Grass Rampage

by Morbane

�Nya-nya - arggh!� cried Petal the Weepinbell. �Got you!� I yelled. It was jungle tag at little Shrub�s 11th birthday. The Oddish was having a great time as we all swung around our part of the jungle. But he was getting tired, and yelled, �Hey! Let�s have some party food!�
�Good idea, Shrub!� gasped Petal. Trust her to say that now she was �in�. But I never liked Petal - too much of a sissy. �Hey,� said my best friend, Blade the Scyther, �why don�t you open my present?�
Oh, by the way, I should introduce myself. I�m Bulbasaur, but all my friends call me Vine. I�m the fastest Pok�mon around here, and you better not muck me around!
As this was a special party, Shrub had invited all of us � Blade, Exeggutor, Eggexecute, Gloom, Vileplume, Bellsprout, Petal, Victreebel, and Tangela.
So anyway, Shrub cut the cake, opened his presents, and we all began to sing �Happy Birthday,� to him, but at the third line Exeggutor yelled, �What�s that?�
There was a crashing, bashing sound coming from the west. �What�s that?� echoed Petal�s younger sister Bellsprout, nervously. The rest of us climbed up trees as fast as we could. I was the first to the top, first able to see what was approaching. �Run!� I yelled as soon as I�d caught my breath. �There�s hordes and hordes of electric Pok�mon - and they�re coming our way!�
Abandoning Shrub�s birthday party, we fled.
Later� I gasped and groaned with the weight of Shrub on my back. We must have been running panicked through the forest for at least an hour. Blade and I realised that the crashing sounds were getting further and further back, and also the Grass Pok�mon were getting spread farther and farther out. �Stop!� Blade yelled.
�Grass Pok�mon, over here!�
In a few minutes, Petal and Bellsprout appeared. After them came Gloom and Vileplume, then Eggsecute and Exeggutor. Finally Tangela appeared.
�Where�s Victreebel?� Asked Blade.
�She must have been left behind,� said Bellsprout. We looked at each other.
�What are we going to do?� moaned Petal.
�I don�t know,� said Exeggutor.
Shrub began to cry.
What a terrible situation we were in.
Vileplume finally took control. �Okay. Now, we�re going to get through this because we�re the Grass Pok�mon, rulers of the Earth, and no one beats us! Now, we don�t know the answers, like what we�re going to do and how we�re going to do it, yet. So what are the questions? What do we have to do?�
�We gotta find somewhere to stay.�
�We must regain our land.�
�We have to get Victreebel back!�
�Okay,� said Vileplume. �I suggest that we send a team of two to rescue Victreebel. Meanwhile, we�ll just camp here. After that, when we�re all back together, we�ll plan our next move.�
Everyone agreed. �I volunteer for the rescue mission,� I said, only barely saying it before Blade.
�Good luck,� said our friends.
Later� �Okay,� I hissed. �Let�s go.�
It was dusk and Blade and I were travelling through the forest. We sped through clearings, up trees, along branches, swung through vines�
Finally we heard Pok�mon voices.
�So! Where�s the food around here? Where can we get water? Are there any hideouts? Will your friends come back?�
�Look, I don�t know!� yelled Victreebel. (Well, at least she sounded somewhat unhurt.)
We looked at each other.
�I sort of thought that � um � barbaric home-taking villains would ask more evil questions,� muttered Blade, rolling his eyes.
�The voice sounds evil enough. But who wrote his script?!?� I agreed. Actually we were both terrified. It helps to say cool things in the path of danger. Even if you only fool yourself.
We crept up to the clearing, trying so hard to make no noise that we couldn�t bear to whisper to each other. We slid up a tree and looked. �Vine swing,� breathed Blade. I selected two suitable ropes of ivy, Blade grabbed one, I grabbed the other, and we looked at each other. �Okay,� I mouthed. �After we�ve swung across on the vines, they�ll probably come running after us � in the opposite direction to our camp. So we can hide with Victreebel until they�ve gone, then run back to the camp. Sounds good?�
�Yeah, super plan, Vine!�
So! We grabbed the vines and launched ourselves across the huge clearing, occupied at this time by scores of Electrical Pok�mon. I swung past and missed Victreebel, but Scyther grabbed her. Which was lucky, because just then my ivy vine broke.
Well, they don�t call me Vine for nothing. I timed the ivy�s path through the air to somersault and land perfectly well on all four feet on the edge of the clearing while Blade and Victreebel whistled past. Suddenly, I felt myself shiver and shimmer. A magical green aura surrounded me. Both delighted and panicked, I changed. I evolved.
Vine 2

�From ivy vine to Ivysaur,� I muttered.
The Electrical Pok�mon were frozen, staring at me. I had an awful thought. What if they just stayed there? Or they were too sensible and not surprised enough to run after us? If they stayed, we wouldn�t be able to leave without them hearing us! They could follow us back to our camp! We were still in danger, so�
�You useless fizzing artificial junk! Jagged clumps of idiocy! Brainless static! Never seen a great Grass Pok�mon evolve before?� I screamed. Then I bounded off, climbed a tree, and waited as they hurtled past, yelling to each other. Yes! It worked! (Not that any Pok�mon could ignore such insults, but I�m still a genius!)
Faint breathing sounds told me where Scyther and Victreebel were. Any other Pok�mon would think that they were just wind in the trees, but a Pok�mon born and bred in the forest KNOWS these things! I leapt and bounded and climbed and descended until I landed on their branch. I wasn�t prepared for their reaction.
�AARRGGH!!!!� Both of them yelled. I slapped them.
�Blade, Victreebel, you know me! It�s Vine! Stop screaming, you�ll give us away!�
�Um, I thought you were a little different the last time I saw you�� ventured Blade.
Blade

�Well, DUH, I evolved! I�m Ivysaur now!�
�Your HUMBLE manner hasn�t changed, obviously,� my friend said. �I wish I could evolve.�
�I�m just too old for this,� sighed Victreebel. We looked at her. �I should have been able to run with the rest of you.�
�That�s okay,� we reassured her.
�If this hadn�t happened, I might not have evolved!� I said.
�This rescuing business is the best adventure I�ve ever had!�
We quickly made our way back to the camp. �Hey, the Electricals left someone behind,� Blade said.
�Why don�t you go talk to it?�
�Why me?�
�They�ve all already seen me, it has to be you.�
Grumbling, Blade made his way down to the near-deserted clearing. A Pikachu, very young, was tending a fire. She glared at Blade and tried to shock him. Blade easily dodged. �Tell me why you are here and I won�t hurt you,� he said. I managed not to fall out of my tree with laughter.
Pikachu

�Zapdos Airjolt will come after you,� said the little thing, stubbornly.
�I don�t fear him,� Blade lied. The Pikachu trembled.
�We just came here because there isn�t anywhere else to go! The Normal Pok�mon chased us out! Leave me alone!�
�ZAPDOS was chased out by NORMAL POK�MON?� Blade was amazed.
�Yeah. But there was heaps of Kangaskhans and Tauroses and Persians."
and we couldn�t fight them all.� The Pikachu drooped.
�Um, thanks,� said Blade awkwardly. �Okay, I�ll leave now.�
The Pikachu stared at Blade. �That�s not what a baddy should say,� she said.
Now what? I couldn�t resist it. �Have I heard that before?� I called. Blade glared.
�Shut up, Vine you interrupting Bulba- I mean, Ivysaur.�
The Pikachu laughed weakly.
We continued on, as fast as we could. Just for fun, we picked up Shrub�s birthday things on the way. In an hour we were back at the campsite.
Victreebell

The three oldest Pok�mon, Victreebel, Vileplume and Exeggutor, gathered together. �Okay! Here�s our situation,� Vileplume announced. �We have been chased out of our land, but we are all together and relatively unhurt. Here is what we three suggest: That tonight we sleep here, but tomorrow we look for another permanent place to stay!�
�Hey!� yelled Petal. �Why can�t we get our land back?�
�Because the Electricals have been chased out of their land. And they�ve got Zapdos. There are too many of them to fight, and sadly, one on one, Zapdos could beat any of us. We suggest that we try to win against the Normal Pok�mon that have threatened the Electricals. We are generally better against Normals than Electricals are, so one on one we might beat them. Besides, the way to their current territory goes through a rocky pass. We could ask our Rock Pok�mon allies for help.�
Everyone generally agreed with this, and we settled down. But I couldn�t sleep. �Blade,� I whispered, �what did we just agree to do?�
�Navigate the dangerous Rock Pass and tunnels, see if our allies are still allies and try to get them to help us, and take on a bunch of tough Pok�mon who drove out Zapdos. I�m sure it�s all in a days work.�
That made me feel so tired that I had no trouble sleeping.
The next day, we set out through the edge of the forest to the Rocky Pass. We reached it by lunch, ate some leftover birthday cake, and continued.
�Hey,� I said thoughtfully to Blade, �I evolved to Ivysaur. That must mean I�m sixteen now!�
�Yeah, but I thought Bulbasaurs didn�t care about birthdays.�
�Uhuh, but I like to keep track of my levels.�
There was a sudden rumbling from up ahead. �Stop!� cried a great voice, and a massive Pok�mon appeared in the path.
�Who�s that?� whispered Shrub.
�Golem,� hissed Gloom, his older brother.
�Halt!� yelled Golem. �Why are you here?�
Victreebel and Vileplume came forward. �We, the grass Pok�mon, request safe passage through your lands and the alliance promised us years ago.�
Golem looked relieved. �Oh, it�s you Grasses. I thought it might be more Normals. Welcome through.�
We glanced at each other. If everyone was this scared of Normals�
what had we let ourselves into?
Escorted by Golem, we came through the Rocky Pass and out into the Boulder Valley. Some of us had never been here and we slowed down to appreciate the beauty. �Wow�� breathed Bellsprout. I looked at a clear river with multicoloured pebbles on the bottom, quartz veins in the walls of the valley, dappled boulders and huge mottled stones. (With grass growing here and there). And everywhere there were rock Pok�mon: Geodudes, Gravelers, Onixes, and younger Golems� A few Zubats and Machokes wandered around.
But some of us didn�t forget what we�d come for. Victreebel and Vileplume were talking to Golem, who called himself Cirrock. I heard him say, �The council will meet tonight. We will discuss your request for help. However, the Normals are a difficult matter��
�How bad is it now?� Vileplume looked worried.
�Guards and warriors must be positioned by all entrances at all times nowadays. The Valley is constantly besieged. We are constantly tending to those of us who are hurt, and some nearly died. I wish for a peaceful existence again,� Cirrock said sadly.
Oh-oh, I thought. This was terrible.
�However,� he continued, �many of us feel that simply defending is not enough. We ache to attack, to get back at these cruel Pok�mon. I am sure that some of us will come with you. I hope it is enough. And if the council does not let us�� he shrugged.
�Why do they attack you?� asked Victreebel. She, too, was frowning.
She and Vileplume glanced at each other.
�They have always been difficult to deal with. It started, I suppose, with their title, �Normal�. A century ago, they declared war on all other elemental types. Since then, we have had fights � merely skirmishes, without real meaning. But now they have a new leader. Nidoqueen. She is fierce and savage, cunning and strong. It takes our best warriors � including me �� he added modestly, �to hold her off. She has weaknesses, though � Grass and Water attacks. I believe that if we Grass and Rock Pok�mon unite, we can defeat her and bring a stop to this overpowering campaign.� The two senior Grass Pok�mon nodded. I grinned with relief. So there was hope after all!
At least, I hoped we had a chance�
That evening, the Rock Council ruled that twenty of their warriors would go with us, lead by Cirrock. Exeggutor was pleased. �But we wouldn�t be able to hold our own in an all-out war,� she said to Cirrock. �This army will merely be enough to gain her attention. We�ll have to rely on a one-to-one combat strategy. It�s a risk, but��
�A risk of a lifetime. And we can do it,� said Vileplume.
We were in fairly good spirits as we walked through the tunnels next morning, and out of the valley. Until the tunnel started to vibrate.
�What�s that?� I asked.
�It�s not at all like the usual Normal attack strategies,� Cirrock said worriedly.
Suddenly a great, dazzling blue bird appeared. �Articuno!� gasped Blade.
Winterwing

�Correct!� said the shining bird. �Descendant of Icebreath and Icewind, elite of my family, I am acknowledged one of the greatest birds of the world, ranked together with Zapdos and Moltres as one of the three Mythical Birds, sometimes known as the supreme Ice Pok�mon. Articuno! Daughter of Frostfeather and Skysnow, my name is Winterwing!�

We all clapped.
�But why are you here?� asked Petal boldly.
�I have come to aid you in your quest to bring down the Normal Pok�mon in their attempts at evil, and restore right. My cousin Zapdos asked me to lend a talon. Oh � and it has always been the role of an Articuno to aid those who quest.�
We all stood around discussing battle strategies when the tunnel started to rumble. �Now I�ll bet that THIS is one of Nidoqueen�s attacks,� said Cirrock with a sigh. Some parts of the roof began to fall in. �Under me!� cried Golem. After a short time, the rumbling ceased. We all climbed up through holes in the tunnel roof and found ourselves face to face with the infamous Nidoqueen.
Winterwing the Articuno soared through the sky, Victreebel and Vileplume riding her. Suddenly she dived right for Nidoqueen, who was forced to step back. Winterwing hovered in front of the Queen of Normal Pok�mon, Cirrock beside her, and our representatives spoke.
�We, leaders of Plant and Grass Pok�mon, demand audience and combat with the so-called Normal Queen, or Nidoqueen, for the wrongs which we have suffered at their hands. We come for vengeance.� Victreebel and Vileplume said together.
�I, Cirrock of the Rock Pok�mon, speak for my people and also demand that the so-called Normal Queen repay us for our wrongs.�
Nidoqueen was silent. Then she laughed. �Combat you shall have, my enemies. This evening. As you are so weak, I will accept two challengers. When I defeat you, you will render to me treasure and homage.�
�We accept and will demand at the time of our victory that you end your war against all other Pok�mon and return to your home.�
�Fine,� said Nidoqueen.
We grouped together. �I shall fight for you,� declared Winterwing. Exeggutor spoke up. �Wouldn�t it look better if one of us fought first, then you? It would look better if one of us defeated her, and if not, it would still look good if you, Winterwing were able to defeat her easily, since she will be weakened.�
�And my Rock Pok�mon shall surround the fighting grounds and be sure that there is no cheating.�
Winterwing nodded. �Yes. But which of you Grasses will fight her?�
�I will,� I said bravely. Blade smiled sadly and nodded. So did everyone else.
�Good luck,� Blade whispered.
Cirrock took me aside. �Here, take this.� He whispered. He held out a sparkling, mottled green stone. I reached out to take it, and as I touched it, felt the green aura surround me again, felt myself grow larger and stronger.
�So that�s a Leaf Stone? Wow�� I said, amazed. Cirrock nodded. �Consider it a gift from the Rock Pok�mon to thank the Grasses for fighting.�

I grinned. I knew heaps more cool moves. I wasn�t just Vine � I was Vine the Venusaur!
Time passed too quickly. It was soon evening. Nidoqueen and I entered the arena. �Hey!� yelled Blade from the sidelines. �Don�t worry, Vine, I�ll be there to drag your carcass off the ground. Just keep on trying to whip her, while she beats you��
�Hey! What are you saying! Who are you cheering for, buzzo?�
But his words had exactly the effect he wanted. I felt cheerful. I mean, this was only a fight. I had Winterwing to back me up. Blade obviously was confident enough to tease me � I could be confident too.
Normal Queen

Nidoqueen started off with Leer, which I answered with Razor Leaf.
She used Scratch, and I used Vine Whip. However, she seemed more powerful than I was� I was freaking out when I had an IDEA!
I used my Vine Whip to grab a branch above me. Adjusting my grip, I pulled myself up. While I shot Razor Leaf at Nidoqueen, she had a hard time reaching me. I swung back and forth, while all she could do was Leer and Growl, and she missed most of the time. She was too proud to call my strategy a cheat.
Meanwhile I was soaking up the last of the day�s sunlight� As she tried Scratch one last time, I fried her with Solarbeam! She crumpled, falling to the ground. We waited. She turned over weakly, then was still. I HAD FAINTED HER!!!!
The normal Pok�mon charged over to her. Some went berserk and tried to attack me, but Cirrock�s army quickly took charge. As the moaning Nidoqueen became conscious again, Victreebel, Vileplume, Cirrock and Winterwing chanted, �We now command you to leave this place, return to your homes and never trouble us again!�
They left.
And so did we. Cirrock and Victreebel took oath always to be allies, so that Grass and Rock Pok�mon would never go against each other. We went our different ways. �You were great, Vine,� said Blade.
�If Cirrock hadn�t helped me become Venusaur, I could never have fought her. And you really helped, going on like you did about me losing.�
Blade grinned. �I knew that would work.�
The only disappointed one of us was Winterwing. �I really wanted to fight that villain,� she said gloomily. �Now the next quest is probably up to my grandchildren.�
Our homecoming was great. �Oh,� said Winterwing casually to Zapdos, �we got rid of the Normals for you.�
�YOU WHAT!�
�Yeah, they won�t bother you again. So we�d sort of like our forest back.�
Within a week, they had left. They weren�t too bad. Maybe we should visit them sometime.
�Hey,� I said thoughtfully one day, in the peace and quiet of the Forest, �maybe I should have a party. An Evolving Party.�
�Am I invited?� asked Blade.
�Yes, you, all the Grasses, Cirrock and his Army, and I think the Electricals because they were here when I became Ivysaur� oh, and of course, Winterwing.�
Blade groaned. �Don�t say you want me to help you organise it��
�Well, I might need some help. I want lights all through the forest, lots of cake, probably some fizzy drink, and some music� I can do some of it myself, but for the rest, you need friends��
My best friend, Blade the Scyther, looked around and sighed. �Some people never change,� he remarked to no one in particular.

�Venu-saur-saur!� Or, THE END.
Viny Vena