To Be All I Can Be Part 7 By: EmeraldDragon The next morning Moon woke to the feeling of some thing heavy on her stomach and a cold, gusty breeze in her face. She opened her eyes to see Artico laying with his head on her stomach and breathing in her face. She had left all her pokemon out during the previous night. Her tent flap hung open. All Moon could figure was that some how he had opened the tent flap during the night and crawled in. Moon lifted her head and looked around, Artico took up almost all the space that she herself wasn’t taking. “Artico wake up.” Moon said sleepily shaking his shoulder gently. “Huh? What?” He stirred, “Is it morning?” “Yes, and your cutting off circulation to my lower body.” “Sorry.” He lifted his head. “Your going to have to go out first so I can get up.” He complied. Moon stretched and followed. It was a beautiful day, but large black clouds loomed on the horizon. She began to stack to wood into the fire circle and prepare to cook food for the day. “I need a light.” She called when the wood was ready. Moon hit the deck as 7 or 8 flamethrowers came from all directions. “I’ll direct that question to someone specific next time.” She could hear them snickering. With the fire going and the food warming Moon sat down to decide what to do that day. “Moon, we never finished our race before. Can we do that today?” Squirtle begged and pulled on her pants. “Ok but let’s wait till it warms up a bit.” She said after a little hesitation. “That reminds me.” She pulled her pokedex out of her pocket, “Pokedex contact mom.” “Hello?” Her mom said sleepily after a few rings. “Sorry mom I didn’t mean to wake you.” “That’s alright Honey. What did you need?” “Yesterday I caught a wild Starmie and was wondering if you wanted to trade.” “A wild Starmie! What do you want for it?” Stars appeared in her eyes. “What have you got?” “How about a Vaporeon?” “I have an eevee that wants to be a Vaporeon, it would break his heart.” “Oh, how about Gyarados.” “Have one.” “A Squirtle?” “Got one of those too.” “A Totodile?” “Never heard of it.” “It’s a crocodile like pokemon.” “You got a deal.” “Ok, put Starmie’s pokeball on the black square in the corner.” Moon followed her mother’s instructions. There was a flash and Starmie’s pokeball was replaced with another pokeball. “Thanks mom.” “No, thank you Moon” The screen winked out as her mother stared at her new pokemon with stars in her eyes. She released Totodile to go play, and returned to the food. After feeding everyone Moon continued to look at her map. “Let’s train in the woods. I want to be an Espeon.” An eevee said at her side. “I want to come too. Can I come Moon? Can I? Can I? Can I?” Artico was practically jumping up and down. “I don’t see why not. Any one else want to come?” Charmander and Bulbasaur came over. “Ok the rest of you stay out of trouble.” The woods closed in around the small group as the entered the forest heading north. The sounds of birds filled the air and Moon was once again reminded of her promise to Articuno. They hadn’t walked long when they came a cross a small clearing. Peeking through to bushes Moon saw a Caterpie desperately trying to fight off a Pidgeotto. The poor thing looked weak, but it had obviously had put up a good fight because the Pidgeotto was covered in a white, sticky looking string. Moon felt sorry for the little bug. “Artico, Icy Wind!” Artico sent a blast of his breath at the already weakened flying type, slowing it down even more. The now angry Pidgeotto dove at them in a Wing Attack. “Artico Freeze it with Ice Beam!” Artico reared back and blasted a light blue ray from its mouth. Pidgeotto froze on contact. Moon through a pokeball and captured the bird without effort. She walked over to the injured Caterpie and sprayed it with a potion. “There, all better.” She said when she had finished, “Now you’re good to go.” Moon stood and, with her pokemon in tow, started to head through the woods again. “Wait for me! My legs aren’t as long as the rest of yours are!” “Huh?” Moon turned to see the Caterpie crawling as fast as its tiny legs would carry it. “Why do you want to come with me? Don’t you have friends you would like to stay with?” “My friends are mean. They abandoned me when the Flying Death attacked. But you saved me from The Death. Now I want to stay with you where I can be safe.” “The Flying Death? Oh, the Pidgeotto. Well if you really want to. Climb aboard.” Moon put her hand on the ground and allowed the bug to mount her shoulder before continuing through the woods “You won’t let The Death…I mean Pi..dey..oh..toh, out will you?” “Not right Now but eventually.” Moon said gently. “Why? Aren’t you afraid of it.” “No, and you don’t need to be ether. I’ll make sure Pidgeotto doesn’t hurt you.” The next half hour past uneventfully. The pokemon they eventually came across looked like a big, lumpy banana with eyes. “What on earth?” Moon stared at the creature. “I don’t care what it is; it’s mine!” Eevee announced. “Ok then Eevee, tackle it.” Eevee sprang at the thing with zeal. The creature glowed the same color yellow as it’s armored skin. The poor eevee rebounded off the thing with a dull thud. “Ow, that hurt.” “Try a Skull Bash.” Again eevee charged the living banana and again it began to glow, but this time eevee sent the thing flying into a near by tree. Moon with drew a pokeball from her bag and got ready to through it. “Ok eevee finish it with…what is that noise?” Moon looked around. “I don’t know.” Artico said in his usual jubilant voice. “Got Me.” Eevee replied “It sounds like buzzing.” Charmander observed “We can tell that for ourselves.” Bulbasaur snapped. “Oh yah. Well you’re a stupid plant!” “You’re a stupid lizard!” “Guys this isn’t the time to fight!” Moon interrupted as a horde off Beedrill appeared over the trees. “Run!!!” The pokemon didn’t need this last instruction because they were already fleeing the on slot. Moon quickly put Caterpie into a pokeball as it became apparent that they, except Artico, couldn’t out run the vicious bugs. “Guys we can’t out run them! Go Pidgeotto, sky attack! Artico Icy Wind! Bulbasaur, Razerleaf! Charmander, Flamethrower! Eevee stay close!” The bees began to descend on the group, stingers at the ready. The rest in the pokeball had revitalized Pidgeotto and she flow out to meet the enemy. Ten or so of the bugs split from the group to take on the bird, the rest continued to dive. Moon’s pokemon struck out with their long-range attacks. The flamethrower and Icy Wind KOed or severely injured any bee that they touched but razerleaf did little to no damage. Plenty of the wasp pokemon dodged the attacks and shot off their Pin Missiles before coming in for more up close and personal attacks. “Ow those things hurt!” Artico whinnied. “Keep trying sweety, Stomp! Charmander slash! Bulbasaur try your powder attacks! Pidgeotto use…Pidgeotto!” Moon watched as the bird fell from the sky covered in a blanket of bees. Just a couple yards from the ground the bees scattered, leaving the bird to crash land alone. “Pidgeotto Return!” The red beam shot from the pokeball. In that exact instant Pidgeotto dodged the beam, swooped up, and took down three Beedrill in one attack. “Sky Attack!” Pidgeotto began to glow a bright red then dove back and forth through the swarm K.O.ing any bug she touched. In Moon’s distraction with Pidgeotto a pair of Beedrill had started attacking the almost defenseless eevee. Seeing the bugs out numbering her tiny pokemon Moon ran to her aid. With a hard swing of her backpack she knocked one a side and tossed a pokeball at it, to distract it. Eevee swiftly bit the other on the ‘nose’. This only served to anger the bug. Beedrill dove and tried to sting eevee, who dodged and tackled repetitively. After several minutes the Beedrill couldn’t take any more and fainted. Artico reared back and kicked several bees form the air. Bulbasaur had a cloud of blue powder that put any thing that it touched to sleep. Charmander was holding his own easily. When the Beedrill were finally beaten into retreat, most of her pokemon sat on the ground in to rest. “I want to go home now.” Artico whined. “I agree let’s go.” Moon said and began to walk back to camp. “What about your pokeball?” “Oh yah.” Moon turned not only to see that she had caught a Beedrill but also that eevee had achieved her goal of becoming an Espeon. Espeon was covered in fine pink- purple fur, large opal eyes, a slim forked tail, and a sparkling red jewel on her for head. Moon smiled to her self as she returned her tiered pokemon and started for camp. ************************************************************* Moon stood on the beach in her swimsuit looking at the billowing clouds that loomed ever closer. The thunderclouds worried her. She didn’t want her pokemon to be electrocuted and she most certainly didn’t want that for herself. “Guys those clouds are awfully close. I think we should wait till they pass.” “They aren’t that close. Besides were all fast swimmers. The race will be over and we’ll be back at camp before they are even close to the island.” Dragonair insisted. “Yah!” “That’s right!” the others agreed. “OK then. Who ever is in this race get in the water. Every one else stay back.” At this command Gyarados, Lapras, Squirtle, and Dragonair got in. “Same rules as last time.” Moon said before swimming out the 100 yards. “Ready…Set…” Articuno set up, “Go!” The four-water pokemon shot towards her at top speed. Dragonair and Lapras quickly pulled ahead. They closed the distance between the beach and Moon at an incredible pace. Moon got splashed at the pokemon came around her and headed back to the beach. Articuno plucked her from her place and flew her to the beach for the finish of the race. Bulbasaur had her vine extended like a finish line tape. The water pokemon tore towards the beach with sprays of water on each side. The fire pokemon wisely stepped way back, because when they hit the finish vine every one standing to close got drenched. “Bulbasaur, who won?” Almost every one asked at once. “Dragonair won!” She shouted back. Everyone started to cheer and congratulate him. He took the praise graciously and even congratulated his competitors on a good race. The celebrating was suddenly interrupted by a screech from the sky. Every one looked up to see a lightning yellow bird come screaming down from the sky with its talon tipped feet extended. The bird had an orange raptor beak and legs, its eyes were forward set and fire red, and was approximately the size of the giant Pidgeotto found in the orange islands. It took aim at Ponyta and dove. Rapidash shot a Flamethrower, throwing it off course. The bird swooped back toward the sky and prepared to come in again. “Identify!” Moon commanded as she pointed her pokedex at the flying type. “Beep: Thundar, the lightning bird. Beep” the pokedex’s voice chirped. Thundar swooped again at the tiny horse and this time even its mother’s kicks and fire couldn’t save it. Ponyta was plucked from the sand in the bird-of-prey’s grasp. “Articuno! Pidgeotto! Do some thing!” The two birds took to the sky after Thundar, “Be careful not to hit Ponyta.” She called again as Articuno shot off an Ice Beam and Pidgeotto used a wing attack, both of which Thundar dodged. From the corner of her eye Moon saw a bright light. She turned to see the light was coming from Rapidash. The glow incased her body, wings sprouted from her back, the horn on her head grew longer, and the fire of her mane and tail burned higher. When the glow faded Rapidash had become a Zefire. She leapt into the air after the fleeing bird and her baby. “Ponyta Flame its feet!” Moon yelled. Ponyta twisted in the birds grasp and shot her best flamethrower. “You little Brat!” Thundar squawked as it released its prey in surprise. Ponyta plummeted towards the deadly water. “Ponyta Return!” Moon cried, saving the fire horse from a watery grave. “Now Zefire Fire Blast, then Articuno froze it with Permafrost.” Zefire shot the five-point fire attack nailing Thundar right in the face. Thundar retaliated with a Thunder attack. The attack struck Zefire in the middle of the back. “No! Zefire Return!” Moon retrieved her fainted horse from the sky. Articuno blasted Thundar with her instantly freezing move. The electric bird froze solid in midair. Moon throw an ultraball. Thundar turned to red energy and was sucked inside. Being frozen solid he didn’t have a chance to escape. When the ball had pinged Pidgeotto scooped it from the water and brought it to her. “Arcanine I need to get to the pokecenter, Now!” She said climbing on to her back. ******************************************************** “Moon.” Nurse Joy called as she came from the back of the pokecenter. “Yes. Are they OK?” “Your Ponyta and Thundar will be fine,” She said handing her the pokeballs, “But your Zefire is in critical condition. She will need to stay over night.” “Guys get comfortable, we are going to spend the night.” Moon called to her pokemon. “No Moon you and your pokemon go back to camp. There is nothing you can do here. Besides this center wasn’t built to house trainers and pokemon.” Moon sighed as she began to recall her pokemon. ********************************************************* Moon slept fitfully all night. Every time she drifted off she saw Zefire being electrocuted out of the sky. At some point she finally did get to sleep, only to woken bright and early by Artico and Ponyta trying to sleep in her tent. There wasn’t enough room. They ended up freezing her and nearly setting the tent on fire. After sorting the horses out, Moon started to prepare breakfast. She hurried with the preparation and consumption; as soon as she was finished she headed for the pokemon center. ********************************************************* “Nurse Joy! I’m back is she OK?” Moon called as she opened the pokecenter door. Nurse Joy emerged from the back room; her name was not reflected in her face. “Moon, I’m sorry. We worked all night, but it just wasn’t enough.” “Is she…?” “No Moon, she’s not dead, but she will never move faster then a slow trot, fight or fly again. This is an unfortunate situation, pokemon in this condition are usually abandoned or put down. What do you want to do?” “What kind of question is that? I’m keeping her! I don’t care if she never fights again. She’s still alive and can still have a happy life! Now were is my pokemon?!” A smile crossed Nurse Joy’s face, and beckoned Moon to the back of the center. Moon followed the nurse down the short hallway, past rooms with healing wild pokemon in them. In the last room on the right was Zefire, looking at them with her warm brown eyes. “Your going to be OK now girl,” Moon comforted while stroking her velvet nose, “I’m going to send you to Prof. Tracy were you can get lots of rest and care.” Moon withdrew a pokeball from her pack and placed Zefire in it. “Thank you Nurse Joy, I’ll bring my team by for a final check up before I leave.” “I thought you still had a day or two?” “I do, but I want to get going.” Moon said as she left for camp. ********************************************************* Moon called her pokemon to her as she collapsed her tent. Many of them were worried about Zefire, so they came readily. “Now before you start asking a lot of questions, Zefire is fine. She is with Prof. Tracy resting. As for the rest of you, I’m ready to get moving, but I can only take six of you with me. Are there any volunteers?” “I’m coming!” Arcanine said with a commanding. “Count me in!” Espeon piped up. “Me too!” Bulbasaur joined in. “I want to come!” Artico said with jubilance. “May I come?” Caterpie looked doubtful. “Of coarse you can Caterpie, why wouldn’t I let you come?” “Because everyone else is stronger then me.” He whimpered. “So you’ll get stronger. Any one else want to come?” Moon asked. She was answered with silence. With this Moon recalled her team and attached them to her belt, then recalled the rest and sent them to the Prof. After cleaning up her camp site Moon headed for the pokecenter. ********************************************************** “Well Moon, they all look fighting fit as it were.” Nurse Joy chuckled at her own joke. Moon rolled her eyes skyward and groaned. “Officer Jenny is waiting for you at the boat. Good luck.” “Thanks again Nurse Joy!” Moon said recalling her pokemon and heading out of the center. Author’s Note: I know this was a long time in coming but life got in the way.