Post by WT on Sept 23, 2008 13:11:57 GMT 12
Road To Rikoto!
Cole moved along the dirt path, excitement spreading through his body. A smile arrived at his face not too long ago, when he was told that he could get his first Pokémon and start his journey. He’d seen a show on TV about Pokémon. They were beautiful. Each one had its own unique personality and look. He wanted to be a Pokémon trainer ever since.
He moved over the hilltop and looked down at the quiet town of Soltree. Small box houses lined the streets with green fields of grass running out front, flowers growing spontaneously about. His smile grew as he trembled with excitement. He was about to get his first Pokémon.
Ash gazed at the forthcoming town, a small yellow creature on the rail in front of him. His red hat was tight on his head, pulled over his ears and covering most of his coarse black hair.
“We’re almost there, Pikachu,” he said to the yellow creature on the rail “the Rikoto region.” The Pikachu makes a squeal and leaps to his shoulder, leaning out a bit to get a better view of the town.
As the boat moved toward the dock, a pink-haired woman, and a blue haired man were packed away in a wooden crate with their cat companion, a Meowth. The pink-haired woman spoke in a stage whisper.
“Meowth, get your tail out of my face.”
“I could, if James get’s his foot off my leg.” He barked back.
All James could do was mumble muffled words, for a foot was on his mouth and a hand was on his throat. Jesse moved her foot and shifted right, Meowth’s tail sliding off her face. Meowth moved his hand from James’s neck and tucked it under his arm.
“We couldn’t have done this hours ago?” James said in short, quick breaths.
Meowth and Jesse snarled at him. Then, with no warning, a bright red light flashed from Jesse’s belt and a blue creature emerged. The sound of splintering wood shot from the crate and the three smiled, and then frowned as they saw a plank of wood fall into the ocean. They shared worried glances, as the crate burst open and they fell from the boat. Jesse clutched the rail and James grasped her ankle. Meowth dug his claws into James’s back and he shouted in pain. They were dangling for their lives. Woobuffet rested safely on the stack of crates, watching them struggle.
“Woobuffet, you stupid Pokémon, help us!”
Woobuffet scowled and refused, crossing his arms.
“Let me try, Jesse.” James said.
She looked mad.
“Woobuffet, I know deep down, in that beautiful heart of yours, you’re a kind and gentle creature,” Woobuffet uncrossed his arms and looked down at James. It seemed as though he was listening. “I will make sure Jesse is as kind to you as the air you breathe if you help us up.” Jesse’s hand was slipping.
“Now!”
Woobuffet reached his hand out for Jesse and she latched onto him, and with one great pull, the three of them were sent tumbling down the stack of crates.
“That made no sense, James.” Meowth said.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
Ash moved down the steel framed ramp and onto the dirt road of Soltree. Pikachu stood on her hind legs and gazed at the beauty surrounding them. Soltree wasn’t your average town. Tall trees towered high above the houses, flowers overflowed from the earth in multiple hues, complimenting the town’s aura. It was quiet, not too busy, easy flowing.
Ash started down the road, Pikachu right behind him, smiling. A black jeep pulled up next to him, startling Ash. A young man with glasses sat in the driver’s seat.
“Need a ride?”
The only thought that went through Ash’s head was: don’t talk to strangers.
“Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself, I’m Jeffery.”
Ash still had the troubled look on his face.
“I work for Professor Pine? You haven’t been contacted, have you?”
Ash shook his head.
“He sent me to pick you up, something about Professor Oak sending you here.”
“I can walk, it’s just up the—”
Two figures were moving his way; one with long pink hair, the other with short blue hair.
“Actually, I think I will take the offer.” He quickly threw his backpack in the trunk and hopped into the passenger’s seat. The car sped down the road, whipping up a cloud of dust as they rounded the corner.
“We will get that Pikachu! Mark my words, twerp!” Jesse yelled.
Cole arrived at the Lab in minutes of reaching the serene town. The Lab was a metal structure, two stories tall, with a dome roof, giving it the appearance of three stories tall. A fenced in field was to the left, containing four Miltank and two Snuffuzz. He moved toward the double door and was surprised to see that it was automatic. He stepped inside as the door shot close. It was dark inside; no trace of anyone was there.
A wooden counter was off to the left of the entrance and a winding staircase to the right. A small pond was positioned underneath the staircase with clusters of lily pads spread across the surface. Cattails lined the rim of the pond, drooping down. Cole leaned over the blue water. Nothing broke the surface.
Then he noticed at the far end of the pond, a grey flap in the wall about two yards long. It wasn’t transparent, so he couldn’t see through to the other side. A piece of land was wrapped around the edge of the pond, patches of grass scattered about. He left the pond and continued searching for someone.
“Hello?” He called over and over again, his voice echoing through the halls. Then the sound of people talking off in the distance lingered in the air. He turned to see two men walking his way. The one on the left was dressed in khaki pants and a purple flannel, sheathed in a lab coat. The one on the right was a rather old man, white tufts of hair atop his head. He too wore a white lab coat.
“Hello, and who are you?” said the old man
“I’m Cole. I’m here for a Pokémon.” Cole fixed his black beanie, so the white half-pokéball was facing straight.
“I can see that. Do you know your choices yet, young man?” the old man said, bending down to look Cole in the eyes.
“Actually…no, I don’t know the choices. Can I see them?”
“Well sure you can see them. Now what type of business would we be if you couldn’t see the Pokémon?” He turned around and started back down the hallway. ”Right this way.”
Cole followed him back toward the pond. He still saw no break in the surface. The old man opened a door to the right of the pond and went through, so did the other man. Cole followed.
His heart leaped when he stepped inside. It was like a large terrarium! Tropical plants were scattered about. A small waterfall flowed out from a large hole in the wall. It cascaded into a large lake in the center of the room. The water flowed throughout the room like a river and into another hole in the wall. It must’ve led to the pond. Small creatures roamed the room. Birds, reptiles, mammalians, fish, amphibians! A Paracaw flew overhead, landing on a thick tree at the far end of the room. Its plumage was red and white, and yellow and blue in a few places. It had a black beak and a large white feather looming over its head.
A couple of Stickit meandered down a far pathway, the two leaves on their heads, swaying as they moved. Wurmple crawled up trees, leaving a trail of goo behind. Beautifly danced in the air, sparkling dust lingering in the air. Wooper and Quagsire played in the water, blue spray flying from the splashes. Zigzagoon wrestled in the bushes, uprooting plants as they roughhoused. Cole followed the old man to a corner, where three Pokémon were eating.
“Here are your choices: Herovor, Salatad, and Purrlit.” His hand was outstretched and pointing to them each. “Enjoy.” He walked off, toward the door, closing it as he exited.
“This is gonna be hard.”
Ash watched as the beautiful scenery of Soltree sped by in a blur. His hair waved in the breeze as the car drove down the road. Jeffery looked over at him and Pikachu.
“Hey, Ash.”
“Yeah?” he said, turning to Jeffery.
“Do you know the legend of Rikoto?”
Ash didn’t answer. He didn’t. Was he supposed to?
“Well then, I’ll tell you.” He cleared his throat. “Long ago, there was an ancient Pokémon with the name, Cellance. Cellance was a deity of Light and Darkness. It was known as the balance Pokémon, for it controlled the balance of nature. You could even say the universe. This Cellance found it difficult to balance the world, so he created two other creatures, Solaran and Lunaro. Neither one of these creations could exist without the other. If Solaran perished, so did the other; vice versa.
After the creation of Solaran and Lunaro, those two merged power to create the elemental protectors. These five Pokémon protect at all cost, their element, Fire, Water, Earth, Air or Spirit. The five protectors were scattered across the world, and over time moved toward Rikoto. Some say this region is the heart of the world. Others say it’s not. Who knows?”
They continue down the road, the cool breeze, running through Ash’s black hair.
Cole stared at the three Pokémon. They stared at him, smiles on their faces. He thought it out. Which to choose? The Herovor was a grass type, later becoming a grass-rock dual type. It was a small green reptilian with a brown shell. Four bright green leaves stuck out from the rocks on its shell. The Purrlit was a fire type cat; it would later become a fire-ground dual type. With a flame at the tip of its tail and a red ring around its neck, it seemed as though it had the playful aspect. It was skipping around as Cole watched it, deep in thought. He shifted his gaze over to Salatad, the nearest to the water; that spelled out water type. He knew that it would later grow into a strong water-poison dual type. It was blue, a fin at its rear.
A group of Butterfree flew by, flapping their opaque wings gently. Cole saw that they were flying toward a large gap in the ceiling, it seemed as though it was for the flying Pokémon to go in and out freely. The group caught Herovor’s attention and he started toward the open gap. He hopped onto a stone and into a nearby tree, crawling toward the hole in the roof.
“Herovor, come back!” Cole shouted, running toward the tree.
Herovor disappeared over the roof’s edge.
“No!” Cole shrieks, climbing the tree and crossing the frail branch. He reaches the edge of the roof and looks down, to see Herovor racing off into the forest; he sighs in relief and climbs over the edge. There was a long net that drooped down from the roof to the ground. Before he went, he turned to the two remaining starters.
“Stay here.” The two Pokémon shared a glance. Once Cole disappeared over the edge, the two Pokémon started toward the hole in the ceiling, ready to play.
A black jeep pulled into the dirt driveway of the Lab, the thick dust, falling to the ground.
Ash and Jeffery got out of the jeep and started for the large, automatic door. Before they reach it, the two doors slide open and reveal an old man sheathed in a white lab coat.
“Welcome, Ash; Jeffery.”
Ash said nothing.
“I’m Professor Pinewood.” He looked startled that Ash didn’t know him.
“Oh, right. Jeffery told me about you.” He stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
They shook hands and walked inside.
Cole searched the underbrush chaotically. He shook trees and rummaged through bushes, but there was no sign of Herovor.
“Herovor, where are you?” he shouted, his voice echoing in the distance, ricocheting through the mountainous forests. He moved with purpose, starting at a walk and working his way up to a jog. Minutes later, he was running, the fallen leaves crackling underfoot. He continued calling for Herovor, despite the fact that there was no answer. Pretty soon he stopped for a rest, sinking down under a tree.
Then there was a rustle in the bushes.
“Herovor!” he leaned forward in anticipation.
But all that answered him was the voice of Salatad and Purrlit, crooning in harmony.
He leaned back.
“You two?” they showed a face of sadness. “I’m sorry; it’s just that, Professor Pinewood isn’t gonna be happy when he finds out that—” the sound of Herovor interrupted him. He turned in the direction of the sound.
“Let’s go!” Cole jumped up and shot through the forest toward the sound of Herovor. Herovor was in sight, curled up on the ground, crying and trembling in fear. “Herovor, what’s wrong…” then he notices the herd of Spinarak and Ariados, crawling toward them from all directions. The three Pokémon cowered behind Cole’s legs, frightened of the large insects moving toward them.
The lead Ariados hissed in anger. It must’ve meant for Cole to move. With that, he spoke.
“No, I won’t let you have them!”
The Ariados hissed again, and Cole resisted the urge to run away.
“I said no!” then the large spider crept forward until it was within reaching distance.
Cole stood there, terrified beyond belief. The urge to leave the three Pokémon in the insect’s possession was growing stronger. The Ariados held back no longer. Milky white webbing shot forward at Cole and enveloped him, pinning him to the ground. The three helpless Pokémon cowered still behind Cole. The Ariados changed its target. It reached its leg out, but had no chance to slice open its prey. A flame flew through the air and hit the Ariados square in the head. The large insect recoiled, stumbling backwards into a large boulder.
Cole looked up to see Purrlit standing in front of him, tail raised, flame burning strong. A fierce purr gushed up its throat and let loose, booming through the forest. It took a step forward and let out another fierce purr. The Ariados didn’t budge, it just stared in disbelief. Purrlit let out another fiery hot blast from its mouth, this time, it was larger. It struck the Ariados’s leg and lacerated it, making the Ariados fall face first into the dirt. The many Spinarak raced toward the injured Ariados and carried it off into the forest.
Cole and the three Pokémon stared in the direction of the fleeing bugs for a while, ready for if they returned. Once they were sure the Pokémon were gone, Purrlit turned to Cole and checked to see if he was okay, whimpering as though it cared for him. It sliced the webbing with its claws, retracting them back into its small paws. Cole crawled from within the web and looked Purrlit in the eyes.
“Thanks,” was all he could say.
Ash leaned on the wooden counter, waiting for the professor to return.
The man came through the door with a brown package in hand. He placed it down in front of Ash and told him to open it. Ash did. He unwound the brown string wrapped around the box and tore the cardboard apart. His face brightened as he saw what was waiting for him: a brand new Pokédex. Instead of just the basic red, it was black too. A thick black stripe ran up the side of it and down the back and a blue light shone with bright luminescence in the top right-hand corner. When he opened the Pokédex, a voice clicked on and said “Hello.”
Ash whispered ‘hello’ back and shut the lid, sticking the Pokédex in his jean pocket.
“Thanks.” He said to the professor.
“It has all the basic information you need on every Pokémon in the world and more. It acts as a compass and contains a map on its memory. So there’s no need in getting lost now.” The professor chuckled.
The sound of the automatic door was heard as Cole stepped inside. He paused when he saw Ash. A new face? Too many in one day. He walked over to the professor, Purrlit at his side, Herovor and Salatad behind him.
“I made my choice. I’ll take Purrlit.” Purrlit looked up at him and purred, rubbing its head on his leg. Cole smiled. Then the professor leaned back and grabbed a small backpack, handing it to Cole.
“It contains all the basic necessities for your journey with you Pokémon. I hope you have a grand time, and hope to hear from you again soon.”
Cole peered into the backpack and saw a Pokédex and five pokéballs stuffed away at the bottom. Purrlit’s was at the top.
“I’m surprised Purrlit agrees to go with you.” The professor said.
“Why’s that?”
“Well, it takes a lot of trust for that Pokémon there to say yes. We’ve had this little rascal for almost two years now. We’ve only had Herovor and Salatad for a couple of months. Every time someone wants him, he refuses. But now…”the professor looked down at the fiery cat. “Now he’s actually going to leave.”
Then a crash was heard outside. Everyone looked in the direction of the door and then started for it, wondering what was happening. They gathered outside and looked around for the location the noise came from. Then out of nowhere, a large robotic structure cavorted from the forest and onto the large field. It stopped at the middle and a platform rose from the front of it, revealing two figures and a cat: Jesse, James, and Meowth.
“Team Rocket!” Ash cried. Pikachu grumbled under her breath, anger written on her face. She leaped down from Ash’s shoulder and on the ground in front of him.
“Who’re they?” Cole asked, stepping beside them.
“Thieves! They’ve been stealing Pokémon for a living and bringing them back to their boss. At least that’s what they’re trying to do. They’ve been following me for almost three years now, trying to take Pikachu from me, and they won’t take her today.”
Herovor, Salatad, and Purrlit lined up by Pikachu and let out deep growls. Sparks were flying from Pikachu’s red spots, jumping in the air. She crouched low to the ground as Team Rocket pressed a button on a steel box.
A metal hand shot from the robot’s body and clutched the four Pokémon, pulling them back and holding them high in the air, far out of reach.
Team Rocket started to chant:
Prepare for trouble,
and make it double,
here to steal the your Pokémon,
It’s good for us,
Wrong for you,
To divide the Pokémon from all trainers
And get rich fast in days to come
Jesse, James, Meowth’s the name
Team rocket, not blasting off again,
We will win in the end
“Leave me alone!” Ash shouted, his voice booming in the air.
“Give me back, Purrlit!” Cole shouted.
Jesse sneered.
James laughed, saying “We got Pikachu! And you can’t get him back!” The platform lowered back into the robot as the group of people watched the struggling Pokémon in horror. Ash stares up at Pikachu, unable to do a thing but worry. He could hear the shouts of Cole as he yelled for Purrlit. Ash saw continuously Pikachu try to escape the large robotic hand, but fail. Pikachu shocked the hand with a bolt of electricity, but it failed.
“Haven’t you learned already?” Meowth snickered. “We design the robots nowadays to withstand your stupid electric shocks. There’s no escaping this time bozo. That goes for you guys too, it’s fire proof, water proof, grass proof, nothing can penetrate this baby!”
“But is it rock proof!” Jeffery grasped a pokéball and through it to the ground, a bright red light flashing at the ground. A Pokémon emerged and readied itself for battle. “Let’s go, Roxirox, show ‘em what you’ve got.”
The Pokémon stood there, ready for orders, rock-plated head and all.
“Rollout!” the Roxirox lurched backward and formed into a ball, then lurched forward, rolling toward the hulking robot.
“That puny thing, what’s it gonna do? Nothing!”
The Roxirox turned around, gaining speed. It started for us and in feet, turned around again, heading back toward the robot. Turf was being torn from the ground as it continued to roll and gain speed; then a head on collision with the robot, leaving a deep dent in the leg. It turned around, coming back for more. It bashed at the leg again, leaving another dent. Roxirox rolled backwards as Jesse through a pokéball to the ground, letting loose a snake-like creature.
“Seviper, use poison tail!” The Seviper’s tail glowed purple as it slithered forward toward the rolling Pokémon. It slashed at it, but the Pokémon didn’t stop. It jumped up and Jeffery ordered it again. Roxirox lurched at the Seviper, head on, its head colliding with the snake’s head. The snake sank to the ground, unconscious. It glowed with a red light and then disappeared.
“Let me try!” James threw a ball and an overgrown plant emerged, fangs protruding from its mouth. “Carnivine, use vine whip!” a red vine lashed out at Roxirox, slashing it in the face and thrashed at it until it too was unconscious. It disappeared into Jeffery’s ball.
Ash stared at the creature before them, as it swayed back and forth, then he had an idea.
“Purrlit, listen to me!” he caught its attention. “Use ember on the glass.”
A look of distraught appeared on its face, but it followed directions and let loose a flame.
“Now Salatad, use water gun in the same spot!” it puffed its cheeks up and sprayed a jet of water at the glass in front of it.
“Pikachu and Herovor, you two, use iron tail and tackle on the spot with full power!” They jerked forward and pounded at the glass. A crack appeared. “Do it again!” they did, this time, the glass shattering and the four Pokémon falling from the glass container in the robotic hand. Ash ran forward and caught Pikachu, smiling. Cole reached up and grasped his newly given Purrlit. Jeffery and Professor Pinewood caught Salatad and Herovor.
“Now Pikachu, let’s finish this! Use thunder!”
Pikachu sank into itself and found the power it needed, letting out a shriek as a surge of electricity shot from her and hit Team Rocket. The robot exploded, debris flying through the air. The three thieves flew through the air and out of sight.
“A new region, but the same ole sendoff.” James retorted as they flew through the air.
“Shut it.” Jesse said.
“Well, we should say it anyway.” Meowth added.
“We’re blasting off again.” The three of them sang as they flew off into the distance.
Down on the ground, the group was rejoicing. Cole held Purrlit to his chest, happy that he’d returned without harm. Jeffery stared at his pokéball, telling his Roxirox what a great job he did. Ash was petting Pikachu and Pikachu was purring, glad to be back in Ash’s care. The professor made sure that Salatad and Herovor got just as much attention, patting them on their heads and telling them “Well done.”
“Thanks Ash, for saving Purrlit like that. If only I could’ve done something…”
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up.”
“Okay. I hope to be like you someday, you’re so experienced, you knew just what to do!” Cole was trembling with excitement.
“Well, I have learned a bit from travelling so much. You pick some stuff up every once and awhile.”
Cole stared at Ash in a awe, then spoke: “If it’s okay with you, could I maybe join you this time around?”
“Sure, the more the merrier,” he said. “Tell me when you’re ready to leave.”
“Thanks.” Cole turned and went inside, grabbing his backpack and Purrlit’s pokéball, then racing back out the door. “By the way Professor Pinewood, I never said thanks for letting me have Purrlit.” He looked down at the petite cat, flame burning strong, smile growing larger. “Thanks.” Cole ran over to Ash and they both waved good bye in unison to the two researchers. They started for the dirt pathway, winding through the forest as the setting sun painted the sky with pinks and oranges.
Cole moved along the dirt path, excitement spreading through his body. A smile arrived at his face not too long ago, when he was told that he could get his first Pokémon and start his journey. He’d seen a show on TV about Pokémon. They were beautiful. Each one had its own unique personality and look. He wanted to be a Pokémon trainer ever since.
He moved over the hilltop and looked down at the quiet town of Soltree. Small box houses lined the streets with green fields of grass running out front, flowers growing spontaneously about. His smile grew as he trembled with excitement. He was about to get his first Pokémon.
Ash gazed at the forthcoming town, a small yellow creature on the rail in front of him. His red hat was tight on his head, pulled over his ears and covering most of his coarse black hair.
“We’re almost there, Pikachu,” he said to the yellow creature on the rail “the Rikoto region.” The Pikachu makes a squeal and leaps to his shoulder, leaning out a bit to get a better view of the town.
As the boat moved toward the dock, a pink-haired woman, and a blue haired man were packed away in a wooden crate with their cat companion, a Meowth. The pink-haired woman spoke in a stage whisper.
“Meowth, get your tail out of my face.”
“I could, if James get’s his foot off my leg.” He barked back.
All James could do was mumble muffled words, for a foot was on his mouth and a hand was on his throat. Jesse moved her foot and shifted right, Meowth’s tail sliding off her face. Meowth moved his hand from James’s neck and tucked it under his arm.
“We couldn’t have done this hours ago?” James said in short, quick breaths.
Meowth and Jesse snarled at him. Then, with no warning, a bright red light flashed from Jesse’s belt and a blue creature emerged. The sound of splintering wood shot from the crate and the three smiled, and then frowned as they saw a plank of wood fall into the ocean. They shared worried glances, as the crate burst open and they fell from the boat. Jesse clutched the rail and James grasped her ankle. Meowth dug his claws into James’s back and he shouted in pain. They were dangling for their lives. Woobuffet rested safely on the stack of crates, watching them struggle.
“Woobuffet, you stupid Pokémon, help us!”
Woobuffet scowled and refused, crossing his arms.
“Let me try, Jesse.” James said.
She looked mad.
“Woobuffet, I know deep down, in that beautiful heart of yours, you’re a kind and gentle creature,” Woobuffet uncrossed his arms and looked down at James. It seemed as though he was listening. “I will make sure Jesse is as kind to you as the air you breathe if you help us up.” Jesse’s hand was slipping.
“Now!”
Woobuffet reached his hand out for Jesse and she latched onto him, and with one great pull, the three of them were sent tumbling down the stack of crates.
“That made no sense, James.” Meowth said.
“It worked, didn’t it?”
Ash moved down the steel framed ramp and onto the dirt road of Soltree. Pikachu stood on her hind legs and gazed at the beauty surrounding them. Soltree wasn’t your average town. Tall trees towered high above the houses, flowers overflowed from the earth in multiple hues, complimenting the town’s aura. It was quiet, not too busy, easy flowing.
Ash started down the road, Pikachu right behind him, smiling. A black jeep pulled up next to him, startling Ash. A young man with glasses sat in the driver’s seat.
“Need a ride?”
The only thought that went through Ash’s head was: don’t talk to strangers.
“Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself, I’m Jeffery.”
Ash still had the troubled look on his face.
“I work for Professor Pine? You haven’t been contacted, have you?”
Ash shook his head.
“He sent me to pick you up, something about Professor Oak sending you here.”
“I can walk, it’s just up the—”
Two figures were moving his way; one with long pink hair, the other with short blue hair.
“Actually, I think I will take the offer.” He quickly threw his backpack in the trunk and hopped into the passenger’s seat. The car sped down the road, whipping up a cloud of dust as they rounded the corner.
“We will get that Pikachu! Mark my words, twerp!” Jesse yelled.
Cole arrived at the Lab in minutes of reaching the serene town. The Lab was a metal structure, two stories tall, with a dome roof, giving it the appearance of three stories tall. A fenced in field was to the left, containing four Miltank and two Snuffuzz. He moved toward the double door and was surprised to see that it was automatic. He stepped inside as the door shot close. It was dark inside; no trace of anyone was there.
A wooden counter was off to the left of the entrance and a winding staircase to the right. A small pond was positioned underneath the staircase with clusters of lily pads spread across the surface. Cattails lined the rim of the pond, drooping down. Cole leaned over the blue water. Nothing broke the surface.
Then he noticed at the far end of the pond, a grey flap in the wall about two yards long. It wasn’t transparent, so he couldn’t see through to the other side. A piece of land was wrapped around the edge of the pond, patches of grass scattered about. He left the pond and continued searching for someone.
“Hello?” He called over and over again, his voice echoing through the halls. Then the sound of people talking off in the distance lingered in the air. He turned to see two men walking his way. The one on the left was dressed in khaki pants and a purple flannel, sheathed in a lab coat. The one on the right was a rather old man, white tufts of hair atop his head. He too wore a white lab coat.
“Hello, and who are you?” said the old man
“I’m Cole. I’m here for a Pokémon.” Cole fixed his black beanie, so the white half-pokéball was facing straight.
“I can see that. Do you know your choices yet, young man?” the old man said, bending down to look Cole in the eyes.
“Actually…no, I don’t know the choices. Can I see them?”
“Well sure you can see them. Now what type of business would we be if you couldn’t see the Pokémon?” He turned around and started back down the hallway. ”Right this way.”
Cole followed him back toward the pond. He still saw no break in the surface. The old man opened a door to the right of the pond and went through, so did the other man. Cole followed.
His heart leaped when he stepped inside. It was like a large terrarium! Tropical plants were scattered about. A small waterfall flowed out from a large hole in the wall. It cascaded into a large lake in the center of the room. The water flowed throughout the room like a river and into another hole in the wall. It must’ve led to the pond. Small creatures roamed the room. Birds, reptiles, mammalians, fish, amphibians! A Paracaw flew overhead, landing on a thick tree at the far end of the room. Its plumage was red and white, and yellow and blue in a few places. It had a black beak and a large white feather looming over its head.
A couple of Stickit meandered down a far pathway, the two leaves on their heads, swaying as they moved. Wurmple crawled up trees, leaving a trail of goo behind. Beautifly danced in the air, sparkling dust lingering in the air. Wooper and Quagsire played in the water, blue spray flying from the splashes. Zigzagoon wrestled in the bushes, uprooting plants as they roughhoused. Cole followed the old man to a corner, where three Pokémon were eating.
“Here are your choices: Herovor, Salatad, and Purrlit.” His hand was outstretched and pointing to them each. “Enjoy.” He walked off, toward the door, closing it as he exited.
“This is gonna be hard.”
Ash watched as the beautiful scenery of Soltree sped by in a blur. His hair waved in the breeze as the car drove down the road. Jeffery looked over at him and Pikachu.
“Hey, Ash.”
“Yeah?” he said, turning to Jeffery.
“Do you know the legend of Rikoto?”
Ash didn’t answer. He didn’t. Was he supposed to?
“Well then, I’ll tell you.” He cleared his throat. “Long ago, there was an ancient Pokémon with the name, Cellance. Cellance was a deity of Light and Darkness. It was known as the balance Pokémon, for it controlled the balance of nature. You could even say the universe. This Cellance found it difficult to balance the world, so he created two other creatures, Solaran and Lunaro. Neither one of these creations could exist without the other. If Solaran perished, so did the other; vice versa.
After the creation of Solaran and Lunaro, those two merged power to create the elemental protectors. These five Pokémon protect at all cost, their element, Fire, Water, Earth, Air or Spirit. The five protectors were scattered across the world, and over time moved toward Rikoto. Some say this region is the heart of the world. Others say it’s not. Who knows?”
They continue down the road, the cool breeze, running through Ash’s black hair.
Cole stared at the three Pokémon. They stared at him, smiles on their faces. He thought it out. Which to choose? The Herovor was a grass type, later becoming a grass-rock dual type. It was a small green reptilian with a brown shell. Four bright green leaves stuck out from the rocks on its shell. The Purrlit was a fire type cat; it would later become a fire-ground dual type. With a flame at the tip of its tail and a red ring around its neck, it seemed as though it had the playful aspect. It was skipping around as Cole watched it, deep in thought. He shifted his gaze over to Salatad, the nearest to the water; that spelled out water type. He knew that it would later grow into a strong water-poison dual type. It was blue, a fin at its rear.
A group of Butterfree flew by, flapping their opaque wings gently. Cole saw that they were flying toward a large gap in the ceiling, it seemed as though it was for the flying Pokémon to go in and out freely. The group caught Herovor’s attention and he started toward the open gap. He hopped onto a stone and into a nearby tree, crawling toward the hole in the roof.
“Herovor, come back!” Cole shouted, running toward the tree.
Herovor disappeared over the roof’s edge.
“No!” Cole shrieks, climbing the tree and crossing the frail branch. He reaches the edge of the roof and looks down, to see Herovor racing off into the forest; he sighs in relief and climbs over the edge. There was a long net that drooped down from the roof to the ground. Before he went, he turned to the two remaining starters.
“Stay here.” The two Pokémon shared a glance. Once Cole disappeared over the edge, the two Pokémon started toward the hole in the ceiling, ready to play.
A black jeep pulled into the dirt driveway of the Lab, the thick dust, falling to the ground.
Ash and Jeffery got out of the jeep and started for the large, automatic door. Before they reach it, the two doors slide open and reveal an old man sheathed in a white lab coat.
“Welcome, Ash; Jeffery.”
Ash said nothing.
“I’m Professor Pinewood.” He looked startled that Ash didn’t know him.
“Oh, right. Jeffery told me about you.” He stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
They shook hands and walked inside.
Cole searched the underbrush chaotically. He shook trees and rummaged through bushes, but there was no sign of Herovor.
“Herovor, where are you?” he shouted, his voice echoing in the distance, ricocheting through the mountainous forests. He moved with purpose, starting at a walk and working his way up to a jog. Minutes later, he was running, the fallen leaves crackling underfoot. He continued calling for Herovor, despite the fact that there was no answer. Pretty soon he stopped for a rest, sinking down under a tree.
Then there was a rustle in the bushes.
“Herovor!” he leaned forward in anticipation.
But all that answered him was the voice of Salatad and Purrlit, crooning in harmony.
He leaned back.
“You two?” they showed a face of sadness. “I’m sorry; it’s just that, Professor Pinewood isn’t gonna be happy when he finds out that—” the sound of Herovor interrupted him. He turned in the direction of the sound.
“Let’s go!” Cole jumped up and shot through the forest toward the sound of Herovor. Herovor was in sight, curled up on the ground, crying and trembling in fear. “Herovor, what’s wrong…” then he notices the herd of Spinarak and Ariados, crawling toward them from all directions. The three Pokémon cowered behind Cole’s legs, frightened of the large insects moving toward them.
The lead Ariados hissed in anger. It must’ve meant for Cole to move. With that, he spoke.
“No, I won’t let you have them!”
The Ariados hissed again, and Cole resisted the urge to run away.
“I said no!” then the large spider crept forward until it was within reaching distance.
Cole stood there, terrified beyond belief. The urge to leave the three Pokémon in the insect’s possession was growing stronger. The Ariados held back no longer. Milky white webbing shot forward at Cole and enveloped him, pinning him to the ground. The three helpless Pokémon cowered still behind Cole. The Ariados changed its target. It reached its leg out, but had no chance to slice open its prey. A flame flew through the air and hit the Ariados square in the head. The large insect recoiled, stumbling backwards into a large boulder.
Cole looked up to see Purrlit standing in front of him, tail raised, flame burning strong. A fierce purr gushed up its throat and let loose, booming through the forest. It took a step forward and let out another fierce purr. The Ariados didn’t budge, it just stared in disbelief. Purrlit let out another fiery hot blast from its mouth, this time, it was larger. It struck the Ariados’s leg and lacerated it, making the Ariados fall face first into the dirt. The many Spinarak raced toward the injured Ariados and carried it off into the forest.
Cole and the three Pokémon stared in the direction of the fleeing bugs for a while, ready for if they returned. Once they were sure the Pokémon were gone, Purrlit turned to Cole and checked to see if he was okay, whimpering as though it cared for him. It sliced the webbing with its claws, retracting them back into its small paws. Cole crawled from within the web and looked Purrlit in the eyes.
“Thanks,” was all he could say.
Ash leaned on the wooden counter, waiting for the professor to return.
The man came through the door with a brown package in hand. He placed it down in front of Ash and told him to open it. Ash did. He unwound the brown string wrapped around the box and tore the cardboard apart. His face brightened as he saw what was waiting for him: a brand new Pokédex. Instead of just the basic red, it was black too. A thick black stripe ran up the side of it and down the back and a blue light shone with bright luminescence in the top right-hand corner. When he opened the Pokédex, a voice clicked on and said “Hello.”
Ash whispered ‘hello’ back and shut the lid, sticking the Pokédex in his jean pocket.
“Thanks.” He said to the professor.
“It has all the basic information you need on every Pokémon in the world and more. It acts as a compass and contains a map on its memory. So there’s no need in getting lost now.” The professor chuckled.
The sound of the automatic door was heard as Cole stepped inside. He paused when he saw Ash. A new face? Too many in one day. He walked over to the professor, Purrlit at his side, Herovor and Salatad behind him.
“I made my choice. I’ll take Purrlit.” Purrlit looked up at him and purred, rubbing its head on his leg. Cole smiled. Then the professor leaned back and grabbed a small backpack, handing it to Cole.
“It contains all the basic necessities for your journey with you Pokémon. I hope you have a grand time, and hope to hear from you again soon.”
Cole peered into the backpack and saw a Pokédex and five pokéballs stuffed away at the bottom. Purrlit’s was at the top.
“I’m surprised Purrlit agrees to go with you.” The professor said.
“Why’s that?”
“Well, it takes a lot of trust for that Pokémon there to say yes. We’ve had this little rascal for almost two years now. We’ve only had Herovor and Salatad for a couple of months. Every time someone wants him, he refuses. But now…”the professor looked down at the fiery cat. “Now he’s actually going to leave.”
Then a crash was heard outside. Everyone looked in the direction of the door and then started for it, wondering what was happening. They gathered outside and looked around for the location the noise came from. Then out of nowhere, a large robotic structure cavorted from the forest and onto the large field. It stopped at the middle and a platform rose from the front of it, revealing two figures and a cat: Jesse, James, and Meowth.
“Team Rocket!” Ash cried. Pikachu grumbled under her breath, anger written on her face. She leaped down from Ash’s shoulder and on the ground in front of him.
“Who’re they?” Cole asked, stepping beside them.
“Thieves! They’ve been stealing Pokémon for a living and bringing them back to their boss. At least that’s what they’re trying to do. They’ve been following me for almost three years now, trying to take Pikachu from me, and they won’t take her today.”
Herovor, Salatad, and Purrlit lined up by Pikachu and let out deep growls. Sparks were flying from Pikachu’s red spots, jumping in the air. She crouched low to the ground as Team Rocket pressed a button on a steel box.
A metal hand shot from the robot’s body and clutched the four Pokémon, pulling them back and holding them high in the air, far out of reach.
Team Rocket started to chant:
Prepare for trouble,
and make it double,
here to steal the your Pokémon,
It’s good for us,
Wrong for you,
To divide the Pokémon from all trainers
And get rich fast in days to come
Jesse, James, Meowth’s the name
Team rocket, not blasting off again,
We will win in the end
“Leave me alone!” Ash shouted, his voice booming in the air.
“Give me back, Purrlit!” Cole shouted.
Jesse sneered.
James laughed, saying “We got Pikachu! And you can’t get him back!” The platform lowered back into the robot as the group of people watched the struggling Pokémon in horror. Ash stares up at Pikachu, unable to do a thing but worry. He could hear the shouts of Cole as he yelled for Purrlit. Ash saw continuously Pikachu try to escape the large robotic hand, but fail. Pikachu shocked the hand with a bolt of electricity, but it failed.
“Haven’t you learned already?” Meowth snickered. “We design the robots nowadays to withstand your stupid electric shocks. There’s no escaping this time bozo. That goes for you guys too, it’s fire proof, water proof, grass proof, nothing can penetrate this baby!”
“But is it rock proof!” Jeffery grasped a pokéball and through it to the ground, a bright red light flashing at the ground. A Pokémon emerged and readied itself for battle. “Let’s go, Roxirox, show ‘em what you’ve got.”
The Pokémon stood there, ready for orders, rock-plated head and all.
“Rollout!” the Roxirox lurched backward and formed into a ball, then lurched forward, rolling toward the hulking robot.
“That puny thing, what’s it gonna do? Nothing!”
The Roxirox turned around, gaining speed. It started for us and in feet, turned around again, heading back toward the robot. Turf was being torn from the ground as it continued to roll and gain speed; then a head on collision with the robot, leaving a deep dent in the leg. It turned around, coming back for more. It bashed at the leg again, leaving another dent. Roxirox rolled backwards as Jesse through a pokéball to the ground, letting loose a snake-like creature.
“Seviper, use poison tail!” The Seviper’s tail glowed purple as it slithered forward toward the rolling Pokémon. It slashed at it, but the Pokémon didn’t stop. It jumped up and Jeffery ordered it again. Roxirox lurched at the Seviper, head on, its head colliding with the snake’s head. The snake sank to the ground, unconscious. It glowed with a red light and then disappeared.
“Let me try!” James threw a ball and an overgrown plant emerged, fangs protruding from its mouth. “Carnivine, use vine whip!” a red vine lashed out at Roxirox, slashing it in the face and thrashed at it until it too was unconscious. It disappeared into Jeffery’s ball.
Ash stared at the creature before them, as it swayed back and forth, then he had an idea.
“Purrlit, listen to me!” he caught its attention. “Use ember on the glass.”
A look of distraught appeared on its face, but it followed directions and let loose a flame.
“Now Salatad, use water gun in the same spot!” it puffed its cheeks up and sprayed a jet of water at the glass in front of it.
“Pikachu and Herovor, you two, use iron tail and tackle on the spot with full power!” They jerked forward and pounded at the glass. A crack appeared. “Do it again!” they did, this time, the glass shattering and the four Pokémon falling from the glass container in the robotic hand. Ash ran forward and caught Pikachu, smiling. Cole reached up and grasped his newly given Purrlit. Jeffery and Professor Pinewood caught Salatad and Herovor.
“Now Pikachu, let’s finish this! Use thunder!”
Pikachu sank into itself and found the power it needed, letting out a shriek as a surge of electricity shot from her and hit Team Rocket. The robot exploded, debris flying through the air. The three thieves flew through the air and out of sight.
“A new region, but the same ole sendoff.” James retorted as they flew through the air.
“Shut it.” Jesse said.
“Well, we should say it anyway.” Meowth added.
“We’re blasting off again.” The three of them sang as they flew off into the distance.
Down on the ground, the group was rejoicing. Cole held Purrlit to his chest, happy that he’d returned without harm. Jeffery stared at his pokéball, telling his Roxirox what a great job he did. Ash was petting Pikachu and Pikachu was purring, glad to be back in Ash’s care. The professor made sure that Salatad and Herovor got just as much attention, patting them on their heads and telling them “Well done.”
“Thanks Ash, for saving Purrlit like that. If only I could’ve done something…”
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up.”
“Okay. I hope to be like you someday, you’re so experienced, you knew just what to do!” Cole was trembling with excitement.
“Well, I have learned a bit from travelling so much. You pick some stuff up every once and awhile.”
Cole stared at Ash in a awe, then spoke: “If it’s okay with you, could I maybe join you this time around?”
“Sure, the more the merrier,” he said. “Tell me when you’re ready to leave.”
“Thanks.” Cole turned and went inside, grabbing his backpack and Purrlit’s pokéball, then racing back out the door. “By the way Professor Pinewood, I never said thanks for letting me have Purrlit.” He looked down at the petite cat, flame burning strong, smile growing larger. “Thanks.” Cole ran over to Ash and they both waved good bye in unison to the two researchers. They started for the dirt pathway, winding through the forest as the setting sun painted the sky with pinks and oranges.
