My Pokémon Anime Journey | BOOK ONE: KANTO

Dig Those Diglett!

Ari, Misty, and Brock's Pokémon Journey brought them in close proximity of the mountains.
The aromas of mud and fragrant berries tickled Ari's nostrils, the filtered sunlight dazzled her eyes, and there was a satisfying squelch everytime her feet made contact with the ground... or maybe that was Misty gagging. She must have been uncomfortably reminded of Viridian Forest, riddled with its bugs and filth.
Ari, Brock, and Eevee took great gulps of the cool air. Misty joined them, her reluctant expression melting into confused relaxation.
"It isn't actually that bad here," she admitted.
"It's a good thing you're getting used to it, Misty," said Brock. "Fuchsia City is at the other side of those mountains. We've still got a ways to go."
The group took notice of a road in that direction and followed it, wondering what adventure would cross their paths yet.

If 'criminal encounters' fell under the broad term 'adventure', then Ari, Misty, and Brock got more than their fair share. In close proximity to the travelling Trainers, Jessie, James, and Meowth, the most competent people in Kanto at failing miserably, were enjoying a picnic.
An evil picnic?
No. Apparently, even stalkers took breaks.
Meowth strained as he did sit-ups. He'd read that muscles were the best way to impress girls.
"Work that body!" Jessie and James encouraged. Laughing, Jessie prepared to take another bite of crumpet, while James raised his cup of tea, when-
BOOM!
James howled as he spilt the hot tea. Jessie sprayed herself with crumbs.
Meanwhile, Meowth was just confused. Apparent destruction, and they hadn't caused it? Blasphemy!
"No tea party for me!" James whimpered like a spoiled child.
Jessie, turning red, pulled him to his feet. "Someone's going to pay for this!"
"Wait for me!" Meowth shouted, scrambling after them.

As a second explosion rocked the area, Ari, Misty, and Brock were able to pinpoint the source and ran in the direction of the quakes.
What they found was a construction site. A group of foremen watched from near their trucks as explosions attacked the rocky wall.
Ari, Misty, and Brock watched as one of the trucks suddenly sank into the ground; holes had just opened beneath each wheel in a deliberate manner. Then, something beneath the ground pulled on each wheel, breaking the truck into pieces and destroying it utterly. Seconds later, every truck was reduced to scrap by the vandal underfoot.

A foreman kicked the ground. "I can't take it anymore!"
Ari approached the man. "Are you alright?"
The man grunted. "It's those Diglett! They're destroying everything!"
Ari saw them now; small, smooth, powerful bodies, with dark eyes and snuffling red noses, all but the head submerged underground. Ari's mother once told her nobody had ever seen the rest of a Diglett's body. The Pokémon bobbed and weaved through the dirt as if it were water - were there paws working furiously underneath?
There was a cacophony as the group of Pokémon chanted, "Diglett! Dig!"
"How cute!" Misty said.
The foreman scowled. "Thanks to them, we can't finish building the dam. I hate Diglett!"
Ari requested information on Diglett from her Pokédex. Diglett, the Mole Pokémon. A Ground-type. Their movement can be easily detected by the tracks of upturned earth left behind.
Ari looked around. "I don't see any upturned earth."
"The ground here is covered by concrete," the foreman said gruffly. "But if you look closely..."
A crack formed in the ground, perfectly on cue.
"They're underneath," said Ari.
The foreman bared his teeth. "We'll never be able to build the Gaiva Dam in these mountains."
"Gaiva Dam?" Ari repeated. There was something funny about that name... but she couldn't place it.
"We can't get supplies through because of the Diglett! So we need Pokémon Trainers to get rid of them. The reward is a week at the famous Gaiva Hot Springs Resort."
There was a sudden screeching of tires behind them. When Ari recognised the car, her heart pounded like a war drum.
Gary Oak and his entourage had arrived.

"Well, if it isn't Ari," Gary smirked. "Did somebody give you the wrong directions to the dump?"
His cheerleaders sniggered.
Gary continued, "Only the best nearby Trainers were invited here. Let's just say it shows that you left Pallet Town dead last."
"We came because we were concerned," Ari growled. "You're just in it for the reward."
Gary prepared to retort, but a bus pulled up, spewing an assortment of Trainers. Gary glanced back. Ari realised he didn't want to make a scene in front of the other 'best nearby Trainers.'
He knew his behaviour was condemnable, and that made Ari's blood boil.
"Somebody needs to get rid of these Diglett!" The foreman yelled to the crowd. "Remember, resort vacation!"
Ari admired him for cutting to the point.
The crowd's eyes glimmered. Some rapacious individuals immediately started searching for Diglett.
"Those Diglett are as good as gone now that Gary Oak is on the case," boasted Gary, ticking off another requirement of being a narcissist: using third person.
Brock dissapointedly watched Gary's cheerleaders trail away. "I wanted to ask for their numbers."
"Brock, if they're fans of Gary, they're not worth it," Ari said.
"You're determined to see the worst in him - but he is a talented Trainer, Ari. No Trainer ever defeated me so easily," responded Brock. "But before his Journey, all he had was potential - so isn't there something admirable about choosing to follow a boy who hadn't yet proven himself?"
"They're just sucking up, because he's an Oak," Ari grumbled, prickled by the reminder that nobody had left Pallet Town with her.
They'd placed their faith in golden boy Gary, and could she blame them? She was the odd girl, climbing trees and playing secret agent, the daughter of an Interpol woman who prioritised the world, leaving Ari to the other residents, to the little people who didn't save lives-
"That pompous loser is not beating me again." Ari noticed Brock and Misty share a look and ignored them. This was her chance to prove herself.