In this chapter, Jellic enters the first of the Danger Zones! This is
the type of action you've all been waiting for... C&C is welcome!
Just one note before we begin... I know that the anime has established
Mew, Mewtwo, and the Legendary Birds as unique; but this is not only an
alternate universe, it is based heavily on the game, with the anime
having limited influence on the battle style. In the game, it is
possible to get several of any of these Pokemon through trades... so in
this story, while they are still rare and still very difficult to
capture, they are not unique. Similarly, they are not nearly as
powerful... Anime Mewtwo is seemingly omnipotent, while the Mewtwo in
the game is quite capturable. Sort of like Cologne to Saffron, or Frieza
to the Androids... far less powerful, but by no means weak or easy to
defeat. With that said, enjoy!
Jellic's Hateful Quest
Chapter 6: The Forest of Mist, Trees and Dangerous Pokemon
�By the way, I checked my Pokedex this morning and I was wrong,�
said Ashley as they prepared to leave Persimmon City after a full night�
s rest and stocking up on important supplies.
�About what?� asked Jellic, checking his stock of Pokeballs.
�Bug type Pokemon aren�t strong against Psychic type attacks. It�s
only Psychic types that are weak to Bug attacks.� Jellic prompted her to
continue. �In other words, when I said yesterday that Caterpie would be
strong against Psychic attacks, I was wrong. It should have been as weak
as Meowth.�
�It seemed pretty strong when her Pokemon tried to Confuse it,�
Jellic pointed out.
�Well, what I�m saying is that that�s not what should have happened.
Your Caterpie is resistant to Psychic type attacks. And it didn�t
evolve, even after defeating such a difficult opponent. Most Caterpies
would already be starting to evolve into Metapods after finishing such a
difficult battle, but yours didn�t.�
Jellic suddenly looked up from his counting, understanding her
implication at last. �You mean you think this Caterpie was altered by
Karddor Labs, just like Machop and Vulpix?� Ashley nodded her head.
�Great. Now they�ll be three times as pissed off.� He removed the
Caterpie�s Pokeball from his belt and held it in front of his face.
�They�ll be desperate to catch us now that we have three of their
precious test subjects. We�ll have to keep moving to escape from them.�
�If we�re going through the Forest of Mist, we should be safe from
them. No one in their right mind would ever enter the Forest of Mist.�
She punctuated this statement with a sharp glare at Jellic, hoping that
he would get the idea. But Jellic never did.
�Right. The Forest of Mist will be the perfect place to hide until
they give us up for dead and stop searching. Then we can head on to the
Swamp of Sickness and be halfway there within a few days.�
�Don�t you listen? The most powerful Psychic Pokemon are in the
Forest of Mist! Heidi never goes more than a few feet into the forest,
and she�s the world�s foremost trainer of Psychic Pokemon! Do you
seriously want to go straight to the center, where the most powerful
Pokemon of all are?�
Jellic�s expression was far less worried than Ashley had hoped for.
In fact, he seemed almost complacent. �With powerful Pokemon on our
side, we�ll easily crush Karddor labs! If Heidi thinks I need Psychic
power on my team, then I�m going to get the best there is!�
�You�ll never catch such powerful Pokemon. You�d need an Ultra Ball
at least, and you�d have to put the Pokemon to sleep to even have a hope
of catching it.�
�Got Ultra Balls at the store,� said Jellic, opening his bag to
reveal a small collection of larger Pokeballs mixed in with the small
ones. �Figured I might need some extra holding power if I�m going to
hunt big game. Any other objections?�
Ashley bowed her head in defeat. �No. Let�s get going into the
Forest then, so we can get through as much as possible before dark.�
They passed the warning signs that admonished them not to stray from
the path and to enter in groups of no less than two for maximum safety,
and only to hunt between sunup and sundown. It was only a few minutes
later that they entered the Forest of Mist�s namesake. The thick fog was
a mere blanket upon the ground at first, but soon it rolled up around
their knees, completely hiding the forest floor from view. The
temperature dropped steadily, and ice crystals began to form in their
clothing.
�It�s cold in here,� protested Ashley as they pressed onward through
the fog.
�It�s all in your imagination,� replied Jellic through chattering
teeth.
�I don�t think so,� chattered Ashley. �I think there are Ice Pokemon
here as well as Psychic.�
�Well, you have at least one Fire type on you, right? That should be
able to defeat an Ice type.�
�But my Vulpix might not be powerful enough to beat them. Remember,
the Pokemon in this forest are more powerful than most.�
�It�s been altered in the same way that Machop and Caterpie were, so
I think it can handle itself.�
The trees seemed to press in on them as they followed what they
believed to be the path. The mist was now almost to their waists, and
the path was completely hidden from view. The only cue they had to where
it might be safe to walk was the slight clearing between the trees.
Jellic thought he saw some leaves rustling, although there was no wind.
Another movement, in the corner of his eye, caught Jellic�s attention,
but when he turned to face it, all he saw was another one of the strange
trees with eggs in the branches. He grabbed Ashley by the shoulder to
stop her and turned her around to face the way they had come.
�Wasn�t there a path there before?� he asked, pointing to the solid
wall of trees.
�I don�t think those are trees,� said Ashley, aiming her Pokedex at
one of them.
�Exeggutor,� lectured the Pokedex, �an evolved form of Exeggcute.
This Pokemon is unique as a Plant/Psychic dual type Pokemon. It evolves
from its egglike form into a treelike form when exposed to a Leaf Stone.
The wild Exeggutor then migrates to the Forest of Mist and joins the
tribes of Exeggutor that live there. Exeggutor enjoys disguising itself
as an ordinary tree to trap unwary travelers.�
�Wish we�d consulted that thing before getting suckered,� said
Jellic.
�Don�t worry,� said Ashley. �Exeggutors aren�t quite as dangerous as
Exeggcutes.� As if responding to their name, several egg-shaped Pokemon
rolled out from behind the Exeggutors and began to chant.
�Exeggcute. Exeggcute. Exeggcute,� they chanted, spinning around in
circles that made Jellic and Ashley feel dizzy, and at the same time,
sleepy.
�It�s a Hypnosis attack,� Ashley said through a yawn. �They�re
putting us to sleep.�
�We have to fight it,� said Jellic. �Must... not... sleep...� He
sank to his knees and felt his entire upper body go numb as it touched
the mist that now reached up to his neck. Ashley fell to the ground,
completely beneath the blanket of mist. Jellic reached for her, but all
he found was a Pokeball. He threw it at the Exeggcutes. �Whatever you
are, go! Get those eggs!�
A large bee with stingers on its two giant arms as well as its
behind flew up out of the mist and quickly assessed the situation. It
began to fly in circles, searching for its master.
�Beeeeeeeeeedrilllll,� it buzzed as it swooped past.
�Beedrill, Ashley�s here with me. Attack the Exeggcutes with
whatever you have,� whispered Jellic as he, too, lost consciousness and
fell to the ground. The Beedrill�s flight wavered as it began to feel
the effects of the Exeggcutes� hypnotic chant. It dove at them, firing
tiny needles from its arms at the Psychic Pokemon. The Twineedle attack
pierced the shells of the Exeggcutes, breaking their spell. The
Exeggcutes quickly ducked behind the Exeggutors for cover, but the
Beedrill fired its Twineedle at the Exeggutors, forcing the entire tribe
to retreat into the cover of the forest. This done, the Beedrill darted
into the mist to attempt to wake the sleeping humans before the icy mist
could take its toll on them.
Ashley and Jellic awoke to the sharp jabs of the Beedrill�s stingers
and quickly climbed to their feet, the sleep-inducing Hypnosis attack�s
effects having completely vanished. �Good thing you picked Beedrill,�
said Ashley. �It�s probably the best Pokemon I have for fighting Psychic
Pokemon because it has Bug type attacks.�
�It was a random choice,� Jellic assured her.
�Yeah, but it�s weak from having flown into the mist,� Ashley
pointed out. Indeed, the Beedrill�s wings had tiny ice crystals forming
in them, and its body was turning slightly blue. �Beedrill, it will be
best if you fly up high for a while to stay out of the mist. If you see
us in trouble, fly down to help.� The Beedrill buzzed its understanding
and flew up out of the trees.
�We should keep moving too,� said Jellic. �My legs are freezing.�
Ashley nodded her agreement. �Maybe if we climb up and stay in the
trees for a while, we can recover our strength.�
Jellic shook his head. �No more trees!� Ashley laughed
halfheartedly. As they pressed on into the forest, the mist continued to
rise until it closed over their heads, completely obscuring their
vision. �Hold my hand so we don�t get separated,� advised Jellic.
�I wish I�d listened to my mother when she told me to dress warmly
before leaving home,� said Ashley. �And I wish I still had my Pidgeotto
with me. It could use its Gust attack to help clear away some of this
mist.� Suddenly, Ashley�s hand pulled free of Jellic�s with a sharp
downwards tug.
�Hey, I thought we were holding hands so we wouldn�t get separated!�
shouted Jellic.
�Jellic? Don�t take another step!� shouted Ashley�s voice from
somewhere below. �I�ve fallen into some kind of deep pit. I�m okay, but
I don�t think I can climb out!�
�Ashley!� shouted Jellic, dropping to his hands and knees to search
for the pit. �Keep talking so I can find you!�
�It�s cold down here. I�m scared!� Jellic crawled in the direction
of her voice until he felt the edge of the pit. It was perfectly
straight and very sheer; obviously, something intelligent had dug this
pit.
�I�m scared too. But I�ll get you out of there somehow.� Jellic
quickly searched his satchel, cursing himself for not thinking to buy
any rope. �Do you have a rope?� he asked.
�No. Just a bunch of Potions and Pokeballs.�
�Pokeballs... I have an idea! Do you have any Pokemon that would be
seriously damaged by the mist?�
�Only my Weepinbell. Why?�
�I�m going to send some of my Pokemon down there to help your
Pokemon form a ladder. You can climb out, then we�ll just recall the
Pokemon.� He sent Machop and Meowth, the only two who would be of much
use as ladder parts, and waited while Ashley called out her three.
�Okay, Machop on the bottom, then Raticate. Now Wartortle, climb on
top, and Meowth, and then Vulpix last.� She began to climb up the ladder
of Pokemon when she heard a shout from above.
�Ashley? There�s something here trying to kiss me!�
�It�s probably a Jynx!� she shouted back. �Don�t let it kiss you; it
�ll put you to sleep!� She quickly tossed her last Pokeball upwards.
�Gengar, take care of that Jynx! Night Shade!� Jellic felt the cold give
way to an empty feeling, as if he were floating in nothing. Somehow, the
return of the cold mist came as a relief, as the Jynx ran screaming into
the forest. The Gengar laughed so evilly that Jellic was glad he couldn�
t see the thing. He lowered his hand into the pit to Ashley. �I can�t
reach you! Your hand is just a few inches too far away!� she shouted.
Jellic released his Magikarp into the pit. �Use the fish as a step
and try again!� This time, the ladder was tall enough, and Jellic
managed to grab Ashley�s hand just as the Pokemon ladder gave way and
the Pokemon all tumbled into the depths of the pit. He pulled her up,
and they recalled their Pokemon. �Once again, Magikarp,� said Jellic as
he recalled the Magikarp, �you�re the hero.�
�If you keep going at this rate, it�ll evolve into Gyarados very
soon.�
�I hope so,� said Jellic, putting the last of the Pokeballs back
into his belt. �If it�s this impressive as a fish, think about how great
it�ll be when it becomes a dragon!�
�You seem rather excited about Pokemon all of a sudden,� Ashley
pointed out.
�The only thing that�s exciting me is the prospect of watching my
Gyarados tearing Droll Vordekar limb from limb.� Jellic wrung his hands
with anticipation as they carefully skirted the pit and continued on
through the forest.
�Maybe we should sing a song,� suggested Ashley. �It would help keep
our minds off of the danger.� Jellic agreed, and Ashley began to sing a
beautiful song that he�d never heard before. It was about a boy who
loved his Grass Pokemon as much as he loved a girl who favored Water
Pokemon. But every time they met, she challenged him to a match, and her
Pokemon were at such a huge disadvantage that he always beat her, no
matter how hard he tried to lose. He wanted to show her how much he
cared, and so he caught a full party of Fire Pokemon and challenged her
to a match that he was sure to lose � but she had caught a party of Ice
and Bug Pokemon to defeat his Grass types, and he defeated her again.
Just as Ashley reached the final verse where the boy finally
gathered the courage to tell the girl how he felt about her, she was
interrupted by a shrill call from above the cover of mist.
�Drillllllllll!�
�Beedrill! I forgot it was still up there!� shouted Ashley.
�Something must be wrong! What is it, Beedrill?� The buzzing stopped,
and the Beedrill fell to the ground. �Oh no! We�re being attacked!� She
grabbed Jellic around the waist. �Jellic, I�m scared.�
�It�s okay,� said Jellic, finding the embrace oddly comforting. He
heard a movement in the mist like a flapping of wings. �Beedrill, is
that you?� There was a loud snort and the mist began to swirl around
them. �I don�t think that�s a Beedrill.� Squinting, Jellic managed to
pick out a pair of dark shapes in the mist ahead. He pointed his Pokedex
at them.
�Articuno and Mewtwo, powerful Pokemon found in the Forest of Mist,�
said the Pokedex, showing a picture of a huge winged dragon that
appeared to be made of ice. �Articuno is a Flying/Ice Pokemon that
specializes in creating large quantities of thick mist. It is considered
one of the most dangerous of all Pokemon and is prized as a guard for
valuable possessions as well as its intrinsic value as a rare Pokemon.�
The picture changed into a cat that looked a bit like the Mew, only
taller and far more menacing. �Mewtwo is a Psychic Pokemon that was
created by mutating the relatively peaceful Mew. Its Psychic powers are
greater than that of any other Pokemon, except for Mew itself. However,
its violent nature makes it much more dangerous. It is easily the most
dangerous of all Pokemon. It is also extremely rare, but slightly more
common than Mew.�
�An Articuno and a Mewtwo at the same time?� asked Ashley
incredulously. �There�s no way we can beat both of them!�
�We can do it!� shouted Jellic. �Remember, we�ve got Pokemon altered
by Karddor Labs. You handle the Articuno; I�ve got the Mewtwo.� Jellic
threw out his Pokeball. �Caterpie, go get it!�
Ashley chose her own Pokemon. �Go Vulpix! Flame Thrower!� The Vulpix
shot a stream of fire at the Articuno, but the Articuno was too quick
and flew up out of range. �It�s using Agility to dodge my attacks!�
�Caterpie, Tackle!� shouted Jellic, and the Caterpie charged at the
Mewtwo, but bounced right off. �This one�s using a Barrier!�
�See what you can do to the Articuno!� replied Ashley. �I�ll take on
the Mewtwo.�
Jellic examined his target critically. The Articuno�s huge wings
were beating with incredible speed, blowing the icy mist away and
allowing the great winged beast a clear view of its victims. But this
also gave Jellic a clear shot. �Caterpie, slow it down with a String
Shot!� The Caterpie expelled a long string at the Articuno, which
swooped to avoid it. But the string arced over the Articuno and fell
onto it, tangling in the great wings and slowing them down. The Articuno
folded its wings close to its body and dived at the Caterpie, knocking
the bug aside with its huge icy beak. Jellic had no choice but to recall
the Caterpie.
Ashley, meanwhile, was faring no better. Her Vulpix�s Ember attack
managed to penetrate the Mewtwo�s protective Barrier, but the Mewtwo
retaliated with a powerful Psychic blast, then Recovered the strength it
had lost from the Ember attack. As the Vulpix tried to strike back, the
Mewtwo spread its arms and launched a barrage of stars at Ashley, which
she had to hide behind the Vulpix to avoid. The Vulpix loyally protected
its master with its own body, taking the force of the Mewtwo�s Swift
attack. Vulpix collapsed, its energy exhausted. Ashley recalled it and
sent out a giant rat with fangs and claws that were large even in
proportion to its oversized body. �Raticate, Hyper Fang!�
While Raticate tried to take a bite out of the Mewtwo, Jellic�s
Meowth was having no luck against the Articuno. Even with its wings
tangled in string, the Articuno dodged most of the Meowth�s attacks.
When the Articuno turned the fury of its Ice Breath against Meowth, the
tiny cat had no chance. Jellic reluctantly sent his champion into the
fray. �Machop, this is it! Karate Chop!� The Machop fought its way
through the Articuno�s cloud of mist and scored a direct hit, then
followed up with a Seismic Toss. The Articuno retaliated with a huge
wingbeat that stirred up the mist, blowing Jellic, Ashley, and their
Pokemon all around. Ashley was forced to recall her Raticate and send
out her Gengar.
�Gengar, Night Shade!� ordered Ashley, and the hideous ghost
complied, draining the Mewtwo�s life force with its ghostly power. The
Mewtwo staggered, but struck back with its Psychic attack, and the
Gengar dropped. �Its Psychic attack is too powerful!� complained Ashley,
calling out her Wartortle.
�We can�t just give up! We have to keep fighting to the bitter end!�
shouted Jellic. Suddenly, the Machop�s head lifted and it sprang into
action. Its eyes glowed fiercely as it flew up into the air and grew to
five times its original size. As the Mewtwo�s Swift and Psychic attacks
defeated the Wartortle before it could react, Machop�s hands came
crashing down onto the Articuno and the Mewtwo, crushing them. The
Machop then shrank back to its original size and fell unconscious.
�Machop, return!� shouted Jellic, recalling the last of his usable
Pokemon.
�Wartortle, return,� called Ashley. �Way to go, Jellic! I think they
�re both unconscious. But how did you do that?�
�I didn�t,� admitted Jellic. �I think that was Machop�s big move.
You know, the one that Karddor Labs wanted him back to get their hands
on?�
�Well, whatever it was, it couldn�t have come at a better time. We�
re both out of useful Pokemon.�
�Mewwwwwwww...� groaned the Mewtwo as it sat up and glared at the
humans.
�It�s still conscious!� gasped Ashley. �Psychic types are strong
against Fighting!�
Jellic nodded grimly, then shouted, �Beedrill, get it!� The Beedrill
had been well out of the way during the fight and had managed to recover
enough of its strength to mount a final desperate attack on the Mewtwo.
As the Mewtwo turned to blast the Beedrill with a crippling Psychic
attack, Jellic threw an Ultra Ball and trapped the Mewtwo.
�No way that will hold,� said Ashley. �It�s still too strong.�
�What else could I do?� asked Jellic. The ball began to wriggle,
almost leaping up off of the ground with the force of the Mewtwo�s
efforts to escape. The ball cracked open...
...and the Mind Badge pinned to Jellic�s tunic glowed brightly, its
power sealing the crack as the Ultra Ball stopped wriggling and shrank
to the size of a normal Pokeball. Both Jellic and Ashley simultaneously
stopped holding their breath. �I don�t believe it. You caught a Mewtwo!�
said Ashley.
Jellic picked up the ball and cradled it in his hands before putting
it into one of the empty loops in his Pokebelt. �This day marks the end
of a reign of terror in the Forest of Mist. The leader of the Psychic
Pokemon has gone down in defeat. Just a routine mission for Jellic the
Interdimensional Warrior.� He glanced toward the trees. �But let�s get
out of this forest before the other Pokemon get mad!� Ashley nodded, and
they quickly continued toward the far end of the forest.
----------------------------------------------------------
MOM: I'm getting rid of this TV before the mindless garbage rots your
brain!
JOHNNY: Mindless garbage not rot brain!
(SHAMPOO: Mindless Johnny not got brain to rot!)
"There's a billion places like home. But only one of them's where you
live." - Granny Weatherwax, "Witches Abroad" by Terry Pratchett
ED: My eyes are stuck! I can't open them!
EDDY: Open your eyes, Ed.
ED: (opens eyes) Thanks, Eddy.
My webpage: http://www.rose-hulman.edu/~katinamp