"A pokemon, huh?" he watched the pink evolved from of Clefairy bounce up and down, "Clefable, right? The fairy pokemon. It's nice to meet you, Clefable," he smiled with gleaming eyes, shaking it's paw. Before Clefable could snatch it's arm away however, Leo grabbed it. He continued to speak downward, in a dark mumble. Clefable seemed worried.

"...I wish I had a pokemon. Then, maybe I'd be able to stop Elemental, and finally get revenge for my village... But the only pokemon I grew up with, my sister --- " he choked up, glaring mid-sentence. Sighing angrily, he let go of the pokemon's arm. Clefable seemed to follow him around as Leo turned away, somewhat trying to console him, "If it was anybody else, I would have taken Clefable from you, no questions asked... But I like you, old man." He smiled.

Truly, all Leo's hope had been lost when his sister left him. However, all this man could talk about was a glimmer of hope in the future. Leo sort of clung to the idea. For a while, at least.

Leo turned again toward Bill, "I really wish you didn't have a pokemon at all, you'll get punished for it... but if you have any others, you should hide them as best you can," he turn toward the window impatiently, glaring intently, "...Those rebels better hurry. If I'm caught by Elemental it's game over for me."

((Let me know if you guys encounter as a pokemon and what pokemon you are. It's been hard to keep up.))

((Don't worry, I'm pretty sure we'll be in human form when we get there. And we'll have the cube, so Leo will be able to get the power and choose a morph. In other news, redt is really busy with college/band, so he might not be on until things quiet down a bit. I will be GMing him as necessary.))

As we walked under the bridge, I felt a slight sense of unease. Why would Team Elemental just reveal themselves as blatantly as they had? I mean, granted, the cops aren't exactly the top people, but they still needed a decent amount of smarts. No, something was wrong; was it possible that they had just been going somewhere else? Shaking my head, I decided that no matter where they had been going, they had probably gotten what they deserved.

We snaked under the bridge, then across a small area where the river was really shallow and thin. As we came up the bank on the other side, my anticipation began to grow. This Bill guy, as long as he wasn't completely senile, might be able to tell the group about our powers, sure; but the biggest excitement came over the fact that we were going to see a man who had probably been around before Team Elemental. Would he be able to describe it? Was it truly as my parents had told me it was? Such thoughts made me all jittery with excitement.

Finally, we could see the house. I motioned to Cat and Seth. "Guys, we should probably wait here for the others... They can't have been too far behind us."



Bill was a little taken aback by Leo's brazenness. But then, shaking his head, he recalled just where Leo had come from - and what he must've gone through to wind up in a place like this.

"Believe me, Leo, I have hidden them for so long... Truly, the only reason that I'm still alive is because I've kept my head down." Tears came to his eyes as he thought of all the friends that had been lost in the various societal purges following the rise of Team Elemental. "I've been a coward far too long. Tonight, I shall make my own stand. I've lived in this house since I was a young man, just embarking on the quest for knowledge. If I had had your courage, Leo, I could have fought them, using science and a love of Pokemon; but I did not. And so I hid." Bill sighed, then continued. "Perhaps it was fate, but in many ways, I am also glad that I have managed to stay alive for far longer than I should have. It brought you to me, so that we may be able to make a difference."

Clefable was still hopping around, then went to Leo. It smiled at him brightly, forgetting its terror of a few minutes before. It began to do a dance around Leo, hopping around and waving its arms in odd patterns. Bill laughed, enjoying the oddness of this peace.



In a building hidden off the coast of Kanto, on a deserted island that once held a mansion and a Gym, there is a man. His name is Alfred Farquahar. The man who started it all. Farquahar is a man of few words; he wasn't a young man when he embarked on his journey to bring Elemental to power, and the years have not been kind.

But life goes on. He is now a Governor, placed in a position of trust for his terrible deeds of the past. And today is business as usual for Kanto's Governor; there are people who must be made to disappear, and others who must be brought out into the open. Farquahar sits behind his desk and picks up the phone; he enters in a number, and proceeds to wait. There is only one ring before the person on the other side picks up.

"Yes, hello, Mr. Governor, sir, this is Joseph McCalland. It's a plea-" Farquahar cut him off. "Shut up, you blathering fool. I'm aware of your mission, and believe me, I wish that there were others on it." Farquahar's voice turned to something made of steel and ice; cold and hard, he continued. "Now, you can't possibly imagine the consequences of having these kids escape, so I will spell it out for you. Anybody who lets them escape will be sent to Oreburgh for a life-sentence. Got it? Don't let them go." He hung up the phone.

Gesturing to the shadows that surrounded his desk, Farquahar summoned something forward. "Take one of the others to Viridian. The fool will undoubtedly be unable to capture them; you will." He turned back to his desk.

The Nidoking nodded. Full of malevolent intent, it proceeded to follow its master's orders; and the master was never to be disobeyed.

((Oooh, Nidoking. o.O))

Bill's house was in sight. Axel said we should wait for the others here. While we were waiting, I thought about what this guy Bill might be like. Well, he's probably a kind person. Plus, he may be able to tell us stories about Pokemon Trainers. I'd always wanted to learn about Pokemon Trainers ever since my Dad told me about their existence. When I asked him if he knew any or remembered stories, but he didn't. I continued to think as we waited.

((So basically, I won't make another post until everyone's here or someone starts a conversation.))

((I found a WiFi signal, so all's well!))

I left the group, and preceded to hurry through the streets of Cerulean.  I passed by a few people aimlessly meandering the street or perusing the shops.  My mind wandered, and I thought again of my friends from the school.

I shouldn't have left the academy without them, I thought.  They must hate me by now.  Why didn't I just tell them of my plan and take them with me?  But if I had, would I have met Axel and the others?  Maybe we would have just been caught and put back in the school again.  But still.  Parker will never forgive me.  Best friends aren't supposed to do something like that!  And Miranda.  She's probably forgotten all about me.  Just when we had discovered feelings for each other, I disappear.  It was a hard choice, and I chose my own freedom over her.  It took everything I had not to break out in tears on the spot.

I was broken out of this conscience-shaking daydream by the feeling that someone was watching me.  I spun around just in time to see the head of someone duck behind a building.  Team Elemental.  I quickened my pace, suddenly filled with rage.  This is it, I thought.  I will break you guys out of that blasted prison if it's the last thing I do!

I continued on my way.  "The next Elemental thug I see's going to find out what it's like to be one-armed," I muttered to myself.

Finally, Bill's house came into view.  I saw Axel, Cat, and Seth waiting for me, and I ran to join them.  "Still waiting for Vincent and Steel, huh?"

((okay, good enough for me. Here comes redt and shina...))

Jeremiah finally caught up with us. I let out a sigh of relief; if he was good, then the other two probably were as well. Then, as luck would have it, I saw Vincent and Steel approaching while looking over Jeremiah's shoulder.

I pointed. "Not so much. Here they come now." Vincent and Steel finally made it to the rest of the group. They explained that they had taken the long way around, choosing to go over Nugget bridge, rather than under it like the rest of us. I nodded, then the six of us proceeded up the path to Bill's house.

The little garden was... interesting. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen one. The flowers blowing gently in the breeze, their scent on the air; it all felt like home, in a way. Even the coziness of the house appealed to me. I thought abstractedly that it was the exact kind of house that my parents would have wanted to live in. Not just a house; a home, filled with love and happiness.

We walked up to the door. I looked at the others, made sure that Cat had the cube, then knocked. Three times, then a pause. I really hoped that he was still alive, and lived here. What if he was dead? What would we do for our answers then? I began to panick. Maybe it was a trap, set by Team Elemental to capture us. I was about to tell the others we should leave, when the door opened.

An old man clutching a cane greeted us. "Welcome. My name is Bill. I have been expecting you." He gestured with his free hand. "Please, come in. Make yourselves comfortable." The group trooped inside. I studied him quickly as I walked in. He had a weathered, clearly old, face, but it had a measure of kindness to it that was unfamiliar to me.

Inside his house, there was a desk, a rocking chair, and lots of strange and odd objects. In the corner, there was a pink Pokemon, dancing around. There was also, surprisingly, a boy. Bill followed us in, checking outside first. "This is Leo. He is an orphan that is staying with me for right now. I'm sorry that I don't have extra chairs, but I assure you that the rug is a very comfortable one." We all sat down.

I led the way. "Mr. Bill, my name is Axel Smith. I was born in Celadon, but lived more recently in Saffron City. With me is Cat, Seth, Steel, Jeremiah, and Vincent." I pointed at each one in turn. "We... met in some rather unique circumstances. But first, I would like to ask you a question: do you recognize this object?" I gestured to Cat, and she pulled the cube out, holding it up for the old man to see.

Bill's eyes sparkled. "...Where did you get that?" There was an energy and sudden interest that had been absent before. His voice sounded stronger, more vigorous; this was important. "Have you... are you... have you used it? She's clearly not transforming, and yet - this is amazing!" I nodded, then proceeded to explain the night before, and what had occurred to us since then. It was a surprisingly long narrative; but I wanted to be sure to explain every detail, considering the strangeness of the story. When I forgot a detail, one of the others would chip in and supply it.

At the end, there was a long pause. I wasn't sure if this was a good thing or bad thing. Bill lifted his head. "The cube is an invention of mine. I worked with the Silph Corporation to create the final product; it was supposed to be used for science the world over."

"The intrinsic nature of the cube is that it grants the user the power to transform into a Pokemon. At first, it grants you a form which you may pick. However, it is possible, and very easy to acquire more forms." He wrapped his hands in his shirt, then gestured for the cube to be passed to him. Cat willingly obliged. He tapped it in a few different spots, then nodded approvingly when a line of golden text appeared across the top of it. "It still works like a charm. So, let's see... We have an Axel Smith that transforms into a Mightyena, a Seth McGrath who transforms into an Aggron, a Cassie Taylor who transforms into a.." He laughed. "..a shiny Charizard. My, miss, but you definitely have taste." He grinned at Cat. "A Steel Feor that turns into a Gallade, a Jeremiah Martin that morphs into a Kabutops, and a Vincent Maretti who turns into a Staraptor." He looked at all of us in turn.

"This is clearly a very capable group. However, you will not be able to work together very cohesively, at the moment. It takes time to learn to control your morphs; they each have moves and abilities not granted to man. To use these powers for good is a priority." He looked towards Leo. "I told you that there would be heroes coming tonight, didn't I?"

I raised my hand hesitantly. "Sir, you mentioned earlier that there was a way to acquire more forms. Could you tell us how?" He nodded sagaciously. "Certainly. All you have to do is place the palm of your hand on the Pokemon you wish to morph into. This will calm them, while you acquire their DNA, and incorporate it into yourself. However, we placed a limiter on the machine; you will only be able to turn into a total of 6 Pokemon. We didn't want anyone to abuse the power willy-nilly." He thought for a moment. "There are some other peculiar qualities to morphing; during the test trials, we found that if you had an injury, when you morphed, that injury becomes healed. So, if say, you had a broken arm as a human, all you would need to do is morph, then turn back into a human to heal it. Additionally, all your clothes and possessions will be on you when you morph back; it's a curious side effect, but a convenient one, I suppose."

He sighed. "Team Elemental has ruined so many great things about the world. We had peace; we had great advances in medicine and technology. But now... " Another sigh. "There is not much time. I am old; as much as I would like to travel with you, to become a Pokemon and learn to fly, to climb, to become one with nature, it is not for me. But you young ones, you can do it. You can become the PokeMorphers that I had envisioned in the creation of this device. You can save the world." He looked one more time at Leo.

"But, enough of my senseless ramblings. I have a favor to ask of you." I nodded. "Sir, for the simple favor of you not turning us into Team Elemental, we'll do our best to accomodate this favor." It was rather strange. Here was an old man, with so much locked into his mind; but rather than try to protect his knowledge, he was willing to give it up to strangers with unique gifts.

Bill continued. "Leo here came to me at a bad point in his life. He has much to learn; but I cannot teach it to him. He is stubborn, and sometimes rather aggressive; but he is courageous and good, in his heart. I want you to take Leo with you." He looked at us expectantly.

"You... what?" I blanched for a second, then looked at the kid. He was a little on the short side; maybe 10-13 years old, somewhere in there. He had a fierce look in his eyes that I had seen so many times on the street; but he also had something in him that dared me to say no. I looked at the others. "What do you guys think?"

((loong post. and i need to rest my eyes. but hey, we finally made it! ))

((Yeah, finally made it! ))

Whoa. Bill just asked us to save the world. [i]The entire world.[i] I tried to let that sink in while I thought about the other things he said. There was a way to acquire new morphs. Transforming and then transforming back was an instant healer. And that transforming saves your clothes, which we all figured out already. I thought this visit had worked out pretty well. The weird thing was, when Bill finished talking, he asked us to bring the kid living in his house with us, who's name was Leo. Axel asked the group what we thought. "Well, Mr. Bill, if he's couragous and good like you say he is I don't see how it could be a problem." I said, looking at Axel, Bill, then Leo. I thought I would then wait for the rest of the group to reply, but then I thought of a question that I might never be able to ask again.

"Um, and I have a question, Mr. Bill." Bill nodded at me. "Did you know any Pokemon Trainers when you were younger?"

((I thought I would ask, since it seemed like the entire group was wondered.))

((Just a note for myself; Axel (rex), Seth (polygon), Cassie (lady), Trevor (red), Vincent (taji), Jeremiah (twist)))

Heroes? Save the world? These guys? Was the old man really serious? ...

Hearing the story of their ventures up until now, Leo began to become very intrigued by the cube and pokemorphing... if these guys were capable of that, could it be that perhaps the old man was right? Leo turned just to catch sight of the cube's glimmer, his eyes at a sparkle. Leo turned back without the others noticing. These guys, they were all idiots who wouldn't know what to do with such power. Leo on the otherhand, thought he knew better. Of course he did. Leo smirked a little, mischievously. What were his intentions?

When Leo became the topic again, he grunted, "Hmph, I know enough! Elder Oak WAS my village's Elder, you know!" he tried to be cross at Bill in front of the others, but it obviously wasn't showing. So much for the tough guy look. He turned, his arms falling to his jacket pockets. He wasn't gong to win any trust without playing the part. His eyes fell to the cube before he bowed his head, "...But anyway, please take me with you. I'd like to fight alongside you guys. I know I'm just... a kid. But I know everything there is to know about pokemon, maybe even more! You won't regret it."

Suddenly, Seth's question hit a nerve. "What?!" Leo's sudden outburst. He was actually quite shocked, "Are you serious?!! Bill, the famous pokemon researcher? Inventor of the original pokemon storage system? Bill practicularly used to know every single trainer who lived in the Kanto and Johto regions!"

I was kind of startled by Leo's outburst to my question, though the fact that I knew exactly who Bill is and what he did made me disregard that. "You were like, famous?! Wow... That must've been cool.

((I know that was kind of short. Just thought I should put in.))

((don't forget about twistedturtwig, who is Jeremiah))

Bill laughed at Leo's defense of him. "Indeed, I knew many trainers back in the day. And, as Leo mentioned, helped them keep track of all their Pokemon. It really is too bad that battling became a thing of the past; it was such a great outlet for people to go out and meet Pokemon while traveling the world."

While Seth, Bill, and Leo talked about trainers, I thought about Leo. I liked his confidence; it was definitely a characteristic that you didn't see too often these days. On the other hand, the age bit was an issue. But then it hit me; was I much older than him? Was Seth or Cat? It occurred to me that almost everyone in this room was old, in one way or another; Bill had old age, while the rest of us had seen too much to really be true youths anymore. I made up my mind.

"Leo, I think it would be the right decision for you to join us. If you're willing to pull your weight and help us out, I can't think of a single reason why you can't come." I smiled at him, then asked Cat for the cube. "Here; all you have to do is touch it, and there'll be some... weird flashing lights, and then you'll get to pick some new forms. Morphing isn't painful, but it can definitely be unusual and uncomfortable. If you want to travel with us, please take the cube." I held it out to him, feeling that this was the right thing to do.



Joseph and his troops finished crossing over the Nugget Bridge. It had taken a lot longer than expected to get the necessary equipment out of the truck, then to finish up with the civilians. Finally, however, they would be able to get those kids. A little ways away, there was a small house, with a thin column of smoke rising into the afternoon sky.

"Come on, guys, we're almost there." Joseph grinned, then started walking.

((Wow, major plot development. And I look forward to the Nidoking fight *Grins*))

I couldn't help but smile at Bill's enthusiasm-- it was easy to see why he had become so famous, and why young Trainers looked up to him-- before passing Leo the cube. "All yours, kid. Enjoy."

I began to pace gently, looking out the window, deep in thought. "Bill, I hate to interrupt, but did you receive any... calls from the authorities? We kind of ran into some trouble on the way and had to use force to defend ourselves... We can protect ourselves, but if-- or I should say when-- they come, we need to get you out of here. They'll readily execute you for helping us."

As Cassie handed the cube to Axel, which then he handed out to Leo... Leo's heart started to thump LOUD inside his head. Axel's words went dim. Leo swallowed, taking a glop. He let out a deep breath. His hands at his sides started to quivered ever so slighty, like a tick. A sweat drop fell down his cheek, his eyes completely focused on the item. ...If this was the moment he was waiting for, he should take it now. Just, no regrets. Steal and run away with the cube. ...But then what? He didn't know where any of the tribe were... He then thought of Sarah, and he began to think away from all of that. He didn't need them anymore. These guys... even though they didn't know what he did, Bill liked them. He trusted them. Leo sighed to himself. If he took the cube away, he'd be taking these people's hopes away from them, just as Team Elemental did to him... He looked to old man Bill, who was of course smiling at him, giving him every confidence to take the cube. It was his invention he obviously trusted for Leo to use as well, as well as these random guys that just all happened to stumble upon it. Leo looked deep down at himself. His itchy hands falling back down from the cube. Was this true hope these guys found within themselves, or was Leo just overthinking too much?

Leo closed his eyes in a chuckle, turning to Bill, "It's obvious. I understand you now. You wanted to meet these guys, to see if they had what it takes to handle the pokemorphing... no, you wanted to see if they had what it took to... save the world. I don't know what you would've done if they didn't, but you do trust them, and your confidence for them is crystal clear. I, on the otherhand... You gave me a choice. You knew from my background that I was desprite. You saw it too when I told you I would've taken Clefable for my own cause and justification. ...But now that I understand that. No, even if I didn't... You gave me two open choices. The choice was to either betray yourself and everyone here, give in to my pain and take the cube for myself. Or, acknowledge that these people have what you said they did. That these people, do indeed have what you were searching for..." Leo's eyes met the floor, "I know what you're trying to do. You're just like my Elder. You're trying to give me back hope... And this test... It was to show that I did still indeed have such a thing. But... I'm not buying it. I don't believe in it. I don't believe in these people. And after just now, I don't believe in myself."

Leo angerily traced his eyes back to the cube. If he didn't believe in anything... than he was just like Sarah. He grit his teeth. She abandoned everything, their village, their people, even her family, even her brother... If these thoughts Leo had were the same, than perhaps he should travel alone as well. But without a pokemon at his side. He would BE the pokemon. Leo snatched the cube from Axel's hands, an immediate reaction filling Leo's mind. His eyes widened, almost petrified. His consciousness forced into this other world.

Welcome to the Cube Interface. You are about to participate in an experiment that will revolutionize the world. Bill extends his thanks for participating in this trial, especially since it's his first joint project with Silph. And with this ability, we hope you will be better able to understand Pokemon and the world around us. Welcome to the PokeMorphs program. Please select a Pokemon.

Sarah always had one pokemon with her. Always. It was a gift from their parents. Even though they were secluded in their village, the act of giving a child their first pokemon when they met the age... that tradition was never lost. Sarah's first pokemon was... always walking alongside her.

Choice selected. Thank you for your participation.

When Leo came back to reality, he had time enough to place the cube back into Axel's hands, delivering him a smile. He decided he wasn't going to take it, reassuring him. Suddenly, his transformation took place. As he shunk, yellow fur grew all over his body as two red spots blushed his cheeks. An electric tail formed from his now stripped back and his head poking up two alert ears. When Leo's vision darted the floor around him, he knew then what pokemon he had become. He was a scruffy-looking small Pikachu with a fringe. Besides what the old man said about the clothing, his bandana stuck with the transformation.

<NOOOOOO WAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY...> Of course, all that was heard at the time being was a major groan of; "PIIIIIIIKAAAA PIIIII..." he rolled over onto his back, looking upon his yellow paw. The cute little Pikachu sighed, <I'm such an idiot... Why didn't I think of a legendary?! Why couldn't I have picked an all mighty dragon like Dragonite?!!> he whimpered to himself, rolling his back to the others. Suddenly, his ears perked up. The Pikachu shot up. Those sounds, lots of people were coming in this direction, along with a... Leo froze up. He couldn't believe he didn't notice it before. What the heck were those stomps? Each stomp echoed the Pikachu's little heart, sending him deeper and deeper into fear... And why did that thing scare the hell out of him? It was coming closer and closer... it was so far off yet it was only a matter of time before it would soon approach them all... It was almost like this monster's soul purpose was to destroy them, rip them all to shreads... It sent shivers down his little spine. However, Leo, now a pokemon, had the power to protect anyone from harm. After so long, finally he could save the people he loved the most. His eyes shot up at Bill.

Taking all his courage with him, Leo shot up. Quick Attacking himself through and breaking the window with a smash, he landed on the ground, soon propelling himself to a branch and jumping tree to tree. <Those bastards... I dunno how or why I know this... But those guys are definitely Elemental... I can smell them now...> Leo's eyes gleamed, <I'm not going to let them take you away like they did to my family. Old man, I will protect you.>

Bill looked at Leo as he transformed. "Huh, that bandanna should not be there... How strange. Must be an anomaly. Either way, it's convenient for him, I guess." He grinned. The fascination with science from his youth had not quite died, it appeared.

Leo had handed me the cube. I wasn't sure what to do with it now; we had brought it to Bill to examine, but we wouldn't be able to use it. Either way, there might be others who would join with us, in which case we would need the cube. I sighed; lugging it from place to place was going to be a hassle, despite its size.

I looked at Bill. "Hey, do you have a satchel or something that I can use to carry this around? We need to be able to hide it from others." He smiled enigmatically. "Actually, I have something better." He pressed a few areas of the cube, and it... shrank down. It became the size of the end of my index finger, then sprouted a fine chain that connected back to itself, forming a loop. For all intents and purposes, it was a necklace. Bill looked at it, handed it to me, then added, "It won't perform its duties in this mode, mind you. To return it to normal size, three of you must touch it at once. To shrink it back down will only require one, now though."

Suddenly, Leo, who had been exploring the limits of his form, dashed out the window. Bill cried out. "LEOO!!" The boy had gone through the window, and was now dashing from withered tree to withered tree. I sighed. "Maybe we were a little too eager to let him in..." Bill sighed. "That boy can be so... so.. impetuous, sometimes." He seemed frustrated, but at the same time, proud.

I was wondering what could cause Leo to dash off. Then I thought back on what Cat had asked. Quickly rounding on Bill, I demanded, "Wait, you never answered Cat's question earlier. Did anyone call you?" It was possible that Leo had picked up on something. Bill replied. "There was a group of police that called, saying there were rebels in the area. I swear, as soon as Leo had morphed, I was going to have you kids on your way." I swore violently.

This can't be happening. The past two days, I've done some amazing crap that I never imagined in my best dreams; IT CAN'T END LIKE THIS. I motioned to the others. "We need to get outside and get moving. If it's the cops, they'll be looking for us." Bill grabbed my arm. "Son, you can't fight them. Not yet. You need more forms and experience. Head for Johto. There are people there who can help you. Like those who used to take care of Leo, they will be hidden. But that place will be the best to start." I nodded, then began to morph, putting on the necklace before I went too far.

<Bill, thank you for your kindness to us. But we need to be on our way. We will draw them off, allowing you time to escape.> He shook his head slowly. "My time is up, young man. I've lived almost a century past the time when I should have died. I choose to make my stand, here, now. And I am not a helpless old man; I'm BILL, dammit, and they will rue the day they came to this house!" I grinned, showing fangs. <Then this is good-bye. Thank you, Bill. May luck find her way to you tonight.> I followed Leo out the window.



Joseph and his men ground to a halt. They had just reached the garden. A Mightyena leaped out the window, saw them, and began to growl. Joseph grinned in response. "Kid, you should have picked something better. Because this time, we brought the big guns." From behind the men, there stomped a large, menacing creature.

"ROOOOOAAAAARRR!!!" A large, hulking, green lizard with a savage look was stomping forward towards the little Pokemon. Joseph's grin grew wider. "Tyranitar, take this pathetic furball out!" The handler for the massive creature blew a whistle. It charged forward, moving faster than many would have thought possible for something its size.



Aw, crap. All of a sudden, I was hit by a thousand bulldozers. I flew back, landed against a wall, and almost blacked out. This thing was too big, too strong. I couldn't fight it. I couldn't do anything to it. No type advantage, nothing. In human form, it'd be even worse.

The others came out the doors. <Guys, we need to beat this thing, and fast. Before Bill...> I shook my head. I could've sworn there was a pink blob standing next to Steel. What...?

"Clefable, use Meteor Mash on that Tyranitar!" The little thing bounced up, then suddenly punched the living hell out of the Tyranitar. It fell over, then got back up, vengeance in its eyes. "Go, kids! I'll hold them off!" Bill yelled.

I got up, bruised and shaken. <He's right. None of us know our forms well enough to fight it. We have to leave or die. Bill... thank you. I will not forget this.> Tears leaked out of my eyes, and I bounded away.

((everybody needs to leave; morph or do whatever is necessary to flee. I think we should meet up on the route east of cerulean; just make up a path that goes around the city. Crunchy, feel free to have a last good-bye with Bill. Or to stand and fight for a little bit, but you have to leave Bill in the end.))

I couldn't hold back a smile as Leo turned into a rather scruffy-looking Pikachu, but then he leapt through the window-- even without my Charizard ears, I could hear the little growl and frowned as I listened to the mental speech, before cursing thoroughly in several languages and looking back at the rest of the group, climbing onto the windowsill that Leo and Axel had dived through.

"Bill-- thank you for everything. Gods bless." I lowered my head, then leaped out, concentrating on my morph even as I jumped-- my wings sprouted first, and for one glorious moment, I was a human girl with two black-scaled and red-membraned dragon wings growing from my back. I beat them and surged upwards as the rest of my body shifted and changed, the Charizard mind taking over as it scented the Tyranitar, a blood-red mist drifting over my eyes as the enemy-smell filled my nostrils.

As I shot towards the fight, I could hear a Mightyena's barking, before a Clefable proceeded to start beating the living hell out of the Tyranitar. As I swooped in for a pass, I heard a familiar human voice, Bill's, shouting to us. "Go, kids! I'll hold them off!"

I growled unhappily to myself, understanding his logic but unwilling to leave him. An idea struck me, and I inhaled deeply-- I felt my fire sac burn to life-- then I exhaled, breathing a tremendous gout of flame over the attacking troops, unfortunately missing the Tyranitar's handler but managing to catch their transport and turn it into a fireball, the fire raking over the men and causing them to scream in pain as they died.

<I did my best, Bill. The odds look somewhat better now. Thank you for everything, and Gods bless.>

With a last parting shot of fire, I banked away, following the path the Mightyena had taken.

((Oooh, action. 0.0))

Just like that, we were leaving. Not just leaving, running. I ran outside, and saw Bill fighting Team Elemental with Clefable. The Clefable was an incredibly skilled fighter. I saw Cat help Bill a little, and thought I should help, too. It's the least I could do. I ran up so I could see a large group of opponents. "Hey, Bill! Watch out!" Bill responded by moving over a little. I morphed into Aggron. It took a lot less time then usual. I guess my body was just getting used to transforming. I roared at the Team Elemental members. Then, I summoned up a massive amount of my energy, and concentrated on exerting it through my mouth. I let loose a devastating beam, blowing back a large group of the Elemental thugs, including the Tyranitar's commander. Unfortunately, he started to get up, unlike the rest of the thugs.

I morphed back. "Thanks again, Bill" and started to run off. I realized that the Hyper Beam drained my energy in my human form as well. Because of that, I started jogging. I guess I should try to find out where to go next. <Guys, can you here me? Where should we go next?>

After feeling wobbly after his first tranformation, Leo quickly picked it up in order to protect someone he cared about, if only picking up on two main attacks without thinking. Elemental set pawn after pawn out onto the field, Leo quickly rushing back and forth through a series of Quick Attacks --- but they just kept coming. Leo was getting surrounded, catching both the Mightyena and Charizard making a break for it. <No!!> the Pikachu cried out, <You can't leave!! You're supposed to be the heroes, right?! Why aren't you protecting the old man?! Hasn't he done enough for you?! Why!!> Leo's sharp little teeth clenched up, exploding into a Thunderbolt, <WHYYYYYYYY?!!> Violent sparks ignited the ground all around him after that, sending shocks into the troops who stumbled into the area. Leo's Thundershock didn't hold on long enough, as Leo stopped to catch his breath in quick hesitation, <...I don't understand... Dammit, it's all happening again! I can't protect anyone!!>

As the field and garden was set ablaze ---not unlike his village---, the Pikachu fought on. Leo caught a glimpse of Bill outside his door ---very much like his Elder and parents, too---, the Clefable and Tyranitar fought equally if not very closely --- sending attack after attack into each other with incredible roars and bellows. Leo wanted to fight alongside Clefable, but he couldn't with the rest of these guys undefeated. <Please hold up, Clefable. Give me more time...> Leo turned for a split-second to deliver another thunder attack in one direction, his cheeks lighting up as he wailed. Suddenly, from out of nowhere, the Tyranitar's fierce tail unpurposely slammed into him sending him flying into the thick flames.

Lying unconscious for awhile, Leo's eyes flicked open... his small pokemon body lying helpless on the ground. He was still there. In the middle of the battle at Bill's cottage --- in the middle of the war between his village and Elemental. The Pikachu's eyes watered. Nothing had changed since that day. He was still small, and he was unable to protect anything. The Pikachu tried to push himself up, only to collapse under his feet. Leo's teeth grit hard as tears flowed down the Pikachu's face, headbutting the ground and pushing himself up that way --- but it was no use. His tiny body was almost completely stunned by Tyranitar's strength. <I'm helpless, again!! Why, Sarah?! Why?!>

Suddenly, a bright flash of light erupted from a pokeball near him. Leo gasped, turning on his back as his cheeks burned from the overwhelming heat around him. A pokemon appeared from the light, and it was... But Leo couldn't continue. He was too exhausted to go on. Leo blacked out.

((That can be another of Bill's pokemon. Just get that pokemon to save the pikachu Leo from the battle and give him to one of the characters to run off with him, rex. That will be Bill's final goodbye to him. Leo won't be as dramatic after this, promise ))

After Axel gave Leo the cube, Leo shrunk and became a fluffy little yellow Pokemon. Pikachu, the electric mouse Pokemon, I thought.  An interesting choice. But why is the bandana still on his head?  While Leo tested out his new form, Bill told us a way to shrink the cube into a necklace, and Axel proceeded to put it on.  Leo then unexpectedly shot out of the window and sent us a message about something big coming.  Cat and Axel both morphed and headed out.  

I ran out the door, only to find the house surrounded by Police, helicopters, you name it.  But the most menacing thing of all had to have been the gargantuan, reptilian Pokemon standing in the front!  A Tyranitar!  It charged into Axel, and for a minute, I was afraid he was dead.  As he struggled up, Bill ran out with his Clefable.  "Clefable, use Meteor Mash!"  The seemingly cute pink creature delivered a damaging punch to the hulking beast.  "Go kids! I'll hold them off!" he shouted.  I transformed as I ran, feeling the usual thrill of transformation.  After it was complete, I sent a last message to Bill.  <Thank you Bill!  You won't be forgotten.  We'll take down Team Elemental one day, we promise!>

As I dashed out of sight, cutting the branches in front of me with my arms, I felt guilty.  We had just left an elderly man and a Pokemon to fend off a platoon of Police and their Tyranitar.  He stood no chance.  But he had told us to leave him behind, hadn't he?  Bill was sacrificing himself for our sake.  As soon as I was a good enough distance away from the battle, I sent a message out to the others.  <Is everyone okay?  Where are you?>

((@Porygon: Try not to forget that we can only use the telepathy while morphed. Otherwise, you have to speak. @Crunchy: Okey dokey.))

The field exploded into flames and blood and pain and death. Cat had managed to set the whole field ablaze; Seth had Hyper Beamed a good portion of the Elemental Grunts. But where were the others? Off to my right, I saw a Staraptor and a Gallade fleeing the scene. At least they had made it.

I looked around some more, then stopped running. Where was the new guy, Leo? I had promised to take the kid with us, and I would be damned if I didn't also take care of him, considering we had just left Bill behind. I sighed, then turned back the way we came. I was really hoping that this whole rescue-the-kid thing wouldn't be a trend...



Bill saw Leo fly out from the trees and begin attacking Grunts. Unfortunately, at that moment, the girl, Cat, had set the battlefield on fire; Leo was going to get hurt. Bill couldn't direct too many battles; as was, Clefable was still taking a pounding from the more highly trained Tyranitar. It was holding, but only just.

Desperate, Bill produced another Pokeball, then threw it out onto the field. "FIND LEO!!" A burst of light appeared, then an Espeon appeared. The Pokemon's eyes glowed blue, then it set off into the field, deflecting flames with psychic bursts as necessary.

Espeon trotted out onto the field. It had only seen the human twice before; but that was enough to find its scent. Espeon quickly trotted up to Leo, and licked his Pikachu-face a couple of times. He didn't really stir, but Espeon heard something... <...Sarah...>. It wasn't sure where the sound came from, and dismissed it immediately. Espeon picked up Leo in its mouth by the scruff of his neck, then trotted back towards Bill. But before he could hand the little one off to his master, a Mightyena appeared. Espeon cocked his head; this was not a normal Pokemon. It reeked of human.

Bill saw this, then cried out, "Espeon, give him Leo!! You can trust him!" Espeon heard this, and passed Leo off to the lupine-like Pokemon. As soon as this was done, it bounded off towards the battle, intending to help Bill out. It had not watched its brothers and sisters get given away just to miss an important moment.



I was holding Leo by his neck. I was trying really hard not to bite too hard, but like many adolescent animals, the Pikachu had a small flap of skin that could be used by parents to hold and carry it. The unfortunate part was that Leo was unconscious and burned; I really hoped that Bill hadn't been mistaken about the healing part.

I bounded away into the forest, then watched the battle for a couple of seconds. The Grunts had rallied; by now, they had managed to restrain Bill. Clefable was down, and Tyranitar was roaring triumphantly. It was a sad moment; another victim to Team Elemental had been made. The only way to make Bill's sacrifice worth it was simply to survive and use this power for good.

Off into the forest I went, wishing that I had been able to help, rather than run away... like a coward.



Joseph slapped the old man's face - hard. "WHERE ARE THEY?!" Bill shrugged nonchalantly. "You will never get it from me. Those kids are the future, and I will never give them over to the likes of you." Clefable and Espeon had already been put back in their Pokeballs and confiscated; he fervently hoped that they would be treated well.

Joseph frowned. "You will regret this, old man. Those kids are the scum; they are terrorists, and they will bring down the order that Elemental has created." He spat in Bill's face. "Take him away. We'll incarcerate him, wait for him to talk, and dispose of him." Bill was dragged away, back down the recently-extinguished road.

The sat-rad rang. Not a good sign. Somehow, the Governor already knew what had gone wrong; somehow, it was going to be blamed on him. Joseph knew this. "Hello?" "You have failed. No excuses. You knew how important this was, and what it means that you have failed. Joseph, Joseph, Joseph... You couldn't stop an old man and six young people? Was that beyond your capabilites?" Joseph blanched; there was no way to respond to the malevolence in the Governor's voice. "Sir... uh, um, what do you want us to do now?"

On the other end, there was a pause. "They will be headed for Johto. We need to acquire them before they get there, or I will lose credibility. Get to Viridian; I will meet you there." The line clicked dead. Joseph's jaw dropped. What have I done...?

((okay, everybody needs to meet up; shina, redt, you guys are in the forest now, for the record. We should probably skip Mt. Moon and Pewter, though. We'll go around. Also, Crunchy, we can use your Silph Scope soon. I'll PM you about what I would like to see.))

I heard Leo's voice in my mind accusing me of fleeing, and snarled angrily, resisting the pull of the dragon mind which had interpreted the words as a challenge. <Idiot boy, I just saved you from about fifty more soldiers! Think before you speak!>

Thanks to the dragon's heat-seeing eyes, I could see the Mightyena bounding off into the woods, closely followed by two smaller shapes, and a human one. I followed, high above, speaking to them via the telepathy.

<I'm above you guys. Don't worry, I'll keep pace, where are we going?>

((If you don't like this post rex it can be changed or deleted. I'm not sure Leo would reveal anything important just after an episode like that.))

Leo was running again, even in his Pikachu form... He was desprite to get away... Tripping over his own feet... Terrified... His village, the images of his parents, his friends... They were all burning up... Sarah, his Elder... And then Bill, and his sea cottage... All he could do was run away... Until he was all alone, again... The people he all loved were turned to ash... The only thing Leo could do was cry... Cry and run away, forever... And then he woke up.

Leo sat up in a glare. They were deep inside a forest now. By the feel of things, they had lost Elemental some time ago. It was peaceful. It was later on in the night. Perhaps midnight. Leo could feel a warm campfire gently swaying a small distance away, the backs of the groups' shadows skewed around him along the ground. He looked to his hand... He was human again. "Bill..." Leo sighed sadly, tightly shutting his eyes and letting out one final tear. Suddenly, that warm campfire felt like the intense flames of that battlefield, where and when he was defeated. He grunted, standing up and walking towards the others to take his mind from it.

He stood above the campfire, hands in his jacket pockets... He stared into the flame, thinking. "...I may not like you guys... But you were right to run away... There was nothing we could've done, was there?" he mumbled, looking to his feet sadly, "Bill trusted you guys, so, I can only do the same, right? I want to help you... But I need to know something first."

Leo turned to one of them. Was his name Axel? "Do any of you believe what Bill said, that you can actually save the world?" If none of them gave him the hope he was looking for, Leo was as good as gone. Bill did something heroic. He wanted to know that his death wasn't in vain. That these people were really worth protecting after all.

Without breaking pace, I responded. <Bill said something about a group in Johto that can help us. So, we need to get to Viridian and head west. But we need to avoid places where we can get ambushed or caught by cops, so we need to avoid Mount Moon and Pewter City. There should be forests that go over the mountain, and cut around Pewter. Unfortunately, we'll have to go through Viridian, but that shouldn't be a problem; it's not that big anyways.> I was breathing a little bit more regularly than a normal walking pace; this form was built for speed and chasing.

In my teeth, Leo was still in a comatose-like state. I could kind of feel the churning thoughts in his mind through the mental link, but nothing specific. <I have Leo with me, by the way, guys. He's not exactly awake; I think something knocked him out during the battle. When he wakes up, I'll let you guys know.> Off to my right, I saw Steel in Gallade form running alongside me, confirming what I had seen earlier.

I looked up, and saw Cat flying above us. Shortly afterward, Vincent joined her, although he had to flap a lot more to keep up. I mentally sighed, keeping my thoughts to myself. Bill had allowed us to leave with the most precious work of his life; would we prove ourselves worthy of such a grand gift? I desperately wished that we would be able to prove ourselves worthy. Because I now knew that I wanted, more than anything else, to find Elemental's leaders and overthrow them.

We ran on for hours. Eventually, the sun was way past the horizon, and night had truly settled down. By now, all of us had managed to group together; even Seth had managed to find his way to the rest of us. We started a fire, and settled down around it. I set Leo down on a log, to sleep. I morphed back to human form, and sat down in front of the fire. My eyes began to blink ever more slowly; it had been a long 48 hours, with little sleep.

Eventually, Leo woke up and morphed back. He started talking. I tried to assuage his doubts. "Leo, I think we did do the right thing. We honored him by obeying his last request; if we had stayed and fought, and lost, his sacrifice would've meant nothing. He wanted to make his last stand here. I don't like it any more than you do; but Bill chose. And we respected that choice." I had to think a little bit more about Leo's next question.

"I don't know if we can save the world. I hope we can; it seems like I'm too young to do such a thing. But if we can't, who will? Nobody else has these powers, and utilizing them for the common good seems like the best idea to me."



In the dark room, Farquahar paces. These brats are proving to be more of a problem than previously thought; they would have to be eliminated. But that idiot Joseph was proving himself incapable of the task; he couldn't even prevent one old withered man from ruining a mission.

The pacing stops. He said that he would be going to Viridian. Of course they would be heading to Johto; staying in Kanto would be a death sentence for them. However, he couldn't allow anyone else to be responsible for their capture. If one of the other Governors were able to find them, it would be disastrous for his reputation. And the Master would not approve. Farquahar reached out to a case. Within were five Pokeballs; he reached out and attached them to the inside of his business jacket. Some jobs needed to be done personally.

Heading up to the roof, Farquahar thinks. If he stopped them and presented the lot to the Master, he could potentially become a Governor of more than one region; and his position would be guaranteed and not thought to be a result of his first acts of violence. Farquahar's eyes gleamed; position was power, and oh how he craved that power.

On the roof, a chopper is powering up. There are no logos or labels to show that it is an Elemental helicopter; but nobody else has the technology, so its presence will strike fear regardless. He boards, then tells the pilot, "To Viridian. Destiny awaits." The chopper lifts off.

((nah, it's good; I was a little confused as to how we wound up at the camp, but I just edited that in after seeing your post))

A quick burst of Charizard flame was enough to set up a campfire-- I landed but stayed in my morph in case of trouble, curling up and tucking my tail under a wing so the fire wouldn't attract attention, staring into the flames, deep in thought about what the future held for us.

Finally, Leo woke, reluctantly agreeing with leaving the scene and asking if we could actually save the world. I let out a soft draconic growl of amusement as I lifted my head to regard him as Axel replied.

<I don't rightly know either, kid. We're a pretty rag-tag bunch, I'm pretty sure Steel-- our Gallade friend-- and I are the oldest here. But like Axel said-- if we don't at least try, who's gonna do it in our place? Nobody else can stand up to Elemental. I've spent half my life on the streets, and I don't have anything to lose. If I get killed in the process of saving the world, so be it.>

After countless hours of exhausting running, I finally met up with the others.  We made a little make-shift camp, and Cat started a fire.  I morphed back, my features becoming human again.  Leo, who had been knocked out, awoke and de-morphed.  He finally agreed that leaving Bill was the right thing to do, and then asked if we thought that we could really save the world.  After Axel and Cat replied, I gave my answer. "Well, Leo, we're pretty much the only hope this world has.  Or if you want, I could call up the other group of Pokemon-transforming teens.  I've got them on speed dial."  I've really got to stop it with these cruddy jokes.

I let out a huge yawn.  "Man, I'm tired.  Fighting bad guys sure wears you out, huh?  I'm going to go to sleep now, if that's alright with you."  I laid down, and almost immediately fell into a deep trance, and entered the world of dreams...

However different each one of their opinions seemed, they all pretty much came to the same conclusion. If they couldn't save the world, who else could? Leo smiled, letting his eyes close for a second. Bill's words of hope remained with him. Even if the others couldn't grasp it. It was all Leo had left. It comforted him, he thought. It gave him some hidden confidence only those who could see deep down inside his heart could ever see.

"Leo, they are coming now. The heroes... The Champions who will bring the world to glory, they have come.

"Perhaps it was fate, but in many ways, I am also glad that I have managed to stay alive for far longer than I should have. It brought you to me, so that we may be able to make a difference."

"I told you that there would be heroes coming tonight, didn't I?"

"Thanks..." Leo smiled warmly to himself. Was it to either Bill's echoing words inside him, or to the group who saved his life? Who knew...

---

When the others had rested and had woken up. Leo stood again to the campfire. He held a device hidden inside his jacket pocket.

"Just so you know, I'm only helping you because I owe you guys a favour." He pouted, before telling them all what Bill told him baack at the house...

Flashback~

Bill called young Leo to his side. "Leo, they are coming now. The heroes... The Champions who will bring the world to glory, they have come. I want to give you something..." With the help of an old, gnarled cane, Bill got up out of his chair, and went to his old desk. In times past, there had been a computer here, with which Red had helped Bill turn back into a human. He hadn't known that it would lead to his greatest invention, far greater than the PC, or the Transfer system. An invention that was now lost to the seas of time... Bill shook his head. He was old, and there was no time for such reminiscenses. He opened a drawer, and took out an object.

"Leo, this object is called a Silph Scope. When it was new, it was at first only capable of allowing us to see Pokemon such as Haunter in their true forms. I modified it long ago to allow it to navigate for you, and find Pokemon, among other such trivial things." Bill stooped down, and took Leo by his shoulders.

"But its most magnificent power is this: when you look at a person or a Pokemon with this, you can see the true nature of their heart. A good person will glow gold; a bad person will exude a dark projection. Use this to help the heroes, and I'm sure that you will be better off for it."

The flashback ended as Leo pulled out the Silph Scope to confirm his story was a fact. It looked like a set of advanced silver binoculars with a dangling black strap that could be carried around your neck. He pulled the strap over his head and looked through it, turning towards the group. He chuckled, sadly. Of course, the old man was right. Peering through them, each one of the group had blazing gold auras fuming from their bodies. Without a more detailed expection, he placed them down and let the scope hang to his body.

"...There's more as well, that I should really tell you. Bill handed this item to me, knowing what I knew..." Leo hesitated, but only for a second, "So, I'll tell you the rest..."

"There's a story, actually, a belief in our old village, told by the late Elder Oak... When a pokemon is murdered... it's spirit still lingers in this world. Unaware of it's tragic fate and its death, the pokemon wonders for all eternity, hoping that one day, it will meet it's new trainer, and will finally find peace in this world... In it's ghostly form, that pokemon is fated to relive it's tragic events that took its life, again and again..." Leo placed his hands to his pockets again, reliving the screams and cries of countless pokemon from his village being slaughtered and taken away... "...However. Some of these unfortunate pokemon, eventually do find these trainers. By luck, or perhaps fate or destiny, I don't know... Unknowingly, those trainers stumble upon their spirits during their travels... Those pokemon become attached to those people... However, because humans are unaware of their existence, the pokemon follow them forever, hoping that one day that trainer could actually see them..." Leo smiled, closing his eyes as he placed a hand to his heart, "...Those pokemon guide us, protect us... They are the reason we are all here today. My Elder believed that each one of us who travelled throughout chaos, will always have at least one pokemon following us, one at a time... Travelling with us forever, until the day we gain the power to see them, and acknowledge them... Then, those pokemon will finally leave this world... And be put to rest."

Leo lifted the scope from his body, lending it to Axel, "I gave a quick look at each of you, and there's definitely a pokemon each that's been wondering the world with all of you," Leo smiled to Seth, "You saved me back there, right? I think you should have the first meeting with your protector. If the stories are true, though, it won't be easy as just communicating with that pokemon... To fully acknowledge them, and gain their power so we can morph into them... We, too, have to relive their death... Only your pokemon is connected to your heart, so you're the only one who can carry the burden... You'll feel their feelings, their emotions, their wills... Once you touch them, you might even lose yourself... If that happens, it's all over for you. So remember this; all the pokemon wants is acknowledgement. You can't change their past, and their fate. You must except what happened, and then, they will be free, and their power is yours to control."

((very nice. not what i expected, but this is better :p))

I yawned, stretching my arms. After the discussion last night, I had conked out. It was nice to finally have gotten some uninterrupted sleep. Nonetheless, we had things we had to do today.

Leo produced a strange set of goggles, and explained that Bill had given them to him. Then, things got a little weird. Apparently, each of us had our own Pokemon guardian, a ghost that watched over us until we could acknowledge their existence. I wondered what mine was... According to Leo, the power of this... scope thingy, allowed us to commune with the ghosts, in such a way that we might be able to acquire their form.

I looked over at Leo. "Can we meet them? Now? If they are indeed our guardians, I think that we may need their help more than ever. As such, it'd be nice to be able to see them."

((pidgeot for me, please))

Leo placed a hand to his waist, dangling the googles in front of Axel's face almost sarcastically, "Of course! All you have to do is look through these. You'll see a few pokemon hanging around, watching over us. But believe me, you'll know which pokemon is connected to you straight away. It's a feeling you get. You know, like being in love, or something, or being really fond of a friend or family member... That kinda feeling!" Leo choked up, arms flying to the air and behind his head, swinging his body around, "Not that I know anything about that! I hate everything and everyone and I've never been in love before!! Hmph!!" he finally tossed the Silph Scope into Axel's lap, "Just hurry up and turn around already! Geez! I'm sure the Pidgeot's anxious for you to finally see her!"

Leo took a deep breath, turning serious for a moment, "...Just, don't go crazy, okay? This will probably be the hardest thing you'll ever experience... Don't lose yourself to the pokemon's emotions while reliving it's past. It'll eat you up and you'll be lost, forever..."