*Phantomness throws confetti*
Disclaimer: I really don't own pokemon, it belongs to Nintendo and Shogakukan Comics! This is non-profit fanwork, I'm not being paid for it, and it's mine since I wrote it.
Notes are for telepathy, ** for thoughts, italics if a pokemon talks.
Timeline: 2 weeks
Aragorn the Ranger – thanks!
Chapter 7: Traveling: VS Electabuzz
"So this is the S.S. Anne." Ash said, looking at the large ship. "It's rather impressive."
"Isn't she?"
Ash jumped, before he saw a man with spiky blonde hair. "I'm Surge, the captain of this ship."
"Pleased to meet you, sir."
Surge nodded. * Nice! Proper military respect, ah, it reminds me of my youth. *
"Did you want to go somewhere?"
"Hm?"
"The S.S. Anne sails from here to Cinnabar Island, but she can also make other trips."
"Oh!" This caught Red's attention. That might very well come in handy…
"Do you
want a ride?"
"Hmm… sure, I'll go check in
on my grandfather.'
"Your grandfather lives in Cinnabar? It's very popular with the elderly.
Ash nodded.
"Sure, I'll give you a ride.' Surge said, smiling. "But first, you have to defeat me in a pokemon battle!"
"I accept your conditions then." Ash said lightheartedly.
"Good! Voltorb, go!"
Ash jumped around as Voltorb shot sparks. Surge sweatdropped.
"You don't' have pokemon?!"
"Of course I do!" Red boasted, "But… I don't need one, yet!"
Voltorb began chasing him around the ship. Surge also followed, not sure what he was playing at.
Soon, Ash was standing on the railing and still jumping up and down to avoid being shocked. Just as Voltorb went in for what seemed like the killing tackle, it hit something else.
Aerodactyl casually buried it under a pile of rocks.
Red beamed, as he jumped onto Aerodactyl's back. "What do you think of this?"
"Interesting! Very well, Electabuzz! Thunder!"
Surge fully expected that move to win the match, and so was shocked when Aerodactyl ducked behind Ash, who put his hands out in front of him.
The lightning crackled over his metal armguards, but didn't seem to hurt him.
"What!"
"The insides of these are lined with shock-proof material." Red explained. "They were my dad's when he was training electric pokemon.'
"Oh, smart… but you can't protect your pokemon forever."
"Who said I needed to?" Ash said, before a Hyper Beam blew Electabuzz off the ship.
Aerodactyl looked very pleased with himself.
Distract, and then attack. It is a perfect plan.
Surge quickly saved his pokemon, and took Ash along when he delivered the crates of mangoes in his hold to Cinnabar.
The trip was quite short and sweet, and the captain bade his young acquaintance goodbye with something of a rude affection.
Ash waved, patted his new Thunder Badge, and then headed for the gym to find Blaine.
"Grandfather? Are you here?"
Blaine's baldhead poked out of a door. "Ash, is that you?"
"Yes, I came to visit. I hope you don't mind."
"Not at all." Blaine said. "I'm surprised you had time. Weren't you still working at a Center last time I checked?"
"Yes, but I got my pokédex from Oak finally."
"Good work!" Blaine said approvingly, while Ash studied the gym décor. Stainless steel walls, polished to a dull sheen, glared back at him. A few quiz machines stood near the entrance of the arena.
There was no wallpaper, shabby or otherwise.
While Blaine fiddled with the pokédex, Ash and his pokemon found a couch and chairs and crashed.
Aerodactyl yawned, tucking his head under a wing.
Seems like so much time has passed, since I was last here.
Oh? Poli asked, as it ate a grape.
Yes. I remember when I first saw it…
A strange humming noise was the first sensation he registered. Then, there was the very bright light.
Strange,
the last thing he remembered was sleeping. Had the bright ball of fire in the
sky already risen?
And why was it so cold?
Opening his yellow eyes, he
looked around and stared.
Where was the forest?
Where! He wasn't in a cave either! What was this? There were no rocks, no dirt. Instead, the ground was very bright and shiny.
There was no food, either. He sighed and got ready to fly off.
Suddenly, he hit something.
There was nothing, and yet… he tried again, batting at the air with a wing.
It hit something hard.
Frustrated, he gathered his energy and blew the air away with a Hyper Beam.
It hurt! Sharp bits of air came flying at him. What strange new attack was this? All he wanted was to live in piece.
All of a sudden, he saw a strange type of pokemon with a white body and large black eyes.
Maybe it was edible.
He charged, teeth clacking as he headed for the throat.
That was when the cold, cold, water hit him, cold, cold water with no river around!
There was another pokemon, strange too, smaller and red and white and blue patched.
And then, next to it was another pokemon, like a frog. He liked eating frogs. They were juicy. But the frog shot cold, cold water at him!
The last thing he knew was the pokemon throwing a rock, and then everything went black.
Light again.
Strange, strange pokemon brings meat. Meat is good, but different. Still, eats meat. Strange, strange, pokemon brings meat every day. Good pokemon.
Pokemon tells him fight another pokemon like grass. Bite grass pokemon, tear and fight! Grass pokemon run away.
Red and blue and white pokemon brings more meat. More meat, more pokemon to fight, strange pokemon is kind.
Stay with strange, strange pokemon. Learn. Other pokemon teach things, other pokemon like nest, like children.
A team.
Aerodactyl took another look at his master, smiling.
End Chapter!
Completed 3/4/04, Created 3/2/04
I'm putting a pokemon vignette at almost every chapter end, like? Well, I'm testing but since my readers are reading, this is so they won't get bored! *Wink*