Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ The Journey Onward ❯ Chapter Eight (part one): The Dark Side of Mt. Moon ( Chapter 8 )

Chapter Eight: The Dark Side of Mt. Moon (Part One)

 

 

Krissy and Rachel both helped Kathryn into her sleeping bag. She weakly protested their assistance but didn't have the strength to push them off. Lack of energy and absence of adrenaline had her out in moments, despite her objections. After making sure she was asleep and not faking, Krissy guided Rachel away, wishing to speak to her. The Pokémon protectively swarmed by Kathryn's sleeping form when the girls left, settling in for the night.

 

 

 

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When Krissy had dragged Rachel far enough away so the Pokémon and Kathryn (should she awake) couldn't hear, Krissy stopped and tried to sort out everything she was thinking into words. All she could come up with was a simple question that lacked a definite answer.

 

“What are we going to do?”

 

Rachel was unsure how to respond. She wasn't the leader, Kathryn was. And, should anything happen to her, Krissy was the one Rachel thought to turn to. Instead, Krissy seemed to think she had a clue of what to do?

 

“I… don't know. What do you mean?”

 

“Jenny thinks we should go back home.”

 

“You know Kathryn isn't going to want to.”

 

“But she's in danger.”

 

Rachel thought carefully before hesitating to ask, “Should we go home?”

 

“That's just it! We should go home!” Krissy paced a little, frantically gesturing with her hands as she spoke. “I mean, just because those guys are put away doesn't mean someone else won't come!”

 

“We should go home.” Rachel waited a beat. “But…?”

 

Krissy stopped pacing and sighed. “You know Kathryn isn't going to want to stop.”

 

“What about you? Don't you want to stop?”

 

Krissy folded her arms, turning her gaze to the ground. Did she want to stop? She'd never wanted to go on this trip, had never planned on going on a trainer's trip to begin with. Pokémon were just creatures. Strange, bizarre creatures who were used for sports and competitions. She'd rather win her own fights.

 

Yet… Kathryn had brought up a good point. Training with Pokémon could be beneficial. Some Pokémon were incredibly fast. Others were powerhouses. Some yet could take blow after blow without having it having any affect. If she could find a way to master some of those same abilities, surely her own skills would rise above the average black belt and into a class unheard of. There had been rumors, in the dojo, about people who had learned to master techniques of Pokémon… Could she be the one to find the key to that hidden power?

 

“No. I don't want to stop. But there's a lot at risk here!”

 

“Can't we handle it?”

 

Rachel's matter-of-fact tone made Krissy pause.

 

“After all, we saved Kathryn. Not Jenny. We've made it this far…” Rachel paused before impulse took over. “We should finish it. We can finish it.” Rachel continued on, features becoming animated the longer she talked. “You and I started this to get out of school, prolong college but really, it's become more than that, hasn't it?” She didn't wait for an answer. “This is all Kathryn has. This is what she's worked hard at, pushed herself for. She dragged us along for the ride but I want to know… what happens next?”

 

“Next?”

 

“Krissy…” Rachel tucked a loose strand of black hair behind her ear, watching her friend's reactions closely. “What do you plan on doing with your life?

 

“I want to open my own gym.” There was no hesitation.

 

“For people or Pokémon?”

 

“People, of cou…” Krissy trailed off, suddenly uncertain. People, right? That's what she'd always wanted to do. Open a gym with some students, teach her own techniques… but what if Pokémon could be used to help? Training along side with Pokémon might prove to be more effective than just training with humans…but, then again, it might not be. Would humans be able to compare to the radical powers Pokémon possessed? It would certainly be a challenge but would it be too much of one? Where was the line?

 

“You see, right?” Krissy's rapid succession of thoughts momentarily halted at Rachel's question. “That's why we should go on. To learn more, to see where this will take us.”

 

“Where it will take us?” Krissy echoed uncertainly.

 

“We should finish it, not just for Kathryn, but for ourselves.”

 

Rachel let Krissy mull over that, watching her friend's eyes as they darkened. “We're going to have to train our Pokémon, aren't we?” She gave an exasperated sigh, a small snarl appearing on her features.

 

“It's the only way,” Rachel replied, giving a small roll with her shoulders.

 

“Alright,” Krissy relented, not liking the idea but finding the alternative much more distasteful.

 

 

 

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Morning came and went, fading into late noon before Kathryn finally awoke, feeling something wet and sticky on her wrists. She tried to yank them away but Rachel held her arm steady.

 

“Hold still, Kathryn. This is suppose to help.”

 

“It smells like Meowth barf.” Kathryn stuck out her tongue and made a face.

 

“It's plant pulp mixed with some sap. The book in the first aid kit said it would help.”

 

“It still smells like Meowth barf,” Kathryn grumbled, watching Rachel smear the goop on, the mashed leaves and sap doing little to hid the harsh wounds from the rope. She looked away hastily, not wanting to remember.

 

Rachel said nothing but hastened in her administration, gently rewrapping the wrists when she was done.

 

“Now that you're taken care of, lets go.”

 

Kathryn sat up, her back stiffening as she crossed her arms. “I'm not going!”

 

Rachel placed a hand on her shoulder, ignoring Kathryn's attempt to shrug it off. “How are you going to get your next badge if you stay here?”

 

Kathryn's mind turned that over, her jaw dropping. “You mean…?”

 

“We're sticking this out.”

 

“Would you hurry up already?” Krissy snapped, bag slung over her shoulder. “You've wasted half the day!”

 

“Hey! You always sleep in,” Kathryn shot back, hastily getting out of her sleeping bag. The troubles of yesterday were pushed aside, easier to forget than to deal with.

 

 

 

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Packing done, Kathryn mounted Blaze, carefully sliding on the Ponyta's back. She scanned the area, Rachel and Krissy waiting silently for her to get done. Sometime during the midst of packing, Flora had vanished. She was reluctant to leave without a goodbye but they could wait around here forever. Nudging Blaze forward, the three slowly started away when Kathryn's head jerked up.

 

Krissy growled. “Now what?”

 

Kathryn whirled Blaze around, charging back to the abandoned site. From Krissy and Rachel's vantage point, they could just make out a cluster of leaves running at Kathryn. Dismounting, Kathryn was tackled by a wailing Flora.

 

Take me too! I want to go! Flora buried her face into Kathryn's shirt, sobbing softly. I'll get stronger and next time, I'll help better! Please, take me!

 

“Flora, are you sure?” Kathryn rubbed her fingers against the Oddish's leaves, slightly worried that the Pokémon was making a rash decision. When Flora sniffled and gave a tiny nod, Kathryn simply smiled and held her tight. “Welcome to the team.”

 

 

 

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They made good time despite their late start. The further they traveled, the more the area changed. A forest soon engulfed them, the trees so tall that they could only make out little shafts of light from the sun, the ground turning pebbly and dirty rather than grassy. A makeshift path lead the way, probably trampled down by hundreds of humans and Pokémon before them. Before too long, they had to recall the Ponytas, the pathway growing too treacherous for the larger Pokémon to maneuver properly. Night crept up on them without warning, crickets chirping in the background as they continued forward. Without warning, Mt. Moon was before them, the brilliant sunset illuminating the giant rock formation. Breathless, they cautiously walked towards the entrance of the mountain.

 

“Hey… Kathryn.” Rachel's voice wavered in the pitch-black cavern.

 

“Hmm?” Kathryn tossed out Nashley's pokéball, hoping the dog type would be able to lead them through the cavern. Krissy, in turn, released Pyro, his tail glowing warmly, chasing away the dark.

 

“What, ah, kind of Pokémon live in caves anyway?

 

“Paras, Geodudes, and a couple of other Pokémon. Mostly Zubats though.”

 

“Oh.” A tiny pause. “About how many Zubats, would you say?”

 

“A couple hundred, I think.”

 

“Wonderful,” Rachel muttered, moving closer to Krissy.

 

 

 

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After much wandering, it was agreed that the girls wouldn't be getting through the mountain this night. Setting up camp in one of the many “dead end” caverns they'd found, the sleeping bags were placed around Pyro, his tail doubling as a campfire as they set up for the night.

 

While Rachel and Krissy worked on getting dinner ready, Kathryn sat on the floor and dug about in her pack, searching for something. Nashley watched her mistress, one eye opened as she rested her head on her paws, occupying Kathryn's sleeping bag.

 

“What are you doing?” Krissy groaned, not certain she wanted to hear the answer.

 

“Ha!” Kathryn triumphantly held up a plastic bag, overjoyed. “Marshmallows!” Eagerly, she tore open the synthetic covering, digging her hand in to grab one, tossing it into the air, leaning back to catch it in her mouth. Unfortunately, for Kathryn, Nashley had gotten a whiff of the delectable treat and had snapped it up before it went anywhere near Kathryn's mouth. Startled, Kathryn toppled over backwards, mouth opened in shock before she glared at the Houndour.

 

“That was my marshmallow.”

 

Nashley simply made a bigger show of chewing up the marshmallow, a smug look on her face as she gave an exaggerated swallow.

 

Kathryn scrunched up her lips in disapproval before grabbing a handful and shoving it into her mouth. Chewing to get the large mass down to size, she shot Nashley a triumphant look. Nashley wisely chose to ignore her.

 

Kathryn gave a muffled, “humph,” before swallowing and brushing a hand across her face, hugging the bag of white fluff to her chest. Her attention was so intent on her Pokémon that she failed to notice Krissy sneaking up on her. She only had time to give a cry of surprise as the bag was whipped away from her. Krissy laughed and tossed the bag to Rachel, marshmallows falling out of the hole and into the eager jaws of Nashley as they played “Keep Away from Kathryn!”

 

“Oh yeah?” Kathryn released Totodile. “Get the bag, Chomper!”

 

The little crocodile Pokémon tried jumping to catch the bag in his mouth but the girls kept it just out of his reach. Angrily stomping his feet and dancing in a circle, he spat out a blast of water that knocked the bag aside. Gleefully, Kathryn made a dive for the bag only to find it unexpectedly in the hands, or rather claws, of another Pokémon. Kathryn instantly halted, not moving a muscle.

 

“What's wrong?” Krissy squinted, her laughter dying down as she tried to make out what was hidden by the shadows.

 

“Don't. Move.” Kathryn whispered, slowly backing away, her body giving tiny shakes. “Nashley. Stay.”

 

The Houndour was more interested in attacking but sat obediently, waiting for her next orders.

 

As Kathryn moved back, the Pokémon took a couple of steps forward. Despite Kathryn's warning, Rachel couldn't resist using her Pokédex.

 

“Kangaskhan, the parent Pokémon. The female raises its young in its belly pouch for about three years, often times letting it out to play. Once the young is taken out it quickly learns to forage for food. To protect its young, Kangaskhan will never give up during battle, no matter how badly wounded it is. It is skilled at using Comet Punch and always sleeps standing up so as not to crush its baby. WARNING: If you come across a young Kangaskhan playing by itself you must not disturb or attempt to capture it. The baby's parent is sure to be in the area and will become violently enraged.”

 

“That Kangaskhan looks a lot smaller than the picture,” Rachel remarked.

 

“If you look carefully,” Kathryn replied in an overly sweet voice, “you'll see it in the pouch of the bigger one. This is a baby… with a biiig mommy somewhere. Isn't that right, sweetie?”

 

“Kohn?” It tilted its head, digging a little hand into the bag as it watched Kathryn. The marshmallow that it drew out was bigger than its paw and it popped the treat in its mouth, chewing thoughtfully before giving a happy “Kon!” Plopping down on its round bottom, the little Kangaskhan continued putting the treats in its maw.

 

“Your mom is going to kill us when she sees you eating all those sweets.” Kathryn's grin was so tight that it stretched her cheek muscles out. “Speaking of mom, don't you think you should find her? I'm sure she's worried…” And seeing what happens to my mom when she's worried, I'd hate to see what something with a Hyper Beam can do…

 

“Kathryn…” Krissy's voice was dripping with sugar as she spoke. “The mommy isn't going to do anything like, say, attack us if she finds us with her young?”

 

“You say attacking, she says protecting… it's kinda the same thing, you know?”

 

“Good God, we're dead,” Rachel moaned, lowering her head.

 

Kathryn took a deep breath, trying again. “Hey there, honey, where's your mommy?”

 

The Kangaskhan looked up at her, its black eyes blinking. Opening its mouth, Kathryn expected to hear a reply, just, not one quite so loud.

 

Get the HELL away from my baby!

 

“Holy shi-“ Kathryn scrambled backwards as the mother Kangaskhan made her presence known.

 

Roaring loudly, it stomped forward towards the girls. Snarling, it scooped up its baby with one arm, depositing it into her pouch. Kathryn's heart was trying to break her ribs in order to escape, figuring if the legs weren't going to move it should make a valiant attempt at escape. Looming over her, the giant Pokémon leaned forward, growling in its throat as its mouth (and therefore all sixty-four of its sharp teeth) hovered two inches in front of Kathryn's nose.

 

A sharp bark from Nashley made the Kangaskhan's head jerk up but a sharp command from Kathryn had Nashley silent again. Once more, the Kangaskhan leaned its head close to her. Her clothing fluttered as the Kangaskhan inhaled, the snort so large it pushed Kathryn back. After a long, drawn out pause, the Kangaskhan collapsed, just inches short of crushing Kathryn. Her legs finally got the message and she ran, pausing to look only when she noticed it wasn't chasing her. Something wasn't right…

 

“Release your Ponytas!” Her voice scratched at her throat as she yelled.

 

“But…”

 

“Do it!”

 

With the three Ponytas and Pyro lighting up the cavern, they could now make out what was wrong with the Kangaskhan.

 

Deep gashes covered the hide, not only blood oozing but yellow puss streaming from festering wounds. Kathryn and Krissy were both shocked by the poor state of the Pokémon, unable to do anything but stare. Rachel, on the other hand, took charge.

 

“Hurry! We have to roll it on its side! The baby might be crushed!”

 

The frantic tones of their friend prompted them into action and the girls rushed to the fallen Pokémon. It was only with the aid of their Ponytas that they finally were able to turn it over, blood and puss staining hands and fur by the time they were done. Thankfully the baby was unharmed, wailing more from fright than anything. Softly cooing to it, Rachel gently pulled it from the pouch, handing it a marshmallow from the dropped bag. The baby soon hushed and tearfully sucked on the treat.

 

“We have to tend to these wounds, they're already badly infected.” Rachel placed the baby on her sleeping back, giving it the sack of marshmallows to keep it occupied. Noticing that Krissy and Kathryn were watching her, Rachel furiously waved her hand, “What are you waiting for?! Get the first aid kit! We need large bandages too, rip some blankets!”

 

Kathryn gave a start and hurried for her bag, pulling out a well worn but clean towel. Getting Urusaiwan from her pokéball, Kathryn had her rip the towel into strips with her claws. Krissy, meanwhile, dug out the kit and helped hand items to Rachel as she called for them. From the size of the gashes and the depth, Rachel diagnosed that the Kangaskhan had most likely suffered from a Beedrill attack. If that was true, infection wasn't the only thing they had to worry about.

 

“I need an Antidote!”

 

Krissy rummaged around in the kit. “We only have the pill form, not the spray.”

 

Rachel impatiently gestured for Krissy to hand the bottle to her. Once she had the bottle in hand, Rachel read the measurements for the Pokémon she was dealing with. The pills were given based on weight, something Rachel didn't know off hand. While the Pokédex gave an average weight with its descriptions, this Kangaskhan seemed malnourished. Making a quick decision, she shook out four pills, one less than normally assigned to the weight class of a Kangaskhan.

 

Next, she had Krissy grab her a tin plate and the small hammer that Krissy kept in her bag. Banging the pills with the hammer, she reduced them to tiny chunks which she then ground down to powder with the hammer's head. Now she just needed to mix the powder with something to give to the Kangaskhan.

 

“I need some water!” Rachel nudged the powder into a bowl as Chomper toddled over, eager to help. Opening his mouth, a thin trickle of water splashed into the bowl. When she had enough, Rachel had Krissy, Pyro, and Totodile work on cleaning off the Kangaskhan. Chomper sprayed water into a pot, Pyro heated it, and Krissy used a clean rag to sink it in and wash down the Pokémon. When enough strips had been cut, she sent Kathryn and Urusaiwan to help.

 

As her friends worked on their tasks, Rachel gently opened the Kangaskhan's mouth. It was hard to get the water in but most of it got into the Pokémon's throat. When the wounded Kangaskhan groaned everyone froze but thankfully the mother stayed unconscious. A repeat performance of earlier was the last thing they wanted.

 

Krissy and Kathryn wrung the rags and dabbed at the wounds, being as careful as possible so as not to awaken the giant. The blood still flowed, making Rachel worried and relieved. The blood flow should help was the puss from the wounds yet too much blood loss could be fatal, especially considering what else the poor creature probably suffered. As each girl finished washing the wound and putting some extra plant paste that Rachel had the foresight to pack for Kathryn, Rachel worked on taping the bandages on with medical tape. None of the bandages Kathryn had torn were long enough to wrap around the Pokémon's girth so Rachel had to hope the tape would provide enough pressure to get the blood to clot.

 

Finally, after much sweat and work, the Kangaskhan was completely bandaged. The girls were tired but there was still work to be done. Rachel wouldn't let them rest till she inspected the baby. Fortunately, it seemed the mother had protected him from the attack.

 

“I wanna take a bath,” Kathryn moaned, hair damp with perspiration. She was hot and cranky, the smell of the plant paste making her stomach do flips as she avoided looking at the blood staining her clothing.

 

“A shower would be nice but we don't have any water.” Krissy rubbed the back of her neck, stiff from having to tend to all the higher wounds that Kathryn couldn't reach.

 

“We're in a cave, there has to be a pool or something.”

 

“Remember how much wandering we did to get here? I'm not looking around for water that may or may not exist.”

 

Kathryn gave up, turning her attention to Nashley. The Houndour had been surprisingly silent during the whole ordeal and was currently staring at the passage, head cocked.

 

“What is it, hm?”

 

I thought I heard something…

 

Kathryn arched her back, a rippling of cracking and popping sounds coming from along her spine. “Eh, don't worry. It's probably just a Zubat.”

 

Nashley gave a soft grunt before moving beside her mistress, bumping her head affectionately against her leg. Kathryn absently patted her, still looking at the passage before she noticed Urusaiwan moving in for attention. Of course, this led to Blaze trying to nudge her chest for pets and Chomper dancing about, exclaiming his own desire for attention. All in all, it made the girls laugh and help relieve some tension in the air.

 

“Alright, alright,” Kathryn protested. “I've only got two hands.”

 

While Kathryn had said hands full, Rachel attended to the baby Kangaskhan. It looked healthy but she wanted to double-check. Gently handling him, Rachel spoke softly as she lifted the baby's arms and legs, checking for scratches or wounds.

 

After examining him, or rather, her, Rachel found no wounds, though there were a couple of bruises forming, probably from when the Kangaskhan fell. The baby squirmed, unhappy at being held for so long. Not wanting her to call “mommy,” Rachel hurriedly set her on the sleeping bag. The baby instantly went back to the marshmallows, shoving the sugary treat into its mouth with great satisfaction.

 

“Those really aren't good for you,” Rachel remarked dryly.

 

The baby looked up at her, pausing in its eating. “Khon?”

 

“They aren't.”

 

She ignored Rachel and went back to munching. With a sigh, Rachel simply decided to keep an eye on the baby and make sure it didn't wander off. A low grumble interrupted her plans.

 

“Um… guys?”

 

“No guys here, only gals,” Kathryn quipped from under a pile of wriggling, attention starved Pokémon.

 

“I think the mommy might be waking up…”

 

“Are you sure?” Krissy closed her journal, having taken a moment to write.

 

“I don't know, I thought I hear it.”

 

They waited a couple of minutes but nothing was heard besides their breathing.

 

“I think you might have imagined it.” Krissy reopened her journal and picked up her pen to continue where she left off.

 

“I wasn't! I heard it!”

 

A sudden noise shut them up. It sounded like something was scuffling around the cavern, just out of their viewing sight.

 

“Kathryn… do you know what it is?”

 

“How am I suppose to know?! I can't even see it!”

 

“Well,” Krissy ground out, trying to keep her temper in check. “What kinds of Pokémon are invisible?”

 

“Ghost Pokémon.”

 

There was a pause before Krissy shrieked out, “What?!”

 

“You asked!”

 

“Shut up! You'll wake her up!” Rachel hissed, gesturing to the sleeping Kangaskhan.

 

Utter silence.

 

“How do we beat a ghost?”

 

“Not a ghost, Ghost Pokémon. Big Difference.”

 

“You know what I meant, bubble brain!”

 

Another long pause.

 

“You don't know?!” Krissy screeched.

 

“Of course I do… just not when they're invisible.”

 

“Great…”

 

The shuffling sound persisted as the girls remained quiet.

 

“What if we return the Ponytas and Pyro?”

 

“Krissy, what good will that do?”

 

“Then they can't see us.”

 

Kathryn's brow wrinkled. “I don't think it works that way.”

 

“Oh? Have a better plan?”

 

Kathryn sighed and returned her Ponyta, Rachel and Krissy doing the same to their Pokémon. The cave went instantly dark.

 

“Krissy?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“I really don't like this idea of yours.”

 

“Shut up, Kathryn.”

 

Annoyed with the way things were going, Kathryn bent down and groped for her bag. Eventually she found it and after an even longer period of time she managed to find her flashlight. With a click, the light went on.

 

Moving the light around the cavern, she tried to find anything unusual, something that didn't fit.

 

That's odd, I don't see anything weird. Kathryn moved the light towards the Kangaskhan, checking to see if it had moved.

 

The parent Pokémon lay prone.

 

Alright, well, it's not her.

 

Sliding the light along the Kangaskhan's back, Kathryn tried to figure out what exactly they were dealing with. She didn't have to think very long, something jumped out from behind the Kangaskhan with a loud cry, all three girls screamed, the flashlight falling from Kathryn's hands. Nashley began barking, Urusaiwan hissed, Chomper screeched. Eventually, when nothing attacked, the noise died down when the creature moved into the light of the fallen flashlight.

 

“It's… pink.” Krissy's voice sounded confused. “And…pudgy.”

 

“Oh, God.” Kathryn's relief was almost palpable. “Jigglypuff.”

 

“We were scared… of that?!”

 

A soft bleep was heard from Rachel's Pokédex, the screen eerily putting shadows onto Rachel's face. “Jigglypuff, the balloon Pokémon. When its huge eyes light up, it sings a mysteriously soothing melody that lulls the enemy to sleep. If it inflates to sing a lullaby, it can perform longer and cause sure drowsiness in its audience. Jigglypuff's vocal chords can freely adjust the wavelength of its voice. When it sings, it never pauses to breathe. If it is in a battle against an opponent that does not easily fall asleep, Jigglypuff cannot breath, endangering its life.”

 

The Jigglypuff held what looked to be a microphone in its flipper-like hand and, taking a deep breath, it began to sing.

 

The sound echoed off the cave walls, enhancing the mysterious tune. Kathryn felt it wash over her, her eyes fluttering as her heart beat slowed. For a moment, everything seemed… fuzzy. In the back of her mind, she acknowledged feeling her legs give way, her body tumbling to the floor, just barely managing to get her hands out to save her from the fall. The pain of stones digging into her skin jolted her from the warm, captivating sensation.

 

The melody surged and she could make sense of it now, break apart the different emotions that merged into one song. Pain. Sorrow. Loneliness. And beauty. So much beauty it made tears form in her eyes as she felt her bones hum from within her body. It hurt to listen but she couldn't escape it. Unable to stop the song, she held herself, trying to keep memories at bay.

 

…Michael.

 

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The merry-go-round's organ puffed out a melody as it turned, the brightly colored Pokémon moving up and down, children laughing from on top of the wooden forms. The Pokémon looked so realistic that Kathryn just had to ride one.

 

“Come on!” She tugged on her brother's sleeve, trying to pull him towards the ride.

 

“That's for babies,” he sneered down at her with all the indignity a seven year old could muster. “Besides, Mom said to stay here.”

 

“But I want to ride the Charizard…” Kathryn's eyes began to well up with tears. “Please, Michael.”

 

“No.” He gave her a firm glare but it only served in making her cry, fat tears running down her cheeks as she used her tiny fists to rub at them.

 

“Alright, alright, sheesh, don't be such a crybaby.” He gave a huff, looking around. They couldn't leave the area but they were really close to a game. “Look, what if I win you a prize, would you stop crying?”

 

She gave a pathetic sniffle. “What kind of prize?”

 

He pulled her over to the booth, pushing his way through the forest of legs and limbs, moving just a few feet away from where they'd been standing. “Whichever one you want.”

 

Kathryn's eyes lit up and she immediately stopped crying. “Really?”

 

“Yes, alright. Just pick one.”

 

Kathryn couldn't see over the counter very well so Michael awkwardly tried to lift her up. His grip hurt her underarms but she could just make out the toys. “I want that one!”

 

“That wimpy looking thing?” He rolled his eyes, setting her back down.

 

“You said I could have anyone I wanted!”

 

“Okay! Fine! Shut up already.” He dug in his pocket for the money his mother had given him prior to entering the carnival. Handing it to the vendor, the man gave him nine darts.

 

“Alright son, here's the deal, pop three balloons and win a small prize.” The man gestured to some photographs in tacky frames. “Pop six and win a medium prize” He now swept his hand over to some stuffed toys. “Pop all nine and win something big!” He now raised his hand to the toys hanging overhead, things so huge Kathryn could ride on them. “Alright, give it a shot.”

 

Michael picked up the first dart, his sister desperately trying to strain to see. When he threw it, she could hear it “swish” in the air and then the distinctive “pop!” of a balloon. The next one missed, the two after that hit, another miss, and four more hits.

 

“Seven hits, pick your prize!”

 

“I could have hit `em all if I wanted to,” grumbled Michael, pointing to one of the medium prizes that Kathryn had so desperately wanted.

 

The vendor handed it over and Michael forcefully shoved it towards Kathryn. “Here! Now stop your crying.”

 

“Thank you.” Kathryn hugged the Teddiursa Doll to her chest, smiling into its fur.

 

“Come on, I think I see mom.”

 

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They fell asleep again!

 

The song suddenly broken, Kathryn's mind returned to present-day time. She gasped, the ragged sound of her own breath making her blink her tears away and try to reorganize her scattered thoughts.

 

The Jigglypuff, meanwhile, had huffed and puffed itself to twice its normal size, clearly enraged. How dare they!

 

Grabbing the tip of the microphone, the Jigglypuff popped the top off the disguised marker. Grumbling, it moved out of the light, marker in hand.

 

Kathryn unsteadily rose, still holding herself as she looked around. Pointless, really, since she couldn't see. She did, however, hear Nashley and Urusaiwan snoring softly by her side. Grabbing a Pokéball, she threw it, releasing Blaze again. The flames from the pony were enough for her to see both Rachel and Krissy, asleep on the floor as well. They looked fine except…

 

“What in the name of the moon!?”

 

Apparently Jigglypuff had been busy. Both Rachel and Krissy had scribbles all over their faces in black marker. The crude doodles made Kathryn cough back a laugh. Krissy was sporting a mustache, a pirate patch, some swirls, and a star. Rachel had glasses with a star and random numbers on her face. Despite her best efforts to hold it in, Kathryn had to laugh. The laughter drove away the memories, pushing them back to the far corners of her mind.

 

Noticing that the Jigglypuff had started doodling on Urusaiwan's face, Kathryn thought it might be best to end its fun.

 

“Hey, would you mind stopping that now?” The Jigglypuff stopped mid-doodle (the doodle could have been a star or a hat, she wasn't sure) and looked up at Kathryn before puffing up and going back to her drawing.

 

“Um… please?

 

The Jigglypuff capped its marker with a click, turning and swelling up even larger to resemble an over-inflated beach ball. Its eyes were narrowed, clearly unhappy at being interrupted. It made several gestures with its flippers, ones that Kathryn clearly took to be signs of aggression and agitation.

 

“Ah… Blaze… you wanna… help?”

 

The Ponyta cast a look at her trainer than at the pink, pudgy thing on the ground. It certainly didn't look to be much of a threat but figured the workout would be welcome. Taking a step towards it, she gave a casual shake of its mane, planning to send it running with her Embers.

 

The Embers made the Jigglypuff deflate and hop out of the way, covering its head with its flippers. When the cascade of flames stopped, it turned around, leaping with its fist forward, trying to land a Pound attack.

 

Blaze jerked back, startled that it had the audacity to fight her and quickly gave a snort, ears lying back as she stamped her foot, impatient. Oh! She'd send this vagabond on its way!

 

Lunging with her teeth, Blaze attempted to scare the thing off but the Jigglypuff jumped on her head and bounced on her back. Rearing, the Ponyta tried bucking and shaking it off but the Jigglypuff held on for dear life. Finally, Blaze resorted in flaring her flames out, the burst of heat causing the Jigglypuff to let go and flip in the air, safely landing, all the while keeping its marker in hand.

 

“Come on, Blaze! You can do it!”

 

The Ponyta made a dash, using Agility to blur its motions. Jigglypuff seemed surprised, even more so when the much larger Pokémon Tackled right into it, sending it rolling backwards. It gave a startled cry, tumbling right into the cave wall. Kathryn withdrew an empty pokéball, certain that it'd be worn out enough but it surprised her by valiantly rising, despite its scrapes and scratches. It sucked in air, inflating itself to its fullest size and let loose with the first few notes of its song before realizing one crucial factor…

 

Its mike was gone.

 

Where did it go?! The Jigglypuff instantly deflated, diving into the darkness, seeking out its marker.

 

Blaze rushed forward, the area lighting up as she followed. However, where she thought the Pokémon had gone there was nothing.

 

What a waste of my time... Blaze gave a huge huff at the empty space the Jigglypuff had occupied and turned, flicking her tail indigently and trotting back to Kathryn.

 

“Guess it ran away, huh? Well, better luck next time.” Kathryn shrunk the empty pokéball and put it back in her pouch, lightly patting Blaze on the snout as they moved closer to where the others lay. “Good job anyway.”

 

Wh…what happened? Urusaiwan rubbed a paw over her eyes, the recent sounds of battle awakening her. Her mind was still confused as she tried to understand why she had been sleeping. Last she recalled, there had been a scream…and a song… and…

 

“Jigglypuff.” Kathryn replied, answering the questioning mew.

 

Urusaiwan hissed. Where is it?

 

“Calm down, Urusaiwan.” Kathryn laughed. “It's gone now.”

 

What are you doing? Urusaiwan asked suspiciously, just noticing that Kathryn was releasing Rachel and Krissy's Ponytas.

 

“I want to find some water and take a bath, maybe take some pictures. It'll be fun.”

 

Haven't you learned your lesson?!

 

Kathryn flinched as Urusaiwan's voice screeched particularly loud. “I'm not just taking you so relax.” Kathryn released her remaining Pokémon. “Urusaiwan, Surfer, and Blaze, come with me. Chomper, Nashley, and Flora are staying here.”

 

This is not good! Urusaiwan protested. Nashley will not be pleased when she wakes up! And Chomper! He's asleep too! You can't possibly leave just Flora here to guard!

 

“I guess you're right…” And just as Urusaiwan thought she'd won, Kathryn released her friends remaining Pokémon. “Alright, you guys are on guard duty, got it?”

 

The Pidgeys and Flora nodded, Pyro and Briar saluted, and the Ponytas gave soft whinnies.

 

“Good… and if anyone asks…” Kathryn rubbed the back of her head, sheepish. “Don't tell them I went exploring, kay?”

 

Urusaiwan rolled her eyes and followed as Kathryn headed off on another of her reckless explorations. If she didn't go with her and keep her out of trouble, Nashley would have her head on a platter!