Pokemon Mystery Dungeon

[Death Rogers]

I really like this fanfic. It's rare to see an MD fanfic, let alone a good one. I really like how you made it different from the actual game.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 16

Glad you enjoy! You're in for a surprise during this chapter! A surprise that will put Pikachu in danger and set him out on...well, I'm not gonna reveal too many spoilers.

16
Team Meanies' Revenge

That night, while he was sleeping, Pikachu found himself in his usual dream. "It's that dream again," he said.

Then, he saw a figure appearing behind him. "I always see this silhouette," he said, "Who could it be?"

Then he paused and said, "Oh! It's saying something! But…I can't quite make it out. It's clearer than it was before, but…I'll try talking to it."

He cleared his throat and said, "Hello. Please tell me. Who are you?" The voice then said, "I am Gardevoir." Pikachu was shocked. "Ga-Gardevoir?!"

Gardevoir smiled and said sweetly, "I'm so glad. Finally…I finally got to meet you again." Pikachu was confused. "Again? You knew me from before? What about me?" Gardevoir said, "I am your…" And then she began to fade.

"Wait! Just a little longer!" Pikachu cried. "I want to know more…"

But by now, Gardevoir was gone, and Pikachu's dream was coming to an end.

The next morning, Pikachu recalled what he had dreamt. "What a strange dream…" he said groggily, "It's the dream I always have, but it's clearer than it was before. I think I finally learned who that Pokémon was. That's it! Gardevoir!" he exclaimed. "It was her!"

Then he remembered about what Whiscash had said yesterday. Gardevoir had absorbed the curse. He had also said the human who grabbed Ninetales's tails was human that became a Pokémon. And if Gardevoir knew him from before, did that mean…

"Maybe I was the human who was Gardevoir's partner. Maybe I was the one who abandoned her when she was cursed. Maybe that's…" he said sadly, "Why I'm Pikachu."

Pikachu went outside as usual, and found Charmander and Bulbasaur waiting for him. "Good morning, Pikachu!" Charmander said. "Oh?" he said, recognizing his friend's worry. "You look pale." "Is something wrong?" asked Bulbasaur.

"Well, anyway," said Charmander, "As always, let's try to do our best! Wait!" he suddenly said. "When we were on the way here, I think there was a commotion at the square. I wonder if something's happened."

Pikachu said nothing, but followed his friends to the square.

Something had happened at the square. The shops and bank were empty, and somehow, the town's atmosphere seemed different.

Pikachu noticed this and said, "You have any clue what this is about?" Charmander shook his head. "Maybe something's happened. Let's check it out." And they walked over and found a surprise.

"Look!" Bulbasaur exclaimed, "Why is everyone gathered together?" They went over, and Pikachu asked, "Hi, everybody! What's going on?" Bellsprout left the crowd and went over to them. "Let me tell you, I was amazed!" he exclaimed, "It really was true!" "What was true?" asked Pikachu.

"The Ninetales legend!" Bellsprout exclaimed. "I never believed the rumors, so you can bet I was shocked to learn the truth!"

Caterpie turned to them as well. "Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur," he said quietly. "Oh, hi Caterpie! Even you came out!" Bulbasaur said cheerfully. "Yes," said the small one.

"Ssh!" an agitated Snubbull hissed. "Those guys there are telling us. Keep it down." "Huh?" Charmander was confused. "Who's talking?" "It's…" Caterpie began, but he remained silent.

Team PokéPals joined the circle to find Gengar, Medicham, and Ekans all standing around. "Team Meanies?!" cried Pikachu.

Gengar began, "So I went up to the Hill of the Ancients. It was shocking stuff, I tell you! Kekeh!" "Shocking stuff?" questioned Lombre. Gengar continued.

"This certain Pokémon was getting advice from Xatu. That Pokémon…it looks ordinary. But get this! It was originally a human!" "What?!" cried Bellsprout. "It really existed…" Snubbull whispered in disbelief, "A human that turned into a Pokémon..."

"Oh, but there'ssssss more," hissed Ekans, "Ssssources tell usss Xatu told the human that how thisss human became a Pokémon hasss a lot to do with how the world'ssss balance being upsssset."

"Wait a second," Lombre gasped, "That's exactly like the Ninetales legend!" "Don't be too shocked yet, Lomby," Medicham sneered. "There's more to tell. You know how there've been many natural disasters, correct? According to Xatu, these disasters are caused by the world's balance being upset."

"And…" continued Gengar, "If the Mystery Dungeon Realm's balance isn't restored soon, it will all be destroyed! That's what Xatu said! Kekeh!"

Great panic broke out among the people. Charmander was cross, and said, "Those Team Meanies! They're deliberately working everyone up!"

Deciding now was the time to take their chance, Gengar said, "Now, now, people. There's no need to panic." "I think there'ssss a way we can sssolve thisss problem," Ekans hissed with an evil grin. "What can we do?" asked the townspeople after calming down.

"Oh, it's quite simple really," Medicham chuckled. "If the world's balance is upset by this Pokémon being here…" "Then," finished Gengar, "Then, if that human is gone, everything should return to normal, correct?" "T-That's true!" Lombre agreed. "When they put it that way, maybe they're right," Snubbull echoed.

"And, that human is the rotten coward who abandoned Gardevoir, correct?" asked Medicham. "That's right," Gengar chortled. "I don't think the human can complain about anything if we get rid of it. Isn't that right, Pikachu?"

As soon as he said that, the square instantly erupted into a state of utter shock. "Wh-What?! It can't be!" "Y-you were that human?!" "Is that true? Hey!"

Pikachu was shocked. He couldn't say he wasn't the human, because he didn't know. He had lost almost all his memory when he came to the Mystery Dungeon. But Charmander believed in his friend. "W-w-wait…This is, like…There's a good explanation…"

"We're not asking you!" snapped Snubbull. "We're asking Pikachu! So what is it, Pikachu?! Are you really the human who appears in the legend?" Pikachu stammered, "I….I can't be…I…" But then he fell silent. "Pikachu…" sighed Charmander.

"Kekekekekekekeh! Looks like you have nothing to say in your defense, Pikachu!" cackled Gengar. "That's how it is, my people. Let's get rid of Pikachu and regain peace. Kekekekekeh!" The entire town started to slowly crowd Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur, especially Team Meanies.

"W-what?" Charmander stammered with disbelief. "Everyone, what's gotten into you? What are you going to do to us?"

Lombre stepped up. "Pikachu, forgive me!" And he slashed at him, knocking him down. "Hey!" snapped Bulbasaur, and he pushed Lombre back. "Waaaah! Run for it!"

And they scampered off in the west, towards their base. Team Meanies simply erupted in a fit of evil cackles as they watched them run.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 17/End of Part 1

This is it. In this very chapter, Pikachu and his friends will make a choice that will put them in danger...yet promises a chance of truth.

17
Fugitives

After running back to their base, the three rescuers panted with exhaustion.

"Gasp, gasp," groaned Charmander, "Wow, that was a real shock! I never expected everyone to just attack us like that. But listen, Pikachu," he said, "Why didn't you say anything?"

"Yeah!" snapped Bulbasaur angrily. "Why didn't you say it's not you, huh?! Why didn't you say you're not the human who appears in the legend of Ninetales?! You've probably cost us our lives!!" Charmander stepped in front. "Calm down, Bulbasaur! There's probably a good reason for this."

Pikachu had been thinking about a question for quite some time now. He decided to ask. "Hey, guys," he said miserably, "I'm tired of this." "Huh?" Charmander asked. "What do you mean?" "I don't think I deserve to be your friend," Pikachu said sadly, "Or to be on Team PokéPals."

"You…" started Charmander, "Don't think you deserve to be on our team? What's wrong, Pikachu?"

Pikachu said, "Every few nights, I've been having dreams that I'm in a green room. And one time, I heard a voice mentioning why I became Pikachu. And last night, Gardevoir appeared in my dream."

"So you think you're the human in the legend?" asked Charmander. Pikachu nodded. "So that's what happened…" Bulbasaur then said, "Listen, Pikachu. Did your dream make you remember what it was like as a human? Since it didn't, you don't know what happened, right?!" Then he became softer and said, "I believe in you too, Pikachu. You know that?"

Just then they heard footsteps. They turned to see Alakazam, Charizard, and Tyranitar behind them. Alakazam came up. "After that scene in Pokémon Square," he spoke, "We held a town meeting on what we must do to save the world. And we arrived at a consensus. We must get rid of you."

"W-What did you say?!" cried Charmander with astonishment. "I was incredulous too," Alakazam sighed, "I hoped it would not come to this, but…it is unfortunate. We will defeat you…with all our might!" They started to crowd around Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur.

"Wait! Stop!" Pikachu begged. "Maybe I'm not the human in the legend! Can't we at least find that out before you attack? Please, don't hurt my friends!" Alakazam stopped. He looked at Pikachu. Perhaps he is right. He is the chosen one. Why would he be such a human? He thought.

Then he signaled for Charizard and Tyranitar to back off. Then he said, "We will give you tonight." "Huh?" asked Bulbasaur. "Pack up your supplies and get out of here," Alakazam explained. "Come tomorrow, rescue teams of all sorts will take up the chase and attack you without hesitation. And not just you, Pikachu. Anyone who goes with you will be considered an enemy to them. The trackers will attack without mercy. That goes for us as well. We will join the hunt to be rid of you. But only in the presence of the other rescue teams. When we have both reached a point where no rescue teams can follow, we will wait until the truth is discovered. "

"Against all odds, you must run. Run, run and survive. You must escape until you uncover the truth." Pikachu was grateful. "Thank you, Alakazam…" he sobbed.

"Things won't be this easy the next time we meet," Charizard warned, "So farewell, and good luck." With that, Team ACT left the three rescuers.

Charmander tuned to Pikachu. "Pikachu," he said, "In their own way, Alakazam's team believes in you, too. I believe in you, buddy. Because you're a friend…like I'd never get again." "Yeah," chimed in Bulbasaur, "Even if we're attacked by an all Flying-type rescue team, I believe in you."

Pikachu laughed. "Thanks, guys." Then they heard a small voice say, "Pikachu?" They turned and saw little Caterpie. "Hi, Caterpie," Pikachu said meekly.

Caterpie crawled over. "Pikachu, Charmander, Bulbasaur…I made a promise, remember? That we would build an awesome rescue team base. That I would join your rescue team when I grew up. Don't give up, guys. You're heroes to me, and I believe in you." Pikachu was astonished. Even when his friends would suffer because of him, they still confided in him.

"I'm over self-doubting!" he declared. "No giving up!" "That's the Pikachu we all know!" cheered Charmander. "We'll have to leave here for the time being, but we'll come back strong and brave." "Go, Pikachu!" cheered Bulbasaur. Pikachu knew that the journey he was about to embark on was nothing like he had ever known before, but he knew he couldn't give up.

The next morning, at the crack of dawn, Pikachu woke up and took in a deep breath. He checked the Toolbox. For now, they had everything they needed. Plenty of Apples, Oran Berries, Reviver Seeds, and Max Elixirs were in store for the trip.

He went outside to find Charmander and Bulbasaur waiting for him as always. "Good morning, Pikachu!" Bulbasaur answered. "It's early, but of course you'd be up at this time. Are you all set to leave?" Pikachu nodded with a sigh. "Yup," Charmander agreed. "I guess we're ready to leave. From now on, we're fugitives. This'll be one dangerous trip. I don't want any of our recruits involved. Let's not tell them until we come back.

"If we get back…" Bulbasaur sighed. "C'mon, Bulbasaur!' said Charmander. "We'll be back! And soon we'll stop these natural disasters. For now, we just have to run from the other rescue teams stalking us. We have to escape because we can't afford to be caught." Pikachu nodded.

Like Alakazam had said, he had to run…run and survive. He had to run until he knew the truth. "Yes…who am I?" he asked himself. "Until I discover that truth, I have to escape. Even if it means going to the edge of this world."

"OK, let's get going!" Charmander said. Then they heard voices say, "Pikachu!" They turned to see their friends in front of them. "Caterpie! And Metapod!" Bulbasaur laughed with joy. "Oh, and even Jumpluff!" "Wow! I'm glad we made it!" Caterpie sighed with relief. "We wanted to see you three off," Jumpluff explained.

"M-me too!" said a voice. Everybody was confused. Then, out from under the ground popped the small head of Diglett. "Good morning!" he squeaked. "Mama and Papa are still sleeping, so I wanted to come see you off, too." Charmander looked around at all those who had come to support them and got teary-eyed. "Everyone…" he sniffled.

Flap! Flap! All looked up to see Pelipper flying above the team base. He flew down and plunked a letter inside the Mailbox. Bulbasaur checked. "It's a letter. Can you read it, Pikachu?"

Pikachu took out the letter and began. "Take care! It's farewell, but only until the day I can deliver mail to you again. I'll always be waiting. Signed, the wandering postal carrier, Pelipper." "Even Pelipper…" Charmander whispered. "Everyone, thank you!"

Diglett looked around. "The others will be waking up soon," he said. "You have to go! Hurry!" "Yup!" Charmander agreed. "Let's go! Hit the road, guys!"

And they started to leave their base. "Take care!" called Caterpie. "We'll be waiting for you all to return!" called Jumpluff. "Yup! Goodbye!" called back Bulbasaur. "We'll be back! That's for certain!" Charmander said proudly.

"Until then, take care!" called back Pikachu for the last time. And then they set off.

And thus began Team PokéPals's cruel and arduous journey as fugitives. Over forbidding mountains, across fields of fire, and all sorts of natural disasters trudged the young heroes.

But throughout it all, Pikachu's team held their heads high. Without a complaint, they marched on. They found the trip pretty easy going…until they came to a small blue rocky cave in the distant east.


End of Part 1

So now, Team PokePals are fugitives. They're determined to fulfill their mission as rescuers. Tomorrow...the Lapis Cave awaits, and from there, who knows...

 

[jb0000612]

Beginning of Part 2

Alrighty then. Let's recap Part 1.

A boy goes into a forest, touches an orb, and answers a personality test which turns him into Pikachu. He befriends Charmander and Bulbasaur, and the three have started a rescue team.

Pikachu has a series of mysterious dreams, and can't decode them, but apparently, they have the answers to why he became Pikachu.

They find enemies in Team Meanies, an evil team led by the notorious Gengar. They seek world domination, and want to get rid of Pikachu.

Team PokePals make many friends, like Caterpie, Metapod, Diglett, and Jumpluff. Even the powerful Team ACT led by the brave Alakazam likes them, and is amazed by their strength when they save Shiftry from the powerful Legendary Pokemon, Zapdos.

Pikachu discovers that he is connected to the rash of natural disasters plaguing the Mystery Dungeon Realm by the wise Xatu, and his doubts are strengthened when he hears the Legend of Ninetales. After meeting Gardevoir in one of his dreams, Pikachu is worried he is the human in the legend who attacks Ninetales and abandons Gardevoir, and thereby, the cause for all this trouble.

Team Meanies takes advantage of this, and frames Pikachu as the human in Pokemon Square. Team PokePals become fugitives, but Charmander and Bulbasaur are faithful to Pikachu, and even Team ACT vows to help them when they have both reached a point where no one else can follow.

Saying a temporary goodbye to their friends, Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur head into the eastern territory, where danger, legendary Pokemon, and untold surprises await...

18
Escaping the Mob

When they came to the giant cave, Bulbasaur said, "This place is known as the Lapis Cave. No one's ever explored it before." Pikachu sighed, "Whew. We've sure gone a long way."

"You know, guys," Charmander then said, "While we were walking, I couldn't help thinking that all sorts of places have been affected by the natural disasters. I'm sure many Pokémon are suffering because of the calamities. I wish we could get back to doing our rescue work soon…" Then he shook his head. "Sorry, I shouldn't complain. We have to get away now, period."

Then, they heard voices. "I think they went this way." "They can't get away. Not from all of us." "We have to get rid of Pikachu quickly." "Aw, no!" Bulbasaur panicked. "They're catching up! Let's run!" And they scampered into the cave.

The Lapis Cave had a few poorly-lit floors, so the rescuers had to be aware of every surrounding that dared stand in their way.

Fortunately, there were tons of items to collect and use, so the three friends decided it wouldn't be that tough.

The Zubats and Nincadas were complete pushovers compared to Pokémon like Nidorino and Bagon, the first Dragon type the friends had seen.

Aside from the items, Team PokéPals found a lot of money on the floors. In case they ever returned, the money would be very useful.

They made sure not to use food items in their Toolbox, as they would be needed for the greater journey ahead.

Finally, after climbing 14 floors, Team PokéPals found themselves out of the dark cave and into light again. "Whew!" panted Pikachu. "We finally made it through that cave. I think we lost the Pokémon mob that's after us."

But his words were proven wrong when they heard, "Hey, look! There they are! Over there! Catch Pikachu!" "Auugh!" Charmander yelped. "Run for it!" And they ran away in terror.

"Stop right there!" "Don't let them get away!" "They expect us to stop and wait for them?" cried Charmander. They kept fleeing.

After running some distance, the three tired Pokémon stopped to rest. "Pant, past…" panted Bulbasaur. "Oh, no! Look!" Charmander groaned.

They looked and saw ahead of them a giant mountain. Hot magma poured from its sides like syrup on waffles. "It's a mountain of fire…" Pikachu said with disbelief. "Look at all the lava pouring from the crater. Can we even make it through there?" Then he remembered the mob. "What'll we do?" he asked his friends.

Then they heard, "There they are! Get them!" There was no choice now. Team PokéPals got back on their feet and fled towards the mountain.

"Look at them go! They're headed towards Mt. Blaze!" "Are they insane?! Mt. Blaze is doomed desolation!" "I don't wanna go anywhere like that." "It can't be helped. Only those brave enough will take chase."

Thus, the remainder of the mob continued to pursue Pikachu and his friends, while the others went home.

Meanwhile, hiding behind some rocks were Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur. They saw the mob coming. "Darn it! Where'd they go?" "I think they went this way." "They had to go this way. Keep your eyes open." "Roooooarrr!" Tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp, tramp! There was silence.

When it became so silent that it almost frightened them, Charmander said, "I think they're gone." "That's a relief," Bulbasaur groaned, "My bulb was holding so much energy I almost burst. Whew!"

They came out from the rocks to find themselves at the entrance of the mighty mountain. "Oh! Look!" Pikachu said. They looked to see a Kangaskhan machine in front. "Great!" Bulbasaur said happily. "Now let's put some of our items in storage and take out the items we need."

They did so. Luckily, they had plenty of Rawst Berries, Max Elixirs, and Reviver Seeds. When they were all ready, Charmander said, "We have to get over this mountain to get away." "I agree," Pikachu said, "Plus, we could escape from more of the mob. Not many will be able to get through here."

Then Bulbasaur said, "How about we take a trip through the Rock Path?" "Don't wanna risk it," Pikachu said. "We might run into the mob by accident." "Sigh…" sighed Bulbasaur. "Let's do our best on the climb, guys!" said Pikachu bravely.

And with determination, they began their climb up the mountain.

Tomorrow we will view Pikachu's adventure up Mt. Blaze, where an angst-ridden Pokemon rules the mountain with fury and power...

 

[Astinus]

I decided to read your fanfic and leave you a review because you weren't getting many reviews. So, here I am.

It seems as if you are writing a novelization of the MD games. Novelizations are when you take the plot of a game and write it down as a fanfic. They're good because they allow one to practice writing skills. With novelizations, you should add something different from the basic plot of the games to make it exciting for readers who have played the game. Though it's been a while since I've played MD, I still remember these events.

But don't worry! Your writing skills are actually quite good. Aside from the proper paragraphing when it comes to dialog, this isn't that bad. It's a shame that you aren't getting the reviews that'll help you grow as a writer.

All that I can suggest for you to do is write this to the end. You put a lot of effort into this to just drop it. And once you finish it, you'll have ample opportunities and knowledge to write another fic to keep growing as a writer.

 

[Jim]

I'm no amazing Fanfic~er (is that a word? It is now!) But I like to say that you have quite a bit of detail and descriptive writing in these small chapters; you have a lot of potential in these chapters. Well, in saying that, writing is about quality and not quantity but with your quality potential imagine if you spread each high quality chapter out over 3~5 Microsoft Word Pages, it'd make a dramatic differance. Also I agree with Hanako, you've come too far now for you to quit.

 

[jb0000612]

Chap 18

Thank you so much guys! And you guessed it, this is a novelization, with my own little twist. Also, remember when Whiscash told the tale of Ninetales? He gave a little background info on the human who had become a Pokemon. He was from Verdanturf Town in Hoenn, lost many times to a trainer from a nearby town, and had a Gardevoir. Any guesses on who that human is?

Anyways, here's Chapter 18. Things are about to get sizzling hot in Mt. Blaze!

Chapter 18
The Mt. Blaze Trek

Team PokéPals had no idea what Mt. Blaze was truly like, but they decided to give it a try. On the first few floors, Pikachu and Charmander had to fight all the Pidgeots because Bulbasaur kept running off. No one could really blame him.

Mt. Blaze had tons of Fire type Pokémon like Magby, Numel, Slugma, Rapidash, and of course, Torkoal, whose Smokescreen the rescuers tried to keep away from.

Of course, Bulbasaur was happy to take on the Shuckles. But he always made sure not to be burned by any of the fierce Ember attacks the residents threw at him. Charmander didn't mind taking on this dungeon one bit. Fire types did no bad damage against him.

Pikachu's Electric moves were good against the fire types as well. All in all, up to when they found a rest stop to heal and store their items, the three friends had no trouble climbing up Mt. Blaze.

After all, their objective was to escape until they came to a point where only Alakazam's team could reach. After the rest stop, they worked on reaching the peak.

Bulbasaur tried not to run when he found himself face to face with the Fearows. He screamed instead.

Soon, they reached the giant peak. "Is this Mt. Blaze's summit?" asked Bulbasaur. "Must be," Pikachu replied. "There's a path down straight ahead."

Charmander wiped his head. "Wow, this is incredible," he panted. "I know it's a volcano, but the lava flow is much higher than normal. This might also have a link to the natural calamities."

There was a giant explosion of magma, and Bulbasaur squealed, "Oogh! It's like a furnace! I'm getting roasted!" Then he turned to his friends and said, "I don't wanna spend any more time in a place this dangerous. Let's get through this quick."

Just as they were heading across, a voice said, "Halt!" There was a giant blackout. "Huh? Why did it turn pitch-black?" asked Charmander. "I can hear the mountains screams," the voice said, "It is shrieking in pain. Someone is causing Mt. Blaze to writhe in agony! Is it you?!"

"No!" Pikachu cried. "We don't have anything to do with this! Who are you, anyway? Show yourself!" The area lit up in two red flashes, and another lava eruption occurred. "The mountain's rage is my rage!" Two more red flashes came, and a "Gwaaaaaaah!" sounded off through the peak.

The terrifying sound of flapping came to Bulbasaur's ears, and a giant yellow bird with flaming feathers swooped down, sending the three back.

"I am Moltres!" the bird cried. "The warrior of fire am I! There is no forgiving those who befoul the mountain! En garde!" And the battle began.

Pikachu used a Quick Attack, causing Moltres to bend back in agony. Then Moltres charged. Pikachu let off a Thunderbolt, Charmander let off a Metal Claw, and Bulbasaur used Sleep Powder.

While she was asleep, Pikachu used another Thunderbolt, Charmander did another Metal Claw, and Bulbasaur used Razor Leaf. Moltres was still weak, but she then woke up and used Agility, increasing her speed. Then she grabbed Bulbasaur by her talons and began to fly off with him.

"Auuuugh! Helllllp!" screamed Bulbasaur. "Let him go, you big buzzard!" roared Pikachu, and he began scaling the rocks, where Moltres held Bulbasaur captive at the top. Moltres saw him coming, and knocked down some rocks. Pikachu dodged most, but one struck him, and he almost lost his grip.

Pikachu struggled, and finally got back on. Using all his strength, he managed to get to the top. Moltres hissed, and knocked Pikachu down the rocks again with an Ember.

Bulbasaur had gotten enough. He angrily bit Moltres on her leg and gave her a Vine Whip across the cheek. Distracted by the pain, she squawked and released Bulbasaur, who scampered away. Moltres came after him with a squawk and flap of her wings.

Pikachu saw this and tried to zap Moltres, but hit rocks above her instead. ZZAP! The rocks crumbled and hit Moltres, knocking her down to the ground. Bulbasaur was badly scared, but unhurt.

They all gathered around the edge of the peak where Moltres lay, injured. They all waited, hoping the worst wouldn't come.

So, Moltres is taken down. Next chapter, we'll see if Team PokePals will live to see the rest of their voyage through.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 19

Here's Chapter 19. Enjoy!

20
After Mt. Blaze
Moltres was more persistent then they knew. In a few minutes, she woke up. "Guuuurgh!" Moltres groaned. "I'm not done! I'm not finished yet!" She slowly got up, and expanded her fiery wings.

"Wait! Please listen!" Pikachu begged. "We're not here to cause any trouble. We were chased to this mountain by a mob. And you have a right to know, this mountain isn't the only place that's suffering. Right now, natural disasters are taking place everywhere."

Charmander nodded. "We can't do anything because we're fugitives now," he added. "But we want to help Pokémon in these times of natural disasters."

Moltres seemed convinced. She lowered her wings and sat. There was a long silence. Then she said, "Do you say that sincerely?"

"It's true!" Charmander said. "Please believe us. If you think we're lying…look at our eyes." The team put on their most honest faces ever.

Moltres' eye was sharp. She looked at them a good long time. And when it seemed time would never continue, she said, "Gyaaaaah!" and another eruption occurred. "Aiyiyiyi!" squealed Bulbasaur.

"Fine," Moltres said. "I trust that you aren't lying." "Whew," Pikachu sighed. "It felt like my knees turned to jelly."

"You may pass," Moltres said calmly. "Get through Mt. Blaze, and…promise me this. Promise me you will find the cause of the disasters that wrack our world. And stop the disasters from sowing more destruction and suffering." "Okay, we promise," Charmander said. "Of course, that's not possible right now, but…"

Moltres raised her wings in questioning, and another eruption thundered. "We will! We'll get to it right away!" cried Pikachu in desperation. "What we meant was we can't get on it right away because we're being chased. But we're a rescue team, and we'll find the cause of the natural calamities."

Moltres calmed down again. "I will hold you to that promise," she said. "You've made me believe you will honor that promise. If you do not forget…the courage you showed in facing me…" Then she spread out her wings, and one last eruption came.

"Waah! Is there anything else!" cried Charmander. Moltres was calm this time. "No," she said simply. "I was only preparing to take off." "Oh," Charmander said, then whispered to Pikachu, "Does it need to do that?"

"Farewell!" Moltres said. With that, she flapped her wings and flew off.

"Whew," Charmander sighed. "Ewwww, that was scary!' Bulbasaur squealed. "But it's great that Moltres understood us. That was key," Pikachu said. "Plus, you did great in battling Moltres, Bulbasaur," Charmander said to support.
"Anyway, we should get off Mt. Blaze ourselves. Let's roll, guys!" said Pikachu. And they headed toward the path, and off the mountain.

After getting off Mt. Blaze and coming to a small rest stop, Pikachu said, "Whew, we've been walking a lot. I'm bushed up. Let's stop to rest here." Then Charmander and Bulbasaur came to sit with him.

"Wow, this is a great view," Bulbasaur sighed with happiness. "I know," Charmander said, "And look how small the mountain looks from here. It looks beautiful." "We've sure come a long way, haven't we?" agreed Pikachu.

He was glad his friends had stuck with him for so long, even if it meant they would never see home again. He reflected on all that they had been through on their journey. He decided to think about his friends' point of view. How did Charmander have so much self-esteem? Why would he choose someone ordinary like Pikachu for a friend? And what about Bulbasaur? Did he really have enough faith in Pikachu to face a bird Pokémon all by himself? Either way, he was still faithful and friendly just like Charmander.

Just then, Charmander said, "Hey guys. You know something? Wasn't it hard getting over Mt. Blaze? I doubt that many Pokémon will be able to get through it. And we gave it our all just to get through here. Do you think that no Pokémon will be able to get through here?"

Pikachu wanted to agree, but he knew that wasn't right. "No, there are others," he said grimly. "Alakazam said they would join the hunt to get rid of us until we got to a point where no one could follow but them. And we've only gotten through one obstacle."

Charmander's face became grim. "You're right, Pikachu. I'm sorry." "It's alright," Pikachu said. "We just need to find a place where no one else can get to but Alakazam." "Okay," Bulbasaur said, "Let's go!" They started to leave, but then Pikachu asked, "Guys, are you tired still?"

"No," Charmander said cheerfully. "Besides, they're chasing us. We don't have time to rest. Besides, remember what I said? I said I would go with you." "Me too," Bulbasaur echoed. "We believe in you, Pikachu. Don't worry, we're fine." "I'll always stick with you, no matter where we go!" Charmander finished.

Pikachu was happy that they were still willing to go on their adventure. He decided to continue as well.

And so, Pikachu's harrowing journey continued. Seeking refuge in even harsher places, they fled north. They crossed row upon row of mountains, forded fetid swamps, scaled frozen cliffs, until finally, Pikachu's team arrived in a world of snow, a frigid wasteland of driving blizzards.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 20

Here's Chapter 21. Pikachu and his friends are about to get a taste of the cold life here. By the way, ever since Mt. Blaze, it's been sorta confusing, but that chapter is Chapter 19, and this is Chapter 21. Sorry!

21
The Frosty Forest

By this time, Team PokéPals had covered a lot of ground ever since Mt. Blaze and it seemed no others were following. But they knew for the sake of their lives, they had to keep going.

By now, cold weather had set in. As they traveled further east, the area became colder, and snow settled in on the ground. Much time had passed since Pikachu and his friends set out as fugitives. Already they had been gone for one month.

One day, while traveling along a rocky path with snow to the side, Pikachu said, "Brrr! It's cold." "I agree," Charmander shivered. "We've been traveling a really long time."

"Hachoo!" sneezed Bulbasaur all of a sudden. He sniffed his nose. "Yuck," he sniveled. "My nose is running, and it's freezing."

As they walked, Pikachu asked Charmander, "Isn't this one lonely place? See how deep the snow is." "I haven't seen any other Pokémon for a while, either," Charmander answered. "I think we're alone here." He then stopped to rest.

Bulbasaur took this opportunity to put his rear at Charmander's tail. He sighed with relaxation. Then he stirred. Something was burning. He looked and saw his rear smoking.

"Yeeeeaaaaooooowwww!" the Grass type howled in pain. He quickly ran to a pile of snow to cool it down. Then he squealed from the chill of the snow, and ran over to place his bottom at the heat again, this time from a safe distance. Pikachu and Charmander rolled their eyes.

Then Pikachu cried, "Guys, look!" They looked and saw a medium size Pokémon in white fur with a black tail and face staring at them. They only caught a glimpse at it before it turned and bolted off.

"What was that?" asked Pikachu. "It looked like a Pokémon, but…" "Did we imagine that?" asked Bulbasaur. "No, I don't think so," said Charmander. "I think there was somebody there. I wonder what he or she was doing in this lonely place."

Pikachu shrugged. "I guess thinking about it won't help us. We have to keep moving." They kept on walking.

After some distance, Charmander said, "Oh!" Pikachu and Bulbasaur looked and gasped. Ahead of them was a small forest with trees with icicles hanging down them like ornaments on a Christmas tree.

"Those trees are frozen!" Charmander exclaimed in wonder. "Wow! The snow is like frozen powder!" Bulbasaur cried. Pikachu agreed. "It looks pretty, but it must be harsh there."

At the entrance, Charmander decided, "Okay, I guess we don't have a choice. We have to get through here." "It will be very cold," Bulbasaur said, "I'd rather not go if I didn't have to." "Well, hiding out in this area isn't the answer either," Pikachu said, "We can only go forward. We'll just have to keep our spirits up and keep going."

Next to them was another Kangaskhan Machine, so they deposited their Rawst Berries and took out some Oran Berries and Apples. When they were all ready to leave, Pikachu said, "Let's go through the Frosty Forest. We have more of a chance of getting somewhere safe."

"I agree," Charmander said. "After all, if this place is chock loaded with Ice types, I can easily defeat them." "But it'll be so cold…" groaned Bulbasaur. "Well, then we'll just have to keep our spirits up and keep moving." And they went in.

The Frosty Forest had Pokémon such as Azurill, Furret, and Nosepass on the earlier floors, so Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur worked to defeat them and gain Experience Points.

Later, a Pokémon named Ditto began appearing. It would morph into maybe a Mightyena or a Piloswine, and when it was defeated, its true form was revealed.

As they got higher, the air got colder and the snow continued to fall around them. Little did they know that someone sensed their presence.

High above in a great icy peak, a giant blue bird was flying high when he said, "Someone has intruded upon the forest…" He landed on a giant glacier. "The disturbed flow of icy winds…is the intrusion to blame?" he pondered. "It must be stopped. For it is to protect the forest…"

 

[jb0000612]

Chap. 22

In this chapter, another one of the Legendary Pokemon appears...Articuno! And Bulbasaur reaches an epiphany as well... Read on and invision the events in your mind.

22
Confronting Articuno

Team PokéPals had just reached a save point, and used it to store their items they had gotten. Then they continued up through four more floors of Metang and Rhyhorn.

Pikachu found Rhyhorn's Lightningrod ability very annoying, for it prevented him from using Thundershock. Nonetheless, Charmander's Ember and Bulbasaur's Vine Whip were very useful.

They ate the Gummis and picked up money that they found on the trek up. The trip through the first part of this icy region was almost over and done with.

Finally, they came to a giant icy peak overlooking the entire forest. Huge glaciers towered over them like tall towers.

"We sure have come far into this forest," Charmander said. "I think we'll be out if we can get through this part." "It shouldn't be that far anyway," Pikachu added. "Let's keep going."

Just as they were nearing the peak, there was a small humming. "Huh?" Charmander asked. "Bulbasaur, did you just say something?" "Uh, no…" Bulbasaur responded. "I didn't think so," Pikachu agreed. "Just now, I thought I heard a voice. I must have imagined it."

But he hadn't imagined it. Right then, a voice said, "……Turn back. You may not pass…" The three jumped, startled. "Who's there?!" Pikachu cried. "You are forbidden to pass…if you persist in trying to pass…then so be it. But only after you have defeated me!"

A small flurry of snowflakes flew by in the wind, and a giant flash of light occurred. "Ow!" Charmander groaned. "It's too bright! The ice around us is reflecting this light!" There was another great flash, and a "Gyaaaaaah!" sounded through the mountain.

There was a sound of flapping. "Oh no! Not again! Nooooo!" howled Bulbasaur. But his worst fears came when the giant blue bird from before came swooping in from the sky. "I am Articuno!" screeched the bird. "The warder of ice! Those that enter the forest I shall destroy with all my might! Let us begin!"

Articuno flew in front to begin the battle. But Bulbasaur had experienced enough. He started running for his life. But Pikachu and Charmander used Thunderbolt and Metal Claw.

Articuno knew he couldn't win this fight if they kept this up. He angrily released two shots of blue energy from his beak and froze Pikachu and Charmander. Bulbasaur saw this from behind the rocks and gasped.

Articuno then started to push the frozen rescuers towards the cliff. Bulbasaur saw this and a flashback occurred.

"Run, Bulbasaur!" a Vileplume begged. "The Pidgeot are closing in on us!" "But I have to save you!" a toddler Bulbasaur begged. "There's nothing you can do!" an elderly Exeggutor insisted. "We'll put them to sleep with our Hypnosis and Sleep Powder!"

Bulbasaur said nothing, but started to run away with the rest of the fleeing Grass types. "Hahahahaha!" an evil Fearow cackled. "If it isn't those pathetic Grass types! Let's take em' down, boys!" And they attacked.

One Pidgeot attacked Vileplume with Wing Attack, sending her onto the edge of a cliff. Exeggutor saw this and ran to help her. She grabbed onto one of his leaves. But then a tragedy occurred.

The evil Fearow saw them and chuckled, "Heheheh! Guess you weren't that strong after all, eh? Thought you could hide in the Tiny Woods from our gang? Well, you thought wrong!" And he charged with a lethal Drill Peck, ramming Exeggutor and Vileplume off the edge.

The two Grass types fell to their tragic doom in the dark valley below.
Bulbasaur watched this from afar and was traumatized. Those Grass types had given their lives for his safety. And he couldn't even help them.

Time came back to him, and he saw Articuno about to ram his friends off the cliff. He knew he was afraid of Articuno, but then he thought of when Pikachu and Charmander had stuck with him so many times before. And right then and there, he swore to conquer his fear and save his friends.

With a mighty roar, he charged and shot his Vine Whip at Articuno's wings, firmly snagging them. "Leave my friends alone!!" he yelled. Then he sharply pulled the Ice bird towards him, and charged.

Articuno came forward as well. Bulbasaur hissed, and gave the bird a hard Tackle attack. Furious, Articuno attacked. It soon became a nasty brawl. Bulbasaur was tackling Articuno to the ground and attacking him as much as he could.

Finally, Articuno blasted Bulbasaur off with an Icy Wind, sending him into some rocks. Before he could finish off Bulbasaur, he turned and felt the pain of a Thundershock and Ember. He collapsed. Bulbasaur smiled as he saw Pikachu and Charmander standing behind Articuno.

"Way to go, Bulbasaur!" cheered Pikachu. "You saved us!" "We owe our lives to you, Bulbasaur," Charmander said earnestly. Bulbasaur smiled. "Oh, it was nothing," he said sheepishly.

Then, they looked at Articuno, and then the entrance out. Now was the time to escape, but they couldn't just leave Articuno alone, all hurt like that. They carried him over to the peak, and waited for him to recover.

Quite a suspense-filled chapter, wasn't it? Tomorrow, we'll check back on our heroes' continuing journey.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 23

Let's see if our heroes can convince this icy bird they mean no harm.

23
Departing the Forest

As they waited for Articuno to recover, they saw him stir, and start to get up. He was severely injured, but he still had energy in him to stand up a bit. And he looked like he wasn't about to let these young ones go on.

"Please, Articuno!" begged Bulbasaur. "We have to get through, no matter what. Please, let us pass!"

Articuno had enough energy to stand up, so he stubbornly said, "No! I cannot allow your passage!" "Why not?" asked Charmander. "Why can't we pass?"

Articuno set down his blue wings and said, "The frigid forest's air…it has warmed considerably in recent times." Pikachu was confused. "Warmed up?" he asked. "We're still cold, but…" Articuno continued.

"The flow of frigid air has been disturbed in the forest. Snow has started to melt. Snow is melting…snow that has never melted before. This has never happened, even once. Then you appeared in the forest." He spread his wings angrily again and snapped, "Is this not your doing?!"

Pikachu cried, "W-we don't have anything to do with it! It's a coincidence!" "Please, Articuno," Charmander begged. "Hear us out. It's not our fault that the snow is melting. It's not just here. Right now, natural calamities are occurring everywhere. The forest's frigid air would have been disturbed even if we hadn't come."

But Articuno wasn't convinced. "Is that all? You expect me to believe that?!" he screeched. "Waah!" Bulbasaur squealed.

"Enough of your foolish talk! Prepare for you end!" Articuno thundered. He raised his wings, and all the forces of ice were about to destroy them when a voice said, "Stop it!"

Articuno jumped, and the same Pokémon the three had seen before coming into the forest appeared. "Absol?!" Articuno snapped. "Get out of my way! I was just about to give these troublemakers a proper punishment."

But Absol stood still. "There is nothing false in what they said," he replied calmly. "Calamities are indeed occurring in nature everywhere." "Is that true?" questioned Articuno.

"Yes," Absol said with a nod. "I have the ability to sense natural disasters. The disasters taking place right now are of a special nature. I've never experienced such before." Articuno was coaxed by Absol's words. "So there are calamities besides this…" he whispered. "Fine, then. I will choose to believe them. You may pass, young ones."

"Articuno!" Bulbasaur cried happily. "However," Articuno said, "You must try to prevent the calamities from spreading. I'm counting on you!" "Yup! We promise, Articuno!" Charmander vowed. Seeing that they were to be trusted, Articuno calmly left with a flap of his wings.

When he had left, Charmander said, "Whew! That was a relief." "Thank you, Absol," Pikachu said, "You saved us." Absol turned and said, "Rather than saying thanks, let us focus on stopping the disasters before they worsen. If they are left unchecked, worse will befall us. My instinct warns me so."

"Groan…" Bulbasaur moaned. "I sensed the powers of the disasters," Absol continued. "And I was led here by my feelings of foreboding." Then he decided, "I think it would be best if we combined forces for the time being, so I will join you."

"Really?" Pikachu cried. "Really," Absol said with a chuckle. "To put an end to the calamities, cooperation is vital. Let me lend you my powers."

"Thanks, Absol!" Team PokéPals said happily. With a new team member, the team was now ready for the remainder of the trip.

And so, after getting through the Frosty Forest, Team PokéPals headed further in the northeastern territory.
The more they advanced, the harsher the snowy weather became.

Fortunately for them, their efforts were soon to bring the answers to the agonizing questions that tormented them...

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 24

24
Quest for the Truth

By now, huge snowstorms blew in the winds at tremendous speed, nearly covering all future sight of what the four Pokémon tried to see.

Bulbasaur kept trying to stay close to Charmander's tail as long as possible, while Absol's horn kept sensing natural disasters.

Pikachu was very concerned. It had now been two months since their hard fugitive journey began, and they weren't sure they were getting anywhere. This icy mountain path seems to go on forever, he thought.

We've walked a long way here. But we're losing energy, especially Charmander. Charmander was boldly in the lead, taking the full-blown fury of the snowstorm. The team had been running all that time out of desperation. Were they doing the right thing? And what lay in store for them after the snowstorm had subsided?

"Brrrr!" Charmander shivered, "This is too cold!" And after taking a heavy breath, he collapsed. Pikachu, Absol, and Bulbasaur instantly rushed to his side, picking him up. "Are you OK?!" cried Pikachu. "Sorry," Charmander wheezed. "It's just…the scenery has been the same for a while, and I wonder if we're really making progress…"

They kept on walking, this time with Pikachu at the front. "Hey, Pikachu?" Charmander asked nervously. "I was thinking…maybe we've come to a place that's empty except for us. I have this feeling there's nothing ahead of here, even if we keep going." "Me too," Bulbasaur said sadly, "Pikachu…" he then said, "What's going to happen to us?"

Pikachu was feeling great exhaustion as well, but he knew that as long as they were together, they would be alright. "Don't worry," he said. "We'll be fine."

"Sure, that's right!" said Charmander cheerfully. "There isn't any point in wondering about what might happen, especially not after coming this far." "Sorry, Pikachu," Bulbasaur chuckled. "I guess we were just feeling sorry for ourselves." "We have faith in you, Pikachu," Charmander said earnestly, "And that's what brought us here. And that's not changing. We still have faith in you, Pikachu." "We'll keep going wherever you go, Pikachu!" Bulbasaur declared.

Yes, Pikachu thought. Charmander and Bulbasaur trust me without any doubt. I can't afford to be indecisive. I'll have to believe in myself more. Then, he felt a buzzing occur in his head. "W-what was that?" he questioned. Then it happened again. "Dizzy? No…" he murmured. "Huh?" Charmander asked. "Is something wrong, Pikachu?"

The buzzing occurred yet again, and a voice said, "Finally. Finally, you have arrived." "Someone's talking to me…" Pikachu mumbled. "Charmander? Bulbasaur? No, it doesn't sound like either of them. This voice…I've heard it somewhere." Then, Pikachu saw it.

A glowing silhouette appeared to him. "Finally, you have arrived," it said. "I've been waiting for you." "G-Gardevoir!" Pikachu stammered. "I am so glad. Finally, we got to meet," Gardevoir said. "You're…what?" asked Pikachu.

Charmander, Bulbasaur, and Absol were all confused. "Pikachu, is something the matter?" asked Bulbasaur. "Why are you talking to yourself?" Pikachu was confused. Didn't they see Gardevoir? Then he turned to her for explanation.

"I cannot be seen by others," she explained. "I am visible only to you." Then she said, "A little farther ahead, there is a jagged mountain range topped by Mt. Freeze. Inside its peak…Ninetales lives."

"Ninetales?!" Pikachu cried. "Ninetales awaits your arrival. Beware…" Gardevoir said before starting to fade away. "No! Wait!" Pikachu cried. But she was gone.

The others were just as baffled. "Hey, Pikachu! What is it?" Charmander asked. "Yeah, what happened?" echoed Bulbasaur. But Pikachu was silent.

Later, while Absol was scouting the area around Mt. Freeze, Pikachu told his friends what happened. "…and Gardevoir appeared to me," he finished. "And she told me Ninetales lives in this peak."

"So that's why you were looking so stunned earlier," Charmander concluded. "I'm amazed, though…" Bulbasaur said. "Yeah," Pikachu nodded. "Ninetales really exists. And it lives at the top of that peak." Charmander jumped with happiness and tears of joy welled up in him. "Sniffle…Pikachu! After all the effort we put into getting here…it's finally going to bear fruit! We'll meet Ninetales, get the truth, and finally get rid of the suspicions others have about you, Pikachu!" "Awesome!" Bulbasaur cheered.

But Pikachu said nothing. He still wasn't sure if he was the human from the legend or not, and if it turned out he was, that meant…being destroyed was the only way to save the Mystery Dungeon Realm.

Charmander saw his friend's concern and knew exactly what he was thinking. "Listen, Pikachu," he said, "Don't be afraid. It'll be alright." "Yeah," Bulbasaur said, "It's only natural that you would be scared of meeting Ninetales. That heartless human who abandoned Gardevoir…it may be you."

"But that's impossible," Charmander said. "You're not that human, I'm sure." Pikachu was astounded. Charmander and Bulbasaur had so much faith, even with all the evidence that Team Meanies had used in the square? "You believe so much in me?" he asked. "Why?"

"You're our friend, Pikachu," Charmander said. "We can't betray you." "Why do we believe in you so much?" responded Bulbasaur. "Well, there was a time where we wondered that ourselves. But now…I wonder why myself." "But it's alright, Pikachu," Charmander reassured him. "You're a really good sort."

Then he sighed. "You know, before…" he said, "When I first got the idea to set up a rescue team…I met you two in the Tiny Woods. But I met you, first, Pikachu. And now that I think about it, there really was something different about you."

Then he laughed. "It is strange, isn't it?" he giggled. "But I believe in you."

Then Pikachu spoke up. "Well, we'll know the truth when we get to the peak," he said. "Let's do our best!"

They had all their suitable items in store, so they didn't bother to use the Kangaskhan Storage Machine.

When they were all set and Absol had returned, they headed inside.

And so begins the trek up Mt. Freeze. Will the answers be revealed at last? And what of Team ACT? Will they catch up with Pikachu without being seen by the mob, if there remains one? Find out tomorrow!

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 25

This is now officially a turning point in our story. Is Pikachu the horrible human? Will they survive Mt. Freeze in time to meet Ninetales? And what surprises await then? Read on and play some dramatic music on your IPods if you feel suspenseful.


25
Ninetales' Foretelling

Mt. Freeze had very tough Pokémon on the first few floors, mainly Swablu, Shelgon, and Pupitar. But the mad moves of Team PokéPals and Absol swiftly put them to defeat.

Of course, Pupitar's Sand Stream was extremely frustrating, but thankfully, it only lasted to the 5th floor. By this time, Bulbasaur wasn't afraid of bird Pokémon anymore after taking on Articuno personally, so he boldly knocked out the Swablu flocks.

As they climbed, Pokémon such as Vigoroth and Seel started to appear. They were a tad bit more challenging, with their high HP and stats.

On the last few floors, the team battled through Chimecho, Zangoose, Slaking, and Seviper, whose Poison Tail was deadly.

Soon, like every other dungeon they had explored, a rest stop soon appeared, and the team restocked on their items. Then they set off towards the final steps of their journey.

On the last few floors, huge Glalie batted at them like bees after nectar, using Crunch and Hail, an Ice-move that, like sandstorms, took away HP after some steps if you weren't an Ice type.

But, through it all, nothing stopped the noble heroes from climbing up to the peak of the mountain. When they had come to the very highest point of Mt. Freeze, they knew it was the peak.

"Well, we're here," Pikachu decided. Bulbasaur looked around. 'This is the summit…isn't it?" "I wonder where Ninetales could be?" Charmander pondered. Then, they heard voices. "There they are! Thank goodness!" "They are here! I saw Pikachu!" "Excellent!"

Then the four turned to see Team ACT behind them. "Alakazam!" Charmander cried happily. "Thanks for coming!" Alakazam laughed. "It was nothing, really. You are truly a team worth protecting." "Now we can find the truth and see what happens," Charizard.

Tyranitar rubbed his forehead. "Whew," he panted. "This adventure took us all out to the northeastern most part of the world. I can barely contain myself. I'm itching to meet Ninetales." Alakazam then said, "But I regret to say, Pikachu…if Ninetales confirms you are the human in the legend…then…we will have to…"

They knew what he meant. So they decided to wait. And just as it seemed nothing was going to happen, there was a brilliant flash of light, and a voice said, "Welcome, my friends."

Then, when the light cleared, Ninetales stood between the two rescue teams. "Ninetales?!" cried the great leader. "W-what?! Ninetales!" Charizard gasped. "T-that's Ninetales…" Bulbasaur murmured. "The legend…" Tyranitar murmured with disbelief. "It was real…"

Ninetales turned to Alakazam. "Don't worry about anything, my friends," she explained. "You are all my guests. Supper?" Then her nine majestic tails glowed, and a scrumptious feast fit for an emperor came from the ceiling.

"Eat up. We have business to discuss," she said cheerfully. "If I'm correct, that is the reason you came, is it not?" Pikachu nodded.

Ninetales smiled at him, and spread out the sharings of food to the hungry rescue teams. They ate like they had been starved for one year.

When the feast was gorged up, Alakazam asked, "Tell us, Ninetales! Who was the human in your legend?" Then he added, "No, even before that, was the legend itself a true event? Depending on your reply…we will do what is best for the Mystery Dungeon Realm."

Ninetales nodded. "Whether anyone considers my legend to be real or not, I don't care, though I am flattered by your interest. However, it did happen.

"Many years ago, I tried to lay a curse on a human. It was then, however, Gardevoir, the human's partner dashed in. She selflessly bore the horrible brunt of the curse meant for the human. Then, the human did what would be considered a selfish and cowardly thing. He abandoned Gardevoir and fled. The human eventually became a Pokémon. Transformed into a Pokémon, the human…the human lives on."

Then Alakazam asked the ultimate question. "And that human would be? Who is the human that appeared in your legend?" Everyone tensed up.

This was it. Was Pikachu innocent or guilty? Pikachu himself wondered that. He was the most nervous, worried that Ninetales would confirm him as the horrible person, losing him his life and friends.

Finally, Ninetales spoke, "Pikachu…" Pikachu closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. But then he heard, "You may relax. It is not you."

Charmander and Bulbasaur gasped. "Just now…." Charmander asked. "What did you say?" Ninetales smiled, and confirmed, "Pikachu is not the human who appears in my story. That's what I said."

Contented smiles came on the faces of Team ACT. But Charmander and Bulbasaur were so emotional they couldn't even respond. "W-What's happening to me?" sobbed Charmander. "I-I'm too tensed up to move…" "M-me too..." Bulbasaur sobbed. They tried to move, but their emotions forbade it. They coaxed themselves by taking deep breaths.

Then when they were calm, they cheered. "Hooray!" They danced around Pikachu in circles. "I knew it!" Charmander cheered. "I knew Pikachu wasn't involved!" "There's no way Pikachu would do those terrible things!" Bulbasaur agreed. Then they became confused. "Then…who is the human in the legend?" asked Charmander.

Ninetales was grave. "His name is…Gengar." "What?! Gengar?!" cried Bulbasaur. Alakazam was silent. "In that case…it appears the mob was chasing after the wrong person. We should have been after Gengar!"

"That muckraking Gengar!" Tyranitar hissed. "He's not getting away with this! He'd better be ready for it!" Then Alakazam said, "As soon as we are ready, we will head back to Pokémon Square and destroy Gengar!"

Ninetales stepped in front of them. "No, wait," she said. "I have another thing to say. It's true I told of the world's balance becoming unstable. However, the human becoming Gengar and the world's balance are not linked in any way. Gengar is not the cause for the disasters. The real cause for the calamities…it lies elsewhere."

"Whew!" Pikachu sighed. "I'm glad Gengar isn't the cause. Even if he's mean, someone as lousy as Gengar should be let to live. That's punishment enough. But he made up those stories about us…and lots of rescue teams still think us guilty."

"Don't worry son," Charizard laughed, "We'll make sure everyone knows you're innocent." "Son?" asked Charmander. Charizard nodded. Charmander was astounded. He had a father? "D-Dad?" he murmured. "Yes my boy…" Charizard said heavily. "Look at you…part of a rescue team…just like your old man…"

Charmander was confused. "Why don't I remember you from my childhood?" Charizard sighed. "When you were born, I had just been drafted into Team ACT. I was so busy…and when I finally came back for you and your mother…you were both gone." "Because of the disasters…" concluded Charmander. "There is so much I want to tell you…so many questions to ask."

As they went off to a small distance to talk, Alakazam said, "But I must say…you are to be commended for prevailing through this cruel journey and discovering the truth. And for that, your friend has found his father. Impressive, Pikachu."

"Hahahahaha!" Bulbasaur laughed. "I knew we were right!" then Charmander said, "Oh! Wait…Then why did my friend become Pikachu? I understand now that Pikachu isn't the human from the legend…then how do you explain why Pikachu is here?"

Then he asked, "Pikachu…who are you?" Pikachu wondered that same question himself. What was his purpose? And why was he here? He decided to tell his friends he didn't know yet.

But he never got the chance. Just then, a small earthquake shook the peak. "Waah!" squealed Bulbasaur. "The ground's heaving!"

"The world's crust is shifting," Ninetales explained. "The natural calamities are worsening. As we speak, the shifting of the ground will awaken the beast that embodies the ground, the beast that slept deep underground." She then sighed and said, "Groudon will be awakened!"

Alakazam was aghast. "What?! Groudon is rising?!" "What's a Groudon?" asked Pikachu. "A mythical Pokémon that has been spoken of only in myths," explained Alakazam, "It is the Pokémon that raised the land masses and created continents. It is said to have taken to sleep after battles with its archenemy Kyogre."

"If Groudon were to get loose," Ninetales concluded, "There would be chaos. It must be stopped!" "We will go," Team ACT said. "So will us!" Bulbasaur agreed.

But Alakazam said, "No, I'm afraid. You must remain behind. Groudon is far more powerful than any other Pokémon you have ever faced. Leave this to us." "That's how it goes, my son," Charizard said. "You go back home, get a good rest, and continue you rescue work."

Tyranitar added, "Don't worry. We didn't get our Gold rank the easy way. We'll get the job done, and we'll be back before you know it." "Fine," Alakazam declared, "We're off to quell Groudon!" And with that, they left Mt. Freeze.

And thus, Team ACT made their way underground to quell the awakened Groudon, while cleared of all suspicion, Team PokéPals put an end to their long and arduous journey, and returned to their friends and their welcoming rescue team base. They decided tomorrow would be the best day to reveal to the townspeople the truth.

Cool chapter. Really tugs at your emotional strings, don't it?

Sorry if Charmander's relation to Charizard is just shoved in there, but I thought it would add interest.

The story isn't done yet. Tune in tomorrow for another chapter!

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 26

Team PokePals comes home and reveals the truth.

26
The Return Home

Meanwhile, back in Pokémon Square, things were still suspicious. Word of Pikachu's innocence had not yet reached the townspeople, and conflict tore at their real feelings of Pikachu.

Team Meanies had declared themselves the town's "official" rescue team, and still awaited Pikachu's demise. However, all Pikachu's friends, including Caterpie, were not convinced by the evil rescue team's claims, though the townsfolk remained convinced.

On this day, nobody was doing anything, and for Gengar, that was a problem. Two months had gone by since Pikachu's journey as a fugitive took its start, and he still wasn't content that Pikachu was out of his way.

When nobody had said anything for a while, Gengar snapped, "Kekeh! You lot! Why aren't you out there hunting down those miserable fugitives?!"

"That's easy for you to say," Lombre snorted. "It's too much for us." "They say Pikachu's team has gone far into the northeastern territory," Snubbull agreed. "Besides, even if we went, the best we could hope for is maybe the Lapis Cave."

Shiftry joined in. "I had joined the chase," he said grimly. "The others and I were able to get through Lapis Cave, but after we cleared the dungeon, we saw them head into Mt. Blaze." At this he blushed, "For the life of me, I can't go in there. And that's where the others and I lost their trail. I'm a Grass type, see. Fire doesn't agree with me at all. Team ACT went ahead, and no word has come from them. I don't know what happened to them or Pikachu's team after that. But those fugitives…to think that they would risk taking on Mt. Blaze…"

He then burst into a fit of laughs. "They've grown up tough! I can't keep up! Hahahaha!"

This was not amusing to Gengar. "Grrr! You're pathetic!" he snapped. "I thought at least a rescue team leader such as you would have been brave enough to at least try, but now I see the truth! You're nothing but a pathetic loser, just like the rest of this lot!"

That made Lombre mad. "You're so full of big talk! What about you, Gengar and Ekans?! You just hang around in the square and don't do a thing! If you think we're pathetic, why don't you go out there and see what it's like!"

"Yeah!" Shiftry said. "Walk the talk. You three go." Gengar didn't want to be seen as lazy for the sake of his image so he lied, "I told you, we already went! Like Alakazam, we got over Mt. Blaze! Then, because of his kindness, he told us to go back. We didn't want to argue with him, so we obeyed."

"That's a lie!" snapped Snubbull. "When the others were out hunting down Pikachu two months ago, I saw you lounging around Whiscash Pond! I saw you three lazing with my own eyes!" Gengar groaned.

Then he hissed, "Who are you going to believe? A smart guy like me, or a Pokémon that looks like a clown?!" Lombre said, "Snubbull says he saw you. That's good enough for me!"

Gengar hissed. "Grrr! That doesn't matter. We're out of that picture, so our role is to receive word about that blasted Pikachu's demise!" "Tch! Just appointed yourself that…" Lombre complained.

Just then, they heard, "Oh my gosh! Oh my goodness!" Then they turned to see Medicham hopping like mad towards them. "Medicham, What'sss the word?" Ekans asked. "P-Pikachu is-is…" stammered Medicham. Gengar smiled. "Hooray! We're finally rid of Pikachu! Kekekekekeh!"

Medicham was cross that Gengar was jumping to conclusions. "No!" she screamed. "Just the opposite! Pikachu is back!!" Gengar jumped. "Kekeh?! What did you say?!"

Just then, they turned again and saw Team PokéPals standing there, bold, brave, and strong. "H-Hey, over there!" Shiftry cheered. "Pikachu…" Caterpie said with happiness. "Th-they're back…" Snubbull gasped.

Pikachu came forward with his friends. "Hi, everyone!" Pikachu said cheerfully. "We're back! Whew! We finally made it back. We've been gone for so long, that it feels so nostalgic to be back here." "Hey, PokéPals!" Gengar sneered. "Hmm?" Charmander asked, and then said, "Oh, it's you, Team Meanies. It's been a while."

"What's with that smug confidence?" growled Medicham. "Aren't you still fugitives?!" "No!" Bulbasaur said. "In fact, Team Meanies, everything you said was completely wrong! Pikachu was innocent!"

"WHAT?!" Gengar yelled. "Is that so? Hahahaha!" Shiftry laughed. Charmander nodded. "Yup. We met Ninetales and asked. Pikachu isn't the human that appears in the legend." "And we're back…" Pikachu said proudly. "Because we discovered the truth."

Gengar and Team Meanies were horrified. "Ugegegegegegegegegeh!" Then, they had an idea. "Wait!" Gengar said. "You can't be trusted yet. If you're going to make that claim, let's see some proof."

"P-proof?" asked Pikachu. "That's right! Some hard evidence!" Medicham laughed. "Let'sss sssee sssome proof!" Ekans hissed cheerfully. Pikachu groaned. "We don't have any proof…" "Kekekekekekekeh! It's too bad you don't have proof!" Gengar cackled evilly. "And you came back for us…just so we could get rid of you easier! How conveniently foolish! Kekekekeh!"

Then he turned to the others. "Now, fellow Pokémon, here's your chance to get rid of Pikachu's team! Kekekekekeh!" And they instantly attacked. Team PokéPals wasn't prepared, so they took some nasty damage. And just as Team Meanies was about to lay the final blow, the entire town attacked the Meanies and threw them off the heroes.

"Kekeh?! What's wrong with you?!" Gengar cried. "I thought you wanted to be rid of them!" Caterpie came up. "I always believed in Pikachu and his friends!" he said bravely. "You don't fool me! Oh! And I reject the offer to be on your lousy team!" Gengar growled.

Then they heard Shiftry. "I'm out," he said. "I was saved by Pikachu's team before. I followed with a heavy heart because of your urging…but now, I just can't think of Pikachu being bad in any way." Team Meanies jumped. They couldn't believe what they were hearing. "I've heard enough! I believe Team PokéPals too!" Lombre said. "Yeah! That's right! Who needs proof?!" Snubbull said.

"Ugegegegegeh!" cried Gengar. "Oh nononononono!" Medicham wailed. "Hissssssssss!" hissed Ekans. Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur were astounded. "E-Everyone…Thank you!" they all said.

Then they heard something. A Pelipper was flying high saying, "Extra! Extra! Read all about it!" Then he dropped several newspapers, several of which fell on Team Meanies, giving them headaches. Then he flew away.

"Pokémon News!" Pikachu said. "Okay," Lombre offered. "I'll read it out loud." Here's what it said:

< Pokémon News>
==EXTRA==
Pikachu Innocent!
"Pikachu met with Ninetales under the watchful eye of Alakazam, and proved he had nothing to do with the human in the legend. As a result, Gengar's claims in the square two months ago were found to be malicious lies. Further confirmation on that statement came when special investigators searched their hideout and found plans for overthrowing Pikachu. Also, we wish to report that Team Meanies is not a rescue team. They are actually a group of evil Pokémon that seek to take over the Mystery Dungeon Realm.
END

After reading that, the townsfolk angrily turned to Gengar. "Ugegegegegegegegegegegegegegeh!" the Ghost Pokémon cried. "You rotten…" Lombre hissed. "Kekeh! RUN!" Gengar screamed. And Team Meanies ran away panicking. "Stop, you liar! You conned us!" And they charged after him.

"Owowowowow! Owowowowowowow!" Screams of pain came from the pond. Meanwhile, Caterpie said, "Welcome back!" "Yup," Bulbasaur said. "We're back just like we promised. Plus, I'm not afraid of Bird Pokémon any more!" "And Charizard of ACT is my dad!" Charmander said. "Cool," Caterpie said with a smile. "You'll have to tell me all about it."

Pikachu agreed. "Yeah, we will!" Then he said, "I'm bushed up. Let's get some sleep. Our rescue team gets revived tomorrow! Let's try to do our best!"

Just then they heard, "Excuse me?" They saw Absol. "Did I hear somebody say they wanted proof?" Everyone just laughed.

And so the heroic rescue team career of Pikachu, Charmander, and Bulbasaur begins again! But more questions remain. Will Team ACT return from their Groudon mission? Will Pikachu discover why he became a Pokemon? And what evil plan will Team Meanies be cooking up next?

All these questions will be revealed as the story continues!

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 27

Well, it's good to see that Team PokePals won't have any trouble with the Meanies. But don't think that this is going to be any other normal chapter. After all, can you ever recount a chapter where nothig was going on?

27
Gardevoir's Role

After that, Team PokéPals returned to their rescue work, gaining even more rescue points and rewards that satisfied their needs. Pikachu was glad to be back as a hero again. Best of all, he was doing it with the friends that mattered to him most.

One night, while Pikachu rested, like before, he found himself in that same green room. "It's that dream again," he said, "It's sure been a long time since I've had one of these."

Then he saw the silhouette of Gardevoir appearing. "Hi, Gardevoir," Pikachu said. Then, she became completely clear to Pikachu. "Hello to you too, Pikachu," she said.

Pikachu decided to ask what he had been thinking about for quite some time now. "Gardevoir, there's so much I want to ask you," he said, "First of all, why do you appear in my dreams?" "As an agent of spirits," responded Gardevoir, "I must watch over you, because that is my role now."

Pikachu was confused. "An agent of spirits?" "Yes," nodded Gardevoir. "I fell under the curse of Ninetales in the place of a human boy, and became a presence without a physical form like this." "Human boy? You mean the human in the legend about Ninetales? It's awful that he would abandon you and run away."

"Well, it wasn't that bad, honestly. My Trainer was mainly a nice person. Brave and aspiring…my Trainer was really a good person, honestly." Then she said, "And I don't hate my Trainer." "Huh?" Pikachu asked. "Don't hate your Trainer? Why not?"

Gardevoir considered that. "Well…I wonder why myself. I don't quite understand. My Trainer could have abandoned me out of spite, but…I can't bring myself to feel hatred. My Trainer could be stubborn and moody, but his good qualities defined his character. And when it happened, I was so desperate…"

Pikachu asked, "When it happened? You mean Ninetales's curse?" Gardevoir nodded. "I protected my Trainer from Ninetales's curse with my entire being. If our Trainer is facing danger, it is our duty to protect the Trainer with our lives. We Gardevoir are that way. Anyways, I kept my Trainer safe. That was enough to make me happy."

"To protect the human boy even at the risk of your own life," Pikachu said with awe. "It's amazing what you did, Gardevoir. I'm sorry for what happened." Gardevoir blushed. "Oh, I must admit, I don't mind the form which I have taken. I live on this way with pride in the role I have been given."

"Role?" asked Pikachu. "Yes. All things have a role. They all serve a purpose. And, in fact, just as I have my own part to play in the Mystery Dungeon Realm, you too have a role to fulfill. You have come to perform a certain role. And for that role…you became a Pokémon." "What?" asked Pikachu. "I have a role?"

Just then, an earthquake began to shake the dream. "Quake!" Pikachu gasped. Just then, Gardevoir began to fade.

"No, wait!" Pikachu cried. "I need to know more!" But she was gone, and morning now approached him.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 28

Here we continue our story of our heroes in this new chapter, where a new exciting mission is assigned to Pikachu and his friends!

28
Wynaut's Mission

The next morning, Pikachu got up. "There was an earthquake a little while ago…" he recalled. "I had that dream again. And I spoke with Gardevoir. I think she said something important."

Then he remembered. "She did say something!" She said that he had a certain role to fill, and for that role, he transformed into Pikachu. "She knows why I became a Pokémon!" he concluded. "She also said something about a role…what did she mean by that?"

That question stayed with him for quite a while. When he went out that morning, he saw Charmander and Bulbasaur. "Good morning, Pikachu!" they said. Then Charmander noticed Pikachu's confused expression.

"What's the matter?" he asked. "Is something wrong?" Then he guessed, "Oh, I get it! That earthquake earlier!" "You're worried about the same thing I am," Bulbasaur said. "We should've guessed." Then Pikachu said, "Alakazam's team hasn't come back yet, and I'm a little worried. I wonder what Groudon must be like?"

Then he shrugged it off. "But Alakazam's team is tough. They should get the job done." "Anyways," Charmander said, "We agreed to let them and Dad handle Groudon. We don't have any choice except to wait for them to come back." "So, let's do our part and try our best!" Bulbasaur added to support.

Even after the missions they had done over the last few days, the team had been off their work for quite some time as fugitives, so they were eager to head to the Pelipper Post Office when they heard, "Hello!"

From the east they saw a Wynaut and a Wobbuffett walking towards them. "Hi, there!" the Wynaut said. "I'm Wynaut, and this is…" "Wobbuffet!" the Wobbuffett. "We have a notice on the bulletin board outside at the Pelipper Post Office," Wynaut explained. "Please look at it for us. Please help us. We have to go now." And the two Pokémon left.

"What was that all about?" asked Bulbasaur. Charmander thought. "That boy…did he say he was Wynaut?" "I think he wanted us to look at the Bulletin Board at the Pelipper Post Office," Pikachu said. "Maybe Wynaut and his friend have a problem on their hands," Bulbasaur suggested. "Only thing to do is check the Bulletin Board," Charmander said.

So they headed over. On the way, they noticed the townsfolk were becoming a little worried. Alakazam's team hadn't come back yet and nobody had explored the Magma Cavern before. But they believed the job would soon be done.

At the Post Office, the Bulletin Board's last job was a rescue job entitled: "Punish bad Mankey". The client was Wynaut, so they accepted. Just as they did, Wynaut and Wobbuffet came.

"There was a job that read, 'Punish bad Mankey'," Pikachu said. "Did you two put up that job?"

Wynaut nodded. "A bad Mankey gang is going wild in our forest. Everyone is upset." "Wobbuffet!" said Wobbuffet. "We don't know why they rampage around," Wynaut said, "But they are always angry and attack everyone they see!"

"Oh, that is a problem…" Bulbasaur murmured. "We'll do your job." "Thank you!" Wynaut cried happily.

The place where the Mankey gang was wreaking havoc on the people was revealed to be the Uproar Forest, and Team PokéPals set off for the dungeon as soon as possible.

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 29

And so begins the mission in the Uproar Forest to quell the wild Mankeys that dwell in its depths. Enjoy!

29
Mankey Troubles

Uproar Forest only had 10 floors, so after what Team PokéPals had been through, they got through the dungeon pretty quickly.

On the first few floors, they put up fights against the Supersonic-loving Venonats and cowardly Aipoms. They found lots of Green Gummies and devoured them, to raise their already high IQ and save belly energy.

As they later progressed, they found themselves against Seedots and Roselias. But Charmander's Fire techniques smote them very quickly. On the last two floors before the tenth, they battled Nuzleafs and Mankeys, and decided to recruit one.

It showed them to the stairs, and they came to the 10th floor. But first, they got two Chestnuts.

At the end of the room were three Mankeys. "Hunh?" one of them snapped. "Who are you?" "We don't like to brag or nothing, but…" said another. "We get furious real easy, you know that?!" said the third.

"What really irritates us is when we see some dim-witted face…" "Wrooooar! That vacant expression…" "Gwoooh! It's ticking me off! I'm seein' red!" "Mukeeeeh! Get em'! It's frenzy time!"

But this, I regret to say, was the most pathetic battle. Pikachu took out the first Mankey with Quick Attack, then the second one, and finally, the third. As soon as they were taken down, the team left the Uproar Forest.

Back at the team base, the team explained all. "Like we promised, we showed the Mankey gang they shouldn't monkey around," Pikachu said. "That should teach them not to be so wild." "Everyone, thank you for everything, really!" said Wynaut with gratitude. "Wobbuffet!"

"In reward for your kindness," said Wynaut, "Here's our thanks!" He came up to them and gave them a peeled Chestnut.

Charmander was confused. "A peeled Chestnut?" "Yes," said Wynaut looking at his feet in embarrassment. "You see, we…don't have any money. So… this Chestnut is the best reward we can give to you. Are you disappointed?"

"Oh, no!" said Bulbasaur to cover their expressions. "We're fine with this, really. Peeled Chestnuts are delicious!" "Yeah!" Pikachu said. "Thanks for the Chestnut! It's really tasty!" "I think they're awesome!" said Charmander.

A little money would have been most rewarding, but Team PokéPals were the nice sort, and didn't complain.

Just then, somebody snapped, "Hey, you!" They turned and saw the three huffing Mankeys behind them at the entrance outside of the town. "Aw, no! The Mankey gang is back!" Pikachu groaned. "That Mankey gang…" Bulbasaur pondered, "Did they chase us here to get us back?"

The three Mankeys hopped towards them. "That's right, you!" hissed the leader. "You got lucky! Don't mess with the Mankey Brothers!" "We're not gonna lose this time! We'll pulverize you!" "Mukeeeeh! Get them!" They prepared to pound down Team PokéPals when they stopped and hesitated.

Then, they backed off, amazed. "Whoa! Look at that!" "It's A Chestnut! For real!" "It is! And it's peeled!" "Huh?" Charmander said. Then, the three Mankeys huddled up and began discussing something. They seemed really serious about their conversation.

Then, they turned and said, "Hey, you two. You got something we'd really want to have. That yummy peeled Chestnut…can we have it, please? We love those Chestnuts! In fact, we love them so much, that we can't think of a life without Chestnuts!"

"Aren't there Chestnuts in the Uproar Forest?" asked Pikachu. "Yes, well…" replied the leader, "You know how Chestnuts have that spiky shell? It hurts our poor paws trying to peel those things. And when we can't get it open, we end up losing our tempers. And that's why we're asking. Could we please have that Chestnut? We'll do anything you want, honestly."

"What do you think, Pikachu?" asked Bulbasaur. "Yeah," chimed in Charmander. "Should we give our peeled Chestnut to those Mankey Brothers?" Pikachu thought. "They said they'd do anything we want, so…" Then an idea came to him. "Guys, I've got an excellent plan!"

Then he said, "Hey, Mankey gang! How are you with physical labor and stuff?" "Physical labor?" the leader asked. "You mean muscle work? Well, we're not usually into working, but…if it's for that peeled Chestnut, I suppose we have a bargain."

Pikachu shared his plan with the others. "Okay! This is what we'll do!" Charmander said. "We were going to make our rescue team base more impressive than this. If you're willing to help us with the construction, we could give you this peeled Chestnut. How does that sound?"

The Mankey Brothers began to have a discussion. And finally, they said, "Okay! We'll help!" "Thank you!" Bulbasaur said cheerfully. "We'll carry in the materials and get the place built double-quick!" In return, the Chestnut was handed over.

"Me, too! I'll help also!" said a voice. Caterpie came rushing over. "I'll spit silk for gluing things together!" "We'll assist as well!" Wynaut said. "I felt bad because we could only give you a peeled Chestnut as your reward, so I'm going to give you a hand!" "Wobbuffet!"

"Thanks, everybody!" Charmander said. "Let's get a move on!" the Mankey Brothers said, and the construction of the rescue team base began.

Everything is really coming together for Team PokePals, isn't it? Next chapter, we'll deal with a more serious decision made by the town about a recent dilemna...

 

[jb0000612]

Chapter 30

30
Recent Change

Several days later, the base was looking a lot more impressive. Pikachu's face was at the top of the entrance. Materials were scattered around the base for construction. "Wow," said Bulbasaur. "Our base is coming along quickly." "Wobbuffet!"

"We owe everyone for this, really!" Pikachu said thankfully. "But there's still lots to do," said Caterpie. "There are still tasks we have to complete in order to rush the completion of the base along."

"That's true," Pikachu agreed, "But we're getting closer, right, Mankey gang? Soon our base will be finished!"

The Mankeys were happy to have done their part, but they still felt something. They got together and had a discussion. "Well…" said the leader, "That Chestnut you gave us was worth a lot, but…we think that if we're going to work some more, we need some more motivation."

"Motivation?" asked Charmander. "Yup," said the leader. "We'd like some more peeled Chestnuts, if you don't mind. They've just the energy we need if we're going to keep working on your rescue team base, okay? Until then, we'll just be sitting here." And they plopped down for a rest.

Seeing that the Mankey gang wouldn't work unless they got more Chestnuts, Team PokéPals agreed to bring them more Chestnuts. Of course, that meant at least one trip to Uproar Forest.

They weren't in any hurry to complete the base, so they took their time needed, gaining more rescue points and rewards. They also took on new dungeons at the Makuhita Dojo.

One morning, while Pikachu was sleeping, a small quake shook the earth. "Oh, great! Another earthquake?" groaned Pikachu. Finally, the shaking settled, and the quake stopped.

"Whew! It settled down!" sighed Pikachu with relief. "There've been so many earthquakes lately. Shouldn't Team ACT have stopped Groudon by now?"

When he went outside, he saw Charmander and Bulbasaur standing there. "Morning!" Bulbasaur said. "Seems like both of you are up early. I was so terrified of that earthquake that I rushed right out of the Beau Plains very quickly."

"It's hard to get a decent night's sleep with so many earthquakes," agreed Pikachu.

Then they heard, "Hey!" They looked and saw Lombre running from the square toward them. "Hi, Lombre!" said Charmander. "What's the matter? "We need you three at the square!" Lombre panted. "Everyone's gathered around."

"Is there something wrong?" asked Pikachu. "Well, I'm not so sure myself, but I do know that Shiftry's calling everyone out. C'mon!" And they all left off for the square.

When they arrived, Team PokéPals was amazed. "Wow! Look at all those Pokémon!" Bulbasaur said with awe. "Looks like they sent out a lot of rescue teams for help," said Lombre. "I've seen some pretty famous leaders from faraway places."

That statement was true. Leaders like Meganium of Team Forester and Raichu of Team Swift had gathered in Pokémon Square to hear what the business was. They wondered what Shiftry was planning to do with all them.

Shiftry looked out at the magnanimous crowd. "Can I get everyone's attention?" he called.

He did. Aipom stopped picking his nose. Pinsir and Scyther stopped arguing about which was stronger.

When all eyes were on him, Shiftry blushed. "I, uh…it's not my style to get in front of everyone like this, and…"

Silence was upon them, except for a Nincada chirping. The crowd looked at it, and it stopped. Shiftry decided to deliver the news.

"Sorry, there's no time for that!" he said. "There's big trouble! Alakazam's team went underground to confront Groudon…but they haven't returned!" The crowd burst into shock. "W-what?! Is that true?!"

"Yes, unfortunately…" Shiftry sighed. "Team ACT went underground to quell the mighty Groudon, and that's it. We haven't picked up any communication from them. To be honest, we have no idea what became of them." The crowd discused the news amongst themselves.

"No idea?! How is that possible?! This is Alakazam we're talking about?" "But they haven't come back yet! That's for real!" "That's true, and it sounds like Groudon is out of our league." "That so-called Pokémon Groudon…is it really that tough? Heh!" "Why don't you just go underground and see for yourself?" "Hunh?! You gotta be kidding me!" "There's magma flowing everywhere underground. Our team would burn up if we went anywhere like that."

"Quiet, please!" Shiftry said to regain control. "Yes, due to the circumstances, we have deduced that it is very dangerous underground. It's not just a place where anyone can go. That's why I asked so many rescue teams here today. I propose that a special team be formed by choosing the best of the best. Those Pokémon, known as Team Groudon S.W.A.T, will make their way underground to quell Groudon and save Team ACT."

The rescue teams began to chat. "Who will step forward?" asked Shiftry. "Who among us will be the ones to take on the challenges underground?"

Pikachu instantly saw this as a great opportunity. "Let's go underground!" he said. "Yeah, we'll save Team ACT!" Charmander said with encouragement. Bulbasaur was a bit nervous, but he said, "Yeah, we'll go!" They started to come up, but Lombre stopped them. "Don't bother right now," he said.

"Hey, what's the big idea?!" snapped Bulbasaur. "You guys may have gotten a lot tougher," Lombre said, "That's for sure. But there's always someone stronger than you."

Shiftry was becoming discouraged. "Will no one step forward?!" he cried. Then a voice said, "I'll go." The crowd turned and saw a big blue burly Pokémon inside a shell with water shooters come forward.

"Whoa! It's Blastoise!" "You mean Team Hydro's roughneck Blastoise?!" "Those waterspouts on his back can rocket water so fast that it punches through hard steel!" Blastoise spoke. "It's rumored that Groudon is a Ground type. I am a Water type. Strong against the Ground type," he boomed. "My Hydro Pump will put Groudon down in one shot."

"I'll join the party as well." Everyone saw an octopus-like Pokémon slither up. "Woohoo! It's Octillery! She's Team Constrictor's leader. She's known for persistent and clingy attacks. She ensnares foes with her tentacles, then head-butts them! She'd be nasty to face in any battle of endurance." Octillery slithered next to Blastoise and said to the corwd, "Darlings, when I see a tough Pokémon, I want to tangle with them."

Shiftry nodded. "Yes, it's looking good so far. But the underground dungeon is teeming with Rock-types as well as Fire. We'll need an undergrounder for this mission."

"Say, how about not forgetting about me?" The crowd saw a rocky turtle like Pokémon trudge up. "Wow! Golem! He's the most brutal out of Team Rumblerock! His body is rock hard, which helps him endure strong earthquakes." "If Groudon's awakened underground, that suits me fine," Golem grunted, "I'll use my Rock Throw to keep it buried underground."

Shiftry was obviously impressed. "Oh, Blastoise! Octillery! And Golem! No one could complain about your selection! Fine, then! Team Groudon S.W.A.T will head underground to battle Groudon!"

"Yeah! Good choice!" the crowd cheered. "You're representing us! Make us proud!" "Let's go!" said Blastoise, and they headed off for the Magma Cavern. "Win it for us! Save Team ACT!"

After they had left and everyone was leaving the scene, Lombre said, "See? They look pretty tough, eh? Let them handle things." Charmander sighed. "It can't be helped, guys."

"Thanks to Lombre," humphed Bulbasaur. Pikachu sighed. The team had been chosen. All they could do was wait for what came next.

So Team Groudon SWAT is now in a mission that even the great Alakazam has not completed. Can they really come through? And what will Pikachu do in the time that they're not busy? Find out more tomorrow.

 

[lilninjapig]

Yikes, Chapter 30 already! I still wish they had a Squirtle on the team, though...

 

[jb0000612]

Yeah...

Y'know, I was considering that too. Squrtle is cute, and that probably would have been a good Pokemon to put in there. I just thought Bulbasaur would be best, since I can introduce a whole other story to him.

Since I'm not posting Chap 31 'till tomorrow, you guys wanna talk about the story so far?