Seven Days of Terror (now with an epilogue)
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PMJ
Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands
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RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (working title)
I don't type each chapter start to finish. If I get stuck, or just bored, I just save it and come back when I think I can get something. A pretty good example is chapter four... I had the whole thing written except the last paragraph for a couple days. I just couldn't think of a good way to end it, but I think I got it down all right.
I don't type each chapter start to finish. If I get stuck, or just bored, I just save it and come back when I think I can get something. A pretty good example is chapter four... I had the whole thing written except the last paragraph for a couple days. I just couldn't think of a good way to end it, but I think I got it down all right.
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
Brilliant once again, PMJ. Seriously though, this is astounding! The detail is great. *claps hands*. Very nice chapter. Out of curiousity, you said you began writing this story in 04, did you write the WHOLE story in 04, or are you making up new chapters NOW, adding to the chapters... just curious
. Great job anyway.
Brilliant once again, PMJ. Seriously though, this is astounding! The detail is great. *claps hands*. Very nice chapter. Out of curiousity, you said you began writing this story in 04, did you write the WHOLE story in 04, or are you making up new chapters NOW, adding to the chapters... just curious
. Great job anyway.
PMJ
Silhouette Gloom of the Sundown Lands
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RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
This story is far from finished. I began writing it in 2004, towards the end of it, actually. I stopped in September or so of 2005 after writing only three chapters because on the site I posted it on, no one reviewed my story. After seeing the, um, stories on this site, I decided to try it again. I am now writing as I go.
This story is far from finished. I began writing it in 2004, towards the end of it, actually. I stopped in September or so of 2005 after writing only three chapters because on the site I posted it on, no one reviewed my story. After seeing the, um, stories on this site, I decided to try it again. I am now writing as I go.
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
Wow, exellent story. I disagree with what people are saying about the chapters being too long. they are a good length. the ones in my fanfic were even longer ( the fic isn't on PokéBeach Forums )
I don't think you should kill characters off though, especially when they die for no reason like vapourion.
Wow, exellent story. I disagree with what people are saying about the chapters being too long. they are a good length. the ones in my fanfic were even longer ( the fic isn't on PokéBeach Forums )
I don't think you should kill characters off though, especially when they die for no reason like vapourion.
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
Ahhhhhhh I wish I could be as dedicated to this writing business as you are :/
I'm genuinely looking forward to reading more of this, great fanfic. I think your main strength lies within the dialogue, which is pretty much spot on as far as realism goes (realistic effects being a rare part of the pokemon world).
Please keep going, don't let this die like my own stories.
Ahhhhhhh I wish I could be as dedicated to this writing business as you are :/
I'm genuinely looking forward to reading more of this, great fanfic. I think your main strength lies within the dialogue, which is pretty much spot on as far as realism goes (realistic effects being a rare part of the pokemon world
).Please keep going, don't let this die like my own stories.
PMJ
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RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
Samvid, you can PM me those words you don't want to say. You can just copy and paste the sentences you find them in.
FPM - To put it bluntly, too bad. People will die, mostly for no reason other than the fact that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jessie and James have to dispose of everyone Ash brings with him. Right now the only thing I don't know is who's going with Ash to the mansion, but I'll figure it out. If all goes as "planned" in my head, the first death won't happen until chapter seven, whenever that's gonna be. That's when all the, um, fun starts, so to speak. And oh man are you guys gonna love it.
Dedicated? lol. Between points a and b is how much I have done of chapter five:
a
b
"but pmj nothings there"
:>
This story sat UNTOUCHED for several months before I started writing it again. I'll be writing bit by bit whenever the mood strikes. Updates will be slow. But they'll happen.
As far as the dialogue - stuff it, Firefox, that's spelled right - goes, I was actually kinda worried there was too much talking and not enough action. And even when the deaths start, I envision too much talking and not enough trying to get out of there 30 seconds ago.
I'm as creative as a brick wall. I guess that's why I rely on dialogue to move things along.
Samvid, you can PM me those words you don't want to say. You can just copy and paste the sentences you find them in.
FPM - To put it bluntly, too bad. People will die, mostly for no reason other than the fact that they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Jessie and James have to dispose of everyone Ash brings with him. Right now the only thing I don't know is who's going with Ash to the mansion, but I'll figure it out. If all goes as "planned" in my head, the first death won't happen until chapter seven, whenever that's gonna be. That's when all the, um, fun starts, so to speak. And oh man are you guys gonna love it.
Dedicated? lol. Between points a and b is how much I have done of chapter five:
a
b
"but pmj nothings there"
:>
This story sat UNTOUCHED for several months before I started writing it again. I'll be writing bit by bit whenever the mood strikes. Updates will be slow. But they'll happen.
As far as the dialogue - stuff it, Firefox, that's spelled right - goes, I was actually kinda worried there was too much talking and not enough action. And even when the deaths start, I envision too much talking and not enough trying to get out of there 30 seconds ago.
I'm as creative as a brick wall. I guess that's why I rely on dialogue to move things along.
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
Actually, nah, dedicated wasn't the correct word...
...hmm what was it...?
Oh, well, is there a word in the English dictionary for "someone-who-can-be-bothered-to-write- over-a-page-and-not-get-sidetracked-by-something- interesting-like-a-fly-on-the-wall"? You're one of those.
Tracey, no idea who that is. So for now he is a hippy with those cool coloured glasses in my minds eye.
I got it wrong, didn't I? ;p
Actually, nah, dedicated wasn't the correct word...
...hmm what was it...?
Oh, well, is there a word in the English dictionary for "someone-who-can-be-bothered-to-write- over-a-page-and-not-get-sidetracked-by-something- interesting-like-a-fly-on-the-wall"? You're one of those.
Tracey, no idea who that is. So for now he is a hippy with those cool coloured glasses in my minds eye.
I got it wrong, didn't I? ;p
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
^ Yeah, that was explained in the story. However I still don't know what he looks like so he is a hippy dammit (I gave up the anime after ten episodes and the TCG I haven't played since the base set so leave me alone :[).
PMJ, keep going... believe in the heart of the cards!
^ Yeah, that was explained in the story. However I still don't know what he looks like so he is a hippy dammit (I gave up the anime after ten episodes and the TCG I haven't played since the base set so leave me alone :[).
PMJ, keep going... believe in the heart of the cards!
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
This is a great fanfic PMJ! I can't wait for the next chapter, but I understand that it may take a while. It'll be better that way.
This is a great fanfic PMJ!
I can't wait for the next chapter, but I understand that it may take a while. It'll be better that way.
PMJ
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RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (chapter 4 is up)
I said the updates were gonna be slow, but they'll come, didn't I? I sure did.
My original plan for this chapter was to recruit everyone at once. However, after you finish reading this chapter, I'm sure you'll agree that breaking it up is better. So, no more promises on when the fun starts.
I know you guys have waited a while for this. Enjoy.
"You always make the best meals, Mrs. Ketchum."
Tracey had just wolfed down his third helping of the food that Ash's mother made. The speed at which Tracey ate was a bit alarming to the woman and her son, each of which had barely finished their initial helping. "Well, I'm glad you like it, Tracey," Delia said, looking a bit nervous as Tracey left the table to fill his plate again. "Aren't you full? I'm surprised you haven't burst from all you've eaten!"
"Ah... maybe a little," Tracey admitted. "But it's been a long time since I had a good home-cooked meal. I'm no grand chef, so most times when I'm on the road I just get some take out or find something I can nuke with no hassle."
"Well, you're more than welcome to stop by any time you're in town. Right, Ash?"
"Yeah, of course," Ash said, finishing what remained of the food on his plate. He stood from the table. "But Tracey, you mind holding off on that food I know you've got your eyes on and come talk with me for a while? I want your opinion on who I should bring with me to Giovanni's place."
"Sure, no problem," Tracey said, setting his plate back on the table. "Thank you for the wonderful meal, Mrs. Ketchum," Tracey said, giving a polite bow.
"It's my pleasure," Delia replied. "Don't worry about the dishes. I'll take care of them; you run along now."
Tracey followed Ash upstairs and into his bedroom, where he found Ash sitting on his bed, holding a framed picture. "Whatcha lookin' at?" Tracey inquired.
"It's a picture of me and Misty at last year's Festival of Flowers. I hate the way I look. Only reason I even have it is because this is the only picture I have of Misty. I was just thinking about her..."
Tracey took a seat next to his friend and sighed. "Yeah, it took a lot of work to put up a good front for your mom... so what's on your mind?"
"It's like I said. I want your opinion. Who do you think I should ask to come? The letter said I can bring five. I'm flying to Lavender Town tomorrow to ask Misty directly. You're going, too. That leaves three open spots. What do you think?"
"Okay, slow down a minute here," Tracey said. "First of all, I never said I was going."
"You don't want to come?"
"...I never said that."
"All right then."
"Well, whatever. Second, you don't know if Misty will go, especially if you tell her I'm going, too."
"So you're coming?"
"Ah, might as well."
"Thought so. You may continue."
"She completely hates me. Do you really think she would want to spend a week in the same house as me, let alone be anywhere within 10 feet of me without something to inflict bodily harm on me with?"
"Man, I told you, Misty's not one to hold grudges. I know I've done my fair share of things in the past to get Misty angry, and she usually turns around in a day or so."
"You've never done something of this magnitude to upset her."
"No, I guess not. But still, I've known her for a long time. I don't know if she'll be very friendly towards you, maybe not for a couple days. But she'll come around. You'll see. By week's end, it'll be as if nothing happened between you two."
"Uh huh. Moving on. Did you have any ideas yourself about who to ask?"
"Not particularly. I haven't heard from Gary in a few years. He rarely comes home, and when he does, he spends all his time at the lab talking to Professor Oak about the places he's been and the things he's seen. I don't even know where he's at now, and I'm not even going to bother trying to get ahold of him. There's this other girl I know, May, who I thought I might ask. We talk online sometimes. Last time I saw her was at the Festival of Flowers... she's actually the one who took this picture," Ash said, replacing the picture to its spot next to his bed.
"She cute?"
"She's 14."
"Whoa, never mind."
"Yeah, just a little bit too young for you, I think. But you know, we're cool, I don't think she'd say no. She's got a younger brother, too. He's a real nerd, but still a cool kid. Their dad's one of the Gym Leaders over in Hoenn. I'm friends with the whole family, so if I ask them, I don't see why they'd say no."
"You gonna ask them both to go?"
"Maybe. I mean, I know Misty would be watching me like a hawk to see if I tried anything slick with May, which is kinda weird because Misty isn't even my girlfriend. And while I'm sure I wouldn't mind calling her mine, it doesn't hurt to keep myself available, does it?"
"Eh, I don't know, you wait too long and she might lose interest."
"Well... that's her loss."
"Riiiight. So, that's four. You need one more."
"Yeah. I figured I'd give a call to Brock and ask him, but I don't think he'll want to. He's afraid of flying."
"Doesn't hurt to ask."
"True. But I can barely think of 5 people to go with. I'm pretty much banking on all of them agreeing to come."
"Well, no point in speculating. It's not too late - why don't you call Brock right now? Get it out of the way."
"Can't. The only number I have of his is his extension at the Pewter Gym. I don't have his home number, or his cell number for that matter. I'm kinda tired anyway... it's been a long day. You wanna just crash here tonight? You're welcome to stay here while I go to Lavender Town tomorrow."
"Sure, I accept. Thanks."
"Right. Follow me, I'll show you the guest bedroom," Ash said, moving towards the door. The two young men walked only a short distance down the hall before arriving. "This is it. There's a TV in there too, so if you want to watch anything, you're welcome to, just keep it down a little. I'm right on the other side of the wall."
"Got it. Thanks again."
"All right man, see you in the morning," Ash said, retiring to his own bedroom. As the boy garbed himself in his night clothes, he thought of the day's events, and Giovanni's letter. What project was he talking about? Why was Giovanni being nice all of a sudden? And why'd he put that stupid smiley face at the end of it? He made a mental note to ask Giovanni himself after coming home. He covered himself in his bed and let the sound of the wind carry him to sleep.
The next morning, Ash was up early. He had breakfast and bathed himself, all while everyone else in the house slept soundly. He entered the room with all his Pokemon in it, removed the ball containing his Dragonite, and left. "I'm glad Misty bought that line about me not having a clue what these were. She'd have killed me if she knew I handpicked my team," Ash thought to himself. Choosing not to inform his mother, Pikachu, or Tracey about his departure, he simply walked out the front door.
Ash drank in the morning air."Wow, look at that sunrise. Brock should be at the Gym soon. I'll check with him first. Then it's on to Lavender..." He released his Pokemon. "Hey buddy, you ready for some flying? We got a lot of ground to cover in one day, so I hope you're ready for it." Dragonite gave out a yelp, and Ash climbed on. "All right. We'll start small. Take me to Pewter City, okay?"
A howl, and they were airborne. Dragonite, known for its flight prowess, wasted no time. Ash arrived at his first destination in mere minutes. He recalled his companion and walked the short way to the Gym. He pulled on the door handle to get in, but the door wouldn't budge. He tried the other door, with the same result. "Guess Brock's not here to open up yet," Ash pondered. He looked at his watch, which read a quarter to 7. "He should be here by now... must be running late. I'll sit here and wait for him. He sat next to the door of the gym and watched the sun finish its ascent over the horizon. A few minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Brock. Pewter City began to come to life with the morning's activities. Ash, however, was not very lively. He found a pebble next to where he sat and used it to draw little patterns in the dirt.
Ash Ketchum was bored.
Before long, half an hour had gone by. Many people had come and gone from Ash's view, but not one of them was his long-time friend. He decided that he'd go do a little shopping while he waited. As he stood up and brushed himself off, a young Trainer came towards the Gym. "Hi," the kid said.
"Hey there," Ash said, his face lighting up at the fresh face before him. He always got excited when he saw rookie Trainers headed towards one of Ash's favorite places - Pokemon Gyms. "I'm Ash. You here to challenge Brock?"
"Yup!" the kid exclaimed. "Wailmer and I are going to win it all!"
"Wailmer, huh? I didn't think you could even catch Wailmer around here."
"You can't! My dad brought one for me all the way from Hoenn," the kid bragged. "He's super strong. No way we'll lose!"
"I don't know, Brock's pretty tough," Ash said, rubbing his chin. "Rumor has it that Brock's gotten so tough that people are actually coming to him last for Badges."
"I heard the same thing," the kid said, not so confident anymore. However, that wasn't to last very long at all, as he perked right back up. "But that doesn't scare me! I've got a type advantage. He doesn't stand a chance!"
"Well, good luck to you," Ash chuckled, certain that as soon as Brock arrived, he'd hammer this newbie into the dirt.
"Thank you! Have a nice day!" the kid exclaimed as he pushed the door to the Gym open and entered.
"Heh... reminds me of me when I was starting out,"Ash reminisced. "Pikachu and I hadn't even known each other for very long, and --"
Ash paused.
Something's not right here.
...Did that kid just walk into the Gym?
"No way," Ash thought, slowly walking to the door, and also realizing what he had done. Or didn't do. He grasped the handles firmly, and very slowly and cautiously, pushed on them.
And they opened.
"No way!" Ash yelled, thoroughly embarrassed. He stormed into the Gym quickly, hoping no one had seen him try to pull the doors open and wait for nearly 45 minutes for something that was never going to happen.
Inside, Brock and his opponent were preparing for their battle. Ash took a seat in the stands while the referee made clear the rules of the match. Brock noticed him and waved. Ash waved back. The match began.
The kid went first. "Come on out, Wailmer!" It landed and made its whale sounds. It bounced in place, clearly very anxious and ready to get started.
Brock smiled. "Go, Steelix!" The giant iron snake emerged. It was seveal times larger than the whale, but Wailmer didn't seem to be very intimidated by Steelix's fierce gaze. "Use Wrap!"
Steelix lunged forward with incredible speed. It wrapped itself firmly around Wailmer. It gazed menacingly at Wailmer. The challenger was unfazed. "Wailmer, Water Spout!" Wailmer roared loudly and gushed immense amounts of water from its blowhole right up into Steelix's jaws. Steelix was blown away. It released its grip and fell to the ground. The boy continued his attack. "Now, Surf!" With this, Wailmer summoned a huge wall of water and rode it down onto Steelix's weakened body. The snake was done.
"Steelix is unable to battle! Wailmer wins!" the ref declared.
Brock recalled his Pokemon. "Nice play. But I'm not through yet. Let's go, Crobat! Confuse Ray!" He tossed his next Poke Ball into the air, and Crobat came out. It flew swiftly and silently towards Wailmer, who was confused before he could blink.
And yet, the challenger didn't seem worried. "Well, if I can't aim properly, that's fine. Watch this. Wailmer, use Blizzard!" Wailmer roared, and rolled over into some rocks. The kid sweatdropped. "Ah... oops! Guess not..."
Brock gave his next command. "Now, Crobat, use Toxic." Crobat flew towards Wailmer, who was still rolling around, preventing Crobat from getting a clear shot. Crobat spit up the poison juice, and just barely missed its target.
The kid cheered. "Yeah, all right! Let's try another Blizzard!" Wailmer roared again, and this time summoned the icy wind as commanded. Crobat hid itself behind a rock, avoiding the attack. The kid smiled. "Yes! I so win! Ready, Wailmer? Use Ice Beam!" Wailmer rolled over towards Crobat, who was still cowering behind the large boulder, and shot the attack at point blank range. The beam froze Crobat to the ground. "And here comes the finale!" the challenger cried. "Fissure!"
Wailmer rumbled. And so did the ground. It split, and the shock from doing so sent Crobat skyward. It fell to the ground, knocked out cold by the attack.
And the ref went to work. "Crobat is unable to battle! Wailmer wins!"
Brock shook his head and called his Pokemon back. "I thought people might try and use a bunch of Water Pokemon against me for an easy win. Brock the Rock doesn't go down like that. No sir. Time for me to show you why I'm now one of the most feared Gym Leaders in Kanto. I choose you, Ludicolo!"
Ludicolo emerged from its Poke Ball and immediately went to work showing off some slick dance moves. "Oh yeah, Ludicolo,
we are awesome, aren't we?" Brock said, mimicking his Pokemon's dancing. Ludicolo cheered.
The challenger ignored them both and went to work. "Wailmer, shut him up! Use Ice Beam!"
"Dodge it, and then share your Leech Seed with him," Brock commanded. Ludicolo twirled his way behind a rock, which absorbed the attack. Ludicolo then shot the seeds into the air, all of which connected with Wailmer. They sprouted upon his body and covered him in the life-draining vines. Immediately, Wailmer started feeling the effects.
The kid didn't like that very much. "Ugh. Let's start up a Rollout, Wailmer!" Wailmer spun with intensity and charged towards Ludicolo.
Brock didn't really care what his opponent did. He waited for a moment, and then: "Ludicolo, Protect." Instantly, the barrier was up. Wailmer crashed into it and was knocked away. And the seeds sapped some more of Wailmer's energy. "Now, Giga Drain!" Ludicolo latched itself onto Wailmer's large body and began sucking even more energy from it, and Leech Seed continued to do its job.
"Not good, not good, this is not good," the kid said. "Oh no, I just might lose!... Hahahaha! Yeah right! Wailmer, you've done great! Why don't you Rest?" Wailmer went right to sleep as ordered, and no sooner had that happened had Wailmer woken up again. "Yeah, right on! You like that Chesto Berry, Mr. Brock? Wailmer's back in this fight, and we're ready for the one-two-three combo! Step one, Wailmer, use that Blizzard!"
Brock, true to his words, wasn't going to go down like that. "Ludicolo, Protect, once again!" The barrier shielded Ludicolo from all harm, and Leech Seed did its damage.
"Oh, man, I forgot about that. Looks like we'll have to go for the finish! Fissure, let's go!" Wailmer rumbled. And so did the ground. But Ludicolo was dancing across the arena, completely dodging Wailmer's attack. "Keep trying, Wailmer! Don't stop!"
Brock started to get worried. The attack would hit sometime. And when it did, that would be game over. Was he going to really let some punk kid beat him with a cheap shot like this? Not on his watch, he decided. But what could he do? The attack was unrelenting.
Aha! He formed a plan. A deviously simple one sure to anger the kid. But Brock didn't care. After putting up with this kid's mouth, he figured, he deserved it. Time to put it into action. Brock spoke. "Ludicolo, Giga Drain!"
Ludicolo flipped over a rock and jumped on Wailmer. He began to suck Wailmer's energy, and Wailmer's attack hit directly below Ludicolo. Jumping off his target, Ludicolo landed on a rock while Wailmer sent himself skyward. He crashed into the ground below, incapacitated.
The ref spoke. "Wailmer is unable to battle! Ludicolo wins!"
The challenger called back his Pokemon. "Darn. I thought I had that match in the bag. Ooh, just you wait, Brock. After I let Wailmer rest up, I'll be back, and after I'm done with you, I'm on to the Pokemon League!" And then he ran out of the Gym before Brock could say a word. He returned Ludicolo to his Poke Ball.
Ash stepped down and greeted his friend. "What's up, man? Nice win against that kid."
"I know. That was some kid. I've never seen a Wailmer so powerful. And to think he took down the rest of us with just Wailmer. It reminds me of you and Pikachu."
"Yeah, I know. I was thinking the same thing earlier." The two stepped out of the main arena and back into Brock's office. Brock sat behind his desk and began typing the data for the match into his files. Ash sat in a chair against the wall. "So what you been up to? Still hitting on Officer Jenny?"
"Would you believe me if I said no?"
"Not at all. You know she's never going to go out with you."
"You might say that, but you're not the one who got her number last night after a night on the town."
"You finally got her number? Nice. You call her yet?"
"Only several times. In fact, I just got off the phone with her before I fought that kid. Oh yeah, that reminds me, what was with you screaming earlier when you came in?"
"Ugh, don't ask," Ash said, hanging his head in shame.
"...all right," Brock said, resuming his work. "So what brings you here? You usually call first."
"Giovanni sent me a letter asking me to invite a bunch of people to a secluded island in some place I've never even heard of and spend a week there. It's a vacation. And when I come back I'm supposed to work with him and make the world a better place or something. Anyway, I want you to come with me. What do you say? It'll be fun."
Brock looked away from his work. "...what? Did you say Giovanni is inviting you to his house?"
"Yeah."
"And you don't see anything wrong with that?"
"That's what I said!"
"And yet you're still going."
"My mom, Tracey, and Professor Oak all think it's A-OK."
"Tracey's at your place? He was just here something like a week ago. Why's he there?"
"He's coming with me on the trip."
"Is that so? How are you getting there?"
"I don't know. I assume we'll be flying, but I could ask if we could get there by boat if you'd feel more comfortable."
"Ah, I get seasick really easily. I like my feet planted on nice, solid, unmoving earth. I hate getting on a boat as much as I do getting into a plane. I mean, I can hardly drive without feeling a little nauseous."
"Does that mean you won't come?"
"No, I'll go. I think the whole thing's a little fishy. I can get my brother to watch the Gym while I'm gone, so it's no big deal. I'll just give him a call after I finish this up. Should I meet you at your house?"
"Yeah. Be there in five days. I have to fly to Lavender Town and talk to Misty. I'm asking her to come, too."
"What's she doing there? Who's watching the Gym?"
"Her sisters, I guess, and uh... someone very close to her died recently, and she went there to ask Mr. Fuji to cremate them."
"Oh... well, that's too bad. When you see her, be sure to tell her I'm sorry for her loss."
"Yeah, will do. So, see you in a few days?"
"You got it."
"All right, catch you later." Ash left the office, and the Gym. "That was pretty easy," Ash thought. He released his Dragonite again. As he mounted his Pokemon and began the flight towards Lavender Town, Ash knew that convincing Misty to come along would not be as simple as he hoped.
I said the updates were gonna be slow, but they'll come, didn't I? I sure did.
My original plan for this chapter was to recruit everyone at once. However, after you finish reading this chapter, I'm sure you'll agree that breaking it up is better. So, no more promises on when the fun starts.
I know you guys have waited a while for this. Enjoy.
Chapter Five: Team Building, Part One
"You always make the best meals, Mrs. Ketchum."
Tracey had just wolfed down his third helping of the food that Ash's mother made. The speed at which Tracey ate was a bit alarming to the woman and her son, each of which had barely finished their initial helping. "Well, I'm glad you like it, Tracey," Delia said, looking a bit nervous as Tracey left the table to fill his plate again. "Aren't you full? I'm surprised you haven't burst from all you've eaten!"
"Ah... maybe a little," Tracey admitted. "But it's been a long time since I had a good home-cooked meal. I'm no grand chef, so most times when I'm on the road I just get some take out or find something I can nuke with no hassle."
"Well, you're more than welcome to stop by any time you're in town. Right, Ash?"
"Yeah, of course," Ash said, finishing what remained of the food on his plate. He stood from the table. "But Tracey, you mind holding off on that food I know you've got your eyes on and come talk with me for a while? I want your opinion on who I should bring with me to Giovanni's place."
"Sure, no problem," Tracey said, setting his plate back on the table. "Thank you for the wonderful meal, Mrs. Ketchum," Tracey said, giving a polite bow.
"It's my pleasure," Delia replied. "Don't worry about the dishes. I'll take care of them; you run along now."
Tracey followed Ash upstairs and into his bedroom, where he found Ash sitting on his bed, holding a framed picture. "Whatcha lookin' at?" Tracey inquired.
"It's a picture of me and Misty at last year's Festival of Flowers. I hate the way I look. Only reason I even have it is because this is the only picture I have of Misty. I was just thinking about her..."
Tracey took a seat next to his friend and sighed. "Yeah, it took a lot of work to put up a good front for your mom... so what's on your mind?"
"It's like I said. I want your opinion. Who do you think I should ask to come? The letter said I can bring five. I'm flying to Lavender Town tomorrow to ask Misty directly. You're going, too. That leaves three open spots. What do you think?"
"Okay, slow down a minute here," Tracey said. "First of all, I never said I was going."
"You don't want to come?"
"...I never said that."
"All right then."
"Well, whatever. Second, you don't know if Misty will go, especially if you tell her I'm going, too."
"So you're coming?"
"Ah, might as well."
"Thought so. You may continue."
"She completely hates me. Do you really think she would want to spend a week in the same house as me, let alone be anywhere within 10 feet of me without something to inflict bodily harm on me with?"
"Man, I told you, Misty's not one to hold grudges. I know I've done my fair share of things in the past to get Misty angry, and she usually turns around in a day or so."
"You've never done something of this magnitude to upset her."
"No, I guess not. But still, I've known her for a long time. I don't know if she'll be very friendly towards you, maybe not for a couple days. But she'll come around. You'll see. By week's end, it'll be as if nothing happened between you two."
"Uh huh. Moving on. Did you have any ideas yourself about who to ask?"
"Not particularly. I haven't heard from Gary in a few years. He rarely comes home, and when he does, he spends all his time at the lab talking to Professor Oak about the places he's been and the things he's seen. I don't even know where he's at now, and I'm not even going to bother trying to get ahold of him. There's this other girl I know, May, who I thought I might ask. We talk online sometimes. Last time I saw her was at the Festival of Flowers... she's actually the one who took this picture," Ash said, replacing the picture to its spot next to his bed.
"She cute?"
"She's 14."
"Whoa, never mind."
"Yeah, just a little bit too young for you, I think. But you know, we're cool, I don't think she'd say no. She's got a younger brother, too. He's a real nerd, but still a cool kid. Their dad's one of the Gym Leaders over in Hoenn. I'm friends with the whole family, so if I ask them, I don't see why they'd say no."
"You gonna ask them both to go?"
"Maybe. I mean, I know Misty would be watching me like a hawk to see if I tried anything slick with May, which is kinda weird because Misty isn't even my girlfriend. And while I'm sure I wouldn't mind calling her mine, it doesn't hurt to keep myself available, does it?"
"Eh, I don't know, you wait too long and she might lose interest."
"Well... that's her loss."
"Riiiight. So, that's four. You need one more."
"Yeah. I figured I'd give a call to Brock and ask him, but I don't think he'll want to. He's afraid of flying."
"Doesn't hurt to ask."
"True. But I can barely think of 5 people to go with. I'm pretty much banking on all of them agreeing to come."
"Well, no point in speculating. It's not too late - why don't you call Brock right now? Get it out of the way."
"Can't. The only number I have of his is his extension at the Pewter Gym. I don't have his home number, or his cell number for that matter. I'm kinda tired anyway... it's been a long day. You wanna just crash here tonight? You're welcome to stay here while I go to Lavender Town tomorrow."
"Sure, I accept. Thanks."
"Right. Follow me, I'll show you the guest bedroom," Ash said, moving towards the door. The two young men walked only a short distance down the hall before arriving. "This is it. There's a TV in there too, so if you want to watch anything, you're welcome to, just keep it down a little. I'm right on the other side of the wall."
"Got it. Thanks again."
"All right man, see you in the morning," Ash said, retiring to his own bedroom. As the boy garbed himself in his night clothes, he thought of the day's events, and Giovanni's letter. What project was he talking about? Why was Giovanni being nice all of a sudden? And why'd he put that stupid smiley face at the end of it? He made a mental note to ask Giovanni himself after coming home. He covered himself in his bed and let the sound of the wind carry him to sleep.
The next morning, Ash was up early. He had breakfast and bathed himself, all while everyone else in the house slept soundly. He entered the room with all his Pokemon in it, removed the ball containing his Dragonite, and left. "I'm glad Misty bought that line about me not having a clue what these were. She'd have killed me if she knew I handpicked my team," Ash thought to himself. Choosing not to inform his mother, Pikachu, or Tracey about his departure, he simply walked out the front door.
Ash drank in the morning air."Wow, look at that sunrise. Brock should be at the Gym soon. I'll check with him first. Then it's on to Lavender..." He released his Pokemon. "Hey buddy, you ready for some flying? We got a lot of ground to cover in one day, so I hope you're ready for it." Dragonite gave out a yelp, and Ash climbed on. "All right. We'll start small. Take me to Pewter City, okay?"
A howl, and they were airborne. Dragonite, known for its flight prowess, wasted no time. Ash arrived at his first destination in mere minutes. He recalled his companion and walked the short way to the Gym. He pulled on the door handle to get in, but the door wouldn't budge. He tried the other door, with the same result. "Guess Brock's not here to open up yet," Ash pondered. He looked at his watch, which read a quarter to 7. "He should be here by now... must be running late. I'll sit here and wait for him. He sat next to the door of the gym and watched the sun finish its ascent over the horizon. A few minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Brock. Pewter City began to come to life with the morning's activities. Ash, however, was not very lively. He found a pebble next to where he sat and used it to draw little patterns in the dirt.
Ash Ketchum was bored.
Before long, half an hour had gone by. Many people had come and gone from Ash's view, but not one of them was his long-time friend. He decided that he'd go do a little shopping while he waited. As he stood up and brushed himself off, a young Trainer came towards the Gym. "Hi," the kid said.
"Hey there," Ash said, his face lighting up at the fresh face before him. He always got excited when he saw rookie Trainers headed towards one of Ash's favorite places - Pokemon Gyms. "I'm Ash. You here to challenge Brock?"
"Yup!" the kid exclaimed. "Wailmer and I are going to win it all!"
"Wailmer, huh? I didn't think you could even catch Wailmer around here."
"You can't! My dad brought one for me all the way from Hoenn," the kid bragged. "He's super strong. No way we'll lose!"
"I don't know, Brock's pretty tough," Ash said, rubbing his chin. "Rumor has it that Brock's gotten so tough that people are actually coming to him last for Badges."
"I heard the same thing," the kid said, not so confident anymore. However, that wasn't to last very long at all, as he perked right back up. "But that doesn't scare me! I've got a type advantage. He doesn't stand a chance!"
"Well, good luck to you," Ash chuckled, certain that as soon as Brock arrived, he'd hammer this newbie into the dirt.
"Thank you! Have a nice day!" the kid exclaimed as he pushed the door to the Gym open and entered.
"Heh... reminds me of me when I was starting out,"Ash reminisced. "Pikachu and I hadn't even known each other for very long, and --"
Ash paused.
Something's not right here.
...Did that kid just walk into the Gym?
"No way," Ash thought, slowly walking to the door, and also realizing what he had done. Or didn't do. He grasped the handles firmly, and very slowly and cautiously, pushed on them.
And they opened.
"No way!" Ash yelled, thoroughly embarrassed. He stormed into the Gym quickly, hoping no one had seen him try to pull the doors open and wait for nearly 45 minutes for something that was never going to happen.
Inside, Brock and his opponent were preparing for their battle. Ash took a seat in the stands while the referee made clear the rules of the match. Brock noticed him and waved. Ash waved back. The match began.
The kid went first. "Come on out, Wailmer!" It landed and made its whale sounds. It bounced in place, clearly very anxious and ready to get started.
Brock smiled. "Go, Steelix!" The giant iron snake emerged. It was seveal times larger than the whale, but Wailmer didn't seem to be very intimidated by Steelix's fierce gaze. "Use Wrap!"
Steelix lunged forward with incredible speed. It wrapped itself firmly around Wailmer. It gazed menacingly at Wailmer. The challenger was unfazed. "Wailmer, Water Spout!" Wailmer roared loudly and gushed immense amounts of water from its blowhole right up into Steelix's jaws. Steelix was blown away. It released its grip and fell to the ground. The boy continued his attack. "Now, Surf!" With this, Wailmer summoned a huge wall of water and rode it down onto Steelix's weakened body. The snake was done.
"Steelix is unable to battle! Wailmer wins!" the ref declared.
Brock recalled his Pokemon. "Nice play. But I'm not through yet. Let's go, Crobat! Confuse Ray!" He tossed his next Poke Ball into the air, and Crobat came out. It flew swiftly and silently towards Wailmer, who was confused before he could blink.
And yet, the challenger didn't seem worried. "Well, if I can't aim properly, that's fine. Watch this. Wailmer, use Blizzard!" Wailmer roared, and rolled over into some rocks. The kid sweatdropped. "Ah... oops! Guess not..."
Brock gave his next command. "Now, Crobat, use Toxic." Crobat flew towards Wailmer, who was still rolling around, preventing Crobat from getting a clear shot. Crobat spit up the poison juice, and just barely missed its target.
The kid cheered. "Yeah, all right! Let's try another Blizzard!" Wailmer roared again, and this time summoned the icy wind as commanded. Crobat hid itself behind a rock, avoiding the attack. The kid smiled. "Yes! I so win! Ready, Wailmer? Use Ice Beam!" Wailmer rolled over towards Crobat, who was still cowering behind the large boulder, and shot the attack at point blank range. The beam froze Crobat to the ground. "And here comes the finale!" the challenger cried. "Fissure!"
Wailmer rumbled. And so did the ground. It split, and the shock from doing so sent Crobat skyward. It fell to the ground, knocked out cold by the attack.
And the ref went to work. "Crobat is unable to battle! Wailmer wins!"
Brock shook his head and called his Pokemon back. "I thought people might try and use a bunch of Water Pokemon against me for an easy win. Brock the Rock doesn't go down like that. No sir. Time for me to show you why I'm now one of the most feared Gym Leaders in Kanto. I choose you, Ludicolo!"
Ludicolo emerged from its Poke Ball and immediately went to work showing off some slick dance moves. "Oh yeah, Ludicolo,
we are awesome, aren't we?" Brock said, mimicking his Pokemon's dancing. Ludicolo cheered.
The challenger ignored them both and went to work. "Wailmer, shut him up! Use Ice Beam!"
"Dodge it, and then share your Leech Seed with him," Brock commanded. Ludicolo twirled his way behind a rock, which absorbed the attack. Ludicolo then shot the seeds into the air, all of which connected with Wailmer. They sprouted upon his body and covered him in the life-draining vines. Immediately, Wailmer started feeling the effects.
The kid didn't like that very much. "Ugh. Let's start up a Rollout, Wailmer!" Wailmer spun with intensity and charged towards Ludicolo.
Brock didn't really care what his opponent did. He waited for a moment, and then: "Ludicolo, Protect." Instantly, the barrier was up. Wailmer crashed into it and was knocked away. And the seeds sapped some more of Wailmer's energy. "Now, Giga Drain!" Ludicolo latched itself onto Wailmer's large body and began sucking even more energy from it, and Leech Seed continued to do its job.
"Not good, not good, this is not good," the kid said. "Oh no, I just might lose!... Hahahaha! Yeah right! Wailmer, you've done great! Why don't you Rest?" Wailmer went right to sleep as ordered, and no sooner had that happened had Wailmer woken up again. "Yeah, right on! You like that Chesto Berry, Mr. Brock? Wailmer's back in this fight, and we're ready for the one-two-three combo! Step one, Wailmer, use that Blizzard!"
Brock, true to his words, wasn't going to go down like that. "Ludicolo, Protect, once again!" The barrier shielded Ludicolo from all harm, and Leech Seed did its damage.
"Oh, man, I forgot about that. Looks like we'll have to go for the finish! Fissure, let's go!" Wailmer rumbled. And so did the ground. But Ludicolo was dancing across the arena, completely dodging Wailmer's attack. "Keep trying, Wailmer! Don't stop!"
Brock started to get worried. The attack would hit sometime. And when it did, that would be game over. Was he going to really let some punk kid beat him with a cheap shot like this? Not on his watch, he decided. But what could he do? The attack was unrelenting.
Aha! He formed a plan. A deviously simple one sure to anger the kid. But Brock didn't care. After putting up with this kid's mouth, he figured, he deserved it. Time to put it into action. Brock spoke. "Ludicolo, Giga Drain!"
Ludicolo flipped over a rock and jumped on Wailmer. He began to suck Wailmer's energy, and Wailmer's attack hit directly below Ludicolo. Jumping off his target, Ludicolo landed on a rock while Wailmer sent himself skyward. He crashed into the ground below, incapacitated.
The ref spoke. "Wailmer is unable to battle! Ludicolo wins!"
The challenger called back his Pokemon. "Darn. I thought I had that match in the bag. Ooh, just you wait, Brock. After I let Wailmer rest up, I'll be back, and after I'm done with you, I'm on to the Pokemon League!" And then he ran out of the Gym before Brock could say a word. He returned Ludicolo to his Poke Ball.
Ash stepped down and greeted his friend. "What's up, man? Nice win against that kid."
"I know. That was some kid. I've never seen a Wailmer so powerful. And to think he took down the rest of us with just Wailmer. It reminds me of you and Pikachu."
"Yeah, I know. I was thinking the same thing earlier." The two stepped out of the main arena and back into Brock's office. Brock sat behind his desk and began typing the data for the match into his files. Ash sat in a chair against the wall. "So what you been up to? Still hitting on Officer Jenny?"
"Would you believe me if I said no?"
"Not at all. You know she's never going to go out with you."
"You might say that, but you're not the one who got her number last night after a night on the town."
"You finally got her number? Nice. You call her yet?"
"Only several times. In fact, I just got off the phone with her before I fought that kid. Oh yeah, that reminds me, what was with you screaming earlier when you came in?"
"Ugh, don't ask," Ash said, hanging his head in shame.
"...all right," Brock said, resuming his work. "So what brings you here? You usually call first."
"Giovanni sent me a letter asking me to invite a bunch of people to a secluded island in some place I've never even heard of and spend a week there. It's a vacation. And when I come back I'm supposed to work with him and make the world a better place or something. Anyway, I want you to come with me. What do you say? It'll be fun."
Brock looked away from his work. "...what? Did you say Giovanni is inviting you to his house?"
"Yeah."
"And you don't see anything wrong with that?"
"That's what I said!"
"And yet you're still going."
"My mom, Tracey, and Professor Oak all think it's A-OK."
"Tracey's at your place? He was just here something like a week ago. Why's he there?"
"He's coming with me on the trip."
"Is that so? How are you getting there?"
"I don't know. I assume we'll be flying, but I could ask if we could get there by boat if you'd feel more comfortable."
"Ah, I get seasick really easily. I like my feet planted on nice, solid, unmoving earth. I hate getting on a boat as much as I do getting into a plane. I mean, I can hardly drive without feeling a little nauseous."
"Does that mean you won't come?"
"No, I'll go. I think the whole thing's a little fishy. I can get my brother to watch the Gym while I'm gone, so it's no big deal. I'll just give him a call after I finish this up. Should I meet you at your house?"
"Yeah. Be there in five days. I have to fly to Lavender Town and talk to Misty. I'm asking her to come, too."
"What's she doing there? Who's watching the Gym?"
"Her sisters, I guess, and uh... someone very close to her died recently, and she went there to ask Mr. Fuji to cremate them."
"Oh... well, that's too bad. When you see her, be sure to tell her I'm sorry for her loss."
"Yeah, will do. So, see you in a few days?"
"You got it."
"All right, catch you later." Ash left the office, and the Gym. "That was pretty easy," Ash thought. He released his Dragonite again. As he mounted his Pokemon and began the flight towards Lavender Town, Ash knew that convincing Misty to come along would not be as simple as he hoped.
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (Oh yeah, Chapter 5 in your face)
Ahh I was waiting for this! Exetremely awesome chapter as usual!!! GREAT JOB PMJ!!
Ahh I was waiting for this! Exetremely awesome chapter as usual!!! GREAT JOB PMJ!!
PMJ
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RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (Oh yeah, Chapter 5 in your face)
Hm. This story was popular enough before. ;o
Perhaps you guys have simply forgotten about it because it's been so long since the last update. But yes, brand new chapter (I guess), critiques always welcome.
Since I had decided to split up what I had originally planned on being one chapter, I'm already a bit through Chapter 6. No telling when that'll be finished though.
Hm. This story was popular enough before. ;o
Perhaps you guys have simply forgotten about it because it's been so long since the last update. But yes, brand new chapter (I guess), critiques always welcome.
Since I had decided to split up what I had originally planned on being one chapter, I'm already a bit through Chapter 6. No telling when that'll be finished though.
PMJ
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RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (Oh yeah, Chapter 5 in your face)
No, unfortunately. I mean, yeah, I could sticky it, but that wouldn't be very fair to all the other authors. Just cause I'm a super mod doesn't mean my story gets special treatment
It's linked in my signature, and I'll edit it (obviously as well as this topic) once I get Chapter 6 done. When's that gonna be? ...not sure.
But you said, without stickying it? What do you mean if not actually stickying it?
No, unfortunately. I mean, yeah, I could sticky it, but that wouldn't be very fair to all the other authors. Just cause I'm a super mod doesn't mean my story gets special treatment
It's linked in my signature, and I'll edit it (obviously as well as this topic) once I get Chapter 6 done. When's that gonna be? ...not sure.
But you said, without stickying it? What do you mean if not actually stickying it?
RE: Matt's Pokemon Story (Oh yeah, Chapter 5 in your face)
Well what I mean is that stickied threads can be posted on even after they haven't been posted on for two weeks or more. So can we basicly consider it that we can go ahead and post on this even after it's two weeks without posts?
Well what I mean is that stickied threads can be posted on even after they haven't been posted on for two weeks or more. So can we basicly consider it that we can go ahead and post on this even after it's two weeks without posts?
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