Chapter 4: Starter Burns
Professor Birch had quite the lab setup with plenty of computer equipment. Right now, he wore a stethoscope and studied Biyomon's physical features. Birch placed the medical device on her forehead, her chest and under each wing as Ash, Pikachu, Sora who had taken her helmet and gloves off, and May watched on. Birch removed the stethoscope, his findings confirmed. "Biyomon checks out," he studied. "I'll admit, that's the first time I've examined a Digimon." Biyomon understood the perplexity felt by Birch.
"Yeah, examining Digimon is far different than Pokémon," she pointed out.
"True enough. I want to learn more of these Digimon if I can." Biyomon flew back to Sora's shoulder as Birch spun his chair around. One of his concerns centered around Sora traveling with Ash. "Sora, you are aware about going with Ash on whatever you need to do. Trainers you may come across won't think Biyomon isn't a Pokémon." The Digidestined began to believe the words of the professor. "I can assign you a Pokémon so that you don't jeopardize Biyomon's health." Sora never asked to be in this world. However, the sound of having a Pokémon to keep Biyomon safe from other Pokémon trainers seemed promising. Despite the intention, Sora turned the offer down.
"I appreciate the idea, but I'll pass," she denied. "I've got plenty of responsibility with Biyomon that having a Pokémon is a bit much to handle." Birch, though concerned, respected Sora's wish.
"Well, if you insist..." Ash wondered if Sora's refusal was based on her fear of her other friends.
"You're worried about the other Digidestined?" he asked. Sora turned to her rescuer in question.
"I am, but that's not what we're talking about." Ash backed away from the subject, hands in front of him. Birch now had his attention to May.
"So Pikachu and Biyomon have checked out," he listed. "I guess it's time for your first Pokémon, May. This way!" Birch led the kids from one room to another where three red/white balls laid on a table. Each ball had a sticker: a red flame, a blue water droplet, and a green leaf. "So you haven't decided on a Pokémon?" May shook her head. As Birch got behind the table, Sora found a pair of red hand-held devices. The rectangular-like devices had two white buttons that formed a circle around a blue center button. She picked one up. "I see the new PokéDex has your attention." Sora jumped at Birch's curiosity.
"What was this?" she asked for a clarification.
"A PokéDex. It can identify a Pokémon and give information about one. The new model comes with a flip-door to prevent dust from getting in." Intrigued, Sora opened the device, showing a monitor.
"This can ID Pokémon, right?" She tested the device by pointing it at Pikachu. The monitor showed Pikachu's picture.
"Pikachu, the Electric Mouse Pokémon," it registered with a woman's voice. "Pikachu stores electricity in sacs on its cheeks. If startled, Pikachu will zap anything that moves to neutralize it." Pikachu sounded like a dangerous creature to stand around with.
"That's informative. So if I point this at Biyomon, it won't register?" Instead of letting Birch theorize, Sora pointed the PokéDex at her Digimon. A few seconds later, a question mark popped on the monitor.
"No data." Birch shrugged his shoulders, unsure how to answer.
"That's why it's called a PokéDex, not a DigiDex, Sora," the bird Digimon beaked. Sora breathed a somber sigh from the discovery.
"You never know, Biyomon," she said before twisting her eyes to Birch. "Anyway, who do you have for Starters?"
"I'm glad you asked," he smiled. "As a professor who's responsible to give new trainers their starter, he or she has the option of a Water, Fire, or Grass Pokémon. Of course, Professor Oak broke that rule after he gave Squirtle, Charmander, and Bulbasaur to other trainers when Ash got Pikachu." Sora and May turned to Ash with a shy smirk and a hand over his head.
"I overslept," he argued. "Otherwise, I would've had Charmander… but I believe it was fate that Pikachu and I became a team." Sora had a guess to how Ash ran late for his first Pokémon.
"Did you forget to set your alarm clock?" she thought.
"I did, but I destroyed it in my sleep." In true Anime-style, Sora and May dropped to the floor, back-first. Biyomon laughed to the embarrassing confession.
"That would explain why I had a hard time believing Professor Oak's story," Birch murmured while combing his hair with his fingers. May and Sora got back on their feet to let Birch display the Starter Pokémon. First, the ball with the water droplet. "So, here's the Starter Pokémon: First is Mudkip, the Water Pokémon." The ball opened and what appeared was a blue mud-fish with spiky orange cheeks. It also had a fin on its head and tail in a lighter shade. The PokéDex in hand, Sora pointed the device to the mud-fish.
"Mudkip, the Mud Fish Pokémon," it computed. "Mudkip's fin acts as a radar for when it senses danger." May and Mudkip glanced at each other. She admired the appearance of the little creature.
"It's cute," May studied. "Maybe we could-" Before May could finish, Mudkip sprayed her with a stream of water. The rude gesture left May soaked from the shoulders up. "Was that suppose to happen?" Ash and Pikachu tried not to laugh at May's misfortune.
"So much for the team of May and Mudkip," Biyomon judged. Birch had his hand on the second ball, the one with the leaf.
"Well, how about this one?" he offered as he opened that up to reveal a green gecko with yellow eyes and an orange underbelly. It also had a huge tail. "The Grass Pokémon, Treecko." Once more, Sora pointed the device to the new creature.
"Treecko, the Wood Gecko Pokémon," it informed. "Treecko is effortlessly composed, even when facing an enemy bigger than it is. Treecko can scale about any wall with ease." May didn't have the same reaction to Treecko as Mudkip before the shower.
"I remember Max saying that he wanted a Treecko," she recalled. "Of course, he's a couple of years away from being a trainer, himself." Treecko disapproved the reason that it wasn't picked.
"I do have one more," Birch pointed out as he opened the last ball. Out popped an orange baby chick with yellow feathers around its neck and a mix of yellow and orange feathers that seem like a flame on its head. "The Fire Pokémon, Torchic." Once more, Sora focused the PokéDex on the last of the starters.
"Torchic, the Chick Pokémon," it examined. "Torchic has a flame sac that will keep it warm when it's hugged. It can breathe fire at a temperature of at least 1,800-degrees." Sora seemed mistaken about passing a chance to have a Pokémon to keep Biyomon from getting in skirmishes it didn't want a part of.
"Maybe I can take back my denial," she muttered. May seemed satisfied with Torchic by the look in her eyes. She hoisted Torchic and nodded.
"Professor Birch, I want Torchic to by my Pokémon," she announced. Birch seemed satisfied with May's choice.
"Okay, then," he confirmed. "Torchic is yours." Torchic beaked happily to being chosen. Mudkip turned its head away while Treecko growled. "I'll get your equipment for your trip. You and Torchic can get acquainted." Birch activated beams and Mudkip and Treecko morphed to red lights which returned to said balls. Ash and Sora came over to meet May's first Pokémon.
"Torchic, how does it feel to be chosen?" asked Ash. Torchic beaked excitedly.
"Sounds like one happy camper," Biyomon giggled. Everyone else agreed. That's when Sora had an idea for May and her new Torchic.
"Let's step outside to give Torchic some fresh air," she suggested.
"Yeah, good idea," May agreed. Stepping outside, May put Torchic down which it frolicked on the dirt road. Pikachu and Biyomon also joined Torchic to help themselves become acquainted. Torchic saw Biyomon, her size intimidating the starter.
"It's okay," she tried to ease. "I'm friendly." Torchic wasn't too sure as Pikachu welcomed the Chick Pokémon. It sensed power to feel protected. "I guess we're gonna need time for all of us to bond." Pikachu squeaked with a sigh. From the side of the lab, one of the hyena pups came over to see the commotion. Torchic and Biyomon spotted the pup who barked. Poor Torchic darted behind Biyomon in fear. The kids also saw the hyena pup with interest.
"Who's that?" asked Sora. Ash shook his head, unfamiliar with the pup.
"That's a Poochyena." May's answer gave a clue to the foreigners as Sora, the device still in hand, pointed it at the pup in question.
"Poochyena, the Bite Pokémon," it read. "Poochyena has an incredible bite and will chase prey to the point of fatigue." Sora tucked the device in her arm as she knelt to pet the pup.
"I've heard the saying of a dog's bark being worse than its bite," she thought back. "Now I may have met the vice-versa." Poochyena happily panted to the strokes of the Digidestined.
"Poochyena really likes you," May noticed. Ash would agree as well.
"I think there's a reason you and Biyomon came here, and not just because you were forced out of the Digital World," he theorized. Sora glanced to Ash in need of an answer.
"Really?" she snapped back. "What reason would that be?" Ash crossed his arms and closed the eyes of his tilted head.
"I'm not sure, exactly. Perhaps by the time we find your way back to your friends, we'll know." To Sora, her arrival in this world may be coincidental but Ash might have a point.
"Perhaps, indeed." That's when Poochyena's ears perked. Sora saw the ears and Poochyena's head turning to figure a problem had arisen. "Poochyena?" Ash, May, Biyomon, and the Pokémon saw it as well before the pup dashed to the side of the building. "Where are you going?!" The kids and creatures gave chase before Poochyena stopped and growled. What appeared in front of them was a large silver tank with the red R on the front. The emblem furrowed Ash's brow.
"It's Team Rocket!" Pikachu growled at the sight of the tank as the girls looked to him befuddled.
"Team Rocket?" asked May.
"They're bad guys who cause trouble by stealing trainers' Pokémon!" The tank popped open some holes where pink claws emerged on mechanical arms. "Of course they would come to the Hoenn Region to steal my Pikachu!" Echoes of laughter bellowed from the tank as a door opened.
"Prepare for trouble, the Hoenn Region will be ours," spoke the redhead as the trio emerged from inside.
"Make it double, we're taking these Pokémon and their powers," argued the ice-violet man.
"To protect the world from devastation..."
"To unite all peoples within our nation..."
"To denounce the evils of truth and love..."
"To extend our reach to the stars above."
"Jessie!"
"And James!"
"Team Rocket blasts off at the speed of light."
"Surrender now or prepare to fight, fight, fight!"
"Meowth, dat's right!" finished Meowth. The last to appear was a tall blue punching-bag creature with a derpy face and a black oval tail. May gawked at Meowth that spoke with the Brooklyn accent.
"Am I hearing things or did that Meowth just talked?" she gulped. Meowth cackled at the attention he quickly gathered.
"Youse mean you've never heard of de invincible Team Rocket?! You'll be hearing from us a lot!" Sora recalled what Ash said on the boat ride.
"Didn't you tell me that Pokémon like Pikachu can't talk?" she questioned Ash. His face paining from seeing the team, Ash groaned to the reply.
"Meowth is an exception," he confessed. Jessie now stood to carry out their plan.
"Speak for yourself, missy," she pointed to Sora. "That Pokémon of yours isn't what you'd call run-of-the-mill either." Biyomon flew in front of Sora to confront the enemy.
"How dare you call me a Pokémon!" she beaked angrily. "I'm a Digimon!" James and Meowth became befuddled.
"What's a Digimon?" murmured Meowth. Not even James knew.
"I don't know," he shrugged. Jessie could care less about what Biyomon was.
"Does it matter?" she sneered. "You'll be priceless when our boss sees you." Ash looked at Biyomon in willing to protect the bird.
"You'll have to get past us!" he yelled at Team Rocket. "Pikachu, use Thunderbolt!" Listening, Pikachu obeyed before emitting a blast of electricity. The tank's mechanical arms palmed the electric attack, nothing reaching Team Rocket.
"Come on, twerp! You should know by now we're specialized in electric-proofing!" Biyomon flew up to get a clear shot at the trio.
"Spiral Twister!" she shouted as she flapped a gust of spiraling wind. The arms came back forward to block the gust. However, the gust twisted the arms in a twisted mess. "Ash, Pikachu, now's your chance!" Ash smiled and nodded to Biyomon, getting the okay to launch another attack.
"Thunderbolt, one more time!" he ordered. Pikachu leaped to the sky as the one operating the tank struggled to free the arms. It fired another blast of electricity. This time, the attack found its mark, shocking the tank and those inside. Poochyena came to aid the trainers and Sora by firing a ball of black energy. The ball exploded, dislodging the arms as Birch finally stepped outside to see the commotion. Ash gawked at the attack that Poochyena used. "What was that attack?"
"Poochyena's Shadow Ball!" he identified. Team Rocket looked panicked. Birch saw them, unsure about who they are. "You three are causing trouble?!" Jessie remained defiant despite the disadvantage.
"It would be easier if you'd hand over your Pokémon!" she growled. Biyomon had heard enough and turned to Sora.
"Let's show Team Rocket what Digimon can do!" she plotted. Sora had her Digivice that started to glow along with the Biyomon. She began to morph. "Biyomon Digivolve to… BIRDRAMON!" The transformation of the little bird to the bird of fire astonished Ash, May, Birch and the Pokémon. Team Rocket yelped in shock.
"Dat ding can evolve on a whim?!" stuttered Meowth as Birdramon flew to the air above the tank.
"Meteor Wing!" Birdramon flapped fireballs from its wings. The tank exploded on impact and the trio flew to the sky as they reflect the new encounter.
"I had no idea Moltres had a sister!" whined James.
"Dat Digimon, whatever it's called, broke the rules!" complained Meowth.
"Now I want that bird as Thanksgiving dinner!" roared Jessie. All three flew toward the horizon to vanish.
"Looks like Team Rocket's blasting off again!" they cried as they left through the air. Birdramon descended where the trainers and professor met the giant bird Digimon.
"That was incredible!" awed Birch.
"Yeah, your Digimon's a lifesaver!" supported Ash.
"Thanks!" replied Sora. Suddenly, Birdramon began toglow again, only to shrink down to Biyomon. Birch and May gulped at the reversion from Sora's Digimon.
"Wait, it's not permanent?" questioned May.
"Afraid not. With danger out of the way, Biyomon can relax." Biyomon smiled, peace restored. Poochyena and Torchic barked and beaked cheerfully to their winged savior. While the moment of happiness proceeded, May suddenly looked to where she put her bike… which was on the same side as the battle that occurred. Her bike got crushed by an errant meteor.
"My bike!" she screamed. Everyone spun heads to see the destroyed vehicle.
"Not again..." Ash grumbled as he and Pikachu itched their heads. Sora and Biyomon felt shame from the accidental strike. Night soon fell with everyone inside the lab and Professor Birch was on the computer with Sora, Biyomon and Poochyena hanging around him. Connecting Sora's Digivice to Birch's computer via cords, the professor activated a program on what was the overhead layout of the Hoenn Region. Time passed while Ash, May, Pikachu and Torchic awaited the results.
'Please… show me the way back,' she wished in her head. Her prayers wouldn't be answered. A red "X" popped on the screen. Those by the computer sighed at the result.
"I'm sorry, Sora," he apologized. "My computer couldn't find any digital rift that could take you back home." Sora sympathized with Birch, her hand on his back.
"You tried." Poochyena whimpered to Sora and Biyomon about their denial to return home. Seeing the Bite Pokémon nuzzle Sora's arm, he had an idea.
"You know, it would be safer to travel with Ash and May. Along the way..." A paper came out of a printer with a portion of a map and some words. "I know of a company that specializes in hand-held devices. Devon may have better equipment to help you." Sora and Biyomon studied the information on the printed paper.
"Devon, huh?"
"Sounds like we have our destination," Biyomon acknowledged. Poochyena barked up, alerting the Digidestined and the professor.
"I believe Poochyena wants to go with you," he thought. Sora gawked.
"You sure?" she wondered. Poochyena leaped in her arms and gave her a tongue bath. "Okay, okay! You can come along!" Poochyena stopped the licking long enough to allow Birch to grab another ball.
"This is what we store Pokémon for when the time is right: a Pokéball. Use it to capture Poochyena." Handed the Pokéball, Sora blinked before trying it out by tapping the white button on Poochyena's snout. A red light formed around the Bite Pokémon before it entered the ball. The button flashed red a few times before it rest. Sora looked puzzled at what just occurred. "And now, Poochyena's yours." Sora slowly came to realization about having a second creature to Biyomon.
"Thank you, Professor Birch. Poochyena, I promise to help you out." Ash and May smiled at Sora's new partner.
"So now we have three Pokémon," Ash counted. "I can't wait to get out and train." Hearing Ash, May blinked.
"I thought you had more Pokémon!" she gawked. Ash wanted to explain the reason.
"I want to capture and train only Pokémon in Hoenn. It's a different tactic than how I did in Johto or the Orange Islands." Birch thought the new tactic wouldn't hurt.
"It's a unique strategy," he pointed out. "Then again, you've been known for using tactics that are unorthodox. Professor Oak knew you'd be one-of-a-kind." That's when he looked outside. The moon nearing the upper edge of his window told him the time. "So, curfew nears. It would be best to stay here before you three go out on your journeys." To May, her busted bike presented a complication.
"Well, I would if Birdramon didn't rain a meteor on my bike,"she complained. Sora and Biyomon shared nervous laughs.
"How many times do we need to apologize, May?" squeaked Biyomon. Sora had an idea.
"Look, if it isn't too much trouble," she started. "Why not we all go together? Besides, we've got a veteran who can show us the ropes." It would be rather unwise for May to go out alone, especially with that stalking Duskull.
"That's a great idea, Sora!" agreed Birch. May felt outnumbered. She surrendered to the thought.
"I guess it wouldn't hurt," she mumbled. "Okay! We leave together first thing in the morning!" Three lives coming together: a boy on the continuous hunt to be on top, a girl and her bird on a quest to return to their world, and a girl who became a new trainer… despite her opposition to it. Tomorrow… Ash, May and Sora started on a new adventure.
TO BE CONTINUED…
(Yes, James' hair is Ice Violet, not blue as I described him constantly.)