Author's Note: Thanks again for all of the wonderful support on this story! Here's chapter three, the official start of Ash's journey. It was a joy to write, so I hope you're pleased by my efforts. Also, I changed the name of the story, or just shortened it, to "Champion." I've decided that I would just keep it at one book instead of dividing it into separate novels.
Also, I'm sorry for not updating sooner. Life got crazy, school started, and I didn't have enough time to write. I wasn't going to release a half finished chapter, so I decided to postpone the release of chapter three. I've given myself more time to write before chapter four, so I should make the next deadline.
Disclaimer: To those worried about copyright issues, everything inside the Pokèmon world is owned by GameFreak and Nintendo. The idea of Pokémon, along with many places and people mentioned, are of course, not mine own.
- Champion -
Ch. 3: "Route One"
By the time Ash reached the edge of town, his melancholy had faded away. Excitement once more filled his veins as he looked out over route one, the wide open path a tantalizing sight. He was finally doing it. After years of preparation, every bit of hard work over the past fourteen years had finally paid off. Ash Ketchum was officially a pokémon trainer.
He grinned. Now the real work could begin.
The path before him was a sleepy little route, not traveled intensively, and often skipped over by many trainers. Connecting only Pallet Town to the small suburbs of Viridian City, the only thing of interest that route one led to was Professor Oak's laboratory. It wasn't exactly high on many trainer's travel list, unless they intended on visiting the renown researcher personally. The roads tended to be bare of trainers and travelers alike, as most people tended to fly or teleport if they really needed to journey this far west. Additionally, not many strong pokémon tended to populate the area. Kanto's western border was subject to warm summers and mild winters, a perfect climate for pokémon to raise their young. Only weaker, younger pokémon stayed behind year round. Aside from the occasional flock of spearow and the rare gyarados, Ash wasn't too worried about being attacked.
Before he could even take two steps forward, however, he once more heard his name shouted from behind him. Turning, he was greeted by a familiar sight. Janet and Rachel were frantically calling his name as they approached, each clutching a shiny, polished pokéball firmly in their hands.
"Ash, hold on, would you?" Rachel panted as she arrived, bending over to grasp her knees. "Give us a second to catch our breath, we ran in order to catch up to you."
Sighing slightly, Ash agreed with a simple nod and picked up Adele, stroking her smooth fur. He waited for the inevitable explosion that was bound to happen when the two girls noticed the silver fox he was currently holding, and was surprised they hadn't sighted her immediately on arrival. They must have been more winded than he had originally thought, most likely running from the lab to reach him before he disappeared into the uncultivated landscape. Shrugging, he waited patiently, the soft purr from Adele already becoming a soothing sound.
When both girls had recovered their breath, they stood tall and beamed widely at him. "Hello Ash! It's great to see you again after such a long time!" Rachel exclaimed, laughing at her tiny joke. They'd seen each other less than an hour ago. Ash rolled his eyes but otherwise returned the greeting pleasantly.
Noticing exactly who Ash was holding, Janet froze for a split second before gasping loudly. Apparently, Ash had been correct in his assumption. "Ash Ketchum!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide. Beside her, Rachel mirrored her expression. "Is that your starter pokémon?"
Nodding, Ash chuckled at their stereotypical reactions. Immediately, both girls started fawning over Adele, complimenting everything from her vibrant eyes to her bushy tail. She seemed to be enjoying all the attention as well, preening under their praise and puffing up a bit with every laudation the girls uttered. While they cooed and scratched her, Ash explained the story of how he received Adele, and why he had decided to start with her, much to the envy of the other two teens. They understood the reasoning behind it, however. Ash just had a connection with pokémon, one not many people were gifted with, and he would become a wonderful trainer for the silver kit.
It took several minutes for the girls to stop swooning and regain their previous composure. By that time, several minutes had passed and Ash had finished narrating his fortuitous morning. Focusing their attention back on Ash, they looked at one another before beginning. "Ash," Janet started tentatively, a shifty grin in place on her soft features. "Could we travel with you?" she questioned. "I know you probably wanted to travel alone, but it would be nice to have so company, even if it's only for a little bit".
Ash pondered their inquiry before responding. While it was true that he had wanted to travel alone, Janet was right. Company would be nice for the first leg of his journey. Safety came with numbers, and maybe it would be better to have some companions around while he figured out the basics. It was always nice to have a few extra hands around camp, that was for sure. Nodding his head, he smiled. "Sure Janet, I'd love to have you both with me." he replied.
"Great!" she exclaimed, her smile growing wider. "Would you like to see our pokémon?" Without waiting for a response, she tossed her pokéball, followed immediately by Rachel's. With twin flashes of light, a young bulbasaur and charmander emerged, each giving a small cry upon release.
"Ash, meet Charlie, my bulbasaur." Janet said, beaming down at the little creature. The small pokémon ran over to her and butted her leg gently before sitting down and looking up at her with wide, adoring eyes.
Scooping up the excitable charmander, Rachel giggled. "And this little guy is Atticus," she said, her dark chocolate skin contrasting brilliantly against Atticus's vibrant orange scales. The young charmander squeaked in delight and wrapped it's tiny arms around her neck, it's joy obvious in face.
"They look like wonderful partners," Ash commented, tickled at the sight of the young pokémon. No matter how vicious their later evolutions could get, baby pokémon and their excited, bubbling nature was just plain adorable. Anyone would fall in love with the two excitable creatures in front of him, both of whom were obviously smitten with their newfound trainers. "But if we want to make it to Viridian City in a reasonable time, we should be leaving."
Dipping their heads, the two girls agreed and set down their pokémon, who both promptly rushed over to Adele as soon as Ash relinquished her. He assumed they were most likely going to introduce themselves, but Adele, having no prior experience with other pokemon in general, narrowed her eyes and growled when they closed in. Realizing the issue, Ash quickly defused the potential fight and explained that Atticus and Charlie were friends, and that Adele couldn't attack them unless they were opponents in an actual battle. It took a minute for Adele to understand the concept, but she eventually gave a small sound of greeting before hopping back into Ash's arms. Apparently she wasn't much of a social person, not that Ash could blame her. He himself was lacking in the social department.
Facing the forest, once again, Ash fixated his eyes to the horizon. With his two companions in tow, he stepped into the shade provided by the canopy of the leafy trees. It would be a long time before they returned, and when they did, much will have changed.
xxx
It was about midday when they all decided to take a break to train a bit. The journey had been fine so far due to the quiet peacefulness that nature provided. Occasionally one of them would make a comment or point out something interesting, but for the most part, they had simply enjoyed the outdoors, basking in the beauty of the natural terrain and lapsing into a comfortable silence. Their bellies were starting to growl however, and they wanted to get in a training session before lunch in order to get a feel for their new partners.
The wide meadow they choose for the spot provided enough area to comfortably spread out and allow the pokémon to stretch their legs. Both Charlie and Atticus had spent the first part of the journey struggling to keep up with the group before Janet and Rachel recalled them. Their small legs weren't up to the task of a long trek yet, so it was best to have them conserve their energy for when they really needed it. Adele was perfectly content to sit on Ash's shoulder, and Ash didn't mind it in the slightest.
Realizing that he still hadn't scanned his starter with his pokédex, Ash lowered her to the ground and booted up the device. Blinking to life, the LED screen immediately scanned his finger before unlocking. It was a new security measure Silph Co. had recently added to their latest models, and it certainly was a nice touch. Trainer theft was an increasing problem of late, and extra security was always appreciated. Holding down the main button once more, Ash pointed the device towards Adele, scanning her instantly.
"Eevee, the genetic pokémon. Eevee has an unstable genetic makeup that suddenly mutates due to the environment in which it lives. Radiation from various stones causes this Pokémon to evolve, along with many other factors." the robotic voice began. The voice was male and held a charming, helpful sound to it, even if it was a bit bland. "This Eevee is female and belongs to pokémon trainer Ash Ketchum. It knows the moves Pursuit, Tackle, Tail Whip, Sand Attack, and holds the ability "Adaptability", a skill that powers up the moves of a Pokémon if they happen to share a typing."
Impressed, Ash pocketed the pokédex. Pursuit wasn't a common move for eevee to know, requiring a parent who knew the move in order for it to pass down. It was an excellent addition to a move pool, and an incredible stroke of luck. While Adele's arsenal of attacks was still rather limited due to her young age, the extra dark type move would be a handy addition to have on hand, especially when it came to countering physic pokémon. The rest of her moveset was a bit undistinguished in comparison, but once again, due to her age, it really couldn't be helped. Overall, she knew a moderately versatile moveset, and Ash figured she should be able to hold her own in a real battle. He was pleased at the thought, and was eager to test her out in a true competition.
Deciding on a course of action, Ash moved away from the other two trainers before beginning. He started out by having Adele jump from rock to rock, hopping on small boulders that dotted the clearing as fast as she could. He wanted her simply to gain control over her own body, all while maintaining her stamina. This simple exercise would be perfect for that, forcing her to think quickly while maintaining control over her movements. They could work on strategy and moves later, right now, Ash want the basics to be mastered first.
While she did that, Ash began to exercise himself as well. He decided that he should hold himself to the same standard of his pokémon, and if they had to train, so did he. They were partners after all, and and that meant workouts became a two way street.
After an hour and a half, all three trainers and their pokémon stopped for a much needed meal. Their limbs were properly burning, but they had refrained from pushing themselves too hard. They still had a long day ahead of them. Sitting under a small tree, they enjoyed a pleasant meal in the cool shade, chatting and relaxing with their pokémon. It felt good to do so after a half of day of traveling, and the cool water washed the dust from their throats that seemed to have accumulated in the short time.
Halfway through the meal, Rachel suddenly froze. Slowly setting down her food, she stood quietly, and locked her gaze onto something in the distance. Shushing the other two's curious inquiries, she simply pointed to the edge of the clearing, where a lone mankey stood, seemingly investigating what appeared to be a rock. It hadn't noticed their presence yet, instead investigating the ground around it, most likely on the prowl for bugs.[1]
Mankey were considered a hard pokémon to catch and control. Traveling in packs, they often ganged up on trainers and pokémon, stealing everything from hats to valuables, and generally causing complete mayhem. The troublemakers were well known for their thievery, and it was beyond hard to train them in captivity due to their stubborn, yet aggressive nature, a problem common with fighting types. To take on an entire pack single handedly was impossible for trainers of their caliber. A single mankey however, well...that was a different story. On their own, they were much easier to deal with. And if caught, Rachel had the ability to hone it into a lethal fighting type. That is, if she could get it to listen.
"Atticus," Rachel beckoned quietly, "Quietly get close to that mankey and use scratch. If we can surprise it, we can beat it, and maybe even catch it. But you need to be as low key as possible." she commanded softly, her eyes never leaving the mankey's burly form.
Ash and Janet watched on curiously as the young charmander obeyed and slowly crept forward towards the distracted pokémon. This was certainly going to be interesting, although Atticus has to reach it without spooking it first. If it ran off before it was attacked, it was gone. But if Atticus could surprise it, the mankey's prideful anger would not allow it to leave. It wasn't in their nature to flee from a battle once assaulted, instead choosing to strike at oncoming opponents with it's brutal strength.
Atticus was right next to the mankey before he looked back silently. Nodding her head, Rachel slowly enlarged an extra pokéball that was clipped to her waist. "Now Atticus!" she cried, and with a fierce scream, he leapt from his hiding place and slashed the primate across the chest.
Stumbling back, the mankey squealed in surprise before leering at Atticus, it's cruel features twisted into a glowering snarl. It's nasal breathing began to turn rough, and it's beady eyes darkened significantly. Unsure of what to do, the lizard pokémon trembled before glancing back at Rachel.
"C'mon Atticus, shake it off!" Rachel encouraged, her hand grasping the ready pokeball. "Now, use Ember!"
Filling his maw with a tiny flame, Atticus shot a small fireball directly at the mankey, who howled in pain when it made contact. It promptly kicked Atticus back a few feet, a move Ash recognized as Low Kick. It howled for a second time, it's rage causing it to start to lose control. Rushing Atticus, it beat its chest wildly and grunted loudly in between shrieks. Atticus evaded and started to run from the crazed monkey, confused on what to do once again.
"Atticus, keep going! Bombard it with embers. Don't stop till it's down." Rachel called out tightly. Her posture was stiff and rigid as she watched the battle, her fingers white from gripping the pokeball so hard. A small shine of sweat glistened on her brow, and errant strand of her thick hair was hastily brushed away.
Atticus turned and stood his ground with a determined look. He preceded to release several sloppily aimed embers, many of which missed and flew into the surrounding trees. An angry squawk was heard, and a lone bird flew out of the tree, smoking slightly and quickly fleeing the area. Still, while many of the embers missed, many more hit the shaggy fighting type head on. It had little time to recover before the next fiery ball would smack into it, knocking it down once again. The infuriated creature was beginning to tire out, and if the assault continued, it would eventually collapse.
Atticus quickly closed in on the incensed creature, and lunged, knocking the seared mankey down. Firing one last ember point blank, the mankey went slack. Rachel quickly used the opportunity to throw the empty pokéball, which hit the unconscious pokemon with a dull thud before sucking in with a beam of red light.
The ball shook violently several times. Apparently, the rage fueled pokémon still wasn't ready to admit defeat, even with an ember straight to the face that had temporarily stunned it. Atticus glared at the ball, daring it to move, while Rachel stared at it with bated breath. Giving a few more sharp shakes, the ball stilled and after a small "ping!", it lay silently.
"Yes!" cried Rachel, running and scooping up the pokéball. "I caught my first pokémon!" She squealed and twirled in a circle, celebrating her accomplishment.
Bending down, she picked up Atticus as well. "Great job little guy! You were amazing." she praised. Atticus smiled weakly at the compliments before Rachel recalled him, giving him a well deserved rest. Clipping both pokeballs to her belt, she turned to Ash and Janet beaming.
Janet immediately congratulated her and embraced her friend. They locked hands and started to giggle, jumping up and down in joy.
Ash looked at the two girls and smiled. While a tiny bit upset he hadn't been the first one to catch a pokémon, he quickly brushed it off. Rachel had done a fantastic job, and she deserved to be congratulated. Before he could begin, however, he was cut off by a loud screech. Listening attentively, his blood froze when several more screeches responded back. He recognized that sound.
Spearow. Not just any spearow, an entire flock of them, and a very angry one by the sound of it.
"Janet, Rachel, we need to go, now." Ash said immediately, turning back towards their uneaten lunch. He dashed over to his pack and started shoving in his uneaten food and supplies, not caring who it belonged to or where it was stored. If he was correct, they needed to leave the area as fast as possible.
Janet and Rachel stopped their celebration and looked at Ash in momentary confusion. Their faces froze as well, though, when they heard the rapidly approaching screeching. They were too caught up in the moment to notice it before hand, but now panic swept across their faces as they realized the predicament they were in.
Snapping out of it, Rachel tugged on Janet's arm and they raced over. They hastened to help Ash put away the rest of the half eaten meal before bolting down the path at a full sprint, not bothering to look back to see if they missed anything.
Janet recalled her bulbasaur as they pounded down the dirt road. It's little legs could hardly keep pace with them, and it would only be in danger if it slipped behind. To the right of the path was a river, sparkling and winking in the afternoon sun. This was their first glimpse of it, and suddenly, Ash knew where they were. He had studied the map extensively before leaving Pallet Town by order of his mother, just so he could understand where he was at all times. Delia certainly didn't want her precious baby to get lost and all but demanded Ash learn the first few routes of Kanto by heart. Based on their location next to the river, he knew their current road would follow the water for about a mile before veering off at a waterfall. Unfortunately, they were still several hours, if not a day's walk, from reaching Viridian City, and there was little cover for miles. That was going to be a problem.
Risking a glance back, Ash felt his stomach turn the lead. Around 300 spearow blackened the sky, all screaming in absolute anger. Their cruel beaks opened and closed in rapid motions, releasing a hideous, shrill racket that could be heard for miles. The head of the flock, a brute with muddy brown feathers, seemed to be smoking slightly, and several of its feathers appeared to be scorched black. Flashing back, Ash realized that it must have been the pokémon hit by Atticus's stray ember during the previous battle. Assuming it a pidgey, he hadn't given it much thought beforehand, and now they all were going to pay the price for unintentionally disturbing it.
As a species, spearow were well known for jumping at the slightest provoke. Many mothers in Pallet used the grotesque tales of travelers who had angered wild flocks and their subsequent deaths in order to discourage particularly rambunctious children from wandering off. If any one of the species was hurt or angered, all spearow in the immediate vicinity would come to its immediate defense. That's partly why the breed was so resilient. Their flock mentality took care of any threats, swiftly and brutally, allowing them to live relatively unchallenged. Only the rival pidgey line could match their contest, often beating them out with slightly superior genes. This led to hundreds of years of bitter jealousness on the spearow's part, and combined with their unusually cruel personality, modern spearow were always looking for any reason to attack and kill.
Focusing his attention back forward, Ash reached for Adele's pokeball, intent on returning her, only to find it missing. He must have shoved it into his backpack in his haste to flee, mistaking it as part of the other supplies. That was a detrimental mistake. Adele couldn't be recalled for her in order to protect her and she couldn't keep this pace for long. Heck, he couldn't. His ribs already ached and he needed a break soon. Eventually, they would have to stop. Unfortunately that wouldn't be possible and their only real hope was for the spearow to lose interest first.
Out of the corner of his eye, Ash could see the river increasing in speed and velocity. The faint roar of the waterfall could barely be heard over the screams of the riotous spearow, but it was there, a reminder of the upcoming drop.
They were running out of options.
Turning back was out of the picture, for as soon as they turned around, every spearow would zoom in on them and literally tear them to pieces. If they continued forward, they were met with wide open plains or a thirty foot drop, both with no cover whatsoever. Crossing the river was out as well, the current was too fast and they would be swept over the cliff in seconds. Besides there was nothing of interest on the other side. In other words, they were trapped.
Rachel and Janet were in no better shape than him, both struggling and gasping for air, even as they continued to sprint onward. Hopelessness began to set in when he realized there was no way they could effectively escape.
As the river grew more choppy, and the noise louder, Ash glanced down at Adele and his heart dropped. The terrified kit was keeping barely pace, breathing heavily due to the strain and fear she felt. Her eyes were wide, terror flirting across her amber eyes. Suddenly, guilt and frustration crashed down on Ash in thick waves. This was how they was going to die? Murdered by an idiotic flock of belligerent birds? It wasn't fair, not after he had just started to live out his dreams. He had so many plans that had yet to be enacted, so many goals that would never come to fruition. He had failed. Failed not only himself, but as a trainer. He had failed Adele. He'd promised to protect her, to guide her, and now they were going to die.
Shutting his eyes, he listened intently, frantically listening for a way out. What could he do? He was there was a way to escape. All Ash had to do was locate it. He would be dammed if he died six hours into his journey.
Reaching the edge of the cliff, a spark entered his eyes, and an idea formed in the back of his brain. It was insane, but if they wanted to make it to Viridian alive, they had to resort to crazy. Making a split second decision, he turned to the others, and shouted at them to stop.
"Ash, what are we going to do?!" Janet cried, the din of the water and the screams of angry spearow drowning out everything else. Her face showed panic, and Ash could tell she was doing poorly at controlling her fear, but he couldn't blame her. He felt the same way.
"Jump." he responded, picking Adele. There was no time to dig around in his pack in order to find her pokeball, he would just have to protect her himself. Zipping her into his jacket he wrapped his arms around her for extra protection before peering over the cliff.
"Are you insane!" Rachel screamed back, fear glinting in her eyes.
Gathering up his courage, Ash gave a simple "No." before leaping off. Two long, shrill shrieks confirmed that Janet and Rachel had followed shortly.
The fall seemed to take forever, but in reality it probably only took a few seconds. Ash had his eyes screwed tightly shut, his jacket wrapped around a trembling Adele for what seemed like forever. His heart pounded in his chest and ears, and his throat was restricted tightly, cutting off all air. It felt like they never would hit the water, and when they did, Ash wished they hadn't. The impact knocked his breath away, and in his determination to protect Adele, he had maneuvered his body to take most of the impact. Ash had to fight to stay conscious, and he saw stars dance across his darkening vision.
The water drove him down deeper and deeper, pushing him towards the depths of the pool. The water must have been at least 80 feet deep at its deepest, and he could barely make out any light anymore as he sunk, the velocity of his fall increasing the amount of feet he went under. By the time he was able to swim upwards, he must have submerged at least half the pools depth.
As he battled his way to the surface, his lungs desperate for air, it was only the thought of the small kit tucked into his jacket that kept him going. Ash was determined to save her, as it was his carelessness that denied her the safety of her pokéball. He would get her to cover, or die trying.
The surface was getting closer, and Ash gave a couple more solid kicks. Suddenly, right before he reached the surface, a silver glint flashed in the corner of his eye. The previous panic he felt returned full force as he instantly hypothesised what it was, and then he was bursting out of the water, greedily gulping down bursts of air. Pulling a soaked Adele out, he made sure she was breathing too before glancing around wildly for his companions. No spearow were to be seen, but if he was right, they weren't out of the danger zone yet. Two splashes on his right informed him Rachel and Janet had surfaced as well.
Glancing at the two wide-eyed girls, he screamed "Gyarados!" before swimming towards the bank as fast as he could. His voice was ragged and the warning sounding like sandpaper, but like with the spearow, both girls immediately understood the threat. Gyarados were incredibly temperamental creatures. Needlessly engaging or irritating one without sufficient protection spelled certain death. Even the youngest of them could kill a human without the slightest effort on its part, a terrifying thought. Falling into it's territory uninvited was bound to invoke its wrath. They needed to get out of the water, and do so as quick as possible, or they would all be dead.
Just as they neared the rocky bank, a huge blue and silver serpent errupted from the water, spewing huge jets of water through its humongous fangs. It gave a roar of rage that shook the world, and all three teenagers immediately felt fear on a whole new level. Often called the devils of the sea, the monstrous serpents were known for sinking unfortunate ships with a single hydro blast. It was only because it hadn't noticed them yet that it hadn't attacked.
The massive creature, around 30 feet long, surveyed the area, looking for the cause of its ire. Janet and Rachel screamed as it spotted them, it's sharp, yellow years filled with malice and intelligence. They hauled themselves from the water on burning arms. Their legs felt like lead, and Ash had to fight down the urge to vomit, but they flung themselves forward, desperate to reach the safety of the forest.
The beast shrieked again, baring its razor sharp teeth, and the force of the vibrations knocked the soaked trainers to their knees. It fired off several jets of water in random directions, displaying it's infamous hydro pump with deadly accuracy. Trees were reduced to splinters under the forceful blasts, the water tearing through them like paper. Rocks became rubble, and the world itself shook from the vibrations. Standing weakly, they threw themselves into the cover of the trees, well away from the angry sea monster. Their breaths were uneven and they collapsed on the soft grass, heaving. Giving one last shriek, the beast hissed and slowly submerged back into water, not deeming the three trainers a threat anymore. It had scared them enough to ensure they wouldn't be returning.
Ash closed his eyes, his body trembling from exhaustion. As his adrenaline trickled away he felt multiple things at once. His energy store was depleted, he was freezing cold, and the left side body ached terribly. But…he had made it. They all had, and they were ok. Banged up, but alive and breathing. Ash would take it.
As he lay there, he spotted something in the sky. For a second he assumed the spearow had returned, and he gave a jagged gasp,leaping to his feet. Closer examination however, revealed it to be a single entity. It appeared to be a large bird, primarily red, with rainbows for wings, and covered in a shower of golden mist. It's hue was astonishing, the vibrant colors majestic as it flew over head. Shocked, Ash collapsed back down, not having the energy to remain standing. The two girls hadn't noticed the bird, too occupied with trying to catch their breath, but Ash was positive that what he just saw wasn't just any pokemon.
It had to be a legandary. And if he was able to scan it with his pokédex, which he wasn't, he was positive there wouldn't have any data on file. That was incredible. Legends were simply myths, wives tales that spoke of overly powerful pokemon reeking havoc on the world. To actually catch a glimpse of one was unbelievable. Literally.
After several minutes, Ash had finally regained his energy to sit up again. He reached over to stroke Adele, her small body pressed tightly against him. Her beautiful coat was drenched with water and she was breathing deeply, but otherwise she was fine. Ash felt was relieved. He would have never forgiven himself if she had gotten hurt. Rummaging through his pack, Ash retrieved her pokeball and returned her, murmuring words of praise. She needed a nice long rest after that ordeal.
After a few moments, he glanced over at the other two girls. They seemed to be regaining some energy as well. A little disheveled, and soaked to the bone, but moving. Making eye contact, all three stared at one another and before chuckling weakly. They had escaped. They had actually escaped. Not only had they outrun a flock of angry spearow, but they had evaded a raging gyarados, one of the most feared pokémon around, and lived to tell the tale. Their chuckle increased to full on laughter as it went on. It was astounding. If that ordeal was any indication to go by, then this was going to be one hell of a journey.
xxx
As dusk settled, Ash stared at the campfire, enjoying the pleasant company of Adele, who was snuggled up next to him. The little kit had recovered enough to be released and she was enjoying the warmth of the fire as she snoozed.
It had taken the trio about two hours to find the correct path again after regaining enough energy to continue. When they did, they were pleased to see that their impromptu detour had shaven off many miles from the original total. They were roughly only about eight miles from Viridian, but were much too tired to continue and instead chose to make camp early in order to receive a good night's sleep. Besides, the sun was due to have set in a few hours and they wanted to have their first camp site set up before dusk, that way they didn't have to worry about assembling anything in the dark.
Their campsite was relatively simple. A small campfire that Atticus had generously started with his one of his Ember attacks, and their sleeping bags arranged around it made up the majority of it. The flame cackled merrily and cast small shadows into the surrounding woods, but for the most part, everything was dark and silent. The stars glistened overheard and the crescent moon floated in the sky, a silent guardian over the night. It was quiet peaceful, and Ash rather enjoyed the tranquil night.
Rachel and Janet were already asleep, their pokémon tucked in, or curled up, next to them. The only one absent was Rachel's Mankey, whom she had dubbed Marcel. She had released it previously, when the trio decided to stop for the night, and asked Ash and Janet to have their pokemon ready in case he attacked. Luckily, the fighting type had accepted his position readily enough, and perked up at Rachel's offer to train him. He had elected to sleep in his pokeball, however, showing that he still didn't quite trust them yet. He was a great help in finding firewood though, his strong arm muscles being able to carry quite the load of logs. The girls had went to bed soon after dinner, wanting to get to sleep as soon as possible after the tiring day. Ash had elected to enjoy the warmth from the fire a little bit longer before turning in. Idly, he stroked Adele's fur, causing her amber eyes to flutter open. Her signature purr started up and she stared up at him, unflinching.
Adele was a bit…confused. Her mother had told her to be careful with what humans she gifted with her trust. She was special, and she knew that. Her fur was different and it wasn't safe for her to go around without caution and safety on the forefront of her mind. Even the most helpful human could be hiding something sinister. But Ash...he hadn't even given her coat a second glance. And he had saved her. Somehow, someway, he had dragged her to safety, away from the angry birds and beast from in the water, risking his own life for hers. She had seen the way he looked at her when he was running, the sorrow and frustration he felt at not being able to protect her. She had noticed how when they fell, he shielded her from the worst of the fall. In every action he took, he protected her from the start.
As Ash poured water over the fire and entered his sleeping bag, she snuggled close to him and closed her eyes. If she hadn't trusted him beforehand, and she thought she did, she certainly trusted him now. Ash had saved her life, and she only hoped that next time, she could return the favor. Hopefully, however, there wouldn't be a need.
xxx
The sun was just beginning to rise as the three trainers finally arrived in Viridian. They had gotten up at the crack of dawn in order to arrive in the city as soon as possible, the appeal of a hot shower and electricity spurring them forward. Their dunk in the river had left them bedraggled and in a bit of a disarray, and they were hoping to use the day to regroup and run a few errands before leaving early tomorrow morning.
After asking for directions to the nearest pokemon center from a local citizen, they found themselves standing out front of a beautiful building with red accents. The building looked relatively modern and new, and truth be told, it was. Around four years ago, a triad of the infamous crime group Team Rocket had broken into the center, probably to raid it for valuable pokemon and money. Unfortunately, they hadn't accounted for Lt. Surge to be in visiting Giovanni, the local gym leader, and had been outclassed rather quickly. In the ensuing battle, the building had been severely damaged, and the League had commissioned a new one to be built. The spectacle had been the last major Team Rocket crime before the villainous group had seemingly disappeared into the shadows.
The large windows and metal walls matched the rest of the city rather well. Viridian was a quiet, clean city that boasted modern architecture and wide open streets. Parks and fountains dotted the city, and for the most part, the city was free from grime and dirt, even if it was small by city standards. It was completely different from the rural feel of Pallet, however, and Ash wasn't sure he preferred it over his hometown. He missed the small farms and cobble streets that connected the town, and the concrete jungle of Viridian always had a different feel to it.
Ash pried open the center's door and held it open for his two companions. The centers lobby had a welcoming vibe to it, but was sparsely decorated. A few plants and the occasional painting were pretty much the entirety of it. A huge, circular desk took up most of the back wall, and couches were arranged along the walls to provide waiting trainers with a place to sit while their pokemon were being treated. Two hallways broke off to what probably led to other parts of the center and a large set of double doors led to what Ash assumed was the hospital section. Everything appeared to be clean and orderly, something Ash guessed was the goal. Hospitals had to be. The lobby was vacant of any trainers, though, and only the local Nurse Joy sat behind the counter, tapping away at her keyboard.
Upon reaching the desk, the bubbly, pink haired nurse greeted them. Smiling, they returned it and requested two rooms. Pokémon centers not only acted as hospitals but functioned as hostels for pokemon trainers. All one needed was a pokemon licence and they had access to lodging, food, phones, and other useful items. It was common knowledge throughout the region, with pokemon centers being hubs for traveling trainers. The only reason why this one was so empty was due to the fact the new season had started only a few days ago. There was no doubt that as the Indigo League drew closer, the center's activity would increase significantly.
Handing over their pokedexes, which doubled as digital IDs, the nurse plugged them into the designated slot and ran them through her database. A short second later she handed them back along with two room keys. "Ok Mr. Ketchum, you're all set. Here is your pokedex back and a room key for you. Ms. Tulpin, Ms. DeArcose [2], here's your pokedexes back, and a room key for you both. Now, would you like me to have a look at your pokémon? The league covers all the costs, so it's completely free." she asked politely, folding her hands in front of her and waiting patiently.
Ash pondered for a bit before agreeing. Adele could probably use a check up after yesterday's events. If nothing more, she would need a vitamin boost to regain some health and it was probably best if she had a glance over to make sure she was completely fine. Ash didn't need any internal complications to go unnoticed if there happened to be any. Unclipping her pokeball, he handed it to Nurse Joy, along with Janet and Rachel.
Flashing them a smile, she placed the pokeballs on a tray from underneath the counter. "They'll be ready in under an hour. Feel free to check out your rooms or eat in the cafeteria while you're waiting, I'll announce it over the intercom when you can pick them up. If you take the left hallway you should reach your rooms in no time." she announced, her kind smile never once faltering.
Nodding again, the three trainers bid her goodbye and departed. The hallway was wide, and rooms dotted both sides every few feet. They had no trouble locating their rooms, and since they were only a few doors down from each other, they had easy access to one another in case of emergency. Agreeing to meet up in about an hour, they entered their respective spaces to shower and change.
Ash's room was plain but cozy, with a large bed, television, and bathroom. The decor matched the rest of the center, the signature sparse but friendly atmosphere present through the room. Immediately, Ash hopped into a hot shower, washing away the grime from the previous day. He stood under the steamy water a good twenty minutes, soaking in the warmth and relaxing before soaping up. Finishing that, he dried off and changed into a fresh set of clothes. He dropped the previous garments into the small washer located in the closet and started them, wanting them finished before he went to bed. He may be a trainer who traveled by foot, but he was in no way unhygienic.
Next, Ash turned his attention to his backpack, which he had tossed onto the bed before his shower. The pack had accumulated quite the mess when he had fled the spearow, his adrenaline and urgency causing him to cram and shove items away. The pack's exterior was watertight, and no water had entered into the compartments when he plunged into the pool. In fact, the pack looked as good as new. It was the interior that like a tornado swept through it, and Ash took the time to put everything away properly before he did anything else. When your life depended on having essential supplies on hand, it wouldn't do to have an untidy pack, especially if you were miles from civilization. It was the mark of a good trainer to have a well organized backpack, and Ash wasn't going to make any rookie mistakes.
Once everything was finished and back in it's rightful place, he slipped on the bag and exited the room. Heading down the hall, he made his way to the lobby, pausing to knock on Janet and Rachel's door. Receiving no response, he shrugged and continued on. They must have left already, or be too busy to notice him knocking.
As he entered the main lobby, Nurse Joy looked up from the computer and smiled. "Hello Mr. Ketchum. I have your Eevee all set and restored to full health. I was just about to phone up to your room, but seeing as you're here, I won't need to." she said, retrieving Adele's pokeball from the tray next to her.
Accepting Adele's pokéball, Ash thanked the nurse for her efforts. He was surprised at first that she hadn't mentioned Adele's shiny coat color, but eventually attributed it to her professional character. It wouldn't do to bring up every unusual pokemon that she handled, as most trainers tended to be private people. Asking the nurse to inform his friends that he had left to complete a few errands, he exited the center and headed east, towards the nearest market. If he followed the directions from his pokedex, he should be there in ten minutes time. He needed to repurchase a few essential supplies before he set out again, and he was hoping to see a bit more of the city while he did so.
xxx
Ash had just left the market when he heard a disturbance from his left, interrupting his quiet thoughts. He had already put away his groceries in his pack, buying only food and a few sanitary supplies from the small market, and was enjoying the watching the locals go about their day. Even though they only lived a route over, the citizens and residents here were completely different than those at home. Observing them going about their daily life was one of his favorite pastimess. It was loud snarling and hissing that had drew his attention away. Releasing Adele, he decided to investigate, hoping his suspicions were correct.
Peering cautiously into the alley where the racket was coming from, he was elated to find out that his suspicions had indeed been confirmed. Two meowth were engaged in combat, their claws unsheathed and glinting in the low light. They hadn't noticed him yet, instead focused on the scuffle they were involved in. A dead rattata lay off to the side, blood dripping from a wound on its neck, what Ash assumed was the cause of the fight. Stray meowth were known for stealing each other's meals, being too lazy to hunt for themselves. While still lethal predators, they often considered themselves above hunting for their own food, instead relying on "inferior" meowth to do the dirty work. The resulting battles could often be heard from blocks away and could become rather vicious, rather quickly.
One of the meowth, a large looking male with a torn ear, yowled and swiped at the other, who quickly dodged and hissed in response. This one appeared to be a female, if the smaller stature and thinner legs were anything to go by. Her body was hovered protectively over the corpse, and she seemed determined to protect her meal from the thief. Ash assumed that she normally had to guard her food, if the hostility that radiated from her in droves was anything to go by. Feeling a stab of pity, he decided to intervene if necessary. He was reluctant to do so however, knowing he simply didn't have the firepower to stop the two enraged meowth with Adele alone. He contemplated calling Rachel and Janet, but ultimately refrained from doing so. They wouldn't reach him in time anyways.
The male snarled, and lunged forward, slamming into the female, sending them both flying backwards. They tumbled, head over heels, until they crashed into a metal trashcan with a thunderous crash. They didn't seem too bothered by it though, instead swatting and kicking each other with impressive speed. They spit and shrieked, their claws matted with blood and fur. After every swipe, Ash winced. The blades were cutting right through their opponent's skin as if it were paper. In the end, however, the female came out on top, shoving the larger male down and clamping down his neck with her teeth. He froze and yowled quietly, slinking away dejectedly when the female let him up. She only turned her back once he had vanished into the shadows. Tearing off a bite, she began to greedily gulp down the food, glancing up every second or so to look around.
Ash was impressed. Even against a larger opponent, the cat pokemon had held her ground fiercely. She would make an excellent battler one day, that's for sure. But just as he way about to make himself known, the larger meowth charged back out of the shadows and rammed into the unaware female. By the time she recovered, both the male and the rattata were gone, leaving her without a meal and injured from the battle.
Ash felt the stab of sympathy he had for the meowth grow larger after witnessing the underhanded trick. She had won her meal fair and square, beating out the competition, but at the end of the day she would be the one going hungry. Scowling, Ash cleared his threat and stepped fully into the alleyway.
Freezing, the meowth, who had been angrily pacing back and forth, turned and focused in on him. Her eyes narrowed into slits, and uttering a low snarl, she studied him. Calmly, Ash reached into his bag and pulled out a tin of food. Setting it gently on the ground, he backed away, not wanting to spook the cautious creature. The meowth's eyes never left him or Adele.
Warily, she approached the dish and sniffed it cautiously. Seconds later, the normal type plunged her head downwards, gulping down large gulps of food, sparing precious few seconds to breathe in between bites. Ash studied her actions with a mixture of interest and pity. At this rate, the food would be gone in under a minute. She must have been several days without food to be this ravenous.
While she gobbled down the chow, Ash debated on his next moves. He hadn't studied meowth extensively, but he knew a few facts about them from his studies. Meowth were common normal types that lived in industrious cities around Kanto. Tending to gravitate to urban areas, the cat pokemon were renown for their attraction to shiny objects, self righteous nature, and deadly claws. Captive meowth were known to lose their frigid attitudes with time, although it wasn't a guarantee, and not something to put one's faith in. There was also a variation of the species that existed in Alola, something scientists attributed to the concept of genetic drift. If he remembered correctly, they were dark types and were often regarded as royalty in the distant region.
Ash snorted at that. Here the species were little more than household pets or a city nuisance. Although, persian, the evolution of meowth, tended to be very strong, capable creatures. Their drive and fierce battle persona went a long way in a fight. There weren't many wild Persian either, as most meowth tended to never see the need to progress past their first stage. If he captured the meowth, he could potentially have a formidable ally in the future.
But did he want to catch her? He already owned a normal type, and it would be pointless to catch another one. Adele would stay a normal type until she evolved as well, and only then she would change her typing. That was still a ways off though, and until then, he would be stuck having two pokemon of the same typing, definitely not a well rounded team by any means.
On the other hand, normal type pokemon were incredibly versatile. Only rock, steel, and ghost pokemon could trouble them, all easily countered by strong teammates of the correct typing. And if used correctly, normal types could be devastating in a battle. Additionally, meowth and eevee were two different species. Their moves, physical attributes, and fighting styles were on opposite ends of the spectrum. Once Adele evolved, his team would be lacking a normal type if he decided not to capture the female meowth. The meowth appeared to an excellent fighter as well, more than demonstrating her physical abilities in the previous scuffle.
Deciding that he would leave it up to the meowth to choose, Ash waited patiently for her to finish. He wasn't disappointed when she finished the entire bowl of food soon after he settled on a course of action. Unfortunately, she darted off as soon as she swallowed the last crumb, dashing towards the safety of the shadows.
Giving a strangled yelp, Ash cried "Wait!" before she could slip away.
The meowth stopped in her tracks and gave him a quick glance. Realizing he only had a few seconds to pitch forth his proposition, he hastily cleared his throat.
"I was, uh… I was wondering if maybe you wanted to come with me, you know, as my pokemon." he offered, internally cursing himself for stumbling over his words.
The meowth studied him for a second, her eyes darting between him and the back wall of the alley.
Picking up the empty food dish, he gently waved it around. "There's more of this you know," he teased, knowing that his offer could very well seal the deal. Meowth probably lived a rough life in the city, most likely unable to predict if they were able to get their next meal. The offer of a filling meal on a regular basis was the best thing Ash could offer right now.
Ash waited patiently for her to make a decision, his nerves bouncing back and forth in his stomach. She seemed to be stuck, not able to choose between her two options. While his proposal of food intrigued her, she still seemed apprehensive about accepting the deal. Finally, she eyes focused on the area where the male meowth had disappeared with her previous meal. Her eyes hardened, and straightening up, she gave a sharp nod.
Ash was surprised, but refrained from commenting. He unclipped an empty pokeball and promptly tossed it towards her. She was captured with minimal resistance.
Elated, he grinned. He'd done it! He'd finally caught a pokemon! The feeling was even better than he expected it to be. He hurriedly retrieved the sphere and shrunk it. Exiting the alley, he continued his trek back towards the pokemon center, replaying the scene in his mind. While it wasn't as glamorous as he imagined it would be, he had actually done it. [3] He couldn't wait to do it again.
It was only a few minutes after resuming his journey when he was pulled from his thoughts by a voice behind him. He paused and listened, a tingle going down his spine when he recognized the voice.
"Well, would you look at that. If it isn't little Ashy-boy, out and about in the real world. So Ash, are you ready to get your sorry butt handed to you, or are you already backing out?"
Turning around, Ash winced. Behind him stood Gary Oak, arms crossed and signature smirk in place.
Damn.
[1] - In the anime, mankey are shown to be found in groups along route one. Since I'm basing this off the anime, not the games, I will follow this same idea. Just because a certain pokemon can be found in one location does not mean it cannot be found in another.
[2] - Janet Tulpin / Rachel DeArcose
[3] - So I know Ash didn't actually get into a battle when capturing his pokemon, but in the anime, he doesn't either. I wanted Ash to stay true to himself anyways, and I figured Rachel's fight with the mankey (Marcel) would be a sufficient enough battle scene.
Author's Note: There it is! Chapter three, very late but released nonetheless! Now, senior year just started and already I am feeling the workload. I will continue to update regularly as I adjust to my new schedule, but I am giving myself extra time to release the next chapter. Therefore, I will not give a specific date for the release of chapter four. Do not fear, it won't be as long as long of a wait that chapter three was. I'm just getting use to being back in school, and will be allotting myself more time to write when things settle down again. Until then, have a lovely day, and send me a PM with any grammar or spelling mistakes!
