Chapter 3: Crisis in Viridian City
"Pika…Pikapi…" Pikachu's ears drooped down, and Pikachu was walking slower than usual. Ashura got worried noticing that his little companion was depressed.
"Hey Pikachu? What's wrong?" Ashura stopped and knelt down by Pikachu. Pikachu pointed in the direction they were walking from.
"Oh, you must miss that girl. I'm sorry, but she'll someday be a fierce opponent we'll have to face against, and joining up with her will slow us down. We must get those badges and learn about the past of both of us. So far, all I know is that we originated from Pallet Town, but who are our parents Pikachu?" Ashura picked up Pikachu and carried him for a little while, until Ashura heard a huge rustling behind them. He looked behind himself and saw an enormous flock of Spearow and Fearow blanketing the sky. They angrily cawed at and dived at Ashura and Pikachu.
Pikachu leapt out and shocked the first wave of flying pokemon, but more and more waves of angry Spearow and Fearow swooped down at them. Ashura and Pikachu dropped down and covered their heads as the flying pokemon pecked at them with their beaks. Pikachu launched an electrical shockwave, but only electrified a few of the pokemon. Ashura got up, but only to be surrounded by a twister of Spearow and Fearow.
"Pikachu…we have no choice but to use RAIJENGEKI." Ashura told Pikachu. The storm clouds began to darken the sky above them and the Spearow and Fearow stopped in place to see the spectacle unfolding. Thunder crackled and lightning struck Pikachu and Ashura. Pikachu's body sparked with electricity and absorbed some more from Ashura. Pikachu held an energy orb towards the flying pokemon and blasted the energy beam at the Spearow and Fearow, driving them away.
"Pikachu, we did it! Pikachu?" Ashura looked at Pikachu. Pikachu lay on the ground unconscious, and still emitting electricity.
"No, I forgot that you can only use one RAIJENGEKI before the twenty-four hour recharge. Don't worry buddy, the next town is only up ahead." Ashura picked up the collapsed Pikachu and sprinted for the next town at top speed, ignoring the electricity shocking him. However, unknown to him, Ashura was being watched.
"Hey boss, we found a good candidate for new recruits." A dark voice talked into a cell phone.
"What are his qualifications? Is he any good?" The person on the other line questioned.
"Yes, he's good, especially that Pikachu of his. It is very powerful. It took out about a hundred pokemon with one attack." A second voice talked into the phone.
"Hmmm…alright. As my best criminals you better not mess this up. However if he refuses, do the usual." The person on the other line ordered and signed off.
Ashura quickly ran through the forest, reaching Viridian City by early nightfall. Ashura had no idea where to go for help, for he had never been in a city as big as Viridian. However, remembering his objective, Ashura continued to search for the best place for help. Soon, he stumbled upon a building where he saw sick pokemon being treated, so he went inside.
"Can someone help me?" Ashura bust through the door, imploring.
"What is it? What happened to that Pikachu?" A nurse with pink hair ran up to him and noticed the Pikachu still emitting static.
"My Pikachu overused too much power and short-circuited. Can you help him?" The Nurse nodded and ordered a Blissey to take Pikachu to the emergency room. After going behind the doors, Ashura waited for his pokemon to get better, constantly eyeing the red-light over the doors, showing if Pikachu was ready or not. Ashura walked back and forth, played with the devices on the lobby counter, and did everything to make the time pass faster. Ashura then noticed a photo on the wall. On the picture was the same boy who looked exactly liked him? Why does he appear almost everywhere? Ashura then noticed a name on the picture, completely astonishing him. However the event was short-lived when the power went out. Ashura looked around and saw two dark figures jumping in.
"Prepare for Trouble!"
"Make it double!"
"To infect the world with devastation!"
"To destroy the people within our nation!"
"To renounce the goods of truth and love!"
"To spread our evil to the stars above!"
"Alexis!"
"Allan!"
"Team Sky-Rocket blasts off at the speed of light!"
"Surrender now or you'll surely lose the fight!"
"Persian!"
"Who are you? Do you know who cut the power?" Ashura questioned the trio wearing black outfits with a giant R, but they responded with an evil laugh.
"We were the ones who cut the power! We're here to steal a certain pokemon." The blue, long haired Alexis giggled.
"And little boy, we're here with a proposition for you! How would you like to join Team Sky-Rocket? You have lots of potential." The second member, the red-haired boy Allan, demanded.
"Thanks, but no thanks. My Pikachu and I don't work with criminals." Ashura smirked.
"That's too bad. You'll have to die then. Go Grimer! Go Ariados!"
The two members called out their poisonous pokemon and ordered them to attack Ashura. Grimer first launched a Sludge Bomb attack, but because of Ashura's many years of survival training, evaded the attack. Ariados fired a String Shot, but missed as well. Both pokemon continually blast attacks, but dodged every time until Ashura and the other pokemon were exhausted. However, the Persian attacked from behind and slashed Ashura's face, blinding him. Grimer used Pound on Ashura's side and broke some bones, immobilizing Ashura. Ariados finally stopped Ashura with a Spider Web, wrapping him in a thick coat of spider silk.
"I say we are done here. However, Persian, finish him." Alexis ordered and Persian readied above the encased Ashura with its sharp claws. Persian lifted its paws over Ashura, but a burst of water blasted Persian and Team Sky-Rocket away.
"Hey, oh God! You need help." The rescuer examined the injuries on Ashura. She then noticed the nurse behind some doors, signaling her to come her way. They followed her and locked the door behind them. The nurse then set Ashura on an emergency bed and freed him from the spider web.
"Who's…there?" Ashura weakly whispered out.
"Don't worry, it's me, Misty. Remember?" Misty Jr. noticed examined the injuries some more. Ashura couldn't move his body nor even open his eyes.
"Hey, do you know if my Pikachu is alright?"
"Nurse Joy is tending to him and said that he'll be better, but not soon enough. The power is out and the rejuvenator machine can't operate. Your Pikachu will just have to heal on its own for now." Misty informed.
"Not fast enough? Those thieves are here to kill me and Pikachu is still out of commission. I've never left so useless before." Ashura, despite the intense pain, slowly lifted himself and blindly limbed to the rejuvenation machine. Ashura can sense Pikachu's presence even when blinded due to their very tight bond, and sense vulnerability. His leg gave out and stumbled on the machine. Pikachu awakened to see his master lying helplessly next to him.
"Take it easy Ashura, you are still very weak." Misty Jr. lifted Ashura up onto his feet, but received a cold whack.
"Stop it! I never needed help before and I don't need it now!" Ashura coldly shouted at her and signaled Pikachu to follow him. Ashura limbed weakly and blindly tripped over a glass tube, causing more pain to as he fell over. Pikachu ran up to tend to him.
"You stubborn fool!" Misty harshly scolded. "You don't take help in times you truly need it! I hate to see how you treat your other friends!" Misty Jr. angrily crossed her arms.
"What are you huffing about? I don't know any other people who are named Friends? That's a weird name? They sound more like objects than people." Ashura weakly argued back. Misty then softened out.
"He doesn't even know what a friend is. Maybe, he never had a human friend before, just Pikachu."
Misty sighed. She was about to say something when Grimer busted into the room. Team Sky-Rocket soon followed. Nurse Joy carried Ashura away and Pikachu readied for battle with Misty Jr. against Grimer and Ariados. Misty Jr. called out her Squirtle to battle. Grimer jumped up and pounded Squirtle. Ariados attacked with string shot at Pikachu, but Pikachu's quick speed evaded the attack and aided the fallen Squirtle. Grimer attacked with Sludge Bomb, but Pikachu grabbed Squirtle and jumped out of the way. Misty Jr. ordered Squirtle to attack Ariados with bubble. Ariados easily dodged, but gave Pikachu the perfect opportunity and knocked out Ariados with Thunderbolt. Squirtle then knocked out Grimer with headbutt.
"Get job Squirtle!" Misty congratulated, but angered Team Sky-Rocket as they recalled their pokemon and Persian.
"This isn't over! Your little friend will die!" Allan threw smoke bombs. After the smoke dissipated, they were gone.
"Glad that's over. Let's see if Ashura is okay." Misty Jr. returned her Squirtle and Pikachu and she went to find Ashura with Nurse Joy bandaging his upper torso. Nurse Joy finished fixing Ashura everywhere else, but he was still blind.
"Pikapi!" Pikachu ran up and leapt onto Ashura, causing him slight pain, but more laughs between them than groans. Ashura and Pikachu slept in a guest room at the Pokemon center for the night. Misty Jr. decided to rest as well before continuing on her quest in a room next door to Ashura and Pikachu. Early next morning, Misty Jr. awoke to the creaking of the door next door. She dressed and quickly followed Ashura. Misty Jr. saw Ashura walking outside, strolling around the city, touching the different buildings, and eventually, stopped at a lake outside of Viridian City.
"How long have you been following me?" Ashura questioned her. Misty Jr. popped out of a hidden bush and walked up to the lake. She then cast a line from her fishing rod into the pond and sat down.
"How did you know I was behind you?" Misty Jr. asked while pulling the line in and recasting it.
"Just because I'm blind for the moment, doesn't mean I don't know what's going on around me. Why did you follow me?" Ashura sat down, staring blankly at the early dawn.
"Well, I heard your door opening. You were still injured, and someone in your condition shouldn't be walking around blindly."
"Hmmm…why do you care so much? What have I done to deserve your concern? I'm going back to pick up Pikachu and head off. I learned that the next city is past the Viridian Forest. Pikachu and I are leaving now." Ashura frowned some more and turned around.
"Hey! Is that any way to treat someone when they saved your life! You could at least say thanks!" Misty Jr. shouted at Ashura with him facing away from her.
"Why should I say something I don't even know the meaning of? If you have to know, I've been separated from society for eleven years! Do you think I have a large vocabulary consisting of words that you speak! Like that word earlier, what was it…? I can't recall it but stop nagging on me!" Ashura stomped off back to the pokemon center. Misty was just about to follow, until a bite!
Ashura continued back to the pokemon center and awakened Pikachu. They both ate and left for the Viridian Forest. Misty Jr., after her encounter with a pokemon, returned to the pokemon center and packed up supplies and left for the Viridian Forest as well.
"Maybe I went a little hard on him." Misty Jr. contemplated as she was walking along.
"He doesn't even now the meaning of the words thanks and friend. He always thinks for what is best for him, but, why shouldn't he? He doesn't know any better. Great, I am starting to think too hard again. HEADACHE!" Misty grabbed her head to relieve it a bit, but was interrupted by old nemeses.
"Remember us little girl!" Alexis ambushed behind the bushes.
"You spoiled our plans and now you'll pay the price!" Allan smirked. "Get ready to have your pokemon stolen!"
"No you don't! Go Poliwag! Go Squirtle!" Misty Jr. called out both her newly-captured pokemon and starter.
"Go Ariados! You too Grimer!" Team Sky-Rocket called their two pokemon and the battled waged.
"AHHHH!"
"What was that?" Ashura heard the scream from far away. Pikachu and Ashura followed the sound until the reached the devastated battle site, finding Misty lying beaten up on the floor and Team Sky-Rocket stealing her weakened pokemon in their rocket shaped hot air balloon. Pikachu jumped through the trees until it reached the top and jumped into the balloon basket. Ariados and Grimer attacked Pikachu, but Pikachu easily defeated them with a powerful thunderbolt. Alexis and Allan looked petrified as Pikachu stomped electrifyingly towards them. They begged for mercy and returned Squirtle and Poliwag. Pikachu dragged both of them out of the balloon and landed back on ground, but left a little Thunder present, sending Team Sky-Rocket blasting off.
"Where…where am I?" Misty Jr. woke up lying next to a fire at night. Ashura was roasting a piece of meat over the fire and Squirtle and Poliwag were sleeping next to Misty. Pikachu was resting in Ashura lap.
"What happened to me?" Misty asked him.
"Team Sky-Rocket attacked you, but don't worry, Pikachu took care of them." Ashura petted Pikachu with his unbroken arm.
"Thanks, but I don't think I should intrude on your dinner." Misty was about to get up, but fell back from exhaustion.
"Don't get up; you're too weak right now. I found your camping supplies in your small backpack, but it took me all day to set your supplies up because of my blindness for now at least." Ashura removed the meat and placed it on a small plate for Misty.
"Eat; you'll need your strength when you're on your own again. Pikachu refilled your water canton with boiled water from a nearby stream. We need to stop running into each other." Pikachu was awake to hear all the conversation and dipped his head and ears.
"It seems that Pikachu wants to stay together." Misty stated and Pikachu happily jumped into her lap, awakening the other two pokemon.
"He's just lonely, but that's what both Pikachu and I specialize in, being alone. I'll leave Pikachu with you tonight. It seems warmer in that tent of yours than on the ground." Ashura blindly walked away and crashed into a tree. Misty Jr. giggled a little, but Ashura just laid down next to the tree and placed his cap over his face.
"Stubborn idiot. Oh well, Pikachu, Squirtle, Poliwag come here." Misty Jr. called to them and they all jumped onto her, playing and running around. Soon, they tired out and all went to sleep in the tent. Ashura, however, eyed on the whole thing, relaxing for a bit and fell asleep.
To be continued…
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