Chapter 1
Sodapop allowed himself a faint smile as he strode down the dirt road to the Beginner’s Gym. The easygoing weasel tossed the gold-and-silver Pokčball, containing his very first Pokčmon, from hand to hand as he reviewed the events of the past day... It was the day he got his license to be a Pokčmon trainer. A Pokčmon trainer! It was one of the most respected trades in the world! He always dreamed of being one himself. The weasel had read every book, magazine, and pamphlet available on Pokčmon training. He knew all the Pokčmon by heart, from Articuno to Venonat and back. So, when he turned 14 (the legal age to become a trainer among the Weasels), he immedietly sent in his application and eagerly awaited its return. Six weeks later, an official-looking package arrived in the mail. Soda has eagerly opened it. Inside was a letter of acceptance to the Pokčmon league! Soda felt dizzy...his life’s dream had been handed to him! Also nestled inside was a Pokčdex, a score of red-and-white Pokčballs, as well as a larger gold-and-silver one: the one that contained his very first Pokčmon. Soda used his Pokčball throwing method that he’d been fine-tuning for months. "Pokčball, go!" he cried. The Pokčball snapped open and a jet of red light streaked out and materialized into... "Cubone!" the creature said. "Haha, hey Cubone!" Soda laughed, lightheaded with glee. Cubone cocked his bonehelmeted head and then sprang into Soda’s arms like a happy puppy. Now, the young weasel was headed for the Beginner’s Gym. It was a clever idea, invented by Corona, who had been the very first weasel who’d become a Pokčmon master. It was a place for newbies to the Pokčmon trade to toss around a few Pokčballs, get to know their Pokčmon, battle a few sims, develop some skills before traversing off on wild Pokčmon journeys. Soda gaped in awe when he finally saw the building, looking oddly out of place in the nighttime forest. It was amazing! There were neon lights all over the place, like some kiddie version of Las Vegas. Giant statues of well-known Pokčmon were thrown here and there. A loud, blaring song played over the loudspeakers, Pokčmon songs, like the now-famous anthem of the Pokčmon League. "Wow." was all an awed Soda could say. A guy in a big foam Pikachu suit toddled up to the awestruck weasel and gave him a hearty slap on the back. "Hey kid, better quit gaping before you start to attract flies!" the Pikachu-suited idiotgrinning guy said. "You a first-timer?" "Yeah." Soda said, recovering from the initial shock. "Go on inside, then, don’t be shy!" the Pikachu-suited idiotgrinning guy laughed uproariously. Soda marched through the automatic doors, again unprepared for the amazing sight. The interior was almost as flashy as the exterior. The entire floor was covered in brightly-colored gym mats. The white walls had artistic renderings of Pokčmon on them. All over the place, noise and battle activity reigned: punching bags were being wiped out by flurry-fisted Hitmonchans. Staryus flew from long pools and smashed into brightly-colored balls hanging from the ceilings. A Charmander spun around artfully, blasting glowing jets of fire and blowing away targets that popped up around it. A scowling Mewtwo flung heavy weights around like styrofoam blocks with its psychic powers. Soda finally chose a place to start training his Cubone. It was a pod labeled "BattleSim: realistic simulated fighting!" The weasel opened the hatch and slid into the expansive dome. The BattleSim interior was a breath of fresh air from the noisy gaudiness of the rest of the gym. It was dimly lit by lights from the floor, and the walls were all greenscreen. All the noisy outside sounds of smashing and bashing and various Pokčmon yells were blocked out by some soundproof system. Soda flung the gold-and-silver Pokčball and cried out in his best Ash Ketchum imitation, "Cubone, go!" Cubone again emerged. "Cubone!" the skullhelmeted ground Pokčmon said in its froggyvoice. "We’re at the Beginner’s Gym." Soda said to Cubone. Cubone looked around at the walls of the BattleSim curiously. "We’re gonna fight." Soda explained. "Just do what I tell you to do and you’ll do fine." Cubone nodded and twirled its bone club eagerly. Soda walked over to the wallpanel. The screen blinked "Press to begin" in green letters. Soda pressed the touchscreen. "Select location," the machine instructed. Soda scrolled through several different locations, finally deciding on "Cave." He figured it was what Cubone was most comfortable with. As soon as he pressed the button, a soft hum sounded and the greenscreens and several holograms lit up, creating a perfect 3D rendition of a cave. "Cool!" Soda said. "Bone!" Cubone agreed. "Select opponents," came up next. Soda picked "Raticates" randomly off the list. "Set number." The max was ten, so that’s what Soda picked. His Cubone was tough. He could take ten Raticates, easy. "Set difficulty level." Pokčmon novice, Pokčmon Trainer, Pokčmon Master. Soda picked "Master." "Simulation begin." a disembodied voice announced. Zap! Zap! Zap! Three scuzzfurred Raticates appeared, bucky incisors flaring. They leaped at the startled Cubone with a Tackle attack. "Cubone, Leer!" Soda yelled, hoping Cubone knew that attack. Cubone hissed and Leered, stopping the three Raticates in their tracks. "Bonemerang, now!" Soda yelled gleefully. "Cuuuu-BONE!" Cubone yowled, hurling his bone club through the air. It sailed forward, hitting the trio of stunned Raticates neatly in succession. They fizzled and disappeared. The club landed neatly in Cubone’s grip. "Way t’go, Cubone!" Soda congratulated the victorious Pokčmon. "Bone." Cubone said cockily. Zap! Zap! Zap! Three more! This time, one leaped from behind and used a Tackle, knocking the startled Cubone over. The nasty rodent flipped the lizard over and charged up a Hyper Fang, ready to tear Cubone’s leathers. "Bone club!" Soda instructed, fighting panic. Bop! Cubone socked the Raticate right on its ugly head. It fizzled and disappeared. The other two Raticates sprang off the cavern walls and tried to pin Cubone between them. Their claws raked, seeking the lizard’s leathers. "Cubone, Thrash!" Soda cried to the confused Pokčmon. "CUBONE!" Cubone cried fearfully, flinging himself onto the floor and shielding himself. The Raticates stomped and bit and tormented their prey. "Thrash!" Soda repeated. Cubone whimpered and shuddered. "THRASH!" Soda screamed. This time, Cubone obeyed and fought back. He growled and attacked the harassing Raticates, bone club flailing. Smack, crack! The three fighting Pokčmon were a blur, Cubone’s orange leathers and flailing club, Raticate’s gnashing fangs and unkempt fur. Cubone emerged victorious. "Way to go, Cubone!" Soda laughed, his voice getting hoarse from all the yelling. Zap! Zap! Zap! Zap! The last batch of Raticates came skulking out of the caves. This time, they leaped in with various attacks. The leader of the batch’s jaws started moving at warp speed, his teeth a blur. Super Fang! Soda though fearfully. Cubone had already taken some punishment, a Super Fang might finish him. Then he’d lose! He had to choose a move... "Cubone, try using your Leer again!" Cubone Leered at the Super-Fanging Raticate. It wavered but didn’t fall. "Growl attack!" That hit the Raticate considerably. It staggered drunkenly for a moment. "Now, finish it with a Bonemerang!" Fling, fly! The bone club smashed into the Raticate, finishing it off. "Rrrrrraticate!" Another Raticate bounded in, Tail Whipping Cubone’s legs out from under him. Cubone gasped and swung blindly...striking Raticate’s nose by pure dumb luck. The rat dropped like a load of bricks and vanished. The last two came flying in at the same time, Hyper Fangs biting a million miles an hour. "Bonemerang attack, now!" Soda yelled. Cubone threw. The Raticates dropped and dodged. "Great." Soda said, his mind frantically groping for a solution. "Try..." What attack hadn’t he used yet? Smash! Smash! Both Raticates hit and Tackled Cubone, throwing him up against the wall. That was quite a hit, Soda prepared to call Cubone back and throw in the towel. After all, it was just a sim... "Bone! Cu! Cubone!" Cubone shakily got to its feet. Its normally docile gray eyes were flushed red. "What’s it doing?" Soda wondered, flipping open his Pokčdex for the lowdown. The Pokčdex’s mechanical voice explained. "Cubone’s special attack, Rage. Once Cubone begins using Rage, it goes totally out of control and grows stronger when it is hit. It will not stop fighting until its opponent falls." "Cool." Soda grinned. Cubone screamed angrily and hurled himself at the Raticates, flailing away. Again, they formed a ball of fighting fury, and again, Cubone came out on top. "Way to go!" Soda congratulated, kneeling down beside his Pokčmon. "Cu..." Cubone said wearily, his eyes going back to their vulnerable gray. "You’re hurt." Soda said, observing Cubone’s battered frame. "I’ll get you some of that Superpotion stuff." "Bone." Cubone said gratefully. Soda rummaged around in his duffel bag, looking for the case of Superpotion that had come in the package. He sprayed it over Cubone. The ground Pokčmon shivered a little and then brightened up, all his previous hurts gone. "Cubone!" it said with renewed vigor. "You were good in that sim." Soda said. "Bone." Cubone agreed. "We’re a great team." Soda went on. "I’ve got an idea." "Cubone?" "We’ll be the ultimate team." Soda said. "Me and you, we’ll go on the Pokčmon journey, and we’ll catch ‘em all! We’ll go all the way to the top and be the best Pokčmon trainer and best Pokčmon in history!" "Cubone! Cubone!" the little lizard did an exited hopskip dance. "We’ll both do our best." Soda said, offering his hand. Cubone clasped it tightly and nodded. "All right!" Soda whooped. "Cubone! Bone! Bone!" Cubone cried. Bam! Bam! Someone outside pounded on the BattleSim’s door. "Open up, moron!" the outsider said impatiently. "Geez, you’ve been in there forever!" "Return." Soda said, raising Cubone’s gold-and-silver Pokčball. "Cuuuubone!" Cubone said angrily, smacking the Pokčball away with his club. He let out an angry stream of "Cubone bone bone cubone cu cu bone!" "You don’t like Pokčballs, do you?" Soda asked. Cubone shook his head vehemently. "Fine, you don’t have to use one, then." Soda agreed. "But we better go, other people want to use this sim." Cubone sprang onto Soda’s back, piggyback style. Soda, although jarred that the tiny Cubone weighed so much, managed to keep him on. The weasel slung his duffel bag and stode out of the BattleSim, humming happily. His and Cubone’s lifechanging journey had only begun
Chapter 2