Chapter Six: Rock Slide By noon, the Fire Strike unit was assembled at the docks. Other trainers were beginning to drift in. In a couple of hours, there were easily three hundred trainers assembled. Higher-ranking officials started handing out supplements. "What are these?" Matt asked. "Feed them to your Pokémon," the officer replied. "They'll increase their power slightly. A small but crucial edge." "How many do you have?" an officer asked Uiru. "Five," he answered. "All right, here you are." He gave him 20 suppliments. "One of each color for each." Jessica tapped Uiru on the shoulder. "How do you feed a Staryu?" Allison looked at her 16 suppliments. "Are these things safe?" "Yeah, they've been tested by the Pokémon Health Board for years," the officer replied. "Hey, that's my Krabby," Nick complained. "Sorry," the trainer apoligized. "It looks like my Krabby." "That's okay." A megaphone boomed. "All right everyone, your ship's about to come in." It was the voice of Booster. "In an hour or so, we'll be departing to Charteruse City. When you get on the ship, stay with your Unit Leader. Some of you will be attacking Charteruse, some of you will have other duties. Your Unit Leader will explain your exact mission to you, if they havn't already. Now remember, we're going to be assaulted with mostly Fire type Pokémon, so if you've got more then six choose your team wisely. If your Pokémon are weak against Fire, it would probably be best to stay out of the way until something of another element comes along. We are expecting a few Water type Pokémon, but not many. And most importantly, THIS IS WAR. Your Pokémon fight until they faint. Don't be afraid to get physical with other trainers, if nessessary. And listen to your Unit Leader." Booster paused to take a swig of water, then continued. "You've all been chosen to fight in this war because you're talented trainers. We're expecting the best out there. Are we gonna get it?!" There was a resounding 'YEAH' from the assembled trainers. "You ready to blast the Flame Force off the planet?!" Another resounding 'YEAH', even louder then before. "Are your Pokémon going to kick ass until they evolve, then kick more ass?!" A third 'YEAH' rocked the docks. "Are you going to give me all your money?!" The crowd got out half a 'YEAH' before they realized what he had said. They booed. Booster cracked up laughing. "All right, fine, be cheap. Give 'em hell like I know you can!" The trainers cheered. The boat was no luxury liner. Thunders came on the PA system and told everyone to get something to eat and to go to sleep. "I... don't... feel... well..." Matt groaned. "Seasick?" Uiru asked. "Shut up..." Uiru laughed. "I don't get seasick unless I eat something." "I don't get seasick at all," Allison piped up. "Hey guys, Booster wants to talk to us," Nick announced. "Follow me." They followed him to where the rest of Fire Strike was assembled. "All right, guys, this is it," Booster announced. "Our orders have been finalized. Our first target will be the Pokémon Center in Charteruse. Two other units will defend us while we take back the Center. We're going to fly in on heli and land right on the Center. After we take the Pokémon Center our job will be to guard it until further notice. If the Flame Force can't get at the Center, they'll be at one hell of a disadvantage. Other units will be taking the Poké Marts." "Get some rest now," Showers suggested. "We'll be arriving at the base in a few hours." "And make sure you use the john first!" Thunders added. The chopper flew high over the land. The seven young trainers saw what should have been grassland- plains of burned devistation. Nothing moved. Everything was red or black. "What's happened here?" Nick shouted after a painful silence. "The Flame Force," Booster replied. "Unbelieveable, isn't it?" "The destruction of nature is only part of it," Showers announced. "Hundreds of people and Pokémon were killed in the battles." "Killed?!" Matt was starting to have second thoughts about this. "The Flame Force is vicious. We have to be equally aggressive," Thunders declared. "Hey, look over there!" Uiru pointed at Charteruse. A row of Blastoise's fired their hydro cannons at the Chateruse guards and their Fire Pokémon. "Well, now they know we're coming," Showers said. "Hopefully the main force will be out to meet those Blastoise's so the rest of us can get in." "Remember- they fight until they faint," Booster stressed again. "If your Pokémon gets hurt, switch it. When we retake the Center, we'll heal them. Got it?" "Got it!" they shouted. Three helicopters landed on the Pokémon Center grounds- one on top of the Center itself. The Fire Pokémon that ran out to meet them were assailed by numerous Water Pokémon attacks. Fire Strike unit entered the Pokémon Center. Booster looked around. There were two ways to go in the Center. "All right, split up into two groups. Uiru, Nick, Matt and Jessica with me!" "Good luck!" Allison shouted. There were a few Flame Force guards in the Center, but they were easily defeated. "What do we do with them?" Nick asked. "Tie 'em up!" Booster shouted. "We don't need them running around getting in our way." Bulbasaur restrained the guards while Booster tied them up. "We'll put them all in one place later," Booster decided. "For now, we've got to take out the rest of them." "More coming this way!" Nick shouted. "Psyduck, Krabby, go!" "Staryu, attack!" "Squirtle, go!" The enemies threw Poké Ball after Poké Ball at them, but they couldn't get through the Water defence. They knew they couldn't win. "Let's get out of here!" one of the guards shouted. They tried to run, but Staryu hovered after them and clonked them in the head. Then Bulbasaur caught them with it's Vine Whips. On the other side... "Paras, attack!" Patrick summoned his Bug-Grass type, Paras, to battle the Water Pokémon they were being assailed by. "Jolteon, go!" Thunders ordered. "I choose you, Magnemite!" Paras sent a cloud of Stun Spore over the enemy party, which affected some of the Pokémon but most of the trainers. Jolteon sent a huge bolt of Thunder through Magnemite, who rerouted the energy into a Thunder Spray, hitting all the enemies and some of the trainers. Those who weren't Paralyzed before, were now. "Great shot Magnemite!" Allison congradulated. They quickly tied them up and put them out of the way. They charged down the hall. Allison heard something coming from a side room. She looked in. "Look at this weak thing," a Flame Force soldier sneered. "I heard it lost to a Grass type." "A Grass type? This Growlithe must really suck if a Grass type beat it." He kicked it. It whelped and growled at him. "Ha! Look at it. Have you ever seen such a wussy Pokémon?" "Hey, leave it alone!" Allison shouted. "Kabuto, I choose you! Slash attack!" Kabuto blasted the soldiers with it's Slash. They ran, bleeding from multiple slash wounds. "You poor thing, are you okay?" Allison asked. The Growlithe whimpered. "Don't worry, I won't hurt you. Come with me and I'll get you all cured up, after I finish kicking these soldier's heads in." Growlithe nodded and barked. "Great! Come on then!" Growlithe jumped into her Poké Ball. "Hey, Allison? What's going on in here? We just caught two soliders who said they got ripped apart by a rock with claws." Showers entered the room. "They were being mean to a Growlithe," Allison answered. "I scared them away and now Growlithe is mine!" "Great! Come on then," Showers said. "We've got to finish cleaning out this place." It wasn't long before the Pokémon Center was theirs. Uiru decided to give Squirtle a break and started using Sandshrew to beat the Fire trainers. "Booster!" It was one of the defending Unit Leaders. "They're starting to overwhelm us. We need some help while we cure our Pokémon!" "All right. Showers, Uiru, Nick, Jessica. Go out and back them up!" "Right!" they replied. They ran outside. Vaporeon fired it's Hydro Pump at the invaders, while Krabby fired Bubbles that bounced over the defenders and struck the Flame Force. Staryu flew over them spraying Water Guns from each of it's points. It looked like a flying lawn sprinkler. Some of the guards who needed help ran into the Pokémon Center to heal up and rejoined the battle moments later. Uiru suddenly noticed a peculier sight. A Charmeleon was battling with three Sandshrew, and unfortunately, the Charmeleon was winning. Uiru's Sandshrew suddenly noticed this, and attacked! Charmeleon got belted right upside the head by Sandshrew. It went flying, but was back up in an instant. Sandshrew rallied the other three back into fighting shape, and they charged! Charmeleon launched a Flame Thrower attack at the four Sandshrew. Uiru's Sandshrew pushed two out of the way. These two attacked from the sides while the two hit by the fire recovered. "Sandshrew, use your Dig attack!" Uiru shouted. In unison, the four Sandshrew drilled into the earth. A moment later, they charged the Charmeleon from all sides. It fell! "Good shot Sandshrew!" Uiru cheered. "You're all doing great!" Charmeleon wasn't beat yet though. Glowering at the four Sandshrew, it began to glow! "Uh oh..." Uiru muttered. Charmeleon evolved into Charizard! "Oh crap!" Charizard launched another, much more powerful Flame Thrower at the Sandshrew brigade. Three of them collapsed. Uiru's Sandshrew was getting very angry at this point. It began to glow! Uiru gasped. "Sandshrew... is evolving!" Sandshrew evolved into Sandslash! Sandshrew was unusually large for a Pokémon, but Sandslash was gigantic. It was four and a half feet tall, had big spikes on it's back and it's claws were huge. When the other Sandshrew saw Sandslash, they were inspired to keep fighting. Again, they struggled to their feet. "Sandslash, Sandshrew!" Uiru shouted. "Use the Rock Slide!" The three Sandshrew stood around Sandslash and combined their power. Around them, chunks of solid concrete exploded. Trainers and Pokémon on both sides moved away and watched the show. Charizard flew up and circled around, preparing to dive at Sandslash. Some huge blocks of stone floated up into the air, then suddenly flew straight at Charizard! Charizard was blasted by the huge blocks of rock. It fell to the ground, totally unconscious. A quick moment of silence fell. "That's MY Sandslash!" Uiru shouted. "Who's next?!" The defenders cheered, and attacked anew with their Water and Ground type Pokémon. Some of the attackers ran. Three trainers went up to Uiru. "So, this is where our Sandshrew went!" they said. "Your Sandslash is amazing!" "Thanks!" Uiru shouted. "Your Sandshrew are real fighters, give them a Potion and they'll be ready to rumble!" "Can you teach our Sandshrew how to use Rock Slide?" a trainer asked. He picked up his Sandshrew. "They already know," Uiru replied. "My Sandslash's Rock Slide wouldn't have been as powerful if your Sandshrews weren't helping it." Sandslash came up to Uiru. "Hey, Sandslash! Congradulations!" Uiru hugged it- carefully. The other trainers congradulated Sandslash too. Their Sandshrews were ripping to get back to the battle, but their trainers took them inside to heal them first. Uiru decided to heal Sandslash too. "Hey, Booster! Check out what I got!" Uiru shouted. "Wow! So your Sandshrew evolved, huh?" Booster patted it on the head. "It looks really strong!" "It is! It and a few Sandshrew just took down a Charizard!" Jessica burst into the Center. "Uiru, help!" she shouted. "Machop's in big trouble! I can't recall it!" They ran out to the scene. A Magmar was holding Machop's arms while another pummeled it. "Staryu's watering the Pokémon over there and Cubone fainted. Help it!" "Sandslash, attack!" Uiru shouted. Sandslash bashed first the Magmar that was punching Machop and then the one holding it. Machop ran to Jessica. She picked it up. "Don't worry, it's okay," she s aid. Sandslash blasted one of the Magmar into oblivion. It fainted! The other, however, wouldn't fall so easily. It attacked with the ghostly power of Confuse Ray! It struck Sandslash! Although it did no damage, Sandslash was now totally confused! "In that state, it might hurt itself or someone on our side," Uiru moaned. The Magmar flew at Sandslash with a Fire Punch. It retaliated with a Slash, but missed. "Uiru, in that state, Sandslash wouldn't know if it's standing on it's head or not," Jessica warned. "It can't battle anymore until you cure it!" Machop was getting mad. When Magmar hit Sandslash with another Fire Punch, it jumped out of Jessica's arms and flew at it with a Jump Kick! "Machop, come back, you're injured!" Jessica shouted. "Oh, where's that damn Poké Ball?" She started searching her pockets for it. Meanwhile, Machop was giving Magmar a severe thrashing. Now that the other Magmar was unconscious, Machop had no problem beating it into a coma. Sandslash shook off it's confusion, then looked around for the Magmar. At the sight of Sandslash looking around for it's rival, Uiru laughed. "Machop took care of it, Sandslash," Uiru told it. "You better go cure your Pokémon." "I know. Thanks a lot!" Jessica took her Machop and Cubone in to get cured.