Hi everybody. ^_^  I got another guest chapter here.  This one was written by 
my good friend, Bellossom Boy.  I hope you enjoy his great story. ^_^

Poke-Odyssey 2001 chapter 21

A Brush With Friendship

* Guest Author: Bellossom Boy *

In this chapter,we find our heroes at the base of a giant yellow mountain 
range. "This is Mt. Mustard?" asked Cameron, looking at the huge peaks. "Wow, 
it sure looks like mustard."

"That's why they called it that," said Tracey. "Because it's formed from yellow 
loam soil and light brown rocks to form an interesting color."

"Looks like urine," said Ash.

"Ash,don't ever say something as GROSS as that again!" shouted Misty angrily.

"I'm sorry,my dear," said Ash. "I didn't mean to offend you." He bowed 
gracefully.

"Flattery will get you nowhere," said Misty, crossing her arms.

"Ahem," coughed Reiko. "Do you intend to just bicker like the Murkrows fighting 
over a piece of stale bread, or are we ever going to get up that mountain 
sometime this week?"

"She's right,guys," said Cameron. "If I have to challenge the Mount Mustard gym,
I have to get to the top of the peaks. Of course,I could just leave you two here 
to bicker and me, Reiko and Tracey can head up to the top of the mountains."

Ash and Misty sweatdropped and mumbled apologies. "So," said Ash. "How do we 
get up there?  Should we use Charizard and Crobat to fly up there?"

"No no!" said Tracey frantically. "You can't do that! The ranger Jenny here 
will just bust us for attempting to invade the gym by air! There's an air zone 
here, you know. We have to climb up the mountain by foot,hard as it may be."

"What?!" cried Misty angrily. "You idiot! We'll never get up there!"

"Maybe or maybe not," said a voice. The group turned to see a haggard old woman 
who was pulling a herd of reindeer with strange-looking horns behind her. "I 
heard you people need to get up to the gym on Mt. Mustard,heh heh."

"She looks like Nastina from Puerta Vista," hissed Ash to Misty. Misty nodded.

"Are those Pokemon?" asked Cameron.

"No,I'm Santa Claus," said the woman sarcastically.

"I thought Santa had a Rapidash to pull his sleigh," said Ash,remembering the 
time when, as a kid, he and his friends helped a lost Jynx get back to Santa, 
only for Team Rocket to cause a lot of trouble for them. In the end, Santa's 
Jynxes defeated the scum as a group, using a powerful group Hyper Beam to send 
them flying away.

"You have no sense of humor," said the woman with a glare.

"Welcome to my life," mumbled Misty. "The girlfriend to the clueless Ash 
Ketchum."

"Hey,come on,Mist!" said Ash in self-defense. "I knew they weren't Santa's 
reindeer!"

Cameron aimed his Pokedex at the reindeer Pokemon. [STANTLER,] it said. [The 
Big Horn Pokemon. The curved antlers subtly change the flow of air to create a 
strange space where reality is distorted. Whoever stares at them for too long 
gets too dizzy to stand.]

"Oh don't worry," chuckled the woman. "These Stantlers aren't gonna hypnotize 
you or anything. They are tame and won't hurt a fly,unless provoked. I'll be 
glad to give them to you for a price." She held out her hand.

"I'll take five," said Cameron. "But don't you think they will violate the 
amount of Pokemon that a trainer can carry at one time?"

"No you ninny!" snapped the old hag. "I didn't say you could keep them! These 
Stantler are for rent only,and you have to give them to my sister on the other 
side of the peaks when you've crossed them. I don't give away my Stantlers,
hear me!?"

"Yes,ma'am," said Cameron,sweating profusely. "Man,she's psyched."

=+=

After some hard haggling from Tracey and Cameron,the group was able to take 
five Stantlers for rent and rode them up the rocky trails leading up the mountain. 
"No wonder you need to ride Stantlers up the mountain," said Ash. "These peaks 
are steep!"

"Just like the Spinarak that uses its sticky silk to climb up walls," said 
Reiko as the group bounded up the steep trail. "These Stantlers have ways of 
going up high places."

"Yes,their hooves are like climbers' grappling hooks," said Tracey. "Very 
useful in these conditions." Just then,he saw a Pokemon in the path and the 
Stantlers stopped. "Hey, what is that Pokemon doing in the middle of this path?"

"It looks weird," said Ash.

"It looks scared," said Misty. "Ash,you should be ashamed for insulting it!"

"Calm down,you two," muttered Cameron as he took out his Pokedex to check 
what Pokemon they were confronted. Sandy shook his head as his master did a 
scan of the creature, which looked like a cross between a goat and a man with a 
long tail with a tuft that was covered with a blob of paint. Pikachu was 
curious as to the nature of this creature as well.

[SMEARGLE: The Painter Pokemon,] said Dextra. [A special fluid oozes from the 
tip of its tail. It uses this fluid to mark its territory.]

"Just like the Growlithe marks it territory to repel intruders," said Reiko,
smirking slyly at Growlithe, who was already red as a beet. It snarled a bit at 
her statement.

"Or other animals," said Cameron. "But this Pokemon seems a bit frightened."

"Wow,this Pokemon is a sketch artist,just like me," said Tracey. "I'd love to 
be able to have a sketching Pokemon on my team!"

"Well,why don't you catch it?" asked Misty. "Try using Marill."

"Why her?" asked Tracey,curious. "Why not Scizor or Veno---"

"YOU USE THAT BUG IN MY PRESENCE, YOU PAY FOR IT!!!" screamed Misty,freaking 
Tracey out.

"Honestly,Misty," said Ash. "I don't see why you are so scared of bugs. Not all 
of them are gonna get you when you're sleeping."

"I don't care! Bugs are icky and gross!" snarled Misty,making a disgusted face.

"Come on,guys,don't fight," said Cameron. "Tracey,use Marill. Misty just wants 
to see it in action." He winked,knowing about Misty's desire to see water-types 
fighting it out.

"Oh okay," sighed Tracey,throwing out his ball. "Marill,I choose you!"

The blue mouse Pokemon appeared. "Marill!" it squeaked.

"Marill,use a water gun attack to weaken that Smeargle," said Tracey.

Marill nodded and launched a blast of water from its mouth at the creature, who 
was blasted back. It got up and waved its brushy tail over itself.

"What's it doing?" asked Cameron,doing another scan on his Pokedex.

[SKETCH: This attack copies a Pokemon's attack and gives it to Smeargle. Since 
Smeargle can't use TMs or HMs to learn attacks,this is the only way it can gain 
new attacks. Whenever it sketches an attack,it retains the memory of that 
attack for life.]

"Really?" asked Cameron,seconds before Smeargle fired its own Water Gun at 
Marill, sending the mouse into a bush. "Wow,that's amazing! A Pokemon that can 
learn ANY attack!"

"Marill!" said Tracey,dusting it off. "You okay,buddy?"

"Mar," said Marill,nodding.

"What a hostile Pokemon," said Ash. Then,as if from heaven,a rare flash of 
genius hit him! "Hey Tracey, maybe that Friend Ball you got from Garlic Acres 
will calm it down."

"You think so?" asked Tracey,taking out the green ball that he had gotten from 
the Garlic Acres gym leader long ago. "Maybe you're right."

"If Ash is right," said Misty. "I'll get my hair shaved!"

"Like the Hoppip floating in the air and misjudging an air current," scolded 
Reiko. "Don't speak before you think,or else you might get hurt. Tracey-san,
try the ball."

"Okay," said Tracey,raising the ball,but Smeargle splashed him hard and ran off.

"Pikachu,use Thunder Wave to stop that Pokemon!" ordered Ash.

Pikachu nodded and powered up. "PIKACHUUUUU!!!" he cried,firing electric waves 
at Smeargle.

"SMEARGLE!" it cried as it was zapped and paralyzed.

"Quick,Tracey!" said Ash. "Use the ball!"

Tracey threw the Friend Ball. "Friend Ball! Go!" The ball arced through the air,
touched the Smeargle,and sucked the Pokemon into it,shaking violently. Tension 
rose as the ball shook long and hard,but it then went still.

"Way to go,Tracey!" said Cameron. "You caught Smeargle!"

Tracey dismounted his Stantler,walked over to the ball,and picked it up. He 
opened it and Smeargle emerged. "Are you okay,Smeargle?"

Smeargle nodded slowly,then held out its tail.

"I think it wants to shake," said Cameron. "That Friend Ball really works!"

"I'm glad we can be friends,Smeargle," said Tracey,shaking the tail. He then 
grimaced and looked at his goo-covered hand. "Ugh..." Everyone laughed quietly.

"Smear," said Smeargle sheepishly. It then painted something in the air and 
handed the object to him. Everyone was shocked to see that it was a wet towel!

"Wow,thanks Smeargle," said Tracey,cleaning his hand off. "That's amazing! You 
can actually paint things and make them real! What an amazing power."

"Smeargle!" said Smeargle with a smile,painting a huge picnic table with a lot 
of tasty food on it. Everyone was practically drooling from hunger.

"Wow,talk about an instant meal!" said Ash. "That looks scrumptious!"

"Hey,let's make like the Snorlax and eat!" said Reiko,eager to feast. Even 
Pikachu and Sandy were eager to dig into the food. They all dismounted, tied 
their Stantlers to a nearby tree,and dug in. They were surprised to find the 
food very real and very tasty!

"With such an awesome power,it's easy for people to be tempted to capture a 
horde of Smeargle and take control of them," said Cameron. Just then, Smeargle 
began to cry.

"Smeargle, what's wrong?" asked Tracey,putting a hand on its shoulder.

"Smear smeargle!" said Smeargle, crying profusely.

"What's it saying?" asked Misty.

"Beats me,I can't talk Smeargle," said Tracey, shrugging. Just then, Smeargle 
lit up and leapt to a cliff face, waving its tail about and painting on it. 
"Smeargle, whatcha doing?"

"I think it's painting a mural!" said Cameron. "Maybe we can find out what 
happened by looking at the pictures it is painting!"

"Shrew!" said Sandy.

The group watched Smeargle painting a mural of two humans and a cat-like 
creature with an eyepatch on its right eye throwing nets over a bunch of 
Smeargles. They had a hunch they recognized the pictures,even if Smeargle 
wasn't good at drawing complex images.

"TEAM ROCKET!" said Ash and Cameron angrily.

"I bet they kidnapped all those Smeargles for their evil," said Misty coldly. 
Smeargle nodded rapidly as Misty had guessed right.

"Those scum!" said Reiko,cracking her knuckles. "I know they'll use them for 
evil means. We must save the Smeargles from those scum before they do terrible 
things to them!"

"Smeargle?" asked Smeargle hopefully.

"Don't worry,Smeargle," said Tracey,putting his hands on its shoulders. "Me 
and my friends won't rest until we catch those evil monsters and teach them not 
to mess with your friends."

"SMEARGLE!" said Smeargle, hugging Tracey's leg. Unfortunately,its gooey tail 
painted a nasty streak on Tracey's leg,making an embarrassing scene.

"Uh, but first,I think I need to wash this off," said Tracey, rubbing his leg 
with the towel. Everyone snickered a bit as they saw the ugly streak of paint 
on Tracey's leg.

"Say,Misty," said Cameron. "I have an idea. Use Corsola to find Smeargle's 
pals!"

"Smeargle?" said the painter Pokemon.

"Great idea,Cameron!" said Misty. Calling out her coral Pokemon,she held it in 
her hands. "Corsola,can you use your mirror coat to show us where Team Rocket 
is holding the Smeargles?"

"Corsola!" squeaked the little coral creature,turning shiny as an image was 
revealed. It showed Team Rocket watching over a bunch of Smeargles,who were 
chained together.

"Bingo!" said Ash. "Let's bust their party!"

=+=

"Capturing all these Smeargle was a stroke of pure Rocket genius!" laughed 
Jessie evilly. "With these Pokemon under our control,we can sketch an entire 
army of powerful Pokemon and destroy those wretched twerps forever!"

"Yes," said James. "And we'll have an entire army of slaves to keep us fed and 
rich!"

Meowth slashed his face. "You idiot! We're not just using the Smeargle to live 
in the lap of luxury,although that's my idea of a nice life. We're using them 
to destroy our enemies and get revenge for all the pain we suffered."

"And we can then take control of the world!" laughed Jessie. She turned to the 
nearest Smeargle. "Okay,you disgusting goat boy! I want you to sketch me an 
Unown!"

"Why an Unown?" asked James. "It doesn't attack."

"You fool," said Jessie. "You don't anything about Unowns. Unowns are Pokemon 
capable of turning thoughts into reality! With an army of Smeargle AND Unown,
nobody can stop us!" She turned to the Smeargle,who cowered. "Well? I'm growing 
old here!"

"Smeargle," said the Smeargle,raising its tail reluctantly and sketching. All 
that came out was a blob of paint which looked like a mutated Unown B,which 
disintegrated.

"WHAT SORT OF JOKE IS THIS,YOU DISGUSTING SHEEP BRAT?!" screamed Jessie. 
"That was not what I wanted! Get it right or I'll rip that tail from your rear 
end!"

The Smeargle tried again,but it only disintegrated. Jessie grabbed it by its 
neck.

"You just lost your life,you smelly goat!" snarled Jessie,taking out a knife. 
The Smeargle sweated as Jessie made to chop off its tail.

"Hold it right there!" shouted a voice. Jessie turned and dropped the Smeargle 
as her face turned red,for there before her were her enemies,Ash and Cameron 
and their friends!

"You again!" she shouted.

"You won't cause trouble for these Pokemon!" said Cameron.

"Trouble? You want trouble?" laughed Jessie. "Prepare for trouble!"

"And make it double," said James.

"You know," said Misty as the villians did the usual motto. "I wish that the 
people who came up with Team Rocket's motto had been dragged out into the 
street and shot."

"That's not right!" said Meowth,twisting his ending. "You can't insult the 
motto!"

"Insult is a relative term," said Reiko,taking out her katana with firey eyes. 
"You insulted my family,you insulted the people of Pallet,you insulted many 
people! So now,it's time that you suffered the pain of insult,along with the 
punishment you deserve!"

"Shut up!" said Jessie. "If you think you are going to stop us from taking over 
the world, you are sadly mistaken!" She expanded a Pokeball and the others did 
theirs.

"Looks like it's time for a Pokemon battle!" said Cameron. "Ready,Sandy?"

"Shrew!" said Sandy,eager to teach these crooks a lesson.

"Go Girafarig!" said James,calling out his giraffe Pokemon. The tail promptly 
grabbed James' hair and the head tried to pull James off of it,again. "MMMF!"

"What a pair," teased Cameron.

"Go Snubbull!" said Jessie.

"YOOOOOOOOOOOW!!!!" screamed Meowth as the Snubbull clamped on his tail AGAIN.

"Maybe it's teething," said Ash as Jessie pulled the bulldog off of Meowth's 
tail.

"Let's send out our Pokemon!" shouted Cameron. "Go Sandy!"

"Go Pikachu!" said Ash.

"Go Hitmontop!" said Reiko,calling out her fighting Pokemon.

"Go Poliwhirl!" said Misty,but Golduck emerged. "Golduck! Back in your ball!"

"PSY YAI YAI YAI!" cried Golduck as Misty sucked it back into its ball and 
called out her tadpole Pokemon,Poliwhirl.

"Even evolved,you give me headaches!" moaned Misty.

Tracey was about to call out Marill when Smeargle leapt before him. "Smeargle?!"

"Smear!" it said,joining the battle.

"Are you sure you want to fight?" asked Tracey. Smeargle nodded. "Okay,I trust 
you."

"Look,it's one of those Smeargle we missed!" said James.

"Let's grab it too!" said Meowth,who was bandaging its tail.

"Snubbull,use your Charm on that sketching freak!" ordered Jessie.

"Snubbull!" it said,blowing out lovely hearts,but Smeargle dodged them and 
sketched the attack,sending hearts of its own to entrance Snubbull.

"What are you doing?" demanded Jessie.

"Looks like Smeargle sketched Charm," said Misty.

"And like the lusty Nidoran female in heat," said Reiko. "It's gone love-crazy."

"Girafarig,use Psybeam on that Pokemon!" ordered James,brushing his hair 
straight for the umpteenth time that month after being messed up by Girafarig's 
tail.

Girafarig ran up and fired a beam of rainbow light from its horns at Smeargle,
smacking it.

"SMEARGLE!" cried Tracey in horror.

But Smeargle got up,shook its head,and angrily sketched Psybeam,firing it back 
at the offending Pokemon and stunning it long eough for Sandy to hit it with 
a Rock Smash.

"Don't waste your time fighting,Sandy!" shouted Cameron. "Go help Smeargle's 
friends!"

"Shrew!" said Sandy,running to the chained Smeargles.

"No,you don't!" screamed Jessie. "You won't ruin our plan that easily! Snubbull,
bite!"

"Snub!" said Snubbull,chowing down on Sandy,but obviously Team Rocket didn't 
remember AJ's Sandshrew,and the dog cried in pain as its fangs chipped on 
Sandy's rock-hard skin.

"Oh,baby,I'm sorry I made you do that!" said Jessie,hugging Snubbull and giving 
it some ice for its bleeding fangs. "I won't do that again,darling!"

"Ugh,I'm gonna get sick hearing that baby talk!" screeched Meowth,covering his 
ears. He turned to the laughing Smeargle. "Are you laughing at me? Take this!" 
He lunged and Fury Swiped Smeargle,but after the goat took damage,it swabbed 
his face with paint,then slashed Meowth with duplicate Fury Swipes.

"Serves you right,Meowth,for all the times you scratched us!" laughed James,
seconds before Smeargle blasted his face with water. "AH! MY FACE! GIRAFARIG! 
HIT IT WITH TAKE DOWN!"

"Farigh!" cried the giraffe,charging Smeargle,but it blinded the creature with 
more paint and Girafarig knocked itself out by headbutting a tree.

"Oh no,Girafarig!" cried James.

"Let's get rid of those losers for good!" shouted Misty. "Go Poliwhirl! 
Doubleslap!"

"Poliwhirl!" said the blue tadpole Pokemon as it slapped James with its gloved 
hands. Suddenly,Pikachu got inspired and leapt at Jessie,doubleslapping her!

"Pikachu! I didn't know you could do doubleslap!" said Ash in awe.

"Chu!" laughed Pikachu as the two villians were left dizzy and bruised. He then 
unleashed a powerful thunderbolt that zapped the Rockets until they were sent 
flying.

"What a miserable masterpiece," groaned Meowth.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!" the others cried.

"Way to go,guys!" said Cameron. "You really showed those crooks!"

"You too,Smeargle!" said Tracey proudly. "I'm proud of you."

"Smeargle!" said Smeargle,making to hug Tracey,but he paused,remembering the 
mess he made earlier. He carefully pushed his tail behind him and hugged 
Tracey's leg.

Sandy freed the other Smeargles and they embraced their fellow Smeargle happily. 
After some explaining,the other Smeargles quickly sketched a wonderful feast 
and some music.

"Looks like they wish to celebrate!" said Reiko.

"Let's party!" said Ash.

The group partied until dawn,with beautiful music,dancing,and lots of food. 
The Smeargle Tracey caught managed to distract Growlithe so that Reiko and 
Cameron could dance together.

After the dance,Smeargle went up to Tracey and spoke. "Smeargle smear!"

"What is it,Smeargle?" asked Tracey. "Aren't you happy you're back with your 
clan?"

"Smear smeargle," said Smeargle,pointing to the Friend Ball.

"What? You want to come with me?" asked Tracey excitedly.

"I think it likes you,Tracey," said Ash. "After all,that Friend Ball did 
wonders."

"I don't think it was just the ball," said Cameron. "I think that,when we 
saved his clan, he felt at ease and wanted to be our friends. He really likes 
Tracey,since it was him who caught Smeargle,so I bet he wants to travel with 
Tracey."

"You want to be my Pokemon?" asked Tracey.

"Smear!" said Smeargle,nodding. The other Smeargles nodded and gestured at 
Tracey.

"I think that the clan won't worry about their friend,Tracey," said Reiko.

Tracey smiled and hugged Smeargle. "All right! I caught a Smeargle!" He did a 
pose.

"Hey,why does everyone keep stealing MY line!" shouted Ash. Everyone else 
facefaulted.

"I thought he had gotten over that!" moaned Misty.

And so,Tracey got a new Pokemon. But things seem to be heating up for our 
heroes,and who knows what will happen in the future as Cameron continues up 
Mt. Mustard for a badge?

=+=

Meanwhile...

Jessie was in the pits of depression,nursing her wounds. "I hate losing."

"Well,we're the masters of failure,so get used to it," mumbled Meowth.

James whittled a whistle from a branch nearby. "Come on,Jess. There's always 
tomorrow."

Jessie went into a deep thought. "I've had it with losing! One of these days,
I will get my way,even if I have to sell my soul to a demon!"

Suddenly,a bolt of lightning flashed and thunder crashed,and James and Meowth 
leapt in fear. "What was that?" asked James in terror. "Seems like there's a 
storm coming."

"How?" asked Meowth. "It's too clear to be storming."

Nobody saw Jessie's feral snarl as she went off to bed.

[To be continued...]