out a figure, thought it was a complete black, difficult to make out from the other nightly

colors. Without any movement that Erik could see, it spoke in a voice, deep and

soothing.

"The Mystic’s sword Gassiter is hidden below. Where, only I know."

Pausing, the figure gently swept his hand, two fingers out, in front of him. A

green bolt flew, blazing onto Erik’s chest, where the medallion was. The bolt flickered

for a moment, blinding Erik, before it dissipated. When the afterimage faded, all Erik

could see was the medallion. Where the green glass had been, there was a shining, green

metal plate, engraved with a single symbol.

Erik awoke to a sweat. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, but it was still

dark in the forest. After taking a second to calm down, he rolled up his mat and placed it

in his backpack. He carefully disposed of the campfire ashes, and then stood up, dressed

and ready to go. Unconsciously, he fingered his medallion, hanging loose around his

neck.

Instead of a smooth glass, there was a rough surface. Glancing down, he saw that

it was no longer glass; it was metal, engraved with the symbol he had seen just half an

hour ago. He paused only for a moment, then continued walking.

Pulling out Buttergirl’s Pokéball, he tossed it onto the ground. She appeared and

looked sleepily at his medallion.

"Know anything about glass turning into metal, Buttergirl?" Erik asked slyly.

Buttergirl took up his pace beside him, and glanced at him. Speaking in her own

language, Erik still understood. "No, but that’s what just happened, isn’t it?" she said.

Erik said nothing, just walked in companionable silence for a while. When the

fog was starting to lift up, Erik started to feel uncomfortable. Pulling gently on the

medallion, Erik was about to say something. He got cut off, for just ahead was a bird,

flying towards them.

Erik quickly pulled out Dexboy.

"Pidgey." He said. "This bird Pokémon is gentle and easiest to capture. A perfect

target for the beginning Pokémon Trainer."

Erik didn’t want an easy Pokémon, so he hit the MORE INFO button again.

"Pidgey evolves into the larger Pidgeotto, which evolves into Pidgeot, large

enough to fly upon if it has learned the correct attack."

Erik quickly stuffed Dexboy in his pocket.

"On the other hand, Buttergirl, maybe I’ll catch it after all. Prepare for defeat, for

it’s by Buttergirl you’ll be beat!" Erik said.

Buttergirl gave him a questioning look, before jumping in front of the bird and

calling back to Erik, "Piiie! Cater caterpie!," meaning, "Nice rhyme. Let’s go!"

The Pidgey flared up, then circled around, waiting to see what Buttergirl was

going to do,

"Buttergirl, Tackle!" Erik called.

Buttergirl jumped at the approaching bird. Pidgey avoided the lunge, but

Buttergirl came back with a backflip, a first for Caterpies. Hitting Pidgey in the back, the

attack caused more damage than it normally would.

The Pidgey replied by blowing a fast wind at Buttergirl with it’s wings, creating a

small tornado. Buttergirl was weakened, but not too much. "Buttergirl!" Erik yelled to

it. "Tackle it again!"

Buttergirl waited in a kind of crouched position, while the Pidgey flew down and

tried to snatch a meal with it’s beak. Right before Buttergirl would’ve been breakfast,

she jumped aside and swung, hitting Pidgey in the back again, this time with her tail. The

Pidgey fell to the ground, weakened, and lay there, slumped and breathing hard.

Erik pulled an empty Pokéball. "Pokéball, go!" he cried, throwing it at Pidgey.

Pidgey was pulled inside, and, even in such a weak state, gave a strong fight before

relenting. Erik yelled his joy out to the world, and grabbed the ball. Before he could let

his new Pokémon out, Buttergirl rose up so that two-thirds of its body was off the ground.

She started spitting out a silk thread in such a way that it made a cocoon around her. In a

moment, the silk hardened into a green shell.

Erik pulled out Dexboy. "Metapod." He said. "A large impact on this cocoon

Pokémon may cause it to pop out of it’s shell."

Erik grinned. Recalling Buttergirl, Erik released Pidgey.

"Pidge…" it said in a weak voice.

"Sorry buddy, but I can’t spare a Potion. You well enough or do I need to head

back to the Pokécenter in Viridian?" he said. Pidgey stood up straight and tall. "That

right?" Erik said, laughing. "I take it you’re a boy, right?" Pidgey nodded. "Well, what

should I call you?" he asked, more to himself than to Pidgey. Erik pulled out Dexboy.

"This Pidgey’s moves are Gust, Sand Attack, and Whirlwind."

The first one caught Erik’s ear. "How ‘bout Gusty?" he said. Gusty nodded

vigorously, and then slumped to the ground in a peaceful sleep. Erik recalled it.

<><><>

Watching him walk away, two figures hid in the bushes.

"He’s got a nice Metapod. Too bad the boss only wants high-level Pokémon."

Said one voice, mature and deep.

"Maybe," said another voice, "but if we’re right, then this kid has that really high

Bulbasaur. Did you prepare the trap ahead?" asked the feminine voice, fluid and

confident.

"Yes." Said the other. "Yes…"

<><><>

Erik saw the trap ahead, but he wouldn’t have noticed it if he hadn’t been

practicing his skills. Being surrounded by trees, vines, and bushes, he immediately

sensed the trap, felt the dying sticks and leaves that had been used to make a rough

covering. Because he knew what to look for, Erik saw the slightly darker patch of

ground.

Pretending to be aimlessly walking around, he wandered to one side of the road,

whistling, and avoided the trap.

<><><>

"Drats!" said the first voice harshly. "How’d he know it was there?"

"How should I know?" asked the second. "Well, I guess it’s time for a battle…"

<><><>

Erik was reading the guide when he came upon a section about battling a

Pokémon. Only one at a time may be used, although all may be used at one time or

another. All battles were fought this way, except Gym Battles for Badges. When you

collected all eight badges, you could challenge the Elite Four and become a Pokémon

Master. Erik didn’t care about that part, but read carefully about using extreme caution

when battling against the group, "Team Rocket," who used Pokémon for Evil.

Erik was interrupted when he glanced up to see two figures.

The one of the left wore a deep black shirt with a red "R" on the front, covered by

a black vest. He had black hair, cut to a buzz cut. The other one had a too-short black

shirt, also with a red "R." They both wore pitch black pants. Striking over-dramatic

poses, they spoke.

The woman was first.

"Allow us to introduce ourselves. To lay claim to all the universe."

The man was next. "To get rid of all Joys who nurse."

They started to take turns as they spoke. "To engage all who oppose in Pokémon

battles."

"To win, and take back what they have taken from us adults."

"Dereko!"

"Jennie!"

"Team Rocket, here to win and take what we want!"

"Hand you Pokémon over or we won’t just taunt!"

Erik slowly couched during all of this, more bored than scared. But now that they

eyed him and gripped a Pokéball each, the adrenaline was starting to flow.

Jennie spoke. "Now hand over that Bulbasaur, boy, or we’ll take it."

"I don’t think so." Erik said.

Dereko raised an eyebrow. "No? Well, then, we’ll have to take it. Dereko

chooses, Geodude!" he said, throwing a Pokéball.

Jennie also threw one, calling, "Growlithe, let’s go!" Both of their Pokéballs hit

the ground, releasing two Pokémon.

Dereko’s looked like a small, floating boulder with arms, eyes, and a mouth.

Jennie’s was like a small tiger, but more like a puppy. It was cute, and Erik felt sorry that

such a cute Pokémon was being used for such a bad purpose.

"Not fair, eh?" Erik said, pulling two Pokéballs to each hand. "Well, then, an all-

out fight it is. Prepare for defeat! For it’s by Bulby, Oddball, Buttergirl, and Gusty

you’ll be beat!" he cried, throwing all four Pokéballs as their name was called.

"All out battle!" he called to his Pokémon. They all took fighting stances, and

Erik ordered, "Double team, two to each of theirs!" Bulby grabbed Buttergirl with one

vine, and held he like a club. With his other he beat at Geodude.

"Buttergirl, Harden!" Erik called. Her shell became a green, sparkling light for a

moment, and then it hardened, shiny and almost impenetrable. Bulby then began hitting

Geodude with both his vine and Buttergirl.

At the same time, Oddball and Gusty were engaged in a battle with Growlithe.

Erik seemed to be winning, and he took the moment to pull out Dexboy.

"Geodude. This rock Pokémon is often thought to be a boulder. If you trip on it,

it will become very angry. Growlithe. This puppy Pokémon it very loyal to its trainer.

Although it appears cute, it has strong fire attacks." He said.

Right at this time, Geodude was knocked down by Bulby’s vine, and stayed there.

"Geodude, return!" Dereko called, bringing Geodude back. Tagging Jennie, he

said, "Your turn."

At this time, Growlithe was very mad. It ran at Bulby, and head butted Metapod

into Erik’s arms. Turning quickly, it sprayed a large river of fire from its mouth,

completely engulfing Bulby and Gusty. Gusty fainted immediately, and Erik called it

back. Bulby took a moment longer, and then lay down. Erik recalled it was well.

Oddball, alone, stood no chance against Growlithe. There was no time to treat

any of Erik’s Pokémon. Erik broke the one rule held even by Team Rocket. Diving into

the battle, he scooped up Oddball in his arms and kicked Growlithe away. The small hit

drove Growlithe into fainting, being so weak from battling Erik’s Pokémon.

Dereko and Jennie stood speechless. Not even they dared to sink to the level of

fighting a Pokémon one on one. What they weren’t considering was that Erik hadn’t

kicked Growlithe to win; he had done it to save Oddball. And that wasn’t sinking; that

was rising.

Recalling Oddball, Jennie did the same with Growlithe. Running off, she cried,

"Well be back boy! And we won’t just lose again!" They were soon out of sight.

Running over to Buttergirl, he held her, her shell cracked wide open.

"Buttergirl…" he whispered. Suddenly, the black of the crack glowed white, and a form

started to emerge. Slowing folding it’s wings out, it flew around happily.

"Butterfree." Dexboy said. "This Butterfly Pokémon is part Flying type, part Bug

type, and part Psychic type."

Erik recalled Buttergirl and continued, now at a jog to reach Pewter city.