Hey guys it's been a billion years. So I thought it was about time to finally dust this off and post it properly since I haven't been using LJ in a long time.
For those who don't know, this fic started around 2008 and each chapter was uploaded like once a year around the same time until I finally posted the last chapter in 2015. So if there's a weird discrepancy or style change between chapters, you know what's up. I also said I'd change the name of the title but after sticking with it for so long, I decided to just stay with it.
K+ rating for a few swears and some violence (?) in later chapters
Anyway, please enjoy my longest Comashipping fic. I'm actually pretty proud that I was able to call it complete.
"I'll go get it!" Ash yelled to his two friends as he grabbed two empty containers used for water. His best friend, the yellow rodent Pikachu, snatched a bucket that also needed to be filled.
"Okay, thanks Ash!" Brock yelled back. The tall and dark breeder was stirring his soup cautiously, making sure to get the perfect texture and the proper flavor. The other friend, Pokemon Coordinator Dawn, was setting up the table for three of them.
Meanwhile, their pokemon of all sizes, colors and shapes, were preparing a big blanket on the lush green grass where they would be eating. Piplup and Buneary, along with Ambipom and Buizel were carrying dishes and placing them in the proper arrangements. Staravia, Turtwig and Sudowoodo held cans of the pokemon food in assorted flavors. Croagunk watched from a tree nearby, in case anything out of the ordinary were to happen. Happiny and Pachirisu were playfully oblivious to the work being done, but none minded; they were children (or had the mind of a child) after all.
It was near noon, which meant it was lunchtime, and not a Pokemon Center was in sight. The group decided to settle at their current location for a meal before picking up again. The next town was a few days of travel away, so there wasn't much to look forward to.
Ash pushed his way past thick branches and bushes in the woods to the river that was nearby. The rushing waters could be heard from the forest clearing where they had set up camp. He stepped up to the running source of water, Pikachu followed shortly with the bucket handle firmly gripped in his yellow paws. Dropping to his knees, Ash was able to dip the bottle into the cool water.
As he was about to put down the full container, he saw a blob of blue floating to the water's surface. Two small beads for eyes blinked at the trainer and Pikachu as it hovered suspiciously in the river. Ash then realized that it was a pokemon staring back at him and relaxed a bit. Pikachu waved at the creature, his own bucket of water already filled. The pokémon didn't react to Pikachu's greeting. Instead, it suddenly dove back into the river, as if sensing danger.
A moment later, rustling from bushes on the other side of the river was heard. Ash averted his attention to the source of the noise to see a very familiar trainer jumped out from the forest. As frustrated as ever, Paul stomped up to the edge of the river. He spotted Ash and his Pikachu from the other side, but ignored them, as if they weren't there at all.
The blue pokemon submerged from its dive and made its way down the river. Upon seeing the pokemon, Paul jumped across some stepping stones that lay a path to Ash's side.
"Hey you! Catch that Quagsire!"
Ash blinked, but then realized that he was being spoken to. The pokemon was in fact a Quagsire, and for some reason Paul was asking him to catch it. Seeing that the Quagsire was already a good distance away from where he and Pikachu were, there really wasn't much that Ash could do. Paul had landed a few feet next to him, not missing a moment.
"You're useless, you know that?"
He sprinted after the water type, not taking another glance at the other trainer. Ash stood up with a huge frown on his face and a displeased grunt. He was not about to let that guy insult him and get away with it. He ran after Paul, willing to prove that he wasn't good for nothing.
"Pikachu, maybe you can slow it down with a Thunderbolt?"
The yellow mouse nodded and let loose a stream of electricity aiming for the Quagsire. The blue mudfish pokemon didn't seem to be fazed by the attack and carried on downstream.
"Are you stupid or really trying to get on my nerves? Quagsire is a ground type and not at all affected by Electric type attacks." Paul yelled without turning around.
"Well, do you want my help or not?" Ash snapped back but didn't stop running. "Maybe a Quick Attack will knock it out of the water?"
Pikachu complied and dashed towards the Water/Ground type.
"Quagsire!"
"P-Pika!"
Pikachu had been able to smash into the other pokemon but the impact of the attack didn't send it very far. The electric rodent slipped against the Quagsire's rubbery skin and fell into the rushing waters. Gasping for breath, Pikachu resurfaced and then struggled to get back ashore.
"Pikachu!"
Ash was just about to jump into the water, but he collided against Paul's back, who had stopped running. He voiced his annoyance with a loud "Hey!", but the other boy had his attention up at the sky. Looking up too, Ash was able to spot a very familiar hot air balloon in the shape of a Meowth head.
"Listen, is that a voice I hear?"
"It's speaking to me very loud and clear."
"Go away Team Rocket, you're not wanted here!"
Jessie felt a vein burst. "Hey you! What right do you have interrupting us like that?!"
"Forget it Jessie, I'll just get the net." With that James pushed a button on a remote he had produced from behind his back. From the bottom compartment of the balloon, a big Butterfree net shot out and scooped both pokemon out of the water.
"Nyahaha! We've got what we want." Meowth jumped up into view. "So, now we scram." Pushing another button on the remote held by James, the balloon casket suddenly grew turbo rockets and sped off.
"You're not getting away that easily!" Ash growled and reached down to his belt for Staravia's pokeball. His fingers met air and he realized his pokemon were back at the clearing with Dawn and Brock. He bit his lip and glanced over at Paul.
The other trainer didn't look like he was going to do anything. With a low growl, Ash pushed past him and ran after the balloon. His feet weren't a match for the turbo rockets and by now, the hovering Meowth head was almost too far away to catch. His chest started aching from lack of air, but he would not give up; he was going to save Pikachu, even if his lungs exploded in the process.
The balloon flew well past the cliff where the river cascaded down the steep piece of land. With determination in his eyes, Ash dug his heels into the dirt before launching himself at the balloon with a vehement cry.
The Team Rocket members gawked at his feat, nearly dropping the remote that held the confined Pikachu and Quagsire.
Ash's gloved hand swiped at the green basket to gain some holding but he fell short a few inches. On his way down he tried to hang onto the Butterfree net and missed that too. Left with no third option, Ash continued to fall.
Before any sort of scream could leave his mouth, he felt someone grab a hold of his arm. Ash looked up and saw that it was Paul who had caught him. He wasn't out of danger yet because the other trainer was struggling to hold himself up on the ledge with his other hand.
"You really are an idiot." Paul had muttered that under his teeth before the rocks beneath his fingers crumbled and the two trainers plummeted.
