Part: 11

Category: OT

"Two on Two battle. Agreed??" I was still on the road to Mount Olympus, when I met a young trainer from Johto.

"Agreed. I said. Play for TMs or money?" I asked

"TMs." He replied "Let the battle begin!"

"Bow! Go!"

"Artemis! Go!"

Just as Dratini came out and uncoiled itself, so did the boys Ekans.

"Bow, Glare!"

"Artemis, thunder-wave!"

Both pokemon were paralyzed.

"Bow! Poison-Sting" small splinters rushed out of ‘Bow’s’ mouth and hit Artemis square in the face.

"Artemis, Wrap!" Artemis lunged at the Ekans and started squeezing it.

"Bow, Poison-Sting!" Again, hundreds of splinters came out of Ekans’ mouth and hit Dratini, but some of them hit Bow too, as Dratini’s body was really close to it. Both pokemon fainted.

"Great job Artemis. Return." I said as the boy called back Bow.

"I’ll win this time! GO! Crunch!" Out came a Totodile. It started pawing the ground, looking for something to crunch on.

"I choose CHARON!"

"Y’all! It’s a darn battle! I’m as happy as butter on a Texas toast!" The boy obviously had a translator too because he said "Your southern friend is too weak for Crunch!"

"We’ll see ‘bout that Y’all!" said Charon and prepared itself for the battle. For about 10 seconds, we just stood there. Then the boy ordered an attack.

"Crunch! Rage!" Crunch’s body glowed a bright red and spread to its eyes. It jumped up high and charged at Charon. "Charon, Quick Attack!" In a flash, Charon was behind Crunch and Crunch hit the ground.

"NOW’s Y’ALLS CHANCE! Scratch!!" I said, mocking Charon’s accent.

Charon ran to Totodile and started to scratch it until Totodile couldn’t take it any more and fainted.

"Not another battle lost!" the boy shouted "Here’s your fucking TM!" He threw a glass vial at my face and ran off crying, hugging his Totodile, but he dropped it suddenly because it had just bit his nose.

"Great Job Charon!" I said

"Y’all are too darn polite! Y’re embarassin’ moi!" he replied.

"Return!" I said and the pokemon dematerialized into the pokeball with a rather superior and an all-knowing look on its face.

I turned my attention to the glass vial in my hand. Glee filled up my heart like food filling up a Snorlax. It was ice-beam! My favorite attack! Now I had two ice-beams and one surf. It was a beautiful day. Your typical, sun- shining brightly-clear –blue- sky-clouds -floating -by- kind of day. I walked on for about two miles, when I stopped for a quick break beside a crystal-clear lake. "The pokemon need a little rest too… I’ll let them out for a while" I said to let out all my pokemon. "Yes!" said Europa " I thought I’d become extinct in that thing! Is it a battle?"

"No. I just decided to let you out for a short break." I said, releasing all my other pokemon too. When my four main pokemon were out, I decided to unveil Suicune. "Guys listen. I’ve got a new pokemon." "Is it a darn Dark-type? Maybe I can Prove to this here ‘Mr. Strongest Type’ that Dark-types are the strongest types." Said Charon.
"Yeah right Scruffy! I’ll bite my own tail off if Dark types are stronger than the regal Dragons!" shot back Artemis. "Then why isn’t it off?" countered Charon.

"ARTEMIS! CHARON! THAT’S ENOUGH! STOP ARGUING!" I screamed my head off. Now I knew how school teachers felt. They instantly quieted down.

"As I was saying, I caught a new pokemon. I want you guys to meet him. GO! HERMES!" I added. Suicune came out and assumed its battle position. Poseidon’s and Europa’s mouth fell open at the sight of the legendary dog, but the others’ face expression didn’t change, as they were not water types. Poseidon, instantly came up to Hermes and started chatting. After seeing that it was safe, Europa joined in too. And then Artemis and Charon joined the conversation. I went for a quick swim and started setting up my khaki-green tent, as it was too sunny and I was too tired to move on.

Pitter-Patter. Splash. BOOM. Swish. These were the sounds that woke me up that night. This was strange. The night was clear just a second ago and then a thunderstorm. Water was seeping through the tent like in a cave. I got out of my sleeping bag and folded and replaced it back in the bag. I decided to abandon the tent. It was only a tent anyways… I could always buy another one… I ran like a Rapidash in a race derby to find shelter for the night. At last, I found a cave to rest in. I checked if any Ursarings were inhabiting it. After all, I wouldn’t want to be slashed to death before solving the puzzle… I set up my black sleeping bag and went to sleep.

I felt something wet on my face. "If this cave is leaking too, I’ll kill myself" I thought, refusing to open my eyes. "Raven, get up. You have a journey…" said a voice. "Mom?" I thought and finally opened my eyes. It was Hermes. He was licking my face. "Its about time you woke up Raven." He said. "What are you? My personal trainer?" I muttered and gave in to the legendary dog.

After ‘breakfast’ (which was fresh berries with fresh berry juice and berries with bread’) we continued our journey.

I was trying to solve the second stanza of the riddle. This time, only Hermes was out as we were in a wooded region where trainers were scarce and the others were fast asleep. After about a minute, I was frustrated. Patience was NOT my thing. "Relax, Raven. We’ll figure it out after we get to Olympus. May be there is a big clue there." Said Hermes.

"But what the hell is it asking me to do? Walk into a Snorlax’s mouth?" It gave me the chills, even picturing myself in a Snorlax’s mouth. Hermes’ lip corners twitched and until we couldn’t contain it any more, we burst out laughing.

I walked on for miles. Hermes got tired and was resting in his pokeball. I passed millions of gushing streams with crystal-clear water. I passed lush green trees, swaying in the wind and short, stubby and thorny shrubs. The sky above was a clear blue and the clouds in different shapes. I had a sudden pang of nostalgia. I remembered when Brad and I were younger, we used to lie down on a lush field of grass and identify the shapes of the clouds. After that, we used to go to each other’s houses. If it was the weekend, we’d visit the park and watch other trainers battle, instead of doing homework. Sometimes, we used to play with our other friends: This weird kid who thought he was some kind of a samurai, AJ; a kid with a pet Sandshrew and my second best friend, Richard; who like Brad and me, wanted to become a trainer ASAP. The memories sketched a smile on my lips. I wondered where Richard (Richie) was anyway. I didn’t hear from him since after he moved away, which was when I was about five years old. Had he started his journey yet? Possibly. Probably.

The wind blew like a Pidgeot’s whirlwind and the lush trees swayed in the wind again, but this time as if warning me against something… I reached a sign that read: MT. SILVER: 5 miles.

"Only five more miles." I said to myself, encouraging my tired legs to go on. The path to Mt. Silver steepened, to make matters worse. The temperature got cooler and the amount of streams disappeared and the road got rockier. I tripped over some rocks a few times, but I kept on going.

Welcome to Mount Silver: The mountain of scenic gold

"Yes!" I said to myself "I made out of the cave alive" I had to pass through a cave full of Sandshrew and Zubat, which kept attacking me until finally I had to use Europa’s ice beam to ward them off. I even captured two Zubat and three Sandshrew. The Zubat was in my pokeball in my pocket. I might as well use it as a filler until I catch a different water type temporarily… I walked on for ten more minutes, until I came to a large gate. I entered it to find a beautiful town. The road was spick and span, there was a blue river, flowing under a gothic-style bridge and there were Pidgeys flying about, getting treats from the people. "May I know where the pokecenter is?" I asked an elderly woman. "You must be new! The pokecenter is west of here. Turn left, keep going straight. You can’t miss it." She said in a kind voice and continued feeding the Pidgey(s). I turned left and walked straight, just as the woman said. The town was getting beautiful by the minute. I was walking by the river, which was flowing west too. It was so clear, I could see Remoraid swimming beneath. I wanted one, but couldn’t catch any as fishing wasn’t allowed in the river.

At long at last, I reached the pokemon center. I healed my pokemon and took a brochure on Mt. Silver from the main desk, sat on a couch and started reading it. According to the Brochure, there was no Gym in Mt. Silver, it was the cleanest town in the world, it was the gateway to the northern countries and hosted the strongest wild pokemon. Suddenly, there was a torrent of trainers queuing up at the counter. Just as I was wondering why, Nurse Joy came up behind me and said "Don’t you want your pokedex upgraded dear? Now it can serve as a phone and as a TV set." This thrilled me. A TV in your pokedex? Awesome! So I waited in the line, which moved pretty fast and got it upgraded. As I was walking out the pokemon center, I noticed a poster.

Come to the Specialty Pokemon Tournament!

Trainers gather outside Mt. Silver for a tournament with their favorite types of Pokemon!

Prizes: 1^st Prize: An ultra-rare pokemon of the type you’re using and a Mt. Silver brand Leather Jacket

2^nd Prize: A backpack filled with Kurt’s specialty pokeballs , a master-ball and a Mt. Silver brand Leather Jacket

3^rd Prize: A crate full of Ledyba brand Miracle-Berries and a Mt. Silver brand Leather Jacket

Consolation Prize: A Mt. Silver brand leather jacket

Register at the Mt. Silver pokemon center.

I was thrilled. What would the rare pokemon be? I had to enter the tournament and I registered at the pokemon center.