A New Journey - Ash Ketchum {2}

Chapter 8 - The Crystal Onix

The kids were yet again in the ocean, riding on Ash's Lapras, but this time Emma's Poliwrath was joining in, swimming not far from them. "You holding up okay, Lapras?" Ash asked. The baby Lapras nodded, calling out happily. Ash and Emma chuckled. Emma then looked toward Poliwrath, "Poliwrath, don't get too far."

"Poliwrath."

The Tadpole Pokémon felt something hit his back and turned around to see a small bottle floating there, so he grabbed it and studied it before swimming toward Lapras and the kids. "Poliwrath," the Tadpole Pokémon said and held the bottle up to Emma.

Emma and her friends looked at the bottle in confusion. "There's a paper inside," Ash said. "Looks like a letter," Misty said as Ash took the bottle. He opened it and pulled the letter out. "I guess someone from one of the Islands threw it out into the ocean," Emma said.

"Let's see what is says," Ash said and started to read it, "'If you know anything about a Pokémon called the Crystal Onix let me know right away'. And it sign Marissa from Sunburst Island."

"The Crystal Onix?" Misty asked with a frown. "I never heard of a Pokémon like that," Emma said. "I heard it suppose to be an Onix made glass crystal," Tracey said. "Is it really real?" Misty asked. "Who knows?" Tracey asked with a shrug, "But there are people who says they seen it."

"I would sure like to see it," Ash said with a smile. "Me too," Emma agreed. Lapras and Poliwrath called out and the kids followed their gazes to see an Island not that far from them. "That's Sunburst Island," Tracey said. "Well, let's go check it out then," Emma said. "Yeah, come on Lapras," Ash said, and Lapras and Poliwrath swam toward the Island.

...................

After reaching to the Island, the kids, the Pikachu and Poliwrath walked up a path and saw many stands with a crowd of people looking to buy something.

"Wow, look at all the glass!" Misty admired. "Sunburst Island is famous for having all kind of crystal and glass shops," Tracey explained. "Wow," Ash said. "They look so pretty," Emma said.

"Lots of artists live here, and they make the glass right on the Island. People travel from all over the world to buy," Tracey said. "Cool," Misty said. Ash looked at the stand near them, "Wow, everything here looks so shiny."

"I think maybe I will buy something," Emma said as the male Pikachu stepped closer to a vase made of glass. Ash noticed, "Careful Pikachu, you break it, I'll have to pay for it," he said. The male Pikachu stepped back and quickly went behind Poliwrath, who was busy looking at something else.

Emma and her friends followed his gaze to see what he was looking at, and saw an older man speaking to a little girl. The man was frowning, "You still keeping this shop open? Haven't you got out of business yet?"

"No, sir."

The kids blinked, "Huh?" They noticed the shop next to the girl wasn't full of glass and crystal like the rest of the stands. "I don't see why they don't close up the shop, you got no merchandise," the man said while the little girl frowned sadly and looked down.

The Pikachu and Poliwrath frowned angrily, they didn't like the way the man was talking to the little girl. "Tell your big brother he should give up already, he doesn't have the talent," the man said. The little girl looked upset by it and tears started appear in her eyes as she spoke softly, "Yes he does. He's very good."

Poliwrath ran closer, and followed by the kids and the Pikachu as they jumped up on their trainers' shoulders. "Oh come on, don't start crying," the man said before Poliwrath stood in front of the little girl, glaring up at the surprised man, "Poliwrath."

The kids stood in front of the girl as she looked up at them. "Is there a problem here?" Ash asked as he raised an eyebrow. The man looked at the kids in surprise and stepped back, "Why? What's it to you? You know her?"