Pokemon Fan Fiction / Pokemon Fan Fiction ❯ TJ, Pokemon Master ❯ PokeMan Surprise ( Chapter 5 )

PokeMan Surprise

As Swift had promised, she told TJ more about the PokéMen on the way to Cerulean City. Apparently, they were the group largely responsible for many of the Pokemon League's top trainers, as well as a few of its Pokemon Masters. According to Swift, they had existed for nearly five decades. When TJ asked how a bunch of old people could be such great trainers, she laughed and told him that most PokéMen had been replaced by their children, or other trainers.

Swift told him just about everything she knew about the PokéMen, but when TJ asked where they were located, she refused to tell him. She insisted that the location was a secret known only by the PokéMen themselves.

Along the way, TJ passed the time by training Vulpix, Lickitung (who he named Pinky), and Ruff. Since Ruff was so large now, first he called out Berry to help carry the extra weight. Pinky seemed to already have a good handle on his attacks, so most of the time was spent working with Vulpix, who truly hadn't seen any battle yet. Since she was a fire type, TJ figured that she would be better suited to start out against Ruff, who he made promise to go easy on her. This turned out to be a mistake.

TJ taught Vulpix most of her attacks before the battle started, so he thought she would do fairly well. However, as soon as the battle began, Vulpix merely sat down on her haunches and stared at Ruff, who was very surprised. TJ had trained him to fight well, but not against an opponent that wouldn't fight back.

A few more days passed before TJ finally figured out the problem. He awoke early one morning to find Ruff asleep on Berry's back. That wasn't what surprised him, though. For curled up next to Ruff, her head resting comfortably on his paw, was Vulpix. After Swift informed him she'd been that way all night, TJ finally realized why Vulpix had refused to fight before: she was in love with Ruff.

This was very confusing. The concept of Pokemon falling in love was well known, but usually within the same species. As far as TJ could tell, Vulpix was a fox, and Ruff was a dog. Dogs were used to hunt foxes sometimes, but that was the best connection he could come up with. However, he did realize Vulpix would have to train with someone else. TJ decided Puff & Pinky would be the best opponents, since neither of them were especially difficult to beat with fire.

* * * * *

Before TJ realized it, they had reached Cerulean City. As he, Vulpix, and Puff hopped onto dry land for the first time in days, Swift them that she would return to pick them up around the same time the next day. That is, of course, if TJ decided to join the PokéMen. Otherwise, they would say goodbye and go their separate ways.

Since TJ had nothing better to do, he sat down on a bench across from the gym and watched people go back and forth. A few trainers went inside, but, like TJ had last time, they walked out disappointed.

TJ sighed heavily and watched Vulpix play with Puff for a while. When this got boring, TJ closed his eyes and dozed off. A few minutes later, he was awakened by a voice he had never heard before.

"Pika!"

TJ slowly opened his eyes to see Vulpix playing with a Pikachu. Then he noticed another trainer that was slightly taller than him sitting on the bench. "Tried to get a badge, huh?"

The boy nodded. "Yeah, but I was really just looking for a good battle. I never heard of a gym that doesn't have Pokemon battles."

"Well, neither had I, until I came here a while back," TJ said. "My name is TJ." He held out his hand.

The other boy gladly shook it. "I'm Richie. Where are you headed?"

TJ shrugged. "I was supposed to meet someone here today, but that's about it."

"Weird. A Lapras brought me here to meet someone," Richie responded.

"You, too? Was it named Swift?"

"Nope. Blue." Richie paused. "Hey, did Swift tell you about some people called the PokéMen?"

"Yeah! Maybe we're here to meet the same person?" TJ asked.

Richie shrugged. "Looks like it. I know where the local Pokemon Center is. We can stay there for the night. After all, maybe we'll find this person there."

TJ agreed and whistled once. Vulpix & Puff quickly returned to his side, followed by Richie's Pikachu.

"I haven't met that many people with a Vulpix," Richie commented. "Where'd you get that one?"

"To be honest, I'm not sure where the island was," TJ replied. "All I know is that it was probably between here and Cinnabar Island. Anyway, I got it from a professor. I was lucky, I guess."

The two boys eventually walked over to the Pokemon Center, but they found no one there except Nurse Joy. Still, it would be dark soon, so they got rooms for the night and went to bed.

* * * * *

The next morning, TJ & Richie walked around the city, keeping themselves busy for a while. Both were still confused about who they were supposed to meet and where, but when afternoon rolled around, they went their separate ways. Strangely enough, less than ten minutes later, they both ran into each other at the shoreline.

Before either boy could say anything, Swift & Blue emerged from the water. Riding on Blue's back was a teenage girl with blue hair and green eyes.

"Well, I was wondering when you two would get here," she said. "I'm Katie, the Water PokeMan. I prefer PokePerson, since it's more politically correct, but you get the idea. So are you in or out?"

TJ & Richie glanced at each other and both replied, "In."

"Great! Hop on!"

Both boys hesitated when they noticed that she was wearing a wet suit.

"Oh, don't worry. I was just doing some diving earlier. We won't be submerging anymore today."

The boys both stepped onto Swift's back, and the two Lapras floated out to sea.

* * * * *

"Welcome to Saffron City, guys!" Katie said as they stopped along the shore a few hours later.

"I thought the location was a secret?" Richie asked.

"Well, it is. We're not at PokeMan HQ yet. This is just a brief stop. Did I forget to mention we'd be picking up another passenger?"

"Yeah, you did," TJ replied. "Who?"

"That would be me," a voice said.

All three looked up to see a tall girl with dark green hair standing on the shore. She wore a red uniform with black boots, and there was a Kadabra at her side.

"Sabrina!" Katie exclaimed. "Glad you could make it!"

Sabrina nodded and jumped onto Blue's back, landing just behind Katie. "Oh, I wouldn't miss this chance for the world," she said, taking a seat.

"Hey, I got my Marsh Badge from you!" Richie said.

"Yes, you did," Sabrina noted. "You were an excellent trainer then. I only hope your skills have improved. The PokéMen are even better than most gym leaders."

Richie swallowed nervously. "Um...well, I've been training harder."

"And you would be?" Sabrina asked, looking at TJ. "I don't recall your face."

"We've never met. I'm TJ."

Sabrina gave him a quick nod. "Good to meet you."

The two Lapras floated out to sea again, pointed south. "Might as well get comfortable, gang," Katie told them. "Even with the two fastest Lapras in the world, this trip will take a few days at the least."

* * * * *

Sabrina was silent most of the trip. She was too busy thinking about many things. Would the Psychic Pokemon Alliance last without her? Would Mew, Alakazam, and Golduck ever find the real Mewtwo? How were Giovanni and Team Rocket involved? What had become of Ash, Misty, and Brock? Was she making the right choice by joining the PokéMen?

Her thoughts were interrupted by Kadabra's voice in her head.

"Sabrina, I sense a great darkness within the boy with green hair."

Sabrina calmly glanced at TJ out of the corner of her eye. He was staring in the other direction, looking across the water. "I doubt that seriously, Kadabra. He's just an eager young trainer."

Kadabra still wasn't convinced. "The only thing you know is his name. Be careful, Sabrina."

Sabrina was about to dismiss his warning she felt a sudden chill go down her back. Taking a deep breath, she snuck another glance at TJ and nearly gasped in shock. He was staring straight at her, and when their eyes met, she nearly screamed. There was definitely something very frightening about his eyes, no matter how innocent and harmless he had looked a moment before. The instant before she turned away, Sabrina could have sworn she saw an orange aura, almost like burning flames, surrounding TJ's body, but she tried her best not to think about it.

* * * * *

TJ closed his eyes and tried to get some sleep, but it wouldn't come. Something was constantly keeping him awake. He tried to count sheep, but that only annoyed him, so then he tried counting Snorlax. That only made him annoyed and very hungry, for some reason.

"What is wrong with me?" he whispered, hugging his knees tightly to his chest. "Why can't I sleep?"

The answer soon came to him, not in the form of a voice he could hear, but one he could feel, as if it were originating from his own mind.

"Tremble and hear my voice."

TJ blinked and looked around. Everyone else was asleep, save for the Lapras as they traveled through the chilly darkness.

He closed his eyes tightly and commanded himself to sleep, but a few minutes later, TJ heard the same voice, but it had grown louder.

"Tremble and hear my voice. Hear and obey my words. Obey and slowly awaken. Awaken, and know my power!"

"NO!" TJ screamed, kicking wildly. "Get out of my head!!!"

Suddenly, something warm and furry brushed against his hand.

"GET AWAY!" he shouted as loud as he could. Then his eyes adjusted to the darkness, and he saw that it was only Vulpix. She had gotten cold and was only trying to warm up. TJ sighed and wiped the sweat from his face. "Come here, girl," he said, reaching for her.

Vulpix stayed where she was, a worried expression on her face.

"I'm fine, girl. Really. Just a bad dream."

Vulpix hopped into his lap and placed her front paws on his shoulders. "Vul!"

TJ hugged her tightly, trying to push the horrible voice from his memory. "Thanks, girl," he whispered. He could hear the gentle beating of her heart somehow, echoing through his head, and the sound gradually put him into a deep sleep.

* * * * *

"Rise and shine, folks!" Katie announced loudly the next morning. "Welcome to Rainbow Isle!"

Richie, Sabrina, TJ, and Vulpix slowly woke up, rubbing the sleep from their eyes.

"Hey, wake up! We're here already!" Katie shouted.

TJ patted Vulpix's head. "Looks like we made it, girl. What do you think?"

"Vuuul," Vulpix said approvingly.

As they all stepped onto land, Katie turned and drew out two pokeballs. "In you go, guys. You both deserve a nice, long nap. Thanks for the ride!" Swift & Blue disappeared in red flashes of light.

Katie led the group toward a large, blue sphere a few feet away. As they got closer, all of them noticed that it resembled a giant pokeball.

"What is that thing?" TJ asked.

"Tell you later," Katie replied. "Right now, just step inside."

A round panel slid away to reveal that the large sphere was hollow inside.

"Um...I suddenly got a bad case of claustrophobia," Richie muttered.

Sabrina rolled her eyes. "Boys." She stepped into the sphere first.

Katie grabbed Richie and pushed him inside, shaking her head. "Man, and you were the runner-up at the Pokemon League Games."

TJ picked up Vulpix and stepped inside, watching as the door closed behind them. A light came on overhead, and Katie pressed a button on an intercom.

"Passengers: 4 Humans, 1 Vulpix. Location: Recruiting Room. Speed: Normal."

"VoiceScan: Approved," a computer voice said. "Beginning transport. Please close your eyes until the trip is over to avoid vision damage." The message was then repeated in a language that Vulpix alone understood. Then sphere gave a loud hum as it descended far beneath the ground.

The End!

What lies in store for the group at the PokéMen HQ? Why is Sabrina along for the ride? What is the darkness she sensed within TJ? How did he make his Pokemon evolve on command? What did Team Rocket do to him, anyway? And what was up with that voice in his head? Find the answers to all these questions, and much more, in the Rainbow Isle Saga, Part 3: The Fall of the PokéMen!