Still don't own Pokemon. Still wish I did
Chapter 2: Walk the Path
Ash and Rhaegal walked past the outer edge of Oak's ranch, making their way towards the edge of town. They were running quite late, seeing as the Pokedex read 2:30.
I wonder if Gary and Leaf already left. We were supposed to meet at noon.
"It looks like we might have missed our first battle, bud. We probably shouldn't have stopped for lunch at mom's restaurant, huh?"
"Chaa, char!" the fire type exclaimed, rubbing his cream-colored stomach in gracious satisfaction.
"Yeah I know it was pretty good. Besides, starting our journey on an empty stomach sounds pretty stupid, as I'm not entirely sure how long we'll take getting to Viridian City," the trainer reasoned, fingering Charmander's empty pokeball clipped to his belt.
"Hey Ash! Wait up!"
Startled, Ash turned around, tensing. Rhaegal took a protective stance in front, swaying his tail and glaring at the sudden voice.
Approaching the duo from behind at a light jog was Leaf, Ash's best friend. Her moss colored backpack jiggled as she ran.
"Leaf? What are you still doing here?" the boy questioned, setting a reassuring hand on the lizards head.
Rather protective, aren't you buddy. That's good. "Thanks, Rhae."
Panting heavily, the cheerful brunette quickly caught up with her childhood friend. "My parents wouldn't let me go! They made me repack everything! As if I wasn't up all night making sure I had everything! Mew, don't even get me started on the pictures," she drawled, shivering. "I know that Sprout is cute and all, but honestly, how many pictures do they need to take!"
Leaf's rant brought a smile to Ash's face. Robert and Kathryne Green were awfully protective of their daughter and had often threatened the professor with various forms of punishment, should any harm fall upon their 'precious little beanstalk.'
"Why are you still here, Ash? I would have thought that you and Gary would have been gone already, or at least be duking it out right now."
Rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly, the trainer looked down to his shuffling starter. "Honestly? Rhaegal and I went to get lunch. We weren't sure if we were going to make it to Veridian today, so I didn't want to put too deep a hole in our supplies just yet."
Leaf laughed happily as she lowered a gentle hand for the fire type to sniff. "I should have guessed! You were never one to pass up a free meal, especially if it came from the restaurant."
"What can I say, Leafy. I'm a growing boy."
"Yeah, but with the size of your appetite, you're sooner to start growing out, rather than up!"
Ash huffed and sent a tired glare at his starter, who panted lightly at Leaf's generous scratching. Traitor. No more berries for you today.
Glancing at the well-trodden path before them, Ash turned to his friend. "Hey, Leaf, since we're both here, and I think Rhae here is a little too full to battle right now, do think we should just head on to Veridian? That is, if you're okay with travelling with us."
"That sounds great, Ash! Sprout, my Bulbasaur, doesn't move very well yet, so might have worn him out on the way home earlier," she smiled brightly. "I'm sure my parents will be happy to hear that I was travelling with a friend. If they could choose, I'd never leave that house, let alone go out alone."
Ash nodded in understanding. Unclipping his ball from his belt, Ash went to return his starter. "Rhaegal buddy, I'm going to return you for a bit, okay? With Leaf's Bulbasaur out of commission, you're all we have in terms of protection out here. I need you rested just in case."
"Chaaa," he cooed, pressing his forehead against the ball, disappearing in a gleaming red light.
"Shall we?" he asked his companion, shrinking and reclipping the sphere to his trainer belt.
The brunette skipped forward, running her slender hands through the dry grasses. "Of course, Ashy. Do try and keep up."
The walk through the plains was comfortably quiet. Leaf hadn't said much. She was whistling and humming a few happy tunes but had yet to initiate a conversation. This would be because her friend and temporary traveling partner was staring at the path ahead as if it had done him wrong. She could only guess as to what thoughts waged within his head.
Okay, Ash. You've got, at most, ten months to collect all the badges you need to enter the Indigo Conference. That gives you about a month and change between each city to train for the tournament, provided I beat the leader first try. That shouldn't be an issue if I get that much time to train and travel; however, if I were to go faster than that, I would get extra time at the end to prepare exclusively for the tournament and train up any future teammates we catch.
Nodding, he mentally congratulated himself.
Yeah, let's do that. As for Rhaegal, I haven't had the time to work on his moves yet, but it's getting dark. I don't think we're getting to the city tonight, which means that Leaf and I should have a little time to set up camp and train a bit. Maybe we can have a mock battle?
"psst. Hey Ash…"
Yeah, she should be down for that. She'll have an easier time with Brock, as her grass type has the type advantage. Rhaegal'll be at a pretty strong disadvantage, though, so we should probably get started on training…
"Ash…!"
Maybe I should get him started on metal claw? The Dex said he could learn that pretty early, and that would cover his rock weakness. It would also be pretty useful around camp, but I shouldn't rely on one move. Are there any viable grass or water types on the way to Pewter?
"Dammit, Ketchum! Get down!"
Leaf yanked on the back of the teen's bag, sending him sprawling in the dust.
"Ahh! God, Leaf! What the he-"
She covered his mouth with one hand, ushering him to be quiet. "Zip it and look over there," she whispered.
Following her finger, the teen scoured the edge of the sparse oak forest that marked the end of Pallet Town. Perched proudly upon a barren limb of one of facing trees was an incredibly large brown raptor.
"…that has got to be the biggest Pidgeotto I've ever seen… "
Leaf squeezed his shoulder in astonished agreement. "It's beautiful."
Ash hardly registered her comment, though he nodded just the same. Russet brown feathers stretched around it's back, neck and along the thickest, front facing part of its wings. The under-wing flight feathers were a yellowed cream, along with its underside and face. A long crest of reddish-pink plumage sprouted from the head and neck area of the bird, reaching just past the shoulder. Black, angular markings carved an intimidating shape behind a pair of beady eyes, allowing for diffusion of light around the eye to produce enhanced, glare-free vision. Its long, ragged tipped tail feathers were of an alternating red and gold pattern. A proud beak protruded from under the avian's hard eyes, and two pink legs jutted out and grasped the bark with three razor sharp talons. It pruned gently in it's perch, seemingly unaware of the two admirers.
"I'm going to catch it."
The raven-haired male frowned and swung to face his crouching companion. "What do you mean 'you're going to catch it'?"
"I'm going to challenge it to a fight and have Bulbasaur attack it until it's weak enough for me to throw a ball and catch it, duh. Come on, Ash. You should know this already," she drawled, pulling two pokeballs from her bag.
"Of course I know that!" he replied in a harsh whisper. "Didn't you say that Sprout was tired? He'll be at a serious type disadvantage and you haven't been in a real battle yet! You're putting him in danger! It's reckless."
"She's been resting all day and should be fine so long as I don't let her get hit to hard," the girl reasoned, crawling forward. "We worked on a few moves at the house, besides, that is the biggest Pidgeotto I've ever seen and there's no way I'm letting it go without a fight."
Mental note: Sprout is a girl.
Rushing forwards, the brunette yelled into the tree line. "Pidgeotto! My name is Leaf Green, and I challenge you to a battle! Come on out, Sprout!"
The green reptile thumped to the ground as the bell's light dispersed, raising two thin vines in anticipation. "Bulba!"
"Pidgeotto are a proud species," Oak's words rang in Ash's head. "They are also quite territorial, though not as prone to rage induced fits as a Fearow or Spearow. Fantastic vision and aerial agility make these birds incredible hunters and battlers, and these traits only improve as they evolve."
Sure enough, the raptor was eyeing the girl and her plant with thinly veiled aggression.
Good job, Leaf. You already pissed it off.
With a mighty flap of its large wings, the flying-type took to the skies with a mighty screech.
Oh boy. Here we go.
"Here he comes, Sprout! Hit it with a leech seed! Try and weigh it down. It'll be too hard to hit in the air!"
The grass type shot three two-inch diameter seeds from the bulb on her back that flew harmlessly past the approaching avian, crashing into the grasses in a small burst of roots. Twirling in the air, Pidgeotto dove, wings engulfed in a white light.
"It's using wing attack! Bulbasaur you need to dodge it!"
The dinosaur lunged forward, attempting to slide in front of the charging bird. Banking left, the raptor managed to avoid crashing into the floor as it clipped Bulbasaur's growing bulb. The impact caused Sprout to be knocked off balance, toppling headfirst into the packed dirt.
"Oh no! Sprout, you need to get up! Pidgeotto is turning around!"
Come on, Leaf. Think! Thought Ash, gritting his teeth and grasping the warm ball that held his own starter. He could feel the wind picking up. You need to slow it down and do it quick, I think it's about to rain.
Leaf was growling. "Okay, girl. Try and grab it with a vine whip attack!"
The two raised vines that sprouted from her back sprang forward. They crossed loosely as they grew, trying to attempt any forward movement. Stopping on a dime, the raptor pulled upwards and unleashed a blast of fast-moving air, causing the vines to fly backwards and topple the Seed pokemon over. The air veins continued downward.
"Leaf! It's using Gust! You can't let Sprout get hit by that! Try and bait it out, let it get close!"
"What do you think I'm trying to do!" she yelled irately. Her face was flushed in anger and her fists shook at her sides. "We've got this, Sprout! Just a little longer! Try another Leech Seed!"
Another trio of seedlings flew into the air, once again soaring past Pidgeotto. Diving once more, Pidgeotto approached at a near blinding speed.
Oh no! A hit like that and Sprout's done for. Ash was gritting his teeth. He didn't like watching his friend struggle like this. His black hair was beginning to blow past his face. The wind is definitely stronger now, and what's worse is that it's serving as a tailwind, so that quick attack is supercherged!
"Leaf! When it gets close, dodge to the left! It's going too fast to stop!"
"Grrr… do it Sprout! Now!"
The quadruped jumped to the side, trying avoid the raptor as it came crashing down, hitting the path with a resounding thud. The bird was stubborn, and had twisted itself in a way the it ensured direct contact to the Sprout's ankle, send the two battlers rolling to the edge of the impeding grasses.
"This is it, Sprout! Use Leach Seed to keep it grounded, then Tackle it!" Leaf ordered.
"Bulba SAUR!" she bellowed, releasing a third trio of seeds. Upon contact with the dazed raptor, the seeds split open into a cluster of roots that cocooned the bird, thriving on the excess energy the bird was exuding. The small seedlings released small orbs of yellow-green light that floated towards Sprout's bulb, disappearing in the budding flower.
Freshly revitalized, the dual grass/poison type charged the trapped Pidgeotto, chanting its name with each bound. "bulba, bulba, bulba."
"Pid GEOO," it cried, tumbling down the path unable to escape the root prison.
Anxious excitement filled Ash's heart as he watched the Bird pokemon fall. "Yeah Leaf! Throw the ball while it can't escape!"
"That's the plan," she winked, relieved. "Go, pokeball!"
The red and white capture device clonked the already battered bird on the wing before bursting open, absorbing the creature with a red beam of energy.
One shake…
The trio glued their eyes to the wriggling sphere.
Two shakes…
The trio tensed, ready for it to burst free at any second.
Three shakes…
A collective inhale was heard from the trainers.
Ding!
Leaf leaped into the air and rushed to congratulate her tired starter. "YES! We did it, Sprout! We caught our first Pokemon!"
"…saur," the green 'mon cried, wincing through her smile. She limped towards her trainer, using her vines as temporary crutches.
The brunette's soft hand caressed the leathery hide of her starter's head, a sad frown upon her face. "Oh, Sprout I'm so proud of you, but I wish you hadn't had to get hurt. I'm going to return you now and I'll give you a potion when we get out of this wind, okay?"
"Bulba saur…" she grumbled, returning to the tranquil peace of suspended animation.
Ash walked closer to his traveling companion, laying a hand on her shoulder. "You and Sprout work well together," Ash grinned, handing her the ball containing her newest capture. "Now let's go find a place to camp out tonight. The trees should give us better coverage from the rain, and I have a feeling it'll start to fall soon."
"You're probably right. I don't like this wind," she shivered, facing towards the tree line. "And thanks, you know…for the help. I was getting flustered
The boy smiled reassuringly, helping her off the floor. "No problem. I had a pretty good view of the whole thing; besides, I was getting bored just standing there and watching you flail."
"Ass," she joked, taking his hand and pulling herself up. "I'd like to see you do better."
The two took off down the path at a hasty jog. "Let's get out of this wind. If I'd have known it was going to rain today, I wouldn't have worn a skirt."
Ash chuckled, moving a low branch out of his way. And I would have worn a thicker jacket, he thought. It is pretty strange, though. The weatherman didn't say anything about an oncoming storm.
BANG!
The weather was certainly strange, and the weatherman had certainly been wrong. It had yet to start raining, though there was the occasional flash of lightning and cannon-like crack of thunder.
We need to find somewhere to make camp, Ash grimaced, burying his head further into his coat. The scattered trees provided little cover from the pouring rain.
He turned around to check up on his lagging companion. Leaf had long ago pulled a thick sweater and scarf from her bag, but they did little to cover the thigh-high frills of her skirt. They hadn't had a chance to stop yet, so both Sprout and Pidgeotto were still out of commission, leaving the fully rested Rhaegal as their sole line of defense. Ash's frown sank further.
I remember the professor mentioning something about how bad weather causes mood shifts in wild pokemon. Mew, if one of their homes were to be struck with lightning, there's no telling what they might do to us… Ash shuddered, before increasing his pace. "There's got to be something we can use as a shelter…" he muttered to himself.
There!
"Leaf! Come here! There's a tree big enough to block out the wind up ahead. Come help me set up my tent. We should have just enough room for us both inside, 'cause I don't think we have the space or the time to set up both," the teen supplied, taking off in a sprint.
Pulling the polyester shelter from his bag, Ash began to assemble their residence, handing his soggy companion a waterproof tarp. "Throw that on top as soon as I have this thing standing. It'll keep the rain from soaking through while we're sleeping."
The brunette's teeth were chattering. "Okay. Let me grab my lamp. It's getting dark."
Soon enough, the teens were able to take cover within the swaying shelter. Bundled in their sleeping bags and huddled close, they sat quietly. It was Ash that first broke the silence.
"One hell of a first day," he commented, adjusting the lamp to a less blinding degree of brightness.
Leaf tightened her scarf. "It's crazy how sudden this storm hit. My mom said there wasn't supposed to be anything but sun on the forecast. One second I was having my first battle, then the next we were running through the woods hoping not to freeze." Grabbing her dripping bag, she paused. "Speaking of which, I still need to give Sprout her potion. Pidgeotto would probably like one too."
"Uhh Leaf? Maybe you should wait on releasing Pidgeotto until morning? It was pretty pissed earlier, and I don't want to try and fight the thing in our tent," the boy interjected. Rhaegal could certainly take it down, but I don't want to risk setting everything on fire, ourselves included.
The brunette frowned before putting one of the two balls back in her bag. "I guess that makes sense. Alright, come on out, girl."
The injured grass type appeared at her trainer's feet, smiling at first, though she quickly winced as she put weight on her back-right leg.
She cooed, gently bringing her starter closer. "My poor baby... It's going to be okay. Leafy's here, and this is going to make you feel better, okay? It might sting at first, but I promise you'll feel better after."
The girl pet Sprout's head, spritzing the purple potion over the issue. It smelled strongly of berries and menthol. Ash quite liked the smell, though he sympathized greatly with the wincing Bulbasaur. He remembered vividly the sting of antibacterial sprays on his many cuts and scrapes acquired after long hours at the preserve.
"See? All better. Now get some more rest, and tomorrow we can meet our new friend. Goodnight, Sprout," Leaf bid, returning her first pokemon.
Ash watched the interaction happily, recalling their long day. "You and Sprout make a really great team, you know? You only met this morning and you're already pretty close. It's strange though, that during your battle earlier, I noticed she only used three moves when starters typically have four. What's with that?"
Leaf sighed, snuggling deeper into her blankets. "She does have four moves: Tackle, Vine Whip, Leech Seed and Poison Powder, but her poison powder doesn't work very well. She can't get the clump of spores far enough before it bursts, and it instead breaks apart almost immediately, surrounding her in a cloud of toxic dust. It would have worked when we were fighting Pidgeotto, especially because it kept charging us, but the wind would have blown the spores straight into our faces and that would have been bad."
Ash heartily agreed. He'd seen pictures of the respiratory system of people who had inhaled a Vileplume's Poison Powder attack. They didn't survive long after the poison entered their lungs, and the black jelly-like substance that was once their organs was most vile.
The pregnant pause grew awkward. I guess it's my turn thought Leaf. Turning back to her companion, she asked a question of her own. "His name is Rhaegal, right? That's a pretty strong name for a Charmander."
"I guess, but he's a strong pokemon. We haven't had time to really test them yet, but he's got an incredible move pool and he's already pretty big for his age," the boy smiled. While he and his partner had yet to do any battling, he was sure that they would have little issue. They were pretty similar in character, Ash had determined.
"I noticed that earlier, but I wasn't sure because I haven't really seen one in person before," Leaf commented, using her bag as a pillow. "You mentioned some good moves? It's only fair that you share, now that you know all of Sprout's."
Prepare to be amazed, he smirked internally.
"Scratch, Ember, Smokescreen, Dragon Rush, and Dragon Rage."
Leaf's bewildered gaze was glued to the glossy sphere her friend was fiddling with. "You're screwing with me, right? There's no way."
The raven-haired teen shrugged. "It's true, though I haven't a clue how he ended up with them. Oak said he might know, but he won't be sure until he evolves. He didn't give me much to go on."
"I don't believe you."
Grabbing the fireproof blanket from the top of his makeshift pillow and laying it over the remining floorspace at the foot of the tent, Ash called out his friend.
"Chaaaaa!" the lizard yawned, stretching his short limbs and making sure he didn't hit the side of the tent with his burning tail.
Aware of his surroundings already? I'm getting luckier by the minute!
"Hey there buddy. Leaf here thinks I'm lying about how great you are, and we're going to prove her wrong. She's going to scan you, okay? Like I did earlier."
Crawling up the heavy blanket and away from the wet walls of the tent, the fire type lay his head across his trainer's legs, content.
Sure enough, the girl's Pokedex mimicked the scan of his previous one. "I'll be damned. You sure got lucky, Ash. I haven't heard of any Charmander having both those moves so young," she complimented, unintentionally scooting closer to the reptile's tail flame.
Ash noticed and offered to leave his friend out for the night. He was a great source of heat and could warn them if anything approached them as they slept.
She agreed wholeheartedly, before yawning deeply. "We should probably try and get some sleep. I want to get to the City early tomorrow and see if we can get breakfast at the Pokemon Center. Goodnight Ash, Rhaegal."
The boy returned the sentiment, before realizing he forgot to feed his starter. Dammit Ash. You know better.
In order for fire types to continue to produce and fuel their 'inner flame,' the name given to the set of organs responsible for producing fire, they needed to consume abundant amounts of food and calories. They converted what they didn't need to build their body into a biofuel that permeated their bodies. The lizard had certainly demonstrated his generous appetite earlier, having torn through nearly three bowls of pokepellets at his mom's restaurant.
"Hey Rhae, are you hun-" he began to ask, before being greeted with the quiet snores of his partner. And then there was one.
Resting a hand by his starters head and laying down, careful not to wake the sleeping Rhaegal atop him, Ash closed his eyes.
I'll feed him an extra cup in the morning.
A sharp prod to his ribcage woke the boy from his slumber. Ugh. Five more minutes, mom. It's still dark outside.
Another prod and a shove. "Char, Charmander char."
Right. I'm a trainer now. Begrudgingly wiping the sleep from his eyes, the boy sat up to check on his partner. Halfway through asking what was wrong, he went silent. Rhaegal's body was filled with tension as his bright blue eyes danced around angrily. He had obviously sensed something that the boy couldn't, and it worried him.
"Rhae, is there something outside?" Ash whispered, quietly unzipping his sleeping bag and crawling towards his starter. It was still raining, though the downpour had lessened greatly. The wind had all but vanished.
The lizard nodded, refusing to remove his narrowed eyes from the flimsy door of the tent. A quiet growl rumbled within the fire types chest
Ash was seriously concerned. Whatever was outside had seriously set Rhaegal on edge, and Ash could only hope that they could handle it. Sprout was still recovering from her battle yesterday and Pidgeotto should still be unconscious, if not severely weakened.
The patch of woods that separated Veridian City from the plains of Pallet were supposed to be extremely tame; that was why Professor Oak decided to build his preserve here, as there was little threat or competition from the local wildlife. Rattata and Pidgey are normally quite docile, and there shouldn't be another Pidgeotto for at least 10 miles, since they're pretty protective of their territory. There shouldn't really be anything threatening enough to cause Rhaegal to be so tense.
The subtle pounding of something on their roof-top-tarp interrupted his musing, causing the fire type to growl louder, unconsciously gouging small furrows in his blanket.
I need to wake up Leaf, now.
Grabbing her by her shoulder and rocking her back and forth, the tired brunette awoke, blinking rapidly. "Ash? What's goi-"
The boy clamped a gloved hand over her mouth, immediately shushing her. Silently pointing to his starter, he watched as her eyes grew wide in concern. He then pointed up at the quiet puttering of something on their roof. The sound of a branch bending caused the two to stiffen.
"Ash," the girls hissed, frantically crawling out of her makeshift bed. "What the hell was that?"
"There's something outside. I'm not sure what it is, but I think it might be a flock of Spearow. We need to leave, like, now."
Leaf shifted closer to the boy, scared. "Are you sure?" she pleaded, praying that he was wrong.
Spearow were small in size and incredibly aggressive. Traveling in flocks of over a hundred, they were often forced to fight for food and space to live, leading to countless attacks on unknowing travelers. They had razor sharp talons and hooked beaks that were strong enough to rip through the tough exoskeletons of their bug type prey. Primarily carnivores, the birds feasted on the local Rattata population as well as the venturing insects of the Veridian Forest. They would fly their kills up into the trees and hang them in the branches to protect them from scavengers and would violently attack any that dare approach the nesting trees. Human casualties were rare, but there were many poor souls that were left blinded and heavily scarred by the temperamental predators.
Something heavier thumped against the roof, causing Ash to gulp and meet the frightful amber gaze of his female companion. "Yeah. The tree we're under is probably one of the nesting oaks, so if they find out we're in here, we're going to need to run. If we're caught in this tent, we're done for."
Whatever had landed on the tarp started to move, crinkling the plastic fabric. Prodding the material, the creature gave it a cautious scratch, and then another. When the thin fabric frayed, it tried again a little harder.
The trio inside refused to breathe, hoping that the bird would grow bored and leave before it clawed its way in. Unfortunately, Arceus was not smiling down upon them this morning. They could only watch as the sharp digit continued to knife its way through the gossamer material, cutting a rather large gap in the ceiling. The curious flying type poked his head in first, before dropping onto Leaf's mat. It pecked at her bag, likely trying to snag one of the trainer's berries that had come loose in the night. Pulling a plum Oran berry form beneath the flap, the bird turned to look for a good place to feast on its plunder. When it turned far enough to see the three figures huddled in the corner, the brown menace dropped the round blue berry and screeched.
The ear shattering caw pierced the night like an arrow. The shrill sound was echoed by hundreds of similar calls that rained from above.
Before the Spearow could fly away and gather its peers, Rhaegal lunged forward, fangs bared as he hurled a large ball of embers that sent it crashing to the ground.
"RUN! Rhaegal, shoot a Smokescreen though the hole as a cover and rip a hole in the tent! We've got to go, NOW!" the teen ordered, grabbing both his and Leaf's bags. Tossing her the green backpack, he barked a few orders. "Leaf, when he breaches the tent, start running and don't look back, no matter what." At her panicked nod, he turned to watch his friend battle for the first time.
Rhaegal inhaled deeply, igniting his inner flame, before exhaling a large plume of smoke at the roof. The dark smog filled the roof of the tent, blinding the encroaching flock of Spearow. As effective as the tactic was at hiding the opening, the smoke did nothing to prevent them from slicing new ones.
Turning, the orange lizard growled before launching a second Ember attack at the wall, burning an opening tall enough for his trainer and friend to escape through. Another Smokescreen sent smoke bellowing out the exit, prompting the trio to run.
The trainers ran, following the blazing tail of the surprisingly agile fire-type. Swatting a path through the circling brood, Rhaegal led the teens through the thicket of trees and underbrush, cutting and blasting both bird and branch with reckless abandon. Ash, even this state of terror, couldn't help but thrive in the pride and awe the starter caused.
There is way too much firepower packed in that frame, and I couldn't be more grateful.
White smoke billowed from behind them, signaling that the rain had put out their tent fire. Steam rose steadily from the charging reptile, mixing with the stifling pools of smoke he was continuously spewing, preventing the Spearow from diving his trainer.
Ash grew worried as he watched the light rain evaporate on his starter's scales. Fire types ran incredibly hot, as expected for their element. Their blood was hot enough to give a human second- or third-degree burns, depending on the species. This was why they were so weak to water type attacks.
Most of the water a fire type would ever encounter would be far cooler than their blood and body and contact with it would immediately cause their body heat to decrease rapidly. When their body temperature got to low, the fire type's organs would cease to function, and they would die.
While this spring rain wasn't that cold to anyone else, to a fire type, it was lethal. Prolonged exposure would cause Rhaegal to cool, and with no way to raise his body temperature, his tail flame could go out and he would die. There wasn't a noticeable effect yet, but Ash refused to look anywhere else. If he showed any signs of freezing up, Ash would return him, and he and Leaf would deal with the birds themselves.
They continued running, trying their best to ignore the savage shrieking of the horde behind them. The sun had begun to rise by the time the exhausted trio had reached a paved road that ran parallel with a rather wide stream. Finally! We're nearly there! Just a little bit longer!
"We're almost there, Leaf! Just a little farther and we'll be safe!"
"Thank Mew! I don't know how much longer I can ru- Ahhhh!" she screamed, tripping over a crack in the road and tumbling onto the rough pavement. "Oh Arceus, I think I just sprained my ankle! Ash!"
The boy turned, running back for his best riend and traveling companion. "Hang in there, Leaf! I'm coming!"
Grabbing her hand, the raven-haired boy pulled her to her feet again, only for her to fall back down when she tried to run. "I-_- I can't walk on it. You need to go and get help! I'll be fine!"
Ash watched as the flock grew nearer. Hundreds of angry Spearow barreled towards them, beady eyes narrowed in fury. "I'm not leaving you, so get up! We're almost there!" lulling one arm around his shoulders, Ash stumbled forward, trying to carry her weight. They were too slow, and the horde gre even closer.
"Go!" she pleaded, tears running down her face.
" If I leave, we leave together, got that?"
Think, Kethchum. THINK dammit!
No matter how strong Rhaegal was, he was no match for the oncoming brood of aerial savages.
I don't have anything in my bag. The flares are too small to do anything, and I have nothing flammable to throw at them. THAT'S IT!
"Leaf, I need you to call out Sprout right now and have her use Poison Powder as many times as possible. Do you hear me? Have her run as best she can and spread the spores around. When I say when, you need to return her, okay?" he ordered, deathly serious.
"But Sprout doesn't know how to use it right… what if-"
Ash grabbed her shoulders. "Do it, or we die right here. There is no running; they'll catch us in the open air."
She nodded through her tears, summoning the injured Sprout and relaying Ash's orders. Hobbling around the path, the green dinosaur spewed large purple plumes of spores into the air. Trails of spores followed the grass type as she ran, circling the three figures in the particulates. Grabbing the quadruped, the boy lifted her into the air, standing above the grounded brunette.
"Leaf! Tell her to use it one more time, above me!"
"You're too close! You're going to breathe it i-"
"NOW!"
"Sprout! Use Poison Powder and make it big!"
Ash tried to hold his breath as he dug in his bag, removing the blanket him mom gave him the day prior. I hope this works, he thought, coughing once the poisonous plant particles hit his throat.
You're really in it now, Ketchum!
"Leaf! Call her back and get down!"
Ash stood in the purple cloud, staring down the feathered menace. He yelled into the gray morning, daring the bird to approach, buying his friend time.
"My name is Ashura Ketchum from the town of Pallet, and I'm destined to be the world's greatest Pokemon Trainer! I won't be taken down by the likes of you! Do you hear me? If you want a piece of me, come and get me!"
The birds dove like needles and fell like the rain, crashing down on the fool that dare tread on their resting grounds. Arm's spread out, Ash embraced the wave of talons. His eyes were watering. He blamed it on the spores. This is it, Ketchum. Just a little more…
"Rhaegal! NOW! Use ember on the spores! Blow these fuckers away!" he screamed, voice raw and pained from Sprout's Poison Powder. Diving to the floor and covering Leaf and himself in the blanket, the trainer thrust his hand out and returned the stoic starter once the flames had left his mouth.
The embers cut through the air like knives, flickering in the wind and rain. The flock pierced the cloud of spores, sending them flying further in the air. The soaring flames met the loud unleashing a deafening roar that shook the ground. The spores caught aflame, erupting in an enormous fireball that seared through the sky and engulfed the diving Spearow.
The fireball burned out quickly, but the flash of heat was enough to send the pursuers back home. Those that were caught in the blast lay scattered across the path or perched in the trees, nursing singed feathers and bruised egos.
"Are they gone?" from beneath the scorched blanket emerged two tired teens. Exhaustion painted their being in streaks of soot and rivers of sweat. Panting, Ash turned to answer her.
"It looks like it. There are a few scattered around, but I don't think they'll be bothering us anymore," he coughed. The spores and smoke had done wonders on his throat. His breaths felt shallow and pained and his head was dizzy. He was quite certain that he was in serious need of medical attention, and looking at Leaf's swollen ankle, he reckoned she could do with some as well.
He extended an open hand. "Come on, let's go get that ankle looked at. It can't be much further than this."
Accepting the boys help, the brunette pulled herself up, wrapping an arm around the boy's neck. She still couldn't put any weight on her leg. "Thanks, Ash."
Fearing he may start coughing again should he reply, the trainer nodded, supporting her body with his own. At least it stopped raining, he thought. Silver linings, I guess. Shuffling slowly, the two teens made their way along the empty road, too tired to talk.
They hadn't made it very far when they heard the roaring of an engine in the distance. Tearing down the road was a white motorcycle, flashing red and blue lights closely tailing the vehicle.
The bike was fast. It had closed the distance between them rather quickly before screeching to an abrupt stop ahead of them. Swiftly dismounting the bike and circling around the sidecar was a teal haired female officer that eyed the duo, pokeball in hand.
Great! Maybe she can help us! Before the boy could call for her assistance, the woman yelled first.
"Hold it right there, you two! This is Officer Jenny of the Viridian City police force and I order you to state your name and business!"
Or not…Can't we catch a break?
The trainer readjusted his hold on Leaf, exposing his hands to show he wasn't a threat. The girl herself was quiet, and Ash could tell she was trying not to cry. "My name is Ashura Ketchum, and this is my friend Leaf Green. We were coming from Professor Oak's lab in Pallet Town when we were attacked by a flock of wild Spearow! Please, we need help! I think she might have broken her ankle or something!"
The officer cautiously closed in on the injured teens, gripping the handle of her baton angrily.
Great, a trigger happy cop. Let's make this day harder, shall we? Ash grit his teeth. This day couldn't get any worse…
"So you say, but why should I believe you! Someone reported an explosion coming from Route 1, and here you two are, covered in ash and soot. Sounds awfully suspicious to me."
So that automatically makes us guilty? We were the one's getting attacked, dammit!
"Officer, the explosion you heard was caused by our pokemon, but it was in self-defense, I swear! You ca-" a raspy coughing fit racked his body, the coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. Swallowing, he continued. "You can go look at the Spearow scattered across the grass, but please, we need help."
"Your pokemon, you say? Show me your license, and we'll see." The officer had yet to move, stubbornly trying to get the teens to confess to some crime they hadn't committed.
Leaf still hadn't said anything, and Ash was growing worried. He subtly pinched her side, hoping to get a response. Nothing. He shook her, gently, but her head simply lolled onto his shoulder. Her eyes were closed.
"My license is in my bag, in the main pocket, I swear! but please, officer, she's not responding, and I think she might be unconscious. I need to get her to the hospital right now!"
Finally, the teal haired witch gave in, rushing forward and taking her into her own arms, letting Ash collapse to the ground. Black spots bled into his peripheral vision. The taste of blood and ash grew stronger. "Fine, I'll take her to the hospital, but you're staying right here, you hear me? I radioed in and had dispatch send out another officer, but if you're not here when they get here, your little girlfriend here's going to pay for it, got that?"
Ash grunted in confirmation, but the woman didn't seem to care. She'd already tucked the unconscious brunette into the sidecar and blared her siren, speeding off to wherever she came from.
Falling further down, the now slouched trainer weakly enlarged the shrunken ball that held his starter. Its once glossy surface was scratched and blackened, likely from when he had returned the lizard. His hand still burned from where the toxic flames had seared it on the way under the blanket. Pressing the button that divided read shell from white, Ash called out his partner.
Rhaegal emerged fangs drawn, ready to try and tear into any of the birds that would try and attack his trainer. Seeing none of the feathered rats, he eyed the boy curiously, though concern bled from his eyes.
Ash pet the fierce reptile, scratching him gently on the cheek. "You did wonderful, buddy. I'm really pro-" the boy coughed again, unable to stop the crimson spittle from hitting his exposed forearm.
Rhaegal immediately smelt the blood. Whining in worry, the fire type crawled onto his lap and placed his small clawed hands on the trainer chest. A hot and rough tongue swept across the trainer's jawline, earning a small smile.
"I'll be okay, Rhae. Just breathed in a little to many spores, that's all. What I really wanted to say is thank you, for all the stuff you did last night and today. Leaf and I would have been toast without you. I'm a lucky guy, being your trainer, and I'm really proud of y-"
He was interrupted again, though not by a cough. This time it was Rhaegal, who had tugged on his shirt rather hard. Leaping off the boy's lap, the starter looked to the still cloudy morning skies. His tail was swishing around frantically, and he was sniffing the air with vigor. It was very much like how he was behaving at the tent, though he was more interested than weary this time around.
Please don't be the fucking birds again. Arceus above, don't let it be the birds again.
"Cha! Charmander char charmander!" Rhaegal's clawed finger was pointing towards the sky as he pulled on Ash's pant leg excitedly. "Cha!"
Looking up, Ash squinted at the clouds. His vision still swam, and the darkness still threatened to encroach upon his eyes, but he looked anyway. The sky was still a gloomy gray, heavy with unfallen rain. There didn't seem to be anything that warranted the fire types unusual giddiness.
"What is it buddy? I don't...see…woah…" the flame on Rhaegal's tail was nearly twice it's normal size and burned brighter than ever. Flecks of bright crimson and cool blues sparked in the blazing orange flames, dancing with the small embers of lively green and violets. He could feel the hot tango pirouette along his skin. It felt like home; sturdy and familiar. It felt like a hug from his mom; the feeling of love and comfort she had always exuded.
I feel… I feel like me. The boiling hatred for what his father did to his family he'd endlessly suppressed, the fervent passion for pokemon he'd cultured and honed throughout his life, it had all come out at once and simply dispersed. He'd never felt so pure. All stress his body had been under, the soot, spores and scratches burned away until they were naught but a memory. There were no secrets in this heat, no doubts or feelings of inadequacy. It burned within him, feasting on all his being.
"What is this?"
The question seemed so simple and unimaginative. He was sure there was no answer. It was then that he heard it. A quiet thum thump….thum thump of a heart that beat in tune with his own. He lay a hand on his chest, feeling his own heart, but recognizing a divide between the beat he was feeling, and the beat he was feeling.
Golden eyes wide and breathless, Ash looked up at is starter who clasped a small clawed hand over his own scaled chest. It clicked.
"Rhaegal, is that... is that you I feel?" His voice was little but a whisper.
His starter looked dazed, but slowly nodded. Approaching the bewildered teen, Rhaegal put his own hand over where the trainer's own had just rested, and the beats sang.
For a moment, a single fleeting moment, Ash could see himself. Sounds he couldn't hear before pounded on his sensitive eardrums while scents he'd never smelled assaulted his nostrils. He felt hot, but in a good way, and the steady synchronized thumping of their hearts brought him more comfort than he'd ever felt before. In an instant, like the wind, it faded away, soaring up and into the sky like a dream.
As if hoping to catch sight of the dream, the two looked to the skies, watching as a golden light severed a rift in the clouds.
Emerging from the gate was the most beautiful being he'd ever seen. Feathers of the most vibrant crimson fluttered in the wing. A tall spiral crest of gold emerged from a long beak of marigold, proudly shut as it flew across the sky. It's large, powerful wings gave way to long flight feathers that faded from the bright scarlet unto a pearlescent white, a color that wrapped around the being's body, below the neck. Once more the color changed, gradiating towards a pale emerald. This color coated the very end of its flight feathers and painted a slanted band across its long, graceful neck. A cluster of lengthy deep gold tail feathers faded into tips of pale gold sunlight. The prismatic feathers of this immaculate, ethereal being paved a path for vibrant rainbows of light that followed it on its journey across the horizon.
I've never seen something so… beautiful? Powerful? Mesmerizing?...no. while all three statements were true, they were not what the boy had felt the most. I've never seen something so pure.
Ash and Rhaegal stared unabashedly mesmerized at the being. It was no bird, for the name was far too bland for such beauty. It was a phoenix that carried with it the energy of the sun itself. With a powerful flap of two great wings, a blast of heat and passion flooded their bodies and nearly drowned them in its presence. It let out a caw that Ash could only assume the angels themselves had sung. Its song filled the trainer with hope and fire, and his golden eyes began to glow. Rhaegal's orange flames gave way to golden spires of light that rose, trying to meet their true master in the sky.
As quick as the being had entered their plane, it left. An explosion of gold and color rained from above as the deity left the mortal plane once more. For what else could the phoenix be but a god?
Reality came crashing down on him like a hammer. The world of sounds the boy had heard were ripped from his ears, and the cacophony of smells were cleansed from his pallet. The heat his eyes were exuding disappeared as their glow ceased. The purity in his soul was replaced by doubt and anger once more, fresh like a knife wound. All that was light had grown dull again
A small, almost unperceivable tug on his shirt woke him from his daze. Looking down at his awe-struck partner, Ash felt his heart clench and his jaw drop. In Rhaegal's tiny hands lay a single feather, just longer than the trainer's own hand. Small rainbows of light reflected off it's three tone coloring. It was unmistakable. This feather had come from the Phoenix, from Fire and Sun herself.
Gently, as if afraid he might break it, Ash grasped the rainbow feather's barb. Immediately a kiss of the Phoenix' flew through him once more, before fading away.
He had little time to ponder the feather or it's meaning, for the sound of sirens pierced his bubble of contemplative peace, a dagger to his soul. After hiding the precious ornament in the safest place he could think of, the raven-haired teen returned his now quiet friend.
Right… suspected terrorist…
The new officer, nearly identical to the one that had taken Leaf, had arrived. She was far nicer than her counterpart but informed him that he was to be brought in for questioning. He gave no resistance as he entered her sidecar, hands loosely cuffed together. He had a feeling that this current Jenny hadn't wanted to cuff him in the first place. He also had a feeling that the first Jenny would have 'accidentally' tightened the cuffs tight enough to nearly cut off his blood circulation. He much preferred this new one.
The road to Veridian was quiet, save for the roar of new-Jenny's motorcycle and the occasion metallic clang of his cuffs against the aluminum sidecar. It gave the trainer time to contemplate his encounter with the Phoenix.
I've never seen anything like it.
Alright, Ketchum. It's your first real day as a trainer, and you spent the first half of it in a fight for your life, which had you coughing up blood. Likely, you'd have been at least unconscious, if not dead by the time new-Jenny got to you. In the time between Leaf leaving with old-Jenny and the arrival of your captor, you saw a phoenix that carried the strength of the sun. You've been blessed by Fire, that much was obvious, but the question still remains; why me?
The question had no answer.
Thanks for all the support. Until next time, peace.