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View Full Version : Portals: Chap. 1, 2, and 3 now available


Cardzmaster2004
04/21/2005, 02:33 PM
well, with BT starting his series along, I figured I'd start reposting the one I did quite a while ago. Please remeber, these chapters were written over the course of three years during which Pokemon Sapphire and Ruby had not yet been released and the recently released game was Gold and Silver. So, a lot of the references to the main characer's ignorance is based on thef act that he had never been to Johto, much less Hoenn and the others. This aside, here's chapter one.
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“Hello sensei.”

“Ah, good day. How was training?”

“Fine, my master.”

“Something troubles you. I can feel it.”

“It’s…about a friend of mine. We were never friends but I used my powers to see him now.”

“And?”

“He’s found it. The way to beat the system.”

“Your powers are complete. You can become people and see them. I suspect you finished your final expert levitation exercise this morning.”

“Yes master.”

“Then your first task as one of my elite pupils is to bring the boy to me. I will deal with him.”

“Yes, master.”
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Hello. My name is J.P. I am one of the great pokémon trainers this side of Kanto. My rival and best friend, Blue, set off together our first day as pokémon masters. Later we split and went our separate ways. I became Pokémon League champ by defeating my friend. Then I started “intense” training. Now my pokémon were in the best condition they could ever be. I had caught every single pokémon in Kanto. Professor Oak had called me to his research laboratory. He had an important mission for me.

“Professor Oak,” I said, “You wanted to see me?”

“Yes J.P.” the professor responded, “I need to talk to you.”

“What about?” I asked. The professor usually had Gary run most of his errands.

“There has been a discovery, J.P.” the professor replied, “There has been a new region discovered where new pokémon live. There are at least 100 new and different species of pokémon living in this new and vast area! Many discoveries could be made about the history of pokémon itself!”

“This sounds like a job for you, Professor,” I said, “So, why did you call me here?”

“Because I need someone to capture and train these new pokémon so I can observe them. I’d ask Blue to go, but he has the Gym Leader tests to take for about a year. I can’t wait that long to research this discovery. My greatest pupil, George Elm, was the one who told me of this new place. If I don’t hurry, Elm will become more famous than me and I will become lost for my few accomplishments. The Pokédex is my greatest work, and not even that is great. J.P., I am begging you to come with me. I will make this deal with you. After I am done with the pokémon you catch, you may add them to your private collection. Is that a deal?”

I thought quickly. New pokémon to add to my team sounded great. The idea was nearly overwhelming. The professor’s offer was too good to pass up.

“Of course I’ll go with you Professor,” I said, “Will anyone else be joining us?”

“That is the hard part,” Professor Oak said in a low tone, “I can only take one person with me. And there is another person vying for this trip.”

“Who?” I asked.

“Pika-Pikachu!”

I whipped my head around to see what I hoped never to see again.

“Hi everyone,” Red’s annoying voice said.

Red was supposed to leave with Blue and I. But after oversleeping, he missed getting the normal starter pokémon. He received a disrespectful Pikachu. He says that he likes the Pikachu to be out at all times, but everyone knows that the Pikachu is just too stubborn to go in its Pokéball. It’s a shame the he and his little rat get more respect than my pokémon and me do, as we are more accomplished in Kanto.

“This is Red as you know,” the professor stated, “He has become just as good a trainer as you are.”

“No way,” I responded, “There is no way Pika boy is better than me.”

“Oh yeah,” Red fired back, “Well, I don’t see your evolution pokés as good friends to you.”

“Why you little…” I said stopping short if my sentence. The professor had something to say.

“Perhaps there is a better way to resolve this problem,” Oak said, “Tomorrow you two will come to my research field. Both of you will bring you best team of pokémon. You will both battle to see who is better. The winner of that match will go with me to the new pokémon region. The loser will stay here in Kanto to train. Is that a deal?”

“Yeah, great idea,” I said. Red’s pokémon were at a lower level than mine, “Let’s battle for this great privilege.”

“But…” Red started but was cut off.

“Then it’s settled,” Professor Oak butted in, “You two will meat tomorrow out back. See you then!”

Red and I were ushered out the door to Oak’s lab and sent home. Red and I walked home together since our houses are right next to each other’s.

“Are you ready to loose tomorrow?” I taunted Red.

“Just because your pokémon are at a higher level than mine doesn’t mean they are the best,” Red said, “You cheated getting them there you know.”

“What are you talking about?” I asked innocently.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about,” Red snapped, “The MissingNo. You idiot! The thing you used to cheat and get infinite Rare Candies!”

I nearly blew up then. On my way to Cinnabar when training I had run into a mysterious creature. It ran away quickly leaving me with over 999 Rare Candies. Having nothing better to do, I gave them to my pokémon.

Okay, so I searched for three hours trying to find this bird. And I made sure that the Rare Candy I had would be multiplied. So what! It was there and so tempting not to loose.

“Why don’t you just go home and decide your victims of my pokémon,” I said, “Because what you just said ticked me off. I’m going to make sure you’re just a Kanto myth tomorrow. Now get out of my face!”

“You’ll be sorry you said that!” Red yelled as he ran home.

I walked the rest of the way home. I soon as I got home my mom asked me how the meeting went. I told her it went fine other than the fact that Red was there. After that short conversation I went upstairs to get a good nights rest. I was going to need it so I didn’t loose my cool tomorrow.
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The morning of the big battle I woke up before my alarm clock went off. I gathered up my team of pokémon: Charizard, Vaporion, Zapdos, Golem, Vileplume, and Gengar. After that I went outside for my daily walk. I walk from my house, to the professor’s lab, behind Red’s house, and back to my house to get breakfast.

As I passed the professor’s lab, he leaned out the side window of his lab and showed me a picture of one new pokémon. It looked like a giant sunflower. I really hope the rest of the pokémon in this new region are better than that one.

Soon I passed behind Red’s house. Red was up and behind his house almost like waiting for me. This was odd because Red usually doesn’t wake up until 9:30.

“Too nervous about the beat down you’ll be getting,” I said taunting him.

“Actually, I was thinking of the loss I‘m going to give to you before the battle,” he replied calmly.

“What loss?” I asked.

Red said nothing. Instead, he released a pokémon out of its Pokéball. Out jumped an Eevee evolution. But it was like none I’d ever seen before. It had on tail that split into two and was colored purple. I nearly lost my mind looking at this creature. It looked so strong. Red then repeated the words that changed my life.

“Espeon, Portal attack, now,” Red repeated mystically.

This creature now shot a blast of psychic energy at me. Quickly I dodged away. This psychic shot nearly killed me.

“WHAT THE HECK ARE YOU TRYING TO DO TO ME!?!?!?” I screamed. But then I realized it was too late.

Whipping my head around, I heard a whirring noise. I psychedelic energy field opened behind me. That was when I realized what was happening. Red was using a psychic portal to transport me somewhere so that I couldn’t go to the new region. I was so scared. I’d never been teleported before.

Suddenly the pokéballs at my waist were blown off onto the ground in front of me. I reached for them with no avail. The portal dragged me slowly towards it. Then Red spoke

“I’ve been studying Sabrina’s techniques and abilities,” Red said, “Come to find out, she had used her psychic abilities to get this new pokémon from the new region. And I also found out that everyone, no matter how skeptical of psychics, have hidden psychic power.” Red then started hovering. I looked up with a scared look on my face.

This can’t be happening, this can’t be happening, I told myself.

“Oh but it is happening J.P.” Red said, “And you will not come back through that portal. This could be goodbye forever.”

Horror and panic raced through my body. I tried to get away from the portal but I couldn’t. I was drug into it forever.

“Welcome to Portals,” Red said cryptically.

TO BE CONTINUED…
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i_see_banned_pokemon
04/30/2005, 07:35 AM
Nice.

Cardzmaster2004
05/26/2005, 09:51 AM
Thank you all so much for your help! I can't wait to see what everyone thinks about the enxt chapter!

Seriously, though, if you read this, post in here and tell me what you thought. ANd pleast don't post one sentance or two for that matter. Make a coherant thought. Here's chapter 2.

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Chapter 2
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“He’s coming.”

“I know. I’ve used my powers to track your progress. You have done well.”

“Thank you, sensei.”

“I believe you are the best of my current pupils. Perhaps you could take over Engua’s job as Head Trainer. You would be the final test of our trainers strength.”

“It would be an honor, great master.”

“Very well. Continue training your ‘companions’ until one as great as you reaches your level.”

“Yes, master.”

“Be on call, though. I sense other untapped abilities in you. I cannot reach your innermost thought yet to find it, but trust me, it’s there.”
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I screamed an empty scream. The world whizzed by at an astounding rate. To my left were scenes of a trainer’s everyday struggles. To my right were scenes of trainer’s everyday struggles. A harsh defeat, their favorite pokémon evolving, a major win, all of these and more were flashed in front of my head. I screamed a scream no one heard. At the rate I was speeding through this portal, my skin felt it was being ripped off. Finally I landed.

The landing area was no more than a door leading to a large hall lined with a reflective coating. I felt safe for the moment. Trudging on, I explored this room. Exquisitely designed in the patterns of that of a member of the Psychic League. A large meeting table was placed in the center of the room. I took a seat at the head of the meeting table and propped my feet up onto the table to rest. My back was killing me from the landing I had.

Suddenly, a pair of evil looking eyes at least 10 feet tall appeared on one of the walls. I screamed, knowing that an evil pokémon could easily be that size. And since I had no pokémon with me, I ran. I ran as fast as I could toward the door out of the room. But instead of running out the door, the disappeared and another pair of eyes appeared on the wall where the door used to be. Again I screamed and looked for another way out. There was another door on the opposite side of the room. I ran for it, but again the door disappeared and a set of eyes appeared.

It was then I realized that doors and sets of eyes surrounded me and that every time I went for another door, the doors moved their position. Eyes surrounded me. They seemed to close in on me. I screamed bloody murder. I had never been so scared in all my life.

“Stop!”

The eyes suddenly disappeared. The doors stopped moving. The room appeared as it had five minutes ago. I turned around to see who commanded these creatures to stop. As I turned around I saw the same set of eyes that had been on the wall right in my face. I screamed again.

“Will you shut up!” the creature said. I immediately stopped screaming, “Geez, someone would think you were a girl if they just heard your scream.”

“If you don’t mind me asking,” I said, gasping for breath, “But who are you?”

“I’m surprised you haven’t noticed me yet,” said the figure, now easily taken as a girl, “I’m Sabrina, the only Gym Leader that ever gave you a run for your money. Red, one of my latest students of the University of Portals, sent you here.”

“Sabrina?” I questioned as we walked out of the illusion room, “Wow. I thought I’d never see you again. But why am I here?”

“To be punished, of course,” Sabrina said sternly with a monotone, “You must be disciplined for your cheating.”

“What cheating” I rebutted, “I’ve never cheated in pokémon, ever. First Red and now you. Its like I can’t trust anyone.”

“Really, you haven’t cheated?” Sabrina said surprised, “Then what is this?”

Sabrina pushed a button on the remote in her hand. I didn’t see it until she used it. As she pressed the button, a screen flickered to life and showed images of the times I had found MissingNo and had used its powers to multiply my item stock to infinity. It showed me making sure I had the right item in the right place when I went to battle it. It showed me running from it every time I got what I needed. But it showed me something I had never seen. It showed me the damage I had done to MissingNo. MissingNo actually was very down on itself because I ran away every time I saw it. It was very depressed. I buried my head in my hands and sat in a chair near by. What had I done?! This was the one thing I had promised I would never do, harm any pokémon.

“Now do you admit to this crime?” Sabrina asked.

“Yes,” I said, still in my chair. “I did do this. So what is my punishment?”

“Your punishment is canceled” Sabrina responded, “You are free to go.”

I looked up, “Really? Thanks so much Sabrina. I’ll be on my way now.”

I ran to the door marked “EXIT” and through the door open. I was ready to get out of this creepy building. Or I would have gotten out of that building, had the building not have been set on a ledge over looking a jagged rock canyon.

“There is no way off this mountain,” Sabrina said as I stared dumbfounded over the ledge. Quickly I closed the door. Sabrina continued, “The only way off here is by conquering the 20 regions of Portals.”

“Okay, so what is Portals?” I asked.

“Portals is a select group of environments from the past, present and future,” Sabrina began, “Each portals region tests a trainer’s ability in one area. A 21st portal was added lately as a final test for our graduates. In order to access each Portals region, you must have a pokémon that knows the attack Portals.”

“That move doesn’t exist,” I rebutted, “I have trained each pokémon that is known and that is one move that does not exist.”

“That is because it is a move known only by those of the Portals League,” Sabrina replied, “It is a hybrid move made up of a combination of Teleport and Psybeam. This move allows you to travel in and out of the Portals League Arena. You, J.P., are about to embark on your own Portals quest. Of course, you’ll need some things.”

“Like what?” I asked.

“First off, you need a pokémon that knows Portals,” Sabrina started. “Here are three Poké Balls.” She took a black cloth off a table. This table held 3 Poké Balls, “Each pokémon inside each Poké Ball knows Portals, along with other assorted moves.”

“What pokémon are they?” I replied.

“You shall soon enough see,” Sabrina said mystically.

Quickly, I snatched the Poké Ball on the far right, since I am right handed.

“Good choice,” Sabrina said.

Out of the Poké Ball jumped an Abra. I laughed, “An Abra. What can an Abra do?”

“Abra!!”

Immediately after I said that I was levitated off the ground. Then Abra sent me a psychic message.

{Don’t underestimate me just because I’m small,} Abra spoke to me psychically, {I’m small, but you’ll be surprised at my moveset.}

“I can see Abra is giving you the ‘Hey, little people are okay’ speech,” Sabrina said, “Abra, release J.P.”

Instantly, I was taken to the floor in a heap of arms, legs, and mind. This Abra was powerful. I sure would have to learn how to conquer it’s strong will.

“Here are some other things you’ll probably need,” Sabrina said. Using her psychic powers, she teleported a few small things over to me, “Here’s a backpack, a few Poké Balls, some rations for a week, and a sleeping bag.”

“Is that it?” I said quizzically.

“No,” Sabrina rebutted as she teleported more things into my arms, “Here’s a tent, dining tent, Poké Gear, including a watch, Pokédex, cell phone, and Digi map, paper map, move list for Abra, some Great Balls, a few changes of clothes, including socks and etcetera items, soap, washrags, hiking boots, a pet cat, matches, wood, lighter, Ultra Balls, another pet cat, the new books ‘Catch Pokémon for Dummies’, ‘Training Pokémon for Dummies’, and ‘Teaching Poké Tricks for Dummies’, a badge certifying your affiliation with Portals League, and the kitchen sink. Now you need to get this all in you backpack.”

I teetered for a minute and then dropped everything on the floor. Then I saw Abra’s move list.

“Uh, Abra,” I said, “Minimize this stuff so it fits into my backpack.”

{The name’s Majic,} Abra said psychically as he minimized the items and Teleported them into my backpack.

“Thanks, Abr…Majic,” I said catching my tongue, “You may return to your Poké Ball now.”

I returned Abra to its Poké Ball. Then I started my quest in Portals.

“Where do I need to go now?” I asked Sabrina.

“The Beginner Portals are ready for you,” Sabrina said, “ They lead you to areas where a certain challenge must be met,” Sabrina handed me what looked like a small desktop computer, “This is the Portal Pad. Every time you enter a new dimension turn this on and check your mission. In order to gain your Portals badge for that area, you must fulfill the mission stated on the Portals Pad.”

“You never told me about Portals badges,” I said, “What are they?”

“Portals badges are similar to Kanto League badges,” Sabrina started, “Once received, this proves you have conquered this area. After you gain so many badges, you may advance to the next level of Portals. After you defeat all the Portals realms, you face the Grand Portals Master.”

“Who is the Grand Portals Master?” I asked Sabrina.

“You waste too much time asking feeble questions,” Sabrina interrupted, “Quickly, you must start your Portals quest. Choose a beginner Portal and enter using your Abra’s Portals attack.”

I released Majic and chose the Portal in the middle, as not to be biased.

“Majic, Portals attack now,” I commanded.

{If you insist,} Majic psychically responded.

Majic shot a psychic blast toward the middle point. When the attack hit the Portal, the Portal opened and I started to walk into to it.

“One final thing,” Sabrina said, “Never use Portals attack in a battle. If you do you will never return here. If you are lucky and accidentally use Portals attack in a battle, quickly jump into the Portal. You will return here and restart your mission. Good luck, J.P.”

“Thank Y…” my reply was lost as I entered my first Portal quest.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Burninating_Torchic
05/26/2005, 01:58 PM
well, a few things.

1. You used the term "Moveset". This references the game, and not as if it was real life...which is what it should be like.
2. Choosing your level and "Beginner Levels" and stuff is a giant video game cliche reference, and not to Pokemon for that matter either. I don't like all these video game references >_<...
3. Never use Portals attack in a battle. If you do you will never return here. If you are lucky and accidentally use Portals attack in a battle, quickly jump into the Portal. You will return here and restart your mission.
You contridicted yourself...XD. Look at what I bolded...XD

Cardzmaster2004
05/27/2005, 06:51 AM
Yeah, gotta love plot holes. And this stuff is rather old, but it could use some fixing. I don't know how I'd word it and keep the same literary style. But I'll look into it.

As for the video game references, they stay. Personally, this is supposed to be video game-esque and feel like he's moving through a world he doesn't quite understand that, to him, feels like some giant game. This makes more sense in the epilogue (which, after two years still isn't done. stupid research papers...), but that won't be on here until quite sometime later.

I'll get around to Chap. 3 sometime next week.

Burninating_Torchic
05/27/2005, 12:57 PM
wait, if it's an old story that you wrote a while ago, how hard is it to copy paste it here? lol.

Cardzmaster2004
05/28/2005, 12:38 PM
Well, here's an answer to your question in the form of a question: Would you like to see all 100 pages, single spaced, 12 pt. Times New Roman font here all at once? I personally couldn't take that much in one sitting. I get tired after reading about 20 pages in one sitting, so 100 would be overkill for me.

And, no, I'm not joking. This is over 100 pages long.

Here's Chap. 3 since you asked for it so nicely.

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Chapter 3
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“Which one did he choose?”

“One of the harder one’s. The last trainer that entered never came back.”

“Don’t you think you should close it because of that?”

“No. Many have entered and survived. Only those who are too weak are eliminated. Now, I believe I have found your inner talent. Come to the meditation room with me. I can show you how to harness the final part of your psychic power.”

“What do you think it is master?”

“The ability to change shape. To disguise yourself as anyone you can see or see in your mind. The task of opening this part of your mind must be done quickly. Come. We have no time to waste. Your powers could be lost at any second.”
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This time the transport to the new dimension wasn’t as bad as before. Perhaps it was because I had a pokémon that knew Portals now. I felt as if I were stepping through a wall made purely of a dry slime. The portaling didn’t take more than two seconds. I was in the new dimension before you say, “Poké Ball, go!”

This area was a grassy pasture approximately in the middle of nowhere. There was nothing special about it. You could compare it to the first grassy area you see on your journey to becoming a Pokémon Master. The odd thing about it was that it was covered half in white daisies and half in red roses. Two species of flowers usually never inhabit the same area at the same time. Something was definitely up. Majic got me back on task.

{Shouldn’t you check the Portals Pad for the mission in this area,} Majic said sarcastically.

I had totally forgot that I kept Majic out of his Poké Ball, “Uh, thanks Majic.” I flipped up the Portals Pad and checked the mission.

“This grassy area has been the site of a Poké civil war between two grass type pokémon for over ten years,” the Pad started in a monotone voice, “Bulbasaur, Chicorita, and their evolutions have been fighting for no reason on end. Your mission is to discover the reason behind the fighting and stop the fighting.”

“Pad, could I have some info on Chicorita,” I responded. This must be one of the new species of pokémon Prof. Oak talked about before.

“Chicorita is one of the beginner pokémon in the Johto region,” the Pad started, “It is a grass pokémon similar to Bulbasaur. Its other stages are Bayleaf and Meganium.”

“Are there other species of pokémon in this area?” I asked the Pad.

“Other grass pokémon inhabit the area. Any other pokémon is considered foreign and out of place.”

“Thanks, Pad,” I said and closed it down, “Ready to go Majic.”

{I’ve been ready since you opened that stupid Pad,} Majic said, {Let’s get going.}

“OK,” I said, “ Majic, return.”

Majic was returned to his Poké Ball as I continued in to the field. It seemed perfectly fine. I could see a small building in the distance. It looked like a Poké Center, but I couldn’t be sure. A few pokémon were playing about three yards from me. This place didn’t look like a battlefield. It looked like a peaceful garden.

Suddenly, from behind a clump of tall grass, a Bulbasaur jumped out. I nearly laughed. What could this little weakling do to me? I reached to my side to get Majic from his Poké Ball. I could use another pokémon on my team.

Before I could release Majic from his Poké Ball, the Bulbasaur Razor Leafed my hand producing a large gash on top of my hand. I felt like screaming. Blood gushed from my hand like a river. If I didn’t get medical attention fast, I would die from blood loss. Majic had been released from his Poké Ball. He turned to me and saw the blood on my hand. His eyes went wide, the first time I had seen Majic care about me. Quickly, Majic put a Barrier around he and I.

{Are you okay,} Majic said with concern.

“Yeah, but I need something to heal my hand, fast,” I said, slowly loosing consciousness.

{I’d use my Recover attack on you, but it only works on pokémon,} Majic responded, {I can see a building in the distance. Hold on.}

“Huh?” I said groggily. But Majic had already started Teleporting me across the field toward the building in the distance. Two Razor Leaves headed strait toward Majic. Deflecting them away with his Barrier he escaped the rage of the Bulbasaur. Faster and faster Majic moved us across the field. And faster and faster the world began to spin for me. As I lost more blood, I began to loose consciousness. Majic set me on the ground in front of the building, now clearly a Pokémon Center. A lady stepped outside the building and gasped as she saw my wound. Then the world went black.
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I woke to see a lady wrapping a bandage on my cut hand. Her soft voice calmed me as she spoke.

“You’ll be fine now,” the nurse said, “You’re also very lucky for two reasons.”

“What reasons are those?” I asked.

“Well, first of all, you are the first person to reach this Pokémon Center in a little over a year,” the nurse stared off, “My name is Nurse Courtney and I run this Pokémon Center on the outskirts of West Gardenia City.”

“That explains the flower war field I just passed through,” I replied, “What happened to the Joy sisters? I thought they were the ones who ran the Pokémon Centers?”

“The Joy who ran this Center was killed about six months ago,” Courtney replied, “She was so young to die as she did. A Bayleaf caught a man who accidentally stumbled into the field. After a few Razor Leaves, he was nearly dead. But Joy was determined to save him. The Bayleaf saw her coming and…” She couldn’t finish what she was saying. She broke down into tears. I sat beside her to comfort her.

“It’s okay,” I said, “I know what you’re going through.” I really had to figure out how she survived for a year on the supplies in the Pokémon Center. They usually keep supplies for only weeks at a time.

“How have you survived for nearly a year?” I asked her after she stopped sobbing.

“You don’t know,” she said. Then she smacked her forehead, “Of course you don’t know. You’re not a nurse. Here, let me show you.”

Courtney got up and led me down a hall. At the end of the hall was what looked like a closet. She grabbed a key chain at her side and used one of the smaller keys to open the door. Inside were a computer and a small pad.

“This is how we get emergency supplies,” Courtney stated as she sat down in front of the computer, “You type in the supplies you need at the Poké Supplies online store for Pokémon Centers, choose the Telepad option, and hit return. Your supplies arrive in five minutes on the Telepad. Here let me show you.” Courtney typed in “Potion, 2”, clicked on a small box on the screen and hit return.

“There,” she said, “Those Potions should be here in about…. Hey! Here they are now.”

A glimmer passed over the pad. When the light stopped glowing I saw two potions sitting on the pad.

“Wow!” I exclaimed.

“This has helped me survive,” Courtney said, “But it’s not perfect. I can’t transport the Quick Revive Fluid I need to heal most pokémon.”

“Quick Revive Fluid?” I asked, “What’s that?”

“Well, whenever a pokémon faints and you take it to a Pokémon Center, they give it a dose of Quick Revive Fluid. This revives the pokémon by one hit point. Then we can place it the Healing Generator to heal any status and hit point problems. If there are further injuries after that, we operate on the pokémon.”

“Cool,” I said bewildered, “My Abra could use some…Hey! Where’s Majic?”

“Your Abra?” Courtney replied, “I already healed him. He had very minor injuries, mostly fatigue. He should be cured by now.”

We exited the closet like room and headed down the hall to a room with a lighted sign, showing “Radiation in use: Use Caution”. Courtney reached to touch one of two light switches. After she flicked the one on the left and a control set popped out of the wall. Courtney then hit a button labeled “Radiation Off”. The sign above the door turned off and a whirring noise I had not noticed until it stopped ended behind the door.

“It should be safe to enter now,” Courtney said as she turned the doorknob to open the door, “Your Abra is in here.”

As she opened the door, I saw a Poké Ball sitting in a six-chamber tray. I walked over to the open tray and picked up the Poké Ball. When I touched the ball, it opened and out jumped Majic. He seemed happy to see me.

{You must be okay if you’re here now, } Majic telepathed to me, {Or maybe I’m just hallucinating.}

I laughed, “Your not hallucinating,” I said between laughs, “I’m just fine. I feel like I owe you something. You did save my life and all.”

{Isn’t that what pokémon are supposed to do,} Majic responded, {I know you probably don’t completely trust me yet, but I really wanted to earn your trust.}

“Well, you definitely have it now,” I said, “Come on. We’ve got a war to stop.”

“Huh?” Courtney asked. I had totally forgot that she was still there, “What are you talking about?”

“Well, if you ever want to see society again,” I started, “We had better try to figure out why the Bulbasaur and Chicorita are fighting.” I turned to Majic, “Come on. Let’s go.”

As we headed for the door, Courtney stopped us, “You guys know it will be dangerous out there,” she said, “You could get killed. That close call with that Bulbasaur is only a fore coming. There are other grass pokémon out there who can do much more damage than that weakling. I know. I, myself, have had some close calls.”

“Don’t worry,” I said, “With Abra I should be able to take on anything.” I opened the door to go find the Bulbasaur when a flying flower zoomed into the room.

“What the heck is that!” I exclaimed as I ducked the wild flower.

“It’s a Skiploom,” Courtney responded, “This on must have been driven away by one of the battles outside.”

Remembering the etcetera Poké Balls Sabrina had given me before I left, I decided to catch the Skiploom.

“Majic, uh…” I didn’t know any of his attacks. Quickly, while ducking the wild flower again, I whipped the move sheet out of my backpack, “Psyber-stasis now!”

Majic put his small hands up to his head as if he were meditating and closed his eyes. Then he opened his eyes, now filled with fury, and unleashed what appeared to be a psychic Thunder Wave. The Skiploom fell to the floor paralyzed. But the battle wasn’t over yet. Skiploom shot a blast of yellow pollen from the top of its flower. Immediately Majic started to slip of to sleep.

“Wow!” I exclaimed, “This thing is really feisty!”

“I know,” Courtney said mysteriously.

How would she know how the Skiploom feels, I thought, Maybe she is a mind reader as a hobby.

I couldn’t start thinking too much of that now. Abra seemed to be waking up and the Skiploom seemed to be gathering sunlight.

“Uh…Majic!” I commanded, “Protect, now!”

Immediately the Abra started to begin spinning at a high speed around the Skiploom. The paralyzed Skiploom could only fire the attack, which I knew was Solarbeam, in the direction it was pointing. The solar blast was so strong it made a large hole on the side of the Pokémon Center. After the shot was taken out on the wall, Majic stopped spinning.

“Majic, Psychic now,” I said.

Majic again went into his meditation state. But this time when he opened his eyes they were more at peace with a warrior hiding behind. Although I knew he was an intelligent pokémon, I didn’t think he’d be smart enough to know to hold off on powerful attacks. The invisible shot hit the Skiploom with incredible force, nearly KOing it. But still the flower held on it prepared for another Solarbeam. I now saw my chance to catch it.

“You should try to catch it now,” Courtney said. She reached under the front counter of the Pokémon Center and tossed an oddly shaped Poké Ball to me, “Test this out. It’s a Restoration Ball.”

“What does it do?” I asked, also wondering how she knew I wanted to catch the pokémon.

“Just use it,” she said, sounding paranoid.

“Okay,” I said, “Restoration Ball, go!”

I let the silver Poké Ball slip from my hands as I hurled it through the air at the Skiploom. As it hit the creature, a light flashed showing that the pokémon had been captured. It rocked back and forth about three times and then it stopped. I had caught the Skiploom, my first pokémon.

“Now, release it from its Poké Ball,” Courtney said.

“Shouldn’t you heal it first?” I pondered.

“That is what I want to check,” she said, “The Restoration Ball is a new prototype Poké Ball. It is supposedly to heal the pokémon if captured.”

“Wow,” I said astounded, “ I wish they had those back when…never mind.” I stooped over and picked up the Poké Ball. Then I hit the front release button to release the pokémon. The Skiploom emerged healed.

“Wow!” I exclaimed, “How did it do that?”

“Never mind that,” Courtney said, “It just proves that modern Pokémon technology is improving. Here are a couple other prototype balls.” She handed me a aqua and orange colored Poké Ball set, “The aqua Poké Ball is Potion Ball. It fully restores the HP of the captured pokémon. The orange Poké Ball is a Status Ball. It heals the status effects of the capture pokémon. You had better return that Skiploom to its Poké Ball to. I think it’s going to attack me.”

“OK,” I responded, “Skiploom, return.”

As the red light returned to my hand Courtney said one last thing before I left.

“Nightfall is approaching soon,” she said, “This is about the time I go outside to get some water at the lake. Could you get that for me? The lake is about half a mile from here. Take these water jugs and fill them up”

“Sure, no problem,” I said. I exited the Pokémon Center and journeyed into the dangerous land.

TO BE CONTINUED……….