AUTHOR’S NOTE: Chapter 8 takes place just after Pokemon: Spell of the Unown. However, I have no written content explaining (in detail) how Lisa got Girafarig and Butterfree, so you’ll just have to remember that this chapter is set AFTER the third pokemon movie.
Chapter 8 - Suicune's Return.
The dark night sky shrouded anyone from seeing him enter or leave the building. Gavin knew Dave, his roommate, wouldn’t be home for hours. He darted quickly around the small, dingy apartment. Clothes were tossed all across the room, and Gavin had the slight feeling Dave had forgotten he existed, especially when he noticed a certain collection of women’s clothes in the 17 year-old Dave’s room.
Setting to work quickly, Gavin quickly sprinted into his room, leaving Natu to hover around and find a rare clean place to land. Gavin found his pack, threw open a drawer and tossed in miscellaneous cocktails of clothing, including a couple of pairs of shoes, and his prized camera. He fished the pokeball of his new pokemon on which his plan depended, and threw it in too.
Emerging from his cramped bedroom into the kitchen area, Gavin grabbed a couple of apples which were generally a rare sight in the otherwise unhealthy apartment, then stuck his head awkwardly under the kitchen tap in the sink and sculled down a mouthful of water before grabbing his pack, hoisting it onto his back, and preparing to leave. He hastily pulled out his notepad with the already written message, and left a sheet on the bench, before grabbing Natu and running hurriedly towards the door, knowing that if he waited any longer, she might be gone.
He sprinted out into the low-ceilinged hallway, and headed for the stairway when a nearby door opened and a dozen loud TV people rushed out towards him. Gavin wished the crowds could have subsided days ago – it was now Wednesday night and still people were begging to interview him about various items of conversation.
Gavin panicked, and Natu fluttered alongside him. The crowd blocked off the stairs and began charging towards Gavin and Natu rapidly, thrusting out microphones. Gavin ducked to avoid being taken out by one, and sprinted to the end of the hallway. He held Natu firmly, and pelted faster than the crowd towards the small window at the end of the passage. Gavin looked out of it as the media crews approached, and saw the street – five floors down below.
In an instant he knew what he could do – to solve the media harassment problem. He turned to Natu, it’s green form held tight between his sweaty palms, as the reporters reached him and began screeching questions.
“ Remember our training over the last two days?” he questioned panicking.
“ Tu! Prrrr!”
“ Don’t let me down,” Gavin said a silent, brief prayer to the god Mew, and threw the window open. The media crews barely noticed, as the boy placed all his trust in Natu, and forced himself to tumble out of the window. His body plummeted to the sidewalk as he screamed out. “ Shellder Beach, go!”
*
The sun rose brightly over the gravel road. A beautiful Thursday morning was unfolding. The Pidgeys in the trees chirped along to the songs of wild Cleffa, keeping the rhythm up perfectly. And amongst all this, young Lisa Walters was on her way to Cianwood Island, her now full belt of six pokeballs bulging with playful Pokemon.
“ Isn’t this forest beautiful, Aipom?” Lisa remarked lazily to her most loyal and faithful Pokemon, as they strolled through, undisturbed by hordes of media people and any civilised life. The purple, monkey-like Pokemon swung from Lisa’s shoulder and responded with “ AI!”. Lisa laughed, she knew Aipom was agreeing with her, because she had travelled with it for so long.
Lisa was extremely happy. Since leaving Gavin, which had filled her with sadness for the first day, until she became reaccustomed to travelling alone, she had caught a wild Girafarig, which had reminded her of Gavin because it was a Psychic type. Then, after a very tough and very slow battle with a wild Kakuna, her Metapod had finally evolved into a graceful Butterfree. Then Lisa found, at a small roadside store, a new bandana which had Pokeballs imprinted on it, unlike her older one but still alright, so she purchased it. Finally, she battled the toughest trainer she ever saw, Ash Ketchum, and had seen the Pokemon Entei for a brief moment.
Lisa was overjoyed with her pokemon’s skills … they were all getting so strong. However, Aipom was occasionally ignoring Lisa. For example, on the previous day, Wednesday the 30th October, Lisa had told it to use Swift attack against a certain trainer’s Jigglypuff, but instead Aipom tried to Tackle, which resulted in Lisa losing a battle.
Sadly, Quagsire and even Granbull were beginning to act the same, and suddenly Lisa understood. They were all growing in level, and Lisa wasn’t experienced enough to handle them. Lisa guessed that they were all coming up for level 15, so she needed some sort of Gym badge to control them with.
The funniest thing is that when you are looking for an answer to something, like an old acquaintance’s surname, you never seem to be able to recall it. However, when you stop thinking about it, the answer comes to you. This was one of those times, although a very different situation. Lisa and Aipom were strolling along in the forest, thinking of the closest Gym, when suddenly the path rose over a steep hill and revealed the seaside.
“ Wow, Aipom.” Lisa said, looking out onto the crystal clear ocean. “ Look at that!”
They ran up to the edge of the forest where it merged into beach and marvelled at the clear water. Further along on the beach, a wooden sign proclaimed ‘Shellder Beach’.
“ Wonder if there’s any water Pokemon in there?” Lisa wondered. “ I know how to find out though …”
Lisa pulled a shiny red pokeball off her belt and ran onto the soft, light beach sand. “ Quagsire!” Quagsire appeared, and opened it’s mouth wide in a happy grin.
“ Quagsire – dive into the shallower water and see if you can find any water Pokemon … maybe a Shellder or Goldeen or Krabby.”
Quagsire looked at it’s 14 year old trainer with a quizzical look. Lisa chuckled. “ I know I already have six Pokemon. But Granbull and Mankey aren’t exactly mine, so I like to think I have 4 Pokemon really.”
Quagsire shrugged, and dived into the water, which was so incredibly clear, Lisa could see Quagsire splashing around, and then turning it’s playful splashing into proper searching. However, there seemed to be no Pokemon anywhere.
Lisa and Aipom rapidly became bored with waiting for Quagsire. Just as Lisa was checking through her Pokegear Map to find any gym that was really close, there was an enormous splash from the water. Lisa’s mouth dropped open as she saw an amazing sight; Suicune, the aurora Pokemon, leapt out of the water. Quagsire followed close behind, and swam to the shallower water. The two water types faced each other and glared; Suicune was actually going to battle a pokemon!
Lisa was amazed at the sight, but, not wanting to scare Suicune away, crept very slowly toward the water, while Quagsire leered at the Aurora Pokemon. Lisa wondered why Suicune would bother to battle Quagsire, but then she recalled from the depths of her memory the first day her journey began; Wooper had irritated Suicune, but Suicune thought it was too weak to actually battle.
However, now Wooper was a Quagsire, and it was about 10 levels higher. Lisa, though, seriously doubted her level 15 or so Quagsire could beat what appeared to be a level 70 Suicune. But she shrugged and prepared to witness an excellent encounter with Suicune.
Quagsire began with Water Gun, but Suicune easily dodged it, and used a Quick Attack to knock Quagsire off balance and into the water. Lisa could immediately see a vast difference of strength, and knew Quagsire could not win.
As Lisa watched from the beach, which was only about 20 feet away from the battle, she noticed Suicune had an odd look in it’s eyes. As though it HAD to show Quagsire who’s the water Pokemon boss. Both pokemon stood on all fours (which made Quagsire look extremely weird) and leered at each other, not wanting to move …
Suddenly Suicune opened it’s mouth and within seconds an orb of rainbow-coloured light flashed out of it’s jaws and directly into Quagsire, who took the full damage of the attack. Quagsire keeled over, and Lisa, without thinking, yelled out.
“ Quagsire – Quick Attack!”
Lisa had no idea where that came from, since Quagsire was generally a slow Pokemon. However, Quagsire raced at Suicune on all fours which made it’s body wobble slightly, and crashed into it. Suicune obviously was unaffected; it simply stood while Quagsire fell backwards from the force of the attack – Suicune, Lisa discovered, had used Counter.
“ Quagsire – Use a elemental attack.” Lisa called. “ Ice Beam!”
Suicune looked up the beach to Lisa, and snarled. It turned it’s attention away from the angry Quagsire, who was absorbing energy in it’s mouth, preparing for a beam of ice, hopefully which would be able to freeze Suicune solid.
Lisa looked at Suicune. It’s fur was glowing with the light of a cobalt aura, and it’s tail was like a wavy ocean surface; it kept on rippling calmly, however, Suicune’s face displayed no sign of calm of relaxation. On the contrary; it was snarling at Lisa while a hot, fiery ball of anger welled up inside it, threatening to spill over at the hint of a movement.
‘ Why is it angry?’ Lisa wondered to herself, straining muscles in her body that she didn’t even know she had to keep perfectly still. Then one possible explanation came; she was the trainer of a Pokemon that Suicune absolutely detested, so in turn, Suicune hated her for training Quagsire. But as she stared in fear and awe at Suicune, she wondered. Was he really angry at her? Or was there wonder in those eyes?
No, anger.
Lisa moved her glance from Suicune up, ever so slowly, to Quagsire, who still paddled around in the water, absorbing energy. It wanted the beam to be as strong as possible. Lisa couldn’t stay still for any longer. Quagsire needed to fire the beam immediately – before she moved and was attacked by the aurora Pokemon. Quagsire, however, waited patiently for the attack to get fully warmed up, and Lisa was beginning to get the shakes.
Suicune waited patiently too. It had lived for hundreds of years; all these minutes of idle standing were like nano-seconds to it. It wanted to play with Lisa, it seemed, cruelly before it attacked. Lisa tried to stay still, but she suddenly had an urge to sneeze. ‘ Stop.’ She ordered herself in her head. ‘ Don’t sneeze…. Oh no.. here it comes…. Ah.. ah.. ahh..’
Lisa Burst out. “ Choooo!!”
Suicune took immediate action. A golden orb of energy appeared out of nowhere within it’s mouth; a Hyper Beam. Lisa felt able to move now, and decided to run for it. She sprinted into the jungle, and heard a noise similar to a laser tear through the area. A nearby tree fell over where it had been hit, and landed with a thud on the damp earth. Lisa forgot all thoughts of Quagsire and it’s Ice Beam, and ran for cover.
Lisa sprinted through the trees and shrubbery; her heart pounding and her lungs begging for air. However, Lisa knew only one thing; she had to keep running at all costs. Suicune was only a few metres behind her, and Lisa felt she had no chance. Something kept spurring her on – she just had to keep going. Keep trying…
After leaping a rotten old log, Lisa tripped on a low-lying jungle vine, bringing her to the ground. Suicune caught up and brought it’s face close to hers. Lisa could smell it’s foul, yet icy breath. One final orb appeared within it’s dripping, yellow teeth, and Lisa thought her last thoughts.
‘ Wow, this thing likes beam attacks… Ice Beam, Aurora Beam, Hyper Beam…’ Lisa made herself think serious. ‘ OK, maybe something will happen to save me, like in books. Maybe Quagsire will catch up and freeze Suicune.. oh if only Gavin were here…”
Lisa thought all this in a split second. Suicune stood up high and fired the beam. At the same moment, Lisa felt a deep, scratching claw on her shoulder, and suddenly her world turned black….
*
Lisa’s eyes flickered open. She was still outside … and her body didn’t hurt – she was alive and well. Lisa observed her surroundings … same jungle, same time of day roughly (according to the sun).
“ Well… we made it.” A deep voice said. Lisa felt oddly familiar with the voice, and her mind flashed with recognition. She turned to face a fifteen year old black haired boy, with a Natu on his shoulder and a camera on his chest.
“ GAVIN!” Lisa almost screamed the name. “ Oh my god, what are you doing here? What happened?”
Gavin stood up from his previous uncomfortable position on the hard ground. “ I was training Natu and we kinda got lost. As usual, I tried using my Psychic abilities but I just got confused. We were walking west when we saw you trapped by a Suicune. Natu flew over and teleported all of us here, to safety.”
Lisa calmed down a bit as Gavin gasped for air. “ I thought people only got saved from vicious Pokemon in movies.” She laughed. “ Like in ‘Attack on the Killer Crobat.’ ”
“ Oh, did you see that too?” Gavin asked. “ That scared the hell outta me; every time I went into the Video Vault after that I was looking over my shoulder for a Crobat.”
Lisa laughed. “ It’s so great to see you again.”
“ It’s only been like, a day.” Gavin said.
“ I know that.” Lisa said. “ But still ... I was pretty lonely, even if I did catch a new Pokemon.”
“ I caught a new Pokemon too.” Gavin said, his eyes lighting up at the mention of a Pokemon. “ Wanna see it?”
“ Sure.” Lisa said. “ I’ll show you mine.”
Each trainer threw a Pokemon Ball; Gavin’s was another Moon Ball and Lisa’s was a regular Pokeball.
“ Ooh … a Staryu.” Lisa observed as Gavin’s water type Pokemon appeared. The starfish Pokemon had a large, shiny red gem at the centre point, where it’s five limbs joined together in the centre. “ I LOVE it, Gavin.”
“ I love your Pokemon, too.” Gavin said slowly, gazing at Lisa’s Girafarig. “ it’s a Psychic type.”
Gavin ran it’s hand over Girafarig’s back. The giraffe-like Pokemon prepared for a Psywave attack but sensed Gavin’s loving care for Psychic Pokemon at once. It smiled and nuzzled up to Gavin, it’s yellowy fur soft and wavy, and it’s ‘extra head’ grinning almost as much as the real one.
“ Hey it likes me!” Gavin noted, sounding surprised.
“ Yeah.” Lisa stuttered, disappointed. “ More than it likes me.”
Gavin didn’t need his psychic abilities to see where the conversation was leading. “ Well, you haven’t had it long.”
“ But it’s only known you for seconds.” Lisa argued quickly. “ Gavin, maybe … you should …”
“ No, don’t say it!” Gavin cried. “ Otherwise I’ll …”
“ Train Girafarig.”
Gavin sighed. “ But it’s your Pokemon. I don’t want to take it away from you.”
Lisa fiddled with Girafarig’s pokeball, and eventually wrenched it off her belt. “ Here, take it.”
Gavin looked with watery eyes at the ball. “ Thanks, Lisa.”
Both Gavin and Lisa imagined Girafarig would be somewhat reluctant to go with Gavin, however, Girafarig mildly surprised them. When Lisa explained the situation to the Psychic type, Girafarig nuzzled up to Lisa one last time, and smiled at her. It’s black tail grinned it’s stupid grin; Lisa sometimes wondered if that thing DID have a brain of it’s own or not.
“ Ri ri!” Girafarig called, standing behind it’s new trainer. Gavin grinned. “ Thanks, Lisa. It’s great to finally get a good collection of Pokemon. Now I have a Staryu, Natu and Girafarig.”
“ You could probably stand a chance against me in a battle, now.” Lisa said. “ Wanna battle?”
Gavin smiled, this time with a challenging face. “ You’re on! This’ll see if you are good enough for ME,” he called, moving his left hand down to his belt, where he withdrew a Moon Ball, and enlarged it to the size of an orange. Lisa mirrored his actions, and enlarged a Pokeball. “ Go!” Both friends yelled in unison, throwing the Pokemon Balls onto the moist forest floor.
From the Moon Ball, a Staryu appeared. Lisa’s pokeball had revealed … an empty Pokeball.
Lisa gasped. “ Quagsire?”
Lisa realised in a flash - Quagsire was still on the beach, all alone. Lisa cried out in frustration and she also felt a little disturbed. “ Quagsire! Dammit!”
“ What’s wrong, Lisa?!” he cried, trying to calm her down.
“ I left Quagsire back on the beach!” she cried, grabbing her hair in horror. The girl tried to run toward the beach, but Gavin held her back.
“ Lisa, stop it!” he called, while Lisa cried to him to let her go. Finally, Gavin ordered Staryu to use Water Gun, which cooled and calmed them both down.
“ Ai.” Aipom sighed soaking, who was sitting next to Staryu and Girafarig.
“ Natu, I choose you!” Gavin yelled. Out of another Moon Ball appeared Natu, Gavin’s very first Pokemon. “ Teleport us all to the Shellder beach.”
For the third time in her life, Lisa felt the world disappear around her. When it re-appeared, she found herself on the beach. Something hard was underneath her … she picked it up to reveal a spherical object; a Pokeball – Quagsire’s Pokeball, teleported with them, when her and Gavin had first begun to fight.
“ Quagsire – where are you?” Lisa called, her feet sinking into the soft, fluffy sand of the clean beachside. Gavin and Natu were already halfway down the beach, searching. Natu finally used it’s radar eye, and revealed Quagsire underwater, about 20 metres out to sea.
“ Lisa, over here!” Gavin yelled from the other end of the beach. Lisa raced over to him, dodging the occasional Krabby and rare Shellder. Lisa needed to find her Pokemon again. Without Quagsire, she felt like a part of her was missing … hopefully Gavin had found him …
Lisa caught up with Gavin at last, puffing and panting, her lungs gasping for breath. Finally, after a few good, deep inhalations, she looked up at Gavin, and he pointed out to sea. “ Right there.” He said, holding Lisa’s head close to his so she could see the exact point he was describing. “ Near that big rock.”
Lisa looked out to sea, and glimpsed Quagsire paddling around, glaring at it’s trainer. She had abandoned him; completely. Even Quagsire, who generally had faith in everyone, was shocked that Lisa had run away from it; abandoned it on the beach.
“ Quagsire!” Lisa called. “ I’m sorry!”
Quagsire stared at her with a piercing glare.
“ Quagsire, I didn’t abandon you!” Lisa cried. “ I just forgot about … ooh, that was the wrong thing to say … I mean, I was scared of Suicune..”
Quagsire refused to listen to her. He was beyond reasoning; he had made up his mind. Quagsire took one last glare at Lisa before diving into the clear but icy water beneath it, and retreating into the vast Cianwood Sea …