Pokémon Tails: A Journey to the East
DISCLAIMER: I don't own DBZ or Pokémon.
CHAPTER 10: Dawn of the Next Day
Bulma approached the small capsule house with a palpable sensation of dread.
Oh God, there it is, she thought as she brought the car in to a stop. Gohan's house. I... I don't know if I can go through with this.
Then she shook her head, now firmly resolute. No, Gohan is Chi-Chi's son. She... she has a right to know.
The blue-haired woman stepped out of the car, closing the passenger door behind her. Oh, please, let her be in a good mood today. Oh, who am I trying to fool? This is Chi-Chi, and when it comes to Gohan-kun, she's never in a good mood.
She swallowed deeply as she walked towards the house, feeling her nerves fail her.
No, no, just gotta stick with it, Bulma told herself. You... you owe this to her; whatever her faults, Gohan is still her son.
Feeling her whole body trembling, Bulma came up to the door and knocked on it three times.
"GOHAN!" Chi-Chi screamed, throwing the door open with a hopeful, eager expression now written on her face...
Which immediately morphed into a miserable, sad expression the second she saw who it was.
"Oh, Bulma... it's you," Chi-Chi sighed. "What are you doing here?"
Bulma felt guilty upon seeing the obvious mourning Chi-Chi was going through. How could I be so stupid?
"Well, I thought you might like to know..." Bulma began hesitantly, "I... I have some news about G-G-Gohan..."
"WHAT?!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. "What is it?! Do you know where he is?! TELL ME!"
Bulma reached out, shivering as she did so, took hold of Chi-Chi around the shoulder, and guided her into the house.
"Let's talk inside, Chi-Chi..."
Gohan's eyelids twitched a few times, and then, slowly, oh so slowly, they fluttered open as he found himself staring at the concerned faces of his friends, Ash, Brock, Misty, Pikachu and Mew, and Seymour the scientist.
"Are you okay, Gohan?" Ash inquired.
"Pika Pika, Chu Pikachu," the Electric Rat agreed.
"How are you feeling?" Brock ventured forth.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew chirped, its large, glimmering blue eyes seemingly penetrating his very soul.
"Ugh, where am I...?" Gohan wondered as he sat up, placing a hand to his aching forehead.
"You're in the capsule house," Misty said, and then she fixed him with a hard stare. "You don't remember anything, do you?"
"Pika?" Pikachu asked, glancing up at the redheaded tomboy.
"Not really," Gohan muttered distractedly. "What happened to me?"
Then suddenly, he sat bolt upright as he recalled a distant fragment of memory... the full moon above... a giant ape's roar...
"Oh no!" he said, sounding horrified. "I didn't look at the full moon... did I?"
"I'm afraid so," Seymour responded. "We all saw you transform."
"Pika Pika," Pikachu said as its ears drooped.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew chirped, waving its arms frantically.
"Oh no," Gohan said as his eyes slowly filled up with tears. "I should have told you guys... how could I have been so stupid? I'm... I-I'm so sorry. I almost killed all of you. I don't know how I can ever make it up to you..."
And just then, Misty spoke up.
"Hey, it's okay, Gohan," she said softly, warmly, reassuringly. "We know you wouldn't have been doing that if you were actually thinking clearly. It wasn't your fault... you don't need to tell us you're sorry, because we know you are."
Gohan glanced up. He hadn't heard Misty speak this way since he had been trapped in this strange universe.
"Do you really mean that?" he asked, blinking rapidly to process all that he was hearing.
Misty nodded, and then she suddenly grew stern. "But if you withhold something from us like that next time, I'll punch your lights out!"
Gohan felt a little better upon learning his friends didn't directly hold him accountable for what he did as the Oozaru, and he stifled a giggle at Misty's antics. She's still the same as ever, he mused, now feeling way more cheerful than he had a moment ago.
Gohan nodded. "I promise I won't."
"She's telling the truth," Brock added. "You don't have to feel so bad because there wasn't any lasting harm done. No one was killed, and all of the damage you did to the countryside will someday repair itself."
"Pika Pika," the Electric-type Pokémon agreed.
"Yes, don't punish yourself so hard, Gohan," Seymour replied. "If it's anything like a werewolf transformation, then we're fortunate we made it out alive, and that we still number in the five. Really, it could have been much worse, so says the man from Earth!"
"Yeah, whatever he said," Ash mumbled with a sweatdrop.
Gohan nodded his head, now looking very touched by all he'd heard.
"Thank you, guys," Gohan said, eyes now glowing from happiness. "You're all such good friends. I'm lucky I met you."
"Mew, Mew!" Mew squeaked, jumping into Gohan's arms like it always did. "Mew, Mew! Mew! Mew! MEW!"
Gohan chuckled, ruffling its head. "Yes, and I'm glad to be with you, too, Mew. You're a real pal."
"Mew," Mew giggled nuzzling up to its Trainer. "Mew... Mew..."
"Now, we have some dinner ready, if you're hungry," Brock informed Gohan.
"All right!" Gohan whooped, feeling better already. "Thank you, Brock."
"So come on, let's eat!" Ash said as Gohan stood up, now realizing he was dressed in normal clothes instead of his usual gi.
Oh well, he sighed inwardly. They're not perfect, but they'll fit until I get a chance to find a tailor.
And they headed to the dinner table as one thought crossed Gohan's mind.
If I have to be stuck here, at least I'm glad to have such good friends.
In an ornately decorated throne room, a tailed man strode into the colossal chamber, marching up the long, red carpet while other tailed males and females decked out in ceremonial armor stood at the ready on either side of him, many of them bearing various bladed weapons as the distinctive monkey-shape tails identified them all as Saiyans, although these Saiyan warriors had a completely different posture to them, an inherent moral core, almost as though they were... noble.
Like Son Gohan.
After passing the length of the hall, the first Saiyan came to a stop before the throne on which sat a smaller, blue-skinned alien adorned in similar battle armor with a sleek design, and the Saiyan dropped to his knees, placing an arm over his chest as he dipped his head low in reverence to the alien lord before him.
"What is thy bidding, my Master?" the Saiyan warrior intoned.
"Ah, greetings, my good general!" the tiny being beamed brightly, looking genuinely pleased to be in the presence of the Saiyan warrior kneeling before him. "It's so great to see you. I hope I find you well on this wonderful day! Do you need anything... something interesting to read? A comfy pillow? Perhaps a delicious meal?"
The Saiyan warrior stiffened, the tension obvious to all within eyesight.
"I am able to serve," the General demurred. "If we enter into battle I am ready to fight and die alongside you."
"Oh General, I have no doubts about that," the small alien laughed. "But really, you must learn to enjoy your life more. What's the use in fighting to save the children if we forget why we're fighting in the first place? Relax! Take a moment to stop and smell the flowers. Try it! It reduces stress, I promise."
Despite no visible indications, inside his heart and mind, the General growled. I really hate this comedy routine! It's always so fake! At least your counterpart over in the other universe was more direct with his vile intentions.
"Was there a reason you called me, my lord?" the Saiyan wondered.
"Oh yes, of course," the blue being, snapping out of his reverie to return to the topic at hand. "I'm very curious, General, would you be so kind as to inform me on whether or not you're familiar with a planet named Earth in Galactic System 182,298 of the Northern Quadrant?"
The Saiyan jerked up, looking shocked to hear those words coming from his master.
Earth? he flinched back reflexively in his head. He... he doesn't know... could he?
"I... I don't know what you mean, my lord," the General declared. "I have never even heard of a planet called Earth."
The tiny alien smiled widely, with no outward hint of malice — it was what it appeared to be; a simple expression of goodwill.
"Oh no?" he said. "I guess I was mistaken then. I thought you lived there before entering my service."
The Saiyan started, looking panicked at this new revelation.
"My lord, I..." He bowed his head low. "I apologize for my deception. Rest assured, it will not happen again."
The other being held up a hand to his mouth, stifling his laughter. "Nonsense! Don't worry yourself over it, General. I'm sure you had a good reason for keeping this information from me. We all have secrets we're not proud of, or sad stories we would rather leave behind us in the past. Just forget it. I won't hold it against you!"
That apparently caught the Saiyan warrior off-guard, for he appeared momentarily speechless.
"I hope I've proven to you time and time again, General, that you have nothing to fear from me," the blue overlord stated with a warm smile, spreading his arms out wide, as though to embrace the Saiyan. "Let yourself out. Feel free to share your problems with me, or don't, but whatever your doubts, I want you to trust in me! To believe in me like I believe in you! You are, after all, the Commander of the Saiyan Army and my most prized officer in the Galactic Peace Forces!"
Oh, you played your part well, the General thought with an internal smirk. You may even have fooled a lesser observer, but you have not fooled me. I know about your projects, your secret "experiments," and the wars you start to line your pockets. You may be more subtle than your counterpart is, but you are both cut from the same cloth.
"Why have you called me, my lord?" the Saiyan asked inquisitively.
"A very good question!" the Saiyan's master said with a soft chuckle. "Not to mince words, my dear general, but, it seems a Saiyan boy was spotted there and I assure you, he was acting outside my authority."
The tailed warrior glanced up, barely concealing his own nervousness.
Another Saiyan? he thought. And on Earth...? Has he found out about my... Here, the General shook himself mentally. No, no way... he can't have learned about him. I left no traces behind when I left it... surely this isn't about him... is it?
"Are you certain, Master?" the Saiyan warrior asked the slender being.
"Oh, I'm quite positive, General," the small alien said. "Long-range recon reports that an Oozaru was seen there."
"How do you wish to proceed, Master?" the General asked after a long moment of seemingly contemplative silence and introspection.
"Oh, General, always to the point!" the alien chortled. "Still, it does help to be so dedicated to the cause! For now, though, my orders are very simple — I want you to dispatch a deep-space probe to Earth and observe this Saiyan's movements; track him until you learn the truth. If he is one of your wayward children, then we simply must return him to the Planet Salad and find out who his parents are at all costs! They must be worried sick about him!"
Internally, the General rolled his eyes in annoyance. Could you lay it on any more thick? And deep down at the core of his being he realized he had made his decision. It's time to expose you for what you are — before the entire galaxy pays the price for it. Out loud the dark-haired Saiyan bowed low with a declaration of, "As you command, my lord."
And he turned and hastened out of the chamber, leaving behind the sleek alien, the other Saiyan warriors, and the life he'd led for the last ten years with the very enemy he now had to destroy at all costs...
"I see," Seymour said as the gang chowed down. "So the giant ape form is really known as an 'Oozaru.'"
"Hm-hmm!" Gohan confirmed through a mouthful of wonderful-tasting food.
"Do you remember anything when you're transformed?" Seymour asked, now curious.
"Not a thing," Gohan said. "I lose all sense of myself and go wild, like you've seen."
"Pika Pika!" Pikachu said as all of the Pokémon chowed down too.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew agreed from its spot close to Clefairy. "Mew! Mew!"
"Clefairy, Fairy," it said, turning to face its partner with a grin.
"Dude, Geodude," Geodude replied, nonchalant like before. "Dude, Dude."
"Fweeweeweewee!" the Butterfly Pokémon threw in, nibbling like the others on its food.
"Is there any way you can learn to control it like you do with your Super Saiyan forms?" Misty inquired.
"Super Saiyan?" Seymour repeated, now confused again.
"Well, that's kind of a long story," Brock laughed.
"Mew!" Mew said, playing with a large food pellet. "Mew, Mew!"
"Chachichicha!" Brock's Zubat burst out then, eyes closed in pure joy.
"Chachachachi!" the other Zubat added, inhaling its food at hyper speed.
"Pi Pikachu!" Pikachu grinned widely as it tore into its food.
"Vegeta learned to control it," Gohan said. "So it can be done, but I'm afraid I don't know how."
"Well, that's a bummer," Ash said.
"Pikachu, Pika Pika," the yellow rat said, nodding its head.
"So what are we going to do during the next full moon?" Brock asked.
"Yeah, you almost got us!" Ash complained. "I know it wasn't your fault, but it was pretty close there for a while."
"Mew, Mew!" Mew added, waving its tail about. "Mew! Mew!"
"I guess I'll just have stay indoors during a full moon," Gohan stated simply.
"No, it doesn't have to be that way, Gohan!" Seymour burst out.
The others turned to look at the eccentric scientist.
"What do you mean by that?" Ash asked.
"Pika Pika, Pikachu?" Pikachu said, turning to him too.
"Mew, Mew?" Mew wondered through a mouthful of pellets.
"Pijojojojo?" Pidgeotto agreed as it turned its head too.
"Chachichi!" the Zubat said, still happily engrossed in their food.
"Geodude," Geodude said, tossing food pellets in its mouth.
The brown-haired man reached inside his pocket and then pulled out a black, glowing Moon Stone attached to a necklace.
"Here," he said, handing it to the young Saiyan. "For you, Gohan. A Moon Stone necklace to help you with your monthly problem."
"You really mean it?" Gohan said, overjoyed, as he received the Moon Stone necklace from him.
Seymour nodded. "Yes. I put this together while you were sleeping and Brock here was cooking. All you have to do is place this over your neck and come full moon, you won't change into the Oozaru at all!"
"Aw man, thank you!" Gohan exclaimed. "This means I get to keep my tail!"
The Pokémon responded to this enthusiastically, seeing as they were the ones to do most of the work — all but the Zubat, who kept greedily gobbling down on the delicious Pokémon food Brock had made them.
"Wow, Brock, those Pokémon sure like those little pellets you gave them," Ash pointed out, blinking rapidly.
"Well, that's no surprise," Brock laughed casually as he gestured to them all with his arm. "It's Pokémon food. Made from my own secret recipe — the ingredients are specially blended for every Pokémon."
"Clefairy, Fairy," Clefairy said, picking at its food with small, delicate bites. "Clefairy..."
"Fweeweeweewee!" Butterfree, turning a smile on it.
"Mew!" Mew said, wriggling around. "Mew!"
"How's it taste?" Ash asked.
"I've been developing it for years and years," Brock stated. "I keep improving on the recipe. I'll make a batch for Pikachu, Clefairy, Zubat, and all of our other Pokémon... when I get the chance, of course."
With this, he threw a side glance at Gohan, obviously thinking about the recent battle with him.
"Ahhh, good stuff!" he said as he finished his meal, placing both hands over his belly.
As the Pokémon kept nibbling at their food, one of their stray pellets rolled off to the side, and Ash picked it up, stared at it for a couple of minutes, sniffed it, and then promptly popped it in his mouth; a few seconds later, he started coughing and choking on it.
"Well, you may not like it, but the Pokémon do," Brock noticed.
"Oh, Ash, how stupid can you get?" Misty seethed, burning with shame where she sat.
"Well, we should get some sleep," Seymour said as he stood up from the head of the table. "I've got a big day tomorrow."
"Where will you go when you leave?" Gohan asked, now very attached to the admittedly strange scientist.
"Oh well, I was thinking of going to live with the Clefairy," the weird man said as his eyes began glowing, causing Misty, Ash, and Brock to sweatdrop. "It's been my dream to find the Moon Stone and I swear, someday, I will travel into outer space along with the Clefairy!"
"That would be so cool!" Ash said dreamily.
"When you finally do make it into space, just be sure to send us a postcard, all right?" Brock added.
"Certainly!" Seymour answered jovially. "Seymour the scientist never forgets his friends!"
"I know!" Gohan suddenly burst out excitedly. "Hey, Mr. Seymour, maybe I can add you to my phone list!"
The others turned to stare at the Saiyan hybrid.
"Your phone list?" they inquired.
Gohan nodded. "Yes, you see, since this is a capsule, I have a video phone in here. I also have a list of numbers of all the people I can call — well, of course I can't call anyone from home, but I can call those who I register in this world!"
"Wow, that's neat!" Ash responded. "Hey, maybe you can add my number too?"
"And mine too!" Brock agreed. "It would be nice to call home every so often, you know?"
"Well... all right, super!" Seymour agreed. "What a delightful thing to do, it's simply riveting! The opportunity is gripping! What kind of friend would I be to refuse? Yes, yes, it's fantastic news! Thank you ever so much, young man; I agree to this plan!"
The others laughed, but Ash had noticed something strange.
"Hey, Misty, what about your family?" he asked her.
Misty instantly tensed up. "Them? Oh, well... you don't have to worry about them. Really. Just forget it for now."
Ash just stared at her, confused, as Gohan went on.
"And maybe someday, I can take you into space in the space pod Misty and me found in Pewter City!" he said.
"Ecstatic! Fabulouso! Stupendous! I can't wait to see outer space," Seymour went on. "How would it feel to ascend beyond this race; to go up into the universe high above us, no one to bother you, no one to mistrust — and to see yourself reflected in the grand stars out there, no need to worry, not even a prayer!"
"Sure, sure," Brock said, waving his hand. "Whatever you say."
Just then, the Pokémon finished their meals, calling out contentedly from their delicious supper.
"So, how was it, guys?" Ash asked as he leaned low over his party.
"Pijo!" Pidgeotto whooped, looking happy as it ruffled its wings.
"Chachichachi!" Zubat said, with no change at all in its expression.
"Fweeweeweewee!" Butterfree said, squeezing its eyes shut in delight.
"Pika Pika, Chu Pika, Pikachu, Pika Pika!" the Electric Rodent said.
Brock's Zubat and his Geodude came over to them, where he picked them both up.
"So, you guys are all full, huh?" Brock said with a soft chuckle.
"Dude, Geodude," Geodude answered in its as ever indifferent way.
"Chachichichachi!" Zubat clicked, clearly in thanks for the meal.
"I'm glad to see you're enjoying my Pokémon food, Zubat," Brock happily told it.
"Chachachi!" Zubat clicked some more, flapping its wings.
Still smiling, Brock now turned back to face the rest of his friends.
"Well, if everyone's done, I think we should make an early night of it," Brock said. "And then we tomorrow, we continue our journey."
Gohan walked over to Mew and Clefairy, who both hopped onto him and traveled up into his arms.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew giggled, seemingly snug in his arms.
"Clefairy, Clefairy Fairy, Clef, Clef, Clefairy..." the Fairy Pokémon said in agreement.
"Hey, so do you guys wanna sleep with me?" Gohan said with a big grin.
Both Pokémon stuck their hands outward. "Fairy!"
"Mew!" the little feline said. "Mew, Mew!"
Gohan chuckled. "Well, all right, then it's a deal."
And the gang headed down the hallway, ready for a decent night's sleep...
Elsewhere, in a time and place far removed from the plane our heroes occupied...
"WHAT?!" Chi-Chi screamed upon all she was hearing. "WHAT?!"
"N-N-Now, Chi-Chi..." Bulma stammered. "I-I-I-I-It's not as bad as it really sounds..."
"My son is trapped some alternate universe, with no way to get back or come home ever again," Chi-Chi began furiously, as she stood up to her full, commanding height, "and now you're telling me that it's not as bad as it really sounds?!"
"I know I made a mistake, but I was only trying to help Gohan!" Bulma protested. "Really, that's all!"
"How? HOW?!" Chi-Chi shouted, building herself up into a huge head of steam. "By letting my little boy go out into the world on his own? By taking him away from his mother?! You have a son — HOW CAN YOU DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS TO ME?!"
"Because he was suffocating under you!" Bulma yelled, standing as she started getting mad. "You were smothering him and he wanted a few days away to himself; what was I supposed to do, tell him no?"
"THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A START!" Chi-Chi babbled incoherently. "Oh my poor son, trapped out there, with no one to look after him, no one to love him... what's gonna happen to my poor little baby?! He'll probably end up being left to sleep out in the gutter of some cold alien city, where he'll get murdered in his sleep, or worse what if my poor Gohan gets molested by some sick pervert —!"
"Chi-Chi, Chi-Chi, Chi-Chi!" Bulma said as she grabbed her by the shoulders and slapped Chi-Chi hard. "Get ahold of yourself!"
"Oh, oh, oh..." the black-haired matron said as suddenly she could sense all the tension and anxiety leaving her body; then, it was filled with ice and cold, uncertain despair as slowly, Chi-Chi gave in, and burst out sobbing right then and there.
Bulma enveloped her longtime friend in a gentle hug, and after a moment, Chi-Chi reluctantly accepted the hug.
"Chi-Chi, I'm so sorry," Bulma told her tenderly. "I really am. I never expected anything like this to happen, and I didn't plan for it... if I had known this would happen... I never would have given Gohan-kun that watch in the first place. Surely you must know I was trying to help him out, and not to betray you in any way... y-you do know that... right?"
"Know?" Chi-Chi wept hopelessly. "Oh, of course I know, Bulma. And the truth is... you're right. I should have given Gohan more space, but he's my baby. He's my first son, and I would have done anything for him. I just... I just... I wish I could take it all back now..."
"Um, Chi-Chi, you mean your only son, right?" Bulma said, seeking clarification.
And then, slowly, she felt Chi-Chi's body shuddering within her grasp.
"No, I mean," she began, gazing up at the blue-haired beauty, "my first child."
"You mean..." Bulma gasped, as the implications fully hit her. "You... you're pregnant?"
Chi-Chi nodded, and then she broke down sobbing again. "Oh, but what kind of mother am I going to be for my second child? What kind of love and happiness am I gonna give it if I've driven my first son away from me and out of my life?"
Bulma grabbed Chi-Chi by her shoulders again as she forced her to stare directly into Bulma's blue eyes.
"You're going to learn from your mistakes and do better," she stated. "You'll learn to be a better mother, and someday, I just know we'll find Gohan again. I don't think that he ran away from you, Chi-Chi — he's not that kind of boy; something's gotta be wrong with his Dimensional Hopper. We'll find him, and all this mess will be sorted out, you see."
"Do..." Chi-Chi began wiping away at her excess tears, "do... d-d-do you really mean that?"
Bulma nodded. "Yes, I do. Just be patient, Chi-Chi."
Chi-Chi took a few shaky breaths as she nodded herself, and she stared out the window at the brilliant black sky outside, dotted with a thousand stars and the silvery-gray colors of the midnight clouds.
Gohan, I promise, if it takes me a hundred years, I WILL find you again, she thought.
And then he made herself another vow.
I'll find you and make up for all the mistakes I made...
The laptop flashed on in front of Team Rocket, who were huddled in a forest to talk to Giovanni, the Rocket Boss.
"What's up, Boss?" Meowth asked him.
"I have some news..." the slick-haired man told them.
Team Rocket leaned in closer, now interested.
"What is it, Boss?" Jessie said.
"Yeah, do go on," Meowth agreed, scrunching his face closer.
"Do you have some sort of super-special ultra-classified secret to share with us?" James added.
The Rocket Boss chuckled darkly in the shadows of his office.
"In a manner of speaking," Giovanni said. "During my research, I discovered that, many years ago, there was another giant, ape-like creature spotted that may be the same one you reported seeing."
"Wow, no fooling, Boss?" Meowth said.
"How can you be sure it's the same one, though?" James added.
"Yes, for all we know, it could be Pokémon!" Jessie piped up.
"Idiots!" Giovanni screamed, and Team Rocket winced as they covered their ears. "I was hoping you could identify it."
"S-S-Sure thing, Boss," Jessie said. "You know how we live to serve Team Rocket."
"All for one, and one for all!" James said, nodding his head. "That's the Team Rocket way!"
"Very well then." And an image of a giant monkey ape appeared on the screen accompanied by a picture of destruction around all it. "This is the image I found in the old Team Rocket archives. Is it the same one as that brat?"
Team Rocket gaped in complete awe.
"Yes, yes, that's the one!" Jessie breathed excitedly.
"I'd recognize that beast anywhere!" James said.
"Who wouldn't recognize its ugly mug?" Meowth finished.
"I suspected as much..." Giovanni said as his image returned to the screen. "This is getting interesting... it appears there is another of his kind on Earth — or perhaps there was, and he left, long ago. Either way, this bears further investigating."
"Do you want us to keep following da boy, Boss?" Meowth said.
"Yes," Giovanni said instantly, without hesitation. "Follow him, and maybe in time this second Saiyan will be revealed; perhaps our friend knows something about him, but even if he doesn't, it shouldn't be very hard to track him down."
Team Rocket straightened up and saluted. "Yes, sir, Boss!"
Giovanni smirked darkly. "Good. Base out."
And the screen went blank as Giovanni signed off, leaving Team Rocket to their penitent thoughts...
The next morning, Ash, Brock, Misty, Gohan, and Seymour all parted ways.
"Goodbye, Gohan! Goodbye, Mew, and Pikachu!" Seymour said to his friends while he waved from his position near the Clefairy at the mouth of Mt. Moon's caverns. "Goodbye, Ash, Misty, and Brock! I hope I see you again!"
"Keep in touch!" Misty replied as they all walked away.
"Pika, Pika!" the Electric Rat said. "Chu, Pika Pikachu! Pi Pika!"
"Don't forget to phone us whenever you can!" Gohan agreed, as he waved goodbye too.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew declared as it danced around above them in the air.
And with that, they turned and walked off down the dirt-lined path. Pretty soon, they had left Mt. Moon far behind them.
"Do you guys really think he'll be able to prove the Clefairy came from outer space?" Ash asked.
Brock laughed. "Well, Gohan is half-alien, so if he came from space, maybe the Pokémon did too."
"Pika Pika," Pikachu said, nodding its head in a very wise manner.
"Maybe, but one thing's for sure, he certainly isn't dull," Misty giggled.
"I'm gonna miss him," Gohan sighed, feeling down all of a sudden.
"Come on, you just gotta be positive!" Brock told the half-Saiyan boy. "You'll hear from him soon, I bet you anything!"
And Gohan nodded, now feeling a little bit more cheerful in spite of himself.
"Yes, you're right," Gohan said.
"Mew, Mew!" Mew chirped, trailing pink arcs in the sky. "Mew!"
And with that, the trio of three soon came to a sign in the dirt path.
"This road leads right to Cerulean City," Brock informed them all.
"Cerulean City?!" Misty exclaimed worriedly. "Oh, we don't really have to go there, do we?"
"Well, if you want to get your next badge, you do," Brock explained.
"All right!" Ash declared, now pumped up. "Onto Cerulean City!"
"Hold on..." Gohan chimed in, his hyper-vision now enabling him to pick up some other words on the sign. "There's something else written here." He glanced closer. "It looks like, 'Gary was here and Ash is a loser'?"
"What's that?!" Ash demanded furiously while he shoved his nose closer to confirm, indeed, that that was what had been written there. "LOSER?! How dare him! Oh, that Gary! Grrrrr, I'll show him! I'm gonna be the next one to get my badge!"
And with that, he took off down the path, moving at a remarkable speed despite the weights still strapped to him.
"But Ash, who's this Gary?" Gohan called after him. "Hold on! Is that someone you know?"
The young Pallet Town Trainer, however, continued down the path as though he hadn't even heard him, setting still newer records for people moving with weights underneath their clothes in his insane zeal to be better than Gary.
"Wait, Ash, don't take off so fast!" Misty scolded. "Wait!"
"He'll never learn," Brock sighed as he ran off the thick-headed boy, with Misty and Pikachu following suit.
With a grin, Gohan lifted off into the air, and with a burst of golden light, transformed into a Super Saiyan 2 again as he sped to catch up with his new friends while his trusty Psychic Pokémon Mew traveled alongside him.
"Looks like we're back to training, Mew!" he said as he pumped out his arm.
"Mew!" Mew grinned as it soared near the blazing gold comet.
And with that, the two flew off into the distance.
The final part in the Mt. Moon arc! Now we move to Cerulean City! Be warned, the chapters might be getting longer after this.
Lol, btw, did anyone spot the Bugs Bunny reference?
Now onto the reviews.
ChaosDestruction: Well, psychic energy is pure mental and physical energy generated by the brain. Ki is physical and spiritual energy that is generated by the body and soul. Ki can produce a telekinetic-like effect, but it pales in comparison to true psychic powers.
iamzim87: It was the next episode with the full moon. It seemed like the fitting place, considering the name of their destination.
Jawisian: I'm glad you liked it.
RainEpelt: If you'd ever seen DBZ, you know why Mew chose Gohan, because all the Son males just have a deep inner purity that one of the Legendary Pokémon like Mew would be attracted to. And yes, I know, no need to constantly keep throwing their strength around, though Cell really could destroy solar systems and this isn't just the anime saying it either, it's a manga feat as well — imagine the three levels for Super Saiyan to be a giant ladder; level 1 can destroy planets... level 2 can destroy solar systems... level 3 can destroy entire galaxies.
Now review!
EDIT (5/8/2017): Like I promised I'd said I would be incorporating elements of Dragon Ball Super into my story, and that meant phasing Rellik out of this story to replace him with... well, you'll see in later chapters. :P