Houen's Origins

[Zenith Magus]

'Allo. I know that most of you now regard me as an author
who leaves all his projects unfinished, but do not think of
me that way. The Viridian Champion was just a work that
I was using to get my "feet wet", if you understand. I will
continue it at a later date, but now just read this.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Prologue: Shocking Discoveries and Preserves

Johto and Kanto were two regions that had coexisted peacefully together for years without waging war against one another. Normally, this would be an impossible feat for any two lands- however, it was accomplished because of the creatures known as Pokemon. For you see, the inhabitants are too focused on training the various types of Pokemon to fight their bretheren
in friendly combat for personal glory. Thusly, they have no thoughts of war- their government is filled with honest people, not double-dealing power-hungy backstabbers.

However, a shock has spread throughout the land, upsetting the peaceful serenity and turning it into a mass of wondering chaos.
This shock originates from a simple statement- according to the
media, an island estimated to be home to atleast 15 new species of Pokemon has been discovered. Such news is good news to
the scientists who study Pokemon- They do not know the total
amount of Pokemon species that exist, and they are always eager for any clue that will help them unlock the mystery. It
is also good news to those who train Pokemon.They expect
that- as they did when they discovered the many new species
of Pokemon in the Johto region - a new Pokemon League will
be created in the vicinity, so as to make capturing of these new
creatures easy.

Yet, no such capturing will be done yet- the new island has not
yet become home to a league, and anyone who tries to go there and capture some of these new Pokemon faces the wrath of the
judicial system. However, some action has been taken. Two weeks ago, officals of the Pokemon League arrived on the newly
discovered island and captured as many varied male and female
unknown Pokemon that they could lay their hands on. They then took the creatures and moved them to safe neighboring islands,
on which preserves were already being built. The Pokemon were moved into the preserve, which was a virtual replica of their old island home. Since then, they have adapted peacefully to their
home.

One may think that the preserve's creation had no purpose, and
one would be wrong if he thought so. For you see, that was done simply to make studying the new Pokemon easier- the scientists did not favor adventuring into the isle's dark jungles to learn about these creatures, and thought it would be better to study them in a man-made area rather than a wild one. Now, the scientists are going to pick one of their aides to go spend a long time in the preserve, studying the creatures, then making sure that they can be trained. Their studies would decide if a new league's creation was appropriate.

However, the crime orginization of Team Rocket waits to use the preserves to their advantage...Already, the Rocket boss Giovanni Rocket is preparing a team of Elite Rockets to go to the island and raid it. And so, a world-affecting event begins...

Prologue END

Crappy, eh?

[Tyler and Hobbes]

Aw...I loved the Viridian Champion stories<_=_>This ones very good anyways.
; ;

[Zenith Magus]

Tomorrow, I'll have the next chapter up. Please, don't stop
reading this fic- atleast reply to it.

[Zenith Magus]

'Ello. Here comes Chapter Two...By the way, expect to see
a bit of plot from The Viridian Champion in here.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter One: Legends and Meetings

Celebi. The word gives name to a mysterious Pokemon of
Johto; like Mew, it is a Pokemon who has only been seen
in legends and fables. One such fable involving this fairy
Pokemon is known to all as the " Forest Knight ". It is a
story recorded both in history books of the early times
and the many printed volumes of fables. Anyhow, the
legend tells of a human who did a great service for
Celebi, one that saved the legendary Pokemon's life.
In thanks, the Pokemon gifted the man with several
powers that manifested themselves through a rune
embedded on his hand. It is said that these powers
include the ability to unlock a Pokemon's true power,
to bring a Pokemon to your will, and the ability to draw
forth the many other Legendary Pokemon like Articuno
and Entei that are rumored to exist. The bearer was
also given eternal life by the rune's great power- it
was a side effect.

Now, Celebi was a trusting Pokemon who thought
everyone was good and kind. As a result, he did not
think that the man would misuse his great gift and
would instead use it to protect the world- that was
what he'd sworn to do. However, the books never
tell of how he used his powers after- There are a
few that do, but their accounts differ. Whatever the
case, we will never know the fate of the Forest
Knight- for that was what the rune on his palm
read-, nor will we know if he ever truly existed.
No one cares much about the legend right now, of
course, because the public focus is now on the
newly discovered species of Pokemon and the
chance of a new league being created. Indeed,
they care not of this child's bedtime story. However,
strange things have been happening. For example,
sightings of legendary Pokemon have increased in
areas after a mysterious indivivual visits them.

Also, the powers of some Pokemon have suddenly
increased tenfold after the same individual met them.
Finally, strange Pokemon never seen before have
been sighted near the Ilex and Viridian Forests.
However, those events have gone unnoticed by
the media and the general public, abuzz with news
of a new league and new Pokemon to train for their
personal glory...

******************************************

Thomas Rikentu sighed and stared up into the cloudy
winter skies. The above skies were gray with pale
white clouds that looked ready to burst like a balloon,
mimicking his pale gray eyes. Absentmindedly, the
young teen ran his thin bony hands through the sea
of black hair atop his head. Dressed in a long-sleeved
shirt and jeans, with a red jacket on top, the pale-skinned,
thin boy was still cold. Sighing, he sat down against
one of the many roadside benches within the Pokemon
League complex.

Yes, he was in the facilities of the Pokemon League;
a place he knew well, since he'd competed here a year
ago. Carrying a team of Vaporeon, Sandslash, Kadabra,
Haunter, and Electrode, he'd tried to make it to the
finals. He climbed up the ladder, defeating others all
the way, until he met a girl named Kris. The two trainers
had fought their six-Pokemon battle long and hard,
but it'd ended in defeat- his last Pokemon, Haunter,
fell to a lucky shot from Kris's Donphan. Since then,
he'd gone back to his hometown; New Bark Town,
in Johto. There, he'd decided to train for the Kanto
League, a league rumored to be " weak enough that
a Magikarp could defeat it. " That owed, of course,
to the fact that most Johto League veterans had
blown through the Kanto League like anything.

All that aside, Thomas decided to compete there- an
easy league like that would provide a good boost to
his ego. However, he was afraid of another crushing
loss, like the one to Kris. So, he put off going there
time and time again, taking a job as Pokemon Professor
Daniel Elm's assistant. The responsibilities of that job
included coming along with the Professor to meetings
like the one he was at now- the one that would decide
what would be done about this discovery of new Pokemon.
So far, the meeting had gone on for hours, streching into
the current afternoon. Thomas just sighed and leaned
back against the bench...

However, he was suddenly interrupted by a joyous cry.
Startled, he turned in the cry's direction and saw a
middle-aged man with glasses and receding gray hair
round the corner, dressed in a lab coat. He was Daniel
Elm. Elm saw Thomas and quickened his pace. Within
moments, he was staring the boy in the face with a
blinding smile. " Thomas... " said he in a happy voice.

" Yes? ", said a confused Thomas, not sure at all
what was going on.

Elm responded in a frantic tone " Pack your bags, boy!
Me and you are leaving for the preserve tomorrow! "

END Chapter One

Well?

[Zenith Magus]

New chapter tomorrow.

[Zenith Magus]

Next chapter comes tomorrow, alright? Please, someone
reply! ARRGH! Why does it seem like I have to put up a
new chapter every single second in order to get anyone
to review?!

[Zenith Magus]

Updates won't be coming for a while.

[AquaBabe727]

Hey, don't give up yet, Zenith! I didn't notice this fic before, and you've only had it posted for a few days, right? Every fic I've posted here has had a slow start--you've just got to stick it out. I think part of your problem is that your title isn't very catchy, and the first part of the first chapter starts out a little bland. But once you get to the more personal part, it really gets interesting.
Believe me, this fic has potential; it sounds like you've got a great background going. It's probably just ill luck that you haven't had more posts yet. Keep going, alright? I like your character; he's sort of a seasoned veteran who's given up the fight. Its a refreshing peice of work; you really get tired of all those perky, upstart rookies that populate a lot of fics. Seriously, keep at it. I'll be here for moral support if you need it, k? ^_^ Can't wait for the next chapter!

[Zenith Magus]

AquaBabe727: Thanks for the supporting words: I needed
that.

By the way, I amend my previous statement: I'll have a
new chapter up tomorrow.

[Everoy]

I like it so far. I'm going to put this on my private list of favorite Fanfics.

[AquaBabe727]

Coolies! ^_^ I thought you might. ;) Can't wait for the next chapter!

[Zenith Magus]

Here's the next chapter.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Two: The Rockets and their plots

Team Rocket. Those words are used to give name to a
crime syndicate that bases itself in Kanto and Johto. They
plan to overtake both regions, bring them down underneath
their iron fists. In the process, they will use Pokemon as
their weapons to conquer those who would oppose them.
However, they are not very good at achieving their goal;
so far, each and every attempt has been foiled by various
Pokemon trainers and the Pokemon League. Once, they
even tried to use a strand of DNA from the legendary
Mew to create a super-Pokemon to overtake all who
would defy them; however, the Pokemon was defeated
and the plot foiled. Since so many of their plots tend to
fail, the Rockets have become something of a joke among
the trainers and the police. When they try to commit crime,
they are met with hysterical laughter instead of abject
fear.

The gang's leader, Giovanni Rocket, is none too happy
about the way everyone percives the gang he leads.
He is working on a plan that will bring the people of
Johto and Kanto to their knees, under his control,
and most importantly: make them truly fear Team
Rocket, as they did in the very old days before his
imcompetent underlings came onto the scene. The
goal of this plan is quite unique: slowly but surely
overtaking both regions, then remaking them and
their society in the Rocket image. The plan, obviously,
would result in Team Rocket controlling the world.
However, in order to achieve the above, Giovanni
needed some very powerful Pokemon. He would need
ones that would obey their master, use their powers
only at the master's command: This condition made
creating a new and powerful Pokemon from the DNA
of an old one impossible, as Giovanni did not want to
risk the creation of another Mewtwo.

No, the Pokemon that met his criteria would have to be
birthed naturally in the wild, not by the DNA manipulation of
Team Rocket's scientists. Since it would take extensive
training and a lot of DNA manipulation for one of the
" common " Pokemon of Johto and Kanto to reach such
a level of power- Giovanni was not a patient man - there
was no choice but to use one of the Pokemon of legend
for their schemes, such as Articuno or Entei. Thus, a search
began for these rare and powerful Pokemon, one that spanned
Johto and Kanto. It was thought to be a foolhardy search,
since most everyone " knew " that Legendary Pokemon
were only the stuff of fairy tales. Yet the Rockets had proof
of the existence of these Pokemon- some very grainy photos,
taken by field agents during failed attempts to capture those
Pokemon. The search went on for two whole years, and there
was nothing to show for it at the end of those years. Some
Rockets had seen hide nor hair of the Legendaries, while
some had- but they only caught a fleeting glimpse, and not
the Pokemon.

Anyhow, the search has been called off following the news
of the new island's discovery. Instead, a new plan has been
thought up by the Rocket Gang's boss- They are going to
see just what powers these new Pokemon have. And maybe,
they'll find a few new Legendaries as well...

************************************************

Above Vermillion City, a small private plane flew through the
skies. It looked just like any other plane, but with one major
difference: A big red R had been painted on the area in
between the passenger seat windows and the cockpit window.
Since that symbol was the insignia of Team Rocket, it was
quite obvious that the plane was Rocket-owned. Indeed it
was; as a matter of fact, it was the private plane of Giovanni
Rocket himself. He'd acquired it on the black market.

The inner middle part of the plane had two long sofa-like seats,
one on each side, with a table in the middle. The floor was
covered in carpet, not so with the kitchen in the back and the
forward cockpit- they were covered with tile. Giovanni sat in
the middle of the plane, thinking. His head was arched back,
displaying his crew-cut black hair to all the bird Pokemon who
looked in the window. His shifty black eyes stared at the ceiling,
and his arms sat within the sleeves of an orange buisness suit.
His feet, sporting brown leather shoes, moved slightly every
now and then.

Giovanni's head quickly shot back up in an instant: he'd resolved
his thoughts and come up with a plan. Quickly, he got up and
moved to the vidphone in the back of the inner middle. He picked
up the phone and dialed in the number he needed, one he'd
dialed several times before. He waited briefly for the click and
the image of the person he was calling to appear on the phone's
screen. When the image appeared, Giovanni was looking at a
man with black eyes and black hair tied back in a ponytail. The
rest of him was obscured by the relatively small screen. The man's
face was emotionless, a stone sculpture.

Giovanni spoke quickly into the phone. " Greetings, Markus. This
is a Reactivation Code 21. I want you and your team to report
to the Mahogany City headquarters as soon as possible. There,
you will recieve the equipment needed to infiltrate the newly
created Pokemon preserve and steal as much Pokemon as you
can. That is all. " Giovanni slammed down the phone before he
could get a reply, and hoped that his quick briefing would work.

His mind told him that it would; after all, had he not just called
six of his best Elite Rockets to do the job? Six Rockets who'd
never failed in a mission, six Rockets who were the best at
their job? Six Rockets who could do the job?

Of course they could, thought he as he relaxed in his seat
for now.

END Chapter Two

Well?

[AquaBabe727]

Ooh, nice chapter! You're plot seems to be very structured and organized, which is nice to see. I gotta say I was dissapointed to not see any of Thomas, but hey. Plot developement is a must, so it's all good. Another great chapter, Zenith! Bye~ :wave:

[Zenith Magus]

AquaBabe727: Hey, thanks for the review! Don't worry,
you'll see Thomas in the next chapter, which comes on
Wednesday.

[Everoy]

Very cool. I suggest that one of the Rockets is not a real Rocket and is trying to sabotage the mission.

[Powarun]

Nice descriptions and seems to have a nice plot

[Tyler and Hobbes]

Nice:)

[Zenith Magus]

Woah, thanks for all the good replies!

[Zenith Magus]

Here's the next chapter.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Three: Preperations, An Old Friend

Three days had passed since the meeting at the Pokemon
League in which Professor Daniel Elm had been appointed
to study the newly discovered Pokemon in the recently
created preserve. Following this, Elm had been in a state
of ecstasy: he had blathered on and on to his assistant
Thomas about how lucky the both of them were to have
this rare opportunity to study these new Pokemon. Yes,
Elm's assistant was coming along with him; the Professor
was middle-aged, going slowly into his elderly years, and
he couldn't do this without help.

Thomas didn't care much for this- all he wanted to do was
keep training 'till he could go to the Kanto League- but he
was forced to go, as he was Elm's only available assistant,
the rest having left the Professor's employ to seek out
their dreams. It was this turn of events, then, that found
him in the Goldenrod City department store. Here, Elm was buying supplies for their trip to the preserve: They would be
spending long amounts of time in the preserve's many
areas, and the people at the preserve couldn't really
provide them with any real provisions.

Right now, Thomas was observing Elm buying provisions on
the mart's second floor. As he did, his gaze shifted to other
things; the elevator next to the shelves containing Pokeballs
and other items, the frozen medicines next to it that were
in a glass case, and the two staircases nearby: one that
went up, and one that went down. As he viewed those,
he fingered the five Pokeballs hanging from his belt; the five
that contained the Pokemon he owned. He'd originally
kept them in storage, bringing them out every now and then,
but now carried them full-time. He did this to get in some
much needed training for them- he'd need them if any of
the new Pokemon had violent tendencies and thought to
attack them.

With a sigh, he rose from the shelves he'd been leaning
on. Crossing over to the elevator, he called out to the
Professor. " Hey! If you need me, I'll be on the sixth
floor. "

Elm didn't even answer; he was still too engrossed in the
purchase of their supplies. With a sigh, Thomas pressed
the Up button on the panel next to the elevator. The
elevator came up to the floor and opened automatically.
Thomas walked in and punched in the number of the
floor he was going to. The doors slid shut, and he was
whisked up to his destination.

One moment later, he was at his destination. The doors
slid open, and Thomas walked in. He surveyed the room,
glancing about: Yellow tile dotted the floor, which was
mostly bare save for two benches. To the left of him was
what he'd come here for: Three vending machines, filled
with various types of soda. With no emotion, he walked
over to the machines and put 25 yen into one of them,
then punched in his choice of soda. The machine hummed
for a few minutes, and then there was a noise as the
can hit the slot where you were supposed to pick the
soda up. Thomas bent down and retrived the soda, then
opened it and took a sip. He sighed as the drink spilled
down his throat, cooling his dry throat.

Thomas was just about to pour the can's contents in
the nearest trash can, when a voice called out his name
from behind. " Well, if it isn't Thomas. " The voice was
high and clear, with a note to it that distinctly marked
it as female.

Thomas recognized the voice; it was one that belonged
to someone that had challenged him a year ago, a
someone who'd defeated him. Suprised, he turned
around " Kris? Is that you? "

" Yup. It's me, all right. So, care for a rematch? " , said
Kris: she had blue hair and ocean-blue eyes, and she
wore a red shirt and a pair of yellow shorts. Odd clothing
aside, she minced her words as she spoke; she was
never one for long coversation.

" Er..No thanks. ", said he; he wasn't exactly aching for
a rematch with the person who'd trounced him soundly
years ago.

" Fine, then... But I will force you to battle me one of
these days, whether you like it or not. ", she said. With
that, she turned and left, heading for the elevator. A
moment later, after she'd gone, Thomas headed for
the stairs; he was heading back, and he'd rather not
talk to her further.

END Chapter Three

Well...

[Tyler and Hobbes]

Good fic.It has me glued to the computer.I like tht Kris girl!Is she gonna be in more chapters.

[Zenith Magus]

New chapter tomorrow.

[AquaBabe727]

Hey, sorry it took me so long to reply! I gotta say, it was pretty short, but still pretty interesting. ^_^ Not a lot happened in this chapter besides the fact that they're getting supplies, and now we know that Tom has a rival...pretty cool. Post the next chapter soon! ^_^

[Zenith Magus]

Sorry, but the update will come tomorrow.

[Zenith Magus]

I've got a lot to do today, so today's chapter will come in
the evening.

[Zenith Magus]

Here's the next chapter.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Four: Of Elite Rockets and Farewells


The town of Mahogany, located to the east of Ecruteak City,
is considered a country town by most. It is surrounded on
all sides by beautiful grassy plains and sparkling lakes, giving
it a sort of rustic beauty. Few visitors come to this town; apart
from the odd trainer looking to defeat the trainers in the town's
Pokemon Gym, most of the people within the town are people
who've lived there for their entire life. The town is also small;
It is made up of a Pokemon Center, a PokeMart, a Pokemon
Gym, and just a few houses.

All of the above, especially the fact that the town is rarely
visited, make the place a perfect area for a Team Rocket base.
The Rockets have realized this, of course; the PokeMart in
town actually conceals the secret entrance to a sprawling
underground complex. The PokeMart, of course, is owned
and operated by Rockets.

That is not important now, however. Currently, the base has
been designated the homebase of six Elite Rockets, the best
agents of the crime syndicate. The reason this has happened
is because those six Elite Rockets have been chosen by the
Rocket Gang's leader to go forth and steal the newly discovered
Pokemon from the preserve they are housed in. As of right
now, two of the six have just recieved a personal briefing from
Giovanni himself on the subject of the mission.

*************************************************

Markus Wyatlon walked out of the underground complex's
briefing room with no discernible expression on his face, no
emotion in his black eyes. His hands, confined in black gloves,
were fidgeting with the ponytail of black hair on the back of
his head. Markus wore the same uniform all Elite Rockets did:
a white cap with a red R on it, a black shirt with another R on
it, and unmarked white pants. At his waist hung two Pokeballs;
one contained an Electabuzz, the other a Magmar.

Next to him walked his fellow Elite Rocket, Tasuya Moradam.
He had blue hair that grew over one of his green eyes, making
him look like a Magnamite in terms of the quantity of eyes. The Elite Rocket's uniform hung off his thin and frail body, further
adding to his weak appearance. At his belt hung three Pokeballs,
each containing powerful Pokemon: Kadabra, Umbreon, and
Flaffy. However, Tasuya made up for his physical weakness
with his sharp mind for Pokemon battle tactics.

The two walked the blue-and-white checkered floors of the
complex's lower halls in silence. Within moments, they were at
the office of the facility's director, where the rest of the team
waited eagerly for their briefing; they'd been on vacation before
it was forcibly cut off by this, and they wanted to get it done
with and get back to their downtime.

As they entered the office, Markusglanced over to the table at the
upper-right, where their comrades sat. Behind them was several
bookcases containing various literature, and a desk with a computer sat to their direct left. Tasuya glanced over at his other
four teammates, silently. He looked them all in the eye, each and
every one- Ronald, with his bright spiked red hair and cheery black eyes. Then, he glanced at Gerald and his long blond hair
and blue eyes. His gaze then fell on the team's two female members: Erin, with her brown hair and sneaky brown eyes, as
well as Tila and her oddly colored hair which was a cross between black and white. She also had black eyes, as did most of the team.

They all continued this silent gazing, 'till Ronald finally spoke. " So,
what'd the boss say we have to do? ", said he in an off-hand tone.

Markus responded " We're to go to that new preserve and steal the Pokemon there, then bring them back for Giovanni's scientists. ", in a neutral tone.

Erin spoke next, in a questioning voice " So we're just fetching those lab guys some new guinea pigs? "

Tasuya responded this time. " Yes. We're getting new Pokemon for the boss to use to create a new Pokemon. We're doing this in an attempt to... " He fell silent at this, as he didn't want to reveal anymore of Giovanni's true plans for the new Pokemon. He'd already said too much.

There was a silence in the air, then a few words from Gerald.
" Well, let's just go. " This was said in a bored tone; he was itching for some action.

Markus agreed, and they all left for their destination; the island upon which the preserve was located. Meanwhile, another group was leaving for the isle... Daniel Elm and his assistant Thomas.

**************************************************

Thomas sighed, leaning back against the side of the boat they
were on. In just a few minutes, he would be leaving for the isle that housed the preserve. He'd gotten his affairs in order, had
said goodbye to his family in Kanto, etc. Now, he would be leaving. With a sigh, he stared out into the sea, in the isle's
direction. He didn't want to go; he'd rather stay here, training his
Pokemon, anything else! But, he'd been forced along in the end...
With a sigh, he turned his view to sea as the ship set sail for the
isle.

Nearby, on the dock, a figure watched him leave. The figure was
cloaked, its features disguised. With no word, the person hurled
a crystal out to sea. Instead of sinking, the crystal floated; it turned into a black light and headed in the direction of the boat,
intending on finding Thomas. As all of that happened, no one saw
it...

END Chapter Four

...

[Powarun]

SO will we need to memorize these rocket characters, or were you just filling in what needed to filled.

[AquaBabe727]

Hm...It's like one big chess game, everybody maneuvering to come out ahead. Interesting. I like your description of Mahogany! I was going to start a fic there one time, but I only got a few pages and kinda trashed it. Shmeh.
Vedy vedy interestin! That was a good chapter--I can't wait for the next one! ^_^

[Zenith Magus]

Here's the next chapter. By the way, some more shreds
of the plot of " The Viridian Champion " will pop up in this
fic.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Five: Plots and Plans


The cloaked figure at the dock, invisible to all, eyed the ship
that Elm and Thomas were traveling on as it receded out of
sight. With a smile on his face, the figure turned around and
walked back over the docks to Vermillion City, pausing to
glance at the gray clouds in the sky that indicated the coming
of either snow or rain. He continued to walk, his footsteps
slow and deliberate, smiling all the way; the first part of his
plan had worked out perfectly. The boy would recieve what
he had been gifted, though he would not know he even had
it. Events would be set in motion because of this one gift,
events that would involve legends appearing as flesh and
blood- he even knew which legends would manifest themselves.

He continued to smile as he walked among the docks further.
Just as he had nearly reached the city, a stern voice called out
to him, one that wiped the smile off his face. He whirled about
to the voice's direction, and saw a figure who was cloaked and
invisible like he. The figure who had called out to him stepped
forward and spoke to him. " So, you've given him the- "

Before he could state just what the other person had given him,
the first interrupted him with a solemn decree. " Yes, I did. "

The newcomer swore under his breath, then whirled around,
his fist clenched in anger. " You... You are interfering with my
master's plans! ", said he in a tone of flaming rage.

" I gladly interfere with his plans... Is he not the leader of the
Rocket Gang? I wish to stop him... Truly, it is a shame that one
who bears what you do kow-tows to that little rat. But, you do
have a history with him. After all, are you not- "

The other cloaked figure interrupted him, snarling. " Do not
mention that fool and what I did for him. Do not.... Do so, and
I shall kill you. " At this, he held up his arm- the tip of which
began to glow with black, dark energy.

The first figure simply lifted his own arm, which likewise glowed
with energy- a one that was darker, and yet brighter. At this
great showing of power, the second figure lowered his hand.
Coldly, he said " I have nothing more to say to you. " With those
words, he suddenly vanished in a flash of purple light. The first
person shrugged his shoulder, then turned back and continued
his walk towards Vermillion City.

**************************************************

Not too far away, Giovanni Rocket sat in the basement of the
Mahogany headquarters; he was eager to hear any news about
the mission, be it good or bad. Thusly, he figured that staying
in this base was better. Right now, he leaned back in the chair
of the Director's Office, behind the desk. The door was closed,
and Giovanni stared at the ceiling. As he did, he considered
what he would be doing soon.

The Mewtwo expirment and the search for the Legendary
Pokemon had two things in common: they had both dismally
failed to work and they had the goal of procuring powerful
Pokemon to be used for their own. Thusly, Giovanni had
jumped at the chance of getting some new Pokemon from
the preserves; that explained why he'd sent his best team
out to hopefully find some new Pokemon. However, he'd
lied about what he'd do with the newly captured Pokemon;
he'd said that he would use them and their DNA to create
another Mewtwo, one who would obey him willfully. While
the Rockets debated the foolishness of the offered plan, he
went to work on his real plan. This plan involved the fufilling
of a prophecy that had been found in the ruins where the
Mew DNA had been discovered; it had been copied down as
part of the records, for some reason. It read as follows:

In the time when man peacefully exists with Pokemon
In the time when man trains them for his glory
New Pokemon shall be discovered
Their sanctuary penetrated
Humans shall make their own sanctuary
To protect the Pokemon
Celebi's champion will come forth
Choose the one to succeed the dark
His secret shall be known
Legends will become truth
New lands will be established
The legendaries will come, attracted to the dark
And the greatest threat will come from the low, the
forgotten
The one none renember when the evils come to mind
And in the aftermath, the world will be changed

When he'd first read it, Giovanni had laughed at this; it was
nothing more than the stuff of legend and fable. However,
he did enjoy reading the work every now and then, in his
boredom so he could laugh at it. Well, he'd been reading it
on the same day that the discovery of the new Pokemon was
announced and the preserve's creation was brought into
existence. Realizing the truth of this, he decided at once to
use the prophecy to his advantage. For the line that stated
" The legendaries will come, attracted to the dark " was
interpreted by him as that the legendaries would be drawn
to someone, the person who would be the " one to succeed the dark ". As a result, he did all of this to find that one, to capture
him. If he played his cards right, powerful Pokemon and the
world would lie in his hands...

He was playing a great gamble. But then, does not one always
gamble on their fate?

END Chapter Five

...

[Powarun]

So you have some uknown object in this. What is it?

[Zenith Magus]

No update today- I'm trying to decide where to take the
story from here. Updates will come in a few days.

[Zenith Magus]

Sorry I haven't been updating... I bet you've all decided to
stop reading this fic, right? Well, new chapter tomorrow!

[Zenith Magus]

Here...next chapter.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Six: Arrival at the Island


A stormy sky greeted the little boat as it pulled in towards
its destination: A large island that overflowed with clear, pristine
lakes and copious amounts of leafy foilage. Tree trunks that
were extremely thick and durable suspended the leaves in
the air, leaving the exotic flowers on the ground to become
victim to the appetite of the many types of Pokemon that
dwelled on this island. The island looked, at first sight, like
no man had ever been there and that it had been the domain
of the Pokemon since the world's creation. However, at a
second glance, one easily spotted the wooden dock on the
sandy beach and the large building that lay slightly inward.
It was toward the aforementioned dock that the miniscule
boat was heading, with Daniel Elm and his assistant Thomas
on board.

Right now, Thomas was staring out at the island with a look
of apathy on his face. He cared not what he was coming here
to do; he cared not about the effect Elm's task would have on
the Pokemon League. All he cared about was training his
Pokemon, living with them to the end of his days. They were
the only ones who understood him, what he was: no one
else did, in his view. They tried to, but they all saw him as- in
his view- what he wasn't, not what he was. What he was- well,
that was something only he knew. So, he continued to stare
out at the isle.

Before long, the dock loomed into a view, and he could see
anyone on it. He did see someone: a person with cropped
red-orange hair, a lab coat, and thick circular glasses. The person
saw him as well, and waved out to him. Within a few minutes,
the boat had pulled up to the dock. A gangplank was lowered
from the sides, and both Elm and Thomas stepped down onto
the dock. The person ran up to Elm, shoving Thomas slightly
out of the way. He grasped Daniel's hand and shook it up and
down, speaking all the while in excited gasps.

" Professor! Oh, my... It's such an honor to meet you! My name's
Mason, and I'm a Pokemon watcher who makes sketches and
drawings of the isle's various Pokemon! ", said Mason, revealing
a bit more then needed in the one sentence. He was quite
excited at this, obviously. " Come on! I have to take you to the
facilities... Everyone wants to talk to you! " So saying, he grabbed
the elderly man by the arm and hauled him off. Elm glanced
at Thomas, who simply walked behind him at a leisurely pace.

**************************************************

High above in the skies, above the island preserve, the Elite
Rockets were also preparing to land on the island. They hovered
over an isolated corner of the grassy preserve, hovering in a
Team Rocket helicopter with the gang's insignia on it. As of now,
it was pulling lower and lower to the ground, so as to drop off
its " cargo ". It landed, and the side doors opened. The six
Rockets within bounded out, their supplies in hand and on back.
A few minutes later, the chopper was up in the air again, and
the Elite Rockets were left behind. At once, they were at a
quandary as to what to do.

Ronald surveyed the grassy clearing and the exotic trees that
ringed it, then pulled his supply backpack off and dropped it on
the ground. He then laid down on the grass, using the pack like
a pillow. Relaxing, he promptly said " Let's just make camp and
relax till tomorrow, eh? "

He closed his eyes, awaiting everyone's response. He soon got
it in the form of a light kick in the side from Markus, then a hard
response. " Let's go , you idiot. We have to get in and get
out. " He gave Ronald another kick, then walked off. Ronald just
continued to lie on the ground, expecting everyone to follow him.
He opened his eyes a moment later, and saw everyone following
Markus into the thick forest. Sighing, he rose to his feet and
followed them.

************************************************** *

Thomas stood agape at the mechanical monstrosity he saw
before him. It was a large yellow vehicle with two wheels. The
bottom half looked like half of an egg, as the seat and several
controls sat within. A crisscrossing network of curving yellow
pipes made up the upper half.

" What... is it? ", asked Thomas, extremely confused at the
purpose of what he saw before him on the sandy beach.

The man who stood next to the machine stepped forward,
rubbing his gray beard. " This is the Poke-Hopper. It should
allow you to navigate this island without any threat to you or
your safety... "

" Oh... ", said he. He sighed, and was about to get into it: just
then, Elm appeared, with Mason behind him. Thomas just groaned...

END Chapter Six


...

[Zenith Magus]

Oy, but was that last chapter crappy. Well, here's chapter
seven.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Seven: Storms, Studies, New Arrivals


Thomas leaned back in the seat of the Poke-Hopper, sighing.
His gray eyes darted about , observing the great trees, with
their thick, gigantic trunks and their gigantic green leaves that
served to protect them from the hot tropical sun that hung over
them in the sky. He saw strange Pokemon, ones that he knew
nothing of, dart out from behind the trees or from their thick
perches in the trees to glance briefly at him and the contraption
he rode before dropping back out of sight. A few of the Pokemon
that appeared were known to him- the island from which these
Pokemon had been taken also contained a few familiar ones- but
for the most part, he saw ones he'd never seen before.

Not that that mattered to him, of course. He could spend every
waking minute of his life here, studying the Pokemon- the one
species on this world that did not judge him for who or what
he appeared to be. In this way, he'd actually looked forward
to coming here. But all in all, he knew that he'd be working with
Elm, doing nothing more than making Pokedex entries for these
creatures- then leaving them behind. And so, he sat in the seat
of the Poke-Hopper as it rolled through a pre-cleared path in
the forest on its two wheels. Next to him sat Daniel Elm, asleep
in a white T-shirt and gray shorts. His snoring was loud, and
Thomas feared it would drive the Pokemon away. In the back of
the vehicle lay Mason, the young Pokemon Watcher who'd agreed
to work with the two as they did what they did. However, he
was being derelict in his duties at the moment- his eyes were
closed, his head resting on the seat. And so, the vehicle trudged
through the forest as it was programmed to do, while Thomas
gave in to the wonderful moment of peace and serenity.

A moment that was soon shattered and broken, destroyed by
explosions of blaring noise from the vehicle. It rudely awoke both
Elm and Mason. Elm rubbed his eyes and groaned, while Mason
sprung forward and read the display on the Poke-Hopper's control
panel. In capital green letters, it read: WARNING! HOSTILE POKEMON AHEAD! The two of them glanced forward to see the
threat, one that Thomas had already observed and still was
observing from the non-moving vehicle.

It was a Pokemon, that was for sure. The skin was colored green,
all except a large red patch that ran down from its lower jaw to
the stomach- there was a dividing line in the lower stomach area.
Three long blue scale-feather things each appeared on a forearm,
and one very long one ran from the back of its head like a braid.
Two scale-feathers hung from the lower area like a tail, and that
is what they were.

" Juputol! " shrieked the Pokemon in a defiant voice, one that
dared the humans to attack. Elm stared at the creature, asking
himself what it was. He did not find the answer, and so he turned
to Mason for it. Mason, by now, had got a look at it. He had a
theory on what it was, and he shared it with Elm.

" Professor, I think that's the evolved form of a Kimori. ", said
he.

" A what? ", asked Elm; he'd only been on the island for a day,
and knew nothing of the already discovered Pokemon.

" Oh, right.. " said Mason in a renembering tone; he'd just realized
Elm would know nothing of the island's native Pokemon. " Well, a
Kimori is a... Here, let me show you. " He pulled out his sketchbook from seemingly nowhere and flipped to one drawing. He pointed at it, which depicted a green Pokemon that looked to
be a smaller version of the attacker on the path, save for a large
leaf-like green tail. " You see, it looks like... "

As the two talked, the Pokemon on the path grew more angry at the intruders. With a sudden shriek, it hurled itself at the Poke-Hopper and its occupants. At once, the machine activated the
self-defense system to protect its occupants from harm. A forcefield sprung up around the machine, and the Pokemon slammed into it at full speed. It hit the ground, K.Oed.

Thomas was the first to notice this, and he bounded out of the
Poke-Hopper to check on the creature. Within moments, Elm and
Mason were out and surrounded the Pokemon.

************************************************** **

Time flew, and the two learned about the Pokemon. When all was
done and Mason had made sketches of the creature, they'd released it into the woods. From what they knew, the creature was indeed the evolved form of Kimori: based on its looks and behavior- Kimori were also very tempermental. They'd termed it
Juputol, after the cry of defiance it had made. They then turned
around and headed back for their home base- It was getting late,
and storm clouds were inexplicably brewing and blotting out the
sky above.

************************************************** **

Out in the storm, in the night, Kris sailed out in the storm on her
Lapras. She was determined to get to the Seafoam Islands and
hopefully pick up a rare Jynx there. Initially, she'd insisted on going out there, even in this weather: Now, with the winds having blown she and her traveling companion out to god
knows where, she regretted the entire trip.

So did her traveling companion and friend, a young male trainer
by the name of Hiroki. He had black eyes and similar hair, with
a part that grew out beyond his head. Now, he was clad in
a thick sweater and long jeans. He screamed out to her from the
Transport Pokemon's back, asking her " Where are we? "

" I don't know... I got lost. Everything just looks like the sea to-
wait a minute! There's an island up ahead! " She spoke truly-
a lightning flash had just illuminated it.

" Well then, let's go! It's the only way we'll be safe! " cried Hiroki.
Kris agreed, and commanded Lapras to go forth to the island. It
did so, reaching the isle: the same isle that housed the Pokemon
preserve.

END Chapter Seven

...

[Zenith Magus]

There'll be no updates 'till March 15th: I've got a lot of
school tests coming up that I need to study for.

[Zenith Magus]

Like I said, I've got a lot of tests coming up, so I won't be
able to update. But does this mean that you've gotta stop
replying to my fic?

[Powarun]

OKAY I WILL BE THERE, JUST DON'T KEEP, KEEPING TH EPUBLIC POSTED BECAUSE THAT MAY BE SPAM.

[Zenith Magus]

Update tomorrow! But to tide you over, here's a little extra
for you: One of those annoying song-themed four-second
tapes that come on after an episode of the Pokemon anime.
This is treating the fic like it is an actual anime, so let's get to
it.

Houen's Origins Musical Extra
By:
Zenith Magus


Tape Title: Rockets of A New Age
Song: The Pokemon anime Team Rocket motto, set to song
form.


Lyrics: Prepare for trouble...

( Quick shots of Markus, Tasuya, Ronald, Gerald, Tila, and Erin
in a helicopter, landing on the island. Another shot, of Giovanni
in the Mahogany base sitting by a radio. )

Lyrics: Make it double...

( Tasuya's Kadabra is seen using a Double Team attack. Also,
we see Gerald and Erin leaping out of the bushes, suprising a
pack of Kimori. )

Lyrics: To protect the world from devestation...

( A shot of Markus's Magmar, about to use Fire Blast on a young
Hasuboo. Another shot, then, of Tasuya waving his hands, begging him to stop. )

Lyrics: To unite all people within our nation...

( A shot of a pack of Achamo being captured by Pokeballs thrown
by the Rockets. Another shot of the beach camp being attacked
by the Rockets. )

Lyrics: To denounce the evils of truth and love...

( A shot of Mason tied up in a tent, talking to the Rockets. They
talk, and the Rockets slap hm every few seconds thinking he
is lying. )

Lyrics: To extend our reach to the stars above...

( A shot, then, of the Rockets laughing in the captured beach
camp. Another shot, of Thomas and Elm being led through the
woods to a cave...)

( Following that, there are quick shout-outs of each Rocket's
name, followed by a photo of them. )

Lyrics: Team Rocket, blast off at the speed of light...

( A brief shot of the Rockets in a helicopter, then another one
of them talking to Giovanni in the helicopter. )

Lyrics: Surrender now, or prepare to fight...

( Mason and Thomas attack the Rockets with their Pokemon. )

Lyrics: That's right!

END Musical Extra

Crap, wasn't it? Well, I had a good reason: It is my birthday today! That aside, do review.

[Zenith Magus]

Hate to say it, but the new chapter'll come tomorrow. Until
then, keep reading.

[AquaBabe727]

Aagh! Sorry I haven't replied in so long! The story is going well, with nice descriptions and plot. The only problem is that your chapters are incredibly short! So it's really hard for me to say how the story's going, becuase there really isn't much of a story yet! I think you really could have compacted all that you've posted so far into one chapter....Maybe what you could do is have more dialogue. I think this story would be much better if you made it more personable. The main character, Thomas, is hard to analyze because you really haven't revealed much of his personality. He seems a bit dry and dull to me, but that's probably because you haven't written much about him... Yeah, so all I can say is: Longer chapters, longer chapters, longer chapters! I'm sure you'll have much more success that way. ^_^

Besides that, the story is coming along very well! You appear to have a really well structured plot, and a multitude of characters to develope...Pretty nice! And again, I'm sorry I've been lax in replying~ my bad!

Oh, and happy belated birthday! How old are you now? Hope you got lots of great presents!

You know what might attract more readers? When people reply to a topic, its nice to get some recognition from the writer. If you don't reply to them, they won't feel a need to give you feed-back, you know? Alright, so that's my two cents for the day~ ^_^ Can't wait for the next chapter!

[Zenith Magus]

Say, thanks for the birthday greetings. Yeah, I got a lot
of presents. Next chapter tomorrow!

P.S I'd tell you how old I am, but there are some things I'd
like to keep an enigma. You know- just to make sure no one
uses them against me.

[Zenith Magus]

AquaBabe727: Yeah, I'll try to make the chapters longer: the
personalities of characters will be fleshed out soon, so you
don't have to worry.

Oh, and to all of you, I'll be using the Japanese names for the
Ruby & Sapphire Pokemon in this fic.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Eight: Unwilling Combatant, Mysterious Sight


Mason slept peacefully in his quarters at the base camp, which
was made up of a grouping of tents upon the beach. He lay
very still upon the bedroll and pillows that served as his bed.
Soft snoring emanated from his mouth as he lay still as a wooden
board. However, a couple of loud voices promptly flew through
the night air, piercing the tent's flimsy covering and destroying the
peace and quiet within.

The voices awoke Mason from his slumber. He tried to turn over
and ignore them, thinking it was somehow a trick of the wind.
However, the voices persisted in making themselves known.
Finally, with a groan, he arose from his bedroll. Dressed in a
nightcap and striped pajamas, he crossed over to the small
wooden board upon a box in his tent that served as a table.
They were really roughing it down here at the preserve.

Mason lifted two things from the board's surface; a Pokeball
containing a Growlithe- for protection - and his glasses, which
he'd need to make heads or tails of anything out there. Putting
on the glasses and grasping the Pokeball in his right hand, he
exited the tent. From there, he crept silently towards the place
he guessed the voices were coming from.

Arriving at the small clearing on the beach, Mason saw the supposed source of the voices; the starry sky and bright moon
illuminated them in a pale light. They were two people and
a Lapras; the latter was peacefully asleep upon the edges
of the sandy shore. The former consisted of a black-haired
male and a blue-haired female, both chattering to one another.

" Kris, you just had to get a Jynx, didn't you? You just had to
take a chance out in that storm! ", said the male, pointing to the
sky. A few hours ago, a large storm had struck, lasting only
for a short time. It had been time enough, however, to drive
Kris and her male companion Hiroki off course and onto the
isle.

" Alright, I admit it was my fault! But can we please stop talking
about that? " cried Kris, in a tone that suggested she was annoyed with the topic.

" Yeah, alright. That aside, now what are we going to do? I
mean, we're stuck on an uninhabited island that we can't get
off because your Lapras is still asleep! " said Hiroki, in a raging
voice and with ridiculous-looking hand gestures.

" Well, let's just stay on this beach for now. ", said Kris in a
calm, placating tone.

" Whatever. Look, I'm gonna go see if I can capture some Pokemon or something; I gotta do something. " said Hiroki,
who then proceeded to walk inland towards the grassy forests
that came beyond the beach.

" Fine. But don't go too far. I don't want to go looking for you.. ",
said Kris in a slightly teasing voice.

Meanwhile, Mason stood and observed the duo, who were
unaware of him because they were too busy talking to look
in his direction. He was happy they didn't notice him; this would
allow him to learn more about the two before confronting them.
However, Mason decided to change his plans when he heard
the boy talking about catching some Pokemon on the isle. That was illegal, since the isle was a preserve for Pokemon, and Mason
decided to make himself- and that fact -known to the two trainers.

He hurled his Growlithe's Pokeball to the ground, releasing the
creature- a four-legged Pokemon, with black stripes upon the back and legs. It also had a bushy tail, and similar clumps of thick
white hair on the bottom and top of its head. The stripes and
hair were all upon a thick orange fur that covered the Pokemon.

Bending over, he whispered his command into the Growlithe's
pointed ears; " Growlithe, Roar! " He rose to his feet, and his Pokemon let out a loud bark. It awoke the sleeping Lapras, who
cried out in suprise and fear. It also drew Kris and Hiroki's attention, who whirled about and saw Mason and his Growlithe.

The two trainers were too suprised to even speak, so Mason
took the initiative. Stepping forward, he said " Alright, you two!
What are you doing here? Are you here to capture Pokemon? ",
punctuating each sentence with a suspicious glance.

Mason made a spectacle of himself with the way he talked
and moved, but Kris and Hiroki did not point it out. Kris walked
forward, saying " We were out on our Lapras, trying to get to
the Seafoam Islands, but we went the wrong way in that storm.
So, we decided to seek shelter here for the night. But that storm
cleared up, and Lapras is asleep! That's why we are here; we're
waiting for Lapras to wake up. And why do you want to know if
we're here to capture Pokemon? "

Mason, realizing that the two were not here to capture rare
Pokemon, softened his demeanor a little. Stepping forward, he
said, " Well, this island is a Pokemon preserve. You know, the
one with those newly discovered Pokemon? You've heard of it, right? " The last question was a foolish one; everyone already
knew about the isle, since it was all the press had been talking
about for the last few weeks.

Hiroki's eyes went wide at Mason's statement, and he threw
up his hands in apology. " Hey, sorry! Look, I didn't know.
Please, don't- "

Hiroki's apologies were cut off by a chuckle from Mason, followed
by a reply. " It's all right. You didn't know. " That aside, he moved
on to his next topic. " Say, you guys wanna come to our base
camp, or will you be happy roughing it on the- "

It was Mason's turn to be cut off, and he was- by Hiroki and
Kris unanimous reply of " Yes! ". Kris called back her Lapras,
and the three walked back to the base camp with Mason in the
lead.

************************************************** **

Meanwhile, Thomas sat awake in his own tent, which looked
just like Mason's; all the tents looked the same, both on the outside and the inside. The reason he was not asleep now was
because of a dream he had earlier, while he had been sleeping.
The dream had involved four strange Pokemon, calling out to him;
they'd been covered in shadows, but Thomas had been able
to realize that two of them were Flying-types. And so he sat in
his tent, renembering his dream and trying to figure out the
meaning of it. After all, he did believe dreams held some meaning
to the dreamer.

He worked at his wooden-board desk, trying to discern the dream's meaning with a piece of paper and a pencil. So far, he'd
drawn the outline of the four Pokemon that called out to him;
two of them were large birds, while the third looked to be a
giant fish with a rounded body and paws. The fourth seemed
to look like an armoured Typhlosion, with claws and all. He
was just about to think back and see if there were any discerning
features on the Pokemon, when the flaps of the tent opened
and Mason's head poked in.

" Hey, Thomas? ", asked Mason in a silent and whispering voice.

" Yes? ", replied Thomas; he was a man of few words, except with
the sarcasm he would sometimes exhibit.

" Uh... We just found two people out here on the island. Two
people who got blown off course while on a Lapras. They're now
stranded here while their Lapras is sleeping. I found two extra
bedrolls, so could you let these people sleep in your tent? ",
said Mason.

" Sure. ", said Thomas in his flat and neutral tone.

" Alright, thanks! ", said a grateful Mason, flashing a smile. He
opened the flaps fully, then awkwardly placed the two bedrolls
that'd been lying next to his feet within the tent. He then went
to go fetch the two, leaving Thomas to his work. A few minutes
passed, and Thomas was still trying to discern the cryptic dream's
meaning: the meaning of the four Pokemon calling his name out.
He had a theory formed in his mind; maybe this dream meant
that the four were mocking him, mocking him for his failure in
Pokemon training, laughing privately...

Before he could put the theory on paper, however, Mason appeared at the tent flaps with the two people. Thomas turned
his attention to the two as they entered the tent, leaving Mason
to.. leave, heading for his own tent. As he gazed at the two,
he was initially shocked, then silently groaned. Kris was here!
Silently, he cursed the world, slamming his pajama-sporting arm
against the board mutely. Without a sound, he turned his back
to the two, hoping they wouldn't catch a glimpse of him. He was
too late, however, as Kris saw him and went to him.

" Well, well... What are the odds, huh? Me, encountering you
out here. It's like fate! ", said Kris.

Thomas simply groaned, and continued to work, ignoring her
all the while.

*************************************************

The hours went by, and soon it was about 5 in the morning.
The sun was barely starting to rise, signaling the dawn of a
new day. Thomas, however, felt like he wanted to sleep in the
whole day. None the less, he still pressed on, continuing to
work at the paper. Kris, meanwhile, had stayed awake most
of the night asking him questions about why he was here.
When he was done explaining it all, he turned his attention
to the paper, trying to ignore her. However, she continued
to talk to him, something that was taking place right now.

Thomas looked up briefly from his work, only to see a shadow
shaped like a Pokemon on the tent fold. Blinking, he stared
at it- it was still there. Realizing that the shadow was one he'd
seen in his dream, Thomas raced out of the tent to get after
it, hoping to maybe find a clue to his dream from it, somehow.
He paused only briefly to pick up a change of clothes from his
bag on the tent, as well as some food supplies. Kris hurried
out after him, watching as he darted into the nearby forest.
A moment later, he darted out in a gray shirt and gray slacks
that hung off his thin frame of a body. He paused to run over
to Mason's tent and tell him what was going on. A moment
later, with Mason's permission, Thomas darted into the Poke-
Hopper and activated it. He awkwardly darted off in the direction
of the mysterious shadow, leaving a suprised Kris and a sleeping
Hiroki behind...


END Chapter Eight

Author's Note: Oddly enough, Thomas and Hiroki are based off
of my personality. Thomas is the silent, rarely speaking, misunderstood kid. Hiroki, on the other hand, is an overdramatic
kid who constantly apologizes for everything and is basically
a coward. That aside, review please.

[Crystalmaster Mike]

Well, this could be interesting. Not only with the history behind Kris and Thomas, but also the fact your two personalities could clash; the silent, sarcastic one and the dramatic, cowardly one. 't Would be sth if they'd be forced to work together. And well, it seems the new land's mysteries keep on multiplying! I'm looking forward to what comes next!

[Zenith Magus]

I'm taking AquaBabae727's advice and replying to the reviews
of everyone who replies from now on. My first reply will be directed at Crystalmaster Mike.

Crystalmaster Mike: Yes, you will see the characters of Thomas
and Hiroki forced to work together. You will also see the mysteries of Houen quadruple.

Well, keep on reviewing.

[Zenith Magus]

... Here's the ninth chapter.

Houen's Origins
By:
Zenith Magus


Chapter Nine: Still-Living Rockets, Thomas's Clues


As Thomas drove off in the Poke-Hopper, pursuing the shadow
of a Pokemon- one he'd seen both in a dream and in real life-
in order to gain answers to the questions he had, and as Kris
frantically darted after the Poke-Hopper and everyone else
slept in their tents, the Elite Rockets were attempting to navigate the thriving jungle of the isle with a marginal amount of success in the early morning light.

" Magmar, Ember! "

Markus's Magmar- a bipedal Fire Pokemon that had a flaming tail,
clawed hands and feet, a spiked back, and a yellow-red skin coloring that made it look like it was on fire- obeyed the command
from its master. It exhaled a small bit of flame from its mouth, which quickly razed through the grassy undergrowth that blocked their path. Within moments, it was burnt to ashes and no longer an obstacle.

The leader of the Elite Rockets then commanded his Magmar to stomp out the fire- which he did, with an odd dance that quickly stomped out the flame and prevented it from burning up the surrounding forest. So had he and his team navigated their way through the forest, searching for Pokemon to poach, and using Magmar to burn through obstacles. The last bit was risky, but then they were Elite Rockets- members of Team Rocket who were expert thieves and Pokemon trainers, ones who'd never failed their boss. They'd know how to handle the situation if it got out of control.

Right now, leader Markus and his subordinate Tasuya were clearing a path away from the campsite they'd set up last night in a clearing behind them. A few feet behind them, the other members of the team- Erin, Tila, Ronald, and Gerald - trudged up the path, keeping a lookout for seemingly powerful Pokemon that could conciveably be anywhere around them, waiting to attack.

As the six continued their walk up the path, Markus kept his eyes out for anything that looked suspicious, like it was concealing a creature of great power... His eyes wandered about the path before them, when he suddenly caught sight of something. He gazed at it again, as he wasn't sure what it was. Gerald saw him, and tried to look at the bush too. He saw what Markus'd seen: a flash of blue amongst the green of the leafy bushes. He tried to focus on it again, staring at it with all his concentration, and saw the blue object- whatever it was - move briefly, and he was convinced then and there it was a Pokemon. Ronald saw it too, and came to the same conclusion as Gerald had and Markus did.
He hurled down a Pokeball, which exploded open in a flash of red light and revealed a Pokemon swathed in blue vines over its round body with two eyes poking out of the mass. It had two small feet and was known as a Tangela by the humans.

" Tangela, Sleep Powder on that bush! ", cried Ronald to the Tangela, pointing at the bush where the mystery Pokemon had been sighted in. Tangela obeyed, shaking its body. From the grassy mass, a fine powder left the body and floated into the bushes without a sound. There was a brief shaking of the target bush, then the creature within staggered outward, rendered drowsy by the powder. It was blue-skinned and had four small legs that it walked upon. Orange fin-like growth- they couldn't tell what exactly it was- poked out from the cheeks of the creature, about next to its button-like black eyes. A transparent fin poked out from its backside, making it clear that the Pokemon was native to the water.

Everyone was suddenly suprised by the Pokemon that lay before them; everyone except Markus, Ronald, and Gerald. They bent down next to the creature, and Markus complimented Ronald with a sarcastic tone.

" Ronald, you did something good...which is unexpected from you,
but good nontheless. "

Ronald replied with the same sarcastic tone," Har har har. Well, let's get down to work, shall we? " He said it, however, with a bit of respect- Markus was his boss, after all. He left it at that, and hovered over Markus's shoulders as he examined the Pokemon.
Meanwhile, Markus's Magmar stood around in the clearing, forgotten and ignored until Markus stopped his work to return it to its Pokeball.

At that point, Tasuya walked over to the Pokemon. Bending over, he examined the creature. Finally, after a few minutes, he held a whispered conversation with Markus. After that took place, Tasuya pulled an empty Pokeball out of his supply pack. Unceremoniously, he dropped the Pokeball on the unconcious creature's sides. The impact awoke the creature, which staggered to its four feet. Upon seeinf the six Rockets about it, it sent forth a distress call. " Mizugoruuuu! Mizugoruu! ", cried it in a high voice.

Tasuya observed the cries of the Pokemon, saying " Well, I guess we might as well call this Pokemon Mizugoru. After all, it is tradition to name Pokemon based on their cries. But what is it trying to say? "

Erin said " I have no idea. I can't understand Pokemon speech, now can I? " That last bit was said with a sarcastic tone.

" Me too. ", echoed Tila. They all waited around, expecting
something strange and odd to happen. And something did, though it wasn't that strange, considering the circumstances. All at once, what appeared to be almost a score of " Mizugoru " darted out of the bushes. They crowded around their distressed brother, talking excitedly to him in their language. The victim informed his friends of what the Rockets had done to him. The entire group grew angry at this, and turned to face them menacingly. The Rockets were ready, however, and hurled down their Pokeballs to signify the battle's start...

************************************************** *

Meanwhile, Thomas was still in the Poke-Hopper, still trying to find the mystery Pokemon. He had followed the general direction of its shadow for hours on end- the shadow had only popped up sparsely - stopping briefly to pick up a trailing-behind Kris, who'd thanked him profusely for it. However, Thomas had ignored her thanks and continued on his search. So far, he'd not found much of a clue, but decided anyway to continue on. As of now, he'd decided to break briefly and go bathe in a nearby river, one that was only populated by Magikarp. Before he did, however, he'd decided to park the Poke-Hopper in a safe spot. As he manouvered the Poke-Hopper into a field of bushes, he saw something odd on the ground- a symbol that looked like a small
pair of oval-shaped wings. As he stared at them, an image flashed through his mind: One of a winged Pokemon, an unclear-looking one with an outline that fitted the shadow he'd tracked to a perfect T.

He paused, then shook it off. Warning Kris to stay away from the nearby river, he pulled a change of clothes from his supply pack he'd brought with him and headed down to the river to bathe. As he did, the vision he'd seen haunted his mind...

END Chapter Nine

There will not be any "risque" scenes in this, if this is what you are thinking after reading the chapter's end. It is just that..well-
fanfiction characters need to bathe like the rest of us, right? :)
Ah, well... Come and review!

[Zenith Magus]

Every Friday, I plan to make another fic 'extra': an extra
add-on to the fic that explores obscure points of the plot
or is just a useless musical video-type fic. However, it'll
come tomorrow- I'm finishing one up tonight.

[Zenith Magus]

It won't be until late evening or maybe tomorrow: I'm getting
a harddrive upgrade.