Pokémon ABC - Episode 15

Episode 15: Crystal Mountain

By 'Whisper Shadowhunter'/ Kitty Ocean
© Nintendo (their characters) and Kitty Ocean (my characters)

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Running their lungs out off their bodies, Aemilia and Blade crossed the bridge, following Chris to the rocky hills.

"Chris, wait!" Blade yelled, but Chris didn't stop.

"I have to catch it!" She shouted. "I already wanted such a Pokémon since I was 6!"

Blade stepped in the white snow. "Don't you think you should let it go?" He asked. "It's one of the legendary birds, no one has ever seen one!"

"And that's why I want it!" She turned around. "Don't you get it? If I catch it, it can fly free and stuff like that. If I don't, somebody else will catch him one day and he might not be so nice to him."

Aemilia looked at Blade. "She has a point…." Chris turned around again.

"Now, come on!" She yelled.



They hid behind a rock. Chris gazed at the blue bird. "Articuno…." She whispered. Blade and Aemilia sat down to Chris.

"You really want to catch such a beautiful creature?" Blade asked. Chris nodded. "But how did you planned to catch it?"

Chris took a Poké Ball. "It's an Ice type. And a stronger type is fire." She leaped up. "Charizard, go for it!"

Frightened, the Articuno lifted off and started to fly away. "Don't let it get away Charizard!" Chris yelled and Charizard lifted off too. The Articuno knew what was going on and turned around. He knew he wouldn't get rid this Pokémon, unless he defeated it.

It tried his Ice Beam, but Charizard dove away and used his Flame-thrower. It wasn't fast enough to dodge away and the burst of flames hit the blue bird. "Watch out Charizard! Try not to hurt his feathers. That's why I love him!"

"Euh Chris." Blade said. "If you want to catch it, you have to weaken it. And you can't weaken him if Charizard doesn't fight."

"I know. Okay Charizard, use your Slash… but not too much please." But Charizard didn't plan to go softly at his opponent and hit it with his full strength. After that, he used a fire spin.

The Articuno tried to peck Charizard a few times, but Charizard was stronger. He used another fire spin. Astounded, Chris looked at Charizard who didn't obey for the first time. Weakened, the Articuno fell…

Not waiting another moment, Chris took an empty Poké Ball. "Poké Ball!" She yelled and tossed it away. "Go get it!" She hit the blue creature and it im-materialised. With the burning desire to catch her most wanted Pokémon, she looked to the Poké Ball. Had she captured it?

The red light fated. "Yes!" Chris yelled enthusiastically. "I finally caught an Articuno!" She ran to the Poké Ball and hugged it while Charizard came down.

Suddenly, the Poké Ball began to vanish! "No!" Chris yelled. "Stay Articuno!" She tried to grab the Poké Ball with 2 hands, but it was gone…. "No!" She cried. "Not Articuno!"

"Relax." Blade started. But Chris didn't agree. She grabbed him with all her force.

"Relax?" She burst out. "Relax? I just caught my favourite Pokémon and now it's gone!"

Blade pulled himself lose. "You could have expected that. You know Pokémon trainers are allowed to have only 6 Pokémon. So Articuno is transported to the same place as where the Poké Dex comes from."

Chris looked at Blade if she was a Scyther who had seen something red. It scared Aemilia a bit. "If I want to touch Articuno…." She started. "I have to go all that way back to Raindrop Island?!"

Aemilia bumped in. "Chris, relax. You know you can trade Articuno for another Pokémon, don't you? So all you have to do is finding a Pokémon Centre." She took the map. "The nearest one is in Celadon City."

"Than lets go! What is the nearest way?" Chris impatiently asked. Aemilia looked around.

Suddenly, she pointed at a mountain. "Celadon City lies behind Crystal Mountain. The shortest way is crossing it."

Chris grabbed Aemilia and Blade. "Come on!" She said. "We've got to keep moving!"



"Snow! Snow!" Like a little kid, Blade hugged the white snow. He kissed it, ate it and rolled through it. Chris and Aemilia felt embarrassed. Thank God there was no living creature in the neighbourhood.

"Blade?" Aemilia asked. "Grow up. Haven't you seen snow before?"

Covered with snow, Blade stood up. "I lived my whole life on Raindrop Island. The only snow I've ever seen was on pictures. Let me enjoy this!"

Suddenly, a snowball hit Blade. Angry, he looked at Chris. "You wanted to enjoy it, didn't you?" She asked smiling. "Than you have to enjoy it fully!"

Blade looked at her with a devastating glaze and made his first snowball and hit it to Chris. They had fun if they were little kids, playing in the first snow. They lost track of time and after a while, all three were covered with snow and laughed.

But suddenly, a ray of fire burst through the playing children.

"To protect mankind from devastation."
"To unite everybody within our nation."
"To denounce the evil of friendship and love."

"To extend our reach to the moon above..."

"Shana!"
"And Shane!"
"Team Rocket! Blast off with the brightness of light!"

"We are the best, that's right!"

Shana turned to Shane who tapped some things at a little computer. "Well Shane, what do they suggest?"

Shane looked at the little screen. "Well, we draw their attention, said our yell and now James suggests to use our strongest Pokémon. Jessie suggests threatening first."

"Ah, and what does Meowth suggest?" She asked.

"Nothing special, but whatever we do, not looking at the computer or else they won't take us seriously anymore."

Shana smiled. "That exchanging of experiences was a great idea of you Shane. Well, let's try Jessie's idea first." She turned back to Aemilia, Blade and Chris. "Okay brats, surrender or we'll be though on you!"

Surprised, Chris, Aemilia and Blade didn't know what to do. But quickly they adapt to the situation. "We won't surrender ourselves!" Blade yelled. He turned to Chris. "Was that what you wanted to say?"

Chris beat herself for the head. "Oi." She sighed. "And he thinks he's smart…."

"That didn't work Shana." Shane said. "Now use our strongest Pokémon."

Shana tossed a Poké Ball away. "Growlithe, go!"

"Growlithe!"

Surprised, Aemilia asked: "Where did you get that one from?"

Shana laughed. "Team Rocket has more Pokémon than you can think about! And the best Pokémon for a snowy area is a fire Pokémon! Growlithe, Ember!"

The Pokémon reacted and used his Ember attack. They dove all away. Aemilia reacted immediately and threw a Poké Ball in the middle. "Ninetails, go get him!"

Chris hurried to Aemilia. "Aemilia, you know it won't have much advantage. You'd better choose Starmie."

"Ninetails deserves a shot." Aemilia said. "Alright Ninetails, Quick attack!"

The Ninetails leaped to the Growlithe and used his Quick attack. Before the opponent knew what had hit him, the Ninetails used his powerful attack. The Growlithe was injured.

"Growlithe." Shana started. "Use your Take down Attack!"

The Growlithe obeyed his trainer and leaped to the Ninetails who avoided him and used his flame-thrower. The Growlithe fell unconscious in the snow. Than the Ninetails aimed at Team Rocket ad wanted to use his flame-thrower again. But a loud rumble disturbed the fight. Chris pointed at the origin of the sound. "Look out, an avalanche!"

Running for their lives, Aemilia, Blade Chris and the Ninetails ran away from the falling snow. They didn't care anymore about Team Rocket. Without looking where they were running, they finally got out of the reach of the avalanche. Catching their breath, they looked at the falling snow that wiped away the previous path they had taken. They looked around and the only path they saw was a large and dark cave.

"I'm not going to enter that!" Chris said.

"What are you?" Blade asked. "Afraid? Of what?" Laughing he walked into the cave, but a few seconds later he came out running again! "There is a horrible creature in there! I saw it! It was big and…."

A little brown creature came walking out of the cave. "Diglett…." Was the only thing it said. Chris and Aemilia laughed at Blade who turned red. Chris turned around and looked at the white rock.

"We could climb this wall." She suggested. "But than we still might not know where we are. We've gone away from the path." She grabbed the wall and started to climb.

Aemilia returned Ninetails and changed into a Venomoth and flew to the top. After that she changed back and looked around her. She took the map and started comparing the area.

In the mean while, Chris and Blade climbed the wall. Blade was pissed off because he had to climb the wall while Aemilia was already at the top. Chris didn't listen to Blade's complains and reached the top without any problems. "You recognise the area?" She asked. Aemilia shook her head.

"Nope." She said. "I guess we are lost."

Blade finally reached the top and looked around him. White walls surrounded them. "Don't tell me we have to climb again…." He sighed.

Aemilia and Chris didn't react and started to climb again. Knowing the top of Crystal Mountain was a lot colder, they had to go, because they didn't had another choice. Aemilia's way was always a lot easier and she helped Chris and Blade a lot of times. Exhausted, they finally reached a plateau. In a far way distance, they could see a little forest… and Celadon City!

Cheering, they ran over the fresh snow towards the far away city.



White snowflakes crushed themselves against the youngster's faces. Irritated and cold, Aemilia, Chris and Blade walked through the storm.

"It really figures!" Blade complained. "Finally, we found the road again and some stupid snowstorm blinds us again."

Chris tried to keep herself warm and took her sleeping bag out of her backpack. "Stop complaining Blade." She said annoyed. She suddenly looked around her. "He, wait a minute. Where is everybody?" Looking trough the snow, she couldn't see her companions any more. "Aemilia? Blade?"

"I'm here." Aemilia yelled and walked to Chris. Suddenly, Blade appeared too.

"We can't walk further this way." Chris sighed. "We'll lose each other too fast now. Aemilia, go in your Poké Ball!"

"What? But I don't want to…"

"Aemilia, go!" Blade yelled above the howling wind. "It's warm and safe in there and if we're in a smaller group we can't lose each other."

Doubting another minute, Chris suddenly said. "Blade is right Aemilia. Just go, we'll live. Don't worry about us."

"Us? We?" Blade said with tears in his eyes. "Chris, you are…?"

"Don't push your luck." Chris said. Aemilia returned in the Poké Ball necklace from Chris. Chris grabbed Blade's arm and started to walk. "Okay." She started. "Now we have to find a place for shelter."

Blade walked and suddenly vanished. He hadn't seen the edge of the cliff he was standing on. "Blade?" Chris yelled. "You are all right?" But no answer came and Chris decided the only thing she could do was leaping after him.

She landed softly and saw the snowstorm wasn't very hard at this hot spring. "Blade?" She asked. "Where are you?"

"I'm no carpet, am I?" She heard an annoyed voice say.

Shocked, she jumped off Blade. "Sorry Blade." She mumbled. "Thank God you couldn't harm something important. Thank God you haven't got a brain you could hurt. But it's nice and warm here. We'd better stay here until the storm clears."

Blade agreed and stood up. He also looked around him. "Guess you're right. What shall we do in the mean while? Swimming?"

"No, if the storm ends we can go further." She said. "And if we're used to the warm water the air around us will be too cold. Want some soup? I could use the warm water to make some soup." Blade nodded. He gave her his coup.

Chris filled both coups with warm water and dissolved some soup in it. She handed over the coup and sat down next to Blade. A moment of silence followed.

"You said to Aemilia we'd be fine." He broke the silence. "You always said YOU'D be fine. Why?"

Chris sighed. "I guess I can't get rid of you, so I'd better get used to you. But don't push your luck." She closed her eyes. Blade slapped her. "He!" She yelled. "What was that for!"

"Don't fall asleep, or it might be your last nap!"

Chris leaped up. "I'll decide or I'll go to sleep or not!" Blade leaped up too.

"You'll get yourself killed this way!"

"Than that's my decision!" She looked at Blade.

Blade knew Chris wanted to fight. That's fine with me, he thought, that way she'll stay awake. But he suddenly remembered her strength. Her kicks were as hard as a Hitmonlee and her fists could hurt as much as a Hitmonchan. She'll better thank me for this one day, he thought again. "You can't even think for yourself!"

Chris wanted to slap Blade, but he dodged away. He turned around her, but Chris turned too and leaped at him, making them fall in the water. "Look what you've done!" She yelled at Blade.

"This is the only way to stay awake for you." Blade said. "You'll thank me for it one day."

"Than that's will be the day I'm very sick!" She touched her necklace to be sure Aemilia was still there. "My Moonstone!" She suddenly yelled. "It's gone!"

Chris dove underwater but came after a few minutes at the surface again. "You've got it?" Blade asked, but Chris was already under. Guess not, he thought and dove under too.

"It's gone!" Chris cried. "I can't see a thing trough this water."

Blade reached the surface too. "Why don't you ask Wartortle too look for it?" He suggested.

Chris climbed out of the water and protected herself for the cold snowy breeze. She took her backpack and looked for Wartortle. Blade came out too and took Chris' sleeping bag and put it around her. "Thank you…." She said and took a Poké Ball. "Wartortle, go for it!"

"Wartortle!"

"Wartortle, my moonstone must be at the bottom of this spring." She said. "Please, get it back for me."

"Wartortle." It replied and dove under.

Waiting for minutes, Chris closed her sleeping bag closer around her, trying not to get it cold. Blade had done the same and looked at Chris who hopefully looked at the surface. No wrinkle came. "Don't worry." He encouraged. "Wartortle will find it."

Suddenly, the wind began to blow harder. They couldn't see anything anymore. Blade took a Poké Ball. "Lapras! Come on out!" The Lapras came out. "Lapras, protect us with your ice-beam. Make an ice-dome!"

The Lapras obeyed and created an ice-dome around Chris and Blade. They had no problems with the cold wind anymore. "Where is Wartortle?" Chris asked concerned. "I'd better check it out!"

Blade grabbed her arm. "No, you'd better stay here. I'll ask Lapras and Staryu to help looking." He released Staryu and sent his Pokémon into the water. Chris sat down and sighed deep. "What's the problem anyway?"

Chris looked at him. "It just means a big deal to me." She said. "I already had it before I had found Aemilia. Wartortle and I were very close back then. He discovered everything. And how did I thank him? After I found Aemilia I only let him out to fight. After all he had done for me, I never thanked him properly. I let him down."

"But he never let you down." Blade said. "So that means he still thinks you are a great trainer."

Chris wanted to react, but she didn't know what to say. She looked at Blade, softly smiling. She looked in his eyes. And Blade looked back again. He removed a few hairs out of her face. He wanted to say something, but he also didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, the surface began to move and Chris leaped up. She crossed her fingers.

"Wartortle!" It proudly yelled and holt the necklace high.

"Wartortle, you found it!" She leaped on the back of Lapras and hugged it with all her strength. "You are the best!" She turned around and hugged Staryu and Lapras too. "Thanks for looking too."

Lapras dropped Chris at the side of the spring and Blade returned Lapras and Staryu, after he complimented them. Chris gave Wartortle a Pokémon treat and after he had eaten it she returned it with the words: "Thank you so much Wartortle. But it's better to stay inside your Poké Ball. Don't think I only let you out for looking." The Wartortle understood the situation and returned without any problems.



"What are you doing?" Blade asked.

Chris had pushed herself against the icy-wall, freezing her ear. "I'm trying to hear if the storm is over." She answered annoyed. "But I can't hear a thing!"

Suddenly, rays of light blind them. Protecting their eyes, they carefully looked at the melting dome. "Is that satisfaction enough?" Blade asked. Chris smiled. She packed her sleeping bag again and looked again at Blade who had done the same.

Blade kicked against the ice-wall, until it broke. Enjoying the air, they walked out of the dome. Suddenly, Chris' Poké Ball necklace began to shake and Aemilia came out.

"Is the storm over yet?" She asked. Chris said nothing and pointed at the upcoming sun. "How beautiful…" She sighed.

Blade interrupted the silence. "We'd better get going. I don't know where Celadon City lies. We have to look for it again."

Chris walked to the edge of a cliff. "I don't think so Blade." She said smiling.

"Why?" Blade asked.

Aemilia walked to Chris and looked in the direction Chris was looking. "Celadon City…." She whispered.

Blade walked to them too. He looked at the busy city. "We found it…." He whispered. "Just a few more kilometres…"



To be continued…