“…but, that’s impossible!” ‘K’ growled. He couldn’t believe that it happened so fast. Landon had his sheath blocking his enemy’s sword, his hands pressing on the back to give it some support. He then dove between ‘K’s legs and slid out on the other side; in a rush of wind, he swung the sheath into his enemy’s back. “Daaaha!” ‘K’ staggered forward, trying to regain his balance, “What the heck was that!?” He exclaimed. “Heh,” Landon stood up and grinned, “I figured that instead of using that big heavy sword, I could use the sheath to pump the speed of my attack.” He said triumphantly. Then, his face went into another serious expression. He poised the sheath like a real sword to the side of him with both hands. “And now, it’s the end!” WHOOOSH—CLACK! “Ughn!” With a viscous whack to the head, ‘K’ dropped to the ground like a serious brick. “Yeah!” May exclaimed. Zeru would’ve shouted as well, but he was still trying to find his air. “That was quit exceptional. A voice sounded from the trees. “What’s going on?” Yoshimari whispered to his sister. “I don’t know, but I do know one thing,” Tsubimi watched trees carefully, “Team Aqua is stealing our scene and they’re not going to get much more of it.” Slowly, figures of people started appearing from behind the trees. They marched like an army in perfect sync. They were all, boys and girls, sporting the Team Aqua uniform. The sprouting of Aqua grunts marched in a circle Landon, Zeru, May, Ms. Itzono, and their Poke’mon in a wall of humans. Only one main in the entire group looked distinct from the others. He had a rugged face with piercing eyes as blue as the sea. Sure, he wore the traditional Aqua head scarf, but his uniform was entirely black.

       “I’m impressed with you, Landon Himura, and even you, Zeru Sagarrah.” He said and walked up to Landon. The young samurai scowled at the man. “My name is Archie, the leader of Team Aqua. I didn’t believe at first so I had to check it for myself. It’s a pleasure to meet the son of the Batosi in person.—” “Stop patronizing my heritage.” Landon snapped. “I see you’re a young man who doesn’t like speeches, so I’ll cut right to the chase.” Archie talked as if nothing was wrong—as if he was an old friend. “I want you and your friend, Zeru, to join Team Aqua.” “What!” Zeru gasped, getting to his feet. “We have no use for the girl—her mouth is way too big.” “EXCUSE ME?!” May shrieked. Archie, however, didn’t pay any attention to her ear-vexing voice. “Just think of it, Himura; your Mudkip is a water type and Team Aqua’s goal is to spread the sea. She could definitely benefit—” “No,” Landon said flatly. A boiling anger churned inside of him with each word Archie said. One hand was clutching his sword sheath and the other was hanging onto the Crystal Bell. “My job is to protect Poke’mon, both land and sea, and become the greatest Poke’mon Doctor the world has ever seen. If I join with you, I’ll not only disrespect the Poke’mon, but I’ll disrespect myself as well.” However, even after this speech, Archie didn’t seem to be fazed at all. “I understand you feel strongly about that—as a doctor, you should—but it would be in your best interest to reconsider.” “Hey, bandana—head!” Team Darkhorn shouted at him and he looked up to them, “We’re runnin’ this show here, so why don’t’ you go count your little bandanna-thingies.” Tsubimi said. “Why don’t you make me?” Archie said simply. “We’ll teach you to interfere with Team Darkhorn’s plan.” Yoshimari pulled a poke’ball from his cloak. “Those EX Poke’mon are ours to keep and you’re getting in our way.” Tsubimi did the same. “Go, Loudred!” “I choose Tailow!”

       They tossed them to the ground and revealed their Poke’mon. “Team Aqua, release your Poke’mon now.” Archie ordered. The members of Team Aqua pulled their own poke’balls from their belts and hurled them to the ground. They burst open in a flash of light, all resulting in the same Poke’mon. It looked like a coyote mixed with a hyena. It had a black nose and red eyes; it had shaggy fur was black from the top of its head down to its back and the rest of it was gray except for its black paws. “What are those?” Zeru asked and Landon answered, “Mightyena; viscous Poke’mon, they are.” He didn’t bother to use his Poke’dex because he was so mad. “Mightyena, use your Roar Attack.” Team Aqua ordered to their Poke’mon. All of the Mightyena bared their teeth and a sudden wave of fear shot through Team Darkhorn. “Miiiii-yehaaaaa!: The Poke’mon let out such a shrill roar that Tailow and Loudred were frightened back into their poke’balls instantly before they could make a move. “We’ve got ‘em!” Tsubimi and Yoshimari glanced down from their tree to see a quartet of Aqua members jumping at them; they grasped them by the arms and dragged them down to the ground harshly. “Hey, let go of us!” Team Darkhorn shouted. “Let this be a lesson to anyone who thinks they can stand in Team Aqua’s way.” Archie folded his arms as he spoke to them. But instead of struggling or retorting, Team Darkhorn just sat there with a smile. “They think they can actually pin us down.” Tsubimi rolled her eyes. “Flashy exit?” “You know it.” Yoshimari and Tsubimi clicked the heals of their shoes together until puffs of black smoke expelled from them; the fumes engulfed the area, causing everyone to cough and sputter. The Aqua grunts binding Team Darkhorn loosened their grips in the confusion. This allowed their prisoners to escape with ease. “Thanks for entertaining us, but rejects like Team Aqua could never compare to treasure-hunting agents like us.” Team Darkhorns’ voices broke through the coughing and confusion. “As proof of our victory, we’ll be leaving with a prize.”

       Suddenly, Toya could feel herself lift off the ground. The path below her paws started to move swiftly along with the sound of running feet. “…Mudkip! Mudkip!” Toya’s cries reached Landon’s ears and a wave of panic shot through him. “Hang on, Toya; I’m coming!” Even though the smoke was clearing, he still had to fight his way through hit. He tried to use Toya’s voice as a compass,, but Team Darkhorn had dragged her too far away. When the smoke cleared, Landon found everyone except him and Archie on the ground, still coughing. “…Ahh!” He gasped once he looked into the distance of trees. The machine had legs like a spider carrying the small coach in the middle. On the inside, Yoshimari and Tsubimi stood with Toya trapped in a box cage. “Kiiipipp!” She cried out to her trainer. “Bye-bye,” The kidnappers waved and the carrier started to walk off. It made sharp squeaking noises as it made its way away. “Toya!” Landon mindlessly started to run towards the walker, but Archie stepped in his way. “I don’t think so; you’re not going anywhere.” He said to him. “And who’s gonna’ stop me?” “Just the entire team.” One of the grunts said. She, the other members, and the Mightyena stepped up beside their leader and grinned at him. Landon frowned; there was no way he could take on those kinds of odds. Even if he was Kenshin’s son, he wasn’t great. There was nothing he could do! Was he doomed to just sit there and watch Toya be kidnapped by Team Darkhorn? “Go, Treecko!” The bursting sound of a poke’ball sounded and Landon looked back. May, Zeru, and their Poke’partners stood ready for battle. “Kidnapping me was one thing—” “And insulting her was another—” then they said together, “But mistreating Landon’s respect is just plain wrong.” Landon could sense what was about to happen and felt a boost of confidence. “We’ll take care of this, Landon; you follow Team Darkhorn and get Toya back” They said to him. Nodding, Landon jumped back to re-sheathed his sword; with it back in his sash, he started running towards the robot walker. Archie was standing in the way, but he didn’t care. “Move or I’ll run you down!” He shouted. “Go, Mightyena!” Archie threw his own poke’ball and a Mightyena came bursting out. “Hmph!” Landon pulled his sword from his belt and didn’t slow down a bit. “Mightyena, get ready to dodge the sword!” Archie said and Mightyena arched its back to read itself for a Tackle. “No one said I was aiming for your Poke’mon.” Landon waited till he was directly in front of Mightyena before thrusting his sword to the ground. “I…I don’t believe it!” Archie exclaimed as Landon pole-vaulted over his head. “I wouldn’t be too worried about him; you have other problems right now.” “Huh?” He looked ahead to see the kids he had forgotten about for a split second. “Ember attack, Torchic!” May ordered. “Chick-chick-chick!” Torchic launched a generous array of cinders that exploded like bombs around the Mightyena. “Give ‘em a Razor Leaf, Treecko!” “Treecko!” “Mighty-ena!” Treecko spun its body in circles to force a fury of razor-sharp leaves out of its tail; the Mightyena, who were too slow in dodging, suffered from sharp nicks and small cuts.

 

       Landon was still clutching the sheath around his sword as he dashed across the dirt trail. Team Darkhorn’s robot-walker wasn’t too far ahead, meaning he could still have a chance of catching up with it. He was so determined, that he didn’t notice his Crystal Bell vibrating lightly. “Is he still following us? He doesn’t stand a snowball’s chance in Hades.” Tsubimi stated. She was holding the cage they used to catch Toya. The mud-fish Poke’mon tried clawing and tackling her way out, but the metal bars held tight. “This’ll fix his little red wagon.” Yoshimari reached onto the floor of the carrier and pulled up three black spheres. Marked on them was the tan triceratops symbol of Team Darkhorn. “Bombs away,” He grinned as he tossed them back. Landon’s eyes widened at the mini bombs headed his way. In his panic, his body was quick to react; he used his sword like a baseball bat and knocked each one to the side. The explosions caused some of the Poke’mon to stir wildly. “This is getting me nowhere!” Landon said while he pulled the poke’ball with the lightning-bolt sticker on it. “I call Pikachu!” He tossed it in front of him and the electric mouse Poke’mon came running at his side. “Pika!” It smiled. “Climb aboard, Pikachu; I’ve got an idea.” “Pika-pikachu,” Pikachu clambered up Landon’s moving legs and onto his head. Landon looked to his sword with a bit of uncertainty. “Well…it worked once before…” “Maybe it’ll work again!” Landon slammed the tip of the sheath into the ground, propelling himself into the air. “Uh…Yoshi, we have trouble coming.” Tsubimi pointed out with a cowardly expression. “What the—he can fly?” Yoshimari exclaimed. “Pikachu, use Thundershock Attack!” “Piiikaaaa—” Pikachu’s red cheeks started to glow and spark with electricity, “Chuuuu-aaaa!” “Whaahaahaaa!!” Landon and Pikachu shivered from the feedback of the attack. Fine bolts of lightning raced from its cheeks and through the air hotly; there was a sharp ping as they bounced off the walker’s hind leg. Electricity surged throughout the entire machine, causing it to smoke and rattle violently. “Yoshi, fix this thing!” “I can’t; everything is shorting out!” Team Darkhorn was forced to brace themselves in order to prevent the shaking from knocking them off. Still floating through the air, Landon unsheathed his sword. He only had one shot to get this right. If he missed, even with the damaged leg, the robot walker would still have a chance at getting away from his weak and shocked state. “Well…it’s time to see if I’m as good as everybody says.” Landon drew his sword and aimed for the control panel Yoshimari was so vigorously trying to work. A drop of sweat dripped from his cheek warmly. With a mighty heave, he hurled the Sakaba-tou through the air. The sword swiftly wedged its way into the wind. SWEEENGGG! In a flash of light, it sailed cleanly through the sizzling controls of the machine. There was a moment of pause before the robot walker burst into an explosion that shook the woods. “Muddddkip!” Toya’s cage soared into the air. “I’ve gotcha’!” Landon slid onto the dirt with his arms held out; Toya’s cage fell into his grip with a metallic rattle. “Are you okay, Toya?” He asked and she nodded happily. “Thanks a lot, Pikachu.” “Pikachu!” Pikachu gave a thumbs-up. It was glad to help and payback Team Darkhorn for kidnapping it. “Next time, we need to make a plan instead of randomly attacking.” Yoshimari said as he and his sister soared through the air. Their uniforms were blackened with smoke as well as their faces.  “He might shoot that one back in our faces too.” Yoshimari answered. “Oh, well; I guess we’ll just have to take our punishment from Miru.” With that, they disappeared in the distance of the sky.

 

       Landon walked back to the clearing where he left his friends and Ms. Itzono. With a certain air of triumph, Toya was wagging her fin-like tail happily in his arms while Pikachu rested n his shoulder. It was amazing how fast the day seemed to melt away; the sun was now setting behind the horizon and fading fast. “Hiya, Landon!” May, Zeru, and Ms. Itzono waved as they walked up to him from the distance. “I take it you took care of Team Aqua?” Landon asked them. “They were so scared; they all ran home crying to mommy.” Zeru said. “That’s great!” “Well, I guess you three had better get going.” Ms. Itzono said. Then she turned to the left and pointed down the trail. “If you stick to this trail, you should reach Zakuden Town. They have a Poke’mon center there and the nurse can give you directions to Rustborro City.” “Thanks a lot, Ms. Itzono, but what’ll you do?” May asked her curiously. “Don’t worry; I know a shortcut that leads to Petalburg.” Ms. Itzono answered. “Then I guess we’ll see ya’ later, Ms. Itzono.” Zeru said. “Who knows; maybe our paths will cross again.” “Right,” Landon nodded to Ms. Itzono. With the sun fading fast behind them, Landon and his friends continued on their journey to Rustborro City. (Who knows what surprises and adventures are in store for our heroes? One can only hope that they all achieve their goals and meet old friends once more. Join us next time for another episode  of “Poke’mon X”!)

 

Fast Fact answer: No, Landon is incapable of performing the Hetan-mitsurugi style. Instead, he dabbles at being second apprentice of the Kamiya-Kashiin style and a little bit of Suishou-jitsu. Stay tuned for more Fast facts.

 

                                      “Shine the Sky” (Ending Theme)

 

Shine the sky!

Crystal power hit the high—

Flying current to my victory

Try and Try!

Never give the fight away

I’ll take every challenge that I can get in my hands

Des—tiny!

Prophecy I can’t ignore

Know what surprises that it has in store

Shine the sky!

A knew adventure I will face

Another chance at victory with Poke’mon!