Chapter 3 Crystal Catches a Pokemon Deep in the dark Viridian Forest, Pokemon Master in training, Crystal Ketchum discovered a Caterpie.... and tried her best to make her first pokemon capture! *Beep beep......PING* "GOTCHA!!!" Crystal shouted happily. "I did it! I caught Caterpie!" Crystal turned to Sabrina. "Look! Inside this pokeballs is the very first pokemon I ever caught in my whole life!" "Great..." Sabrina said and backed away. "Just keep it away from me, will ya!?" "What's wrong with you? You're not afraid of an itty bitty Caterpie in a pokeball are you?" "Bugs get me all bugged out!!! Even when their inside their pokeballs! So just keep it away!" "I like bugs even when they're not in pokeballs!" Crystal said nuzzling the pokeball. "It must be great for Caterpie in there! All cute and comfortable! Caterpie, from now on you're sticking with us." "Uh... does that mean...?" "Caterpie! Come on out!" "Ewwwww!" Sabrina screamed and ran behind a tree. "There's nothing to be scared of." Crystal said. "Come on Caterpie, climb onto my shoulder." Caterpie crawled right past her. "Huh?" Caterpie crawled over to Sabrina and she screamed. Crystal laughed, "Hey Sabrina, I think Caterpie really likes you! Isn't it cute?" "Get this disgusting bug away from me!" "Cater...." Caterpie cried. Sabrina grabbed Pikachu. "Its so gross! Crystal! Put that slimy thing back in that pokeball this second! All people have things they don't like and I don't like bugs!" "I don't think your gross or disgusting at all Caterpie, come on, climb onto my shoulder." Caterpie climbed up her arm. "You won't scare Sabrina anymore." "What do you mean it, won't scare me anymore!?" Crystal continued walking and Pikachu stopped her, "Pikachu pika?" "We'll go on without her." Crystal said and turned around to see Sabrina still following them. "....What are you following us for!?" "My bike! I'm holding you accountable for my bike!" "When are you gonna get over that dumb bike!?" "For your information, you're the dumb one! If you hadn't destroyed my bike in the first place, I could have ridden out of here by now!" "Listen! I told you I would make good on your bike one day and....hey, if I'm so dumb, how come you're following me!?" "I'm not following you! This just happens to be the quickest way out of the forest!" "Fine! Do whatever you want!" "Pika..." Pikachu sighed. ~*~ "Goodnight Pikachu and Caterpie." Crystal said getting into her sleeping bag. "We'd better get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a big day." "We'd all get some sleep if you'd shut your big mouth!" Sabrina said. "Sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite." "Chuuu...." Pikachu sighed. "Pi...." "Cater." Caterpie said and looked up at the moon. "Pika!" "Ca-cater." "Pika." Pikachu put her arm around Caterpie. "Ca-cater." "Chuuu..." ~*~ The next Morning..... "AHHHHH!!" Sabrina screamed. Pikachu and Crystal jolted awake. "What is this thing doing sleeping next to me!?" "Huh?" Crystal asked. "Haha, Caterpie just wants to be your friend." "If you're a pokemon, you have to stay inside a pokeball like the others!" "Why are you yelling at him! Pokemon have feelings too! Apologize!" Suddenly a large bird like pokemon flew past them and into the grass. "To!" It cried. Crystal pulled out her pokedex and pointed it at the pokemon. Pidgeotto: The evolved form of Pidgey. It is armed with sharp claws, and dives from the sky to capture its prey. Unlike the more gentle Pidgey, Pidgeotto can be dangerous. Approach with extreme caution. "Okay Pidgeotto, I'm gonna catch ya!" Crystal said. "Go Caterpie." "Piiii!" it cried. "Hey!" Sabrina shouted. "Pika!?" Pikachu cried. "Do you have any idea what a mistake you just made!?" "D-did I do something wrong?" Crystal asked. "Caterpie!" Caterpie cried while being chased by Pidgeotto. "Caterpie! Counter attack!" Caterpie fainted with just one attack from Pidgeotto. "Caterpie, return! Go Pikachu!" "Pika!" "Pikachu, thundershock now!" "Piiikaaachuuu!" Pikachu cried and attacked the Pokemon. "Alright." Crystal said and turned her hat. "Pokeball go!" *Beep beep ping* "We did it!" Crystal said with a peace sign. "We caught Pidgeotto!" "Pi pikachu!" "Are you an idiot!" Sabrina shouted. "I'm the greatest!" Crystal shouted back. "You're the worst! It'll be a long time before you become a Pokemon Master!" "Huh? I'm trying to...." "With pokemon you've got to use strategy, Pidgeotto is a bird, and Caterpie is a bug! Birds eat bugs, Miss. Pokemon Master!" "Well... but if you try hard enough things'll work out, won't they?" "No Crystal! I'm afraid things won't just work out if you try hard enough! The pokemon trainers judgement is more important than anything else. And, unfortunately for you, the trainer has to have a brain!" "So, we meet again." "I know that voice..." Crystal said. "It's Team Rocket." "Prepare for trouble..." Jessie said. "No not this again!" Crystal shouted. *Team Rocket says motto* "Uh, we're kind of busy right now, okay!?" Crystal said. "So if you don't mind we'll–." "Quiet little girl..." James said. "We're not here to listen to you." Jessie said. "We're here for your Pikachu!" Meowth said. "Hand it over." said James. "We're only looking for the rarest, most valuable pokemon in the world kid..." "...And that special Pikachu is just the kind we need." Jessie said. "You idiots!" Meowth shouted and scratched Jessie and James. "Stop givin` away all our secrets! .... Your Pikachu's power impresses even me! I really got a charge out of its attack last time. Its powers exceed evolutionary level..." Jessie and James stomped their feet on Meowth, "Now you're the one giving away all our secrets!" James shouted. "Shut up!" Jessie yelled. "Cut it out!" Meowth cried. "Meowth!" "Make things easy and hand over that Pikachu." James said. "Or you leave us no choice." Jessie said. "Ekans go!" "Koffing go!" "Hey!" Crystal shouted. "Two against one is cheating!" "Well." Jessie said. "As we say, all's fair in love, war, and pokemon battles." "I say that saying's rotten! And so are you!" "Of course we're rotten, we're the bad guys." James said. "Koffing, sludge attack now!" "Koffff!" koffing cried and spat sludge into Pikachu's eyes. "Pika!" Pikachu cried and tried to rub the stuff off. "Pipipi!" "Ahhh!" Crystal and Sabrina shouted. "If you think your dirty tricks can stop me, then you'd better think again!" Crystal shouted and turned to Sabrina. "They might try anything to get what they want... But no matter what happens, don't let them have Pikachu. Understand?" "Okay." Sabrina said. "But what about your other two pokemon?" "I can't send out Caterpie.... its still to weak from the last battle." "So what's your big battle plan?" Jessie asked. "Go! Pidgeotto!" "Pidgeo!" It cried. "Koffing, its grime time!" James said. Koffing fired a sludge attack at Pidgeotto, but missed. "Ekans! Go get your dinner!" Pidgeotto dodged it, "Alright, use quick attack!" "To!" he cried. "Ekans go under ground!" "Ekansssss!" "To?" "Pidgeotto! Behind you, its Koffing!" "To!" It cried as Koffing attacked and fainted it. "Pidgeotto, return!" Crystal said. "You! Alright, lets go!" Crystal ran at James who held her back with his hand. "Grrrr! Put`em up!" She shouted. "Fool." Meowth said. "In Pokemon battles, only pokemon can fight with each other!" James said and pushed her backwards. "Don't try and break the rules." Jessie said. "Tsk tsk tsk... Guess you've got no chance. Let Pikachu in..." "... And watch Team Rocket win!" "Pika... pi!" Pikachu cried wanting to help its trainer. "No, Pikachu!" Sabrina said. "You can't battle in your condition!" Crystal pulled out a pokeball. "I know your still weak from battling Pidgeotto, but.... Go, Caterpie!" "Cater...!" It cried weakly. "Just give it your best shot Caterpie!" "What's.... that..." Jessie asked. They all burst out laughing, "It's a bug!" Meowth laughed. "A measly bug! Meowth! Hahahaha! Lets get the bug spray!" "Caterpie string shot Ekans and Koffing!" Crystal shouted. "Cater!" he cried and tangled up Ekans and Koffing in a bunch of web. Then he sent them both flying with a tackle attack. "Beaten by a Caterpie!?" James asked. "That really bugs me!" Jessie shouted. "Now, watch a real pokemon in action!" Meowth said. "Piiii!" Caterpie cried tangling up Meowth as well. "Meeeeow...." "I think its time for Team Rocket to blast off!" Jessie said picking up Meowth. "You may have won this round, but we'll be back!" James said as they ran off. "We did it..." Crystal said. "We did it! We won our first pokemon battle! WE WON FAIR AND SQUARE!!! Caterpie..." Crystal picked up the little bug pokemon. "I'm very proud of you. You did your best, and we won because of you!" "You're stronger then you look Caterpie." Sabrina said. "So Sabrina, why don't you two make up? Just pat Caterpie on the head and say, ‘Thanks for a really good job!'" "Well uh...." "You like pokemon, so its only right to congratulate one for a good job right?" Sabrina reached out her hand to pet Caterpie, and it started to spit string from its mouth and she screamed, "AHHHHHHHH!" Crystal set Caterpie on the ground. "Caterpie... what?" "Its evolving!" Sabrina said. "Caterpie, this is awesome!" Crystal said and pointed her pokedex at the newly evolved pokemon. Metapod: Caterpie's next stage. It has encased its body in a hard shell. This specimen reached this stage faster then any pokemon ever! "Hey! Maybe it could keep changing and go onto the next stage right away!" "Pi! Pika!" Pikachu cried happily. "Nice to meet you Metapod. Not in the mood to talk? Hahaha!" Sabrina sighed, "I've never met anyone like her... she really does love pokemon." The future looks bright for our heroes now, but up ahead, Viridian Forest is deeper and darker then they know.... And a dangerous new challenge is waiting...