This is a story following the plot to the game "Pokemon: Explorers of Sky. Please note if you have not yet played the game, it is recommended you do not read the story as it might spoil the game aswell as confuse the plot, as there are added bits in the story. Pokemon belongs to Nintendo, 1995-2010. All characters belong to their respectful owners.
Please note, there is no gaurantee the story will be completed, but do bare with me as I will be making an effort to complete it despite schedules.
Prologue
Booming thunder,
Flashing lightning,
Rain that fell hard as rock,
Sounds drained by the constant roar,
Sight blinded by overwhelming light.
Voices shouted with worry to each other, almost unheard by the thunder, their emitters almost unseen due to the flashing light.
"[WHOA! Are you alright?!]"
The blinded forms of two creatures, grasping their hands together as the other had fallen weak.
"Guh..I'm fine, I'm fine really!"
The weakened form suddenly felt a great force pull down it, causing it to begin to fall.
"GAH!"
"[No! Hang on!]"
The other form grasped the hand of it's ally, desperately trying to save it's life
"Urgh...I can't! I can't do it!"
"[Just a little longer! We're almost there!]"
The great tunnel, flashing with lightning, began to reach it's exit point
"N-no! I'm slipping!"
"[Hang on! Don't..let go!]"
"G-gah!! No!"
Within seconds, their hands slipped from each other's grasp, the victim beginning to fall down another point of the storming tunnel
"[NOO!]"
"AAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Chapter 1;
Storm at Sea
The sun was nearly beginning to set as noon had long passed. The sky was growing orange from the fall of light the colors of Summer glowed over the world. The great clouds in the distance were far from over, although they had passed. Another front would soon follow them over night.
[Wigglytuff Guild, 6:32 PM]
"Okay, 9, you can do this."
A young Riolu stood nervously, gazing ever so constantly at the entrance to the guild, affectionately called "Wigglytuff Guild".
"This is your chance to fufill your dream, your opportunity!" He spoke proudly to himself, trying to reassure his mind. "I can do this!" The Riolu only paused, before taking a big gulp. "Greetings, I'm 9, the Riolu, I wanted to ask for an application to train here at the guild." 9 practiced his introductory. "No, that's too formal..Hi! I'm 9! I just wanted to ask if I could form a- No..Gah, this is gonna be a lot harder than I thought it would."
The Riolu took a step upon the grate porthole, and, unexpectantly, recieved a loud response.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!!"
"Who's footprint, who's FOOTPRINT?!!"
"The footprint is Riolu's! The footprint is Riolu's!!"
"WAH!" The Riolu flinched, jumping backwards off the grate. "Igh...I-I can't do it..I can't..." 9 sat back, sighing with unsatisfactory of himself. "What am I gonna do?" 9 took his paw to the small satchel pack, strapped across his body, taking a small fragment that had been stored within. "At this rate, how am I gonna solve your mystery?" Staring at the Relic, gazing at it's unique pattern. "What wonderful treasures you might be holding..and yet I'm too chicken to begin?" The Riolu stood up, packing away his prized possession affectionately.
Than, another unexpected response flew in to the Riolu's path, as a small ground type pokemon, Diglett, popped out from the earth. "It is a Riolu! Hey!" The Diglett shouted. "WAH!" 9 jumped high in the air, stepping back with fear as the Diglett came closer. "Wait! Don't-" The small ground-type only murmered as the fighting-type took off.
"What did I do?"
As the diglett retreated back inside, it wasn't long until to figures revealed themselves from hiding.
"Hey Zubat, did you see that?"
"Heh-Heh-Heh! I sure did, Koffing! Wonderful treasures that it might be holding?"
"Ho-Ho-Ho! That's right!"
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Koffing?"
"Yeah! Let's go give the chicken a little visit!"
"Heh-Heh-Heh!"
"Ho-Ho-Ho!"
[The Beach, 6:45 PM]
The Riolu panted, looking behind him to make sure no one had been following him. Seeing the coast clear, 9 sat back, cowering as he hid his face with his paws. "I really am a coward...I can't believe it..I can't believe it!" 9 quietly began to sob. "I'm not gonna get anywhere with this! Why?" The fighting-type pokemon wiped away his tears, sniffling a bit as he lifted his head to take a gaze at the sunset. It seemed then, that all his worries began to fade. The sun met in harmony with the water, it's light dancing across the blue ocean waves as the clouds met in pinks and purples to join them happily. The bubbles blown by krabby slowly floated in the air, leaving the sight the most desirable in the world. The Riolu was almost speechless. "Wow...I haven't seen a sight like this in months.." 9 sniffled, a soft smile appearing on his face.
Confidence almost returned to him, as if the sunset had almost cured him from the dilemma. "I have to keep trying....I can't run away from this, I can't let fear come over me anymore.."
The Riolu continued to gaze, until something, something familiar, was found in the corner of his eye. "Hey..wait, what's that?" Turning towards the figure, hiding behind the rocks, the figure of what looked like a pokemon. "Wait a second..it's a pokemon!" 9 gasped, rushing behind the rocks, the sand picked up by great agility. It was indeed a pokemon as he thought, and it was unconscious. What's more, a Vulpix wasn't very common around these parts.
"Hey! Hey, wake up! You gotta wake up!" The fighting-type pokemon frantically tried to shake the Vulpix awake, not wanting to keep in mind the possibility of the pokemon being deceased. But it wasn't long before this thought was outruled, when the young Vulpix began to stir.
"H-huh...?" Quivering, the Vulpix opened her eyes, before wipping them as gritty sand had gotten around the edges of her pupils. "Where..am I?" The fire-type asked, still wiping away bits of sand. "Your on the beach, by the pokemon village. Are you alright?" The Riolu asked. "Well, yeah, I think so..."
"Wait...wait a sec.."
The vulpix paused. "You're...you're a Riolu.." The fire-type's eyes widened. "Oh no, not again.." 9 quivered, stepping back. "How..how are..you talking?!" Asked the fox pokemon.
"Huh? How am I? Everyone here can talk! You're a vulpix, and you're talking!" The emination pokemon explained. "Oh no, I'm not a vulpix..I'm a..human." The vulpix shook her head. "What? You must of been drinking salt water or somethin'! You look like a regular vulpix to me!" 9 argued. "But, that's not possible...wait.." The Vulpix only stared at her fur covered paws, before her mouth began to gape open. "What? Is this for real?!" The fox pokemon panicked.
Staring at the water, her eyes widened. "This, this is a dream! I'm not supposed to be a vulpix! I'm a human!" The fire-type shouted. "Whoa!! Calm down there! I know it's not a dream, but don't go dramatizing it!" The Riolu shouted. "Really! I'm human! Atleast...I was.." The vulpix sat down. "What..what happened to me?"
"I'm not sure but, I think you need some rest." 9 told her. The vulpix turned towards the Riolu. "My name's 9! Well really 9 Lives, but just call me 9!" The Riolu explained. "What's yours?"
"My name?" The vulpix tilted her head. "My name is..My name is Neon."
"Heh-Heh-Heh! Look out!" A blinding figure zoomed away, throwing itself straight into the emination pokemon. "WHOA!" 9 fell flat into the sand, before trying to get up as he began spitting out grit from his mouth. "Ho-Ho-Ho! Sorry there, kid!" A Koffing floated harmlessly in the air, approaching the twosome as it joined up with the "accidental" attacker, Zubat. "Uh..that's okay, really." The Riolu noticed his relic fragment, which had fallen out of his satchel after being knocked over by Zubat. "Hey there! What's that cha got? Can we take a look at it?" The bat pokemon picked up the fragment carefully, despite his small legs. "Uh...s-sure.." 9 quivered.
"Say Koffing! This is a really cool lookin' treasure! I bet he could sell it for some money!" Zubat explained. "Ho-Ho-Ho! You got that right, Zubat!" Koffing replied. "Uh, thanks, but I'm not planning on selling it, I-" The Riolu was cut off. "Hey! No worries there, kid! We'll take a hint! We'll sell it for ya! Of course, we're gonna want some pay.." Zubat chuckled. "What? That's not what I ment!" 9 shouted. Neon, observing this entire problem, stepped foward. "Now how much would you want to split it, Zubat?" "Heh-Heh, I was thinking the kid would get none, and we get everything else!" Zubat and Koffing explained to each other. "Hey!! Give it back!" With anger, the Riolu tried to leap towards the Zubat, attempting to get back the stolen possession.
"Heh-Heh, you want it back?" Zubat zoomed backward, making 9 fall straight into the sand. "Then come and get it, Ho-Ho-Ho!" Koffing laughed. "See ya, ya big chicken!" With a great huff, the twosome dashed off with amazing agility, dashing away into the local Beach Cave. "Hey! Stop!!" 9 dashed foward, before halting right at the cave entrance.
The Riolu sighed, sitting down into the sand. The vulpix's ears went flat, understanding the importance of the relic fragment to the emination pokemon. "That...that was my most prized possession..and they took it.." 9 started at the white sand, gazing at it sadly. "I guess I really am just a big..chicken." The emanation pokemon curled into a ball, hiding away his face. "Hey, don't be so down on yourself." Neon stepped up to the Riolu, sitting next to him. "We'll get it back." She added. "Huh? W-we?" 9 looked at the vulpix, his eyes widening with surprise. Neon nodded. "You're..You're gonna help me! Oh thank you Neon! Thank you!!" 9 grinned happily. "No time for thank you now, we gotta move it before they get away with it!" The vulpix explained.
"Right!" 9 stood up proudly, his hands in a fist. "We gotta teach those thieves a lesson! Let's get back that fragment!" "Right on!"
[Beach Cave, 7:01 PM]
It was growing dark inside the wet caverns. Light sometimes peered inside the cave, entering through holes and skylights within the rocky ceilings and lighting the ever darkening insides. Water pokemon crawled within these caverns, varying from Shellos to Kabuto as the sun continued to set.
"So, where do you think Zubat and Koffing went?" Asked Neon, walking beside 9 as they began their search inside the caverns. "Probably in the deepest, darkest parts of the cave, that's where all the bad guys are..." The Riolu said. "Well, isn't that obvious.." The vulpix rolled her eyes. "We're probably gonna have to make our way up there. This place is a mystery dungeon, ya know." The emanation pokemon explained. "Mystery..Dungeon?" Neon tilted her head. "Uh-huh. They're like giant, changing mazes. The path is always different, even if you have gone there before. There are all different types of traps, items, and Pokemon too. Even weirder, if you were to faint, you get mysteriously kicked out, and you lose half of all your money, and your items!" 9 Explained. "Oh, how lovely.."
"Hey...did you hear that?" The vulpix turned. "Hu?" 9 responded, turning around. The sound of tapping claws, approaching at a fast rate, came from behind them, becoming more and more clear as it came closer. "Oh boy..." 9 gulped. "Great. Neon, get ready.." The Vulpix braced herself as directed by the emanation pokemon. Just as thought, a brown kabuto, it's red eyes gleaming peered out from the shadows, with anger well embraced.
"K-Kabuto!!" 9 stepped back. "KA-BU-TOE!" The "extinct" pokemon growled, before shooting a small water gun towards the pair. 9 tried to endure it, but the affect failed to go over him and caused him to fall over. "Ow.." 9 grunted. The Vulpix glanced at the Riolu, before growling at the kabuto. The Kabuto braced itself and Neon threw herself into the wild pokemon. "BUUTO!" Unable to fully endure the body slam, the Kabuto fell on it's back, wriggling it's feet madly as it tried to stand up. It wasn't long until, after successful in it's attempts, fled from battle.
"You alright, 9?" Asked Neon. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's keep moving."
Working up their way, time and time again, exhaustion began to crawl over the twosome as wild pokemon tackled them from all corners. Darkness grew closer and closer, yet the sun had not fully set. Minutes seemed like hours. The sounds of the tapping water, which had dripped from the stelagmites hanging from above, seemed to get caught in the memories of their heads.
Finally, light filled into the caverns.
[7:43 PM]
A cove sheltered from the elements, stelagmites met with the water which surronded the damp earth. Rocks surfaced from the blue shores, unharmed by the soft waves.
"A dead end..." 9 whispered. "They must be around here. Neon perked her ears, listening for strange movement. "Heh-Heh-Heh! Hey, look Koffing! It's the big chicken!" The voice of the devious bat echoed. "Ho-Ho-Ho, and it looks like he brought his little wimpy friend, Zubat!" Koffing replied. "Show yourselves!" Neon shouted, growing enraged. "Looks like the little missy has an attitude! Heh-Heh-Heh!" Zubat cackled. "Give back my relic fragment! It's rightfully mine!" The emanation pokemon growled.
"Alright then, a deal is a deal!" Zubat zoomed into sight, his wings moving at great agility. "You want it back?" "Ho-Ho-Ho! Then you'll need to fight!" Koffing shouted. The Riolu gulped, backing away nervously. "Well? C'mon! Or are you...chicken? If you win, we'll take back what we said and give you this little treasure back..Heh-Heh-Heh!" The bat pokemon chuckled. "But if you don't, it becomes ours, and we'll chase you out of town! Ho-Ho-Ho!" Koffing added. Neon growled. "We'll take you on!" She shouted.
"Heh-Heh-Heh!! Let's show em, Koffing!" Shouted Zubat. "Ho-Ho-Ho! Smokescreen!!" A powerful haze swept from the Koffing's mouth, blanketing the cove in thick black smoke. 9 and Neon coughed, blinded by the stinging hot cover. "Aerial Ace!!" Able to see through the smoke, Zubat dashed with great speed, striking the Riolu with a powerful blast of wind. 9 fell backward, wiping away the sting of the wind as zubat flew past him. It was soon that Neon felt this same power hit against her cheek, knocking her into the earth. The vulpix struggled to get up, feeling the aftermath of such great power. Her ear perked foward in response to the sound of beating wings, speeding at an intense pace.
Neon dodged this attack, on her feet as she listened for the sound of Zubat's flapping wings. But before she could dodge the second time, another swipe came over her, knocking her back into the earth. It wasn't long until 9 once again felt the power of Zubat's Aerial Ace aswell. Neon stood up onto her feet, suddenly feeling a great energy fill inside her body. "What is this? This adrenaline I never felt before, it feels..so exciting? This is what it's like to battle?" Neon could hear the sound of the bat pokemon, approaching her at a great speed. "GrrrrrAAAAH!" With a great burst of energy, a strange heat filled into her body, and her mouth ignited with fire, breathing it from her tongue, feeling the extreme heat, yet, had not been harmed. Orange flames shot through the smoke, lighting the shadows of Neon's fellow comrad and enemy.
"Heh-Heh-Heh! Owww!!" Zubat chuckled in despair. "Ho-Ho-Ho! Ouch!!" The following yelp of the gas pokemon as it collided with the bat pokemon.
"N-Neon? Was that you?!" The call of the Riolu shouted. "I..I don't know...did I do that?!" The vulpix had stood in amazement, in a daze of the ability that she had discovered.
As the fog cleared, the two bodies of Zubat and Koffing, knocked out by the powerful fire, lay there behind the rocks. "Owww..." "Owwwowowow...H-Ho-ho.." Koffing murmered. "Heh...Ow." Zubat replied. 9 stood afront him, his arms crossed against his chest, with a look of pride on his face. "Wipe that smirk of your face! Bah, we were just goin' easy on ya!" Zubat whined. "Ho-Ho-Ho..take your piece of junk, we don't want it, anyway." Koffing threw the small fragment onto the ground. The emanation pokemon immediately dashed to retrieve his prized possession, affectionately grasping it in his blue paws.
"Don't think you've won just yet, you wimps!" The bat pokemon shouted. "Ho-Ho-Ho, that's right! We'll be back!" Koffing added. "And we'll be ready..." Neon whispered. In a comical fashion, the two devious fiends dashed off, departing from their escapades. "I can't believe I did that...I was actually breathing fire..from my own mouth!" The vulpix was in a daze. "Believe me. As you get stronger, you'll be able to do a lot more than that!" 9 explained. The vulpix's ears perked foward at the sound of the wind blowing. "We should get going before those two change their mind and come back for more.." She explained. 9 nodded, turning for the entrance.
[Beach, 8:03 PM]
"Hey, thanks again for helping me get back my relic fragment." 9 explained. Neon giggled. "Your welcome...but, can I ask..why is that fragment so important to you? I mean, not to question it's value, but.." The vulpix asked. "I knew you'd ask that." The Riolu nodded. Carefully taking out the fragment from his satchel, 9 set the fragile item on the sand. "I know it looks like a piece of junk, but look closely at it's pattern." He explained. "Have you ever seen anything like it? It looks so unique." The emanation then picked it back up. "I bet that one day, I will be able to solve the mystery it might hold. That's why I was going to form an exploration-" 9 cut off.
"What is it, 9?" Neon asked. "I-I..I got nervous when I tried asking to sign up to day...I..ended up getting spooked off..." The Riolu sighed. He sat down quietly staring at the waves that washed against the shore.
"S-Say..Neon...what are you gonna do now? If your really a human, are you gonna do anything to fix it?" 9 asked. "Well, I'm not sure that there is a way. I don't even remember how I got this way, or even what happened before I turned into a pokemon." Neon explained. "You don't remember, huh? Well...can I ask you a favor?" The emanation pokemon asked nervously. "What is it?" Replied the vulpix. "Could you..form an exploration team with me?"
"Exploration Team?"
"You know! Find Treasure, Save Pokemon! Fight Outlaws and make great discoveries!!"
"I..I don't know 9..I'm not sure.."
"Oh Neon, Please! I couldn't get my relic fragment back without you, and nor can I form a exploration team! I'm..I'm too chicken.."
"9.."
Neon sighed. Taking a look at her dark auburn paws, thoughts raced through her mind of her dilemma.
"Well, I guess I can give it a try..Oh, my aswell."
"You will?!! Neon!! Oh Neon, how can I thank you?!"
The vulpix shrugged, and the Riolu in response, leaped with joy. "Alright!! Look out world! There's a new team in town!! No one can stop us now!!" 9 raised his fist in the air. "Right on!" The vulpix replied.
And so, together, Neon and her new friend, 9, would form an exploration team, and journey to become one of the greatest in the world. They would experience great troubles, but great miracles too, as they solve the mystery of the fragment, Neon's history, and the legendary Time Gears.
Please note, there is no gaurantee the story will be completed, but do bare with me as I will be making an effort to complete it despite schedules.
Prologue
Booming thunder,
Flashing lightning,
Rain that fell hard as rock,
Sounds drained by the constant roar,
Sight blinded by overwhelming light.
Voices shouted with worry to each other, almost unheard by the thunder, their emitters almost unseen due to the flashing light.
"[WHOA! Are you alright?!]"
The blinded forms of two creatures, grasping their hands together as the other had fallen weak.
"Guh..I'm fine, I'm fine really!"
The weakened form suddenly felt a great force pull down it, causing it to begin to fall.
"GAH!"
"[No! Hang on!]"
The other form grasped the hand of it's ally, desperately trying to save it's life
"Urgh...I can't! I can't do it!"
"[Just a little longer! We're almost there!]"
The great tunnel, flashing with lightning, began to reach it's exit point
"N-no! I'm slipping!"
"[Hang on! Don't..let go!]"
"G-gah!! No!"
Within seconds, their hands slipped from each other's grasp, the victim beginning to fall down another point of the storming tunnel
"[NOO!]"
"AAAAAAAAAAH!!!"
Chapter 1;
Storm at Sea
The sun was nearly beginning to set as noon had long passed. The sky was growing orange from the fall of light the colors of Summer glowed over the world. The great clouds in the distance were far from over, although they had passed. Another front would soon follow them over night.
[Wigglytuff Guild, 6:32 PM]
"Okay, 9, you can do this."
A young Riolu stood nervously, gazing ever so constantly at the entrance to the guild, affectionately called "Wigglytuff Guild".
"This is your chance to fufill your dream, your opportunity!" He spoke proudly to himself, trying to reassure his mind. "I can do this!" The Riolu only paused, before taking a big gulp. "Greetings, I'm 9, the Riolu, I wanted to ask for an application to train here at the guild." 9 practiced his introductory. "No, that's too formal..Hi! I'm 9! I just wanted to ask if I could form a- No..Gah, this is gonna be a lot harder than I thought it would."
The Riolu took a step upon the grate porthole, and, unexpectantly, recieved a loud response.
"Pokemon detected! Pokemon detected!!"
"Who's footprint, who's FOOTPRINT?!!"
"The footprint is Riolu's! The footprint is Riolu's!!"
"WAH!" The Riolu flinched, jumping backwards off the grate. "Igh...I-I can't do it..I can't..." 9 sat back, sighing with unsatisfactory of himself. "What am I gonna do?" 9 took his paw to the small satchel pack, strapped across his body, taking a small fragment that had been stored within. "At this rate, how am I gonna solve your mystery?" Staring at the Relic, gazing at it's unique pattern. "What wonderful treasures you might be holding..and yet I'm too chicken to begin?" The Riolu stood up, packing away his prized possession affectionately.
Than, another unexpected response flew in to the Riolu's path, as a small ground type pokemon, Diglett, popped out from the earth. "It is a Riolu! Hey!" The Diglett shouted. "WAH!" 9 jumped high in the air, stepping back with fear as the Diglett came closer. "Wait! Don't-" The small ground-type only murmered as the fighting-type took off.
"What did I do?"
As the diglett retreated back inside, it wasn't long until to figures revealed themselves from hiding.
"Hey Zubat, did you see that?"
"Heh-Heh-Heh! I sure did, Koffing! Wonderful treasures that it might be holding?"
"Ho-Ho-Ho! That's right!"
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking, Koffing?"
"Yeah! Let's go give the chicken a little visit!"
"Heh-Heh-Heh!"
"Ho-Ho-Ho!"
[The Beach, 6:45 PM]
The Riolu panted, looking behind him to make sure no one had been following him. Seeing the coast clear, 9 sat back, cowering as he hid his face with his paws. "I really am a coward...I can't believe it..I can't believe it!" 9 quietly began to sob. "I'm not gonna get anywhere with this! Why?" The fighting-type pokemon wiped away his tears, sniffling a bit as he lifted his head to take a gaze at the sunset. It seemed then, that all his worries began to fade. The sun met in harmony with the water, it's light dancing across the blue ocean waves as the clouds met in pinks and purples to join them happily. The bubbles blown by krabby slowly floated in the air, leaving the sight the most desirable in the world. The Riolu was almost speechless. "Wow...I haven't seen a sight like this in months.." 9 sniffled, a soft smile appearing on his face.
Confidence almost returned to him, as if the sunset had almost cured him from the dilemma. "I have to keep trying....I can't run away from this, I can't let fear come over me anymore.."
The Riolu continued to gaze, until something, something familiar, was found in the corner of his eye. "Hey..wait, what's that?" Turning towards the figure, hiding behind the rocks, the figure of what looked like a pokemon. "Wait a second..it's a pokemon!" 9 gasped, rushing behind the rocks, the sand picked up by great agility. It was indeed a pokemon as he thought, and it was unconscious. What's more, a Vulpix wasn't very common around these parts.
"Hey! Hey, wake up! You gotta wake up!" The fighting-type pokemon frantically tried to shake the Vulpix awake, not wanting to keep in mind the possibility of the pokemon being deceased. But it wasn't long before this thought was outruled, when the young Vulpix began to stir.
"H-huh...?" Quivering, the Vulpix opened her eyes, before wipping them as gritty sand had gotten around the edges of her pupils. "Where..am I?" The fire-type asked, still wiping away bits of sand. "Your on the beach, by the pokemon village. Are you alright?" The Riolu asked. "Well, yeah, I think so..."
"Wait...wait a sec.."
The vulpix paused. "You're...you're a Riolu.." The fire-type's eyes widened. "Oh no, not again.." 9 quivered, stepping back. "How..how are..you talking?!" Asked the fox pokemon.
"Huh? How am I? Everyone here can talk! You're a vulpix, and you're talking!" The emination pokemon explained. "Oh no, I'm not a vulpix..I'm a..human." The vulpix shook her head. "What? You must of been drinking salt water or somethin'! You look like a regular vulpix to me!" 9 argued. "But, that's not possible...wait.." The Vulpix only stared at her fur covered paws, before her mouth began to gape open. "What? Is this for real?!" The fox pokemon panicked.
Staring at the water, her eyes widened. "This, this is a dream! I'm not supposed to be a vulpix! I'm a human!" The fire-type shouted. "Whoa!! Calm down there! I know it's not a dream, but don't go dramatizing it!" The Riolu shouted. "Really! I'm human! Atleast...I was.." The vulpix sat down. "What..what happened to me?"
"I'm not sure but, I think you need some rest." 9 told her. The vulpix turned towards the Riolu. "My name's 9! Well really 9 Lives, but just call me 9!" The Riolu explained. "What's yours?"
"My name?" The vulpix tilted her head. "My name is..My name is Neon."
"Heh-Heh-Heh! Look out!" A blinding figure zoomed away, throwing itself straight into the emination pokemon. "WHOA!" 9 fell flat into the sand, before trying to get up as he began spitting out grit from his mouth. "Ho-Ho-Ho! Sorry there, kid!" A Koffing floated harmlessly in the air, approaching the twosome as it joined up with the "accidental" attacker, Zubat. "Uh..that's okay, really." The Riolu noticed his relic fragment, which had fallen out of his satchel after being knocked over by Zubat. "Hey there! What's that cha got? Can we take a look at it?" The bat pokemon picked up the fragment carefully, despite his small legs. "Uh...s-sure.." 9 quivered.
"Say Koffing! This is a really cool lookin' treasure! I bet he could sell it for some money!" Zubat explained. "Ho-Ho-Ho! You got that right, Zubat!" Koffing replied. "Uh, thanks, but I'm not planning on selling it, I-" The Riolu was cut off. "Hey! No worries there, kid! We'll take a hint! We'll sell it for ya! Of course, we're gonna want some pay.." Zubat chuckled. "What? That's not what I ment!" 9 shouted. Neon, observing this entire problem, stepped foward. "Now how much would you want to split it, Zubat?" "Heh-Heh, I was thinking the kid would get none, and we get everything else!" Zubat and Koffing explained to each other. "Hey!! Give it back!" With anger, the Riolu tried to leap towards the Zubat, attempting to get back the stolen possession.
"Heh-Heh, you want it back?" Zubat zoomed backward, making 9 fall straight into the sand. "Then come and get it, Ho-Ho-Ho!" Koffing laughed. "See ya, ya big chicken!" With a great huff, the twosome dashed off with amazing agility, dashing away into the local Beach Cave. "Hey! Stop!!" 9 dashed foward, before halting right at the cave entrance.
The Riolu sighed, sitting down into the sand. The vulpix's ears went flat, understanding the importance of the relic fragment to the emination pokemon. "That...that was my most prized possession..and they took it.." 9 started at the white sand, gazing at it sadly. "I guess I really am just a big..chicken." The emanation pokemon curled into a ball, hiding away his face. "Hey, don't be so down on yourself." Neon stepped up to the Riolu, sitting next to him. "We'll get it back." She added. "Huh? W-we?" 9 looked at the vulpix, his eyes widening with surprise. Neon nodded. "You're..You're gonna help me! Oh thank you Neon! Thank you!!" 9 grinned happily. "No time for thank you now, we gotta move it before they get away with it!" The vulpix explained.
"Right!" 9 stood up proudly, his hands in a fist. "We gotta teach those thieves a lesson! Let's get back that fragment!" "Right on!"
[Beach Cave, 7:01 PM]
It was growing dark inside the wet caverns. Light sometimes peered inside the cave, entering through holes and skylights within the rocky ceilings and lighting the ever darkening insides. Water pokemon crawled within these caverns, varying from Shellos to Kabuto as the sun continued to set.
"So, where do you think Zubat and Koffing went?" Asked Neon, walking beside 9 as they began their search inside the caverns. "Probably in the deepest, darkest parts of the cave, that's where all the bad guys are..." The Riolu said. "Well, isn't that obvious.." The vulpix rolled her eyes. "We're probably gonna have to make our way up there. This place is a mystery dungeon, ya know." The emanation pokemon explained. "Mystery..Dungeon?" Neon tilted her head. "Uh-huh. They're like giant, changing mazes. The path is always different, even if you have gone there before. There are all different types of traps, items, and Pokemon too. Even weirder, if you were to faint, you get mysteriously kicked out, and you lose half of all your money, and your items!" 9 Explained. "Oh, how lovely.."
"Hey...did you hear that?" The vulpix turned. "Hu?" 9 responded, turning around. The sound of tapping claws, approaching at a fast rate, came from behind them, becoming more and more clear as it came closer. "Oh boy..." 9 gulped. "Great. Neon, get ready.." The Vulpix braced herself as directed by the emanation pokemon. Just as thought, a brown kabuto, it's red eyes gleaming peered out from the shadows, with anger well embraced.
"K-Kabuto!!" 9 stepped back. "KA-BU-TOE!" The "extinct" pokemon growled, before shooting a small water gun towards the pair. 9 tried to endure it, but the affect failed to go over him and caused him to fall over. "Ow.." 9 grunted. The Vulpix glanced at the Riolu, before growling at the kabuto. The Kabuto braced itself and Neon threw herself into the wild pokemon. "BUUTO!" Unable to fully endure the body slam, the Kabuto fell on it's back, wriggling it's feet madly as it tried to stand up. It wasn't long until, after successful in it's attempts, fled from battle.
"You alright, 9?" Asked Neon. "Yeah, I'm fine. Let's keep moving."
Working up their way, time and time again, exhaustion began to crawl over the twosome as wild pokemon tackled them from all corners. Darkness grew closer and closer, yet the sun had not fully set. Minutes seemed like hours. The sounds of the tapping water, which had dripped from the stelagmites hanging from above, seemed to get caught in the memories of their heads.
Finally, light filled into the caverns.
[7:43 PM]
A cove sheltered from the elements, stelagmites met with the water which surronded the damp earth. Rocks surfaced from the blue shores, unharmed by the soft waves.
"A dead end..." 9 whispered. "They must be around here. Neon perked her ears, listening for strange movement. "Heh-Heh-Heh! Hey, look Koffing! It's the big chicken!" The voice of the devious bat echoed. "Ho-Ho-Ho, and it looks like he brought his little wimpy friend, Zubat!" Koffing replied. "Show yourselves!" Neon shouted, growing enraged. "Looks like the little missy has an attitude! Heh-Heh-Heh!" Zubat cackled. "Give back my relic fragment! It's rightfully mine!" The emanation pokemon growled.
"Alright then, a deal is a deal!" Zubat zoomed into sight, his wings moving at great agility. "You want it back?" "Ho-Ho-Ho! Then you'll need to fight!" Koffing shouted. The Riolu gulped, backing away nervously. "Well? C'mon! Or are you...chicken? If you win, we'll take back what we said and give you this little treasure back..Heh-Heh-Heh!" The bat pokemon chuckled. "But if you don't, it becomes ours, and we'll chase you out of town! Ho-Ho-Ho!" Koffing added. Neon growled. "We'll take you on!" She shouted.
"Heh-Heh-Heh!! Let's show em, Koffing!" Shouted Zubat. "Ho-Ho-Ho! Smokescreen!!" A powerful haze swept from the Koffing's mouth, blanketing the cove in thick black smoke. 9 and Neon coughed, blinded by the stinging hot cover. "Aerial Ace!!" Able to see through the smoke, Zubat dashed with great speed, striking the Riolu with a powerful blast of wind. 9 fell backward, wiping away the sting of the wind as zubat flew past him. It was soon that Neon felt this same power hit against her cheek, knocking her into the earth. The vulpix struggled to get up, feeling the aftermath of such great power. Her ear perked foward in response to the sound of beating wings, speeding at an intense pace.
Neon dodged this attack, on her feet as she listened for the sound of Zubat's flapping wings. But before she could dodge the second time, another swipe came over her, knocking her back into the earth. It wasn't long until 9 once again felt the power of Zubat's Aerial Ace aswell. Neon stood up onto her feet, suddenly feeling a great energy fill inside her body. "What is this? This adrenaline I never felt before, it feels..so exciting? This is what it's like to battle?" Neon could hear the sound of the bat pokemon, approaching her at a great speed. "GrrrrrAAAAH!" With a great burst of energy, a strange heat filled into her body, and her mouth ignited with fire, breathing it from her tongue, feeling the extreme heat, yet, had not been harmed. Orange flames shot through the smoke, lighting the shadows of Neon's fellow comrad and enemy.
"Heh-Heh-Heh! Owww!!" Zubat chuckled in despair. "Ho-Ho-Ho! Ouch!!" The following yelp of the gas pokemon as it collided with the bat pokemon.
"N-Neon? Was that you?!" The call of the Riolu shouted. "I..I don't know...did I do that?!" The vulpix had stood in amazement, in a daze of the ability that she had discovered.
As the fog cleared, the two bodies of Zubat and Koffing, knocked out by the powerful fire, lay there behind the rocks. "Owww..." "Owwwowowow...H-Ho-ho.." Koffing murmered. "Heh...Ow." Zubat replied. 9 stood afront him, his arms crossed against his chest, with a look of pride on his face. "Wipe that smirk of your face! Bah, we were just goin' easy on ya!" Zubat whined. "Ho-Ho-Ho..take your piece of junk, we don't want it, anyway." Koffing threw the small fragment onto the ground. The emanation pokemon immediately dashed to retrieve his prized possession, affectionately grasping it in his blue paws.
"Don't think you've won just yet, you wimps!" The bat pokemon shouted. "Ho-Ho-Ho, that's right! We'll be back!" Koffing added. "And we'll be ready..." Neon whispered. In a comical fashion, the two devious fiends dashed off, departing from their escapades. "I can't believe I did that...I was actually breathing fire..from my own mouth!" The vulpix was in a daze. "Believe me. As you get stronger, you'll be able to do a lot more than that!" 9 explained. The vulpix's ears perked foward at the sound of the wind blowing. "We should get going before those two change their mind and come back for more.." She explained. 9 nodded, turning for the entrance.
[Beach, 8:03 PM]
"Hey, thanks again for helping me get back my relic fragment." 9 explained. Neon giggled. "Your welcome...but, can I ask..why is that fragment so important to you? I mean, not to question it's value, but.." The vulpix asked. "I knew you'd ask that." The Riolu nodded. Carefully taking out the fragment from his satchel, 9 set the fragile item on the sand. "I know it looks like a piece of junk, but look closely at it's pattern." He explained. "Have you ever seen anything like it? It looks so unique." The emanation then picked it back up. "I bet that one day, I will be able to solve the mystery it might hold. That's why I was going to form an exploration-" 9 cut off.
"What is it, 9?" Neon asked. "I-I..I got nervous when I tried asking to sign up to day...I..ended up getting spooked off..." The Riolu sighed. He sat down quietly staring at the waves that washed against the shore.
"S-Say..Neon...what are you gonna do now? If your really a human, are you gonna do anything to fix it?" 9 asked. "Well, I'm not sure that there is a way. I don't even remember how I got this way, or even what happened before I turned into a pokemon." Neon explained. "You don't remember, huh? Well...can I ask you a favor?" The emanation pokemon asked nervously. "What is it?" Replied the vulpix. "Could you..form an exploration team with me?"
"Exploration Team?"
"You know! Find Treasure, Save Pokemon! Fight Outlaws and make great discoveries!!"
"I..I don't know 9..I'm not sure.."
"Oh Neon, Please! I couldn't get my relic fragment back without you, and nor can I form a exploration team! I'm..I'm too chicken.."
"9.."
Neon sighed. Taking a look at her dark auburn paws, thoughts raced through her mind of her dilemma.
"Well, I guess I can give it a try..Oh, my aswell."
"You will?!! Neon!! Oh Neon, how can I thank you?!"
The vulpix shrugged, and the Riolu in response, leaped with joy. "Alright!! Look out world! There's a new team in town!! No one can stop us now!!" 9 raised his fist in the air. "Right on!" The vulpix replied.
And so, together, Neon and her new friend, 9, would form an exploration team, and journey to become one of the greatest in the world. They would experience great troubles, but great miracles too, as they solve the mystery of the fragment, Neon's history, and the legendary Time Gears.