As anyone who's read this story will notice, what used to be Chapter 16 is now Chapter 1. This is due to a few issues I had, brought up by a review I had that was a real wake-up call, by MidnightSaboteur. One was that it was kind of clichéd, not that well written and the characters- which are the main point of interest in an OT fic- or at least this one- were all interchangeable and none of them displayed any of their truly defining characteristics. So other than rewrite the entire story, I decided to simply start again at a more interesting point that better displays the strengths of this fic. And thus did I choose the chapter previously known as Chapter 16, now mildly rewritten to welcome new readers. Enjoy.

Pokémon: Josh's Journey

Chapter 1 The Bitter Cold

"Well?" I declared "are you ready for a battle yet?" I was aware I was probably bugging him, but I didn't really care. Zack pondered the thought.

"Better yet," he said "why don't you battle Lindsay?" Because I want to battle you, idiot. And I will until I manage to beat you at least once.

"That'd be good," I replied. It was late when I had battled Sabrina yesterday, so we had stayed in a motel for the night. As we had packed up to leave the next day- today- I spotted Zack and well, challenged him to a battle.

"So- er… how many Pokémon?" asked Lindsay, Zack's sister whom I had been assured was a skilled trainer in her own right. I shrugged.

"Three?" I said. She smiled and nodded.

"Charizard!" she called, just as I said:

"Ampharos! Thunderbolt!"

"Flamethrower!" Charizard's fierce stream of flame struck just after Ampharos' lightning attack. Charizard took more damage but Ampharos recoiled and rather than give my Pokémon a chance to counter Charizard took to the sky. "Flamethrower!"

The burning attack swept across the field, Ampharos at the centre.

"Thunderbolt!" Aim for the wing! Then get out of there!" The electric attack caught Charizard on her wing and she roared in pain, rolling in midair to slow her fall and landing on her legs and one arm, the other clutching her wing. "Again!" This blast caught Charizard on her chest and slammed her back.

"And again!"

"Jump to the left! Dragon Claw! Wing Attack!!" I was astounded by Charizard's speed as she leapt to the left and then forward, slashing Ampharos with glowing claws and then throwing his weight behind his good wing and slamming it into Ampharos, knocking her off her feet.

"Flamethrower!" commanded Lindsay and another burst of fire finished Ampharos off.

"Alright, Meowth!" I shouted "Use Mega Punch!" Charizard stepped backward into a defensive position but Meowth was quicker and struck under Charizard's guard.

"Flamethrower!" commanded Lindsay.

"Get in close and Slash!" Meowth moved forward and leapt up, raking her claws across Charizard's face. Charizard howled and raised her arms to shield herself.

"Jump off and Mega Punch again!" I said gleefully and Meowth somehow interpreted that to include a backflip, gracefully pushing off and striking Charizard in the belly as she came down. Charizard roared and fell, taken down with little effort expended on Meowth's part.

"Wow," said Lindsay "I try not to underestimate Pokémon, but that Meowth took me completely by surprise." I grinned. "Hmm... who now? I know, come on out Lunatone!"

I'd never actually seen a Lunatone in the flesh but I knew a bit about them from Pokémon handbooks and the battles on TV, i.e. that they were moderately tough Rock/Psychic type Pokémon native to Hoenn.

"Tackle!" commanded Lindsay and Lunatone moved forward suddenly.

"Dodge it! Now Faint Attack!" Meowth was too fast for Lunatone and sprang away before launching a super effective hit. "Again!'

"Hypnosis!" Lindsay commanded and Lunatone's non physical attack was faster that I anticipated and the attack nearly succeeded. Meowth was dizzy from the attack however and was prey to another attack.

"Psywave!" commanded Lindsay and an invisible force struck Meowth, the critical hit knocking her flying. Lindsay grinned.

"Faint Attack!" Lindsay's smile faded when Meowth sprang up and leapt forward to deal another powerful blow. "And again!"

"Back away! Psywave! Psywave!" Lunatone hovered backwards at speed as Meowth came to attack again and when Meowth got too close a Psywave forced her to change direction.

"Back it up against the wall!" I commanded and Meowth changed direction, herding the still moving backward Lunatone towards the outside wall of the Gym. "Finish this!" I commanded and with a final Faint Attack Meowth finished off her opponent.

"Man, that Pokémon's good," remarked Lindsay appreciatively "Sandslash! Use Slash!" A large Sandslash emerged and Meowth was too slow to avoid a vicious Slash.

"Mega Punch!" It soon became apparent that while Meowth was more lithe, Sandslash, despite being big, was very powerful and quick. Meowth's speed failed to give her the edge and Sandslash's power was too much- at a final Dig, Meowth was knocked aside and defeated. I needed, I decided, a Pokémon super effective against Ground. And fast. That or Ninetales. I decided on Poliwrath.

"Go Poliwrath! Use Bubblebeam!" The fast moving projectiles were strong and Sandslash was unable to avoid them, the first few knocking her back before she sprang away.

"Slash!" commanded Lindsay.

"Mind Reader," I said, "and brace yourself. Now… Dynamicpunch!" Poliwrath stood and bore the attack, sighting his opponent. Then he threw his weight into a powerful punch that caused considerable damage. We followed up with a Bubblebeam and from there we blocked Sandslash's attacks, though less effectively when she used Dig.

"Dig!" Lindsay commanded again, and Poliwrath braced himself for the hit. Sandslash surfaced and struck Poliwrath bodily, under his guard.

"Grab him!" I shouted on instinct and Poliwrath caught Sandslash, who wriggled to no avail.

"Rapid Spin!" commanded Lindsay and Sandslash whirled around, vicious claws leaving tiny lacerations on Poliwrath's skin. I winced; that had to hurt.

"Dynamicpunch!" I yelled. It was risky, without the security of Mind Reader but Poliwrath hit- his fist smashed into Sandslash with power- the shrew Pokémon had trouble standing. "Now Bubblebeam!" and Poliwrath finished off his opponent with a final attack. We recalled our Pokémon.

"Zack was right," I remarked "you are a great trainer." Lindsay nearly blushed. I grinned. "Incidentally, where exactly did you get that Charizard?"

"You know the Bluegrass plains Pokémon reserve?"

"Oh yeah, we went on an excursion there once."

"Well there's this thing where you can get one of the original starter Pokémon- Charmander, Squirtle or Bulbasaur. You pay something- I don't remember how much, but anyway er… you… can catch one."

"Ok, thanks."

"And the Lunatone?"

"Rock Tunnel. I found one it at like the very bottom, some Hiker I met said they were like unheard of and no one knew they were there so I kind of... discovered them."

"Wow," I said, impressed.

"My god Zack's a good battler," exclaimed Morgan loudly as he came up to us.

"He won?" Lindsay said dryly.

"Hell yeah, he kicked my ass." That doesn't surprise me.

Morgan and I had lunch in a café, and plotted our course. It would require a detour almost as large as the one that had taken us from Vermillion to Celadon. We would need to go either to Vermillion and through Diglett's Cave and then south to Cinnabar or go to Celadon, down Cycling Road, stop off at Fuchsia and then go around Seafoam Islands. We opted for the Vermillion route, and set off a bit after noon that day. We hiked for the day and the next day we dropped in at home for the final time on our journeys. From there we travelled across familiar territory- the path east from Vermillion.

We made camp about halfway there and continued the next day, pausing to catch the few species found in the area that led to the pier where I had been attacked by a Gyarados that time. Later that day we entered the narrow Diglett's cave. Not surprisingly the only species of Pokémon we found were Diglett. The ceiling was lower than my head at times so I walked almost with a constant hunch. My back was very sore so when we reached a clear area I suggested we lay down for the night. We did so, without tents of course and I later regretted stopping- Morgan embarked on a series of jokes about long things in tunnels listening to which was far more painful than any cramps.

It was by far the most ground we had covered in four days- the tunnel was half Kanto's width diagonally- but it was very direct with no obstructions. It was almost claustrophobic though. If there was an accident we were screwed.

We came out a day's march above Viridian, and after a day's march we were in Viridian. Scary the way things work sometimes, huh?

We stayed in a motel in Viridian and when we went to restock our supplies- Pokémon food, Poke balls, etc. I noticed that Viridian Gym was missing.

"Hey Morgan," I said "wasn't there a Gym there once?"

"Nah, you're imagining things," he replied.

I wasn't, of course, I proved it to myself later- I said "what happened to Viridian Gym, d'you know?"

"I don't know," he conceded. I grinned "I mean what Gym- crap."

Another two days and we were in Pallet- where our journey had started.

"We've come full circle," Morgan remarked "now we have to make one more half rotation." I nodded uncertainly. What?

Since Kingler and Poliwrath probably didn't have the stamina to carry us across Pallet Strait, I decided Fearow would suffice- after asking of course, and Morgan borrowed a Lapras from Professor Oak. While there we also dropped off in person the latest Pokémon we had caught- a Diglett and Dugtrio each as well as my new Sandslash and Morgan's Ekans.

"Oh, and Josh," Oak said "your Weepinbell has now mothered more than ten young Bellsprout."

"Wow," I said. Sounds like she's having fun.

I'd never actually been on the sea before- the salt air and rush as the breeze washed over me were invigorating. When storm clouds threatened on our second day we urged our Pokémon forward, Fearow and I low over the waves so the increasing winds did not bother us so much and took refuge on a nearby island. Next morning the wild winds and rain had abated and we were on our way again.

Later that day I from my raised vantage point sighted land.

"Land ho!" I shouted.

"You're a tool!" Morgan shouted back and I shot ahead, using the swift breeze to my advantage; Fearow's skilful flying getting us to Cinnabar Island miles ahead of Morgan. Cinnabar had a relaxed atmosphere and fishing seemed to be a local pastime. There were fishers, fish markets; Morgan would have said I looked like a fish… There was a volcano that towered above the island, and near the east coast I could see Cinnabar Gym. Turning north I could see Kanto's mass dimly, and make out Johto.

This I took in at a glance before a startling noise jolted me out of my ponderings. I had trouble identifying the beeping until I put my hand close to my ear and it suddenly got louder. It was the emergency communicator on my Trainer's Gear. The number said Tanya Nation. A feeling of anxiousness, of foreboding stole over me. Everything seemed to be moving fast, or was it slow? I pressed the green button, thinking logically it would accept the call.

"JOSH? ARE YOU THERE?" said Tanya's voice loudly.

I moved my mouth to my wrist.

"What is it?"

"OW! TALK SOFTER!" I winced.

"You talk softer," I replied. Then I almost laughed as I realised we both had the loudspeaker on.

I moved my head away.

"What are you calling about?"

"It's-it's Steph. She's trapped- I, I twisted my ankle, I can't walk…"

"Where are you?"

Morgan walked up to me.

"Seafoam Islands,"

I terminated the call, heart pounding.

"So, o impatient one, where- oof!" I threw my pack at him.

"Don't ask questions. Go to Seafoam Islands and take care of Tanya. I'm faster."

I threw out Fearow's Poké Ball and called him. He looked confused at the unfamiliar summons. I managed to convey we were going east-ish and we took off, Fearow sensing my urgency and heading at a high speed. We arrived soon at a pair of connected islands, like a figure eight. My sister's partner Tanya was sitting, one leg outstretched for comfort's sake outside a yawning cave mouth.

"I- it was so stupid!" she cried. "I was seeing how long it would take for her to realize I had her Pokémon, and then a Dewgong- she could only run- it knocked me over with its tail…"

"It's going to be fine," I said, and leaned down, hugging her reassuringly. She was even paler than usual, and shaking. "I told Morgan to come here, he'll be here soon, I should go now."

Taking a deep breath, I walked into the cave. Immediately a wave of cold hit me, and I gasped. I had no jacket; it was in my bag. Steeling myself, I ran into the cave. It was a twisting place, sometimes sloping downwards, sometimes a rocky face I scrambled up, ignoring the grazes on my cold-deadened skin. But what was permanent was the cold, the bitter, deadening, permeating cold. I knew I was going here, why didn't I bring a jacket? It was a different type of exploration, searching for a person rather than the exit. Then suddenly I heard a sob from up ahead.

Echoes were deceptive- it took me almost another minute to reach where Steph stood, whirling, no idea where to go. Then a Dewgong entered through another passage, and Steph cried "not again!"

She went to head down a side passage but I said: "Wait. Ninetales! Flamethrower!" My beloved starter Pokémon attacked Dewgong, the enemy startled into fleeing. "Great job, Ninetales."

"Josh!" cried Steph, and flung herself at me, hugging me tightly "I thought I'd never get out…" Then she took a breath and steadied herself.

"Now, it was this way, wasn't it?" I smiled as I recalled Ninetales. After being helpless, she clearly wanted to be assertive and save face.

But before she could go any further, a figure exploded out from behind her, slamming its wing into her head. I gasped as Steph fell over onto the ground, unconscious. Then my gaze drifted upward.

A magnificent blue bird stood in front of me, and cocked its head. Its powerful wings seemed to have a very fine hail falling from them. Its fine plumage was of deep blue, but its breast was snow-white. Its tail was long and flowing, flicking around its ankles. It stood taller than I.

This was the legendary bird of ice, Articuno.

Yeah, a slightly more dramatic end to a chapter than 'we set off for Viridian City'.