Path To Pallet
"Is everything ready to go?" Misty asked, watching Brock close the bag he had been packing.
"Yep, we are all set." Ash grinned and stroked Pikachu softly. They had been planning this trip for months. They were finally going back to Pallet town. This visit was long over due. It seamed like forever since he had been home.
"Great! But where is Gary?" Misty looked around and realized that Gary was not around.
"He hasn't come yet?" Ash asked "I thought he was just getting something." Pikachu pearked up and tilted his head in attempt to listen to the conversation.
Brock shook his head then glanced at his watch. "He was supposed to be here an hour ago." Just then Pikachu pointed down the road.
"Pika! Pika!" The trio turned to see what had caught his eye. Gary was running up the path. Struggling not to trip over his Umbreon, who was racing around at his feet.
"Sorry I'm late!" He said as he tried to catch his breath. "I had to take a detour." Ash tilted his head.
"A detour? Why?" He asked. Pikachu hopped from his trainer's arms and scurried over to Umbreon. The large, black Pokemon wagged his tail and greeted the little mouse happily.
Gary straightened up and patted his Pokemon's head. "Someone else wanted to come with us to Pallet." He said calmly.
Grinning Brock chuckled "We already knew Umbreon was coming! We packed extra Pokemon food for him." He said holding up the pack full of food.
Gary grinned and nodded his head. "Thanks, but, I was not talking about Umbreon." His voice was odd and the grin he worn told everyone that he must be up to something. Some thing no good.
Gary looked up to they sky where a Pokemon was circling the group high up in the air.
"You caught a new Pokemon?" Ash suggested as he turned his head to the sky and shielded his eyes from the sun.
"Wrong again." Gary chuckled. He pulled out a long brass whistle and brought it to his lips. The sound was high and shrill. Pikachu and Umbreon covered their ears from the loud noise. And the people also seamed a bit disoriented by the sound. The Pokemon stopped circling and began to dive. Gary glanced to the group and frowned. "You all may want to take a couple steps back."
Ash, Misty, Brock and Pikachu did as they were told and Umbreon calmly padded up beside his trainer. He knew this was going to be something else.
The Flygon touched down, sending up a flurry of dust and sand in its path. Gary laughed and moved closer once the dust settled. A girl, not much younger then Gary was riding the Flygon.
"Nice landing!" Gary praised as he gave the rider a thumbs-up. The girl unbuckled herself and hopped down patting her Pokemon's side once she touched the ground.
"Thank you." She said smiling as she turned to give Gary a quick, affectionate, hug.
Ash smiled and asked tauntingly; "Hey, Gary, who's your girlfriend?" Gary looked ready to protest but the girl stopped him.
"You must be Ash Ketchum. I am Mandy Oak, Gary's sister. It is wonderful to finally meet you." Mandy extended a hand and Ash shook it, seaming a bit bewildered. He looked to Gary who was grinning smugly.
"Don't jump to conclusions, Ashy-boy." He chided, obviously glad to have caught an opportunity to make fun of his friend/rival. Mandy then turned to Misty who looked close to tears in her laughter. An amused grin on her face the brunette spoke confidently.
"Misty, I presume." Misty nodded quickly, blushing a bit.
"Uh-huh." The red-head leaned closer and whispered "You handled that nicely." A slight bit a humor clinging to her voice.
Mandy giggled, "When you deal with Gary you learn to handle anyone." She was smiling and as she spoke she took a glace at her brother.
Gary's face gained a pink color as Brock stifled a chuckle. Mandy glared at him with her cold blue eyes that were carrying generous heap of warning.
Brock stopped immediately and whispered to Gary, "She's... got your eyes." Startled by the ferocity of the stare.
The spike haired boy nodded proudly, "Could stare a pack of Mightyena into submission." He watched his sister walk over to Brock.
She held her hand on her chin like she was thinking intently. "Then this is Brock. An Ex-gym leader, future Pokemon breeder and a fair chef. So I hear" She raised an eyebrow, expecting an answer from the surprised man.
He blinked and then managed to mutter "That's me." his face pale from both fear and surprise. Gary told her about them? He must care more then he seams to...
Flygon growled lowly and Mandy hurried over, "Sorry, boy. I forgot about you!" She scratched the large ground and dragon type behind the crest and he closed his eyes and started humming with pleasure. "Thanks for the ride." She whispered.
Gary's Umbreon pawed her leg, whimpering quietly. Mandy kneeled down an rubbed his head. "I know what you want, Umbreon." She turned to the Flygon and shouted "You can come out now, girl!" An Umbreon, a little smaller then Gary's, jumped out of Flygon's side pack a ran over to Gary's Umbreon. The two Umbreons rubbed heads affectionately and murmured softly to each other.
Gary smiled. "You have no idea how much he has wanted to see Flash." He said as he watched the two old friends speak in their native, Pokemon language. Most likely catching up on what they had done while they had been apart.
Ash tapped his foot and fake coughed. "Shouldn't we get going?" He pressed, egar to get on the road soon so he could get home. ASAP.
Mandy nodded, "Yes, we should." She took out a pokeball and released a Skarmory. The metal bird screeched and flapped his wings. Ash stared in awe at the large Pokemon and the leather saddle across it's middle. "Misty and Brock can ride Skarmory. Gary said Ash has a Staraptor. So, he can ride on his own Pokemon." Ash nervously let out his Staraptor. The large Pokemon popped out of it's Pokeball then glared at the two other mounts. Flygon swished his tail in warning and Skarmory shook his armor angrily.
Without warning Staraptor lunged for Mandy's two Pokemon. Skarmory took to the air and shrieked loudly to his trainer. The people stared at the raging Pokemon, in horror. Misty was shaking like a leaf. Clinging to Ash who was shouting to Staraptor in vain. Brock blocked his eyes from the gusts of wind and murmured something inaudible. Gary took a step back then yelled to Ash to recall his Pokemon before it hurts someone. The only one not just standing there was Mandy.
She jumped on Flygon's back and shouted "Fly!". The pair shot up, Staraptor close behind. The two Pokemon eyed each other. Mandy blinked then nodded. Out of no where Skarmory slammed into Staraptor, shrieking madly. The two birds plummeted in a stunning death-spiral, till they hit the ground sending up a mushroom cloud of dust. Skarmory flapped his wings to clear the dust. He shrieked his victory and rattled his armor. Under his foot was the struggling Staraptor.
Mandy landed and jumped off of Flygon. She looked to Ash crossly and pointed to Staraptor. "Do you think you can control your Pokemon long enough for us to get to Pallet town in one piece?"
Ash stared at his Pokemon, struggling hopelessly under the claws of Mandy's Skarmory. The metal bird seamed to be grinning as he looked from his prisoner then up at his trainer. As if he wanted her to be proud of him. "I think so." Ash muttered weakly.
Mandy scowled and walked up to Ash, stopping when a few feet were between them. "That is not good enough, Ash." The girl bent down and rolled up her pants' leg a bit. Revealing two deep lines on her ankle that were obviously claw marks.
Misty gasped and looked away. Hiding her, and Togepi's, eyes from the ugly scar. Brock gritted his teeth and looked to the ground, he knew a wound like that never goes away. Gary could not peel his gaze from the gouges. He tried to think of when that could of happened, and why she never told him. Ash looked to Mandy's face. She was stern. It was clear the scar no longer hurt her. But once it had caused her great pain.
"How..." Ash ventured. His voice more then a little shaky with caution and fear.
Mandy closed her eyes for a brief moment then looked back to the group of wide eyes. "Sneasel. He missed my Houndoom while trying to land a metal claw. Cut like a knife through butter." She stood back up and stared straight into Ash's eyes. "When trainers can't control their Pokemon, people get hurt."
Ash blinked, looked to Staraptor then back to Mandy. "I can control him." He said slowly. Picking each word carefully.
Mandy nodded and placed a hand on Ash's shoulder. "I am glad we understand each other." She smiled and watched the boy match her grin.
Gary and Misty simultaneously started burning with anger and jealousy. Leaving Brock feeling a bit left out. "Let's get going." Brock said finally. "The road only gets harder at night."
One by one the group nodded and murmured their agreement. Mandy whistled and Skarmory took his foot off Staraptor. The resentful bird Pokemon fluttered to his master's side. And they all could see the death glare he aimed in Mandy and her team's direction.
Mandy helped Misty and Brock mount Skarmory. "How do you steer?" Brock asked. Misty had been to scared to drive so Brock was stuck with that task.
"Simple." Mandy said as she shrugged, "You don't." The brunette watched the color drain from the pairs faces and giggled. "Skarmory will just follow me and Flygon. If an emergency happens then tell him to land. You may want to say exactly where to land, though."
Misty nodded and made sure that Brock would remember. After Mandy tightened Skarmory's saddle and reminded him to behave she walked over to her Flygon. Gary had already put Flash and his Umbreon in the special side packs and stole himself a seat up frount. "Hop up." Mandy ordered.
Gary grinned, "Why should I?" He asked tauntingly. Watching Mandy place her hands on her hips like she always did when she was upset with him.
Mandy glared at her brother playfully, "Because Flygon only behaves when I drive." Flygon snorted, as if to agree with that statement. Quickly, Gary jumped up and let Mandy in the front seat. He wrapped his arms around her middle and smiled. Mandy looked to Skarmory and Staraptor who were behind them. "Up, up and away, guys!" She shouted.
The Pokemon opened their wings and pumped powerfully, sending their body's up in the air. Flash and Umbreon chattered excitedly, Flygon grinned and listened to the gasps of amazement behind him. Skarmory was cawing and yelling his pleasure as Misty and Brock hung on for dear life. Staraptor rolled his eyes while Ash struggled for a grip. Pikachu sighed, his trainer was not aerially skilled.
Mandy and Gary chuckled at the scene. They knew this would be interesting. "Let's go! Pallet town, straight ahead!" Every one cheered as the flying Pokemon surged forward. The wind in their hair, fur or scales. It would be a whole three days if things went well. Five if they didn't. Mandy had heard news of a thunder storm over the ocean. She did not want to tell the gang they might have to pass through it.