Where The Red Fern Grows: A Pokemon Story

Cerulean Shadow's Note: To Soft Flame Matthias, well, the nemesis will be almost at the end of the story. There are a lot of nemesises', so you better watch out! And I can't quite give out who plays it, so you'll have to figure it out for yourself. But, since you're a curious author, I'll give you one clue:

1: The nemesis appeared in the 6th chapter.

It's easy to spot, so you'll have a better chance finding out. There will probably be twelve chapters in this story, I don't know. But I have to warn you, Soft Flame, there will be characters who die in this story. This chapter features one, but the next charcacter(s) will be in the later chapters. But if you want to know when, I'll give you the signal. By the way, I hope you can find the real "Where The Red Fern Grows", but if you can't seem to find it, this fanfic will be an example of it. Trust me, if you like this fanfic, you'll love the book.

Well, I wish you the best luck with your fanfic. By the way, what are you going to name it? Hmmm... Well, I better wrap this up before I write this chapter. Good luck on your trip to Ohio and Florida!

To all, the song, "Sweet Beulah Land" by Allison Krauss will be played in this chapter.

Ash and his friends still couldn't find out how the tree fell at the right time. But putting that thought aside, they were able to continue the play with special guests-- Brock and Gary as the Pritchard boys.

BEGINNING OF SCENE SEVEN

In Grandpa's store, Grandpa was telling Elm of how Old Meowth and Little Pikachu had done well with their hunting for Zigzagoon. Gary and Brock Pritchard were there was well, concerned about the Pokemon's skills.

"I tell you, I never seen anything like it in my life. When that Meowth grabbed that Zigzagoon by the tail, he wasn't anywhere near a tree." Grandpa said.

"Is that right?" Elm asked.
"That's right. Last week we sent a bundle of furs like you wouldn't believe."

"If they're as good as you say they are, you ought to enter in that fall competition. Might have a chance to win, and find out how good they really are."

"Oh, they're good. They're good."
"There's the boy now." Elm said as Ash walked in the door.
"Hey, Ash. How you doing?" Grandpa asked.

"Your Grandpa's been bragging up a storm about you, boy." Elm told Ash. "If you and your Pokemon are half as good as he says, I got a pesky Zigzagoon out there been getting into my Torchics, stealing eggs. Could use your help one of these nights."

"Just tell me when." Ash said.
"Anytime this week. How's Thursday night?" Elm asked.
"That should be all right."
"All right. I gotta get going."
"All right. Take it easy." Grandpa said.
"Barley's waiting in the field."
"All righty. We'll see you later."
"All right."

Then he walked out the door.

"Hey," Gary's voice asked Ash. "Where's them Pokemon we been hearing so much about?"
"Back home." Ash answered. "Ma needs a big sack of cornmeal." Ash told Grandpa.

"All righty." Grandpa said as he reached up at the shelf for some items. "Here you go... And here's the Pritchards'. You boys need anything else?" he asked the Pritchards.

"Uh... gimme two plugs of tobacco." Gary said.
"... Little too young for that, ain't you?" Grandpa asked.
"It's for my pa." Gary answered.

As soon as Grandpa was searching for the tobacco, Brock and Gary faced Ash.

"Is them Pokemon of yours really as good as the old man says they are?" Brock asked.
"My Grandpa doesn't lie. Why?" Ash asked.
"Well, since you're so sure of yourself, wanna make a bet?"
"... No."
"What's the matter? You chicken?" Brock asked as he started to imitate a chicken.
"No. I just don't wanna." Ash answered, breaking the annoying screech.

"Ash, get yourself a peppermint there." Grandpa said to Ash. "Sure this is for your pa?" Grandpa asked.

"It's for my pa, all right." Gary said as he took the tobacco.
"Tobacco..." Grandpa sad as he wrote the word on his list. "So what--"

Grandpa was then interrupted by the sight he couldn't believe was real. Brock and Gary were eating the tobacco! (C.S/N: It was just candy in real life.)

"... Now, what do you boys think your doing? What do you think you're doing in here! Get out of my store, right now!" Grandpa yelled as the boys left the store. "You're gonna have a fine time explaining this to your pa. Two plugs of tobacco he never seen!"

"I better get going." Ash said.
"Remember to tell your folks. Sunday, supper at my place." Grandpa said.
"Okay."
"Okay."
"Thanks."
"Take care, now."
"See you on Sunday."
"Okay."

As soon as Ash walked out the door, the Pritchards were blocking his way, leaving him to stare at their annoyance.

"Hey, Ashy boy. How you doing, you chicken?" Gary asked loudly as Brock started to imitate a chicken, once again. "Come on. Come on, here we go. Come on! Come on!"

"What's going on out here?" Grandpa's voice asked behind on the porch.
"Come on!" Gary continued.
"Hey, hey!" Gary and Brock stopped by Grandpa's yell. "Can't you Pritchards do nothing but make trouble?" Grandpa asked.

"We ain't looking to cause trouble. Just bet." Gary said.
"Bet?" Grandpa asked.
"Bet." Gary repeated.
"On what?" Grandpa asked.

"Well, we got a Zigzagoon out near our place that no Pokemon was smart enough to tree yet." Gary explained.

"Everytime they think they got him treed, he just disappears. Twice as big as you saw, and they call him the Ghost Goon." Brock said as Gary spat out a wad of tobacco. "We got $5 says your Meowth and Pikachu can't tree him."

"I know my Pokemon can tree him... But we don't hold to betting." Ash said.
"Told you he was too chicken." Brock said as Gary, this time, started to imatate a chicken.
"Wait there, whoa, whoa, hold it. You say $5?" Grandpa asked.
"$5." Brock said as Gary spit out another wad of tobacco.
"Just count on Ash in on that." Grandpa said as he took out a $5 bill.

"Grandpa-" Ash started.

"Now, you just take this. Okay? Hold onto that." Grandpa said as he handed Ash the money. "You hold onto your money, he'll hold onto his money." Grandpa told the Pritchards.

"But Grandpa, you said The Good Book says a wager's a fool's argument." Ash protested.
"The Good Book never had to deal with no Pritchards." Grandpa replied. "This better be fair and square, or I'll be talking to your pa."

"Oh, it'll be fair. My Pa would beat us to a pulp if he caught us cheating." Gary said. "'Bout meeting old Ash and his Pokemon in our pasture today. Around sunset."

"I'll be there." Ash said.
"He'll be there." Grandpa said.
"Don't forget the $5." Brock said in Ash's face.
"Yeah." Gary said as he shoved Ash's shoulder with his own shoulder.
"Hey, hey." Grandpa whispered.

"We're gonna be rich!" Gary said as he and Brock walked away.
"Easiest $5 I'll ever see." Brock said.
"You mean three. I'm getting two, you know." Gary said.
"It was my idea!" Brock protested as they ran off back home.

Ash stared at both of his nemisis'. Behind him, Grandpa grabbed his shoulders and whispered,

"Ash, I have never asked nothing of no man on Earth, but I am asking you to get that so called Ghost Goon."

At sunset, Ash, Old Meowth, and Little Pikachu finally made it to the Pritchards' pasture. But before they could go any further, Ash stopped.

"All right. All right. Come here, come here." Ash whispered.

He bent down onto his knees, and looked into his Pokemon's eyes.

"Okay, you two. We gotta find this Ghost Goon tonight, and show those Pritchards. Grandpa's counting on us, you understand?" he asked.

The Pokemon nodded. Ash smiled, as well as Pikachu. ash stood up, and the Pokemon followed him.

"All right. Come on. Come on. Come on, Little Pikachu."

Over at the fence of the pasture, the Pritchards were holding their Mightyena (Their Poochyena back on Chapter 3 evolved into a Mightyena) tied to a fence.

"This'll hold him." Gary said. "We don't want him fighting with those Pokemon."

Both of the boys heard a Pikachu yell with excitement in the pasture. They knew it was Ash.

"That's them, come on." Brock said.

But as soon as the Pokemon left, the Mightyena started to growl at the sound of the Pokemon. As the Pritchards followed Ash, Old Meowth and Pikachu finally spotted the biggest Zigzagoon they ever saw-- The Ghost Goon. Meowth sped up, while Pikachu followed.

"Attaboy." Ash told Pikachu.

"They got the sent!" Gary exclaimed as they ran.

The Ghost Goon swan across a steep river, but had no trouble nonetheless. As the huge Zigzagoon hopped out of the water, Little Pikachu swam as fast as he could to the other side. But Meowth slowly followed him, due to his fear of the water.

"Attaboy." Ash told Meowth. "Come on."
"It's the Ghost Goon, all right." Brock said.
"Yep." Gary answered.
"He always goes this way. Come on!" Brock exclaimed.

It was like an eternity for the Pokemon to catch up to the Ghost Goon, but they weren't going to give up that easily. They were strong. Strong to go the extra mile. Strong to make Ash proud... And they were up for it.

"Hurry up, Gary! Let's go!" Brock exclaimed.

The Ghost Goon came to another river and started to cross. Pikachu charged right in, picking up speed. Meowth ignored his own fear of the water and followed Pikachu. After long minutes of chasing the Ghost Goon, the raccoon Pokemon finally climbed up a familiar tree. Pikachu and Meowth stopped, and tried to climb up the hollow tree, waiting for Ash, Brock, and Gary to catch up.

"That's him! He always finds that tree." Brock said as they all stopped to examine the tree.

"There's no holes up there or nothing." Gary told Ash. "We've been up there. He just... disappears."

But Ash noticed a long branch that lead up to the roof of the bridge. Maybe somehow the Ghost Goon crawled to the and hid there. Ash slowly walked over to the bridge, finding a way to climb it.

"He's gone! He's the Ghost Goon!" Brock exclaimed.
"We want our five bucks." Gary said.

Ash didn't answer them. He climbed to the railing of the bridge. He punched the loose part of the roof with the side of his fist. Luckily, it formed into a hole.

Back to the Mightyena, he tried to break free from the rope. He knew that there was a Meowth with his trainers. The Mightyena has been trained itself to attack Persians and Meowths. But Meowths were his best target. He tugged and tugged with all his might, trying to break the rope free. Barking and growling, he still wouldn't give up.

Ash, finally, with all his strength, lifted himself up to the roof. He didn't crawl, but formed himself into a small position and walked to the bell house of the bridge, thinking that the Ghost Goon was inside.

The Mightyena kept his sight on Meowth, trying to break himself free from the rope's grip. After one mighty tug, he broke free, and ran after the Pokemon.

"What are you doing up there, boy?" Gary asked from below.
"He ain't up there. He's gone." Brock said.
"Come on down here and pay up." Gary said.

Ash ignored both of them, and took a peek inside of the small bell house. There, hidden inside, was the Ghost Goon. It seemed that the Ghost Goon was hiding in that small house all the time! Ash actually thought that Brock and Gary were fools, not looking in here in the first place.

"That son of a gun." Ash whispered.

The Ghost Goon looked innocent... kinda cute to the female viewers out there. Ash couldn't get this Pokemon... it didn't quite deserve it. It was old, and not able to live longer. Ash didn't want to end it's life over $5.

"... You were right!" he yelled to Gary and Brock. "He's gone! He's disappeared!... He's the Ghost Goon, all right..."

"It's old Mightyena!" Ash heard Gary yell.

Ash looked down, and saw a Mightyena charging straight for Old Meowth, unsuspecting it.

"Look out! Meowth!" Ash exclaimed as he jumped down the bridge roof.

But before Meowth could notice, Mightyena attacked Meowth. Meowth yelped, while Gary and Brock watched this horrific sight. Gary picked up an ax from his patch pocket.

"Hey, get off him!" Gary yelled as he ran, but accidentally tripped. He screamed, Brock bent down to examine Gary's wound. Ash rushed to his assistance.

"He's hurt real bad. I'm gonna get my pa!" Brock yelled as he ran.

Ash ran to Gary. As soon as he reached to his warm body, he turned him over, and saw... the ax jabbed into his chest.

Everyone, Ash's family, the Pritchards' family and friends, were all at Gary's funeral. The poor boy bled to death after the accident. Ash brought a few flowers, as Grandpa put his hands on his shoulders.

"I'm kind of homesick,
For that country,
To which I've never
Been before,

Brock took a few deep breaths, but held back the tears. Ash felt guilty to bring Gary up to the bet in the first place. He stared at the wooden coffin that rested his nemisis, but friend inside.

No sad good byes,
Will there be spoken,
For time wont matter
Any more

A line of people came, and put flowers on his coffin. First Gary's grandpa, then his mother, then a family friend, then a relative, then Ash. It felt like Ash had the most flowers, since the petals represented his responsibility for causing this scene.

Beulah land,
I'm longing for you,
And someday,
On thee I'll stand
Where My Home,
Shall be eternal,
Beulah Land,
Sweet Beulah land..." - Allison Krauss

"Don't go blaming yourself, Ash." James said as he, Ash, Jessie, and Grandpa were walking back to their carriage.

"I'm the reason he's dead." Ash said.
"Ash, if it's anybody's fault, it's me. I'm the one who called the boys' bet." Grandpa said.
"It was nobody's fault. It was an accident." James said.

As soon as they got on their carriage, Jessie sat right beside Ash, wondering what his concern was.

"... You can stop worrying, Momma, 'cause I ain't never going hunting again." Ash finally said.

Jessie gave him the most confused look. He wanted to stop hunting? What was he thinking? It wasn't his fault, so why does he...?

END OF SCENE SEVEN


After the scene, Ash found Gary at the lounge. He was sitting down at one of the chairs, smiling.

"Well, I guess you find that scene easy, huh Gary?" Ash asked.

"A little. I mean, I know that a lot of people around the world would be upset for the rest of their lives after they came to my funeral." Gary said.

Ash put an annoyed look on his face.

"Sure would..." he said sarcastically.

TO BE CONTINUED...