"Alright, thief. Show me some ID or I'm sending you to the station for obstruction of justice, you got that? I don't care how young you are. A criminal's a criminal, so what'll it be, boy?"
"Like I said earlier, It's in my bag, second zipper from the front. It's the black box with an engraving of a pokeball on the back," groaned a rather fed up Ash Ketchum.
New-Jenny was kind enough to drive him up to the sliding glass doors of Veridian's Pokemon Center, where he was forcefully apprehended by old-Jenny, who then shoved him flush against the white stone walls.
"You're dismissed, officer. Return to your post. I'll deal with this scum, personally."
The boy, pinned to the building by the witch-Jenny, watched hopelessly as the nice officer took off on her bike once more. Here he was, alone and manhandled by this clearly delusional woman.
First, I'm a terrorist, next, I'm a thief? Which is it, lady?
A dark, satisfied grin stretched across her red-glossed lips as she flipped him over, pinning his face against the rough stone. She grabbed his cuffed hands and unlocked the restraints, before ripping the bag from his shoulders and slamming the shackles back on his sore wrists. He grit his teeth in pain as the metal bit into his flesh. I was right. She is trying to kill me with these things
It took an iron will, one he wasn't quite sure he possessed, to prevent himself from lashing out at the officer. It wouldn't help his case, and he couldn't afford any more bruises. His shoulders were sore, and the Center's walls were cutting into the left side of his face.
"Well, since we're in public, and I obviously can't let a criminal roam without cuffs, I guess I'll just have to get it myself, won't I? I wonder what else you may be hiding in this bag, hmm?" she toyed triumphantly, before reaching down and ripping Rhaegal's ball from his belt.
"Hey! What do you think you doing? That's my pokemon you b-"
She shoved his face harder into the stone. He could feel the blood starting to drip from his cheek as his still-sensitive windpipe was crushed.
"Your pokemon, you say, hmm? Well, you know what I think? I think you stole it, and I'm going to take this pokemon and return them to their rightful owner, right after I throw in a cell! Filth like you will pay the price for your crimes!"
His vision was going blurry. The exhaustion that had plagued him along his short journey had come back in full force. His throat burned like acid and he could feel the stinging wounds left by countless talons begin to open up again. Whatever the Phoenix had done to him earlier was beginning to wear off. This is it, he thought. You outmaneuvered an entire brood of angry Spearow, only to meet your end at the hands of a crazed bluenette.
"WHAT in the world is going on out here!" a commanding feminine voice boomed. "Jenny, could you please explain to me why this young man here is cuffed and bleeding on my Pokemon Center?"
"Nurse, I caught him! He's the thief, from last night! He has to be! I found him and that girl fleeing out on Route One, covered in smoke. I think they staged an explosion as an alibi, because I know I managed to hit one of the perps during the robbery, and the girl's injury matches! There's no other explanation!" the officer explained, crazed excitement coating every word.
His vision was dark, and he could hear his heart thundering, begging for more oxygen. Help… me…
His pleas were answered as a soft hand braced his arms, holding him upright as the officer's hold on him disappeared. Ash fell to the ground in an undignified heap gasping for precious air like a beached Magikarp does water. He felt the small droplets of red trail down his face and drip onto the concrete. With each breath, he tasted blood.
"Young man, are you okay? Come, look at me now, dear it'll be okay," soothed his savior. Her soft voice was calming, and the trainer could feel his eyes begin to sink.
"We'll have none of that now, okay? I need you to stay with me. Sir, can you tell me your name? Sir?"
Her caring voice became muffled, as if she was underwater. The boy could hardly make out any of the words, though he could hear the thinly veiled urgency in her voice. He tried to tell the woman not to worry, that he'd be fine, but when he parted his lips, a thin line of crimson dribbled down his chin and onto her white apron.
"Chansey! Get a stretcher out here, now! Prep emergency room 4, stat, or this boy is going to die! You! Get the hell out of our way!"
"but Joy, he-"
"NOW, Jenny!" the irate nurse barked, shoving her out of the way so that the pink, egg-shaped pokemon could approach.
"Stay with me, son. You're going to be fine, okay? I need you to stay awake for me just for a little while longer. Can you do that for me?"
The raven-haired teen nodded tiredly, but when his back hit the soft cotton threads atop the stretcher, darkness descended.
BEEP…BEEP…BEEP…
Could someone please shut that damn thing off?
…BEEP…BEEP…
Ugh…Fine, I'm up, I'm up.
Rolling onto his side, the sleeping trainer was greeted by a shooting pain in the crook of his elbow, causing him to gasp and groan lightly. His throat was dry, and his mouth parched, as if he'd stood mouth open in a sandstorm. Smacking cracked lips together, he carefully pushed himself up into a sitting position, trying spot his canteen.
"Mr. Ketchum! I'm glad to see that you're finally awake. You had a few of us worried here, for a minute. Can I get you anything? Is there any pain?"
Golden Eyes scanned across the unfamiliar room. The walls were painted a light cream, a warm color with the sunlight that bled through the curtained window. To the side of his bed was a rack that held a liquid filled IV bag, which would explain the pain in his arm
"…where am I?" His questioning whisper was hoarse and raw, as if he's gargled sandpaper. He rubbed his throat subconsciously, attempting to abate the burning sensation.
"You're in the Veridian City Pokemon Center, Mr. Ketchum. You were brought in early this morning in critical condition. Could you please explain to me why you thought it fun to gallivant in a flaming ball of toxic spores?" asked a rather pretty, pink-haired nurse that stood in the doorframe. She was carrying a clipboard with a thick stack of papers attached to it. Around her shoulders lay the steely glint of a stethoscope. She entered the room with practiced ease, arriving by his bedside table and sitting on a short wooden stool.
"You must be thirsty. Here, this should ease the pain somewhat, but drink it slowly. You're dehydrated and your throat doesn't need to be under any more pressure than you've already put it through."
She handed him a small cup of water and ice chips that the boy nursed gently. He took a few small sips, recalling everything that had happened since he and Leaf had woken up. Wait! Where's Leaf?
"Nurse, Officer Jenny said that she brought my friend here yesterday. Is she alright? She fell and I think she might have passed out and her Bulbasaur was hurt pretty bad and she had this angry Pidg-"
A soft hand on his shoulder stopped his rant. The peaceful blue eyes of the nurse twinkled. "Ms. Green is perfectly fine, as are her two pokemon. Bulbasaur was just tired and a little bruised, while Pidgeotto was a little more banged up, but nothing too bad. She's in the lobby now. She was quite worried about you, as we all were after she told us what happened."
Joy stood and began reading off the various monitors strapped to the teen's body. "Using the flammability of Poison Powder as a makeshift super flare was rather ingenious, no matter how incredibly dangerous the stunt may be. I'm frankly surprised that you'd managed to hang on as long as you did with the amount of toxin you were exposed to. Most others would not have made it back here. Your Charmander was quite worried for you. He burst right out of his ball once you collapsed, attacking anyone that dared approach you. Ms. Green was the one who finally convinced him to stand down, and he's been asleep ever since."
Ash, though relieved to hear of his starter's wellbeing, refused to relax. Rhaegal's presence, if even only in his ball, was comforting to him. Even after only really knowing each other for a day, the teen did not like being separated from his partner, not after what they'd seen together. Speaking of which…
"uh, Nurse? Do you have my bag? I promised to call my mom once I got into town, and considering that storm, she's probably freaking out right now," the boy explained, trying to force the words through his sore vocal channel.
The nurse gave a little frown, before refilling his cup with the pitcher atop her desk. "Sssh. Try not to talk too much yet, okay? The spores were rather unkind to your respiratory system and talking to much is going to aggravate the abused tissues. I'm afraid you're going to be stuck with that rather gravely, rough voice for quite a while, though the pain should fade within the week," she informed, handing him the black bag. "It's not to bad. I'm fairly sure that the girls would like it, no?"
He blushed lightly, before looking down and rummaging through a jumbled mess of spare clothes and traveling equipment, the recovering teen grasped a rather long but thin wooden box, etched with old Kantonese kanjis and myths. His mother had given it to him when he was training under the professor back in Pallet, though it was originally supposed to hold his knife and an emergency food ration. Both had been tossed haphazardly into the abyss of his backpack when he'd placed the feather in it earlier that morning. Old rusted hinges squeaked gently as he stared wondrously at the glistening Rainbow Wing inside, feeling its mythical warmth fill his body and lift his spirits. Thank god Jenny hadn't found this. I have no idea how I could have explained to that psychopath where I'd gotten it.
"Besides, Ms. Green was kind enough to call both your sponsor and your mother and inform them of your condition. They should be arriving shortly, if I were to guess," Joy mentioned, reaching for the needle still lodged in his arm.
A shard of ice got caught in his throat, causing him to cough violently as he slammed the box shut. "WHAT! Leaf called my mom? Oh god she's going to kill me! What do I even say to her th- OW!"
The nurse stood at his side, having removed the IV from his arm during his outburst. "Sorry about that, Mr Ketchum, but it's less painful if you're not paying attention. Now, let's get you ou-"
"WHERE IS SHE! Where's the Officer that triedto strangle my baby boy? An innocent child brutalized and beaten at the foot of a hospital! When I find her, I swear to Arceus I'm going t-"
The seething, spiteful voice of Delia Ketchum tore through the Center's walls like wildfire. All the blood drained from the boy's face as the doors to his room burst open, slamming against the wall, a blushing and terrified Leaf limping slowly behind.
Seeing her son, the irate woman instantly calmed down, falling to her knees at the foot of his bed and holding on to his hand with all her might. "Oh Ashy, I'm so glad you're okay. When Leaf told me about what happened this morning, Sam and I rushed here as soon as we could. Oh, my little baby, look at your poor face. It's okay, mommy's here," she cooed, brushing his hair away from the two gauze bandages on his cheeks. He was blushing furiously, but a reassuring nod from the Nurse had him kneeling with his mom, holding her as she cried, fussing over his battered form.
"I'm fine, mom, really. Rhaegal kept us safe, and Nurse Joy fixed me up, good as new. It's all okay. I promise." Holding his mother tightly, he looked towards his hobbling friend for help. Leaf merely shrugged, before going up to the nurse.
"Thank you so much for saving him, Nurse Joy. I don't know how to thank you enough, truly."
The lady smiled at her female patient. "I'm just doing my job. We need smart thinkers like him around, though I do hope that next time he learns to hold his breath." She directed him a flat pointed stare, before helping the crying mother to her feet.
"Your son's going to be fine, Mrs. Ketchum. His throat will be sore and he's going to sound a little different, but other than that I really see no need to keep him here any longer. He's free to go after I remove those bandages, so long as he promises to keep it easy for a little while."
Delia smiled and thanked the pink-haired woman profusely before letting the nurse get on with her duties.
Turning to the raven-haired boy, she grasped the frayed tape that held the gauze against his cheekbones, eyes filled with sympathy. "This might sting a little, but it'll be over quick, okay? One, two-"
Yanking downwards, Joy removed the gauze, before smiling reassuringly at the wincing boy. She gestured towards a mirror hung above the sink. "Go on."
His steps were small and timid, fearful of what he may see looking back at him. When he reached the sink, his eyes were closed and pointed straight the drain. Two familiar hands placed themselves on each of his shoulders. "It's okay, Ash. We're here with you," Leaf whispered, rubbing circles into his left shoulder. Gripping soundly to his right arm, his mother whispered, "go on, son."
Come on, Ketchum. You stared down a hundred angry Spearow and won. Open your damn eyes and let's get out of here already.
Golden eyes snapped open, glaring at their reflection. Right beneath the piercing gaze, along the sharp contour of his strong features lay two small zig-zagging wounds that had yet to scab, one where each cheek had forcefully met the rough walls of the Veridian Pokemon Center. They weren't huge, but against his tan skin, the red marks refused to fade away. Gingerly tracing an unsteady hand across them, Ash knew they would scar. I sound like a chain smoker and look like I've been in too many bar fights The teen thought bitterly.
If he was being honest with himself, Ash would realize that he was being a little overdramatic. His once cheerful, childish voice was now gravelly and hard, like a man that's seen to many battles. The two scars would eventually fade away into a simple remnant of what he now saw, though they would never completely disappear.
He quickly grew tired of staring at his wounded face, so he turned to face the three surrounding females. His mom smiled softly, loving concern glittering in the unfallen tears that swelled around her eyes. He smiled lightly, before taking a tired seat on his bed, trying to fix her ruffled and windswept hair. She looked tired, though significantly less stressed than she had when she had first entered his room.
Nurse Joy was fussing over Leaf, who Ash guilty realized he hadn't really checked up on. Clearing his throat, he went to remedy this. "Hey Leaf," he rasped, still unused to the gravely tone of his own voice. The girl looked up, clearly relieved to be free from the doctor's pestering.
"How are you holding up? You had me worried earlier."
She smiled brightly, before lifting her leg and revealing a hefty plastic boot around her ankle. "the nurse said that it's just a bad sprain, nothing's broken, so that's great, but I can't do anything strenuous for a couple weeks."
Ash frowned, realizing that this would mean that they likely would be splitting up. He didn't want to stay in this city any longer than he had to, and Leaf obviously couldn't go with him through Veridian Forest with a bum ankle. Noticing that she wasn't quite done talking, he shoved these thoughts to the side.
"It turns out that I was pretty dehydrated from yesterday, and after all the running and falling, the exhaustion and everything caught up to me, I guess. That's what caused me to pass out this morning when that bi-… um…Officer showed up." She hobbled up to him, boot clanking heavily on the tile floor. Wrapping him tightly in a hug, the brunette whispered into his ear. "Thank you, Ash. You saved my life today. If it weren't for you and Rhaegal, I'd be in far worse shape than this, if I'd even made it out of the forest at all. I'll never forget that."
The boy's tan face flushed brightly at his friend's gratitude as he returned her embrace. He was proud of how he and his starter had worked together and was beyond grateful that they'd been able to save her and themselves from the flock. His bashful smile quickly turned to a sharp wince as the girl in his arms drove a fist into his tender ribcage.
"That is for almost dying on the way over here. I would have been fine. You almost died, prick," she hissed, pulling him in tighter. "Don't do it again. Promise?"
He tightened his grip on the tearful trainer. The guilt of knowing that he had caused his childhood friend this much pain ate at his heart, but it lost quickly to an oddly warm feeling that settled in his chest. "I promise," he whispered back, feeling her nod into his chest.
"Ahem. Excuse me, Mr. Ketchum?" the two teens scrambled apart, faces warm and bright red. Nurse Joy smirked wickedly at the pair, before addressing the boy. "There's someone in the lobby that's asking for you. I recommend you go and see him right away. You can also pick up your Charmander while your there, as he's all rested up and ready to go."
Why wouldn't they just come in here? It didn't stop anyone else, he thought, surveying the crowded room. Nevertheless, he went to help his mother off the bed, only to frown once she waved him away.
"Go on, dear. I have a couple questions for your nurse, as well as some paperwork to fill out. I'll be out in a bit." She refused to look him in the eyes, instead choosing to stare at a spot just above his head.
That's odd. Usually she's adamant about meeting whoever tries to speak with me. She wouldn't even let me go to the Oak's house at alone at first when Professor Elm was visiting, he pondered, before walking out the swinging doors.
The halls of the medical wing weren't long, and it took him less than a minute to find his way into the lobby. He noticed immediately that something bad had happened, and it set his nerves aflame.
Couches were upside down and their cushions were slashed, excreting white fluff and yellow foam. Chairs were toppled and windows were shattered, fragments of glass glittering in the midday sun. It's got to be around noon, I'm guessing. He hadn't noticed it in his room, but there was a faint smell of rotten eggs and smog in the air. It irritated his already weakened throat. He could hear voices coming from the hallway across the room that led to the sleeping quarters. He recognized the educated but formal tone of his sponsor, Samuel Oak, immediately.
"I'm telling you, Giovanni. Team Rocket's growing more and more violent the longer they remain unchecked. It wasn't even a year ago where this 'Team Rocket' was nothing more than a handful of petty criminals charged with minor theft and disturbing the peace. Just yesterday, as you well know, they pulled a full-blown heist in Kanto's capital city, in a building full of nothing but trainers. Were it not for your intervention, the damage would have been even worse. Still, they managed to get away with over twenty new, trained pokemon. Twenty! Incidents like the one between your Officer Jenny and my pupil are going to become a common occurrence if we allow them to fester any more. They're terrorizing our people, putting fear in their hearts, and the League isn't doing anything about it. They can't, even if they wanted to."
Team Rocket robbed the Pokemon Center? They caused this mess? No wonder Jenny was so worked up! A group of criminals had robbed a hospital full of trained pokemon not the day before!
"I know, Sam," chimed in a second voice, far deeper and stronger than the professors. The man talked like how Ash imagined a mountain would talk. He was loud, unwavering, confident, and oddly familiar, though he couldn't place a face to the sound. "These thieves are causing me and my peers a substantial amount of stress. Champion Lance has been trying to find their leader, but his ACE's and G-MEN keep coming up short. It's only a matter of time before- oh," he paused, casting a hard, emotionless eyes over the battered teen. "Hello there, you must be Mr. Ashura Ketchum. Professor Oak has told me very much about you."
The man was tall. Dark chocolate hair was greased and slicked back against his head. An expensive, black suit draped tightly atop a powerful body, cutting an imposing figure. The charcoal gray undershirt and red tie contrasted deeply with is pale complexion, highlighting a team of five scuffed pokeballs lining the man's leather belt. He casually tossed a sixth in the air, catching it with calloused, thick hands. His eyes were dark and sharp like knives.
Ash tried his best not to stutter, but he couldn't suppress the small waver in his voice when he returned the greeting. He blamed it on the spores.
"Yes sir. It's a pleasure to meet you, Leader Giovanni. Your city is beautiful, and I thank you for your hospitality."
Giovanni was the resident Gym Leader of Veridian City, Kanto's regional capital. The Gym Leaders were the grand protectors of their given city and would band together as commanders against any threat to the region as a whole. Each major city was protected by a certified league Gym Leader, who would act as sponsors or teachers to other up-and-coming trainers. Each Leader was well respected and incredibly strong, though they were far from equal. Giovanni was infamous amongst his peers as a brutal, unforgiving battler, maintaining an iron grip as the eighth and final member of the Kanto Region's "Great Eight."
The Great Eight consisted of the eight leaders that guarded Kanto's eight oldest and most prominent cities. The leaders of the first cities birthed the Pokemon League, and it was in honor of them that the eight-badge requirement to qualify for the yearly Championship was enlisted. There were more than eight leaders in all of Kanto but only the truest of trainers would choose to challenge the legendary Great Eight. Giovanni ruthless both on and off the field, only ever accepting challenges from someone with at least seven badges and stomping anyone that tried. Not a single Earth Badge had been handed out during the man's twenty-plus year reign over the capital. Ash aimed to be the first.
"So, I'm led to believe that it was you that caused the explosion out on Route One. I have to say, I'm impressed. Not a day under your belt as a trainer and you've already won a hundred battles. That must feel good, no?"
The question felt barbed, and the teen tried not to let his nervousness show. Keep it together.
"I did what I had to do to keep me and my friends safe, sir. I take pride in that accomplishment, but do not relish in what I had to do to ensure our safety. I apologize for the means and destruction that we caused, but not for the actions I took," he stated calmly, meeting the cool black eyes of the gym leader.
The strong man smirked as he waved off the apology. "There's no harm done. Besides, it seems that I owe you an apology as well. I heard that one of my officers broke conduct and disobeyed orders not only from myself, but completely disregarded her training and vow to the people of Kanto in her blasé attempt at apprehending an innocent child and parading him around as the criminal responsible for the damage to this fine establishment," he said, irritation just barely concealed. "I apologize for her abhorrent behavior and assure you that matters are being taken to ensure that such actions never take place again in my city. Attacking a trainer without evidence is unforgivable, let alone one trained by the esteemed Professor Oak, such as yourself. This is not, as you said, 'Veridian hospitality.' It will not happen again."
Once more the man's words set him on edge. One of the most powerful people in all of Kanto had offered him an apology, and Ash couldn't help but feel like man wanted nothing more than to crush something. Or someone.
"It's alright, sir. Nurse Joy said I'll be fine. As long as I don't try and push myself to hard, I'm good to go," he explained, eyes following the aforementioned nurse as she approached the front desk with a slightly blackened pokeball in hand.
The Leader noticed his gaze and waved the boy away. Nodding in thanks, Ash walked up to the nurse and grasped his starter's ball, clipping it to his belt.
"He's good to go, Mr. Ketchum. He's a special one, so you two be careful out there, okay? I don't want to hear about you rolling into anymore emergency rooms."
Ash smiled at the nurse, thanking her for everything she'd done for him, as well as promising that he'll try to stay out of trouble.
"Just doing my job, Mr. Ketchum. Go on, I think Professor Oak still wants to have a word with you."
Thanking her once more, the boy returned to the whispering men, relieved to have Rhaegal back with him again.
The two men were conversing adamantly about something that he couldn't quite pick up on, but he had managed to overhear the words "robbery" and "Team Rocket." The two noticed his presence and Sam immediately stood up straight, urging the boy forward.
"Ash, my boy, I'm sure your wondering why that officer was so adamant about proving your guilt, yes? Well, I'm sure you've noticed the current… err… condition of the center, correct?" at the boy's nod, the professor continued. "Well, yesterday, right after my grandson left for the forest, there was a brake in, orchestrated by members of the organization known as 'Team Rocket.' The-"
"-bastards made off with a total of over four full teams of pokemon before I arrived to stop them," interrupted Giovanni, growling. "I managed to apprehend a few of them before they got away, but I couldn't protect my people and pursue the attackers at the same time, so I let them get away, sending a few of my team after them. I then tasked my officers with searching the immediate area and bring in anyone suspicious, but I never expected them to go off and brutalize injured trainers. As of now, we've yet to find any of their accomplices, well, outside of you, of course."
The joke was cold and hard, and no one laughed. The gym leader remained unfazed, before rumbling around in his suit's jacket pocket. "You're trying out for the Indigo League, yes?
The boy nodded, pondering what the man had told him. He remembered the cold emptiness he felt when Jenny had taken Rhaegal form him earlier and couldn't imagine how it would feel if Team Rocket had taken him for good. Anger bubbled in his soul, akin to the feeling he would get when he thought of his father. Bastards, the lot of 'em.
He was interrupted from his thoughts when Giovanni removed three laminated vouchers from his breast pocket.
"Good. Then these will be of good use to you," he commented, handing him the coupons. "Consider these as compensation for the unjust treatment my officers had dealt unto you. They're vouchers for three reusable TMs of your choosing, redeemable only at the Celadon Department store. Use them wisely, and I look forward to your challenge. Don't disappoint me," he warned. Clearing his throat, he dipped his head in farewell. "Good day to you, Sam, Ashura. I have a city to protect."
With that, the greasy haired man turned tail and calmly stormed out the front of the center and onto the city streets, lost in the glare of the sun.
Professor Oak turned to his pupil, giving the boy a one-over. When he saw the small scars on his face, he shook his head sadly. "It's a dangerous world out there, my boy, and I'm afraid that enraged pokemon and bad weather should be the least of your worries. Team Rocket is dangerous. Do your best not to get involved, but if you do cross paths, run. You may hold mercy in your heart, but they won't," he warned. "A friend of mine's eight-year-old daughter was here yesterday, and her pet Eevee was stolen, along with many others. They won't hesitate to eliminate any threats. Even when it comes to you."
The man's words didn't sit well with the teen, who frowned in distaste. I can't just sit here and let these monsters terrorize innocent people like this. They're attacking cities and stealing pokemon from their partners. I'm not just going to let it happen if I can do something about it! "But professor, wh-"
The man grabbed his shoulder, forcing his hardened gray eyes to meet the teens bright gold. "Don't. Don't argue with me on this, Ash. They are dangerous. I know it feels wrong to you, and I hate to ask you to let these horrible things happen, but if not for me, at least think about your mother. She was absolutely beside herself this morning when she had heard what happened to you, and if you get caught up in the business of Team Rocket? I don't think she can stand losing you, too."
The heavy words silenced the boy as he nodded in acceptance, though doubt and defiance continued to burn within him. I'm not going to sit on my ass and let people suffer. Consequences be damned.
"Good, well, here comes your mother. You'd best get going if you want to get a good bite out of Veridian Forest. Gary's already in Pewter with a team of four. He's got five others at the lab, too."
Of course he does. What'd he do, throw a ball at everything that moved? snorted Ash, annoyed that his friend/rival was so far ahead. Just you wait, Oak. I'm coming for you.
The sound of doors thumping against the wall announced the arrival of Delia and Leaf, both wearing sad expressions. The auburn-haired woman approached her son and wrapped him in a bone crushing hug. "Ashura Satoshi Ketchum, don't you ever scare our mother like that again, do you hear me?"
Ash returned her embrace, promising her he'll try and stay safe from now on.
Sniffling, she let the boy go. "You better, young man. Call me as soon as you get to Pewter. I love you son. Stay safe," she pleaded, wiping a few tears from her eyes.
"I will. I love you too."
She gave him one last smile, before walking towards the aging man beside her son. "Come on Samuel. I think I left the stove on, and I don't want to burn dinner."
The two adults left the Center as well, heading south towards Pallet. Ash figured that the Professor was looking for a good spot to release his Dragonite and fly home, considering he didn't just teleport from the center with his Alakazam.
Someone wrapped their arm through his, tugging him towards the doors as well. "Come on, I'll walk you to the edge of town," Leaf suggested, puling the teenage boy along.
Ash, now that he wasn't being hailed as a criminal through her streets, quickly noticed the beauty of Viridian city. It was not a hustling mecca of business and people that Saffron and Celadon were. No, it was simply a quiet town full of quiet people. He liked the way the cobblestone paths met with lush, trimmed grasses. Green trees were properly thinned and maintained, providing shade for the numerous stone statues that decorated the fields and walkways. The two trainers walked past many familiar faces carved in the stone figures. Old champions of Kanto, famous battlers, heroes and scientists stood in their eternal memoirs, gazing over the first Kantinian settlement. It was a quaint town that reminded him of Pallet. He enjoyed it.
"They aren't bad, you know."
Their walk through the city was quiet, both trainers' content with simply observing the world around them. Leaf's sudden voice caused her friend to flinch and she had to stifle a giggle.
"What isn't bad?" he replied; arm still interlaced with hers. Neither seemed to notice their proximity to each other.
"The scars, I mean," she elaborated, looking down at her brace. Or the floor. Ash couldn't exactly tell. "They make you look…older, like you've been traveling for a while. They'll probably look pretty badass when they actually scar over"
"Oh," he responded dumbly, using his free hand to briefly trace the pattern carved into his reddening cheeks. "Thanks, I guess."
Leaf blushed harder, embarrassed. "Not that you looked super young before! It's just… I don't know… Cool, I guess? Maybe? God, I'm just making it worse, aren't I? "
He laughed heartily, despite the slight burn in his throat the action brought. "A little, but thanks, really. I appreciate it. It's just kind of crazy to think that I'm now a full day into being a trainer and I've already fought over a hundred wild pokemon, blew up a small section of Route One, been arrested, got beat up by an officer of the law, and had a conversation with the strongest Gym Leader in all of Kanto, all before I've had my first actual pokemon battle!"
His happy rant caused his companion to laugh as well. It was a bright, cheerful laugh that Ash enjoyed hearing. "Don't forget saving the life of your best friend, twice."
The boy paused, putting his free hand up to his chin in a sarcastic representation of deep thought. "Did I? No, I couldn't have. I haven't seen Gary since yesterday morning, and all we did was promise to have a battle that we both skipped out on."
Her laughter grew louder as she removed her arm from his and punching the boy in the shoulder. "It's me, you ass. Sleeping together in a tent, surrounded by angry Spearow in the middle of a thunderstorm qualifies me as your official best friend."
Ash quirked his eyebrow, smirking dirtily. "Sleeping together, huh? What exactly did you do to me last night, Ms. Green? That sounds like it qualifies me as a little more than a 'best friend,' hmm?"
"UGH! That's not what I meant either! Mew, why are words so difficult!" she shouted, drawing the curious eyes of the city folk. "I was going to say I would miss traveling with you, but nope. I'm over it. See yah, Ass Ketchum. Have fun getting lost in that bug filled forest, and do try not to get eaten by any hungry Beedrill," she waved at him, playful limping away from her giggling childhood friend.
"Aww, Leaf! I didn't know you cared. Honestly, I'm touched," he continued to tease, easily catching up with her limping figure.
The brunette rolled her eyes, turning to face the boy again. "Of course I care, Ashy. You're my closest friend. I've known you forever, and outside of Gary, who, if we're being honest isn't exactly the most empathetic of people, you're all I've got. It was nice, traveling with you, even if it was only for a day. Maybe when this stupid boot is off, we can do it again sometime?"
He smiled, sincerely this time. His normally piercing golden eyes were soft. "I'd like that."
She smiled gratefully, before stopping and looking around with a frown.
"This is your stop, isn't it?" Ash questioned, feeling sadness creep into his words.
With a disheartened nod, she began to nervously rub her hands together. "Yeah. Hey, look. About earlier, with the Spearow and the fire…I… I wanted to… I wanted to say… you know… gah. Fuck it"
She mumbled, rushing up and wrapping him in another, more passionate embrace. Ash caught her, stumbling only slightly as he counteracted her added weight. He froze immediately once he felt something soft and moist press gently along his jawline.
"Thanks," she whispered breathlessly, before limping as fast as her sprained ankle would allow her too into a two-story green house next to the Forest entrance, slamming the door behind her.
Uh. Wha-… um.. Did she just? His thoughts were a jumbled mess, swirling around his head like old soup. Slowly brushing a curious finger across the still tingling skin of his lower jaw, he could feel the slightly slick wax of her passionfruit lip gloss. She did.
The raven-haired teen stood there for what feltlike hours, hand still tracing the glossy mark. When he regained his composure, he smiled brightly, ready to get on with his journey. Grabbing the smooth sphere by his side, he sent out his starter.
Rhaegal emerged from the ball stretching, trying to smother a cute yawn that crept up on the well-rested fire type.
"Let's go, Rhaegal. We've got some work to do, but it's about time we really started our training. The next clearing we find, we'll be testing out your moves and finding someone to fight. That sound good to you, buddy?"
"Charmander!" he replied, tail flaring brightly in anticipation. The reptile was itching to show his trainer what else he could do, as well as see what sort of training the boy had planned; after all, he couldn't become a strong, fearless Charizard without putting in the work first.
The eager determination radiated off his starter like sunlight, and Ash relished in it. He marched towards the looming expanse of trees, calling for his starter to follow. "Then let's get a move on. We're burning daylight."
"Rhaegal, put that down!"
There wasn't so much a path through the woods, as there was simply an absence of trees that pointed the duo forward. It was dark and cool underneath the dense canopy, though it wasn't enough to stop the pearls of sweat that beaded at the trainer's brow. They'd been going hard for a little over an hour now, traversing the undergrowth and fallen branches that blocked their way. Rhaegal had yet to show any signs of growing tired as he bounded happily through the many trunks. He seemed to enjoy the dry crackle of broken trigs and sticks and had made it his mission to break any discarded branch he could get his tiny hands on.
At least it's good start for when we tackle Metal Claw later. I just wish he's stop gnawing on them when he finished.
Wide, cerulean eyes stared back innocently, sharp fangs slowly chewing on a particularly thick trunk of a fallen sapling. His tail waggled in narrow circles, as if daring his trainer to give chase.
The boy smirked, turning his hat backwards. So that's how it's going to be, huh? Endurance training it is.
The boy broke into a jog, chasing after the giddy fire type. Charmander wasn't nearly as agile as his later forms, so if Ash took off in a full out sprint, he would likely overtake the lizard, ruining their little game- err…training.
The two raced off into the forest, blowing past the timid pokemon that inhabited the woods, laughing merrily. Vaulting over rocks and ducking under branches, the duo's game of tag brought the two deep into the western wing of the woods, a good ways away from their intended route to Pewter.
Ash noted their straying course but quickly dismissed any concern about getting lost. I needed to test the GPS on the Dex eventually. We also need to do quite a bit of training before then, he reasoned, quickly gaining ground on the fleeing Rhaegal.
Leaping forward, the boy wrapped a gloved hand around the branch, sending the two tumbling in a pile of fallen leaves.
Picking the dead foliage from his tufts of black hair, the panting teen picked up his starter and placed him on his lap, wiping away the scant smudges of mud that dirtied his orange scales. "Gottcha, buddy. Better luck next time."
A tired Rhaegal tilted his head back, red tongue flopping out of his mouth. "Chaaaaaa~," he mumbled, trying to fill his tiny lungs with the cool air of the forest.
"We've got to get you in better shape. There's no way you're taking down the gyms like that."
The reptile grumbled in indignation, snuggling further into his coat.
Ash smiled, stroking his starter's back peacefully. Looking up from the resting Rhaegal, the trainer's eyes widened in surprise.
Woah. Check this place out
Their impromptu game of tag had landed them in a small break in the tree line. A tall rocky outcropping eclipsed the sun, casting a shadow across the clearing. Gray stones littered the grass, the perfect size for target practice. A few of them were already shattered or peppered with small divots or gouges. It appeared that he wasn't the only one that thought it'd make a great training place.
Maybe if I'm lucky, whatever used this place might come back, he hoped, anxious to meet his next teammate.
Looking at the darkening sky, Ash nudged the sleeping lizard. It's no use sitting around. We can rest later.
"Wake up, bud. It's about time I really saw what you can do."
Rhaegal rose quickly, seemingly as eager as his trainer was to get started. Hobbling over to one of the standing stones, the fire starter clenched his claws in anticipation, awaiting his trainer's commands.
About ten feet behind his partner, the teen pulled up his starter's page on the Pokedex, scanning the screen for any information he might have missed.
So, we've got Scratch, Smokescreen, Ember, Dragon Rush, and Dragon Rage. If the poor branches throughout the forest were any indication, he's already got Scratch down. He was familiar with Smoke Screen and Ember, as they'd been used against the flock of Spearow the day prior, but he still wanted to see how he fared in a normal, non-life-threatening situation.
Closing the dex, he looked at his starter once more. "Alright, Rhaegal; let's start of small. Use Smoke Screen! I want you to cover as much of the clearing as possible with a single breath."
"Cha!" he echoed, inhaling deeply. The increase of oxygen within the orange reptile's system caused his tail to flare slightly, before shrinking to it's original, larger-than-average size as Rhaegal exhaled. Dark clouds of smoke billowed from his open maw, churning in heavy puffs as they spewed across the clearing. His starter managed to cover about a quarter of the clearing, an area about the size of his mom's garden back home, before he ran out of air.
Impressive coverage, but we need to work on that speed. There's no use for coverage if he's that open to an attack. The smoke's a little thin as well, though I'm not exactly sure how to fix that. Perhaps a change in his diet?
The cloud floated towards him as he pondered, causing his already irritated throat to burn and him to cough. Alright, Ketchum. Maybe covering a wind-free clearing in smoke wasn't the best idea you've ever had
Through the coughing, he managed to shout a congratulatory "That was great, Rhae!"
Walking out of the hazy plume, Ash shouted his next command. "'Kay, let's try an Ember Attack! Hit one of the rocks!"
The Charmander ducked to the left, before launching a volley of red-hot coals at the tall stone. They burst apart on impact, engulfing the face of the rock in orange flames briefly before they faded, leaving the boulder covered in dark soot.
"Awesome! It seems that you've been practicing!" his trainer called, happy with his performance thus far. There's not much we really need to do with that one quite yet. I'm pretty sure he could get working on Flame Burst or something similar.
Letting the fighter gather his bearings for a moment, the trainer smirked. Time for the big guns, baby.
"Come on, buddy, let's turn it up a notch! Dragon Rage, now!"
He watched as a smile spread across Rhaegal's scaled face. He watched as the muscles tensed beneath his orange skin. The biped braced himself, digging feet and claws into the soil as a bright lilac and gold ball of flames rocketed forward, crashing into the opposing stone. The iris-colored orb exploded on impact, cracking the weathered rock down the middle and sending chunks flying into the outcrop behind.
"Char mander!" he called, standing proudly in front of the destruction he's caused.
Ash was amazed. Usually a pokemon this young would struggle immensely with dragon type moves. See, dragon type moves required the user to harness residual draconic energy that remained from the creation of the universe. The user would condense this energy within their body and harness it however they intended. The younger the user was, the less able they were to absorb and condense the energy necessary to perform the move. Even if they managed to harness the energy, they weren't strong enough to control it, causing the move to either explode immediately or sputter out completely.
Rhaegal was young, far younger than a non-dragon type would usually be when they gained control of the raw power dragon moves contained. Dragon Rage, despite its lofty moniker, was a rather basic special attack that was usually the first move a dragon would learn, as releasing a single pulse of energy was less strenuous on the user than controlling a constant beam, like Dragon Pulse or Dragon Breath. It was similar concept to a fire type that learns Ember before Flamethrower. Nonetheless, a Charmander this proficient in harnessing the draconic energy was unheard of.
Ash's ecstatic voice echoed throughout he clearing as he shouted "Yeah! That was amazing Rhaegal!" he congratulated, blood pulsing in excitement. "I'd like to see Gary's Squirtle try and handle that! Now finish it off with a Dragon Rush!"
Ash could hardly contain his excitement once the words had left his lips. He'd watched Champion Lance's Dragonite perform the blitz technique countless times throughout his childhood and dreamed endlessly of having a pokemon that could use it. The move would start with the user gathering an immense amount of draconic energy and surrounding themselves in a field of chaotic plasma. They would then rush down their opponent, claws or fangs bared for attack. Upon impact, the user would release their hold on the energy field, letting it explode into the opponent and send them flying.
Ash loved the move for reasons even outside it's overwhelming power and awe-inspiring visual appeal. Ash loved Dragon Rush because once mastered, it could be used as for a great movement option. It could be used to quickly and safely approach an opponent from a distance, as the user could transition from the rush into another attack. The draconic field functioned much like that of Giga Impact, making it difficult to hit the charging user without damaging or exhausting the user. There were very few moves that could compete with Dragon Rush, but a move that strong did not come easy, as Ash soon found out.
Rhaegal rushed forward, purple energy coalescing around his tensed, charging body. He gained speed, rushing towards the rock as the energy boiled and churned around him, crackling. It was going well, and Ash could feel the excitement bubbling in his chest. Yes! Here it comes!
A sharp crack of thunder split through the silent clearing as the field of energy collapsed, sparking furiously across the reptiles scales and dissipating into the late afternoon sky, sending a pained Rhaegal crashing into the forest floor, rolling into the base of cracked, battered boulder that remained standing, as if mocking the lizard's failure.
"Rhaegal! Are you okay?" cried Ash, a worried frown setting across his lips as he watched the dazed and dust covered Charmander.
Rhaegal jumped to his feet, scowling at the rock before sprinting further back, waving of his trainer's concern with a swish of his tail. Eyes narrowed as the fire type braced himself, ready to try again.
The black-haired boy heeded his partners wishes, calling out an encouraging "All right buddy, let's give it another go! Dragon Rush once more!"
Back down the field he rushed, a swirling cloud of purple and gold energy condensing into a near impenetrable barrier around the raging Rhaegal. Sixty feet became fifty, then forty…thirty…twenty five..
Come on buddy. You've got this, just a little more.
Now just twenty feet from the mocking mineral, Rhaegal fell to four legs, trying to gain more speed, but not soon after another deafening crack blew through the clearing, sending summersaulting Rhaegal head-over-tail into the ground. Two jets of flames burst from his flared nostrils as the reptile spat dirt from his mouth.
Dammit! Ash frowned, running towards his aggravated starter. "Hey, Rhae. Let's take a break for a minute, okay? You did great, and dragon Rush is just something we need to work on a bit, but you did really well. I'm proud of you"
The livid fire type looked up at the worried expression on his trainer's face and calmed slightly, but the fury and desire to improve refused to be smothered as the normally cheerful blue eyes of the Kanto starter hardened to ice.
Casting one last hateful scowl at the stupid rock, Rhaegal reared back, firing an even larger sphere of heavenly flames in the form of a Dragon Rage screaming at the weathered, soot-covered face, sending stone shrapnel into the sky is a swirl of dust and dispelling draconic energy. Somewhat satisfied with the destruction he'd caused, Rhaegal waddled up to his trainer and nuzzled his lower thigh, a reminder of just how tall his starter really was.
Ash sat down, continuing to sooth his disheartened partner as he contemplated what was going wrong. The problem starts right before the move reaches its full power, meaning that whatever's causing it to fail so spectacularly was happening during the initial startup, he concluded. Having witnessed his control over Dragon Rage, Ash was able to conclude that the issue wasn't about harnessing the energy from his surroundings, as it normally would be for a pokemon trying to learn a move of the dragon nature.
It's got to do with the charging aspect of the move. Maybe he's losing concentration? He questioned, stroking Rhaegal's scaly head. But why? What's serving as the distraction? There wasn't anything that really stood out to the trainer. Some of the rocks were obviously used by some other decently powerful pokemon, but if they were around, Rhaegal would have noticed and informed him. It's not a visual thing, nor is it any sort of audio interference, after all, there's hardly anything to hear outside the rustling of the trees. There wasn't even a hint of the birds chirping in the afternoon sun, or the hissing and clicking of the many bug types that inhabited Veridian Forest.
Ash watched as Rhaegal stumbled his way over to his backpack, short arms poking around for something to eat. Ash's eyes widened, before he slammed his palm into his forehead in exasperation. That's it! It was so simple! His legs are too short!
Dragon Rush was a move that required its user to be moving incredibly quickly, making it a great option for pokemon that could fly, like either a Dragonite or Charizard. It could be done on the ground, though the user still needed to be fast and concentrated enough to form the barrier as well as rush the opponent. Particularly powerful Charmeleon were known for this technique, as their elongated limbs and increased agility allowed for far superior maneuverability. Rhaegal, as large as he was for his species, was simply not agile nor fast enough to juggle those things yet. His short, stubby legs and long tail made it difficult to move quickly and smoothly through a battlefield, especially in the rough terrain in which they currently resided.
It's likely that we'll have to wait until he evolves to be able to get that one down, he deduced, standing and dusting the dirt and leaves from his pants and shirt. "Let's get you some dinner and set up camp. We'll work on metal claw as soon as we get up in the morning," the teen informed, filling up a metal bowl with some pellets with chopped berries on top, like his mom does whenever someone brought their pokemon to her restaurant.
Pocketing a few to plant later as an offering to the forest spirits, Ash slyly snuck a few vitamin pills into the mix without alerting the salivating lizard that paced beneath him impatiently. He'd found out from Joy earlier in the morning that Rhaegal refused to take them outright, leaving her to clean up the molten ball of smoldering minerals the fire type had spit up.
Picky little one, aren't you, buddy? He smiled placing the bowl down and watching his partner wolf it down hungrily with a roll of his eyes. "Rhae, could you at least try and chew?"
Unbeknownst to the cheerful duo, a large pair of large yellow eyes observed the friendly interaction with great interest from within the cover of the many trees that lined the clearing. The voyeur had been spying on the two ever since the orange one had soiled the area in thick clouds of smoke, causing the creature in the leaves to come and try and smother the flames before they spread. When it had arrived, however, it was greeted with the sight of a boy compassionately comforting his fiery-one after their apparent training session. The bond caused a tide of unfamiliar emotions to swell within the creature's lithe torso.
His species were well known for their prowess in battle, and he himself was more than capable. He'd defended his little sanctuary from many a wandering trainer and pokemon alike, though something was different about the boy that trespassed throughout his home. He'd never found a trainer he though worthy of his service, and so had wandered from forest to forest in search of one that was, relishing in the lush lands he called home. Who are you, strange one? it wondered, gazing longingly at the boy that doted on the stubby-limbed lizard.
When the human had filled the fiery-one's bowl with brown pellets, the creature from the trees had thought nothing of it, but when the trainer began to chop up the many berries he'd carefully selected for the fiery-one, all of which were bitter or spicy in nature, it's small stomach began to grumble.
Neither of the two in the clearing seemed to notice the noise and as they carried out their evening ritual in blissful silence, comfortable in each other's presence. The creature watched wearily as the boy wandered from his place aside the feasting fiery-one, wandering up to the edge of the forest, before bending down and burrying something in the ground.
Hunger was soon forgotten as anger welled up in the creature's chest. It unknowingly let out a throaty hiss in irritation How dare the vile human spread his garbage in the forest! In my own clearing! The creature raged, traipsing through the trees with acrobatic ease in pursuit of the black-haired boy. How dare he! It hissed once more, louder than before, causing the boy to glance back wearily.
Cover blown, the creature leaped from the trees, firing a barrage of green pellets at the stumbling human in its decent to the ground. Absorbing the impact with a roll, the creature took an aggressive stance in front of the human, a pair of thick green tails erect and body tensed, ready to attack at a moment's notice. A piercing hiss left its small rounded jaw, instantly drawing the attention of Rhaegal.
The fire type instantly rushed to his trainer's side, jaws open and tail blazing. It growled back at the green creature, a much deeper, throatier sound than that of his angry opponent. Rather that shrinking away from the protective Rhaegal, the green biped stepped forward, embracing the challenge and egging the starter forward, daring him to attack.
"Rhaegal back off," called a surprisingly calm Ash Ketchum, raising his hands slowly to show that he wasn't a threat, though there was little he could do from the position he was currently in. He'd tripped on a root back pedaling from the onslaught of what appeared to be a Bullet Seed attack.
The fire type ignored the boy, glaring harder at the green being that had attacked his trainer, the familiar purple glow of a Dragon Rage attack emanating from behind his bared fangs.
"Now" the trainer ordered. Rhaegal growled loudly, clearly upset with the order but obeying, nonetheless. With an arrogant huff, the Charmander blew a puff of dark smoke from his nostrils into the face of the still hissing forest creature, before slowly waddling towards the fallen trainer.
"Good boy, Rhaegal," he praised quietly, refusing to look away from the green creature in front of him. "See? We don't want any trouble, honest. We aren't your enemy."
The creature paced angrily, twin tails brushing gently through the overgrown ferns, reptilian pupils narrowed in anger. It approached slightly on four legs, stepping into a patch of sunset unhindered by their leafy ceiling, glittering off small key-lime green scales.
Ash quickly noticed the relatively disproportionate length of the three green digits that protrude from its front feet, compared to those on its hind legs. They were longer and seemed to be quite a bit more flexible comparatively, if the apparent presence of a knuckle was anything to go by. It's almost as if…
Before he could finish the thought, the being stood on its hind legs, revealing a red, coral-like underbelly that colored its lower mandibles. Each eye was enveloped by a thick, upwards protruding orbital bone that formed a symmetrical crest above each eye joined by a valley that bottomed out where the rest of the reptile's skull met. It resembled a curved 'M' and took up a majority of its head.
It pointed angrily at three mounds of freshly packed dirt at the trainer's feet, chuffing spitefully.
The boy's frown twisted into a tight-lipped grimace of confusion. "I'm sorry, I don't understand."
This seemed to further anger the creature, as it puffed up its dark pink chest. It spat a single, gumball sized ball of bright green energy at the mounds, spraying dirt into the trainer's face. His eyes raised in understanding. So that was a bullet seed. Given the green coloration, that probably makes it a grass type… and if he's angry with me, I think I know why.
"You saw me burry something in the ground, didn't you?" he questioned, blinking soil from his lashes.
The supposed grass type nodded, pointing another accusatory finger at the recently disturbed earth, clicking in confirmation.
The gears were turning in his fourteen-year-old brain. What could I have possibly put in the dirt to piss this thing off so damn much? You'd have though planting a few berries would have made the damn thing happy! Unless…
Recalling how the gecko-like biped had attacked him earlier, imagining the peltering of seeds that had come over his head, Ash finally understood. That's it! It came from behind me so it couldn't have seen what I was doing!
"You think I was littering, don't you?"
The green gecko nodded stiffly, glaring angrily at the boy. His species was well known for their valiant protection of the sanctity of the forests. Capable fighters as they were, his species would spend equal amounts honing their skills as they would nurturing their wild habitat. He was certainly not going to let this child leave human filth around his very own den!
It tensed as the boy rocked forward on his hips into a better sitting position, broad tails primed to defend itself, causing the reprimanded Rhaegal to growl in retaliation.
Ash pulled the fire type to his side with his right arm, running his fingers along the fire types scalp. Trying his hardest not to let the fear that crept in his heart show, he tried to reason with the bristling reptile in front of him.
"I know you think I've come here to disrupt and disrespect this forest, and if you still want us gone, we will leave, but please, let me show you something first."
Distrust danced across the narrow, reptilian pupils as the forest creature pondered the boys request. Seconds stretched on for days, and nightfall was beginning to set in. The trio sat in utter silence, waiting for the other to make the first move and send attacks flying through the dark. It was the forest creature that broke the stillness with a small, almost imperceivably nod of his narrow head.
A relieved sigh broke the silence, steaming slightly in the cool breath of twilight. "Thank you."
Inching forward, the Ketchum teen carefully reached a hand forward, digging through the damp earth and pulling out a rather large green and yellow Sitrus berry. Offering the fruit forward, a peaceful smile graced his cracked lips.
He very much wanted to take a picture of the shocked expression plastered across the grass types angular face, but quickly stomped that idea down. The little thing would probably try and fill him with holes.
"You know," he started, smiling at the now confused gecko. "My mom used to tell me something when I was young. She's a gardener, you see, and she just loves her berry bushes. She would tell me that though she may not be able to feast on the fruit, or use them to pay for the house, she would always be outside planting seeds or pulling weeds. Anything she could do to get those bushes to grow, she would do it. Do you know why?"
It took a moment for the distant creature to register that he'd been asked a question. When it got around to answering with a small quick of its head, Ash was glad to see that the anger was gone from those large yellow globes.
"She would do it because, even though she had nothing substantial to gain from the plants, creatures like you and Rhaegal here," he gestured, patting the orange starter on the head once in a joking manner, "could use them to grow. We would look outside the window in the morning and watch the little Nidoran scurry around the yard, rolling Oran berries across the lawn, only for them to be snatched up by a Pidgey or Rattata. She loved helping others, whether it be people or pokemon, it doesn't matter. If she could help you, she would. That's why she loved those plants. Not because of what they did for her, but for what they did for others."
Lovingly laying the plump fruit back into the soil, he wrapped it in an earthen blanket much like how a mother would her child. "I'm not nearly as good a person my mom is, and certainly a far worse gardener," he joked, causing Rhaegal to chuckle lightly into his side. He locked eyes with the now docile and intelligent gaze of the unfamiliar reptile. "Despite that, I still want to plant at least a couple seeds each time we end up camping outside, so that one day maybe one of our plants might just be the one that feeds a family of hungry pokemon. When I'm older, maybe I'll return here and see the plant fully grown, and know that whatever my life had led to, I had done something good with my life. I'd made a difference."
The forest creature searched the boy's golden eyes suspiciously, searching for any shred of deceit or dishonesty he could find. Seeing nothing but sincerity in the boy's gaze, the green gecko finally relaxed, tension easing out of its body in waves. Turning towards the still slightly weary fire type at the boy's side, the creature gave a single, deep nod, bowing slightly, before backing up and placing a three fingered palm on the freshly re-buried fruit in front of him, patting it down with its own blessing.
Ash smiled lightly at the interaction between the two reptiles, glad to see the foreign pokemon at ease with the two pallet natives. He couldn't help but feel the warm fuzziness of hope that bubbled in his heart when he observed the lithe, agile form of the two-tailed tree-dweller in front of him. Not only would the gecko be an incredible training partner for the energetic Rhaegal, but its grass typing would make the Pewter and Cerulean Gyms far easier. While he was confident that they would have Metal Claw down by their arrival at the Stony City, it was far from a guaranteed victory, and would be next to useless against Cerulean's water masters.
Here goes nothing…
Crouching down to their level, Ash pulled an empty pokeball from his belt and enlarged the device with a press of the small central button. The unfamiliar grass type quirked its small head, recognizing the device instantly, though it refused to let any emotion show in its large yellow eyes.
"My dream is to be the greatest trainer in the world. Rhaegal here is my starter, and as of right now, he's my only pokemon. There were endless opportunities for us to grow our team, but we want to be the best. I can't do that with just any team. We need to be better than all the rest. With that in mind, I would be honored if you were to be the first to join our growing family. As much as I want you on our team, the choice is yours. What do you say?"
The green biped's eyes were closed as it contemplated the boys offer. He was incredibly tempted, having seen the two's fast-forged friendship and companionship. The boy seemed to be exactly what he'd always wanted in a trainer. The boy was driven, by what he didn't really know, but that drive did not dampen his character. He remained kind and compassionate, and he liked that in a human, but that wasn't enough. He prided himself in his battle prowess and athletic ability. He would have already been caught otherwise. There was only one way to see if this boy was the trainer he'd been searching for.
Ash watched with bated breath as the forest-dweller debated his proposition, praying that the foreign pokemon would accept. A minute or so passed before yellow eyes snapped open, soaring through the twilight skies as the reptile leaped over the boy and into the clearing proper.
Rejection clogged his throat, disappointment heavy in his stomach, and he tried not to let it show in his eyes. He didn't regret asking the creature to join, rather than trying to force it into submission, even if the loss of a potential teammate stung. He wanted to form permanent, unbreakable bonds with his team and couldn't do that if he forced his dreams and desires on others, smothering their own. He wouldn't dream of committing that severe case of disrespect.
"Tre! Tree!" the creature hissed, smirking confidently as the now confused trainer turned around. Pointing a three fingered hand towards the teen's orange partner, the creature hissed a challenge.
A bright smile split the pallet-native's face as he took to his feet, calling for Rhaegal to assume battle position. "You're challenging me, are you? Okay then! Let's show him how it's done Rhaegal! Start off with an Ember attack! Keep on your toes, bud. He's fast."
Rhaegal gave no sign to show that he'd heard the order. To do so would leave him open and vulnerable. No, instead of responding with an affirmative, the eager fire-lizard belched out rather large array of scarlet coals in a wide, horizontal arc.
The trajectory of the attack forced the green gecko into the air once more, though this was hardly a hardship for the acrobatic grass type. Flipping forward gracefully over the coals, the forest dweller countered with another Bullet Seed, though this one was far more aggressive than any of its previous examples of the technique. Fifteen or so small, green seeds burst forth from its rounded mouth, faster than the fire type could hope to dodge. As the seeds approached, the foreign pokemon landed once more, rushing towards the unsteady lizard, split tail poised to strike.
The seeds burst apart across Rhaegal's scaled hide, eliciting a pained "Chaaaa" in response, though he didn't seem particularly fazed by the attack
Ash grimaced, a reaction to both the direct hit his starter had taken and the incoming attack. Rhaegal just didn't have the agility to roll away. Maybe he doesn't need to…
"He's coming in for a Pound, buddy! Rotate to your right and hit him with a dragon rage point blank! Space him out!"
"Char!"
With a quick and simple pivot step, his starter evaded the rushing green-and-red gecko, swiping at the bipeds knees with his thick orange tail, before finishing his rotation and nailing the stunned grass type in the back with the pulsing pink sphere, launching it into the air before crashing in an undignified heap five feet away.
"Treeechhh" the creature hissed, staggering slowly to its feet
Ash cheered, happy that his plan had worked. Dragon rage was Rhaegal's strongest and quickest attacking move. Why that was, Ash wasn't entirely sure, but he wasn't one to look a gift-Ponyta in the mouth. The move may not be as effective type-wise as another Ember attack, but it would leave a bigger mark. If he was lucky, the pink orb might slow the agile grass-type down and make it easier for his starter to land another hit later down the line.
Or.. he grinned, anticipation building up in his chest, right now.
"Ember while it's stunned! If it dodges, follow it through!"
The trainer wouldn't let up, not now. He had no idea whatever the hell this strange pokemon was, but he did know that he wanted it on his team. It wanted a challenge, and by Arceus he was going to give it one.
As he'd hoped, the dragon attack had dazed the grass type just enough for his starter to land the super-effective ember, sending the creature further in to the undergrowth.
Summersaulting upwards, the grass type leapt into the air, nimbly grabbing and vaulting from the branches above, occasionally firing small bursts of Bullet Seed from the canopy.
Damn! I can't use ember without burning down the whole forest and launching Dragon Rages into the sky might piss off any nearby Beedrill.
"Okay, let's try and flush him out with a Smokescreen! Keep pumping it as much as you can and try and lead him! He's got to come don for clean air sooner or later."
Following a deep inhale, stoking the bright flame on Rhaegal's tail, the bipedal lizard sent huge clouds of bellowing smoke deep into the treetops, narrowed eyes watching his opponent's movement carefully.
The strange pokemon was impressed. Taking to the trees had been a sort of tests he'd designed to test the trainer. Sure, a few embers would likely have secured the boy a win, but at what cost? If the boy had decided to proceed, putting his desire for a teammate above the safety of the forest, then the boy was not one that he would follow. The boy had a brain and a heart, and this satisfied the two-tailed tree dweller.
Dropping from the canopy with its tails outstretched, the biped made to slam atop his orange opponent, not only for the gravity enhanced pound attack, but also to escape the pillars of smoke that had made it hard to see and even harder to breath.
Ash, watching as the biped crashed downwards, quickly called out to his starter.
"Rotate to your left, and the catch him falling with a Scratch to give you some space! Step back if you can and charge an Ember!"
While the Charmander usually aren't that mobile; however, using his large muscular tail, Rhaegal pivoted on a dime, slashing his sharp but stubby claws across the back of the falling gecko, sending the airborne creature tumbling backwards.
Quickly inhaling another puff of air, a large heaving "Char!" accompanied a narrowed spread of hot coals that peppered the still tumbling combatant.
Now's your chance! Don't Blow it!
Gritting his teeth and pulling an empty pokeball from his side-bag pocket and priming it with the press of its single central button, Ash reared back and let it fly, watching as it curved downwards towards the floored green biped.
It shook once, its white button pulsing a vibrant red, signifying the creature's active resistance.
It shook twice, and Ash felt like his lungs were going to explode, he'd held his breath so long.
It shook a third time, and Rhaegal took a bracing step backwards, ready to unleash another attack, should the creature escape.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the pulsing and the shaking ceased, and the clearing went silent.