The Pokémon League

  When we last left our hero, he and Sara had opened an unofficial gym inside the Viridian Forest. But being only a gym leader is beginning to bore our young hero and he makes plans to embark on another adventure. And now…

  “Go Rattata, you’re my last chance!” A small purple rat stood in front of the little girl. Her other pokémon, a Pidgey, was recovering inside its pokéball. Icy recalled Wiggler and floated Buttercup’s pokéball into the field.
  “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Buttercup!” The small, green Butterfree fluttered above the ground.
  “Go Rattata, tackle it now!” Rattata charged toward Buttercup.
  “Throw it back with whirlwind Buttercup!” She flapped her colorful wings hard blowing the Rattata back towards its trainer.
  “C’mon Rattata, use your quick attack and pin that Butterfree to the ground.”
  “Buttercup, psybeam now!” Rattata wasn’t more than a foot off the ground before met to beam of energy head on. It fell to the ground helplessly. “Buttercup return. Good match Kelly. Just keep training and by the time you get to Pewter City, you’ll get to add your name to the long list of trainers who’ve humiliated Brock.”
  Kelly tried to giggle but her thoughts were transfixed on her pokémon. Icy sensed her feelings and handed her a few potions. “Thank you Icy. Bye Sara!” Sara waved good-bye, as did her golden Butterfree whom she named, Aura.
  “You fought well that match Icy. Wiggler is really getting strong.”
  “Yahh…”
  “What’s wrong?”
  “I don’t know. I thought I had everything, but, something’s missing.”
  “You’re bored right?”
  “Uh huh.”
  “Well, maybe this will interest you. Lance, from the Elite 4, emailed you this earlier today. She handed Icy the memo.
Dear Icy,
  I would be honored to invite you to compete against the Elite 4 and me. Please visit us at the Indigo Plateau. I’ve already taken care of housing arrangements.

Lance
  “Hmm. An invitation to compete in the Pokémon League. What do you think Sara?”
  She laughed as she nodded. She had already packed for the trip. “Let’s go!”
  “Ok. We’ll ride Cyber there. Come out Cyber!” Icy’s Porygon materialized. “Run program, Land Rover Conversion, Cyber.” Cyber glowed as it rearranged its code. After a really neat light show, Cyber had transformed into a small car. Icy and Sara hopped in and drove off the Indigo Plateau.

  Meanwhile, at the Pokémon League HW, Lance was addressing the other members of the Elite 4. “You won’t talk back to me Bruno.”
  “Lance, you can’t just let the kid have a free ride past us, it’s against the rules.”
  “I make the rules here! Let Icy win, and make it look easy. I want to really test him.”
  “Losing is not my specialty Lance, but if that’s what it takes to please you, then so be it. You just better be careful how many enemies you want to make.”
  “Please Lorelei, enough empty threats. Just get Icy up to me.”
  “And what if he wins?”
  “That’s impossible…” Lance drew his cape and left the room. The others discussed the issue.
  “Forget it. Lance has gone too far this time. Something smells foul here. I’m not purposely losing a match to some silly kid.”
  “Agreed. If Lance wants to get to battle this Icy fellow, he’ll have to beat us three first.”
  “Count me in too. I’m not standing up for his oppressiveness anymore.” The three elite trainers left the conference room.

  By now, Icy and Sara were only a few moments from the entrance to Indigo Plateau. A guard stopped them. “I’m sorry, but only trainers with eight badges may enter Indigo Plateau.” Icy showed the guard his badges and the letter from Lance. “Oh, you’re Icy. Yes. Your apartment suite is just down that road to the right. Third on the left.” Icy thanked the guard and drove to the apartment.
  “Wow, these sure are nice accommodations,” Icy said examining the inside of the room. Sara unpacked. A computer was in the corner of the main room and a TV in the bedroom.
  “So, when do you get to battle to Elite 4?”
  “It says I need to sign up tomorrow in the Grand Stadium.” Icy put down the card and turned on the computer. It greeted him with a message similar to that that was on the card. It also gave to times of all the events happening. “Well, looks like the fun starts tomorrow.” They went to bed immediately afterward being worn out from the trip.
  That next morning, Icy was awoken by the cries of a Dodrio. “Those things are sooooo annoying,” he thought. He woke Sara and they went to the café for breakfast. When they got there, they found many other trainers there too.
  “They must be here to challenge the Elite 4 too,” Sara said. Many of the trainers were much better built and broader than Icy making him look very small. One of the larger one’s walked over to him.
  “Hey, ain’tch you dat pikachtu keed?” The man was obviously up all night drinking and still had a good amount of alcohol in him to stay drunk. Icy just nodded and turned away quickly.
  He and Sara got their breakfast and sat at a table in the back for two. After finishing, they went to the Grand Stadium to sign up. A match was already in progress. Icy decided he’d better learn all he could about the Elite 4 before actually battling them.
  “Go Lapras!” Lorelei commanded. The challenger sent out a Raichu. Icy stared at the Raichu for a sec. Perhaps not all his Pikachu emotions had been purged yet. “Lapras, blizzard attack!” It began to snow heavily over Raichu. It looked quite confused but its trainer was still sharp.
  `”Raichu, thunderbolt now!” The large electric mouse regained its focus and zapped Lapras with every drop of electricity it could muster. Lapras fainted, but moments after the trainer had been declared the winner, his Raichu fainted as well. The trainer took out some revives and potions to recover his pokémon.
  “The league rule for battle the Elite 4 state that you must defeat them all in order at one time. You only choose one set of six pokémon.”
  “Ok. Where do I sign mis?” The clerk point to a line with an ‘X’ on it and Icy signed up. “What time do I get to battle them?”
  “Let’s see…” She punched some commands into the computer. “Look’s like you’re scheduled for at 2:00.”
  “Ok. Thanks!” Icy and Sara went back to apartment. Icy took out all of his pokéballs, setting the caterpies to the side. They were now inside green colored pokéballs called, “Forestballs”.
  “I wonder what pokémon I should use. You can only select six. Hmm…” Sara thought with him.
  “How many, Hyper?” Icy nodded and set Hyper’s pokéball aside. He also found Buttercup’s pokéball and placed it beside Hyper’s.
  “Ok, I’ve got a dragon and a psychic/bug type, what else.” Icy snapped his fingers. “Almost forgot!” He took Hocus’ pokéball and added it to the set. “I’ll need Hocus. Hmm, that’s three…”
  “How about Cyber? That triple attack illusion thing is sure to win.” Icy agreed and placed the ball with the others. “Ok, two more, right?”
  “Right. Let’s see. Who to pick? Who to pick?”
  “Are you going to use any of your Caterpies?”
  “No. They won’t stand a chance against these trainers. It’s too bad I don’t have any fire pokémon. A Charizard would crème all of them, hehehe…” Sara just rolled her eyes. “Hmmm, maybe not…”
  “We still need to pick two more. What about your Pidgey or Spearow? Are they any good?”
  “Too weak… Oh, I know! I’ll take Leafy.” Icy put his Gloom’s pokéball with the others. “That leaves just one more…”
  “Ehem…” Sara said clearing her throat as she held Static’s pokéball out in her hand. “Take Static, a pikachu. If not for the look, for its electric attacks.”
  “Right. Good idea. Well, that’s six.”
  “I heard there’s a training center in town where you can practice. I’ll go the store and buy you some potions and other healers for the matches.” She ran off towards the Pokémart mega store while Icy put back the pokéballs he wasn’t going to use. He attached his six chosen pokéballs to his belt and headed for the trainer arena.
  As he entered through the double glass doors, Icy saw a few different trainers all working with their pokémon. A poster in the back of the room caught Icy’s eye.
  “ELIMINATION STYLE TORNAMENT to be held NEXT WEEK with whoever is TOUGH enough to DEFEAT the ELITE FOUR. There can only be ONE TRUE POKEMON MASTER! Sign up after you DEFEAT the ELITE, if you can!”
  “Cool, maybe I’ll get to compete in that,” Icy thought to himself. “Well, time stands for no one, cept, ahh, never mind… Come out Hocus!” The wise Kadabra materialized in front of its master looking down. “Hocus, up here…”
  Hocus sweatdropped. “Oh… right… I forgot,” said the not-so-wise Kadabra as he lifted his head. “Where are we? This doesn’t look much like a gym.”
  “It’s not, it’s a training arena. I need you all in great shape before the big battle.” Hocus tilted his head in confusion. Icy had never gotten around to informing his pokémon about fighting against the Elite 4. “I’m sorry, I signed up to go against the Elite 4 Hocus. You are in my lineup.”
  “I see. Well, who’s my sparing partner?” Icy pushed a few buttons on a computer and a Porygon rolled over. “This?” The Porygon emitted a bright green beam producing a holographic Machamp. “Oh, ha! Even easier!” The Machamp made the first move smashing Hocus into Icy.
  “Owww… Ugh… Get off me Hocus…”
  “Sorry master. Hmph, I’ll show that overgrown brute.” Hocus used a couple of psybeams and made short work of the Machamp. “Told ya, piece of cake.” Icy’s other pokémon fought against other holopokes the porygon created. Icy had them stop around 1:15 so they could go to be healed and get some rest.
  Icy brought his pokéballs up to Nurse Joy who took them to be regenerated. Then, he stopped by the local diner where Sara was waiting there.
  “Something told me I should wait here for you. Strange huh?” Icy merely smiled and gave her a soft kiss. “Hehe, stop it. Not in public.”
  “Huh… Why not? You didn’t mind it when we were pikachu…” Sara sighed as Icy kissed her hand.
  “Well, what shall we eat?” she asked pulling her hand away.
  “Ummm, I don’t know. These decisions were mush easier when we were pikachu… Oh well. I think I’m just going to have a salad. You want one too? The people at the arena said they are very good.”
  “Ok, I’ll try it”
  “My pokémon are still at the pokécenter in the arena.”
  “Oh, did someone get hurt?”
  “Nah, not much. But they were pretty worn out. Don’t wanna pull an Ash Ketchum during a battle by sending out a worn out pokémon…” Many people standing nearby starting laughing hysterically. “Hmm, was it something I said?” They finished laughing and resumed their previous actions.
  Icy and Sara picked up their lunch, paid, and sat at a table next to the window. “This city is so beautiful. Everything here is so well kept.”
  “Yeah. Too bad we can’t live here. I think it’s reserved for the trainers competing and the staff. But, it would be nice…” Icy looked at his watch, “1:37,” it read. They finished their meals and headed back to the pokécenter inside the training arena. Icy pokémon were anxiously awaiting the return of their master. He gave them all a big group hug, something he hadn’t been able to do for quite some time.
  “Ok guys. This is what we’ve trained for our whole lives. This day. The day when we would come up against those trainers people called the best. But we are stronger than them. We can beat them. I know you all have it in you to make me a Pokémon Master. So, are you all ready to take on the Elite Four and win?” They all cried out in acknowledgement. “Alright then, let’s go show them what we’ve got!” They cheered again. Icy returned them all to their pokéballs and headed with Sara to the Grand Stadium.
  “Think they’ll let me watch from the field with you Icy?” Sara asked.
  Icy shrugged. “Don’t know. Just ask the official when we get there if you can. But you can always cheer me on from the stands.” When they got to the stadium, an official checked Icy’s appointment and his pokéballs. Sara asked her question.
  “You can watch your friend from the fan section on the sidelines miss.” Sara was pleased and the official led them both in.
  “Well Lorelei… time for Icy. Remember, forget about Lance. Just get it over with fast so we…” She quickly nodded to Bruno. He stopped talking and left her to go to the battle.
  “Now entering the stadium, the next challenger, from Saffron City, please welcome, Icy!” The crowd cheered. “Icy, as many of you already know, was once a pikachu due to a scheme by the notorious Team Rocket. He is now the gym leader of his Bug Gym in the Viridian Forest. His first opponent this afternoon will be Lorelei! Let the game begin!” Lorelei stepped into her trainer’s box and prepared to start the battle.
  “You don’t look so tough. This will be easy. Go Lapras!” Her Lapras appeared on the field.
  “In that case… Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Static!” Icy’s pikachu took the field. “Thunderbolt now!”
  “Ice beam now!” Lapras charged her ice beam while Static prepared to use its thunderbolt. Something told him to wait for Lapras. She made the first move by firing her beam of ice directly for Static.
  “Piiiiiiiiiii-kaaaaaaaaaa-CHUUUUUUUUUHHHUUUUUUHUUUUU!” Static shouted firing the thunderbolt. It sliced through the ice beam and hit lapras. Unfortunately, the ice and weakened the lightning bolt so much that it hardly damaged lapras.
  “Alright Static, agility now!” Static quickly headed for Lapras.
  “Mist attack Lapras.” Suddenly, Static for himself in an icy cloud of haze. “Tackle it Lapras.” Static was completely unprepared when Lapras smashed him down the field with a heavy blow to the back.
  “Agh! Static return. Icy calls, Leafy!” Lorelei laughed. “You won’t be smiling much longer! Leafy, posionpowder attack now.”
  “What the…” Lapras was poisoned.
  “Ok, leech life now!” Leafy sucked Lapras’ hit points dry.
  “Ouuuu… you win that round. Go Dewgong! Use your aurora beam attack now!” Leafy stepped back. The colorful beam threw her back towards Icy.
  “Oh… Leafy… C’mon… I know! Leafy, solar beam!” Leafy began taking in sunlight. Good thing they were battling during the day.
  “Don’t let it charge fully. Ice beam!” Dewgong’s horn glowed blue as a sphere of ice appeared above it. “FIRE!”
  “FIRE!” The intense heat of the solar beam melted right through Dewgong’s ice beam and torched it. Dewgong flopped around in pain.
  “That’s impossible!” Lorelei muttered. Sara cheered Icy on from the sidelines. “Ouuu… Dewgong return. This time, you’re through Icy. I call, Cloyster!”
  Leafy was getting tired. She had used most of her energy on the solar beam. Now, her opponent was almost 4 times stronger than her.
  “Stun spore now.” Leafy tried spraying Cloyster but it withdrew into its shell.
  “You can’t beat my Cloyster. Not that easily.”
  Meanwhile, from atop a balcony overlooking the entire field, Lance was beginning to anger. “What the h*** does she think she’s doing? D*** her! She’s not supposed to beat him.”
  “Cloyster, aurora beam!” Cloyster opened its shell and blasted Leafy right towards Icy.
  “Aghh! Leafy return!” he screamed quickly. She was sucked into the pokéball seconds before she would have hit Icy in the face.
  “Well folks, the score is now tied at 2!” Sara jumped up and down cheering for her boyfriend.
  Meanwhile, Icy worried about who to choose next. Lorelei only had 2 more pokémon left after Cloyster. “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Hyper!” The adorable yet powerful Dratini slithered onto the field.
  “Ha! You foolish boy. Watch as Cloyster sends your dratini back to the Ice Age!”
  Icy realized his grave error. “Oh crap!” He wanted to hit himself on the head, but determined there would be plenty of time for that later. “Ok, agility now!”
  “Cloyster, turn that worm into a popsicle with your ice beam.” Cloyster fired the frozen ray at Hyper but was too slow for him. “C’mon Cloyster, hit it!” It fired and missed again.
  Icy telepathically ordered Hyper to charge its Hyper Beam. After Cloyster missed Hyper for the fifth time in a row, Hyper lunged into the air and nailed Cloyster with a blinding hyper beam. Cloyster immediately fainted while Hyper began recovering from the energy drain.
  “Cloyster return. You just got lucky that time. I call, Jynx!” The crowd immediately turned in disgust. “Oh put a lid on it…” Jynx herself lowered her head in shame.
  “Hyper return! I call, Cyber!” Icy’s porygon appeared in front of jynx. “Double Team attack Cyber! Sharpen and tackle that horrid monster!” Icy had suddenly got a huge adrenalin rush it seemed. The Jynx didn’t know what to do as the three Porygons crashed into it.
  “Jynx, don’t just stand there, blizzard attack!” The snow froze the two porygon clones leaving just the original one.
  “That won’t help you much. Cyber, psybeam now!” Cyber defeated the Jynx with just one well-aimed psybeam.
  “Ouuu… Jynx return. Slowbro go!” The strange pink pokémon appeared in front of Cyber. “Use psychic now!” Slowbro just stood there. “Did you hear me? Psychic! Now! On him!” She was furious.
  “Here, lemme show you how it’s done. Cyber, psybeam, rapid fire!” Although every beam hit Slowbro directly, it didn’t really seem to mind it. However, about 5 seconds later, the dopey pokémon collapsed. The psybeams had confused it and caused it to knock itself out.
  “The match is over! Icy of Saffron City has won this battle! Congratulations young trainer! We will now have a short break. Remember, refreshments are being sold directly behind your seats inside the stadium. Now’s a great time…” His voice continued blaring into the distance.
  Icy walked over to Lorelei’s end and extended his hand. “Good match. That was quite a challenge.”
  “Ha. You may have beaten me Icy, but you haven’t even seen half the elite’s might! I suggest you heal those pokémon of yours during the break time. Bruno is going to make short work of them.” Icy stepped away and went to heal his pokémon with the potions and revives Sara had bought for him. Sara walked over to him.
  “You were great Icy! I’m sure you will be able to defeat the next elite trainer.”
  “I hope so…”

Icy’s Meltdown

  “Who’s the next trainer you battle?”
  “Bruno. He uses fighting types. I’m going to have Buttercup and Hocus do most of this match.” The bell rang. “Well, it’s time for the match. I have to get in position.”
  “Ok. I hope you win Icy. I’ll be routing for you!” She gave Icy a kiss and went back to the fan section.
  “Oh, now it’s ok?” Icy shouted. Sara giggled as she made her way to the box.
  “Now, the battle continues folks. Earlier, Icy of Saffron City, defeated Lorelei. But does he have the strength to beat Bruno. Let’s find out. Round two begins NOW!” The bell rang again. The sun was beginning to set over the Grand Stadium. Bruno came through the tunnel.
  “Hahaha. You’re Icy? HA! This is going to be too easy. Let’s just get this over with quick, ok?”
  “Are you all that mean? Don’t you ever get embarrassed after saying that whole thing then losing?”
  “Oh, a hot shot, huh? You’re going down. HARD! Onix, GO!” The rock serpent roared standing so high it blocked the sun.

  “Just like Brock,” Icy thought. “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Leafy!” His Gloom came out completely healed. “Alright Leafy, petal dance now!” She started swaying around as small flower petals formed around her.
  “Bind it Onix. Crush that little weed.” Before Onix could grab Leafy, she sent the petals at Onix. They did some damage but Onix was still ok. It grabbed Leafy and began to squeeze her.
  “No! Leafy, mega drain now!” Onix roared in pain as Leafy drained its power adding it to hers. Onix finally let go.
  “This isn’t over.” Bruno used a potion on Onix. “Ha, it’s perrrrrfectly legal to heal your pokémon during a match.”
  From somewhere in the stands, someone cried out, “*cough* rip-off!!!” Bruno sneered in the person’s direction and suddenly a Wigglytuff missile found its way to the man’s seat. He was covered in a warm, pinkish goo. “It’s still a rip-off!” Two Officer Jenny’s arrested the man and led him out of the stadium.
  “Hmph. All that over a lousy voice imitation. Shheeeshh… Where were we. Oh yeah. Now, Onix, slam!” It hurtled towards the fearful Gloom. (Yes, Glooms can express fear. Picture it with a sad face, drool going everywhere, and shaking. Yes, that’s it, a fearful Gloom.)
  “This is going to take forever. Sleep powder now!” She sprayed Onix with the blue dust just before being slammed into Icy. Onix fell asleep while Icy shook his head. Small cartoon birds tweeted as they flew around Icy in circles. Out of nowhere, a Meowth jumped onto the field and ate one of the birds. It purred, pleased with its small snack. “Owwww… return Leafy…”
  “Return Onix… Maybe you are good. But you won’t beat the kicking fiend. Go Hitmonlee!”
  “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Buttercup!” His green Butterfree fluttered around. “Buttercup, use your confusion attack.” She emitted confusion waves at Hitmonlee.”
  “Stay sharp. Focus energy, then give that flying pest a high jump kick”
  “Don’t call my Butterfree a pest! Grrrrrr… Buttercup, psybeam now!” Icy shouted. As the kicking fiend rushed towards her, Buttercup blasted it with a psybeam twice her size. Hitmonlee went flying back and fainted. Buttercup was still fluttering about, but she had very little energy left. “Here Buttercup, take this.” Icy gave her an elixir that Sara had bought for him to restore Buttercup’s energy. She immediately began to beat her wings with vigor. “Great, you’re all pumped up and ready for the next battle!”
  “Onix go!” Bruno’s second Onix appeared. “Onix, rage!”
  “Buttercup, supersonic now!” Onix became confused and for some reason, became enraged by its tail. As Onix chased it’s stone tail round and round, Icy and Buttercup laughed hysterically.
  “Onix, what’s wrong with you. Attack the Butterfree, not your tail.”
  “I’d love to continue watching this all day, but our 5 minute story slot just isn’t long enough to fit that. Buttercup, psybeam, full power!” Buttercup began to glow bright green. The sun had set and stadium lights were now on. Buttercup was glowing so bright, so lights weren’t even necessary.
  In another part of the stands, a young boy opened his brand new pokédex and aimed it at Icy’s Butterfree. “Butterfree,” the new computer voice dictated. “This particular specimen, although smaller than most of its type, is extremely powerful with psychic attacks. Its only drawback is that it lacks the full energy potential of a normal Butterfree. However, this Butterfree can is currently generating an attack with an energy level of 10,000 psys and rising.” The boy closed his pokédex and squinted as he looked at Buttercup. “Wow… This is going to be good.”
  The green aura that was around Buttercup was now bright white. She shimmered with multiple colors as she continued to build up energy. “Ready Buttercup. FIRE!!!” Time seemed to stand still as Buttercup stopped generating energy and focused it on her target. Her body glowed as the energy sphere rushed out from her.
  “FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!” she cried, sending the massive psybeam barreling down towards Onix. The crowd had to cover their eyes because the beam was so intense. After the smoke had cleared, Onix was totally wiped out. Buttercup was barely able to flutter more than a foot off the ground.
  “Buttercup, come back. Great job.”
  “D***! How? D*** psychic. Grrr. Strength and might will still prevail! Go Hitmonchan!” The punchy pokémon appeared.
  “Ha. This will be simple. Go Hocus!”
  “No, not another psychic…” Hocus materialized. “S***, a Kadabra.”
  “Hmm… Where… Oh… Me…”
  “Hocus, enough games, we’ve got a battle to win. Use a psybeam to take him out!” Hitmonchan dodged the attack and immediately lunged for Hocus. Icy’s eyes glowed blue and Hocus teleported. “Ha. Missed! Hocus psychic attack. You can play a bit.”
  “Thank you master.” Hocus glowed and so did Hitmonchan.
  “Hey, no fair.”
  “Legal move, sorry. But you haven’t even seen the best part yet.”
  “That’s right master. Time for some fun. Dance please.” Hitmonchan began dancing.
  “See mommy, he’s fine. He’s just doing a little dance for everyone,” said a kid in the stands.
  “Hmm, Ash in training up there,” Icy thought. Hocus now had Hitmonchan doing the can-can dance. “Ok Hocus, finish him off! Your call.”
  “I love it when he says that. Well Mr. Chan, I’m afraid we must cut this dance short. Goodnight…” Hocus teleported a safe distance away. The star on his head glowed red.
  “Fire Hocus!” Hocus blasted Hitmonchan with a well-aimed psybeam. It fainted.
  “This is not turning out the way I planned. Oh well, return Hitmonchan.”
-= Scene Switch =-
  Lance watched the battle from his suite. “At least he’s not going too hard on him.”
  “Lance, you’re an a** you know.”
  “Look here. I’m the boss.”
  “Well, boss, judging by his performance so far, you’re going to lose to him too. He’s good.”
  “Shut up.”
-= Scene Switch =-
  “Go Machamp!” Hocus stared at it and remembered his earlier encounter with the holo-Machamp.
  “He’s not gonna beat me!” Hocus began to fire psybeams everywhere.
  “Whoa. Hocus control yourself. Ahh!” He ducked, narrowly missing a psybeam by Hocus. Finally, a few hit Machamp. He was sent flying back. “Hocus stop, you got him.”
  “What? Oh… I see… Sorry master…”
  “Crap! How did it do that? This Machamp almost never loses.”
  “Psychic pokés have a big advantage.”
  “The winner! Icy, of the Viridian Forest Bug Gym! He’s now just one more match away from Lance. We will continue this great battle in 10 minutes time. Remember, you can get…” he continued his advertisement.
  “You did it!” Sara ran out to hug Icy.
  “I did. We won! We won! That’s two!” They looked like the two happiest people in the world. “Hocus come here and get healed. Oh, and never do that again.”
  “I’m so sorry master.”
  “It’s ok. You just scared me there.” Icy treated his pokémon.

  Agatha was warming up. “Don’t forget, make this short, got it.”
  “Piss off Lance. If he can beat me, he’s all yours, otherwise, you’ll have to hope he tries again.”

  “Icy, who’s next?”
  “Agatha. She uses ghost types. That means I’m in trouble.”
  “Why?”
  “Ghosts are extremely powerful. I’m not sure I can beat her.”
  “Yes you will.” Sara tried to put some confidence into her friend.
  “Alright. I will! I’m gonna give it my all!” Icy’s pokémon agreed. The match was about to start.
  “Welcome back everyone! Icy has now defeated the first two elite trainers, but can he defeat Agatha’s ghostly group.
  Agatha walked out slowly with her cane. “Well, you must be a talented trainer Icy. You’ve gone much farther than most other trainers.”
  “Really? Guess not all of you are insulting.”
  “Oh no. See, talented as you may be, there’s nothing that can prepare you for me. Go Gengar!”
  “Whoa… Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Cyber!”
  “No sweat. Gengar, lick it!” Gengar teleported over to the porygon and licked it. Cyber shivered in pain.
  “Cyber! Are you ok?” Cyber didn’t look too good. “Double team. Psybeam now!”
  “No you don’t! Gengar, confuse ray now!” Gengar’s confusion ray caused all three Porygons to smash into each other. Cyber fainted. “Well, that was too easy,” Agatha said slyly. “Give up, young one?”
  “Never! Return Cyber! Static, you’re on!”
  “Say good-night pikapest! Gengar, hypnosis!” Gengar used its hypnosis attack to put Static to sleep. “Awww… pleasant dreams little pikachu… Gengar, dream eater!” Gengar ate all of Static’s dreams. Static woke immediately and began screaming.
  “PIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKAAAAAAAAA!!!!!” Static suddenly became enraged and sent everything he had at Gengar. The electricity had a good effect on Gengar and Static began tackling him. “Piikaaa… chupi! [Try to eat my dreams will you…]” After several rounds of pounding, Static was able to defeat Gengar.
  “So. I still have 4 more pokémon, and my next will be Golbat.”
  “No prob. Static, thunderbolt!” Golbat was fried and fainted.
  “Oh… hmm… that really worked. Go Haunter!” Haunter came out. “Lick!” Haunter licked Static, paralyzing him.
  “Return Static. Go Buttercup!”
  “Lick Haunter!” Buttercup suffered the same fate as Static. “Well, who’s better now? Ready to concede?”
  “No. You aren’t through with me yet! Go Hyper! Agility!” Hyper avoided Haunter’s deadly tongue and fired a hyper beam at him. Haunter faded out just before the beam would hit him. While Hyper searched franticly for his opponent, Haunter sneaked up in back of him and licked him. Icy recalled his Dratini.
  “Hmm… you now have just two left.”
  “Go Leafy!”
  “Bad move. Haunter, night shade.” Leafy couldn’t see while Haunter snuck up on her. LICK! Icy’s Gloom was helpless just like him other pokémon.
  “Darn it. Return Leafy. Hocus, I choose you!”
  “I’ll handle him.” Haunter moved in. “Hello ghost. Eat this!” Hocus grabbed Haunter’s hand a sent a psyshock through him.
  “Hmm. Nice move,” Agatha said returning her Haunter. “But this will fix you. Gengar, go! Confusion ray now!” Gengar’s level was way too high for Icy’s Kadabra to withstand. “Now take it out. Body slam!” Gengar smashed Hocus to the ground. The match was over. Agatha recalled her Gengar and left the field.
  Icy dropped to his knees. A tear drop formed in his eye. “Noo…” he whimpered. The tear dropped a few feet before it hit the ground. “I… lost…”
  “Icy, are you alright?”
  “What… oh… I think… C’mon, let’s go heal my pokémon.”
  “Awww, don’t take it so hard. She’s really good. But guess what I found out. Bugs have an advantage over Ghost pokémon. Next time, bring Wiggler to battle that Gengar.”
  “Hmm…” They slowly exited the stadium while another trainer began her battle verses the Elite 4. They went to the diner, then went home.
  “You still did great Icy. Those trainers were really hard, but you still beat two of them on your first try.”
  “Yah… But I’m never gonna become a pokémon master.”
  “Don’t say that. You just need to pick some different pokémon next time.”
  “Perhaps… Let’s get some sleep…”
  “Good idea… Good-night…” Icy tried to sleep, but the elite 4 was the only thing on his mind. “Ohhhh…” he sighed. He fell asleep.

Success is Never Easy

  Last time, Icy did battle with Bruno and Agatha of the Elite 4. After he easily defeated Bruno’s fighting squad, Agatha’s ghostly bunch made short work of Icy’s team. You might say, she *licked* the problem. Discouraged by the utter defeat, Icy must decide whether to give it another shot, or give up on ever becoming a pokémon master. And now…

  “Cheer up master. We’ll try again to beat her.”
  “It’s not that simple. I have to beat Lorelei and Bruno again before I can challenge Agatha to a rematch.”
  “But we beat them both easily. If we could do it once, there’s no reason why we can’t do it again.” Hocus put his hand on Icy’s shoulder. “Master, you can’t give up on something that requires you to take your whole life to achieve. Becoming a pokémon master was your life-long dream!”
  “I know, but now it seems like I’ll never reach that goal. The Elite 4 are just too tough.” Icy looked at the ground. “I’ll never win…”
  “Master, you can still become a pokémon master. You just need to have confidence in yourself and us. C’mon, what happened to that lively spirit you once had?”
  “It’s gone…” Icy sulked.
  “Hmm… not quite the answer I was looking for. Master, you must challenge them again. It’s your goal, your dream. Your destiny? Why would you just quit like this?” Icy was silent. “Please think it over some more at least…”
  “You don’t understand. I can’t win… I just can’t beat them all…” Icy went into the bedroom and threw himself onto his bed. “I’ll never become a pokémon master,” he mumbled into the pillow. Hocus wasn’t ready to give up just yet. He went into the room too.
  “Master, you are just upset over this loss. But you’ve lost before and won the very next time. Why should this time be any different?”
  “Because I didn’t just lose to Agatha, she completely humiliated me.”
  “Next time, use a pokémon that’s strong against ghosts. Bugs, they have an advantage against ghosts for some odd reason. Maybe one of your Caterpie could help here.” It was getting late and Hocus could see Icy was just not in the mood to see a positive outcome to the events unfolding. “Good night master.” Icy muttered some more nonsense into the pillow before falling asleep. Sara joined him some time later. Hocus also went to sleep, but on the floor.
  The sun rose over Indigo Plateau as the Dodrio crowed. Icy slowly woke up. “Someone really does need to shoot that darn thing…” He got breakfast for Sara and himself.
  “Good morning Icy,” Sara yawned, half-awake. She sat down with him and ate breakfast. “So what’s the plan for today?”
  “There isn’t any plan. I don’t want to battle them again. I’ll only lose. Who’s gonna come to a gym whose leader is a loser? No one!”
  “No one’s gonna come to our gym if you don’t become a pokémon master. Please Icy, give it another try. You and your pokémon have come too far to give up now.” Icy just sighed and ate his breakfast. “C’mon Icy. Do it for me at least.”
  “Why are you all trying to get me to battle again? I don’t want them to hurt my pokémon again.”
  “Icy, what if the next time, you win? Remember when you were battling Blaine? Even after he almost killed Buttercup, you still challenged him again.”
  “Ohh… Hmmm…”
  “Icy, you know deep down inside this is the right thing. It’s what you want. You can’t let your loss to Agatha ruin your dreams. Please give it another shot.”
  Icy thought long and hard. Flashbacks of his battle against Blaine appeared in his mind. “I… I… I’ll do it! I’ll do it for you, for my pokémon, and for myself. I’ll beat them. This time, it’ll be different.”
  Sara was overjoyed. Hocus, who had been listening in on the conversation all along simply smiled to himself. “I won’t let you down master…” he said to himself.
  “This is great Icy. New, we need to work on some strategy, especially on fighting ghost pokémon.”
  “Right. C’mon everybody. We’ve got training to do!”

***

  Icy and Sara walked to the training arena. There weren’t many trainers there now because the day’s battles had already begun. “All right, we really need to get prepared for Agatha’s ghost pokémon. But remember, you all still need to get past Lorelei and Bruno first. We’ll train for them a little later.” Icy went to the computer and selected Gengar for an opponent and chose normal difficulty. “Hocus, let’s get started.”
  “Right master. Which attack shall I use?”
  “Well remember, Agatha’s pokémon are at higher levels then you, so your attacks might not do as much damage as normal. For now, let’s go with attacks that can prevent her from using Gengar’s special attacks.”
  “Ok. I believe my confusion attack could help in that department.”
  “Hmm… I thought we tried that. Confusion can easily be countered if the pokémon is strong and well trained. Can you use disable?”
  “I’m not sure. Can you have the pokédex explain the move and level? Perhaps I can learn the attack naturally.”
  “Sure.” Icy found is pokédex from the bottom of his pack and opened it, knocking of the pile of dust that had collected on it, and asked it for technical details on Disable.
  “Disable. Kadabras are capable of learning this attack and do so naturally. It involves using psychic energy to prevent the usage of an opponent’s attack. The energy must be targeted at the opponent’s brain in order to work. For further assistance on helping your Kadabra master this attack, please click the yellow button then give the pokédex to the Kadabra.”
  “Hmm… Do you think you can perform that attack right now without help Hocus?” Hocus wasn’t too sure so he shamefully shook his head no. “Well, that’s ok. Maybe the pokédex can aid you in it.” Icy pressed the yellow button and handed Hocus the pokédex. It blinked and made strange sounds while Hocus stared at its screen.
  “Ahh… Uh huh… Yes… Of course… Ha! I knew it! Mmmhmm… Got it!” Hocus closed the pokédex and handed it back to Icy. “I was very close. Just need to channel the energy over a slightly higher frequency for the right effect.”
  “Wow, pokédex told you all that?” Hocus nodded. “Well, I’m certainly impressed.” Icy and Sara were both glad that Hocus had learned a new attack. “Try it out on the Gengar and I’ll have the computer display a report on the outcome.”
  “Got it!” Hocus took a fighting pose. He touched his finger to the star on his head and began glowing. Only seconds later, he pointed his finger at the holo-Gengar firing the disable beam. The computer began calculating the results.
  “Let’s see what we got here,” Icy said reading the screen. “The attack did cause minimal damage and you were able to disable its Night Shade attack. Good work. Now, do you think you can focus on a specific attack? Maybe ‘D’ has some more methods you can try.” Icy gave Hocus his pokédex again. Hocus accessed more information on the Disable attack. Soon after, he returned D to Icy.
  “It says I still need more experience with the attack before I’ll be able to disable specific abilities.”
  “Ok. I guess that’s all right for now. How ‘bout you practice that attack while the others get some training as well.”
  “No problem. I won’t let her make fools of us again master.”
  “Thank you Hocus. You’re a true friend.” Icy went over to the next available area and had the Porygon there produce another Gengar. Just as he was about to release Wiggler, a familiar man rushed in.
  “Oh, hello little boy, are you and your girlfriend the only trainers in here?”
  “Uh, yeah, I think so. Why? Are you lost?”
  The man shook his head. “No, not lost… I am looking for someone. Someone I met a few months ago, in Celadon City. You know, they had that big auction thingy… ahhh… well maybe you didn’t get a chance to go.”
  “No, I was there. I remember, they had a Porygon Technology Demonstration. Who are you looking for, maybe I saw the person.”
  “No, not a person, a pokémon. Ahh, you wouldn’t understand, I know I didn’t at first.” Now Icy was certain. It was the man who had traded him Hyper for Bulbasaur and the Dugtrio King.
  “Was this pokémon Pikachu by any chance?”
  “Yes, how did you… oh, never mind,” he finished, seeing Icy’s Kadabra. “You’re a psychic aren’t you? I heard only psychics could control psychic-type pokémon.”
  “You heard right. Although Hocus there can sometimes do things all on his own, without my instruction. I still can’t figure it out, but he is a very good friend. So, did this Pikachu have a name?”
  “Yes, I believe it called itself, Icy. Yes, that’s it. Someone told me the trainer by the name of Icy was here.”
  “Well, I can tell you one thing, you can stop looking for the Pikachu.”
  “Really? I don’t see how I’d find this trainer any other way. You see little kid, this Icy fellow was involved in a tragic accident that transformed him into a Pikachu.”
  “Ahhh, the good days. Remember Sara, when we could just camp out in the forest together.”
  “We still do…” Icy sweatdropped.
  The man’s face went white as if he’d just seen a ghost (no pun intended!). “Uh, are you ok mister?”
  “You, you’re Icy?!?”
  “That’s right. The former Pikachu-trainer. And this fine lady is my girlfriend Sara.” Sara giggled slightly and bowed.
  The man was still getting over it. Icy quickly related how he and Sara were cured with the help of Mewtwo and Bill. “Ok, I get it now. Well, my search is over then. I have a small business matter to settle with you Icy.”
  “Really?”
  “You remember your Dugtrio and Bulbasaur you traded me. I gave you my Dratini for them. Well, I’m sorry to say it, but I’m growing tired of creaming young trainers as well as old ones with my pokémon. Your pokémon, after being trained by me, turned out to be very strong fighters. I want you to have them back as a token of my appreciation in getting to train such excellent pokémon. I’ve got plans to open a pokémon dojo for trainers who want to become champs like me. I’ve already got the pokémon I need to teach with and want to return these fine pokémon to you. They seem to miss you dearly…”
  “I guess it’s only fair I give you back your Dratini in return right?”
  “No. It’s not that I don’t want Dratini back; I want you to hold on to it. Icy, after I trained your pokémon, I found that there was something missing that I couldn’t teach them. Something you were able to show them. I found that even after we won so many matches and seemed to be becoming close, they always reflected back to you. You have taught them to show respect for the trainer and to know they will always be there for them. I’ve tried to get them to understand how much I enjoyed being their trainer, but they just didn’t get it. Not even Dratini ever fully trusted me; he just knew that he was capable of wining inside. I guess that’s my talent, building a pokémon’s confidence.
  “Wow. I never though I was really teaching my pokémon such a deep lesson. Well, thank you for giving me Dugtrio and Bulbasaur back. Stop by and visit anytime. I own a pokémon gym in the Viridian Forest.”
  “Ok, perhaps I will. Maybe I’ll bring some of my pupils along and you can show them how to build a pokémon’s trust in the trainer.”
  “Oh course. Goodbye!” They waved goodbye and the man ran off. Icy was still a bit shocked he didn’t want anything in return.
  “Well, I’ve never seen those types of pokémon before. Do they have names Icy?”
  “Not yet. Let’s see, Dugtrio will be called, Triking, and Bulbasaur here will be named, Seedy.” Icy gave his old friends a big hug. They all had tears in their eyes as they felt each other’s loving hold. Sara watch from a short distance with Wiggler on her shoulder.
  “Wiggler, who are those two pokémon?” Wiggly answer her in Caterpie-talk. Sara got the gist of it and understood why Icy was so glad to see them again. “Well Icy, that’s two more to put in the running for battle against the Elite 4.”
  Icy let go of Triking and Seedy. “Yes… Maybe they can help me defeat Agatha.” Icy looked back at Hocus to see how he was progressing. “How’s it coming Hocus?”
  “I am getting a little more accurate, but a simulation is no way of judging this. I’ll have to hope I get it right when the time comes.”
  “You’ll do it Hocus. I know you can. And I know I can now too. I won’t quit until I’ve reached my dream to become a pokémon master!”

***

  “That’s great master. By the way, the computer has measured a high increase of level since I began sparing with this Gengar. I think you should be sure the others get a thorough workout too, especially Wiggler.”
  “I almost forgot… But what attacks can Wiggler use to defeat Gengar?”
  “Well, I just know that bugs have advantages over ghost pokémon. Wiggler’s small size should prevent Gengar from licking it. I think if Wiggler uses a few string shots, he’ll be able to slow Gengar down enough to get the upper hand.”
  “Well Wiggler, are you ready to get trained to beat Gengar?” Wiggler produced a few cute Caterpie sounds and crawled down from Sara’s shoulder. “Ok, let’s start by using your string shot attack.” Wiggler nodded and sprayed the white string at Gengar. Gengar faded away before the string hit then reappeared. Wiggler was too slow. “You need to be faster Wiggler. This Gengar isn’t nearly as strong as the ones Agatha has. Let’s try it again.” Wiggler charged toward the Gengar who once again faded away. But this time, Wiggler had a plan. As soon as the Gengar reappeared, Wiggler sprayed its string shot at it. Gengar found itself unable to move. “All right! It worked! I’ll reset the simulation and you keep practicing it.” Wiggler nodded and waited for Porygon to reset his opponent.
  Hocus was resting beside the computer. “I’m worn out. Perhaps you should select a preliminary team now.”
  “Right. Well, you and Wiggler are in.”
  Sara interrupted him. “Icy, don’t you have a ghost pokémon of your own?”
  Icy suddenly remembered the Gastly he had captured a while back in the Pokémon Tower. “Oh yeah, Vapor. He could help me get past Lorelei and Bruno really fast. Go Vapor!” Icy’s Gastly materialized. “Hello Vapor. You’ve been added to the team to battle the Elite 4.” Vapor seemed pleased and floated around in circles. “Let’s see, how about we have you battle the types of pokémon Lorelei uses.” The Porygon produced a Lapras for Vapor to battle. Vapor was only able to use its Lick and Night Shade attacks. “Good work Vapor. Try disappearing now and then to avoid its attacks.” Vapor did as Icy suggested and was getting even more attacks in while not being hit as much. The computer tracked his performance.
  “So, should I add Vapor to the list?”
  “Yes. Put Static and Hyper on there too.”
  “That leaves room for one more.”
  “Cyber. Put Cyber on the list. That team will do it.”
  “Yeah. I think you’ve got a good chance of beating them all this time.”
  Wiggler was getting tired out from battling Gengar. It wanted to stop, but something inside it told him to keep going. Wiggler’s body began to glow bright green. “Wiggler, are you ok? Oh, no wait, you can’t evolve yet, I need you to stay as a Caterpie for now.” Somehow, Wiggler understood what Icy was saying and stopped glowing. It collapsed from the workout. “Ohhh… Here Wiggler…” Icy picked up the worn out Caterpie and pet him gently. “You’ll be all right after some rest. Let’s see how you did.” The computer readings showed good potential for Wiggler verses Gengar. His attack speed was much faster along with reaction time. Icy returned Wiggler to his pokéball and let Static do some training.
  Later that day, after all of Icy’s pokémon had had a full workout, he took them to Nurse Joy to be healed. Meanwhile, he and Sara went to a Brock’s Diner for dinner since it was getting late.
  “So, how do you think your pokémon will do?”
  “They seemed to get a lot out of that workout. Tomorrow, I’ll sign up to battle the Elite 4. Before I do, I’m gonna have them train some more. I want them pumped for battle.”
  “Great! I hope you win!”
  “I will. This time, Agatha won’t get the last laugh.”

To Be A Master: Part I - A New Plan

  Icy’s pokémon were pretty worn out by now. The day’s battles were coming to a close. The final match was about to begin. Icy took his pokémon to be healed then, he and Sara went to the Grand Stadium to watch the match.
  “Welcome back pokémon fans. Well, it’s been quite an eventful day and we are down to what should be the last battle for the night. So far, Nicky, from the Seafoam Islands, has defeated the first two elite trainers. Now he faces the third, Agatha. Ahh, it looks like the battle is about to begin.”

  Nicky looked at his pokéballs. “Hmm. Gotta beat her ghosts now.” Nicky selected one of the balls. Agatha took her place.
  “Let’s get this over with fast little boy. I’m already late for a date.” Agatha threw in her pokéball containing Gengar. Nicky choose a Sandslash.
  “Sandslash, go underground now!” His Sandslash quickly disappeared into the earth. Agatha didn’t look too worried. Meanwhile, Icy jotted down some notes. Just as Sandslash came through the ground under Gengar, Gengar faded and Sandslash went through him. Confused, Sandslash looked all around for its opponent.
  “Gengar, lick attack now!” Icy remembered well how this part went. Gengar appeared right in front of Sandslash and licked him. Sandslash looked sick but still stayed on its feet. Agatha just grunted, upset that the attack wasn’t enough to paralyze Sandslash.
  “Sandslash, slack attack!” Sandslash swiped Gengar a few times but it did little more than separate Gengar temporarily. Gengar pulled itself back together again. “What?!?” Nicky was shocked at the punitive results of the attack.
  “Let’s finish this off the right way Gengar. Hypnosis followed by dream eater.” Gengar’s hypnosis waves put the already worn down Sandslash to sleep, then Gengar followed up with its dream eater attack. Sandslash was beaten and Nicky held its pokéball out to return it. “Humph, this is all too easy.”
  Nicky decided it was time use a new strategy. { If I can’t use regular attacks against that ghost, I’ll try going with a more defensive approach. } Nicky pulled out his second pokéball. “Vileplume, it’s your turn now! GO!” The large plant pokémon jumped out from the pokéball and planted itself on the field in front of Gengar. “Vileplume, stun spore.”
  “Gengar, night shade, don’t let it find you.” Gengar’s nightshade kept Vileplume from knowing where to target its spores. “Now you will watch your Vileplume go down as well. Gengar, lick it now.” Gengar licked Vileplume but it had no effect. Icy checked his pokédex, which he had begun to use now more often.
  “Vileplumes are grass and poison. This particular situation favors Vileplume because it doesn’t need to move in order to attack. Vileplume uses long-range projectile or spore attacks. In this battle, Vileplume’s attacks can damage Gengar.”
  “Vileplume, poison power… wait, no, sleep powder!” Nicky commanded. Vileplume emitted sleep spores. This time, Gengar was the one sleeping. “Mega drain now.” Vileplume sucked all of Gengar’s energy away. Agatha had to recall her beaten Gengar.
  Icy continued to watch the battle. “According to ‘Dee’, Vileplume is impervious to Gengar’s poison attacks. I think Leafy would be able to do the same.”
  “But isn’t Vileplume the evolved form of a Gloom? Are you sure that Leafy is as powerful as that Vileplume?”
  “Leafy can be just as good as that Vileplume! She trusts me. She won’t let Gengar beat us again. Tomorrow, we’ll be training for these situations.”
  Agatha sent out her second pokémon, a Haunter. Nicky decided to keep Vileplume in the match. “Haunter, hypnosis attack.”
  Nicky couldn’t afford to let Vileplume be defeated now. “Petal dance Vileplume. Confuse Haunter with it.” Vileplume began her petal dance. Haunter tried to remain focused, but the petals swirling around Vileplume were distracting him from his target. “FIRE!” Vileplume sent the petals flying at Haunter who was able to dodge most of them. “Quick, sleep powder!” While the last of the petals were being fired off, Vileplume added sleep powder to the remaining. Some of the sleep powdered petals hit Haunter. It slowly fell asleep and Agatha recalled it.
  “That’s amazing! That Vileplume beat two of her pokémon! If Leafy can do that too, I’m set!”
  “I don’t know Icy. Don’t you think Agatha will be ready for that type of attack next time?”
  “Even if she is, Leafy won’t be beaten by her lick attacks. Leafy can work on perfecting the attacks that worked in this battle. I’m having Dee keep an analysis.”
  Agatha was getting slightly ticked off now. “You may be good now kid, but we’ll see just how good you really are. Go Gengar!”
  Nicky decided now was the best time to use Vileplume’s ultimate attack. “Vileplume, charge it up now!”
  “Gengar, confusion ray attack!” Agatha smiled with her plan but then frowned seeing Vileplume was still charging up. An expired Full Heal canister was lying in Nicky’s hand. “S***!” Even with the small amount of sunlight left, Vileplume was able to fully charge its solar beam. “Crap, Gengar night shade.”
  “Solar beam now!!!” The field became completely dark. It was like time had just stopped itself and stood still now. Icy and Sara looked around but, like the rest of the spectators, couldn’t find the two pokémon. Suddenly, the intense beam of light from Vileplume’s solar beam ripped through the darkness over the field. The audience was stunned for a moment. It all happened so quickly. The darkness cleared away, revealing a bright white Gengar and a panting Vileplume.
  Agatha was shocked, but not as white as her Gengar. “This can’t be. Gengar return. Arbok go!” Agatha’s Arbok slithered onto the field. Nicky determined it was time to let Vileplume sit it out. He returned it to the pokéball then selected another.
  “Ok Butterfree, your turn now!” Nicky selected a Butterfree to fight the venomous Arbok. Icy’s eyes lit up. Sara opened a silver pokéball and let Aura watch. (Aura is the golden Butterfree that Sara now owns, remember?)
  “Wow, a Butterfree. Let’s see what he does with it.” Aura seemed very happy to see another of her kind battling.
  “Butterfree, psybeam now!” Agatha knew Arbok would go down in an instant if the psybeam hit it. Arbok dodged the beam just by a hair then lunged for Butterfree with jaws wide open. “Confusion now!” Arbok was only a foot away from sinking its venomous fangs into Butterfree when it suddenly found itself confused and bit its own tail. Arbok figured out what had happened a little too late though. “Psybeam Butterfree!” Butterfree finished Arbok off with just one hit from the psybeam leaving Agatha with only one pokémon left.
  “Darn. I’m not going to win this one. Oh well, I can still weaken your pokémon so you can’t beat Lance. Hmm, what am I saying? I hate that jacka** of a trainer. Nevermind. Go Golbat!” The enormous bat appeared hovering over the field. “Bite now!” Golbat swooped past Butterfree then snuck up from behind. It sank its fangs deep into Butterfree’s back. Butterfree screamed in pain.
  “NO! Butterfree! Return now!” Nicky was about the cry but help the tears back. Icy was reminded of how he felt when Buttercup was almost killed by Blaine’s Magmar. Nicky gathered himself and took out another pokéball. “Raichu, go! Thunder attack, NOW!” The Raichu began to light up. The sky roared with thunder. Suddenly, enormous lightning bolts came striking down to Raichu. Raichu channeled all the electricity towards Golbat. Golbat puffed out some smoke before hitting the ground and fainting. Nicky had won.
  “Wow. What a battle! Nicky looks like he might be able to take out Lance as well. Due to the time, that battle will be postponed until tomorrow morning. Remember, the snack bar opens 30 minutes before the match so get your refreshments…” he continued to babble on and on as the crowd filed out of the stadium.
  “So Icy, are you going to battle the Elite 4 tomorrow?”
  “Yes. But not in the morning. I’m going to use that time to strategize. My pokémon and I have a great deal of training to do. I WILL become a pokémon master!” Sara and Aura followed Icy back home.

  Once again, Icy was awoken by the pestering Dodrio… eh-hem, I said, once again, Icy was awoken by the pestering Dodrio. Hmmm… Icy continued sleeping peacefully through Dodrio’s horrible morning crowing. Two fluffy, yellow earmuffs covered his ears. Sara and Aura were in the den playing games when Icy finally woke up several hours later. He joined them and everyone went to Brock’s Diner for breakfast.
  “That trainer Nicky was really great last night.”
  “Yes he was. Are you going to see him face Lance today?”
  “I guess I should. I want to be completely prepared for anything Lance can throw at me.” They finished their breakfast and headed towards the Grand Stadium. The battle had already begun! “Shoot! Quick, let’s find some open seats!” They got two seats close to the mid-level section of the stadium and watched the match currently in progress.
  Lance’s Gyarados fell to Nicky’s Raichu. It was now 3-2 in favor of Nicky. Raichu got back into its fighting pose and awaited its next opponent. Lance drew his cape, attempting to look all big and tough, and sent out his fourth pokéball. Nicky looked at his next opponent with fear in his eyes. The pokémon Lance sent out was like no pokémon he’d ever seen.
  “Wha, what is that?” He clicked open his pokédex.
  “Aerodactyl, an once to be believed extinct pokémon. This fearsome flying creature has many sharp teeth showing that it was a carnivore.” Nicky put the pokédex away quickly not wanting to hear anything more that would scare him or his pokémon.
  “That thing likes like it’s made of rock so Raichu is useless. Raichu, return!” Nicky didn’t want to lose now, not after making it this far… “All right Blastoise, it’s your turn to battle now!” The giant shellfish pokémon took the field. “Hydro pump now!”
  “Huh! Crap. Aerodactyl, fly to avoid getting hit.” The stone bird flew up high as Blastoise fired its water cannons. Because Aerodactyl was made on rock, it couldn’t move quickly enough to avoid all the blasts but did manage to survive. “Ok, now use sky attack!” Aerodactyl swooped down towards Blastoise.
  “Withdrawal now!” Blastoise complied quickly and Aerodactyl smacked flat into its shell. “Now, finish it off Blastoise.” His Blastoise took Aerodactyl by the tail and held it in front of his water cannons. After a thorough soaking, Lance gave up and recalled the beaten bird. “YYYYEEEEEESSSSSS!!! One more to go!”
  “GGGRRRRRR… I can’t lose this match… D***… Ok Dragonite, it’s all up to you now.” Lance sent out his final pokémon, Dragonite. Nicky looked at the huge dragon pokémon.
  “Ooohhh… That thing’s huge!” Blastoise waited for Nicky’s commands. “Ok, Hydro pump again Blastoise.” It fired the jet stream of water from its water cannons directly at Dragonite.
  “Agility now Dragonite. Follow it up with your Hyper Beam!” Dragonite completely dodged the water blast and charged up its hyper beam.
  “Oh no.”
  “Fire!” Dragonite made a perfect shot on Blastoise knocking it out with one hyper beam.
  “Oh, Blastoise return.”
  “It’s 4-3 now folks! Lance looks like he may make an incredible comeback here. Don’t forget to fill up on…” Suddenly, fighting sounds are broadcasted over the PA. The crowd cheers as a new announcer takes over. “Ok, Nicky is getting ready to select his next pokémon.”
  Nicky looked at his remaining pokéballs. He still had Sandslash, Vileplume, and a Dewgong. “That’s it, ice can beat dragons. All right Lance, prepare to lose. I’m gonna be a Pokémon Master! Your turn now Dewgong! GOOOO!!!” The seal pokémon entered the field. Dragonite was still recovering from the hyper beam energy drain.
  “Shoot, an ice pokémon. Dragonite, slam now.” Dragonite’s speed was greatly diminished due to its low energy state.
  “Dewgong, now’s your chance. Ice beam now!” Dewgong fired its ice beam directly at the slowly charging Dragonite. In the blink of an eye, Dragonite was encased in a block of ice. “Finish it, aurora beam!” Dewgong fired the colorful beam at the Dragonite-popsicle, finishing it off for good. “YES!!! WE DID IT!! I WON!!!!!” Nicky jumped up and down while Dewgong clapped cheerfully. Lance just sank his head as he recalled Dragonite. He walked over to Nicky.
  “You are a very talented pokémon trainer. You have proven this by defeating the world’s four strongest trainers. Now, by the power vested in me by the Pokémon League, I hereby name you, Pokémon Master Nicky. Congratulations master trainer Nicky, you have done what others can only dream of doing.” Lance presented Nicky with a multi-colored badge. In it were multiple gemstones that sparkled brightly in the sunlight. Nicky held the badge up high into the air. The crowd applauded the young boy for his valiant effort and skill. After the festivities were finally over, they crowds left and waited for the next set of battles to start.
  Icy and Sara left for the training arena. “That was cool. Nicky sure knows how to handle pokémon. I wish I could do that well too…”
  “You will Icy. But I think you should change the lineup a bit.”
  “Right. Ok, my lineup. Cyber, Hocus, Wiggler, Leafy, Vapor, and Buttercup. You guys are going to make me a pokémon master!” After training his new team in the arena for a few hours, Icy signed up to battle the Elite 4.
  “You just in luck, the last trainer just cancelled a few minutes ago.”
  “Hmm, why?”
  “I’m not really allowed to say. Sorry… You are scheduled to battle them in about one hour. Can you be ready by then?”
  “Yeah. I’ll be more than ready!”
  “Well, good luck little boy.” Icy took his pass and went back with Sara. They ate lunch and then picked up Icy’s pokémon from the pokécenter where they were healing from the training.
  “Let’s go guys. Our dreams await!” They headed back to the Grand Stadium. Icy was in the greatest of moods when the stadium seemed to vanish. “What, what’s happening?” Suddenly, everything was gone, replaced by a dark world. “Why am I here? I don’t have time to play games with you now Mewtwo!”
  “Come now Icy. Is that any way to treat the one who cured you? Personally, I’d be much more grateful.”
  “Somehow, I can’t picture someone like you being very grateful for anything.”
  “Whatever. There’s no riddle or conflict this time Icy. I merely wanted to wish you the best of luck.”
  “Huh? Am I getting this right? You are wishing me, luck?”
  “Oh… Yes Icy, I am. Please, I may be heartless at times, but you can understand that I do possess a heart like you all the same. I can’t help it if I carry a deep hatred towards trainers though. But still, you interest me most of all. So, once again, I wish you luck. Please don’t go and embarrass yourself again like you did battling Agatha. That can really damage your reputation as a trainer.” Mewtwo snickered audibly so Icy could hear.
  “Why you little…” his stopped after noticing he was back in normal time and space again. The phasing had worn off. Sara was staring at him funny.
  “Ummm, who are you talking to Icy?”
  “Oh, no one… C’mon, let’s get to the stadium!” They continued on their way. In the back of Icy’s mind, he thanked Mewtwo for his kindness.

To Be A Master: Part II - Dreams Do Come True

  “Wwwwellllcome back, pokémon fans! We have yet another great match lined up for all today. The psychic trainer from Saffron City, Icy, is going to try again to defeat the Elite 4. Icy was beaten by Agatha a few days ago, but he looks like he’s ready to beat them all this time. Let’s see if he’s got what it takes to become a true pokémon master!” The crowd cheered wildly. Icy took his place in the challenger’s box. Sara and Aura watched from the sidelines.
  Lorelei came out of the tunnel first. “Well, well, well. We meet again Icy. You may have won the first time, but I won’t let that happen this time. You’ll never make it to Lance!”

  “Don’t be so sure of yourself Lorelei.”
  “Whatever. I choose, Dewgong!”
  “In that case… Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Vapor!” Icy’s Gastly floated over the field. Lorelei was stunned.
  “I didn’t know he had a Gastly…” she thought to herself. “Ok Dewgong, ice beam now!” Dewgong fired the beam of ice at Vapor. The beam passed right through him.
  “Good work Vapor. Now it’s time to fight back! Use your lick attack!” Vapor hovered over to Dewgong and gave it a big lick. Dewgong turned bright green and wobbled as the paralyzing effects of Vapor’s lick attack took effect.
  “Uwwww… Return Dewgong. So, you’ve got some new pokémon for this match, it doesn’t matter what you use, I’ll never let you win! Go Cloyster!” The giant clamshell pokémon came onto the field. “Aurora beam now!”
  “Vapor, become invisible so it can’t target you.” Vapor nodded and disappeared. The aurora beam missed him completely. Vapor reappeared behind Cloyster and tapped him on the back. Cloyster turned around only to be met by Vapor’s tongue. Lorelei was becoming quite upset as she angrily recalled Cloyster.
  “Why you! Go Slowbro!” Icy remembered how dopey her Slowbro was and recalled Vapor so he could rest.
  “Ha, this is too easy. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Buttercup!” Icy’s Butterfree flew over the field. “Buttercup, use your sleep powder to knock him out cold.” Buttercup sprinkled the blue dust over Slowbro but it didn’t look like it had any effect.
  “Ha, you were saying?”
  “Go ahead, have Slowbro attack if you’re so confident.” Icy was starting to act just like the Elite 4.
  “Slowbro, use your amnesia attack.” Slowbro just stood there, eyes wide open. “Slowbro, listen to me! Attack, now!” Finally, Slowbro moved. His eyes shut, and he fell asleep. “Awwww!!!!! You pathetic pokémon, return now!” Icy couldn’t help but laugh seeing how frustrated Lorelei was getting. “Oh, you think it’s funny huh. You won’t be laughing for much longer you little twerp. Go Jynx!”
  Icy didn’t want that horrifying pokémon to get anywhere near Buttercup, so he had her return. “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Cyber!” The Porygon came out from the pokéball.
  “A Porygon, I’ll show you. Jynx, lovely kiss!”
  “Cyber, sharpen!” As soon as Jynx was about to give Cyber a smack on wherever his lips are, Cyber jabbed his sharpened beak into Jynx. The viking pokémon shuddered for a sec, then backed as far away from Cyber as she could. “That’s right, you can’t kiss my Porygon. Cyber, finish her off with psybeam attack.” Cyber was happy to vanquish the evil pokémon and sent a psybeam right for her lips. Jynx went down with just one blow.
  “AGHHH!!! This is impossible. How can I lose like this? Return Jynx. Go Lapras!” Lorelei sent out her final pokéball containing Lapras. Icy returned Cyber and brought out Hocus. “Oh s***, a psychic. Blizzard attack Lapras!” Lapras prepared its attack.
  “Hocus, use you confusion attack. Give Lapras a new weather report.”
  “Good idea master, can do! Here’s today’s forecast Lapras. Snow, with a chance of psy-storms.” Hocus used his confusion attack to make Lapras create to blizzard over itself. Although it did little good for Hocus, Lapras was still confused why it was now snowing over it. Hocus fired a few psybeams at it and Lorelei was defeated.
  “All right! You did it Hocus. One down, three to go!”
  “This just wasn’t my day. You won’t make it much further Icy. You’re going to lose again, just like you did against Agatha.” Lorelei sneered after her last remark. The Elite 4 weren’t exactly known for their kindness, however, which pokémon leader is? Icy recalled Hocus and healed his pokémon to be ready for Bruno.
  “Wow. What a short match. Lorelei is blanked completely by Icy. He might just make it folks!”
  Nicky was now in the stands. He decided he’d watch some other trainers try to do what he did. After seeing Icy easily beat Lorelei, he decided to see it to the end. “Hmm, he’s pretty good. Maybe I could challenge him to a match later.”
  “Are you talking about that there Icy fella,” an old man asked Nicky.
  “Uh, yeah, why?”
  “He owns a pokémon gym in the Viridian Forest. I think it’s called the Bug Gym.”
  “I never heard of a gym in the Viridian Forest.”
  “It’s not official. But if you want to challenge him, that’s where to go.”
  “Gee, thanks mist…” The old man was gone. “Hmm, that’s odd…”
  “Bruno is now entering the stadium. Icy’s second elite match begins now!” The crowd cheered again for the young trainer.
  Sara and Aura were especially proud of Icy. “See, you are doing great. You beat her more easily this time than the last time you fought her. Nice work.”
  “Yeah. I think Vapor is turning out to be a great addition to the team. Now I’ll just concentrate on using my psychic types to beat Bruno.” Sara gave Icy a kiss for good luck and he took his position.
  “So, you beat Lorelei flawlessly. I’m not too impressed. She may be a pushover, but I’m not so let’s get started. Onix GO!” The rock serpent materialized on the field. Icy thought about with pokémon to start with.
  “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Cyber!” The Porygon appeared in front of the giant snake. “Cyber, conversion!” Cyber reconfigured its body to be that of rock.
  “The pile of computer code can’t beat us, Onix, slam that Porygon into the earth now!” Onix wrapped its stone tail around Cyber and hurled him into the ground. Cyber’s rock form protected him somewhat but he was still dizzy from the pounding.
  “Cyber, are you alright. Don’t give up Cyber. Let’s see how Onix likes a psybeam to the head.” Cyber regained its pose and fired two psybeams directly at Onix’s head. The first one connected making Onix reel back in pain. Then the second one made the rock serpent fall to the ground.
  “Hmmm, good show Icy. Return Onix. Now you can take on the punchy pokémon.” Bruno threw his second pokéball into the field. It was Hitmonchan. Icy kept Cyber in for the match.
  “Cyber, double team. Split up, then all fire psybeams at once.” Cyber divided itself into three porygons. Hitmonchan was slightly confused and decided it be best to try taking one of them out before they could all fire. Bruno nodded and Hitmonchan aimed for the center Porygon. “Fire now!” Hitmonchan swung at the middle Porygon which vanished as his glove made contact. It was a fake. The psybeams however, were very real indeed and Hitmonchan learned the error of standing perfectly in the crossfire. It went down before it could realize its mistake.
  “What is wrong with me today? Must be the sun… Return Hitmonchan. Go Hitmonlee!”
  “Bruno sends out his third pokémon, the kicking fiend, Hitmonlee! Let’s see if Icy can continue his streak.”
  “Cyber return. You need to rest now. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Buttercup!”
  “High kick now!” Buttercup wasn’t ready for it when Hitmonlee connected with her entire body. She fell to the ground, hitting the earth hard. She struggled to get up. “Ha, now I’m doing better again. Finish her off Hitmonlee, mega kick!”
  “Buttercup!!! No, get up!” Somehow, she mustered enough strength to avoid getting kicked into orbit, but she couldn’t go on. Buttercup fell once again to the ground and fainted. “Oh… Buttercup, return. You’ll be ok.” Icy took a full heal out of his pocket and placed it next to Buttercup’s pokéball. “You’ll pay for that Bruno. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Hocus!”
  “Time for you to see stars mister kick boxer.”
  Hitmonlee wasn’t amused and took a swing for Hocus. His foot was stopped in mid air and he found himself unable to move.
  “What’s wrong with you? Hit him.” Bruno couldn’t stand to lose another pokémon to Icy. Hocus was controlling Hitmonlee via psychic.
  “Ok Hocus, finish him off!”
  “With pleasure master.” Hocus fired a psybeam straight into Hitmonlee’s chest throwing it across the field.
  “D***! Hitmonlee return. You are being a real pain, you know that?”
  “Good, now hurry up, I don’t wanna wait till next millennium to become a Pokémon Master…”
  “Oh, you’ll never get that far Icy. Go Onix!”
  “Hocus, telekinesis. You know what to do.” Hocus nodded and got to work. He summoned all of his psychic energy and the two pokémon both began to glow. Moments later, Onix found itself most tied up as it now took on the form of a rock hard pretzel. Meanwhile, Icy and the rest of the audience and even the announcer were laughing their heads off.
  “Hahahahaha… Would you look at that. Icy’s Kadabra has turned Onix into the world’s largest and hardest pretzel. Looks like Bruno is going to lose to Icy as well. He has just one more pokémon left.”
  “Onix, return. You asked for it Icy. I’m shutting that Kadabra down. Go Machamp.”
  “Return Hocus. I need you to rest and be ready for the next battle. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Vapor!” The Gastly floated over the field.
  “Now what?”
  “This is too easy. Just lick him Vapor.” Vapor laughed and licked Machamp who succumbed easily to the paralysis effects of Vapor’s lick attack. Bruno recalled Machamp and admitted defeat. Icy was back to where he had lost originally, Agatha.
  “Well folks, this surely has been an exciting day. First, Nicky defeats Lance to be a true pokémon master. And now, Icy may just do the same. But he needs to beat Agatha next. Don’t go anywhere, this could be the battle of the century here… or not…”
  Icy tended to his pokémon, especially Buttercup how looked like she had seen better days. She was badly bruised and Icy applied the full heal potion to her injuries. She began to recover, but she was still not fully healed. Icy came up with his battle plan for Agatha. Sara and Aura watched as Icy rearranged his pokéballs.
  Nicky watched Icy carefully from his seat. “He is good. But maybe they were just giving him a break. That looked WAY too easy. But he’s got a real advantage with that ghost pokémon. I wonder how he’ll deal with Agatha.”
  “He’ll lose again,” an old lady said in a crackling voice.
  “Huh?”
  “You heard me. Icy got creamed by Agatha last time they met. Her ghost pokémon are much stronger than Icy’s weak little baby pokémon. You know he’s got what, only 4 evolved pokémon out of the 20 or so he’s captured.”
  “Well, perhaps he doesn’t like to evolve them. He is winning you know.”
  “He doesn’t have the skill to win. You on the other hand used a vast array of evolved pokémon and won. You are a better trainer.”
  “Well, thanks. I guess I’ll…” She too had vanished. “Oh man, I gotta just keep my thoughts to myself. Maybe then these strange old people will stop bothering me…”
  Agatha entered the stadium. “So Icy, we meet again. Are you ready to be beaten all over again? Lemme ask you something. Did it hurt to be the laughing stock of Indigo Plateau?” Agatha laughed evilly. Icy just ignored her.
  “Let’s get started shall we?”
  “I concur. Gengar, go!”
  “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Leafy!” The Gloom stood in front of the ghostly opponent.
  “Hmm, a gloom ehh. That doesn’t scare me, but I wonder if Gengar scares her. Gengar, lick it now!”
  “Hmm, she doesn’t learn…” Icy thought to himself. Leafy just stood there while Gengar attempted to lick it. “Leafy, stun spore now.” Gengar was in for a big surprise. He had gotten too close to Leafy and now would learn the error he had made. Leafy wasn’t affected by Gengar’s lick attack, but Gengar seemed to be having a hard time getting his tongue back in his mouth after Leafy sprayed him with stun spores. “Mega drain Leafy!” Leafy drained Gengar life points and Agatha recalled it.
  “Oh, I see you’ve been training. Well, that is what’s called dumb luck. You don’t get it each time. I choose Golbat now.” The large bat flew onto the field.
  “Return Leafy. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Hocus!” Icy Kadabra made yet another appearance. “Hocus, you should be strong against poison types, so just use your psybeam on it.”
  “Will do master!” Hocus fired his psybeam at Golbat, but missed. Golbat dodged the beam narrowly and dove for Hocus.
  “Bite attack now. Poison that no good psychic pokémon.”
  “Look out Hocus!” Hocus was already aware of the approaching Golbat. He sent a psyshock right for Golbat and it fell to the ground, unable to move. “Ok, finish the job.” Hocus gave Golbat another psyshock and it fainted. Agatha was now very upset.
  “How is this possible? You weren’t this good last time. Golbat return. I’ll teach you a lesson Icy. I choose Haunter now.”
  “Great. Hocus, disable attack now!” Hocus focused on Haunter’s lick attack. He hoped he was successful.
  “Now I’m going to take out that meddlesome Kadabra of yours. Haunter, lick attack now.” Haunter prepared to attack, but stopped. “What? What’s wrong? I said attack.”
  “Ok,” Hocus replied. He fired multiple psybeams at the purple ghost pokémon.
  “No not you! Aghhhhhh!!!! Haunter, return!”
  “Well folks, Icy seems to be quite unbeatable this afternoon. I wonder what is giving such good luck today?”
  “His luck is about to run out. Arbok, GO!”
  “Hocus, return. I choose you now, Buttercup!” Icy slightly injured Butterfree fluttered over the field.
  “Go eat your dinner Arbok!”
  “Buttercup, psybeam, maximum strength!” Buttercup summoned all of her power and began glowing. She turned a bright blue as a sphere of pure energy formed around her body.
  “What’s this, Icy’s Butterfree is really generating a lot of energy. I hope Arbok is ready for this.”
  Arbok leapt for Buttercup. Just before he could make contact, Buttercup discharged all the energy directly at the approaching cobra. Arbok held onto the ball for a second before being thrown deep into the ground. Buttercup didn’t fare too well either was she was throw high into the air by the explosion of energy.
  “BUTTERCUP!!!!!” Icy watched in horror as she ascended further. Finally, she began heading back towards the surface. Icy homed in on her and used his telekinesis to guide her down slowly. “Buttercup, are you ok?” She couldn’t even move. Icy called for a quick timeout as he rushed his severely injured Butterfree over to Sara. “Sara, I need you to take Buttercup to Nurse Joy quick. I’ll get there as soon as I can. Please, go now.”
  “We all hope Buttercup will be ok. But now, let’s get back to the match. Agatha is down to her last pokémon. This is really turning out to be Icy’s lucky day!”
  “You may win against me Icy, but Lance will crush you. There I go again, praising that jerk. Do you know how much I hate that filthy piece of trash? I… hmmm, ok, another time then. Gengar, GO!”
  “Ok, here we go. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Wiggler!” One of Icy’s ten Caterpies wiggled onto the field.
  “A Caterpie??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!”
  “Shutup! Wiggler, remember what we trained for. Now’s the time to do it. Ok, Wiggler, tackle attack alpha!”
  “Owww, the little buggy’s gonna tackle my Gengar, whatever. Gengar disappear, confuse the stupid little bug.”
  “My Caterpie is not stupid. However, your Gengar is. Wiggler, finish the move.” Wiggler muffled some cute Caterpie sounds and sprayed its silk string all over Gengar.
  “What’s this? Gengar lick, or just eat the bug.” Gengar couldn’t move. Wiggler continued to tie him up with its string. “Just break out of it. It’s only string.” Gengar tried, but Wiggler’s string was too strong, plus he already had almost 5 layers covering him. “This is pointless, return Gengar. I’m going to laugh when Lance crushes you and your stupid little worms.”
  “For the last time, they aren’t stupid!” Icy calmed down and had Wiggler return. Everything had gone just as they planned. Agatha stormed out and tried to get Wiggler’s silk off of her Gengar.

To Be A Master: Part III - The Ultimate Sacrifice

  “Well folks, Icy has proven himself worthy of battling the head of the Elite 4. Lance, the dragon pokémon trainer will battle with Icy to see if he’s got the skills to become a pokémon master. Can he do it?” The crowd expressed their support for Icy and his pokémon. Icy meanwhile busily healed the five remaining.
  Back at the pokécenter, Sara waited in the waiting room for an update on Buttercup’s condition. Nurse Joy came through the doors. “I think she’ll make it. What exactly happened to her?”
  “She was involved in a high energy explosion.”
  “Oh… I see,” she replied as if this type of thing happened every day.
  Back in the Grand Stadium, Lance was coming onto the field. “You’ve done well Icy. I have been waiting for the chance to beat, I mean meet you.”

  “Save it. I know you’ll just insult me like the others do. Let’s go at this shall we.”
  “If that is what you wish, then that we shall do. Gyarados, go!”
  “Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Leafy.”
  “Tisk tisk. Big mistake. Dragon rage!”
  “No, Leafy mega drain. Sap his energy.” Leafy started draining Gyarados’s energy but it still fired the dragon rage. Leafy received a direct hit from the fiery rage from Gyarados. She screamed in pain as the fire spread over her head. “Oh, Leafy, return. Go Vapor.”
  “A ghost huh. Gyarados, hyper beam.”
  “Night shade Vapor.” The field became pitch black. Gyarados couldn’t find its target. “Lick it now Vapor,” Icy called into the darkness. When the night shade finally wore off, Gyarados was paralyzed while Vapor was doing a victory dance on top of it. “Good work.”
  “Lucky shot. Return Gyarados. Go Dragonair.”
  “Lick now!”
  “Agility now!” Dragonair dodged all of Vapor’s attacks. “Play time is over for you Icy. Dragonair, hyper beam that ghost.” Dragonair was faster at charging the hyper beam.
  “Now Vapor. While it’s still charging, lick it.” Icy’s plan worked. Dragonair wasn’t quick enough to avoid Vapor and charge the hyper beam at the same time.
  “What in the??? Well, you are clever my friend. Take this…” Lance recalled the paralyzed Dragonair and sent out another one. “Dragonair, dragon rage now!”
  “Vapor, look out!” A good portion of the raging fires hit Vapor. Something else happened to Vapor though. “Vapor, what’s wrong?”
  “Hmm, I think he’s going to evolve.”
  “Evolve? Oh cool! I’m gonna have a Haunter!” Sure enough, Vapor had gotten so much experience from battle the elite trainers’ pokémon that it finally got enough to evolve into Haunter. “Vapor, hypnosis attack!”
  “What, oh no.” Lance’s second Dragonair had already fallen asleep. Vapor just laughed the way most Hunters do… “Return. Go Aerodactyl.”
  “An Aerodactyl. But I thought they were extinct.”
  “They are. I found its fossil while on a mining expedition and took it to the Cinnabar Labs to be recreated. And now, you shall feel its wrath.”
  “I don’t think so. Vapor, hypnosis.” Vapor just stood there. “Vapor, why aren’t you attacking? Did you here me? Hypnosis attack now.”
  “Ha. Either you aren’t a very good trainer, or your pokémon’s tired out, which also makes you a bad trainer. Aerodactyl, hyper beam now.” Aerodactyl fired its hyper directly at Haunter. Haunter was completely beat.
  “Shoot… Return Vapor. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Cyber! Cyber, double team, multi psybeam attack now!” Cyber split into three and each fired a psybeam at Aerodactyl. It fainted easily and smashed into the ground crushing Cyber with it. “Oh!”
  “Hmm, that’s a first. See, you are a bad trainer.”
  “Cyber return. I’ll show you, who’s winning, huh?”
  “That’s not important, but now you shall lose. Dragonite, GO!” Lance’s ultimate pokémon, Dragonite, appeared on the field.
  “Wow. I’ve never seen that type of pokémon before.” Icy was definitely impressed by the Dragonite.
  Meanwhile, Nurse Joy was finishing up on Buttercup. “She’s felling better, but I don’t think she should do any battling for a while. Sara scooped up Buttercup and ran back to the stadium.
  “Go Wiggler!”
  “A Caterpie???”
  “Stop right there, don’t say another word. Wiggler, string shot now.”
  “You’re joking right. Dragonite, slam it.” Dragonite picked Wiggler up and prepared to knock it into the ground.
  “WAIT!!! I recall Wiggler.” Icy returned Wiggler to its pokéball. “No battle is worth losing a pokémon over. Besides, I still have Hocus.” Hocus appeared in front of the Dragonite.
  “My, what a large pokémon.”
  “Dragonite, hyper beam now.”
  “Huh?!?” Hocus didn’t know what hit him. The hyper beam completely fired him, as well as Icy’s dreams. Suddenly, he felt as if the world around him had collapsed. He fell to his knees, tears in his eyes. In the distance, he heard something, but he could focus on it. He extended Hocus’ pokéball and recalled him.
  “This can’t happen…” he heard a faint voice coming from behind him. It was Sara and Buttercup.
  “ICY!!! Buttercup’s ok.”
  “Great! Buttercup, I know you are weak, but I need you to be strong right now. Can you defeat the Dragonite? All you need to do is hit him with that ultra psybeam and we will win. Can you do that?”
  “Icy, Nurse Joy said she shouldn’t battle. Huh…” Sara saw Buttercup nodding. “You want to battle?” Buttercup nodded again. “Don’t do this Icy. She’s too weak.”
  “She has to try. She believes in me and in herself. She’s proven that time after time.” Icy turned to Buttercup. “I want you to know that I will love you and care for you no matter what happens Buttercup. But I know that you can pull this off. Please, just do this one last thing. Please help me Buttercup.” Buttercup had tears in her eyes. She nodded and attempted to hug Icy. “Th… thank you Buttercup.”
  “C’mon Icy, do you admit defeat?”
  “No Lance. I choose Buttercup now. Buttercup, psybeam, full power!” Buttercup began to glow, her body emitting a bright blue. She struggled to stay airborne and generate more power.
  “FFFFFFRRRRRRREREREREREREREREEEEEE,” she cried out. She was now engulfed in a bright white sphere. It blinded Icy and Lance, Dragonite, and the rest of the audience.
  “Buttercup! FIRE!!!”
  “FFFFFFFFFFFFRRRRRRRRRRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!”
  Everything was quiet. For an instant, time stood perfectly still. Nothing moved. The light blinded everyone. The intense beam made direct contact with Dragonite causing him to faint instantly. But Buttercup was in worse shape. Because of the enormous amount of energy she used on the attack, she could not stay in the air. When the light had died down, Icy saw his best friend lying not even half alive on the field. Lance admitted defeat but waited for Icy to have a moment alone with Buttercup.
  A tear formed in his eye. “Buttercup… this can’t happen… Oh please wake up…” He began crying. “Please wake up Buttercup…”
  “Befreeee, free…….,” were the last words Buttercup emitted before she lost consciousness.
  Icy couldn’t hold back the tears and pain inside. He held Buttercup up close to his chest and pressed hard. “This… {sniff}… is all my… {sniff}… fault. What have I done…?” Icy cried over his stiff Butterfree’s body. She didn’t move and no longer had a pulse. “I wanted to win so badly I sacrificed my own friend to do it…” Icy couldn’t take the reality of the situation. Buttercup was no longer alive. She pasted away. Icy could not accept the fact that his dearest friend was gone for good. “NOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” he put her back down and placed her body in his backpack inside a box to take with him on his journey back to Viridian Forest.
  Lance walked over to Icy. “Icy… I know you don’t believe you earned this, but, all the same, you have. Many trainers would have given up, maybe due to how much was at stake, maybe because they just didn’t have confidence. But you stood up to the challenge, even when it was the life of your friend at stake. I… I wish there was some way to bring her back. Here…” Lance handed Icy the master trainer’s badge. Sara took it for him and they both walked silently home. Lance’s words echoed in Icy’s head, ‘…some way to bring her back…’

Buttercup’s Legacy

  Last time, Icy battled to Elite 4 again to be a pokémon master. After creaming Lorelei and Bruno, he got revenge on Agatha. But in the end, Lance’s Dragonite had Icy pinned down. With the injured Buttercup as the only way of winning, Icy sent his friend into battle. Buttercup made the ultimate sacrifice to make Icy’s dream come true. Sadly, she went unconscious and never woke up. And now…

  Icy and Sara packed up their belongings from their Indigo Plateau apartment. Icy placed Buttercup’s body in a clear case and packed the last of their bags into Cyber. “Cheer up Icy. Buttercup knew what would happen. She did it for you Icy.”
  “That’s why I’m upset Sara.”
  “But she wouldn’t have done this if she didn’t love you so much. She knew how much you wanted that win.”
  “I never wanted her to sacrifice herself for me. Why did she have to die?”
  “Icy, me and Aura are sad too, but you have to remember that she did it for you.”
  “But, I would have quit if I’d known. I’d never have let her pull that.”
  “I know. She probably had so much loyalty towards you that she figured this would show just how much you meant to her.”
  “It means nothing now that she’s dead.” Icy got into the Porygon car. Sara and Aura both got in. “When we get back, I’ll have Triking dig her grave in the forest near the gym. It’s what she would have wanted.” They drove off into the sunset. Crystal-like tears rolled off Icy’s cheeks. He remembered the time Buttercup was almost killed by Magmar, but she pulled through. This time was different. She used every bit of her life force to perform her final attack. But Icy still blamed himself for letting her do it.
  They arrived back in the Viridian Forest a few hours later. “Sara, you take in the stuff. I want to be alone with Buttercup for a second. Aura wanted to conform Icy but Sara called her back over to her.
  “Come Aura, he needs this time with her.”
  “Buttercup… You didn’t have to sacrifice yourself for me. This wasn’t how I wanted to win. Why Buttercup, why?” Icy clutched her soft body and pressed it to his. His tears fell on Buttercup and roll down the contours of her back. “I love you Buttercup. I will always love you. You were my best {sniff} friend.” Icy could no longer hold back his emotions and burst into tears. A flock of Pidgeys flew off from the canopy.
  “Icy, dinner.” Icy and Triking had finished digging the grave for Buttercup. Sara came out with Aura. “We can do this first.” Some pokémon from the forest came out to see what was happening. When they saw the deceased Butterfree and Icy’s watery face, they kinda understood what was going on and began to pour dirt on the case. Icy wanted to smile, seeing how his friends from the forest understood his pain, but his emotions gripped him again. His tears moistened the soil below.
  “We are all gathered here to witness the burial of my dear friend, Buttercup. She was a true friend, loyal until the very end, and then still. She sacrificed her own life to fulfill my dreams. She had put herself on the line many times before this. She added a certain something to my life. She brought me joy when I was sad; she was there for me when I felt alone. But now, I am alone again, and she is not here anymore. I’d just like to say, you will be missed forever Buttercup. Your sacrifice will not have gone in vein. Rest in peace friend.” Icy finished his eulogy. Everyone was crying now, even the forest pokémon. “Thank you all for being here for me. I know that I’ll never be alone.” Sara walked up to Icy.
  “Icy, I’ll always be here for you.” She embraced Icy. Icy felt like he couldn’t ever let go of her. She let go and took Aura back to the gym. Meanwhile, the forest pokémon paid their respects to the fallen Butterfree and went back into the foliage. Icy followed Sara back home. They had dinner then went to bed. In his dreams, Icy dreamt about Buttercup and all the fond memories they had. She was unique. Sadly, she wasn’t meant to last…
  During the night though, the Caterpies and Butterfree of the forest, plus a few Pikachu gathered around the gravesite of Buttercup.
  “Cater cater.” “Pika.” “Free free freeeeeee.”
  They joined together and focused their energy on the ground Buttercup was buried under. The earth opened around the case Buttercup was in. Then, they combined their energy and focused it all on Buttercup…

Forever

  Last time, Icy had returned home to his gym in the Viridian Forest. But it wasn’t a joyous occasion at all. After burying his closest friend, Icy and Sara retired for the night. But during the night, many caterpies and butterfrees from the forest had gather around Buttercup’s grave. What could they be up too? And now…

  The Caterpies and Butterfrees focused their energies on Buttercup’s still corpse. Her body began to glow a bright blue. The light emanating from it could be seen from the sky as it pierced through the trees.
  Icy woke next morning to a strange site. Wiggler was running around all over the gym. “Wiggler, stop that. Wiggler! Huh…” Wiggler stopped and glowed. “Oh, Wiggler. Sara come quick, I think Wiggler’s ready to evolve!” Sara and Aura came in before Icy could finish his sentence. Wiggler stood upright and sprayed its string into the air above it kinda like a fountain. The string fell back over his body creating a cocoon. “Wiggler…” After he was done, a new pokémon looked at Icy and Sara for the first time. “Wiggler, you’ve evolved in Metapod! I’m so happy!”
  “This is great Icy!” Sara then turned to Aura. “At least this will turn his mind away from Buttercup for a while.” Sara was equally sad about Buttercup’s unfortunate death, but Icy was still worse off. He didn’t get much sleep last night.
  Meanwhile, back inside the forest, a flock of Butterfree flew over the canopy. Among them was a smaller, greenish colored Butterfree. She insisted on flying in loops and did other various tricks. The other Butterfree smiled, as was their form of applause. They flew over top Icy’s Gym. Sara watched them but turned away so Icy wouldn’t look. She didn’t want him to be constantly reminded of Buttercup. Not now… The green Butterfree looked at the gym and continued with the other Butterfree. Pokémon usually didn’t understand the differences in human buildings anyways…
  “So, what do metapods do? Dee, help us out here.” Icy opened his pokédex.
  “Metapod, the evolved form of Caterpie. Metapods cannot move thus are unable to attack. In time, they will evolve in the 3rd stage of the Caterpie evolutions, Butterfree.” Icy closed Dee slowly.
  “Buttercup…” he sighed. “Oooohhhh…”
  “Are you ok Icy, you look sick.”
  “No, I’m fine… Metapods don’t do anything… Not until they evolve…”
  “Icy…”
  “Wiggler can’t replace Buttercup…”
  “Icy, none of your pokémon can replace her. That’s what made her unique. She was special. But you need to accept the fact that she gave her own life to help you.”
  “That’s not fair. I didn’t want for her to die. She should have just refused to battle, I would have understood. I beat them all once, I could have done it again. Then she’d still be alive. She would have been a hero, instead she’s dead, and I don’t feel like a pokémon master. A master wouldn’t let his pokémon battle to the death. I could have prevented it.”
  “Icy, blaming yourself all day won’t bring Buttercup back to life. You can only learn from the mistake and move on. You’ll be happier once Wiggly evolves into a Butterfree. I wonder when the rest of your Caterpie will evolve?”
  “Them, I don’t know. They don’t ever get a chance to do much.”
  “Maybe you could let my class play with them. I have many young students, younger than 10. They love cute pokémon. They could give the Caterpies all the training they need to evolve.”
  “I suppose… But I don’t see how playing with them makes them evolve.”
  “Well, love and care helps somewhat…”
  “You have a point there.” Icy sat down in the center of the main gym floor and sent out his Caterpie. They immediately covered him. “Thanks guys. I’ll never allow any of you or my other pokémon to try something you are capable of ever again. Buttercup won’t have died in vein.” The caterpies were saddened, but knew that Icy had to live with the impression he had caused Buttercup’s death. They cuddled him more.
  Back in the forest, a young boy ran down the path. “AGHHHHHHHH!!!! Stay back you!”
  “PPPPPPIIIIIIIIIIKKKKKKKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACHUUUUUU!!!!”
  “AGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” He jumped after being shocked for about the tenth time. “I said I’m sorry. I didn’t know that was your apple tree. Really! Please, leave me be!” The Pikachu continued perusing the kid. “AGHHHHH!!!!! Someone help me.”
  Back at the gym, Sara was looking out the window with Aura when she saw a small area of the forest light up. “Huh, what was that?”
  The kid began approaching the gym. “Oh, a gym! They’ll protect me!” The Pikachu was right behind him. He reached the doors and quickly jumped inside. “Wow!” The trainer looked at around. The main hall was lined with forest artifacts. Fairies and caterpies were placed atop pedestals down the walls. The boy walked slowly down the hallway. He admired every aspect of it. Finally, he reached the main doors. He pushed them open slowly. Then, he saw Icy, covered by Caterpies. “Wha, what is that,” he thought to himself.
  Icy sensed his presence in the room and got up quickly sending some of the Caterpie flying off in odd directions. They slid upon the waxed floor. Icy looked at the boy with curiosity. “What a sec, I know you from somewhere.”
  “Funny, same here.”
  “Nicky!”
  “Icy!”
  “A pokémon master, in my gym…”
  “What about yourself Icy? You beat Lance too remember… Oh…”
  “Please… I don’t consider that a very good reason for being a master…”
  “Sorry… Oh yeah… Is it ok for me to hang out here for a while? Some Pikachu was really ticked with me for picking an apple off a tree. I guess the tree belongs to him. He almost fried me with his thundershocks.”
  “Yes, thundershock is a strong Pikachu attack. I should know.”
  “Really, why’s that?”
  “Surely you must have known about me and the great accident.”
  “No.” Icy sweatdropped. Then, he related to Nicky the story about him being transformed into a Pikachu and all. Then he told him about Mewtwo and Bill’s cure for him and Sara. Nicky was sorta stumped but just nodded.
  “Well, I guess you can hang out for a while. I don’t often get visitors.”
  “Hey, can I see your pokémon, I’ll show you the one’s I’ve caught!”
  “Ok. They aren’t all evolved, but I love then just the same.”
  “Hey, it’s the ability of the pokémon combined with the trainer, not the form that matters. Appearances are meaningless, never forget that. That’s what makes a master. Hehehe… I must sound like a poképhilosopher… hehehe…”
  “Yeah…” Icy summoned his pokéballs via telekinesis and opened them. Nicky watched in awe.
  “You’re a psychic? That’s awesome!” Icy smiled. Not many people liked psychics, so anyone who thought it was cool was considered a good friend. Icy’s pokémon all jumped out from their pokéballs. “Wow. Now that’s a lot of pokémon!” Nicky set all his pokéballs in a line. There were only ten of them. “Ok guys, come out!”
Nicky’s pokémon included: Raichu, Butterfree, Vileplume, Sandslash, Venomoth, Nidorino, Pidgeot, Wigglytuff, Dewgong, and Blastoise. Icy was most impressed by his vast array of pokémon.
  “WOW! Those are really strong pokémon. I could never win a battle against you with that team.”
  “Oh come on. We are both pokémon masters, let’s go at it. Besides, you’re a gym leader right?”
  “Well, yes.”
  “Then I challenge you. Under league rules, you can’t turn down a challenge.”
  “Kinda… I operate outside the pokémon league… Which means for you, I’ll get to use pokémon other than bugs. This battle will be three on three.”
  “I see. That works fine for me. I choose you, Sandslash.”
  “A Sandslash huh. Ground type. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Neptune!” Icy’s Horsea leapt into the ring. She took one glance at the large mouse and began hopping away. “No Neptune, you are my only water type. Neptune, water gun now!” Neptune shrugged then fired her water gun at Sandslash.
  “That little squirt bottle doesn’t scare me. Sandslash, slash attack now!” The water gun was almost useless since Sandslash’s level was many times higher than Neptune’s. It slashed Neptune once and she was knocked out. “Uhh… Good thing you didn’t battle with her in the League.”
  “Ohhh… Neptune, return. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, Hocus!”
  “I am ready master. Well hello Mr. Sandslash, care to dance.”
  “Right, psychic attack!” Hocus focused his mind on Sandslash and the mouse began doing some strange dance.
  “What’s going on? Sandslash, stop fooling around.”
  “Finish him Hocus.”
  “Righto. It’s been swell Mr. Sandslash, but now I’m afraid you shalt have to part in such sweet sorrow…” Hocus sent to psybeams at Sandslash knocking him out. “Goodnight…hehehe…”
  “Great job Hocus, as usual.”
  “Thank you master.”
  “Wow, your pokémon can talk?”
  “Kadabras are very smart. This one’s been talking since it was an Abra. He’s very special.”
  “I’m flattered,” Hocus interrupted blushing.
  “Well, talking Kadabras aren’t preventing me from beating you Icy. Return Sandslash. I now choose Dewgong. Dewgong, aurora beam now!” Dewgong fired the beam directly at Hocus. Hocus twitched but did not go down.
  “Tis a mere scratch.” Hocus used recover then followed up with a psybeam. Dewgong went down just like Sandslash.
  “Oh, you are good. That Kadabra is pretty funny too.”
  “Thank you Nicky. Now, which pokémon may I beat last?”
  “Humph… I think I liked the funny jokes better… Return Dewgong. Go, Blastoise.” Icy was speechless.
  “A Blastoise… Hocus, confusion now.” Hocus used his confusion beam but it had no effect. Blastoise picked up the upset Kadabra.
  “Good, now slam Blastoise.” He threw Hocus to the ground.
  “Teleport now!” Just before hitting the ground, Hocus managed to teleport to safety. He was still a bit shaken up though. “Ok, this won’t work, Hocus, return.”
  “Last one Icy. My Blastoise is gonna win it all!”
  “Don’t be so sure. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls Wiggler.” The motionless Metapod appeared. “Wiggler, harden now!”
  “Blastoise, wash it away with hydro pump.” Blastoise jet sprayed Wiggler, but it didn’t seem to matter. In fact, something was happening. The water was nurturing the Metapod.
  “Oh cool! It’s gonna evolve!” Sure enough, the Metapod cracked open and a beautiful Butterfree with bright colored wings popped out. It fluttered all around the gym. “Wiggler! You evolved! Hmm, Wiggler doesn’t sound like a name for a Butterfree, I’ll call you Flutter.” Flutter was please with its new name and prepared to attack. “Ok Flutter, psybeam!” Flutter got ready to do something, but then he realized he didn’t know how to do that attack. “Oh no, I forgot, Butterfree don’t learn that till latter.”
  “Too bad Icy. Blastoise, hydro pump!” Blastoise fired its water cannons at Flutter, pinning him to the wall.
  “Ok ok, that’s enough, one dead Butterfree is all I can take. Flutter, return. You have bested my Nicky. To prove your skills, not that you really need to, I present you with this Forest Badge.” Icy handed Nicky the colorful badge. On the left was a Caterpie and on the right, a Weedle. In the middle was an olive branch. Nicky took the badge and thanked Icy.
  “You were pretty good there yourself. I’m very sorry about your Butterfree. She was quite a fighter. Her attacks were way off the chart from any known pokémon. Researchers could learn a lot about her even from examining her corpse.”
  “WHAT! No one’s gonna operate on my Butterfree. It’s bad enough she died, now you want some scientists to cut her open!”
  “No no, I’m sorry I mentioned it. Could I at least see her? I never did get a chance to take a close look at her. I promise not to touch.”
  “Fine. Why you’d want to see a dead pokémon is beyond me though. She’s buried deep inside the forest. I’ll have to take you there.” Nicky nodded and they went to the gravesite.
  “She would be happy. This is really a beautiful place to be. Now her spirit can merge with the forest. Kinda like she’d be all around us right now. Just as he said the words, the flock of Butterfree flew overhead. The smaller Butterfree was inside the group too. She looked down at the earth to see what was happening. Nicky looked up and laughed. “See Icy, my point. She’s all around. Take those Butterfree for example… Icy…?”
  “It can’t be…” Icy’s eyes glanced at the ground. The hole had been undug and the case was empty. “Buttercup…”
  “What did you say?”
  “That’s Buttercup!”
  “Icy, she’s dead, ahhhhh!!” Nicky finally realized the case was empty. “How can you tell?”
  “She’s the green one, small than the rest. She’s looking at me.”
  Sure enough, Buttercup did make eye contact with Icy but didn’t seem to recognize him. She flew into the sunset with the other Butterfree.
  “No, come back! Windstorm, I choose you. Fly me to those Butterfree. Oh yeah, I’m not a Pikachu anymore… you can’t support me now. Return Windstorm. Cyber, I choose you. Jetplane program, run now!” Cyber converted to a jet. “I’m gonna track her down. I have to get her back.” He jumped into Cyber and they took off after the Butterfree.
  “Good luck!!!” Sara came running out.
  “What happened?”
  “Icy’s going after Buttercup. She’s alive!”
  “She is? How’s that possible?
  “Must be a miracle. But now Icy’s gotta find her. She flew away with a flock of Butterfree.”
  “Oh, please bring her home Icy.”
  “Faster Cyber, we need to catch up to them!” Cyber switched on the afterburners and soon, they caught up with the Butterfree. Icy got on top of Cyber and called out to them. “BUTTERCUP!!!!!”
  Buttercup heard her name. She looked back seeing the crazy human standing atop a speeding fast jet. “What a lunatic. He’s gonna kill himself doing that,” she thought. Thinking nothing of it, she turned back to the group.
  Icy wasn’t ready to give up yet. “BUTTERCUP!!!!! IT’S ME!!!!! ICY!!!!! PLEASE REMEMBER ME!!!!! I… I… I love you Buttercup! WAHHHHH!!!!!” Icy shouted upon seeing the tall tree. “TREE… TREE!!! Cyber tur… no. Oh crap!!!” Cyber couldn’t turn without risking Icy falling off. He attempted to avoid the first tree but a higher branch smashed into Icy’s chest. He was thrown from his Porygon and began falling straight down to the earth below. “AGHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! HELP!!!!!” Cyber slowed down but found himself surround by trees and ended up crashing into one.
  The Butterfree flock was not too far away. Buttercup heard the boy’s plea for help and she saw him falling to the ground. She very well knew what would happen if he continued. He would splatter again the forest floor. Not a very pretty sight. Something inside her told her to try to save the boy. “Freeeeeeee!!!!” She called on the other Butterfree to help her save Icy.
  Icy continued to fall. He was still almost 400 feet up and falling quickly. The trees were coming in sight. “NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Huh?” Something was supporting his weight. He looked in front of him and saw the Butterfree flock glowing. They were using their psychic energy to hold Icy up. They gently guided him to the ground. Then, all but the one small, green Butterfree took off.
  “Free free…” [Silly human… be a little more careful from now on.]
  “Wait, Buttercup, please don’t go. I… I… I’m sorry. It was my fault you ended up getting killed. I forced you into doing what couldn’t be done without the consequences. I didn’t want this to happen… You did sacrifice yourself for me. I sacrificed you for me… Buttercup, please, I’m begging you for another chance. The sheer fact that you have been brought back to life is an indication that this was never meant to happen. And, you saved my life. I know you couldn’t have done that if you didn’t still care about me. You could have just kept flying away, but you didn’t. Please Buttercup, please forgive me… I can never forgive myself for what I’ve done. I don’t deserve to be a pokémon master, not for how I made you fight. It was wrong and selfish.” Icy got down on the ground to Buttercup’s eye level. “Please Buttercup. My life without you is meaningless. I love you Buttercup. I would do anything for you. That’s why I’m so sorry that I betrayed you. Please, can you find it in your heart to forgive me, Buttercup? Can you give me another chance?”
  Buttercup stared at Icy. She remembered now what had happened. She could remember the Dragonite and Icy’s voice telling her she could do it. She remembered channeling all of her life force to beat it. Then, she remembered being with the other Butterfree, Caterpie, and a white pokémon. The white pokémon left, then she was flying with the other Butterfree. Now she looked at Icy with tears filling his eyes. She wondered why he was pleading with her. She looked deeper. Suddenly, she realized who it was she was looking into the eyes of. She remembered the time she first met this trainer. She remembered the times when Icy spent entire evenings caring for her when she was injured. Tears formed in her eyes. Icy took her and hugged her. Buttercup made her decision. She moved herself closer in Icy’s arms. Sara and Nicky finally found them.
  “Icy. Buttercup?? You found her.”
  “Buttercup has decided to come back with me.”
  “That’s sweet. Buttercup’s a true friend. Wait where’s Cyber?”
  “Oh no, I lost him when I got hit by the tree.” Cyber was only a few 100 feet from their location. Icy used telepathy to track him down. Cyber had already begun repairs on itself when they found him. “Cyber, you’re ok!” Cyber joined the happy group and they all returned home.
  “Thank you Buttercup,” Icy whispered to his true friend.

An Icy Battle

  While Icy celebrates Buttercup’s return, another trainer is wandering through the Viridian Forest…

  Meeko shuts her eyes and reaches slowly towards the handles, slowly, slowly...
  ( Just open the stupid door already! ) Bulba says and opens the door, all the other Pokémon follow.
  “Huh? Wha-?” Meeko slowly peeks inside, and walks carefully in.
  Jigglypuff!
  “What Jigglypuff?”
  Jigglypuff!
  “Caterpie what did she say?”
  ( Nice gym! )
  “Yeah, to be turned into dolls....”

  “Hi!” a twelve-year-old girl leaves the trainees and walks over to Meeko.
  “Ekk! Oh, uh, hi, I’d like to battle Icy, what’s your name?”
  “My name’s Sara, come this way, he’s in here, your name would be?”
  “Meeko, uh, Icy hasn’t turned anyone into dolls has he?”
  “Not that I know of...” Sara gives Meeko a weird look, “Here he is, Icy, a girl named Meeko has come to get the Forest Badge.”
  As Sara walks over to Icy’s side, she mutters under her breathe, “Dolls..???”
  “You are here to challenge me for my Forest Badge I suspect?”
  “Uhhh, yes…”
  “C’mon girl, have some confidence. Let’s hear some enthusiasm!” Icy wasn’t in the business of belittling his opponents. He didn’t find it amusing when the Elite 4 did it to him, so he figured it wasn’t the greatest way to be a gym leader.
  Meeko cheered up a bit. “Alright. Yes, I challenge you Icy! I want that Forest Badge!”
  “That’s the spirit! Ok, here are the rules. This will be a 4 on 4 match, to make things interesting. No time limits, and all of my pokémon are legal in accordance with unofficial gym rules.” Icy kinda laughs upon hearing himself use the words ‘rules’ and ‘unofficial’ in the same sentence.
  “Fine with me. Alright, I choose Caterpie!”
  Icy picks up a green pokéball from the stand behind him. “Ok guys, let’s go for another victory. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, BUTTERCUP!” Icy’s green Butterfree flew out over the field.
  “Caterpie, string shot!” Buttercup’s small size helped her to easily avoid the string attack.
  “Buttercup, don’t waste any time, psybeam attack now!” Buttercup charged and released her psybeam at Caterpie. It tries to get up but cannot and Meeko is forced to recall it.
  “Oh no, Caterpie return. You’ll pay for that! Pikachu, I choose you now! Thunder shock now!” Pikachu sends out a thunder shock and hits Buttercup. She is hurt but still manages to stay in the air. “Huh? How’s that possible?”
  “Buttercup is a very strong pokémon, but even she can’t keep going forever. Buttercup, this isn’t worth getting hurt again, return now.” Icy called his friend back to her pokéball. He knew not to push her too far anymore, since she would loyally do whatever it took to win as Icy had seen. “Ok Meeko, you fight well, but you’ll have to try better than that Pikachu to win this badge. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, HOCUS!”
  The amazing Kadabra appears on the field. “Ahh, a Pikachu! Pppphahahahaha!!!!”
  “Hey, stop laughing at my Pikachu. Go on, thunder shock attack!”
  “Hocus…” Icy commands his Kadabra telepathically.
  “Humph, such a weak electric attack.” His eyes glow blue. “Let’s see if you can take all that you can deal.” Hocus points his finger back at Pikachu and the lighting bolt follows.
  “PIIII!!!!!” Pikachu is hit by its own attack and falls over defeated.
  “Noo, oh, now I remember why I hate psychic pokémon. Return Pikachu. It’s a long shot, but here goes. Jigglypuff, I need you now!”
  “Jigglypuff???”
  “Yes! Jigglypuff, explosion now!”
  “Hocus, psychic attack.” Icy went back to a more serious stance. He never liked to reveal his thoughts to the opponent through facial expressions, so it was generally hard to tell whether he was mad or even happy. At most, Icy would sneer or grin slightly, but that was all.
  “Right.” Hocus used his psychic attack to float Jigglypuff into the air. She became confused from it all that she forgot about performing her attack.
  “Jigglypuff? Hey, what’s wrong with her?”
  “And now for my next trick.” Hocus floats Jigglypuff over to him. He takes her in on hand and begins dibbling her. Jigglypuff expands and deflates a bit.
  “Huh, what was that for.”
  “She’s mad that your Kadabra is playing B-ball with her.” Hocus floats Jigglypuff high into the air, then proceeds to slamming her into the ground. “Ok, ok, that’s enough. Jigglypuff return.”
  “Uhh, do you surrender Meeko? It’s 3 to 1.” Icy didn’t want to have to beat another of Meeko’s pokémon, at least, not with Hocus.
  “No, I’m going to win still. I call Bulba now!” Mekko’s Bulbasaur materializes on the field. “Solar beam quick!” Balba takes advantage of the situation by charging his solar beam. Meanwhile, Hocus is still cracking up over the cruel joke he played on Jigglypuff. He turns around just in time to see the glaring heat of the solar beam just inches from his spoon.
  “WHAT THE!”
  “YEAH!!! You beat him!”
  “Hm. So, you think you can really defeat a psychic trainer huh…”
  “{gulp}”
  “You have yet to see the full extent of my pokémon’s power. Ready to fight! Come in sight!! Icy calls… FLUTTER!!! GOOOOOOOOOO” Icy’s new Butterfree appears ready to take on Bulba. “Flutter, psybeam attack!”
  “Aghh!”
  “Huh?” Flutter just flutters over the ground unsure what to do. “Opps, I forgot, you still don’t know that move.”
  “Haha, now’s my chance. Bulba, stun spore!”
  “Flutter, whirlwind the spores away!”
  “Reeee?”
  Icy sweatdrops. “Ohhhh… Look, do this.” Icy starts waving his arms. “Flap your wings really fast.” Flutter just gives Icy and confused look. The spores hit him and he falls to the ground paralyzed.
  “Ok Bulba, finish him off with Razor Leaf!” Bulba uses its razor leaf attack on Flutter and wins.
  “Ohhhh… Flutter, return. Hmm, I guess he needs more training…”
  “Yeah, guess so.” Meeko tosses Icy some special herbs. “Here, they will make him feel better.”
  “Thanks,” Icy replies catching the bag. He hands them to Sara who gets started with treating Icy’s pokémon. “Ok Meeko, you have made an impressive comeback. Time to show you how a real pokémon battle is fought.”
  “Uh oh.”
  “Hmm, hmm, hmm… Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls, CYBER!!!”
  “Hey, that’s not a pokémon, it’s a machine.”
  “On the contrary, this little guy is most definitely a pokémon… Cyber, Double Team Attack! Multiple psybeam attack NOW!”
  “Bulba, try using your stun spore!” The spores phases out one of Cyber’s clones, but the remaining two nails Bulba with their psybeams.
  “Finish it Cyber. Sharpen and tackle!” Cyber finishes off Bulba and the match ends.
  “Bulbasaur…”
  “It’s over young one.”
  Meeko looks up at Icy almost about to cry. “Uhh, yo you don’t turn people into dolls by any chance do you?”
  “Dolls? Oooooohhhhh…. Hehehe, you mean like what Sabrina once did? Nooooo, and she’s a lot nicer now. Besides, I don’t waste precious psychic power for that kinda stuff.”
  “Shew…”

Kelly’s First Adventure

  This is the story about a young girl named Kelly. Kelly is a short, darker blonde haired girl and has two Eevees named Mars and Venus. Mars, a male Eevee, is very playful, and Venus, a female Eevee, is more laid back and relates better to Kelly. She is only 9 years old but has special permission to have pokémon travel with her. Kelly is unsure of what she wants to do in life, but one thing is clear, she loves to care for and play with pokémon. She kisses her mom and dad goodbye and heads out in Celadon City.

  “Kelly, where are we going?” asks Mars.
  “Wherever this road leads. I want to explore the world and meet all kinds of pokémon!” Kelly replied joyfully.
  “It’s a pretty big world. How are we going to see it all just by walking?” Venus asks.
  “Hmm. Ah, we’ll rough it, right Mars?”
  “Veee!”
  “So, where does this road take us?”
  “Hmm, I’m not sure.” Kelly continues walking down the road until she stops at a sign. “Uhhh, this says. Uhhh. Hmm. What’s that word Mars?”
  “Sa. Saf. Saffron. Saffron City.”
  “Oh, that’s right. I remember hearing about that city. It’s a big place. Should we go there?”
  “I don’t know. How are we going to sleep and eat?”
  “I think pokécenters let young trainers eat and sleep for free now,” Venus cut in.
  “That’s perfect. If we can make it to Saffron by night, we can stay at the pokémon center!” Kelly smiles and starts to run down the road leading to Saffron City.
  “Heh, Kelly, wait for us!” Her two Eevees run to catch up with her. The trio heads toward the large city.
  “Hey, little girl.”
  “Huh?”
  “Yeah, you.” A boy walks out from behind a bush. “You have pokémon. C’mon, let’s have a little battle.”
  “Uhh, what do you mean?” Kelly wasn’t sure how a pokémon battle went, so she tried to talk herself out of it.
  “You know what I mean. Let’s see, you have an Eevee huh, I choose my Mankey, hahaha!”
  Kelly was very scared of the pig-like pokémon. Mars and Venus growled at the Mankey. “Venus, what do I do?” she whispers to her Eevee.
  “Don’t worry Kelly, me and Mars will handle it. Just call me out and have me tackle Mankey. Got that?” Kelly nods.
  “Umm, ok kid, you want to battle, then I choose my Eevee Venus! Venus, uhhhh, tackle attack.” Kelly didn’t exactly have the appearance of a trainer, which is why the boy chose her as an opponent.
  “Your Eevee can’t beat Mankey. Mankey, fury swipes attack!”
  Venus dodged the small paws of Mankey and rammed into the pig. “All right, I won!” Mankey got back and tossed Venus back towards Kelly. “Huh, oh no, Venus!”
  “What, are you even a real trainer. Oh forget you, I don’t wanna fight a stupid girl novice anyway. Mankey return!” The boy gave Kelly a snotty look then ran off.
  Kelly wanted to cry. She wondered why she left home in the first place. “{sniff} Oh Venus. I don’t like this world. It’s scary and full of mean people.”
  “C’mon Kelly. Let’s get to the pokémon center. The people there should be nicer.”
  Kelly sobbed softly and walked onward to Saffron City. They finally made it there just as the sun was setting. “We made it!” She looked around for the pokémon center. “But, where’s the pokécenter?”
  “Excuse my miss, are you lost?” The older gentleman could tell Kelly had been on a long journey. Her eevees studied his figure.
  “Uhh, yes. I can’t find the pokécenter {sniff} and I’m hungry.” She started crying softly.
  “Oh, now don’t cry little one. Uhh, the pokécenter is just down this road here. Go about two blocks. It’s on the left.”
  “{sniff} Thank you mister.” Kelly and her Eevees followed the man’s directions and made it to the pokécenter. “Wow! We made it here! Let’s get dinner.” They all walked in and had dinner. Soon after, Kelly got a room for the night and instantly fell asleep with her two Eevees cuddled together on the floor. She dreams about all the wonderful adventures she hopes to have on her tour of the world.

Kelly’s Dream

  Kelly woke up the next morning to find her two Eevees still cuddled up next to each other. “Aww, you two are so cute.”
  Mars woke with a start. “Huh. Agh!!! Um, er, ah, cya!” Mars ran into the next room to hide for a while.
  “Oooook. I’m just gonna pretend that didn’t happen. Venus, wake up. It’s morning. Let’s go get breakfast.”
  “Wait for me! I want food too!” Mars flew from his hiding spot at the sound of food. Kelly giggled as she left her room for the food area of the pokécenter.

  “I’d like some pancakes and eggs, and my Eevees will take some of Brock’ s special brand Eevee-Chow.” The Chansey waiter nodded and hurried back with the food she had ordered. “Wow, that was fast.” Kelly looked around. There was nobody in sight. “Hey, where is everybody?” Mars alerted Kelly to the time. “Aghh!!! It’s still only 5am!”
  “Yeah, but I was hungry anyway so I didn’t bother telling you the little details.”
  “Ohhh.” Kelly sighed.
  “Cheer up, at least we don’t have to worry about any mean trainers picking fights with you.”
  “But I’m going to have to stand up to them someday.”
  “Be happy that day isn’t yet here. Remember, you aren’t technically a pokémon trainer. You have to be 10 before you can be that. But we will still fight for you,” Venus said to Kelly.
  “Yeah, we won’t let those bullies boss you around.” Mars and Venus could be a tough team when they joined together.
  “Thanks guys. I can always count on you. Well, since we’re up, let’s pack. I wanna meet this gym leader Brock in Pewter City. He’s a pokémon breeder and I think that might be what I want to become. Maybe he can help me figure it out.”
  “A breeder. But I thought you were going to see the world and collect different pokémon. That’s the job of a pokémon trainer, not a breeder.”
  “I know, but raising pokémon is fun. Capturing them isn’t so nice when you think about it. Pokémon should be free, like you two.”
  “Well, I suppose we are kinda free, but we still like to travel with you.”
  “Good. So it’s settled. We head for Pewter City?”
  “Ok. But, Pewter is almost a week’s walk from here.”
  “Great! We’ll meet so many different pokémon along the way.”
  “Hmm, and trainers.”
  “That’s ok.”
  “You are headed for Pewter City?” Nurse Joy came around from behind the counter. She had been listening to Kelly’s half of the conversation.
  “Uh, yes m’am, why?”
  “Well, you know, you can always fly Pidgeot Express to Pewter.”
  “But I want to see more pokémon.”
  “I think it’s safer you did go adventuring just yet. Tell ya what I’ll do. I can get you tickets for you and your Eevees on the next flight out for free.”
  “Well.”
  “Please, I don’t want to see those bullies picking on you. They hide, waiting to stop any passing traveler.”
  “Ok, ok, I’ll take to Pidgeot. Uh, where is it?”
  “Oh, silly me, they take off from here too. Just wait in the lobby. Have you ever seen a Pidgeot before?”
  “Umm, in picture books. It’s like a giant bird right?”
  “Yes.”
  “Cool!”
  After waiting a few minutes from the Pidgeot to arrive, Kelly, Mars, and Venus all board the Pidgeot from Pewter City Pidgeyport. “Safe journey!”
  “Bye, and thank you!” As they take off, Kelly can only hope the pokémon gym leader Brock can help her in reaching her goals of being a pokémon breeder.

Brock’s Tips on Pokémon Breeding

  Kelly slept that night in the Pewter City pokécenter with her two wonderful Eevees, Mars and Venus. Her alarm went off at 7:00 this time, rather than the previous morning. “Ahhh. Oh good, it’s not 5 in the morning again. Wake up you two.” Kelly tapped Mars and Venus on the head.
  “Oh, good morning Kelly.”
  Mars simply rolled over a stayed asleep. Venus prodded him with her paw until the sleeping Eevee finally had enough. “Ok, ok, I’m up. Where are we going today? Please not another Pidgeot ride, I think I almost got sick last time.”
  “Hehe, no. Today, I’m going to see that gym leader Brock. He is a pokémon breeder. He might give me some tips on getting started.”
  “Sounds good to me!” The trio packed and went to the dining area for breakfast. After eating, Kelly and her Eevees head to Brock’s gym to speak with him.

  “Onix return. Here’s a boulder badge for you, and WHY DON’T YOU TAKE ALL OF THEM!” Brock stormed out of the main gym into a side office.
  “Not a very nice man to be a pokémon breeder. Are you sure he can help you?”
  “I hope so. I don’t know any other pokémon breeders.”
  “Oh well. Let’s go see if he’ll speak with you.” Venus took the front with Kelly close behind and Mars.
  “Ohhh. I’m just not cut out for this Vulpix.” Brock’s Vulpix stared innocently at him with her big eyes. “Ahh, at least you care about me. Huh, who’s there?”
  Kelly walked into the office. “Uhhh, hi! My name’s Kelly. Uhhh. I want to be a pokémon breeder like you.”
  Brock lifted his eyes from Vulpix to see the small girl standing in his office. He tried to block out the idea of asking her out. “Oh. Well, I am kindof a pokémon breeder. What brings you to me?”
  “Well, I hear you are to best at pokémon breeding.”
  “Hehe, who told you that?”
  “Huh, lots of people. They say you should give up being a gym leader and just be a breeder.” Brock facefaults. “Umm, oh, I’m sorry.”
  “It’s ok.” Brock points his attention over to the sign above a machine on the wall. ‘Boulder Badge Dispenser: Over 1,000,000 Served’. “See, I’m really not cut of to be a fighter. I’d rather raise pokémon.”
  “So you’ll help me?”
  “What a sec, how old are you?”
  “Uhhh, uhhh, nine.” Kelly lowers her head as if shamed by her young age.
  “Oh, that explains why you don’t have any pokéballs. So, how did you manage to get two Eevees?”
  “My mommy and daddy gave them to me. They were presents. I’ve loved pokémon ever since that day.”
  (Flashback)
  “Here you go sweetie, open the box.” Kelly’s mom handed her to wrapped box.
  “Hahaha,” Kelly giggled as she ripped to wrapping paper off. She was only 8 years old now and today was her birthday. “Oh.” Kelly stared at the strange red and white metallic ball.
  “That’s a pokéball Kelly. Inside is a pokémon all for you.”
  Kelly shifted the ball around. “Mommy, how does it work?”
  “See that button on the front.” Kelly looked at the ball. It was still in it’s small form. “Good, now press it.”
  Kelly touched the button but dropped the ball as it expanded. “Huh. Neat, it grows!”
  “Good work. Now, push the button again and it will open.” Kelly picked of the pokéball and pressed the button a second time. Now the ball opened revealing a tan colored pokémon. “Oh look Kelly, it’s a real pokémon.”
  “Veeeeeeeee!”
  “Hahaha, uhhhh, what is it?”
  “This type of pokémon is called an Eevee. This one’s a girl. Eevee’s are very playful and make great pets. Your mother and I had a hard time trying to get her. So, what will you call your new pokémon?”
  “I get to name her.” Her new Eevee looked at her with big sweet eyes. “I know, how ‘bout, Venus.” Eevee smiled in acceptance. Kelly’s parents just exchanged strange looks as they pondered why she chose the name.
  “Ok Kelly. There is one more gift for you.”
  Kelly opened the second present and found another small pokéball inside. “You got me another pokémon! Oh, thank you mommy! Thank you daddy!” Kelly ‘s parents just smiled as they watched their daughter play with her new pets. “I think I’ll call you. Mars.” Mars too was content with the name he was given and cuddled up next to Kelly.
  “Now, Kelly, because the law says that in order to be a trainer, you must be 10, you can’t carry any more pokéballs. But I think they let kids own pokémon as pets now.”
  “That’s ok. I just want these two pokémon. I love my new Eevees.” Kelly smiled hugging her new friends again.
  (End Flashback)
  “And that’s why I want to be a pokémon breeder. I’m really interested in going around battling pokémon, just raising them, like you.”
  “Well, that sure is a great story. Tell you what.” Brock walks over to a bookshelf and fingers through the line of texts. “Ah, here it is. Take this book.” He hands Kelly a book written by Suzie, the world famous pokémon breeder. “It’s written by an old friend of mine, Suzie.” Kelly notices Brock blushing slightly upon saying her name. “She’s a famous pokémon breeder. I learned most of my techniques from her.”
  Kelly takes the book from Brock who seems to be having a daydream. “Uhh, ok, thank you Brock. Um, when do you want it back?”
  “That’s ok, I’ve got lots of copies. You keep it. You’ll need it time to time as a reference. Hmm, where did you say you were headed?”
  “Oh. I don’t know.”
  “Well, south of here are Viridian City and Pallet Town. If you go east, you’ll run into Mt. Moon. I think you’re best going south because Team Rocket has been spotted on Mt. Moon recently. You don’t want to pick a fight with them.”
  “Ok. I’ll go to Viridian City then. Oh and, thanks again Brock!” Kelly waves goodbye to Brock as she heads out towards Viridian City. But first she must navigate through the Viridian Forest. I wonder which path was truly better?

Lost Then Found

  Kelly enters the mazelike Viridian Forest. “I guess we go through here.”
  “Yeah. Uh, it looks scary. Are you sure this is the only way?” Mars wasn’t too keen on treading through a mysterious place. Venus shared his view.
  “Isn’t there a route that goes around this forest?” Venus tugged at Kelly’s pant leg.
  “Not that I can see. C’mon, let’s just walk in.” Kelly walks into the thick forest. Her Eevees reluctantly follow her in. As they go deeper and deeper, Kelly and her Eevees get the distinct feeling they are lost.
  “Kelly, where are we,” asks Venus.
  “We’re lost,” answers Mars.

  “No we’re not. I just, well. Ok, I’m lost!” Kelly dropped down and started crying. “WHAAA!!! I want to go home!!!” The tears from her eyes began running down her cheeks.
  “Oh Kelly, don’t cry please. Now we’ve done it,” Venus scolded Mars.
  “Me? You brought it up!” Mars retorted.
  “Please {sniff}. Both of you stop fighting and help me figure out where we are.” Kelly whips the tears off her face.
  Mars and Venus begin looking for anything that would mark a trail of a direction to follow. Suddenly, Mars stepped on the edge of a wooden post which flipped up knocking him in the face. “Owwww.” Mars sobbed. He covered his face with his paws tending to the bruise.
  “Mars, are you ok? Did you find something?” Kelly looked at the ground. There was a wooden signpost that someone had ripped down off the tree in front of her. ‘The Bug Gym 3000ft’. In had a small wooden engraving of a Caterpie on it too. “Maybe to trainer at this gym can help us find a way out of this forest. It says to go this direction about 3000 feet.”
  “Ok, let’s go then.” Venus turned to Mars. “C’mon Mars, let’s hop to it!”
  “Oww. Just a sec.” Mars rubbed his sore nose. “Ok, I’m ready.”
  “Are you hurt bad Mars?”
  “No, I’ll live I think. It’s just a bruise.”
  “Ok. Just try to keep up.” The trio follows what they believe to be a path leading to a place called the Bug Gym. As they continue walked Kelly sees several strange looking pokémon staring at her. “Ohh, I hope we find that gym soon, those pokémon don’t too friendly.”
  “We’ll defend you Kelly.” Mars and Venus took up defensive positions on either side of Kelly. In the distance, they could see a medium sized building.
  “That must be the gym. Let’s go before those pokémon decide to come out any closer.” Kelly and her Eevees run towards the gym in hopes that the trainer there will be able to guide them out of the forest to Viridian City.
  Kelly walked into the Bug Gym. “Hello?” A younger kid, one of Sara’s pupils answered her.
  “Welcome to the Bug Gym of Viridian Forest. My name’s Toby, how can I help you?” Toby wasn’t that much taller that Kelly so it made her feel better.
  “Uh, I got lost in the forest and was hoping someone here could give me directions.”
  “Ok. Icy is in the main gym now. I can take you there if you’d like.”
  “Um, who is Icy?”
  “You’ve never heard of Icy the Pikachu trainer? Well, he’s not a Pikachu anymore, but, for the past few months he was.” After about 10 minutes, Toby completes his recount of Icy’s tale. “And that’s why he is sometimes referred to as the Pikachu Trainer.”
  “Wow. That must have been cool. Um, sure, can you take me to see him.”
  “Uh huh. Right this way please.” They walked down the large grand hallway lined with different forest type pokémon and statues.
  “This is such a beautiful place.”
  “Yeah, I like staying here.”
  “Are you a pokémon trainer?”
  “Well, not quite. I will be soon. I’m one of Icy and Sara’s students. Sara teaches pokémon classes to younger trainers to get them ready for pokémon training. I am in her class.”
  “And who’s Sara?”
  “Icy will introduce her to you. Here we are.” Toby pushed open the big wooded doors to reveal the main gym. Icy and Nicky were chatting about battle strategy. Sara was taking a look at Meeko’s Caterpie. Hocus stood in a back corner meditating.
  “Wow!”
  “Master Icy, I brought you a visitor.” Toby turns to Kelly. “Uhh, what was your name?”
  “Oh, I’m Kelly.”
  “Right.” He turns back to Icy. “This is Kelly. She got lost in the forest and needs directions.” Icy nodded and Toby went back to the main entrance.
  Kelly walked up to Icy and Nicky and formally introduced herself. “Oh, hello. My name is Kelly.”
  “And you are from Celadon City. Your two Eevees are named Mars and Venus. You are nine years old and want to become a pokémon breeder. Right?”
  “How did you know all that?”
  “Icy’s a psychic trainer. See the Kadabra.” Nicky was definitely impressed with Kelly’s appearance. Icy have him a friendly shove back into reality.
  “Snap out of it, you know she’s much to young for you. Not even Brock would act like that.”
  “Sorry… I spaced out for a sec.” Icy just shook his head.
  “So, you need directions, that’s all?”
  “Yes. Can you tell me how to get to Viridian City?”
  Sara and Meeko come out of the back office. Everyone suddenly hears the stereo blasting “Viridian City” in the background. “Opps, sorry ‘bout that.” Sara flips the switch on the stereo turning it off. “Why’s out new guest Icy?”
  “This is Kelly. Kelly, this is my girlfriend Sara.”
  “Ohhh, pleased to meet you Sara.” Kelly seemed to admire Sara. Sara could if she wanted to, become a pokémon breeder herself, but she rather spend her time working with helping other trainers and Icy then just raising pokémon.
  Nicky was spacing out once again. “Now that’s just plain rude Nicky,” Icy whispered to his friend while punching his shoulder.
  “Eheheh…,” Nicky half chuckled.
  “Well, there’s a path leaded to the left as you leave this gym. There should be signs along the road to tell you where to go. If you want, you can stay awhile. We don’t get many visitors around here that often.”

Time Passes Slowpokely

  Last time, a young girl named Kelly came to Icy’s Bug Gym, not too long after Meeko’s defeat, now, the adventure....

  “I guess I could stay for a while.....” Kelly answered, “There’s so many mean trainers, I might as well.” Icy pushes Nicky, again, he was staring at Kelly, again....
  Meeko’s Bulbasaur, Bulba, spoke up, ( Nicky and what’s-her-name? sittin’ in a tree- ) KA-WAP! Pikachu and Jigglypuff hit Bulba over the head.
  “Uh, these are my Pokémon, Caterpie, Bulba, Pikachu, and Jigglypuff. Do your Pokémon have Pokéballs? I thought I was the only one who never used them.....” Meeko asked.
  “No, Mars and Venus have no Pokéballs, I’m not at the legal age to be a trainer, and if you think about it, they’re not all that nice.” Nicky is staring again, and Bulba decides to play a trick on him..... Bulba Stun Spores him and he’s frozen in position.
  “I-c-y, I c-a-n-‘t m-o-v-e w-h-a-t i-s t-h-e m-a-t-t-e-r-?”
  “Oh, just Bulba again, think about it this way, in your standards, this should be a great view.” Icy chuckles and starts kidding Nicky some more.
  “These are really cute Pokémon you have Kelly, what are they called?”
  “Eevees, they are really nice, and yes, they are really cute.”
  ( You mean they’re bugged eyed chiwawas? Call that cute? Hahahahaha-oooooow! ) Bulba says, Pikachu, Caterpie, and Jigglypuff whack him again.
  ( And it’s said chihuahua you cabbage brain! ) Pikachu remarks.
  “Jigglypuff? Jigglypuff!”
  “Caterpie what’s she saying, huh? Wha-? Where’s Caterpie? Ok, Bulba, what did she say?”
  ( She wants to take a walk, so do I, and so does Pikachu )
  “Alright, c’mon Kelly, I can show you some eras to avoid in Viridian Forest.”
  Meanwhile, Caterpie sneaks over to Icy’s Forest Balls, and releases the, CATERPIES! Caterpie makes happy little Caterpie sounds and all the Caterpies start doing Caterpie stuff.
~~~~~~~SCENE SWITCH!~~~~~~~~~
  “See Kelly, the Viridian Forest can be beautiful at times.” Meeko picks a pretty flower and sniffs it, then gives it to Kelly.
  “Vee!”
  “What is it Mars?”
  “There’s bad people here, they are whipping some Pokémon!” Kelly understood, but all Meeko heard was, “Evee, vee, evee, ev!....”
  “What’s the matter Kelly?”
  “Some people are whipping some Pokémon!”
  When they reached there, two Slowpokes were being whipped, by Team Rocket.
  “......better remember fast, or we’ll have to whip you even more pea brains......” The men told the Pokémon.
  “Hey! Stop that!” Meeko and Kelly ran out of the bushes, the Pokémon ready to fight, the TR people ran away, leaving the Pokémon behind.
  “This is the first time I’ve thought a Pokémon looked stupid..... look at those clueless eyes....” Meeko remarked. Meeko picked up one of them and Kelly the other. Meeko decided she’d take care of this one.
~~~~~GYM~~~~~~~
  “Look at my new Pokémon Sara!” Meeko showed Sara Slowpoke.
  “Yeah, they where being whipped by some mean people.” Kelly told.
  “Here, I’ll heal them.”
  “It was Team Rocket again Sara.” Meeko informed.
  “Why would they be interested in these Pokémon?”

A Buggy Battle

  “This’ll be a three on three battle, agreed?” Icy asks.
  “Agreed.” Lewis replies. “Marowak go!” Lewis shouts, throwing a pokéball.
  “Ah yes, a Ground type. Ready to fight, come in sight! Icy calls Buttercup!” Icy shouts in battle phrase. “Buttercup, Psybeam attack!” Icy shouts. Buttercup fires the beam and is knocked back.
  “Marowak! Counter with bone club!” Lewis shouts. Marowak jumps up and hits Buttercup with its bone. Buttercup is a bit dazed, but not out.
  “Now Buttercup, sleep powder!” Icy shouts. Buttercup released the powder at Marowak. Marowak struggled to blow it away, but fell asleep.

  “Return, Marowak.” Lewis said. Lewis thought over his Pokémon. “Go Pidgeot!” Lewis shouts. The giant bird flew above Buttercup.
  “Buttercup! Stun spore!” Icy commands.
  “Blow it back with whirlwind!” Lewis says. Pidgeot flapped its wings and the stun spore hit Buttercup who now was paralyzed.
  “Agh! Return Buttercup, and now I choose... Static!” Icy says. The Pikachu comes out of its pokéball and stands at the ready for battle. “Static! Thunder attack!” Icy shouts. Static charged up, and lightning clouds formed in the gym! Suddenly, Static releases a powerful burst of electricity! Pidgeot was fried!
  “Return, Pidgeot.” Lewis says. Static puts up two fingers in victory.
  “You didn’t really think you could defeat a psychic trainer did you? Let alone a pokémon master?” Icy asks.
  “I’m not through yet. I know there’s still one Pokémon I’ve never seen a Pikachu defeat. Alakazam go!” Lewis shouts.
  “WHAAAT! You’re a Psychic trainer too???” Icy demanded.
  “Most people from Saffron are!” Lewis replies. Static was too afraid to move. “Alakazam, psywave.” Lewis says. Alakazam fires a wave of Psy energy straight at Static! Static was easily beaten by it.
  “Return Static!” Icy shouts.
  “Ready to accept defeat?” Lewis asks.
  “Ok Lewis... You may think you’re pretty hot stuff, but now you’ll see that you have made a grave error... I choose HOCUS!!!” Icy shouts. The Kadabra stands in battle ready mode, awaiting its master’s commands.
  “A Kadabra. Interesting.” Lewis says.
  “Hocus! Psychic attack!” Icy shouts.
  “Alakazam, teleport!” Lewis shouts. Hocus stops firing a Psychic attack.
  “Stay alert, Hocus.” Icy says. Lewis and Icy’s eyes both start to glow... Lewis nods his head, and Alakazam teleports right above Hocus! “Hocus! Teleport out of the way!” Icy shouts. Hocus teleports just as Alakazam safely touches ground.
  “Psybeam now!” the two shout at the same time. Alakazam and Hocus both fire a psybeam at each other, which collide and knock the two back.
  “Hocus! Quickly teleport and follow with a psybeam!” Icy shouts.
  “You aren’t gonna get to Alakazam that easily! Alakazam, teleport as well!” Lewis shouts. Alakazam and Hocus teleport so fast that only Lewis and Icy can see them, and the spectators can’t.
  “This is getting intense.” Sara says in the stadium seats.
  “I know, Hocus has the advantage of being a high level, but Alakazam has the advantage of being the evolution!” Meeko says.
  “This could be a mis-match.” Nicky says.
  Suddenly, the two stop teleporting, and Hocus fires a quick psybeam at Alakazam which hits! Hocus stops, happy for hitting Alakazam. “Looks like Hocus won.” Kelly says.
  Lewis smiles and says, “Recover.” Alakazam glows, and gets back up! Alakazam fires a psybeam at Hocus, who also gets hit!
  “Hocus! Recover!” Icy shouts. Hocus glows and gets back on the stadium.
  “This is gonna get tedious.” Meeko says.
  “Hocus! Full force psybeam nooooooooow!” Icy commands. Hocus powers up a powerful psybeam!
  “Alakazam, teleport!” Lewis shouts. Hocus fires its psybeam, but it misses and Alakazam teleports behind him! Hocus focuses and moves with the psybeam and fires it at Alakazam!
  “Alakazam, psybeam!” Lewis shouts. The psybeams collide again! The two are knocked to their trainer’s feet, and they both recall them.
  “One more round.” Icy says with a smile. Suddenly, the roof of the gym opens, revealing sunlight! Lewis was predicting what was happening next. “Go Leafy!” Icy shouts. The Gloom stood on the stadium floor. “It’s a beautiful day!” Icy shouts.
  Lewis looked at his pokéballs and thinks, Lewis takes out a pokéball and shouts, “I refuse to lose so it’s all up to you, Bulba-” Suddenly, Weedle pops out instead of Bulbasaur! Everyone looks in amazement at it!
  “A Weedle?” Icy asks.
  “Weedle, I wanted Bulbasaur, but try your hardest!” Lewis shouts.
  “Ha! Leafy solar beam! Let’s finish this battle!” Icy shouts. Gloom begins absorbing solar rays...
  “Weedle! Use that drill sting attack I taught you to dig underground!” Lewis shouts. Weedle starts spinning and digs underground! Leafy stops the attack as it waits. Lewis’s eyes glow, and it commands Weedle to attack telepathically. Weedle pops up under Leafy at an incredible speed, tackling her. Gloom recovers fast, and fires a solar beam straight at Weedle! Weedle is knocked to Lewis’s feet.
  “It’s over Lewis...” Icy says. Weedle suddenly gets a mean look in its eyes, and it jumps back onto the field! Weedle’s eyes start glowing! “What’s happening???” Icy demands.
  “Weedle, what are you doing?” Lewis asks. Weedle points its stinger at Leafy. The stinger is starting to glow too! Leafy starts a petal dance to protect herself. Weedle suddenly fires a Psybeam! Leafy opens her eyes and sees the beam hit her and knock her out! Icy and Lewis are both shocked!
  “Return, Leafy.” Icy says, still shaken from it.
  “That’s impossible.” Icy says. Everyone in the stadium is switching their views from Weedle, to Lewis.
  “Um, nice work Weedle. Return.” Lewis says, also shaken. An exhausted Weedle returns to its Pokéball.
  “As a sign of success for winning, here is a Forest badge.” Icy says, handing over the badge. Sara comes down and asks Lewis if she can assist Lewis in research on his Weedle.
  “Sure, I’m gonna need all the help I can get on this one.” Lewis replies, pinning the badge to his flannel shirt.

Lewis’ Amazing Pokémon

  Last time, Lewis battled with the unofficial Gym leader Icy. After Buttercup defeated Marowak, Static frying Pidgeot, and Alakazam and Hocus fought to a standoff, it was down to Weedle and Gloom. Weedle was about to lose when it mysteriously unleashed a psybeam attack! And now we join Lewis and Sara trying to uncover the mystery...

  “Weedle, just stay calm and stay under the light.” Lewis said to Weedle as he went underneath a scanner. Sara looked under a microscope and saw Weedle’s DNA. “It looks like standard Weedle DNA. The only thing strange is a high number of intelligence neurons.” Sara says. “Intelligence neurons?” Lewis asks. “What gives bug Pokémon the advantage of being superior to psychic type is that most don’t have a localized brain. Their mind is spread out through neurons across their body, and when one is damaged, it can easily be shut down and transferred to another neuron until it’s repaired. There are a lot more then a standard Weedle in your Weedle.” Sara explains. “Could that explain why Weedle fired a psybeam?” Lewis asks. “I’m not sure. No Weedle in history has fired a psybeam!” Sara says. “Well, this is very strange.” Lewis says. Weedle crawls out. Lewis takes out a cellular microscope and inspects Weedle. “This is fascinating!” Lewis exclaims. “What?” Sara asks. “Look at this!” Lewis says, handing over the cellular microscope. Sara looks into it. The neurons were glowing! They were getting bright, and energy was flowing through them. “I think I have an explanation.” Sara says. “What?” Lewis asks. “Your psychic, right?” Sara asks. “Yes. Most people from Saffron are psychic.” Lewis replies. “Where did you catch this Weedle?” Sara asks. “Just outside of Saffron, why?” Lewis asks. “Your Weedle has psychic-type DNA in it. It must have been descended from a psychic type Pokémon, so logically, you have the rarest Weedle in the world because it knows psychic attacks! But according to this it needs a lot of adrenaline to start the psy-attacks.” Sara replies.

  Lewis hugged his amazing Weedle that could psybeam. “This is really cool, Weedle! I didn’t think this would be possible!” Lewis says. Lewis walks back into the kitchen and recalls Weedle. He starts making a cup of tea.
  Kelly was looking at Lewis’s egg. “Hey Lewis, what is that egg you have here?” Kelly asks.
  “It’s a poke-egg. I found it when I was inside the forest.”
  “Can you tell us what’s inside of it?” Nicky asks.
  “Well, let me check.” Lewis says. Lewis pulls out a strange looking pokédex. It was more rectangular, and longer then wide. The pokédex opened two ways: first a top part opened up, and then a second part opened to the right. A bottom section about a half-inch long didn’t open at all. The pokédex showed the picture of the egg, and it said, “A poke-egg. Information available: a normal type Pokémon resides within. Current mass: 4 lbs. No other information available.”
  “What kind of pokédex is that?” Icy asks.
  “It’s a pokédex which won’t come out for another year or two.” Lewis replies.
  “Your family must be up in high places.” Nicky says.
  “Yep. My dad is vice-president of the Silph Co., and my Mom is a programmed for the pokédex.” Lewis replies. Suddenly, the egg starts shaking. Lewis runs over to it just as the egg starts cracking enough! A leg comes out! Another! Two arms pop out! The shell cracks off!
  The small Pokémon opens it’s eyes for the first time and says, “Jiggly! Puff puff!” Lewis pulls out the pokédex again which says, “Jigglypuff: a balloon Pokémon. Uses its alluring eyes to enrapture its foe. It then sings a pleasing melody that lulls the foe to sleep.”
  “It’s not as cute a Togepi, but it’s still the cutest thing ever!” Lewis says.