Okay, here's Chapter 2. Unfortunately it's a lot shorter than I would have liked, but I don't want to force myself to write longer chapters and end up with them being full of unnecessary information that disrupts the flow. As I said in the last chapter, I will be posting the first four chapters, then I will decide whether to continue the story or take it down based on whether people read it or not.
CHAPTER II
Ash, Serena and Leaf were finally headed toward Viridian City. The sun was still rising in the cloudless sky.
"I can't believe it," Ash said. "We're actually on a Pokémon journey. This is the most amazing feeling. I've been waiting my whole life for this."
"I know," Leaf agreed. "It feels almost like a dream."
"Well, if it is a dream, don't wake me," Ash said as he started running. The others followed closely behind him.
Suddenly, Ash stopped. His hand went to his pocket.
"Is something wrong, Ash?" Leaf asked.
"No, there's no problem," he replied. "I just saw a wild Pokémon."
He pulled out his Pokédex to scan the bird-like Pokémon.
"Pidgey, the Tiny Bird Pokémon," it said in its mechanical voice. "It is a very common Pokémon and is easy to capture for beginning Trainers."
"So that's a Pidgey," Ash said to himself. "I'm gonna catch it! Go, Poké Ball!"
He tossed an empty Poké Ball at the Pidgey. It popped open and Pidgey disappeared inside with a flash of light. The Poké Ball fell to the ground and started to shake.
Ash was staring at it intensely with his fists clenched. "Come on," he muttered.
The Poké Ball burst open suddenly and Pidgey flew away.
"Ash, if you want to catch a Pokémon, you usually have to battle it first to weaken it," Serena reminded him.
"Right," Ash said. "I know."
Moments later, another Pidgey hopped out from underneath a bush.
"I'll get you this time," Ash said. "Pikachu, go get it!"
Pikachu stood terrified on Ash's shoulder and didn't move a muscle. The Pidgey hopped obliviously across the path and out of sight.
Ash looked at his partner Pokémon. He was feeling a bit frustrated, but he pushed that feeling aside. "You all right, buddy?" he asked instead.
Pikachu looked down shamefully. "Pika," it said softly. Ash remembered how Professor Oak had said that Pikachu had been found nearly dead in Viridian Forest before the lab had taken it in. He would have to be especially careful with it.
"Listen, Pikachu," Ash said gently. "I don't know what happened to you before in Viridian Forest, but I can promise you I won't let it happen again. As long as you're with me, I won't let anything happen to you. I won't send you into any situations where you'll get hurt. I'll help you and you'll help me. We'll be a team, and together we'll create years of unforgettable memories. You just have to trust me. Okay?"
Pikachu looked into Ash's eyes. They showed nothing but sincerity, and Pikachu knew that Ash meant every one of his words. It felt tears beginning to form in its eyes and it threw its arms around Ash with a cry of "Pika!"
"That's great, Pikachu!" Ash said with a huge smile. "So what do you say we try again with one of those Pidgey?"
Pikachu nodded. "Chu!"
Ash spotted a bird-like shape rustling inside a bush. "All right, here we go! Pikachu, use Thundershock!"
Pikachu leaped from Ash's shoulder and unleashed a huge electric charge. "Pikachuuu!" It cried.
The Pokémon that had just been struck emerged from the bush with an irritated look on its face. It wasn't a Pidgey.
"What's that?" Ash wondered, pulling out his Pokédex.
"Spearow, the Tiny Bird Pokémon," the Pokédex explained. "Unlike Pidgey, Spearow is known for its aggressive behavior. It will attack anyone who angers it."
"Spearoowwww!" the Pokémon cried, looking to the sky. Instantly an entire flock of Spearow took flight from a nearby tree and flew straight at the Trainers.
"Oh no," Ash said.
"Run!" Leaf yelled.
Ash picked up Pikachu and he, Serena and Leaf ran for their lives. None of them cared where they ended up, as long as they ended up alive. But suddenly, a huge canyon became visible in front them, with a river flowing rapidly far below them. The forest was nearly impassable on either side of them, and the Spearow would be able to navigate through it much faster than any human. They were trapped. Storm clouds began rolling in quickly, and as Ash turned around he could see that the Spearow were gaining on them. He then directed his gaze to the cliff and the raging river below.
"We have to jump," he said.
"Are you crazy?!" Serena yelled.
"We have to jump," he repeated, louder this time, trying to convince himself as well as the others.
"Ash is right," Leaf said. "We have no choice. There's nowhere else to go."
Ash and Leaf jumped over the edge, both screaming, with Ash holding Pikachu tightly in his right arm. Serena watched them go over, and with a mighty splash, they both disappeared into the river below. She looked back to see that the Spearow were closing in quickly. She ran along the edge of the cliff, hopping over bushes and ducking to avoid tree branches. She planted every step carefully, but just one time she stepped too close to the edge and the ground gave way beneath her feet. She tumbled down the cliff and felt her head strike something hard. Then everything went black.
Ash opened his eyes once he had entered the water. He couldn't see much, but he saw that Pikachu was already getting weaker. It wasn't used to being in the water. It was holding its breath but hardly moving. To his right he could just make out the shape of Leaf already making her way to the surface. The current was strong, but she was fighting it well. But where was Serena? Ash looked around. She hadn't stayed up there with the Spearow, had she? Then, to his left, something entered the water with a crash. Ash hoped it was Serena, but the splash had created so many bubbles that he couldn't be sure. Then he noticed something unusual. The bubbles were streaked with red. Finally they parted to reveal Serena's motionless, sinking body. Blood was rushing from a gash in her head.
"No, please don't be dead," Ash thought desperately. He made his way over to Serena and wrapped his free left arm around her. He began kicking violently, trying to propel himself to the surface, but the current was too strong, and the weight of Serena and Pikachu was tiring him quickly. He shut his eyes tightly and hoped for a miracle. The current pulled them down into the depths of the river.
An orange-haired girl by the name of Misty was just arriving at the shore of the river with her fishing gear. "Wow, the water is really rough today. I hope the fish will still be biting," she commented as she prepared her fishing rod. She cast a worried glance at the dark clouds that were thickening in the sky.
She cast her line into the water and seated herself on a nearby rock. The waves were only getting bigger. An especially massive wave surged from the river, crashing onto Misty and knocking her over. Then she realized she had been hit by something much heavier than just the water.
Ash opened his eyes. He couldn't believe his luck. The water had brought them onto land! Serena wasn't awake, but she was breathing, so maybe there was still hope. Pikachu was breathing heavily on his other side, its eyes halfway open. But where was Leaf? She was nowhere to be seen.
His thoughts were interrupted by an angry voice. "Will you get off me?!"
Ash turned around to see that they had landed on top of a girl. "Oh, sorry," he said.
"Oh, is your Pikachu okay?" the girl said, noticing the Pokémon for the first time. Ash thought it was odd that she only seemed to care about Pikachu.
"I think so," Ash replied. "I've got to get it to a Pokémon Center." Then he turned around to see that the Spearow flock was still chasing them in the ever darkening sky. "We have to go!" he yelled.
He picked up Pikachu and Serena and ran to a conveniently placed bike. "I'm borrowing this," he said to the girl.
"Hey! That's my bike!" she cried angrily, but Ash was already pedaling away. He had placed Pikachu in the basket at the front of the bike, and was holding the handlebars with one hand while the other was wrapped around Serena. The Spearow were getting closer.
The clouds had now completely covered the sky, and it started to rain. Lightning flashed in front of Ash but he paid no attention to it. His legs were completely worn out, but he forced himself to keep pedaling. The dirt beneath the tires was becoming slippery thanks to the pouring rain. Then, the bike's front tire suddenly struck a rock on the path. Ash, Serena and Pikachu were thrown off of it.
Ash couldn't run now. The Spearow were too close. He did the only thing he could think of. He stepped in front of Serena and Pikachu, shielding them from the Spearow's attacks.
"Do you know who I am? I'm Ash from the town of Pallet," he yelled. "I am destined to be the world's number one Pokémon Master. I can't be defeated by the likes of you. I'm going to capture and defeat you all. You hear me?" His words were braver than how he felt, and actually, he didn't care if he lived. He just wanted to make sure no one died because of him. He screamed as the Spearow began striking him like arrows. Through all the chaos, the last thing Ash saw was a large, glowing bird Pokémon flying majestically above him. It seemed to shine with all the colors of the rainbow, and the sight comforted him slightly as his body began to go numb.
That does it for Chapter 2. At this rate I'll probably have Chapter 3 up tomorrow. Let me know what you think!
