The Kanto Journals: A Pokemon Crossover

Chapter 37: Dark Skies and Turbulent Tides

"Now what could have made that loud thunderbolt?" Janine asked everyone. "The sun was still shining brightly when we started the match."

"Whatever it is, it must be the same thing that caused the lightning storm we went through on our way here," Lucy quaked.

"And it sounded like it came from somewhere near the Power Plant, too," Lt. Surge assumed.

"It did come from the Power Plant itself, to be exact," Koga added.

"How did you know that, Mr. Koga sir?" Arndolfr inquired, still worried about the thunderclap but nevertheless curious as how Koga knew the exact location of the thunderclap.

"It's a ninja thing," Janine replied for Koga. "If we're going to explain it in its entirety, we're going to take a long time for that, and given the circumstances, we really don't have time for that."

"And please, call me Koga," Koga added. "It's not everyday that I meet a young trainer as polite as you, but really, I don't mind people calling me just by my name."

"It's no use, Koga," Lt. Surge commented while dialing a long sequence of numbers on his cellular phone. While waiting for the person on the other line to answer, he spoke, "His politeness is in his blood. You should have met Mr. Crane back in Celadon City. Aside from the fact that he's this puny baby's spitting image, you wouldn't find any difference in their attitude."

Finally, after a few more seconds of waiting, Lt. Surge gave up on his phone and told everyone, "It seems that the phone lines are down. There's no way of contacting headquarters."

"Well, what are we going to do now?" Lucy demanded.

"Does anyone have a surfing Pokémon with them?" Koga asked everyone.

No one answered for a while until Janine piped up, "I think Dolph's Lapras can learn Surf."

"Well, that's true," Arndolfr wondered, "but how is she going to learn a new move? I don't know where I would get a TM for Surf."

"Not a TM," Lucy corrected him. "an HM, or a Hidden Move. But it's true. Where should we get one?"

"Hmm, I normally let trainers get it themselves within Safari Zone," said Koga, rubbing his chin seriously, "but given that this is a serious situation, I think I can make an exception with you." He then turned to Janine and said, "Janine, you bring all of them to Route 10. That's the farthest place we can take them that's nearest to the abandoned Power Plant. Meanwhile, I'll go to the Safari Zoe and retrieve the HM Surf. I'll catch up with you by then."

"Whoa there, how are we going to get there so fast?" Lucy questioned, checking her Town Map. "It's gonna be miles from where we are right now."

"In the movies, ninjas always did that," Arndolfr said. "I just don't know how they'll be able to travel with us, since we won't be able to do it too."

"Just trust us on this," Janine answered. "And that's actually one of the few factual things in the movies, I have to tell you."

"Can anyone tell me what that is?" Lucy demanded.

"Just hold on and let them show you," Lt. Surge chortled, holding her and Arndolfr firmly in their shoulders while Janine held them in their other shoulders.

For a moment, Arndolfr didn't notice any sensations when Janine held on to them. After a few moments, however, he felt like being whisked inside a wind tunnel, though he was sure his feet were firmly planted on the ground. When he looked around, however, they were no longer inside the Gym, but in a beach where a large cave looms over it.