Chapter 2: Pokemon and Trainer Bond in Another View
Everything seems to be normal in Fairy World... and it seems that the ten orb users are becoming friends closer than many think they are...
As proof, Ash, Paul, and Barry, three rivals during the Shinnoh League, manages to know each other pretty well...
However, the spirit of rivalry is still in there, but it is more that of a friendly competition between them rather than bitter rivalry.
"Hey Paul..." Ash remarked as they stroll around the Fairy World. As we can see, today, everyone took a break from the training and preparation for the upcoming Intervention, with the Fairy World becoming somehow alive again thanks to this declaration that every Sunday, everyone should take some rest, unless they are assigned on earth.
"What is it Ash?" Paul said while raising his eyebrow, as for him, the remark seemed to be out-of-place of this supposed rest day.
"I haven't had a Pokemon battle for a week already... well, I'm thinking what if we went try to have a one-on-one using your Azumarill so that it would develop some confidence?"
"I was thinking of doing it with Barry... but knowing him, he would just obliterate her..." Paul replied with him staring at Barry with a very mean look.
"Well, sometimes you have to go a bit rough to be a little bit strong..." Barry said with some unusual bit of confidence, but Paul, unimpressed, responded "Except the goal is to develop her confidence, you fool."
"Well, what happened to the person that always wanted to push his Pokemon to the..." Paul didn't finished Barry's rant, as he immediately responded "I'm already a changed man, and I think it's time to make a few adjustments..."
Barry was about to make another argument when Ash said "Well, how about this: We go into a 1 vs. 1 vs. 1, using our weakest Pokemon in our team, and help Azumarill gain its confidence?"
"That's a good suggestion..." Barry said with his hand in his chin, thinking "Well, I did got someone recently thanks to a certain contest..."
"But I still do have one concern..." Paul said to them "The Lion told me that in order to build Azumarill's confidence, my way of training in the past must changed... He didn't say anything much, but maybe the two of you might give an answer to that."
"Well, we'll help you then!" Ash remarked. Barry was about to speak when Paul said "And no, we can't be rough with her... He warned me that if we do get rough again, Azumarill might no longer battle at all."
"It's a deal then." Ash replied "Well, I do know of a place we can train!"
On an open area in Fairy World, beside the Fairy Council building, Paul, Barry and Ash arranged a battle against each other with each of them facing one another...
And the rules are simple: Last man standing wins.
How they got the idea, they never knew. However, they decided that through this method, one party could check out if the other is going overboard or not, as their goal is to restore Azumarill's confidence to battle again, not a dedicated battle.
"Are you sure about this Paul?" Ash questioned, with Paul saying "Yes. Each of us must bring the weakest we have thus far, for a fair match..."
"Alright..." At that, Barry yelled "This guy might make the cut... Joltik, come on out!"
After that, Barry released something with his Pokemon, and little size of the electric spider Pokemon astounded the two trainers, with Ash even going so far as to ask "Um, Barry, when did you catch a Pokemon from Unova?"
"Well, have you heard of the Shinnoh-Unova Regional conference where you can win a Pokemon if you participated in the tournament?"
"I heard about that from Dawn and Kenny, but I just refused to accept it..." Paul replied, with him saying "I'm busy planning my match against Lucy at that time..."
"So, you are actually going on to challenge the Battle Frontier?" Ash said.
"Yes..." he responded. "But that is out of my concern for now..." Paul brought out a Pokeball and yelled " Azumarill, stand by for battle!" and the little blue mouse Pokemon came out, with it somehow cowering out as it tried to gain its composure. The Joltik came near it to say hello, but the Azumarill just frozen itself and stiffed its body, with Paul just puffing out a sigh and saying "I told you she has a big problem..."
"Well, that's why we're here..." Ash brought out his Pokeball and yelled "Oshawott, I choose you!" and the otter Pokemon came out with its delightful glee. Everything seemed fine for Ash. However, as expected...
Oshawott went on and began to grab and kiss the frozen Azumarill's hand, which manages to unfreeze the said Azumarill in its stiff form and blushing. Paul, Barry, Ash and Joltik just gave a teardrop on what they just saw, with Oshawott beginning to speak up and saying things using its own Pokemon language.
"That was unexpected..." Ash replied, clueless on what the otter Pokemon is doing.
At that moment, a pink fairy hovered above the battlefield, yelling "How unusual... finally I have something to do!"
"Um, excuse me, but we are in the middle of a battle." Ash pointed out, with the said fairy saying "Oh, sorry, I've been messing around, trying to find the right, well..."
Joltik just gave out a bolt of electricity and shocked the said fairy, making him drop in the ground in between Azumarill and Oshawott, which somehow manages the two lovers off. This prompted Cupid to poof some smoke, saying "Blargh..."
"Alright... Oshawott, drag the poor fairy out of the area..." Ash remarked, with the otter Pokemon dragging the poor fairy outside of the improvised arena...
With the fairy now fully recovered, Cupid decided to watch on how the three trainers would conduct its battle, as for him, this is a highly unusual event.
"Let's start this one now!" Barry responded "Joltik, use Electroweb!"
The small Pokemon shoots out a net of electrified string, which manages to strike the two water Pokemon, dealing a chunk of damaged. Instinctively, however, Oshawott used its shell on its chest as a weapon and slashed it at the entangling web, freeing itself from further electrocution.
"Just great, why are you lucky for that one Ash?" Paul yelled, seeing as on how his water Pokemon is entangled in the electric mess, and the fact that Paul isn't familiar yet to the Pokemon used in Unova. In fact, he somehow impressed that the otter Pokemon could used its shell as a weapon on its own. With that remark, Ash just replied "Well, I don't know..."
At that, Paul begins to think of a strategy to get out... and that strategy might seem to be a crazy one... as he ordered "Well, if that's the case, Azumarill.." Paul yelled "Aqua Jet towards the Oshawott and let the Scalchop land on you!"
At that, the Azumarill just didn't respond, and began to kneel out of defeat, as the electric web just carried its sting much longer, which annoyed Paul even further. He now begins to grow agitated, as this always happens whenever he gives a command...
His very own Pokemon surrendering for just a simple attack. Now annoyed, he begins to somehow forget the things that compassion could do to the Pokemon, and out of this, he angrily yelled "AZUMARILL, YOU DUMB..."
"PAUL, REMEMBER HOW YOU ARE CALLED!" the yell caught Paul of guard, as it seemed that Ash took noticed of his reversion of his old self. He immediately stopped at this point, with him listening to Ash saying "Paul, I don't know if you understand this, but if you really have to learn compassion, then one thing is patience... loosing that one out caused you to act like that, any Pokemon would lose it confidence with that!"
"Sorry about that..." Paul responded calmly, with him thinking deeply about what that meant. He then calmly said "Azumarill, if you are listening, here me out... the only way you can escape that web is for you to use Aqua Jet into Oshawott's scalchop."
"Azu... azu..." Azumarill just responded weakly, but somehow, she didn't respond at all.
Joltik went back to Barry and began to speak to him. Barry then remarked "Oh men, this is the time I wish we have brought the Pokemon Communicator!"
Just then, Azumarill began to speak out, something of that of a sobering tone. Interesting to note, however, is that Cupid brought out his wand, and could understand what the Pokemon is saying, and he was touched by what the Azumarill is trying to convey.
"Oh, poor thing..." Cupid said "I know you may have wished a communicator, but I do have one with me, and let me translate what Azumarill said..."
At that, Cupid began speak out, acting as the Azumarill's translator, saying "Paul, I know that you wouldn't understand, but there is a reason why I can't fight the way you wanted... ever since I am young, while I'm still an Azurill, my parents said that I'll be owned by one of the greatest trainers to be alive, and I clung that to my heart. So I trained and trained until I become the top of my batch, the earliest one to become an Azumarill. Many trainers tried to catch me, but failed, but fortunately, I was caught by Paul. I thought that my destiny is fulfilled, but then, I was defeated in a gym battle that has a type disadvantage, and Paul gave me to a kid, who took me into one hell of a beating..."
"Multiple times did he treated me like a trash, saying to me that I am worthless. Everything unimaginable happened to me, and I am literally treated by that trainer as a dump, and I'm yelled at every time, even going as far as me to be deemed only as a pet. I never won any battle against a trainer, and there is nothing I can do but to weep, until the day I was released by this trainer... with nothing to face my clan..."
"In return, however, a young kid came in my life, and took care of me... no longer in the battle scene but as a pet, and there is nothing that made her happy than to take care of me, and so am I to her. I didn't have to face any battle... and all seemed to be fine, and I thought I've found my new purpose..."
"But one day, she and her family was kidnapped, and I never saw them again... I failed to protect her, because... because..."
"Because of what Azumarill?" Ash asked, with her replying "One of those who kidnapped her is the same trainer that abused me. Yes, Paul, your training at that time might be tough, but I managed to fare well against Elekid, remember? But this kid, he's... he said he'll follow your ways, and I never get to understand what he meant... he pushed me to my limits, out of fear of failure... and seeing him just made me think of it..."
Tears now began to flow from the little blue rabbit, saying "I'm sorry Paul, I can't be a fighter, even if the weasel and the Lion said otherwise... hearing those things just make me calloused, as I know it will never happen... but Paul, if there is something I can do, I could be your pet, a mascot... I could be good for that role... just, do not put me back into the arena... because for sure, I'll fail you again.."
"What a said story..." Barry said "And I thought that your old self is a good thing to follow..."
At that, Oshawott came in and said something to Azumarill, which caused the former to confidently say something, but Cupid saying "Oshawott... that won't work for her... I know you have a liking for her, but it isn't your offering of love that would return her confidence..."
At that, Barry said "What do you mean with that?"
"Well, Azumarill's heart is calloused..." Cupid said while using his wand like an X-Ray, scanning something inside of Azumarill. "All hopes of her protecting its trainer is dashed... in fact, her heart is more that of a hamster than that of a Pokemon, and this is far from the things etched in the hearts of Pokemon, as their purpose dictates that they should protect their trainers at all cause!"
"Could you simplify that?" Barry said.
"Well, I'm so sorry, but Azumarill is not going to fight in any way possible..." Cupid remarked, with him continuing "In fact, I think no matter how how you train, that fighting spirit will not return..."
At that, Paul began to clenched his fist, knowing that he has guilt on that, but Cupid then said "But there is one way to bring back her fighting spirit, and it will be that of true love."
"True Love?" Ash replied "But what kind of true love?"
"Well, that's up to you to know!" Cupid remarked "Besides, you experienced it yourselves..."
"Wait, what do you mean by that?" Barry remarked "Are simply telling us that it is supposed to be the highest Form of Love expressed to Azumarill that would bring back her fighting spirit?"
"Yes..." Cupid replied "I know what you are thinking, as that kind of love is only given out completely by someone who is Perfect, but did you know that you can love the same way back because of that same kind of Love? Agape, my friends, is not a one-part but a two-part, and that kind of love is what Azumarill needs!"
"Azu?"
"Yes, my friend..." Cupid stared at the water-type. "But for me, perhaps it's my time to remove the web for you..."
"Why don't I do it?" Paul remarked, with him closing in to the Azumarill. Joltik began to panic, with him jumping uncontrollably and side to side, will Barry even yelling "Paul, Don't do it!.
Cupid began to listen on what Joltik is saying, and with his teeth biting his own nails, he said "Joltik, don't tell me you upped your voltage to that that could paralyze a human?" He then warned "Paul, you shouldn't..."
"Cupid, if I am correct, isn't it that Agape is love that goes beyond death?" Paul replied to him, with him touching the net and feeling the entire shock in his arms, trying to not shout even if the pain is extremely stinging. Azumarill could see the trainer removing the net around him, somehow touched by what Paul is doing. Keeping the pain to himself, Paul said to Azumarill "Azumarill, I know by this time, you'll not understand why I wanted for your fighting spirit to return, but let me tell you something: this tiny little act that could leave me paralyze, is little to the amount of blood shed so that I'll be even in this place. I know it will take a long time, but if you really want to be a pet, that is fine by me, because I know that He gave you to me because He has a greater plan in stored for us... so Azumarill, until the time your fighting spirit returns, let me be the one to protect you..."
The net was finally removed, but on the moment it is no longer wrapping Azumarill, Paul collapse right beside her, with his face in the ground. Ash and Bary immediately went to assist him, and Cupid used his wand to remove the electricity on the web. Azumarill saw this and decided to jump on her trainer's back and used Refresh, with Joltik coming in to say an apology to Paul. Cupid began to call for an ambulance, but after the Refresh is finished, Paul manages to grab on Cupid's phone, with him smiling "Don't call the hospital..."
"I can't just leave you in that condition!" Cupid remarked "In our dimension, by that voltage alone, people would be killed, and the scene made me think that your..."
"Well, one, I'm speaking..." Paul replied at him with him staring at a glare at the fairy. "Two... Azumarill, when is the last time have you fought? You seemed to be much more heavy than the last time I remember..."
At that, Azumarill just popped up a vein and said an angry rant at the trainer, in which Paul replied "Alright... I know what you are saying..." he tried to stand up, and seemed to be struggled to get up, before he manages to fall down to his face again, with him staring at the eyes of Joltik, who stared back at him also. He then remarked "Barry, I told you to not do your best! Look what that bug of yours did to me!"
"Hey, Don't blame me... blame yourself..." Barry said with his arms crossed "Besides, whose training style did I try to copy?" with the Joltik just laughing at him, which annoyed Paul even more.
"Arrgh..." Paul remarked "Alright, looks like I need to see a doctor soon..."
At that, Ash and Barry helped him to stand up, with each of their Pokemon that are out walking beside the three...
As the three guys manages to reach the hospital, with the only fairy doctor managing to treat Paul using a simple wave of a wand. Azumarill, Joltik and Oshawott manages to see that Pikachu, Dawn, Kenny, Brock, May and Misty are coming on towards their location, trying to see whether Paul is alright or not.
"I'm fine..." Paul annoyingly said to them "And who told this to..."
"Well, I'm so sorry..." Dr. Rip Studwell apologized "But I have to contact the others to say that you are fine... and it isn't everyday I managed to treat too much electrical stuns in your body..."
"Barry, that isn't just a simple Electroweb..." Paul stared at Barry, who seemed to just smile and said "What are you talking about? That is just an Electro..."
"Well, I have to admit this... but that is a Thunder Wave-infused Electroweb..." the doctor remarked, with Barry flailing "WHAT? THAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE MY THE SLEEVE TRICK!"
At that, everyone just laughed...
Azumarill just came near Paul, with it staring at him, saying "Azu-azu, azu-azu..."
The star-shaped translator with Kenny, that is conveniently pinned to his left chest, manages to speak using the voice of the Azumarill "Paul, I know that I might not be able to fight yet... but I realized that perhaps, you could teach me how to fight again... what you did earlier is more than I expected... and you aren't as bad as I thought you are..."
"Azumarill..." Paul patted her at its head. "It isn't me that you should thank for... it's Him you should thank for..."
"Azu?" Azumarill asked, with Kenny's translator saying "Who?"
"The One who manages to unite us together once again..." Paul replied "If it weren't for Him, I might still be the old Paul you know. Perhaps today, the lesson I learned with you is that sometimes, the best way to value a Pokemon is to understand how God values man..."
At that, Paul stopped, realizing something, and just smiled... as his thoughts began to zero in on one point...
The same Love he felt on the time of his Calling...
The memories of the Man who died on the Tree for his sins...
A Trubbish like him, an abusive trainer, changed for His purposes and plans... and now on the verge to learn on how to show compassion to his very own Pokemon he did wrong against...
And in the same way he experienced that kind of Love, he would then show love with his partner-in-arms, the ones created to protect him from danger...
He then continued "Azumarill, I'm going to treat you on how God treated me... I know you haven't done enough, but I'm going to protect you no matter what."
At that, Dawn said "Wow, looks like someone just grew soft now..."
"Well, maybe..." Paul smiled and blankly said "Deedee..." pissing Dawn off, causing her to yell "MY NAME IS NOT... HOW DID YOU..." she then stared and yelled "KENNY!"
At that, everyone just burst out in laughter.
A/N: Surprise! Second Chapter of the PODMD Sidestories!
Sorry for some overly-dramatic tones for some not-so-good scenarios... I just can't think off with any!
Besides, things may grow darker real soon... as there might be a character development for our first confirmed pairing for PODMD...
I'm more hyped to type this now, as after several chapters of these, I can now refocus on Saga 3...
But for next chapter:
Timmy receives a fairy dog! But is this a good thing or a bad thing?