Chapter 6: Forest Findings
They had a relatively easy couple days of travel after their confrontation with the Samurai. Ash, still angry with the boy and feeling slightly upset that they'd been shorted their reward for beating him, resolved to call the professor and have him file an official report. Trainers like that were irresponsible and shouldn't be allowed to go out and bring harm to others, human and pokemon alike. The anger had lessened as the day grew longer, as both Rhaegal and Faron were making short work of any battles they'd had along the way. They were simple one on ones, with the winner decided by the forfeiting of their opponent. This shortened the battle, honed control, and required fewer uses of potions or other healing items, as the goal wasn't to KO the other team. These small scuffles were a great way for Ash to gauge his developing team while also padding his depleted wallet. He had quite a few things to buy once they made it into the city.
Rhaegal's training was coming along nicely, though there were no major surprises. His developing Metal Claw attack was well along its way to success, though the silver hue would often short out and disappear intermittently, rendering the attach nothing more than a simple scratch. To resolve this, the reptile likely needed an increase in the amount of calcium and biotin in his diet, which Ash could do when he got to Pewter. Until then, he was tasked with sharpening and hardening his claws on the assortment of large stones that lines the forest floor and test the move on any fallen trees in the hopes that it would click faster and they could move on too something else.
Faron, on the other hand, was in an interesting position. His Bullet Seed technique far outclassed his proficiency in any other move, rivaling his starter's Dragon Rage. It was precise and powerful, as demonstrated by the wood-gecko's ability to easily shoot pinecones off the trees. Ash had him attempting to shoot them again as they fell and destroy them before they hit the ground, and Faron was able to do this fairly easily. Pound required little effort, as the grass type's tail was already quite durable and the technique quite simple. No, it was the other two moves that were causing Ash to scratch his head in thought.
Quick Attack was an attack that worked, but not nearly as effective as such a versatile move could be. As of right now, the treecko was able to crawl on all fours and spring fast enough to dodge Rhaegal's pursuing blasts of smoke, but it was little more than a rather fast sprint. Quick Attack, when mastered, could make the user near untrackable, rendering the user as nothing more than a blur. Faron obviously needed to be faster, but Ash needed to figure out how to make him that fast. He'd talk it over with Oak when they stopped, should they not figure it out prior. For now, he would continue to ponder their predicament with Absorb.
Absorb, according to the various uses he'd seen of the move, both from the Pokedex and in person, required physical contact with the opponent. It was through this contact that the user was able to 'absorb' the energy of their opponent and utilize it themselves. This normally wouldn't be much of an issue, as all the Kanto pokemon capable of using the move had access to some sort of vine that they could use to ensnare their opponent. The Bulbasaur line, Oddish line, and Bellsprout line could all do this. Even the neighboring Johto Region's grass starter, Chikorita, could do so. Treecko, however, had no such ability and could only rely on getting close enough to his opponent to grapple them and use the move, and use the move he could. They had tested it on a Rattata that wasn't happy about the party stumbling upon her breakfast. Faron had taken a Scratch to the thigh but Absorb had healed it right up and had quickly drained the rodent of most of her energy. Ash had left an oran berry before her and quickly made their getaway.
Faron, being a rather small and nimble fighter, wouldn't have the ability to grapple larger or heavier opponents as easily. He was also rather vulnerable in up front physical showdowns, relying on his dexterity, speed, and light feet to skirt around opponents. Even through evolution, he would never become a beefy fighter. It just wasn't how their species had evolved over time. The Treecko-Grovyle-Sceptile line were fast and powerful but weren't build to tank hits or wrestle larger combatants. What Ash and Faron needed to do was figure out a way around this obstacle while also relying on Faron's strengths.
The first thing to jump out to him was Leech Seed, a technique that many grass types could learn that involved firing a series of large seeds with tactile, absorbant vines that would root to their opponent and convert their energy into capsules of energy-rich photons that were sent back to the user. Leaf's starter, Sprout, had used the move quite affectively against that absurdly large Pidgeotto she'd caught on their first day as trainers.
Though he still relished in the bird's magnificence, he couldn't be happier with his very first capture. Not even a week into his journey and he had two starter pokemon, of different regions, and of different types! Shaking his head to clear it of wandering thoughts, he went back to pondering.
Leech Seed, as amazing a move as it was, wasn't a move most Treecko could learn. In fact, it wasn't even registered as a possibility if it wasn't purposefully selected for in the breeding process. One of Faron's parents would have to have been a Bulbasaur, but if that was the case, the move would most likely have already been mastered, as it was essentially a variation on Bullet Seed, the grass type's current favorite move.
That's it!
A smile broke out across his face as cast a glance at Faron. The parts were all there, really. He could clearly manifest seeds, though he would need to practice manipulating their size to allow for the vining growths. Speaking of the growths, it looked like they would need to try and learn Mega Drain. Mega Drain functioned similarly to Absorb, in that the user would ensnare the opponent in thick vines and siphon away their energy; however, the vines were created outside of the user's body. The energy input from the user was consumed by the surrounding earth, and from the earth the vines would grow. This was the precursor to Giga Drain, the strongest of the move series, though that move was likely far down the line.
No, they would first focus on learning Mega Drain, and to do that, Faron would need to learn how to create vines. How exactly to go about facilitating this, Ash had no idea. He had very little reference, as he couldn't recall too many grass types that lacked the innate ability to create vines from the body. He'd have to do some research. For now, they could work on trying to grow plants.
Maybe I should call up my mom… he thought, chuckling slightly. Glancing at his Dex to check the time, he figured that now was as good a time as any to set up camp and give his team the breakdown. Pulling off their makeshift path, the trainer assembled his team.
"Alright guys. Let's stop here for tonight and get a little training in. I have some new stuff for you guys to start practicing, and I think you guys are going to like it."
Like happy toddlers, the two reptiles scrambled over and plopped themselves down at their trainers feet, Rhaegal careful not to set any of the underbrush alight with his tail flame, though the happy lizard couldn't stop it from wagging giddily. Faron tried to maintain his composure, though the excitement bubbling in his large yellow eyes was impossible to miss.
The façade of stoicism was something that the young trainer had picked up on quickly as they hiked through Viridian Forest. Any time they would stumble upon a fellow trainer or wild pokemon, Faron's joyful and friendly nature would disappear, replaced with a distrusting and calculating visage. It certainly increased the small grass-types intimidation factor, and it made Ash happy to see how quickly Faron had opened up to both him and especially Rhaegal, as Rhaegal would always be Ash's first pokemon, let alone the fact that the fire type was nearly twice as tall, far heavier, and his typing was Faron's weakest matchup.
A content sigh escaped his lips as he scratched both reptiles on their crowns, before getting down to business.
"You guys are coming along great. Rhaegal, your Metal Claw is getting way better. It looks like you're going to have it down-pat by the time we face Brock, and once we get to town I'll get you some better vitamins so it will be even better," he praised, giggling lightly as Rhaegal's proud stance faltered with a grumble at the mention of more pills.
"Oh quiet, you. You know they're good for you, besides, can you even taste them? The food you eat is always burnt!"
The exasperated stare of the Lizard said it all. He imagined that the glare would be accompanied with "It's charred, actually."
He rolled his eyes, before pulling the two-and-a-half-foot tall reptile into his lap.
"Come here you big baby"
He tickled the reptile's tummy, causing giggly puffs of soke to poof out of his open mouth, accompanied by a heart tingling "cha cha cha charrrr" of laughter.
Faron, not one to be left out, happily scampered up his trainer's shirt to rest atop his dirty hat, plopping down stomach first and letting his nimble limbs and club-like tail dangle against the raven-haired boy' head, contently rolling his face along Ash's forehead.
Laughter erupted from his chest as his newest teammate grasped absentmindedly as tuft of hair poking out from beneath the brim of his official Indigo League cap.
"And you, Faron. Your bullet Seed is amazing. I bet no one does it as good as you do, and you're already so much faster than when we first met."
Taking the praise eagerly, the gecko continued to bat around his trainers wild and unruly locks.
He loved moments like this, where he could spend happy moments with his team, with his new family, and just enjoy their time together. It was what he'd always wanted. His father had always been the cetner of his team's cuddle-puddles, and even the famous and professional Samuel Oak was always playing around with his pokemon. He wanted to cherish the little moments like this, because before long Rhaegal would be a huge Charizard, and Faron a lithe warrior of a Sceptile, and they would be far too big to play with so easily.
As much as he loved sitting there with his team, he had promised to teach them some new techniques and they had a gym battle upcoming. He estimated that they were only a day's travel or so out from Pewter proper, telling from the ever-increasing amount of large gray stone that jutted through the forest floor.
Deciding that it was time to get started, he pulled out his Pokedex. "Rhae, let's start with you. Your ember is great, so let's move on to something with a little more oomph, shall we?"
At his starer's enthusiastic nod, he flipped up the screen on his Dex and typed a few words into the keyboard, and with a scroll and tap of a finger he brought up a video.
"We're going to work on Flame Burst, okay? It's really similar to ember, but instead of shooting a spray of burning coals, you condense them into a ball of fire and embers. When done correctly, it will cause a small explosion, hence 'burst,' on impact that can do damage against multiple enemies and works wonders for area control," he concluded, replaying the video as many times as necessary until the firetype understood the end result and procedure. A tug on the jacked and a determined call from his lap confirmed that he was ready, and Ash let him waddle away, with a small warning not to start shooting at anything until he got there.
"Start by trying to fan your inner flame. You're going to need to produce a lot more fire for this to work, so do your breathing exercises and try and feel it out. I'll be right over once I talk with Faron, deal?"
"Char!" was his response, but the tone seemed confirmative. It'll have to do.
Typing a few more words into his dex, Ash pulled up a video of Mega Drain.
"What we're going to be working on is going to be pretty difficult, so it's okay if we don't get this down right away. What I want to do is further improve your Bullet Seed attack, as well as improve your Absorb. We can do both these things if we get Mega Drain down. To start that off, we need you to try and grow yourself some vines."
Feeling the grass type shift uncomfortably atop his head, Ash was quick to deliver reassurance.
"It's okay, buddy. We'll work on it together. I believe in you."
With the squirming having ceased, he continued to lecture.
"You, being a Grass type, have a special connection with nature. You produce and receive a special kind of energy from the plants you surround yourself with and use that energy in many grass type attacks. I don't know exactly how it works, but I have an idea. When you use bullet seed, are you shooting regular seeds, or are they simply energy bolts that resemble seeds?"
There was a short pause, before he felt two taps on his temple from a rubbery finger.
Interpreting this as 'the second one,' he asked for confirmation.
"Damn. So they're just energy bolts?" Slight disappointment filled his heart. Drat. I had such a great idea too!
Suddenly, Treecko shook his head, and followed up with a tap, a pause, and two more taps before tapping three times.
A light bulb seemed to go of in Ash's head. "Oh! So you do both? Can you show me?"
A small reptilian clicking answered, before Faron scrambled into Ash's backpack, ruffled around in the debris and emerged with two Lychee berries, two of the few remnants of the trainer's lunch, and hopped to the floor.
Slightly irked, but more than curious, Ash bent forward, watching as Treecko shot off a Bullet Seed into the trunk of a fallen tree.
The miniscule, brilliant green bolts pierced the dilapidated trunk easily, but faded away after contact. Quickly, following the first attack, Faron did it again, but instead of green energy bolts, small seeds seemed to ricochet off the tough wood and scatter through out the woods, though this attack seemed much shorter than the first.
Now, turning to his trainer, Faron's abdominals clenched tightly before a small pile of seeds fell from his open jaw, slick with saliva. Before his trainer could recoil from the pile, the grasstype hopped to the left, gestured to the fruit in his three fingered hand, and swallowed them whole, one after the other. After swallowing the fruit, the gecko turned back to the tree and fired yet another Bullet Seed.
This time, however, Ash watched in amazement as instead of an oppressive blanketing of miniscule seeds, a steady firing of larger bolts shot from his friends mouth, punching larger holes in the bark and sailing quite a ways through the trunk. There was a second pause, before a lychee seed pierced through the air and wedged itself within the inner wood of the trunk.
Turning around once more, Faron regurgitated the last Lychee seed into the dirt and set up to launch yet another Bullet Seed into the old and recently holey trunk, but nothing happened, save a slightly gross regurgitation sound that emanated from the green forest dweller.
Ash, eyes wide and eyebrows furrowed, trying to make sense of what he'd witnessed.
The seeds he uses in his attack seem to be copies of those in his diet. I guess that's one of the reasons the dex emphasized berries, no matter what their diet evolves into.
The entire Treecko line was omnivorous, but as they evolved, their diets rapidly transitioned to a meat focused build, as they were far better adapted predators than in their first stage. Treecko, being rather nimble and lithe, just didn't have the strength or ability to survive as a predator species, therefore relying mostly on berries and greenery for their sustenance. Grovyle were more aggressive, developing sharp claws and razor-sharp blades of leaf like growths that can easily take down prey, but even then they maintained a predominantly vegetarian diet. It was when the species reached the Sceptile stage that their diets really started to change. As Sceptile, Faron would become a king of the forests. Sceptile were incredibly fast and dexterous, with the size and ferocity to take on nearly anything that cross their path. They were seen as guardians of the forests, and were credited with the termination of many illegal wood cutting operations. The amount of energy utilized by the fully evolved Hoenn starter required plenty of vegies, fruits, sunlight, and protein.
This opened another question. If the species transitions away from a berry-focused diet, do they lose access to the Bullet Seed Technique, at least until the berries are reintroduced into their diets? Can you just feed them dried seeds and have them use those?
"Faron, If I were to run out of berries, would you lose the ability to use Bullet Seed?"
Faron responded with a sideways swaying of the head, before he pointed at the pile of seeds he'd earlier regurgitated. Once again, turning to the now very porous tree trunk, a weak, periodic spurt of green energy bolts shot forward. They resembled the seeds, Oran berry seeds if his memory was correct, that lay at his feet, though this time they left the trunk mostly unharmed. He then pointed at the Lychee pit and crossed his arms with what Ash imagined to be a frown.
"You can do it, it's just harder, right?"
A nod.
"That's something we'll practice. I'm thinking we try and get you set up with three different types of seeds: a small seed, like the Oran berries you're already used to, a larger seed, like an Occa or Yache berry. Those would help you overcome some of your type weaknesses, too. We should also find something in between, like a Durin or something," the trainer mused, thinking up beneficial ways for them to utilize various seed sizes.
"I'll make sure to get you fresh ones, too. When I call the Professor, I'll ask him to order some for me, as well as place an order for some seeds or saplings for mom's garden. Nothing but the best for my team, after all."
A happy chirp was Faron's answer as he hopped lightly from side to side.
Ash smiled, glad that his partner was excited to train. Speaking of which…
"Today, I guess you'll have three things to work on. Your priority will be to work on Quick Attack. It's a versatile movement option that plays to your strengths. The second, now that I know you can do it, I want you to keep trying to perfect your Bullet Seed, though try to do it from memory. It would be nice for you to be able to switch between the seeds at will, so I don't want to rely on whatever berries we happen to have at the time."
Treecko nodded in affirmative before quirking his head, as if asking form more.
"The last one is going to seem weird, but I want you to do something similar to Rhaegal's breathing exercises. See if you can find a small sapling or something and try and focus on the connection you have with it. Your species is believed to have a deeper connection to the forest than most other grass types, so hopefully you can figure that out and we can use that to develop Mega Drain. See if you can get the plant to grow a bit or something. It's up to you really, but the focus should be on feeling the natural energy that you use to do your grass moves. Got it?"
"Tree cko ko!" the happy green reptile replied, leaping into the trees and deftly navigating his way through the wooden obstacle course.
Damn he's good at that.
The ever analyzing and battle-minded trainer of course thought of a plethora of ways for them to try and utilize Faron's natural quickness in battle, but couldn't come up with anything that they could do themselves. Not to knock his second pokemon, but until he was far stronger than he was now, Faron would have to wait until the environment allowed him to show off this proficiency.
The brainstorming had successfully occupied his mind as he made his way after his starter. He stumbled upon the amber fire-type in the midst of his breathing exercises, watching as the charmander's tail flame rose greatly with each inhale. Each exhale had the flame fall to its normal healthy burn, but a small stream of smoke would escape his nose, causing the trainer to smirk. It was cute, watching the proud but goofy Charmander concentrate so hard.
Ash was also pleasantly surprised to discover that Rhaegal had taken the initiative to clear out all the underbrush and fallen branches that littered his training zone, removing potential fire hazards as best he could. He'd even swept away most of the fallen leaves, leaving only moist soil beneath his feet. A wall of rock, at least three times the trainer's height jutted from the earth. Deep gouges marked the yard of stone that stuck up from the floor. Ash recognized the claw grouping to be his starter's.
"Is that you, Rhae?" he asked, gesturing to the wall.
"Char." He huffed proudly, snorting a plume of smoke. From the cloud, shimmering silver claws glinted in the gentle afternoon sun. "Char charmander."
Ash was surprised. The metallic extensions shone brightly, without a shred of the fading and flickering of the days prior. "That's great, buddy! I knew you'd get this down quickly. Brock's not going to know what hit him!"
Rhaegal nodded. He was his trainer's first pokemon. He liked Faron, quite a lot, actually, but he would not be seen as anything other than the boy's best asset.
"How's are your breathing going? Do you think we can give it a try?"
Rhaegal's enthusiastic bobbing of the head signified his response as he turned to the large cliff face, setting into his attack stance.
"Remember, Flame Burst is a lot like your Dragon Rage, except instead of using your dragon energy, you use your inner flame. We can start by trying to consolidate your Ember into one large ball. The blasting part we'll deal with later."
The Kanto starter flicked his tail in acknowledgment, and immediately lunched a stream of embers at the wall, twitching as he watched them smack against stone and smother themselves in the moist soil.
Ash hadn't realized it before, but Ember bore a strong resemblance to a fiery Bullet Seed. The user would sit there and launch a stream of particles, vessels of their type's energy, in a single direction. He briefly wondered if it would be useful to try and do it with the Charmander's strange bias towards dragon energy. Should probably give that a gander. Who knows when it'll be useful?
It'll give us something to do as we try and lay the foundation for Dragon Rush. So far, Rhaegal had continued to better his control over the dragon energy required to use it, and he'd gotten a fair bit faster, but the not so little lizard's body just wasn't made for speed. At least not yet. No matter how large or powerful his Charmander may be, he was still a charmander and therefore built a bit beefy and specialized in ranged moves.
Ash watched as Rhaegal continued to blast Ember at the wall. He'd managed to both condense and spread the stream, but there was a certain lack of togetherness that they both were looking for.
"Rhae, try holding it in longer."
Rhaegal liked attacking fast and without mercy. Their fight with the Pincer had certainly shown that, and it wasn't unexpected. Rhaegal and his evolutionary line, while not technically being dragon types, were as close as one could really get. Dragons were Apex predators, fearsome and dangerous and near untouchable in combat. There wasn't a trainer out there that didn't respect their power, nor was there a person Ash knew that didn't dream of training one themselves. Rhaegal's proclivity for Dragon Rage and Dragon Rush was, while not unheard of, certainly uncommon and was likely a byproduct of a real dragon type in his ancestry.
The problem with this was that the Dragon's alpha mindset, along with the typically unstable temperament of fire-types, were cause for a short fuse and an aggressive nature, something Ash had yet to really experience, but watching Rhaegal blast time after time into the was certainly testing the firetype's level of self-restraint. He sat back and watched his starter's progress with a calm and emotionless face, hiding the myriad of thoughs that bubble din his brain.
Rhaegal, to his credit, was holding himself together quite well for an hours-worth of failure. The stream of embers had become a series of small puffs, but not the one ball of fire that they both wanted. His trainer's instruction was certainly lackluster, and he resisted the urge to roll his large blue eyes.
Hold it in? Gee, what a great idea! the lizard thought, irritation seeping in, though he tried again despite his inner protests. He could feel his blood pumping as the pressure built in his throat, a hot and smoky sensation that nearly caused him to sneeze.
Just a little longer…
Despite his apprehension, Rhaegal could feel a difference in the way this attack felt. It was hotter, and it felt strange in his mouth. He wanted to spit it out, as he was told to when he was young, but his trainer was a smart boy, despite his inexperience. Their hectic but exciting arrival to Veridian had told him that. The pressure in his mouth grew stronger, and it was a wayward series of sparks that finally pushed him over the edge as he finally let it loose.
Opening his jaw, the largest ember attack of his life was forcefully expunged from his jaws, rocketing his head back and blasting in a huge peppering of hot fire. It was not the orb they wanted, no. This was like a shotgun blast, small rockets of burning coals rushed in a cone into the wall, each of them bursting into small clouds of smoldering debris.
"Errr…good job?" was the raven-haired trainer's elegant response. This was certainly new, though not entirely unpleasant. It might be useful, should they be able to make it happen without the force of it giving the lizard whiplash.
Ash watched him with curiosity, willing his starter to try again.
"You're getting close, I think. Try and get them to stick together,"
Said starter was currently simmering. He had followed his trainer's orders. For half an hour more he had tried, and not a step further had they gotten. Rhaegal had nearly perfected his 'shotgun'-esque technique, which his trainer had taken to calling "Emblast" after it's resemblance to both Ember and Flame Burst. He'd favored 'Emblast' over 'Emburst' because the later sounded to close to Ember to be relied upon during a fight.
Although Ash was impressed by their first homebrewed technique, if they could really call it that, he could tell that the Charmander was getting frustrated. The bursts were becoming inconsistent, firing in odd intervals and bursting mid-flight. Rhaegal's tail flame flickered irritably, a signal that the trainer needed to reign him in and get him to calm down.
"Rhaegal, let's take a break. I can make a call to the professor and ask if he has any tips."
Though there was plenty of daylight left, they had been at it for nearly two hours with little actual progress. It was surprising, seeing as the firetype should have taken to the move rather quickly. It was essentially a fire-based Dragon Rage, something that the lizard had shown immense prowess in. He clearly had the power, if the deep scorches and radiant heat of the stony cliff was any indication, but for whatever reason they weren't making any headway.
Rhaegal didn't want to stop. He knew that he should have at least come close by now, but no matter what he tried, Flame Burst continued to evade him. The intense bubbling in his stomach and snarl in his throat were involuntary, but the rumble they sent through his body felt right. He needed to be stronger. He was the boy's first pokemon. He was strong. He was different He was fire.
Ash took an unconscious step backwards. The usually silly firetype was snarling like a caged Growlithe, tufts of smoke and spurts of fire pluming out with every snarling clench of his rounded jaw. His starter's usually wide azure eyes were narrowed into reptilian slits that promised pain.
He didn't really know what to do. His starter was usually perfectly well-mannered when out of battle, but even against that horrible Pincer he'd been better composed. Charmander, as Ash had memorized, were typically docile, only getting grumpy and irritable once they evolved, and he could tell that Rhaegal was still quite a ways off from that milestone. He was strong, but had yet to portray the telltale signs of evolution, such as the darkening of their scales, sharper jaw, and bigger teeth and claws.
He had yet to have to deal with a truly irritable fire type, as those at the ranch were easily cowed by him or the Professor's intervention. Rhaegal, however, didn't seem to want to cooperate.
"Easy, buddy. We'll get it in no time, but I need you to simmer down a little, okay? For me?"
The request fell on deaf ears. Rhaegal continued to snarl and stomp around, claws now flashing a brilliant silver.
What the hell am I supposed to do? I could call Faron, but he's vulnerable to fire and Rhaegal doesn't seem like he's willing to pull any punches.
Normally, back at Oak's Ranch, Ash could call on one of the other pokemon to help calm down any of the angry or upset creatures, but there wasn't really anyone here. Oak had said when he picked his starter that he'd only just found Rhaegal, so it wasn't like the professor's words could do much to soothe his friend.
Although they had become quite close over the weak-and-a-half-ish since they'd met each other, Ash was still trying to figure his starter out. He knew that Rhaegal liked playing, loved fighting, and enjoyed being around his trainer, but the boy was scraping his mind about what might pull him back. It's not like pokemon where children and you could just give them their favorite toy…
…Or are they?
He couldn't believe that he'd forgotten about it! There had only been one time where Ash had needed to wrangle his rather unusual charmander in, and it had been right after their encounter with the stupid Spearow flock.
Quickly taking of his bag, but not too fast to upset the seething reptile, Ash fumbled in the large pocket, gasping with relief when his fingers wrapped around the strangely warm wooden box that held one of his most cherished items.
Slowly, almost reverently, the fourteen-year-old pulled the box from the bag and flipped it open, breath catching as he gazed at the brilliantly rainbow hues of the feather he'd found after that strange creature had passed overhead. He gently pulled it from its makeshift home, sighing as pure peace and comfort threatened to burst from within. Subconsciously, he pulled it to his chest, the barbs that made up its vane dancing along the fabric like a pianist's fingers. It felt like home, of his mom's cooking, or Samuel's Ranch and his friends Leaf and Gary. It's incredible pull was near impossible to break away from, but he resisted, knowing that its effects were need elsewhere.
As soon as the feather had been pulled from its prison, the raging charmander had immediately stilled, all smoke and flame cut out as his eyes widened like dinnerplates, drawn into the delicate plumage like a starved plant to sunlight. He watched as his trainer turned, an expression of near pain on his face as he pulled the feather way from his vested chest, pushing it towards the awed reptile.
He felt unworthy. He reached a clawed hand out towards the dazzling feather, in awe of its stunning red, green and white fires that reminded him of racing his trainer through the woods, of eating far too much of his trainer's mom's cooking. It felt like the arms of his trainer wrapped around him at night, and like the warmth he'd felt so long ago, of the Large-winged-ones that birthed him. He wanted to touch it, to feel its power directly, but there was something inside him that refused. It refused to bend to the warmth and peace that it offered. It was the part inside him that warred constantly with his inner flame. He didn't know what the feeling was, but he knew that it would be angry with him if he touched the feather-that-sparkled-like-stars.
That's not to say that he was opposed to the feeling, not at all. He watched as his trainer's golden eyes closed and his breathing became deep. He'd never seen the boy look so pure. He remembered after they'd blown up the green-trainer's Poison Powder where they'd found the feather. He had looked at peace then, but he had still been breathing heavy and had been covered in scrapes and soot and mud.
Now, however, his trainer looked like there wasn't anything wrong with the world, and that made Rhaegal happy. His trainer was a good person, though he'd only met three others up close. The gray-man had been nice, if not quite fond of poking and prodding him with his many metal devices. There was also the two men, one in red and the other with fire for hair. They had been nice enough, he supposed, but they had seemed confused. They had his mamma and papa, but they wouldn't let him see them. They had kept him for what felt like months in a strange box that he couldn't step out of before putting him in the ball. His trainer let him do what he wanted for the most part, only restricting battles and practices so that he was safe.
He had wanted to be strong for his trainer. He wanted to protect the boy like the boy had protected his human-friend, but he hadn't learned anything but Metal Claw since they started training. When his trainer's black box had shown him Flame Burst, he knew that he had the pieces and ability to make it work. When he hadn't, the strange feeling in him grew, bubbling in superiority.
"It's okay, Rhae. We'll get it done. I promise."
The trainer wasn't quite sure what it was that had bubbled up in his starter, but whatever it was certainly wasn't easily swayed. The warmth of his starter, catalyzed by the feather and it's magical power, was threatened by whatever the force was, and though he didn't know how to make it go away, Ash did know how to fuel the kanto starter's inner flame. Despite his somewhat fierce disposition in battle, Rhaegal loved to play, and he absolutely adored attention
"Right now, it's just me and you. You're my first pokemon, and nothing will change that."
Pulling a fingerless glove off his left hand, the rookie rested his palm against his starter's forehead, relishing in the surge of warmth and comfort that the action brought.
Thump… Thum-Thump…
Rhaegal let out a surprised "chaaaa" at his trainer's touch. The near crushing feeling that had been prodding at his psyche for hours faltered beneath the radiant comfort of the shimmering feather.
Thum-Thump… Thum-Thump...
A content "coo" was his response, enwrapping himself in his trainer's support and relishing its golden glow. Lost in the feeling, the small fire type barely registered the soft puffs of cinders that peltered the boy's jeans.
The trainer laughed lightly, stomping on the rogue sparks to snuff them. He enjoyed moments like this, where he could contently coddle his starter. He wondered briefly if they could still do so once he was a big fearsome Charizard, but quickly banished the thought.
We'll cross that bridge when we get there. First, we have to work on Fire Burst.
"What do you say bud? Ready to give it another go?"
"Char!"
Determination flew through their bond as the freshly cuddled reptile leapt to his feet, inner flame stoked by the feather and his trainer's encouragement.
Ash gently tucket the brilliant feather back into his old travel case, it's ethereal presence slowly leaving the duo to face reality. He slipped the case carefully beneath his main supply crate so that it won't get jostled around to much.
I've really got to do some research on that thing. Maybe Oak will know?
He pondered the idea as he too took to his feet, dusting off remnants of the forest that clung to his hands and pants.
Will he want to take it? I don't want to give it up, seeing as it might be one of the few things that will calm an irate Rhaegal down… I'm sure I can come up with something. The Pewter Museum might have some stuff, though their focus is really on rocks, evolutionary stones, and fossils. Still, it's worth checking out…okay, focus up Ash.
He shook his head, walking to stand behind his starter and slipped his glove back on. Thee firetypee was currently glaring holes into the steep stoneface, as if calling for it to attack.
"Alright buddy. Focus on your fire, okay? Remember that warmth we were feeling. Use that to feed your attack, and let it go. I believe in you."
His round orange head bobbed in confirmation as he dug himself into attacking position. Rhaegal closed his large eyes, the memory of his trainer's love and excitement flow over him like a firm hug. He took a deep breath, sending that warmth jetting through his system and gather in his mouth in a hot spere, flames tickling the roof of his mouth as they gathered and compressed.
Just before the energy ball grew to caress the back of his large fangs, blue eyes blazed open into narrow slits. With a snarl, Rhaegal reared back and spat out the grapefruit sized balled of fire, glaring at it as it lobbed all the way into the wall and bursting, sending a small shockwave of flames outwards until the faint winds blew them out,
Ash jumped in excitement, pumping his fist in the air.
He did it!
"Great job, Rhaegal! Now, one more time! Flame Burst!"
Another sphere arched into the wall, this time exploding with more force than the last.
Placing a congratulatory hand on the back of his starter, Ash bent down, whispering accolades into the reptile's ear.
"I told you you could do it. Now, let's try and speed it up. If we can get it across a battlefield without having to arc it, that would be ideal. Don't tire yourself out to bad. I'm going to go check up on Faron, okay?"
"Cha Char charrr" he replied, spitting another wad of flames at the wall.
As if I'd stop so soon after getting it down.
Ash chuckled lightly as his starter pelted the wall with Flame Bursts, each one better and stronger than the last. It seemed as if all Rhaegal needed was a push in the right direction. He couldn't wait for is first gym battle.
I wonder how Faron's taken to his training…
It hadn't taken the trainer more than five minutes to find his second teammate, though he was certainly surprised when he stumbled into a small clearing surrounded by seedlings and ivy vines tied in rough braids. The thick braids culminated in a knotted mass atop some sort of dome. Faron was seated in the center, lost in his own world .
Faron sat in a meditative position, large yellow eyes closed tightly with concentration. His legs weren't crossed, but his knees were splayed, and his feet were touching. Large, tactile hands pressed together tightly at the center of his chest. A few strong rays of sun trickled down through the canopy and resting across the Hoenn starter's brilliant green scales.
Ash watched, flabbergasted as one of the vines untangled itself from one of the braids, shakingly stretching over the top of the grass type and into a small pile of seeds that rest at the pokemon's feet. The tip of the plant would secure a seed in a tight spiral vine would withdraw the seed, creep into an unoccupied space in the forest floor, and stick it in the ground before inching its way back into the braid.
"Uhhh… Wow, Faron. You took to this way quicker than I expected."
Reptilian eyes flicked open as the forest-gecko was roused from his trance, a small smirk stretching across his rounded snout. He stood, shaking out the stiffness that an hour's worth of meditation had brought. He scurried over to his trainer, panting lightly and certainly off balance, signs that Ash took to mean that his friend was tired.
Extending his arms down to grab the grass type, the trainer pulled him up and placed him atop his head, smiling at the content sigh that escaped the tired reptile.
"Treeee"
"Did you get to practice your Bullet Seed at all?"
A nod against his cap.
"Did it go as well as your vine-work has?"
A swaying motion, but then a shake.
"That's fine. What you've done here is incredible. You're on pace to have Mega Drain down before Mt. Moon, should we ever find our way out of this forest," he joked.
They had stayed far longer than he had originally intended to, as they were now just over a week into his journey with out a badge, but having spent most of that time in the Viridian Forest, he figured that the training they'd done had made up for it, though he would want to ramp up their pace after Pewter.
"We'll work on your Bullet Seed after a short break. Let's go grab Rhaegal and have a late lunch. It'll give me time to call Oak and maybe we can find you guys someone to battle."
"Treecko tree," the tired gecko chirped, clinging tighter to his trainer's hat as the boy stood, marching towards the sound of explosions.
Ash had to stop himself from skipping back to camp. Rhaegal's Flame Burst had grown by leaps and bounds. The once arching ball was now a dangerous rocket of condensed flames spread even further than before. Even Faron had been happy for the fire type, the two reptiles conversing adamantly about their new techniques.
Faron demonstrated his control over the plethora of Ivy vines that snaked up the trees, bringing one down to poke the charmander's shoulder. Faron even went as far to demonstrate Quick Attack, a move that Ash had ben laving on the backburner in favor of more illustrious techniques. The grasstype, unlike his rookie trainer, hadn't been lackadaisical in his approach and was now zipping around from tree to tree, a blur to the trainer and an enticing target for small balls of Smokescreen.
The comradery between the two starters was a welcome sight to the trainer, as it wasn't unheard of for warring typed males to but heads in territory disputes. With nothing more than a brotherly competitiveness between the two, Ash had little to worry about. They'd arrived at their day camp at three in the afternoon, a little late for lunch; however, the early spring suns meant that they still had hours of daylight to train and venture before calling it a night and unrolling his bedroll.
Their day camp was little more than a small break in the trees where there where a tree, large enough to use as a seat and table, had fallen.
Pouring the two teammates their respective allotment of dense pokechow and sliced berries, Ash sat himself on the log and rummaged through his pocket for his Pokedex.
Pulling the black box from his front pocket and flipping open the screen, Ash scrolled through the various menus until he found the 'Video Call' option, pulling up the only number that was currently in his directory.
I'll have to put mom's number in there, he mused.
I can't believe Leaf and I forgot to exchange numbers. I wonder if she's back on her feet yet. Hell, she might have even passed us on the way if she went straight through. With her type advantage, she doesn't need to train as hard as we did.
Pressing the 'dial' button, as the professor had shown them at the ranch, Ash cleared his thoughts so that he could approach the start of their conversation as objectively as possible.
The screen stayed at the 'dial up' screen for a few moments as the device connected to the satellites before it began to ring. It rang about five times before the screen flashed, revealing the graying, jubilant Professor.
"Ash! What a pleasant surprise. Finally remembered that the model I've given you has a calling feature, have we?" the man joked, a bright smile that crinkled his eyes spread across his surprisingly unwrinkled face.
Ash rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment. His mentor was right, he should have called earlier. Especially after his rough start outside Pallet.
"Yeah, I guess I did. Sorry about that, Profesor."
The man waved off the apology, "No worries, Ash. I was a trainer too, long ago. I know how it works, as well as how invested you can get. Though I will say, we used to have to write a letter to talk to our sponsors. You have it nice with these Dex's. Now, what can I do for you? I imagine this wasn't just a social call," the man asked, shuffling a few papers off his desk and leaning forward, waiting for the trainer's response.
"Unfortunately not," Ash began, trying to best figure out how to tell his sponsor that he'd been attacked not three days after they'd gotten out of the hospital.
Might as well just go for it…
"I need you to file an official reprimand for Trainer Incompetency, on two counts."
The professor's eye's widened considerably as the man choked on a sip of his coffee.
"On what grounds?"
It was only experience that allowed the professor to choke out his response. Trainer Incompetency was a clause in the Trainer's Ruleset that, when cited for, could lead to anything from the suspension of their license and a fine, to its complete termination. Such claims against a trainer were incredibly serious, with certain cases leading to the blacklisting of the person as a trainer and a ban on their right to catch pokemon.
The Trainer's Ruleset were a set or rules that all aspiring trainers needed to memorize and sign off on to get their license, regardless if they pass the other tests. They were rules designed to try and protect people when training and battling, an inherently dangerous field that many abandon because of the risks, if they survive that long. Pokemon are incredibly powerful creatures with abilities that can level cities, let alone an opposing trainer, and the NATS, or the 'National Association for Trainer Safety' implemented the code to thwart unnecessary harm from becoming trainers.
To be cited for Trainer Incompetency, the accused would have to have done something incredibly dangerous and irresponsible that harmed or could have harmed the opponent, bystanders, or environment beyond what is reasonable in battle, all violations of the Trainer's Ruleset.
For Sam, hearing that one of his star pupils, who had just escaped a hospital with scars and permanent damage to his vocal cords, to have run into a trainer that would violate the Ruleset caused unbelievable amounts of stress, and he swore that he would do his diligence as an official Indigo Researcher and Sponsor by following the claim to it's fruition.
Dalia would kill me if I didn't, the professor thought, shuddering at the thought of the Ketchum matriarch. She was one of the sweetest beings on the planet, but should someone threaten her only son, may Arceus grant them mercy, because she certainly won't.
The sound of his pupil's response brought him back into the moment. He scooted his keyboard over, pulling up his database and a document for him to record information on as he listened to the boy's claim.
"Use of a move banned in recreational battle and use of an untrained Pokemon in recreational battle."
Oak's eyes bugged out once more. He'd been expecting something along the lines of price gouging, where an experienced trainer would try and swindle rookies out of more money than their battle should warrant without consent. What Ash had said was far worse. Moves that were banned in recreational battle were banned for a reason. They could very easily kill people, especially without the barriers that professional fields use to protect the trainers and spectators. Throw in that the pokemon wasn't even trained properly, Ash very well could have died.
"Ash, I'm glad you're okay, but I'm going to need the full story. Try to give me as much detail as possible, but know that should your claim go through, you might be needed to supply a memory to a psychic for verification."
The trainer nodded looking out at his two teammates as they sprawled across the log. "I understand, professor. So it started off in the morning after I'd left Veridian, around five, six, days ago?"
And so he told the his story, starting from his team alerting him to a nearby presence, to the Samurai-kid rushing at him with a sword, his challenge, and then their battle with the untrained, ill-prepared Pincer and his near devastating Hyper Beam.
Oak's eyes bulged at the move, thanking Arceus for keeping his protégé and his starter safe, immediate vowing to have the boy's license suspended. He'd try for termination, but it was unlikely if it was the kid's first offense, and seeing as Gary, who had faced the boy according to Ash, had yet to call, it was unlikely to be a repeatable offense.
"I might have to add assault with a deadly weapon to that list. Things just aren't going to be easy with you, are they Ash? On your first day leaving my lab, you nearly blow yourself up and inhale enough poison powder to kill a quite a few Rattata, only to be beaten by a cop and then hospitalized. That was only day one! I swear, I may already be gray, but you may make me bald!" the man exclaimed, causing the boy to chuckle.
"I was never easy, Professor. Remember when I was 6 and you found me playing with the Rydon in your ranch?" Ash asked, reminiscing.
"Yes, the one that had just sent one of my interns into the emergency room? How could I forget? Your mother yelled so loud that I couldn't hear out my left ear for three days!" It was the professor who was laughing now. He'd always liked the boy. He was far more levelheaded than his grandson, who he loved dearly. Gary was just… a lot.
"I am surprised that you've spent so much time in the woods. I believe Gary has already made it to Cerulean with his first badge, and has caught at least fifteen pokemon on his way, though I guess they're not nearly as spectacular as a Treecko. How did that come about? They are quite hard to find in Hoenn, and nearly impossible to catch elsewhere," the professor asked, quickly pulling up the boy's approximate location on his computer.
"Well," the raven-haired teen began, scratching his head again in embarrassment, "we kind of stumbled upon his house, and he called us out on it. I think he might be abandoned, as he understood battles and how pokedexes and balls worked."
It wasn't surpriseing to the professor. It was an unfortunate reality, but trainers were buying more and more pokemon instead of catching and training their own. Organizations like Team Rocket made this far easier, and though Trainer Schools and other elite-classed citizens would never admit to it, Oak knew no breeder that was dealing with them. They had to come from somewhere…
The bit about pokedexes also wasn't surprising, as Dex's themselves were rather common, but the ones available to the general public were nothing more than walking encyclopedias and were typically locked by the trainer's region. Oak loved spoiling his students, giving them the same dex's he provided for Ace trainers and members of Champion Lance's G-League, a branch of Kanto's law enforcement that dealt with cases too powerful for the normal Jenny's of the region.
"Though I am sorry for him to have experienced that, I am happy that he'd found you. There aren't many others your age I'd trust to raise an abandoned pokemon other than you, Ash."
The boy blushed. Such high praise from one of the most respected people in the world was certainly more than his unselfish self was receptive of. He managed to stuffer out a quick thank you, before explaining why he was still stuck in the woods.
"Honestly, professor, I just wanted to get some training in with my team and better understand who they are and how they react in certain situations. I was also kind of hoping to find a third member, but nothing's really jumped out at me. We've seen the usual assortment of bug types and the odd Oddish, but I wanted something special, you know?"
"I certainly understand, Ash, but unfortunate, Veridian isn't home to too much that might interest you, though it wasn't supposed to be home to Treecko, and look how that turned out," he joked, finally locking in on the boy's location and 'hmmm'-ing aloud.
"You know, you're only about an hour's hike away from the Open Stone River. It stems from the Lake of Rage in Johto, crosses through Mount Silver, and empties into Cerulean. You might find something there that made the journey across the border. A Whooper or Marill, perhaps?"
Ash's golden-amber eyes lit up in excitement. "Thanks professor! I'll head there now and head straight to Pewter after."
The man chuckled, continuing to type away at his report on this 'Samurai' fellow. "You do that, Ash. The river leads right around Pewter. If you follow it straight in, it should only take you a day or so of hard travel to make it."
Ash debated signing of right then but decided against it in favor of a couple last questions.
"Hey, Professor? You wouldn't happen to have any insight on how to teach a Treecko Mega Drain or Leech Seed, do you?"
The professor leaned back in his chair, scratching at his nonexistent beard in thought.
"Well I suppose I would start with teaching and mastering Absorb before trying to get them to growing plants and manipulating them. Increasing the amount of grass energy they can wield and tore is also rather essential. Have you done this?"
At Ash's nod, he continued.
"Well I suppose you would then try and absorb energy through the plants, though you're going to need to create your own kind of vine, as natural ones don't typically absorb through their vines," he explained, "and then I would try and combine the two to get Mega Drain, and for Leech Seed, combine Mega Drain with Bullet Seed."
Ash frowned internally at the lack of new information, though he was happy that he was thinking like the famous Professor Samuel Oak.
"That's what we thought. By the way, have you heard from Leaf? Do you know if she's back on the trail yet?"
The gray-haired man smirked, "Why, Ash? Missing her company already? And here I though you two were only friends?"
Ash blushed even harder than before, hardly able to stutter out a response.
"n…no… not like that old man! I was just concerned, seeing as she was hurt, but I'm going to go now and assume that's a yes"
Before the boy could end the call, Sam held up his hands in surrender.
"Fine, fine! Whatever you say, Ash. Since you've asked, I am happy to tell you that she has resumed her travels this morning and is currently on route to Pewter as we speak. Maybe you could rush and catch up, if you were so in-"
"Nice talking with you professor! I gotta go, Rhaegal is… uh… got to go bye!" Ash sputtered, utterly embarrassed at the old man's teasing.
As If mom wasn't enough… First Daisy, then Leaf, it's like any friend I make that is a girl is going to give her grandbabies! He complained, quickly packing up his makeshift camp and returning his two teammates so that they could rest a little more before they reached the river. I hope Oak doesn't tell my mom!
The hike to the river was, as the professor had stated, exactly an hour away, meaning that Ash had about two left before the sun set. That was two hours for him to find a new partner, should he find something he liked.
"Plenty of time," he muttered to himself.
The Open-Stone River was decently wide at the spot he'd found, likely 30 feet across. It was entirely clear, composed of snowmelt from the nearly untouched Mt. Silver and the mountain springs of upper Johto. He could see the bottom, though the afternoon shadows were making it difficult and he didn't have a fishing rod. He was content with looking for something along the banks or in the marshes.
He traipsed gently along the banks, careful to avoid slipping into the cold water. There weren't any other footsteps, meaning that the odds of him finding something good were rather favorable. Stronger pokemon tended to stay on the outskirts of society, as they were strong enough to survive alone, though he hoed he wouldn't stumble upon anything his team weren't ready to deal with. Mt. Silver was nothing to scoff at.
Looking up, Ash stared in amazement at the incredible stone pillar that stretched deep into the clouds.
"One day, I'll be strong enough to reach that peak."
As much as Mt. Silver intrigued him, Ash knew that he wouldn't be able to even step foot on its base for years to come. Mt. Silver was one of the world's greatest wonders. It was a place where legends were made. Elite Four member Bruno trained extensively in its many caves. Cross-regional Champion Lance even marched his way above the cloud layer prior to his championship run, though neither ever made it to the peak. No one has.
As much as he hated to praise the man that abandoned him and his mother, Red was even stronger than Lance, and was said to have traversed just shy of the peak before he was forced to abandon the climb. Red's quest up Mt. Silver had occurred just before the night he'd disappeared from Ash's life forever.
Every trainer worth their salt wanted to conquer Mt. Silver, but only the very best were allowed within 10 miles of the mountain, and for good reason. The journey was incredibly dangerous, with only a single Pokemon center located at the base of the mountain before the adventurers would face steep, jagged stone cliffs, icy, snowy covered mountain faces. There weren't really paths, as not many trainers found themselves strong enough to make it past the 10 mile buffer zone.
If the deadly weather and traveling conditions weren't enough to deter you, the savage and ferocious wild pokemon were there to change your mind. Even the weakest of them were easily on the level of A gym leader's true team, with many of them capable of taking on entire champion-level teams.
Ash loved his developed team, but a single encounter with any of the beasts that called that frozen hellscape home, ash knew he and his team wouldn't be making the journey home. To even get past the gate, a trainer needed at least 8 badges and a letter of recommendation from a certified trainer, subject to review, and/or that of a Gym Leader, Elite Four member, or Champion. Anyone that made their way into the area carried a legacy, a legacy that countless trainers left in the snow and ice.
The teen shuddered. Stories had of course surfaced from trainer's that qualified for entry, and their tales shook him to the core. What few trail markers there were consisted of the coats of travelers that died and froze on the way, tents that remained long after their owners froze to death within them, and the shredded clothes of victims unable to escape their hungry pursuers.
No, Ash wouldn't dare consider making the climb until he knew his team was strong enough to reach the top. For now, he would stick with stray river creatures that might make Pewter a less formidable encounter.
Try as he might, Ash found little in the way of pokemon. There was a couple magicarp that swam laboriously between the rocks, but Ash refused to bite on the temptation of a Gyarados. Magikarp were practically impossible to train, and he had neither the resources nor the time to spend on attempting to.
With a heavy sigh, the rookie plopped down on a rather large rock, watching as the crystal blue water trickled gently through tall river reeds.
Damn. I was hoping I'd find something out here…
Unclipping the fasteners that held his bag against his chest, he pulled the bag around to riffle for his throat medication. He pulled to pills from the bottle, his canteen, and a small snack bar for the lunch that he'd forgone for his conversation with Professor Oak.
He eyed the pills wearily, still not quite used to their size, but braced himself and downed them anyway. It would be nice for my throat not to burn every time I shout in battle. I don't want anything to stand in the way of our victory.
Pills downed and stomach grumbling, Ash cracked the seal on his lunch and froze halfway through his first bite.
Bingo!
The reeds that jutted along the margins of the river rustled violently as something swam his way. Snapping off a bite of his lunch and tossing it in the direction of the movement, Ash watched in pure shock as a large, blue jaw slammed down on the bar and two round eyes poked up at him from the water.
Two large eyes, irises a deep maroon, peered at him curiously from within the reeds, flicking between him and his lunch. Catching the pokemon's gaze, the pallet native broke of another larger chunk, gently tossing it atop one of the flatter rocks between him and his observer, breath catching in his throat.
He'd recognized the creature immediately. Its broad, flat head with raised nostrils and eyes that broke the water plane so that it could hunt undetected. Its teal, leathery skin was embedded with bony scutes that would only grow more durable as it evolved.
As it inched forward, swimming in a serptentine like movement, Ash caught a glimpse of crimson spinal plates, keeping the creature aligned as it propelled itself with a muscular tail. The plates resembled dorsal fins, but were rigid and unyielding, extending from the back of the crown and just shy of the tip of its tail, preventing the creature from being attacked from above.
Ash knew the temperament of the creature, having studied the Johto region rather extensively, seeing as the region shared many of the same borders and pokemon as Kanto. There was quite a lot of overlap in populations because of their proximity and lack of major waterbody between the two, but pokemon like this were hard to find anywhere. He wanted it, badly.
Not at all weary of the boy, the creature propelled itself to the base of the rock, sliding atop the submerged portion of stone and pushing itself onto its hind legs, prancing over to the nubbin of nutritional bar that the boy had so generously tossed aside.
The creature certainly wasn't fast, as it's stubby legs and large feet made movement difficult, but Ash was surprised with the lightness that it moved, nimbly dancing over crags and slipper moss that clung to the stone.
When the creature reached the moral, it bent at the hips to grab it in short, webbed , clawed hands, tossing the piece in the air and chomping down with a force that nearly made the trainer flinch. Pokemon like this were drawn to movement, and seeing as lineage were well known for having one of the strongest crushing jaws in the ntire pokemon kingdom, and even at its first stage was quite easy crush his strongest bones, he didn't want to spook it.
It's large jaw was lined with 60 circular, symmetrical canine teeth that were smooth up to their point, capable of puncturing through just about anything.
The creature slammed its powerful jaw closed, swallowing the morsal whole, as like other reptiles, it was incapable of chewing. Ripping, shredding, and tearing? Of course, but chewing? Not really.
Having finished its snack, it turned to the boy again, quirking it's head to the side and staring holes at the remainder of his lunch.
So much for a late lunch, the teen joked. Let's see how this goes.
Slowly and foolishly extending a hand outwards, the remainder of the bar placed gingerly atop his fingertips, Ash prepared to jerk his hand away from the jaws that, if feeling the inclination, could chomp it right of.
The Johto native made a strange gurgling noise before stepping forward and sniffing the outstretched appendage. Cool, wet, rough skin brushed across calloused fingertips pushed its snout into the boy's hand.
Having sniffed the boy and found nothing worth being weary of, the reptile reached and grabbed the snack with its clawed hand, before doing something Ash had never once read in his studies.
Pulling the bar into a tight grip, the creature stepped back, hopping from foot to foot in a pattern, spinning and bobbing its disproportionately large head in a manner that floored the fourteen-year-old.
Is it… Dancing?
Sorry about the delay, folks! Finally vaught the bug again and I'm trying to get back into writing. This chapter was kind of filler-y, but the next one os really plot forward and important so I wanted to get back into writing before tackling that monster. I hope you've already guessed what Ash's third teammate is going to be, and if not, you'll have to wait until the next chaper to find out for sure! Thank you for all the support, and I apologise for any errors made in the chapter. English isn't my strong suit, but I'm working on it best I can.