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Just Another Journey.

JammyU

Author of JAJ.
  • 4
    Posts
    15
    Years
    Hey hey hey, Pokecommunitees. My name's JammyU and I have a fan fic on SPPf called JAJ (Just Another Journey) it's doing quite well but I thought I could get some more opinions. I see some familiar faces here (well, familiar usernames anyway), but it's actually my first ever post on Pokecommunity forums (shockhorrorgasp) so please notify me if I'm breaking some obscure rule, m'kay?

    Right, on with the story. I'm not gonna give you a synopsis or anything, you'll have to read it yourself to find out what happens. Basically, I'm gonna post one chapter everyday until I catch up with the amount of chapters I've written (I'm currently writing Chapter 13). Without further a-do, here's Chapter 1.

    Just Another Journey.

    Chapter 1.

    "OK Dad, I'll be back this afternoon with my very first pokemon!" I called joyously.

    "I wish you'd tell me what your going to choose, James, it would have been so much easier to guess back in my day when there were only three to pick from."

    The truth was I had no idea which of the sixteen available pokemon I was going to chose once I got to the lab. So much had changed in the thirty years since my Dad started his journey. those were the days of heroes like Ash and Lucas all of whom began their adventures at the tender age of 10. The ambitious youths of today had to wait an extra three years before setting out across the world, but on the plus side, now traditional starters from any region could be chosen by anyone.

    "That reminds me, say goodbye to Crimson for me when he wakes up, OK?"

    My Dad's first pokemon, a seemingly placid Charmeleon, was dozing in his favourite chair by the fire, as per usual.

    "You know, he wasn't always like this," Dad said, "We used to be the best team in Cinnabar Island, why, one time..."

    "Yeah, yeah Dad, I really have to go now or I'll be stuck with the reserve pokemon."

    "Ash Ketchum got "stuck with the reserve" and he..."

    I was already out the door of our apartment and into the main complex of the lab. The Cinnabar lab, rebuilt after after the eruption of the now-dormant volcano, was famous for its advances in pokemon science, and my Dad was chief of experimental technology. Although I got to see loads of the new gadgets before any of my friends, living in a lab isn't as great as it sounds, the complex was always expanding, causing me to get lost every time a new addition was made, and it now covered most of the island.

    I made my way to the Sammy Oak Memorial Section on one of the lab's golf-buggy-like vehicles, my medium-long, blond, kinda-curly hair wipping around my dark-eyed face as I rushed to meet my life-long partner to be. I was quite tall for my age and reasonably skinny. But how would my traits be reflected in my partner pokemon? I was quite shy with only a few close friends, so were the grass types: Turtwig, Bulbasaur, Chikorita or Treeko for me. But, then again I could get pretty angry when provoked, did that mean the fire types: Cyndaquil, Torchic, Chimchar or of course my Dad's choice - Charmander were best suited to my personality. And what about the calm, collected water types: Squirtle, Mudkip, Totodile and Piplup, were they going to be my choice. And, no matter what my Dad said, I definitely did not want the reserve, whatever that would be this month. I decided to wait until I got there and could see all of them for my self.

    ***

    The lab was a cacophony of grunts, squeals, croaks and chirrups, and that was just the newbie trainers. The remaing pokemon sat on the long silver table in the middle of the tech-filled room, some waiting patiently and others eagerly trying to attract the attention of the undecided trainers.

    An aging man with a shock of greyish-brown hair came striding towards me.

    "Morning, Professor Oak," I greeted him.

    "James, I would of thought you'd be the first here, you living so close and all," he said, "Oh, and please call me Gary."

    "Dad asked me to ask how something called "Project Z" is coming along."

    "Ah.... Oh, don't worry about that now, come and look at the pokemon. Zach and Micheal are already here."

    "Really."

    "Yes, and already arguing."

    "Ah."

    Zach and Michael were my best friends, and twin brothers too, but far from identical as they tried to do as much different as possible - they both had brown scruffy hair, in completely different styles, and were both quite short for their age, and most of all, they were always arguing. I was often the only voice of reason.

    "But we can't both have fire types, we can't be rivals with the same type of pokemon!" Protested Zach who was holding a rather frightened-looking Cyndaquil.

    "Fine then, I'll have Piplup." Said Michael.

    "What's this, a compromise between the Allen twins." Remarked Oak.

    "Hah, that puny penguin?" Countered Zach.

    "Maybe not then."

    "You'll change your tune when I beat your Cyndaquil's *** every time with my water type."

    "Guys..", I attempted.

    "Yeah, well, once your Piplup becomes an Empoleon it'll get a weakness to fire."

    "Guys!"

    "And a resistance to grass." Micheal retaliated.

    "GUYS!!!"

    "Oh, hi James" the twins said in perfect sync.

    "Jynx!" They also said in sync.

    "No I Jynxed you!" Said Zach.

    "Yeah, well, I triple-ice-punch-lovely-kissed it." Argued Michael.

    "I'll ice punch you in a minu..."

    "GUYS!!! I'm trying to get to the pokemon before the Miltank come home!"

    "Oh, sorry James, its just that Micheal wanted a Charmander and..."

    "You, take the Cyndaquil and you, take the Piplup and get out of the way!" I resolved angrily.

    "Piplup's better anyway.." muttered Michael.

    Suddenly, a tall form blocked out the neon light from the doorway.
    I turned to see the Professor looking stunned, which was unusual as he was renowned for his calm and collected attitude.

    "Well, well, well," said Gary Oak, "If it isn't my old friend and rival - Ash Ketchum."

    Everybody in the lab gasped and silence filled the room.

    "But that means," I whispered, "Oh no."

    Another, smaller but still quite tall, shadow appeared by the figure of the renowned Ash Ketchum.

    "Amber Ketchum."

    Although the daughter of the so-called "hero" Ash Ketchum lived across the sea in Pallet Town, the sand-banks and islets imbetween were occupied by Cinnabar Islanders and those from Pallet Town alike during the Summer, and over the years I had built up a strong rivalry with her.

    "Good to see you, old friend," said Ash ,"has my pokedex been useful for your knew project?"

    "Well blow me over and call me a Jigglypuff, it was young Amber's birthday last week wasn't it" exclaimed the Professor "well, I'm quite unprepared for this, there's actually only one pokemon left…"

    It couldn't be - in the process of arguing with the twins and the unexpected arrival of Ash and Amber the rest of the pokemon had been chosen and so now only the Charmander the twins had been squabbling over was left.

    Amber and I met each other's gaze for a second before sprinting for the table. I may have been closer but she was taller and faster and her out-stretched hand reached the table a mere millisecond before mine.

    "I guess your coming with me then Charmander," said Amber triumphantly.

    "Char!" Growled the flaming-tailed lizard in reply.

    "I'm afraid," said Oak "that leaves you with the…"

    "NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!"​

    ***​

    "Pleasebegood, pleasebegood, pleasebegood." I hoped frantically as Professor Oak led me down the dimly lit passage to the lab's storage room later that morning.

    "The thing is," he said "we've only started using him as a reserve because he wasn't picked at the initial choosing so many times."

    Did this mean the reserve was one of the regular starters?

    "He was the runt of a litter you see, smaller than the average Bulbasaur…"

    A Bulbasaur! I was saved. But then we turned the corner and -

    "Oh. He is quite small isn't he," I said.

    "Yes, as I said earlier - the runt of the litter."

    "Wait. The runt of the litter?"

    "Yes, the…"

    "Who was his mother bred with?"

    "Who… I don't know actually."

    "So he might have some good bred moves?"

    "Yes, I suppose, but moves aren't everything."

    "I'll take him!"

    "You know you don't really have a choi…"

    But, once again, I was already out the door.

    "James, wait, I have to speak with your father!" shouted Professor Oak, but his efforts echoed off the gleaming walls onto deaf ears - I had my first pokemon! I had to show Dad.
    ***​

    I burst into the living room to find both Crimson and Dad asleep by the fire.

    "Dad, Dad!" I shouted wildly "I got a Bulbasaur!"

    "Who? What? Were? Did I leave the DNA reconstructer on too long again?"

    "Dad! I got a Bulbasaur."

    "What? A Bulbasaur you say, let me see."

    "GO! Bulbasaur! (I always wanted to say that)."

    A flash of red light from the pokeball in my hand and a very small, reptilian-looking creature with a bulb on it's back appeared between us.

    "Bulba?" It said quizzically.

    "A bit small, isn't it," remarked Dad.

    "Yeah… But it knows some really cool bred moves."

    "Like what?"

    "Well I don't actually..."

    Suddenly, Gary Oak burst through the door.

    "Glad…I…caught…up with…you…James" he said, panting. "Ah, Gerald, just the man I wanted to see" he said, addressing my Dad and miraculously back to full health.
    He put his hand on the side of his mouth closest to me, "its about Project Z," he whispered.

    "Don't worry Gary, I was just going to tell James anyway."

    "Tell me what, what is this Project Z thingy anyhow."

    "Well," started Professor Oak.

    "Let me tell him, Gary," interrupted Dad.

    "Oh, all right then," Mumbled the professor, "I suppose it was your idea in the first place."

    "Well, Professor Oak and I have been working together with the guys at Devon in the Hoenn region" Dad explained "we've been trying to develop an object which lets you hear pokemons' thoughts."

    "Wow, that'd be really cool," I interjected, "has it worked?"

    "Well yes, and no," said Oak "Gerald has created the technology to make the thing work, and Steven at Devon has found us the perfect fuel source - a type of very rare gem stone. The thing is that with out data on every pokemon, the Dream Scope (that's what we've decided to call it) won't work with the ones that there isn't data for.

    "So, how much data did you manage to get from Ash's Pokedex" asked Dad.

    So that's what he meant earlier, I thought.

    "Well" replied Oak, "that's what I came to tell you, it seems that his data just isn't up-to-date enough".

    "Aw, man." I groaned.

    Just then, Dad suddenly looked very excited and practically flew out of his chair, Crimson even half-opened an eyelid. I knew that look - my Dad had had a brain wave. He rushed into the small workroom at the back of our apartment and came back just as fast holding something that looked like a large earphone with a shining stone embedded in the middle.

    "Is that it?" I asked.

    "Yes. Now Gary, have you got an empty pokedex on you?" asked Dad.

    "Errr, I might do in here somewhere…….Ah, yes here you go!" said Oak after searching through his lab coat.

    Dad took the electronic encyclopaedia and removed a small silicon chip from inside it. He then fiddled with the Dream Scope until a small slot opened in the back and then he slotted the chip inside.

    "Oh, I see," said Oak, "that is clever."

    "What, what is it?" I asked impatiently.

    "Now any pokemon you meet will automatically be registered in the 'dex chip, which will hence allow you to communicate telepathically with that pokemon."

    "Wait, what do you mean "me"". I asked.

    "James," said Dad, "I want you and Bulbasaur to take the Dream Scope on your journey together and fill it with entries of as many pokemon as you can."

    "Awesome!" I shouted so loudly that Crimson almost completely opened one eye, "I got a Dream Scope!" I shouted, performing a cheesy victory pose I'd seen on TV, "Now how do I put it on?"
    ***

    That's all for today, please bear in mind that this was my first attempt at writing a stroy of any kind and the later chapters get much better.

    See ya tomorrow,
    ~JammyU
     

    Ascaris

    boogey
  • 381
    Posts
    15
    Years
    Nice to see you've posted here as well. I'd post the grammar errors of this chapter but what's the use anyway?

    Good luck.
     

    JammyU

    Author of JAJ.
  • 4
    Posts
    15
    Years
    What? Only Poke Poke's commented :(. Anyway, I forgot to post a chapter yesterday (>_<) so here's two more now.

    Chapter 2

    "Great, now I look like I've got one glittery ear-muff on." I complained after attaching the Dream Scope to the side of my head.

    <You may look stupid, but you chose me so you can't be all bad.> A strange voice resounded in my head.

    "What? Who said that?" I replied. "I must be hearing things."

    Bulbasaur, the seed pokemon. Height - 2'… correction: 1'01". Weight - 15.… correction: 7lbs. For some time after it's birth it grows by drawing nutrients from the bulb on its….. Look, that growing bit is definitely wrong, can I start over please? An electronic voice interrupted.

    <Wow, pokedexes sure have a way of making a guy feel down.>

    "What the hell, now I have two, voices in my head!"

    <It's telepathy, idiot, and it works both ways so stop shouting.> The strange voice echoed.

    "James, are you OK," asked Professor Oak looking concerned.

    "Gary, it's the Dream Scope, it must be working," said Dad excitedly.

    I glanced down at my feet and saw the Bulbasaur I'd received earlier that day staring up at me.

    "Wait, of course," I realised, "was that you talking just then." I said to the plant-like creature.

    <And the prize for stating the obvious goes to …. You guessed it - James. Round of applause please.>

    "Hey, you know my name?"

    <For Arceus' sake, use your mind, idiot, and yes I know your name, I've been listening to the whole conversation.>

    I concentrated on thinking what I wanted to say: <Um, errr, testing, 1 2 3. Hey, this is awesome!>

    <I have to admit, you humans can be quite smart when you want to be; that Dream thingy really works.> said Bulbasaur.

    <You mean, you understood all that about the Scope and the data and the journey?>

    <We pokemon aren't stupid you know, and going on a journey sounds fun.>

    "James, why are you and Bulbasaur staring at each other, Oh my! Are you talking to each other, is it really working?" Asked Dad.

    <Yeah, it works really well but…>

    "James, now your staring at me," said Dad, looking at me strangely.

    <What?>…"Oh, sorry, this telepathy thing is gonna take some getting used to."

    "What did you say? No, what did he say? Oh, just tell me everything." Professor Oak looked as excited as a Pachirisu in a poffin store.

    "Bulbasaur's fine, he wants to come on my journey with me, but there was another voice to begin with, a kind of electronic one," I answered.

    "Could it be," wondered Dad, "James, focus on Crimson for a second."

    As soon as I looked at Crimson, an electronic voice resounded in the room, this time so everyone could here it.

    Charmeleon, the flame pokemon, height - 3'7" , weight - 41.9 lbs, phew, at least I got that right. They have a fiery temper and are easily provo… look, either I've got some messed up data, or these are some seriously abnormal pokemon - I've seen more fiery tempers on an Igglybuff.

    "I don't believe it," said Dad, looking amazed, "with the combination with the Dream Scope, the pokedex chip seems to have taken on its own telepathic abilities and artificial intelligence."

    Who are you calling artificial, bub, why if I wasn't stuck to this kid's ear I'd come over there and… ,the pokedex mumbled.

    "Now that is truly amazing," remarked Oak, looking un-characteristically stunned for the second time that day.

    ***​

    The next morning, Bulbasaur and I were in my room, preparing for our adventure into the unknown and kinda scary.

    "Right, first things first, what moves do you know?"

    <Haven't a clue, I've never even been in a battle.>

    "Oh, well then we'll just have to try some. Pokedex?"

    What? Came the metallic reply.

    "I need you to tell me what moves a low level Bulbasaur could know."

    At the level this one's at it could only know tackle, growl, and possibly leech seed.
    "Hmmm, that's not particularly good, is it. What about egg moves?"

    I'd have to know the father's species to tell you that.

    "Bulbasaur, can you remember who your father was?"

    <Not really, only a faint, blurry image.>

    "Well, this thing was built to read pokemons' minds, so lets try."

    I concentrated on Bulbasaur and he stared back at me and suddenly it felt like I was falling in to him.

    CRUNCH.

    I had fallen in to him.

    <Will you get off of me you idiot! You're squashing my bulb!> came a very irate cry from somewhere beneath me.

    "Sorry, I guess I was concentrating too hard, lets try a different approach - hold the image as best you can in the front of your mind.

    <All right then….. Hey, that tickles.>

    Various images were flashing past me, all strangely tinted green, until one stayed and became focussed. I could see a scene in a forest, it was gloomy but two shapes stood out, lighted from behind by a shaft of sunlight. One shadow was obviously a Venusaur with the large, bulky body and spreading flower on top, but the other…

    <I couldn't really tell.> I said telepathically as I emerged from Bulbasaur's memories and the room swam back into focus. <It was too blurry.>

    Whatever it was I don't know why it would have mated with a female Venusaur, those gals are buuut-ugly. Jeered the Pokedex.

    <You shut up or I'll make you wish you'd never been assembled.> Flared Bulbasaur.

    What are you gonna do, Mister "I only know tackle and growl".

    Suddenly an almighty torrent of razor-sharp leaves erupted from the bulb on Bulbasaur's back and headed straight for my ear. I jumped behind my bed just in time as my wardrobe was ripped to shreds.

    <I feel a little….> Clunk. Bulbasaur collapsed on the floor.

    ***​

    "I'm glad you brought him to me," said Nurse Joy, "a leaf storm attack like the one you described can take a lot out of such a young pokemon."

    "A leaf storm?!" I said in disbelief.

    "Yes, Bulbasaur's father must have been a very high level torterra."

    "A torterra, awesome!"

    Yeah, both his parents are moss-covered reptiles, lets celebrate. said the 'dex inside my head.

    "Shut up you." I replied, not inside my head.

    "Uh, James, are you talking to me," asked Nurse Joy.

    "Oh, no, sorry."

    "Right, OK, well, Bulbasaur should be back to full strength by now, here's his poke ball."

    "Go! Bulbasaur!"

    <Oh, lord of things pokemony, do you have to shout so loud, my head is pounding.>

    "Your head! You should see my bedroom." I shouted.

    <Ah, sorry about that, I got a bit carr…>

    "It was great!"

    <Really?>

    "Yeah, let's go do some training!"

    And with that, we rushed out of the pokemon centre.

    "That boy really needs to stop talking to himself like that," said Nurse Joy to herself, "it really creeps me out."


    ***​

    That afternoon, Bulbasaur and I were walking towards the Cinnabar Docks to catch a sea-bus to Pallet Town after mullering some low-level krabbies down on the beach when I noticed Zach and Michael were already there.

    "Hey guys," I called, "I thought you'd both be in Viridian by now."

    "They were going to leave this morning but Oak said he'd give us a ride there on his Blastoise if we waited till now." said a voice from behind me.

    I turned round, it was Amber.

    "And why are you here, Amber."

    "I knew you'd show up and I wanted to see what pokemon my rival got."

    "If you want to see so bad then let's have a battle." I challenged, "1 on 1 style."

    "Fine." She retaliated. "Go, Krabby!"

    A small, red crab, like the ones we'd been training against materialised in front of Amber.

    "Bet you weren't expecting that!" She shouted, "I caught her this morning on the west shore. We've been training on the volcano all afternoon."

    "Th-, th-, the volcano," stammered Michael, "they say there's a Heatran that lives up there."

    "You're making it up," argued Zach, "it's a Magmortar that lives in the volcano!"

    As the twins dissolved into an all-out brawl I shouted "I'll admit I didn't expect you to have caught another pokemon by now, but you weren't expecting this either. Go, Bulbasaur!"
    The two pokemon faced each other and waited for their trainers call.

    <James,> said Bulbasaur, <I think her pokemon has rabies, its foaming at the mouth and its creeping me out.>

    "Its preparing for a bubble attack, quick use growl!"

    Bulbasaur opened its mouth just in time to receive a face full of foam as Amber's Krabby's bubble hit home.

    <Don't worry James, I'm resistant to water,> glubbed Bulbasaur.

    <Good, then… wait, why did you just sound like you had bubbles in your mouth when you're speaking telepathically?>

    <Don't ask me how that thing works, just give me some directions here before get my *** handed to me.>

    <Oh, sorry.> "Try a tackle attack Bulbasaur!"

    Bulbasaur ran at the pokemon and head butted it right between the eyes, before bouncing straight of the rock-hard armour.

    <Ow,> said Bulbasaur, <Remind me never to do that again.>

    "Hah!" Laughed Amber, "you expect to leave a dent with that puny specimen!"

    "Kra, kra, kra!" joined in the Krabby

    "What, was his father a budew or something," she joked.

    Ooh, I'll have to remember that one, said the pokedex.

    <What did she just say,> asked Bulbasaur through clenched teeth.

    <I think she just insulted your parents,> I replied.

    "LEAF STORM!!!" I cried at the top of my voice and immediately Amber's Krabby received the same fate as my wardrobe.

    "I think that means you win." I turned round in surprise to see Gary Oak standing behind me, his towering Blastoise at his side.
     

    JammyU

    Author of JAJ.
  • 4
    Posts
    15
    Years
    Chapter 3

    I could feel Amber's eyes boring into the back of my skull all the way to Pallet Town as we sat on Professor Oak's Blastoise's broad back.

    "Here we are," said the professor cheerfully, "Your home town, Amber."

    Thanks for the lift, she replied grimly before jumping off of the turtle pokemon and turning to face me, "I'll win next time," she said, before striding off towards her house.

    "Yeah, thanks Professor," the twins said in unison before jumping off themselves and walking off together.

    "I'll see you later then James," said Oak, "and keep up the good work with Project Z, OK?"

    "Sure thing, Professor," I shouted back as I ran to catch up with the twins.

    "Right then," said Oak, "I suppose we better be heading back to Cinnabar, Blastoise"


    ***​

    Meanwhile, a man in very strange attire was hiding behind the only decent-sized rock on Pallet Beach. He was wearing a black trench-coat over the rest of his clothes and a black ten-gallon-hat. As the Gary Oak returned to Cinnabar Island, he whispered into his mouth-piece, which was attached to the communicator on his belt.

    "Sir, the Pidgeot has left the beach, Persian is in the Torchic coop and your mother was a Wailord."

    "Is that you Topaz?" came the reply, "I told you not to talk in code like that."

    "Sorry, Sir."

    "I trust the transportation Dodrio I provided was satisfactory," said the superior.

    Yes, Sir, it was very....comfortable. <When it wasn't trying to peck my eyes out,> he added in is head.

    "Well, did you see the object or not?"

    "I have yet to obtain a visual on the quarry, sir."

    "Again, I'm not sure what you just said, but I'll take that as a no."

    Would you like me to track the purple Keckleon to its den, Sir.

    "What?!"

    "Would you like me to follow them, I think the object may have been transferred to the blond-haired child before I began my vigilance."

    "Well why didn't you say so, of course you should follow them, over and out."

    The man got up slowly and looked around, there was no one in sight. As he walked away from the beach a few tufts of ghostly white hair were visible poking out from beneath his ludicrous hat.

    ***​

    I was in the Pallet Town pokemon centre with Michael and Zach waiting for Bulbasaur to be restored to full health after my battle with Amber when Amber herself walked in cradling her obviously wounded Charmander and Krabby . All three of us rushed over to help carry them to the front desk whilst she explained what had happened:

    "I was just about to leave for Viridian when this weirdo dressed in back bumped into me on his way passed in a hurry." she said, "and then when I shouted after him for an apology he turned round and challenged me to a battle. He destroyed Charmander and Krabby with just this one Togepi."

    A Togepi? all three of said together, "you got owned by a baby pokemon?"

    "I swear it wasn't your everyday Togepi," she defended, "it had these weird glowing eyes and its attacks were super-powerful."

    "Yeah, yeah," jeered Zach, "your just making excuses 'cause you got beat up by an egg with legs."

    "Look what it did to my pokemon!" Amber shouted, "you think an ordinary Togepi could of done that?"

    "James managed it easy enough," mumbled Michael.

    "For your information…," started Amber.

    "Guys!" I interrupted, "to be fair, what Amber described is pretty weird but can we talk about something else for a minute. I've got something to tell you: Professor Oak has asked me to do a special mission for him while I'm out on my journey."

    "What sort of mission," asked Zach eagerly.

    "He gave me this," I said, removing the Dream Scope from my ear.

    "What, that thing," said Amber, "I thought you'd just taken to wearing over-sized ear-jewellry."

    "This is the Dream Scope," I explained, "it lets me here pokemons thoughts and communicate with them."

    "That is so cool!" exclaimed the twins.

    "Quiet down," I hushed, "its supposed to be a secret."

    "If its so secret," asked Amber, "then why did Oak give it to you."

    "He needs me to collect up-to-date information on every pokemon, so that the Dream Scope can function with them."

    "Cool," said Micheal, "speaking of journeys what are all of you going to do once we leave Pallet Town?"

    "Well," said Zach, "I want to follow my dream of catching a legendary pokemon. The thing is that I don't think I'll be travelling with you guys for much longer. There's a place in Johto called Dragon's Den I wanna check out first."

    Michael, looked stunned.

    "What," he said, "your leaving?"

    "Yeah, if that's Ok with y…"

    "Phew! I thought you were gonna say you wanted to do the gym challenge and I was gonna have to disappoint you 'cause I… I… I want to be a breeder."

    "Really?" said Zach, "that's great. Just don't deny me a battle when I come back one day with an Arceus, OK."

    "You're not really going to try and catch Arceus are you? asked Michael disbelievingly.

    "No!…" said Zach, "well maybe someday."

    "What about you guys?" the twins said to Amber and me.

    "It's gym battles all the way for me," I said.

    "Well I guess that means we're stuck with each other," said Amber, "'cause that's what I'm doing too."

    Suddenly, a beeping sound interrupted our conversation:

    "Doo, doo, doo-doo, dooo. Will James and Amber please collect their pokemon from the front desk."

    "I guess that means its time to go," I said.

    ***​

    As we left the pokemon centre a man sat in the corner, who must have come in just after Amber, put away the newspaper he had been holding up in front of him to reveal that he was dressed entirely in black.

    He began talking into a microphone in a hushed tone.

    "Sir, I thought I'd lost them when I found they hadn't yet left Pallet Town but I back-tracked and found them in the pokemon centre."

    "Have you found out anything new about the object."

    "Yes, Sir, the boy is definitely in possesion of it and it has been named "the Dream Scope.""

    "Anything else?"

    "The rest of the group knows about it too and one of them is planning to leave to Johto shortly."

    "I'll send someone after him to make sure he doesn't talk."

    "Very well Sir, over and out."

    The man got up, pulled the brim of his humongous hat even further over his face and followed us out of the pokemon centre.

    ***​

    "Well, this is it," said Zach, "the junction of Route 1 with Route 22, the Johto region and the Indigo Plateau right, Viridian City straight ahead."

    "I guess, this is goodbye," I said, "for now, anyway."

    "Don't worry," he replied, "I'll be sure to come back one day."

    "See you around, Brother," said Michael.

    "Good luck," said Amber.

    "I'm gonna need it," he said.

    Zach embraced each of us in turn before heading off into the distance, we waved until he vanished around the next corner.

    ***​

    We passed through Viridian quite quickly, stopping only to stock up on pokeballs and potions and the like. There wasn't really anything for aspiring trainers to do there since the gym had closed down after it was exposed that Giovanni, the head-honcho of Team Rocket, was the gym leader. After our whistle-stop visit, we headed into the ominous Viridian Forest.
     

    JammyU

    Author of JAJ.
  • 4
    Posts
    15
    Years
    Well, nobody's replied :( but I'll still post the next chapter, as promised.

    Chapter 4.

    <So, Bulbasaur,> I said to my mottled green companion who was ambling beside me, <what sort of pokemon do you think I should catch first, after all, Amber already has her Krabby and we need to catch up.>

    Preferably something that's easy to insult, interrupted the Pokedex, I'm running out of plant-related jokes.

    Amber, Michael and I were walking in the shade of the thick canopy of Viridian forest on our way to Pewter City.

    <I don't know,> said Bulbasaur, <but I agree we need to catch up with Amber, next time we have a battle with her we won't be so lucky of she uses her Charmander.>

    <True,> I agreed, <and I need to be ready for the Pewter Gym.>

    <What sort of gym is it?> asked Bulbasaur.

    <As far as I know it's the only dual-type gym, it specialises in rock and water pokemon.>

    <Well good thing for you, I'm super-effective against both those types.>

    <I know but I could still use some back-u…>

    Our telepathic conversation was suddenly interrupted by a cry from up ahead.

    "Guys! Come quickly!" Unbeknownst to Amber and I, Michael had wandered off ahead and it was he who had shouted.

    "Return, Bulbasaur!" I shouted as we rushed towards the sound of the voice to see Michael standing in a small clearing staring at a pokemon I'd never seen before, which was covered in what looked like blood.

    Zangoose, the cat ferret pokemon, they have a genetic….holy mother of Cresselia what happened to him!
    "I don't know but we've got to get him to a pokemon centre, and fast!"

    I ran over and attempted to lift the pokemon in my arms, careful to avoid the vicious-looking claws on its fore-paws and trying not to cause it any more pain then it was obviously in. "Ugh," I said ,"he's too heavy." Despite being only the size of a large dog the pokemon was well built and would be hard to carry at speed in such an awkward state.

    "Your such a weakling," said Amber.

    <That's it,> I thought. In a moment of selfishness I knew how I could get back at Amber, "Go, pokeball!" I cried and through the red and white ball at the already weakened pokemon.

    I stowed the ball on my belt and we began to run back the way we came, but we came to a fork that I hadn't noticed coming from the other direction. I mentally flipped a coin and chose the right-hand path.

    <Please, anything but that way,> murmured the injured pokemon telepathically from inside its ball, but I was in too much of a hurry to notice.

    The path abruptly ended at a sheer cliff face with a dark cave in the middle. As we approached, a pair of huge, glowing red eyes blinked on in the gloom, followed by about ten smaller pairs around them.

    Seviper, get out of here! Run for my life! screeched the pokedex, but all three of us were rooted to the spot.

    <Its…Seviper's gaze attack.> said the Zangoose weakly from its capsule at my hip.

    Damn it, I suppose I'll have to get myself out of this one. A lightning bolt-shaped beam of energy suddenly shot out of the Dream Scope and zapped the lead Seviper right between its glowing red eyes, which reflexively screwed shut. Instantly the gaze's power was broken and we sprinted the rest of the way back to Viridian and into the pokemon centre.

    ***​

    "I sure hope that Zangoose is going to be OK," said Michael worriedly as we waited in the pokemon centre, "oh look, here comes Nurse Joy."

    "How's Zangoose," I asked as she approached.

    "Well, that's what I've come to tell you, we started washing his wounds and found that there weren't actually any wounds underneath. The "blood" was just berry juice and the state he was in was caused by exhaustion, probably running from those Seviper you mentioned."

    "Whoa, that is weird," said Amber.

    "What's more, we found something even stranger when we cleared away the juice - Zangoose could you come out here for a second."

    Slowly, a Zangoose inched its way around the counter, but you'd hardly recognise it as the one we saved earlier, in place of the "blood" it had electric blue stripes running down its ear and across its eye and on its stomach, and although I mistook it for blood earlier, its claws remained a deep red.

    "Judging by your expressions," I said, "I guess that's not normal for a Zangoose."

    Damn right that's not normal, said the pokedex so that everyone could hear, that's a shiny pokemon and
    no mistake.


    ***​

    I regained consciousness just in time to here Michael shout, "Piplup! Use bubblebeam!" Fully refreshed and with a face full of foam I sat up and looked around, as soon as I saw Zangoose I almost fainted for a second time as I remembered what had happened.

    I can't believe I actually caught a shiny Zangoose, I said.

    Technically, you didn't catch it properly
    , corrected the pokedex.

    "James, your pokedex is seriously messed up," said Amber, "but right all the same, you didn't catch it properly - it was already weakened, you need to battle a pokemon to catch it."

    "Fine then, I'll ask him to battle me," I turned my attention to the mongoose- like pokemon, <Zangoose, now that you're back in shape, would you like to battle me?>

    <I've never met a human who could talk telepathically like that, but I'd be glad to battle you,> replied the Zangoose.

    <The telepathy thing is a long story, let's go outside and have our battle.>

    <Very well.>

    "We're going outside, everyone, he's agreed to battle me."

    We all headed outside to a grassy space in front of the pokemon centre. Zangoose and I took our places and the battle began.

    "Go, Bulbasaur!" I shouted.

    <So you're the one who's been causing all the commotion,> said Bulbasaur.

    <Yet another long story,> said Zangoose.

    <Well, there's no time for talking, its battling time!>

    "Bulbasaur, use tackle!" I said.

    Bulbasaur ran at Zangoose and slammed his whole body into his stomach. Zangoose stumbled backwards but recovered quickly and landed a perfect slash attack.

    <Ooh, are you OK, Bulbasaur,> I asked.

    <Just fine,> he replied, though grimacing, <if he thinks that's gonna take me down then he's got another thing coming.>

    <Great,> "now try another tackle."

    <Actually,> said Bulbasaur, <I think I might be able to use leech seed now.>

    <Really?>, I asked, <then use that.>

    Bulbasaur's face screwed up in effort and three small seeds flew out of the bulb on his back and lodged themselves in Zangoose's fur, they quickly sprouted and soon Zangoose was covered in life-sapping vines.

    <Argh, that hurts,> grunted Zangoose, <But I'm not through yet.>

    He jumped up into the air and one of his forepaws began to glow, claws and all.

    "Whoa, a brick-break attack," said Michael, "cool."

    "Quick, Bulbasaur, dodge," I shouted.

    Bulbasaur rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding a crushing blow from Zangoose's clawed paw.

    <I think its time for my secret weapon,> said Zangoose, <flamethrower!>

    Bulbasaur didn't stand a chance, the stream of rushing flame hit him head-on and he sunk to the ground.

    <Sorry, James, but it looks like I…> started Zangoose.

    Suddenly, Bulbasaur started glowing with a strange green light.

    "Its Bulbasaur's overgrow ability," shouted Amber.

    <James, I feel funny, and strangely high,> said Bulbasaur.

    <Its your special ability kicking in Bulbasaur, I think its time for you-know-what.>

    <I got'cha.>

    "LEAF STORM!!!," I shouted. Zangoose put up more of a fight than Amber's Krabby but, with the added power from overgrow, he soon went down under the onrush of leaves.

    "Go, pokeball!," I shouted, and threw the same ball I'd originally caught Zangoose in that morning. This time it shook once, twice, three times, before settling with a satisfying click.

    "Yeah! I caught a…Ow! What was that for?" the pokedex had shocked my ear.

    I'm not having you getting in the habit of doing cheesy victory poses, its embarrassing, I am attached to you, you know.

    "That was impressive," said Amber reluctantly, "but you can't keep on relying on leaf storm like that."

    "You're just bitter 'cause I've caught up with you," I retaliated.

    "She's right, James," said Michael, "you've got off lightly so far using it as a finishing move and with overgrow but if you try it during a long battle it can seriously lower your pokemon's attack power."

    "Hmm, I suppose Bulbasaur and I do need to do some more training, but for now we better turn in at the pokemon centre - its getting dark."


    ***​

    The next morning, Zangoose and I were sat on my by bunk-bed in the pokemon centre's
    guest room.

    <So, Zangoose, how did you end up lying in a clearing with berry juice all over you?> I queried.

    <I'll tell you my story if you tell me yours,> came the reply, <how can you talk with your mind like that?>

    So I told Zangoose the story of my journey so far, starting from when I set out to get my first pokemon just 4 days before, and finishing at the moment that we met.

    <Hmm, I see, a noble quest and one that should not be taken lightly,> was Zangoose's response, <you have told me your story, now I will tell you mine: I belong, or used to belong to the Zangoose Clan of Viridian Forest, but one day, a group of Seviper moved into the cave you saw yesterday and claimed the western side of the forest for their own. As your pokedex tried to tell you, it is built into the genetic code of all Zangoose and Seviper to attack each other whenever we meet, and war soon broke out. As one of the Clan's strongest fighters, I was chosen to take part in a scouting mission to the edge of our territory, unfortunately, my bright colouring gave away our position, and we were forced to retreat. As punishment, I was banished from the forest forever.>

    <Whoa,> I said, almost lost for words, <what happened then, what was with the berry juice?>

    <Well, foolishly, I tried to cover-up my differences with cheri juice and attempted to rejoin the Clan. However, unlike you and your friends, they saw through my disguise and chased me all the way into Seviper territory, where, luckily, you found me before the Seviper.>

    <But, how are we going to get through the forest with this war going on?> I asked, <we'll never get to Pewter.>

    <I'm afraid I don't know,> sighed Zangoose, <until the Seviper disband or leave, the path through the forest remains a no-man's-land.>

    <What do you mean, disband?>

    <The only reason the Seviper moved into our territory is because their leader, the giant Seviper who paralyzed you yesterday, needed a larger hunting ground. And so, until she leaves, the Zangoose and other pokemon of the forest remain in perpetual danger.>

    <We've got to stop that war,> I said, <it's the only way we can get to Pewter and save the pokemon of Viridian Forest.>

    <But how?>

    <I've seen how you fight, you could easily take down that Seviper if it was one-on -one.>

    <You, really think so?>

    <Yeah! I think its time to win back Viridian Forest. I have a plan.>

    Oh, spare me, he's gone into dramatic quest mode again.

    ***​

    I woke up Amber and Michael and told them what Zangoose and I had discussed. And explained my plan.

    "I don't like it," said Michael, looking worried, "it sounds like Amber and I are decoys."

    "That's because you are," I said, "you distract the regular Seviper while Zangoose and I battle the leader."

    "Sounds good to me," said Amber, unexpectedly, "my Charmander and Krabby could use some training."

    "Oh, all right then," complied Michael, "I suppose Piplup hasn't even been in a battle yet, if I'm gonna be a breeder, I'd better start training."

    We set off into the forest and were soon standing outside the Sevipers' cave. We all sent our pokemon out and stood facing the entrance.

    Hey everyone, said the pokedex inappropriately, I just realised I never gave you any info. on Amber's pokemon, here we go: Krabby, the, you guessed it, crab pokemon, it lives in any sort of water but is most commonly found under rocks on beaches. Next we have Charmander, the Ahh-isn't-it-cu…Ow-my-fingers! pokemon, play with fire and you're gonna get burnt. That's all from me, goodbye.

    "Ok, that was random," I said.

    "Piplup, Krabby!" shouted Michael and Amber together, "use bubble!" the two water pokemon sent a cloud of blue bubbles streaming into the cave.

    <Hissss!> Came the reply, <attack, my underlings!>

    "They're coming," I said to the others, "be ready," <Bulbasaur, you go with Amber and Michael and help distract these guys while Zangoose battles the big one, OK.>

    <Got'cha.> Bulbasaur walked over and stood with Piplup, Krabby and Charmander.

    Just then, a horde of about twenty Seviper came slithering out of the cave, fangs bared and ready to pounce.

    An ember two bubbles and a feisty tackle later and the Sevipers' attention was firmly focused on Michael and Amber.

    "Keep up the good work," I shouted over the noise of clashing tails and crunching tackles, "we're going after the big'un."

    <Hey, Seviper!> I called telepathically into the cave, <I've got a friend here who wants to meet you!>

    Slowly, a huge head, complete with half-a-metre-long fangs, loomed out of the darkness.

    <Oh, it'sss the freak,> said the Seviper <how've you been doing since you got kicked out of the forest?>

    <Just fine,> lied Zangoose, <and I've come back to challenge you for the forest.>

    <Really, and what do I get if I win?>

    <Damn it,> I thought, I hadn't thought of that.

    <The Zangooses' half of the forest and un-conditional surrender.>

    <Now your talking, come on and show me what you've got.>

    Zangoose ran, jumped and landed a perfect brick-break on Seviper's forehead, unfortunately, this was protected by a thick, scaly plate.

    "That's not going to work," I shouted, "go in underneath and use slash!"

    As Seviper reared up for a poison-fang attack Zangoose nimbly darted in and slashed upwards into the giant snake's throat. But the pokemon appeared unscathed and the poison-fang hit home, followed by a devastating poison-tail.

    Does this pokemon know anything without poison- in its name? asked the pokedex.

    <How about this>, said the Seviper, <crunch!>

    The Seviper picked up Zangoose in its gaping jaws and slung it at the nearest tree. Zangoose made contact with a sickening thud and slid down to land in a heap at the bottom of the tree.

    "Zangoose!" I cried, as I ran over to my friend.

    <I'm…Ok,> he said, but just as the words sounded in my head, he fainted.

    "Zangoose, return," I said and a beam of red light shot out of his ball and withdrew him inside.

    "Ugh, you fail at life," said Amber as she and Charmander jumped in front of the Seviper.

    "Charmander, finish her off with a fire blast!

    A huge ball of fire exploded from Charmander's tiny mouth and became a burning star shape as it flew through the air at the Seviper and hit it square in the face.

    The huge pokemon collapsed on the floor instantly.

    "Pokeball, go," shouted Amber and flung her ball at the great creature which, despite its size, was absorbed no problem and the ball began to shake, once , twice, three times, and then the satisfying click. Amber walked over, picked up the ball and stowed it in her rucksack.

    "Well that's that then," she said matter-of-factly, "lets move on to Pewter City."

    Michael and I were staring at Amber with our mouths wide open. As predicted by Zangoose as soon as the enormous snake had fallen, all the Seviper had slithered away into the undergrowth, presumably heading back to their former territory.

    "First of all," said Michael, "since when has Charmander known fire blast?!"

    "Oh," replied Amber, "I bought the TM in Viridian, didn't I tell you?"
    "
    There you are telling me off for using leaf storm and then you go and teach a Charmander fire blast!" I screamed at her, having just recovered from my dumbstruckness, "and that's besides the point, that was my battle, and if anyone's it should have been my capture!"

    "Actually James," reminded Michael, "you didn't cause the Seviper any damage and, after Zangoose was defeated, Amber was perfectly within her rights as a trainer to step in and defeat it herself."

    Our argument continued as we started to walk towards Pewter City until suddenly I remembered what bad shape Zangoose was in.

    "Oh, sweet Celebi lord of the forest," I swore, "I have to get Zangoose to a pokemon centre."

    "And I need to restore Seviper," said Amber.

    I quickly returned Bulbasaur who, until then, had been waiting to get a word in edgeways
    about how he, Krabby and Piplup had done most of the fighting, and Amber and I sprinted for Pewter City.

    We didn't get far before we found a group of pokemon, lead by several Zangoose, blocking our way.

    <We wish to speak to the blue-striped one,> said the Zangoose, who was presumably the leader of my Zangoose's clan.

    <He's in pretty bad shape at the moment,> I explained.

    <We know about the battle,> the Zangoose replied, <we simply wish to thank him.>

    <Well, then I suppose…> "go, Zangoose."

    Zangoose materialised between us and I ran over to help him up.

    <Blue-stripe Red-claw, son of Branch Cutter, we, the pokemon of the forest thank you for your efforts in ridding this place of the serpent menace.> said the lead Zangoose, to my tem mate.

    <Scar Paw, I cannot except your thanks,> said Zangoose, <for I was defeated by the Seviper.>

    <That matters not, said the leader, what matters is you did what we cold not and stood up to her face-to-face, you are welcome here in the forest forever more and can rejoin the Clan if you wish.>

    <I am sorry sir, but I have found a place where I belong, and a supporting trainer.>

    <Very well, it sickens me to lose our best warrior twice in such a short space of time..>

    Really, who was that?
    interrupted the pokedex, but everyone ignored it.

    <But, hopefully, there will be no more fighting in this place for a long time yet.>

    "James," said Amber, "what are they saying, do I get a reward or something?"

    "Oh, they're just saying how you cheated by using a TM and Zangoose was a way better battler than Charmander so we get to go through but you have to have your face mauled off."

    "Hah, hah, very funny, my aunty's a Lopunny. Can you just tell them we need to get to Pewter, all our pokemon are worn out?"

    "Yeah, whatever," <Mr. Scar Paw, sir, all of our pokemon, including, Zangoose, I mean Blue-stripe, are in urgent need of medical attention, could you show us the way to Pewter city?>

    <I'd be honoured to, follow me,>

    "What did he say?" asked Amber.

    "He said follow him to the face mauling arena."

    "Yeah, right."

    As we set off with the Scar Paw as our guide, we heard a voice from behind, it was Michael.

    "Hey, guys look what I caught, go Oddish!"

    <Hi, everyone,> said the newly captured weed-like pokemon.

    Oddish, the weed pokemon, it's a weed there's not really much more to say.

    "Well shut up then!" I shouted in annoyance.

    Ooh, stressy. The pokedex clicked off.

    When did you catch that? said Amber.

    "Just now, while you guys were talking to the other pokemon. I saw it hiding behind a bush so I followed it and Piplup battled it and won!"

    "Well, congratulations on your first capture," I said as we emerged into the bright daylight of Route 2, with Pewter City on the horizon.

    "Thanks for your help, Scar Paw, we can make our way from here."

    "No, thank you, James," he said before bowing to all three of us and then looking at Amber, <thank you, red-haired one for ridding us of the Seviper, you are welcome in our forest anytime.>

    "What's he saying?" she asked me out of the corner of her mouth.

    "He says he's decided not to maul your face off because, judging by how it looks, it would taste horrible."

    "I am so gonna get you!" she shouted as she chased me down the road.

    "She means thanks," said Michael, guessing what Scar Paw had said, and ran to catch us up.

    ***​
     
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