A/N: I'll probably make a list of what Pokémon each person has next chapter. At that point, everyone should have their first three Pokémon, which seems standard in the anime to have at least three before the first Gym.
Scooby-Doo 150: Sure, I would just need to think of a premise for that story. It would probably have to do with Ash becoming a traveling to do Pokémon Shows akin to what we saw at the beginning of Pokémon Ranger and the Temple of the Sea. I don't think that's an aspect that gets too explored, and it would be a great reason for him and Duplica to travel together. I'll put that on my to-do list for stories.
As for AshXGiselle, it is growing on me. So, they'll probably end up together by the end of this.
Chapter 5: The First Capture!
The brush soon parted ways as a small fuzzy purple creature hopped out of the foliage. It had giant, red eyes and minuscule beige paws. Its cream feet were large, and its white antenna stood at attention.
Dazai tilted his head in confusion as he scratched his cheek. Ash's shoulders drooped in disappointment. He had wanted to catch a powerful Pokémon, but, instead, he got Venonat. The fact the boy from days prior called him a Venonat made this encounter sting even more.
Taking out his Pokédex, Ash checked the data on Venonat.
Venonat, the Insect Pokémon. Venonat is said to have evolved with a coat of thin, stiff hair that covers its entire body for protection. It possesses large eyes that never fail to spot even minuscule prey. Its eyes act as radar, enabling it to be active in darkness. The eyes can also shoot powerful beams. This Venonat is female and its ability is Tinted Lens, which raises the power of not very effective moves. It knows the moves Giga Drain, String Shot, Baton Pass, Struggle Bug, Morning Sun, Rage Powder, Skill Swap, Toxic Spikes, Tackle, Disable, Foresight, Supersonic, Confusion, and Poison Powder. Its recommended move set is Tackle, Disable, Confusion, and Struggle Bug. This Venonat has no trainer yet.
Placing the Pokédex back into his pocket, Ash decided that he might as well catch it, even if he never used it.
"Alright, Dazai, use Quick Attack!" Ash ordered. He had known that Dazai had learned it after the fight with the Spearow, but he didn't want to risk trying it until now. The Venonat in front of him probably wasn't too powerful, so he could afford to make a mistake or two here.
Dazai let out a chirp of agreement before rushing forward. He tucked underneath him and stuck his tail out like a rudder. The Venonat tilted her head before she leaped into the air effortlessly, dodging the attack with her elegant leap. She landed behind Dazai and shot a sticky String Shot from her mandibles. The white string effortlessly wrapped around Dazai's midsection, constricting his movement. Ash could see Dazai's eyes fill with panic as he realized what was happening. Even though he struggled relentlessly, Ash knew it was futile. Before Ash could think of an order, Venonat had already flung Helioptile into the sky with her string.
"Helioooooo!" Dazai cried out as he sailed through the sea of blue.
Ash felt his mind beginning to go blank, but he forced through it. He needed to act quickly, for Dazai's sake. "Dazai, use Thunder Shock!"
"Hiiii liooooo!" Dazai cried as he let loose a powerful Thunder Shock that enveloped his whole body. Venonat seemed to realize what he was trying to do, and desperately tried to cut the string. But it was too late. The crackling lightning traveled down the gooey string, burning it black and shocking Venonat with the powerful move. The fiber seared away as Helioptile landed on a nearby tree branch, his pants echoing throughout the forest
The pungent scent of something burning filled the air thanks to the charred silk. Venonat seemed dazed and covered with soot, but she was still ready to battle. Her eyes were wide, and she was shifting her gaze to gauge where Dazai would strike next.
Ash grimaced with apprehension. He knew Dazai couldn't lock onto a target with Thunder Shock, so a far away attack would do nothing. Besides, Venonat would probably just dodge it.
"No choice then," Ash muttered. "Dazai, go for a Quick Attack!"
Dazai pressed himself against the tree, before spring forward with tremendous speed. Venonat's antennas twitched, and she easily dodged the attack with a graceful leap. Ash grinned triumphantly as Dazai landed in the spot where she was. She had only landed a few paces away, and it was perfect for a counter assault.
"Thunder Shock!"
Dazai whipped his tail around and striking Venonat. As his thick tail made contact, he electrified himself. Just as Ash had planned, Venonat let out a shrill cry as she was electrocuted by the attack. Her purple fur convulsed as sparks flickered off Venonat's body.
"Ash, it's paralyzed!" Giselle called breathlessly. "Use a Poké Ball now! It's easier to catch!"
Ash turned his cap around and unhooked a ball from his belt and chucked it at the Venonat. "Go, Poké Ball!"
The red and white ball smacked the Pokémon on her face and withdrew her into the confines of the ball. The ball dropped to the ground with a soft thud, and after three shakes it stopped. Ash breathed a sigh of relief. He had expected the catch to be easy, but because Venonat seemed to know what he was going to do, she was able to sidestep his attacks.
Releasing Venonat from her confines, the purple bug was shivering as she shed electricity like fur. Ash's previous disdain for the creature melted away into a desperate desire to care for the little creature. Leaning down, worry creased Ash's face as he looked at the pitful Pokémon. She whined slightly and shivered from the status condition. Ritchie bent down next to Ash and ran his fingers through Venonat's silky fur.
"Hmm… it seems like she can use Cheri Berries and Oran Berries. Actually, everyone could use an Oran Berry at this point. Giselle, can you watch Venonat while Ash and I go looking for berries?" Ritchie asked as he set his bag down. He reached into his bag and pulled a cutting board with handles. Ritchie quickly pulled at the handles and formed a basket. Giselle crossed her arms but had an amiable smile on her face.
"Sure, I can watch the Pokémon while you're gone. I need to feed my starter. He can be a bit... difficult around strangers sometimes." Giselle gave a slightly wry look before turning to her Arcanine. "Dromi, while they're gone, you can get some training done. I'll bring Ren out to start his training."
Dromi gave a growl of approval before bounding deeper into the forest. Ash was a little confused about how he would train alone, but Ritchie knocked him out of his stupor with a nudge.
"Come on, we have berries to gather," Ritchie reminded him as he began to walk into the forest. Sparky darted after him, keeping his gait even and his tail up. Ash shrugged and followed Ritchie, with Dazai falling into line behind him.
As they headed further into the wooded area, Ash began to notice the normally shy Pokémon were beginning to come out in droves. Caterpie and Weedle were slithering around the giant oaks that expanded into the heavens. Pidgey sang from the highest branches, while a small group of Rattata were congregating and sharing food that they had just scavenged. Metapod and Kakuna hung upside down from oak branches while a wild Pinsir was climbing
on the underside of a sturdy tree limb.
Ash felt a strong urge to rush over to the Pinsir and catch it. Pinsir was one of his favorite native Bug-type Pokémon. But, Ash also knew that Dazai was weakened from the battle with Venonat. If he chose to have another battle, odds were good that Dazai might get beaten. Walking under the giant Pinsir, Ash kept his eyes on the pathway. Instead, Ash focused on the nearby sound of a rushing brook. The vegetation was thinning out, and as it did Ash noticed a host of new Pokémon. Ash knew most of them, but there were some he had never seen before.
He could easily recognize the Poliwag, Ratatta, Bellsprout, Oddish, and Nidoran that were darting about. But the rest of the Pokémon were a mystery to him. Pulling out his Pokédex, Ash checked their names only.
Wooper, Bidoof, Lotad, and Corphish.
A cluster of Wooper were gathering leaves from a nearby bush in their mouths. A Corphish glared and snapped at any Pokémon that got too close as it sheltered near a mulberry bush. And a small group of Lotad were soaking up the warm sun rays of the early afternoon sun.
The Bidoof on the other hand was working hard at attacking a tree. A powerful jet of water covered its tail as it lashed out at the sturdy
trunk of a medium-sized tree. Ash couldn't help but watch as it left a deep gash within the tree. Ritchie was staring at the Bidoof, a look of awe spreading across his face.
"Wow, I never thought I would see a Bidoof," Ritchie exclaimed. "Bidoof are common in Sinnoh, but I've never seen one in Kanto. I wonder what such a powerful Pokémon is doing here."
Ash didn't think Bidoof look too powerful. After all, he had watched all sorts of tournaments, and he never saw something like it or even something that looked similar to it. Even on televised matches of Gym Battles, Ash had never encountered one. And he had seen plenty of Ratatta take on Gym Leaders. Perhaps Ritchie was pulling his leg.
"Well, I don't know about powerful," Ash muttered as he watched the Bidoof land on the ground. "It doesn't exactly look like a fighter."
Ritchie chortled. "Bidoof is a good fighter. It's just th
at not many trainers use it because it's fairly common. When you can get a Garchomp, why would you catch a Bidoof?"
Ash cast another glance at the Bidoof as it struck out at the tree with its tail. Even if Ritchie said so, he could never imagine such a happy-go-lucky Pokémon being strong in any circumstance. Shrugging, Ash looked up at the sky to check on their progress. Even though the sun hadn't moved yet, he knew that Giselle probably didn't want to be kept waiting.
"Well, we should get a move on. Giselle won't be happy if we're late," Ash grunted, not wanting to incur their travel partner's wrath.
"Giselle is never happy," Ritchie added wearily. "But you're right. We should get the berries and get out of here."
Ash let out a soft chuckle as he continued to walk. The cool evening breeze felt nice on his skin as he traveled through the forest at a leisurely path. Even though the surrounding Pokémon were leering at him, Ash was too busy thinking about the challenge that laid ahead. His first Gym Battle was coming up, but he had no idea how to prepare.
I could always just ask Ritchie. He seems to know a lot. Ash decided.
"Ritchie, who's the Gym Leader of the town we're going to?" Ash asked.
"Brock. He became a Gym Leader after his mom left him. While she was a Water-type Gym Leader, Brock chose to become a Rock-type Gym Leader. I heard his favorite Pokémon to use are Geodude and Onix, but he can use different Pokémon besides those two," Ritchie explained.
"Rock, huh? Dazai, are you up for a battle?" Ash questioned.
"Helioptile!" Dazai exclaimed, pounding his chest proudly with his open palm.
Ritchie gave him a side-eye, but Ash ignored it. Ash could guess that Ritchie thought that Dazai might be too small or weak to handle Rock-type Pokémon. But, Ash believed that Dazai was ready to handle any opponent. Dazai was already shadow boxing the air as he covered himself in a large dose of electricity. Suppressing a chuckle, Ash turned to continued listening to Ritchie's lesson.
"Brock officially has two-on-two battles, but I've heard that he mainly does three-on-three now. He's probably going to officially change the Gym rules soon. Brock also has all Rock-type Pokémon at his disposal, but he has a preference for Fossil Pokémon. I believe that he will use at least one Fossil Pokémon each battle," Ritchie finished, his arms folded as he was deep in thought.
"Great! Then, I'll see if I can catch one more Pokémon in the forest if it's three-on-three! Although, I'm not sure if Venonat will be any good," Ash
muttered, looking down at the ground.
Venonat was a small and fragile Pokémon. She was good at dodging, but that was it. Ever since Ash caught her, even though he cared for her, he couldn't help but have this nagging feeling that he should release her. It might just be the fact Silver insulted him by calling him a Venonat, but he was unsure of how strong Venonat could become.
"Venonat, like Bulbasaur, is a supportive Pokémon. It can use powder moves to inflict status conditions and support its teammates with Toxic Spikes. When it evolves into Venomoth, it can become a master at aerial combat, even though it's weak to Flying-types," Ritchie said with an even tone.
Ash resisted arguing with Ritchie. He knew what he said was right, but he never did like other support Pokémon besides Bulbasaur. At least Bulbasaur had Toxic, Leech Seed, and Vine Whip, which made it versatile at attacking, defending, and supporting. Vine Whip was an especially very good move to use when it came to defense because it gave Bulbasaur the option to mess with its opponent from afar. He couldn't imagine Venonat having any moves that allowed for area control.
The ground began to slope as Ash and Ritchie came to a different part of the forest. This area was sandier and while Ash could still hear the brook, the sound was softer. As if it was being partially obstructed by the trees that surrounded them. The towering trees held a bounty of berries within their crowns. A gentle blanket of blue wrapped around the grove, and the mellow rays of the sun highlighted the different color berries. Pinks, greens, blues, and red shimmered through the viridian leaves.
Sparky around, stunned by the banquet around him. Ash glanced up at the treetops with Pecha Berries in them, his mouth beginning to water. Ever since he was younger, Pecha Berries were his second favorite berries, right next to Magost. The sweetness of both berries was irresistible, and Ash knew he just had to have some!
"Alright, we found the berries. Sparky, can you get a few? Pick the least blemished Cheri Berries, the red ones, and Oran Berries, the blue ones, you can get please," Ritchie directed. Dipping his head in acknowledgment, Sparky bounded into the tree with the round, blue berries.
Ash craned his neck to watch Sparky at work. The little Pokémon was nimble and easily able to leap from branch to branch without skipping a beat. As the Pikachu began picking Oran Berries, Ash heard a soft buzz cut through the relatively quiet air. Because it was so soft, Ash couldn't pinpoint it. But, it didn't matter since Dazai heard it as well.
Dazai spun around and opened his thrills in an impressive threat display. The malice in his body language made Ash flinch. Dazia looked as if he w
as ready to spit poison at whoever was going to attack them. As the buzzing got louder, Sparky paused his berry picking. Twitching his ears, Sparky suddenly gasped and dropped the berries. The next thing Ash knew, a green blur was heading towards Sparky.
"Sparky!" Ritchie cried, too stunned to do anything as the Pokémon got closer
Ash had no time to think as a command flowed out of his mouth.
"Dazai, Thunder Shock!" Ash yelled.
Dazai let loose a blast of powerful electricity at the Pokémon's back. Unfortunately, it seemed to have sensed the attack and just sped towards the ground. Landing on the ground, the Pokémon in front of them was unmistakably a Scyther. Even though Ash had wanted to catch one before, his thoughts were now drawn to surviving the encounter.
Its black eyes glimmered with anger and it prepared its scythes for battle. Ritchie watched Scyther, but he also glanced to Sparky as it pressed itself to the branch. Sparky was clearly frightened and agitated since his fur was fluffed up. Taking a deep breath, Ritchie returned to gazing at Scyther.
"Thanks for the save. Ash, this grove must belong to Scyther. It's probably protecting its berries." Ritchie
seemed lost in a trance almost as if he couldn't believe how close Sparky came to getting hurt.
Ash gritted his teeth. He knew that they needed to fight, but Ritchie couldn't fight in this condition. As the Scyther lowered its body, Ash instinctively knew time was up to decide what to do. He had to fight now!
"Ritchie, I've got this! Dazai, let's go, buddy!" Ash exclaimed
"Helio!" Dazai cried, charging forward. Scyther didn't change its stance. It only narrowed its eyes and waited for Ash to make the first move.
"Dazai, Thunder Shock!"
Dazai let out a fierce cry as he released a large Thunder Shock, disturbing the air around him. The nearby Pidgey and Spearow let out alarm calls before scattering into the wind. With a graceful leap, Scyther dodged out of the way of the Thunder Shock as if it was nothing. Feeling frustration bubble in his stomach, Ash forced himself to keep from attacking recklessly. He needed a plan.
Dazai had never hit a Quick Attack yet, and Thunder Shock has yet to make a difference in a battle. But, Dazai had gotten better at aiming his Pound. Ash felt a jolt of realization flow through him. He had an idea! Just like the Bidoof used its tail to conduct water, Dazai could make contact with Scyther and then fry it with a Thunder Shock.
As Scyther charged forward with silver glowing blades,
Ash knew his time for thinking was over. Casting away all doubt, Ash decided to test his theory. Even though they had never practiced this move, Ash prayed to any deity that was listening that Dazai would understand his intents.
"Dazai, Pound and Thunder Shock into the Pound!"
Dazai didn't even blink at the order as he ran under the shimmering blades. Ducking under Scyther's thorax, Dazai thrust his scaley tail into the thick carapace. With a look of intense pain, Scyther screeched as a ton of electricity began flowing through its body. Ash mentally cheered as Scyther slumped to the ground, its face contorted in pain.
Dazai skidded to halt and whirled around to face the downed Scyther, bearing his teeth. The Scyther dug its scythes into the ground and hauled itself to its feet shakily. Even though it was injured, it wasn't going to give up without a fight.
But, as Scyther looked at Dazai, its back turned on Ash, it seemed to notice that it was probably outpowered. So, instead, it began to rub its wings together in an intimidation display. An eerie screech vibrated the atmosphere, and Ash
felt his heart leap into his throat. Instinctively, Ash backed away and Dazai lowered his bravado. Narrowing his eyes, Scyther took this opportunity to charge forward, blindsiding both Ash and Dazai. But, Ash recovered quickly enough to give a single order.
"Dazai, Quick Attack!"
Dazai gasped in surprise, but he was too late to react. Scyther slammed its wings into his chest, and as Dazai dropped to the ground, Scyther quickly followed it up by tossing Dazai into the sky with its scythe.
"Hellliooo…" Dazai cried in pain.
Scyther wasted no time climbing into the sky to continue its assault. Ash felt his chest tighten. Up in the sky was Scyther's domain. With Dazai half unconscious, there was no possible recourse of attack. Ash could only watch helplessly as Scyther got closer and closer to Dazai.
As Scyther drew its blade back for another attack, a powerful stream of electricity hit it, knocking it out of the sky. Ash's body moved on its own as he ran forward to catch Dazai. The small Pokémon body crumpled into his arm, and even though he was breathing evenly, it was obvious he couldn't battle without extensive rest for now. Pressing Dazai against his body, Ash watched as the Scyther crashed to the ground. Its body was covered with extensive wounds, and it was breathing heavily. But still, it struggled to its feet to continue the battle.
Ash turned to look at Ritchie who was staring down in surprise. Following his gaze, Ash spotted the same Bidoof from earlier. It stood boldly in front of Ritchie, almost daring Scyther to attack it. Ash heard a soft whirl, and that was the only indication anyone had before Scyther barreled into Bidoof, knocking it to the side.
"Bidoof!" Ritchie called, trying to rush over to it as it rolled onto its side.
"Doof!" Bidoof rebutted, raising her paw to stop him, only to be hit by Scyther's two scythes in rapid succession. It skidded across the floor, and Ash could only watch helplessly as Bidoof struggled to get up. To Ash's surprise, Ritchie called out a command.
"Bidoof, roll!"
Bidoof looked surprised, but she was able to get her senses back and rolled out of the way of another strike. Scyther's pain must have slowed it down just enough that it wasn't able to quickly get another strike off.
"Ash, I'll finish this up! Caterpie, go!" Ritchie called out his Caterpie, who now stood in front of the injured Scyther. The Scyther glared at it, letting out a soft snort at its new opponent. Bidoof took this opportunity to hide behind Ritchie, its whole body shaking like a leaf in the autumn winds.
Caterpie must have felt the same sort of intimidation because she was shivering as well. Ash felt a twinge of pity for Caterpie. It was a tiny Pokémon, and Ritchie was forcing it to match up against a stronger opponent. Seeing that Caterpie's resolve was wavering, Ash decided to intervene.
"Ritchie, remember what Giselle said. Caterpie is a weak Pokémon. There's no way that it can stand up to a Scyther," Ash warned.
"I don't care what she says! Caterpie is my Pokémon, and I know she can do this! Caterpie, String Shot!" Ritchie ordered.
Caterpie flinched but she closed her eyes and let loose a fine string of silk. Scyther easily hopped into the air, dodging it. Raising its claw, it flew closer in, hoping to capitalize on the opening that Caterpie had left.
"Now, Electroweb!"
Caterpie opened her eyes into narrow slits as she raised her head and formed a yellow ball of crackling electricity. As Scyther got closer, Caterpie launched a net at unsuspecting Bug-type Pokémon, entangling in the electrical web.
"Sccyyy!" Scyther cried as it was pinned to the ground by the net, taking occasional shocks as it tried to escape.
Ash winced and felt as if they were being crueler than they needed to be. He knew it had attacked them, but it still was a Pokémon. It feebly collapsed under the weight of the net, and Ash knew he couldn't ignore it anymore. Placing Helioptile on the floor, Ash ran over to the fallen Pokémon.
"Don't worry, I'll get you out of there!" Ash exclaimed as he leaned over Scyther. The Scyther was breathing heavily and it looked up at Ash with a pleading look. All hints of aggression and pride had vanished. All it wanted was the be freed from the net. Ash grimaced, knowing that his idea was going to cause him a lot of pain.
With a deep breath, Ash fastened his fingers around the net. The next thing he felt was his entire body feeling an intense, burning pain. Gritting his teeth, Ash pushed through the pain and tore the net away, causing it to disintegrate.
"Scyther…" Scyther whispered in a tone of disbelief as Ash fell forward onto his hands and knees, breathing heavily. Even though he expected the pain, he was not prepared for the aftereffects. Whatever Caterpie had done, her net was extremely powerful! He felt something rough nudge his face. Startled, Ash let out a shrill scream and fell backward, only to see the Scyther looking down at him with surprise.
"Sorry, you startled me. I wasn't expecting a wild Pokémon to nuzzle me…" Ash stuttered. Scyther titled its head, seemingly confused by something.
"Ash!" Ritchie called out as he ran over, Bidoof right behind him and Dazai within his arms. "That was super reckless! You need to be more careful when it comes to wild Pokémon!"
"I know, but I couldn't stand it suffer," Ash countered, before adding with a smile, "besides, we're buddies now. How is Caterpie doing right now?"
Ash glanced at the little critter as she crawled forward, holding her head up high.
"She's fine," Ritchie said as Caterpie finally caught up to him and nuzzled his leg. "Aw, aren't you happy? Oh, right! You still need a nickname! How about Happy?"
"Pie! Caterpie! Pie!" she cheered, bouncing up and down and flailing her little nubs for arms. As she did, she began to glow a bright silver. Ash was startled upward, his eyes shimmering with excitement. This was the first time he saw an evolution in person, and he couldn't believe that a Pokémon could evolve after its first battle.
Caterpie slowly began to morph into a Metapod. Her body was elongated into a cocoon Pokémon with a tapered head and tail end. Taking out his Pokédex, Ash checked out the information on Metapod.
Metapod, the Cocoon Pokémon. Its shell is as hard as an iron slab. A Metapod does not move very much because it is preparing its soft innards for evolution inside the shell. Its shell is filled with a thick liquid. All of the cells throughout its body are being rebuilt in preparation for evolution. It's been known to break, so intense battles with it should be avoided. This specimen reached this stage faster than any previously discovered Pokémon of this variety. It has learned Harden.
"So, Pokémon can evolve at different rates, huh. Hey, Bidoof, why did you help us?" Ash asked as he watched the small Pokémon peer from behind Ritchie. She stared at the ground, running her claws through the dirt in embarrassment.
"I think she wanted to protect us," Ritchie surmised as he returned Happy. "Or she wanted to test out her moves."
"She?!" Ash was stunned that Ritchie could sex Bidoof without looking at his Pokédex.
"Yeah, Bidoof is a girl. You can tell because she only has three tail stubs instead of four. Males will always have four tail stubs."
Ash looked at Bidoof with a dumbfounded look. He hadn't known that Pokémon had difference
s based on gender. Did Scyther look different based on gender? He gazed at it and even though he had seen many different Scyther, he couldn't pinpoint any differences about them. Their wings all looked the same, and their coloring was always the same. Giving up on trying to answer the question himself, Ash turned to Ritchie.
"Hey, does Scyther have any gender differences?" Ash asked as he rose to his feet, patting off the dirt that had accumulated on his pants.
"Yeah. This Scyther is male since it has a short thorax. Hey, Sparky, can you get a bunch of Oran Berries please? Extra for the Scyther?" Ritchie called. Sparky let out a cry of acknowledgment and Ash could hear the Electric-type Pokémon working to knock berries out of the trees. "Okay, let's relax while Sparky works on that."
Ash grunted in agreement as he sat down beside a tree, tiredness beginning to set in. Ritchie sat beside him and placed Dazai in Ash's lap. Although Dazai seemed okay and was just sleeping, Ash couldn't help but be a little anxious. Dazai, for all his confidence, didn't seem to be a battling Pokémon. The only battle he won so far was because Giselle had made a misstep in assuming his ability. He was slowly getting better, yes, but it felt as if Dazai wasn't as good as Pikachu with his electrical attacks. Even Happy had better accuracy with Electroweb.
Ash was broken away from his thoughts by a loud thud. Looking up from Dazai, he noticed that Bidoof was kicking a nearby tree, and sending Pecha Berries flying everywhere. A few rolled close to Ash and Ritchie. Letting out a pleased sound, Bidoof padded over to Ritchie and picked up a Pecha Berry. Putting it in his lap, she smiled and kicked her hind paw over the ground.
"Oh, thank you Bidoof," Ritchie said, blinking in surprise. Bidoof nudged Ritchie softly, letting out a soft chirp. "Do you want to come with us on our journey?"
"Doof." Bidoof nodded. With a soft smile, Ritchie picked up the Pecah Berry and tore it in half. Ash knew Pecha Berries were soft, but he didn't think they were so easy to break in half.
"To our new friendship." Ritchie handed half of the Pecha Berry and dusted off his half. At the same time, both Ritchie and Bidoof took a bite of the Pecha Berry. Taking in the heartwarming scene, Ash took out his Pokédex to scan Bidoof.
Bidoof, the Plump Mouse Pokémon. With nerves of steel, nothing can perturb it. It is more agile and active than it appears. A comparison revealed that Bidoof's front teeth grow at the same rate as Rattata's. It constantly gnaws on logs and rocks to whittle down its front teeth. It nests alongside the water. This Bidoof is female and its ability is Simple, which makes it so stat changes increase or decrease exponentially i.e. Skull Bash gives an extra boost to its defense, while Play Nice gives an extra decrease to attack. It knows the moves Skull Bash, Tackle, Defense Curl, Rollout, Growl, Headbutt, Charge Beam, Quick Attack, Aqua Tail, Shadow Ball, Rock Climb, Mud Sport, and Odor Sleuth. Its recommended move set is Skull Bash, Tackle, Defense Curl, and Rollout. This Bidoof has no trainer yet.
"Wow, that's one cool Pokémon despite her looks. I'm pretty sure she could have taken on Scyther and won if it really wanted to," Ash said. He heard Scyther let out a soft hiss of disagreement.
"True, Scyther is weak to Rollout and Charge Beam. Not to mention, she has some powerful moves such as Skull Bash. She probably was released from a breeding program. It would explain why she's so friendly," Ritchie explained as he unhooked a Poké Ball from his belt and tapped it on Bidoof's head. The ball didn't even bother to wiggle as it clicked shut and gave its signature jingle to let the trainer know a Pokémon was caught.
Ritchie released her, and Bidoof looked up at him with a warm smile. "Hm… now what to name you…? Well, you're cute and plump and know Rollout, so… What about Koro-koro?"
Bidoof eyes sparkled with joy, and she chirped in agreement. Ash felt that Ritchie could have just named her Rollie, but he wasn't complaining. He still needed to come up with a good name for Venonat. Even if he was still a little lukewarm on her species, Ash didn't know what his Venonat was capable of. And giving her a good name was the perfect bonding exercise.
"What do you think will be a good name for Venonat?" Ash asked.
Ritchie shrugged. "I'm not sure. She looks rather alien if I'm being honest."
The word 'alien' made Ash think of the perfect name. "I've got it! Kaguya! I'll tell her about it when we get back!"
"Pikachu!" Sparky's call drew Ash's attention. He had almost forgotten the little rodent was still collecting berries. Pikachu stood on a branch proudly carried a bundle of Oran Berries and Cheri Berries in his tail. In his paw was a large Oran Berry with a bite taken out of it. The silky fur around his mouth was covered in blue berry stains and chunks of Oran Berry stuck to his coat. Sparky soon finished eating the rest of his berry
"Great, put them in the basket." Ritchie placed the basket on the ground, and Sparky quickly scurried out of the tree. As soon as he hit the ground, Pikachu deposited his findings into the basket.
The basket was full of ripe, juicy-looking berries that didn't have a hint of blemish. A sweet scent wafted from the basket, making Ash's mouth water with anticipation. Ash was about to take one when he felt Scyther shift slightly, perhaps a little uncomfortable at the sight of his berries being taken. Suppressing a pity smile, Ash took an Oran Berry and offered it to Scyther.
"Here, take it." Ash offered the berry to Scyther, who looked at it wearily. "I'm sorry for attacking you, but you did leave us any choice. Scyther, since you're strong, I think you should use your strength to protect the forest, not chase people away from berries."
Scyther shook his head and blinked. He seemed to want to communicate something to Ash, but neither of them shared a common language. With his shoulders sagging, Scyther just softly nodded and took the Oran Berry with his scythes.
He slowly began to bite into the Oran Berry, savoring its juices and the healing powers that it held. Ash felt Dazai stir as he began to come to. His big blue eyes opened slowly as he slowly stood up. Ash felt a twinge of joy that Dazai was now awake. It meant he could eat the berries until he was fully recovered.
"Tillleee," he yawned in contentment as he hopped away from Ash and took an Oran Berry from the basket. He bit into it and gave a heavenly smile before he continued to chow down on the berry.
Ash and Ritchie relaxed under the tree while the Pokémon ate their fill of the berries. Once everyone was done, Scyther took and disappeared into the forest. Even though Ash wanted to capture it, he knew better than to take a wild Pokémon who could protect the forest. If some nefarious people entered Viridian Forest, strong Pokémon would be the only Pokémon who could protect the forest. After Scyther was out of sight, Ritchie double-checked the numbers of berries.
"Alright, we should have enough. I even made sure to get Giselle some Pecah Berries as an apology for being so late." Once Ritchie was done, he returned Happy and Koro-koro to their Poké Balls and they left the area.
XOXOXOX
The sun was now past the highest point in the sky, meaning it past twelve. Dazai was relaxing on Ash's shoulder, fanning out his frills to enjoy the morning sun. Sparky was snacking on a spare Oran Berry as he followed after Ritchie on his hind paws. As they made their way back to camp, Ash remembered that Giselle had a Pokémon who seemed to be wary of others. Taking that into account, Ash decided to announce their presence.
"Giselle, we're back!" Ash yelled, cupping his hands just to make sure she heard them.
"Okay! Saito, return!" Ash could hear Giselle call back her Pokémon and he even saw a flash of red light.
As they entered the clearing, Ash saw that Giselle was sitting on a rock, petting her Cubone. Dromi was grooming Venonat, who was still partially paralyzed. There were no more visible sparks, but she still seemed hard-pressed to move.
"Hey, Giselle, you'll never guess what happened today!" Ash shouted excitedly.
"I don't think I can, but I feel like you're going to tell me," she said cheekily, but the smile on her face showed that she didn't mind. Taking that as an okay, Ash continued.
"Well, we got the berries, but you won't believe what we had to do to get them!" Ash said before recanting the tale to her. Her eyes went wide as she heard that Ritchie's Caterpie evolved, and he caught a new Pokémon. "And the Scyther was so cool! I wish I could have caught it, but it's not right to take a strong Pokémon from its habitat. For an ecosystem to thrive, strong Pokémon need to be around to protect the forest."
Giselle nodded in agreement. "It seems you had quite the adventure. Anyways, Ash, don't go pulling off any Electroweb again. It's dangerous and you could have been seriously hurt!"
Giselle's light scolding made Ash's face flush red. He knew what he had done was reckless, but he probably would have done it again if given the option. He loved Pokémon too much to just abandoned them when it put himself at risk.
"Okay, I can see in your eyes you didn't take what I said seriously. Just, be careful next time and think a little. Electoweb would have eventually dissipated anyways, so your gesture was meaningless." Giselle let out a sigh. "Onto happier things: once Happy evolves, you can have her teach Sparky and Dromi Electroweb since they can both learn it."
"Helio!" Dazai chimed in agreement.
Ash wished he could share in Dazai's cheer, but he knew that Dazai still hasn't gotten the hang of the moves he already knew. It would be next to impossible for Dazai to learn how to use Electroweb effectively. Seemingly sensing Ash's doubt, Dazai nudged Ash's face, trying to get him to cheer up. And he was the only one to do so. Ren, the Cubone who was in Giselle's lap, hopped down to nuzzle his skull head against Ash's leg.
Ash was taken aback by the display of affection coming from Ren, but Giselle just took it in stride.
"Hm, it seems he likes someone," Giselle teased, a playful smile on her face. "Ren, what do you think of Ash as a trainer?"
"Cubone!" Ren cried, gripping Ash's leg into a hug. Giselle gave a placating smile as she tilted her head.
"It seems like he thinks you'll make a great trainer. They say that baby Pokémon are good at judging who will be a good Pokémon Trainer. Of course, no one will be as good as I will be," Giselle said. Ren leered at her, which surprised Ash. He thought Ren would agree with her since he was her Pokémon.
Ritchie scoffed at Giellse's comment but ignored her for the most part as he feeds Dromi and Venonat their share of berries. Sparky was now wandering around at the edge of the clearing. Upon seeing Sparky, Ren let go of Ash and waddled towards him. The Electric-type sparked in greeting and patted Ren on his head.
As Ash made his way over to Ritchie to prepare to leave, the harsh sound of wings slapping against the air drew his attention upwards. A blur of golden-brown flew within a tree, seemingly disappearing within the forest of green. What was that? Was that a Flying-type?
Shrugging, Ash went back to preparing to leave. As Ash bent down to fix his bag, Dazai slid off his shoulder and scurried towards the edge of the forest. Even though Ash was a little apprehensive about Dazai running off, he knew it was Dazai's choice. Forcing a Pokémon to stay against their will was impossible, especially since they could just break their Poké Ball. Not to mention, Dazai deserved to have a little freedom every once and a while.
"Dazai, if you want to go exploring, you can. Just make it quick since we need to leave," Ash said.
"Helioptile!" Dazai barked before darting into the brush. Sparky and Ren followed suit, much to the chagrin of their respective trainers.
XOXOXOX
Dazai crashed through the foliage as he tried to find the area which had smelled like a meeting place for wild Pokémon. He had scented it earlier, but he was unable to deviate from his path since he was with Ash. But, now that he had a few extra minutes to explore, he wanted to take this time to hear the local gossip.
Sparky was only a few paces behind him, with Ren bringing up the rear. Honestly, Dazai didn't know why they came, but he wasn't complaining. If they wanted to come with him, he would welcome it. As they left the safety of the dense foliage, Sparky moved closer to Dazai, a nostalgic smile on his face. Dazai flicked his tail, knowing a story about his time here when he was young was coming.
"You know, my parents live around here," Sparky chirped. "I was separated from them when I was younger and the burrow collapsed."
His eyes glazed over with sadness, but he still held a smile. Dazai sighed, deciding that they could catch two Pidgey with one ball by visiting his family.
"Well, we have a few minutes. We can visit them if you want," Dazai offered. Even though he wanted to speak to wild Pokémon in the area, he wasn't going to deny Sparky the opportunity to see his lost parents. Sparky's ears perked up and he beamed.
"Thanks, Dazai! I'll see if I can sniff them out!" Sparky exclaimed as he darted away.
Shaking his head, Dazai padded over to Ren. He was waiting in the back, his eyes shining as he looked around at his surroundings.
"Ren, we're going to see if we can visit Sparky's parents," Dazai announced. Ren glanced up with a smile.
"Okay!" Ren chirped. "Do you think-" Ren was cut off by a shrill screech of anger. Dazai immediately recognized it as Sparky's voice.
"Sparky!" Dazai yelled, spinning around on his heels. He hesitated for a moment before he broke into a run. His black claws plucked delicate grass from its roots as he threw himself into the underbrush which had swallowed Sparky.
Blood pounded in Dazai's ears as he ducked over any thick shrubbery that impeded his path. Dazai didn't know what was around him anymore as he scrambled through the torrent of greenery. His breath caught in his throat as Sparky's scent hit his nose. There were at least five other scents, with four of them being hostile.
As Dazai leaped from the underbrush, he saw that Sparky was being pushed back by four Pokémon. No, not pushed back, Dazai realized with a jolt of fear. Sparky was protecting a Pokémon! The opposing Pokémon were a varied group, which meant they probably weren't from the surrounding forest.
Among them were an Ekans and Koffing. They stood out because the trainer that had raised Dazai from an egg had a special distaste for them. Among the group was a large Spearow. Her head was cocked up and she gave off an air of superiority. Her scent told Dazai that she was the same Spearow from the other day. She obviously didn't know the meaning of the word "give up."
Finally, there was a Pokémon that Dazai had been trained to hate: Litwick. Litwick were known to take souls to the underworld, especially young trainers. This particular one seemed to have a brighter flame than most Litwick; an indication that she absorbed a baby Pokémon or a human child's soul. Or at least led their souls into the Ghost World.
Dazai felt his scales shiver with anger. Litwick was too close to Ash and the others. If she were to get closer to camp, she might go after them. Steeling himself to prepare for a fight, Dazai galloped towards Sparky.
As the Ekans slithered closer to the helpless Pikachu, Dazai launched himself beside Sparky. He covered his whole body in an electric threat display, making the Ekans think twice. The Ekans raised his head before slinking back into his ranks. Once back in the safety of his numbers, he glared at Dazai with his chilling yellow eyes. He flicked his bright pink tongue out, showing his contempt for Dazai. Dazai returned the contempt with a loud snort.
It was the Litwick who spoke first.
"Oh my, my, it seems like this Pikachu has a friend. But, they should honestly give up. We outnumber them," Litwick said a devious smile on her face. "If they want to continue fighting, we'll have no choice but to take them to the bosses!"
Spearow's eyes showed with malicious joy. "Alright, that sounds good to me! I still owe them for that attack the other day!"
Dazai let out a loud hiss, preparing for a battle. Even though he didn't have much experience fighting, and his electricity control was horrible, he wasn't going to let anyone push him around. And he certainly wasn't going to let Sparky handle this alone. A rustling bush signaled that someone else was coming.
"Hey, Sparky, Dazai! You two left! Why... huh? Why are you here?" Ren asked as he toddled over to Sparky and Dazai. His eyes were locked on Litwick, and Dazai tilted his head in confusion. Did those two ever meet? They couldn't have. Ren had just hatched.
Seeing that all eyes were glued on her, Litwick's flame flickered slightly.
"Oh, it's nothing you lot should be worrying yourself with. We met when Ren was still an egg. Team Rocket gifted his egg to that school as a way to gain their favor. I happened to be the one carrying it at the time," Litwick explained, her voice soft. Even though it was a plausible story, it wasn't believable. Ren's eyes were full of fear and loathing, not just recognition. If her story was true, she was leaving something out.
Even Ekans and Koffing exchanged a look of doubt. But, Spearow was just flapping her wings to show her irritation. She didn't seem to care about the story or anything besides getting her battle.
"Who cares?! We have a battle to get on with! The longer we stand here chattering like Chatot, the more likely it is we're going to lose our quarry!" she squawked. "I say we beat them, and take them all back to the bosses."
"Even though birdbrain over there is annoying, she's right," Ekans grumbled.
Hie rattled his tail fiercely as he lifted his head off the ground. Swaying to and fro, Ekans prepared to strike. A crushing tension filled the air as Dazai steeled himself for a battle. Adrenaline surged throughout his little body as he glared at his enemies. Bunching his claws underneath his body, Dazai kept himself poised to dodge out of the way of a sudden strike.
As Ekans prepared to lunge forward, a shadow covered the battlefield, stopping everyone dead in their tracks. The new scent brought information on the mysterious Pokémon. It was a male, strong, young, about a year or so, and very aggressive. Ekans flicked his tongue out before coiling back, his instincts preventing him from leaving the safety of a group.
The Flying Pokémon landed with a soft thud. At first, Dazai couldn't make it out due to being surprised. But, as he came to his senses, Dazai shivered with fear.
He was a small bird with a fluffy white mane surrounding his golden-brown feather. He stood on bulky legs that looked as if they could easily grind rocks to a fine powder. His white tail fan was raised in warning, and he kept his head held high to signify his power.
"Leave. Poachers are not allowed in my forest," the mystery Pokémon chirped quietly.
Ekans let out a soft chortle of laugher. "Yes, like a little Flying-type can stop us. What? Are you going to fight us all at once?"
Unlike Ekans, Litwick seemed to take the Pokémon's threat seriously. She backed away, her eyes betraying her nervousness. "Ekans. That's the Guardian of Viridian Forest. In case you forgot the gossip from earlier, this is a Pokémon whose well known for his intelligence and strength. He's a Rufflet who's known to outwit and outmuscle poachers."
Ekans swung his head around to Litwick, his voice teasing. "Sounds like you're scared. Are you really a part of Team Rocket if you're so easily intimidated?"
"Ekans, we got those two Pikachu. That Pichu is useless to humans at that age. I suggest we cut our losses and get back to our trainers," Litwick replied calmly, not falling for Ekans taunts. Shifting his yellow eyes between Litwick and Rufflet, the Ekans let out a lengthy hiss.
"Fine, we'll fall back," Ekans grumbled as he fell to the floor. Koffing seemed to sigh in relief while Spearow bounded into the air, the bitter scent of anger flowing from her.
"Are you kidding?! Are you seriously afraid now that the fight is even?" she bellowed as she punched the air with her talons.
Ekans was already slithering away, with Litwick quickly hopping after him.
"If you want to battle that Rufflet alone, be our guest!" Ekans called back as he disappeared into the brush. Spearow glared after Ekans, but she kept quiet as she followed after him and Litwick. Koffing floated away harmlessly, not even bothering to look at Rufflet.
Once the Pokémon were out of sight, Rufflet turned to Dazai with calm eyes. Dazai let out a breath that he didn't even notice he was holding.
"Thanks for saving us back there!" thanked Ren. "But, why did you do it?"
Rufflet looked past them and towards the curled-up Pichu that Sparky was protecting. Dazai followed his gaze. The Pichu's eyes were shut tight, and its fur was short and coarse. A sweet milk scent clung to its tiny fur, and its scent told Dazai it was a female. She seemed to be about half the size of a normal Pichu.
"Little Cheri was supposed to be with her parents for about two more weeks, but the thieves took them. I couldn't allow them to take her as well," Rufflet muttered. "Thanks for protecting her. I guess it's up to me to find a foster family for her."
Sparky ambled in front of the Pichu. His black eyes were staring at the ground as he pawed at the grass. He seemed to get smaller as he spoke. The scent of sadness flooded from Sparky.
"I can take care of her with the help of my trainer," Sparky said.
Rufflet tilted his head. "Trainer? Trainers don't know anything about Pokémon. Sure, they care about Pokémon in the abstract, but only the abilities. It's easy to see with trainers who try to use the Poké Ball as a tool for discipline. They don't understand that Pokémon are supposed to like the device. They just use any tool available to them to force a Pokémon to listen to them."
Sparky flicked his ear, a grim frown on his face. "I'm afraid of Poké Balls because of a cave-in that separated me from my parents. But, Ritchie would never force me into one."
Dazai nodded in agreement.
"And Ash cares a lot about Pokémon. He even helped out a Scyther who attacked us without catching it," Dazai pointed out. "Pichu is going to be in good hands. And if the humans begin to think about how to make her battle, I'll give them a good shocking."
Rufflet closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "Fine, I'll believe you for now. I'll keep watching over you guys until you reach Pewter City." With a thrust of his wings, Rufflet created a powerful gust of air. Dazai pressed himself to the ground as the resulting debris scraped against his scale. "Oh, and Dazai, I saw the whole Scyther incident. Ash intrigues me. He helped Scyther without any thought to his well-being. He didn't even move to capture it. Most trainers would think that he owed them for being kind. But, Ash didn't. Why do you think Ash did that?"
The intense tone of voice from Rufflet made Dazai confused. What did Rufflet think of Ash? Dazai hesitated for a moment before speaking. "Well, he said he wouldn't take a strong Pokémon from the forest because it would basically weaken the forest. I think Ash loves Pokémon, and he honestly wouldn't want to harm Pokémon or the ecosystem they live in. Why do you ask?"
Rufflet closed his eyes and tilted his head downwards.
"A while ago, I used to belong to a trainer. He was intelligent, but he was also cruel and he hid his cruelty with kindness. A loner by nature, he believed he was superior to others because he won all of his battles. When he tried to force me to submit to him, I broke my Pokéball and fled. That day, I made a promise. I promised myself I would never fall for false kindness again, and I would only join with a trainer who proved himself to be a master of Pokémon," Rufflet said, opening his eyes. "Dazai, do you mind if I test Ash?"
Dazai shook his head. "No, he'll probably pass. He's not strong now, but I believe he'll grow. But, what exactly does it mean to be a master of Pokémon to you?"
"It means to trust them wholeheartedly, no matter what. To believe they have something important to say. Only then can someone really be a master of Pokémon in my eyes," Rufflet explained. "Strong, weak, it doesn't matter to me. The ability to grow from others will make you strong in my opinion."
Dazai sniffed the air in agreement. With a quick nod goodbye, Rufflet flew into the trees. Dazai watched until the last of the white tailfeathers disappeared into the sea of green leaves.
Sparky let out a long sigh and Dazai shifted his focus to him. The Pikachu seemed half-defeated as his tails and ears drooped. Ren was staring off into the distance, his black eyes zoning in and out. Dazai hesitated, thinking that he should say something to him. But, he decided Sparky seemed more desponded. Creeping closer to Sparky, Dazai made sure to keep a neutral body language.
"Sparky, we'll do our best to get your parents back," Dazai encouraged, forcing a smile. Sparky glanced at him and gave a slow flick of his tail.
"They're lost, Dazai. I'm not so delusional to think we'll get them back. So, the last of my family is the Pichu," Sparky muttered as he nuzzled his sister. She squirmed under his touch. Ren seemed to snap out of his own stupor and tried to cheer him up by waving his stubby arms.
"Come on, don't be like that Sparky! Once we get her back home, she'll be in the best hands ever! Our trainers love Pokémon and would help any Pokémon in need," Ren enthused as he waved his stubby arms around.
Sparky gave a sharp nod. "Of course, Ren. Come, let's get her back home."
Sparky picked the fragile Pichu by the nape of her neck. Her whole body dangled helplessly as he darted into the brush. Dazai darted after him but halted when he noticed Ren wasn't following. Whirling around, Dazai spotted Ren gazing absentmindedly towards a bush.
"Ren, is something wrong?" Dazai inquired, a little bit curious about his friend's unusual habits. Flinching, the Cubone shook his head and ran to catch up to Dazai.
"No, nothing is wrong! I was just thinking!" Ren cooed. Dazai shot him a skeptical look but continued forward. He didn't need to pester Ren.
XOXOXOX
Ash was surprised when he saw Sparky vaulting out of the bushes with a weak-looking Pichu hanging from his mouth. Dazai and Ren were close behind, a sheepish look on Dazai's face. Ren waddled over to Ash and wormed his tiny arms around his leg.
"Um, hey Ren." Ash fumbled over his words, taken aback by the sudden affection Ren was showing. Giselle and Ritchie finally seemed to notice the Pokémon had returned.
"Huh? What's Sparky doing with that Pokémon?" Giselle asked as she bent down to meet Sparky. "Oh, it's a Pichu. A tiny one. Ash, have you ever seen a Pokémon this tiny?" Her voice was full of surprise and wonder, as if she had never seen a premie Pokémon before.
Ash nodded. "Yeah. Professor Oak took in a lot of wild Pokémon, and sometimes he'd take in premature Pokémon. Pokémon with their eyes closed usually drink milk from their mother."
Ritchie seemed to realize something. "Oh, maybe its parents abandoned it and that's why Sparky picked it up. I once heard that Pokémon are born underdeveloped when they are cared for by a parent Pokémon."
Sparky nodded.
"That's all nice and good, but, we don't have milk," Giselle pointed out. "Without milk, Pichu won't be able to survive for very long."
Ash piped up. For once, he knew exactly what they needed to do. "We still have some berries left over. Pichu can survive off of those for at least a day, and we're not far from Pewter City. Once we get there, we can decide what to do with Pichu."
"Okay, but who's going to look after it?" Ritchie pressed.
"I'll look after it!" Giselle volunteered. Ritchie and Ash exchanged a look of surprise. Ash didn't expect her to be the one to take on the responsibility. Seeing the need to explain herself, she continued. "It's because I'm clearly the least experienced when it comes to on-hands Pokémon knowledge. I can tell you every Pokémon's attack, evolution, typing, weakness, and resistance, but when it comes to actual Pokémon habits, I seem to be less experienced than you. Both Ritchie and you were able to rattle off your experience with these things, but I have none. So, I want to fix that knowledge deficiency."
Ash smiled. "Sure, I can help you, Giselle. Since I'm a little more experienced, it's best if we do it together."
Ash didn't know if he was overstepping, but he only wanted to help. To his surprise, Giselle nodded.
"Normally, I wouldn't accept help from newbie trainers, but I'm wise enough to know that sometimes I need help. You may now bask in my infinite humility and wisdom," Giselle said, but Ash could tell she was at least half-joking this time.
"Great, let's look at Pichu's information." Ash took out his Pokédex to check Pichu.
Pichu, the Tiny Mouse Pokémon. Pichu charges itself with electricity more easily on days with thunderclouds or when the air is very dry. You can hear the crackling of static electricity coming off this Pokémon. It is not yet skilled at storing electricity. It may send out a jolt if amused or startled. It plays with others by touching tails and setting off sparks. This appears to be a test of courage. When Pichu plays with others, it may short out electricity with another Pichu, creating a shower of sparks. In that event, this Pokémon will begin crying, startled by the flash of sparks. Despite its small size, it can zap even adult humans. This Pichu is female and its ability is Lightning Rod, which draws in all Electric-type moves and raises Pichu's Special Attack. It knows the moves Thunder Shock, Tail Whip, Thunder Punch, Tickle, Volt Tackle, Fake Out, Wish, Disarming Voice, Electric Terrain, and Present. Its recommended move set is Thunder Shock, Tail Whip, Fake Out, and Disarming Voice. This Pichu has no trainer yet. This Pichu is two weeks old and still requires milk; its eyes are due to open in two days.
Ritchie's eyes widened in surprise. "That close to Sparky's move set when I first checked him. Besides the moves Sparky learned when he evolved into a Pikachu, that's an exact copy. Sparky, is she your sister?"
Sparky nodded. Ash was taken aback by how quickly Ritchie figured that out.
"Oh, how wonderful. Anyways, we should probably get going soon. The sun might be high in the sky now, but it's going to set before we know it. And when it does, we shouldn't risk moving around too much," Giselle said.
Ritchie and Ash both nodded in agreement. Giselle picked up Pichu and placed the baby Pokemon into her bag, with the zipper partially opened. Once everyone was finished preparing themselves, Ash led the way to Pewter City.
A/N: Well, next chapter, Ash will get his final Pokémon for now. After his second badge, he'll catch more. This took so long for so many reasons, and I still am not satisfied with this chapter, but I'll redo it later. I just want this finished to start the next chapter.