Chapter 57, everybody! Happy Ash Wednesday! :D
Let's start by saying that Brock probably has powdered eggs in his pack somewhere, and continue on by saying the Kanto map is confusing, more so if you try to reconcile the anime with the games—it just doesn't work. So yeah, friendly reminder that some episodes of the anime may end up getting skipped entirely from 1) not being able to fit it right and 2) me not seeing them when they first came out. ^^;
Next up we have more trying to figure out game logic with HMs, featuring my headcanon for why they exist in the first place. Understand that since battles can play out more creatively here, having an HM move isn't so limiting. And trainer tips! Those odd little signs scattered everywhere.
And for all those who reviewed last chapter and enjoyed the and now for something completely different section: I am happy to inform you that Pokémon-world Steve Irwin is still happily documenting Pokémon with his family. :)
And now for something completely different in the review responses: Dragonkeeper10, thor94, shukkets, FyreDrakon, Chimera608 (yup! Lewis the Riolu came from that egg), Urdeadnotbigsurprise, Vulaan Kulaas (any reason you recommend that nickname?), Black Knight Lucario (you and I are definitely on the same page), Cyan Quartz, talesfanjmf, The Mystery Assassin, deant33, Johnny Spectre, SkeletonBisque, TheLavenderHour, Frost Glaive, and XT3100, thanks for the reviews! Keep on rocking.
Pokémon © Game Freak; Nintendo
And now, for something completely different:
In other news, the Pokémon Center for Disease Control would like to take a moment to discuss the Pokérus. This virus is popular among trainers as it promotes rapid growth of their battling 'mons, less so for casual Pokémon owners. Should your Pokémon contract Pokérus, please keep the affected 'mon in quarantine for at least two weeks, as the virus spreads easily between Pokémon.
The next problem evident with Charmeleon's absence came from Ash's plan on who to challenge next.
"Erika is closer," Misty protested. "And if we hit her first, when you challenge Sabrina we can swing down and back around."
"If the bridges are fixed," Brock said, stirring his eggs around in the pan.
"The point is, right now Celadon is closer than Saffron."
"Yeah, but right now I'm down a Pokémon," Ash protested. "Worse yet, I'm down the Pokémon that would have been the point 'mon on that gym. I either need another Pokémon with a type advantage, or more time to train the others."
"She'll pull out a stronger team on you," Brock said. "Gym leaders have to adjust their teams based on the number of badges won."
Ash grimaced at the unfortunate truth there. "It at least gives me time to teach Lenny Ice Fang. And we've already got a team pretty much prepped for Sabrina. All we need is a Ghost type."
"Your plan with Sabrina was to basically go in with Frenzy going all…Frenzy," Misty said.
"Yeah," Ash sighed. "I guess that's kind of flimsy."
Misty sat back, arms crossed. "Well, it's not flimsy, it's just…relying on one Pokémon is a terrible strategy."
"Yeah…and I guess it'd all go out the window anyway, if she reads my mind."
"You can't read what's not there," Darkrai said, floating by.
"I can't disagree with that," Misty said.
"Hey," Ash protested.
"Guys, play nice," Brock said, before looking up at Ash. "Listen, at the end of the day it's you doing the gym run. The rest of us are just along for the ride. So whichever gym you want to challenge first, we'll support you. Right, guys?"
Ash looked at Misty and Darkrai, the latter of which seemed very interested in the clouds.
"It's not like we're not going to tell you when you're screwing up," Misty said.
"Well that's a given, to be fair."
"I'm personally along for the ride so I can point and laugh when you fall on your face," Darkrai said, looking back down.
"That's a good point too," Misty said.
Ash stood up, dumped his tea into the fire, and started walking off.
"Ash! Where are you going?" Brock called.
"Those two are agreeing!" Ash yelled, breaking into a run. "The world's coming to an end!"
"He's got you there," Brock said, looking back at them.
"Be nice to her, don't be nice to her—make up your mind," Darkrai said.
"What he said," Misty said, pointing.
Brock ended up joining Ash.
Ash debated heavily on which one to challenge up to the crossroads that led to the respective cities. Celadon City to the left, Saffron City to the right. Left, right, Erika, Sabrina.
"Any suggestions?" Ash asked.
"Einie-meanie-Minun-mo?" Misty guessed.
"We're behind you either way, Ash," Brock said.
That wasn't very helpful, he thought, looking west to Celadon. If he challenged Erika, he only really had Lenny, Patches, and Frenzy as solid counters, and none of them would be able to hold up well against Grass types. East to Saffron—wasn't prepared for that, either. Frenzy was the only one who could counter effectively due to his Bug typing, but they could pick up a Ghost type in Lavender Town…but it would need extra training…left, right, left, right….
Ash eventually turned right.
"Psychic types are going to be difficult no matter what," he said, looking at the others. "So we go there and I challenge Sabrina now, before she can pull out a stronger team."
Brock and Misty nodded.
"All right then," Brock said, starting down the road. "Looks like we're heading for Saffron."
The route to Saffron felt much more built-up and groomed after taking the longest shortcut, was nice and trimmed and full of trainers for Ash to battle, Misty and Brock occasionally participating to test their new Pokémon and, more rarely, to have a gym battle when someone recognized them. As Brock pointed out, so long as they had badges on hand, they could offer a proper gym match.
"Something else that occurs to me," Ash pointed out after one such battle. "Misty, y'know that technically you beat Koga."
"How do you figure?" Misty asked.
"He had a Scyther out and you knocked both him and the Scyther out."
"This is a point," Brock said, musing.
"I still wouldn't count it," Misty said.
"Well, when we head to Cinnabar we're going to have to pass back through Fuchsia anyway," Brock pointed out. "We'll see about it then."
"Super."
"And we'll be needing a couple of 'mons who can legally use Surf," Misty added. "Otherwise it's more boats for us."
"Ugh, no," Ash said, grimacing. "I'm thinking I avoid being on boats for the rest of my life."
"Not sure if you'll be able to pull that off, but okay," Brock said.
"And Surf is one of those moves you have to have badges for, right?"
"Well, yes and no," Brock said, doing his professorial pose. "See, Hidden Machines, or HMs, are used as a sort of barrier to keep young trainers away from places that could do them harm. Since they can't legally use the moves outside of battle unless they have certain badges, that keeps them away from places that would be too high-leveled for them."
"Legally being the key word," Misty pointed out.
"Yes, that's always the problem."
"So…wait—I have four badges," Ash pointed out. "What moves can I use?"
"None that'll work for you," Darkrai said, floating by. "You have no game."
"On the topic of HMs," Brock said, waving Darkrai off. "Hmm…Flash, Cut, Rock Smash, and…I think Strength. It's been a while since I looked at the list."
"And we have to actually find where the League hid these HMs," Misty pointed out. "Don't they hide them for trainers to find as another test?"
"They used to, but I think now you can request them from your sponsor. At least it was on the books at the last Gym Leader meeting."
"Is this like the Legendary meetings?" Ash asked, missing Darkrai's awkward coughing.
"Technically we're supposed to meet on a regular basis to give information on things like how many trainers come by and what the infrastructure's like, offer important suggestions on topics of note," Brock said, ticking them off on his fingers. "In practice…I think me and…Lt. Surge were the only ones who routinely attended, and a lot of times I had to call it in because I couldn't leave my siblings."
"I'm technically one of four leaders of the Cerulean Gym," Misty said, thinking. "If there was ever any talk of meetings, I was probably passed over for being too young."
"That's always an issue," Brock agreed, pausing to look at a sign that Darkrai was considering. "Left takes us around Saffron and more directly to Lavender Town."
"You people are really going to commit to the spooky ghosts," Darkrai observed.
"I need a means to defeat Sabrina without hoping Frenzy just sweeps her," Ash said.
"Let's be fair," Misty said as they started up the left turning. "If you wanted you could sweep the whole league with just Frenzy—just give the order and watch the carnage."
"This is true," Darkrai agreed.
"Yeah…but if I'm gonna be a Pokémon master someday, I need to have multiple options, you know?" Ash asked. "Besides, that's not fair to my other Pokémon."
"Pika," Pikachu agreed.
"It's definitely not fair to your opponents," Brock said, sounding amused.
"This is also true," Ash agreed, nodding—looked behind when he didn't sense Darkrai behind him anymore, saw the Legendary examining a sign. "What, what is it?"
"A conundrum," Darkrai declared as they doubled back.
"Probably Trainer Tips," Brock said. "There's supposed to be signs put up along routes that give pointers to new trainers."
"Let me guess: part of the infrastructure issue?" Misty asked.
"See? You're learning," Brock said, nodding as they turned to look at the sign. "Huh."
"Huh," Ash echoed. "The kid in the poster kind of looks like James."
"And that kid in that town whose name I still refuse to say looked like you," Misty said. "That doesn't mean anything."
"Except that the animators are lazy," Darkrai offered.
"Do what?"
"According to the info here, this person's first name is James," Brock said, reading the sign. "And…oh wow, that's heavy."
"What?" Ash asked.
"It says here that his parents just died."
Ash and Misty both gasped in dismay.
"Both of them?" Ash asked.
"That's awful!" Misty said. "I mean—sure he's part of Team Rocket, but I wouldn't wish that news on anyone!"
"But we kind of owe it to him to tell him, don't we?" Ash asked, before glancing around. "Darkrai?"
Ash caught a glimpse of his wisping fur disappearing into a shadow just as a limousine pulled up.
"I wonder if that's the hearse," Misty had time to say, before the door swung open and a man jumped out—and said something, except Ash wasn't quite sure what it was, being distorted by the megaphone and the tinnitus it caused.
"What?" Ash asked, rubbing his ears.
"I SAID—" the man got out, before Misty snatched away the megaphone and flung it into a nearby pond.
"If you're going to talk to someone five feet in front of you, actually TALK to them like a human being instead of using a stinking megaphone in their ears!" she screamed, rounding on the man and thoroughly cowing him.
"Especially when you don't need a megaphone to reach that sort of volume," Ash pointed out.
A few moments later, when Ash was nursing a bump on his head, Brock saw fit to comment. "You know, sometimes it's better to think before you speak."
"Tell me about it," Ash moaned.
"Pretty sure I just did. So why were you stopping us?" Brock asked the guy.
"I was just wondering if you've seen the boy in this poster," the man said.
"We have if he's James from Team Rocket," Ash said—yelped in alarm when the guy grabbed him and started shaking.
"But that's wonderful news! Come come come!" he said, ushering them all into the limo. "I must bring you to the mansion! There's a monetary reward for anyone who's seen him!"
By the time they righted themselves, the limo was already motoring away with them inside.
"Did we just get kidnapped?" Ash asked.
"Sure looks like it," Brock declared.
As soon as the limo was gone, Team Rocket popped out of the nearby bushes.
"Definitely looked dat way ta me too," Meowth said.
"Did I hear that right?" Jessie asked James.
"Uh…no," James said. "Definitely not."
"I dunno," Meowth said. "Dis picture really looks like youse."
"I just have one of those faces?"
Jessie thumped him on the back. "Well if that's the case we can use it to our advantage—this boy's missing and his parents are dead—we just run you in, claim you're the long-lost heir, and then run back out with the inheritance!"
"And ignore the fact dat dat's kind of a sucky thing ta do," Meowth offered.
"Yes that's true."
"What if I don't want to?" James asked.
"You can not want to all you want," Jessie assured him. "We're doing it anyway."
"This will only end in tears," James sighed as she dragged him away.