The Lighthouse

The gang were taking a break at a beach

"I'm having a blast on this Pokémon journey." Ash said

"Me too" Serena agreed

"So am I" Brock agreed "You've been making great progress on this journey, Ash. You have 2 badges & 14 Pokémon & three of those Pokémon are the starter Pokémon from Kanto."

"Thanks Brock" Ash said

"Hey Brock, can I ask you something?" Serena said

"Sure" Brock said

"Do Liam & Amara always criticize the challengers?" Serena asked

"They do it all the time," Brock said "they act like I'm undefeatable, & it stresses me out. I know I'm strong, but I'm not that strong. That's why I had my parents deal with them"

"Oh, I'm sorry they put a lot of stress on you." Serena said

"That's alright." Brock said "So, How long have you two known each other?"

"Serena & I have known each other since we were little." Ash said

"We met each other at Professor Oak's Pokémon Summer Camp" Serena said "I injured my knee in the forest & Ash came & helped me get back on my feet"

"We've been great friends until Serena had to go back to Kalos." Ash explained "We were both sad that we had to go our separate ways, but before Serena left, our moms exchanged addresses, & Serena & I became pen pals."

"Are you two together?" Brock asked causing Ash & Serena to blush

"Umm..." Ash said sheepishly

"Well..." Serena said sheepishly

"It's okay, you two. You don't have to answer that question" Brock said getting the hint that they like each other

"YEOWCH!" Meowth yelled in pain as he started running around

"Meowth, what's wrong?" Ash asked

"Somethings got my tail!" Meowth exclaimed

When they looked at Meowth's tail, they saw a red crab-like Pokémon grabbing hold of Meowth's tail with its claw. Ash pulled out his Rotom Phone

Krabby, the River Crab Pokémon, A Water Type, Krabby dig holes in sandy beaches to make their homes. When the food supply is limited, they sometimes fight over territory.

"Get it off me!" Meowth cried

"Pulling it off will be extremely painful, so we'll have to figure out another way" Brock stated

"I got it" Ash said with an idea "Meowth use Thunderbolt"

Meowth released yellow electricity from his body which caused Krabby to get shocked, let go of Meowth's tail, & faint on the ground. Ash pulled out a Poké Ball & caught Krabby.

Krabby has been registered to your Pokédex

Gender: Male

Ability: Hyper Cutter

Hidden Ability: Sheer Force

Known Moves: Bubble, Water Gun, Leer, Vise Grip, Harden, Stomp, Mud Sport, & Knock Off

Held Item: None

The gang noticed a lighthouse & went to it. When they got to it, Ash rang the doorbell

"Who's there?" A Voice said through the intercom

"Excuse us, sir, but we're travelers & we're looking for a place to stay" Brock said "& I wonder if I could use your kitchen to make some food for my group. & I'd be more than happy to make something for you."

"Can you cook without using tofu?" the voice asked

"I can cook a lot of things without using tofu" Brock answered

"That's splendid," the voice said, "I've been eating nothing but tofu since my cook went on vacation. Come on in"

The doors opened & the gang entered. Ash saw a phone nearby & decided to make a phone call

"Hello there, Ash" Oak answered the call

"Hi Professor, How's everything" Ash asked

"Everything's going swell, my boy." Oak said

"Did you get my Krabby?" Ash asked

"Yes, I have. Gary caught a Krabby as well & it's quite a catch" Oak said showing Gary's Krabby

"Wow, that's a big fella" Ash said surprisingly

"Gary has caught 20 Pokémon & Leaf has caught 10 Pokémon" Oak said "Where are you calling me from anyway"

"We're at this lighthouse on the top of a cliff." Ash said

"Oh, that must be Bill's lighthouse." Oak said " he's a young Pokémon researcher who knows even more than me. See what you can learn from him. He could teach you more about Pokémon. Anyway, I have to go, call me again sometime."

After Professor Oak hung up, the lights came on & when the gang turned, they saw big brown horseshoe crab-like Pokémon with yellow pincers, & red dot eyes.

"Greetings, I am Bill." Bill greeted "I know this might be a shock since you think that I'm a Kabuto, but I'm really human. This is actually a costume & I'm stuck, please help.

Ash went up the step

"Ok, what do you want me to do?" Ash said

"Push the button." Bill demonstrated "these arms too short & I can't reach it"

Ash pushed the button, the costume came apart & revealed a man with short, wavy, brown hair, a light lavender short sleeved button-up shirt with a pocket on the right, khakis, & brown shoes.

"Oh boy, I certainly am stiff." Bill said as he stretched his limbs "Thank you for getting me out of there, I've been stuck in there for hours. Allow me to reintroduce myself, I'm Bill of the lighthouse"

"I'm Ash Ketchum from Pallet Town" Ash introduced himself "& these are my partners Pikachu & Meowth"

"Pika" Pikachu greeted

"Howdy" Meowth

"A talking Meowth," Bill said surprisingly "how extraordinary"

"I'm Serena Yvonne & this is my partner Eevee" Serena introduced

"Eevee" Eevee greeted

"& I'm Brock" Brock said

"It's a pleasure to meet you all" Bill smiled

"Hey Bill, what were you doing in that costume?" Ash asked

"I was wearing it for my research. Getting inside its skin helps me get inside its head." Bill explained "There are many kinds of extinct Pokémon, & I want to understand how they lived. Putting on a costume is one way of trying to figure out what they were like."

"Is it working" Ash asked

"Of course & I'm beginning to understand." Bill said "This planet was created 4.6 billion years ago. During that time, all kinds of Pokémon existed. They had many ways of living."

"How many are there?" Serena asked

"In the Kanto region, there are 151 known species of Pokémon. But there are more species from other regions like the Orange Islands, the Johto region, the Hoenn region, the Sinnoh region, the Unova region, the Kalos region, the Alola region, & the Galar region." Bill said

"Have you studied them all" Brock asked

"Not yet, I'm almost finished studying the Pokémon that live in the Kanto region. There's always something new to look for in our live & in ourselves" Bill said

"What do you mean?" Serena asked

"There's a lot for us to look for, inside & out of ourselves." Bill explained "there's meaning for every creature, a meaning for all the Pokémon, & a meaning for us humans as well. Keeps looking for new Pokémon to catch. It's something that's very important for Pokémon research. It's as vital to me, Pokémon Professors & Researchers as it is to you. Right now there's one Pokémon I'm searching for"

Bill led the gang to the top of the lighthouse

"It's the biggest Pokémon ever, the biggest of its kind to be exact" Bill said "it's been wandering the world for years, looking for friends."

"Doesn't it have friends or family?" Serena asked

"It wanders because it's alone. One night, I heard a very strange sound coming across the sea." Bill said as he pulled out a remote control device & pushed the button & played a melodic wailing "it said "I want to meet you". Some time ago, I recorded a similar sound, & played it from the lighthouse towards the ocean. One day I heard the same voice calling back to me. It said "I want to meet you too & I want to be friends." That Pokémon might come here to meet a friend it's been seeking for a very long time."

"Will you catch it?" Ash asked

"No need, meeting it would be enough for me." Bill said "Just a chance to study it would make it worth the long wait"

Suddenly a plaintive wail called our & a shadowy figure appeared. Bill played the melody from his device to communicate with the Pokémon & it howled in response. The Pokémon walked up to the lighthouse out from the shadows & released & big light orange dragon-like Pokémon with wings & grayish-green eyes.

"It's a Dragonite" Bill said as Ash pulled out his Rotom Phone

Dragonite, the Dragon Pokémon, a Dragon & Flying Type, A Dragonite once rescued a man from a shipwreck & flew him off to a Dragon paradise on a faraway island. This calm & kindly Pokémon is slow to anger, but once roused, its wrath can be incredibly destructive.

"Hello Dragonite, I'm Bill & I'm much obliged to meet you" Bill greeted

"Gon" Dragonite said happily

The next day, the gang were just about to leave

"Thank you for coming, Vermillion City isn't far from here" Bill said

"We hope you two become great friends" Serena said

"I hope so too. Also, here." Bill said as he gave them each a ticket " They're tickets for the S.S. Anne"

The gang thanked Bill & bid him & Dragonite farewell as the journey continues

_Ash_

Pikachu(M)

Meowth(M)

Raticate(M)

Pidgeotto(F)

Fearow(M)

Butterfree(M)

Beedrill(M)

Nidoran(M)

Nidoran(F)

Sandshrew(M)

Clefairy(F)

Bulbasaur(M)

Charmander(M)

Squirtle(M)

Krabby(M)

_Items Collected_

Poison Barb

Moon Stone

Quick Claw(Held By Sandshrew)

Miracle Seed

S.S. Anne Tickets