Disclaimer: Pokemon and co. doesn't belong to me . . . . blah blah blah . .
.


Authors Notes: Here I am again and all ready for season 2 of this fic for
the few of you that'll probably come banging on my door to demand I
finish this already.
In this chapter is a guest POV.  As usual, Feedback would be greatly
appreciated!  And so would suggestions for the final chapter of my fic
Forever.  I kinda got writers block on that one.



Ketchum: The Journey Continues
Season 2

Down Victory Road - Part 1
Chapter 19


When I woke up I found myself trapped under two pokemon.  Heaving a
quiet sigh I gently moved Raptors head and moved Bastet off my chest.
Then I remembered what day it was.  It took great restraint not to jump
off the bed and bounce off the walls, today was the day Musashi, the
other six trainers and I began our trip through the underground labyrinth
known to all as Victory Road.
"I don't believe my eyes, you actually woke up early."  I sighed, Julie was
always needling me about that.
"Julie, I need a favour."
"Oh?  And what, pray tell is that?"
She was going to make this difficult, I just knew it.
"Would you please look after Bastet while I'm on Victory Road?"
To my surprise she totally beamed.
"Of course!  She's such a sweety!"
I raised an eyebrow.
"Something tells me you have a slightly ulterior motive."  I stated, giving
her a 'cough it up or I'll change my mind' look.
"Alright, I've been nagging my parents for a kitten but they won't relent. 
I figure if I get a glowing report from you that I took good care of Bastet
that they'd give."
"I'll make you a deal, if I hear from Bastet that you did a very good job
I'll tell your parents and try to convince them.  If I hear other wise then I
won't say a word to them.  Deal?"  I held out my hand.
"Deal!"

You see, the thing is with Victory Road is that you're only allowed to use
twelve pokemon.  It may sound like a lot but it's not.
Victory Road is crawling with trainers you have to beat, a few traps, four
levels you have to navigate and all put together it's almost fifty miles
long.
Our chosen twelve have to last through all that.  If they all faint you're
out of the running. 
This is the ultimate endurance test for trainers and their pokemon.
You're allowed as many Potions and Full Heals as you can carry.  But
you're only allowed to carry six Revives.
If you manage to make it to the other end of Victory Road with at least
one pokemon still conscious you only get 24 hours to rest and prepare for
four consecutive battles against the Elite.
If you beat the Elite then you have 48 hours to rest and prepare for the
battles with any other trainers who made it though and the Pokemon
Master.
Silently Musashi and I packed our things for our trip, we weren't really
sure what to say to each other.
If we both made it we'd be pitted against each other for the title.
I didn't know if I could do that to her.
I didn't know if I could actually fight her.
The eight of us stopped in front of the huge gate.
<Victory Road . . .> I thought almost absentmindedly.
<"I don't see what the big deal is.  You're acting like you're about to
enter a sacred shrine.">
<With good reason!  Victory Road, the Elite 4, the Pokemon Master,
these three things are what a trainer strives to accomplish.  Every 4 years
only a select few are allowed through these doors, this year I'm one of
those select few.  Even if I don't make it, I'll always remember that I
made it this far.>
He was silent for a moment, thinking about my words.
<"Mmmm . . . truly a challenge.  I think I understand what you mean
now.  One question though.">
<Yeah?>
<"Do you have any idea how long we'll be in there?">
<Probably a few days, week at most.>
<"Oh, joy.  The things you humans do now a days . . . although it is a
great improvement from what I knew.">
<Look at the bright side though.>
<"Oh?  There's a bright side to this little endeavour?">
<Yeah, we won't be hounded by reporters for the next few days.  Victory
Road is strictly trainers only.>
I could almost see his smile.

As we walked in we all went in different directions, from now on it was
every trainer for themselves.  If I encountered any of the other seven
trainers I'd have to battle them.
Lovely.
Gah, it was dark in here.  Holding up the lantern Inferno had lit for me I
began to walk.  As much as I wanted a fight or two I had to keep
everyone at full strength as long as I could.  It's not that I doubted their
fighting prowess, no, it's just that this place had a few traps.  And I
needed them to get me out of one if I fell in.
Then there were always the wild pokemon I might stumble across who
wanted a fight.  In my opinion they were the ones I should really be
worrying about.
"I challenge you to a battle!  One on one!"  I winced at looked at the
trainer, I had been so lost in thought I didn't see her.
"Deal."  I said as I debated which pokemon to use, it had to be one that
could take full advantage of the dark.
"Ready!"  I said as I prepared to throw the pokeball.
"Go Marril!"
Lovely, a Marril.  
No problem though.
"I choose you, Makaar!"
The only sign that Makaar had emerged from his pokeball was a brief
flash of his outline.
"Water Gun!"
"Shriek!"
Now, at this point you must remember that Marril's have very sensitive
hearing.  And I've just subjected this one's ears to an attack that can
shatter diamonds.
The battle was over very quickly.
"Nice job Makaar."
He grinned at me as I recalled him and picked up the lantern.  I had a long
way to walk.
Eventually I thought I was going to be driven mad from the deafening
silence so I pulled out my clarinet and began to play.
I admit it was an eerie tune, and the way it bounced off the walls, making
it seem to come from everywhere at once sort of reminded me of the
Phantom Of The Opera.
It was cool, so I kept playing.


~~~~~~Musashi's POV~~~~~~

I checked the time for the umpteenth time and sighed, I'd been wandering
for the past two hours.  I was lucky I had Machop for company.
<"I understand why it's so dark, but isn't this a little dangerous for
trainers?">
<Yeah, but that's part of the test Machop.>
<"Mmmm . . . I suppose.  I just don't like it.">
<I know, I've never been fond of the dark either.>
<"You know my friend, I seem to remember an old legend that
accompanied these caves.  This legend was old, even in my days.  It is
said that the familiar of a practitioner of the Black Magiks once resided in
one of these caverns with her mistress.  She was a large Arbok, almost
fifteen feet long."> I gave a low whistle, that was a big Arbok. <"It is said
the sorceress wanted Arbok to become even more powerful, so she
created the Venom Stone to evolve Arbok."> My eyes widened as I
continued to walk. <"Arbok did evolve, but something went terribly
wrong.  Arbok, then known as Hydra, went mad.  She killed her mistress
and levelled half the cavern in her fury.  Now she is said to haunt these
caves.  She may still live, she may be a vengeful ghost.  No one really
knows.  She's said to appear to those whose connection  all pokemon is
strong.  She can sense it.">
<What does Hydra look like?>
<"Legend says she's twenty feet long, black and has three Arbok-like
heads.">
I squeaked and jumped in fear when a faint ghostly tune seemed to come
from all around me.  Then I laughed nervously as I realized it must be
Satoshi.  Then I remembered what Satoshi's capable of with his clarinet.
Uh oh.
<Machop, is there any chance that the Hydra will be attracted to
Satoshi's song?>
<"Oh my . . .">
I didn't like the sound of that.


~~~~~~Hydra's POV~~~~~~

I passed unnoticed through the darkness, the pokemon of these caverns
are long since accustomed to me.
My adopted mother taught me all I need to know, just like her adopted
father before her.  For two millennia it has continued like this, the story of
the first Hydra passed down the generations.  She also taught me how to
sense those with strong connections . . . bonds to their pokemon.
I can sense one now, this bond is stronger than most.
My two other heads smell in different directions to locate this human. 
Their senses are sent straight to me.
For you see, I am the only head with actual thought.  The other two are
an extension of me, like my tail.
My eyes narrow, one of my kin is injured.  I'll attend to that first, then I'll
seek out the human.

"Ow!  Hey, cool it!"
What was that?
*That hurts human!  Leave me alone!*
A human was injuring one of my kin?!  This can't be ignored!
"Hey!  I'm trying to help here!  How on earth did you get cut up this
badly anyway?"
I observed the scene, Arbok was trying to get away from the human. 
And the human was holding . . . bandages?
The human didn't injure Arbok?  The human was trying to help him?
*One of your kind did this!  Now let me be!*
"No way.  Just let me bandage this and you can go!"
They stared eye to eye.  I sensed the connection again before Arbok
broke eye contact.
*Fine.* He hissed as he turned his head away.
The human finished bandaging Arbok and sent him on his way.  He came
over to where I was watching them.
The human pulls out an instrument and begins to play.  It is an eerie tune
that compels me to approach him.
However I am stronger than that.
*You gave no trouble to him, why?*
*His eyes are clear Hydra.*
I nod and continue to watch the human, he is . . . intriguing.


~~~~~~Inferno's POV~~~~~~

I let out a yawn as I was let out, from the corner of my eye I could see
Satoshi, he was playing his clarinet. 
After a while of following in silence he finally stops.
*What's up?*
"I'm bored, and Charmeleon's tired of talking to me."
*How long have you been talking to him?*
"Almost four hours now."
My eyes widened, no wonder Charmeleon didn't want to talk anymore.
So he gets me out instead.
"Hey Inferno, did I ever tell you about the time Taiki and I . . ."
As I listened to his story, my skin began to crawl.  A sure sign we were
being watched.  I turned my head but saw nothing except shadows and
darkness.
To be on the safe side, I edged closer to Satoshi.
"Hey Inferno, did you hear me?  It's time to set up camp.  We're not
allowed a fire so I was hoping . . ."
I snapped out of my worry and grinned.
*Sure, I'll keep you warm tonight.*
And I'll keep him safe from whatever's lurking in the shadows.