Chapter 3
Sunday, April 5th
Ash shook off the shiver that traveled up his back and his vision refocused. He looked around at the familiar sight of the overflowing garden at the back of the Izumo Estate and then his gaze settled on Miki as she waved to him from the back porch.
"What's taking so long, Ash?" Miki hollered at him. He took a moment to let his thoughts settle and he was able to recall why he was out in the garden.
He was helping with the dinner preparations. Miki gave him a list of berries and herbs he was supposed to collect, but as he roamed the garden he was consumed by recent memories. One moment, in particular, was on his mind all the time.
"What are you running from?"
Froakie's pointed question to him a few days ago struck deeper than Ash was willing to admit.
"Is anybody home?" Miki was in front of him now, waving a hand in front of Ash's face since she wasn't tall enough to place her head in his line of sight.
"Ah…" Ash shook his head. "I'm sorry, I got distracted."
"That's weird for you," Miki noted as she tilted her head. "You're usually so focused."
"I've just been thinking about a few things…" Ash trailed off as he looked down at the list in his hand. It was the perfect way to change the subject. "I'm just missing two of these. The energy root and tamato berries."
"Oh, you must be really distracted if you missed the tamato berries," Miki said as she raised a hand to point out sizeable and brightly colored berries that were farther in the back. Ash gave a weak chuckle. "But the energy root is a bit harder to spot because you have to pull up the genki stalks to get them."
Miki guided him into the thick of the garden to where some shorts green stalks were lined up and among them, there was a small sprout protruding from the ground. As they came close to the sprout, it began to move and a small yellow and brown body unearthed itself.
"Sun-kern!"
Ash stifled a laugh as he recalled the first time Sunkern startled him on a walk through the garden. Since she was typically buried in the soil, her little sprout would mark her location. At the time, Ash did was absorbed in his observations of the plants that filled the garden, and he thought her sprout was nothing more than a weed. When Sunkren suddenly leaped out of the dirt, it nearly gave him a heart attack. But, she was too cute for him to be upset with her.
"Sunkern!" Miki exclaimed in return to greet their garden watcher. "How are you today?"
"Sun-Sunkern!" She said gleefully in return as she beamed up at them.
"I wanted to use some energy root tonight as a seasoning, which of these are the best to use?" Miki asked and they watched as Sunkern dislodged herself completely from the ground and shake off the dirt. Then she began to hop through the line of stalks, inspecting each of them as she passed by. Soon enough, she paused in front of one batch and turned to face them with a delighted smile. As far as Ash could tell, they were no different from the rest, but they passed Sunkern's judgment as she called out to Miki.
Without a moment of thought, Miki stepped into the soil and bent over to take ahold of the base of the stalks. She bunched them together into a bundle before she began to pull, uprooting them with relative ease. With a proud grin, she displayed the lengthy roots of the genki stalks, the energy root.
"You know, I could've done that, Miki," Ash pointed out.
"How come?" She asked in return. Ash pointed to her feet and Miki looked down. The bottom of her kimono had several patches of dirt on it from just the few moments that she spent in the soil. However, she didn't seem to mind as she passed the stalks to Ash, bent over to pull up her dress to her knees, and tie a knot to hold it in place. Then she looked to Ash and grinned again. "I'll wash it later. Come on, let's get going! Thanks again Sunkern!"
Miki gave a wave to Sunkern before she dashed off to collect the tamato berries.
"Sunkern!" Sunkern called out in return before she returned to her little spot and wiggled herself back into the dirt. Despite Miki's absence, Sunkern looked up at Ash and beamed at him once more.
Ash did his best to smile back before he returned to the porch. As he went, he glanced back at Sunkern, but only her sprout was visible now. He pursed his lips with a frown. Sunkern didn't look at him the way Bulbasaur and other Pokemon on Samuel's ranch did. Or Froakie...
Froakie could see through his front…
"What are you running from?"
The brisk night air felt wonderful as Ash walked along the perimeter of the Izumo Estate. A cool breeze brushed against his skin as he moved, his gaze locked on the moon that hovered overhead.
Dinner was like any other. The long table was filled with conversation from top to bottom, but as words and laughter were exchanged, Ash was neither the provider nor recipient of these. His thoughts were his company during dinner.
Was he running from something? Ash knew the answer to that. Samuel gave him clearance to run…to run away from his former life. To turn his back on all of it.
He didn't want to face his friends. He had no idea what they must have thought about him after the court case. He couldn't begin to imagine what Dawn and her mother must have gone through. And he couldn't even bear the thought of trying to speak with Pikachu.
Ash wanted to abandon all of it and move on but…there was a part of him that wouldn't let go.
He came to Ecruteak City to reform himself and his life, to become someone else. To become a new Ash Ketchum. But even in this faraway place, he felt his old life pulling at him and it made him realize one obvious fact.
Ash didn't want to let go either.
If he really wanted to change, he wouldn't be hesitating. He wouldn't be sitting on the fence.
Deep down, somewhere inside of him, there was someone who wanted to go back. Someone that would pester him for the rest of his life if he tried to leave his past in the shambled mess that he made.
Could he go back though? Would he survive facing the fallout from his choices? Or would he turn tail and run once again…?
If he was going to return to that life, he had to commit to it. It wasn't as simple as delivering an apology to everyone. There was a far greater mystery to it all, and he would need the resolve to see it through.
He would need courage.
"I don't have any of that," He muttered softly.
But the words Koji shared with him during their trip to Ecruteak City rang out.
"'The journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step.'"
Monday, April 6th
In through the nose, out through the mouth.
Ash leaned back against one of the pagoda trees as he cooled off from his morning run. Beside him was Froakie and Growlithe, both of which were splayed out on the ground, huffing and puffing now that Ash finally decided to take a break.
He sat down at the base of the tree to relax alongside them. Both of the Pokemon perked up at the sight of this.
"So uh," Ash began as he looked toward them. "I don't think I've ever actually…introduced myself to you guys," Ash paused to clear his throat. It went dry all of a sudden. He swallowed a few times until his throat was soothed and then he continued. "My name is Ash Ketchum and I'm from Pallet Town although I grew up in Vermilion City."
Ash then made a gesture toward Growlithe as she got back onto her feet. She tilted her head.
"I want you to introduce yourself, and say a little something, Growlithe," Ash elaborated for her. Her eyes brightened considerably before she began to bark and yip. At first, she stood proudly as she gave herself a formal introduction, but as she began to add minor details, she expressed them in her movements. There were skips and jumps, she would run in a circle, and then Growlithe concluded with her head held high.
When it was Froakie's turn, he kept his introduction short in the same fashion as Ash.
"Well, it's nice to meet you guys," Ash said with a nod to each of the Pokemon. But he wasn't done.
He knew what he had to do next.
Baby steps.
He extended a hand toward Growlithe but he remained silent. She didn't hesitate and placed her chin in his open palm. She waited for a few moments and watched as Ash processed everything.
His eyes widened slightly as he felt Growlithe's natural body temperature. She was warm, like a blanket on a cool night. It reminded him of Pikachu and how electricity would prickle his hand whenever he scratched Pikachu's fur. He curled his fingers to scratch at Growlithe chin and he winced in expectation of a firestorm. But…Growlithe gave a delighted bark.
Ash gave out a sigh as he removed his hand and looked to Froakie next. Without a word, Froakie understood what Ash wanted and stepped forward with his hand extended. Ash accepted Froakie's hand and to contrast the warmth he felt from Growlithe, Froakie's hand felt slimy and cool. But as they shook hands, Ash was certain that he saw Froakie's eyes flash red for a moment and Froakie saw the same in Ash's.
However, Ash decided to stay focused on his goal this morning. He returned his gaze to Growlithe and continued the conversation.
"Growlithe, do you like it here?"
She nodded immediately, lowering her upper body as she wagged her tail.
"I thought so, it looks like you've been having fun," Ash noted softly as she came close, eager to continue speaking with Ash. "But don't you miss all your friends at the ranch?"
Growlithe shook her head and then nudged Ash's side.
"You like being around a mopey guy like me?" Ash asked her, his brow raised. She barked in return and remained close to him.
Ash couldn't help but look to Froakie.
"And you like being around me too?"
Froakie gave him a nod as he came as close as Growlithe did.
"But what is it that you guys like?" Ash asked them.
Froakie's reply came first, and Ash heard it as clear as day.
"You're a good teacher."
Ash stared at them and his doubt fueled the wrinkles on his forehead.
"What makes you say that?"
Froakie's answer was a demonstration of his revitalized Water Pulse. When the attack burst in the air overhead and provided a short shower of rainfall, Froakie turned and pointed to Ash to credit him for the improvement of the attack.
"Well, that had just as much to do with you," Ash pointed out. "You worked hard on it."
As the trio conversed, Lady Satsuki watched on from the window within her private quarters, though she was careful to keep herself out of sight. It put a smile on her face to finally see Ash sit down and talk with his Pokemon in the morning.
Tuesday, April 7th
Froakie squared up with the wooden post in front of him and drove his palm into the base of it, producing a dull thud. For hours on end each day, he diligently refined his Pound attack in the courtyard.
The only time he ever took a break involved rest or a meal, and now was one such occasion.
"Froakie, dinner's starting," Ash called out to him from the porch.
After hearing Ash's call, Froakie settled into a lower stance and delivered a quick combo to the post. Two palm strikes followed by a roundhouse kick. With that, Froakie relaxed and went down on all fours to make his way over to Ash.
Together they traveled to the dining room in silence. They could hear the commotion from the room as they came close. There were several greetings from the occupants as the two of them entered and they went their separate ways. Froakie joined the Pokemon where a small mountain of berries was set in a large dish for them to choose from.
As always, Ash was gifted the seat beside Sayo and he ate while the youngest member of the household shared the events of her day with him. He didn't mind Sayo's stories or that she controlled the conversation. It made it easy for him since she could talk endlessly and recover almost instantly if he dodged her questions. She was always asking for some insight into Vermilion City, but Ash was never too keen on sharing the details. At least...until tonight.
"So, Ash," Sayo went on. "Do you think you can tell me just a little bit about your home?"
Ash paused mid-chew and pursed his lips. He looked at her and raised one eyebrow. Sayo didn't yield despite his hesitation, clapping her hands together to plead with him. Sayo tried all sorts of methods to get him to talk during the last several days, none of which found success. But tonight, she had a pair of accomplices. Both Froakie and Growlithe approached, eager to hear about Vermilion City as well.
After he sent a glance at the Pokemon, he swallowed and gave out a sigh. He remembered what he said to himself yesterday.
Baby steps.
"Okay," He breathed out as a reply. The trio of Sayo, Froakie, and Growlithe comically bunched together to provide Ash their full attention. However, their sudden actions caused a few more occupants of the table to turn their attention to Ash. As Ash felt their eyes settle onto him, he felt that familiar chill run up his spine.
"Go ahead, Ash!" Sayo said happily, and Growlithe gave a bark of agreement. "Tell us."
"Well uh…what do you want to know?" He asked in return.
"Umm, what's it like in Vermilion City? Is it true that they built buildings that touch the sky?" Sayo asked, causing both Froakie and Growlithe to look up in awe. There were some snickers around the table as they heard Sayo's question.
"No, that's not true," Ash answered as he shook his head.
"It's not?!" Sayo exclaimed. "So then, why would they call them skyscrapers?"
Even Ash had to stifle his laughter at this point.
"They're just really tall, but they don't touch the sky," Ash answered. "Did you really believe that they did?"
Sayo puffed out her cheeks in a pout. "So, what if I did?" She retorted.
"It's okay," He stated as he thought about a new topic. "Have you ever seen a beach?"
"I've heard of a beach, but I've never been to one," Sayo responded and by the way everyone was now listening to Ash, he could guess that they were all in the same boat. He shook off his nerves and ignored the fact that he had an audience.
"The beach is the best," Ash began. "The sand at the beach is really soft, warm, and light too, so you can move it around pretty easily. You can do things like bury your friends in it."
"Bury your friends? Why would you do that?" Sayo exclaimed, much to Ash's amusement.
"It's for fun," He replied.
"How is being buried and suffocated by the sand fun?" Sayo asked, her nose wrinkled.
"It's my fault for not explaining it properly," Ash said as he scratched at the back of his head. "You leave their head uncovered, it's not malicious or anything like that. And it's relaxing too since the sand is so warm."
"Uhh, I don't know about that…what else can you do at a beach?"
"Lots of stuff, for example, if you get some water to wet the sand, it'll stick together so you can build things like a sandcastle…"
As Ash continued to speak, Naoko and Lady Satsuki watched on from the far end of the table. They shared a glance and a smile at the sight of Ash's behavior.
"I was worried that the culture shock might have caused him to clam up even more at first," Naoko noted softly. "But it looks like he's adjusting quite well."
"It was just as Samuel said, he needs some time," Satsuki added with a nod. "Slowly and steadily, he's opening up to us."
Gary sat beside them, and after hearing their brief comments, he looked toward Ash again. They were correct, though Gary in particular was paying attention to Ash's change in demeanor. It all seemed to coincide with Froakie's arrival.
Friday, April 10th
A flock of Pidgey trilled as they came in for a landing on the tall trees that bordered the Izumo Estate. As they nestled into the branches to seek shade from the sun, they looked down curiously at the entrance to the residence below.
Ash stood before Koji at the entrance to the Izumo state, alongside Rapidash, Growlithe, and Froakie.
Their task today was to visit the local metalsmith to retrieve some new cooking utensils for Miki and some decorative swords for the estate. Ash didn't bother to question why they hung swords since they also had paintings on the walls. It was probably some weird sense of taste they had in Johto, or specifically Ecruteak City.
"Yes, expert craftsmanship," Koji said softly as he brought the blade of one of the katanas to his face to inspect it.
As Koji examined the items they returned with, Ash took a glance at Froakie and Growlithe as they conversed. Ash allowed them to join him on his daily tasks starting this past Wednesday, something that Growlithe was especially happy about. Whether it was some work to do around the estate or a trip into Ecruteak City, Froakie and Growlithe were always with him.
It didn't take him long to get used to their company, though both Froakie and Growlithe had their moments. In fact, while they were in the city today, Froakie and Growlithe got caught up in a little bit of trouble. A pair of Aipom stole several berry kebabs from a fruit stand, which prompted both Froakie and Growlithe to get involved. While Ash spoke with the owner of the stand, who said it wasn't a problem, Growlithe and Froakie chased down the Aipom and dragged them back to the stand to return what they took.
It was quite a sight. Froakie stood there with his arms crossed and Growlithe barked at the Aipom to give an apology to the owner of the cart. Once the Aipom apologized, Growlithe told them that if they wanted one, they could ask properly. They followed her direction and the owner of the stand provided each of them with a kebab, much to their delight. As the Aipom ran off, the owner of the stand then gave Froakie and Growlithe a berry kebab as a reward for their actions.
Ash wasn't expecting the two of them to be so virtuous, but it put a smile on his face.
"Yes, I believe this is the finest of them all. This will look excellent in my room," Koji said as he studied the fifth and final katana that Ash picked up from the metalsmith.
Ash cleared his throat and Koji's eyes widened as he remembered that he had company. He coughed twice and gave a weak chuckle.
"I believe everything here is in good condition," Koji stated as he placed the katana in its sheath and placed it back into the satchel that hung from Rapidash's saddle. "I'll take care of delivering these to everyone. Thank you very much for your work, Ash."
Koji gave a small bow and made a gesture for Ash to enter the estate. He, Froakie, and Growlithe entered the courtyard where, as always, Gary and Naoko were hosting a practice battle. Today, Gary was battling against Espeon with his Squirtle while Eevee stood on the sidelines and cheered them on.
"Espeon, use Swift!" Naoko commanded with an outstretched arm.
"Squirtle, counter by using Withdraw and Rapid Spin!" Gary called out in return as Espeon swung her tail through the air, unleashing a flurry of star bolts. Squirtle got a running start before he withdrew his arms, legs, and head into his shell which began to rotate so quickly that he hovered a few inches off the ground.
The Swift attack was deflected off the top of Squirtle's shell as he continued on his path toward Espeon.
"I see you've been practicing that combination, not bad!" Naoko declared. "Espeon, use Shadow Ball!"
The gem on Espeon's forehead glowed as she cried out, and a sinister sphere of swirling rancor formed above her forehead. Her eyes flashed and it shot forward to intercept Squirtle's approach. It exploded on impact with Squirtle, producing a cloud of thick smoke that concealed Squirtle within it. But the cloud began to warp, sucked into the vacuum produced by Squirtle's Rapid Spin as he surged forward.
However, just before Squirtle could make contact with Espeon, her eyes twinkled again and he was snatched by her psychic grasp. A blue aura surrounded Squirtle that suspended him in midair and left him completely helpless. But, Espeon's use of Psychic marked the end of their mock battle as she set Squirtle down on the ground. He poked his head out of his shell and grinned at Espeon who gave him a nod.
"Squirtle's defense never fails to impress me," Naoko noted as she and Gary approached their Pokemon on the field.
"Squirtle's shell is as hard as steel," Gary noted as he kneeled down to pat his partner on the head. "You'll need a lot more power than that for him to feel an attack through his shell, especially once Rapid Spin gets going because it allows him to distribute the impact instead of taking it all in one spot."
Naoko raised her brow as she looked down at Squirtle. When he caught sight of Naoko's gaze, he grinned and gave her a peace sign.
"It seems you've been learning a lot about Squirtle," Naoko noted with a nod of respect.
"Well yeah, I want to make sure we're ready for that tournament during the festival this year," Gary responded with a smirk. "Last time we could barely beat the locals, but I'm expecting a lot more out of us this time around."
"Froa-kie!" Froakie declared, earning both Naoko and Gary's attention. He placed his thumb against his chest as a declaration and Naoko studied the small Pokemon curiously.
"Did you want to enter the tournament too, Froakie?" Naoko inquired as she kneeled down. Froakie gave a large nod, his eyes brimming with determination. "Did you see it last year?"
Froakie gave another nod.
"But you intend to participate this year, correct?" Naoko continued.
Everyone looked to Ash. He looked away from them which caused Growlithe to nudge his leg with her head. He paid her no mind.
"Well, if you're planning to battle in the tournament, how about a mock battle with us?" Gary suggested with a smirk as all eyes went back to Ash. "How about it, Ashy-boy?"
"Not interested," Ash replied immediately which caused Growlithe to whine. Froakie shot him a narrow glance, but Ash ignored them.
Gary wrinkled his nose at Ash and dropped the subject. Instead, he focused on Froakie and raised his brow.
"Well, Froakie, do you still want to battle us? We'll go easy on you," Gary offered, earning a huff from Froakie at the thought.
"Froakie!" He said in return as he sent a hard stare at Squirtle.
Squirtle donned a smirk in the same fashion as Gary when he heard Froakie's challenge.
"Squirtle, Squirtle-squirt."
Naoko and Espeon gave their spot on the field to Froakie, while Squirtle stood on the opposite side as his opponent. Ash positioned himself on the porch where he took a seat beside Growlithe. Naoko joined him while her Espeon began to lounge on the grass with Gary's Eevee.
"Alright Froakie, here's the only rule of our mock battle," Gary announced as he held a small device in his hand. A wind-up timer. "The battle will only last five minutes. We'll start on my mark!"
Froakie lowered his stance and swayed back and forth. He studied Squirtle intently and carefully selected the areas he would target.
"Let's get started!" Gary shouted. "Squirtle, use Water Gun!"
At Gary's command, both Pokemon took action. Squirtle parted his lips to unleash a jet of water and Froakie rushed forward with his arms outstretched behind him. He ran directly into the front of the Water Gun, sidestepped at the last available moment, and continued his approach.
Ash nodded as Froakie entered his striking distance. Based on Squirtle's body type, Ash was doubtful that Squirtle could fight well at close range or deal with Froakie's agility. However, Squirtle was aptly prepared for it. Froakie lashed out with two Pound attacks, both directed at Squirtle's face, but they were blocked by Squirtle's forearms. With his arms raised for a high guard, Froakie followed up by going low. He tightened his stance, tucked in one arm, and twisted his waist to thrust his palm into Squirtle's shell.
Everyone cringed at the dull thud of the impact before Froakie jumped away from Squirtle. His wrist throbbed, though he tightened his jaw furiously to ignore the pain. He was expecting Squirtle's shell to be hard…but that was beyond his expectations.
Ash shifted uncomfortably as he let out a breath. He couldn't believe that Froakie would try to hit Squirtle's shell with blunt force right after hearing Gary talk about how hard his shell was. The initial two attacks to force Squirtle to raise his arms was perfect, but Froakie should've followed up by trying to pull Squirtle's legs out from under him. Anything would've been a better choice than punching the brick wall that was Squirtle's shell.
Both Growlithe and Naoko observed Ash as he watched the battle. For his supposed lack of interest, he seemed more invested in the battle than Gary or Froakie.
"Are you sure you don't want to battle with Froakie?" Naoko asked him softly. Ash looked at her out of the corner of his eyes.
"I'm…" He hesitated for a moment. "I'm sure."
Despite his statement, Ash fidgeted, groaned, and even face palmed as he watched Froakie battle Squirtle.
He could give Froakie points for trying different tactics, but it was so obvious that Froakie didn't understand his own strengths yet. At some points, he insisted on trading hits with Squirtle instead of using his agility to control the pace of the battle. And his target selection was awful! Instead of attacking Squirtle's arms and legs to do some actual damage, Froakie pounded away his shell. Even Squirtle seemed to be concerned at the end of the battle as Froakie held his wrists.
Gary gave some praise to Froakie for his performance before Naoko called him over to the porch. Growlithe traded places with Gary as she joined all the Pokemon on the field to congratulate Froakie on his first mock battle.
"So, what did you think, Gary?" Naoko asked curiously as she, Ash, and Gary studied Froakie among the group of Pokemon.
"He's uh…" Gary scratched at the back of his head for a moment as he made a face. "Not that great to be honest. He's rough around the edges, unpolished…" Gary sent a glance at Ash. "And he really needs some guidance from a trainer."
Ash made eye contact with Gary; his gaze sharp. Gary only raised his brow at Ash.
Since he lacked a response, Ash stood up, dusted off his pants, and approached the Pokemon on the field.
"Froakie, come with me for a sec," He said as he made a gesture to follow him.
Everyone watched as the two of them disappeared into one of the many entrances of the estate. But once Ash was gone, Naoko couldn't help but smirk.
"I'm not a trainer…"
That was always Ash's response to anything involving Pokemon. However, he didn't say that this time. Slowly…there was a change occurring within Ash.
He was warming up to the idea of embracing his old life.
Ash stood in the impressive kitchen of the Izumo Estate that was always in use. Lady Satsuki, Miki, and pair of attendants were busy with the early dinner preparations and they paid no mind to Ash and Froakie as they took over one of the unused kitchen islands.
At one point, Koji mentioned that while Ecruteak City was an 'ancient city,' they still had some modern luxuries. Indoor plumbing was what Koji used as an example, but refrigeration was another that they possessed. And it served its purpose wonderfully as Ash filled a small bowl with ice.
He returned to Froakie who was seated on one of the stools and he stooped down to study Froakie's swelling wrists.
"It's not fun punching a wall, isn't it?" Ash asked as he held Froakie's tiny, twig-like wrists with his fingertips. Froakie grimaced as Ash tried to examine him, but Ash was far from a professional at identifying an injury. "I don't think you broke anything, so here, stick your hands in some ice to numb the pain."
Froakie followed his direction after Ash set the bag down in front of him. There was some immediate relief, though it became discomfort over time. Froakie kept his hands buried in the ice as Ash took a seat on the stool next to him.
"Froakie-kie?" Froakie asked as he looked toward Ash.
"The battle?" Ash asked in return and Froakie gave a nod. "Do you want me to be nice…or honest?"
"Froa-kie."
"Alright," Ash said with a sigh as he turned his whole body to face Froakie. "You were pretty bad. You took a ton of hits that you didn't need to take, but oddly enough, I think you hurt yourself more than Squirtle did."
Ash made a gesture to Froakie's wrists that were concealed within the bag.
"If you want to beat Gary and Squirtle, there's a lot of little things you need to work on," Ash pointed out and he saw an immediate change in Froakie's demeanor. He straightened up and fixated his gaze on Ash.
"Please…teach me."
Ash blinked and looked around, but he already knew that it was Froakie's voice he heard. He looked back to Froakie and he could see it on his expression. Froakie was convinced that he was the only person who could train him.
"Alright then, let me ask you something," Ash began. "Why me? What do you see in me that makes you think I should be your trainer?"
Froakie removed a hand from the ice and pointed to Ash's chest. His heart.
"Kie. Froakie-Froa," Froakie paused for a moment, his eyes shimmered gaining the red hue that Ash saw that first night they met. "I see your heart…there is good in you. Even if you don't want to see it."
Ash stared into Froakie's eyes, but he saw no doubt or apprehension. Ash sighed as he remembered his own resolve.
Small steps.
"I'll help you until you can beat Squirtle," Ash stated and Froakie's eyes grew large. Then he lowered his head to hide the smirk on his face.
Across the kitchen, Lady Satsuki concealed a smirk of her own as she diced up some vegetables.
Another small step.
It was early in the evening as Ash sat out in the courtyard again with Growlithe, and they both watched as Froakie practiced by himself at the center of the field. He continued his diligent practice, striking the air repeatedly as he reimaged his mock battle with Squirtle. Ash advised him to avoid hitting his usual wooden post in favor of letting his wrists recover.
Ash already knew one of the first lessons he would have to teach Froakie. How to hit someone without hurting himself.
Froakie wasn't big or strong, however, it was clear he thought brute strength was the only means to hurt an opponent. That man at Bell Tower did mention that Froakie was never captured. He needed to learn the basics.
How to hit someone and where to hit them.
"Wow, Froakie's a grinder," Gary noted. His voice startled Ash and yanked him from his thoughts. Growlithe gave a whine of discontent as Gary's Eevee pounced on top of her while Squirtle watched with a chuckle.
"Yeah…" Ash agreed after a pause. "He works hard."
Despite their appreciation for Froakie's work ethic, their Pokemon thought otherwise as Eevee dashed out to Froakie and pounced on him. Growlithe pursued and yapped at Eevee as he wrestled with Froakie. Squirtle joined in on the dogpile which left Ash and Gary to continue their conversation.
"Look, Ash…" Gary began as he dropped down beside him. Ash looked toward the young man who held a neutral expression as he observed their Pokemon. He shrugged before he continued. "I'm not good at apologies, but I know I was a little out of line with some of the things I said to you the other night."
Ash waited as looked up to gather the remainder of his thoughts.
"I guess I deserved that punch," He noted, placing a hand against his jaw. "You got a mean hook," There was a slight chuckle from Gary before he made eye contact with Ash. "But that doesn't change how I feel. You're nothing like what I expected you to be."
"W-What did you expect?" Ash asked softly.
"I saw all your battles at the Hidden Cove and it always seemed like the odds were stacked against you. At first, you were that teenager that was trying to battle with professionals. Everyone thought it was some kind of joke until you outclassed them," Gary remarked with a smirk. "And then you went stepping on the toes of the elite trainers, and you knocked them off their pedestal," Gary thought of the epic showdown between Ash and Cross, better known as 'Bad Blood.' "All of a sudden, you were right there at the top, battling the best of the best. You weren't just good. Gramps taught me that just being a good trainer isn't enough. You have to love all of it to be that good…"
Love.
Where did it go?
When did he lose it?
"…when you showed up here, I thought I was going to meet that guy I saw in Vermilion City," Gary continued as Ash focused on him again. "But you're so different now. I guess it wasn't really fair of me to expect all of that from you, it's been a couple of years now," Gary shrugged and shook his head. "No use hanging onto things that aren't there anymore."
Gary stood up.
"I don't know why gramps sent you here, but I'll try not to bother you going forward, alright," Gary said as a truce. He gave a call to Squirtle and Eevee as he began to cross the courtyard, making his way toward the exit of the property.
As Ash watched him go, Gary's words continued to strike at his torso. Deep blows that left him short of breath and his chest ached.
'You have to love all of it to be that good…'
'You're so different now…'
'No use hanging onto things that aren't there anymore.'
Anymore…
Was it truly gone?
Was his love for it all truly gone?
"Gary?" Ash called out.
Gary stopped midstride and glanced over his shoulder.
"Do me a favor…" Ash began. Gary furrowed his brow and turned to face Ash.
"What is it?"
"Battle me."
Everyone's eyes grew wide.
"Really?"
Ash nodded.
The next few moments were spent in silence. Ash looked to Froakie and gave a small nod. In an instant, Froakie positioned himself on the field and waited for his opponent. Gary raised his brow before he looked to Squirtle and there was a mutual understanding. They took their places on the opposite side of the field.
"Is this a mock battle, or the real thing?" Gary asked.
"No holding back," Ash stated as he stood up from the porch and joined Froakie on the field. Growlithe and Eevee each positioned themselves beside their respective trainers. Froakie looked back at Ash, unable to suppress the smirk on his face.
"Okay then, we'll start on my mark," Gary announced as Squirtle stretched to loosen up. Once Squirtle gave a nod to Gary, the battle began. The opening attack was an exchange of glances between both parties.
Gary wasn't the type to make an opening attack, and Ash hesitated to do so. He knew the names of Froakie's attacks, but he didn't have any idea what Froakie would do with those commands. Ash shrugged his shoulders. There was only one way to find out, especially since Froakie was waiting on an order.
"Froakie, get in close and use Pound," Ash stated. Froakie stood upright and raced toward his opponent, his hands raised and ready to strike.
"Stand your ground, Squirtle," Gary said comfortably. Squirtle lowered his center of gravity and welcomed Froakie into a contest of hand-to-hand combat. Froakie went high twice to force Squirtle to raise both his arms, and Ash frowned as Froakie followed up by driving his palm into the Squirtle's shell. Froakie stood, frozen in place as if it took a moment for the pain to register in his wrist. Then he raised his now throbbing hand and gave a shout to the skies above. Squirtle took this opportunity to turn around and slam the back of his shell into Froakie which sent him tumbling away.
Froakie grimaced as he picked himself up from the ground. He winced as he shook his wrist and sent a narrow glance in Squirtle's direction. The small turtle Pokemon tapped his shell proudly and grinned in response.
"Froakie," Ash stated. "You should know better by now. Don't hit his shell, you're only hurting yourself."
Froakie pursed his lips but Ash continued.
"Go for his head, arms, or knees," Ash advised him. "Put some bruises on him this time."
Froakie gave a nod and challenged Squirtle once again. But Ash wrinkled his forehead as he watched Froakie contend with Squirtle. Froakie was easily the faster and more agile of the two, but it was the same thing as their mock battle earlier. He traded hits and took punches that he could've avoided.
Froakie didn't understand the value of his footwork and how to exploit that as an advantage against Squirtle. But on the bright side, he stopped hitting Squirtle's shell. It might have been minor, but progress nonetheless. The way they fought hand to hand changed drastically with just this adjustment.
Froakie chopped at Squirtle's arms, kicked at his legs, and got in a few good jabs on his nose. It forced Gary and Squirtle to acknowledge that Froakie was a capable fighter.
"Alright Squirtle, enough playing around. Use Tackle," Gary called out and Squirtle began to assert himself. Squirtle was small but stout, and he began to use his weight against Froakie's thin body. Froakie was knocked down several times, but he would jump right back to his feet and try to match Squirtle's strength. Unfortunately, Froakie found himself at Squirtle's mercy as the turtle Pokemon attacked.
Ash felt his lips quiver as he looked from the two Pokemon as they wrestled, to Gary who stood calmly on the opposite side of the field. He forgot what this felt like...to have fun during a battle.
"Follow up with Water Gun!" Gary commanded as he saw that Froakie was overwhelmed. Squirtle's head popped out of his shell and he opened his mouth to unleash a jet of water. Froakie could only raise his hands to cover his face before he was lifted by the attack and tossed into the pagoda tree across the field.
Ash bit down on his lower lip and raised a hand to his chest. He could feel his heart as it thumped against his chest.
He missed this.
Over the course of a battle, a trainer and Pokemon worked together to learn, adapt, and overcome. But above all else, they did their best together.
Froakie winced as he rested on a thin branch near the top of the tree. He got back on his feet and the branch shook in response to his movement. Then he looked to Ash and they made eye contact.
"Try your Water Pulse, Froakie!"
Froakie seemed to hesitate and Ash could see it.
"Don't worry about the outcome, just give it a try!"
Froakie looked around for a moment before he steeled his resolve. He would trust in Ash. Froakie clapped his small palms together to concentrate, and a glowing sphere formed in his hands. It grew to be as large as his body, but Froakie remembered Ash's guidance and compressed the attack. It became refined, its glow more prominent before Froakie set his sights on Squirtle. He bounced on the tree branch and used it as a springboard to launch himself into the air.
Gary and Squirtle looked up with grins as Froakie floated over the field and hurled his Water Pulse down at Squirtle.
"Meet it head-on with your Water Gun!" Gary countered as he pointed upward.
Squirtle gave a shout before he fired another Water Gun, though the size of this one was far greater than what he previously used against Froakie. Their attacks met, and the Water Pulse burrowed into the torrent of water that came from Squirtle, but it soon lost its momentum. Froakie's eyes grew wide as his own attack was launched back toward him, accompanied by Squirtle's Water Gun.
It detonated on impact and a cloud of white smoke erupted from the blast. Growlithe was the first to realize that Froakie lost the exchange and she sprinted out onto the field. Froakie came plummeting out of the smoke, but Growlithe was there to cushion his fall. He thanked her graciously for the action as everyone else gathered around them. Squirtle and Eevee had nothing but praise for Froakie's improvement, and Gary added his own thoughts.
Despite this, Froakie looked miserable as he refused to meet the gaze of everyone around him. His eyes remained fixated on his hands, and Ash tilted his head before he spoke up.
"You didn't do anything wrong, Froakie," Ash interjected as he kneeled down beside him. Froakie raised his eyes to look at Ash. "Your Water Pulse was really good. The only reason it was thrown back in your face is because Squirtle is stronger than you."
Froakie looked back at his hands once more and closed them into small fists. He shifted his gaze to Squirtle and their eyes locked. Squirtle raised his eyebrow as he saw the intensity in Froakie's eyes, but Squirtle welcomed it. He shot a grin at Froakie, a challenge.
Ash fought off his urge to smile. This was another reminder of what he missed: having a goal in front of him, the drive to overcome it, and the satisfaction of doing so.
A/N
Chapter three, the short one! We focused almost entirely on Ash here as he starts to readjust. The flame has been rekindled here, and hopefully, we get that fire burning in the next chapter and no one tries to stomp it out.
After two enormous authors' notes, I don't have much to say this time around. Thank you all for the support on the first two chapters. Thoughts, comments, and concerns are always welcome, whether you want to leave a review or send me a PM. If you're a silent reader, I'm happy to have you on board this adventure.
Since this chapter was so short, I'll have another one prepared for the holiday at the end of the month.