Poke-Odyssey 2001 chapter 13 Polluted Pokemon Today, we find Cameron and his friends walking through the crowded sidewalks of Ketchupopolis. The biggest city in Ryooku. "I can't believe how big this city is!" said Ash gazing at all the stores, traffic, and extremely tall skyscrapers. "That's nothing", said Cameron. "I've seen many cities in New Jersey that are even bigger than this." "Are they always this crowded?!" cried Misty as they were passing and rubbing against many disgruntled people rushing to their jobs. "Shrew!" cried Sandy who almost got his tail stepped on by a high-heel of a rushing woman. Then he got his foot stuck on some grape bubble gum stuck on the ground. "Shrew!" moaned Sandy. "Don't worry Sandy", said Cameron as he picked him up and pulled the sticky gum off of his foot and threw it in a nearby trashcan. "I'll carry you for the rest of the way." "Shrew", said Sandy relieved as Pikachu, who was on top of Ash's head, waved hi to him. "Pika, pi" he said. "I agree with you Pikachu", said Ash. "It's not a good idea to let Pokemon walk on sidewalks during rush hour." "Like the polite Chansey that offers a hurt Pokemon a nourishing softboiled egg, these people should learn to say, 'Excuse me!'" said a grumpy Reiko about to take out her katana in case the next rude person bumps against her, until Cameron pleaded for her to put it away. "GROWL!" moaned Growlithe who didn't like the crowds either. "These people can't help it", said Tracey. "This city is not only the biggest in Ryooku, but also the busiest." Then suddenly they stopped for there was a huge traffic jam at the crosswalk that resulted in a lot of honking and smog. "COUGH, COUGH, HACK!" coughed everyone including Pikachu, Sandy, and Togepi. "This place is unfit for people and Pokemon alike!" cried Misty as she put a tissue in front of Togepi's coughing mouth. "I know how to get rid of this smog", said Tracey as he released his Scizor. "Scizor, can you blow away this smog with your swords dance?" "SCIZOR!" said the metal bug as it spun around really fast blowing away the smog that surrounded them. "Thanks Scizor", smiled Tracey as he put his bug back into its ball. "Nice work Tracey", smiled Ash. "Thanks to you and Scizor, we got rid of at least some of this smog." "Like the Koffing that tries to avoid gassy foods to prevent any unpleasant smells", said Reiko coughing. "These people should really muffle their motors." "Oh, it's not just these cars causing this smog", coughed Tracey. "It's that place over there." And he pointed to a huge factory blowing out tons of endless smog. On the front of the building was the word, STENCHCORP. "STENCHCORP?" asked Ash. "That sounds like the perfect name for that place. P. U!" "Exactly", said Tracey. "The president of that company is the famous corporate polluter, Mr. P.U. Stench." "Well, I certainly don't want to make that place a spot on our sight seeing tour", moaned Misty. "I agree", said Cameron. "Let's just find that gym leader instead." "I'm afraid to tell you all this, but Mr. Stench is the next gym leader", sighed Tracey. "WHAT??!!!" cried everyone. "How can a corporate polluter be allowed to train Pokemon?!" demanded Ash. "They won't be able to survive in such filth!" "Actually some Pokemon can only survive in polluted environments", explained Tracey. "Like James's Weezing." "Yes, and it is polluted just like that dastardly James's mind!" scowled Reiko. "And don't forget your Muk, Ash", said Misty. "It's a pollution dweller too." Just then, Ash felt one of his Pokeballs about to pop open. "No Muk!" cried Ash as he held Muk's ball shut and quickly tied it up with duct tape. "Even though this polluted city might be paradise for you, it could also be trouble for you and for all of us as well." And he imagined the chaos that his slimy, smelly Muk could cause in a crowded city. "Which way is the shortest route to Mr. Stench?" asked Cameron. "Straight ahead", said Tracey. "As soon as this traffic dies down." "Like the cholesterol that clogs your arteries, this might take a long LONG while", sighed Reiko examining the traffic that won't seem to end. "Don't those dumb lights know what color green is?" grumbled Misty. "Maybe my red-hot buddy can help", smiled Ash as he released Charizard. All the citizens stepped back as they saw this huge fiery winged lizard let out a loud roar. Even traffic stopped. Actually they weren't really going anywhere in the first place. "Charizard", said Ash. "Can you fly us all to that building way over there?" "Char!" nodded Charizard as it lifted up Misty and Reiko in its arms while Ash and Pikachu got on its back. Then Charizard hovered in the air so Cameron and Tracey could grab onto its legs while Sandy and Growlithe grabbed onto its tail. Growlithe was near the fiery tip of Charizard's tail since fire didn't really hurt him. Once all of its passengers were on board, Charizard flew up in the air past the tight crowds and the unmoving traffic. "Ash, are you sure Charizard's strong enough to carry us all?" asked Cameron still hanging onto Charizard's leg. "CHAR!" growled Charizard as it breathed fire into Cameron's face until it was soot covered. "Charizard's rule No. 1", said Ash. "Never doubt Charizard's strength. Believe me!" "I do!" groaned Cameron as he polished the soot off his glasses with his free hand. "Char!" said Charizard in a proud voice. Then Charizard came down for a landing and everyone got off at the front of the Stenchcorp building. "Nice work Charizard", said Ash as he pulled it back into its Pokeball. "We would never have gotten through those crowds without you." "Ready to win our fourth Ryooku badge Sandy?" asked Cameron. "Shrew!" said Sandy as he led everyone to the entrance of the building. * * * * * * When our heroes stepped inside, they came across a huge hallway with lots of huge pictures on the wall. The first was a handsome, strong, young businessman with gorgeous blonde hair and a white smile. The second was the same businessman who had put on a little weight, his hair less thick and his teeth not so white. The third was the man even fatter, with half his hair gone and missing a tooth. And the final picture was the man all old with no hair, really fat, and yellow and black teeth with a few missing. "Like the Pokemon that lives to evolve, this man seems to prefer devolving", said Reiko. "I wonder who he is?" said Ash. "That there's our beloved boss Mr. P.U. Stench", said a woman at a desk typing up some stuff. "Wow, I guess age can really take its toll on you", said Misty as she studied the pictures. "Age?" asked the secretary. "He's 25. Those pictures were taken the very first few days he opened this factory a year ago!" "You mean?" gasped Misty. "All those changes came from working here in this factory?" The secretary just sighed as she pushed the button on her intercom. "Mr. Stench", she sighed. "Looks like we've got some more environmental protestors here." "You know what to do Miss. Waste", said an old gruff voice. The secretary smiled and pushed another button on her desk. Several small doors opened and out jumped a pack of Houndours snarling at our heroes. Growlithe quickly hid behind Reiko's legs for he remembered trying to attack a pack of those devil dogs one time, but got burned in the process. "These Houndours have an uncontrollable taste for life", said Miss. Waste as she calmly filed her nails. "And if you don't want them taking your lives, you have 20 seconds to vacate the premises." "But we're not protestors!" pleaded Cameron as a Houndour was slowly approaching him. "I'm just a Pokemon trainer who wants to challenge your boss for a badge." "Did you say you're a Pokemon trainer?" called out the same gruff voice from the intercom. "Miss. Waste, call the dogs back." "Are you sure about this sir?" asked Miss. Waste. "Of course I am!" grumbled the voice. "I already got the safety inspectors on my back and I don't need the Ryooku League on it too! They're impossible to bribe. Send them in!" "At once sir", said Miss. Waste as she pushed another button. A door in the ceiling opened and a pile of meat plopped down on the floor. The Houndours turned their heads around and stared at the animal flesh with pitchforks for eyes and drooling red-hot saliva. Then they pounced and attacked the meat like crazy while Miss. Waste pushed yet another button and all the Houndours fell through a trap door and out of sight. "Doesn't that hurt those poor dogs?" asked Tracey. "Nyaaah, they love falling through dark pits", said Miss. Waste. "It reminds them of their old home." Then she pushed one final button and the huge twin doors that were next to her desk slowly opened. "Mr. Stench will see you now", she said. They all stepped inside and found themselves in a huge office room with a huge desk at the end. There a chair was turned around and they saw smoke coming from the back of it along with a phone cord. "Make sure you give that safety inspector all that green stuff by today." Said that same voice. "And when I say green I mean money, not the glowing green stuff dripping from my reactor! Make sure that doesn't happen again!" and he hung up the phone. The chair turned around and our heroes were now face to face with Mr. Stench. He looked a lot like his final picture except he had a cigar in his mouth and green glowing skin. "Why hello there all you fine young faces", smiled Mr. Stench with an ugly, toxic smile. He extended his glowing hand to our heroes. "Uh, if you will pardon us sir", said Reiko. "Me and my friends prefer to bow rather than to shake. Right Came-chan?" "Oh yes", said Cameron and the others as they bowed to Mr. Stench who bowed back as well. "It's funny", said Stench. "Every person I've ever met just wants to bow to me. Is it something about my hygiene? "To tell you the truth", said Misty. "Not to offend you. But you're all green and glowing!" "Oh that", laughed Stench while coughing up tiny mushroom clouds. "I guess having green skin is the price you pay for running a corporation like mine. At least I match the color of my money." "I don't see how a corporate polluter can be a gym leader", said Ash. "All of this toxic could end up killing your Pokemon, not to mention a few people too." "Oh, you poor environmental minds!" sighed Stench. "You people just don't understand that pollution is the path to the future. In fact, the Pokemon I own and train are pollution surviors. Scientists predict that pollution-made Pokemon will outlive other Pokemon and even people in about a few years." "Really?" gasped Tracey. "Unless you paid those scientists to say that", said Misty. "What's that supposed to mean?" demanded Stench. "My foster dad is a scientist", said Cameron. "And he once told me this poem about pollution." Pokemon may look strong, tough, willing, and agile. But mess with their nature, and you could make them fragile. A cloud of smog, deforestation, or even a toxic spill, Could make all those strong Pokemon fatal or ill. Many of those Pokemon could become forever dead, And it could happen to humans if it continues to spread. Earth is our only planet of life not like the other eight. So please protect it from dying before it's too late. Stench just stood there silent at what this boy had to say. "Very impressive", he said. "Your father should write Captain Planet episodes. HA HA HA HA!" Cameron realized that he didn't get through to him. "Why don't I give you a tour of my factory and you can see how people and Pokemon are happy working my place." Said Stench as he pushed a button on his desk and a door opened. They followed Stench through a factory of employees wearing white suits and orange helmets at conveyor belts loading up nuclear rods and examining all sorts of dirty equipment. "Just look at all these happy people working here", said Stench. "The rods give off a nice healthy glow that makes them all cheerful." "But won't that make them mutate into some kind of monsters?" asked Cameron. "You've been watching too many cartoons kid", said Stench. "Ever since that Teenage Mutant Ninja Squirtles show came on, people have started badmouthing power plants and factories. I guarantee that handing radiation and toxic waste is 100 percent safe." Just then, an employee with Krabby pinchers for hands approached the group. "Uh, Mr. Stench", said the employee. "Can I go home for the rest of the day? I just suddenly grew these claws and it's affecting my work. "And the beaker he was holding in his claw suddenly broke. "Oh, uh,", stuttered Stench nervously. "Sure son. I knew serving seafood in the cafeteria yesterday was a bad idea. I should sue that evil-minded fish market that sold me those fish sticks. Yeah, that's it!" and he took out a pair of huge mittens and slipped them on the employee's pinchers. "Here's some complimentary mittens for being a good sport about all of this. Now you get on home and rest up and please don't take those mittens off until you get home or at least far away from this place. Bye bye!" "Thank you sir", said the nervous employee as he left the factory while toxic waste was oozing from his pants. "Yep, seafood will do that to you everytime", said Stench. Misty started to get angry at what this obvious liar had just said. "I'm a water Pokemon trainer and I know for a fact that eating water Pokemon does not make you grow pinchers! I bet it was your radiation that did this to that poor man!" "Hey, maybe it was a blessing for that lucky man", said Stench. "I'd kind of like to have pinchers myself. They make great letter openers." Suddenly, a reactor exploded and toxic waste spilled onto the floor and smog started to fill the room. The alarm went off and everyone went in a panic. "So you think your factory is safe, huh?" shouted Misty as she covered hers and Togepi's mouths. "Minor accidents can happen just like in any place of employment", smiled Stench. "But not to worry. This is a job for my Pokemon!" Stench took out two Pokeballs and released a Grimer and a Koffing. "Go ahead and save my business as usual my little unsung heroes", said Stench proudly. "Koffing!" said Koffing as it took a deep breath and absorbed all the smog so everyone could see again. "Grimer!" said Grimer as it absorbed all the spilled toxic like a sponge. "Nice job you two", smiled Stench as he pulled the happy fed Pokemon back into their balls. "Don't your realize we could've all been killed?!" demanded Ash. "You run a very unsafe and unhealthy factory!" "But luckily my two little heroes here saved the day just in time", said Stench. "You see kiddies, we need a balance of both nature and pollution in this world. If not, all those poor Koffings and Grimers out there would starve to death. Not to mention that Muk you have on your belt there." "Hey, how did you know I got a Muk in this ball?!" asked Ash surprised. "By the smell", smiled Stench. "I can smell a Muk or a Grimer a mile away. If it weren't for glorious pollution, you wouldn't have that wonderful Muk as one of your Pokemon." "Yes, lucky me!" sighed Ash thankful that Muk's ball was taped shut in this filthy factory. "Not only does pollution create wonderful Muks, it also created something else that's really precious to me", said Stench proudly. "Come on and I'll show you." And he led them to a door marked, TOP SECRET, slid a card key through the slot and the door opened. There in the center of a small room was a pedestal and on it was a pillow under a huge glass that contained a strange glowing stone. It was green glowing and was shaped like a skull with bones sticking out of its head. "What is that? Some skull of a deceased alien?" asked Misty. "You're looking at my prized possession", smiled Stench. "The Venomstone!" "Venomstone?" asked Cameron. "Is that another new evolution stone?" "Sort of", said Reiko. "My siblings have told me stories about the Venomstones. They can help evolve poison-type Pokemon to the next level. But these rare stones only form in places that get too polluted and toxic to even support life. Not even Koga or Aya would dare apply a Venomstone to any of their Pokemon. The consequences would be too fatal." "Well, this stone is too valuable for me to give to a Pokemon", said Stench. "So I only keep it here for display. Doesn't the sight of it give you a warm toasty feeling inside?" "It's giving me a feeling in my stomach that's for sure", said Misty looking very nauseated at that slimy stone. "I still don't see how you can raise Pokemon in this place", said Cameron. "What about Pokemon that can't survive in polluted areas? What will happen to them if the pollution spreads?" "For your information", said Stench sternly. "Pokemon do a lot better battling in pollution. It helps them develop more skills when faced with smog, sludge, and trash. And those things can even be helpful to them." "I definitely don't think any of my Pokemon can handle battling in those conditions", said Cameron. "Right Sandy?" "Shrew!" said Sandy remembering the gum that got stuck to his foot. "Well, if you want to win a badge from me, you gotta battle in my turf!" said Stench with a sinister smile. "I'll tell you what. If you can beat my Pokemon in their own natural habitats, not only will I give you a badge, I'll give up my polluting ways and find another source of power for my factory. What do you say?" "How about it Sandy?" asked Cameron. "Are you up to battling in Mr. Stench's probably polluted battlefields?" "Shrew!" said Sandy making boxing moves with his claws meaning, yes. "Well then let the games begin", said Stench as he instructed everyone to follow him to another room. * * * * * * Soon, the lunch bell rang and all the employees left their stations and proceeded to the cafeteria. Except three of the employees who looked very familiar. "There it is", said the girl who took off her helmet revealing herself as Jessie. "The room that has the Venomstone in it! That stool Pidgey I met on the street today was right!" "And that brainless boss had left it unlocked!" laughed Meowth. "I guess all that radiation shriveled up his brain. Let's go get it!" "But I wanna go to the cafeteria!" whined James. "I heard it's pizza day there!" Jessie sighed as she bopped James on the head with her fan. "HA HA! You didn't hurt me this time!" laughed James. "Because I'm wearing a helmet that protected me!" "Oh yeah?!" growled Jessie. "Why don't you use my helmet for right here?" And she placed it right in front of James's groin. "What's this for?" he asked nervously. "You should know!" shouted Jessie as she launched a kick into the helmet that protected James's groin but ended up making him hit the wall. "Now that we had our daily dose of idiocy", said Meowth. "Let's go in there and get that stone. I wonder if it'll evolve me into a Super Meowth?" "This stone'll only evolve poison-types furbrain!" growled Jessie. "Which is why we're gonna expose Arbok and Weezing to it!" and she released her Arbok while James rushed in with his Weezing. "Ready for some evolving power?!" cackled Jessie as she was about to lift up the glass. "Wait a minute Jess", said James. "Shouldn't we take one last look at our Pokemon so we can always remember them the way they once were? After all, we had Weezing and Arbok for many years and they could become completely different Pokemon if we evolve them." "I guess you're right", sighed Jessie as she went to her Arbok and hugged it lovingly while Arbok affectionately wrapped her coils around Jessie. James did the same thing to his Weezing while it gave him slobbery black kisses on his cheeks. "Any more of this mush and I'll cough up a year's worth of hairballs!" groaned Meowth as he stuck a claw down his throat. Then Meowth leapt up to the pedestal and removed the glass. Weezing and Arbok suddenly became mesmerized by the glowing stone. They slithered and floated away from their owners and slowly touched the stone. Suddenly, they started to glow and changed shape. All three Rockets became surprised and terrified at what their Pokemon had become. "We've created monsters!" they all whispered while shaking. * * * * * * Next, we find Ash, Misty, Tracey, and Reiko looking through a glass window where Cameron and Mr. Stench were standing on tall platforms on opposite sides of a huge room. "All right Cameron, here's how we'll battle in my gym", said Stench. "We'll have a 3 against 3 Pokemon match in 3 different environments. If one of my Pokemon loses, which I seriously doubt, the environment will change when I send out my next Pokemon. Got all that?" "You bet!" said Cameron as he and Sandy looked at this filthy man with determination. "Good then", said Stench as he pushed a button on a remote. "Here comes the first battleground." The ceiling opened and a load of garbage fell onto the floor covering it with cans, bottles, rotting food, newspapers, and all sorts of other messy smelly waste. "And here's the Pokemon that's just made for dumps!" said Stench as he took out a Pokeball and released a round raccoon-like Pokemon onto the messy floor. "Sentret!" it squeaked. "Sentret?" asked Cameron as he took out his Dex. "SENTRET: the scout Pokemon", replied Dextra. "A very cautious Pokemon, Sentret raises itself up using its massive tail to get a better view of its surroundings. Sentrets are known to survive in any type of environment from clean forests to polluted cities." "How about it Sandy?" asked Cameron. "Do you want to take on Sentret?" "Shrew!" shouted Sandy as he leapt off the platform and landed right in front of the cute, but tough looking Sentret. "Shrew!" cried Sandy for he found that gum was stuck to his feet once again. "Sentret, start off with a tackle attack!" commanded Stench. "SEN!" shouted Sentret as it launched itself at Sandy knocking him down, but at least he was now free from the gum. "Quick Sandy, stop it with your swift attack!" commanded Cameron. Sandy started throwing his swift stars at the raccoon, but Sentret was indeed clever. It grabbed a small trashcan lid and blocked the stars like a metal shield. "You see kid?" laughed Stench. "Garbage can be good for Pokemon if they can use it for their advantage. Sentret, now use a rollout attack!" Sentret then rolled up into a huge ball and started to roll right at Sandy. "Quick Sandy, escape with a dig attack!" shouted Cameron. Sandy tried to dig through the garbage, but got his claws stuck in candy bar wrappers and unfinished lollipops. "Shrew!" cried Sandy as he tried to run away from the rolling Sentret creating a path through the garbage. "My Sentret can just do this all day!" laughed Stench. "Sandy!" shouted Cameron. "Try doing what Sentret did and use something in that trash for your advantage!" "Shrew!" said Sandy as he found a huge metal can with an open lid still attached. He smiled and pushed it in front of Sentret who just rolled right into it. Sandy turned the can right-side-up and put a brick on the lid trapping Sentret in. Then Sandy jumped on top of it giving his victory sign. "Sandshrew!" said Sandy proudly. "Way to go Sandy!" said Cameron happily. "So you've copied my garbage technique too!" said Stench. "But how about this? Sentret, fury swipes now!" The can Sandy was standing on suddenly got sliced open and Sentret was free. Sandy fell into a pile of garbage out of Cameron's sight. "Sandy, are you all right?!" asked Cameron concerned. "Shrew!" said Sandy weakly as he emerged from the pile with his arms trapped in plastic can rings. "Oh no!" cried Cameron. "Can you still use a sandstorm attack!" Sandy tried to blow a sandstorm at Sentret, but couldn't for the plastic rings were too tight. "Time to finish off that Sandshrew with your slam attack Sentret!" said Stench. Sentret started slamming on poor Sandy with his long fat tail many times until he and Cameron could take no more. Cameron used Sandy's Pokeball beam to bring him back into his master's arms. "Shrew!" cried Sandy saying that he was sorry. "Don't feel sorry Sandy", said Cameron as he pulled the rings off of him. "I've always known from the beginning that plastic can rings are no good!" "It was good for my Sentret!" laughed Stench. "You've got two Pokemon left to use kid!" "All right", said Cameron with determination. "Sudo, I choose you!" and he released his Sudowoodo into the dump. "So you're a tree hugger, eh?" said Stench. "Sentret, give it another slam attack!" "Sudo, use rock slide now!" said Cameron. "Sudo!" said Sudo as he hurled a rock right onto Sentret's tail. "SENTRET!" cried Sentret as it tried to pull its tail out from the rock, but was too heavy. Stench realized that his Sentret was now trapped. "Now finish it off with low kick!" said Cameron. Sudo launched a powerful kick at Sentret sending it flying into the wall, but then got hurled back like a bunjee cord for its tail was still under the rock. Sudo kicked Sentret many times while the poor raccoon kept snapping back to him. Then Sudo launched one final kick releasing Sentret's tail from the rock and causing Sentret to hit the wall knocking it out. "Way to go Sudo!" cheered Cameron while his friends cheered from the other room. "Sudo!" said Sudo happily waving his branches around in triumph. "Well that finishes off the junkyard round", said Stench as he sucked Sentret back into its ball. "Now it's time for habitat two!" and he pushed the button on his remote again and this time sludge started pouring into the room from huge pipes that suddenly popped out from the walls. All the garbage got replaced with a pool of purple sludge while Sudo found himself swimming waist-high in it. "Sudo!" it said disgusted. "How can any Pokemon be able to fight in this gunk?" demanded Cameron. "My specialty Pokemon just blends right into it", laughed Stench as he released another Pokemon. "Go Grimer!" and out popped Grimer who was floating on the sludge with ease. "Sudo, use rock slide again!" commanded Cameron. "Grimer, acid armor now!" said Stench smiling. Grimer started to melt blending in with the sludge so that nobody could see it. Sudo started throwing rocks all over the pit unable to hit or find Grimer. "Okay Grimer, pound that Pokemon!" said Stench. Then slimy fists started popping out from the sludge hitting Sudo in every direction. "Quick Sudo!" cried Cameron. "Low kick every inch of that sludge until you hit Grimer!" "Sudo!" said Sudo as he tried to kick around in the sludge trying to find Grimer. "Grimer, use harden!" said Stench calmly. All of the sludge in the pit started to harden causing poor Sudo to get stuck unable to kick anymore. "Oh no!" gasped Cameron as he saw his Sudowoodo unable to budge. "Now finish it off with your mud slap!" smiled Stench. "Grimer!" mumbled Grimer as it reappeared and started tossing wet mud all over Sudo's body causing him to drop his branches and pass out. "Poor Sudo!" cried Cameron as he managed to suck Sudo back into his ball leaving a huge hole in the center of the hardened sludge. "Nice work Grimer", said Stench. "Grime!" said Grimer as it approached the hole and covered it with sludge and smoothed it out with its grimy hands like it was paving cement. "You got one Pokemon left!" said Stench. "Why don't you give up now and admit your Pokemon are weak for being exposed to soft sunshine and clean air?" "Oh no!" said Cameron with rage in his eyes. "I got one Pokemon that can survive any sludge or poison attack you can dish out! Go Zubat!" and he released Zubat who was hovering over the sludge looking down at the little Grimer feeling a little hungry. "This should be easy", laughed Stench, "Grimer, use mud slap again!" "Zubat, confuse ray!" commanded Cameron. Zubat launched a dark flashing ray at Grimer before it could launch its attack. Grimer became so confused that it accidentally slapped mud all over Stench. "Aw poo!" grumbled Stench as he looked at his muddy business suit. "And my wife just got the toxic stains out from it too!" "Okay Zubat, now use your leech life!" said Cameron. "BAT!" smiled Zubat as she sunk her fangs into Grimer's skin and started sucking out all the delicious poison. When Zubat was finished, she let out a happy belch while Grimer lay there in the sludge totally drained. "Way to go Zubat!" said Cameron happily. "Uh, Zubat?" said Cameron now surprised. Zubat started to glow and then it grew into a bigger bat with huge wings and a huge mouth that was as big as her body. "Hey, Zu.., I mean, Golbat! You've evolved!" said Cameron surprised, yet happy. "Golbat!" said the new Golbat who just winked an eye at her master and blew him a kiss. "Very impressive", said Stench as he called back Grimer and pushed the button on his remote again. This time, an oxygen mask dropped down from a hook in front of Cameron. "You might want to put that on", said Stench. "A fresh air breather like yourself might not be able to survive this last environment." "Okay", said Cameron as he slipped the mask on making him look like a funny looking elephant while he put Sandy back into his ball so he could be protected from whatever Stench had planned. "Why aren't you wearing a mask too?" asked Cameron who found out he could talk through the mask through a built-in microphone. "Why would I want a mask?" smiled Stench as he pushed his button one more time and the entire room filled up with smog. "This stuff is like perfume to me!" and he inhaled the smog through his green hairy nostrils. "Eeeyew!" moaned Misty. "I certainly am glad I'm not the one battling him!" "I've never had to battle in a smog bank", said Ash. "I don't know if Cameron can handle this!" "Do not doubt my Came-chan!" scolded Reiko. "I know for a fact that Golbats can survive and see their way through perilous layers of smog. He and Golbat are sure to win!" "It's time to cough up my last champion!" laughed Stench as he released his final Pokemon. "Go Koffing!" and he released his Koffing that was floating right in front of Golbat through the smog. "Koffing!" it said with a goofy smile. "Use your poison gas!" commanded Stench. Koffing belched out some green gas that completely covered Golbat. Luckily Golbat, who was a poison type, just sucked all the gas up. "Golbat!" she said happily for poison gas mixed with smog was a Golbat's favorite dish. "Nice work Golbat", said Cameron. "Now use your confuse ray!" "Koffing, call on your protect power now!" said Stench. Golbat had launched a confuse ray at Koffing. But it didn't affect the floating gasball at all. It just smiled a happy, "KOFFING!" "What just happened?" gasped Cameron. "Confuse rays are supposed to always hit the opponent!" "Thank the power of protect", laughed Stench. "Your Golbat has no chance of hurting my Koffing now! Koffing, tackle attack!" Koffing started slamming its round body at poor Golbat from every direction. "BAT!" she wailed in pain. "Try defending yourself with your wing attack!" cried Cameron. Golbat tried her best to swat away Koffing, but Koffing kept tackling her not getting hurt once. "Time to end this match with a thunder attack!" laughed Stench. "KOFFING!" shouted Koffing as all the smog disappeared and a huge thundercloud appeared over the ceiling. Lightning bolts were launched and poor Golbat got hit making her fall onto the hardened sludge. "GOLBAT!" cried Cameron as he watched his poor bat try to get up but was too paralyzed to do so. "Why don't you give up now?" laughed Stench. "Your Pokemon are no match for my pollution posse!" Just as Cameron, was about to call back Golbat in defeat, he heard Golbat call out a weak, "bat!" Then slowly flew up to the top of the ceiling, hung upside-down and started sleeping. "What's Golbat doing?" asked Misty. "I think she's using her rest power", said Tracey. "So she can be fully charged and healthy when she wakes up." "But how long will she sleep?" asked Ash. "She's an easy target for Koffing when she's in this helpless stage." "Aw, isn't that sweet?" laughed Stench. "The little bat wants to wake up in Heaven once Koffing finishes her off." "Quick Golbat!" cried Cameron. "You've gotta wake up! You're in the middle of a battle where the fight against pollution is at stake!" But Golbat just hung there still sleeping away while dropping little Zs onto the sludge. "It looks like I get to keep my plant running my way", said Stench while smiling his polluted smile. "Koffing, finish her off with..." Just then, a phone started to ring. "Excuse me a minute", said Stench as he took out a cellular phone and answered it. "Miss Waste, I've told you never to interrupt me during a gym match!" he scolded but then became silent when he heard what his secretary had to say. "Oh okay, thanks for telling me." Said Stench as he turned off his phone and pulled Koffing back into its ball. "Sorry kid, but we'll have to put this match on hold right now! Something is happening to my factory!" And he opened a door to his platform and stepped right through it. Cameron did the same through the door of his platform and joined his friends forgetting that his Golbat was still hanging from the ceiling sleeping. * * * * * * When our heroes and Mr. Stench had entered the factory, they found all the employees on the floor motionless. "Hey, this ain't a flop house!" shouted Stench. "You're wasting my valuable money just lying around. Get back to work all of you!" "I don't think they can work", said Tracey as he examined a guy sitting on the floor with a paralyzed look on his face. "I think all these people were stunned by some paralyzing Pokemon attack." "But they all know the rules of the factory!" said Stench. "No Pokemon allowed in the factory except the boss's!" Then suddenly, three of the employees came out from the darkness with sinister looks on their faces. "Oh good, you three seem to be okay", said Stench relieved. "You'll have to work double shifts until the rest of my employees get better." "Oh, we plan on working double", said Jessie as she removed her helmet. "And along the side, we'll give out trouble", said James as he took off his helmet too. Then they said their motto while Meowth removed his helmet ending with. "That's right!" "Oh great!" moaned Stench. "Another employee of mine's been mutated into a Meowth! Okay, you know the drill", sighed Stench as he handed Meowth some dollar bills. "Leave the city, give yourself a new name and identity, and I'll mail you a hundred bucks every month for life." "I think I'm starting to like humans now!" giggled Meowth as a dollar sign appeared in his single eye. "I wouldn't call this guy a human", said James as he stared at the green, mutated man. "Be careful of these guys Mr. Stench", said Cameron. "They're rotten troublemakers who love crime!" "And it's a crime wearing that hideous thing twerp!" laughed Jessie. "You look like a leather Donphan!" Cameron felt his face and forgotten that he still had on that gas mask. He quickly took it off his face. "Just what are you three rotten punks doing here?" demanded Ash. "You're not gonna turn this place into a weapons' factory?!" "Oh, Team Rocket's beyond that!" laughed James. "Yes, the bossman can keep his filthy factory", laughed Jessie. "All we came for was this!" and she showed them the Venomstone that was no longer glowing. "My precious stone!" screamed Stench in a rage. "That does it, you three are fired!" And he took out his phone again. "Miss. Waste, release the Houndours!" Little doors opened all over the factory and the Rockets found themselves surrounded by ten angry Houndours. "You have one minute to leave my factory forever, or else my Houdours will escort you out, with their teeth!" "That sounds like good advice!" said Meowth in a panic as he was about to leave until Jessie stepped on his tail stopping him. "But we don't want to leave yet!" said Jessie evily. "Because we want to show you what your lovely Venomstone helped us create. You twerps remember my Arbok, right?" "And my Weezing too?" asked James. "Uh, yeah!" said Ash, Misty, and Cameron nervously for they remembered that Jessie and James had this same conversation the day their Ekans and Koffing had evolved. "Well, meet the new evolved form of Arbok", cackled Jessie as she released a new frightening kind of Pokemon. It was a huge python with red and black spots and two heads with sharp, poison-dripping fangs. "And check out Weezing's new makeover!" laughed James as he released an even stranger, scarier Pokemon. It looked like three Koffing heads stacked like a totem pole. It had short stubby gray feet and strong muscular arms with a skull and crossbones tattoo on the left arm. The top head had a smiling face, the middle had a sad face, while the bottom had a mean, angry face. "What are those things?" gasped Ash. "Something I don't wanna know!" cried Misty as she covered Togepi's eyes not wanting him to see those mutated horrors. Cameron took out his Pokedex, but all that Dextra could say was. "Sorry, Pokemon cannot be identified. But maybe you can make up some cute names for 'em. Hee Hee!" Cameron looked funny at his Pokedex. "We've already picked some names for them", laughed Jessie. "I call my new serpent Bython!" "And I call my new three headed pal Hakking!" laughed James. "So this is why my siblings fear the Venomstone", gasped Reiko as she stared at the poor Pokemon she once knew now cruelly transformed into such monstrosities. "I'm actually seeing Pokemon I don't ever want to sketch!" said Tracey with fear and disgust. Mr. Stench looked at the scary monsters and realized that his pollution was the cause of all this. "Quick Houndours in the front, use your bite attacks!" he commanded. "HOOOOUUUND!" howled the first five Houndours as they charged at the enemy. "Bython, glare attack!" said Jessie calmly. "BYYYY!" hissed Bython as it glared at the Houndours with four red glowing eyes. The dogs became paralyzed and started whimpering in fear. "And yes, Bython's the reason why all your dumb peons are all paralyzed!" cackled Jessie. "No one says that about my hard working, filth handling, employees!" shouted Stench. "Houndours in the back, get them before that snake turns around and glares at you!" The other five Houndours were about to attack the Rockets from behind until Hakking twisted its heads around like balls on a string. "HAKKING!" coughed all three heads as they kept shooting random blows of sludge into the Houndours' eyes knocking them out. "What kind of cool attack is that?" asked Meowth. "I don't know", said James smiling. "I think I'll call it rapid sludge. Gimmie five Hakking!" and he raised his hand up waiting for his Pokemon to high-five him. However, Hakking misunderstood and fired five sludge blows at James knocking him down. "Maybe I should train you in slang as well", said James with a messy face while Jessie and Meowth shook their heads. Even Bython was shaking both its heads too. "Ash", said Cameron. "Remember, psychic-types always defeat poison-types. Let's send out our psychic Pokemon to defeat them!" "You got it!" smiled Ash as he released his Espeon while Cameron released his Slowking. "Psychic attack now!" commanded both Ash and Cameron. Espeon and Slowie both blasted their psychic powers at Hakking and Bython, but it didn't hurt them one bit. "What just happened?" cried Misty. "Why aren't they psyked to death?!" "This happened once before", said Reiko. "We we're once surrounded by dark Pokemon and a psychic blast from a Kadabra couldn't defeat them!" "Then that means those two are also dark-types as well!" cried Cameron. "You mean Jessie and James now own evil-minded dark Pokemon?!" gasped Meowth remembering the time a Murkrow stared at him turning him into a stone-black statue. "Relax Meowth!" laughed Jessie. "These dark Pokemon serve us! Isn't that right Bython?" "BYYYY!" hissed Bython as it wrapped both its necks around Jessie squeezing her affectionately in a violent sort of way. "Okay, okay! I love you too! Both of you!" gasped Jessie as she managed to pull herself out from Bython's grip. "Now how about showing those two psychic simps a new attack? Double crunch!" "BYYYYYY!" hissed Bython as both mouths quickly sunk their fangs into Slowie and Espeon. "SLOWIE!" cried Cameron. "ESPEON!" cried Ash as well. "Wow, those heads almost struck faster than the speed of light!" gasped Tracey as he and the others stared at Slowking and Espeon who were on the floor shaking. "You'll pay for that!" shouted Ash as he released his toughest Pokemon. "Charizard, avenge our Pokemon with your dragonrage attack!" he shouted. "Hakking, sludge bomb now!" shouted James quickly. Just before Charizard could blow away the Rockets, all three of Hakking's mouths released three huge sludge bombs that exploded sealing up Charizard's mouth and making his wings get stuck, along with sticking up our heroes and Mr. Stench. "You ooze, you loose!" laughed James. "So this is why people complain about pollution!" said Stench trying to get free but couldn't. "Eyeew!" cried Misty. "I don't ever wanna see any more pollution as long as I live!" "Allow us to grant your wish!" cackled Jessie. "By making your life short! Bython, poison sting those twerps to death!" "You help too with your poison gas Hakking!" laughed James. Everyone shut their eyes as the two dark-poison Pokemon were about to venomize them, until they heard a loud, "GOLBAT!!!" "Golbat?" gasped Cameron as he opened his eyes and found his Golbat hovering in front of them. She had finished her nap and was ready to come to her master's aid. "Golbat, behind you!" cried Cameron. Bython had started firing its poison needles into Golbat's back. Golbat turned around, shook off the needles, and smiled at the surprised faces of Bython. Then Hakking released its poison gas, but Golbat easily sucked it all up like cotton candy. "BAT!" said Golbat in a happy voice. "What the?" gasped James. "That bat is somehow making fools of our new terrors!" "That's because good ol' Golbat is a poison type!" smiled Cameron. "Poison attacks cannot hurt her!" "We'll see how she does against dark attacks!" said Jessie angrily. But before she could call out an attack. Something started happening to Golbat. "She's evolving again!" gasped Tracey. "That's impossible!" gasped Cameron. "Golbat just evolved a few minutes ago and now she's evolving again? And I didn't think Golbat had a higher evolution!" Sure enough, they were looking at a brand new bat. She was about the size of Cameron with purple skin, scary yellow eyes and a smaller toothy mouth, and she had FOUR huge wings. "CROBAT!" she squeaked. "Crobat?!" gasped Cameron as he tried to pull out his Pokedex but couldn't for his hands were stuck in the sludge. "Whatever bat that is, I'm gonna enjoy clipping all four of its wings!" said Jessie. "Bython, make it happen with another double crunch!" "BYYYYY!" hissed Bython as it tried to bite Crobat's wings off. But Crobat was now faster and more agile than ever. She soared high up into the air while Bython tried to extend itself by standing on the tip of its tail trying to crunch her. But then Bython plopped down to the floor for Crobat was way too high up for any Pokemon to attack. "BAT!" smiled Crobat as she hung from the ceiling, sticking her tongue at the Rockets. "Fly down here and do that!" shouted James. "If you're not a fraidy bat that is!" Crobat was definitely happy to apply. She swooped down in front of the Rockets and charged herself up. "Uh oh!" said James nervously. "Maybe I was a little too harsh about the fraidy bat crack!" Just then, Crobat had opened her mouth and launched a powerful hyper beam hitting Hakking and Bython right between their countless eyes and then hitting all three Rockets blasting them through the wall and out of the factory. "You and your big provoking mouth!" growled Meowth as he started scratching James's face while Jessie was whacking him with her fan while all three Rockets and their new defeated dark Pokemon blasted off into the horizon once again. "Thank you Crobat!" smiled Cameron as Crobat flew to him and started licking his face while he was laughing. Then Crobat started licking off some of the sludge from everyone freeing their arms. Stench released his Grimer while Ash released his Muk so they could slurp off the rest of the sludge. Cameron then pulled out his Dex and aimed it at his new bat. "CROBAT: the evolved form of Golbat", replied Dextra. "Crobat flies so silently through the dark on its four wings that it may not be noticed, even when nearby." "I bet you can even learn fly now that you have four wings", smiled Cameron. "Crobat!" smiled Crobat as she got under Cameron's legs making him get on her back. Then she started flapping all four of her wings around flying all over the factory with Cameron holding on tight while smiling. "This is the greatest thing I've ever experienced!" shouted Cameron happily. "I'm actually riding on my all time favorite flying Pokemon!" Everyone applauded as Crobat came for a landing while Cameron climbed off. "Well done Cameron", smiled Stench as he applauded too and pulled something out from his coat pocket and handed it to Cameron. "Don't worry, you can take it", smiled Stench. "It's toxic proof", and he dropped it on Cameron's palm so he could see what it was. It was a badge shaped like a skyscraper. "You mean..?" gasped Cameron. "That's right son", smiled Stench. "I'm presenting you with the Metro Badge. The fourth Ryooku gym badge." "But we haven't finished our last battle yet", said Cameron. "No need to", smiled Stench. "After seeing what your Crobat did to those Rockets and their evil Pokemon, she would've creamed my Koffing good. So congratulations Cameron." "Thank you sir", smiled Cameron as he showed everyone his fourth badge. "Hey look!" he shouted. "I won a Metro Badge!" "CROBAT!" smiled Crobat as she hugged Cameron with all four of her wings while gently nibbling his neck. "And I couldn't've done it without you Batty!" smiled Cameron. "That's pretty disturbing", thought Misty as she watched the giant bat continue to hold onto and nibble Cameron. "If only I were that Crobat right now!" sighed Reiko. "Not only that, I've decided to give up my polluting ways!" said Stench. "You mean it?" asked Ash. "But of course my boy", laughed Stench. "I realize it was my pollution that created those evil beasts called Hakking and Bython. They made me see the errors of my way. I'm going to make my factory environmental friendly so no more of those monsters will ever walk the Earth again, starting today!" "Hooray!" said all the paralyzed employees. "If only I can find some new kind of clean energy source that isn't toxic", said Stench. "You can always use water power", said Misty. "You can dam a river or heat water to make thermal energy." "And like the Pidgeys that call on the power of wind", said Reiko. "You can do the same with devices called windmills." "And you can get solar energy from an everlasting power source called the sun", said Cameron. "Hmmm, solar energy", said Stench. "I like that. No wait. The sun hardly ever shines down on my factory thanks to all the smog I've caused." "Grass Pokemon have the power to summon solar energy even in the darkest night or in the smoggiest areas", said Tracey. "And they can spare lots of it. That's why their solarbeam attacks are so powerful." "I think I have an idea", smiled Ash as he released his Venusaur and started whispering in its ear. "SAUR!" smiled Venusaur as it shot out three huge seeds that looked like eggs from its flower. "Here you are Mr. Stench", smiled Ash. "If you give them the right care, these will sprout into healthy Bulbasaurs that'll supply enough solar energy to keep your factory powered up without leaving any toxic waste." "Thank you my friend", smiled Stench while a tear formed in his eye washing off some of the green on his face. FIVE YEARS LATER: The smog around Stenchcorp was gone and the sun was shining down on the building with a happy smile. Mr. Stench was happy too. Ever since he stopped his polluting ways, his skin went back to normal, his hair grew back, his teeth were shiny with the missing spaces replaced with false ones, and he was back to his slim handsome self again. He was walking around his factory admiring his employees who were now happy working in a clean atmosphere. And if any type of pollution did manage to sneak into his factory. Stench would just send out his Grimer and Koffing to get rid of it. Even if they were pollution Pokemon, they were still Stench's precious babies. Stench then looked at where his reactor once was and started admiring his new source of power. Three Bulbasaurs were hooked up to a machine and they were singing while supplying solar energy to the machine powering up his factory. "You three are truly wonderful power plants", smiled Stench as he fed his Bulbasaurs some plant food. "Bulba!" they all cooed happily at their Earth-loving employer. TO BE CONTINUED, BUT IN THE 2001 TIME THOUGH. AUTHOR'S NOTE: I hoped you all enjoyed this Earth Day chapter and a special thanks goes to my friend Bellossom Boy for coming up with the idea for the Venomstone.