Chapter 12: Pokemon Ranger and the Hidden Village Part 1
Ash pushed his body up and down. He faced the grassy ground as some of his sweat dripped down. All he could think about was keeping his back straight so he wouldn't get on Misty's bad side. He already regretted sleeping in late a few times since she joined the group and having several intense workout sessions. This morning was no exception of having to run around the mossy forest for several miles with little breaks.
The only good thing was the morning sun casting light that danced in the pond that they set their campsite next to the night before under Misty's suggestion. Not hard to figure out she wanted to train Magikarp and Seadra and spend some time with them outside of an inflatable pool.
A cool gentle breeze felt refreshing to his heated body. The wind also carried the sweet scent of steamed rice and veggies, courtesy of Brock. He had set up a table along with his cooking equipment. Occasionally he would glance over at the Pokémon to ensure they were not overdoing it.
Speaking of his Pokémon, they were training hard. He could hear Charmander alternating between Flamethrower and Dragonbreath to see how long it could hold the attacks. Similarly, Pikachu had been zapping away. Winds howled with Butterfree's Gust. Pidgeotto chirped in the sky while trying to learn a new move under Misty's instructions. Nidoran was also learning a new move by biting on some rocks.
"Twenty-eight," Ash gasped. "Twenty-nine." He did another rep. "Th-" He struggled with the last. "Thirty." He rested on his legs while wiping some of the sweat from his forehead with his arm. His arms felt like they were on fire while he hoped that was the end of his specific training.
Misty had to ruin that dream as she stood over the exhausted trainer. "Now I want you to do thirty-thirty-thirty for sit-ups."
He groaned. "Do I seriously have to after doing burpees, lunges, and planks?" He held his sore stomach.
"You can make that forty-forty-forty for questioning me," his coach adjusted her sunglasses. "I would get started unless you want to increase the amount to fifty."
Ash immediately got onto his back. His knees pointed to the right as he began thrusting himself into the air with his hands behind him back. The self-proclaimed orange beauty left to check her Pokémon by the pond. Because of this, Ash was able to see Serena by her pink tent, grooming her Pokémon. Seeing her made him extra motivated in doing these ridiculous exercises.
Over the past few days, his friend had impressed him. She got up as early as he did just to practice different categories that her Pokémon would excel in other than Cuteness. After her set of drills, she took some time to learn more about what made her Pokémon happy and noted them down. Turns out her Pokémon enjoys hearing her lovely singing voice. Cleffa, in particular, enjoyed it the most with Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star as its favorite and it had been enjoying Gotta Catch 'Em All.
Aside from those activities, she had been looking into different moves that her Pokémon could learn. Eevee had spent some time with Pikachu in learning Iron Tail. Her Nidoran appeared to be learning some kind of poison move while the honey-blonde had zero clues on Cleffa. Ledyba was mostly alright with her.
"Thirty-eight," Ash uttered while struggling. "Thirty-nine." He shut his eyes with his stomach aching.
He suddenly felt a couple of cold vines grab ahold of his arms. Not only were his hands restricted but the vines pulled him hard onto the ground.
"Argh!" He struggled to get free. The commotion drew the attention of his friends and Pokémon.
"PikaPi!" The Mouse Pokémon quickly ran up to Ash, encasing its tail in steel. Before it could swing, it was blindsided by a series of spinning leaves. Follow that up by a brown-skinned Pokémon pounding it with a mitten-like hand to send it flying.
Serena managed to catch it to Ash's relief. He followed the vines to see a Bulbasaur. It was bigger than what he was used to seeing and lime-green as opposed to sea-green. Standing next to it was the Pokémon that pounded Pikachu. It had a tiny leaf on its head.
Nuzleaf, the Wily Pokémon and the evolved form of Seedot. Serena's Pokédex identified it. This Pokémon pulls out its leaf on its head to make a flute with it. The sound of this flute strikes fear and uncertainty in the hearts of those lost in a forest.
"What are they attacking us?" Misty asked. "I thought grass-types are supposed to friendly towards people."
Ash felt anger radiating from those two, but he also felt another emotion behind them. Several deer-like Pokémon with a flower on their head and pink fur cowered in the woods that he could see. "I'm guessing they're protecting those Pokémon.
Deerling, the Season Pokémon. Serena's Pokédex identified. The turning of seasons changes the color and scent of this Pokémon's fur. People use it to mark the seasons.
"Still doesn't explain their attitude towards us," Misty growled.
"Perhaps they've had poor experiences with humans," Serena suggested. "We should avoid hurting them if possible."
Misty sighed. "They should have thought of that before attacking people who were minding their own business."
"Maybe we can scare them off," Ash looked over to his Pokémon. "Charmander, send them a warning with Flamethrower!"
The Lizard Pokémon got in front of Ash while being bombarded by spinning leaves. In response, it spat out a stream of fire to burn them to ashes. "Charmander!" It warned while angling its attack upward.
The vines on Ash's arms retracted back to Bulbasaur. It released a light blue powder from its bulb.
"Pidgeotto use Gust to blowback that Sleep Powder!" Misty commanded.
The Bird Pokémon flapped its wings to guide the powder back towards the grass-types. "Pidgeotto!"
The two grass-types split up while firing spinning leaves. "Saur!" The Bulbasaur shouted. "Leaf!" Nuzleaf yelled. The attacks caused Ash and Charmander to retreat towards the rest of the group.
Ash admired their bravery, but he didn't understand why they were so angry or trying to fight. Surely, they must understand that four of his Pokémon could seriously hurt them and friends. The young man wasn't sure what his friends could do to defuse this situation.
"I hate to say this but our best option is to run," Brock said.
"And leave our stuff here?" Misty did not sound pleased.
Serena frowned. "If we don't want to hurt them, then it's our only choice. Hopefully, we won't have to go fishing later. What do you think, Ash?"
He gave a nod and he quickly returned Pidgeotto, Butterfree, and his Nidoran. Misty and Serena did the same with their Pokémon with the exception of Eevee.
"Charmander use Smokescreen!"
"Noctowl use Hurricane!" Shouted a feminine voice.
A puff of smoke was expelled from the Lizard Pokémon's mouth that filled the area for a mere second until the winds dispersed the cloud. The wind picked up Charmander and spun it around to Ash's horror and sent it hurtling into the water.
Ash dashed past his friends and dove into the water. He grabbed ahold of Charmander, ensuring that its tail was out of the water. The Lizard Pokémon did not appear well.
A Golduck soon appeared in front of Ash. The red gem on its forehead began glowing along with its eyes. Ash was lifted into the air and effortlessly tossed back onto the shore in front of his friends.
Serena hovered around his body. "Are you okay?" The young woman frantically checked for any serious injury.
"Stay where you are and put your hands above your head!" Shouted the same feminine voice. "Do not make me repeat myself."
The group looked back to where grass-types stood to see a woman in the classic Pokémon Ranger uniform, red jacket over a black and white shirt and cargo pants. Surprisingly, the grass-types seemed friendly with her. A Noctowl flew above her while Golduck occupied the waters.
"Mind telling us what's the big idea here?" Misty shouted back.
The woman held out a badge to show proof of identity. "You're all under arrest for trespassing in a nature reserve and I can add on top of that battling with the Pokémon that live here too."
"Wait, we didn't know this was a nature reserve," Brock said. "Honest and we weren't trying to battle those Pokémon. We were trying to scare them off and when that didn't work we were going to run."
"Typical Hunter talk if you ask me," the woman glared at the group. Did she even care that Ash's Charmander was in critical condition? That was on top of Ash being thrown and possibly being injured.
Serena handed Pikachu to Ash while holding up her phone. "We're not Pokémon Hunters and I can prove it. Ash and I are Research Fellows for Professor Oak. He can attest that we're Pokémon lovers and we came here on accident!"
The ranger narrowed her eyes while motioning her head. Noctowl flew by to snatch Serena's phone for her review. Then she tapped an earpiece. "Patch me to Oak." She paused. "I don't care if he's asleep. I need him to confirm the identities of some trespassers who claim to be Research Fellows with his facility.
Ash was sitting upright while looking at Charmander. The flame on its tail was smaller. He wished the ranger would allow them to treat the Lizard Pokémon. Pikachu was fine aside from a minor bruise. He hoped Professor Oak would clear the air.
A holographic image of Oak appeared in the palm of the ranger's left hand. "Ash and Serena? Are you two okay? What happened?"
"We're fine," Serena answered. "We were doing some training by the water and about to have some breakfast when a couple of grass-types attacked Ash. We were about to run when a Pokémon Ranger foiled our plan and sent poor Charmander flying into the water."
The Professor nodded with a sigh. "Ranger Melanie, please excuse their intrusion. I believe they're unaware of the Hidden Village project on Route Five."
"Can you confirm everyone's identities, please?" Melanie's shoulders started to relax.
"Sorry," he replied. "Ash is the boy carrying Charmander. Serena is the girl in the fedora. I believe the taller man is Brock, former Gym Leader of Pewter City. Lastly, there's Misty, daughter of Rachel Waterflower. Please, escort them back to the base so Charmander can get the treatment it needs."
Melanie nodded while looking at the grass-types and ending the call. "They're okay. Head over to get a drink. I'll be watching them while they gather their belongings."
Bulbasaur eyed the group before leading the Pokémon of the forest around their campsite. Surprising to everyone, several other Pokémon like Oddish, Rattatta, Sunflora, Budew, and Cherubi came out along with several Deerling.
The ranger then turned towards the group. "I'm sorry for the hostilities and injuring your Pokémon. Please, gather your stuff and I'll take you to our Ranger Base."
The group reluctantly followed her instructions quickly. They followed her deep into the forest. As they were walking, Brock sprayed Charmander with a potion, but it did not appear to have a great effect.
Ash was conflicted about the Pokémon Ranger. He understood that she was only doing her job, but she didn't hesitate to send his Pokémon for a swim. Then throwing him back to shore. He wondered if Pokémon Hunters were in the area.
They arrived at a clearing with a two-story building in the middle, mostly made of wood. A garden of berries and veggies were to the right of it while a small pond was on its right. Melanie opened the door with the inside appearing to be more house-like than a secret base. A carpet for their shoes with a staircase leading upstairs. Another woman stood at the base of the stairwell. She had a blue version of the ranger uniform, squared glasses, auburn hair, and a headset on.
"Seems like you're on top of everything, Judy," Melanie exclaimed.
Judy chuckled. "I did hear your entire conversation with Oak, Mel." She quickly grabbed ahold of the Lizard Pokémon from Ash. "Don't worry, I'll have it better before you know it."
"After you're done with that why don't you make me feel better over a bowl of rice?" Brock kneeled in front of Judy.
The auburn-haired lady had her jaw dropped.
Then Misty unexpectedly pulled on Brock's ear. "How about I make everyone feel better by stopping your crazy antics?! Do you want to be thrown behind a cell?"
"Are we sure you're a former Gym Leader?" Melanie hung her head. "You certainly don't act like one."
"With that being said, I have several Pokémon to check on in the back," Judy announced.
Brock broke free of Misty's grip. "Wait!" He stepped in front of Judy before she could get too far away. "I'm sorry for acting like a crazy person. I'm aspiring to be a Pokémon Doctor and it would be an honor to observe some of your techniques and possibly learn something new. Assuming I didn't burn down that bridge…"
Judy stared back at him while thinking. "I suppose you can watch and ask questions as long as its only related to healing a Pokémon's injuries. One word about asking me on a date and I'll throw you out faster than a Quick Attack."
Together, they went down the hallway.
Ash turned to Melanie. "If you don't mind me asking since when did an area of Route Five become a nature reserve?"
"And why are there a bunch of Deerling here?" Serena added. "According to the Pokédex, they're only native to the Unova Region."
"I can't believe you two wouldn't ask why the grass-types decided to attack us!" Misty sighed.
Melanie sighed and motioned them to follow her into a room full of computers. A man in a white lab coat with a blue collared shirt and jeans, squared glasses, and brown hair was observing a map on a screen until he noticed the group. Standing beside him was Professor Oak.
"Professor Sakuragi and Professor Oak," the ranger addressed and introduced the group. "I thought it would be best for you to explain what's going on."
Ash and Serena looked at one another. They knew this professor by name as one of Professor Oak's colleagues. He was also the head of the Sakuragi Institute in Vermillion City. His area of study was more general compared to other professors. Still, they figured he was here to consult on the on-going project.
"It's been a while, Ash and Serena," Oak smiled. "I'm glad you two are alright." He turned towards Misty. "It's nice to meet you, Misty."
Misty grinned. "I never would have imagined meeting the great Professor Oak here of all places."
"Great to see you too, Professor!" Ash and Serena gave him a hug.
Pikachu and Eevee ran around their feet. The Professor kneeled down to pet them.
"Cha!" Pikachu said with a smile that shocked Oak.
"Vee!" Eevee wagged its tail.
Sakuragi shook hands with everyone. "It's nice to meet you all, especially to those who work closely with Professor Oak for years. He has nothing but praise for the both of you, especially with the discovery of the Rainbow Wing!" He stared at Serena's hat with the feather. "Quite beautiful in person."
"Did you learn more about the feather, Professor?" Serena asked.
Oak rubbed his neck. "The feather has some sort of significance in ancient times. Daisy is currently looking into it at home along with Professor Elm and his team. The only thing I can say for certain is that the person who discovers the feather is known as the Rainbow Hero."
Ash blinked while looking at the feather that sparkled. Did that mean he was the Rainbow Hero of this era? Many thoughts floated in his mind.
"You two waited until now to tell me about this feather?" Misty exclaimed. "I thought it was an expensive gift."
Melanie cleared her throat. "Ahem. While a fascinating discovery indeed, we don't have all day to gawk at it."
Sakuragi nodded. "Right. I hope you would allow us to look at the feather at a later time, Serena. Aside from the amazing discovery, it's quite the surprise that you two didn't know about the project."
"They've been on a journey old friend," Oak said. "It must have slipped their minds to keep up-to-date with these current events and projects.
Ash and Serena nervously laughed. Between all of the excitement of their research, goals, and bad guys, it was quite understandable for them.
"I see," Sakuragi appeared to understand and turned towards the screen behind him. Images of Pokémon they've seen before appeared and other Pokémon not native to Kanto appeared as well. "Well, I suppose I'll start at the beginning. Trainers of all regions travel across the world seeking new challenges on their journeys. Some decide to release Pokémon on foreign soil for one reason or another."
Ash gritted his teeth in anger at that notion. He recalled Damian's reasoning and wondered if all of those Pokémon were left there because they were considered weak. He looked at Serena who had a similar expression to him. He relaxed upon seeing her face and knowing he wasn't alone in feeling that way.
"The abandonment caused many of those Pokémon to be afraid of humans," Professor Oak continued. "Some of them developed a hatred for people outside of the Ranger Union. Because of that, we're zoning off this particular area so that these Pokémon can heal some of those invisible wounds until a time where they're more friendly. Furthermore, we want to ensure they can properly adapt to our environments. It's quite possible we're looking at new regional variants in the coming generations."
Ash looked at Serena who had a similar expression of astonishment. New regional variants to study would be amazing to see develop right before their eyes. Misty smirked at the idea as well. Then Serena scratched her head.
"Was that Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf also abandoned by trainers?" Serena asked.
Melanie shook her head. "Well, I believe Nuzleaf was abandoned not too long ago by a trainer. That Bulbasaur if you would believe it is a wild Pokémon. It helped many of those grass-types get accustomed to the area, mainly around our base after I saved it from some nasty injuries."
"Wild Bulbasaur tend to be bigger than trained ones due to their constant exposure to sunlight," Sakuragi smiled.
Oak nodded. "It's also a sign that it's healthy. On top of that, it's of an extremely rare color."
Ash knew his eyes weren't deceiving him and that it was of a different color. It made him more curious about it. "Has that Bulbasaur always been here by itself?"
Misty raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by itself? Clearly, you need some glasses because it's not alone by any stretch of the imagination."
Serena dismissively waved at her. "That's not what he means. Typically wild Bublasaur travel in herds so it's strange to see one all by itself."
The Professors looked at one another with curious looks and pondered the thought themselves.
Sakuragi scratched his chin. "That's a good observation, young lad. I haven't thought about it until now. Now you got me curious." Everyone turned their attention to Melanie.
"I'm afraid I haven't seen a herd of them around here," she answered. "As I said, I found it alone when I first began scouting the area after several reports. All I know is that it suffered serve injuries from some kind of intense battle."
Ash wondered if it had gotten into a battle with a trainer and lost. It might explain some of its animosity aside from word of mouth.
Brock followed Judy into the medical bay area. Inside were several beds with Pokémon resting in each one. The aspiring doctor scanned each one to refresh his memory. There was a Paras, Hoothoot, Staryu, and Gulpin. Each one of them had some sort of bandage around them and appeared to be sleeping. He was amazed to see all sorts of monitoring equipment.
"So Judy, what do you do for the Ranger Union?" He asked. Typically the Ranger Union showcased members wearing red uniforms on television. He had never seen a member wearing a blue outfit.
The woman chuckled. "I coordinate with the Ranger Union on different missions and supplies that we might need to ensure this area is safe for everyone. Everyone that you see on posters has a partner like me and there's more to the union than the heroic figures like Mel."
A sense of ease washed over Brock, learning that it was a team effort that made the Union work.
Judy walked over to the back where she placed Charmander into a glass casing device. With the touch of a few buttons, the machine began scanning the injured Pokémon. On a separate screen, a schematic of the Lizard Pokémon showed up with the ranger analyzing it.
"What's that device?" Brock asked.
"I suppose you wouldn't have seen the back of a Pokémon Center before," she sighed. "This is known as the Recovery Analyzer. It scans the body of a Pokémon and then it gives me vital information." She pointed at the screen. "See, it shows internal and external temperatures. They appear to be normal; however, the life force appears to be low and heart rate appears to be high. You coming here will save me some time. What did Mel do to it?"
Brock explained the incident with Noctowl using Hurricane and how it was thrown into the waters. "It's hard to tell if Noctowl was holding back. It looked like a devastating attack to me. Not to mention her Golduck tossing them out of the water too. I tried a potion on it earlier, but it didn't appear to do a thing."
Judy stared at the screen once again before examining Charmander more closely. Her hands pressed against the scales. Around the chest area, the Lizard Pokémon squirmed. She pressed an ear to its chest. "I see." She eyed the former Gym Leader. "You want to be a doctor right? Tell me why you're traveling with people instead of attending a school."
"Uh…I'm part of a large family with ten different siblings. Even with my dad being a Gym Leader and my mom running the restaurant, most of that money goes to them so they can eat, have decent clothes, and possibly pursue higher education themselves. I'm traveling with Ash and Serena as I can learn a thing or two from their experiences and the wide range of Pokémon they'll befriend."
The woman raised her head with a nod. Then she was browsing through a selection of berries. "Hard to believe, but you wouldn't lie about having a large family. Quite admirable of you to put your siblings ahead of your own career."
Brock blushed. Maybe he was getting somewhere with her.
"I've identified the problem with Charmander," she smiled. "Do you want a crack at identifying it before I apply a treatment?"
"R-Really?"
Judy nodded. "The best way to learn is through experience. This is how many people are trained to be a nurse or doctor. Though usually we start off with a mild injury, but Charmander's injury isn't life-threatening as it appears. You might want to give it a shot before I change my mind."
Brock hesitantly examined the Lizard Pokémon. He followed a similar procedure as Judy. First, he pressed against the scales of its body. He noticed that the chest and head area were flaky than normal. On top of that, some of its scales were paler. Like with Judy, Charmander had a response when he touched the chest area. Then he pressed an ear to the chest and listened to its heartbeat. It was rapid and its breathing appeared shallow.
"Hmm," he pondered everything that he knew about the situation and books relating to flaky, pale scales. His heart started to race as he feels like this should be obvious. He shut his eyes hoping it would jog his memory.
Judy gently pushed him to the side while setting down a paste-like substance. Then she lightly pressed down on its chest in a rhythmic fashion. Charmander soon coughed up some water. Amazingly, the flame on its tail flickered brighter. Following that, she applied the paste over the chest and head. Lastly, she bandaged it up and brought it by a bed so it could properly rest.
"Wait a minute, I thought you said it was not life-threatening?" Brock gasped, realizing it nearly drowned.
"Fire-types have a big lung capacity so they spit out fire for longer periods of time compared to other types," Judy said. "Inhaling a little water isn't going to be super life-threatening as it's still able to breathe in some oxygen. Air is vital in keeping a Charmander's life force stable so right now it'll slowly recover it over time."
"Is that why its tail was weaker this entire time?"
Judy nodded. "That and it being in water for at least a minute as you described. All it needs is rest. Though, I wouldn't recommend it battling for at least a few days. The impact of landing in the water I believe also caused a minor concussion. Plus, the scales on its chest needs to heal."
"How did you know that was the issue?"
She pointed at the vitals on screen. "The heart rate read about a hundred-twenty when a resting heart rate for a Charmander is between the range of seventy to a hundred and ten. That narrowed down the possibilities. Due to it being in the water, the logical problem was it nearly drowned and thus water must have been in its lungs. To confirm, I had to press around its chest and it squirmed in pain. I also checked the rest of the body for any serve injuries."
Brock was astonished by her quick diagnosis. He hadn't considered that possibility until now. His eyes looked at the ground. Was he cut out to be a doctor?
"Cheer up," Judy said while placing a hand on his shoulder. "A diagnosis like that takes several years to learn. It's why you need to go to school for a proper education."
"I wish it could that simple," Brock sighed.
Judy pressed her hands onto his cheeks so he would look at her. "Would you like to examine the other Pokémon here to see what's wrong with them? I'll tell you right from wrong and some tips."
"You would really do that?" He fought the urge to get onto his knees. This was a prime opportunity and he was not going to mess it up.
Ash watched his Pokémon play with Serena's Pokémon in the clearing in front of the base, deep in thought. Melanie treated him and his friends to some breakfast before she and the Professors entered an important meeting. One so important that they had to wait outside even after some protest. It was surprising considering their relation with Oak. Nonetheless, they waited under the promise they'll get to help with minor activities.
Pidgeotto, Ledyba, and Butterfree took to the skies to fly around. Misty decided to be by the pond to play with her Pokémon. Serena was by his side, blissfully watching the Pokémon play with Cleffa in her arms.
"What do you think was so important that we couldn't be in the base?" Ash asked while leaning onto the railing.
Serena shrugged as she lifted Cleffa into the air. "It could be a number of things. I'm sure it's all for the best when it comes to their project."
The young man looked up to the cloudless sky. "You're probably right. Though I wonder if this is what it's like to work on one of these projects for Daisy." The granddaughter of Oak had often made trips to different sites in alternation with Oak.
"You would know better than me," she giggled. "After all, Professor Oak and she called upon you whenever a Pokémon with issues came by the lab."
He chuckled and placed his hands behind his head. "I wouldn't compare helping one Pokémon at a time to get accustomed to the lab the same as converting an entire area into a restricted zone. You know I haven't worked with any Ranger or Guardian either."
The honey-blonde set Cleffa down and began twirling her hair. "I guess the Pokémon being hurt by humans reminded me of you bravely and heroically taking on those tasks." She then sighed. "I can't imagine leaving any of my Pokémon. That'll be too cruel."
"Yeah, me too," Ash looked at Pikachu, who was chasing Eevee. Then he closed his eyes. "I can still remember the raw anger and hatred within Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf."
Serena looked at him with a frown. "Is it that bad? What else did you feel?"
"It felt like meeting Pikachu all over again." He grabbed ahold of the railing with an iron grip. "The same empty feeling."
"You got Pikachu to trust in you. Maybe you might be able to do the same with them. At least, steps in the right direction."
Ash shrugged at the notion. "Something tells me they'll need more than a free pass to attack me to release that anger."
Serena smiled while hugging him. "If anyone can do it, I know you'll find a way."
The young man embraced her best friend. It reminded him of their first hug at the lab. It was a blissful feeling and it felt right. However, his eyes were drawn to the Pokémon who all were staring at the forest. He reluctantly broke away.
Strolling from the shadows was Bulbasaur and its friends. The Deerling ran over by some bushes to munch on some leaves. The Sunflora, Budew, and Cherubi bathed in the sunlight. The Oddish stuck around Bulbasaur. Nuzleaf hopped from the tree to land next to the Seed Pokémon. It had its arms crossed and stared at their Pokémon.
Cleffa jumped into the clearing and started to run towards the Deerling. "Cleffa! Fa. Fa. Clef."
One of the Deerling looked at it with a smile. "Deerling. Deer." It lowered its head.
The Star Shape Pokémon was about to climb onto Deerling's head until Nuzleaf hopped in front of Cleffa and pounded it away.
Cleffa rolled like a ball before coming to a stop to cry. "Cleffa!"
Serena rushed out to pick it up when Nuzleaf launched a Razor Leaf. She ducked and frowned. "What's the big idea?"
"Vee!" Eevee smacked its body into Nuzleaf. "Eevee!"
A series of Poison Needle was launched by Serena's Nidoran. "Nidoran!"
Nuzleaf dodged the attack by hopping back. The Deerling fled the area.
Ash furrowed his brow, wondering what its trainer did that made it so mad. He dashed over to Serena to help her up. "Are you okay?"
"Peachy," she sighed. Together they gazed upon Nuzleaf.
Pikachu and Ash's Nidoran joined in as a warning.
Ash looked around to see the other wild Pokémon cowering in fear. Despite Nuzleaf was the one who started it all, he knew he had to put an end to it. "Let's get Cleffa and head back inside before we start an incident."
"I will not allow that Nuzleaf to hit poor Cleffa when it did nothing wrong," Serena replied.
He understood the problem. He didn't like it either, but he didn't want to upset the other Pokémon.
Before he was able to say anything, Nuzleaf sprang into action. The leaf on its head imbued with grass energy and extended. It started to swing around like a helicopter blade.
Eevee fired off a Swift that was cut up into tiny pieces. Serena's Nidoran used Poison Sting that bounced off the spinning blade.
Pikachu used Thunderbolt to which Nuzleaf jumped in the air. Ash's Nidoran jumped in with a Peck attack.
Surprising to everyone, the Wily Pokémon spun around to slap Nidoran back down. It looked like it was about to attack again when a couple of vines ensnared it.
"Bulbasaur!" The Seed Pokémon yelled. "Bulba. Saur. Saur."
"Nuzleaf!" The Wily Pokemon shouted back. "Leaf. Nuz!"
Serena took the opportunity to get Cleffa. She gently rocked it while singing Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star. The Star Shape Pokémon calmed down before falling asleep. She returned her Pokémon.
Misty came up to them. "What's that Nuzleaf's problem? All Cleffa wanted to do was play."
"That's what I like to know," Serena placed her hands by her hips.
Ash studied both Pokémon. By reading their aura, he could tell they were not happy with one another.
"Saur!" Bulbasaur said. "Bulba." It looked at Serena.
"Leaf…" The Wily Pokémon replied.
Bulbasaur gently set its friend down. "Bulbasaur." It retracted its vines.
Nuzleaf looked at Serena and bowed. "Nuzleaf…"
"Is that supposed to be an apology?" Serena raised an eyebrow. "I'm not the one you should be apologizing."
The Wily Pokémon looked up with its eyes widened. Then it looked back towards the ground. "Leaf…"
"Honestly, I know you were hurt by a trainer but taking your anger and frustration on us isn't helping anyone," Serena sighed. "Please don't do that again!"
Misty crossed her arms. "Way to make it feel worst."
"Don't tell you wouldn't be upset if this happened to one of your Pokémon," Serena retorted.
Ash got in between them. "Let's cool it before the wild Pokémon here decides to take a side." He pointed at the scared Pokémon, hiding due to the conflict.
As the girls agreed, they heard an alarm blaring. Facing the base, they could see plenty of red lights flashing. They were about to head in when their flying type Pokémon returned.
"FREE!" Butterfree flew around in a circle around Ash.
"Ledyba!" The Five Star Pokémon released an unpleasant smell.
Pidgeotto flapped its wings while pointing with its beak towards a huge puff of black smoke. "Pidgeotto!"
Serena covered her mouth as her eyes budged. Misty clenched her fists and gritted her teeth. Ash blinked several times in disbelief as his breathing slowed down. Flames could be seen barely above the trees. Without looking at the Pokémon, he could feel their collective fear and rage at the sight.
"Noctowl, fly me over there!" Rushing out of the base was Melanie. After releasing her Pokémon, she grabbed ahold of its feet and began flying towards the disaster. "Stay here you guys. I'll be back really soon."
Ash, Serena, and Misty rushed back inside to the computer room where Oak, Sakuragi, and Brock were looking over Judy's shoulder. The lights were no longer flashing and the alarm no longer sounding. A map of the area appeared on a digital screen. A big red dot was on the map with a blinking blue dot heading towards it. Then another red dot appeared in the opposite direction of the other dot. It was larger.
"Another fire?" Judy clenched her jaw. With the press of a few buttons on the keyboard, her eyes widened. "This one seems to be spreading faster too. At this rate, half the forest will be set on fire before Mel could respond."
"Can you call in another Ranger for assistance?" Sakuragi asked.
Judy shook her head. "I mean I can call people but the closest Ranger is still about an hour away. By that time, it'll be too late."
"Then let me handle it," Misty stated that shocked everyone.
"I can't just let you head there," Judy replied. "You have zero training in dealing with forest fires. My bosses will have my head if anything bad happens."
"As opposed to having an entire forest being burned down?" Misty retorted. "I have water-types that can at least slow it down until Melanie can handle her fire."
Oak placed a hand on Judy's shoulder. "This might go against your protocols so let me take her there and guide her Pokémon in dealing with the fire."
"But-"
"There's no time," Oak said. "The longer we argue, then more Pokémon will be injured because of this fire. I put my trust in these young adults."
Judy sighed while handing him an earpiece. "Keep this on at all times and give me updates every five minutes on the condition of the fire and status on the Pokémon. I'll radio in for some help just in case this situation gets any worse."
Oak placed it in his ear while nodding. Then he grabbed a bag on the floor. "Let's hurry!"
"Leave it all to me!" Misty said while running with him.
As soon as they left, another red dot appeared on the screen to everyone's dismay. If one were to connect the dots, it would form an equilateral triangle.
Ash clenched his jaw. He couldn't believe people would burn down a forest. "What's going on?"
Judy slammed her armrest. "This was no accident. This has to be some kind of coordinated attack." She pressed a big red button. "This is Judy of the Hidden Village base. Red Alert. Can anyone hear me?" Nothing. "Can anyone hear me?" Still nothing. She slid down in her chair with a hand in her hair.
"Let me head to the third fire location," Brock stepped up. "My rock-types might be able to slow it down."
The woman appeared apprehensive about it.
Sakuragi wrapped his arm around the former Gym Leader. "I'll guide him and give reports like Oak with Misty." She closed her eyes. "Considering backup is out of the question, I think it's imperative that we trust these people and use every possible resource we have."
Ash and Serena nodded in agreement. They wanted to help out too but none of their Pokémon were equipped to deal with the fires.
Judy sighed while handing everyone an earpiece. "Our long-range communication seems to be cut off, but I can still coordinate people within five miles of this base. Brock and Sakuragi, head to that third site and inform me of the status. Do what you can to slow it down. I'll get Melanie to head there after she stops her fire, assuming there isn't a more pressing matter."
Sakuragi grabbed a bag off the floor while saluting. "You won't regret this, Judy! I promise!"
"And I won't let you all down!" Brock said while chasing after Sakuragi.
"What can we do to help?" Serena asked.
"I need you two to gather the Pokémon inside along with any nearby ones," she said in a calm manner. "Alert me if you see any signs of a Hunter. No matter what, keep the Pokémon here safe."
Ash and Serena looked at one another before dashing towards the front of the base. They left the doors wide open as they grabbed ahold of the porch railing.
"Everyone, please get into the building!" Ash shouted.
"You'll be safe inside!" Serena added.
The wild Pokémon were hesitant at first until Bulbasaur got onto the porch. "Bulbasaur. Saur. Saur."
They gathered at the base with Ash and Serena stepping to the side. Then one of the Deerling was hit a mysterious beam of light. Right before their eyes, the Season Pokémon froze and turned into stone. It caused the other Pokémon to run inside faster with the other Deerling looking at their friend along with Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf. Soon after, four other Deerling were petrified as well.
Serena covered her mouth, unable to move.
Ash quickly pulled the remaining five Deerling up the stairs and into the base with Bulbasaur's help, shutting the door. His gaze then set its sights on a woman with silver hair, an arm cannon-device, a futuristic-looking goggle and black trench coat with blood-red undergarments. She rode on top of a dragon-like Pokémon with red crescent wings and blue scales.
"Who are you and what have you done to those Deerling?" Ash shouted. His hands formed fists as he narrowed his eyes in anger. His chest pounded while thinking of the Deerling. There had better be a way to reverse the effects. He first had to deal with her.
The woman simply laughed as floating platforms shot out to hover above the petrified Deerling. Glass casing dug into the ground as she did not answer.
"Pikachu use Iron Tail on the glass! Nidoran use Double Kick! Pidgeotto use Aerial Ace! Butterfree use Pysbeam!"
Serena took a deep breath while furrowing her brows. "Eevee, let's make her pay! Use Swift! You too Ledyba! Nidoran, break those casing with Double Kick!"
Their Pokémon's attacks hit their marks but the glass didn't shatter. Bulbasaur and Nuzleaf pitched in too to no avail.
Eevee and Nidoran combined their Swifts to shower the woman and her Pokémon.
She waved her arm across the air. "Pathetic. Salamence use Flamethrower!"
Salamence launched a devastating force of fire that went through the Swift and onto the ground, setting it on fire. The intensity of the heat caused their Pokémon to back away from the clearing.
The woman then pressed a button on her gauntlet. The five containment units started to move upward, taking a piece of ground with them. "Contract complete. Cargo on route to sector fifteen." She paused with a wicked smile on her face. "New target acquired. It's worth more than the contract. I won't be long. Hmm?"
Ash and Serena latched themselves onto two of the containment unit. They weight held it down as their Pokémon desperately tried to break the glass. They held on with all of their might. The other three flew away.
Bulbasaur wrapped its vines around the third with Nuzleaf pounding away with its Leaf Blade.
"Enough games!" The woman shouted while pressing another button on her gauntlet.
The glass suddenly shocked Ash and Serena, causing them to let go and falling onto the steps hard.
The unit that Nuzleaf and Bulbasaur held down instead emitted a high frequency sound. The Seed Pokémon retracted its vines as it and Nuzleaf tried to get their bearings.
Ash's and Serena's Pokémon did the same. Pikachu had one eye open as it could still see the electrified field around the other two units.
Ash rubbed his lower back as Pikachu pressed its body against the electrified glass. His little buddy absorbed the power and channeled it into zapping the containment unit that emitted sound. The device on top started to malfunction as it crashed to the ground. The other two flew away past the woman who had her jaw opened. Then it turned into a grin.
"This must be my lucky day," the hunter chucked. "You junior Rangers are going to make me very rich. I thank you for being completely stupid in gathering the Deerling in one convenient location and showing me a hidden ability Pikachu along with a shiny Bulbasaur."
Serena growled. "We're not going to let you get away with this…whoever you are!"
"Hunter J," she playfully bowed. "Remember the Hunter who ruin your day!" Quickly she fired off a several beams of light from her arm cannon.
The Pokémon scattered to sides of the base, but they couldn't make it far with all the fire. Ash and Serena got themselves up the porch, not wanting to find out what would happen if they were touched by it.
"PikaPi!" The Mouse Pokémon shouted.
"Vee!" The Evolution Pokémon cried.
Both trainers turned to see Pikachu turned into stone. Eevee was crying.
Ash couldn't believe his eyes. This had to be a nightmare at some kind. It was time to wake up if that was the case. Sadly, his chest tightened. Tears reached his eyes as his breathing became shallow.
"Nuzleaf!" The Wily Pokémon then shouted.
He barely turned to see Bulbasaur also had been turned into stone. Nuzleaf stood in front of it to guard its friend, but Hunter J fired off another shot.
Serena tackled Nuzleaf to the ground to avoid it being turned to stone as well. She held onto it tightly while closing her eyes. "You won't be taken nor will I let anyone hurt you."
"Leaf?"
"Eevee!" The Evolution Pokémon crashed into the wall of the base.
Ash snapped his attention towards Pikachu who was being encased in glass. "Oh no you don't!" He ran down the steps where Salamence whacked him with its tail. He was sent flying towards the right with his back slamming into a tree and landing on his stomach on the ground.
"ASH!" Serena cried out. She rushed over to the edge of the porch before turning around.
The young man weakly lifted his head. His back was killing him. His vision blurred before focusing to see Pikachu, Bulbasaur, and the remaining Deerling flying off into the forest with Hunter J. He dug his fingers into the dirt ground while grinding his teeth.
"Execute the escape plan!" Hunter J shouted.
Echoes of her laughter could be heard as the ground rumbled. More smoke could be seen heading into the sky from all directions that Ash could see as his eyes only focused on the fleeing Hunter J. He willed himself to stand on his feet. No matter the pain that he'll have to endure, he was going to save his little buddy along with any other Pokémon that was captured or in the wake of the destruction caused by that vile psychopath!
AN: I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Let me know some of your thoughts on the Pokemon Ranger and Hunter J stuff. You'll probably get a better sense of her character in the second part, but I hoped you liked the scheme I cooked up.
Next Time: Part 2
Questions you might have
Q: Why is Bulbasaur a shiny?
Charmander has seen a lot of love over the years so I decided to spread and share that love. To make it special, I decided to make it shiny. I hope you enjoy that or found it surprising.
Q: Who is Sakuragi? Will Gou and Kohou also show up?
He's a professor in the current run of the anime. We'll see and learn more of him next part and Vermillion City. As for the other characters, it's in the air. They could show up for one thing or another.
Q: Wasn't the Rainbow Hero supposed to have a fight with Ho-Oh?
Maybe in movie 20 and games, but we'll learn more about my version of the legend at a later and more appropriate time.
Q: Why is Hunter J taking in Deerling? Are they not common in Unova?
Just because they're common in Unova, doesn't mean they're common elsewhere. Some people are paying top dollar for them too. And they're in the region she's currently in as opposed to flying across the ocean.
Q: Aren't the disk platform devices suppose to be from the bottom instead of the top?
I mean it was difficult for me to explain how they would have been on the bottom considering they would have to be placed under the feet of the petrified Pokemon. Her goons are also elsewhere too. So the top made more sense to me and works basically the same from there. It also took a piece of the ground with them if that wasn't clear.
