(still no good title for it)

Started by Te-em October 24th, 2007 11:18 AM
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Seen October 21st, 2009
Posted November 22nd, 2008
438 posts
16.7 Years
In the great city of Gintokai, at the centre of Regendia, the eight sages gathered in the Great Hall for their last council. One of them was Fushigi, the Sage of the Grass element, with his emerald on his wooden staff, Hi, the Sage of Fire, with his ruby ring, and Kame, the Sage of Water, who had his turtle sculpture with a gleaming sapphire. Rai, the Sage of Lightning, with the ligtning pearl, Kuro, the Sage of Darkness, with the diamond. Keishii, the Sage of Psychic with the crystal. Ishiriki, the Sage of Earth, had the silver stone and Haga, the Sage of Metal, had the gold. They were called Seijin and their stones were the Seijin Stones, the source of all these eight elements. The sages had all gathered here because Gintokai, and maybe even Regendia, was in danger.
”An enemy is upon us,” said Kame to the others. ”And he has the Meteorite in his possession. Our powers are not enough.”
”We cannot let the fate of our people fall into the hands of the enemy and never will we let go of the stones!” Hi said without hesitation.
”But we cannot defend Gintokai any longer,” Keishii, the Sage of Psychic, said sadly.
”But that does not mean we will hand over the source of all elements!” Hi said, his anger of this situation rising.
”What are we to do then?” Fushigi asked, but Hi found no answer.
”There is only one way . . . ” Rai began, looking from one Seijin to another and they looked curiously his way. ”We have to send away the stones, far away where the enemy cannot find them, and far apart from each other in case he would find any one of them.”
”Even if this will work for some time that time will sure come to an end,” said Kuro. ”Only if all the nine elements unite we can defeat our enemy.”
”But the ninth element is gone,” Fushigi reminded them. ”During the War of the Elements the ninth Seijin Stone was lost!”
”Still, let us scatter the stones across the world and let it be a long time ere they all are united again!” said Kame and they all took their each precious item and raised it into the centre of one circle they had made.
As Regendia was lost to the enemy the stones were sent away to unknown lands.


A New Friend. A New Adventure.


It was a late evening, with a starlit sky and a cool breeze, when Satoshi saw Mei calling for her Pocket Monster Kinogassa. The kangaroo-like creature with the mushroom on its head jumped through the high grass towards its friend and thereafter they both walked into the village to rest. Satoshi did not feel so tired, so he stood on a hill and looked at the fields and forests that covered their land. He saw no wild Pocket Monsters, but they were probably hiding in the shadows of trees and bushes. Pocket Monsters, or Pokémon for short, were creatures that lived everywhere over the world and if you caught one it could be your friend. Some tamed Pokémon ran about in the village and Satoshi used to play with them. When he was little he used to chase the Evees around, the small fox-like Pokémon that came to the village for food. Now, Satoshi was 14 years old and had grown into a more calm personality.
”What do you see, Satoshi?” His grandfather Ran appeared behind him.
”Nothing special,” Satoshi replied. ”All the living creatures have gone hiding and the forest looks like it has always done.”
”You’d ever try to capture a Pocket Monster, Satoshi?”
He had that, some time ago, but let it go off into the wild again. He had never had a Pokémon as his own. Since he did not travel far he had no need of a Pokémon to protect him. To be a friend of the village’s Pokémon was enough for Satoshi, but he sometimes thought how fun it would be to go on adventure to find Pocket Monsters. To see how many different kinds there were, and where they lived. Yet he stayed at home, to help his friends and his mother. They all would miss him if he went away, and where would he go anyway?
”Look,” Ran said and pointed towards the sky. ”Do you see that star up there?”
There was a glowing, lilac dot that was different from the other stars. Satoshi had never seen such before.
”It’s growing bigger isn’t it?” Ran said.
Yes . . . no . . . it was coming towards them. The star fell into the forest and the glow slowly left their sight.
”What was it, Grandfather Ran?” Satoshi asked curiously.
”I don’t know, but it was no ordinary star I’m sure. Why don’t go and look?”
Satoshi felt excited. He wanted to see what it was and beckoned Ran to come with him.
”I do not know if I have the strength enough. I’m tired . . . and growing old. But you can take Zigzaguma with you would any wild Pokémon appear.” He called for his Pocket Monster.
A little, furry badger-like creature with a brown zigzag pattern ran happily to them. It looked gladly up at Satoshi, since it liked him, and it followed him down the hill towards the forest without any hesitation.

The leaves rustled in the wind as Satoshi and Zigzaguma entered the forest. The little creature smelled on stones, bushes and trees, maybe scenting what kind of Pokémon had been there before. Satoshi looked around. It was dark in the forest, but soon he spotted a faint glow behind the trees.
”Come on, Zigzaguma.” As they drew near the shining object, the glow seemed a little stronger. The flap of a bird’s wings was heard somewhere and the leaves rustled in the trees again. The wind was getting stronger and the air a little colder, but soon the boy and the Pokémon came upon a crater with trees all around it. It was not so big, but big compared to that glowing stone in its centre. Satoshi was very curious and could not stop himself from going down inside the crater to see what the stone was. He carefully picked the stone up. It was somewhat the size of his head and it looked to be made by a lot of crystals fused together.
”Look!” Satoshi said happily and looked up toward Zigzaguma where it sat at the edge of the crater. He went up to his little friend. ”Wait ’til Grandfather Ran sees this one!”
They were on their way back when they encountered a Pachirisu, ’bright squirrel’, a white squirrel with a blue stripe going from it head and over its fluffy tail. It had a yellow dot on each cheek where it generates electricity. When it saw Satoshi and Zigzaguma it hurried up a tree, where it lived with its friends. Satoshi saw no other wild Pokémon on his way to the village.

Satoshi hurried home and found Ran waiting there for him. Zigzaguma playfully jumped around inside the little house.
“Look what I found!” Satoshi said eagerly while he reached out his hands holding the purple stone, which glow was weak now.
Ran looked very surprised and curious. He let his grandson hand it over to him and then examined it through his glasses.
“What is it?” Satoshi said calmly, since his excitement was wearing off.
“I have no idea, but why not ask Elder Haku?”
Satoshi knew the elder lived in a house on a little hill in the village. He took the crystal stone with him as he went out, while Zigzaguma went to sleep in a couch.
It was blowing outside and Satoshi’s black hair flattered. He followed a path up the hill and knocked at the elder’s front door. Another boy his age opened. Satoshi knew him well. It was Shigeru.
“Grandfather! Satoshi has come for a visit!” Shigeru was replied by a distant voice telling him to let the guest in.
As Satoshi entered the house he came into a big room. Shigeru told him to sit and wait for Haku. There was a sofa and a round table in the room and as he sat down Shigeru left him there. There was a magazine lying on the table, but it was nothing that interested him. It was quite dark in the room, only lit up by an orange light, but Satoshi could see there were many bookshelves crammed with books. Most of them were about Pocket Monsters, since the elder was a Pokémon professor. Haku was very old though, older than Satoshi’s own grandfather, and soon Shigeru would had to take his place. Shigeru had been a friend of Satoshi’s since they were babies. Maybe not friend . . . since they never got on well with each other. He was more like Satoshi’s rival.
Soon Haku appeared in the room. The old man had a long, white beard and a wooden staff to support him.
“I was just trying to find out . . . oh, never mind. I better go off to sleep soon, but first my little friend here wanted to ask me something. If it is about Pokémon I’m sure I can be of some help to you.”
“Not really about Pokémon,” Satoshi began. “You see this stone here . . .?”
Elder Haku looked at it, trying to see if he recognized it. “What is it? My sight is not what it used to be and I’m tired, but if you leave it here I will probably have solved your problem tomorrow.”
Satoshi put the stone down onto the table. “Thank you, Elder Haku.”

On his way home he felt tired so when he got there he went to bed. He was sleeping in a little room of his own, while his mother slept in the bigger room of the house. His Grandfather also lived in this house with them and he, too, was in bed. Zigzaguma woke up at Satoshi’s approach and went to sleep by the boy’s feet.


Satoshi woke up late the next morning and the furry Pokémon woke up with him. To the left beside the bed there was a window and through it he could see children playing with their Pocket Monsters. The sight made him a little more alert so he went to take some breakfast. He found bread in a cupboard, out in the common room, and also some food for Zigzaguma. As they ate Ran appeared through the front door. It looked like he had been off shopping something.
Satoshi suddenly remembered the stone he had found yesterday and took his bread with him as he headed outside. He ate it on the way to the elder’s house.
“Wait, Satoshi,” said Ran and tried to keep up with his grandson.
Satoshi waited for him at the small hill, so that they could visit Haku together.

“I know what the stone is now,” Haku said in his laboratory. Satoshi and his grandfather listen clearly to him and Shigeru also listened curiously. “It is a Seijin Stone.”
“I don’t understand,” Satoshi said.
“You have not read about them, have you? I do not think Shigeru knows about them either. The Seijin Stones are guarded by the Seijin, nine great sages. Each stone possesses its own element; Grass, Fire, Water, Electric, Darkness, Esper, Ground and Metal.”
“But they are eight elements, Grandfather,” Shigeru said.
“Yes . . . the ninth element was lost during the War of the Elements, thousands of years ago,” Haku explained.
“So this is a Seijin Stone,” his grandson said amazed to himself.
“What is it doing here?” Satoshi wondered. “Where’s the Seijin?”
“They live very far from here, Satoshi,” Haku said. “In the land of Regendia they live. What the stone is doing here . . . I don’t know. Where did you find it?”
“It fell from the sky,” Ran said.
“They must have lost it, because the Seijin would never give up their stones.”
“Can we hand it back to them?” Satoshi asked. “They may be looking for it.”
“You mean to take it to Regendia? Yes, but it is very, very far.”
“We’ll do it, right Satoshi?” Shigeru said thinking he could manage anything.
The other boy was unsure, but did not want to be taken for a coward. “Yes, we can do it,” he said hesitantly.
“You’re sure you will be alright, Satoshi?” Ran asked.
“Of course . . . I’m not a little boy any more. You can trust me.”
“That’s the sound of it, Satoshi!” Shigeru said, glad that Satoshi had agreed to go with him.
“You know there are many dangers out there . . . “ Haku said, “ . . . but together I think you can make it, as long as you each bring another friend with you.” He slowly went to a shelf and looked for something. Later he returned with a white and red ball. “This is a Monster Ball, and if you did not know, you may store a Pokémon in it. Here, Satoshi.” He held it out for him.
Shigeru took it eagerly from his grandfather’s hand.
“No, not you, Shigeru.”
“But I wanted one, Grandfather Haku. You know I always wanted an own Pocket Monster.”
“Yes, yes . . . But I was going to give you one any way.” He looked at Satoshi again. “I will have to give you this one then.” He put his hand in the pocket of his long robe and held out another ball, identical to the one Shigeru had snatched.
Satoshi took it and looked curiously at the orb and suddenly it opened . . .
“Oh, a Pachirisu!” Satoshi said. Maybe not the strongest of Pokémon, but that was not what mattered. What mattered was that he had a new friend.
Shigeru opened his Monster Ball and out came a little brown monkey with a tail of flames. “What’s this s’posed to mean?” he said looking at the weak-looking creature.
“Do not underestimate your Pokémon, Shigeru,” Haku said. “. . . or any other Pokémon for that matter. The Pokémon, Hikozaru, can be a strong one if trained properly.”
“Stronger than Satoshi’s?” The squirrel did not look any stronger than his own monkey Pokémon, and as long as his rival had no stronger Pokémon than himself he was satisfied.
Satoshi thanked Elder Haku and petted Pachirisu. His Pokémon seemed happy. It climbed up and sat on the boy’s shoulder, playing with his red and white cap that had belonged to his grandfather when he was a young adventurer.
“Then, let’s get ready,” Shigeru said eagerly and ran to his room.
Satoshi followed Ran home to pack everything needed on the journey.

An hour or two later, Satoshi and Shigeru had said goodbye to their friends and relatives and met at the edge of the village.
“So you have not backed out, Satoshi,” Shigeru said.
“Of course not.“ Satoshi tried to sound a little tougher than he really was.
“Then let’s go, but you have to keep up with me.” He walked quickly toward the forest and Satoshi followed. “By the way, did you bring the stone?”
“Yes, I have it in my backpack. Did you bring your Pokémon?”
Shigeru did not have to reply, since Hikozaru’s head popped out of his backpack. Pachirisu looked happily at the monkey from Satoshi’s shoulder, but the other Pokémon disappeared again.
They reached the forest and walked in among the trees. Sounds of birds and other wild creatures could be heard distantly. The two companions followed a narrow path that led them past the crater. Satoshi told Shigeru that the stone fell down here. His rival looked around.
“Look there, Satoshi,”
The other boy turned around and saw something moving. “What is it?”
“A wild Pokémon of course,” his rival said in a way that made Satoshi feel stupid.
Of course he knew it was a wild Pokémon, but that was all he knew. He carefully stepped forward to get a better look on it. It was a pale-brown, furry Pokémon with a long body and a long, furry tail.
“Why not catch it?” Shigeru said and before his companion and rival could reply he added: “We were given these by my grandpa.” He handed the other boy five Monster Balls.
Satoshi turned toward the Pokémon with the brown rings around its furry body. It was time to get some Pokémon! Though its legs were short the wild Pocket Monster quickly moved away to escape. “Hey!” Satoshi followed the creature, which swiftly went under a tree root and was about to vanish out of sight. Satoshi threw the Monster Ball. It hit the Pokémon, which was absorbed inside. Yes, I got it!
But suddenly the ball opened and the Pokémon went free. Satoshi did nothing as it fled into the forest.
“Pachirisu,” his own Pokémon said, unhappy of its friend’s failure.
“Ha, ha, ha!” his rival laughed and Satoshi felt embarrassed. “You get no Pokémon that way. You have to let your own Pokémon weaken it before catching. Let me show how it’s done.” He looked around to see if there were any Pokémon around.
Satoshi knew his rival knew more about Pokémon than himself, after all Shigeru’s grandfather was a Pokémon professor, but he often tried to do his best by himself. Still, he watched as his rival found a weak, green caterpillar, let Hikozaru attack it and then he threw the ball. Shigeru had caught his first Pokémon.
Whatever the two boys were doing Shigeru would always be a step before Satoshi.
They went on and soon the air got cooler and the sky turned darker.
“I’m tired, Shigeru.”
“Let’s just go on a little more, then we’ll rest.”
After a while they were going to stop. Satoshi felt hungry, too, and in his mind was an image of the sandwiches his mother had sent with him. Unfortunately Shigeru spotted a wild Pokémon he wanted. The white bug flapped its eye-patterned wings and went off through the trees.
“Get it, Hikozaru!” Shigeru and his Pokémon went the way it had gone.
Satoshi was not prepared for that. “Wait, Shigeru!” He ran as fast as he could after his rival, but had lost sight of him.
“Fire sparks, Hikozaru! Fire sparks! Get it!” was heard through out the forest.
Satoshi followed the sounds, but they faded away more and more. “Shigeru, where are you?!”
“Hikozaru!” was heard distantly and then no more.
Satoshi had to slow down and breathe. He would not catch up with his rival anyway.
“Pachii,” his Pokémon said as he sat down to rest. At least he was not alone. Pachirisu sat in his lap as he leaned against a large tree. The forest was full of sounds, but it was too dark to see any wild Pokémon now.

He woke up suddenly. He had fallen asleep. He still felt a little drowsy, but the forest was brighter. The sunrays lit up the leaves and made them shine with a green light. Sounds of wild creatures were heard clearly and wild Pokémon showed themselves. A Subame, a tiny, blue swallow, sat chirping on a branch above Satoshi before it joined its friends in a flight among the great trees. A Zigzaguma, the badger-or racoon-like Pokémon, watched the boy from a safe distance, while some flying butterflies flew past into the sunlight.
“Furiiiiiii!” they said happily, their cute voices full of kindness.
Satoshi watched the Butterfrees play with each others and flapping their transparent, black-patterned wings, big compared to their small, purple, round bodies. He suddenly realised he was hungry so he took his sandwiches he had longed for. He had a little box full of tasty berries and he gave some of them to Pachirisu.
Soon they began to walk through the forest again. The little squirrel ran some paces before Satoshi as they passed the sunlit area where the Butterfrees had just been. Even if Satoshi had been left in the deep forest by Shigeru, he did not feel afraid or alone. The Pokémon here had kindly and curious looks upon him. There was nothing to be afraid of. Since the rival had the map of this forest and maybe of what lay beyond, Satoshi did not know where to go but he followed Pachirisu as it ran playing with the wild Pokémon. They were shy and hid when the boy approached, but peeked curiously when he petted his happy friend. He let the wild ones eat of his berries and they seemed to like him, yet they were cautious.
He wandered with Pachirisu through the woods, wondering if he should have tried to find his way back to the village. He decided not to. When have gotten this far he would only be more lost by heading back. Instead he went on with his friend until evening once again closed in on them. As his feet began to hurt from walking he spotted a light further on. The forest was very dark now and the light very bright, but small. Pachirisu looked curiously from his shoulder as he carefully went further.
It was a fire made by a man resting against a tree, his hat hiding his face. Satoshi looked at him from a distance, wondering if he should approach further and talk to the stranger. Suddenly Pachirisu was gone.
The little Pokémon quietly sneaked to the man’s backpack, scenting a good smell.
“Pachirisu,” Satoshi called as quietly as possible.
Still, the man begun to move in his sleep. Pachirisu, fast as lightning, hid behind the young boy.
“Who’s there?” the man said, pulling up the hat from his face and looking around. As he noticed Satoshi he looked even more curious. “Not often I see any one else out here. Only wild Pokémon.” Another squirrel, brown and unlike Pachirisu, jumped down on his hat and thus brought it down over his face again; then the creature went off back among the bushes.
As the man pulled up his hat again Satoshi wondered what he would say to this stranger. “I am Satoshi,” he said at last. “I come from a little village two days from here.”
“I’m Junichi. I come from afar. Are you travelling alone?”
“No . . . or yes. Have you seen another boy my age pass here?”
“I’m afraid I haven’t. Lost your friend?”
“Yeah . . . we lost each other. I have to find him . . . Shigeru . . . I’m lost.” He let out a sigh, but the soft, warm fur of his little friend against his cheek comforted him. Pachirisu sat on his shoulder looking toward the stranger now known as Junichi.
“Maybe I can be of some help,” the man said. “Please join me by the fire and tell me a little about yourself.”
Satoshi sat down and talked with Junichi, who did not tell much of his own history, but maybe there were not much to be said by him. He had a Pokémon with him on his journeys. He kept it in the Monster Ball and said it was very large and that it was unnecessary to summon it here.
“Lizardon fits better inside its orb,” Junichi said holding the ball in his hands, looking at it. “But maybe I will show him to you one day.”
Junichi let Satoshi and Pachirisu eat of his food before they went to sleep. The boy slept easily beside his friend during the cool night. The nice, but mysterious, Junichi lay some paces away, with his backpack as a pillow.

During the next day Junichi led Satoshi through the forest toward the Hiroinohara, a vast field that lay yonder. On the way they saw many wild Pocket Monsters and Junichi seemed to know all about them. A strange, uncommon creature sat sleeping by a tree. Satoshi and Pachirisu looked curiously at the Pokémon with the pointy ears and nose. Its face may look like that of a fox, but the rest of its body was almost human like, but smaller than Satoshi himself.
“It’s an Esper,” Junichi said.
“Esper . . .?”
“Called Psychic by many.”
“Oh, so it is?”
They went on and Satoshi learned much from his new companion, but still he knew that Shigeru would always know something he didn’t, no matter how much he was taught. At last they came to the Hiroinohara plains and there were no edges of it visible, but the forest behind them. The trees that grew on the field, at the end of the forest, were cherry trees in blossom, but they did not get Satoshi’s attention. He hurried on through the high grass and looked around. There is no end to it! He had never ever beheld something as so vast as the Hiroinohara field.
Junichi let the boy run, watching as Pachirisu tried to keep up with its human friend. In the cherry trees the Cherrym came to life, the flower Pokémon absorbing the bright sunlight.
Birds scattered where Satoshi and Pachirisu ran. Satoshi realised how happy he was when with his friend. To have a Pokémon of his own was more joyfully than he had expected it to be. Pachirisu seemed to like it to, to be with its friend. As they ran on, Junichi following them some paces behind, they came upon a travelling party in the distance. They waved at the boy and the man. Satoshi ran to them.
“Caught some Pokémon, have you?” a young man asked. With him were four other young men, but no Pocket Monsters to be seen.
Pachirisu climbed to Satoshi’s shoulder as the boy said: “Not yet. He, he, he,” The laugh was happy but still he sounded a little embarrassed. “But I’ve just become a . . . Pokémon Trainer, that is,” he added remembering the title of those that captured and trained the various creatures.
“We’re also Trainers,” the young man said and looked up a little as he saw Satoshi’s companion approach them.
Satoshi noticed his curious look and said: “This is Junichi. I’m Satoshi and this,” looking at his little friend, “is Pachirisu.”
“I’m Matsu. This is Max, Rinda, Koji and Sami.”
Satoshi had not noticed until now that one of the five youths was a girl, but she looked much like the one Matsu referred to as Max; maybe they were relatives.
“So . . . are you off finding some new wild creatures?” Matsu asked.
“I’m on a quest,” Satoshi said and this he had already told Junichi when in the forest. “But there is nothing bad in trying to get new Pokémon on our way, eh?”
The others agreed with him.
“No bad in finding some new friends either,” he went on, referring to human friends.
“Pachirisu!” A happy cry from Pachirisu, agreeing.
“Did you come out from the forest?” Max, the one with brown, short hair, asked Satoshi and Junichi. “Live anywhere near here?”
“There is a village in the forest,” Satoshi explained.
“Oh, so that’s it? How come I’ve never heard of that village?” It was Matsu speaking again.
“Not usual any of us come out here and if we do, we come to trade.”
“Yeah, Aoiro Town has a fine market. Come with us and we’ll show you.”
Together they travelled through Hiroinohara, often called just Hara by most, toward Aoiro. Matsu and his friends told about their happy town, about the people and such, so that Junichi and Satoshi knew what awaited them. To the rookie Trainer it sounded like there were cheerful townspeople in Aoiro, just as friendly as the five youths they’d just met.
There was still no end to the great field as they came upon the beautiful town built upon it. Even though the town looked peaceful and welcoming from afar, Satoshi still got a feeling that something was wrong. His Pokémon did not notice anything out of the ordinary, just being as happy as usual, so he thought himself just unnecessarily anxious. He joined the talk with his new friends, but Junichi was always silent. Instead he listened interested to the prattle of the young Trainers.
“I caught a Pikachuu the other day,” Rinda told them.
“But it got beaten by my Sando,” Max said and Rinda started to counter back in a friendly way.
“Yeah, keep on boasting you two,” Sami said. “You cannot defeat me in a Pokémon battle anyway.” He began to laugh a little to tease them.
They closed in on the town, but Satoshi got this uncomfortable feeling again.
“Pachi?” Pachirisu sounded anxious, too, but maybe it just became aware of its Trainer’s feelings.
“So quiet here is,” Sami, the youngest of the five, said, expecting the town to be full of life. From here, no people were heard or seen.
“They’ve probably just gathered at the square, having a good time.” Matsu walked in among the wooden houses.
As they all went together along a street made of small stones toward the centre of the town they spotted no living being. Satoshi looked up into the sky and it was getting cloudy. Then he hurried after the others, his footsteps echoing strangely around.
At the square only the silence was present.
“Search for the people, Spear!” Matsu released a giant bee from its Monster Ball. The loudest sound around was the buzzing of the one metre sized insect as it searched amongst the houses.
Rinda sat down on her heels on the smooth stones and looked very uncomfortable.
“Are you all right?” Max asked and crouched down beside her.
“I’m feeling kinda . . . sick.”
“Uh?” Max sounded worried.
“Like I’m gonna throw up any time. It’s this place. Something about this place.”
“But we’re home. This is Aoiro.”
“This is not my home,” she denied. “My home is full of cheerful people laughing and playing.”
“Yeah, let’s get out of here,” Matsu agreed.
A sparrow Pokémon landed within the square, looking for something to eat. Satoshi watched it, wondering to himself: “Wonder if Shigeru’s been through here . . .”
“Who’s Shigeru?” Matsu had overheard.
“A rival of mine. I lost sight of him in the forest. He has spiky hair and he always looks confident, would you see him somewhere.”
“He had a Hikozaru?”
“Yeah,” Satoshi looked up suddenly.
“He defeated me in a Pokémon battle while on our way from town. He then headed this way . . .”
Satoshi was eager now. “We have to find him. Maybe he saw what happened here. Maybe he can help us.”
The others turned their looks toward the boy, having heard clearly what he had been saying.
Suddenly Max let out a cry and every one turned his way, to find Rinda unconscious.
“What happened to her?” Matsu asked, but Max did not know what to say.
“Why don’t we just leave this forsaken town?” Sami said, afraid of what might happen.
Everyone agreed with him and left for the Hara field. Koji helped Max to carry their unconscious friend, and Junichi just looked curiously around, saying nothing.
“Pachichi?”
“What is it, Pachirisu?” Satoshi said. “Don’t worry. We’ll soon on Hara again.”
“Chi.”


They found a place to rest beneath some trees. A strong wind had showed up and the air was a little chilly. Pachirisu slept in Satoshi’s jacket. There was a little fire burning and Koji prepared some food. Rinda was still not awake and the worried Max let her lie in his lap. They did not know what to do right now and they were tired, so they stayed here until evening came and then they fell asleep.
Satoshi woke up and found it hard to rest. He picked up the crystal stone from his backpack and examined it some more. Pachirisu lay in the grass, still sleeping. It was quite all around now and the rookie Trainer was the only one awake. He looked at Junichi and he was also sleeping. Soon Satoshi began to feel more tired and at last he, too, was able to rest.


Sa-to-shi . . .


He woke up the next day. Every one else save Junichi was still sleeping. The older man made some breakfast and as Satoshi got up they ate together.
“Strange about the town, eh?” Satoshi asked to break the silence.
“Very strange, it is,” Junichi said looking at his soup. “How could people of a whole town just vanish like that . . .? All I know is that they have been gone recently.”
“How do you know?”
“I found fresh food in one of the houses. At least someone has been there recently.”
“But Matsu and his friends maybe just arrived from home when we met them. They encountered Shigeru on their way from town . . .”
As if hearing his name, Matsu started to wake up.
“We should head to Hari,” Junichi said to Satoshi. “It’s another town on Hara.”
“Hari . . .” Matsu said drowsily. “But it’s far from here.”
“It is the closest town from here.”
When every one had woken up and were ready, they set off again. Rinda had started waking up, but she was still sick. Max thought that she was going to get better and was glad he could talk to her.


They crossed the Hiroinohara field towards the north. The air was getting misty and when the day came to an end they rested not far from a lake.
“The mist comes from the Kiri Mounatins,” Junichi explained to Satoshi. “Many strong Pokémon dwell there, so it’s not a place for weak Trainers. A good place for becoming strong, though.”
“Have you trained there?” Satoshi asked.
“Yes.”
“I had a strange dream last night,” the boy said suddenly.
“Will you tell me about it?”
“I got some fish from the lake,” Matsu said as he appeared from the mist. “Good enough for a late dinner.”
They ate the fish and went to sleep. They had no tent to sleep in, but fortunately there was no rain or storm.


Sa-to-shi . . .

Huh? Who’s saying my name? Hello . . .



“She’s gone!”
Satoshi woke from his dream when he heard the sound. At first he was confused and thought that they had been attacked by something, but soon he realised it was only Max who was shouting. Every one was awake, but Rinda was gone.
“Where is she?” Max said panicky and ran about looking, calling her name.
“You cannot find her in this mist . . . unless she hears you,” Junichi said.
“What is happening around here . . .?” Koji wondered for himself.
At last Max sat down with his face in his hands. No one had in mind of going back to sleep, since it was already morning. Max did not look up until he could feel something gently licking his hand. As he looked he found a little red-brown fox with six tails behind him.
“Who may you be?” he asked it and stroked its soft fur. The creature seemed to like him.
“You found a friend, Max?” Matsu said.
“Yes, I think so.”
“That’s good.” Matsu was glad to see Max a little happier. “Don’t worry, we’ll find Rinda soon. Maybe she just wandered off to pee somewhere.”
“Get away!” Sami said, not far away. His new-catched fish had been attacked by a crow which feather-crest looked like a witch’s hat and which tail looked like the end of a broom. “Be off, bad luck!” Sami said and at last the crow took wing. It flew across the lake and vanished into the mist.
Satoshi looked after it; he had never seen that Pokémon before.
“They are supposed to bring ill fortune, especially if you see it at night,” Sami explained. “Now, it ruined my fish!”
“It’s morning now, so we’re lucky . . .” Koji said, looking into the mist. “She must be there somewhere . . .”
“You mean Rinda?” Satoshi asked the tall boy. “I’m worried, too.” He looked at Max, who was petting the Rokon, the fox Pokémon, while giving it some of his food. Then Satoshi walked away from the others to look around. He saw grass, mist, the lake and some trees and bushes. No Rinda and no wild creatures either. He went a little further. The electric squirrel followed him in the grass.
Suddenly he realised he could no longer see the others and they could probably not see him either so he decided to head back before getting lost, but then a saw something in the mist by the lake.
“What do you think it is, Pachirisu?” He asked his Pokémon, which he now noticed had followed him.
“Chiri.”
“Not me either. Should we take a look?” He hoped the others would not start getting worried when they realised he was gone, as he approached the large shape in the mist.
It was a house, but a very strange one. It was built just by the lake on a little cliff. The dark roof stretched high like a pointed hat. Suddenly he saw something in the corner of his eye. He turned and looked into the water. Had something moved in it? Probably just a fish . . .
“Come on, Pachirisu,” he said as they went on.
As they came to the house, Satoshi decided to approach the door. “Maybe Rinda went here.” He knocked at the wooden door and waited for any reply. Nothing happened. He looked at his little friend who looked puzzled up at him. Then he grabbed the door knob and found out that the door was unlocked. The creaky sound as it opened was very clear in this quite place, but no one seemed to hear him.
“I hope we do not bother any one,” he said as he walked in.
They came into a big room, only lit up by the sunlight through an arched window. There were many strange items here; very few of them did Satoshi understand. This room reminded him of the little lab Elder Haku had in his home, with bottles filled with alien liquids and strange tubes and tools. Only that this looked even more strange and bizarre.
“Hello.” Although his voice seemed to echo faintly within the house, no one revealed any sign of hearing him. He thought of leaving, not wanting to be in a stranger’s home when the person was not there, but then Pachirisu said something.
“Pachichi?”
He looked the way the squirrel looked and saw the black crow sitting in the window, looking at them. Its gaze was uncomfortable.
“I think we better get out of here, Pachirisu. We should not walk into someone else’s house like this. I do not like this place anyway.”
“Chi.”
Satoshi turned toward the door and as he tried to open it he failed.
“It’s got stuck,” he said and pushed it. He pulled it, too, but nothing happened. The croaking of the black bird annoyed him. “Let’s find another way out, Pachirisu.”
They found stair leading up and a stair leading down. There may be and exit in the basement, so they went down. It was very dark down there, but there was a faint glow coming from his Pokémon. Satoshi found another door and tried to open it. It went up as he pushed it and he came into a room lit up by a small lamp in the ceiling. It was possible to see that the room was filled with cages containing various Pocket Monsters. Poor, Pokémon! Who is keeping them here?
A growling sound welcomed him and he did not know where it came from.
“Be careful, Pachirisu . . .”
“Chi!”
Suddenly his friend was attacked by a black hyena that appeared from the shadows. It clutched Pachirisu in its mouth and shook it, trying to make the little squirrel unconscious, but immediately let go of its victim as an electric shock struck it. Pachirisu was thrown into a wall and almost fainted.
“Pachirisu!” Satoshi said, afraid for the Pokémon.
Pachirisu got up and charged electric energy and released another electric shock before the enemy was to close to attack. The hyena howled in pain, but rushed at Pachirisu and struck it with it paw. The little squirrel landed on the floor and did not move.
Satoshi did not know what to do. He was angry and afraid. Suddenly the large, black hyena came for him. He ran for the door, finding no way to save his friend which he thought was dead now, but the creature attacked him from behind and he fell to the floor. His head hit something and he fainted. The last thing he heard was a terrible, old laugh, like the croaking of a crow.



To be continued . . .
Seen October 21st, 2009
Posted November 22nd, 2008
438 posts
16.7 Years
Transformed!



He woke up and felt that his head was hurting. He wondered where his backpack was, since he always had the mysterious stone with him, but soon he also wondered where he himself was. This was not where he and his friends had camped. This place was dark and damp. Where was he? Suddenly Satoshi began to remember . . . The strange house, the black crow, the attack of the hyena . . . his friend dying. No!
“Pachirisu!”
“No need to cry out like that, Pikachuu.”
Who was that? The headache made his vision blurry. Who called him Pikachuu . . . and why?
“Pikachuu is a Pokémon . . . ” he mumbled as he remembered the name. “A yellow mouse with a tail shaped as a lightning. It has red spots on its cheeks where it generates electricity. Ran told me that . . . ” When explaining the electric mouse Pokémon he realised that was similar the explanation of Pachirisu. The memory of his friend brought tears to his eyes.
“Where am I?” he said at last.
“You’re in a cage, can’t you see that,” the voice said.
Yes, he was sitting in a cage. Outside the cage there were others cages, with Pokémon in them. Where had the voice come from?
“Where are you? I can’t see you?”
“I’m right here, Pika. The cage right to the one in front of yours.”
Satoshi looked that way and saw an old, little rat sitting behind the bars. Its tail was curled at the end, and it was covered by purple fur as the rest of its body.
“A Koratta . . . ” Satoshi said, familiar with the common Pokémon that lived almost everywhere.
“Yes, that’s right, that’s me.”
“But then you’re a Pokémon. Why can you talk?”
“I do not think he realise his situation,” another voice, more female, said. It seemed to come from a Pokémon almost identical to the one he had failed to catch when in the forest with Shigeru.
Satoshi was confused. What was happening around him? Was he dreaming? O, he felt so strange!
“You are a Pokémon, haven’t you realised that yet?” the Koratta said.
“I am not a Pokémon!” a loud and furious voice came from a cage containing a Pokémon similar to Shigeru’s Hikozaru. The difference was that this one was larger and had a purple forehead. The rest of its body was pink, not brown like the other fire monkey. “I’m not a Pokémon!” he went on, the fire on its tail blazing.
“Oh, he is worse than an Okorizaru . . . “ someone sighed.
Satoshi ignored the mad monkey and looked at the Koratta. “What do you mean?”
“You are a Pikachuu. Take a look at yourself.”
Not only did the confusion all around him make his mind feel strange. His body felt strange, too. He looked at himself and realised he looked different. He felt fur on his chest. His face felt different and he had two pointy, black-tipped ears that gave him a much better sense of hearing.
“What’s happened to me?!”
“The old witch transformed you into a Pokémon, that’s what has happened,” Koratta said.
“Don’t listen to them!” the monkey yelled. “They are only evil Pocket Monsters that tries to brainwash you!”
“Some does not take this situation very lightly . . . “ Koratta went on referring to the fire monkey.
“I am Zidane! I’m a tough guy in black leather clothes! I have a driving machine from the other continent!”
“Why don’t you ever shut up,” the female Pokémon said. “Don’t look that sad.” She looked at Satoshi. “We’ll find away out of this mess.”
“It’s not just that . . . “ he said. “My friend . . . I lost my friend here.”
“Was it a Pachirisu?”
Satoshi looked up.
“It is sleeping in the cage below yours. The poor Pokémon is hurt, but is still alive.”
Satoshi tried to look down, excited, happy and relieved, but he could not see his friend from this position. “Pachirisu?” He hoped it would hear him.
“It’s sleeping,” Koratta said. “It looks very cute from here. I think it will be okay. Don’t worry. It’s a real Pokémon isn’t it, or is it another transformed human?”
“It’s a real Pokémon.” Satoshi wished he could see his little friend. “What is your name, Koratta?”
“It’s Rei.”
“I am Cho,” the female Pokémon with the long furry body said.
“I’m Masato,” a blue, fat, little Pokémon with pointy ears said. “It’s very hungry to be a Gonbe. This Pokémon’s always hungry. You got some cookies with you, . . . eh . . .”
“Satoshi, my name’s Satoshi.”
“So, Satoshi . . . know any way out of here . . .?” a pidgeon Pokémon said. “Or am I to remain a Poppo . . . Yeah I thought so . . . I will rot in here.”
“Wii!” a little, blue ball with two feet and its head covered in large leaves said happily.
“Who’s that?” Satoshi wondered, looking at the plant Pokémon.
“Don’t know,” Rei replied. “The only thing she says is ‘wii’.”
“At least not everyone here has a bad day,” Masato, the Gonbe, said.
“There must be a way out of here,” Satoshi said, clutching the bars of his cage.
“The key is the way out,” Cho said, pointing toward a dark corner of the room.
There was something black lying on the floor. Satoshi could make it out as the hyena that attacked him and his friend before. A key hang around the neck of the sleeping Pokémon.
“I cannot reach it from here,” Satoshi said, disappointed.
“None of us can,” Rei explained. “We may be trapped here as Pokémon for ever.”
“I’m not a Pokémon!” Zidane shouted, acting like a mad monkey in a cage, but everyone ignored him.
“What is the witch going to do to us?” another, very young, Koratta said anxiously.
“Don’t worry Mia,” Cho, in the next cage, said calmly. “We will find a way out.”
“If there only was a way to reach the keys . . . and without the enemy awaking,” Satoshi said, thinking of a plan. “No one here can be of any help? Any Pokémon with long vines or anything?”
There was a murmur of ‘no’ among the others.
“I have already asked everyone,” Rei said. “Except him there.” He pointed at a cage on the floor. Behind the bars sat a Pokémon like the Esper/Psychic Satoshi had seen in the forest with Junichi. It’s narrow eyes were closed. “But he’s been sleeping all the time. No one has got a chance to talk to him.”
“Maybe we can wake him up,” Satoshi said.
“Yeah, try that,” another transformed human said. “That Pokémon sleeps 18 hours a day.”
“But we have to try . . . You, Zidane, why not try to breathe fire at it. That would wake it.”
“What, do you think I look like a flamethrower or somethin’.”
“It’ll be too risky anyway,” Rei warned. “That Pokémon is a Cayce and they teleport away at any sign of danger. We don’t want him to leave us behind, do we?”
“No . . .” Satoshi sighed.
They sat in their cages for some time, thinking of a way to get out. The Cayce never seemed to wake up and they wanted to get out of here as soon a possible. No one knew what that witch had in plan for them. The hyena woke up once and then went to sleep again.


Matsu went out to look for Satoshi. First Rinda, now Satoshi. What is happening? The mist began to clear, but he saw no trace of them anyway. He went back to his friends.
“Since I do not like Pokémon battles . . .” Koji was sitting and talking to the others as Matsu returned and asked:
“Where’s Satoshi?”
“He has been gone a long time, hasn’t he?” Sami said and looked at the others.
“I’m worried he is lost.”
“I think we should look for him and Rinda,” said Max. “Rokon can be of help.”
They packed their things and went on along the lake. Junichi found steps in the high grass and they followed them.
“Look,” Sami said.
There was a house by the lake.
“Let’s ask if they know anything,” Matsu proposed.
“No, wait,” Junichi said, sensing that something was not right. “We do not know who lives in there. Let’s be careful.”
“But—“
“I saw something!”
“What, Max?” Junichi asked curiously.
“In the water.”
“Kon,” Rokon said and looked into the still lake.
“Let’s see what we’ll find in that strange house,” Matsu said and went on carefully, his hand clutching a Monster Ball in his pocket.
No one came to open as they knocked on the door of the old house.
“Then let’s go on,” Sami said, not wanting to enter.
A crow croaked somewhere. Then silence. They listened for it to sound again and as the croaking resumed something black came towards them.
“Go, Spear!” Matsu sent out his giant bee Pokémon.
A battle broke out between the bee and the black crow that had attacked them. Soon the crow realised that Matsu’s well-trained Pocket Monster was too strong and it had too flee. It snatched Matsu’s hat and flew away toward the house. As Matsu cursed it, the crow disappeared through a window.
“No Spear,” he said as his bug friend was going to follow the enemy. “You can return to your ball.” Then he turned to his human friends. “Let’s walk in.”
The door was unlocked and inside the house they were welcomed by a foul smell. Matsu found his hat and grabbed the soft cloth and looked around for the crow before putting it on his head again.
“What is this place,” Sami asked curiously.
“I don’t know, but don’t touch anything,” Matsu said and looked at all the bottles with colourful liquids and pouches with strange powders. He saw no one here in this room but found a staircase leading up. No one there either. The crow, too, was gone.
“Rokon found this,” Max said holding something in his hand.
“It’s a Monster Ball,” said Sami.
“Look, there is a door here,” Koji said, standing at the end of the room of the first floor where everyone stood gathered. The others approached him as he opened the door. There was another staircase, leading down.
“Shall we go down?” Sami asked his friends.
“I think there is a Pokémon inside.” Max said and looked at the ball still in his hand.
The others turned his way as he opened ball to release whatever creature was trapped within.


It was useless even to try to wake up the Cayce; not even Zidane’s shouting affected it. The psychic Pokémon seemed to be totally oblivious.
“I got some yummy candy here in my pocket,” Masato said to the sleeping creature. “And I got some for you!”
“It’s not working,” Cho said. “Try something else.”
“Get me out of here!” Zidane yelled, jumping up and down, making his hanging cage shake violently.
“Be still or you’ll make the whole place crumble apart upon us,” Rei complained.
Zidane did not listen, but shouted louder and swung the cage back and forth. “I’m not listening to you, Pokémon! I am a human! I don’t understand you!”
“Stop shouting, you’ll wake the hyena,” Rei said, not wanting the black canine to growl and hit the cages with its claws.
“I’m not listening!” The cage shook and swayed even more violently now and the hyena growled in its sleep. “I have just smoked too much, this is not real! I am dreaming!” Suddenly the cage hit another cage that fell off the cage it had been standing on. It fell down in front of Cayce and it was the young Koratta lying still and afraid within it. The barred door had swung open and the little rat could see the way between the imprisoned Pokémon and the large wooden door. The hyena lay there, moving when disturbed by the noise, but going quickly back to sleep.
“This’ your chance,” Masato said. “Go get the keys.”
The young Pokémon was afraid, but knew she had to help the others, so she carefully approached the black, sleeping monster. As a rat she moved very quietly and no one could hear her steps on the old floor.
“Now, take the keys,” Masato said as the hesitating Koratta was in reach of them.
Every one was quite, even the pink monkey made no sound, as the purple rat with the white paws reached for the golden key.
Suddenly a red eye opened and stared directly at her. Stunned by fear, she never reached the keys, but as the hyena got up she managed to run toward her cage. There was a lot of shouting around the room as the hyena hunted the little rat between the cages. Koratta reached her cage and closed the door to be safe from harm. The enemy growled at her and she hid her face in her hands, but soon the black, furry creature went away to sleep again.
“Don’t try that again,” Rei said. “No knowing when the hyena sleeps or when it’s awake. It’s too risky.”
“Mean dog,” the smaller rat said. She turned and saw the sleeping psychic sit in his cage close to her. She could reach him. The Koratta reached out and clutched one of his two toes with her little paw and prayed he would not teleport away. He did not. Instead his eyes opened and there was a red glow within them. Afraid she backed away. The Cayce’s eyes stopped glowing and turned darker, but were still looking at her.
“He’s awake,” Cho said.
“Can you help us?” Satoshi asked.
“Where are we?” the Cayce wondered, looking around.
“We’re trapped and have been turned into Pokémon,” Rei said and ignored Zidane’s loud protest that followed.
“Yeah . . . A Pokémon?” He seemed to be calm, but a little confused. “Who are you transformed people? I am Cayce.”
“Yes, we see that you’re a Cayce . . .”
“No my name’s Cayce.”
“Oh, so that’s it . . . but you also are a Cayce.”
“Oh . . . yes, now I see, he he. How do we get out of here?”
“The keys . . . “ Rei pointed at the hyena.
“Oh . . . that should not be too hard . . . since I’m a Cayce I mean. I just have to use my telekinetic powers.”
“Yes, and hurry up,” Masato said. “I’m sick of being stuck in here.”
“Patience . . . “ Cayce said as he got up and made himself ready. He concentrated on the keys and at first nothing happened. The monkey began to complain again, but Cho hushed him. Suddenly the keys began to move slightly. Satoshi was fascinated. Cayce carefully made them leave the hyena’s neck and had them hover in the air, but he lost the concentration and they fell onto the floor. The hyena woke up of the sound and growled at any one.
After a while it went to rest again, oblivious of the keys.
“I just have to try again,” Cayce said.
“Be more careful this time,” Cho whispered.
This time he got the keys, opened his cage and went to release the others. Most Pokémon fled through holes and tunnels in the walls.
Satoshi stayed close to his friend to see if it was all right. Pachirisu seemed happy to be with its Trainer again.
“You’re not forgetting me are you,” the monkey said anxiously.
“But we’re evil Pocket Monsters, aren’t we?” Cho said, irritated.
“I was just joking with you! Did you take that seriously? It was a joke! Help me!”
“Come on, before the enemy wakes up,” Cho said. “There is a way big enough for us.”
“Should we just leave him like that,” Satoshi wondered. “I mean even if he—“
“All right, go and save the pink monkey.”
Cayce handed over the keys to the Pikachuu. Satoshi was surprised that Zidane had not argued when he was called pink monkey, but he was going to be released now after all. There was no ‘thank you’ when he let the monkey out, but Satoshi forgave him.
Masato, Rei, Cayce, Satoshi and Pachirisu went the way through the hole Cho had found in the wall. Satoshi helped his confused friend. After them came Zidane, followed by an annoying “Wii”, the plant Pokémon. The tunnel was dark and damp and it was very quite here. Luckily the hyena was too large to hunt them here, but what other enemies were there?
“Are you afraid, Satoshi?” A little cute and kind voice said.
Satoshi looked at his Pokémon, which shared his size. “I can understand you?” he said happily. He had never thought of that; as a Pokémon he can understand other Pokémon, even those that have always been Pokémon.
“It is very dark in here . . .” Pachirisu said, since only the fire from Zidane spread much light. There was also a blue aura around Pachirisu, because of charged electricity.
Satoshi wondered if he also had that blue light around himself. “We will be all right, Pachirisu,” he said. “Soon we will be out of here.”
“I’m hungry,” Masato said, rubbing his belly.
“You cannot think of food now,” Zidane said.
“Wii!” the plant said happily.
“Stop following me!” the pink monkey said harshly, but Wii was still as happy as before and went after him.


The tunnel went on and on and the company of Pokémon friends felt lost and worried. Pachirisu was tired and had to rest. Satoshi waited for his friend and the others stayed, too.
The Pikachuu and Pachirisu sat against a rock wall leaning on each others. Zidane sat alone; luckily for him his fire prevented Wii from coming near him.
“I’m no pink monkey . . .” he mumbled to himself. “What are they thinking . . .” He looked at himself. “I feel different though . . . What has happened to me?” He hugged himself, since he felt lonely and far from his home. He knew what had happened to his friends and wondered how he himself could be alive. Why had he made it if not the others hadt? Sometimes he wished he had died, too. He could not return home anyway and he had no friends on this continent. No people he wanted to befriend anyway. He was alone and would always be alone . . .


An owl with a round, brown body popped out of the Monster Ball.
“Hou-hou!” it said.
“Is . . . is that a Houhou?” Max said looking at the Pokémon.
Its red eyes looked thankfully up at the human who had released it.
“Whose is it?” Matsu wondered.
“No idea . . .”
“Hey, look!” Sami said, suddenly noticing something. “There is a ribbon on its leg.”
“Huh . . . Yes, that’s right.” Matsu noticed it, too.
“But that’s Cho’s Houhou!”
“Who’s Cho, Sami,” Max wondered.
“A friend from Aoiro . . .” The townspeople were gone, yes . . . and his friends, too. Would he ever see Cho again?
“We’ll find the Aoiro people, if we keep looking,” Matsu said. “Maybe they have vanished the same way as Rinda and Satoshi.”
“Houhou may know—“
“Hey!”
They turned at Koji’s call and realised a black canine was coming through the basement door. Matsu had no time to summon his Pokémon before the Guraena struck him to the floor and tried to bite him. Instead, Sami was the first one to send out his Pocket Monsters.
“Moukazaru, Monky! Help Matsu!”
A brown-orange monkey with a blue forehead and a burning tail appeared, followed by a smaller, pale-brown monkey. The two monkeys attacked the Guraena with kicks and punches. The enemy crunched Monky with its sharp teeth.
“Moukazaru, Flame Wheel!”
The fire monkey released a fire attack and the enemy turned tail and disappeared through the house’s front door.
Sami went quickly to his smaller Pokémon to see if it was badly hurt. It was not very serious, but Monkey had to stay out of any other battles until it was healed.
Houhou looked a little sadly at the hurt Pokémon.
“Where is your Trainer, Houhou?” Sami asked as he sat beside his monkey friend.
“Houhou,” it said and flapped its tiny wings.
Sami recalled his Pokémon and together with is friends he followed the owl as it went off through the door they had found.
In the basement it was a little dark, but they could see a lot of cages there. They were empty, but Houhou found some holes in the stone wall.
“They are too small for us to follow, Houhou,” Matsu said. “Maybe that one there would be large enough, but we would have to crawl and who knows how far it leads?”
“Let’s take another way,” Koji proposed.
The others agreed and together with their new Pokémon friend they left the house and went on across the Hiroinohara field.
The mist cleared and they could see almost the entire lake. As they left the Laplace Lake and the strange house they came upon a flock of horses, their manes and tails burning fires. Fascinating, the Trainers thought.
“I would like to have one of those,” Max said.
“Ko,” his little friend said.
“I don’t know if we have time with that now, Max,” Matsu told him. “We have to find our lost friends.
“But if we had a horse we could travel much faster,” Koji explained.
“Ok, let’s capture one each, then we’ll go on.”
The flock of fire horses backed away a little as they approached. The leader seemed to be the big one with the horn growing from its forehead.
“I distract the strong one, while you catch the small ones,” Matsu told the others and summoned one of his Pokémon, a small creature with fire blazing from its back. “Fight it, Firestorm!”
The little fire Pokémon was not strong enough to defeat the large horse, but could keep it away form the other Trainer’s Pokémon.
Rokon watched as Max sent out Sando, a ground dwelling rodent. Koji chose his Ralts; the Pokémon had a white body, looked like it was wearing a dress and its head and eyes were covered by a green helmet with a red fin on the front and one on the back. Next came Sami’s Wanrikii, a small but very strong Pokémon with a grey human-like body and a little tail.
The horses were scared by the appearance of the Pokémon and scattered. Sando ran after one of them, but was not fast enough. Wanrikii managed a low-aimed kick and the target fell to the ground. Neither Ralts nor its Trainer had much battle experience, but the small Pokémon succeeded in hypnotising one of the wild Pocket Monsters, thus putting it to sleep.
The largest horse tried to stomp Matsu’s Pokémon, but Firestorm avoided the attack. Meanwhile, the strong Wanrikii, whose body was made of muscles, had defeated one of the wild Pokémon.
Suddenly the fire horses seemed to turn and attack instead of escaping. One threw flames at Wanrikii, as Sami tossed a Monster Ball at the one that had fainted from Wanrikii’s attack before. Wanrikii struck back at the attacker with a karate chop. The enemy trampled back, but got another karate chop and a Monster Ball.
Koji tossed a ball at the sleeping horse and it went in. He told Matsu they were ready and the other Trainer let his Firestorm attack the strongest enemy with a fire attack and then Matsu recalled his Pokémon, too. Sami tossed a ball to Matsu and then he and Koji sent out their new-caught Pocket Monsters to escape with them. Firestorm’s Trainer sent out the fire horse from the ball, Sami had given him, and followed the others.
“Where’s Max?” Sami wondered.
As they looked around they could see Max farther away. Together with Sando and Rokon he was chasing one of the wild Pokémon.
“We got to help him,” Matsu said and rode with his horse that way. The others followed him.
Max’s Pokémon managed to attack the running target a little, but soon the Trainer was close enough to grab the horse. He threw himself on its back, but was burned by the flames and fell off. His Pokémon waited for him to get up and thus the fire horse escaped. There was no need to throw a ball after it; it would only break free when it was this healthy. Instead he checked if his Pokémon friends were okay and then he noticed the other Trainers approaching.
“You missed your Pokémon,” Sami said.
Max looked toward the distant flock of the horses that remained and wondered if he should try another one. The wild fire Pokémon seemed oblivious about them now and was eating of the grass in peace.
“You can ride with me,” Sami said. “I got a quite strong and big one. Just watch out for its flames.”
Koji bent forward and hugged his horse. That he was not burned by the flames was a sign of the horse liking him. They could be good friends.
“Then let’s hurry on,” Matsu said. “And we may find Satoshi and Rinda.”


In the light of Zidane’s fire they could see that the tunnel split in two different paths.
“Which way?” Cho wondered.
Pachirisu grabbed Satoshi and stayed close to him. The little Pokémon would like to turn back but knew that was too dangerous. The black hyena was sleeping there.
“I sense the smell of yummy food this way,” Gonbe’s voice echoed. The fat, blue Pokémon sniffed to the left.
“Shall we split?” Rei said uncertainly.
“Shall we go Gonbe’s way?” Satoshi asked his friend.
Zidane had already begun walking, to the right, and Wii was following him.
“We better follow the angry monkey,” Pachirisu said. “It’s much brighter where he is.”
Satoshi and Pachirisu followed Wii and Zidane as Gonbe and Cayce went to the left.
Rei and Cho lingered for a while, then Rei went to the right and Cho to the left.
Satoshi and Pachirisu followed Wii and Zidane. Rei soon caught up with them and together the walked through the underground tunnel toward an unknown place.
“Chii . . .” the electric squirrel said anxiously.
“What is it, Pachirisu?” Satoshi whispered to his friend.
No answer was needed, for suddenly he could here something crumble in the stone wall. Was there something behind it? They hurried on a little since the Koratta was now ahead of them.
They walked for a long while and they wanted to rest, but then the crumbling started again and everyone heard it now. It grew louder and it seemed something was coming their way through the tunnel.
Zidane and Wii began to run and then the others followed.
“There is light here,” Rei said. “There must be a way out.” The little rat found a hole and crept though it.
Zidane pulled the stones around the hole to make it larger. Wii jumped in followed by the pink monkey. Satoshi followed Pachirisu through.
“It’s coming,” Satoshi said as the crumbling sound approached. He tried to follow his friends via the narrow path and at last he came to the surface of the ground. The sunlight blinded him for a moment, then he saw the others lying resting there in the green grass. He felt relief for a short while until the ground began to shake and something much bigger came through the hole in the ground.
Every one scattered as a large rhino-like creature appeared from the hole. The mighty Pokémon walked on its hind legs and swayed its great tail about. Satoshi thought that it would attack, but instead it charged the mountain with its drill-like horn.
Satoshi looked up at the silvern mountain next to them and found its top was shrouded in white clouds. He wondered how tall it was. The stone was gleaming almost like a mirror in the light of sun.
“Look, Pokémon!”
He turned as two humans ran toward them; a boy and a girl. The boy had a strange, grey Monsterball in his hand. Out of it came . . .
“Wanrikii, go!”
“Take them, Poppo!”
A little creature with arms and legs fullof muscles came to attack, followed by the girl's tiny pigeon Pokémon.
“Looks like we got trouble here,” Rei said.
“Should we fight them?” Satoshi asked, wanting a quick reply, since the Trainers' Pokémon were soon upon them.
“Hey!” Zidane called and rushed forward.
“Stop him!” Rei said, but the monkey was out of reach.
“Help!” he shouted. “Release me from these Pokémon!” The Trainers didn't understand him, of course, and the Wanrikii struck him with a karate chop.
There was no escaping now, Satoshi thought. They had to fight. The Pikachuu released an electric shock at the Wanrikii, before Zidane was attacked again. The Poppo received a jolt of electricity from Pachirisu, the attack causing the little bird to faint.
“Attack the Pikachuu!” the Trainer boy called and Wanrikii attacked Satoshi.
Pachirisu looked anxious his friend's way and was going to strike the enemy, but Rei used its lightning speed on the Trainer's Pokémon, saving Satoshi from any other attacks. Rei was struck back, though, by a another chop and fell into the grass.
“No, not the Koratta!” the Trainer yelled. “It's a weak Pokémon! Attack the others!”
It had no time to attack before Satoshi and Pachirisu both released their electric energy at it.
“No!” the boy said as he recalled his fainted Wanrikii.
“Let's run!” Satoshi said, not wanting to fight these Trainers. “Help Rei, Zidane.”
“What? me?”
“You're the strongest Po . . . you're strongest of us.”
The fire monkey picked up the rat and followed the Pikachuu and the Pachirisu.
The Trainer girl held her hurt Poppo friend in her arms and wanted to leave, but the boy was stubborn.
“I have one more Pokémon!” he said. “Go, Lizardo!”
“But it never listens to you,” the girl said, worried.
“This time he'll do! Attack the shiny Pokémon!” he pointed at Zidane.
The red lizard followed the fleeing Pokémon, the Trainers coming behind. It went to attack, but clawed at the great rhino instead.
“What's that Pokémon?” the boy looked somewhat afraid at the big creature. “Lizardo, leave it alone!”
The lizard did not seem to care if its opponent was larger than itself. It did not follow its Trainer's order either, but started to breathe fire at the raging rhino. The enemy swung its great tail, but missed.
The boy was worried. He did not want his Pokémon to get hurt. “Back to you ball, Lizardo!”
“Let's go,” the girl said, pulling his arm.
Lizardo attacked once again with its fire breathing, but the attack seemed to be less effective at this kind of Pokémon. The wild Pocket Monster swung its front paws, striking the fire lizard.
“Lizardo!”
The boy's Pokémon quickly recovered from the strong attack and was still willing to fight; its claws shining and the fire on its tail blazing. The lizard went to attack, slashing with its razor-like claws, but was countered by the large tail of the enemy. Lizardo landed in the grass and tried to rise again, but did not recover so fast this time. The Trainer boy did not know what to do as the large creature approached his friend. He had no more Pokémon to send out.
Meanwhile, not far away, Satoshi tried to see if Rei was all right. The older Pokémon had been uncouncious for a moment, but needed only to rest now. Pachirisu heard the commotion behind them and looked that way, grabbing the Pikachuu's fur gently.
“Should we help them, Satoshi?”
The tranformed boy was unsure, but maybe the other boy and the girl were in great danger. They had been attacked by the large creature themsleves had encountered before. “Stay here with Rei, Pachirisu. Come on, Zidane! I need your help.”
Zidane followed, not knowing how he could be of any help, while Wii had buried itself in the ground to protect its body from strong sunlight.
The Lizardo couldn't move as the enemy approached. None of the two Trainers had any other Pokémon. The boy couldn't see his Pokémon getting hurt, even if it did not like him.
“Move, Lizardo! Get away from there!” he called, but his Pokémon had not strength enough. “No!” The Trainer knew no other away to save his friend, so he ran to the defeated fire Pokémon, trying to protect it.
“No, Jon!” his Trainer companion called.
The boy hoped that the attacking Pokémon would be satisfied with their defeat and leave them alone, but the furious creature came faster at them now, its drill horn spinning.
Satoshi attacked with an electric shock, hoping that at least the enemy would turn his way, but the attack had no effect at all.
“You have to take it, Zidane,” he said. “Fire attacks are better than nothing.”
“What do want me to do?” Zidane sounded nervous, but he was probably worried about the Trainers.
”Breathe fire at it!”
”What?! You still think I'm a flamethrower?!”
”You have to, or else the Trainers will die or get hurt!”
Zidane looked toward his target. He knew it all depended on him now.


”Where's Junichi?” Matsu looked around as he rode across the Hara field on his fire horse.
”Suppose he is minding his own things or trying to find Satoshi and Rinda alone,” Sami said. ”He does not seem to be the type who usually works in a team.”
”You're probably right, let's head on.”
Max said very little during the way to Hari. Matsu missed his cheerful jokes. Koji was always silent, but that was his personality.
”I can see Mt. Kouseki now!” Matsu said as a silvern mountain appeared in the horizon. ”Where soon there!”


To be continued . . .