The wayside greenery danced with the soft breeze flowing through the air. With the stage light of midday sun illuminating the performance, it appeared that the audience wasn't actually paying attention. Rather than focus on the sway of the grass and leaves, the walking crowd's gazes regularly shifted from one another to forward on the worn path they were walking on.
Cream, pink floral patterned dress fluttering with the wind, a beautiful brunette woman looked down at the small boy holding her hand at her side.
Matching her pace with his own sandaled feet, the raven haired 5 year old in beige tank top and jean shorts hummed a happy tune, one likely made up right on the spot.
Even beneath the shade of her sun hat, Delia Ketchum's warm smile could have lit any dark place. Such is the happiness of being a parent. As the widely spaced buildings and trees of their rural town passed them by, words began to fill the comfortable silence between them.
"Hey mom, what kind of pokemon will be at the circus?" the boy asked curiously.
"I'm not sure sweetie. There's a lot of different kinds in the world, so any of them could be there." Delia answered truthfully.
Throwing his free hand up in excitement, Ash exclaimed, "I hope there's something cool like a Magmar or a Blastoise!"
A small frown passed onto Delia's face. "I'd prefer you not hang around those kinds of pokemon. At least not until you're older."
Sporting a large smile, Ash said, "Aww mom, I'd be careful, promise. Hey, we're here!"
Looking up from her son's face, Delia was soon staring at an enormous and classic red tent to the side of the road. 'Cirque du Solrock' was emblazoned in whimsical golden letters in front of it. Sidecars of all sorts of colors and decorations surrounded the big top, creating a fairground like appearance that led any and all customers toward the entrance.
Many of Pallet Town's residents were either walking in or chatting amicably by these carts. As the mother and child were making their way to the entrance, they were suddenly stopped by 2 figures jumping in front of them. Literally.
A lithe man—dressed ridiculously in purple shoes, pink suspenders, a violet collard shirt, white gloves, and oversized red bowtie with white polka dots—posed in celebration with arms spread wide. On his face sat a classic white clown mask with eye smiles and a big red smile for a mouth. At his side, mirroring his pose to the letter, was a face painted and festival decorated Wartortle.
It took a second to get over the pure shock of 2 figures suddenly leaping in front of you before the Ketchum family was able to read the situation. Another second had the man kneeling in front of Ash.
When Ash moved to stand a bit more behind Delia, the clown waved his hands frantically in front of him in apology. Then he reached behind to pull out a red ball. The clown presented the palm-sized ball in his right hand like a great treasure. Then he threw it in the air.
And then caught it in his hand.
And then threw it again.
And then caught it in his hand.
And then threw it again.
And it disappeared in his hand.
Swaying his hand to and fro, the clown showed the family that the ball was indeed gone. Ash, Delia, and even the Wartortle had a face of awe on. Their surprise however, was soon interrupted.
The Wartortle adopted a confused look and began patting it's shell all over. The 3 human's eyes went straight to look at the turtle's odd behavior. Suddenly, the shelled pokemon retracted its arms and head, leaving only a standing shell. The humans drew closer to the partially hidden turtle.
"WARTORTLE!"
With confetti flying out of its holes, the Wartortle popped its head and arms out of its shell. On its face were a large smile and the red ball it was wearing as a nose.
Childlike laughter filled the air as Ash was soon clapping at the trick. Delia joined in not long after with her own chuckles and light applause. Sharing a glance and smirk, the clown and Wartortle took a bow and stepped to the side. With arms at waist level, the duo gestured to the entrance, inviting the two into the red tent ahead. The Ketchums accepted the invitation and walked onward.
Just as they were about to head inside, Ash turned and waved at the clown and his Wartortle. His gesture wasn't lost as they both waved back. When he finally did turn back around, the sight of the big top amazed him.
People he'd seen in town were sitting on bleachers surrounding a giant stage ring. Near the enormous ceiling of the tent hung multi colored stage lights. In the stage ring stood a single man.
Just as they took their seats right on the cusp of the ring, the stage lights went out. Total darkness one second. The next: the lights shined on, illuminating the very center of the circle. Standing tall and proud in it was the ringmaster.
A maroon tailcoat striped vertically in white covered arms spread straight and wide. Black dress pants stood straight and led up to a white button up sealed with a red tie. A large handle bar mustached smile stretched on the man's face as a maroon stove top hat rested above it.
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. I suggest you hang on to your seats. For this… is the greatest show on the planet!" Just as the last word left his mouth, the stage came to life.
Sparklers the size of geysers breathed their tiny flares all around the arena, illuminating the massive tent in a buzzing of rainbow. Swarms of green, blue, and even purple flew alongside the common yellow sparks as the tiny fireflies flowed and scattered as if guided by the wind itself.
The sudden shift in luminosity had the entire audience jump back in shock, only to lean forward in amazement and awe at the sight. Ash and Delia were no exception as the smiles on their face told of their interest.
What followed was a show that thrilled the hearts of all in attendance. Contortionists mirrored the impossible movements of their Bellsprouts. Acrobats danced in the air alongside Mankey and Aipom in the trapeze. A strong man lifted the acrobats at the same time as his Machoke lifted him. It was an incredible series of acts and at no time did a face fall in disappointment. And then it was the clown's turn.
Once their act was finished, the strong man and Machoke hefted a very large green box to the center of the ring. The thing was easily the size of a double-door refrigerator, and was decorated in yellow stars on all sides. Attached to its side was a crank proportional to its massive size. The audience stared in confusion as nobody made a move to do anything with it.
Then, unicycling in with a face painted Wartortle, all the while juggling 5 multicolored balls, was a very pink and masked clown. The clown and turtle paid no attention the box in the center, instead cycling around the stage, tilting their heads in sync with the whimsical music playing. It was only when the clown made a turn did they notice the cube. A little too late.
The duo slammed into the thing, colored spheres and unicycles rolling away from them. When they finally peeled themselves off of it, the clown tilted his head and scratched it with one hand in confusion. The Wartortle had its arms crossed with its head titled as well. They then circled the box, examining the thing from top to bottom.
When they finally reached the crank, the clown snapped his fingers. The Wartortle looked up at his effeminately colored friend, expecting an answer. The clown then made a motion of winding something up, like one would to for an old film projector, with his right hand. Then he put both hand together and shot them out in celebration as he popped up from a bend at the knees.
Getting a nod of understanding and thumbs up from his little friend, the clown grabbed the large silver bar. His tortoise partner joined him. They then began cranking it, the box making a familiar tune to their movements. It was several turns and notes later that they reached the end of their cranking and the thing was stuck.
The two waited with hands on hips as nothing happened for a few seconds. They moved closer, examining the box's top. They leaned their heads forward.
"DRAPION!"
Out of the box exploded a large, purple ogre pokemon. With a large green nightcap resting on its head, and a pillow tucked beneath its left arm, the Drapion swiveled around, face in an irritated snarl. Its eyes met the sight of a very pink clown and a turtle, both staring at it with backsides to the floor. What followed next was a chase scene the likes of only television cartoons would know.
Arms raised up high in panic, the clown and Wartortle sprinted away from the thoroughly pissed off scorpion. Reaching the stage exit reserved for the cast, the trio disappeared into the blackness only to return the next second. Only, when they did so, they were all dressed in lederhosen and the Drapion was angrily playing an accordion as it gave chase. The trio made it around the entire stage before going into the back once more, this time coming out all riding unicycles.
Again, the Drapion pedaled after the duo, still miraculously playing the accordion, before all three disappeared to the back once more. Out they came, backpedaling on their own giant circus balls they were balancing on.
This repeated several times: the clown and tortoise were chased around stage by the ogre before all three would disappear, then come out again with props even more ridiculous than the last. The audience loved every second of it.
In their seats, Ash and Delia laughed at the clown and his partner's odd yet hilarious misfortune.
As the trio in the center of the ring ran what had to be their 12th lap, the Drapion of the group was visibly huffing and puffing, its speed reduced to a frustrated crawl. It stopped in front of the box, taking a breather as it looked at the still running forms of the clown and Wartortle.
With a roll of its eyes and exhausted wave of 'forget it' with its arm, the Drapion turned to the box. Making a show of crankily putting on its nightcap and hugging its pillow, the ogre pokemon's form slithered into the box, heavy snores coming soon after.
It took the Wartortle and clown a good 5 seconds before noticing that nothing was chasing them anymore. Slowly making their way to the box, the duo peeked in, seeing their chaser sleeping soundly as it once was. With that, they stood in front of the thing, raised their right arms high, then bowed deeply. They were met with a roaring applause.
As they made their way off stage cheerfully waving at the crown, the strong man and Machoke lifted the box behind them and followed. The ringmaster once more walked to the center of the ring.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I would now like to present our newest act! Coming all the way from the Mt. Pyre, it's…the Flame Tamers!"
Out from the exit two lines of flames trailed out, creating a road leading to the center of the stage. From the darkness pounced a red and yellow-maned Pyroar, doing as its namesake said and roaring with the intensity of an eruption.
CRACK
A whip followed right beside the lion, with a tightly dressed lion tamer being its wielder. The beast growled at its trainer before running to the center of the stage. The maroon dressed and red haired woman confidently strode to her Pyroar soon after.
3 rings of fire blasted out of the darkness, each the size of an average adult and all maintaining a perfect distance from each other in a line.
CRACK
The fire tamer cracked her whip, her lion pokemon growling once more in her direction before leaping through the first hoop of flame.
CRACK
An angry snarl found its way on the pokemon's jaws as it twirled right through the second ring. It landed facing away from the flaming hoops.
CRACK
The beast visibly snapped its jaws at its trainer before back flipping through the final ring of fire.
The crowd erupted in awed applause as a mist of flame spewed from the stage exit. Its source walked out, still fueling the fire.
A magmar.
Beside the mighty spitfire pokemon soon stood its young adult trainer, his black baggy pants and red vest accentuating the magma theme. He wound his arm back, then threw it forward, the black whip in his hand passing right by his crew cut brown hair and snapping beside the magmar.
As the red and yellow creature clenched its fists, it suddenly cut the fire, leaving only orange wisps to fall to through the air.
CRACK
In unison, both fire types did as their unified trainer's whips beckoned them to do and fired a stream of flames straight at each other.
CRACK
The intensity increased, with the converging point between both streams growing brighter and larger.
CRACK
The two pokemon slowly tilted their heads, the now brilliant sphere of heat ascending higher in the air.
CRACK
And with that, the beasts finally snapped.
Rage boiling from the pot of unanswered grievances launched the proverbial pot lid skywards as the molten sphere now rocketed straight for the ceiling of the tent. Having dumped way more power than they were supposed to, the burning mass of flames reached critical mass the second it touched the roof of the tent.
A huge explosion engulfed the ceiling.
As screams of shock filled the area, burning pieces of tent fell like autumn leaves in a display that left everyone feeling anything but safe. Still reeling from the obviously unplanned display, the audience turned their attention to the two responsible for the explosion. They were filled with fear at the sight.
Finally able to raise their heads up high, the magmar and pyroar looked all around at the audience with faces of clear discontent.
CRACK
The flame trainers' respective pokemon flinched at the snap near their heads.
The male blew on the flames. "What are you doing magmar!? That wasn't part of the act!"
The spitfire pokemon glared.
The female trainer added more fuel. "Pyroar! What's the matter with you!?"
The royal pokemon snarled.
And as the human duo raised their accursed tools once more, the fire beasts took that as their signal to act. Each unleashing the largest incinerates that they could muster in such a brief moment, the two beasts launched their attacks right at the feet of their trainers.
"AAAGH!" The duo yelled as they were blasted onto their backs. The sheer shock and terror in their eyes were highlighted from the flames of rebellion in front of them. This act of defiance was the straw that broke the Camerupt's back for the audience, as the as panic spread amongst the crowd like wildfire.
Nobody knew who sounded the first yell, gave the first push, or took the first steps into a run, but it sure as hell didn't matter to anyone once everyone was doing it. The ringmaster's desperate pleas for order and calm went unheard, as he too became a target of the flames.
As the sea of people tossed and turned in tumultuous waves of emotions, young Ash was gripping his mother's hand with all the fear-filled strength he could muster. Delia's hazel eyes were wide as she turned and gave her best shot at reigning in her terror she could to her young boy. "Come on dear, we have to go, now."
The five year old was shaking terribly as his damp amber eyes met his mother's. "Mom, what's happening? I'm scared." Delia wasted no further time as she yanked him up and all but dragged him towards the exit.
They made it two steps before the brunette decided to answer her son. "We're leaving. We can talk about this la—ah!" And in those precious moments, the panic had reached them too. Delia was soon tossed around as fear shoved her back and haste pushed her forwards. And it was through this that it was found that a child's grip could not stand up to a chaotic sea of emotions.
Dealing with the physical contact of strangers over rid any initial realizations of separation from his mother as he was pushed further and further back.
Then an explosion erupted behind him.
Thrown further into the throes of panic, the people around the child thrashed wildly, trying their best to escape from the danger behind them; unbeknownst to them, their actions were pushing a child right toward it.
Slowly but surely, the five-year-old was forced backwards, each step putting him closer and closer to the edge of safety. And then, he stepped over it.
The fall was by no means steep—a meter at most—but for a child, it was enough to cause a yelp in surprise and pain. From his seat on the stage floor, Ash looked up, seeing the gap in the divider he fell through, one charred at its sides and still slightly on fire.
A growl from behind made him turn his head.
Slit pupils of azure eyes stared straight through his tiny form. From their distance of just 7 meters, they inched forward. Paralyzed with fear, Ash could only watch as the Pyroar stalked forward, igniting its mouth within the first 3 steps. Amber eyes shuffled all around in fear, making out the forms of the fire tamers hiding behind the Ringmaster and Strongman on the other side of the arena. It seemed they were taking care of the Magmar with a charred Lurantis and smoking Machoke.
He saw their own eyes widen as the group finally took notice of just what the Pyroar was targeting. In the moment of their realization, they all started a run whilst reaching out, as if they were only a few steps away from a rescue. It was all in vain.
Time seemed to slow when the loyal pokemon finally judged the moment as right. It paused, coiling all of its muscles like a spring. At full windup, it leaped high, angled to fall straight at the paralyzed form of the boy.
Ash's vision was filled with the flaming maw of a raging lion descending closer with each heartbeat. He closed his eyes and turned away, arms coming up to shield him from the inevitable.
The darkness lasted an achingly long time. He heard a grunt of exertion, a small explosion, a mewl of pain, and finally 2 thuds hit the ground, one definitely farther from him than the other.
Confused, Ash cautiously peeked through his eyelids and arms, his eyes instantly widening at the sight before him.
An amber eye surrounded by singed and smoking plastic looked straight into his own. Vision backing up a bit, the small boy then took notice of the Wartortle glaring down the snarling Pyroar right in front of him and his colorful rescuer.
Before any words could travel up to his lips, a strong arm halted them at his stomach, the single limb lifting his entire frame onto a muscular shoulder. He ignored the yelling going on beside him as he stared at the bobbing and shrinking form of colorful clown. He reached out to the image, not expecting to grasp anything, and not knowing what to do if he did.
He saw his savior's eye shine in the blazes around, and a scorched right hand rise, forming a thumbs up.
That was the last thing he could remember before it went dark.
The light was blinding. A shadow loomed over him as his eyes provided their own momentary darkness, focusing his vision with every flash of pure black.
"A…"
He could hear someone shouting. What were they saying?
"Aa…"
They were getting clearer. Was that…?
"Ash!"
The hazy figure gained the details his young mind needed. "M-Mom?" He asked weakly.
Tears were visibly streaming down her face she wasted no time in pulling her child into a well-deserved embrace. She kept repeating his name over and over, relief, joy, and even a bit of sorrow all clear to anyone watching the touching scene. The small family paid no mind to their surroundings as officers, medical staff, and citizens alike buzzed about, a smoking tent still being put out by firemen visible in the distance.