtle squirt squirt squirtle!"
(Could you guys please shut up? I'm tryin' to sleep!)
Taran chuckled, and closed her eyes. They still had a ways to
go tomorrow, and she didn't want a grouchy Squirtle on her hands.
****
::Rick? Wake up.::
Abra shook its trainer gently to awaken him. The boy stretched,
and opened his eyes. "What do ya want? It's a bit early out..." Dawn had
just occured, and the sky was still dusky.
::I'm hungry.::
"Well, geez, Abra, there's gotta be a berry bush or something
around here..."
::Go with me. Please? Squirtle won't get up and go with, so I'd
be all alone in the woods at daybreak...::
Rick sensed Abra's fear of being alone in the dark, and consented
to go with her grudgingly. "Might as well get some food for Taran and Squirtle,
anyway." He looked over at his female companion and her Pokemon, who slept
on, oblivious to himself and Abra. "But they've got the right idea," he
mumbled.
::Come on!:: Abra said urgently. She was starving.
****
While Abra and Rick were out, however, a visitor called on their
campsite.
"Squirt? Squirtle squirt?" (Huh? Who are you?)
Taran found herself suddenly drenched by what seemed to be some
sort of waterfall. She yelped and shocked the stuff out of whatever it
was that had soaked her, and whirled to face her assaulter.
He lay on the ground. A low moan escaped the lips of...
None other than Ryan!
"Ryan? The heck are YOU doing here?" she screeched.
He jumped up from where he had fallen, cautiously. "Well well
well, Taran, it's... nice... to see you again!" He laughed. "I tracked
you down originally at the request of your mother, but I met up with this
kid. Gary Oak. Real nice. Introduced me to his grandfather, who was able
to hook me up with a Pokemon of my own. I'm on my own journey now, after
splitting up with him and his fan club." He started drooling at the memory.
Taran smacked him. She'd heard all about Gary's fan club from
Ash, Misty, and especially Brock. "Stop drooling. You look like the retard
you are, and I'm about to get sick." She looked around, noticing that Rick
and Abra were nowhere to be seen.
Must have gone to look for breakfast. Oh well.
"Yeah, well, I thought I'd just notify you about the fact that
we are now rivals, and that I've just gotten my fourth badge. Care to meet
my first Pokemon?"
Four?!?!
He snickered as Taran's jaw dropped and pulled a Pokeball from
his belt. "Pokeball, go!"
The white light faded to reveal...
A strange Pokemon. It wore a skull on its head, and wielded a
long bone as a human would a club. "Cubone!" it cried.
Taran closed her mouth and pointed her Pokedex at it. "Marina?"
{{Cubone. A lonely Pokemon. Because it never removes its skull
helmet, no one has ever seen this Pokemon's real face.}}
"It was my first Pokemon, and it won those badges for me!" he
boasted.
The Cubone approached Taran, not sure of what to think.
"Aww, it's cute!" Taran cooed. The Cubone sighed happily, and
deigned to be petted.
"Stop petting Cubone!" He snatched it up. "What'd you get? A
dinky ol' Squirtle?" He snickered at it. Taran frowned, and Squirtle went
to her side.
"Squirtle squirt! Squirtle squirt squirtle squirt squirtle!"
(I am not dinky! Taran and I could beat you in a battle any day!)
"That's right, Squirtle! If you're so sure of your Pokemon, Why
don't we battle 'em?" Taran suggested. Squirtle grunted in agreement.
"Great! If you hadn't suggested it, I would've done it myself!
Let's go!"
Cubone looked worried. Taran noticed.
At least his Pokemon have some sense in them!
****
Rick still wasn't back with Abra or breakfast, but they were the
last things on Taran's mind as she sent out Beedrill, and her rival, his
Shellder.
"Rules?" Ryan asked.
"Six Pokemon. No items. No cheating. Got it?"
"Got it. Shellder, Supersonic!" The Shellder sent a beam of sound
straight for Squirtle. Squirtle reeled from the attack.
"Squirtle, snap out of it! Give Shellder a Bite!" Squirtle went
for Shellder, but Shellder shut its shell at the last second, and Squirtle
was forced to stop or just hurt himself.
"Hah! Your Squirtle can't get through my Shellder's shell!"
"Shuddap. Squirtle, give it a water gun so it'll open up, and
try and get into its shell to bite!"
"Squirtle!" A large gush of water flew toward the point where
Shellder's lower and upper shells came together, and pried them open. As
the Pokemon recovered, it left its shell open. It never noticed Squirtle
running straight for it, and was bitten subsequently. The one bite made
poor Shellder faint.
"Argh! Too little experience!" Ryan cried. "Shellder, return!"
It was claimed by the Pokeball. Ryan returned it to his belt, and chose
another ball. "Voltorb, go!" It appeared before them all, and gave a screech.
Oh, crap. "Squirtle, bite it, quickly!" Squirtle leapt for the
Pokemon that resembled a Pokeball.
"Voltorb, Self-Destruct!" It flashed with electricity, and blew
itself up in Squirtle's face. Squirtle fell in mid-jump, and both Pokemon
fainted.
Each trainer recalled their Pokemon (Taran dragged Squirtle back
to her side), and chose another.
"Dratini, go!"
"Staryu, come out!"
Dratini roared at Staryu, a fearsome noise. Staryu responded
with a mental roar of equal animosity. Neither seemed to like the other.
"Dratini, Thunder Wave attack!" Dratini sent a ball of Electric
energy toward Staryu. It was unable to dodge quickly enough, and became
paralyzed. It was able to stay aloft, however, for the time being.
"Staryu! Swift attack!" It spun in the air and launched itself
at Dratini, who was struck three times. It did not seem to be damaged much.
"Dratini, Agility, now!" Dratini began to half slither, half
leap, in circles around Staryu. It went so fast it became a blur. Staryu
whirled to keep track of Dratini, but failed, and merely became dizzy.
It wobbled, and Paralysis took hold.
"Dratini, Slam it! Directly on its jewel!" Dratini aimed well,
and with three slams, Staryu was out cold.
"Dra!" (Hah!) Dratini trumpeted triumphantly.
"Staryu, return! Hypno, go!" The hypnosis Pokemon's pendulum
dangled ominously.
"Dratini, Thunder Wave this one, too!" The Hypno had no chance
to dodge, and it became Paralyzed.
"Hypno, confuse it!" The Hypno lifted Dratini with telekinesis,
and twirled it in midair. It slammed it into the ground. Dratini was barely
able to right itself, and became confused.
"Oh, Dratini, try and slam Hypno!" Dratini aimed and launched
itself at Hypno. Unfortunately for Hypno, Paralysis took hold, and it fell.
Dratini's attack actually connected, and Hypno was hurt.
"Good job, Dratini, try and slam it again!" Dratini leapt into
the air to slam Hypno, and was lucky enough to have its attack connect
again. Hypno fainted on impact.
"OOH!" Ryan growled as he recalled Hypno. "Geodude, go!" The
boulder formed before Dratini, who was tired from the battling. "Geodude,
rock throw!"
Geodude threw three large rocks at Dratini, who barely dodged
the first two, but was struck by the third. Dratini went down.
"Dratini, return! Chansey, go!" Chansey squeaked at the rock
pokemon before it. "Sing, Chansey!" Chansey sang a simple lullaby, and
it made the trainers sleepy. Geodude, however, actually fell asleep.
"Now, Doubleslap!" Chansey gave a yell as it smacked Geodude
multiple times. Eventually, just as it was awakening, it fainted from the
damage done.
"Oh. man! Geodude, return! Cubone, it's your turn!" The Pokemon,
who had been napping at its trainer's feet, jumped up and faced its opponent.
Cubone looked kinda scared; as if it never wanted to battle in the first
place.
"Cubone, Bone-club!" Cubone flew at Chansey, and clocked it with
its bone. Chansey stumbled.
"Chansey! Minimize!" Chansey waved its arms, and grew smaller...
and smaller... and smaller! Even the trainers could barely see Chansey!
"Cubone, try your bonemerang!"
"Cu... BONE!" it cried as it flung its bone in a wide arc toward
Chansey's minimized self. It missed, of course.
"Hah! Chansey, Doubleslap!" Chansey smacked the stuff out of
Cubone four times, but the defending Pokemon was stubborn.
"Cubone, Leer!" Cubone stopped and glared at Chansey. It stopped
as well, and faltered, not knowing what to do.
"Chansey, growl back at it!" Chansey growled admirably, and Cubone's
next attack was done half-heartedly, as it had been more than a bit scared.
Chansey tried to dodge, but the bone hit with a powerful SMACK. Chansey
shooke its head and doubleslapped Cubone again. It went down.
"Cubone, return!" Ryan recalled his Pokemon. "This isn't over
yet, Taran."
Taran was feeling pretty good. She thought of something quite
interesting. "If you've already got four badges, then the next two trainers
must be pretty easy to beat. After all, I just beat you, while I only have
two badges." It was her turn to smirk as he glared at her.
"Oh, shut up. I'd bet you've spent all your time training your
Pokemon and never once practiced your own powers." He sent a gush of water
towards her.
"You'd lose," was all Taran said as she sent a bolt of lightning
toward Ryan. It fried him a bit, and he ran off.
"I'll be back!" He shouted over his shoulder.
"Just then, Ryan and Abra came back with a bag full of berries
and fruit, along with a canteen of water. Ryan nearly bowled Rick over
in his haste to get away.
"Move it or lose it, squirt!" he said.
"Yipe!" Rick said as he dodged the fleeing challenger, and fell.
Abra did too, and glared at Ryan as he left.
::Hmph. You'd think he'd be a bit nicer.::
"You said it, Abra," Rick agreed. He looked up to see Taran offer
him a hand. He took it, and she pulled him up. Abra declined the same offer
from Chansey, as she preferred to sit down normally anyways.
"Who was that?" Rick asked. "And why are you so wet?"
"That," Taran said, "was Ryan." She explained her situation while
tending to her injured Pokemon, and Rick laughed when he heard she had
beaten him. So did Abra.
"Wow. You're tellin' us that that guy actually followed us all
the way here? Just to get back at you?"
"Yup. Now I've got a rival."
"Glad I don't have any."
"Yeah. I think I am too."
****
The rest of the day was pretty routine. Except for...
"Yay! Vermilion City!" They all yelled.
They made it, finally.
****
This story is (copyright) Des O 1998. Taran is MY character and may not be used without express written permission from the author (me).
{{ Ash, Misty, Brock, Pikachu, etc. are all the property of Nintendo,
Creatures, and Game Freak. I'm just... ah... borrowing them for the time
being.}}