A/N: Me again... This story is set in Kanto/Orange/Johto time. No Hoenn or beyond 'cause it doesn't interest me. Not to cause anyone offence, but I hate their outfits!!! Random I know, but I love old school Pokemon. :D I miss the 90s.
Disclaimer: Don't own Pokemon. Do own the plot and JJ :D
LEGENDS: Dark Angel
Fight & Fright
It was a beautiful day as three youngsters walked casually through the colourful Verdonian Forest. It seemed almost too good to be true - the grass on either side of the perfectly swept, sandy footpath was bright and springy, the trees were lush and ripe with fruits and the flowers dotted everywhere were in full bloom and smelt sweet.
"Well, it's a bit nicer than Viridian," commented a messy, black haired boy, lifting up his Pikachu so it could reach an apple on a tree it so desperately wanted.
"Are you kidding?!" exploded his tempremental red haired friend. Then she relaxed and her greeny blue eyes sparkled. "It's beautiful here, like a paradise. Aww, thank you, Togepi!" she cooed to her baby Pokemon, who had toddled over into the grass to pluck a violet flower for her. She tucked it behind her ear and cuddled Togepi in her arms, beaming. Their other companion didn't join in, his tanned face was stuck inside a traveller's guide.
"Well, if we're where I think we are-"
"Which is where?" interrupted the black haired boy between chomps of his own apple. Pikachu had finished and was sunbathing in the flowers.
"Well, thanks a lot, Ash! You could have at least gotten me one, or pretended you had some manners by giving one to Togepi! She's just a baby and if you think -"
"Jeez, chill out, Misty, I never knew you wanted one!" Ash rolled his eyes and reached up to get an apple. Misty smacked his hand away.
"I don't actually want one, I was trying-"
"Why did you get so mad at me then?" Ash cut in exasperatedly.
"If you would just listen to me-"
"What's the point if all you're gonna do is argue at me over something so stupid-"
"So now I'm stupid?" Misty's eyes flashed.
"That's not what I said!"
"That's what you meant!"
"I didn't say that you were stupid-" Ash began hotly, but Misty cut across him loudly.
"Yeah but it's what you meant to say! Did it just slip your mind, Ashy boy?"
"Don't call me that ever again!" Ash shouted angrily.
"Don't shout at me!" Misty shouted right back.
"Well don't start a pointless argument and then start shouting back!"
"How is it pointless? I was just trying to say that you should have better manners and offer around to everyone-"
"Don't bring my mother into this!" Ash yelled.
"What? Who said anything about your mother?! All I was trying to say is that you should be thinking of others and what they want instead of yourself all the time-"
"I'm supposed to be a mind reader now? You just went and got so mad about the fact that you wanted me to get you an apple that you actually didn't want so technically you're the one with the bad manners because that would be wasting food! Food waster," Ash scowled. Misty flared up again.
"Togepi-"
"How the heck does Togepi even come into it?"
"Y'know, if we keep on heading west-"
"Shut up, Brock!" Ash and Misty snapped at the same time.
"OK," said Brock meekly, and buried his face in the traveller's guide again. Ash and Misty continued to bawl in each others faces, their voices getting louder and louder, while Pikachu waved it's tiny arms frantically, trying to get them to stop. It was useless.
"I can't believe how much of a jerk you're being, Ash Ketchum!" Misty shouted at him angrily.
"I can't believe how much of a girl you're being," he scoffed back. Misty was stung.
"Now I can't believe you just said that! You really are a jerk! I don't even know how I can stand you! Oh, yeah, that's right! You still haven't paid for what you did to my bike!"
Ash just laughed. "If I had a dollar for everytime I've heard that, I'd be richer than Gary!"
"Well with your attitude you're starting to look like him!"
"And what's that supposed to mean? I'm nothing like Gary Oak-"
"Cocky, arrogant and insensitive. You tick all the three boxes just like he does!"
"I believe in myself, so what? And maybe-"
"You're still a tactless idiot-"
"And you're a-"
"CHUUUUUU!"
Pikachu panted with the effort of having to release such a powerful Thunderbolt, then flopped down on the grass to sunbathe. Ash and Misty twitched painfully, though mercifully silently, on the sandy ground. Brock continued to turn the pages of his guide, reading thoughtfully as Togepi picked up Ash's hat and started playing with it.
"I can't believe they fought for so long over a frigging apple."
"Ye-" Brock started to agree, then was startled as he realised he didn't know the speaker. She looked to be about Ash's age and height, with long darkish brown hair, pinned up with a short side fringe hanging loose. Her eyes were deep blue and sparkling with amusement. She was very beautiful... and so... familiar.
"Jasmine?" Brock blurted out, remembering the face of the Olivine Gym Leader and comparing it to the one he was looking at. As soon as he'd said the name he knew he'd made a mistake - Jasmine's face was soft and roundish, whereas this girl's was harsher. Her hair was a lot darker than Jasmine's. She also looked a little bit like a girl he had seen in a photograph - Melody? Ash had a photo of her. She looked like someone had taken Jasmine and Melody, blended them together and created this girl.
"Not quite," the girl smiled at him. "I'm JJ."
Brock was confused but didn't forget his manners - he introduced himself and his unconscious friends, although had the slight feeling that something was up - she had a knowing look in her eye as he told her him and his girl friend's name. His suspicion deepened when she jumped the tiniest bit in surprise as she looked at Ash. She seemed to be trying to contain herself from saying something or doing something.
"Are you headed for Boulovine?" JJ asked politely, turning away from Ash at last. "You should, it's beautiful."
"Do you know how to get there?" Brock asked hopefully. The forest was HUGE - a lot bigger than it said on the map - and he was just a teeny bit lost.
"Uh, yeah!" JJ laughed in a 'duh' tone. "I live there!"
"Great! So do you-" Brock was cut off by a loud beeping while Ash and Misty started to twitch slowly awake.
"Shoot, I'm late," she pressed a button on her watch and the beeping stopped.
"For what?"
"Work," said JJ shortly, whistling loudly, then waiting apparently listening for something. Thundering hooves could be heard in the distance. She seemed distracted, tossing her hair this way and that, trying to locate the sound. After she had, she turned back to Brock.
"So, where are you thinking about going in Boulovine?"
"Um, don't know, probably just check out some of the major cities, Ash will want to look for badges-"
"Oh!" Was it his imagination, or did the girl look crestfallen? But she recovered smoothly.
"Yeah, you should go to some of the big places like Seawave and Kiwa, they're nice... Don't forget some of the smaller places... Sunset is nice. A huge Pokemon Center. It's the biggest building there, three domes, you can't miss it. "
The sound of hooves got louder and JJ panicked.
"Just follow my tracks through the forest, 'kay? After that, walk down the grass hill right into the main part of Boulovine, through the main gate entrance. That's Kiwa City," JJ pointed it out on Brock's guide. "Then you can take the Bullet Train anywhere. Now I really gotta run, or I'll be late, and my mom will kill me. Nice meeting you, Brock. Catch ya later!"
JJ sped off down the sandy path, faster than he'd ever seen anyone run before. Now that was an athlete.
"Woah!" he exclaimed. Halfway down and almost out of his vision, she jumped extremely high and landed on a Ponyta's back effortlessly. Like it was no big deal to land on flame! Less than a second later the girl and the small horse were out of sight.
"Double woah."
[XxX
"I'm telling you guys, it was amazing! She just ran off at lightening speed and jumped with seemingly no effort onto this Ponyta's back! She said we could follow her trail out of the forest and gave me directions into Boulovine, right where she was working, at the Pokemon Center."
"Why are you so keen to get there, Brock?" Misty asked, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Was this girl pretty, by any chance?"
Brock paused, considering. "She was very beautiful - but too young for me. About two years too young." This kind of subtle hint/teasing was lost on Ash.
"What're you saying, Brock?"
"She'd be good for you."
Misty and Brock burst out laughing at Ash's reaction, which was to choke on air. Gasping, he turned to glare at them.
"Yeah, right! I don't have time for girls!"
"Pika!" Pikachu agreed, protective.
Misty laughed again.
"What!" Ash was defensive, crossing his arms as they continued walking.
"Like she'd want to date you anyway!"
"Hey-"
Misty ran off down the path with Ash right on her heels. Brock sighed and began jogging after his younger companions. After the two had decided on a temporary, probably unstable truce, they walked together in high spirits along the dusty path, following the clear hoof prints.
"What's Boulovine like?" Misty asked curiously after a while. They were nearing the edge of the tight knit forest.
"According to the Guide, its one of the biggest places in Johto but also one of the least visited. A lot of it is like your usual city, Kiwa being the largest and well known. Kiwa City is renowned for it's malls and complexes, as well as modern, expensive flats. The rest of Boulovine is tiny towns, narrow streets and plenty of wild areas with lots of Pokemon. Apparently the countryside of Boulovine is the perfect place for raising and training them."
"It sounds wonderful. But there must be a catch. How come people don't visit it very often?"
"Ah. You won't like this, Ash."
"What? Why? What's wrong? What is it?" Ash pressed, anxious at once.
" 'There is no official Pokemon Gymnasium granting badges required to enter the Johto League' ", Brock read aloud from the book.
Ash was quiet for a moment then brightened up. "So what?"
Misty and Brock were speechless. Ash Ketchum wasn't kicking up a fuss at the lack of badge winning he could do?
"There'll be plenty of trainers there who I can beat!" he grinned widely, then laughed as Pikachu jumped on his shoulder. Brock smiled and Misty rolled her eyes at their friend's confident outburst.
Either Verdonian Forest wasn't as big as it looked or the trio had been walking faster than usual, because they'd already reached the grassy hill the stranger JJ had told Brock about.
"Down there is Kiwa City, which leads to the Bullet Train, which leads to Sunset, which leads to the huge Pokemon Center with Nurse Joys!" Brock sighed dreamily.
"We're going to Sunset?" Ash was surprised.
"Yeah, why?"
"Um, I, uh, knew someone who lived there once," he muttered, kind of embarrassedly.
"Really? Who?" Misty asked, not hiding her obvious interest.
"Doesn't matter. Let's go!" Ash pumped a fist in the air.
"To new love!" Brock swooned, mimicking Ash's gesture.
"To new adventures!" Misty's eyes sparkled again.
Brock started speeding down the slope, Misty chasing after him. Ash stayed alone at the top, staring down at the entrance to Boulovine with mixed emotions running wildly over his face.
"Ka? Chuchu?"
But he was never alone, not anymore.
"To new love..."
"Pikapi!" Pikachu questioned, having no idea what Ash was murmuring about. Silly Human.
"It was before your time, buddy."
The electric mouse was very confused and rather curious but kept quiet as he followed his Trainer down the grass. Ash was mostly silent as he caught up with his friends. They didn't notice as they were too busy taking in the sights of bustling, exciting Kiwa. A friendly local with a playful Meowth at his feet helpfully pointed out the direction of the train station, which was actually underground.
"Wow. Did you see his hair? Craaazy! But kind of cool," remarked Misty as they waved to the guy with the electric blue mohawk.
It was a mere $2 for a train ticket and while Brock and Misty chatted easily as they slid into their fourseater with a table, Ash kept to himself. As the train started to zoom along the track, he glared at his own reflection in the blurred, darkened window.
"Sunburst," stated the electronic voice over the hustle of people exiting and boarding the train. "Next stop, Sundust."
Togepi squeaked happily when the train started to move rapidly along again. Misty smiled at the baby in her arms, then her gaze flickered over to Brock, who was hitting on some ditzy looking blond with HUGE boobs, sitting at the opposite end of the train compartment. Typical. She tugged him back to his seat by his ear with a sigh. Would the boy never learn? Probably not, she reflected, almost amused.
Her mood shifted as her gaze settled on Ash, her eyes clouded with worry at the look on his face. He looked so much older... and hurt. What was he thinking, to make him look like that? she wondered. Then she brushed it off. He'd be fine, he was a tough little cookie. She smiled inwardly, feeling heat rise to her cheeks as she remembered the stupid crush she'd had on him a little while ago. Thank goodness she was over that. Recently, a different person had been filling up the space in her head and she kept revisiting old memories of the Orange Islands...
Brock leaned back in his seat, arms stretched out behind his head, as thoughts raced through his brain at lightening speed. Or rather, faces of all the beautiful girls he'd seen... A few flew past repeatedly. He punched his head, trying to make it stop. By God, he was a sucker.
Ash was still lost in thoughts of the past...
