“Hello and welcome to the wide world of Poke’mon”. Just a little disclaimer here: while Poke’mon, Ruroni Kenshin, and their characters aren’t copyrighted to me, characters such as “Landon” and “Zeru” are. In this story, you’ll join our young hero, Landon, in his epic and unusual journey in the world of Poke’mon. Equipped with a magical bell, he and his friends must stare down the face of evil, win every challenge, make new friends, and claw their way to the top. But can they stop the ultimate evil that threatens their world? There are many twists and surprises, so you have to keep reading if you really want to “Catch ‘em all!” in:
Poke’mon X
(With the city of Petalburg behind them, Landon, May, and Zeru continue their journey with more determination than ever. What new surprises lie and wait for our heroes?) The sinking sun was upon them once again, making the grassy route around them glow with the late afternoon colors. The trees were filled with the whispers of the tree-dwelling Poke’mon. Toya buried herself in Landon’s hair, turning it into a soft, comfortable bed. Landon walked in front of May and Zeru out of sheer anxiety—he couldn’t wait to see what kind of new challenges he and his friends would have to face. “Mudkip,” Toya tugged at his hair and pointed forward. “Huh?” Landon looked up ahead. “Oh, there’s a fork in the road.” Indeed, the dirt path that they were traveling split in two different directions. “Which way do we go, Landon?” Zeru asked him. “Well…” Landon scratched his head, “I guess we’ll just have to pick one.” “I’d better get the map out.” May started to go through her backpack. “No-no; I think I can handle this.” Landon insisted. He held up his finger and started to repeatedly point from one path to another, “And-my-mother-me-to-pick-the-very-best-one. O-N-E,” May and Zeru sweat anime style as he stopped at the path on the right, “I say we take this path.” “Good; we’ll take this one then.” May and Zeru said in unison and took the other way. “We just agreed that Lan could pick the way.” “Uh….” Landon just stood there for a while, sweating anime style, before snapping, “HEY! Why do you always do that?!” “We only do it when it’s your turn to navigate.” May told him. “Besides, your navigational skills are worse than a half-wit Slowpoke.” Zeru added. “I’m going to look that up, ya’ know!” Landon whipped out his poke’dex and used the search command as they walked ahead of him. On the screen, an image of a pink sloth-like Poke’mon with curly ears, a light tan face, and whit at the tip of its tail and feet. Click-ick! “Slowpoke, the Dopey Poke’mon. Slowpoke is extremely sluggish and lazy, taking it a while to actually feel pain in battle. This Poke’mon’s best attribute is fishing with its tail.” “Hey! I’ll get you back for that one, Zeru Sagarah!” Landon shouted and raced up to them.
May had already pulled the field guide out and was looking at the Hoenn map, “Now let’s see…if we keep on this trail, we’ll be able to get to Rustborro City from here.” “Why Rustborro City?” “Because the Rustborro City Gym is there, Slowpoke.” Zeru told Landon. “Rustborro City is a good stop for you because you can win your first gym badge from there.” May said. “Oh,” Landon nodded before a giddy grin spread on his face. He could feel his adrenaline rise at the very thought of being in the middle of a gym battle. His mind simulated the sound of loud clapping and cheering of a crowd; he could see the glint of his shiny new badge that proved his victory. “Then let’s get a move on!” He excitedly grabbed his friends about the shoulders and hurried them along the trail. “Landon, let go!” May exclaimed. “I can’t breath!” Zeru shouted. Then, they exclaimed in unison, “Don’t make us hurt you!” Landon started to laugh, but his friends just sweated anime style. “Shroomish, shroom!” “Huh?’ Landon suddenly stopped as the bushes beside them shuffled a little bit. Loose leaves dropped to the dusty dirt path with each movement. The kids watched a small Poke’mon come tumbling out. It was a mushroom-like Poke’mon decorated with green spots all around its yellow-green body. The Poke’mon had two small green ovals for feet and black beetle eyes with a paper-thin mono-brow over them. “Where did that thing come from?” May blinked.
Theme Song: Pocket Monsters X(treme)
Running at
The speed of sound
What adventures can be found?
Traveling the world all around
As fate just spins it upside-down
Little monsters
Everywhere
Find a knew one and I’m there
Victory is just for fun
There’s no stoppin’ till I’m number one
Crys-tal--
Clear, and Shadow
Three lights—
That fight the way
Protect those legendary
Is my destiny!
Poke’mon X
(Poke’mon X)
Leading the way
Is my sweet victory
Poke’mon X
(Poke’mon X)
A mystery
Behind each one we see
Poke’—mon X
(Ex—Ex)
This journey I’ll run
Has only begun!!
Episode 7: Shroom and Gloom
Landon didn’t ask questions, but rather pulled out his Poke’dex instead. Click-ick! “Shroomish, the mushroom Poke’mon. Shroomish live in damp soil in the dark depths of forests, often found under fallen leaves. As a decomposer, this Poke’mon feeds on compost that is made up of fallen and rotted leaves.” Landon watched Shroomish slowly roll itself up to its feet awkwardly. “Step aside, Landon; I’m catching this Poke’mon for myself.” Zeru stepped in front of him and held up a green poke’ball. With a grin, he said, “It’s not fair that you should get all the fun and I just get to watch. Treecko, I call you!” He tossed the poke’ball to the ground and it erupted with a flash of light. “Tree-eecko!” Treecko clenched its fists, ready to fight. “Tackle attack it, Treecko!” Zeru pointed at Shroomish. “Tree!” Treecko nodded and sprinted at its opponent wildly. “Wait, stop!” A voice suddenly rang out and made the group look out into the distant trees. “Gloom, Petal Dance now!” Another voice shot from the same area, followed by an array of pink flower petals. “Counter with Razor Leaf!” Zeru shouted quickly. Almost in an instant, Treecko reacted to his voice and arched its leaf-like tail; it spun around three times to send its own army of leaves to counter the petals. There was a sharp clinking like the sound of clashing metal each time a leaf bounced against a petal. “Who’s there?” May demanded. Landon clenched his fists.
Out of the bushes, a little girl, about six or seven in age, jumped out in front of them. The afternoon sun colored her long brown hair and brought out the red in her eyes. More so, the colors seemed to turn her white shorts and blouse into an art canvas. Leaping out right after the little girl was an older, teenaged version of her. The only difference was that her hair was in long, elegant pigtails. “Please don’t hurt my poor Shroomish; it can’t defend itself!” The little girl sobbed and embraced her Shroomish. “It has a trainer?” May gasped. “Yes it does, so call of your Poke’mon.” The older sister said a bit crossly. “Gee, I’m sorry. I thought this was a wild Shroomish.” Zeru apologized, taking up Treecko into his arms. “Com on out, Gloom.” The older sister called behind her back and something leapt out of the bushes. The Poke’mon was round and blue with short arms and feet. Its line-like eyes gave its face character along with its big drooling mouth. On top of its head was an orange, big-petaled flower with a yellow bulb covering its pistil; four, curly weeds stuck from under each of the four thick petals. “Ack!” May, Landon, Zeru, Toya, and Treecko covered their noses at a foul stench drifting from Gloom’s head. “Oh, man—that reeks!” Zeru exclaimed. Landon pulled out his Poke’dex and opened it up. Click-ick! “Gloom, the Weed Poke’mon. Gloom releases a foul fragrance from the pistil of its flower. When faced with danger, the stench worsens. However, if Gloom feels calm and secure, it will not stink.” “How do you make it stop?” May complained. “Please, turn it off—my nose burns!” Zeru pleaded. “I think this’ll help. Gloom, could you use your Sweet Scent for me?” The older sister asked her Poke’mon sweetly and Gloom nodded. “Gloom, gloom,” Gloom gave a smile and allowed a pink dust to slowly drift from its pistil. Even though it was called a ‘Sweet Scent’, Landon and his friends didn’t dare take a whiff of the air. “It’s okay; the smell is okay. Besides, you’re not going to die from it.” The little girl smiled. Slowly, but still unsurely, Landon removed his hands from his nose and took a short sniff. Suddenly, his entire body started to vibrate with a tingling sensation; he closed his eyes in bliss as a smell greater than the sweetest rose filled his nose. He could feel his body become so relaxed that, given the proper incentive, he could’ve fallen asleep on the spot. “Whoaa! That does smell good!”
Landon, May, and Zeru walked along the dirt trail behind the two girls and their grass Poke’mon. Gloom looked positively happy, but Shroomish just sort of trudged at the little girl’s heels. “Sorry for attacking your Treecko like that, but I had to keep you from catching my sister’s Shroomish.” The older girl told Zeru. “If I knew it had a trainer, I would’ve left it alone.” He said, balancing Treecko on his shoulder. “My name is Himiko, and this is my sister, Minako.” “Pleased to meet you there.” The little girl smiled. “I’m May and these are my two friends, Lan and Zeru.” May told her. “Are you three here because of the Petal Festival Parade in Wood Town per chance?” “There’s a town in these woods?” Zeru looked to Himiko. “What’s the Petal Festival Parade?” Landon asked. Himiko glanced back at the three with somewhat of a skeptical glance. “You seriously don’t know, do you?” She asked and they shook their heads. But instead of matching her disbelieving expression with an annoyed sigh or something along those lines, she gave an excited smile, “You’re gonna’ looove it! The Petal Festival Parade is a parade used to celebrate the birth of Wood Town. It’s a time where grass Poke’mon and humans enjoy a day of nothing but eating and festivities.” “So, I take it that grass Poke’mon play some sort of significant role in this festival?” “Yes, May; it’s said that years ago, a woman and her two grass Poke’mon, Shroomish and Gloom, pioneered to this area. They wanted to build a place in honor of the unity between people and grass Poke’mon. She planted the seeds of her own grass Poke’mon, which grew into the town we live in today. At least, that’s how the legend goes.” Himiko explained to the three, “Wood Town gets its name from the various wood carvings of Shroomish and Gloom.” “The Poke’mon you carry with you.” Landon glanced down to the two Poke’mon walking at their heels, “Did you purposely catch them because of the legend?” He asked curiously. “Yeah; we’re the stars of the Grass Ring show that my sister puts on every year. And this year, I’m old enough to be in it too!” Minako spoke up.
It was kind of dismal in the evening sun at first, but Landon could see some buildings and houses pulling up to him. Wood Town was loud and filled with busy streets. Some people were dressed in colorful kimonos and others were and others were dressed as a wide Shroomish or a drooling Gloom. In the middle of the town was a large red tent that blended perfectly with the crimson-gold colors of the sky. Landon had never seen so many different grass Poke’mon and couldn’t hold back the urge to Poke’dex each one. He was becoming so annoying with it that the clicking sound it made was starting to get on Zeru’s nerves. But what really caught both Landon’s and Zeru’s attention was the battles of various flower Poke’mon. A wide smile spread on May’s face; her fascination for shopping was starting to take over her nerves. Stores opened up to customers up for perfume sales, emerald jewelry, and clothes. Why, May thought that she could spend an entire week in the stores, trying to buy everything with money she knew she didn’t have. Toya and Treecko were more interested in the smells of food drifting through the air. “This is where we perform; in the big top up ahead.” Himiko pointed to the big red tent they approached. Minako, who had scooped Shroomish into her arms, pushed back the flap-for-a-door to the tent and allowed them to walk through, following in afterwards. The big top was dimly lit with cheep bleachers circumnavigating the edge of its inside. Directly in the middle of a sand pit was a round, wooden stage. “Landon, would you and your friends like to see Minako and I perform?” Himiko asked Landon, her demeanor being a lot sweeter than earlier. “My friends call me Lan,” He told her, “And we’d love to see your performance. Right, guys?” “Oh, sure,” Both May and Zeru said, with Zeru folding his arms.
Landon and his friends sat in the front row of the bleachers and waited for Himiko and Minako. The lighting had, if possible, become even dimmer to the audience so they wouldn’t see the two performers enter. Toya sat in Landon’s lap airily. There was a loud click and a massive spotlight shot onto the round stage; music, at first something classical, stared to play. Himiko came out onto the stage in a blue mini skirt and a white blouse. She leapt like a ballerina into the middle, followed by Gloom with just as much style and grace as its trainer. Just as Zeru and Toya were about to let out a yawn, the music gained tempo, so as the performers. Drums rolled out and they started spinning like elegant tops on one foot. A pink dust started drifting from Gloom’s pistil—Gloom’s Sweet Scent attack. Landon watched it lift into the air to slowly form shapes such as a heart, a star, and a leaf. A second, blue-colored spotlight trailed onto the stage, revealing Minako in a series of manic mid-air pirouettes. She landed by her sister and started to twist as well. The three friends and their Poke’mon watched them spin…and spin…and spin on. “…Okay…” Landon thought to himself. He could feel his body become restless and started to fidget in his seat. By the sounds around him, so did May and Zeru. “Huh?” Minako blinked and dropped her performance; she glanced back into the darkness as her sister and Gloom did the same. “Shroomish, that was your cue.” Minako spoke into the darkness, but no answer came. “Not again!! Lights, please!” Himiko shouted and the lights above snapped on almost as instantly as the spotlights disappeared. “What happened?” Landon asked in concern. “Ah…my Shroomish is a little stage fright.” Minako confessed. Just by looking at the expression on her face, one could tell it wasn’t easy. Shroomish cam trudging onto the stage, staring at the floor with a mope expression on its face. “A little stage fright?! Minako, Shroomish freezes up every time it gets up here!” Himiko exclaimed. “Is that why your Shroomish ran away?” Zeru asked a bit sternly. “Yeah, I think so.” Minako answered, taking Shroomish into her arms. Zeru looked at Shroomish with hard, stern eyes. It was as if he could see right through it. In a pinch, he read the expression on its face and drew a conclusion. “—” “It’s unconfident,” “Ack!!” CRASH!! Zeru fell out of the bleachers anime style; once again, Landon had beaten him to the punch of an answer. “Man, Landon; you don’t play fair!” Zeru got back to his feet. He turned back to the two sisters with his serious expression re-gained, “I think I can help your Shroomish build up its confidence. That is, if you want the help—” “Sure!” Minako jumped all too quickly. “We can use all the help we can get; the show starts tonight.” Himiko said. “We can help too if you need it.” Landon and May rose up. “Mudkip-mud,” Toya nodded. “That’s great, but I think I can do this by myself.” Zeru flashed a thumbs-up. Minako smiled at them, Then she looked down at Shroomish, “You hear that, buddy? You’re gonna’ be ready for the Petal Festival Parade in no time!”
Fast Fact Quiz: What is Landon’s Goal in Life? If you can’t guess, find out at the end of this Chapter!
This is the end of Episode 7, part 1. See ya' in part 2.