Chapter 10 Acceptance

Before Ash left the gym with Brock to heal their Pokemon at the Pokemon center, Ash heard a creature walking towards him shouting its name to get Ash's attention. It worked as Ash turns and saw before his feet was a Mudkip? Brock smiles along with his family watching what Mudkip is asking of Ash,

"Brock, is this Mudkip yours?" Ash asked but Brock shook his head and explain this Mudkip was the child of his Marshstomp since it was a girl, "I think this little one wants to join you." Ash looks at Mudkip and asks if it did want to join him? Mudkip responds with a simple headshake which made Ash smile as he drew a Poke Ball and press the ball gently into Mudkip's head to catch Mudkip inside it after a clicking noise was heard. Ash puts Mudkip's ball away and said to Brocks family,

"I will take good care of him and raise him to be strong." they knew he will as Ash and Brock walk to the Pewter City's Pokemon Center to heal their Pokemon. Once they both gave their Pokemon to nurse joy, Ash notice Brock was not doing the thing he normally does, "Why are you not trying to flirt with- "I learn my lesson!" Brock shouted in response which made Nurse Joy smile as she worked on healing their Pokemon. Ash decides not to ask anymore as he got his pokemon back and said goodbye to Brock who left the center and heads back to his gym. Ash decided to let Sonic out who was happy to be out,

"I totally understand why you hate being in their Pikachu," Sonic said stretching. Ash held in his hand Ivysaur's Poke Ball and wonders what to do with him since he knows Ivysaur might need someone to talk with. Ash looks at Sonic and got an idea, "Sonic can you go back to Oak's place and talk with Ivysaur." Sonic looks at Ash and smiled, "Of course I can." Ash thanked Sonic and returns him to his Poke Ball and sends both pokemon back to Oak's lab through the Pokemon Box.

Ash decided to spend the rest of the day to train some of his Pokemon. Ash went back to the open field and let Mudkip out so he can see what the Pokedex says of his new Pokemon, "Mudkip the Mudfish Pokemon. Gender Male and has the ability Torrent. The fin on Mudkip's head acts as a highly sensitive radar. Using this fin to sense movements of water and air, this Pokémon can determine what is taking place around it without using its eyes. In water, Mudkip breathes using the gills on its cheeks. If it is faced with a tight situation in battle, this Pokémon will unleash its amazing power—it can crush rocks bigger than itself. This Pokemon knows the moves Water Gun, Mud Shot, Avalance, Bite, Body Slam, and Dig."

Ash smiled and said to Mudkip, "Alright let's do some training Mudkip." Mudkip was excited and so was Pikachu. Ash was about to pick a Pokemon to challenge Mudkip when he notices a Pokemon wandering around the field as well. Ash focuses on the Pokemon to see what it is? The Pokemon had gray skin with bone spikes around its big head which had a blue dome thing for the top of his head that look tougher than steel. Ash walks towards it and notices it was indeed a Cranidos. The pokemon seem to be exploring before it notices Ash with Mudkip and Pikachu following behind him, the fossil pokemon got into a stance to fight. Ash stop his advancement towards the Pokemon and said to the Pokemon,

"Don't worry. Just wondering what you are doing here." Cranidos did not move from its fighting stance which made Pikachu and Mudkip get into their own along with getting in between Ash and Cranidos. Before a fight can happen, "Cranidos!" Ash turns to the source which was a scientist girl. She stops a foot away from Cranidos panting, "There you are." still catching her breath as she said to Cranidos before noticing Ash and said to him, "Sorry if he caused you some trouble" but Ash shook his head no,

"Not at all, but he seems like he wants a fight and not going to change his minds." as he saw Cranidos had his eyes on Mudkip, so that means he wants to challenge Mudkip. The scientist girl sighs and said, "He been brought to life only a month and has not a battle yet. Sure why not." Decide that it might calm this aggressive and hot-headed Cranidos. Ash decides to scan it with the Pokedex so the girl who he learns her name is Susie can know his moves, "Cranidos the Head Butt Pokemon. Gender Male with the ability Sheer Force. A primeval Pokémon, it possesses a hard and sturdy skull, lacking any intelligence within. Its hard skull is its distinguishing feature. It snapped trees by headbutting them, and then it fed on their ripe berries. This Pokemon knows the moves Headbutt, Crunch, Iron Head, and Rock Tomb."

Susie remembers those moves as both got some distance to prepare for a Pokemon Battle. Once both Mudkip and Cranidos were a good distance away the fight started, "Alright Cranidos use Headbutt." Cranidos charges towards Mudkip. Ash said to Mudkip, "Use Water Gun." Mudkip opens his mouth and fires a stream of water that slams into Cranidos and slows Cranidos but he powers through the stream and slams his head into Mudkip launching him back. Mudkip got up still able to fight some more against Cranidos. "Alright, Mudkip use Dig." Mudkip dig into the ground as Susie said to Cranidos,

"Cranidos use Rock Tomb Quickly." hopping to stop Mudkip from getting into the dirt and protect from Cranidos' attacks. But the launched rocks miss as Mudkip was below the surface. Cranidos looks around ready for Mudkip's next attack. Shortly after Mudkip pop through the surface and tackles Cranidos doing damage to him. "Counter with Crunch," Susie said as Cranidos bit on Mudkip's side and did a large amount of damage to Mudkip. Mudkip thrashes around until he got free from Cranidos' mouth. Once free, Mudkip was told to use Water Gun and Mudkip hit Cranidos with its strongest Water Gun. Cranidos was blasted away high into the air before crashing hard into the dirt with his eyes now swirls showing he was unable to fight anymore.

"Good job Mudkip," Ash said patting Mudkip's head as Pikachu congratulate him for his first win. Susie checks on Cranidos and said he did a great job in the Pokemon Battle. Ash walks with Susie back to the Pokemon Center of Pewter City so she can get Cranidos healed up and also heal his Mudkip. As they head to the Pokemon Center, Ash wonder's how Sonic is doing with Ivysaur at Oak's place?

Meanwhile back with Oak's lab Sonic was let out and look around for Ivysaur but no dice. Sonic walk to Oak and asked him, "You know where Ivysaur went?" Oak was confused at first then realize that Ivysaur was Ash's Bulbasaur and now evolved into Ivysaur, "He went into the forest. That's all I know I'm sorry." Sonic appreciate at least an area to search as he left the professor and head into the woods to find Ivysaur. At first, no sign of the fellow evolved starter, but Sonic felt himself being watched by someone, he looked around for the follower but saw no one. Sonic decides to ignore the person following him since clearly they knew how to hide really good and Ivysaur might be endangered as he continues his search.

Meanwhile, with Ivysaur he walks through the woods looking at the floor, not exactly where he was wandering around. But unknown to Ivysaur a pokemon saw him and ready to pick a fight with him. The Pokemon was a Nidoking that look like he was looking for a sucker to beat up to make himself smile, "grass lover want a fight." as Nidoking got into a fighting stance, but Ivysaur kept walking ignoring the Nidoking hoping he will piss off. It only enraged the ground Poison-type Pokemon as it charges using Fire Punch ready to attack Ivysaur, but the grass type hops away from Nidoking's fire attack. Ivysaur fired a barrage of seeds that stings the Nidoking as he charges to do another swing with Fire Punch. Ivysaur hops up and aims his flower bud and uses Seed Bomb right into Nidoking's face launching Ivysaur away. Nidoking got up but Ivysaur was long gone and was mad.

Nidoking was about to stomp away but he notices a Charizard and it looks like it was wide open for an attack. Nidoking charges towards Sonic but he misses since Sonic walks past the attack. Nidoking was mad and try to use Fire Punch once more, but he got blasted by a Flamethrower launching him beyond the horizon, "What a jerk." Sonic as he kept on searching for Ivysaur. Back with Ivysaur, he arrives at the beach which stops his moving in a line since he can't swim well enough to cross the vast sea. Ivysaur saw his reflection, coming face to face with his new evolved form.

Ivysaur had a feeling he should be proud of evolving but he feels it was an unearned evolution since he needed it to beat Kabutops. Ivysaur decides not to stay away and not make it seem he left Ash and his friends. Ivysaur turns his back to the sea and prepares to leave the beach and back through the woods and hopes to avoid the Nidoking that is likely looking for him When Ivysaur heard splashing and gasping for air? Ivysaur at first ignores it and made a few steps until he heard a cry for help and with the splashing sound and gasping for air, it was not hard to figure out where the source was coming from.

Ivysaur turns to face the sea and did not see anything at first glance, but once he looks farther he saw the Pokemon in parrel and appears to be on its last leg, about too pass out and sink into the belly of the sea to swim with the Magikarps. Ivysaur did not hesitate and dashes into the sea and swim through the water as fast as the grass type could do to rescue the Pokemon. The thought of maybe he too will be consumed by the sea or a Pokemon of the sea did not cross his mind, all was in his head was saying the Pokemon drowning.

Ivysaur reaches the Pokemon and noticed it was a penguin-like Pokemon but the name was not coming to Ivysaur as his main focus was saving this Pokemon. The bird Pokemon started to sink below the surface and Ivysaur dives after the Pokemon and uses his vines to grab the Pokemon and try to swim to the surface and pull the Pokemon along. He gasped for air and lifts the Pokemon above his head and swam to the beach, but unknown to the grass type a Gyarados was swimming towards him ready to eat Ivysaur and the Pokemon in his vines. When Ivysaur was a mere foot away from Gyarados, Sonic fly in and kick Gyarados in the face before picking up Ivysaur and place the grass type on his back along with the pokemon Ivysaur rescue in the water.

"Very Heroic Ivysaur. Though for next time you should more aware of your surroundings." Sonic words hit Ivysaur and made the grass type think as he still holds the knocked out Pokemon. Sonic notices Ivysaur's unease. "What's eating you?" Ivysaur was not sure what to say to Sonic, but after some time he said to him, "Is it wrong I use my evolution to beat a foe?" Sonic not sure how a Pokemon would answer Ivysaur's question, but decide Ivysaur needs to hear what Sonic is going to say next, "Growing up is a part of life Ivysaur. You got to live with your mistakes." Ivysaur thought about what Sonic said as they arrive at Oak's place. Ivysaur hops up and ran to Oak to show the injured Pokemon. Sonic watches Ivysaur follow Oak inside and smiled before he took off into the air towards Pewter city to get Ash.

Back with Ash and Susie who was about to return to the lab when Cranidos walk to Ash and brush his head across Ash side trying to tell him something that Ash did not understand, "What is it Cranidos? Ash got an idea of what he might be saying when Pikachu a handed Ash a Poke Ball."You want me to catch you?" Susie was surprised as Cranidos nodded yes rapidly to Ash as he looked at the now smiling Susie,

"He 2as brought into this world to do battle, not to be studied on. Take with him" Ash nodded as he tosses a Poke Ball at Cranidos and he was caught with barely a struggle from Cranidos. Ash picks the ball up and puts it away as he says to Susie, "I will raise him to be healthy and strong." Susie expected he will do so as she left to head back to her place of work. Ash prepared to head out to Mt Moon when He saw Sonic land just in front of him, "Hey Ash need you back home."