17. The Forming of a Barking Hot Friendship
While the end of the summer was starting to get near, it wasn't visible, as the sun was shining brightly, and the atmosphere felt freely, and relaxed.
After meeting Janine, the ninja-like girl decided to join Danny and Richard on their travels, something both boys where happy about. Right now, they are on their way towards Vermillion City, where Danny hopes to earn his third gym badge.
"You know Richard, I wish I was as smart as you were when you decided to take those sunglasses." Danny said, as he referred to the Black Glasses Richard wore, which protected his eyes from the incoming sunbeams.
"Yeah, the sun is getting pretty irritating." Janine added. "The worse thing is, that right now, the sun is right into our eyes." Richard nodded and smiled. "There can only be one who is the smartest." He laughed.
Behind them, Charmander, Squirtle and Janine's Venonat didn't had any trouble with the sun, their trainers where walking in in front of them, and no sunbeams could get past. Of course, Charmander didn't matter the sun anyway.
"I have never been in these part of Kanto before, to be honest." Janine said. "This forest, it looks really natural, I like it." Richard nodded. "I do to. You can even see some wild Pokémon." Richard pointed towards an small opening in the forest, where two Bellsprouts where playing.
Further was a Spearow flying over the trees, and they saw a Caterpie crawling over the branches of a big tree. "I like to see Pokémon in their natural habitat." Richard said, still enjoying the sight of the happy Pokémon. "When I was younger, I always hated trainers, because they captured Pokémon, and took them out of their habitat. Now I know that some Pokémon prefer being in a team with a trainer." Janine explained.
Danny nodded. "I always wanted to be a trainer, so I didn't really thought too much into it. All I ever wanted was to have a strong team and to beat the strongest trainers. Now I am a trainer and I have six great Pokémon, my future plans have changed." Danny looked behind him, and his heart started to glow when he saw Charmander, the Lizard Pokémon happily waved at his trainer.
"Of course, I still want to beat the strongest trainer, and become strong myself, but my main priority is to keep my Pokémon healthy and safe." Danny concluded.
As they walked on, their sight started to get a little less, as the sun started to get more intense, and they didn't saw something getting closer and closer towards the, until it bumped into Danny.
"What happened?" Richard asked, as he extended his arm to help Danny get up.
"I don't know." Janine looked around, and then saw a Pokémon, a dog like one, that was standing still, as it was frozen, looking at them as it was scared to death.
"I think it is a Growlithe." Danny said, looking at Fire type Pokémon in front of him.
Growlithe, the Puppy Pokémon. While loyal to its master, the Growlithe will drive away enemies by barking and biting.
"It is a Growlithe." Richard said. "Your Pokémon knowledge it getting bigger." He joked towards Danny. Meanwhile, the Growlithe seemed to have recovered from the shock, and ran away again.
"Wait!" A boy, well, young man, ran towards them. "Growlithe, stop!" He ran past Danny and his friends, as if they weren't even there.
"Let's follow him, maybe we can help him out." Janine said. Both boys nodded, and they started chasing the man, who was chasing Growlithe.
"Growlithe, we only want to help you." The adolescent shouted. "You don't need to be afraid."
Growlithe didn't listen, and kept running until it felt safe again. It kept looking behind itself to find out where its chasers where, this wasn't a very clever idea, as Janine thought of something smart.
She climbed into a tree, and started jumping from tree to tree noiseless. "Wow, Janine really is a forest person." Danny said. The Poison type trainer was getting closer to Growlithe, while the Puppy Pokémon hadn't even found out it was chased from above as well.
Janine got closer and, eventually, at front of Growlithe, she jumped of the branch, and Growlithe was now facing another treat, a treat it couldn't dodge.
"Got you." Janine smiled, as she took Growlithe, and lifted it up. "Here you go." Growlithe's owner was quickly at the place as well, and Janine gave the Fire type Pokémon back to its owner.
"Thank you so much." The guy said. "My name is Vince." "I am Janine." "My name is Danny, and this is my friend Richard." Both Danny and Richard had arrived at the scene.
"As a thank you, I would like to invite you for a coffee over at my ranch." Vince said. "That sounds good, how about you?" Richard nodded, and Janine seemed to be in for it as well, so they decided to go along with Vince, and enjoy a cup of coffee.
Ten minutes later, all four of them walk inside a fenced area. "This is my ranch." Vince says. "I have lived here ever since I was born." Danny and his friends looked around the place, and they were amazed.
Vince, who looked a little bit young to be a ranch owner, seemed out to be above 20 already, and his young looks where thanks to the fact he shaved his beard and mustache, and he was wearing a t-shirt with a young Growlithe on it, which made him look younger.
"This used to be my parents range, but when they retired, I took over." Vince explained. From the entrance, a small house was already visible, but it looked closer than it was, and they had a quite the walk before they got there.
On the way, they saw several Pokémon walking around in the area, all Growlithe. "Why are there only Growlithe?" Danny asked. "Because I have changed this ranch into a Growlithe ranch, instead of the all Pokémon ranch my parents had."
From a far, a cloud of dust was getting closer towards them. "Guys, I think we should get out of the way of the thing creating that cloud." Richard said, which made Vince start to laugh. "Don't worry, I know what is making that cloud, and you don't need to be afraid." Richard looked in front again, and saw a silhouette getting closer.
"That looks like an Arcanine." Janine said. "I have never seen one in real life before, but I have seen a lot of pictures, they are great Pokémon." "It is, it is my Pokémon, I called him Barky when he was still a Growlithe, but he still listens to that name." Vince sat down on one knee, as Barky ran towards him, almost knocking his trainer down.
"Wow, easy buddy." Vince started cuddling with the 1.9 meters (6'03") big Legendary Pokémon. Barky happily licked Vince's face.
"Come on, you embarrass me." Vince laughed. Barky stepped back, and allowed his trainer to get back up. "Well, this is Barky." Barky cave head to all three of them, although it mend he had to kneel a little bit, since he was bigger than all of them.
Danny quickly took his Pokédex again, as he wanted to know more info about this majestic Pokémon:
Arcanine, a Legendary Pokémon. The evolved form of Growlithe. Arcanine is known for its bravery and fierce loyalty. Growlithe evolves into Arcanine from its use of a Fire Stone.
"I never knew Arcanine was a Legendary Pokémon." Richard said. "It isn't." Vince answered. "Most people thought Arcanine was a Legendary Pokémon, I'll tell you the story my grandpa always told me, let's go to the house."
They quickly made it towards the house, where a young girl came running out. "Did you find Growlithe?" "Yeah I did, these great people helped me find it." "Thank you so, so much." Growlithe ran towards the girl, and the two had a happy reunion moment.
"You see, Growlithe is afraid for all humans, except for Elisa, and sometimes, it allows me near." The girl, Elisa, was still cuddling with Growlithe. "Don't run away again, okay?" Growlithe licked her cheek.
Elisa had two pigtails in her brown hair, and she had a nice laugh. She didn't looked older than 11, maybe 12, and she had almost completely pink clothing, except for her shoes, which where a fell kind of orange. Next to a t-shirt, she was wearing a skirt.
"Now come on in, and I'll give you something to drink. Are you coming too Elisa?" "No, I'm staying and playing with Growlithe." Vince nodded. "Okay, but don't go too far away, stay on the ranch." "I will Vince."
"You guys all want coffee?" Danny and Janine nodded. "I have tea to, if someone want to." "I would like some tea, if it isn't too much of a trouble." Richard asked. "Not at all, I only drink tea as well, so I would make it anyway." Vince smiled, and walked into the kitchen. He was back within a few seconds.
"Coffee and tea will be ready in a minute." Vince said. "In the meantime, I'll tell you the story about Arcanine."
"My grandfather always told me, when I was a kid, that Arcanine used to be a legendary. This was because there were only a few, and they weren't seen too often, that makes Pokémon like Articuno and Mewtwo legendary Pokémon, aside from their supernatural powers. Way before my grandfather was born, there were only a few Arcanine, they lived in the volcano of Cinnabar Island. One of my ancestors is said to be the trainer of a Growlithe, and after he and his Growlithe found a stone, which we now know was a Fire Stone, his Growlithe evolved into an Arcanine. From that moment, more and more Arcanine appeared, as a lot of people owned a Growlithe, but didn't know how to evolve it, or if it could evolve at all." Vince told them.
"But, shouldn't Pokémon like Nidoking and Vileplume be Legendary as well then, since they evolve with a stone as well?" Janine asked. "I don't know about that, that is a good point. I guess that was found out earlier, maybe due to the fact that the places where these Pokémon live are more accessible." Vince said. "Ah, your drinks are ready, let me get them quickly." He walked off towards the kitchen, and came back with two cups of coffee and two with tea.
"So, Danny. You are on a Pokémon Journey, right?" Vince asked. Danny nodded. "Do you, maybe, have a Psychic type with you? I really love those Pokémon." Danny laughed. "I have one, but really need to be lucky if he is awake." Danny took Abra's Pokéball, and let the Psi Pokémon out, who was awake.
"Seems Vince is lucky indeed." Richard laughed. "Wow, I am amazed." Vince said, staring at Abra, who didn't mind it at all. A little bit attention is good for everyone. "My grandpa used to have an Alakazam, who made me float in the air with its Psychic powers, I guess that's why I like them so much, cause they remind me of my grandpa."
Vince wanted to sit down, when they suddenly hear a loud noise, followed by Elisa screaming. Vince ran outside directly, followed by Danny, Richard and Janine. When they were outside, they were just in time to see Growlithe run away once again.
"Elisa, what happened?" Vince kneeled down by his sister, who was crying. "There was a loud noise, and Growlithe jumped out of my arms and ran away." Vince's Arcanine was quickly at the place as well.
"I'm going after Growlithe, Elisa stay here." Vince jumped on Barky. "We'll go with you." Danny said. Vince nodded, and ran off. "Pidgey come on out. Go in the air and look for a running Growlithe." Pidgey flew off towards the forest.
"Come on." Richard said. Danny and Janine nodded, and they ran off, Charmander, Squirtle, Venonat and Abra quickly followed them.
Elisa remained alone, but when she saw the last of the now gone heroes, she decided to go after her friend as well, and she ran off towards the forest, the same direction her brother did earlier.
In the forest, Vince and Barky where quickly ahead of Danny and the others, but in this way, it was a good strategy: Vince looked superficial, if Growlithe ran somewhere, he would see it, while Danny and Richard ran on the ground, looking everywhere to see if it hided. Janine had jumped into the trees again and was looking from an higher perspective.
"How can it have gotten this far away already?" Danny wondered. "Those Growlithe are fast."
Elisa had just entered the forest as well, and was looking for Growlithe. She wasn't even close as fast as her brother and Arcanine, who had already searched through most of the forest, but she kept looking.
"Where can it be?" Elisa started to get a little bit desperate. The sun slowly started to go down, and the forest became darker, not a place for young girls as Elisa to be at night.
"Growlithe! Where are you?" She kept looking, but nothing responded, well, Growlithe didn't, but something else did: A Mankey was standing in front of here, and it was angry.
"AAAAH!" Her scream was hearable throughout the entire forest and also hearable for the others.
"That is Elisa. Something is wrong!" Vince said. "You guys keep looking, I'll go after Elisa." Danny nodded, and started looking for the Growlithe again, while Vince and Barky ran off to find Elisa.
Elisa started running away, deeper into the forest, with the Mankey chasing her. "Please, leave me alone!" The Mankey had different plans. That weird girl had invaded its territory, and should be punished.
"Elisa!" Vince was slowly getting lost in the forest, and so where Danny, Richard and Janine. "I have no idea where to go." Right at that moment, Pidgey found its trainer, and landed on his shoulder.
"Hi Pidgey, have you found Growlithe?" Pidgey nodded, and flew up again. "Let's follow it." Danny said, and they started running in the direction Pidgey was flying.
Pidgey guided them even deeper into the forest, where the little Growlithe had hidden itself. "Danny, look!" Janine was the first one to spot the Growlithe, it was hiding under a fallen tree, which had brought other trees down as well when it had collapsed. The result was good shelter for Pokémon like Growlithe.
"Growlithe, don't be afraid." Richard tried to get near, but got a Flamethrower launched at him. "Whoa, Growlithe, calm down."
"Have we ever thought about a plan for taking Growlithe back?" Janine said sarcastically. "That would have been Vince's part." Danny answered, and Janine sighed.
"Little Growlithe, remember me?" Janine tried to get near, but got also a Flamethrower as a warning not to get too near.
"Great, what do we do next?" Janine said. "I don't really know." Richard sat down, trying to think of an idea, but he couldn't come up with something.
"There might just be one thing." Danny said. He walked towards Growlithe. "Growlithe listen. Your best friend, Elisa, is out here in the forest as well. Alone." Danny could come closer. "Vince is looking for here, but the chances he finds her are really small. You need to help us." Growlithe looked in Danny's eyes, and knew it was true.
The only person it ever trusted needed its help, how could it refuse? It stood up, and walked from underneath its shelter.
"Yeah, that's the spirit." Danny said. Growlithe started to smell the scents in the air, and within a minute it smelt its favorite: Elisa.
It barked once, and then ran off. "Good job Danny." Richard gave Danny a pat on his shoulder, and ran after Growlithe. Danny and Janine quickly followed.
Elisa was still running away from the angry Mankey, but she couldn't hold up. The Mankey, who had a way better condition, was still able to keep it up. When Elisa looked behind her to see how far away the Pokémon was, she trembled and fell, now free game for the Mankey.
"No…" She tried to get up, but the Mankey was now too close, and was about to hit her, when a force ran in and smacked the Pig Monkey away.
"Growlithe!" Elisa started cuddling with her Growlithe. "That was just in time." Danny sighed, as they walked further into the field, while Janine helped Elisa get up.
"Thanks so much." Elisa said. "I was really afraid." Janine pushed the little girl against her. "You don't need to be afraid anymore, we are here. Nothing will happen to you."
An angry sound came from one of the trees. And an even bigger Monkey Pokémon, a Primeape, jumped down. It was fumed.
Danny's hand slid towards one of his Pokéballs, but a Flamethrower from behind them hit the Primeape earlier. It was like a clash of the titans: At one point, there was the still angry Primeape, on the other side was Vince's Arcanine, who had arrived with his trainer a few seconds earlier.
Barky was angry as well, and looked at the Primeape with a threatening look. The last one knew not to be a match for an angry Arcanine, and walked off, followed by the Mankey.
"Elisa, there you are." Vince ran towards his sister, and cuddled with her. "I told you not to ran off." He patted her.
Danny looked up. "Guys, I don't want to interrupt anything, but it is getting pretty dark." Vince laughed. "I led us towards the ranch."
Back on the ranch, all of them were enjoying either a cup of coffee, or a cup of tea in Elisa and Richard's case.
"You shouldn't have ran off Elisa, I promised dad and mom to take care of you." Vince said. "I was just afraid to lose Nosie." Vince looked at his sister. "Who is Nosie?" "That's how I called my Growlithe, since it has such a good nose." Vince started to laugh, and Nosie barked happily as well.
"It seems it isn't too afraid of humans anymore." Richard said. "Apparently losing the only human it trusts brought it over the edge." Nosie happily barked again, and Elisa stroked its head. "Yeah, you are a good boy." She laughed.
"Thank you really much that we can stay here." Janine said. "It is the least I could do. Thanks to you, both Growlithe and Elisa are safe." Vince said.
Outside, it was now completely dark, and the sounds of a Primeape where hearable in the forest, but they didn't had to fear for it, because it knew that, as long as Barky was on the ranch, it stood no chance.